Tag: Hebrews

Categories
Daily Post

Boys of Fall

Forrest GreggI am sure most of you have heard Kenny Chesney’s new song Boys of Fall.  Last night, we watched the ESPN documentary that aired Sunday by the same name.  Maybe some of you watched the program as well.  If you have every played football, or been a fan of football, I am sure you will want to try to catch that show. Although I tried my hand at the gridiron in junior high, I was too skinny and slow to be effective as a football player and moved on to other endeavors.

But that is not today’s point.  This documentary is filled with interviews with great names from football’s past and present – from Joe Namath to Peyton Manning.  The part, however, that I found very interesting was when a few of the coaches talked about the impact of tradition and history.  Phil Fulmer even said, that when you are out there and its fourth and one and you think of all of the other guys that have worn the orange and white before you that it makes you get that extra yard, that it makes you dig deeper and find a way.  Sound familiar?

So that and the whole concept that was being discussed that football was a microcosm of life led me to think about our lives of faith.  We understand in football why the tradition has an impact on the current players.  We understand the team aspects, the ‘no holds bared’ way of fighting on the gridiron.  So can we take that same approach to our spiritual lives?  Maybe Paul, or whoever wrote Hebrews, was a football coach on the side?  He delivers a pretty good locker room speech in Hebrews 12 that sounds a lot like some of the talk on Chesney’s show:

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  4In your struggle against sin, you have not yet resisted to the point of shedding your blood. 5And you have forgotten that word of encouragement that addresses you as sons:

“My son, do not make light of the Lord’s discipline,
and do not lose heart when he rebukes you,
6because the Lord disciplines those he loves,
and he punishes everyone he accepts as a son.”  Hebrews 12:1-6 (New International Version)

Think about all of those who have followed Christ before you, those who have led the way, and take encouragement from them today.  You can hang in there, even when its fourth and one.

Hm, maybe life is a big football game?

Categories
Daily Post

Cigarettes and a Mountain Dew

While I was out on my morning run today, I noticed a man walking towards the direction I was running.  He was dressed in a shirt and jeans and I guess some sort of shoe.  As I approached him he raised his hands up and said ” A cigarette and a Mountain Dew, I’m getting in shape too!”.  LOL!!  I almost had to stop running, it was so much better then someone yelling “Run Forest Run” out of their car window.

This poor guy had no idea he would be part of an object lesson today.  Sometimes that’s how I think we approach our spiritual walk.  We are out in the wrong clothes (state of readiness), with a cigarette ( secret addictions) in on hand and a Mountain Dew ( sugary drink that gets you going to short periods of time, but does not sustain) in the other.  And then we wonder why our lives are not in order, and why we feel so out of shape and so far from God.

hm.  What is your cigarette and Mountain Dew today?  Can you set those down?  Can you put those aside to focus on the good and better things?

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart. Hebrews 12:1-3 NIV

and then the always though provoking Message:

1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 12:1-3, The Message)

Categories
Daily Post

Feeling Pioneering

Last night I was listening to some stuff from Francis Chan and is this particular piece he tells of a professor who once asked him “What are you doing today that requires faith”?  That’s a stumper of a question, but one that we should consider.

And since today is Daniel Boone Day, I think its even more appropriate.  Just think about Mr. Boone, heading off into the Transylvania wilderness (that is what he wanted to call Kentucky) way before the Interstate Highway System was even a sparkle in someone’s eye.  That took some faith!

So to honor ol’ Daniel,  lets get that good time pioneering feeling going today and step out there on faith.  Don’t be held back by the fear of the unknown, and the thought of what might happen.  But your faith in the creator of the universe to help you and get to it.

1-2The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It’s our handle on what we can’t see. The act of faith is what distinguished our ancestors, set them above the crowd. (Hebrews 11:1-2, The Message)

1-3Do you see what this means—all these pioneers who blazed the way, all these veterans cheering us on? It means we’d better get on with it. Strip down, start running—and never quit! No extra spiritual fat, no parasitic sins. Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we’re in. Study how he did it. Because he never lost sight of where he was headed—that exhilarating finish in and with God—he could put up with anything along the way: Cross, shame, whatever. And now he’s there, in the place of honor, right alongside God. When you find yourselves flagging in your faith, go over that story again, item by item, that long litany of hostility he plowed through. That will shoot adrenaline into your souls! (Hebrews 12:1-2, The Message)

Categories
Daily Post

Heading Home

For some reason when I posted this this morning, it posted as May 1, instead of June 1.  Weird Stuff…..  So here is June 1st post at the end of the day!

I  witnessed the second longest soccer game of my life on Friday night! ( for those who don’t know, the game was delayed 2.5 hours because of lightning before it even started this time and then went all the way down to PKs again before the Buccaneers pulled off the great victory), Anyway, after that game we loaded up the family truckster and meander our  way through Tennessee, Virginia and Kentucky and eventually spent 2 days explore the coal fields of  West Virginia on our way back to “grandma’s house”.  We witnessed historic sights, interesting architecture, backwoods that make banjos play in your mind, beautiful aspects of nature that show God’s handiwork, excellent tourists traps, and strange oddities.  We even took a mental trip trough family history as we traveled to Butchersville, WV, just outside of Weston and toured the grave of heroes where so many of my historical grandparents lie, and then spent a great day with family.  But even after all of that goodness, there is still something about going home.  So today, we will embark of quite a straight shot(as straight as you can in West Virginia) south to our home.

That sort of reminds me of the Christians life. Its not a perfect comparison, but I need to provide you some encouragement today to get your going after an awesome holiday weekend.  As much as we love the things that we put our hands to here, we are always looking to someplace else.  Our focus in life is not the roadside attractions, nor other great things of this world, but our focus in is our Savior who helps shape and direct our lives.

1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.  Hebrews 12:1-3 (New International Version)

Enjoy the day, and keep your focus

Categories
Daily Post

Argh Teenagers

This is one of those days where I have one pressing thought on my mind.  Its short and sweet:

Argh!!! Teenagers!!

It’s absolutely amazing how frustrating and hurtful it is to watch your teenagers continually dismiss your advice and ignore your suggestions.  It’s really a stress creator – it makes you want to put your fist into the wall or tear something up.

Oh but isn’t it interesting that we continually do the same thing to our heavenly Father.  We disregard his advice for living, we ignore the suggestions, we create our own paths, and I am sure he wants to scream ( hm, that might have something to do with the whole Noah deal).

But what is really amazing is he doesn’t.  Check out John 8.  With the woman caught in sin he says

“Then neither do I condemn you,” Jesus declared. “Go now and leave your life of sin.”

And then in Hebrews 10 he adds:

17…”Their sins and lawless acts I will remember no more.”

So no matter how the day goes today, no matter what befalls, remember these verses, you are forgiven, and that provides quite a lot of strength to deal with the day – even to deal with the teenagers – ARGH!