Who Do You "Go To"?

You probably have heard the expression “go-to guy” before. This is the person that people go to when they need something or when times get tough because they know that the “go-to guy” will come through. Wouldn’t it be nice to always have someone that you could count on regardless of the circumstances in your life?

Fortunately, there is one who is able to provide just that for those who have trusted Jesus Christ as his/her Lord and Saviour. Proverbs 1:7 tells us that “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom...”. Jesus also tells us “If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask him!” (Matthew 7:9-12). These gifts include that God will never forsake or leave us (Hebrews 13:5), will meet all of our needs according to His glorious riches (Philipians 4:19), and He asks us to cast all of our anxieties on Him (1 Peter 5:7). We are further told God will deliver us in our day of trouble if we call upon Him (Psalm 50:15).

These promises are not made by a weak god, but instead by the one true God. Jesus was able to control the sea, cast demons out of men, feed thousands by multiplying food, and conquer death. This is why Paul was able to write “No, in all things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us. For I am convinced that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ our Lord” (Romans 8:37-39).

Playing Within the Game Plan

Have you ever seen a player who has hurt his team by trying to do more than he has been asked to do? It winds up frustrating the player who is trying too hard, as well as his teammates, and isn’t a productive way to achieve the team’s goals.

Peter cut off the ear of a Roman soldier who came to arrest Jesus (John 18:10-11). Jesus told him “Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?” Annanias and Sapphira wanted to look good by claiming to give the church all of the money from the sale of their property (Acts 5:1-11). They had actually held some money back for themselves. Their deceit led to both of their deaths. Moses striking the rock and David committing adultery with Bathsheba are yet other reminders in the Bible of people thinking their plan is better than God’s.

What area of your life do you think you know better than God? Jeremiah 29:11 tells us “For I know the plans I have for you”, declares the Lord, “plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future.” Won’t you trust your next decision to the God who gives you hope and a future?

That’s Not Fair!

Athletes often find themselves asking for fair treatment, especially when they perceive that they are getting the short end of the stick (i.e. less money than a “comparable” player). We hear them whine and pout, sometimes threaten to skip practices and/or games, and in general be a negative influence on their teams.

Peter knew what it was like to feel this way. He was told by Christ that he would he would be crucified for his faith (John 21:18-19). He quickly wanted to compare his fate to his fellow disciple John. Jesus told Peter “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (John 21:22). Job is another example of circumstances not seeming fair. Job had practically every worldly thing taken away from him including his children. Job’s friends accused him of sinning against God and his own wife told him to curse God and die.

We may wish we had someone else’s circumstances sometimes, but that is not our decision to make. Proverbs 16:9 states that “In his heart a man plans his course, but the Lord determines his steps.” The next time you start to bemoan your circumstances, remember that God has allowed your circumstances for a purpose...regardless of how unfair they may seem...because He allowed his Son to come to bring you life more abundantly (John 10:10).

Wanna Second Chance?

I had the opportunity to watch the Texas Rangers beat the Boston Red Sox earlier this week. Our seats were in right field, so we got to watch Josh Hamilton up close. For those of you who don’t know, Josh Hamilton’s story is quite amazing (text, video). Mr. Hamilton spent over 2 years out of baseball due to drug and alcohol addictions and returned to become a great major league player. He now uses his story to share his faith in Christ with others.

The Bible lets us know that God is a fan of second chances. The parable of the prodigal son is certainly a reminder of this, but there are actual accounts in the Bible as well. Samson lost his strength after giving into the whims of an ungodly woman, but God allowed his strength to return to show God’s glory. Peter denied Christ 3 times, yet was given the privilege of preaching a sermon where 3,000 were saved. Saul lost his sight while traveling to Damascus to kill Christians, but God restored his sight allowing him to become one of the greatest apostles responsible for many of the New Testament churches.

It is has been said that the way back to God is to just turn around. He is slow to anger and delights in mercy. Will you accept His mercy and return to His love today?

Being Matt Cassel

Can you imagine having to sit on the sidelines for 7 years before getting your big chance? Matt Cassel of the New England Patriots can. He can because he went to USC to be the quarterback for one of the great college football teams in the country. Instead, Cassel learned that he would be standing on the sidelines while Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart were leading the Trojans and winning Heisman trophies. He saw Carson Palmer get drafted as the number 1 overall pick in the 2003 NFL draft and Leinhart follow by being selected number 10 overall in 2006. Cassel was drafted (pick number 230 overall) by the New England Patriots in 2005. Most folks thought the Patriots were razor thin at quarterback and doomed to fail when Tom Brady got injured during the first game of the season. Admittedly, Cassel has grown into the position over the past 10 weeks...but who would have thought that he would be 1 of only 5 quarterbacks in the history of the NFL to pass for over 400 yards in 2 consecutive games and that the Patriots would have a winning record while both Palmer (injury) and Leinart (due to Kurt Warner's great play) have been on the sidelines for weeks?

So, what's Matt Cassel got to do with anything relating to God? Directly, he may or may not (as I don't know him or his relationship with Christ)...but I'll give you some examples of men God used for extraordinary purposes after waiting in what seemed to be everyday activities. David was tending his family's sheep when Samuel came to anoint him as the next king of Israel (1 Samuel 16:6-13). God waited until Moses was 40 years old to deliver his plans for Moses by speaking to him from the burning bush (Exodus 3:2-4). Peter and Andrew were just doing their jobs when Jesus came and recruited them to be His disciples.

The bottom line is, we never know when God is going to come calling with His new mission for us (Proverbs 16:9). All we can do is to be faithful with what we have been given, have open ears, and a pure heart...and be ready to play when God calls our number, just like Matt Cassel was ready for the Patriots.

Are You Playing Not to Lose?

If you watch many football games, you will likely hear a commentator discuss the perils of a prevent defense (a defense where the team with the lead is willing to give up chunks of yards because they think it gives them the best chance of winning). Some commentators will go so far as to say that the only thing a prevent defense does is prevent a team from winning. While one can certainly debate the relative strengths and limitations of the prevent defense in football, I believe God is firmly against us living life in a “prevent defense” type of mode.

God promised the Israelites that He would rescue them from Egypt and give them a “...good and spacious land, a land flowing with milk and honey...” (Exodus 3:8). That being said, God didn't want the Israelites to just be on cruise control seeking comfort and actively demonstrating their faith in God. God gave the Israelites opportunities to grow and reveal their faith in Him. Likewise, David was anointed the future king of Israel as a young shepherd boy (1st Samuel 16:1-13), but still hat to face Goliath (1st Samuel 17) and be harassed by King Saul. Another example is Jesus' calling of Peter to be fishers of men (Matthew 4:18-20). Peter and the disciples were certainly not on a vacation cruise of the Mediterranean just listening to Jesus talk about how wonderful heaven is going to be one of these days....in fact Peter and the disciples were in for all sorts of persecution including being arrested and killed for proclaiming that Jesus is the resurrected Messiah.

While the eternal destination of all people who have accepted Christ as their Lord and Saviour is known and not in doubt, this knowledge doesn't mean that we should just live the rest of our lives seeking comfort. We are to be like John, preparing the way for Christ's return to Earth....telling all who will listen “...I am the voice of one calling in the desert, ' Make straight the way for the Lord'” (John 1:23). Let's go about life swinging for the fences and not just limping to the finish line with a prevent defense to gain temporary comfort.

The Closer's Mentality

For those of you not as familiar with baseball, the closer is the pitcher who usually comes in the 9th (or last) inning to protect the lead. Perfection is the standard for pitchers chosen to serve as a closer for a team. However, no closer is perfect…they can often make fans nervous by giving up hits and home runs even when they are successful... they even sometimes lose the game all together. If you ask any successful closer what is the secret to being able to go after the next hitter or save the next game, you'll hear a strikingly similar refrain...you have to have a short memory and focus on the hitter that is at bat (or the game that is being played that day). In other words, it doesn't matter how bad (or good) things went the last time around…this time is what you can control right now.

Peter offers a great example of someone who had many captivating moments in his life (walking on water and then taking his eyes off Jesus in Matthew 14:28-30, denying Christ 3 times before His crucifixion in John 18:17-26, and speaking to the crowd the day 3,000 were saved in Acts 2:41...among others)…good and bad...that he could have gotten stuck on and not moved on to what he could control that moment. After all of this, Peter was able to preserve and have a short memory of his failings…this helped him to follow Christ all the way to dying on a cross himself (John 21:18). So, let's don't beat ourselves up over what happened 5 minutes, a day, a month, a year, or 5 years ago (Let me be clear here…I am not saying that we don't have to confess our sins to God)…but we need to be able to move on quickly in order to be effective in the only place we can take action…the present.