Jeff Phillips' Messages
(click on the month to view the messages for that month)
The Carpenter's Apprentice
Jeff Phillips' Messages
(click on the month to view the messages for that month)
October 1, 2023
You’ve probably heard of the story about a little girl on the way home from church turned to her mother and said, “Mommy, the preacher’s sermon this morning confused me.” When the mother asked why, the little girl replied, “Well, he said that God is bigger than we are. Is that true?” Her mother said, “Yes, that’s true.” The little girl added, “He also said that God lives within us. Is that true, too?” When the mother again told her it was true, the girl reasoned, “Well, if God is bigger than us and he lives in us, wouldn’t He show through?” I’m not sure who started the story or if it is even true, but it does highlight a very good point. We are supposed to be lights in the world. We are supposed to be spreading the word. We are supposed to be lovers of God’s word, at least that is our claim and as such, we need to remember, the world is watching us. They see our lives and our actions. Paul told the Ephesians, “But immorality or any impurity or greed must not even be named among you, as is proper among saints; and there must be no filthiness and silly talk, or coarse jesting, which are not fitting, but rather giving of thanks” (Ephesians 5:3-4). The world is listening to us and therefore we should let no unwholesome word proceed from our mouths, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear (Ephesians 4:29). Our claim is to be Bible believing and trusting but often the Bible lays in one spot all week instead of being diligent to present ourselves approved to God as a workman who do not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth (2 Timothy 2:15). The world watches our attitudes towards one another. Paul told the Philippians, “Do nothing from selfishness or empty conceit, but with humility of mind regard one another as more important than yourselves; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. Have this attitude in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus (Philippians 2:4-5). The world sees how we treat one another and those we love. If our actions and words do not match up what we profess and claim to live by, they will never care or even notice us. They will never want to be a part of the Lord’s church, and who could blame them. Let’s be intentional in our lives and in spreading the gospel. Let’s be intentional about how others will see us.
“Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me. All the wonderful passion and purity, may His spirit divine, all my being refine. Let the beauty of Jesus be seen in me” (#722, Songs of Faith and Praise).
-jeff
September 24, 2023
I learned John 8:32 a long time ago but it was not one of those verses like John 3:16 that is readily quoted by Christians. In fact, I know I’ve heard it quoted by some who claim no allegiance at all to Christ or the Bible. Maybe I hear it more now because it is the first scripture to be looked up when we begin a study using the Back to the Bible study guide. In a world where the truth is elusive, often shrouded in irrelevant narratives and the common man is treated as though he cannot handle the truth, it is not only a bold and fresh way to begin a study, but inviting and exciting as we are about to receive only the facts. “And you will know the truth and the truth will set you free” (John 8:32). Jesus will later pray for his disciples asking God, “Sanctify them with truth; Your word is truth” (John 17:17). “Your word is truth.” Going back to John 8:32, you may have noticed the verse begins with the connecting word, “and.” Mostly when we quote the verse, we leave off the “and” and just start with “You shall know the truth.” If we do this enough, we could forget the previous verse, verse 31, qualifies and sets the stage for the truth we are to know and the freedom we can experience. Jesus says, “If you abide in my word, you are truly my disciples and you will know the truth …” (John 8:31-32). In context, the stand-alone statement guaranteeing knowledge and freedom is the more accurately understood as the back part of an If-Then statement. Sure, John 8:32 works great by itself and gives hope. We already know knowledge is power; it opens doors and creates opportunities. As refreshing as it is to hear, the statement is not a new revelation. As Christians though, at some point we must understand the “If.” Jesus says, “If you abide in my word.” Abide is an action verb meaning much more than “to occasionally read” or “to carry to church on Sundays” or “to own and keep in my house or car.” Jesus is talking about living in His word; studying and applying it to our lives. Paul encouraged Timothy to do this very thing in 2 Timothy 2:15, “Be diligent to present yourself approved to God as a workman who does not need to be ashamed, accurately handling the word of truth.”
The “If” statement qualifies two things. If you stay in the word, then you are (1) truly his disciple and (2) you will know the truth. But what about if we are not in his word? What if we sometimes, occasionally or maybe even never read his word? Can we really claim discipleship? Do we only know some truth or occasionally get the gist of His words? Maybe another popular quote is more applicable, “Ignorance is bliss.” Maybe it is easier not knowing the truth because knowledge of the truth requires action from those who believe in it.
-jeff
September 17, 2023
Maybe you haven’t heard, there is a problem within the church. In the United States we are shrinking. One might even say the church is dying in the US. Before we go too far down this road, let’s remember when Jesus said I will build my church, he also said and the gates of hell will not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18). Remember, in Matthew 7:21-23, Jesus says not everyone who says to me Lord, Lord will enter the kingdom of heaven but only those who do the will of the Father. It is not good enough to just be religious, we must do the will of the Father. The words of Jesus are the words of God (John 14:23- 24) and since Jesus’ last recorded instructions were, “go make disciples of all nations” (Matthew 28:19) and “you will be my witnesses” (Acts 1:8), it must be a very important part of God’s will. We also know according to 2 Peter 3:9, it is God’s will that all come to repentance. We should be able to understand that Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the word of God (Romans 10:17) and therefore, to do God’s will, we must tell others about Jesus. There are those who don’t know about God and Sin and Jesus and Salvation and until we start talking, the church will continue to dwindle. While I am not worried about the survival of the church, the body of Christ, because Jesus has overcome the grave and, in the end, will win. I am concerned that my children, my children’s children, my closest friends and the children of my closest friends will not enjoy the benefits of the church family that I have grown to know and love. I could spend the rest of this article telling you of what I have seen the church do for our community and our members that no one ever knew, but it would get us no closer to encouraging us to talk more about the Gospel.
In a recent discussion someone said, “Mr. Jeff, you might be surprised at how many times God comes into conversation.” But I’m not. People talk about God all the time and they will give you their opinions and interpretations of a scripture, passage or story they haven’t read in years – if ever, and we engage these conversations on their terms giving our opinions and interpretations without ever cracking the Good Book to show why we believe what we believe. Furthermore, we need to start being more intentional about living what we believe so those we love will see a difference in the way we live and the way the rest of the world lives. Our actions need to follow the Word. Our words need to follow our actions, because no one cares how much you know until they know how much you care.
-jeff
September 10, 2023
In Luke 2 we find Luke’s brief and straight forward account of the birth of Jesus. We read of the angels appearing to the shepherds in the fields and their rush to see him in the manger. We read of Simeon and Anna who were anxiously awaiting the arrival of Jesus and knew exactly who he was when he was brought to the temple. We see that Joseph and Mary did all that was required according to the law of Moses and brought him up in the “nurture and admonition of the Lord,” as we often say. They were faithful in returning every year to Jerusalem for the Feast of the Passover (Luke 2:41) and it was on one of these trips, Mary and Joseph lost their son. Losing him may be a bit strong, for clearly, they had close enough relationships (fellowship) with the group they travelled with to assume Jesus was simply with another family on the way home. It was not his first Feast of the Passover and at 12, he would know the routine. After a day’s travel though, Jesus had still not reported in so they began to look for him. Failing to find him in the caravan, Mary and Joseph returned to Jerusalem to find their son. After three days, they found him, safe and sound in the temple. Luke does not tell us if Mary and Joseph went straight to the temple when they got back, they’d travelled one day out, likely spent the night and travelled one day back. But it was the third day they found him. I’d like to think my folks would have gotten an early start they day they travelled back to find me so they’d have some time to look before dark on that second day. While we don’t know if Mary and Joseph searched into the night or looked elsewhere before checking the temple, we do know they were astonished where they found him and maybe more so by who he was with and they had been worried (Luke 2:48). Maybe Jesus was spared further comments from his parents because of who he was with and where they found him. He might have gotten that ear pulled if they’d found him shooting marbles in a back alley with a group of ne’er-do-wells and we’d have likely gotten an earlier version of “the Son of Man has come to seek and to save that which was lost” (Luke 19:10). Instead, Jesus asked them, “Did you not know that I had to be in My Father’s house?” The KJV says, “about my Father’s business” (Luke 2:49). They did not understand nor did they know of the affairs to which he must attend. How much of the world today is also unaware of the Father’s business and that we too are seeing to it? If the world is not aware we are about the Father’s business of seeking and saving the lost, then what does that say about what we are doing?
jeff
September 3, 2023
It’s quite easy to start thinking about the problems with the world today. The news and social media keep them ever in our presence. While social media is relatively new and access to information is easier than ever, the problems aren’t new, and neither is the talk about them. Charlie Daniels wrote in 1982, “The interest is up and the stock market’s down, your gonna get mugged if you go downtown.” Even earlier than that the prophet wrote, “There is nothing new under the sun” (Ecclesiastes 1:9). There is nothing the great Deceiver, Satan would like us to focus on more than the problems of this world. The more we focus on what’s wrong and the negative, the less we focus on what’s right and the promise and hope within us. However, it’s not just the problems of the world taking our attention away from God and his church. The blessings of life we are so thankful for in many of our prayers often draw our attention away from the one who gave us the blessings as we get caught up in them. We talk about work, school, our hobbies and our teams. We talk about our kids, our grandkids, first words, first steps, homeruns, touchdowns, honor roles and scholarships – and we should. We sing, “Thank you Lord for loving me and thank you Lord for blessing me,” and all these things are blessings. However, part of the problem today is that our conversations are consumed with self. Think about it. My team, my child, my job, my problems, my success. So much of our lives is “all about me.” Yet when we examine the Savior we claim to follow and emulate, His life was all about others. From the earliest years he was “about His father’s business” (Luke 2:49). It was for our salvation the Lamb of God offered himself up for sacrifice to cover with his blood, once for all time, our transgressions and close the gap between ourselves and God created by our sin. Yes, God so loved the world He sent His only begotten son, but that son, Jesus, came willingly and obediently, even to the point of death on the cross (Philippians 2:8) so that we might be saved. His life was never about himself and always about others. The problems in the world today will not be solved by governments, because the real problem in the world is sin and only the blood of Christ takes away sin. Since the church knows about the blood of Christ, it stands to reason, we are the solution to the world’s problem. It’s time to stop wishing for “world peace” and start talking about AND living for Jesus Christ. Talking about Jesus while we live contrary to his Word will do no good, only exacerbate the problem. One home at a time we can change the world: starting with ours. “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up” (Deuteronomy 6:7).
jeff
August 27, 2023
Do you remember sitting on your dad’s lap and steering the truck down a gravel road. I am not sure how old I was, but I might have been standing in his lap instead of sitting because I was too short to see over the steering wheel. The first time, I am sure it was his idea, but every time after that I am sure it was mine! Looking back, it had to have been my first taste of freedom and control; my first real experience in being a grown up. The speed was never great because Dad still retained control of the gas and brake pedals. He could still grab the wheel in the event of an emergency, bad decision or if the turn was just too much. I didn’t know it then and maybe he didn’t either, but it was the perfect way to show me how to live. I remember the encouragement to keep it in the middle and the feigned urgency and excitement in his voice if my then tiny arms were turning too slow. Constantly in my ear, he guided me down the road explaining how to navigate gravel, sharp turns and big bumps. The truth was, Daddy was carefully monitoring and controlling, as best he could, the world around me. He controlled the speed, but let me steer on my own, ready to jump in in an instant if conditions or my decisions took a dangerous turn. By the time I got old enough to reach the gas and brake pedals, I won’t say I had mastered steering, but I didn’t have to concentrate on it as much and could focus my attention to speed control. Little by little, Dad gave me what I could handle when I could handle it. The Bible tells us we will not be tempted beyond what we can handle but with temptation God will provide a way of escape so we can endure it (1 Corinthians 10:13), but it also teaches us God expectations of us are not greater than what we can accomplish. The “Parable of the Talents” demonstrates this concept when a man going on a journey distributed three different amounts to three different men, each according to their abilities (Matthew 25:14-15). Like a father teaching his son to drive, when he could steer, he let him steer. When he could reach the pedals, he let him sit in the driver’s seat by himself. When he demonstrated competence and trustworthiness, he let him drive the truck by himself. The son was never given more responsibility than he could handle, but in each situation, there was an expectation of results, an expectation of participation and performance. Maybe the hand on my shoulder was so Dad could steady himself after a harrowing ride down a country road, but I took it as, “Well done, son.” The next opportunity to drive and please my father couldn’t come soon enough.
-jeff
August 20, 2023
I was asked to attend Open House at Charger Academy where I am privileged to be allowed to help out with a number of things around the school. Truth is, I am president of the PTO and needed to be at the meeting. Granted, someone has to be
president and mine was an easy name to stick in the blank, and I am happy to serve. Charger Academy is a Title 1 School. This means federal funds are used to “supplement educational opportunities for student who attend schools with high numbers or percentages of children from low-income families and are most at risk of failing to meet the state’s challenging academic achievement standards” (tn.gov). Part of the legislation controlling these funds requires a yearly meeting with parents and supporters to keep them informed and up to date on what a Title 1 School is, how it works and how they can be involved. During the presentation a slide went up titled, “How Can I Be Involved?” Appropriately, the very first point said this: “Research has proven that family engagement in education has more impact on student achievement than any other factor.” Read that again. No matter how much money is pumped into education, no matter how many hours of overtime a teacher works, no matter what new ingenious program for learning is implemented, no matter if you created a safe and secure environment – family engagement is still the number one factor and holds the greatest impact on a child’s success as a student. If family engagement is so vitally important for success in something that is required to meet by law for 180 days each year for six- and one-half hours each day, how much more important is it for a class that only meets twice a week for forty-five minutes? Let’s put it into a perspective that is easy to see. A school year is composed of 1,170 hours of instruction family involvement is needed to make it complete. Church classroom instruction totals 78 hours per year. Moses wrote to the Israelites, “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up. You shall bind them as a sign on your hand and they shall be as frontals on your forehead. You shall write them on the doorposts of your house and on your gates” (Deuteronomy 6:6- 9). It’s not just the extra hours of instruction at home that help our kids learn and understand the Bible, God’s promise, His love for us and patience with us, it’s that they can see we are what we say we are. Parental involvement in Christianity has more impact on the lives of our youth than any other factor.
-jeff
August 13, 2023
I need a haircut. Not only is my abundance of hair unruly and hard to keep in the right, it’s hot and the heat affects the rest of my body’s function. I keep planning to get it cut and something always seems to come up, getting in the way of what I know needs to happen. I never look in the mirror, but now I have to take at least a quick look to make sure my hair is not too out of line. Maybe if I keep it combed no one will notice how much of it there is. Better yet, I can just put on a hat! I can cover it up and then no one will see it’s out of control – but what about when I am inside? Nothing says you need a trim like hat head. I’ll just avoid folks that might take note and make a comment until I have time to stop and take care of it. Tonight, before I go to bed, I’ll trim a little off. A trim will let me put off the whole pruning! That’s it! A trim will be satisfactory. A trim will keep people off my back about it. Maybe if I spend a little more time in front of the mirror, and get my best friend to trim the back for me, people won’t realize how desperately I am in need of a big change. I know, I know! I just need a haircut. While it is true, I need a haircut. I’m not just talking about hair. Satan figured out a long time ago, a direct frontal assault is not likely to succeed. No Christian likes sin because we understand sin separates us from God (Isaiah 59:1,2); not His love (Romans 8:38-39), but His presence. So, sin in its rawest and ugliest form is easy to see. James tells us sin comes from our own desire and when this desire is made manifest in our lives, sin is born (James 1:14-15). After it is born, sin grows and leads to death. Possibly, it is during this growth phase, we tried to hide and ignore the slow changes that are occurring within us and affecting our outward appearance. We think by primping and fluffing the outside we can mask what is really happening on the inside. To a point, we are correct but if sin is allowed to grow and mature, it leads to death; not necessarily physical death but a far worse fate, spiritual death (Matthew 10:28). In Matthew 15:1, Jesus says, “I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser.” He goes on to talk about abiding in Him and bearing fruit. He points out that sometimes the vine dresser needs cut away some of the excess in order for the branches to really thrive and produce fruit. Sometimes without meaning to, we grow in directions and ways that make us unfruitful. It’s then you might say we need a spiritual haircut.
-jeff
August 5, 2023
Troy Bassham is the son of one of America’s greatest shooters, Olympic gold medalist, Lanny Bassham. Growing up around elite shooters, Troy became a pretty decent shot himself but also noticed a difference in the thought processes of the elite and now is a mental management coach for high school and collegiate athletes. He wrote a book, Attainment, 12 Elements of Elite Performers, describing the difference in the elite and the average. Among the twelve elements, there are five overriding concepts. Bassham says 5% of performers claim 95% of the victories. They make up the elite. He says the best of the best don’t get to the top without passion, constant improvement, thinking, persistence and something he calls reloading. You may be wondering what elite performance has to do with the Bible and being a disciple of Christ, but just think about it. We are supposed to be the best we can be in everything we do – except in our Christian walk? I don’t think so. The same things that make us the best at school, the best at work, the best on our team or in our field of study will make us the best for God too. Trying to be the best Christian sounds weird especially considering Matthew 6:1 where we are cautioned by Christ himself to be careful about practicing our righteousness before men. We forget however, just a few verses earlier in Matthew 5:16, Jesus tells us, “Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven.” The difference lies in motivation and who is getting the glory. Paul tells us to run as to win (1 Corinthians 9:24). The truth is, winning is a byproduct of being the best. When we focus on the end result instead of the process involved in getting better, we set ourselves up for failure, which leads to a poor or weakened self-image and perpetuates more failure. My high school baseball coach used to say, “A blind hog will find and acorn every once in a while” when he felt someone made a lucky catch and it’s true, sometimes we just so happen to be in the right place at the right time. The elite, however, develop a process or routine that continually puts them in the best positions for succeeding. The process is no accident. It is repeatable and bases nothing on luck or chance. The process is a thoughtful, intentional approach. It can apply to a business model as well as a training/practice schedule and - our Christian walk. The Bible is our “process.” It is a guidebook on the dos and don’ts of how to live a life pleasing to the God we love. When Paul told Timothy about the crown of righteousness laid up for him (1 Timothy 4:8), receiving the crown wasn’t the goal. Pleasing God the Father was the goal. “The mansion, robe and crown” are all byproducts of our love and life for the one true and living God.
-jeff
July 30, 2023
After a long hard day Jesus sent His disciples across the sea. He’d catch up but now he needed time to pray. After feeding the multitudes the disciples no doubt had questions but the questions could wait. The plan was to meet across the sea, apparently no one wondered how Jesus was to get there. The winds picked up and made life difficult, discouraging and uncertain for the men in the boat. They had been rowing all night. It was in the fourth watch when things changed. This is the last watch of the night so the dawn was approaching but when your waiting on the light of dawn, it seems to never come. Through the strong wind and building waves then He came. The Gospel of Mark tells us He was intending to pass them by (6:48). Imagine the looks, rowing all night, against the wind, making no headway and then He comes and not in a boat! They thought He was a ghost and were afraid (imagine that). He then spoke to them calmly, assuring them that He was real. Peter then spoke up verbalizing the doubts of many, “IF it be though, bid me come to thee upon the waters” (Matthew14:28). Of course it was Jesus, who else could accomplish such a feat with apparent nonchalance so He simply said, “Come.” To Peter’s credit he got out of the boat and amazingly it worked – for a moment. It was not the power of Christ that failed and cause him to sink but an inability to remain focused on the master.
Our life is also filled with challenges, difficulties and times when we are discouraged because it appears we are making no headway. One step forward two steps back. In these times we can identify with the struggles of the disciples in the boat. Maybe there was grumbling and even a few prayers, sound familiar? Even when He came, they couldn’t believe what they saw - a Savior on so many levels. As witnesses to His awesome power and glory, they still could not believe. Believe. Look for Him. He is coming. In the midst of troublesome and frustrating times He is near, calming the sea and making possible what seems impossible. When the wind blows and the waves rise, more than ever we need to focus on God. He is our rock, our anchor, our strength. May your week be filled with much joy and happiness because of Him, even if the seas of life are stormy around you.
-jeff
July 23, 2023
In college, my roommate had a knack for memorizing and quoting at random times some of the greatest speeches ever given by coaches and other famous people. The one I recall most is the one given by the legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi, on what it takes to be number one. In his locker room speech before the first super bowl ever, Coach Lombardi inspired his team to play not only with all their heart, but with every fiber of their being. “Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time.” There are those who hear this and shake their heads claiming winning is not everything and too much emphasis is put on winning. I think I would rather argue there is not enough emphasis put on sportsmanship but that is another article. Doing your best, winning and trying to win are Biblical. Examine Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:15 and 1 Corinthians 9:24 where Paul says, work heartily, do your best and run to win, reminding us we are here to serve God not men. Our reward is in Christ not something given by men and it’s eternal (1 Corinthians 9:25). “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10), says the wisest man to ever walk the face of the earth. Lombardi’s speech is not about winning at all costs, from the aspect of cheating, hurting others and total selfishness, but is about winning at all cost through total preparation, sacrifice and teamwork. “Winning is a habit.” Similarly, being a disciple of Christ is not about pointing out the errors in the lives of others or being better than others, it’s about loving God above all else (Matthew 22:37) and being the very best I can be as an individual for God. It’s about more than showing up for church and church events; it’s about how we live. Discipleship and following Christ must happen every day, all day no matter what the day. My birthday is not a license to sin even if it is the eighteenth, twenty-first, fiftieth or hundredth. I don’t get to drop my identity on my wedding day, graduation day, retirement day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day or any other day. Just like winning is not a sometimes thing, neither is being a disciple of Christ, a believer in God, a Christian and a part of the body of Christ. I am a winner; I am a Christian - all the time. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). Lombardi was wrong about man’s finest hour. It is not “he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” It will be when he stands before God and hears, “Enter in my good and faithful servant.”
- jeff
July 16, 2023
After a long hard day Jesus sent His disciples across the sea. He’d catch up but now he needed time to pray. After feeding the multitudes the disciples no doubt had questions, but the questions could wait. The plan was to meet across the sea, apparently no one wondered how Jesus was to get there. The winds picked up and made life difficult, discouraging and uncertain for the men in the boat. They had been rowing all night. It was in the fourth watch when things changed. This is the last watch of the night so the dawn was approaching but when you're waiting on the light of dawn, it seems to never come. Through the strong wind and building waves He came. The Gospel of Mark tells us He was intending to pass them by (6:48). Imagine the looks, rowing all night, against the wind, making no headway and then He comes and not in a boat! They thought He was a ghost and were afraid (imagine that). He then spoke to them calmly, assuring them that He was real. Peter then spoke up verbalizing the doubts of many, “IF it be though, bid me come to thee upon the waters” (Matthew14:28). Of course, it was Jesus, who else could accomplish such a feat with apparent nonchalance so He simply said, “Come.” To Peter’s credit he got out of the boat and amazingly it worked – for a moment. It was not the power of Christ that failed and cause him to sink but an inability to remain focused on the master. Our life is also filled with challenges, difficulties and times when we are discouraged because it appears we are making no headway. One step forward two steps back. In these times we can identify with the struggles of the disciples in the boat. Maybe there was grumbling and even a few prayers, sound familiar? Even when He came, they couldn’t believe what they saw - a Savior on so many levels. As witnesses to His awesome power and glory, they still could not believe. Believe. Look for Him. He is coming. In the midst of troublesome and frustrating times He is near, calming the sea and making possible what seems impossible. When the wind blows and the waves rise, more than ever we need to focus on God. He is our rock, our anchor, our strength. May your week be filled with much joy and happiness because of Him, even if the seas of life are stormy around you.
-jeff
July 9, 2023
In college, my roommate had a knack for memorizing and quoting at random times some of the greatest speeches ever given by coaches and other famous people. The one I recall most is the one given by the legendary football coach, Vince Lombardi, on what it takes to be number one. In his locker room speech before the first super bowl ever, Coach Lombardi inspired his team to play not only with all their heart, but with every fiber of their being. “Winning is not a sometime thing; it's an all the time thing. You don't win once in a while; you don't do things right once in a while; you do them right all of the time.” There are those who hear this and shake their heads claiming winning is not everything and too much emphasis is put on winning. I think I would rather argue there is not enough emphasis put on sportsmanship but that is another article. Doing your best, winning and trying to win are Biblical. Examine Colossians 3:23, 2 Timothy 2:15 and 1 Corinthians 9:24 where Paul says, work heartily, do your best and run to win, reminding us we are here to serve God not men. Our reward is in Christ not something given by men and it’s eternal (1 Corinthians 9:25). “Whatever your hand finds to do, do it with your might” (Ecclesiastes 9:10), says the wisest man to ever walk the face of the earth. Lombardi’s speech is not about winning at all costs, from the aspect of cheating, hurting others and total selfishness, but is about winning at all cost through total preparation, sacrifice and teamwork. “Winning is a habit.” Similarly, being a disciple of Christ is not about pointing out the errors in the lives of others or being better than others, it’s about loving God above all else (Matthew 22:37) and being the very best I can be as an individual for God. It’s about more than showing up for church and church events; it’s about how we live. Discipleship and following Christ must happen every day, all day no matter what the day. My birthday is not a license to sin even if it is the eighteenth, twenty-first, fiftieth or hundredth. I don’t get to drop my identity on my wedding day, graduation day, retirement day, New Year’s Day, Memorial Day, Independence Day, Labor Day or any other day. Just like winning is not a sometimes thing, neither is being a disciple of Christ, a believer in God, a Christian and a part of the body of Christ. I am a winner; I am a Christian - all the time. “Whatever you do in word or deed, do all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks through Him to God the Father” (Colossians 3:17). Lombardi was wrong about man’s finest hour. It is not “he has worked his heart out in a good cause and lies exhausted on the field of battle – victorious.” It will be when he stands before God and hears, “Enter in my good and faithful servant.”
-jeff
July 2, 2023
How many times have you been asked what is your favorite Bible verse? I know I have asked and answered this question many times. I have changed my favorite verse so many times the question should probably be changed to, "what is your favorite Bible verse today" or even "this moment?" I have also noticed my favorite verse often has to do with whatever is going on in my life right now. While you have your favorite verse on your mind, try thinking and maybe even writing down why it is your favorite verse or passage. Let's change gears now, it seems reasonable, if you have a favorite verse, there would also be a least favorite verse. If there are reasons why you liked your favorite verse then similarly there would be reasons why you would have an unfavorite verse. For instance, Philippians 4:13 I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me, used to be one of my favorite verses. When struggling, it is a powerful, comforting and encouraging verse. On the flip side, it leaves very little room for saying no or making excuses not to serve. After all, the verse says 'all things' not 'some things' or 'the things I want to do.'
Think now for a few moments on your least favorite verse. Which verse or passage would you just as soon not had in the Bible and why? (I'm pretty sure this is a rare request) This is not a heretical request for I know All Scripture is breathed out by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, and for training in righteousness (1 Timothy 3:16). The real issue is how we memorize, quote, post, love, even relish the verses that make us feel strong and secure but ignore, put on the back burner or refuse to acknowledge the passages that require - even demand action or tasks we are not inclined to be engaged in. Is it really right to hide behind the "we're all different parts of the body" argument then quote 23rd Psalm? How can we limit the comfort of 'His rod and staff?' I guess we will always have our favorite verses; we just don't need to forget there is more to truly loving Him than just the things we like.
--jeff
June 25, 2023
A friend of mine is color blind. If you met him, you’d never know. Sometimes his clothes may not match perfectly but there are lots of folks who have trouble picking the right tie. He is one of the nearly 8% of men who are color blind to some degree. There are four major categories of colorblindness and within those categories there are great variances. You may think one who is colorblind sees no color at all, but that is not true. Many of them see some colors, but the inability to see red or green will affect how they see any color that contains red or green. The result is that many colors take on the exact same shade regardless of the actual color. Color is how our eyes process light. My friend doesn’t need to see red to know when to stop while driving, he can read and knows the shape of a stop sign and the position of the red light on a traffic light. He has been very successful in life. He’s somewhat of a computer guy and his forward thinking and abilities have allowed him to live a comfortable life. Married to his high school sweetheart, he is living the American dream and he is an all around great guy. Several years ago, his wife and kids got him some of those eyeglasses that allow the colorblind to see as the rest of us do. I don’t remember if it was Father’s Day or his birthday, but I remembered seeing a video of his reaction to seeing the world in full color for the very first time.
Jesus said, “You are the light of the world … Let your light shine before men in such a way that they may see your good works and glorify your Father who is in heaven” (Matthew 5:14,16). There are a lot of people we know and come into contact with every day who, from what the world can see, seem to be doing very well, and yet they are experiencing life without seeing all that God has blessed us with. Their “normal” keeps them comfortably ignorant. When Jesus told those listening on the mountainside, “you are the light of the world,” He was telling them they were the glasses that would help all mankind to see more clearly the way, the truth and the life. As Christians, it is the love and the light we bring into EVERY situation to make it more vibrant, beautiful and hopeful. “A city set on a hill cannot be hidden; nor does anyone light a lamp and put it under a basket, but on the lampstand, and it gives light to all who are in the house” (Matthew 5:14-15). And, “we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand so that we would walk in them” (Ephesians 2:10). That little Christian light we sing about, really isn’t so little! Let it shine, let it shine, Let it shine!
-jeff
June 18, 2023
Faith, according to Hebrews 11:1 is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen. Some still struggle with the application of this definition to real life. Simply stated faith is this, you can’t see ‘it’ but you know ‘it’ is there. The key word here is ‘know’. If you don’t ‘know’ then you don’t have faith. Without knowing you are left with something you think might be true, therefore you go with it. You go along with it because going along is easier than not going along. Faith however demands more than going with the flow. In fact true faith means you will likely go against the flow. Jesus said, “the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many” (Matthew 7:13). Faith not only determines the direction of our life it dictates our actions during our travels through life. True faith answers the “why” of life but also gives us the “how” of life dictating our response to life’s curves and Satan’s deceptions. Certainly the level of our faith can be seen in the fruit of our lives. Faith is not and can never be a game of chance. We aren’t hopeful of a winner, we are certain of a winner. The kingdom of heaven is like treasure hidden in a field, which a man found and covered up. Then in his joy he goes and sells all that he has and buys that field (Matthew 13:44). This man is certain, convicted and refuses to be denied. In this one line parable it is easy to overlook the giving up of everything for one thing. He sold all he had, all he’d acquired and worked for in life to gain one thing he knew without a doubt he could hang his hat on. Jesus said I go to prepare a place for you, in my father’s house are many mansions and when your room is ready I will come and get you (John 14:2-3). Do you believe that? Do you believe it enough to live it? I believe Jesus Christ is the Son of God (Mark 9:7). I believe he left glory to come and walk as a man (Philippians 2:6-8). I believe He will come again and gather those whose lives demonstrated their faith (2 Thessalonians 1:5-12) in Him through their unselfish love (John 13:34) and obedience to His Word (John 14:15). I believe it is my duty as one who has faith in God and His promise to share the good news of Christ with all who will listen (Matthew 28:19). I believe Jesus came to save the world (John 3:17). I am sure there were more than a few mental “amens” and “me toos” so let me ask one question for your thought: Is the refusal to share God’s word and the love of Christ, for any reason, anything more than a demonstration of our true faith?
-jeff
June 11, 2023
Visualization techniques have been used for years to project
positive outcomes and train responses to various situations to increase the likelihood of success. In athletics, coaches and
sports psychologists encourage athletes to envision themselves
performing perfectly whether it’s swinging, throwing, catching,
kicking, tackling, shooting, passing, lifting or whatever it is you
do, see it in your mind perfectly then execute it. In some ways it
works like a self-fulfilling prophecy, where we see ourselves being successful. It sounds ridiculous at first but compare the vision of perfection with everything working right and the attitude
and confidence that comes from success to the vision of complete failure where nothing goes right and the attitude of defeat
that comes with it. Believing you can be successful is a big part
of being successful and as they say, seeing is believing; visualization certainly has its merits.
When the boys were little, there were times when I would rehearse in my mind how I would respond in different situations in order to keep them safe. All the while praying, I’d never have to do a swift water rescue on my family, fight a grizzly bear to save them or lead them from a burning house, I wanted to be prepared – just in case. The only way to rehearse these scenarios is through visualization. Since one can never really predict how they will respond in dire circumstances, it makes sense to me to prepare my mind for the ideal, perfect actions in hopes that when the time comes, I’ll respond accordingly. In a sense, I am training my “autopilot” response.
With that in mind, why would a Christian counsel other Christians with the advice, “Well, you should never say never because you just don’t know what the future holds.” Instead, shouldn’t we be helping create the perfect visualization to increase their chances of success? The newlyweds say, “We’ll never have an affair or get a divorce!” Instead of, “Never say never,” why can’t we say, “Awesome! What are you going to do to make that a reality? What does your vision look like?” Visualization is ultimately proactive thinking not reactive thinking. Visualization is intentionally planning for, executing and being successful. If it works in sports and business, it can work in relationships and Christianity. Do you visualize saying no when you need to say no and yes when you need to say yes? Can you see yourself waking up on time to get to class and worship with the church? Picture yourself loving and being loved when the church assembles. Do you see yourself serving? Visualize being who and what God wants you to be and be one step closer to making a vision reality. Picture this: You are standing in the presence of God listening expectantly … ENTER IN MY GOOD AND FAITHFUL SERVANT, You can do it!
-jeff
June 4, 2023