Battlefield – Deep Thoughts & Little Happenings

October 4, 2021

Learning From Baseball: A Choice Must Be Made!

The 2021 baseball season ended last night for the Washington Nationals. I started this series of posts without an idea of how many posts there would be. I definitely didn’t expect to find the LORD showing me so many spiritual truths through baseball.

Honestly, I don’t know why I’m surprised; He’s shown me on multiple occasions He doesn’t live inside our expectations but far beyond anything we can think or imagine. You’d think by now I’d expect the unexpected by now.

Anyway, here we are at the end of our series and I find myself circling back around to a bit of information I shared much earlier. It’s a perfect wrap up though.

The Washington Nationals are in the East Division of the National League. There are three divisions in the NL and there are five teams in each division. We’re not the only league. The American League also consists of three divisions with five teams in each. Every baseball team plays 162 games each season. Some of the games are inter-league, but the majority of those 162 games are played against your own league’s teams and a very high percentage of those games are played within your own division.

The ultimate goal of every team is to get into the play-offs. All play-off games are post regular season. The first goal is to win your division. If you don’t win your division, you might still win enough games to qualify as a Wild Card team. There are two Wild Card teams in each league. Post season games begin within your own league, but winning allows you to progress to the final series.

Even if you’ve never watched a single baseball game, you’ve heard of this series. You guessed it! It’s the World Series and is played between the best team of the season from each league.

Okay, if you’re a baseball fan, you understood what you just read. If you’re not a fan, what you read might be as clear as mud to you. Either way, stay with me.

This world is all about the battle between two kingdoms. One is the Kingdom of Heaven and the other is the kingdom of darkness. Here’s where there’s a BIG DIFFERENCE!

The Kingdom of Heaven has already defeated the kingdom of darkness.

The key players were Jesus and His followers and Satan and his followers. For a time, it seemed the followers of Satan were victorious when they crucified Jesus, but…

Three days later, Jesus was resurrected. He visited with many of His followers for forty days. Then, He ascended into heaven right before their eyes. He didn’t just leave though. He left verbal instructions with His followers — very specific instructions. He told them to make disciples (Matthew 28:18-20).

Here was my AHA moment. I was making the bed and thinking about how poorly our team has played this year. That’s when this came to me and I ran to write it down. People are all around us; in our neighborhoods, communities, counties, states, nation, and around the world, and they need to know there is a choice to be made. Multitudes of people have no idea they have a choice. They figure life is what it is. They don’t know Jesus has chosen them to be a part of His league and to play on one of the teams in His league. He knows their name and wants them to play on a team in His league; the Kingdom of Heaven League.

It’s our responsibility as Jesus-followers to tell them they have a choice to make. It’s our responsibility to live in such a way as to cause them to ask us questions.

Don’t discount the hardships in your life. Consider them opportunities. Yes! Consider them opportunities to exhibit Holy Spirit fruit (Galatians 5:22-23). Count it as joy! Our times of trouble create opportunities to share the Good News of Jesus with others. They may not make the choice while you are together, but that is not on us. It’s our responsibility to share the Good News. It’s Holy Spirit’s role to prepare their hearts and grow the seeds we plant by sharing what we know about Jesus. We are not responsible for their choice; we are responsible for making sure they know they have a choice to make.

Next week we will move into a new series.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. Maybe read 1^st Timothy. There are a total of six chapters. Ask Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply what you read.

2 Exercise. It’s cooler outside, so enjoy being outdoors. Don’t let yourself become so absorb in your activities that you are blind to those who are all around you.

3 Pray. Pray for everyone you see. It doesn’t have to be a long prayer. You don’t have to stop and bow your knee. Pray in the Spirit; let Him guide you in asking God’s blessing for the other person.

LORD, we thank You for the person who told us about the Good News of Jesus. Thank You for helping us understand what they were sharing and for allowing us to choose to be a part of Your league. Please do not let us become complacent in following Your command to make disciples. Give us courage to share You with others. Help us look for You and see You in our daily lives, so we can bear witness to who You are and what You are doing for us right here and now. May we never forget to offer others the choice of belonging to the winning league. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

For “Everyone who calls on the name of the Lord will be saved. But how can they call on him to save them unless they believe in him? And how can they believe in him if they have never heard about him? And how can they hear about him unless someone tells them? And how will anyone go and tell them without being sent? That is why the Scriptures say, “How beautiful are the feet of messengers who bring good news!”Romans 10:13-15 (NLT)

If you have not yet met Jesus, you can meet Him today. He created you. He loves you. He wants you to be a part of His family. I encourage you to step into the life He created you to live. You will still have the troubles of this world, but you will no longer be facing them alone. I’m praying for you! https://peacewithgod.net/mobile/?utm_source=Microsoft&utm_medium=CPC&utm_term=HowToGoToHeaven&utm_campaign=USPWGMobileSearchMic

Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright ©1996, 2004, 2015 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, a Division of Tyndale House Ministries, Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

September 13, 2021

Learning From Baseball: Stranded!

Last Monday morning, I attempted to express what I was not yet able to fully grasp. Then, Tuesday night’s game happened and collided with Wednesday morning’s time with God; reading His word and talking to Him about what He said there.

What happened during that game? The Nats lost, again. But they didn’t just lose, they stranded eight runners. Eight players got on base, but never got any help from the following batters. They never scored!

What happened during my time with God? He reminded me of the stranded runners, and He helped me understand the missing link of last Monday’s post. Yes, I knew something was missing, but I couldn’t figure it out. Then I succumbed to the pressure of my own self-imposed Monday deadline.

I’m sorry I didn’t understand this fully last week, but the point of the message Holy Spirit was trying to share with me in Ephesians 6:18 was not only sacrifice. It was about doing our part.

What helps you, helps me. What helps me, helps you.

AND…

Praying helps both of us because it invites the Creator of our vast universe, Almighty God, to help us. Praying is our acknowledgement of His ability to help. Praying is us asking for His grace to supply for our every need. But that’s not all, His grace brings His goodness into our lives; we cannot even imagine the good things He has for us. That’s what we’re asking God to give us and others when we approach His throne of grace.

We are one body. My armor is for me to wear, but when I don’t wear it, I’m vulnerable to the enemy’s schemes and therefore make you vulnerable. When I don’t hold up my shield, I leave you exposed too. When I wildly swing God’s word around, it’s cuts you. It’s supposed to protect us and cut through the lies of the enemy. When I neglect to pray, I make myself a target for the enemy. When I neglect to pray for you, I leave you stranded.

Prayer requires intimacy with the One we are praying to and an intimacy with the one we’re praying for. We must know one another’s needs before we can ask for them.

We can ask Holy Spirit to help us pray when we don’t know what to pray for. That’s right!

And the Holy Spirit helps us in our weakness. For example, we don’t know what God wants us to pray for. But the Holy Spirit prays for us with groanings that cannot be expressed in words. And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying, for the Spirit pleads for us believersin harmony with God’s own will. Romans 8:26-27 (NLT)

When we don’t know what God wants us to ask for, the Spirit pleads for us in harmony with God’s own will. Holy Spirit actually asks God for what God wants to give us.

God has so much He wants to give us, but we never ask Him to give it, or we never ask Holy Spirit to help us pray during times we don’t even know what to ask for.

The more we know of God and His word, the more we know how to ask for what He wants to give us.

I’m going to leave you with three quotes. I think each one speaks directly into the topic of prayer, running with endurance, and being sure not to leave anyone stranded.

“If you’re ignorant of God’s word, you will always be ignorant of God’s will.”
Billy Graham

“Heaven is filled with answers for which nobody ever bothered to ask.”
Billy Graham

“Faith is measured by movement.”
Dr. Tony Evans

We were created to be inter-dependent. Not independent; not co-dependent. We’re meant to encourage and support one another in our faith, but our relationship with God through Jesus is individual and cannot come through anyone else but Jesus. We’ll talk more about that next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. Maybe read 1^st John this week. There are only five chapters and should be readable in a week. Remember to pray before you read and ask Holy Spirit to help you understand what God’s was saying and how you can use what you learn.

2 Exercise. Choose three arm exercises. Put on your armor, practice holding up your shield, and take your sword. Remember to be intentional with your movements and don’t just swing wild; you don’t want to cut yourself or other Jesus-followers. Your intention is to expose places the enemy is seeking to distort truth.

3 Pray. Ask Holy Spirit to help you maintain an attitude of prayer throughout each day. Ask Him to make you aware of God’s presence, and help you communicate freely and frequently with Him about everything.

I’m praying for you and for myself. Holy Spirit, help us to see God’s will for us. Give us humble hearts, so we will ask for what our heavenly Father has to give us. Teach us to be aware of His presence. At the same time, teach us to be alert to those around us, their needs, and how we can encourage and support them. Help us ask for help from You, LORD, and from others. Make us lights in a dark world. Give us boldness to share You and the Good News of Jesus Christ with those who do not yet know Him. And, LORD, please do not let us ever forget to be thankful for all You have given us or without our praise for who You are. Show us Your glory and teach us to live lives that cause others to see and glorify You! Amen.

Digging Deeper:

Yet you don’t have what you want because you don’t ask God for it. And even when you ask, you don’t get it because your motives are all wrong—you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:2c-3 (NLT)

September 6, 2021September 6, 2021

Learning From Baseball: Sacrifice

Pray in the Spirit at all times and on every occasion. Stay alert and be persistent in your prayers for all believers everywhere. Ephesians 6:18 (NLT)

The only way to win a baseball game is to score more runs than the other team.

Scoring is the ultimate goal of every batter and preventing a score is the goal of every opponent on the field.

Fact: Not every hit scores a run.

Getting on base is only part of the battle. Once on base, a batter becomes a runner. A runner who never advances to home plate becomes a stranded runner.

The next batters are responsible for advancing the runner(s) already on base. No pressure, right?!

There are two ways a batter can advance the runner. He can get a hit or he can make a sacrifice. The sacrifice usually comes in one of two ways. A bunt or a sacrifice fly.

A bunt is successful if the runner advances; even though the batter gets an out. The batter is not charged with an at-bat.

A sacrifice fly is only successful if the runner advances to home plate and scores; even though the batter gets an out. The batter is not charged with an at-bat, but is credited with an RBI.

Why am I talking about sacrifice plays, and what do they have to do with us as Jesus-followers?

I don’t think it’s an accident Paul wraps up the spiritual warfare portion of his letter with a call to prayer.

He starts with admonishing us to be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power and finishes with a call to prayer.

Prayer is talking to God. It’s us acknowledging we need Him and we need His help. Paul told the Corinthians God’s grace is “all we need” to become strong in our weak places (I Corinthians 12:9-10).

How do we get grace? We ask for it!

So let us come boldly to the throne of our gracious God. There we will receive his mercy, and we will find grace to help us when we need it most. Hebrews 4:16 (NLT)

Prayer requires both faith and time which bring grace and supernatural success.

Prayer is not always about us. Sometimes it’s about asking God to give His grace to others. It’s about advancing another person, like a sacrificial at-bat.

Praying in the Spirit is about God’s will. It’s using His word, our gladius, to ask Him for what He wants to give. Praying in the Spirit is surrendering our wants and trusting God’s answers.

I (and you) need God’s grace to be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power. Every other Jesus-follower needs God’s grace for the exact same reason. We are all on the same team. Your success is mine and mine is yours!

I’m barely able to understand the full power of prayer and the weapon it becomes in the life of a Jesus-follower, but I’m inviting you to join me on this journey of learning through practice.

Let’s stop for now and leave practice for next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. Maybe read the book of Philippians this week. There are only four chapters, but they’re filled with a lot of truth for living with joy. Be sure to ask Holy Spirit to help you understand what you are reading and how to apply what you learn.

2 Exercise. Choose a couple of floor stretches and use them to help you stay flexible. Imagine yourself in a position of humility as you do these exercises.

3 Pray. Read Ephesians 3:14-21 as a prayer for yourself and other Jesus-followers every day. Imagine yourself taking out your gladius and using it as you pray.

I’m going to pray those verses over us right now…I fall to my knees and pray to the Father, the Creator of everything in heaven and on earth. I pray that from his glorious, unlimited resources he will empower us with inner strength through his Spirit. Then Christ will make his home in our hearts as we trust in him. Our roots will grow down into God’s love and keep us strong. And may we have the power to understand, as all God’s people should, how wide, how long, how high, and how deep his love is. May we experience the love of Christ, though it is too great to understand fully. Then we will be made complete with all the fullness of life and power that comes from God. Now all glory to God, who is able, through his mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think. Glory to him in the church and in Christ Jesus through all generations forever and ever! Amen.

Digging Deeper:

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

August 30, 2021August 30, 2021

Learning From Baseball: Make Your Choice!

Key Verse:

So humble yourselves before God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. James 4:7 (NLT)

A Major League Baseball player chooses his bat very carefully. Why? His bat is his only offensive weapon in the game. His skill as a batter is either helped or hindered by the bat he chooses to use.

In the early days of MLB, players made their own bats. It wasn’t until 1884 that the first standard baseball bats were mass-produced.

What does this have to do with Jesus-followers?

A lot, really! Last week we talked a bit about the Sword of the Spirit which is the word of God (Ephesians 6:17b). We learned the first century Roman soldiers used a sword called a gladius. It is short, has a very strong sharp point, and is double-edged. We compared the gladius to what the writer of Hebrews said about the word of God (Hebrews 4:12). We closed with the truth of its purpose ringing in our ears: the word of God exposes our thoughts and desires to us so we can be transformed by the renewing of our mind (Romans 12:2).

But our gladius is useless to us until we take it.

To take something is to reach for and hold it. I (and you) must choose the sword of the Spirit before we will take the sword of the Spirit. It will not just hop into our hands. We take something on purpose, with intention.

To take requires action. We reach for AND we open and close our hand around something in order to take it.

The only way we can take the Sword of the Spirit is to choose to take it. I know, that seems like a no-brainer, but is it?

Every time we’re faced with the schemes of the enemy, we encounter a crossroad of decision. Are we going to leave our gladius strapped to our side, or are we going to take it out of its sheath and use it?

Today’s verse is the key to how we take the sword of the Spirit. We cannot go our own way (make our own bat) and be successful in our battles against the schemes of the devil.

Nope! We have to submit to God. How? By accepting His word is truth; all of it! Until we do, we will go our own way.

We must believe the word of God is truth before we will take it, and we must take it before we can use it. It is only when we use the word of God to make our choices, that we will be supernaturally successful in the spiritual battles of our lives. It is in embracing God’s word as truth, that we are able to resist our enemy and send him running.

Remember: Jesus Christ has already won the war for us, but our success in the battles still matter. We’ll talk more about that next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. Maybe read the book of James this week. There are only five chapters, so you can read a chapter a day. Ask Holy Spirit to help you understand what you read and show you how to take it and use it.

2 Exercise. Choose a couple of lower body exercises to do each day. It takes strength to stand firm. Don’t forget to “be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power.” (Ephesians 6:10)

3 Pray for yourself. Ask Jesus to help you see your thoughts and desires from His perspective. Ask Jesus to help you recognize the schemes of the enemy. Ask Jesus to help you choose and use the sword of the Spirit.

I’m praying for you and I’m praying for myself. LORD, it is so easy to miss the indicators of danger until they are upon us. Help us to be alert. Help us to stay close to You, agreeing with You and choosing your ways over our own. Help us to choose obedience to Your word when our thoughts and desires are different than Yours. We know Your word is truth, but our flesh is weak and it wants what it wants. It wars with our spirits and lures us away from You. Keep us close LORD. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

We are human, but we don’t wage war as humans do. We use God’s mighty weapons, not worldly weapons, to knock down the strongholds of human reasoning and to destroy false arguments. 2 Corinthians 10:3-4 (NLT)

Fun Facts:

Louisville Slugger bats are no longer the brand most used in MLB. Marucci was the brand used most on opening day 2021. *

Wooden bats require more skill to use. Maple wood bats began to replace the Ash wood bats of the early days after Barry Bonds started using a maple wood bat. **

* https://www.batdigest.com/mlb-bats/#:~:text=1%20Honus%20Wagners%20Bat.%20Honus%20Wagner%20used%20a,push%20that%20guy%20back%20in%20the%20majors.%20

** https://deadspin.com/how-maple-bats-kicked-ash-and-conq

August 23, 2021August 23, 2021

Learning from Baseball: Effective Offense Is Essential!

Key Verse:

and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6: 17b (NLT)

I’m pretty sure everyone understands getting on base is the only way to score points in a baseball game, and the only way to win a game is by scoring more points than your opponent. That means every batter needs to know how to correctly use his bat. But he must also learn to see and connect with the pitch to get a hit. Hits create opportunities to score.

Defense is played with a glove.

Offense is played with a bat.

Defense is played as a team.

Offense is played by one player at a time.

The same is true for us as Jesus-followers. Offense is played individually and not as a team. How effective we are in our offense will definitely impact others, but while defense is a team effort, offense is not.

Jesus-followers don’t use a bat.

We use a sword!

Paul used the imagery of first century Roman armor in his letter to the church of Ephesus because it was something they would understand. They were familiar with how each piece was worn and used.

We’ve already looked at the belt, the body armor, the shoes, and the helmet. We learned every soldier wore all four pieces for the purpose of protection.

Last week, we learned the shield, also known as the scutum, is useful for the protection of both the one holding it and those standing beside him.

This week we’re going to look at the sword and what it can teach us about how God’s word is meant to be used in the life of a Jesus-follower.

The sword of a first century Roman soldier was called a gladius. It was not large, but it was extremely sharp, double edged, and the point was so strong and sharp it could pierce an opponent’s armor.

A gladius was worn at all times, but it was only used during close combat with the enemy.

The sword of the Spirit is the word of God. It’s our gladius and our only offensive piece of armor.

Read what the writer of Hebrews wrote about the word of God.

For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword, cutting between soul and spirit, between joint and marrow. It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires. Hebrews 4:12 (NLT)

Sounds very much like the gladius, doesn’t it? But what really catches my attention is what it exposes when it cuts. Read that part again.

“It exposes our innermost thoughts and desires.”

Now, read what James wrote about the relationship between temptation and desires.

Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. James 1:14-15 (NLT)

Our own desires entice and drag us away.

Okay, before we stop for the day, let’s go back to today’s verse one more time. Notice whose sword it is we’re told to take.

It’s the sword of the Spirit!

This tells me (and you), our best offense begins with reading God’s word and allowing Holy Spirit to use His sword to expose our thoughts and desires. Exposing the places we are weak and vulnerable. Places where our enemy can do harm. When wielded by the Spirit, the word of God exposes the places where our flesh is still controlling our thoughts. Places where our desires leave us vulnerable to temptation.

Next week, we’ll look at what it looks like to take the sword.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible, your gladius, every day. Read the book of Ephesians again. Read one chapter a day and be alert to whatever the Spirit exposes. Don’t forget to pray first. Ask for Holy Spirit understanding.

2 Exercise. Choose one Bible verse and practice memorizing it while doing butterfly arm exercises. Why? God’s word changes the way we think and leads to transformed lives. (Romans 12:2)

3 Apply 1^st John 1:9 to every exposed place. Remember! Be strong in the LORD and in His mighty power and allow your weak places to become the places where He is strong. (Ephesians 6:10, 2 Corinthians 12:8-10 & Zechariah 4:6)

I’m praying for you. I’m also praying for me. May we learn to wear and use our spiritual armor. LORD, give us eyes to see and ears to hear what it is You are teaching us through Your written word. Help us to cooperate with Your transforming work in our lives by reading Your word. Holy Spirit, we invite You to expose our innermost thoughts and desires to us. We ask You to help us understand what You reveal and quickly agree with You without hesitation or argument. Help us forgive ourselves as You forgive us. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

I have hidden your word in my heart,
that I might not sin against you. Psalm 119:11 (NLT)

August 16, 2021August 16, 2021

Learning from Baseball: Defense First!

In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Ephesians 6:16 (NLT)

There are nine innings in the typical baseball game and there are two halves in every inning. The first half of every inning begins with the visiting team playing offense and the home team playing defense.

Offense is played from the batter’s box by one team member at a time.

Defense is played on the field by all nine players in the lineup.

Offense is the only way for a team to score runs; runs are needed to win the game.

Defense is the only way to prevent the opposing team from scoring.

Offense is played with a bat.

Defense is played with a glove.

Three weeks ago, we took a quick look at the four pieces of God’s armor meant to be worn by every Jesus-follower. We compared the physical and spiritual places of our lives those pieces of armor protect (when worn).

Today, we’re looking at the shield of faith. A shield is not worn; a shield is held. It is mobile and controlled by the one holding it.

The shield of faith has one purpose in the life of a believer. Defense! From what? The fiery arrows of the devil. These are spiritual arrows aimed at the exposed and vulnerable places in our lives. Why? Our enemy wants us to fall back into our old ways of doing.

The sole purpose of fiery arrows is to create doubt in the One we’re following and send us running back to the ease of complacency and the misery of living to please ourselves.

Fiery arrows burn deep into our souls and kill us from the inside out.

Fiery arrows are dipped in defeat, discouragement, and depression.

Fiery arrows are meant to prevent us from holding on to the progress we’ve already made in following Jesus.

So, how do we hold up our shield of faith?

Easy answer? By choosing to consistently seek and do what pleases God in every decision; obedience to the words and ways of God. If we’re doing this, there will be evidence of Holy Spirit fruit in our lives.

First century Ephesians were familiar with the Roman shield. It was called a scutum and designed for use as a unit. One soldier alone was not protected. That’s right! The scutum was useless unless the soldiers came together with their scutum to create a barrier. They would form a tortoise shell curve with the front line holding their shields up in front and the following lines holding their shields overhead. This barrier was a defense for both the entire unit and each individual soldier in the unit.

Okay, I don’t know about you, but I’ve never understood this truth before now. Holding up the shield of faith is not just about me. It’s about every other Jesus-follower, too!

I’ve learned something new about the sword of a Roman soldier too! I’m excited about how it relates to us as believers, but let’s save the sword for next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. I would challenge you to read the entire book of Ephesians. There are only six chapters, so one a day will not be too much for even the busiest of schedules. Remember to ask Holy Spirit to give you understanding of the words you read before you start reading.

2 Exercise your arms. We need strong arms to hold up our shields, so find a couple of arm exercises you can do. This will remind you to hold up your shield.

3 Pray! Ask Jesus to open your eyes to any areas of your life you’ve allowed your shield to drop. Those places where you are not being truly obedient to His words and ways. Those places where you are excusing your choices. These are the vulnerable places in your life; the places where our enemy can hurt you and others. Apply 1 John 1:9 immediately!

I’m praying for you! Yes, each one of you. I’m also praying for myself. LORD, may we not turn our eyes from the places where we have lowered our shields and allowed the enemy to compromise our choices. May we seek You and Your ways and faithfully follow You. May we be strong in Your mighty power. Give us the desire and the strength to do the hard work of holding up our shields and making new choices. May we no longer carry out the desires of the flesh when they are contrary to the words and ways of Jesus!

Digging Deeper:

And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to him must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who sincerely seek him. Hebrews 11:6 (NLT)

Did you know Paul wrote the letter we now call the Book of Ephesians to the church in Ephesus while he was under house arrest in Rome? Did you know he wrote it for the sole purpose of encouraging them to not grow weary in their faith?

The first half of his letter was to remind them Jesus is our firm foundation. The second half of his letter was practical help on how to live faithfully by…

…living in unity with other Jesus-followers

…keeping the LORD first in every relationship

…recognizing and standing firm against the schemes of our enemy

August 2, 2021August 2, 2021

Learning from Baseball: How to Hold On To Your Progress

Key Verse:

But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. Philippians 3:16 (NLT)

I know I told you we’d look at the shield and sword today, but I realized I needed to back up a tat. So…

Let’s talk about Major League Baseball standings. I have no idea who keeps them up to date, but I do know they are kept current. No matter the team you’re following, you can find their win-loss record, winning percentage, and how many regular-season games your team needs to win to participate in postseason play. **

For example, the Washington Nationals are an MLB team in the East division of the National League. Their current win-loss record is 49-56. Their winning percentage is .467. They’re 6.5 games back from the New York Mets who are leading the NL East division. They’re also back 10.5 games from having a place in the playoffs this season. ***

The Nationals are fourth in their division, but just barely six weeks ago they were second in their division. They did not hold their position and are not doing well.

What does any of this have to do with those of us who are Jesus-followers?

Nothing and everything!

Nothing to do with Jesus-followers because Christ Jesus has won the war against sin and death. That never changes. No matter what, our relationship with God has been secured through Christ Jesus. We will spend eternity with Him in heaven.

Everything to do with Jesus-followers because we are fighting a million little individual battles every single day. Skirmishes fought between our spirit and our flesh. Battles against our enemy’s schemes to destroy the life Jesus paid to give us here on earth. Our enemy cannot win the war, but he will escort us to a place of misery and despair if we are not self-controlled and alert; if we are not walking by the Spirit.

That’s why Paul told the church at Philippi to hold on to their progress. Look at what he wrote…

But we must hold on to the progress we have already made. Philippians 3:16 (NLT)

That’s also why Paul told the church in Ephesus to stand firm against the enemy. Look at what he wrote…

Put on all of God’s armor so that you will be able to stand firm against all strategies of the devil. Ephesians 6:11 (NLT)

This is a big deal! I fully confess to not having achieved this, but I’m gaining clarity. I want to practice holding on to the progress. But how? We get a clue by backing up one verse. Read Ephesians 6:10.

A final word: Be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power.

This is key! Our strength and power must come from the LORD.

I don’t know about you, but this has been a great reminder. I will never again check the team standings without being reminded to hold on to the progress Jesus and I have made on your journey together.

Next week we’re going to look at what to do when we realize we’ve not held onto our progress. The week after, we’ll look at how to use our shield and our sword.

Between Then and Now…

1 Keep putting on your belt, body armor, shoes, and helmet. Be intentional about each piece.

2 Read your Bible every day. Ask Holy Spirit to give you understanding of the words you read and how to apply them. Remember not to get hung up on how much you’re reading. This is about understanding and using what you learn.

3 Pray daily. Ask Jesus to help you see the places in your life where you are not holding onto your progress and are no longer standing firm. Ask Him to help you depend on His strength and power instead of your own.

** “Throughout the baseball season, the positions of the 30 MLB teams are tracked through the standings. Each team competes in the American or National League in one of three divisions — East, West or Central. In addition to its win-loss record and winning percentage, the standings indicate how many regular-season games a team needs to win to secure one of the eight slots available for postseason play.” https://www.sportsrec.com/337903-longest-winning-streaks-in-baseball-history.html

*** https://www.espn.com/mlb/standings

June 10, 2021June 13, 2021

Learning From Baseball: Alert to The First D

Key Verse:

Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour. 1 Peter 5:8 (NLT)

Outfielders are not close to the action and their minds can wander while they wait for the batter to hit the ball. Sometimes it takes a while. Not only do some pitchers take a longer amount of time between pitches, but some batters foul off a lot of pitches. The pitcher may have to make eight or nine pitches before the batter hits. Then the batter might strike out and another batter must come to the plate before the ball is ever hit. Sometimes the batters hit only to the infield. This leaves the outfielders in a place of waiting.

That’s when staying alert is extra important. If the mind wanders even a little bit, the crack of the bat hitting the ball will draw his mind back into focus, but the ball is already in play. Missing that moment when the ball comes off the bat means the difference between his ability to read the play, interpret its direction, and be there to either catch or field it cleanly.

The same is true for Jesus-followers. We must be alert at all times. If we let our minds wander, we will be caught off guard and in danger of misreading, misinterpreting, and not being where we need to be and doing what we need to do.

That’s how our opponent works. He lulls us into a place of complacency and then strikes. If we aren’t alert, we can be deceived and we won’t be ready for what’s coming our way.

Okay, there are a lot of ways Jesus-followers can be deceived, but we’re going to focus on one very basic and crucial truth. A truth our enemy does NOT want us to understand; a truth he wants us to misinterpret so our response is off and we create all sorts of hurt for ourselves and others. What is that truth?

God puts us in places of waiting to strengthen us.

Our enemy wants us to doubt the LORD’s love for us. He wants us to feel forgotten and forsaken. He wants to rob us of our confidence in the position we have in Christ Jesus our LORD.

Outfielders have a lot more ground to cover. The gaps between left field, center, and right are big. The gaps between the infield and outfield, and between outfield and the fence are big. He’s not there because he’s of no value to the team. On the contrary! He’s there because his manager knows he is able to accurately interpret the trajectory of the ball’s path, he’s quick enough to cover the ground, and he’s strong enough to return the ball with accuracy to the right location. His manager trusts him to be alert even while he waits.

This week…

1 Read Ephesians 6:1-18 and ask Holy Spirit to help you recognize any places where you have become complacent about the enemy’s desire to deceive you. Practice putting on every piece of armor. Notice the portion of your body each piece protects.

2 Read Isaiah 40:31. What is promised to those who trust in the LORD? Do you really believe those promises? Knowing your answer is crucial during times of waiting. Ask Jesus to show you the places where you struggle to trust.

3 Be alert! Pay attention to your thoughts during times of waiting and/or hardship. Do you struggle with feeling useless and/or forgotten in the outfield of life? Read Romans 8 (yes, the entire chapter). Pay particular attention to all the promises given to those who are in Christ Jesus. Choose one to memorize.

Digging Deeper:

Joshua 1:9, Isaiah 40:31, Jeremiah 29:11-13, John 10:10, Ephesians 6:1-18

March 25, 2021March 25, 2021

How to Be Part of a Controlled Burn

Today’s Scripture Passage:

James 3:1-12

Key Verse:

Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. Ephesians 4:29-30 (NASB)

Two weeks ago, we were at Deep Cut Trailhead in the Manassas Battlefield National Park (MNBP). It was a beautiful day, but we hadn’t even gotten to the low-lying sections when we found ourselves squishing and sinking with every step. We decided to turn around and come back another day.

One week later, we returned to find something entirely different. The trail was no longer surrounded by fields covered with golden windblown grasses. The gold was now a blackened scar lining each side of the trail and stretching out in all directions. The change was startling.

This was no haphazard burning.

The burns smoothly outlined both sides of the trail.

We were witnessing the aftermath of a controlled burn!

This week we were on another MBNP trail when we saw a Park Ranger and stopped to chat. He asked if we’d been to Deep Cut since the burn.

Turns out he was one of the rangers who watched from afar. He was still excited about seeing professionals from all over the state use their knowledge and equipment the day of the burn. He was also eager to share his experience.

Did you know the MBNP does a controlled burn twice a year? They do! He explained the benefits. He talked about all the time and effort required to plan and execute such a precise burn. He shared the months of planning and coordination required between the park and the one who would eventually oversee and be held responsible for the results of the burn.

He told us those assisting with the burn must be qualified fire fighters. They must also be unwavering in their commitment to follow instructions throughout the entire process.

I was barely walking away before I was hit with the spiritual parallel.

There is a big difference between burning a field and a controlled burn.

The timing and conditions must be exact. Those doing the planning must know the importance of both. They must also know how to keep track of them. Delays and cancellations of a burn are sometimes necessary. Burns are not done unless all conditions are right. Burns are not done if the timing is not exact.

To burn at the wrong time or under the wrong conditions can bring destruction instead of benefits!

It is much better to cancel a burn than to burn at the wrong time or under the wrong conditions!

So, what’s the parallel? The Bible (God’s written word) tells us…

Our God is a consuming fire; He uses fire to refine our faith and test our works. God lives in all those who have been saved by faith in Jesus and are sealed with His Holy Spirit. Holy Spirit baptizes us by fire at the time of our salvation. This is the fire God uses to test and refine our faith.

The Bible is also very clear about the fire in our tongues. Yes! What James wrote about the tongue was written to those who were already Jesus-followers.

So, who’s the expert on a controlled burn? Holy Spirit!

Holy Spirit uses our tongue (words) when we are completely committed to following His instructions. Using the right words at the right time and in the exact right conditions will bring benefit to those who hear them.

Even the right words at the wrong time or in the wrong conditions can do damage and grieve Holy Spirit.

Read today’s verses again…

Let no unwholesome word come out of your mouth, but if there is any good word for edification according to the need of the moment, say that, so that it will give grace to those who hear. Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption.

I do not believe it’s an accident these verses were written to us in back-to-back order.

Our words are supposed to give grace to those who hear them.

BUT

We grieve Holy Spirit whenever our words do not give grace to the hearer.

I think words that grieve Holy Spirit must be the careless words Jesus was talking about in Matthew 12:36. Look at what He said, “But I tell you that for every careless word that people speak, they will give an account of it on the day of judgment.”

I don’t know about you, but I’m all too often guilty of using careless words!

And since my words originate in my thoughts, I can only assume when my words grieve Holy Spirit, my thoughts grieve Holy Spirit too!

“May the words of my mouth
and the thoughts of my heart
be acceptable in your presence,
Adonai, my Rock and Redeemer.” Psalm 19:15 (CJB)

For the curious…

There is already new growth at Deep Cut (we went to look). That’s Right! The controlled burn removed what was not healthy and made room for new growth. How’s that for exciting?!

Jesus Journaling:

1 Take some time to remember the most encouraging words others have spoken to you. What was it about those conversations that influenced you to make wise choices that were pleasing to the LORD?

2 Spend some time thinking about your conversations during this past week. How many of your words were spoken (or written) carelessly? Ask Jesus to make you sensitive to His timing and conditions in every conversation.

3 Talk to Jesus about learning a new way of thinking, so your words will give grace to the hearers and won’t grieve Holy Spirit.

Digging Deeper:

Matthew 3:11, Acts 2:3, 1st Corinthians 3:12-14, Hebrews 12:28-29, & 1st Peter 1:6-8

March 18, 2021March 18, 2021

Receiving the Renewable Energy of Trusting Jesus

Key Verse:

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 (NLT)

Photo taken by George Coulson at Manassas National Battlefield Park, November 24, 2020.

I sat on the porch and marveled at all the colors the LORD was using to paint the morning skies. I listened as songbirds sang a chorus of praises and marveled at the grace of the larger birds soaring overhead.

Those large birds are birds of prey and have captured my attention a lot lately. I’ve pointed them out to George and together we’ve watched and marveled over their ability to stay aloft without ever moving their wings. They appear to just rest on the air, pivoting and tilting, rising and swooping down only to rise again, slowly moving closer and further away until they are only a dot on the horizon.

Those birds are part of the path the LORD’s been leading me to follow for a while now. It started with The Joy Challenge last Thanksgiving and continued with an in-depth look into Matthew 11:28-30 as we welcomed in this New Year.

Through it all, the LORD was opening me up to a place of new understanding. Revealing more of the relationship between joy and trust, and obedience and rest. I began asking questions.

How is it possible to live a life of wholehearted obedience and still be rested.

How is it possible to live in full tilt faithfulness to Jesus without becoming weary in my walk or work?

His answer came yesterday morning. I was reading what King David wrote in Psalm 23:3 when the connection finally came like a spark of electricity running straight to my heart.

I was seeing the same paradox Isaiah wrote about in today’s key verse, and I realized something new and wonderful. Read what Isaiah wrote…

But those who trust in the Lord will find new strength.
They will soar high on wings like eagles.
They will run and not grow weary.
They will walk and not faint.

Now look at what David wrote about the LORD…

He renews my strength.
He guides me along right paths,
bringing honor to his name.

My strength is renewed as the LORD leads me along right paths!

Renewed strength comes while I live my life trusting Jesus.

Trusting is following wherever He leads.

Trusting is doing what it is right in His sight!

It is in the trusting enough to follow that you and I are refreshed and our strength is renewed!

The LORD’s strength is like renewable energy!

I quickly looked up renewable energy.

Renewable Energy is energy from a source that is not depleted when used, such as wind or solar power. (Oxford Dictionaries – Cortana)

This led me to look up what Jesus said in Acts 1:8 about the power we receive from Holy Spirit. Read what He said, “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

Holy Spirit is the source of our power and His power will never be depleted. No matter how much Holy Spirit power we use, there is an endless source of Holy Spirit power at our disposal.

Holy Spirit power is the original renewable energy!

I finished by reading what Paul wrote in Galatians 5:25. “Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.”

I know, none of this is new information, and yet…

I’m beginning to realize just how much more there is to experience as a Jesus-follower.

I feel like the child who knows she’s supposed to catch the ball in her glove but can’t seem to make her body obey what her brain tells it to do. That’s why opportunities to practice what we know is such a big part of learning.

I definitely need a lot more practice when it comes to living a life of joy, trust, obedience, and renewed strength in Jesus. I don’t want to settle for knowing about it. I want to experience it – ALL of it! Don’t you?!

Jesus Journaling:

1 Be on the lookout for any of those big birds soaring high overhead. Notice how they allow the air to determine their direction. Talk to Jesus about the areas of your life where you are weary. Ask Him if it’s possible you’re so weary because you’re fighting the direction He’s taking you. Ask Him to help you find a place of renewed strength.

2 Is there something you have a desire to do but are struggling to begin? Talk to Jesus about your struggle. Maybe it’s because you’re not sure it’s a desire He’s given you, or you’re not sure how to start, or maybe it’s something else entirely. Whatever your reason, be honest with Him. Expect Him to hear you and respond!

3 Write down one thing you’re going to do as an act of trust and obedience and begin practicing it. Stick close to Holy Spirit and allow Him to lead you AND renew your energy as you trust and follow.