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Learning From Baseball: The Roar of the Crowd

Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all! Romans 12:14-16 (NLT)

There’s nothing like being at a baseball game. The atmosphere is almost electric. The food is fabulous, and the comradery of everyone being there for the same reason is priceless.

We usually sit in “the nose bleed” section. It isn’t a bad place to be in Nationals Park, but it does mean we’re often seated with fans from the opposing team. But then, so are they, right?!

We’ve never once had any trouble with ugliness when attending a game. Why? Maybe it’s because we’re all focused on cheering for our players. We don’t waste our breath or our time fussing about the other team. We scream with excitement over our team’s successes and get loud with encouragement when they are struggling.

But there are times when tragedy happens too. We were there when Adam Eaton tore his ACL beating out a ball to first base. The entire stadium knew it was bad as soon as his foot hit the bag and he went down.

Everything went quiet. A heavy silence filled the air as we all took one collective breath and held it. We watched as the trainers, coaches, and managers ran onto the field. The players for both teams stood side by side on the fringes. After what seemed like forever, Adam was taken off the field. He was out for the remainder of the season.

Why am I telling you this and what does it have to do with us as Jesus-followers?

Opportunities for celebrating alongside, cheering for, and crying with those around us are often overlooked in the quest to be who we’re created to be. As a Christian community, we spend far too much of our resources, energy, and time on being the best we can be and leaving little margin for being interrupted by the successes, needs, or hurts of those around us.

We criticize, complain about, and categorize others without ever trying to understand their perspective. I’ve watched angry explosions of words spread like a deadly infection of gangrene as others liked and shared their spew of hatred on social media platforms.

We’ve begun to place such a high value on our own thoughts, feelings, and understandings, we have actually come to feel justified when…

We discount other’s hurts and we belittle their struggles.

Superiority quenches all compassion as we call them names and fume over their choices.

Instead of praying God’s grace and Holy Spirit’s healing for the broken places in their lives, we delight in their sorrows; all because they do not think as we think. We would never say it, but the truth is…

We see no value in them. We see no value in their lives.

And this breaks their Creator’s heart. It grieves His Spirit. And it is a slap in the face of all Jesus Christ did and gave to be in relationship with them. Yes! Them!

We have all sinned. We all need Jesus to save us. None of us see from the LORD’s perspective perfectly. We all need grace. We all need hope. We all need love. We all have hurts and need someone to understand we’re not trying to make a mess of our lives or anyone else’s.

Today’s verses remind us to celebrate when others celebrate and cry when others cry. To do that, we must first see them.

AND…

We must ask Holy Spirit to help us answer some hard questions.

Am I present in the lives of others? There to celebrate and cry? There to cheer? There to encourage? There to comfort? Am I there?

Do I genuinely celebrate when good things happen to others, or do I secretly wonder why they have received the blessing of whatever it is they’re celebrating?

Do I genuinely hurt when others are hurting, or do I secretly think they need to “pull up their big girl panties” and get over it?

Do I ignore the celebrations and/or hurts of others because I don’t want to be bothered with the personal discomfort or inconvenience it will require?

Are there times I secretly hope things will go badly for someone? Do I justify my lack of compassion for their situation because I have decided they deserved it?

Do I think the world could be a better place if everyone would just see things from my point of view?

If you’re like me, seeing these things written on the page are easy to recognize as thoughts and actions that bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit. The thing is, we have to recognize it in ourselves before we will apply 1st John 1:9 and begin the cleansing process. We won’t ask for help until we acknowledge we need it!

Next week we will conclude the Learning From Baseball series.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. You might want to read the book of Jude this week. There is only one chapter in Jude, so read it daily. Ask Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply what you read. Ask Him to help you remember what you read after you put down your Bible and begin your day.

2 Exercise. Walk at least a few minutes every day. If you can get outside, even better! Look for evidence of God’s presence and blessings in your day. Every good gift comes from Him. (James 1:17)

3 Pray. Tell God the things you love about Him (this is praise). Thank God for the good things in your life (this is thanksgiving). Ask Him to help others (this is intercession). Ask Him to help you and then use what He gives you!

LORD, You are love. Help us to see You and the evidence of Your love in our lives. Then help us to reflect Your love in the way we see and interact with the people You put in our lives each day. Help us to see beyond the surface to the person inside. Help us to truly celebrate with and cry alongside one another. Humble our hearts so we will live in harmony with You and with others. Amen.

Digging Deeper:

Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you. Ephesians 4:29b-32 (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.

Fun Facts:

Nats fans celebrate each runs with what has become a traditional NATS cheer: N! A! T! S! NATS! NATS! NATS! Woooo! I’m sorry I’m unable to show you the motions, but you can be sure I participate with voice and actions after every single run. Yes, even at home.

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Learning From Baseball: It’s A Non-Transferable Pass

Did you know there’s such a thing as a Lifetime Pass into any baseball stadium for any regular season game? There is! The first was given to President Theodore Roosevelt. But the thing about these passes is this, they are issued by the Commissioner of Baseball and they are Non-Transferable. They can only be used by the person to whom they were issued. They cannot be inherited.

The same is true for those of us who are Jesus-followers. Yes! We can tell others about how to enter into the family of God, but we cannot give anyone else access into heaven.

If you are not already a Jesus-follower, you cannot inherit your salvation from any of the Jesus-followers you know. It doesn’t matter how many you know.

Heaven is God’s home. His Kingdom. God is the only One who issues access, and the only way He gives us access is through Jesus Christ. Jesus is our Lifetime Pass and Holy Spirit is given as our identification.

What does that mean exactly? Well, it’s simple and yet not easy. It’s free and yet there is a cost.

Simple because all we do is accept the gift of access. We do that by admitting we cannot get into heaven apart from Jesus. There is no way we can earn our way in or fight our way in. Heaven is closed to all sinners.

Who’s a sinner, you ask? Well, we all are! That’s right. All have sinned and fall short of God’s standard (Romans 3:23). How come God gets to set the standard? He’s the Creator of heaven and earth. In fact, He’s Creator of the entire universe along with everything and everyone in it. That’s why!

So, we’re all sinners and the payment for sin is death. But God’s free gift to us is eternal life through Jesus Christ (Romans 6:23).

That’s right! God wants us in heaven with Him. So, God created a Lifetime Pass for each of us. All we have to do is take it. How? By believing what God did for us.

What did He do for us? He came to earth, was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life in the flesh, died a sinner’s death, and was resurrected back to life for us. Yes! He left heaven, subjected Himself to the confines of a human body beginning with conception and extending all the way through until that body died thirty-three years later. Then He raised that dead human body and transformed it into an eternal body.

How do we get this free gift? We ask. Yep! That’s it!

We call on the name of the LORD Jesus Christ and we are saved. Saved from the penalty of our sin which is eternal separation from God.

How do we call on the name of the LORD?

By confessing with our mouths that Jesus is LORD and believe in our hearts that He is alive.

Okay, here’s the thing. Believing is not just having a knowledge of something. Believing creates change. So, there’s the cost. Yes, it was free, but when we take what comes to us freely, we are agreeing to live our lives loving Him and following Him (and His ways). No more doing what we want because we want to do it. Nope! Now we are choosing to consider Jesus Christ and what would please Him in every area of our lives.

So now you know why it’s not easy. There are times we want and even plan to do something, and then we don’t. There are other times we don’t want to do something and plan never to do it again, and yet we do it.

So, what happens after we accept the free gift of access into heaven and we still sin?

Well, there are two things going on here. One is called justification which is just a fancy word for Jesus covers our sins with His righteousness. The other is called sanctification which is another fancy word that means He is also removing the sinful desires of our old selves and replacing them with pure desires. Justification happens in an instant. Sanctification happens over a lifetime and begins the day we receive the justification of Jesus.

Sanctification is done by the work of Holy Spirit in us. Not all who say they are believers have Holy Spirit in their lives. Holy Spirit knows those who are believers. He knows those who have received the justification of Jesus.

Holy Spirit comes to live in us the moment justification takes place and He never leaves us.

Holy Spirit is our Helper. That’s right! Our Teacher, Counselor, and the One who reminds us of what we need to remember, when we need to remember it. Holy Spirit does not make us obey Jesus, but Holy Spirit makes it possible for us to live obedient to the ways of Jesus.

That’s why Jesus said anyone who wants to be His follower must give up their own way, take up their cross daily, and follow Him (Matthew 16:24; Mark 8:34; Luke 9:23). It’s a choice we must continually make. Not something we’re forced to choose but are free to choose by our own will.

Please, please, please get this…

We become new creatures at the moment of justification, but we will not give up every old way except through the sanctifying work of us cooperating with the Holy Spirit. The evidence of our choices will be in our lives. We (and others) can measure our own progress by the evidence of Holy Spirit fruit in the choices we make. Nope! Not by the number of rules we keep but by the amount of fruit in our lives. Holy Spirit fruit is easily identifiable; love, joy, peace, patience, goodness, kindness, faithfulness, and self-control (Galatians 5:22-23).

One more thing before we go. You are going to mess up!

That’s right…you are going to mess up! You are going make sinful choices while learning to make Holy Spirit, Jesus pleasing choices. Don’t fret over them. Holy Spirit does not teach us with condemnation or shame (Romans 8:1). Yes, He’ll point out your sin and you will need to admit you’ve sinned, but don’t get stuck there. Quickly apply 1st John 1:9; admit your sinful choice, accept the forgiveness that is given, forgive yourself, and be wise moving forward. Make your choices proactively and don’t put yourself into situations of temptation. When you do get into those situations, look for the way of escape that is promised (1 Corinthians 10:112-13).

If you have not yet accepted God’s gift of a Lifetime Pass into heaven, you can do that right now. Don’t wait!

If you have questions or concerns you want answered first, start a conversation with me in the comments section below or at (5) Deep Thoughts and Little Happenings | Facebook I don’t pretend to have all the answers, but I will come alongside you as we find them together. Which leads to another wonderful thing about being a Jesus-follower.

Jesus-followers are not alone in this world. Not only do we have the Spirit of Jesus living in us, but we have each other. We’ll talk more about it next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. Maybe read 2nd John and 3rd John. And remember to ask Holy Spirit to help you understand and apply what He teaches you as you read.

2 Exercise. Don’t forget your armor! Put it on every day. Go through the motions and name each piece as you put it on, hold it up, and take it.

3 Be intentional. Pray for yourself and for other Jesus-followers everywhere. We’re all learning, but we’re also doing the hard work of practicing what we learn.

LORD, give us the ability to let go of our old ways and make new Holy Spirit choices. Give us boldness in sharing with others about the Lifetime Pass You have for them. Help them to believe and take all You have for them. And Holy Spirit, we want to overflow with Your fruit. We invite You to remove all that hinders the maturing of Your fruit in our lives. Teach us to embrace Your pruning work in our lives. Teach us to take, enjoy, and share the fruit of Your presence in us. Amen.

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.

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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.

OR

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 believers in 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 1st 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)

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.

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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)

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.

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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)

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

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. **

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.

* 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

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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 1st 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)

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.

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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

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.

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Learning from Baseball: It’s A New Day and A New Game!

Key Verse:

This is the day the Lord has made.
    We will rejoice and be glad in it. Psalm 118:24 (NLT)

Last week, the Washington Nationals were six and a half games back from winning the division. This week they are nine games back. The players are visibly losing their joy in the game. They’re making rookie errors and forgetting their fundamentals. Their forward progress isn’t just about the game, but about the way they’re playing the game. They’re walking onto the field wearing yesterday’s defeat.

While baseball is just a game, it gives me, you, and every other Jesus-follower a clear picture of the importance of turning our eyes forward. In Nehemiah the people heard and understood the reading of God’s word and were broken hearted over their sin. Read what the LORD said to His people in Nehemiah 8:10c.

Don’t be dejected and sad, for the joy of the Lord is your strength!

They acknowledged and grieved their sin, but they were also feeling defeated and unable to change their ways. The LORD reminded them their strength was in rejoicing in Him.

Look at their response in Nehemiah 8:12.

So the people went away to eat and drink at a festive meal, to share gifts of food, and to celebrate with great joy because they had heard God’s words and understood them.

The people were no longer looking at their sin, but God’s gracious forgiveness and unfailing love. They were able to celebrate the freedom from their sin and His presence for the future.

The writer of Hebrews also wrote about this. Look at Hebrews 12:1b-2a.

let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.

The past is done and cannot be undone. The consequences of past sins have already been set in motion. We can and must learn from our past, but we must also strip it off and turn our eyes toward Jesus. Afterall, we’re Jesus-followers and it’s awfully hard to follow someone when we’re not looking at them.

How do we strip it off? John tells us clearly in 1st John 1:9.

But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.

Our relationship with Jesus is secure from the beginning, but our ability to follow Jesus depends on our willingness to strip off what holds us back and slows us down. Keeping our eyes on Jesus not only helps us follow well, but it also helps us see the differences between our way and His. It helps us discern what needs to be stripped off and left behind.

We strip them off by confessing (agreeing with God about what is right). He does the forgiving and the cleansing.

I always envision this cleansing process as a pitcher of red water being overflowed by a continuous flow of clear water until the pitcher is finally filled and overflowing with clear water.

God doesn’t just remove our sin; He changes our desires as we agree with Him and delight in Him. The more we know Him, the more we delight in Him, and the more our desires mirror His. We stop choosing the world’s way of attaining joy and peace, and our lives no longer overflow with the redness of sin but the pure living water of Jesus and His Spirit living inside of us.

This brings us back to our reason for taking hold of the shield of faith and the sword of the Spirit. We’ll look more deeply into using both of those next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Read your Bible. Ask for Holy Spirit’s help in understanding what you read. Intentionally look for words that describe God and His ways. Remember, Jesus is God in the flesh and Holy Spirit is God living in you. Remind yourself of whose you are whenever you feel defeated!

2 Pray. Apply 1 John 1:9 daily. Grieve over any sin in your life, but don’t wallow in shame. Agree with God over it and then rejoice as you move away from your past and follow Jesus.

3 Memorize Romans 8:1-2. Write these verses on a card and carry them with you or post them where you will see them throughout the day. Read them repeatedly and begin to hide them in your heart. Our enemy wants you to hide from God instead of walking joyfully with Jesus and by His Spirit.

Digging Deeper:

Psalm 37:4, Isaiah 1:18, Romans 8:38-39, Galatians 5:22-25, Ephesians 6:10-18 & Philippians 3:12-14

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.

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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.  

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.

** “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

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Learning from Baseball: What You Wear Is Important!

Therefore, put on every piece of God’s armor so you will be able to resist the enemy in the time of evil. Then after the battle you will still be standing firm. Stand your ground, putting on the belt of truth and the body armor of God’s righteousness. For shoes, put on the peace that comes from the Good News so that you will be fully prepared. In addition to all of these, hold up the shield of faith to stop the fiery arrows of the devil. Put on salvation as your helmet, and take the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. Ephesians 6:13-17 (NLT)

A Washington Nationals batter got hit in the face by a pitch last week and got me to thinking about happened to Giancarlo Stanton.

Stanton made his Major League Baseball debut with the Miami Marlins in 2010. He played right field, but it was his strength with the bat that was most impressive.

Then in 2014, Stanton’s season came to an abrupt end after he was hit in the face by a pitch during the fifth inning of a game against the Milwaukee Brewers. Stanton suffered multiple injuries including facial lacerations, facial fractures, and dental fractures.

We were watching that game, and I still remember the horror of it. Imagine my surprise when he returned to baseball the very next season.

Things had changed, though. His batting helmet was redesigned and wrapped around to cover and protect more of his face. Today, many baseball players choose to wear this more protective batting helmet.

Protective wear is nothing new. In fact, Paul wrote a letter to the church in Ephesus and told them some very specific things to wear against their opponent. He called it armor; specifically, the armor of God. He lists six pieces; the belt, body armor or breast plate, shoes, shield, helmet, and sword.

Four pieces are for the protection of specific parts of the body. Remember, if you’re a Jesus-follower, you are a part of the body of Christ.

The belt wraps around the mid-section and protects the kidneys. Kidneys are filters. They remove toxins so they expel instead of absorb into our bodies and poison us. Just like knowing Jesus and the truth of God’s word helps us filter out the lies and half-truths of the enemy.

The body armor covers the upper body and protects our heart and lungs. We need both to live. There is life in the blood pumped through our bodies by our hearts. Our lungs take the air we breathe in, separates and transfers the oxygen into our bloodstream, and expels the carbon dioxide when we breathe out. Just like the righteousness we receive from Jesus gives us a new heart and new life and Holy Spirit helps us use what is beneficial and get rid of what is not.

The shoes cover our feet and give us stability and protection. Just like Jesus covers us, gives us His peace, and stabilizes us in the storms of life, so we can to carry and share the Good News of Jesus with others.

The helmet protects our head. Our head is where our brain is and our brain controls our body. Just like what we believe about Jesus will control everything we do in this life and where we spend eternity.

Let’s save the shield and the sword for next week.

Between Then and Now…

1 Take time to read a little bit of God’s word (the Bible) every single day. Ask Holy Spirit to help you understand how what you read applies to your life and then use what you learn.

2 Practice putting on your armor every single morning. Name each piece as you put it on. Envision the protection of each.

3 Practice looking for evidence of God at work in your life. Be ready to share the hope of Jesus with others!

Digging Deeper:

Leviticus 17:11; John 8:32; John 16:33; Romans 3:23-30; Romans 8:1-2; Romans 10:14-17; Romans 12:2; 1 Corinthians 12:27; 2 Corinthians 5:17; Galatians 5:16, 22-25; Philippians 4:6-8

Fun Facts:

Giancarlo Stanton still holds the record for the fastest off-bat home run in the history of baseball on May 12, 2012.

He also holds the record for most total home runs hit in the Home Run Derby event.

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.

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