Winning Isn't Everything; It's The Only Thing!

As a believer in Christ, there are many days when it seems like all that we stand for and all that we wish to share about our faith gets so marginalized. People of faith are attacked in the public square when they stand up for what they believe. You don’t have to be Miss California to experience the wrath of those who would have you stand down about what you believe. The Bible may say that Jesus is the “way, the truth, and the life, and no one can come to God lest they do so thru Jesus”, but those are fighting words in the public square. Under what circumstances do you have the freedom to share that message in our country today without recrimination and marginalization?

This past week, I found myself dealing with anger about the performance of a group of basketball players from Cleveland. As they were digging themselves into a deeper and deeper hole against Orlando, my depth of passion about their performance became so negative, that I finally turned the game off and walked away. It bothered me that it bothered me so much! Why can’t I just let it go, I wondered? I don’t even live in Cleveland anymore and yet my desire to see a championship for that city never seems to die. I was willing to go to the game in Orlando on Saturday night and risk being the only Cavaliers fan among all the Magic fans. None of my friends in Orlando seemed eager to help me do that, except for those on stub hub willing to sell their tickets for three to ten times face value. Maybe my passion does have limitations!

Oh that I could rustle up the same passion for those who don’t know Christ as their Savior and haven’t heard that message. I don’t know if Vince Lombardi or Bear Bryant or Woody Hayes first used the words of our title in firing up their teams. But it is actually God’s Victory calling in our hearts that is truly the only thing worth getting all worked up about. There wasn’t much for Cav’s fans to watch in the sixth game of their series so I was working my way thru the Premier League of European Soccer and the third Country music channel by the second quarter. Thank you all of my Orlando friends for keeping me from wasting a trip over on Saturday night! Winning others to Christ really is the only thing we will remember in a thousand years!

Romans 1:16-17 (NIV) “I am not ashamed of the gospel, because it is the power of God for the salvation of everyone who believes: first for the Jew, then for the Gentile. For in the gospel a righteousness from God is revealed, a righteousness that is by faith from first to last … just as it is written: ‘The righteous will live by faith.’”

Monday Morning Message Sent 6/1/09

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