This morning as I awoke, I began thinking about all that has transpired in the past few weeks or months which culminated in the election results last night. Many evangelical Christians really struggled concerning the religion of Mr. Romney, but at the same time knew that Mr. Obama was not who they desired to continue to lead this country. I recall many conversations that I either participated in or observed where there was great emotion concerning the election. Most of the emotion was negative with name calling and back-biting. I probably even added some negativity to the ones I participated in. I have asked God’s forgiveness of my wrong doing. Even when I went to bed I was disappointed in the outcome of the election. You see, I am very pro-life and conservative if anyone reading this did not know. I believe in the sanctity of life as well as the sanctity of Biblical Marriage. But in my disappointment, I heard God’s voice ask me “Whom are you trusting?” A very convicting question. I know that I have posted on FaceBook and Twitter about how we are to walk with God and trust Him, no matter who is elected. I know that I have encouraged others to realized that God is in control and we are just to do our responsibility, which is to pray and vote. At the same time, my own emotions are full of confusion and questions about what the next four years will be like. I want to share some thoughts with you that I believe God is giving me this morning.
1. I am to pray for Mr. Obama. Several places in scripture, God tells us to pray for our leaders and to be subject to them. Romans 13:1-7 and I Timothy 2:1-3 are just a couple of them.
2. I am to respect Mr. Obama as president. Does that mean I have to agree with his politics? NO! What it does mean is that I am to not talk bad about the man. I am not supposed to belittle him as a person. He holds the office of President of the United States, which is the highest honor in the free world. There are times that his behavior does not indicate that he understands that, but my job is not to point that our disrespectfully.
3. I am to pray for our nation. I am to pray for the leaders in both the House and the Senate. I also need to be praying for our Evangelical Christian leaders in our nation, rather that be pastors, evangelists, or other national voices that are following God’s leadership.
I am still left with some questions about our future as a country and the freedoms that we have enjoyed for our history to this point. Will we lose some of those freedoms? What is going to happen to our country economically, socially, as well as religiously? I think I can make a fairly good guess concerning these questions, but in all actuality I do not know.
I also wonder if the Christians of the United States need to learn a lesson through what is happening politically. I have heard so many people whom claim to be Christians speak so badly toward the President. I have been in debates about how we are to act and speak. I thank God that we do not have a leader like Nero or Domitian. I thank God that we still have the ability to vote and voice our opinions concerning our beliefs. What if we are in this situation because we did not act as God wanted us to act? What if we are in the crucible of life, needing to learn how to be Godly in the political arena as well as the pulpits and the work force?
I am not blaming any one. I am asking questions concerning what is going on around me. I think we all as Christians need to ask God what we are supposed to be doing in all of our lives and then act on those instructions. We do not need a president who agrees with us to be effective as Christians. All we need is to have The Holy Spirit in our hearts directing us and to know the Word of God in order to know how God desires for us to live. I think the challenge today is for us to kneel before God to get our marching orders and then to march. I believe also we are to be armed with the love of God for all whom we encounter today to offer the hope that only comes from God.
Married Forever
The marriage vows, “Till Death Do Us Part,” seem to have lost their significance. Divorce is rampant all around us, including in the leadership of the church. I know pastors that are serving in churches that are divorced and remarried. I know churches that just turn a blind eye to that fact. I have heard on many occasions by clients that “God told them to leave their spouse.” I always just ask, “Really?” I have a difficult time believing God tells anyone to go against His Word. God does not contradict Himself ever. Before I anger everyone reading this today, let me explain that I know there are Biblical reasons for divorce. I believe that a life of adultery is the main reason for divorce in scripture. I also believe that physical abuse is another Biblical reason. I believe that if an unbelieving spouse leaves a believer, that is also a Biblical reason. I have heard some others try to add more reasons, but I think they are stretching scripture to fit their desires. Most of those are not the reasons I have heard the most recently. Why do people divorce most of the time? At least this is what I hear seemingly the most…”I am not happy and God wants me to be happy.” You know, I want to be happy. I like being happy. There are some days that I am deliriously happy. I’m not sure that I can prove that God ever says that He wants me to be happy. The word that is used over and over in the Bible is “joy.”
Jesus says These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be made full. (John 15:11 NASB)
God created us to give Him glory and show the world our relationship with Him. He wants us to be full of His joy because the world doesn’t understand it. He wants us to be full of love for others, because that is a foreign idea to our society as well as our world. Now, let’s go back to marriage. God has designed marriage to reflect His relationship with man. Remember that the very first marriage was found in the Garden of Eden when Adam had a need that was unmet. God chose to meet that need with His gift of Eve. Why? Because there was an intimacy that God understood that was not being met in any other way. God saw and met the need in a way that would reflect man’s need for an intimate relationship with the Creator as well. It really aggravates me when I see people who just throw away their marriage and then say that God gave them permission to do so.
For I hate divorce,” says the LORD, the God of Israel, “and him who covers his garment with wrong,” says the LORD of hosts. “So take heed to your spirit, that you do not deal treacherously.” (Malachi 2:16 NASB)
You see, God says that He hates divorce and He actually hates the one that covers his garment with wrong. What I believe that means is that He hates the one that tries to excuse himself for doing what is wrong. Wow! Now, please don’t misunderstand me. I know that God has used the divorce of some to move them to a point of realizing they need a better relationship with Him. I have helped people get right with God after a divorce. I just wonder sometimes what marriage inside of the church would look like if more people would focus on being full of God’s joy, instead of selfish happiness. I wonder if people would focus on getting right with God within their marriages instead of getting out of the marriage and then getting right with God. If you are divorced, I am not judging you. I understand that every situation in different. I also believe that God loves you enough to die on the cross for your sins just as He has mine. He is more interested in His relationship with you than He is your marriage. I also realize that you might have a Biblical reason for divorce. Today I am writing this because I have seen and heard so many Christians say “God told me to get a divorce” while they did not have the Bible backing them up with what they were saying. Again, God never contradicts Himself. He never tells you to do something that cannot be backed up with scripture. Those of us who are married, let’s make sure we remember the vow “Till death do us part!”
Spiritual Intimacy
Intimacy is a term that is used in our society to describe a sexual relationship. There is some truth with that idea, yet there is so much more involved in the term “Intimacy” that needs to be included in the definition. I would like to discuss one of the most important aspects of the term of intimacy.
As a Biblical counselor, I believe the most important aspect of intimacy in a marriage relationship is Spiritual Intimacy. As a couple, there needs to be a spiritual foundation to build the relationship on. I believe that a couple relate with one another in conjunction with how each relates with God. So lets look at this idea.
In order to build on this foundation, the first question that needs an answer is “Do you know Jesus as your personal Lord and Savior?” A relationship with God through Jesus Christ is paramount in building your spiritual intimacy. After you ask this question of yourself, you need to ask it of your mate. The Bible tells us in 2 Corinthians 6:14
14 Do not be [a]bound together with unbelievers; for what partnership have righteousness and lawlessness, or what fellowship has light with darkness? New American Standard Bible (NASB)
Once we answer these questions, we need to move on to the next step. How important is this relationship to you? Does your relationship with The Lord control your thought processes as well as your actions? Now I know that every one might be on a different level than others. I am not suggesting that everyone needs to be on the same page. I am suggesting that spouses need to be on the same page. If one person is more in tune with what the Bible says than the other one can create problems between the couple.
The final question is how do you worship together? Do you have a prayer time together? Do you attend church together? Do you serve in the church together? Yes, I understand that I am a Baptist preacher and I might sound like one as I write this. Yet, it is important to follow the guidelines that God has placed in scriptures for us. God instituted marriage at the very beginning of creation. He continues to show the importance of marriages throughout scripture. Once we understand that God wants our marriages to be fulfilling and satisfying, it is easier to follow His instructions.
God loves you and He loves marriage. His plans for your marriage are for your fulfillment as a person. God desires for your marriage to give Him glory. When a couple is following these guidelines together, their level of intimacy goes deeper than those who do not place a priority on their spirituality.
Celebrating My 50th Birthday
This past weekend, I celebrated my 50th birthday. You know you never know exactly what to expect for such an occasion. My daughter, who along with her husband and son lives with me and my bride, kept asking me what I wanted for my big day. I kept putting her off by telling her that it should be her decision, not mine. All along I had in my mind things that I’ve seen at other 50th birthday parties such as black streamers, black balloons, or even black flowers as well as jokes about incontinence along with other things I won’t mention. My daughter spent the day baking a cake and cooking while my son-in-law cleaned the house and I sat watching the Ryder Cup and some of the football games I was interested in. I think my son-in-law cleaned because he hates golf and there was nothing really else to do on a rainy day. No matter what the reason behind his cleaning, it sure was nice having them do so much around the house while Lisa and I just sat around enjoying the sights and the smells.
Back to the day of my birthday celebration…I somewhat expected some sort of a surprise by having people invited over or my daughter insisting I leave for a while or something, but those things never happened. But the evening was not over. My son and his new bride came over for dinner and gave me along with Lisa a gift. (Lisa’s birthday is just a couple of weeks later than mine.) They also gave Danielle a gift and told us to open them at the same time. Now I am not being very observant, as I want to get along with opening my cards from every one else. Danielle is the one that is really reading the gift, which was a very nice picture book of Caleb and Lindsey’s life together. That is where the BIG surprise was. For the second year in a row, my birthday was celebrated by announcing a grandbaby on the way!!! This baby is due around Mother’s Day of 2013. Talk about mixed emotions. Here I was all geared up for the attention to be focused on me, which I have to admit that I can be childish when it comes to birthdays and special occasions. I really like to be the center of attention on those certain days. (Some might argue that is every day though.) The attention is not on my 50th birthday, but on the fact that my daughter-in-law is carrying my 2nd grandbaby. Then comes the fact that the young couple has only been married for two months and they just started trying to get things going together with work and so forth. They are still trying to find out exactly what God wants them to do. Let me tell you, I know exactly how my parents felt when we told them we were pregnant with Danielle. There was a wave of excitement long with a flood of questions. Today as I sit here writing, I am truly focusing on the excitement and not the questions.
My family is growing, not just numerically, but also spiritually as both of my children are striving to serve the Lord in their lives. Now they are serving the Lord by being parents. I have the responsibility to continue to live my life as an example to my children, their spouses, as well as their children so that our family represents a Godly family and is a beacon for all to witness God’s love and faithfulness as we live our lives for Him.
The first 50 years has been a challenge…the next how ever many years God gives me will be even more of a challenge as God continues to bless me with more responsibilities.
Deuteronomy 6:4-7 (NASB)
4 “Hear, O Israel! The LORD is our God, the LORD is one!
5 “You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might.
6 “These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart.
7 “You shall teach them diligently to your sons and shall talk of them when you sit in your house and when you walk by the way and when you lie down and when you rise up.
Capturing Your Thoughts
2 Corinthians 10:3-6 (NASB)
3 For though we walk in the flesh, we do not war according to the flesh,
4 for the weapons of our warfare are not of the flesh, but divinely powerful for the destruction of fortresses.
5 We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God, and we are taking every thought captive to the obedience of Christ,
6 and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete.
Have you ever considered how to take a thought captive? For many of us, our thoughts seem to run rampant without any control what so ever. I know that many people have told me that they just could not turn their thoughts off. Once a person starts thinking about something or worrying about something, it appears to be impossible to stop the flood of negative thoughts. There are times that flood of negative thoughts overtakes by mind and submerges everything I know to be true in Christ. So as I write this, I am not saying that I have complete control of my thoughts or that I never sin in my thoughts. What I want to present is the principle of taking our thoughts captive and honoring God with them.
Our soul is made up of our mind, will and emotions. Those three aspects of a person are what God wants to develop into our character while Satan wants to tear us down at the same time. All temptation fits in these three areas. We might understand it better if we quote 1 John 2:16 (NASB)
16 For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father, but is from the world.
You see Satan wants to use the world system to keep us from living in the Freedom that God offers us through Christ Jesus.
So if we understand this principle and the significance of how Satan tempts us through what we think, what we do, and how we feel, it is vitally important that we grasp the concept of capturing our thoughts toward the obedience of Christ.
How do we accomplish this feat? We are bombarded with images, words, and ideas all day long. Are we careful to make sure that we listen to music that is edifying and not negative or down right sinful? I know that I do not listen to a lot of music while I’m in my car. (I listen to sports talk radio, mostly.) But when I do listen to music, I listen to Christian music. In my office, I have Christian music playing all day. I find it to be refreshing and edifying for me as well as whomever comes in through out the day.
The second area that is very important is what do we watch on the television. I am not trying to tell you that I do not watch TV, because that would be a lie. I am not trying to tell you what shows to watch, because that would be presumptuous. I am telling you that what you watch on TV can create images in your mind that keep you from living in freedom. If you are watching shows that are violent or full of sexual innuendo or degrading to Christians, you might have a difficult time believing the truth of who God wants you to be.
Another area that I want to address today is the area of conversation. How do you speak to people and how do they speak to you? If people close to you are always putting you down, then you will have a very difficult time believing the truth of God’s Word. It is important for us to realize how important our words are to others. Proverbs 18:21 (NASB)
21 Death and life are in the power of the tongue, And those who love it will eat its fruit. Our family hears what we say, and it can create deep wounds in their soul as well as in their spirit if we are not careful. We need to be diligent in being encouragers for the people around us daily.
Finally, we truly need to concentrate on scripture. Many of the verses that I have memorized, I memorized as a young boy in Sunday School, Discipleship Training, or Vacation Bible School. I believe we need to continue to work on learning new scriptures and allowing those scriptures to transform for hearts along with our minds, which can change our actions.
When you think about it, capturing our thoughts include preparing ourselves to live a Godly life as well as practicing daily. If we don’t practice, we will not be very good at it and then we will not be able to live victoriously.
Reconciling Relationships
Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you. (Ephesians 4:32 NASB)
I know that this verse is one that many Christians learn early in their lives. (I remember memorizing this verse as a child in Vacation Bible School.) I want to delve into the meaning of this verse a little.
How many times has someone done something to offend you or hurt your feelings? Have you ever had an argument with someone knowing you were ‘right’ yet you acted very ugly in trying to prove your point? Now I know the answer to both of these questions. I know that all of us have been offended time after time, even by those whom are closest to us. I also know that we all have been in arguments that we allowed our emotions to get the best of us. So what do we do now that these things have happened? How can we learn to handle these same circumstances when they arise again?
I believe the first step in reconciling the relationship that is being effected by the past is to be forgiving. Most of the time being forgiving means forgiving yourself. I have been told several times ‘I cannot forgive myself.’ I realize that forgiving ourselves is a difficult thing to do because we cannot forget our behavior. There are many times that I am plagued with thoughts of my bad behavior or the things that I have done wrong. The negative thoughts can haunt us with doubts about ourselves for a long time if we let them. God is willing to forgive us of all our sins, even the worst ones! We have to begin looking at ourselves with God’s eyes. He is able to separate us from the sin itself. He judges us based on who we are and not what we do. We have to work on doing the same thing.
The second step in reconciling the relationship is empathizing with the other person. When you have offended someone, try putting yourself in their shoes. While doing so, answer a couple of questions about the situation from the other person’s perspective. The first question is, “How would I like it, if I were treated the same way by someone?”. The bible tells us to treat others the way we want to be treated. We call this ‘The Golden Rule’. If all of us would stop and think about how we like to be treated, our relationships would be a lot different. The second question is, “What are the circumstances that are influencing the other person’s behavior?” Now, you might be asking the importance to the second question. When we understand the other person and attempt to connect with them, we can begin to see ourselves through their eyes. When we are able to see ourselves the same way the offended does, we become more compassionate toward that person as well as more repentant. This action creates an attitude of humility and gentleness.
The third and probably the most important step is forgiving the other person. An understanding of what forgiveness means is imperative. Forgiveness is NOT forgetting. Our brains are not designed to forget certain things. Forgiveness is NOT equal to reconciliation. Just because you forgive someone does not mean that the relationship is automatically reconciled.
Forgiveness IS choosing not to hold the other person responsible of their offense. Or in another words, separating the offender from the offense; as God does for us. Forgiveness IS choosing to be willing to work on reconciling the relationship. Without forgiveness, reconciliation is impossible. Forgiveness IS a gift. A gift is given based on the giver, not the receiver. Again, just as God forgives us!
How do we forgive now? I could write a great deal about this, but in this article I want to focus on just one aspect of forgiving. We must recognize our own hurt emotions and accept them. We cannot blame the other person, or we will not forgive. When we can accept our emotions, we then want to replace the negative, hurt emotions with God’s healing and His acceptance. His love for us is unconditional and is totally founded in His character. Once we get to this point, we can forgive.
The final step in reconciling the relationship is moving toward reconciliation. Many things can be written on this subject as well; which will come later. The process includes expressing your forgiveness, seeking their forgiveness, building boundaries, and agreeing on changing behaviors. I know I could add a great deal more, which I will elaborate in the near future.
Are we willing to exemplify Ephesians 4:32? Can we be kind, tender-hearted, and forgiving? Following these steps should help!
Catching Up W/ Brad
Wow, it has been such a long time since I have written anything. So much has happened in the past four or five months that I do not even know where to start. I guess the high light of the summer would have to be the fact that my daughter, Danielle, got married to David Barker. I had the privilege of performing the ceremony. I surprised even myself along with everyone else in attendance that I did not cry during the service, not even once. I have thought about that evening several times over the past few months and I believe that both Danielle and David were ready to get ma
rried, as least as ready as one can be. I also believe that each one of them is living their lives with the purpose of giving God glory in all that they do. Do I believe that they are perfect? No Way!!! Remember I raised Danielle, which makes her imperfect and David is a guy…enough said about that. While I performed the service, I remember thinking “how proud I am of the choices my daughter has made. This must be what God feels like when we make choices that bring Him honor.” David and Danielle are living in Fort Worth both attending Southwestern Baptist Theological Seminary preparing to go wherever in the world God sends them. What a challenge they have in front of them!! Over the next couple of years as they get to know each other better, He will be preparing them both spiritually as well as relationally for the task ahead of them. I am looking forward to watching God work in their lives as they seek to bring Him glory and honor.
As I reflect over the summer, one other major event took place. I believed God was leading me to begin a private pastoral counseling ministry. I worked toward that end, looking for office space as well as office furniture and the like. I moved into my new office the first week in September. I am no longer on a church staff, which is totally something that I am not used to. I have spent 25 years or more serving churches on a daily basis. Now I am a member of a church, working in the private sector. I have been told that my move could not have come at a worse time because of the economy. I also have been told that people are excited for me. Let me share with you that I am both
excited as well as uncertain. The excitement comes from knowing that God has gifted me and has led me to this point. Everything over the past couple of years has been grooming me for this ministry. As I meet with individuals and couples, I have a sense of purpose and fulfillment. I believe that I am exactly where God wants me to be. The uncertainty of this move is that I do not have the security that being on a church staff brings. I do not have the everyday camaraderie of the other ministers. Sometimes ministers are the only ones that get along with ministers. We understand one another as well as the issues that face us on a daily basis. I also do not have the sense of deadlines or projects facing me. The stress level on one hand is a lot less, while there are different stressors being on your own.
I guess I am writing today for a couple of reasons. The first is to get started writing again. I know that I am supposed to write and share my thoughts along the way. I have been amiss for not writing all summer long. I could blame a lot of different things for that, but let me just confess that I was wrong for not writing. The second reason for writing today is to let you know what is going on in my life. These past few months have been exciting as well as stressful. God has been truly working in all kinds of areas in my life. When God works in making us who we are supposed to be, He has to cut, chisel, scrape, or even dismantle what does not reflect Him so He can replace the bad with His Good.
I ask you today to pray for Directed Path Ministries so that this ministry will be everything that God wants it to be. Pray that I will have God’s wisdom for each person He places in my path.
A Testimony of Faith
This weekend I had the opportunity to go to the home of a couple that I would consider one of the best friends in my life. We have been friends for the past 17 years and our children have been close to the same age. We have been on double dates together, eaten in each other’s homes and even gone on several church trips together. Our friendship has gone through many different stages over the years: yet each time we get together, there is a connection that bridges any gap that has been caused by our schedules, our family events, or even differences of opinions. I know that the connection is only attributed to the love we have for each other and the relationship with Christ that surpasses all of our other relationships.
I want to share with you this couple’s testimony of what God is doing in their lives. It was such an honor to be in their home Saturday night even though they are experiencing some very difficult times. Some of you who read my musings will know this couple while many of you will not. Knowledge of the couple will not enhance their testimony other than to be able to pray for them by name. I am writing about Richard and Cindy Hodde. Cindy has been diagnosed with ALS (Lou Gehrig’s disease) a few months ago. I have read some about the disease but I am not sure I still understand all there is to know about ALS. What I do know is that Cindy is at the point of being bedridden. She has lost a tremendous amount of weight and most of her physical strength. I also know that there is no known cure for ALS which can be disheartening. Lisa and I along with Caleb spent about ninety minutes just talking and remembering a great deal of our families’ past. We ended the conversation with Cindy sharing her faith with us concerning her disease and her prognosis. I was totally blown away. I talk all the time about living by faith. I encourage people to “Be still and know that I am God…Ps. 46:10” in my office almost every day. Cindy shared with us that she was challenged with thoughts about God from the very beginning of this episode in her life. She questioned if she truly believed the stories in the Bible of Jesus healing the lame, blind, and lepers. She questioned if she truly believed that Jesus resurrected Lazarus from the grave after being dead for four days. She came to the realization that these were not just stories, but they were actual facts of life that has taken place through the work of God who loves greater than anyone can ever love. She was then led to the verse, “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.”(Heb. 13:8) As she grappled with her beliefs of what was said in the Bible, she concluded that the Bible is just as true today as when it was written. Therefore, if God healed in scripture than He still heals today. She is living with the hope of the fact that God loves her so much that Jesus redeemed her for His purposes. Even when the doctors tell her that there is not much hope, she focuses on the truth of who God is to her and the fact that He is still at work in her life. Knowing God to her is not just from reading a book about the Bible or listening to a sermon about God; her knowledge of God is from her experience of faith that she is living every day. Every day as she talks to people, she is always sharing her faith in the Living Savior who is at work in her physical life as well as her spiritual life. Thank you Cindy and Richard for allowing me to experience your faith this past weekend.
I want to challenge you just as I have been challenged to live in faith in a God who is very much alive and working just as He has done from the beginning of all creation. No matter what the situation is that you have encountered, God is there and is working. Let me ask you, “Who is God to you?” Have you experienced Him today?
Hearing the Voice of God
I have been reading The Barbarian Way by Erwin Raphael McManus which is an excellent book. I realize that it was written a few years ago, but I just got a copy from a local bookstore to read with my son as a discipleship tool. I was hoping that God would use the book in his life to help him in his walk with the Lord. God allowed me to think that I was getting the book for him…HA! God wanted me to read the book to challenge me in so many areas of my life it is not even funny. God is like that, isn’t He? He leads you to help someone else, all the while wanting to teach you something new or to convict you of sin in your own life or even to cause you to move in a new direction.
The one area that truly captured my attention while reading Dr. McManus’ book was a discussion that he had with his son about hearing the voice of God. The reason this passage of the book caught my attention is that so many people have asked me about this subject over the years in counseling or just in the ministry.
This past weekend in our Bible study class, we read a passage in Mark where God spoke audibly about Jesus to Peter, James, and John. I know that Moses spent forty days on top of Mount Sinai conversing with God the entire time. Adam and Eve had the privilege of communing with God in the Garden each day. Abraham had strict instructions from God on several occasions, which I believe came from audible conversations. In the Old Testament, it seems that God spoke audibly where now He doesn’t. But the major difference is that we have the Holy Spirit residing in us, while the Spirit of God rested on people during the days before Christ’s ascension and the giving of the Holy Spirit on the Day of Pentecost. The dynamics of our relationships with God are different in our day that in the Old Testament days. Yet, the author of Hebrews quotes David from the Book of Psalms by saying, “Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts.” He actually uses the quote twice in two different chapters, so the principle of hearing God’s voice must be as important for us as it was for the Biblical heroes of our faith.
So how do we hear the voice of God? Is there a magical formula that must be followed? What if we do the same thing that we had done the last time we heard God’s voice, but we do not hear it this time?
Hearing God’s voice comes from having an intimate relationship with God on a daily basis. God speaks to us through His word as well as through other believers along with some circumstances. God primarily speaks through His Spirit which resides in us using, as Dr. McManus describes, a voice that sounds much like our own. God’s instruction will always line up with the truth of His Word and the principles of who He is. God can never contradict Himself. God is speaking to us. Are we listening? When we begin to ignore the Voice of God is when our hearts begin to harden. I pray that today you have a soft, pliable heart for God to speak to and then to use.
Psalms 95:7-9 (NASB)
7 For He is our God, And we are the people of His pasture and the sheep of His hand. Today, if you would hear His voice,
8 Do not harden your hearts, as at Meribah, As in the day of Massah in the wilderness,
9 “When your fathers tested Me, They tried Me, though they had seen My work.
McCoy’s Stand
I can honestly say that I am proud to be called a Longhorn fan after last night’s game against Alabama. Yes there is a level of disappointment and frustration with the loss. Yes I would have loved to see Colt McCoy play the entire game. I would have been less frustrated if some of the penalties that were called or not called been different. No one will ever know what would have happened if McCoy would not have gotten hurt, the outcome might have been the very same.
One of the things that made me proud last night was the fact that there was no quit in the team. Even though their number one offensive producer was no longer on the field, the team kept playing. Yes, there were some major mistakes and dropped passes, but everyone was still playing with pride.
Another thing that made me proud was the attitude that McCoy had once he came to the sideline. He was as involved in the game as he could be. He was extremely optimistic and supportive of his backup, Gilbert. He was talking with the coaches and helping call the plays. He was being a team leader even though he was not on the field.
Finally, McCoy took his stand (as he always has) for his relationship with God through Christ. He showed that he is a man of faith, knowing that there are more important aspects of life than that on the football field. What courage he showed at the conclusion of the game as he was being interviewed. He also showed great sportsmanship as he congratulated the Alabama team and his backup. He made the interview about what was important to him – Being Christ-like!!
I know that there are other college athletes that are good representatives of Christ and I applaud them as well. But today, I applaud Colt McCoy of standing up for his beliefs in a very difficult time in his life. I thank God for his testimony and his willingness to share his faith on the world stage.