"Hold-On!"

“Hold – On!!”
(A short story…In the Series of the Life of Believe)

As she looked down at the words “believe and love” hanging from a silver chain that in-circled her slim neckline. Believe couldn’t help but wonder, “how much more happiness can I take.” But, she was about to witness yet, another amazing encounter.

You see, Believe started her week out pretty bumpy. She knew she was loved, but yet, she didn’t truly understand what it would one day mean. You see to understand Believe; you have to understand the world that she lives in. As a writer of encounters, it would be injustice on my part to try to write into words what Believe feeling that weekend. Everyone has a moment in time when they feel totally alone, and sadly Believe got tangled in a web of lies from a voice that rules that dark side.

By dawn’s early light on a chilly October morning, Believe knew she needed to hear the voice of Patients. Though Believe expected the worse, she was amazed by the outcome of such a dreary October morning.

As we fast-forward 24 hours we see Believe enjoying that bright and warm sunshine. When came a moment in time, which will forever change her life.





Throughout Believes life, she did what was expected of such a beautiful child of a God that promised her a life of never ending happiness. She often wondered what she could do with her life that would bring even a more profound impact of her God’s glory.

Believe also had a heart for Widgets, Widgets are like Believe and Patients, but smaller and braver. Oh my, when you first encounter a Widget they have such magical powers that can cause a grown Snager to weep with joy. Widgets were often look down on because of their small statured. But, to hold a Widget in your arms, you will be empowered with a strength that can move mountains.

Believe always knew in her heart that she was placed in the land of Widgets for a reason. One day while talking to her friend Patients over the Sneeper-Snooper, she was transfer to another Sneeper-Snooper.

It seems that the school of advanced Widgets Fundamental was in dire straits of an Esrun to care for sad and lonely Widgets. Sadly Believe felt she couldn’t accept this blessing because of other commitments. As she was expressing her heart to Patients, she had another encounter on her potable Sneeper-Snooper. With the sad and empty words “Hold-On” she braced herself for the worse.

But to the surprise of Believe it was the main Esrun director who informed Believe that she could bless the Widgets part of the time.

Believe hung up the Sneeper-Snooper and screamed...


(To be continued)

The Journey (part I )

Our story begins in the stars. There once was a beautiful pink flower that, for the sake of the story shall be called, Believe. Now Believe knew that the stars where set in the velvet night sky, for all creation to enjoy. The stars were also the world’s greatest compass. Anyone at any particular time could look up and always find their way home.

Believe loved to look up and wonder how God could name every star and still find time to create the wonders of this earth. But as time continued on, Believe began to lose her petals. The once vibrant, colorful pink flower started to show the fear and sadness of this world. As each day passed, Believe fell more and more into despair and heartache. This flower, who at one time was the beauty of the Creator, began to feel more and more like a rose, trampled on the ground.

For years, Believe felt incomplete. She kept her heart open for new journeys, but every time Believe began the journey, she was abandon.

Then one bright sunny day, the Creator place Believe on the road towards another journey. But this time, He the Creator decided to place in Believes path, a gate keeper that would hold the key. Now for the sake of argument we shall call this keeper of the key, Patients.

As Believe continues her new journey, she is compelled to understand the gate keeper. Now Patients was very similar to Believe, they had a lot in common, but also had a lot of heartache. Both were sadden buy the ways of this world and the hearts of many.

As the two continued their journey, they were met by many travelers along the way. Some were weary and need of comfort, others were cold-hearted and in need of forgiveness.

(To be continued)

Sports Junkie

WHAT WE CHRISTIANS CAN LEARN FROM SPORTS FANS
1 CORINTHIANS 9:25

"My friend..claims I'm a baseball fanatic. She says all I ever read about is baseball. All I ever talk about is baseball. All I ever think about is baseball. I told her she's way off base."

INTRODUCTION:

It was July of 1924, and he was the fastest man in the world with high hopes for an Olympic Gold medal that summer.
But then he learned something that made his heart sink. The qualifying race for the 100 meters was scheduled for Sunday.

The 100 meter race was his best event but, Eric Liddell would not race on Sunday. He loved God and he honored Sunday as a day of worship and rest as the Bible teaches us. His coaches and even the government of Scotland pressured him to skip church and run that Sunday morning. But Eric refused, because he put God first.

While the other runners competed in the race on that Sunday morning, Eric spent that Lord’s Day in church, preaching the Word of God.
What’s more important, Eric didn’t go home from the 1924 Olympic Summer Games empty handed, he went home with his integrity and a fuller relationship with his Heavenly Father!

Oh yea, he also went home with a little something –something. A gold medal and a world record! Eric didn’t run in the 100 meter, which was his best event. Instead he entered the 400 meter and ran faster than any human had ever had.

That was over eighty years ago at the 1924 Pairs Olympics. Eric’s victory was the focus of the Oscar winning movie, Chariots of Fire. After winning the gold medal, Eric Liddell went on to attend the Seminary and then went to China as a Missionary.
The missionary field became very dangerous for Eric in the 1940’s. But Eric wouldn’t leave, the man who had enough integrity to put God’s will ahead of his own sports dream, also had enough courage to put God’s will ahead of his own safety.
Eric kept doing God’s work among the Chinese people, and eventually ended up in a prison camp. He was tortured for years until his death of a brain tumor at the age of 43.


Now I am going to tell you a brief story of another athlete who died of brain cancer at the age of 43. Unlike Eric Liddell, sports, was this athlete’s god, and he would stop at nothing to win.
He played most of his games on Sunday as a defensive of end in the NFL.
Lyle Alzado accomplished everything he dreamed of.
He led the NFL in sacks, he was named the defensive player of the year, and he even won a Super Bowl, all on Sunday.

Unfortunately, he could not have done these things without the use of steroids. Steroids made him bigger, stronger, and more aggressive on and off the field.
The steroids were against the law, but sports matter more than the law. The steroids were endangering his health, but sports matter more than his health.
The steroids cased mood swings that ruined relationships, but sports matter more than relationships.
Lyle Alzado’s second wife says, “Lyle often hit me in fits of anger and he was impossible to live with because of his never ending mood swings.” By the time Lyle Alzado reached his mid forties, he had been married four times.
At the age of 43, Lyle Alzado dies of brain cancer.

Now tell me, who had a better approach to life, Eric Liddell, or Lyle Alzado? You tell me, who was wiser, the man who put God first, or the one who would stop at nothing to win? You tell me, which of these two’s perspective on life is more typical today?

In a September 2004 article in the Street and Smith Sports Business Journal, they write: “The sports industry is one of the fastest growing industries in the United States, our annual survey of the size of the industry estimated the sports business industry last year at $212 billion. Endorsements alone where $1 billion in 2003, the sports industry is twice the size of the US auto industry and seven times the size of the movie industry, events like the Super Bowl, Indianapolis 500, Winston Cup, World Series and The Final Four, attract millions of fans.

Sadly, sports are also the biggest idol in millions of people’s lives, and many, many Christians follow athletes, as if they were gods.
Please don’t misunderstand my motive. This message is not to condemn sports as bad, because sports can teach us many important values, “if” we are willing to learn.

So what can sport fans possible teach Christians? Have you ever studied the origin of the word “fan?” The word “fan” is a shortened form of the word, “fanatic” and a “fanatic” is someone who is unreasonably enthusiastic, or overly zealous, going beyond what is reasonable. A fan however, is one who is passionate about a sport, pastime, or a certain performer.
The dedication and zeal that a sports fan shows for his team, or favorite athlete, might be considered fanatical, but, what if the object of that enthusiasm was Jesus Christ, and the things of God?
A lot of Christians stop short of full surrender to God, because of what people might say. After all, we don’t want to be fanatics, do we?


I. Sports Fans Are Faithful – They Don’t Conform
Sports fans like to identify with their team, so they have hats, shirts socks and even underwear with the logos of their favorite teas on them. They love to “represent” their team. Most authorities say that Michael Jordan was the greatest basketball player of all time, and it is said, that he wore his college teams, North Carolina Tar Heels, team shorts under his uniform while he was winning championships for the Chicago Bulls. “Once a Tar Heel, always a Tar Heel.” He once said. Did you know that some sports fans have even been buried in a replica jersey of their favorite team?

So if sports fans fanatical about representing their favorite team, why are we Christians, so shy about being a witness for Christ? A UK fan can leave his native Kentucky home and wear his blue and white proudly where ever he or goes. But the Christian gets in a crowd of lost people and loses his voice! I find that to be very disturbing, especially in the light of the fact that the Christian’s silence is disrespectful of their Heavenly Father.


Disrespect is a big deal in this country, everybody wants respect, but not many folks are winning to work for it or even earn it. Do you ever think about how disrespectful we are to God, when we make a mental choice of keeping silent for fear of embarrassment or ridicule, you are disrespecting the Father rather you realize it or not. Acts 1: 8 says. “But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you, and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem and in all of Judea and Samaria and to the ends of the earth.”

The witness represents Christ to the lost, and testifies what Christ had done for him. Atlanta Brave fans from the First Baptist Church in Atlanta often do the “tomahawk chop” in a crowded mall to show their team spirit, but their Pastor, Dr. Charles Stanley said, “We have trouble getting those same fans to witness for Christ in that same environment.” That my friend is disrespectful!


II. Sport Fans Are Not Stingy
Every year during the Christmas and New Year holidays, thousands of fans follow their college teams to a bowl game, which is their reward for a winning season. The Lexington Herald reported that, “fans will pay up to a $1,000.00 for tickets to the game.” Including airfare and hotel rooms, An individual fan spends an average of $2,000.00 on his bowl trip.

It seems that no sacrifice is too great, when your team or kid is involved. Contrast that attitude to that of those Christians who say, “Why does our Pastor always preach on money?” George Barna, in a 2005 poll of more than 5,000 Christians from 20 different churches found that.
92% of those who agreed with the above statement did not tithe regularly. Let’s take a look at what Paul had to say to the Corinthians in 2 Corinthians 8:7. “But, just as you excel in everything-in faith, in speech, in knowledge, in complete earnestness, and in your love for us-see that you also excel in the grace of giving.”

Excel in giving means to “exceed what is expected.” When we consider all that Christ has done for us, and the blessings that are waiting on us, we should be eager to worship God in our giving. Someone said, “You can give without loving, but you can never love without giving.” Giving and witnessing, is a true test of our love.

III. Sports Fans Are Tireless
Sports fans will travel for days to see their team play and some fans will sacrifice everything to travel to road games. No matter how far away, fans of college teams join booster clubs to further the efforts of their teams.

There was a Packers fan with a really bad seat at the stadium. Looking with his binoculars, he spotted an empty seat on the 50-yard line. Thinking to himself "what a waste" he made his way down to the empty seat. When he arrived at the seat, he asked the man sitting next to it, "Is this seat taken?" The man replied, "This was my wife's seat. She passed away. She was a big Packers fan." The other man replied, "I'm so sorry to hear of your loss. May I ask why you didn't give the ticket to a friend or a relative?" The man replied, "They're all at the funeral."


Mom and dads involved in community sports leagues, work tirelessly selling items to help buy equipment for their kid’s teams, and the funny thing is, if you don’t buy it, they get upset.
Why do so many get upset? Because, they are so passionate about their cause. They drive their kids hundreds of miles and spend millions of dollars, so their kids can play on the “select-teams” that are supposed to be the best of the best, but, are they?


According to a 2006 article in Sports Illustrated concerning little league baseball. “There are very few non-select teams today, because too many teams are calling themselves a select teams and that is watering down the talent on what select teams.”


Do you realize that when we Christians get saved, we are on a select team! And our job is to draft those who are not saved onto our genuine “select-team.”
Unfortunately, some Christians, (like many parents who get upset when their kid, who they think is the next Michael Jordan or Derik Jettier doesn’t start) get upset if they are not publicly recognized for their efforts. Ok, if you don’t remember anything about this massage remember this. There are many believers who go their whole lives working in obscurity, and never get credit for their hard work. Romans 6:22 says. “But now that you have been set free from sin and have become slaves to God, the benefit you reap leads to holiness and the result is eternal life.” Galatians 5:13 says. “You my brothers were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather serve one another in love.”


IV. Sports Fans Are Loyal
If you enjoy sports at all you probably heard the term: “bandwagon fans.” Bandwagon fans are those fans who switch from one team to another, according to wins and losses. There are always on the side of the winning team. But these fans are held in derision by most true fans.
Most fans choose their loyalties based on their parents or childhood memories. And once you become a fan of a certain team, the bond is for life, “if” you are a genuine fan. Win or lose sink or swim, they are your team!
We Christians should have the same attitude, as Paul taught the Philippians in Chapter 3

“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me Heavenward in Christ Jesus.”

Are you a “fanatic?”