2.10.09

Hi I am back, I just spent the weekend at an Athletes In Action retreat. It is a campus crusade fellowship for college athletes. It was very inspirational and gave me a chance to get out of Charlottesville for another weekend. I had a great time with many rival schools and it was cool to hang out with other christian athletes. I can officially say that I DID beat Virginia Tech in dodgeball...that is the first time I have ever beaten them in my career! It was bound to happen somehow!?!?! But on the spiritual side of things, I heard many talks on the retreat but the one that stuck out was on the parable of the pharisee and the tax collector. This parable shows the grace of God and true meaning of Christianity. It's in Luke 18 if you want a refresher. But reflecting on the weekend, I notice how much influence sports teams have on the college campus and community. Our world is so centered around Lebron, Kobe, "superbowl," that we begin to lose our focus. Many people turn this into their own type of idol. We need more Tim Tebow's and Tony Dungy's out there. I am challenging all of us to make a platform out of each of our circumstances. It might not be through sports, but through other things we can make a difference.

2.5.09

Discipleship is the process of producing reproducing followers of Christ. In II Timothy Paul teaches from jail. He doesn't need a pulpit to preach from. He is on death row, which he is eventually killed, for following Jesus. He teaches Timothy and other people about the joy of the Lord from JAIL!?! Amazing what he did. In Phillipians ch. 1, "These situations that I am going through are so i can put God on display that i might magnify Him, that i might show Him off... these situations are only temporary." He teaches that discipleship is able to be done by everyone in any circumstance. Discipleship is something that is very portable and you can take it anywhere. Everyone is different, so there is no direct way to disciple someone. But Look at is like a sketch book. A sketch book has the framework of what the picture is supposed to look like but we all color in different colors. One things you always hear is "don't color outside the lines." This is just like discipleship, in that as long as the teaching are correct and the foundation is laid down, it doesn't matter what "color," political view, race, denomination, we are but the beliefs are the same. We "don't go outside the lines" just like we don't want to blur the image of Christ. Be strong in wherever you are in your walk and become fishers of men. Have a wonderful Thursday... this week is flying BYE BYE!!!!

2.3.09

Being an example for Christ is hard to do. It is a constant battle we face each day. We need to set the example in this world. One coach always told me to never say, "Let's Go," to teammates, but he always told me to say, "Watch Me." This might sound conceited, but if you think about it, it is just what we want to say. We want to be the example and show the right way. In 2 Kings 9-10, there is a story of Jehu, commander of the army and King of Israel, who fulfills God's prophecy and slays hundreds of men as he followed what the Lord told him. I would encourage you to read these two chapters and see how God used the tenacious Jehu. Jehu was the only northern King who was ever anointed by God and was ever spoken positively about. He was a wonderful example in the Old Testament. It is interesting to point out the name Jehu and how close it is to the perfect example of JESUS. In 2 Kings 10:15, he says, "give me your hand." Jehu grabbed a mans hand and lifted him into his chariot. This is very significant and there is emphasis on giving another man your hand. When a man grabs another mans hand it is significant just like when one meets another person you grab and shake their hand. The story of Jehu ends and he fulfills the God's prophecy and yet he was so focused on fulfilling God's prophecy he still continued to worship other gods at the end of the story. It is hard to keep focused but easy to lose it as well. So, be a leader reach out your hand and grab on to those around you and bring them along. Have a wonderful long Tuesday! There is snow all over the ground in VA and it is so pretty outside!