IT’S TIME TO WAKE UP, CHURCH

It’s Time To Wake Up, Church

FOOTBALL OR GOD?

You don’t have to make a choice between football and God.  You can have both.  The question is which one is your priority?

Paul often used sports to illustrate his important spiritual points (1 Corinthians 9:24-27; Philippians 2:16; 3:14; 2 Timothy 4:7-8; Hebrews 12:1).    The crown, often given to winners, is used to illustrate the reward for runing the Christian “race” faithfully (1  Thessalonians 2:19; James 1:12; 1 Peter 5:4; Revelation 2:10; 3:11).   So there is nothing wrong with enjoying or participating in sports.

Are you watching football?   I hope your team is winning.  Mine is.  Now, did you attend worship this morning?  That is the important question.  Do you serve the Lord with the same zeal that you put into sports?

Jesus said serving God is more important than the necessities of life.  He says in Matthew 6:33,  “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.”

Enjoy sports, but seek God and His righteousness first!

See also Press On.

 

KNOW YOUR BIBLE

Do you know all about the Bible that you need to know?  Hardly.  The Bible is a large book with a wealth of knowledge.  Each time you read it, you learn something new.  You never learn or understand all of it.  Yet, all of it is important.

Paul wrote to the Colossians brethren in Col 1:9:

For this cause we also, since the day we heard it, do not cease to pray for you, and to desire that ye might be filled with the knowledge of his will in all wisdom and spiritual understanding.

Have you begun a daily Bible reading plan this year?  Now is the time to get started.  Many good plans are out there.  Bible Gateway has a good list of plans.  Why not select one and begin today?  It is a very rewarding thing to do for many reasons.  As Paul urged Timothy in 2 Tim 2:15, “Study to shew thyself approved unto God, a workman that needeth not to be ashamed, rightly dividing the word of truth.”

 

DON’T FORGET TO INCLUDE GOD IN YOUR RESOLUTIONS!

Made you New Years Resolutions yet?  Resolutions are a good idea.  They can really be made any time of year, but this time of year is a good time for new beginnings.

Paul has something to say about resolutions, sort of.  He writes in Phil 3:12-14:

Not as though I had already attained, either were already perfect: but I follow after, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended of Christ Jesus.Brethren, I count not myself to have apprehended: but this one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forth unto those things which are before, I press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.

Paul says we need to press on.  2015 is over, history.  Certainly we need to learn from our mistakes, but not let them hold us back.  Nor should we think our past successes mean we have, as Paul put it, “apprehended.”   No one has.  We must all press on “toward the mark of the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.”

In 2016 and beyond, let us keep pressing on!