Friday, January 18, 2008
"What's the Game Plan, Coach?"Isa 55:8[NLT] " 'My thoughts are nothing like your thoughts,' says the Lord. 'And my ways are far beyond anything you could imagine.' "DARN!!! Another day of running around the tracks aimlessly. Going round and round finding totally no purpose and heading towards nowhere. At the end of another day, your best friends- Tired and Weary come to eat dinner with you again. You put in your best and you vomitted your guts out after training so hard. It seems, however, that PROGRESS is far from one's reach. What is wrong?! What is going on? We feel OVERWHELMED by all that Coach is throwing at us. What is God really bringing us through?I wished I had the answers for everything that was going on. I wished I understood Coach's suppossedly brilliant plan. Wait... that might just kill the fun in all the training. Well... maybe just a clue, a hint, ANYTHING, just to let me carry on for another day! I thank God that I am at a point of time when I am confused and uncertain about so many things in my life. That just shows that God still has so much to teach me and I still have so much to learn. He is showing me things I never knew. That is His way of communicating and telling all of us, "I haven't forgetten about you". We question God. We question the Professional saying, "Are You sure You know what You're doing?". Nothing wrong in that. That is how anyone would relate to any funny circumstance. Your previous experience of what God has done or what you were used to are failing and falling apart. You no longer know what God wants or what God does. He is no longer defined by your previous experiences. He's out of that box we thought we could keep Him in and even try to manipulate Him. He is NEW!! He is NEW!! He is NEW!! God is answering prayers for fresh new encounters. Man, that is some amazing truth. We're actually getting what we prayed for. You sure? Think about it for a moment. Now, it seems that this few encounters are a little more painful than previous ones but here's what God says, "Be still and know that I am God..." Psalm 46:10.Be still. Be still. Let God teach you, grant you wisdom and express His unfailing love for you. Fear Not. For He will NEVER leave you nor forsake you.James
4:59 AM
God, I can't. You can
Tuesday, January 15, 2008
"Coach, I'm back. What's next?"1 Cor 9:24-27[MSG] "You've all been to the stadium and seen the athletes race. Everyone runs; one wins. Run to win. All good athletes train hard. They do it for a gold medal that tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. I don't know about you, but I'm running hard for the finish line. I'm giving it everything I've got. No sloppy living for me! I'm staying alert and in top condition. I'm not going to get caught napping, telling everyone else all about it and then missing out myself. "Running is tough. Running a Christian race is even tougher. Especially one that is aimed for such an extraordinary crown. The running of the race is not as tough as the training that goes behind it. After all, we are under the best Coach in town. Remember the time you missed a training because you were "not feeling well"? Or how about skipping dance practice, NCC saturdays, basketball practice, army training for some reasons which were far from the actual truth? Hey, all of us get sick sometimes. Emotionally sick, confused, pressured over something that didn't concern the training or the race. I hope you can identify with such feelings. Ever wondered how Coach would feel everytime you missed training? The last thing you should feel after reading this is guilt and condemnation because Coach is not in the business of honing in to your missed training sessions and "tekanning" you. When Paul wrote this, he didn't leave out the fact that the greatest Coach will be teaching you and he didnt leave out the fact that you will miss some trainings on purpose. He was talking about getting back in the race. He was talking about taking part in the tough training even if you have already missed some. You've had questions and doubts about your own walk with God. You may have faced disappointment with the relationships you have had with the people in church. You may have faced temptation and you may have fell again and again. Is there something wrong with your legs or your lungs or your brain? Is there something wrong with the Coach? If you're seriously thinking about the answer, the answer is NO!! You may have been distracted or you may have lost the motivation. Would you like to know what Coach is thinking? Coach is simply waiting for you to get back in training. If He asked you to run, He will train you up in your motivation and all the other areas too. He just wants to hear you say, " Coach, I'm back. What's next?" Will you say it? I hope you do.. soon.. He's waiting. You don't always have to be "ready". He is the Coach and that is really His job, not yours. Your response to God is important.Cheers and 7-eleven,James
5:14 AM
God, I can't. You can
