When is it cheating?

I’ve been obsessed with the New England Patriots’ “Deflate-gate” uproar, listening to both sides of the issue.  Some football aficionados are unconcerned and consider the entire episode as Patriot haters making a mountain out of a mole hill.  Their contention is that every quarterback has a preference and has been lubricating, inflating or deflating the football for years despite league regulations.  This is no big deal.  The other side believes the Patriot coach, quarterback and or the entire team should be suspended leaving the Super Bowl in limbo.  The investigation is ongoing but it is highly suspicious when only one team’s footballs are deflated on the same field under the same conditions.  If true, the rule was broken.  That’s called cheating.

James 2:10-11

¹⁰ For whoever keeps the whole ^[a]law and yet stumbles in one point, he has become guilty of all. ¹¹ For He who said, “Do not commit adultery,” also said, “Do not commit murder.” Now if you do not commit adultery, but do commit murder, you have become a transgressor of the ^blaw.

Let’s not get sanctimonious.  We have all cheated. We have all broken the law.  Whether you ran the stop sign or have committed armed robbery, you are still a lawbreaker.  A gossip is on par with an adulterer.  We like to knit pick the failure of others not acknowledging the failure in our own lives. 

The law was given so that we might know sin.  No one could keep the entire law because if you cheated in one area, you broke the entire law.  Thank God for grace.  Jesus Christ did for us what we could not do for ourselves.  He came to offer cheaters a way to the Father.  Admit you are a cheater (Tom Brady), ask for forgiveness (Coach Belichick) and believe Jesus Christ died for your cheating.  In all seriousness, there is no such thing as insignificant cheating.  When the line is crossed, the rule or law is broken, it’s called cheating.  Cheating in football can cost a chance to appear in the Super Bowl, cheating in life can cost eternal paradise in the presence of God.

Turn Off

 

1 Kings 19:11-12

¹¹ Then He said, “Go out, and stand on the mountain before the Lord.” And behold, the Lord passed by, and a great and strong wind tore into the mountains and broke the rocks in pieces before the Lord, but the Lord was not in the wind; and after the wind an earthquake, but the Lord was not in the earthquake; ¹² and after the earthquake a fire, but the Lord was not in the fire; and after the fire a still small voice.

Today, I turned off Sirius radio. All my favorites, POTUS, CNN, MSNBC, ESPN, Smooth Jazz and Kirk Franklin’s Praise went silent.  This morning, it was just noise, chatter and meaningless banter.  I was moved by the Spirit to shut it off.  It’s difficult to hear that still small voice over the noise of the world.  God continually pursues His children.  His channel never goes off.  Are we tuned in?  We are overwhelmed and consumed with the multimedia products to the detriment of our own well-being.  We are starved and thirsty because the background noise drowns out the loving, gentle voice of God. 

I heard His voice today.  His words inspired this blog post which prayerfully will make a difference in the lives of those who are moved to turn off the static and tune in to Him.  He is passing by right now.  He is speaking directly to you.  The God of the universe longs to speak to us.  How dare we not take the time to listen?  I’ll eventually return to my shows, but not before listening to His words first.

SUPERSIZE IT!!!!

 

Everything these days is supersized.  There is no need to request large.  Supersize is standard.   Order  No. #3 is supersized.  Platform heels are supersized.  Trucks come supersized.  Sixty inch HD, flat screen TV's are supersized.  Flip phones have been replaced by supersized smartphones.  No one expects the ordinary.  Extraordinary is expected.

Ephesians 3:20-21

²⁰ Now to Him who is able to do exceedingly abundantly above all that we ask or think, according to the power that works in us, ²¹ to Him be glory in the church by Christ Jesus to all generations, forever and ever. Amen

Did you know we have a Supersize God who is able to provide all we could ever ask or think?  He knows our wants and needs before we place an order.  Why are we expecting the ordinary from God?  He is the originator of Supersize it.  There is no need to limit God to a small, large or medium answer to prayer.  He is the author of exceedingly, abundantly above all.  Whatever you ask or think, expect God to Supersize it!

Old School Song Makes the Point.

 

If Not For Grace

 

My head is filled with self-righteous indignation whenever I see someone in the crowd with a nose ring.  Under my breath, I mutter, “How can they disfigure themselves in such a way?  Don’t they now it does not look appealing?”  While preparing a lesson this week, I came across Genesis 24:22 saying , And it came to pass, as the camels had done drinking, that the man took a golden earring of half a shekel weight, and two bracelets for her hands of ten shekels weight of gold.     The woman above depicts what Rebecca must have looked like, the chosen wife of Isaac.  The nose ring I thought beneath anything I would wear, symbolized a gift to one who was God’s answer to a prayer.

Romans 3:9-12

⁹ What then? are we better than they? No, in no wise: for we have before proved both Jews and Gentiles, that they are all under sin;

¹⁰ As it is written, There is none righteous, no, not one:

¹¹ There is none that understandeth, there is none that seeketh after God.

¹² They are all gone out of the way, they are together become unprofitable; there is none that doeth good, no, not one.

We have all been quick to judge others.  It’s relatively easy to identify what we see as sin in others when scripture clearly states there is none righteous, no not one.  If you would have heard my mouth during the Spurs vs. Pelican’s game, I certainly should be put on the unrighteous list.  If not for God’s limitless grace, none could stand before Him.  Rather than waste time judging others, pray that all accept the grace we so desperately need.