A Shot at the Title

Adrian: Can I ask you a question?

Rocky: Absolutely.

Adrian: Why do you fight?

Rocky: Because I can’t sing or dance.

I watched the original Rocky movie yesterday. I hadn’t remembered it being so striking (no pun intended). The franchise produced 5 or 6 or 100 Rocky movies, I don’t remember. I got bored with them after a while because it was the same story placed in different circumstances, over and over and over. So for me, like most people, the Rocky movies became a caricature of the original and the greatness of the first film was lost in the sea of mediocre sequels.

The first movie was really great though. Sylvester Stallone actually wrote the movie himself and then convinced MGM to let him star in it. It was a brave move and one that paid off for them, garnering Academy Awards for Best Picture and Best Director in a year that also produced “All the president’s men” and “Taxi driver”. Not too shabby, huh?

The greatness of the film is in its story. The underdog. The nicest, sincerest guy you ever want to meet who’s had nothing but hard luck his whole life suddenly gets a shot at the heavyweight championship title. And although he ultimately loses the fight by decision, he showed the world that a nobody could be a somebody if he really tried hard. The “American dream”.

That was 30 years ago, and the message seems to have changed a bit these days. Now the American dream is getting what you want right now by grabbing easy cash loans and credit cards. It’s carrying a mortgage and 2 car payments that eat up most of your paycheck so there isn’t anything left to save. It’s working 50+ hours a week and not having a relationship with your spouse or children.

You have to ask yourself, is it worth it? The fact is, getting a “shot at the title” is defined by what you consider important. Is it fame and fortune? Or family and friends? What I have found is that being focused on making a career didn’t make life better for my family like it was supposed to. It only separated me from them and from the one thing that is most important: serving God.

My life feels much better now that I’ve identified what the source of true happiness is. I still work hard, but my focus is on my relationship with Christ, and my family. Work is just a means to get money to do God’s work. If I kept it I’d just blow it on stupid stuff anyway, like the complete Rocky library, and I already know how they all end… Rocky wins, and since I found Christ, so have I.

“God, don’t ever let me forget that all things come from you, and all that I have belongs to you. Amen.”

All In!

Have you ever watched poker on TV? It’s the latest craze in reality TV, watching a bunch of people sit around a table playing “Texas Holdem”.

One of the coolest things about this game is that at any time you can bet everything you have by calling “All In!” It’s an interesting concept. It means you are so convinced that you have the best hand that you’re willing to put everything on the line.

This is how we should lead our Christian lives. We know the truth, and we have to let everyone around us see that we believe it with all our heart and soul and mind. And part of having the best hand is arming ourselves with the Word.

Knowing the Bible is an important part of Christian life because people will ask you questions, and if you don’t have the answers you’re left “bluffing” your way through a conversation that may end with the other person walking away either more confused, or more convinced they don’t need Christ.

Being “All In” means you know you have the best hand, not just because you’re saved, but because you live your life as a Christ Follower in every way, which includes having a strong testimony ready for when people have questions.

So how about it? Are you All In?

“Father, sometimes I think there isn’t enough brain in my head to hold all of the information I need to answer all the questions. So I ask for your guidance to help me arm myself with what you know I need in order to help someone who needs your Son begin to search for Him. Amen.”

The most quoted book in the world

Do you know what the most quoted book in history is? The Bible, of course. You quote it all the time and may not even know it. There are sayings we use every day in our society that came from the Bible. Here are a few examples:

"A house divided will fall" Luke 11:17
"A man after his own heart" 1 Samuel 13:14
"Apple of my eye" Deuteronomy 2:10, Zechariah 2:8
"At my wit's end" Psalm 107:27
"Blind leading the blind" Matthew 15:14, Luke 6:39
"By the skin of our teeth" Job 19:20
"Can a leopard change his spots?" Jeremiah 13:23
"Eat, drink, and be merry" Ecclesiastes 8:15
"Eye for an eye" Exodus 21:24, Leviticus 24:20, Deuteronomy 19:21 Matthew 5:38
"You can’t take it with you" 1 Timothy 6:7
"Good Samaritan" Luke 10:25-37
"He gave up the ghost" Luke 23:46
"He who is without sin may cast the first stone" John 8:7
"The writing on the wall" Daniel 5:5
"How are the mighty fallen" 1 Samuel 1:19-27
"Letter of the law" 2 Corinthians 3:6
"Many are called, but few are chosen" Matthew 22:14
"Man shall not live by bread alone" Deuteronomy 8:3, Matthew 4:4
"More blessed to give than to receive" Acts 20:35
"Out of the mouths of babes" Psalm 8:2
"Pride goes before a fall" Proverbs 16:19
"Salt of the earth" Matthew 5:13
"Strait and narrow" Matthew 7:14
"Suffer fools gladly" 2 Corinthians 11:19
"Sweat of your brow" Genesis 3:19
"The blind leading the blind" Matthew 15:14, Luke 6:39
"The love of money is the root of all evil" 1 Timothy 6:10
"Twinkling of an eye" 1 Corinthians 15:52

These are just a “drop in the bucket” (Isaiah 40:15), there are more. My challenge to you as a Christ follower is to know as many of these as possible. Make it a "labor of love" (1 Thessalonians 1:3), so the next time you hear someone who hasn’t found salvation quote one, you’ll have the perfect said-way to a conversation about the Bible.

"And the truth shall set them free" (John 8:32)

“God, it’s amazing how much of your word is ingrained into our society. It only continues to prove how much of You was put into making our world. Thanks.”

Out of the mouths of babes

A friend sent this to me. It's a powerful video about a young man who called a radio station one day to tell them that God had told him something. Get out your Kleenex.



"Just remember that when you lose a loved one or a pet, always remember that God gave His Son too, and He understands. He will always understand. He will always... just run to Him."
- 13 year old Logan Henderson

Driver's Education

For a lot of Christians one of the hardest things to do is to have a Christian attitude every second of the day. And although it is not required that we be perfect, we should always strive for an even temperamental keel as we go through our day.

One of the greatest teachers I’ve had for learning to apply my faith is traffic. We’ve all been there, going down the road and suddenly everything comes to a crawl. Then some inconsiderate person comes whipping around the traffic and tries to shove their way into your lane and you find yourself flipping a mental coin to either let them merge or make them find another place to get in line because they don’t deserve to be in front of you.

I’m guilty of letting "Tails" be on my coin too many times. Traffic is aggravating and sometimes down right infuriating. I used to hate my drive to work because I always got into a competition with everyone, as if we were vying for the pole position at the Indy 500 or something.

But as Christ becomes more personal to me I find my attitudes changing. I don’t have the mindset of “I have to be in front of everyone” when I drive anymore. Well, 90% of the time. Like I said before, I’m not perfect.

But I’ve found a great sense of satisfaction in letting people into traffic when it’s really not their turn to merge. I know that I’ll get where I’m going, and letting this person in isn’t going to change that. In fact, it may even make their day better.

I also appreciate those very courteous drivers who wave when you let them in. It’s a small gesture of gratitude that I’m sure everyone appreciates.

So as you’re driving down the road this week, try two things:

1. When you see a blinker aimed at your lane, go out of your way to let them in. That's right, let everyone get in front of you. It’s a humbling act that will change you.
2. Wave every time someone lets you merge. It’s an appreciative act that might change them.

Have an interesting week!

“God, thanks for the simple lessons you’ve taught me that continue to change me into the person you want me to be. Amen."

A 3D Life

I was home alone this past weekend because my wife went to Vegas on an impromptu holiday with a girl friend. Spending several days without her always makes me realize how much my life sucks without her. She is everything that I am not, and I thank God daily for bringing her into my life.

(The preceding was an unsolicited display of affection and is in no way a suck up because I didn’t put up the Christmas tree this weekend like I was supposed to.)

Ignoring the “honeydo” list for the weekend I decided to go to a movie and I found the feature was offered in regular and 3D formats. I was intrigued so I decided to pay the extra 2 bucks and see the 3D version.

I was excited as I sat down and slid the 3D spectacles on my face, and it was worth the money. I was amazed as the previews started and it was like I was standing in the movie. Everything had depth, and the things that were supposed to be in the foreground actually looked closer. I’m officially starting a movement to have all movies made in 3D. It was awesome.

Our lives are a lot like the movie I watched. No, not full of dragons and knights, I’m talking about the 3D part. The things that mean the most to us are always in the forefront of what people see when they meet us. Think about it. What do people know about you? You may be into music or sports or some other hobby, but do people know you’re a Christian? If you want people to know the most important thing in your life is Christ then put Him in the forefront of everything you do, and let the viewers of your life have a 3D experience.

“God, in all that I do, I do for you. Let my life be a reflection of your loving, saving Grace. Amen.”