Weak People

Weak People

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the scripture is Matthew 11:28-30 "Come to me (Jesus), all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am gentle and humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light."

 

Every other religion says that God is the top of a ladder.  He's put a ladder down between you and heaven and earth, and He is standing at the top of the ladder saying, "Perform, Do Good, Live Right, Emulate the Heroes!   If You Try Real Hard You Can Come Up The Ladder and Come To Heaven!"  

 

But Jesus Christ said, "You will see angels ascending and descending on the Son of Man."  He said, "You'll never come up the ladder!  The Christian God is not a god who stands at the top of the ladder but who sent His Son down to be the ladder.  He says, "My son Jesus Christ will come down and live the life that you should lived and die the death that you should have died."  These Bible stories are not a series of role models to emulate but weak people like you and me that a strong God had to come down and be weak and die on the cross to save us. The gospel saves people, not who are strong, but those who will admit that they are sinners and that they are weak.  God works with weak people and through them.

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Fulfilling Promises

Fulfilling Promises

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Tim Keller, and the scripture is 2 Peter 3:8-9 . . . With the Lord a day is like a thousand years, and a thousand years are like a day.  The Lord is not slow in keeping his promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.

 

In Genesis God takes Abraham aside and makes a promise to him.  He says, "Through you all the nations of the earth will be blessed.  Through one of your descendants I will save the world."  When Mary was told that she would give birth to the Messiah, God fulfilled His promise to Abraham.  This took centuries.  God always fulfills His promises but never at the time and never in the way you expect.

 

The Israelites had all expected a Messiah, but a lot of them had given up.  It had been four hundred years since there was even a prophet in Israel let alone a Messiah.   Most all of the others that were still expecting a Messiah did not expect their king to be born in a feed trough. 

 

Even though God seemed to be absolutely away without leave, He was working.  In a sense, God is saying that even though I do not come through with My promises at the time you expect or in the way you expect, I always come through.  You can trust me.  You don't have to take matters into your own hands.  God promises you to take care of you, to love you, to work all things out for your good in your life, but it never seems to happen in the time you want; it never seems to happen in the way you want.

 

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

Gratitude-Be Great Today

Gratitude-Be Great Today

Dear Champions,

The short excerpt is by Dabo Swinney when speaking at the White House on Monday night, and the scripture is Colossians 3:15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. 

"The whole college football world was captured by Tyler Trent," Swinney said.  "He was the Purdue football fan that was battling cancer.  Probably saw that, and he just passed recently.  And here's what he said. 'Though I am in hospice care and have to wake up every morning knowing that the day might be my last, I still have a choice to make:  to make that day the best it can be.  Yet, isn't that a choice we all have every day?  After all, nobody knows the amount of days we have left.  Some could say we are all in hospice to a certain degree.  So why don't we act like it.'

"'So why don't we act like it?  Where is your gratitude?  With Christmas coming up, what are you thankful for?  I had to write my will recently, and I'm just thankful I can give my family Christmas presents, maybe even for one last time.  Let's not forget that my doctors gave me 3 months to live almost two-and-a half months ago.  So why can't we live grateful lives?  Why can't we make every day count like it's the last?'

"So for this team and all you guys moving on and even the guys coming back, that's what I would say, is go live and be great today, in order for your someday to become reality, you just got to be your best today."

Champions, have a great week!-David Vining

P.S.  If you didn't see Tyler Trent's story, check it out at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XgBGwtk3qZY&t=232s