Discipline to Win

However, I consider my life worth nothing to me; my only aim is to finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me — the task of testifying to the good news of God’s grace.

– Acts 20:24

The Super Bowl — one of the world’s most-watched sporting events — is just a few weeks away. And what does it take to get there? The 2022-23 NFL schedule covers over 200 games as well as preseason matchups, the playoffs, and the Pro Bowl. And in addition to overcoming 18 weeks of hard-hitting competition, a date to The Big Game calls for intense discipline featuring countless hours of on-field practice, classroom study, and game-tape review.

Tom Brady understands how discipline and perseverance make all the difference between a champion and a runner-up. Love him or loath him, Brady — who’s won seven Super Bowl rings combined with the New England Patriots and the Tampa Bay Buccaneers — is widely regarded as the greatest quarterback in NFL history. And throughout his career he’s followed an intense, year-round training regimen involving diet and exercise, plus an ongoing focus on football fundamentals. Forty-five-year-old Brady takes nothing for granted, and he’s conditioned himself to expect the unexpected on the field.

“You push your body to the limits, but you have to train your body to deal with the limits,” he explains. “If you don't play to win don't play at all.”

The Bible also endorses the value of discipline and training. For Christ-followers, that means developing and using our God-given gifts and talents to make a positive difference in our community and the world. For example, we’re called to explain the basis of our faith to anyone who asks us. But how can we answer questions from a neighbor or co-worker if we don’t set aside time each day to read and study the Scriptures to know what we’re talking about? This discipline is also a great way to grow closer to God by developing the ability to listen for His voice. And in turn, it helps us discern right from wrong when faced by those modern-day scenarios that are so rarely black or white. 

Although the NFL wasn’t around 2,000 years ago, the sport of long-distance running was popular back then when the apostle Paul used it in 1 Corinthians to illustrate the value of spiritual discipline:

“Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize. Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”

It takes a disciplined regimen, and plenty of bruises along the way, to make it to the Super Bowl (and much more to win seven of them like Tom Brady). Likewise, it takes discipline and endurance for Christ-followers to become the faith-driven champions God wants us to be: 

“Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God — this is your true and proper worship,” we read in Romans 12. “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is — his good, pleasing, and perfect will.”

Wise Men Still Seek Him

But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

– Matthew 6:23

There’s a big difference between looking for something and searching for it. 

Looking suggests a more casual exploration, such as for a new barbecue restaurant or a full-service drycleaner. But searching, on the other hand, indicates a sense of urgency. That could be anything from our car keys — because we can’t be late again to the office — to a skilled oncologist for a stricken loved one. We search for what matters.

For Christ-followers (Christians), that’s a life-long spiritual quest toward Jesus as their Lord and Savior. And each step of the way, we seek to know him better and do God’s will with purpose and vision. But let’s consider the original Christ-followers 2,000 years ago, who traveled countless miles through deserts and rugged terrain in search of the one we call the Good Shepherd.

They were called the Magi, but you might know them from the Christmas story as the Three Wise Men. Some scholars say they were astrologers from Babylon (ancient Iraq), who were familiar with the Old Testament prophesies about the Jew’s long-awaited Messiah. The time came when these travelers spotted a special star in the nighttime sky. It was a sign that was both breathtaking and unmistakable. And the Magi would soon follow it at all costs to gaze upon and worship the much sought-after King of Kings.

The second chapter of Matthew’s gospel reveals that the Wise Men lived up to their name. And if we look closer, we’ll see that their successful journey highlights important principles that Christ-followers can embrace today. The first is that seeking God can be dangerous and demanding. Our spiritual pathway is full of hairpin turns and steep hills rather than long, smooth stretches of highway. And to reach their destination, the Magi chose the road-less-taken rather than the direct route. But how often do we choose the easy way out rather than doing the difficult — but right — thing?

The Magi’s example also reassures us that Christ-followers will find Jesus through a diligent search. And it’s plausible that the Magi were familiar with Jeremiah 29:13, which reads:

You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.

So, whether it's Christmas Day or any other day on the calendar, let’s follow the Wise Men’s example. They recognized their Savior's star from a great distance, began their search, and stayed on the winding, uneven road until they reached their destination.

In God We Trust

Do not wear yourself out to get rich; do not trust your own cleverness.

– Proverbs 23:4

The saying goes that life happens. And when it does — such as in times of economic uncertainty and social upheaval — it’s only natural to rely on our bank account, social connections, and talent rather than the One who makes it possible to earn a living. But reliance on our career, the stock market, and our street-smarts is never wise, particularly these days. As comedian Chris Rock once described the reliability of fame and fortune: You’re here today, and gone … TODAY.

The fact is that our finances and popularity are no defense against life’s harsh realities. Illnesses strike, relationships fail, and that which was once solid turns to dust in our hands. What we desperately need is something — or Someone — who’s dependable, unchanging, and utterly faithful.

It’s in Matthew 7:24 that we read Jesus’ parable about a foolish man who built a house on shifting sands. When the storm struck, the rains came, and the winds blew with fury. It’s no surprise that the flimsy structure collapsed with a crash. But the wise man — in comparison — built his house on a foundation of solid rock. So, when the storm clouds of life boiled on the horizon, that house withstood even the heaviest downpour.

This leads to the obvious question: Are you counting on your money to save you when, as that insurance commercial puts it, life happens? If so, why not trust in God: The One who knew everything about you before you were even born. He’s always faithful and wants what’s best for you. And you can take that to the bank!

“Blessed is the man who makes the Lord his trust,” we read in Psalms, “who does not look to the proud, to those who turn aside to false gods.”

God's Good News

See, I am doing a new thing! Now it springs up; do you not perceive it? I am making a way in the wilderness and streams in the wasteland.

– Isaiah 43:19

What is it that every Bible-believing church will celebrate this weekend (and every weekend to come)?

It’s the Gospel — the Good News that God loves his creation so much that he sent his only Son to personally pay for the mess we’ve all made of our lives and a once-unspoiled creation. And with this immense debt now cleared from our accounts, every believer — through faith in Jesus Christ — is free to help build his kingdom by serving as his hands and feet throughout the community and across the globe.

Although that’s amazing news that we should both spread and celebrate, Christ-followers are in a predicament these days. Relativism rules America, and what’s obviously right or wrong is no longer considered so black and white. Popular culture smears those who believe in Jesus and his teachings as old-fashioned and intolerant. And those who dare to point out our nation’s retreat from God and crumbling morals are labeled as bigots, hate-mongers, or similar insults.

Of course, Christ-followers should be happy to embrace certain narrow and politically incorrect beliefs. The biggest is that Jesus is the one and only way to God. And since he lived a perfect, blemish-free life, he was the only sacrifice that was worthy to pay for our sins. But that’s Good News that most people reject because they love their own sin ... but hate accountability.

“Woe to those who call evil good and good evil,” responds God, “who put darkness for light and light for darkness, who put bitter for sweet and sweet for bitter.”

Although the headlines are bleak these days, it’s reassuring to know that Christ-followers continue to serve as our Creator's hands and feet in the communities where they live and work. Jesus encourages every Believer to shine their light upon a dark world that’s in dire need of guidance, truth, and character. And rest assured that the world is watching to see if our words match our deeds. May it be that this weekend — and every day, for that matter — we celebrate God's Good News through changed lives marked with love in action!

God With Us

“The virgin will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him Immanuel,” which means “God is with us.”

– Matthew 1:23

Electricity — and the bright lights it makes possible — is arguably the one convenience that our society takes most for granted. We simply flick a switch, and there it is … until a storm rumbles through the area and plunges us into utter darkness. How did we ever function before today’s so-called Age of Enlightenment? The answer is that for centuries, people used lamps that burned olive oil. Later, there were candles, whale oil lanterns, and even coal gas illumination.

The search for something better took a while. Thomas Edison — the world-famous inventor — tried thousands of different materials for his incandescent light before he finally found one that wouldn’t burn out in seconds. He eventually solved the dilemma in 1879 by placing a carbon filament in an airless bulb. And a few months later, Edison improved his design by using a bamboo-derived filament that could last more than 1,200 hours. The rest, as they say, is history.

Edison’s tireless quest for illumination was a bit like mankind’s never-ending search for ultimate meaning and fulfillment in life. We all have a spiritual hunger for it that’s hard coded into our DNA. And some try in vain to fill the void through negative pursuits involving drugs, alcohol, compulsive spending, or questionable relationships. Others cope by becoming workaholics or escaping reality through social media, video games, or even travel. But after the thrill is gone, the emptiness always returns.

What they really lack and long for is their Creator. And in a very real way, those who don’t know his Son Jesus have a God-shaped hole in their hearts. But many people find it hard to believe that Christ is the solution. After all, how can one person BE and DO all that? It sounds too good and simple to be true.

Jesus backed up the Biblical claims of his being the so-called Immanuel (“God with us”) by fulfilling dozens of prophesies written centuries before his birth. And there was also his own resurrection to life following his death on a cross to pay our penalty for breaking God’s perfect law. 

But regardless of all the evidence, the Savior still has plenty of naysayers. But don’t be too hard on modern-day skeptics. Even John the Baptist — the one Jesus called the greatest man ever born — had his doubts:

"Are you the one who was to come,” John instructed his followers to ask Jesus, “or should we expect someone else?"

Jesus answered, "Go and tell John what you have heard and seen. The blind are now able to see, and the lame can walk. People with leprosy are being healed, and the deaf can hear. The dead are raised to life, and the poor are hearing the good news. God will bless everyone who doesn't reject me because of what I do."

It took weeks of trial and error for Thomas Edison to finally discover a practical solution for electric lighting. But centuries earlier, John the Baptist had already found The Light. And so has every Believer today. It’s through faith in Jesus Christ that we can begin our relationship with Immanuel: the one who is truly God with us.