Tag Archives: NFL

Speaking Out Concerning What You’ve See and Heard

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After Jesus was crucified, Peter and John were out speaking in public about recent events. Not everybody wanted to hear what they had to say, and in fact their religious and cultural leaders told them they had to stop speaking. “Cancel culture” is not new in the twenty-first century. It was alive and well in First Century Judea. Here’s how it went down:

“Then they (the Sanhedrin) called them in again and commanded them not to speak or teach at all in the name of Jesus. But Peter and John replied, “Which is right in God’s eyes: to listen to you, or to him? You be the judges! As for us, we cannot help speaking about what we have seen and heard.” (Acts 4:18-20 NIV)

Undeniable Evidence Meant They Couldn’t Stop Speaking Out

Peter and John, who in Luke’s account were described by Jewish leaders as “ignorant and unlearned men”, were called before the Sanhedrin and told they needed to stop telling people about Jesus. If they didn’t stop, the Sanhedrin would take action: they could be arrested, imprisoned, perhaps even stoned. But, for some reason they were not intimidated, and proclaimed boldly that they could not help but speak out about what they had seen and heard.

I have often thought that the main reason Christianity is around today is because the followers of Jesus were utterly convinced about the resurrection. They were so overwhelmed with the magnitude of what happened that they could not keep from telling people about it.

Tell me, what have YOU seen and heard? Has the good news about Jesus been validated in your life? Are you different because of it? We also find ourselves in many places and social contexts that make it feel uncomfortable or prohibitive to discuss our faith candidly and without reservation. Our political system requires separation of church and state. We are told that God has no place in our schools. More and more, God is being taken out of our public lives…

Did you know that after EVERY NFL football game, groups of players gather together on the field to pray? It happens all over America every week during football season, but it is almost never shown on TV. Even Super Bowl participants proclaim their faith, but the television networks avoid reporting it whenever possible. Brock Purdy religion: Purdy talks faith, prayer before Super Bowl – Deseret News. Patrick Mahomes Explains How Faith Fuels His NFL Success In Interview (themix.net) Even when the Gospel motivates and inspires, our culture pretends that it doesn’t exist.

So, Then…

Is “speaking out” ok? Should we pray at a restaurant? Is it ok to mention our faith at work? Should we obey the current culture of tolerance, which suggests that we not offend anyone with our beliefs? Or, should we speak boldly about what we have seen and heard? Every day, in so many little ways, we are faced with a choice– to be cultural or to be godly.

As Paul said in Romans 1:16, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel of Christ”! And as he wrote to the Thessalonians, “But as we were allowed of God to be put in trust with the gospel, even so we speak; not as pleasing men, but God, who tests our hearts.” (1 Thessalonians 2:4 KJV) If you’ve seen it, you believe it. If you believe it, speak it.

Little Choices

John and Peter were rebuked for telling what they knew;
The Pharisees commanded them to stop their preaching, too!
But they replied, “We’ve said it once, we’ll say it now again,
Should we obey the Lord our God, or listen to you men?”
The Council was surprised by John and Peter’s forceful word,
Who said they had to testify to what they’d seen and heard!
This story is still relevant, although it’s very old:
John and Peter’s actions should inspire us to be bold–
To speak the truth, to testify about what God has done–
Not bowing to the many, but obedient to the One.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread

If Armor Offers Protection, Maybe We Should Suit Up

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On May 21, 2020, a Naval Officer who guarded the gate at Corpus Christi Naval Station was shot at close range in the chest by an intruder. But, because she was wearing body armor, she was still able to activate the alarm and stop the threat. Her Kevlar body armor not only saved HER life, it also saved the lives of others on the base because she was able to dispatch the perpetrator and keep him from entering the base.

As long as there has been conflict, men have sought ways to protect themselves. Roman soldiers carried shields; samurai wore protective body panels; and armor has been employed by everyone from medieval knights to battleships. Gladiators wore pieces of body armor in the arena, and NFL football players wear pads and helmets on the field of play. People need protection when engaged in conflict whether it be military or sports-related. In the Bible, Paul describes a different kind of armor for a different kind of conflict.

Armor That Helps

“Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand.” (Ephesians 6:10-13 NIV)

Can you imagine an NFL football player taking the field with just their shorts, a t-shirt, and their cleats to protect them? (I think it would be called Rugby, lol) Or can you imagine them wearing their shoulder pads but no other protective gear? Or even just their helmet? No way! These guys compete on a field with strong, fast athletes who are trying to knock them into the middle of next week! If they weren’t wearing the proper equipment, they couldn’t perform the same way the other guys could. They would be tentative, limited, and vulnerable. Football players wear all of the protective gear they can in order to keep from being hurt or knocked out of the game. Makes sense, right?

How about the body armor worn by troops and SWAT team members? Let’s ask that Naval officer whose vest just stopped a bullet if she thinks it’s a good idea to wear armor… The battle against terrorism requires troops, and those troops need protection.

The Struggle is Real

So, why do you go into daily spiritual battle against far more malicious foes wearing less than the full armor of God? There are spiritual forces at work in this world that want to bring you down, to limit you and make you vulnerable. Ephesians 6:12 reminds us, “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” You may not think about it much, but you are in a spiritual war every day, and there really are forces at work trying to change the values in our world and in our culture.

If you are uncertain about that, read the news once in a while… Or just check yourself: are you ever tempted? Ever lose your temper, or think critical thoughts about people you don’t even know? Is there any bitterness or offense that drives your emotions? Do you find it difficult to love others the way Jesus describes? If there is a God who encourages us to love, there is just as certainly a malevolent force who is probing our armor, looking for weaknesses he can use to promote selfishness and hatred.

While Paul doesn’t tell Christians to go around knocking people down, he does tell us to stand our ground. So stand firm. Protect yourself. Avail yourself of all of the equipment God offers. If you are walking around wearing only gospel shoes, you are pretty vulnerable. Read the rest of the list, which includes the belt of truth, the breastplate of righteousness, and the shield of faith (verses 14-17). Don’t go into battle un-equipped. Make sure you are completely dressed.

A Different Kind of Armor

When you take the battlefield, conditions can be hard;
Make sure you protect yourself, and maximize your guard.
God has armor He designed to guard His troops before, behind,
To keep his soldiers all aligned in all conditions they may find.
The armor of God has been designed and put together, all combined
To guard your heart and mind when Satan tries to put you in a bind.
In the battle always keep your weapon close at hand;
When evil comes, you’ll be equipped to rise! And fight! And stand.

To buy my latest book, Real People, Real Christmas: Thirty-one Days Discovering the Hidden Treasures of the Christmas Story, go here: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1729034918/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
For Slaying Giants: Thirty Days with David, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Slaying-Giants-Thirty-Devotions-Ordinary/dp/172568327X/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1535814431&sr=8-1&keywords=Slaying+Giants%3A+Thirty+Days+With+David
To buy my book, Beggar’s Bread, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Devotions-Ordinary-Guy/dp/1535457392/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-1&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread
For the Kindle Edition, go here: https://www.amazon.com/Beggars-Bread-Bo-Jackson-ebook/dp/B01K5Z0NLA/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1473336800&sr=8-2&keywords=Beggar%27s+Bread