Are You Ready for Some Football?

College Bowl Season is about done, and now we enter the play-0ffs for NFL season, finishing with the Super Bowl. One thing you have to say about football fans, they are passionate! The amount of NFL merchandise purchased each season is huge. Football fans aren't afraid to wear their team colors!

Even when faced by rivals, a football fan doesn't stop backing his team. Locally, the Redskins and the Cowboys are the big rival teams. And no matter which you root for, you support, even when them seem to lose time and time again. Football fans are loyal. Even when the ref says the instant replay shows that our player was out of bounds, oh no, we'll argue to the death that he was in.

Isn't it funny that we are able to get so "gung ho" about something that really is inconsequential in the big picture? I mean, the 2010 Super Bowl winner is a big deal I guess, but come 2011 it might be a whole different team in there.

Why can sports fans support their team fanatically with out issue, but if you show your support of Jesus that way, you become known as intolerant, or a religious freak. Why do so many fans have no problem painting their face for their team, but won't risk "losing face" at the office by mentioning God. Why do some fans spend big money on team apparel, but scoff at tithing or donating at church?

Wouldn't it be wonderful if we could be as passionate about Jesus as we are about football? I'd love to put on my Jesus Jersey (He's #1!) and scream and shout for Jesus with the rest of His fans, wouldn't you?

Are You Ready for Some Jesus? I am!

Editiorial Opinion: Brit Hume

This isn't a devotional, but I just heard something I thought I'd share with you all. On Sunday morning on national TV, correspondent Brit Hume was asked his opinion on the Tiger Woods scandal. Mr. Hume suggested that if Tiger wanted true forgiveness and redemption that he should turn to the Christian faith.

I'm excited to see that little piece of the gospel go out into the world on national TV. Not surprisingly, Mr. Hume's remarks are being criticized as intolerant and he is getting a lot of flack for the comments.

I personally applaud him for speaking out in faith! As Christians we no longer have an open forum. The U.S. is heading toward religious persecution quickly. Are you willing to stand for Jesus, like Mr. Hume?

Matthew 5:11, 12 -- "Blessed are you when people insult you, persecute you and falsely say all kinds of evil against you because of me. Rejoice and be glad, because great is your reward in heaven, for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you.
The video clip:

Happy New Year?

Are you happy this new year? Or is the weight of the past year still holding you down.

When I look at my "resolutions" from 2009, I see failures. One goal was to finish writing a devotion book to be published this year. And while I still think my idea to write devotionals based on hit songs of the 70s was good (and so did a literary agent), the music industry holds such tight copy rights, that I would spend more on copy right permissions that I would make selling my book. FAIL.

I hoped to exercise more and lose weight. I did hit the gym some, but I came to learn that after age 40 (barely after!) exercise doesn't make you lose weight, it only allows you to maintain. And with skipping the gym comes weight gain. FAIL.

My goal to read the entire Bible within a year? BIG FAIL.

I think of those who lost battles with cancer this year, especially the young son of a blog friend. The weight of failures and sadness seem too heavy to consider a "HAPPY" new year.

I pulled out the devotional "Jesus Calling," by Sarah Young. A gift from my blog friend Sharon, it signified another FAIL on my part. I'd started reading strong, but had fallen out of the habit. But I read it last week as I felt the weight of everything except a happy new year coming. Here is the entry I read on December 31st. (Each entry is as if Jesus is talking to you).

As this year draws to a close, receive My Peace. This is still your deepest need, and I, your Prince of Peace, long to pour Myself into your neediness. My abundance and your emptiness are a perfect match. I designed you to have no sufficiency of your own. I created you as a jar of clay, set apart for sacred use. I want you to be filled with My very Being, permeated through and through with Peace.

Thank Me for My peaceful Presence, regardless of your feelings. Whisper My Name in loving tenderness. My Peace, which lives continually in your spirit, will gradually work its way through your entire being.

God longs to fill us with HIS peace. Happy new year? Perhaps not. But a new year filled with His peace sounds just excellent about now. May we all experience His abundance in our empty places this year.