Football Strategies...

Scripture
Mark 14:37-38a - He came back and found them sound asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, you went to sleep on me? Can't you stick it out with me a single hour? Stay alert, be in prayer, so you don't enter the danger zone without even knowing it.

What is the danger zone? This verse in the Living Bible says 'Lest the tempter overpower you." I think the danger zone is 'gray.' In life, some things are black and white. Most things are not...they have many shades of gray. Gray becomes the boundary between right and wrong. We all like to live life dangerously - how close to sin can we get without crossing the line? The danger zone. We are at risk in the danger zone. And, unfortunately, we can't complete avoid it...or won't. But there is an answer...

Those who know me at all, know that I am not a sports dude. But if we take an analogy from football we might find some help. Each football team has a defensive team and an offensive team. The defense keeps the other team from scoring and the offense moves the ball toward the goal. It is almost impossible to win a game without strength in both areas.

Here Jesus says to stay alert and pray. Alertness is our defense. We are on guard, trying to keep the enemy from gaining any grounds in our lives. We know from other parts of scripture that prayer is our offense. We move the ball down the field when we pray.

Father, help me to be alert to the movement of the enemy and prayer in each and every situation that he will have no room to wiggle in my life.

(Sunday) The Order of Worship?

Scripture
Mark 12:30 - 'Listen, Israel: The Lord your God is one; so love the Lord God with all your passion and prayer and intelligence and energy.'

I wonder if there is purpose to the order of these words. God is an intentional God, so there probably is, which would/could mean:

• Love God with Passion...our emotions come first, they are the most primal/core of all of us.
• Love God with Prayer...the soul is our distinct connection with God. It's what sets us apart as the image of God.
• Love God with our Intelligence...where the heart and soul are - so the head follows. when the head is first we become 'too smart' to need God.
• Love God with our Energy...our physical bodies play a role. Our hands and feet serve. Our arms raise in worship. Our knees kneel in surrender.

We are whole people so our worship should be holistic. Take one link from the chain and there is no completeness to our worship.

The world tries to put them in a different order - brain first...the 'thinking man' doesn't need God...all the evidence leads to darwinism and all that junk...forget the emotions you can't trust them. I think if it wasn't important, satan wouldn't try so hard to rearrange the order.

Part of our job as lead worshipers is to help people see the order...help them experience God from their primal core outward...