45 - 10/27/11

Greetings.  I met with the fellas again today for our weekly Bible study and food inhaling.  They can really eat pizza.  Actually, it's good because then they get to the classroom as fast as they can because if they don't, they won't get any food.

The Golden Eagles were coming off a weekend where the three teams (Freshmen, JV and Varsity) swept Buchanan High.  I remember last Friday morning when I was driving to work, God placed upon my heart to start to pray for the football teams.  Now, I pray for the teams everyday, but God impressed upon me to pray for doubt.  They were doubting their individual abilities which God had given each one of them.

Doubt is deception and deception is the only weapon of the great deceiver.

So all day I prayed and thought about the JV and Varsity teams.  They both had played in games in which they came out strong but then ended up losing.  

When I got to the field, I got the overwhelming notion that I should tell them.  I wasn't sure it was the best idea, but I wanted to be faithful.  So when the JV team gathered for prayer in the end-zone.  We prayed for God to remove any doubt they had about their God given abilities.

I was able to pray for the doubt surrounding the varsity team as well.

Today's Bible study was on Galatians 6:2-5, which says, "Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. But let each one test his own work, and then his reason to boast will be in himself alone and not in his neighbor.  For each will have to bear his own load."

I thought this was a great passage to go through because it talked about bearing each others burdens and the pitfalls of pride.

God calls us to bear each others burdens because we all have burdens.  We all have things that weigh us down both physically and mentally.  John 13:34 tells us to love one another.  This is the law of Christ, that we love one another.  What better way to show this than coming up along side a brother and lifting them up.  

We talked about how they could lift each other up at practice and at games.  When they see a teammate struggling with a play or whatever, lift them up.  When God calls us to lift people up, it isn't so we can say how great we are but rather how great He is.

"For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing..."  People who think they are something miss out on God's glory because they are wrapped up in their pride.  They also miss the extension on God's people trying to help them.

Please continue to pray for this ministry and these young men.  

I love this calling.

James 4:7 "Submit yourselves to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you."

What About the Change

As this journey continues, I find God changing me.  I find myself being able to speak God's word clearly and without any reservation.


On Wednesday's, the varsity team has practice at night from around 5:30 until 7:30.  I have made it a habit of coming out to practice and just hanging out with the team.  I've been doing this since the beginning of school.  Through God and only through God have I been able to connect with these young men.  God has softened their hearts and found a place for me.


So now as I attend these practices, I feel like I'm part of their team.  Not their football team but their spiritual team.  The reception I get when I see them at practice and the games is very rewarding.  The change that has happened in some of these young men's lives is astounding.


They aren't the same because God is changing them too.



Today I had a Bible study in Coach Parson's room and I decided to bring some pizza.  Last week there was pizza and about 15-20 men.  Today there wasn't as much pizza but there was about 35-40 men.  Coach Parson's room was packed.  


I talked about Romans 6:23 which says "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord."  I talked about how totally opposed these sentences are and the only way to bridge the gap was Jesus.


wages...gift
sin...God
death...life


God is doing some amazing life transformation.  I'm so thankful it has nothing to do with me.


Handed out 4 more Bibles...the total is now 10.


Help me by praying for these men.  Praying for their sanctification, peace and salvation in Christ.  Pray for God to guard their hearts and minds in Christ Jesus.


"Finally brothers, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.  What you have learned and received and heard and seen in me - practice these things, and the God of peace will be with you." Phil 4:8-9

Heaven Grows

Well, it's been a couple of weeks since my last entry, but thankfully for me, God doesn't wait to move.  I've pretty much solidified Thursdays @ lunch in Coach Parsons room as my Bible study.

We have been meeting on Thursdays for the last 4 weeks.  Two weeks ago, I explained to the guys about the armor of God that is described in Ephesians 6:10-18...about the direct correlation it has with football.  Last week we talked about perseverance and not quitting.

Both times, at the end of the message, I explained the reason we were all there. 

Jesus

I told them the reason I was there was to present the gospel message to them, to explain how they could spend eternity with their Creator and how Jesus would change and fill their lives.


I've presented the opportunity for them to accept Jesus in their own way.  Sometimes you have a group of people close their eyes and raise their hand if they want to accept Jesus...I told them Jesus would draw them close and then they would accept them in their own time.


For the past to weeks I told them I would get them a new bible for those that accept Jesus as their Savior.  All they would have to do is to come up to me and say..."Mr. Mac, I accepted Jesus" and I would give them a bible.


Today's bible study was especially good because Coach Parson's wife Stacy bought pizza for the guys.  We watched a video and talked about the parable of the wedding feast.  


Once again I told them about Jesus, how he died for their sins, how he longs to spend eternity with them and how he wants to be Savior of their lives.


...at the end of the study I handed out Bibles to six young men.


Heaven Grows!!!



One more thing...One of the young men on the JV team asked me before the last game if it was alright if he prayed for the team...


Amazing...


"Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know" Jeremiah 33:3