I am the Greatest

I heard a song last night by Kenny Rodgers that grabbed my attention and the more I’ve thought about it the more I’m moved and the more I've laughed. The song 'The Greatest' reminds me of the importance of perspective and its a funny little picture into maybe why I’ve always heard that I should try to see myself as God sees me. But mostly, it reminds me of how God works all things to my good because I love him and I'm called according to his purpose. (Rom 8:28) Here are the words.....

Little Boy, in a baseball hat Stands in the field with his ball and bat. Says I am the greatest player of them all Puts his bat on his shoulder and he tosses up his ball. And the ball goes up and the ball comes down Swings his bat all the way around The world's so still you can hear the sound.....The baseball falls to the ground

Now the little boy doesn't say a word Picks up his ball, he is undeterred. Says I am the greatest there has ever been And he grits his teeth and he tries it again. And the ball goes up and the ball comes down Swings his bat all the way around The world's so still you can hear the sound....The baseball falls to the ground

He makes no excuses, He shows no fears He just closes his eyes and listens to the cheers. Little boy, in a baseball hat Picks up his ball, stares at his bat. Says I am the greatest the game is on the line And he gives his all one last time. And the ball goes up like the moon so bright Swings his bat with all his might And the world's so still as still can be And the baseball falls....and that's strike three

Now it's supper time and his mama calls. Little boy starts home with his bat and ball Says I am the greatest that is a fact But even I didn't know I could pitch like that. He says I am the greatest that is understood But even I didn't know I could pitch that good.

We can probably think of more situations that didn't work out in our favor than the ones that did. If your like me, I want to ask why. "God, wasn't I good enough? God, don't you want me to be happy? God, don't you want me to be blessed?" So far, I'm still here. So far, God has known best. I've only been around 45 years so I'm no expert, but I'm still here. I have never seen the godly abandoned or their children begging for bread (Ps 37).

The next time things don't go your way, think about the little boy in this song and ask yourself how God sees things right now.

God loves you and I do too,

John

Is this how Jesus sees us?

I'd like to share a text with you that Kim sent me yesterday.

"Epic morning with Kelsi this morning.  I love that little rascal.  She is amazing, she loves me so good and she is fun to love.  Unlike everyone else, she sees no flaws in me.  The older girls don't see me like she does.  One day, things will change.  But for now, she is my princess and I am her favorite queen."

 All of my life, I've loved the scripture that says "I tell you the truth, anyone who doesn't receive the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter in" (Luke 18:17 NLT).  I've always associated this with faith.  It takes childlike faith to be able to accept and believe the Gospel.  

Romans 14:17 tells us that the Kingdom of God is "righteousness, peace, and joy in the Holy Spirit". I don't think that is the only definition for the Kingdom of God.  Graeme Goldworthy  summarizes the Kingdom of God as "God's people in God's place under God's rule."  I like that summary, especially when I think about it in terms of Christ.  Jesus is saying that if you don't receive God's people like a little child, you can't be a part of God's people.

Back to Kim and Kelsi (mother & 4-yr old daughter).  Kim's text about Kelsi is exactly how Jesus looks at (receives) Christians that have been covered by his blood.  Kim has never done any wrong in Kelsi's eyes.  Not only that, she is Kelsi's favorite person...favorite queen!  Every meal Kim makes Kelsi is the best she has ever had.  Every moment Kelsi spends with her mom is spent as though it would be her last.

I was blown away when God revealed this to me.  Jesus is all-knowing, all-powerful, omniscient, and omnipresent.  He created everything including you.  Yet when he sees us, it's not through judgmental eyes wondering why we act this way.  He sees us with eyes of acceptance like a child.  He wants every moment that you will give him.  And like with our children, every moment you give Him will never be wasted.  But we can't stop here.

This is also how God want's us to look at and accept others.  He wan'ts us to ignore flaws as though we can't see them.  He wants us to forgive trespasses like he forgives us.  He wants us to give like we own it all anyway.

God loves us so incredibly much.  He desires a personal relationship with all of us.  He want's to be with you at home and at work, not just at church.

God loves you and I do too!

John Knight

Love and Babe Ruth

I ripped off Dennis Rainey yesterday so I thought I would do it again today.  Here is something that I read last month and it has resonated with me ever since.  One of my favorite scriptures is 1 Pet 4:8 "Above all, keep fervent in your love for one another, because love covers a multitude of sins".  I know in my life and my marriage, I have counted on the love of others toward me to cover my sins to offer forgiveness so I try to be careful to do the same.  The story below from Mr. Rainey is a great example of what Jesus was talking about when he said we must accept the Kingdom of Heaven like a child (Matt 18:2-5).
 
I can’t attribute this story to its source, but a number of years ago I read a story about Babe Ruth. At the end of his legendary baseball career, the Babe had become obviously overweight. During one of his final contests, he bungled several fly balls in the outfield and struck out weakly with every plate appearance. Fans who had seen or heard about his once-proud exploits were now quick with catcalls, mocking this man who had hit twice as many home runs as anyone else in baseball.

But as the jeering got louder and louder, a little boy leaped over the railing and onto the playing field. With tears streaming down his face, he ran to the Babe and threw his arms around the legs of the fading athlete. Babe Ruth reached down, picked up the boy and hugged him tight. Then setting him down and patting him on the head, they walked hand in hand toward the dugout, while the jeers turned to cheers. Hardly an eye remained dry in the whole place.

The crowd had been correct in their assessment, of course. The Babe had let much of his athletic prowess go to seed. Yet a little boy had remembered him for who he was . . . and had covered over his errors with love.

This is not unlike what marriage was established to be -- two people saying to each other, "I know you've failed me and disappointed me at times (as I have you), but I'm still going to put my arm around you and tell you, 'I love you.'  i'm on this journey with you one way or the other."

Love covers a multitude of sins...Period!  It isn't pride and it isn't something you earn.  God is Love (1 John 4:8) and this love allows us to forgive.  Love allows us to over look someones mistakes and see them for who God sees them.  God's love is what allows me to see my kids and my wife the way that Jesus sees them.  Like I said to Kassi yesterday, my nature is for everything to be black and white, no gray area.  It is God's love working in me that helps me to get past my human nature and see my family the way God sees them.  It's God's love that lets me know that God has laid hold of (apprehended) them for a reason (Phil 3:12) and I should always do the same.

Judge not lest ye be judged (Matt 7:1)

I love you and God does too!

The Waiting Game

"Waiting" isn't something that I do very well.  I am a very impatient person.  When I'm hungry, I want to eat now.  If I decide I need something, I go buy it now.  If I want to talk to someone, it is difficult to wait until they have time for me.  I believe many of the people I deal with daily has the same problem.

If you are like me, you may also have a hard time waiting on God.  If you stop to think about it, we have to wait on God for lots of things.  We wait on healing, we wait on divine interventions, we wait on our loved-ones to be saved.  In our prayer life though, the devil (and our own personalities) tempt us to be impatient with God.  The devil will tell you that "God isn't listening to you" or "God doesn't care about you" or the worst for me is "God would help you but remember the sin you committed?  God can't help you now, you're not worthy". 

Although we all have a finite amount of time here on earth, God doesn't live in time.  When the bible said a day is like a thousand years and a thousand years is like a day  to God, it meant it (Psalm 90:4, 2 Peter 3:8).  Time has never started and will never end with God.  He always has been and always will be.  We want to put time boundaries on God for our needs because they seem so immediate to us but we must learn to wait.  Think about poor Ezekiel that God made Him lay on his side for 390 days, what if God asked us to do that? 

Today, wait on God.  Tomorrow, wait on God.  The next day, wait on God.  While you wait, enjoy Him.  Worship and serve Him for who God is, not what He is going to do for you.  While you wait, here are a couple of scriptures that may help.  They've helped me.

Psalm 33:20
We wait in hope for the LORD; He is our help and our shield.

Psalm 37:7
Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him; do not fret when people succeed in their ways, when they carry out their wicked schemes.

http://sharemygod.blogspot.com/p/scriptures-on-waitng.html

I love you and God does too.