I think the prophet Jeremiah said it best:

Jeremiah 10 6  No one is like you, LORD; you are great, and your name is mighty in power.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FaP8fKAR2Og

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Coach J

I always thought that this verse was a threat to the believer.  And maybe it is.

Matthew 7  1 “Do not judge, or you too will be judged. 2 For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you.

But either way I want to leave a couple of thoughts:

• The homeless man who sleeps on the ground because he has spent his life savings on alcohol and will do anything for the next drink is not living the HIGH LIFE.
• The man who gets caught up in lust finds that it is a never satisfied desire.  One man caught in a prostitution ring later confessed:  “I paid to make myself disgusting.”  He wasn’t living the HIGH LIFE.
• The woman in the casino who has gambled for hours and hours and hours mindlessly hits buttons and, even when she wins, has no celebration.  Even a small jackpot doesn’t bring her joy.  She is not living the HIGH LIFE.
• The thief soon finds that he is rich and has no needs, but his trust of people is gone.  He wonders if he truly has enough and constantly wonders if “everyone” else is trying to do what he did.  He is not living the HIGH LIFE.

There is no joy in sin.  It is a PRISON.  And it is a prison that cannot be broken out of …

But God.

But God knew this and God operates in the IMPOSSIBLE.

People caught in sin are often in a situation that they simply cannot remove themselves from—and my proof of that lives in my own existence.  God has freed me from bad habits, but I have never been successful in breaking one on my own accord.  Never.

My wife and I often talk about being able to say:  “I am not above that”.  And when we say that, we mean ANY sin.  We do not want to give a foothold for the enemy to reign in our lives.  In Jesus, we are free of sin … but without Him?  We are sitting ducks for hell and all the misery that it has to offer.

As you go through your day today, understand this:

Jesus died for us to defeat three things:  Satan, Sin, and Death

I often believe that two of those are true, but sometimes act like one is not.  I KNOW that He will crush the head of the serpent in due time.  I KNOW that He has prepared place for me.  But I often act like I am not sure that He has truly defeated sin.

I am asking God today to give me the faith to KNOW that He defeated sin as well.

I have to think that will give me more compassion for those who fall short … including myself.

The God of Wonders sits on the hill and waits.

He waits for us to turn, fully, to Him.

He waits for His time to be released into a new era.

And He waits for the day that He can crush the head of the serpent, the sting of death, and the wrath of sin … FOREVER.

There is no reason to wait for those three things in our own individual lives; it is the very reason that we say:

‘Thy Kingdom Come’

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

I know that I have played this song before.  But for today, I found it wholly appropriate.  Enjoy.  And watch those men worship.  They belong to Jesus as much as you or I.

Hallelujah.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6WtV1XtqsW0

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Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

As I walked to school this morning: this song, and these lyrics,  resonated over me.

There’s a man

Who’s wrapped in light

With eyes of fire 

Burning bright

With feet like bronze

And a blinding glow

A golden sash

And hair like snow

He is King

And He is judge

He is mercy

And He is love

Jesus is the only thing that makes sense.

He is the only thing that truly works.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GIE33oW1m1E

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Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, let’s talk about:

“so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.”

I have to think that Jesus was devastated as He sat on the hill on Gethsemane, alone.  Wouldn’t He have had to wonder:

“If I don’t have any friends now, then when will I have a friend?”

To me, “growing weary and losing heart” has to look a lot like hopelessness.

And I have to believe that Jesus got a full helping of sabotage that would bring all of us to:

Hopelessness

What did He do with it?  He quoted scripture and made a verbal commitment to God when things got tough.  He endured it and renewed His faith.  

Before I get to that, I want to stay in Hopelessness for a bit.

When I hit Hopelessness, the term “bottomless pit” makes perfect sense to me.

When we lost my wife’s mom, when my father was dying, and when my mom was dying I went to that place.  There were times when I wondered if I would be able to climb out of it.

But I am not just limited to those instances.  I can find hopelessness at work, as a parent, as a husband, as a teacher, and as a coach.

I think the enemy has a master’s degree in how to inflict it.

But our God, our Jesus, has looked Hopelessness in the face.  And He has defeated it.

It must be devastating to watch those you love leave you in the hands of the very devil that you are trying to save them from.

Abandoned, Betrayed, and Falsely Accused, He was left to deal with the full punishment of all man.

For all the times that we look to heaven and say “where are you God?” there must be millions of times where He could have said the same to us.

But Jesus declared war not just on sin, and Satan, and death, I have to believe that He declared war on Hopelessness.

When He got on a donkey and rode into Jerusalem, and they weren’t expecting it—-even though Daniel told them the exact day that He was coming——–He still lived in hope.

When Peter ran away, He found hope.

When men betrayed Him, He stood in hope.

When He struggled to breathe and dealt with the writhing pain of crucifixion and watched them mock Him, He hung onto hope.

When Thomas doubted, and the Pharisees accused, and even when His own brother chastised Him, He walked in hope.

Hebrews 11:1 says that “Faith is being sure of what we hope for …”  Again—how many times have we lacked so much faith—-that we didn’t even know what to hope for?

As I was pondering “hope” on the way to church yesterday, this song came on in the car.

I have heard it many times but not truly listened to it.

It makes me want to run into a stadium full of worshippers and jump up and down to this blaring worship song.

Jesus is worth worshipping.

He is worth relying on.

He is worth hoping for.

When the end comes—He will come with it.

And He will do something to the end that none of us can fathom.

He will make it a new beginning.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sB2YrV_O24M

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Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, let’s talk about:

3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men,

Jesus wasn’t just walking a hard life.

He lived the impossible and did the impossible so that He could finish with the impossible.

Jesus won in the face of incredible odds.

This isn’t some Disney Movie.  It is the inspiration for the Disney movies.

Because from the beginning of His mission, He was hunted and sabotaged like no one in the history of the world.

And He came out victorious.

He came out victorious when men came to kill Him.

Matthew 2 13 When they had gone, an angel of the Lord appeared to Joseph in a dream. “Get up,” he said, “take the child and his mother and escape to Egypt. Stay there until I tell you, for Herod is going to search for the child to kill him.” 

He came out victorious when tempted.

Matthew 4 1Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert to be tempted by the devil. 2After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 3The tempter came to him

He came out victorious from being forgotten, abandoned, betrayed, denied, and forgotten.

Matthew 26  73 After a little while, those standing there went up to Peter and said, “Surely you are one of them, for your accent gives you away.”

74Then he began to call down curses on himself and he swore to them, “I don’t know the man!”

He came out victorious when He endured an unfair trial.

John 18 19Meanwhile, the high priest questioned Jesus about his disciples and his teaching.

20“I have spoken openly to the world,” Jesus replied. “I always taught in synagogues or at the temple, where all the Jews come together. I said nothing in secret. 21Why question me? Ask those who heard me. Surely they know what I said.”

22When Jesus said this, one of the officials nearby struck him in the face. “Is this the way you answer the high priest?” he demanded.

He came out victorious.

Me mentioning just a few of the troubles He faced does not discount or undervalue ALL THE OTHER THINGS HE FACED.

And He faced them again and again and again.

Consider Jesus when you are in the eye of the storm

John 16 33 “I have told you these things, so that in me you may have peace. In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.”

If anyone could understand what it would be like to endure being attacked.  It would be Him.

But more than that … He figured out how to win.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYy1f6VjDHU

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Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, let’s talk about:

“who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

Jesus made a bold decision.  And as I read this line it instantly made me think of Philippians 2—ANOTHER VERSE WORTH MEMORIZING.

Philippians 2  5Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus:

   6Who, being in very nature God,

       did not consider equality with God something to be grasped,

   7but made himself nothing,

       taking the very nature of a servant,

       being made in human likeness.

   8And being found in appearance as a man,

       he humbled himself

       and became obedient to death–

          even death on a cross!

   9Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Amen.

So as we fix our eyes on Jesus, “who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God”, we understand this:

• He Became A Servant

• • • When the Prodigal Son returns to his father in Luke 15, he says, to his father, what we should all say to God:  “Father, I have sinned against heaven and I have sinned against you.  I am no longer worthy to be your son.  Make me one of your hired servants.”  Amen.  To be His servant is the greatest purpose we could have.

• He Humbled Himself

• • • God is clear in James about WHO we are to be, that true religion is taking care of widows and orphans, and not considering the rich man greater than the poor.

• He Was Obedient

• • • As my wife said to my daughter:  “Obey.  Then Understand”.  Amen

Be blessed today.

And remember who you belong to.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lYy1f6VjDHU

Know anyone who might like these?  Encourage them to jump on to 2minutewarning.blog and hit the FOLLOW button!!!

Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, let’s talk about:

“the author and perfecter of our faith,”

Why is this important?  

Because if you are like me, you are saying something to yourself along the lines of:  “When will I ever learn?”

The spirit of stupid comes upon me sometimes, and I get fully activated.

And I totally screw up.

Sometimes I am so disappointed in myself that I can not even look up to the One who has saved me.

But God …

The greatest two words in all of scripture.

But God …

But God knows and He does something about it.

Only God can do what God does.

And He does this:

Hebrews 10  14 because by one sacrifice He has made perfect forever those who are being made holy.

This is a contradiction.

And yet it makes perfect sense.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wQWgEjdCd6w

Know anyone who might like these?  Encourage them to jump on to 2minutewarning.blog and hit the FOLLOW button!!!

Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, let’s talk about:

2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus

How do we fix our eyes on Jesus?  We pay attention.  

We pay attention when David writes about His final time on the cross, referencing “My God my God why have you forsaken me?”

Psalm 22 16 Dogs have surrounded me;

a band of evil men has encircled me,

they have pierced my hands and my feet.

We pay attention when He shows up to minister to Abraham 

Genesis 14 18 Then Melchizedek king of Salem brought out bread and wine. He was priest of God Most High, 19 and he blessed Abram, saying, “Blessed be Abram by God Most High, Creator of heaven and earth.  20 And blessed be God Most High, who delivered your enemies into your hand.”  Then Abram gave him a tenth of everything.

We pay attention when He appears at the time a son is to be sacrificed.

Genesis 22 8 Abraham answered, “God himself will provide the lamb for the burnt offering, my son.” And the two of them went on together.

God HIMSELF will provide the lamb.

We pay attention when He tells us how He will declare Himself king.

Zechariah 9 9 Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion!  Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem!

See, your king comes to you,

righteous and having salvation,

gentle and riding on a donkey,

on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

We pay attention when Isaiah talks about Him before He ever existed.

Isaiah 53 5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities;

the punishment that brought us peace was upon him, and by his wounds we are healed.

We pay attention when He tells us where He will be born:

Micah 5 2“But you, Bethlehem Ephrathah, though you are small among the clans of Judah, out of you will come for me one who will be ruler over Israel, whose origins are from of old, from ancient times.

We pay attention when He tells us about His betrayal:

Psalm 55 12 If an enemy were insulting me,

I could endure it;  if a foe were raising himself against me, I could hide from him.  13 But it is you, a man like myself, my companion, my close friend,

14 with whom I once enjoyed sweet fellowship

as we walked with the throng at the house of God.

What do we do in 2020?

I am not always sure.

But one thing I do know:

Jesus Loves Us … 

And We Should Pay Attention

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=37wV6D49iEY

Know anyone who might like these?  Encourage them to jump on to 2minutewarning.blog and hit the FOLLOW button!!!

Coach J

This verse is worth memorizing:

Hebrews 12   1Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.  2Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  3Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart.

Today, let’s talk about:

“and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.”

How do we truly run this race that He has marked out for us?

That is the question of the ages.

Matthew 6 33 But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.

In The Name of the Father and the 

Son and the Holy Spirit.  Amen.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=46FfDLI369Q

Know anyone who might like these?  Encourage them to jump on to 2minutewarning.blog and hit the FOLLOW button!!!

Coach J