Day by Day

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Too Busy"

Be still, and know that I am God. I will be exalted among the nations; I will be exalted in the earth! Psalm 46:10

Every once in a while I'm convinced we've become too busy.

Indeed, most of us have a hard time finding the hours to accomplish all we wish. As a result, drive-ins have become more popular. We have drive-in banks and drive-in laundries and drive-in fast food.

You can get and do just about anything you want without ever having to get out of your car.

Knowing this, I was still surprised that our overly hasty world has now come up with drive-in mortuaries. That's right. In some communities, you can pay your respects to someone that has died by going to the funeral home, finding the right line and driving past a window where the loved one is on display.

It occurs to me that if you are too busy to take time out to spend a few minutes visiting with a family you care about, you're too busy.

To visit with a family you care about is one of the reasons we bring this devotion to you. We care about our brothers and sisters. More importantly, God cares.

Because of Christ's crucifixion and resurrection, we have been given proof God is never too busy for us. He is always ready to call us, care for us, save us, listen to us.

The question which remains is this: Are we, His people, too busy to spend a few minutes with Him? If we are, then we're too busy. We need to take time to listen to Him speak to us about how important we are and how much He loves us. We need to hear about the sacrifice He made for us. I can assure you those who regularly step out of their hectic world and listen to the Lord speak to them have found those minutes the best-spent time of their day. I do hope you join them. Slow down, and listen to the Lord.

In other words, tomorrow is Sunday. . . go to church.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Not From The Cemetery"

We know that Christ, being raised from the dead, will never die again; death no longer has dominion over Him. For the death He died He died to sin, once for all, but the life He lives He lives to God. So you also must consider yourselves dead to sin and alive to God in Christ Jesus. Romans 6:9-11

Are you among those people who think the church is a dead place?

If so, you might appreciate this story told to me by a smiling grandmother about her grandson.

The pastor of their church had recently retired, and it took a number of months for a replacement to arrive.

One day, it was announced that they would soon be getting a young pastor directly from the seminary. When the lady's grandson heard the announcement, he said he wasn't going to church any more. "Why not?" his parents wanted to know. The young fellow replied, "When they get pastors directly from the cemetery, I'm staying home."

I like that. But, you know the Christian church is hardly a dead place.

In fact, my many wanderings have convinced me it is filled with some of the most living and lively people I know. People who have been saved by the Lord Jesus have a different outlook on life.

It's hard to say how Christians are changed, but they are. Their smiles are changed. Their outlooks are changed. Having seen Jesus give Himself for them on the cross, they want to enjoy the life that God has given them in this world as well as the next. If you haven't seen a church that way, you might want to look again.

We're not all from the cemetery.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "No Other God"

July 28, 2008

Fear not, nor be afraid; have I not told you from of old and declared it? And you are My witnesses! Is there a God besides Me? There is no Rock; I know not any. Isaiah 44:8


The Freethinker magazine calls itself "the voice of Atheism since 1881."

Normally, I don't read the Freethinker, but I had to look at an article that revolved around Chaudhry Rashid, a pizza parlor owner in Jonesboro, Georgia.

Chaudhry felt it was dishonorable for his daughter to want out of a marriage he had arranged for her. He felt it was more honorable to strangle her.

He did.

On the other hand, according to one Islamic professor: "Women are considered the property of the males in their family irrespective of their class, ethnic, or religious group. The owner of the property has the right to decide its fate. The concept of ownership has turned women into a commodity which can be exchanged, bought, and sold."*

The first reason I share such a terrible story in the Daily Devotion is to encourage your prayers for women around the world who are caught not only in the slavery of sin, but are held in the bondage of their religion. Let us pray the Holy Spirit will lead them to faith in the Savior who gave His life so they might be free, the Christ who died and rose so there would be no Jew or Greek, no male or female, according to Galatians 3:28.

The second reason I bring this story to your attention is to offer this reminder: there are many people who believe all religions are the same, that everyone believes the same thing and that our prayers, somehow, some way, are all petitioned to the same god.

Such an all-inclusive approach toward God breaks down when the uniqueness of Jesus Christ, our Savior, is considered. He alone came down to earth to fulfill the laws we have broken; He alone forgives the sins we have committed; He alone died the death we deserved, and He alone rose from the grave.

Jesus is one of a kind, and we should rejoice in what He has done, even as we share the salvation He has so graciously bestowed.

We need to share the Savior, because there are people like Chaudhry Rashid who need to hear what Jesus has done for them.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "The Right Path"

You make known to me the path of life; in Your presence there is fullness of joy; at Your right hand are pleasures forevermore. Psalm 16:11

Daniel Boone was once asked, "Have you ever been lost?" He replied, "Nope, but I was once mighty confused for three days."

Boone's answer was cute. The story of Kay Gadsby is tragic.

Kay was a 21-year-old English woman who suffered numerous physical problems. In her brief life, she had already gone through a heart transplant and was on the waiting list for her third kidney replacement.

Kay Gadsby died in an ambulance that had lost its way as it made the 30-mile run to the hospital.

It seems the driver had only been to the hospital once before and when the navigation system in the ambulance conked out, he couldn't figure which way to go.

As Kay repeatedly asked her mother, "I'm not going to die, am I?", the paramedic helping her had to climb into the front seat of the ambulance to give directions to the confused driver.

As I travel to various speaking engagements, I see tens of thousands of cars and trucks. So do you. It often occurs to me that many of these people have no relationship with the Savior. They're very busy going somewhere, but the somewhere to where they are going isn't heaven.

They are lost and although they may not know it, like Kay Gadsby, they are also terminal. They are going to die.

This is one of the reasons you and I, souls who have been saved by the Christ, do what we do. If we know someone whose navigational system is broken, we point him or her to the Holy Scriptures where, as the Psalmist says, the Lord makes known to us the path of life.

If they are in need of a transplant, we introduce them to the Savior who is the great Physician of both body and soul.

If they are confused as to which way they should proceed, we try and direct them to Jesus who alone is the way.

My friends, it is a great tragedy that Kay died as she did. It will be a far greater tragedy if those around us, those who are lost and dying, never meet the Savior who can forgive their sins, heal their souls, and take them straight to heaven.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Unexpected"

You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen; He is not here. See the place where they laid Him. Mark 16:6b

Most of you don't know Dean Twedt.

Dean works at Business Learning Clinic in Blairsville, Georgia, and like you, Dean is a regular reader of the Daily Devotions.

Not so long ago, Dean sent me a photograph he had taken. It was a beautiful picture, and I was pleased to receive it.

The beauty of the picture was enhanced by Dean's explanation. This is what he said: "In front of our office an Easter lily is growing. Note that immediately below the lily is poison ivy." Dean concluded, "One could work this into a sermon...(on) good and evil."

Dean is right, and I thank him for thinking the Daily Devotion was worthy of his picture and his trust.

Almost 2,000 years ago, some women stood in front of an empty tomb and wondered what had happened to the Man who had been buried there.

On that day, the Lord's angel surprised them by saying, "You seek Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He has risen. He is not here. See the place where they laid Him."

What wonderful, transforming good news! The Son of God broke death's stranglehold, defeated the devil, and shot down sin.

The short message of the angel is that God's transforming good news changes our world. This message moves all who know Jesus as their Savior from the realm of damnation to the fellowship of the delivered.

Indeed, God's news is so good; it would be foolish to think the forces of darkness would let it be proclaimed without continuous confrontation or constant contestation. Like the poison ivy that surrounds and potentially spoils the beauty of Dean's Easter lily, so the devil and this world do their best to keep souls from the beauty and salvation of the Savior.

They laugh at the Word; they persecute Christ's family; they subtly seduce those for whom the Savior sacrificed Himself. In spite of all they do, the beauty of the risen Savior still blooms in the hearts of Christ's people, and they are saved.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Better Than Expected"

Unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord. And this will be a sign for you: you will find a baby wrapped in swaddling cloths and lying in a manger. Luke 2:11-12

James Marshall was building a sawmill when he discovered gold in California.

According to CNN, at a recent flea market a shopper, who wishes to remain nameless, bought a framed picture of a flower. The $10 spent appears to be a good investment.

How good? Well, in a figurative way, the unknown buyer, like Marshall, managed to strike gold.

When the buyer took the picture out of the frame, he found a handwritten manuscript of "America." Most of us know the song better by its first lines: "My Country 'tis of Thee; sweet land of liberty . . . ."

The song, which was written in 1831 by Samuel Francis Smith, was designed to help schools inspire and teach children. Sung to the familiar melody of the United Kingdom's "God Save The Queen," the song was first performed on the Fourth of July in Massachusetts, that same year.

And now this manuscript has come to light. Could it be a forgery? A number of experts say it's not. If they're right, the piece of paper, once unknown and unnoticed could be worth tens of thousands.

In some ways, I wish this story had come to light around Christmas. I see so many parallels between the finding of this manuscript and the shepherds' visit to the Savior.

The first and foremost is that something once overlooked can be very valuable. Consider how the Savior's entry into this world was, for the most part, unheralded; His long-expected coming remained almost entirely unobserved. But what Jesus accomplished with His life, suffering, death, and defeat of the grave makes Him, to sinful souls, more precious than gold.

That's what St. Paul was trying to convey when he wrote to the Ephesians. "In Him (Jesus) we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace, that He lavished upon us . . . " (Ephesians 1:7-8a).

That's right - - the riches of His grace, and by this grace we are saved. By grace we are adopted in God's family of faith. By grace we are given eternal life. It is all done by grace.

And this grace is better than gold, certainly better than any old, valuable manuscript.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Obedience"

You must obey My laws and be careful to follow My decrees. I am the Lord your God. Keep My decrees and laws, for the man who obeys them will live by them. I am the Lord." Leviticus 18:4-5

Listening can be hard; listening to advice can be harder.

"Emilio" used to be in the habit of not paying attention to people's advice. They had their lives; Emilio had his. Their advice often sounded impractical or simply didn't apply to him. This was especially true when it came from Christians; he did not like to hear their advice at all.

But there are dividends to listening to people's advice, especially when it comes from people who care and who take the time to listen to us. As for Emilio, he had a lot of troubles but even so, he thought he was intelligent enough to solve them without the help of God.

That was far from the case, however. Over time, Emilio got involved in serious issues with his family and friends and ended up being arrested for public disorder. Things were not going very well. In jail, they only got worse.

One day, however, Emilio's situation changed. Thanks to the Lord and the committed Lutheran Hour Ministries' volunteers who visit Nicaraguan jails, he heard a message that changed his life. That message was about more than good advice; it was about saving grace. Volunteers spoke to Emilio and told him about Jesus Christ and how His obedience to God the Father took Him to the cross to pay for the sins of mankind.

Jesus is the reason for Emilio's changed life. Faith in Him gives hope; reading God's Word gives direction; obedience to His Word molds character and transforms one's life.

Even as the book of Leviticus indicates dozens of laws and decrees God required the ancient Israelites to follow, so today our obedience is to the One whom God has sent. The book of Hebrews says, "God, after He spoke long ago to the fathers in the prophets in many portions and in many ways, in these last days has spoken to us in His Son, whom He appointed heir of all things, through whom also He made the world" (Hebrews 1:1-2).

Jesus summed it up: "I am the way, and the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father, but through by Me" (John 14:6b).

That's more than good advice; that's saving grace.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Risings"

From the rising of the sun to its setting, the name of the LORD is to be praised! Psalm 113:3

Summertime, and the livin' is easy.

There are those people I know who find the long days of the summer sun one of their greatest pleasures.

They might be pleased to know that Peter the Great of Russia shared their enjoyment. When he saw the sunrise, he expressed his wonder that men should be so foolish as not to rise every morning to see one of the most glorious sights in the universe.

The Tsar said, "They delight in gazing on a picture, the trifling work of a mortal, and at the same time neglect one painted by the hand of God Himself."

On some summer mornings, I get up a little earlier to see the sunrise and I've concluded Peter was right. Other than a spectacular sunset, there's not much in this world which can compare with that magnificent spectacle.

Indeed, I can only think of one sight that should please all of humanity more. That sight of course, would be the sunrise which took place the day Jesus rose from the grave.

Imagine going to the tomb to pay your final respects to a dead Rabbi and finding an empty grave which could not hold the living Redeemer. What a glorious sight that must have been.

A true "Sonrise."

A "Sonrise" which, like our daily dawnings could not spring from the hands of a mere mortal, no matter how talented he might be.

Only the hand of God Himself could be responsible for that wonderful day which changed our lives and our eternities.

By God's grace may you enjoy and live in the beauty and magnificence of these joyful risings of the Son (sun).

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Lifeguard"

Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13

This is the time of year when people flock to pools and beaches.

It is also the time when big, muscular lifeguards do their rescues on crowded beaches and pools.

Amazingly, the lifeguard in this story is neither big nor muscular.

The lifeguard in this story is little Marie Paule Thielle of Metz, France. Marie received an impressive Bronze Medal for having performed a lifesaving "act of courage and dangerous sacrifice."

What makes Marie stand out is this: she was only three years old when she saved the life of her unappreciative two-year-old companion, Denis. Now I don't want you to get me wrong, it's not that Denis objects to being alive; he just doesn't like the way he was saved.

When Denis fell into the municipal pool, Marie grabbed him by the hair and held his head out of the water. She held on until her screams for help were answered.

Denis said, "That hurt a lot." I imagine it did.

Of course, in the case of our spiritual rescue, it wasn't us, the ones who were being rescued who were hurt. The Person who was wounded was the Rescuer, our Redeemer, Jesus. Fists, whips, a crown of thorns, heavy nails, and a Roman spear gave Him His wounds.

It was an act of heroism the Rescuer performed to save us. To snatch us from death, the Rescuer had to give up His own life. His was an act of courage, and total sacrifice that has not been repeated before or since.

Of course, no medals were ever given to Jesus. He never asked for them, expected them, nor would He have any use for them.

Instead of medals and governmental honors, He would very much like to receive the thanks which come from the appreciative and grateful hearts of people He has saved. People like you and me.

That's not asking too much for a real Lifesaver, do you think?

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Getting Smart"

The Law of the LORD is perfect, converting the soul: the testimony of the LORD is sure, making wise the simple. Psalm 19:7

Stone Lakes in Louisville, Kentucky, is a pleasant, suburban subdivision.

Stone Lakes is the kind of place where a husband and wife can put down roots and raise a family. At least, Stone Lakes ought to be that kind of place. The problem is, Stone Lakes is not especially safe. Although Stone Lakes has a posted speed limit of 25 mph, some drivers rip down the residential streets at 55.

That's the kind of speeding that can earn a person a nasty ticket. It is also the kind of speeding that doesn't allow motorists to safely react to a child who darts out from between cars.

Officials have said the city will be more than glad to put some speed bumps in the street if 70 percent of the residents think that ought to be done, and if those same residents are willing to cough up half the money to finance the job.

Speed bumps may, or may not, happen.

Until they do, Landon Wilburn is becoming a vigilante.

Being a vigilante is hard work, especially for someone like Landon, who is only 11. Even so, he believes he must do what he can to protect his neighborhood. To that end, Landon started out yelling at speeders and when shouting proved ineffectual, Landon donned a reflective vest, a helmet, and pointed a Hot Wheels® radar gun at lead-footed motorists.

And what has been the reaction of drivers to an 11-year-old boy armed with a toy radar gun?

According to the residents of Stone Lakes subdivision, when speeders get a glimpse of that radar gun, even in the hands of a child, they slam on their brakes - - hard - - and then they start driving sensibly.

As King David said, the Law has the ability to make simple people, wise. Of course, the Old Testament monarch was referring to God's perfect Law, not the rules-of-the-road laws being enforced by Landon Wilburn.

Truly, it would be good if people were wise on their own, but we're not. It would be good if we lived rightly on our own, but we don't. Every one of us is a sinner - - a quality God's Law so clearly points out. Like Landon's speed gun, God's Law lets us know we're messing up.

Sadly, God's Law doesn't help us out of our sad and sorry sinful state.

If we are going to be saved, if we are going to be moved from the status of sinner to forgiven saint, we need more than the Law of God, we need the love of God - - the love of God which became incarnate in Jesus Christ. He is the Babe of Bethlehem, the Christ of the cross, the Savior of the empty tomb. Jesus is God's gracious answer to our breaking of the Law.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Dark Clouds"

And we know that for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose. Romans 8:28

The Holy Spirit inspired Paul to write those words many centuries ago. I know those words are true. I believe in them. There are times, however, when it's difficult for me to say, "Amen!" to them. For example, it's been hard for me to believe there's a lot of good that will come out of high gas prices.

Thankfully, there are people who see things more clearly than me. There are folks who have managed to see good in gas that sells for more than $4 a gallon.

If you're skeptical, I can understand. Still, according to an article in Foreign Policy, there are at least five advantages to high pump prices.

1. High gas prices are forcing people to use mass transit.
2. High gas prices are getting people into shape as they walk or ride their bikes. One Washington University scholar has said that for every dollar gas goes up, obesity levels will eventually go down, down by 16 percent.
3. According to the U.S. Department of Transportation, high gas prices translate into fewer people driving. Those who keep driving will drive slower. That means fewer accidents.
4. High gas prices force people to make fewer and shorter trips.
5. High gas prices will inspire an increase interest in alternative energy.

Now I don't blame you if you don't immediately see the silver lining in this dark cloud or, for that matter, any dark cloud that might be hovering over you.

Even so, I would encourage you to take the Lord at His Word. We may not always be able to see God's goodness; we may not be able to anticipate how His grace is going to show itself, but as His children, we can be sure it is there.

It is always there.

We can be sure because of Jesus Christ. Our heavenly Father, in the person of His Son, made a very great investment in our future. So we might know He loves us, wishes to bless us and save us, Jesus entered this world. So we might be taken through all our pains, Jesus carried our sins and drank deeply from a cup of horrendous suffering.

How can we be sure of God's good intentions? Look to Christ's cross and His empty tomb. There you will see how much He cares. Then, confident of His caring, we can believe and join with Paul in saying, "for those who love God all things work together for good, for those who are called according to His purpose."

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Bad Days"

Therefore do not be anxious about tomorrow, for tomorrow will be anxious for itself. Sufficient for the day is its own trouble. Matthew 6:34

People have bad days. Recently, police officer Tim Pochron had a bad day.

A few weeks ago, Tim was sworn into his new job in Bart, Indiana. The following Monday was scheduled to be his first day at work. Tim's excitement was visible to all.

Tim was ready, eager, and able. He had the skills; he had the equipment; he had a new patrol car. Everything that could be ready was ready. Everything was ready until Tim Pochron's police vehicle was wrecked in a crash.

No, it wasn't Tim's fault. Tim wasn't in the car; he wasn't near the car. Tim was still in his house when, one half hour into his first day of work, another car hit a tree and plowed into Tim's parked squad car. It hit Tim's car so hard it bent the rear axle.

And Tim, rather than going to work, ended up at headquarters filling out an accident report.

People do have bad days. Like the fellow who was arrested, after he tested positive for drugs, after he lost control of his vehicle, and after that vehicle rammed into the parked patrol car of officer Tim Pochron.

Now I just mention Tim's story because his story seems like ours. Sooner or later, we all have bad days. You may, like Tim Pochron, be the person who is crashed into; you may, like the anonymous fellow who was arrested, be the person who does the crashing. Either way, it's a bad day.

Our Lord Jesus recognized a sinful world would produce bad days, both real and imagined.

Because of those bad days that come, and those that might, the Savior told us not to worry. Yes, He realized saying that was easier than doing that. But, so we could be given peace - - a peace that passes human understanding - - Jesus came into this world. Jesus came to forgive us, ransom us, redeem us, and rescue us from the worry of bad days.

With every breath He took, Jesus showed His mastery over sin, devil, death, and bad days. Read through the Gospel stories, and you will be amazed to see the level of Jesus' concern. There was no problem too large or too small for Jesus. There still isn't.

Look at the cradle, the cross, the empty tomb and believe. Believe Jesus has redeemed you and believe Him when He says, "do not be anxious about tomorrow. . . . "

Jesus is in control.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "God's Name"

See what kind of love the Father has given to us, that we should be called children of God; and so we are. 1 John 3:1

Most people don't like their names.

That's what one study after another has shown. Most people, at least for part of their lives, don't like the names their parents gave them.

With that as a given, I wonder how soon-to-be-born Dixon Willoughby Partin will feel about his name as he's growing up.

I think Dixon Willoughby is going to feel put out.

You see, Dixon Willoughby's father, David, has promised he will name his son after two hosts on a Florida radio station. Dixon Willoughby's father, David, won a contest by promising to name his son after those two radio personalities.

And what was the grand prize which Dixon Willoughby's father, David, has received for winning this contest? He received - - are you ready for this - - a $100 gas card.

It's hard for me to believe that this bit of news is going to help the boy's self-esteem or increase his sense of self-worth. In truth, a name ought to be worth more than a gas card, which is here today and driven away tomorrow.

I know my name is worth more. So is yours, if you're called a "Christian."

That's what St. John was trying to convey to God's people when he wrote, "See what kind of love the Father has given to us that we should be called children of God . . . ." John wanted them to know that being called "children of God" was something wonderful and honorable.

John was able to offer such encouragement because he had seen the Father's love in the person of Jesus. John had been there and seen the wonder, compassion, and power of Jesus' miracles; he had heard the Savior's words of wisdom; John had witnessed the Christ's arrest, trial, and crucifixion.

John had been among the first to look into Jesus' empty tomb and had been blessed to repeatedly visit with the risen Redeemer.

What kind of love enables us to be called "children of God"? It's a love that never stopped giving, sacrificing, and reaching out. What kind of love? We have a love that, because of Jesus, forgives our sins and moves us from hell to heaven. What manner of love? It is the kind of love that can only come from a unique and wonderful Father.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Love Your Enemies"

But I tell you: love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you. Matthew 5:44

Many people living in the Middle East and North Africa live in a world where Jesus is considered to be someone other than the Savior of the world. Many think of Him as only a prophet, neither greater nor lesser than Abraham or Mohammad. Sadly, the redemptive work accomplished by Jesus on the cross as our Savior is not believed by the majority of people in the Middle East.

Bitter animosities between different faiths and cultures have a long history in the Middle East. Often, these hard feelings lead to violence and injury - - or worse. When strained relationships lead to fresh wounds, the Christian faith encourages forgiving. The Christian is to turn the cheek and forgive. Resisting the impulse to hold on to ill will and let the sun set on hurt feelings, Christians are to go the extra mile in seeking and offering forgiveness, especially to their enemies.

Jesus teaches us this very clearly when He said, "But I tell you: Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you" (Matthew 5:44). When people hate one another for decades, huge barriers develop and it becomes very difficult to forgive. Yet, we are told that even these hatreds can be overcome, ". . . with God all things are possible" (Matthew 19:26b). As we look to Jesus as our example we, too, can learn from Him. His words on the cross were, "Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing" (Luke 23:34).

In the Lord's Prayer, Jesus taught us, "Forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors" (Matthew 6:12). It is an easy thing to say we will forgive our enemies but, in fact, it is very difficult. It is difficult because we feel we are becoming weak and letting the enemy off easy.

In truth, offering this forgiveness is something that requires enormous strength - - possible only through the power of the Holy Spirit.

[Soldier4Christ]

 "Champions"

But thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. Therefore, my beloved brothers, be steadfast, immovable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, knowing that in the Lord your labor is not in vain. 1 Corinthians 15:57-58

It's nice to be a winner.

It was a number of years ago my son's grade-school basketball team captured a first-place trophy at a local tournament.

That night, he asked me to give him a back rub to work out a little of the soreness. As I worked at a knot, he asked with a fair amount of pride, "Dad, is this the first time you ever rubbed the back of a champion?"

I told him, with a smile, that it was, in all of my years, a first.

Every day we run into a lot of people who have been beaten down by life. Somehow, someway, something has managed to sap the energy, the vigor, and the joy from them.

What a wonderful thing it would be if we could make them all feel like champions - - at least for a day. I imagine you won't be surprised if I tell you that Jesus has made all of His people into champions.

Yes, He was the One who fought against sin, Satan and death. He alone is the one who has achieved the victory. And then, having won, He invited us onto the victor's stand with Him.

Because of what the Christ has done, we champions have the opportunity to give everyone we meet a bit more respect that we might have.

We have the chance to invite them onto the team where Jesus makes sinners into saints, losers into champs.

Which is why, today, I invite you to invite one more person into the Lord's circle of winners.