Ridgell's Originals

Opening Day is one of the greatest days of the year for a baseball fan.  Coming out of Spring Training every team is undefeated.  Everyone that had good stats in the Spring is certainly going to carry it over into the regular season.  Those that did not do so well are going to really come around when the games count.  Young players are about to break out.  Older players have one more good year in them.  And the veterans are going to be as good -- or even better -- than ever.  You don't think about injuries, you look forward to those in the minor leagues who are going to make it to the show this year. 

But when you have played ball, watched it, and been a fan for a long time ... here is what you learn.  Opening day is not really the key to the season.  It is one game out of out 162.  There will be players who have exceptional opening days that will be out of the league by July.  And all-stars that will not hit opening day.  It is a long season.  There are even a few players who get too amped up for opening day and do not perform at all like they will. 

But good teams are not built for opening day.  They are built for the season.  Even for seasons.  Really good teams think in terms of the end result.  They build to contend for championships.

Churches have things similar to opening day sometimes.  New preacher.  New building addition.  Easter.  Christmas.  Sunday worship.  Everybody looks good.  Everyone says the right thing.  And all of these are exciting, motivating, and inspiring for some.

But living in community for Jesus is not about those kind of days.  It is about the long haul.  Every day.  Living as a forgiven follower.  Serving others.  Speaking about Jesus.  And real Christianity is seen and done way more outside of the big days.

Healthy churches focus on the big picture.  They keep the end goal in mind. 

So for churches:  look at the big picture.  Remember we are strangers in this world living as ambassadors to bring others into the kingdom that is not of this world.

And as for my opening day.  I am a Texas Ranger fan.  I am a little more optimistic than most about our chances.  I think we play around .500 ball and stay on the edge of the play-off race.  Though I suspect the front office will trade players for prospects in July.  But looking at the big picture, we are a good team is early as 2021.  Not just contenders for the play-offs.  But contenders for the Series.  Because I think the Rangers get it.  Long haul.  Big picture. 

Go Rangers.

More importantly.  Go God.

I have been thinking quite a bit lately about heroes.  Watch movies, read books, study a little history and you will see the things that we believe make people heroes.

Putting others before yourself. 

Sacrificing yourself for the good of someone else. 

Courage to do what others do not.

Standing for what you believe no matter the cost.

Laying your life down for others.

Heroes:  those people who will be remembered for generations.  Those people whose deeds will be celebrated for ages to come.  The people who made a difference.

And I have realized I know a lot of heroes. 

They share many of the traits above.  But more than anything they are Jesus people.  They make a difference.  They live courageously.  Pour out their lives for others.  Make followers of Jesus.  People will be with God forever because of them.

Faith heroes of courage.

Preachers who are not famous or "successful".  But who are faithful.

The parent intentionally giving up their time and their desires to mold their kids into faith warriors.

The husband or wife who is faithfully caring for their mate with dementia.

The addict who gets up every day and battles their demons because they want to follow Jesus.

The family who makes their home a kingdom outpost in the neighborhood.

The believer who by the life, their service, and their courage bring friends and family to know Jesus.

Those who fight evil by their life and by their words.

The elder who gets down in the blood and dirt and fights to bring one of his sheep back into the fold.

The prayer warrior. 

The Christian who reads their Bible every day to hear a word from God.

The believer who stands against the popular tide of culture.

Warriors of faith and courage.

They are all around me.  And around you.

And their deeds and faith will be celebrated forever around the throne of God.

So be a hero today.

I have a lot of talk recently about red letter Bibles.  These are the Bibles that have the words of Jesus in red.  That way is easier to see what Jesus said.  So you assign high value and priority to what you see in red letters in your Bible. 

So here are a few thoughts.

I do think it is right and appropriate to put high value on what Jesus said.  After all, he is my Savior and the only way to God.  But I also think it is really important to pay attention to what Jesus did.  And to what the early church did. 

Which reminds me that for as long as I have been involved in churches and Bible study there have been different emphasis on what to study from the Bible.

Growing up in churches of Christ years ago, there were Old Testament stories and stories of Jesus told in early Bible school.  But by the teenage years, there was a lot of emphasis on the book of Acts.  It was as if that was the most important part of the Bible. 

Then came the period when New Testament letters were the big point of emphasis.  Especially the Pauline letters. 

And after that, the gospels.  I was one of those younger preachers that thought it was really good to preach thru a whole gospel in one year.  But I remember being a little uneasy that some of my friends almost looked down on anyone who preached from Acts or the letters. 

Not to long ago, it was as if we rediscovered the Old Testament.  Lots of reading and preaching from the prophets.  Renewed emphasis on the nature of God.  Now I hear people speak as if the Old Testament is so done away with it that it is of no value.

And now the hot thing is the red letter words of Jesus.

In a few years I suspect we will rediscover Acts.

But here's the thing...

All Scripture is inspired.  It is all valuable.  We should not neglect any of it.  And do not think that the Bible disagrees with itself.  The Old Testament is not in opposition to the new.  Paul and Jesus are not in conflict.

Be careful of anyone who would say they choose Jesus words over Paul's writings.  As if one is right and the other wrong. 

The Holy Spirit was not confused when he inspired the Bible.  He did not get some of it wrong.

Read it all.  Study all of it. 

Personally, I like the words of Jesus.  More enthralled with what he did.  Love Acts.  It is inspiring.  Learn so much from the letters in the New Testament.  Wish I knew more of the Old.  Sure learn a lot about God and his people from it.

So I think it all fits together.  I thing it is a story of God and his love.  I believe it is the word of God.  All of it.  If it is in Scripture, it is truth. 

So thanks God for giving us your Word.  Keeps me from deciding what God should have said.  Or what I wish He had said.  Or what I want Him to say.

 

We are at war with the forces of evil.  And Christians are never going to be at home in the culture and kingdoms of this world.

Our belief in God, Jesus, marriage, politics, authority, self-denial, and unwavering commitment to being like Jesus are at odds with the belief system of the world.  Our conviction about loving others as ourselves doesn't fit in a me-first world.  And to top it off, we want everyone else to join us.

The world says all sorts of bad things about us.  Sometimes you will even hear it from co-workers, friends, classmates, or family.

Unloving.  Because we do not believe everyone can live any way they choose, we are attacked as unloving.  Wrong.  But let's be sure we give no ammunition to the enemy.  Treat people as Jesus did.  Serve people.  They may not like, or even hate, your belief system.  Do not attack non-believers.  After all, why would they live differently?  But we do.  And we do have a call to live as those who love God and our neighbors.  So be sure those that know you see you being the good neighbor to everyone you meet.  Love in action.

Judgmental.  We are told we are judgmental because we believe Christians live to certain standards and we condemn anyone that does not agree with us.  Not so.  But we must be sure we have a basis for our convictions.  The Bible matters.  We must not arbitrarily choose what Christians believe and practice.  Do not hold up the church as the standard.  And certainly do not hold up your political beliefs as the standard.  Be able to use Scripture as the basis for your convictions, and do not pick and choose what you teach.  The world may not agree but you have a solid basis. 

Hypocritical.  We are told that we that we do not live up to the convictions we proclaim.  Nope.  But again, let's not give ammo to the enemy.  We must be constantly becoming more like Jesus.  Let the Holy Spirit put to death that which is evil within us.  So we are not perfect.  But we do repent and part of our repentance is to change. 

So treat people well.  Stand on Scripture.  Be more like your Master.

Let the world say what they will. 

Do not be afraid.  Be strong and courageous.

Live Jesus.

Make more disciples.

We are at war with the powers of evil.

And we will win.

Into the battle.