FAITH ON THE BIGGEST STAGE

“Everyone who competes in the games goes into strict training. They do it to get a crown that will not last, but we do it to get a crown that will last forever.”  (1 Corinthians 9:25)

The Super Bowl is one of the most-watched events in the world. Millions tune in. Players train for years. Coaches strategize. Fans cheer. And for one team, the night ends with confetti, a trophy, and a moment they’ll remember forever.

But even the greatest victory on the field eventually fades. The trophy gathers dust. The cheers die down. The spotlight moves on.

Paul understood this when he wrote to the Corinthians. He pointed to athletes who discipline themselves for a prize that doesn’t last -- then reminded believers that our prize is eternal.

The world celebrates temporary victories. Heaven celebrates transformed lives.

The Super Bowl is a reminder that preparation matters, discipline matters, teamwork matters  -- but it also reminds us that earthly glory is fleeting. The real victory is living a life secured in Christ, running the race with perseverance, and keeping our eyes fixed on the One who never fades from view.

Faith doesn’t promise an easy game. But it promises a faithful Coach, a powerful Spirit, a supportive Church, and a Victory in Jesus that cannot be taken away.

The Super Bowl may crown a champion for a night, but faith crowns a victor for a lifetime. The field fades, the cheers quiet, but the life centered in Christ plays for a glory that never ends. 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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SETTING THE THERMOSTAT

“Set your mind on things above, not on earthly things.” (Colossians 3:2)

John Milton wrote in his epic poem “Paradise Lost” that “The mind is its own place, and in itself can make a heaven of hell, a hell of heaven.”

Setting your mind is like setting a thermostat.  It is creating a target for the climate.  Once you set a thermostat, the heating and air-conditioning will have to adjust in relation to the weather.  It is a constant process, but the goal is for the system to create a life-giving climate.  So too it is with our minds.  Many people try to tell themselves to stop thinking negative thoughts -- which immediately brings to mind the very thoughts they are supposed to stop thinking.

“Those who live in accordance with the Spirit have their minds set on what the Spirit desires.” (Romans 8:5)

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable -- if anything is excellent or praiseworthy -- think about such things.”  (Philippians 4:8)

-- John Ortberg in “The Me I Want To Be” 

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DO YOU LOVE TO WORRY?

Jesus told His disciples, “So do not worry, saying, ‘What shall we eat?’ or ‘What shall we drink?’ or ‘What shall we wear?’ For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them. But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well. Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own.”  (Matthew 6:31-34 NIV)

Nobody loves to worry any more than anyone loves to pay taxes or have a root canal or host their in-laws for a week. But those things need to be done, so we do them. Maybe the real question is, do we love our stuff more than we do everything else, especially worry?

When we lean into our troubles instead of God, worry replaces worship; in effect, we’re saying, “God, I don’t think You’ve got this.” We would rather trust our worry than His strength and provision. Worry impacts our witness: Who wants to listen to Christians who think their God isn’t big enough to handle every problem?

Worry is a warning -- a yellow light telling you that a choice is coming up fast. Choice one: take your worry and turn your concerns over to God, trusting Him to help you get through them. Or choice two: take your worry as a badge of honor, bravery in the face of God’s apparent abandonment -- a sign that you care more about your problems than God does.

Worry is a sign that you’re paying attention, that you care about what’s going on. That’s good. But if you hang on to that worry, you risk making it an idol. So really, who do you love more, worry or God? 

-- Quentin Guy in “The 5-Minute Bible Study for Men: Pursuing God”

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OVERFLOWING GRACE

“And the grace of our Lord overflowed for me with the faith and love that are in Christ Jesus.”  (1 Timothy 1:14 ESV)

In his first letter to Timothy, Paul doesn’t say God’s grace arrived, or helped, or even covered him. He says it overflowed.

Overflowing grace is not measured, cautious, or reserved. It is not God giving us “just enough” to get by. It is abundance. It is excess. It is God pouring Himself out in such a way that the container of our lives simply cannot hold it.

Paul writes these words as a man who knew his own failures intimately -- persecutor, blasphemer, violent opponent of the gospel. Yet he becomes the one who proclaims grace as a flood that sweeps away guilt, shame, and the old identity.

Grace doesn’t drip into our lives -- grace rushes in. Grace doesn’t stop at a full cup -- grace spills over. Grace doesn’t simply refresh -- grace renews, remakes, and overflows.

And when grace overflows, it doesn’t just change us. It spills into the lives around us -- into our families, our churches, our schools, our workplaces, our communities. Overflowing grace becomes a river that carries hope to dry places and a drink to parched souls. 

Let grace define your past. You are not who you were. God’s grace has already rewritten your story. Let grace sustain your present. You don’t have to earn what God freely gives. Let grace shape your future. God’s overflow means there is always more -- more mercy, more strength, more love – for you and for others through you.

Where is God inviting you to stop living on “just enough” and start trusting His overflow? 

-- SOUND BITES Ministry™

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A HEALTHY ENVIRONMENT FOR FLOURISHING

“They devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching and to fellowship, to the breaking of bread and to prayer.”  (Acts 2:42 NIV)

We live in an increasingly fragmented and disconnected world. Though social media and other technology have made our world seemingly more connected, people have fewer genuine friends than ever before. It feels scary and threatening to allow ourselves to be known or to invest in knowing someone else at a deep level. It is much easier and more convenient to stay on the surface. Yet when we take the risk of being authentic with a small group of people, we can experience God's grace and love coming through others, which leads to freedom and transformation.

John Ortberg writes: "God uses people to form people. That is why what happens between you and another person is never merely human-to-human interaction -- the Spirit longs to be powerfully at work in every encounter." So the goal of small groups is to create environments where Spirit-driven, life-giving experiences can flourish. While the type of group or study can help promote a positive environment, the real things that promote a healthy environment for flourishing are prayer, support, service, confession, worship, accountability, conflict resolution, social gatherings, and simply doing life together. Regardless of the specific guidelines a church may have in their small-group ministry, its objective ultimately is to help people engage in relationships that help them become more like Christ. Spend time building an environment that allows true relationships to flourish. 

-- Excerpted from an article called “Making a Case for Small Groups” by Carolyn Taketa

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