Tim Tebow

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¹⁰ Blessed are those who are persecuted for righteousness’ sake,

For theirs is the kingdom of heaven.

 ¹¹ “Blessed are you when they revile and persecute you, and say all kinds of evil against you falsely for My sake. ¹² Rejoice and be exceedingly glad, for great is your reward in heaven, for so they persecuted the prophets who were before you. (Matthew 5:10-11 NKJV)

Last week I saw a cartoon in the local newspaper which offended me. The cartoon had the devil standing dressed in a football uniform with 666 on his back. He was standing over a man lying on his back. I suppose this person was Tim Tebow. His jersey had the letter “T” in the shape of a cross and the number 3:16 to its side.  The cartoon was sending the message that the devil had victory in this instance. I hate seeing the world making a mockery of us believers in Christ and of Jesus Himself. We all know Jesus has already defeated the Satan 2,000 years ago on the cross. The Denver Broncos and Tim Tebow may have lost a football game, but it is just that, a football game. This is not a victory for Satan.

Concerning football, I only casually watch the Arizona Cardinals, a few of the playoff games and the Super Bowl. As a result, I have not followed the Tim Tebow thing all that much, but it is my understanding that he is not afraid to proclaim the name of Jesus. This we all know, the enemy does not want the gospel going forth, for he knows “faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God.” The devil will do whatever he can to discourage us from speaking of Jesus. He also desires silencing those who spread the gospel. Let us all not be afraid allowing the enemy to stop us from speaking of Jesus. We must remember “…He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.” (1 John 4:4b) We are in a much bigger battle than any ole football game, peoples eternal souls are at stake.

My message today can be summed up in the following:

And let us not grow weary while doing good, for in due season we shall reap if we do not lose heart. (Galatians 6:9 NKJV)

First Things First

 ¹ Give ear to my words, O LORD,
    Consider my meditation.
 ² Give heed to the voice of my cry,
   My King and my God,
   For to You I will pray.
 ³ My voice You shall hear in the morning, O LORD;
    In the morning I will direct it to You,
    And I will look up. 

    (Psalm 5:1-3 NKJV)

Yes I know, there are many times one might wake up in the morning running. We live busy lives, but there is something special about meeting with God first thing in the morning. I find there is a sweetness and peace when I turn to the Lord first thing in the morning. However, when I am off to the races before my time with God, something is amiss. It is like going into battle with no armor.

Integrity or Dishonesty

Photo Credit: Waterfalls Wallpaper

 

He who walks with integrity walks securely,
      But he who perverts his ways will become known. 

Proverb 10:9 NKJV [emphasis added]

I remember as a child one day I broke something then hid it, so my parents would not know. Of course, they found the broken item and inquired with me about it. Thinking I would be in trouble, I replied, “My sisters broke it and hid it.” My parent believing what I told them was truth, disciplined my sisters. Not long afterward Mom and Dad found out the truth. I tell you I received the worst spanking I ever got for that one. Of course, my sisters were not too happy with me either. It was not me breaking this thing which brought discipline, but my dishonesty. My incident here is a perfect example for Proverb 10:9. I perverted my way and I was found out. If I was honest to begin with, all would have been well. No punishment, no upset sisters. My parents would have respected my honesty.

Integrity, See the definition from Dictionary.com below:

in·teg·ri·ty [in-teg-ri-tee]

noun

1. adherence to moral and ethical principles; soundness of moral character; honesty.

2. the state of being whole, entire, or undiminished: to preserve the integrity of the empire.

3. a sound, unimpaired, or perfect condition: the integrity of a ship's hull.

Origin:
1400–50; late Middle English integrite  < Latin integritās. See integer, -ity

Synonyms
1.  rectitude, probity, virtue. See honor.

Antonyms
1.  dishonesty.  
Integrity. (n.d.). Dictionary.com Unabridged. Retrieved January 03, 2012, from Dictionary.com website: http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/Integrity [emphasis added]

A part of the definition for “integrity” is “honesty.” That is, speaking the truth and being who you say you are. In our fallen, sinful state, the temptation is strong to avoid the consequences for our actions. We want to cover up our transgressions through dishonesty. Sometimes we seek gain through dishonesty. However, how does this affect our relationships with other people? We lose peoples trust. We may even become a suspect at times even when we are innocent.

How does dishonesty affect our relationship with God? We are to worship God in “spirit and truth.” How can we worship God in spirit and truth when we are dishonest? We pray, and our prayers just bounce off the ceiling. Maybe we do not pray at all. Then we lose that precious communion with God.

How does dishonesty affect our relationship with ourselves? Oh yes we can be dishonest with ourselves. Maybe we have a drinking or anger problem we refuse to admit and continue on without seeking help. This may not only hurt ourselves, but also harm people dear to us.

Just something to think about, one act of dishonesty may cause others to lose their trust in you. Is dishonesty worth it? There will be a price to pay.