Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you. Do not quench the Spirit. Do not despise prophecies, but test everything; hold fast what is good. Abstain from every form of evil. Now may the God of peace himself sanctify you completely, and may your whole spirit and soul and body be kept blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. He who calls you is faithful; he will surely do it. - 1 Thessalonians 5:16-24
The other morning my phone alerted me to a new message. When I checked the screen I saw the following message: "Bible – Update Available". Now even though I realized that I was being alerted to a digital update for my smart phone Bible application, it is what I heard later in the day that made me think twice about the alert.
As I traveled to work, the talk radio show I had tuned in was replaying an interview between talk show host Piers Morgan and Saddleback pastor Rick Warren. During the interview, Mr. Morgan made the following statement:
"…the Bible and the Constitution were well intentioned, but they are basically inherently flawed. Hence the need to amend it...it’s time for an amendment to the Bible."
How do you feel about this? How would you respond to such a challenge? Here is Pastor Warren’s response:
"Not a chance. What I believe is flawed is human opinion because it constantly changes. In fact, we do it every eight years in America. We have a change in opinion, what was hot is now not. And I willingly admit that I base my worldview on the Bible, which I believe is true, and truth – my definition of truth is if it’s new, it’s not true. If it was true 1,000 years ago, it’ll be true 1,000 years from today. Opinion changes, but truth doesn’t."
As athletes and coaches we realize that although the game is constantly changing, we must hold true to certain truths, ...certain basics that never change. No matter how we update our style of play, incorporating the basics is crucial to our success. So as we continue our spiritual journey with God, remember that it is not the Word of God that needs updating.
In Paul’s letter to Thessalonica, he gives us an outline to UPDATE our personal journey while remaining true to the basics:
U – Urge God to make your path clear
P – Pray without ceasing
D – Desire what is good
A – Abstain from every form of evil
T – Thank God by choice, not by chance
E – Embrace the move of the Spirit
Next time your screen displays "Update Available", take it as a clue to spend some time to UPDATE your relationship with the Christ, who is the Way, the Truth and the Life.
- What area(s) of your relationship with God need(s) an UPDATE?
- As an athlete, how do you thank God when you play poorly?
Acts 16:25-26
2 Timothy 2:20-21
“Dear Lord, as the tide of public opinion swings, please give me the strength to hold strong to Your truth. Help me daily to be a prayer warrior, and to rejoice and give thanks by choice, not by chance. Help me to embrace Your Holy Spirit and guide me in righteousness. I thank You and praise You for the impact I will have on Your behalf. In Jesus' holy name, Amen.”