Super Bowl 2013

By Elaine James –

This is it! Huddle up! The biggest sports event viewed in the year. All the tailgating, home, bars and restaurant parties are in full planning mode. Everyone excited and rooting for their team.

All this hype! It is incredible what time is put into the biggest sporting event of the year.

The New Year is in full swing with each of us making resolutions, goals, dreams, projecting and forecasting for the year.

My mind (emphasis added) shifts to the last days of Jesus life. The disciples were unsure of Jesus’ last play! The Super Bowl can be likened to the Last Supper. Jesus worked hard to get there. With the same passion as a NFL player, Jesus is at the top of His game. How far would a player go to win the game? To win, Jesus went as far as His death on the cross.

In this New Year I look for things that I can tackle so I can be in control. How can I get my head in the game (pun intended) of life for this New Year? Let’s huddle together, call out the play and move out to our positions.

Where is your position? Right here, right now, what is your game plan? Where is your play book (the Bible)? Are you looking at the plays from a distance, saying “Yea, yea, I’ll get to it and read it?” But you never quite find the time.

I liken this New Year to this epic football game. I have to laugh! My friend kiddingly says his motto is “Football, the greatest game ever!”

My own motto for Jesus is this: “The cross, the greatest act of love ever!” It’s true. For God so loved you, He gave His life.

Many give back to the game by going to the games, rooting for their favorite players or buying all the merchandise. The fans have overwhelming passion as they cheer “We have to win.” I’ve even heard many fans yell “I LOVE THIS GAME!”

In the New Year ask yourself “Are you willing to love Jesus back?” Shout for joy “I love you Jesus!” May God bless our stadiums (churches) with a great cheering section for 2013.

“Bravo, GOD, Bravo! Everyone join in the great shout: Encore! In awe before the beauty, in awe before the might” (Psalm 96:7 MSG).

“Once and For All”

By Elaine James –

“-we will find out who rules the land!” shouted out Matthew Perry in his new sitcom called Go On. Matthew Perry’s character Ryan King, a supposedly famous sportscaster, is in a small therapy group where he is trying to deal with the death of his wife. He decides to take over the group, stating, “Be honest when you sit here listening to someone else’s problems, you may smile and nod but a big part of you is thinking ‘My thing is worse than your thing. Am I right?’” They all nod in agreement.

With that reality in mind, Ryan calls their challenge March Sadness and he creates a competition. He blurts out, “We’re all going to go head to head. You have five seconds to tell your sob stories. Winners advance. We go a couple of rounds and we know once and for all who rules the land.”

The New Year was just celebrated and life will go on. But how do we go on? Another year of…(name your complaint.) There are many tragic “sob stories” in the Bible. One caught my eye as an example of how we can learn to “go on.”

King Nebuchadnezzar obtained high status and power as a king. He saw Daniel’s God rescue Shadrach, Meshach and Abednego from the fiery furnace, but the truth of how great their God is faded and he continued to rule the land.

He commissioned Daniel to interpret a dream. Daniel interpreted it this way: “The command to leave the stump of the tree with its roots means that your kingdom will be restored to you when you acknowledge that Heaven rules.” It took Nebuchadnezzar seven years to acknowledge “Heaven Rules.”

In the television series Go On, Ryan tries to make light of life disasters by awarding a person as ruler of the land if they can prove their problems were the worst, but offers no solution on how to actually ‘Go On.’

No one likes pain. To go on, Nebuchadnezzar had to acknowledge that Heaven does indeed rule. The popular sitcom hits on the funny parody of life struggles. This was truly worth the laugh.

But the truth is that ‘Going On’ requires Jesus.

PRAYER: Father I have some sob stories. I want to go on and get past the pain and live as You ask me to live. You ask me to “Rejoice in the Lord always, again I say rejoice.” Help me to get back to You and be grateful in all things. In Jesus name I pray.

Hokey Pokey-Defrosted

By Elaine James –

This week I took a frozen turkey and put it in the refrigerator to defrost. I realized how that was very similar to what had happened to my brain recently. It took three days to defrost both the turkey and my brain.

My frozen lips could only come out with “Help me!” That heart cry started a God-brain-defrost.

God appears to be in the refrigeration business. Relief came slowly, like the defrosting of a turkey. I was becoming aware that my brain had been hardening from my daily devotions. My spiritual intake appears to not have been enough. I was rationalizing and reasoning about how much reading of the Bible I needed, since I can quote New Testament stories in my head.

My brain freeze stated, “I know that story and I don’t need to read it.” My brain being frozen tried a new tactic avowing, “Once you start reading you won’t have enough time for the rest of your schedule.” My hurry up and do something response was winning over spending time reading the word.

But a freezer alert light came on in my brain! God got out His tools and began to help me be aware of how I needed to dismiss all of the arguments. First tool of choice; reading, John 15-17.

I melted! I can’t explain the phenomenon of God’s word. Simply put by God “Don’t question it, it defrosts.” The passion story and last words of Christ gave me strength.

You know when you get a brain freeze and it hurts? After it defrosts, you get hungry again. After this, I had a renewed hunger for God’s word.

Funny! I am hearing in my head the song Hokey Pokey. You put your whole head in, you put your whole head out, you put your whole head in and you shake it all about. You do the Hokey Pokey and turn yourself about. That’s what it’s all about!

“For I gave them the words you gave me and they accepted them. They knew with certainty that I came from you, and they believed that you sent me” (John 17:8).

Apparently, God helps defrost our brain so we can dance together!

My Prayer

By Elaine James –

“Lord, in the midst of not knowing what is going to come next, I want to know what to do. If I have the answers now, then there won’t be any hurt, pain or surprises involved. I don’t like when others say ‘Things are going to change. Boy, are you not going to be able to handle it!’

When my mom died it was a complete surprise. I got up that day getting ready for Christian camp. I was full of energy praying for the students and the camp. My mother’s health was poor. That day I prayed for her. I even wrote a note to my mom saying ‘I’ll spend time with you when I get back; I love you and will pray for you.’ I felt so confident about going to camp. Driving along about five hours away, my phone rang. I pulled over on the side of the road and answered the phone. My mom was gone.

Lord, You helped me drive to camp. A beautiful lady named Ruth took me in her arms. She loved me. Fed me. Stayed with me. She let me talk about my mom. She was the hands, feet and voice for You. I acknowledge your provision that day. Camp was the perfect place to be. You made things easier so I could deal with the situation.

When I got home I wept uncontrollably. I was saying ‘I can’t do this Lord. I can’t go see my mom with no life in her.’ I looked at my Bible. ‘You say this book gives life and peace.’ I read the words ‘Blessed are those who are mourning for they will be comforted.’

God, I sat and waited. ‘I can do all things through You who strengthens me!’ I can’t! But You can! I got through the next days. I love You. You are God alone. You are all knowing. You work all things together for me because You love me.

Lord, today I plead with You to barricade my mind with this truth. I want to be Your hands, feet and voice like Ruth was for me. Help me to stop doubting and have faith and trust You. I acknowledge Your sovereignty. Thank You for all that You have done and will do to help me. In Your mighty name. Amen.”

Friend, what do you want to say to God today?

Brain Freeze

By Elaine James –

Just getting out of my neighborhood to the bike trail was a nightmare. I had to get over the railroad tracks to the path. Two freight trains stopped dead on the tracks caused me to detour to the underpass. The sidewalk had wooden horses on it for repairs.

Are you kidding me? Maybe I should go back home.

I awoke this day with so much doubt about my days ahead. I just covered my head and did not even want to pray. I wanted to give up. Some days I lose my place and ask “Is God even with me? I feel all alone.” In my crackly morning voice I cried “Lord, help me.” Knowing how important exercise is for the mind, I mustered enough energy for the bike ride. On the reverse of my eight mile trek I was getting warm so I shoved my gloves in my pocket. I had been listening to a sermon on “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he. (Proverbs 29:18).”

Through the years I have sought the Lord for his vision for my life. I was beginning to believe that the revelation I received in the past was gone. The sermon was energizing me. I don’t have to receive this brain freeze saying I’m washed up! I grabbed for my gloves and discovered one to be gone. I stopped and knew that I had to turn back. It was a couple of miles since I shoved them in my pocket.

Seriously, I have to go back! Oh, I just went through the roughest part of the trail!

With determination I went back seeking that quality glove. I heard God speak “You’re going back for the glove. Go back over my revelation I have given you with the same determination. You don’t want to lose the glove. You should not lose Me either. Sometimes you have to go back over the hard part of your life. Things are not always easy. You have to work for them. But on My path I bring you joy; strength in the midst. If you follow another plan you lose your joy and you feel as if you’re perishing.”

I found my glove, got through the rough patch and obeyed My Lord. As for my brain; it defrosted.

PRAYER: Father in heaven I feel lack of passion and vision in my life. Help! I need to hear from You.

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