Inches and Seconds

            In last summer’s Olympic Games, viewers were reminded that Roger Bannister was the first man to break the "four minute mile." Bannister ran less than 1% faster than anyone else had ever done.  Just a second or two made a difference.

            Many call football "a game of inches".  The referee’s spot of the ball can be the difference between a first down and the opposition receiving possession. Possession can mean the difference between victory and defeat. A few inches can make a difference.

            Little things make a difference.

            One of the biblical words we translate as “sin” can also be translated as "missing the mark.” We may be barely off God’s standard of holiness, but we are off. We gave righteousness a shot, and we missed. When it comes to the holiness of God, little things make a difference.

            No wonder we need a Savior.

What Is A Saint?

               A little boy was once asked what a saint was. Thinking about the stained-glass windows in the cathedral, he replied, “A saint is someone whom the light shines through.” That’s probably a pretty good description.

            We sing a song, “This little light of Mine, I’m going to let it shine.” Let's let the light of the Son shine through us.

The Bad Thing About Lust

            Actually, there are probably a lot of bad things about lust. But the following, according to one practical book, is one:

            Lust treats people like football players treat a football in a ball game. How does a running back treat a football?            

            He cradles it; he cuddles it; he risks life and limb to take that ball to the goal line. But once that football crosses the goal line and he scores a touchdown, what does he do? He will spike it. He'll pound it to the ground; he'll dance around proclaim his conquest. Finally, when the game is over, he will ignore it.

            The purpose has been served. It has simply been an object to accomplish a goal. If you have been the object of someone's lust, you know how demeaning it feels.

            Make no mistake; it is the lust in the heart that drives one to dehumanize people. Maybe that is one reason Jesus said,  “You have heard the commandment that says, ‘You must not commit adultery.’ But I say, anyone who even looks at a woman with lust has already committed adultery with her in his heart (Mt. 5:27-28.) NLT

Source: THE 7 SINS OF HIGHLY DEFECTIVE PEOPLE by Rick Ezell

The Switchyard and Purity

            There was a large railroad switchyard in St. Louis, Missouri. One switch, which commenced with a slender piece of steel, headed a train from one main track onto another.

            The first track, if followed, would have taken the train to New York City. The other track took the train to San Francisco.           

            The thoughts we choose are like that. The choice we make concerning potential thoughts may seem insignificant (like a slender piece of steel seems insignificant). However, one “train of thought” could lead us to purity; another could lead us down the track of impurity.

            Carefully guard your thoughts 
because they are the source of true life (Prov. 4:23.) CEV

Source: THE 7 SINS OF HIGHLY DEFECTIVE PEOPLE by Rick Ezell

The Bank Robber

            Christians have the potential to cause either great harm or great good to the cause of the Lord with their moral lives. Stuart Briscoe tells a story about an episode that took place when he was in the banking business in England.

            An investigation revealed that a coworker had embezzled a tremendous amount of money from the bank. His excuse was that he was living a double life and that it was too expensive.

            He had two wives, two homes, and two families. He apologized profusely, adding, “I am very sorry for what I have done; now I need to know whether I should fill my preaching commitments on Sunday in a local church.” (I think I would've been tempted to ask him, “Both churches?”)

           Our witness can be destroyed by the way we live our lives.

SOURCE: DEUTERONOMY by Doug McIntosh

How Saints Behave

Do this because you are a people set apart as holy to God, your God. God, your God, chose you out of all the people on Earth for himself as a cherished, personal treasure (Deut. 7:6) THE MESSAGE

         Bernard Schneider writes of a mother whose family had heard him preach a sermon in which he stated, “If you are saved, you are a saint right now.”

            A few days later, the mother heard her two children arguing. The 11-year-old daughter claimed she was a saint. Her 10-year-old brother argued then she was not a saint at all.

            Finally, the girl appealed to her mother, and the mother agreed that she was indeed a saint. In triumph the girl turned her brother and announced, “See, I am a saint.”             Unfortunately, to express her disdain toward her brother, she emphasized her victory by sticking out her tongue at him. Obviously, she did not project a “saintly” appearance at that moment.            

            God has always desired for his people to act like him. Anytime we do not, we undercut the reality of our position—sainthood. Have you “stuck your tongue” out at anyone lately?

Standards

              As the father of a boy, I appreciate the old joke about a father, who was trying to motivate his young son to be more studious. One day, he told his boy, “Son, did you know when Lincoln was your age, he would study books by firelight?”

             “That’s great, dad,” the boy replied as he pondered that image. “Dad?”

            “Yes, son.”

            “When he was your age, wasn’t he president?”

            While we should hold high standards, let us maintain a spirit of humility.

Honor, or No?

            This week’s SPORTS ILLUSTRATED cover story focuses on the amount of athletes in college football, who have criminal records. Hint: the number is a large one.

            This week, Brigham Young University suspended the leading rebounder of their men’s basketball team—Brandon Davies—for violating the honor code. This was in spite of the fact BYU was one of the favorites for the NCAA Tournament, which begins in a couple of weeks.

            Moreover, word has filtered out that one of the reasons the PAC—10 has rejected BYU was because several schools within the conference considered BYU to be too “rigid.” (One example: school policy limits BYU from playing athletic contests on Sunday.)

            Question: Have the events of this week made BYU look commendable, or out of step with a rapidly changing culture?