June 18, 2013 by ifightforgod
Read 1 Corinthians 3:10-15
You are the quarterback of a football team. Let’s call it Team Jesus.
Your coach: God. He calls the shots. He formulates the plays. He encourages you and supports the players on the field.
Next we have Jesus, standing in front of you, forming the offensive line. He blocks the attacks of the other team or in this case, the enemy. You are playing against the evil one, Team Evil. When the evil one has the ball, he entices you to come to his side; wants you to think that his team is the winning team. But Jesus separates you from the evil one. He protects you from temptation and the enticing calls of the evil one.
The Holy Spirit constitutes the other players. The Holy Spirit backs you up, supports and encourages you. The Spirit helps to bring guidance and to help you make the right decisions.
So now you have a team, a position and team mates. As the quarterback, you make the plays. You can decide to follow the plays that God recommends and has laid out for you or you can go your own way. But here’s the deal: if you decide that your decisions are better than the one true coach, God, well your own decisions could lead to a bad relationship between player and coach. If this occurs, you could be traded to the evil one’s team. Therefore, you need to work hard to maintain a good working, positive relationship between you and God. Relationships take work. Winning the game takes work. Don’t let the evil one get a grasp on the ball.
Further, the crowd is a swaying factor. You can let them encourage you as you strive for a win on Team Jesus. You can play the game for them. In essence, you can serve and put others first. Yet, if you let the cheering that’s meant to encourage become pride and an over abundance of self-confidence, the evil one starts winning the game again. In another instance, the crowd can be cheering for the other team, and encouraging the actions of the evil one. If we keep company such as this, we are at risk of being swayed over to the other side. Let the company you keep strengthen your faith.
Do not be misled: “Bad company corrupts good character.” ~ 1 Corinthians 15:33
If we let God lay the foundation, we are a winning team. You and God. If we let others falsely build on the foundation, we start to stumble, and the foundation isn’t as strong as it should be.
For no one can lay any foundation other than the one already laid, which is Jesus Christ. ~ 1 Corinthians 3:11
In summary, the rules of the game ares:
One: we need to decide which team we are playing for and stick with it.
Two: we need to keep working at our relationship with God.
Three: we need to decide on the swaying factor of the company we keep.
Four: we need to consciously decide to live third putting God first, others second, self third.
Five: we need to be aware of the evil one’s schemes and make every effort to avoid developing a relationship with him instead
After all, that’s what the game of life is all about!
http://truewarriorsofgod.wordpress.com/2013/06/18/the-playing-field/