A SECOND CHANCE, AGAIN

Winning Edge Devotions Day 1

PSALM 51:10 Create in me a clean heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me. 11 Cast me not away from your presence, and take not your Holy Spirit from me. 12 Restore to me the joy of your salvation, and uphold me with a willing spirit.

It is hard to put into words how much I hurt when we lose. Sometimes, it is a playoff loss and we shed a lot of tears over a senior playing his last game. As a coach, I live with the emotions of winning and losing weekly. In sixteen years, I have tasted the highs of state championship wins and the devastation of last second losses.
In some strange way, these experiences are a blessing. I have had to learn about failure. I have to find a way to put the pain aside and keep moving. I have to learn how to keep loving my family and performing my duties.
I don’t find many people who deal a lot with failure. The parents at my school are very successful. As Americans, we love to win and have experienced success a lot more than failure. In 1999, I was coaching a team that experienced losing in a regular season game for the first time in four years. In 1998, that same team had a perfect season (15-0) to claim the State Championship!
At our team meeting the following Monday I told them, “If all the game of football had taught you was winning, then you missed out on one of its best lessons”. We have to learn how to lose. Coach Bear Bryant is often quoted as saying, “Show me a good loser and I’ll show you a loser.” And even though this quote gets a lot of laughs from the crowd, it hides a truth in life. We often lose, especially when it comes to really living life as God intended. I never want to like losing, in fact I hate it- but I better learn how to live with the reality that I am going to lose at times.
In Psalm 51, David had experienced devastating losses. In spite of historic wins and unprecedented success, David did the unthinkable. Not only did he commit adultery, but he also added deceit and murder to his dark thoughts and actions.
The entire Psalm outlines the spiraling cancer of sin and guilt. This proud champion had stopped depending on God and was slipping into unrelenting depression. After being confronted by Nathan, David realized his only hope- ‘I have to go to the Lord and cry for mercy’.
In spite of the intense feelings of failure, David reached out for his only hope. All he could offer was a broken heart. In tears and anguish, he humbly pleaded for a Savior!
Have you ever felt that broken? You had such good intentions and a great start, but once again you failed. You hear the voice of cynics telling you that you are a miserable failure. There may even be the voice of your enemy telling you that you will never win. Don’t give up! Cry out to the Lord and let Him get to work repairing all the brokenness and picking up the fragments of failure.
Our Lord is a God of new beginnings. He created the beauty of new mercies each morning and spoke the idea of forgiving seventy times seven! He wants to cleanse us and give us a new start. That includes…..today!
After a loss, you feel incredible depths of despair, but you have to get up. Christ will help you as you reach out to Him. He forgave David and He wants to restore you. There is an old saying, “It matters not if you try and fail and try and fail again. What matters is if you try and fail and fail to try again.” The day after a loss, I am up and ready to start working on a win.

Lord, I pray that for the next 30 days, You will show yourself as the God of New Beginnings. Help me experience the cleansing of grace and a willingness of spirit. These have to come from You, because I fell like such a loser. Teach me Your ways and give me Your heart!

Repost - Intelligent Design and the New Discrimination

I Wanted to Re-post this Blog in Reference to the new movie coming out called "Expelled" by Ben Stein. Read more about it at www.expelledthemovie.com

Original post Sept 14, 2007

Google “Intelligent Design” and you will see an amazing battle being fought today in the context of academic institutions. If you are a professor in most colleges and universities and even hint of a favorable attitude toward intelligent design and you will be blacklisted and viciously attacked by peers and media.

What is the problem? There is a world-view battle raging between Neo-Darwinists and Theists over the boundaries of science and what should be allowed in the context of debate.

Is it a fair fight? The answer is “NO”- the Darwinists pull a great sleight of hand in the debate. Their basic premise is that evolution is science and ID proponents are theologians. Evolution is good science while I.D.’s (or they like to call them “creationists”) lack any scientific credibility.

What is the trick? Well, evolution is not exactly what they purport it to be. No one debates micro-evolution. It is accepted and proven that species do successfully adapt to environmental changes. But that is where the science ends and “speculation” begins.

There is no consensus that “macro-evolution” is proven. Macro-evolution extrapolates the concept of micro-evolution in theorizing that , over time, these slight, successful variations produce new species.

So when Darwinists say evolution is science and intelligent design is not, it is an unfair comparison. Both materialists and theists accept evolution, but both differ as to what the universe is telling us about origin and diversity.

Is it random chance or intelligence? There is good and reasoned debate on both sides.

There needs to be a legitimate debate about the theories of origins and there needs to be respectful hearing of both sides.
Isn’t it ironic how history has flipped? The famous Scopes trial was about the unwillingness of conservative Christians to include evolutionary theory in the classroom. In the famous portrayal, Inherit the Wind (more drama that truth), the Christians are shown to be bigoted and mean. The hero is the lone science teacher who just wants a fair debate in the classroom.

Looking at the trail of fine scientists who have been villainized over mentioning design including denial of tenure and media attacks- the question is “Who are the bigots now?”.

Coach Bryant Memories

I was quoted in the Tennessean today regarding Coach Bryant- I pasted the article below-
Two corrections- I live in Franklin not Brentwood and I played 1982 through Spring of 85

"My senior year, after the season and while we were practicing to play Oklahoma in the Bluebonnet Bowl, I was over in the cafeteria at Bryant Hall eating lunch and the dorm director came over and said, 'Coach Bryant wants to talk to you on the phone.' I said, 'Oh no, what's this all about?' That's not good when he's calling you at lunch.

"I picked up the phone and he said, 'Let me ask you something Billy. After the bowl game, do you want to go out and play in the Hula Bowl out in Hawaii?' I said, 'Well, yes I guess I would.' He said, 'I'll go ahead and arrange that. Somebody called me the other day wanting to know if we had anybody that wanted to play in it.'

"What was so amazing was the power that he had. Somebody had called him and said, 'Coach Bryant, do you have somebody you want to send us to play in the Hula Bowl?' They only had spots for four defensive backs, and they trusted and respected (him) so much that they were willing to take whomever he sent out there. He could have sent a linebacker out there and said he's playing safety, they'd have never known.

"It was a phenomenal trip. I got out there and Archie Manning was the quarterback on my team (South) and Jim Plunkett was the quarterback of the other team along with Joe Theismann."

-- Bill Blair, Brentwood (Safety, 1968-70)

"Coach Bryant had made a deal with me to play football and baseball when I went (to Alabama). It was that as a freshman there was no baseball. As a sophomore, you can play until spring football practice starts, and as you move on we'll see how that works out.

"Well, starting into my senior year, I was slated to be the starting quarterback and I got a broken toe and Scott Hunter was progressing and coming along and started beating me out. We each played about half the time my senior year.

"Before that spring practice, I was supposed to be able to play baseball. (Coach Bryant) had a meeting with me one morning at about 6:30. Of course, anytime you get a call and they say, 'Coach Bryant wants to see you,' you don't sleep the night before.

"So I met him and he said, 'We've got this deal and I wanted to know if you still want to play baseball?' I said, 'Coach I'd really like to play if it doesn't jeopardize my position playing football.' He said, 'No, I gave my word on that. I just wanted to make sure because I'm getting ready to start making out the lineups.'

"I was feeling pretty good and I got up to walk out, and I was almost out of the room when he said, 'Oh, there's one more thing – you better win the damn conference.'

"Alabama hadn't won the SEC baseball championship in 40 years. So I spread what he had said around to the team and (baseball) Coach (Joe) Sewell and damned if we didn't win the conference that year (1968)."

-- Joe Kelley, Brentwood (Quarterback, 1966-68)

"My senior year (1969) we were ranked. We had just beaten Ole Miss 33-32.

"We came up here to play Vanderbilt and we wanted to score quick and (Coach Bryant) wanted to play everybody. Well, we got beat (14-10). In the dressing room afterward, of course, nobody took their helmet off or said a word.

"He used to wear a pair of hunting boots in the wintertime. He set one up on a bench, untied it and set it to the side, then untied the other. He picked up one of them and threw it at one of those big mesh fans.

"And then he started. He said, 'Let me tell y'all something. Tonight you embarrassed me, the state of Alabama, the university, your mother and daddy, your grandparents, your siblings. The only persons you didn't embarrass were yourselves.

"We're going to get on the bus, we're going to go back, and I'm going to find out who wants to play. I'm going to try to run every one of you off. And when I do, I'm going to go over to the university and I'm going to get some of those 150 pound kids that would give their life to play for Alabama. Now, we'll get beat next week (against Tennessee), but you better not bet against us the week after that.'

"Nobody opened their mouth.

"Also, I remember when we went down to Baton Rouge to play LSU (1967). Before the game you always got off the bus and walked around the field before you went into the field house. They had that Tiger in a cage right there at our dressing room where we came out.

"They would poke that Tiger and he'd roar and they had those microphones all throughout that stadium. It was real eerie.

"Coach Bryant walked out in front of us and everybody was uptight a little bit. He looked over at that Tiger and said, 'Hell, that damn Tiger's older than I am. I wouldn't be afraid to get in there and rassle him around.' It kind of broke the monotony up."

-- Hunter Husband, Nashville (Tailback and tight end, 1967-69)

"The thing that stands out to me about Coach Bryant was what he talked to us every day about was not really the Xs and Os of football, but it was about stuff like show your class, display good character, respect your parents, be nice to folks and raise your kids to do that and everything will work out okay.

"You hear more about the inspirational stuff and the motivation before the game and so forth. But he truly every day tried to prepare us for growing up and getting a job and getting fired, and your wife running off and your dog getting run over to be able to handle the things in life that you've got to handle to keep moving on."

-- Jim Bob Harris, Brentwood (Defensive back, 1978-81)

"I had the privilege of being with Coach Bryant his last season at Alabama. I have more special memories than I could ever recount.

"When he walked into the team room, everyone sat up straight and put both feet on the floor. I used to be amazed because he seemed so hard to listen to on TV with that raspy, deep growl, but in the meetings he was animated and you understood every word.

"He would read to us a lot. He liked little quotes and neat stories.

"He always preached kicking game first, defense second, and offense last.

"He always told us how we were going to win and we believed him.

"He loved playing and winning with class.

"The team was honorary pall bearers at his funeral. I will never forget that ride to Birmingham in a Greyhound bus behind his hearse. Every inch of Interstate 59 was covered with people, including the overpasses. They stood quietly and held signs. I fought back tears the whole way.

"Growing up idolizing Bear Bryant was not a bad thing, it changed my life.

"Getting to play for him for one season was something I never will forget.

"Has it been 25 years?"

-- Jay Mathews, Brentwood (Quarterback, 82-86)

"I got married in college and I had to get his blessing basically. This was my junior year. We had beaten Auburn and still had a chance to win the national championship.

"My brother (Gary) told me it was going to be hard because he got married when he was playing at Alabama, and I didn't think it was going to be nearly as hard as what it was.

"I went by his office about five times before I had the guts to walk in. When I told him I wanted to share some plans with him he said, 'All right.' I said, 'I plan on getting married the weekend after we play the Sugar Bowl.' He said, 'You're gonna do what?' I said, 'I plan on getting married.' He said, 'You know who we're playing?' And I said, 'Yes sir, we're playing Ohio State.' The way he said it, 'No, we're playing Woody Hayes, and I've never played that you know what, and my quarterback's getting married?'

"I immediately started thinking, 'Oh my gosh, he's going to tell me no.' Then he said, 'Let me ask you some questions. Do you love her?' I was like, 'Oh, yes sir,' and it ended up being fine.

"I've got a great picture after that game of him looking down at me at the press conference and he said, 'Nice wedding present, wasn't it son?'

"I ended up getting MVP of that game so I actually played well. But I was a nervous wreck before thinking, 'If I don't play well, Oh my goodness.'"

-- Jeff Rutledge, Phoenix (Quarterback, 1975-78)

Recovering One Day at a Time

Well, getting better- I actually did the elliptical trainer for 30 minutes yesterday and will have stitches out tomorrow!

But also my spirit is improving- the Lord is good!

Some of my most sincere prayers have been "HELP"

And the Father is good to hear and answer.

I hope I get off the floor in time to enjoy the beauty of Christmas!

This Time Left Knee

I am recovering from knee surgery for the 2nd time- I just read my posts in 2004 to remember the last time.
Wasn't major- torn meniscus and some arthritis- orthoscopic in and out.

I have a lot on my mind and a lot to pray for- I am hoping for a recovery of knee, body, and soul

One thing that I noticed immediately was the absence of the nagging pain that I had been limping around with since September-
I had gotten used to the pain- to not have it now is shockingly distinct.

I think we carry around pain a lot and it becomes 'normal' to us
So I am in the winter blues- but hopefully on the rebound

Lord, I need some healing help!

You're Blaming Me?

We are accepting questions from the audience in our Sunday School. Here is the latest one:

“All men are sinners. I fully believe that. But, what I don’t get is why we as Christians let God totally off the hook for that. Why? Seems like if we are God’s creation and 100% of us are sinful (Born that way), then there is a huge quality control issue. As the saying goes, ‘When they made you, they broke the mold, and then beat the mold maker. Why is God not at least partly responsible?”

Thanks for the question. This question comes up from time to time. “Why am I responsible if this how I am made? God, why did you make me this way?”

This is such a natural part of human reasoning that the apostle Paul addresses this exact topic in Romans, Chapter 9. I encourage you to read the entire chapter, but here is the excerpt on this question:

“14 What shall we say then? Is there injustice on God's part? By no means! 15 For he says to Moses, “I will have mercy on whom I have mercy, and I will have compassion on whom I have compassion.” 16 So then it depends not on human will or exertion, but on God, who has mercy. 17 For the Scripture says to Pharaoh, “For this very purpose I have raised you up, that I might show my power in you, and that my name might be proclaimed in all the earth.” 18 So then he has mercy on whomever he wills, and he hardens whomever he wills.

19 You will say to me then, “Why does he still find fault? For who can resist his will?” 20 But who are you, O man, to answer back to God? Will what is molded say to its molder, “Why have you made me like this?” 21 Has the potter no right over the clay, to make out of the same lump one vessel for honorable use and another for dishonorable use? 22 What if God, desiring to show his wrath and to make known his power, has endured with much patience vessels of wrath prepared for destruction, 23 in order to make known the riches of his glory for vessels of mercy, which he has prepared beforehand for glory— 24 even us whom he has called, not from the Jews only but also from the Gentiles?”

In addressing your question, you need to know that our concept of God, our understanding of His authority, our comprehension of His love and wrath, and the understanding of our sin is so far short of reality that we usually come up with incorrect presuppositions and conclusions in these matters.

The ultimate answer is that He is God. We have a hard time with this in our western culture and rugged, independent heritage. Cultures who have a King understand the sovereign rights of a ruler much better than we. In fact, it flies all over us to say, “He is King and can do as He wills”. Regardless of how we feel about that it is, nonetheless, true.

Is there a quality control issue with God? How do you control quality?
The Bible makes it very clear that things have gone wrong. Man was created perfect with a freedom of choice and man chose to serve the creature rather than the creator.

Most makers, it would seem, would then begin to smash and burn to correct the error.

But this maker is different, He loves His creation! He does not desire that any should perish.

He does the unthinkable; He becomes the piece of clay! He enters in, demonstrates the proper way to address the Creator and live for the Creator and then suffers the crushing penalty reserved for vessels of wrath. He then returns from the destruction to proclaim good news- “I offer restoration and forgiveness”.

This sacrifice now allows for the salvation of flawed creatures while, at the same time, still keeps perfect standards of quality and purity. There is now a way that the flawed creatures do not have to be destroyed!

Sadly, most of the creation, it seems, will not accept the correction. They still shake their fist at the maker. This is the great, uncorrectable flaw and rejecting the Son will heap up a fiery furnace of incredible wrath from the Maker. When we turn our backs on the good news, we are rejecting our only chance to survive inspection!

There is precise and perfect quality control from God. He will one day separate the flawed from the unflawed. Those stamped by the Son will be declared perfect. Those who resisted because of pride and sin will be discarded to their shame and misery.

At that point, the factory will once again be perfect to the glory of the Maker. Only now, the creation will see Him in a new light- not only our Maker, but also our sacrificial Lover! To Him Alone Be the Glory!

A final note- we are responsible for our sin.
One of the founders of Princeton, Archibald Alexander summed up judgment day like this:

“The things which shall be brought under the eye of the Judge, and exhibited to the view of the universe, are, all deeds done in the body — whatsoever a man hath done, whether good or bad. Every secret thing. "For God shall bring every work into judgment, with every secret thing, whether it be good, or whether it be evil." Ecclesiastes 12:14. Every idle word. "I say unto you, that every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give a account thereof in the day of judgment." Matthew 12:36. The thoughts of the heart shall also be made manifest. Every unholy desire; every proud, envious, or malicious thought; every secret purpose of iniquity; every unhallowed temper; every rebellious and discontented and ungrateful feeling towards God and his government, will be brought into judgment.
And the inquiry will extend not only to positive acts; but also to omissions of duty. Great as is the number of the acts of wickedness, the catalogue of omissions will be greater, and not less criminal. The first sin of this sort which will claim the attention of the Judge, will be the omission to entertain and cherish right sentiments towards God. No more heavy charge will be brought against any individual on that day, than that he neglected to love the Lord his God with all his heart, and soul, and mind, and strength. This is the total violation of the first and greatest command, and the fountain of all other iniquities. The neglect to believe on the Lord Jesus Christ when he was offered to us a complete Saviour in the gospel, will, to the unfruitful hearers of the word, be an accusation of the highest kind.
O reader, whoever thou art, let me entreat you to inquire without delay, whether you are prepared for the scrutiny and judgment of this coming day. Have you made you peace with God? Have you repented of all your sins? Are you in union with Christ by faith? Have you any clear scriptural evidence that your sins are pardoned? What says conscience to these inquiries? Be assured, if your own heart condemns you, God, who is greater than your heart, and knoweth all things, will much more condemn you. But your situation is not like that of them whose day of grace is ended. You are yet in the place of reconciliation. You have yet a little time before you — God only knows how much. Now, then, hear the voice of warning — hear the voice of mercy. Now "strive to enter in at the strait gate." Now forsake your sins, and live. Accept the offered grace — "lay hold on eternal life.’” (The Day of Judgment, Archibald Alexander)

Freedom and Sovereignty

“Where does free will and God’s sovereignty intersect?”

This is an issue all believers grapple with from time to time. Am I free or am I programmed? Is God fully in control or not in control? If everything is programmed, why work? Why pray? This issue becomes even more problematic when we see evil and suffering? How can a good God who is in control allow evil?

As we look at Scripture, we see truths that cannot be ignored. The Scripture makes frequent references to God’s sovereignty (it would be impossible to list all of those). But scripture also supports humans as volitional beings.

Dr. Robert Peterson at the latest Reformed Men’s Club listed four human freedoms in the Bible. There is ample Biblical support for these.

Freedom #1- Man in the Garden- Man was given responsibility and choice in the garden. This freedom is a beautiful gift that glorifies the Creator. This freedom also allowed the possibility (and I say probability) of evil entering it. Which it did.

Freedom #2- Man After the Fall- The Bible indicates that Adam’s sin was cursed and passed on to humanity. According to many places (Ephesians, for example) we are born dead in trespasses and sin. Our freedom now is a bondage. We are bound to sin. Isn’t it interesting that when we revel in our freedom and rebellion, we actually are chained? We cannot choose God because of our nature. We are inconsistent in good and evil choices.

Freedom #3- Man After Conversion- Once the Holy Spirit opens our eyes to our sin and the need of a Savior and respond to His call, we repent and put our faith in Christ. At that point, we have a new freedom, the ability to respond and serve the Creator. I John makes it clear that we are inconsistent in that new freedom. But we now have many helps to follow the path of sanctification.

Freedom #4- Man After Glorification- In heaven, it will all be clear and glorious. God allowed sin and evil to make salvation more glorious, the harder the struggle; the greater the victory. We will say with Joseph, “What was meant for evil, God meant for good.” We will no longer choose evil in light of the gloriousness of God. If sin never happened, we would not know God’s mercy. We would not see God’s sacrifice. We begin to see how truly great God is.

You may hate this answer, but the Bible indicates that God is sovereign and that man makes choices. Our choices do not undermine His plan. He even channels evil intentions to His holy purpose. The clearest example of this is the cross. The Roman soldiers freely chose to hammer the nails, God clearly decreed the exact moment and it was according to His plan put together before the foundation of the world.

This blows our mind. It makes God majestic and mysterious. It keeps us responsible for our choices and keeps us secure in His sovereignty. He is THE LORD!

What Surprises Me the Most About God

As I have been reading the Bible for over 25 years, there are some of God’s attributes that I have grown to love. I have to start with His compassion, love, and grace. My very breath and life is so grateful in that God forgives me. I am so far from His ways. The fact that I am an adopted son of the Savior is thrilling to me. I also admire His holiness, his omnipotence (space… His creation, by His word, wow), His omniscience… all of that is amazing and adored.

On top of that, though, there are some characteristics that have caught me off guard, but make me more appreciative of how He directs me. The fact that God is surprising should not be surprising. He is God and far beyond my ability to grasp.


Surprise #1- God Loves Competition

Our God is a warrior God who seems to relish competition. We pick up some of this in Job where God welcomes Satan’s challenge. We also see it in Revelation and OT references to battles. God is not removed from competition; He puts Himself right in the middle of the battle. We see it in more personal detail when He wrestles Jacob. Christ also shows incredible competitive ability against Satan, flipping the tables and enduring the cross. As a coach, this is encouraging as I seek to teach young men how to compete. Some Christians over the years have challenged me on this (“should Christian schools have football?”) and I have always believed that the natural tendency to shrink from a hard competition does not glorify the Lord. We must, at times, step up and compete! The main attribute missing is us in intensity.

Surprise #2- God Ordains Defeat as a Part of His Ultimate Glory

I hate losing. But I am convinced that God has ordained my defeat at times to show our opponents how we are supposed to be in the loss. I don’t think He favors us over other teams because we are a Christian school. There are believers at the other schools and sometimes a greater blessing is to lose. Who can understand the myriad of His purposes? When I pray, I ask for a win, but there are times when I know He has said ‘No’. It hurts, but I know I am to shake the opponent’s hand, offer congrats, and seek opportunities to still honor my Savior. These defeats teach us humility and keep us from loving the world. Dealing with pain is a part of the ministry of football. Undefeated seasons are special, but persevering in hard times may be more beneficial. It does not give us an excuse to not compete. These defeats go beyond football- Death, tragedy, broken relationships, betrayal, unfair treatment, are all channeled by Him in my life for my good and His glory.

Surprise #3 God Loves to Play the Hero- Showing Up When All Seems Lost

Is there anything more dramatic than a last second win or a comeback? The Lord is the king of comebacks! If history is “his story”, it is a story of awesome drama! The resurrection and many other great Bible stories are winning against all odds. Of course, the Lord is the ultimate hero with every quality admirable one could wish for! Those attributes are ingrained in us as we have His imprint on our hearts.

Our God is full of surprise- it is what will make eternity unbelievably exciting!

My Apologies?

Apologetics is the discipline that deals with a rational defense of Christian faith. It comes from the Greek word ‘apologia’ which means to give a reason or defense.

We are reminded of I Peter 3:15, which says, “in your hearts honor Christ the Lord as holy, always being prepared to make a defense to anyone who asks you for a reason for the hope that is in you; yet do it with gentleness and respect.”

One of the biggest issues in apologetics is the futility of reasoned arguments to non-believers. I Corinthians 2: 14 says, “ The natural person does not accept the things of the Spirit of God, for they are folly to him, and he is not able to understand them because they are spiritually discerned.”

Colossians 2:8 “See to it that no one takes you captive by philosophy and empty deceit, according to human tradition, according to the elemental spirits of the world, and not according to Christ.”

This leads us to some important foundations of defending our faith.

#1 The goal of a Biblical apologetic is not to win arguments, but be used of God to present the claims of Christ and His wonderful gospel. Evangelism and apologetics are very close.

#2 Reasoned arguments alone will not talk anyone into accepting the message of faith. We do offer answers for our hope, but we will not get discouraged if these answers are found to be unacceptable in the world’s eyes.

May the Lord of Glory open the eyes of your heart to His existence and His truth. In Him is life, true freedom, and peace!

Intelligent Design and the New Discrimination

Google “Intelligent Design” and you will see an amazing battle being fought today in the context of academic institutions. If you are a professor in most colleges and universities and even hint of a favorable attitude toward intelligent design and you will be blacklisted and viciously attacked by peers and media.

What is the problem? There is a world-view battle raging between Neo-Darwinists and Theists over the boundaries of science and what should be allowed in the context of debate.

Is it a fair fight? The answer is “NO”- the Darwinists pull a great sleight of hand in the debate. Their basic premise is that evolution is science and ID proponents are theologians. Evolution is good science while I.D.’s (or they like to call them “creationists”) lack any scientific credibility.

What is the trick? Well, evolution is not exactly what they purport it to be. No one debates micro-evolution. It is accepted and proven that species do successfully adapt to environmental changes. But that is where the science ends and “speculation” begins.

There is no consensus that “macro-evolution” is proven. Macro-evolution extrapolates the concept of micro-evolution in theorizing that , over time, these slight, successful variations produce new species.

So when Darwinists say evolution is science and intelligent design is not, it is an unfair comparison. Both materialists and theists accept evolution, but both differ as to what the universe is telling us about origin and diversity.

Is it random chance or intelligence? There is good and reasoned debate on both sides.

There needs to be a legitimate debate about the theories of origins and there needs to be respectful hearing of both sides.
Isn’t it ironic how history has flipped? The famous Scopes trial was about the unwillingness of conservative Christians to include evolutionary theory in the classroom. In the famous portrayal, Inherit the Wind (more drama that truth), the Christians are shown to be bigoted and mean. The hero is the lone science teacher who just wants a fair debate in the classroom.

Looking at the trail of fine scientists who have been villainized over mentioning design including denial of tenure and media attacks- the question is “Who are the bigots now?”.

Standing on the Promise Alone

“There can be no doubt whatsoever that all the troubles in the Church to-day, and most of the troubles in the world, are due to a departure from the authority of the Bible. And, alas, it was the Church herself that led in the so-called Higher Criticism that came from Germany just over a hundred years ago. Human philosophy took the place of revelation, man's opinions were exalted and Church leaders talked about 'the advance of knowledge and science', and 'the assured results' of such knowledge. The Bible then became a book just like any other book, out-of-date in certain respects, wrong in other respects, and so on. It was no longer a book on which you could rely implicitly.”
The Authority of Scripture - Martyn Lloyd-Jones


This past Sunday evening, we had the privilege of hearing from Dr. Robert Peterson, a distinguished Bible professor from Covenant Theological Seminary.

As I sat and listened to him, I was impressed with his precision perfect handling of the Word of God. He said what it said. He did not editorialize, he did not justify- he did no philosophical maneuvering.

He paused and allowed for questions. I raised my hand and asked a question that had popped in my mind during his discourse. He answered that the scriptures did not contain an answer to my question. I brought up that John Milton had thought about my subject and explored it in Paradise Lost. Dr. Peterson looked at me and said somewhat sternly, ‘Nice literature, but it is not God’s Word.” I took the criticism well.

We all tend to add things in the gaps where the God’s word is silent. Sometimes we feel a need to justify God or play philosophy over the “whys”. But Dr. Peterson is the most correct- Stand on the WORD! Let is say what it says. That is exactly what Jesus did when He was face to face with the Tempter.

Thank-you Dr. P- that was an admonishment I needed.

II Timothy 2:15 “Do your best to present yourself to God as one approved, a worker who has no need to be ashamed, rightly handling the word of truth.”
This Sunday we have a new room- we will meet in the choir practice room behind the sanctuary. Our topic will be “Sola Scrpitura” Scripture Alone. My prayer is that it will always be our only rule of faith and practice!

The Miracle of Death

My wife Lisa used a phrase last night that has left me stunned. I cannot get it off my mind. She said that she experienced her father’s death as a miracle. Miracle?

It can’t be a miracle can it? Death is an enemy. It is what we fight against and what we fear. It can encompass more pain and agony than life can seem to bear.

Birth is a miracle. Death is a disaster. Right?

She said to her it seems like birth is God exhaling life. He breathes the life giving force on the jar of clay.

As she was with her sweet dad, a hero of life and faith, she watched God…inhale.

He was absent from the body and present with the Lord. She said it was a miracle.

We had all prayed for his healing. He was diagnosed with cancer in 1998. We all were hurt. This man was a husband of 53 years, the father of 6 wonderful children, and 17 beautiful grandchildren.

God responded to our prayers with another 10 years. They were tough years, especially at the end. But they were special. Life is special, regardless of the toil.

Then, as an 81 year-old hero who fought death to the bitter end, it was time to move on. Our prayers were answered fully as he was now eternally healed! Oh the hurt! To love much is to hurt much.

My wife was blessed to be there. She watched God inhale. And His sweet breath translated this man of a deep faith in Christ into paradise. He was loved by Jesus and reunited with his spiritual family.

John 14:1 “Let not your hearts be troubled. Believe in God; believe also in me. 2 In my Father's house are many rooms. If it were not so, would I have told you that I go to prepare a place for you? 3 And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and will take you to myself, that where I am you may be also. 4 And you know the way to where I am going.” 5 Thomas said to him, “Lord, we do not know where you are going. How can we know the way?” 6 Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7 If you had known me, you would have known my Father also. From now on you do know him and have seen him.”

One day we will join them. Come quickly, Lord Jesus!

PERSEVERENCE

When God wants to drill a man,
And thrill a man,
And skill a man
To play the noblest part;
When He yearns with all His heart
To create so great and bold a man
That all the world shall be amazed,
Watch His methods, watch His ways!
How He ruthlessly perfects
Whom He royally elects!
How He hammers him and hurts him,
And with mighty blows converts him
Into trial shapes of clay which
Only God understands;
While his tortured heart is crying
And he lifts beseeching hands!
How He bends but never breaks
When his good He undertakes;
How He uses whom He chooses,
And with every purpose fuses him:
By every act induces him
To try his splendor out--
God knows what He's about.
--Author Unknown
Seeing the whole story from beginning to end gives ample evidence that God is great and that He is good.
But what about the middle? Think about those long, dark nights. Imagine all the hauntings and accusations Scott must have felt. Is God there? Does He care? Why don’t you answer me God? Am I being punished? HELP!

“God will not give us grace for our vain imaginings. It is when we are actually
in the time of trial that the grace is given.”
(Dr. Lane Adams, former pastor, Second Presbyterian Church in Memphis)

“If you want a comfortable religion, do not pick Christianity” CS Lewis, God in Dock

Aragorn in “Lord of the Rings”
"Hold your ground! Hold your ground my brothers,
I see in your eyes the same fear that would take the heart of me.
A day may come when the courage of men fails, when we forsake our friends and break all bonds of fellowship, but it is not this day.
An hour of wolves and shattered shields, when the age of men comes crashing down,
but it is not this day!
This day we fight!!"

NFL Hall of Fame

Did you see the National Football Hall of Fame enshrinement speeches? I know, I know… old men in yellow jackets, sweating profusely, and giving speeches is not a stop the channel surfing moment.

But I am always riveted by what these men say. These men represent the best of the best. They are the elite in a sport that requires a warrior like spirit and an incredible will to win. Most of these men play from 8 to 15 years in the league. I cannot imagine what that is like on the human body.

What they say is always inspiring. Hall of Famers have talent, but talent alone does not get you into Canton. These men have leadership skills and character. Here are quotes that are more common than rare:

Roger Wehrli (Cornerback, St Louis Cardianls)- “Finally, many of you know me as a man of faith. I believe that God has guided each and every move I've made. He's put the right people in the right places to bring me here, and I thank Him with all my heart for taking a little guy from a little town with little dreams and making me fit to wear the title of Hall of Famer.”

Bruce Matthews (Off. Line, Tenn Titans) I'd first like to say how honored and blessed I am to be here. If someone had told me when I was a kid that one day I would play in the NFL and let alone be inducted in the Pro Football Hall of Fame, I wouldn't have believed them. I consider it an honor and a privilege to be standing up here today, and I'd like to thank the Lord Jesus Christ for blessing me and my family so much…I've never been more aware of how much the Lord Jesus Christ has blessed me and loves me than at this very moment, and I want to thank Him again because that is where the credit is due. Thank you all for this amazing honor. Thank you.

Thurman Thomas (RB, Buffalo Bills) “To my wife Patti, what a design only God could have planned. I was a senior at Oklahoma State when I met a freshman golfer from Buffalo, New York. We dated my senior year. I got drafted to her hometown of Buffalo, New York. That's been almost 20 years. I sit here today and I say thank you, Patti, my friend, my wife, my mother, mother of my kids. It's been 20 years since we've been together, and I would like to take this time and this opportunity to let it be another 20 years we can spend together, but also with the plan of asking you, Will you marry me again? I love you.”

Rayfield Wright (2006 inductee, Dallas Cowboys) “First of all, I’d like to give praise and thanks to our father in heaven and through his son Jesus Christ that has given me the ability to play sports.”

If you read the transcript of the entire speeches, you will see that these are not token mentions.
These men have inspirational stories of family and faith.

The point: Jesus Christ makes a difference. He not only saves, He changes men. If you looked at Hall of Famers in all walks of life, you will see that Christ produces champions.

Let us allow Him to make champions out of us!

A Creed to Live By

The 2007 football seniors met for a leadership retreat at the beginning of the season. We worked through expectations, goals, and requirements for this season. In the six sessions, each senior was asked to consider what it meant to be a leader and a Biblical man.

One of our activities was to begin writing a CPA football creed. This was based on the inspiring “Commodore Creed” that Coach Bobby Johnson uses at Vanderbilt. We have challenged the seniors to work with the coaches to come up with a creed that expresses the special process of CPA football and include our Christian distinctive.

I split the seniors into three groups and made it a competition to see which group could come up with the best “creed”.

Here are some of their individual lines within the results:

“Alone you will fail, together we will succeed”

“We suffer together so that we can persevere together”

“Be bold to stand against culture”

“Train and play like a champion”

“Live with humility”

“Honor your brothers”

“Christ, Brothers, Soldiers”

The coaches and seniors will work on this throughout the season and present our results at the football banquet in January. I know this will be a great process and these seniors will write a great creed. They have Christ as their example and God’s word as the standard.

Football is a special game. The pressure of competition and the physical contact creates a need for “brothers”. The heat and humidity of tough two-a-days and the soreness of a body from intense hitting forges a relationship that is very hard to communicate. It is the hard work and sacrifice that makes “Friday Night Lights” a significant rite of passage for millions of young men in our culture every year.

I am also confident that this process will be more than words. These guys are writing a creed that they will live by.

My Creedo- FOOTBALL

I believe in football- a special gift from God.

It is more than a game. It is a mirror of my soul and a molder of men.

It has taught me that a team is better than a man.
That service is better than selfishness.
That sweat and tears and toil is the path to victory.
That respect is earned and “free and easy” is cheap.

One day my journey will end.
The “two – a – days” I hated will be gone.
The sound of contact will only be an echo.
The hours of weight lifting and running- no longer required.
No more film, no more practice, no more ice bags.

Gone too will be the glory-
The thrill of Friday night and heartbeat of anxious moments
Singing silly songs of victory in the locker room
Experiencing quiet pleasures of a job well done

But for everyday I breathe on this planet
I will never forget
That I am a Lion
My Savior is the King
And my brothers are with me every step along the way.

Soli Deo Gloria

John Wayne Speaks Truth

“Everyone wants to feel useful in this old world, To hit a lick for
what’s right and say a word against what’s wrong even if you get
walloped for saying that word. Now I may sound like a Bible
beater yelling up a revival at a river camp crossing meeting, but
that don’t change the truth none. You do the one or the other. You
do the one and you’re living, the other and you’re dead on your
feet.”
John Wayne, The Alamo

I have been thinking about this classic quote all week. Jo House did a nice job
of showing two things- culture has changed, but even the “oasis of
civilization” without Christ doesn’t solve the problem of sin.

Our HERO is even better than John Wayne. True grit on the cross and he rose
from the dead to boot.

How tough and tender was our Lord! Have you ever thought about the fact
that Jesus kept His scars? Those scars were proof of the battle He had
endured. We often want the easy road. But the hard road offers the greatest
rewards.

Football Time in Tennessee

Excited about the start of football 2007. We had a great Senior meeting this morning. I think this will be a special group.

I'm already praying for us to stay healthy.

I believe we will be successful- the question is...can we achieve our dreams?

It will come down to becoming a TEAM.

Two Weeks and Two Nights

Two tough weeks and two nights of insomnia highlight this restless Sunday morning. Week one shouldn't be labeled as tough, but it was. Amid the riotous fun of Panama City Beach, FL I had to mentally revisit a time of tremendous hurt to me. I don't want to go over the details right now, but a friend was taken from me in very suspicious circumstances that are still hard to fathom.

Week two was tough because my father-in-law is extremely ill and seems to be slowly fading. It is hard to see such a good man and family suffer this way. It also is a mirror of my own fragility.

So I have had two long nights- feeling the pressure of life and spending time crying out to the Lord.

I have been overwhelmed at my sin and lack of spiritual temperature. The Westminster Confession speaks of those "Others, not elected, although they may be called by the ministry of the Word, and may have some common operations of the Spirit, yet they never truly come unto Christ, and therefore cannot be saved:"- when I see the depth of my passive and active sin, I can't help but wonder sometimes if I really belong to Christ.

I went over in my min all types and degrees of sin and confessed them one by one. If my salvation were left up solely to me, I would be in big trouble.

So I fully cast myself on Him- I am so tired right now- Lord, I need Your strength. It's been a hard days nights.

My Greatest Desires

Lord, I know my desire is ultimately YOU. So how does that flesh out in my life?

You have given me a wife. May I learn to love her as You love the church. It is a hurdle I will never eclipse. May I be found faithfully leaping until my dying breath.

You have given me three beautiful girls. May I love them enough to teach them and mentor them in You. Let it be real enough to take them through this difficult world.

You have made me a football coach. May I never forsake that calling to train young men. If I am not a great coach, I have no foundation to speak into their lives.

You have made me a Bible teacher to young and old alike.

I accept the reformed faith as a sacred trust and a personal possession- make me not only a teacher…but a spiritual force for Your kingdom.

I want our football program to be the finest Christian program in the nation.

I want our school to prepare the students and defend the faith like Princeton college and seminary in its golden age of effectiveness.

Make me like the great Presbyterians of old:

“hard-headed, long-winded, stout-hearted Presbyterianism”
“We may well be thankful that the Presbyterian Church has so largely escaped the prevailing doubt and dissatisfaction with the ancient faith delivered to the saints. From the old bed-rock we have taken no new departures. It was the honest boast of Dr. Charles Hodge, that Presbyterianism has made no new discoveries in Bible Theology….Thank God! The past of American Presbyterianism is secure.” THEODORE CUYLER, Princeton College and Seminary Graduate May 24, 1888