Daily Devotional: 6/5/2018 - TEAM SPORT

"Therefore encourage one another and build each other up, just as in fact you are doing." 1 Thessalonians 5:11

This devotional I not only write for others, but I write for myself. This is more of a reminder. I am usually a lone wolf, I tend to work by myself. This year I had my own dorm room this year, I am two headphone guy, when it comes to studying for a test I cannot do a group session, I cannot stand group projects, I usually always hit and lift on my own, at work I do better when I am by myself and have my headphones in, and ironically I am currently (for now until everything falls into place) I am running this blog by myself. This is something I need to work on, and something we all can work on. It is just how I have always been. I trust people easily, but I really do not trust them, if that makes any sense. Growing up I have never been a big people person, people really never liked me. This is not what we are called to do, we are called to be with people. Genesis 2:18 and 21-22 says, "The Lord God said, 'It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.' … So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and then closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man." Matthew 18:20 says, "For where two or three gather in the my name, there am I with them." We cannot do this on our own. We are called to make disciples of all nations, to baptize them and to teach them about the Word (Matthew 28:19-20). We literally cannot do this on our own, there is over a billion people on this earth. We can only be in one place at one time. We need the help of others, and Jesus wants us to have the help of others. We cannot and should not keep the message of the good Word to ourselves. We are called to spread it and share it with others. Just look at all the characters of the novel, no one did anything on there own. All the prophets of the Old Testament needed the help of God. All the disciples and apostles in the New Testament needed the help of Jesus. The two greatest apostles Peter and Paul needed the help of other disciples to help spread the Word. This especially goes for Paul, who was imprisoned several times, and wrote several letters to people (Timothy being a huge help to Paul). We are only one person and we are called to spread the Word to the World, impossible to do it on our own. This is a team sport, just like basketball, soccer, football, and baseball. You cannot play these sports solo, you will not win. Think about trying to play a baseball game by yourself, you will have to pitch then follow the ball to the plate and catch it, physically impossible; you need teammates behind you to play defense and then you are going to need more then one person on offense. Bug Bunny baseball is a made up thing, it cannot happen (if you do not know what that is, look it up, it is a classic). The same goes for spreading the Word. We are constantly on both the offense and the defense with the opponent. That is hard enough, it is so much harder when you are doing it alone. We need back up, when we are alone we are more vulnerable to the attacks of the devil. This is when the devil is most on us and attacking our weaknesses. This is where is it okay to have someone to lean on (I have a handful of people to go to). Even Han SOLO needed Chewbacca. We are called to help people in their weaknesses. We have to encourage each other, protect each other, and keep each other accountable. Matthew 18:15-17 says, "If your brother or sister sins, go and point out their fault, just between the two of you. If they listen to you, you have won them over. But if they will not listen, take one or two others along, so that 'every matter may be established by the testimony of two or three witnesses.'  If they still refuse to listen, tell it to the church; if they refuse to listen even to the church, treat them as you would a pagan or a tax collector." Proverbs 27:17 says, "As iron sharpens iron, so one person sharpens another." Galatians 6:1-2 says, "Brothers and sisters, if someone is caught in a sin, you who live by the Spirit should restore that person gently. But watch yourselves, or you also may be tempted. Carry each other's burdens, and in this way you will fulfill the law of Christ." Today while driving home from work I saw three girls rollerblading in their driveway. All three were basically holding the other up, this is a perfect example of how we should live life. If we are trying to learn, like how to rollerblade, it is super difficult to learn on your own. You usually need someone to teach you, even if you watch a video. This is the same for swimming, riding a bike, or learning to swing a baseball bat. It is very rare for you to try something and naturally be a stud, if you are, God Bless. But no matter what we are not perfect, we will fall and we will fail at some point. You will always have something to learn. But do not let your failures go to waste, learn from them. Get back up, teach others; sharpen iron with iron. Life is a team sport and we play under the greatest coach we can imagine.

Lord, thank you for all you do. Thank you for all the people you put in our life, the ones that knock us down, but also the ones that pick us back up. Thank you for being the world's greatest coach. Continue to help us grow, continue to help us get back up. Help us learn from our mistakes, and allow us to teach others about our failures and about your word. This is the best sport in the world, allow us to be hall of famers. I pray all this in your son's name, Amen.

#LetsBeAMovement