Success in most sports is all about the ball. For example, in football, a “touchdown” or a score happens when the “ballcarrier” runs the ball across the opponent’s goal line. One of the players can cross that goal line a gazillion times without the ball in his arms, but it does not increase the score at all. In baseball, a “run” (or score) is determined by how many times a runner touches “home plate” without being touched or forced out by the ball. In basketball, the winner is decided by the number of baskets shot into a “basket or goal”. In soccer, success is calculated by kicking the ball in the opponent’s net. Think about tennis, golf, and bowling. Reduce most sports down to its simplest factor, and you discover that “it’s all about the ball”.
Christ-followers need to understand that our faith is all about Jesus…nothing else. We are eternally saved when we invite Him into our hearts and pray so that we can talk to Him. Bible Study teaches us how to grow in His grace and mercy and how to conduct ourselves to live more like Him. We talk to each other in a way that brings glory to Jesus. When we get together, it is referred to as a community of His people who “share Him” as one.
The Great Commission challenges us to go and reach others to introduce them to Jesus. The Great Commandment is to “love Jesus with all our heart, soul, spirit, and strength.”
John 14:6 is crystal clear about our objective as Christ followers, “Jesus is the way, Jesus is the truth, Jesus is the life…There is no other way to heaven but by Him.”
We make the Christian life so much more complicated than it is. “Seek you first the Kingdom of God and all other things will be taken care of” (John 6:33). Keep your eyes focused on Him. Once we get our eyes off Him, we find ourselves loaded down by earthly baggage and paralyzed with deception from the enemy, the devil. Hebrews 12:1&2 guides us on how to get back on track when we get caught up with this world, “let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us, 2 fixing (or focusing) our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of faith.”
1 John 1:7 gives us crystal clear guidance how to walk with Him in life, “if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship one another and the blood of Jesus cleanses us of all sin.” Proverbs 3:5&6 are simple but impacts our every moment in life, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, lean not on your understanding, in all your ways recognize Him, and He will make your paths straight.”
In 2 Corinthians 5:17 explains that “if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” If we are “in Christ”, we look like Jesus.
From the very first moments of a day to the last moment before sleep, keep your eyes on our wonderful Lord and Savior, Jesus, and share life with Him. It’s all about Jesus…
Barnabas Man 