What does it mean to be in the zone? Being an athlete for so many years, I have had many times where I was in the zone. I have also had other times that I was no where near the zone. Being in the zone spiritually means that your life has a focus that few others have. After all Jesus says, “But small is the gate and narrow the road that leads to life, and only a few find it.” (Matthew 7:14) Are you part of the few?
I believe that Jesus wants us to live a life that is sold out for him. The problem is many of us aren’t sold out, we are selling out to the highest bidder. Satan is the buyer and he will use any means necessary to get you and I to sell our freedom. But here is some good news, the bible tells us that we can resist the devil and he will flee from us. (1 Peter 5:9)
The only way for us to be in the zone is to get our focus right. Hebrews 12:2 says, “Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.” I pray that you are experiencing the joy and peace that comes from knowing who you are, who your creator is and what you were created to be. Once you have this, you will truly be in the zone.
Probably considered the greatest college quarteback to ever play college football, Tim Tebow has taken a loud stance as a devout Christ follower. He is know for wearing scriptures under his eyes every week on game day. If anyone questions his influence on the culture, think about this after a nationally televised game in which Tebow played he had John 3:16 under his eyes. It was the number one thing googled that week in the entire world. Talk about star power.
Well focus on the family realizing the potential to reach millions have teamed up with Tebow and his mom Pat and sponsored a television ad that aired on Super Bowl Sunday. The theme of the comercial is Celebrate Family, Celebrate Life. In the comercial Pat, Tim’s mom, recounted the events of Tim’s birth in which she refused to have an abortion, even though she suffered from a life threatening infection at the time. The Super Bowl was easily seen by 90 million people and The Tebow’s as well as Focus on the Family believed it was an important message to spread to the world.
However, not everyone felt the same way. As a matter of fact the organization Women’s Media Center and other pro choice organizations had launced a campaign of their own, urging CBS to immediately cancel the ad. They were planning to boycot the television station if it will not do so. Wow! Here is the problem, if they were not allowed to put an ad on TV or in the newspaper or even a billboard, there would be an uproar and they would all be screaming “freedom of speech” and probably even try to sue anyone who stood in their way. And yet, when the speech that they don’t want to hear is televised, there is a problem.
Jesus had a word for this type of behavior. He called it hypocrisy! James 3:14-17
This is Grant Desme who is one of the Oakland A’s biggest prospects. Grant is coming off one of his best seasons in the minors. He hit 31 homeruns and is ranked as the 8th best prospect in the A’s organization.
Well at the age of 23 coming of an MVP season, Grant has decided to retire from baseball to become a priest. Desme says, “Last year before the season I really had a strong feeling of a calling and real strong desire to follow it,” Can you imagine?
Many folks think he is crazy to turn down the future possibility of making millions of dollars, but Grant believes he has a higher calling. Grant goes on to say, “as the year went on, God blessed me, and I had a better year than I could have imagined, but that reconfirmed my desire because I wasn’t at peace with where I was at.”
I applaude this young man for putting God’s calling on his life above his own personal wants and desires. What about you? Has God been telling you to do something and you haven’t been listening? Is God calling you to something, but you are scared to give you what you are currently doing? Learn from Grant, there can be no peace outside of the will of God.
Matthew 6:33 But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things shall be added to you.
Hebrews 12:28-29 Therefore, since we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken, let us be thankful, and so worship God acceptabley with reverence and awe, for our God is a consuming fire.
Many of us go through life with the mindset of a consumer. We are so used to having choices with everything that we buy, that we naturally have been programed to shop for the best deal. America is a very comsumeristic society and the church has become no different. We bring that consumerist mentality into our places of worship, expecting to find a church that will meet all our needs. We learn to make it all about us. And if the church stops to provide for my needs, then I will just go and find another one that will.
God’s word tells us that we should not be consumers when it comes to our spiritual lives, but we must be consumed by God’s presence. Once we are consumed by God, then we will come to church with the mentality of what can I do to serve. We will come into the sanctuary with an apron on instead of a bib. So lets make it our aim to be consumed by our all powerfully, all knowing, always on time God. Who sent His son to die for our sins.
The Trail is this weekend!! It’s still not too late to be involved. Come this Wednesday night and we will get you plugged in. Let’s start praying now for our Christmas break lock-in. And we want to have several youth go to the Ukraine in March so start praying now if God is calling you to take His word across the world!
