I Believe

2008-11-17T23:24:00Z

Growing up, I knew one day I would play in the N.F.L. (National Football League). At ten years of age, my Dad took my brother and me to our first pro game between the N.Y Giants and Washington Redskins and the dream began. I was never a standout on the local high school team. While I did make all state my senior year, I never was the top dog. I played on some really great teams with players even greater than I was. The road through junior college and then onto Western Illinois was a difficult one, to say the least. Through many heart aches, that dream never died. The easy part of living out a dream is saying it. The hard part is doing it. Prior to the start of my second year at Western, I got hurt. I broke my right foot. Five months later broke it again. Four months later I broke my left foot. Five months later broke my left foot again. My whole being, life itself was centered around the dream of playing in the N.F.L. But now because of a small bone about the size of my pinky that dream was being challenged.

In life we do face challenges. When you have dreams to fulfill, how do you meet these challenges?

Mark chapter 2:1-12 shows us how to meet these challenges

Verses 1-5 talk about four men had a friend who was a paralytic (unable to walk). They heard that Jesus (who made the blind see, deaf hear, mute talk, dead rise) was going to be in a nearby town, so they were jacked, to say the least, to bring their friend to Christ. As they arrived at the house where Jesus was sharing and healing, they noticed a huge crowd inside and outside the house. Their dream of their friend’s healing seemed to be fading away. When faced with challenges what do you do? Theses men fought their way through the crowd, climbed onto the roof, stripped through hard clay, sticks and tile, and dug a hole large enough to lower their friend right down in front of Jesus. Their dream seemed to be coming true! It appeared that their friend would be healed. Yet they simply heard, "your sins are now forgiven." What? Friends, Jesus has your best interest in mind. Your dreams may not be His dreams for you. REMEMBER SALVATION AND SALVATION ALONE IS THE GREATEST THING THAT CAN EVER HAPPEN TO YOU! IT LASTS FOREVER.

Mark 2:6-9 describes some people where not so hip to Jesus. Scribes (people who put their faith in their religion and laws) questioned Jesus about forgiving sins. “Blasphemy!” they shouted. These people did not believe in Jesus as the one true God. The consequence of their lack of belief was missing out on their dreams of eternal life.

In Mark 2:10-12, we see that Jesus saw the faith of these men, and proved to everyone that he is God by fulfilling their dream. He said to the once crippled man, “PICK UP YOUR STRETCHER AND GO HOME!”

HERE'S THE CRUTH: When you believe, it moves you into action (v:3 they brought their friend to Jesus)...When you believe, you run through challenges (v:4 went through the crowd, made a hole in the roof).....When you believe you see results (v:5,12 salvation, pick up your stretcher and walk on out of here).....When you believe your dreams come true.
After breaking my foot for the fourth time in March of 91, following a phone call to my Dad, I responded to the gospel of Jesus and placed my faith, trust, and belief in Him for salvation. One year later the Cincinnati Bengals drafted me into the N.F.L. I played on 5 N.F.L. teams and 1 C.F.L. team, winning a championship in the C.F.L. In order to achieve anything in life you must first believe. Whom and what do you believe in? I HOPE YOUR BELIEF IS IN CHRIST.

John

From Grasshoppers to Conquerors

2008-09-03T17:23:00Z

Realizing your potential can be scary. Achieving goals, and seeing dreams come true can be even scarier. This was the Israelites story for many years. God had given them a great land but they would not go for it. They were afraid. After the exodus from Egypt, the Israelites began to grumble about their well-being, purpose, and lives. God had spoken to Moses in Numbers 13:1-2 and said, “Send spies into the land of Canaan, a land which I will give to the Israelites.” So Moses sent spies into the land of Canaan. They found that it was indeed all that and a bag of chips. Well, maybe not chips. But check out the spies report. Numbers 13:26-29 talks about how great this land is. The Bible describes it as “flowing with milk and honey.” And check out the fruit!

But we sometimes have the too-good-to-be-true syndrome, and we focus on our fears and hard luck instead of the promises of God. The spies were no different. They even went as far as saying, “We look like grasshoppers in their eyes! They’re too strong for us.” Talk about crushing your dreams before they even get started. Many years were wasted by not going into the promise land. Is that you today? Are you watching someone else live out his or her dreams because you’re too afraid to live out your own? Joshua 1 tells us how we can conquer our fears. As time passed and Moses had passed away, the Lord came to Joshua and said in Joshua 1:1-4, “Here is this land that I am giving my people [Who is ‘I am?’ None other than GOD himself!]”

Then God tells him 4 words that I believe can make a difference in your life today. “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS.” In chapter 1 of Joshua, he says “BE STRONG AND COURAGEOUS” in verse 6, “BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS” in verse 7, “BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE” in verse 9, and “ONLY BE STRONG AND OF GOOD COURAGE” in verse 18. In this chapter, God says be STRONG AND COURAGEOUS 4 times. In our youth we have a saying when it comes to God's word. Hear it, see it, once, it's important. Twice, it’s really important. A third time, IT'S AN EMERGENCY!

My friends, as you embark on a new school year with the land of realized dreams right at your feet, don't dilly dolly around. Don't sweat the small stuff. Don't focus on “I cant.” Just be STRONG AND COURAGEOUS and live up to the God-given potential that is in you. And that's THE CRUTH.

John

The "Cruth" with John Earle

I Believe

From Grasshoppers to Conquerors