God Doesn’t Care About Football! Right?

1.10.12 Devotion
by Kristi Kelly-Carnes

“If you belonged to the world, it would love you as its own. As it is, you do not belong to the world, but I have chosen you out of the world. That is why the world hates you.” – John 15:19

Tim Tebow has quickly become a household name and the talk around office water coolers nowadays. People love him or hate him. Why is that? I think we can find many answers to that in scripture including as believers “being the sweet smelling aroma to those who are in Christ and the stench of death to those who are perishing”. (2 Cor 2:15)

He continues to be strong in his faith and has always voiced and quoted his favorite verse John 3:16, and many of you have probably seen the pictures of him with it under his eyes dressed out for the game. Well this week God found another way to show He controls EVERYTHING and confirm Tim Tebow with some signs and wonders (Mark 16:20) that have many people shaking their heads.

Tim’s favorite verse is John 3:16- and he threw 316 yards, for an average of 31.6 yards per pass in front of get this……31.6 million viewers! John 3:16 was the most googled search on January 8^th, 2012 and it was tweeted 9,420 tweets per second!!!! That left me high-fiving the air screaming, “Yeah Jesus!!!! Praise you Lord!”

But my co-workers didn’t see it that way. One co-worker was arguing, “you aren’t supposed to use Jesus for personal gain” (guess he hasn’t read Deut 8:18- “For it is God who gives us the ability to get wealth”). I listened quietly as they belittled this humble football player who uses ever opportunity to give Glory to God- and another co-worker says “yeah, I can’t wait until the big scandal comes out”. I stood up and said “What an AWFUL THING TO SAY!! SHAME on You! Shame on YOU for wishing harm on him! Why would anyone WANT something bad to happen to him; How evil.” Well needless to say, it’s crickets in the job trailer now.

But like the verse says – if he belonged to this world, they would love Tim Tebow too….. I thought about what a great faith booster that verse is to anyone you may know who struggles in their faith; are they cheering for those who are not of this world too and wanting them to succeed? I know I am!

Lets Pray:

Lord Jesus, We lift up Tim Tebow today- not as some idol Lord, but as YOUR instrument to reach the lost in these last days. MAKE HIM STAND FIRM Lord JESUS against the fiery darts of the enemy, may they fall to the ground powerless against him and the ministry he is in you!

Lord I lift up my sisters and our families, may we ALL stand firm and be a witness for Christ even when we are mocked, ridiculed, and made fun of! Because we KNOW it is more confirmation we are NOT of this world and we don’t belong here – and Praise YOUR Name Jesus You have chosen US! What Grace! Thank You Lord for all you are doing in our lives- We bless YOUR Name Jesus!

Devotion & Prayer for 1/6/12

Kristi has been blessing all of us with sharing devotions each day.  Together we have been praying and coming together as one for the Lord’s glory.  Today, I felt like we were to start to share these.  May they bless you as much as we all have been being blessed.

Oh you are just going to love today’s devotion sisters!  I almost jumped out of my chair!!!!  For so long, I have struggled because I KNOW I have a calling on my life, yet God continues to leave me in a secular job- or should I say, led me BACK into a secular job. This is so crazy but this morning putting on my makeup, I was pondering that I was FIRST created for fellowship with God and that is my FIRST calling, to commune with Him, and that any other calling He has for me, that He will bring it to me.  That is some good preaching right there! 🙂 Have a Blessed and Powerful Day!

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Sacred Versus Secular
by Os Hillman
The LORD God took the man and put him in the Garden of Eden to work it and take care of it (Gen. 2:15).

Imagine for a moment that Jesus has just completed his three years of training with the disciples.  He has been crucified and is now commissioning the twelve to go into the world and disciple the nations.  Now imagine him also making this statement to them.

“Dear brothers, it is now time for you to share what you have learned from me.  However, as you share with others be sure that you keep what I taught you separate from your work life.  the principles I have shared with you only apply in situations outside your work life.  Do not make them fit into this context.  The miracles you saw in me can only be done in certain situations outside work life.  Keep this in mind when thinking about praying for the sick or the lost.  These truths will not work in the marketplace.”

Sound preposterous? It may, but this is the mindset of many in our world today. The spiritual does not mix with the everyday world of the workplace. “What happens on Monday has no relationship to what takes place on Sunday,” they say.

These are the thoughts expressed so much in our day and time, although they are not expressed in such direct terms. Let’s think more about this idea. When Jesus came to earth, how did He come? He came as a carpenter. He was a man given to work with his hands and to provide an honest service to his fellow man. He did not come as a priest, although He was both a King and a Priest (Rev. 1:6 KJV). When it came time to recruit those for whom the Church would be founded, He chose twelve men from the workplace – a fisherman, a tax collector, a doctor, and so on.

They all came from the workplace. None of his disciples were priests from the synagogue, a natural place to recruit from if you were going to start a religious movement. Jesus called them all from the marketplace of life. Was this any accident that Jesus called men and women from the marketplace to play such a vital role in His mission? I think not.

Today, embrace your walk life as a Holy calling. 

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Let’s Pray:  Lord Jesus, sometimes, I think I am not doing enough for You when You speak to me and say that You want to be with me, talk to me, share time with me…not always me doing something for you.  I thank You that You are soooo patient with me.  Thank you that You love me.  Use me today in my workplace, let me be a light to others that they may see Christ become fully formed in me!  In Jesus’ Name, Amen!

Love,
Kristi

2 Corinthians 9:8  “And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work.”

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