From Score International

BIGNESS IS NOT BAD

Some people do not like a BIG church!  At what point is a church TOO big?  Can you have too many volunteers to work at the church?  Did you ever hear your pastor put a cap on the number of people who came out for visitation?  Do you think the church ever had too many people bring too many turkeys for the homeless Thanksgiving meal?  Did your pastor ever instruct the parking attendants to send people down the street to another church when your church parking lot was full?  Did the ushers ever give your offering back when the plates were full?  On Thanksgiving Day, did you reach your limit?  Does your company turn away business or do they hire "more workers"?  Do we really practice discipleship or do we want to restrict the number of followers?  Have you ever thought 5,000 worshippers are ENOUGH?  Then why do we keep adding more services in our mega churches?  Were you ever in a church when….too many people got saved?

 

Just thinking…..

 

WE NEED MORE MEN

Five years ago, 20 men went to the Dominican Republic to do missions through baseball.  People were saved and participating men were spiritually touched.  A year later, 45 men went, followed by 90 men on the third year.  Last year, 163 men went on the same outreach.  This year was another year of fantastic growth as 256 people traveled to do missions work in the Dominican during our Baseball Outreach.

 

Would you believe there are some people who feel this ministry has become "too big"?  A few have said that we are taking too many people.

 

I have been asked to answer the question, at what point is "too many"?

 

Here are a few thoughts:

 

First of all, Jesus said that "the harvest is great and the workers are few".  Then, Jesus commanded believers to pray that MORE (not less) workers would be called to go.  Therefore, I am compelled to follow Jesus, obey His word, and pray for MORE, many MORE, workers to go and do the work to gather His harvest.

 

Secondly, organization is the key!  This year we organized our 256 people into five different groups.  We placed leaders in each group and sent these groups to five different locations.  By doing so, we were able to ACCOMPLISH FIVE TIMES the amount of work that we did five years ago with only 20 men.

 

Thirdly, we can impact many more Americans by engaging them in being on mission with God.  We also see our group pray, cry, fellowship, confess, and receive Christ.  We sing, shout, and see God work corporately in our lives.  We experience renewal and revival.  This must be shared by MORE men.  Is it right for anyone to LIMIT what God is obviously doing?  Shame on us who think so.

 

The Dominican Baseball Outreach has become a HUGE ministry.  The devil attacks what God ordains.  Some critics even suggest it is a money-making effort by SCORE.  (For those I suggest, GET AN AUDIT and see the FACTS).  The truth is that many men come free!  Thanks to spiritual men who give scholarships, we bring a lot of minor league players who cannot afford to pay.

 

Next year, our goal is to have more than 300 men!  We plan to grow, and grow, and grow until we reach every soul.  We want to evangelize the entire Dominican Republic and we need your help.  Don't listen to anyone BUT Jesus.  He said in Luke 10:2 that the "harvest is huge and we do not have enough workers."  Then he told us to pray for God to send us MORE workers.

 

Let's choose to listen and obey Him.  Bring MORE!

'til the nets are full,

Ron Bishop
Executive Director

The Law: Living or Dead?

Gal 2:16 Knowing that a man is not justified by the works of the law, but by the faith of Jesus Christ, even we have believed in Jesus Christ, that we might be justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law: for by the works of the law shall no flesh be justified.

Gal 2:17 But if, while we seek to be justified by Christ, we ourselves also are found sinners, is therefore Christ the minister of sin? God forbid.

Gal 2:18 For if I build again the things which I destroyed, I make myself a transgressor.

Gal 2:19 For I through the law am dead to the law, that I might live unto God.

Gal 2:20 I am crucified with Christ: nevertheless I live; yet not I, but Christ liveth in me: and the life which I now live in the flesh I live by the faith of the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself for me.

Gal 2:21 I do not frustrate the grace of God: for if righteousness come by the law, then Christ is dead in vain.

 

Am I crucified with Christ, by the law? This is a hard question to answer on a daily basis. Often I find that I am alive and well to the law. I am trying through some merit of my own strength to meet the demands of the law. I even create new laws to help me live within boundaries that stifle my life and the joy that a spirit filled life brings. I then try to impose those on others. Those are good days compared to the ones when I meet someone who has a stricter definition of what is righteous. So whether being imposed upon or imposing, I find a lot of the times my actions are one of rule keeping rather than faith living. I have never been able to obey the law and I know that I cannot be justified by the law so why do I pursue the aspects of the law so fervently? Why do I return to that which has never been able to perfect the conscience of the believer?

The law stated that I must die. I have sinned many times in my life. I will not enumerate those sins here in this writing. Accordingly, in the most God-honoring act of obedience known to man Christ died on the cross, and I enjoy the benefits of that act of obedience. This is why I am able to be dead through the law, and now live to God. However, does Christ live in me? Is my life in the flesh a reflection of faith in the Son of God? I have thought about this often and I am not sure of all the truth these verses hold. I am inclined to think, today at least, that this means I am to live in a demonstration of confidence in Christ, and not in a demonstration of meeting the expected norms of my culture. Let me see if I can expand this thought?

Jesus, did things that the religious culture of His day deemed sin. The priests declared that He was a sinner for healing on the Sabbath. The priests said His followers were sinners for plucking corn on the Sabbath day. In fact, they were consistently finding new definitions of how He was wrong. Through an overzealous attempt to live righteous lives, they failed to be righteous, for the just live by faith. So, I ask myself (and by proxy of writing, you) this question: Am I confident my actions are in line with God and His guidance for my life? I know that they may be against the desires of some friends and loved ones but are my actions in line with Christ? Am I living as Christ would have me live or am I living as man would have me live?

I am not saying take your uniforms off and go to work/school in a wrong manner. I am not advocating disobedience to parents (Christ was subject to His until about the age of 30). Christ only did that which was against the norm when the norm limited His worship of God. Laws of our land, work, and school generally do not limit our worship of God. Work itself can be a form of worship. My purpose here is to ask questions like: Is what I am listening to, watching, reading, and wearing, in line with God's direction for my life? Am I living in the spirit of Christ's command "Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
For he that is not against us is on our part."?

 

The challenge: I need to let go of my perceptions and preferences in order that someone else might grow in their walk with Christ.

Does the Lord hear me today?

Psa 4:1 Hear me when I call, O God of my righteousness: thou hast enlarged me when I was in distress; have mercy upon me, and hear my prayer.

Psa 4:2 O ye sons of men, how long will ye turn my glory into shame? how long will ye love vanity, and seek after leasing? Selah.

Psa 4:3 But know that the LORD hath set apart him that is godly for himself: the LORD will hear when I call unto him.

Psa 4:4 Stand in awe, and sin not: commune with your own heart upon your bed, and be still. Selah.

Psa 4:5 Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, and put your trust in the LORD.

 

Today I want to focus on verse three. I wonder what there is in my life that gives me assurance that God will hear me when I call unto Him. The verse says that the godly are set apart for Him and it implies that those are the ones He hears. I know that the 10 commandments are God's perfect law. So how did I stack up today against that perfect standard? I guess I could ask myself these questions and answer them honestly?

1. Was God first in my life all day today? Well, I watched a TV show this morning before I read my Bible and then I know I got upset for my own selfish reasons today. I asked for forgiveness each time, but it would have been nice to not have had to ask for forgiveness.
   
2. Did I worship someone religious icon today? Religious icon? Yeah, you know my personal forms of worship. My musical preference, dress style, or other general preference while thinking wrong of someone for not preferring that which I prefer. My icons of worship. Perhaps, I should just thank God for music to listen to, clothes to wear, and all the other things I enjoy and not worry about others.
   
3. Did I use the Lord's name in vain? As a curse word, no. Did I always call on Him in sincerity and with a depth of truth belonging to His person?
   
4. Did I honor my father and mother? They raised me to work hard and do my best in all that I perform. Did I honor them today?
   
5. Did I murder someone? You know that person on the road driving real slow that you want to hurt? I know just in my mind, but is it not the heart that defiles?
   
6. Did I commit adultery? Did I look with lust on a person of the opposite sex? It is natural, to sinful man. It is not an option for the Christian.
   
7. Did I steal? Not even someone's reputation with gossip?
   
8. Did I lie? Even a little white one?
   
9. Did I covet? Someone else's work schedule, car, bank account, or anything else you can think of?
   

So now that I have communed with my heart (yikes) and discovered how my day went will I stand in awe and sin no more? Here is the test of righteousness and godliness: make the answers to these questions less negative day by day and be repentant for the positive ones. Praise God for the Holy Spirit who gave us victory in some of these questions and beg for forgiveness for the others.

This is how David knew the Lord would hear him. This is how he knew he was set apart. You inventoried his days and made confession and praise to God a routine of his life. My challenge is to become like David.

Lord and Savior?

Luk 2:10 And the angel said unto them, Fear not: for, behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy, which shall be to all people.

Luk 2:11 For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Saviour, which is Christ the Lord.

Luk 2:12 And this shall be a sign unto you; Ye shall find the babe wrapped in swaddling clothes, lying in a manger.

 

Phi 2:8 And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.

Phi 2:9 Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:

Phi 2:10 That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;

Phi 2:11 And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

 

Have ever noticed that Lord is used far more often in connection with Jesus than Savior? Even here in Philippians the one thing that everyone will do is profess Jesus as the Lord. Notice that not everyone will pronounce Jesus as Savior. This is because Jesus is Lord over everyone and Savior to those who believe.

Jesus is our Lord and the Lord of the world. One day He will sit upon His earthly throne in Jerusalem and every knee will bow before Him. Every mouth will pour forth the words of confession, Jesus is Lord. Everyone will acknowledge that He had every right to command their lives and to demand worship and obedience. Only those who practiced such things will be able to call Him Savior. A good servant is obedient to his master. Ever notice how often the Bible says that a bad servant is sent to the place of fire and a good servant will enter into rest? Ever notice how often the Bible says that if we love God and Jesus we will obey them? Ever notice how obedience is paid to a Lord? Ever notice how often the Bible says the righteous (obedient or striving to be obedient) are the ones who serve God and enter into rest?

This is why I believe a person who truly accepts Jesus as Savior will accept His Lordship. How can we continue any longer in sin after having been delivered? How can we say we are connected to the perfect vine and produce thorns of sin? Did Jesus not say in the Sermon on the Mount that the fig tree produces the fruit and a thorn bush produces thorns and neither can produce the other's product? Does this not mean that no matter how you dress a thorn bush up to look and grow like a fig tree in the end it is still a thorn bush? Surely one only need look close enough to see this. Is this why the Bible also says, "You shall know them by their fruit"?

Will we be perfect? No, but we will not have a lifestyle of disobedient sin. If Jesus is truly Lord we will endure hardships and perceived injustices, losses, financial reversals, and all manner of hardships, and still serve God. We will be like those of Hebrews 10 who joyful accepted the plundering of their lives and did not shrink back like the children of perdition. So I guess the only question that remains to be asked is this: is Jesus your Lord?

Playing with the paper

1Pe 3:1 Likewise, ye wives, be in subjection to your own husbands; that, if any obey not the word, they also may without the word be won by the conversation of the wives;

1Pe 3:2 While they behold your chaste conversation coupled with fear.

1Pe 3:3 Whose adorning let it not be that outward adorning of plaiting the hair, and of wearing of gold, or of putting on of apparel;

1Pe 3:4 But let it be the hidden man of the heart, in that which is not corruptible, even the ornament of a meek and quiet spirit, which is in the sight of God of great price.

Each year as Christmas nears I think back to my oldest daughter's first and second Christmas. Nearly fourteen years ago this young girl (nearly young woman) was a toddler beginning to experience life. The first year we had to teach her how to open a gift. We guided her through the process, but the second year she had it down. Year three she was on auto-pilot.

The first Christmas, we went all out. We bought every gift we could afford and then a few more for good measure. This was our baby and we wanted her life to be filled with all kinds of wonderful things and trinkets. When Christmas came she was so overwhelmed with all those bows. Bows, and paper, and ribbons, and bows! Here look at this neat toy we bought you. No, give me that bow and take this other neat gift. Year two was only slightly better.

Then year three came and she knew under all the glitz and glamour, there was something more important. So it is with church.

Far too often we are like my daughter as a toddler or one of the wives described in the passage above. We are caught up in the exterior wrappings of our faith and forget the God of our faith. We come to church for all kinds of reasons. We have a great Sunday school class that enjoys close fellowship. We have a passionate preacher. We have the most enjoyable music. We have a beautiful building. We have, we have, and we have. Some do not come to church because they feel the opposite about the above mentioned things. I pray you church has all or most of the positives. I also pray that you realize they are worthless without the presence of God. There is more to these blessings. These blessings are only the bows, and paper, and ribbons, and bows! Is our Heavenly Father trying to get us to give up the bow for the real present? Only you can answer that in your life. Do you have a concern for the hidden man of the heart?

In a few days, we will give gifts once again to a nearly 16-year old. The paper will be removed in short order and the gift will be the important thing. One day, she may even become more like her father, and just want the gift unwrapped because I can hardly wait. I remember feeling that way in church. I cannot wait for the singing to be over and the preaching to begin. I love to sing but to hear from God and His perfect Word is for more a got to have it item.

So I close and ask, are you playing with the paper, or enjoying the gift?

My Shield

Psa 3:1 Lord, how are they increased that trouble me! many are they that rise up against me.

Psa 3:2 Many there be
which say of my soul, There is no help for him in God. Selah.

Psa 3:3 But thou, O LORD, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up of mine head.

Psa 3:4 I cried unto the LORD with my voice, and he heard me out of his holy hill. Selah.

Psa 3:5 I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the LORD sustained me.

Psa 3:6 I will not be afraid of ten thousands of people, that have set themselves against me round about.

Psa 3:7 Arise, O LORD; save me, O my God: for thou hast smitten all mine enemies upon the cheek bone; thou hast broken the teeth of the ungodly.

Psa 3:8 Salvation belongeth unto the LORD: thy blessing is upon thy people. Selah.

 

Ever have one of those days that seem to stretch into one of those weeks, months, or years? It is inevitable that hard times will come to us at some point in life. There are two primary reasons for those times. The first is chastisement. The second is persecution from the father of lies. Satan under authority of God is sent to try our lives. If you do not believe this, then read the book of Job. It is this second idea that I wish to address in this writing.

Often it will seem that persons or circumstances are stacked against us. They are pressing in and bringing us trouble. They surround us and their numbers are multiplying. It is at these times that we will feel it is time to surrender or that there is no help. This is the voice of Satan telling you that God is not there for you. Do not listen to the father of lies. Hold fast your faith with a good conscience. In this passage God gives us some real quantifiable aspects upon which to anchor this hope.

Number one, God is your shield. I remember as a young child being so afraid of the baseball that I could hardly stand in the batter's box without trembling so uncontrollably that I could not hit. The pitcher would start his windup and I would start moving my feet back. My father, earthly that is, decided to help me with this problem (I would never endorse this training method). He put me in the box and promised that everything would be alright. I had a helmet on and he could throw the ball anywhere he wanted. He went to the mound, he began his windup, I stood firm, he let the ball go, and he hit me in the helmet and knocked me down. He then stood the six-year old me on my feet and laughed. He said, "See the helmet works and you are alright. I told I could throw it anywhere I wanted. Now since you are ok I want to you to remember this, the protection works, and no you face will throw the ball this hard." From that time I had confidence, because I knew the helmet worked. It was my shield. Now I know I just compared God to a helmet, and He is far better. What I am saying is God is my shield. I step up in life and I face down troubles day in and day out. Many look like wild pitches ready to take my head off, but my Father (heavenly one) is there to protect me and give me strength.

Next, God is my glory. There is a verse that says the glory of an old man is his gray hair, and the glory of the young man is a strong body. When God is our glory we do not have to be strong or wise. We can rest in the Lord.

Next, He lifts up our heads. No need to walk head down in defeat. These things cannot remove our eternal life. They cannot remove our God's love. They cannot remove anything in our lives without God's approval. So hold your head up.

Finally, God hears you. Let Him know how you feel. Let him know what is going on in your life. He knows but He still wants to hear your prayers. It does you good to vent to the only one who can change anything in this universe.

So relax, rest, and know God is behind you. Trials will come and they are never pleasant but God can do mighty works through your life.

Concentrating on the Fundamentals

Psa 1:1 Blessed is the man that walketh not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor standeth in the way of sinners, nor sitteth in the seat of the scornful.

Psa 1:2 But his delight is in the law of the LORD; and in his law doth he meditate day and night.

Psa 1:3 And he shall be like a tree planted by the rivers of water, that bringeth forth his fruit in his season; his leaf also shall not wither; and whatsoever he doeth shall prosper.

Psa 1:4 The ungodly are not so: but are like the chaff which the wind driveth away.

Psa 1:5 Therefore the ungodly shall not stand in the judgment, nor sinners in the congregation of the righteous.

Psa 1:6 For the LORD knoweth the way of the righteous: but the way of the ungodly shall perish.

 

As you know from the last blog I recently went to the Dominican Republic on a baseball outreach (short-term mission trip). While there we everyday normal guys got to mingle with some not so normal everyday guys. These were professional baseball players and while they turned out to be as normal in their Christian life as any one else they are still professional baseball players. Therefore, as a high school coach I picked their brains for ideas and stories for the boys. One player told of his time with Alex Rodriguez while playing for the Texas Rangers. It was this player's rookie season and he tells us that Alex taught him about visualizing the fundamentals.

He said Alex had a nightly routine where he would take imaginary batting practice and talk to himself as he swung the "bat." He would coach himself through each fundamental movement of a textbook swing. When asked why he did this Alex responded that your brain is like a computer you program and the body does what the computer tells it to do. Alex asked this player if he had ever been out in a mall and ran into someone you know you know but you cannot think of their name, but then a few days latter the name comes to your mind. That is because you have not placed the name into the brain enough for it to come back immediately. Well when I hit my mind does not have to reach deep to know how to hit properly because I keep it near the front by repeating the steps to a perfect swing every night.

As I was thinking about God's word this morning and this passage this story returned to my mind. You see we are consistently putting things in our mind. We take in everything around us: sights, sounds, smells, and touches. We store these for memories both good and bad. You are in a food joint and music is playing. This music is not godly but you are having a good time with friends, the food is good, the service is good, the music may be stored as good because it is background and you did not tell your mind the music is bad but the other stuff is good. Therefore, we must be alert to not allowing the counsel of the ungodly, the way of sinners, or the sounds of the scornful to piggy back into our minds on good thoughts. Every heard a prayer gossip request but forgot to remind yourself that it was more gossip than prayer request? That is the idea here. Often we do not create this block because we do not realize we need to block these parasites.

That brings me to point number two: If we meditate day and night, like "A-Rod's" routine, on God's word we will recognize the song because our conscience will be assaulted. Then we can block that as the counsel or way of the ungodly. God's word will be foremost and not some random wolf thoughts in sheepskin memories.

When we do this we are promised to be blessed by God. If a professional baseball player can use this mental exercise to play a game and be better, should we do any less as Christians dealing with eternal matters?

Visualize God's way today!