Rise Up

Rise up.  A powerful statement that can light a fire inside of you instantly.  You're down 1 with 2.2 seconds left on the clock and the ball is in your hands...what will you do?  Rise up.  Bases loaded, bottom of the 9th, 2 outs, and you're up to bat...what will you do?  Rise up.  It's finals week and you've been up all night studying for tough exams, but you are desperate for sleep...what will you do?  Give up and fail your test?  Heck no.  Rise up!  Shine!  If you are a competitor, it's in your blood.  The circumstances will not always be comfortable, but you find a way to make it happen.  No matter what your role is on the team, or what your mindset is at the moment, we all have the opportunity to get into the game and rise up.  So let's start rising up in the game that really counts and fulfill our calling to rise up.  Proclaim the kingdom of God!  Are we rising up to tell the nations about Jesus?  Do we confess to the world that Jesus is alive?  Is it our primary objective to let our light shine, regardless of the criticism and mockery we will receive?  Don't back down.  A city on a hill cannot hide.  Be bold. Be faithful. Rise up. Acts 28

A Post Inspired By Jimmy Fallon, The NBA Lockout, and Jesus Christ

"With no scheduled games, players don't have to travel to 30 different cities, unless they want to visit their kids."  I heard this tonight during Jimmy Fallon's 'Pros and Cons' segment on NBC's Late Night with Jimmy Fallon.  It really made me think of the sad reality, that this is probably true for a good amount of NBA players.  With so much temptation on the road there is no doubt in my mind that many NBA players struggle with purity.  I was reminded of the testimony of former NBA player, Wayne Simien, who experienced this temptation first hand.  During his rookie season, as soon as he walked in the locker room, his teammates were taking cash money bets that he would fall to temptation.  Once they found out he was a Christian, they immediately tried to make him fall into sin.  How soon would he cheat on his wife?  How long would it be before he was in a club getting wasted?  How many women would he get with that night?  These are only a few of the temptations that were out there for Wayne.  Praise the Lord that he had a great mentor and friend in another former NBA player, A.C. Green.  On road trips out west, A.C. would stay with Wayne in the hotel room to keep him accountable.  There would be other close people to Wayne that would always stay with him on road trips no matter where they were playing.  My point is that Wayne was wise and knew that he needed people to hold him accountable or else the chances would be greater that he would fall to Satan's lies.  The lies that say sin satisfies.  All glory to Jesus that Wayne's teammates never won any of those bets they placed on him!  People that don't know Jesus do not understand this.  They chase an ambition that doesn't satisfy.  We need to realize that only JESUS CHRIST can satisfy.  As Christian coaches, we need to pray for other coaches and our players as we are on road trips that we can all stay pure and holy before a righteous God.  I wish I could expound on this more, but I just had to get it off my chest.  I hope players at all levels, especially the NBA, realize that they will never be satisfied by earthly pleasures.  I hope and pray that the quote from Jimmy Fallon penetrates the hearts of coaches and athletes, because it's really not funny.  It's a reality and it's sad.  Coaches: Stand up for Jesus.