𝐈 𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐭𝐥𝐲 𝐡𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐩𝐫𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐥𝐞𝐠𝐞 𝐨𝐟 𝐛𝐞𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐟𝐞𝐚𝐭𝐮𝐫𝐞𝐝 𝐨𝐧 𝟏𝟐-𝐌𝐢𝐧𝐮𝐭𝐞 𝐂𝐨𝐧𝐯𝐨𝐬 𝐰𝐢𝐭𝐡 𝐉𝐞𝐬𝐮𝐬 𝐁𝐞𝐥𝐢𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫𝐬, and I’m excited to share the conversation with my friends here on Lordsbook.

In the interview with 𝐄𝐧𝐠𝐞𝐥 𝐉𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬 , I shared aspects of my journey in ministry, my experience serving in a remote island community, and some of the lessons God has taught me about 𝐨𝐛𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐞𝐧𝐜𝐞, 𝐝𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐞 𝐚𝐬𝐬𝐢𝐠𝐧𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭, 𝐫𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧, 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐆𝐨𝐝’𝐬 𝐝𝐢𝐫𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧—𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐧 𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐧 𝐇𝐢𝐬 𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐭𝐚𝐤𝐞𝐬 𝐮𝐬 𝐬𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐰𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐰𝐞 𝐧𝐞𝐯𝐞𝐫 𝐞𝐱𝐩𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐝.

We also talked about my writing journey and the message behind one of my published books, No Place Is Bad If God Sends You—a reminder that when God sends us, we can trust Him for the grace to thrive wherever He places us.

I would love for you to listen to the interview and let me know what part of the conversation speaks to you most.

𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐢𝐧𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐯𝐢𝐞𝐰 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐬 𝐛𝐞𝐥𝐨𝐰.

For friends who would like to get a copy of No Place Is Bad If God Sends You, I’ll also drop the 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐤 𝐢𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐧𝐭 𝐬𝐞𝐜𝐭𝐢𝐨𝐧.

Thank you for always being part of the journey.

#12MinuteConvos #NoPlaceIsBadIfGodSendsYou #ChristianAuthor #Ministry #Faith #Purpose #Obedience #GodsCalling

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/1963EbHNmi/

CD Covers (& years of release)
Fishnet, 2026
Light In Dark Places, 2025
Jonah’s Whale, 2025
Harvest, 2024
One Way, 2023
For Him, 2022
Koinonia, 2021
Solid Rock, 2020
Upper Room, 2005
Open Arms, 2001

1 Corinthians 15:28 (ASV)

"And when all things have been subjected unto him, then shall the Son also himself be subjected to him that did subject all things unto him, that God may be all in all."

Here is the consummation of the entire plan of redemption. Yeshua HaMashiach, the one to whom all authority has been given, the one before whom every knee will bow, the one who will reign until all enemies are under His feet—this same Son will, at the end, subject Himself to the Father. Not as a defeated enemy. Not reluctantly. But as the obedient, loving Son returning the kingdom to the One who gave it.

This verse shatters every notion of a co-equal, co-eternal trinity. The Son is not the Father's equal in position. He is the Father's agent, the Father's appointed ruler, the Father's only begotten. He reigns because the Father gave Him the kingdom. And when the work is finished, He hands it back. The Father alone remains supreme. Yahuah is all in all.

But it also shatters something else: the fear that Yeshua's kingdom is about His own glory. It is not. It never was. From the beginning, His entire mission was to glorify the Father. He came to do the Father's will. He lived to reveal the Father's character. He died to satisfy the Father's justice. He rose to complete the Father's plan. And at the end, He will lay everything at the Father's feet and take His place as the eternal Son, forever subject to the One who is all in all.

This is not a demotion. It is the perfection of love. It is the Son showing the universe, for all eternity, what true submission looks like. It is the Son's delight to honor the Father, now and forever. And in that eternal act of loving surrender, we see the very character of Yahuah reflected perfectly.

That door is worth walking through. What lies beyond it is the beautiful, biblical truth of the Father and the Son—two distinct beings, perfectly united in love, with the Father supreme and the Son exalted. Not a trinity. A family. A Father and His only begotten Son, who loves the Father so completely that He will be subject to Him forever. That is the gospel in its final, glorified form.

#Christ #Yahuah #Yeshua #victory #trinity #Father #OneGod

The Fleshy Word (The Image of the Invisible God)

The Kitchen by Omodolapo Ogunye

How can we see the invisible God?

In this episode of The Kitchen, the exploration of The Body of the Word moves into another profound dimension: the Body of the Word is the image, form and detailed revelation of the invisible God.

Building on the revelation that Jesus Christ is the living Word of God, the episode explores what His body reveals about the Father. The head, eyes, face, hands, voice and other members of the Body are presented as revelations of the Person of God.

The episode draws together Revelation, Colossians, Hebrews, John, Ezekiel and Daniel to develop a central proposition: if the Father is invisible, then the Body of the Word gives us the visible revelation of who He is. To study the Body of the Word, therefore, is to pursue a deeper understanding of the Father.

One of the most striking ideas in the episode is that the various members of the Body are “working pictures” of God—different revelations of the same Person in different expressions, positions and functions.

This makes The Fleshy Word (The Image of the Invisible God) an important episode in the unfolding journey of The Body of the Word. It moves the conversation from simply asking Who is the Word? to asking What does the Body of the Word reveal about the Father?

I recommend this episode to anyone who wants to explore the knowledge of God through the revelation of Jesus Christ. Listen slowly and follow the progression: the Word, His Body, and the revelation of the invisible Father.

Listen to “The Fleshy Word (The Image of the Invisible God)” on The Kitchen

Available on:
• Spotify
• Apple Podcasts
• Amazon Music
• Audible
• Deezer

Listen to The Kitchen on Acast

The Kitchen by Omodolapo Ogunye
Celebrating The Body of the Word.

✟
“Hereby perceive we the love of God, because he laid down his life for us: and we ought to lay down our lives for the brethren.”
1 John 3:16

In some Bible translations, John 19:2 reads
"And the soldiers TWISTED together a crown of thorns and placed it on His head..."

JESUS is The One King whom the Old Testament book of laws and of prophets all longed for.
HE is also the same LORD that the New Testament disciples all looked back on.

Today, we see a list of thousands of religious groups that were established even before we were born.

Some religions led families to charity, humility, and blessings of heaven, and we should be happy about that.

On the other hand, there are still existing congregations that when left unchecked, crush souls, control people, and create even more divisions while protecting and elevating a few, canceling others instead of celebrating shared prosperity together and of keeping alive our hope for eternity through our LORD JESUS CHRIST. This is devastating but not unusual. Sadly, it happens to both the humblest local sects and cathedrals of megachurches.

But The Bible ends with "GRACE", not with chronic depression and hopelessness.

The consistent pattern throughout the Scriptures is that it redirects all our devotion and attention to GOD.

The book of Genesis starts with: "In the beginning, GOD created..."

While Revelation ends with:

"The grace of our LORD JESUS CHRIST be with you all. Amen."

The scene where the soldiers thought of twisting together a crown of thorns displays this fallen world and our tendency to join or create yet another religion that may only give us and others headaches instead of leading us to have a vision of our Savior: THE HEAD OF THE CHURCH —JESUS.

And just as JESUS bled and was painfully hurt by the soldiers' twisted crown of thorns they designed for His head, we can also expect to experience a similar sense of treatment from others against our mental headspace as we now pursue the glory of GOD through His Son, JESUS CHRIST.

Our LORD has done His part.
His sacrifice on the cross is finished.
THE WORD OF GOD is sufficient.
His Holy Spirit is given to our hearts.

Reflection questions:

Where is He leading you today?
What is He directing you to do?
When was the last time you had an honest talk with JESUS?

Prayer:

Our Heavenly Father,

You are The GOD of sound mind.
You give clarity where there is confusion and provide us with correction when needed.
You feed Your children with daily bread through Your incorruptible WORD that nourishes, strengthens, and teaches us to see yet another day of grace through the cross of CHRIST.

Despite the twisted crown of thorns You humbly received from fallen humanity, You still finished Your journey then with us in Your mind.

Forgive us LORD GOD, for the many times we dishonored Your precious words by how we responded to Your grace through our actions and imaginations. We ask that you also give a forgiving heart to those we have hurt in this earthly journey and comfort us through the pains we still do carry.

We ask You to lead us into a lasting and honest fellowship with Your Holy Spirit and keep us joyfully serving You and the people You surround us with as we await Your return.

In JESUS' Name, Amen.

Matthew 12:49
“And he stretched forth his hand toward his disciples, and said,
Behold my mother and my brethren!”

#perception
#notdeception 🫣
#religion
#LifeWithJESUS 🕊

FAITH THAT PLEASES GOD
Believe, Come, and Diligently Seek Him

Key Scripture:
“But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.” — Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

Thought Of The Day...
There are many things we desire from God—healing, provision, direction, protection, restoration, peace, deliverance, and breakthrough. But Hebrews 11:6 turns our attention from what we want God to do for us to what pleases God.
And Scripture gives us the answer:
FAITH PLEASES GOD.
Not perfect circumstances.
Not having every answer.
Not knowing how everything will work out.
Faith.
Faith says, “God, I may not understand what You are doing, but I still believe You.”

• WITHOUT FAITH IT IS IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD
The Scripture does not say it is difficult to please God without faith. It says:
“Without faith it is impossible to please him.”
Why is faith so important?
Because faith reveals where our confidence rests.
When everything is going well, it can be easy to say, “I trust God.” But genuine faith is revealed when the diagnosis is uncertain, the money is tight, the family is struggling, the door has not opened, the prayer has not yet been answered, and you cannot see what God is doing.
Faith says:
“Even here, I trust You.”
Job declared:
“Though he slay me, yet will I trust in him.” — Job 13:15 (KJV)
There will be seasons when you cannot trace God's hand. But you can still trust His heart.
Your circumstances may change, but God has not changed.

• YOU MUST BELIEVE THAT GOD IS!
Hebrews says:
“…he that cometh to God must believe that he is…”
Before believing God for something, we must believe God is.
He is God when you understand Him.
He is God when you don't.
He is God when the door opens.
He is still God when the door closes.
He is God when the answer comes immediately.
He is still God when He makes you wait.
Sometimes our faith becomes focused primarily on God's gifts: “Lord, give me this. Lord, change that. Lord, open this door.”
But mature faith says:
“Lord, even if You don't give me what I requested when I requested it, I still want You.”
Remember the three Hebrew men standing before the fiery furnace:
“Our God whom we serve is able to deliver us…” — Daniel 3:17 (KJV)
But then they declared:
“But if not… we will not serve thy gods…” — Daniel 3:18 (KJV)
That's powerful faith.
God can.
God is able.
I believe God will.
But even if He chooses another way, HE IS STILL GOD!

• FAITH COMES TO GOD
Notice the wording:
“…he that cometh to God…”
Faith doesn't run away from God during trouble.
Faith runs toward God.
When you're hurting—come.
When you're confused—come.
When you're disappointed—come.
When you're weary—come.
When you've made mistakes—come.
When you don't know what tomorrow holds—COME TO GOD!
David said:
“When my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I.” — Psalm 61:2 (KJV)
Your feelings may tell you to withdraw.
Your disappointment may tell you God has forgotten you.
Your circumstances may tell you prayer isn't working.
But faith says:
“I'm going back into His presence.”

• DILIGENT FAITH DOESN'T QUIT SEEKING!
The verse concludes:
“…he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
There is a difference between casually seeking God and diligently seeking God.
Diligence means persistence.
It means you keep praying.
You keep believing.
You keep worshiping.
You keep reading His Word.
You keep serving.
You keep showing up.
You keep trusting God even when nothing appears to be changing.
Jesus taught:
“Men ought always to pray, and not to faint.” — Luke 18:1 (KJV)
Some answers require faith that refuses to quit.
You prayed yesterday?
Pray again.
You worshiped yesterday?
Worship again.
You believed yesterday?
Believe again today.
Don't allow God's silence to convince you that God is absent.
Silence does not mean abandonment.
Waiting does not mean denial.
Delay does not mean God has forgotten you.

• GOD REWARDS THOSE WHO SEEK HIM!
God promises that He is:
“…a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”
But we must understand the greatest reward of seeking God.
The greatest reward is not merely receiving something from His hand—it is experiencing more of His presence.
Sometimes the reward is an open door.
Sometimes it is healing.
Sometimes it is provision.
Sometimes it is restoration.
But sometimes the reward is strength to endure what God has not yet removed.
Paul prayed three times for his thorn to be removed, but God's response was:
“My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness.” — 2 Corinthians 12:9 (KJV)
Paul asked for removal.
God gave him sustaining grace.
Never limit God's reward to one particular answer.
Sometimes God changes the situation.
Sometimes God changes you while you're walking through the situation.
Either way, God remains faithful.
DON'T STOP BELIEVING!
Perhaps you have been praying about something for a long time.
You've asked.
You've waited.
You've cried.
You've prayed again.
And you're wondering:
“God, when will You answer me?”
Hebrews 11:6 speaks directly into that season:
KEEP BELIEVING.
KEEP COMING.
KEEP SEEKING.
KEEP TRUSTING.
Your faith is not wasted.
Your prayers are not wasted.
Your worship is not wasted.
Your obedience is not wasted.
God sees every moment you choose faith instead of fear.
“For we walk by faith, not by sight.” — 2 Corinthians 5:7 (KJV)
You don't need to see everything God is doing to believe God is still working.

PRAYER...
Heavenly Father,
We come before You today declaring that You are God, and besides You there is none other.
Lord, increase our faith.
When we cannot see the way, help us trust You.
When we don't understand what You're doing, help us trust You.
When our prayers seem unanswered, help us trust You.
When our bodies are hurting, our finances are strained, our families are struggling, our hearts are heavy, and our minds are weary—help us trust You!
Father, forgive us for the times we allowed fear to speak louder than faith.
Forgive us for the times we doubted Your goodness because we could not understand Your plan.
Today we declare:
YOU ARE STILL GOD!
We believe that You are.
We believe You are faithful.
We believe You are able.
We believe You are our Provider.
We believe You are our Healer.
We believe You are our Deliverer.
We believe You are our Keeper.
And we believe You are a rewarder of those who diligently seek You.
So we will seek You when life is good, and we will seek You when life is difficult.
We will seek You when doors open, and we will seek You when doors close.
We will seek You when we understand, and we will seek You when we don't.
Give us faith that refuses to quit.
Let our lives declare:
“I DON'T HAVE TO SEE IT TO BELIEVE IT, BECAUSE I KNOW THE GOD IN WHOM I HAVE BELIEVED!”
We trust Your timing.
We trust Your wisdom.
We trust Your Word.
We trust Your plan.
And most importantly, we trust You.
In the mighty, matchless, powerful name of Jesus Christ, we pray.
Amen and Amen!

DECLARATION OF FAITH...
Today I declare:
I WILL WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT!
I believe God is.
I believe God can.
I believe God is able.
I believe God is faithful.
I will not allow what I see to cancel what God has spoken.
I will diligently seek Him.
I will keep praying.
I will keep worshiping.
I will keep trusting.
I will keep believing.
And even while I am waiting, MY FAITH WILL STILL PLEASE GOD!
BELIEVE. COME. SEEK. TRUST.
GOD IS STILL FAITHFUL!
“But without faith it is impossible to please him…” — Hebrews 11:6 (KJV)

August 19
“WHO GOD IS TO ME”
MY SHEPHERD
Psalm 23:1 (LLV) —
“The LORD is my shepherd; I shall not want.”
Perhaps
no picture
of God
is more familiar
than this one.
A shepherd.
And perhaps
because it is
so familiar,
we can read
the words
without stopping
to consider
what David
was actually saying.
“The LORD
is my shepherd.”
David knew
what being
a shepherd
required.
A shepherd
did not simply
point the sheep
toward a pasture
and walk away.
He stayed
with them.
He knew
where water
could be found.
He searched
for safe pasture.
He watched
for danger.
He tended
the injured.
He searched
for the wandering.
And when darkness
came,
the shepherd
was still there.
So when David
called the LORD
his Shepherd,
he was saying
something deeply
personal.
God
knows me.
God
leads me.
God
watches over me.
God
provides
what I need.
And God
stays
with me.
Then David adds:
“I shall
not want.”
That does not mean
we will receive
everything
we desire.
The sheep
does not choose
the pasture.
The shepherd
does.
The sheep
does not know
where tomorrow's water
will come from.
The shepherd
does.
“I shall not want”
is therefore
not a promise
that life
will contain
everything
we wish for.
It is
a declaration
of trust.
My Shepherd
knows
what I need.
There will be
green pastures.
There will also be
dark valleys.
There will be
still waters.
There may also be
enemies.
David will tell us
all of that
before the psalm
is finished.
But through
every changing scene,
one thing
does not change.
The Shepherd.
Perhaps
that is why
David begins
there.
Before the pasture.
Before the water.
Before the valley.
Before the table.
Before the overflowing cup.
The LORD
is my shepherd.
Everything else
in Psalm 23
rests upon
that truth.
A new beginning does not need to know everything about the road ahead:
I only need to know that my Shepherd knows the way.
Reflection: Am I trusting my Shepherd to know what I truly need, even when His path or His provision looks different from what I expected?
Prayer: Heavenly Father, thank You for being my Shepherd. Thank You for knowing me personally, providing for me faithfully, watching over me carefully, and never abandoning me along the way. When I cannot see what lies ahead, help me trust that You can. Teach me to follow Your leading and rest in the assurance that my Shepherd knows exactly what I need. In Jesus' name, Amen.

THE HARD TRUTH ABOUT DISCIPLESHIP

“So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own.” —Luke 14:33

It has been said, “There are only two tragedies in life: one is not getting what one wants, and the other is getting it.”

This statement reminds me of the account in Matthew 19 of the rich young man who came to Jesus seeking answers. Here was a man who, of all men, should have been content and fulfilled. He had great influence and affluence. Yet despite all his accomplishments, there was something missing in his life. He asked, “Teacher, what good deed must I do to have eternal life?” (verse 16 NLT).

“‘Why ask me about what is good?’ Jesus replied. ‘There is only One who is good. But to answer your question—if you want to receive eternal life, keep the commandments’” (verse 17 NLT). Jesus was not implying that by keeping the Ten Commandments, a person would be saved. Rather, Jesus held the Ten Commandments up as a mirror to show this man his sin.

“‘I’ve obeyed all these commandments,’ the young man replied. ‘What else must I do?’” (verse 20 NLT).

I think Jesus probably smiled at this. He saw what this man was really all about. So, He took it up a notch and said, “If you want to be perfect, go and sell all your possessions and give the money to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven. Then come, follow me” (verse 21 NLT).

Verse 22 says, “But when the young man heard this, he went away sad, for he had many possessions” (NLT).

Jesus knew the problem with this young man was that possessions had possessed his soul. But Jesus just as easily could have said something completely different to someone else. What is really holding someone back from Christ and from further spiritual progress can vary from person to person.

Jesus revealed the hard truth about discipleship in Luke 14:33: “So you cannot become my disciple without giving up everything you own” (NLT). Nothing should be more valuable, more precious, or more important to us than our relationship with Christ.

Jesus drives this point home further in Luke 14:26–27. “If you want to be my disciple, you must, by comparison, hate everyone else—your father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters—yes, even your own life. Otherwise, you cannot be my disciple. And if you do not carry your own cross and follow me, you cannot be my disciple” (NLT). Nothing should ever be more important to us than our walk with Christ.

That’s why it’s a good idea to regularly come before Jesus and ask, “Lord, is there anything in my life that is getting in the way of my relationship with You?” We must be willing to do what the rich young man would not and sacrifice anything that gets in the way of our spiritual growth.

God bless you!

Loving Others Well

Jesus said a lot of things. Beautiful, enlightening, and important things. But there’s one command that sums up how we should live...

"A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another."
John 13:34

When we look at Jesus’ life, how did He live out this love? And how can we model His actions in our own lives?

Love compelled Jesus to give up His privileges. As Creator and Lord, Jesus could've done whatever He wanted. But what He wanted was to temporarily relinquish His rights and even put on human skin—so that we could be made right with God.

Love compelled Jesus to prioritize people: The woman at the well. The unclean leper. The woman with the issue of blood. The despised tax collector. The desperate centurion. The thief hanging next to Him on the cross. Jesus didn’t see problems—He saw people.

Love compelled Jesus to serve others. He washed His disciples feet. He went out of His way for the marginalized. He stopped for the sick, weary, and broken. And in the end, He gave His own life. For the long-time sinner and the seemingly put-together person, Jesus died so that we can truly live.

Love compelled Jesus to value truth and grace. In a world where some elevate grace and others prioritize truth, Jesus valued both. He turned over tables when God’s house was turned into a den of thieves, and He showed great compassion to a woman caught in adultery.

If we’re ever unsure about how to love others, let’s look to Jesus as the ultimate example. He selflessly gave up His rights, prioritized people, served others to the point of laying down His life, and valued both truth and grace.

And as we love like He loved, we'll become more like Him.

SERMON SEGMENT: "Shed Clear Light of Christ About Football & Its Fans"
Key Texts: Romans 12:2, 1 Corinthians 9:24-25, Colossians 3:23, 1 Peter 1:15-16, Galatians 5:16-17, Hebrews 12:1-2

---

INTRO
Church, the Lord is speaking to us in this last age. Hebrews 1:2
We must be careful what we pattern our lives after. Because our sanctification is delicate. 1 Thessalonians 4:3 — “For this is the will of God, your sanctification.”

Tonight let’s talk about football and its fans — not to condemn people, but to shed the clear light of Christ on it.
Ephesians 5:13 — “But when anything is exposed by the light, it becomes visible.”

1. THE WARNING: DON'T BE PATTERNED BY THE WORLD
Romans 12:2 — “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”

Football itself is just a game. But the spirit around football and its fan culture often carries:
Pride - Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction”
Injustice - cheating, bribes, violence, curses on other teams
Flesh desires - gambling, drunkenness, lust, idolatry of players, spending hours that should be for God

1 John 2:15-16 — “Do not love the world or the things in the world... For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride of life—is not from the Father.”

Warning to Christians and non-Christians:
If our mind, thoughts, and actions are shaped more by football rivalry than by the Spirit, we are being conformed, not transformed.
And “no one should think eternal life inheritance in an unclean life.”
1 Corinthians 6:9-10 — “neither the sexually immoral... nor thieves... will inherit the kingdom of God.”
Galatians 5:21 — “those who do such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.”

Our sanctification needs the shield of the Spirit and guidance, or it gets corrupted and compromised. Ephesians 6:16

2. THE BALANCE: DISCIPLINE FROM THE BIBLE, NOT FROM THE WORLD
Some will say: “But Paul used sports!” Yes.

1 Corinthians 9:24-25 — “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it. Every athlete exercises self-control in all things. They do it to receive a perishable wreath, but we an imperishable.”

Paul is not telling us to go play football. He’s using the discipline of athletes to teach us spiritual discipline:
Focus. Training. Self-control. Running to win an imperishable crown.
Hebrews 12:1 — “let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus.”

The world trains the body for 90 minutes. We must train the spirit for eternity.

Colossians 3:23 — “Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men.”
If you play football, play unto the Lord. With integrity. Without pride. Without cursing. Without idolatry.
If you are a fan, fan unto the Lord. With a renewed mind.

3. THE TEST: DOES IT HELP OR HINDER YOUR SALVATION?
We are to “work out your own salvation with fear and trembling” — Philippians 2:12
Not earn it. But keep it clean, not corrupted.

Ask yourself 3 questions before the game and after the game:
Does this make Jesus increase in me, or decrease? John 3:30
Does this renew my mind, or fill it with pride, hate, and flesh? Romans 12:2
Can I do this and still be pure and blameless before God? 1 Peter 1:15-16

If football causes you to miss prayer, to gossip, to gamble, to hate, to be drunk — then it has become an idol. 1 Corinthians 10:14 — “Flee from idolatry.”

4. APPLICATION: HOW TO ENGAGE WITH A RENEWED MIND
Awaken - See the spirit behind the culture. Don’t be blind. Proverbs 29:18
Renew - Let the Spirit transform your thoughts about competition, winning, and identity. Romans 12:2
Obey - If the Spirit says “turn it off, come pray,” obey. John 14:23
Purify - Guard your eyes, your mouth, your time. Psalm 119:9

CLOSING WORD
Brothers and sisters, football is not the enemy. The flesh is.