Spoiled

 A Series on Spiritual Turning Points: A Revelatory moment
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Isaiah 6:1-13 

[God is always at work in our life – drawing us to him, helping us to become the person he created us to be and leading us to opportunities to serve him. In this series we will look at spiritual turning points in the lives of real people, and words that help us to understand how God works in us and through us. Sometimes this happens suddenly, sometimes gradually, but always with purpose.]

  

Growing up, I was really, really, really spoiled. I was the youngest of four kids and my next oldest sibling was six years older. In effect, it was like growing up as an only child. The weird thing is that I didn’t realize that I was so self-centered. At least, not until college.

 

My revelation came when I read a book titled, “The Taste of New Wine”. The marketing overview on the inside flap reads: “Its message is a breakthrough for honesty, integrity, and openness in our relations with God and with each other”. This was one time when the marketing material of a book was true.

 

Uzziah reigned as the king of Judah for fifty-two years. In the beginning, he was described as “doing what was right in the eyes of the Lord”. He built up Jerusalem, improved the infrastructure, kept large herds of livestock and maintained a standing army. In a word, Judah prospered under Uzziah’s steadfast leadership.

 

As long as he sought the Lord’s guidance, God gave him success. However, with success and power came pride which led to his downfall. He sinned against the Lord and because of that, he was afflicted with leprosy, banned from the Temple and lived out his days in isolated shame.

 

The year that King Uzziah died was tumultuous due to the change in leadership and a rising threat from the Assyrian empire. In addition, the people of Judah were still worshipping foreign gods because Uzziah never removed their high places.

 

During this same year the Lord called Isaiah to be his prophet. It was a dramatic calling, as well as a revelatory moment. Isaiah saw the Lord sitting on his throne and the train of his robe filled the Temple. There were seraphim flying above him and their voices shook the Temple to its foundations, which was filled with smoke.

 

³ And they were calling to one another:

“Holy, holy, holy is the Lord Almighty; the whole earth is full of his glory."        NIV

    

 

Because he had seen how holy the Lord was, Isaiah realized how sinful he was.

 

⁵ “Woe to me!” I cried. “I am ruined! For I am a man of unclean lips, and I live among a people of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King the Lord Almighty.”                NIV

 

One of the seraphim picked up a burning coal from the fire on the altar and touched Isaiah’s lips with it saying, “Now your guilt is removed, and your sins are forgiven”.

 

⁸ Then I heard the voice of the Lord saying, “Whom shall I send? And who will go for us?” And I said, “Here am I. Send me!”                      NIV

 

As we draw closer to the Lord, it becomes apparent how “holy, holy, holy” he is, and how sinful we are. That’s what happened to me when reading “The Taste of New Wine”. For the first time, I could see just how really, really, really spoiled I was.

 

One of my favorite hymns is taken from this passage in Isaiah. Here is one verse that summarizes what it means to recognize the holiness of God, and how much we need his love and forgiveness.

 

Holy, Holy, Holy! though the darkness hide thee,
Though the eye of sinful man thy glory may not see,
Only thou art holy; there is none beside thee,
Perfect in pow'r, in love, and purity.

 

Apparently, there is hope… even for a spoiled kid.

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

Staying in Touch

A Series on Spiritual Turning Points: A Catalytic moment
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Acts 1:1-14; Acts 8:1-4 

[God is always at work in our life – drawing us to him, helping us to become the person he created us to be and leading us to opportunities to serve him. In this series we will look at spiritual turning points in the lives of real people, and words that help us to understand how God works in us and through us. Sometimes this happens suddenly, sometimes gradually, but always with purpose.]

During the summer before my freshman year of college, my parents helped me to get ready. They gave me two hard shell Samsonite suitcases. My mom taught me how to iron my shirts and gave me an iron. Dad set up a checking account for me. But the last instructions that he gave me were to write them a letter every week.

 

Just before Jesus was taken up into heaven, he gave the apostles these instructions.

 

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes upon you. And you will be my witnesses, telling people about me everywhere—in Jerusalem, throughout Judea, in Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”         NLT      Acts 1

 

Now, one might think that the apostles would have returned to Jerusalem and begun to strategize how to accomplish the mission that Jesus had given them. They could have worked on a mission and vision statement; or brainstormed goals and objectives. Instead, they returned to the upper room where all they did was pray.

 

However, God must have had a plan in mind because he brought the world to them. Ten days after Jesus ascended into heaven, Jerusalem was jammed with devout Jews from all over the world celebrating Pentecost. Most of them would not have spoken either Hebrew or Aramaic.

 

At the same time, the apostles were filled with the Holy Spirit and spoke in different languages – languages that the visiting Jews would have understood. Also, fire appeared over the apostle’s heads. A crowd came to see what was happening. So, Peter stood and spoke to them about Jesus.

 

That day about 3000 people believed and were baptized. Following this, the apostles spoke in the Temple every day, and even went house to house, sharing that “Jesus is the Messiah”. The result was that “the number of believers greatly increased”.

 

About this time, there were some men from a synagogue who created trouble for the disciple Stephen. False accusations were made. Because of this, Stephen was arrested and brought before the Sanhedrin – the leading religious and political Jews. He concluded his defense by accusing them of killing Jesus, the Messiah.

 

With blind rage, they dragged Stephen outside the city limits, as the law required, where they brutally stoned him to death. This opened the floodgates of persecution for those who already hated the church. But it also led to the spread of the Gospel.

 

¹ A great wave of persecution began that day, sweeping over the church in Jerusalem; and all the believers except the apostles were scattered through the regions of Judea and Samaria. ⁴ But the believers who were scattered preached the Good News about Jesus wherever they went.       NLT      Acts 8

 

When I went to college, there were no cell phones, no texting, no emails. Even long-distance phone calls were rare. So, what was the main method of communication? It was writing a letter. Staying in touch with my parents was important.

 

Two catalytic moments – the apostles being filled with the Holy Spirit and Stephen’s stoning – directly led to the fulfillment of Jesus’ previous instructions to spread the word. But before that… the apostles had prayed. Staying in touch with their Father was important.

 

^12a Then the apostles returned to Jerusalem… ^13a When they arrived, they went upstairs to the room where they were staying. ¹⁴ They all joined together constantly in prayer, along with the women and Mary the mother of Jesus, and with his brothers.     NIV     Acts 1

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

The Portal

A Series on Spiritual Turning Points: A Watershed moment
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Acts 1:1-11 and Acts 2:1-13 

[God is always at work in our life – drawing us to him, helping us to become the person he created us to be and leading us to opportunities to serve him. In this series we will look at spiritual turning points in the lives of real people, and words that help us to understand how God works in us and through us. Sometimes this happens suddenly, sometimes gradually, but always with purpose.]

 

Since 2018, the NCAA transfer portal has transformed college sports into the wild west where almost anything goes. In fact, it’s not unusual for an athlete to have played for 4 or 5 different schools. In my opinion, it’s ruining the college game!

 

However, from a player’s perspective, it gives them a new opportunity to make more money, gain more playing time or to just have more control over their career. In some cases, it has changed their lives dramatically!

 

For instance, in 2025 Fernando Mendoza transferred to Indiana University. As their starting quarterback, he led them to winning the 2026 national championship. In addition, he won the Heisman Trophy Award and was the first pick in the NFL draft. His decision to enter the portal was a watershed moment.

 

The disciples also experienced a watershed moment. For three years they had faithfully followed Jesus throughout Galilee as he ministered to thousands of people. It was a very public ministry, and they participated in it without fear.

 

But, when Jesus was arrested, all but John deserted him. And Peter, his most vocal follower, disowned him three times. Even after Jesus had been resurrected from the dead, the disciples still feared the religious leaders as they hid behind locked doors.

 

But then on the day of Pentecost, when they were all together, something phenomenal happened that changed their lives forever.

 

² Suddenly a sound like the blowing of a violent wind came from heaven and filled the whole house where they were sitting. ³ They saw what seemed to be tongues of fire that separated and came to rest on each of them. ⁴ All of them were filled with the Holy Spirit and began to speak in other tongues as the Spirit enabled them.  NIV    Acts 2

 

Because of the pilgrimage for Pentecost, there was a huge number of devout Jews in Jerusalem from all over the world. When they heard the sound, a crowd gathered to see what was happening. They were amazed because each of them heard their own language being spoken despite all the disciples being from Galilee.

 

Then Peter and the disciples stood, and Peter spoke boldly to the crowd. He clearly explained that the crowd was responsible for the death of Jesus. This is the same Peter who had deserted and disowned Jesus and hidden behind locked doors.

 

On that day, 3000 people believed and were baptized. What made the difference in the disciples? It was the following promise that Jesus had previously made to them.

 

⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit comes on you; and you will be my witnesses in Jerusalem, and in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”            NIV    Acts 1

 

Jesus’ promise to receive the Holy Spirit is still true for us today. All we need to do is enter the portal. Thankfully, the portal is defined in the Gospel of John. Jesus spoke about it in the context of being the good shepherd.

 

⁹ I am the door. If anyone enters by me, he will be saved and will go in and out and find pasture.                                                     ESV    John 10

 

This is our watershed moment.

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

One Shining Moment

A Series on Spiritual Turning Points: A Defining moment
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Genesis 32:22-32 

[God is always at work in our life – drawing us to him, helping us to become the person he created us to be and leading us to opportunities to serve him. In this series we will look at spiritual turning points in the lives of real people, and words that help us to understand how God works in us and through us. Sometimes this happens suddenly, sometimes gradually, but always with purpose.]

 

The NCAA men’s basketball tournament, better known as March Madness, recently finished. Since 1987, after the clock of the championship game has hit 0:00, CBS has played the song titled “One Shining Moment”.

 

As the song plays, video clips are shown from throughout the three-week tournament highlighting game-changing plays. For many, this song is the climactic finish where you can see the raw emotion of the players, coaches and fans.

 

But, out of the 68 teams that start the single elimination tournament, only one team wins. For that team and for those players, it is a defining moment. Because for the rest of their lives… they will be national champions!

 

Jacob was constantly struggling with others to get what he wanted. Even at birth he grabbed the heal of his older twin brother Esau – a sign of things to come. Later, as a young man, Jacob made a “deal” with Esau for his birthright. Finally, he stole Esau’s blessing by deceiving their father, Isaac.

 

Because of this, Esau planned to kill Jacob once their father died. When Jacob learned about this, he fled to go live with his uncle Laban. After a month Jacob arranged with Laban to work for him for seven years. In return, Laban was to give Jacob his younger daughter Rachel in marriage.

 

However, when the time came, Laban tricked Jacob and gave him his older daughter, Leah. As a result, Jacob worked for another seven years – this time to marry Rachel. But Jacob’s struggles continued when Leah, whom Jacob didn’t want, gave birth to many sons while Rachel, whom Jacob loved, had none.

 

After twenty years, the Lord told Jacob to return to his family in Canaan to fulfill the covenant that he had made with Abraham. Therefore, Jacob gathered his wives, sons, servants and all of his livestock and possessions and left.

 

However, he was worried about how Esau would receive him. And when he learned that Esau was coming to meet him with an army of 400 men, Jacob proceeded to send gifts of livestock to precede their meeting. He also sent his wives and sons to a safe place while he stayed for the night by himself.

 

All that night Jacob wrestled with a man. But Jacob wouldn’t let him go until the man blessed him. So, the man blessed him and then changed his name from Jacob, which means “deceiver”, to Israel, which means “struggles with God”.

 

Jacob had struggled his entire life, but he finally realized that his real struggle was with God. The result was that Jacob was a changed man for “I saw God face to face”. It was his “one shining moment” that defined the rest of his life.

 

If we’re honest, we struggle with God just like Jacob. Paul wrote about this struggle in his letter to the Romans.

 

²¹ So I find this law at work: When I want to do good, evil is right there with me. ²² For in my inner being I delight in God’s law; ²³ but I see another law at work in me, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within me. ²⁴ What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death? ^25a Thanks be to God, who delivers me through Jesus Christ our Lord!  NIV            Romans 7

 

Jacob struggled. Paul struggled. We struggle. How are you seeking Jesus? How has he redefined you?

 

Copyright 2026 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com