Monday Morning Quarterback

A series on the Judges of Israel
 – Samson from the tribe of Dan
(Click on the link below to read the verses.)
Judges 16:4-30 

[The book of Judges is a roller coaster ride. It’s about the history of Israel following their entry into the Promised Land. Unfortunately, Israel went through cycles of rejecting God and then repenting. Each time, the Lord saved them by raising up a leader who was called a judge. In this series, we will be looking at some of these judges to learn about God’s character as well as our own.]

  

Every Wednesday, I have a zoom call with a good friend of mine who lives in Nevada. At some point during the call the conversation invariably turns to the most recent Michigan State football game.

 

True to the “experts” that we are, we analyze the problems that the Spartans are having and what they need to do in order to correct them. If only the coach would contact us, I’m sure we’d have things turned around in no time. You could easily call us a “Monday morning quarterback”.

 

Sampson is an easy target for a Monday morning quarterback.

 

Once again Israel did evil in the eyes of the Lord. As a result, he handed them over to the Philistines who oppressed them for forty years. During that time the angel of the Lord appeared to a barren woman telling her that she would become pregnant and that her son would take the lead in delivering Israel from the Philistines.

 

True to the word of the angel, she gave birth to a son who she named Samson. Unfortunately, he became a flawed man with feet of clay. Although he was feared far and wide, he also had a weakness for Philistine women that led to his demise.

 

There are a series of bizarre stories that revolve around a Philistine woman that Samson insisted on marrying. These stories put on public display his compulsive, violent and vengeful behavior. However, the Lord was at work through this as Samson confronted the Philistines.

 

Later when Samson fell in love with Delilah, the rulers of the Philistines offered her a significant bribe to find out what gave Samson his strength. Motivated by greed, Delilah nagged Samson “day after day until he was sick to death of it”.

 

Having grown weary of her nagging, he finally told her that it was his hair. With this information, the Philistines were able to capture Samson, gouging out his eyes. In the closing story, the Philistine rulers gathered together to celebrate in the temple of their god Dagon.

 

But with one final act of revenge, Samson asked the Lord to give him the strength that he might kill all who were present at the gathering, including himself. There were over three thousand men and women praising their god for capturing their mortal enemy, when Samson brought the temple down on top of them.

 

As an experienced Monday morning quarterback, I would say that Samson had some great strengths, but also some glaring weaknesses. Despite this, God worked in and through his life.

 

In fact, he is mentioned as one of the heroes of the faith in the “Hall of Faith” in Hebrews 11. Here’s what is written about Samson and some others.

³³ By faith these people overthrew kingdoms, ruled with justice, and received what God had promised them. They shut the mouths of lions, ³⁴ quenched the flames of fire, and escaped death by the edge of the sword. Their weakness was turned to strength. They became strong in battle and put whole armies to flight.        NLT

 

Like Samson, none of us are perfect, and yet the Lord has called us to serve him by faith.

 

Copyright 2024 Joseph B Williams

Feel free to share this blog with others.

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

The Mask

A series on the Psalms - the voice of emotions
 (Click on the link below to read the verses.)
When you’re feeling lonely.
Psalm 25 

[Life is filled with emotions… anger and love; fear and courage; anxiety and peace. The Book of Psalms is also filled with emotions. They help us to validate our feelings and understand ourselves better; to grow in our faith and our relationship with Jesus; to understand the character of our Lord and how He works in our life.]

  

During COVID, everybody wore a mask! They were one of the many things that people adapted to during the pandemic, but never liked.

 

In addition to wearing a mask, you kept six feet apart in public; you couldn’t visit family or friends; you couldn’t enjoy the camaraderie of your coworkers; you couldn’t visit your grandparents in a nursing home. The result was loneliness. But when life returned to normal… people were still lonely.

 

David, who wrote Psalm 25, knew what it felt like to be lonely. Even though Samuel had anointed him the king of Israel, he ran for his life from King Saul. He spent years living in the wilderness and hiding in caves. At one point, he even pretended to be insane in order to escape his enemies.

 

Not only was he lonely then, but when he finally did take his rightful position as king, he quickly fell into sin. Because he didn’t go to war with his troops, he was alone and watched Bathsheba bathing on the rooftop. Loneliness took a toll not only on David, but also on his family, as well as the kingdom of Israel.

 

¹⁶ Turn to me and be gracious to me,
    for I am lonely and afflicted.
¹⁷ Relieve the troubles of my heart
    and free me from my anguish.
¹⁸ Look on my affliction and my distress
    and take away all my sins.       NIV

 

Despite his intense feelings, David put his hope and trust in the Lord.

  

¹ O Lord, I give my life to you.
^2b I trust in you, my God!      NLT

⁴ Show me the right path, O Lord;
point out the road for me to follow.
⁵ Lead me by your truth and teach me,
    for you are the God who saves me.
    All day long I put my hope in you.      NLT

During COVID, a mask was a sign of the times. It could both protect you and those near you. But a mask can also harm you by leading to loneliness. However, even during your difficult times, the Lord is at work.

 

⁸ The Lord is good and does what is right;
    he shows the proper path to those who go astray.
⁹ He leads the humble in doing right,
    teaching them his way.
¹⁰ The Lord leads with unfailing love and faithfulness
    all who keep his covenant and obey his demands.              NLT

 

Copyright 2023 Joseph B Williams

www.lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com

 

 

 

LOSER!!!

   A Series on Women in the Bible
 (Use the link below to read the verses.)
Genesis 17:1-22

[God worked in and through the lives of countless women in the Bible. These women played significant, if not critical roles in the Lord’s plan of Redemption. In this series, we will look at the faithfulness of some of these God fearing women.]

  

Loser! What image does that word bring to your mind? 

The team that lost a game in overtime? Or the one that got beaten so badly it was embarrassing? A homeless person panhandling on a street corner? A geek; a convict; a dork; an addict; an obese person? The person in your office who can’t do anything right? Yourself?

 

I think Sarai may have felt like a loser most of her life.

 

Due to a severe famine in Canaan, Sarai and Abram traveled to Egypt. Before entering, Abram told Sarai to lie; to say that she wasn’t his wife, but his sister. He said this because she was so beautiful that he feared for his life. This happened not once, but twice.

 

I would imagine that, as a result of Abram’s request to lie, that Sarai could easily have felt like a piece of property; like she didn’t matter; like a loser.

 

Also, Sarai couldn’t conceive. This was a source of great shame; of self-loathing; of failure. As a result, Sarai suggested to Abram that he take their servant Hagar as a concubine to conceive a descendant. Which he did. But this caused even more problems because then Hagar despised Sarai; and Sarai mistreated Hagar.

 

Despite all that she had done to please her husband, Sarai most likely felt like a complete failure because she was unable to fulfill the most important role of a woman in that culture; to bear children, and provide a descendant for her husband. Her identity was defined by her failure.

 

But that isn’t how God defined her.

 

She is commended for her faith in Hebrews 11. Then in Galatians 4, she is recognized as the mother of the covenant nation in an allegorical comparison between her and Hagar. Sarai was not a loser!

 

It’s important for us to remember Sarai’s story; her faith; her legacy. Because we all go through periods where we fail; where we feel like a loser. The Good News is that even if we feel like a failure, the Lord is at work in our life; He can turn our failure into His victory; He can accomplish His will in our life.

 

Copyright 2021 Joseph B Williams

 

 

 

 

Wheaties - the Breakfast of Champions… not Change

A Series on Living by Faith

Genesis 6:9-22; Hebrews 11:7
(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Genesis%206%3A9-22%2CHebrews%2011%3A7&version=NIV;NLT

 [Hebrews 11 is a recounting of the Heroes of the Faith. Even though they never saw what they had been promised, each person is commended for living “by faith”. At the end of these commendations, Hebrews 12 tells us, “Therefore, because you are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses… throw off sin; run with perseverance; fix your eyes on Jesus”. In other words, live “by faith”.]

  

I don’t like change. And in my opinion, there is something very positive to be said for routine.

 

Take my morning routine for instance. My alarm goes off at 6:15; I take my temperature (thank you COVID); shave, shower and get dressed while watching the news; work on my devotional/blog; eat a bowl of Wheaties (the same breakfast for over 50 years); and drive to work.

 

Yes, routine is definitely a part of my daily life. It helps me to get everything done efficiently without having to think about it. If something does happen to throw off my routine, such as our kitty throwing up, I’m playing catch up the rest of the morning. I absolutely don’t like change.

 

I’m guessing that Noah had a routine to his life. In scripture, he is referred to as “a man of the soil” … a farmer. And as a farmer, Noah must have had a routine that depended on the seasons. Plus, Noah raised three sons, and routine is something you always strive for in a family.

 

But the Lord had a plan that would mean drastically disrupting Noah’s daily routine; it would mean a change of quantum magnitude. Because the earth was “full of violence” and the people had “corrupted their ways”, the Lord stepped into Noah’s life, turning it upside down.

 

¹⁷ I am going to bring floodwaters on the earth to destroy all life under the heavens, every creature that has the breath of life in it. Everything on earth will perish. ¹⁸ But I will establish my covenant with you, and you will enter the ark—you and your sons and your wife and your sons’ wives with you.        NIV

 

Not only was Noah enlisted to build the ark, but to live there. How did he respond to this colossal change; this great unknown task and event?

 

²² So Noah did everything exactly as God had commanded him.    NLT

Just imagine what a step of faith it was for Noah to be so obedient. Scripture tells us that “people were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, up to the day Noah entered the ark”. Nobody had a clue, including Noah, what the ark would really mean for them. But Noah listened and obeyed.

 

How do you respond to change? Do you stop, look and listen for the Lord; or do you panic? Is the Lord asking you to make a change in your life? Or to keep eating Wheaties – the Breakfast of Champions?

 

 

 

A Windup World

Philippians 2:12-18

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Philippians+2%3A12-18&version=NIV;NLT

 

 

Did you ever play with a windup toy when you were a child? They were a lot of fun except they didn’t last very long. You had to keep rewinding them over and over. Eventually, the key would break and the toy forgotten.

 

Some people feel that way about God. They seem to think that he wound up the world and just let it go, never to be seen again. David sure did at times.

 

¹ God, are you avoiding me?
    Where are you when I need you?        Psalm 10 MSG

 

^1-2 Long enough, God—
    you’ve ignored me long enough.
I’ve looked at the back of your head long enough.

    Long enough I’ve carried this ton of trouble,
lived with a stomach full of pain. Psalm 13 MSG

 

If we’re honest, we’ve all felt that way sometimes. God just doesn’t seem to care; He doesn’t seem to have a purpose for us; He doesn’t seem to be at work in our life. Paul wrote to the Philippians about a God who does care; who does have a purpose; who is at work in your life.

 

¹² Dear friends, you always followed my instructions when I was with you. And now that I am away, it is even more important. Work hard to show the results of your salvation, obeying God with deep reverence and fear. ¹³ For God is working in you, giving you the desire and the power to do what pleases him.   NLT

 

Even David, who experienced such deep, discouraging moments, recognized that God was ever present in his life.

 

¹³ For you created my inmost being;
    you knit me together in my mother’s womb. Psalm 139 NIV

 

¹⁶ You saw me before I was born.
    Every day of my life was recorded in your book.
Every moment was laid out
    before a single day had passed.            Psalm 139 NLT

 

You don’t live in a windup world where God has randomly placed you, like a toy, to aimlessly wander. Indeed, God has a plan and a purpose for you to fulfill and is constantly at work in your world. Therefore, go and discover what He is doing, and be a part of it.

 

 

 

 

The Shepherds: Unexpected Servants

Christmas Character Series

Luke 2:1-21

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Luke%202%3A1-21&version=NIV;NLT

 

 

Many years ago, we went to a Christmas program called Journey to Bethlehem. It was a series of scenes leading up to the birth of Christ. The manger scene was in the

sanctuary where there was a young couple playing Mary and Joseph. What made it especially touching was that their newborn baby was with them as Jesus.

 

As we walked into the sanctuary, the baby began crying, as babies will do. Just like that, the theatrical scene suddenly became a real-life scene. It took me back two thousand years to the real baby Jesus crying in his mother’s arms.

 

For over sixty years, I’ve celebrated Christmas with outdoor decorations, a Christmas tree with lots of presents, a big Christmas meal with family and a special Christmas Eve service. Despite all of that, it only took a little baby seconds to make Christmas real. It was unexpected, just like it was for the shepherds.

 

On that very first Christmas, the Shepherds were in the fields minding their own business. They weren’t aware of Caesar Augustus and his big plans for expanding the Roman Empire. They’d never heard of Joseph and Mary, and had no idea of what had been happening in their lives.

 

All they knew was to watch their sheep. That was their world. That is, before it was turned upside down when suddenly an angel appeared to them. Surprise!

 

“I bring you good news that will bring great joy to all people. ¹¹ The Savior—yes, the Messiah, the Lord—has been born today in Bethlehem, the city of David! ¹² And you will recognize him by this sign: You will find a baby wrapped snugly in strips of cloth, lying in a manger.”    NLT

 

Once the angels left, the shepherds decided to go into Bethlehem to find the baby. It would be like looking for a needle in a haystack, except for the hint given them by the angel. Look for the sign. After all, how many new born babies would be lying in a feeding trough?

 

The crying baby was an unexpected sign for me. The angels were unexpected for the shepherds, as well as the baby in a manger. Are you ready for what God has for you that is unexpected?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Are You Ready for Some Football?

Isaiah 40:3-5

(Use the link below to read the verses.)

https://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=Isaiah%2040%3A3-5&version=NIV;NLT

 

Football is in the air. High school, college and NFL teams are all preparing for the beginning of their fall season. But preparations began much earlier. The same is true for the Big Ten Network (BTN). They began preparing for the first game of the fall a long time ago.

 

For example, during the month of April each school’s spring game is televised. Then in late July, the two-day Big Ten Media Days are on the air for hours at a time. Once the Media Days are over, programming is peppered with previous years’ regular season games, bowl games and special programs. Finally, for three weeks in August, BTN airs their Bus Tour of fall practices for every school.

 

All of this is to prepare us, the fans, for the season to begin; to get us hyped up! Are you ready for some football?

 

³ Listen! It’s the voice of someone shouting, “Clear the way through the wilderness for the Lord! Make a straight highway through the wasteland
    for our God! ⁴ Fill in the valleys, and level the mountains and hills. Straighten

the curves, and smooth out the rough places.          NLT

 

In ancient times, when eastern monarchs would set out on an expedition, they deployed advanced workers who would prepare the way for the monarch. Like Isaiah describes, they would build a road that was worthy of their king.

 

When he wrote this, Isaiah likely had in mind the return of the exiles from Babylon to Jerusalem. For us, we normally think of it as a reference to John the Baptist preparing people for the Messiah to arrive.

 

The bigger picture is that God is always at work in our lives. He is always “clearing the way through the wilderness for the Lord”.  He is constantly at work preparing our hearts, our circumstances, our relationships and our experiences to bring us closer to Him and to serve Him with a devoted heart.

 

When I say “always”… I mean “ALWAYS”! You think BTN spends a lot of time and money to prepare you for football season? God does eternally more to prepare you for Him!

 

 

(If God has spoken to you through this blog, please feel free to share the link with others.)

http://lifelinebasketball.blogspot.com/

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

What Happens in Vegas…

1 Corinthians 16:1-4

 

Have you ever heard the phrase, “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”? If it helps you to understand what it means, Vegas is also known as “Sin City”.

 

Like Vegas, Corinth was not an ordinary city. The citizens were affluent, well educated and highly religious. It was a thriving city at the time when Paul arrived. Corinthian believers had all the trappings of success, and yet their problems festered just below the surface. They were self-sufficient and needed to learn to be God-sufficient.

 

Because of the immaturity of the believers, Paul had to address many problems which included incest, sexual immorality, idol worship and divisions. Even when it came to the practice of the Lord’s Supper they couldn’t get it right. It became a party of gluttony, excessive drinking and exclusion.

 

Although the Corinthian believers seriously struggled in many areas of life, there was

still hope. God was at work in them and through them.

 

The same is true for us. Despite our struggles, God is at work in our lives. In fact, God has a history of working through those that struggle; the weak, the unqualified, the broken, the hopeless and the ordinary.

 

“You’re blessed when you’re at the end of your rope. With less of you there is more of God and his rule. “You’re blessed when you feel you’ve lost what is most dear to you. Only then can you be embraced by the One most dear to you.     Matthew 5:3-4 MSG

 

“The Spirit of the Lord is on me, because he has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim freedom for the prisoners and recovery of sight for the blind, to set the oppressed free, to proclaim the year of the Lord’s favor.”              Luke 4:18-19 NIV

 

But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness.” Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.           2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV

 

 

“What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” is a catchy little phrase. But for those of us who are followers of Jesus Christ, we are bound to share the Good News, not keep it to ourselves.

 

Despite their problems, the Corinthian church gave generously to the Jerusalem church. In the same way, we are called to give of our time, talent and treasure for the advancement of God’s Kingdom.

 

 

 

 

 

(If God has spoken to you, or touched your heart through this devotional, please feel free to share it with others.)

 

 

Now Hear This!

Isaiah 46:3-13

  

According to Wikipedia, the phrase "Now hear this" is used in the United States Navy to instruct personnel to give their “full attention to an order or command that is about to follow”. When Navy personnel hear this phrase, they are to immediately stop what they are doing, listen closely and follow the instructions without question.

 

In today’s passage, Isaiah wrote his own version of “Now hear this”. Actually, it was God’s version.

 

³ “Listen to me, all Israel who are left; I have created you and cared for you since

you were born. ⁴ I will be your God through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with age. I made you and I will care for you. I will carry you along and be your Savior.       

 

⁸ “Don’t forget this, O guilty ones. ⁹ And don’t forget the many times I clearly told you what was going to happen in the future. For I am God—I only—and there is no other like me ¹⁰ who can tell you what is going to happen.

 

¹² Listen to me, you stubborn, evil men! ¹³ For I am offering you my deliverance; not in the distant future, but right now! I am ready to save you, and I will restore Jerusalem and Israel, who is my glory.”    TLB

 

 

God spoke these words through Isaiah to the people of Israel in a specific historical context. He was speaking to the remnant of Israel that had been taken as captives into a totally different culture including pagan idols and gods.

 

Now God was about to bring the remnant back to the Promised Land and He was reminding them of who He was, and who they were. But you get the definite feeling that the people of Israel have a history of being hard headed, stiff necked and stubborn.

 

Does that sound familiar? It does to me. How many times has God had to tell me something before I got it?

 

Now hear this Joe!

 

I have created you and cared for you since you were born. ⁴ I will be your God

through all your lifetime, yes, even when your hair is white with age… For I am God—I only—and there is no other like me… ¹³ For I am offering you my deliverance; not in the distant future, but right now!

 

Look at your own life. God is sovereign. He is always at work in your life. There is no other like Him. There are many pretenders, but none can match Him. He is always with you, ready to deliver you; to bring victory to you.

 

Now hear this!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Throughout all Generations

Acts 19:1-7

 

 

One Sunday, when I was about 10 years old, I didn’t want to go to church. My Dad chased me around the house and out into the backyard where he finally caught me. When we got to church I wouldn’t get out of the car so he made me wait there while they went to services.

 

As bad as this story sounds, for the most part I enjoyed, or at least complied, and went to church each Sunday. Although our church tradition didn’t talk about asking Jesus into your heart or being born again, looking back on it now, I believe that I was a Christian trying to follow and obey God.

 

However, years later in college a friend presented the Four Spiritual Laws to me. It made a lot of sense so I asked Christ into my heart. That same summer my friend told me about the Holy Spirit and how he worked in my life. Like the disciples in Ephesus that Paul met, I had an initial belief that later lead to a life changing experience.

 

These disciples had most likely become believers through the ministry of Apollos who had been in Ephesus previous to Paul. They are referred to as disciples, so they must have believed in God, but something was missing, and that something was the Holy Spirit. When Paul placed his hands on them while baptizing them, the Holy Spirit came upon them in power.

 

Years later, while in prison in Rome, Paul wrote these words to the disciples in Ephesus. Notice how many times he mentions the word “power”.

 

^16 “I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, ¹⁷ so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, ¹⁸ may have power, together with all the Lord’s holy people, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, ¹⁹ and to know this love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God.”

 

Looking back at a ten year old boy who didn’t want to go to church, God was at work in my life. He was constantly drawing me to him, even as my father dragged me, kicking and screaming, to church that day. Years later, God opened my heart to His Holy Spirit and changed my life.

 

Paul’s Ephesian prayer ends like this:

^20”Now to him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, ²¹ to him be glory in the church and in

Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen.”

 

“Throughout all generations, for ever and ever”… Paul’s prayer was not only for those disciples in Ephesus, but for you and me today. God is still at work in our lives through the power of His Holy Spirit, to draw us closer to Him and to use us to attract and bring others to Him also.