Don't Be A Judas

Don't Be A Judas

(Selling Out Your Team)

When I thought of this lesson I automatically wanted to use football as the illustration.  I've asked myself,  "Why do I keep referring to football?"  I never was that much into football not even as a kid.  I've never played any kind of band instrument and I've never been a cheerleader.  I was in the pep club for a brief time as a teenager.  I wasn't really anything special except I did make the honor roll when I tried to.  

My husband was a football player and loves football, so the majority of my life has included football.  I have been in the football stands nearly our whole marriage. 

One important thing I've learned from football is teamwork. 

Teamwork is very important in the winning of the game.  When a team works together, motivates each other and listens to the coach they most likely will be an effective team.

I have heard of an illegal practice where a player or team gets paid off to cause a loss of his own game.  They choose to become rich at the expense of others.   Some teams even being blackmailed into throwing a game because of illegal gambling.  I have often wondered if this kind of gambling could even happen among the players themselves. 

Even so on any team whether political, business, sports, or the home.  If we have a team that works together for the same purpose it will most likely be successful, but if we have a player or teammate secretly working against a win.  It could cause a loss for the whole team.

Nothing is more disheartening to think people work, put their heart and money into something, strive, even become older, to find they have been dooped by a supposed trusted team player.  It could also be a paid individual who is being paid to help his team win and at the same time being paid to help his team lose. 

We have a spiritual battle, as Christians,  that goes on all the time.  We know the devil has many tricks up his sleeve and wants to pull us from what God wants us to do.  When we are part of God's family we should give our best effort towards the things of God.  To be sold out for the things of Christ. 

 Our motivation should be higher than any earthly prosperity.  Though God does sometimes bless some with wealth, like Abraham. Abraham blessed God with his wealth but was not controlled by having wealth.

Don't be a Judas who was paid off to betray.    He loved money

more than He loved Jesus.                                                     

The bible teaches that the love of money is the root of all evil.

1Timothy 6:10

For the love of money is the root of all evil: which while some coveted after, they have erred from the faith, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.

Susan Y Nikitenko

Devotional: Don't Be A Judas

May 4th, 2016

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

The Fall Guy -Devotional - John 3:16 - corrected

The Fall Guy

How many of you have  ever heard of a fall guy?   When movie makers make a movie they sometimes use a stand in.  The stand in is the one that gets wet or muddy or does a dangerous stunt.  The only thing is the star gets the credit for it by the people who are watching  the movie.  There used to be a show called "The Fall Guy" .  I watched it when I was a kid and sometimes, In the show, the fall guy would even become injured after a stunt.

I was thinking about football and I thought of a "fall guy" that plays for  the football team.  He's the one that pretends to have the ball, pretends to run with it and takes a hit in order to protect the quarterback.  While he's getting beat up, the quarterback has been given the room he needs to make a winning pass.  

He takes the punishment for the quarterback in hopes to bring the whole team  one step closer to victory.  Sometimes he's not noticed, but everyone saw that great pass the quarterback threw.  Everyone saw  the wide receiver catch the ball and run it in for the score.

 Sometimes players may not want to take a hit for the whole team.  When you have one who will follow through on a trick play , better know you have a brave player on your team.

Now we know Jesus is real and everything about him is real.  When Jesus does something it's for real, it's not pretend.  The idea I'm trying to draw from the example is that Jesus took our place.  He took the fall for us.  He took our blame.

Did you know Jesus took the fall for us? He took our punishment.   He died upon Calvary for our sins.  He took our place so that we could become a winner.  We could become a child of God, saved for eternity.  We can live a victorious Christian life, because of what Christ did.  Jesus took the fall for us, let us give him our best.  Let us give him our life and let him direct our path.  He suffered, he was rejected, he was beaten, he died  all for you and me.  So we could be forgiven and made alive in Christ.  Made alive in the same way Christ arose from the dead, He becomes alive in your heart when you believe. 

Football Devotional:

Susan Nikitenkio

November 4th, 2014

John 3:16

For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Keep Your Helmets On - Football Devotional

Keep Your Helmet On

Could you  imagine having a whole football team playing without a helmet?  It would be a disaster.  As rough as the game can get there would be injuries.  Just this past week I know one of the guys got his helmet ripped off his head and had an injury of some sort and was bleeding.  I'm  not saying he didn't put it on properly, but could that make it easier  for the enemy to rip it off his head?

In not wearing a helmet they wouldn't be keeping their head safe, they would be risking their own mind. Even if they had a helmet on, but did not put it on correctly, it still would not keep them completely safe.

A helmet was made to keep a football players head and mind safe from injury, but if they choose not wear one it doesn't work.  Any kind of head gear is to keep a person's safe from  injuries.  A person for example riding a motorcycle without a helmet would be at a greater risk for a permanent head injury than a football player.

The bible tells us to put on the helmet of salvation.  God tells us to put on a helmet because we are in danger without one.  Knowing we are in a spiritual battle as a people, we know God's not speaking of physical injuries in this passage.  Salvation is what  we put on when we accept Christ as our  personal Savior.  We become safe  or saved for eternity through what Christ has done for us.  Because we are sealed by what Jesus did for us.
We are to keep our minds in Christ Jesus and not allow satan to have any strongholds in our thought life.  We are to fill our minds with the Word, knowing that the devil  has taught many to play mind games with the unsuspecting and in deceit can collect information, posing as a friend.  We know this because we know Judas did this to Jesus.

It is vital not to let contrary ideas enter our minds as fact knowing the bible opposes the idea.  To do so would be the equivalent of a football player receiving an injury which causes brain damage.

Remember to keep your helmet on , put it on correctly and don't let anyone try to rip it off your head.  Cause  in the spiritual battle the devil wants to get to your head, but don't let him.  Keep your helmet on straight.

Football Devotional

Susan Nikitenko

Keep Your Helmet On Straight

Ephesians 6:17

 And take the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God:

Ephesians 4:30

And grieve not the holy Spirit of God, whereby ye are sealed unto the day of redemption.

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Strengthening Your Teammate - Devotional - Football

Strengthening Your Teammate

Sometimes a football player can become discouraged after a bad play. A player can become exhausted from just putting everything he has into winning the game but still knows the enemy has gained control and has the advantage in scores.  He could actually start questioning is own abilities after mental slams out on the field because of something he did wrong, even though he gave it his best shot.

The best thing for his teammates to do would be to get him pumped to do a better job next time.  Help him get his thinking in the right direction and the focus off himself.  A good leader will seek to restore the strength of his teammate.

In the Christians life, this kind of encouragement would be considered grace.

I think of Jesus after he endured temptation for forty days in the wilderness.

Even Jesus was ministered to and strengthened by the angels.  God sent angels to minister to our Savior.

We are to minister to each other in times of testing, and times of temptation in order to strengthen each other, especially when a team member becomes wearied by the sorrows of life.

God has given us grace because he knows how fragile we really are.  In comparison to all creation we really are very small, but if God thought us valuable enough to die for, then we should count every living soul valuable.

Valuable enough to lead them to Christ or back to the place they need to be in their relationship to God.

Mark 1:13

 And he was there in the wilderness forty days, tempted of Satan; and was with the wild beasts; and the angels ministered unto him.

Susan  Y Nikitenko

July 22nd, 2014

Devotional Football

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

The First Down - Devotional - July 22nd 2014 - Football

The First Down

If there's one thing I know about football, it would be, the longer a team has the ball, the bigger the advantage for that team.  The enemy doesn't take over the power of the game all at once, it's a little bit at a time.  They are after the "first down", because they are rewarded with extra time to make the score.  That's why it's very important to stop the team before they get the "first down."  When they continue to have the control, they force the opposing team to go the wrong way down the field.

It's always fun to have your team regain control of the ball and start moving the ball in the right direction.  It's hard work and strategy, to regain the power of the game a little bit at a time.  It takes team work, endurance and going forward.

In the Christian life if we give up ground to the devil, the longer you let him have it the harder it is to get back.  The more you let him have the more he will take.  Don't give the devil a chance to gain the power of your life, by letting him get the "first down."  Fight and fight hard to maintain your Christian strength by being faithful in your heart and life to our Heavenly Father.  The closer you follow the plan of his Word and fellowship with OUR Father God, the more you will be able to resist the sin that so easily besets you.

When you see your going the wrong way, gain control.

When you have the ball, run with it in the right direction.  Pass it , to your teammates, and together make a score for  the cause of eternity and our Savior.

Hebews 12:1

Wherefore seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us

Susan Y Nikitenko

Devotional - July 22, 2014

Football

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Discipline - Devotional - July 21st, 2014, Football

Discipline

When ball players are getting ready for a game, there are many rules they must follow.  They can't be foolin' around, drinkin' and partyin'.  They are to eat right, get good rest and keep fit so they can give their best performance during a game.  They need to know the rules and the plays the coach has given them to learn.  To give any less could be robbing the whole team of a possible win.  The coach will enforce these rules, because he know his job counts on the winning of the game.

They need to remember the choices they make, effect the whole team.

In a Christians life it is much the same way.  We are on Team "Jesus Christ" and the choices we make in life effect the whole team.  God wants us to live a self disciplined life in Him, that's why we are called disciples.  We become disciplined under the leadership of Holy God and His Word.  Whatever we choose to do can rob a whole church of His blessings, that is why God gives us a Pastor.  Pastors are given the oversight of the church and will be held accountable (by God)  for what He allows in the church.  He has to make hard unpopular decisions and do so as he bathes the decision in prayer.   God wants us to be clean in His sight and living an obedient disciplined life.  Then God will bless us as a team and in our  individual lives.

Sometimes ball players get to knowing they are hotshots.  If  you've become a hotshot, just remember God hates pride, he resisteth the proud, and when he sees you, He knows how little you really are.

Let your light shine by living the life of a faithful disciple of Christ and be part of bringing your team into victory.

Susan Y Nikitenko

July 21st, 2014

Devotional

2 Chronicles 16:9

For the eyes of the LORD run to and fro throughout the whole earth, to shew himself strong in the behalf of them whose heart is perfect toward him

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.

Don't Drop That Ball - Bible Devotional - Football

Don't Drop That Ball

After sitting through football games all these years, better know, I know a little bit about the game.  I've learned endurance through rain, shine and cold.

I was thinking about how important the ball is in the game of football and realized without the ball there would not be a game.  The game ball is the object of everyone's attention and it is fought over, because both teams want to get hold of  the ball and bring it in for the score.

The ball is the lifeline in the game, without possession of it, you would have a no win situation.

Without the ball we might as well stay at home and hang up the pompoms, cause there wouldn't be anything to cheer about.  It's like chewing steak without teeth or driving a car without wheels.

Everyone would be standing around saying, "where in the world is the ball?"

As Christians, we have been given a job to do and the "ball" to the Christian is everything God has given us to win in Christian living.  The only thing is, the "ball' to the enemy is something entirely different.

The enemy is out to win, and is out to get the ball from you.  He wants you to fail.  He wants to run you over and  He doesn't care if you get spikes in your face while he's trying to take it.  He's going to do anything he can to get that ball.

We as Christians need to be prepared for the battle and hold onto that ball, hold it tucked under your arm where ever you go and whatever you do, don't drop that ball, stay with the fight, don't give the enemy an inch or He will take a mile.

Susan Y Nikitenko

July 21st, 2014

Bible Devotional - Football

1 Peter 5:8

Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:

Poetry And Other Materials On This Site Can Be Freely Used For Christian Bible Centered Non-Profit Ministries And must Remain Unchanged In Any Way. All Other Purposes Are With Permission Only. You May Make Requests At "treasurebox18@yahoo.com" All my poems with stories are both real and fictional designed to illustrate a biblical truth. All Rights Reserved. Please Include Site Name And Link Back To This Blog. Thank-You.