Wednesday, April 8, 2009

Learnings from Being Back on the Field - Part 3

This week I have been posting some things I learned when I played soccer this past weekend. As a leader I always want to be learning. I want to have eyes that see and ears that hear what God is putting in front of me. I think I learned a lot from that soccer game. Today I want to look at part 3...

3. I want to score!
Everyone I know who watches sports wants to see their team score. When the Penguins are playing my son goes crazy when they score. When I watch the Premier Soccer league games on TV the fans go wild when there is a goal.

I have been a very competitive guy for most of my life. Over the years I have been told that I am even a bit over the top. It doesn't matter if I am playing or watching, I want my team or the team I am following to win. But because of being ultra-competitive over the years, I have tried to dial it back a bit recently. As soon as I stepped on to the soccer field on Saturday, that all changed back - I wanted to score. I played hard. I ran harder than I have in a very, very long time. The pay off was two goals and an assist. It was great and I want more. I can't wait to play in the next game.

This weekend is Easter. It's bigger than the World Cup or the Super Bowl or the World Series or all of them combined. This is a big deal for us. I am praying that people will give their lives to Jesus this weekend. I am praying that lives will be changed for eternity. I'm not just praying this for Charter Oak Church. I am praying this for every church. I am praying that God will grant us His favor, that the Holy Spirit will be poured out in such profound ways that people will be convicted of their sin, they will recognize the spiritual hunger they have in their soul, and that they will turn it all over to Jesus.

Every time there was an out pouring of the Holy Spirit in the book of Acts, they counted how many people became followers of Jesus. We will be expecting the outpouring of the Holy Spirit this weekend and we will be counting and celebrating those whose lives have been changed through a relationship with Jesus. I can't get enough of this! I am pumped up to see what God does this Easter.

4 comments:

Эндий said...

what about the stanley cup ;D is it bigger than that????

i've been seeing this more and more recently and i've been finding more opportunities to share faith than any other time in my life. it made me realize i still need to work on taking advantage of those opportunities and i think its working. i can't wait for easter.

Tom Beagan said...

Chris, your learnings remind me that first and foremost, we have to get in the game. Revelations 3:15 reminds me that in the Christian faith as disciples there are no spectators. I am thrilled that as always Charter Oak is in the game.

Chris Whitehead said...

Ande,

The Stanley Cup probably has the smallest number of people, but i hear ya. I hope the Pens are there this year. Keep being obedient to God's leading.

Chris Whitehead said...

Tom,

Thanks for the scripture reference. I love the thought that there are no spectators. We are all to be in the game! I'm thankful that we are in this together.