CHALLENGE the CALL…

Being as I lived over two thirds of my life in northern California, it is easy to deduce that I am a San Franciso Giants baseball team fan.  I even decorated our guest bath in our homes in North Carolina and Oklahoma in the team’s colors, merchandise and memorabilia, and to a lesser degree (due to room constraints) here in my apartment in Tennessee.

I have fond memories of my dad listening to the Giants games on his transistor radio… which was propped up on the fence… while he worked around the yard each weekend during the baseball season.  And now, both my boys and especially Josh, are die-hard Giants fans.  So, even though none of us live in California anymore, the family tradition along with the Giant’s flag, caps, hoodies… and in Josh’s case… a tattoo on his forearm… continues wherever any of us call home!

I will admit though, that while I still do enjoy the game, I am not a big fan of the extended use of Instant Replay.  I guess that I’m a little old-fashioned and liked it better when the umpire’s call was the law and whether a mis-call was made or not, the game moved faster and there was only one individual to hate rather than every official at the game and/or in the Replay Command Center in New York!

But, on the other hand… I do enjoy the drama that ensues when a team manager will come out in support of his players and give his impassioned plea of disagreement to the umpire for what he believed was a bad call.  You would have to admit that some of those interactions are downright funny as the two individuals will stand nose to nose and CHALLENGE each other’s positions on the play.

Well… I got to thinking the other day, about the idea of CHALLENGING the calls on the plays that occur in the daily activities of our lives.  At some time in our existence on this earth, each of us will be faced with situations that are called in such a way that we may not agree with the ruling.  Maybe it’s a diagnosis of sickness, a financial crisis or the need for wisdom, physical strength, favor or assistance in any other negative event that occurs in our lives.

Like the manager of a professional baseball team who is well-steeped in the rules of the game… can you give a legitimate CHALLENGE to what you consider a bad call? Whose words, rules and directions are you going to listen to for guidance on how to handle your needful situation?

I recently saw a very heart-felt and emotion-tugging TV advertisement requesting monthly donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of America that instantly brought back floods of memories of when I was caring for my wife before she succumbed to the effects of the awful disease.  But what was most prevalent in my thoughts was how impossibly difficult it must be for families that face the disease without a strong faith in Jesus Christ.

I was telling my oldest daughter Saturday, as we traversed the aisles for groceries together at our local Super-Walmart, that one of the most difficult and surprising things that I was forced to handle when Piper was sick, was the constant bombardment of anxiety coming from individuals outside of our immediate family. 

It became quickly obvious to me that these people only had only one voice that they were listening to… and that was the voice of FEAR.  They seemed to have no knowledge and/or working trust in the powerful voice of the Word of God in order to CHALLENGE the FEAR that was calling their plays on the subject of Alzheimer’s… or any other need in their lives for that matter!

In John 15:7 Jesus tells us that,

“As you continue to abide and live in life-union with Me and My Words continue to abide and live POWERFULLY within you – THEN – you can be sure that when you ask for something that you desire… that it will be listened to, acted upon and completed for you.” (personal rendition from EMTV/TPT/MSG)

As Christians, Jesus says that when we make the decision to abide in Him and actively allow His Words to abide in us… that we can be assured of a positive answer to our requests in times of need… that is directly in line with His powerful and masterful Word… period!  End of story - PTL!! 

And His words are the only ones that can successfully CHALLENGE, silence and change any word of FEAR, doubt or unbelief. People without a personal and active faith in Jesus and His infallible Word do not have access to any words that will CHALLENGE the tremendous, fear-driven hopelessness that seems to come to them from every direction… and thereby they lack the peace that “passes all understanding”* that only an active faith in Jesus can provide!

So… While a major league baseball team manager can go out to the plate and yell and scream at the Homeplate umpire… their words have no real power to change the call…  But as Christians… who study and know the Word and abide in it with Christ… you and I have the right words… Christ’s Words… that when spoken out in faith with authority** will successfully CHALLENGE the words of FEAR, doubt and unbelief that may attempt to bombard us whenever tough situations arrive in our lives!  In fact… Paul tells us through His knowledge of God’s WORD and with lots of personal experience to back it up – that,

“God did not give us a spirit and character of insecurity, doubt and fear, but a spirit, mind and character of confidence, power in the truth (ie; the WORD***), love, and self-control.”

And then knowing that we might feel a little intimidated to speak out Jesus’ Words in order to CHALLENGE a wrong call given by the enemy of our faith, Paul went on to say,

“Don’t ever be embarrassed to speak boldly about our Lord…” (2 Timothy 1:7-8A - God’s Word © / The Remedy New Testament)

So… What’s holding you back?  Grab your favorite baseball team’s cap off the hat rack next to your front door and step BOLDLY out with the Word of God on your lips… and CHALLENGE any wrong calls the enemy of our faith tries to trick you with today!

And believe-you-me… you’ll notice an instant - POSITIVE change in the atmosphere around your life… from insecurity, doubt and FEAR… to one of PEACE, JOY, CONFIDENCE and LOVE!

Have a great week!  We’ve had lots of periods of heavy rain over the weekend… but there is a hope for some sunshine ahead this week! WHEW!

 

 

*Philippians 4:7

**See Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:14-20 where Jesus told of the authority that He had following His death, burial and resurrection and then… conferred that authority to all of us who actively believe in Him and His Word to GO and DO the ministry of his Word!

***John 17:17 (KJV)