By Scott Barkley, Georgia Christian Index For other Cartersville residents and I, it was surreal to see Trevor Lawrence, a kid who had just been known around town as “Trevor” since he was 15, on the national stage last night. It shouldn’t have been. Over four years we saw his talent at Cartersville High’s Weinman Stadium, the spirals thrown at ridiculously impossible angles with equally ridiculous velocity. Fans of the Purple Hurricanes became used to 42-0 leads halfway through the second quarter. In 2017, his senior year, Trevor and the Canes led Calhoun – a team that would later that year win the Class AAA state championship – 51-0 at the half. So when the kid many call “Sunshine” after his resemblance to the character from the movie “Remember the Titans” shone so brightly on the national stage against the favored Alabama Crimson Tide, many of us weren’t surprised. Something I do take note of regarding these young athletes are how they handle the spotlight away from the field. Keep in mind that Trevor is 19 years old. Last year’s National Championship also had a lot of young guys featured like Jake Fromm and Tua Tagovailoa. Their small towns can be a fishbowl. Get out of sorts publicly in any way, even for a … [Read more...]
Out with the old in 2019
By Rebecca Holloway Somewhere in the middle of the rain, the merriment, and the holiday travel, the new year dawned. And here we sit with a chance to start over again. A couple of weeks ago, the Lord had given me my verse for the year and a couple of words. (With me, it never seems to follow the pattern of a single word. I usually get multiple words.) The verse hit me like a ton of bricks as I was flipping through the book of Isaiah to another passage. "Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past." (Isaiah 43:18) And goodness, there are some things I need to forget. Some things I need to let go. Some things from which I need to move on. Last year I asked the Lord to make me fruitful in the land of my suffering (Genesis 41:52). I don't know how fruitful I really was, but I am ready to be out of the land of suffering. Suffering will never be gone from any of our lives, but I am ready to forget what is behind and strain toward what is ahead. (Philippians 3:13) How will I do that? The other words the Lord gave me were obedience and surrender. I don't know exactly what the obedience means yet. But I do know the surrender means that I need to let go and fall into the arms of the One who knows what is best for … [Read more...]
Will Jesus be at the center of your life in 2019?
By Steve Horn Here we are a few days into 2019. The first Sunday of the New Year is upon us. Now is the right time to ask yourself the penetrating question: “Will Jesus be the center of your life in 2019?” That phrase comes from a song I like to sing. Here are some of the lyrics to that song: From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You From my heart to the heavens Jesus be the center It’s all about You Yes, it’s all about You Most people would probably like to think of their lives as lots of boxes of different sizes. The label on one box reads family. Another box is labeled career. Yet another box is labeled hobbies, perhaps, until all of the components of one’s life have a box. Most people even conclude that one of those boxes needs to be labeled God. A person with right priorities might even recognize that the “God box” needs to be the largest box. The separate box analogy, however, is not sufficient to describe a right relationship with God. God does not want to have one … [Read more...]
Four biblical resolutions for 2019
By Lane Corley The Bible is full of resolutions. Our reading of the Bible should be to see the gaps between ourselves and God’s will and close that gap with resolve. The difference between worldly resolution and Biblical resolution is that as believers we have the promise of God’s presence with us to empower and encourage us as we resolve to walk with him. So let’s be resolute in 2019. Here are four Biblical Resolutions in way of reminder and challenge. Devote yourselves to Prayer… Colossians 4:2 Prayer works every time it is tried. God promises to hear and to answer the praying believer, who prays in faith (Matthew 7:7; James 1:5-8; 1 John 5:14-15). Resolve to be a person of prayer in 2019. Ideas: Set your alarm for 10:02am as a reminder to pray for your church and for more laborers for God’s mission (see Luke 10:2). Get your church’s directory and pray for one page per day. Sign up for Daily Prayer List of the International Mission Board Sign up for BlessEveryHome.com and pray for your neighbors everyday Every man mature in Christ – Colossians 1:28-29 The resolve of the apostle Paul was to move EVERY PERSON in his sphere of influence closer to Christ. What a resolution!? Our influence as … [Read more...]
Would you like to change?
By Waylon Bailey Almost everyone makes New Year’s resolutions, and almost no one follows through. In fact, most people don’t even make it through January for their hoped for new way of living. If you want to start something new, you have to do something different. What are some things you can do to make significant changes in your life? First, invite God to be a part of your change. Ask Him to help you do the things you already know you need to do. Many of the changes we need to make in life have to do with spiritual things. For example, if you want to make your relationships better, that is something God has already wanted for you. Let God bless your change. Pray about it everyday. Don’t let it simply be what you want; look to Scripture and find what God wants in your life. Second, invite other people to encourage you in your relationships. James Clear in Atomic Habits shows some things we have known in the church for years: we become like the people around us. Therefore, find a group of people who eat right, go to the gym, pray and read Scripture, and seek integrity and compassion in their lives. Over time you will pick up their dreams and habits. Third, read books that will help you learn and grow. What … [Read more...]
Drew Brees, priorities and winning in life in 2019
By Cyle Clayton The average NFL quarterback is 6' 4" tall and weighs 235 lbs. Drew Brees is 6' 0" tall and weighs 205. He has thrown completions to receivers he can't even see because of his height and the height of defenders. He has simply studied and prepared with his team so that he knows where the receiver will be and throws there. He is arguably the greatest NFL quarterback of all time. How did he do it? He will be the first to give credit to God, his family, and his team. As talented as he is, others are just as talented. He also prioritizes the game he is playing. Zack Strief, offensive tackle who played with Brees for 12 years, said, "He's a coach on the field." So, he's not just there, he's leading. Streif also said, "He's in install meetings. He's in game-plan meetings. He watches so much tape. He knows what we're all doing. I hate when people try and say he's a system quarterback. He is the system." (information above and quotes from an article at 247Sports) I don't know if you've ever watched a game, but the moment the offense leaves the field Brees has a pad in his hand reviewing video and plays. He has his priorities straight, and it has resulted in success in his faith, family, and football. Listen to … [Read more...]
The path to personal peace
By Greg Laurie ”You will keep in perfect peace all who trust in you, all whose thoughts are fixed on you!” - Isaiah 26:3 If you want to overcome fear and worry, then you need right thinking. In other words, think about what you think about. We’re told in Philippians 4:8, “Fix your thoughts on what is true, and honorable, and right, and pure, and lovely, and admirable. Think about things that are excellent and worthy of praise” (NLT). If you want personal peace, this is where it begins. Why is the mind important? It’s command central. With our minds we reach to the past through memories, and we reach to the future through imagination. We need to learn how to think properly and biblically. As 2 Corinthians 10:5 says, “We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ” (NLT). The next time you’re troubled, you might try talking to yourself. We need to tell ourselves to think biblically, because it doesn’t always come naturally. For example, we see the writer’s despair in Psalm 42: “Why am I discouraged? Why is my heart so sad?” But then the writer continues, “I will put my hope in God! I will praise him again—my Savior and my God!” (verses 5–6 NLT). Many of the Psalms are songs and prayers. They … [Read more...]
The two most unlikely people
By Waylon Bailey Were there ever two more unlikely people than Joseph and Mary? Is there any more improbable event than the birth of Jesus Christ? Joseph and Mary were peasants from an obscure village in an obscure part of the world. Only the events of of the birth of Jesus Christ could have made them known by anyone other than a few hundred people over their entire lifetimes. At the same time, some of the most recognizable people of history lived at the same time. We all know the name Julius Caesar. He lived in the generation prior to the birth of Jesus Christ. His great nephew and adoptive son was Caesar Augustus. Augustus was named Octavian but received the name “Augustus” from the Roman Senate. The word august means grand, lofty or exalted. At the death of Octavian the Romans proclaimed him as a god as they had Julius Caesar. And as they did with Julius Caesar, they named a month of the Julian calendar after Augustus (August). Octavian at first shared power with Mark Antony and one other ruler. At the Battle of Actium in 31 BC, he defeated the navy of Antony and Cleopatra (the ruler of Egypt). All of these were people of high status and unbridled power. God chose not to use the mighty of the world but the … [Read more...]
You can hope again
By Lane Corley One of the most significant and unsung verses in the Christmas Story and maybe in the New Testament is Luke 1:11. An angel of the Lord appeared to him, standing to the right of the altar of incense. Luke 1:11 Christian Standard Bible This is the moment that God broke through after 400 years of silence, after allowing the rampaging and devastation and defeat of His chosen people, and after allowing Judaism to become a ritualistic shell of itself. God broke through. God spoke. God set in course the events that would bring salvation to all the world in the person and work of Jesus Christ. The before and after of this verse goes like this: An aging Priest named Zechariah got the opportunity of a lifetime to offer incense in the Temple’s sanctuary. He and his wife Elizabeth, who was never able to have children, and now was well along in years, made arrangements to fulfill this obligation. As he offered incense, God reached down and spoke. Unexpected events, unexpected people involved, unexpected announcement that Elizabeth would have a baby. That baby would become the way-preparer for the Messiah, John the Baptist. This is the moment where God initiated the keeping of His Promises and Securing the Hope … [Read more...]
There is hope in the manger
By Marcell McGee Do you remember the joys of Christmas growing up as a child? Your mom, brothers and sisters, decorating the Christmas tree? Then, the anticipation of finding that special gift from Santa under the tree? Remember the afternoon trip to Grandma’s house for Christmas dinner? For most, Christmas has always represented anticipation, joy, family, love, and hope. But for many, hope is a difficult commodity to come by these days. Our hope dims with every negative story we hear, every report of violence we receive, every personal tragedy that we experience. The Christmas season for many, if not all of us, does not always represent thoughts of hope in our lives. We are confronted with individual pain, the memory of lost loved ones, the darkness of obstacles standing before us. Maybe somewhere down the line you have disappointed your parents, your wife, your kids, maybe even God. There comes over us a sense of helplessness or hopelessness. The plans that we had in our youth for a happy life are just a faded memory. With our plans dashed, we begin to think, “Can I ever recover?” “Is there any hope for me?” But, then we are reminded of what that little baby in the manger offers to us all. The Christmas season is a … [Read more...]
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