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adelehlittle · 8 years ago

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Football for life

Two nights ago, I was one of millions watching as Clemson faced Alabama in the National Championship for a second year, coming in as the #2 underdog and seeking redemption. They had exercised a rigorous practice regimen resulting in an impressive 11-1 season, going on to clench the ACC Championship against Virginia Tech, shut out Ohio State in the Fiesta Bowl, and, against the odds, beat Alabama by 4 points in the last second of the title game. Coach Dabo Swinney, quarterback Deshaun Watson, and defensive MVP and team captain Ben Boulware each gave impassioned post-game speeches thanking God for where they’ve come from to achieve this, noting the hard, relentless work, and the belief that they could win. With Alabama dominating the first half and Clemson down seven points at halftime, Dabo said he told the team, “We’re gonna win. I don’t know how, but we’re going to win.” I’m still stunned and excited over the victory and what it means to the Clemson nation, having become a sold-out fan when our daughter started attending. Tod, my husband, laughs at how I’ve “suddenly” become obsessed.

Within moments the next morning, I realized the dramatic correlation between spiritual victories, which are often as hard-fought, as football. It takes discipline and a lot of hard work to attain spiritual victories. The victory over a stronghold in our life, the victory of healing for someone we’ve been praying for, the open door of a job for someone who’s been out of work, the financial provision for a desperate situation, the deliverance from addiction that has held someone down for so long, the understanding and acceptance of God’s love and what He did for us…the list is endless. Sometimes answers come quickly, but more often than not, they come with much sweat and tears. And we can’t always go it alone. Victory often requires a team of people who are committed to late night, heart-wrenching prayer sessions, working through the setbacks that come, seeking the wisdom of God for game-plan strategies, laying on of hands, physical presence, and practical assistance. There are times when we wonder if it’s worth the time spent, the agony, the hits, tackles, and bruises. If it’s worth fighting amidst the commentators’ words of discouragement and criticism by those in the stands when we’re not winning. We seek wisdom to be a team coach, to be a captain of the team, to be a player that achieves what other people say we shouldn’t be able to do.

Hunter Renfrow is the 5’11” 150 lb walk-on, who scored two touchdowns in the National Championship game, including the one that escalated the team to the #1 position in the final second of play, plus a critical tackle that stopped Alabama from running the ball back from a turnover. A receiver with sure hands, he is the “go-to” guy for his quarterback. With 34 receptions for 403 yards and four touchdowns this year, he’s been a critical player. You would never pick him in a line up against other bigger players to become such an influential player. Size isn’t the most important factor, though. And as with football, when it comes to winning a spiritual victory, it’s not your past accomplishments, credentials, talents, worldly possessions, or influence. What matters most is passion, determination, devotion, perseverance, love, smart plays, and belief that when we show up for practice again and again, the impossible can happen in the game. It takes a willingness to get up early and stay up late, to get on our knees, to get beat up a bit, and to muster the energy in the 4th quarter to push our own limits and face the opponent, who seeks to “kill, steal, and destroy” (John 10:10). He and his team are constantly drawing up game plays to force a spiritual quarterback sack, interception, injury, and overall lack of confidence and belief.

Interceding for others changes the outcome. It changes the energy and momentum of the game of life. How humbling that we get to commune with a God that is so powerful and personal that He not only answers prayer, but also brings us through a process that results in experiencing Him on a level that stills our heart, gives joy that is untouchable, and provides hope for good to come out of the worst circumstances. Not just hope, but TRIUMPH. We must seek encouragement by those who will cheer us on in rainy weather and losing slumps. We may lose some battles, but the final war victory and trophy is what we’re after. We can’t give up. We must remain disciplined and focused. We must be “all in.”

Looking back on 2016, I’ve labored in prayer WITH and FOR some folks in desperate circumstances. Often I needed to rest and refuel before going back out on the field. Sometimes I needed a good inspiring pre-game, half-time, or time-out talk from my Coach and mentors to keep moving the ball one yard at a time down the field. Then, after many hours, days, and months, I have experienced some of the touchdowns we’ve hoped for. I’ve even done a victory dance in the endzone. There’s no National Championship ring or trophy, no Heisman nomination, but I’ll take the tears of joy and satisfaction a spiritual victory brings, because when it comes, it’s SWEET. And it’s ETERNAL.

This is my fight song. I’m just one undersized person that struggles to make the team each day. Let’s build a team together. Let’s create a stir. Let there be a “Jesus Nation” that rises up to OVERCOME. There is much work to be done. As a believer in Jesus, we have been given a mandate and have been provided the power and authority to facilitate MIRACLES. In the words of Dabo Swinney, Bring Your Own Guts! Let’s go for the WIN!

“Discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness.” I Timothy 4:7

“Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles. And let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us.” Hebrews 12:1

“Brothers, I do not consider myself yet to have laid hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize of God’s heavenly calling in Christ Jesus.” Philippians 3:13-14

“Put on the full armor of God, so that you will be able to stand firm against the schemes of the devil. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places.” Ephesians 6:11-12

“And He said to them, “The harvest is plentiful, but the laborers are few. Therefore pray earnestly to the Lord of the harvest to send out laborers into his harvest.” Luke 10:2

“I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be loosed in heaven." Matthew 16:19

“Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12

“With God, all things are possible.” Matthew 19:26

#daboswinney #allin #clemson #nationalchampionship

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adelehlittle · 10 years ago

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America and the Seven-year “Shakings” of 2001, 2008, and Potentially 2015

America is the only other nation besides Israel dedicated to God at her founding. Just like Israel in the days of Isaiah, America has driven God out, removing many of His blessings. We have repeated in detail the same mistakes that happened to Israel in Isaiah 9:10, signaling "shakings" brought as a call from God to turn back to Him. Pastor and Rabbi Jonathan Cahn talks about these shakings as “harbingers”, which are things that signal the approach of another. Rabbi Cahn's talk at the 2013 Presidential Inaugural Prayer Breakfast explains much more on this. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S9xMxkNROto

The recent "shakings" have occurred exactly 7 years apart. In the Bible, numbers are very significant, with the number 7 meaning totality, or completion, and referenced almost 400 times.

Here are the recent “shakings,�� each contributing to financial and economic downfall of America, each exactly seven years apart AND occurring on the 29th day of the Hebrew calendar month ELUL:

· September 17, 2001: Triggered by 9/11, the stock market crashed

· September 13, 2008: The stock market collapsed 777 points (7%).

Over the past fourteen years since 9/11 and these stock market crashes, we have seen the American dollar and economy weakened, the recession and resulting job losses and retirement fund depletions, and we are no longer the largest economy in the world - China is.

If America continues to drive out God, and if the trend continues, there will be another “shaking” and major financial setback this year. We can be paying attention to what happens or is triggered by the 29th day of ELUL this year - September 13th, 2015.

TETRAD OF BLOOD MOONS

Alongside the notings of the harbingers or “shakings,” other Christian leaders are talking about the tetrad of four blood moons for 2014-15. Genesis 1:14 says, “And God said, ‘Let there be lights in the vault of the sky to separate the day from the night, and let them serve as signs to mark sacred times, and days and years’”(NIV). In the past, signs of the moons have been tied to major events relating to Israel and Biblical prophecy. The last time there was a tetrad of four blood moons was in 1967-68, noted to be tied to when Israel recaptured Jerusalem. There was another tetrad prior to that in 1948-49, noted to be tied to Israel becoming a nation. And also in 1493-1494, when Jews were expelled from Spain.

This current 2014-15 Tetrad is called a “Biblical Tetrad” because all four total lunar eclipses fall on Jewish Holidays: Passover and the Feast of Tabernacles. There will not be another “Biblical Tetrad” for another 600 years. Statistically, the chances of one occurring on a particular day four times in a row are 1/273,000 years. However, it’s happened eight times since AD 1.

Two of the blood moons of this current tetrad already occurred on April 15, 2014 and October 8, 2014. The two remaining blood moons for the 2014-15 tetrad will occur on April 4, 2015 (Jewish Passover) and September 28, 2015 (Feast of Tabernacles). There is also a solar eclipse to happen on September 13, 2015, the 29th day of ELUL, mentioned above as the date to watch as the seven-year “shaking.” They correlate to significant things happening with Israel, which affect our world.

SO, WHAT CAN WE DO?

If these signs relate to significant events concerning Israel, God is fulfilling Bible prophecy, and we need to take note. With the “shakings” on America, God is telling us to come back to Him, just as He did to Israel when they said they would rebuild. However, they were defiant to God and rebuilt with "pride and in arrogance of heart," without repenting or acknowledging Him. Three times in Isaiah 9, the message God patiently sent, despite Israel’s defiance, was “And His hand is still stretched out.” Yet, they continued without Him, and without God’s blessing, they were destroyed and dispersed. God is saying the same thing to America that He said to Israel. “My hand is still stretched out. Repent and turn back to Me.”

So what can we do? Reach out to touch God’s outstretched hand to us. Repent personally. Repent for the corporate sins of our nation, past and present. Accept the free gift from God of forgiveness through Jesus. Commit or re-commit to follow Him and be obedient to Him.

Genesis 12:3 says to Abraham, father of Israel, “I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you." America has stopped supporting Israel wholeheartedly and turned to supporting Palestine and the United Nations, and our blessing is being removed. So what can we do? Support and pray for Israel and urge our nation’s leaders to do so.

Speaking of the end times before Jesus comes again, Luke 21:25 says, "There will be signs in the sun, moon, and stars." Pray for wisdom and God’s direction to be prepared for what lies ahead.

GOD DOES NOT WANT US TO FEAR

We may be tempted to become fearful for what will happen to America. However, God does not want us to fear. He wants us to fear Him, meaning we reverence God alone and do not fear anyone or anything else. There are over 365 references to "fear not" and “fear Him” in the Bible, one for each day to remind us that He is in control and will bless us and hold us in His hand.

The greater message to us as individuals and a nation is that God is saying to us, "Come to Me, believe in Me, love Me, trust Me, and obey My commands, and I will bless you." As Pastor and Rabbi Jonathan Cahn says, “God has not called us to be survivalists; he’s called us to be revivalists.” It’s time to get a revival going!

Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand. Isaiah 41:10 ESV

O send out Your light and Your truth, let them lead me; Let them bring me to Your holy hill And to Your dwelling places. Then I will go to the altar of God, To God my exceeding joy; And upon the lyre I shall praise You, O God, my God. Psalms 43:3-4

"If you return to the Almighty, you will be restored; If you remove unrighteousness far from your tent,…” Job 22:23

Be gracious to me, O God, according to Your lovingkindness; According to the greatness of Your compassion blot out my transgressions. Wash me thoroughly from my iniquity And cleanse me from my sin. For I know my transgressions, And my sin is ever before me. Psalms 51:1-4

He put a new song in my mouth, a song of praise to our God; Many will see and fear And will trust in the LORD. Psalms 40:3

�O9LJ`

#BloodMoons #harbingers #godislove

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