God And Softball

God and Softball

1. World’s longest softball game article.

Organized ball since 16 - 25 years

Bad teams lost every game

Good teams City champs - LP 1995, MC 1997

Tournaments all over NW Ind. and Michigan

Ind. State Prison

Fri. night, all day Sat., all day Sun.

Weekend after Cody was born-playing in a tournament

6-7 months a year Softball 1st, everything else 2nd.

Feb. Sporting goods store - sniff mitts, caress bats

Conscience - mine named Wendy

Cut finger in tournament, broken ankle, broken fingers

Dislocated hip in Sat. practice game, played next day

7-8 years ago moved to pitcher - safe position

2. Why am I telling you all this?

God gave each one of us something special. The ability to choose.

A gift given to no other creation of God.

Everything we do and become in life depends on how we use this gift.

For 25 years, softball was my God

For 25 yrs., I played softball at the expense of:

my family, my body, God.

3. My choice. Luckily God gives us 2nd, 3rd, 50 chances to serve right God.

4. Some people choose wrongly.

a. They choose alcohol, drugs, work, money, stuff.

b. Like our scripture says: Cannot serve both God and money.

5. Bible is full of people making wrong choices.

a. Eve-took fruit from tree of knowledge/gave to husband & he ate.

b. Lot-his herdsmen fighting with Abraham’s. Lot given 1st choice,

chose fertile plain of Jordan near Sodom.

c. Lot’s wife-2 angels warned her and her family to flee. Don’t look back

d. Achan-one of men of Israel who marched around Jericho. Took robe,

silver, and gold.

e. Rich Fool-tears down barns to build bigger ones. God said,”You fool!

This very night your life will be demanded from you.”

f. Rich Man-dressed in fine linens and lived in luxury. Lazarus died,

went to heaven. Rich man died & went to hell.

6. What do these people have in common?

They all lived and thought strictly in the present and the physical.

They thought only of their wants and material things.

Concerned only with themselves.

7. Eve-fruit looked good to eat. Eve forgot who planted the tree, who

said she could eat from any tree but that one. Eve focused on

the tree instead of God.

Lot-Why did he pick the Jordan river valley? Sheep and cattle would

thrive on grass. He would become wealthy. He forgot about God’s

covenant with Abraham.

Lot’s Wife-told not to look back. Heart and mind were on what she was

leaving. Home, furnishings, clothing, jewelry. She forgot about

the Lord. She remembered Sodom and forgot about God.

Achan-He forgot. God said everything in Jericho was devoted to the

Lord. He did not see eternity. He was blinded by the gold & silver.

Rich Fool-lived in and for the present. That’s why he was a fool.

Rich Man-just as foolish. cared nothing for others. stored up no

treasures in heaven. too greedy to share his wealth with the poor.

8. Lifestyle-people of Sodom and Gomorrah, man who wanted to bury

his father, Martha

9. Money-Judas betrayed Jesus for thirty pieces of silver.

10. People did make good choices.

Joseph-had the chance to sin with Potiphar’s wife

Andrew & Simon-left nets to follow Jesus

John & James-left boat and father to follow Jesus.

11. Some people choose to serve money, power, prestige, alcohol,

drugs, lifestyle, stuff.

Some people choose to follow Jesus

Choice is ours - sooner or later the choice is ours.

12. I ask you now - Are you focused on the world or on God?

Are your goals Christian or secular?

13. Joshua 24:15