More of You Lord in 2002 part 4
Thesis: In 2002 we need to actively dispense more of God’s Grace, more Offerings to God, more Love, and more Forgiveness to others in the Body of Christ. Because the more G.O.L.F. we play the more we will impact our community.
NEW BANNER FOR CHURCH THIS YEAR: “COMMIT TO PLAY MORE G.O.L.F. GOD’S WAY IN 2002.”
Introduction:
Bob brought in this booklet in last week called Golf Digest that he had received in the mail. On page 19 of this booklet is a page stating the 7 Keys to a good golf game. Listen again to what they are and lets apply them spiritually to playing G.O.L.F. God’s way.
1. Start playing like you love the game all the time, instead of playing with dread.
2. Make a commitment to play every shot without the fear of what might happen.
3. Challenge yourself with each hole and every shot to see how great you can play.
4. Try to be more decisive, less hesitant and distracted, at the moment of truth.
5. Learn to accept bad results and then move on. Don’t give bad shots extra meaning.
6. Be more into doing your pre-shot routine than thinking about the circumstances.
7. Before every round, prepare to live the above process throughout the whole day and tournament.
(Author is Dr. Bob Rotella)
Today we are going to talk about the putting stroke. From my research this week I discovered how important putting is to the game of golf. The following chart reveals it’s importance:
The chart reveals that putting is 43% of the game and approach shots are 32% of the game and drives are only 25% of the game. This shows us the importance of putting in the real game of golf but it also applies spiritually in G.O.L.F. God’s way. Professionals also say that putting is the part of the game that comes under the closest scrutiny when you play. You ask why? It’s the stroke that comes under the most scrutiny from the other players. They all stand and watch to see if you know how to putt.
Our putting stroke is the most important stroke and in God’s G.O.L.F. this is the Forgiveness stroke.
I. The techniques for properly putting the ball in the game of golf.
a. The first factor the pros tell us to take into account is the ball-they say make sure the ball you use on the green is balanced.
i. They studies and discovered balls which are out of balance roll toward the heavy side.
1. So there is no doubt, the ball itself must be considered a factor in putting.
ii. So make sure your ball is well balanced!
iii. Spiritually what do I say, “To keep your balance - balance everything against the cross!”
1. There are to many so-called Christians out there who are out of balance because they have not embraced forgiveness.
b. The second key to putting well is found in the word “Practice” – Practice makes perfect especially in putting.
i. I add practice makes perfect in the putter of forgiveness too. It’s essential that we practice the art of forgiveness. It’s the only way to win at GOLF God’s way.
c. The earlier in the day that you play the game the better you will be able to putt. Don’t wait to the end of the day start fresh in the early morning hours. But by all means learn to read the green
i. Best time to deal with the forgiveness stroke is right away in the morning the longer you wait the harder it is to forgive.
1. The longer you wait the deeper the root of un-forgiveness boroughs.
ii. If you cannot do it then learn to read the green and see where the son is!
1. Ask the Son for direction and the ability to forgive he will help you.
d. You also need to be decisive when you putt.
i. Fahey notes, “’Never up, never in.’” Good putters tend to putt the ball beyond the hole; poor putters tend to be short” (75).
ii. Let’s not come up short in the game of G.O.L.F. lets go for the hole by being decisive when you putt!
1. To many people miss the cup because they are not decisive in their forgiveness putt.
e. The next factor has to deal with your target line and ball line.
i. Figure out which way the green will break. But make sure your target line is line with the hole. You adjust the ball line by how you hit the ball.
ii. Make sure you always square yourself in line with the hole. This is called the target line a straight line to the cup.
iii. Always look at the hole – The cup of blessing - not the ball!
iv. Understand that just because you can see the entrance to Heaven does not mean that you will always go in a straight line right toward it. You may have to go left or right to get to the cup.
1. But follow the terrain on the green and go the way you should and you will get to the Cup of Thanksgiving.
f. The putter path is the next technique.
i. The putter path is the motion of the putter head in relation to the target.
ii. Motion has 3 points:
1. At the top of the backstroke (How much power)
2. The impact (Where the face hits)
3. At the completion of the follow through
iii. Learn what motion needs to be taken to make you shot for God and Heaven’s gates.
1. Make sure you have the right power- His Forgiveness!
2. Make sure when the club impacts your life you go where your directed to go.
a. Align yourself right in the middle of the clubs head – Jesus Christ!
3. And allow the Holy Spirit to follow through with your life like Jesus wants it to be.
a. Make sure you allow the Holy Spirit to follow through with your life to the end. Don’t quit in the middle of the game.
g. The face angle is the next issue in putting.
i. If you hit your ball with the face open – this means the ball will go to the right of the target line.
ii. If you hit it precisely in a perpendicular way it will go straight ahead toward the cup.
iii. If you hit with the face closed the ball will go to the left of the target line.
iv. Once again let the Holy Spirit directs the path mapped out for you to the cup so go the way you are directed to go.
h. The impact point is the next area of concern in putting properly.
i. The impact point refers simply to the spot on the putter head where the club makes contact with the ball.
1. It should be in the middle of the face on the club head.
ii. When your hit make sure that you’re ball is in the middle of the heads impact point.
1. Once again align yourself right in the middle with the Head Jesus Christ.
Video Clip from The Legend of Bagger Vance: Scene 1 is when Bagger is teaching Harley about how to putt on the green at night. The 2nd scene is at the end of the movie when Junuah makes the crucial putt.
T.S.- What are the spiritual lessons from these two clips that we can learn?
II. The Lessons from Bagger Vance and from Jesus.
a. Bagger made an important statement to Harley when they were on the green. He said, “The game is won right here on this green! But you have to see it.”
i. Bagger knew that in the game of golf the one who putts well usually always wins. But too many golfers overlook their putting game and therefore lose frequently.
ii. Jesus himself told us the importance of the forgiveness stroke when he stated:
1. Matthew 6:14,15 “For if you forgive men when they sin against you, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their sins, your Father will not forgive your sins.”
2. I find this Scripture the most neglected scripture in the Bible by Christians. They justify not observing this text by so many excuses:
a. “God wants me to judge sin and pronounce judgment on them!”
b. “God told me to leave that church because of what they did or didn’t do!’
c. “They are of the Devil and therefore I don’t have to forgive them!”
d. “They deserve to suffer in their sins I’m glad they are in misery!”
e. “Don’t mess with God’s anointed or the Holy Spirit will kill you!”
f. “God does not want me to forgive that vile man!”
g. “God does not want me to forgive that murderer!”
h. “I refuse to speak to my brothers or sisters in Christ because they did something I don’t like!”
i. “I will continue to talk about them to everyone I meet to get even!”
j. “I will continue to give my side of the story and spread the bad news of what they did.”
i. All these statements are rooted in the concept of un-forgiveness!
ii. Yet according to Scripture and Jesus’ own words it’s the most important stroke in the game of G.O.L.F.
iii. Listen to some thoughts from the Bible on the forgiveness stroke.
1. Colossians 3:13 13Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you.
2. Matthew 18:21 21Then Peter came to Jesus and asked, “Lord, how many times shall I forgive my brother when he sins against me? Up to seven times?”
3. Ephesians 4:32 32Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
4. Luke 23:34 34Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.”
3. How important is this stroke – 50% of your G.O.L.F. game depends on it.
a. One professional golfer stated that putting is more than 43% of your game it’s actually over 50% of your game because if you putt poorly it affects your other strokes.
i. He notes that your frustration over putting poorly will affect your next drive and your approach shots because your mind is focused on how bad you putt.
b. This is also true in spiritual G.O.L.F. many lose in the tournament of life because they just can’t putt with forgiveness so they never get their ball in the cup of blessing!
iii. Why should you forgive?
1. Charles Stanley gives us reasons why in his book The Gift of Forgiveness.
a. He states, “A person who has an unforgiving spirit is always the real loser, much more so than the one against whom the grudge is held.” He adds, “Un-forgiveness, by it’s very nature, prevents individuals from following through on many specifics of the Christian life and practically necessitates that they walk by the flesh rather than by the spirit “(17,18).
b. He also expounds in his book on how un-forgiveness devastates the one who refuses to forgive. He gives us some more good reasons why not doing this stroke makes you lose at the game of G.O.L.F. Let me summarize them.
i. When we choose to not forgive in one relationship we discover that it spills into other relationships and it destroys them.
ii. When the unforgiving person stands around and waits for the other to make restitution he loses out on life because they never make any progress in their game. That sad fact is as they are standing around waiting they form fleshly patterns of behavior and incorrect thought processes.
1. Bagger told Harley to make sure he kept swinging the club of forgiveness and not quit in the most important area of the GOLF game.
iii. Stanley states, “Regardless of how wrong the other person may have been, refusing to forgive means reaping the corruption in life. And that corruption begins in one relationship including the relationship with God, and works its way into all the rest” (25,26).
2. John MacArthur gives us reasons why we need to forgive in his book and series, The Art of Giving and Receiving Forgiveness.
a. Un-forgiveness imprisons people in the past.
i. I always say don’t let the past dictate the future.
b. Un-forgiveness provokes bitterness.
i. The Bible calls it the root of bitterness in Hebrews 12:15.
1. He states, ‘Bitterness is the cancer of the heart.”
c. Forgiveness is the most godlike act that a person can do.
d. Forgiveness affirms unmerited love.
e. God promises his love to those who forgive others.
f. Forgiveness prevents hate.
g. Un-forgiveness results in discipline by God.
h. The unforgiving will not be forgiven by God.
3. Jesus makes it very clear that we have to forgive. This is the primary reason we are to forgive others because He said so.
b. Bagger also made a statement when he was teaching Harley about putting, he said, “The blades of grass will follow the sun. The grain on the green will shift with the sun. It will play one way in the morning and the other way in the afternoon.”
i. This is true in the game of golf and in G.O.L.F. God’s way we need to learn to follow the son.
ii. Knowing where He is will help us make the right shot to get our ball in the cup of thanksgiving.
iii. We need to focus on the hole and not our life the ball. The key is to move on when we are wronged and learn to see Jesus standing at the entrance to Heaven. He is there ready to pull the flag when our ball drops in the cup.
1. If we lose our focus on the goal because of offenses then we miss the cup of blessing.
2. Do you remember when Jesus was on the green- when he was on the cross what did he say – what did he focus on, “Father forgive them they know not what they do!”
a. Jesus demonstrated to us how to putt are willing to follow his example. By the way he always wins the Master’s tournament.
c. In the one movie clip we saw Junuah taking a penalty stroke for his ball moving.
i. This scene shows a man with integrity. Did you catch the phrase from Bagger when he said,” You don’t need me anymore!” Junuah had learned what’s important in life. Did you see his response to the obstacle of the penalty?
1. How he handled it?
2. How he dealt with it and moved on?
3. Did he blame God?
4. Did he blame others?
5. Did he quit?
6. Did he get all stressed out for his mistake?
a. No he took responsibility and moved on in peace only the king of peace that comes from forgiveness.
b. Forgiveness of the past hurts and he showed focus on the cup of thanksgiving.
ii. He modeled integrity and integrity led to forgiveness of others and the difficulties he faced in his life.
1. The demons of the past where gone!
2. The ability to forgive and forget changed his life.
iii. Some people never forgive God for tough times they blame him and in essence reject God who is love, forgiveness, mercy, peace, contentment, joy and all his other attributes.
1. Who loses in this scenario? The answer is simple the person who does not forgive. The one who does not move on in the game of G.O.L.F.
d. Junuah goes on to make the crucial putt in the movie and everyone erupts in joy and cheering.
i. As he going for his putt he forgot about the penalty stroke and focused on the goal and he saw Harley at the flag and he made the putt to tie with the two pro’s.
ii. How about you do you see Jesus standing at the flag-or are you so full of unforgiveness that all you see is the penalty strokes, the unfair scenarios, the wrongs committed against you? If these are what you see you will not make you putt stroke – I promise you will miss the hole!
1. Romans 8:13 13For if you live according to the sinful nature, you will die; but if by the Spirit you put to death the misdeeds of the body, you will live.
iii. But if you let forgiveness take over and like the one pro golfer said to Junuah, “Don’t think about it to much hit the ball!” Then you will get the honor of placing the ball of your life in the cup of Thanksgiving and into the presence of Heaven.
1. Remember that when it the ball goes into the cup of thanksgiving Heaven will rejoice and the angels will dance.
iv. Note-They all made it into the cup of blessing and they tied- Truth is this not a competition to beat another one out for Heaven. In reality it’s a position that you and the Lord play together and everyone who drops their life into the cup of blessings is a winner!
Conclusion:
The forgiveness putt is 50% of your game in GOLF. How well you putt determines if you win or not.
How well are you putting in this tournament of life?
Are you unable to putt, to forgive and move on in the game of GOLF God’s way?
Are you refusing to putt?
Has bitterness taken root in your heart and distorted you putting ability?
If you answered yes to any of these questions you need to repent and ask for God’s forgiveness. Then embrace His forgiveness and turn around and share it with the one who has offended you. It’s the only way to win at the game of GOLF!
Let’s pray; How many here today need help with this stroke raise your hand to the Lord! Let’s seek his help and forgiveness.
Reminder: Starting in two weeks there will be a class on Forgiveness that will last for 4 weeks. Let me encourage you to take this class so that you can win at the game of GOLF. It takes time and the renewing of the mind to overcome obstacles in our life lets work on them with the help of God’s Word!
