The Notes

This coming Wednesday night, June 11, 2025, we continue our Bible study series called "In the Game."  During the month of June, we will use a different sport each week to share spiritual truth on which to build a solid walk with God.  This week, we focus on the related sports of gymnastics and figure skating.  Join us for a fun, entertaining look at the Bible and some spiritual principles for life. It's an uplifting and encouraging Bible study with some mid-week encouragement for the soul!

If you can't join us in person, you can always participate through our Facebook page - we go "live" at 6:30 p.m., and you will have a front row seat.  If you can't join us live at 6:30 p.m., you can always listen to the message later, either from Facebook, or YouTube, on here on our website.  Messages are posted the following day and you can watch a replay of any message anytime!  

If you want to keep some notes from a message, you can download the notes for a specific message from the "Past and Future Messages" page of our website.  There are many ways to be spiritually fed and encouraged.

This past Wednesday night, June 4, 2025, we began a new Bible study series called "In the Game."  Each week, we will look at a different sport and use that to teach us a corresponding spiritual truth or lesson to strengthen our relationship with God.  It's the same idea as how Jesus used parables to teach deeper spiritual truths . . . to make them more understandable or meaningful.  So for now - for this month of June - we will use sports.  And in this first week, we looked at the related sports of baseball/softball.

Since there are 9 players on the field, we'll examine 9 principles this week.

1 - There is a 4-base diamond on a baseball/softball field.  A player must run the bases in order - to first base, second, third, and finally home.  You can't bypass a base or skip ahead.  In other words, there are no shortcuts.  The same is true for our spiritual journey.  Before we arrive home, there are lessons we need to learn, people we need to help, and deeds to perform.  There is no shortcut.  We have to mature and receive wisdom from God.  We have to be prepared for what's ahead.  So it takes perseverance to run the bases of our spiritual journey.  We has spend a lot of time on one base while God refines us, transforms us, matures us, and prepares us.  Here is a scripture to guide you:

Hebrews 12:1-2 says, “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, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.”

As we run with perseverance, Jesus is perfecting our faith.  He is teaching us and helping us become all that God designed for us.  While we are standing on one base, we must be waiting & watching & learning!   It is not that we are being prevented from moving forward, it is that Jesus is perfecting us for the next part of our journey! 

But keep this in mind as you think about your life as a race around the bases.  There are such things as "pick off throws" where the enemy tries to get you out.  And you can’t leave the base too early or you will be called out.  1 Peter 5:8 says – “Stay alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for someone to devour.”  He is, indeed, trying to get you out of the game.  He doesn't want others to hear your testimony.  He doesn't want you living a victorious life, so he will constantly try to get you off the bases and into the dugout.  And one last thing about running the bases - there is a rule against obstruction - that is, blocking the path to the base.  The truth is - the enemy is definitely trying to prevent us from reaching our next place of service and growth.  He tells us lies to stop us.  Galatians 5:7 – “You were running so well.  Who has obstructed you from obeying the truth?”  The enemy will use anyone and everything to stop you and obstruct you.  He wants you out of the game.  Never forget that.

2 – Players have assigned positions.  The Coach tells you where to play based on your skill, abilities, and the needs of the team.

God is our "Coach" and has places for us to serve and ways we can be a witness and shine a light for Him.  Our assignments are based on our “gifts.”  Consider 1 Corinthians 12: 4-7 – “There are different kinds of spiritual gifts, but the same Spirit is the source of them all.  There are different kinds of service, but we serve the same Lord. God works in different ways, but it is the same God who does the work in all of us.  A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”  In the game of softball, accidents will happen when one player attempts to catch a ball that is properly in another's position.  There will be a collision on the field when a shortstop is backing up too far, trying to get a ball that belongs to the outfielder to catch.  Conflict happens in our lives, too, when we play beyond our positions.  God gives each person spiritual gifts to use, and we must let each other do what God called us to do.  Don't try to serve and do beyond your calling.  You will be miserable, and there will be conflict.  

3 – One great player won’t win the game.  Baseball and softball are multi-player sports.  Teamwork is necessary.  Each person on the team matters and has a role to play, a job to do.  The truth is - God needs all of us to do our part, to use our gifts, to tell our stories and share our testimony.  Everyone has the ability to reach someone, and we were designed for the task.  Highlight this part from 1 Cor. 12:7 – “A spiritual gift is given to each of us so we can help each other.”  We can’t sit back and just let preachers do it all.  Billy Graham is gone.  Mother Teresa is gone.  We are needed.  Think of it this way - Jesus sent out a team of 12 disciples, and then instructed them  to make more disciples.  We have to win the world.  Just like the 12 disciples, we have been sent. . .  we must shine our light on the hill . . . we must be the salt of the earth. . . we must run our race . . . and get in the game!

4 – Keep your eye on the ball.  To make a hit, or catch the ball, you have to tune out and ignore the noise.  You can’t catch or hit what you don’t see.  The enemy wants nothing more than to get us distracted. . . to lose focus of God & our purpose.  Life will have problems… there will be evil in this world… people will focus on self, greed, lie, cheat… but - we have to keep our eyes on what is truly important.  As Hebrews 12:2 says – “run with perseverance the race marked out for us, fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.”  Keep your eyes on Jesus, and ignore the distractions.  Don't get pulled into silly debates that don't matter.  

5 – Swing the bat to get on base… to advance runners… to score!  There are 3 principles to hitting:  balance, vision, and timing.

But timing is everything.  Swing too early or too late, you will miss the ball.  Isaiah 60:22 says: “At the right time, I, the LORD, will make it happen.”  God had a plan for freeing the Israelites from slavery, for them possessing the promised land, for them to be a mighty nation.  God has a plan for you, too.   At the right time, you’ll get the money you need, you'll get that job, you will find your person….  It is all in God's timing.  Be patient, and wait for God to make a way.

6 – Look for your pitch.  The instruction frequently given to a batter is to be patient and wait for the pitch you can drive.  So don’t chase balls; wait for a “strike” to be in "the zone."   What we need to understand is that there is an opportunity being prepared for each of us.  God has a "strike" just for you, the perfect ball for you to hit it out of the park.  Ephesians 2:10 – “For we are God’s workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance as our way of life.”  God knew ahead of time the skills and gifts you possess.  God knew ahead of time the people you would meet.  God is preparing you to make a difference in this life . . . to help someone, to touch someone, to show them the love of God, the father.   So don’t chase every pitch from the enemy!  Wait for God to show you the right time, the right moment to be His instrument of peace, healing, and love.

7 - You can’t throw the ball until you receive it.  Seems pretty basic, right?  The ball must be securely caught in the glove, then you transfer it to throw to another player.  But the fact is, making that transfer is sometimes awkward and difficult.  A player may be so focused on making the throw, that they never secure the ball and it gets dropped.  Transferring the ball is what happens spiritually when we receive and comprehend Biblical teaching and have a true understanding of life.  After gaining that wisdom, we then throw hope to others … we share the good news of the gospel to someone hurting.  But we can't be helpful if we have not first received wisdom from God.  

8 – Need equipment to play softball or baseball.  You need a bat, ball, glove, batting helmet, and cleats.   A Christian needs equipment, too.  The Apostle Paul said in Ephesians 6 – “put on the full Armor of God” - and he listed 6 items.  Ephesians 6:14-17 descries needing a Belt of Trust; Breastplate of Righteousness; Feet fitted with the gospel of peace; Shield of faith to extinguish flaming arrows of the enemy; the Helmet of salvation; and the Sword of the Spirit.   Using that as an example - but in our theme of softball - here is the equipment we need:

A bat – so we can hit down enemy and say, "Not today, Satan."  Keep in mind, he will send problems your way, try to steal your joy, try to strike you out, or pick you off.  We have to him him down. 

A Glove – we need a glove so we can receive blessings.  James 1:12 says, “God blesses those who patiently endure testing & temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”  God has blesses for us in this life, and in the next.  Receive them with an open glove.

A Helmet – we have to protect our mind & heart.  Proverbs 4:23 says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it determines the course of your life.”  Protect yourself from the enemy's lies and attacks; they will come - have no doubt.

A Ball – the ball symbolizes love.  Love is what the whole ballgame is about.  Love is what sent Jesus to this earth.  Love is what draws us to God because His love reaches out to us.  And we are called to love each other as Jesus loved us.  Love is what life is about.  It's the only thing that matters.  To achieve riches, fame, and success means nothing without love in your life.

9 - You’re going to get dirty when you play the game of baseball or softball.  Your uniform will not be clean and white at the end of the game.  And the truth is, life is messy.  It's dirty.  There is hurting from sin… from evil… from selfish living.  But here is the good news from 1 John 1:7 – “But if we keep living in the light as he himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus his Son cleanses us from all sin.”  We don't clean ourselves up, Jesus does it.  He does it while we stand on a base, waiting for our next move.  He does it as He prepares us for what's ahead by showing us how we need to be refined.  He does it by perfecting our faith.  Right now - Jesus is in the process of perfecting you and me.  Amen to that!  Let's play ball!!