Are You In?

In my junior and senior years of high school, I lived on a small army base called Fort Buchanan on the island of Puerto Rico. My senior year I was the aide-de-camp to the high school football coach. I picked up his laundry, kept his heap of a car full of fuel, made sure his game play sheets were in order. I also made sure the practice and game equipment were in place at the correct time and place. I had my hands in lots of miniscule parts of the coach's football life and personal life.

The job was a lot of work and thoroughly enjoyable and it came with many personal platitudes from the coach and his staff. The players knew me, relied on my management to ensure they had what was needed to make them ready for practice or games. Many times, I was the go-between, for those players disenfranchised by the coach due to poor performance. I did not really like that part of the job. There were times I would be consulted by certain members of the team about the starting roster, as if I might even have had a say.

With all that said, when it came to the awards banquet after the season, I did not receive a varsity letter in the sport of football. I never put on a pad or entered the huddle. I never ran a route, threw a block or tackled anyone. I was involved in a lot of areas that related to the game, but I never actually played. Since I did not play, I never received a letter in the sport.

I participated in other sports while in high school. I lettered in varsity baseball, varsity soccer and varsity wrestling. In those athletic pursuits, I did more than just hang around ensuring the coach was properly prepared. I practiced, exercised, developed skill sets that would help me gain the best results possible. Because I prepared, developed and competed, I earned varsity letters in those sports.

There is a difference in hanging around a sport and participating. Nothing wrong with either but there needs to be the proper expectation for each activity. As an aide-de-camp for the coach, as rewarding as that time was in my life, I could not expect to receive a varsity letter in the sport of football. I did not expect to letter in the sport nor was that an honor I thought I deserved. So, when the awards banquet came along and the sport of football was being spotlighted, my name was not called to come forward to receive a letter in varsity football. My feelings were not hurt, no surprise and no resentments were developed. I did not do what was necessary to be labeled a football player.

Later on, at the athletic banquet, as the other sports were being highlighted my name was called to receive a varsity letter in the sports, I actually participated in. If my name had not been called in those sports, I had participated in then I would have been developed some hurt feelings, developed some resentments.

We live in a world today where everyone "gets a trophy!" All you must do is hang around an event, a sport or some block of instruction and you get a reward, a certificate or a credit. You get a trophy, a letter of completion or a social advancement regardless of any imperial data saying whether you deserved the recognition or not. No thought is given to the quality of your participation. No measure is made of your mastery of the subject. No quantifying data is assessed to determine if you deserved to receive anything. Worse still, is this model has become the expectation today. Try to not give every team and every kid on a team a trophy, see the backlash that happens. How do the league champions feel when they earn a trophy while the rest of the teams in the league receive a trophy as well?

I've said all this to say that there is a difference between those who have been "touched by the Master's Hand" and those who have not. The spiritual principles expounded on in this project are addressed to those who are in the family of God. If you are a Christian, then the hope and encouragement I offer in this writing is for you. God's Word is understood by those who believe. The lost will find it confusing. Without the Holy Spirit's enabling, it is not possible to understand the lessons of God in His Holy Word. That is moving into some deep theology, but I would be remiss not to include it in the scope of this book. I do not wish to confuse the reader. As saved Children of God, we receive privileges that are not given to those who have not received Jesus as their Lord and Savior.

Ephesians 2:1, says "You were dead in your trespasses and sins ..." Paul goes on to say in verse 5, "We were dead in our transgressions, made us alive together with Christ ..." Further in verse 8. "For by grace you have been saved ..." And finally, in verse 9, "not as a result of works ..." We are out of God's will by nature and must ask to be accepted by Him. Romans 10:9 says, "If you confess with your mouth Jesus is Lord, and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you shall be saved." No secret words, actions or society to navigate, just simply ask, believe and then follow - you're a team member and eligible for all the promises set forth in God's Word.

Do not fear if you have not made a confession of faith. Keep reading, I still want to be encouraging. My aim is to lead those who the Holy Spirit moves to read more, to a deeper understanding of God and His Son Jesus. The disciple of Jesus, John, in his Gospel 12:32, says Jesus teaches, "If I be lifted up from the earth, will draw all men to Himself." So, it's my prayer that all who read this will feel the draw of God on their life to great maturity or for an initial decision or commitment.

There are no participation rewards in God's economy. You are either His or you are not. Hanging around the church, doing good works, giving of your time, talents and tithe is not a pass to receive the promises of God. You must have accepted Jesus, God's Son as your Lord and Savior to receive them. In Christianity, we call this being save. Let me state Romans 10:9 again, "If you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved." If that is you, then your name has been written in the Lamb's Book of Life and you are in and a full fledge member of God's family, with all the rights and privileges outlined in His Word.

If you have not given your life to Jesus, do not fear the invitation is open to everyone. In John's gospel chapter 3, verse 16 he tells us that "God so loved the world that He gave His only Son, that whoever believes in Him, would not perish but have everlasting life." Do not allow the lies of Satan to convince you that God will not accept you. That for some reason you are too far gone for Him to love you, not true. There is nothing you have done or are currently doing that can keep you from God's love. Repentance and an honest profession of faith will be accepted by God.

When I was in prison, I was surrounded by men who society has deemed unworthy to mix with them. For the most part these folks had earned that title. Their actions had been anti-social and violated social norms....