The Power of a Praying Son | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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What happens on the night you get fired? Does everyone go quiet? Does someone pray at dinner? Is it desperate? Or, does a child talk to God in innocent faith?

Gameplan:

I assure you and most solemnly say to you, whoever does not receive the kingdom of God [with faith and humility] like a child will not enter it at all.   Luke 18:17, AMP

Time Out:

Has life complicated and compromised your faith in God? Have you shrunk God down to a smaller size of your own making? Has science and philosophy made it harder for you to accept that God is sovereign over all things, even over our human rebellion-damaged world? Perhaps innocent children have the simplicity and limitlessness of faith correct?

Go Deep:

If you’re a dad, pray with your children as often as you can. Make talking to God normal at your breakfast, lunch and dinner table…and certainly at bedtime.

If your view of God has shrunk… and your faith in His goodness and power is limited, do something different. Ask God to open your eyes, erase your doubts and increase your faith.

Oh, and if you lose your job, ask your six year old to pray

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A Son’s Birth…Steve Largent’s Blitz | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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The NFL Network recently ran “A FOOTBALL LIFE” on Steve Largent. Besides his dad leaving his family when he was six, the deepest blitz he ever faced was the early days of his son Kramer’s birth defect. It deeply shaped Steve for good. Let’s see how we can grow.

Gameplan:

I know how to be brought low, and I know how to abound. In any and every circumstance, I have learned the secret of facing plenty and hunger, abundance and need.  I can do [handle] all things through him who strengthens me. Philippians 4:12-13 (ESV)

Time Out:

We can’t control the circumstances of our lives, as much as society coaches us to try. But the Apostle Paul says something radical to us. No matter the situation, he could, and we can, handle it through our surrender to and trust in Jesus Christ. His Spirit fills us to handle anything. Don’t doubt this. The key is to abide in Jesus (think about, talk to, listen to, rejoice in, trust, serve, obey, and love) constantly and trust Him in every situation.

Go Deep:

Determine that the next time you face trouble, loss, and trial you’ll turn to God and take His approach: ask for help. Call out to God and be ready to accept the help of key friends or mentors. And, look for someone else to encourage. Then, in time, your challenge will give you empathy and experience to help support others in their trial.

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In Tough Times—Share the Burden | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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What are the most trying things you’ve been through? Did you mostly go through it alone, or with help? What will happen next time you go through a big blitz, or a friend does?

Gameplan:

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself. Galatians 6:2-3 (ESV)

Comfort those who are in any trouble by the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.” 2 Corinthians 1:4 ESV

Time Out:

Life’s toughest blitzes don’t turn around quickly. The fear, pain and grief are often intense. But God offers a bigger perspective and a cause greater than us. He has two approaches for us: ask for help and, offer help. God wants you to allow others to help bear your burdens and he wants to use you to help bear the burdens that others face. View your blitzes and trials as the bridge to helping others. The sooner you see this, the sooner your spirits will be buoyed.

Go Deep:

Determine that the next time you face trouble, loss, and trial you’ll turn to God and take His approach: ask for help. Call out to God and be ready to accept the help of key friends or mentors. And, look for someone else to encourage. Then, in time, your challenge will give you empathy and experience to help support others in their trial.

Stay Connected:

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Don’t Be An Observer-Be the Solution | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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If there were no fire department, and you drove through a neighborhood with a home on fire, would you gather people to fight the fire?  The answer depends upon our sense of responsibility to help others, and upon our mindset to tackle problems rather than observe them.

Gameplan:

Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. For if anyone thinks he is something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.     Galatians 6:2-3  (ESV)

Time Out:

Modern life has thoroughly trained us to be consumers who wired to be entertained. Being entertained as a consumer in life can bring an arrogance and aloofness that places us on the sidelines of life.  If we’re not careful we fall into the rut of thinking, “someone else can take care of that”.

Go Deep:

Decide to examine your basic approach to life’s situations and problems facing other people.  Are you more interested in observing or helping?  Do you leave the matter to others, or take the initiative to help out?  Jesus is the role model for each of us.  He was not an observer.  He was a solver.  Pray for ways to help people and solve problems…and then be on alert to put out the fire.

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Ice Cream After Getting Fired | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Do you know what’s often worse than bad things happening? It’s the fear of bad things happening. Sometimes we build up the gravity and horrendous nature of negative events that may happen in the future to the point that the fear is really the most damaging thing we face. Think about how the page usually turns and new chapters unfold after bad things happen in life. Are you seeing life through your lens or God’s lens?

Gameplan:

Trust in the Lord with all your heart,
And lean not on your own understanding;
 In all your ways acknowledge Him,
And He shall direct your paths. Proverbs 3:5-6 (NKJV)

Time Out:

Think about the “bad” stuff you’ve had happen to you in life. Did worrying about it make it better or worse? Despite the pain was there any positive to take from it? Whose perspective causes you to worry, yours or God’s.

Go Deep:

If you want the best attitude and response to a blitz, think about the long term of your life and eternity. Remember to seek God’s perspective and understanding of that situation and what matters most. Declare to yourself and the world that, “I’m OK. God loves me and He’s in charge.” You may even want to shock the kids and go out for ice cream when the next blitz hits.

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Jesus Beat the Blitz—So Can We | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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When a doctor says he has bad news about what they’ve found, or you learn that your spouse or child’s health is at risk, that pit-of the-stomach wrenching is natural. If you fill your self up with God’s gameplan (His word) you’ll find that God always holds every situation in His hands

Gameplan:

Jesus said, “I have told you all this so that you may have peace in me. Here on earth you will have many trials and sorrows. But take heart, because I have overcome the world.” John 16:33 (NLT)

Time Out:

Is God’s peace based on circumstances or His presence? Think about this – if we placed 95% of our gratitude and hope in the perfect eternal life God has planned for those who accept Him, we’d be less panicked about stuff. If we read scripture, we see how God has always been faithful and is sovereign over all of history, and that includes our exact situations.

Go Deep:

Read the story of Joseph and pay attention to the life and sayings of Saul who became the Apostle Paul. Are you willing to make the Bible your mental and emotional software for how to handle life?
Next time you’re in a car accident, or the market crashes, or a diagnosis like cancer hits tell yourself the truth that God is good, in control and cares for you, no matter the outcome.
Don’t panic. Pray for Jesus’ peace.  Ask God to teach you about His sovereignty.

So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the LORD your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.      Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT)

 

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God’s Purpose: Greater Than Your Comforts | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Are you frequently frustrated by the difficulties and disappointments in life? Maybe you see yourself and your kids getting too comfortable with all the busyness and blessings of a prosperous American lifestyle? Let’s take a look at how praying for stronger faith can shake up our lives…for the best.

Gameplan:

Consider it joy, my brothers and sisters, whenever you fall into various trials.  Be assured that the testing of your faith [through experience] produces endurance [leading to spiritual maturity, and inner peace].  And let endurance have its perfect result and do a thorough work, so that you may be perfect and completely developed [in your faith], lacking in nothing.   (James 1:2-4 amp)

Time Out:

Do you think about the strength of your faith? Is it important to you? Is it growing and maturing? Does faith usually grow by going through easy times and big successes or through tough chapters of life? Do you pray for your children’s faith to develop and grow?

Go Deep:

Next time life gets tough (perhaps it is right now), decide to not complain, but actually thank God for allowing you to be in the tough situation or circumstance. Pray that God would free you from putting faith in circumstances and mature your faith in Him. Pray for your children’s faith to grow and talk to them about the long term view of life – knowing God, persevering in faith, becoming more like Jesus, and doing all you do with excellence to honor God and love other people.

Beloved, do not be surprised at the fiery ordeal which is taking place to test you [that is, to test the quality of your faith], as though something strange or unusual were happening to you. 1 Peter 4:12 amp

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Forgiveness: The Gift You Give Yourself | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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If you’re mad at someone, still bitter at what they said or did to you…I know how you’re feeling. And, I want to help you handle it in a radical way that will turn out well for you…and others. This devotion is about setting yourself free from our anger over minor offenses in life. (Minor offenses are best overlooked. Major offenses likely need to be confronted in wisdom and in love.)

Gameplan:

A man’s understanding makes him slow to anger. It is to his honor to forgive and forget a wrong done to him (to overlook an offense). Proverbs 19:11 NLV

[Love] does not demand its own way. It is not irritable, and it keeps no record of being wronged. 1 Cor 13:5 NLT

Time Out:

(Reminder – we’re talking about minor issues here, not major sins and damaging wrongs.)

Perhaps you, like me, have created unnecessary emotion and complexity when you didn’t overlook an offense. Have you etched a record in your brain about being wronged and then held onto that bitter memory?

Maybe you acted out your frustration or anger. How’d that work out? Think about how much God has forgiven us, how huge His grace is toward us. Then think about how being thin-skinned and bitter poisons our own attitude and relationships.

Go Deep:

Practice the effectiveness of wisdom and brilliance of love…don’t be self-centered and irritable…overlook an offense and don’t etch a wrong in your memory. Forgive…it sets you free from bitterness and messed up relationships.

List the names of people who you are mad at or bitter about. Write “Forgiven” across the whole sheet and throw it away. Thank God for sacrificing Jesus to forgive you and ask Him to help you forgive and overlook future offenses.

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Facing the Blitz in the House of Pain | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Life doesn’t often move as fast as an NFL game, but we can learn a lot about how to face our problems from the opportunities and adaptations that blitzes create. God’s long-term perspective and purpose to improve our character and fill us with His love make a huge difference in facing out blitzes.

Gameplan:

“And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope; and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.” Romans 5: 3-5, NASB

Time Out:

Is it possible that we don’t intensely focus on God’s radical love for us as well when our circumstances are easy, as when they shock us with difficulty or loss?

Do you face life’s blitzes as a victim or as an opportunist?

Envision a blitz you’ve faced or are facing…and think of a few ways you can change or mature to be a better version of yourself.

Go Deep:

Have a conversation with your spouse or another close friend about how you changed for the better through a blitz?

Would you be willing to talk to God about your blitzes and thank Him for the opportunity they represent to persevere in trusting Him, changing your character to be more like Jesus, setting your hope on heaven, and letting His love for you shine bigger than any earthly circumstances?

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Saturday Night with Coach Bill Walsh | Facing Your Blitz Weekly Video Devotion

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Given that the NFL is kicking off it’s season this weekend beginning with last nights Patriots/Steelers game, we are replaying one of our videvo’s about a highlight from coaching legend Bill Walsh.

Quote:

“I can live for two months on a good compliment.”  – Mark Twain

Strategy #3: Reach Out to Others from Facing the Blitz

 

The Playbook:  

Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is admirable—if anything is excellent or praiseworthy—think about such things.     Philippians 4:8 (NIV)

 

Time Out:

  • What holds us back from compliments, praise and credit toward others?
  • What will it take (attitudinally and practically) for you to look for and record the highlights of those you love?

 

Go Deep:

Check out the power of LIFT in chapter 8 of Facing the Blitz

Look. Decide. Pass.

Be a treasure hunter. Look for the good. Mentally (or physically) record the positives in those close to you. Playback someone’s highlights. Catch the positives in them and compliment/thank them/encourage them for one of their great traits. Pass this positive highlight idea along to a friend.

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