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THE ULTIMATE
GAME
Psalm 9:5-6 (The
Message)
"You blow the whistle on
godless nations;
you throw dirty players
out of the game,
wipe their names right
off the roster."
"Enemies disappear from
the sidelines,
their reputation trashed,
their names erased from
the halls of fame."
According to the mindset of the world system around
us, 'life is a game
with rules written by one if one is smart, or written by others if one
is dumb’.
In this modern world, there are so many games to be watched or
participated in. These range from the games of the ancient Olympics to
the interactive computer games in which frequently the thin line
between fantasy and reality is easily crossed and the entertained mind
becomes grossly obsessed therein.
In any game, wrong choices led to defeat while the right game plan
guarantees victory. The ultimate game involves life and death for every
human soul without any exception.
John 3:14-17 (King James
Version)
"And as Moses lifted up
the serpent in the wilderness, even so
must the Son of man be lifted up:"
"That whosoever
believeth in him should not perish, but have
eternal life".
"For God so loved
the world, that he gave his only begotten
Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have
everlasting life."
"For God sent not his Son
into the world to condemn the world;
but that the world through him might be saved."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (King James Version)
"I call heaven and earth
to record this day against you, that
I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore
choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: "
"That thou mayest
love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest
obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy
life, and the length of thy days:
that thou mayest
dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to
Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."
1 John 5:12 (King James
Version)
"He that hath the Son hath
life; and he that hath not the Son
of God hath not life."
In this game God sets the rules of the game, and He
also judges both
the spectators and the participants. But because man is born in sin he
naturally breaks the divine rules personally (participant); and enjoys
the similar lifestyle of other participants (spectator)-Rom.1: 32.
Consequently man lives in perpetual defeat!
Romans 6:23 (King
James Version)
"For the wages of sin is
death; but the gift of God is eternal life
through Jesus Christ our Lord."
The master game plan set by God is outlined in a ‘roman map’, that is,
some scriptures found in the epistle of Paul to the Romans: -
- Admit that one is a sinner (Rom.3: 23);
- Believe that Jesus Christ has paid the price for
one
to be saved from sin (Rom 5: 8);
- Accept Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour
(Rom
10:9-10); &
- Ask the Lord to fill one with the Holy Spirit so
that
one is motivated and empowered to make the right decisions (Rom 8:1,2,
&5b). Making the right decisions guarantees victory so that one
enjoys the new life in Christ to the full! (John 10:10b).
If any person stops at step (1), he may end up
trying to
save himself by works. It is not enough to accept the truth of step
(2), one needs to take the necessary step of faith! It is after these 4
steps that anyone can daily play the ultimate game as he walks in the
Spirit.
Part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is conviction (not
condemnation) of our individual consciences which helps us to know what
is wrong in God's sight;forsake such wrongs by God's grace;and do that
which is right in God's sight.
John 16:8 (Amplified Bible)
"And when He comes, He
will convict and convince the world and bring
demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of
heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:"
Star players who are celebrated by our society have all the goals that
they scored disallowed until they are reconciled to God through Jesus
Christ, that is, ‘the world’s successful are failures in God’s
sight’-Luke 16:15.
In eternity, God gives rewards to each person (participant/spectator)
accordingly-Rev.22:12).
No matter how bad the state of any participant,whether it is a case of
trickery of any 'opponent',or injury,or paralysis due to fear,
the Lord is more than able to save,heal, and deliver(Psalm 34:19)!
And no matter how dire one's encounter or experience may be on the
field of play,the Lord is one's 'everything' anywhere and anytime as
coach,referee,mentor,etc.(Colossians 3:11b)
In the field of play,there is a special team of players(participants)
in the ultimate game. Each player is unique, and yet complements the
others.Fellowship of these persons at the local level is inevitable
based on the foundation of true love(Rom.13:8-10).This team is the
church of Jesus Christ on earth and an 'all stars' team belonging to
the bright and morning star(Rev.22:16).
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