Buckeyes Hoping They’ve Landed a Legend in Urban

Ohio State made it official on Monday with the hiring of Urban Meyer as it’s next football coach.  He definitely is one of, if not, the hottest commodity on the coaching front.  It is no doubt a home run for Ohio State, to bring back the Buckeye-bred coach to lead Ohio State back into prominence.  Not that one season of sub par performances from a team and a coach (Luke Fickell) that was put into an impossible situation, makes OSU a major rebuilding job.

Meyer does have big shoes to fill.  Despite the major transgression that ended Jim Tressel’s reign as head coach – he had taken the Ohio State program to heights only matched by Woody Hayes.

Meyer is about the only coach OSU could have gotten to take on the daunting task of keeping the Scarlet & Gray an elite program.

It should be fun.  He has credibility, seems to have things under control in his life and without a doubt he conquered the first task, he won the press conference and did not alienate those who are close to Fickell.

By the way, Luke Fickell did a great job under the enormous circumstances he was placed under.  Good to luck to him, whether he accepts a position on Meyer’s staff or he breaks away to try to make his own mark.

Meyer is a rock star and a living legend in college football coaching circles.  Ohio State is counting on that to stay the same as Meyer takes control of the Buckeyes in 2012.

Roles Reversed for The Game 2011

The roles are reversed for this year’s Ohio State/Michigan game.  Michigan, who hasn’t beaten OSU since 2003, is the favorite.  Michigan is the better team.  Michigan has the BCS Bowl berth on the line.  Michigan is the hot team. 

Ohio State, who has suffered through a season that no program would want to experience, enters the game reeling.  After an exciting, improbable win over Wisconsin, the Buckeyes slogged though a win over hapless Indiana and played badly against Purdue and Penn State, but came within a whisker of winning both of those games.  Ohio State also has nothing to lose.  They at best will get the Gator Bowl, not as prestigious as it once was and at worst would get the Little Caesar’s Pizza Bowl, that could play against the Buckeyes.  The distraction of the Urban Meyer rumors  becoming the new coach could also be a negative.  It could also be the rallying point to get the Bucks past the smartaleck Wolverines.  Plus nobody thinks (except Dom Tiberi and Columbus homers) the Buckeyes can win this game anyway – so again what do they have to lose? 

Michigan is focused, no doubt, new coach Brady Hoke has embraced the rivalry – although his calling Ohio State “Ohio” is a bit hoke-y – no make it down right – dumb.  However, he will definitely have the Maize and Blue ready.  One factor that may be missed on some for this game is that with the roles being reversed this year, Michigan has all the pressure.  The pressure to earn a BCS berth, the pressure to end the losing streak and actually make  this a rivalry again and the pressure to back up their smartaleck talk.  One thing that I have learned in my recent background of dealing with 18-22 year olds is that many times they don’t do well with pressure. 

I have a bit of advice for Hoke and Co.  You better get Ohio State while you can – because if the rumors are true and Urban Meyer is going to be the new coach – the recent Scarlet and Gray domination in this series will continue. 

I will be right there watching, rooting hard for the Buckeyes.  The law of averages says Michigan will win the game and most likely they will, but I will never count out the Bucks and you never count out the underdog in this rivalry.  Go Bucks! BEAT MICHIGAN!!!

My Thanksgiving Message

There are so many things that I am thankful for and there is no way that I can name each and every one in this post – but I do want to take a few moments to name a few.

I am thankful for my wife and daughter, for having great parents, being employed, having plenty of positive things to focus on, for being a citizen of the greatest country in the history of the world, to know that if God takes care of the flowers, grass and birds that He will take care of me – Matthew 6:25-32.

Most of all I am thankful that Christ died for the ungodly, of which I am one – Romans 5:6. Because of that and because of my obedience to Him – life is good because I am free from the guilt of sin.

Solomon wrote in Ecclesiastes 12:13 “Let us hear the conclusion of the whole matter: Fear God and keep His commandments; for this is the whole duty of man.”  This is the key to making the most out of life.

Happy Thanksgiving to all – take a moment away from the feasting and the football and the “Christmas Story” marathon – to thank God for all you have.

Just Do It

This has been the NIKE slogan for many years – but the words apply to many things, one in particular is following the word of God. There are a lot of people today who know what the Bible says and can read what the Bible says, but when it comes to doing what the Bible says those people simply make excuses and justify their actions.

Let’s simplify this – Just Do It. Prior to Jesus telling the parable of the Good Samaritan – a lawyer tested Jesus with a question asking “Teacher what shall I do to inherit eternal life” (Luke 10:25). The man already knew the answer to the question – he wasn’t asking with the intent of actually learning the answer. Jesus answered his question with a question “What is written in the law?” (Luke 10:26).

Here’s a point to remember – whenever you are searching for the truth – the only way to find it is in the Scriptures. What does the Bible say? It’s a good question – just open it up and do what it says.

In the lesson, the lawyer answered the question correctly by stating what God’s will is – Love God with all your heart, soul, strength and mind, and your neighbors as yourself (Luke 10:27). Jesus answer was “you have answered rightly; do this and you will live” (Luke 10:28).

Again the man knew the answer – he quoted what the law said and Jesus told him “that’s right, no go and do it.” This is the key to doing God’s will. Find out what God says in His word and do it. It’s as simple as that.

This is not complicated. You actually have to work at it to misunderstand it. Just read the Bible and do what it says. It was as this point in the lesson that the lawyer began to struggle with what Jesus was saying. He knew what God said, but he didn’t know necessarily how to apply what was being said and thus felt like he didn’t need to do it. “But he, wanting to justify himself, said to Jesus, ‘And who is my neighbor?’” (Luke 10:29).

This is the problem with many today. Instead of taking what God says and just doing it, we want to find ways to justify not doing what He says. The problem is not that we can’t understand God’s will – it’s that we don’t want to bring our will into submission to God’s will. In response to the lawyer, Jesus told the parable of the Good Samaritan.

One of the key aspects of this parable is the need for honesty when looking into the will of God. After Jesus concluded the parable he asked who the neighbor was. The man said, “He who showed mercy on him.” Notice Jesus response – “Go and do likewise.” Luke 10:37.

Jesus was showing that it is not that difficult to apply God’s will to our lives. Some argue that we can’t understand the Bible. We can understand it – it just takes some diligence and honesty when studying.

If we are not honest when we study the Bible, we will not be able to do God’s will in a proper manner. There have been times when people have studied the Bible and refused to look at a certain verse (i.e. Acts 2:38). They knew what it said; they simply did not want to face what it said.

In order to justify not being baptized, many will come up with some scenario to justify their unwillingness to do what the Bible says. The old “what about a man who is on his way to be baptized and is killed on the way?” This is supposed to somehow negate what Jesus says about baptism? It seems to me that it would be much easier to find out what the Bible says and just do it.

This passage, Luke 10:25-37, can be narrowed down to this – we need to look into God’s word, find out what is said and do it. This is simple, honest Bible study.

When a person knows that the Bible says, abandon all efforts at self-justification and submit completely to God’s will. When you study the Scriptures, hear the words of Jesus and “do this and you will live.”

Preparedness

 I was watching the movie United 93 last night and many thoughts went through my mind re-living that dreadful day of September 11, 2001. One thought was how heroic those people were in trying to take back the plane after it had been hi-jacked.

I mainly thought about that day and those people who perished, whether it was on that flight or the ones that crashed into the World Trade Center and Pentagon or others who died as a result of the terror attacks.

The thought that was the most striking for me, and it was brought out in the movie – it was a normal day. Those folks went to work and got on the planes just like any other day. The last thing on their minds was that it was going to be the last day of their lives (with the exception of the terrorists).

It was another reminder about preparedness – being ready. Ready to go into eternity. It can happen in a moment’s notice and without warning, such as it was on that day. We need to be ready each and every day to face eternity. We never know when it will happen, whether the Lord returns and we’re still here or if we pass from this life.

We need to make sure that we have followed the Lord’s commands in regards to being saved – i.e. being prepared – so that if we meet an untimely demise or pass gently into the night – we know that we will that have a crown of righteousness waiting for us (Revelation 2:10).

The Apostle Peter us exhorts to be prepared for eternity while we still have time and opportunity. “Therefore, brethren, be even more diligent to make your call and election sure, for if you do these things you will never stumble;” II Peter 2:10.

I don’t know how many of those people who perished on 9/11 had made the preparations with God, but unfortunately, I can be certain that some had not and that is so sad.

Take care of this while you have time – do not wait. Heaven is a prepared place for prepared people and in order to go there you must be prepared. The preparedness of heaven lies in obedience to the will of God – hearing the Word of God (Romans 10:17), believing in Jesus (John 8:24), repenting of sins (Luke 13:3,5), confessing your faith in Jesus (Romans 10:9-10, Acts 8:36-37) and being baptized (Acts 2:38, I Peter 3:21, Romans 6:3-4) and living faithfully (Revelation 2:10, Jude 3).

The Priorities of a Christian

There are 168 hours in a week.  If you attend Sunday morning Bible Class, Sunday morning worship, Sunday evening worship and a mid-week Bible Study that takes care of about 4-5 hours.  This does not include weeks of Vacation Bible School, Gospel Meetings, etc.  If you attend the 4-5 hours you would be considered by most a strong Christian.  However, that still leaves 163-164 hours during the week that we have to choose God or other things.

Obviously work and school take up 30-40 hours of that time – that leaves 124-133 hours remaining.  You’ve got to sleep – so that takes roughly 56 hours (if you sleep eight hours a day) – you still you have 68-77 hours remaining.  How much of that time do we give to the Lord?  I have to admit – I give Him more than 4-5 but I’m far from 68-77 – how about you? 

Sounds like we could have an examination of our priorities. 

Matthew 6:33 says “You are to seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.” 

This is perhaps the most challenging aspect of our Christianity.  If you ask – does Jesus have the right to issue such a rigorous obligation for us?  The answer is unequivocally, yes.  Christ is our creator (John 1:1-3, Hebrews 1:3).  He is our savior (Matthew 1:21).  He has been granted all authority (Matthew 28:18, John 17:2). 

He has the right to command and expect our obedience.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the key words in the Matthew 6:33 passage.  Seek – you are looking for something continuously; striving to obtain, putting forth a strenuous effort. 

Christians are not to prioritize their own interests – we are to put the Lord first (Philippians 2:21). 

First – very simply means 1^st place, putting above all.  The Lord is to have preeminence in our life. 

Kingdom of God – In the context of the verse it’s talking about the reign of Christ in our lives.  He should be sitting on the throne of our heart and we should be governed by his rule.  We are not to have him as a mere footnote in our life – not just the 4-5 hours and not just a weekend or casual acquaintance.

And His righteousness – Simply means doing right.  Living the way God wants us to live; proper conduct before God.  We need to be righteous in regards to worship as well, such acts as giving, praying, and exercise of self-discipline.  Obedience should always be to honor God – not to solicit the attention or admiration of others – or as I have heard it be called “performance worship.”  Jesus taught his disciples that their worship must exceed that of the scribes and Pharisees (Matthew 5:20).  The scribes and Pharisees focused on what was on the outside and not what was on the inside (Matthew 23:23). 

Many believe today that as long as your heart is right it doesn’t make any difference what you do.  “We’re all worshipping the same God.”  I hear that a lot.  Let’s ask Cain about that (Genesis 4:5-13) or Nadab and Abihu (Leviticus 10:1-3). 

Righteousness involves both attitude and action!

As always you want to get an application from a lesson – this is no different. It’s easy to talk about doing right – sometimes it can be very difficult to put that talk into action.  This is where an adjustment in or priorities would be crucial.

Sometimes conflicts of interest arise, sometimes our judgments don’t always agree with one another.  Sometimes we are conflicted – even within ourselves.

Implementing the righteousness of God and being devoted children of His, challenge us to be more consistent and to prioritize a little better. 

One thing is for sure – God knows our hearts (Acts 1:24) and He knows how serious we are about serving Him.  A façade of being religious may work with people, but it does not with God.  Let us do the will of God – “not with eyeservice, as men-pleasers, but as bondservants of Christ, doing the will of God from the heart,” Ephesians 6:6.

The Power of Influence

 I want to revisit the topic of our influence as Christians – the power of influence, positive or negative that we can have on the lives of others. I have attached the previous blog post on influence as a companion piece to this one.

http://marksmessages.wordpress.com/2011/07/22/influence-2/

Our influence can be good or bad. Christians need to be very careful in what we say and do. We need to remember the words of the children’s song that includes “Be careful little mouths what you say.”

It is possible that we can have a bad influence on somebody, but if we live our lives properly, as God would have us – we can be sure that our influence will be good.

We need to be concerned with how we can have a good influence on people. One way in which we can influence people is by suggestion. Satan did this to Eve and Adam (in a negative way) causing them to sin. In no way did Satan command them or force them – he simply made a suggestion. By this, he influenced their lives and talk about a long-lasting effect – it is still being felt today.

We need to be careful about what suggestions we make; we need to make sure that our motives are pure when we suggest something to a person. It could be the difference between a soul being lost or saved.

Another way in which we can influence people is by persuasion. This too involves suggestion. Many times people are persuaded to do evil. They could also be persuaded to do good. Paul almost persuaded King Agrippa to be a Christian (Acts 26:28).

The old prophet of Bethel persuaded the man of God to do opposite of God’s directions (I Kings 13) – certainly a bad influence. A third way in which we can influence people is by our character. I Peter 3:1-2 talks about the good character of a wife could win her husband. Part of this is accomplished by setting proper examples. Our character is what we are – our reputation is what people think we are.

If we are living proper lives we can’t influence people in the wrong way. Romans 12:1-2 talks about a transformation and not being conformed to this world.

We can also influence people by our speech. Colossians 2:4 says “beware of men who would deceive with fine-sounding arguments.” Those who speak well have a powerful way to sway people. Some of the most wicked men in history have had this ability.

Many can sway by their extraordinary ability to convince with words – and again many times with evil intentions.

See I Corinthians 2:1-4.

Jesus came with a simple message that produced upon the hearts of men the proper effect, or influence. For us, we need to follow that example and speak the truth in love (Ephesians 4:15). Titus 2:8 reminds to have sound speech – this is how we want to influence people.

We influence people everyday in one or more of the ways above – hopefully we are living in such a way that we will provide a good influence for those around us – II Corinthians 3:2.

They Just Don’t Know Any Better

As a lifelong Cincinnati Bengals fan, sometimes things get a little tough in the fall and winter of the year. Since Marvin Lewis took over in 2003, the Bengals have been more respectable than miserable.  This season they are continuing to amaze even their most harsh critics week after week.

Cincinnati moved to 6-2 on the season after a 24-17 victory over the Tennessee Titans on Sunday (November 6) on the road. It was their fourth road win of the season and the fifth victory in a row, the first time the Orange and Black have accomplished that feat since 1988 when they represented the AFC in the Super Bowl.

Why is this team so surprising? Many of the experts (ESPN) are dumbfounded. The World Wide Leader in Sports said they would likely only win one game this season because they are so young and although they won’t admit it – because they are the Bengals.

With all the divas gone (Chad Ochocinco, Terrell Owens and Carson Palmer) the Bengals have young, hungry players who will actually take coaching.

I think I have hit on the reason for the amazing first half of the season for the Bengals – they simply don’t know any better. They don’t know they aren’t supposed to be any good. Rookie quarterback Andy Dalton is continuing to do what he did in college – and that’s win football games. The defense is likely the best unit the Bengals have ever had. Mike Nugent and Kevin Huber are doing outstanding jobs in the kicking and punting department and the coaching staff is doing a great job as well.

Things will get tough the second half of the season as the Bengals will collide with Pittsburgh and Baltimore twice as well as a strong Houston team.

We’ll find out more about this team in the coming weeks, but nobody can argue with what this team has done so far in 2011.

Who Dey!

Troubling Actions From Today’s Teens

In the recent months I have changed jobs – really gone the opposite direction from what I was doing. From Sports Information Director at the University of Rio Grande (Ohio) to a research assistant for Nationwide Children’s Hospital, specializing in working with teenagers to quit or cut down on smoking cigarettes.

Most of the young people have had or have very bad home lives and shall we say are not the most well behaved kids you’ve ever run across. However, some are decent kids who are just trying to shake a horrible habit.

Today in a meeting with a group of teenage girls, the questions arose as to what some of the triggers are that cause them to want to have a cigarette or when are they at most risk to smoke a cigarette – the No. 1 answer without hesitation, without pause, without blushing – was after sex. Mind you, none of these girls are married. Now,

I’m not naïve and I know this is not a new problem – but what struck me was the brazenness – the lack of shame – like this was no problem at all. This to me is troubling and unfortunately it will not get any better.

It reminds me of the words of the Old Testament prophet Jeremiah. “Therefore the showers have been withheld, and no spring rains have fallen. Yet you have the brazen look of a prostitute; you refuse to blush with shame.” Jeremiah 3:3 (NIV).

“Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when I punish them,” says the LORD.” Jeremiah 6:15 (NIV).

“Are they ashamed of their detestable conduct? No, they have no shame at all; they do not even know how to blush. So they will fall among the fallen; they will be brought down when they are punished, says the LORD.” Jeremiah 8:12 (NIV).

As a parent of a young child, I shudder to think where we will be this teenage/premarital sex problem by the time my daughter will have to deal with this. Perhaps the Lord will come and take us home by that time.

It again made me realize how important it is to share the gospel of Christ with those in a lost and dying world.

It again was a reminder of how Satan has corrupted that which God has created.

I hope that smoking cigarettes is not the only thing that these young people cease and desist from.