For in much wisdom is much grief: and he that increases knowledge increases sorrow.
(Ecclesiastes 1: 18)
If a golfer plays a game on Sunday, and plays the same game on Monday, then there is no change in his game.
If a person goes to church on Sunday, and there is no change in his life on Monday, then his "game" is still the same.
Until the golfer sets his heart to increasing his knowledge of golf, his game will never improve; and every game will be like Ground Hog Day over and over again---for weeks, months, and perhaps for decades.
Until a church member sets his heart to a greater understanding of God, his "game" will be like Ground Hog Day over and over again---for weeks, months, and perhaps for decades.
After I retired in 2009, two major events happened in my life, both of which were unexpected:
(1) I began to play golf;
(2) I began to write about God.
And I knew very little about either of these desires.
However, as I set my heart to an understanding of golf, I set my heart in prayer to God: asking Him to help me to become the best that I can be. I never asked the Lord to help me play better golf than other people.
And the Lord heard my prayer.
God will unlock our minds to truth and knowledge if we will give the key to God. But if we keep the key, we will keep God locked out of minds and out of our lives: for Christ is the heavenly Gentleman: He will not impose His righteousness, nor His will, in our lives: for we must invite Him.
Over the past six seasons, my skill in golf has increased because my knowledge has increased, and I have worked to convert knowledge to skill; but without this increase in knowledge, my game would never been much better than it was in 2009 because I would have continued to play golf my own way instead of playing golf the way golf is designed to be played. That's it. That's all. That's everything about my journey in golf. And if I am going to continually increase in skill, then I must first increase my knowledge.
In November, 2011, I had a desire to write about God. But I didn't know what to do, nor how to begin. However, as I set my heart to an understanding of God, I set my heart in prayer to God; for I knew that, to write about God, I needed to ask God: for nobody knows more about God than God!
And the Lord heard my prayer.
Both of these two events in my life began as exercises in faith. I believed I could play golf with God's help, and I believed I could write about God with God's help.
King Solomon wrote:
For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increases in knowledge increases sorrow.
So then, since I have increased my skill as a golfer, and since I have increased my understanding of God in writing about God, why am I experiencing grief and sorrow?
Over the past six seasons in golf, I have watched many people never improve their games. Many of them are still playing the same game they were playing in 2009. For some, the only change they have added to their golf experience has been the purchase of new golf clubs or new golf carts: neither of which has added a penny's worth of skill. The answer, of course, is simple: their swing is the same and their scores are the same because their knowledge is still the same. Most of these players, by now, should be further down the road than me: but they are not. And it grieves my heart to watch others play the same game---day after day, month after month, and season after season. For in my heart, I want to see others have greater success. But I know that only they can unlock their minds to learning. For when learning stops, so does knowledge, and so does skill.
As for writing about God, I am also experiencing grief and sorrow. For I know there are many, many people who need Christ in their lives; for when they receive Christ, they will open their minds to the knowledge of God.
Until Christ is alive in the hearts of people, their Mondays will be no different than Sundays: no matter if they play golf, and no matter if they go to church.
Until then, it is not up to me to change the relationship of people with golf, and neither is up to me to change the lives of people in their relationship with God. While it hurts my heart to watch people struggle and struggle with golf and without improving, it also hurts my heart when I consider the lack of knowledge people have about God. For I know if a change is going to occur externally, then a change must occur internally.
Could it be, however, that many people in churches have simply learned how to play the game of church? For if their game is still the same on Monday, was this the game they played on Sunday? Are people in church for God, or are they in church for themselves?
If Christ is a stranger on Monday, then Christ is a stranger in church on Sunday.
For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19: 25-27)
(Ecclesiastes 1: 18)
If a golfer plays a game on Sunday, and plays the same game on Monday, then there is no change in his game.
If a person goes to church on Sunday, and there is no change in his life on Monday, then his "game" is still the same.
Until the golfer sets his heart to increasing his knowledge of golf, his game will never improve; and every game will be like Ground Hog Day over and over again---for weeks, months, and perhaps for decades.
Until a church member sets his heart to a greater understanding of God, his "game" will be like Ground Hog Day over and over again---for weeks, months, and perhaps for decades.
After I retired in 2009, two major events happened in my life, both of which were unexpected:
(1) I began to play golf;
(2) I began to write about God.
And I knew very little about either of these desires.
However, as I set my heart to an understanding of golf, I set my heart in prayer to God: asking Him to help me to become the best that I can be. I never asked the Lord to help me play better golf than other people.
And the Lord heard my prayer.
God will unlock our minds to truth and knowledge if we will give the key to God. But if we keep the key, we will keep God locked out of minds and out of our lives: for Christ is the heavenly Gentleman: He will not impose His righteousness, nor His will, in our lives: for we must invite Him.
Over the past six seasons, my skill in golf has increased because my knowledge has increased, and I have worked to convert knowledge to skill; but without this increase in knowledge, my game would never been much better than it was in 2009 because I would have continued to play golf my own way instead of playing golf the way golf is designed to be played. That's it. That's all. That's everything about my journey in golf. And if I am going to continually increase in skill, then I must first increase my knowledge.
In November, 2011, I had a desire to write about God. But I didn't know what to do, nor how to begin. However, as I set my heart to an understanding of God, I set my heart in prayer to God; for I knew that, to write about God, I needed to ask God: for nobody knows more about God than God!
And the Lord heard my prayer.
Both of these two events in my life began as exercises in faith. I believed I could play golf with God's help, and I believed I could write about God with God's help.
King Solomon wrote:
For in much wisdom is much grief, and he that increases in knowledge increases sorrow.
So then, since I have increased my skill as a golfer, and since I have increased my understanding of God in writing about God, why am I experiencing grief and sorrow?
Over the past six seasons in golf, I have watched many people never improve their games. Many of them are still playing the same game they were playing in 2009. For some, the only change they have added to their golf experience has been the purchase of new golf clubs or new golf carts: neither of which has added a penny's worth of skill. The answer, of course, is simple: their swing is the same and their scores are the same because their knowledge is still the same. Most of these players, by now, should be further down the road than me: but they are not. And it grieves my heart to watch others play the same game---day after day, month after month, and season after season. For in my heart, I want to see others have greater success. But I know that only they can unlock their minds to learning. For when learning stops, so does knowledge, and so does skill.
As for writing about God, I am also experiencing grief and sorrow. For I know there are many, many people who need Christ in their lives; for when they receive Christ, they will open their minds to the knowledge of God.
Until Christ is alive in the hearts of people, their Mondays will be no different than Sundays: no matter if they play golf, and no matter if they go to church.
Until then, it is not up to me to change the relationship of people with golf, and neither is up to me to change the lives of people in their relationship with God. While it hurts my heart to watch people struggle and struggle with golf and without improving, it also hurts my heart when I consider the lack of knowledge people have about God. For I know if a change is going to occur externally, then a change must occur internally.
Could it be, however, that many people in churches have simply learned how to play the game of church? For if their game is still the same on Monday, was this the game they played on Sunday? Are people in church for God, or are they in church for themselves?
If Christ is a stranger on Monday, then Christ is a stranger in church on Sunday.
For I know that my redeemer lives, and that he shall stand at the latter day upon the earth: and though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God: whom I shall see for myself, and mine eyes shall behold, and not another: though my reins be consumed within me. (Job 19: 25-27)
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