Game Plan For Life by Joe Gibbs: #3

Chapter 3 started out with Joe Gibbs sharing a humbling personal experience of not communicating properly during a big game and then having to admit he messed up. Clearly the lesson of the story he shared was the importance of communicating every game plan to the players. He then compared how he communicated the game plan to the players vs. how we as believers must communicate the inspired Word of God to humanity.

He reminded us on page 34 of the theme consistent throughout the book, "The whole premise of Game Plan for Life is that God is in charge and his plan for your life can be found in the Bible. The logical question then becomes, can you trust the Bible?"

Enter Josh McDowell, "What do you believe about the Bible? Do you trust what it tells you about God and His Son, Jesus Christ? Can it really be what it claims to be - God's love letter to humanity? How can you know for sure?' All these questions are answered in more throughout the chapter. Answered according to what the Bible has to say - not what I say or Josh McDowell says or even what my wife Christina says (though she is a wise woman I might add).

I was reminded that everything we do as believers and born again children of the Living God must be held to God's standards - the Word of God. You will want to read Josh McDowell's testimony and his finding God then forgiveness for his father. He gave six Assumptions then Facts about God in this chapter.

Fact #6 God changes the lives of those who take His word to heart packed a powerful punch. Page 51, "I am walking evidence that the Bible is true and that Jesus can dramatically change a person's life. I'm not saying I'm perfect-far from it-or that I don't screw up from time to time. But thanks to the power of God's Word, I continue to enjoy the happiness, significance, and purpose that the Bible promises to those who trust in Jesus Christ."

Josh McDowell left the reader with three obvious changes that occurred in his life after he found the Lord and after fully trusting God and God's Word.

1. I experienced mental peace.

2. I gained control over my temper.

3. I found freedom over resentment.

My wife shared a cool word equation with me. I wanted to leave it with you today.

No God = No Peace

Know God = Know Peace

Looking forward to reading the next chapter. See you in Chapter #4

Check out Blue Water Brotherhood at www.bluewaterbrotherhood.com...

Game Plan For Life by Joe Gibbs: #2

Chapter 2 titled My Own Journey opened the door to Coach Gibb's down-to-earth statement that, ""Everybody's going to follow somebody. In football, it's the head coach. In NASCAR, it's the crew chief. In life, I believe it's God." (page 19).

And then His unashamed love for Jesus on the next page, "In the game of life, our Head Coach loved us enough to send His only Son to die for our sins, "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in Him shall not perish but have enternal life." Who can argue with that statement directly from the Bible? Many can and many do. But this coach does not write this chapter to argue or throw the Bible in your face. At least I didn't get that from reading.

I liked the story about how he thought he was so important - - doing lots of things in his career well - and one day he was above "picking up his bathrobe and socks." He came to his senses after a confrontation with his wife (as well as the conviction that only comes from God) and realized though he was quickly climbing the ladder of success, he was never going to be left out of doing menial chores at home. His wife brought him down-to-earth that day.

He realized his arrogance, "Regardless of your profession, some days everybody's cheering for you, and the next day they're booing. Then they're cheering again." I related to what he said because no matter if your wife is cheering or booing you -  you still need to man up and help around the house (well to a certain point that is).

The chapter ends with talk of team building which is the ticket into the team approach to the rest of the book. I enjoyed the author's reminder that no matter what I accomplish, how well I do, at the end of the day I am still a husband, an employee, a son of the Most High. Remembering this keeps me humble. And I almost forgot - - I am a man standing on the promise that one day I will have eternal life. Thanks Joe Gibbs for reminding me today that the Head Coach gave me the ticket for life. And it had nothing to do with anything I ever did or could ever do. God's free gift. Salvation.

Check back for Chapter 3 recap. Josh McDowell has been handed the ball. He's ready to run with it....

Check out Blue Water Brotherhood at http://www.bluewaterbrotherhood.com/.

Game Plan for Life by Joe Gibbs: #1

My wife and I are reading Game Plan for Life by Joe Gibbs. We decided to read a chapter a week and discuss what we learned, what we didn't understand or agree with and to pursue in greater depth the Truths uncovered in this book.

Chapter One layed the framework for the entire book. It was basically an introduction about two sports. Every sport needs a game plan, a head coach and helpers. In the Game of Life the head coach is God and the gameplan comes from the Bible.

Check back for Chapter Two insights...

Check out Blue Water Brotherhood at www.bluewaterbrotherhood.com...