Sometimes Losing is Better Than Winning

Really? As a very competitive former athlete and coach, I never imagined that I would allow the thought of losing being better than winning cross my mind.

Miss Massachusetts Alison Cronin told FOXNews.com she was "shocked" when Carrie Prejean, 21, told Miss USA judge and celebrity gossip blogger Perez Hilton that she believes marriage should be "between a man and a woman."

Hilton's question — “Vermont recently became the fourth state to legalize same-sex marriage. Do you think every state should follow suit? Why or why not?” — was considered appropriate for the telecast. Prejean, a student at San Diego Christian College, replied that she personally opposes gay marriage — a response that some, including Hilton, said cost her the Miss USA title.

When is losing better than winning?

It is better when you do not compromise your convictions, suppress the truth or lose your integrity to gain the victory.

No matter how Prejean answered the question, she was going to experience disdain and persecution for her answer. What I admire most about her answer is the fact that she held to her beliefs based upon her Christian faith. Whether you agree or disagree with her answer, you have to admire the fact that she did not all of a sudden become “politically correct” to win a contest. Authenticity and sincerity is much more attractive than physical beauty. It seems that Miss California is fortunate to possess both.

2 Corinthians 6:9-10 is one of the many Scriptures in the Bible that defines homosexuality as wicked and immoral. It says, “9Do you not know that the wicked will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: Neither the sexually immoral nor idolaters nor adulterers nor male prostitutes nor homosexual offenders 10nor thieves nor the greedy nor drunkards nor slanderers nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God.”

Perez Hilton called Carrie Prejean a b---- for answering the question based upon her faith convictions. If you are a Christian and believe homosexuality and lesbianism is immoral, and if you believe the institution of marriage should only be reserved for a man and woman in covenant, then that does not mean you are a bigot. It means you believe what the Holy Bible teaches about marriage and proper sexual conduct.

If you don’t like Miss California’s answer you should not get mad at her. Your beef is with God. Maybe you should ask the question, “Why would the Holy Bible define homosexuality as wicked and immoral?” I think an honest pursuit to answer that question would lead to truth and freedom. I would love to help you answer that question if you are struggling with homosexuality or lesbianism. My motive is to speak the truth in love and offer compassion and help.

Carrie Prejean may not have won the crown of Miss USA, but she did win a crown that will last for all of eternity. It is the crown of life given to those who pass the test of faith. James 1:12 says, “12Blessed is the man or woman who perseveres under trial, because when he or she has stood the test, he or she will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him.”

Well done Carrie!

Jesus: Agent of Change

The evidence for Jesus' resurrection is so strong that nobody would question it except for two things: First, it is a very unusual event. And second, if you believe it happened, you have to change the way you live. —Wolfhart Pannenberg, German theologian (1928—)

Only an encounter with the living God, Jesus, can change your life.

“Everyone should be abstinent,” Bristol Palin said during a February 16th Fox news interview, just two months after the 18 year-old daughter of Alaska’s Republican governor gave birth to a 7-lb. 7 oz. baby boy. But abstinence is “not realistic at all,” she added.

Unfortunately, federal studies have shown that abstinence-only education has done little to curb teen-pregnancy rates, despite the nearly $1 billion in federal funding that such programs have received since 2000. More than a third of all births in the U.S. are to single women, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

It is a sad reality that many Americans know that they should reserve sex for marriage, but do not have the self-control to make this a practice in their lives. Even an effort to provide more educational effort to the importance of abstinence has not helped much. Why? Because, information and knowledge do not transform the human heart. Only Jesus Christ can change a person to live like Him.

Would God give us holy standards for living, such as abstinence, with the expectation to obey them, and not provide a way to do it? That would be quite cruel. Instead, God did provide a way for us to change. We change by receiving Jesus Christ as our Lord and Savior. Jesus transforms our hearts by filling us with His Holy Spirit and renewing our minds with the truth of His Holy Scriptures.

Jesus is the agent of change.

The Greatest Champion

54When the perishable has been clothed with the imperishable, and the mortal with immortality, then the saying that is written will come true: "Death has been swallowed up in victory." 55"Where, O death, is your victory? Where, O death, is your sting?"[h] 56The sting of death is sin, and the power of sin is the law. 57But thanks be to God! He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. 58Therefore, my dear brothers, stand firm. Let nothing move you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain. I Corinthians 15:54-58

On Easter, Christ-followers celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ. Jesus is the greatest champion because He is the only one to conquer sin, death and the devil.

In America we love to praise and celebrate those who we consider to be champions. Tournament attendance and television ratings increase substantially when golfing champion Tiger Woods is teeing off. Companies pay a million dollars for a thirty second commercial on Super Bowl Sunday. Why? They know the whole world is watching to see who will be crowned football champion.

We praise those who have attained champion status because we know how difficult it is to achieve this title. It takes individual skill, hard work, perseverance, quality teammates, top-notch coaching, “luck” and so much more to win a championship.

One of the facts that make someone a champion is their ability to defeat and conquer a formidable adversary. Would the Celtics and Lakers rivalry in the 80’s have been the same without Earvin “Magic” Johnson and Larry Bird? Would John McEnroe’s victories at Wimbledon be as admired today without Bjorn Borg? Would we call the United States hockey team victory a “miracle” without the dominant Soviet Union team? The obvious answer to all these questions is an emphatic no.

So, who is the greatest champion of all time? Is it Jack Nickalaus in golf? How about Bill Russell in basketball? What about the great coach of the UCLA Bruins, John Wooden? Don’t forget the Pittsburgh Steelers in professional football. Why would we even consider these people or teams as the greatest champion or champions? Because, they were victorious more than any who played their sport.

However, none of their accomplishments even compare to what Jesus Christ did during his death, burial and resurrection. Jesus, by dying on a wooden cross and shedding his blood, once and for all conquered sin, death and the devil. Sin, death and the devil are the greatest three adversaries of all time. Nothing has reaped more havoc on humanity than these three foes. Until Christ, they were the victors over the human race.

But, one man on a cross turned the tide of human history forever. When Jesus died on the cross, and rose from the grave three days later, He won the greatest victory of all time. Jesus is the greatest champion because He is the only One who ever has and ever will conquer sin, death and the devil. This makes him worthy of all our praise and adoration.

Happy Easter!

The Triumphant Entry

During Jesus’ last week leading to his crucifixion on Calvary, forty-eight events are recorded in Scripture. The first event to occur was Christ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.

A Prophecy was about to be fulfilled as the multitudes gathered in the Holy City in preparation for the Passover. Zechariah 9:9 says, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

In tribute to the story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, I want to draw attention to the fact that Jesus rode into the Holy City on a colt, the foal of a donkey. In the Old Testament, a colt was a noble animal, it was used for service and to carry the burdens of men; perhaps more importantly, it was used by Kings. When they entered a city in peace, they rode a colt to symbolize their peaceful intentions. When a King entered a city as a conqueror, he rode a stallion.

Jesus did not enter Jerusalem on a white stallion but on a humble colt coming with peace, not to destroy governments but to save men. Today, most people want power and authority, seldom do we find people that are humble and full of peace. It is amazing that the omnipotent Christ would choose to humble Himself and ride in peace. Jesus’ humility would further be demonstrated a week later when He would offer Himself as the perfect Lamb of God to be sacrificed for the sins of the whole world.

I believe humility is the key to living a triumphant life. That is why Scripture says: “God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble. Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up (James 4:6b, 10).”

In the nineties, I remember reading a Tallahassee Democrat article in the sports section about the invincibility of the Florida State football team. The journalist was reporting on the possibility of the Seminoles never losing an Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) football game. I recall thinking that the article was quite audacious at the time. Even comments by some of the players on the FSU team seemed to indicate that they thought it was impossible for any ACC opponent to beat them.

Immediately Proverbs 16:18 began to resonate in my mind. It says, “Pride goes before destruction, a haughty spirit before a fall.” The Seminoles next ACC contest was an away game against the Virginia Cavaliers. Florida State would end up losing the game and suffering their first Atlantic Coast Conference loss. Did the content and comments in the article have anything to do with the loss or was it just coincidence?

The triumphant entry of Jesus was just the very beginning of His last ministry in Jerusalem during the Holy week. Let us learn from this day and remember that Jesus our true Messiah humbly entered Jerusalem to save all men.