Tag Archives: Phillies

Fan or Follower?

As a person who enjoys watching sports, I’ve met several fare weather fans in life.  When the local team is winning, there isn’t enough room on the bandwagon.  However, as the years pass without a Superbowl win, Stanley Cup, NBA championship or World Series title, a mass exodus occurs.  This trend causes individuals to adopt other teams like the Dallas Cowboys, Miami Heat or New York Yankees to raise their self esteem.  Time will distinguish the casual fan from the avid follower, living and dying with their team despite the anguish or pain.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LyW8u8qj-x8

Jesus used another method to disclose fans from genuine followers.  One day, a first century doctor, watched in awe as Jesus began to ask a few people some questions, Luke 9:57-63.  Like a coach pushing his players to see who will rise to the top or quit, Jesus’ words pierce the hearts of these lukewarm fans.  Despite their good intentions, one by one, each fell by the wayside, unable to meet the conditions Jesus was searching for in a follower.

Whether I’m shaking my head at another Phillies loss, Eagles meltdown, Flyers defensive breakdown or 76er’s losing streak, being a fan in the greater Philadelphia area isn’t easy.  On the other hand, being a followers of Jesus is even harder, Matthew 10:32-39.  Sometimes I find myself in the shoes of the ruler in Matthew 19:16-25, wondering if I have the moxie to endure life’s trials.  Unfortunately, my actions don’t always express what I believe.  In the end, I’m at the mercy of God, relying on Him to make the impossible a possibility, Matthew 19:26.

Where do you find yourself on the spectrum of fan or follower?

by Jay Mankus

         

A Divine Appointment

This morning God put a desire on my heart to go to my local Family Christian Bookstore after reading a chapter from the book Authority in Prayer by Dutch Sheets.  Usually, I go alone, but my wife and two of my kids felt like going along for the ride.  I was seeking to find my favorite worship song which I haven’t heard on Christian Radio for over a month.  While I was gazing through the music section, suddenly I looked up and there it was, staring at me, Forever Reign.

As I began to debate whether or not I should purchase this album by Hillsong, I overheard a customer talking to an employee who was trying to find albums for someone on the phone.  Since this gentlemen mentioned Chicago, we began to talk for a few minutes about this city, the Phillies and life in general.  Little did I know that this initial conversation would spark a divine appointment from the Holy Spirit.

While I was at the cash register, this man of God, in tune with the Spirit, Galatians 5:25, overhead over discussion before I left.  The woman behind the counter asked if I could sponsor a child for X amount of money per month.  I declined explaining that I was still looking for a full time job.  If I went alone, I would have left the store without this divine appointment.  However, since my wife was not done finding the right set of sympathy cards for work, I wandered around the store a few more minutes until the timing was right.

Like an angel sent from heaven, this man approached me saying he heard me say I was looking for employment.  Initially, I thought he was going to offer me a position, yet his words changed from a mere man to the Holy Spirit.  This man of God told me that the Holy Spirit gave him a rhema, a word from the Lord in his heart, which he wanted to be faithful to God by sharing this message to me.

God told him that He was using this time of unemployment to teach me many things.  God is showing me that I can’t do it alone.  Rather, that I need to trust the Lord solely for employment and that only in Him can I provide for my family.  As his message continued, He said the Lord will be providing you an amazing job in the next month.  Something so great, you could never dream it up, yet God will use this for you to provide abundantly for your family.  With these final words, this man prayed for me, blessed me and vanished from the store shortly thereafter.

I am not sure if this man was real or an angel.  Although, I am going to take his message to heart, learn to yield my future over to the Lord and trust God with all my heart to provide.  I will keep you posted as the Lord moves and works in my life.  To be continued!

by Jay Mankus