Hello Friends,
Glad to be with you this week. I was away last week due to a funeral service.
Our text for Sunday is found in 1 John 3:16-24. It is a text I have never preached on before and honestly, I am not sure how I missed it. It is a wonderful passage that simplifies not only whose we are in Jesus Christ, but who we are called to be because of the love and grace of Jesus Christ.
The message is this: "we know what love is because Jesus Christ laid down his life for us." In response to that incredible gift, you and I are called (compelled?) to share that love with our neighbors. If you want to know what a Christian is to look like, that is it.
I read an insightful blog that has helped me focus my sermon this week. I share it with you (Stewardship of Life) for you to read at your leisure. (By the way, if you hear anything in my sermon that sounds exactly like what is written in that blog, it is almost certainly coincidental--haha!)
With that said, I want you to know that I also saw this text in action this morning. One of our own had to have extensive heart surgery today. After spending the morning with the family at St. Joseph Hospital in Savannah, I left to come back to the office to work on my sermon. On my way out, Bruce Frost walked in; he came to share God's love and peace with the family. A few minutes after he arrived, Eugenia McDilda and Rita Ponder came in to share God's love and peace with the family as well.
The most powerful verse in this passage for me is 1 John 3:18 which says, "Let us not love with words or tongue but with actions and in truth." That is what those three did and that is what we are all called to do as well.
May our actions reflect the love that God has bestowed upon us all.
In His love and grace,
Josh
Sports Corner
Tonight is the NFL Draft. Teams will be selecting the top NCAA football players to help improve their respective franchises. The Falcons, due to the Julio Jones trade of 2011, do not have a first round pick this year. I am perfectly content with that because Julio is better than any player we would have selected this year at 22 anyway. The Falcons do have several needs to fill with DT, OL, and TE being the most serious. Here's to a great draft, and quite possibly, a franchise player being picked this weekend.
Have a good one!!!
Hello Friends,
Glad to be back with you this week after not blogging during Holy Week. Thanks to all who made Easter Sunday a meaningful service and a memorable experience for us all.
We follow Easter Sunday with a passage that speaks to all of us--Doubting Thomas, John 20:19-31. I guess I should say from the beginning that Thomas gets a bad rap. We know him as the disciple who doubts; that is only part of the story. Thomas was a committed follower of Christ who was a leader of the Twelve, and one who simply wanted to get to the bottom of things. When he is confronted with the incredible story that Jesus had appeared to the others in the Upper Room while he was away, he says, "I will not believe it until I touch the nail prints and put my hand in his side." You see, Thomas thought the resurrection was too good to be true and he wanted proof that it happened before he believed it.
This is where Thomas' reputation sticks to him for the rest of eternity; he was the one who doubted the resurrection of Christ. With that said, however, I ask you pointedly, would you have believed it? After watching your Savior and Lord die, and after seeing his body placed in the grave, would you have believed He would have rose again? I think we all would like to say that we would believe, but truth be known, we would be more like Thomas than we care to admit.
Furthermore, if I am completely honest, I see where Thomas comes from simply because I am a doubting disciple too. In the midst of the chaos of the world, I tell you I have doubted God's grace, and His very existence, more than once in my life. And that brings me to the essence of the sermon for Sunday...can faith and doubt coexist? Is there a place for doubt in the church, even among the "faithful?"
I believe doubt is a very real aspect of our lives and it is often a catalyst to a deeper faith. So if you find yourself wondering about what God is doing in the world or even if God exists at all, take heart...one of Jesus' on disciples did as well. The best news I have about the text is this: though Thomas doubted initially, Thomas' confession of Christ at the conclusion of our scripture stands as the litmus test for our faith today: "My Lord and My God!" May we all confess Jesus with our lips and with our works as we prepare our hearts for worship Sunday.
Thanks for reading as always,
Josh
Sports Corner
Baseball season has started and the Braves are not doing too well (2-4). I think they will be fine and I expect them to make the playoffs as a wild card team. That is, if they can hit a little better than what they are doing now.
I am sure by now you have heard the story of Bobby Petrino who was the head football coach at Arkansas. If not, just type in his name to any search engine and you will be greatly disturbed by what you find there. I do not want to pile on the man, but I hope all of us take a lesson from his misdeeds. He allowed hubris to overtake his rational mind, and he is paying the steepest price for it. May we never get so big and so bold that we have to pay a price like that.
Hello Friends,
One of the great joys of ministry is being able to change the sermon title at will. I do this frequently...just ask Jackie or Celeste. While I was initially focusing on the Numbers 21 passage about the snakes in the desert, I decided instead to focus on the John 3:14-21 passage.
In John's passage, we come across arguably the most famous verse in the entire Bible, John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son that whoever believes in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life." That verse is a microcosm of the Gospel.
With that said, however, I honestly believe that John 3:16 is old news (in fact, that is how we live). Perhaps we see it too often on car tags, street signs, or even at ball games; maybe it has become rote. Or tragically, maybe John 3:16 has been deemed by society, and at times even the church, to be out of touch. Maybe the story of Jesus on the cross is not relevant in today's culture...to be completely honest, there are few of us who live like John 3:16 is relevant today.
And that, church is my sermon Sunday. It is time for us to take the old news of 2,000 years ago and remember that this is the good news of the gospel of Jesus Christ. It is time for us to live like God's love means something, that the cross is relevant and like the hope that we have because of it is real.
I don't want to give too much away, but I will say this: if you and I, the called out ones who profess faith in Christ, do not live this way because of who we are and whose we are, then the world really has no hope.
Think about what you can do this week to live a meaningful life...a life that shows without a shadow of a doubt that you are God's beloved child and as such, a life that shares His love with others.
In His love and grace,
Josh
Sports Corner
In case you did not know, March Madness starts today...I love the NCAA tournament. I can't wait to see the big upsets, the buzzer beaters, and the eventual champion come out on top.
I believe the Final four will include Kentucky, Ohio State, UNC and Michigan St. I think the championship game will come down to Kentucky and UNC with Kentucky winning. Be on the lookout for some upset teams...I hear good things about Belmont, Ohio, Louisville, and Florida St.
Good luck in your bracket pool. I would love to see who your final four/champion will be. Post it and we will discuss.
Hello Friends,
This Sunday, I will be preaching from a very familiar scripture, Isaiah 40:27-31. You'll recognize it as, "They who wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They shall soar with wings like eagles, they shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint." I know that this is a favorite passage for many of you and one you have heard preachers use before. With that said, is there anything new to be learned from it? In a sense I hope so, because I want the scripture to be seen and read with fresh eyes and ears. But in a sense, this is what I call a "comfort food scripture." It is one that is like a back door friend, one that we never get tired of seeing and hearing from. What are some of your comfort food scriptures? What speaks to you, perhaps because you know it so well? Write about it in the comment section below.
I don't want to give too much of my sermon away (I am prone to do that), but I do want you to know that I think this scripture resonates with us because life is hard, and we are simply tired. We run and run and run and it seems as if we can never finish what is before us, much less what we ought to do that is waiting in the wings. We get beaten down by bad news and broken hearts, chaos, and cancer, and we just run on empty.
If that is where you are, then I want you to know there is hope. The prophet tells us that God will renew our strength if we wait on him. But therein lies the problem...how many of us like waiting or feel like waiting is something we should do? I am convinced that waiting runs completely counter to what we think we ought to do when the world starts to cave in around us, but yet, that is what God wants from us.
You should know that waiting in this sense is not passive like waiting at the doctor's office or the beauty parlor, waiting is with great expectation of what God will do and accomplish. Waiting is active...it is seeking faith and hope and trusting God when we have no place else to turn.
I don't know where you stand this day...I don't know if you are soaring, or running or just trying to take one more stop...but I tell you...slow down. and wait...for only when you wait upon the Lord will your strength be renewed.
Thanks for reading, and I look forward to worshiping with you Sunday. (Scroll down and see the return of The Sports Corner before you sign off).
In His Love and Grace,
Josh
Sports Corner
And you thought it was gone forever...honestly, you are not that lucky. I am reporting on two events...one was national signing day (Feb 1st). For those of you who do not know, this is the day that HS recruits can officially sign their letter of intent/scholarship with a college football program.
UGA did well on national signing day bringing in 19 total recruits. Analysts say that they had the #9 ranked class in the nation. Some of the headliners were Josh Harvey-Clemon and Jordan Jenkins (2 outstanding linebackers), and John Theus (a great OT/OL prospect). I think these will certainly pay dividends to UGA sooner rather than later.
Tech, well, they signed recruits as well. They did okay on signing day, but they simply did not have the overall depth of the UGA haul. They ranked about #59th or so, though they have an intriguing QB prospect who was committed to Alabama, but later flipped to Tech.
I guess the only thing to really say about signing day is that while it is important to bring in talent, it is what coaches do with that talent all year long that will determine on-field success. Here's to hoping that both schools do well, (but that UGA does better than Tech).
The other event, if you have not heard, is the Super Bowl on Sunday night: the New England Patriots vs. NY Giants. This will be a great game. Vegas has the Patriots as the favorites and gives the Giants three points. I must admit I am torn on this pick...the Patriots have been a machine all year, but the Giants are the hot team right now. Could Brady win this Superbowl and cement his place permanently in NFL history? Does Eli have enough to pull out an improbable victory over the Patriots as he did before?
While many are picking the underdog, I am picking the Patriots to win by 7. They simply have too much on offense, and after giving a coach like Belicheck two weeks to prepare, I just cannot see them losing.
What say you? Write about it in the comment section below.
Hello Friends,
This week, we celebrate Christ the King Sunday. On this Sunday we recognize that Jesus Christ is King of Kings and Lord of Lords over all of time and space. Furthermore, it is an important day because it signals the end of the church year. Just think. We have walked through Advent, Christmas, Epiphany, Lent, Easter, Pentecost, and Ordinary time. On Sunday, November 27th, the cycle begins again as we wait expectantly for the Savior to arrive in the first Sunday of Advent.
The text for this Sunday is found in Matthew 25:31-46 and is the final piece of the triad of parables found in Matthew 25. You know the text as "The Parable of the Sheep and the Goats." I must say that this text is very disturbing to me because it gives a very powerful picture of the judgment you and I will face at the end of time. We will stand before Jesus and will be asked one question, "What did you do for the least of these?"
The reason this text is so difficult is because I am perhaps overconfident in my own religious standing. I can recite the books of the Bible. I understand the theology of the Cross. I attend church every week, I tithe, and I even try to pray for my enemies. That should make me a pretty good person and a pretty good Christian in the eyes of many.
With that said, however, the question is not so much of what we believe, but what we do with our beliefs in relation to those who cannot help themselves. Jesus describes the "least of these" as being the the hungry, the thirsty, the naked, the prisoner, the stranger, etc. And if I am really honest, there are times when I see people like that, and walk the other way. They may be at the gas station or standing on the street corner. They may be at Wal-Mart or the shopping mall. Quite often, there are times when I am so focused on meeting my own needs or thinking about my own life that I simply walk right past and do not even consider "the least of these."
I believe this Sunday is a call for repentance of you and for me. It is a call to recognize all that we are and have and to understand that we are called not to hoard, but to share. More than anything, this Sunday's worship is about us meeting Jesus face to face and learning to share the compassion He has for us with those who need it most. I look forward to worshiping with you this week, and may we prepare our hearts for an encounter with the Risen Lord.
Sports Corner (18-9 on the year, 3-1 last week)
Ga Tech played very poorly, especially in the second half in their loss to VA Tech. With that loss, the Jackets gave away their opportunity to compete in the ACC Championship. They go on the road this week to face the Duke Blue Devils. In basketball, Duke would win, but this is still football season. Tech has a lot to play for in that they are trying to win 10 games; it is possible to do so, but I must admit, not probable at this point. Tech will beat Duke and will prepare for the showdown with UGA on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.
GA Southern won the So con championship last week in beating Wofford. They are an excellent team and are well deserving of that honor. This week, however, they travel to Tuscaloosa, Alabama to play the mighty Crimson Tide. I hate to say it, but GA Southern simply is out manned and out gunned. While the Tide may struggle with the Eagle option attack at times, the Alabama athletes will simply over match the boys from Statesboro. Bama wins, but the game is closer than the experts think.
UGA hosts Kentucky on Senior Day; with a victory, the Dawgs will win the SEC East championship. While this can be a trap game, I tell you I believe UGA will run over UK much like they did Auburn last week. (On a side note, who in the world saw that coming 45-7 UGA?) After this victory, they will play the Jackets and then will most likely compete in the SEC championship game against LSU. Tough sledding ahead, but this victory is certain.
The Falcons lost by about a foot last week...that is why the 4th and 1 call has been played repeatedly. Those Birds face the Tennessee Titans this week. Both teams enter the contest 5-4 and needing a victory to remain in playoff contention. Though the Birds have been a bit up and down lately, I believe they get it done and come back to the forefront for a wild card slot.
Thanks for reading, and may God bless you as you serve,
Josh
Hello Friends,
I apologize for the delay of my blog again this week. Hope to do better next week.
The text for Sunday is a familiar passage of scripture that you know very well; The Parable of the Talents, Matthew 25:14-30. As you read over the text, several questions come to mind: what is a talent? Why does one servant receive five talents while the others get two and one respectively? How long is the master away? What do these servants do to invest their talents for the master?
If a preacher tries to answer all those questions (and I have before), then the essence of the text can be missed. The crux of the passage lies not in the faithfulness of the good servants, but in the simple timidity of the one who buried that talent. You see, he was too afraid of failure to invest in the master's behalf.
I am convinced that many churches and individuals fall in the same category as the third servant...we are so afraid of failing God that we do not try to invest in the Kingdom. Perhaps it is the fear of ridicule, the fear of rejection or even the fear of success that ensnares our efforts. The question that we need to address Sunday is very simple: what are you doing in your life? Are you trying, or are you timid? Are you investing in the Kingdom, or are you holding on to your resources to start at a more opportune time?
Before you answer, consider this: God is not as interested in the results as much as God is interested in the effort that you and I exert. May our fear of failure never hinder our service to God and His church.
Sports Corner (15-8)
A perfect week ladies and gentlemen! That is more like it, though the games this week become much more difficult to pick.
Tonight, GA Tech has the opportunity to cement its berth in the ACC championship. They face a top ten team who holds its on destiny in its hand in VA Tech. These teams always provide an entertaining game when they get together. Tech upset #5 Clemson at home in its last game and the question is will lightning strike twice on North Avenue? I say yes...VA Tech is somewhat overrated, and the Jackets are tough on their home field (5-0 this year). GA Tech wins a close one by 4.
GA Southern goes on the road Saturday to face Wofford. To put it bluntly, GA Southern has not looked like the team it appeared to be in the first six games. They got beat by App State and pulled out a tough win against the Citadel last week. But Eagle fans, I have good news. GA Southern rebounds this week, plays like it should and wins by six and going away.
UGA showed zero let down after the victory over Florida when they decimated lowly New Mexico State last Saturday. In fact, the starters were done by half time, and probably should have been pulled before that. The Bulldogs have a big game this Saturday against rival Auburn. Auburn won the national championship last year and looks good again this year. The Dawgs have a golden opportunity to propel themselves into a commanding lead in the SEC East with a victory. As many of you know, this rivalry is known as the "South's Oldest Rivalry," and incredibly, the point difference, even over 100 years, is very small. The best news for UGA is that Auburn has to come to the Athens to play this weekend. I say this is a hard fought game, but UGA beats AU and prepares to go to the dome to face LSU in the SEC Championship in just a few weeks.
The Atlanta Falcons face their biggest rival in the Saints Sunday afternoon at the GA Dome. The Falcons have been on the rise while the Saints offense has been sputtering a bit lately. Over the last 8 meetings, the Falcons are just 2-6 against those boys from Louisiana and Falcons fans, I am afraid the trend continues. The Saints simply have too much on offense for a defense as young as the Falcons. Saints win, but the final score is closer than the experts think.
Thanks again for reading and as always, may God bless you and keep you as you serve Him faithfully.
Josh
Hello Friends,
Sorry for the late post; probably have to take a cut in pay. Hope you enjoy seeing the pictures of Ella Grace...she is absolutely fantastic (which means she takes after her mom).
The text for Sunday, Amos 5:18-24, is one of the most powerful pericopes in the Old Testament. Amos, the sheep herding prophet of the South travels to the Northern Kingdom of Israel and tells the people as he speaks for God, "I hate, I despise your religious feasts; I cannot stand your assemblies. Though you bring choice fellowship offerings, I will have no regard for them. But let justice roll on like a river, righteousness like an never-failing stream."
The people long for the "day of the Lord" thinking that God would punish the enemies of Israel, and that the Hebrew people would be safe and comfortable. Amos, like many of the prophets, turns their expectations upside down and tells them the day of the Lord will not be a punishment for others, but for you.
You see, the Israelites had committed a great sin...they had grown complacent in their worship of God. They were going through the motions and they were not taking care of the poor. They had forgotten some of the core teachings of God, and had become much too comfortable in their own righteousness.
I admit this text worries me because many Christians and many churches are perhaps falling into the same trap. We are confident that when Jesus returns, He will judge "them" for their sins, and we, obviously the chosen few, will be fine. My only comment to that is wake up! All of us are sinners in need of God's grace. And the moment we become comfortable in our own righteousness, then perhaps we have much to fear.
Instead of committing the same sin, we need to seek justice and righteousness that God espouses...right relationships with God and right relationships with humanity. We need to look after the poor and help the destitute. We need to approach worship as an opportunity to commune with the Most High God instead of seeing it as an obligation to fulfill.
May we never take for granted our status in God's eyes, and may we never take for granted our responsibility in worship, and to all of humanity. May God forgive us where we fall short, and set us back on the path where He leads. Amen
Sports Corner (12-8)
Tough week last week sports fans. I ended up 1-2 which was my first losing week this year. I tell you right now, no more!
GA Tech is off this week after an incredible win vs. Clemson. They play a huge game with championship implications at home vs. VA Tech on Thursday Nov. 10th. Too early to call that game, but know it will be big.
GA Southern got beat by App State for their first loss of the year. Tough loss, but one that they can recover from. The Eagles take on the Citadel for their Homecoming Game Saturday. GA Southern should win relatively easy...I'll say Eagles by 10, and going away.
UGA is coming off a great win at Florida, only their 4th in the last 20 years or so. They may be somewhat flat vs. New Mexico State. Also hurting the dogs this week is that they are without their top 3 running backs...the trio was suspended one game for team violations (all signs point to drugs). Not Good. But UGA has too much talent and NM State has too little talent. Dogs win, but do not cover the 33 point spread.
Finally, the Falcons take on the Indianapolis Colts in Indy this week. Usually, this would be a feature game, but the Colts have be struck by the injury bug. The greatest quarterback of the last 10 years (save Tom Brady) is Peyton Manning. Peyton is out with a serious neck injury and will not participate. The Falcons are starting to show some life again and perhaps a new identity on offense. I say take the Birds and the points (7).
Thanks for reading and may God bless you as you serve,
Josh
Hello Friends,
Just a reminder: this week is "Trunk or Treat!" While I am excited about this night, we have plenty of work to make everything run smoothly. First, we need more cars. We had 17 last year...I am promising the children 20. Please decorate your car and have it in place in the front church parking lot by 5:30 PM Sunday afternoon. Furthermore, we will begin "trunk or treating" at 6, followed by a meal cooked by the Men on Mission. Don't forget, we will have face painting, games, and a moon walk as well as cotton candy and popcorn for you to enjoy. Let's come together to give the children a night they will never forget!
On to the sermon musings for Sunday...
Are any of you guilty of saying to your children, "Do as I say, not as I do?" If so, then you have fallen into the trap of the Pharisees' leadership style. They knew the laws, but they would sometimes apply those laws more harshly to others while absolving themselves of the punishment they deserved for the offenses they committed.
In our text Sunday, Matthew 23:1-12, Jesus uses harsh language against the Pharisees, condemning them for tying up heavy loads on people and refusing to help lift the burden. Jesus condemns them for seeking honor, glory, and titles for themselves. But perhaps the greatest condemnation against the Pharisees was Jesus' statement in verse 3..."Do not do what they do for they do not practice what they preach."
I must admit that I am fearful that Jesus would say those same words against the church in this day in time. How many of us as good faithful Christians and church members seek recognition rather than repentance? How many of us demand more from others than we are willing to give ourselves? And most importantly, how many of us do not practice what we preach on a day in, day out basis? I believe we as church members and followers of Christ must be very careful to not became that which Jesus condemns.
The only way for us to protect ourselves from falling into that rap is to follow the scripture in verse 11 and 12, "The greatest among you will be your servant. For whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted." It is time for us as a people of God to humble ourselves, and become servants. We do this not from a seat of authority or judgement, but by kneeling down, and washing the feet of others.
I challenge each of you this week to shirk the siren song of power, authority, and condemning others; instead humble yourself by serving someone else, and give God the glory for the opportunity to be one of His followers. Amen.
Sports Corner (11-6)
Well sports fans, this is a great week for football.
To start us off, GA Tech simply laid a stink bomb at Miami last week. This team looks completely different from the team at the beginning of the year. They are struggling at the point of attack and that spells trouble for a team that runs the triple option. Their opponent is the hated Clemson Tigers of South Carolina who are ranked #6 in the country. This is an I-85 battle that could prove costly for those Yellow Jackets. While I am tempted to take the home team, Clemson has more of an identity and is playing with passion that seems to be lacking on the flats. Clemson by 10, maybe more.
Ga Southern travels to Boone, NC to take on Appalachian State. This will be the biggest game of the year and the biggest test for GA Southern. They face an opponent who is undefeated at home and who will certainly give the Eagles all they can handle. With that said, this is a special season for Ga Southern. They beat App State on the road in a barn burner.
And now to the World's Largest Outdoor Cocktail Party...UGA travels to Jacksonville to face the University of Florida. To say UGA needs to win is a great understatement, for this game could prove to make or break UGA's season. This is a tale of two teams on separate paths. UGA lost early, but has won 5 straight. UF won early, but has lost 3 straight to quality opponents LSU, Bama, and Auburn. The Gators are getting healthy and will most likely have Brantley under center (not good for UGA). UGA will get back their leading receiver Malcolm Mitchell as well as their starting ILB Alex Ogletree who was hurt at Boise (not good for UF). This game reminds me of 2007 when UGA celebrated a grand victory...My gut tells me to be careful of the Gators, but my heart says UGA to win. Dawgs by 7, and pulling away at the end.
As always, thanks for reading and may God bless you as you serve Him.
Josh
Hello Church Family and Friends,
Thank you so much for your cards, gifts, food, and generous welcome to our family. Ella Grace is absolutely wonderful, beautiful, and all around superb. I hope to have some new pictures of her posted soon, and maybe a video as well. (Let's be honest, Lucy will have to do that part in as much as I know nothing about technology). I appreciate your patience with me lately; it has been difficult getting back into the swing of things, but things are going more smoothly everyday.
The text for Sunday is one you should all be quite familiar with...it is the "Greatest Commandment" question posed to Jesus by the Pharisees. Jesus answers the Pharisees' question by saying the greatest commands are, "to love God with all your heart, soul, mind, and strength, and to love your neighbor as yourself. All the other commandments and prophets hang on these."
These commandments are the very core principles of Christianity...so much of our faith is informed not simply by right doctrine, but right relationships with God and humanity. Perhaps we have made faith too hard, focusing on things that are inconsequential in light of these precepts that Jesus deems as the most important commandments in the scriptures. Have you ever fallen into that trap where you miss the forest for the trees?
It is time for us as a people of God to get back to the basics...to love God and love our neighbor, for if you have ever tried to follow those teachings, then you know how difficult it is to be Jesus' disciple.
Sports Corner:
Picks 9-5
I have had a pretty good run, but now is when football really starts to become difficult to predict. We are in the heart of the season, and this is where the cream rises to the top.
GA Tech was humbled last week by lowly Virginia. Everyone was shocked by this loss. Tech begins a trying run beginning this week. They face "The U" at Miami at 3:30 in a nationally televised game. Which Tech team will show up? The dominant team of the first 6 weeks, or the mediocre team of last Saturday? Now you UGA fans may not want to hear this, but I believe Paul Johnson is a good coach. I believe you see Tech come out with a fire and frenzy they did not have last week. While they were somewhat exposed by a poor run defense, they will beat Miami by 6.
GA Southern played very well last week in routing Furman, and I believe the same holds true this week. They play Presbyterian College, and I believe the Eagles will simply overwhelm "The Blue Hose." GA Southern wins big, 21+.
UGA is off this week but they were given a fit in a close victory by Vanderbilt last week. James Franklin has those Commodores on the rise. Let me say this about the extracurricular activities after the game between the coaches--I appreciate sticking up for your players, but you have to rise above the fray. The headlines should be about the game, not the post game skirmish between 40 year old men.
The Falcons play the upstart Lions on the Road at Ford Field in Detroit this week. Detroit has only lost one game (last week), and they are led by UGA standout Matthew Stafford and GA Tech All-American Calvin "Megatron" Johnson. The Falcons have to be able to run the football, and I think they can. The question, however, is if those Falcons can stop the vaunted passing attack of the Lions. This score could get ugly, but I believe the Falcons win in an upset this week by 3.
Thanks for reading and as always, may God bless you and keep you.
Josh
Hello Friends,
Growing up, I had the unfortunate opportunity to have several "Come to Jesus Meetings" with my parents. Now, I am not talking about a revival at the church, I am talking about an attitude adjustment that often ended with my inability to sit down for extended periods of time.
In our text for Sunday, Philippians 2:1-12, Paul encourages all followers of Christ to have a spiritual attitude adjustment. He says, "Your attitude should be that of Christ Jesus." That is a tall order because having the attitude of Jesus demands significant changes for all of us. It means we have to rid ourselves of selfish motives. It means we have to embrace servanthood. It means that we have to humble ourselves and become obedient to what Jesus commands every minute of every day. This radical change is the evidence of God working within us as His people.
On our own, this kind of adjustment is impossible, but with God, all things are possible. So as we prepare our hearts for worship this week, now is the time to begin taking these steps...what are you going to do?
I want to also take this opportunity to say thank you to all of those who gave us the shower last week. Ginger and I were humbled and frankly overwhelmed at the outpouring of incredible generosity that you displayed to us yet again. We cannot tell you what it means to us to have you as a church family. I am confident that our baby girl will be the most spoiled child to ever live with you in her life. May God bless you as richly as you have blessed us.
Love,
Josh and Ginger
Sports Corner
Picks 6-4
Ga Tech surprised me last week with an incredible win vs. Kansas. A tight game quickly became a blowout when Tech completely owned the third quarter (4 touchdowns). Tech has the #1 rushing attack, the #1 scoring offense, and the #1 total offense in the nation. Perhaps this is their year to be special. "But to be the man, they have to beat the man" (Ric Flair enthusiasts know that line), WOOOOOOOO! And it starts with UNC. North Carolina is also a top 25 team and will pose a stiff test. This is a home game for Tech, and that helps. Tech wins a close one.
GA Southern did not play last week...(sorry, forgot about the bye). So I carry over my prediction from last week. GA Southern faces an angry foe in Western Carolina (this is who Tech beat in game one). The Eagles look dominant, #1 ranking in I-AA, and the trend continues. Eagles win by 10.
UGA travels to "The Grove" in Oxford, MS to play Ole Miss. Ole Miss has been a train wreck lately (they lost by 30 to Vanderbilt last week). UGA should dominate this game from start to finish. UGA by 13.
The Falcons pulled the shocker last week with a win over the Eagles. The Falcons seem to lack the identity they need on offense (as well as a starting LT who does not get pushed back in the back field every snap). They face a rekindled Bus team in Tampa. Falcons are getting better and will prove it this week. They win by 7.
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