Spiritual Lessons I Have Learned on my Triathlon Journey Pastor Bill Pinches Mason, Michigan I. Background: My Story 2 1
I. Background: My Story II. God s Creation Is Majestic and Beautiful 3 4 2
Heaven is declaring God s glory; the sky is proclaiming his handiwork. Psalm 19.1 5 6 3
God saw everything he had made: it was supremely good. Genesis 1.31 7 8 4
You make grass grow for cattle; you make plants for human farming in order to get food from the ground. Psalm 104.14 9 10 5
The meadowlands are covered with flocks, the valleys decked out in grain they shout for joy; they break out in song! Psalm 65.13 11 12 6
You visit the earth and make it abundant, enriching it greatly by God s stream, full of water. Psalm 65.9 13 14 7
2/25/2014 You crown the year with your goodness; your paths overflow with rich food. Even the desert pastures drip with it, and the hills are dressed in pure joy. Psalm 65.11-12 15 16 8
You alone are the Lord. You alone made heaven, even the heaven of heavens, with all their forces. You made the earth and all that is on it, and the seas and all that is in them. You preserve them all, and the heavenly forces worship you. Nehemiah 9.6 17 18 9
You put gushing streams into dry riverbeds. They flow between the mountains, providing water for every wild animal the wild donkeys quench their thirst. Psalm 104.10-11 19 20 10
From your lofty house, you water the mountains. The earth is filled by the fruit of what you ve done. Psalm 104.13 21 22 11
2/25/2014 God made the moon for the seasons, and the sun too, which knows when to set. Psalm 104.19 23 24 12
Lord, you have done so many things! You made them all so wisely! The earth is full of your creations! Psalm 104.24 25 26 13
Let the Lord s glory last forever! Let the Lord rejoice in all he has made! Psalm 104.31 27 28 14
I will sing to the Lord as long as I live; I will sing praises to my God while I m still alive. Psalm 104.33 29 I. Background: My Story II. God s Creation Is Majestic and Beautiful III. God Has Given Us Absolutely Amazing Bodies 30 15
31 You are the one who created my innermost parts; you knit me together while I was still in my mother s womb. Psalm 139:13 32 16
33 I give thanks to you that I was marvelously set apart. Your works are wonderful I know that very well. Psalm 139:14 34 17
35 My bones weren t hidden from you when I was being put together in a secret place, when I was being woven together in the deep parts of the earth. Psalm 139:15 36 18
37 Your eyes saw my embryo, and on your scroll every day was written that was being formed for me, before any one of them had yet happened. Psalm 139:16 38 19
39 Don t you know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit from God, and you don t belong to yourselves? You have been bought and paid for, so honor God with your body. 1 Corinthians 6.19-20 40 20
I. Background: My Story II. God s Creation is Majestic and Beautiful III. God Has Given Us Absolutely Amazing Bodies IV. Temptation Will Knock 41 The thief enters only to steal, kill, and destroy. I came so that they could have life indeed, so that they could live life to the fullest. John 10.10 42 21
Satan has asserted the right to sift you all like wheat. Luke 22.31 43 Don t provide an opportunity for the devil. Ephesians 4.27 44 22
Be clearheaded. Keep alert. Your accuser, the devil, is on the prowl like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5.8 45 IV. Temptation Will Knock a. The Temptation to Run Away 46 23
All endurance athletes are running away from something inside themselves. Lance Armstrong 47 IV. Temptation Will Knock a. The Temptation to Run Away b. The Temptation to Turn This Sport into an Idol 48 24
Do not make an idol for yourself. Exodus 20.3 49 Little children, guard yourselves from idols! 1 John 1.21 50 25
My dear friends, run away from the worship of false gods! 1 Corinthians 10.14 51 IV. Temptation Will Knock a. The Temptation to Run Away b. The Temptation to Turn This Sport into an Idol c. The Temptation to Become Fiscally Irresponsible 52 26
IV. Temptation Will Knock a. The Temptation to Run Away b. The Temptation to Turn This Sport into an Idol c. The Temptation to Become Fiscally Irresponsible d. The Temptation to Go Astray 53 Jealousy: A peaceful mind gives life to the body, but jealousy rots the bones. Proverbs 14.30 54 27
Lust: But I say to you that every man who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery in his heart. Matthew 5.28 55 Lust: I ve made a covenant with my eyes; how could I look at a virgin? Job 31.1 56 28
Priorities: - God first - marriage second - any other places where you have made VOWS to God (including dedication/baptism of your child) - everything else (including work, triathlon, friends, extended family) comes AFTER THAT. 57 Be clearheaded. Keep alert. Your accuser, the devil, is on the prowl like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour. 1 Peter 5.8 58 29
IV. Temptation Will Knock a. The Temptation to Run Away b. The Temptation to Turn This Sport into an Idol c. The Temptation to Become Fiscally Irresponsible d. The Temptation to Go Astray e. The Temptation to Quit 59 What might you be tempted to quit? 60 30
Be strengthened by the Lord and his powerful strength. Put on God s armor so that you can make a stand against the tricks of the devil. Ephesians 6.10-11 61 We aren t fighting against human enemies but against rulers, authorities, forces of cosmic darkness, and spiritual powers of evil in the heavens. Ephesians 6.12 62 31
Therefore, pick up the full armor of God so that you can stand your ground on the evil day and after you have done everything possible to still stand. Ephesians 6.13 63 So stand with the belt of truth around your waist, justice as your breastplate, and put shoes on your feet so that you are ready to spread the good news of peace. Ephesians 6.14-15 64 32
Above all, carry the shield of faith so that you can extinguish the flaming arrows of the evil one. Ephesians 6.16 65 66 33
I. Background: My Story II. God s Creation Is Majestic and Beautiful III. God Has Given Us Absolutely Amazing Bodies IV. Temptation Will Knock V. God Is Leading You Somewhere 67 68 34
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71 Where Is God Leading YOU? 72 36