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{SFTH} *Worship* 4/18/01
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WORSHIP
By David Barnett
About every other month, our church has a "Men's Breakfast", where we
gather, have a great breakfast, fellowship, sometimes sing, and listen to
a speaker. The speaker on this past Saturday was a theology teacher from Denver
Seminary by the name of Dr. Rod Cooper. In his speech, he told the
following story, which I've repeated for you here. This story made a
profound impact on me, and I have added some of my comments below.
----
He is 7 feet tall and 255 pounds of pure muscle and athleticism. He is
know as one of the best centers to have played and to be playing
currently in the NBA. He has led his team to two back-to-back world
basketball titles. He is known as the hardest working big man in the
NBA. He is a perennial all-star, having been in 10 All-Star games. And
he is not even from this country. In addition to English and French, he
speaks four other languages.
I was watching Roy Firestone on ESPN's Close-Up program where, on this
day, he was interviewing this particular person. Firestone asked him
this question: "Why do you work so hard? Your teammates tell me that
every time you step onto the hard wood, you give it 110 percent. They
tell me you practice spin moves and fade-away jump shots by the hour.
They tell me you run wind sprints until you can't anymore, relentlessly
pushing yourself. They tell me that even in a scrimmage, you go for
every rebound and every loose ball like you are in the finals of the NBA.
Why? You don't have anything to prove. You have made it to the top.
Why not just take it easy?
The question intrigued me, but the answer this person gave blew me away.
He said, "Roy, I do not count what I do on the basketball court as work.
Every time I step onto that court, I am not playing for me, but for Him.
you see, the reason I work so hard is because basketball is not work...it
is worship. It is my way of thanking God for His goodness to me."
His name is Hakeem "The Dream" Olajuwon.
-----
As Dr. Cooper spoke, I kept thinking about this. What if, I thought, I
treated my job, not as work, but as worship? What could I accomplish?
What if I treated my workouts, not as a drudgery, something I had to do,
but as worship?
What if I treated my marriage, not as an obligation, but as worship?
What if I treated my parenthood, not as an activity, but as worship?
What if I treated my friendships, not merely as relationships, but as
worship?
What if I treated my hobbies, not only as fun things to do, but as
worship?
What if I treated community service, not just as a good thing to do to
help others, but as worship?
What if I even drove my car, not merely as a way to get from here to
there, but as worship?
What if I treated everything I do, everyone I meet, everything I say, as
though it is an act of worship? How would that transform my life? What
could I accomplish in my life? Who would I be able to touch and reach
and attract to Christ?
I decided on Saturday morning that I was going to attack my life, not
just as life, but as worship. My family, my job, my activities,
everything, I am going to give 110%, because I'm not just doing it for
myself anymore...I'm doing it for God. I'm doing it to give Him thanks
and praise.
I'm doing it as worship.
David Barnett
Barnett2000@juno.com
Send David an email and let him know what you thought of his story!
______
David Barnett is a Christian, husband, and father of three, in that
order. He founded the Daily Prayers ministry, and the Bible By Email
ministry. For more information on these ministries and how you can
receive bible verses, prayers, and complete Bible chapters by email, send
a blank email to DailyPrayers@phenomenix.com. In the near future, the
ministry will be adding bible study, book studies, Christian support
groups, and discussion groups.
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From the Email Box!
Hi Michael,
I just had to write and thank you for publishing my story about "The Easter
Miracle". I have had so many wonderful responses from your subscribers! I
have enjoyed reading their comments, as well as some of their own original
stories. The work that is involved in publishing the {SFTH } newsletter is
no small feat, yet you seem to pull it off effortlessly. Many thanks for the
hope and joy you spread on a daily basis!
Thanks again,
Debbie Orrico
dorrico@greenwich.lib.ct.us
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Hi Michael! Great site... I hope you get LOADS of visitors... Keep the stories coming... Tom
PS Beautiful wife, BEAUTIFUL kids and you are one VERY lucky guy! God Bless... (Oh! He already has!!) :-0
Tom LeClerc
wb1cby@homemail.com
________________________
Am very impressed with all that you have done on your web site. How good it is to be able to visit a web site and be able to move around, without getting confused.
The layout is perfect and you guys should be very proud of what you have accomplished together.
Roger Dean Kiser, Sr.
trampolineone@webtv.net
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Thought For The Day:
"It is not what a man does that determines whether his work is sacred or secular, it is why he does it."
Verse for the Day:
"Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for
men...It is the Lord Christ who you are serving." --Colossians 3:23, 24
Kid's Thought For The day:
"It's hard not to pick at it."
Parent's Thought For The Day
"Children are likely to live up to what you believe of them."
(Lady Bird Johnson)
Coach's Thought For The Day
"It takes less time to do a thing right than to explain why you did it wrong."
(Henry Wadsworth Longfellow)
Deep Thought For The Day:
"Never ask a barber if you need a haircut."
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REQUESTS:
Our precious pastor's wife was taken to the hospital on Easter Sunday night. At first the doctor's told the families that she'd have to spend the rest of her pregnancy in the hospital. She was due the first week of August.
By 3:00 a.m. they told Pastor David that the cord had prolapsed and the placenta was separating and that Briana was in liver failure and if they didn't take the baby right away...... she and the baby would both die. The doctor's induced labor but she became critical and has not delivered. Tonight they are doing an emergency c-section. Her platelets have dropped so very low that there is a chance of hemorrhage. Doctor's believe the baby will be profoundly retarded and will not live from lack of oxygen.
At this point, the doctor's are very concerned for Briana's life and feel the baby is beyond help. Please pray for Briana and this precious man of God and his family. This was to be their first child.
This is the little country church that you prayed for recently when our church secretary stole all our money and left us well over $10,000. in major debts.
Pastor David and Briana Marshall
Pleasant Grove Baptist Church
Pleasant Grove Church Road
Villa Rica, Georgia 30180
God bless you all,
Diane Tavegia
tavegia@bellsouth.net
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_
/_/\/\ MICHAEL T. POWERS
\_\ / THUNDER27@aol.com
/_/ \ "For I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but
\_\/\ \ Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body I live for the Son
\_\/ of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me." Galatians 2:20
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