Help, LORD, for the godly are no more; the faithful have vanished from among men. Everyone lies to his neighbor; their flattering lips speak with deception. May the LORD cut off all flattering lips and every boastful tongue that says, "We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips — who is our master?" Ps 12:1-4

“Occasionally he stumbled over the truth, but hastily picked himself up and hurried on as if nothing had happened.” Winston Churchill’s description of another British politician.

We are now oozing along in the swamp called “presidential politics.” It is may also be referred to as the foggy days of “flip flop,” “sound bites,” “spin,” “photo ops” and “character assassination.” Ambitious men have set their affections on the office and power of the president of the United States and it often seems like they will say or do anything to get elected.

We are in very troubling times. I am not speaking of the economic troubles or international threat. I am referring to the character and soul of our nation. We have lost our love and passion for truth! Opinion and special interest now reside at the center where principle and conviction once reigned. When belief in absolute truth is denied and discarded, all that is left is power plays and spin control.

The art of political persuasion has changed from having a set of principles that are non-negotiable and then proclaiming them with boldness and conviction, to finding out what people want to hear and then saying it. The political poll now determines what will be said next. If public approval goes up we will hear more of the same. If it goes down we will hear the opposite.

The psalmist is describing a similar tragedy. The godly, those who know the truth, speak the truth, stand on the truth and stick to the truth no matter what it costs them, are no more. In their place are those whose lips speak with “flattering deception.” What they say is not mastered by God or right or truth. They say in their hearts, “We will triumph with our tongues; we own our lips — who is our master?” Those who live this way think getting elected is the highest goal and so will say whatever attracts the largest block of voters.

“What is the truth,(?)” some are now asking. “Who knows what is right for us and our times?” The godly psalmist gives this answer: “And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver refined in a furnace of clay, purified seven times.” [Ps 12:6] If you want to know the truth, you have to open up the scriptures. It was principles dug out of the Bible that set the direction and gave conviction to our founding fathers. America’s success did not come by accident or luck. It came as men drew from the well of wisdom that resides in God’s Word.

Times, feelings and values will flux, but the Word of God does not flinch. It is there, written down in black and white. You may be ignorant of it or you may know it and hate it. You may ignore it or attack it, but that won’t change it. It does not care if the masses like it. It refuses to be altered or softened or made more attractive to public opinion. It sits in a place of judgment, high over all of man’s desires, doings and decrees. Our times and our nation desperately need men and women who will return to the truth of God’s Word and give it to us straight whether we like it or not.

Winston Church said it like this: “This is no time for windy platitudes and glittering advertisements. The Conservative Party had far better go down telling the truth and acting in accordance with the verities of our position than gain a span of shabbily-bought office by easy and fickle froth and chatter.”     

In other words, the crisis of our times cries out for leaders who know the truth and have been convinced that the only way to right living is to know it, believe it, speak it and live it no matter what other think, say or do. We need leaders who are shaped not by the shifting sands of public opinion but the flawless silver of truth, refined in a fire, purified seven times. [Psalm 12: 6] Give us convinced and committed leaders who would rather be right than president.   

Spiritual growth does not happen by chance nor is it passive. It happens as we deliberately respond to the work of the Holy Spirit upon our lives. We are to actively grow by pursuing God through the means of grace he has provided. Prayer, the Word and the obedience of faith are essential means to spiritual growth. All of God's giants practiced spiritual disciplines in their passion to know and show the glory of Jesus Christ. Below is my attempt to set spiritual goals for the coming year and a strategy to help me reach them. I divided up my objectives into three categories: those that deal with the heart- affections; those that deal with the head- meditations; and those that deal with the hands- consecration.

“But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead, I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.” Phil 3:13-14

1] AFFECTIONS OF THE HEART: Here my intention is to prayerfully create a personal plan that addresses spiritual areas in my life that need to grow. They may include attitudes like- a greater love for Jesus; or replacing anxiety with bold faith; or overcoming some debilitating sin; etc. The point here is that we need to be specific in our planning and praying for growth. At the end of the year we want to be able to identify change and rejoice in what God did in our hearts. The ultimate goal is to increase our love for Christ.

2] MEDITATIONS OF THE HEAD: Here my intention is to develop a personal plan whereby I seek to gain more knowledge of God through regular and serious engagement with his Word. This will include such things as a detailed plan for Bible reading, scripture memory, meditation, journaling and devotional readings. I do this because the Bible shows that before God’s truth can affect our hearts, it first must be known and understood in the head. That is why we hear so many set their hearts on God’s law [Psalm 119:30] and cry out for understanding to know God’s truth [Psalm 119:34]. The ultimate goal is to grow in the knowledge of Christ.

3] CONSECRATION OF THE HANDS: Here my intention is to identify practical and objective
ministry projects that can be seen and measured at the end of the year. The projects might include such results as- salvation of specific friends and family members; the establishment of a ministry that meets the needs of children in your neighborhood; or, the getting out of debt so that one can become more generous in giving to the things of God. Here the focus is upon God using my gifts and resources to bless others with the love of Christ so that people are blessed and God is glorified through the good works of our hands. [Matthew 5:16]. The ultimate goal in seeing such tangible results to our prayer and persistence will be to increase our joy in Christ.

Below I will provide a worksheet to help you formulate your own Devotional Design for 2012. I have also included hints and tips that you may find helpful. If I can help you or be a resource person for you in this awesome quest, feel free to contact me. Gary Rieben

My Devotional Design For 2012

I. My Banner Scripture that will guide my faith for the coming Year: ________________________

This is a faith promise from God’s Word which helps to shape and focus your faith for 2009.

II. My Strategy for glorifying the awesome beauty of Jesus Christ in 2009:

A. THE AFFECTIONS OF THE HEART: These are the internal changes of the heart that will help you to grow in your love Jesus Christ. By God’s grace I want to grow in the areas of:

Prayerfully chose one or two characteristics. Ask God to change your heart in these areas. Chose one or two Scriptures to memorize and meditate upon that focus upon the changes you seek to achieve. It is through the Word of God and prayer that our hearts are changed by the Spirit. [Phil. 2:12-13; Romans 10:17]

B.  THE MEDITATIONS OF THE HEAD: Serious and steady engagement with God’s truth enables you to grow in your knowledge of him and his will for your life.

I will follow this reading plan this year: ___________________________________________

Decide on a daily scriptural reading plan. [Check out the “The One Year Bible” or
www.hopeingod.org/BibleReadingPl an.aspx./ for popular and practical approaches].

I will meet with God at __________________ [Time] in ________________________ [place]

I will memorize these scriptures this year:

Identify several key chapters that you will memorize this year. [Check out
www.hopeingod.org/Memorizingthe Word.aspx for some great tips on how to memorize scripture.] Utilize your memory scripture for meditation throughout the day.

Organize your memory work according to the days of the month. Put into your monthly calendar a scripture you will focus upon each day. Tip: Always be learning a new passage while reviewing an old one. This will help you maintain the truth you have once devoured.

I will meditate on scripture at these times during the day:

Deliberately scheduling times of meditation will prioritize and invigorates your discipline. It keeps God’s promises before your face throughout the day.

I will record the truths I am learning and the prayers I am praying in this format:

Keep a journal to record what God is saying to you through his Word and how he is answering your prayers. Some select a simple spiral notebook. Others choose a more lasting form like a leather journal.

I will include this devotional/book to mentor me through the year.

Mentors are “giants in the faith” who inspire us by biography or devotionals. [Devotionals like Oswald Chamber’s “My Utmost for His Highest,” or the diary of a David Brainerd or Jim Elliot can add much inspiration to your times with Christ.] Take what you are hearing and shape them into prayers to God though out your day.

C. THE CONSECRATION OF THE HANDS: Ask God to give you a great vision for 2012 that includes accomplishing something so good and so great that you could not possibly accomplish it without God working a miracle in and through you. Be specific in your praying and planning. This is a faith project, not just a wish or a whim. It must be something that will bring grace to people and glory to Christ.

I pray that God will use this ministry to bless others and bring him glory in 2012:

I pray that God will bring about the following tangible results in this ministry in 2012:

Concluding Commitments: You may drift into sin but you will never drift into righteousness. Growing in the Lord will mean working out what God has worked in with fear and trembling [Phil. 2:12-13]. We supply the discipline and determination. God will supply the desire and the power. Below are essential commitments that God will use to manifest his glory to your life.

Prayer: Bathe all of your planning and your practice in prayer. John 14:13

Pleasure: The motive of devotions is not duty but delight. Pursue your joy in Christ as he reveals himself through your devotion to him. John 15:11

Practice: It is the daily working of the plan that will eventually produce a harvest of fruit. Ephesians 5:15-16.

Persist: We can be assured that our passion and plan will be opposed by the enemy. So, expect struggle. When you stumble and fall, get up and start again. It is persistence in faith that God rewards. Galatians 6:9

Devotional Design for 2012 Worksheet

I. My Scripture promise for 2012:


II. My Plan to grow in grace in 2012:

A. The affections of my Heart: I ask God to grow me in the following areas.

1. To grow in _______________. My Scripture promise: ________________

2. To grow In_______________. My Scripture promise:  ________________

3. To grow in_______________. My Scripture promise:  ________________
 
B. The meditations of my Head:

1. My Bible reading plan: each day I will read________ _____________________________

2. I will meet God at [time]_______________ in [place]____________________________

3. I will memorize these scriptures:

4. I will carry out this plan by implementing these practices: [Map out a detailed strategy]

C. The Consecration of my Hands:

1. I ask God to glorify Himself in this ministry:

a. By meeting these needs:

b. By accomplishing these objectives:

c. By bringing about these increases:

2. I ask God to glorify Himself in this ministry:

a. By meeting these needs:

b. By accomplishing these objectives:

c. By bringing about these increases:

Permissions:  Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy:  By Dr. Gary Rieben.  Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Website:  www.GiveMeThatBook.org.  Postal:  GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92247 USA | 619.829.2390    © Give Me That Book

The Word became flesh and made his dwelling among us. We have seen his glory, the glory of the One and Only, who came from the Father, full of grace and truth.  John 1:14

While we were looking for “God” in the glorious splendor of our inner lights and universal morality, the Son became the most scandalously particular yet historically accessible revelation of God. It is not private therapy or rational argument, but a public announcement. Michael Horton

The Freedom From Religion Foundation of Madison, Wisconsin, recently asked that Hendersen County of east Texas to remove their nativity display from the square located in the city of Athens. If their demand is not granted, FRFM reportedly has plans to display a banner next to the nativity scene that states, “At this Season of the Winter Solstice, LET REASON PREVAIL.” The banner will describe religion as a “myth and superstition.”

So, the attack on Christmas intensifies. It is not a new fight but it is more combative, pervasive and effective. Walk through the mall and you will not hear religious songs that have been a part of Christmas tradition for hundreds of years. This is not a coincidence. It is a deliberate decision. “Happy Holidays” has replaced “Merry Christmas” as the approved greeting for this season. A state in the Northeast has even deemed it necessary to officially rename the tree that sits on state grounds as a “Holiday Tree” rather than a Christmas tree.

Some of the secular Grinch’s biggest guns have focused upon nativity scenes. On the surface it seems so silly. What could be offensive about a traditional display of a father and mother and some shepherds and kings gathered around a little newborn resting in a bed of hay? Why the heated controversy? What could cause judges to issue injunctions designed to prevent nativity scenes from being displayed on public lands?

The opponents argue that it is in fact an unconstitutional act by the government to establish one particular religion. It no longer makes any difference that nativity scenes have been a cherished part of our Christmas celebrations for decades. These groups claim that the nativity scenes are much more than just a Christmas tradition. They are a public and physical witness to the Christian claim that God came to earth on a Christmas night in a town in Bethlehem of a land called Judea.  And, in this accusation they are absolutely correct.      

Many strong winds have altered the shape of our culture in the last fifty years. We are now largely a secular nation.  We still maintain reminders of our religious past like “in God we trust” on our coins and “under God” in our pledge of allegiance, but they are also under great pressure to be removed. Our president has even deemed it necessary to declare to the world that we are not a Christian nation. Many of our fellow citizens, if not most, would see this as a good thing. We are now open to all religions and all faiths and all ideas. No one, great and grand vision now shapes our nation. We magnanimously welcome to our nation all beliefs and faiths as long as they remain private and personal.

Underlying that position is the assumption that “faith” is subjective and a feeling. It is OK for you to believe whatever it is that helps you cope, but don’t try and tell the rest of us it is absolute. Don’t try to bring it into the public arena. And, don’t you dare claim a historical basis for your faith. Faith is more emotional than historical.

And, that is why the nativity scene is so offensive for hard core atheists and crucial for true believers. In wood and straw, in fabric and colors, in music and words, the nativity scenes are a physical reminder of a God who came to earth and took upon himself the body of a man. That baby, born of a virgin, in a city called Bethlehem, in the district called Judea, during the reign of Herod the Great, was none other than God in the flesh. The nativity declares to all that the story of Jesus Christ is not a fanciful fairy tale or a magical myth or trite tradition, but an historical truth. Uncomfortable as it may be for our secular neighbors, it cannot be ignored or privatized into triviality.

The nativity scene is a clash between reason and faith. Our naturalistic culture assumes that reason rests on public facts and faith rests upon private feelings. It assumes that reason is scientific and unbiased and faith is subjective and mystical. Reason deals with hard evidence while faith deals with personal preference.  But in the nativity scene, faith is presented as fact. You can dismiss it outright as religious myth, but you do so from an emotional bias. Until you investigate the evidence, found on the pages of Scripture and illustrated in the lives of historical figures, you are guilty of the same feelings-based “faith” that you ascribe to Christians.         

Christianity is above all else an announcement. It is a public declaration that God has come down to earth in Jesus Christ who is both the Creator and the Savior of mankind. It is not a feeling nor is it a wish. It is a declaration. It is not a philosophy or speculation. It is revelation. It is not man climbing to God but God’s coming to man. It is not subjective or private. It is objective and public. You can deny it but you cannot dismiss it. Christianity is just “there,” as surely as that nativity scene is “there.” You can get an injunction to have the nativity removed from the center of the city but you cannot remove it from the center of history.

Is the fight to keep the nativity at the center of our cities worth the cost of battle? It is for two reasons. 1] Our nation needs to see it there at the center of the city if only during the Christmas season. Once the Church steeple was the highest point of the town, now it is the corporate skyscraper. The nativity is public reminder of what was not only our reason for faith, but our reason for hope. America has been the greatest civilization in the history of mankind precisely because of the faith of her Christians. It is sad to see our nation turn away from God to worship idols. At every level of our civilization we are now seeing disintegration. The once grand vision that united our nation has been broken into 300 million idols fashioned by puny passions. The nativity is a reminder that what we are forsaking is not human tradition but divine truth.  

2] Our Churches need to fight to keep at the nativity at center of our Christmas if not at the center of our city. We are always in danger of being shaped by the values of our culture rather than by the Gospel of Jesus Christ. I am often reminded of the story Chuck Colson told in one of his books some twenty years ago. A prophet came to a city and continued to call out for the city to repent and turn back to God. The city refused to listen and demanded that he shut up. One citizen said, “Why don’t you stop preaching? Can’t you see nobody is listening?” He answered, “I am no longer preaching for the city. I am crying out for myself.”

The nativity, historical and true, stands as a concrete reminder that our faith in Jesus Christ does not rest upon our feelings or our reason but upon the Incarnation of God in human history. If the nation will not believe, we must keep on preaching so that we will.

Dietrich Bonhoeffer was a young theologian when Hitler came to power in Germany. He became a leader in the Confessing Church, the church that was formed in opposition to the tyranny of Hitler and his henchmen. His opposition to the Nazis and his involvement with an attempt to assassinate Hitler cost him his life. On April 9, 1945, three weeks before Germany’s surrender, he was taken from his jail cell and hung on the gallows. His final words to his cell mates were these: “This is the end. For me it is the beginning.”  

The one thing shaped his faith and his commitment was his love for Scripture and his belief that it was the Word of God. This is amazing thing when you consider that he was raised the son of a renowned but unbelieving German psychiatrist, was a student of the liberal theologian Adolph von Harnack and did studies in theology at Union Seminary, one of America’s foremost promoters of liberal theology.  In spite of those formidable influences, Bonhoeffer came to a deep and abiding faith Jesus Christ and His Word, the Bible. I have found few affirmations written by the hands of non-canonical authors, that expresses more clearly and closely my own devotion to God’s Word than the words I share below. I pray that this testimony from the heart of Dietrich Bonhoeffer, theologian and martyr, will encourage you to a new love and devotion to the Bible and the God who speaks there.    

Note: This testimony was written in 1936 to his liberal brother-in-law, Rudiger Schleicher.

First of all I will confess quite simply- I believe that the Bible alone is the answer to all our questions, and that we need only to ask repeatedly and a little humbly, in order to receive this answer. One cannot simply read the Bible, like other books. One must be prepared really to enquire of it. Only thus will it reveal itself. Only if we expect from it the ultimate answer, shall we receive it. This is because in the Bible God speaks to us. And one cannot simply think about God in one’s own strength, one has to enquire of him. Only if we seek him, will he answer us. Of course it is possible to read the Bible like any other book, that is to say from the point of view of textual criticism, etc.; there is nothing to be said against that. Only that is not the method which will reveal to us the heart of the Bible, but only the surface, just as we do not grasp the words of someone we love by taking them to bits, but by simply receiving them, so that for days they go on lingering in or minds, simply because they are the words of a person we love, and just as these words reveal more and more of the person who said them as we go on, like Mary, “pondering them in our heart,” so it will be with the words of the Bible. Only if we will venture to enter into the words of the Bible, as though in them this God were speaking to us who loves us and does not will to leave us alone with our questions, only then shall we learn to rejoice in the Bible…

If it is I who determine where God is to be found, then I shall always find a God who corresponds to me in some way, who is obliging, who is connected with my own nature. But if God determines where he is to be found, then it will be in a place which is not immediately pleasing to my nature and which will not be congenial to me. This place is the cross of Christ. And whoever would find him must go to the foot of the cross, as the Sermon on the Mount commands. This is not according to our nature at all; it is entirely contrary to it. But this is the message of the Bible, not only the New but also in the Old Testament….

And, I would like to tell you now quite personally: since I have learnt to read the Bible in this way- and this has not been so very long- it becomes every day more wonderful to me. I read it in the morning and the evening, often during the day as well, and every day I consider a text which I have chosen for the whole week, and try to sink deeply into it, so as to really hear what it is saying. I know that without this I could not live properly any longer.

Note: Cited in: Eric Metaxas, Bonhoeffer: Pastor, Martyr, Prophet, Spy, [Nashville: Thomas Nelson, 2010] pp. 136-137

Permissions:  Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy:  By Dr. Gary Rieben.  © Give Me That Book.  Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Website:  www.GiveMeThatBook.org.  Postal:  GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92247 USA | 619.829.2390

© Give Me That Book

For God did not give us a spirit of timidity, but a spirit of power, of love and of self-discipline. 2 Tim 1:7

I am not a big fan of professional football, but I am a fan of Tim Tebow. I am not the only one. The whole country seems to be caught up in what is happening around this football player. What is happening through this young man is nothing short of a miracle. I use that word intentionally. I believe that God is doing something through him, for this period of time, to point to the power and reality of Jesus Christ. Do I believe God is a Bronco fan? No. Do I think Tim Tebow will lead the Broncos to the Promised Land? Probably not, but he could. However, I have no doubt that “Tebow Time” is happening because the Lord has chosen to use him in a very public and special way.

If you have just returned from Timbuktu and do not know what I am talking about, let me try to explain. Tim Tebow is a quarterback who plays for the Denver Broncos. He is a former Heisman Trophy winner from the University of Florida. He is known for his passion on the football field and his ability to rally his team to victory, often in a very dramatic way. In eight weeks he has led a very mediocre Bronco team to a 7-1 record and first place in their conference.

He is a very likeable and sincere young man, but his quarterbacking skills have not been well received by the professional football elite. When he was promoted to the starting role, almost all of the experts predicted he could not be successful. His mechanics were all off. He ran too much. He lacked the ability to read defenses. His passing was inaccurate. He could win a few games and make a few plays, but he would never take a team to the top. Even his coach had his doubts.

Tim is also an outspoken witness for Jesus Christ. After his touchdowns you can see him bow in prayer or point to the heavens in praise to God for his help. After the game, he makes it a priority to give thanks to Jesus for what he has done in his life. His clear and unapologetic boldness has made a lot of sports commentators and interviewers rather uneasy. In fact, one former quarterback of the Broncos publicly advised Tebow that he should stifle his witness to his faith in Jesus Christ. It appears Tebow is not listening to him.

Timothy was raised in a Christian family. He is named after Paul’s son in the faith Timothy, whose name means “loved by God.” His father asked the Lord to give them a preacher for a son and Tim is the answer to that prayer. His parents have done a lot of missionary work in the Philippines and Tim has become very involved in their orphanage there. In a recent documentary, he was seen playing with the children of the orphanage. In it he appears to enjoy throwing Filipino orphans into the air as much or more than throwing touchdowns on a football field. Although many are uncomfortable with Tebow’s public and persistent witness, few doubt his sincerity.

However, there has been a lot of “push-back” from media commentators trying to give us a proper interpretation of what we are seeing. Some don’t think the attention being given to Tebow is fair. Brett Baird of Fox News felt he needed to remind us that Aaron Rogers of the Packers was having a more successful year and little was being said about his faith. Of course, he overlooked that Rogers was guiding a Super Bowl team. Tebow was leading a very mediocre team to last minute and unlikely endings, to the dismay of his critics. Bob Costas, of NBC Sports, felt he needed to give us a theological primer on why God doesn’t favor teams and sealed his argument by asking, “What does God do when two Christians are facing off against each other?” All of which misses the point of the Timothy narrative.

This reminds me of a story I heard told of when Woody Hayes of the Ohio State Buckeyes was being shown around heaven. He was led to his home, a very stately and impressive mansion, which was appropriately arrayed in scarlet and grey.  He was very excited about his resting place until he looked up on a mountain and saw a castle that dwarfed his in size and grandeur. He was upset because it was surrounded by banners of the Maize and Blue of the Michigan Wolverines. He complained, “How come Bo gets the castle and I only get a mansion?” The angel answered, “Oh!” That is not Bo Shembechler’s castle. That is God’s!”

Great story but not true. God does not wear the Maize and Blue of Michigan and certainly not scarlet and grey of Ohio, nor does he wear red and blue of the Broncos. He does wear the unapproachable light [1 Timothy 6:16] of His Glorious Being. He has one ultimate goal. It is to display His infinite perfections throughout the universe. No one, including Tim Tebow, is claiming that God roots for any one football team. But, what Christians everywhere believe is that he glorifies Himself by enabling His children to enjoy him. He does that by working and weaving His grace into the everyday happenings of our lives. He promises to bless those who will trust in His promises.

That is all Tim Tebow is saying. He knows that God is the Source of his skills and his passion. God through the death of His Son has forgiven him and loved him into His eternal kingdom. It is God’s promise that gives Tim the confidence that he can do all things through God who strengthens him [Philippians 4:13]. All that he does, whether it is done on the football field or on an orphanage playground, is done for the glory of Jesus Christ. [1 Corinthians 10:31] He really believes that all he can do is his best and God will do the rest. That is why he gives praise and honor to Jesus. It is not just about football, it is about life and eternity.

So, what is going to happen if Denver loses? Well, some of the fans will be deeply disappointed. The critics will probably feel justified and the atheists greatly relieved. What about Tebow? How will he respond? He will probably be disappointed too, not in God, but in the loss. But, He will recover and he will express the same joy and confidence in defeat that he had in victory. That is because the glory of Jesus is infinitely greater and more rewarding than what happens in a football stadium.   

So, what is the correct interpretation of this passage in the life of Timothy Tebow? What is the correct meaning of this story? First, God is bringing about dramatic and unlikely success for a season in the life of this young disciple of Jesus Christ. He is doing this on a public stage in such an extraordinary way, that cynics, skeptics and atheists can see evidence that God is still alive and well and at work on this planet. There will still be some who will explain the phenomena as the natural results of positive thinking, luck, skill and bad football. But, for others, it will plant the seeds of faith, if not by the incredible comebacks, by the faith of this one young sold-out athlete who really believes.  

One last thing needs to be said. Timothy Tebow needs our prayers. Not just for his football success, but for his Christian witness. Because of his public testimony he has a target on his back. The enemy is subtle and will throw the weight of his deceptive temptations at him in the future. More than a super bowl victory, let us pray for a final victory, where he finishes the battle for faith well, where he can say with the apostle Paul,

I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith. Now there is in store for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will award to me on that day — and not only to me, but also to all who have longed for his appearing. 2 Tim 4:7-8

Permissions:  Permission is granted for reproduction and distribution of this material in any format provided that you do not alter the wording in any way, you do not charge a fee beyond the cost of reproduction, and you do not make more than 1,000 physical copies.

Please include the following statement on any distributed copy:  By Dr. Gary Rieben.  © Give Me That Book.  Email:  This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. .  Website:  www.GiveMeThatBook.org.  Postal:  GMTB | P.O. Box 1045| La Quinta, CA 92247 USA | 619.829.2390

© Give Me That Book