06_06_13 Blog About Sports Addiction

Sports Addiction This Friday, June 7th, the World Cup Football (Soccer for those in the USA) Tournament begins in Germany. This event is probably the second biggest sports event in the world. Some fans are willing to pay even a thousand dollars for one game ticket. In the past, wars have even started because of certain football results, but security in Germany is very high and includes police from over 20 countries. American football has not caused such sports addiction violence. The stadiums that will be used= Berlin, Munich, Hamburg, Hannover, Frankfurt, Leipzig, Nuremberg, Cologne, Kaiserslautern, Dortmund, Gelsenkirchen, Stuttgart Good results-- street and mass transit station improvements in all of the host cities, 112 Billion dollars expected spending in Germany, other city events Bad Possibilities: crimes, violence by drunk fans, terrorism, Red Light district problems Group A-- Poland, Germany, Costa Rica, Ecuador Group B-- England, Paraguay, Trinidad/Tobago, Sweden Group C-- Argentina, Côte d'Ivoire, Serbia/Montenegro, Netherlands Group D-- Mexico, Iran, Angola, Portugal Group E-- Italy, Ghana, USA, Czech Republic Group F-- Brazil, Croatia, Australia, Japan Group G-- France, Switzerland, Korea Republic, Togo Group H-- Spain, Ukraine, Tunisia, Saudi Arabia Note: The top two teams in each group will advance to the final 16. Then the winner will be which ever team wins 4 straight games. Brazil won in 2002. Suggestion: Do a lot of intercessory prayer over the next few weeks for the Christians witnessing to the football addicts involved in World Cup Football Tournament in Germany. Out pastor told us that at least 7 of the Brazilian players are born again Christians. I am a former sports-aholic since 1958 and getting weaned from being a fan. But have you ever thought what would people before the 1900s would think of our sports events? All of them seem lacking good purposes. The most popular of them are with the main action of going back and forth in a stadium watched by many overweight people or the participants go around in circles. I believe that ideas for entertainment have come from God for humans to relax with for short periods of time, but all of them have become misused and perverted. I used to justify my prosports watching so that I could pray for the Christian athletes. I also told others that even football players showed up most church-goers by forgiving each other frequently (for bad plays), helping even their enemies (helping them get up after being tackled), and cooperating together (teamwork). I claimed that I didn't really look at the violence in sports, but the good nonviolence part of the plays. Sports now encourages hero-worship, cheating, greed, drug usage, gambling, adultery. The salaries are ridiculously high!! I don't believe any athlete should get more than $50,000 per year. Same thing for the other entertainers and politicians and top business managers. Those individuals really helping society in the education, care-giving, spiritual, and law enforcement occupations should be getting the highest pay. Finally, sports will definitely not be in Heaven, so how much time should we spend watching them or even tracking their scores every week? How many individuals do you know who will skip church if their favorite team is playing on Sunday morning? Someone said "Time is money". What would God say time is? See the Two Great Commandments. I am thankful that the Holy Spirit is slowly helping me with this problem of time usage, especially in relation to my addiction to sports. In 1

June I moved to Germany, so I missed seeing one American football game for the first time since I became a fan. But for this event, games start at 6:00 PM here. If you are a sport-aholic, I hope you let Him help you change your time usage habits too. Philippians 4:4-8 Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice! Let your gentleness be evident to all. The Lord is near. Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Finally, brothers [and sisters], whatever is true, whatever is noble, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever things are of good report-if anything is excellent or praiseworthy-meditate about such things. Philippians 2 (from the Lockman Foundation’s Amplified Bible) 1 So by whatever strengthening {and} consoling {and} encouraging [your relationship] in Him by whatever persuasive incentive there is in love, by whatever participation in the [Holy] Spirit [we share], and by whatever depth of affection and compassionate sympathy, 2 fill up {and} complete my joy by living in harmony {and} being of the same mind {and} one in purpose, having the same love, being in full accord and of one harmonious mind {and} intention. 3 Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit {and} empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than {and} superior to himself or herself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves]. 2

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Let each of you esteem {and} look upon {and} be concerned for not [merely] his or her own interests, but also each for the interests of others. Let this same attitude {and} purpose {and} [humble] mind be in you which was in Christ Jesus. [Let Him be your example in humility.] Who, although being essentially one with God {and} in the form of God [possessing the fullness of the attributes which make God God], did not think this equality with God was a thing to be eagerly grasped {or} retained, but stripped Himself [of all privileges and rightful dignity], so as to assume the guise of a servant (slave), in that He became like men {and} was born a human being. And after He had appeared in human form, He abased {and} humbled Himself [still further] and carried His obedience to the extreme of death, even the death of the cross! Therefore [because He stooped so low] God [the Father] has highly exalted Him [Jesus Christ] and has freely bestowed on Him the name that is above every name, that in (at) the name of Jesus every knee should (must) bow, in Heaven and on Earth and under the earth, And every tongue [frankly and openly] confess {and} acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father. Therefore, my dear ones, as you have always obeyed [my suggestions], so now, not only [with the enthusiasm you would show] in my presence but much more because I am absent, work out (cultivate, carry out to the goal, and fully complete) your own salvation with reverence {and} awe and trembling (self-distrust, with serious caution, tenderness of conscience, watchfulness against temptation, timidly shrinking from whatever might offend God and discredit the name of Christ).

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[Not in your own strength] for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you [energizing and creating in you the power and desire], both to will and to work for His good pleasure {and} satisfaction {and} delight. Do all things without grumbling {and} faultfinding {and} complaining [against God] and questioning {and} doubting [among yourselves], that you may show yourselves to be blameless {and} guileless, innocent {and} uncontaminated, children of God without blemish (faultless, unrebukable) in the midst of a crooked {and} wicked generation [spiritually perverted and perverse], among whom you are seen as bright lights (stars or beacons shining out clearly) in the [dark] world, holding [committed to] {and} offering [to all people] the Word of Life, so that in the Day of Christ I may have something of which to exultantly rejoice {and} glory in that I did not run my race in vain or spend my labor to no purpose.

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