Transformer - 11/22/2020
Grateful for The Bible
The Bible is a collection of 66 literary works bound together to relay information. It was produced over a period of 1500 years by 40 different writers on three different continents. The Bible is a very important literary compilation and modern mankind should be very grateful for this work of antiquity.
One of the reasons for why our current generation should be grateful for the Bible is because it reveals history from a unique perspective. It is the story of God selecting a man, Abraham, through whom the entire world would be blessed, how a great nation was established and how God worked with this great nation.
Another reason for being grateful for the Bible is because of the great words of wisdom contained in short memorable sayings teaching important life skills, such as Proverbs. When these wise sayings on family relationships, parenting skills, employment behavior and social interactions are considered and meditated upon, one realizes their value in their personal life.
Still another reason for being grateful for the Bible is the record of a person, Jesus of Nazareth, and His effects upon history, not only while living, but more so after His death. This very unique individual made some very broad and extreme claims. But what is so amazing about these claims is the number of people who have decided they are true. In particular, the individuals who traveled with him during His preaching ministry.
One final reason for being grateful for the Bible is the promises contained in it. There are promises for those who reject as well as accept the teachings of the Bible. These promises give the reader some insight as to what is going to happen in the future. It gives the student vital information so they can make a well-informed decision as to what they want to believe about the evidence for the basis of these promises.
As one considers this book of antiquity, they should be impressed and grateful for how much this collection of documents is applicable to modern day life. The more one learns about the background and the circumstances surrounding the events in the Bible, the more they can see principles for everyday living.
A sad thing in our modern society is the lack of knowledge, appreciation and gratefulness for this great work. Regardless of whether or not a person believes the contents, one should be grateful for a book which has been read throughout history by so many people and has been written about extensively.
For the believers in the Bible, every day they should be more and more grateful for the Bible especially since it is their ultimate source for living God’s way. - cgm
Psalms 119:97-99
O how I love Thy Law!
It is my meditation all the day.
Thy commandments make me wiser than my enemies,
For they are ever mine.
I have more insight than all my teachers,
For Thy testimonies are my meditation.
Thinking on the Word…
In the Contract
For twenty years he pitched in baseball’s major leagues. His first contract was with the St. Louis Cardinals and in that contact (which contained a $50,000 bonus, worth about $450,000 today) was the provision for him to attend Sunday morning worship services in whatever town the team might be playing. This contract provision was included in every subsequent contract including the one he had with the New York Yankees (1968-1973) (1).
Lindy McDaniel was mainly a relief pitcher. His overall ERA was 3.45; 141 wins; 119 loses and 174 saves over his career (2). He led the league in wins and saves in “1959, 1960, and 1963” (3). All during this time, McDaniel was a Christian and not only a “Christian in name” but an avid worker in teaching his teammates. During his career he published a work called “Pitching for the Master” (1963-1975) combining baseball with religious teaching. In 2009 he took this publication online in the format of a blog.
After baseball, for the remainder of his life, McDaniel continued to preach (for several congregations full-time) and teach religious classes. At the time of his death (November 14, 2020) he was doing about 50% of the preaching as well as serving as an elder for a church in Lavon, Texas.
However, the major lesson one can learn from this man of God, was how, after his baptism at the age of 20, he put God first. It was unheard of in the mid-1950s (even more so in the 70s) for a baseball player to put into his contract such a stipulation.
Today, to have off Sunday or any other worship/Bible study times, some think is an impossible request. However, if our character, in the community and at work, displays the Christian values, then our chances are greatly increased that our requests to have these times off will be honored.
The question may be, “How committed are we to God?” But an even deeper question may be, “How much do we trust/believe God’s promises?”
In his January 17, 2014 blog post, McDaniel said his number one interest in life was “a full reality of life in Jesus Christ.” He also stated, “if we don’t get [life in Jesus Christ] right, none of the rest is going to matter” (4). He “believed one could succeed at this level (MLB) without compromising one’s religious convictions” (5). Our young people today should have the same convictions!
Brother McDaniel may not appreciate all this attention to his life, but he serves as an example of one who can have a career in areas where most people think a Christian cannot thrive. However, if one will take the attitude they are going to serve God regardless, then they can have a very successful career while also being a faithful Christian. One does not have to be a professional baseball player to apply this principle. It can be and must be applied to one’s career regardless of one’s chosen vocation.
May all of us put living faithfully to Jesus “in our contract” in every aspect of our lives. - cgm
Sources for information:
(1) http://www.lindymcdaniel.com/blogabout.html
(2) https://www.baseball-reference.com/players/m/mcdanli01.shtml
(3) http://www.lindymcdaniel.com/blogabout.html
(4) http://pitchingforthemaster.blogspot.com/
(5) http://pitchingforthemaster.blogspot.com/