FIRST LOVE RECOVERY MINISTRIES

THE ULTIMATE GAME

Psalm 9:5-6 (The Message)

verse 5 "You blow the whistle on godless nations;
you throw dirty players out of the game,
wipe their names right off the roster."
verse 6 "Enemies disappear from the sidelines,
their reputation trashed,
their names erased from the halls of fame."
According to the mindset of the world system around us, 'life is a game with rules written by one if one is smart, or written by others if one is dumb’.
In this modern world, there are so many games to be watched or participated in. These range from the games of the ancient Olympics to the interactive computer games in which frequently the thin line between fantasy and reality is easily crossed and the entertained mind becomes grossly obsessed therein.
In any game, wrong choices led to defeat while the right game plan guarantees victory. The ultimate game involves life and death for every human soul without any exception.

John 3:14-17 (King James Version)
verse 14 "And as Moses lifted up the serpent in the wilderness, even so must the Son of man be lifted up:"
verse 15 "That whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have eternal life".
verse 16 "For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life."
verse 17 "For God sent not his Son into the world to condemn the world; but that the world through him might be saved."
Deuteronomy 30:19-20 (King James Version)
verse 19 "I call heaven and earth to record this day against you, that I have set before you life and death, blessing and cursing: therefore choose life, that both thou and thy seed may live: "
verse 20 "That thou mayest love the LORD thy God, and that thou mayest obey his voice, and that thou mayest cleave unto him: for he is thy life, and the length of thy days:
that thou mayest dwell in the land which the LORD sware unto thy fathers, to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob, to give them."

1 John 5:12 (King James Version)
verse 12 "He that hath the Son hath life; and he that hath not the Son of God hath not life."
In this game God sets the rules of the game, and He also judges both the spectators and the participants. But because man is born in sin he naturally breaks the divine rules personally (participant); and enjoys the similar lifestyle of other participants (spectator)-Rom.1: 32. Consequently man lives in perpetual defeat!
Romans 6:23 (King James Version)
"For the wages of sin is death; but the gift of God is eternal life through Jesus Christ our Lord."

The master game plan set by God is outlined in a ‘roman map’, that is, some scriptures found in the epistle of Paul to the Romans: -

Admit that one is a sinner (Rom.3: 23);
Believe that Jesus Christ has paid the price for one to be saved from sin (Rom 5: 8);
Accept Jesus Christ as personal Lord and Saviour (Rom 10:9-10); &
Ask the Lord to fill one with the Holy Spirit so that one is motivated and empowered to make the right decisions (Rom 8:1,2, &5b). Making the right decisions guarantees victory so that one enjoys the new life in Christ to the full! (John 10:10b).
If any person stops at step (1), he may end up trying to save himself by works. It is not enough to accept the truth of step (2), one needs to take the necessary step of faith! It is after these 4 steps that anyone can daily play the ultimate game as he walks in the Spirit.
Part of the ministry of the Holy Spirit is conviction (not condemnation) of our individual consciences which helps us to know what is wrong in God's sight;forsake such wrongs by God's grace;and do that which is right in God's sight.

John 16:8 (Amplified Bible)
"And when He comes, He will convict and convince the world and bring demonstration to it about sin and about righteousness (uprightness of heart and right standing with God) and about judgment:"

Star players who are celebrated by our society have all the goals that they scored disallowed until they are reconciled to God through Jesus Christ, that is, ‘the world’s successful are failures in God’s sight’-Luke 16:15.
In eternity, God gives rewards to each person (participant/spectator) accordingly-Rev.22:12).
No matter how bad the state of any participant,whether it is a case of trickery of any 'opponent',or injury,or paralysis due to fear, the Lord is more than able to save,heal, and deliver(Psalm 34:19)!
And no matter how dire one's encounter or experience may be on the field of play,the Lord is one's 'everything' anywhere and anytime as coach,referee,mentor,etc.(Colossians 3:11b)
In the field of play,there is a special team of players(participants) in the ultimate game. Each player is unique, and yet complements the others.Fellowship of these persons at the local level is inevitable based on the foundation of true love(Rom.13:8-10).This team is the church of Jesus Christ on earth and an 'all stars' team belonging to the bright and morning star(Rev.22:16).

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