GOLF IS SPELLED G.O.L.F.

It goes without saying that the game of golf is a popular sport throughout the world, transcending all cultures and even socio-economic barriers.  Many companies and business entities are capitalizing on golf’s popularity and forward momentum.

For most of us however, our relationship with golf is one who might own some golf clubs, possibly even passed down from the previous generation, that sit in the garage or closet somewhere without the possibility of seeing the light of day or the glory of an actual course.  No, most relate vicariously through the professional golfer who displays their proficiency in the game each and every week with surgical prowess on most every shot and putt, to cause most would-be golfers to enjoy the game from an easy chair or an occasional conversation around the water cooler.

So, to ask someone about their love for the game, would require the asker to know one’s relationship to the game.  Is their livelihood derived from the game?  Do they invest their time, money and affection into the game on a regular basis?  Can they spell golf?  Have they ever taken an instructional lesson from a professional golf teacher to improve their skill in actually playing the game?

Unfortunately, I could have easily written the same information about the average Christian.  Most people are good people, who hold a membership in some church, possibly handed down from the previous generation.  Yeah, they own a Bible somewhere, just not sure where it might be located.  They might chat a bit if asked about their church, just don’t ask them about their faith.  Recently, I spent several hours with two Christians on a golf course without even a hint of conversation about their faith and love in Christ.  Even when prompted, over the years, I have rarely been successful in holding deep conversations with folks about their faith-even ministers.

You know there is a huge difference in saying that you have a relationship with someone and saying that you identify with someone.  A relationship only speaks of the fact that you are in proximity to the person on some level, albeit possibly a distant acquaintance, without being impacted and influenced by that person or visa versa.  Conversely, to identify with someone is to hold the same interests, to be affected and effected by one another’s views and experiences to the point of instigating change or being changed yourself.  Most people today have a relationship with Christ, they just don’t really identify with Christ.  Those entities and elements that are supremely important to Him, just aren’t that necessary to most “Christians”.

My wife and I agreed some time ago that we are teetotalers.  If we are in, we are all in.  You will rarely talk to either of us that we are not speaking of the awesomeness of Yahweh and the growth and development of our faith.  We enjoy hours and hours of fellowship with others that flows by like minutes as we lose ourselves in conversation about the Kingdom of Christ.  Yes, we are all in and we desire to expend the energies and resources of our lives to identify with Christ.  For the King!
So dust off your faith in Christ and preach the good news that will impact the lives of others for eternity.  Don’t just have a ‘relationship’ with Christ, identify with the revelation and authority of Christ and change the world.

 

from Todd Murner http://ift.tt/21Y2fTk

KEEPING IT ALL CONNECTED

Given that my brother ‘affectionately’ refers to me as the walking golf channel, it is obvious that I analyze my game constantly, along with my playing partners.  During the winter months I try to add new shots into my game and also work on different swing thoughts to improve my score and better my golf experience.  Recently, however, due to all the winter tweaking, I realized I had digressed quite extensively from my level of play ending last fall.

I’ve often heard that the golf swing starts from the ground up.  In other words, starting with the feet and working upward with the knees, hips, torso, shoulders and arms, the rhythm of the golf swing must follow a particular flow and sequence.  Last year I spent an excessive amount of time working on initiating the downswing with my left hip and that somehow triggered some really good shots.  At the beginning of this year however, it has seemingly all gone awry and my pleasure levels while playing golf have greatly diminished, but not my motivation to keep playing the game.

So, while working on my wedge shots in the yard yesterday, and hitting some horrible shots from skulls to shanks, I realized my issue.  While I was concentrating on all the different parts of the swing, I was not keeping them connected.  The components were there, but they were moving independently of one another, not in the sequential flow and connectivity that is required for the intended outcome.  After employing a tip I saw years ago by placing a golf towel or tee under the left arm pit, I was easily able to connect the torso, shoulders and arms together, which produced solid contact and shots on the correct trajectory and expected distance.  Glory!!

As a minister of the gospel of Christ, I spend an inordinate amount of time counseling others in all manner of life situations.  Many times, after digging into the problem, the necessary components are there, but the flow and connectivity of those components are missing.

In the Kingdom of Christ, the sequence and flow of spirit, soul and body must never be compromised.  Whenever your life deviates from its expected trajectory and intended destination, survey each of these three elements of your life and evaluate how you are processing each of them.  If you are prioritizing your soulish needs or worldly desires over the mandate to glorify Christ, well, need I say more?  The following verse is key:

“Now may the God of peace (wholeness and fullness) Himself (only Yahweh can accomplish this through the finished work of Yahshua and the ongoing work of the Spirit) sanctify (progressive action of grace to purify and separate you from the old man to the new man – who you were from the beginning) you completely; and may your whole spirit, soul, and body be preserved blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.”  1 Thessalonians 5:23

So in golf, when there are problems with your golf swing, work sequentially from the ground up and keep everything connected.  In life, when things go awry, operate from the spirit down through the soul (mind, will and emotions) and body-keeping them connected by the ministry of the Holy Spirit.

from Todd Murner http://ift.tt/1McHNoM

Don’t Keep Driving for Show

There’s a familiar adage in golf, “You drive for show and you putt for dough.”  The obvious application is that most people spend more time practicing the less important parts of the game.  On average, in a round of golf, you may use the driver twelve to fourteen times or 14% of the time.  In comparison, an average golfer will use their putter thirty to thirty-five times a round which equates to almost 40% of the score.  So, the question arises as to why most golfers spend most of their practice time with the ‘big stick’ and hit a couple of putts right before the round begins.

In bringing this golf analogy into a kingdom life application, the same premise exists, most people of faith spend most of their time on the externals and not enough time on the internal elements of their faith.  Check out this verse:

8 For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life (perpetuating, reproducing life; dynamo power).  Galatians 6:88

I’ve hear it a thousand times, “Read your Bible, pray, go to church, pay your tithe and offering, witness to others!”  While all of these practices are viable, shouldn’t they flow naturally out of a Holy Spirit-filled life of devotion and desire to bless our Father, Yahweh?  According to the apostle Paul, as we sow to the internal presence of the Spirit, the Spirit will produce fruit (Galatians 5) that will remain.  If someone isn’t constantly scheduling church services, Bible studies, prayer meetings and service projects, most people wouldn’t naturally participate in these endeavors.  This does not make these endeavors wrong, just positioned on the wrong side of a life in the Spirit.  The apostle Paul further explains:

16 I say then: Walk in the Spirit, and you shall not fulfill the lust of the flesh. 17 For the flesh lusts against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; and these are contrary to one another, so that you do not do the things that you wish. 18 But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the law.  Galatians 5:16-18

So, what does this mean?  Simply that if you are doing all the outward, ‘drive for show’, Christian disciplines and your score is not even close to what you expect, you may need to focus on a part of your ‘game’ that is less impressive but more necessary to your ultimate goals.  Praying and sowing to the Spirit aren’t nearly as popular as these other churchy endeavors, but the payoff will glorify the Son and please the Father.

from Todd Murner http://ift.tt/1QQk2tk

Warning Signs

It’s an unusual and unique characteristic of golf etiquette to yell, “FORE!”, when you hit the ball in the direction of unsuspecting players on the course.  No one knows for sure where the ball might go when struck and therefore a warning system is necessary, albeit not very effective.  Most of the time, when you yell, “Fore”, the response from those in the line of flight look up to see the ball coming-not smart.  You will not see the ball coming but you will feel the pain of the ball hitting your body…unfortunately because of a wrong response.

Similarly, there are a lot of people walking around this world in pain due to a wrong response.  One reason for wrong responses is that no one gave them a warning that something was coming their way that was potentially harmful.  Blindsided by the nuances of life, people get bonked in the head and lose their way from time to time…what to do?

The answer to this problem goes all the way back to the original design of man.  We were designed and built with an early warning system, known as the Holy Spirit.  Yes, the Spirit of Christ, expresses His presence within us by divine wisdom, knowledge, understanding and revelation.  The sad truth is that so many Christians don’t fellowship with the Spirit within, therefore they walk blindly in life blaming others for their shortcomings and misgivings.  They are actually out of position on the ‘golf course’ of life.  Yes, they hear a faint sound, “fore”, in the distance, but to no avail-out of nowhere, here comes trouble.

Don’t live your life expecting something catastrophic to happen.  First receive the gift of salvation and open your eyes to all the possibilities and the newness of life promised in this new lineage.  Next, receive the Holy Spirit and optimize your life in Christ with the same Spirit that enabled Yahshua to do amazing acts on the earth.  Don’t just read about the pros and their amazing exploits.  Receive the presence and power of Christ and get equipped with the right response!

from Todd Murner http://ift.tt/1PMwMPd

Golf and Grace

As with most endeavors, golf is governed by rules to make it fair for everyone and principles to ensure a pleasurable experience for everyone that plays the game.  Although there can be many unique personalities and styles in the game of golf, the rules and principles by which the game is played remain constant and sure.

It seems in the body of Christ today, that many people have not enjoyed their ‘Christianity’ experience and have sought to analyze it to find out just what went awry.  The general consensus is that there are too many rules and regulations and therefore it might be good to just throw out all absolute truth and any form of government associated with one’s personal faith in Christ.  Many are preaching a gospel of grace that says that since our righteousness can only be a gift from Yahshua the Christ, we don’t really need to abide by any rules or principles that govern a redeemed life.  Since you can’t lose what you didn’t earn, you are free to live your life just any way you deem pleasurable.

I realize this analogy is way too simple to explain the complexities of the issue, but I challenge anyone to just go out and play a game of golf with total disregard for the rules that govern your experience and the principles by which hitting the ball becomes practically impossible to succeed.  I have played golf with those who can’t count their score correctly or become angry because their expectation of a good shot is met with the reality of their lack of practice and training.  You may not be able to incorporate everyone’s well-meaning advice after a bad shot, but that negative feeling will never be trumped by just trying to hit the ball any old way you like.  No, golf shows no pity toward the ill-prepared, emotionally distraught or publicly embarrassed.  The only options are to give up the game or submit yourself to the lordship of a golf professional.

Many have walked away from their life in Christ due to an overemphasis of the ‘law’ (rules) and the associating guilt and shame associated with personal mistakes.  If only those who struggle in their faith would allow the Spirit of Christ to baptize them into Christ’s fullness.  No, it wouldn’t guarantee a perfect shot or a perfect score every time, just a relationship that would make sense of the game of life that most seem to not understand.

from Todd Murner http://ift.tt/1P68teX

The Art of Professional Golfing

There is a huge disparity between professional golfers and amateur golfers.  Of course those who play the game for a living, by necessity, practice more often and have better equipment than the average weekend hacker.  Professionals employ swing coaches, sports psychologists, fitness and nutritional experts and the list could go on depending on the seriousness of the professional and how deep his/her pockets run.

I’ve been to a few professional tournaments and noticed immediately that there is a huge difference in how the professionals hit the ball versus those of us who play for funzies.  The sound of the club making contact with the ball, the flight of the ball and most of all the distance by which the ball travels are uniquely different.  So different in fact that it is almost seems as if we are playing a different game altogether.

Being a teacher by nature, when I play with other golfers who are struggling with their game, I invariably try to offer some piece of advice that would free them up from what is known as the paralysis of analysis.  Golf can be hugely enjoyable if you’re playing anywhere close to your expectations.  Who doesn’t want to be outdoors, basking in the sun on a perfectly groomed landscape of grass, flowers, trees, ponds and white sand?  However, if you’re not playing up to your fantasy of hopeful expectation, not considering you haven’t practiced or even played in quite some time, golf can be very frustrating and aggravating.

The first bit of advice that I usually offer the troubled golfer is conceptual and not instructional.  You see, the professional is not focused on ‘hitting the ball’.  In golf, the ball either sits on a tee or rests on the ground.  The ball is not moving when you strike it and therefore shouldn’t be the focus of one’s attention.  No, the accomplished golfer knows that a great shot is the product of a good swing.  While most duffers are trying to ‘hit the ball’, the professional golfer has learned to swing the club with the ball just getting in the way of a great swing.

Unfortunately, I meet a lot of Christians with the same problem.  They are trying to live the Christ life, their focus is on themselves and not Christ and therefore, they are constantly searching for their errant ball in the woods of life.  Remember, Christ in you is the hope of glory!!!   Yahweh did not give you the greatest gift possible for you to ignore the gift and try to do it on your own.  I marvel at Christians who give up in absolute frustration and remark that the Christ life doesn’t work.  No, you are simply approaching the Kingdom differently than it was designed.

Yahweh has imparted to you, through Christ, His divine nature and divinely empowered you by His Spirit to win!  You don’t need new equipment, more instructional videos or different playing partners.  You just need to find out who you are in Christ-the unique you that is one of a kind and just let life get in the way of your new swing!

from Todd Murner http://ift.tt/1Ky9jLr