Lives Worthy of God

As the Texas sun begins to crest over the majestic Legacy Mountains…..  LegacyMountains

Legacy Worship Center Construction Update!

Sign  MoreFence  Fence  FromAmphitheater  MovingDirt

A brand new eight foot chain link fence around the entire west half of the church campus, more heavy equipment being brought in, and much more digging. If they can finish the building as quickly as they put up the fence, they ought to be done in about three weeks.

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I think the Cowboys went 4-0 in the 1989 preseason. I think the Colts have gone 1-8 in the past two preseasons. I think Jerry Wayne’s blue suit was hideous at best. I fiddled with the color and contrast on my TV for 15 minutes before I figured out he was wearing those colors on purpose. I think Buck and Aikman make a very good football announcing team. I think Marion Barber runs like he’s angry, which I like. I also think I’d like to see him cut his hair. I think Romo’s in for a long season. I think Leonard Davis is huge. I think pre-season football only makes me wish it were real. I think if there’s anything more lame than pre-season football, it’s a locally produced 30-minute preseason football pre-game show. I think Wade Phillips has the personality of a cardboard box. He makes Chan Gailey look like Jimmy Johnson in the fire and personality department. I think we’re still 20 days away from any football that really counts.

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CampbellSIToday’s #20 in the countdown to football season is The Tyler Rose, Earl Campbell. Nobody ran harder or stronger or TylerRosetougher. Nobody broke more tackles or carried more men across goal lines with him than Campbell. Nobody’s tear-away jersey ever tore away more often than Campbell’s.

A two-time All-America running back at the University of Texas, Campbell won the Heisman Trophy in 1977 with 1,744 yards rushing — he ran for more than a hundred yards ten times that season. He racked up 4,443 yards rushing during his Longhorns career and was elected to the College Football Hall of Fame in 1990.

EarlCampbellCampbell was the #1 overall pick of the Houston Oilers and won NFL Rookie of the Year honors in 1978. He was the NFL rushing champ in 1980 and the NFL MVP that season with 1,934 yards rushing — four games that year with over 200 yards. He finished up his career with the Saints in ’84 and ’85.

In total, Earl Campbell played nine years in the NFL, ran for 9,407 yards, made it to five Pro Bowls, and was inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame in 1991.

I’ll give honorable mention to Mel Renfro and Barry Sanders. But Earl Campbell is the greatest to ever wear the #20.

Bum Phillips ran him too much and too hard. He carried those old Oilers teams that were “knocking on the door” during the late ’70s and early ’80s. And he’s paying for it now. Campbell can barely get around. He can’t stand up for more than a couple of minutes at a time.

But he makes a mean sausage.

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LTThere was a minor outcry last night that I hadn’t even mentioned LaDanian Tomlinson with yesterday’s #21. OK. Here’s the mention. Give him a little more time before I can put him in the same class with Jim Thorpe. But he is extremely talented and he does seem like a nice kid. I had the privilege of calling a couple of his games on the radio back in the day when he and the Waco University Trojans were running around and over and through Marble Falls. And I know a young man who just went through LT’s football camp last month and said he couldn’t have been a nicer, more engaging person.

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“…encouraging, comforting, and urging you to live lives worthy of God.” 1 Thess 2:12

Paul, Silas, and Timothy were courageous Christian leaders for the new church in Thessalonica. They led with integrity and love for their brothers and sisters. And the goal of their work in that fellowship of believers was that they would live their lives worthy of God.

The greek word translated “live lives” or “live a life” is actually peripateo, which literally means “to walk,” which implies that living your life in a way that’s worthy of God means being worthy in every step, every action, every word, and everything you do in the course of your every day. Every part of our lives should reflect the character of our God and bring honor to him.  That means both attitudes and behavior. Throughout all of Holy Scripture what happens in a religious context is never separated from what happens in a worldly context. The very concept of having two ways to talk or two ways to act or two ways of thinking based on when one is at church or with church people and when one is somewhere else doesn’t even exist in the Bible. Living a life worthy of God is a 24-hour, around the clock commitment.

It’s important to note that when Paul tells the Thessalonian Christians to live their lives worthy of God, he doesn’t direct them to some list of commandments or some directory of prescribed behaviors. He points them to the character of God. Internal motivation, not simply external actions, is of critical importance.

And keep in mind, Paul doesn’t see any of this activity as earning points with God or generating his favor. He writes to “live lives worthy of God, who calls you into his kingdom and glory.” Our lives are clearly a response to God who, on his own initiative, continually calls us into his presence and under his rule. The life Paul urges us to live is one of thanksgiving, a life that acknowledges and accepts with gratitude what God through Jesus has already done for us.

May our Lord bless us as we continue to be shaped by the words and teachings of Paul and the Holy Spirit in 1 Thessalonians.

Peace,

Allan

3 Comments

  1. Jimmy

    Dude! I look at the pics of construction and I have to admit I am excited for you but also a little jealous. I would like to come over there and see the finished product before I leave in late October. That would be cool.
    BTW, what ever came of the aud in Austin? I want to know. Can you tell me something?!?
    The boat races are in full revving power today and it is really loud and the streets are full of boating enthusiasts. Whippee!!

  2. Allan

    Jimmy Shay!!!
    The boat races in MFalls are better described as “Whip!” not Whippee. Yuk. I remember after the first two times they did what a beating it was. Our new worship center won’t be finished until Easter. You’ll be long gone by then, back to Arkansas. Don’t you realize that with Greg at MFalls now you don’t have to go to Arkansas to be able to go to church barefoot?!? I wish you weren’t leaving MFalls. But I’m glad you’re going back home. I guess. Mixed emotions. You know I wish nothing but God’s richest blessings on you and your sweet wife and baby. The casting company told us they’ll contact us in 6-months to a year about Valerie’s audition.

  3. Chris

    No doubt on #21 or #20. The baby blue suit was awful.

    Quit bagging on Wade’s personality. He might sound like Hank “Dang it Bobby” Hill but we had colorful for the past four years so let’s see if propane is a clean, efficent fuel source and if the Cowboys can win a post-season game.

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