This article was written in during the 2011-2012 football season.
THE BEST PLAY WAS NOT EVEN ON THE FIELD!   
Neal Pollard   

Yesterday, professional football fans saw one of the most exciting, improbable victories in its history climaxed by the stunning first play from scrimmage in overtime when Tebow hit Thomas for a playoff, overtime record 80 yards in a playoff, overtime record 11 seconds.  Local play-by-play man Dave Logan's call, which will likely go down in Bronco lore, captures how monumental it was for the underdog Denver team.  If you watch ESPN, there will be several highlights of passes, runs, and defensive plays.  However, without a doubt, the best play of the day happened up in the stands, almost on the front row in the seats at the 15 yard line.  The game was tied, 23-23, and it was about 5:45 P.M.  The outcome was completely unknown and very much in doubt.  The last minute of regulation, alone, was a pins and needles affair.  It was right about then that a Christian husband and father, a deacon in this congregation, told his son, "It's time for us to go."  The son, a huge Tim Tebow and Broncos fan, was curious as to why.  His dad explained, "We've got something more important to do."
Wait a minute.  What is more important than seeing on the biggest sports moments in this town in years?  That father knew that the saints were assembling at 6:00 P.M., and he wanted his son to know that worshipping God was the highest priority.  Here is a father who is raising his son to enjoy and appreciate those normal "guy things" that will be a source of entertainment for this young man for decades to come.  But, he is also teaching him something infinitely more important!  Those earthly diversions and entertainments are subordinate to "kingdom matters" (Mat. 6:33).  This father was showing his son Who reigns on the throne of his heart.  I pray that this man's example will influence us all to remember what really matters most in the end.
Thanks, Dean!  What a great "play"! - LP

CELTICISM - A CELTIC CUSTOM
 Customs as long as they don’t interfere with obedience to the Word of God are not a problem. The danger occurs when we allow customs to be intermixed with or even to replace the doctrines that the apostles gave. I don’t suppose that Celtic customs are any more likely to do that than any other kind.

 The Celtic religion is a pagan religion and thus the customs of that religion like any other non-Christian religion should be shunned. We should never allow the customs or traditions of men to interfere with our obedience to God whether it be a family tradition, a religious doctrine, or a national, ethnic, or cultural custom.

 Some Celticisms that we should watch out for are Easter, Christmas trees, and St. Patrick’s Day. Although all of these things have become associated in one way or another with religious activity, we need to watch out that they don’t get in the way of the truth. I am not saying that we should not have anything to do with these three things or any other custom as long as it does not cause sin. We must, however, remember that these pagan oriented traditions have no more place in our assemblies than do Halloween, Valentine’s Day, or July 4. The time that we are assembled together is a special time set aside for praising God in song, studying His Word, praying, observing the Lord’s Supper, giving of our means, and exhorting and encouraging our fellow Christians.

 We don’t need to celebrate Easter as a religious holiday (holy day), but if we enjoy hunting Easter eggs and giving candy that is all good and fun. We remember Christ’s resurrection each week when we partake of the Lord’s Supper, and that is sufficient. Christmas trees are fun to decorate, pretty to look at, and a good place to store presents, and there is nothing sinful in that. There have been sins associated with trees in times past, and the custom does come from a pagan form of worship, but as long as we recognize God’s creative power and don’t fall to worshiping the created rather than the Creator we are not sinning with them. (Jer 10:3-5) “For the customs of the people are vain: for one cutteth a tree out of the forest, the work of the hands of the workman, with the ax. {4} They deck it with silver and with gold; they fasten it with nails and with hammers, that it move not. {5} They are upright as the palm tree, but speak not: they must needs be borne, because they cannot go. Be not afraid of them; for they cannot do evil, neither also is it in them to do good.” Jeremiah points out the sin of worshiping or attributing some special powers to a tree, but not the use of it as decoration.

 (Gal 4:8-11) “Howbeit then, when ye knew not God, ye did service unto them which by nature are no gods. {9} But now, after that ye have known God, or rather are known of God, how turn ye again to the weak and beggarly elements, whereunto ye desire again to be in bondage? {10} Ye observe days, and months, and times, and years. {11} I am afraid of you, lest I have bestowed upon you labour in vain.” Paul makes it clear to the Galatians that there is only one God and only the commandments that He makes are to be heeded. If we like these Galatians observe all of these “holidays” and think that we are in some way better for it, we are mistaken. They are fun and enjoyable, and we get to be with family, but there is nothing HOLY about our Holidays.

 There are many that use these traditional gatherings as well as others like family reunions as an excuse to miss the assembly of the saints. When we allow that to happen we have sinned. Let us put forth every effort to observe God’s Holy will and not man’s holy days.

BAALISM - WORSHIP OF BAAL
To most of us Baal is synonymous with idolatry. We also don’t often think  of idolatry as a threat to the church today. Sure there are still some  cultures that have their ‘statues’, but we know better. We would never be  tempted by something like that, right? Paul tells us not to be too sure of  ourselves, “Wherefore let him that thinketh he standeth take heed lest he  fall.” (1 Cor 10:12). Even though we might not bow down to a carved image,  we do often allow other gods to come between us and God.

In Canaan there were many Baalim, and each one was supposed to serve a  different purpose. One Baal was for agriculture, another for controlling  flies, another for fertility and sexuality. The word Baal simply means lord  or master. Any time we allow something other than God to be our master we  are following Baalism in a sense. We don’t often name our idols today or  even build physical idols, but we have them all the same. Let us look at a  few.

Just as the Canaanites of old and the Israelites as well offered their  children to their idols, we do today. The god that we offer our children to  isn’t Molech or Chemosh or Baal, but Convenience. If a child is inconvenient  it is either aborted, left on a doorstep, pushed off on relatives, or as a  last resort we will pay someone to take this thing for the better part of  the day so that our worship of convenience is not interfered with. God laid  the responsibility of rearing children on the parents, not on the government  or total strangers. (Eph 6:4) “And, ye fathers, provoke not your children to  wrath: but bring them up in the nurture and admonition of the Lord.”  We sacrifice ourselves many times to the god of Pleasure, just as those in  that time did. They had orgies and thought they were doing what their gods  wanted them to do. We know God does not want that, but we figured a way  around that little problem. Though we would never engage in the horribly  immoral acts of homosexuality or fornication, or murder, rape, and  drunkenness; we really enjoy movies, books, and television shows that  glorify that type of behavior. We rationalize that we aren’t doing any of  those sinful things. Who do we think we are kidding? Paul admonishes us to  think on the good things not the evil. (Phil 4:8) “Finally, brethren,  whatsoever things are true, whatsoever things are honest, whatsoever things  are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely,  whatsoever things are of good report; if there be any virtue, and if there  be any praise, think on these things.” In Romans he tells us that having  pleasure in others who do sinful things is just as sinful as those doing it,  and it is even worse since we should know better. (Rom 1:32 - 2:1) “Who  knowing the judgment of God, that they which commit such things are worthy  of death, not only do the same, but have pleasure in them that do them.  (2:1) Therefore thou art inexcusable, O man, whosoever thou art that  judgest: for wherein thou judgest another, thou condemnest thyself; for thou  that judgest doest the same things.”

Time fails me to examine the Baalim of Popularity, Wealth, Pride, Science,  Entertainment, etc. We need to always keep in mind that not all idols are  made of wood, stone, and metal. Let us determine to serve God and Him alone.

Jesus asked the people about John the Baptizer 3 times in Luke 7:24-26. He asked them what they had gone out into the wilderness to see. Then He made some silly guesses. Did you go to see a reed shaken with the wind? Of course that was not it. Was it a man dressed in fancy clothes? No, you wouldn’t go to the desert to see that. Well, was it a prophet? Ah, yes that was it the people thought of John as a prophet, but what would Jesus say about him? Jesus not only acknowledged that John was a prophet, he said John was much more than just a prophet. In fact, He said John was the greatest prophet that had ever lived. According to verse 27 Jesus believed John was “the prophet,” the one that was supposed to come and announce the messiah, the second Elijah (Matthew 17:10-13). Yes, Jesus thought John was a pretty important person. 

Remember that there is no record of John ever performing a single miracle. Miracles are not what makes someone great. So, what made John such a special prophet? His message. The other prophets had prophesied about that great time off in the future when God would establish his kingdom (Genesis 49:10; Daniel 2:44, Zechariah 9:9, Joel 2:28-32,  etc.). John was the one who got to preach, “Repent for the kingdom of heaven is at hand”(Matthew 3:1-3). He got to tell people that the glorious time promised for centuries was finally coming. Even though the kingdom was close and many that heard John’s teaching would enter that kingdom when it was established on the day of Pentecost some 3-4 years in the future(Mark 9:1; Luke 24:49; Acts 1:8; 2:4), John himself would not get the opportunity to be a part of the kingdom that he preached about. John was executed by Herod(Matthew 14:1-12) before Jesus built his church, the kingdom of God on earth (Matthew 16:18-19). This explains the statement that Jesus closes with. Regardless of how great John was, Jesus says that the least important person who was IN the kingdom would be greater than John. 

Imagine that! Every true Christian (not every one who claims Christianity) who has ever lived is greater than John the Baptist. Christians have access to things that John and the prophets never dreamed of. Ephesians 1:3 tells us that all spiritual blessings are in Christ. Paul explains in (Ephesians 1:9; 3:3-12; 6:19-20 and Colossians 1:26-27; 4:2-4 ) that the mystery that was hidden from the foundation of the world has now been revealed through the apostles and inspired Christian writers of the New Testament. Christians have access to the blood of Christ and to Christ Himself as our High Priest. The list could go on and on. Suffice it to say we live under a better covenant with better promises and a better mediator (Hebrews 8:6). If you are not in God’s kingdom you better get there before it is too late.

Now, let’s switch gears and ask a similar question for all of you “church goers” out there. Think about the last time you went to church. What did you go in there to see? Did you go to see who else would be there? I hope not. Did you go to see who would have the best clothes? For shame. Worse yet, did you go because your favorite team won a game and you want to rub it in? Did you go to be entertained by a choir and a preacher’s anecdotes and jokes? Some do. Maybe you only went because you didn’t have “anything better” to do. Did you go to see what you would get out of it? That seems increasingly to be the primary reason people go to church. 

If you are going to a church where the focus is on the “audience” or if you want the focus to be on you, then you need to make a change. Jesus built the church so that the focus would be on HIM not us. What do you go to see? I hope and pray that each of you will begin thinking of worship as something for God and not something for you. When we change our focus in this way we should realize that many of the things that are being done in many churches are done not because God wants them done, but because of human arrogance and selfishness. When we go to worship God he is the audience, not those sitting in the pews.

If everyone was doing what God wants in religion, then there wouldn’t be dozens of churches in every city. Division comes from men doing what they want instead of what God commands in scripture.