James wrote:This is all I have to say to the Tebow fans out there.
Mat 6:5 “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the congregations and on the corners of the streets, to be seen by men. Truly, I say to you, they have their reward.
Mat 6:6 “But you, when you pray, go into your room, and having shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place. And your Father who sees in secret shall reward you openly.
Looks to me like he should spend more time studying and less time praying after touchdowns.
Exactly the point I had tried to make to them James. Their response was "the Bible said we are not to deny 'Christ'" and when I put that scripture out there directly their reply was simply - I disagree because the Bible also says don't deny Him and give Him thanks. If even Yahoshua must take a back seat to Tim Tebow and his interpretation - wow. The twisting of scripture is what is just getting to me. I tried to explain that simply - God is not about picking winners and losers in football games. There are plenty of Christians in the NFL (yes, there are more non Christian, but still) - some do signs after the score (thats another issue), but others simply practice their faith with the fanfare. And who can forget Reggie White, who was known as the "Minister of Defense" because he was so a strong Christian who also became a minister. Christians don't talk about Reggie White anymore - want to know why? Because he said he was believing things because people told him and he wanted to learn the truth for himself. He went so far as to learn Hebrew and travel to Israel so he could read the Scriptures, in Hebrew, with his own eyes. Guess what - he found Yah! He began to openly (but gently) denounce the false teachings in Christianity. Christians began to label him as "crazy" and said that he "lost of faith" but hopefully he would return "to God". When he died they went about bemoaning the fact that he may have died "without Christ". The read story behind his death (accounted by his wife) is that they were driving home and Reggie looked into the sky. He told his wife - "I think God is going to do something tonight", that night he went to sleep and died. So, Christians are buying Tebow jersey's by the truck full because he makes an open show of his faith, yet when someone who was a Christian and a minister dug deep in the Scriptures - in Hebrew, to learn the truth that labeled "crazy", mocked and pitied him, and even insinuated his death might have been the vengeance of God. I think about that fact that I and so many other football fans could have found Yah so much sooner through the true witness of Reggie White - but it was Christians that labeled him a heretic! I remember being encouraged to not dig to deep into scripture in case you get "deceived" with Reggie White as the "guy who went crazy" in which to scare folks.
Truth, I understand the point, but it doesn't add up under scrutiny. Who gave the gifts to the players that don't thank God? The Christian concept has become as of late - they we can tell how much you love God by how "blessed" you are. These Christians were explicitly saying that God is giving Tebow victory because Tebow is being a good "missionary". They went so far as to say God may even take them to the Super Bowl so that Tebow can continue to witness. They have gone into numerology by saying God had him throw for 316 yards. There are young athletes that now prayer in the "T bow" so that the "football God" can help them win games too. They are attaching themselves to Tebow because Tebow openly draws attention to himself.
How would you feel if you went to a restaurant and the waitress thanked God for every spoon she set down on the table, every time she poured a drink she thanked "her Lord and Savior Jesus Christ", every time she wrote down an order to said over the loud speaker how she thanked God for giving her the ability to write with a pen and paper. What about going to the dentist and she feeling the need to thank God (loudly) for every tooth in your mouth she checked? How is that not different from Tebow? It is a show.
Now, I am not saying one shouldn't be bold in their faith and thank God for what we are able to do. One of the Christians I respect the most in his profession is Dr. Ben Carson - a brain surgeon. It is well known that he prays (alone or with patients that would like) before every surgery. He is clear to his patients not to look to him as a miracle worker. But he doesn't jump around like a crazy man and do a "God pose" every time he has a successful surgery. I don't think Tebow is a bad guy, I think this is being forced on him. He is getting more and more manic in his profession of faith - like it is a requirement. All eyes are on him while his team winning or losing being a sign of his relationship with God. That is not fair for any person, let alone such a young man. He faith is on public debate now - being largely mocked by non-Christians and the main reason is the idolatry many Christians surrounded him with. Buying his jersey "because he is a Christian", rooting for his team "because is is a Christian". Now calling him a "missionary" and attributing his passing for 316 year as a "sign from God" - he is being turned into a cult figure. While this had been going on since he was in college - it has reached the point of crazy now. And of course, now instead of praying as Yahoshua instructed - children are being encouraged "T bow".