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FRIENDS, RSS’ers, FAMILY – Guest Blog Today – so click over and comment, engage in discussion!

Hey Everybody – welcome to “FreePlay Friday”!  Today I’d like to welcome a good friend, Deane Duggan as my guest blogger.  Deane and his wife lived in Atlanta and visited St. Simons Island often.  They visited my former church a few times and we just seemed to hit it off and become friends.  Now they’ve moved their family down here to paradise and we have the privilege of seeing them often.

In addition to kicking my butt on the raquetball court, Deane has an incredible grasp on politics … of the conservative nature, that is … and has some great insights into our Constitution and how our government was meant to operate.  Who knows, maybe we’ll see Mr. Duggan on a ballot some day?

Deane’s passion is driven not by politics or government, but by his relationship with Christ, and his desire to see God’s Kingdom here on earth, “as it is in heaven”.  So without my need to blab any longer, I’m sitting back today and allowing Deane to take “FreePlay Friday” with this post, “Football”.

“Football” – Thoughts from Deane Duggan

I am a college football fan, but a few weeks ago a question returned to my mind as I was watching a Saturday night game – “How do we motivate Christians to be as passionate about God as many people, including some Christians, are about college football?”  Personally, I am less fanatical about college football than I used to be.  My relationship with God, my marriage, and my children have changed my priorities.  However, I can still identify with the highs and lows that are evident on fans’ faces as their emotions reflect the success or failure of their team.  In addition to the emotional investment, people spend lots of time and money on tickets, travel, and tailgating. How do we encourage Christians to invest similar emotion, time, and money for God’s Kingdom?  How do we get people to care as much about “Kingdom battles” as they care about football games?  The result of a football game matters at most for a season, and in light of eternity, it really does not matter at all.  I am not suggesting that Christians should not watch college football.  I am simply suggesting that we view it with proper perspective.  Is it possible to transition the passion for football or any other sport/activity that someone is passionate about to a passion for God and God’s priorities?

How many football games do you watch during the week?  How many hours do you spend watching those games?  How much time do you spend reading articles leading up to the game?  How much time do you spend reading articles about the games you watched?

When I was on a plane, I was thinking about how people could offer to God everything they do and allow him to either keep it and use it or, if necessary eliminate it.  As it relates to college football, a disciple may need to change some habits – spend less time and less money going to, watching, reading about, etc.  To put a more positive spin on it, a disciple may need to spend more time in the word and in prayer, and may need to invest more time and money for God’s Kingdom.  A disciple may need to look for ways to involve God in the activity – display a Christ like example at the game, organize a food or toy drive, donate tickets to Big Brothers/Big Sisters, etc.

Here are a couple of verses that came to mind as I was contemplating this:
Matthew 6:21 – For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.
Romans 12:2 – And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.

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