Transcript Slide 1

A PRAYER FOR A
CROWN
THE TRUTH ABOUT
COMPETITIONS
Definition:
com·pe·ti·tion (kòm´pî-tîsh¹en)
noun1.
The act of competing, as
for profit or a prize; rivalry.2.
A
test of skill or ability; a contest: a
skating competition.
Rivalry between two or more
businesses striving for the same
customer or market.--Microsoft
booksehelf Basics, Microsoft Office
97
Simulation, practice, and
imitation of war:
“...there is another kind of thing the
world calls play, namely game.
Though often used loosely, a game
proper is a contest. The spirit of it is
the spirit of competition, of beating
the other fellow—either by surprising
him in exploit, or by attaining the
ultimate of putting him out of action.
It exalts the victor, and humiliates
the loser. While the natural play is an
imitation (simulation) of work, this
artificial play is an imitation
(simulation) of fight, an imitation of
war. The spirit of natural play is the
spirit of work. The spirit of the game
is the spirit of war.”--W. E. Howell,
General Conference Department of
Education. RH 3-25-1926.
Is there a healthy competition?
Is it good if your left eye will compete with
your right eye? Is it good if one would like
to see things and hinders the other? Or it
is better for the eyes to help each other to
see things?
Is it healthy if your brain will get all the
food from your digestive system and will
prevent others from sharing it with the
other body parts?
Lesson from the body
Built From the Food We Eat.--Our
bodies are built up from the food we
eat. There is a constant breaking
down of the tissues of the body;
every movement of every organ
involves waste, and this waste is
repaired from our food. Each organ
of the body requires its share of
nutrition…
…The brain must be supplied with its
portion; the bones, muscles, and
nerves demand theirs. It is a
wonderful process that transforms
the food into blood and uses this
blood to build up the varied parts of
the body; but this process is going
on continually, supplying with life
and strength each nerve, muscle,
and tissue. {CG 378.3}
The church as the Lord’s body
The bonds of unity which unite member
with member of the church are to be as
firm and harmonious in their operation as
are the different parts of the natural body.
The hands, head, and feet are so closely
united, and so mutually dependent, that
one member cannot live and act
independently of the other members. The
life and Spirit of Christ sustains and
causes to flourish every particular member
of his own body, and they live because
Christ lives in them.
As the branch cannot live or bear
fruit except it abide in the vine, no
more can ye except ye abide in
Christ. The apostle writes, "Bear ye
one another's burdens, and so fulfil
the law of Christ" [Gal. 6:2]. "For we
are members of His body, of His
flesh, and of His bones" [Eph. 5:30].
--Ms 44, 1900, p. 15. Ellen G. White
Estate Washington, D. C. Sept. 8,
1988. {19MR 370.2}
One God Two Prayers
My prayer was “Dear Father, please help
my favorite team to win this game.”
“Please give them more skill and
endurance….please let them win in Jesus
name. Amen.” It was a basketball game in
a gymnasium in our hometown and my
favorite team was trying hard to win the
game. What I didn’t realize was, there
were people praying with the same prayer
for their team. I didn’t realize that we
were praying against each other till the
Lord had opened it to me!
A Prayer To Bless Other?
“The apostle Peter exhorts the
church, "Be ye all of one mind,
having compassion one of another;
love as brethren, be pitiful, be
courteous: not rendering evil for evil,
or railing for railing: but contrariwise
blessing; knowing that ye are
thereunto called, that ye should
inherit a blessing." 1 Peter 3:8, 9.”
{PP 520.3}
Praying to one God?
O Father, please help
me to drive better and
faster… and don’t let
me fail this time…
O lord, please help my
car go faster than my
friend’s and let me win
the game.
amen
What are the principles behind
competition?
Jeremiah 9:23,24 Thus saith the Lord, Let
not the wise man glory in his wisdom,
neither let the mighty man glory in his
might, let not the rich man glory in his
riches: But let him that glorieth glory in
this, that he understandeth and knoweth
me, that I am the Lord which exercise
lovingkindness, judgment, and
righteousness, in the earth: for in these
things I delight, saith the Lord.
PRINCIPLE 1: INTERDEPENDENCE
TRUTH: THERE IS NO COMPETITION
BETWEEN GOOD THINGS; THEY ARE IN
UNITY, IN HARMONY AND MUTUALLY
DEPENDENT UPON ONE ANOTHER.
TRADITION: COMPETITION INITIATES
OR MOTIVATES PEOPLE TO BECOME
COMPETITIVE. WITHOUT COMPETITION,
THERE IS NO PROGRESS.
PRINCIPLE 2: LIGHT TURNS
AWAY DARKNESS
TRUTH: COMPETITION EXISTS BETWEEN GOOD
AND EVIL BECAUSE SOMEONE HAS CHOSEN TO
BECOME EVIL. EVIL STARTED THE
COMPETITION AND COMPETITION STARTED
THE EVIL. THE EVIL TAKES AWAY THE
DISTINCTION BETWEEN GOOD AND EVIL, THE
EVIL WANTS TO DESTROY WHATEVER IS GOOD
WHILE GOOD PRESERVES WHAT IS GOOD AND
RESTORES WHAT BECOMES EVIL, BUT IT DOES
NOT COMPROMISE WITH EVIL.
TRADITION: COMPETITION IS NECESSARY
BECAUSE IT HELPS US TO SEE WHAT IS GOOD
AND WHAT EVIL IS.
PRINCIPLE 3: SUCCESS IS
DEPENDENT UPON UNITY AND
HARMONY IN CHRIST
TRUTH: COMPETITION EXISTS BETWEEN
EVILS; EACH ONE WOULD LIKE TO BE
ABOVE THE OTHER. THEIR SUCCESS IS
DEPENDENT AND MEASURED UPON THE
FAILURE OF OTHERS.
TRADITION: COMPETITION HELPS THE
PERSON TO BECOME STRONG AND
SKILLFUL TO FACE THE LIFE'S
CHALLENGES. IT IS THE STRONGEST
MOTIVATION TO AIM HIGH AND
SUCCEED.
PRINCIPLE 4: HUMILITY IS THE
ONLY WAY TO EXALTATION
TRUTH: COMPETITION LEADS TO
FAILURE, HUMILIATION AND
DESTRUCTION, BUT THE CAUSE OF
THE GOOD LIVES FOREVER.
TRADITION: COMPETITION
BRINGS HIGHER STANDARD,
GREATER SUCCESS IN LIFE AND
GREATNESS.
Somebody must win!
Praise the Lord,
he didn’t let me
down!
Somebody must be defeated!
Uh, uh I lost the game…I
think I didn’t pray hard
enough.
I don’t know
why He let me
down???
Is God partial?
Divine Love Impartial.--Christ came
to this earth with a message of
mercy and forgiveness. He laid the
foundation for a religion by which
Jew and Gentile, black and white,
free and bond, are linked together in
one common brotherhood,
recognized as equal in the sight of
God.
… The Saviour has a boundless love
for every human being. In each one
He sees capacity for improvement.
With divine energy and hope He
greets those for whom He has given
His life.--7T 225 (1902). {1MCP
244.2}
Impartial love to others…
Before the entrance of evil, there
was peace and joy throughout the
universe. All was in perfect harmony
with the Creator's will. Love for God
was supreme, love for one another
impartial. Christ the Word, the only
begotten of God, was one with the
eternal Father,--one in nature, in
character, and in purpose,--the only
being in all the universe that could
enter into all the counsels and
purposes of God…
…By Christ, the Father wrought in
the creation of all heavenly beings.
"By him were all things created, that
are in Heaven, . . . whether they be
thrones, or dominions, or
principalities, or powers;" [COL.
1:16.] and to Christ, equally with the
Father, all Heaven gave allegiance.
{GC88 493.1}
SERVICE NOT COMPETITON
By the terms of our stewardship we
are placed under obligation, not only
to God, but to man. To the infinite
love of the Redeemer every human
being is indebted for the gifts of life.
Food and raiment and shelter, body
and mind and soul--all are the
purchase of His blood…
…And by the obligation of gratitude
and service thus imposed, Christ has
bound us to our fellow men. He bids
us, "By love serve one another."
Galatians 5:13. "Inasmuch as ye
have done it unto one of the least of
these My brethren, ye have done it
unto Me." Matthew 25:40. {Ed
139.2}
(Prov. 4:20-22). Health in
Obedience to God's Law.--The
love of Jesus in the soul will
banish all hatred, selfishness,
and envy; for the law of the Lord
is perfect, converting the soul.
There is health in obedience to
God's law. The affections of the
obedient are drawn out after
God…
…Looking unto the Lord
Jesus, we may encourage
and serve one another. The
love of Christ is shed abroad
in our souls, and there is no
dissension and strife among
us (MS 152, 1901). {1BC
1105.5}