Original Entry: July 23, 2007
McMinnville, Or
12 I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want. 13 I can do everything through him who gives me strength. Philippians 4:12-13
4 what is man that you are mindful of him, the son of man that you care for him? 5 You made him a little lower than the heavenly beings and crowned him with glory and honor. Psalm 8:4-5
I would like to relay and story that makes me really proud of my son Darby. Last year his football jersey was the number 3 but that number is not available this year because an upper classman already has it. When Shanna and I asked what number he would like to be he said, “Well, number 3 does not mean anything but 13 does, so I am going to tray and get 13 this year.”
Curious we asked why 13 had meaning to him.
“James is number 4 and if I get 13, then the two of us will be like Philippians 4:13.”
Trying to hide the emotion I blurted, “Hey we just need to find a guy named Phil for the picture!” Get it? Dumb, I know.
Philippians 4:13 in the Ramos family sports verse.
As many of you know Gary McCuskar led me to Christ in 1984. Several years ago shared an idea that he employed in helping his son Collin to become a God-honoring collegiate pitcher. I decided to do what any other Christian man would do. I stole his idea! Gary also taught me about “Total Release Performance”, which is the concept of performing our very best, every time for an audience of One using Colossians 3:23-24 as a foundation. It reads, “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart, as working for the Lord, not for men, since you know that you will receive an inheritance from the Lord as a reward. It is the Lord Christ you are serving.”
From what I remember Collin wrote the numbers 4-1-3 on the top of his baseball spikes and when he would stand onto the mound before his wind up Gary would yell, “4-1-3 Collin, 4-1-3!” Collin would look at the top of his spikes, be reminded of his source of strength and wind into his next pitch. He could literally see the verse on his foot has he kicked it into the air on his wind up.
As I study Philippians 4:12 however I learned that Paul’s reliance upon Christ’s strength resulted from his pursuit of contentment through hitting the various curve balls life threw his way. In the midst of pain, hunger, prosperity, or humiliation he had learned that Jesus could and would give him the strength to overcome. Often times the strength God gives us is not strength to win or prosper but to simply endure and persevere. Winning is a means to the end of developing the characteristics of endurance.
Quitting is so easy in our culture.
People are expected to quit. Quitters seem to be in the majority but I want to adamantly tell you that the majority is wrong. A man finishes strong.
When a man’s back is against the wall and it seems like there is no where else to turn, but to turn in our gear, a man should wait. He should wait until the eleventh hour when God gives us the strength to climb over a seemingly insurmountable obstacle (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). Never give up on your peers, your marriage, your career, your dreams or your faith, but ask God to give you the strength to finish well (2 Timothy 4:6-7).
Remember 4-1-3.
4-1-3.
