Having a game on Thursday night is throwing my week way off.  I keep having to remember to adjust my schedule to make the trip.  We do tend to be creatures of habit as human beings.  I already mentioned that we tend to be comfortable in the same ruts we complain about.  Every week during the fall has a game on a Friday evening.  Playing a day early means moving projects up a day or so.  It really is a long way from one of the major issues of our times but it still calls for a new approach. 

One of our sports channels spent the day replaying some of the fights of Joe Frazier.  You may remember me mentioning his passing in the last writing.  I was amazed just relearning how relentless he was in the ring.  He was Mike Tyson minus the tattoos or the psychotic behavior.  Attack would be the best word to define how Frazier would take on the other boxer.  Even the great bout with Muhammad Ali was replayed.  It was 1975 when they met for the last time in Manila.  Temperatures were over 100 degrees along with that tropical humidity.  Both fighters gave along with absorbed quite the punishment.  I'd forgotten that Frazier's trainers refused to let him come out for the last round.  He threw every punch possible at Ali yet would fall short in the decision.  This was a brutal boxing match where even the winner would suffer long term effects of the bout.  Both men ended the event fighting for their lives.  They just do not have boxing matches like that one anymore. 

Ferocious is another word that came to my mind while watching that fight.  They stood toe to toe exchanging blows for fourteen rounds.  My thoughts wandered over the the verses in Ephesians when Paul tells us about our spiritual war with the enemy.  I know that sounds a bit odd to do while watching boxing but that is what happened.  Our enemy is not someone who is soft or easy going.  He fully intends to cause as much chaos or damage as possible to the believer.  We tend to forget this as we move through our spiritual life.  This is not to say our attention needs to be focused too much on the enemy.  Scripture presents the truth that God is our defender so that is where we center our heart.  The believer may not be isolated from the attack of the enemy but we are secure with God.  Our present tense faith leaves room to be as ferocious in our resisting our foe as any boxer.  We are allowed to throw spiritual punches against the enemy.  Defense is only one part of our efforts.  Believers are often offensive in the worst definition of the word.  One can hope we learn the better part of that strategy to thrive despite anything our foe sends our way.  We often say that we win in the end as believers.  My hope is don't forget to start with victories now.

Bro. Trey