Lessons Learned From Tiger Woods - Daily Devotional February 19th 2010

Bible Reading - Exodus 2, Luke 5, Job 19, 1 Corinthians 6

Lessons Learned From Tiger Woods

Today I sat and watched Tiger Woods as he apologized to the world for his behavior. As I was watching it I thought about today's Bible reading in 1 Corinthians 6. 1 Corinthians 6 gives some pretty clear warnings against sexual immorality because it is a sin committed against the body and the body is the temple of God.

Although there are so many warnings against this and this is where Tiger failed it is not where my attention was drawn to. My attention was drawn to verses 9-11 as it states, "Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived: neither the sexually immoral, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor men who practice homosexuality, nor thieves, nor the greedy, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you. But you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God". This verse is so powerful because in essence it says, "no one who is unrighteous will inherit heaven and by the way the following activities are included in unrighteousness; fornication, idolatry, adultery, homosexuality, steeling, greed, drunkenness, reviling and swindling. All of these things disqualify us from being in an eternal relationship with God. BUT! Within this passage there is hope. It goes on to say that some of you were those who were living this kind of life, BUT, you have been washed by Jesus Christ and have found forgiveness and redemption through what HE did through the cross.

In reading this verse and watching Tiger today here is what I learned. I learned that outside of Jesus we are all in trouble. Tiger said he relies on his faith in Buddhism and that through these teachings he has learned he has to practice restraint. In his speech there was no hope of restoration and forgiveness but only one of remorse and regret. In Jesus however there is freedom, forgiveness and peace. Look again at 1 Corinthians 6:11,"...you were washed, you were sanctified, you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God".

The great thing is that as you study The Bible you learn that not only is there forgiveness from sins, restoration and hope but there is an empowerment. There is an empowerment to not give into sin. In Buddhism as Tiger said you learn restraint in Christianity you take on the life of Christ and you are empowered by the Holy Spirit to have restraint. Living a life with Jesus Christ is the most restoring, forgiving, peaceful and empowering life in the world.

Some people have to learn the hard way in life so take some lessons from Tiger today and don't let that person be you.

Tomorrows Bible Reading - Exodus 3, Luke 6, Job 20, 1 Corinthians 7

Dream Big
Ben