August 2022

At the gym the other day, we had to do broad jumps. You know, those frog-like jumps you did in grade school? Here are the instructions the coach gave: Stand with your feet apart and rooted squarely in the ground, bend your knees, squat… then swing your arms while jumping up and forward with as much force as you can.

Sounds like a disaster – right??? Honestly, it is. But then, after a couple of tries, you begin to really root your feet into the ground, pump your arms, and suddenly, you jump farther than you ever thought possible. (Disclaimer: Do not try this at home. Physical and mental damage may occur.)

Anyway, back to the gym. The more broad jumps I did that day, the more I thought about my faith in God and the Bible.

What? Look at the coach’s first step: “Stand with your feet apart and rooted squarely in the ground.” What’s that all about? Have you ever tried to do a broad jump on an uneven surface, with only one foot, or from your sofa cushion? It doesn’t work so well. You might have glute muscles like no other; you might wind your arms and swing like crazy; you might even be able to jump higher than Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but none of that is enough. Without the solid foundation of the ground underneath your feet, and your feet planted squarely on that ground, your broad jump is seriously compromised.

And so, what do you have for your ground? Are you on shifting soil? Are you on uneven terrain? Or maybe you have solid ground underneath, but your feet are anything but rooted. You might even be straddling the fence. God or the world? Hmm, which side can, and should, you trust?

All of us put our trust and faith in something. When you sit down, you put your faith in the chair beneath you. Each time you get on a plane, you put your faith in the pilot, the plane, and the mechanics who maintain the plane. The object of your faith is what is important. Who or what is the object of your faith?

Most of us would say we trust in God. Even our American currency says, “In God We Trust”. Do we REALLY trust in Him? Do we truly have our hope in Him? Do we believe, trust, and obey in His word – the Bible? Or, have you put your faith and hope in your finances? Your political party? Your comfort? Your retirement plans? Your kids? Your hobbies?

Here’s the deal. God is the one true God. He gave us the instruction manual for life – the Bible. It is infallible and inerrant. It is the final authority. Tom would say, “We study the Bible to know the God of the Bible.” So, let’s keep it simple. Root yourself in His Word and know that, without a doubt, you have a firm, uncompromising foundation under your feet. Tom talks about this in his 2004 lesson entitled “Biblical Reliability” https://www.prioritylivingaz.org/young-tom-audio-archives/2022/7/2/christianity-101-2-2004

As believers, our foundation, our solid ground, is God. We don’t have to wonder. There is no false news or misinformation. We don’t have to worry. The Triune God has spoken, “All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the servant of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work.” 2 Tim 3:16-17. He gives us everything we need to know.

This month, how about taking time each day to ROOT yourself in His Word and STAND on His solid ground? You’ll “jump” further than you ever thought possible.

PS: We’ve added more of Tom’s older PL lessons. Check out “Young Tom” at: https://www.prioritylivingaz.org/young-tom-audio-archives