“To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, ‘If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you free.'” — John 8:31-32
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For an athlete to reach his or her full potential, they must first master the basics. In baseball, that means hitting, catching and throwing. When a baseball player devotes time to these three areas, he will experience greater success. As I was told years ago, “Without work, nothing prospers.”
Spiritual success is rooted in mastering the basics of the Christian faith. Here are three of my basics to spiritual growth:
1) Basic Truth — Jesus said knowing the truth will set you free. When you know the truths of Scripture, it is more than just quoting Bible verses. Biblical knowledge implies that you must learn it and apply it.
2) Basic Life — Apply Biblical truth to the daily details of life. Be a good father or mother, a good husband or wife, a good son or daughter, a good employee, a good supervisor, a good student or a good citizen. The list goes on and on. Being a great athlete does not give you a pass on dealing with the issues of life.
3) Basic Ministry — Share the Good News of the Gospel and serve others. “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served but to serve and give His life as a ransom for many” (Mark 10:45). Every born-again believer is an “ambassador for Christ” (2 Corinthians 5:20).
It is time to get back to basics!
— Sam Johnson, San Antonio Spurs chaplain
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