The kingdom of heaven is a lot like Super Mario World.

There is a Designer who designed the game Who knows the actual purpose and function of the characters and knows how they best operate.

Our prayer for this series called Gamer is that if you don’t know God, that this will help us explain Him in a way that makes sense and if you do know Him, it will help you realign your life according to how God created you.

For many pressing pause is not even an option.

Many have begun to live our lives that way and can’t stop now so we must keep going at all costs.

We have lost the power and importance of The Pause.

Definition of Gamer- “person who is known for consistently making a strong effort.”

“Life moves pretty fast. If you don’t stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it.”
-Ferris Bueller.

In this series, we are looking through the lens of the life of Paul who is just about the last person you would think God would choose to use, but God did choose him and Paul accepted the challenge.

Paul was a man who consistently made a strong effort to live the life God called him to live.

He called himself an Apostle which means “sent one” and is credited with writing 2/3 of the New Testament.

    2 Timothy 4:6-7 NIV
    “The time for my departure is near. I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.""


    Galatians 2:2
    “ I went in response to a revelation and meeting privately with those esteemed as leaders, I presented to them the gospel that I preach among the Gentiles.  I wanted to make sure I was running and not had been running my race in vain.“ 

At this time, there was a contention rising over the place of the Gentiles in the church. God used Peter to welcome Gentiles into the church in Acts 10 but some Christians from a Jewish background said that Gentiles, could be saved, if they made themselves Jews, obeying the laws and rituals (including circumcision) of Judaism.

The idea was that salvation in Jesus was only for the Jewish people and Gentiles needed to become Jews before they could become Christians.

Faith in Jesus Christ makes you right with God and that is all we need.

Not faith in Jesus plus …

Not faith in Jesus plus doing the right things.
Not faith in Jesus plus join our club, worship the way we worship, do what we do and you will be saved.

Good News of Jesus is that he did the work for you to be approved and received by God.

The life, death and resurrection of Jesus is the Good News.

    Galatians 2:2
    “I wanted to make sure I was running and not had been running my race in vain.” 

Paul wanted to be sure that he was not waisting his time.

    Psalms 90:12
    “Lord, teach us to number our days that we may gain a heart of wisdom.”

    Psalms 90:12 (Message)
    “Oh! Teach us to live well, teach us to live wisely and well!”

We can easily get distracted by surviving that we can miss living.

We can ask God to teach us to number our days so we are aware that we all only have a certain number of days this side of eternity.

Time is limited and therefore precious.

One of the most important things you can do to make sure you are making the most of the time God has given you.

Make sure that you are’t just doing more things, but focusing on the right things, the right strategies, right relationships and that you are in the right game.

Life does move fast and I didn’t want to miss mine.

Don’t waste your time, make it worth your time.

What season are you in? 

What is your focus? 

What is your top priority this season?

What would make this season worth your while? 
    Personally: 
    Professionally:
    Spiritually:

Invite God into this time.

Invite God into this current season and ask Him to help you make the most of it.

He is the designer who designed you, knows the reason why He made you and knows how He made you to best function in this season.

The endgame for God is for your faith to rest in Jesus alone, allowing what He did for you to fully reconcile you to God.

Pressing Pause in the middle of your crazy life is powerful and important.

It is about not just being busy but being busy doing the right things for your life right now.

Have you forgotten that there is a Pause Button on the controller of your life that is there for a very important reason?

Are you making a strong effort but in the wrong things?

Has your season changed but your are still living as if it hasn’t?

Invite Him into this season of your life and ask Him to help you see what is important right now and how to make sure you are living it.

Maybe today is the day you need to more than press pause or you need let go of the controller and hand it to God.