Sweetness
Prov. 29:18

A. “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keeps God’s law is blessed.”
What do we mean by “NO Vision?” What’s this talking about? It simply means that we need to have definite and positive goals.
a. Why? Because the practical facts is, "Without a compelling goal, we are likely to quit!"
(A) When people sit back and do nothing, everything goes to pot. Success only comes
when we are committed and actively involved in achieving goals.
(1) My favorite example of a person who refused to quit was the man they
nicknamed, "Sweetness." He got that name because one of his team
members over-heard his wife call him by her pet name for him, “Sweetness.”
I’m sure you know who I’m talking about. Walter Payton of the Chicago Bear’s football team. He’s retired from professional football.
Walter Payton became the most famous running back in professional football history because he refused to quit.
He rushed for an unprecedented, 16,726 yards! THAT'S OVER 9 AND 1/2 MILES!
(2) In my opinion, the most amazing thing about this accomplishment is not just the distance, but HOW he achieved it: He was knocked down every 4.4 yards!
(1) To put it another way, in order to achieve the success that Payton realized over the course of his career, he had to "get back up" after being "slammed to the ground, 3 THOUSAND, 8 HUNDRED, AND 2 TIMES!!!
(2) How was he able to maintain his discipline, determination, and desire over the course of his career?...GOALS.
(3) He had short?term goals: which were 1st Downs. He had midrange goals:
Which were Touchdowns. And he had a long?range goal: which was The
Super Bowl, which he achieved in 1986.
(2) Yes, they called him, "Sweetness," the most prolific running back in professional football history...despite being stopped 3,802 times. What’s the Point of this?
(1) Failure is NOT FALLING DOWN...Failure is STAYING DOWN after you fall down.
(2) Falling is FAILING only IF YOU REFUSE TO GET BACK UP.
(1) Listen to the obstacles Paul faced, 2 Cor 11:23?28, “In stripes above measure, in prisons more frequently, in deaths often. From the Jews five times I received forty stripes minus one. Three times I was beaten with rods; once I was stoned; three times I was shipwrecked; a night and a day I have been in the deep; in journeys often, in perils of waters, in perils of robbers, in perils of my own countrymen, in perils of the Gentiles, in perils in the city, in perils in the wilderness, in perils in the sea, in perils among false brethren; in weariness and toil, in sleeplessness often, in hunger and thirst, in fastings often, in cold and nakedness??besides the other things.”
(2) But, Paul always got back on his feet, and that’s the secret of Paul’s success, Phil 3:13?14.
(3) Acts 20:32.

Spur - 02/03/2002 pm