Sweetness
Prov. 29:18
A. Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he
that keeps Gods law is blessed.
What do we mean by NO Vision? Whats 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.
Im sure you know who Im talking about. Walter Payton
of the Chicago Bears football team. Hes 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. Whats 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 thats the
secret of Pauls success, Phil 3:13?14.
(3) Acts 20:32.
Spur - 02/03/2002 pm
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