There is a movie in the theaters that has a great message for men. The Ultimate Gift is based on the book by Jim Stovall, who is an amazing story himself. Jim Stovall is a blind man who has taken his limitations and turned them around as a path to success. He has become a national champion Olympic weightlifter, successful investment broker, entrepreneur, author and motivational speaker.
The Ultimate Gift is a story of Red Stevens (played by James Garner), a self made billionaire who has left a video will to his very greedy family upon his death. His long time friend and lawyer, Ted Hamilton is in charge of distributing his oil estate and other belongings. Steven’s greedy family leave angry, with no sense of grief or loss, because they do not get all that they want from the estate.
The most disrespectful of the lot is Red Steven's out of control grandson, Jason Stevens who does not seem to care whether he gets anything or not. He is content to live his decadent lifestyle and move on. However, Red Stevens leaves him the choice of fulfilling a list of requirements before he can get his gift. The requirements consist of 12 tasks, which his uncle refers to as gifts: the gift of work, of laughter, of family, of learning, of problems, et cetera. If at any time he fails to meet them to Ted Hamilton's expectations, he will not get anything at all.
In the process of completing the requirements, young Jason encounters many people who help him begin to realize what is truly important in life. In the process of helping people in many challenging circumstances, Jason is confronted with his own self-centered life. Slowly he begins to see human beings as people of worth, not just objects blocking his way. In the end he gains a new perspective on what is really important. The ultimate gift is a valuable life lesson.
Proverbs 13:22 reminds us, “A good man leaves an inheritance to his children's children.” What type of inheritance are you planning to give to your children and grandchildren? Hopefully it is more than material wealth. I challenge you to give them the example of a balanced life. A balanced life is one that illustrates for them the importance of balancing material wealth and possessions with the wealth of relationships with family and friends.
Shoulder to Shoulder,
Gregg
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Showing posts with label movies. Show all posts
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Wednesday, February 21, 2007
Amazing Grace!
There is a new movie out that I highly recommend. The movie, titled Amazing Grace, tells the life story of a great champion for Christ, William Wilberforce. Born in 1759 to a wealthy family, Wilberforce got away from his Christian roots during his college years at Cambridge. Influenced by others with low morals, he was caught up in a hedonistic lifestyle. In 1785 he experienced a spiritual encounter with Christ which he later described as a conversion experience. He resolved to commit his future life and work wholly to the service of God. He sought advice from John Newton, the author of the famed hymn Amazing Grace. Though now a well-known pastor, Newton had been a slave trader before his salvation experience.
Wilberforce, a member of Parliament since the age of 21, believed that God wanted him to use his influence to end slavery in the British Empire. In 1791, after almost five years of preparation, he introduced his first anti-slavery bill, aimed at ending the slave trade. The bill was overwhelmingly defeated, but Wilberforce was undeterred. He continued presenting bills each session of Parliament until both houses voted to ban the slave trade in 1807. He now turned his attention to passing a law that would free all the slaves in the empire. Along with his work in Parliament, he helped found several abolitionist and missions organizations. Now ill and aging, Wilberforce made his final speech before Parliament in 1823, pleading for support of a bill outlawing the practice of slavery. He retired from Parliament the next year but continued his efforts to pass anti-slavery legislation.
He died on the morning of July 29, 1833. William Wilberforce was buried in Westminster Abbey on 3 August, 1833. The funeral was attended by many members from both Houses of Parliament, as well as many members of the public. One month later, Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act that gave all slaves in the British Empire their freedom. It had taken more than 40 years for Wilberforce to see his dream fulfilled.
The life of William Wilberforce serves as a great example for believers today. He chose to live on principle, doing the right thing, even when it was unpopular. He persevered, ultimately triumphing over his adversaries and winning the day. He chose a cause that was bigger than himself, a cause worth living and dying for.
Galatians 6:9-10 reminds us, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” My friend in Christ, find a cause worth living and dying for, fight for it with all your might, persevere until the end.
Shoulder to Shoulder,
Gregg
Wilberforce, a member of Parliament since the age of 21, believed that God wanted him to use his influence to end slavery in the British Empire. In 1791, after almost five years of preparation, he introduced his first anti-slavery bill, aimed at ending the slave trade. The bill was overwhelmingly defeated, but Wilberforce was undeterred. He continued presenting bills each session of Parliament until both houses voted to ban the slave trade in 1807. He now turned his attention to passing a law that would free all the slaves in the empire. Along with his work in Parliament, he helped found several abolitionist and missions organizations. Now ill and aging, Wilberforce made his final speech before Parliament in 1823, pleading for support of a bill outlawing the practice of slavery. He retired from Parliament the next year but continued his efforts to pass anti-slavery legislation.
He died on the morning of July 29, 1833. William Wilberforce was buried in Westminster Abbey on 3 August, 1833. The funeral was attended by many members from both Houses of Parliament, as well as many members of the public. One month later, Parliament passed the Slavery Abolition Act that gave all slaves in the British Empire their freedom. It had taken more than 40 years for Wilberforce to see his dream fulfilled.
The life of William Wilberforce serves as a great example for believers today. He chose to live on principle, doing the right thing, even when it was unpopular. He persevered, ultimately triumphing over his adversaries and winning the day. He chose a cause that was bigger than himself, a cause worth living and dying for.
Galatians 6:9-10 reminds us, “Let us not lose heart in doing good, for in due time we shall reap if we do not grow weary. So then, while we have opportunity, let us do good to all men, and especially to those who are of the household of the faith.” My friend in Christ, find a cause worth living and dying for, fight for it with all your might, persevere until the end.
Shoulder to Shoulder,
Gregg
Thursday, November 30, 2006
The Legacy of Joseph
This Friday, December 1, the movie The Nativity opens in theaters around the nation. Several months ago I had the opportunity to attend a special preview of the movie. I want to highly recommend it to you. It is inspiring, entertaining and most importantly, true to the biblical narrative. One of the things I most enjoyed was the portrayal of Joseph as a man of faith, courage and compassion
In the third chapter of the Gospel of Luke we read “When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being supposedly the son of Joseph …” Even though Joseph was not Christ’s natural father, he certainly was a significant father figure during Christ’s formative years. Amazingly, we know very little about this man who along with Mary had the greatest influence on the physical, emotional and spiritual development of the Son of God.
Joseph is described as a humble, very ordinary man. Though he was a descendent of the great King David, he was one of the common people. He was said to be a carpenter (Matthew 13:55). The word actually describes any common laborer who worked with wood or stone. His offering as described in Luke 2:24 was the humble offering of doves, rather than the more expensive lamb.
In Matthew 1:19 we find an insight into why God chose this humble, ordinary man to raise his son, “And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man …” What is a “righteous man”? A righteous man is simply one who is right with God and right with others. He has accepted God’s “gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17), allowing him to experience the forgiveness of sin and acceptance into God’s family.
When facing moral decisions, he consistently tries to do the right thing (1 John 3:7). In his relationship with others, He deliberately chooses to live according to God's commands, treating others as he himself would want to be treated. In Proverbs 20:7, God promises a special blessing for the righteous man, “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.”
Like me, you may identify with a common, ordinary person like Joseph. We do not possess great gifts or achieve significant notoriety. We like to fly under the radar most of the time. It excites me to think that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. It gratifies me to believe that a righteous man can leave an incredible legacy to his children and grandchildren. May the Lord grant us the grace to be righteous men!
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
In the third chapter of the Gospel of Luke we read “When He began His ministry, Jesus Himself was about thirty years of age, being supposedly the son of Joseph …” Even though Joseph was not Christ’s natural father, he certainly was a significant father figure during Christ’s formative years. Amazingly, we know very little about this man who along with Mary had the greatest influence on the physical, emotional and spiritual development of the Son of God.
Joseph is described as a humble, very ordinary man. Though he was a descendent of the great King David, he was one of the common people. He was said to be a carpenter (Matthew 13:55). The word actually describes any common laborer who worked with wood or stone. His offering as described in Luke 2:24 was the humble offering of doves, rather than the more expensive lamb.
In Matthew 1:19 we find an insight into why God chose this humble, ordinary man to raise his son, “And Joseph her husband, being a righteous man …” What is a “righteous man”? A righteous man is simply one who is right with God and right with others. He has accepted God’s “gift of righteousness” (Romans 5:17), allowing him to experience the forgiveness of sin and acceptance into God’s family.
When facing moral decisions, he consistently tries to do the right thing (1 John 3:7). In his relationship with others, He deliberately chooses to live according to God's commands, treating others as he himself would want to be treated. In Proverbs 20:7, God promises a special blessing for the righteous man, “The righteous man leads a blameless life; blessed are his children after him.”
Like me, you may identify with a common, ordinary person like Joseph. We do not possess great gifts or achieve significant notoriety. We like to fly under the radar most of the time. It excites me to think that God uses ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things. It gratifies me to believe that a righteous man can leave an incredible legacy to his children and grandchildren. May the Lord grant us the grace to be righteous men!
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Thursday, October 19, 2006
Loyalty, devotion and courage
Flags of Our Fathers, the new movie directed by Clint Eastwood and based on the book by the same title, opens in theaters this weekend. The movie and book tell the story of the Battle of Iwo Jima, one of the most ferocious and costly battles of the Second World War.
On February 19, 1945 70,000 Americans, consisting mainly of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions of the Fifth Marine Amphibious Corps, including supporting sea and air units, attacked the Japanese defenses on Iwo Jima island. The 22,000 Japanese defenders had been preparing for the invasion for two years and had determined to fight to the death since they were defending Japanese soil for the first time.
At the end of the month long battle, the Americans would suffer 26,000 casualties, including more than 6,800 deaths. Almost all of the 22,000 Japanese defenders died due to their fanatical loyalty to the Japanese Emperor. One of the most famous pictures in the history of photography came out of the battle when photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped a shot of six marines raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi.
For a generation of Americans, the name Iwo Jima became synonymous with heroism and valor. The story of Sgt Charles A Bateman of Cooperstown, NY, became one of hundreds of incredible stories of courage. Bateman was slammed by a 320 mm spigot mortar. He woke up on a hospital ship with a tag on his big toe that said "Concussion." He later wrote, "Didn't look serious to me so I jumped ship, went ashore and rejoined my unit. So, I was missing then, officially MIA. Sorrowfully, a telegram saying that got to my family. You can imagine their relief when they found the message was wrong."
I find incredible inspiration in Sgt. Bateman’s commitment to his fellow Marines and to the cause of victory. Some men would have used this kind of injury as a “million dollar wound,” an opportunity to stay out of harm’s way. Evidently this never occurred to Bateman, who thought only of his duty to his comrades and country.
In 2 Timothy 2:3, the Scripture uses the analogy of military service to illustrate the Christian’s devotion to Christ, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Men, we are at war, a spiritual war. We can expect hardship, attack, perhaps even wounds from time to time. We must deal with difficult emotions of fear, loneliness and frustration. This is what soldiers do. May our commitment to Christ and our band of brothers bear the same marks of loyalty, devotion and courage.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
On February 19, 1945 70,000 Americans, consisting mainly of the 3rd, 4th and 5th Marine Divisions of the Fifth Marine Amphibious Corps, including supporting sea and air units, attacked the Japanese defenses on Iwo Jima island. The 22,000 Japanese defenders had been preparing for the invasion for two years and had determined to fight to the death since they were defending Japanese soil for the first time.
At the end of the month long battle, the Americans would suffer 26,000 casualties, including more than 6,800 deaths. Almost all of the 22,000 Japanese defenders died due to their fanatical loyalty to the Japanese Emperor. One of the most famous pictures in the history of photography came out of the battle when photographer Joe Rosenthal snapped a shot of six marines raising the American flag on Mt. Suribachi.
For a generation of Americans, the name Iwo Jima became synonymous with heroism and valor. The story of Sgt Charles A Bateman of Cooperstown, NY, became one of hundreds of incredible stories of courage. Bateman was slammed by a 320 mm spigot mortar. He woke up on a hospital ship with a tag on his big toe that said "Concussion." He later wrote, "Didn't look serious to me so I jumped ship, went ashore and rejoined my unit. So, I was missing then, officially MIA. Sorrowfully, a telegram saying that got to my family. You can imagine their relief when they found the message was wrong."
I find incredible inspiration in Sgt. Bateman’s commitment to his fellow Marines and to the cause of victory. Some men would have used this kind of injury as a “million dollar wound,” an opportunity to stay out of harm’s way. Evidently this never occurred to Bateman, who thought only of his duty to his comrades and country.
In 2 Timothy 2:3, the Scripture uses the analogy of military service to illustrate the Christian’s devotion to Christ, “Endure hardship with us like a good soldier of Christ Jesus.” Men, we are at war, a spiritual war. We can expect hardship, attack, perhaps even wounds from time to time. We must deal with difficult emotions of fear, loneliness and frustration. This is what soldiers do. May our commitment to Christ and our band of brothers bear the same marks of loyalty, devotion and courage.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Wednesday, September 27, 2006
Facing the Giants
Grant Taylor had been coaching the Shiloh Christian School Eagles football team for six seasons – six loosing seasons. His expectations for the coming season are dashed when his star player transfers to another team. Compounding his discouragement, he and his wife are facing infertility and he has recently discovered that a group of fathers are secretly organizing to have him dismissed as head coach.
This is the plot for the new movie Facing the Giants that opens this Friday night in area theaters. The story illustrates how a man who is drowning in discouragement can find strength and hope from his relationship with Christ. Using a sports scenario, the movie shows how faith can be integrated into every day life, allowing us to gain victory over the challenges and difficulties that plague us. It also teaches how one man’s influence can impact the lives of many more.
Facing the Giants has been described as a blend of Rocky, Hoosiers and Friday Night Lights. It is rated PG because of its religious themes. Sadly, the Motion Picture Rating Association has decided that parents need to be warned so they can protect their children from Christianity.
Try to see the movie on opening weekend so it will have the opportunity to have a longer run and movie executives will see that there is a market for family friendly movies.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
This is the plot for the new movie Facing the Giants that opens this Friday night in area theaters. The story illustrates how a man who is drowning in discouragement can find strength and hope from his relationship with Christ. Using a sports scenario, the movie shows how faith can be integrated into every day life, allowing us to gain victory over the challenges and difficulties that plague us. It also teaches how one man’s influence can impact the lives of many more.
Facing the Giants has been described as a blend of Rocky, Hoosiers and Friday Night Lights. It is rated PG because of its religious themes. Sadly, the Motion Picture Rating Association has decided that parents need to be warned so they can protect their children from Christianity.
Try to see the movie on opening weekend so it will have the opportunity to have a longer run and movie executives will see that there is a market for family friendly movies.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Wednesday, September 13, 2006
Dream big
After opening on August 25, the movie Invincible was the top movie for three consecutive weeks. The movie Invincible is based on the life of Vince Papale. Vince had a dream. His dream was to play professional football. He had graduated from Philadelphia's University on a track scholarship. He played in the World Football League for two years until it folded in 1975. At 30 years of age, his prospects for playing in the NFL were remote to say the least.
Enter Dick Vermeil. Dick also had a dream. A college coach at UCLA, he wanted to coach professional football. In 1976 he was hired as head coach by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was facing some big challenges, especially since the team was coming off of 11 straight loosing seasons. As a publicity stunt, he decided to publicize an open tryout in the Philadelphia area. He admits that he was more interested in stirring up the team than finding new players.
Vince Papale tried out and so impressed Vermeil with his speed and grace that he received an offer to attend training camp and eventually earned a place on the team. At the age of 30, Papale became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL to play without the benefit of college football experience. He went on to play wide receiver and special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 through 1978. During that time, he played in 41 of 44 regular season games recording two fumble recoveries and one fifteen-yard reception. He was voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates, and "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities. A shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. After retiring from the NFL, he worked as a TV and radio broadcaster for eight years, then became a commercial mortgage banker.
What is your dream? Psalm 34:12 teaches us to “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I hope your heart desire is something more noble and enduring than just playing in the NFL. God is looking for men with pure desires who will plant them by faith in the will of God and trust they will return in His perfect timing. I challenge you to dream great dreams for God and then watch Him bring them to fruition.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Enter Dick Vermeil. Dick also had a dream. A college coach at UCLA, he wanted to coach professional football. In 1976 he was hired as head coach by the Philadelphia Eagles. He was facing some big challenges, especially since the team was coming off of 11 straight loosing seasons. As a publicity stunt, he decided to publicize an open tryout in the Philadelphia area. He admits that he was more interested in stirring up the team than finding new players.
Vince Papale tried out and so impressed Vermeil with his speed and grace that he received an offer to attend training camp and eventually earned a place on the team. At the age of 30, Papale became the oldest rookie in the history of the NFL to play without the benefit of college football experience. He went on to play wide receiver and special teams for the Philadelphia Eagles from 1976 through 1978. During that time, he played in 41 of 44 regular season games recording two fumble recoveries and one fifteen-yard reception. He was voted Special Teams Captain by his teammates, and "Man of the Year" by the Eagles in 1978 for his many charitable activities. A shoulder injury ended his career in 1979. After retiring from the NFL, he worked as a TV and radio broadcaster for eight years, then became a commercial mortgage banker.
What is your dream? Psalm 34:12 teaches us to “Delight yourself in the LORD; and He will give you the desires of your heart.” I hope your heart desire is something more noble and enduring than just playing in the NFL. God is looking for men with pure desires who will plant them by faith in the will of God and trust they will return in His perfect timing. I challenge you to dream great dreams for God and then watch Him bring them to fruition.
Shoulder to shoulder,
Gregg
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
