Spring Training

Earlier this month I finally did something I had wanted to do for 20 years--go to Florida and take in some spring training baseball. Andrew and I hit three places: Lakeland and Tigertown, Braves camp the Wide World of Sports complex, and Kissimmee for the Houston Astros.

Overall it was a great time. The weather made me wonder why in the world I had left Florida over a decade ago. That was stupid! Anyway, it was a super week. Spring training crowds are certainly laid back as are the games, but still it is baseball so who cares.

Best Atmosphere--Tigertown--we had a great Sunday afternoon there.

Most boring crowd--Kissimmee--It was a Tuesday afternoon I guess. I thought I was at an AARP convention.

Best Complex--Braves at ESPN Wide World of Sports--that is an awesome facility. Don't eat at the ESPN Sports Grill, though--not too good. All three places we went to were great though.

Best Food--Hands down it was Tigertown at Lakeland. The BBQ nachos are to die for!

Biggest Surprise--the sea of Cardinal Red at the Wednesday afternoon Braves/Cards game. That was awesome!

I was disappointed that the prices for concessions, tickets, etc. are way too high. I thought I was back at the Ballpark at Arlington paying way too much money for hot dogs and bottled waters. That was a surprise really. Tickets can be had cheaper for seats at a regular season game. When I paid the same money for a bleacher seat than for a nice regular seat at the Braves' complex I was a bit put out. So I definately spent more money than expected.

Was it worth it? Absolutely! I hope to do it again--heading next time to southern Florida or to Tampa and that side of Florida's Grapefruit League. Andrew wants Arizona to check out the Rangers. So we may try the Cactus League.

How Satan Attacks the Church

When the church begins to push forward you can bet Satan will push back. The important thing for a church is to be able to discern Satan's activities. Fortunately, while he is certainly cunning and even powerful, Satan is not particularly creative. He has pretty much used the same tactics for 2000 years against the church. Note Acts 5 and 6.

First, Satan uses hypocrisy against the church. Ananias and his wife Sapphira were hypocrites. They pretended to give all the proceeds from a parcel of land while only really giving part. There are 'pretenders' in every church, of course. A true hypocrite is not a Christian, but of course, we all are tempted with hypocritical behavior. The key to combating hypocrisy is humility [Matthew 23:11-12].

Second, Satan uses persecution against the church. That hardly ever works. The Jewish religious leaders bring the apostles before them as Acts 5 unfolds and warn them, even beat them. The apostles stand strong and the word of God goes out even more powerfully. Persecution cannot stop the church because Christians know they are involved in something bigger than themselves--the mission of God. They also know there is something better ahead--heaven. "Kill us, torture us, condemn us, grind us to dust...The more you mow down, the more we grow; the seed is the blood of Christians" [Tertullian].

Third, Satan uses inner conflict against the church. This is his most effective way, I think, of attack. Acts 6:1-7 tells us of the inner conflict brewing as Hellenistic Christians murmur against the Hebraic believers. Inner conflict distracts a church from its mission, making it inward focused. It always leaves believers discouraged and drains the church of spiritual vitality. The apostles were wise to Satan's tactics and met the conflict biblically, prayerfully, humbly, and quickly. The result of dealing with inner conflict in a godly manner was the expansion of the church.

Paul wrote in Ephesians 6 that Christians are to stand against the tactics of the devil using the full armor of God [Eph 6:11-18]. When the church recognizes Satan's attacks and uses the resources God has given, the mission will go forward and the church will be victorious!