Striker No. 7 (Wins 5, Losses 1, Draws 1)

Strikers 1 - Dee Why 3

A disappointing game. I could blame the pitch, but I won't. We did not play our best, and in fact, nowhere near it. To their credit, Dee Why played a good game, defending their territory well, keeping us pressed in our own half, and clamping down quickly in the centre of the pitch.

Their were a few glimpses of good play: Macca's goal, Trent's penalty save, and I did a good throw in. But we failed to defend cleanly and consistently, we were weak in mid-field, and we didn't put away our few changes up front.

So what to do next?

We need to steel ourselves for the remainder of the season, and remember to work hard in every game, now that the competition is closing in.

I am certain that we can bounce back for our next game against Forest Killarney on Saturday.

P.S. Great to see our reserves pick up a second win on the trot!

God wants to cramp my style?

Mythbusters Week 3

This week at Mythbusters (ISCF@ Manly High) we are tackling the myth - "Does God want to cramp my style."

A good question, really coming to the heart of the conversion experience, and our understanding of who God is.

Popular opinion

I have had few people say to me in recent months that they don't want to become a Christian, or even consider Christianity at all, because they don't want to change their lifestyle. Essentially they don't want God to cramp their style. I think that is a view that resonates deep within our society. People consider that it is OK for people to be Christian, so long as they want to be a Christian - for it is through the freedom of being what or who we want that we have a fulfilling life. But is this true?

A fulfilling life

And so with the freedom we have, particularly in Australia, to be whoever we want, to do what we want, when we want, we often tend to pursue our life fulfilment in many varied ways. For example, through the pursuit of family, or wealth, career, fame, influence, possessions, friends, love, etc etc. Seeing those different pursuits, as the path to a fulfilling life. But, time after time, those things let us down. Our parents get divorced, that relationship you are in breaks down, the stock market falls, your friends move on, the baby cries constantly, your possessions are robbed from you and so on. And so when these things happen, if it is aligned with your pursuit of happiness in life, the whole thing can come crashing down around you, leaving you wondering is that really what life is all about?

The happy Christian

This may be difficult for people who aren't Christian, to believe - but Christians want to be happy too, it is just they pursue happiness in a different way, and they trust God to give it to them. Jesus said in Jn 10:10 that he had come to give life to the full to those that follow him. And when we take his claims seriously, and his promises seriously, it makes sense that he can deliver. If God made the world, and he made us (2 presuppositions), then surely he would know best both how the world should be run, and how we can life most satisfyingly within the confines of that world? And so Christians pursue God, trusting that he will provide purpose and fulfilment to life now, and into eternity. Your TV can't promise that, your Spouse can't promise that, your Plane ticket can't promise that - so don't be fooled.

Ecclesiastes

There was a man once, the Bible reports who tried to achieve satisfaction in life in many different things, wealth, possessions, women, fame, he was the most powerful man in his time, and one of the wealthiest people in history, and he wrote one of the most depressing books in the Bible - Ecclesiastes, a treatise investigating the worthy-ness of the pursuit of these different goals. He concluded that having had all of these things, that they were meaningless on their own, that they were hollow, and did not bring about any fulfilment to life. He went on to say that it was through God alone that life had any meaning.

So, where is all this going?

The myth that God wants to cramp our style is PLAUSIBLE. In becoming a Christian God may want to do radical surgery on your life, but this is not to make your life worse, harder, or less fulfilling, he actually wants to prepare you for a life of satisfaction, as he gives you the thing that you were made for - himself. We were made for God, and it is through Jesus that we receive the object for which we have been made, and our reason for existence. And once we replace God as the object of our affections, then we can enjoy the good things in life, the way they were meant to be enjoyed, and without the danger of turning them into idols. God redeems all of us, our personalities, our likes and dislikes when we become a Christian, so that we can do a better job of honouring, loving and serving him, and achieve more fulfilment in life, both now, and later.

Striker No. 7 (Wins 5, Losses 0, Draws 1)

A great weekend Strikers 7 - Beacon Hill 0

Yesterday's game had much to applaud. We were up against 2nd place Beacon Hill, and we were missing several key players, and yet came away with a sweeping victory. We took control with 3 early goals, and didn't drop the ball for the remainder of the game.

There were many good performances, we passed the ball around very well, finished attacking moves with precision, and defended with intent. The Beacon Hill side were a tad unlucky, hitting the posts on a number of occasions, however, considering the score line, it would not have made any significant difference.

I had a better game this week, made a few passes, a few runs, and ran around a bit.

In other news, it was AWESOME to have the 1pm team win as well 4-2! Their first win of the season, and I got to play for some of their game too. A few more wins and their season will be back on track.

Looking forward to next Saturday!

Striker No. 7 (Wins 4, Losses 0, Draws 1)

Strikers 3 - Manly Allambie 0

So, we had another nice win on the weekend. 3 goals, clean sheet, sounds good? Well sort of. The first two goals came from penalties, (well awarded and taken), and one goal came from open play. However, we probably could have done a bit more to score a few extra goals.

Trent played in goals and had a quiet game, without any key saves to his name (didn't need to do more than collect the balls that went out). Our defence did a good job, as always, but there was an injury to Matt P, sadly, could be out for a couple of weeks.

For me, I had an average game, not too sure why really, partly because the Manly Allambie midfielders did a good job of putting pressure on us (and me), making it difficult to play my normal game, and also partly because I made a few mistakes. I know, I should have put that one away.

Still, there is always next week, we are doing well, but I think we need to kick it up another notch if we are to win the season.

SO, is being good, good enough?

Next Tuesday is week 2 in our Myth buster Series at the local high school lunch time christian group - and we are investigating the popular myth that "Being good is good enough to get to heaven". I'm looking forward to chatting to the students about this stuff over some pizza!

I think that although this is a popular opinion, less people these days are buying into it, being more interested in spirituality in general, and sure about heaven or God in specificity.

Anyway, my argument is based around two points.

1. We are not good enough at being good

It doesn't seem to matter how hard we try to do the right thing, our past, and our thoughts and actions today all count against us. It's not about how much sin there is in our lives, but rather that there is sin. If sin is present, past or present, that's it we've struck out. Jesus himself teaches us to be perfect as our heavenly father is perfect. I am nowhere near that, which of course leaves me with the age-old problem about what to do with the sin that stands between myself and God.

2. Sometimes, when we think we're good, we miss the point completely.

I really like the story that Jesus says about the Pharisee and the Tax Collector. It's basically a story about a religious good guy, and a sinful bad guy. The religious guy thinks he's the bees knees, top bloke, kind, caring and generous, and so he prays and thanks God that he is one of the good guys, and not like this tax collector-bad guy standing nearby. The tax-collector guy (I think), agrees with the religious good guy, and readily admits that he has been pretty bad, and cheated people etc etc, but it's what he does with that understanding that makes all the difference. The sinful bad guy, throws himself at the mercy of God, realising his desperate situation, whereas the religious guys never even realises how desperate his own situation is. And so, The sinful guy goes home at peace with God, justified, while the religious guy remains as self-deluded as ever.

And so the desperate place that we all find ourself in is needing God's forgiveness, which he so readily gives to everyone who would ask for it, which of course accurately reflects his character of love, kindness and justice.

Oh, and don't forget the cost at which that forgiveness came.

The cross of Christ.

Striker No. 7 (Wins 3, Losses 0, Draws 1)

Yesterday was a very difficult game for us, we were pretty well dominated and outplayed for much of the game, and yet we were well ahead on the scoreboard for most of the game.
The game finished: Strikers 4 - BTH Raiders 3

So, we won, and Gravy got on the scoreboard! I was pretty tired during the game, not sure why, more tired than normal, although, I had played a fair chunk of the previous game.

There are a few things to work on at training, we need to look to dominate more in posession and territory by being first to the ball more, and working on positioning ourselves better to receive the ball from team mates.

This win should put us top of the table, nice.