Ready:

"Instead his delight is in the LORD’s instruction, and he meditates on it day and night. He is like a tree planted beside flowing streams that bears its fruit in its season, and its leaf does not wither. Whatever he does prospers.” —Psalm 1:2-3

Set:

Basketball is an incredible sport. James Naismith invented the game in 1891 while working at the YMCA in Springfield, Massachusetts. The basics of the game have existed from the beginning to today. Shooting, dribbling, passing, offense and defense. If you started playing basketball as a child, what you learned were the basics. You practiced these over and over. If you play at the high school, collegiate or pro level, nothing has changed. It’s the same!

Like James Naismith set the rules for basketball, God set the rules for us. From the beginning He set forth how we should function and live. God determined the correct way of how we should live. This way includes what we think, what our attitudes are, what we say and what we do. The 10 Commandments given to Moses and then the Great Commandment spoken by Jesus reveal to us clear actions of what His way is and how we are to respond to these actions.

In the game of basketball, your team should play according to the rules. There isn’t a different or second way to play the game. It is absolutely clear of how the game should be played. Playing by the rules gives opportunity to compete fairly. The laws of God are just like that – living according to the rules gives us the best opportunity to live life accurately and correctly.

When we choose to accept and live by God’s laws, He said there is a reward. This reward isn’t a trophy or a medal; it is like a tree that always bears good fruit. The tree is alive, fruitful, and brings good food to any who want that fruit. Because it is planted by water, the leaves are always green and there’s always fruit. The comparison of this tree with our following God’s laws is that we will be fruitful when we choose to be planted by the stream (God). The choice is ours to live by God’s laws, and if we do, there is good reward.

Go:

1. How does playing your favorite game by the rules makes that game work well?

2. Is it easy or hard to accept and follow God’s laws and rules for life? Who is with you that can help you do well in following God?

Workout:

Overtime: