WINNING CHECKERS WITH GOD

                                    

James 4:8                           

Pastor Rick Jackson

Checkers is an interesting game. Easy to learn, easy to play, a lifetime to master. According to Wikipedia what we in North America call checkers is really English draughts. It is played on an eight by eight squared board (with sixty-four total squares) with twelve pieces on each side. These pieces may only initially move and capture diagonally forwards. Only when a piece is "crowned" or "kinged" may it move both backwards or forwards.

As in all draughts variants, English draughts is played by two people, on opposite sides of a playing board, alternating moves. Traditionally the pieces are either black, white, or red, and the board alternates between red and black squares. The opponent's pieces are captured by jumping over them.

How the game ends - A player wins by capturing all the opposing player's pieces, or by leaving the opposing player with no legal moves. The July 2007 announcement by Chinook's [a checker player computer program] team stating that the game had been solved must be understood in the sense that, with perfect play on both sides, the game will always finish with a draw. Yet, not all positions that could result from imperfect play have been analyzed

In the case of God He always plays a perfect game but there is no draw. The Devil plays but will lose to God. The lost play but will lose. The carnal Christian gets a type of draw but only by the grace of God. The spiritual Christian sees God win but gets to win as well as we shall see- but his win is also- by God’s grace.

I. MOVES & COUNTER-MOVES

1. Revelation [Ps. 19:1-8ff, Heb. 11:6] But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

2. Repentance [Rm. 2:4] “… the goodness of God leadeth thee to repentance”

3. Reaction [Acts 17:30] “God … commandeth all men every where to repent”

II. MOTIVES & METHODS

1. God allows you to Jump to get you where He wants you [Acts 9]

2. God blocks to Keep you from where He wants you [Acts 16:7]

After they were come to Mysia, they assayed to go into Bithynia: but the Spirit suffered them not.

3. God allows you to move where He doesn’t really want to teach you [Psalm 106:15]

And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul.

III. GOALS & GLORY

1. Goal is for you to be crowned

1 Corinthians 9:25 And every man that striveth for the mastery is temperate in all things. Now they do it to obtain a corruptible crown; but we an incorruptible.

Philippians 4:1 Therefore, my brethren, dearly beloved and longed for, my joy and crown, so stand fast in the Lord, my dearly beloved.

2. God’s Ultimate Goal is to be Glorified in His Creation

1 Thessalonians 2:19 For what is our hope, or joy, or crown of rejoicing? Are not even ye in the presence of our Lord Jesus Christ at his coming?

2 Timothy 4:8 Henceforth there is laid up for me a crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous judge, shall give me at that day: and not to me only, but unto all them also that love his appearing.

James 1:12 Blessed is the man that endureth temptation: for when he is tried, he shall receive the crown of life, which the Lord hath promised to them that love him.

1 Peter 5:4 And when the chief Shepherd shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away.

Revelation 2:10 Fear none of those things which thou shalt suffer: behold, the devil shall cast some of you into prison, that ye may be tried; and ye shall have tribulation ten days: be thou faithful unto death, and I will give thee a crown of life.

Revelation 3:11 Behold, I come quickly: hold that fast which thou hast, that no man take thy crown.

3. Our Goal should be to “Crown Him with Many Crowns” [Rev. 4:4, 10-11]

And round about the throne were four and twenty seats: and upon the seats I saw four and twenty elders sitting, clothed in white raiment; and they had on their heads crowns of gold. …The four and twenty elders fall down before him that sat on the throne, and worship him that liveth for ever and ever, and cast their crowns before the throne, saying, Thou art worthy, O Lord, to receive glory and honour and power: for thou hast created all things, and for thy pleasure they are and were created.