"The Pit"

We called it “The Pit” - it was either Carey or John that came up with that. They were the two coolest guys at school and if they called it “The Pit” - “The Pit” it would be.  It was a sort of a self-depreciating term of affection.  After all, with all it’s issues, it was the pits!  We’d not seen another gym like it anywhere. I still haven’t.  Our school had been an old military school before we occupied it.

Looking back it was sort of neat. But it had issues and we didn’t have money to fix them. There were lights that didn’t get replaced, so the corners of the court had shadows. At some point the old wood basketball court got water under it and bucked up in places so that when you dribbled there would be “dead spots.” Issues. But it was our home court. And here’s what was neat - we knew where the lighting was bad, we knew where the floor was hollow.  I stole many a dribble because I knew where the ball would go when it hit one of those places. Our team wasn’t great - but with home court advantage we won a lot of games we probably wouldn’t have.  

Scene shift: Every time I see one of those “not in our house” commercials or the Under Armor “we must defend this house” ads - I think about “The Pit.”  It was not new and cool but it was OUR home court and we didn’t let people come in and beat us there.    

Scene shift: I’m preaching tomorrow and I have Home Field Advantage! I know basketball is just a game and the spiritual battle we are in is not. But the fact remains, satan is the opponent, adversary, accuser of God’s People (Revelation 12:10) and, like it or not satan is playing on our turf.  

The church is God’s “home-field” (household, Ephesians 2:19; Galatians 6:10).  And the enemy of God would rather disrupt God’s House more than anything else. It often does but it shouldn’t shock us. he showed up “when the sons of God came to present themselves before the Lord” - for both services :) (Job 1:6; 2:1).  satan even attended the first time the Lord’s Supper was served (John 13:27). And he seems to show up more and more today in misguiding, maligning, and the malaise of some congregations as he creates confusing, conflict and discomfort for and in the work and workers of God.  

Brothers, sisters, WE MUST DEFEND THIS HOUSE!

Remember today as you go out that we have in a very real sense “home could advantage.”  We know his tricks (Ephesians 6:11). We know what the end game is (Philippians 3:19)! God and His Own will be victorious.  Let’s behave like victors, as those who know the court, who have confidence (Proverbs 3:26; Hebrews 3:16).  

I ran across this great quote the other day: “When Satan prowls, Remember, God is in control (1 Peter 5:8-11).” http://bpsfuelforthought.wordpress.com/2014/09/26/god-is-in-control/.