What Are The Ramifications?

With the college football regular season winding down and the NFL season in the middle of its pivotal part of the year, every game carries a lot of weight. Every result has ramifications: losses have consequences, and wins greatly benefit teams.

There is a domino effect any time there is an upset, while conference or divisional wins cause a ripple effect for other teams as well.

Over the next few weeks, as teams have big games on the schedule, we'll continue playing the game, "If this happens, then that means this will happen."

For now, based on the results from Saturday in college football, here are the cause-and-effect situations:

• Texas A&M put together an epic comeback win against South Carolina, which has now solidified their playoff birth and keeps South Carolina's head coach Shane Beamer on the hot seat.

• 11th-ranked Oklahoma knocked off No. 4 Alabama 23-21, which means Oklahoma now has a good chance to make the College Football Playoff. For Alabama, this loss means their playoff inclusion isn't guaranteed and adds more weight to their rivalry game against Auburn.

• Georgia took care of Texas, eliminating Texas from the playoff and securing Georgia's spot.

• No. 18 Michigan pulled out a wild 24-22 win over Northwestern, keeping their playoff hopes alive if they beat No. 1 Ohio State, making that rivalry game even bigger!

In the NFL, Sunday’s games have ramifications for the rest of the season, and the results will matter moving forward.

• With the Denver Broncos winning 22-19 over the Kansas City Chiefs, the Broncos are now four wins ahead of the Chiefs and two wins ahead of the Chargers for the AFC Division title. Following the loss, the Chiefs have dug themselves a hole and will have to fight for a playoff spot for the rest of the season.

• The Cardinals' rough season continues as they committed 17 penalties against the 49ers, and consequently contributed to their 41-22 loss. 

• The Panthers beat the Falcons for the second time this season, which pretty much means the Falcons are no longer thinking about the playoffs, and their head coach, Raheem Morris, is securely on the hot seat. Since the Bucs lost too, the Panthers have joined them in contention for the NFC South Divisional title, as both teams now have six wins.

• The Miami Dolphins, Houston Texans, and Baltimore Ravens had a rough start to the season, but Miami has now won two in a row, the Ravens four, and the Texans two. This means their seasons aren't over yet, and the playoffs are still a possibility for all three teams.

I could go through every matchup, but ultimately, decisions made by players and coaches before and during games affect outcomes, and the wins and losses have consequences and ramifications moving forward. 

Similarly, we know this principle plays out in our own lives. Based on our decisions, thoughts, actions, and efforts, there are ramifications and consequences as we experience the domino effect. 

Maybe you've heard this familiar quote before, which a friend encouraged me with today:

"Sow a thought; reap an action.  Sow an action; reap a habit.   Sow a habit; reap a character.   Sow a character; reap a destiny."

To further that thought, throughout the Bible, we can see how one thing leads to another and how we reap what we sow. We can see different ripple effects and what leads to blessings and fruit in our lives, and we can understand when certain things happen, what it means moving forward.

Let's start with what it means to be justified by faith, and what happens when we surrender to Jesus and receive salvation through His grace, death, and resurrection.

In Romans 5 (AMP), the chapter title is "Results of Justification." In verses 1-4, it says, "Therefore, since we have been justified [that is, acquitted of sin, declared blameless before God] by faith, [let us grasp the fact that] we have peace with God [and the joy of reconciliation with Him] through our Lord Jesus Christ (the Messiah, the Anointed). 

"Through Him we also have access by faith into this [remarkable state of] grace in which we [firmly and safely and securely] stand. Let us rejoice in our hope and the confident assurance of [experiencing and enjoying] the glory of [our great] God [the manifestation of His excellence and power]." 

"And not only this, but [with joy] let us exult in our sufferings and rejoice in our hardships, knowing that hardship (distress, pressure, trouble) produces patient endurance; 4 and endurance, proven character (spiritual maturity); and proven character, hope and confident assurance [of eternal salvation]."

The domino effect in these verses is amazing: we receive so much when we are in Christ, and we also see how suffering actually leads to many benefits.

If we want to continue experiencing spiritual fruit in life, Jesus tells us in John 15:5 (ESV), "I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in Me and I in Him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing."

Every day, are we trying to win at work so that we receive benefits only in this life, or are we serving the Lord with an eternal perspective?

Colossians 3:23-25 (ESV) challenges us in this way: "Whatever you do, work heartily, as for the Lord and not for men, knowing that from the Lord you will receive the inheritance as your reward. You are serving the Lord Christ. For the wrongdoer will be paid back for the wrong he has done, and there is no partiality."

As we think about the ramifications and consequences football teams are experiencing based on how they're playing this season, let’s remember the blessings we receive, the consequences of our choices here on earth, and what it means to live a life following Jesus or living for ourselves. 

Galatians 6:7-9 (NLT) warns us, "Don't be misled—you cannot mock the justice of God. You will always harvest what you plant. Those who live only to satisfy their own sinful nature will harvest decay and death from that sinful nature. But those who live to please the Spirit will harvest everlasting life from the Spirit. So let's not get tired of doing what is good. At just the right time, we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don't give up."

Today, let’s choose to walk in the grace and love of God, as we experience His eternal blessings both now and forever. 

I'm Bryce Johnson, and you can UNPACK that!

PRAYER: Heavenly Father, I desire to abide in You and live for You. Please strengthen me to do so and help me make wise choices that lead to blessings and spiritual fruit. I'm so grateful for eternal life and everything You've given me in Christ. In Jesus' name I pray, Amen.