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Coach Jesus
Set:
Now is the time for commitment. Today is the day of salvation. God wants you to know that 99 and a half percent won't do. If you've been a curious onlooker of Jesus and His cross for some time, then it's time to stop looking at the cross and time to get on it. Die to self, die to your own play book, die to your own game plan. Give it all to Jesus and take up Jesus life, His play book, and His game plan. Let Jesus take His rightful place as Coach of your life, not assistant coach as if you're still in charge, but as Head Coach where He is truly in charge.
God, where are You?
Set:
There seems to be a lot going on in our society today that makes people question God. From the simple, “My game is a wreck,” to the more complex, “I thought God was a God of love, so why would He allow this to happen in Haiti?” Everywhere we look, people are hurting and looking for answers. Sometimes friends try to comfort us and explain why God does what He does, but rarely does it pacify our pain and struggle.
PRAYer Poser
Set:
In today's devotion, I intentionally capitalized PRAY in the title. I want to emphasize that I am not talking about the act of praying, but about one who prays. Are you a pray-er? I often talk to coaches and athletes who feel limited by the public school system in regards to what they can do with their faith. The school system can regulate what you say and do, but they cannot touch your prayers. Do you want to have an eternal impact on your players and teammates? Pray for them, often and by name.
I recently came across a verse I have read many times: Colossians 4:12-13. Sometimes it takes a different Bible translation to bring it to life. Since FCA is now using the Holman Christian Standard Bible, I was struck by a few things in the passage:
Well Done, Coach
Set:
While talking with his son, John Wooden told him that he needed to shave because he was going to see his bride very soon. The basketball coaching legend knew his final breath was coming, and he wanted to be ready to meet his Maker and his wife. Going home to glory at the age of 99, Wooden left an example for all coaches, no matter what the sport, to follow.
NBA great Jerry West said, “He did not have two sets of rules for his players…they all played under the same rules.” Wooden was true to his faith in Christ, true to his family, and true to his fundamentals of life, which had been taught to him by his parents back in Indiana so many years ago.
It's All in His Hands
Set:
Death is always a difficult topic to grasp. Whenever someone dies we always wonder, where was God when they died, and why did He let it happen to them? From movie stars, professional athletes, and other celebrities to firefighters, police officers, and loved ones; our hearts are filled with grief and for a while everything pales in comparison to our loss.
Class
Set:
Basketball great, Bob Cousy once said, "Sports give your life structure, discipline and a genuine fulfillment that few areas of endeavor provide." I couldn't agree with him more. Sports can make a lasting impact and difference on every athlete's life. It's about facing adversity, handling the challenges of competition and dealing with the pressures of the game. Those combined through athletics forges our character and reveals our class.
What is class? I believe it's an easily recognizable quality that is hard to define. Class is demonstrated by athletes and coaches through their actions under pressure, in both victory and defeat.
Psalm 28:7
Set:
Hockey Chat: We wear all kinds of gear when we’re on the ice. We put our trust into engineered plastic and padding to be our shield. Knowing that it’s there, we feel stronger and braver. When we get hit with a puck or stick in that area, we are so thankful that we have that protection!
God's Team
Set:
Great teams are made of players who make contributions on more than just game days. You may not be a starter, but with the right perspective, you can make an impact on your team's performance.
In this passage, the older brother displayed the wrong perspective. He viewed himself as a servant rather than as a son. He got his self-worth from what he did rather than from who he was. Do you know that as a Christian God views all of us as sons and daughters? He loves us regardless of our role on the team, how small our bank account might be or what our title is at work. In fact, He sent His only Son to die for us even though He knew we would deny Him (Romans 5:8).
Running the Bases
Set:
The ultimate thrill for a baseball player is to see a ball he just hit fly over the ballpark fence for a home run. When we ask Jesus Christ into our lives, we can have that same feeling--one of exhilaration and liberation. We are free from our burdens of sin. But like the ballplayer who hits the homer, we have some "bases" to run in order to get the score.
The first base in our Christian walk is CONFESSION: a daily and initial confession of our own sins and mistakes.
The second base is SANCTIFICATION: becoming more like Jesus, loving and forgiving others as He forgave us.
Is it in you?
Set:
Gatorade has posed the question, "Is it in you?" in its famous ad campaign. Each ad emphasizes the ability of their product to quickly replenish an athlete's body with the nutrients lost during competition. To back it up, the company provides scientific evidence that it better rehydrates athletes than water.
Who’s Calling the Shots?
Set:
After his recent passing, people around the world continue to remember the life and legacy of Coach John Wooden. He was a teacher, leader, coach and father figure to so many great players in his career. One unmistakable characteristic of Wooden was that those around him knew who was in charge. Just ask Bill Walton. Before one of his seasons at UCLA, he decided he wanted to play with long hair and facial hair. Walton walked into Wooden’s office and told him just what his plan was. Walton thought he was going to do things his own way.
In our service at church this week I was reminded about who should be calling the shots in our lives. Our pastor, James McDonald, told us that there are only two ways in life: our way or God’s way.
Keeping On Top
Set:
Hockey Chat: Since 1905 in playoff games between in the NHL, MLB, and NBA there have been well over 800 playoff series. Within those series, over 230 teams have taken a 3 games to none lead. Only twice in the NHL (less than 1%) has a team come from behind three games to win the series. That means the team that gets ahead has a better than 99% chance of winning the series.
Our Better Can Be Better
Set:
Have you seen the Nike commercial where the pro athlete leans into the microphone and proclaims, “My better is better than your better”? In this commercial, top-tier athletes from a variety of sports are shown performing some serious training and drills, all with the goal of bettering their game. It’s a commercial advertising Nike’s SPARQ gear—SPARQ stands for Speed, Performance, Agility, Reaction and Quickness. But the commercial serves as more than just an ad for Nike to sell a product. It’s also a reminder of the effort it takes in the off-season to prepare for what lies ahead.
Outward Appearance vs. Heart
Set:
The Lord corrected Samuel’s natural inclination to judge people by their outward appearance—their height, weight, and other physical features. He called Samuel to look more deeply into people’s heart, as God does.
In the world of sports, it is easier and quicker to make judgments by what we see. Everyone who walks on to the field of competition immediately sees where the largest players are. What cannot be so easily seen is the nature of a player’s heart. Qualities like courage, perseverance, love, and loyalty cannot be observed by a glance. These are qualities of the heart and require a deeper look into the player and his values.
It's Personal
Set:
"I know that he's a competitor. I know that he does it the right way, and I have respect for him to that degree. But I'm not going to sit here and pretend like this isn't personal between us. There's a lot at stake." That is head wrestling coach Tom Brands from Iowa referring to his counterpart from Iowa State, Cael Sanderson, prior to their December 3, 2006, duel meet. Both coaches are in their first year at schools where they each became wrestling legends and won multiple NCAA championships. This was no ordinary duel meet, and it lived up to the hype with Iowa winning 24-6 with seven matches decided by two-points or less.
Mythbusters - As long as it’s fat free!
Is Fat really all you have to worry about? Or are other ingredients just as important?
Grieving With Hope
Set:
How do you go on after experiencing the unexpected death of a friend and loved one? The Illinois Wesleyan University football team was faced with this difficult task after the death of 21-year-old offensive lineman and co-captain, Doug Schmied. Schmied passed away on August 24, 2005, after suffering complications from heatstroke.
Running in the Faith
“I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus.”
-Philippians 3:14 (NIV)
The Tongue
Set:
I was twenty-one years old, and I had just graduated from The Ohio State University, having majored in education. I arrived as a new teacher and coach at River View high school near Warsaw, Ohio, in 1974. There I met Andy Duda, the varsity football coach. I noticed initially that he was a physically strong man, and I learned very soon that he was also spiritually strong. Any player on Andy’s team knew that we acted like men, we worked hard, and we never used profanity. Andy taught those values to his players and modeled them to everyone.
Come Forth as Gold
Set:
Everyone knows the story of Job and how God tested him with some pretty serious stuff. Though at times Job questioned why everything was happening to him, he never really lost sight that God was in control. After Job was tested and was proven faithful, God granted him more than he had ever had.
Soul Food
Set:
We all know that we need to eat well so our bodies will perform well on the field of competition. But how many of us know what feeds our souls? What keeps one’s soul from starvation and keeps it running? Jesus knew about “soul food.”
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