Devotional
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January 31, 2007
Set:
Tiger Woods began the 2007 golf season the same way he ended the last one -- victorious. Woods won the Buick Open for the third-straight year and extended his PGA Tour winning streak to seven consecutive tournaments. Only Byron Nelson, who won 11 straight, has more. "As far as how special seven is, you're in elite company," Woods said. "There's only one person ahead of you. He's one of the greatest legends in the history of the game."
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January 30, 2007
Set:
Super Bowl week is finally here. After waiting for months to see who would make it we have two good teams…Da Bears and the Colts. Being in Chicago, all I hear is about the Bears, and very little about the Colts other than Peyton Manning. But this year's game takes on another interesting turn for fans and coaches across the country. I am not referring to having both coaches being African American (though I think that is long overdue and fantastic), but rather about having two Christian men coaching the big game. The men are truly "Super" men of God and have not been trying to hide it in any way. Football is not their god; it is simply what they do. I think that is super just for them to verbalize it publicly and to live it out.
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January 23, 2007
Set:
As he led the Colts down the field for the game-winning touchdown against their rivals, the New England Patriots, and a spot in the Super Bowl, Peyton Manning had a little one-on-one time with God. "I said a little prayer there on that last drive," Manning admitted after the Colts scored with just one minute remaining. "I don't know if you're supposed to pray or not in those kinds of situations, but I did."
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January 22, 2007
Set:
Commitment, sacrifice and hard work are terms synonymous with two former major league baseball players who will be inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame: Cal Ripken and Tony Gwynn. Not only did they make it in on their first ballot election, but also by two of the highest voting percentages in the history of the Hall's election process. These two players mirror each other in many ways. They both played with the same team their entire careers; they both played in the majors for more than 20 seasons; both hit more than 3,000 hits; and both remained faithful to their cities, organizations and families during their careers. The induction will be a well-deserved honor for each man, indeed.
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January 19, 2007
Set:
College football bowl season is finally over. There were some good games, some bad games and some "wow" games, but in the end it was all about each winning school getting the glory. Florida was the "Grand Poobaa" this year beating Ohio State, and that glory will last for about a month or so until March Madness rolls around and people forget about football. This just goes to show that the glory we get on earth is very short-lived; and if anyone should receive glory for any accomplishment, it needs to be God.
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January 17, 2007
Set:
"I'm coming there to make a difference. I wouldn't be doing this if I didn't believe in this project. This could create something that we've all never seen before," said England soccer superstar David Beckham after signing a five-year, $250 million contract with Major League Soccer's L.A. Galaxy. With Beckham's soccer career in what is likely its final few years, time will tell if this move will prove to be fruitful for the Galaxy and for MLS.
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January 12, 2007
Set:
To me, cheerleaders make games more exciting. They offer enthusiastic encouragement to the players and have a way of sensing when their teams needs an emotional lift. Cheerleaders also communicate with the fans and help keep the positive energy flowing in support of the team. The best cheerleaders cheer most fervently during the most pivotal moments of the game, when the outcome is in doubt or when the team is really struggling.
In life we have a cheerleader that is always there to uplift us and to inspire us during the times we need it most. Our cheerleader for life is the Holy Spirit, which becomes present in our life when we accept Jesus as our Lord and Savior.
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January 11, 2007
Set:
One of the greatest guards in basketball history was John Stockton, the NBA's all-time leader in assists. He knew his primary role wasn't to score, but to set up his teammates to score, and during his 17 seasons, no one in the league did that any better. The success of his teammates depended upon Stockton's willingness to put them first, to step aside and let them score.
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January 10, 2007
Set:
There are three essentials to the game of golf. Each parallels the meaning and purpose of the Christian life. . .
The first essential is the grip (how the golfer holds the club). If the starting point, the grip, is bad, the golfer's entire game will suffer. In life, the first step of getting a grip is to be born again through faith in Jesus Christ (John 3:16).
The second is the stance. The way a golfer addresses the ball determines the success of his shots. If his stance is crooked, he will get into trouble. In the Christian life, the stance is likened to our daily walk. If we take the right stance, denying sin and committing ourselves to obeying Christ, we will know God's pleasure and blessing (Romans 12:1-2).
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January 09, 2007
Set:
It's a struggle--competing and living for the Lord. The world is constantly trying to buy our attention, and Satan is readily attacking us with temptation. He longs to see us fail in life and in sports. His alluring nature and tempting spirit are hard to fight off, unless we are properly equipped. In Ephesians it says, "Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world, and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms" (6:10-12, NIV).
