Devotional
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November 28, 2013
Set:
A Christian competitor is a thankful competitor. Every time you step onto the field of competition, your heart is exploding with thankfulness, because you are abundantly grateful for God’s blessings. You have a deep conviction that your gifts, talents and skills to play and to compete come from Him alone. You never take it for granted. Every stride, swing, shot, pass, goal and point is a response to God’s goodness. The way you compete is marked with, Thank you God, because you count all of God’s blessings in your life. You always show gratitude.
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November 27, 2013
Set:
It was a week before the big game. Coach knew how to prepare his team. Every day he broke down the opponent’s offense and defense so his team knew them almost better than they knew themselves. For that week, he added one task to the end of every practice, firmly believing it would make a difference.
A game plan is vital for every contest. Throughout Scripture, God’s game plan was instituted among His coaches. Jesus provided the greatest example of preparing for battle. He was led by the Spirit into the wilderness to be tempted by the Devil. Satan thought he had the perfect plan, but Jesus was so prepared that every time Satan tempted Him, He came back with an impenetrable defense: God’s Word.
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November 26, 2013
Set:
Our world today tends to say that we should only give thanks in the midst of good circumstances, so it's easy for us as athletes to give thanks to God after a victory. Now, there's nothing wrong with thanking Him for good Ws, but God challenges us through His Word to adopt a much higher way of living by giving thanks in everything.
In 1 Thessalonians 5:18 (above), the word "thanks" comes from a Greek word that literally means to be "thankful for God's good grace." This kind of thanks never needs to be circumstantial.
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November 25, 2013
Set:
In 1 Corinthians 13, Paul tells us that without love nothing we are and possess nothing. This is a fundamental truth of Christianity. It’s so simple and yet so complex. We can say we believe it but our relationships with others will reveal whether or not we really do.
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November 24, 2013
Set:
As athletes what we put into our bodies is very important. The pre-game meal may be the most important meal we eat. We have to make sure we get enough energy to last through the entire competition. This is our last chance to get the fuel we need.
In John, Jesus tells us of work that will actually GIVE us energy instead of using it. Doing God's work will give us the fuel we need to in order to succeed in the game of life. So what is the work that we should be doing? In Matthew 28:18-20 Jesus tells us very plainly what our "work" should be. We are to go out among the nations and build His Kingdom.
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November 23, 2013
Set:
I love baseball. This is a sport that relies on a team for a successful outcome. Baseball is also the only American sport where, during a stoppage in play, a manager or coach can approach an umpire to dispute a rule or argue a call. Unfortunately, we’ve all watched a manager throwing a tantrum, kicking dirt on the plate, or verbally abusing an umpire. We’ve also seen the umpire retaliating in anger and sometimes losing control. It’s hard to have someone yell at us or challenge our character in any setting, but especially in front of peers and spectators in a stadium.
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November 22, 2013
Set:
I’m a big believer that God is in charge of your life. I believe this because I’ve seen how God has directed my path, even though I might not have been aware at the time.
So many times I was in a certain place, like when I played for the Chicago Cubs, and I thought that I was going to play there the rest of my career. Then I went to Colorado and I thought I’d be there the rest of my career. And then I went to New York. In the beginning, New York was very difficult. I didn’t understand why God put me there. But I realized over time that there was reason for everything He does, and ultimately, He’s in charge.
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November 21, 2013
Set:
Trials. The Bible doesn’t tell us that trials may happen; it tells that trials are a sure thing. How can we have joy when we face difficult times, when our season is 0–5, when parents are angry that their child sits on the bench, or when our assistants question our every move? How can we be content when we face all of this?
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November 20, 2013
Set:
Paul “Bear” Bryant, born on September 11, 1913, once said, “It’s not the will to win that matters; everyone has that. It’s the will to prepare to win that matters.” September 11, 2001, will forever be remembered as one of our country’s worst tragedies; however, on September 11, 1983, I experienced my own tragedy. On that day, I suffered a spinal cord injury during a football game. I dislocated three vertebrae in my neck, and was told I would never walk again and could be permanently paralyzed from the neck down. Today, twenty-two years later, I am confined to a wheelchair.
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November 19, 2013
Set:
When I played little league football for the Sharks, we had an undefeated season. We were so good that not a single team even scored against us. Not bad for eight-year-olds!
Needless to say, teams feared the Sharks. After our games, Coach Buckley would hand out the coveted “110%” helmet stickers to players who had played with all their heart and had given that extra effort on the field.
As competitors, we can sometimes be tempted to hold back what is God’s for our own pleasure. But God wants us to give Him what is right, not what’s left. In Luke 6:38, Jesus says:
