I once heard of a man named Scott who calls himself a professional gate-crasher—and with good reason. He claimed to have attended 300 sporting events and concerts, including 25 World Series baseball games, all without paying a single penny. In fact, he wrote a book that describes 50 ways to sneak into concerts and sporting events.

Scott’s gate-crashing raises all sorts of ethical questions, but let’s talk, instead, about a higher issue. Think about what it takes to get into Heaven. Jesus said there was only one way to get in: through Him (John 14:6). The “ticket” is having a personal faith in Jesus as your Savior, believing that He paid the penalty for your sin and accepting His offer of forgiveness as a gift (John 3:16; Romans 6:23).

“Because God has made us for Himself, our hearts are restless until they rest in Him.” –  St. Augustine

We usually don’t like talking about our devotions, because we view it as personal and what works for us might not work for others. Even if we do share, others can take it as bragging or preachy! However, it is essential that we discuss not only what we are learning, but also how we are doing it. As teammates, we should encourage one another in our spiritual walks.

As athletes, we train to become faster and stronger. We try to bring as much power to our sport as we can. We may engage in a weight-training program. We may go out and run. We may attend a sports camp. But even more important than our physical training, is our spiritual training.

Consider a plain, ordinary light bulb. How much power does it put out? On its own, it puts out absolutely none. It has to be hooked to a power source.

“Coaching is a profession of love. You can't coach people unless you love them.” - Eddie Robinson

On June 26, 2010, thousands gathered at a memorial service to honor the life of legendary coach John Wooden who passed from this life to the next. Coach Wooden lived 99 full years. He lived well, died well and understood his eternal fate. He once said, “There is only one kind of life that truly wins, and that is the one that places faith in the hands of the Savior.”

The freshmen football team opened their season with a 16-14 win. Even though the game was called at halftime due to storms their momentum would likely have carried them through the second half. They didn’t look like a newly formed freshmen squad. Their footwork specifically was like that of a more progressed team. Sure, there were a couple of plays and other things that needed to be corrected, but the practice they’d put in showed up in the way they played the game. There were well-executed routes, wonderful kicks, a quarterback who stood his ground, an NFL-like catch, a fantastic run and a blocking wall that was picture perfect.