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Sports DevosFor the Christian sports nutBy Clint DanielsIntroductionThis book is tailored straight to the Christian sports nut! All devotionals are meant to draw you closer to the Lord through your own quiet time with Him. I hope you find these devotionals enlightening, encouraging, and convicting. My prayer is that they lead you closer to the One who died for all of us on the cross, Jesus Christ. May we all dedicate our lives to His cause, choosing a Godly path worthy of making Him proud. Quiet TimeMy definition of quiet time is any time you spend with the Lord to grow with Him. We can grow with God through a plethora of ways; however, every person’s quiet time with God will look a little different. To get the most out of this time that you carve out of your day—and yes, we do need to carve it out because it won’t just magically come otherwise—ask God what he needs you to do. Pray about it. And then listen. No, you most likely won’t hear a booming voice coming down from the heavens—if you do hear that, please let me know what it sounds like by the way—but you will feel an urge deep down in your soul nudging you where He needs you to go. Are you curious how to do this? Check out the list below for quiet time suggestions …Read the Bible. What part should you read? Try doing an internet search over specific topics that intrigue you or areas of weakness you need to improve upon. Journal! Being spiritually gifted in this area makes this one of my favorites. Try writing about Biblical perspectives. Try writing a letter to God. Write about spiritual warfare going on in your life. Get your feelings out!Listen to music. Utilize the many Christian bands that are on Youtube or just get out your MP3 to listen to the songs you need to.Read a Christian book. There are plenty of them out there over numerous topics that intrigue. Lifeway and Mardel have excellent selections.Meet with a Christian friend or accountability partner. Accountability is huge if you want to challenge yourself. This should be more than just catching up on life and enjoying coffee together. Ask each other the hard questions. Challenge one another. Dig into the Word, and watch your relationship with Christ blossom.Take a walk or a jog while listening to Christian music. Exercise is great for the body, but if you’re training your mind through songs of faith while you’re at it, all the better!Write notes to people who need it. These could be anything from a note of appreciation to a sympathy card. Reaching out to others is an amazing feeling.Pray. Pray some more. And then pray again. Lift up anyone you feel God is placing on your heart, give Him thanks, confess your sins, and always praise God for his omnipotence. It is difficult to go wrong with prayer so long as your heart is with God.Be at one with nature. If you have a quiet patio, utilize it! Seeing God’s creation around you is inspiring. A change of scenery from your living room chair might spice things up.Memorize scripture. It will help you face life’s challenges if you have it in your heart. An easy way to do this is with flashcards or through repetition.How To Use These DevotionsEach devotion is split into many different categories. The common themes amongst all devotions are listed below:Scripture: Every devotion begins right where our hearts need to spring from, which is of course the Bible. These scriptures will drill you right off the bat in God’s philosophy about the topic to get you in the right mindset.Thought for the day: This section connects sports to our lives. You’ll get a variety of stories divided by sport. Each story is then linked to how we should live our lives, using scripture to drive that philosophy. Bible story: Following the thought for the day, we go straight back to the Bible. How is this theme practiced in the Bible? What can we learn from Biblical characters concerning the topics? Prayer: Each devotion concludes with a short prayer to wrap up the thought for the day.There are likewise different sections devoted to different themes. Here is what to expect there and how to utilize these features:Music: Here you will find songs that speak truth to the themes. Look the lyrics up online. Listen to the songs on websites such as . The best videos are the ones that have the lyrics shown on screen as the song plays, combining two powerful forces.Journal/accountability talk: This section provides you with a choice to either reflect on the questions presented through a journal or to hook up with a friend that can discuss the questions with you. Some people may want to even try both! Whatever you choose, pick the option you believe you will get the most out of and challenge your mind to think critically.Video: Sometimes seeing a clip from a movie or other media source helps put these themes into perspective. Many of the videos come from . Others come from . All of the clips, however, will give you a visual look at the theme being discussed. Quote: There are times when a famous quote provides powerful insight into a specific theme. These quotes will spin a Christian perspective on the topic outside the Bible.Challenge: There are times when the gauntlet needs to be laid down. Want to get out of your comfort zone? Try these challenges. Some of the questions in the journal/accountability talk section are challenging enough; however, this will give you a specific action to take that is certain to convict you to live more like Christ.Song/cinema application: These songs and movies are perfect to allow meditation about each specific Christian theme.Further reading: Do you want to go deep? This section recommends Christian books devoted to shedding light on specific topics. Table of ContentsAccountability: More Than a FriendPerseverance: Never QuitFinances: Money Management That WorksAnger: Diffusing Words of WrathQuiet Time: Prepping for the GameIdolatry: Where is Your HeartModesty: Giving Credit Where Credit is DueEndurance: The Race of LifeSerenity: Soaking in God’s BeautiesRevenge: Not as Sweet as it SoundsRest: Keeping the Sabbath HolyRespect: Loving Those Who Don’t Love YouPerfection: The Greatest Round Ever PlayedBalance: Spreading the Wealth Where NeededTechnology: Use It But Don’t Abuse ItJudging: Leave it up to GodSacrifice: Putting Others Before YourselfWitnessing: Spreading God’s LoveCourage: Take Heart and Press OnBorn Again: Everyone Deserves a Second ChanceHumility: Finding Peace Through Coming CleanTeamwork: Working Together for Christ’s CausePurity: A Battle Worth FightingPride: Proud to be a ChristianFaith: Trusting in God’s WillNutrition: You Are What You EatDiversity: Embracing the Differences in OthersForgiveness: Letting Go of ResentmentEccentricity: A Little Different From the CrowdImage: Projecting God, Not SelfSpiritual Gifts: For the Good of the TeamSelf-Confidence: You Are WorthyMarriage: God at the CenterLeadership: The Greatest Coach EverSubmission: Yield to God, Not the WorldArmor of God: Breaking Satan’s Full Court PressProactivity: Expecting the UnexpectedSloth: Don’t Sleep on God’s TimeDevotion: Giving All Your HeartEternity: Eyes on the PrizeAccountability: More Than a FriendScripture: “As iron sharpens iron, so one man sharpens another” (Proverbs 27: 17)Thought for the day: On the PGA Tour golfers get all the glory, but don’t be so quick to give all the credit to the golfer. If a golfer has a caddy that can assist in reading the greens, selecting the right club to use, or who can give the right word of encouragement at the right time, all while knowing their golfer’s favorite snack to keep in the bag, a caddy can actually be quite an asset. If a golfer finds the right caddy, the caddy will not only know the course; they will know their boss, the golfer, inside and out. When playing in tournaments, there has to be a certain amount of trust between each. If a caddy reads the green and the golfer lacks confidence in the caddy’s advice, the relationship simply isn’t going to work. The caddy should be bold enough to encouragingly tell the golfer to switch clubs if they select a 9-iron when it should be an 8-rion, and the moment the golfer gets flustered, the caddy needs to know the exact time to pick up the spirits of their boss. Accountability in leading a Christ-like life is much the same way. We can’t go through this journey alone. Truth be told, we’re going to have some tough decisions to make in life, and I want my best friends to take on that role of an accountability partner. I meet with my two accountability partners whenever I can—at least once a month. We quietly encourage one another outside of our meetings. Whenever I have a big week coming up, I’ll let Kevin and Brian know exactly what I need prayers for. The relationship is taken to an entire different level if I tell them to pray for me about my meeting Friday, then Friday evening the e-mail is waiting in my inbox asking how the meeting went and that I was being prayed for. If one of them is working a long 4-day stretch that is taking a toll on their family, I know it is my time to check in. We encourage one another, we discuss what we do with our quiet times, we get into the Word together, and we live life together, challenging each other to live the way God needs us to.Who is your accountability partner? Do you have a friend you go to during times of adversity? Someone you trust with all your heart to advise you based on scripture as opposed to worldly tradition? If you lack a true accountability partner, who do you want on your team? Moses had Aaron to help him. Job had his buddies to come to his aide after losing everything. The disciples obviously had each other. Accountability is something that cannot be taken lightly. It is more than just a coffee or golfing buddy. You can certainly do that with an accountability partner, but if you aren’t transparent with your hearts, digging into the Word together for support, this relationship will not be as deep. The deeper a caddy gets into the heart of his golfer, the better the golfer will produce. The same goes with an accountability partner.Bible story: (Read 1 Samuel 18-20) Here we have the definition of true friendship. David and Jonathan epitomize what friends should be, sticking by one another through thick and thin. David, after defeating Goliath, rises quickly in popularity, which makes King Saul extremely jealous. Saul, wanting all the glory for himself, decides he needs to kill David, setting forth a wild goose chase with David escaping Saul by the skin of his teeth. Saul’s son Jonathan ironically enough has befriended David. In 1 Samuel 18: 1 it says that “the soul of Jonathan was knit to the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as himself.” I’d call that true friendship, wouldn’t you? The relationship goes deeper than just a friend to have coffee with. These two are connected by the soul!How easy would it have been for Jonathan to follow his dad’s lead and hate David? This is an era where children were expected to esteem their parents, probably a lot more than youth does in today’s culture. In 1 Samuel 19 Jonathan warns David that his father is seeking to kill him. He even tells him to wait and hide while he talks to Saul in order to find out how Saul plans to hurt David. Jonathan never once turns his back on his buddy and helps him through the entire ordeal with Saul. These two men are more than friends. They are accountability partners, and they support one another through a devotion toward one another that can only be described as invincible. Video clip application: Go to and search “accountability.” Click on the link for “Better Father.” (link: ) What was the reaction to the accountability idea from the group? Who is in and who is not? Do you think the contract will assist them with this task? Adam, the gentleman leading the discussion, needs accountability for fatherhood. What is your major area of need in terms of accountability? What are you going to do about it?Journal/Accountability talk: Who in your life can you be completely transparent with? Who can you call out if you see them going wayward? Who do you know will call you out if you do the same? Who can you meet with regularly? Why does this person stand out for you as a good accountability partner? How can you meet with them on a regular basis to hold one another accountable? Will you read a book together? Pray together? Encourage one another? Challenge: Map out a plan including when and where to meet with your accountability partner. Begin meeting with that person or persons on a regular basis to put this into action. Prayer: Lord, I pray that I can utilize the cream of the crop here on earth for more than friendship. I desire accountability to follow Your perfect will, and I pray that you can make me bold to sharpen my closest friends as well. May we unite as a single force of power to ensure that Your glory is seen by all. Amen.Bubba Watson and his caddy, Ted ScottPerseverance: Never Quit Scripture: “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one receives the prize? So run that you may obtain it” (1 Corinthians 9: 24).Thought for the Day: As a child my father would put me to bed one of two different ways: by telling a made-up tall tale or by telling a real life sports story. One of my favorite sports stories of all time that he loved telling was the story of former Kansas University track star Billy Mills. Mills, a Native American, barely qualified for the 1964 Olympics in the 10,000 meter run, 25 laps around the track. Ron Clarke of Australia, the favorite to win the race, charged out to a purposeful lead, but Mills, believing he could compete with the best, was right on Clarke’s heels. The two runners took turns pushing the pack along with Mohammed Gammoudi of Tunisia, Mamo Wolde of Ethiopia, and Kokichi Tsuburaya of Japan. By the final lap of the grueling race, it came down to Clarke, Mills, and Gammoudi. Clarke had the lead, but Mills outlasted by him on the right, overtaking the disgruntled favorite. Clarke, frustrated by losing the lead yet again, burst forward, shoving Mills to the right. Stumbling from the shove, Mills lost ground in time for Gammoudi to elbow his way by. Coming around the final turn of the last lap, Mills was barely in the camera picture. His dreams of winning were being stripped from him by two runners who had bullied their way to the front of the pack, but as Clarke and Gammoudi were lapping runners around that final turn, Mills put forth a last ditch effort to surpass his adversaries. Gammoudi began pulling steadily away from Clarke, but neither runner noticed the sinewy Native American from Kansas until he was breaking the tape with a burst of speed comparable to a rocket. Mills had won!During my days of coaching middle school track, I respected the athletes that gave it their all right up to the finish line, but I likewise saw some that would slow down when they knew all was lost. When the chips are down and the times are bleak, are you the guy who will turn on the afterburners or are you the guy who gives in? When we run the race of life, we’re going to have our ups and downs. Paul speaks dramatically about it in the verse above. When I read those words, I am reminded of his competitive nature that accepts nothing worse than first. Where are you accepting defeat in your life? If your marriage goes south, are you letting go of it? If your job isn’t all that it’s cracked up to be, are you quitting it with that hallucination that the grass is always greener on the other side? Maybe you are considering the ultimate sin, quitting on everything and believing that your life is not even worth living. Man up! Don’t be that pansy that gives up on the last lap. Ride the waves of God’s encouragement to the finish line. Listen for His voice calling from the sidelines! He’s asking you to give your best in everything you do for His sake. To inspire others to follow your lead. For His glory, do it!Bible story: (Read Genesis 37, 39-41) The story of Joseph tells a story of a guy who never quit. Joseph was his father’s favorite, and his brothers became quite jealous of their father’s favoritism. This jealousy was boiling over when Joseph described a dream he had where his brothers were bowing down to him. That was the breaking point. They sold Joseph into slavery the next day. But Joseph refused to let this get him down. With his change of fortune, God was with him the entire way, helping Joseph find favor with his new master, Potiphar. Joseph was put in charge of the entire estate because of his work ethic and kindness. Sadly, however, Potiphar was not the only one who found favor with Joseph—Potiphar’s wife noticed him too!This was not looking good for Joseph, especially when Potiphar’s wife asked him to sleep with her. Joseph was a moral man and could not perform such a vile act, so he did the only thing he could. He ran the heck away, leaving behind his cloak, stuck in Potiphar’s wife’s grasp. Scheming right back at him, she immediately screamed that he had attempted to rape her, proving her claim by waving the cloak. Potiphar had no choice but to throw Joseph in jail. Another bump in the road, much like when Mills was bumped a second time.But Joseph stayed faithful to the Lord and forged on. He met two fellow inmates at the prison, the cupbearer and baker of the Pharaoh, both of whom had lost favor with the Pharaoh. They each had dreams to which Joseph interpreted. It was quite the bummer for the baker though as Joseph predicted the Pharaoh would impale him, and sure enough it happened! The cupbearer remembered this and told the Pharaoh to seek Joseph when the Pharaoh’s dream troubled him. Joseph came, interpreted the dream, and BOOM! Pharaoh let Joseph take charge of Egypt. Talk about finishing the race strong!Song application: “Never Let Go” by Matt RedmanVideo clip application: Use to search for “Billy Mills 10,000 meter gold medal final.” (link: ) Pick from any of the number of videos created here. Cinema application: Watch the movie Running Brave. This movie starring Robbie Benson was created to pay tribute to the life of Billy Mills. It covers his days at the University of Kansas, his humbling home life, and his Olympic triumph. Prayer: Lord, I pray that when the going gets tough you will power me through the difficult times. Let me never give up, Lord, always giving my best for You. Christ paid a price for me with His sacrifice on the cross; may my life be a sacrifice to You in return. Amen. Billy Mills (722) winning the 10,000 meter run at the 1964 OlympicsFinances: Money Management that WorksScripture: “And he said to them, ‘Take care, and be on your guard against all covetousness, for one's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions’” (Luke 12: 15).Thought for the Day: In 2003 Michael Lewis wrote the book Moneyball about the 2002 Oakland Athletics. Oakland was what baseball fans had branded a small market team. They didn’t have the money to compete with the big guns like the New York Yankees. The A’s general manager, Billy Beane, was sick and tired of losing his best players to teams that could afford them. With the help of assistant general manager Paul DePodesta, he boiled his team philosophy down to a single idea. The team that gets the most guys on base and moves them across home plate wins. Beane got rid of the dead weight on his team and began signing players that were cheaper and ended up accounting for more runs. It wasn’t until mid-season that the Athletics new philosophy began paying off. Slowly, methodically the team climbed the standings in the American League, culminating their season with a dramatic 20-game win streak between August 13 and September 4 that brought their team the AL West crown in 2002. The same team that had lost three of their star players (Jason Giambi to the Yankees, Johnny Damon to the Red Sox, and Jason Isringhausen to the Cardinals) was now in the playoffs. Although they ended up losing 3-2 in the American League Division Series to the Twins, the A’s had cracked a code. Other teams took notice. By the end of the decade, Beane and DePodesta had devised a system that revolutionized baseball, all because they were smart with their money.Do you play God’s way with your money, or are you caught up in a materialistic craze to keep up with the rest of the world? If your best friends all get new plasma TVs, do you follow? How about your house? Your car? Do you flaunt your money around, throwing it at whatever comes your way? Or do you invest the way Dave Ramsey might train, saving for your kids’ college education and snow-balling your debt? In Matthew 6: 19-21, Christ boldly states, “Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moth and rust destroy and where thieves break in and steal, but lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys and where thieves do not break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.”From the outside that guy down the street with the red Corvette looks pretty set, doesn’t he? My guess is that he doesn’t show off his MasterCard debt that puts him thousands in the hole. Personally, I’d rather be the guy driving my economical 2004 Honda Civic with no debt. While the rest of America goes into credit card debt, be the Christian that is in debt to the Lord.Bible story: (Read Luke 18) A rich young ruler approaches Jesus and asks him what he can do to receive eternal life. Christ responds that this man must follow the Ten Commandments. The rich man, probably feeling pretty good about himself at that point, says back to Jesus that he already does keep the Ten Commandments in his heart. Christ counters that comment with a request of sacrifice. He tells the rich man to sell all he has to the poor and to follow Him. There is an uneasy silence, and the man becomes very sad, knowing he is about to lose everything worldly if he follows Christ. How would you respond to this request if Christ asked you to do the same? Would you go sell your house, your car, all the different luxuries you have accumulated in your life on earth? Or would you tell Him no thank you, going back to your normal life? That’s a hard one. One thing is for sure, and that is that God does know your heart. If you’re giving a lot but doing so begrudgingly, God can see through your charity. 2 Corinthians 9: 7 states, “Each one must give as he has decided in his heart, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver.” Song application: “My Own Little World” by Matthew WestVideo clip application: Go to and search “materialism.” Click on the link for “One More Person.” (link: ) Oscar Schindler, a German factory owner during World War II, saved the lives of over 1,000 Jews but lost out on financial profit. How was this sacrifice admirable? When you make your own financial decisions, do you consider others as Schindler did? Or is making that extra buck more important than things like family? Prayer: Lord, help me be a wise steward of the money You have blessed me with. Let me not get caught in the worldly trap of materialism. My treasures do not reside on earth; they are in heaven with You. Let me remember that my money is actually Your money. Amen.Billy Beane and Paul DePodestaAnger: Diffusing Words of WrathScripture: “A man of wrath stirs up strife, and one given to anger causes much transgression” (Proverbs 29: 22).Thought for the day: Anger and golf in the same sentence? Come on, you have to be kidding me, right? I mean, for a Christian golfer to get angry and yell out something profane after snap-hooking his ball into a lake for a third straight time just doesn’t happen, does it? We train ourselves so well that we laugh it off. Right? We hold it all in. We chuckle and say something Ned Flanders might say: “Well, tood-a-lee-doo, that ball just wanted to join his buddies in there!” To quote Mario Lopez, better known as A.C. Slater on Saved by the Bell, “In your dreams, preppy!” It just doesn’t happen! Our anger always finds a way to get the best of us, and if the right moment comes, look out. Your mom sure wouldn’t be proud of your vocabulary, would she?Speaking of my mother, I can’t help but remember a moment from my high school days when I was putting a dinky two-footer for par on a glorious spring day. The birds were chirping, the sun bathed us with all its beauty, and the aroma of sweet flowers and fresh cut grass filled the air. I knew the put was all but in the hole, and I was honestly expecting my buddies to say, “Hey, pick it up. That one’s good.” But no! Nothing was said, and I bent over to tap it in—or so I thought. I jerked that little putt straight off the left edge of the hole, watching it lip out. In a moment of passion, I bellowed a curse word that echoed through the surrounding houses and dare I say neighborhoods. I won’t say what word was expelled from my mouth, but let’s just say it didn’t make my mom too happy. Unbeknownst to me, she was sitting on the back of the putting green watching me make at my home course which was no more than a few blocks from home. Whoops! I stormed off the green, not even giving her the time of day, and moved on to the next tee box, probably letting that anger stew inside me for my next tee shot. Humm, considering cell phones were not in my life yet, I wonder how many video games I got to play the rest of that week?If you call yourself a Christian, you’re called by God to be a Christian 24/7. Ever heard the verse about lukewarm Christians in Revelation 3: 16? What will God do to them? He’ll spit you straight out of His mouth. Pretty harsh. Understandable though. There is no leeway here. We can’t just play Christian at times. We are Christians all the time. Even on the golf course. And when anger comes in golf—and it will!—we have to man up and let others known that we hold ourselves to a higher standard. Even when we’re on the course by ourselves and nobody is around, Someone else is watching us from above. Make your next golf outing different. Make him proud!Bible story: (Read Exodus 2) Here we have a story about one of the greatest men in the Bible. Moses, watching a Hebrew getting beat by an Egyptian, is enraged that someone would be treated so poorly. He does a quick check to see if anyone is watching then pops out and kills the Egyptian, burying him in the sand. The Egyptian was more than likely in the wrong for doing what he did, but Moses let his anger get the best of him, and that anger caused Moses to sin. Who would have thought that Moses of all people could commit murder? Maybe stopping the beating would have been the better choice or simply standing up for the Egyptian, but Murder? Moses paid the price for it too because once Pharaoh learned what Moses did, he tried to kill him. Moses ends up having to flee Pharaoh and ended up in the land of Midian. I share this story here to prove the point that even the best falter here. There are plenty of stories that involve anger and how it leads to sin, but this one proves that absolutely nobody is exempt from anger. It affects us all, and we need to learn how to deal with it. Here it led Moses to break one of the Ten Commandments that he would be getting from God later in his life on Mt. Sinai. Song application: “Words” by Hawk NelsonVideo clip application: Go to and search “anger.” Click on the link for “Shut Up!” (link: ) What could the teacher have done to prevent this from happening? What about his word choice … could he have conveyed the same message with different words? A different tone? When have you had a “shut up” moment? How can you treat your anger during moments of passion to better your chances of not imploding? Challenge: The next time you say something out of anger, make an effort to make amends with the person that upset you, and ask their forgiveness. Even if you are in the right, you have no reason to let anger control your reaction to any situation. It will show humility, and it could lead to your adversary apologizing in return. Prayer: Lord, when anger boils inside me like hot lava, let me know that your truth can be the water that cools it. I realize anger cannot be completely taken away from me, but I can look for warning signs before it happens. Help me take care of my anger in a positive manner that makes me worthy of being called a Christian. Amen.Throwing more than a fitQuiet Time: Prepping for the GameScripture: “Draw near to God, and he will draw near to you. Cleanse your hands, you sinners, and purify your hearts, you double-minded” (James 4: 8).Thought for the Day: The Denver Broncos Peyton Manning is a game film guru. Watch Manning in any game, and he will call 500 audibles at the line of scrimmage. His eyes scout the defense, dissecting it like a general overseeing his troops on the battlefield. Back when I played Madden football on my GameCube, I remember being ticked off whenever I played the Colts, Manning’s former team, because even the video game designers knew Manning’s style, and gosh darn it if the digital version of Peyton Manning wouldn’t be standing there barking out audibles for at least 8-10 seconds on each play. I remember thinking Come on already! Back in December 2012, Manning was getting ready to play the Tennessee Titans and wanted to put in a play he remembered from his college days as a Tennessee Volunteer. He contacted the Volunteers sports technology coordinator, Joe Harrington, to send him a specific play they had run against Old Miss way back in 1996. When Manning asked for the play, he called it by name: flip right duo X motion fake roll 98 block pass special. His trap mind remembers all, and the Broncos put that exact play in their playbook for that week. Harrington remembers even way back at Tennessee Manning would constantly ask for the game film archives of pretty much anything. Manning’s hard core film study has made him one of the toughest quarterbacks to outsmart on the football field.How do you prepare for your life as a Christian? Are you simply going to church on Sunday, or are you constantly living the Word, digging into it on a daily basis? Every day is a new battle, and if we do not mold our minds through quiet time with Him, we are doing ourselves and God a disservice. My definition of quiet time is the time I spend with God before I start my day. Alone. With no distractions. No TV, no kids crying in the background, no chaos whatsoever. Just God and I, sitting down together, finding ways to grow and mature. Together. It’s a daily thing for me, and I do it just like brushing my teeth before I head out the door. Quiet time should not be a once or twice a week thing. God blesses you with 24 hours in each day. How do you use it? Are you setting your alarm 15 minutes early, or are you just hoping you’ll wake?My advice for quiet time is to start small and then go big. Mix it up! Journal. Read a Christian book. Study a book of the Bible. Pray. Listen to a string of Christian songs, and soak in the lyrics. Do it one better and go for a walk or jog while doing so. Meet with a friend to have that person keep you accountable. Pray some more. Ask God what He needs you to do, when you need to do it, and then act upon that request. For all Christ did for us on the cross, we are forever in His debt, and He deserves absolutely no less. Stop making excuses, and man up!Bible story: (Read Luke 22) What is the most meaningful Biblical quiet time ever? I beg to argue for a quiet time spent by the One who came to save us from sin. In Luke 22 Christ knows the mental and physical pain He is about to endure. He knows Judas is leaving to betray. He knows Peter is going to deny. He knows the Romans will soon have their way with Him, putting Christ through physical torture that would make even the toughest Navy Seal flinch. So what does He do? Christ goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray. His disciples followed but only to fall asleep nearby. Meanwhile Christ gave His full devotion to God, praying for God’s will to be done. This is an act of humility and submission that we should all aspire to have, and this quiet time strengthened Christ enough to conquer His last moments before His resurrection three days later. Where do you go when you need strength? Do you turn to the bottle? To prayer? To food? To a loving Christian friend? Do you seek fulfillment in an affair? Or do you turn to the living water, the bread of life, the One who is the epitome of all that we should be? Christ is weary and worn, but He still finds the strength to pray when He needs prayer the most. Song application: “Lord I Need You” by Matt MaherChallenge: Dedicate yourself to a quiet time chart for a full month. Divide a page of notebook paper in half. On the left write down what you did for your quiet time. On the right reflect on how effective each day was. Be honest with yourself. Examine how you felt afterwards and whether or not it helped you overcome challenges throughout your day. Rank yourself on a scale of 1 to 10 after each week and journal about why you gave yourself the score you did. At the end of the month, read over your log of your quiet times and format your future quiet times based on the data you have logged.Prayer: Heavenly Father, I pray that I can grow with you daily through my quiet time with You. Whether it be prayer, reading your Word, or journaling, let my time with you propel me forward with purpose through my day, helping me win the war against Satan that he wages daily. Let this time with You draw me closer to Your loving arms. Amen.Peyton Manning: always a student of the game through filmIdolatry: Where is Your Heart?Scripture: “You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not make for yourself a carved image, or any likeness of anything that is in heaven above, or that is in the earth beneath, or that is in the water under the earth. You shall not bow down to them or serve them, for I the Lord your God am a jealous God, visiting the iniquity of the fathers on the children to the third and the fourth generation of those who hate me, but showing steadfast love to thousands of those who love me and keep my commandments” (Exodus 20: 3-6).Thought for the day: Pop quiz, hotshot! What do the following NBA players have in common? Ron Harper. Dennis Rodman. John Salley. Johnny Dawkins. Mark Price. Nate McMillan. Arvydas Sabonis. Scott Skiles. Chuck Person. Jeff Hornacek. Any takers? Answer: They were all part of the 1986 NBA draft and went on to what more than likely would be considered respectable NBA careers. One name that could have been the greatest of all these amazing athletes is missing from this list, however. When Len Bias was drafted out of Maryland, he was a consensus First Team All-American and the back-to-back ACC Player of the Year. This vaulted him to the second pick in the NBA draft, being chosen by the storied Boston Celtics. Two days following the draft, Bias overdosed on cocaine and died of cardiac arrhythmia. He was a young man who thought he could conquer the world, but was instead conquered by temptation to get high on drugs. Everything he had … the prestige, the potential, the Rebook deal that was coming to a close, the praise of all the sportswriters in America … it all came to a crashing halt based on an idol that Bias had marked as important to him. Red Aeurbach, the Celtics legendary coach, stated at Bias’ funeral that the city of Boston had not been so shocked since the death of JFK. The reigning NBA Champion Celtics were left to wonder what could have been with Bias playing alongside the legendary Larry Bird. Do you ever put idols in front of God? You may not be doing drugs, but what about other idols such as having inappropriate lustful thoughts or striving to keep up with our materialistic society. The scary thing about idols is that they can even be blessings such as family or a hobby you enjoy. Marriages have been destroyed over things like video games! Whatever you put above God is considered an idol. Where is your heart? Is it with God where it should be? Or is it with some cheap imitation that supposedly will provide you with happiness? Do you rush through your quiet time in order to get a full workout at the gym? Do you live your life to please your kids? Does food provide comfort when you should be seeking solace in the One who made you? Be careful where your heart wanders. It may reveal an idol.Bible story: (Read Exodus 32) Possibly the most well-known story in the Bible about idolatry comes right after Moses receives the Ten Commandments from God on Mt. Sinai. Right after Moses has just been commanded by God to not take false idols, the Israelites grew impatient at the foot of the mountain. They wanted to see Moses, but he was just taking too long. Aaron pleaded with them to wait, but he fell into the peer pressure and told the Israelites to throw all their gold into a fire. They created a ginormous golden calf and began worshiping it as the god that rescued them from the Egyptians. God warned Moses before he headed down the mountain about the craziness, and Moses was baffled. He confronts Aaron who gives the lamest excuse ever, pointing the finger back at the Israelites. Did you catch Aaron’s excuse? It is actually quite hilarious when you think of it. Check out Exodus 32: 24. It reminds me of a five-year-old saying something like, “But Mom, that donut just jumped out of the box and landed in my mouth!” Moses pleads for the Israelites case to the Lord, and God, being merciful to His people, chose to forgive them. God will forgive you too if you humble yourself to His needs.Journal/accountability talk: Kyle Idleman suggests the following questions in his book Gods at War to discover your idols. What disappoints you? What do you complain about the most? What do you sacrifice your money for? What worries you? Where do you go when you are hurting? What infuriates you? Where are your dreams? An excellent follow-up question would be how can you put God in the place of these false idols? Book application: Read Gods at War by Kyle Idleman. Idleman takes you step by step through recognizing possible idols in your life and conquering them. His voice is rather witty, and he knows the right balance to be convicting as well.Quote: “If you uproot the idol and fail to plant the love of Christ in its place, the idol will grow back” (Tullian Tchividjian).Prayer: Lord, you are the only one for me. Rid me of anything in my life that takes priority over You. Help me keep my responsibilities in line with Your will for me. You, Lord, are forever the idol of my heart. Amen.Len Bias after his selection in the 1986 NBA draft by the Boston CelticsModesty: Giving Credit Where Credit is DueScripture: “For everyone who exalts himself will be humbled, and he who humbles himself will be exalted” (Luke 14: 11).Thought for the Day: I love soccer. I mean, heck, all you need is a ball, a couple goals, and you’re good to go! The goals could be anything from a couple of cones to a garage door to the regulation posts with a net. It is phenomenal cardio, and it promotes teamwork … most of the time. There is one thing I have never understood about the game, and sadly enough, it comes mostly at the professional level. These amazing athletes are looked up to by many young kids, yet a good lot of them fail to model what teamwork is about.Let me explain. After a goal is scored in soccer, what typically happens? Does the player who scored give a high five to the teammate who made the assist? Or does he take all the credit for himself? Now, before the soccer purists berate me for making stereotypes about all soccer players celebrating immodestly, let me just say I know it happens in all professional sports. And certainly all soccer players do not act this way. However, from what I have witnessed the guy who scores the goal tends to take all the credit. He’ll sprint off to the side, pumping his fists, and then slide to his knees as if he were immortal. I grew up following indoor soccer as a kid, and one of my favorite celebrations was seeing the St. Louis Steamers star forward Tatu rip his shirt off and toss it into the crowd. Very rarely, if ever, do you see a soccer player point at the teammate who gave him the assist.Are you a glory hound? Do you need to be recognized for every amazing thing you do? This isn’t just sports. This is life. Let’s put you to the test … if you perform an act of service around the house like scrubbing the shower without your spouse asking you to do it, do you tell them you did it or do you let them notice for themselves? I once told my wife about a plethora of housework that I did while she was gone, and she laughed at me, “Did you want a medal?” Talk about being called out! The truth is that we don’t need credit for everything we do. God sees it all, and the only approval that should matter in life is His. Shouldn’t God’s approval be enough? Or do you really need to shout your accomplishments to the world?As cliché as it has become, I respect the athletes that give credit to God after winning championships. Have you noticed how athletes, musicians, and movie stars tend to thank God before anything else? That’s the way it should be. We may not see into their full relationship with Christ from a comment like that, but it sure sets a model example that God should come first in our lives. Is He first in your life? Or are you putting yourself above Him, pounding your own chest? The only one who needs the glory is the One who died for us. Bible story: (Read John 12: 12-17) There are plenty of acts of humility in the Bible, but my favorite comes on a day we celebrate known as Palm Sunday. This was Christ at his peak of popularity! Thousands praised Christ in the streets, waving palm branches and celebrating his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. I know many rulers who would have chosen a magnificent white stallion to ride in on. Others, to show their superiority, might choose to be carried in on an enormous throne of royalty held up by four able-bodied men. Jesus Christ? He chooses something more modest: a donkey’s colt. This is the equivalent of a movie star arriving at the Oscars in a beat up rusty Ford Pinto! Why does Christ choose this? Humility. To put Himself above others is not right in His mind, and He epitomizes humility plenty through His actions. He washes His disciples’ feet during the Last Supper. He runs from crowds seeking Him on occasion, fearing they are making him a king for the wrong reasons. And all the while His purpose is to not bring glory to Himself but to bring glory to God. Christ earns respect in my book for not abusing His popularity. He never seeks to make Himself a hero, yet He is still a hero to many.Journal/Accountability talk: Where do you need credit in your life? Do you need to be recognized at work for what you do? Do you seek recognition at home for acts of service you perform around the house? Do you yearn for medals, awards, or even just a simple pat on the back when doing something right? Whose approval matters more to you: the people around you or God’s? Does God see everything you do that is worthy? If He does see all, why do we need others to know? Shouldn’t God’s approval be enough? Quote: “To become truly great, one has to stand with people, not above them” (Charles de Montesquieu).Prayer: Lord, humble me. When I wish to boast, let me boast about nothing but You and what You have done for all. I don’t need any credit or approval except from You. Let me be content with humility, and rid everything from my soul that craves to be a glory hound. Amen.Cristiano Ronaldo celebrates a goalEndurance: The Race of LifeScripture: “More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing that suffering produces endurance, and endurance produces character, and character produces hope …” (Romans 5: 3-4).Thought for the Day: The most grueling track and field running event is arguably the marathon. It is spread into 26.2 miles of endurance, and if you fail to train yourself properly for this event, chances are that your endurance will deflate like air being let out of a balloon. Just ask Ryan Hall, distance runner extraordinaire—not to mention outspoken Christian athlete. His personal best for a marathon (2:04:58) came at the Boston Marathon in April of 2011. Hall likewise destroyed the US half marathon record with a time of 59:43 in Houston, Texas back in 2007. Hall wrote a book titled Running with Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon, a narrative about his preparation for the Boston Marathon in 2010. In his book he breaks down his training week by week, and he is not shy in sharing how God influenced his training.Hall has suffered through many injuries throughout his career. Massage therapy is part of his daily routine while training, once after his morning training regimen and again at the end of the day after his second workout. His body is certainly not immune to the beatings he puts it through to get the most out of his workouts. So, how does Ryan Hall find the endurance he needs to get through his marathon training? In an interview he was asked if he ever feels God helping him with a spurt of energy in a race. Hall responded, “God helps me physically every time I run. I run with my spirit.” It is that spirit inside him that has provided the endurance he needs. The Holy Spirit helps him endure every setback and propels him forward with purpose toward the next obstacle. We all are going to encounter times in our lives when we hit the brick wall like marathoners do when they reach that point of no return. Maybe it is their lungs burning, gasping for fresh air. It could be your feet feeling like cinder blocks as they pound the pavement. Or maybe a strained muscle hampers you. Life is so much the same! Have you ever lost your job? Ever lost a loved one unexpectedly? Maybe your kid failed you in one way or another. Whatever setback you encounter in life, the Holy Spirit can help provide you the endurance you need to press on. If we truly live by God’s truth written in the Bible, when tough times come our way, we rejoice. Why rejoice? Think of it this way. If God is testing your endurance in one way or another, He knows you can handle it. 1 Corinthians 10: 13 states, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.” Translation: God will help us endure all our troubles. Bible story: (Read James 1: 1-18) James certainly has some words of wisdom when it comes to enduring hardships. He begins his letter by saying, “Count it all joy, my brothers, when you meet trials of various kinds, for you know that the testing of your faith produces steadfastness. And let steadfastness have its full effect, that you may be perfect and complete, lacking in nothing” (James 1: 2-4). If I were to meet James face to face, I would guess this man would certainly be a glass is half full kind of guy. Someone that would consider it fortunate to have his favorite team lose just to let the loss make them all that more determined to excel later in the season. You see, James loved adversity. He thrived on it. When a trouble came his way, that guy was stoked! It was simply another way he could let Christ influence his life on a deeper level. James doesn’t resent trouble—he embraces it!How are you in this area? When adversity strikes, can you see the bigger picture? What can you learn from your current struggles you are facing? How can they make you a better person down the road? Is there anything you are complaining about now that you need to embrace like James? Maybe God is simply trying to get you to rely on Him a bit more. Maybe He thinks things are getting a little too comfortable for you. When things get too comfy, we know what happens. That is when Satan strikes. Isn’t it time you embraced your struggles like James?Book application: Running with Joy: My Daily Journey to the Marathon by Ryan HallVideo clip application: Go to and search “perseverance.” Click on the link for “Death Crawl.” (link: ) Before even beginning the “death crawl” here, the football player doesn’t think he can get past midfield. What do you think helps him provide the endurance he needs to crawl the entire distance of the field? The coach obviously encourages the football player. Do you feel God encouraging you when you need endurance? How can you play the role of the coach to encourage others to endure? Song application: “While I’m Waiting” by John WallerPrayer: Lord, I know that when troubles come my way, You always cover me with your strength. Be my strength when I need to endure adversity. Give me wisdom to help others endure pain as well through a Christian lens. It is in your heavenly name I pray. Amen.Ryan Hall giving credit to Christ as he finishes a raceSerenity: Soaking in God’s BeautiesScripture: “And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day” (Genesis 1: 31). Thought for the day: Growing up as a high school kid, there was only one place you’d find me in the evenings in the spring, summer, and early fall. I’d wait till about 7:30 or 8:00 pm when the sun began to hide behind the horizon, painting beautiful pinks, oranges, reds, and purples in the sky. The temperature would drop to the mid 70’s on a perfect night, a light breeze tickling the skin. I would sling my golf bag over my shoulder and trudge out to the middle of the fairway tossing anywhere from seven to ten balls in the middle of the fairway at about 100 yards out. The smell would get to me by that point. It lured me out there like the smell of my mom’s M & M cookies lured me to the kitchen. I was simply drawn there, that sweet smell of fresh cut grass mixed in with the aroma of flowers. It was nature at it absolute best, and I tell you what … on those gorgeous nights, there was no other place on earth I wanted to be.If you’re an avid golfer you know the feeling. Golfing is more than just getting a little round ball into a tin cup. If you can’t slow down and breathe in nature while you play the game of golf, you’re missing out. Sometimes we rush ourselves through our days from one activity to the next, never taking any time to stop and smell the roses. If you can fit in a game of golf, you’re going to get about two hours of soaking in the glories of God. Have time for 18? You’re looking at four to five hours of beauty. Some of the most majestic creations out there reside on golf courses. Scenic lakes of blue glass. Rolling hills. Wispy prairie grass. You name it! I was fortunate enough to play golf courses everywhere in the Kansas City Metro area as a young man, but none of them top number 13 at the Lodge of the Four Seasons in the Ozarks. Picture this hole … We’ll simply pretend you’re the best of the best for now, playing off the blue tees. You tee your ball up, a tall forest of trees shading the luscious Bermuda grass. You are 227 out, and the flagstick is waving slightly in the distance, daring you to find the right club. You already have your trusty seven-wood in your hands, and your confidence is building. You have already soaked in the true beauty of this hole, but you refuse to look at it now. Below the tee box a jagged cliff drops off over 100 feet into a picturesque, smooth cove of the Lake. It is breathtaking. The site of it will make the weekend hackers knees shake, but you’re no weekend hacker. You crush that seven-wood right in the sweet spot, sending the ball flying with a slight draw right at that flagstick. It soars into the white clouds above, hanging for all eternity, then dances right on the green, landing softer than a feather. I wonder why God described his glories as only being “good” in Genesis. Then I realize that God’s definition of good must be just that much more amazing than our own. His definition of good must be … perfection.Bible story: (Read Psalm 147-148) One thing I love about the book of Psalms is the praise it gives God for the beauty He has put on earth. These are just two of many Psalms that give praise to God for this. Read through them slowly, rereading when necessary. Don’t you believe every word of it? I love Psalm 147: 8 when it poetically states, “He covers the sky with clouds; He supplies the earth with rain and makes grass grow on the hills.” Can you picture a rolling hillside, something right out of the Sound of Music, lush grass, flowers blooming? How about the beauty of a glorious rainbow after a late summer shower cascading its brilliance over the horizon? Ever seen a sunrise over the Grand Canyon, painting a picture that only our Creator could muster? Where is the beauty you see? Are you someone who appreciates the rolling hills of the country or the beauty of the Pacific? Do you favor the serenity of a lone flower blooming in the desert or the majesty of a snow-capped mountain? Have you ever experienced your own personal Garden of Eden? A place that literally takes your very breath away with its splendor? God has put so much beauty on this earth. His wonders are unmatched, and they are all here for the world to cherish forever. Song application: “Every Good Thing” by the AftersJournal/accountability talk: What beauties has God blessed your surroundings with? How much time do you actually take to soak in these majesties? When you are driving to work and you see a beautiful sunrise, do you stop to appreciate it or do you continue on without a second thought? How can slowing down in life be important to noticing the beauties God has blessed this world with? Where do you need to slow down the most in order to truly see God and the beauty He has created?Prayer: Creator of the heavens and earth, your majesty is glorious here on earth. We are not worthy to dwell in such beauty. Thank you for nature and the peace it gives us. Amen.Hole #13 at Lodge of the Four Seasons (Lake of the Ozarks)Revenge: Not as Sweet as it SoundsScripture: “Beloved, never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God, for it is written, ‘Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord’” (Romans 12: 19).Thought for the Day: The legacy of Kansas City Chiefs outside linebacker Derrick Thomas is sealed in the NFL Hall of Fame. He and Neil Smith haunted opponents for most all of the 90’s, making the Chiefs one of the most fearsome defenses in the AFC. Thomas amassed 126.5 career sacks and once tallied 20 sacks in one season, not to mention the NFL record for most sacks in a single game. One day my father and I watched Thomas harass Seattle’s Dave Krieg for seven memorable sacks. Although Thomas will always be one of my favorite Chiefs players of all time, I will also remember him for a heated 1998 Monday Night Football game I saw versus the hated Denver Broncos. Thomas’ dislike of the Broncos, specifically loud-mouthed, brash tight end Shannon Sharpe, culminated the matchup. The Chiefs were getting their tails handed to them by Bubby Brister of all people, the Broncos backup quarterback, and the game was all but sealed for a Broncos victory at Arrowhead. On the Broncos final touchdown drive, Sharpe, knowing exactly how to get into the head of his nemesis, began doing the unthinkable. Seeing Thomas lined up across from him, he barked out the phone number of Thomas’ girlfriend with each cadence of the snap count, one number at a time. Thomas became enraged.What ensued was an implosion by Thomas that rivaled the power of Hiroshima and Nagasaki—combined. On that drive Thomas was flagged not once. Not twice. Thomas was flagged a record THREE times, all for personal fouls! I sat there with my dad, jaw dropped in complete shock, watching Thomas make a total fool of himself. Chiefs Coach Marty Schottenheimer admitted he should have pulled Thomas from the game. Owner Lamar Hunt apologized profusely as well, and as for Thomas, he did end up humbling himself in the post-game press conference, apologizing to Sharpe. But the damage was done. Thomas was likewise suspended for one game. Certainly not his finest moment!What does God call us to do when retaliation is eating away at us? Paul explains in Romans 12: 20-21 that “if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals on his head. Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good.” Let’s spell that out a bit more clearly. If your wife has had a long day and lashes out at you for something that wasn’t even your fault, show love. If a coworker that you despise creeps under your skin, festering like poison ivy, show love. If your most hated enemy fires a verbal assault on you, unleashing curse words like machine gun fire, show love. God asks us to rise above revenge. The flesh is weak, but if we hear God, He will conquer anything.Bible story: (Read Luke 9: 49-62) The twelve disciples have been chosen, and they have begun their crusade with Christ to make believers. Jesus sends them into a Samaritan village, but the Samaritans do not accept Christ there. John goes back to Jesus and asks if they should command fire to come down from heaven to destroy the nonbelievers, but Christ immediately responds by saying, “You do not know what kind of spirit you are of; for the Son of Man did not come to destroy men’s lives, but to save them” (Luke 9: 55-56). This is an example of where Christ told his disciples not to take revenge. The Samaritans still have hope here. They can still be saved! Jesus wants more time to turn these nonbelievers around before God strikes them dead, and that makes complete sense. After all, if there are that many more Samaritans that get saved down the road, there would be that much more people to witness for Christ. If we go back to the verse from Romans 12: 19 above, God promises to take vengeance. Shouldn’t that be enough? Shouldn’t we trust His word that God will take care of those who taint His very name? If we seek vengeance, we are basically saying that we don’t trust that God will repay on His own time. Song application: “Losing” by Tenth Avenue NorthVideo clip application: Go to and search “revenge.” Click on the link for “Fort Wilderness.” (link: ) How does this speech make revenge seem cheap? How is this scene evident that revenge has done more scarring in this soldier’s life than good? Where have you sought revenge in your own life? Do you need to humble yourself to anyone and ask their forgiveness?Challenge: Pick a person you have wronged in the past to seek revenge on them. Get ahold of them and ask their forgiveness for your foolishness. Cite the scripture from above to show them your heart is in Christ.Prayer: Lord Jesus, it is so easy to get caught up in wanting to take an eye for an eye. When someone wrongs me, help me be bigger than what my flesh desires. Help me reach out to them in love, conquering the demons inside that seek retaliation. Amen.The Kansas City Chiefs’ Derrick ThomasRest: Keeping the Sabbath HolyScripture: “Six days shall work be done, but on the seventh day is a Sabbath of solemn rest, a holy convocation. You shall do no work. It is a Sabbath to the Lord in all your dwelling places” (Leviticus 23:3).Thought for the day: Eric Liddell, known at the Flying Scotsman, was touted as one of the best 100-meter sprinters in the world. He easily qualified for the 1924 Olympics and was favored to give the strong Americans a run for their money in his best race. It was, however, eight months before the games that Liddell found out his 100-meter heat was going to be run on Sunday. Being the devout Christian that he was, there was no doubt in his mind what he had to do. Liddell took himself out of the 100-meter dash and entered himself in the 400. His countrymen were furious. He was mocked. Laughed at. Scorned. Criticized. But Liddell cared nothing about the opinions of others. He simply could not run on God’s day of rest, the Sabbath. Liddell trained relentlessly for the 400, hard enough to qualify him for the finals. He earned a spot on the far side of the track where he could not see any of the other runners in his view. Before the race began, someone approached Liddell and gave him a slip of paper that read, “Those who honor me I will honor” (1 Samuel 2: 30). The note inspired him to run the 400 the only way he knew how to run: all out, holding nothing back, legs churning, and lungs burning. He broke the tape in 47.6 seconds, demolishing the world record and defeating the favored Americans. His gold medal was not so much for Great Britain as it was for Christ, the One Liddell continually put first in his life. Growing up as a kid, I remember Sunday being a much simpler day. Stores were closed, families spent time together, and work was saved for another day. In today’s busy culture, however, God’s day of rest has been injected with the busyness that epitomizes how crazy our lives have become. What has happened to us? Are our lives that busy that we cannot find time to rest one day a week? God created the heavens and the earth in six days, but on the seventh day, He rested and relished in His creation. “So God blessed the seventh day and made it holy, because on it God rested from all his work that he had done in creation” (Genesis 2:3). If God rested on the seventh day, why can’t we follow His example?So, how do we do this? What does this mean to our hectic schedules? For one, the busy work that may be your Sunday must now be spread amongst six other days. Hit the grocery store on Saturday afternoon. Attend church. Get your family out and enjoy the beauties of God’s creation. Take a walk to the park or go on a family bike ride. Snuggle up on the couch and take in an enjoyable movie. Have a family game night. Save laundry for a different day. And that workload from your job? Put it on the back burner for 24 hours. If that means getting up a little extra early or staying up a little later another day or two, then so be it. Protect Sunday with all your heart. God gave you this day to rest, not to drain yourselves with work.Bible story: (Read Deuteronomy 5) When Moses received the Ten Commandments from God, he knew he was getting a clear-cut list. God boiled down the way we should live our lives into ten practical laws for life. There was no beating around the bush with these principles. No gray areas. Of the Ten Commandments, God really details two in paragraph form. The first is idolatry. The second? You guessed it. Keeping the Sabbath holy. I wonder if God knew that we would struggle with these two laws. Bowing down to riches, sports teams, family, greed, lust, anything but God is at the core of idolatry. But what about keeping the Sabbath holy? Are our lives so busy that we cannot fathom taking a day off to recharge the batteries? This is a commandment, not an option. God doesn’t say do your best to keep the Sabbath holy. He wants all of your Sunday! Video: Eric Liddell’s story was immortalized in the 1981 movie Chariots of Fire. Watch a tribute to Eric Liddell here: . Song application: “Every Good Thing” by the AftersJournal/Accountability talk: How do you spend your Sunday? Do you try to squeeze in activities that could be left for another day? Do you attend church regularly without question or only when your schedule allows it? Do you put work aside in favor of family time? Do you fill your day with chores or rest? Prayer: Lord, help us simplify our lives. If our Sunday has turned into another day of work, let us give that day back to You. Give us peace, rest, and serenity, basking in the glories You have blessed us with. Amen.Eric Liddell: 1924 400-meter Olympic Gold Medalist and Christian missionaryRespect: Loving Those Who Don’t Love YouScripture: “But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for those who persecute you … ” (Matthew 5: 44).Thought for the day: The Indiana State Sycamores, led by a floppy-haired kid named Larry Bird, were undefeated upon arriving in the 1979 NCAA finals. Earvin “Magic” Johnson and the Michigan State Spartans were the only team that stood in their way. By the end of the night, Johnson took out Bird, and the Spartans were NCAA champions. Little did either know that this was only the beginning of a budding rivalry full of bitter hate yet later based on respect. Magic was soon drafted by the Los Angeles Lakers, which soon became known as “Showtime.” Bird was drafted by the more blue collar team, the Boston Celtics, otherwise known as “Celtic Pride.” The two teams clashed three times in the NBA Finals, Magic’s Lakers winning two of the three bouts. In the middle of this rivalry Converse decided to get both superstars together to shoot a commercial in the summer of 1985. The commercial was shot in French Lick, Indiana at Larry Bird’s mother’s house that he had bought for her. Before this moment, Johnson and Bird had never had a relationship off the court. All they knew was that they wanted to beat the snot out of each other on the court. A lunch break was called. Johnson and Bird sat down on a bench at the side of the basketball court where the commercial was shot. They let their guards down, talked about their summers, and began laughing together. The crew couldn’t believe their eyes! Here the two most bitter rivals of the NBA were hitting it off just fine, and at Larry Bird’s mother’s house no less. Johnson said he was going to get a bite to eat in his trailer, but Bird insisted he join the entire Bird family for lunch in the house. Johnson and Bird enjoyed lunch and conversation, and out of that meeting came a mutual respect for one another.How do you do in this category? One of Christ most difficult commandments to follow is to love your enemy. Do you really love those who hate you? Let’s put it this way. Let’s say you are persecuted by a co-worker who calls you a Bible-banger. How do you treat this person? Do you reach out to this person in love or do you retaliate? Do you ignore? If we are truly followers of Christ, He tells us that if we get hit on one cheek, we are to turn our heads so the enemy can hit our other cheek. If our shirt is taken, give the enemy our coat as well. If we’re asked to walk a mile with them, walk two (Matthew 5: 38-42). When we reach out to our enemies in love, a mutual respect is built that will reward you in the end.Bible story: (Read 1 Samuel 24) King Saul was exploding with envy for young David. David’s meteoric rise after slaying Goliath was unprecedented. Suddenly Saul saw him as a rival, someone to challenge his place on the throne. So Saul, being the egotistical, power-hungry man that he was, decided to dispose of David. He pursued him across the countryside and would not rest until David was dead. David fled for his life, taking advice from his best friend Jonathan, who ironically enough was Saul’s very own son. His escape led him into the depths of a cave where David suddenly found himself in a peculiar situation.There was Saul, relieving himself in a corner of the cave. David had the opportunity to kill his nemesis right then and there, but his heart would not let him kill the king. As David explained, “I will not lay my hand on my lord, because he is the Lord’s anointed” (1 Samuel 24: 10b). Instead of slaying Saul he cut off a piece of his robe. David could have fled, but he risked his life again by showing his face to Saul afterwards. Saul, guilt stricken and ashamed, changes his heart and says, “When a man finds his enemy, does he let him get away unharmed? May the Lord reward you well for the way you treated me today” (1 Samuel 24: 19). Saul then tells David he will go on to become a great king and pleads that he will not hurt any of his family. David respecting his enemy had not only saved his life but sealed his fortune to come.Challenge: Think of someone you know who you do not have the best relationship with. Maybe you were once close and had a falling out. Or maybe this person has never been on your side. Whoever this foe may be, think of a way to show kindness toward them and act upon it. One small act of kindness toward someone could change their life. If they are curious why you did this, be honest. Tell them that Christ asked that we all act toward one another with love in our hearts, even our enemies. Having this conversation with them might change their heart in one way or another, even having the possibility of saving a nonbeliever. Quote: “Love is the only force capable of transforming an enemy into friend” (Martin Luther King Jr.).Prayer: Heavenly Father, soften my heart when it becomes hard toward those who persecute me. Give me the courage to love my enemies and overcome hate. It is in your precious name I pray. Amen.Larry Bird and Magic Johnson pose for their Converse adPerfection: The Greatest Round Ever PlayedScripture: “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God …” (Romans 3: 23).Thought for the day: What is the lowest round of golf ever? The lowest round on record for 18 holes is a 55, done so four times. E.F. Staugaard did it in 1935 according to some old USGA record books, but that one is suspect. Homero Blancas carded a 55 at the Premier Invitational in 1962, the only 55 in an actual tournament, but the Guiness Book of World Records does not recognize this anymore as they changed the requirements for the golf course to be at least 6,500 yards. The course Blancas played was only a little over 5,000 yards. Steve Gilley supposedly shot 55 on May 17, 2004; however, this was on his home course which was only 5,919 yards, and he was playing with two childhood friends. Finally, a young Australian pro named Rhein Gibson shot 55 on May 12, 2012 at River Oaks Country Club in Edmond, Oklahoma. This may be most impressive of all being that the course is 6,850 yards par 71. Has there ever been anyone who shot below a 55 on 18 holes? Sure, it would be possible. What if someone playing all by their lonesome shot 54 with nobody else to witness it? Or what if someone shot below 55 and didn’t want the information to go outside their local friends? The legitimacy of shooting that type of score would be questioned by anyone. I wonder if any of those immortals above said to themselves afterwards one of those famous “if only” statements. If only that putt woulda dropped! If only I’d have missed that bunker! If only I sunk that chip that lipped out! Golfers are notorious for making these types of statements after careering on any round. But all golfers sin. All fall short at least once. Anything from a three-putt to a snap hook out of bounds to a ball that takes a dip in the lake. No matter how well you play, you can always better your score with an “if only” statement.I propose a question to ponder … if Christ were to play 18 holes, what would He shoot? Being the Son of God, I’d say Christ has just a slight advantage here. Most Christians would probably say He’d shoot 18. Hole in one on each hole, right? My guess is that if there was a way to shoot 17, Christ would find it out! It could drive someone crazy attempting to shoot 18. Think about it … lacing a perfect 350-yard drive down the throat of the fairway of a par 5 still would not measure up. Jesus Christ is just that much more perfect than any of us, but we cannot let that drive us crazy. Nobody’s perfect. Yet we should still not let this be an excuse not to walk the Christian walk. Christ’s perfection may be unattainable, but we should still strive to live like Him. Considering His sacrifice for us, He deserves no less.Bible story: (Read Acts 8-9 and Philippians 3) Paul comes from a rough background. The Paul we all know best is the Paul who wrote all those letters in the New Testament, the Paul who dedicated his life to Christ. We cannot forget that this is the same man who once persecuted the church, throwing any Christian he found in prison. Back then it was Paul who agreed to put Stephen to death. He was every Christian’s worst enemy! In Acts 9, however, Paul hears a voice that asks why he persecutes the church. The voice belongs to Christ, and Paul is immediately humbled. He falls to his knees and is blinded for three full days. Finally, God ends up sending a disciple named Ananias to recover Paul’s eyesight and baptize him in the name of Christ. Paul is made anew. All his sins are forgiven!This man is an inspiration to me. He could have shrugged his shoulders and called it quits. He could have had the attitude that his screw-ups made him less than perfect. But Paul realizes that he still has time to make something of his life, and boy does he ever do that. The same man who slaughtered Christians for their faith ends up becoming one of their biggest advocates. In Paul’s letter to the Philippians he says he is fond of “forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead” (Philippians 3: 13). How admirable for someone who comes from such a rough background to realize they still can change their life! We should all follow Paul’s example in putting our past sins behind us and straining forward in the name of Christ. Song application: “Remind Me Who I Am” by Jason GrayVideo clip application: Go to and search “perfection.” Click on the link for “Being Perfect.” (link: ) The Permian Panther football team is getting a halftime speech from their coach after being blown out in the first half. What does Coach Gaines say about the scoreboard in regards to perfection? What is his definition of perfection? Does it relate to statistics or personal relationships? How does this definition of being perfect apply to what God asks of us? While on , search the word “defeat” and click the link for “Falling Short” to watch the culmination of the movie above. (link: ) How does the loss the team suffers correlate directly to the coach’s halftime speech about perfection? Should the team be feeling defeat?Journal/Accountability talk: Where have you fallen short in your life? How have you learned from these mistakes? How will you use this lesson to propel you into the future with purpose? Prayer: Lord of grace and hope, I am so far from perfect. Whenever I fall short, cover me with the grace that Christ bought for us on the cross. Amen.Rhein Gibson blasts out of the sandBalance: Spreading the Wealth Where NeededScripture: “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven: a time to be born, and a time to die; a time to plant, and a time to pluck up what is planted; a time to kill, and a time to heal; a time to break down, and a time to build up; a time to weep, and a time to laugh; a time to mourn, and a time to dance; a time to cast away stones, and a time to gather stones together; a time to embrace, and a time to refrain from embracing” (Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8).Thought for the day: Jim Thorpe, the great Native American athlete, dominated competition in the 1912 Olympics, winning the pentathlon (five events) and decathlon (ten events) in record fashion. Local Swede Hugo Wieslander was supposed to give Thorpe competition in the decathlon; however, Thorpe dominated the 15 events, placing first in eight. As a matter of fact, Thorpe’s record of accumulating 8,413 points would stand for nearly two decades. He placed in the top four of each event, slaughtering competition. All these amazing feats were coming through a variety of events that prided speed, agility, endurance, strength, and stamina. The King of Sweden was so marveled at his performance that he declared, “You are the greatest athlete in the world,” to which Thorpe replied, “Thanks, King.” Thorpe’s medals at the 1912 Olympics were sadly enough stripped from him by the IOC. You see, athletes that participated in the Olympics were supposed to be amateur. It had come to be known that Thorpe played professional baseball in the summer of 1909 for meager pay, but it was enough to discredit his amateur status. Upon returning from Stockholm, Thorpe continued playing sports, excelling at professional football and baseball back home in the United States, and it was recently discovered in the past 10 years that Thorpe likewise played basketball for the “World Famous Indians” of Larue in the late 1920’s. By the end of his professional sports career, Thorpe had more than left his mark on athletics, earning the title of Greatest Athlete of the Twentieth Century in a poll from ABC Sports.Just as Thorpe used his God given athletic talent to succeed, we are called to use our talents to serve the Lord wherever he needs us. The problem here is that we, much like Thorpe, have a plethora of areas that we devote our lives to. Think about the numerous “boxes” you open throughout your day. There is a box for family, work, hobbies, household chores, friends, church, rest, you name it! This list could go on and on. How do we know which box to open? Well, if your boxes are all inside a much larger container entitled to God, you will have a much better idea. Pray about it. Every day, pray about it. God will answer and tell you where He needs you to be. Some days it may be tending to your family. Other days it may be completing a big project at work. And the Lord will likewise whisper in your ear when you need to rest and recharge your batteries as well. Listen to His awe-inspiring whisper in your ear, and your legacy will likewise be revered. Bible story: (Read John 1: 35-51; Matthew 19: 13-15; John 11: 1-44; Matthew 26: 36-46; John 20: 19-31) I wondered long and hard who in the Bible spread their ministry the best. Who regularly prayed to God in order to accept God’s will as his or her own? The more I thought about this question, the more the answer was right in front of my face. When you read the gospels, you realize that Christ’s time is beyond precious, but He regularly gives it to where it is needed. Just look at Christ’s legacy through the scriptures above. From finding disciples to ministering to children to healing … all the way to His crucifixion and resurrection, Christ spread His ministry efficiently. Christ even knows His body needs rest as we see when He calms the storm. His disciples had to wake him from the stern of the boat in Mark 4: 38.For me the most powerful of these events comes as Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane. He outright says to God that He’d rather not go through the physical and mental torture that was soon to come, but He follows that with one of the most dramatic scriptures in the Bible: "Father, if you are willing, take this cup from me; yet not my will, but yours be done” (Luke 22: 42). Did you catch that? God is asking His only son to go through hell so we don’t have to go there. Who in their right mind would willingly be beaten, scourged, and crucified? Christ even tells Peter in John 18: 11 to let God’s will happen after Peter passionately fights for his beloved Savior. Christ gave His life to God’s perfection above, and you can’t get much more balanced than that. Journal/accountability talk: What are the most prominent areas of your life where God needs you to further His kingdom? What can you be doing at home, work, and with your family and friends that show others who Christ is? Should plans be changed at the last second to give your time somewhere else? How can you differentiate between God’s will and our own? Is there an effective prayer that works for you to seek out God’s will? Should every day be spread equal through our priorities, or does God call us to give our time to different areas on different days? How do we know where to devote our time?Music application: “Help Me Find It” by Sidewalk ProphetsPrayer: Lord, I confess that at times my schedule leaves me feeling overwhelmed. I pray you will lead me daily where I need to invest my time and efforts to further your kingdom. Whether it be at home, work, or elsewhere, let my actions show others what You are all about. Amen.Jim Thorpe at the 1912 Stockholm OlympicsTechnology: Use It But Don’t Abuse ItScripture: “Those who pay regard to vain idols forsake their hope of steadfast love” (Jonah 2: 8).Thought for the day: Technology never ceases to amaze me. There is a new tennis program put out by the company PlaySight called SmartCourt. What this system can do baffles the mind! Utilizing its features, you can calculate game statistics, analyze the data behind each stroke you whack at the ball, and it even calls out “in” or “out” from the sidelines. The computer located at the side of the court captures data through five cameras strategically placed around the court; players do not even need to wear sensors. When a match is complete, a player can go over to SmartCourt and find out pretty much anything. Care to find out if your serve speed is even remotely close to Andy Roddick’s or if your backhand shot distance is longer than your forehand? SmartCourt can show you—all instantaneously!Tennis players everywhere are catching on to the SmartCourt fever. Can this seriously improve your game? When used in the right way, of course! Think about it … let’s say you want to know how many backhands you used versus forehands to see if you favor one over the other. Or what if you were tracking your serve speed and accuracy side by side to see if a faster serve meant more faults? Nick Bollettieri, a famous tennis instructor who has coached the likes of Andre Agassi, Jim Courier, Monica Seles, and Mary Pierce, had this to say about SmartCourt. "In my 60 years, I haven't endorsed too many things," said Bollettieri, a non-endorser of PlaySight. "Most are gimmicks. This is not a gimmick." SmartCourt certainly has its ups when used in the right way, but I wonder if anyone has used it inappropriately. I hear your question already … how in the world could this amazing technology be used in an inappropriate manner? Hear me out. Have you ever overanalyzed something? I wonder if anyone has spent hours looking at that computer when they could be training to make themselves better. A player who spends an hour playing tennis gets a solid workout, but what if the player using SmartCourt suddenly only plays a half hour, using the last half hour to look at their statistics? They’d only be getting half the workout, that’s for sure. Granted, SmartCourt’s technology is amazing, but the misuse of its features could leave a tennis player out of shape or thinking too much while playing. Technology is much the same in the real world. Are we using it too much? Just look around in public. Conversation is dead. Strangers waiting in lines are checking e-mails, texting, updating their fantasy football rosters, playing games, and checking Facebook when they could simply be talking. What about parents at parks? Ever seen a mom laughing on her phone while her two-year-old hangs from a 10-foot monkey bar saying, “Mommy, look at me!” Or what about the high schoolers on a date who spend more time texting than speaking to one another? Technology can suck away good old fashioned face-to-face conversation like a high-powered vacuum. When used in the right way, however, technology can help us connect others to Christ. So, I ask you, from a Christian to another Christian, how are you doing here?Bible story: (Read 1 Kings 18) The problem here is that technology does not exist in the Bible. Moses doesn’t text. Samuel has no clue what an iPad is. Peter would probably look at an MP3 player, listen to the music coming out of the headphones, and contort his face in curiosity. The Bible does, however, provide plenty of stories about substitutes people use for God. Idols if you will. The story of Elijah and Ahab captures this theme beautifully. Elijah is our hero. Ahab has corrupted many to believe in the false God Baal. Our hero stands bravely up to 850 prophets in an all-out grudge match in “the octagon.” Elijah summons his God, the REAL God, while the prophets try to summon up Baal.Is there any question who wins? Any doubt whatsoever? I love the smack talk Elijah provides as he taunts those impostors. His passion for the Lord is obviously letting his tongue run loosely, but all in good fun right? But seriously, picture what is happening here! The prophets of Baal are screaming at the top of their lungs, slashing themselves with knives, and all for nothing. Elijah simply makes one request to God, and BOOM! Presto! Like an explosion coming from heaven above, a lightning bolt of fury, Elijah’s sacrifice lights up the sky! If this were an MMA fight, Baal would be tapping out right now. And all the while Elijah had no doubt his God would reign supreme. How big is your God? Video clip application: Go to and search the video for “Look Up.” (link: )Journal/Accountability talk: How much does technology run your life? Do you utilize it only when necessary? How much do you depend on it to communicate with others? Do you use it when a face to face meeting would be more appropriate? Does it distract you from important outside forces like friends, family, or even God Himself? When waiting in public (ie oil change, airport flight, long lines) do you make conversation with others, or do you fiddle with your phone? How much is your Smartphone, laptop, MP3 player, IPad, or any other piece of technology your idol?Prayer: Lord, I have fallen into a snare that has trapped me. Technology is a beautiful gift that should not be abused, Lord, and if it is affecting any of the relationships in my life—particularly Yours—let me redefine it to what You need. Amen.A tennis player analyzes his game on PlaySight’s SmartCourtJudging: Leave it up to GodScripture: “Judge not, and you will not be judged; condemn not, and you will not be condemned; forgive, and you will be forgiven” (Luke 6: 37).Thought for the day: As a young high school kid growing up on the golf course, I had the opportunity to caddy for the local men at my home course for the club championship. My brother Clay and I were mesmerized watching these men pound drives farther than we ever imagined, holing putts that made our knees quiver, lofting soft iron shots to the greens to see the balls dance backwards. We were in heaven! I was assigned to Ray, a local lawyer whose golfing philosophy was to play it smart and consistent. Hit the fairways and greens and the rest will take care of itself. Clay had drawn Lenny, a guy known for his gargantuan drives and laid back attitude. We looked up to them like they were gods, soaking in all the knowledge our minds could take in.That first day I caddied for Ray he pulled me aside after I asked him which guy was the best. Whispering lowly to me, he asked me who I thought it was. Looking around me, I didn’t have a clue. They all looked phenomenal to me! Ray nodded toward a slender man that stood no more than 5’10’’. My jaw dropped. This guy didn’t look like he could win a club championship, let alone beat Ray. He wore a floppy white towel hat that he drenched in water to keep cool. His thick black-rimmed glasses and Joe next door looks made him seem very normal to me. Certainly mortal. Ray then whispered to me that Bobby was a ten-time club champion. That afternoon, after the opening round was over, I ran to the clubhouse to look at the plaque recognizing the legacy of club champions. Sure enough the name Robert Nelson III was tattooed enough times to make me do a double take. The man I had thought to be harmless was Ray’s main competitor. By the end of that tournament, I knew Bobby Nelson was the man.How often do we judge one another unfairly as I did Bobby? Just as Goliath mistook David for being harmless, too many times we misjudge someone based on looks alone. Whether that be based on clothing, gender, age, race, religion, culture, or whatever, using worldly standards to judge only makes us look like fools. James 4: 12 states, “There is only one lawgiver and judge, he who is able to save and to destroy. But who are you to judge your neighbor?” That one judge spoken of is … yep, you guessed it. God. It’s probably best to leave that up to Him, agreed? So the next time you find yourself passing judgment on anyone, remind yourself that God already has this job down to a tee. And I wouldn’t infringe on His responsibility. Bible story: (Read Ruth 1-4) The story of Ruth is a beautiful example of how one’s culture can draw attention to judgment. The Moabites were a sinful people. They were not too far from Sodom and Gomorrah, two places that God had destroyed, and God had even told people to stay away from there. Too much corruption and temptation to do evil. As the story goes, Naomi and her husband Elimelech move near Moab because of a famine, and Elimelech dies. Widowed Naomi decides to at least get her two sons married, so they find Ruth and Orpah, two Moabite women, to fulfill this need. Tragically, about ten years later both sons die, leaving Naomi empathizing with two widowed daughter-in-laws. Naomi sends Ruth to the fields to find another husband, and she comes across Boaz, a rich relative of Naomi. Boaz takes on the role of the kinsman redeemer, an ancient practice where a family member helps someone in need. Ruth, in desperate need of a husband, is soon taken in by Boaz to be his wife. What were Boaz’s friends were saying after this one? This would be the equivalent of a good old American boy marrying a girl of Middle Eastern descent shortly after 9/11. Ruth, as we know, was a Moabite, which more than likely injected Boaz with ridicule from the locals. But Ruth was not a sinner. Ruth was a godly woman whose ancestors had ruined her reputation before she was even born. Unfair? You bet. But that didn’t stop Boaz from helping his family out. He overlooked the disapproving eyes of those around him and becomes responsible for Ruth. An incredible ending to an incredible story … but wait! Be careful before you close the story here. The end of Ruth gives her lineage, showing a direct line to David. Ruth is David’s great-great grandma. That’s right the same David as in King David. The one who slayed Goliath. The one who is likewise a direct descendant to Jesus. Put it all together and Ruth is a relative of the Son of God. Not too bad for a Moabite!Journal/Accountability talk: Who have you unfairly judged in your life? Where do you struggle in judging others? Do you judge others by the amount of income they pull in? Do you judge by size? Beauty? When you see someone else falter, are you too quick to point out their faults? How can we be less quick to judge someone and more quick to love? Is there any time when we should pass judgment on others? Journal or discuss your feelings about any of the above topics. Quote: “Never judge a man's actions until you know his motives.” (unknown)Prayer: Heavenly Father, please watch over my heart. Let me not be concerned with judging others, especially when it comes to worldly standards versus godly standards. You are the ultimate judge of all mankind. Let me realize that truth and fully trust in it. Amen.The only verdict that mattersSacrifice: Putting Others Before YourselfScripture: “I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect” (Romans 12: 1-2).Thought for the Day: Baseball is largely a game of sacrifice. Think about it. With a runner on third, less than two outs, and the score tied in the bottom of the ninth, what is the job of the batter? Get that guy on third home to win the game, right? The hitter is more than likely going to be attempting to hit a pop fly deep enough to have the runner tag up and score, winning the game. It doesn’t matter that he’s out. His team is the winner. But let’s rewind to how that guy even got to third base. Let’s say he stroked a double to right field and was on 2nd base with no outs. Score tied, bottom of the ninth … what do you do? If you’re manager here, you might find a way to get that guy to third base with a sacrifice bunt. Once again, the batter bunts and gets thrown out at first, but the team is in better position to win the game. Some glory hound hitter who wants to swing for the fences would be ridiculed by baseball purists here. You win games by getting more runs than the other team, not by individual feats. And to win, many times in baseball you will sacrifice yourself for the worthy cause of your teammates.Gentlemen, where are your sacrifices in your life? Some of these questions might be rather convicting. Pay heed to them. On a beautiful Sunday afternoon are you the guy playing with your kids at the park or are you the guy lounging on the sofa watching the game? When your wife needs time off do you tell her to go out and enjoy herself or do you tell her to go to a fiery place that rhymes with smell? When your boss asks you to work late, do you waste time goofing off or do you get stuff done so you can relax later? Or how about this one … when God asks for your time, and He does so every day if you didn’t already know that, do you wake yourself early to get into the Word or do you favor sleeping in, hoping to get to it later in the day—which rarely happens by the way. God is your coach in the game of life, and you darn well better listen to the Head Honcho when He asks you to do something. Life is all about sacrificing yourself for the good of others. It is time we follow the model of the One who sacrificed His life for all of us on the cross. Bible story: (Read Genesis 22) What would you do if God told you to sacrifice your son? Your only son? Your only son whom you thought your wife would never have in the first place? Such is the story of Abraham and his son Isaac. Abraham had thought his wife Sara would never have children, yet the Lord allowed her to give birth to Isaac just to prove that through God all things are possible. Abraham then heard God’s voice telling him to sacrifice his only son at the top of a mountain to prove that God was number one in his life.Without hesitation Abraham marched Isaac up the mountain. Isaac, curious about what was happening, asked his father where the sacrificial lamb was. Abraham replied cleverly that God would provide the sacrifice. Sure enough, God did provide that sacrifice. As Abraham held the knife over his son ready to slay him, God spoke to Abraham again, telling him to stop and that he had proved his worth to God. Abraham looked up to see a ram caught in the thicket which he used as the sacrifice to God. He provided a model example of putting his full trust in God and sacrificing his only son for God’s cause. Video clip application: Go to and search “sacrifice.” Click on the link for “West Point Speech.” (link: ) The ultimate sacrifice is to give your life. How are the soldiers that are being molded at West Point a model of sacrifice for their country? How can being a soldier be considered a selfless act of sacrifice? What part of MacArthur’s speech moved you the most? Journal/accountability talk: What are some things in your life that you would like to make a sacrifice for? Write a short list of things you would like to sacrifice and create a plan to fulfill them. For example, you might want to write about how you plan on waking up a half hour early every day to get more quiet time in with the Lord. Or you might say you’d sacrifice watching the big game to take your family out to enjoy a night of miniature golf. Quote: “To be a good father and mother requires that the parents defer many of their own needs and desires in favor of the needs of their children. As a consequence of this sacrifice, conscientious parents develop a nobility of character and learn to put into practice the selfless truths taught by the Savior Himself” (James E. Faust).Prayer: Lord, may our lives be a sacrifice to You and Your perfect cause. May we constantly think of others before our own selfish needs, and may we follow your will in everything we do. Amen.The greatest sacrifice known to mankindWitnessing: Spreading God’s LoveScripture: “And he said to them, ‘Go into all the world and proclaim the gospel to the whole creation. Whoever believes and is baptized will be saved, but whoever does not believe will be condemned’” (Mark 16: 15-16).Thought for the day: My first impression of Tim Tebow was built on the media’s view of him back in his Heisman days at Florida. Although he was NCAA football’s golden child that could do no wrong, he likewise had an equal number of critics. His faith was mocked. People looked to criticize his every mistake on and off the field. Knowing this young kid that was said to be superhuman had to have flaws, people wanted to see him falter. Through it all, however, there was one consistency: Tebow repeatedly was a witness for Christ wherever he went. He used the athletic platform bestowed upon him by God to witness for Christ, and though the critics may have been unfair, Tebow knew the only opinion that mattered was from above.How did he witness? He wore scripture on his eye black patches below his eyes. He was open about his love for Christ in every interview. He prayed without ceasing on the field and became known for “tebowing” on the sidelines before, during, and after games. Every step forward, every word uttered, he attempted to glorify God. In an online chat forum he was once asked by a fan if he had one superpower, what would it be? Tebow responded promptly that he would heal others. This was acted out through words of wisdom in a pre-season game when a sideline cameraman had a mishap and yelled out, “Jesus Christ!” Without batting an eye, Tebow turned to the man and sincerely responded, “He loves you.” Tebow’s boldness to witness should be praised. He sets a model example for young Christian athletes and paves a unique path for them to follow. But it is not just his young admirers and his fans. It’s his opponents, his teammates. It’s the non-believer sitting on the couch watching Tebow’s testimony on TV, feeling convicted to change his life. It’s the cameraman on the sidelines. It’s the Vegas bookie watching Tebow praying, wondering if he should pray too. You see, Tim Tebow doesn’t put God in a box and pull Him out when convenient. Tebow’s entire life is inside God’s box, and his actions reflect a moral Christian man who has his head on straight.Where is God in your life? Is He in a small box you open on Sunday mornings and a couple times a week when you decide it’s time to pray? Or is your entire life a testimony to the Lord and all He has done for you? Think about this … who is God calling you to witness to? Your co-worker friend whom you’re friends with but not on a spiritual level? The McDonald’s employee that looks like they’d rather be anywhere but at work? The disgruntled family member going through a rocky period in his or her life? It is time we stop worrying about how other’s will view us if we witness to them. We have access to a buffet of food that non-believers have never seen or sniffed. Christ is the bread of life. His teachings? The living water. Stop keeping this mouth-watering smorgasbord to yourself! It’s time we let someone else in the room. Bible story: (Read Acts 8) The scene is rather dismal for the first Christians. Christ has ascended back up to heaven, persecution of Christians is raining down from authorities like a hailstorm, and anyone witnessing for Christ is basically risking their life. The stakes are a little higher than the witnessing reservations we might experience today, and Philip, one of Christ’s devout followers, has an unusual calling from a meeting with an angel. Philip is asked to go down a desert road that is not traveled much in the heat of the day. Being faithful to God’s wishes, Philip does so and comes across an Ethiopian eunuch reading from the book of Isaiah.Seeing his opportunity to witness, Philip doesn’t walk up to this chariot passing by. He RUNS up! The eunuch asks Philip to explain the passage from Isaiah, and Philip opens the floodgates of the living water, teaching the Ethiopian about who Christ was and passing on a priceless message that more than likely changed this man’s life. The eunuch, filled with awe of this new life exposed to him, sees some water off to the side of the road and asks to be baptized. Philip readily obliges and the chariot is ordered to be stopped. He dips the head of the Ethiopian, possibly the first known African American Christian convert, in the waters and relishes the opportunity of boldly showing this stranger who Christ is. The reward? As they used to say in those credit card commercials, it’s priceless.Song application: “Do Something” by Matthew WestVideo clip application: Go to and search “witnessing.” Click on the link for “You Need Him.” (link: ) This is a father calling out his son. How is the message delivered more important than the son’s initial stubborn reaction? Have you ever used the fear of someone’s reaction to witnessing as a copout? How can prayer help the Holy Spirit guide you here?Challenge: Who do you know that needs to hear the word of God? Write the name of that person down, take a spiritual temperature to see how close your target is on hearing and understanding the Word, and then let the Holy Spirit take over, guiding you to witness to them.Prayer: God of all creation, why do I balk at sharing your word with others? Let me be bold in proclaiming the gospel to those that need to hear it. Let every step I take, every word I speak, be a witness to the love you showed through giving us your son Jesus. Amen.Tim Tebow recognizing the One who drives his lifeCourage: Take Heart and Press OnScripture: “Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go” (Joshua 1: 9).Thought for the day: Great golf matches seem miniscule without a story. When Ben Crenshaw entered the 1995 Masters, he was days removed from the death of his longtime mentor and coach Harvey Penick. He hadn’t broken 70 in two months, and Ben Crenshaw, an immortal with the short stick in his hands, was 69th on the PGA Tour in putting. Suddenly, in a single tournament, it all came together, much thanks to Crenshaw’s caddy, Carl Jackson. Jackson was watching Crenshaw struggle in practice the day before the tournament began and made a small suggestion. He told his boss to turn his shoulders more and put the ball a little back in his stance. Basic stuff. Four shots later, an ignition went off. Crenshaw was crushing drives and lacing irons with laser-like precision. And nobody knew but the two of them. The following four days would let the rest of the golfing world in on their little secret.In an eerie, almost unimaginable way, Crenshaw’s ball took bounces that seemed guided from somewhere else. A ball destined to doom Crenshaw in a treacherous bunker bounced right out for no reason at all. Putts that were supposed to scream by the hole snuck in the corners like some sort of cup-seeking missile. Even balls that gravity was supposed to be pulling left into trouble somehow stayed safely right. There was no answer to the magic that Crenshaw created that weekend, but as he neared Sunday, many were justifying Crenshaw’s success through his beloved mentor. Harvey Penick just had to be smiling down from above. The lump in Crenshaw’s throat was swelling to the size of a watermelon by the time he arrived at the last hole, and when he tapped in from a few feet out to win by a single stroke, Ben Crenshaw fell to his knees and wept like a baby. There was no better way to end his roller coaster week.Can you imagine the courage it must have taken Crenshaw to even play in that tournament? Discouragement could have won him over, but Crenshaw was a fighter. He knew his long-time coach—and his ONLY coach for that matter—would have had it no other way. Past failures from that 1995 season did not prevent Crenshaw from gutting out a weekend that golf fans would remember forever. This golf fan right here, right in the middle of my senior year of high school golf, was not ashamed to see his eyes well with tears following that putt on 18. Many attributed Crenshaw’s victory to the spirit of Penick guiding him from above; however, I beg to throw out another theory. I wonder if God, the magician behind all miracles on earth, used Crenshaw to teach others about perseverance, courage, and grit. Wherever you may need courage in your life, know that the source of it comes straight from God. He is the root of all things courageous. Just look at the many men in the Bible He filled with courage, starting with men like Noah, Abraham, and Moses. Read their stories. Their legacies all spell out COURAGE in different manners, each unique to their own circumstances, and God can certainly inject courage into your heart as well. God’s promise is true. He never abandons, and He is always with you. You simply have to believe in His truth.Bible story: (Read Judges 6-7) Gideon was from the weakest clan and the baby of his family. He was in desperate need of courage when God asked him to conquer the Midianites and Amalekites, and the Lord blessed him with courage, calling him a mighty warrior. Gideon’s army was large, but God knew that if He allowed a force that great to defeat the enemy, the credit would not reveal the Lord’s true power. So God whittled Gideon’s men down from 10,000 to a mere 300, same as the number of Spartans who were at Thermopylae. They went up against a force of Midianites and Amalekites “as numerous as locusts” (Judges 7: 12). What ensued next can certainly be seen as a miracle.Gideon split his 300 men into three companies of 100 men each and spread them out. He gave trumpets and empty pitchers with torches inside them to all his men and commanded them to blow their trumpets and scream out all at once, “A sword for the Lord and for Gideon!” When the trumpets blew and the primal battle cry was heard, the Midianites and Amalekites turned their own swords on one another and ran out of the valley. Gideon’s men flooded the valley, calling for all the Israelites to pursue the enemy, and two prominent Midianite leaders, Oreb and Zeeb, were killed and decapitated. Video clip application: Go to and search “courage.” Click on the link for “Oh My Lord.” (link: ) These men are going into battle the next day against strong odds that their lives will be sacrificed for the Union Army at Fort Sumter. How are their words a testimony of courage? How do they rely on God for the courage to go into battle? How is their body language and expression a testimony that God is in their hearts? How can we attain the same courage to fight the battles of our lives?Music application: “Courageous” by Casting CrownsPrayer: Lord, whenever fear sneaks into my heart, whenever doubt becomes more prevalent than believing in You, give me courage to persevere through life’s troubles. You gave me the heart of a lion! I pray that thought can override any uneasiness Satan plants inside me. Amen.Ben Crenshaw moments after winning the 1995 MastersBorn Again: Everyone Deserves a Second ChanceScripture: “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come” (2 Corinthians 5: 17).Thought for the day: Kurt Warner started his professional career in the Arena Football League. From 1995 to 1997 Warner amassed a solid 30-10 record with 183 touchdowns versus only 43 interceptions. He then spent a season with the Amsterdam Admirals, a team in NFL Europe, but Warner still hadn’t cracked the NFL yet. The NFL Players Association states the average career in the NFL is 3.3 years. Warner had surpassed that already, but the St. Louis Rams took a shot at him, signing Warner as a backup quarterback behind Trent Green. Green’s season tragically ended in the pre-season with a crushing blow to his knee, tearing his ACL. Enter Warner, an NFL unknown, looking to prove himself in a new life.Warner took control of an offense that was littered with talent. Marshall Faulk frontloaded a dominant rushing attack, but once teams cracked down on him, the party was on! Warner’s threats at receiver went four deep as Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, Az-Zahir Hakim, and Ricky Proehl rounded out an offense that soon became known as the Greatest Show on Turf. They finished the season 13-3 and defeated the Tennessee Titans in one of the most dramatic Super Bowls ever. Linebacker Mike Jones stuffed Kevin Dyson on the one-yard-line to seal the 23-16 victory. Warner had gone from a washed up nobody to Super Bowl champion in one season! So, you think you’re out for the count? You think you don’t deserve a second chance at a life in Christ? And I’m not talking about a phony life in Christ when you play the Christian by going to church, listening to the right music, and wearing the Christian gear. I’m talking about fully dedicating every step you take to the One who made you, trusting in His perfect Word from now until all eternity. Oh wait. You’re not there yet? Like they say in Jamaica, no worries, mon! You see, the good Lord forgives you! He’ll work with you! (close Jamaican accent if you happen to still have it in your head) He’ll rebuild a soul inside you worthy of making His very own Hall of Fame in heaven. Kurt Warner made it back to two Super Bowls in 2000 and 2008 though losing both times. Christians may remember him more, however, for his devout faith. After winning the Super Bowl, reporter Mike Tirico asked him about his first touchdown pass. Warner, making sure Tirico knew what his top priority was in life, said, “Well, first things first, I've got to thank my Lord and Savior up above—thank you, Jesus!" Any question which Hall of Fame Warner will be residing in when God says it’s time for Warner to meet his maker? I didn’t think so.Bible story: (Read John 18; Acts 4) The no-brainer for a story here would be the story of Paul in Acts; however, another comeback kid comes to mind as well. Peter, one of the original disciples of Jesus, was a man of passion. He was the one who screamed out for Christ to wash not just his feet but his entire body at the Last Supper. He fought back in fury as Christ was betrayed by Judas, slashing off the ear of the high priest’s slave in full swashbuckler fashion. Yet Peter, the same one who seemed devoted to Christ through his actions, denied three times that he even knew Christ later on that very night. Ouch! Talk about being denied. And Christ had even predicted it way back when, more than likely making Peter weep bitterly after saving his own life but denying his Savior’s. Christ is then crucified and resurrects, leaving his disciples with the charge to continue fishing for men. Peter doesn’t let his failure in John 18 hold him back. When faced with a similar situation in Acts 4, Peter, alongside his brother John, chooses to stand up for his faith. Sure it gets the two of them arrested, but with his second chance, Peter and John stood strong for Christ, and in the end they become released. There was no reason to punish these men, and the authorities knew it. Peter went on preaching the gospel until his death to which he was said to have been crucified upside down. Why upside down? He didn’t want to die the same death as Jesus. After all, Peter was only a mortal, and Christ was the Son of God. Song application: “Born Again” by the NewsboysVideo clip application: Go to and search “born again.” Click on the link for “I Surrender to Your Will.” (link: ) Bruce is done fighting battles he can’t fight on his own. How is this scene a pivotal point in getting him on God’s side? How does the rain coming down enhance the thought that this decision provides Bruce with new freedom and new life? Have you ever had a pivotal point in your life where you surrendered to God’s will? If you haven’t yet, will you consider doing so?Cinema application: Watch the movie Facing the Giants to hear about a coach and a team who earned a second chance. Prayer: Lord, Your everlasting grace is almost unfathomable. To think that you will work with me no matter what sends chills down my spine. May the spirit of second chances, the spirit of You, remind us that it is never too late to commit our lives fully to your cause. Amen.Kurt Warner raises the 1999 Super Bowl trophy next to Mike TiricoHumility: Finding Peace Through Coming CleanScripture: Then Peter came and said to Him, "Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him? Up to seven times?" Jesus said to him, "I do not say to you, up to seven times, but up to seventy times seven” (Matthew 18: 21-22).Thought of the day: One of my favorite Kansas City Royals players of all time is Mike Sweeney. As their designated team captain from 2003-2007, Sweeney garnered respect by living out his faith on and off the field. He earned five All-Star game appearances, batted .297 for his career, and was largely considered the heart of the Royals while he played. In 2003 and 2004 he was named the Good Guy in Sports, an award that goes to an athlete that displays outstanding moral character. Ask any major league opponent about Sweeney’s personality, and they would endorse that he was one of the nicest guys out there. This was confirmed with me when I worked in the restaurant business right out of college. On a busy weekday afternoon lunch rush, word got around that Sweeney was dining with his girlfriend. I walked by his table nonchalantly to clear a few plates and noticed a Bible lying on the table. Sweeney was pointing to scripture, digging into the Word with his better half. Although Mike Sweeney walked the Christian walk on and off the field, just like any man, he did have one moment of humiliation. It came when Detroit Tigers pitcher Jeff Weaver taunted Sweeney with his glove over his mouth, allegedly cursing the Royals younger players and mocking Sweeney’s faith. Sweeney lost it. Sidestepping the umpire who tried to get in the way, Sweeney sprinted at Weaver, spearing him, driving him to the grass, and pummeling him with vicious uppercuts. The benches cleared, and Sweeney was in turn suspended for 10 games, but due to the fight, he missed another 15 games with a bruised hand. During that time of his suspension, Sweeney visited a church in Kansas City as a youth minister. A young girl approached Sweeney crying, asking him through tears why he would conduct himself in such a way. Sweeney immediately humbled himself, admitting his fault and asking for the young gal’s forgiveness. She of course accepted it, and life went on. However, Sweeney had one more person to seek forgiveness from. Jeff Weaver himself. Five years passed, and Sweeney tried over and over to rationalize that he was only standing up for his faith and his buddies, but God whispered for him to humble himself and seek forgiveness from Weaver. He prayed by his bed, called Weaver by phone, and by the grace of God Weaver forgave Sweeney. Who do you need to humble yourself to? What are you holding on to that you need to let go of? Are you holding a grudge against someone who you think is in the wrong? If you find you have been in the wrong to someone, it is never too late to ask forgiveness. Bible story: (Read Luke 15: 11-32) This is one of the well-known parables that Christ tells about a son who decided to go his own way. This kid, cocky and arrogant, asks for his dad’s inheritance early. The father obliges, sending the young man off and letting him waste all his money on wild living. We can probably guess what that means, right? Gambling. Living recklessly with illegal substances. Maybe blowing money on prostitution. Well, there is a famine where the kid ends up, and he humbly accepts a job feeding pigs. After a while of living like this, the boy wonders if his father would take him back. So he comes clean. He trudges back home and asks forgiveness from his father. The dad’s reaction is priceless. After the older brother, who is understandably jealous, questions why the father forgave his little brother, the father explains, “But we had to celebrate and be glad, because this brother of yours was dead and is alive again; he was lost and is found” (Luke 15: 32).How many of us have the attitude of that father when forgiveness is needed? What about the son? It sure isn’t easy to humble yourself and come clean, is it? The parable’s message is to prove that just like the loving father in the story, our Heavenly Father will always forgive. It takes a little humility to repent, but that type of modest attitude will please God more than stubbornness. Song application: “Forgiveness” by Matthew WestVideo clip application: To see Mike Sweeney’s story, go to and search for “Mike Sweeny Story.” (link: ) Go to and search “humility.” Click on the link for “Why Are You Doing This?” (link: ) Caleb has been pursuing his wife through reading a self-help book. When his wife Catherine finds out, she is concerned he is not doing this for the right reasons. How does Caleb’s speech at the end help Catherine know that he is in it for the right reasons? How can lowering yourself in humility help out situations in your life right now? Where do you need to show humility? Prayer: Lord, whether I need to forgive someone else or whether I need to accept forgiveness, please help me do as You ask. Humble me, Heavenly Father, and let me reach out to others in the name of Your perfect love. Amen.Mike Sweeney tackles Jeff WeaverTeamwork: Working Together for Christ’s CauseScripture: “From whom the whole body, joined and held together by every joint with which it is equipped, when each part is working properly, makes the body grow so that it builds itself up in love” (Ephesians 4: 16).Thought for the Day: The Commander in Chief’s trophy goes to the service academy, Army, Navy, or Air Force, with the best football record for the season. All three academies, grooming America’s soldiers of tomorrow, have a distinct loathing of one another when it comes to football. You simply can’t beat the tradition of the Army versus Navy game. Either one of those teams could be winless and come out ahead in that game, considering their season a success. And as for Air Force, their distaste for Army and Navy is built on feeling like they are the forgotten child. Pit either Army or Navy against the “Zoomies” and you have an all-out grudge match simply based on the fact that they feel left out of the rivalry. Still, through the hatred, there is a mutual respect between these three teams. They realize the inevitable that they are indeed all on the same team, America’s team. Upon graduation they work together to uphold the security of our beloved country, Army taking care of business on the ground, Navy ruling the seas, and Air Force protecting the skies. You take any major war in which the United States has been a part of, and all three branches of our military have worked together for the same cause. Is there still pride that creeps in as they puff their chests out toward one another, attempting to challenge who is the best? Well, sure, but the three service academies know that in the end they are all fighting for Uncle Sam. Christians are all on the same team, God’s team, but sometimes I don’t see it that way. There are times when Satan actually warps the minds of Christians, making us fight against one another over interpreting the Bible. Granted there are some churches out there that certainly have twisted God’s Word to mean something different than it is intended, but I question whether we focus too much on our differences as opposed to linking ourselves together. Is it really worth the effort in spewing hate at other Christians, saying they are going to hell for their sins? The last time I checked that wasn’t even my choice whether someone was going to hell or not. That’s God’s decision, and it always will be. Just as Army, Navy, and Air Force have a mutual respect for one another, so should Christians.Bible story: (Read Acts 1-2) The moment before Christ ascends to heaven, He could have said anything. Be on guard for Satan. Go make disciples. Reach out to one another in love. Instead Christ says, “Do not leave Jerusalem, but wait for the gift my Father promised, which you have heard me speak about. For John baptized with water, but in a few days you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit” (Acts 1: 4-5). You see, Christ knew He truly wasn’t leaving for long. This was the birth of the Holy Spirit! This unknown force would soon become more powerful than anything these men had ever seen.So there they were, men of all different backgrounds and cultures, waiting together a day or two later after Christ’s last words. We call it the Pentecost. With the power of a tsunami, a violent wind was sent from heaven that entered into the followers, causing them to speak languages they had never heard of or spoken before. Can you imagine what that must have felt like? The amazement, the shock, the awe of being able to speak a language from across the world having never even experienced it before? Here you have a group of men, many of whom don’t know each other all that well, suddenly able to communicate with one another through the power of the Holy Spirit.It was the Holy Spirit that pulled the disciples together. It was the Holy Spirit that replaced Christ after He left. It IS the Holy Spirit that guides us still to this very day two thousand years later, helping us realize that Christ’s legacy is still very much alive. All we must do is listen to that voice inside us and let it bring us all together as one, uniting people across the world in Christ’s love.Video application: Go to and search “teamwork.” Click on the link for “I’ll Do Push-ups.” (link: ) The coach has punished his player for off-court offenses. The rest of the team, all coming from different walks of life, has done nothing to deserve his punishment, yet they take the punishment for him. For the good of the team. How does this sacrifice relate directly to how we should treat our Christian brothers and sisters?Quote: No man is an island, entire of itself; every man is a piece of the continent” (John Donne).Prayer: Heavenly Father, when dealing with other Christians who believe differently than us, let us reach out to them with Your love in mind. May we overcome our differences and realize that we all worship the same God. May those who have likewise boiled the Bible down to what the flesh wants, not what You want, realize the truth in your scriptures. The Navy Midshipmen raise the Commander in Chief’s TrophyPurity: A Battle Worth FightingScripture: “But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart” (Matthew 5: 28).Thought for the day: I remember back in my high school and college days looking at these huge conquistadors of baseball whacking homeruns as if they were singles. McGwire. Bonds. Certainly throw Canseco in there. The 1998 homerun chase was christened as the event that saved baseball. Fans were still ticked off at the strike from a few years before, and then came Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, slugging balls out of the park in their sleep. These men were revered as baseball Gods! Years later, on December 13, 2007, an investigation known as the “Mitchell Report” was released, advising us that many of these men were merely impostors, using steroids and other banned substances to gain an edge on the competition. Talk to any player from what baseball historians call the Steroid Era, and they will inform you that if you chose not to use steroids, you were in the minority. Some confessed. Some denied. Some made complete fools of themselves. All of them, however, had stained America’s pastime with a controversy that is still talked about widely today.Look around you right now. When a group of men get together to watch the big game on Sunday, do they talk about how incredible their marriages are, or do they gawk over the bikini babes on the beer commercials? Better yet, what are these men doing at home later when the wife and kids are asleep and the only light illuminating the house is coming from the laptop computer in the office den? Much like the Steroid Era of baseball, we have sadly entered the Pornography Era for Christian men. We can access inappropriate websites at the click of a button, and we’re all sheep to it. The more the media fuels our sex drive with scantily clad women, the more we disgrace our wives and kids. Worse yet, there is Someone else who is weeping as He looks down from above with sad eyes. He quietly whispers for us to return to Him and to slash back at Satan’s temptations with the Bible as our sword. How are you doing in this area? Are you struggling to stay pure like those non-steroid users were struggling to not fall into peer pressure? The whole “everyone is doing it” excuse is lame, guys. And do you know what … if your friends laugh at you for standing up to this, maybe it is time you found some new friends. God’s standards are SO HIGH in Matthew 5: 28 that He calls us to not even look lustfully at women other than our wives. Do you turn your head away from a jaw-dropping beauty that happens to be wearing next to nothing? Do you laugh at jokes your buddies tell about attractive women? How do you celebrate bachelor parties? If you leave, are you calling up your Christian buddy who stayed the next day? Remember, we’re all in this together, and we can’t fight this battle alone. Don’t inject your mind with nonsense. Bible story: (Read 1 Corinthians 6: 12-20) God’s standard for sexual sin is clearly explained here. The bottom line is that there is no room for it in our lives if we are to live the way He wants us to. Sadly our society is becoming more and more drawn into the worldly culture that sex sells. 1 Corinthians 6: 18-20 boldly states, “Flee from sexual immorality. Every other sin a person commits is outside the body, but the sexually immoral person sins against his own body. Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.” Glorify God with your body. What does that statement mean to you? Is there any room for sexual sin that God allows? Gentlemen, this battle is going to rage on forever, and if we don’t have our guards up, our marriages will be destroyed. And all the while Satan will be chortling at us as we fall into his hands. Be bigger than this sin! Slash back at Satan with the Bible, the sword of the spirit. He has no answer for this. Song application: “Slow Fade” by Casting CrownsVideo clip application: Go to and search for “RISE UP by Jake Rupp: A Spoken Word Poem on Sexual Purity.” (link: ) What part of this poem rings most true to you? Who is more at fault for men having a history of being sexually impure: women who dress provocatively or men who fall into temptation? How can a life fully immersed in Christ be the answer to sexual purity? Cinema application: Watch the movie Fireproof, and discuss the following questions afterwards. How does Caleb deal with the temptations he faces on the computer? Is there any possibility for him to commit a sin regarding pornography again? Why is going cold turkey the only way to deal with this temptation?Further reading: For further assistance with this topic, read the book Every Man’s Battle by Stephen Arterburn and Fred Stoeker.Prayer: Lord, I pray you will keep me striving for sexual purity. Let my eyes seek nobody but my spouse, and may I keep my friends accountable as well. Let me use Your Word as my sword to fight the good fight. For my wife, Lord. For You! Amen.Fireproof: a beautiful movie about how to save your marriagePride: Proud to be a ChristianScripture: “For all that is in the world – the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions – is not from the Father but is from the world. And the world is passing away along with its desires, but whoever does the will of God abides forever” (1 John 2: 16-17).Thought for the day: Pride in your team and soccer fans goes together like peanut butter and chocolate (which by the way is the most glorious combination ever—much better than PB & J). I just finished watching the World cup in Brazil, and if I had to pick the most radical fans of all, it would have to be from the host country. The Brazilian soccer fan is an entire species of its own! They come in full force to all their country’s games adorned in flamboyant colors of green and yellow, complete with painted faces, soccer ball attire galore, and of course their favorite player’s jerseys. Their devotion to soccer team, largely based on their phenomenal success of record five World Cup titles, is unmatched. This dedication to soccer, however, has led to all of the following true stories over the past year:After losing in the World Cup Semi-finals to Germany, Brazilian fans burned their country’s flag and engulfed about 20 buses in flames in rage over the 7-1 loss.A Brazilian soccer fan was killed after being crushed by a toilet bowl thrown from the stands. This was 40 days before the World Cup even began and did not even involve the national team. Three toilet bowls in fact were ripped out and tossed from the stands.Brazilian fans began an extremely offensive chant—way too offensive to mention here—against their country’s president, Dilma Rousseff, for spending more than 11 billion dollars to host the World Cup. The chant started before the outcome of the Brazil vs. Germany game was even settled, midway through the match.In another amateur Brazilian soccer match in July 2013, a referee stabbed a player after the player argued a call and threw a punch at the ref. The player died on the way to the hospital. In retaliation for the player’s death, the outraged family lynched the referee, decapitated him, and placed his head on a stake in the center of the field. Pride can get you to do some crazy things. Agreed? Here’s the thing about pride. Pride can actually be a decent thing if it is used in the right way. If you honor your grandfather on Veteran’s Day by displaying pride for your country or if you display devout pride for your team by wearing their logo on a T-shirt the day following a devastating loss, pride can actually be seen as noble. However, when you let pride override all that is holy inside you, when you let pride for something worldly become more important than God, that is when God has issues. Proverbs 16: 5 states, “Everyone who is arrogant in heart is an abomination to the Lord; be assured, he will not go unpunished.” Is your heart with God or with the world?So, what if we replaced this type of worldly pride into a Godly pride? What if we showed our Savior the same passion that Brazilian soccer fans have for their team? What if we as Christians stood up for everything God declares as truth in his Word, acting out the principles He lays out for us and remaining loyal to Him until the day we are called to be at His side? That would be quite an act of witnessing if Christians would show the Lord the pride He deserves.Bible story: (Read 1 Samuel 17) The story of David and Goliath epitomizes where pride can take you. Both participants in this epic fight display pride in one way or another. Goliath takes pride in himself; David takes pride in the Lord. When looking at the battle this way, is there any doubt who should come out on top? Goliath is a behemoth, a nearly 10-foot giant of a man whose muscles might be compared to Arnold Schwarznegger in his Mr. Olympia days. David is just a skinny, sinewy high school shepherd boy who is a master of the sling. Goliath taunted the Israelites for 40 days, each day marching up to their camp and challenging anyone to take him on. His boastful words frightened the Israelites enough that even their best fighters failed to accept Goliath’s challenge—that is until David had had enough.David’s father Jesse sent him to the Israelites camp to check up on his brothers and give them some food. Upon David’s arrival, he is immediately told by his brother Eliab to leave. David is ticked off when he sees Goliath defying the Israelites and God, and he asks King Saul’s permission to fight. Saul, fearing for the handsome young man’s life, tells him no way, no chance, no how. But David knows God is on his side and approaches Goliath with a few smooth stones and a sling. Goliath laughs, mocking David’s size, but David, prideful for God, talks a little smack of his own. He then runs at Goliath and whips his stone from his sling, impaling Goliath’s head with the power of a bullet, sending the champion toppling to the ground. Video clip application: Go to and search “pride.” Click on the link for “Never Surrender.” (link: ) Can the pride being shown by King Arthur be seen as virtuous? What should we as Christians be willing to fight for? How can Christians train themselves to take pride in the passion they display for God?Journal/accountability talk: What are you prideful about in your life? Where do your passions lie? Is it wrong to have passions such as sports? What about pride in your country? Your family? How can a pride in God assist us in spreading pride to other places? When do we know if worldly prides are getting in the way of what God needs from us? How can we ensure that our pride is where it needs to be? Prayer: Lord of my heart, forgive me when my own pride puffs me up, putting worldly things above all that You stand for. If I show any pride, let it be for You and Your will for me. May that passion rule my life for now and forever. Amen.The 1994 World Cup Champion Brazilian soccer teamFaith: Trusting in the Lord’s WillScripture: “But without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is, and that He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him” (Hebrews 11: 6).Thought for the day: The situation looked bleak for the 2004 Boston Red Sox. They were down three games to none in the ALCS against their nemesis, the New York Yankees. Only sweeping four straight games would send them on to the World Series. The Curse of the Bambino loomed heavily over the Red Sox as they entered game four of the ALCS. The Yankees were thinking sweep, but the Red Sox were thinking differently. They were down, but they were not out. As a matter of fact, their World Series hopes came down to two outs in the 9th inning in game four. They scraped together a run to tie the game in the 9th, then David Ortiz bombed a homerun to win the game in extra innings. Their faith was strengthened in game five when Ortiz won the game with a walk-off single in the 14th inning. Game six, however, provided the most drama of all.Down three games to two, Curt Schilling, the Red Sox most recent acquisition and pitching ace, took the mound with a torn tendon sheath in his right ankle. Midway through the ball game, Schilling’s stiches snapped, causing blood to stain his sock crimson. To this day, the game is known as the “bloody sock” game. Schilling gutted out an amazing effort and Boston took the game 4-2. The series knotted at three games apiece, Boston had absolutely nothing to lose in game seven. The Yankees were already down 2-0 in the second inning when Boston’s Johnny Damon came to the plate and crushed a grand slam to put Boston up 6-0. New York managed to scrape together three runs, but Boston finished the Bronx Bombers off with a run in the 8th and a run in the 9th to win the game 10-3. Boston’s undying faith kept them alive to win the ALCS, and they promptly swept the St. Louis Cardinals to win their first World Series title since 1918. The Curse of the Bambino was finally no longer.Have you ever been down and out for the count like the Red Sox in game four, a single out away from being eliminated? Maybe your marriage crumbled away. Maybe you were let go from your job. Maybe a sudden death in your family sent you spiraling into a depression. Whatever the situation may be, we can rest and be assured that God is with us. Psalm 94: 14 states, “For the Lord will not reject his people; he will never forsake his inheritance.” When things get tough, we must keep our faith in God. To feel insecure during times of need and abandon our faith in God is to say we do not believe in His power to pull us through. Just as God pulled the Red Sox through to victory, He will pull you through as well. Keep the faith!Bible story: (Read Genesis 22: 1-19) How many of you would sacrifice your own son? Your first born son whom you waited years to get pregnant with? Yeah, I’d struggle with it too! Such was the case with one of the Godliest men of the Old Testament, Abraham. God tested Abraham’s faith with a request that more than likely shook him up. He had to take his son Isaac to the top of a mountain and offer him as a sacrifice to the Lord. The scriptures stick straight to the facts and do not allow us into the mind of Abraham, but could you imagine what was going through his head? This man’s faith was being put to the test, yet he did not hesitate. The morning after God spoke to Abraham, he loaded up his donkey with wood and rallied Isaac for their trip. Abraham made no mention of the real reason he was leaving with his son, and Isaac dutifully followed.When they reached the top of the mountain, Isaac began to get nervous. He asked his father where the lamb was for the sacrifice. Abraham replied that the Lord would provide it and began getting the wood ready for the burnt offering. You could guess that Isaac started getting nervous when Abraham began tying him up over the top of the broken wood. Abraham raised the knife up to give his only son to the Lord, and it was at that exact moment an angel called out to Abraham, telling him to stop. The angel declared that Abraham had proven his devout faith toward God, and suddenly Abraham noticed a ram caught nearby in the thicket. He used the ram for his sacrifice and went on to live a fruitful life for the Lord. God kept His promise to Abraham as well, giving his descendants as numerous as the stars in the sky.Video clip application: Go to and search “faith.” Click on the link for “Getting Home.” (link: ) The true story of the Apollo 13 mission is a testimony to faith. How does Jim Lovell’s story epitomize faith? Why is it so difficult to keep faith in hard times? Where is an area in your life where you lack faith? How can you give this area to God?Song application: “What Faith Can Do” by KutlessJournal/accountability talk: Where are the areas of your life where you doubt? Do you doubt God will provide? Do you doubt your marriage? What about being a parent—do you doubt your ability to provide a Godly influence on your children? Do you doubt yourself at work? Whatever area of your life where you need faith, pray that God will work on you in that area.Prayer: Lord, forgive me when I lack faith in You. Build the trust in my heart to the point that I will follow Your will no matter what. You always know what is best for me, and you will not test me beyond my endurance. May my faith in You prevail over every doubt that creeps in. Amen.The Red Sox celebrate their victory over the Yankees in the 2004 ALCSNutrition: You Are What You EatScripture: “Or do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit within you, whom you have from God? You are not your own, for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body” (1 Corinthians 6: 19-20).Thought for the Day: Tony Gonzalez will live in my heart as the greatest Kansas City Chief to play the game, not to mention the best tight end ever. His statistics don’t lie. Fourteen time Pro Bowl selection. Ten time All Pro. He has over 1,300 catches for over 15,000 yards and 111 touchdowns. Gonzlaez could do it all. He blocked with intense ferocity, and he caught passes with featherlike hands of gold, always refusing to go down afterwards, shoving defenders to the side or simply bowling them over. Even after Gonzalez was traded to the Falcons in 2009, I still wore his number 88 jersey with pride, and 80,000 plus at Arrowhead could care less. I still got nods of approval. Even five years after his last game in Kansas City, his jersey is still worn by many Chiefs fans to this day, and his touchdown celebration of slamming the ball over the goalpost is forever sealed in my memory box. So, how did Gonzalez become so dominant? His work ethic, his competitive fire, his God-given talent … sure all that factored in, but Gonzalez likewise was a physical specimen thanks to his training but more thanks to his diet. In 2007 he picked up a nutrition book called the China Study, which discussed the long-term effects of eating a poor diet, including Gonzalez’s favorite food at the time, cheeseburgers. Allegedly after reading the first 40 pages, he decided to go vegan. No meat whatsoever! After losing too much weight once training camp began, he and his nutritionist decided it would be okay to eat the occasional chicken or fish, but Gonzalez had completely changed his diet for the better. The results were all too apparent. Gonzalez immediately snagged 99 balls for over 1,000 yards receiving that season.Alright, so I am pretty sure that there are no verses in the Bible that say we need to go vegan, but Proverbs 23: 20-21 states, “Be not among drunkards or among gluttonous eaters of meat, for the drunkard and the glutton will come to poverty, and slumber will clothe them with rags.” Guess that all-you-can-eat buffet that I love so much at Pizza Street needs to be taken out of my diet, eh? Everything in moderation, my friends. If you’re a fan of the gospels, Jesus likewise calls himself the bread of life. In John 5: 32 Jesus, being encouraged by His disciples to eat, says that He has “food (they) don’t know about.” This food is obviously God’s Word. It certainly filled Christ through His 40 days of temptation with Satan when He ate no food at all.With what food do you fuel your body? Are you eating your veggies or are you a fan of Baskin Robbins? What about the “food” you fill your mind with? Are you partaking of the Bible or are you attempting to satisfy your soul with worldly trash? A steady diet on both ends pleases God.Bible story: (Read John 6) The situation is quite bleak. Christ has retreated to a mountain with His disciples. Five thousand hungry followers are below Him looking for a miracle. They quickly analyze the situation, finding out how much food they have to share. After a quick search, they find only five loaves of bread and two fish, but Christ doesn’t panic. He orders the disciples to pass the food around and collect what is left over when everyone has had their fill. Can you imagine the confusion on the disciples’ faces at that point? Nonetheless, they pass the bread and fish around to all, feeding everyone and filling twelve full baskets of leftovers. It was one of Christ’s most amazing miracles!But Jesus doesn’t stop there. He uses this opportunity to teach everyone about the spiritual food we all need to survive. In John 6: 35 Jesus says, “I am the bread of life; he who comes to Me will not hunger, and he who believes in Me will never thirst.” Talk about a healthy diet! Feeding our souls with the Word of God on a daily basis makes all the difference, and feeding our bodies with the right nutritious food will fuel our bodies with energy to live long healthy lives. Song application: “Come to the River” by Rhett Walker BandVideo clip application: Go to and search “nutrition.” Click on the link for “No Worries.” (link: ) The character here is using food as his idol for the day. He worships it, savoring every bite. How is this form of idolatry frowned upon from God’s perspective? What priority is being put above God? Do you ever use food as an idol, turning to it when you’re depressed or when you get midnight cravings? Challenge: Create a simple daily chart that logs your nutrition intake, spiritual and physical. Write down what you ate for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, not to mention snacks. More importantly, log what you did to grow with the Lord through your quiet time spiritual food. Reflect upon each day at the end, grading yourself on how well you lived up to God’s standards.Prayer: Lord, help me to glorify you with everything I put in my body. From my nutrition to reading about the bread of life, I pray you will guide me in feeding my soul with food pleasing to You. I pray all of this in Jesus’ heavenly name. Amen.Tony Gonzalez: All-Pro tight end and nutrition enthusiast Diversity: Embracing Differences in OthersScripture: “Do all that you can to live in peace with everyone” (Romans 12: 18).Thought for the Day: Major League Baseball is culturally becoming one of the most diverse sports in any of our professional leagues. Scouts are flooding leagues in Central America to get a clue about the next possible pro talent. Take the 2014 version of the Texas Rangers for example. According to an article on the Rangers website, their team boasts players from eight different World Baseball Classic countries, only three of them born in the United States. Besides the United States, the other countries represented on the Rangers roster are Puerto Rico, Curacao, Venezuela, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Japan, and South Korea. Ten of their top twenty prospects coming into 2014 were Latin American. Rangers’ Venezuelan shortstop Elvis Andrus was quoted in a USA Today article as saying, “When we're out there on the field, we're all from the same country. We all represent the Texas Rangers. Where you come from, or your nationality, actually don't matter. When we're all together, we're family." Assistant Manager Thad Levine was quoted in the same article as saying the Rangers were “color blind” when it comes to choosing their team. It is that type of attitude that made the Rangers a cohesive team, getting them to the playoffs in three of the past four years. The color of your skin matters little in baseball or in life. According to 1 Samuel 16:7, we are not to judge by looking at the outward appearance; instead we are to look deeper where God looks … at the heart. What does matter is whether or not you are a follower of Jesus Christ. Judging someone by the color of their skin, their appearance, their attire, or even their socioeconomic status is just plain wrong. There are too many times in the Bible where God uses the meek to propel His purpose forward. Rahab the prostitute helped Joshua’s spies and ended up becoming a descendant of Christ. The poor widow who dropped in small change to the offering was used by Christ to show the importance of giving. Even Christ himself was a humble carpenter!Martin Luther King Jr. said it best when he stated, “I have a dream that my four little children will one day live in a nation where they will not be judged by the color of their skin but by the content of their character.” One’s character will show their true self. One of the greatest compliments I ever received was from a former colleague of mine that told me she could see Christ in my heart. Is Christ in yours? If the Holy Spirit resides inside you, it is time you measured a person’s worth not by worldly standards but by Godly ones. Bible story: (Read Galatians 3: 15-29) When God made His promise to Abraham way back in Genesis, He promised Abraham as many descendants as the stars in the sky. Paul wrote his letter to the Galatians in order to call them out on many of their sins, and in this section of the letter, he specifically refers back to this covenant. Paul states, “But now that faith has come, we are no longer under a guardian, for in Christ Jesus you are all sons of God, through faith. For as many of you as were baptized into Christ have put on Christ. There is neither Jew nor Greek, there is neither slave nor free, there is no male and female, for you are all one in Christ Jesus. And if you are Christ's, then you are Abraham's offspring, heirs according to promise” (Galatians 3: 25-29). Did you catch that? It matters not whether you’re a Jew or Greek, slave or master, male or female. All that does matter is that we are all one in Christ. Talk about some serious calling for equality before his time! Think about how long it took our country to allow women to vote, not to mention how long it took the Civil Rights movement to get rolling. And this was how many years after Paul wrote this letter? Truly amazing. It all goes back to God’s promise to Abraham. How reassuring is it that all of us are united through the One who died for us! Now if we could just apply this principle to our culture today, being more focused on realizing that Christ died for all of us, not just some of us. Journal/Accountability talk: How do you judge others? When you see strangers on the street, do you ever avoid conversation with them due to the clothes they wear, their accent, or the color of their skin? Have you ever judged the opposite, expecting someone to be more Christian than they really are, but when you really get to know them, the colors of their heart are tainted? If God is telling us to not look at the outward appearance, how can we search to look deeper into a person’s heart? Reflect on these questions and journal about them.Prayer: Lord Jesus, help me look past a person’s appearance to seek the real truth: whether or not You are in their heart. Help me stand up to others who persecute based on the color of one’s skin, and let Your love crush racism. Amen.The diversity of the 2014 Texas RangersForgiveness: Letting Go of ResentmentScripture: “Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing’”(Luke 23: 34a).Thought for the day: The e-mail came to the middle school principal from a disgruntled parent. Her son, an asthma patient, had forgotten his inhaler the first day of football practice and was put in his place my one of the coaches. The coach, seeing the obese football player struggling for wind on the first sprint during conditioning, mistook the gasping as the kid simply being out of shape. As it turned out, the principal knew that parent well, and called the coach in, putting him on probation for the remainder of the season. They would reevaluate his progress at the end of the season to see if he should continue.The season was an enormous success! The coach in question above made amends with the player, soon becoming a favorite for him to joke with. As for their team, known for less than stellar performances in the past, they went 6-1, losing only to the undefeated champs of the league. After the season culminated with an awards ceremony, the coach received an e-mail to see the principal about football. He entered into her office to see not only the principal but both vice principals as well. It wasn’t pretty. She had met with the other coaches on the staff to get their point of view, and they had all thrown him under the bus. He was politely removed from his position as football coach.He burned with anger and frustration. Taking a day to vent, the coach asked for prayer from many different family and friends. It wasn’t instantaneous, but by Sunday he wept tears of joy at church, knowing full well God was in control. Whatever God had in mind, it wasn’t his plan, yet he trusted God and went a step further. The following morning he asked to speak with the two coaches that had deceived him, letting them know he still valued their friendship and didn’t want to lose it. It was complete humility, and although it felt anything but easy, it felt right. He was being the bigger man. He was choosing forgiveness.Who has wronged you in your life? Did a spouse walk out on you? Was your childhood rocky for one reason or another? Is your boss treating you unfairly? Whatever it is hurting, whatever may be festering inside you, burning hot like a boil, let it go. Realize that we all sin, and we should all be allowed a second chance. No relationship is worth holding a grudge over, especially when Christ tells us we are to forgive seventy times seven (Matthew 18: 22). You can be bigger than any worthless grudge. Choose hope. Choose forgiveness. Bible story: (Acts 6-7) Most people know the story of Christ on the cross. Looking at the Roman soldiers who had scourged Him and nailed Him to the cross, Christ told God not to hold this sin against them. Another story, just as inspiring, comes later in Acts. The Son of God is gone now. He has died, risen, and ascended up to heaven, charging His disciples to spread the Good News. Can we pause to ponder the significance of this? The reality is that Christianity could have died right then. Losing their lone Savior, they could have mourned His death, feared for their own lives, and sadly, pathetically gone back to the way life was before Christ came into their lives. But no! Under fire from the Roman government, the disciples plodded forward, healing others in the name of Christ. Our church was so small, yet the ones who knew were soldiers of God, willing to die for His cause. Stephen was one of those men.Stephen was cornered by some haters who secretly plotted against him, telling authorities that he was speaking blasphemy against Moses and God. He stands up for himself in front of his most hated enemies, explaining the truth about the Old Testament and basically proving his innocence. After poetically defending himself, the resilient disciple is stoned to death. Before he dies, Stephen shouts out in Acts 7: 60, “Lord, do not hold this sin against them!”Imagine that! This man, being pelted by not just one or two rocks but enough rocks to build a wall, asked forgiveness upon the men who were killing him. For Christ to do it is one thing. Christ is Christ. He’s perfect, right? But this is Stephen. A mortal man on fire for the Lord. Giving up his life to save the world from sin by spreading the gospel. I don’t know about you, but I certainly want to look Stephen up if and when I get to heaven. Song application: “Take You Back” by Jeremy CampVideo clip application: Go to and search “forgiveness.” Click on the link for “Forgive Him.” (link: ) This poor kid obviously has had a rough upbringing from his father. Does he have the right to hold a grudge against his dad? Sure, it is only human to feel wronged, but what would God tell this boy to do with his father? Why is this so difficult sometimes?Prayer: Heavenly Father, it is so easy to hold hard feelings toward those who wrong us. I pray that you can rid my soul of all bitterness, replacing it with Your love. Christ died for the forgiveness of sins, and He calls us to forgive the same. May forgiveness reign supreme. Amen.The stoning of Stephen.Eccentricity: A Little Different From the CrowdScripture: “For the grace of God that bringeth salvation hath appeared to all men,teaching us that, denying ungodliness and worldly lusts, we should live soberly, righteously, and godly, in this present world; looking for that blessed hope, and the glorious appearing of the great God and our Saviour Jesus Christ; who gave himself for us, that he might redeem us from all iniquity, and purify unto himself a peculiar people, zealous of good works” (Titus 2: 11-14).Thought for the Day: The world of the high jump was revolutionized in Mexico City in 1968. Dick Fosbury entered the Olympics that year as one of the United States’ best hopes for the high jump. Little did the world know that he had a trick up his sleeve that would change the sport forever. Nobody in the history of the high jump had done anything except roll over the bar or try a scissor kick. Fosbury approached the bar from the side, curved his approach into a U-turn near the bar, and flopped over the bar head first, his back arched high to the sky, his feet kicking over once his midsection cleared. The unorthodox technique propelled him all the way to the gold medal in the high jump, setting a then Olympic record of 7 feet 4 ? inches. The other high jumpers did not know what to think of Fosbury. They thought he was just trying to be radical. Fosbury, however, was just being himself. Others’ opinions of his innovative technique did not matter one iota to him. What mattered was that he was having successes with his own spin on how to high jump efficiently. Without even really knowing what he was doing, Fosbury’s impact on high jumping was renowned. Four years later in Munich, Germany, 28 out of 40 competitors copied Fosbury’s flop technique that had widely begun to be known as the Fosbury Flop. To this day it is hands down the most popular technique used in high jumping. How’s that for being unique?Do you ever feel like Christians are unique characters as well? You should! The world prides itself in earning money. The Christian doesn’t believe in earthly treasures. The world praises movie stars and entertainers for their physical appearance. Christians know that God looks not at the outward appearance but at the heart. The world says that sex sells. Christians are called not to look lustfully at members of the opposite sex. The world says we should coexist with one another as many roads lead to heaven. The Bible instructs that there is only one path to heaven, and the gates to this road are narrow indeed. Christians stick out like sore thumbs! And do you know what? We should feel okay about sticking out because we are different. We should take pride in it. Even thrive on it. Christians are certainly “a peculiar people, zealous of good works,” and God is more than okay with that.Bible story: (Read 1 Peter 2) Peter knows what it is like to be different. He had actually succumb to the pressures of the world on more than one occasion in his early stages; however, this certainly did not prevent him from spreading God’s Word afterwards and learning from his mistakes. In this letter that Peter writes to those Christians that are scattered about the area, he knows that they are struggling with being a little different from the crowd. Except this is more than peer pressure to bow down to idols; this is a matter of life and death! Christians were being persecuted everywhere, and they needed encouragement from Peter to take pride in their uniqueness and press on to live Godly lives.Peter challenges Christians to live a life pleasing to God in the midst of many who do not. He asks them to be like Christ who did not retaliate against His persecutors. Peter writes, “When they hurled their insults at him, he did not retaliate; when he suffered, he made no threats. Instead, he entrusted himself to him who judges justly. ‘He himself bore our sins’ in his body on the cross, so that we might die to sins and live for righteousness; ‘by his wounds you have been healed’” (1 Peter 2: 23-24). Do you realize how difficult this would be? To have people spit on you, threaten death upon you if you continue praising God and teaching others about Christ? Peter combats the instinct to give up hope by telling these early Christians that the troubles they are enduring are actually for the good. He commands that “if you suffer for doing good and you endure it, this is commendable before God” (1 Peter 2: 20b). What an awesome, positive approach to living a life that was extremely radical at the time. It is unmistakable that the early Christians were different, but they didn’t only embrace it. They let Peter’s challenge lead them to lighten places that were in the dark. Without their courage we’d be lost.Video clip application: Go to and search “different.” Click on the link for “A Little Different.” (link: ) This kid’s uniqueness is mocked by the rest of his classmates. Have you ever been mocked for your Christian stance on an issue? Should other people’s opinions even matter when they choose the worldly path and we choose the godly one? Whose approval matters more: the non-believer’s opinion or God’s opinion?Prayer: Lord of my life, I pray you will allow me to take pride in being a little different from the norm. Christians are a reflection of You, and I want to make You proud. I desire to be different from those that pursue their own sinful ways and proud to carry your will inside me. Amen.Dick Fosbury innovated the high jump with the patented Fosbury FlopImage: Projecting God, Not SelfScripture: “For all that is in the world—the desires of the flesh and the desires of the eyes and pride in possessions—is not from the Father but is from the world” (Hebrews 13: 5).Thought for the day: As a youth I remember the power of the Andre Agassi ad campaign for Canon. Its slogan was quick, catchy, and it probably helped sell a heckuva lot of cameras! Agassi, flaunting the latest bright and bold-colored tennis wear, not to mention tossing it off to go shirtless, ends the commercial with shades on and tips them down to stare into the camera and say, “Image is everything.” The image he projected was sporty, athletic, suave, cool, and downright expensive. The different settings the commercial was shot in showed Agassi pretty much everywhere. (link: )What did young tennis players see when they saw Agassi here? They saw his flashiness, his charisma. They saw his expensive taste in clothing. They saw his athletic physique pounding forehands, posing, and then switching to backhands. Of course that fancy jeep was a little hard not to notice, and what about the last shot seen on “the strip” in Vegas? Throwing all these images together and then having Agassi say that image meant everything, you can guess what tennis fans thought image should be. To spell it out, image should be powerful, flashy, and expensive. What would God say about this? Well, first He would probably remind us of the following scripture in Genesis 1: 27: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them.” If we are indeed made in God’s image, why is that image being tainted by materialism? The need to have better and fancier clothing, houses, cars, landscaping, pools, bowling alleys in your basement—yeah, you get the picture—can be considered an epidemic. Sometimes it seems if jealousy wins us over as we look at our neighbors and try to keep up with everything they purchase. Has that envy ever tugged at your conscience? Whenever I pull out my flip phone next to pretty much anyone’s smartphone, I am reminded of it!But God’s standards are higher. God could care less about what clothes you wear to church or what car you drive to get there. He doesn’t give a rip about the house you go home to. What does matter to God is that we have an attitude that promotes Him, not lust for materialism. Ecclesiastes 5: 10 states, “He who loves money will not be satisfied with money, nor he who loves wealth with his income; this also is vanity.” Satisfaction does not come through how much your bank account holds. If you want to be satisfied, try giving your heart to God. His definition of satisfaction is greater than the world’s, and it is the only substance that will sustain. Bible story: (Read Matthew 19: 16-30) The story of the rich young ruler epitomizes where our hearts should be. This guy, according to the world’s standards, is actually doing pretty well. He is wealthy, he keeps the commandments of God—what else is there for him to do? Curious, he approaches Jesus about this. After Christ does a quick inventory of his situation, finding out that he stays true to the important commandments that Jesus lists, Christ takes it a step further. He asks Richy Rich here to sell all he has and give it to the poor. Can you imagine the way that guy contorted his face after that one? Recreating this scene in my head, I imagine him to slowly duck his head to the side, let his mouth part open slowly in complete and utter shock and disillusionment, and then just stare at the dirt, maybe muttering or barely audibly gasping whaa?Christ goes on to declare that, “it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for someone who is rich to enter the kingdom of God” (Matthew 19: 24). Why is that? Christ says this because so many people who become rich value money over God. You can’t worship both God and money (Matthew 6: 24). This rich man in the Bible is not giving his whole heart to God because his false “god” is in his money. Be leery of what Christ says to end this passage, however, because people who die with no material possessions are thought to be lowly by the world. Jesus crushes that theory by stating, “But many who are first will be last, and many who are last will be first” (Matthew 19: 30). Music application: “My Own Little World” by Matthew WestVideo clip application: Go to and search “materialism.” Click on the link for “The Perfect Life.” (link: ) Is your perfect life like the one Jack describes? Better job equals more money equals bigger house equals better life? Why is his wife not buying into this philosophy? Why would God frown upon this philosophy? In what parts of your life are you living frivolously? Is God telling you that His image matters more than the image you are attempting to keep up with?Prayer: Lord, keep my heart with You, not my bank account. I have no need to keep up with my neighbor, envying his possessions. Let me be content with whatever You give me, and let me project your true image, not a false image created by the world. Amen. Andre Agassi tips his glasses for the Canon Rebel adSpiritual Gifts: For the Good of the TeamScripture: “As each has received a gift, use it to serve one another, as good stewards of God's varied grace: whoever speaks, as one who speaks oracles of God; whoever serves, as one who serves by the strength that God supplies—in order that in everything God may be glorified through Jesus Christ. To him belong glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen” (1 Peter 4: 10-11).Thought for the Day: Michael Jordan is arguably the greatest basketball player of all-time. His killer instinct led the Chicago Bulls to two three-peats, and he likewise drilled the game-winning shot to lift his North Carolina Tar Heels to the National Title in 1982. In game six of the NBA Finals in 1997, however, Jordan tipped his hat to a fellow teammate for the last shot. The Bulls coach, Phil Jackson, had drawn up a play for Jordan to win the game with a buzzer beater, but before they took the floor, three-point specialist Steve Kerr whispered to Jordan that if he was open, he’d take the shot. Jordan knew that John Stockton, the Utah Jazz’s point guard, had won a game earlier in the series by dropping off guarding Kerr to steal the ball from Jordan. If this happened again, they’d be ready for it. Jordan slapped hands with Kerr, and they took the floor. The score was tied, and if the Bulls prevailed, they would be NBA champions—again. The crowd, the entire viewing audience, the players, obviously Phil Jackson all expected Jordan to end the game. And when Jordan got the ball with the clock winding down, sure enough, Stockton dropped off Kerr to double team Jordan, leaving Steve Kerr wide open at the top of the key. Jordan penetrated, dishing a no-look pass to Kerr, who swished the game-winner to topple the Jazz and earn the Bulls another NBA title. Jordan could have won the game by drawing a foul, but he knew his teammate’s strength. Steve Kerr was a three-point specialist! His gift was in reigning threes from beyond the arc, and Kerr was the reigning three-point champion from the NBA All-Star Game. Recognizing this asset helped the Chicago Bulls solidify their place in history as one of basketball’s most impressive dynasties. God blesses each of us with abilities to glorify Him. It is our job to be a team player, realize our strength, and utilize it. If you know how to write, why not use your talent to lift up a friend in need by writing them a note or letter? Maybe you’re a good listener. You could be counseling a neighbor in need. If you’re an artist, why not design the new VBS T-shirt? If God blessed you with the ability to speak, you better get your rear end out to witness to those who need it! We’re all on the same team, God’s team, and no one person is more important than another. It is time to make the leader of our team proud by playing our roles. Bible story: (Read 1 Corinthians 12) This is one of the most famous passages in the Bible about spiritual gifts. In this letter from Paul to the Corinthians, Paul explains that we are all blessed with different gifts. “To one there is given through the Spirit a message of wisdom, to another a message of knowledge by means of the same Spirit, to another faith by the same Spirit, to another gifts of healing by that one Spirit, to another miraculous powers, to another prophecy, to another distinguishing between spirits, to another speaking in different kinds of tongues, and to still another the interpretation of tongues. All these are the work of one and the same Spirit, and he distributes them to each one, just as he determines” (1 Corinthians 12: 8-11).In the last half of 1 Corinthians 12 Paul points out that we are all one in Christ. Christ is the body, and we are all the appendages, making His body work. If we fail to use what God has blessed us with to forward Christ’s message, His message goes flat. It’s stale. Every Christian out there has a purpose, a destiny to feed the body of Christ in their own unique way, and it is our job as Christians to recognize those gifts, polish them, and utilize them until the day God calls us to be at His side. Video clip application: Go to and search “inspiration.” Click on the link for “Field Goal Winner.” (link: ) The game of football is a game where every player must do his job for the good of the team. How do the players use their God-given gifts to lift the team to victory in this scene? Think about everyone you see in the scene from the kicker to the defender that recovered the fumble to the offensive line to the snapper to the holder. Everyone comes together as one body.Journal/accountability talk: What areas are you gifted in? How can you utilize these gifts to glorify God? A discussion with an accountability partner here could help you realize a gift you didn’t even know you had. Writing about it can do likewise. Let God speak to you, and then listen to where He needs you to go.Quote: “In the New Testament, we don't find our gift through self-examination and introspection and then find ways to express it. Instead, we love one another, serve one another, help one another, and in so doing we see how God has equipped us to do so” (Russell Moore).Prayer: Lord, I pray you will help me recognize where my strengths lie so I can know how to spread your perfect Word. Let me encourage my Christian brothers and sisters in their gifted areas, helping prove your worth to all. May your cause be glorified by my actions. Amen.Steve Kerr drains the game-winner to win the NBA Championship for the Chicago BullsSelf-Confidence: You Are WorthyScripture: “So God created mankind in his own image, in the image of God he created them; male and female he created them” (Genesis 1: 27).Thought for the Day: Someone I know quite well had done the unthinkable. His marriage in shambles, his work a loathsome mess, his back feeling like a twisted pretzel, and drowning in the early stages of fatherhood, he thought himself unworthy. Tragically, he attempted to take his life not once but twice in a 6-month span. Hospitalized after his second attempt, he found himself on the back lawn during a 20-minute “smoke break” for the patients. Problem: he didn’t smoke! The rest of the patients puffed on cigarettes as he stood there on a makeshift basketball court spinning the smooth basketball in his hands, its dimples worn out completely from years of use. Eyeing his target, he hoisted up a free throw as he had done countless times before on his driveway as a kid. Swish. Something happened right there. The sound of the ball going through the cords. The sensation of knowing it was home before it even left his hands. He was worthy. All it took was a shot near the top of the key, and he was reminded he was actually good at something. Jump shot after jump shot, he caught fire, reigning in threes as if they were layups. Nobody noticed or cheered, but it didn’t matter. Suddenly he was taken back to a place where he was somebody. It was such a small success, but he savored it. Like a dog lapping water on a scorching July afternoon, his soul was replenished. He was made anew. Do you ever think yourself unworthy? Sadly, suicide rates are at an all-time high. More people die from it than from homicide or car accidents. Every 12.4 deaths per 100,000 people to be exact. The 10th most common cause of death in the United States. The statistics are staggering, and they aren’t improving. To resort to this horrific act of selfishness is to say you don’t matter. God has something to say about that. According to the verse above, we were all created in the image of God. If we are made in His perfect image, why would we even begin to entertain the thought that we are worthless? To do this would be to say that God is imperfect. The same One who created the heavens and the earth. The same One who performs miracles by the nanosecond. Don’t even go there! Don’t even try to say that God is dead. He is very much alive, and His love for you overflows. According to Psalm 86: 15, our God is “merciful and gracious, slow to anger and abounding in steadfast love and faithfulness.” Rest in that assurance. If you ever catch yourself thinking you don’t matter to others, if you ever think that life is not worth living, remember the One who made you. He made you perfect in every way.That man? The one who attempted to take his life twice? He was saved soon after, and he is now spreading God’s love. Like a wildfire. Every second of every day. Worthy? You bet. Bible story: (Read Acts 16: 16-40) The situation looked bleak for Paul and Silas. They were imprisoned for driving a demon out of a slave girl. Most men being thrown in jail wrongly would be sorrowfully licking their wounds, maybe even complaining about injustice. Not Paul and Silas. Paul and Silas could be heard singing praises to God from their prison cell, ministering to the other prisoners about the power of Jesus Christ. Talk about taking a lemon and making some lemonade! This was quite amazing; however, the story gets even better. It was around midnight when there was a violent earthquake that opened all the jail cells, freeing the prisoners.The jailer knew he was doomed when he found all the cells opened. His lone responsibility was to ensure nobody escaped, and he had breached his lone purpose in life. Thinking his life was no longer worthy to live, he took his sword and raised it to his chest, readying himself to take his own life. Paul ran up immediately, telling the jailer to stop his nonsense. The jailer immediately asked what he needed to do in order to be saved, and that led Paul to preach the Word of Jesus Christ to him. In the meantime, it was learned that Paul and Silas were Roman citizens, and the chief magistrates immediately released them. Song application: “What Faith Can Do” by Kutless/ “Blessings” by Laura StoryVideo clip application: Go to and search “suicide.” Click on the link for “Challenging God.” (link: ) Patch Adams is devastated after the murder of his girlfriend. He is ready to pull the plug on life and end it all. How can scripture be used combat Patch’s logic in the opening of the scene? How can adversity in life be used to make us stronger in the end? How has God taught us that we all indeed are worthy?Quote: “I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy” (Rabindranath Tagore).Prayer: Lord, when self-doubt creeps in and I begin to think myself unworthy, let me remember Your perfect love. Let me cling to the life You blessed me with and find small successes to build my life upon. I pray this in the name of the One who died for all of us. Amen.Shooting for the starsMarriage: God at the CenterScripture: “Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. For the husband is the head of the wife even as Christ is the head of the church, his body, and is himself its Savior. Now as the church submits to Christ, so also wives should submit in everything to their husbands. Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church and gave himself up for her, that he might sanctify her, having cleansed her by the washing of water with the word …” (Ephesians 5: 22-23).Thought for the day: One of the greatest power couples in the history of tennis combined the flashiness of Andre Agassi and the precision of Stefi Graf. Agassi and Graf married in 2001, they have two beautiful children, and they have participated in many mixed doubles competitions over the years. They found a common bond through the game they both dominated through their careers, Agassi winning eight Grand Slam singles titles and Graf winning an extraordinary 22. Agassi and Graf have likewise been known for their philanthropy, always looking for ways to give back to the community. They are still happily married and living in Las Vegas, giving their hearts to one another, to their children, and to the public. Have you found your power couple? If you haven’t yet, give it time. Search for the one that God intended you to be with. How will you know whom that may be? Search their heart. If they put Christ at the center, they’re an excellent candidate. And pray! Pray that God will lead you to someone who will assist you in keeping God at the core of your marriage. If you already have found that person, grow your marriage. How do you grow it? By pursuing your spouse on a daily basis. Speak their love language whatever it may be. Go out of your way to put their needs before your own. Give yourself wholeheartedly to your marriage, and the rewards will be returned in full when you spend eternity with your spouse at your side.The divorce rate is climbing. Statistics show that half of marriages are ending in divorce; however, try this for a statistic: research shows that couples who pray together daily have a 99 percent success rate of staying together. So, I ask you … how are you doing there? Gentlemen, are you praying with your wife before you go off to work, or are you leaving her with nothing? Ladies, are you praying with your husbands when the stress of the world is eating at them? There is no better way to end your day than to hold hands, bow down to the One who united you, and pray to Him, thanking Him for His countless blessings and asking for encouragement to conquer life’s obstacles. Bible story: (Read Song of Songs) I can hear the grumbling already from some. An entire book of the Bible … really? When your family is on the line, namely your spouse, reading an entire book of the Bible to save your marriage isn’t such a bad idea. As a matter of fact, it is essential. And this is poetry, people! Gentlemen, if you’re lacking written talent to express your love for your spouse, open this up. Read it with your wife. Give her some flowers with it, schedule a babysitter, and devote your evening to taking in whatever life has in store for you. Ladies, do you want to make your man feel important? Find your favorite passage here and leave it for him to read in his lunch he takes to work, sign it at the bottom with a note that says, “Can’t WAIT till the kids go to bed tonight,” and then kiss your boldest lipstick at the bottom. See what happens. My guess is that the evening might just be memorable. Just maybe! The poetry in this book of the Bible tops Shakespeare in my mind. It is one hundred percent devoted to showing what spouses should be doing for one another. Music application: “Restore” by Christ August / “God Gave Me You” by Blake Shelton / “Bless the Broken Road” by Rascal FlattsVideo clip application: Go to and search “marriage.” Click on the link for “Better or Worse.” (link: ) Explain the analogy of the salt and pepper shaker to your significant other. Watch this video with them. Make a list of how you complement one another. Talk with your spouse about how just like salt and pepper you will stick together no matter what. Journal/accountability talk: How would you rank your marriage on a scale of 1 to 10? Why? Where are your strengths? What about your weaknesses? How do you pursue your spouse on a daily basis? How do you overcome conflicts? Do you pray together? Do you get into the Word together? If you could change one thing about your marriage, what would it be? How can you use scripture to encourage you in whatever area that might be? Challenge: Having fun, making your time intentional, and pursuing your spouse directly combats the urge to divorce. How is this for laying down the gauntlet: make time for this by scheduling at least one date night per month. Can you go for two? All the better. Or be like my friend Ashley who has declared one night per week for the remainder of her life shall be devoted to her husband. You can make this challenge as easy or hard as you like. Good luck!Prayer: Lord, I pray that you will help me keep You at the center of my marriage. Cleanse me of every selfish thought that makes me put my own needs before my spouse’s. Let me pour my heart into what You need from me, pursuing my spouse with fervent enthusiasm. Amen.Steffi Graf and Andre Agassi share a moment during a mixed doubles matchLeadership: The Greatest Coach EverScripture: “Set the believers an example in speech, in conduct, in love, in faith, in purity” (1 Timothy 4: 12b).Thought for the Day: Who is the greatest coach of all time? What a debate that would inspire! If it were up to me, I’d have to go with the Wizard of Westwood, John Wooden. Look at it this way. The last NCAA men’s basketball team to go undefeated was Indiana in 1976. Wooden did it four times before that. His team took home the Naismith Trophy 10 times in 12 years, and from 1966-1973 he lost only FIVE times … total! His resume of players turned future NBA stars included Lew Alcindor (Kareem Abdul-Jabbar) and Bill Walton. Of course a .804 overall winning percentage isn’t too bad either. Are you kidding me? Talk about dominant!Upon graduating from grammar school, Wooden’s father gave him something known as the Seven Point Creed. It lay out seven principles to live your life by, and Wooden believed fully in each, living them out daily: 1. Be true to yourself. 2. Make each day your masterpiece. 3. Help others. 4. Drink deeply from good books, especially the Bible. 5. Make friendship a fine art. 6. Build a shelter against a rainy day. 7. Pray for guidance and give thanks for your blessings every day. Would you say Wooden was a Christian after reading these? He was quoted as saying, “If I were ever prosecuted for my religion, I truly hope there would be enough evidence to convict me.” How many would feel assured having this man coach your son or daughter? Talk about an easy one. I’d trust my boys with Wooden!Christian men are called to be leaders of their household. How are you doing here? Do you lead the family spiritually, encouraging them to bolster their quiet time? Who would your kids say runs your house: mom or dad? Do you call your children out when they go wayward, or are you caught up in being the “cool” dad, letting them get away with things they shouldn’t? Do you stand up for what you think is right, basing your stance on Biblical principles … even when you know your stance will cause conflict? Do you lead by example, realizing that little eyes are watching your every step, your every word? Do you delegate responsibility effectively? When your family is not around, do you lead by standing up to your buddies when a crude joke is made while playing cards? Seriously. Think about it. Leadership isn’t just a part time gig. It is a 24/7 responsibility. John Wooden took leadership to the ultimate extreme, but did you catch who Wooden based his leadership on? Much thanks to the way he was led by his father, Wooden based his leadership on the most imperative, influential leader of all time. Jesus Christ constantly put others’ needs before himself, modeling the most selfless leadership ever, the most significant event being his sacrifice on the cross. Would He give His nod of approval, trusting you to raise your kids to be more like Him? Bible story: (Read 2 Chronicles 14-16) One of the most depressing parts of the Bible to read is through the numerous kings of the Old Testament. King after king followed a tradition of idol worship and wickedness that caused God to reign down punishment like an out of control hailstorm. Few kings did what was right in the eyes of the Lord. It was just so much easier to follow the example of their ancestors. One king, however, decided he’d had enough. One king had seen the destruction caused by his grandfather Rehoboam and decided to make things right. King Asa showed unprecedented leadership in turning Judah back to the Lord because that was what he knew was right in his heart.Asa started his reign by taking down all the altars used to worship idols, crushing sacred stones and calling for Judah to follow the God of their ancestors. For 41 years he served the Lord with a passion that led many back to reconciliation with the Lord. Asa was rewarded with peace in his kingdom. No outside threat dared attempt to conquer him, and when Baasha, Israel’s king, confronted him, Asa invaded the Northern Kingdom. Asa fought for what was right, noble, and pure, winning his nation back to God’s favor and providing leadership worthy of a king.Song application: “Lead Me” by Sanctus RealVideo clip application: Go to and search “leadership.” Click on the link for “Never Take Our Freedom.” (link: ) In one of the most memorable movie speeches ever, William Wallace rallies his Scottish army to fight for their freedom against the English. What makes this speech so convincing for the men fighting for Wallace? How does he turn them from not wanting to fight at all to a bunch of crazed men ready to fight for their God-given right to freedom? Who is your “army” that you need to lead? What motivational tactics will get them rallied? How can you better lead this group of people?Prayer: Heavenly Father, you provided the best possible example of leadership through giving us your son Jesus. I pray we can be more like Him in everything we do, constantly putting others before ourselves and leading by example through Biblical doctrine. Amen.UCLA coach John WoodenSubmission: Yield to God, Not the WorldScripture: Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).Thought for the day: Through the 1960’s and 1970’s Arthur Ashe took the world of tennis by storm. He collected all four Grand Slam titles, recording a career singles record of 818 wins versus 260 losses. Ashe was the first African-American ever selected to the Davis Cup team in 1963; however, Ashe’s feat in 1968 takes the cake. In that same year he won both the United States Amateur Championships and followed that with a victory at a tennis event you may have heard of called the US Open. Even more impressive was the fact that the beginning of Ashe’s amateur career was in the heat of the Civil Rights Movement. His stellar performance outlasted his naysayers, however, leaving him as one of the most revered tennis players of his time upon his retirement in 1970. Arthur Ashe’s professional career only lasted ten years due to medical concerns he encountered. He was forced to retire in 1980 after suffering from a heart attack in July 1979. It was quite the anomaly for a grown man in peak physical shape to suffer cardiac arrest. Then in 1988 Ashe experienced paralysis in his right arm, leading doctors to investigate that Ashe had toxoplasmosis, a disease commonly linked to those that have the HIV virus. Sure enough, tests verified that Ashe indeed had AIDS. He kept this information quiet to the public, his daughter only being two years old at the time. Ashe didn’t want her to find out. When his health began to decline, Ashe went public about his disease, and the Lord took him home in early 1993. This is where some might trip up. Why do bad things happen to good people? Arthur Ashe was an amazing athlete and gave so many people hope. Why would God choose to end his life early? These questions are foreign to me as well. Sometimes we don’t have the answers. Sometimes answers to God’s will are so far removed from what we would expect that we lose our faith. We let Satan whisper lies to us that God is dead, and sometimes we believe them. Ever been burned like that? Here is my response to that. Where in the Bible does it say that everything in life runs smoothly? Isn’t it possible to learn from adversity? Paul loved adversity and is quoted as saying, “That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.”When you hear Arthur Ashe’s name now, it is typically in an award named after him. One of my favorites is the Arthur Ashe Courage Award presented at the ESPYs. The late great Jim Valvano accepted the first award in 1993, giving his famous “Don’t ever give up” speech. Robin Roberts, a cancer survivor, accepted the award in 2013. Said Roberts, "When fear knocks, let faith answer the door." How is your faith? Is it carrying you through to understand God’s will? We may never fully understand the Lord’s ways, but His plans are so much high than our own. Just know that His plan is mapped out to perfection, and “all things are possible with God” (Mark 10: 27).Bible story: (Read Jonah) The story of Jonah expresses God’s will as good as any other Bible story. What I like most about it is that Jonah went his own way, and then went God’s way. Here you have a man who was asked to go save the city of Nineveh, a pretty rotten place. This would be equivalent to telling you to go into the hood, infested with drug dealers, crack heads, prostitutes, and partiers, and tell them to shape up. Before we hate on Jonah, isn’t that a little intimidating? Wouldn’t you be scared too? So Jonah ignores God and tries to run away. Well, he jumps ship to Timbuktu, and of course, God finds him. You can’t hide from God, and suddenly Jonah is tossed into the sea, swallowed by a fish, and humbled beyond belief.This is where Jonah turns. He realizes his mistake of trying to impose his own will on life, not the Lord’s. He asks God’s forgiveness, repents, and three days later is spit out back onto dry land. Imagine what those three days were like. Can you imagine living in the stench of fish food for an entire weekend? Not your typical five-star hotel! Jonah gets his second chance though, and he makes the most of it, dutifully going off to minister to the lost people of Nineveh. With his own will he was lost. With God’s will he was fulfilled. When you have the chance to live out either God’s will or your own, you’ll be much better off choosing God’s. Otherwise you may be sniffing fish guts for three days, and I hear that is somewhat overrated. Journal/accountability talk: What are you upset about in your life right now? What about your past … is there anything that upset you about what God chose for your destiny? How can these adversities actually help us in the future? How can God’s plan for your life be better than your own? Have you ever seen a past failure lead to a new door opened that actually was better than the first? What Biblical stories attest to the truth that God never abandons? How can we learn from stories like Joseph or Paul? Where does faith come in? How can trust in God, specifically listed in Proverbs 3: 5-6 above, help us apply fresh perspective to negative circumstances? How can we support others in a loving way whom are struggling with accepting God’s will? Why is God’s will the only truth we can rely on?Prayer: Lord of my life, my own selfish desires are meaningless compared to Your perfect will. I know sometimes what I want is not what you desire for me. Let me see the good in everything, knowing that every step I take is directed by Your faultless ways. Amen.Arthur Ashe’s legacy will live on foreverArmor of God: Breaking Satan’s Full Court PressScripture: “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it” (1 Corinthians 10: 13).Thought for the Day: The 1988 Oklahoma Sooners men’s basketball team was a juggernaut. Billy Tubbs’ team was athletic, they played at a frantic pace, and they pressed all game, averaging an insane amount of possessions and points. Once they scored, they immediately set up their full-court press, harassing opponents with turnovers. Their ball-hawking defense, led by quick-handed guard Mookie Blaylock, was legendary, and the Sooners rode that wave of superiority all the way to the NCAA title game where they met sixth seeded Danny Manning and the Kansas Jayhawks, the Cinderella team of the tournament. Kansas Coach Larry Brown had told their team to slow Oklahoma down in the pre-game speech, but Manning huddled his team together, telling them to run with Oklahoma, and believe me, they did! In one of the most frantic first halves ever, the two teams were knotted at 50 at halftime, Kansas averaging nearly a turnover a minute. They were sucking air, rotating 10 players through the lineup, but they had shot 75 percent in the first half as well. That was when Brown’s halftime speech helped lead Kansas to victory. He told his players that they had proven they could play Oklahoma’s game, but now it was time to play their game. They slowed the game down. They broke the press. The team that became known as Danny and the Miracles played Kansas Jayhawk basketball, pulling away 83-79 to win the 1988 NCAA crown.Much like that Oklahoma Sooners defense, Satan loves to put on the full court press when the going gets tough. (I suppose this might be a convenient time to quickly add I am not saying the 1988 Oklahoma Sooners are Satan; they simply prove an important point!) You see, when you start wavering, when you fall into temptation, Satan doesn’t hold back. He comes at you with a hailstorm of punches, going for the knockout blow. As Christians, we need to have our guard up constantly toward this worthy adversary. If we let Satan slip some punches in—and trust me, he will, as nobody’s perfect—we better be prepared to fight back with our own sword, the Bible. Ephesians 6: 11 states, “Put on the full armor of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes.” Anything less than the full armor allows Satan room to strike.How can you beat Satan’s full-court press? You play God’s game. You read the Bible. You let the Holy Spirit guide your every decision, and you pray. One pass at a time, take the ball down the court, and when the time comes to strike, do so! Satan has no answer to God’s Word, and prayer cuts him where it hurts. Believe me, if you follow God’s game plan, putting on the full armor of God, the result will be a slam dunk.Bible story: (Read Matthew 4: 1-11) Have you ever fasted before? Maybe you had your cholesterol checked and needed blood work done, or maybe you were preparing for Easter weekend, attempting to rely wholly on the bread of life as opposed to bread that fills our stomachs. My guess is that you did your thing for 24 hours or less and went on with your life. Not Christ during His temptation from Satan. Jesus fasted for an unfathomable 40 days before being tempted by God’s biggest adversary. Satan then had his suffocating full court press in full effect, holding nothing back. What ensued was a battle of wills that ended up letting the Son of God prevail in an epic matchup of good versus evil.Satan began by asking Christ to turn some stones into bread. How easy would this have been for Christ to do! After all, his stomach was rumbling, and He certainly possessed that power, but he refrained saying, “Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that comes from the mouth of God” (Matthew 4: 4). Satan countered with another temptation, taking Jesus to the highest point of the temple and telling him to jump off, making God’s angels catch Him. Christ resists again, declaring that nobody should ever put God to the test. Finally, Satan took Jesus to the highest mountain on the hillside and told Him he’d give Him all the world if Jesus would bow down and worship Satan. Christ, full of anger and distaste, shouts out, “Away from me, Satan! For it is written: ‘Worship the Lord your God, and serve him only’” (Matthew 4: 10). And with that Christ slammed home the game-winning basket with a thundering dunk. Journal/Accountability talk: Where are your weakest areas of temptation? Do you find your eyes wandering, lusting after attractive temptresses? Do you envy your neighbor who has more than you? Are you letting idols such as sports, electronics, or work rule your life? Do you seek solace in the Word of God or in a heaping bowl of ice cream? We are all tempted by Satan in different areas of our lives. Write or talk to someone about the temptations you face and seek accountability to overcome them. Prayer: Lord, you have already won the battle against Satan, yet his temptations still affect me. Be my sword and shield. Help me defend myself constantly against his attacks, using your Word as truth to take him out of the game. It is in your Son’s name, I pray. Amen. Danny Manning and Larry BrownProactivity: Expecting the UnexpectedScripture: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4: 7).Thought for the Day: One of my favorite scenes in soccer is when the score is tied after regulation and the two teams are forced to settle the game on penalty kicks. With a penalty kick shootout you get drama! Each team gets five shots on goal, and the team that makes the most wins. The kicker goes on offense, typically choosing his spot on goal before kicking; however, some can read the goalie leaning one way then kick it another at the last second. As for the goalie, he is the sole protector of the net. Some goalies simply guess which way the kicker will strike and dive that way, hoping to swat the ball away. The most efficient goalies, however, study their opponents. They watch film to see which direction they are prone to kick. They observe body language as the kicker approaches. They look into the very eyes of their enemy, staring into their soul, attempting to pick up a vibe on where the ball might be going. They expect the unexpected. They are proactive!So, let’s connect the dots here. How good are you at keeping your guard up against Satan? Are you proactive in readying yourself for his attacks? If there has been one thing I have learned in my lifetime about Satan, it is that he is devious. He snakes into your life when you think all is well. He makes you compromise a situation, and you end up rationalizing against God’s word in the Bible. He will let you coast through life on cruise control, and then all of a sudden he will send a scud missile that derails you from anything and everything pure to God’s truth. Which goalie are you? Are you the goalie that guesses when Satan will strike next? Or are you the goalie that tries to anticipate the Devil’s attacks, deflecting his blows with God’s shield of righteousness?So, the million dollar question remains unanswered here: how do we prepare ourselves for Satan’s attacks? How do we continually keep our guards up when all is going well? First and foremost, we cannot think we’re invincible. Know that Satan is out there. Know that he’s devising a plan to take you out daily, and know that he is a huge fan of the sneak attack. The Japanese at Pearl Harbor? Shoot, they have nothing on this guy! Even more importantly, however, we must continually seek the Lord’s wisdom through our quiet time with Him, growing through whatever means He sees fit. We can never be content with where we’re at. We can never stop growing with God through our own studies and through going to church. God will continually teach you new lessons daily, and if you open your ears to listen, you will be ready when Satan tries to go upper 90 on you. Bible story: (Read Job 1-2 and 39-40) The story of Job shows a firsthand account of the way Satan works. Here you have one of the godliest men on the earth, enjoying the fruits of his labor. He has everything! Then in a blink of an eye all his material possessions are gone. His family? Dead. His wealth? Stolen. His health? Covered with boils from head to toe. The man whom everyone more than likely envied was now spinning through the turbulent waters of adversity. He was at Satan’s mercy, and Job, being very human, finally crumbled under the pressure, cursing God. And who can blame the guy? You take a man who has everything and strip him clean, of course he will throw himself a bit of a pity party. But as we know, the story of Job does not end there. His friends, loyal and supportive, are at his side, attempting to speak words of wisdom. Job respects their friendship but refuses to listen. As a matter of fact it takes the Lord Himself speaking directly to Job, rebuking him for cursing God’s name, to finally turn Job back to where he needs to be. After a speech from God that sets him straight, Job realizes that he is in the wrong and turns his heart back to where it should be. With God. And don’t you know that Satan burned with anger after that turnaround! When you allow God to hold you in His loving arms, He will protect you. He will help you resist Satan’s attacks. The moments when you coast through life on your own are when Satan strikes. Journal/accountability talk: Where have you slipped up in the past? When has life been going great then you let your guard down into temptation? How can you learn from these failures so they do not happen again? How could Satan turn the tables on you right now? Think of the absolute worst thing that could happen to you regarding a specific conflict in your life. How would God want you to respond to that conflict if it intensified? What does His Word call you to do?Quote: “The proactive approach to a mistake is to acknowledge it instantly, correct and learn from it” (Stephen Covey).Prayer: Lord of my heart, I pray you will keep my reflexes catlike and agile when Satan tries to take me down. Let me seek repentance from you when necessary and continue seeking wisdom from your perfect Word. I am far from perfect, but you are. Let me strive to be more like Christ. It is in your name, I pray. Amen. Goalie Manuel Neuer blocks a penalty kick awaySloth: Don’t Sleep on God’s TimeScripture: “The soul of the sluggard craves and gets nothing, while the soul of the diligent is richly supplied” (Proverbs 13: 4).Thought for the day: One of my favorite Seinfeld episodes showcased a marathon runner by the name of Jean-Paul. Jean-Paul’s fictional story is quite dramatic. He overslept for the 1992 Olympics marathon due to the volume on his alarm clock not being loud enough, losing out on winning a medal for Trinidad and Tobago. When Jerry hears about this poor guy, he makes it his mission to get Jean-Paul up on time for the marathon he’s going to run in New York. Jerry’s obsession with this gets Jean-Paul in trouble when Jerry calls the hotel, making sure the wake-up call is ready to go. The hotel desk clerk gets a little surly with Jerry after Jerry reminds him over and over of the time Jean-Paul needs to be awoken. Jerry hates this! He has now offended the man in charge of waking the prized runner up! In a last ditch effort to save his new friend, Jerry pulls Jean-Paul from the hotel and lets him sleep on his couch. Across the hallway, Jerry pleads with his friend Kramer to set his mental alarm for Jean-Paul’s wakeup as a backup. Kramer is meanwhile experimenting with an indoor hot tub, which ends up blowing a fuse in the middle of the night, causing all the alarms to reset. Jerry wakes up bathed in the morning light, and freaks out when he sees they mistakenly slept in. He screams for Jean-Paul to rally himself from the sofa, tossing clothes his way, and Kramer makes an appearance, saying his mental alarm must have hit the snooze. Imagine that! They barely get Jean Paul there in time for the race.Being a busy man myself, I know that if I neglect my quiet time with the Lord in the morning, it just isn’t going to happen the remainder of my day. Life happens! Commitments with work, family, church, friends, household chores, hobbies, and a plethora of other things not mentioned begin to flood my day. Can my quiet time be done elsewhere? Sure, but for me I know God tells me the morning works best. It prepares me for my day, it helps me focus on areas of need, it helps me grow with God on His timetable, and all of this is done with minimal distraction. That is of course to say that neither one of my little ones decides to wake up a little early. In that case I think God understands as I tend to their needs, but I likewise continue my quiet time with God later in the day.All that being said, how often do you hit the snooze alarm on God’s time that He needs from you? In order to grow with God, you must give Him time. Delve into the Word. Journal. Seek accountability through partnerships with others. Still yourself to what God wants from you. And remember, we must be in constant communication with the Holy Spirit all day long. There are days I choose to take a nap when I could be doing something more productive, and evenings when I forget to pray with my wife because exhaustion sets in. "Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak” (Matthew 26: 41). Bible story: (Read Matthew 26: 36-45) Let’s set the scene here. The Last Supper is complete. Christ knows he will soon be betrayed, turned over to the Romans, judged, brutally beaten, and crucified. So what does He do? He prays, dramatically pleading with God, “My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done” (Matthew 26: 42). Now, we know this is the middle of the night, but Christ fights his human instinct to sleep by praying. When you analyze the situation, Christ certainly could have taken a quick snooze to ready himself for what was about to come. He knew all about Judas’ betrayal already. Wouldn’t a nap have refreshed him even just a tad? Even more refreshing to Him is communication with God.The disciples, however, are not as diligent in prayer. Christ commands them to pray for Him as He goes off into the Garden of Gethsemane to be alone. We all need alone time, and Christ just needed that quiet time with God before the chaos that was about to ensue. Was His request to pray simply too much for the disciples? Three times Christ finds His disciples sleeping. You would think they’d get the memo after the first time, but their weariness overwhelms them. Granted, they’ve had an exhausting day, but this is the Son of God here! After the third time, it is too late. Judas returns and turns over his beloved teacher to the Romans. Video clip application: Go to and search for “Seinfeld Clip—Jean-Paul the Marathon Runner.” (link for video: ) Journal/accountability talk: How are you giving your time to God? Are you hitting the snooze alarm, limiting your time with Him in the morning? Do you give Him your complete focus and attention when you pray? Or do you let a to-do list creep in to your mind, shooting your thoughts off to a tangent? Have you ever fallen asleep praying? How can you improve your chances of not doing this again? What is going on around you when you pray? Do you need to find a better place to quiet yourself to listen to God as Christ did at Gethsemane? Prayer: Lord, time is precious. Let me utilize the quiet moments with You to energize me through the day. I pray you will keep me diligent and focused when the flesh becomes weak. May your Word be enough to challenge me to give my all for You. Amen.Jean-Paul checks in at the last second for his race with Jerry watchingDevotion: Giving All Your HeartScripture: “And whatever you do, in word or deed, do everything in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him” (Colossians 3: 17).Thought for the day: Goalie Tim Howard was a large reason the United States made it out of the “Group of Death” in the 2014 World Cup. Social media had a heyday with nicknames for him, calling Howard the “Minister of Defense” and encouraging the Secretary of Defense, Chuck Hagel, to invite the team to the Pentagon. In the United States’ 2-1 loss to Belgium, Howard set a World Cup record with 15 saves. One Twitter follower quipped the most saves in history came from Jesus Christ, but Howard was next in line. What you may not know about Howard, however, is that he was diagnosed with Tourette syndrome at the tender age of 10. Tourette syndrome, a neurological disorder that produces verbal and physical tics, caused embarrassment for Howard as a youth; however, the faith of his grandmother helped him come to terms with the disorder. She was a devout Christian and prided herself in modeling that lifestyle for him. "Through her, God revealed His love for me as well," Howard said. "It wasn't long before I was following in her footsteps. I wanted the same kind of faith and peace she had, and that is exactly what God game me." Howard was likewise quoted as saying, "The most important thing in my life is Christ. He's more important to me than winning or losing or whether I'm playing or not. Everything else is just a bonus."Howard has been inspired to participate in Bible studies and witness to others, showing the same devotion his precious Nana once modeled for him. This leads us to the million-dollar question: what type of devotion are you modeling for your family and friends? Are you taking your family to church on Sunday or are you tailgating at the local sporting events? Are you arising early in the morning to pray and ready your spirit for the day, or are you snoozing an extra half hour in bed? When someone cuts you off and speeds by you on the highway, are you cursing them or praying for them? Our days are chalk full of choices to follow Christ or to follow the world. In Romans 12: 2 Paul says, “Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.” The English Premier League soccer powerhouse Manchester United has been known to promote their team as something equal to if not more important than God Himself. Fans adorn the stadium with signs that read “Manchester is my heaven.” One fan even went to the extent of creating a picture of Christ opening his robe to reveal a Manchester United shirt. Sports are certainly fun hobbies, but when they take the place of God, that is when He has issues. Let’s make God our one and only. Bible story: (Read Daniel 3) King Nebuchadnezzar was quite the arrogant one. Erecting a statue of himself made from gold, he declared the entire kingdom was to bow down to it. The punishment if you refused? Death. But this wasn’t just any death. This was death by being tossed into a fiery furnace. When Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego—staying true to the real God—refused to bow down to the idol Nebuchadnezzar had set up, they were called out. The king was enraged! To put these three in their place and strike fear into any onlooker, he cranked up the heat seven times the intensity in his fire pit. It was so intense that it scorched the guards that dragged Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego to the edge of the pit. The guards flailed in agony above, dying of 3rd degree burns, and our three heroes crashed helplessly into the fiery nothingness below.The three men of God, full of devout faith that God would rescue them, were unharmed in the flames. As a matter of fact, when the guards above, shielding their faces from the chalky smoke and flames, looked into the pit, they saw not three but four men below. Nebuchadnezzar noticed “the form of the fourth is like the Son of God” (Daniel 3: 25). An angel had rescued Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego, and not a single hair on their heads was singed! They walked out of the fire completely unscathed, and that is when the real miracle happens. Having witnessed the phenomenon and now full of belief, Nebuchadnezzar commanded everyone to worship the God of Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego. Those who did not? They “shall be cut in pieces, and their houses shall be made a dunghill” (Daniel 3: 29). Quite the 180 in the right direction.Video clip application: Go to and search “dedication.” Click on the link for “Take You Home.” (link: ) The loyal supporters of getting Ruben “Hurricane” Carter out of jail have moved nearby to devote their lives to freeing him. How does this scene epitomize the same dedication we should be giving to God? What areas of your life do you need to give to God in order to fully devote yourself to Him?Music application: “The Only Name” by Big Daddy WeavePrayer: Lord of my heart, I devote my life to You. Every step I take, every word I speak, let it all be for You. There is nothing sweeter than Your loving embrace. I bow down to You and only You, fully devoted to Your cause now and for all eternity. Amen.Tim Howard’s devotion is unquestionedEternity: Eyes on the PrizeScripture: “Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you” (James 4: 7).Thought for the day: The Olympics always seem to provide drama in the pool, and when the United States’ Michael Phelps squared off against South Africa’s Chad Le Clos at Rio in 2016, this was certainly no exception. The two had a history of bad blood toward one another that began four years earlier when Le Clos edged out Phelps in the 200-meter butterfly at the London Games. Burned out and exhausted, Phelps soon announced his retirement; however, his competitive nature got the best of him in 2015 at the Arena Pro Series. Phelps unretired, began training for Rio, and sought to earn that coveted gold medal back from the man that snaked it from him four years earlier. So, there they were. Le Clos and Phelps. The media turned it into somewhat of a circus when cameras caught Le Clos and Phelps together in the pregame wait time. Phelps, hood over his head and headphones tuned in, was anything but impressed with Le Clos, who was shadowboxing in front of him. The scowl on Phelps’ face was priceless as he focused on readying himself for the race. He was all business, ready to torpedo through the water for another gold medal. Le Clos? He was simply relishing the moment to try to psyche out his rival. It wasn’t working. By the time the two hit the water, Phelps, ready to prove himself, dominated the race, winning another gold and putting Le Clos in his place. Phelps’ eyes were on his prize: the gold medal. Le Clos’ eyes, as seen in the picture below, were distracted by his competition. Phelps didn’t let Le Clos’ antics throw him off. We, much the same as Phelps, have an obligation to set out eyes on the eternal prize of heaven. It is essential that we set our eyes on serving others the way Christ did, not being distracted by the obstacles that Satan throws in our path. What is your obstacle? Gentlemen, are you distracted by pornography? Is it food that draws your obsession? Or is Satan is attacking your marriage, leaving you thinking divorce is the way out? There are so many temptations that can trip us up in life, but keeping your eyes focused on the eternal prize of heaven will right your path.Let’s park there for a second. Heaven. How do we get there? Is it works that earn us a one-way ticket to paradise? Ephesians 2: 8-10 states, “For it is by grace you have been saved, through faith—and this is not from yourselves, it is the gift of God—not by works, so that no one can boast. For we are God’s handiwork, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do.” It is not our good deeds that get us there. It is not following a bunch of laws. God knows the heart, and if you are following the Commandments for the wrong prideful reasons, He’ll call you out. Humble yourself. Rely on His power. Submit your every decision to God’s purposes for you, and He will be opening the door of heaven for you saying, “Well done good and faithful servant!” (Matthew 25: 23).Bible story: (Read Revelation 4) Wipe clean from your mind all those Hollywood versions of heaven. You know what I’m talking about. Clouds galore. Sweet smiling angels flying around with wings. Maybe one of them is playing a harp. If you want an accurate vision of heaven, look no further than the book of Revelation. Written by John, otherwise known as the disciple that Jesus loved, Revelation gives us a real version of heaven. This vision came to John while he was exiled to the Greek island of Patmos. It was during a time when the Roman Empire was still persecuting Christians, yet God gave us hope through this beautiful, glorious image.Though you should be encouraged to read the entire book of Revelation to get the full view of heaven, the heart of heaven can be seen in Revelation chapter 4. It begins with a doorway that opens to a mystical place, and a voice sounds off like a trumpet, welcoming John to a huge throne, surrounded by 24 smaller thrones; and atop the center is no one other than Jesus Christ himself. The lion and the lamb, all rolled into one. The thrones are atop a sea of crystal glass, gleaming and sparkling with brilliance, and get this … four living creatures, all unique and mystical, are praising God’s glorious name. Can you picture it? Feel it? It might be difficult to wrap your mind around, but this place is waiting for you, and God will indeed welcome you there for all eternity if you humble yourself before Him, dedicating your life to His cause.Journal/accountability talk: Where are you at in your life? Can you see past the obstacles before you and focus your eyes on the prize at the end? Make a list of all the things holding you back, worries that cloud your mind, and see them as Paul sees them. Paul sees persecution and trouble as a way to grow closer with God. How are your adversities drawing you closer to God by providing you with endurance to face the future? Talk or write about it.Music application: “I Can Only Imagine” by MercyMeQuote: “Aim at heaven and you will get earth thrown in. Aim at earth and you get neither” (C.S. Lewis).Prayer: Father, I admit there are times I let the worries and obstacles of this world divert my focus on You and the glory You have planned for me. Cleanse me of all that filthiness, and assure my heart that You are waiting for me on the other side. Amen.Chad Le Clos couldn’t distract Michael Phelps from winning Olympic gold ................
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