Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Brothers, I do not consider that I have made it my own. But one thing I do: forgetting what lies behind and straining forward to what lies ahead, I press on toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. Philippians 3:12-14

Find it Out:

We all need goals in our life. Sports has goals, business has goals, and your life needs goals to know where you came from and know where you are heading. However, many of these goals do not last long or become very forgettable in no time. It seems that all earthly goals are never enough there always needs to be something else to achieve. Christ offers a different goal, dare I say ultimate goal for your life.

The apostle Paul was a goal oriented man. Before he became one of the greatest evangelists of all time, he was known for a far less goal in life…he was a natural-born Christian killer. What, how could a man who said everything he accomplished in life was garbage compared to knowing and pursuing Christ daily? It took an eye-opening experience on the road to Damascus for then Saul to see the light. Christ stopped him in his tracks with this revealing question, “Saul, Saul why are you persecuting me?” To which he replied, “who are you Lord?” He knew who he was dealing with and he had to come to terms with his sin. Saul was led to a home in Damascus where Ananias was waiting to share Christ’s love with him and pour into this new believer in Jesus Christ. Saul, now Paul, was changed and his eyes were truly open to see, share, and surrender the love of Christ with everyone he could. He accepted the ultimate gift and began to pursue the ultimate goal.

So what’s your ultimate goal in life? Have you reached it yet? If so, I think you are aiming a bit too low. Look higher…no much higher, yeah that’s right up into the heavens where the only ultimate goal resides. Is eternity in heaven with Jesus even on your radar screen? I hope it is, but does your life reflect it? I know there are day’s in my life it does not appear to be. Simply make your goal Christ-centered, streets of gold focused, and eternal home awaiting. All other goals will not come close to this ultimate goal. So have you accepted Christ’s ultimate gift (His love, forgiveness, and Salvation through Him)? If yes, great, now daily pursue the next goal, your new ultimate goal of reaching eternity with Him. There are countless people waiting on you to come home. I know I have a special angel that will meet me at the gate when my time is through here on this earth. Luke, I can’t wait to see you son.

Work it Out:

1. What is your ultimate goal here on earth? Does it compare to what Christ offers you?
2. Why do some many people feel unsatisfied with reaching their earthly goals? It seems to never be enough.
3. What do you need to change today to daily pursue the goal of eternity with Christ?

Live it Out:

Acts 9:1-31, Matthew 6:19-24, Colossians 3:1-7

Set:
Luke is a gifted athlete, an all-conference football player heading to play college football next season. He is smart, talented, and kind. He knows how to act in the proper situations, but still his parents are concerned for him. They want him to grow more and more like Christ each day. These parents are not uncommon today. They are sitting in the stands, walking the sidelines, and roaming around outfield fences in cities and states across our country. They love their children as athletes, but desire more for them spiritually. They fret and worry about the next play or next pitch, but struggle more when they are out with friends late and long for the door to open for them to just come home. This is nothing new to life, just new members to the club each year as God entrust couples with children each day.

The care for their children was evident throughout scripture as well. Three specific New Testament stories tell of two fathers and one mother coming before Jesus to heal their children. In each situation, Christ tells them to not be afraid and believe. In the Old Testament, Abraham was led by God to trust Him with Isaac even to the point of sacrificing him on an altar. God wants us to trust Him with our children on and off the courts and fields today as well. So how should we respond in light of how our society is influencing this generation? We should take it to the Lord in prayer. We cannot protect them everywhere they go, but we can cover them with prayers as they go for sure. Everything our children do can be bathed in prayer and then put our trust in the Lord.

John and Sharon, Luke’s parents, have prayed diligently for Luke and his brothers since they were born. Praying for God’s protection, God’s grace, and salvation for each boy and that they will grow deeper in the love of Christ. Luke recently attended a Men’s retreat at his church and was challenged to take a great step in his faith and was baptized at the end of the retreat with his father standing behind him in the lake. John had prayed for this moment for years and now being a participant in his son’s decision to make a deeper commitment to Christ; there was no greater joy he could have felt at that moment.

Christ wants you to continue to support your children in everything they do, but even more He desires for you as a parent to cover them in prayer. This may not protect them from harm, illness, or even death, but for those who truly trust God understand that even in death of a child is the transition from this life to eternal life. They will not always be in our arms, but we can reside in the fact they will always be safe in His arms. So, if you are worried about your child in sports…pray. If you panicked by their choices in friends…pray. If they have become sick or ill…pray. Nine years ago, God needed one of my son’s back with Him. His name was Luke as well. I was not as fortunate as John and Sharon to see my Luke come to salvation or be baptized, but I firmly know he is running with giants of faith in heaven today. However, I still have three gifts at home He has entrusted to me and my wife. We will do as the Lord commands…rejoice in hope, be patient in affliction, and faithful in prayer (Romans 12:12).

Go:

1. When do you worry the most for your child?
2. How often do you pray for children? As a coach, for your players?
3. Do you trust understand that each child is a gift from God to you? With this in mind, pray daily for God’s will to be done in their lives through their sport, in their school, at their church, and in your home.

Workout:

Luke 8:40-56; Psalms 127:3-5, Proverbs 22:6, Deut. 6:7

Set:
A missed buzzer beater, a bases loaded strikeout, a missed last second open goal, a dropped pass for a touchdown, a missed putt on the 18th green to win…all of these are failed sports plays that can leave an indelible mark on an athlete for a long time. So long, that many athletes never forget their failed play. Why is it so hard to forget? For many athletes it defines who they are or what they will become. A failed play means failure to many of these athletes. Every athlete who has ever played a sport has failed at some point in their career, but for a chosen few, that failed play has left a mark permanently.

Let’s look in scripture and see failed people, but not failures. Peter denied Christ three times, but Christ told him that upon him He will build His church. Abraham lied several times about his wife to protect himself and her, but God called him His friend. The Israelites were some of the most wishy-washy souls in the Bible, but yet the received the Promised Land. So you see, many people throughout the Bible have failed and in their minds disappointed God, but God’s grace, mercy and love was so great it did not leave them failures, but failed stories that turned to latter glory.

One of my favorite college players of all-time started his college career not so well. A blocked field goal and a botched extra point versus rival Wisconsin left a mark, but later in his career he kicked a huge game winning field goal in the Big House at Michigan to ice a win for his team. This first game could have spelled failure for his young athlete, but he too turned a failed situation into glorified ending to his career. Now his life is spent feeding starving children all over the world. Certainly not a failure in anyone’s eyes today and neither are you. So you have failed on the field or off the field, don’t reside there, get up accept God’s forgiveness (you need to ask first), grace, and love, and move on to great things in His name. Learn from the greats of old (in God’s word and on the battle field of sport) and do not consider yourself a failure any longer. Jesus is the author of freedom from failure to a fabulous finish! Your path to this freedom is found only through Him! Find Him, follow Him, and finish strong in Him!

Go:

1. When was a time you have failed in a tough spot in your sport?
2. Why do you feel so many people feel they are failures in life?
3. Have you accepted Christ’s forgiveness of your failures or sin? If not, say this simple prayer:
Father, I need your forgiveness. I admit I have failed and turned away from you. Please forgive me. I put my life in your hands and I trust in your grace to help me. Thank you In Jesus name I pray. Amen. NOW LIVE FORGIVEN…A Failure no longer!

Workout:

Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, 1 John 1:9

SET:
Imagine playing your sport without a ball when one is needed. You walk 18 holes swinging a club aimlessly without once striking a golf ball. You shoot baskets without feeling the ball release from your fingertips. You drop back to throw a 50-yard bomb to a wide open receiver for a game-winning touchdown, but there’s nothing in your hand. Yes, it sounds ludicrous to do these things. It would eliminate the game itself. Most sports require a ball in order to fulfill the goals and objectives of the game. Simply put, a game without a ball is not even a game at all.

Jesus calls people to follow Him, but there is a cost involved. And, just like in those sports, discipleship has a required object, as well. It is the cross of Christ. Without it, discipleship is meaningless. If we only follow Christ when it is convenient for us, how often would we truly follow Him or be a disciple at all? The cross is central to our discipleship and in our desire to follow Him daily.

The cross is to following Christ as a ball is to golf or basketball…without it, there is nothing. Christ’s death on the cross allows us to follow Him wholeheartedly through good times and bad. And when we follow Him and take up our own “cross” in whatever form He asks, we are participating in what it means to follow Him and become His disciple. He set the example by carrying a literal cross, and we must follow by carrying our figurative cross for Him every day. This can be any number of things—sacrificing personal desires, dying to ourselves, serving others, etc. The point is that whatever cross He asks us to carry, we must be willing to pick it up. Thankfully, He provides the strength we need every step of the way.

Think about it this way. You wouldn’t be foolish enough to play soccer without a ball, so why would you even attempt to follow Christ without considering the cross? It was there that sin was defeated and life was gained—eternal life was secured through Him! In the same way, when we pick up our crosses and follow His example, He will lead us into freedom, deliverance and salvation.

Praise the Lord for the cross of Christ! May we all learn to follow His example and His calling and know that true discipleship begins and ends with what Christ sacrificed on the cross for you and me.

GO:
1. Imagine what it would look like to play soccer, baseball, football, volleyball or basketball without the ball. What would be the point? What does the ball represent?
2. What is the significance of the cross of Christ?
3. How are we to follow His example by taking up a cross of our own? What does that look like in your life?
4. Christ made the ultimate sacrifice on the cross for our sins. What do you need to sacrifice today in order to follow Him with all your heart?

WORKOUT:
Matthew 10:38
Luke 14:33
Romans 12:1-2

SET:
When I was in eighth grade, my world got turned upside down. My dad was a pastor, and when he got a new job, we moved from a small town where I was comfortable, had friends, and felt like I made a difference, to a little bigger town where I had to “prove myself” all over again. I greatly feared being insignificant and wanted to do anything I could to set myself apart. So, I did what I knew best: I played sports thinking that would give me the value I wanted. As it turned out, I did achieve success, but it didn’t have the lasting value I thought it would. I wound up being labeled as a show-off and dealing with an entirely different problem—all because I thought I needed to prove myself and achieve worldly significance.

Many people in Christ’s life must have felt the same way. They just wanted to matter in life. They feared the worst and even expected it in their lives, so much so that Christ told a story about sparrows. Now, sparrows were the least of all birds in that time. One penny could get you two sparrows, and two pennies could buy you five. They were so insignificant that the trader threw in the fifth one for free.

The third wheel, the last picked, the fifth sparrow…the lowest of the low honor. Many people of that day just found residence there for many reasons. They weren’t good enough, didn’t dress the part, didn’t smell the same—they were just different. Christ, however, saw them quite differently. He reassured these people that He knew every detail about them, even the number of hairs on their heads. Christ let them know clearly that they truly mattered to Him.

Recently I received two unexpected gifts. The first was from my parents, who, after moving to a new house and unpacking some old things, came across my letter jacket and a few awards. Seeing those again brought a smile to my face. But the second gift was even greater. It came through the time I got to spend with a friend I had been disconnected with for some years. After some time of talking and visiting, he shared how much he appreciated me and eventually said he loved me. That was a truly priceless gift. One of more significance than even my letter jacket.
We all feel like the fifth sparrow sometimes, but it’s important for us to understand that it’s only the world who whispers that devaluing lie. Christ valued even that last sparrow, but He values us much more. To Christ, we are significant. Like the song goes, “He knows my name. He knows my every thought. He sees each tear that falls and hears me when I call.”

If you feel like a fifth sparrow today and fear that you don’t matter, take courage and know that it’s not true. You do matter. You matter to the Creator of the Universe! If He knows every hair on your head, whether many or few, He surely cares about your life today.

GO:
1.) Have you ever felt like you didn’t matter? In school, church, sports or life in general?
2.) How do you relate to the fifth sparrow?
3.) How does Christ view the fifth sparrow? What does He say about how He views us?
4.) Pray today that God will show you in some way how much you truly matter to Him.

WORKOUT:
Matthew 6
Luke 12
1 Peter 5:7

Set:
Recently, my life changed forever. The old is gone and something became new. After years of pain and struggle, I finally had a total knee replacement on my left knee. All of those who have had a joint replacement (my family is the poster child for replacements in America) would tell you it is the best decision you can ever make. Today, one week after surgery I am slowly beginning to believe that. However, the previous 6 days would be marked with pain I have never felt before, new struggles that seemed unreachable, and temptations to quit came so quickly and readily. All of this because of change in my left knee.

Jesus Christ told great stories, not just stories, but things that people would expect when they decided to follow Him with all their heart. This change would bring joy and happiness in the end, but the journey would be long, hard, and painful at times. The cost of being a disciple of Jesus Christ, however, would be worth it in the end. Those who truly follow Christ know the end of the story…eternal life in heaven with Jesus. It is an ending to your story you can have assurance today as well.

Maybe you just accepted Christ as Lord and Savior of your life, or recently recommitted your life back to Him. You will face trials, temptation, struggles, and yes, even pain at times, but remember the end of the story…it will be worth it in the end. I was just reminded by a friend who replied to my status on Facebook, that I need to get one day better (title of my devotional book I wrote several years ago). He was correct though. As believers, new or old in Christ, we are to get one day better in Christ Jesus. That is our end game until we reach heaven with Him.

So where is your life today? Are you going through struggle, pain, or anything that seems too much to bear? Remember, Christ gave us the example, game plan, and final destination for those who would follow after Him. Will my knee get better? It will with hard work and knowing what the end result of that work will produce. Your life in Christ is no different. Each day will present challenges that you will have to make a choice to endure, power through, or let the challenge overwhelm you. Face each new challenge to get one day better in Christ…it will be worth it in the end.

Go:

1. What challenge are you facing today in your life?
2. Why did Jesus foretell to his disciples of what they will face in the future?
3. Today, how do you need to get one day better in Christ?

Workout:

1 Cor. 10:13, Romans 5:1-11, 2 Cor. 5:17

Set:
No way…are you kidding me…WHAT…were my responses when someone told me news I never thought I would hear. I was speaking at a college huddle several years ago when an athlete showed up that I never imagined would ever enter the room of a FCA meeting. This player was as antagonistic to things of Christ and was as mean-spirited as any athlete I have ever met. If there was a fight that broke out in practice Mark was in the middle of it. If there was foul language being shouted out in practice Mark led the way. In my estimation, Mark was as far from becoming a Christian than Brett Favre becoming the Chicago Bears quarterback. It just wasn’t going to happen in my mind.

Ananias received a vision from the Lord. It was very clear, but Ananias was still not fully sure of what God was asking him to do. You see, he had heard the stories about Saul the Christian killer. They were legendary, but Ananias was sent to a street called Straight to lay hands on this man to restore his sight and share the good news of Christ with him as well. However, in the back of his mind he had to wonder…Saul, a follower of Jesus Christ now? How, when, why must have been wrestling with Ananias soul, but yet he was faithful to fulfill the commitment asked of him in the vision. When he arrived, his first statement spoke volumes to Saul. He called him “brother” a term not thrown around lightly in those days. Ananias had to believe in what the Lord told him or he would not have led with such a highly regarded and warm opening words. Ananias may have doubted Saul’s conversion, but he did not doubt the Lord’s calling.

After I finished my message at this huddle I asked several other athletes why Mark was in the room. To my amazement, they shared how he came to Christ at a retreat earlier in the spring. I had no idea, but I was embarrassed to say I could hardly believe it. As the crowd slowly left the room, Mark approached me and gave me the biggest hug. I spoke of my joy in knowing he had come to Christ and he told me the story of how several teammates never wrote him off and continued to share God’s love with him and finally God spoke to his heart and the rest is history. I praying for Mark and left for my car. Once in my car, I broke into tears. I asked the Lord to forgive my unbelief (later doing the same with Mark-asking for his forgiveness). I was a person who had written Mark off in my own mind. I never turned my back on him, but really never thought he would find the Lord either.

I learned a valuable lesson that night…God is always using people to bring the unloving, the unruly, the uncontrollable, and the unbelieving to Christ. In Mark’s case his teammates were those people. Even though Mark’s story is a remarkable turn for the good, there are still many times in life where we all have a Saul-type person who we don’t think will ever change let alone come to Christ.

So who is your Saul? Everyone might have written him or her off already, but don’t throw in the towel, God is working and moving even though you might not see it. Joseph did not give up on his brothers, David did not give up on King Saul, and Hosea did not give up on his sin filled wife, Gomer, so God is asking you not to give up on your Saul today. Maybe you were once a Saul in someone else’s life and they poured into you, never giving up on you coming to Christ. If that is your story, aren’t you thankful for that person’s faithfulness over you? Whoever you Saul might be today give them a chance, call them brother or sister, continue to invite them to church, FCA, or bible study. Do what it takes to continue to show the love of Christ and one day God will reach their heart.

Go:

1. Who have you written off in your life athletically, socially, or spiritually?
2. Why was Ananias greeting to Saul so powerful and gracious?
3. Today, who is your Saul and how do you need to continue to work in his/her life?

Workout:

1 Timothy 1:16, 1 John 1:9, Acts 9

Set:
If you had the opportunity to sit down with your all-time favorite coach in your sport, what would you ask him to teach you? Hold on, you only get ONE request too. That makes everything change wouldn’t it? My all-time favorite coach was John Wooden. There are a myriad of things I could ask Coach Wooden, but to narrow it to one thing would be extremely difficult. I believe that one thing I would ask would be about team chemistry and how he got all those different players to bond together for that common cause…winning another title. There are so many other things I could ask, but in team sports today, chemistry means as much as X’s and O’s.

Jesus Christ had a team of disciples. They spent three years following the greatest life coach to ever live. They could have asked him anything, but I find it interesting that his team asked him to teach them to pray. Not healing, not speaking, not turning water into wine, or any other amazing things that Jesus did, but they asked Him to teach them to pray. Obviously, there was power when Jesus prayed. When Jesus praying, things happened and these disciples were first-hand witnesses to see it all. If prayer was that important to the disciples to ask of Christ, shouldn’t we be asking the same thing of Him?

Have you thought about it…what would that one thing be that you would ask your all-time favorite coach? Whatever it is, I know it would help you grow as an athlete or coach yourself. Isn’t that the point though, no matter what we ask, it is to help us gain a great knowledge of something we either need to improve upon or get even stronger. That could have been the same reasons why the disciples asked Jesus to teach them how to pray. Pray more fervently, pray more effectively, pray more specifically, pray more humbly, pray more expectantly, or whatever the reason maybe, just to pray like Christ. Do you need a better prayer life? I know I do and I pray often, like the disciples, to ask Christ to teach me to pray more like Him.

Go:

1. Who is your all-time favorite coach? What would you ask him to teach you?
2. Why do you think that the disciples asked Jesus to teach them to pray?
3. Today, how do you need Jesus to teach you to pray better?

Workout:

Matthew 6:5-15, Luke 11:1-13, John 17:1-3

Set:
Johnny was a new student at his school. His parents took new jobs out in the suburbs far from his old home in the city. Johnny stood out in the crowd; however he was left alone more often than not. Johnny’s skin color was different from most of the other students, but he also talked different too. He felt like he was in a totally different country even though he was only 50 miles from his old school. It did not take him long before he despised going to school every day. “Everyone hates me there”, he would tell his folks. All students appeared to except for one boy, Pete.

Peter was caught in a crossroad as well. He was raised to believe a certain way. People not like him were not allowed. Peter was a Jew and the Gentiles and others not like him, were not to be welcomed or befriended. However, Jesus had other plans. How could Peter not have seen Christ’s example? Jesus spent the last 3 years of his life hanging out with the mess of society, people definitely NOT like Him. They did not call Peter a rock for no reason though, maybe because he tended to be rocked headed at times as well. The Lord came to Peter in a vision, not once but three different times to let him know that no matter how he was raised or what he thought, that no person is common or unclean (see Acts 10:1-33). This meant there was no room for racism, no room for discarding, no room for labeling, but room for love and a place in your life.

Pete invited Johnny to spend some time with him at the park shooting hoops. Pete took the time to listen and learn more about Johnny and where he came from. They soon became fast friends and Johnny made the basketball team and learned his new school should be given a chance just as Pete did for him. So what do you see when you see people not like you? Is it easy to neglect, push away, or simply turn your back on? Jesus always saw people created in His image and viewed them with a Godly perspective. We are only human, but we are also called to not live like the rest in our world. So, let me ask you again, what do you see when you see others in your world? It is so easy to label others as you see them, but just remember that same God who created you and loves you and wants what is best for you had a hand in that person too. If your eyes cause you to judge prematurely, maybe you are looking at people through the wrong eyes. Try to see people has God sees them. This just might change how you think, act, and respond to those around you. Take a good look in your mirror today and then figure out what you see as well…a perfect person, no, unfinished, yes, but prayerfully on a journey to a place where God resides. So while you are on your journey…invite others along for the ride.

Go:

1. What do you see when you see people who are not like you? What are your initial thoughts?
2. How did spending time with Cornelius change the way Peter saw others?
3. Today, what do you need to change to see people as God sees them?

Workout:

Romans 3:23, Acts 10:1-33, 2 Cor. 5:16

I ordered my regular McDonald’s breakfast…#1 with a Coke, I got to the window to pay and to my surprise it had been paid for already. The person in front of me paid for me meal. The staff said the person said they knew me and wanted to make my day better. WOW…it surely did! I still do not know who it was, but they made a difference in the rest of my day.

I want to challenge you to go MAD and Make A Difference in the life of someone in your life today. Here are three ways you can show kindness today. First, do something routine, but needed. Take out the trash, do the dishes, make your bed, or whatever routine takes that can show kindness to someone today. Second, do something random like this person did for me. Buy someone’s meal, pay for the next 10 people’s toll on the highway, or whatever God puts on your heart or in your path. Finally, do something radical. What is radical to you? Only you can answer that. Radical could be doing something for someone who you really struggle with or you feel does not like you. Maybe it is helping someone off the street or loving the unloved…whatever you feel might be radical for you to do…DO it! Make a difference today…routine, random, or radical acts of kindness to someone in need today…be a blessing! Ephesians 4:32 says Be kind to one another, tenderhearted…Go MAD for Him today!

1. Are you making or faking a difference for Christ?
2. When is the last time you honestly attempted to make a difference in someone’s life?
3. Today, pray how you can make a difference for Christ in your home, job, and community.

Ephesians 4:31-32
Joshua 2
John 6:9
Luke 10:25-37