Are You Ready?

Very few athletes and coaches are going to have the opportunity to be interviewed by a newspaper or asked questions on camera by a television reporter. Many of us would just be thrilled to see ourselves in the ‘background audience’ of a sports highlight or newspaper picture.

But have we ever consciously thought about what we would talk about given the chance? 2 Timothy 4:2 says “Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; ---“ Chuck Colson, former President Nixon advisor, and present day Christian author and speaker has said --- “I always know the answer before they ask me the question.”

Is it possible to preach the Word with your athletic performance? Is it possible to preach the Word while doing sports? Is it possible to preach the Word while being interviewed for a newspaper or television story? YES! God can use our actions and attitudes during the midst of competition, practice, and media interviews to preach the Gospel. Colossians 3:23 says “Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as working for the Lord, not for men.” And some athletes and coaches He will give the opportunity to even use words, in very public arenas.

Please watch the following story of Dane Watts, current Creighton University basketball player, who is prepared IN SEASON ---
http://www.ketv.com/sports/15484837/detail.html
*A special thanks to Omaha KETV Channel 7 sportscaster Matt Schick who loves the Lord and had the courage to do this feature story.

Sondra Herold
Omaha FCA

Foolishness or Power?

Why would a wrestler eat next to nothing just to drop to a lower weight class? Why would a football player run full speed into someone 300 pounds or more? Why would a baseball player stand at the plate facing a 96 mph fastball? Why would a volleyball player take on the challenge of digging a monster spike? To someone who doesn’t understand athletics these acts may be seen as foolishness. However, to the serious competitor, these “acts of foolishness” are at the heart of athletics. True competitors will give it their all in every competition, even if the sacrifice is great.

The apostle Paul writes in 1 Corinthians, about another subject that many view as foolishness: the Gospel. 1 Corinthians 1:18, says, “For to those who are perishing the message of the cross is foolishness, but to us who are being saved it is God’s power.”

How do you respond to the message of the cross? Is the message of the Gospel transforming every area of your life, including your time spent in athletics? If not, consider if you are treating the Gospel as foolishness and are therefore perishing.

Although it is a horrible truth, the reality is that I do know what it is to be perishing. Before the saving power of the Gospel took a hold of my life, I was experiencing death through my sin on a daily basis. Romans 1:16 says, “For I am not ashamed of the Gospel, because it is God’s power for salvation to everyone who believes, first to the Jew, and also to the Greek.” It is through that power of the Gospel that I have been able to experience true life on a daily basis. John 17:3 says, “This is eternal life: that they may know You, the only true God, and the One You have sent- Jesus Christ.”

So, do you view the gospel as foolishness or power? Do you see life as tackling, digging, hitting, shooting, etc., or do you see life as the thrill of knowing God and knowing Jesus Christ? Let the Gospel dictate your life today!

A Picture of the Gospel

"It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery." - Galatians 5:1

"You who are trying to be justified by law have been alienated from Christ; you have fallen away from grace. But by faith we eagerly await through the Spirit the righteousness for which we hope. For in Christ Jesus neither circumcision nor uncircumcision has any value. The only thing that counts is faith expressing itself through love." - Galatians 5:4-6

Have you ever been involved in a pick up game of basketball with very competitive people who demand perfection with no room for grace? They seem to forget that it is a "pick-up game" with no set offense and no one has the slightest clue where the other person is going unless you see a random pick set from time to time.

I was involved in a game like this the other night with some of my friends from Scottsbluff. My wife, Julie was playing as well and during the course of one particular possession, instead of cutting to the basket, she cut to the top of the key. One of the guys on her team was not happy with this because to him it was clear that they would have had an easy two points if Julie would have cut to the basket and received his pass for the lay-up.

Time and time again, sports reveal our imperfections. Julie should have cut to the basket and by the world's standards, if I were to have been perfect during that game, I would have made every shot I took. However, in all reality, I missed several shots and was not even close to being perfect. Later on, tempers started to flare as the game became increasingly physical. That was certainly not a picture of perfection.

As I left that night after our game, I was really bothered by the things I just described. As I took time to pray about what was bothering me, God in His incredible wisdom used this in a great way to show me how this night was a picuture of the Gospel. He brought this scripture in Galatians to mind along with the freedom that comes from Jesus changing our lives. I realized that I and everyone else out there playing that night was bound by their imperfection. They wanted to do everything right but the reality was that they were not perfect and there was little grace extended when someone made a mistake.

This is exactly what God inspired Paul to write about in the fifth chapter of Galatians when he states that there is no value in circumcision or uncircumcision. The only way to live a life that is honoring to God in all areas of our life is through faith in Christ, not by trying to be perfect out of our own power and strength. In our pride, I think this really bothers us because we think we should be able to accomplish the things we have messed up at on our own. However, the scripture goes on to say that the only thing that is worthwile is not only living our life by faith but expressing that faith through love. God has set us up in such a way that the only way we will be able experience freedom from our imperfections is by faith in Him, not only in basketball but in life.

So how does faith express itself through love in basketball? I know that Jesus had an incredible love for His father and everything He did was motivated by that. He was passionate and intense and focused when He went to the cross to die for us while all of the imperfect, sinful people around Him were spitting on Him, hurling insults at Him, whipping Him, etc. Sounds like a typical pick-up game does it not? Yet, that did not distract Him from His goal to glorify His father in heaven. Circumstances in basketball should not distract us from our goal to glorify God either. If the game becomes physical, our goal is still to glorify God. If we miss a shot, our goal is still to glorify God. If our teammate cuts to the key when they should have cut to the basket, our goal is to still glorify God. This is when basketball becomes more than just a game for fun, it becomes worship to the only God who is worthy. And that is when we experience freedom from our sin and imperfection. Praise God!

Nate Lewis
Western Nebraska FCA
Area Representative

Everything You've Got!!!

Last week I went to watch the Nebraska men's basketball team play Oklahoma with my 10 year old son. As we watched the game, I was so impressed with the level of effort that Nebraska gave on every possession! I pointed this out to my son because I wanted him to be able to recognize and applaud guys who were working with all their heart to play good defense, find open shots, rebound and protect the ball.

As the game progressed, there were several times where bodies became airborne in a sacrificial attempt to save a possession from ending in a turnover, or to gain a possession from the opponent. Again, I pointed this out to my son and reminded him that this is how God wants us to compete (in fact how He wants us to do whatever we do)...with everything we've got!!

But the gospel of Jesus Christ reminds us as Christians that this isn't just for personal glory. Paul tells us that those without Christ can be found working with all their heart, but they do it for a crown that results in nothing more than some short-lived personal glory; a perishing wreath or tarnishing trophy.

However, as Christians, our reward is not self-exalting personal glory, but eternal Christ-exalting glory to God. We should give everything we've got in whatever we do for the glory of God. When people ask us why we work so hard at everything we do, our response should be to point to the cross! We do it because of what He did for us; this is our love response to how He first loved us with everything He has!!!

When we compete (and live) this way, God's way, we display Jesus as the most beautiful reality in the world to the people around us. Colossians 3:23 says, "Whatever you do, work at it with all your heart as for the Lord and not for man."

There are two ways of doing sports; man's way and God's way. Which way are you on today?

Chris Bubak
FCA-Nebraska State Director

Be Alert!

“Stay focused!” “Get Ready!” “Be Alert!” These are all common phrases that are heard out of the mouths of athletes, coaches, and fans. At the risk of getting lulled to sleep in a big game or missing an assignment on a critical play, we need to remind ourselves and teammates to keep our eyes on the target.
This weekend, for example, the Nebraska Girl’s State Basketball Championships are being played and there are sure to be plenty of distractions for the athletes and coaches. They are playing on a much bigger stage and in front of a larger audience. The opposing teams are much better than those they faced during the regular season. The stakes have been raised and the pressure to win has increased. Every team is playing away from home and out of their comfort zone. For a team to win the state championship, they must “Stay focused!”, “Get Ready!, and “Be Alert!”.

Jesus made similar statements to his followers in reference to his Second Coming. In Matthew 24:42,44 Jesus said, “Therefore, stay awake, for you do not know on what day your Lord is coming…Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.” Paul says the same thing in 1 Thessalonians 5:6, “So then let us not sleep, as others do, but let us keep awake and be sober.” On the same theme, Peter writes, “Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus Christ.” (1 Peter 1:13)

As believers in Jesus Christ, we are playing an away game in front of a hostile crowd. We constantly face distractions and obstacles in our walk with Christ. Temptation to sin lurks around every corner. We are engaged in a battle against an enemy who “prowls around like a roaring lion, seeking someone to devour” (1 Peter 5:8). What do the Scriptures tell us to do? Jesus commands us to “stay awake” and “be ready”! I love Hebrews 12: 1-2 which reminds us where our focus should be, “let us also lay aside every weight, and sin which clings so closely, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us, looking to Jesus, the founder and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is seated at the right hand of the throne of God.”

As we play sports and the game of life, our eyes must constantly be on Jesus Christ. He will come back when we least expect Him!

Josh Reynolds
Central-Northeast FCA Director