Don't Quit!!

Romans 5:3-4 "Not only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; perseverance, character; and character, hope."

I often have athletes come to me who are having a tough time adjusting to collegiate athletics and are thinking about quitting. They tell me that they aren't having fun anymore because of the level of competition, the lack of playing time, the difficulty of training and so on.

Now there are times when the Lord is moving us to another place in life and it makes sense to turn the page and leave the game behind. But I usually tell athletes that quitting because it's not fun anymore and the level of adversity has increased lacks wisdom. According to Romans 5:3-4, there are valuable lessons to be learned in the midst of adversity.

God's plan is good even if the road is tough. Quitting in the midst of adversity means that you miss out on the life-lessons that can only be found by persevering through that adversity. Sports, like life, is not always fun. It's about growing in likeness to Jesus Christ, and that often comes most powerfully and clearly through adversity.

In fact, Philippians 3:10 tells us that there is a special fellowship with Christ that is found in suffering. So don't quit in the midst of adversity (like a losing season, a difficult conditioning drill, injury or lost playing time). You may be missing out on intimacy with Christ and a valuable life-lesson if you do.

Chris Bubak FCA-Nebraska State Director

Are You Officially Entered?

Romans 4:12 “there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given to people by which we must be saved.”

It’s that time of year --- after battling the winter elements in Nebraska, the Lincoln half-marathon and marathon are just around the corner (May 4). A friend of mine has her sites on a repeat run at the Chicago marathon this year.

In the 2007 marathon, as she began the race, she noticed something was on the ground. It was a runner’s chip. The device each entered runner puts on their shoe to record times and progress throughout various check points of the race, and ultimately the finish line.

There would be no record of this person’s participation --- officially, that runner did not run the race. Even if they had set a World Record, it wouldn’t have counted. Can that be said of our life?

Are we running what appears to be a ‘good race’ by doing good things for others and obeying lots of rules, but when we arrive at the final checkpoint (finish line) --- heaven --- and haven’t put our faith in Jesus as our Savior, we’re disqualified because we never officially entered the race?

John 14:6 “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through Me.” Have you entered the race by trusting in Jesus?

Sondra Herold
Omaha-Metro FCA

Star Power

2 Corinthians 5:10
“For we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ, so that each one may receive what is due for what he has done in the body, whether good or evil.”

Over the years, this world has seen its dose of “star power.” Athletes are some of the most powerful people on the planet. Many today believe that O.J. Simpson got away with murder, Koby Bryant with rape, and just this last Monday Carmelo Anthony with driving while intoxicated.

These athletes who are living the life of the rich and famous seemingly don’t see the need to play by the rules. We live in a “me” centered society that tells us that if we don’t get caught than we are not guilty. Is that the case? Maybe it is here on earth but not in terms of eternity.

2 Corinthians 5:10 makes it clear that God will not deal with us on the basis of rich and famous, or poor and needy. He will deal justly with our sin. Each person, either Carmelo Anthony, or Joe Smith will one day stand before the righteous judge and have to give an account for their sin and Romans 6:23 tells us that sin will be punished by death.

So remember, the next time you hear of an athlete getting away with a crime because of their status, please pray for them. In the end, they will face the same judgment as you and I if they don’t have Christ covering them.

Brian Conklin
Omaha FCA Director

Power Perfected in Weakness

"But He said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness." Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may reside in me. - 2 Corinthians 12:9

It has been an interesting year for the Scottsbluff High School Girls Tennis Team. For those of you who don't know, in addition to my full time responsibilities as an Area Representative for FCA in Western Nebraska, I also serve as an Assistant Tennis Coach at SHS for both the boys in the fall and the girls in the spring.

This year brought a new coach who taught tennis in a brand new way. The intensity level has been increased, the commitment level has been increased, and both the technical and tactical side of the game have been challenged. Along with all of this has come a lot of frustration from the girls as they have been challenged to play the game the right way which has not resulted in many wins because they have never played the game the right way before. It is almost like they are starting over. Part of what has slowed the process as well has been the flat our refusal from some girls on the team to admit they are wrong in the current state of their game and be willing to make changes.

This whole senerio has triggered an interesting parable for me throughout the season. We have been trained to never let anyone know that we are wrong. Everybody needs to be right and mainly for selfish reasons and motivations. There is a problem with this train of thought on a couple fronts. Number one, logically there is no possible way everyone could always be right because then no one would be wrong. Secondly, this flies right in the face of how God has instructed us to live. If it were not for the fact that we admited we were wrong when we first realized our need for God, non of us would be Christians. We would continue to live by the standard of righteousness that we have set for ourselves and never get any closer to God.

What is interesting now is that the girls on the team are finally starting to realize that it is ok to be wrong because it is an opportunity to get better and they are! They are starting to realize that they don't have it all figured out and that by admiting their weakness, they are actually becoming stronger tennis players. May it be so in our walk with Christ. May we not be so prideful to not admit where we fall short and humbily see it as an opportunity to grow stronger in a more intimate relationship with Christ.

Nate Lewis
Area Representative
Western Nebraska

A Victory That Nets Immortality

Earlier this week, sports fans were treated to an incredible national championship game between Memphis and Kansas. As I sat down on my couch and turned on the TV right before the game, I was caught off guard by a statement made by one of the TV announcers. In introducing the starting lineup for the Memphis Tigers, the announcer made this statement, “One more victory will net them immortality.” I’m sure the announcer was trying to find the right word to describe the significance of a national championship victory for Memphis. At a record of 38-1, Memphis had already set the NCAA record for wins in a single season. They also tied Kentucky for the most wins in a three year stretch at 104. Winning the national championship would cap off an incredible season and seal the Memphis basketball team in the record books.

Memphis did not win the game, but the word “immortality” was brought up again in an article in the New York Post. Lenn Robbins wrote an article on April 9 titled, “Tigers Let Immortality Slip Away” and writes about how this happened.

Click here to read the article.

The reality is that championships and records will not last forever, nor will they immortalize those who achieve them. The Scriptures tell us that only God is eternally immortal and He alone has the power to give us immortality. 1 Timothy 1:17 refers to God as immortal, “To the King of ages, immortal, invisible, the only God, be honor and glory and forever and ever. Amen” Paul goes on to tell us in 1 Timothy 6:16 in describing Jesus Christ, “who alone has immortality…”

The victory that Jesus Christ won on the cross and in His resurrection from the dead is the only way that we can "net" immortality. 2 Timothy 1:10 refers to this victory in saying, “and which now has been manifested through the appearing of our Savior Christ Jesus, who abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the gospel”.

Man’s way tells us that trophies and records will last forever. God way tells us these temporary crowns will perish. Another stark contrast between God’s way and man’s way of doing sports.