If anyone had a reason to be proud – even prideful – of His abilities, it was Jesus.

But He wasn’t.

Instead, He chose humility. And so should we.

But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. (James 4:6)

God resists the proud. But He gives grace to the humble. And not just a little grace. He gives greater grace!

Read each of the passages from James chapter 4 listed below. After each passage, think about and respond to the questions that are asked. If you’d like to hear a podcast that goes along with this lesson, CLICK HERE.

GOD OFFERS HELP TO THOSE WHO ARE FIGHTING

¹ What is the source of wars and fights among you? Don’t they come from the cravings that are at war within you? ² You desire and do not have. You murder and covet and cannot obtain. You fight and war. (James 4:1-2a)

• According to these verses, what is the source of the wars and fights among you — the other person or you?
• Read James 4:6 again: But He gives greater grace. Therefore He says: God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble. 
• Describe how responding to a “fighting” situation in either a proud way or a humble way will make a difference in the outcome.

FREE! Ironman Pancake Breakfast

• Everyone is Invited
• Sat, July 23^rd @ 7:30-9:30 AM
• @ the Oval, near the Finish Line
• All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes
• Juice & Water
• Your choice of Syrups (Adk Pure Maple or Butter-Flavored)

Ironman Prayer & Celebration Service (aka, IronPrayer)

• Everyone is Invited
• Sat, July 23^rd @ 5:30-6:30 PM
• @ Lake Placid Baptist Church,
• 2253 Saranac Ave. LP, NY 12946
• Great music, stories from Ironman athletes, special message by Pastor Derek Spain, and prayer time for athletes, asking God’s blessing on them for race day and beyond
• Special activities for kids age 10 and under, including a “bounce house” and other activities in the church gym
• Toddler/nursery care in the church nursery

For more info on either of these events, call Derek at 518-524-4179

Download the Flyer HERE

To see all the ways NCM is serving during IMLP 2011, CLICK HERE

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FREE! Ironman Pancake Breakfast

• Everyone is Invited
• Sat, July 23^rd @ 7:30-9:30 AM
• @ the Oval, near the Finish Line
• All-You-Can-Eat Pancakes
• Juice & Water
• Your choice of Syrups (Adk Pure Maple or Butter-Flavored)

Ironman Prayer & Celebration Service (aka, IronPrayer)

• Everyone is Invited
• Sat, July 23^rd @ 5:30-6:30 PM
• @ Lake Placid Baptist Church,
• 2253 Saranac Ave. LP, NY 12946
• Great music, stories from Ironman athletes, special message by Pastor Derek Spain, and prayer time for athletes, asking God’s blessing on them for race day and beyond
• Special activities for kids age 10 and under, including a “bounce house” and other activities in the church gym
• Toddler/nursery care in the church nursery

For more info on either of these events, call Derek at 518-524-4179

Download the Flyer HERE

To see all the ways NCM is serving during IMLP 2011, CLICK HERE

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He was right!

In Acts 1:4-11, you will notice three key words:

• Waiting
• Watching
• Witnessing

Read Acts 1:4-11 (HCSB)
⁴ While He was together with them, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to wait for the Father’s promise. “This,” ⌊He said, “is what⌋ you heard from Me; ⁵ for John baptized with water, but you will be baptized with the Holy Spirit not many days from now.”

⁶ So when they had come together, they asked Him, “Lord, are You restoring the kingdom to Israel at this time?” ⁷ He said to them, “It is not for you to know times or periods that the Father has set by His own authority. ⁸ But you will receive power when the Holy Spirit has come on you, and you will be My witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea and Samaria, and to the ends of the earth.”

⁹ After He had said this, He was taken up as they were watching, and a cloud took Him out of their sight. ¹⁰ While He was going, they were gazing into heaven, and suddenly two men in white clothes stood by them. ¹¹ They said, “Men of Galilee, why do you stand looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who has been taken from you into heaven, will come in the same way that you have seen Him going into heaven.”

WAITING

Waiting on God is not a bad thing; it is a good thing. In America, we don’t like to wait – for anything or anyone! Movies-on-demand, microwave dinners, download the book to your Kindle or ipad… we don’t want to wait for anything. But, sometimes it is good to wait.

The word translated “wait” in Acts 1:4 is not a passive word, however. It is an active word. The biblical idea is that while you are waiting, you are preparing, collecting, getting ready for what happens next. Sometimes in the Bible, the word is translated “remain” rather than “wait.” Listen to Jesus’ words in John 15:5.

John 15:5 (HCSB)
⁵ “I am the vine; you are the branches. The one who remains in Me and I in him produces much fruit, because you can do nothing without Me.

Did you see it? The one who remains in Him (the one who waits on Him) will produce much spiritual fruit, because without Him you can do nothing. So during your waiting time, keep reading the Bible, keep praying, keep collecting mental, spiritual, physical and emotional strength for the journey to come.

WATCHING

Looking up into heaven is a good thing. When we gaze at the clouds and the sun and the stars, we are reminded of the grandeur of God. We are reminded that He is big! And we are reminded that He is the in-charge creator of all things.

But if we only look up, we may miss the work that is to be done on earth. When the men-in-white talk to the disciples in Acts 1:9-11, they are essentially saying, “Move along boys, there is work to be done. Don’t forget what you just saw – because He’s coming back the same way. But get to work doing what He told you to do.”

It is good to watch for Jesus’ return. We are to be looking forward to it, expecting it at any moment. Listen to Jesus’ words in Mark 13.

Mark 13:33 (HCSB)
³³ Watch! Be alert! For you don’t know when the time is ⌊coming⌋.

However as followers of Christ we are to be His witnesses, not just His watchers. So, yes, pray. Yes, gaze into heaven. But don’t just retreat to a mountain and stay there forever. Come down off the mountain and get to work telling people the good news of Jesus.

WITNESSING

Jesus tells His disciples to be His witnesses in four locations:

1. Jerusalem
2. Judea
3. Samaria
4. The ends of the earth

These locations teach us where we are to be His witnesses:

1. Jerusalem – the area where we live
2. Judea – our region
3. Samaria – a nearby region that is culturally a bit different than ours
4. The ends of the earth – all over the planet

Jesus tells us that He empowers us to be His witnesses (read Acts 1:8 again). And He tells us that we are HIS witnesses, not just witnesses of our church, denomination, or nation.

Furthermore, if you read Acts 1:8 closely, you will notice that Jesus tells His followers to be His witnesses in Jerusalem, in all Judea AND Samaria, AND to the ends of the earth. He doesn’t say be His witnesses in Jerusalem THEN be His witnesses in other places. He directs us to be intentionally part of reaching out to all of those four locations at the same time. How? By praying for missions, by giving to support missionaries, and by going on missions yourself.

Sometimes we travel to other areas and even into our own community on intentional mission trips. Sometimes the Lord sends us places on vacations, business trips, relocations, displacements, and more.

Take a few minutes and think about and answer these questions:

1. How do you “wait” on the Lord?
2. What is the value of “watching” and keeping your focus on heaven?
3. How can “watching” become an end to itself and keep you from other things the Lord would want you to do?
4. What are some specific ways that you can be a witness for Christ in each of the four locations mentioned in Acts 1:8?

PRAYER: God, use ALL of your children to be Your witnesses from our local communities to the ends of the earth. Let us wait on you, watch for you, and be a witness for you. Help us to tell the world that Jesus died and rose again, and that He offers forgiveness of sin, salvation, a new life here on earth, and eternity in heaven!

By most estimations, the number of people – men, women, and children – totaled about 2 million people. Their leader, Moses, stands before the people to offer encouragement. He tells them to not be afraid, to STAND and see the Lord’s salvation, to be quiet (read: stop complaining!!) and watch what God does.

Read the Bible’s account below:

Exodus 14:5-14 (HCSB)
⁵ When the king of Egypt was told that the people had fled, Pharaoh and his officials changed their minds about the people and said: “What have we done? We have released Israel from serving us.” ⁶ So he got his chariot ready and took his troops with him; ⁷ he took 600 of the best chariots and all the rest of the chariots of Egypt, with officers in each one. ⁸ The Lord hardened the heart of Pharaoh king of Egypt, and he pursued the Israelites, who were going out triumphantly. ⁹ The Egyptians—all Pharaoh’s horses and chariots, his horsemen, and his army—chased after them and caught up with them as they camped by the sea beside Pi-hahiroth, in front of Baal-zephon.

¹⁰ As Pharaoh approached, the Israelites looked up and saw the Egyptians coming after them. Then the Israelites were terrified and cried out to the Lord for help. ¹¹ They said to Moses: “Is it because there are no graves in Egypt that you took us to die in the wilderness? What have you done to us by bringing us out of Egypt? ¹² Isn’t this what we told you in Egypt: Leave us alone so that we may serve the Egyptians? It would have been better for us to serve the Egyptians than to die in the wilderness.”

¹³ But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.”

The plight of the Israelites at the edge of the Red Sea is no different than our spiritual battles today. Sometimes we are caught between a rock and a hard place. We are faced with temptations all around us, with spiritual forces like guilt, fear, anxiety, and depression pressing down on us.

What should we do?

Let’s see what the Israelites do, and learn from their example. Let’s use the word STAND as an acrostic to help us remember how to stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation. As a follower of Christ, we are more than conquerors through Christ (Romans 8:35-39). In other words, with the power of Christ living in you, you can be victorious over temptation every single time!

1. See that God is bigger than the obstacle. To the Israelites, Pharaoh’s army seemed unconquerable and the Red Sea seemed insurmountable. But compared to God, Pharaoh’s army was not powerful at all, and the Red Sea was easy to cross. The first thing the Israelites needed to do was to overcome their fear by seeing how big God was. We need to do the same. When we see how big God is, we will realize that He can save us from even the most difficult situations and put us right where He wants us to be.

Here the words of verses 13-14 again: ¹³ But Moses said to the people, “Don’t be afraid. Stand firm and see the Lord’s salvation He will provide for you today; for the Egyptians you see today, you will never see again. ¹⁴ The Lord will fight for you; you must be quiet.” (emphasis added)

• How can you see how big God is?

2. Trust God for the power to stand. If the Israelites had tried to form an army, they would have been defeated. If they had attempted to build boats or swim across the Red Sea, they would have surely drowned. The only way to be saved was to trust in God. And that’s just what they did. They did things God’s way. And that’s exactly what we need to do. When God placed a wall of fire between the Egyptians and the Israelites, they didn’t cross it. They broke camp, Moses raised up his walking stick as the LORD directed him, and the people prepared to cross the Red Sea.

Exodus 14:15-20 (HCSB)
¹⁵ The Lord said to Moses, “Why are you crying out to Me? Tell the Israelites to break camp. ¹⁶ As for you, lift up your staff, stretch out your hand over the sea, and divide it so that the Israelites can go through the sea on dry ground. ¹⁷ I am going to harden the hearts of the Egyptians so that they will go in after them, and I will receive glory by means of Pharaoh, all his army, and his chariots and horsemen. ¹⁸ The Egyptians will know that I am Yahweh when I receive glory through Pharaoh, his chariots, and his horsemen.”

¹⁹ Then the Angel of God, who was going in front of the Israelite forces, moved and went behind them. The pillar of cloud moved from in front of them and stood behind them. ²⁰ It came between the Egyptian and Israelite forces. The cloud was there ⌊in⌋ the darkness, yet it lit up the night. So neither group came near the other all night long.

• How can you demonstrate your trust in God?

3. Always be completely obedient. The LORD directed Moses to raise his walking stick (staff) all night long. The LORD parted the Red Sea, making a dry path across to the other side. The people’s job? Simply walk across. It may seem to be an easy job to do, but what if the wall of water on the left or the right collapsed on them when they were in the middle of the sea? It took faith and obedience to get across. God saved them on that day. But their role was to walk in obedience. This story reminds us that since God is our Savior, when we are faced with difficulties, temptations, and challenges, our job is to simply walk in obedience to the Word of God.

Exodus 14:21-22 (HCSB)
²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea ⌊back⌋ with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, ²² and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters ⌊like⌋ a wall to them on their right and their left.

• Describe some steps of obedience that you need to take.

4. Never look back with fear. It was the LORD’s job to look upon the situation and defeat the enemy. It was not the Israelites job to look back upon the Egyptians to try to devise a plan to defeat them. For the Israelites, they needed to focus on the goal: walking one step at a time, crossing the Red Sea, trusting God to win this battle. I’m sure that with every step closer to the banks on the other side of the sea, each person’s heart was racing just a bit faster. But the adrenaline pumping didn’t cause them to have fear. And God amazingly defeated the Egyptian army by bringing the crushing walls of water of the Red Sea down upon them. Similarly, God will defeat your enemies (that attack your faith, your heart, your mind) as you walk in trust and obedience to Him. Do not be afraid (verse 13). Like the Israelites, when you finally do look back, you will see that God has defeated your spiritual enemies!

Exodus 14:21-30 (HCSB)
²¹ Then Moses stretched out his hand over the sea. The Lord drove the sea ⌊back⌋ with a powerful east wind all that night and turned the sea into dry land. So the waters were divided, ²² and the Israelites went through the sea on dry ground, with the waters ⌊like⌋ a wall to them on their right and their left.

²³ The Egyptians set out in pursuit—all Pharaoh’s horses, his chariots, and his horsemen—and went into the sea after them. ²⁴ Then during the morning watch, the Lord looked down on the Egyptian forces from the pillar of fire and cloud, and threw them into confusion. ²⁵ He caused their chariot wheels to swerve and made them drive with difficulty. “Let’s get away from Israel,” the Egyptians said, “because Yahweh is fighting for them against Egypt!”

²⁶ Then the Lord said to Moses, “Stretch out your hand over the sea so that the waters may come back on the Egyptians, on their chariots and horsemen.” ²⁷ So Moses stretched out his hand over the sea, and at daybreak the sea returned to its normal depth. While the Egyptians were trying to escape from it, the Lord threw them into the sea. ²⁸ The waters came back and covered the chariots and horsemen, the entire army of Pharaoh, that had gone after them into the sea. None of them survived.

²⁹ But the Israelites had walked through the sea on dry ground, with the waters ⌊like⌋ a wall to them on their right and their left. ³⁰ That day the Lord saved Israel from the power of the Egyptians, and Israel saw the Egyptians dead on the seashore.

• What are some of your most difficult “enemies” to overcome?
• Why is it important to keep looking ahead, to not look back with fear?

5. Decide now to walk with the Lord at every opportunity. When God amazingly delivered the Israelites across the Red Sea, he saved their lives. Just like he delivered them out of slavery in Egypt (which represents how he delivers us from our sins), he also defeated their enemies at the Red Sea (which represents how he defeats our spiritual enemies, such as fear, temptation, bad habits, unbelief and much, much more). When the Israelites saw what God did to deliver them, they worshiped Him with a holy awe. This awe is represented by a holy fear of God. They were blown away by the way He saved them. And, they believed in Him. This type of belief led to faithful obedience and trust. In the same way, God desires that each spiritual victory we have should propel us to more and more faith, greater faithfulness, holy awe of God, and trust in Him. Victory today should lead to greater victories in the future. The nation of Israel didn’t completely follow this plan, but because of the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ, and our trust in Him, we can!!

• How have spiritual victories in your life helped you to prepare for future spiritual battles?

Exodus 14:31 (HCSB)
³¹ When Israel saw the great power that the Lord used against the Egyptians, the people feared the Lord and believed in Him and in His servant Moses.

God wants us to STAND with Him:

1. See that God is bigger than the obstacle.
2. Trust God for the ability to stand.
3. Always be completely obedient.
4. Never look back in fear.
5. Decide now to walk with the LORD at every opportunity.

• How do you unwind after a busy day?

Read Mark 6:30-44 (HCSB)
³⁰ The apostles gathered around Jesus and reported to Him all that they had done and taught. ³¹ He said to them, “Come away by yourselves to a remote place and rest for a while.” For many people were coming and going, and they did not even have time to eat. ³² So they went away in the boat by themselves to a remote place, ³³ but many saw them leaving and recognized them. People ran there by land from all the towns and arrived ahead of them. ³⁴ So as He stepped ashore, He saw a huge crowd and had compassion on them, because they were like sheep without a shepherd. Then He began to teach them many things.

³⁵ When it was already late, His disciples approached Him and said, “This place is a wilderness, and it is already late! ³⁶ Send them away, so they can go into the surrounding countryside and villages to buy themselves something to eat.”

³⁷ “You give them something to eat,” He responded. They said to Him, “Should we go and buy 200 denarii worth of bread and give them something to eat?”

³⁸ And He asked them, “How many loaves do you have? Go look.” When they found out they said, “Five, and two fish.”

³⁹ Then He instructed them to have all the people sit down in groups on the green grass. ⁴⁰ So they sat down in ranks of hundreds and fifties. ⁴¹ Then He took the five loaves and the two fish, and looking up to heaven, He blessed and broke the loaves. He kept giving them to His disciples to set before the people. He also divided the two fish among them all. ⁴² Everyone ate and was filled. ⁴³ Then they picked up 12 baskets full of pieces of bread and fish. ⁴⁴ Now those who ate the loaves were 5,000 men.

Now read Mark 6:30-44 in The Message (MSG)
³⁰ The apostles then rendezvoused with Jesus and reported on all that they had done and taught. ³¹ Jesus said, “Come off by yourselves; let’s take a break and get a little rest.” For there was constant coming and going. They didn’t even have time to eat.

³² So they got in the boat and went off to a remote place by themselves. ³³ Someone saw them going and the word got around. From the surrounding towns people went out on foot, running, and got there ahead of them. ³⁴ When Jesus arrived, he saw this huge crowd. At the sight of them, his heart broke—like sheep with no shepherd they were. He went right to work teaching them.

³⁵ When his disciples thought this had gone on long enough—it was now quite late in the day—they interrupted: “We are a long way out in the country, and it’s very late. ³⁶ Pronounce a benediction and send these folks off so they can get some supper.”

³⁷ Jesus said, “You do it. Fix supper for them.” They replied, “Are you serious? You want us to go spend a fortune on food for their supper?”

³⁸ But he was quite serious. “How many loaves of bread do you have? Take an inventory.”

That didn’t take long. “Five,” they said, “plus two fish.” ³⁹ Jesus got them all to sit down in groups of fifty or a hundred—they looked like a patchwork quilt of wildflowers spread out on the green grass! ^{40 41} He took the five loaves and two fish, lifted his face to heaven in prayer, blessed, broke, and gave the bread to the disciples, and the disciples in turn gave it to the people. He did the same with the fish. ⁴² They all ate their fill. ⁴³ The disciples gathered twelve baskets of leftovers. ⁴⁴ More than five thousand were at the supper.

Consider these questions:

• Why did the disciples need a rest? How were they intending to spend their rest time? (see verses 30-32)
• How did Jesus actually provide rest and refreshment for everyone around Him? (see verses 33-44)
• The disciples thought they were getting a break (v 31), but they ended up serving. What does this passage say to you about the use of your free time?
• How can you use your free time this week in a God-pleasing way?

Prayer: Thank you for the rest you give to my body, my mind and my soul. Give me the wisdom to know how to balance the right amount of work and rest each day, and throughout each week. And while I am resting, remind me of the lessons that I learned in Mark 6:30-44 about rest, refreshment and serving others, living my life in a God-pleasing way. AMEN.

Proverbs 17:3 (HCSB)
³ A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and the Lord is the tester of hearts.

When silver is mixed, or suspected to be mixed, with base metal, it must be subjected to such a test as the cupel to purify it. And gold also must be purified by the action of the fire. So God tries hearts. He sends afflictions which penetrate the soul, and give a man to see his state, so that he may apply to the spirit of judgment and the spirit of burning, to destroy what cannot stand the fire, to separate and burn up all the dross.

-Adam Clark, A Commentary and Critical Notes

However, there are other ways we are tested also.

One way is very subtle. This particular way doesn’t appear to be a test at all. It feels like a reward for a job well done. It seems like the proper adulation for our hard work or achievement. This test can be so boosting to our ego that we totally overlook the fact that it is a test.

One of the toughest tests of our character is how we respond when we receive praise and admiration heaped upon us.

Proverbs 27:21 (HCSB)
²¹ A crucible for silver, and a smelter for gold, and a man for the words of his praise.

Did you see the test in Proverbs 27:21? We are tested by the words of praise that are given to us.

Let’s be honest. We all like to be praised. We love to hear, “Good job!” or “Great work!’ or “You look amazing!” or whatever it is that causes us to puff up with pride. But too many of those words can cause us to become conceited, self-centered, and self-dependent. Too much praise and we begin to “believe our own press clippings,” as coaches like to say. We need to maintain a proper perspective on ourselves, on God, and on life. Otherwise, shortly after the lavish praise we will swell up with pride and then we will fall.

Proverbs 16:18 (HCSB)
¹⁸ Pride comes before destruction, and an arrogant spirit before a fall.

Proverbs 11:2 (HCSB)
² When pride comes, disgrace follows, but with humility comes wisdom.

Proverbs 18:12 (HCSB)
¹² Before his downfall a man’s heart is proud, but humility comes before honor.

Matthew 23:12 (HCSB)
¹² Whoever exalts himself will be humbled, and whoever humbles himself will be exalted.

If you read these verses carefully, you will notice that it is OK for honor to be given to a person who loves God. It is OK to be given an award, or for a complimentary article to be written about you, or for your team leader to acknowledge you for a job well done. The key in the midst of all of this praise is to maintain humility. When you stay humble, you can rightly respond to the praise given to you by others.

Here are a couple of practical ways to handle praise:

1. Say, “Thank you.” When someone compliments you, simply smile, look them in the eye, and say, “Thank you.” Receive the compliment with gratitude.
2. Give praise to God. With all sincerity, deflect the praise to God. He is the provider of all of your gifts, talents, and abilities. He works through you to accomplish all of the good things that you do. Simply say, “Praise God” and let it go at that.

So what do we learn from this lesson?

1. God allows testing to come into our lives to purify us, to test our hearts.
2. Sometimes the test is through difficult times.
3. Sometimes the test is through praise.
4. The way we handle ourselves in difficult times and when we receive praise can either point people toward faith in Christ or away from faith in Christ.
5. We show ourselves to be faithful to God when we keep a humble attitude, not prideful.
6. When we receive earthly praise, we should maintain a humble attitude and give praise to God.

John Wooden defines success this way: “Success is peace of mind that is the direct result of self-satisfaction in knowing you did your best to become the best you are capable of becoming. Within this framework, each person becomes the only one who can ultimately judge his or her own success.”

As a player, Wooden was part of a national championship team at Purdue in 1932. In 29 years as a college basketball coach, he led UCLA to 10 NCAA championships. His team’s enthusiasm and hard work led to competitive greatness – although he is quick to point out that winning should never be used as the barometer of excellence or success.

“We don’t have to be superstars or win championships to reach competitive greatness,” Wooden adds. “All we have to do is learn to rise to every occasion, give our best effort and make those around us better as we do it. It’s not about winning. It’s about learning to give all we have to give.”

Read Romans 12:11 (HCSB)
¹¹ Do not lack diligence; be fervent in spirit; serve the Lord.

• What are some ways that we can show enthusiasm in sports and in life?
• In what ways has enthusiasm helped you stay on track in your pursuit of excellence?
• What are some things that have at times challenged your motivation?

Read Matthew 25:14-30 (HCSB)
¹⁴ “For it is just like a man going on a journey. He called his own slaves and turned over his possessions to them. ¹⁵ To one he gave five talents;denarii to another, two; and to another, one—to each according to his own ability. Then he went on a journey. Immediately ¹⁶ the man who had received five talents went, put them to work, and earned five more. ¹⁷ In the same way the man with two earned two more. ¹⁸ But the man who had received one talent went off, dug a hole in the ground, and hid his master’s money.
¹⁹ “After a long time the master of those slaves came and settled accounts with them. ²⁰ The man who had received five talents approached, presented five more talents, and said, ‘Master, you gave me five talents. Look, I’ve earned five more talents.’ ²¹ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
²² “Then the man with two talents also approached. He said, ‘Master, you gave me two talents. Look, I’ve earned two more talents.’ ²³ “His master said to him, ‘Well done, good and faithful slave! You were faithful over a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Share your master’s joy!’
²⁴ “Then the man who had received one talent also approached and said, ‘Master, I know you. You’re a difficult man, reaping where you haven’t sown and gathering where you haven’t scattered seed. ²⁵ So I was afraid and went off and hid your talent in the ground. Look, you have what is yours.’
²⁶ “But his master replied to him, ‘You evil, lazy slave! If you knew that I reap where I haven’t sown and gather where I haven’t scattered, ²⁷ then you should have deposited my money with the bankers. And when I returned I would have received my money back with interest.
²⁸ “‘So take the talent from him and give it to the one who has 10 talents. ²⁹ For to everyone who has, more will be given, and he will have more than enough. But from the one who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him. ³⁰ And throw this good-for-nothing slave into the outer darkness. In that place there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth.’

• What are some things these “talents” represent in your life?
• What kind of personality and character did the first two servants display?
• How was the third servant different?

Prayer: “Lord, help me to do my best with the talents you have given me. May I never compare myself to others. And, help me to train, compete and live my life with enthusiasm.  Help me to always do my best, for your glory.”

_______________________________________

Adapted from Excellence: True Champions Pursue Greatness In All Areas Of Life, Chapter 12, “Redefining Excellence,” produced by Fellowship of Christian Athletes

NFL Quarterback Jon Kitna thinks so. And he says that Jesus would have played with intensity: “Jesus would have been the most intense guy! He would have knocked people down, but then He would have helped them up and would have probably given them some Scripture along with it to encourage them.”

While some may scoff at Kitna’s assertion, he is emboldened by passages in the Bible that encourage believers in Christ to live with a paradoxical combination of singular focus and reckless abandon.

“There’s a right way and a wrong way to play the game,” Kitna says. “You just try to play it the right way – within the rules, and within the biblical confines of how you’re supposed to approach your craft. So as a quarterback, I think that’s the best way to lead.”

Perhaps that’s why Kitna has never been accused of being soft because of his faith. One of the things that he wants people to see is that he fulfills his role on the team by displaying a steadfast attitude of excellence that reflects the character of Christ. This means doing his best to be excellent during times of preparation and competition. The last thing he wants is for nonbelievers to see him as flaky and lacking in substance.

“You know, I think a lot of times as Christians we want to say, ‘Well, God will handle it,’” Kitna says. “Yeah, God does make things happen. But He also relies on us to handle what we can handle. He gives us abilities, and we have to do what our job is here on earth. And takes care of the circumstances we can’t control. He takes care of those things.”

Here are some of the verses that are important to Kitna as he lives out his faith in Christ.

Read John 12:32-36 (HCSB)
³² As for Me [says Jesus], if I am lifted up from the earth I will draw all ⌊people⌋ to Myself.” ³³ He said this to signify what kind of death He was about to die. ³⁴ Then the crowd replied to Him, “We have heard from the scripture that the Messiah will remain forever. So how can You say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this Son of Man?” ³⁵ Jesus answered, “The light will be with you only a little longer. Walk while you have the light so that darkness doesn’t overtake you. The one who walks in darkness doesn’t know where he’s going. ³⁶ While you have the light, believe in the light so that you may become sons of light.” Jesus said this, then went away and hid from them.

• What does Jesus mean by saying “If I be lifted up from the earth I will draw all people to Myself”?
• What does being “sons of light” have to do with living a life of excellence in athletics and in other areas of your life?

Read 2 Corinthians 12:7-10 (HCSB)
⁷ … Therefore so that I would not exalt myself, a thorn in the flesh was given to me, a messenger of Satan to torment me so I would not exalt myself. ⁸ Concerning this, I pleaded with the Lord three times to take it away from me. ⁹ 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. ¹⁰ So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.

• What are some possible explanations for the “thorn in the flesh” that the writer of 1 Corinthians (Paul) is talking about in this passage of Scripture?
• Can you share a weakness that you consistently have been faced with in your pursuit of excellence?

Read 1 Peter 5:6-7 (HCSB)
⁶ Humble yourselves, therefore, under the mighty hand of God, so that He may exalt you at the proper time, ⁷ casting all your care on Him, because He cares about you.

• Why do you think humility is required before God can “exalt you in due time”?
• What are some ways that you have been humbled in your life?
• Can you describe when a time when a humbling situation gave you an opportunity to share the good news of Jesus Christ with someone?

As a football player, John Kitna lays it all on the line. He says this requires spiritual accountability.

• Who are some people you rely on for accountability as an athlete?
• Who are some people you rely on for spiritual accountability?
• How does that accountability help you give your all, as an athlete and as a person?

PRAYER: “Heavenly Father, strengthen me to do my best for you. Keep my attitude humble. Help me to overcome ‘thorns in the flesh’ in my life. Let me shine as a light for you.”

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Adapted from Excellence: True Champions Pursue Greatness In All Areas Of Life, Chapter 11, “Laying It On The Line,” produced by Fellowship of Christian Athletes

Her journey to faith in Christ began when a young lady named Lori Moore from Campus Crusade for Christ asked to come speak to Yow’s basketball team after a practice. Moore presented the gospel to the team, and one person trusted in Christ as Lord and Savior that day – Coach Kay Yow. Soon after, Yow got connected to a local Bible-teaching church, was baptized, and began living for Christ.

Yow coached the USA Women’s Basketball team to a gold medal in the 1988 Olympics, even though she had been diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987. She battled cancer more than 20 years. She was presented with the inaugural FCA Kay Yow Heart of a Coach Award in 2008 by Fellowship of Christian Athletes for a lifetime of living for Christ as a person and a coach. She died in January 2009.

During her career, Yow rarely kept track of her accomplishments, and she didn’t let cancer keep her from living a life that glorified God. She was determined to make every moment count. She always keyed in on the word “attitude,” believing that to be the secret to being successful.

She said, “I love to study Jesus’ attitude in all of the situations that He faced and how He responded and how He dealt with things. That’s the exciting part for me – to not just try to understand excellence in the field of sports, but in a life guided by Jesus’ example. He was an example for what it takes to have excellence. And to me, excellence is all about glorifying God.”

Two of the questions that she would ask herself were:

1. “What am I doing today?”
2. “What mark am I making today?”

She wanted to make a mark on other people’s lives, to inspire them to be their best and encourage them to follow Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior. There are many verses that guided her as a person and as a coach. We can learn much from these verses.

Read Titus 2:6-8 (HCSB)
⁶ In the same way, encourage the young men to be self-controlled ⁷ in everything. Make yourself an example of good works with integrity and dignity in your teaching. ⁸ Your message is to be sound beyond reproach, so that the opponent will be ashamed, having nothing bad to say about us.

• How can a lifestyle of excellence set an example for others?
• Describe a time when someone taught you about excellence by their actions.
• Describe a time when you were able to teach others about excellence through your actions.

Read Proverbs 3:12 (HCSB)
¹² for the Lord disciplines the one He loves, just as a father, the son he delights in.

Read Revelation 3:19 (HCSB)
¹⁹ As many as I love, I rebuke and discipline. So be committed and repent.

• How important do you think good character and integrity are in leading others to excellence?
• How easy or difficult is it for you to receive correction, whether it’s from a coach, a parent, an employer, or a friend?

Read Luke 6:39-40 (HCSB)
³⁹ He also told them a parable: “Can the blind guide the blind? Won’t they both fall into a pit? ⁴⁰ A disciple is not above his teacher, but everyone who is fully trained will be like his teacher.

• Have you ever been under the leadership of someone who didn’t seem to know what he or she was doing?
• What challenges did that scenario create?

Read Luke 6:43-45 (HCSB)
⁴³ “A good tree doesn’t produce bad fruit; on the other hand, a bad tree doesn’t produce good fruit. ⁴⁴ For each tree is known by its own fruit. Figs aren’t gathered from thornbushes, or grapes picked from a bramble bush. ⁴⁵ A good man produces good out of the good storeroom of his heart. An evil man produces evil out of the evil storeroom, for his mouth speaks from the overflow of the heart.

• What do we learn from the parable of the tree and its fruit?
• Can you give an example of how a person speaks “from the overflow of the heart”?
• In what ways can you make sure that the words you speak and your actions bring forth good and not evil?

Prayer: “Lord, help me to realize that I am making a mark on people’s lives every day. Help me to live a godly example before them. Help me to make a mark on their lives that is greater than sport. Help me to influence them for eternity.”

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Adapted from Excellence: True Champions Pursue Greatness In All Areas Of Life, Chapter 10, “Making a Mark,” produced by Fellowship of Christian Athletes