1 Corinthians 13 for Coaches

Though I can fire up my team and get them to give their all, but not care for WHO they are and WHO they will be, I might as well just run my fingernails over the chalkboard.

And if I can see what will happen on the field or court, and understand every play, and I coach them to a winning season, but have not love for my players, I am nothing.

Even if I give all of my time and strength to the team, and surrender my personal best ... all for the glory of the win, but not live to model how God loves my players and those we play against, I have gained nothing.

As as coach I must teach and model patience and kindness. To never envy those that play better or explode in jealousy over our loss and their win. To never boast or taunt when we win. Nor strut around and mock those we play against.

I am to show my team how not to be conceited and stuffed with pride; to not be rude or get a stuffed head. To not insist that we are always right and the calls must go our way; to not seek what is best only for yourself. And when the play falls apart, the call goes against you, and you or your teammate messes up; you just get up and keep going. You don't fret or hate. You don't take account of what just happened. You get up, you learn, and you keep going.

I will never celebrate the bad call or cheating that "goes our way". I will be glad, and even cheer, when our wrongs are corrected.

I will strive to coach in such a way that my players can stand up under anything. To take off the fields and courts a life that will seek the best in people, know that endurance will yield results, and that they can endure the trials of life.

Loving and seeking the best for my players will never fail. I will soon not know what to do, nor see what play is best, nor even know what to tell my team just to keep them going. Why? Because I'm weak and only have limited abilities. So I will rather rely on God. And He alone is perfect.

As a player I wanted to be cared about. To be encouraged. To improve. To get stronger. Now that I'm the coach I desire those same things for my players. Yet, I also know how much more there is than the game and soon I will be gone from their lives.

By one thing only do I want to be known. Love. That each player, parent, and coach can feel it, hear it, and experience it.

There is ability, that is good. There is hard work, that is better. And there is Love, that is the greatest.

Day 71

As You Rise ... Psalms 146-150

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Put not your trust in princes, in a son of man, in whom there is no salvation. When his breath departs, he returns to the earth; on that very day his plans perish.

To take a modern paraphrase ... Don't put your trust in "Hope and Change". The leaders you place your faith to do good for you ... Will not.

No matter how powerful we think we are, we will breath our last and all that we want will pass away with us. Look only to the LORD. Only He thinks on what is best for us. Men think on what is best for them.

As You Walk By The Way ... Proverbs 1-2

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The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge; fools despise wisdom and instruction.

While I was growing up my grandfather always reminded me to read all of Proverbs. To read it and place it in my heart. And there has never been a time in my life when it didn't speak to me. Guiding my thoughts and teaching me.

Only a fool will ignore God's wisdom. Of course the problem with a fool is that they will not care and will only scorn the truth anyway.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 15-16

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On the first day of every week, each of you is to put something aside and store it up, as he may prosper, so that there will be no collecting when I come.

When the income tax was first put in place they didn't have people set anything aside. They were just going to collect at end of the fiscal year. Come collection time it looked like basically everyone didn't have enough money put aside to play their taxes. And that meant everyone would be breaking the law.

So they were faced with an issue of what to do. They couldn't arrest everyone. So to get rid of income tax as a failure or change how it was collected. Seeing that we now have our jobs remove the tax from every paycheck you can guess what was decided.

If you plan to help others financially or with time take a little at a time. Set aside your time every day and every week. Taking it piece by piece the burden is lighter. You can't pick up a roof and place it over a house. But, you can move it one shingle at a time.

Day 70

As You Rise ... Psalms 135-139

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Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts!

If I drop a pop quiz on you today would you be ready?

Most students answer NO to that question. We rarely are ready for the exam when we know about it weeks before. Let alone the test put in your lap unexpectedly. And that is math. Not the test of God searching your heart and mind!

The only way to prepare for the pop quiz is to study every day. The only way to prepare for God is to "study" every day as well.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 140-145

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Set a guard, O Lord, over my mouth; keep watch over the door of my lips!

I need to shut my mouth. Not all ideas should be shared and not all things I've spoken builds up.

LORD ... help me to shut my mouth.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 12-14

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Love is patient and kind; love does not envy or boast; it is not arrogant or rude. It does not insist on its own way; it is not irritable or resentful; it does not rejoice at wrongdoing, but rejoices with the truth. Love bears all things, believes all things, hopes all things, endures all things.

Day 69

As You Rise ... Psalms 123-128

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Unless the Lord builds the house, those who build it labor in vain. Unless the Lord watches over the city, the watchman stays awake in vain. It is in vain that you rise up early and go late to rest, eating the bread of anxious toil; for he gives to his beloved sleep.

The ribbons of concrete in our cities show us running around as aimless ants. We get up early and toil. We go to bed late and worry about the next day. We eat in worry and anger over our jobs. And sleep never comes at night without a drug to help.

Give it up. Give it all up to God.

If you live to get to work and home. Praise God for it.

If you have a meal to eat. Praise God for it.

If you have a coworker. Love them.

If you have a family. Love them as God does ... with sacrifice.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 129-134

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But I have calmed and quieted my soul, like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

I love giving smothering hugs to my kids. To wrap them up completely. For now my youngest son will only do that with Mom. And it is an wonderful thing to see when he is tired and resting in her loving arms.

To see a ball of energy like him quiet and still. That is the peace that God gives each of us. We just have to let it go and trust him. We will not climb higher by stressing out. So be at peace with what God has given you.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 10-11

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So, whether you eat or drink, or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God.

Maybe instead of W.W.J.D. wristbands we should have A.F.G. (All For God) wristbands. It isn't a question, we know what God wants us to do. So why not, knowing that God is seen through our actions, remind ourselves that we are to "Do ALL to the glory of God".

Not some of our day. Not just Sunday. Not just at meal time.

Do ALL. ALL for God Alone.

Day 68

As You Rise ... Psalms 119

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My soul keeps your testimonies; I love them exceedingly.

LORD ... give me a heart for your Word.

To listen with my heart and soul. To burn them upon my mind. To know what you are saying to me and to understand.

To bring them forth during the day as I work. To think about them when I'm angry with others. To memorize them for when I fear anything in my life.

Help me to understand and to love your testimony.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 120-122

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I was glad when they said to me, “Let us go to the house of the Lord!”

"Oh ... can't we stay home this Sunday? It was such a long week! And, I'd rather be watching football anyway."

One day of rest.

I would rather think that for the church family it is one day of focus. A focus on God. Not on the 'me stuff'. To focus purely on God for once in our week.

To give up the running and doing.

To just focus on loving God and loving each other.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 8-9

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I do not run aimlessly; I do not box as one beating the air.

I ran cross country in college for one season. I thought it would kill me. I was a 400 meter sprint type of guy. Not a 5 mile type of guy.

But, it made me stronger.

When you train for a race you never just run that distance anyway. You want to train to race a mile? You do anything from half-mile sprints and 6 miles endurance runs. And you don't do it halfway. You train hard to improve.

The same can be said for taking control of your body spiritually.

To can't just go about this halfway. You train hard. You think hard on the Word. You train with others. You let the difficulties in life strengthen you. You refresh yourself with God's Word and prayer.

Train hard and live well.

Day 67

As You Rise ... Psalms 110-115

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The Lord is at your right hand; he will shatter kings on the day of his wrath.

It is hard for a church to balance the lamb and the lion. Both of which are Christ. They may focus on the lamb and the forgiveness. To the detriment of the people. For they do not know of the punishment that will come for sins. Our sins are forgiven ... but it isn't like you get to keep them in your pocket and take them into heaven.

Or they may focus on the lion and the fires of hell. To the detriment of the people. For they do not know of the grace of forgiveness. God will execute judgment upon the world. And those not right with Him will know eternal punishment. But, the only way to God is to accept Christ's sacrifice for your sins. To accept His forgiveness.

With all things we need balance. There is forgiveness and wrath. We need to know and understand both.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 116-118

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I love the Lord, because he has heard my voice and my pleas for mercy. Because he inclined his ear to me, therefore I will call on him as long as I live.

Like a child ... we feel closest to the one who turns their face to us and listens. In all things God will listen to our daily conversations with Him.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 5-7

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I wrote to you in my letter not to associate with sexually immoral people — not at all meaning the sexually immoral of this world, or the greedy and swindlers, or idolaters, since then you would need to go out of the world. But now I am writing to you not to associate with anyone who bears the name of brother if he is guilty of sexual immorality or greed, or is an idolater, reviler, drunkard, or swindler—not even to eat with such a one.

The sinners of the world do not effect the body of Christ. We are not "dirtied" by being with them. We are called to be with them. To model Christ and to let the Light of the World shine through us. To help show the way to salvation.

For the one who calls themselves a 'Christian' and they live a life of sin. Now the body of Christ has a problem. For we have a wolf in sheep's clothing amongst us.

Day 66

As You Rise ... Psalms 100-104

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Make a joyful noise to the Lord, all the earth!

Birds sing the most beautiful songs. It is so amazing the diversity of creation. The sound of the wind and waves. The songs of the small birds. The laughter of children.

All are songs of praise to their creator.

As You Walk By The Way ...Psalms 105-109

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I am gone like a shadow at evening.

Our lives are so fleeting. One moment we are here and the next we are gone.

So why do we do what is wrong? It should not be: Do what ever you want for soon you will be gone.

For every moment we have is a blessing from God. So show God how thankful we are. Live a life where God is upon our hearts and loving our neighbors is in our actions.

When You Lie Down ... 1 Corinthians 1-4

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“I will destroy the wisdom of the wise, and the discernment of the discerning I will thwart.”

I teach problem solving and logic a lot. And I always want my students to know what they think and why. Why do they believe what they believe. Why do they have their opinions. If they can defend them. To know when to doubt what they are being told. To know when someone else is manipulating them with words.

The wisdom of man has become an idol for us today. We listen and obey what "a better" has told us. We don't inform ourselves of the truth, because we are told what it is.

But, the wisdom of God destroys our faith in our own hands. And in the faith in the hands of man.

Trust God.