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Day 1: Call the Penalty! by Dustin Slaton

!Read: Psalm 10 !With just a few minutes remaining in the 2014/2015 NFC Wild Card game, the Dallas Cowboys were trailing the Detroit Lions, when Lions quarterback Matthew Stafford threw a pass to receiver Brandon Pettigrew. What happened next caused quite the controversy across the NFL world, especially among Lions’ fans. Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens made contact with Pettigrew, causing him to miss the pass. The contact drew a flag, apparently for pass interference, but after the officials discussed the call, they picked up the flag and said “No Penalty.” This moment sparked a firestorm of articles, Tweets, and Facebook posts crying foul and saying the call wasn’t fair. Most people agreed that the refs should have called a penalty.!Regardless of the accuracy of this call, the fact is that NFL referees miss calls all the time. The reason: it’s simply impossible for them to have eyes on every player at every moment of the game. !Sometimes we see God this way. We, as followers of Jesus, try to live by the standards we find in Scripture, while our friends and

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others in the world simply do whatever they want. Why do we feel conviction over sin, while our friends seem unbothered by it? It might even feel like they get away with everything, as if God is an NFL referee whose perspective is limited and whose field of vision is incomplete.!We’re not the only ones in the history of humanity who have felt this way. Many people in Scripture did too, and we see them crying out to God saying, “not fair.” In Psalm 10, for example, David gives us a striking description of the prideful, arrogant, and getting-away-with-everything nature of wicked people. And verse 1 asks the question, “Why God, why are you not doing something about this?” !It’s easy for us to ask God the same question that Detroit Lions fans asked the referee: GOD, ARE YOU EVEN WATCHING? How do we respond when we feel like God sees every wrong thing we do, but ignores what the rest of the world is doing?!David responded in verses 12-18 by remembering important truths about God. Take a moment to write down five of these truths David gives concerning how God notices and will respond to the wicked.!1. _________________________________________________________!2. _________________________________________________________!3. _________________________________________________________!4. _________________________________________________________!5. _________________________________________________________!It’s reassuring to know that God does not overlook the sins of the wicked. They will one day have to give an account for their

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actions, as will we! However, those of us who have accepted Christ’s forgiveness know that our sins are covered and their penalty paid in full by our Savior. !We need to remember that, when we feel convicted over sin or suffer consequences from our wicked actions, it’s because we have a Heavenly Father who loves us completely, exactly as we are— BUT he loves us too much to leave us in our broken, sinful state. His discipline is always for our good. !Finish up by reading and thinking about Hebrews 12:5-14, and what it means for YOU as a son or daughter of God. Then, spend time praying and thanking God for the loving discipline that you receive as his beloved child.

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Day 2: Cross the Goal Line by Dustin Slaton

!Read: 1 Corinthians 9:24-27 !While playing against the Dallas Cowboys in 2008, Philadelphia Eagles rookie DeSean Jackson caught a pass and ran it in for a touchdown— the first of his career. At least, it would have been the first of his career…!The Cowboys challenged the play, and upon review the referees determined that Jackson’s touchdown celebration started a little too early: he flipped the ball over his shoulder on the one yard line, not after crossing the end zone. The touchdown was overruled, and teammate Brian Westbrook ran the ball in for a touchdown on the next play. What could have been a momentous occasion for the young Jackson became a point of ridicule early in his career and one that continues to play on Blooper Highlights.!Jackson’s problem was that he didn’t finish out the play. He let his premature celebration undermine his ultimate purpose: to score points for his team. He gets paid the big bucks to catch the football and cross the goal line. On that play, he accomplished one while blundering the other. !

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As followers of Christ, we are called to live lives of purposeful action, as well. There are some actions that all believers are commanded to do, like honoring and worshipping God, sharing the Gospel, and living a life of obedience. !Some purposes are more specific to each individual believer. You may be called to be a pastor or worship leader. You may be called to teach elementary school or practice medicine. You may be called to business or politics. Whatever your calling in life, God has a special purpose that he has uniquely designed for YOU (see Ephesians 2:10). !Take a moment to write down what you feel God is calling you to do with your life. Not sure? Write down some things you are passionate about and some things you are talented at and consider how God could use those things for his purposes in the future.!!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!It’s up to you, by the power of the Holy Spirit within you, to fulfill the calling God has given you. There are many people in your youth group and church who might start following God, but their desire to pursue their calling will fade as they face the rigors, distractions, and challenges of the world. !As Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 9:24-27, everyone who believes in Jesus starts “the race,” but it takes a lifelong commitment and effort to cross the finish line of faith. This requires diligent exercise—Bible study, prayer, giving, worship, etc.—so that the Christian is in spiritual shape to finish the race. It requires running the race of

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life with purpose and the determination to remain faithful to God’s call. The good news is that EVERY Christian can do this! In Galatians 2:20, Paul says we are empowered to fulfill God’s calling for us because it is Christ lives in us and through us. We have access to his power!!So what’s the big deal? Why do we want to be faithful to God’s calling? What is the prize? Finish out today by reading 2 Timothy 4:6-8 and see what Paul has to say about the prize at the end of the race. What do you think the “crown of righteousness” refers to? Spend some time thinking about the rewards of faithfulness, then pray and ask God to empower you to finish the race, no matter what it takes.

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Day 3: Ready to Play by Dustin Slaton

!Read: 2 Timothy 4:1-5, 1 Peter 3:14-16 !Cardele Jones began the 2014 college football season as the third-string quarterback for the Ohio State Buckeyes. He sat behind junior Braxton Miller and redshirt freshman J.T. Barrett, two Heisman-caliber quarterbacks. The likelihood of him getting playtime during the season was slim. The odds of him leading the Buckeyes to a National Championship—well, no one could have predicted that. !Yet on November 29, with first-string Miller having been injured earlier in the season, and second-string Barrett going down that day, third-string Cardele Jones stepped behind the offensive line and took the snap. That day, he led the Buckeyes to victory over the Michigan Wolverines. In the next game, Jones took the Bucks to a 59-0 blowout over the Wisconsin Badgers in the Big 10 Championship Game. He followed that up with a win over No. 1-ranked Alabama, giving his team berth into the NCAA National Championship game. On January 12, 2015 Jones and the Ohio State Buckeyes defeated the Oregon Ducks, 42-20, to become National Champions.!

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It was an unlikely scenario played out on the national stage. Jones finally got his opportunity toward the end of the season, but it didn’t begin on November 29. It didn’t even begin with the few snaps he had taken earlier in the season at the end of blowout games. It began years before, when he was quarterback at Glenville High School, and even before that during middle school and in backyard games with friends. Throughout his childhood, Cardele Jones had been preparing to step up and put his skills to use when it mattered the most.!As followers of Jesus, we are encouraged to be ready to get into the game at a moment’s notice. In 2 Timothy 4:1-5, Paul encourages Timothy to be ready to preach the Gospel both in season and out-of-season. In other words, Paul wants for Timothy to be ready to share the Good News when unexpected opportunities arise. Cardele Jones hadn’t been planning to lead the Buckeyes to the National Championship game—but when he was called on to do just that, he was already prepared.!Would you be ready right now if you were called on by God to tell someone about the love and sacrifice of Jesus on the Cross? Rate your readiness on a scale of 1-100: ______. !Now, what are some fears or questions that you think you need to address before you are “ready?” Write these down.!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!!Read 1 Peter 3:4-6 and finish out today by considering the “hope within you” that Peter writes about. Ponder for a while what you

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would tell someone if they asked you why you have placed your hope in Jesus. Pray and ask God to show you some areas where he wants to work on you as you prepare for the day you get called into the big game.

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Day 4: Touchdown Dance by Dustin Slaton

!Read: Philippians 3:1, Philippians 4:4 !The touchdown dance is one of the less important but nonetheless most talked about aspects of football. One of the most famous touchdown dances in football history is named after former Cincinnati Bengals fullback Ickey Woods. The “Ickey Shuffle” became such a grand spectacle that it led the NFL to introduce the “excessive celebration” penalty. When you’re done with your devotional time, check out this video of the Ickey Shuffle: http://youtu.be/a9oVth5rJbg.!Another touchdown celebration came about recently thanks to Tim Tebow, the Heisman-winning quarterback for the Florida Gators who later played a few seasons in the NFL. After a touchdown, he would kneel down and bow his head, leaning it on his fist for a quick two-second prayer. This led to the sensation known as “Tebowing,” in which kids, teenagers, and even some college and pro players would mimic Tebow’s stance. !Scoring in a football game is always a good cause for celebration. Imagine for a moment what it would be like if we celebrated with as much enthusiasm whenever someone surrendered their life to

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Jesus or took the important faith step like baptism. Would it cause a stir? Would the deacons or elders call a penalty for excessive celebration? Pause for a moment and visualize the scene in your church if someone suddenly broke out into a “salvation dance.”!Isn’t that a funny image?!It’s important and good for us to celebrate what God has done, expressing our joy over his work in our lives. But we need to make sure our focus—the reason for our celebration dance—is right. You see, there is a big difference between Ickey Shufflin’ and Tebowing— and I’m not just talking about the dance moves. Ickey’s moves were mostly about drawing glory and attention to himself. Tebow’s goal was to put the focus back on God. His hope was to build a platform from which he could point people to Jesus and the forgiveness he offers. Ickey’s joy came from scoring and getting recognition. Tebow’s joy came from honoring Christ.!Where does your joy come from? Do you crave the attention that comes with success and achievement? Or do you try to point the glory back to God so that he receives the attention? In Philippians 3:1 and 4:4, Paul tells us three times to rejoice! Two of those times it specifically says to “rejoice in the Lord.” Paul is reminding us that our true joy and glory in life comes from no one or nothing other than our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ. !Finish today’s lesson by reading Psalm 31. It’s a celebration of who God is and what he has done. Read this Psalm, mull it over it in your mind for a little while, then re-read it again as a prayer to God. Then figure out how you can live a celebratory, rejoicing life for the glory of our King.

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Day 5: Undefeated by Dustin Slaton

!Read: Romans 8:31-39 !In 1972, something happened in the NFL that has not since been repeated. That year, the Miami Dolphins went undefeated, winning every regular season game, two playoff games, and Super Bowl VII to finish 17-0 for the season. No other team in NFL history has accomplished this feat, although some have come close. In 2007, the New England Patriots went 18-1, remaining undefeated until they lost in Super Bowl XLII to the New York Giants. Even though the Patriots technically had a longer winning streak than the ‘72 Dolphins because the football season is longer now than it was then, they couldn’t claim to be undefeated. !In some sports, an undefeated season is a rare, but possible, achievement. In life, however, all of us will eventually face some kind of “defeat” or disappointment. No one can live an “undefeated” life. At some point, we all experience loss. How should we react when numbers get added to the loss column?!We serve a God who never loses. His “team” always wins. If you don’t believe me, read Revelation 20:7-21:27 and see for yourself.

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At the end of the world, God is undefeated. Doesn’t that sound like a team you’d like to play for?!In Romans 8:31-39, Paul says, “If God is for us, who can be against us?” Now, you might be thinking, “From my experience, A LOT OF PEOPLE!” But what Paul means is that when God is for us, no one can truly have victory over us. Yes, we will face opposition when we share the Gospel, and yes, people will rise against us if we try to live in obedience to God. But if we continue to trust in Christ as our strength, he will see us through the struggle and carry us into the end zone.!Paul continues, saying that nothing, including several difficult circumstances that he lists, can separate us from the love of Christ. Take a moment and draw or describe a battle that you are currently facing that is threatening to separate you from the love of Christ.

!!!Paul finishes this section of his letter by saying we are “more than conquerors.” How is it possible to “more than conquer”? Well, consider the NFL playoffs. The teams in the playoffs have won

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their divisions. They conquered the other teams in the regular season. So, the playoff games are essentially battles between conquerors. This makes the winner of the Super Bowl the conqueror of conquerors.!With Christ in our lives, we can become conquering conquerors. We can have victory over the struggles that typically claim victory over people— lust, pride, self-image issues, gossip, lying, etc.—because we have the power of Christ working in us to lead us to victory. !If you follow Jesus, you are a member of God’s undefeated team. So, go out there and claim your victory! Finish by reading Hebrews 11. Consider the remarkable faith stories of the people who this chapter describes, and think for a moment about verses 38-40. Rather than becoming discouraged and thinking you could never attain the level of faith that these heroes did, spend time praying that God would empower you to attain victories in your life through faith.

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Day 6: Playing as a Team by Dustin Slaton

!Read: 1 Corinthians 12:12-31 !There have been many legendary teams in the NFL over the years, but most consider the 1985 Chicago Bears to be the greatest of all time— even above the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. The team was coached by Bears’ icon Mike Ditka and included such football greats as Walter Payton, Jim McMahon, Mike Singletary, and William “The Refrigerator” Perry. In the ’85 season, the Bears went 15-1, receiving their only loss from Dan Marino and the Dolphins. The Bears’ defense only allowed 198 points that season. They didn’t allow their opponents to score a single point in either of their first two playoff games, and in Super Bowl XX they outscored the New England Patriots by 36, 46-10. !The ’85 Bears had some great players, but by themselves, those individuals could never have put together such an incredible season. The 1985 season was a team effort and required all 48 members on the Bears’ roster to do their part, including those who would never make it anywhere close to the Hall of Fame. In football, success requires teamwork.!

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The same is true for the church. As a follower of Christ, you are an important member of your church body. You have a role to play. You have a responsibility to carry out. You are a part of the team, and when you don’t do your part, the church’s overall mission suffers. !In 1 Corinthians 12:12-31, Paul describes the church as a body. He says that every member is a specific part of the body and has a certain role. If you considered your talents and gifts, what part of the “body” would you be? Would you be a hand because you like to serve others? Would you be a foot because you are passionate about bringing the hope of Jesus to different places? Would you be a mouth, boldly proclaiming the Gospel? Would you be a heart, supporting the life of the body? In the space below, write three ways in which you see yourself as an vital part of the church body.!1. ________________________________________________________!2. ________________________________________________________!3. ________________________________________________________!Now, think of three of your Christian friends, and write down how you see them as important parts of the church body.!1. ________________________________________________________!2. ________________________________________________________!3. ________________________________________________________!!Finish this devotional by praying for yourself and the three friends you wrote down. Ask God to strengthen you and your friends to carry out your roles on His team. Ask God to give you opportunities to use your gifts. Then, encourage your friends by sending them a text—or maybe even by calling them—telling them how you see God working in their lives. Together, agree to use your gifts in service to God and your church.

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Day 7: Listening to Your Coach by Dustin Slaton

!Read: Ephesians 4:11-16 !Let’s start today with some trivia about legendary NFL head coaches:!Dan Reeves coached from 1981 to 2003 and has the most career losses of any coach with 192.Don Shula has coached in six Super Bowls, more than any other head coach.Chuck Noll won four Super Bowls, more than any other head coach.George Halas coached the Chicago Bears for 40 seasons and racked up 318 wins, the most of any head coach.Bill Belichick has the most wins of any active head coach. It would take him until at least the 2023 season to pass George Halas.!Head coaches are a vital part of the success of any sports team. Without their leadership, the players couldn’t make the adjustments needed to take advantage of their opponent’s weaknesses and gain the upper hand. Coaches are able to see the whole picture and be a unifying voice of leadership, allowing the players to focus on their individual positions and responsibilities.

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Coaches help the players know what they need to play better, bounce back after a loss, and stay focused on the goal at hand.!We have coaches in our churches, too. They don’t typically hold a clipboard and walk around barking out plays, but like football coaches they are there to guide the members of the team (church body) to grow, become more faithful followers of Jesus, and stay focused on the goals of the church. These coaches are your pastors, youth pastors, children’s ministers, worship leaders, etc. These “coaches” are at your church to guide believers into loving and serving God and others more and more.!In Ephesians 4:11-16, Paul talks about how God has brought ministers to the church in order to equip believers for the work of the ministry. Many people think it’s the pastor’s job to do all the ministry work, but the authors of Scripture tell us we are ALL called to ministry. The pastors are there to participate and help believers become better ministers, so that each Christian can pastor others.!In the space below, write out some of ways that your pastor, youth pastor, small group leader, or other “coach” has helped you become a better follower of Christ.__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!__________________________________________________________!Finish up today by thanking God for the leaders who have impacted your life as a believer. Ask him to continue to put people in your life who will help you grow and become more like Christ. When you’re finished, send those leaders who have impacted you a text and let them know how they have helped you and how much you appreciate their service.