Month: August 2025

Game Day Excitement—Bringing That Energy to Faith

It’s that time of year again—college football season! Saturdays are buzzing with energy. Tailgates fire up, stadiums fill, and living rooms become mini arenas as friends and families gather to cheer on their favorite teams. Jerseys come out of the closet, schedules are built around kickoff times, and emotions swing high and low with every big play.

Why do we love it so much? Because being part of something bigger than ourselves excites us. The joy isn’t just in watching the game—it’s in the build-up, the community, and the sense that this matters.

What if we carried that same excitement into our walk with God? What if Sunday morning felt like game day? What if our men’s group gatherings had the same anticipation as kickoff?

The truth is, our Christian walk isn’t meant to be a solo sport. Hebrews 10:24–25 reminds us: “Let us consider how we may spur one another on toward love and good deeds, not giving up meeting together… but encouraging one another.” Just as a team thrives with the energy of its fans, we thrive when we bring energy and presence to our church and community.

Just as players carefully study their playbooks, we’ve also been given God’s Word to guide our lives. We listen to coaches motivate their players, but we have the ultimate Coach in God, who equips us for every season. And just like athletes push each other to be better, we grow stronger when we push one another toward Christ.

Paul uses a similar picture in 1 Corinthians 9:24, writing, “Do you not know that in a race all the runners run, but only one gets the prize? Run in such a way as to get the prize.” Just like athletes train with intensity and passion, we as Christian men are invited to live out our faith with the same kind of focus and energy.

Football season is great—it brings joy, connection, and memories. But it’s temporary. Our walk with Jesus is eternal. When we bring the enthusiasm we show on game day into our spiritual lives, we not only grow stronger ourselves—we help build up the whole team.

So this fall, as you gear up for the big games, don’t forget the bigger “game” we’re in together—the one that truly changes lives.

Questions:

  1. What gets you most excited about college football season, and why?
  2. What did you think about the idea above of bringing that same sense of excitement into church or men’s group?
  3. Just like a team relies on every player, how do you think our faith community relies on your unique gifts and presence?
  4. What’s one simple step you can take this fall to show up with more energy for your faith community?

I Am Somebody

There’s a line from the Coldplay song Viva La Vida that has always struck me: “[I] sweep the streets I used to own.” It captures a certain sting—the reality that time, careers, and titles don’t last forever.

At some point in life, every man leaves the workforce – or at least materially reduces his contribution to the role he’s held. The nameplate comes off the office door. The tools are passed on to someone younger. The meetings go on without us. And when that day comes, it can feel like we’ve lost a piece of ourselves.

Even before retirement, many of us feel the tug of this truth. Maybe you didn’t get the promotion. Maybe the business you poured yourself into isn’t thriving the way you hoped. Maybe you’re realizing that no matter how much you achieve, it never seems to fully satisfy.

It’s because our identity was never meant to be anchored in what we do. Our job, our career, our title—they’re temporary. But who we are in Christ? That’s eternal.

Jesus never introduces us by our work. He doesn’t say, “Well, here’s Peter the fisherman” or “Paul the tentmaker.” He calls us sons of God (1 John 3:1), a chosen people, a royal priesthood (1 Peter 2:9). Our worth is not in our paycheck or our performance but in the One who gave His life for us.

And here’s the good news: the earlier we learn this, the freer and more at peace we become—not only when we step away from our career, but right now in the thick of it. When our identity is rooted in Jesus, work is no longer a place where we prove ourselves. It becomes a place where we serve, reflect God’s love, and steward the gifts He’s given us.

So whether you’re decades away from retirement or feeling it right around the corner, remember this: You are somebody—not because of your title, your role, or your accomplishments, but because you belong to Christ.

As Paul reminds us in Galatians 2:20:

“I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I now live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.”

That’s an identity that can never be taken away.

Questions

  1. Have you ever felt like your job title or role defined you more than anything else?
  2. What happens to our sense of peace when our identity is tied too tightly to our work?
  3. How might your day-to-day work look different if you were operating out of your identity in Christ first?
  4. For those who have retired or shifted careers, what has God taught you about where your true identity lies?
  5. What’s one way you can remind yourself this week that your worth is found in Jesus, not your work?

One Word at a Time: Psalm 138:8

“The Lord will fulfill his purpose for me; your steadfast love, O Lord, endures forever. Do not forsake the work of your hands.”
— Psalm 138:8 (ESV)

Sometimes, we rush through verses without realizing the weight each word carries. Psalm 138:8 is one of those verses that’s rich with meaning, hope, and reassurance. Let’s take a moment to slow it down—one word at a time—and let it speak to us in new ways.

The examples below emphasize each word of the verse, one at a time. Read the words in caps with an emphasis and see how it speaks to you differently for each one.

THE Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.

It starts here. The Lord—not just any force, not a random deity, but the one true God. The one who created the heavens and the earth. The one who knows your name. There’s comfort in knowing it’s not just a lord, but the Lord who holds your life.

  • Who or what do we sometimes treat as “lord” in our lives instead of the Lord?

The LORD will fulfill His purpose for me.

This is Yahweh—the covenant-keeping God. The personal God. He’s not far off. He sees you, hears you, knows you. He’s not just powerful—He’s also loving, consistent, and near.

  • What does it mean to you that the Lord is both powerful and personal?

The Lord WILL fulfill His purpose for me.

This isn’t a “maybe.” It’s a promise. He will. Even if it takes longer than expected. Even if the road winds through disappointment. Even if we can’t see how. God is faithful to complete what He starts.

  • Are there areas in your life where you need to be reminded of God’s “will”?

The Lord will FULFILL His purpose for me.

Not just begin it. Not just think about it. Fulfill it. That means completion. Wholeness. Fruit. What God starts, He finishes. You are not a half-finished project in His eyes.

  • Where do you need to trust that God is still at work—even when it feels slow?

The Lord will fulfill HIS purpose for me.

Not your boss’s. Not your neighbor’s. Not even your own best-laid plans. His purpose. And because He’s good, His purpose is good. Sometimes we chase other purposes thinking they’ll satisfy—but only His purpose brings peace.

  • How can you tell when you’re following His purpose rather than your own?

The Lord will fulfill His PURPOSE for me.

There is intentionality in your life. You’re not a mistake. You’re not here by accident. God has a purpose—a reason—for you being here today. And it’s not just about what you do, but who you are becoming in Him.

  • Do you believe your life has purpose today, even in the ordinary moments?

The Lord will fulfill His purpose FOR me.

Not against me. Not in spite of me. For me. He’s for you, not against you. His plans are to give you hope and a future. Sometimes we see God’s hand in hindsight—but He’s working even now, for you.

  • Where have you seen God work for you in the past, even when it didn’t feel like it?

The Lord will fulfill His purpose for ME.

Yes, you. This promise is personal. God’s purpose isn’t just for pastors, missionaries, or “spiritual” people. It’s for the guy who’s tired, the dad who’s overwhelmed, the man who’s trying his best. You matter to God.

  • What changes when you really believe God’s purpose includes you?

Closing Thoughts

When we break it down word by word, Psalm 138:8 becomes more than just a verse—it becomes a lifeline. Each word reminds us that God is intentional, personal, and faithful. His purpose is active, not passive. And it’s not just for someone—it’s for you.

Take a moment this week to write this verse out. Reflect on each word. Ask God to help you live in the truth of it—one word at a time.

Conversation Starters:

  1. Which word stood out to you most in this verse?
  2. How does emphasizing different words help you hear God’s promise in a fresh way?
  3. Where in your life do you need to trust that God is still fulfilling His purpose?