Healthy Competition - by Kim Curry

The Lord looked with favor on Abel and his offering, but on Cain and his offering he did not look with favor. So Cain was very angry, and his face was downcast. Then the Lord said to Cain, “Why are you angry? Why is your face downcast? 

Genesis 4:4-6

Competitiveness can be a positive motivation for us to not give up, to have hope that we can overcome a setback.

Competitiveness can also cause negative responses, causing frustration, envy, anger, and sometimes impulsive reactions which lash out at others.

How do you “bridle” your competitiveness?  Just as with temptation, the ultimate path lies in the decisions we make at the “fork in the road”.  Look past the circumstance, down the path.  Which one leads to the destination you want to go?

If you do what is right, will you not be accepted? But if you do not do what is right, sin is crouching at your door; it desires to have you, but you must rule over it.”

Genesis 4:7 

This devotional was written by Kim Curry, Deacon extraordinaire at FBC Weslaco, and first year manager of the RGV Chili Dogs in the Baptist Baller League. On any given Sunday you can find him leading worship on his guitar in the Traditional Service and then quickly setting his fantasy football starters with his wife Janice before he heads over to teach the Age to Age Sunday School Class at 9:40 am. It could be said that sin was crouching at Kim’s door after this past week when he was heard praying for Kyler Murray’s failure during the first NFL Sunday. Unfortunately, Kim stopped praying in the 3rd quarter. After the prayer of this righteous man stopped, Kyler Murray picked up 25 points and the Chili Dogs suffered their first loss of the season. Find out more about Kim on our next devotional!

In Goodell We Trust - by Joe Aguilar

The first week of Fantasy Football is in the books! Some of us feel like draft geniuses and others may feel like draft dunces: but it’s a marathon not a sprint! Here is a devotional from Pastor Joe to help keep our heads on straight!

1 And God spoke all these words, saying, 2 “I am the Lord your God, who brought you out of the land of Egypt, out of the house of slavery. 3 “You shall have no other gods before me.”

Exodus 20:1-3

Right out of the blocks God issues the first commandment and most important commandment. “You shall have no other gods before me.” Even after delivering His people from Egypt, the Israelites forget about Him almost overnight. God fulfilled all of His promises and still His people looked elsewhere for help, seeking the comfort of the type of idols they had in Egypt. They didn’t trust God. 

If we are not careful, we too can fall just like the Israelites. 

“Do not have other gods before me.” God wants to be number one in your life. He doesn’t want to be near the top of a list. He doesn’t want to be one of your favorites. He wants to be the center of your life. Some translations of this passage use the word “besides.” What God is saying here is that there should be no other gods “besides” Him in your life. 

Everyone is probably thinking that I am playing in the church fantasy football league, I am a Christian, and God is my only God. If we are not careful, this league can become your god. We can spend countless hours viewing matchups, checking who our players opponents are, making sure we have the right matchups, reading fantasy football articles, listening to fantasy football podcasts, and anything else we can get our hands on. Not that we are judging, but how does that compare to the time you spend reading God’s word? How does it compare to your prayer time? How does it compare to the time you spend in service of God’s Kingdom, leading and guiding your family, or ministering to co-workers? 

“I am the Lord your God,” says Yahweh. Are we looking to God to meet our daily needs or do we find ourselves finding too much comfort in the mindless escape of a fantasy world? Are trusting in God or Goodell? Fantasy Football should be fun, but let us remember to put God first above all else!

In Christ,

Joe Aguilar

Fantasy Football: The Ministry

Galatians 6:1-2 (ESV)

Brothers, if anyone is caught in any transgression, you who are spiritual should restore him in a spirit of gentleness. Keep watch on yourself, lest you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ. 

We’ve been joking about Fantasy Football being an important ministry at our church. For some of us, it’s right up there with Disaster Relief, Food Pantry, Sunday Worship and our Bess Knapp Daycare. It even has its own ministry page on our church website and now has a weekly devotional blog! But even though we may be guilty of putting too much emphasis on something that has no actual bearing in real life – after all it is called “Fantasy,” there is still an opportunity for us to minister to one another. Because of Fantasy Football, I spend more time interacting with this group of guys and gals over the course of the football season than I do throughout the rest of the year. I hope we can each see this time as an opportunity to get to know one another a little better and “Bear one another’s burdens” over the next few months…and I don’t mean the burdens of injuries to your best player or blowing over half your budget on Saquon Barkley.

There may be someone going through a hard time that needs encouragement. Some of us maybe transgressing in a way that calls for restoration in a spirit of gentleness. Others may need help fighting our own temptations and could use a good Christian friend to help.

Let’s get to know the people in our league via the ESPN App, social media, e-mail, or even in real life! As you look over your lineups for the week, pray for the person you are playing. Pray for those with better records than you. Pray for those who grabbed your player off the waiver wire. You may not know them well, or what they are going through, but God does! 

Don’t forget, you can communicate with your league via your fantasy football message board on the app, or through the REALM App.  

In Christ, 

Ray