God's Coaching #356

God's Coaching #356

So you want to be an NFL star? How much do you like to read?

That’s right—being in the NFL requires a ton of reading. No, you won’t be reading Dr. Seuss or Moby Dick. And you probably won’t pick up too much Shakespeare. But NFL players must read and memorize huge playbooks.

The NFL playbook is the lifeblood of every team. It includes every play that the offense and defense will run. Some playbooks are relatively small. Others are enormous. The playbook of Al Saunders, a longtime NFL offensive coach, was rumored to exceed 800 pages. To a normal person, an NFL playbook looks like a bunch of random phrases and diagrams of Xs and Os. But to professional football players, it makes sense. Still, many rookies take several years to feel comfortable with a team’s playbook, and most players never truly master it. Veteran NFL center Matt Birk told ESPN.com in 2007, “This is my tenth year in the league, and I still take my playbook home [to study it].”

What’s the Score?

No matter how talented a player may be, he’ll never succeed without knowing his playbook. Likewise, no Christian will succeed without knowing God’s playbook: the Bible. Reading the Bible helps us grow spiritually and navigate through life. It is filled with wisdom unlike any other book on earth. But calling the Bible our “life playbook” doesn’t do it justice. The Bible isn’t just a book of rules or suggestions. It is the living, active Word of God. It is God speaking directly to us!

Reading the Bible is not optional for Christians. We are commanded to consistently soak up its contents. We should read God’s Word every day and memorize what it says. Here are some of the benefits of knowing Scripture:

1. It is God’s main source of revelation (Romans 16:25-26).

2. It makes us “wise for salvation” (2 Timothy 3:15).

3. It is the ultimate standard of truth (John 17:17).

4. It convicts us of sin (Romans 7:7).

5. It guides our paths (Psalm 119:105).

6. It trains us in righteousness (2 Timothy 3:16).

7. It will prosper us (Joshua 1:8).

And that’s just for starters. Reading God’s Word has countless benefits. Trust in Christ, know your Bible, and be a winner in life!

On the Ball

Start a plan to read the entire Bible in one year.

Coach’s Comment

Keep this Book of the Law always on your lips; meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful. Joshua 1:8 (NIV)