CHARGER NATION: GAME #12

CHARGER NATION,

                I hope everyone had a great Thanksgiving yesterday.  For a high school football coach, one of our goals is to still be playing Thanksgiving week.  All across the country, it means you have gone deep into the playoffs and are in the hunt for a state championship.  

                Tonight, Calvary Day will drive up from Savannah to play us.  They are a talented team with a rich tradition of great football.  The head coach, Mark Stroud, is one of the winningest high school coaches in the state.  He does a fabulous job.  As always, we have been preparing for a battle this week.  We are ready!

                One area of my life I am really trying to improve, or God is convicting me of, is being thankful.  It hasn’t just been thanksgiving week that I have been thinking about how man is naturally sinful and therefore naturally prone to gripe, complain, and spew out other negativity.  Instead of walking around thinking about what is wrong with the world what if we walked around finding things for which to be thankful.  I bet life would be so much better. 

                All week I have been challenging the boys to be thankful and I have been getting up writing things down for which I am thankful.  Here they are:

1. I am thankful that Jesus Christ has died on the cross for my sins and rescued me from the enslavement of sin.  I rebelled and rejected God from birth and deserve the full-wrath of God which is Hell.  But God, being rich in his mercy, sent Jesus to die so that I may l have eternal life. God has opened my blind eyes to see his wondrous truth through Jesus Christ.  By Grace I have been saved.  I am THANKFUL!
2. I praise God for his Word.  The Bible holds all the secrets the world is desperately chasing.  The Bible contains the words of eternal life.  The Bible teaches me how to live a life for the glory of God.  Many men died interpreting the Bible into different languages that could be read by the people.  That is how precious the Word of God is.  The Bible is life and gives life.  May I be diligent to immerse myself in it daily!  I am THANKFUL!
3. I am thankful for the Fathers of the Faith.  As I read through the Book of Acts I see many trials and persecution for the early church as they advanced the Gospel.  In October, we studied and discussed the Reformation and the many men who died for the purity of the Gospel.  In fact, all throughout time and even now, men and women have suffered and died for the Gospel.  I am thankful for the bold leaders in the church who are so strong in their faith that their lives mean nothing to them and they sacrifice all to take the Gospel to places it has not gone.  I am thankful for those who preach the gospel unashamedly and in purity without fear of what man may do to them.  Strengthen them Lord!  Make me one!  I am THANKFUL!
4. I am thankful for my family and where God has placed us to be his representatives.  Dee and Uriah are precious to me and given to me by God and I pray that I lead them in Jesus Christ.  My goals and my dreams for my family are nothing more than Jesus Christ growing more and more in us daily.  I am THANKFUL!
5. I am thankful for the ministry God has called me—To use the game of football and the development of young men in the weight room as a tool to preach and teach Jesus Christ.  Football and sports are many men’s idol.  But for us it is just a means to an end: A tool to preach and proclaim Jesus Christ and build young men into Godly leaders. 
6. I am thankful for my mom and dad who diligently raised me in the fear of the Lord.  My mom and my dad sacrificed all they had for their children.  We didn’t have a ton and they could never buy me my own car or many other toys I wanted, but I realize now they gave to me the only thing that matters in life: Jesus Christ.  I am THANKFUL!
7. I am thankful for God’s guidance and patience in the life of Dee and me.  At 23, Christ opened our eyes to full surrender to Him.  He has been faithful to grow us in Jesus Christ ever since.  He has placed us in jobs and in churches where we have Godly leaders and examples.  I am THANKFUL!
8. There are many men that I can single out but I am going to mention three.  I have worked at ELCA for 11 years now and one thing is true at ELCA-Jesus Christ reigns supreme.  That is not to say all the kids are Christians or that the boys are going to be perfect examples of Jesus Christ on the field tonight.  If you don’t have Christ you can’t represent Christ.  But one thing is true: Pastor Tim Dowdy makes sure this is a Christian school where Christ is before academics, sports and fine arts.  I appreciate his diligence to maintain the integrity of the school and the church.  I appreciate Marshall Chambers.  Mr. Chambers was the first headmaster when I got to ELCA.  What a great example of a champion of the faith.  To this day I look to him as a leader in my walk with Christ.  Mr. Chambers retired and Chuck Gilliam became the Headmaster.  Mr. Gilliam is a Godly leader who loves Jesus Christ.  What a blessing it is for us all to have a man who loves Jesus more than academics, sports, or fine arts as our leader.  He is a great example day in and day out.  Richard Allen, Edd Tucker---There are many other men out there I consider champions of the faith but it would take me all day to name them!  I am THANKFUL!
9. I am thankful for the rain.  Without the rain we all perish.  All of us sit around and try to control every aspect of our life.  But the very things we are so desperate to have for survival are given to us by God.  I am thankful my heart beats even though I have no idea how it all works.  My brain thinks and it does not make sense to me (my wife will tell you that my brain doesn’t make sense to here either J).  I breath and don’t know I do it.  Without the sun we all perish.  Eyes that see are the greatest miracle.  Just think about it—and you will see there is a Sovereign Omnipotent God behind all things.  God gives life-God controls life-I stand in Awe!  I am THANKFUL!
10. I get to get up and go play play-off game with a great group of young men and coaches.  I appreciate everyone and all the time, effort and energy everyone puts into this program.  I appreciate the parents who are on board and support what we do.  I can’t promise victory ever in this program.  But I can promise we are going to work our tails off to be successful.  I know that coaches, players and parents are all on board in this process.  I am THANKFUL!

BEAT Calvary Day!

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord! Proverbs 21:31

Wholly for Christ!

Coach Gess

CHARGER NATION: GAME #11

Charger Nation,

                Today we have game #11.  It is our first playoff game and we play Savannah Christian.  Savannah won their first round playoff game last week 22-15 over Hebron Christian.  They have some very good players.  The ones that really stood out to me on film were the QB #2, the Center/DE #54, and the FB/Mike Linebacker #36.  They run GT’s offense and play an aggressive attacking style of defense.  We have worked hard this week and I feel like we are prepared.  The boys are ready to play.  The coaches are ready to play.  Kick off can’t get here fast enough!

                

        “A new commandment I give you, that you love one another: Just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.  By this people will know that you hare my disciples, if you have love for one another.”   John 13:34-35

               Over and over we have clearly stated our mission in ELCA Football: To use the game as a tool to build young men for Jesus Christ.  We want to win but we pray constantly that the pursuit of worldly glory would die and we would find joy in instilling biblical Christian manhood values in these young men.  Everyday is an opportunity to challenge the boys to die to their sinful selves and be a coachable player and a great teammate.   It is a war for us all. 

                As we strive to teach the boys Christ centered character, I find the great struggle in my own life with self-centeredness.   I see it among the players as well.  One of the greatest impacts of the fall is sin has caused man to go from being fully in pursuit of God to being fully in pursuit of self.  When we are in full pursuit of God we are in full pursuit of others because this is his command.  We are sinful naturally so naturally we defy God’s commands and we are in full pursuit of self.  But I see it: The danger of being in fully pursuit of self is in the end it leads to jealousy, bitterness, anger, division, and wrath. 

                If we are fully in pursuit of self then we naturally think everyone around us should be in full pursuit of me as well.  It becomes very frustrating that a certain person does not think that I am as great as I am or as smart as I think I am.  So, once again naturally, we hate that person that does not think I am as great as I think I am.  The self-centeredness, this love of self, creates division and separation.  There can be no unity in a group of people who are all self centered.  

                Have you ever seen two self-centered people arguing?  There is only yelling and speaking over each other.  There is no listening.  A self-centered person has no room to listen to another person’s point of view or perspective.  In the self loving person’s mind, only he or she should be speaking and the other person listening.  Once again, great division comes with self-centeredness. 

                Truth be told, we all struggle with this love of self.  We are enslaved to it.  It is sinful and it is wretched but it is who we are in our fallen state.  Most of us are blind to it unless God has opened up our eyes to our sinfulness.  Yes, it is disgusting and it destroys.   Yes, it divides.  There is nothing good about self love and no good fruit can come from it.  And this is why Jesus gave us a new commandment while he was on earth: To love one another.  

                So with this baseline of knowledge I can see what a great team should look like.  A great team is a group of individuals who are committed to personal excellence.  Each person desires to be the very best they can be; to maximize the talents and abilities that God has given them.   But here is the hard part: Within a great team these people who are striving to be their best are also desperately pulling for the person next to them.  Not only is the individual working his hardest to be his absolute best but he has a longing desire to see the men and women next to him be their best.  And if that means that person has more success in areas then them, they have joy for that person.  In fact, I believe life without sin would mean I could actually take great pride in the success of my teammate-more so than my personal success. 

                To me this is idea is a team concept in a sinless and pure form.  As our goal is to build men for Jesus Christ, we tell and show the boys the picture of this type of team.  We will never truly see it this side of heaven.  But we strive for it daily! 

We do have a great model and example.  The perfect example: Jesus Christ The Creator of the Universe came down from Heaven to die on the cross for our sins.  Jesus Christ died for me and you.  We rejected god and had no desire for god yet Jesus came and died for us so that we may have life.  His passion and His desire was to see us saved.  I can’t help but be thankful.  I also stand condemned.  I can’t help but ask myself, “What if my deepest desire was to see the success of those around me rather than myself?”  In this I believe I would find insurmountable joy.  Christ is the example.  Not only did he command it but he showed it.  May he grant us the ability to be faithful and to bear the everlasting and unifying fruit that comes from loving one another.  

Beat Savannah Christian!

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory comes from the Lord.” 

                                                                                                                Proverbs 21:31

Wholly for Christ,

Coach Gess 

CHARGER NATION GAME #10

CHARGER NATION,

            I want to congratulate our 6^th grade football team for going 10-0 and winning the regular season championship last night.  Tom Mertz is the head coach and he and his staff do an awesome job with the boys.  They sacrifice a whole lot of their time to invest in the boys.  We appreciate them!  I want to thank all of our youth football coaches and middle school coaches.  They all have done a fantastic job this year.  It is great that these men are investing in the next generation.  At ELCA, football is a tool that we use to preach Jesus Christ and build men.   Every coach in our program believes in this philosophy and I thank them.

            Tonight we play Landmark.  Landmark has for the longest time been our conference rival.  Last week our boys wrapped up the region championship.  However, tonight our boys are playing for a perfect regular season and a chance to be the top seed in the playoffs.  There is plenty to play for.  They have worked hard this week.  They are ready! 

            One saying I use at ELCA is the phrase “wholly for Christ.”  I don’t think that is even an actual word but I read it somewhere from a great missionary and it stuck.  I understand:  Wholly means 100% of me.  God has created us in his image and for his glory.  He demands, deserves and expects me to give him all of myself for his glory.  He is the Creator and I am the created.  I get it: The God of this universe wants me to wholly serve him.  This is not an evil command.  This is not a narcissistic command like some people claim.  In this command we find life.  We were created with the purpose to glorify God.  When we find this as our purpose we find life.  Until then, we will constantly run and chase after all the world has to offer.  We will never catch it.  We will never be satisfied.  It is like chasing the wind.

            It is a natural human tendency to do things half way (not wholly).  We don’t really want to go ALL IN on anything.  We don’t want to do anything wholly.  It’s not even a conscious decision that we make not to do something wholly.  It’s just a natural action.  For example: Our Thursday practices are very easy.  We get after it Monday-Wednesday and Thursday is really just a day to get out there and move around for a little bit.  It is a very relaxed environment.  However, I still want the kids wholly there.  I want all of their minds and for them to lock in and execute properly.  But every week I have to say,  “tie your shoes, put your jersey on right, and why do you have your cell phone in your pocket.”   They come to practice already completely checked out.  Who puts their jersey on half way?  Who comes to practice without their shoes tied?  Who brings their cell phone to practice?  They did none of those things intentionally.  It is a natural human tendency to do things half way.   

            Since practice is not intense and it’s pretty relaxed I don’t make crazy rules about practice attire.  In fact, I like to sit back and see which kids purposefully do the opposite of what I ask each week.  And I don’ t think it is purposefully they defy the rule.  I think it is a natural human tendency to do things half way.  But I love to see the kids that come out exactly how they are supposed to.  I like to see who will do it right and who won’t.  To me it says much about that kid.  Some of our best players do it wrong every Thursday so it has nothing to do with how good they are on Friday nights.   But I like to see who understand wholly without it being forced.  By sitting back and watching the kids I can see who understands wholly and who does not. 

            It’s annoying for me when kids refuse to do things wholly.   It is annoying for the teacher when the students refuse to pay attention during class and then expect good grades.   As teachers and coaches we all of the kids focus and attention: Not because I am a dictator coach, but because they only way the kids will become there best is to practice with 100 percent focus.  I need all of them.  I want all of them---WHOLLY! 

If I want this and demand this as a coach, how much more does the Almighty God of the Universe demand and want this.  I hate to say God wants anything.  He is God and he can have whatever he wants.   He is the God of the universe so of course he demands it and expects us to give ourselves fully to him.  But I believe he prefers us to want to give ourselves wholly to him.  Not just for his glory but for our benefit.

As a coach, I will make a player meet my expectations or he won’t play.  But he would be so much better if I didn’t have to make him and he did it on his own.  This would be wholly committing to the process.  God is much the same way.  He doesn’t need us for anything.  He is God.  However, he desires for us to serve him and to live for him.  He can make us do this.  The Bible says that every knee will bow to the King of Kings.  But life will go so much better for us if we wholly surrender to Christ and willfully give everything to him.  This demanding all of us is God loving us.  He knows our purpose and for what we have been created.  He knows that when we live our lives wholly for Jesus Christ we will have found our reason for existence. 

            When we find Christ we find life.  When we surrender ourselves wholly to Christ we find out purpose.  It’s easier said than done.  You would think putting on a jersey correctly is an easy task.  But in our natural sinful state we don’ t do anything right.  Christ promises to transform our hearts and our minds so that we live a life committed to our true purpose: Jesus Christ.  May we be men and women wholly for Christ. 

Beat Landmark!

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.” 

Proverbs 21:31

Wholly for Christ!

Coach Gess

                                        CHARGER NATION: GAME #9

Game #9 is here.   Tonight, our varsity and JV travel up to North Atlanta to play Mt. Vernon.  Mt. Vernon is a team in our region that has gotten better each and every year.  They are 6-2 and have some great athletes at the skill position.  We have prepared diligently for them and our boys are ready!

Last night or JV had an impressive win verse Heritage High School.  We scheduled a game late verse them this week and played them last night.  Our boys fought through adversity and pulled out the win.  That puts them at 5-1 for the year with the only loss coming to Buford.  We have one more big game for them against Stockbridge.  I appreciate our parents being supportive.  I believe playing games and competition is critical to improvement.   If your son is not seeing much playing time please be encouraged, about 75% of the boys starting on our JV team this year did not play much as 9^th graders last year.  

After the JV game last night I was trying to encourage some of the players who did not get to play.  I told them to keep working and to not give up, to not quit.  I then said, “I would feel sorry for you but I don’t because I spent two years in college on the scout team with no hope of seeing the field come game time. “  The truth of the matter is I do feel sorry for the boys that don’t play.  But I also don’t.  It is part of the process.  The worse thing in my life was sitting on that scout team for two years and with no hope of playing.  Probably one of the best learning experiences I had in my life was playing scout team for two years and then being able to start the next year. 

So what did I learn?  Don’t Quit.  Don’t give up.  I tell the boys sometimes: “the darkest part of the night is right before sunrise.”  So many people stop too soon.  So many people give up to soon.  There wasn’t one day during my sophomore year when I was on the scout team that I didn’t think about quitting.  I really have no idea why I continued to play when it seemed like there was 0 hope I would ever see the field.  Something inside of me did not let me quit.  My third year (I was red shirted so my sophomore year or eligibility) football started off bad again.  I was way down on the depth chart and I figured I’d never play.  Then an injury happened and the coach moved the starting center to tackle and I got my opportunity.  From there I started the rest of that year and the next two years. 

I tell this story not to boast of anything.  I got to play because I didn’t quit.  I persevered.  In our ELCA Win the Day philosophy we have 5 key character traits:  Commitment, Consistency, Intensity, Execution, and Perseverance.  To be successful in this life all character traits are of great value.  However, if you lack one of them then you will not become all that God created you to be.  But the one that separates highly successful people from unsuccessful people is the ability to persevere. 

Academically students perform poorly not because they don’t have a desire to do well.  I think most students want to do well.  But it is the ability to day in and day out take academics seriously.  It’s not that the students don’t have the ability to be committed, to be consistent, to focus in class (intensity), and then execute when they need to.  But it is the ability to do this day in and day out that they lack.  They lack the ability to handle failure or success and move forward.  All of this is perseverance.  Perseverance is the ability to day in and day out carry out the first four Win the Day character traits: Commitment, Consistency, Intensity, and Execution.  Perseverance is doing those day in and day out in spite of failure or success. 

“And let us not grow weary of doing good, for in due season we will reap, if we do not give up.”  Galatians 6:9

The great lessons of perseverance that the Lord has shown me in my life mean so much more to me as a Christian.  For me as a Christian, the five character traits in our Win the Day philosophy have very little to do with football and everything to do with living our lives daily for Jesus Christ.  But what I love about this game is it teaches those character traits to young boys who are learning to be men. 

Many times in my life when I am exhausted and tired I hear God whispering “Press On.”  I understand: Win the Day. Don’t give up.  Don’t grow weary.  For whatever it is that I may be battling spiritually in that season of my life, the Lord promises that if I do not give up, “in due season I will reap.”  Whatever it is that you may be facing today.  Whatever challenges you might be having that are causing you to want to give up and quit.  Take it before the Lord and hand it over to him.  He will strengthen you.  He will lead you and guide you.  He will be your strength through perseverance.  He will help you endure to the end.  And the promise is that in due season you will reap.  He doesn’t tell us what the reaping is.  But he says don’t quit and in due time we will reap.  The Lord will be your strength.  Trust in him!

Beat Mt. Vernon!

The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord. Proverbs 21:31

Wholly for Christ,

Coach Gess 

CHARGER NATION: GAME #8

            Game #8 is upon us.  I am grateful because it finally feels like fall (barely) as we approach the last part of our football season.  Tonight is homecoming.  There are a lot of things happening tonight but we have one focus in our minds: Winning a football game!   The boys have had a great week of practice this week.  They have responded to our challenges.  They have improved.  Our JV had a huge win over Mays last night.  I am excited to watch our boys play tonight.  They are ready.

            This week I read an article or a blog called Glory Thief. (I have it linked at the bottom if you would like to read it.)  The article discusses how we as Christians steal the glory that belongs to God.  We have been made in the image of God for God’s glory:  God has crafted everything about us.  Any talents or abilities we have we did not create.  We may have developed or cultivated these abilities, but we did not create them.  In any success we have we are to instantly thank God and point everyone back to him.  If we are good at anything, it is because God has given us the ability. 

            I instantly thought of the farmer who works very hard at producing a great crop.  He has a great year and he goes and boasts of how smart he is in his preparation of the crops.  He tells everyone of his insatiable work ethic and that is why he has success.  What a fool.  Did he make the rain?  Did he create the dirt?  Did he give himself the ability to work hard?  For what if it didn’t rain?  What if he was born with a disability not allowing him to work 20 hours a day?  What if you bought a piece of property that was not fertile?

            I think about the Surgeon.  They tell us how hard the worked in medical school.  Then all the hours they worked in their residency.   They boast of all their hard work and their diligence.  Now they are just reaping from all of their hard work.  You fool.  God gave you that amazing mind!  Yes you studied hard but you were born with above average intelligence and God gave you that. 

            I think about LeBron James.  I like him.  He seems like an awesome guy.  They call him King James.  He very much is a King in our world.  He has more influence than anyone I am sure.  But King James.  Did you make yourself 6’9”?  When you were in the womb did you decide to give yourself athleticism that is second to none?  Yes you worked hard to cultivate your abilities, but you were touched from birth by God.  And had you been born in any other country chances are you wouldn’t be a big hit because only in America do we idolize football and basketball.  Your abilities and skills are just what the American people crave.  But God gave you those things and God had you born right here right now. 

            I give these examples for myself.  Because I am the chief of glory thieves.  Sometimes my flesh and Satan roar: “Look at what you have done!”  But the Holy Spirit living inside of me quietly resets my focus: “No!  Look at what I have done.  Do not take what is mine.”  Yes Lord.  Forgive me.  Forgive me for trying to rob you of your glory.  All things are made by you, through you, and for you.  Yes you command us to work hard and maximize the ability that you have given us.  But we are not to do it so that we can be exalted.  We are to do it so that we can glorify our Father in Heaven:  “Let your light shine before others, so that they may see your good works and give glory to your Father who is in Heaven.”  Matthew 5:16

            There is freedom in giving everything to God.  First of all it’s his to begin with.  But when we become glory thieves we will find that we can never get enough.  We will be enslaved to the praise and approval of man.  It will drive us.  We might during a season of our lives get the glory from man.  It will never be enough.  We will chase it more and more but it will be just for a season and it will pass.  Then what?  We will still be enslaved to glory.  We will desperately continue to chase it.  We will do anything to get it. 

            There is hope.  Lay down your life at the feet of Jesus Christ.  I am yours Lord.  I acknowledge that you have created all of me and if I am good at anything it is for your glory.  I am to work hard at developing the talents you have given me but I am never to own them.  My talents are yours.  You gave them to me.  Now I am free Lord.  As I lay down my life at your feet and surrender all to you I know that you are sovereign and are in control of all of my life.  I can have peace and rest because I am living to please the Almighty God of the universe.  And as long as I do my very best and glorify Jesus Christ with my actions and my lips God is pleased.  And this is all that matters in life.  Man’s praise is fleeting.  God’s satisfaction is what I crave.  It is eternal.  It is never ending.  We can have all of it right now.  I find it through Jesus Christ. 

Beat Strong Rock!!

“The horse is made ready for the day of battle, but the victory belongs to the Lord.”

Proverbs 21:31 ESV

Wholly for Christ,

Coach Gess

GLORY THIEF

https://blogs.thegospelcoalition.org/thabitianyabwile/2017/10/17/glory-thief/