Negative Two

For those that don't know, I'm a big sports fan (well football and basketball) and I am blessed to be in an area where I get to see a lot of games LIVE. I went to the Mavs vs Spurs Game last night (and the Mavs won Game 1 by the way...Go Dirk!) and just had a ball with my friend, Ashley. Being there, in the arena, just takes me back to my high school basketball days and brings up a funny, but embarrassing memory that I will share with you all. I got to play on our Varsity team when I was a freshman at Lindale High. That was a big deal...but I wasn't a big deal by any means! One game, I was warming the bench (I was good at that) and after the half, we must have been up a billion points or something and I got to go in to the game. With my usual vigor and all-or-nothing attitude, I was ready to play. I got the ball at the inbounds by a second miracle and I took off, as fast as my legs would carry me to the hoop (aka not very fast). In hindsight, I remember thinking, why am I all alone? I could even hear some shouts behind me but I was so focused on that goal and my path, that I ignored everything but that goal and blocked it all out. I was on a mission...I went up and shot the layup and by another miracle, I scored 2 points. Sweet! Then, I turn around and see everyone staring at me dumbfounded, mouths hanging open...turns out, I forgot that we had switched baskets at the half (as you do EVERY GAME) and I scored 2 points FOR THE OTHER TEAM!!! Horrors!!! Let me tell you, for the rest of my high school days, even after I didn't play basketball anymore, I was known as "Negative Two". Has anyone ever done that but me??? I'm glad I can laugh about it now but it was pretty mortifying for a 15 year old girl!

The reason I bring this up is that I started thinking...isn't that what I've done in my life in the past unknowingly? I've been so focused on what "I can do and accomplish" on my own, out of my flesh, that I have just flat out ignored the voice of God, and have rushed ahead without heeding His will for my life. I have had the tunnel vision where I think that I know the path and nothing is going to stop me. Just like the "negative 2" experience, I'm running ahead, all alone with God shouting behind me "Wait for me"...and I just don't. And you know what? At times, if I'm honest, that path was pretty easy. Life was pretty darn good. I was no threat to the enemy, so he just let me go and didn't try to get in my way. Why would he? Our pastor has a saying that "dogs don't bark at parked cars"...if we aren't doing anything to win people over into the Kingdom and live and testify in the spirit, then satan stays out of our way for the most part. But, the second we submit our will to God's will, we start to move forward with Him, and we are walking with God and boy, does the enemy start to chase us and get in our way and life can get pretty messy. Just imagine a mangy mutt, nipping at your heels, and frothing at the mouth as you dance around!!! God's word promises us that by walking with Him, we will always have struggles and I assure you, there will be pain. But through our pain and sufferings, there will be growth, refining of our character, and God will use these experiences and pain for His Kingdom's good and there will be beauty from ashes. He will use our life experiences to help others in their struggles on their journey...and that is redemption at its finest (cindy beall).

1 Peter 5:8-9 Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings.

Romans 8:16-18 The Spirit himself testifies with our spirit that we are God's children. Now if we are children, then we are heirs—heirs of God and co-heirs with Christ, if indeed we share in his sufferings in order that we may also share in his glory. I consider that our present sufferings are not worth comparing with the glory that will be revealed in us.

2 Corinthians 1:4-6 ...who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ flow over into our lives, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are distressed, it is for your comfort and salvation; if we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings we suffer

I quote the first verse not to cause fear that the enemy is prowling around looking to destroy us...but to cause awareness and to expose him and his bag of tricks. We live in a fallen world. Stuff happens. We have to deal with it. God will allow us to be tempted, but He always gives us a way out. Always. He will never give us more than we can handle and He knows what that looks like for each of us. 1 Corinthians 10:13 No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, he will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it. Some days, when life just looks hopeless, I have to remind myself that the ultimate victory is ours! We fight FOR VICTORY FROM VICTORY! Not today, devil, not today...!

I have chosen in my life to quit living the "Negative 2" experience, but instead be on fire for God and tap in to the Kingdom power that is available to each of us, right here and now on Earth. I am tired of Christians having the "hang on till heaven" mentality. Hey, I can say that because I was one of them in the past. Toeing the line is not rewarding and not something God is proud of, nor are you honoring God. Jesus calls us to "seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well." (Matthew 6:22-24). Notice that if we seek HIM first, everything else will fall into place. Sound to good to be true? Try it and see what happens! Get ready for God to bless your socks off! Join me in running WITH GOD, towards the RIGHT GOALS in life and heck, let's be ambitious and drain a three-pointer...nothing but net!

Blessed be HIS NAME!

JOY

DISCLAIMER! In my writings, you will notice, I borrow quotes from a lot of sources and I promise if I can remember who said the precious pearl of wisdom, that I will always give them credit where credit is due! However, sometimes I forget who spoke something to me...so I apologize in advance that if I steal a word/phrase from you, I don't intend to be a thief! Take it as a compliment that you made an impression on me and now I am paying it forward to others!