Last night, we went to two basketball games. One, a middle school game, the other a high school game. The Lord used these games to help my heart, mind, and soul be rekindled about life:

1. Life isn’t always fair, but that doesn’t mean that you don’t play fair.

Just because the ref calls or doesn’t call the shot or foul doesn’t mean that you stop playing the game. Just because life throws you a call you don’t like doesn’t mean you stop living life.

Remember that saying, “when life throws you a lemon…come on say it with me, MAKE LEMONADE!”

We get so caught up with the ref’s in life that we miss out on life, on the blessings of life — on the blesser of life, our Lord Jesus Christ.

John 10:10 says, “The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly.”

That lemon will come, that ref will come, that thief will come…but Jesus, He has already come that we would have LIFE.

OH, but wait, not just life….that we might have life more abundantly.

Life is not fair, sadly. We live in a sin-filled world and it will not stop until we reach Heaven. So be prepared, the lemons of life, the refs of life, the thieves of life, are coming — but Jesus has already come — He already won! He already conquered life itself for us. And as His child, you are already on His winning team!

• The question is, will you allow the lemons, the refs, and thieves control you or will you allow Jesus Christ to take the reigns of control and lead you to victory? The choice is yours.

2. The battlefield of the mind is real, strong, and alive. The devil uses it for his advantage. In 1 Peter 5:8 we are told, “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil, as a roaring lion, walketh about, seeking whom he may devour:”

We are our worst enemy. If you don’t think so, you are deceived. The devil knows this about mankind and uses it against us.

• Our minds are a battlefield. A battlefield of thoughts (intellect), emotion, and will –are we not created in the image of God?

I saw this happen last night. These boys are awesome basketball players. They know how to play the game. They know the rules, the moves, the positions. They are slick, smooth, and right on. They know the game –did you read me, they know the game!

They have great coaches, but last night, there was a battle in the mind, emotions, and will.

• Battle of missed shots.
• Battle of lost plays.
• Battle of missed calls.
• Battle of wronged calls.
• Battle of wrong thinking.
• Battles…

Honestly, hear me out, it was even hard for me to watch and I don’t have a son that plays in those divisions. Yet these young men played hard, they fought the fight of the game, and they finished even though their flesh wasn’t happy with the outcome.

Why? Because it matters how you finish.

In 2 Timothy 4:7 it says, “I have fought a good fight, I have finished my course, I have kept the faith:” Basketball is not a spiritual matter but your testimony playing basketball is, integrity playing is, keeping Christlike character above the flesh is…

Matthew says, …”Well done, thou good and faithful servant: thou hast been faithful…”

I stand proud of those young men and their coaches, but more importantly we desire the approval of our Heavenly Father above all else.

• The question we should be asking ourselves is this: who am I allowing to control me? Someone or something will. Our worst enemy is ourselves. The battlefield of the mind starts with self. Who’s it gonna be? God, self, or other?

The winning team chooses God! Hands down.

Whether we “feel” like we won or not, to choose God over anything else is choosing to win. God never loses.

The choice is yours.

In Christ I am SHE {Saved. Hopeful. Empowered.}

Dedicated to the teams of young men that have touched my heart in ways I am eternally thankful for. May you look to Jesus and serve Him all your days. Jesus is worth your life! He died you yours. Matthew 6:33