From: The Pastor’s Heart
To: You
“You’re BACK in the Game”
Tonight is the first game of the 2016 NBA Championship Series between the Cleveland Cavilers and the Golden State Warriors. Surprisingly these are the same two teams that competed against one another in last year’s ultimate basketball round. Stephen Curry and the Warriors defeated LeBron James and the Cleveland Cavs by winning four of the six games played. This was Golden’s State first title in forty years and their fourth in franchise history. Whether you are or are not a fan of the sport is not as important as the noteworthy analogous this contest presents when considering the renewed opportunity to see victory in the same arena that previously ended in failure.
You don’t have to be an athlete to know the pain of losing and most of us can sympathize with the players who ached and grieved when the final buzzer sounded and it was all said and done. We know that feeling because there have been times in our battles against the devil that we looked up to realize he beat us in a contest we should have never lost.
We let our guard down and missed his devious moves, or we overlooked a tactical approach he was making that shook our foundation and rattled our stability. What really hurts is to look back at the failure and admit that you had everything you needed to avoid being overpowered, but just didn’t show up with your ‘A’ game each and every time.Tonight, however, begins the journey to possibilities that those who lost last time have a chance to win this time.
I love the Lord for so many reasons, but to know that He’s a God of another chance is one of the main reasons why I adore Him like I do. I have no problem admitting that I needed many ‘other chances’ and even when people around you no longer believe in your ability to win… God does. He’s able to forgive you and He’s ready to restore you if you hear His voice and surrender your will. He’s standing right in place to help you recover everything the enemy stole from you. You may have a history of mishaps, bad decisions, and blatant sinful acts, but you also have an agape loving Father who wants to see you prevail.
Paul said it well when he told us to, “Forget those things that are behind us and reach to those that are before us. We MUST press toward the mark for the prize of the high calling of God in Christ Jesus.” Some are not looking for you to come out on top this time. Some are still cheering loudly that you fail and fail miserably again. Some are even setting up traps to derail you and deny you a possibility of being a champion. Some are trying, but my bible says, “Greater is He that’s in me then he that’s in the world!” Tell your haters to watch out and get ready…You’re Back In The Game!”
EVERYTHING WE DO MOVING FORWARD WILL BE INTENTIONAL AND DRIVEN WITH PURPOSE TO REPRESENT THE KINGDOM OF GOD IN THE BEST POSSIBLE LIGHT! NOTHING WILL BE DONE WITH ENERGY LESS THAN OUR BEST AND EFFORT BELOW OUR MAXIMUM POTENTIAL.
OUR SERVICE IS LOCAL, BUT OUR REACH IS GLOBAL – SO WE CANNOT REDUCE OUR PRESENTATION DOWN TO WHAT’S CONVENIENT, BUT RATHER WE MUST RAISE IT TO THAT WHICH IS EXPLOSIVE!
Get ready for major change that’s coming systematically, intellectually, purposefully, and professionally. Nothing we do moving forward will be done haphazardly, sloppily, poorly, or carnally.
We Are the LIGHT!
Sincerely,
Pastor J.E. Chandler, Sr.
(CEO/Pastor of MLCM)
