The team that get the most “loose balls” wins!!!

Greetings my friends.  As always, I am prayerful that this message finds you all well and looking forward to more temperate weather conditions as the spring slowly approaches.  I’ve been praying deeply and intently lately that God will give me the vision and discernment to write messages that will both appeal to many individuals and also be inspiring at the same time.  I feel that He has given me the gifts of communication and influence, and like all gifts from God, how I use these gifts is completely up to me.  In the past, I spent much of my time utilizing my gifts to serve myself. “Look at me everyone, I’m making buckets of money…..I’m a successful businessman….…I’m a writer now with a published book” Blah…..blah…blah… Thankfully, over the last few years, I believe that my writing has taken on a more authentic and consistent theme; one that is flat-out baking in the Word of God and specifically designed to spread the Good News while I endeavor to find some lost sheep.  Or in this case, “loose balls”

In case some of you have not figured this out yet, the loose ball concept is a sports analogy; basketball to be more specific for this illustration.  I love many sports, but basketball will always be my first love and the sport I most enjoyed playing in my younger years.  My inspiration today comes directly from a conversation I had yesterday with one of my High School teammates, Mike Sanchez.  “Chez”, as he was more affectionately known, was a phenomenal athlete; fast as lightning, a great shooter, a skilled ball handler, and quality team player.  He and I were both playing varsity ball as sophomores and had three years together; playing both basketball and soccer.  Those were really fun days, and we had some great teams and won many games.  He and I somewhat lost contact over the years, but somehow we have always stayed connected.  Facebook makes that easy.  However, our conversation yesterday took on an entirely different tone.

You see, both Chez and I made a decision early on in life to live on our own terms.  We figured that we knew exactly how we wanted to live and that we certainly knew how to go about getting what we thought we needed to have success, be popular and feel complete.  However, we both missed the mark.  Sure, we each had our own assemblence of worldly success.  Chez spent some time serving our great country, was an amazing DJ, and a top-flight ladies’ man (I know he will enjoy thatJ).  For me, many of you know my story; but I had success in business and on the surface lived a pretty good life….all while marinating a sin-laden pool of despair. The problem for both of us was we really had no direction, accept the direction we decided to provide for ourselves.  We were smart, capable, fun loving, and never had any shortage of friends.  On the other side of coin, we both an intense affinity to party and to have a good time.  We didn’t miss too many opportunities to have fun, and in the end, it was those “fun” years that cost us both things that we would never get back.  Does any of this sound familiar?  Can any of you see any resemblance of these behaviors in your own past….in your present?  Don’t fret; there is hope!!

Our conversation yesterday was amazing; both of us now Christians, serving God, and living very normal and happy lives.  We talked about many things, but most of all we talked about our close friends and people that we both know who seem to be still lost; searching for significance in their life.  We talked about what we can do, as men of influence, to find the “lost sheep” out there and go out and grab that “loose ball” At the end of the book of Matthew (Matthew 28 to be exact), there is a very clear and concise description of what we are to do as Christians.  First, to become disciples, and next to go out and make disciples.  It’s interesting, because so many people get really freaked out about so-called “evangelism” They worry that people are trying to change them, trying to make them uncomfortable, and that somehow their “perceived freedom” is being taken away. 

They have fear because, to be perfectly honest; many Christians are judgmental, full of condemnation, and can be very hypocritical. They say one thing and live another way, and they tell others that they are wrong about what they believe and that they are probably going to hell.  The truth is that even though I believe in Heaven and hell and I believe that I am going to Heaven because of my faith; I don’t know about you!! Nobody knows except God himself.  Real Christians are supposed to love God and love others; the 2 very basic principles of the Christian faith.  True Christians are warm, intelligent, friendly, and communicative about how they feel and why they feel that way. True Christians share their faith through their actions, their daily living, and most of all…..through their testimony.  For those of you reading this today; this is an open invitation to reach out to me if you want to know about my testimony and how following Christ has changed my life forever.  I have been writing for many years, and as some of you know, I am perfectly comfortably sharing the story of my rise, fall…..my pain and redemption.  My guess is that Chez’s door would also be wide open to a conversation. I know his story, and it’s a good one…..real life transformation and now…..pure peace and happiness. 

Being Christian is not about hanging around other “religious people”; it’s the opposite.  Jesus came down to earth in the form of a man to SAVE all of us.  To hang out with the bad crowd; prostitutes, beggars, and tax collectors…..just read the stories in the Bible and you will see.  Real Christian men are not afraid of misrepresenting themselves, because the Word of God is truth and when communicated with LOVE…..has real and lasting power.  Power to transform, power to find the elusive peace we all seek. Power to stop worrying everyday about the problems of your past and the uncertainty of the future. 

I know Chez agrees with me; and he and I are both out after the “loose ball” on the basketball floor.  We will run, kick, bite, and crawl around on that dirty gym floor until we can get control of that ball and gain possession for our team.  A team that took us both a while to join, but we now cannot imagine life a different way.  We are determined to share the Good News, and for those of you who might be amenable to dialog; you know how to reach us.  And if there’s any lingering doubt regarding what I’m saying; take a look at this section of the Bible, the bestselling book of all time!!

The Story of the Lost Sheep
15 ^1-3 By this time a lot of men and women of doubtful reputation were hanging around Jesus, listening intently. The Pharisees and religion scholars were not pleased, not at all pleased. They growled, “He takes in sinners and eats meals with them, treating them like old friends.” Their grumbling triggered this story.
^4-7 “Suppose one of you had a hundred sheep and lost one. Wouldn’t you leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness and go after the lost one until you found it? When found, you can be sure you would put it across your shoulders, rejoicing, and when you got home call in your friends and neighbors, saying, ‘Celebrate with me! I’ve found my lost sheep!’ Count on it—there’s more joy in heaven over one sinner’s rescued life than over ninety-nine good people in no need of rescue.

This premise is one that I will cherish and live by the rest of my days on this sphere.  When I came out of rehab a year and a half ago; I wrote a heartfelt piece about taking a stand.  Dig back a year into my blog if you want to take a peek; I would be honored.  This is who I am and this is who Chez is; we are taking a stand, believing in the one thing that gives our lives meaning. 

Anyone care to join?

Love and Peace to you ALL…..Tony