Where is Your Ball

This week our church fellowship is having a youth revival. Last night was the first night and it was good! Bro Howard is a really good preacher and we were looking forward to hearing him again.
The first passage he took is to was about Judas Iscariot; how he went to the priest, you think a good place to go but not always is the priest, a real priest. But he went to the priest to see how to go about betraying Jesus.
Next he took us to Paul, in Rom. 7:18-21, a confusing scripture, "For the good that I would I do not: but the evil which I would not, that I do." ... and so on.
Satan is going to set before us opportunity to do wrong; to fail. He knows our weak spots, he knows what he can snag us with. He may present the opportunity, but then the ball is in our court, its up to us to act on it; to take the bait. There are opportunities all around us, everyday, everywhere we go. When the opportunity arises the ball is in my court; what am I going to do with it? If I act on it, I'll feel guilty. And if I say yes the first time, the second time it is much easier to say yes. If I say yes the second time, the guilt won't be as strong. Every time I take the opportunity I will feel less and less guilty until the point where I think it's OK and don't feel bad anymore.
On the flip side, just as Satan can present opportunity, God can present opportunity. God also knows our weaknesses, and He knows what we need help in. God will present us with an opportunity to do right, to do good, and then the ball is again in my court. If I choose to take it I'll profit from it and be stronger. If I reject His volley, then I will be weakened and subject to Satan's ball.
Everyday, God and Satan are serving balls into my court. I have to choose which ball I will accept. I cannot accept both; I cannot play both games; I have to choose who my partner will be. God? Or Satan?
Where is your ball? Who's ball are you playing? Who's your partner?

What Am I Supposed to Do?

There are several aspects of this question:
What am I supposed to do...
- with my time
- with my mind
- with my life
I lost my job at the elections office last week due to not being registered in the county I was working. (You can't be a poll worker in the state of Georgia unless you're registered in the county you work.) So, now I am back at home, and I have lots of time. Problem here, which is where the question came from, I'm bored, I have nothing to do. Yeah sure, there are chores, but my mom is so organized that it takes 15 minutes a day to keep the house clean. Now that you've heard my sob story, and are undoubtedly bored, let's get back to the question at hand: what am I supposed to do?
I have a lot of time. Empty time. The morning time isn't too bad, Amy is here and we do the chores, hang out and eat. But she leaves at noon-thirty and I have the house to myself till 4. Almost 4 hours that I need to fill. So what am I going to do...
With My TIME?
Pick up a new hobby: or an old one.
I used to do nails quite a bit. I did my own, both my sisters and friends. But because I got a job and or busy, I got out of it. So I'm going to pull out my nails kit and keep my nails up.
With my MIND?
Memorize scripture.
For the longest time I've told myself I need to memorize more scripture, but I haven't had the time. Now I have the time. So I'm going to out it to good use.
With my LIFE?
Set goals for the future. Where am I going to be 5 years from now? 10 years from now? In the next year I will be going to college to become a botanist. So in 5 years who knows where I could be with that.
So what does your day look like? What do you do with your spare time?

Single Mindset

This passage and text is from my devotions this morning.

Matthew 6:22 

"The light of the body is the eye:

 if therefore thine eye be single, 

thy whole body shall be full of light."

"If mine eye be single"

Interpretations:
-single in relationship
-serving one master
-focused on one goal

I am single, but having a single mindset is not about a relationship status. Its not about having a boyfriend, or a husband; that's just the facts of being single. But, if I have a single-mindset according to scripture, I would be....

• In a relationship with Christ - He is my beloved. He is the one who loves me, in my worst of times; and in my lowest of times. He cares for me and wants the best for me. He's promised that He will never leave me! and He loved me so much, He sent His only son to the cross to die for me. 

• Focused on serving Christ - Instead of serving myself, or Satan. (Matthew 6:24) There are things that I have to do to keep myself (granted), but serving myself is not my main goal. Serving Christ in all I do, in all I say, in all I think. 

and,

• He is my only goal - He is the only thing that matters. (Matthew 6:25) And in reality this is true. There is nothing in this world that can compare to HIM. 

Bethany