WINNING, REALLY?

Actor, Charlie Sheen

Here recently, actor Charlie Sheen has gotten a little more press than he actually deserves with his series of antics stemming from the fallout of the cancellation of his show "Two & Half Men." His partying and canoodling finally caught up with him, when CBS finally decided to pull the plug on the network's No.1 television program. But, before his show was canceled he conducted several interviews, venting to whomever would listen about CBS and the way he was supposedly treated. And, during one of these venting sessions, he used the word "WINNING" to describe what the ultimate outcome of this standoff would be. This commonly used word, quickly became the catchphrase for many people and even became a trending topic on the popular social network Twitter. However, the use of this word is prima facia evidence of the world basically loving its own, inasmuch as the context in which it is used is to simply pay homage to the decadent, defiant, immoral, lifestyle Charlie Sheen and those like him. This word is not being used to describe the attributes and characteristics one would expect are connected with a term like "Winning,"  like hardwork, determination, courage, ethics, morals, but the exact opposite. Charlie Sheen is a alcoholic, drug abusing, womanizing, millionaire who believes the world evolves around his axis of a career. And, the interesting part about it is that many people have either bought into exactly what Mr. Sheen is selling or at the very least going along for the ride, hence the world loving its own. His so-called reality could not be any further from the truth.

Mr. Sheen does not even understand what the word "Winning" really means, he cannot even fathom what is the proper usage for this term. He uses it as a way to validate his "train wreck of a life". He uses it as a way to reprimand his critics who do not share the same outlook on life. He uses it as a way; I believe, of legitimizing his erratic behavior, not to the world, but to himself. It is true, he has become his own worst enemy, and that my friend is the worst enemy to have. The sad part about his life is that we are watching it unravel right before our eyes and it seems like it might completely come undone before anyone does a thing to help.

But, my point about "Winning" is simple, you don't really know what it means to "WIN" until you know Jesus Christ. You don't really know what it feels like to be  on the "WINNING" team until you've joined the Body of Christ. The Apostle Paul says very emphatically, "If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature, all things are past away behold all things have become new. Now that's WINNING! And, membership is INCLUSIVE and EXCLUSIVE at the same time. Because, yes it is open to any and everybody that wants to join, but the benefits of joining are EXCLUSIVE to its members. This kind of "WINNING" is not coincidental'; that's the kind of "WINNING" that is not based on what you have, or your status in life, because in Jeremiah 1:5, God says to the Prophet Jeremiah, "Before I formed thee in the belly, I knew thee, and before thou camest forth out of the womb I sanctified thee, and I ordained thee to be a prophet unto the nations." God essentially was saying to Jeremiah, that I knew about your life even before I created the world and I knew what I wanted you to be before you were even a twinkle in your mother's eye. So, nothing about you is accidental or even coincidental, but God ordained it all from the beginning. That being said, those of us who are in Christ, were "BORN TO WIN." We were "WINNERS" from the very start of things, and our life doesn't have to be on par materially with the likes of Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen or any other Sheen; for that matter, for it to be WINNING. The success of our lives are not measured by what we have, but who we are connected to and therein lies the real definition of WINNING. Peter confirms this in I Peter 2:9, when he declared, "And ye are a chosen generation, a Royal Priesthood, a Holy Nation; A Peculiar People that ye should show forth the praises of Him who brought you out of darkeness into this marvelous light." Now that's"WINNING." I was born to "WIN"; I was created to "WIN." "WINNING" is in my DNA; "WINNING" is in my bloodstream, I can't help but "WIN".


Find out how to be a "WINNER"

I hope this blog serves as a reminder to those who maybe having a temporary bout of amnesia. You're experiencing the trials and tribulations of everyday life; the enemy has seem to got you down for the count. But, take this word of encouragement and know that "YOU WERE BORN TO WIN." You cannot be defeated; you will not be defeated. And, to those who maybe a bit misguided, believing that Charlie Sheen is indeed WINNING, because now it seems that his circumstances  have taken a slight turn for the better. CBS wants him back, he's now touring the country celebrating his abnormal behavior, and it looks like he's got the world by the tail. Remember, looks can be deceiving, and while Charlie's situation may have changed, nothing about his character has changed at all. My prayer is that Mr. Sheen experiences the true definition of WINNING before it is everlasting too late.

Our thoughts and prayers are with him and we truly hopes he gets the help he so desperately needs!


Pastor Nimmons
www.michaelnimmons.com