"Ante up!"

Stepping Out in RED Shoes!

- Day 29 - 

If you want in the game, ante up!

The most interesting thing happened to me in the prayer closet today.  God called on me to  "ante up!"     I'm serious!  Now I'm not a gambler at all -- never have been!  My only experience playing poker was as a teenager.  A bunch of us would sit around on a hot summer's day with a deck of cards and our loose change and play poker.  You never really won much -- or lost much for that matter -- but playing for money made it a little more fun.

"Ante up" is a term used in card games like poker.  All players throw the designated amount of money into the center of the table to show that "they're in the game!"  Once their money is in,  the dealer gives them their cards.

  No ante, no cards.  You don't play!

 It's that simple. 

In my case, the "ante"  might have been 2 pennies or a nickel.  Everyone who wanted to play that hand put their nickel in the center of the table and the dealer counted them in.  The cards were then dealt to all the players.  If you had a really good hand, you could  "up the ante"  on your turn.  If the person before you threw a penny in the middle, you'd have to throw a penny in the middle too, in order to stay in the game.  If you wanted, you could say, "Here's your penny and I'm going to raise you 2 more pennies."  That meant anyone after you had to put 3 pennies in the middle to stay in the game.  

Yesterday, one of my ministry friends, that I diligently pray for, sent me a list of prayer requests.  Included was the need for more partners to come on board and for some larger donations to help in the launching of a new outreach project that they are about to roll out.  I was so glad to get ahold of this list.  It empowered me to pray very specifically.  

First thing this morning I was up, dressed, in my RED shoes, and praying for the needs on that list.  I was having a good time of prayer when all of a sudden the LORD shut me down. 

"You know Gail,"  He said.  "You're asking me to open the doors of peoples' hearts to give rather largely, when you yourself haven't done that.  You need to ante up!"

"Really LORD?"  I responded.  "How can I do that?  I don't really have any money to give."  

"What about that over there?"  He said.  "You could give that, and you'd be in the game."

True, I own something that someone else is willing to pay money for.  And you know what?  It's something that I wouldn't even miss.  I couldn't believe that I hadn't thought of that myself.  And now, there was God pointing it out -- asking ME to get in the game!  

I thought I just came to pray.  Can you believe it?  There was an ante just to get in on the prayer!

Now I'm in no way saying that God doesn't answer prayers unless you give Him money.  That's ludicrous!  What I am saying is that God doesn't appreciate me asking Him to ask others for something I am not willing to get in on myself.  If we are going to operate in partnership, we need to be in agreement.  If I'm not willing to get in the game, why should He get involved?

It was as if He were saying to me...

"Show me that you're serious about this 

and I'll help you out!"

What would you do?  I took the appropriate steps to move in the direction God asked.  I made a phone call to someone who's interested in something I have.  

I anted up!  I got in the game.  

Now,  I'm a true partner in my friend's ministry.  I've got an invested interest.  The minister may be the one walking it out, but for every person who's saved -- every person who's set free -- every person who's healed --  I've got a stake in that investment.  His harvest is my harvest!  

This minister is no rookie, either.  He's got a proven track record.  Whatever he takes on, he succeeds at.  He's not a long shot, by far.   But that doesn't really matter.  God asked me to ante up for a reason -- one that I may never fully understand.  When it gets right down to it,  my job is to merely be obedient.  I did that.  

I stepped out in RED shoes today and planted my seed.

Believing for a great harvest!

Gail