One thing I found baffling when I dedicated my life to Christ was the scripture: “And be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God” (Romans 12:2). Now, don’t get me wrong, I understand what the scripture is saying and that is not to act like or copy things that the world does. The baffling part was that the church was doing exactly that, acting like the world. As an outsider, someone who wasn’t born and raised in church or even to the local community that I live in, it took a minute and even now people can have a standoffish or cliquish attitude. Is this the way to welcome new members? It took some time for me to understand that church members come from the world and that we’re all on a different sanctification timeline. Some minds are transformed right away, others might take years, but the goal is to always be moving towards what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God. On my journey with Christ, I haven’t always moved towards the perfect will of God, I’ve been judgmental of my brothers and sisters in Christ. Especially the saints who have been a part of the faith for a long time, who can tell you what to do and how to do it yet don’t follow their own advice. These saints are the ones who created the negative climate which isn’t right, while acting like they’re holier than thou knowing they have a past. As followers of Christ, we are to be mindful that we treat each other as Christ treats us. God is love and we are to love as he loves. He has drawn us with lovingkindness, so we should do the same for each other.
Some steps I continuously take are:
Treat others with lovingkindness. “The Lord hath appeared of old unto me, saying, Yea, I have loved thee with an everlasting love: therefore with lovingkindness have I drawn thee.” Jeremiah 31:3
See people as Christ sees them. “For we wrestle not against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this world, against spiritual wickedness in high places.” Ephesians 6:12
Do not judge. “Judge not, that ye be not judged. For with what judgment ye judge, ye shall be judged: and with what measure ye mete, it shall be measured to you again.” Matthew 7:1-2
By doing these things…over time, I’ve been learning how to incorporate Christ into every area of my life.
Below are two books that God has inspired me to write. "The Flip Side" and "Blinded By Sight: The Heart Matters" both available now.
So… what’s this book about?
“The Flip Side” depicts the possible feelings and emotions of lesser-known Biblical characters as they navigated their lives in the shadows of the more popular characters in the Bible. While the Bible gives us snippets of their stories, we are usually left in the dark about their true motives, desires, and thoughts concerning the situations they are in. However, one certainty is that despite how little we know about these characters, they were often the catalysts to pivotal moments in the main characters’ lives.
So… what’s this book about?
Join me on a journey of self-discovery. “Blinded by Sight - The Heart Matters” is a compilation of short biblical devotions. These stories are not conclusive. They are depictions of how God is revealing my heart to me.
My prayer is, Lord, make it real for me, show me your heart, show me my heart, and give me the wisdom to change what hinders my relationship with you. I am learning that my perception is my biggest obstacle it affects my mind, what I think, and how I process my experiences. What I have experienced in my mind is expressed through my feelings and these experiences dictate my choices either consciously or subconsciously.
This devotional will allow you to explore and evaluate your past and present situations that have hindered you from seeing the heart of the matter. Simply put, look at the heart – it does matter. Your future depends on it!
I sought the Lord, and he answered me; he delivered me from all my fears. Psalms 34:4
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