The Transformation

The other day, I was reading the story of Saul and his transformation in Acts chapter nine, and I thought even though the Bible doesn’t say that Saul was being prayed for, I’m sure he was.

Saul was persecuting the church and was a murderer, when he had his transforming experience and although we don’t believe these kinds of transformations still happen, I believe God still radically changes lives.

All it takes is a real encounter with God. Yes, we struggle, but someone has to stand in the gap for those who are bound by the evil of this world. God is still able to set us free, no matter how far gone we may think we are.

I was thinking about someone yesterday and wondering about some things and God simply told me that I need to pray more for that individual. Some people are scheduled for a Damascus Road experience and they don’t even realize their world is about to be turned upside down. Don’t believe it? If you don’t you don’t understand God. He can bring us to a defining moment where we have no choice but to change. And the reason God will do this is so we don’t destroy ourselves. Sin has consequences. Well let me talk about me.

Last year and even into this year, I had a crisis health wise and guess what? It didn’t even take a “deliverance” service to get me to change. Sometimes it’s just a life or death circumstance and instantly we alter our lives. I remember last year, God showed me my death (due to gluttony) in a dream and that day I went to the emergency room and received some devastating news. Yes, if left untreated, I could have died.  Coming face to face with these health issues, I made instant changes. Two weeks after I left the hospital I lost 15 pds. I’m now down 50 and really it all happened without much effort.

Now I rarely eat fast food, have eliminated sugar and salt as much as possible, I cook mostly all my food and where I thought I just could not break free from the bondage of gluttony, God used a dire circumstance to catapult me to make permanent changes. There are certain foods that  I absolutely will not eat ever again because I want to live. Sounds like deliverance to me!

Your area may not be mine and mine may not be yours, but when God decides this is it, and it’s over and He pronounces change, look out! It’s going to happen. God know exactly what to allow to fast forward our deliverance, so if you are praying for freedom, watch out because it’s going to happen and sometimes God it comes by any means necessary.

Acts 9:1-6

New International Version (NIV)

Saul’s Conversion

9 Meanwhile, Saul was still breathing out murderous threats against the Lord’s disciples. He went to the high priest ² and asked him for letters to the synagogues in Damascus, so that if he found any there who belonged to the Way, whether men or women, he might take them as prisoners to Jerusalem. ³ As he neared Damascus on his journey, suddenly a light from heaven flashed around him. ⁴ He fell to the ground and heard a voice say to him, “Saul, Saul, why do you persecute me?”

⁵ “Who are you, Lord?” Saul asked.

“I am Jesus, whom you are persecuting,” he replied. ⁶ “Now get up and go into the city, and you will be told what you must do.”

Mixed Emotions

Today, my blog is really for me. I hope you get something out of it. I like to write because it can be therapeutic at times. But I know I can’t put everything on a public blog. I do keep a private journal, although since I’ve been blogging, I don’t write in my journal as much.

So much is happening. I guess I’m in the middle of a shift. But my emotions are all over the place. I have mixed feeling about a lot of things. We can believe God for so long and relegate our dreams to the future, but at some point they must come to pass.  Time moves on and we get older and of course you have to see fulfillment. But honestly I’m reminded of something God told me years ago. Sometimes you can be in your season, but the timing is just a little off. I can’t describe it, but for me, that’s what I feel. But we can’t always trust our emotions.

God knows what we need when we need it and He knows why I feel the way that I feel. I’m still recovering from some things. I know that time heals all wounds. Honestly God knows my heart and why I feel the way I do. I have my reasons.

Even a God thing can be bad when it’s out of time. I’m not talking about needing a lot of time either. Something feels slightly off to me, but I also know that I need to spend some concentrated time with God to get ahold to my emotions. In about three days I’ll have some clarity. Have you ever felt that way?

I Am Not Moved

Being a seer has it’s advantages and disadvantages. In my case the disadvantage is that it sometimes takes a very long time to see the manifestation of what God showed me. But it’s past experiences that have solidified my faith. Even when I’m tired and I want to give up, I still believe.

People who waver in their faith can’t understand that. But it’s all about true revelation from God. So if someone is unsure they may project that on you, not knowing that is not how you really are. But for me there are some things that God told me a long time ago and I am not moved. I continue to learn and hear from God, and as long as He has said it, I believe it.

I have birthed some things in the realm of the spirit, but now I’m letting God handle it. All things must run their course. I can’t fight for something when it’s not time. I’m a woman reserved for a special season and until that happens, I have to wait on God.

Meanwhile, I will be dating and living until the appointed time. God has a season of healing especially designed for me and I’m happy about it and looking forward to it.

I’ve seen all of this before and from what God is showing me, it’s going to be a repeat performance of something that happened before. Another one is about to bite the dust. I can’t do a thing until that happens either.

Sometimes people have to be shown that what they think they have is a counterfeit. It happened before and it has to happen again. So I am not moved…just reserved for the right time.

Habakkuk 2:3

New King James Version (NKJV)

³ For the vision is yet for an appointed time; But at the end it will speak, and it will not lie. Though it tarries, wait for it; Because it will surely come, It will not tarry.

Not Worth Dignifying

Recently I heard a message where the minister was sharing that the moment you give something your attention, you make it important. When I heard that message, I sensed God was telling me some situations would be coming up and that I should not even dignify them.

Here are some reasons that you should ignore some circumstances:

1. It doesn’t involve you; If the circumstance does not involve you directly, leave it alone. Why give attention to something that is not even going to affect you in the long run?

2. It’s trivial; I was reading something that someone wrote on Facebook recently and the last time I responded, it became clear that the individual was just trying to get a “rise” out of me. The bottom line was it wasn’t even the truth and it was designed to aggravate me. (Yeah, I know…some friend, lol)

3.  That brings me to my next point. It’s not the truth; More problems have been created by people telling lies and others believing them. Yes, people do make up things and then you find yourself wasting time with something that is not even true.

4. We don’t have to comment on everything; Again, if you give it attention, sometimes it makes the situation worse. And sometimes if you ignore it, it will go away.

5. God already showed you all you need to know; I’ve learned that when the Lord reveals that you have nothing to worry about, then you don’t. So believe Him and trust him.

Some situations are just time wasters and distractions. So the next time you are confronted with an uncomfortable situation, ask yourself one question: Is this even worth my attention?

John 14:27

New King James Version (NKJV)

²⁷ Peace I leave with you, My peace I give to you; not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.

Love Series: On the Rebound

Remember the phrase “being on the rebound?” That’s when someone comes out of one relationship and goes right into another. Back in the day this was frowned upon, but not anymore. People barely take a break when leaving a marriage or a relationship. They no longer take the time to heal and recover and consequently some people enter new relationships only to discover they are still in love with someone else.

My biggest fear would be to get in a relationship with someone only to find out, he was still in love with someone from his past. That is why time is very important between relationships. If you were truly in love with someone and it didn’t work out for whatever reason, the smart thing to do is take some time and make sure that your heart and mind (and spirit) are clear and ready to love again.

If a man told me he was recently in love with someone else and, then wanted to get involved with me, I would be afraid to respond to his advances until I knew that he is truly over what he just came out of. He doesn’t have to be in love with me from the get go, just out of love with his past love. Without a clear heart, there is no future. After all, no woman wants to play second fiddle, even if it’s to a memory.

James 1:5-8

New King James Version (NKJV)

⁵ If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. ⁶ But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for he who doubts is like a wave of the sea driven and tossed by the wind. ⁷ For let not that man suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; ⁸ he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.

Respect Given/Respect Earned

I’ve been reading a series of eye-opening blogs by a fellow blogger about how important respect is to men. She is a married woman and I am not, but the information this blogger has been sharing is invaluable.

Up until I read her blogs, I thought I was woman who is respectful toward men and I still think that. But I can absolutely see where I have been disrespectful to certain men and I know this stems from my relationship with my father.

My dad was a difficult man to deal with. Sorry to say it (God rest his soul) but he was. My mother was a very demure mild-mannered woman who took a lot off of him. So growing up seeing the give and take and the emotional and verbal abuse that she endured definitely shaped me. I know I’ve always felt I would never take what she took off a man. But my mom was very respectful toward my Dad, no matter how difficult he was. She always prepared his meals and made sure the home was in order even if he didn’t deserve it. She always spoke kindly and rarely lost her temper. Honestly, I can’t recall a time when she did. But I must admit, I thought my mother was weak and so that influenced me greatly.

I am definitely a woman who will speak her mind, but the key to speaking your mind is HOW you do it. Sometimes it’s not necessary to say anything. Other times, you should say something but it’s the tone and the attitude behind it that makes all the difference in the world.

I’ve had interactions with someone in particular that I greatly regret. But it’s been through cyberspace and when I think about it, I know for certain that if I was in the presence of that individual, I would not have expressed half of what I said, if we were face to face. But nonetheless, some of what I shared has been perceived as disrespectful and a lot of it has been.

Since reading these blogs, I’m much more aware of what I say and how I say it and I’m practicing on my brothers. I’m not disrespectful of my brothers, but I’m learning to listen more and let them do more of the speaking and reaffirm their ideas more, even if I disagree. Right now, my brothers are all I have. When God sees that I am ready, he will send someone else to help me grow in this area.

The hardest part about showing respect is when you feel someone has not earned your respect or doesn’t deserve it. That is the real test. But when one is on a quest to be more respectful, that becomes irrelevant. Respect, I now believe, should be shown, even if the person does not deserve it or hasn’t earned it. It’s a key ingredient to honoring people.

So today if you don’t feel your husband, your boss, or even your Pastor, etc., deserves your respect, give it to them anyway. It will make all the difference in the world and God will be pleased!

Philippians 2:3

Amplified Bible (AMP)

³ Do nothing from factional motives [through contentiousness, strife, selfishness, or for unworthy ends] or prompted by conceit and empty arrogance. Instead, in the true spirit of humility (lowliness of mind) let each regard the others as better than and superior to himself [thinking more highly of one another than you do of yourselves].