I have a friend who is in his late 80s. He is an African-American man. He is old enough to have grown up through the Jim Crow laws and the “separate, but equal days.” He made a statement regarding my best friend and I. My best friend is light-skinned and I am darker skinned. He compared the two stating that one was better than the other.
He shared how he used to feel bad about his complexion. He is brown skinned. He asked the question if we could be White, my friend and I, would we. We both told him no. We felt bad for him because he had been indoctrinated with the ideal that he was less than because of the texture of his hair, skin color, and size of his lips and nose.
I shared how I loved my skin, and how at one point in my life as a child I wanted to be darker. It was when I was really young. I remembered watching a Ms. Universe pageant where they had a really beautiful girl who was very dark-skinned much darker than me. She was so beautiful to me that I wanted to look like her.
At that point, I shared how the self-hate that my friend had adopted is a learned behavior to compare one color to the next and put one or the other down. That isn’t the way it is unless we believe it. When we believe it we add power to it. He sort of paused at that and took it in.
It was fascinating to him the unity that I and my best friend had before him. This is a common strand of self hate and inferiority that has been through out African American culture for decades and sadly still causes shame and hurt among many who are ignorant of their own worth as well as the worth of their brothers and sisters.
It is a person who is amazingly insecure who can ascribe her own worth off of being light skinned and a person who is insecure who can ascribe her lack of worth off of being dark skinned alone. Surely we have more to offer as a people besides our skin tone which is beautiful I must say. The dark, the light, the brown, and all of the in betweens.
I am a little partial as I should be in the vein of loving myself toward my color of skin seeing how dark is the skin that I am in. I love my skin. I love how it changes colors in different light. It looks amazing to me, but I also can appreciate the beauty in all colors. I love the richness of the darkest darks, and the beautiful tents of lighter also. We as a people are a rainbow of beauty who’s culture is emulated by many.
There is a type of love that goes far beyond what we may be used to. This type of love simply loves for no reason. I came across a prayer in the journal that I keep to pray for my husband and various love interests. In the journal, I had prayed that my husband and I’s hearts would be knit together like Jonathan and David’s. And it came to pass, when he had made an end of speaking unto Saul, that the soul of Jonathan was knit with the soul of David, and Jonathan loved him as his own soul. 1 Samuel 18:1 (KJV) I grieve for you, Jonathan my brother; you were very dear to me. Your love for me was wonderful, more wonderful than that of women. 2 Samuel 1:26 (NIV)This love was a God ordained love. It met the specific need for the specific time and season David was in for his life. It was a godly soul-tie or union between two individuals.
David was in a new place that was unfamiliar. He had been living in the King’s house as one of his sons. However the King quickly became an enemy becoming jealous of David and seeking to kill him. I am quite sure that made David uncomfortable, but David had gained a brother and friendly companion in Jonathan. The friendship of Jonathan assisted in saving David’s life. Without that God ordained soul-tie. David may have died early never experiencing his full potential.
This type of love and connection comes only from God. I believe that the only reason why David and Jonathan’s love was more wonderful than that of the love of women is because God put them together. Other than God putting them together, what explanation could be given for two brothers immediately having a connection as though they were raised in the same house? There was no reason to justify such loyalty out of the blue.
If God could provide what David needed in the form of a non-romantic friendly relationship; how much more could God do the same for those who desire a romantic relationship? Often when we seek out a relationship with someone of the opposite sex, it isn’t because God has orchestrated it.
The romantic relationship is often the one that we leave God out of as if we don’t trust him with this part of us. It’s as if we think that God could not meet the need properly in this area. However, when we give up our way, to trust in God; we will find that what God provides is far better than what we are used to or even expected.
Let’s take note what God appointed relationships look like again through Jonathan and David’s friendship. God’s love comes at just the right time when we need it most. God’s love loves us for no reason at all or just because. Meaning, we don’t have to work for it. It is loyal, dedicated, and committed even beyond what may appear normal. For example, Jonathan loved David so that, it appeared as though he betrayed his father for helping David. He was loyal beyond what appeared normal.
God’s love is a healthy soul tie or bond that will bring encouragement and joy instead of pain, grief, and heartache. We all have had that friend like Jonathan and David that showed up at just the right time like a brother or a sister. If God can provide for us in the area of godly friendships than; Let’s trust God to also provide for us godly spouses.
If you are like me, maybe you remember your parents watching Charleton Heston in the original depiction of Ben Hur, and perhaps you did not understand what it was. I remember during the 80s watching Ben Hur with the parents not having any idea. It was written off in my mind as just another Jesus film. That’s what we called the religious pictures that depicted the life of Jesus. Of course, now that I am older, I realize that Ben Hur is so much more.
The newest release of Ben Hur came out in theaters on Friday, August 19th. The film is an adaptation of a book written by a man named Lewis Wallace. Sources state that Wallace began to study about Christ with an indifferent attitude toward the understanding of Christ’s divinity. In an attempt to disprove Christ, Wallace studied about him, and became more and more convinced that Christ was and is who he says he is.
He was stirred to write the story Ben Hur. Ben Hur was later produced into a major motion picture starring Charlton Heston in 1959. Today, the movie makes a comeback with a very powerful message that tells the story of two brothers. One of the brothers is a Jew, and the other a Roman soldier. Both brothers struggle to a degree to find their places in the Roman empire. One of the brothers is falsely accused and taken to be a slave. He wonders what has become of his wife, sister, and mother that were left behind.
Without giving the whole movie away. The movie covers themes in the Christian life such as suffering even while having done nothing wrong, the power of forgiveness and reconciliation. The movie is set during the time of Christ. Thus, pictures of the suffering of Christ are shown in the film paralleling just how needful the work of Christ is in our own personal walks with the Lord. There is even a love story interwoven between the film. The film offers so much that it is too much to tell. It would be better to just watch the film. When this film comes out on video, I will definitely be purchasing it. It is not your average religious film. You will have to just see it for yourself!
Don’t allow anyone to cause you to lessen the way that you see yourself bringing you down to an image that you are not: It is God’s will that we will have a healthy self esteem about ourselves. We are made in God’s image and likeness (Genesis 1:27) . Therefore we learn from God how to view ourselves.
Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world (We take our cues for our self-esteem and image from the Lord). 1 John 4:17 God does not reward nor allow a lowered image of himself. All throughout scripture. God warns his people not to worship other gods or to bring him down to an image that is not who he is. In Isaiah, the Lord reminds his people who he is. “I am the Lord your God, the first and last, and besides me there is no god. (Isaiah 44:6)” God is bold in proclaiming who he is, and he settles for nothing less than being respected, feared, and reverenced for who he is.
How much more should we take on a similar attitude not allowing how we see ourselves to be bought down or lessened in any way from who we are in Christ. In this world as believers, we are often provided with opportunities to step down into a lower image than who we are. For example: I am a housing counselor at my job which requires me to be in private areas such as offices, or conferences rooms with clients collecting, disseminating, and discussing private information regarding housing matters, budgets of clients, and such.
In some cases where my client has been a male; there have been inappropriate invitations for me to reduce myself to something lower then who I am. In those cases, I’ve had to be very clear in maintaining how I am to be perceived by the client as a professional contact only and nothing more.
In rare cases, when a client is overtly inappropriate, the client can be re-assigned to other counselors, or provided with a dismissal letter to no longer work with the client. Why? Because a standard of who I am as a housing counselor toward the client must be upheld in order for us to peacefully work together. If appropriate boundary lines are crossed; there must be an adjustment in how we deal with those people.
It is the same way in our personal lives. When we come across someone who absolutely refuses to respect us for who we are, and who seeks to bring us down to an image other than who we are, we need to first have a conversation with them if possible. When a conversation does not work, and their behavior toward us is still inappropriate, we have no choice, but to cut them loose.
The individual then misses out on who we really are. In the above example the client has to then go somewhere else to get the service he really needs. In the same manner, those who treat us inappropriately taking us for granted and looking at us in a manner lower than who we are miss out on what we could have provided to them had they respected us. We should do ourselves a favor, and allow them to miss out on us. They should have made another choice to respect us and to honor us for who we really were. Sidenote: This is not an excuse for unforgiveness. We should always forgive, but that does not mean that we have to still entertain someone.
The above is an obvious example. There are some less obvious examples that single women tend to put up with for not knowing who they are or having unresolved issues. I believe God cares about our unresolved issues and questions of our own worth and he addresses them with his word.
Not so obvious examples:
When a man seeks to pursue, but doesn’t give any time to the woman he is pursuing This is a lowered image. He is communicating to the woman that she isn’t that important to him. Definitely not important enough for him to re structure his schedule and make time for what he says he values. That woman is his convenient relationship and not his priority. This is a lesser image. The man misses out on all that she has to offer due to treating her in that way.
The man who isn’t that busy and just plays games with a woman’s heart leading her on but offering no commitment nor communicating clearly his intentions: The enemy will use this to make us feel like we aren’t worth it especially if the man doing this is a true believer. It’s easy to question our worth at this point. It doesn’t matter if they are a believer or not, we don’t have to put up with it. If after we have talked and sought to resolve it, the person is consistent with their devalued treatment of us, it is okay not to reward them with our presence. This keeps us in a clear frame of mind of who we are, and what we are worth.
Our image of ourselves should always line up with who God says we are, not how people treat us or the image that they invite us into to lower ourselves. When men sought to lower God down to an image of wood, or things made with hands; God did not respond to those things nor reward those people with his presence. Instead God judged those acts so that it would be clear that that particular behavior toward God is completely unacceptable. God doesn’t answer to a lowered image of himself, and neither should we God’s precious children made in his image.
There isn’t enough money in the world to buy me: If all of the nations of the world put together all of the money in the world to buy me it still would not be enough because I don’t want to fall in love with the money a man makes. I want to fall in love with the man himself. While I appreciate a man valuing me enough to spend money on me taking me to nice restaurants. That is not the main or final indicator to me that I should stop waiting and settle on a gentleman. A man being able to provide is the bare minimum of a requirement for a man who wants a family. That’s why the Bible says a man who does not provide is worst than an infidel because providing is expected. Meaning, there isn’t even a need of a revelation from God to do that nor a requirement to have a relationship with God to do that. It’s naturally wired in a man’s nature. A woman of higher character, quality, and standard is going to be checking for more then that. The Bible says that her price is far above rubies. That’s more than what money can buy.
When we see a man who leans more heavily on his money and notoriety from wealth instead of his own personal development and ability to authentically show himself and be himself, it points to a greater insecurity: When I see a man over compensating with his pocketbook, being flashy, or creating what they feel is a highly sought after image; I can’t help, but to think it is due to some form of insecurity. We all have our various insecurities in life, but if we become vulnerable enough to deal with them even if that means exposing them to trustworthy people; we can overcome them. It is better to deal with the insecurity rather than to cover it up and pretend like it isn’t there because it will come out at sometime or another.
Also, affects of the insecurity can come out in the relationship, and because the insecurity is hidden, there will be a big question mark as to what is really going on in the relationship causing distrust. Things like this cause couples to break up and they don’t even know why. When God sends us someone it will be someone who has the grace and love to deal with our insecurities. The right woman will be secretly praying for you regarding this instead of putting you down. Remember perfect love casts out all fear. You should not fear showing the right woman your insecurities. You should be checking her out to ensure she is mature and trustworthy just like she should you.
When I hold Up a Standard and Walk in My God Given Identity, It is Not Because I Am a Controlling, Manipulative, Jezebaal:
When a man finds a wife, he finds someone who is good, and favor awaits this man. However, some men mistake what is good for something bad because the woman does not immediately shift to what that man wants in that moment. Have you as a man ever considered that God has placed specific boundaries around a woman to keep her ready and to see her develop for the man, life, destiny, and calling that he has for her. Why should a woman put down the boundaries that have kept her safe, and sound all this time because she meets a new gentlemen who seems different from the rest?
It is through being consistent in maintaining her identity that she has become the woman that has gained your interest. Now, you ask that she throws that away because you are different. That is a bit much to ask. If a man leaves a woman because of her God given standard; I am convinced he really did not want her in the first place. It is built within a mature woman of God to desire to submit to a man, but single women have to be discerning about what they are submitting to.
If a man is operating out of a spirit of confusion and instability communicating mixed messages such as: One week he wants us the next he doesn’t. Has no clarity, provides vague instruction; or operates strictly out of the flesh, and not the Spirit of God, our standard or boundary may tell us to take a step back so we are protected from confusion and lack of peace. Women are responders when it comes to submission to a man and letting a man lead. If the man is confused; we will be confused. Thus, we have to take a step back in that moment as we pray for the man to work that out with God and his leadership that he is submitted to. Yeah, brothers you gotta be submitted to other godly men. It will be hard for a high quality godly woman to trust a prideful stubborn man who insists on walking alone. We have to protect ourselves.
Because I do not want to get physical right away, meaning to kiss, doesn’t mean that I am asexual: A real woman of God who is whole and knows who she is; is soft, feminine, and desires to unleash all of her love and affection on one man, but this has to be done in a place of security. A woman longs for two main things to be loved and to be secure. A real woman of God knows the difference between a man saying he loves her and showing that he loves her. Until a man is willing to give a woman these two things by meeting the qualifications God has set up for the particular woman consistently; she cannot accept a ring to unleash her wild beast on a brother. It takes time to build these things. It takes openness and vulnerability on both the man and woman’s part, and most of all it takes both individuals willfully, and intentionally submitting to Christ as the center and foundation of the relationship.
Last week The Cross Movement was honored for nearly 20 years in Christian Hip-hop. They reunited at The Legacy Conference performing, and receiving the “Lifetime Legacy Award.” They are what I consider fathers to a generation and to a movement of young people who have a heart after Jesus Christ. Because of their willingness to not only preach and teach the gospel through their music, but to live it out; They will not know in this lifetime the exact number of lives they have touched.
The best way that I can describe the impact of the Cross Movement is seed that keeps on growing and producing fruit long after the group has decided to retire. This in essence is the true gospel when we choose to carry our cross and live out our purpose in such an undeniable way. Our fruit continues beyond the work that we have done. Jesus our number one example displays this principle in the statement below when he said: “Very truly I tell you, whoever believes in me will do the works I have been doing, and they will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father.” John 14:12 Jesus came and laid the foundation of how we ought to live in addition to all of the other great things that he did. However, before he went to be at the right hand of the father he shared that those who chose to follow him would do even greater works than he. In other words, it was only the beginning with him. He set in order as the foundation what was needed for the work of Christ to continue though out each generation in even greater capacity.
In similar fashion that is what we have seen with the Cross Movement, who laid a foundation of an uncompromising gospel in Christian Hip-hop. Now we see others after them who have continued to carry the torch such as Da’truth, Flame, Lecrae, Trip Lee and more.
These brothers came together with the sole mission to represent Jesus Christ in Hip-hop. When offered a huge deal with lots of money in exchange for not emphasizing or promoting Christ in their music; they immediately denied it with no question. That sacrifice may have looked foolish to some, but it is what caused them to stand apart and reach many who otherwise would not have had an ear let alone a heart for the word of God in such an in depth way. The group bought balance to subjects such as holiness, who Christ is, and even suffering for the name of Christ to produce a greater reward.
The story of the Cross Movement is such an amazing example of enduring and walking out our purpose even when it isn’t popular, looks crazy, or does not seem to yield immediate fruit. Whatever cross we are assigned to carry in life; will always yield our purpose and that purpose will continue long after we have retired if we remain committed to carrying our cross.
Then Jesus said to his disciples, “Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me. Matthew 16:24 We salute the Cross Movement and the great work that they have done!
It is an honorable thing to depend on God, and to say to God in our hearts, “I don’t know how, when, where, or even why, but I trust you. Lord, I know you will bring me to an expected end.”
One of the greatest lessons in learning to depend on God is learning that he truly is the one who supplies our need in his time, and in his season. During dependence on God, we relinquish all of our work that often seeks to manipulate a situation to bring about God’s promise on our own terms instead of his. Often, manipulation in order to get God’s promise stems from a spirit of fear which God has not given to us. (See what is a sound mind blog).
Dependence means: the state of relying on or being controlled by someone or something else. (Google definition)
The state of relying on or needing someone or something for aid, support, or the like. (Dictionary.com)
There is a boldness and a confidence that arises from depending on the Lord. The more we become rested secure in Christ; the more bold we will become. The best example of resting in God through dependence on him that always comes to mind periodically before God calls me to enter into his rest is when God provided manna from heaven. God gave specific instructions to his people saying: Gather as much as was needed to eat for the one day. He specifically said not to gather over, but some of the Israelites did not obey, but horded up the bread as if the God who bought the miracle to pass by bringing the bread in the first place could not do it again. (Exodus 16:16-20). Those that gathered too much had none over, and the extra that they gathered became rotten. They were those who did not trust in God’s ability to provide for them what they needed again. They were the hit it and quit it saints, who only wanted to use God for what they needed, and not to have a continual relationship with him.
God promised to meet them out there again to continue to give them manna from heaven. Manna in the Hebrew means, “What is it?” This meaning whatever it is that we need God will provide that need for us, but it will only be found in him not in greediness, or seeking to use God for gain, but we must seek him.
This is why when Jesus taught his disciples to pray; he told them to pray on this wise: “Give us our daily bread.” Receiving what we need from God is a daily activity not something to be done once in a blue moon. God wants relationship with us. He wants to build our trust and confidence in him. He wants to show himself to us using our circumstances. He wants daily fellowship with us.
Bread is significant for bare sustenance, the focal point of what we need to live and survive. Jesus is called, “Bread from heaven.” He wants to be our bare sustenance for what we need. He is able to do this and be this in our lives, but we have to acknowledge him in this. We do this by entering into his rest. We enter into his rest through believing in him no matter what it looks like, rehearsing and speaking his word consistently, and refraining from seeking to manipulate our own desires to come to pass on our own accord. Instead, we wait for the promise in trust, and in thanksgiving.
Revelations 12:11 – And they overcame him because of the blood of the Lamb and because of the word of their testimony, and they did not love their life even when faced with death.
I love the above scripture that helps me to rest in God. We have already overcome because of what Jesus did for us. We just have to allow the confession out of our mouths to line up with what God says about us which will build our faith and cause us to rest.
There is a great temptation to complain or to speak negative when we are in transition or a place of having to be dependent on God because things that come easily to others do not come as easily to those who are required to depend on God. Simply because we have to be an example of this word that we carry, teach, and preach. We have to know that God is enough. We have to be able to share with our neighbors that it was God alone who bought us through. We don’t get the luxury of doing things the easy way.
But we do get the greater reward of seeing the hand of God move miraculously in our own lives, and in the lives of others because of our testimony. Also, I personally believe for those that had to go through more in this sense, God will out perform when he does bring the promise to pass. There is a scripture that talks about those who have had to give up certain things for the sake of the kingdom of God, and how they will receive a 100 fold blessing in this life and in the life to come. That is what I believe will be the result of those who rest in the Lord. Truly I tell you, Jesus replied, “no one who has left home or brothers or sisters or mother or father or children or fields for me and the gospel will fail to receive a hundred times as much in this present age: homes, brothers, sisters, mothers, children and fields–along with persecutions–and in the age to come eternal life. – Mark 10:29-30
Those who give up the above, give up natural comforts for the comfort of the Lord, and God will outshine every time with his favor and hand in the lives of those who forsake all to rest in and follow Jesus Christ.
Often when we as believers are in a state of transition, God calls us to rest. We should always be able to rest in God, but sometimes when we come out of hard places, trials, or tribulations the after affect of the experience makes it hard to rest.
Rest means according to Google Definition:
Cease work or movement in order to relax, refresh oneself, or recover strength.
Be placed or supported so as to stay in a specified position.
Be based on or grounded in; depend on. Place hope, trust, or confidence on or in.
I believe that God deals with us according to different times and seasons in our lives. Sometimes when it is time to go to a new season we may tend to struggle with what is going on, and because of that struggle, God again requires us to enter into his rest.
There was once a season for the children of Israel to dwell in Egypt. It was God’s will to place Joseph there to save many people alive. However, after that season was up, the Hebrew people endured hard bondage. When the time approached for the Hebrews to leave the bondage became even harder to the point where it seemed nearly impossible to continue to carry on in the state that things had been.
We see this due to the fact that when Moses and Aaron approached the Pharoah in regards to letting the Hebrews go into the wilderness to worship their God, the Pharoah became angry refusing to give the Hebrews rest. Instead, he required them to do more work–fetching their own straw to make the same amount of bricks (Exodus 5:5-9) Sometimes before we get ready to go to the next level of life that God is calling us to, the devil will try to make it harder for us to break our spirits, but God uses that same hardship to make us stronger and to build our trust in him.
During the uncomfortable process of transition, there can be a temptation to complain, and to long to stay in the same place because it was easier, or to get into self-pity. This is the place where the Word of God in us really gets tested, and we have to buckle down grabbing a hold to the Word of God as never before. We have to grab a hold to the Word of God more in this process because our faith comes from the Word of God, and having faith is how we enter into God’s rest.
For we which have believed do enter into rest, as he said, As I have sworn in my wrath, if they shall enter into my rest: although the works were finished from the foundation of the world .Hebrews 4:3
So we see that because of their unbelief they were not able to enter his rest. The children of Israel had been in transition in the desert. They did not know how the Lord would complete the promise of bringing them into the land of promise, nor how they would survive the dessert. They were in a position where all they could do was to depend on God. Let’s not forget that a part of the rest that God calls us to is simply depending on him, and believing in him when we do not know how things will turn out like God has promised. God requires us to call to memory the many things that he has done prior to our current moment of transition. That is what God’s people did not do in the wilderness, but instead they allowed their hearts to become hardened and turned away from God.
We should be careful not to follow that same example in transition. Instead we should take the opportunity to rest. Truly resting in God is to depend on God.
Stay tuned to read part two of “What it Means to Rest in the Lord” on next week.
Do You Have an Evil Heart of Unbelief? What a hard question to ask. No one wants to believe that there is anything evil about one’s own heart. Jeremiah makes it clear however that the heart of man is desperately evil, who can know it. In other words, I take this scripture to mean that the heart of man is wavering or unstable at times to the point where another does not know what to expect from it.
We can start out with a strong heart believing the best of ourselves and God, but when we are placed in certain situations, what is in our hearts will surely come out revealing what is truly there.
What if God allows us to wait on our spouse for so long to stabilize or cleanse our hearts? Ezekiel talks about a heart of stone. A heart of stone is a hardened heart. Nothing can get through to it. David said to create in him a clean heart when he found himself partaking in sin that should not have ever been associated with him because he was a man after God’s own heart. I believe that every now and then, God has to take his people’s hearts through a re-conditioning process to create in us a clean heart, and also to remove the distractions, and the hardness that sometimes come with doing life as human beings. Sometimes doing life as simple humans causes us to be susceptible to the wrong positioning of our hearts. Matthew 13 discusses how when God sows a seed (his word) into our hearts, Satan immediately seeks to still the seed.
The heart begins to go through the below processes in response to God’s word spoken:
There is the heart that simply landed on the PATH: Those on the path don’t clearly understand the value of the word given to them. They don’t even think to tuck it away and protect it, and therefore the seed is immediately eaten up by birds.
There is the STONEY HEART: The stoney heart was no longer pliable. It was so hard that nothing could take root in it any longer. The stoney heart lacks the ability to endure, and to accommodate the word (seed). This person’s heart becomes shallow. All it takes for this person’s heart to be pulled away is for the season to change. The sun to come up and the plant scorches away until it is no longer recognizable.
There is the THRONY HEART: The thorny heart is the heart that has endured through the path, the stoney, and has come so far that the only way to get this heart to crumble and to lose the seed is to choke the seed. The seed being the word of God that we are holding on to by faith. This person goes through so much that they finally decide to just give in. They have no more strength left.
Finally there is the GOOD HEART: The good heart has made it through each of the above mentioned seasons by depending on the Lord, and realizing that nothing good can come of allowing the seed of the word of God to die in this heart. This person has such a disposition of his heart that he goes on and produces fruit.
I believe that God allows us to go through the reconditioning process of setting our heart on him. He sees us bring forth some fruit and he allows the pruning process to take place in us producing more fruit within us. (John 15)
Don’t allow the different temptations in the process to still your seed meaning the Word of God that first produced faith in you for what you are believing God for, but rather depend on the Lord daily for his word and refreshing to keep you through each portion of the process until you make it out and begin to bare more fruit.
Matthew 13:15 really pricks my heart when it points to the one who has gone through this process and has become hardened by it instead of allowing it to produce fruit. When God takes us through the process of allowing his word to be tested in our hearts we have a choice. Our choice is to hold on to the Word by faith through each season, trial, or testing or to give in and allow ourselves to become hardened.
For this people’s heart has become calloused: they hardly hear with their ears, and they have closed their eyes. Otherwise they might see with their eyes, hear with their ears, understand with their hearts and turn, and I would heal them. -Matthew 13:15 (NIV) For this people’s heart is waxed gross, and their ears are dull of hearing; and their eyes they have closed; lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted (changed in their thinking, given new character) and I should heal them. – Matthew 13:15 (KJV)
God wants to change us in the process. He wants to change our hearts, and grow our character in him through the process. Both scriptures speak of a turning or a conversion of the heart. A healing of thinking of sorts.
Convert meaning: Cause to change in form, character, or function. Synonyms: change, turn, transform, metamorphose, transfigure, transmute. (Google definition)
All of those in Christ who bare fruit; God prunes, so that we can bare more fruit. Romans 12 talks about being transformed by the renewing of our minds. Often, during this process, God is erasing away old mindsets, or ways of thinking that do not line up with his word, so that he can elevate us and use us more.
This is so deep. God promises to heal us from the process. One of the ways to know that our hearts have become hardened is to develop a hardness or a lack of wanting to hear the Word of God or to hear the truth. Your eyes become willfully closed even though you have eyes, you cannot see, ears, yet cannot hear.
This is real. A hardened heart results in unbelief for the Word of God spoken over our lives. This goes into tempting God, which God mentions in Hebrews. This is how we forfeit God’s blessing of promise.
Do not harden your hearts as you did in the rebellion, during the time of testing in the wilderness, where your ancestors tested and tried me, though for forty years they saw what I did. – Hebrews 3:8-9
Gaining a hardened heart is not something limited to singles. Anyone waiting on a promise from God can have a hard heart. Think about those who have become sick, and are waiting for healing from God to manifest. Many sick believers have gotten a hardened heart in that process. There are many of us including myself who have gotten a word from God, and immediately Satan came to still the seed of that word. Satan would love for us to get caught up in a stoney heart, a thorny heart of worry, or to relax on the path not considering the value of the word, but if we continue to press through and depend on Christ holding on to that word, we will bring forth fruit on a heart of good ground. Keep pressing.
God promises to give us a heart of flesh for a hardened heart in the below scripture: I will give them an undivided heart and put a new spirit in them; I will remove from them their heart of stone and give them a heart of flesh. Ezekiel 11:19 (NIV)
Sound means the proper, appropriate, whole, right, and correct way of thinking. To have a sound mind, means to have the proper dissemination of information which results in a right perspective. We know that the Word of God is sound and anything that does not fall in line with that is unsound point blank period. Satan loves to attack our sound mind with a spirit of fear painting pictures that appear true, but aren’t. This is why exercising our God-given sound mind is so important.
God promises us three things that he has given us to combat the spirit of fear. These three things are power, love, and asound mind. God has given us the power and the will to make the right decisions, to love, and have a sound mind. Yet, many of us do not maintain soundness of mind in our daily walks, but we allow our imagination to run to and fro flirting with whatever ideas we feel represent the moment that we are in.
If we are discouraged we disseminate the message of defeat to ourselves. If we are upbeat, we disseminate the message of victory to ourselves. If we are angry, we disseminate the message of revenge, bitterness, or hate. Tweet: Our soundness of mind should not hinge upon how we feel in the moment.Our soundness of mind should not hinge upon the negative experience that disappointed us. Our soundness of mind should hinge upon us disciplining ourselves to lay hold of God’s promise that a sound mind is ours for the taking, and we should take full advantage of it.
Ways to take full advantage of a sound mind: We take full advantage of a sound mind by meditating on God’s word so that we can discern between what is sound and what is unsound. Once, we begin to learn the word of God we will have a foundation enough to be able to recognize unsound thoughts. We demolish arguments and every pretension that sets itself up against the knowledge of God, and we take captive every thought to make it obedient to Christ. – 2 Corinthians 10:5
Ever been in an argument with yourself? In your mind after a break up or a drought of interaction with a godly person of the opposite sex, you may think negative thoughts about yourself.
You may tell yourself you aren’t good enough.
You are too much no one will want you.
You will never reach what God has for you.
These are all unsound arguments that produce an unsound mind which is contrary to what God has given us. So, why live beneath your means?
Unsound thoughts will need to be countered with the Word of God. For every lie that comes to your mind, you will have to meditate on and speak out of your mouth what God’s word says about who you are. And they overcame him by the blood of the Lamb, and by the word of their testimony; and they loved not their lives unto the death. Revelations 12:11 (KJV)It is so important to allow our tongues to line up with the Word of God. This is how we overcome enemy through the blood of Jesus and our words that we speak out of our mouths.
Let’s try it: I am not good enough becomes: I am more than good enough because I don’t depend on my own ability, but on Christ, and he says I have more than what it takes to make it. I am more than a conqueror though Christ Jesus who loves me. I am a king or a queen because the Bible says that I am royal, and that my lineage is that of a royal lineage (2 Peter 2:9). Furthermore, I can do all things through Christ Jesus who gives me strength so yes I am good enough. I am going to cast every care on the Lord because he cares for me. He wants me to have to right outlook of myself, so that I can be bold in what he has called me to do.
Even if you don’t feel like it is true for the moment that you are in, speak it anyway. Declare it over your life anyway. Think upon God’s word anyway, and your faith will be built up to believe what God says about you.
Let’s not live beneath our means speaking, or meditating on things that show us as below what God’s word says we are. We have to intentionally lay hold to the promise of God’s word in every area of our lives especially our minds. A sound mind is necessary and needful to do all that God has called us to do, and thus we have to claim it and walk in it through God’s word.
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