PROMISE ME THAT YOU WILL READ THIS POST TO THE END.
Oh guys, if I didn't share with you this message, I would be such a bad friend. You are so going to love this because everybody around me was hollering and wolf-whistling. I am so excited to pour it all down here. So, Pastor John Gray was in town today, I love when he comes to town because I am guaranteed to have the laugh of my life...but also he is one of those people who isn't afraid to speak the truth and let you deal with it. He doesn't do "frosties" he just speaks TRUTH.
His first message was called DOMINION and his second message was called CHECK THE LABEL. I could have stayed at church the entire day because when you're single there's nothing else to do on a Sunday but stay at church, pray vehemently that your future husband is a billionaire and just stare at people. (just kidding, I ran home to shower and prepare for American Music Awards tonight...oh to be so busy!)
This is for people who are struggling with identity aka identity crisis, people who have conformed to the standards of the world that they fit in so perfectly, people who have made the choice or who are pressured into being someone else's shadow.
Yeah, I told you we were going to be serious today but bear with me because this message is much needed for you and I.
DOMINION
If you don't know who you are, you will do anything and everything because you lack an identity. What if you are the answer to the questions you've been asking.?(Selah)Here's the thing people, you were created with a purpose only you can fulfil. When you're busy trying to fit in, doing what you really do not want to do, and blaming everyone around you, you are missing out on the greatness within you. You are literally removing yourself from a place of victory and seeking refuge in the shadows created by others. You've got to exercise your choice and be an individual. Get out there and be great, no one wants to be in second position, "even losing teams come out screaming we are NUMBER ONE". You were created to be number 1.
- Dominion establishes identity. We are not in competition with one another because all our purposes in life are so different. When one wins we all win. Be happy for each other, what does it cost you to wish your friend well? Why hate on people when you know who you are? We do not have to be insecure in other people's blessings because we are aware of what God invested in us, and therefore you can celebrate what He invested in others.
- Dominion establishes boundaries. No one else can occupy your garden (heart, mind, friendships, relationships) without your permission. It really is up to you to let people in your life or kick them out of your life if they are just wasting space and not helping you be your best version e.g hey mate, here is a knife, wanna go stab someone today? That is a long, suffocating weed friends! I usually hear stories of people who do not like their "friends" yet they are forever hanging out, forever in their selfies and I wonder what games are these people playing? Do not make someone believe that you have a friendship or relationship when you're involved in some side shady gossip. Are you tied to them? or are you glued to each other? Let's endeavour to be real and establish boundaries and have control of what we can control. See, when you know who you are, you establish your boundaries without fear. If you've got some unwanted friends aka weeds you have to take them out! It's okay if someone also takes you out of their life, perhaps you are a weed to them too. You don't have to hate them but you've got to let them let you go and you too have to let the unwanted go.
- Dominion establishes authority. We are created to sit in heavenly places! We are made to run this world (man or woman). Don't dumb it down or limit yourself because you are fearful that releasing your full potential will sabotage some relationships. Do not make insecure people feel good about themselves by dimming your light! You let it shine and allow others to shine too. THIS IS YOUR TIME to be great. Know who you are!!!
Remember this every time you want to pursue something out of loneliness, or when you want to go back to a relationship that was bad but comfortable or you are in a relationship you want to leave but do not have the courage to leave.
Well there was so much said during this sermon but there's a reason why he emphasised something for the ladies. I felt that this was done because we needed to be reminded of our value and worth as women given that television makes it very okay for man and woman to jump through one bed to another as if it was the bed olympics.
Boys am not blocking anything and girls am not being dreamy but I do agree with what Pastor John Gray said. Are you tired of giving a piece of yourself every time a relationship ends and a new one begins? A time will come WHEN the right person comes along and you have no more of you to give and you are all dried out, sour and just an ashy woman. Do not believe when people say sex is just sex (a topic for another day). I want you to know your value and worth... This one is for us.
"You are a daughter of a King, you do not date peasants who have been on the rack and have been tried on too many times and put back on the rack because they did not fit. There is somebody out there designed specifically to fit your frame. Somebody you were also custom made for" and if you just stopped running around chasing after a boy who does not see your worth, and work on adding more value to yourself my darling everything will work out just fine. Here's the secret, be the kind of person you want to date and I can promise you this, you will not attract anyone less than you deserve because they will sense it even before a 'hi' escapes their lips.
I know we have been a tad serious today, but I love how you are always here to read my posts and I appreciate it so much. I desire great things for you and I believe we are building each other and I am rooting for you all. Have a great week my loves.
xxx
Look in the mirror and shout this out "I RUN THIS."
It's strange, sometimes I read a book and I think I am the people in the book! (And I haven't even read that many books)
ReplyDeleteI'll revise myself! Do a 'clean-up' if necessary!
BUT...in the words of the Most High, "I am who I am!"
Jesse you are indeed who you are... I like you that way... 😝 and relating to people and characters doesn't mean you don't know your identity! It shows that you know your identity and you can see yourself in others... It doesn't make you them, it makes you similar.
ReplyDeleteI need to 'stand in a mirror' with these people! A large mirror!
ReplyDelete*mouth wide open* There are countless reasons why you were convicted to share and I am one of those reasons. So much food for my soul right hurrrrrrrr..... esp. The "check the label" section
ReplyDeleteWell my goldilocks..i LOOOVVVEEE it.. Merci beaucoup for the words..
ReplyDeletelove ure writing alsaint.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, there is nothing wrong with being serious, serious is good, and i think its high time we got more serious, Second of all, this post is awesome, amazing, inspirational I dont even know the right word to use but its all the above and more.. third of all, every single person in their 20's especially needs to read this, Know yourself, dont settle for less, Love yourself first, know your worth. It cant be said enough times. I love you for stressing it. Great read, like i always say, let your light continue shining.
ReplyDeleteSome questions to consider:
ReplyDeleteWhat's to be valued in ourselves if we are the man described in Romans 3:10-18?
Don't we reap as we sow? If we had a terrible relationship, could it be because we were better than the person whom we were dating or are we just as bad? Was God unjust giving us over to such a situation?
What about loving God and not ourselves whatsoever? If we are the man in Romans 3:10-18, how can we even have an idea of what it means to love before we first love Him?
Truth is: God asks us to love Him which is by obeying His commandments and then by loving Him, we learn to love ourselves and others. I see people looking for ways to glorify themselves instead of accepting responsibility for the wrong they have brought upon themselves. That's not the gospel. The gospel says we are all wrong, God is right and we need Him to make us right having nothing of value in ourselves. All glory is His not man.
Where is the Lord in all this? Where's obeying Him? Where's repentance? Where's loving Him?
Truth. Nailed it! How have I just seen this..smdh. Love the blog :)
ReplyDelete♡ ♡ ♡ this!!!!! *stands in front of mirror* I RUN THIS! :-) Thank you for sharing this Evelyn! :-)
ReplyDeleteSimon, thanks for that response... Ever heard of the scandal of grace? Ever heard that God blesses us more than we deserve? We are not perfect and only through Him we are saved. Our works will never put us right with God, He transforms us from the inside out, just because someone isn't doing what is "right" doesn't change how God feels about them.
ReplyDeleteHi Evelyn,
ReplyDeleteI agree that no man is perfect in themselves though can be so by the grace of God by a new birth which gives one a new nature, dead to the world and alive to God, submitted to God:
1Jo 3:7-10
7 Little children, let no man deceive you:he that doeth righteousness is righteous, even as he is righteous.
8 He that committeth sin is of the devil; for the devil sinneth from the beginning. For this purpose the Son of God was manifested, that he might destroy the works of the devil.
9 Whosoever is born of God doth not commit sin; for his seed remaineth in him:and he cannot sin, because he is born of God.
10 In this the children of God are manifest, and the children of the devil:whosoever doeth not righteousness is not of God, neither he that loveth not his brother.
(KJV)
Mat 5:48
48 Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
(KJV)
Phi 3:15
15 Let us therefore, as many as be perfect, be thus minded:and if in any thing ye be otherwise minded, God shall reveal even this unto you.
(KJV)
1Pe 5:10-11
10 But the God of all grace, who hath called us unto his eternal glory by Christ Jesus, after that ye have suffered a while, make you perfect, stablish, strengthen, settle you.
11 To him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.
(KJV)
You said.. "just because someone isn't doing what is "right" doesn't change how God feels about them."
Sure, how about Annanias and Sapphira when they "just" lied:
Act 5:1-11
Chapter 5
1 But a certain man named Ananias, with Sapphira his wife, sold a possession,
2 And kept back part of the price, his wife also being privy to it, and brought a certain part, and laid it at the apostles 'feet.
3 But Peter said, Ananias, why hath Satan filled thine heart to lie to the Holy Ghost, and to keep back part of the price of the land?
4 Whiles it remained, was it not thine own? and after it was sold, was it not in thine own power? why hast thou conceived this thing in thine heart? thou hast not lied unto men, but unto God.
5 And Ananias hearing these words fell down, and gave up the ghost:and great fear came on all them that heard these things.
6 And the young men arose, wound him up, and carried him out, and buried him.
7 And it was about the space of three hours after, when his wife, not knowing what was done, came in.
8 And Peter answered unto her, Tell me whether ye sold the land for so much? And she said, Yea, for so much.
9 Then Peter said unto her, How is it that ye have agreed together to tempt the Spirit of the Lord? behold, the feet of them which have buried thy husband are at the door, and shall carry thee out.
10 Then fell she down straightway at his feet, and yielded up the ghost:and the young men came in, and found her dead, and, carrying her forth, buried her by her husband.
11 And great fear came upon all the church, and upon as many as heard these things.
(KJV)
How do you feel about murderers, rapists and child molesters? Does God love them too as you proclaim even without repentance? "Must one continue in sin that grace may abound? "
I agree with you on the otherhand, no man can be saved by the works of the law but is the law bad or is it the man? Think about it. Did grace usher in lawlessness? No, it didn't. It ushered in the grace of God to keep the law:
Rom 3:31
31 Do we then overthrow the law by this faith? By no means! On the contrary, we uphold the law.
I would like to know what Sciptures you base what you say on? The Lord holds you accountable for speaking in His name and if in vain, you're not held guiltless.
Exo 20:7
7 “You shall not take the name of the Lord your God in vain, for the Lord will not hold him guiltless who takes his name in vain.
(ESV)
Consider that God came for the sinner:
ReplyDeleteMat 9:12
12 But when he heard it, he said, “Those who are well have no need of a physician, but those who are sick.
(ESV)
How can we be well if we won't admit we are the sick ones?? Instead we point fingers. The problem is within. We are the problem, the perpetrator, and He is the Savior. We are to blame for all the bad that has come our way and He is to be glorified because He has been just in making it so. We must turn to Him for grace to repent and take up the cross to our death (our end) by which we can live in Him.
Mat 10:38-39
38 And whoever does not take his cross and follow me is not worthy of me.
39 Whoever finds his life will lose it, and whoever loses his life for my sake will find it.
(ESV)
Our independence from Him (choosing our way) which is sin, is the reason we suffer many consequences.
Hi Simon, I love how you know all that scripture by heart, I wish my head could memorise scripture that well. How do you do it? I usually just don't remember the chapter or the verse...but we are all on a journey making progress I guess. People have choice, so they exercise this choice however way they desire. I blog to help people out there and myself, I am no preacher, that's not even my calling... but everything I do I base it on love because Jesus is love. To be honest, only God can save us all. Our part is to love one another, bring people to Jesus Christ, not condemning others who are not on the same level as we are. I still stand by my word, God loves everyone the same. We don't earn His love, it's a gift to us and we either accept it or reject it. I don't even know where this is going because I don't know how all the above applies to this blog post. lol. But thank you for your comment. Have a good day. And thanks for the verses, I will surely look into them some time. xxx
ReplyDeleteSimon: one last thing to answer the rapists, murderers etc...yes He loves those too, you know why? Coz when Jesus went on that cross, He didn't select a few people who "deserved" to be crucified for because they "sinned little" but He died for the ENTIRE human race..and God cannot be put in a box, His ways aren't our ways, we can't even begin to explain why He uses the ordinary to do the extraordinary like Paul, am sure you know his background, like Peter who denied Jesus YET he was made the rock of the church... we are a new creation in Christ Jesus, and when He calls us, He also transforms...we don't become righteous at once but over time we become like Him when we continue in His word and emulate His example. We go out and dine with everyone, we don't get influenced, we influence and win souls. We just have to it with humility and love...this world doesn't need people who are so switched off, it doesn't need christian robots, it needs REAL...it needs us to sympathise and empathise and be gentle with everyone, it needs us to LOVE, and love changes so much...and when we love God, we love ourselves...there's nothing wrong with loving yourself, because you won't be able to love another being when the relationship with yourself is lacking...
ReplyDeleteHi Evelyn, hope u didn't get the wrong impression. I believe God loves all men, He didn't just die for some but ALL and will save all. He is our only savior not men thay claim to win souls. As I said, that's a false gospel.
ReplyDeleteConcerning the Scripture quoting, I do it to show you that what I share here isn't my opinion. The Lord has given me to find pleasure in His word and guides me by His grace to apply His word right.
I was once bound to the love you proclaim here, Evelyn, until the Lord apprehended me last year February giving me to repent of the opinion I had been living in all my life. I was a churchgoer, a cell leader, etc. Name it, I did it all. I knoe the love you speak of but I cam assure you it has nothing to do with the Lord. It's not of Him. Do I condemn you? I don't. I tell you the truth not that you will believe it.
I don't doubt your sincerity in hoping to help others but could it be that what you see to be right or helpful could be wrong before God:
Pro 14:12
12 There is a way that seems right to a man,
but its end is the way to death.
(ESV)
Could you be sincerely wrong? Consider thes things, Evelyn.
If you're willing to read about what happened with me concerning the Lord, here is where you can find my testimony. Anyone else interested can read it too:
http://thepathoftruth.com/testimonies/simon.htm
Man is incapable of loving himself and other suntil He is GIVEN to love God through grace by faith. The many other Scriptures about the cross were to show you that until God gives ypu to take it up, you don't know Him. I sure didn't in all my years being "churchy" and thinking to help others by my insincere sincerity.
I hope you take the time to read not just the link but what I posted earlier as well. Though seemingly unrelated, they aren't. You can ask specifically where you think it's unrelated and Lord willing, I will answer.
Additionally, God hates though not as men do:
ReplyDeleteRom 9:13
13 As it is written, “Jacob I loved, but Esau I hated.”
(ESV)
This serves His purpose which is good for all. You read the whole of Romans 9.