The Bricks of our Experiences & the Mortar of our Devotions 

Many of our experiences repeat themselves; instead of building through our hurts and pain we build with them.  We wrestle more with inside haters as oppose to Nehemiah's outside haters: Sanballat, Tobiah and Geshem.  Today, we have bricks of greed, tools of fear and cheap materials made with less than the best.  Some of our inner conversations can transport some of our biggest haters.  Our Infrastructure can be compared to the negative archives of our mind; when the bad decisions of yesterday out number the good deeds of today.  Our infrastructure should represent quality and longevity not cheap materials and short term joy!

 
Forgiveness

The furniture of the mind and heart.

  

Have you trained yourself to be objective in life or have you purchased another couch and love seat for that space in your mind called un-for-giveness. Forgiveness is a three (3) part word both naturally and spiritually. Naturally, the word has – what I call a prefix (for) at the beginning and a suffix (ness) at the ending; also the word (give) is symbolic of a nut in the middle like a peanut or walnut. However, both types of nuts have a shell but one is harder than the other and not so easily cracked open. Spiritually, Jesus gave us a three (3) part solution for all acts of un-forgiveness. (Matt. 16:24) (1)deny yourself, (2) take up your cross, and (3) follow me. The (Cross) like the word (Give) is in the middle of the prefix (…deny) and the suffix (…follow); both are action words. When we stop to count up the cost of forgiving someone we often forget the price has already been paid. So, let’s not count our efforts as fortune like Peter – (Matt. 18:22).

Sr. Apostle Darnell Perry

Repent - Now!!!!

This is a big challenge for anyone, not to mention the disciple of Christ to encounter as an act of obedience. The challenge with un-forgiveness is repentance. No, I mean true repentance. The kind that leaves you speechless and humble and always looking at yourself instead of others. This is truly the best way to show that an individual is truly humble, unbias, and willing to be transformed for the sake of righteousness. After the individual have confessed and turned from his/her wicked ways and sought the face of God, then it’s time for a new beginning. However, this new beginning does not depend on whether or not someone says, “…I’m sorry or please forgive me.” It is not left up to God to change us - against our wills but it is up to the individual to break ground of pain, hurt, and embarrassment and establish this new beginning with a repentant heart.

To be truly sorry for all of your sins means “I’m sorry that I was found in this situation regardless of the incident, accident or set-back. I’m sorry for hurting you and I need you to forgive me for hurting you and causing shame to any and everybody involved in this situation. The new beginning is not hindered because I got caught in this predicament but that I got served/exposed by God as His servant. The ultimate sacrifice in all of this attention is not your reputation or your name; but His name; a name above all names and that name is “Jesus.” Forgive me for not being a better ambassador of Christ.

Repentance has very little to do with crying, a sorrowful look, pouting, or even begging. Repentance means that I’m Godly ashamed of my actions therefore I’m surrendering everything that does not bring Glory and honor to God. Even if it means re-examining my prestigious title and fame as a one man or one women show. Even if I feel to defend my actions as a disciple of Christ just as Peter did with cursing and denial, my actions are an open book for everyone to read therefore with repentance I will remind everyone I’m still human yet a child of God, striving to become better and better each day.

Remember, repentance is not a bad word it’s (the wrong kind-of-pride) that’s really the bad word. Remember you can waist time reviewing the wrong or you can make time for God to change the condition of your heart.

Sr. Apostle Darnell Perry