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Godly Community

One thing I know for sure is: I never thought, in a million years, I’d be advocating for community. But I am not advocating for just any community. Some communities are toxic. Filled with like-minded people who, at times, glory in their misery. People coming together and affirming each other in destruction. We see it across the world; communities built on unhealthy patterns that only lead to more brokenness.

That is not the kind of community I am referring to. The community I am speaking of is a Godly one, the kind outlined in Scripture. The kind described in Galatians 6:2: “Bear one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ.” The kind where we carry one another’s burdens, and in doing so, we fulfill the commandment Jesus gave us. Before we dig deeper into scripture about Goldy Community, I want to share why the very idea of community was such a foreign concept to me for so long.

Growing up, I was surrounded by family. Coming from a family of five, I was truly never alone. But at a young age, like many children in my generation, I experienced my parents divorcing. When my family split apart, each of us went in different directions and went through our individual trials ALONE. Because of this I became accustomed to handling situations on my own.

I got used to lying on phone calls from my siblings or whichever parent I was separated from at the time (in a different state) checking in on me. To keep them from worrying, I would often say “Yeah, everything is fine”, even when it wasn’t.

At a young age, I got used to lying and carrying my own burdens in silence. Which resulted in a life full of solitude and isolation. I thought that was where I was most effective, buckling down, digging in, and handling things on my own.

Oh, how wrong I was.

Eventually, the burdens I was carrying alone crushed me. It crushed me as a child, and it crushed me in my adulthood. When you’re being pressed by the burdens you carry alone, there is a numbness that comes with the pressing. You’re so used to the weight, you can no longer recognize how truly heavy it is. How devastating it is for it be carried alone.

That this weight is actually hindering you from moving forward..

It wasn’t until God opened my eyes, to the importance of GODLY community, that I understood what I was missing out on. I was never meant to carry this weight alone. To deal with my sins, struggles and even my purpose alone. I was always meant to share it with those who are walking in the same direction as me. So that we can help one another on this path that so few choose to take.

Now, let’s see why the Bible says it’s important to have Godly community. Then we will get back to my colorful story 😉.

Back to Galatians 6:2, the Bible says if we carry one another’s burdens then we fulfill the law of Christ. So which law is Apostle Paul referring to here?

In Matthew 22:36–40 Jesus says when someone asks what the greatest commandment was.

“Teacher, which is the great commandment in the law?”
Jesus said to him, “‘You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind.’ This is the first and great commandment.
And the second is like it: ‘You shall love your neighbor as yourself.’
On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets.”

Galatians says, that once we help carry one another’s burdens we fulfil ONE of the TWO commandments Jesus gave us. So we are half way there from walking in complete obedience to Jesus’ commandments 😊.

So, what does that look like to carry one another’s burdens in today’s time? To me, it can look like a variety of things. I have encountered all kinds of situations! From brothers and sisters in Christ with financial burdens to sometimes it being an emotional or familial burden. So, carrying one another’s burdens may present itself in different ways. But the specific burden I want to highlight is one mentioned in the text:

Galatians 6:1

“Brethren, if a man is overtaken in any trespass, you who are spiritual restore such a one in a spirit of gentleness, considering yourself lest you also be tempted.”

As Galatians 6:1 points out we are also to help carry the burden of sin that EVERY believer will encounter and struggle with. The Bible says, you who are spiritually strong, restore (to mend, to strengthen, to make one what he ought to be) the weaker vessel. Because you too can fall at any moment to sin and will need the same to be done in your life!

James 5:16 says:

“Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

The prayers of other strong believers will help free you from that error of sin in your life.

Without Godly community, you won’t have access to the prayers that is meant to help set you free from the sin that can easily come upon any one of us at any time. Without Godly community you wouldn’t have anyone who is strong in their faith to help carry your burdens and restore you to where you should be!

Ecclesiastes 4:9 says:

“Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor. For if they fall, one will lift up his companion. But woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up.”

Now, Holy Spirit desires me to be EXTREMELY clear here, because this is where a lot of people get tripped up. We sometimes think, Great! Let me confess ALL of my sins to someone who calls themselves a Christian and I’ll be healed. But Galatians 6 and James 5 are specific that we are to confess our sins to those who are spiritually strong and righteous. Don’t pour your heart out to someone who doesn’t show the fruit of the Spirit. Otherwise, you may end up with nothing more than a gossiping hot mess. Just being honest.😊

I once knew someone who went through exactly that. Because of betrayal, they believed we should only confess the white lies to others and keep what was considered the ‘big ones’ between us and God. But that’s not what Scripture teaches. If you’ve been hurt like that, I encourage you to forgive and return to the Word’s original instruction: find a spiritually strong, righteous believer who can pray for you and help you gather strength.

And that brings me to the next point the Holy Spirit put on my heart…

1 John 1:5

“This then is the message which we have heard of him, and declare unto you, that God is light, and in him is no darkness at all.

If we say that we have fellowship with Him, and walk in darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth.

But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us.”

So, when do we have fellowship with one another? It is when we walk in the light of God, hiding nothing. True fellowship happens when His light exposes our weaknesses and sins, and we are willing to step into that light: sharing our burdens, our shortcomings, and the things that easily beset us. That is when community becomes REAL.

Fellowship, by definition, is community. And community begins the moment believers are willing to walk in transparency before God and admit, as verse 9 says, that we do struggle against sin in our lives. That is when we step out of self-righteousness and into authentic fellowship with one another.

Again, this is in COMMUNITY. This is not to say we share every sin we have done with the world, unless the Lord leads us to share certain things. Our community is meant to be a safe place for believers to make mistakes, to have the grace to be themselves, to learn who they truly are as they are being molded and shaped by God to grow. The world is extremely unforgiving and will hold every sin against us. Godly community is meant to be the opposite, a place where condemnation doesn’t exist. A place of openness, vulnerability, transparency, and restoration.

The deeper revelation is this: fellowship with one another only happens when we confess our sins or our struggles to overcome sin and bring it into the light. Then we can truly relate to each other. The moment we drop the self-righteous Pharisee act, we step into real community. As the Word says, if we claim we have no sin, we are liars, and we have no fellowship with God or with one another.

If God has given you the opportunity to be a part of such a group, then you are extremely blessed. Do not take it for granted, because there are not many spaces like that on Earth.

So, you might ask: What should a Godly community look like?

Well, it should have the perfect balance of transparency and transformation: a place where you can be honest about your struggles but then gently nudged (sometimes not so gently; sometimes through rebuke) in the direction of wholeness and strength through your battles. It is where we have individuals who will help us along in our journey. But if you’re a part of a community where everyone is broken and there are no spiritually strong people who can strengthen you, you should pray about leaving that group. If you are a part of a community that pretends to be perfect and acts like everyone has it all together, you should pray about leaving that group as well. That was never what Godly community was intended to be. If you walk in the light like Jesus did, things are bound to be exposed, and that is where we are to have fellowship with one another, not in our sin, glorifying it, but in our path to restoration from that sin, the journey we take together.

In this journey, we offer one another Godly counsel, encouragement, and sometimes a harsh rebuke, all necessary points to get us to where we truly need to be. As the Word says, “Iron sharpens iron.” That is what your community should do: challenge you to be honest with yourself, challenge you to grow, to be more efficient, to be more disciplined, to lean on God more, to trust the impossible He can do through you, and to challenge you in the Word. If this isn’t the community, you’re a part of, I pray you find it.

BREAKING IT DOWN:

Please understand, if you are already in a Godly community and you are still feeling crushed by your burdens, there could be one of three things going on:

You have not stepped into the light and begun to be transparent about your sin or struggles so you can be restored.
You are in a community that has no spiritually strong individuals who can restore you, or no one who has the strength to fervently pray for you.
You are in a community where “no one sins,” where all are righteous—a Pharisee-like or religious community, where everyone is perfect and no one can be transparent.

If this applies to you, please be the icebreaker in your group to show them what true community looks like in the Body of Christ. If they refuse, that just means God has another community waiting for you.

Back to my colorful story. As of today, I can say, by the grace of God, I have been placed in a powerful Godly community. A community where we bring correction in love and are extremely transparent with our struggles. With almost weekly prayer calls (sometimes bi-weekly), we share dreams, and we come together as family. We hold each other spiritually accountable. If someone senses one of us is out of alignment, we will call and check on that person. If one of us needs a rebuke, no one is afraid to give it or worried that it will be perceived wrongly. And he who is spiritual truly does restore such a one who is not.

Me, being such an introvert, had to learn to share my burdens and be transparent. Only then could I be strengthened. God knew each of us couldn’t walk this out alone and provided us with one another. Even Jesus Himself had twelve, then three. He had a community, and when they were sent out, they would come back in and fellowship over all the work that was done through them by the Holy Spirit. I am blessed that I have the same type of community.

And now more than ever, as God is causing a separation between the Wheat and the Tares, this is the time to find your Godly community. I pray that this blog helped you realize just how important a Godly community is, and how necessary it is to your walk with Christ.

Written by Eli Sarri

A letter of Gratefulness to My Father

I am so immensely grateful for you, God. I could be broken into a million pieces, mind gone and you have taken each piece and made it into a Masterpiece. My heart swells in my chest full of Love and contentment in the fact that I have YOU. I can have a million missing things in my life, but the fact that I have you, outweighs what I have and don’t have.

My heart swells and warms me, just by the thought of you. I am so incredibly blessed and favored.

What could I have EVER done to receive a love like this magnitude. A Love that emptied himself for me.

A Love so intentional that has planned every detail of my life, to ensure, it leads me to himself.

A Love that leads me gently.

A Love that corrects me.

A Love that saves me.

A Love that purifies me.

A Love I haven’t even begun to fully understand. But I love taking the journey to try.

A Love that sees ME. Like the REAL ME.

In all my beauty and brokenness. And loves me so perfectly anyways.

I never knew a Love like this could ever exist. But now that I’ve found it, I’ll never let it go.

This Love causes me to be whole, complete. An indescribable feeling that I can only display through my life.

I never knew I was worth this type of Love. But you showed me, I am.

I Love you today, tomorrow and for all eternity.

– Your Princess, Eli

What is an altar?

An altar in the bible was a designated area where a sacrifice was made to God. Sacrifices were made as a sign of honor to God, worship, and servitude. So what do altars mean in today’s time? Here is what the Holy Spirit showed me:

Similar to the Old Testament altars today are a designated area to go and sacrifice to your ‘god’. Instead of physically sacrificing an animal, mankind today sacrifices other things such as money, time, mind, will, and emotions.

Definition of Sacrifice: an act of giving up something valued for the sake of something else regarded as more important or worthy.

An act of slaughtering an animal or person or surrendering a possession as an offering to God or to a divine or supernatural figure.

I will try to break this down in the same way the Holy Spirit had to with me to get me to understand. Here are a few examples of altars erected in people’s lives today:

Some people have made social media fame/influencers their ‘god’ and will sacrifice their integrity, time, and identity.

Some people have made fear their ‘god’ and sacrificed their peace, sound of mind, and their confidence in God. The first thing they do, when they hear certain news, is go to their altar of fear and sacrifice.

Some people have made a person their ‘god’ and will sacrifice their purity, peace of mind, and emotions. Meaning stop having premarital sex/activities with that person because you are worshipping him/her as your ‘god’. Free game :).

Exodus 20:3, God says that we should have no ‘other god’ before him. Any altar that is not for God is created for an ‘other god’ and we are honoring, worshiping, and serving that ‘god’.

So how do we know when an altar to an ‘other god’ is in our lives?

Read 1 Kings 18:20-40 here.

Elijah’s victory on Mount Carmel against the prophets of Baal is a perfect example of how to expose a demonic altar. Here two altars were erected, one to a false ‘god’ and another to the ONLY true and living God. It was not until the altar of God was repaired and Elijah called on the true living God to answer by fire that the demonic altar and ‘other god’ was exposed as a false god and destroyed.

So, how do we know when an altar to an ‘other god’ has been created in our lives?

The answer: If you want to locate any demonic altars in your life, erect an altar to God!

How do you erect an altar to God? (Again an altar is a designated area in your life where you intentionally sacrifice to God.)

You erect an altar to God by giving your time, will, emotions and mind to Him.

That can look like sacrificing your will and not going over that man/woman’s house at night, knowing the outcome. Instead of having sex or other things, sit in your car during that time and read Romans 12:1-2 & 1 Corinthians 6:9-11. Dedicate that time to read the bible and talk to God about disciplining your flesh. You are now sacrificing your self-pleasure to God. An altar to God has now been erected. Now whenever the thought or the desire to engage in premarital shenanigans arises, there is an altar in your mind created for God, that instead you will sit in your car and read verses to disengage your fleshly desires :D!

Another example is instead of allowing fear to overtake you and sacrificing your mind and emotions there. Take that moment to worship God. I heard a woman of God say she made a vow to worship before she worried. I didn’t fully understand it until the Holy Spirit showed me! When she decided to worship God before sacrificing to fear, she tore down an altar for fear and created a new altar of worship for God.

I hope this quick blog post helps you identify any demonic altars in your life and helps you create new altars in your life to the true and living God of the Bible. 🙂

Side Note: One thing I found TERRIFYING reading 1 Kings 18 was the prophets of Baal were so convinced their ‘god’ would answer them. Not because they had a sense of false hope but because they had done this before! They would cut themselves and ask Baal a question then he would answer. They saw results in their altars. It even said they prophesied till evening. Meaning they were under a spiritual influence, but it was a demonic spiritual influence. They did not serve Baal because they had never seen him move before, they had, and that is why they were confident he would answer them. They thought Baal was the one true God. That is the most terrifying thing about ‘false gods’, they will not be exposed UNTIL they come against the true and living God. It wasn’t until a Prophet came and exposed it. To me that is terrifying!! You can be so convinced you are serving the correct God, but really until it goes against the true living God of the Bible, you won’t know you are serving a false image of God. Phew!

Written by: EliSarri

Grief.

I will never forget a conversation I had with someone I was involved with nearly a decade ago. I had asked if I died today would you have any regrets? They replied, “I mean… I wouldn’t say I wish I married her if that’s what you mean“. First of all- ouch! Second, that’s actually not what I meant. What I meant was, if I left this earth today would you regret how you treated me. Could you say that you were proud of your actions toward me.

What I didn’t know then that I do now, is that is a question I should have asked myself.

Recently, I experienced the loss of someone I knew half of my life and my son lost the most important man in his life, his dad. I found myself asking the same question I asked nearly a decade ago. Did I do everything I could for this person I loved while they were still here?

To be honest, we have never lost someone so close to us. But one thing I am quickly learning about grief is that it loves to highlight every moment—every moment you spent with the person, and every moment you didn’t. And after you exasperated the memories you had with them you start to linger on the missed moments. The missed opportunities, the missed experiences, the missed conversations.

Once I allowed the regret to seep in, I found myself down a dark rabbit hole of what ifs… What if I prayed longer? What if we knew sooner? What if my son lived with his dad the first part of his life instead of high school like we agreed upon? What if…

I was engulfed in a dark place full of regret, and I started to question myself and question God. Then, one day, God seeing me in that dark place, sent someone to tell me this: ‘Regret was the first step to repentance.’

You mean to tell me I didn’t have to stay in this place of regret, that I am currently drowning in? I can acknowledge my regrets, seek forgiveness and let it go?

It was the light I needed at the end of the tunnel.

There are two paths you can take once regret seeps in. One, you can stay in a place of depression, knowing you can never change anything or two, you can allow regret to be the first step to repentance. Forgive yourself, let it go and make sure it never happens again.

I don’t know what you could be going through in your life, but regret has the same exact play book for everyone. To torment you, make you feel hopeless, cause you to want to give up! BUT you don’t have to stay in that place.

Be honest with yourself. Yes, you could have done better. Yes, you could have made a different choice at the time, but there is no changing it now. Forgive yourself, let it go and don’t do it again! That is what true repentance is, never doing it again.

Yes, I still deal with grief.

Yes, I still deal with asking God why. (Which He is graciously helping me through).

Losing someone so impactful to you and your child’s life is not an easy task. I still go through moments of ‘So, who do I share videos and funny stories with about his son?’ ‘Who am I going to consult with about how he is raised? ‘Who’s going to teach him how to be a man?’ But I am so thankful to God for sending me His Holy Spirit who comforts us and instructs us during times like this. Healing from regret doesn’t absolve you from the grief process but it definitely lightens the load.

RELATED VERSES:

2 Peter 3:9 “The Lord is not slack concerning his promise, as some men count slackness; but is longsuffering to us-ward, not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.”

2 Corinthians 1:3 “Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort those who are in any trouble, with the comfort with which we ourselves are comforted by God.”

Written by: Elisarri

How to Identify the Presence of God

Feeling insignificant? Unimportant? Condemned? These feelings are signs that the presence of God is missing from your life. Let me prove it to you. Recently, I have been feeling a little yucky. I felt shame, darkness, and basically just a black hole in my heart. I kept asking God, “Lord, what am I missing that has me feeling like this?”. A few days passed and I randomly heard “Did not our heart burn within us?”. I quickly googled the verse and found Luke 24:32. Here is a quick study God led me on:

This study starts in Luke 24, feel free to read the chapter or click HERE to get a quick overview/reminder below.

Overview: A quick back story on Luke chapter 24. Jesus was crucified and laid to rest in a tomb. A group of women went to the tomb and found it empty, they ran and told the disciples. After the disciples were told the tomb was empty two of the disciples walked to a nearby city and encountered Jesus’ walking, but he appeared to them as a stranger. Jesus then started speaking with them about the recent events, but they did not recognize him. The two disciples asked him to come in to eat with them, once he blessed the food, it was at that moment that they recognized him as Jesus. Read Luke 24 to get a better overview.

Once the disciples realized it was Jesus they said, “Did not our heart burn within us while He talked with us on the road, and while He opened the Scriptures to us?”. This showed the presence of God causes a physical feeling of burning in our hearts but……. what is this feeling? And why? I was then reminded of these verses:

Exodus 24:17 ” And the sight of the glory of the Lord was like a devouring fire on the top of the mount of the children of Israel.”
Deuteronomy 4:41 ” Then you came near and stood at the foot of the mountain, and the mountain burned with fire to the midst of heaven, with darkness, cloud, and thick darkness. 12 And the Lord spoke to you out of the midst of the fire. You heard the sound of the words, but saw no form; you only heard a voice.“

When God appeared to the children of Israel, he appeared as FIRE. Once God showed me these verses, I asked him again. So, why does your presence cause a burning in our hearts? He replied that his glory (Exodus 24:17) was physically manifesting in our hearts. That like the mount being on fire so was our heart when the presence of God was resting on it. At this point, I pray that this makes sense to you, as it did to me.

God’s glory is so big that we actively feel it in our physical body. I was shocked, that I could now physically pinpoint when the presence of God was present and when he was speaking to me.

Now, going back to feeling insignificant? Unimportant? Condemned? Why do we feel like this when the presence of God is missing in our lives?

ANSWER- The definition of Glory is magnificence or great beauty, honor, splendor, reverence and the antonym (opposite meaning) to the word glory is insignificant, unimportant, unknown and condemnation.

When the presence of God is not in our life neither is God’s glory. They are interchangeable, meaning you can’t have the presence of God and not the glory of God, and vice versa. Without the glory of God, the feelings of insignificance or purposelessness are now the dominant presence in your life. WOW!!

I now understand the desperation when King David said to God “Do not cast me away from your presence and take not your Holy Spirit from me” Psalms 51:11. King Saul is a perfect example of this (Read 1 Samuel 16:14).

If you have never experienced the burning in your heart, then you have never experienced the presence of God. So, the next question would be how do you consistently get in the presence of God?

God hates sin, make sure you’re living a life of repentance.
Be in a place of DESPERATION to experience God. Sometimes, your desperation will outweigh sin or any circumstance, and the presence of God will meet you where you’re at.
Live a fasting lifestyle. This helps to kill your flesh so you can hear from God clearly.

I now know If I start to feel the same yucky feeling it is because I have not been spending enough time in the presence of God. For me, that looks like setting time apart in my day to spend intimate time with him. Sometimes I put worship music on, meditate on verses, and just talk to him, this includes waiting until he talks back.

The point is God’s presence causes you to be whole, complete, loved, and purpose-filled, and it also deters evil spirits from coming and tormenting you (no sage necessary- not that it works anyway). So, seek his presence today guys. 😉

Written by: Elisarri

The Character of a Man

Don’t worry fellas, when I say man I mean mankind I won’t be coming for you guys :)… Anyways, God has been dealing with me ALOT these last few months about this topic. The topic is CHARACTER.

Webster’s definition of character is the mental and moral qualities distinctive to an individual.

Despite what I believe about myself, I am not perfect :). Since I am not perfect God has been dealing with me on certain characteristics in me that had to go.

Here are a few character traits God has been dealing with me on:

WALK IN PURITY

KEEP YOUR WORD

HAVE INTEGRITY

LOVE TRUTH

WALK IN PURITY– Before God delivered me I use to walk in a strong spirit of Jezebel. Most strong women do without knowing it. This is a highly manipulative spirit, therefor I was highly manipulative. Nothing I did at the time was pure. Everything I said or did had an ulterior motive or intentions behind it. One example is I would ask a question knowing I knew the answer because 3 questions down I had a point to make. Despite how strategic I thought I was to get to certain truths I still was walking in a spirit of manipulation. My motives weren’t pure. They were to catch someone in a lie instead of just exposing the lie. I am going to upset some people with saying this one. I also use to cater to men, be everything he would want me to be, with the hope that he would “pick me”. Despite what women think, this is highly manipulative. Majority of women become who the man they desire created them to be, rather than who God created them to be. Instead, God has shown me to be who HE has called me to be and the husband he has for me will recognize it. I will not have to convince him to choose me. God would have selected me for him and shown him. Then, I will cater to him :). Thankfully, God has cleansed my intentions and everything I do now I try to do from a pure heart.

KEEP YOUR WORD– The Bible says to let your yes be yes and your no be no because anything more than this is from the devil [Matthew 5:37]. Why, is anything more than this from the devil? Because when you do not keep your word this can cause an offense (click the link to see the definition of offense).This could cause a door to open for the person you offended and allow satan to walk right into their life. For example, I once knew someone who would always make plans and cancel them last minute. This used to frustrate me and opened the door in my soul to a spirit of abandonment and rejection. What I didn’t know then, that I know now, is that they unknowingly were being used by the enemy to open a door in my life so the enemy could step right in. Do not allow certain character flaws in you to cause a friend to stumble. You have no idea what people have fought to get out of and how the enemy can use this particular character flaw in you to cause others to stumble back into rejection/abandonment or even destroy them.

HAVE INTEGRITY – We were taught in grade school what integrity means. “Integrity is doing the right thing when no one is looking”. Welp, that really sums it up but lets add a little more to that. Job chapter 31 is a great example of integrity. A few things that Job described as integral was:

Job made a covenant with his eyes to not even look at a woman with any lustful desires. (Job 31:1)
He no longer spoke vanity- empty words that had no meaning. I took this as no longer telling people what sounds good but instead sharing raw honesty, with no exaggerations. [Job 31:5]
Job never rejected a person who had an issue with him and always heard them out. [Job 31:13].
He never refused to give to those in need when he had more than enough. [Job 31:17]

For more on integrity in the Bible, read the rest of Job 31!

LOVE TRUTH! This characteristic is becoming nonexistent in today’s society, even amongst those who call themselves ‘Christians’. The truth has become subjective and those who love it are increasingly rare. A lot of times, I think how could some people fall so easily for the stuff that the news/society is spilling out but God showed me that people no longer love truth. If you love truth, you will seek the truth and the Holy Spirit will reveal it to you. A person with character will always seek the truth.

I recently discussed with my friends that Godly character is so important for a believer. I use to think God’s grace covered my lack of character. Because God is merciful and forgiving I could continue in my character flaws. God showed me if I was his child then why wouldn’t I want my Father’s characteristics? These attributes are markers of recognizing that you are HIS child. When I look at my son and see certain mannerisms he has I can’t help but think about his Dad. It’s in his blood. That is how God wants people to look at his children, he wants the world to see our mannerisms and think of Him.

Written by: Elisarri

Radically Changed Part 1

Honestly, I had a completely different subject in mind for this post. I don’t feel like that post is ready just yet. One thing I realized is every post I upload is a lesson God is teaching me or taking me through. Unfortunately, I do not think the topic I was writing on I’ve learned what I needed to learn from it yet. If that even makes sense. Instead, I will use this post this week as a journal entry about the vision God has given me for this blog and my desire behind it.

Have you ever looked back at your life and thought wow that seemed like such a good idea at the time but you were wrong? When I look back on my life and everything I have done and have not done, a lot of what I see are mistakes. A mistake is an action or judgment that is misguided or wrong. The reason mistakes are so hard to identify in our life because at the time it seems like the right thing to do. Hence the definition of being misguided.

Here is where a lot of people like to modestly say “Oh, I don’t have regret for anything in my past, every mistake has taught me a lesson”. Let’s take this moment where we shed that false humility and be honest with ourselves. There are a lot of mistakes we have made in the past that we regret. Unfortunately, there are some things that some of us are currently doing now that in a few months or maybe years, you will view it as a mistake. Let’s pray for God’s mercy that it is not years.

What I am getting at is, despite our human nature to think we have it all together and we are perfect. Most times we do not have it all figured out and we are not perfect. It is important to remember we are human and we only know in part.

1 Corinthians 13: 12 "For now we see through a glass, darkly; but then face to face: now I know in part; but then shall I know even as also I am known. " KJV 

1 Corinthians 13:12 For now [in this time of imperfection] we see in a mirror dimly [a blurred reflection, a riddle, an enigma], but then [when the time of perfection comes we will see reality] face to face. Now I know in part [just in fragments], but then I will know fully, just as I have been fully known [by God]. AMP version

A perfect example of this is the story of Paul. Paul’s transformation takes place in Acts chapter 9.

Short Summary: Saul renamed by God to be Paul, was a religious leader who thought he was doing right by persecuting new believers. He was a mass murderer and believed he was killing Christians in the name of God, Saul only knew in part. On a journey to the city of Damascus, to kill more believers, a light shined on the road and God spoke from heaven. God revealed to Saul the truth and renamed him Paul. He then went on to write most of the new testament.

Saul renamed by God Paul, thought he knew it all. He was full of pride at the time and ignorantly killed innumerable amount of people because of it. It was not until God came an illuminated his understanding is when the blurred mirror was wiped clean and he saw the error of his ways. Then and only then was there a radical change in his life.

This blog is inspired by that story. I would love for God to use this blog as a light shining in your life to expose the things hidden in the dark, the things we only know in part, to set us free and cause not just a minor change but a RADICAL one.

After Paul’s understanding was illuminated he then went on to build 14 churches and speak to world leaders. That is my expectation from God for Radically Changed, that anyone that reads/partakes in this blog immediately life altering changes will happen in their life, IMMEDIATELY. That is my expectation and declaration.

Let’s agree today, that we will no longer think we know it all but in ALL things will we seek God out. As I said before, I have made a lot of mistakes in my life. I understand now that those mistakes caused delays to what God was trying to do in me and through my life. What are you delaying because you think you know it all?

Take this moment to reflect on your mistakes, not as a way to condemn but to remind yourself that you do not know everything. Even if at the moment it felt like you did. Now, go to God and admit you only know in part and ask him to show you the whole picture.

Proverbs 3:5-8 “Trust in the LORD with all thine heart; And lean not unto thine own understanding. In all thy ways acknowledge him, And he shall direct thy paths. Be not wise in thine own eyes: Fear the LORD, and depart from evil. It shall be health to thy navel, And marrow to thy bones.”

Written by: Elisarri

Friends That Are Weighed

A few nights ago when I was talking to God about friends I heard him clearly say TEKEL. It was a random word but I remembered studying this word before and was shocked that he would use this word in regards to friendships. TEKEL is from Daniel chapter 5 and according to Daniel 5:27 it means “Thou art weighed in the balances and art found wanting” KJV. Before the federal reserve and “cryptocurrency” fine metals were used as currency. To check the value of these metals they were weighed on scales, against rocks, to see if they were as valuable as they appeared. I heard God say He has weighed our “friends” on these scales and they are found wanting, that some friends that we have around us appear more valuable than they actually are! **Insert mind blown emoji here, because WOW God**

Okay, Let’s rewind a bit.

Recently, I have been asking God to surround me with a friend group that loves Him and seeks Him more than I do. Well, God answered me the way he always does, through the Bible. While on our first brunch date (which I am obviously excited about which is why I mentioned it) he led me to Daniel 2 and I went STRAIGHT to it.

Short Summary- In this chapter, the King of Babylon asked a question no one knew the answer to, because of this he sent a decree into the land to kill all the wise men. This included Daniel and his friends. Daniel knew God could answer the King, so he requested time and prayed with his friends. Daniel received wisdom from God and was able to answer the Kings question. The decree to kill them was stopped and then THIS happened:

Daniel 2:49 "Then the king promoted Daniel and gave him many great gifts; and he made him ruler over the whole province of Babylon, and chief administrator over all the wise men of Babylon. Also Daniel petitioned the king, and he set Shadrach, Meshach, and Abed-Nego over the affairs of the province of Babylon; but Daniel sat in the gate of the king."

Side Note: Please do not take my word for it, go read Daniel 2 it’s a great chapter!

Because of Daniel’s faith and his new position with the King of Babylon he was able to make a petition for his friends! How many ‘friends’ do you have around, that hold a great relationship with Jesus, that are able to go to THE KING and petition for you to come up higher? I hope you take a second to evaluate your life because at this point, while at brunch, I sure did!

He then led me to John 1:43

"The following day Jesus wanted to go to Galilee, and He found Philip and said to him, “Follow Me.” Now Philip was from Bethsaida, the city of Andrew and Peter. Philip found Nathanael and said to him, “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote—Jesus of Nazareth, the son of Joseph.”

Philip brought Nathaniel, his friend, to Jesus and Nathaniel became one of the 12 disciples of Jesus. Nathaniel not only received eternal life but he also has a legacy here on this earth by being written in the most famous book to ever exist- amongst other awards he will receive ( see Revelations 21:14). All this because a friend named Phillip brought him to Jesus.

So at this point, I am understanding;

1. The importance of friends who love God, that hold a role/position with God, can pray for you and bring you to Jesus.

2. That I need to be that friend myself.

The word of God is like a mirror it will always show you your reflection first, then it is coming for the people in the background.

Truth is, we have two types of friends in our lives. Friends sent from God and friends sent from satan. There is no in-between. One will push you to God’s destiny for your life, the other will push you to satan’s future for your life. Unfortunately, we are an easily influenced people. People who are closest to us have a direct impact on our focus and how we spend our time. God is saying some friendships are sent to distract us appear more valuable than they are but God in his mercy has shown us how to check the value. Now that God has shown us the scales, what are we going to do about it?

Written by: Elisarri

A Good Man

Phew, look this post may be slightly personal but God has led me to share this. If He is leading me to share, then it is meant to help someone. I am not in the business of sharing my business. In fact, I am extremely private with my relationship statuses, but we have to understand when God says do, we do and when he says share, we share. So, I am sharing!

Side Note: To the men that are reading this, please continue reading. This will either encourage you to become a good man, identify that you are a good man or help you to identify a good woman. This post is not exclusive to one gender :).

Recently, I have made some conclusions. Unfortunately for me, I have been reminiscing on past relationships. I say unfortunately because I have not always had the best experiences with them. A few days ago, when I was talking to God about my relationships; I concluded that I have never experienced a “good man“. Don’t worry I have taken full accountability in my selections and know my experiences are self-inflicted wounds. I am simply sharing a conversation between me and my Father on my relationships.

When “feeling sorry” for myself about never experiencing a good man, God impressed on my heart a question…

“What is a good man?”

And honestly, I really didn’t know. I mean, I know man’s definition of a good man: doesn’t cheat/manipulate, honest, loyal, opens doors, romantic and brings home the bacon. Seems legit, I guess. But what is God’s definition of a good man. That my friend started an enlightening conversation between me and God the Father that has been ongoing for the last few days.

First thing God told me was, I was mistaken. That I have experienced a good man, Jesus! I know it may sound corny or cliche, but I mean the truth is the truth. He went and broke it down for me-

Before I walk into a room who opens the door? Jesus!
When my emotions are all over the place, who comforts me? Jesus!
Who protects me and stands up for me? Jesus!

Jesus is the standard!!!!!

After God downloaded these things into my spirit, He reminded me of the verse Mark 10:18 when Jesus told a man “Why do you call me good? there is none good but one, that is, God“. Well, you can imagine my confusion because God had JUST TOLD ME that Jesus was my example and standard.

One thing you have to know about God is He never just tells you the answer right away, he likes to build it out in a way you can understand. I hope I am doing the same for you!

Anyways, after he shared with me Mark 10:18 he broke the verse down for me. In this verse Jesus was reminding the man that he himself came in the sinful nature of man but there was only one nature that is good, God’s. Which brings me to the next point God had made to me-

It is impossible for a man to be good without the NATURE of God. Without spending genuine time with God and picking up His characteristics a man can NEVER be good.

Matthew 12:35 says "A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things."

A person can only give you what they feed their heart. If they feed their heart with evil, then you will only receive evil. If they feed their heart with the word of God, fear God, love Jesus and carry the Holy Spirit than what they will give you will be good. It is truly that simple!

So, today if God asked me the question-

“What is a good man?”

My answer is a good man is someone who fears God, makes decisions confidently, protects others, keeps their promises, is faithful and kind, helps me stay away from sin, opens doors, and most importantly; loves God and is about His Father’s business.

Jesus is more than what I have listed. The point God was making to me, and I will make to you is look to Jesus as the standard for a good man and ACCEPT NOTHING LESS.

If Jesus is known to keep his word, then a good man will keep his word. If Jesus keeps our soul from sin, then a good man’s goal is to keep your soul from sin.

Again, this post can be applied to for woman as well. This was just a conversation me and my Father had on MY relationships, and I am obviously a woman. One thing is for certain, God made clear to me, is that my standards are too low. Most of the time our experiences shape our standards. Now that God has identified a new experience, I now have a new standard. I hope this post helps you identify the difference between the world’s definition of a good man and God’s definition.

Written by: Elisarri

Separation is a Promotion Not Punishment

Repeat after me, I am not lonely, I am just alone. The chair next to me looks mighty empty but I am just in a season of separation and all seasons must come to an end.

One thing that has been put on my heart concerning this blog is I will always only share what God is either currently taking me through or recently brought me through. This subject might not be where everyone is right now, but that’s okay. When you come into this season, just come back to this post, and reread. I know it will encourage you. And some of us SHOULD be in a season of separation (insert eyes emoji here) but because of disobedience, the need for companionship, and inability to let go; they are not where they should be. Don’t worry we have all been there, but it is important you go through this season.

So why is a season of separation necessary and when do you know you’re in that season?

Side note, some people call it a season/time of isolation BUT the Bible calls it separation, so we are just going to stick to that. Back to the topic at hand.

There are many verses in the Bible that talks about separation, but I will only use the verses God highlighted to me.

Joshua 5:8 says, “And it came to pass, when they had done circumcising all the people, that they abode in their places in the camp, till they were whole.” (KJV)

According to Joshua 5:8, a season of separation is a time of preparation, circumcision, and healing. Preparation for what? Well at this time after spending 40 years going in circles the children of Israel were finally coming into the land God had promised their father Abraham hundreds of years ago. As a sign of their alliance with God, they had to be circumcised, which is the cutting of the foreskin of a man’s… well, you all know what circumcision is.

Today, God no longer requires us to cut the foreskin of a man’s private area to be called his children, instead, he calls us to have a circumcised heart. Through this verse God showed me that before someone goes through a separation season there is a cutting away of people, places, and things.

And just like the people of Israel had to separate from one another until they were WHOLE, God has separated you until you are WHOLE. The definition of whole is- healthy, complete, entire, perfect.

A season of separation is also a time when God internally separates you from your sin or the things that cause you to easily stumble. Leviticus 15:31 says “You must keep the Israelites separate from things that make them unclean, so they will not die in their uncleanness for defiling my dwelling place, which is among them.” (NIV) Since you have been cut off from distractions this is a season that you will have plenty of time to stop and hear from God concerning sin in your life. This is imperative because Leviticus states that if you do not separate from your sin/uncleanness you can defile the promise God is giving you. The definition of defile is spoil, desecrate, and violate the chastity of a (woman). That last one is for the men, whom God has shown you your wife but because you didn’t go through your season of separation from sin you defiled the land God has promised you, your gift. We aren’t going to get into that though but that is a nugget for someone.

So, how do you know you are in a season of separation?

Well, it’s quite easy. It is when you are separated from everyone. Whether involuntarily or voluntarily.

I can speak from my own experience and say I have gone through both. For me, this time it was involuntarily. But the beautiful thing is I have learned how to rely on the Holy Spirit as my comforter and friend. Regardless of who was or is there for me, God has shown me to rely on Him solely.

Now, when our season of separation is over, we will be whole, healed, and separated from sin and the things that cause us to easily stumble. We will be PERFECT and ready to enter the promise land.

Side Note: Please be intentional about whom you allow back into your life after this season comes to an end. Ask God to give you discernment. If someone has wronged you, if they are a believer, it’s always best to tell them. If they refuse to take accountability or acknowledge the wrong, it is best to not allow them back into your life. That person has an open door of pride in their life and the enemy will continue to use them to pollute your heart. Whether it is family, close friends, or past relationships be intentional about whom you allow back in your life, God might have cut them out for a reason and not just for a season.

So please, allow God to take you through a season of separation so he can promote you to the next area of your life. I hope this post encourages you to dive deeper into this subject. I mean, go ahead, and do a study about it. You can thank me later!

Written by: Elisarri