Right Where I Don't Belong

I have a song on my phone called Where I Don't Belong. As I listen to this song on repeat tonight I am caught up in this moment, where God has once again met me where I don't belong, just like He has so many times before. The words in this song say that He meets me where I don't belong, asks no questions and embraces me as His own.

When I hear this specific part, I think about the prodigal son and how when he came home, the father didn't ask him questions about where he was or what he had been doing. He simply embraced his son enthusiastically and welcomed him back as his own.

So tonight I am listening to this song on repeat, as God does some serious open heart surgery. As He works on my heart that has recently been so filled with doubt, uncertainty, confusion, and lies that I have sat down and let the enemy pour in. I have been lazy in my faith and I am paying the price in the distance I feel between me and God right now.

Don't get me wrong. I know that God has not put the distance there I have, I know that God has not put the wall up, or stepped away... I have. No, God has continued to chase and purse, and call. I have just been too wrapped up in doubt to listen. I have sat down on the sidelines of the race, watching everyone else as they run.... I've been sitting there with the enemy sitting right beside me filling my head and heart with lies that dug deep into my heart. Allowing him to pull me away without even putting up so much as a fight and becoming too tired to try.

I don't belong on the sidelines. No Christian does. They belong in the race. The race that Paul talks about in 1 Corinthians. I have been where I don't belong for too long. So now I sit here with my heart open before God, His hands deep at work within.

Why am I posting this? Because I know I'm not alone. There are other believers out there who have sat down somewhere they don't belong. There are other believers who have become so tired that they've stopped running and they are now listening to the lies of the enemy as their hearts fill with darkness and the distance between them and the Lord grows. With each lie their bodies are growing weaker, their eyes are getting heavier, and their breath is getting more shallow.

I'm posting this to tell them to GET UP! GET UP DEAR BELIEVER!!!! Don't let the enemy feed you lies anymore! Don't let him take your strength anymore! Don't let him sedate you! Don't let him steal your joy! Don't let him kill you! Don't you realize that is what he is doing??? He is killing you!

So STAND UP with me dear believer! We have been sitting on the sideline so long that we have gotten out of shape, it's not going to be easy to get back into the race but we have to. We have to start running again... but in order to do that we have to bring everything to God. He already knows, you aren't going to surprise Him with anything.... but you have to bring it ALL to Him. Don't withhold anything! It's time.... today is the day.... right now....

God may have to do some open heart surgery on you like He is having to do on me... it's not easy, and it's going to be painful but He is going to do so with love.

Remember, you're not alone.... I've been right where I don't belong and I can testify... God can pull you out... But you have to be willing....

Can I Share My Heart With You?

My heart is so heavy as I write this.... I have sat debating and praying over whether or not to post anything but I have seen so much negativity towards true Christians, that my heart is broken and as I type tears are pouring down my face....

Let me start with this. This started because of everything going on with homosexuality so I am sorry to drop this on those of you that didn't already know, but if you do know me than you know I used to be gay. Living very "happily" (I was seriously miserable) in the homosexual lifestyle. I tell you this because I want you to know that God saved my life. I was lost, broken, living in sin and God found me, picked me up and changed me. It was not an easy process by any means but here I am, living my life to the best of my ability for God by His grace and for His glory. I won't pretend to know all about what is going on in the political world. Quite frankly I haven't had time, and if you know me, you know just how true that is. I know that Birmingham is allowing gay marriage now. I know that a lot of people are angry over this. I can't promise that this will be the most well written post but I am going to try my best to get my point across and I pray that anyone reading this will allow the Lord to use this post to speak to your heart and break your heart as He has mine tonight.

Simply put... hate is NOT of the Bible or of God. While I am by NO MEANS saying that those in same-sex marriages are in the right, I am saying that God loves those men and women just as much as He loves you or me. His love is unfailing. HE IS LOVE! THAT IS WHO HE IS!!! However, they are living in sin, they are breaking God's heart and as Christians, we are to reach out to them in love and try to show them the light. We are not to do this hatefully. We are not to throw scripture at them angrily and tell them that they are going to hell. We are to love on them.

Below are some screen shots of a "rant" on Facebook. I want to be clear, some of the things that are said I agree with (some I don't), it is mostly the tone in which it is being said that I disagree with. Also, names were blocked to protect identities.

There is a lot that could be discussed about this thread, but I will only address a few things. First and foremost, this is not the way to approach anyone. There is a difference between passionate and hateful and this is hateful. Now as for the question "Is it affecting your life?" I want to say this, and I pray that it convicts everyone reading this and challenges you as well, as a Christian, it should affect my life. No, it is not my place or anybody else's to judge, but I should be continuously praying for those people and doing what I can to reach out to them in love so that maybe they will hear the truth, know the love of God and turn to Him. "Y'all need to stay in y'alls own relationship with God they have theirs under control", on this I would like to say that if they are in a homosexual relationship, odds are they don't have a relationship with God to be in control of. You CAN NOT be in a relationship with God and yet still be doing something that He is plainly against. Yes, all sin is equal. But whatever sin it is, it is still sin. Finally, the last thing that I would like to address in this thread is the next to last comment. 1 Corinthians 6:9-11 in the New Living Translation says, "Don't you realize that those who do wrong will not inherit the Kingdom of God? Don't fool yourselves. Those who indulge in sexual sin, or who worship idols, or commit adultery, or are male prostitutes, or practice homosexuality, or are thieves, or greedy people, or drunkards, or are abusive, or cheat people    none of these will inherit the Kingdom of God. Some of you were once like that. But you were cleansed; you were made holy; you were made right with God by calling on the name of the Lord Jesus Christ and by the Spirit of our God." See the problem is, if no one steps in, how can they turn from their sin and be saved? Christianity is not just  personal... 

1 John 2:3-4 (NKJV):

"Now by this we know that we know Him, if we keep His commandments. He who says, 'I know Him,' and does not keep His commandments, is a liar and the truth is not in him."

When you know about God, you will read the Bible because it's something you feel you are supposed to do, you may even claim to be a Christian.... but when you really know God... you will read and keep His word because you are driven, and compelled to do so out of the deep love you will have for Him because He saved you....

I know that many people who read this post are not going to like it. You are going to be angry and probably delete me from your friends list or whatever but can I be honest? While I love you, it won't shake my life or my faith if you hit the delete button. I will be praying because I sincerely want you to know the true, unfailing love of Christ.... I'm praying for you, I love you and I thank God for you because you are His masterpiece and while I many not necessarily get along with you He loves you and so I will too. May your heart be opened... there is not really anything else for me to say...

In Christ,

Kelcy

Two Pennies and a Message

God did the most awesome thing last night. This morning I had the opportunity to speak at First Priority at my former high school. Since I was asked to do this Monday night I started praying continuously for God to lay something to speak about on my heart. As the sun went down yesterday I still didn't feel what God wanted me to speak on, I stopped off at Walgreens on the way home and used cash (which I never do) and as I walked out, God finally answered my prayer (in His timing) when I opened my hand and saw two pennies. Yes, it does sound crazy, I know but keep reading it gets better. I had been given a very shiny penny and a dirty penny. As I stared at the two coins in my hand my eyes grew wide as the Lord began speaking and I listened. As I went home I told my parents about what God had spoken to me and my mom made it better, she gave me a filthy, chipped (broken) penny. With these two pennies God gave me the message I was to speak to the students this morning.

Think of this with me for a second. Jesus is the shiny, spotless penny. We are the broken, filthy penny. When Jesus died on the cross He covered our sins with His blood. Now think of that shiny penny covering that dirty, filthy, broken penny. You can't see the filthy anymore... THAT'S WHAT JESUS DOES TO US WITH OUR SINS!!!! 

"We are all infected and impure with sin. When we display our righteous deeds, they are nothing but filthy rags." - Isaiah 64:6 (NLT)

We are like FILTHY rags! We are impure, unclean, infected, broken with sin and Jesus comes in and cleanses and purifies us! HE MAKES US LIKE HIM!! THIS IS THE GOSPEL!!!!! Is that not the most awesome thing?? There wasn't a whole lot of students in there but God allowed me to look at some of them and watch the expression on their faces change as they really just... got it. It was such a blessing to be able to speak there this morning and I pray that God allows me to have more opportunities in different places to speak before long. So that's what God gave me. Two pennies and a message, and wow wasn't it an awesome message:) 

May the Lord bless you richly!