Hello World, 
If you haven’t noticed, I’m movin’ on up (Shout out to Weezie & George Jefferson)…Welcome to my brand new website! Since I will be a published book author soon, I thought I should get a bigger website with more features…take a look around my new space, and let me know what you think…just like when you move into a new place, there are a few “kinks” I need to work out, but basically this is my new home on the Internet. And love it 🙂 Thanks Tess Gadwa of Yes Exactly: Websites That Fit!
Cec Murphey
Anywho, since I came back from the Greater Philadelphia Christian Writers Conference at Philadelphia Biblical University in Langhorne, Pa. earlier this month, I’ve been pondering a message given by New York Times best-selling author Cec Murphey. His advice to an audience of published and aspiring writers:
“If you want to be used by God, be as honest, open and transparent as you can.”
Cec Murphey has an impressive résumé: He is the author or co-author of more than 100 books, including the New Times best-seller 90 Minutes in Heaven (with Don Piper) and Gifted Hands: The Ben Carson Story (with Dr. Ben Carson). He is also the author of When Someone You Love Has Cancer, When God Turned Off the Lights, and Christmas Miracles, all 2009 releases. Prior to launching his career as a full-time writer and speaker, Murphey served as pastor of Riverdale Presbyterian Church in Metro Atlanta, as a volunteer hospital chaplain for ten years, and was a missionary in Kenya for six. Many of his books have been inspired by his personal experiences…
Recently, Murphey also revealed that he was sexually abused as a child and is now using his platform to help other men who were also sexually abused. For more information, please go to menshatteringthesilence.blogspot.com.
His words got me thinking about these verses from Romans 7 (The Message version):
…I decide to do good, but I don’t really do it; I decide not to do bad, but then I do it anyway. My decisions, such as they are, don’t result in actions. Something has gone wrong deep within me and gets the better of me every time…(17-20)
The answer, thank God, is that Jesus Christ can and does. He acted to set things right in this life of contradictions where I want to serve God with all my heart and mind, but am pulled by the influence of sin to do something totally different. (25)
So in the interest of being as transparent as I can, I will divulge that I’m a saint since I’m a Christian, but I’m also a sinner since I’m still on the earthly side of heaven (in other words, I’m a believer and a make-believer)…For all of my praying, going to church, reading the Word and talking about Jesus, I’m still prone to sin…now what all those sins are…hmmm…not ready to be that transparent yet….but trust me, I’ve got some…
But before I go in too much on myself, Murphey also pointed out that in spite of all of David’s (from the Bible) sins, he was still the apple of God’s eye…And Murphey advised that we pray these two prayers:
“God help me to like who I am, who I used to be and who I am becoming.”
AND
God, show me the truth about myself, no matter how wonderful it may be.”
AMEN…
Any thoughts?
P.S. On my Gospel playlist right now…”Over & Over ” by Trin-i-tee 5:7 featuring PJ Morton…Saints & Sinners, He blesses us over and over again even though we are not deserving…
Thanks that is exactly what I’m talking about. I’m free and I tell the world about my sins. Why? Because it frees other people. Our life is not our OWN so why do we keep it for ourselves. So my twins KNOW my own life story and then they made a decision to choose differently!!!
Yes, we all have ministries IF we just tell the truth…looking forward to what God is going to do in your life girl:)
Another great job by Tess! More fresh, more clean!
Yes Exactly:)
I love that, “I am a saint and a sinner.” I have a lot of compassion for myself as a sinner. It’s human nature to sin, and Godly nature to seek sainthood. In the Catholic church, we have a prayer right before Communion: “Lord I am not worthy to receive you, but only say the word and I shall be healed.”
I left behind years of religious upbringing because God did not act like the Santa Claus I wanted and needed in my life. After twenty years of research and destruction, I had a spiritual experience which lead me back to Christ and eventually the Catholic Church (we are Christians, for those who may be wondering).
When I went to Mass for the first time in 1999, I wondered how I’d feel when we said that prayer, after so many years of soul-ache on the rare occasion when I’d venture into a church (usually to appease a visiting parent). I truly felt Christ give me a gentle push on my shoulder and say, “I healed you a long time ago.” I wept and have been weeping ever since when we say that prayer.
To truly feel Christ’s healing grace is what makes me want to behave more like a saint than a sinner!
Gerri, I agree…I also truly feel that Christ’s healing grace is what makes me want to behave more like a saint than a sinner – a day by day process 🙂
Thank you for that post. I strive to be transparent to God (who knows anyway) and to people (who probably don’t know). Along with that, here’s something I also often say: I would rather be disliked for who I am than to be admired for who I’m not.
Thank you for a great post.
Cec
Thank you Cec for stopping my blog! I am honored…You gave a great speech, and I’m glad I took notes 🙂
“Simul justus et peccator” = “At once righteous and sinner” is the way Martin Luther would have put it (in good theological Latin, of course!). For a really good modern understanding of God’s grace to sinners, I’d suggest Jay Bakker’s autobiography “Son of a Preacher Man.” He really gets this grace thing, and it’s a quick read, too. God bless, Jackie, and congrats on the new site!