Happy Monday my loves. I hope and pray that we are all doing well. Lately I’ve been going over the materials I’ve written before , books, notes and I do feel that it’s time I share some of that with the Yielded Family. Beginning of 2023 God instructed me to write a book about the Heart. It was my first ever nonfictional book and so I struggled to write it. Besides it being a complicated thing to do because I had no experience in anything else but fictional writing and poetry, the contents of the book , I felt I was unqualified to write it. Such a book takes a lot of self introspection which at the time I didn’t have the courage to do. I hated looking at myself and my life beyond the surface. I was afraid of what I’d discover about myself. With every word I was writing, a page of my life was opening. Old pages, torn pages, ruffled pages, and even the new pages. The heart condition.

Let us look at this topic this week. As I have mentioned, it takes courage to see yourself for who you really are and that’s why the world refuses to come to Jesus. Christ reveals the inner man and begins to work on us to transform us. The world isn’t brave enough to face the real man in the mirror. People hide their true nature behind big smiles, sweet tones, hugs, and even gifts to charity. People hide behind cute outfits and muscles. They hide behind trends and what is “liked”. They become what is “liked and accepted” while deep down the true nature is screaming for expression. We often suppress the inner man but he threatens to come out often. The true person is , the heart.

The heart of the person, is the person. More than their name, their wealth, the Queen’s English, the qualifications , the heart. More than the long prayers, the pool of tears in worship, the tongues in capital letters, the big bible and the chain with a cross, the heart. More than the gifts, the “I’m here for you’s” , the many words we say to look good and feel good, the heart. You are your heart. You cannot run from it by spraying nice perfume, the stench of the heart always spreads in the room faster.

If we were to ask the question , “Who amongst us is a good person?” People’s hands would go up within seconds. Isn’t it strange, we all think we are nice people. We all think we are the nicest person in the squad. If this is true, where are the fruits of it? Where’s the proof? From the biblical perspective, the heart condition of an individual can be proven by the content and quality of their lives. It takes more than someone’s testimony of you , what do you think is the truth?You know yourself don’t you? You know the things that stir up your heart and to what extent. You know how far your heart can stretch and how much room is in there for people. What we think we know, God knows better. The heart condition.

I imagine it to be like an environment. Every environment is different and unique in its own way. Part of the things that make an environment different is the weather condition. For example, in South Africa we are in the winter season, google says it’s summer in Greece. In as much as we are in the same world , we are experiencing different weather conditions because of the different environments we are in. The hearts of men are likewise. One is in winter because the environment is cold, another in summer. Same world, same house, different people, different lives. To bust your bubble, you and your friends are also not all alike. The fact that it’s the same continent doesn’t mean it’s raining in the entire Africa because it’s raining in Botswana.

“Just as no two faces are exactly alike, so every heart is different.”
‭‭Proverbs‬ ‭27‬:‭19‬ ‭TPT‬‬

What’s the weather like in your heart? The foundation of this topic has to start with that question that we answer so casually. How are you? Without the fear of opening up to anyone else, open up to yourself, how are you? Don’t answer before you actually selah, like you answer anyone who asks you because you want to keep the conversation going. This is you to you. What’s the weather like there? Does it snow often? Do you experience many weather conditions on the same day? Is it flooding? Put everything else aside and face this truth, you are your heart. Your name is just a way to identify you amongst the billions of people in the world. Your heart is who you truly are, how tragic it is , if that heart is always snowing. How terrible it is if that environment is flooding with no drainage system.

“The heart is hopelessly dark and deceitful, a puzzle that no one can figure out. But I, God, search the heart and examine the mind. I get to the heart of the human. I get to the root of things. I treat them as they really are, not as they pretend to be.”
‭‭Jeremiah‬ ‭17‬:‭9‬-‭10‬ ‭MSG‬‬

What’s the weather like?

This is a picture of a key: a key hole on a door. Obviously this means the door is locked because nobody uses a key on an unlocked door. Surely most of us , if not all of us, have done this action before. To get access into our house l have to use a key and unlock the door – only then can l enter. It doesn’t matter how rainy it is, how hot it is, how cold it is; the door cannot open if ;

• you don’t have a key
• you don’t have the right key
• you’re not in close proximity to insert and turn the key

One time my niece and l were coming back from the airport and it was such a cold cold night ; we got to our place and discovered none of us had the key. It started off as a joke , “”You have it don’t you?” – “No you are the one who has it,” until it wasn’t looking funny anymore. We were cold, hungry and needed to get into the house because it was getting darker outside. To make things worse, we had a spare key but guess where it was? Yup- IN the house. The door remained closed and we stood there – panicking. Where would we sleep? How long were we gonna hold out on such a cold day? Even if it is your house and for sure all that is inside is yours, if the door is locked and you have no key , you are as good as a street person who has no house. Only difference is – you probably have cleaner clothes.

We stood there for a while, had our neighbours come and try to climb onto our balcony but even that door was locked from the inside. I was commanding the door to Ephphataaaaa 😂 but the door never Ephphoot (there’s no word like that so don’t carry it and start using it to pray) Also my faith was smaller than a mustard seed so vele eh! Guys! We had to pay lots of money for a locksmith to come and open the door for us. A stranger came to open OUR door for us ( Selah) It took him a few minutes and we were phakathi inside. Eh but we paid yho!

The locksmith did not have our key. He had other tools that can open the door by force. This means he didn’t need the key because he had discovered other ways to deal with the situation which would give the same desired end. Imagine if we just stood there and cried all night, was the door going to open up? Does the door have feelings? Could we beg the door to open? No. What about reminding the door that we own the house? Or telling the door we have a key but it’s inside? No. This is what happens with most of us in life, we stand before doors and we don’t have a key or a plan. We then sit and cry. How many years have we cried standing by opportunities simply because we refused to unlock the potential in us? What about what’s beyond the door?

Psalm 24:9-10NLT

⁹ Open up, ancient gates!
    Open up, ancient doors,
    and let the King of glory enter.
¹⁰ Who is the King of glory?
    The Lord of Heaven’s Armies—
    he is the King of glory. 

Think about it. The opportunities on the other side of “school” . The greatness on the other side of “investing in prayer” . The beauty that comes when we “unlock the ignorance” by studying the word. Many of us have the key! We are just not desperate enough to “take a shower in the house” or get a “proper meal”. My niece and l were desperate that’s why we paid money to get into the house. My darling sometimes the key is money. Paying your fees. Tithing. I know we hate talking about money but sometimes only having an idea of how the door can open doesn’t necessarily mean the door will open.

How about the key to your joy being you confronting your fears? So will you lock up your heart and refuse to love again because the last time it didn’t end well? Will you stop trying to get into the market place because you’ve tried to unlock the door for years and you’re still outside? What if you have the key and you’re suffering outside because you’re not desperate enough to find out what’s behind the door? Oh l have a lot to say on today’s reflection post but let’s continue next Friday.

Do you have the key? What are you doing about it?

Are you like us? No key? Make a plan like we did.

Bottom line is ; the door must open. (That really is the bottom line – literally) 😂

We are in the last half of the year! Let’s take sometime to celebrate the fact that we are alive! I lost an aunt on Sunday who was super energetic! She was sick for four days and that was it! She was one of the strongest people I have ever known yet over a couple of days, she passed on. This is not an issue of “Doctors said I’m healthy!” Or “I eat healthy food and go to the gym!”. In as much as all this is correct application of wisdom , our tomorrow is always in the hands of God even our next second! It is not by might nor by power. It has nothing to do with beauty, wealth or eloquence. The most beautiful and most powerful still sleep the sleep of death! Thank God! Really, thank Him! He has kept us! Welcome to July my darling!

Are we ready? If you said , “For what?” You’re not ready 😂 I can tell you by the Spirit of God, we have stepped into a season like no other. You do not want to be found without oil in your lamp or jars in your house. There is a pouring of blessings! I know many of us are aware of this, it’s in big bold letters in the Spirit; we are in the new! We usually get excited over new months and then after a couple of days we’re back in our shells of anxiety – just like how we’re so extra on New Year’s Eve into the new year only to fall back into the bubble of sadness that it looks like a replica of the last season. I hope we do not find ourselves reversing into the old when the new is here. Old mindsets, old habits, old characteristics, all in the trash can. 🚮

It is very easy to find ourselves back in the old because we’re afraid of the new or we’re simply not prepared. The foolish virgins had the lamps! They were virgins! They had the invitation to come! They had the correct outfits l suppose, had done their hair installations 😂 and beautified themselves. They arrived at the banquet before the groom and waited! The problem was they waited without capacity. They overlooked the importance of full on preparation. They didn’t think it was necessary to have extra oil because “We can borrow or buy later!” My darling, this world? Life? Will not wait for you while you look for the next vendor to give you oil. Have you ever stopped time? Does it stop and wait for you to put some concealer on or take rollers off? No. Instead – time is the friend who will leave you behind (me leaving you behind for church if you’re late!)

I am reminded of Naomi. She let her daughters in law know that even if they waited, it was to a dead end. You cannot just “wait” , work on what makes you the best candidate. I’m not necessarily talking about marriage I hope you catch my drift, I’m not ruling it out either. Having the brain (lamp) is not enough, make sure the brain has sense (oil) . Having the looks (lamp) is cool but let’s also get the character (oil) . Let us stay with our files ready! Is the cv ready? Is the heart ready? Will we have to do risky last minute patch ups and possibly lose what we’ve been believing for? What if they don’t borrow you their oil? What if they say “We only have enough for ourselves” What if the bridegroom arrives and we’re out looking for oil at the wrong time?!

There is a serious need for us to be prepared this season. Be prepared to be promoted! Be prepared to meet Boaz or Esther! Be prepared to fast and pray. Be prepared to serve! Be prepared for battle so that you don’t become like Israel army – trained to fight only to disappoint an entire nation! Be prepared to love! Yes! Loving people with their imperfections. Be prepared to forgive! People will mess you up! Be prepared to endure should this not be your season! Be prepared to laugh! Infact start laughing! Be prepared to dress up and go for the interview – while you’re applying – have your outfit ready! Be prepared to win! Be prepared to be a good husband/wife! Be prepared to give! Be prepared like an expecting mother prepares delivery clothes for her newborn . They call the little fleece – a receiver! Get your receiver ready – we are within! When a pregnant woman is going to give birth she packs some clothes for the baby. She has never seen the baby. The baby has not told her it will come out alive but She is just confident that the baby will come out. She is aware that Labour time is not the time to be looking for a receiver or nappies. She cannot say to the midwife , “Wait, I need to run to the shops.” She cannot borrow from another mother who is in Labour because chances are she also has prepared for her own child. Pushing time is not the time to be looking for the receiver! We are in the Labour time! Receivers ready! Ears ready to push at the command of the midwife! All you need is to be getting a name for your miracle! Congratulations in advance!

“Be prepared for action at a moment’s notice.”
‭‭Luke‬ ‭12‬:‭35‬ ‭TPT‬‬