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Wherever you find yourself today, it’s time to find your place in the revolution and discover more and more of the wonderful and amazing plans God has for your life. This discovery is waiting for you when you get involved in your local church. The local church is the anointed and appointed place that unlocks your breakthrough. God never meant for any of us to serve Him on our own. We are part of His body, interconnected and interdependent. I realize many people have suffered some of the most painful hurts in churches, but just as God has revolutionized other areas of your life, He wants to now revolutionize how you view His bride, His church. When you are united with His Beloved, there’s nothing like it on earth. You find people with similar joys and hurts, a similar vision for making a difference, and a similar passion for Christ. This heart connection with other believers keeps your life pumping with passion to live, love, and lead from your heart every day.

Many people have told me over the years, “I don’t have any problem turning my heart, but I don’t need to go to a church to do it.” I always tell them being a believer who isn’t connected to a local church is like saying you’re a professional football player who doesn’t play for a team. The reality is, you can’t win the Super Bowl unless you’re part of a team. Taking your place in the house of God goes beyond the confines of just “going to church.” It stretches into who you are. You are the church. When you turn your heart, you are Christ’s body, a tangible representation of him to the people around you every day.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora.

 

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It’s one thing when someone needs to ask us for forgiveness, but it’s a different story when we are the ones who need to be forgiven. What hurts families, marriages, leaders, business partners, and friends most is the absence of courage to ask the questions that protect these relationships—questions such as, “Will you forgive me?” C. S. Lewis often saw through the mud of life to reveal the truth in the human heart. He observed, “Every one says forgiveness is a lovely idea, until they have something to forgive.”

When we ask others to forgive us, we are choosing to become vulnerable to the point that we relinquish power to them. We are at their mercy and that takes tremendous courage. When we ask forgiveness from someone, we wrestle with feelings of weakness and inferiority. But
doing so demonstrates the exact opposite. It reveals remarkable maturity, strength, and bravery.

Think of when a person gives their life to Jesus Christ. To receive salvation, all God asks of us is that we come to Him and confess our need for Him. He offers us a new heart and a new life in exchange for our asking one simple question: “Lord, will You forgive me?” And here is God’s response when we come before Him in a posture of humility, in need of forgiveness:

If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:9–10)

He is both faithful and just to forgive us. Faithful, meaning He will. Just, meaning He has the right to forgive. He is demonstrating His true nature to us as the Justifier with the legal right to release us from the debt of sin. He is saying to the world that, though we are sinners, justice has been satisfied. We no longer have to feel inadequate, because we have been forgiven by the One who determines justice. And all this is available to us when we ask the question, “Will You forgive me?”

One of the most beautiful illustrations of forgiveness is found in the story of a woman who took great risks for just a chance at forgiveness. Her steps must have been cautious as she entered into the room filled with those who despised her, but still she walked through. Ignoring the murmurings of disgust, she must have kept her head down and her eyes on the dirt floor until she reached Jesus, the one she had come to see. Now that she was just inches away from Him, shame and humiliation overtook her. She crumpled to her knees as tears began to stream down her face, and her heart wouldn’t let her leave until she had done what she came to do:

She brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on them. (Luke 7:37–38 NIV)

This prostitute braved criticism, ridicule, and shame for the opportunity to sit at Jesus’ feet and pour out her tears and oil. Though she never told Him the greatest desire of her heart, He knew. He loved her, protected her, and gave her the one thing no one else could give—forgiveness.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora. Official release date is January 1, 2011

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Have you ever known someone who got what they wanted, but lost what they had? That is the story of the prodigal son—one of the most profound stories in the Bible. In Luke 15, Jesus tells us about a young man who chose to live a life of instant self-gratification. In the end, he is left with an emptiness and ache in his heart for what he lost.

There was once a man who had two sons. The younger said to his father, “Father, I want right now what’s coming to me.”

So the father divided the property between them. It wasn’t long before the younger son packed his bags and left for a distant country. There, undisciplined and dissipated, he wasted everything he had. After he had gone through all his money, there was a bad famine all through that country and he began to hurt. (Luke 15:11–15 Message)

Though he longed to return home, he felt the sting of shame, regret, and guilt. How would he be received? How could his father forgive him for all he had done? The only way he could go home was to return, not as a son, but as a servant. He turned his heart and went back.

The miraculous power of a turned heart is vividly seen in his father’s response:

So he returned home to his father. And while he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him. His son said to him, “Father, I have sinned against both heaven and you, and I am no longer worthy of being called your son.”

But his father said to the servants, “Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost but now he is found.” (Luke 15:20–24 NLT)

The son expected his father to meet him with accusations and judgment. Instead, he ran to him with arms open wide, covering his son, not with guilt, but with grace and unconditional love.

This is probably one of the most beautiful illustrations in the Bible of how our heavenly Father welcomes us home after we have made choices that have left us feeling undeserving and unworthy to be called a son or daughter. God Himself throws His arms open and extends to us, not judgment, but the life-transforming power of grace.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora. Official release date is January 1, 2011

 

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Our God is the God of restoration. Nothing moved Him to step out of heaven, leave His throne, and become flesh, except the plight of humankind.

And God looked upon the world and saw how degenerate, debased, and vicious it was, for all humanity had corrupted their way upon the earth and lost their true direction. (Gen. 6:12 AMP)

When all of humanity had lost everything, including their relationship with Him, God stepped in, not with judgment or condemnation, but with restoration on His mind. God doesn’t shrink back from us in times of loss; He reaches out. In His limitless love, He longs for us to recover what we’ve lost. We may hear the daunting voice of condemnation telling us we’ve gone too far or that our situation is beyond repair, but you need to know, without a shadow of doubt, nothing is beyond the scope of His restoration. Nowhere is too far for Him to reach. It is this truth, confirmed through Scripture, that gives you the courage to expose the deepest parts of your loss to Him.

GOD, your GOD, will restore everything you lost; he’ll have compassion on you; he’ll come back and pick up the pieces from all the places where you were scattered. No matter how far away you end up, GOD, your GOD, will get you out of there and bring you back. (Deut. 30:3–5 Message)

Think of the man with the withered hand who stood before Jesus and took the greatest risk of his life to expose that which he had kept hidden for years. Think of the risk he faced by exposing to the world his deformity, his handicap, and his weakness when Jesus told him, “Stretch out your hand” (Luke 6:8–11). I imagine there was a voice in the back of his mind that wondered, What if Jesus doesn’t heal me? What if I expose this part of my life and nothing changes? We’ve all heard that voice. This man stood to his feet and risked it all—humiliation, ridicule, vulnerability—to receive his restoration. As he stepped out and risked his reputation, it was right there that he received his reward. He was completely restored.

What is withered or broken in your life? What would it look like to show this to Jesus? If you take the risk of showing your brokenness to Jesus, you will experience one of the greatest rewards you could ever imagine—complete restoration. He wants you to face every day with a freedom that comes from being completely restored. Know today with confidence that the reward of restoration will always outshine, outweigh, and outlast the sting of risking it all.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora. Official release date is January 1, 2011

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Over years of pastoring I have come to the conclusion that the biggest roadblock to a real relationship with God is religion. Many people believe religion and relationship are synonymous, but this misconception often hinders people from entering a legitimate relationship with God and experiencing genuine change.

Religion is our attempt to reach God by our own efforts, to do enough good deeds so that we gain acceptance and admittance into heaven. A legitimate relationship with God is birthed from a heart that has been melted and molded by grace and now longs to please Him more than ever—not to prove ourselves or earn points with God, but to honor the One who loves us so much that He was willing to die for us. The beauty of a genuine relationship with Christ is that we gain access to the full gamut of Christ’s nature and character, whereas religion will cause us to operate out of an incomplete and false image of God.

Everyone has an image of Christ in their minds that determines how they will approach and respond to Him. For some, their image is that of a gentle Shepherd tending to His sheep. For others, He is an elusive deity to whom they simply cannot relate. For still others, their image is that of a bleeding, crucified Savior, still on the cross, who’s been stripped of power and authority. The problem with all of these images is that they give an inaccurate and incomplete picture of Christ. Take, for example, the image of a crucified Savior, still on the cross for the sins of the world. A person with this image in the forefront of their mind may feel as if they have to ask repeatedly for forgiveness of their sins. The problem with this image is that Jesus is no longer on the cross!

In a rule-driven society, many people strive to measure up in life so they can be labeled as accepted and successful. Some of us naturally gravitate toward rules because we can see obvious progress, and we can measure ourselves against others. This is a very “religious” approach to life. If we aren’t doing as well as others, we can try a little harder; if we’re doing better than our competitors, we can feel proud of ourselves. The problem with this perspective is that, though measuring sticks give us a sense of security, they will never substitute for the liberation and acceptance that come from a relationship with the living God.

A relationship with Jesus will always lead to an “I can” on the inside of you, whereas religion will always focus on an “I can’t!” God is not interested in measuring our mistakes and successes; He just wants to know if we’ll believe in Him and stay connected to Him through a genuine personal relationship with His Son.

When religion replaces a genuine relationship with Christ, we venture down a road that denies us the very power that God longs for us to have. In a letter to Timothy, Paul warns,

You should know this, Timothy, that in the last days there will be very difficult times. . . . [For people] will act religious, but they will reject the power that could make them godly. (2 Tim. 3:1, 5 NLT)

The greatest ache in humanity is that of needing to bridge the gap between religion and genuine relationship with God. God’s love for you reaches beyond religion to give you permission to come boldly into His presence. You are His son or daughter, and the deepest desire of His heart is for you to know His love, His grace, His forgiveness!

God can revolutionize any belief and rebuild any foundation. If all you’ve known is religion, start today to build a relationship with Him that assures you of His infinite love for you.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora. Official release date is January 1, 2011

 

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Aretha Franklin struck a chord that resonates in all of us when she sang, “R-E-S-P-E-C-T. Find out what it means to me.” As a DJ, I always knew the right moment to play this song at a dance or party. Very few songs evoke the same emotion as this anthem. That is because one of the greatest needs in our relationships is respect.

In a marriage, we crave words of affirmation from our spouse that make us feel valued and wanted. When it’s absent, the heart connection, the glue that holds us together, begins to erode. The adhesive that brings unity, agreement, security, and confidence is found in our level of respect for one another. Love and respect go hand in hand in marriage. The outpouring of both demonstrates that you honor the presence of God in the other person.

The Bible challenges us to see our spouses as heirs with us. Seeing your husband or wife from this perspective allows you to realize their eternal value. Each person has been created by the God of the universe for His purpose and has been given an eternal destiny beyond comparison. When you recognize that, you’re able to look at your spouse and others through a different lens and treat them with the utmost respect. 

When you learn to protect and respect God’s call on your life as a couple, it becomes easier for you to treasure, cherish, and honor each other. It’s this perspective—God’s perspective—that protects your marriage and family from ever feeling demoralized, devalued, and defeated.

Today, if you feel like you’re ready to give up on your marriage, wait. Give yourself a window of hope for God to do a miracle. Ask God to help you see your relationships with eyes of love and respect instead of anger or hate. His Word promises He will cover your hurt, offense, and pain.

Hatred stirs up strife, but love covers all sins. -Proverbs 10:12

If you will trust in God and take the courageous steps on your own road to recovery, He will make the crooked places straight again and the rough places smooth (Isaiah 40:4). Hold His Word and His promises in high regard, and you’ll begin to see Him transfer your respect for Him to all of your relationships. Your marriage can make it!

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora. Official release date is January 1, 2011

 

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In many families, the biggest area of contention is over who controls the purse strings. The struggle for power over the checkbook, and more often the credit cards, can have an enormous impact in a couple’s relationship.

When I talk to couples about money, I often ask, “Who is in charge of your family budget? Is it the man who is the head of the family, or the wife who is the neck that turns the head? Is it the one who has the highest credit score, the one who finds the best bargains, the one who saves for a rainy day, or the one who is diligent to pay the bills on time?”

In relationships, opposites attract, but after a while, those opposites begin to attack. Nowhere is conflict more heated than over how money is handled. Often, one person is a saver and the other is a free spender, one is committed to pay the bills on time, but the other says, “Oh, it’ll work out. We need it now.”

So arguments erupt. As fighting escalates, some couples end up hiding their money or lying about how they spend it. The problem worsens.

Our personal and family destinies are directly linked to how we handle money. When you put God in control of your money, worries about money won’t control your family’s destiny any longer. How then do you begin to change how money is handled in a marriage? Learning God’s perspective on money is central to the Heart Revolution.

When people develop the disciplines of wisely saving, giving, investing, and spending, an amazing thing happens in their hearts. They know they are obeying God, so they feel closer to Him. They develop confidence in themselves, in their spouse, and in their future. Tithing is no longer a burden or an obligation, but a way to express gratitude to God and partner with Him in changing people’s lives. Stress levels that were once out of control because of debt and careless spending now subside, and the whole family can enjoy a sense of peace.

- Excerpt from The Heart Revoution by Sergio De La Mora. Official release date is January 1, 2011