Inspirational & Motivational

...When Paul wrote this to the Philippine church the political climate of the time was in chaos. It was bad and well on its way to becoming one of the most horrific times history has ever recorded. And yet Paul commanded them not to focus on vile government officials, but to focus and dwell on... 

...We often say that people don’t change.  We warn those in relationships of that very thing.  If you are in a relationship and think that you can change that other person with your love and care and nurture, you are wrong.  You will never change another person.

Same is true with friendships.  If you are staying in friendship that causes you grief, but you stay because you think that something you will do will change them, you are wrong.  You might as well raise up the white flag and abandon ship right now.  You will never change anyone. But...

... Jesus was and is the Word. As Christ's followers, we have all been given a seed of the Word. A seed or seeds that we are called to nurture and allow to grow in us, just as Mary did Jesus.

As it comes to maturity in us we are called to give it to the world, just as Mary gave us Jesus. Not to diminish the task laid out for Mary, the mother of our Christ, but what if we felt the same weightiness for the Word which we carry inside?...

... In every sermon I’ve heard preached on this, every preacher has given Martha at least a little credit, a little applaud for getting things done. After all, if we always sit at the feet of Jesus, we will never get anything done, or will we? ...

... For a long time when I've heard sermons on the Full Armor of God from amazing and very credible teachers. The armor is a treasured gift from God. I walked around for years quoting that scripture and saying, "I put on the full armor of God..."

Then one day I felt an uneasiness in my spirit so I leaned an ear to the Holy Spirit. He was basically asking me, 'Are You? Really?'

And to that I said teach me Lord. I went back to the word and read and prayed...

... There seems to be quite the uproar though, when the excited downstairs staff realize that they will not be allowed to serve the King and Queen, but will be pushed aside by the royal traveling staff.

Yes, the King and Queen bring their own staff, footmen, housekeepers, cooks, etc.

What started out as great excitement for the staff turns into a huge disappointment.

Now for a bit of a spoiler…

...  We study our place of position in Christ Jesus. We love, and we worship. We check all the boxes, and we wait. We fight from a place of victory knowing the battle is already ours. Knowing we have an enemy and knowing how to fight him is essential in our walk with God.

But what if there are events or situations in our life that the enemy did not orchestrate? What if a season of hardship is not of the enemy but of God? We know how to fight the enemy, but do we know how to submit to God?...

... As I read this page, I felt the Holy Spirit substitute some of her words for me, which confirmed what I had known for years.

God’s people essentially rejected Yahweh as their primary source of provision…. They began to believe that their ability to survive rested squarely in their own hands…. Each month the sky withheld rain was an unmitigated personal strike against the authority of their own ability to control their environment...