The one about: The Table

Today during church service while our Pastor was giving an incredible message on the beginning words Jesus spoke on the Sermon on the Mount. Matthew 5 {Probably one of the BEST messages I have ever heard on it.}

The Lord gave me a vision. In this vision was a HUGE wooden table, and at that table were many Christians, and Jesus was seated at the end of the table in all His shining perfect glory, and His body was turned around in the chair with His back facing us, and He had his hand out, and He was smiling, and heard Him say..."come and eat"...as if He was inviting people who were not there. So...I look up, and there were many people heading towards the table, but they kept stumbling over these rocks & bricks on the way, and it caused them great sadness, but even still they kept coming. And then I kept hearing those at the table seated with me chuckling as if they themselves had put the rocks, and bricks in their path sort of like what a kid does who performs a prank on someone. I felt so ashamed in my vision because I caught myself chuckling, and I, myself, realized I had thrown a couple rocks out there inadvertently. These people so desperately wanted to eat, and partake of this meal, and be with Jesus at this table that He had prepared a meal for them on, but they kept stumbling to get there, and our rocks we threw was making it harder for them to get there. This reminded me briefly of Jesus rebuking the Pharisees later on in the book of Matthew for them causing stumbling blocks for people to come into the Kingdom.  

I kept praying about what this meant all day...the Lord led me to this song by Casting Crowns. Its so beautifully convicting. 

~"Jesus, friend of sinners, 

we have strayed so far away

We cut down people in your name, 

but the sword was never ours to swing

Jesus, friend of sinners, the truth's 

become so hard to see

The world is on their way to You,

but they're tripping over me

Always looking around, but never looking 

up I'm so double minded

A plank eyed saint with dirty hands and 

a heart divided

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners

Open our eyes to the world 

at the end of our pointing fingers

Let our hearts be led by mercy

Help us reach with open hearts and 

open doors

Oh Jesus, friend of sinners, break 

our hearts for what breaks yours

You love every lost cause; you reach for the outcast

For the leper and the lame; they're the reason that You came

Lord I was that lost cause and I was the outcast

But you died for sinners just like me, a grateful leper at Your feet."~ Casting Crowns

Jesus was called a friend of sinners. He loved them. He ate with them. He healed them. He befriended them. He invited them. He taught them. Yes many stopped following, but many stayed. I think us Christians along the journey who already have a seat at the table, a place in heaven, have forgotten that He is so desperately for them just as He is desperately for us too. We are all created in the image of God. The Imago Dei. We all have value. We are all so valuable He purchased us with His blood.  In God's kingdom EVERYONE is invited to the table to feast, but how often us Christians, if we are not walking in the Spirit, and we instead are walking in the flesh, and in the hidden sin of pride we are so prone to of the human heart...we can become more like Pharisees and create stumbling blocks in the Gospel. And have others tripping to get to Jesus. I want to be a conduit, not a stumbling block. The Gospel is already a stumbling block. Why do we have to make it harder?

 Lord, let our hearts be led with mercy, grace, and compassion towards the outsider. Open are arms wide to the sinner because you opened Your arms wide for us ALL. Forgive us where we have failed in misrepresenting you to a lost and dying world. ~You died for sinners just like me. A grateful leper at your feet. ~

The one about: Minimalism

If you have been following me for the last couple of month's I have been talking about this desire to get rid of excess, to consume less, to embrace a simpler living, and to essentially live with less {a trendy known word the world kind of adopted for it all is: minimalism}.

Here is our story behind the story....

Towards the fall and winter of last year the Lord was working! I mean really working! He was bringing about several answers to prayer in my personal life in regards to reconciliation of relationships, coupled with overhauling our finances, and now these little lifestyle changes we were so desiring, and we were getting ready to embark on. It was then I was introduced to a concept called "Minimalism" after watching a documentary on Netflix one night around Christmas. I immediately jumped off the seat of our couch! There is truly a name for this LESS IS MORE living...and it's called Minimalism? So, I did what any bible believer does who holds a biblical worldview about something, I began to see how this all lined up with scripture as I know Minimalism is not a biblical term recognized in the bible. 

But what I discovered was fascinating, and has floored me, and spurred me on towards a way of living that I believe Christ lived essentially, and desired for His followers. The world may call it Minimalism...but at the core of this concept it is basically biblical. In this blog I hope to share with you some fascianting things I have learned as my family, and I have sought out little by little to truly understand, and seek God's way to live in this culture of excess we are surrounded by.

So we sold our home back in February this past year, and in just a month we took our 2600+ 2 story home and downsized it to right under 2000 sq feet. Doesn't seem like much of a downsize, but our 2 car garage, and extra storage unit at the time definitely said otherwise. I remember back in March as we started unloading our boxes I was getting extremely overwhelmed, and frustrated, and anxious, and annoyed. I could not believe all this STUFF that we accumulated in almost 8 years of marriage, and living in our first home together. God had already been working on my heart specifically it other areas of my life months prior to all of this, and this was just another area that I felt He was wanting to work on with me personally, and our family as a whole.

After paying off tons of debt with the sale of our home, and cutting up numerous of credits cards we sat the kitchen table one night after a week of being in our rental home, and looked at each other, and vowed to never get ourselves in this position again! We then prayed, and asked the Lord's forgiveness, and Holy Spirit's help going forward.

I remember over the next few weeks I became more and more weighed down, and burdened. Not with all of our financial stuff as we had just had the weight of debt paid off, but I was getting weighed down by the left over material possessions from the debt we paid off. If that makes sense? We were swimming in boxes from our move. It was time to get serious and start this purge process, but the Holy Spirit was wanting to purge some issues in my heart too. 

So we finally got our storage unit cleaned out, and hauled several trips of our things to our already packed out garage. At one point hubby and I just looked at each other and said... "I dont even care what is in all these boxes...can we just drop all this off at Goodwill?" These were all the boxes we had not even opened in roughly 4 months prior to the sell of our home as I was boxing things getting ready for listing. I could not even remember what was in those boxes, but I knew whatever it was we were doing completely FINE without it all!!

As weeks went by and unboxing carried on, still carries on, we began to specifically pray that the Lord would help us to be good stewards of our finances. To be intentional with what things we choose to keep and donate/sell or toss. Things that we choose to steward, and maintain, and devote our time, and energy into. To truly think about our spending habits, and honor the Lord with our possessions, and our bank statements. To work into us a spirit of generosity, and help cultivate that in our kids. To help us all around just be better stewards of all He has given us whether that be a thing or a relationship with others, and to help us to get SELF out of the way so we can make room for more of Him, and what was truly important.

I want to now share just a little bit of what I have personally learned on this journey so far towards well...less. I know this is a long read, so I understand if you don't get through it all, but I have been wanting to write down my heart for several weeks now in regards to this instead of little tid bits, and paragraphs here and there on Facebook about it. My hope is that this will truly minister to someone, inspire someone, and bring glory to God alone. Not me. I am just a vessel, and we are just on this little journey leaning into Him and pressing into His will, and relying on His Spirit to teach us how to live more abundantly. 

Here are some of the things {in bullet point format} that I have learned so far:

**It's not how much stuff we necessarily own, it's how much your stuff owns you.

**We are conditioned as American's to be sold to, advertised to, marketed to, and tempted hundreds of times a day to spend, buy, consume, purchase, and over indulge in someTHING.......but we can choose to say NO.

** "Minimalism" has been a tool for me to pick up my things one by one, and ask myself intentionally deep questions like: "Why do I have this?" "What led me to buy this?", and the answer honestly 9 times out of 10 have led me to the root sin issue of "covetousness or lack of self-control." 

** When we desire less and spend less and steward less and clean less and have less and maintain less YOU HAVE SO MUCH MORE FREE TIME! And time that can be spent on eternal pursuits or things that truly matter.  

We downsized our laundry load by almost 3 loads now. I have given away or rid of numerous amounts of odds and ends and kids toys that are missing pieces, and that they never play with...which has led us to less picking up and cleaning. We downsized our home to a 1 story ranch which had led us to less cleaning, and less filling of our home with possessions and things we do not need. This honestly has resulted in less of a cluttered mind, less anxiety, and less stress levels. Studies have shown anxiety, stress, and even mental illness, like depression, can be linked to the accumulation of too much excessive personal belongings and things in your environment. It is absolutely amazing the weight you feel lifted after a good purge of possessions!

**Speaking of root sin issues....it has led me to re-evaluate my relationship with Christ and others. A cluttered, messy over indulged home can be a physical manifestation of a cluttered mind, and messy heart, and chaos in my relationships with others. I said "can be" because I know there are many stream-lined clutter free peeps out there that deal with other sins, but it may manifest for them in a different way.

** It has been a tool to help us identify our wants vs needs.

**Minimalism doesn't start in the purging of what's in the closet, it starts in the purging of what's in the heart. 

and....biblically speaking as a follower of Christ:

** One of the Fruit's of the Spirit in a Born Again believer's life is ~Self Control~ this goes hand in hand with our want, and temptation to accumulate, and acquire more possessions, and excess things. {Galatians 5:22-23}

** ~During the Sermon on the Mount Christ talked about our money, and giving to the poor, the needy, and the use of our possessions and treasures {Matthew 5,6,7}... "Do not store up for yourselves treasures on earth, where moths and vermin destroy, and where thieves break in and steal.  But store up for yourselves treasures in heaven, where moths and vermin do not destroy, and where thieves do not break in and steal.  For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also."~Matthew 6:19-21

** Check out the story of the Rich Young Ruler ~Matthew 19:16-22

** The book of Ecclesiastes, the book of Wisdom, is all about the vanities and meaningless chasings of pursuits and things in life! 

** In Act's the disciples were selling their possessions and giving to those who were in need. {Acts 2:45} Although, we know they were empowered by the Holy Spirit, I do also believe that this is such an important biblical model, and way of life that is the heart and love of Christ at work that lacks greatly in the church today. We see here that their things were clearly not needed or desired, but gave to those who did need them.

** "And Jesus answered them, “Whoever has two tunics is to share with him who has none, and whoever has food is to do likewise." Luke 3:11 Ah!!! This verse rocks me! I find it so interesting, and neat, and fascinating that Christ in essence is adopting a "minimalist" command here. LOL! It helps me to look to my Lord in just this verse alone, and realize on a personal level...I truly don't need 2 or 3 or 4 or even 5 of a thing. I can truly have just 1 and be content, and share my rest with others who don't have any or much less.

**We can cultivate a spirit of generosity in our children by giving away our excess to those in need.

**We can adopt a new attitude and way of life that Christ calls us to. He warned the disciples in Luke 12:15 after speaking with a man who was wanting Jesus to judge the splitting of his inheritance....“Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; life does not consist in an abundance of possessions.” If you read further in the next scriptures 16-21 Christ warns against being rich in abundance of SELF, but not being rich towards God. 

**There are so many more scriptures I can list off here...but to sum it all up "Minimalism" from a biblical standpoint can truly be summed as this:           

                  More of Jesus less of me  {Mark 1:7}

                       Less of me more of Others  {Philippians 2:3}


Less of self and the abundance of what this world has to offer, and more of Christ, and His way, and His truth, and His life, and the abundance of what He offers!

In closing, a couple of nights ago I created this Facebook Album called ~Less is More~ and was going to post in there often about our minimalist downsizing journey, and show pics of areas in our home we de-cluttered, and possessions we gave and were giving away etc. I was really excited about it. More so, I was just really super proud of the fact that I was able to get my makeup products down from like 75 to 20, and although my intentions were at the right place I believe I felt the Holy Spirit instructed me to take it down. 
1 Corinthians 13:3 says..... 

~And if I may give away all my possessions, and I may deliver up my body to be burned that I may boast, but have not LOVE, I gained nothing.~

In essence....minimalism is just a tool. It is NOT the Gospel of Jesus. It is not what saves you, frees you from sin, or changes you from the inside out, and true lasting FREEDOM from owning less stuff is not found in the way of minimalism. It is found in the complete LOVE OF CHRIST. And if His precious Holy Spirit isn't fueling our motives, and actions, and even out desires our minimalism attempts are just benevolence, and doing something really cool, admirable and you'll have a freakishly decluttetred home and schedule.  

I don't want to be known as the gal and a family that decided to showcase their journey towards owning less, and giving more, and come off as promoting this false minimalist gospel! 

So at the end of the day...please hear me when I say....Minimalism is JUST A TOOL. As biblical as the model may seem....still look to Jesus, and seek His will for yourself, and have Him direct you, and your family towards His way of living.

God is still working on me, and so thankful He is NEVER done with any of us.

My hope and prayer is truly one would be inspired, and spurred on to Love and Good Works in Christ, and to do an honest internal and external examination of their heart, thoughts, and life.

Because so much of what we buy, and have stored up...speaks volumes of where our heart is and what's in there.

Thank you for taking the time to read this lengthy blog post!!!! Truly less is not more in my writing! HEHE :)

I am sure I will write more as we journey along! 

Blessings!

xoxo

{If you are interested in exploring more of "minimalism" from a biblical standpoint or as a starting point I got several resources I could recommend! Just shoot me a message!}

~The Persistent Widow~

The Lord led me to ~The Parable of the Persistent Widow~ found in the chapter of Luke today while I was struggling over a repeated issue. It spoke volumes to my weary soul. It is a small read. Only 8 verses, but the lesson that Christ wants us to grab on to and understand is so so powerful and will transform your thoughts, prayer life and perspective on ANY daunting issue.

~Then Jesus told his disciples a parable to show them that they should always pray and not give up. He said: “In a certain town there was a judge who neither feared God nor cared what people thought. And there was a widow in that town who kept coming to him with the plea, ‘Grant me justice against my adversary.’“For some time he refused. But finally he said to himself, ‘Even though I don’t fear God or care what people think,  yet because this widow keeps bothering me, I will see that she gets justice, so that she won’t eventually come and attack me!’” And the Lord said, “Listen to what the unjust judge says. And will not God bring about justice for his chosen ones, who cry out to him day and night? Will he keep putting them off?  I tell you, he will see that they get justice, and quickly. However, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on the earth?” Luke 18:1-8

Upon reading this it moved my heart to bring my worries and injustices immediately before the Lord and to never tire and stop in doing that!!!! To be persistent with Him! At the same time it convicted me of how I often times find myself trying to solve problems and struggles in my own human strength and find myself on the edge of wanting to throw the towel in and just give up when I feel there is no justice being served, no repentance being made, no fruit being bared, or no use to keep fighting or standing firm on truth instead of denying myself the ability to truly do those things in my own effort and rely FULLY on the work of the holy spirit and Christ. My advocate. My vindicator. My  redeemer. My perfect just and fair Judge who judges righteously. 

We can learn so much from what Jesus spoke on this parable and I found an awesome blog post below that I wanted to share that really brings it all home, but overall we can learn to be persistent in our prayer life like the widow going to this "human judge, believing truth and justice will win in the end" because it will because He is a good and just God! His people should not rest in praying and give Him no rest in listening and answering...in His time. 

Our Lord delights in the prayers of His people!!!! BE PERSISTENT IN PRAYER! DON'T GIVE UP!!

Lessons from the Parables... Stay With Me

The Parable of the Persistent Widow

The seat of power changes anyone who sits upon its lofty height, whether by choice or by chance. Christ painted a picture of this in

His parable of the persistent widow.

“There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God nor regard man,” it begins (Luke 18:2). Judges hold significant power over the lives of people who appear before them in court. Most judges run a tight ship. They command respect and order. People stand when they enter the courtroom and address them as “your honor.”

All this is heady stuff. It can easily go to judges' heads, and if they're not careful it can impact their adjudication of the law in their courtroom. Because they are to render justice it is vital that they “fear God” and “regard man.”

Christ describes a judge who seems to be weary of his job. Too many people with endless complaints and needs come to him for decisions, advice and assistance.

After awhile it does become just a job rather than a calling or duty. The sense of purpose in the role can be lost. A judge fills a key role in a community, and one who judges cannot allow himself to become burned out or jaded.

The widow

As Christ's story goes, within this judge's city lived a widow who had a problem. She loved God, but the problem was bigger than she could handle. This caused her great concern since she was self-reliant and able to look after herself.

Someone took advantage of her condition and the result was an adversarial situation she was unable to rectify. Her only recourse under the law was to go to the judge and plead her case.

She pleaded for justice, for the judge to listen and see that she was in the right and to intervene for her. It seems she made multiple trips to the judge to plead for help, but he wouldn't listen.

Some time went by. The widow's pleading was persistent and unending. She needed help. She needed relief. Would the judge, would someone, anyone, help her? It seemed hopeless!

A crack in the facade

Even the hardest heart that will not yield to sympathy at another's plight can be worn down through sheer bother. There came a moment of exasperation when the judge realized he did not want to see this woman appear before him again.

He concluded he would fairly hear her case and dispense the needed justice. He had no desire to be exhausted or embarrassed by the lingering case. Maybe there was a twinge of guilt, but it was overridden by a desire to be finished with this woman and her case.

The day came when the judge issued his ruling in favor of the widow. The case was over, and the woman returned to her home. She had learned a valuable lesson about human justice. Above all she had learned to stay with a cause—to not give up—to be persistent. In the end, right will prevail.

Wisdom from an unjust judge

Christ tells us to “hear what the unjust judge said” (Luke 18:6). In the judge's conclusion there is a lesson. Not a lesson in the type of judge to be, one who is hard and arrogant, but a lesson in how we should approach our relationship with God.

It isn't that God is unjust or uncaring. Jesus wants us to learn something about how He and the Father administer Their “courtroom.” God is the righteous judge of all the earth, and His judgment is always fair and impartial, and His timing is always appropriate.

Jesus then gives His point: “And shall God not avenge His own elect who cry out day and night to Him, though He bears long with them?” (Luke 18:7). The elect are God's people, called and chosen and faithful members of the body of Christ. For a moment Christ focuses on this group He calls “His own.”

Not to exclude His prerogative to answer anyone's prayers at any time or place, but this statement has a message for those called by the Father to be part of His Church. There are moments when even the elect of God will question whether He hears their prayers and understands that they need immediate answers. They make their daily requests before the throne of God, pleading for justice, for healing, for peace of mind or for forgiveness and a clean heart.

When sleep escapes them and they wake in the middle of night unable to sleep, they pray, seeking understanding and comfort. They yearn for the soft touch of God's loving hand bringing them to a wide place or a green pasture where still water may be found.

God hears it all. Christ said, “He bears long with them” (Luke 18:7). He knows instantly, before we appear in His presence, what we need. He hears every word of our prayer. His ear is not deaf.

Then Christ says something we can find a bit hard to believe: “I tell you that He will avenge them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He really find faith on the earth?” (Luke 18:8).

Speedily? We might argue with that. We might even think that God doesn't hear or is very slow to respond. But we would be wrong. Because the real purpose for this parable is in the question, “Will He really find faith on the earth?”

Faith is what the persistent widow had. Faith that her cause was just and she was in the right. Faith that the law was on her side and the law was good and would ultimately serve those who are victims of injustice. Faith that even the hardest-hearted old judge could be reached with the plight of a widow like her and could, from the recesses of his heart, be induced to act as he ought to.

Through this example of faith Christ is showing us to be persistent in our walk with God. Don't give up. Don't stop believing. Don't ever begin to think He is not there, or He's distracted, or He's uncaring.

God is there, and He hears. What we may think is a “delay” is not so with God. Time with God is not the same as with us. Remember, Christ said God “will avenge them speedily.” God is always right on time— His time.

“Stay with Me”

What Christ is saying to us is “Stay with Me.” Go back to the beginning of the parable where Luke gives the reason for the lesson: “Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart” (Luke 18:1, emphasis added).

The widow didn't lose heart. She kept going to the judge and seeking justice. We are to keep going to God in prayer for every need and every want. We cannot lose heart and fall back in despair and quit.

God is going to finish what He started in each of His elect (see Philippians 1:6). He is just and fair and is going to answer our prayers (Matthew 7:7-11). He has said it, and He will do it. It's up to us to keep coming back to His throne of justice and mercy and keep asking. God doesn't grow weary of hearing us. He's not playing some game with us to see how long or how many times we will keep returning.

His promise is to hear us and not neglect us. He is saying: Stay with Me when you're healthy and happy and your needs are met. Stay with Me when you have a job and your bank account is full. Stay with Me when the sun is shining and life is good and the wind is at your back. Stay with Me when you have the answers, the friends and the applause of the crowd. Stay with Me when you're confident, wise and sound.

Stay with Me, He says, when life is good, and then you'll learn to fear Me in all things, and the wealth and goods you have will serve you and others well.

But also: Stay with Me, He says, when you're lean and hungry and don't know where the next meal will come from. Stay with Me, He says, when your health fails or an accident happens and you suffer as never before. Stay with Me, He says, when all you have worked for crumbles before your eyes and those whose friendship you coveted cannot remember your name. Stay with Me, God says, when you are so lonely and afraid the thought of getting out of bed each day presents a near impossible struggle.

Stay with Me, He says, one more day, one more time and one more prayer. Stay with Me because there is no other.

This is what a story of a persistent widow teaches us about prayer and faith and not losing heart. We can lose a lot in this life, but don't ever think of letting your heart be lost to despair and unbelief. Guard your heart. Be persistent like the widow going to a human judge, believing truth and justice will win in the end.

Stay with Me, God says, because I will bring you into My everlasting Kingdom. I will finish what I started in you. Be patient and never lose heart!~

by Darris McNeely

Oh Lord Jesus,

Help us to not give up the good fight of faith!  Thank you for giving us full and complete access to your Throne Room where we can pray to you with out ceasing! I am so thankful that you long to hear us!!! Keep us persistent in prayer. Keep us persistent in following you. Thank you for your Son Jesus who never stops interceding for us when we grant our requests and for your holy spirit who intercedes on behalf of us when we are too tired and weary to utter a sound to you. You are a great and a victorious God! Help us to know the battle has already been won and help us to know how to live it out here until you come again and take us home. We love you. In Jesus name, Amen. 

No Confidence in the FLESH!

I feel like every single season of my life I find myself in God has to teach me, and sometimes that means relearning basic truths in His word and relearning just about who He is.

This specific season the Lord is teaching me greatly a thing I have allowed to creep into my walk and shift my focus off of Him a bit. I am learning that I have found myself putting way too much focus and emphasis on man failing and not on Him delivering. I have put too much confidence in the flesh of myself and others!

I know allowing myself to do that has robbed me immensely of my joy in Christ at times in this season, and my purpose, and who I am in Him alone, and I can see it happening all around me too. I am seeing friends, loved ones and just random people in general holding on to hurt and allowing bitterness and resentment to set in when someone lets them down. When a friendship feels like it has turned out to be a sham. When a family member disappoints us. When relationships fall short. When that boss doesn't follow through on their promises. When our spouse says something unkind. When our children do not obey. When we feel like we could not live up to others expectations. When we fall short because we had put too much expectations on ourselves. When neighborhood or groups of people in an sinful act of rebellion destroy the very places we found ourselves just weeks earlier breaking bread in and working along side of these people in and going to school with them in...and moreover...when Godly people we have trusted, looked up to and admired so greatly do ungodly things. We just find ourselves loosing confidence and trust in others, and probably find ourselves asking who can I put confidence in?

Who can I even trust anymore? 


One of my favorite books in the Bible is Philippians. I just love Paul and his teachings and letters, and especially love what he had to say to the church at Philipi. When Paul was writing a letter to the Philippians he had this to say:

No Confidence in the Flesh

"Further, my brothers and sisters, REJOICE in the Lord! It is no trouble for me to write the same things to you again, and it is a safeguard for you. Watch out for those dogs, those evildoers, those mutilators of the flesh. For it is we who are the circumcision, we who serve God by his Spirit, who boast in Christ Jesus,and who put NO confidence in the flesh— though I myself have reasons for such confidence.

If someone else thinks they have reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal,persecuting the church; as for righteousness based on the law, faultless.

 But whatever were gains to me I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss because of the surpassing worth of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them garbage, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ—the righteousness that comes from God on the basis of faith. I want to know Christ—yes, to know the power of his resurrection and participation in his sufferings, becoming like him in his death,  and so, somehow, attaining to the resurrection from the dead.

Not that I have already obtained all this, nor have already arrived at my goal, but I press on to take hold of that for which Christ Jesus took hold of me.Brothers and sisters, I do not consider myself yet to have taken hold of it. But one thing I do: Forgetting what is behind and straining toward what is ahead,  I press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."

Truth is...people will fail us, and we, believe it or not, will fail people. 

Of course we can still be upset when others sin against us. Of course we can have righteous anger or be disappointed when our children disobey. We are human. Those are natural feelings to uncomfortable, hurtful and unnatural situations. The problem comes when we place TOO much focus on what man did instead of just rejoicing in who God is. We have then allowed ourselves to put too much confidence in the flesh! The flesh of man, and the flesh of ourselves will unfortunately always fail.

So who can we truly put confidence in if flesh ALWAYS fails? Who can we earnestly and always trust? 



Christ. 


He is the "author and perfecter of our faiths. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinners, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." 


Love even more how Paul goes on to say a little further down in the letter to the church in Philippi that we should follow his example and the example of others who strive to live godly lives! Love that he adds that in there! Yes and Amen! We can and should follow the examples of other righteous godly men and women, peeps. Thankful and praise the Lord for those beautiful people!! We should look up to them and model their godly behavior, but we should never put our confidence in them.  Never put it in the flesh. 

Never put it in me or I in you.


Always put it in Christ. <3

Stay Joyful,

Corey