Speak Light In The Darkness Today

Speak light into the darkness, be the light in the darkness. Keep your light shining today!

"What I tell you in the darkness, speak in the light; and what you hear whispered in your ear, proclaim upon the housetops." - Matthew 10:27

Catalysts, Vessels, and Change Agents

I attended a "Christian Women In Media" networking event yesterday to spread the word about the Kingdomwood International Film Festival that I'm helping to produce. At the event I was sitting next to the moderator, so it was funny to see that during the "introduce yourself and what you do" period, the majority of the women who were there went on tangents about what divine coincidence it was that brought them to the meeting or gave testimonies about the why they were passionate to do what they do. 

I laughed as the moderator tried to get them to be quick about their turn to introduce themselves, but after a while as the introductions continued in the same format of a longer "why" instead of a quick "what" and "who", I was inspired by it.

It was touching to see that the default mode for a room full of women who were believers was to explain the "why" behind what they did. I think knowing and understanding the "why" is the key to doing what we do with excellence and staying motivated to do it. 

When it was my turn to go, although I said who I was and what I did very quickly, because of the moderator: what I would have loved to have said was: "I'm grateful because I believe that I'm a catalyst for GOD's voice, and a change agent and an agent & vessel of God's voice. So this is why I want to be involved with Kingdomwood, this is why I want to be involved with media and sharing my voice." 

I think that would've been great for a "Christian Women In Media" event, but we're all catalysts of GOD's voice. I listened to the "Jesus and Jolloff" podcast for the first time and heard Yvonne Orji say her blessings are "not because she's so special, but because she's available." It's essential to make ourselves available to the will of GOD. 

We are catalysts, we are agents, We are vessels of GOD and that's what this film festival brings about to me. It's why I believe in what I'm doing. It's why I'm happy about what I'm doing. Iyanla Vanzant shared a tweet that said: 

"The key to success is not what you do, it is how you feel about what you are doing."

Yes!! https://t.co/UxzZycWr6h

— Breath Of Life Daily (@boldjournal) September 21, 2018

It's up to us to Boldly be a vessel for what GOD is doing in the earth. Orji also says in the podcast" Somebody is waiting for your supply, that they didn't even know they needed." 

"We were born to make manifest the glory of God that is within us. It's not just in some of us; it's in everyone. And as we let our own light shine, we unconsciously give other people permission to do the same." - Marianne Williamson

It's up to us to know who we are and be consistent in how we present who we are to the world, but also to definitely know our why? Do you know your why?

The Glow Up of Eva Marcille

Eva Marcille is unapologetically amazing! She is as fascinating and fierce as you might have imagined based on the many roles we’ve seen her in on television and in films. Sheen recently sat down with the brilliant model and actress where she shared some insight on her latest projects, personal beauty and fashion tips, and her secret to gaining confidence.

Marcille recently joined the cast of Real Housewives of Atlanta. The first episode featuring her as a cast member will premiere on January 7, 2018. She’s newly engaged to lawyer and former Atlanta Mayoral Candidate, Michael T. Sterling. What most people don’t know is that her Atlanta roots actually helped spark her interest in modeling.

The former Clark Atlanta University Student was inspired by her experience with campus fashion shows to compete on America’s Next Top Model, where she won season three!

Being a part of the Real Housewives of Atlanta cast is perfect for Eva because she's the epitome of the modern day woman. She’s historically been able to handle what life and “critics” have thrown her way. Handling motherhood, her career, and relationships with runway confidence definitely requires strength.

“We’re all trying to move through life the best way we can despite the obstacles.”

Marcille credits her pastor and the women in her life including her mother for being her sources of inspiration.

“It’s nice to have women that are older than me and mature and
wiser and those things, to kinda help us on this journey.”

Eva is definitely goals when it comes to confidence. She’s making moves in film, television, as a mom, in business, and she currently has several films starring her streaming on Netflix.

When asked for her advice to everyone working towards their glow up, Marcille stated,

“The pursuit of your goal is not gonna be easy it’s something
you have to workout everyday. We all have our timing. Trust in that.”– Eva Marcille

Eva describes her mantra for her beauty and fashion style as, “Less is more.”

We’re definitely looking forward to more great things from this beautiful, talented starlet!

*this post was originally featured on sheenmagazine.com

Goodmorning Texts To God

Just yesterday my beloved cellphone was stolen, even though at some point it hit me that I could stand to be on the cell phone less and in the holy spirit more. I'm really feeling it now more than ever.  The reality that a cellphone takes up so much of my time, so much of my energy. not to mention all the information that's poured in.

Maybe I got a little bit too overzealous with the time I was spending on it, hopefully I can use it's absence now as an opportunity to get closer and "refresh" my relationship with the creator, the one who manufactured me, who can download information and input more data into my soul, and give me just the right recharging I need to thrive.

It would be very beneficial to spend more time with God instead of giving those extra minutes to Facebook, Instagram and snapchat.

what we look at, interact with and spend time with the most continuously affects us. We are shaped and molded by all these thoughts, ideas, and images that we see, so it's best to get the vision from the truest and purest source.

Cellphones have reshaped the way people get involved in and have romantic relationships as well. Nowadays a key indicator that a guy may be actually serious about pursuing a relationship with a woman is a consistent good morning text. Notice I said consistent, not random whenever the thought may come to mind or they may be just looking to have a good time, but intentional consistency.

If a guy sends you a consistent goodmorning text it's pretty serious...and they're more than likely sincerely interested in getting to know you more. The search and courting process has been redefined.

So, what if more people had that same attitude and became seriously interested in the will of God for their lives every morning. What if we pursued God's presence as such? consistently, every morning never skipping a beat, never missing a chance or an opportunity to check in?

What would happen is there would be great a greater sense of stability, the stability that makes a "happy" home -- in this case a content and peaceful spirit in our beings which are the houses of God.

A lot of people understand that in a loving, committed relationship, better yet a marriage one of the key benefits is stability. In having a committed, consistent relationship with God through prayer and practicing faith, the stability we need presents itself better than being in a relationship with any person ever could.

Wholeness within ourselves is beneficial before we start a partnership with anyone else.

Maybe I got a little bit too overzealous with the time I was spending on the phone, and can use it's absence now as an opportunity to get closer and refresh my relationship with my creator. I'm sure I'm not the only one who may spend a little bit too much time with the cellphone, heavily attached to it.

I'm still keep hope alive that the phone resurfaces but I'm gonna enjoy this time where more life is being poured directly into my spirit and not just needless information. It's in the presence of God where we find life and we attract true peace into our lives EVERYDAY.

3 Ways To Move Forward In The New Year Successfully

by: Ruthann Mckenzie

Are you ready to move forward?

Moving forward to the new year should be something greeted with great expectation. Whether the year was a wonderful one or there were bumps in the road, there is a new start with the new year.  You can begin the steps to making a change prior to the new year. Yet, it is good to pause and reflect on what to make better for the next year.

How can you make the best of the upcoming year? The following three things should be taken into consideration with 2015 right around the corner:

• Recognize the value of time. Time is so important and we need to leave behind wasting precious moments on irrelevant things. Enjoy living in the moment and see the value in each day. Make the most out of each year, month, week, and day.

• Do not remain bondage to the past. Whatever painful situation that has happened this year or years ago can be let go of. Our memory can be used to focus on where the Lord has brought us from versus remembering all the hurt. Pain is inevitable in this lifetime, but misery is optional. You do not have to remain bondage to the past. Resolve to let that go as 2014 comes to a close.

make a new start, with a new year...

• Create clear priorities for your life. It does not take any set time of the year to realize what is important to you. However, when a new year approaches it is time to take inventory of your priorities and establish what is important and why. Practice utilizing your time wisely from the start of your day, establishing what takes priority.

These skills can be useful moving into the new year. Continue creating awesome vision boards and defining clear goals for how you are moving forward with your life. If you are ready to start fresh and not sure where to start, then check out Just Be Confident and how coaching and mentorship may be able to work for you. Make 2015 your year by moving forward!

Ruthann McKenzie is the creator of justbeconfident.com where she blogs and coaches others to be confident and live victoriously. Follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram:@theconfidentyou 

Motivation: Just Be Confident!

by Ruthann Mckenzie

“In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.
And that makes me happy. For it says that no matter how hard the world pushes against me, within me, there’s something stronger – something better, pushing right back.” ― Albert Camus

My life is turning into a series of adventures. Trying to juggle multiple tasks and not lose my mind in the process has proven to me how ambitious I can be. Yet, as much as I keep stretching and coming out of my shell. With each new day and new opportunity I try to attain I'm realizing how much more important confidence is. I get so scared I'm going to mess everything up I fail to just live. At times confidence means just showing up and doing your absolute best. Forget the doubt and fear, forget the self sabotage and just do it!

I have not figured out the success of life, but I am on the road of self discovery with greater confidence.  When I decide to let go and just be confident, then I noticed how much my self defeated speech dwindles.  Note, it does not go away, but it does quiet down.  I have compiled a few lessons I have learned along the way. I will share what makes a confident individual from the lessons I have learned...

In doing much research on the topic of confidence, I have listened to countless sermons, speeches, reading books, articles, blogs, and spoke to others to get their take on what confidence means.  This blog has been a long time coming and for good reason.  I wanted to bring something different to the table with the explanation of why confidence is important.  

One of the meanings from the dictionary in for confidence is "full trust;belief in the powers, trustworthiness, or reliability of a person or thing:" The word is derived from the word trust.  Do you have trust? Are you trusting the process? Better yet, are you trusting what God says about you? 

1 Corinthians 9:26

Today, I wanted to inspire you with a biblical perspective on confidence.  Confidence is simply trusting and confidence begins with a firm trust in God.  As scripture  points out, we are to be confident solely in Christ, not ourselves.  Without Him, there is no confidence to be gained in this world. When I do coaching sessions, these are the primary points that I teach. These have been topics I have taken much time researching and has helped those I coach and myself. I pray it will encourage you too as you gain greater confidence in Christ.

• God loves you. This gives you the confidence to do new things. God loves you where you are in your life and that love will makes you want to transform for the better through Him.

• Confidence refuses to live in fear. Confront fear and be willing to move against fear instead of waiting for the feeling to pass. Hebrew 10:39 states, "But we are not of those who shrink back and are destroyed, but of those who have faith..." Do not let fear rule your life and shrink back, have faith and conquer fear.

• Confident people have positive attitudes. Positivity is a choice. You are not protecting yourself by having a negative attitude. For example, you are not going to prevent the rain by having a poor attitude towards the rain. Instead, you can see the rain and dance in it knowing at the end you will receive a rainbow and the sun. You have the power through Christ to be happy. In Christ your attitude can change.

• Confidence recovers from setback. Being wrong is not the end of the world, and that does not diminish confidence. No failure is permanent and each new day you can begin again if you have a dream or vision. Do not quit!

• If you are lacking in confidence, check your level of faith.  Faith is trusting or confidence in the Lord to bring about that which has not happened yet. We have to have confidence in the Lord that He will bring to pass what He says He will do. Faith is a confident expectation of God's promises. Hebrew 11:1 states, "Now faith is the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen."(Assurance is another word for confidence).

• Change your approach with confidence.  Real confidence is faith activated and trusting in the Lord.  As Proverbs 3:5 states, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and lean not on your own understanding."  Keep in the forefront that this is not about you doing it alone, but trust in God.

• Confidence looks forward. There is hope in this life through Christ and we are more than conquerors through Him. Maximize your strength within and keep moving ahead.

• A confident person avoids comparison.  There is no need to want what others have as you have your own gifts and talents.  There is freedom in loving who you are and not comparing. Figure out with God what His will is in your life and work towards that. Be who God made you to be humbly and confidently. He made you unique!

• A confident person takes action. Find the solutions and do not just complain. There is no living in "if only" and "what if".  Make sure what you feel in your heart is God. You do not have to wait for confirmation from anyone other than God for your dreams and visions.

Live today and JUST BE CONFIDENT!

Ruthann McKenzie is the creator of justbeconfident.com where she blogs and coaches others to be confident and live victoriously. Follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram:@theconfidentyou 

Exclusive: "He's Worth The Wait" Book Signing Recap

Recently BOLDJournal got a chance to attend a fabulous event. The book signing for "He's Worth The Wait." was insightful, cool, and empowering just to say the least.  The event included music, spoken word artists, and powerful testimonies from singles who embraced sexual abstinence until marriage and continue to operate in God's will for their lives. 

Fanny Quioto, Author of  "He's Worth The Wait" shared some wisdom and a bit of her personal testimonies with attendees, along with her inspiration for writing the book.  "He's Worth The Wait" also has a CD version to be listened to on the go. It's a great resource to provide strength and encouragement for young ladies willing to honor commitment to God in their lives.

In He's Worth The Wait, Fanny Quioto shares her testimony of how she overcame her sex addiction and her decision to remain celibate until she says, "I do." She also shares her very personal and candid confessions and notes concerning her future husband directly from her journal. This book aims to encourage other women to remain abstinent until they are married and to remain strengthened in the process.

"He's Worth The Wait" is available now on Amazon. Overall it was a great event! We're looking forward to more events of the like. Thanks to Fanny and her ministry Hands Of Love outreach for sponsoring the event! In case you missed it we have some great images below. You can also check out a few of the video clips on our Instagram.

Breath Of Life Daily Editor-In-Chief @aprilinspired and  Poet @innertame_me rocking He's Worth The Wait tees

Breath Of Life Daily Editor-In-Chief @aprilinspired and the woman of the hour "He's Worth The Wait" Author Fanny Quioto  (Prov31status)

Attendees rocked their "He's Worth The Wait" tees. 

To acquire a "He's Worth The Wait book", CD, or for more info contact Fanny Quito via e-mail at quiotof@gmail.com and Stay tuned to Breath Of Life Daily on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram to find out how you can win a personalized copy of "He's Worth The Wait".

Step Out Of Your Comfort Zone With Power

By: Ruthann Mckenzie

Step out of your comfort zone. What is your comfort zone? What does it look like and feel like to you? Perhaps you are in a comfort zone that you have outgrown long ago. Most comfort zones are created for various different reasons, but most of the time out of fear. Fear is so powerful if you let your mind believe the illusion. At times traumatic things happen to us and we then develop a comfort zone because of it. That can be okay to cope for the moment, however long you may need, but that comfort zone cannot last forever. Nothing great happens inside of the comfort zone. There are too many limits and restricitions in a comfort zone. It seems that we are only using the comfort zone to make excuses of why we cannot do something that we really actually are capable of doing. 

I know all too well about comfort zones. I lived here trying to hide from life for years. My "comfort zone" was really a hamster wheel. I went around on the same trip over and over again. I disliked what others were doing because they were making something out of their lives. Any progress another person made I envied, yet I unhappily stayed within my comfort zone. My comfort zone was my security teddy that I bonded to after the traumas in my life. I would tell God I wanted this or that and to be moved from where I am. However, I was never willing to surrender to Him and come out of the place of where I was hiding. We hide sometimes in comfort zones. I did not really want to grow or be moved because it was scary. I wanted a relationship, but thought what happened if that person hurts me. I wanted to move out of the state I was in, but what if I cannot find a job in the new state. Something as small as cutting my hair and going natural was a struggle for me because the changes were inconceivable for me. 

There will never be a change that takes place with our comfort zone. It will be the same rut.

Touchdown in your Purpose!!

You can either learn to let go of the fear and step out in trust from your comfort zone or stay there. Where have you ever gotten by staying in your comfort spot? Is it really that comfortable? Would you really want to be there? And before you make excuses about why you cannot leave this place you are in, know that God will never take you to a place and not fully equip you. If you really intend to live your life, this short life that you have, then you need to step out of your comfort zone. This may be something different for different people. By no means do I mean go do something crazy, live by the term YOLO or anything like that. No. What I mean is if you want to build a business, stop being scared that no one will like your idea when you never even started. If you want to cut your hair, then go for it you may like it. You want a relationship, then get out and meet new great people out of your circle (that one was directly for me and who ever needs to wear that shoe)...Stop living in your past and your comfort zone at all times. 

So where can you start with coming out of your comfort zone? 

• Have courage.  Start small, start large, but start somewhere. If you take one step forward out of your comfort zone and become scared have courage that you can overcome that thing.  Greatness is on the other side.
• Stay in tune with your instincts.  You know what you truly need to do. You hear that voice on the inside that is pushing you, but you stifle it.  Listen and follow your instinct and heart.
• Be smart and make good decisions.  You will know what you are suppose to do and when. Making good decisions will get you out of your comfort zone.
• Encourage yourself. Get scared and overcome that comfort zone. Speak good things over your life and you will see the changes manifest.

If by all means you must stay within your comfort zones, then stop complaining that you never get anywhere. At times we are called to leave our past and comfort zone behind, but we are too busy holding on to it that we refuse to hear God telling us to release it and trust Him. We do not like to surrender it all and leave the place that is comfortable in fear that we will not like the new.  If you never are never willing to let go of what is familiar, then how will you know if you will like the new or not? Again, nothing great ever happens within a comfort zone. What opportunities or dreams are you passing up because of remaining in your comfort zone? Maybe it is time to move into the realm of where the magic happens and leave your comfort zone behind!

BOLD Journal Interviews Lesley Shannelle | Video

source: www.lesleyshannelle.com

Bold Journal sat down with Gospel Artist Lesley Shanelle, the gospel artist with the powerful sound also has a very powerful story.

Lesley recently released her new EP "Use Me" a phenomenal, upbeat project which to my delight is available on Spotify, ITunes, Google Play, and Amazon. Lesley's contemporary sound she will gladly tell you is influenced from Artists like Cece Winans and Yolanda Adams, but not to be confused with anyone. Lesley has her own style that's easy to fall in love with. She has an authentic sound and a unique "Flava" that's all her own. She does Christian Lifestyle Music with a flare and keeps God's word first. Awesome!!

 @LesleyShannelle, and BOLD Journal Editor-In-Chief @aprilinspired

Sitting down and getting to know Leslie Shanelle was a very empowering experience she talked about everything from from favorite scriptures to overcoming obstacles and achieving dreams. What I didn't anticipate was beyond the beauty and fresh faced glam was a woman of substance, intellect, and above all a true love for God. This was truly inspiring!  The Inspiration picked up from Lesley in our interview is the same inspiration that's reflected in her music. She was hesitant about going into the gospel spotlight, but we're so glad she did. Her authentic vibe will definitely make a positive impact and it clearly stems from a source of love. Praise God for that!!

For more info on Lesley Shannelle you can visit 627entertainment.com

Check out BOLDJournal's Exclusive One-on-One Interview with Lesley Shannelle Below:



Keep up with the latest updates by Following Breath Of Life Daily on Twitter and Instagram: @BOLDJournal.

Execute The Vision God Gave You

by: Ruthann McKenzie

"...Write the vision; make it plain on the tablets..." Habakkuk 2:2

It is time for us to wake up from our dreams and actually live it.  We all have dreams and potential goals, but we have kept putting them off for tomorrow.  Next time always turns into tomorrow, tomorrow into next week, and next week into next year. Before we know it, we are still in the same spot and are angry with all our excuses. Excuses are hindrance and lies we tell ourselves because we are scared. 

Have you had a vision in your heart? This vision that your heart desires so deeply is not going to go away until you step in faith and walk BOLDly by faith to execute your vision. Most of us are running away from our calling and life purpose because it would involve us doing something we have never done before. Well, it is time to rise to the challenge set before us and put that vision God has placed on your heart to work.
 
When we take one step forward in the right direction, then God will take care of the rest. The vision I have for my life has always been to help empower others and teach. For years I listened to what others thought I should do instead of following through with my vision. With doing so, it only made me miserable because I was not executing my vision. Does this sound familiar in any way? If so, you need to make that first step boldly towards your vision.

Below are some points to remember when moving out of your comfort zone and executing your vision:

• Have a clear defined plan and goal in place. Lack of planning will never result in anything. You do not have to over think each step and how each part will work out. However, you must make a plan and start somewhere and do something. As it states in Habakkuk 2:2, write the vision and make it plain! If you are waiting for tomorrow again to start this, then you have missed the point of executing your vision. Please wake up and make things happen. You will be happier once you start.

• Do not downplay your vision that you have been given. God knows why He laid it upon your heart to do what you are dreaming of doing. If you are faithful and listening and know His voice you will know this vision is for a reason. Your vision could be interconnected with someone else. You do not need to know the full picture, just stand in faith of why God gave you the vision and execute it.

• Stop making excuses! Just stop...no excuse is valid. When I began blogging I did not have a computer of my own. That did not let me off the hook with God in regards to the vision He gave to me. Blogging was a small step in the right direction of executing my vision. No excuse can get in the way of who God says you are and what He has called you to do. Use the resources that you have at hand and watch God work miracles in your life.

• Quit believing that your vision is not important enough to help change others. If you are working according to the God's purpose and you are confident in yourself and the abilities that He's given you, then you will make an impact in others life's. Stop believing the lies you tell yourself that what you want to do is not important. No vision is too small or too grand in regards to importance.

• Do not keep starting and stopping. Be committed and be consistent. When you start something then stop, you are delaying your true progress.  All that time you started and stopped, you could have built your vision into reality.

• Lastly, stop trying to please people and start working on pleasing God. If you honestly think that those people telling you how to live your life and what your vision should be will help you when you fail, they won't. So follow your heart, follow your vision.  Sometimes we look to others to validate us or talk us out of things.  You will not have to look too hard to find someone who has broken dreams willing to tear down your own.  Continue to pursue God's heart in the matter of your vision instead of man's approval.

Change your thoughts and verbalize what you see in your mind until it comes to pass. Your thoughts and words have power, harness that power for good! Write down your vision and execute them. Believe that God gave you this vision and ultimately it will be used for His glory. So I implore of you today to EXECUTE YOUR VISION!

You will be happy that you did!

----

Ruthann McKenzie is the creator of justbeconfident.com where she blogs and coaches others to be confident and live victoriously. Follow her updates on Facebook and Instagram: @theconfidentyou 

Um...Why Is God A "He"?

If you're Having trouble with the idea of God as male or female? The reference is usually "Him" or "He" because Christ referred to God as Father. Paul also referred to Christians having a "Fatherhood" through Jesus Christ....and there's more:

Throughout the Bible we find God portrayed as a Father. This portrayal, however, is surprisingly rare in the Old Testament. There God is specifically called the Father of the nation of Israel ( Deut 32:6 ; Isa 63:16 ; [twice] 64:8 ; Jeremiah 3:4 Jeremiah 3:19 ; 31:9 ; Mal 1:6 ; 2:10 ) or the Father of certain individuals ( 2 Sam 7:14 ; 1 Chron 17:13 ; 22:10 ; 28:6 ; Psalm 68:5 ; 89:26 ) only fifteen times. (At times the father imagery is present although the term "Father" is not used [ Exod 4:22-23 ; Deut 1:31 ; 8:5 ; 14:1 ; Psalm 103:13 ; Jer 3:22 ; 31:20 ; Hosea 11:1-4 ; Mal 3:17 ]). This metaphor for God may have been avoided in the Old Testament due to its frequent use in the ancient Near East where it was used in various fertility religions and carried heavy sexual overtones. The avoidance of this description for God can still be found in the intertestamental literature. There its use is also rare: Apocrypha ( Wis 2:16; 14:3; Tob 13:4; Sir 23:1, 4; 51:10); Pseudepigrapha ( Jub 1:24, 28; 19:29; 3 Macc 5:7; 6:4, 8; T. Levi 18:6; T. Judah 24:2); and Dead Sea Scrolls (1 QH 9:35f.).

a.k.a Yahweh.

The teaching of the Fatherhood of God takes a decided turn with Jesus, for "Father" was his favorite term for addressing God. It appears on his lips some sixty-five times in the Synoptic Gospels and over one hundred times in John. The exact term Jesus used is still found three times in the New Testament ( Mark 14:36 ; Rom 8:15-16 ; Gal 4:6 ) but elsewhere the Aramaic termAbba is translated by the Greek pater [pathvr]. The uniqueness of Jesus' teaching on this subject is evident for several reasons. For one, the rarity of this designation for God is striking. There is no evidence in pre-Christian Jewish literature that Jews addressed God as "Abba. " A second unique feature about Jesus' use of Abba as a designation for God involves the intimacy of the term. Abba was a term little children used when they addressed their fathers. At one time it was thought that since children used this term to address their fathers the nearest equivalent would be the English term "Daddy." More recently, however, it has been pointed out that Abba was a term not only that small children used to address their fathers; it was also a term that older children and adults used. As a result it is best to understand Abba as the equivalent of "Father" rather than "Daddy."

A third unique feature of Jesus' teaching concerning the Fatherhood of God is that the frequency of this metaphor is out of all proportion to what we find elsewhere in the Old Testament and other Jewish literature. (Note 165+ times in the four Gospels compared to only 15 times in the entire Old Testament!) This was not justa way Jesus taught his disciples to address God; it was the way. They were to pray, "Father, hallowed by your name" ( Luke 11:2 ). This is why the Greek-speaking Gentile churches in Galatia and Rome continued to address God as Abba. They used this foreign title for God because Jesus had used it and taught his followers to do so. It should be pointed out that although Jesus addressed God as "Father" and taught his disciples to do the same, he never referred to God as "our Father." ( Matt 6:9 is not an exception, for here Jesus is teaching his disciples how they [plural] should pray. ) His "Sonship" was different from that of his followers. He was by nature the Son; they were "sons" through adoption. This is clearly seen in John 20:17 in the distinction between "my" God and "your" God. It is also seen in Matthew 5:16, 45, 48; 6:1, 4, 6; 7:21; 10:32-33, where Jesus refers to "your" (singular and plural) and "my" father but never "our" father.

Because of Jesus' use of this metaphor, it is not surprising that the rest of the New Testament also emphasizes the Fatherhood of God. In the Pauline letters God is described as "Father" over forty times. It occurs in blessings ( Rom 1:7 ; 1 Cor 1:3 ), doxologies ( Rom 15:6 ), thanksgivings ( 2 Cor 1:3 ; 1 Thess 1:2-3 ), prayers ( Col 1:12 ), exhortations ( Eph 5:20 ), and creeds ( 1 Cor 8:6 ; Eph 4:6 ). For Paul this fatherhood is based not so much on God's role in creation but rather on the redemption and reconciliation he has made available in Jesus Christ. This is why Paul refers to "the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ" ( Rom 15:6 ; 2 Cor 1:3 ; 11:31 ). It is through the work of Christ that God invites us to call him "Abba, Father." It is through Christ that grace and peace have resulted and we have become God's children ( Rom 8:12-16 ; 1 Peter 1:3-4 ; 1 John 3:1 ).

The description of God as "father" is under attack today in certain circles. It is charged by some that this leads to a false view that God is a male. This criticism should be taken seriously in that God is not a "man" ( Num 23:19 ). He is a Spirit ( John 4:24 ) without sexual parts. When God is referred as a father, this is simply the use of a metaphor in which he is likened to a kind and loving father. Elsewhere God's love and care can be compared to that of a concerned and caring mother ( Isa 49:14-16 ; Luke 13:34 ). Yet to avoid the metaphor of father as a description and designation for God is to lose sight of the fact that Jesus chose this as his metaphor to address God and that he taught this as the metaphor by which his disciples should address God. It also loses sight of the continuity established by the use of this metaphor with those who have called God "Father" over the centuries. These include the disciples; the earliest congregations ( Rom 8:15 ; Gal 4:6 ); the earliest church councils ("I believe in God the Father Almighty, Maker of heaven and earth "); and Christian churches all over the globe who over the centuries have prayed together "Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed by thy name."

*Source: Bible Study Tools: The Fatherhood Of God by Robert H. Stine

5 Reasons To Put Down Worry and Pick Up Wisdom

Through the stress and business of daily life, and trying to maintain, I often find myself led back to the same question: What's It All About? What's that truly satisfying thing in life that has the power to make us truly happy?...and even encourage or motivate us to keep going when all hell is breaking loose?!

As multiple worries, anxieties, and to-do's weighed down on my motivation, I got my answer: Wisdom is the key! Worry and Stress doesn't belong to me. Emotions like these are tools of the devil. When the worry that usually loomed around my thoughts showed up this morning I got one command, and it held a power that was too good not to tweet:

If worry is trying to consume you, tell it to go back to hell!
— Breath Of Life Daily (@BOLDJournal) March 19, 2014

As more revelation came so did a blog title. Wisdom is so powerful and so worthy nothing can touch it. When we put down worry and pick up wisdom, we reap the benefits:



Wisdom holds Life and Honor...Literally
Long life is in her right hand; in her left hand are riches and honor. (Proverbs 3:16) Wisdom makes life easier by helping us to stress less and providing enlightenment. Less stress equals longer life, medical reports will gladly back that up. Wisdom also holds wealth and honor, in modern terms that's fortune and fame.Not the fame that causes you to be exploited and ridiculed, but the one that causes favor and admiration. Worry has no results, but negative ones. *"Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life?" -NO!  wisdom on the other hand, holds Long life and Honor.

You Better Ask "Solomon"

Solomon chose wisdom over everything. 2 Chronicles 1:7-12 Because the King chose wisdom, God blessed him abundantly with wisdom and everything else he didn't ask for including riches, wealth, and honor. Wisdom rejoices in truth, it is the empowerment serum for the soul. It made Solomon's reign better and If you read properly above,as a bonus he received the things that wisdom itself possesses. Wisdom is more valuable than anything you're clamoring to possess.

She Can Upgrade You

Because wisdom rejoices in truth, it helps eliminate unnecessary drama. The word says put wisdom first and you'll be promoted. A wise person is a blessed person. Wisdom is the key to fulfillment on so many levels. Wisdom can upgrade us better than anyone can claim or sing. Scripture says wisdom, Preserves us, keeps us, promotes us, honors us, gives us grace, and delivers a crown of glory and that's only the half...of a scripture. We can do more with wisdom than we can ever do without it.

Wisdom Satisfies

The snickers bar isn't what you're hungry for. We can search for validation and try to fill our emptiness  with temporary fixes all we want, but it will never be enough. Even the best bread can't compare to wisdom: "Why spend money on what is not food, and your labor on what does not satisfy? Listen, listen to me, and eat what is good, and you will delight in the richest of fare." Wisdom is sweeter than the honey on a honeycomb. *"I have not departed from your laws,for you yourself have taught me.How sweet are your words to my taste, sweeter than honey to my mouth! I gain understanding from your precepts;therefore I hate every wrong path." Hungry? why wait! Start digging into your word!

Jesus said it Best
There's a difference between wisdom and standard knowledge. Wisdom is more enriching. in Matthew 6, Jesus instructed seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness and all these things will be added unto you.Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own. The kingdom of God is filled with wisdom, and wisdom is filled with everything essential. Worrying about absolutely anything is useless. Wisdom is the antithesis of worry, and it's the actual cure. In the end, It doesn't matter if I have it "All Together" or even if everything looks right, with wisdom on my side I cant go wrong!

There's no need to worry when you walk in purpose, the word says God will supply your needs according to His riches in Glory by Christ Jesus. Follow your purpose passionately and leave the rest to God.