Faith & Fire

In this video, I am sharing Proverbs 21 verses 1-3. If you need a lift... start here, today. And check out the rest of the 2021's Morning's With Mike right here - https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLuRnRD15KaEhypfYJz4HUq6XgALm8EewR When we have an attitude of gratitude, and positivity it creates an environment where other people want to be around us. They are lifted naturally through our connection with God and allowing Him to speak through us. Proverbs 21:1-3 'The king’s heart is like a stream of water directed by the Lord; he guides it wherever he pleases. People may be right in their own eyes, but the Lord examines their heart. The Lord is more pleased when we do what is right and just than when we offer him sacrifices.' As we get into this first verse it is presenting how good leadership can help everything improve. Leaders are lifters. They push their teams beyond their old boundaries and help them to be more creative and grow. We all lead ourselves and people watch us for our example. Throughout these three verses it's referring to us being kind and good people. God always knows what our deepest feelings are. We have to be aware that often the people nearest to us, and our circumstances are a reflection of who we are in our heart. We can improve others confidence and others outlook, first we have to improve our own Outlook, our own attitude, and when we do this it raises our confidence. We want to focus on lifting others up and doing what is right all of the time not because we think somebody is watching, because God is always watching. It's not just about when we are offering our time for our prayers to him. --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

In this video, I am reading from 2 Chronicles 31:20 and 2 Chronicles 31:21, and talking about the cost of commitment. I will be sharing from John Maxwell's Leadership Promises for Every Day; it's a great leadership-based devotional. He explains in this section the price of commitment that King Hezekiah had to make to get the job done. 2 Chronicles 31:20-21 'In this way, King Hezekiah handled the distribution throughout all Judah, doing what was pleasing and good in the sight of the Lord his God. In all that he did in the service of the Temple of God and in his efforts to follow God’s laws and commands, Hezekiah sought his God wholeheartedly. As a result, he was very successful.' What is the price of commitment? 1. Change of Lifestyle 2. Loneliness 3. Faith in God 4. Criticism 5. Hard work and money 6. Daily Discipline 7. Constant pressure --- Thank you for watching today and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation

Don't waste your life in pursuit of everything just to wind up catching nothing! In this video, I am talking about Ecclesiastes 2:10 and 2:11. This is where King Solomon is writing about the dangers of too many pursuits. There is the assumption that King Solomon wrote the book of Ecclesiastes. So he is writing much of it in first person. He shares the danger in too many pursuits, as discussed here in the following verses talking about the futility of pleasure. We can learn a lot here from Solomon’s mistakes. Ecclesiastes 2:10-11 (NLT) 'Anything I wanted, I would take. I denied myself no pleasure. I even found great pleasure in hard work, a reward for all my labors. But as I looked at everything I had worked so hard to accomplish, it was all so meaningless—like chasing the wind. There was nothing really worthwhile anywhere.' In society right now, there are so many options. So many things that we think we should do, so many that we want to do. FOMO is real. Focus is fading. When we pursue our worldly goals, “ALL THE THINGS” that we want and desire; we often die in the struggle. When we pursue unrelated goals it is a vain attempt to satisfy us and provide what makes us happy in the moment. When Solomon was writing this portion, he had achieved much success, one would think he was happy and satisfied, yet he still felt empty inside. We have all heard the sayings, jack of all trades, and master of none. – OR – When you try to catch two rabbits, you end up catching neither of them. Here are five things you can do, or ask yourself to help you in making decisions on what you should be pursuing right now. 1. Does this fit my priorities and character? 2. Do I know how to do this and this well? 3. Is there someone that can do this better than I can? 4. If I asked someone else, what would they say? 5. Do I have the time to take this on? --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

I have had a lot of conversations with people about worry and prayer lately. And fitting was today's reading from the book "Jesus Calling" by Sarah Young. I think a lot of people are really affected by the current social state and just where things are, and what is their place in the world. I have had a lot of people recently asking why they feel anxious, frustrated, or depressed. And I think it's because of our focus. So today we talk about eliminating some of our worry through prayer. I'll be sharing in today's episode the following verses: ✞ Luke 12:22-26 22 'Then, turning to his disciples, Jesus said, “That is why I tell you not to worry about everyday life—whether you have enough food to eat or enough clothes to wear. 23 For life is more than food, and your body more than clothing. 24 Look at the ravens. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for God feeds them. And you are far more valuable to him than any birds! 25 Can all your worries add a single moment to your life? 26 And if worry can’t accomplish a little thing like that, what’s the use of worrying over bigger things?' ✞ Deuteronomy 31:6 'So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you.”' ✞ 2 Corinthians 10:5 'We destroy every proud obstacle that keeps people from knowing God. We capture their rebellious thoughts and teach them to obey Christ. ' --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

In today's video, I'm talking about Philippians 2:14 and 2:15. We talk about how you can shine bright in a world that needs your light right now more than ever! We have a few ways to read the scripture today. We can read it simply as the scripture states, and this first part, verse 14, is easy to understand. This is direct and without any exception, approach everything you do without complaint, or without arguing. It doesn’t mean we don’t feel frustration, but how do we frame it? Just show up and do the work. Philippians 2:14-15 14 'Do everything without complaining and arguing, 15 so that no one can criticize you. Live clean, innocent lives as children of God, shining like bright lights in a world full of crooked and perverse people. ' Now when we follow and act on the first part of the direction in today’s verse – living and working without complaint and argument, then that leads us to the second part. It keeps us clean and blameless in the world. It’s important to know that it doesn’t reference sin… it’s not about morality but more direction for ourselves to keep us clean from gossip and criticism. Just be a kind person, let your light and love of God shine. This is referenced so many times in the Bible. YOU are a light! --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

In this video, I am talking about your spiritual gifts as discussed in Romans 12:6-8. Romans 12:6-8 'In his grace, God has given us different gifts for doing certain things well. So if God has given you the ability to prophesy, speak out with as much faith as God has given you. If your gift is serving others, serve them well. If you are a teacher, teach well. If your gift is to encourage others, be encouraging. If it is giving, give generously. If God has given you leadership ability, take the responsibility seriously. And if you have a gift for showing kindness to others, do it gladly.' All of us have been in positions either in school, or teams growing up, or maybe now at work… where either we or someone on our team has had to take on a role that didn’t suit them… haven’t we? This is when people are operating outside of their spiritual gifts. For example: Maybe you are an accomplished outside linebacker asked to play center… a long-time history teacher filling in as a math substitute… maybe it’s a naturally amazing salesperson put into a role to work with the CFO and process accounting… or even our roles at home. God gives us all a unique purpose, and all of us have unique gifts to fulfill that purpose. My teenage son came to me and asked, “Dad, I’m doing this school project and I am having a tough time determining ability versus skill.” I explained to him… our abilities are built-in. They are often God-given and there to serve us… skills have to be learned. When we find and practice skills that accentuate our natural abilities, that is when our gifts are revealed. These are the things that we are good at and love doing, God gave us these gifts to compliment others and grow into our purpose. So going back to the salesperson doing accounting… what happens when we force ourselves to operate outside of our gifts? When we are constantly playing out of position? Not only do we get frustrated… but so do our teammates, peers, or family members. When people are put in a position where they don’t do well… then most of the time, things don’t turn out well. As you head out right now, what is one of your spiritual gifts that you can give to someone today? --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate Disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.

Today I am talking about Psalm 40:1-2, at the core, these verses speak to us on the times we turn to God. Psalm 40:1-2 'I waited patiently for the Lord to help me, and he turned to me and heard my cry. He lifted me out of the pit of despair, out of the mud and the mire. He set my feet on solid ground and steadied me as I walked along.' Here David recalls that he waited patiently for the Lord to answer his urgent prayer. The Hebrew construction here uses the same root word twice, with different tenses. This most literally means something like "waited, waited," or "I waited to wait." This technique indicates David's perseverance in prayer for the Lord to answer. The second phrase in this verse also includes a turn of phrase. The Hebrew root word implies something turning or bending. This is a sort of poetic image, God is "leaning forward" to hear David, the way a person might do for a child who speaks quietly. The Lord heard David's urgent prayer. This is likely not a literal event in David's life such as being trapped in a pit. Rather, this is additional poetry describing how deeply desperate was David's plight. We have all ended up in this place. We can imagine being abandoned in a cavernous hole in the ground filling with water, mud, and slime on the walls. Is impossible to get a foothold, but the Lord reached down to David, answered his cry for help, and pulled him to safety. David says the Lord set his feet on a rock and made his steps secure. This image reminds us that the Lord saves, just as he rescued David from his enemies and provided security for him. --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase. --- Thank you for watching and joining me! 🕆 Mike Phillips #FaithAndFire #Leadership #Motivation --- Join me each Monday morning for Mornings With Mike! --- ▶️ Subscribe to My Channel Here - https://www.youtube.com/c/FaithAndFire?sub_confirmation=1 --- My other channel for leadership and motivation is http://YouTube.com/MikePhillips --- ➡️ My AMAZON Affiliate store! - 👍 http://amzn.to/2DI1Lhx ---- ** Affiliate disclaimer: Some of the links listed go to my websites and some are affiliate links which may generate me a sales commission if you make a purchase.