James W. Inspirational Thoughts

  A negative minded person has weak faith, yet they will tell you their faith is strong. You can't have it both ways. Have you ever been around a negative minded person? They'll take anything positive and throw a negative spin on it, phrasing it as viewing life from all angles. Do not allow yourself to fall into that sinkhole, because if you do you'll struggle mightily climbing out of it.

  The valuable lessons we learned in life are defined from the mistakes we made and our ability to listen. Through close observation, those that lack knowledge isn't derived from ones own inability to attain knowledge, it's for the lack of desire to attain knowledge that cripples many people.

  The ceiling for some people in life are higher than others. For some, it's a matter of expectations one has set out for themselves. But despite the outcome, your life was already predetermined at birth and God knew it. It's nothing you could have done to change the trajectory of your life and what you became despite your life decisions, it was meant to be.

  Once you've discovered you have outgrown a person, do not be ashamed to reveal it. Minimizing who you really just to fit in with someone you know maturation hasn't matured, will do nothing for you internally.

We are saddled with a plethora of options in life, including getting our lives in order in the eyes of God. It's totally up to you to take advantage of those opportunities as it presents itself. Because one thing is certain, we're only allowed so many opportunities in life.

  If your a futuristic thinker, your probably not accepted in most circles. Such people can see the unseen long before it comes into fruition, even years in some cases. It's those type people God blessed with keen insight unmatched by common individuals that lack vision. So much so because they can't see the forest for the trees.

  Why would you support something you don't believe in? Supporting something you don't believe in isn't being genuine, nor does it paint a good picture of you as a person. Honesty always has and always will be the foundation of truthfulness.

  You thought it was worth it at the time because you envisioned the outcome being different. But now that you've seen the outcome you regret it. Why? Why regret something you mentally gave your undivided attention at the time of your decision? Sometimes in life it's not the decision you made that caused you problems, it's the decision you didn't make that caused you the most problems.

  If you allow a person to be themselves without judgment, you have a friend for life. You cannot change a person from what God created them to be, therefore you must accept them as they are, understanding that life has no template for all to follow.

  Do you realize how blessed you truly are? It doesn't matter how poor you are, your still blessed beyond blessed. The average lifespan during the times Jesus was alive in AD was 30 to 35 years old. Yes it was a select few God allowed to live very long lives, however, for the (average) to be 30 to 35 years old means that it was very few and far between that lived into there senior years. Jesus life was taken at or around the age of 33 years old. So the next time you have the notion of sitting around complaining about life, think twice.

  It's mind boggling how so many people are willing to dial back their inner growth in order to fit in with people they care about. It's as if they are ashamed to reveal the inner growth within them. Why? Growth is nothing to be ashamed of, so stop hiding it. It's perfectly fine to outgrow people, because it shows maturity and a willingness to change, the Lord loves that whether you know it or not. It doesn't mean you have to distance yourself from a person, they'll do that anyway once they see the growth within you.

  Are you aware that the sun is always shining, even when it's raining? No, not the sun above the clouds, but the sun that shines in your life. You see, despite the trials and tribulations you've endured periodically throughout your life over the years, the sun never stopped shining over you. That's just the Lord's way of telling you he's always watching over you.

  It's nothing wrong with being optimistic on your inner most desires, but be honest with yourself. You can only go so far in life with the physical attributes you possess. It's the character within yourself that creates opportunities for true companionship. You'd be surprised at the things a person can see within you when they look at you without ever uttering a word to you, nor do they have to know you. It's mythical to think a person has to know you in order to know what they need to know about you. The gift of insight is real, spirits don't lie.

  If only you had been more patient, where would you be today? If only you had listened to the Lord when he spoke to you. If only you had listened to the person you despised of the most. You see, God will strategically place people in your path he knows you'll ignore, including himself, just to see how focused you are on life, knowing you will fail the test every time.

  When a person tells you, "you think your better than me", that's incorrect thinking. The reason they even came up with that thought in the first place, is because "they do" think your better than them. Disassociating yourself with a person doesn't translate into that frame of thinking, it simply means your mentally in a different place and you simply have no space for the things that person is involved with.

When it comes to life itself, leave your inhibitions at the doorstep and enjoy the life God gave you. Nothing is coming to you because you think your "due" whatever it is you desire, because it's not coming. Living your life a certain way doesn't equate to rewards through acknowledgment of all the great things you've done in life, that's now how life works. You must maximize the fruits that life has to offer and don't take it for granted.  

  Petty is defined as something of little importance/trivial. We are now living in a society consumed with pettiness and ignorance. It's pettiness that has the prison system overcrowded. It's pettiness that dissolves relationships. It's pettiness more people are being murdered than ever. It's pettiness that makes the workplace uncomfortable. It's pettiness the reasoning of more people requiring anger management. It's pettiness why more people are road raging. And it's pettiness more people have strayed away from the Lord.

  How do you know when you've found peace? You've found peace when your soul is pain free. You've found peace when the sun brings a smile to your face. You've found peace when you've removed toxic people from your life. You've found peace when the leaves aren't moving on the trees and all you can hear is the birds chirping. And you've found peace when the mere thought of Jesus Christ brings tears to your eyes.

  Sometimes people can take subtle jabs at your character without you even recognizing it. They'll insult your intelligence but your to ignorant to recognize it. Elevate your awareness.

If you truly care about the person you love, you would do the necessary things it takes to keep them happy. Otherwise the relationship will ultimately fail and you'll find yourself lonely for years to come. No relationship can survive without sacrificing self for the sake of peace.  

  Where are you with Christ? Have you ever sat back and wondered just how far you've come? For some, they've elevated themselves above who they once were, others have declined because they have somehow lost contact with the Lord. These things happen when you take your eyes off of him. One sure measuring stick is hearing his voice when he's talking to you. That voice may come from someone you hate, dislike, judged, or even someone you lack respect for. The Lord doesn't discriminate on who he chooses to deliver his message, it can come from anyone, even a child.

  Why do you need a pat on the back for doing God's work? Doing God's work doesn't require acknowledgement from man. As long as God acknowledge you that's all that should matter.

A message to people engaging in criminal activities. You've repeatedly seen people going to prison a plethora of different ways, what makes you think you can commit the exact same crime and get away with it? What provoked you into a life of crime in the first place? At what point in your life did you decide committing crimes is the life you wanted to live? Do you hate people that bad? Or is it you just hate yourself that bad? Are you even aware that the price for committing crimes is becoming a legalized slave for the government? These are things you need to think about the next time you get the notion to go out and commit a crime.  

  Peace is something most people strive for in life, it calms the spirit and gives us longevity in life. Once you've achieved that place in life that brought you peace, do not allow anyone to enter your space that may otherwise compromise that peace. It can also chase away bad spirits, poor health and low self esteem. Peace breeds good health, happiness and great spirits.

  Deception is often time used when a person has an agenda they want to keep hidden from you. It can be very subtle because they become chameleons in your life, knowing your likes and dislikes, knowing what to say and not say in order remain in your good grace. However, even the most brilliant of chameleons can be exposed by merely remaining silent, remain motionless, and pay close attention to there actions and the words they speak. You'd be surprised at what you pick up.

  It's never your fault, take it or leave it is the mentality you portray, and where has it gotten you? Accept me as I am is your slogan, knowing you have holes to fill in your character that isn't acceptable. So now you've added yet another reason for companionship to elude you. Your much older, your physical attributes are declining, and you refuse to alter your attitude. 3 negatives. And what are the 3 slogans from God? 1. Father 2. Son 3. Holy ghost. 3 strikes and your out.

  If you don't want to know the truth, what is your purpose in life? If you don't want to know the truth, that says a lot about your place with Christ. If you don't want to know the truth, your living in an unrealistic world. If you don't want to know the truth, do not invite people into your life. If you don't want to know the truth, your heart is not in the right place with the Lord.

How many options in life do you feel you have for companionship? Some men/women have been blessed with a plethora of options, others haven't. For those that have minimal options, in some cases they actually feel those option extend outside of reality. Yes, your suppose to be confident in yourself, but you must also be mindful that father time doesn't work in your favor. And although beauty is only skin deep, be accepting that your physical attributes have never been worthy of attention throughout your walk through life. Accept the hand you were dealt and enjoy the life you have left. It's unfortunate but that's the way life works. 

  In most cases you can review a snapshot visual of a person parents without ever meeting them, by simply looking at the actions of that individual. You can also in some cases look into the future of the children by the actions of the parents. No parent is perfect, however, poor parenting is very transparent.

  It's not your fault if your relationship fails, that's a two way street. But it is your fault if you "allow" it to fail and not place the Lord in the midst of your troubles. If your leaning on the Lord "after" the storm has passed and needing the strength to move forward, it's to late by that time. Why would you summon the Lord "after" the relationship has dissolved? That's backwards. If the Lord wasn't worthy enough for you to call on him during the relationship, you aren't worthy enough to call on him afterward the relationship is over. His purpose becomes pointless. That was just time in your life wasted you'll never retrieve back.

  We're faced with a plethora of serious decisions from one day to the next, with many being so routine you've taken for granted the seriousness of those decisions. And no it's not a negative that you've taken it for granted, but it does show just how "naturally" focused you are on life, so that's a positive. However, you still have a plethora of decisions collecting dust you haven't addressed that could bring pleasure into your life. Why haven't you addressed them? What are you waiting for?

  Why do some people feel compelled to create false narratives to make a point? Why not simple make a point, and allow the point itself to stand on it's own merit? If your making a point, believing in what you say, allow your point to carry it's own weight. Life itself doesn't need your help, it speaks for itself. You must allow the Lord to validate you, trusting that he will speak for you as needed. No further confirmation is needed at that point. So stop trying to have the last word as if your word matters, because it doesn't.

  Many people celebrate birthdays, but in actuality, your birthday is the day you were born. After that date it becomes a distant memory you'll never remember because you were only a few seconds old at the time you entered this world, so what are you celebrating?

  It's one thing to desire love and affection, it's another thing to reject love and affection when it's offered to you. Love and affection is not something that grows on trees, so it's not plentiful or widespread. That is not to say you have to go running for it as it presents itself. However, if that is something that has eluded you most of your adult life, one would wonder why would you reject something you may or may not ever see again? Your not doing yourself any favors by being abrasive, it will only harden your heart over time and cement your place in life away from true companionship.

  Sometimes in life you can put your best foot forward without actually putting your best foot forward with someone you care about. You shouldn't have to go all out to prove yourself to a person, that's overkill. Because in doing so means you have to maintain that level of over extending in order to keep that person interest. If the warm affection and attention you give that person isn't enough, that's the very same reason marriage will always elude them. People like that will grow old living life running from the obvious.

  It's no secret that negativity draws the most attention, it's like a magnet, people are drawn to it and can't get enough of it. Positive things seem to draw less attention because it's boring, bland and it's nothing juicy that makes the mouth water. Are you that miserable about your own lives that you need negative energy to feel good about yourself? Negativity has no shelf life, just ask Adam after he bit the apple.

  Group conversations can be very educational, but not in a sense from the topic itself. It's the people engaged in the conversation that teaches you something you overlooked from all the years you knew that person. The less you talk the more you learn. You'll be shocked at what is revealed about a person by remaining silent, focusing only on the inner spirit that person generates.

  It's mind boggling how many people would prefer to remain ignorant over educating themselves. Refusing to receive knowledge is very harmful to your overall way through life. It doesn't take a genius to know that wisdom breeds success in life. When the Lord says you will perish from lack of knowledge, that's exactly what he meant.

  Christianity has been tainted for over 2000 years despite our commitment to our perspective religions. Many people love the Lord yet are unwilling to obey his commands, go figure. We're now living in a world defined by the size of your bank account, size of your house, complexion of your skin, size of your waistline, and the whiteness of your teeth. where are we going with this? Does anyone even talk about the Lord anymore?

  If your one of those people that hate children, remember this, you were a child once. Children are the pipeline to our future, and those same children may be the very ones that end up taking care of you one day.

  We're all born in ignorance, however, do not allow ignorance to be the foundation that defines your character. Embrace knowledge and understand that your survival in life depends on it.

  If you don't love yourself enough to take care of yourself, how can you expect others to love you? Self love is the best kind of love anyone can have, without it life is pointless.

  If you hadn't already, one day your going to wakeup an wish you had chosen a different path in certain areas of your life. Once you've done that, your perspective on life will change instantly. Relying on prayer for every moment of your life will always keep the light shinning, even in your darkest moments. It's at that point you'll realize you should have done some thing differently with your life.

  It's almost baffling how some people can conveniently create a plethora of excuses to benefit themselves. And yet when it comes to being creative to things that carry substance, that creativity is thrown completely out the window. Why is that? Why is it so hard to be creative when it counts the most? Does everything always have to be about you?

  If you know it’s coming, why do you allow yourself to be engulfed in it? There are too many things in life that you can avoid, but you’d rather remain stationary. Sure, there are some things in life that will mentally paralyze you for a brief moment in time, but you can’t allow your brain to be suspended on life.

If someone is offended by something you said, exercise humility and apologize. It's not your decision to decide on the validity of the words being spoken. that decision lies only to the recipient of your words.

  If you aren't willing to put your best foot forward in a relationship, stop expecting the same in return. And oh by the way, if you have high standards for yourself and still failing to sustain a relationship, obviously you've priced yourself off the market to the point you aren't marketable. It's at that point your nothing more than an attractive picture not worthy of hanging on anyone's wall.

  It doesn't take a genius to figure out that with God all things are possible. However, it takes understanding to realize that with God requires a lot of patience, because without it you have nothing. Lean not onto your own understanding when things aren't adding up. Always remember, the Lord is calculated with everything he does.

  Once you discover you were wrong while in the midst of your anger, it would be very pleasing to the Lord to admit you were wrong and be apologetic for your emotions. Self correction is one of the most humble gestures a person can make. Dialing back your emotions in the midst of your self awareness is even more pleasing to the Lord.

  Believe it or not, most people are not in touch with there own inner spirit. How well are you in touch with your own spirits? Understand this, the spirit that lies within you can be seen and felt by those that are in touch with the Lord. So you see, no matter how hard you try and hide who you really are, your inner spirit will always reveal itself without you even knowing it. It's an animalistic instinct the Lord blessed us with from birth that we unconsciously carry with us through life for self protection.

  It comes a time in life when you just have to let those tears flow, accepting life for what it is and move forward. We often times fight those emotions, with the thought process of having to remain strong. Strength isn't built from holding back tears, it comes from releasing those tears.

  If a person says they love you despite your combative spirit towards them, perhaps you need to take a step back and look in the mirror. You should be grateful of that person willingness to even share those feelings towards you. It's a privilege to be loved, not a right.

  Knowledge is not something that is automatically attained life. It has to be an inner desire from within in order to navigate through life. Knowledge can increase your quality of life, extend your lifespan, as it can even enhance your overall character as well. But these things can only be attained if your willing to embrace receiving it, otherwise you will perish in the eyes of God for lack thereof.

  It's people that love and care for you that never make there presence known to you, are you aware of that? Of course not because if you did you would know who they are? Sometimes in life it's the invisible people that love you more than those in your presence. Love doesn't always have to be visible.

  Life doesn't have a definitive answer to everything that arises in our lives. However, we are presented with a plethora of options that will alleviate our issues that would otherwise prevent us from attaining those answers. It's up to you to find them.

  Reach for the stars and you'll find yourself accomplishing more than you ever thought you could accomplish in life. At the very least, give yourself a chance, it's the least you can do. Your not a failure for trying, your a failure for not trying.

 It's a plethora of things we can hide in life and take it to the grave, but the one thing we cannot hide in life is (history). Some people will avoid educating there children on history with the thinking it isn't worth rehashing the past. Such a perspective will only provoke history into repeating itself all over again, which is why the bible has been repeating itself for centuries. 

  Your best friend doesn't necessarily have to be a human, it could be an animal. Your inner soul doesn't necessarily have to be attached to a human, it could be an animal. Companionship isn't the only thing that can extend our lives, animals have the same impact. God created animals for a reason.

  If only you would have followed your first mind, where would you be today? God was talking with you the entire time but you ignored him, because you had no idea he thought that much of you in the first place.

  If your going to give someone advice, don't present it as if your way is the way for all to follow. Present it in a way that's optional, with the understanding that in life we have options, and its yours to use if you want it.