Discernment is a gift from God. It’s the ability to recognize something, to distinguish if something is or someone is good, bad, honest, worth being connected to with the senses or with intuition. While Jesus placed Himself in situations that ultimately led to the cross, we humans are given discernment by God to protect us from “unnecessarily” situations.

At some point in a person’s life, Jesus makes Himself known to people. That can be through the kindness, generosity and love of others, when someone tells us about the gift of salvation, when we’re forgiven, when we go through trials, or through direct encounters. Brian Simmons and Gretchen Rodriguez point out how Jesus’s glory is revealed to the nations, and one way is through us in how we love others.

Read today’s Friday Post, on an incredible Father-daughter story of a woman who was committing adultery but she met God, Who didn’t meet her with condemnation but gently addressed her sin.

“When we think of a new year we think of new beginnings, new goals, and new resolutions. It’s always good to strive to make new goals,” says SEELE Editor Ally. With Philippians 3: 12-14 as a guide, Ally reminds us that our goal is Jesus, who is the model of looking forward, not backward.

SEELE contributor Thomasena Thomas opens up about how Advent is a reminder of the real reason for the Christmas season, on how Jesus is shalom, a reminder of wholeness and lacking nothing.

This Friday Post comes from devotional writer Sarah Young, where she reminds us that our focus this holiday season and every holiday season should be on Jesus and his sacrifice to come as a baby to bring relationship between God and man.

For today's Friday Post, SEELE’s Editor Ally, shares a challenging question: "Are you living from a place of purpose?" The most fulfilling life is when we choose to live from the purpose that God has called us to live and Ally points out how important this question was for Jesus and how important it us from us.

For today's Friday Post, SEELE Editor, Ally shares in a new series that as we’re all getting back into the swing of things in this age of Covid, and as we start up again, we may be faced with questions of trying to discern the voice of God. In this new decade, the roaring 20s, what a roar it will be with seeing many signs and wonders from God. But, with moves of God in this year there will also be moves of the devil. In order to make it through 2020, we have to resolve to go deeper with God, to be in a deeper relationship with Him to overcome what the decade may throw at us.

This month, Seele’s Editor, Ally will point out four inspiring women and share practical life tips that we can apply to our own lives. And this week we’re looking at Mary from Bethany, the sisters of Lazarus and Martha, the one who sat at the feet of Jesus.

We don’t know too much about Joseph, the earthly father of Jesus. We do know that he was from the tribe of Judah and most Christian denominations agree that he was way older than Mary, somewhere in his 40s when he married 13ish year-old Mary. And, that he most likely had children from another marriage (it is presumed he was a widower) when he married Mary.

We’ve entered into a new year and a new decade. But, nothing will change in our lives if we go into this new year not confronting the brokenness and negativity from past years and past decades. 365 days from now, you and I will be in the exact same place if we don’t decide to draw a line in the sand, resolving that certain mindsets and behaviors are ungodly and cannot come 2020.

So, for this month, Seele Magazine’s Friday Posts will be a part of a new series titled ‘Confront Thyself,’ with Proverbs 27:19 as our guide, with this idea, as if you’re looking at your heart and your soul in a mirror. Our Editor, Ally will present 5 issue areas that you may be struggling with that are ungodly and can’t come any further into 2020, unless you want a repeat of 2019.

Today, the topic of jealousy is on the table. When we’re jealous of another, we are indeed holding ourselves back from God’s purposes for our callings. Here are a few ways to think about jealousy.  

One of the most fascinating women of the ages, Mary the mother of Jesus was a humble girl from the tiny town of Nazareth. Giving birth to Jesus around the age of 13/14, she would carry a burden, a beautiful burden, but a heavy burden the rest of her life. ‘The rare moment- accounts of conversations between Jesus and His mother that we find in the Gospels are laden with love and riddled with pain.’ A relatable woman to us all, SEELE’s last Friday Post of 2019 highlights a woman whose life was forever changed when Gabriel met her with news. And her unwavering devotion to her Son’s mission is a reminder of the true reason of the season.

We all know the miraculous account of Jesus feeding the 5,000 but there’s some real nuggets of gold here that you may not have realized. This miracle is more than just some miraculous account in the Bible. It’s a fulfillment of Old Testament promises, it solidifies Jesus as God and Lord, and we see God’s heart for people. Read more to find out the significance of Mark's account of Jesus feeding 5,000.

Seele contributor, Cassandra Portee reminds us that in Jesus we have a true friend, and that when we face trials and setbacks that if we place them into His hands, we will fare better and have His peace.

Seele contributor, Thomasena Thomas has traveled to Africa and South America to do missions, and reminds on the importance of being the hands and feet of Jesus on the earth.

Through the power of questions, Satan seeks to get us off track by thwarting our thinking that God isn’t Who He says He is. He did this with Jesus, to tempt Him in the wilderness.

Seele contributor, Ben Mack fasted for the Muslim holiday of Ramadan- “I should probably begin by saying I’m not a Muslim. But, like many Muslims around the world, I’ve been fasting this past month for Ramadan. Long story much shorter, the experience has deepened my faith in ways I could not have imagined – as well as deepened my empathy for fellow humans.”

A lot of times we can get caught up in wanting people to follow us- our ideas, blogs, articles, social media accounts, style, etc- says Seele Editor, Ally. But these are all carnal things. I’m not saying people don’t have good ideas or style, but they are still carnal. People are already looking at us and we don’t often realize it because they aren’t telling us. If we follow HIM, then it may lead people to follow HIM as well.

“The revelations of love when you are in this glorious cloud is intoxicating,” writes Seele Magazine contributor Rebekah Mazzei. Valentine’s Day has just passed and Rebekah reminds readers to cultivate a day with just YOU + GOD, and that when we come back to our first love, we will in tune with the LOVER of our souls.

Lebanese-Armenian Messia Sfeir details his abusive childhood. He shares how past pains and hurts were healed when he put them in the hands of Jesus.

We know from verses like James 5:16 that fervent prayer is powerful when it’s coming from a righteous person. And we know that prayer changes things. Sometimes we fall short in our prayer life. But, if we only knew how powerful and impactful prayer is, we’d never miss a day of it.

Seele contributor, Rebekah Mazzei, shares a whisper that came into her Spirit this week, in her quiet time with God and she shares it: “I’ve done my best, now it is time for God to do the rest.” 

Seele contributor, Ben Mack talks about how political party partisanship should not be what divides us, but rather I shared idenity in Jesus should unite us.