The verdict is out and you are charged!!! You are condemned and convicted!!!

Conviction: Shame; a painful feeling of humiliation or distress caused by the consciousness of wrong or foolish behavior.

God supplied us with The Holy Spirit when we placed our hand in his and declared boldly we belong to him. The Holy Spirit is our spiritual conscience. Are you feeling a sense of conviction about something, pray about it and take care of the situation.

1 John 3:20 ESV “For whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything.”

Condemnation: The expression of extreme disapproval. The action of condemning someone to punishment; sentencing.

This is where it gets tricky! Satan is the king of condemnation! There is a difference between the feeling conviction and the feeling of condemnation. Conviction comes from the heart, from our spirit; it’s the difference between right and wrong. Condemnation comes from shame, embarrassment and guilt. Conviction comes from God; Condemnation comes from Satan!

Romans 8:1 ESV “There is therefore now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus.”

Convicted: Having been declared guilty of a criminal offense by the verdict or a jury or the decision of a judge.

You are in trouble, the courtroom is packed. God sits on the bench, gavel in hand! You can hear the whispers, the murmurs, of the audience; what is the sentence going to be?

In walks Satan, dressed in black from head to toe with a menacing aura of darkness surrounding him, you can hear the gasps in the background . He looks at the jury and starts reading off your long list of sins, wrong choices and harmful actions. Your stomach sinks; it does not sound good at all!

Wait!!! There’s a hush in the crowd, the doors swing open and all you can see is light! It’s so bright and warm, it’s your lawyer! It’s Jesus and he’s dressed in all white and glorious! He looks at Satan and says, “this one is mine, I paid for his sins, he is free in me! The gavel slams, and God pronounces Not Guilty!!!

John 16:8 ESV “And when he comes, he will convict the world concerning sin and righteousness and judgment.”

Colossians 2:14 NLT “He canceled the record of the charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross.”

Thank you Jesus!

Be blessed today and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Isaiah 61:10 ESV “I will greatly rejoice in the Lord; my soul shall exult in my God, for he has clothed me with garments of salvation; he has covered me with the robe of righteousness, as a bridegroom decks himself like a priest with a beautiful headdress, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels.”

This verse was in one of my devotional readings this morning, and as I read it, I could hear my mom or myself years ago…kids all dressed, pressed, teeth brushed, and hair combed. We are leaving in a minute, don’t get dirty!!!

Yet here we are, clothed and robed in God’s royal finery and we:

We complain and grumble because of this or that; it didn’t work the way we wanted. We are having to wait, or work for, or towards our dream or goal. We have to deal with uncomfortable situations or life choices. We have to deal with life!!!

We take for granted all the simple blessings we have, ask the person who can’t walk, run, hear, see, get out of a chair or bed without assistance. Leftovers again, but we forget to be thankful that we have food on the table.

We get cranky, snarky, snarly, resentful, tired, bored, and testy!!! It’s just another day, I hate my job, I’m tired of the dishes and laundry, I’m tired of being home all day by myself, I’m tired of all of these people in my face. It’s too hot, it’s too cold, dang it’s raining again, we need more rain…on, and on, and on!!!

We just got dirty…our beautiful garments are now soiled and wrinkled! Can we stay spotless every moment of every day! No and No!!! But then Jesus knew this, God sees us through Jesus, so we are perfect in his sight! Is this license to run havoc through the mud? No, but when we fall, when we grumble, when we forget to be grateful. We have our Lord Jesus.

Lamentations 3:22-23 NIV “Because of the Lords great love we are not consumed, for his compassions never fails. They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

So, remember this, if you notice a mark or stain on your face or in your attitude, look up, show him the spot, ask for forgiveness, recognize and wait for the warm, loving washcloth. To swoop down and gently scrub you clean, again!!!

Be blessed today and be a blessing and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Hello and Welcome to May! Yay!!! May is a happy month because it’s the month the flowers bloom and color fills our world. April showers bring May flowers!

Dear Lord,

I bow before you this morning, this beautiful morning as it’s Sunday, your day, our day of rest.

Lord, I pray that your rest would fill our spirits, that we may walk today in peace. Slowing down long enough to look around us. The grass is a vibrant green from springs drinks of water. The skies are showing more blue then grey these days. The lilacs are in full bloom, sharing their beauty and unstoppable fragrance.

The rivers and streams are flowing somewhere and it must be grand because they appear to be in a hurry. The birds have so much to eat they sing glory to you throughout the day. The bumblebee is stretching, yawning, in preparation for his upcoming flights of fancy to all the colorful flora dotting the landscape.

Spring has sprung and summer is gracefully following. My prayer is that you will help us take a moment or two, helping us to slow down long enough to take a deep breath of your fresh air, exhale and take a good look around.

Help us to see your beauty today Lord and not focus on the ugly!

For this humble prayer, for the flowers, the birds and the sunshine I give thanks, in your name Lord Jesus I pray. Amen

Be blessed today and thank you for joining me. 🥰

To be continued from yesterday…I thank you Lord!

For When I am…

In Need, you are my supplier. Philippians 4:19 NLT “And this same God who takes care of me will supply all your needs from his glorious riches, which have been given to us in Christ Jesus.” Psalm 34:9-10 ESV “Oh, fear the Lord, you saints, for those who fear him have no lack! The young lions suffer want and hunger; but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.” (Fear of the Lord is a reverence of, a respect for)

Ill, you are my healer. 1 Peter 2:24 ESV “He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed.” James 5:15 ESV “And the prayer of faith will save the one who is sick, and the Lord will raise him up. And if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven.”

Troubled, you give me peace. Isaiah 23:3 ESV “You keep him in perfect peace whose mind is stayed on you, because he trusts in you.” Romans 15:13 ESV “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, so that by the power of the Holy Spirit you may abound in hope.”

Lost, In You I Am Found. Isaiah 41:10 ESV “Fear not, for I am with you; be not dismayed, for I am your God; I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” Luke 19:10 ESV “For the Son of Man came to seek and to save the lost.”

Matthew 28:20 NLT “Teach these new disciples to obey all the commands I have given you. And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.”

I hope that I have given you some scriptures to stand on, learn, remember and use. Use the emotions I’ve provided to do your own further scripture searches, better yet, add your own emotions and do a scripture search. His word is a lamp to our feet; turn it on, let it guide you!

Be blessed, be a blessing and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Thank you Lord for when I am…

Weak, you are my strength. Philippians 4:13 ESV “I can do all things through him who strengthens me.” Isaiah 40:31 ESV “But they who wait for the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

Scared, you are my safe haven. Psalm 91:1-2 ESV “He who dwells in the shelter of the Most High will abide in the shadow of the almighty. I will say to the Lord, ‘My refuge and my fortress, my God, in whom I trust.” Psalm 61:3 ESV “For you have been my refuge, a strong tower against the enemy.”

Confused, you are my direction. Proverbs 3:5-6 ESV “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not lean on your own understanding. In all ways acknowledge him, and he will make straight your paths.” Psalm 32:8 ESV “I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my eye upon you.” Psalm 37:33 ESV The steps of a man are established by the Lord, when he delights in his way.” Jeremiah 29:11 ESV For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.”

Lonely, you are my friend. John 15:13 ESV “Greater love has no one than this, that someone lay down his life for his friends.” John 3:16 ESV “Foe God so loved the world, that he gave his only Son, that whoever believes in him should not perish but have eternal life.” Revelation 3:20 ESV “Behold I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and eat with him, and he with me.”

I hope and pray that if Jesus is tugging on your heart strings, knocking on your door that you will open it and invite him in, it’s the best decision you will ever make.

I have a second part to “When I Am…” for tomorrow. I hope you will join me and thank you for being here today! Be blessed, be a blessing and have a great day! 🥰

1 Corinthians 2:9 NLT “This is what the Scriptures mean when they say, no eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him.”

I used to look upon this scripture as being about heaven! I’m sure it is a reference to heaven; think about it! The Lord created heaven and earth, the wonders and beauty that surround us are from his hands. Can you imagine how much more beautiful it is without man’s hands mucking everything up? Anyway…

Take this scripture and rewind a bit; what about before we get to heaven! No eye has seen, no ear has heard; what about an hour from now, tomorrow, next month, and the years to come? No mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love him!

Could that be a fresh start in a new location? Could that be the spouse you long for? Could that be the healing in your body? Could that be the healing in your marriage, relationship, friendship, or family!

It might be opportunities you only dreamed of, vacations you never thought possible. It may be as simple as reaching a place of quiet peace.

I believe this scripture is simply telling us to trust in him…

Cross reference 1 Corinthians 2:9 with Isaiah 64:4 NCV “From long ago no one has heard of a God like you. No one has ever seen a God besides you, who helps the people who trust you.”

See…give it a try! Put your tiny hand in his big one, and I can assure you, you will see places you’ve never seen, feel things you’ve never felt, and walk in a manner you’ve never walked before!

Have a most awesome day and thank you as always for joining me. 🥰

Are we becoming a society of sheep? The herd mentality, describes how people can be influenced by their peers to adopt certain behaviors on a largely emotional, rather than rational, basis. Wikipedia

It starts in pre-school, we are lined up to go to the bathroom, recess, lunch and at the end of the day to go home. We become adolescents and want to be part of the crowd, often doing things we know we shouldn’t just to fit in. We have to fit in at work, church, clubs, events, etc…

The Bible refers to sheep as God’s people. Sheep were sacrificial animals; Jesus is called the Lamb of God. He was the greatest sacrifice. They symbolize gentleness, innocence, purity, sweetness, forgiveness and meekness. Notice it doesn’t include weakness!!!

As sheep, in Christ, we are to be like-minded. We have One Bible, One Lord, One Way!!! We have instructions on living, worshipping, loving and praying. We are Christs examples and in our walk with Jesus, we are to follow him as He is our Mighty Shepherd.

As people, we need to be individuals. God made us to be who we are, we all have a place down here with a job to do! We need to stand out from the crowd, be a little different, do what we know to be right. Pray about what we aren’t sure about and to be a testimony.

In the days to come there will be many events, happenings and choices to be made. Know where you stand and what you stand for, so you don’t end up falling for everything. If it isn’t right for you, doesn’t feel quite right or you just aren’t sure. Pray about it, find out what God has to say about your situation and move forward accordingly.

Today and in the days to come, there will be many opinions, ideas, and agendas. Be Smart, Be Informed, Be Ready…

Thank you for being here! Be blessed today! 🥰

What do you see when you look at yourself in your mind?

What do you see when you look in the mirror?

Hmmm, well, in my mind, I’m probably in my early thirties. Before the fine lines had started to appear and the little streaks of silver began to reside in my hair—when I could eat anything and not gain weight. The day I could run as fast as my kids.

The mirror, well that’s a different story! I see a grandma, my crown of glory. I have white hair now residing in my hair. I have lines around my eyes showing the roads traveled, and lessons learned, in short wisdom. I can no longer eat whatever and whenever I want and can no longer run as fast as my kids, even tho they don’t run as fast as they used to either . 😉

What does God see when He looks at us?

1 Samuel 16:7 ESV “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look on his appearance or on the height of his stature, because I have rejected him. For the Lord sees not as man sees: man looks on the outward appearance, but the Lord looks on the heart”

Possibly when you see yourself, you see mistakes, failures, bad decisions, harmful words, and actions. You might see all the wasted opportunities and see laziness or worthlessness. You might see too short, too tall, too fat, too skinny, too stereotyped to change.

2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold the new has come.”

It could be you see yourself in a larger view than you should. Are you a bully but call it strength? Could it be a job title that enables you power! Are you your hero, praising yourself on how good you are or how well you accomplish things? So good, you don’t need to change. Do you sing your praises so loudly, no one else’s could even be heard?

Galatians 5:16 ESV “But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh.”

The message is; whether you aren’t seeing yourself as Christ sees you or whether you need to take a more humble view of yourself, find out what God sees! Ask him to help you see!

Ask him to help you make the changes you desire or need. He will listen and be right beside you. I’m in the process of a make over right now! Will my hair still have white in it? Yes, but the freedom and peace that comes within my changing make me feel like I could run as fast as my grandkids! 😂

Take the time to take a new look at yourself! A child of God loved and desired. It isn’t the values and way of the world that matter; it’s the treasures you store in heaven that count. Be blessed, be a blessing, and thank you for joining me. 🥰

Everyone who knows me knows I am a daddy’s girl. I was blessed by a wonderful loving and supportive father. He taught me many ways of handling life, often just by his example. My dad never said, “Oh you’re a girl, you can’t do that!” My dad was a father!

Maybe, sadly your father isn’t the perfect example of a dad. He doesn’t live up to the picture or your expectations. Possibly, he isn’t even around. My three children were born to a father such as that; to avoid child support, he was always on the move and under the grid.

Upon raising my children as a single mother for thirteen years, I would stand on this scripture and repeat with thanksgiving every night in my prayers. Psalm 68:5 NLT “Father to the fatherless, defender of widows-this is God, who’s dwelling is holy.” I wasn’t a widow in the physical sense but in the support and help in raising my children I was. There was never a day that the Lord didn’t supply our needs or was wasn’t beside me as I pulled my little overloaded red wagon. Take heed of this scripture you parents out there raising your children alone.

2 Samuel 7:14 NIV “I will be his father. And he will be my son.”

Whether your father has passed onto heaven, is absent from your life, is too busy working, self-absorbed, self-medicated, or wasn’t taught the skill by his dad. Whatever the reason, if your earthly father isn’t available or has let you down, I know one who never will!

James 1:17 ESV “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shadow due to change.”

No variation or shadow due to change!!! Can you truly grasp this? No variation, so his answer or behavior won’t depend on his mood or state of mind! No shadow due to change, this means no shadow of doubt!!! No shadow of fear as you approach!!! He never changes, his word never changes and on this you can be sure. The Lord is the one constant in our lives and world.

So, even if you have or had the best dad in the world like I or one that’s not so hot. Please, give God our Heavenly Father a chance, even with a great dad he still fills all the spots and he can fill yours too. Let Him!!!

I hope you are blessed today, with that bless someone else. Thank you as always for joining me. 🥰