Correction

Correction

As a family we were cleaning the house and packing for a long road trip!  I asked my daughter to sweep the hallway while we did dishes and packed clothes. When she was done I asked her?  "Do you think you did a good job?"  Since she didn't even turn the light on while she swept and our hallways is dark all the time. Her answer "yes I got it all". So I quickly grabbed the broom, turned on the light and got a dust pan full of dirt. I then called her in to show her what I had found. Almost immediately I saw the light turn off in her brain and she would not be able to receive my correction at that point but I corrected her anyways because she's my daughter. I told her "when you get a job and your boss has to check your work, do you think you will keep that job long?".... so forth and so on....  

Even though I saw the lights turn off and she would not hear what I had to say I still corrected and God reminded me that He has and had to do that very thing to me so many times. He will never forsake me. He has never left me!  And part of that means He has never stopped correcting me. See I knew my daughter needed to get this lesson. That at some point in her life she would need these amazing words of wisdom from me. That she would have to apply them in her life. So I, as her mother, correct, teach and repeat!  God does this with us everyday. How many times when He speaks do we turn the light off?  How many times have we ignored His correction because it is hard?  But He is so faithful to keep bringing it because He is such a good Father!!!!  

Proverbs 19:20

20 Listen to advice and accept correction, and in the end you will be wise.

I, for one, am so glad He never gives up on me and that He constantly brings me His words of correction. His corrections are so sweet!!!!!!  

Testimony or Just “Moany”?

Testimony or Just “Moany”?

We recently had a night at church with an open mic for anyone to give a testimony.  Wow, was I ever blessed!!  Pastor encouraged us to share because by giving our testimony he said we are talking about what God is doing.  Not just doing in general but specifically doing in our lives.  Faith rose up as I listened to how God is at work IN us today!

Just like on a courtroom witness stand, we can testify.  And, the outcome of every trial is determined by testimony.  Specific, detailed testimony.  That testimony can set precedent and outcomes are determined by precedent.  Our outcomes in life depend on our testimony every day and not just the times we testify in public. 

We know the prosecutor, Satan, accuses us both day and night (Revelation 12:10-11).  I’m sure many of you have gone through times when it seems there is a continual assault against you.  Well, that’s true.  Satan is the one continually assaulting us.  But then we can take the witness stand and give testimony of what God says and what God’s doing in response to those accusations. 

What do we say when those assaults are hurled at us?  Do we remain silent wondering what is the world is going on?  Do we talk to a friend and continue to wonder how this could be happening?  When we do, our testimony simply becomes a “moan-y” that Satan uses in his prosecution against us. 

Every response we make has a spiritual force behind it—either good or evil.  Think of the first thing out of your mouth when your little one spills the cup of milk right as you are running out the door.  And, it splashes all over you!  These responses that jump out of our mouths happen so fast we don’t even realize where they come from.  But stop and think for a moment.  What I say and how I respond is my testimony. 

Am I testifying for the prosecution or the defense?  Well, I’m either making a statement agreeing what Jesus has done and is doing in my life or I’m giving my approval for Satan to do whatever he chooses.  When I think of it like this, I realize the huge cost of how I respond to pressures, situations, people, issues, lack, with the words of my mouth.

The Lord recently spoke these words to me, “I will do a work you can’t do and I’ll use your mouth to do it.”  My testimonies or my moan-ies are going to make all the difference!

Psalm 103:1-5 says, “Bless the Lord O my soul and all that is within me, bless His holy name; Who forgives all your iniquities and heals all your diseases; Who redeems your life from destruction; Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies; Who satisfies your mouth with good things; so that your youth is renewed like the eagle’s.” 

Testify and continually testify to God’s faithfulness in your life and watch Satan be defeated in the court of law and set a precedent for you and your family! 

Eliminate conceal and carry

If you live in this century, you know that there is a hot topic going around about people having a conceal and carry permit.  What this permit allows you to do is take a course and be trained in carrying firearms legally.  A lot of people are for it and a lot of people are against it.  

This devotion is NOT up to start a debate on the conceal and carry permit for firearms. I do however want to hit on this scripture found in Proverbs 28:13 (NLT).
People who conceal their sins will not prosper, but if they confess and turn from them, they will receive mercy.

The concealing and carrying I am talking about is our sin.  If you are like me, sometimes we do things that we really wish we wouldn’t have done.  Maybe its dishonesty, or we lie about something.  Maybe we are spending our time doing things we know are wrong but refuse to walk away from them.  

Whatever it is, sin has this way of making us feel condemned and out of place with God.  We feel like God is upset with us and so we keep our sin concealed and carry it around with us everywhere we go.  From the outside, we seem as though nothing is wrong, but on the inside, we are wanting the presence of God back in our lives. 


This scripture tells us to confess our sin and turn from them.  Those that confess and turn away, receive mercy!  That is good news for someone that is feeling condemned and let down.  I want to encourage you today to confess your sin and turn away from it.  God has far better things in store for you than the daily routine of condemnation.  

You can go to God.  He wants to wrap you up in His arms of mercy and pour His love on you. It takes humility to say we did wrong.  Pride makes us believe that we are ok and its no big deal.  Well I beg to differ.  

God’s word says he resists the proud but offers grace to the humble.  Humble yourself, confess your sins, turn away from the junk, and receive dump truck loads of mercy in your life today!