Some people truly believe God revolves around them

Without being self-righteous and arrogant about it, how can a person know if God is please with you?

"God demonstrates His own love toward us, 
in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us."

Romans 5:1-11

"Therefore, having been justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom also we have obtained our introduction by faith into this grace in which we stand; and we exult in hope of the glory of God. 

And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, hope;  and hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the Holy Spirit who was given to us.


For while we were still helpless, at the right time Christ died for the ungodly. 

For one will hardly die for a righteous man; though perhaps for the good man someone would dare even to die. 

But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. 

Much more then, having now been justified by His blood, we shall be saved from the wrath of God through Him.

For if while we were enemies we were reconciled to God through the death of His Son, much more, having been reconciled, we shall be saved by His life. 

And not only this, but we also exult in God through our Lord Jesus Christ, through whom we have now received the reconciliation.

Vultures have pretty eyes

So thankful for Snoopy!*

*Grateful for Charles Schultz creativity. 

Three Little Kittens

A small picture book, classic story, simple beautiful artwork!

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The Beauty of His Creation

Psalm 19

"The heavens are telling of the glory of God;

And their expanse is declaring the work of His hands.

Day to day pours forth speech,

And night to night reveals knowledge.

There is no speech, nor are there words;

Their voice is not heard.

Their line has gone out through all the earth,

And their utterances to the end of the world.

In them He has placed a tent for the sun,

Which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber;

It rejoices as a strong man to run his course.

Its rising is from one end of the heavens,

And its circuit to the other end of them;

And there is nothing hidden from its heat.

The law of the Lord is perfect, restoring the soul;

The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple.

The precepts of the Lord are right, rejoicing the heart;

The commandment of the Lord is pure, enlightening the eyes.

The fear of the Lord is clean, enduring forever;

The judgments of the Lord are true; they are righteous altogether.

They are more desirable than gold, yes, than much fine gold;

Sweeter also than honey and the drippings of the honeycomb.

Moreover, by them Your servant is warned;

In keeping them there is great reward.

Who can discern his errors? Acquit me of hidden faults.

Also keep back Your servant from presumptuous sins;

Let them not rule over me;

Then I will be blameless,

And I shall be acquitted of great transgression.

Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart

Be acceptable in Your sight,

O Lord, my rock and my Redeemer."

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Pride produces more and more arrogence

In life I have met and I have known many arrogant and prideful persons.  These people have issues, maybe even major issues, but they are nothing, nothing, like pernicious people who are uber-prideful with their evil desire to control and manipulate others for their own devises, their own little kingdoms.  

With every conquest their own pride grows.  You can actually visually see it in them as they believe they have gained even more control over you or others.  How ugly, how gross it is to witness, and it only becomes worse as their prideful, arrogance grows.

A huge issue with people like this is that they are not happy or joyful in life, and it shows on them, in their faces, their postures, their body language.  Their whole being seems to be consumed and aimed at controlling and manipulating others. Their number one job is to be "on top" of whatever is happening so that they never lose control.

Prideful, arrogant people will deny this vehemently. They will argue that they are more joyful and happy than you, they will even preach how godly they are, saying, of course, that they are joyful, but their demeanor betrays their words. Bitterness becomes intertwined in their pride as they become even more ugly on the inside and out.

I have seen bitterness. It is putrid and gross, ugly and offensive, so much so that it makes a person recoil from them----unless you happen to be one of their controlled and manipulated people. If this is you, then you always agree with them, and you help them "back up" on their pedestal of pride. 

Prideful, arrogance.  Can you imagine living like this? It is horrid and gross to think of it.

If this describes you---then quit it! Cry out to God for forgiveness, accept His grace! and apologize to everyone for your sins!
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***If you find that you are one who has been "caught" by a controlling, manipulating, deceitful, prideful, arrogant person, Cry out to God to help you escape! Never fear! He always gives a way to escape!!!! 
1 Corinthians 10:12-14, "Therefore let him who thinks he stands take heed that he does not fall. No temptation has overtaken you but such as is common to man; and God is faithful, who will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation will provide the way of escape also, so that you will be able to endure it.  Therefore, my beloved, flee from idolatry."
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Hebrews 12:12-15

"Therefore, strengthen the hands that are weak and the knees that are feeble

 and make straight paths for your feet, so that the limb which is lame may not be put out of joint, but rather be healed.

Pursue peace with all men, and the sanctification without which no one will see the Lord. 

See to it that no one comes short of the grace of God; that no root of bitterness springing up causes trouble, and by it many be defiled"

James 3:13

"Who among you is wise and understanding? Let him show by his good behavior his deeds in the gentleness of wisdom. 

But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your heart, do not be arrogant and so lie against the truth.

This wisdom is not that which comes down from above, but is earthly, natural, demonic. 

For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there is disorder and every evil thing. 

But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, reasonable, full of mercy and good fruits, unwavering, without hypocrisy. 

And the seed whose fruit is righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace."

Ephesians 4:25-32

"Therefore, laying aside falsehood, speak truth each one of you with his neighbor, for we are members of one another. 

Be angry, and yet do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 

and do not give the devil an opportunity. 

He who steals must steal no longer; but rather he must labor, performing with his own hands what is good, so that he will have something to share with one who has need. 

Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth, but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment, so that it will give grace to those who hear. 

Do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, by whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 

Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from you, along with all malice. 

Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you."

Proverbs 26:24-28

"He who hates disguises it with his lips,

But he lays up deceit in his heart.

When he speaks graciously, do not believe him,

For there are seven abominations in his heart.

Though his hatred covers itself with guile,

His wickedness will be revealed before the assembly.

He who digs a pit will fall into it,

And he who rolls a stone, it will come back on him.

A lying tongue hates those it crushes,

And a flattering mouth works ruin."

Galatians 5:13-26

"For you were called to freedom, brethren; only do not turn your freedom into an opportunity for the flesh, but through love serve one another. 

For the whole Law is fulfilled in one word, in the statement, “You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

But if you bite and devour one another, take care that you are not consumed by one another.

But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not carry out the desire of the flesh.

For the flesh sets its desire against the Spirit, and the Spirit against the flesh; for these are in opposition to one another, so that you may not do the things that you please. 

But if you are led by the Spirit, you are not under the Law. 

Now the deeds of the flesh are evident, which are: immorality, impurity, sensuality,

idolatry, sorcery, enmities, strife, jealousy, outbursts of anger, disputes, dissensions, factions, 

envying, drunkenness, carousing, and things like these, of which I forewarn you, just as I have forewarned you, that those who practice such things will not inherit the kingdom of God.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 

gentleness, self-control; against such things there is no law. 

Now those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires.

If we live by the Spirit, let us also walk by the Spirit. 

Let us not become boastful, challenging one another, envying one another."

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Oh, LORD God, save!

How appropriate for today

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If you care, pay attention!

"For by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved!" 2P2:19b

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2 Peter 2

"But false prophets also arose among the people, just as there will also be false teachers among you, who will secretly introduce destructive heresies, even denying the Master who bought them, bringing swift destruction upon themselves.

Many will follow their sensuality, and because of them the way of the truth will be maligned; 

and in their greed they will exploit you with false words; their judgment from long ago is not idle, and their destruction is not asleep.

For if God did not spare angels when they sinned, but cast them into hell and committed them to pits of darkness, reserved for judgment; 

and did not spare the ancient world, but preserved Noah, a preacher of righteousness, with seven others, when He brought a flood upon the world of the ungodly; 

and if He condemned the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah to destruction by reducing them to ashes, having made them an example to those who would live ungodly lives thereafter;

and if He rescued righteous Lot, oppressed by the sensual conduct of unprincipled men 

(for by what he saw and heard that righteous man, while living among them, felt his righteous soul tormented day after day by their lawless deeds),

then the Lord knows how to rescue the godly from temptation, and to keep the unrighteous under punishment for the day of judgment,

and especially those who indulge the flesh in its corrupt desires and despise authority. Daring, self-willed, they do not tremble when they revile angelic majesties,

whereas angels who are greater in might and power do not bring a reviling judgment against them before the Lord.

But these, like unreasoning animals, born as creatures of instinct to be captured and killed, reviling where they have no knowledge, will in the destruction of those creatures also be destroyed,

suffering wrong as the wages of doing wrong. They count it a pleasure to revel in the daytime. They are stains and blemishes, reveling in their deceptions, as they carouse with you, 

having eyes full of adultery that never cease from sin, enticing unstable souls, having a heart trained in greed, accursed children; 

forsaking the right way, they have gone astray, having followed the way of Balaam, the son of Beor, who loved the wages of unrighteousness; 

but he received a rebuke for his own transgression, for a mute donkey, speaking with a voice of a man, restrained the madness of the prophet.

These are springs without water and mists driven by a storm, for whom the black darkness has been reserved. 

For speaking out arrogant words of vanity they entice by fleshly desires, by sensuality, those who barely escape from the ones who live in error, 

promising them freedom while they themselves are slaves of corruption; for by what a man is overcome, by this he is enslaved. 

For if, after they have escaped the defilements of the world by the knowledge of the Lord and Savior Jesus Christ, they are again entangled in them and are overcome, the last state has become worse for them than the first. 

For it would be better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than having known it, to turn away from the holy commandment handed on to them. 

It has happened to them according to the true proverb, “A dog returns to its own vomit,” and, “A sow, after washing, returns to wallowing in the mire.”

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LORD, have mercy and save!

Stifled: Now set free!

Stifled

Choked

Suppressed

see:  Manipulation, control, abuse...

I often ponder what I am doing.  I question my motives and I wonder.

My desire, my heart, has always been to aim women to the LORD in their sufferings, in their grief——I have known many sorrows, agonies, and I have learned, and I have known that in all of these--all of my hope and my comforts are from the LORD.

Parts of my sorrows have come from controlling, manipulative, cold, legalistic——scary people. Leaders who bully to get their way, who threaten and seemingly win their way in their little kingdom, and who even, to this day, believe they can still control and manipulate me.  

This year, I have become stifled, choked, and even paralyzed with fear because of their pernicious threats. I live in freedom, but for whatever reasons they had to prove they control me even though they have no control over me.  

Why? 

They seemingly have “won”—they believe to have “won” everything from us.

But are they winners?  

Beware! 

Sinners in the hands of an angry God!

My conscience is free.  I have only lived around their destruction and I have more than survived—— even though we, like Uriah, who had his “lamb stolen”.  He, may have lost his life to the one who stole his only lamb, but he is most probably with the LORD in glory.  

We have walked with God in our freedom from them.   We have drawn closer to Him, showered with His blessings which they can not ever take from us.

After months of fear, I now praise the LORD who has set me free once again from this new anxiety I felt because they still believed they could control me.

My desire and my heart is still to reach other women who grieve, who weep, who are in pain, and now even more so because I have been revived again by my One and Only, the LORD God Almighty!  I will use the agonies in life for His gain.  If I am harassed again as to try to stifle me, to paralyze me, I will recognize their manipulations and just plug on joyously for the LORD.

I am free in Christ!

*Precious sisters in Christ, If you have been beaten down, harassed, silenced, paralyzed in fear from a controller, a manipulator, an abuser of any kind, you also can find comfort and freedom in Jesus.

Praise the LORD God Almighty who saved us through His Son from these sneaky, evil people, even if we must live among them on this earth.  

*Do your job for the LORD, do what He has set before you, and glorify His name daily. 

You can not do their job for them, they are the only ones who can do their job and they are the ones who will be held accountable for their own behavior before Him. This is not your business, it is God's business. Let the LORD do His business with them.

The LORD will have His day, The LORD will have His way with them.

Praises to my God and Father! 

Psalm 28:6-9

"Blessed be the LORD

Because He has heard the voice of my supplication.

The Lord is my strength and my shield;

My heart trusts in Him, and I am helped;

Therefore my heart exults,

And with my song I shall thank Him.

The Lord is their strength,

And He is a saving defense to His anointed.

Save Your people and bless Your inheritance;

Be their shepherd also, and carry them forever."

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The Best Loved Doll

One of my happiest memories as a child was this precious book.  Such a sweet story to touch hearts.

My precious mother planned my "one and only" birthday party when I was seven, inviting my friends.  She used some of the ideas from this book as I also have done. 

A treasured classic!

Who am I?

I may not look like much, 

but the power of the Holy Spirit indwells me.

Romans 5:1-5
"Therefore, having been justified by faith, 
we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ, 
through whom also we have obtained our introduction 
by faith into this grace in which we stand; 
and we exult in hope of the glory of God.
And not only this, but we also exult in our tribulations, 
knowing that tribulation brings about perseverance; 
and perseverance, proven character; and proven character, 
hope; and hope does not disappoint, 
because the love of God has been poured out within our hearts 
through the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Romans 15:1-13
"... Now may the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace in believing, 
so that you will abound in hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Laundry Day

Come, Christians, Join to Sing

Come, Christians, join to sing
Alleluia! Amen!
loud praise to Christ our King;
Alleluia! Amen!
Let all, with heart and voice,
before His throne rejoice;
praise is His gracious choice:
Alleluia! Amen!

Come, lift your hearts on high;
Alleluia! Amen!
let praises fill the sky;
Alleluia! Amen!
He is our Guide and Friend;
to us He'll condescend;
His love shall never end:
Alleluia! Amen!


Praise yet our Christ again;
Alleluia! Amen!
life shall not end the strain;
Alleluia! Amen!
On heaven's blissful shore
His goodness we'll adore,
singing forevermore,
Alleluia! Amen!

—-Christian H Bateman

Simple words, huge impact:

Have courage and be kind

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From Cinderella

I don't understand---but the LORD understands my pain.

1 John 4:7-21

"Beloved, let us love one another, 
for love is from God; 
and everyone who loves is born of God 
and knows God.

The one who does not love does not know God, for God is love.

By this the love of God was manifested in us, 
that God has sent His only begotten Son 
into the world so that we might live through Him.

In this is love, not that we loved God, but that He loved us and 
sent His Son to be the propitiation for our sins.

Beloved, if God so loved us, 
we also ought to love one another.

No one has seen God at any time; 
if we love one another, 
God abides in us, 
and His love is perfected in us.

By this we know that we abide in Him and He in us, 
because He has given us of His Spirit. 

We have seen and testify that the Father has sent the Son
 to be the Savior of the world.

Whoever confesses that Jesus is the Son of God, 
God abides in him, and he in God.

We have come to know and have believed 
the love which God has for us. 
God is love, and the one who abides in love
abides in God, and God abides in him.

By this, love is perfected with us, 
so that we may have confidence 
in the day of judgment; 
because as He is, so also are we in this world.

There is no fear in love; 
but perfect love casts out fear, 
because fear involves punishment, 
and the one who fears is not perfected in love.

We love, because He first loved us.

If someone says, “I love God,” and hates his brother, he is a liar; 
for the one who does not love his brother whom he has seen, 
cannot love God whom he has not seen.

And this commandment we have from Him, 
that the one who loves God 
should love his brother also."

Lord, with Glowing Heart I'd Praise Thee

Lord, with glowing heart I'd praise thee
for the bliss thy love bestows,
for the pard'ning grace that saves me,
and the peace that from it flows.
Help, O God, my weak endeavor;
this dull soul to rapture raise;
thou must light the flame, or never
can my love be warmed to praise.

Praise, my soul, the God that sought thee,
wretched wand'rer far astray;
found thee lost, and kindly brought thee
from the paths of death away.
Praise, with love's devoutest feeling,
him who saw thy guilt-born fear,
and, the light of hope revealing,
bade the blood-stained cross appear.

Praise thy Savior God that drew thee
to that cross, new life to give,
held a blood-sealed pardon to thee,
bade thee look to him and live.
praise the grace whose threats alarmed thee,
roused thee from thy fatal ease;
praise the grace whose promise warmed thee,
praise the grace that whispered peace.

Lord, this bosom's ardent feeling
vainly would my lips express;
low before thy footstool kneeling,
deign thy suppliant's pray'r to bless.
Let thy love, my soul's chief treasure,
love's pure flame within me raise;
and, since words can never measure,
let my life show forth thy praise.


—-Francis Scott Key

Home Place

Another precious picture book for the family. The artwork, the legacy, and the love of family infused in the telling of this sweet story is wonderful to read and reread.

Who is our help?

Psalm 18:6-19
"In my distress I called upon the Lord,

And cried to my God for help;
He heard my voice out of His temple,

And my cry for help before Him came into His ears.

Then the earth shook and quaked;

And the foundations of the mountains were trembling

And were shaken, because He was angry.


Smoke went up out of His nostrils,

And fire from His mouth devoured;

Coals were kindled by it.

He bowed the heavens also, and came down
With thick darkness under His feet.

He rode upon a cherub and flew;

And He sped upon the wings of the wind.


He made darkness His hiding place, 
His canopy around Him,
 
Darkness of waters, thick clouds of the skies.


From the brightness before Him passed His thick clouds,

Hailstones and coals of fire.


The Lord also thundered in the heavens,

And the Most High uttered His voice,
Hailstones and coals of fire.

He sent out His arrows, and scattered them,

And lightning flashes in abundance, and routed them.


Then the channels of water appeared,
And the foundations of the world were laid bare

At Your rebuke, O Lord,
At the blast of the breath of Your nostrils.

He sent from on high, He took me;

He drew me out of many waters.
He delivered me from my strong enemy,

And from those who hated me, 
for they were too mighty for me.


They confronted me in the day of my calamity,

But the Lord was my stay.


He brought me forth also into a broad place;

He rescued me, because He delighted in me."


Psalm 46:1-3,8-11
"God is our refuge and strength,
A very present help in trouble.

Therefore we will not fear, 
though the earth should change
And though the mountains slip 
into the heart of the sea;

Though its waters roar and foam,
Though the mountains quake at its swelling pride.
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Come, behold the works of the Lord,
Who has wrought desolations in the earth.

He makes wars to cease to the end of the earth;
He breaks the bow and cuts the spear in two;
He burns the chariots with fire.

“Cease striving and know that I am God;
I will be exalted among the nations,
I will be exalted in the earth.”

The Lord of hosts is with us;
The God of Jacob is our stronghold." 

Psalm 91:14-16 
“Because he has loved Me, 
therefore I will deliver him;
I will set him securely on high,
because he has known My name.

“He will call upon Me, and I will answer him;
I will be with him in trouble;
I will rescue him and honor him.

“With a long life I will satisfy him
And let him see My salvation.”

Hebrews 4:14-16
"Therefore, since we have a great high priest 
who has passed through the heavens, 
Jesus the Son of God, let us hold fast our confession. 

For we do not have a high priest who 
cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, 
but One who has been tempted in all things as we are, 
yet without sin. 

Therefore let us draw near
with confidence to the throne of grace, 
so that we may receive mercy 
and find grace to help in time of need."

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