Author Archives: marysmithcreative

Something I’ve been meditating on this week.

“But seek first the kingdom of God and his righteousness, and all these things will be added to you.”

I couldn’t remember where it was found in the bible but I knew it was the word of God. Thanks to the easy tool called google I found it immediately. Matthew 6:33.

I asked myself, why that verse Lord?
He showed me that if I seek his will, his glory, his desires for my heart and my life, then that’s when all these other things will be added to my life.

Why is it that it is SO easy to jump out of bed in the morning and start doing all that there needs to be done. And then time with Jesus gets put on the to do list and sometimes the never get to list.

If we MAKE time for Jesus like we do for our other relationships or other priorities then wouldn’t our entire lives be ultimately better?

Wouldn’t decisions be easily made? What does the word of God say on the matter? If I started to ask that before answering any matter, wow! My days would go a lot more gracefully. A lot less mistakes would be made. And I would be having a constant peace about the matter.

I encourage you to spend 1 minute in Gods word, 1 minute in prayer, and 3 in praise or worship. That’s a total of 5 minutes of your busy life. Make time to put first Jesus. Dont you know when first things are first second things are better? Stop living mediocre lives and start living enriched blessed lives that God has planned for you.

(This is 100% preaching to myself right now! 😝)

Sometimes I get caught up in all the things.

All the things I see other people doing.

The places they go.

How involved they are in church and ministry.

How involved they are in their business or work.

How involved they are in their children’s school, and sports..

I shortly after start being less than content with my life and what I’m doing.

I start asking myself, am I doing enough?
Should I have more interests?
Should I be more involved in my church and ministry?

I start questioning what my “purpose” is.

Then I see a quote like this one,

“Bloom where you are planted.”

My heart is big. I desire to help others and to be involved in all the things.

However as I’ve matured I’ve learned that for every “thing” I get Involved in, I am losing that time in other “things”. I have to prioritize and reevaluate if what I am choosing in my life is mostly taking from me or giving to me. What I mean by that is, spending time with my core people adds to my life. Spending time with my husband, my sons, my close family and friends, that adds to my life. Sometimes it’s doing the very things that require me serving others however it still adds to my life because I feel loved, joyful, and rewarded sowing into those relationships.

I sometimes get caught up with the “comparison trap” which we all know that is the “THIEF THAT STEALS OUR JOY!”

I see, let’s give her the name Pam. I see “Pam” serving in 10 ways at church, and being a leader, and attending all the events… and I’m like over here struggling to serve in 1 or 2 areas once a week.

I see “Jill” over here, going to all these bible studies, church events, conferences, and I am over here happy I was able to go to one conference in the last, I don’t know, eight years?!

I start wanting what they have or better yet what they’re “doing”. Whether they’re happy doing all those things or not shouldn’t matter to me. What should matter is, the reality of sacrifices they make to be able to do all those things…

Would I be willing to leave my family for a week for a conference? Nope. I wouldn’t. I’m in no way shaming them. Remember I was jealous two seconds ago, right? However, the reality is, I don’t want to sacrifice that time away from my family.

Would I be willing to make it to worship practice or bible study every single week, at night time after working with my children and our family owned business, and cooking dinner, and doing endless laundry? The answer yet again is, a big fat NOPE. I am too tired at night to do all those things. I just want to eat dinner with my hubby on the couch, cuddle, and watch our TV shows.

Am I willing to take my kids to sport practices on weeknights and attend games on weekends? Nope, atleast not in this season of life. Maybe once they’re older.

See, I desire the “fun” experiences of all these things. However I clearly am not desiring the work and sacrifices in order to experience those things.

It’s okay to enjoy not being overly busy. There are seasons my head is spinning with all the things I have to do. Those are the seasons I do all the things, but deep down am not satisfied. Because I hadn’t snuggled my boys and read them books, in what feels like forever. I haven’t had that date night with my hubby which is long over due and I miss doing it weekly. Instead I’m involved in all the things… but my core relationships are what get sacrificed.

Does it mean I stop getting asked to do things that occasionally I may enjoy doing? Yep. It does. And it sucks.

It sucks to stop getting asked because they assume your answer will be a no.

But you know what? What sucks more? Doing all the things, being “busy” to make yourself feel accomplished and having literally ZERO peace and rest for your body, mind, and spirit. Then on top of it, wondering why your core relationships are weak and in need of some attention.

So if I want to have fun or do something that requires commitment and sacrifice… I now examine how much sacrifice it will take from my core values (quality time with my loved ones) then I decide if I can fit it into my life in that “season” of my life.

So bloom where you’re planted.

If your season of life looks more like the busy bee season, that’s totally okay! Just make sure you’re not sacrificing your most important values, core relationships, in order to “do ministry”  or to be what appears to be the “best mom” since you’re  volunteering in all the things at your kids schools.

You can do anything, but you can’t do everything.

Pick and choose. And remind yourself why you made those decisions in the first place when you find yourself start comparing yourself and your life to others around you. If you want the change, make the change, but be realistic of what the change will require of you. Sometimes it will require you to say yes to more things and no to less important things. Sometimes it will require you to say no to a lot of things so you can say yes to helping your husband clean up the yard, helping your kids learn to read, whatever it may be, just know in those seasons, your answer may need to be no more frequently.

Choose well.

Love the life you’re living. Grow in the areas you desire to see growth. Bloom where you are planted. In the season of life that you are in.

There has been seasons in my life I thought about getting some kind of life counseling. In those seasons it was usually while making big decisions. I want to start off saying it IS in fact wise to get counsel from people with wisdom on a subject that you are dealing with. The bible talks about their is wisdom in seeking counsel.

The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, But he who heeds counsel is wise.
Proverbs 12:15 NKJV

Get all the advice and instruction you can, so you will be wise the rest of your life.
Proverbs 19:20‭ NLT

There are many plans in a man’s heart, Nevertheless the Lord ’s counsel—that will stand.
Proverbs 19:21 NKJV

However the bible speaks of heavenly wisdom vs. Earthly wisdom.

“But true wisdom and power are found in God; counsel and understanding are his.
Job 12:13 NLT

As I thought about seeking help from a counselor, the Holy Spirit reminded me of the scripture that he is my ultimate councelor. That Jesus sent him to guide me more then any humanly wisdom can guide me. So I decided I needed to dig into the Word of God and seek heavenly counsel. We have the Holy Spirit as our counselor. And in that moment I remembered what God’s word says about wisdom.

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him.
James 1:5 NKJV

👑 If you are wise and understand God’s ways, prove it by living an honorable life, doing good works with the humility that comes from wisdom.

😒But if you are bitterly jealous and there is selfish ambition in your heart, don’t cover up the truth with boasting and lying. For jealousy and selfishness are not God’s kind of wisdom.

🌎 Such things are earthly, unspiritual, and demonic. For wherever there is jealousy and selfish ambition, there you will find disorder and evil of every kind.

🌌 But the wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others.

🍉 It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere. And those who are peacemakers will plant seeds of peace and reap a harvest of righteousness.🌱

James 3:13‭-‬18 NLT

We are suppose to seek Godly wisdom. Not earthly wisdom. There is a significant difference. Earthly wisdom tells you to seek after wealth, success, fame, popularity, amd things that brings our flesh pleasures. It tells us we have everything within us to do whatever it is we want if we just “try and work hard enough”.

Although there is nothing wrong with money, success, fame, popularity, Instagram followers, doing life in a way of enjoying ourselves. We need to keep it in perspective. We can enjoy these things as long as they stay in their rightful catagory. You see we can’t earn our way into heaven. We surely can’t buy our way in either. We have to humbly except that we AREN’T enough. We aren’t good enough on our own. This isn’t to say your bad either. This surely isn’t to say your not enough in the context of putting yourself down and beating yourself up. This is simply recognizing that there is a NEED. A need that only Jesus can fill. That there is ONE ingredient to God’s masterpiece needed to be complete and that’s Jesus.

You say, “well I can do it on my own. I don’t have a need for Jesus” but Jesus says, you can do nothing of worth apart from him.

“Yes, I am the vine; you are the branches. Those who remain in me, and I in them, will produce much fruit. For apart from me you can do nothing.
John 15:5 NLT

Yes! You are a masterpiece! Please don’t take this as a “your not good enough message”. I am a huge advocate for positive thinking, self love, I mean we gotta love ourselves to be able to love others. The bible even says you otto love our neighbor as ourselves. And if we don’t love ourselves and see ourselves as worthy how can we love others?

Just like if you’re empty spiritually you aren’t going to pour love, joy, peace, and all the fruits of the spirit into you’re family. You have to fill up on Jesus then pour out into others. So with that said… LOVE GOD, LOVE YOURSELF, LOVE OTHERS!

You can love yourself and still recognize that you’re not perfect. That you make mistakes. That you have needs. And that one of those needs (the biggest need of all) is Jesus.

Now let’s go back to my point here as I wander off on a tangent…

Wisdom…

We aren’t to seek earthly wisdom. We aren’t to seek things that will bring us to a place of pride. There is a difference of being proud of your hard work, and being prideful. Keep that in mind here.

However there is a heavenly wisdom in the bible. Heavenly wisdom comes obviously from God, the Holy Spirit.

The bible speaks about wisdom being FAR more valuable then rubies.
(Proverbs 8:11)

You see the Holy Spirit’s leading will teach you what to say.
(Luke 12:12)

The Holy Spirit will give you spiritual life. (John 3:6)

The Holy Spirit will fill you with power from heaven!
(Luke 24:49)

The Holy Spirit will guide you!
(Galatians 5:16)

But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control.

There is no law against these things! Those who belong to Christ Jesus have nailed the passions and desires of their sinful nature to his cross and crucified them there.

Since we are living by the Spirit, let us follow the Spirit’s leading in every part of our lives.

Let us not become conceited, or provoke one another, or be jealous of one another.
Galatians 5:22‭-‬26 NLT

The Holy spirit will advocate on your behalf. He will teach you and REMIND you of God’s word! (However you have to read and study his word in the first place to be reminded of it!) A different translation says the Holy Spirit is our councilor. Which means we otto seek him for direction instead of seeking humanly wisdom.
(John 14:26)

So I say all this to encourage you today…

Seek the Kingdom of God above all else, and live righteously, and he will give you everything you need.
Matthew 6:33 NLT

If you’re unsure about a direction for your life, ask the Holy Spirit to lead and guide you. Remember the Holy Spirit will never contradict the word of God. So if you can’t find it in the bible and it goes against his Word it’s not from God it’s just an opinion.

Here I am writing again about focus and priorities.

I have a tendency to want to do all the things. But I truly can’t. When I lose vision of my goals I start looking to new things and ideas to take place of the ones I currently am not doing anything about. I know I am not the only one. For instance, yesterday I was feeling overwhelmed, my head was spinning with all there is to do, all I want to do, new ideas, etc.

I needed to be focused and get work done. But my brain was overloaded and my emotions were wack.

I know it was because, A. I started that time of the month, and B. I hadn’t spent time with the Lord and waking up the way I need to, slowly, in the quiet, with no one needing anything from me. I need that time to function properly. I don’t simply want it, I need it. I need it because I then can pour into the little ones who wake up and immediately tell me they’re hungry and thirsty before it’s daylight. I need it so I can happily make my husband coffee and talk to him about the things we need to do that day. I need it so I can have time to write all that’s in my head down so I can prioritize my day. I need it so I can accomplish and tackle the things at work in order to run a successful business. I need it so I can remember that I need to set meat out to thaw to cook for dinner that night so I’m not ordering my children pizza at 8:30pm because I simply forgot to feed them. Y’all, I need that quiet time. I don’t get it any other time of the day. I need a moment where no one needs anything from me. Where I can fill up my heart with God’s word, my spirit with his presence, and my mind with his peace. I need time to myself in the morning to think about what’s in my head without others adding more to my brain. I need that time of quiet so I can examine my heart, my motives, my desires, and pray and talk to God. It’s the only time that I can need something from someone else and not add anything to their plate because God can handle it all. He can handle my period emotions. He can handle my scattered thoughts zooming thru my brain. I call it my spaghetti. Where every thought touches the other and it’s all piled up and unorganized. God can handle my deepest heart’s desires without being overwhelmed or stressed out. I need my quiet time in the morning. And it’s no one’s fault but my own for not getting it. Because I simply just need to wake up when my alarm goes off instead of climbing back into my warm cozy bed. I simply just have to get up, wash my face, make myself a cup of tea, go into the other room, start with praise and worship gently playing, then prayer, making requests to God and thanking him for all he has done already. Then opening his word, some days it’s a few chapters in different books, while other days it’s one or two verses that I just meditate on and marinate on. I will sometimes read a chapter in one of my Christian books that helps give me insight on being a Godly wife, mother, friend, or spiritual prayer warrior.

I need this time and I need to stop making the excuses of being too tired to make it happen. I need to go to bed earlier. I need to set my alarm. I need to wake up and just do it.

What is something you need to do daily that helps kick your day off onto the right beat?

I find there are seasons I hear the Lord’s voice, it’s usually when I’m intently seeking his word and will for my life. It took me a while to start recognizing his voice apart from my mind. Sometimes he speaks to me thru dreams, visions, word of knowledge, and sometimes its thru recognizing the Holy Spirit’s still small voice prompting me.

My husband Mic;

I either had a dream or a vision, I feel like it was day time though if I remember right. I think it was a vision. Anyways… vision of myself walking down the isle towards my husband. He was tall, dark hair, wearing all white (ivory) but I didn’t see his face.

At that time I was dating a guy for 3.5 years that was not tall and had dirty blonde hair. The lord had been telling me he wasn’t the man for me for a while but after that vision I knew. I broke up with him. Within a month I met my husband. We met, dated, got engaged and married within 11 months. I forgot about that vision until I walked down the isle. It came back to me like dejuvu. Except this time I could see his face (because it was real life). He was even wearing ivory just like my dress, we made these choices without even remembering my vision. I never saught out a tall dark handsome man. Honestly that wasn’t even my “type”. It’s almost like the Lord allowed me to forget that vision while I met him so that I wouldn’t of been searching out a type. Instead it just happened because of my obedience to end the other relationship. And now we have been married 7 years and counting. We are more deeply in love today then ever before.

Our children…

The Lord spoke to me about each of our sons and their names. Emmanuel (God with us), and Malachi (messenger of God).

Emmanuel;

I had a dream with my first son Emmanuel. I saw him as a baby and everything, I was facing fear of being a bad mother (while we were trying to get pregnant for 11 months) and the Lord gave me a dream. I was changing his diaper and he had black straight hair and I called him Emmanuel, and in that dream God said to me, for I am with you, be at peace. I woke up with total peace and confidence in having a baby. A few weeks later I conceived.

Oh and by the way Emmanuel as a baby looked exactly like that dream! Eventually his black hair fell out and went blonde.

Malachi Jordan;

I knew from the moment he was conceived. I just knew. I told my husband we just made a baby and he laughed at me. I was on birth control too. And I said I got the name Malachi. I looked up his name meaning. Messenger of God. At this point I told my husband I needed to stop taking birth control atleast until my next period cycle, because I didn’t want it to harm the baby. I told him if I am wrong we can just use backup. But I knew I wasn’t wrong. A few weeks later I was confirmed to be pregnant.

Here is a truth 💣

Mind exploded 💥

Jesus is love. His love has no limits.

Let’s stop for a minute and reflect on how good he is.

Life is hard.

Like crazy hard.

But in the midst of the trials, chaos, exhaustion, sickness, sleepless nights, and hard days… Jesus’ love for us remains the same.

It’s so easy to get caught up with all we have to do that we lose sight of all of who Jesus is and all of what he has done for us.

Somedays I am weak and tired. I feel as if I can’t go on much longer. I Iook to attainable things to fill the void. Maybe I just need coffee, or a massage, maybe I just need some pampering alone time.

Nope.

I did need some alone time. But not to feel pampered or to have “me time”. I needed alone time with Jesus. I needed “us time”. I started to feel the inner hopelessness coming on from the exhaustion.

But Jesus.

Ya’ll I don’t know why we live our lives forgetting that he is our source of strength. He is our source of Joy. He is our source of rest.

Yes, my body needs physical rest. Clearly with being sick for 3 weeks and insanely busy, my body said no more before my brain did.

But Jesus.

He can change my heart in a moment. Just a moment of reading his word. Spending time in his presence. Reading a book that points me to him.

I can do all the things… but I will always be working out of my strength. Until I remember I can’t do all the things. I physically can’t. But he did. He physically did everything for me to have eternal life and to walk with me in this life on earth.

There is a lot of good things out there that isn’t the God thing for me. I have to keep my focus on him and his desires that he placed in my heart.
💖

Scars.

Everyone has them.
Whether it be physical scars or emotional scars.

We all have them.

As I was driving and worshipping God, I was thinking about how much God has healed me.

– Then I got the word “scars and scabs”

I had imagined a scab being picked at and opening a old wound when I think on the past, my past hurt/pain or past mistakes, and that I open up all the old pain by picking at it and thinking on it.

But the Lord said to me, “NO MARY. I don’t leave scabs or scars. I heal, as in made completely new.”

Talk about a wow moment with Jesus.

He throws the old completely out. He gives us a new creation in Christ Jesus.

The only reason we have scars is because on earth we allow ourselves to have them.

The thing about a scar verses a scab is a scar no longer hurts once healed.

A scab however still hurts, it’s in the process of healing but any pressure on it will in fact hurt it more or even open it back up.

A scar is completely healed and no longer hurts, but leaves a mark to remind you of that incident.

You see when we go through life and have pain, physical or emotional pain, we go through a healing proccess. This process can take years or days. Depending on how deep the wound is.

But guess what!? What if there is a way that you can experience healing much faster? And a healing that doesn’t leave scabs? A healing that doesn’t even leave scars? A HEALING that you no longer have to be reminded of the past?

Did you know if satan can’t get you to sin he will try to remind you of when you did?
He will try to paralyze you with torment of the pain you once experienced because he knows he can’t make you sin, so at least if he can get your emotional state of mind thrown off your mission you’ll be too distracted to fulfill you purpose for God’s kingdom because you return to a place of pain?

There is an answer. His name is Jesus Christ.
You know longer have to open yourself up to the OLD pain. The old you. You no longer even have to be reminded of the old you or your old pain! You can live a total and complete free life in Jesus! This doesn’t mean it’s easy. It means satan is going to try to step his game up because all of a sudden he no longer has any say in your life or your mind.

One moment in God’s presence can bring more healing then any amount of time or years spent in therapy.

I’m not knocking therapy. I fully believe there is benefits to it. But what I am saying is that Jesus can bring so much healing and such a peace and freedom that no human can bring you.

One moment in his presence is better then a thousand else where.

He is a good, good father. I AM LOVED BY HIM. ITS WHO I AM. Because he is perfect in all his ways.

If you need prayer and want to feel God’s presence let’s get together and pray together.

Real talk.

You see, with Jesus we don’t have scabs or scars. Jesus took our scars. He didn’t just heal them, he bore them for us and removed them from us.

🙌

“…All human relationships are limited reflections of His perfect love.”

“God is our true source of joy, contentment, and worth.

He alone can define who we are.

No one else should have that power.

Only in Christ can we find all that we are meant to be.”

– Lisa Bevere (from her book “fight like a girl”)

We have to keep our identity in God and him alone.

Just because someone believes something about you to be true, doesn’t make it true.

Just because someone voices their opinion of you, doesn’t make their opinion of you, the truth about you.

“Someone else’s opinion of you in none of your business.” – Rachel Hollis (girl wash your face)

You are who GOD says you are.

God knows every aspect of our thought life, and every motive of your heart. You yourself don’t even know that much!

Surrender your heart to the Lord, he will sustain you.

Ask the Holy Spirit to draw near to you today and everyday and he will!

He will examine your heart and tests your motives.
Ask for Jesus to cleanse you from all your sins, to wash you in his blood and to forgive you. As you choose to walk away from your sins.

Ask him to create in you a new heart, a clean heart and spirit. To get rid of any selfish ambition, lying, and deceiving spirit. To cleanse you from all pride and arrogance. And He will!

Humble yourself under his mighty hand and he will lift you up in due time.

The prideful stumble and fall.

Satan was an angel and one in high position actually. He was the one over MUSIC, over worship. (This is why I believe music can be greatly impactful and very harmful depending on what you’re feeding your spirit)
Satan became prideful and fell. And he fell so hard and so far from God that he was cast out of heaven and given his life sentence in hell.
Yall. GOD TAKES PRIDE SERIOUSLY.

And pride comes in when we start taking our lives into our own hands. Into our own control, instead of asking God, where do you want me to go? What should I do next?

Pride comes in when we seek praise from others rather then we humble ourselves and praise the Lord who gave us our gifts, strengths, and talents.

– Pride says, I know. –
(I got this, closed hands pushing away)

– Humility says, thank you. –
(Open hands to receive)

Don’t be selfish; don’t try to impress others. Be humble, thinking of others as better than yourselves.
Philippians 2:3 NLT

Pride tries to impress.

Humility puts others needs before their own.

When we rely on God, and put our trust in him, we can live in a place of total surenderence and freedom.

We can start walking in the purpose that he created for us to walk in.

When we put our trust in people, we will be disappointed, because they will fail us. Not because they’re horrible people. But because they are human and human nature does in fact disappoint, because humans were not created to be everything to everyone. God however was.

However, if we love others from a place of gratitude and let God be our source of joy, everything in us will shift.

Our perception will change from I need this, I want this, I feel this. To thank you for doing this for me. Thank you for being there for me. Thank you for listening. It shifts from a “I” need my void filled, to a  “thank you” for being all that you can be. Because you and I were not created to fill that void in each other. Only God was.

It is better to trust in the Lord than to put confidence in man. – Psalm 118:8 NKJV

I want to encourage you today as I write this. Surrender everything in you to Jesus. Talk to him. Lay it all down at his feet. He and he alone can be your everything.

If you believe a relationship or friendship will heal you. You are wrong.

If you believe a person can fill all your needs and make you happy. You are wrong.

If you look to anyone but God for your purpose, your source of strength, your source joy, you will continually be disappointed and depressed.

Stop the cycle today. Recognize it. You have control over your perception. Stop feeding yourself lies. Instead lay yourself at the feet of Jesus and let him fuel you and meet your every need. Because, I promise you he will.

The only way to trust God more, is to know him better. – Lisa Bevere (Fight like a girl)

Get to know Jesus. Read his word. Worship his Holy name. Talk to him, that’s all prayer really is. A conversation. Be still and listen to his still small voice speaking thru your spirit.

I’ve been the girl who walks into a room full of people and immediately felt anxiety.

The desire to be accepted was so strong that I feared being myself.

I was so consumed of worry and fear about how others perceived me that I allowed it to steal my joy.
Because I am a Christian, I choose do things differently then many.
I laugh at corny jokes instead of perverted ones.
I play charades instead of beer pong.
A girls night out for me is dressing up like a lady and eating delicious food and dessert with coffee.
My idea of a Friday night out, is dinner with my husband then walking around bass pro shop.

I am not here to judge others.
But this is simply ME.

I used to think that something was wrong with me for how uncomfortable I felt in those situations. I didn’t fit in. That no matter how hard I tried, I am not that kind of person who enjoys these kinds of activities. Its completely out of my comfort zone.

I’ve learned that it’s ok to not do those things and that I am not wrong for having a different opinion of what FUN is. Because when I did those things, I was left feeling very empty. What I had longed for to bring me acceptance actually enhanced my anxiety and put a magnifying glass on my differences.
I am not sitting here as a goody two shoes.

I’m sitting here telling you, I’ve tried.

It’s just not who I am. I will never be that girl and I’m honestly, finally OK with that.
I’m ok that my convictions are strong.
I’m actually thankful that they are.

I am simply me and I am finally liking who I am.

I used to believe the lie that because I lived differently, that I wasn’t liked or accepted. The truth of the matter was, I just never was myself around people in those sencerios, so how could anyone like the REAL me, if I’m clearly not comfortable showing it?

The more I live from a place of honesty, the more I’m relating to others and the easier it has been to get to deeper friendships.

God has created me uniquely for a reason. He has created me with a big heart, and a empathetic soul.

I’m learning that I wasn’t designed to be hard hearted, to be tough, to be harsh, or to have super strength.

I was designed to love deeply, feel strongly, be gentle, sensitive, and to be strong from within.

I am learning to embrace who God has created me to be.

It’s only taken me 26 years to start learning who that woman is.

So here I am. Transparent. Honest. Me.

I am Mary.

Then the scribes and Pharisees brought to Him a woman caught in adultery. And when they had set her in the midst, they said to Him, “Teacher, this woman was caught in adultery, in the very act. Now Moses, in the law, commanded us that such should be stoned. But what do You say?” This they said, testing Him, that they might have something of which to accuse Him. But Jesus stooped down and wrote on the ground with His finger, as though He did not hear. So when they continued asking Him, He raised Himself up and said to them, “He who is without sin among you, let him throw a stone at her first.” And again He stooped down and wrote on the ground. Then those who heard it, being convicted by their conscience, went out one by one, beginning with the oldest even to the last. And Jesus was left alone, and the woman standing in the midst. When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.” Then Jesus spoke to them again, saying, “I am the light of the world. He who follows Me shall not walk in darkness, but have the light of life.”
John 8:3‭-‬12 NKJV

Let’s break this down…

There was a woman. She was caught in the act of adultery.

This is a bombination to God by the way.

However Jesus is alive. Jesus was here in this moment in time.

This woman was likely naked.

Totally exposed both body and act of shameful sin.

She was probably really broken, and truly in need of salvation.

The pharisees were ready to stone her. They were trying to TRAP Jesus into doing something wrong.

The pharisees are basically in today’s world “religious people” they try to win approvable through their actions rather then thru repentance and grace of Jesus, accepting him as their Lord and savior. Instead they try to EARN their way into the kingdom of God. The problem is they don’t actually know the heart of God. Because God is love. This is what they lacked because of the lack of relationship they had with God.

Jesus, being God, being LOVE,

Saw this woman. Saw the pharisees. Saw the situation. He kneeled down and started writing in the sand. Who knows what he wrote. But I believe he was having a moment with God letting God guide him towards what to do or say next.

He says he who is without sin cast the first stone. One by one each person left.

When Jesus had raised Himself up and saw no one but the woman, He said to her, “Woman, where are those accusers of yours? Has no one condemned you?” She said, “No one, Lord.” And Jesus said to her, “Neither do I condemn you; go and sin no more.”

Let’s freeze for a moment. Jesus was without sin so he could’ve cast the first stone. But he didn’t. Because of his love and grace. This womans reply  “No one, Lord”, she addressed Jesus as Lord. She recognized who he was and the position he held. She addressed him with honor and respect, and I’m pretty confident to say she was very humble.

Jesus then replies and says neither do I, now go and SIN NO MORE.

This is what I feel like us Christian’s get so lost in. We think GRACE, GRACE, GRACE. Yes we are given grace. However part of being given that grace is for us to go and sin no more. It’s for us to decide, I will not cheat anymore on my 5 husbands (I’m sure which is why she had so many), it’s for us to decide, I will no longer curse. I will no longer be living in a judgmental spirit. I will no longer give into the lies satan feeds me to believe. I WILL NO LONGER willfully choose to sin!

There is a difference of a curse word slipping out of my mouth when I stub my toe and me just saying #@$% because I want to. The difference is my heart. When I curse on accident I repent immediately and try to do better. When I just talk in casual using f this language and other words. It’s the choice. God looks at the heart. When you look at a person lustfully, the bible is very clear and says what you have in your heart is the same as committing the sin, adultery in your heart. Like, that goes for all sin. Not just lust. That goes for lying. That goes for stealing. If you hate someone that’s the same as murdering them in the eyes of God. Yall that means I’ve murdered some people in my life. I have definitely felt hatred towards people before. Praise Jesus I dont anymore and God has helped me learn to love and forgive.

If you have ever idolized someone or something and made it the center of your world instead of God, that is the same to God as having a god before the Real God.

My point is. If Jesus is Lord of your life, yes and savior, but if he is LORD, owning your life, your actions, etc. Then you must repent, turn from your sinful ways, and go on and sin no more.

You won’t have it perfect. Don’t expect perfection. But stop making the excuses for your sinful behavior because you can’t be perfect. Keep your eyes om Jesus. If your eyes are on Jesus they won’t be on the person next to you. Or the person you’re comparing yourself to.

Seek first God’s kingdom and all things shall be added unto you.