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I will be off line for awhile.

| lindamowles

I am sending this post as an apology for the infrequency of my posts recently.

For the past 6 months I have been having health difficulties that have intensified recently. I hate to say this, but I do not believe that I can publish anything regularly at this point.. I hope to be able to post something once a month, but even that may be a stretch.

I pray that The Ruminant Scribe has been of comfort, encouragement and maybe even challenging for you. I will return to posting as soon as I can and I covet your prayers as I struggle with these health issues. For now, though, I will watch the hummingbirds and revel in God’s glory.

Blessings to each of you, my dear readers.

Linda

BRIDGES

| lindamowles

Bridges have always been a source of facination for me.  I love to drive across them and I love to look at them.  Some are known world wide, such as the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco.

Other bridges are not quite so well known.  Take for example some of these bridges that are beautiful and which take their job seriously.  This bridge is along the coastline of Oregon. 

This bridge is the Perrine Bridge in Jerome, Idaho, and it is beautiful as it spans the canyon created millenia ago.

This is just one of the bridges over the Mississippi River.      

Then there are the much smaller bridges that you come upon in the woods when you are walking the trail.   Here are a couple of samples that you might find on the next trail you walk.

This is a swinging bridge in Manitoba, Canada.  I don’t know if I would go down that bridge … I might find a boat to carry me to the other side of the stream.

Then we have the wooden plank bridge that goes between the two sides of the cavern below.

Wooden bridge across creek in the Smokey Mountains

And last, but certainly not least, we have the bridge over the Royal Gorge in Colorado. 

Bridge over the Royal Gorge, Colorado

All these bridges have something in common.  Not their construction materials or their location, not their popularity or their scare factor when looking down.  No, all these bridges have this common factor – they enable people to move from one side of the canyon/river/stream/whatever the hindrance may be, to the other side.

That is precisely what a bridge does.  We use the bridge to get where we could not otherwise go. That is its job.  That is its purpose. 

We have need of a bridge in our personal, spiritual life too.  In the Bible, Isaiah says this about our condition before God:

Behold, the LORD’s hand is not shortened, that it cannot save, or his ear dull, that it cannot hear;  but your iniquities have made a separation between you and your God, and your sins have hidden his face from you so that he does not hear.

Isaiah 59:1-2

IAdam and Eve sinned in the Garden of Eden, and that set the tone for the rest of us.  We are all sinners and we cannot come to God on our own because God will not look at us in our sinful state.  This is what Isaiah said … our sins have hidden God’s face from us so that He will not hear us.   We are separated from God by our sin.  

Indeed, the Puritan theologian Jonathan Edwards made this observation: “The smallest sin is an act of Cosmic Treason against a Holy God.”   Edwards also said: “You contribute nothing to your salvation except the sin that made it necessary.” 

How do we span the chasm that exists between us and God?  God did not forget our helpless estate.  Indeed, Jonathan Edwards noted: “The door of God’s mercy is thrown wide open, and Christ stands in the door and says to sinners ‘Come.’” 

On our own, we cannot span that chasm.  Rather, Jesus Christ is the intercessor between us and God; He spanned the chasm when He was on the cross, dying for our sin.  He led the perfect life that we cannot live, and He died the horrific death that we deserve.  He is the One who made it possible for us to cross the gulf between us and God.

Beloved, bridges are fun to drive across and to look at, to marvel at how they are constructed and to be thankful that they transport us to the other side of the river/stream/whatever.  But, the most important bridge that you can fathom is the intercessory work of Jesus Christ on your behalf. 

Trust Him.  Look to Him in all circumstances.  Praise His holy Name.  Thank Him for your salvation and for the gift of eternal life. 

Lord Jesus, we praise Your Name for the blessings that You so grant to us.  The freedom from sin, forgiveness when we do err, the gift of eternal life, the gift of the Holy Spirit Who guides and leads us moment by moment each day, and so many more blessings that are beyond counting.  We thank You and we praise Your Name.

OBEDIENCE IS BEST!

| lindamowles

We want our pets to be obedient.

We want our children to be obedient.

But we, ourselves, are seldom obedient!

We have been reading 1 Samuel and specifically the downfall of Saul as the first human king of Israel.  Saul became pompous and disobeyed God’s command, resulting in God taking the kingdom away from Saul and, ultimately, giving it to David.

Here is what Samuel said to Saul:

And Samuel said, “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, as in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, and to listen than the fat of rams.  For rebellion is as the sin of divination, and presumption is as iniquity and idolatry. Because you have rejected the word of the LORD, he has also rejected you from being king.”

1 Samuel 15:22-23

Talk about speaking truth to power!  That was the unenviable job of the prophets, telling the people and those in power when they were in violation of their covenant with the Lord, prophesying about the coming judgment for their disobedience, and then giving them hope for the future if they repented of their sins.

For Saul, the Lord rejected him as king because Saul rejected the word of the Lord.

The words of Samuel have something to say even to 21st century folk.  Do we listen to the Lord?  Do we obey what we hear? 

I remember when I was young my mother would say that the words she spoke to me went in one ear and out the other! 

Is that what we do with the message from God?  Do we let it go in one ear and not take root but just slip out the other ear without any change in our mind, heart or actions?  

If we don’t pay attention to God’s words, Samuel says it is rebellion and presumption.  Notice, presumption is “as iniquity and idolatry”.  Why is this true?  Because when we presume that we know best, we are setting ourselves up as our own idol.  We say that we don’t need God … we know what is best for us and we will do it.

Anything that takes the place of God in our heart, mind and soul is an idol, and God will not tolerate it. 

We read in Exodus 34:14:

(for you shall worship no other god, for the LORD, whose name is Jealous, is a jealous God)

Exodus 34:14

The sin of idolatry is a direct affront to God and He will not be put aside.  He will not be numbered among the various gods that you worship … He must be supreme because He is the only real God of heaven and earth.  All other “gods” are the invention of mankind, made of wood or stone, unable to breathe or hear or speak.  In contrast, God has made all things, even us.  He will not be mocked.

Beloved, read the Word of God and take it to heart. Think about it, meditate on it and let it sink into your heart, mind and soul.  Don’t reject it as old school, out of date or irrelevant … it is as relevant to our 21st century world as it was 4000 years ago. 

Don’t become your own idol.  You are finite, you are not in control, you will ultimately die.  At that time, you will face God and He will judge you.  Oh, Beloved, trust in the Lord Jesus for your salvation.  Repent of your sins and accept Him as Lord and Savior.  You won’t be perfect, far from it; but in Christ Jesus you will have an advocate with the Father and you will be clothed in Christ’s righteousness. 

Blessings to you.  I pray that you will not reject the words of Christ Jesus but that you will read the Bible, even the Old Testament because even there you will find words to live by and guidance for your life as it points forward to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Father, I pray that Your words in scripture would be soothing to readers and that they would enlighten the heard and mind of those who come to You in faith.  Bless the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart that they might be pleasing to You.

Do you have power?

| lindamowles

This morning I put my bagel in the toaster and walked away to get the juice from the refrigerator.  As I moved across the kitchen, I thought something was wrong, but couldn’t put my finger on it.  I turned to look at the toaster and the bagel was still sticking out of the toaster’s top.  Interesting, I thought.  I walked back and realized that I failed to plug the toaster into the wall socket. 

The toaster’s source of power was right there, waiting to be used, almost willing that the plug would come over and move into the socket.  But it wasn’t until I plugged the toaster into the power source that it became a useful kitchen tool, toasting my bagel for my breakfast.

I returned to the refrigerator to get the juice and I thought how much like the toaster I was.  When I’m sitting in my chair, and I haven’t spoken to my Lord at all, I haven’t read His Word at all, I haven’t prayed to Him at all … I am not plugged into my power Source.  I can do a lot of things in that condition, but none of them will be what the Lord has asked of me. 

The power to do what He asks is from Him, not from me.  He asks me to love others.  I can do that without His power, but it will be a selfish love, a love that says “I’m doing this for you but I would like for you to do something for me, too”.  Or, “I hope you realize all that I am doing for you!  Give me some credit for being so nice!”

The love from Jesus, however, is a self-sacrificing love.  It is love for the enemy, for the one who has harmed us, for the one who detests us … we are to love even them.  The love from Jesus is love that has no self interest at heart; it is love that is pure and centered on the one we are serving in love.  It is not mushy, heart-warming love, it is hard and difficult to do and it cannot be done in our own power.  The power must come from the Lord Jesus Christ.

Jesus said:

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 13:34

Again Jesus said:

“But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, … But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil.  Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luk 6:27.35-36

We are to love others for a multitude of reasons, but here are just a few:

  1. We are to love others because it is a command from the Lord Jesus Christ. (Luke 6:27)
  2. We are to love others because we are to be the kind of person He is, and He loved others expressing that love even when He was on the cross. (Luke 23:34. “And Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.’ And they cast lots to divide his garments.”)
  3. We are to love others because God loved us when we were still sinners, having compassion on us and being merciful to us.  (1 John 4:10-11  “In this is love, not that we have 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.)

Beloved, rely on the Lord Jesus Christ to give you the power to love as you should love.  Do not rely on your own strength, will-power, or determination.  Let the love of the Lord Jesus Christ flow through you to others.  Then it will be the love that goes beyond all limits and boundaries.  It will be divine love that comes from God, the Father and His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ.

Have power?  Oh yes you do, through the Lord Jesus Christ!

Father, thank You for giving Your Son to be our Savior.  Thank You for loving us even when we were sinners and when we were running away from You as fast as we could, doing evil and hating others all the while.  Thank You for bringing us to Your Son, our Lord, and for His atoning work on the cross on our behalf, for the Lord taking our sins upon Himself and giving us His righteousness in exchange for our sins.  What a marvelous blessing You have given us.  Thank You Father.  Thank You Son, Redeemer and Savior.  Thank You Holy Spirit. Amen.

FAMILIES

| lindamowles

I am an only child.  Therefore, my family is quite small … my Father, Mother and me and my dog Tippy.  (The picture was taken before we obtained Tippy!)   While I have several cousins, we probably couldn’t fill up a large SUV! 

We have some friends in our church who have 10 grandchildren, all in one family.  The eldest granddaughter recently married a man who also was from a family of 10 children, and they are already expecting their first child.  I simply cannot comprehend that large a family!

Families are complex entities, subject at any moment to be loving and forgiving and then turning on a dime to be condemning and hateful.  Since I don’t have any siblings, I can’t emphasize with those who have struggles with their siblings.  I certainly know that such difficulties exist, however.

One thing I do understand — the church family.  The people my parents worshipped with at the time I was born prayed for me, as I weighed only 3 pounds 10 ounces, not a survivable weight in the 1940s.  But my Father called the church and they prayed for both me and my Mother.

I contracted polio and required experimental back surgery when I was 9, a surgery that required being in a body cast for a year.  The church family surrounded me with love, prayers and well-wishes, their helping gestures were too numerous for me to comprehend.

Years later, when I was a single parent attending law school, a different church family came to my rescue on numerous occasions as they took care of my young children, brought food, and prayed for me, among other things.

Now my children have children of their own and my husband and I enjoy the marvels of a loving family as we gather to celebrate various occasions, such as my husband’s birthday yesterday. 

But our nuclear family is not the only family the Christian has — the obligation to participate in the church family’s health and safety looms large as we remember Jesus’s admonition to care for each other.

A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another: just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.

John 13:34

But love your enemies, and do good, and lend, expecting nothing in return, and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High, for he is kind to the ungrateful and the evil. Be merciful, even as your Father is merciful.

Luke 6:34-36

The Apostle Paul, writing in the book of Romans, said this about our love for each other:

Love one another with brotherly affection. Outdo one another in showing honor.

Romans 12:10

In John’s first epistle, he reiterated the place that love should have in our lives.

Beloved, let us love one another, for love is from God, and whoever loves has been born of God and knows God. 

1 John 4:7

The church family – it is much like our earthly families.  There are those we love to get together with and there are some we would more than likely shy away from.   Some folks are easy to get along with and others are more difficult.  Then there are those who are beset with dementia, and other mental disorders, and they often are unaware of the difficulties that they create on a daily basis.

But, we are called to love and care for them. 

Why? 

Because we are just as unlovely as the other folks in the church family.

Why?

Because God loves us and gave His Son for us. 

Why? 

Jesus commanded us to love each other.

Showing kindness and mercy is hard when we are pressed about with other things that call for our attention.  Showing love is hard when the person to whom it is extended does not want it or will not remember it moments later.   But that is exactly what Jesus commands that we do.  Further, it is what He did when He died on the cross for us.  He gave us love when we did not deserve it and when we didn’t even know it existed. 

Praise His holy name for all the wondrous works that He has blessed us with on a moment-by-moment basis!

Even if your family is not exactly as you would have wanted, love them.  Show Christ’s love to them.   And extend that same love to those who are in your church family.  We are called to do so.  Don’t ignore a command of our Lord Jesus Christ.  Follow Him and He will give you the grace and patience, the wisdom and courage to undertake the task, even if it is difficult.  After all, He promises that He will be with you all the way!

Lord, there are often times when I don’t think I can do it.  Help me to remember that my family and my church family both need my care and concern for them.  They may need food and clothing, a ride to the doctor or an appointment for a haircut.  Help me to be sensitive to their needs as we go through the days waiting for Your return.

Joy in difficult times

| lindamowles

Have you ever done something simply because it felt good?
During the cold months, we have an example of this everyday with our little Snickers, a miniature pincher (although I think there was a chihuahua mixed in there somewhere). We have coats for both Snickers and Cuddles and they wear them outside, and sometimes inside, when the temperature dips.

Cuddles likes the coat but when she comes inside, she immediately runs to a chair and walks back and forth until she opens the Velcro fastener. Then she tries to get it off with the result that she often has an “off the shoulder” look as she seeks our help in relieving her of the cumbersome coat.

Snickers does not object to the coat like her sister … she tolerates it without complaint, walking around the house with it on until the time when we realize that she doesn’t need it on, and we take it off of her.

Then, her actions become the humorous event of the evening! In short, she drags her back legs along the floor, then flips onto her back and twists for a while, then she does a circle crawl … always the same thing and always prompting a chuckle from us.

So, what makes you happy so that you do your own version of the happy dance?

During this year as we have experienced COVID-19, there has not been much to make us happy … lockdowns, illnesses, deaths, shortages of food and supplies, and the list goes on. Birthdays not celebrated, deaths not memorialized, anniversaries celebrated in front of the television … promises of future good things, of course, but we are still in the here and now.

Praise the Lord that God is in the here and now with us. He understands the pain of illness and ultimate loss. Remember Jesus weeping at Lazarus’ tomb as described in John 11:1-45. He understands the sorrow when a child is ill as described in Mark 5:22 when Jairus came to plead on his daughter’s behalf. He understands when we are tempted; Matthew 4:1 records when Jesus was tempted by Satan in the wilderness. Hebrews 2:18 says that because Jesus was tempted, he is able to help us when we are tempted.

Beloved, even in these difficult times that are lasting longer than we ever expected, there is reason to be joyful. The Lord is with us, comforting and encouraging us. We are not alone during these difficult days. Be joyful. Psalms exhorts us to be joyful on numerous occasions … see Psalm 95:1 for an example. Proverbs 17:22 says that a joyful heart is good medicine, but a crushed spirit dries up the bones.

Be joyful. Consider Snickers and her joy at being out of her coat. Now that is something that might bring a smile to your face, even in difficult times.

Lord, enable us to find joy even in hard times. Give us grace to be joyful and grant that we would praise You at all times, even when things are hard!

EVIDENCE FOR EARLY CHRISTIAN PERSECUTION, S.J. THOMASON

| lindamowles

There is actually a substantial amount of historical evidence available that confirms that life was not easy for the early Christians. I ran across this article authored by SJ Thomason that summarizes some of that evidence. I am going to copy a paragraph from it and then provide the direct link to the article. Her article also includes facts on Christianity as a religion, the historicity of the Bible, archaeology and some rebuttals to skeptics.  Quite an informative article. It is well-written and presents an excellent summary of Christ’s ministry, His life and the lives of the early Christians as they suffered horrific persecution. Hope you enjoy Ms Thomason’s article as much as I did.
—————————
Life was not easy for early Christians. In the New Testament, numerous reports by authors such as Luke and Paul document early Christian persecution. Acts 7: 54-60 documents the stoning of Stephen, while Acts 12:2 documents the way Herod Agrippa put James, the brother of John, to death by the sword. Paul was also stoned, beaten, jailed, which he documented in his New Testament books. His beheading by Nero was documented by Origen, Tertullian, and Dionysius of Corinth (Habermas & Licona, 2004). The martyrdom of Jesus’ half- brother James was documented by Josephus, Hegesippus, and Clement of Alexandria (Habermas & Licona, 2004). Peter was crucified upside down, as confirmed by Eusebius, the first church historian, in his book “Ecclesiastical History” and also by Dionysius of Corinth, Tertullian, and Origen.

To read the rest of this excellent article, please click on the direct like below:
https://christian-apologist.com/2019/07/23/nothing-is-impossible-with-god-the-triumph-of-christianity/

Blessings to you as you walk with Christ through perilous times.

Father, Thank You for granting us the ability to see that the early Church was, indeed, under such suffering and hardship that it is difficult for us to comprehend. Let us not forget that that same suffering is still going on today in many parts of our world. Lord, protect Your Church. You have promised that the “gates of hell” shall not overcome Your Church. Please comfort and strengthen those who are enduring persecution even now. Strengthen each one of Your Children so that we may be witnesses to the lost world around us, witnesses of Your love and compassion, of Your life and ministry, of Your resurrection and future return to claim Your Church.

LOST IN SPLENDOR

| lindamowles

LOST IN SPLENDOR

Have you ever …

Gotten lost in …

The splendor of nature?

Bryce Canyon in Utah was one such place for us.  It was beautiful and the hoo-dos were intricately made from rain, wind and ice.  They were not carved by water!  We stood at the canyon rim and we were breathless in its beauty and expanse.

Another place that took our breath away was Yellowstone National Park in Montana. 

The stunning terrain …

The smoking pits with water way past the boiling point …

Geysers like the White Dome geyser that spewed hot water high into the air …  

And Old Faithful geyser that is so predictable its eruption can be timed to the minute.

We live in a chaotic world where people have a difficult time getting along, where people murder and maim those who hold philosophies different than theirs, and where wars and rumors of war disrupt life for millions of people on a daily basis.

But, when we look at nature, we see God’s magnificent handiwork and His power, even in this fallen and sinful world. 

David said this about God’s creation in the Psalms:

O LORD, our Lord, how majestic is your name in all the earth! You have set your glory above the heavens.

Psalm 8:1

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the sky above proclaims his handiwork.

Psalm 19:1

The heavens are yours; the earth also is yours; the world and all that is in it, you have founded them.

Psalm 90:11

The heavens proclaim his righteousness, and all the peoples see his glory.

Psalm 97:6

For as high as the heavens are above the earth, so great is his steadfast love toward those who fear him;

Psalm 103:11

Paul, in the letter to the Romans, says this about God:

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

Beloved, look around and see the glory of God.  It is evident in the beauty of nature.  God’s glory is shown in His creative work, even today.  The beauty of flowers and trees, of birds and animals, the beauty of a newborn baby.  Yes, sin has entered the world and it is not the glorious creation God intended, but evidence of God’s power and nature still exist, even in this fallen world.

Take time to open your eyes and behold the beauty of God’s creation.  Then, praise Him for His wondrous works to the children of men.

If you don’t know Jesus Christ as your savior, seek out a Christian who can tell you about the Lord and help you come to saving faith in the Savior who gave His life for His people.  Then you will be able to rejoice and view the world in a new light, an everlasting light through Jesus Christ, our Lord and Redeemer.

Father, thank You for the glorious creation You provided for us.  I pray that whose who don’t know You would seek out someone who could guide them in their walk with Jesus.  I ask this in Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Doggie Nose Smudges

| lindamowles

If you follow The Ruminant Scribe regularly, you are probably tired of hearing about our two miniature pinschers, Cuddles and Snickers.  Their antics are legendary, well, not legendary but to us they are terribly funny! 

At times other than during the Christmas season, we have a sofa that is in the living room under the picture window.  The “girls” love to sit on the top of the sofa and look out the window, scanning the street for anyone who would dare walk in front of the house.  Indeed, one of the things we love is coming up the drive and into the carport while we see their faces watching for us from the back of the sofa. Of course, they are barking little dogs.  Thus, they sit on their perch and bark like banshees when someone walks along the road, only to be quiet when the person is out of their view.  

While we are eating in the dining room, we have this view of them!  It is humorous because they are always in the same relative position.  Cuddles on the left and Snickers on the right.

The last couple of days, however, we have had rain and extreme fog.  So much so that we could not even see the house across the street, and the canine banter was severely hampered (praise the Lord)!  They still watched outside but they couldn’t see anything!

This morning, however, the girls were, again, sitting on the sofa while we were having breakfast and the sun was shining outside.  All at once I saw it.

!!!! Doggie Nose Smudges !!!!

Their nose marks were all across the front window.  As long as the fog and clouds were around, I did not notice them.  But when the sun hit the window, the smudges were clearly in view.

That started me thinking. 

When we are not walking in the Lord’s will, when we have intentionally failed to help others, when we ignored the cries of the widow, or when we have stubbornly refused to share our funds with those less fortunate than we, we are tempted to think that God is not paying attention.  Or, perhaps we think that God does not see what we are doing.  Or, perhaps we think we are immune to such actions because we pay our money to the church!

But, when the light of His Word shines in our heart’s window, we see clearly and it is not a pretty picture.  We see the ugly, sinful smudges we have made on the window of our heart, and we need to repent and confess our sin. 

Jesus said:

“You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.  This is the great and first commandment.  And a second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself.”

Matthew 22:37-39

Do we do this?  Do we honor God and love Him with all our heart, mind and soul?  Do we love our neighbor as ourselves?  What would our life look like if we obeyed these two commandments?

Regarding the ten Commandments, do we follow them?  I dare say that most of us have not committed adultery or murdered anyone.  But what about worshipping anything other than God?  Have we made money, fame, family, status, profession, … more important than God?  Have we become our own idol, putting ourselves in the place of God?  All these idols can supplant the place appropriately reserved for God, the Father Almighty.

Or consider coveting.  That is not a term that is in high use and demand these days, and probably for an amazingly simple reason – it is not something we want to be condemned for.  We lust after other people, we crave attention, we covet the possessions others have that we do not.  Coveting is something that is so common in our society that we don’t recognize it, but it is pervasive and it is sin.

What about the Sabbath day?   I remember when the blue laws prohibited the sale of anything on Sunday; not so now. Everything can be sold on Sunday. Or what about taking the name of the Lord in vain? I remember when there were certain words that were banned from music and television, not so now.  Anything goes, even to the point where many of us blush and change channels because of the language, sex and violence portrayed.

Does the Christian have to follow these “old” laws?  I answer that question with a question – Does the character of God change from age to age? 

For his invisible attributes, namely, his eternal power and divine nature, have been clearly perceived, ever since the creation of the world, in the things that have been made. So they are without excuse.

Romans 1:20

For a thousand years in your sight are but as yesterday when it is past, or as a watch in the night.

Psalm 90:4

 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Hebrews 13:8

Perhaps we need to refocus and remember that the Old Testament is the basis for the New Testament.  We may be in the post-resurrection period of time, but what God detests in the Old Testament He still detests today.  His character does not change. 

I hasten to add that we are in the season of grace because of the salvation we have been given through Christ’s death on the cross.  Forgiveness for sins is available to us in a way that the Old Testament folks could not imagine.  But, sin is still sin and we must confess it and repent.

Jesus said:

“My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they follow me.”

John 10:27

Be guided by the Good Shepherd and follow Him all your days.  Confess where we have gone astray, ask for forgiveness through the blood of Jesus Christ, and redirect your attention to what God says in both the Testaments of the Bible. 

Ask God to cleanse the smudges from your heart and rejoice again in the clear, clean joy of God’s salvation. 

Father, I pray that You would forgive me when I have disobeyed Your commands.  Increase my love for You Lord and guide me all my days.