Wednesday, June 24, 2009

God's LOGO for SHEPHERD'S WALK

CHRIST
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THE LILY
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THE TRINITY
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PURE GOLD of PURPLE ROYALTY
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1 Peter 2:9
But you are a chosen people,
a royal priesthood, a holy nation,
a people belonging to God,
that you may declare the praises of Him
who called you out of darkness
into His wonderful light.

THE LIFE LOOK

From The Valley of Vision
A Collection of Puritan Prayers & Devotions

O, GOD,
I bless Thee for the happy moment
when I first say Thy law fulfilled in Christ,
wrath appeased, death destroyed, sin forgiven,
my soul saved.
Ever since, Thou hast been faithful to me:
daily have I proved the power of Jesus' blood,
daily have I known the strength of the Spirit,
my Teacher, Director, Sanctifier.
I want no other Rock to build upon that that I have,
desire no other hope than that of the gospel truth,
need no other look than that which gazes
on the cross.
Forgive me if I have tried to add anything
to the one foundation,
if I have unconsciously relied upon my knowledge,
experience, deeds, and not seen them
as filthy rags,
if I have attempted to complete what is perfect
in Christ;
May my cry be always , Only Jesus! Only Jesus!
In Him is freedom from condemnation,
fullness in His righteousness,
eternal valitity in His given life,
indissoluble union in fellowship with Him;
In Him I have all that I can hold;
enlarge me to take in more.
If I backslide,
let me like Peter week bitterly and return to Him;
If I am tempted, have no wit,
give me strength enough to trust in Him;
If I am weak,
may I faint upon His bosom of eternal love;
If in extremity,
let me feel that He can deliver me;
If driven to the verge of hope and to the pit
of despair,
grant me grace to fall into His arms.
O God, hear me, do for me more
than I ask, think or dream.

Amen and Amen!

Thursday, June 4, 2009

A Good Spring Cleaning


The Sign in SHEPHERD'S WALK Reads:
Forgiveness is like the fragrance a flower gives off ~
when it has been trampled under foot.

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I posted this same sign last winter when snow covered the edges of the sign and the trees were void of their leaves. Forgiveness is for all seasons and usually if we are allowing God to cleanse us deeply in a good 'spring cleaning' we will find some unforgiveness behind some dusty bookshelf that we had no idea we had missed. Time to do a thorough cleaning. Jesus is doing the washing.

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John 13:6-17
6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to Him, "Lord, are You going to wash my feet?"
7Jesus replied, "You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand."
8 "No," said Peter, "You shall never wash my feet."

Jesus answered, "Unless I wash you, you have no part with Me."
9 "Then, Lord," Simon Peter replied, "not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!"
10 Jesus answered, "A person who has had a bath needs only to wash his feet; his whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you." 11 For he knew who was going to betray Him, and that was why He said not every one was clean.
12 When He had finished washing their feet, He put on His clothes and returned to His place. "Do you understand what I have done for you?"
He asked them. 13 "You call Me 'Teacher' and 'Lord,' and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another's feet.

15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.
16 I tell you the truth, no servant is greater than his master,
nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him.
17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them.
[emphasis added]
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Jesus~

We are in desperate need for forgiveness of the things we have neglected to expel
from our own lives - especially that of unforgiveness toward another.
Help us this day to allow You to wash us,
and cleanse us so that we may go out
and offer that same forgiveness to another
this day.
In Your Holy Name,
Amen!