Pride and Humility

Proverbs 16:18 “Pride goes before destruction, and a haughty spirit before a fall.”

Early in my days as a brand new "green" pastor's wife, I found that my training for this "position" was just beginning.  One of my first responsibilities was to direct the Vacation Bible School for the church...that was a story in itself that I will save for another time.  Since I was new to the neighborhood, I was hoping to find a way to reach out to other young mothers in the area, not only for my own personal needs for friendship and fellowship, but also as a way to share my faith in the process.  As each mother came to pick up her child at VBS, I personally handed them an invitation to a Ladies’ Bible Study at my home. This was another one of those “leaps of faith” for me, as I had never led a Ladies’ Bible Study by myself before, and I really didn’t have a clue as to how to proceed, but I thought this would be a good way to start. I was astounded when several of the mothers actually responded in the affirmative, and a date was set to start the Bible Study in another week!

The time for the Ladies’ Bible Study had arrived. It was the first time I’d ever done anything like that, and I really wanted to make a good impression. I’d worked hard on the Bible lesson that I was to give, and the house was cleaned and ready for the next day’s meeting. All that was lacking was some kind of refreshment for our fellowship.

My sister had always been the bread baker in our home, and I had never even attempted it. But I thought that now would be a good time to learn. My sister’s prize cinnamon rolls would be just the thing to welcome the ladies with the warm yeasty aroma of rolls baking in the oven. Since the Bible study was set for early in the morning, I thought I should prepare my rolls the night before, and then just warm them up before the ladies' arrival. So, armed with my sister’s recipe, and all the right ingredients, I set about making those delicious rolls. Halfway through the process I realized why I was not a bread baker! It was too time consuming to suit my busy schedule and umpteen interruptions from my three very young active children and husband! But I was determined to impress these ladies with my baking skills.

Finally at 11:00 p.m. the rolls were raised and ready to place in the oven to bake. I set the timer on the oven for the prescribed amount of time, and went and laid down while I waited for them to finish baking. At 1:00 a.m. I woke up to the smell of smoke, and with horror realized that I had fallen asleep and that my rolls were burning! I jumped up from the bed with a scream, “My rolls are burning! Oh no! My rolls are burning!” My poor husband woke up with a start and came running out into the kitchen after me yelling, “What’s wrong? Is the house on fire? What happened?” By this time I was through screaming and was crying, “My rolls! Look at my rolls!” They were a pitiful sight of black gooey charcoal! And oh! That smell! Would I ever get it cleared out by morning? Typical male that my husband was, he said, “So just make some more!” He had no idea how long it had taken me, and what all was involved in the process. I sent him back to bed with a few choice remarks while I tearfully cleaned up the mess.

The next morning I awoke early and got out my good old “Bisquick” and made some quick and easy cinnamon rolls. They weren’t the delicious yeasty rolls I’d desired, but the ladies didn’t seem to mind, and even “oohed and aahed” over how good they were. I swallowed my pride and told them about the “real rolls”, and they comforted me with their own experiences of kitchen disasters. I realized then that it’s not WHAT you feed your friends, but HOW you feed them that makes the lasting impression. The humblest creations served with love and true Christian fellowship spark the memories of wonderful times shared with friends.

“Therefore if there is any consolation in Christ, if any comfort of love, if any fellowship of the Spirit, if any affection and mercy, fulfill my joy by being like-minded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind. Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. Let each of you look out not only for his own interests, but also for the interests of others.” Philippians 2:1-4

Judge Not...

Matthew 7:1-5  "Judge not, that you be not judged. 

For with what judgment you judge, you will be judged; and with the measure you use, it will be measured back to you. 

And why do you look at the speck in your brother's eye, but do not consider the plank in your own eye? 

 Or how can you say to your brother, 'Let me remove the speck from your eye'; and look, a plank is in your own eye? 

Hypocrite! First remove the plank from your own eye, and then you will see clearly to remove the speck from your brother's eye." 

Judging...it is a problem that we have all dealt with in one way or another.  Either we become the judge about someone else, or they become the judge of us.  Judgment is passed down every day in our courts, in our schools, our towns, our churches and and our neighborhoods...as well as in our own families.  You point the finger at me, I point my finger back at you.  We criticize our neighbors, friends, pastor, teacher, co-workers...or random people we don't even know on the street, on the news, on the highways. 

We label others because we don't like the way they dress, wear their hair, the vehicle they drive, the house they live in, or even where they may have come from.  We make unkind remarks about people out on the street carrying signs saying they are homeless, jobless, hungry..."will work for food".  We find out that so-and-so was in prison, or had an affair, or a divorce, or lost their job because they made a mistake...and we think that would never happen to us, our family, or our friends. We criticize our politicians, their wives, their children..when we don't even know the truth about them. We are too quick to believe the lies, the gossip, the "news", without giving anyone the benefit of the doubt. We refuse to consider someone fairly for a job, or a promotion, or assistance of any kind because we heard something negative about them or their family, or we fear they may do something to embarrass us  or cause others to criticize us for helping them.

Jesus has a lot to say about this kind of judging and lack of love for our neighbors...Matthew chapters 5-6-7 are full of instruction, admonitions, and warnings to us if we do not show love to our fellow man or if we judge others unfairly.  But the best response of all is found in Matthew 25:31-46. I will not reprint it all here, but will commend it to your reading...Jesus is telling the people about the judgment in the end times, when God is separating the sheep from the goats. 

 In verses 35-36 He is telling those on His right hand about the good things they had done..."For I was hungry and you gave Me food; I was thirsty and you gave Me drink; I was a stranger and you took Me in; I was naked and you clothed Me; I was sick and you visited Me; I was in prison and you came to Me."  When the righteous people asked Jesus when they had done these things to Him, He responded in verse 40: "Assuredly, I say to you, inasmuch as you did it to the least of these My brethren, you did it to Me." 

But then the tables are turned on those on His left hand...He tells them in verses 41-46 that they did NOT do these things for the least of these, and therefore they had not done it for Him...and He told them to "Depart from Me, you cursed, into the everlasting fire prepared for the devil and his angels."    He concludes His story by saying in verse 46: "And these will go away into everlasting punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Wow!  Sure makes me want to think twice before I start judging my neighbor...or before I refuse to help someone less fortunate than I.  I know I am guilty of not always doing the right thing for others...I'm in too big of a hurry, or too prejudiced in my thinking about their circumstances.  But when others do that against me or members of my family and friends...I get angry. I get self-righteous...I forget that I, too, am guilty of neglecting the needs of others.

Lord, help me to be less judgmental and more caring for my neighbors and others who You bring into my world each day.  Help me to not be so quick to see the speck in others' eyes, when I have a log in my own eye.  Forgive me, Lord, for my self-righteousness at the expense of others.  Thank you for this reminder tonight.  May it have a lasting impact on my heart.  Amen.

"Shout Joyfully to the Lord"

Psalm 98:4-9 "Shout joyfully to the Lord, all the earth; break forth in song, rejoice, and sing praises. sing to the Lord with the harp, with harp and the sound of a psalm, with trumpets and the sound of a horn; shout joyfully before the Lord, the King.

Let the sea roar, and all its fullness, the world and those who dwell in it; Let the rivers clap their hands; Let the hills be joyful together before the Lord, For He is coming to judge the earth, with righteousness He shall judge the world, and the peoples with equity."

Psalm 96: 10  "Say among the nations, 'The Lord reigns! The world also is firmly established, it shall not be moved."

You know, sometimes we just have to stop what we are doing and take time to praise the Lord!  As I was reading the above verses, one led to another...Psalm 95, Psalm 96, Psalm 97, Psalm 98, 99, 100...All Psalms of praise and thanksgiving to God.  They each  talk about the power and majesty of our God, Who is "most high above all the earth; exalted far above all gods."  (Psalm 97:9)  Verse 4-5 says that "His lightnings light the world; the earth sees and trembles. The mountains melt like wax at the presence of the Lord."
In the New Testament, Luke 19: 39-40, it says that some of the Pharisees told Jesus to rebuke the people for rejoicing at His entrance into Jerusalem, but Jesus said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out!"

How awesome is our God!  How marvelous is the Lord, Our Savior and King!  It is good to sing praises to Him...Praise lifts the broken hearted and gives comfort to the weary and weak.  When I am feeling sad,  lonely or afraid, if I start singing praises to God, whether it be in the form of a hymn, reading the Psalms, or calling out my own words of praise,  I cannot help but be lifted out of the gloom.  My focus turns from looking inward at my own struggles and problems to an outward expression of joy and thankfulness.

Do I always feel like praising God? Am I really that shallow that I can just turn off the sorrow and turn on the praise? No, I don't always feel like praising. So often my grief and pain is so deep that I don't even know how to express it adequately.  That is when this gift of praise takes control...I believe it is a gift from God to be able to praise Him in the midst of the crisis...it is not something I can do in and of myself. It often is an act of the will...I will praise Him, even when I don't feel like it. And when I deliberately set about to praise Him, something beautiful takes place.  There is a healing balm that covers my soul, causing the tears to flow where before they could not...and opens my heart to joy. That is the gift of praise...which, in turn, brings about more praise! 

"Rejoice in the Lord always. Again I say, rejoice!" 

"Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus."

Philippians 4:4, 6-7

I guess I just needed to take this "praise break" today...for our God is an awesome God!!

Amen.

Let Not Your Heart Be Troubled

John 14:1-3 "Let not your heart be troubled; you believe in God, believe also in Me. In My Father's house are many mansions; if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you. And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come again and receive you to Myself; that where I am, there you may be also."

Tonight I have heard some disturbing news.  A dear couple, whom I have known since childhood, having gone to school together, have lost their son suddenly.  He was only 29 years old, and the father of two children.  At noon he went in to lie down, and when his father went in to check on him, he was not breathing, and could not be revived. Just that quickly, God had called him home. No warning, no time to pray for him, no time to say good-bye...gone, in a moment's time.  It seems cruel in some ways, not fair...we don't understand why...apparently he even had a fiance'... He was too young...still had his whole life ahead of him.  But he is gone.  My heart is breaking for that family...his parents, his children, his fiance', his brother and others who loved him.

I guess this hits me really hard because we have been dealing with life and death issues in our own family...our son, who is only 37, is battling a very deadly disease, cancer.  And yet, we have high hopes...the Doctors have been somewhat encouraging in that they believe they have caught it in time to treat it and hopefully bring about a cure.  We've been given time to pray for him, to help him fight for his life, to spend time with him and encourage him and love him. For this kindness we are eternally grateful to God.

Yet, none of us are guaranteed any time on this earth...we are here because God brought us into existence and placed us here. But no man knows how many days, months, years or decades he may live.  I am not trying to be morbid...but truthful.  This life that we've been given is exactly that...a gift.  There are no guarantees of long life, good health, or financial wealth.  There is a fragile thread that holds us between life and death. A "silver cord" that holds us here...but then comes the real life...the real joy...

"Someday the silver cord will break, and I no more as now shall sing;

But, oh, the joy when I shall wake within the palace of the King!"

Chorus:

"And I shall see Him face to face and tell the story--saved by grace;

And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story--saved by grace."

"Someday my earthly house will fall, I cannot tell how soon 'twill be;

But this I know, my All in All has now a place in heaven for me."

(Chorus)

"Someday, when fades the golden sun beneath the rosy-tinted west,

My blessed Lord will say, "Well done!" And I shall enter into rest.

(Chorus)

"Someday, till then I'll watch and wait, My lamp all trimmed and burning bright,

That when my Saviour opes the gate, My soul to Him may take its flight!"

(Chorus:)

"And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story--saved by grace!

And I shall see Him face to face, and tell the story, saved by grace."

I love this old-fashioned hymn, "Saved by Grace", written by Fanny Crosby (1820-1915), whom I believe was blind.  It is a beautiful testimony of her faith in Christ and His promise to prepare a place for her in heaven.  I, too, claim this promise, and look forward to that day "when I shall wake within the palace of the King!"

My prayers are with my friends tonight as they are grieving this great loss in their family. There are no words that can fully comfort them at this time. I can only pray that God's Holy Spirit, our Great Comforter, will undergird them with His Mighty Arms, and hold them close and calm their hearts. I pray that they will think about their son, safe in the arms of Jesus, and in the palace of the King.  We have this great hope of heaven, through Christ our Lord. Amen.

"Move This Mountain!"

Matthew 17:20  "...I say to you, if you have faith as a mustard seed, you will say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there,' and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you."

The other day I was writing about how God is a lot like Mt. Washington...always there, even when we can't see Him or feel His presence...He is always there...strong, dependable, powerful, and never failing.  Mt. Washington is a massive mountain in the White Mountain chain in New Hampshire...it is the 2nd highest mountain this side of the Mississippi River. I am not a geologist or scientist of any kind...so I can't really tell you too much about the molecular structure of this mountain or even how old it is...I don't think the scientists really know the answer to that either...but they have a lot of theories.  But I am certain they would find it laughable if I were to go up to Mt. Washington and command it to move from here to there. Without huge amounts of dynamite I don't think it would be a very reasonable request.

So why does Jesus tell us this story in the book of Matthew? He is telling His disciples that if they have faith even as small as the tiniest seed known...a mustard seed (see Matthew 13:31-32), they could say to this mountain, "Move from here to there...and it will move; and nothing will be impossible for you!"  (Matthew 17:20) 

Is Jesus talking about a literal mountain...or is this figurative?  I tend to be a literal believer..."if God said it, I believe it, and that settles it for me!"  And yet, I've never tried to move any real mountains physically...or have I?  Well, maybe not in the real physical sense of moving rocks and earth...but I have literally seen God move what appeared to be insurmountable mountains in my life..."impossible"  health situations...(our son Matthew is a case in point...previous major mountain of brain tumor(s)...gone...)  Financial impossibilities...unemployment mountains, job changes that necessitated moves that seemed impossible...leaps of faith to study for the ministry with no "visible means of support"... miraculous provision of food, funds and help from people only God could have "moved" to come to our rescue in time. Serious family issues that seemed destined to destroy our home and ministry...and yet God moved mountains to reinforce our family and make it even stronger, and changed the focus of our ministry to open new windows we would have never considered before...

Yes, I do believe that God has literally moved mountains in my life...I don't know if my faith was even as big as a mustard seed, but God recognized that tiny tiny seed, and honored it...and moved those mountains.

Are there any mountains in your life today?  Do they seem insurmountable?  Have you committed these mountains to God?  That is exactly what we are asked to do...commit the mountain to Jesus...let Him take control...and then stand back and watch Him "MOVE THAT MOUNTAIN!"  

Dear God, There are still some mountains standing in front of me today...things that are impossible to move in my own strength.  Please take this tiny grain of faith that I have, and take control of these mountains.  I am thanking You in advance for what I know You are already doing...You are going to "move that mountain"... Thank you. In Jesus' precious Name I pray.  Amen.

God Is a Lot Like Mt. Washington

Psalm 121: 1-3 "I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the Lord, Who made heaven and earth. He will not allow your foot to be moved; He who keeps you will not slumber."

When we lived in the hills of New Hampshire, I had a favorite saying whenever I would take visitors around for a tour of the countryside and the numerous scenic vistas throughout our area.  It was, "On a clear day you can see Mt. Washington from here!"  Now granted, Mt. Washington is the 2nd highest mountain east of the Mississippi River, 2nd only to Mt.Mitchell in North Carolina. Its lofty summit can be seen from miles and miles around the Mt. Washington valley and the White Mountain region.  However, it is better known as the mountain upon which the highest wind gusts in America have ever been clocked...and also where you can be wearing short sleeves when you start up the incline to the summit, and be needing a snow parka, gloves and face mask by the time you reach the top.  It was a fascinating and mysterious place to live, full of wonder and excitement...if you like changeable weather and extremely cold temperatures.  But the views!  Oh! They were magnificent!   

What was really funny, many times as I would tell our guests my favorite line about the ability to see Mt. Washington on a clear day, they would laugh at me and say, "What mountain?"  "Are you really sure there is a huge mountain right there?"  You see, quite often the clouds would roll in and they would make the mountain totally disappear.  I have actually stood right at the base of the mountain, so close that I could reach out and touch the rocks, and not be able to see it in front of my face.  But I knew it was there...I knew I could depend on it to be there even when I couldn't see it. 

God is a lot like Mt. Washington. When my days are bright and sunny, with no clouds in my eyes...I can see God very clearly. There is no doubt in my mind that He is right there with me, because things are going "my way"...everything is just fine. I have no fears, no worries, no pain, no sorrow...just happy, delightful days of joy and bliss.  However, when the clouds of doubt and anxiety begin to roll in, and the stormy skies fill my mind with worry over my future or with concern about my loved ones and friends, suddenly it seems as though God has disappeared.  I can't see Him very clearly anymore.  I begin to wonder if He is really there at all.  Others may try to reassure me by saying He's right there beside me...but I become a bit uncertain. I want to be able to see His face again, and to reach out and touch Him as before so I can be assured of His presence.

Is that bad?  Is that a lack of faith?  Maybe...but I am human. I sometimes forget all the wonderful things God has already done for me.  I get bogged down in the "if only He hadn't have allowed this," or, "Why didn't God stop that from happening?", or "Why me?" or "Why my family or friend?"  I sometimes need someone to come alongside and remind me to reach out and touch the base of the mountain again...to remember what the Psalmist said as above,

"I will lift up my eyes to the hills, from whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth."  (Psalm 121:1-2)

Verses 5-8 provide further comfort and reassurance of God's keeping power and strength:

"The Lord is your keeper; The Lord is your shade at your right hand. The sun shall not strike you by day, nor the moon by night. The Lord shall preserve you from all evil; He shall preserve your soul. The Lord shall preserve your going out and your coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore."

Now that is a solid promise from God...even more solid than Mt. Washington!  I know I can depend on this solid Rock...

"On Christ the solid Rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand, all other ground is sinking sand..."

Yes, on a clear day you can see Mt. Washington from here, and everyday, you can know that God is right here!!  Amen!

Here is a link to a similar post about Mt. Washington entitled "I Will Call Upon the Lord".

"Humble Ourselves and Pray"

II Chronicles 7:14 "If My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

Today is the National Day of Prayer.  That has NOT been changed or taken away.  There are churches open everywhere today for prayer. I even noticed the City Hall in Belleview, Florida, will be open today for prayer!  People are joining their hearts in prayer around the country through online sites, prayer chains, and as a unified body, lifting their voices in prayer and praise to our God, for He alone can forgive our sins and heal our land!  There is no other god who can do this.  There is no form of government, no king, no potentate anywhere in the world who can do this.  Do not expect any human to be able to heal our country of its woes and problems.  That is not possible, no matter how intelligent, charismatic, or seemingly powerful a person or governmental organization may appear to be.  Almighty God, Jehovah, Yaweh, is the only omnipotent, omniscient, and omnipresent Diety who has this capability. 

Kings and princes and other potentates may think they can destroy our nation and our faith, but they are soon going to realize that they are sadly mistaken.  Here is what God says in Psalms 2:1-12

"Why do the nations rage and the people plot a vain thing?

The kings of the earth set themselves, and the rulers take counsel together,

Against the Lord and against His Anointed, saying,

'Let us break Their bonds in pieces and cast away Their cords from us.'

He who sits in the heavens shall laugh;

The Lord shall hold them in derision.

Then He shall speak to them in His wrath,

And distress them in His deep displeasure:

'Yet I have set My King on My holy hill of Zion.'

'I will declare the decree:

The Lord has said to Me,

"'You are My Son, Today I have begotten You.

Ask of Me, and I will give You the nations for Your inheritance,

And the ends of the earth for Your possession.

You shall break them with a rod of iron;

You shall dash them to pieces like a potter's vessel.'"

"Now therefore, be wise, O kings;

Be instructed, you judges of the earth.

Serve the Lord with fear,

and rejoice with trembling.

Kiss the Son, lest He be angry,

and you perish in the way,

when His wrath is kindled but a little.

Blessed are all those who put their trust in HIM."

Jesus taught His disciples how to pray in the following manner:

"Our Father which art in heaven,

Hallowed be Thy name.

Thy kingdom come.

Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven.

Give us this day our daily bread.

And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors.

And lead us not into temptation,

but deliver us from evil:

For Thine is the kingdom, and the power,

and the glory, forever.

Amen."

Matthew 6:9-13

Why not take some time today to deliberately join with others in prayer for our nation, our government, our loved ones and friends, and for the world leaders.  There is no one stopping us from praying...this is our great privilege and our true source of power.   Let us unite our hearts together in this precious gift of prayer while there is still time.

Friends Are Friends Forever...

Proverbs 27:9 "Ointment and perfume delight the heart, and the sweetness of a man's friend gives delight by hearty counsel."

Last night we were blessed with a visit from some very special, "old" friends, who were our colleagues in the ministry way back in the beginning of our lives.  What a joy...what a comfort...what a time of thankfulness after so many years to be enjoying one another's company again.

A few years ago there was a song entitled "Friends", sung by Amy Grant. The chorus goes like this:

"And friends are friends forever
If the Lord's the Lord of them

And a friend will not say never

'Cause the welcome will not end

Though it's hard to let you go

In the Father's hands we know

That a lifetime's not too long to live as friends"

It's one of those songs that always brings tears to my eyes when I hear it sung at graduation ceremonies or other special events when friends are parting. 

One of the joys of having moved often in life is that we've been  blessed throughout the years to have gained many, many friends from places all over the country. One of the sorrows is that we've had to leave these dear friends behind when we moved on to the next place of ministry.  However, one of the greatest delights is when these friends somehow find us many years later, and go out of their way to seek us out and give us the privilege of spending some time with them, sharing happy memories, getting caught up with each of our families' news and events, and just enjoying one another again like in times past. 

The chorus of that little song is so true..."Friends are friends forever, if the Lord's the Lord of them..."   Even after twenty or more years apart, friends in Christ are still friends...we have a common bond that glues us together no matter what has separated us over the years.  That bond is Jesus, and there is such a precious sweetness to a relationship that is rooted and grounded in Him.  The best part of all is that we know that we will actually be able to spend eternity together...forever rejoicing in the Lord and in what HE has done for us!

I hope that you have friends like that...many of you are my friends forever...Thank you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!1

Who's Directing YOUR Steps?

I've been talking a lot lately about "life changing moments", things that happen unexpectedly, whether good or bad, that change the direction of "our plans".  Most of us have some kind of plans for our lives...goals that we hope to reach by a certain age, places that we'd like to visit, degrees we'd like to attain, the way in which we would hope to spend our retirement years.  There is nothing wrong with having these types of plans and goals...they are actually good for us and keep us motivated to continued growth and mental development.

But what happens when those unexpected life changing moments occur, and our dreams and plans have to be scrapped?  Again, these are not always bad things...just perhaps different than what we had anticipated. For whatever reason, our "Plan A" gets shelved, and we have to come up with a "Plan B".  I love the resilience of our human spirit...we get back to the "drawing board" and develop a new idea. We regroup, take stock of our situation and our resources, examine the possibilities of new ideas, set new goals, forge ahead.  We may, at times, feel like quitting, want to give up, wallow in our misery, lick our wounds...but usually, after a time of reflection, we get back up and start all over again.

When we allow God to be the author of our dreams and schemes, we need not fear what the future may hold. 

Psalms 37:23-24 says "The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way. Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand."

I know I've shared this verse before, but it is worth repeating again:

"For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope." Jeremiah 29:11

Our future is always secure when we place our plans in the hands of God.  He will direct our steps, and He (God) will delight in our way. Also, when we: "Trust in the Lord, and do good; dwell in the land, and feed on His faithfulness, delight (ourselves) also in the Lord...He shall give (us) the desires of our heart." (Psalm 37:3-4)

So, again I ask, "Who's directing your steps today?"  I am asking myself the same question...

Lord, please help me to always allow YOU to direct my steps...and keep me on the right path. Amen.

Proverbs 16:9 "A man's heart plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps."
Psalms 119:133 "Direct my steps by Your word, and let no iniquity have dominion over me."
I Peter 2:21 "For to this you were called, because Christ also suffered for us, leaving us an example, that you should follow His steps."