Christmas in California

It was time to take a break, from the cold, from the snow....although it's been a mild winter so far this season, but California seemed like a great get away.....

.....but it seemed we had brought the snow with us!!! Ha!

 A few photos taken December 24, 2016....Christmas Eve in California:

This was taken on route to my brother's home from my daughter's home going through the Cajon Pass. It had just snowed the previous evening. It was weird seeing the desert flora together with the white stuff.

We did get to spend some time at the beach...

 

Brr the water was chilly!

The birds didn't seem to mind it....

When we got back home the temperature was definitely colder,  I caught a cold while in California....I'm almost recovered, still coughing and sneezing, but not as much :) I wore my flip flops most of our trip, but I put them away when we got back....

The Sweeter Song

What I read this morning in a devotional reading from “Beside the Still Waters”

The Sweeter Song 

 by Jason Miller of Evart, Michigan

That ye might be filled with the fullness of God – Ephesians 3:19

Greek legend tells of a treacherous place in the sea where no captain had ever passed without experiencing shipwreck. Mermaids inhabited the rocks, and as each ship approached, they began playing an enticing, fatal strain of music. No sailor could resist the song, and they ended up crashing on the rocks. Captain Ulysses determined that his ship would not suffer such a fate. “Tie me to the mast,” he ordered his crew, “and stuff your ears with wax.” As they neared the rocks, the irresistible notes began tickling the captain’s ears. He strained futilely to escape as his desire to follow the music boiled. The ship sailed safely by.

Captain Orpheus had a better plan. As his ship neared the temptation which he knew he and his men could not withstand, he took a harp in his hands. He had been practicing for this very moment. As his fingers plied the strings, music such as his crew had never heard before poured forth. They stood with their eyes fixed on their captain, enraptured by the ethereal strain. Not one of them even heard the mermaid’s song, and they too passed safely by.

How often do we “tie ourselves to the mast” and strive vainly to suppress our fleshly lusts and desires? We may refrain from committing the act of sin, but sinful desires have not been conquered.

In order to gain victory over our flesh and the world, we need to hear the sweeter song that Christ has and become enveloped with Him.

Until we believe that what Christ has to give us is incomparable to the world’s false offers, we will fail to live in victory. God tenderly yearns to grant us gifts that are beyond our deepest expectations. Will you surrender to His sweeter song?

The world offers pleasure but gives destruction.

Christ offers the cross but gives eternal life.

Spotting a Counterfeit Part 4

Part One began with the how of spotting a counterfeit. The best way is to get to know the genuine really well. Parts 2, 3, and now 4, are more about my going out of my way to involve myself in arguments over topics that believers can and do disagree over, that may or may not be important enough to win an argument about....a few words from the Apostle Paul:

Titus 3:9-11  

But avoid 

foolish

and genealogies,

and contentions, 

and strivings about the law; 

for they are unprofitable  

and vain. 

A man that is an heretick after the first and second admonition reject;   

Knowing that he that is such is subverted, 

and sinneth, 

being condemned of himself. 

My going round and round arguing over the law or " what came first, the chicken or the egg" types of discussions are not only a waste of time, they can be damaging.  Even if it is in the hopes of converting a "heretic", Paul advised to only attempt admonishing the person once or twice and then to let it go. My husband rightly pointed out to me that (just as the above verses reveal) I continued arguing only to prove being right out of pride and vanity. If it is an important thing for that person, the Lord will bring it in His time, His way. There is nothing to gain in arguing about it, Paul said it is unprofitable.

I agree.

1Corinthians 2:1-4 
And I, brethren, when I came to you, came not with excellency of speech or of wisdom, declaring unto you the testimony of God. For I determined not to know any thing among you, save Jesus Christ, and him crucified.  And I was with you in weakness, and in fear, and in much trembling.   And my speech and my preaching was not with enticing words of man's wisdom, but in demonstration of the Spirit and of power

End Times and Other Speculations

http://ray032.com/2011/11/29/the-armageddon-generation/

Disclaimer: I have no idea about anything definite regarding the end times, Armageddon, the Gog Magog War, the new millenium, except for the vague mental pictures we get from scripture.

These things are so mind-boggling to me, and I know that speculations abound, and have succumbed to some speculating myself, however, the truth is what it is and sometimes we just won't know until the day we see it happening. In the meantime Jesus only cautioned us to understand the times from the point of being aware of today, this moment in time. He does not require that we understand everything about what will happen tomorrow, next week, or next year, but to remain faithful and aware today, to keep our eyes open and lifted up in anticipation that it can be any time....and in fact if I were to die today, my next moment of what I will experience will be what is often called "the rapture" or the resurrection of the saints (some might also speculate that we will have awareness between that time of our death and the time our body is reunited with our spirit to again be a living soul...I guess we will know for sure when that happens.

I was watching a few Youtube videos about the Gog Magog War, and a few different ideas circulating about what it is and when it will happen....and it made me realize that with all of scripture the Lord wisely gives us just enough "manna" for today. He knows that our puny brains would implode with all that He knows, so He gives us just enough for today. As Jesus put it:

Matthew 6:33-34  But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.   Take therefore no thought for the morrow: for the morrow shall take thought for the things of itself. 

Sufficient unto the day is the evil thereof.  (KJV)

So true.

So when I read the scriptures, I store away treasures that as the Lord sees the need, will bring to my remembrance and understanding the need of them for each day as it comes. I can learn from Mary:

Luke 2:19  But Mary kept all these things, and pondered them in her heart. (KJV)

There is so much that we do not know, but so much that has already been revealed to give us enough food for thought to get us through the evil that will face us today, and Jesus promised that tomorrow would take care of itself, and we would be wise to continue to seek His righteousness (prayer).

Horticulture

Update on my garden: it is still blooming and looking wonderful.

Therefore they shall come and sing in the height of Zion, and shall flow together to the goodness of the LORD, for wheat, and for wine, and for oil, and for the young of the flock and of the herd:
        and their soul shall be as a watered garden;
               and they shall not sorrow any more at all.
                          Jeremiah 31:12 (KJV)

I've been thinking about this verse. When I go outside to water, all the thirsty plants drink in the water and make me so glad and uplifted. Lately we've been getting some rain so I haven't had to water them as much. I just go out and enjoy their beauty.

Many of my annuals are forming seeds so I've been gathering them to try to start them from seed in the spring. I have some flowers that I haven't seen that particular color variety before so it'll be wonderful if I am successful.

I'm also experimenting with trying my hand at starting new plants from cuttings...

I started these about a week ago and they are still green...it's a good sign. :)

The packets next to the plants are all of my seed gatherings.

I've also been thinking about the parable of Jesus when He related hearers to four soils. If I wasn't around to have prepared the ground it would have been rocky and weedy and trampled by careless passersby,  and it wouldn't have gotten the water it needs. It makes me aware of the fact that I'm thankful the Lord prepared me to hear Him, and since that time I've continually sought Him to help keep the weeds at bay and water me in times of drought. There was a time I was very stubborn and thought I knew better for myself than anyone else. I am thankful that I was able to lay down that arrogance and self-pride. God showed me a much better way.

Hear the parable of the sower of the four soils:

And he spake many things unto them in parables, saying, 

Behold, a sower went forth to sow;   And when he sowed, 

some seeds fell by the way side, and the fowls came and devoured them up: 

Some fell upon stony places, where they had not much earth: and forthwith they sprung up, because they had no deepness of earth: And when the sun was up, they were scorched; and because they had no root, they withered away. 

And some fell among thorns; and the thorns sprung up, and choked them: 

But other fell into good ground, and brought forth fruit, some an hundredfold, some sixtyfold, some thirtyfold.

 Who hath ears to hear, let him hear. 

And the disciples came, and said unto him, Why speakest thou unto them in parables?  

He answered and said unto them, Because it is given unto you to know the mysteries of the kingdom of heaven, but to them it is not given.  For whosoever hath, to him shall be given, and he shall have more abundance: but whosoever hath not, from him shall be taken away even that he hath.Therefore speak I to them in parables: because they seeing see not; and hearing they hear not, neither do they understand.  And in them is fulfilled the prophecy of Esaias, which saith, By hearing ye shall hear, and shall not understand; and seeing ye shall see, and shall not perceive:  

For this people's heart is waxed gross, 

and their ears are dull of hearing, 

and their eyes they have closed; 

lest at any time they should see with their eyes, and hear with their ears, and should understand with their heart, and should be converted, and I should heal them.  

But blessed are your eyes, for they see: and your ears, for they hear.  For verily I say unto you, That many prophets and righteous men have desired to see those things which ye see, and have not seen them; and to hear those things which ye hear, and have not heard them.  

Hear ye therefore the parable of the sower.

  

 When any one heareth the word of the kingdom, and understandeth it not, then cometh the wicked one, and catcheth away that which was sown in his heart. This is he which received seed by the way side. 

But he that received the seed into stony places, the same is he that heareth the word, and anon with joy receiveth it;  Yet hath he not root in himself, but dureth for a while: for when tribulation or persecution ariseth because of the word, by and by he is offended. 

  

He also that received seed among the thorns is he that heareth the word; and the care of this world, and the deceitfulness of riches, choke the word, and he becometh unfruitful. 

But he that received seed into the good ground is he that heareth the word, and understandeth it; which also beareth fruit, and bringeth forth, some an hundredfold, some sixty, some thirty.
Matthew 13:4-23 (KJV)

At one time or another I was all of the above soils. I had a praying grandmother when I was a small child, so perhaps this is why the Lord never gave up on me. I also remember hearing the parable of the four soils preached by our Seventh day Adventist pastor when I was about 11 years old, and I remember there coming a silent unspoken response in me, a thought that came to me that said: "I hope that I am that good soil, God please make me the good soil"...and I believe He heard my heart and began even then preparing my "ground". However I was still going to go through the other phases of poor soils and I still would mock those who believed in Jesus thinking myself so much more superior than those poor, silly, superstitious morons. I would still go through many terrible situations and if I would have died then I know I would have gone straight to hell, and yet I didn't die at that time, and believe me when I say that there were several times that I could have and absolutely should have, and yet somehow He kept me from killing myself through my blind stupidity. He prepared my soil during this time, answering the silent prayer of a little girl in a heretical "church" and yet He was able to get through to me in this church that taught heresies because He spoke to me through that portion of the sermon when the pastor read actual words from the Bible.

I'm not recommending this as a good procedure.
Not at all.
It just proves the fact that God can even use a talking donkey to do His work.
It wasn't overnight.
It took MANY years in developing.
He was faithful even when I wasn't.

I just hope I am half as good a gardener as the Lord is (even that I think would be exceedingly abounding), and can grow a successful garden next year from my cuttings and seedlings. 

<3

Not Everyone Who Says "Lord, Lord"...

Mat 7:21  Not every one that saith unto me, Lord, Lord, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven; but he that doeth the will of my Father which is in heaven.
Mat 7:22  Many will say to me in that day, Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works?
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.
Mat 7:24  Therefore whosoever heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them, I will liken him unto a wise man, which built his house upon a rock:
Mat 7:25  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell not: for it was founded upon a rock.
Mat 7:26  And every one that heareth these sayings of mine, and doeth them not, shall be likened unto a foolish man, which built his house upon the sand:
Mat 7:27  And the rain descended, and the floods came, and the winds blew, and beat upon that house; and it fell: and great was the fall of it.(KJV)


These are hard words. Does a "Loving God" reject those who come before Him and say: "Lord, Lord"? Apparently He will and He does, if you believe what Jesus says, and if you don't believe it and yet say you are saved, you are exactly the one He is talking about here, who is only speaking empty words, and pretends to love Him and believe Him, and yet loves himself and the things of this world more than His words, His love, His price at His terms. Those are the ones who say they love Him and yet Jesus can see into their hearts, He knows the truth, and if they confess the truth of their error, and truly submit to the truth of the fact that no one comes to the Father unless they have left all (their love of the things of this world that they loved more than God) to follow Jesus, then Jesus gives us a hundred fold of what we thought we had to give up.

But there are many who hang on to this world, who want to straddle the fence, and love this world and Jesus equally. Jesus said it cannot be done. He said "You cannot serve God and Mammon".

Luk 16:13  No servant can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon.
Luk 16:14  And the Pharisees also, who were covetous, heard all these things: and they derided him.
Luk 16:15  And he said unto them, Ye are they which justify yourselves before men; but God knoweth your hearts: for that which is highly esteemed among men is abomination in the sight of God. (KJV)

When Jesus taught the multitudes, many followed Him to get stuff, to get a healing, to get food, and Jesus understood that, and He provided, but when He confronted them about the truth of the selfishness of their seeking, many stopped following Him:

 Joh 6:26  Jesus answered them and said, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Ye seek me, not because ye saw the miracles, but because ye did eat of the loaves, and were filled.
Joh 6:27  Labour not for the meat which perisheth, but for that meat which endureth unto everlasting life, which the Son of man shall give unto you: for him hath God the Father sealed.
Joh 6:28  Then said they unto him, What shall we do, that we might work the works of God?
Joh 6:29  Jesus answered and said unto them, This is the work of God, that ye believe on him whom he hath sent. (KJV)

Their hearts were not changed, they didn't actually see the true miracle of who Jesus was and is, but only wanted to satisfy their belly and their curiosity, and their flesh. Jesus then tells them about Himself being the bread of Life, (this passage is completely misunderstood by Roman Catholics, sorry), and then the Bible tells us:

Joh 6:61  When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
Joh 6:62  What and if ye shall see the Son of man ascend up where he was before?
Joh 6:63  It is the spirit that quickeneth; the flesh profiteth nothing: the words that I speak unto you, they are spirit, and they are life.
Joh 6:64  But there are some of you that believe not. For Jesus knew from the beginning who they were that believed not, and who should betray him.
Joh 6:65  And he said, Therefore said I unto you, that no man can come unto me, except it were given unto him of my Father.
Joh 6:66  From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
(KJV)

Sobering words, it is a gift, and to say "That isn't loving" doesn't understand true love. He gives abundantly, but many reject it, and then blame Him for their rejection of Him. It is a gift, who throws a gift back at the giver and says "This isn't the kind of gift I wanted! This isn't the way I wanted it to be!"?

 His gift is given to all, but not all want it, in fact no one wants it, at first, because it is contrary to our flesh. But God will draw His own to Himself, and they won't be able to boast that they did anything, even the choosing of Him is done by Him, so we have nothing to boast before Him. He chooses the lowest, the beggars, also there are the Josephs of Arimethea (which aren't low beggars, but respected people in the community, but their heart is lowly and truly humble)...He sees our hearts, He knows who are His because He created us, He breathed life into us.

The ones who do boast:

Mat 7:22...."Lord, Lord, have we not prophesied in thy name? and in thy name have cast out devils? and in thy name done many wonderful works? "
Mat 7:23  And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you: depart from me, ye that work iniquity.

I struggled with this one because I knew that I could do nothing to attain it. I felt it was horrible that I was on the outside unable to come in of my own self, that it was only by God's invitation. I begged the Lord to save me. Even my begging seemed to go nowhere, and I knew that my heart was bad through and through, and that God could not listen to someone as selfish and evil as I, and I like the Caananite woman begged for crumbs from the master's table  (Matthew 15:22-28) or like the woman with the issue of blood who only sought to touch the hem of His garment (Matthew 9:20-22) and was persistent in my looking and seeking for that opening, that day that He would hear me, not because I was good or anything, but seeking His mercy (Luke 18:2-9)...

And yet, if I am sent to hell and it's fires and torments to be there for eternity, I would only be getting what I deserve. If I do find myself there it is just. What is unjust is His mercy. It is true what His enemies say "It is UNFAIR that some don't go to hell and many do"...however it is the upside-down of the fleshy reasoning. It isn't unfair that anyone goes to hell at all, we all deserve no more than hell. The unfair part is that any escape it at all, and that is GRACE.

It Depends On How You Look At It

The last few weeks have been times to reflect what I think, how I perceive, and what I think the Lord wants me to consider valuable and important. I realize that often times what I think is most valuable and important really isn't anything special in "the grand scheme of things" and what truly is important often gets trampled underfoot, and thrown out. (I think this is why I am such a clutter bug/hoarder. I'm always afraid that what I throw out will be thing thing I will really regret throwing out and soon after throwing out discover that I really needed it, sigh) .

I've been trying to pay more attention to those things that speak huge truths quietly, to listen carefully to sermons, and not just throw a sermon out because I disagree on one point....and who knows? I might be off (probably am) on my full understanding of that one point and how I should actually deal with it. Instead, I want to really listen for the gems that are there, that the Lord knows I need to hear.

Lord open my ears that I might hear, and my eyes that I might see, those things that you see I truly have need of. Help me to not shut my ears to you because the bearer of your message to me disagrees with me on one point.

...and Romans 8:28 always comes to mind. :)

A wonderful sermon that truly blessed me:

Exercises in Missing the Point

When to Keep Silent

link to picture

Let me just say right off the bat that I have a problem with keeping my mouth shut when it is probably best that I do. Is my saying something every time I feel the urge to do so really that important to God? Speaking the truth in love, even when it seems unloving to the world is certainly important and necessary, is it not? Yes, AND, however, the Lord also wants us to do so with wisdom and compassion and love with the eternal consequences ever before us.

A long while back, a friend in the Lord gave me this illustration to help me understand what I was doing wrong. He said:

Say you have a cat. This cat loves fresh salmon. One day you put down a dish of fresh, yummy salmon for your cat, and your cat decided, for whatever reason, that he wasn't hungry yet. You, on the other hand, decide that it is time for the cat to eat the salmon you have placed before him, and you want him to eat it NOW. So you take the cat by the scruff of the neck and start jamming this yummy salmon down the cat's throat. This cat might never want to eat salmon again, especially if it is coming from you. 

Sigh. Wise words.

James 1:26  If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.

Now having said that, I don't want to confuse the saying or not saying with something that is similar but ever so different. I also see this being done today, and it is just as wrong as saying things that need to be left to the Holy Spirit to convict the person of in His own time. What I mean is, it is also wrong to not say something because one wants to feign being "loving" but it comes out of a fear of losing the other person's affection. We are to speak the truth in love. That doesn't mean going on and on about something when the person stopped listening hours ago. It also doesn't mean not saying anything at all. It is somewhere in the middle. We need to have the wisdom to speak the truth in love, once, maybe twice AT MOST, and then leave it with the Lord to do His work in the life of that person, and just show that person how much you love him in the Lord.

Have I perfected this? No. It is still something the Lord is working with me on, to develop that wisdom of when to speak, and when to STOP IT and let Him do His work...this is difficult for me, extremely so. I go from one extreme (to go on and on about something) to the other (to not say anything at all, and do a "loving act" phoney as can be).

Thankfully, the Lord knows what to do with a few measly loaves and fishes (my feeble and much less than  perfect offerings), and make them abound with His good nourishment for the soul. :)

Pictures 2

Looking through photos this morning, thought I'd post a few. The above was taken April 3, 2011 at the ferry going from Marine City to Canada. Too bad people had to drop their trash there :( Can you see the bits of snow and ice floating on the water? If you click on the picture, you can view the pics in this posting a bit larger (if you are like me and benefit from the larger images)

Also found some beautiful shots of trees:

the above 2 were taken of the same tree May 3, 2011, in Detroit, MI

about a half hour before I was to clock in for work that day :)

 taken May 3, 2011  

a couple of streets over from where the pink tree is in Detroit, MI

I took this one November 9, 2011 same area in Detroit, MI

(a few blocks from where I work)...

this (red brick) home on the corner looks empty/abandoned

the red tree is what inspired me to take some pictures that day (November 9, 2011)

I decided to stop that day before going in to work, since I had a few minutes to spare

I have many more pictures stored in my computer, but I have so much to get done today...maybe another day I'll post more of them.

Pictures

I confess that I'm not very good at the techy part of picture taking, it took me almost an hour just to figure out how to unload my memory card onto my computer (I usually wait until I get someone to do it for me, sheesh)....

The first image is one I took (in Michigan) July 17th. I decided to stop at the store after work. When I came out of the store, pushing my full shopping cart, I looked up and saw a gorgeous cloud capped with golden light. By the time I got to my car and got the camera out, the golden top had reduced to a small outline of what looked so glorious a minute before:

Sorry I missed it, If I only quit shopping a minute or two earlier!

A few that I took July 9th (also Michigan):

Some pictures I took two and a half weeks ago while in Canada turned out kinda nice. I've been wanting to take some pictures of farms and barns. Here's a sampling:

These were "snapped up" while driving. You can see a bit of motion blur in the foreground.

These were also taken the same day, just driving around:

and a couple of pictures of someone's little home that I just love:

 and these that I took just before leaving Canada (St Claire, Ontario):

and on ferry , leaving Somba, Ontario back to Marine City, Michigan:

Footprints in the Sand

Last week was spent in the Bahamas. It was beautiful and relaxing. My friend Ken took this picture of me:

Just look at how big his shoes are compared to me, lol, and yes my legs are really that pale! Anyway, I put this and a few other pictures (chosen out of over 400 pictures taken) on my Facebook page. Someone that I work with commented underneath the above photo with:

"Footprints in the sand"

It's incredible that those simple words had a profound effect on me. God knows exactly where I am, and where I've been, and where I'm going. That just was so reassuring and uplifting.

Sheep

According to Jesus we are His sheep...

Over the last few years I've been seeing references to "sheeple" and that used in a negative connotation. Sheeple are followers of current trends and the manipulations of tptb. We are not to be "sheeple" but we are to be Jesus's sheep.

Doing a word study using my electronic Strong's Concordance on the word "sheep" gives insight into what Jesus says about it.

The very first verse in the Bible that brings up the topic of sheep is with regard to the first brothers mentioned; Cain and Abel:

Gen 4:2  And she again bore his brother Abel. And Abel was a keeper of sheep, but Cain was a tiller of the ground.
Gen 4:3  And in process of time it came to pass, that Cain brought of the fruit of the ground an offering unto the LORD.
Gen 4:4  And Abel, he also brought of the firstlings of his flock and of the fat thereof. And the LORD had respect unto Abel and to his offering:
Gen 4:5  But unto Cain and to his offering he had not respect. And Cain was very wroth, and his countenance fell.

It seems that Cain and Able both knew exactly what was pleasing to God. Now from this I do not draw the conclusion that there's something wrong with farming, lol. However, the concept of sacrifice and sheep and "things of the earth" are here for us to ponder.

Psalm 53 is well accepted as being about Jesus and His sacrifice for us, and it mentions us as sheep in this way:

Isa 53:6  All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one to his own way; and the LORD hath laid on him the iniquity of us all. 

Crystal Cathedral, Garden Grove, California

We have turned every one to his own way...Do we see that today? It makes me think of that Frank Sinatra song that people loved so much: "I Did It My Way". According to the Bible, Cain and Frank Sinatra were wrong...according to this world, self effort and self promotion and doing it "my way" are to be celebrated and encouraged. Are the Joel Osteens, Oprah Winfrees, and Robert Schullers wrong? According to Jesus, they are completely wrong

Jer 50:6  My people hath been lost sheep: their shepherds have caused them to go astray, they have turned them away on the mountains: they have gone from mountain to hill, they have forgotten their resting place.

Ahhhhh.... resting place...


Mat 11:28  Come unto me, all ye that labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.

Heb 4:9  There remaineth therefore a rest to the people of God.
Heb 4:10  For he that is entered into his rest, he also hath ceased from his own works, as God did from his.
Heb 4:11  Let us labor therefore to enter into that rest, lest any man fall after the same example of unbelief.

So flaunting our own works and abilities actually are examples of unbelief.....resting in Jesus...my spirit is so willing, yet my flesh still desires to elevate itself. Old habits die hard. You would think it should be very simple to REST in Jesus. There REMAINETH therefore a rest to the people of God. That blessed rest that the Saturday sabbath pointed to, which the Israelites failed at keeping, or twisted it into a ritualized keeping that made it seem they were keeping it. Even when at rest, the flesh elevates itself into thinking it is doing something holy and honorable. 

Mat 16:24  Then said Jesus unto his disciples, If any man will come after me, let him deny himself, and take up his cross, and follow me.

As Jesus sheep, we follow Him in doing those things that will bring us no honor or praise from this world.

Mat 10:22  And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.

We can only endure to the end if Jesus makes it so. With us it is impossible, but with God, all things are possible.

´You anoint my Head with Oil´ (Psalm 23). We see a shepherd anointing the heads of sheep with oil to preserve them from sunstroke, or to heal bramble scratches. An early photograph.