Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying the weekend. Looks like good weather for the hunters! I am soon going to Women’s Bible study at church and have been studying and doing food prep before I go. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  I wonder if we realize how much we need the Lord and His forgiveness daily. I was reading what Jessica Brodie, author and editor, wrote on Crosswalk about coming to the realization of how she was putting herself before God and hiding her true nature from others as well. She was a rule follower and considered herself a nice person, although she knew she wasn’t perfect. But she came to know she needed God’s forgiveness, as all of us sin daily and fall short.
   Jesus did not die for “nice” people but for those who know they are imperfect and sinful and in need of grace, which includes everyone. We are lost without Him and the apostle John says if we say we are without sin we only fool ourselves and are not living in reality.
  We might ask ourselves if we are mindful that we are sinful, and need cleansing every day or if we compare ourselves with others whose sin might be more open for all to see.  It does not matter if miss the mark by a little or a lot, the end result is the same. I think of it as drowning and whether it is in 12 feet of water or 2 feet of water, it makes no difference for we experience death.
   When we have known the Lord for some time, we may get flippant about sin and put other persons or things before the Lord. But we need to see our daily need for confession and forgiveness and to remember what it cost Jesus. Often at night before I go to sleep, I review the day and am made aware of where I have blown it, sinned is a more accurate word. I see where I have placed myself first instead of Him and my eyes get opened to my selfishness etc.  When we ask the Holy Spirit to reveal our sin so we can repent, He is only too happy to show us that we may be forgiven and made new. It is a good thing and we can just picture Him cleansing us wiping us clean.
   Like the song by Julie Johnston goes, “Grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that will pardon and cleanse within; grace, grace, God’s grace, Grace that is greater than all our sin!”
   The apostle Paul says in Ephesians 1:7 (ESV),” In Him we have redemption through His blood, the forgiveness of our trespasses, according to the riches of His grace.”
Challenge for today: Ask for a heart cleansing and then thank the Lord for His grace. 
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy