October 7

Put on the new man, which after God is created in righteousness and true holiness. Ephesians 4:24.

Having received forgiveness, you should live in daily repentance and daily flee in true faith to your merciful Savior Jesus Christ, who bled and died on the cross for your transgressions; you should pray to Him daily and be diligent in hearing the Word of God, which can save your immortal soul. You should also do good to others. You should not let an opportunity for doing good pass by. The apostle says: "As we have opportunity, let us do good unto all men, especially unto them who are of the household of faith." If you are the father of a family, you should work and make a living for those who are dependent on you; for God says: "If any provide not for his own, and especially for those of his own house, he hath denied the faith and is worse than an infidel." If you are a mother, you should attend to your household affairs and your children. If you are a child, you should obey your parents. Whenever you are at a loss what to do, search for the will of God.

This is the great difference between the faithful Christians and the unbelieving children of this world, that the faithful Christians will always be guided by the will of God, while the worldling simply does as he pleases and does not care for the will of God, but laughs at those who are so scrupulous and careful lest they might do wrong. A really penitent Christian, having received forgiveness, cannot forget how kind, lenient, and merciful his heavenly Father has been towards him; how great was the mass of filth Christ's blood daily washed away; how the Holy Spirit

has had to labor at his soul to cleanse it and to make it a source of good thoughts and deeds. The more he learns to appreciate this boundless grace and loving-kindness of God, the more eager he will be to amend his sinful life and to show his thankfulness towards God. No one in this world has more cause to be thankful than the Christian.

Prayer.

O Jesus, my Redeemer, restore unto me the joy of Thy salvation and uphold me with Thy free Spirit in the fixed purpose to amend my sinful life and to serve Thee all the days of my life in holiness and righteousness pleasing to Thee. I have great cause to be thankful; for my sins are forgiven, my transgressions are covered, and unto me Thou imputest not iniquity. I know that Thou wilt always hear my prayers and wilt finally receive me unto Thyself in heaven. For Thy sake I am a blessed child of the heavenly Father and an heir of eternal salvation. Amen.

My soul to health He doth restore, In paths of right He goes before, And leadeth, ever near me. Yea, though I walk within death's vale, No evil thing shall make me quail; Thy rod and staff, they cheer me.