Canaan's Rest

Canaan’s Rest represents a quiet place “set apart” for the purpose of hearing God's voice, growing in intimacy with the Lord, and being renewed in soul and spirit.

July 16, 2025

Dear Ones,
Hope you have a faith-filled day! I plan to fry fish and make spaghetti pies, go to exercise class and a picnic supper party here at Northern Lakes. If we are done in time we will go to Bible study after that. Emoji
Devotions from Judy’s heart
The Lord wants us to have confidence in Him, for He is our solid rock and will be our safe place no matter what we face in the future. He doesn’t keep Himself at a distance, but is close to us and watching over us, especially when going through those hard times. I read recently from Psalm 34:18, “The Lord is near the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit.” I’m sure we all have had times when we feel like the bottom has dropped out and we wonder where God is. But we can have unshakable confidence that He is right beside us, feels our pain and will uphold us.

A song came to mind the other day by Ira Stanphill that I remember singing in a quartet as a teen. Theses words came back to me: “I don’t know about tomorrow; I just live from day to day. I don’t borrow from its sunshine, for its skies may turn to grey. I don’t worry o’er the future, for I know what Jesus said. And today I’ll walk beside Him, for He knows what lies ahead. Many things about tomorrow I don’t seem to understand, but I know who holds tomorrow and I know who holds my hand.”

There is a lot of fear in our culture today and people are stressed and anxious. But when we know the Lord, we can confidently rest in Him and know that we are held firmly in His hand. Like the last verse of this song says: “I don’t know about tomorrow, it may bring me poverty. But the one who feeds the sparrow, is the one who stands by me. And the path that is my portion, may be through the flame or flood; but His presence goes before me and I’m covered with His blood.”

Instead of fear let us trust in the One who stands by us, is close and gives us hope. We can face whatever happens in the future because of the assurance of God’s goodness and mercy.

Challenge for today: When fearful thoughts come to your mind, thank the Lord that He holds your future in His hands.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

 

July 15, 2025

Dear Ones,
Hope you have a day filled with peace. PTL our son Kurt had his cast removed from his arm and is thankful to use it, sweat and get it wet. Leif should hear today if he will need a boot as his foot was injured. We plan to have friends over for pie and prayer this afternoon and later I have a Women’s Bible study.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
One day as I was scrubbing the kitchen floor, the thought went through my mind: would someone coming to visit know that this is a Christian home? Would they notice the crosses, the pictures of Christ, Bibles and Christian books in our bookcases? All that may be true for most of us, but what about the atmosphere? Would others sense the sweet presence of Jesus, or is the atmosphere one of dissension and negativity?
Friends who are a clergy couple recently invited a Jewish couple they had met while traveling to stay at their home if they were passing by. The couple took them up on the offer and stayed with them, and must have noticed the signs that this was a Christian home. Although the couple never asked if they knew the Lord, when it came to mealtime they all held hands while praying. They saw the Christian symbols, Bibles, etc. and experienced the wonderful hospitality, hopefully being drawn to the Lord even without words.
We don’t know what others pick up when they come to visit, but our attitudes are reflected in our homes, whether it is welcoming, warm and full of Jesus’ love, or it is cold and lacks the presence of the Spirit. Recently I sat across the table from a missionary wife whose home is constantly filled with people that they are seeking to win to the Lord. It is also often filled with workers who come on short term missions to help lead VBS, preach, do work projects, etc. and she makes meals for them and gives them a place to stay, for their home is like a haven of God’s love.
Of course, God is ultimately our home, and like it says in Psalm 46:1, He is our refuge and strength, a very present help in trouble. We find our shelter in Him.
Challenge for today: Make your home a welcoming place to share Jesus’ love.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

Rise And Grind

Pastor Alexander Sosler in an article entitled “You can’t hustle your way to holiness” in Christianity Today, used the phrase “rise and grind.”  He is talking about the new generation of influencers, who are targeting younger men, with the thought of getting Christian men out of their heads and into the real world around them.  But pastor Sosler wonders, “But in the life of faith, I also think my drive to be the best can make me the spiritually worst.”

He gives this caution,  “… underneath these modern messages is also a deeper, more distorted desire; There’s always more to do, more to read, more money to make, more experiences to have, more people to beat.  Life is set up for the grind. Perform. Do better. Money is power, so get some. And what young people can’t know yet is that this mindset leaves you exhausted.”

He goes on to rightly suggest, “In Christianity, we call upon a higher standard of grace, which has nothing to do with our effort or striving.  You can’t hack your way to holiness because holiness is slow work.  Formation is less about productivity and more about stillness.  This way of life requires discipline, but it’s a discipline of absence not performance.  The battle cry of formation isn’t necessarily ‘Fight for the Lord’ but ‘the Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still'” (Ex. 14:14)……These words don’t excite my Western sensibilities.  I want to be deserving of what I get.”

He goes on to focus on “deserving.”  He quotes Thomas Merton on perseverance.  “Perseverance is not hanging on to some course which we have set our mind to, and refusing to let go……I am coming to think that God …. loves and helps best those who are so beat and have so much nothing when they come to die that it is almost as if they had persevered in nothing but had gradually lost everything, piece by piece, until there was nothing left but God.  Hence perseverance is not hanging on, but letting go.” 

Sosler reminds us of Paul’s words, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness: (II Cor. 12:9).  “For Paul,” notes Sosler, “perseverance involved letting go.  Formation was submission. His weakness proved God’s power, which means the scandal of perseverance is this: Even in the emptiness, God loves us.”  

The author ends his article with these words. “So in those moments when you’re at the end of your proverbial rope, God is there, and you are still his beloved.”  He quotes Henri Nouwen, “We are not what we do.  We are not what we have.  We are not what others think of us.  Coming home is claiming the truth, I am the beloved of a loving Creator.”

The quote from Nouwen was instrumental in my formation some years ago, when I was caught up in a “spiritual performance” trap. I still can feel and picture myself as a earnest, sincere pastor wanting to be holy and spiritual effective at the same time.  I was on a treadmill, with little awareness of how to get off.  Thank God, I had a spiritual friend who taught me how to slow down and allow the Lord to do his work in my heart.  

That transition for me happened over thirty years ago.  But even at my age (83), I still get caught in the “performance trap.”   I have my unique “conveyer belt” that I get on, carrying me along in my own energy and strength.  I have had the learn patience the hard way.  God work of transformation is a “slow process.”  

 

July 14, 2025

Dear Ones,
Hope you had a good weekend. We had a wonderful blessed time visiting Taylor and Ethan in WI. They belong to a Chrisitan community and we got to taste what it is like to be joined with so many who love the Lord.  Taylor invited a couple over for supper Saturday night and we shared stories of God’s grace together. We went to the church yesterday and heard powerful messages and it lasted 3 hours. So many families and young men who have found meaning to life. Perhaps I will share more in a devotional. Emoji
Devotions from Judy’s heart
The best book ever written is the Bible. It is powerful and proves true. As it says in Psalm 119:105, “Thy word is a lamp unto my feet and a light unto my path.” When we go to the Bible, it can guide us in all things necessary for life. It is not like books that we may just read for information, but it is far more. It tells us how to follow after God; it is important that we internalize scripture, and not miss the author.

My mom treasured the Word of God and also had us memorize many scriptures. She wrote verses out on recipe cards and one-by-one, we learned them together. Many of those verses come back to me in situations I may facing. I am thankful for His Word that is living, active and sharper than any two-edged sword. When we are in times of decision it can cut right through all the fluff, and get to the heart of the matter. It discerns the thoughts and intentions of the heart. (Heb. 4:12) No Word of God is void of power!

So much of the Bible is about the relationship between God and His people. We were made to live with Him as the center of our lives, and His Word helps us to live closely to Him in love and to others around us. I love that it also shares those times when people fail but then turn back to the Lord and are received by Him again. The prodigal son sure knew what it was like to fail miserably and then be greeted with open arms again.

We need to approach the Word with an open heart, an open mind and the desire to hear the Lord speak to us. We never know what He will say and He speaks to us in many ways. One young man was not looking for Jesus, but he thought life was meaningless and had thoughts of suicide if he didn’t find purpose in life. He was angry but decided to open a Bible to the book of Mark and as he read, he said, “I became aware of a presence. I saw nothing. I heard nothing… It was simple certainty that the Lord was standing there and that I was in the presence of Him whose life I had begun to read with such revulsion and such ill-will.” But he met the Lord in the Word and his life was radically changed and he established the Russian Orthodox diocese of Great Britain and Ireland. He was Father Anthony of Sourozh. He found Jesus through the Word.

Challenge for today: Open the Word and humbly ask the Lord to help you become more like Him.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

July 12, 2025

Dear Ones,

Happy weekend to you! We are packed and ready to go to WI and prayers are appreciated. Taylor runs a coffee shop and we want to eat where she works and get a feel of their Christian community. Yesterday we went next door to Assisted Living  to pray for our former neighbor who will soon be home with the Lord. What a great day for her!

Devotions from Judy’s heart
How do we live our lives each day? Would that we all would be like the Psalmist who prayed, “Teach us, dear Lord, to number our days that we may apply our hearts unto wisdom.” (Psalm 90:12) Al and I are becoming more aware as we age that our time in this world is going to run out. We don’t have a lot of time left and we realize more and more that time is a gift, and we need to make good choices as to how to live in the present.

Haven’t we all thought at one time or other of what people will say about us at our funeral? What would they remember about us that stood out to them?  Would they say that we loved well or that we served with compassion or that we worked hard? What things really matter? It is something we all need to think about lest we live lives devoid of purpose, becoming apathetic, distracted or even bored. How much better if we focus on what is important: putting down roots of faith, nourishing our souls, prayer and time with the Lord, work, loving relationships, etc. In other words, really living, not just going through the motions of empty routines.

We were meant to live each day with the awareness of the Lord’s presence, listening to what He has to say to us, letting Him love us and direct our lives. In prayer we give the Lord our focused attention and even our minds become renewed. At the end of the day, it’s good to think back to the times we experienced God’s grace, and also the low times where we failed, asking for His forgiveness and then for His help living well tomorrow. We all need to have a day of rest, a Sabbath rest, and choose to even put aside our phone and breathe in fresh air to our souls. We will find we are actually more productive and creative after taking day of rest. Life is not a treadmill and we need times for restoration.

Let us think of how we want our lives to be formed, giving time and attention to what is most important and how we would like to be remembered.

Challenge for today: Ask yourself if you are spending the majority of your time in line with your priorities.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy
t

July 11, 2025

Dear Ones,
Hope you have a wonderful weekend. We have company coming this morning and later we will pack the car as we will be
going to WI tomorrow to see Taylor and Ethan who you have prayed for in the past. We plan to stay overnight with them and
go to their church and potluck. Taylor is due next month to have their first baby and we hope she comes on Al’s birthday.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We have been living here at Northern Lakes for nearly seven years. When we first moved here, the tree outside our bedroom window where I daily write was small and the top did not reach up to our second story windows. I could see the service road, the courtyard, the woods and the front of other apartments. But gradually, this same small tree has been growing little by little, and now is very big and fills three-fourths of our window so that my view of those things is blocked. I can see somewhat to the very right, which is assisted living, but I can no longer see the flowers growing in the middle of the service road, only a side of the courtyard, etc.
The blocking of my view did not happen overnight, for it was so gradual that I was scarcely aware of what was taking place. What was once just a cute little tree is now a big looming tree that has overtaken my vision of what is before me. Isn’t that just like sin and the little compromises we start making to justify our behavior that do not line up with the Word? We may think such a little white lie won’t hurt, or slightly adjusting the financial books at work isn’t really stealing, but it does matter more than we are aware of at the time. Soon we may have to tell another lie to cover up the first one. Or we may have to do more adjusting with the financial records and soon we are in big trouble.
The enemy will always minimize the resulting seriousness of the temptations he puts before us. But let us be on guard, nip it at the bud by saying “NO” immediately and refuse to take his bait. We can stand on the Word and quote it back as Jesus did. When tempted to lie say, “Lying lips are an abomination to the Lord, but those who act faithfully are His delight.” (Prov. 12:22) Or when tempted to cheat say, “A false balance is an abomination to the Lord, but a just weight is His delight.”
Whom do we want to please? If it is the Lord, we must say no to the enemy and yes to Him. He will give us the power to resist and we can call upon Him anytime and anywhere. (Jer. 33:3)
Challenge for today: Meditate on I Cor. 10:13, “No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and He will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation He will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

July 10, 2025

Dear Ones,
Hope you have a day of blessings. It is Donut Day here and Bible study and I plan to clean and do some food prep. We had a wonderful dinner and time of fellowship yesterday with Missionaries who are from Brazil and then Bible study following at church where they shared. So inspiring!!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
The Lord wants each of us to live a full abundant life, but one of the main hindrances is unforgiveness. If we do not forgive others, we will become bitter. A survey taken of 2,000 adults showed that 69% of them harbored unforgiveness. The result takes its toll on our physical bodies, and as Dr. Colbert wrote it can manifest in depression, cancer, fibromyalgia, arthritis and so much more.

Forgiveness is not a feeling, but an important decision we make to cancel someone else’s debt. If we refuse, we will find that it will waste our energy and time, and quenches the Holy Spirit. We will be left with anger and distain for the person. Then the anger has nowhere to go but to go within us, and it may cause various sicknesses. It is easy to look back with regret, but then we lose our effectiveness in the new thing we are currently involved in. We are told to forget the things that are behind and press on to what is ahead. (Phil. 3:13) Mother Teresa is a powerful example of someone who saw bitterness as a big obstacle to love. She didn’t focus on things done to her, but on the person who caused her hurt. She forgave what they did to her and prayed for them as she felt they must be hurting themselves. She gave them a fresh start.

Memories of old hurts may come to mind and instead of dwelling on them, it is better to thank the Lord that He has forgiven them, forgotten them and remembers them no more. That is sooooo wonderful and we don’t have to bring something up again. Maybe we think we can justify our response, but it is better to simply let it go. Let us release and forgive others who have hurt us and not keep opening up old wounds; instead let us walk in love and forgiveness.

Challenge for today: If someone comes to mind that has hurt you, don’t wait but forgive them and pray for them.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

July 9, 2025

Sorry I am late today. I was clearing out furniture so our furnace could be put in and totally forgot!
Dear Ones,
Hope your day is full of opportunities to share the Lord. This morning we are getting a new furnace/A.C. unit as it is all worn out and needed replacement! Also, I have Exercise, Crafts, dinner out with missionaries and then Bible Study. I have poison ivy on my nose so it is also a humbling time to be seen! Emoji Your question for this week is: Am I open to let others know of my love for the Lord and look for opportunities to share Him?
Devotions from Judy’s heart
God can use even the smallest things in life to touch a heart and change a life…even something so small as a cookie on a stick. Those of you who know me also know that I Iove making chocolate chip cookies on a stick to give to children and also adults. Each time I visit a friend in assisted living I bring her a plateful of cookies on a stick, along with chocolate cake smothered with chocolate frosting, root beer and candy. Since it is rare for her to get a visit from any relative, she is very appreciative when I come, for we share the Lord together and pray. When leaving I feel I am the one that has been blessed by her positive attitude and thankful heart.
On the 4th of July when I brought her more treats, she told me how she shared one of the cookies I had given her with a man who had recently been placed at her table in the dining area. He has colon cancer that has metastasized all over his body and was feeling depressed and alone since he is expected to die soon. But when my friend engaged him in conversation at mealtimes, she also gave him one of her treasured cookies and his whole attitude changed. It was almost unbelievable to her to see the transformation in him, what a small gesture can do as an act of sharing God’s love.
Usually my friend eats the first two meals of the day in the dining room, but then for supper has only a piece of chocolate cake or a cookie on a stick. While I was in the midst of writing this devotional, she called me with great excitement sharing her experience with this new friend at lunch time after she asked him if he knew the Lord. When he said yes, she then proceeded to tell him the very things she and I had talked and prayed about for him when I last visited. She expressed to him the joy that soon he would be with the Lord in glory and would not need his wheelchair, for he would be walking and leaping and praising the Lord. She herself is also in a wheelchair and looking forward to the day she would do the same. My friend was so excited that God could use her to help bring comfort to her new friend and prepare him for eternity.
I was reminded of Jeus word to His disciples in Matt.10:8, “Freely you have received, freely give.” We have all been blessed by the Lord and received His wonderful gifts; let us not hoard them but give as the Holy Spirit directs us. It took only a little cookie on a stick to begin the mindset change of a discouraged dying man to receive the good news, find hope and experience love. Who knows what He will do when you offer up even your seemingly smallest gift to bless others.

July 8, 2025

Dear Ones,
Hope you have a day of sunshine! I am catching up after being gone over the weekend and am going to make Al’s favorite cookies and other dishes to put in the freezer.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
It is great to read the Bible each day and to do so with an open heart. There are many people that study the Bible to gain knowledge and many facts, and even memorize a lot of verses. Others may go to the Word as if searching for a genie that will give them what they want if they claim the right verses, etc. But if we want to be transformed to be like Jesus, we have to come to the Word humbly, readily admitting our sin, and with an open repentant heart. If we read the Word and let it read us, we will find it leads us to greater love for the Lord and others. Just knowing facts won’t change our lives, but if we read the Bible to let it change us, we will have more love for the Lord and others. The real test is the quality of our love.

We are not to read the Bible to reinforce some of our own viewpoints that might be different than others, but to be open to what the Holy Spirit would teach us. Only then will we be transformed into His likeness. We can ask the Lord to teach us truth in our inner selves as David did in Psalm 51:6, “Behold, you delight in truth in the inward being, and you teach me wisdom in the secret heart.” He goes on to ask God to create in him a clean heart and to renew a right spirit within him. His heart is soft and open to receive.

I think we have all heard preaching with long portions of scripture read and Bible studies where fine points are discussed at length, and yet we go home and wonder how it will bring change to my life. How can I apply it, and does it bring me closer in my relationship to Him? How much better small portions of scripture that we can meditate on and ask the Holy Spirit what He might be saying and showing us in a new way. We need to read the Word with our heart and ask that its message flow into us. I often think: what is the importance of what I am reading? If it is just factual, I have missed it. But if leads me closer to the Lord, applying the Word and obeying, then it is like manna to my soul.  Let us remember that, “it is God who is at work in you, enabling you both to will and to work for His good pleasure. (Phil. 2:13)
Challenge for today: Read scripture with a humble, open, expectant heart with the desire to be transformed into His image.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

The Lord is a Warrior

To say  God is a Warrior, is like raising a red banner in the midst of  the cross currents of angry voices wanting to get rid of patriarchy.  A warrior God is viewed with deep suspicion in our day when all the structures of patriarchy are being questions.  For some, warrior gives them confidence that God will be victorious, defeating  evil and establishing a reign of God’s kingdom in the end.  For others, “warrior” is a word to be “flagged,” signaling a hateful, angry presence, who will trampling on the weak and vulnerable.  But the God of scripture is called a Warrior.  The Lord gives us a warning.  Ps. 78:65 tells us,  “Then the Lord awoke as from sleep. as a man wakes from the stupor of wine.” 

In Exodus 15, as the Israelites  were escaping the mighty army of Pharaoh, standing on dry ground, they watched as the entire army drown in the sea behind them.  “They sank to the depths like a stone.” (Ex. 15:5)  In response, Moses, Miriam and the people sang to the Lord.  “The Lord is a warrior; the Lord is his name” (Ex. 15:3).  They declared in song,  “Who among the gods is like you, O Lord? Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory, working wonders? You stretch out your right hand and the earth swallowed them.” (Ex. 15:11-12).

Having experienced Pharaoh’s mighty army being drowned, Miriam, took a tambourine in her hand, and all the women joined her, with tambourines.  They danced and sang. “Sing to the Lord, for he is highly exalted.  For horse and driver he has hurled into the sea” (Ex. 15:20-21).  They celebrated in joyful worship, singing joyfully, “By the blast of your nostrils the waters piled up.  The surging waters stood up like a wall” (Ex. 15:8).  

They were in awe of their mighty God.  “Who among the gods is like you, Lord?  Who is like you – majestic in holiness, awesome in glory working wonders?” (Ex. 15:11).  They even sang about the love of God.  “You stretch our your right hand, and the earth swallows your enemies.  In your unfailing love you will lead the people you have redeemed” (Ex. 15:13).   

Just before they entered the sea to escape Pharaoh’s army, Moses had told the people, “Do not be afraid.  Stand firm and you will see the deliverance the Lord will bring you today.  The Egyptians you see today you will never see again.  The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still.” (Ex 14:13-14).  Imagine being told to stand firm and see how God will save you from the mightiest army on earth.  Moses was confident they would see God’s deliverance.  He know without a doubt that their God as a “warrior.”

If anyone doubts God is a warrior, Revelation 19 describes the loving and compassionate Jesus of the Gospels as the heavenly warrior who has defeated the beast (the devil).  “His eyes are like blazing fire, and on his head are many crowns.  He has a name written on him that no one knows but he himself.  He is dressed in a robe dipping in blood, and his name is the Word of God.” (Rev. 19:12). 

At the end of history, Jesus, the Son of God, is pictured as a victorious rider on a white horse.  He is “dressed in a robe dipped in blood…..out of his mouth comes a sharp sword with which to strike down the nations.” (Rev 19:13 &15)  But Jesus also called the “lamb.”  The enemies makes war against the lamb.  But we read, “They will make war against the Lamb, but the Lamb will overcome them because he is Lord or Lords and King of kings.” (Rev. 17:14)   

 

 

 

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