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.

Month: May 2025 (Page 1 of 3)

May 31, 2025

May 31, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you!  We had a fun Birthday party here yesterday and a very full house! Today I plan to clean the apartment and do some writing and baking.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
A question many ask today is, “Why go to church on Sunday?” Why not stay home and just watch online or go out on the lake with your fishing rod and enjoy nature? I grew up in a home where it was never a question on Sunday morning: we all went to church and began preparing the night before to have everything ready. Things have changed in our fast-paced world, and sadly people don’t realize church is a gathering with other believers to worship. As it says in Heb. 10:25, “Let’s see how inventive we can be in encouraging love and helping out, not avoiding worshiping together as some do but spurring each other on, especially as we see the big Day approaching.”
I read an article by Pastor Sarah Coleman, and I’d like to share a few reasons she gives as to why going to church will improve our week. Remember even Jesus purposed to attend worship as it was His custom, and it certainly is good for us too.
When we are gathered to offer praises in worship, we sense God’s presence in a powerful way. He inhabits our praises!  We also receive revelation as we listen to the Word through the pastor’s sermon, through scriptures read or testimonies given. We connect with other believers as we worship together, have coffee and fellowship and grow in the sharing of our lives.
Sarah also says church is an opportunity to see outside ourselves and to serve others. It’s not just “bless me,” but in helping others we are also refreshed. Church helps us find answers to questions we may have, and they may not come through only the pastor, but also others who have been through similar situations. Studying the Word together and sharing our lives can help us make sense of things. Church is also a place that provides a moral compass. Truth is found in the Word and as we hear and study it, we can become people who live truth.
Studies show that church just might help us live longer. Sarah shares that the New York Times says it boosts our immunity and lowers our blood pressure. Going regularly may add years to our lives! Wow!
Church helps us keep our priorities straight: as we put first things first, other things seem to fall into place. The Lord is to be in first place always!
The last reason Sarah gives is that church puts us in an atmosphere of faith. Our hearts are encouraged as we gather with other believers, and we find doubts and fears replaced with hope. May we take time to go to church and be blessed, encouraged and ready for what’s ahead.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to open your heart to receive from Him what He offers you through your church.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

May 30, 2025

May 30, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Happy Weekend. Hope you have a relaxing one. We start the weekend with our monthly Birthday party and will be going to Costco to get the Birthday cake. Thankful for my two helpers and we enjoy serving together.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We are meant to live in fellowship with others, to share God’s love, and to let go of our pride that thinks mostly of self, disconnecting us from others. Our hearts are to reach out to others, instead of the overemphasis in our culture of the I and the loss of the we. It’s wonderful to belong to a small group of people where we share and seek each other’s good. Hopefully, we can do that in our church fellowship groups: show care for one another and come to deeply to know one another.
There are some that have gone the extra mile to live in community. I have written about Taylor and Ethan who have their own home but clustered in a community where they meet together to worship, to work and to fellowship. Oldfield writes that she and her husband are living in community, sharing a house with another couple and their children. That is even more of a challenge, but it is helping them to love each other well, even though their imperfections are obvious as there is no hiding. It is also a time of dying to one’s pride, for as it says in Proverbs 27:17, “Iron sharpens iron, and one man sharpens another.” I can only imagine that living in community is sometimes messy, but growth takes place as we connect and let others know us.
The early church, after the Holy Spirit came upon them, were of one heart and mind and shared everything. In Acts, Luke writes how they devoted themselves to the apostles’ teaching, fellowship and were together with no one in need.
Not all of us will join a live-in community, but we are to connect with others, surrender our pride and discover what it means to be interdependent, joyful and free.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to help you surrender your pride and to connect with others in His Body.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

May 29, 2025

May 29, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
May you have a peace-filled day. I plan to bake Al’s favorite cookies and later we have Bible Study.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Most of us would not like to admit that we have idols in our lives; but the fact that there are no statues in our house doesn’t mean we are free from idols. Francis Schaeffer wrote some years ago that personal peace and affluence are the defining idols of our time. We are people who like comfort, to be left alone and to have prosperity with material goods in abundance. I remember watching Schaeffer’s movies while at our church in Des Moines wondering if people would really come to the place of ignoring the needs of others and just be concerned about themselves and gaining wealth? But if we look around us and maybe within us, we must acknowledge we want a comfortable, affluent life of ease.
Even our children are taken in by the word to “follow your dreams and live your truth.” Athletic and personal success become more important than spiritual formation and growth. They desire status and trophies and think God’s favor lines up with whatever they achieve. But that kind of living leaves us with anxiety, addictions, laziness and emptiness. How contradictory it is from God’s way that speaks of self-denial, helping others and surrendering to God.
Our faith involves obedience, sacrifice and serving others. If parents don’t teach this to their children they will not be able to embrace suffering when it comes. They are more likely turn to quick fixes like vaping, alcohol and excess time on their phones, etc. It’s best when parents model a life of faith and sacrifice, help others and surrender to the Lord. All of us need to embrace God’s way of truth, expressing His love as we help others and reject the idols of our day.
Challenge for today: Do as John says in I John 5:21, “Dear children, guard yourselves from false gods.”
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

May 28, 2025

May 28, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a purpose-filled day. We have a full day as Al is going to meet with the men and I have exercise class, Craft class, an appointment and Bible Study. We were surprised and blessed yesterday as friends celebrated our Anniversary ahead of time in a beautiful way!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
While at the lake over Labor Day weekend, we had a picnic for three generations of our family all gathered together around the bonfire. I can still remember years ago when my folks were with us by the fire pit but now are home with the Lord. Their desire was that all five of us kids and later our spouses and children and children’s children would know and serve the Lord. Their prayer has become our prayer, as nothing would please us more than to know that each one of our children and spouses and grandchildren (we don’t have great grandchildren yet) would know the Lord in a deep way.
I recently read a devotional from Mark Robers of Fuller Seminary, and he writes about “God’s purpose-Your purpose”. He shared Psalm 71:17-18, “O God, from my youth you have taught me, and I still proclaim your wondrous deeds. So even to old age and gray hairs, O God, do not forsake me, until I proclaim your might to all the generations to come.”  Al and I are in the 4th quarter of our lives, and we want to leave a legacy for the future for our children and grandchildren. But even though we gave them our former house and property and hope to have $ left for them when we leave this earth, we desire most of all to leave a spiritual legacy behind.
Roberts wrote that if we want to live with purpose in our later years, we need to pay attention to our generativity. He describes generativity as a deep desire to leave a legacy for the future of excellence, example, empowerment and encouragement. Webster Dictionary defines generativity as “a need to nurture and guide younger people and contribute to the next generation.” If you are grandparents like us, you will likely be in touch with your generativity also.  We certainly did not give our grandkids a peace-filled world, and they will need spiritual guidance and strength as they face the future. May we pass on to them all that we have received from the Lord so they can also pass it on.
Challenge for today: Take time to be with your children and grandchildren and use it as a time to proclaim God’s wondrous deeds!
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

 

May 27, 2025

May 27, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a wonderful day. I am going to make Swedish meatballs and do other food prep and go to my eye appointment. This afternoon we are invited to friends for coffee and fellowship.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Hopefully all of us have known compassion shown by others around us and know the wonderful feeling of others sensing what we are going through and expressing care. Our Heavenly Father is so compassionate with us and opens the way for us to follow His example. Paul also tells us in Col. 3:12, “Put on then as God’s chosen ones, holy and beloved, compassionate hearts, kindness, humility, meekness, and patience.” He goes on to say we should be bearing with one another, forgiving and loving.
We are all called to be compassionate as God’s children and we should be the first to notice when others are going through painful times, disappointment, fear, anxiety, etc. Perhaps more than ever today there is a lack of compassion for others as people are lonely, lost in their phones, not seeing even their family’s needs. There are many people in our country that are emotionally starved and feel no one really sees them or cares for them. There is great lack of emotional nourishment and shouldn’t the family be the place we would receive that rich gift? I love that we ate meals together when I was growing up, and then with our own family it was important that we sat and ate together and shared our day. I suspect many feel that no one cares about their day or what is happening as there are never any questions asked. Some kids don’t complete their schoolwork and act out, as they cry for attention and want to know that they are noticed.
Compassion is something that can be developed through work and effort. Children can learn it early in life from their parents. If you are on Facebook, you see parents walking with their child and go right by someone in need and show no concern at all. Then other scenarios show a parent stopping and helping someone so the child is being trained to see the hurts of others and to respond with compassion. Sometimes it is just a matter of attentively listening to someone else and they can pick up our caring and feel warmth of Jesus’ love. Let us be sensitive to others and show compassion!
Challenge for today: Thank someone in your life who has shown you compassion and ask the Lord to help you learn to be more compassionate, especially those closest to you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

Stumbling

May 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments

I have become, at my age, more unsteady on my feet.  My balance is off and I don’t walk as confidently as a senior man.  It is hard to admit.  It seemed therefore, appropriate for me to write a blog about spiritually stumbling.  Hebrews 12:12-3 give us this exhortation.  “So stop letting your hands go slack and get some energy into your sagging knees!  Make straight paths for your feet.  If you’re lame, make sure you get healed instead of being put out of joint” (Wright).   Wow, I sure get this message.

I take this both physically and spiritually.  I need to do the best with what I have physically.  “Al, keep at it; don’t give in the aging process.”  But these verses also can be seen as a spiritual exhortation for all ages.  Don’t get out of shape spiritually.  Cry out for spiritual energy; don’t begin to coast spiritually; Keep your focus on the straight path before you; If your wounded spiritually, allow the Lord to heal your soul.

The Psalmist expressed his gratitude for being able to stay on the path.  “My steps have held to your path; my feet have not slipped” (Ps 17:5). He also was thankful for the help he received on his journey.  “If the Lord delights in a man’s way, he makes his steps firm; through he stumbles, he will not fall, for the Lord upholds him with his hand” (Ps. 37:23-24)

What I find especially encouraging is being able to walk in the presence of the Lord.  “He has saved me from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.  And so I walk in the Lord’s presence as I live here on earth” (Ps 116:8-9 NLT).  He helps me to walk in the light. “For you have rescued me from death; you have kept my feet from slipping.  So now I can walk in your presence, O God, in your life-giving light” (Ps 56:13 NLT). 

The prophets continually warn us of stumbling in the dark.  “So there is no justice among us, and we know nothing about right living.  We look for light but find only darkness.  We look for bright skies but walk in gloom.  We grope like the blind along a wall, feeling our way like people without eyes.  Even at brightest noontime, we stumble as though it were dark.  Among the living, we are like the dead” (Is. 59:10 NLT). 

Long ago, the prophet Isaiah warned us to be careful not to pay attention to “misinformation.”  In his prophetic message, he called it “conspiracy.”  “Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them. Make the Lord of Heaven’s armies holy in your life.   He is the one you should fear.  He is the one who should make you tremble” (Is 8:12-13 NLT).  Otherwise, Isaiah warns about stumbling.  “He will be a stone that makes people stumble, a rock that makes them fall.  And for the people of Jerusalem he will be a trap and a snare.  Many will stumble and fall, never to rise again.  They will be snared and captured” (Is. 8:14-15 NLT).   

My testimony –  I want to finish strong.  I don’t want to bend the knee, becoming lazy spiritually.  Lord, help me to fight the Good Fight to the end.  By your grace and mercy, give me the will, the strength and the  determination to walk  in the Light of the Lord’s Presence the rest of my days.  Above all, allow me to be a man of truth, who not only exposes  “misinformation” but also  has the courage and insight to represent the truth in word and deed. 

 

May 26, 2025

May 26, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are having a wonderful holiday weekend. We enjoyed our time at the cabin and wonderful to wake up in the morning to the sunrise over the lake.  I had many games with family but also quiet times by the water.  It was also great to see old friends again at our former church.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
In the midst of our culture with so much evil, who do we let influence us? Hopefully we are not sucked in by all the things we read or hear on the media, but go to the Lord. He is truth, He is the One who should influence all we do, say and think.
Recently I was reading from Paul’s letter to Timothy, and he starts right out by saying he, Paul, is on special assignment for Christ and under God’s command. He was not taken in by all the teachings of counterfeit faith and warns Timothy to also guard against it, as some went around as experts but were full of hot air. There is a lot being said today that is also misleading, directly contradicting what the Bible says, and we can know it is not truth. Paul warns in I Tim 1:19, “Some have refused to let their faith guide their conscience and their faith has been destroyed like a wrecked ship.”  We may start out gradually accepting things that are only partly true but contain a little bit of error. Before long we have been sucked in by the whole lie and no longer stand for truth.
Some people are motivated by the desire for power and control, teaching things that are false, or at best half-truths. But we need to be alert, to recognize what is false and call it for what it is. That means we must know what the Word says, spending time letting it speak to us and guide us in our everyday life. We need to walk steadily and with perseverance, motivated by faith and love. May we stop looking like the world and spend time with the Lord and feed on the good things that are true, honorable, just, pure, lovely, commendable, etc. (Phil. 4: 8-9)
Challenge for today: Walk the walk and talk the talk of one who knows Jesus, not one who lives half for Him and half for the world.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

May 24, 2025

May 24, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying this holiday weekend. We hope to see the sun and have some warm rays as we go to the lake this morning. A family picnic is planned for this evening and tomorrow we plan to go to the Lighthouse and see old friends that we haven’t seen for some time.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
There is one game that is not good to play and that is the comparison game. It often shows up in wanting what others have, envy towards those that seem to be one notch above us, and dissatisfaction with who God made us to be.  Those who feel overlooked, unnoticed and have low self-esteem are especially vulnerable. They often envy those who seem to be winners in the status game, causing a feeling of emptiness.
We are to be in communion with one another and valued, but not in competition to prove we are worthy and approved. Each one of us is uniquely made in God’s image and remarkable, but not better than others. We all matter and are equal, special and loved by the very One who created us. It is not wise to compare ourselves with anyone else for we are not to be grounded by the opinion of others, but our sense of self is to rest in the Lord. In Him we are free to be who He created us to be and have value.
So much emphasis today is on our appearance, our titles and accomplishments, but approval can fluctuate greatly and cause us to live on edge, wondering when it may change. Just think of our bodies and how as we naturally age, wrinkles begin appearing and maybe pounds increase on the scale. If our worth is in our appearance, we are in trouble. We are formed by what has our attention, so let it be on the Lord and not on things that will change and pass away. If we seek our worth in others or in accumulating wealth and fame, it is idolatry. The Lord wants to be in first place in our lives; our acceptance and approval come from Him. We don’t have to be constantly wondering if we measure up for in the Lord; we are enough and can then rest and turn our attention outward to others.
Let us be in communion with one another and not competition!
Challenge for today: Thank the Lord that you are His beloved and seen. Do not be unwise by comparing yourself with others. (II Cor. 10:12)
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

May 23, 2025

May 23, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Happy Weekend! Hope you have a great Memorial Day weekend. Today I plan to clean and pack and make food for going to the lake. We plan to leave tomorrow morning to visit a friend at Assisted Living and then on the cabin to stay overnight.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Isn’t it amazing how connected we are to others by just a click on our smart phones or a quick message from our e-mail? I used to communicate with friends in other states and countries by snail mail and it took ages for them to get my letter and then a long while for a response. But today it is strange that although we can have instant connection with others, our nation is facing an epidemic of loneliness with half of U.S. adults experiencing significant levels of loneliness according to our surgeon general. Though we have the latest technologies, we have fewer face-to-face interactions and so many feel isolated. Virtual friendships are not the same as ones in the real world. Many don’t communicate even when they are able to be together, as each one is on their phone and not conversing with those present.
But there is no need to be lonely when we have a Heavenly Father who desires friendship and fellowship with us. He loves us more than any person can and gave His very life for us. He wants to have a deep relationship with us and communicate with us all throughout our day. He is meant to be our Best Friend and will never leave us, for we are the apple of His eye, the crown of His creation. He wants to be our confidant and lover of our soul. We can walk with Him, talk with Him any time, anywhere and tell Him the secrets of our heart. When we read the Word, we find that we are drawn closer to Him and are better able to hear Him.
The Lord has also given us a spiritual family with other believers where we can come together to worship, share our hearts and be connected in a deep sense. When we feel lonely, we can reach out to others in the Body of Christ to receive prayer, hugs and words of encouragement.
I am reminded of the song that I sing often in the car, “Why should I feel discouraged? Why should the shadows come? Why should my heart be lonely and long for heaven and home. When Jesus is my portion? My constant friend is He: His eye is on the sparrow, and I know He watches me.”
Let us not settle for loneliness when our Father is waiting for us to come to Him and wants to have an intimate relationship with us!
Challenge for today: Don’t wait for eternity to enjoy the Lord’s friendship. Make Him your best friend and confidant each day.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

May 21, 2025

May 22, 2025 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a restful day! Al is going to be off to men’s group and I will have coffee and donuts waiting when he comes home. Hoping we see the sun’s face soon! This afternoon we have Bible study and our group is becoming close knit. Your question this week is, which aspect of your life do you struggle most to keep in balance… your body, mind or soul? How can you correct that?
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I think we have all heard others say how busy they are and the many extra hours they work a week. We wonder if they have time to even sleep! But our work does not justify our existence or significance. We were made for the Lord and we need balance in our lives between body, mind and soul. If we neglect one of them it throws us off balance.
It is good when we have time in the day for work, study and prayer, rest, and eating. Our physical needs are related to our spirit’s health, so we need a holistic life style. We all know what happens to us if we go overboard on eating, but we don’t always see the consequences of working without rest right away and may end up estranged from our family. When we don’t take time to rest, it stresses our body and emotions; we can get sick and irritable. We need to always leave time for prayer and it should not be hindered by our work. Dietrich Bonhoeffer said to his underground seminary during the Nazi years, “Without the burden and labor of the day, prayer is not prayer, and without prayer work is not work.” All of us need balance between work and prayer.
Just work won’t satisfy us or give us significance in life if we don’t have the God component. We are more than our jobs and we need to find what God’s calling on our life is. That is our vocation. Pope Benedict said that what we do is not as important as how, for whom, and to what end we do it. When our work is our vocation, it can become a means which God uses to cause us to love Him more and draw closer.  So many today evaluate a job opportunity based only on the salary or recognition and not on God’s calling. Let us pray that we find our calling and don’t neglect our body, mind or spirit.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to show you anywhere in your life you are out of balance and correct that.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy
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