Dear Ones,
Another beautiful fall day and hope you are enjoying it. This morning I made Oh Henry Bars and did lots of food prep and am going to my exercise class. Hope to get a walk in and tonight we have Bible Study.
 Devotions from Judy’s heart
 When Jesus asks something of us, there is a cost involved; often it is giving up our own will and way in which He is going to bring something about, but other times He asks us to do things we feel are far beyond our capabilities. I think back on my life and often my initial response was, “You have to be kidding!” Or maybe, “No! Please choose someone else.” Then I had to wrestle with my thoughts and usually came around to do it, but with a reluctant heart. I’m not even sure if that is called obedience.
  Whenever we put something on the altar, we can be quite sure we will be tested on it. I can’t even imagine what Abraham went through when God told him to go to Mount Moriah and sacrifice his only son. His trust was in the Lord for he obeyed right away and brought the kindling along etc. He didn’t know how it was going to turn out but he did what God asked without buts and questioning. And God spared his son and provided a ram for him to sacrifice. Afterwards the Lord told him that because of his obedience He would bless him and give him offspring as the stars of heaven and all nations would be blessed through his offspring. That is such a perfect picture of obedience.
  As we grow in the Lord, there will always be more that we need to bring to the altar and surrender to Him. Not long ago I realized that I needed to give an area to my life that I was holding back on. As I surrendered it, I knew there would be a testing time which happened only two days later. What I was asked to do was not possible because of our schedule but I had time to say to the Lord, I am willing. Then a couple more days, the schedule was changed and I was able to say yes and do it with a willing heart.
   It is comforting for me to see in scripture that when God called people to do something quite out of the ordinary, their initial response was often fear. But if they obeyed anyway, they came to know the power of God and their lives were changed and empowered. Maybe we can relate to the farmer Gideon who was addressed as a man of valor before he had done anything extraordinary.  He asked for signs to confirm that God would be with him in the battle ahead but he obeyed.
 When we obey the Lord, we grow, we change, and we are on the way to defeat fear!
 Challenge for today: Ask the Lord if there is something He is prompting you to lay on the altar.   
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy