Month: May 2024 (Page 2 of 4)

When things are going along smoothly in our lives, we may think we can do very well on our own. But can we? Are we aware that the enemy is waiting to tempt us to make unwise decisions, to take the easy way out, to neglect helping others, to bear a grudge or react in anger. We have no idea what each day will hold and our pride says we can do just fine solo. But we sure can mess up royally and quickly when we do it without His help. Besides and more importantly, the Lord wants to share our day with Him, open our hearts to Him and do everything with Him, which then makes our every activity spiritual.

  When I was praying what to write, the words to an old hymn came to mind that you most likely know by Anne Sherwood Hawks in 1872. She wrote it when she was away from home but filled with the sense of God’s nearness. Years later the song again spoke to her in her sorrow of her husband’s death at age 55. But both in our joys and in our sorrows. may it be the need of all of us, that every moment of our day we need the Lord. A couple verses she wrote:

May we invite Him into each day and enjoy every hour and every minute with Him.

Today the Lord is looking for faithful servants who do what He says and are faithful to the commitments we have made to Him, to our families, to our church, to our work etc. Every time we step up to the plate for what know we know we should be doing we find fulness of love and life. But if we walk away from what we know we are to be doing, we feel less and miss His words of commendation and what He may be trying to teach us.

When we commit to something at church, can others expect that we will finish the task? Or if we promise our kids to go somewhere with them, can they rest assured we will carry through? How about at work? Do we do what the boss says and do it to the best of our ability or do we slough off and do the bare minimum. God wants faithful servants who do their best. I am often reminded that the Lord sees our very motives and if we do things with a bad attitude, it rather forfeits the work we are doing.

Wouldn’t we all love to hear His words on judgement day, “Well done, thou good and faithful servant. Enter into the joy of your Master.”

Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to help you not to betray your commitments but to do them from a willing and loving heart.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

Although she lived only 6 ½ years she touched many hearts, even of the doctors and nurses. There were 550 at her funeral, and Al and I were among them and very touched. It was a funeral we won’t forget as Jensyn’s siblings were the worship team and lifted their hands and hearts in praise to the Lord for His gift to them. Jensyn wasn’t a burden but God’s gift of love.

Each person has to deal with pain and death, and it isn’t the same for everyone. Jensyn’s siblings have written letters to her, and they are grateful for what they have learned through her. One said she taught her to how to love without expectation of return. Another felt she learned that she couldn’t rely on her own strength, but the Lord’s. Her brother writes that she brought the family close and now they await being reunited someday.

 Those that keep everything for themselves get all bound up. I have been in a couple houses where there were piles of piles of stuff and so much so, that there was barely a space to find a path to walk from one room to another. How much more would they have been blessed if they gave some away and had space to enjoy what they could see and use. We can’t take it with us, so why not just enjoy the One who gave us everything and wants to spend eternity with us.

  Recently at Bible study a gal shared how her dad did not know the Lord and didn’t want her to even speak about Him. At the end of his life when he was dying, she sat by his bed and told her dad that his life was soon over and he couldn’t take any of the earthly things with him. Even though he couldn’t verbally respond any more she told him if he heard her voice to squeeze her hand. Then she preceded to tell him the way to know the Lord and at the very end of his life he came to faith.

I am sending this out for Monday’s devotions as we will be getting up very early tomorrow morning to begin our way to way to N.C. to see Mark’s family. We appreciate prayers for a safe journey and good health. We enjoyed going to Ann’s for Mother’s Day and had enormous steaks of which I ate all of mine!  Enjoyed church together and a relaxing wonderful day.

Many pastors and prophets are saying the time is short and soon things will come crashing down on us. More than ever the world is looking for love and kindness as there is so much loneliness and despair. Often there are little scenarios played on Facebook of people in distress and others just walking by and not caring or willing to help them.  But after many people pass by them, often stealing their money and goods, a good Samaritan usually comes by and helps them. In reality it was only a set up to find out who really has a kind heart and willing to help, and then that person is rewarded, sometimes with flowers and balloons, or a wad of money etc.

But if we are Christ followers, we are sent to make an impact for the Lord in our world, even when not rewarded in this life. We are to show His grace and mercy to others, just as we have received from Him. The world is looking for love, for kindness, for people who care. As we receive from the Lord, let us give out to others. It says in Psalm 91:16, “And let the beauty and delightfulness and favor of the Lord our God be upon us; confirm and establish the work of our hands—yes, the work of our hands, confirm and establish.”

Let us go in the strength and love of the Lord and make a difference in the life of others through the strength He gives us!

Challenge for today: Do a deed of kindness for a person that the Holy Spirit points out to you.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy