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.

Category: Sister Judy (Page 163 of 271)

August 15, 2020

August 21, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
 
Hope you are having a good weekend and not hit by the tornadoes last night. So lovely to see the sunset later after the very black clouds disappeared.  PTL!  
 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
 
Just recently a friend called and said he had experienced a God-thing and we shared in his excitement and delight. I Love when I hear of such happenings, when you know that you know that it’s just all God and see His fingerprints all over it. But it wasn’t long after that I also experienced a God-thing and want to share with you. Some of you know, we have been serious about getting new phones and we asked our son for his suggestions for what would be good for two “old timers!” He suggested 3 different phones but when we went to get one, the first two stores had none of them in stock, and couldn’t order them either. So we ended up getting another brand and when we went to get them set up, the store was so crowded we left it for another day. Good thing because in the meantime, our daughter found out we could get on her plan and the monthly fee would be cut in half. So we were gladly took the phones back and planned to go with her provider. That night a verse of scripture came to me about asking the Lord and it struck me deeply that I needed to specifically ask the Lord for the right phone and see him provide. It says in Jer. 33:3 (The Message), “Call to me and I will answer you. I’ll tell you marvelous and wondrous things that you could never figure out on your own.” So I prayed and asked the Lord for His provision and that we would know the right one. I looked on-line and noticed they had only one of the phones Mark mentioned in stock. I also prayed that we wouldn’t have to wait a long time as our daughter and grandson were helping us. When we got to the store, we were the first ones and only one person came in after an hour. The higher priced phone our son suggested was in stock and they got them for us. I said to the manager, “It’s too bad you don’t have the other one as well.” and she answered. “We do and you can get two phones free!” What? It was a three-day promotional and we hit it perfectly and only had to pay the activation fee. We couldn’t believe it. My husband put his hands in the air and exclaimed, ”It’s raining blessings!” Truly it was. In my heart I began praising the Lord for answering above anything I could have asked or thought. The timing of everything was truly a God-thing!
 
Challenge for today: When you face a need, ask the Lord and let Him provide in His way and His timing.
 
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love,
Judy

August 14, 2020

August 21, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
 
Hope you are enjoying a nice weekend and that the sun will soon come out. I made a dinner in the crock pot early this morning as Ann and Joe came. We were the first ones at the store this morning and got new phones and had everything from our old phones transferred over. Yea! I may write more on this as we were blessed unexpectedly beyond what we could ask. After lunch Joe helped us become more acquainted with our new phones and now we hope to be more proficient than we were on our old ones! 
 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
 
 I woke up last  Sunday morning with the song going through my mind, “What can wash away my sin, nothing but the blood of Jesus. What can make me whole again, nothing but the blood of Jesus!” Just below me as I wrote this there was a large red stain on the carpet that was result of a bottle of nail polish falling from my desk the night before. As hard as I worked at it, I couldn’t remove all of the stain and it remains there as a vivid reminder to me of my continual need of forgiveness. Just the same day, Pastor David gave a children’s sermon on the damage caused by King David’s sin with Bathsheba. He wrote SIN in large letters on a white board with a black marker and then had a young boy come up to try to cover it up with colored markers. But we could still see the word, SIN. Our attempts on our own to cover our sin doesn’t work just like King David tried to do. He may have thought he would get by committing adultery and others not finding out; but it took a prophet to point it out and there were heavy consequences for David. In fact, his adultery caused the death of his son and the innocent death of Uriah and others. We all sin daily even in our thoughts as well as words, and deeds but also by things we omit. It doesn’t help to try to hide our sins but rather to come clean with them and to seek forgiveness. Until we do, we live with a weight on our hearts and it gets very heavy. But when we quit hiding and confess our sins, what a wonderful feeling fills us of being forgiven and set free. Our slate is whipped clean. My dad’s favorite Bible verse that he so often quoted was from Isaiah 1:18(NIV),” Come now, let us reason together , says the Lord: though your sins are like scarlet, they shall be white as snow; though they are red as crimson, they shall become like wool.” Scarlet was a very deep-red dye that was almost impossible to remove from clothing, just like the stain of our sin. Only God can forgive us and remove those deep stains as His Word promises us. What a relief!
 
Challenge for today:  Pray that God would create in you a clean heart and a willing spirit to follow His ways. 
 
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love,
Judy

August 17, 2020

August 17, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a great weekend! The sun is out and it is a beautiful day.  I baked S.F. Choc chip cookies this morning and went to Aldi’s and my exercise class. Soon we are going to Fleet Farm before our walk.  
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Our lives are in God’s hands and they are precious in His sight. I was reading today some statistics from the Cultural Research Center at Arizona Christian University. They found that only 39% of Americans believe today that human life is sacred and has intrinsic worth. 12% claim that we are simply “material substance-biological machines”. Seven out of 10 believe that human beings are basically good which is not according to the teaching of the Bible. The truth is that we are born in sin and in need of redemption. We are not innately good, for it says in Romans 3:23(ESV), “For all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.” That includes everyone!  If by chance, we were all good, then it would make sense to defund the police but we have seen what happens when man is left to his sinful self. Or if we think that violence happens simply because of poverty, discrimination and external forces, we must admit that rich people commit crimes as well as poor people; and others that may be poor and come from broken homes can have godly character and make good choices. I read Dr. George Barna’s words (CRC Director of Research) as he said the answer won’t be more legislation, more laws and compliance, but rather we need a heart change. Our real problem is not bad parenting, poverty, and lack of education but rebellion against God, for in ourselves we are selfish rebellious human beings. Our problem is spiritual and we are all in need of a Savior.  The bottom line is that each person is a precious human being but in need of forgiveness. Jesus paid the ultimate price by his life on the cross for us.  It is by grace we are saved through faith and it is not something we earn but a gift of God. (Eph 2:8-9) Our part is to humbly confess our need of Him and accept this wonderful gift of forgiveness. Then He changes us on the inside and we become more like Him with compassion and willingness to help us others and share His love. Dr. Barna said, “Given the cultural challenges we are facing today, our best strategy is to collectively turn to God, humble ourselves before Him, earnestly seek His love and forgiveness, and follow His wisdom and guidance.”
Challenge for today: Pray for opportunities to share with others how valuable each life is, and how they can know the Lord.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

August 13, 2020

August 13, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you have a day full of the Lord’s surprises. Today is very misty out and still waiting to see the sun. This morning I made bars and took downstairs for coffee time and then cleaned the apartment. Our dear friends called as we were not here for Al’s birthday, and what a blessing to catch up with them.  
Devotions from Judy’s heart
We never know what a day will bring. So much destruction is happening in our country and throughout the world, and as we watch the news our hearts can grow weak. But we need to stay steady even when we are forced to make major changes in our lives as things seem to be spinning out of control. In fact, we are being made very aware that we are not in control. God is! This is a time of our faith being tested and a time to trust the Lord in deeper ways as never before. I was reading from II Chron. 15 where the prophet Azariah spoke to King Asa at a turbulent time; a time it says when, “no one could come and go in peace, because everyone living in the land had a lot of turmoil. One nation crushed another nation; one city crushed another.” Sound familiar? But it says in verse 4 and 7, “But when they were in trouble, they turned to the Lord God of Israel. When they searched for Him, He let them find Him…..But you must remain strong and not become discouraged. Your actions will be rewarded.” King Asa was encouraged by the prophet’s words and gathered the people to make sacrifices, got rid of the idols, and they made an agreement with one another to serve the Lord with all their hearts.  After they did this the Lord surrounded them with peace. We are in need of peace and God is after our hearts as well. This is a time for us to get rid of our idols which have taken the place of loving and serving God with all of our hearts. We need to acknowledge that we squeezed Him out by going after things of the world and leaving no place for Him in the affairs of our families, schools, government etc. May we humbly repent and seek Him while He can be found.
Challenge for today: Ask God for courage and strength to stand no matter what the day brings.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy  

August 12, 2020

August 12, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope  you are having a peace filled day. We had a good rain and everything looks so fresh and green. I made cinnamon/raisin bread and our favorite bars before going to my exercise class this morning and tonight we have Bible Study.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
A couple days ago after a wonderful birthday celebration for Al on the deck of our daughter’s house, we went down to the cabin (Silver Chateau); our nephew joined us and we discussed the stressful situation in our country and the importance of being alert and not sleeping spiritually. I was reminded of an article I recently read by Pam Farrel, author of 50 books, who writes of God’s faithfulness when we feel we are drowning in bad news. When tough times come at us, whether it be in our own personal lives or in our nation, we can feel like we are caught under a powerful waterfalls and waves pounding on us; negativity tries to keep us under the water and it’s hard to breath and function. David must have felt that way as he says in Psalm 42 that his soul is cast down and he feels overwhelmed and cries out to be rescued. Farrel goes on tell how David handled the situation of getting out of the blows of the waves by praying expectantly and praising repeatedly. He says in Psalm 42:5(The Word), “Why are you discouraged, my soul? Why are you so restless? Put your hope in God, because I will still praise Him. He is my Savior and my God.” We can pray in faith that God will direct our lives and that His love will hold us fast, even when circumstances are difficult. Our hope is not in life being easy but in God whom we praise. Even if things don’t get better outwardly, we can be strengthened inwardly and be expectant for what God will do. Then as we spend time praising Him for all that He is and His presence with us, it is like a song in the night. Instead of feeling like we are drowning under a waterfall, Farrel says that we see the waterfall as a healing tool and the spray being a mist of refreshment. We start believing in our hearts that God will use the difficult times in our lives to work together for good. She quotes Charles Spurgeon’s words, “I have learned to kiss the wave that slams me into the Rock of Ages” As I was writing this from the cabin at the lake, there were actual whitecaps crashing against the shore as a reminder to me of His powerful love.
Challenge for today: Sit quietly in God’s presence and let the waves of His love wash over you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 11, 2020

August 11, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
We just got home from the lake after a wonderful refreshing time. I got to see a friend on the way and met her in the gazebo and prayed together. Later after a swim and scrabble game, Ann had us for a birthday party on the deck with scrumptious steaks etc for supper. Today I was so happy to go with Ann to the women’s Bible study and saw old friends again. What a blessing! We had a sauna and swim this afternoon with Ann’s and now we are home again and my tank is all filled up!
 Devotions from Judy’s heart
Don’t you love to be with people that have a wonderful sense of humor? They seem to find something to laugh about, even if it would be their own mistakes. I had a second cousin that was like that and we always knew when the family was together, laughter would fill the room. Sometimes we ached from laughing and afterwards we felt a little lighter and our spirits lifted. I just read an article in Just Between Us by Shelly Esser, who speaks of laughter as soul medicine. She said there are 48 references about laughter in the Bible and it is a healing power to ease our stress, pain and conflict. Some health centers even have laughter therapy to help us to relax and bring our bodies back into balance. Shelly wrote that laughter leaves our muscles relaxed for up to 45 minutes after and boosts the immune system. It releases endorphins so that we are left with a sense of well-being. Last week Al was sitting down by the lake as I played a game with relatives; he said he loved hearing the laughter spilling out of the cabin and so much joy. Laughter is contagious and a gift from God that helps us also cope with sadness. Job went through so many hardships and losses and his friend Bildad reminds him in Job 8:22 (The Message), “God will let you laugh again; you’ll raise the roof with shouts of joy.”  Sometimes we may need reminding too, that God is in control and as it says in Nehemiah 8:10, “Don’t feel bad. The joy of the Lord is your strength.” I remember one time when we were in our first parsonage and I had some nursing friends over along with a missionary. I’m not sure why we were sitting on the floor but I remembered we laughed until our sides ached. When the missionary left, she said in so many words, “You will never know how much better I feel and the laughter was just what I needed!”  More than ever today. especially as things get darker in our world, we need to be free to have times of laughter and let joy bubble up in our souls to bind us together.
Challenge for today: Develop a sense of humor and take joy and laughter out into the world you live in.
Blessings on your evening and prayers and love, Judy

August 10,2020

August 10, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a great weekend!  We are going to the lake shortly and spend the night. I am going to stop to see a friend on the way and have coffee in the gazebo, and later we are going to celebrate Al’s birthday with Ann’s family. Tomorrow I hope to go to my old Bible Study group and I have missed that.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
How good are we at serving and putting others above ourselves? I know I so often have to confess at the end of the day that I am selfish and need forgiveness from the Lord. I read today from Phil. 2:3-4 (God’s Word), “Don’t act out of selfish ambition or be conceited. Instead, humbly think of others as being better than yourselves. Don’t be concerned only about your own interests, but also be concerned about the interests of others.” One young man in love, proposed to his girlfriend by washing her feet. What an example of servanthood and thinking of her before himself! Another gal who was engaged kept bragging that she was her daddy’s little darling and he would give her anything she wanted. She said this as she tried on a wedding dress for $16,000 that he would have to pay for. She always got her way and now will have a rude awakening in marriage when she is called on to sacrifice for her husband and possibly children in the future. Life doesn’t revolve around us but the apostle Paul tells us in Colossians 3 to be sympathetic, kind, humble, gentle and patient with others.  We are to put up with each other and to be forgiving. God knows that we are happiest when not focusing on me, me, me, but putting ourselves aside and having our hearts open to serving others. We have many examples today, that sometimes makes the news, of children raising funds to help a cause. It could be to help their family’s sponsored child in a poor country or maybe someone who has lost everything. Their smile tells it all and expresses their joy in doing something beyond themselves. Love is like a beautiful garment we need to put on every day; so let us be directed by the Holy Spirit to serve others.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to give you joy in serving someone else today in some way.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

August 8, 2020

August 8, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying your weekend. The house is full of aroma as I am making soup and a Mexican dish. This morning I cleaned went to Aldi’s and soon we are off again with a couple more places we need to go. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I am ever amazed at God’s incredible timing and leading as He places people in the right place at the right time. Even if we try to plan that on our own, it doesn’t always work out in a successful way. But God’s way does. Al and I usually go for a walk together at 3:30 each day but the other day we went a little early as there was going to be a party in the courtyard at 4:15. We no more got on the wooded trail and we a met a friend, the director of Transformed by Love Ministries, going for a walk. It’s been so long since we could fellowship together face to face because of COVID19 and both Al and I felt so refreshed spiritually after our visit there on the trail. As we got to the end of our walk, someone called out to Al from the courtyard of the Assisted living. We wouldn’t have even noticed anyone there because of the bushes but we heard him call. It is a friend that use to live downstairs who is now in Hospice and hasn’t long to live. Al skipped most of the party gathering and spent his time with the friend and his wife as they talked about death and he prayed for them. Technically, Al would have had to go through some procedures to talk to him but God worked it out for that time and that way. It reinforced to me the importance of listening to the Holy Spirit as He directs our lives. Maybe we feel like driving another way home today, and all of sudden notice someone along the way is in need of help. Or sharing something you had not intended to say and yet later you discover it met the hidden need of the listener. God has purpose and is involved in every detail of our lives; who knows all that He is accomplishing when we listen and obey Him?  Let us step out in faith and ask Him to direct our lives, for as it says in Prov.16:9 (Amplified), “A man’s mind plans his way, but the Lord directs his steps and makes them sure.” May we follow the path He has set for us, one step at a time, and be in His timing.
Challenge for today: Be sensitive to how the Holy Spirit would lead you and be quick to respond.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

August 7,2020

August 7, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you!  We are still waiting for the sun to show it’s face today,  and  so far no rain. This morning I did food prep and made strogonoff and going to bake this afternoon. 
 Devotions from Judy’s heart
As I hear from many of you of your health concerns and trials you are going through, I wish that I could just wave all your struggles away. I pray and if I had my way, I would take you out of your present difficult circumstances and give you a carefree life without pain and all the struggles. But it doesn’t always happen that way and there is purpose and even blessings in our suffering that we may not realize at the time. Paul tells the Philippians that it is a privilege to suffer for Christ and he was speaking from personal experience. He says in Phil. 1: 29-30 (NRSV), “For He has graciously granted you the privilege not only of believing in Christ, but of suffering for Him as well—since you are having the same struggle that you saw I had and now hear I still have.” Have you noticed how suffering weeds out what is superficial in our lives and we see what is truly important? In fact, our faith can grow so much stronger in the midst of what we are going through as we become so dependent on the Lord. The enemy would want to tell us we are going through these trials and pain because we are being punished for doing something wrong and we can start wondering if our faith is enough. But it could be just the opposite as God wants to use us as a demonstration of His grace. Sometimes when others are going through hardships, I want to say, “Do you realize how those around you are observing how you respond and are encouraged by the strength God is giving you! Your life is exemplifying God’s grace in a shining way.” May we learn all that God is teaching us in the midst of our struggles and also to be a Star witness of His grace and power.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to help you shine for Him in the times of your greatest struggles.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

August 6, 2020

August 6, 2020 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying this day. This morning I made almond cinnamon raisin bread and took a friend to the Dollar Store. We enjoyed our day at the lake yesterday as you will read in the following devotion.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Yesterday I was walking down the hall to the elevator and it was a day we were going to the lake and packing the car full of food and games for company. Suddenly I noticed the plaque on one of the apartment doors, “Enjoy the Moment.”  It stopped me in my tracks and I thought, Yes, just enjoy each moment given us from the Lord this day!  When we arrived at the cabin, our daughter came and we talked about the virus and the unrest in our country and world. We discussed the chaos around us, but we acknowledge we belong to the Lord and He is our anchor. Later when my brother and sister-in-law came, as we ate and played a game, we laughed deep belly laughs, recalling things from our past etc. It felt so freeing to just be in the moment and carefree in God’s care. Even though there is great stress in our world, the Lord is our safe place, our peace. In scripture we can read about bad things happening and then the word is followed with “But God!” We remember how Joseph’s brothers tried to harm him and then Joseph tells them but God meant it for good. It all happened according to His divine will.    Today I read the words of an unknown author and it may be familiar to you also.

“The will of God will never take you, where the grace of God cannot keep you, where the arms of God cannot support you, where the riches of God cannot supply your needs, where the power of God cannot endow you.

The will of God will never take you, where the Spirit of God cannot work through you, where the wisdom of God cannot teach you, where the army of God cannot protect you, where the hands of God cannot mold you.

The will of God will never take you, where the love of God cannot enfold you, where the mercies of God cannot sustain you, where the peace of God cannot calm your fears, where the authority of God cannot overrule for you.

The will of God will never take you, where the comfort of God cannot dry your tears, where the Word of God cannot feed you, where the miracles of God cannot be done for you, where the omnipresence of God cannot find you.”

No matter what happens to us and around us, let us enjoy the moment for we are in His hand.

Challenge for today: Rest in the Lord and enjoy the moment!                                                           Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

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