Category: Sister Judy (Page 168 of 271)

 Devotions from Judy’s heart

On New Year’s eve, Al and I had a nice hot sauna and sat outside on
the porch with steam pouring from us.  We were getting rid of the
impurities of our bodies, and as we washed off, we felt all fresh
and clean. How is it that like our spiritual lives? We get so
muddied up in the world and even in our thought lives, and need
constant cleansing from things hidden deep within. The Pharisees
only wanted to clean the outside of the cup but Jesus said to
them,”Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish,
and then the outside will be clean.” ( Matt. 23:26)  Are we willing
to be cleansed deep on the inside and deal with those hidden
things?  If we are willing to expose ourselves to the “heat” we will
get cleansed and feel new and refreshed, just like coming from the
sauna!

Devotions from Judy’s  heart
It says in Ecc. 4 that two  are better than one for “If one falls down, his friend can help him up.”  When I got my new Windows 8 computer it was very different from my old one and Al came to my rescue several times when I got stuck.  Now he purchased his new computer and he is in need of help. Isn’t that the way of life, we help others but they in turn help us in other areas? Right now we are encouraging one another to persist as we’d love to go back to our old computers since we were so comfortable with them.  My computer crashed and I can’t go back to my old one, but it is tempting to use Al’s old one as it is familiar, the same as my old one. But we need to forge ahead and enter into the new.  Have you noticed how we can go along quite comfortably and then the Lord has us take a big turn and we have to hang on and trust?  But we have comforting words in  Jer. 29:11, “For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans for your welfare and not for evil, to give you a future and hope.”  Let us lean into the Lord, especially when we can’t see where He is taking us.

Devotions from Judy’s heart
On Sunday our pastor asked the question that I have been thinking of ever since: What are you after? As we go into a New Year, what are we after?  The apostle Paul was after spreading the gospel so the fact that he was in prison only gave him more opportunities to spread the news. Every 2 hours they changed guards, so he had a new one chained to him and could share the gospel. His joy was full because of what he was after. If he was after comfort and ease, he would not have had joy.  When we go after pleasure and riches and that is not happening, we may get depressed too. If we are missing out on joy maybe we are going after the wrong things. When our desire is to draw closer to Him and to share Him with others, then we can rejoice even in our trials for  it is accomplishing that. In Habakkuk 3, he writes that though his crops and herds fail, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord;I will take joy in the God of my salvation.” I have an idea that his joy is not found in material things. Let us go after that which will last for all eternity.

Devotions from Judy’s heart
At our daughter home, there is great celebration. Yesterday Leif came home from Kuwait after being gone 6 months. What joy!!  As I look at the pictures of his homecoming, each person radiates great happiness as they are finally together as a family after so long. The boys have been talking about dad, seeing him on Skype, writing to him etc. but nothing is like the actual being together. I think of that in relation to the Lord as we await His coming again.  We talk to Him, we read His “letters”, we share about Him to others, but there is nothing like the reunion that is coming!  We can’t even imagine what that will be like.  Even now as we talk about it, joy floods us. “What we know is that when Christ is openly revealed, we’ll see Him-and in seeing Him, become like Him. All of us who look forward to His Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus’ life as a model for our own.” I John 3:2-3  May we live each day as if it was the day of His arrival to take us to our real home!

Devotions from Judy’s heart
When I woke up early yesterday morning I was greeted by the light of the  moon shining in our window and lighting up the woods outside. Instead of the darkness of the night, there was brightness and beauty. I thought of the sad news that we just received of a friend who has terminal cancer and only months to live.  Darkness, yes, deep darkness, but in the midst we know the Lord will give His light to walk with his whole family through this unfamiliar terrain.  At Christmas our Pastor repeated often and had us repeat, “The light shines in the darkness and the darkness has not overcome it.”  In the darkest of times, the light dawns and He walks with us through the night times of our lives. As it says in Isaiah 60:19 that one day, “The sun shall be no more your light by day, nor for brightness shall the moon give you light; but the Lord will be your everlasting light, and your God will be your glory. ” Let us walk in the light of the Lord!!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

The day after Christmas my relatives gathered to discuss the future of
the Point. This is land and a cabin that my folks willed to us and is
loved by us all and full of memories.  Each one had opportunity to
speak, from the old to the young. I’m sure we had all been praying
before hand for what to do, and going into the meeting we had no idea
what that was. But God wants us to ask for wisdom and as is says in
Prov. 2:6, “For the Lord gives widom; from His mouth comes knowledge and
understanding”. About half way through the meeting one of the relatives
suddenly spoke up with a plan that seems like the answer and we could
all say “Amen” to.  We discussed it and agreed upon it and will now try
to implement it. We closed the meeting with holding hands in a circle
and praying together. How important it is to ask Him and wait for His
answer and all glory goes to Him!

Devotions from Judy’s heart,

Sometimes less is more! Sometimes simple is better! Outside on our
back porch Al hung a single lighted angel that he bought to replace
last years ornament that had “expired”.  It stands out in the night
for the outline of the angel  is all lite up. Now if we had lots of
lights on our back porch or whole house, I doubt you would even
notice the angel. But since it is the only lighted decoration, it
stands out. Why do we “need” so much when a little may be more. 
Years ago at Christmas children received only one main gift and that
gift was cherished. Now they receive so much and still want more to
satisfy their wants, not appreciating any one thing in particular.
On Christmas eve we went to the Lighthouse church and the service
was held in a house that had been made into an office. About 50
people showed up and the service was very simple and yet so
meaningful. There were lots of children and they helped pass out the
candles, bulletins etc. Pastor had a ceramic figure of baby Jesus in
a wooden box and before he unveiled it, he talked all about the
preciousness of the gift. We will all remember the “sermon” as it
was simple and yet profound. Let us not miss the significance of
something simple when we think we “need” more!

Devotions from Judy’s  heart
The other day  I went to my neighbors to pick up a pkg left on their steps while they were gone. I had warm mittens on but on the trip home my hands still got cold and numb since I was not moving them. Usually I swing my arms as I power walk but then I was more immobile as I carried the gift. I thought of it in a spiritual sense how when we are not moving in the spirit we get cold and stagnant. We need to be alert and attentive, active and giving out to others or we get cold in our love for the Lord. Sometimes it happens so gradually we don’t even notice how cold our hearts are getting and we become numb. When I got home from my walk I had some hot chicken soup and sat by the stove and warmed up…it was wonderful. When we return to the Lord when our hearts have strayed, how great is the warmth of his love and peace also.