Category: Sister Judy (Page 205 of 279)

.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Yesterday I went for my prayer walk and it was rather brisk out.  But every now and then the sun would peek through and I had such a sense of God’s presence with me as I walked. The sun was brilliant through the trees almost like fire. Today as I was having my devotions and just happened to be reading in Numbers 9, it was all about the children of Israel in the wilderness. They followed the cloud over the tabernacle by day and a pillar of fire at night. If the cloud lifted then they all packed up and followed. They never knew if they would be in one place a day or a month but they watched for this sign. .  I thought of how important it is to walk in obedience and follow the Lord every day. They had a visible sign of God’s presence and had to be ready for what ever He had for them. We need to be open and watching for His signs to know what it is He has for us each day. Is the “cloud” moving and am I willing to change my schedule to fit His?  Life is unpredictable but is exciting when we really know His presence is always with us.  “For it is the Lord your God who goes with you. He will not leave you or forsake you.“  Deut. 31:8  Let us move with Him!!!!

Blessings on the rest of your Sabbath and day tomorrow. Prayers and love, Judy

Devotions from Judy’s heart

The other day I ran into Penney’s while Al waited in the car.  I was just going to buy kaki colored pants that were the same style as a black pair I bought some time ago. They were so comfortable that I decided to get a second pr and knew my size etc. When I began rummaging through the racks, I thought I had the same kind of pants but when I got home, I recognized my mistake. They weren’t quite the same and didn’t fit like the others. They are not going to work! I have to take them back and find the right ones when I shop next week. I thought of how sometimes things appear nearly right but just a little off. We need to pay attention as truth carried to extreme is no longer truth. The enemy may not hook us on something really off but he tries to get us in subtle ways. Often something is close to the truth but just off a bit and is no longer truth.  (Just like my pants were the same brand and similar, but not the same.)  There are so many scriptures on truth and we have been given the Spirit of Trruth. In Ps. 86:11 David says,”Teach me your way, O Lord, that I may walk in your truth.”  Let us be lovers of truth and walk in truth!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

We are so blessed to have a Healer for our souls. And since we live in an imperfect world, I suspect we all need healing. One day I was getting frozen berries out of the freezer to make Smoothies and I noticed some bits of raspberries on the floor. It happened more than once, even though I was very careful. But this time in sealing up the bag I noticed there was a rip in the back of the bag and that is where they were leaking from. I had no idea. I thought of how we are “leaky” too, and even though the Lord pours love into us in so many ways, we leak!  Since all have been wounded, we have many false tapes and things in our lives that need healing. And that means change as we may go into deep territory where we have never been before. But God can give us courage to face the pain from the past and change us in the healing process! We must feel our pain but then comes the healing from Him who loves us soooo much.  I am reminded of  the scripture song from Lam. 3:22-23 “The steadfast love of the Lord never ceases, His mercies never come to an end; they are new every morning; great is your faithfulness.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Last night when we got home from the cities, I had an e-mail from a friend thanking me for my devotional on healing. She was astounded that it came when it did as she was making a Power Point for the healing service her pastor was giving on  physical healing and healing from inner hurts. She talked about the timing being just perfect and said chills went down her spine when my e-mail came. But the funny thing was that I never meant that e-mail for her.  She has the same first name as another friend, and it got sent to her by mistake. But isn’t neat how the Lord uses even our “mistakes” and can turn them into something good? I can almost picture the Lord smiling and saying, “ You didn’t mean if for her but I did!”  I read from Romans 8 today the familiar verse 28 “Moreover we know that to those who love God, who are called according to His plan, everything that happens fits into a pattern for good.”  Aren’t you glad that we don’t have to go around on eggshells but can trust Him even in our mishaps?!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you noticed how some people get hurt by words we might say? Or maybe we have overreacted when something was said to us. Most often it is because we have been wounded in an area and their words “sting”.  One day when I walked to a friend’s house, she handed me a cup of hot choc and when it touched my hand, I quickly said to her, “Don’t let go of the cup!” I had burned my fingers a few days before on our wood stove ash tray and when the hot cup touched my hand it was a real “owie” Ordinarily, I could have handled it but not that day. We need to cut people slack when we unintentionally hit an area of hurt in them, and remember that we also have those areas of woundedness. The Lord is compassionate and wants to bring freedom and healing to every area of our lives. Our healing won’t be complete until glory but He has given us Himself and each other for the healing process. It James 5:16 it says, Therefore, confess our sins to one another and pray for on another, that you may be healed. The prayer of a righteous person ahs great power as it is working.” I have found that just confessing my sin to a friend often breaks the power of it and brings healing. Let us receive healing and be bearers of His healing power to others.

Devotional from Judy’s heart

Have you ever been given something that was of no use to you? Or have you bought something that didn’t fit your real need?  Last week we were at L&M shopping for some welding gloves for me to handle the ashes from our wood stove. While there the sales person said, “ You should try this Ash Vac  instead as it cleans up all your ashes.”  Wow! Sounds like just what I need in the morning when I take out the hot ashes from the tray below the grate on the wood stove. But after talking to another sales person who actually had one, I found out you couldn’t use this Vacuum until the ashes were stone cold. That is not what I need as we don’t let the fire go out on our stove. Only someone who uses their fireplace occasionally would want this Ash Vac. Spiritually we may think we know exactly what someone else needs but do we really know their heart? Or maybe someone tries to make us feel guilty if we don’t practice their spiritual exercises or whatever works for them. No, our Father is the one that knows just what is right for us at the time and He also knows what is a right fit for others. Let us check with Him for no one knows us like He does. “For you, you only, know the hearts of all the children of mankind.” I Kings 8:39.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

I was reading from I John 2 about when we live in Him we will practice righteousness (good things). Even a small act of kindness is evidence that we belong to Him. (verse 29). Further on in 3:18 it says, “Let us not love in word or talk but in deed and truth.”  We may not necessarily do Great acts of mercy each day  but often it is in the little acts of kindness that we express His love to others. The other day I walked a mile to a friend’s house on a cold day and I was welcomed and immediately given a hot cup of cocoa topped with whipped cream. It was exactly what hit the spot for me as it warmed up my insides. When I walk there in the hot summer sun, I am always offered a glass of ice water which is just what I need before walking the mile home again. Let us be open to the Spirit and show acts of love as He prompts us. We can be like an oasis to someone in the desert, or like the warm hearth to someone who is out in the cold. Never underestimate the value of small things when prompted by Love.
“The good person out of the good treasure of his heart produces good.” : Luke 6:45

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Have you ever gone to a meeting and wondered who is in charge? It is a question we can ask ourselves each day…who is in charge of my life today? Is it God or have I taken over again?   I read from a devotional book today of how we need to live in the awareness that God is Boss. He is the one that orchestrates the events of our lives. Our part is turn over our wills and lives to Him and He will give us all we need for the day. He is the One the gives us a sense of purpose each day. Often our plans for the day are vastly different from how the day actually turns out. A visitor may surprise us at our door, or we may get a bad report from the Dr., or a sudden accident occurs. I remember recently when the Hospice nurse called and told me dad had died, My whole day and world changed. Yes, things can change in an instant. But one thing we know is that God is with us and can work good out everything. His ways are higher than our ways, and even His thoughts higher than our thoughts. ( Isaiah 55:9)  Let us remember who is in charge and let the Lord be Boss…what a secure place to be!

Devotions from Judy’s heart

One day my cousin suggested coming over in the afternoon and said she would get back to me. I waited and didn’t hear and e-mailed her but no answer.  A couple hours later Al was going to use the phone and realized I had a message waiting. The answer was in that message only I forgot to check the answering machine. ( It doesn’t beep) It caused me to think of times when we might think God has forgotten us and not answered our prayers. We wait and wait and may feel He has abandoned us. But that is not the case. He is always speaking to us and leaving us messages. It is we who need to put ourselves in position to receive those words from Him. It was my fault for not checking the answering machine, just as when God speaks I need to listen to all the ways he may answer me. My cousin didn’t use the mode of e-mail, she used a phone message… so we need to be receptive for whatever mode He would speak to us. A familiar verse comes to mind from Jer. 33:3, “Call unto me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know.”

Devotions from Judy’s heart

As we have recently entered into 2012, it is time to let go of the old and begin afresh. For most of us that means getting rid of our clutter so we have room for the new. Physically, I have begun to get rid of clutter in the house, especially my closets that are filled to overflowing. I have a perfect place to bring the things I don’t use or wear as we have a Share and Care in Hackensack. Why are we so reluctant to get rid of things? Do we think that we will need them down the line and if we give something away will we miss it? If we want to live a more simple life, it often means sorting out the clutter. In I Tim 5:6-7 it says “Now there is great gain in godliness with contentment, for we brought nothing into the world, and we cannot take anything out of the world. But if we have food and clothing, with these we will be content.”  Further down in this chapter it says we are to set our hopes on God who gives us everything.  We are to be rich in good works, to be generous and ready to share, thus storing up treasure for the future. Let us  go into 2012 by de-cluttering so there will more room for Him, and less of us!