Category: Uncategorized (Page 1 of 3)

We often mistake drawing closer as getting the rules right, like the Pharisees who seemed to focus on the outward behavior. But it’s about what is happening inside, for Jesus offered grace to the prostitutes, tax collectors, thieves, etc. Jesus invites each of us to live anchored in His love and union with Him. We either obey God or we rebel against Him. Every day we make choices of drawing closer or moving away from God, and also with others and ourselves.

But it is good to remember that God in His holiness shows His love to us in so many ways, and His desire is that we abide in Him. He loves us as much as His Son. Jesus said in John 15:9, “As the Father has loved me, so I have loved you. Abide in my love.” We are branches, and when we are attached to the Vine we are secure and experience His love and wholeness. He even welcomes our broken parts as He desires to transform them and restore us. When our Intern pastor preached, he broke a clay pot with a hammer and then put the pieces back together. When he put a light inside, it was beautiful shining out through the veins of the cracks.  Some use metal like gold or silver to restore and mend a pot. What a picture that is of God’s holiness:  gold that unites our many broken parts into wholeness.

It’s wonderful we don’t have to hide our broken parts, but know that God can integrate them into wholeness, bringing glory to Him. Rather than trying harder and hiding our brokenness, let us surrender all our broken parts into His hands, let Him bond them with gold and make us more like Him.

We all have the freedom to set boundaries, to think for ourselves and make choices for that is simply taking responsibility for our own life as an individual created in God’s image.  God gives us boundaries for we are unique and have our own thoughts, feelings and beliefs etc. We need to enforce our boundaries rather than letting others violate them for otherwise it leaves us feeling disrespected. We are meant to speak up so we can remain true to our values. That will mean there are times we will say NO to what is asked of us even when it will not please others, just as Jesus did when Peter wanted him to avoid the cross. (Matt 16)

It is also important that we take responsibility for our own self-care if we are to provide care for others. We might ask ourselves what makes us feel fully alive, what things do we need to incorporate into our lives to bring balance and life. It is tempting to play the blame game rather than seeing our own responsibility to speak up and take back our lives. We can ask the Holy Spirt to help us live with an open heart, and give us hope that He will open new doors and give us His wisdom and even teach us how to assert ourselves when needed. Let us ask the Lord for courage to do the hard thing that may be necessary at the time, to speak up, to die to the right things and use our God given freedom wisely.

The second Psalm I read today was Psalm 77 that Asaph who was one of David’s chief musicians wrote on a night he feels very upset and faint. I noticed the Psalm is full of “I’s” as he tells how he can’t sleep all night and says, “I cry aloud to God… I think of God and I moan; I meditate and my spirit faints…I am so troubled I cannot speak etc. But then I notice things change as he switches the focus from himself to the Lord and begins worshiping Him. He goes from asking if God has forgotten him to recalling all of God’s wonderful deeds and His goodness during the difficult times. He starts meditating on the Lord and how He led His people through the Red Sea and worked wonders.

God can help us shift our focus as we also go through desperate times. We can share how we feel but then remember how faithful He has been and all that He has taken us through before. Listen for God’s voice as He will lead us through our own Red Sea to see His mighty hand and work His miracles.

The second Psalm I read today was Psalm 77 that Asaph who was one of David’s chief musicians wrote on a night he feels very upset and faint. I noticed the Psalm is full of “I’s” as he tells how he can’t sleep all night and says, “I cry aloud to God… I think of God and I moan; I meditate and my spirit faints…I am so troubled I cannot speak etc. But then I notice things change as he switches the focus from himself to the Lord and begins worshiping Him. He goes from asking if God has forgotten him to recalling all of God’s wonderful deeds and His goodness during the difficult times. He starts meditating on the Lord and how He led His people through the Red Sea and worked wonders.

God can help us shift our focus as we also go through desperate times. We can share how we feel but then remember how faithful He has been and all that He has taken us through before. Listen for God’s voice as He will lead us through our own Red Sea to see His mighty hand and work His miracles.

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.

Dear Ones,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                       Happy weekend. Hope you wake to a sunny day. Each morning as I look out my window the trees are budding and everything is starting to green up. Today Ann’s family is taking us out for lunch!                                                                                                                                                                                    Devotions from Judy’s heart                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                             The Lord is after our hearts and wants us to know Him in a deep way. We can pray and ask Him for decisions about who to marry, what field of work we should go into, or whether we should move etc. But those things, though they are important, they are not the most important for first it is to really know the Lord. The more intimate we know Him, the more we will be able to discern what He wants in our lives. Because I know Al so well, I can almost predict in situations what He will do. There are many times I could finish his sentences and he mine. It’s because we spend time together and share together and know each other well.                                                                                                                                                 As we spend time in the Word and prayer with an openness to the Lord, the Holy Spirit will reveal more of the Lord to us. Some of the questions we are asking may be answered specifically in the Word and we don’t have to wonder if it is His will, for it is only a matter of obedience. Through our times with Him, we may find our hearts are being enlarged and softened and we come away with a desire to express His love to others around us. It is not something we feel we have to do, but it becomes something on our hearts we want to do.

One thing we discover as we draw closer to the Lord, there is no room for unforgiveness towards anyone. Jesus forgave those that put Him to death, and we must also forgive everyone who has hurt us. We are going to need His power to do that, as it is one of the most difficult things He asks of us. But if we do not forgive and become revengeful, it is much like poison in our bodies. It may show itself in depression, anger, bitterness and anxiousness. But as Paul told the Colossian believers, “Forgive as the Lord forgave you.” (Col. 3:13) If we do not forgive our Heavenly Father will not forgive us. (Matt. 6:15)                                                                                                                                                                                                 Let us give our hearts fully to the Lord and let us be known by Him and become like Him.                                                                                                                     Challenge for today: Open your heart in new ways to the Lord and to others.                                                                                                                                                  May you have a wonderful weekend full of blessings and prayers and love, Judy