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: Whispers (Page 133 of 165)

August 20, 2021

August 20, 2021 / / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,

Happy weekend to you! Another sunny day and not so hot. The house is full of wonderful aroma as I was busy in the kitchen this morning and then cleaned the apartment. We are packing up to leave tomorrow morning for Mora MN where we will be meeting with our former Board for Canaan’s Rest and having a time of fellowship. We will stay overnight and then Al preaches at True Vine on Sunday. We look forward to seeing friends from our days in Brunswick. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Water is needed and so important and we are now reading now about water wars. In the U.S. the southwestern states are especially suffering with a water shortage. Lake Mead, the largest reservoir in our country is only at 40% of its capacity and being part of the Colorado river system, it has ramifications for many states. Farmers will have to cut back and changes will have to be made for many.

My cousin’s daughter and son-in-law are especially aware of the need for water for they are now in the desert as they continue their walk across America. Water was their big concern and much to their wonderful surprise, concerned friends left water and food at certain points along the way for them. What a relief!

We have only to think of our spiritual thirst and how much we need the water of life. Jesus offered the Samaritan woman at the well living water and He said in John 4:13-14 (The Message), “Everyone who drinks this water will get thirsty again and again. Anyone who drinks the water that I give him will never thirst—not ever. The water that I give will be an artesian spring within, gushing fountains of endless life.”  Jesus offers us living water to quench our thirsty souls. So many try to satisfy their spiritual thirst with other means but that will never work.The Lord told Jeremiah in Jeremiah 17 that if we trust in man, we are like a shrub in the desert that dwells in parched places. Such a person is like a tumbleweed, rootless and aimless in the desert. But the Lord says if we trust in Him, we are like a tree planted by water; our leaves remain green even in the heat and we have no cause to fear the drought. Living water is always available to us and we don’t need to become anxious but rather let our roots go down deep into the Lord. Let us receive the living water and drink deeply each day that we may flourish.

Challenge for today: Spend some time in the Word and drink deeply of the living water.

Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

P.S. Since I wrote this there was rain in the desert for the first time in a year and a half for the walkers across America. PTL!.

August 19, 2021

August 19, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying this lovely day. This morning I did food prep and went to Aldi’s, and downstairs for donuts. This afternoon Al leads our Bible study here and tonight is Women’s Bible Study at church. No time to get in trouble!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
As I see friends and family struggling with health issues my heart is saddened and I pray for God’s grace upon them. My cousin is fighting for her life right now as she has Covid and is on a respirator and has sepsis. Another friend lives in constant pain and hoping for relief through surgery. We all know so many who  live with pain and wonder when and if relief will ever come. But no matter what, we must continually remember God’s grace is sufficient for all that each of us face today and every day of our lives, whether it be physical pain or difficult circumstances. We are meant to lean into the Lord and find our strength in Him.
 The Apostle Paul knew what it was like to face afflictions of every kind, and he had a thorn in the flesh which he was never relieved of, and yet could say as in II Cor 4:7, & 10 (God’s Word), “Our bodies are made of clay, yet we have the treasure of the Good News in them. This shows that the superior power of this treasure belongs to God and doesn’t come from us. In every way we’re troubled, but we aren’t crushed by our troubles. We are frustrated but we don’t give up…we carry around the death of Jesus in our bodies so that the life of Jesus is also shown in our bodies.” 
Our bodies contain the greatest treasure of the Gospel and though they are frail like clay, it only makes it more evident to others that our power is from God. We must never give up even when we feel we are at the end of our rope, for we are children of hope. Our bodies may be weak but God works through them to spread the Good News and share His love. Even in our humiliations, He uses them to display His power and presence. Our trials will not last forever!  Let us not focus on our pain but on the great treasure He has put within us, and remember one day our suffering will be over and we have an eternity with Him.
Challenge for today: Give all your struggles to the Lord and ask that others will see God at work in your life.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

 

August 18, 2021

August 18, 2021 / / 0 Comments
 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Haven’t we all dreamed of a life of ease, where everything seems to just flow along smoothly? No computer problems, no deadlines to meet, no battles to fight…just peaceful sailing. Now even though it sounds wonderful, I wonder how our faith would fare? Would we get spiritually lazy and run simply on auto pilot? Perhaps. Even though we love good times, it is often in our times of wounding and brokenness that we seem to grow closer to the Lord and our faith deepens. I read what Anne Neilson had to write about our times of trials and the battles we have to face. She was building a new home over a 3 year period, and while it was being framed, she noticed that the 2 by 6 foot lumber all had ugly knots. When she complained to the builder he told her, “Anne, the more knots there are in the timber, the stronger the wood!” She let those words speak to her in the spiritual sense and visualized that when she went through trials, every victory was a mark on her heart that created a knot and brought strength. What a wonderful outlook. The more knots the stronger we can also become.While at the cabin, I also looked at the walls and ceiling that was full of knots and thanked the Lord they were marks of victory.
When building, after the framing, comes the dry wall that hides the knots just like Jesus covers all by His sacrifice for us on the cross.  Anne quotes from Psalm 147:3 (ESV), “He heals the brokenhearted and binds up their wounds.” He takes our pains and sorrows, bandages up our wounds, and brings healing to us. Scars are marks left by the tissue that is healed; just like Anne, our scars can be symbols of victory.  God often uses us to share our scars with others so that they also may turn to Him and receive healing. Even if we have had a rough start in life, parents that were far less than perfect, things done to us that caused big knots, the Lord can heal us and make us stronger. Let us give all our hurts to Him, let Him cover them with his love, and receive His deep healing.
Challenge for today: Be open to share a personal healing in your life when given the opportunity. 
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy



 

 

August 17, 2021

August 17, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying your day. This morning I did more catch up, food prep, and took a friend to the Dollar store. Continue to pray  for our friend Grace who visited as she is not feeling good yet and resting before deciding if they will continue their trip to Iowa. I also ask for prayers for my cousin Susie who has Covid and in acute respratory distress syndrome. The doctor is now trying to get her transferred to Mayo and many prayers are appreciated. Thank you!
Devotions from Judy’s heart
God’s timing is incredible! I specifically prayed for His timing Saturday morning as we were going to the lake. We wanted to get there in time to wash bedding and prepare the cabin for dear friends that were going to arrive after lunch. But on the way I also wanted to see a friend who is in Assisted Living and spends much of her time in her wheel chair. We decided to stop for gas on our way so we wouldn’t get there too early. When we arrived at Birchview Gardens there was my friend outside in the parking lot on her way to the Art Fair in her wheelchair. She had only to go down an incline from where she lived to the Art Fair but I don’t think she could have stopped her wheelchair if she had decided to go that way. I was glad I arrived when I did for when I held onto the handles of the wheelchair, I had a hard time holding it back from speeding down the incline into the path of others.
My friend has such a generous heart towards others and she loves to spend money that she has saved in order to buy gifts for her son’s family and for all the care workers where she lives. Since her eyesight is very limited, we hunted together for just the right gifts. We searched the whole Art Fair for jewelry, but since she needed about twenty gifts, paying over $50 for a pair of earrings was not in the cards. But we came upon a table that had just the right gifts and the right price, and made the vendor very happy too! We began rejoicing and thanking the Lord! Before leaving I wanted to bring her back to her room; it took all the muscle I had to get her up the incline and I wondered how she could have done this on her own without help. We both keep saying, “Isn’t God’s timing perfect!”
I know we may often feel like God is late in answering our prayers and wish He would hurry but we need to trust Him for His perfect timing. Jesus’ brothers wanted Him to show himself to the world and told him to leave Galilee and go to Judea so his disciples would see the great works he was doing. But Jesus responded with, “My time has not yet come, but your time is always here.” Jesus did exactly as His Father told him to do, and in His perfect timing. Let us not be too soon or too late for our times are in His hands.
Challenge for today: Pray each day for God’s plan and timing for your life and be patient as you wait.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 16, 2021

August 16, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a wonderful weekend. We are home now after spending the weekend with friends at the Silver Chateau. Perfect weather and so great to have time to fellowship together. Also, had time with Ann’s family, time to swim and snorkle, a birthday feast, etc. Do pray for our friend though as she arrived not feeling well and is on medication and wanting to finish the rest of their trip to see friends and family. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
I recall a song by Ralph Carmichael that we use to sing in youth group when I was a teen, “We are more than conquerors, through Him who loved us so/ The Christ who dwells in us is the greatest pow’r we know/ He will fight beside us tho’ the enemy is great/ Who can stand against us, He’s the Captain of our fate/Then we will conquer never fear, so let the battle rage/ He has promised to be near until the end of the age.”
We are truly in a battle today against the powers of evil and it is imperative that we are strengthened to stand in God’s power. I read today what John wrote in Revelation 3:10-12a (The Message), “Because you have kept my Word in passionate patience, I’ll keep you safe in the time of testing that will be here soon, and all over the earth, every man, woman, and child put to the test. I’m on my way; I’ll be there soon. Keep a tight grip on what you have so no one distracts you and steals your crown. I’ll make each conqueror a pillar in the sanctuary of my God, a permanent position of honor. Then I’ll write on you the name of my God.”
When we resist the enemy and are faithful to stand for the Lord, we are called pillars. Pillars are important and essential for structural integrity. If they fail the entire structure fails. I read what author Kathi Pelton recently wrote about pillars as we have all seen what happens when there is pillar failure.The twelve-story condominium in Miami is a recent example. Three years ago, the owner was told he needed to do something to retrofit it to hold the structure in place. He delayed and 150 lost their lives as the whole structure crumbled and buried so many. 
Today there are also pillar failures in the church as people with big name ministries who were once trusted, failed to overcome and have caused many to fall away. But there are others who have remained faithful to the Lord through hard trials and testing, and they have conquered and are like strong pillars and will one day receive a crown.
We are also called to be pillars but we must be willing to resist the enemy and stand strong in the power of the Lord. May He strengthen us to be more than conquerors when times of testing come!
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to empower you to stand strong in the days ahead.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

August 14, 2021

August 14, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying your weekend and have time to be refreshed. We are heading out early for the cabin to get ready for our friends who are coming from Washington. We look forward to time together and have so much catching up to do. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
What is the one thing? What is most important in life? Is it not to love God and for Him to be our first love? David describes his seeking after the Lord in Psalm 63 and says, “O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you…..Because your steadfast love is better than life, my lips will praise you.” He goes on to say in verse 6 that he meditates on the Lord throughout the watches of the night. I was reading what Joyce Huggett taught on prayer and she writes that meditation does not mean emptying our minds as in Eastern meditation; but rather it is engaging every part of us which includes our emotions, imagination, our will, our creativity etc. We are to be attentive to God and to ponder and to reflect and to consider His words and let them penetrate our hearts. Jesus must have meditated on Scripture for He knew the Old testament so well that He answered Satan 3 times quoting Scripture and said,” It is written.”
When we dial down and meditate on His word, we will find that our pressures seem to diminish, and in stillness we may find a verse or phrase just seems to refer to a need we have. We don’t need to keep reading but stop there and just ponder it and let the words speak to our hearts. If something has been distressing us, a verse may just seem to spark a truth that reaches from our head to our hearts.
Perhaps we have all experienced a troublesome time and when we went to the Word, a truth or some promise just penetrated us. We received a new perspective and we felt encouraged; even though we didn’t know how things would turn out, we could leave it in God’s hands.
Let us meditate on scripture and be attentive to His voice as He speaks to us, that we may experience the joy of the closeness of His presence; the one thing.
Challenge for today: Read Psalm 63 only until something seems to stand out and speak to you.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

August 13, 2021

August 13, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you! Another gorgeous day with lots of sunshine. This morning I cleaned and did food prep and began packing for the lake. We are going tomorrow morning and dear friends from WA are coming in the afternoon and stay until Monday. Looking forward to catching up and fellowshipping together, spending time by the water, celebrating Al’s birthday with Ann’s etc.  
Devotions from Judy’s heart
If you have been reading my daily devotions you know about the Church of the Paul Bunyan Trail. Nearly every day Al and I meet together with a special couple on the trail who love the Lord and sometimes others also join us along the way. As we share the Lord together, we go home encouraged and built up in our faith and that is God’s wonderful plan for all of us. I was reading from Heb. 10:24-25 (God’s Word) today and it says, “We must also consider how to encourage each other to show love and to do good things. We should not stop gathering together with other believers, as some of you are doing. Instead, we must continue to encourage each other even more as we see the day of the Lord coming.”  We are meant to stir one another up with love and good works that we may be mutually strengthened. The Message translation says we should see how inventive we can be in spurring one another on and encouraging love, not avoiding worshiping together.
After Bible Study here at our Apt complex or after meeting friends on the trail, my heart feels like it is singing. There is something so energizing and faith building when we are connected with other Christians and rub off on one another. It is just what the Doctor of our Souls orders!
We should be intentional to gather together with other Christians and of course, the enemy will do all he can to hinder that from happening. He will tell us it doesn’t matter, just stay in our pjs and sip coffee and watch church online. But Sunday mornings can rather be spent in quality time with other believers as we worship side by side and fellowship over coffee.  After Covid restrictions were lifted, it seemed extra meaningful to be in church, singing together, and worshiping, even if we had to social distance. God uses others to help us grow in our faith and overcome doubts we may have. Let us use the opportunities He sends our way to deepen our relationship with the Lord as we share His love together!
Challenge for today: Make room in your schedule to fellowship with other believers.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

  

August 12, 2021

August 12, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
We are home again and had a wonderful time celebrating Al’s big birthday. Thank you for your prayers as we just misssed hitting a deer and also a flock of turkeys. We had lots of sharing time together with Al’s sister, went out for steak dinner, visited friends in Escanaba etc. Now we are switching gears and getting ready for company, Bible Study here today, shopping etc. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
The Lord has so much to teach and sometimes he uses creation to speak to our hearts. We just returned from the Upper Peninsula of Michigan where we again walked around Presque Isle. It is a place where God has spoken to us many times in years past, and especially when we had big decisions to make. As I walked it a couple days ago, it was a gorgeous sunny morning for the sun was coming up over Lake Superior. Sometimes there were dark woods on my left, and bright sun rays on my right. I had a choice if I would focus on the negative darkness or the sparking sun rays over the lake…I chose the bright beautiful sunshine. I found myself softly singing the song that came to mind, “This is my Father’s world, and to my listening ears, all nature sings and around me rings the music of the spheres. This is my Father’s world: I rest me in the thought of rocks and trees, of skies and seas—His hand the wonders wrought”
As I walked the Isle, I wanted to listen what God would say to me through nature. First of all, the many trees reminded me of people in my life; some stand out as very precious and like a single tree pointing heavenward to the Lord. Many trees had fallen and reminded me of those who went before me and are now with the Lord. There were other weak trees leaning against other trees and soon would join the fallen; perhaps the Lord was getting ready to take them home as well.
At times the road was quite dark with shadows as it was so heavily wooded, but I knew it was only temporary. Soon, I would see the lake shimmering in the sun again, perhaps around the next bend. We all go through hard times but they don’t seem to last forever. We live in hope that the dark times will give way to the light.
At times the sun was so brilliant over the water that it was hard to tell where the water ended and the sky began. Isn’t it like when we are worshiping the Lord and feel like we are already experiencing glory and tasting a bit of heaven?
I saw many huge rocks and they were set there as a reminder to me of David’s words in Psalm 18:1-2 (ESV), “I love you, O Lord, my strength. The Lord is my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold.” The Lord is all we need; He is our rock, our solid place. Let us draw our strength from Him each day.
As we drove from Presque Isle, my heart was singing, for His presence was everywhere.
Challenge for today: Take a prayer walk and let God speak to you through nature.
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

 

 

 

 

 

August 9, 2021

August 9, 2021 / / 0 Comments

 

Dear Ones,
Hope you had a lovely weekend! We are thankful for a little more rain. Tomorrow morning we leave for Upper Michigan to visit Al’s sister who lives on the 11th floor overlooking Lake Superior. We plan to take her out for steak on Tuesday to help us celebrate Al’s birthday. We also hope to walk around Presque Isle, go to Culvers etc. We will visit friends on our way home and hope to make it back late Wed. evening. Appreciate prayers for a safe journey. I won’t be writing until we are back home again as I am not taking my computer along. 
Just received word that my cousin Susie is very sick with Covid and in ICU. Please pray for her. She is a caregiver and now she is in need of much care and healing. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
This life on earth is not all there is, for we are here but for a short time. Why do we live so concerned about our life and body and accumulating wealth as if we were going to be here forever? Why are our hearts filled with anxious thoughts and forget that we have a Heavenly Father that cares for us until our last breath?
From our second story apartment I look out on the tops of trees and see the birds freely flying about and flitting from branch to branch. It is a constant reminder of what Jesus said on the mountain when He spoke to the crowd of people in Matt. 6:26 (ESV), “Look at the birds of the air: they neither sow nor reap nor gather into barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not of more value than they?” The birds have things to teach us as they are an example of living without cares; their abundant food comes from God’s hand and they freely fly about singing and giving praise.
We can also trust the Lord for all of our needs for we matter to Him. He cares for us not only in this life but for all eternity. Sometimes I just like to pause and spend some time thinking about eternity and getting my vision set higher.  I ask myself what is really important in the long run of what is taking place today?  All that happens to us here in our world is just preparation for what is ahead.
Al is soon going to hit the big 80 and we are in the 4th quarter of life, as well as, many where we live.
Perhaps it is easier to reflect on what is really important before our life is over, than someone in their second quarter who thinks they have all kinds of time; but of course, we never know.
Both Al and I are more grateful than ever for each day and appreciate and love each other more. Al has changed the most in this last quarter and I love observing the Holy Spirit’s work in his life. I also reap the benefits as he has become more sensitive than ever, to show love and meet my needs. We’re never too old to change and the Lord continually works in each of us until we are ushered to glory. Let us not waste time and stress on what will pass away.
Challenge for today: Ask the Lord what things you need to cut out of your life and which things you need to embrace. 
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

 

August 7, 2021

August 7, 2021 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are enjoying the weekend. We are getting a little much needed rain. PTL! This morning I made two batches of individual egg cups and put in the freezer for future company. I did some shopping and we are packing for Michigan. We will leave Monday morning and I since I am not taking my computer along, you will not get devotions on Tuesday and Wednesday. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
Recently, I received an e-mail of someone seeking to hear God speak and know His will for a future decision. When we are in such a circumstance it is best to set aside time to pray and quiet ourselves and listen to the One who created us and wants to lead our lives, if we will let Him. But the enemy, however, wants to confuse us and to keep us from hearing and obeying; he comes to us in various ways as Jesus describes in John 10 about the Shepherd and the sheep. First is the stranger who tries to lure us from hearing and following His voice. That can mean anyone who leads us contrary to what God has for us and that might even be a person close to us  like a family member. Next comes the thief for he wants to steal and kill and destroy and to keep us from an abundant life in Christ. He may try every trick and does not really care for the sheep. Then there is the hireling and he should never be trusted. He will just take off and leave the sheep when times of distress come. Lastly there is the bad wolf who scatters and ravages the sheep for they matter nothing to him.
We have many enemies that want to destroy us and keep us from following the Lord and His will for our lives. But the best defense is to stay close to the Lord and not listen to the other voices of the stranger, thief, hireling, or wolf.
Jesus is worthy of our trust and obedience for He gave His life for us and wants to protect us and feed us and care for us. His will is best and He says in John 10:10 (The Message), “I came so they can have real and eternal life more and better life than they ever dreamed of.” When we follow His will, we will sense His pleasure and feel a sense of rightness and completeness. Being in the center of His will is the most secure place to be. We need to hide God’s word in our heart so we recognize if the voice we are hearing is our Good Shepherd.
Let us stick close to our Shepherd and not fear but follow in whatever way He leads us, for He is there with us until the end.
Challenge for today: Consider how the Lord has been leading you and ask Him to correct you if you are straying from His perfect will.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

 

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