Category: Whispers (Page 154 of 171)

 

Devotions on Judy’s heart

Last evening Al and I went to Lenten service at another church, and discovered there was only one couple in the congregation besides us along with the Pastor, pianist, sound person. We had been to the same church last week and there were about 40 people there so this was rather unexpected. I felt sorry for the pastor at first, and he started out by saying “Where two or three are gathered ( and we were barely more than three), there Christ was in our midst. But we were pleasantly surprised as the pastor didn’t have a typical sermon, but read scripture and had us be quiet for a few moments and then share a word or phrase stood out to us. He read the story from Mark 4: 35-41 from The Message translation of the Bible, where Jesus tells his disciples to go to the other side. After they all get in the boat, Jesus fell asleep in the stern and a huge storm came up with waves pouring into the boat, threatening to sink it. The disciples wake Him and ask if he didn’t care that they are probably all going down. But Jesus just told the wind to pipe down and for the sea to settle down; and the storm quieted and the sea became smooth as glass. Now we have been in storms and it doesn’t happen that they usually end that quickly. Pastor read the story a second time and we were asked to share why the phrase struck us after spending some moments of quiet; then he read it a third time asking what we felt God was saying to us through it. (It’s called Lectio Divina and I have written before of how we did this on Monday nights for several years with a group when we lived at Canaan.) It’s strange but as many times as I have read the story and even written of it, I never noticed the phrase, “They took Him in the boat as He was.” How did I miss that. The phrase spoke to me that Jesus comes to us just as He is but in many different ways. I thought of how He often comes to us as a wonderful teacher and we gain wisdom from Him. Sometimes He comes to us as a disciplinarian, much like our parent when we need correction. He may also come to us as Father, and reassures us of how much He loves us. There are times I sense He is a Good Shepherd that shows me the way I should go, especially when making life decisions. Other times I sense He is my protector when I am in situations of danger. Yes, Jesus comes as He is, and may we rest knowing that He is everything we need and more at each moment. I think the service tonight was just what I needed too. 

Challenge for today. Read Mark 4:35-41 and see what stands out for you.

Dear Ones,

Hope you had a good weekend! We got more snow yesterday but is melting today. This morning I made individual egg dishes and went to Aldi’s and to my exercise class. We are off soon to do some errands this afternoon.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

How much do we really trust God? Do we trust Him completely with our lives or do we waver especially when going through hardship? This morning I was reading about the Apostle Paul and all that he and other believers suffered for Christ. He said in I Cor 1:8 (God’s Word) that the suffering was so extreme that it was beyond their ability to endure but…. The but is important as he said in verse 9, “But we suffered so that we would stop trusting ourselves and learn to trust God, who brings the dead back to life.” Why are we surprised when we go through suffering since we were told that this would happen? Our culture paints the picture of being happy all the time and doing whatever we need to, to make us happy.  Even some Christians think that life should be all roses, but it involves hardship, sweat, and work as well. Gen, who has stage 4 cancer and who so many are praying for, asked family and friends to listen to Pastor Phil Manginelli’s message on hardship. He told the story of when he was newly married and he and his wife had their first fight. He had no clue what he had done but instead of letting the problem separate them, he tried to get on the same side of the problem. Whenever we have trials, it is important to partner with the Lord and not let it separate us from Him. Pastor shared how hardship isn’t something we should run from, for in the midst of our pain and struggles, God shows us who He is and waits to bless us. Rather than viewing our struggle as the enemy and trying to get out of it, see how it brings us closer to the Lord. Suffering is not a sign of God’s absence but an invitation of His presence. It is almost like a mystery unfolding when we see how God uses hardship to work glory into our lives and gives us joy in our trials. When I look back on a hard trial that we went through in one of our churches, I am left with such gratitude and praise for how the Lord carried us through; we leaned heavily on Him and knew our future was entirely in His hands. Whatever we go through today or the future, we need to humble ourselves and get on the same side as God. He will give us strength to act and will equip us for whatever is ahead. Let us trust Him in the hardships and pain and welcome His plan for our lives.

Challenge for today:  Trust God in your whatever you are going through and lean into Him.

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Are we too smart for our own britches? That is something I remember my mom saying about people that were not especially teachable since they thought they knew it all. It is something we must guard against because if we are not humble and dependent on God, we will never really know Him. Mark Roberts on Crosswalk.com writes about how Jesus responded to the 70 who were sent out two by two ahead of Him to share the Good News. They came back so full of joy over their mission. They were especially excited that they witnessed that even demons obeyed them when they used the authority of Jesus name.  But Jesus told them to rejoice also that their names were written in heaven. He goes on to say in Luke10:21 (NRSV), “In that same hour Jesus rejoiced in the Holy Spirit and said, ‘I thank you, Father, Lord of heaven and earth, that you have hidden these things from the wise and intelligent and have revealed them to infants; yes, Father, for such was your gracious will.”  He is speaking metaphorically of babies as those who aren’t known for their wisdom. The Message translation says that He hid these things from the know-it-alls and showed them to these innocent newcomers. God’s kingdom is available to all of us but not through the strength of our intellect but through childlike trust in Him.  Spiritual pride can actually keep us from God. We can check ourselves as we read a familiar passage from scripture that we have heard teaching on many times, and dismiss it, rather than ask the Holy Spirit to teach us a fresh. Paul also said in I Cor. 1:27 (ESV), “But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong.”  God doesn’t just choose the brightest with the most credentials but He most often chooses to reveal Himself to the humble and simple. One of the best teachings I heard years ago, was from a very humble guy without any titles. I was amazed and touched at the wisdom that poured out of Him and I knew it was from the Holy Spirit. Lately I have read writings of Professor Dallas Willard’s, who was a brilliant philosopher, who has since died.  But it is evident that he knew the Lord intimately and was open to what God had to reveal to him. We all need to go before the Lord as a simple child and ask the Holy Spirit to reveal Jesus to us. And as we pray for wisdom, let it not be to impress others, but to grow in our love for Him.

Challenge for today: Confess any spiritual pride and ask the Lord to give you the posture of a child. 

Dear Ones,

Hope you are enjoying this day. We have had a little snow today but we hope to do an outdoor walk later this afternoon. We had a very good worship experience at the Ash Wed. service last night and the ashes were put on us outside as we left by the pastor who stood there in the cold. This morning I did food prep and cleaned our apartment as we have company coming this afternoon. 

Devotions from Judy’s heart

Soul is mentioned many times in the Bible and we are to pay attention and nourish our souls. I am reading John Ortberg’s book on Soul Keeping and it speaks to me of the importance of good soul care. John himself was greatly influenced by Dallas Willard, who was a professor of philosophy at USC, and who has since died. Some time ago Al and I went to Chicago and heard him speak and I remember having to listen intently to understand the depth of his talk. He was brilliant and yet so ordinary in his everyday life. He taught John about eliminating hurry from his life and said, “Hurry is the great enemy of the spiritual life in our day. You must ruthlessly eliminate hurry from your life.” Even as John visited him at his home, when his phone rang, he never gave it a thought; he simply didn’t answer it but gave his attention to John. Dallas also taught John so much about how our souls matter. He said, “The most important thing in your life, is not what you do; it’s who you become.” It’s not trying to improve our reputation or circumstances of our outer world or accomplishing more but its more about what is happening inside of us. Soul is the deepest part of us and the whole person. Soul is hard to define and it is our life center, something eternal, invisible, and needs care. It integrates our will, our mind, and our body, and if it is healthy there is harmony between them. Dallas told John, “You’re a soul made by God, made for God, and made to need God, which means you were not made to be self-sufficient.” When we lose our soul, he compares it to a car without a steering wheel and waiting to crash for we no longer have a healthy center. When we focus on ourself we neglect our souls; but when we see life through the lens of our connection with God, our souls thrive. Of course, we are to give attention to our work, family and others, but our soul should lie at the center of them. That way even when our circumstances are not good, our soul can still be at peace. Notice all the songs we sing about soul, “Jesus, lover of my soul,” “Then sings my soul my Savior God to Thee” etc. Let us be centered in the Lord and take time for soul each day!

Challenge for today: Find a place to be alone with the Lord, preferably outside, and let your soul experience his love.

Dear Ones,

Hope you are keeping warm. It looks cold all over our nation and was -27 here when we got up. I love to bake when it is cold out and today I made Al’s favorite cookies. I went downstairs for coffee and Choc covered raspberries, and then we went out to Poncho Lefties for our belated Valentine dinner. I am so full! 
Devotions from Judy’s heart

What is really important in life?  Is it how much money we make, how many friends we have, how many degrees we have? All those things fall along the wayside if we lose our own soul. It says in Matt. 16: 26 (ESV), “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world and forfeits his soul? Or what shall a man give in return for his soul?” Even if we get everything we want in life but lose our soul, we are lost and bankrupt. But how much of the time do we live without giving much thought to our souls and neglect what is most important? John Ortberg writes about the parable of the Sower that Jesus told to a large crowd by the sea. Jesus must have thought it was very important for afterwards He gave the full interpretation to his disciples. The sower is the Lord who is so generous with the seed as He scatters it everywhere. But it is the soil that is the variable and much like our souls. Bottom line is that when our soul is closed it is death and if it is open and receptive it is life! The first soil mentioned is the hardened soil, much like where people and animals walk and it becomes hard and dry. The seed will not survive, much like people who have hardened souls with a protective shell around them, often out of fear. Next the shallow soil (like the shallow soul) is rocky and has only a thin layer of topsoil; chances are the seed will wither when the sun come out as the soil is not deep enough for the roots. If our lives are centered on ourselves, our soul becomes shallow and we lack empathy for others. We have depth only when connected to the Lord. The third soil is one with thorns much like cluttered souls. The seed gets choked out by desiring things of this world and becoming busy with the wrong things. It is like those who don’t recognize they are dead inside, since they are so preoccupied with activity and busyness of the world. But the good soil is one that is soft and has depth and will produce much fruit. That is what our soul longs for, that deep connection to the Lord. Ortberg writes that God designed us so that our thoughts, desires and behavior would be in harmony with each other, and this happens as we live in unbroken connection with God. Let us not live superficially but give time to our soul that is the deepest part of us and lasts forever.

Challenge for today: Confess any known sin that keeps you from deeply connecting with the Lord.

Dear Ones,

Hope you had a wonderful Valentine’s Day! We hope to go out tomorrow to celebrate! This morning I made a pot of stew, and egg dishes, went to Aldi’s and then to my exercise class. Ann may stop by this afternoon and then we will walk inside again.
When we come to know the Lord, it is a wonderful beginning of a life to be lived for Him. It isn’t like we have arrived but rather the start of our journey to become more like Him. One might think that everything will be easy and comfortable but much of the journey is difficult with troubles; these are not to trip us up but to help us grow and become strong. But it isn’t all about us either, for we are called to serve Him in the world in which we live. He has given everything for us, what will we do for Him? How will we live and serve others is an indicator of a life given to God. Jesus said we would be known by the fruit in our lives. Our whole lives should be involved with Him—our marriage, our children, our schedules, our relationships, our jobs and money. He wants all of us and our whole life.  Some seek a long and comfortable and prosperous life but it is more important to have a full live lived for God. I have been reading the lives of people who gave everything for the cause of Christ; people like William Carey, Jim Elliot, David Brainerd, Mary Slessor and a host of others who sacrificed their lives but experienced the joy of saying yes, to what God called them to do. Jim Elliot and wife went to minister among the Auca Indians of Ecuador and Jim was martyred, along with four other missionaries. When his wife later read his journal he had written, “God, I pray Thee, light these idle sticks of my life that I my burn up for Thee. Consume my life, my God for it is Thine. I seek not a long life but a full one, like you Lord Jesus.” When we were young my mom read us missionary stories and at various times missionaries stayed at our home. We prayed for them and heard their stories as they loved to share what God was doing in the country they were called to. They gave up a comfortable life and yet experienced incredible joy. Our lives are full when we surrender our own plans and live to serve the Lord out of hearts of love. In Eph. 5:2 (The Message) it says, “Mostly what God does is love you. Keep company with Him and learn a life of love. Observe how Christ loved us. His love was not cautious but extravagant. He didn’t love in order to get something from us but to give everything of Himself to us. Love like that.” Are we willing to give up all for Him?

Challenge for today: Ask yourself the question, how can I best give of my life for Him?