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 67 of 164)

September 27, 2023

September 27, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you have been having a great day. We are at the Drury Hotel in Coralville, IO and I just had a wonderful swim indoor and outdoor as I watched the beautiful clouds. We had a good trip today and tomorrow we will head home. Thank you for prayers as it has been a great trip and even here we were given an upgrade without asking and perfect for retreat. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  Haven’t we all had times when we looked forward to a special time and it didn’t turn out anything like we expected?  Maybe we felt disappointment as we realized what we hoped for was not going to happen. But just maybe God has a better plan, and we will have to wait for it to unfold. I just read from Romans 5:5, “And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us.” He is the One who loves us more than any other and knows best, desiring to give us what is according to His perfect will.
  I want to share an experience we had yesterday as we began our trip home from North Carolina. We left at 5:30 a.m. after a wonderful 5 days with our son’s family. We were able to play many games with the grandkids, go out to celebrate Mark’s birthday, shop, play be the stream, share and pray together, etc. etc. Our hearts were very full when we left and Al and I talked the first 4 hours of our trip homeward, expressing gratitude to the Lord. Our intention was to stop in Louisville at a Drury Hotel, where we have stayed before, that has an indoor/outdoor pool etc. We planned to stay there early afternoon and have a time of retreat but as we neared there, the traffic was terrific since there was road construction and cars all stopped; we got out of there as quickly as we could. I was disappointed as we were looking forward to that time of retreat and I got busy on my phone trying to find another place while the storm clouds were nearly overhead. We stopped in Seymour and every place at the hotel there was taken for the night and the next 3 nights. We made a further stop in Columbus and nearby we saw the Holiday Inn sign and decided to inquire and found something that surpassed what we had hoped for. We told the manager we wanted a room to write and would need a desk and two chairs in the room; and he responded by upgrading us to a suite that turned out to be perfect for retreat.…we had 3 rooms, 2 TV’s, 2 desks, 2 sinks, sofa and access to the pool etc…far more than we would have ever asked for. My disappointment was turned to joy and thanksgiving that the Lord would give us such a gift. The Lord delayed us to give us something greater.
 In my heart it was also a reminder to be grateful for whatever way the Lord chooses to answer the desires of our hearts. It’s all up to Him, whether it is less than we anticipate or more than; for it comes from His loving hand.
Challenge for today: Express to the Lord a need you have but be thankful for however He chooses to answer.
Blessings on your evening and prayers and love, Judy

September 26, 2023

September 26, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you have enjoyed the day. We left early this morning from Mark and Andrea’s after 5 days of fun and food and fellowship together with their family. I felt like I had a real vacation and time with the Lord and them. We are at the Holiday just south of Indianapolis. There is a beautiful outdoor pool but looks like a storm so will wait. Thank you for prayers. Going to Iowa City tomorrow. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  What is the most wonderful thing in life? Is it not to be loved? Loved for who we are as a unique person and chosen by God? I am reading James Smith’s book, Embracing the Love of God, and though raised in a Christian home and becoming a preacher and author, he still struggled with comprehending He was loved by God. If we are honest, we have probably all had those thoughts of wondering would others love us if they knew really knew us?! Al commented that he read this book over 25 years ago and preached 10 sermons on it!
   But the truth is, God looks at us and smiles and loves us with a passionate love. He wants us to know it and feel it deep in our souls. Like me, maybe there are days we can really sense that love, but other times, especially after we have blown it, we wonder if He can love us still. But when we are forgiven and truly loved, it not only affects how we see ourselves, but it spills out on others. In many ways knowing we are loved is a process as we journey through life and more and more believe that He loves us and is always with us. Like Paul said in Eph. 3:18-19, “I pray that you may have the power to comprehend, with all the saints, what is the breadth and length and height and depth, and to know the love of Christ that surpasses knowledge, so that you may be filled with all the fullness of God.
  God doesn’t love us because we get up early to pray or that we help the poor or try to live flawlessly. But like Smith discovered, “God does not love, God is love.”  He never stops loving us because love is His nature. We can’t say the same about ourselves. We have to learn to love and receive His grace to be able to love like Him. He accepts us and loved us first and loves us every day of our lives. His love won’t ever change for us because it was not based on anything we did in the first place. We can’t earn it; we just receive it. He loves us as we are, not as we should be and want to be. We can’t lose His love for it is a gift. It is His pleasure to fill us with His love,
  Challenge for today: Ask the Lord to give you heart knowledge of His love for you!
Blessings on your day and prayers and love, Judy

September 25, 2023

September 25, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a wonderful weekend and had time to get refreshed. We are enjoying our time here at Mark’s with many games, good food, lots of sharing together, going to their church and out for dinner, floating little boats on the stream, a good movie and popcorn etc. Andrea will be home schooling all morning and Mark and Al and I will have time together. Then tomorrow we plan to head for home after a wonderful time here. Appreciate prayers again!                                                                                                                                                                                                 Devotions from Judy’s heart                                                                                                          
When I was very young, I use to love to sing the chorus, “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before, every day with Jesus, I love Him more and more. Jesus saves and keeps me and He’s the One I’m waiting for. Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before.” As we grow in our walk with the Lord, every day is an opportunity to bring us closer to Him in intimacy as we taste more of the sweetness of His presence.

 We are in Statesville, N.C. as I write this and God gave me the most perfect day with Him on Friday. Al and Mark went out for breakfast and Andrea was homeschooling our grandsons, so I had several hours to myself in such beautiful surroundings. My tummy was full as Andrea provides us with amazing nutritious meals. And this time while here, we have the whole lower level for Al and I to just make ourselves at home, as her parents who usually inhabit it, are gone for a time.  

  Although we use to run a retreat house for pastors, it was seldom that we got to actually go somewhere and also enjoy retreat. So, this day, I felt like I was the retreatant and could spend extended time in quiet with Him. Mark and Andrea have several acres of huge trees, one being 400 years old, and a stream running through their property. I took a leisurely walk and shared with the Lord as I walked. Then I just sat on a big rock by the stream and was just in His presence. No talking, just being with Him. I noticed in the stillness the smallest flowers about me at the water’s edge, that would have been overlooked if walking by. I found several items to use as the boys and I were to give a spiritual talk using 10 things in nature when together for a meal. I felt like that little flower, who is more hidden (since I am an introvert), and I realized how the Lord saw me. I sat in the sunshine and just let Him warm me outwardly as He filled me with warmth inwardly. I didn’t have to rush for I had until a late lunch and no expectations from others. I gave the Lord the things on my heart and asked requests of Him, which later were answered in a more perfect way than I had imagined. The verse came to mind of Jer. 33:3, “Call to Me and I will show you great and mighty things, which you do not know.” It is good to give our requests to Him but not tell Him how to do it, for He is infinitely wiser than we are. I even took a short nap and felt so rested when the grandsons were ready for games. Before the day was over, we had deep sharing with family and I went to bed thanking the Lord for the most perfect day with Him, and my heart overflowed.
   Challenge for today: Schedule an extended time with the Lord for retreat with Him.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

 

September 23, 2023

September 23, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Happy weekend to you! May you enjoy some restful time! The Lord has provided above what I could ask or think about this time away as we are having great times with the grandsons, and deep times together with Mark and Andrea. I may just write about it and send it out to you on Monday! 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  What gave you joy as a child growing up? What picture comes to mind? I think my favorite thing was to be by the quiet lake and lay in the sun with a yummy book to read and an apple to munch. I could stay there for hours, and recently I had to pay the consequences with putting an anticancer cream on my face each night for a month to rid the precancer cells. But real true joy is not found in perfect circumstances and responding to outward things, but instead comes from within by experiencing the presence of the Lord.
  We discover that deep down joy is not found out there in the world that we need to go look for it, but it is rather already here in our life with the Lord. When we come to know Him, we experience a depth of joy that is hard to describe, and it energizes us and is a fruit of the Spirit. It doesn’t have to do with our outward circumstances or our station in life at all, for Paul had joy even when he was in prison. I read today how Habakkuk expresses all the things that were not ideal for him, like no fruit on the vines or herds in the stalls etc. but then says, “yet I will rejoice in the Lord; I will exult in the God of my salvation.” (Hab 3:18) Our list might look different as we may say, “Even if I lose my job, even if my health deteriorates, even if my children reject me…yet I will rejoice in the Lord.”  When we choose Jesus, we choose joy!
  Maybe our present life circumstances seem disappointing, and we may ask the Lord to help us find joy in the midst of it all. Some may try spiritual practices, spend more time in scripture and time in nature; or slow down and give more attention to the Lord.   Our true joy is found as we connect with the Lord each day and surrender ourselves to all that He puts before us. There is joy in obedience even when we don’t understand His ways at the time.
  Challenge for today: Begin each day with the Lord and then just bask in His love and let the joy bubble up. 
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

September 22, 2023

September 22, 2023 / / 0 Comments

Dear Ones,                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                     Happy weekend to you! We arrived safely yesterday in Statesville, N.C. at our son’s home and thank you for prayers. Our two grandsons have grown, and we have already played several games of Horse, went to the gym. and will be playing many more games today after they have their home school homework done this morning. Wonderful to be together again.

Devotions from Judy’s heart                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              How big is our faith? Do we believe God before seeing? Faith is a gift of God, and it comes from hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17). There are many definitions of faith but like Thomas a’ Kempis said, “I had rather exercise faith than know the definition thereof.” When we believe God’s promises we have expectation of what He will do. We might say that is faith, for we can’t yet see it but yet we believe it is coming. We have to get ourselves out of the picture and remember who God is and focus on Him. Faith is “looking to Jesus who is the author and finisher of our faith. “(Heb 12:2) Faith is looking outward to Him, and not dependent on ourselves.                                                                                                                                                                              
As I am still reading Pursuit of God, I will share some of the things that struck me in a new way. Raphael Simon said, “To fall in love with God is the greatest of all romances! To seek Him is the greatest of all achievements! To find Him is the greatest human achievement!” Let us ask ourselves if we pursue God and think of Him often during our day and in our work. If we invite a friend over to visit but didn’t pay attention and simply left him alone, how rude that would be. But do we do that with the Lord? Do we neglect talking to Him and even recognizing His presence with us throughout our workday?                                                                                               

Faith is lifting our eyes to the Lord and it can be done anytime and anywhere. We don’t have to be rich or have any special ritual, but just raise our eyes to Him in believing trust. God, I don’t know how you are going to do something, but I am trusting and believing…something deep inside sees and believes God. It is a joy to teach children as they find it easy to believe, and if you tell them something they have no reason not to believe it will happen. Like Lucie Christine said in such a beautiful childlike way, “My way is very simple-my soul lives in God by a glance of love between Him and myself. By this glance God gives Himself to me, and I myself to Him. This is my habitual state in which God has placed me.”

Let us form the habit of lifting the eyes of our soul to the Lord and listening to His voice and in faith believe what He will do, before we see it with our eyes,

Challenge for today: Lift your eyes to heaven several times during the day and thank Him that He is looking down at you with love.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy

 

September 21, 2023

September 20, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are having a good day. We got as far as Knoxville, TN this afternoon and I had a delightful swim while Al had a walk. We are having a time of retreat and enjoying this time so much. I am sending this early for tomorrow as we will be on our way to Mark’s and so eager to get to see him and Andrea and our grandsons! Again, thank you for your prayers.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
   On our trip Al and I talk a lot together and I also read books I have saved for such a time as we travel. We got to talking about what we still want to do in life before we no longer will be able to. I couldn’t think of any big things, but I said I wondered if I was missing out by not paying more attention to what is going on in the world, having coffee in the morning while I read the paper or a magazine and knowing the latest songs and movies, or what is happening in the life of celebrities etc. Somehow, I never get to that but start my day with the Lord and then jump into my work etc. But so neat how the Lord answered as I was reading A.W. Tozer’s book, Pursuit of God. The very next day I read about what is really important. A few words, “Listen to the inward Voice till you learn to recognize it. Give yourself to God and then be what and who you are without regard to what others think. Reduce your interests to a few. Don’t try to know what will be of no service to you. Avoid the digest type of mind—short bits of unrelated facts, cute stories and bright sayings… Practice spiritual concentration.”  
   We live in the world but we don’t want the world living in us. We are the one that needs to always bend to God’s ways and not try to fit Him into our way of thinking and doing. We are to conform to Him who is infinitely greater than we are and who created us for His pleasure. It is like walking out of the world’s parade for we are out of step with it, and walking in step with the Lord. That may mean making choices between Him and some of our relationships, or between Him and our personal ambitions etc. Life becomes actually more simplistic when He is central as we are on the same course, yoked to Him and our burden becomes light. Even though we often fail at times, He looks at our intention and desire to please Him. He tells us to come to Him and learn of Him and He will give us rest. (Matt. 11:28-30) Our self-love and pride is a heavy burden and He gives us release from it. We will not care so much what others think, but only what God sees.
   May the Lord make us childlike and help us to live simply and without pretense and take up the yoke of self-forgetfulness.
  Challenge for today; Give the Lord first place in your life and let go of the ways the world would try to suck you in to its mold.
Blessings on your evening and day tomorrow and prayers and love, Judy

September 19, 2023

September 19, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
You are getting this again early for tomorrow since we will be taking off from Louisville, KY. We are at the Drury, and I just had a wonderful swim in the outdoor pool! We went to a Seminary bookstore this afternoon, so Al is a happy man! Thank you for prayers and we are having a great time.  
Devotions from Judy’s heart
 As we travel on our trip to N.C., we still like to eat healthy on the road, just as we do at home. I packed apples and nuts and cheese and G.F crackers etc. to munch on, along with plenty of water besides our coffee. Today so many in our culture are consuming junk food with very little nutritional value and full of sugar and substances that is harming to our bodies.
  Jesus said in His Sermon on the Mount that “Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled?” (Matt. 5:6) We are to be hungry and thirsty for God and receptive to Him or we will turn to other things to try to satisfy our soul hunger. The enemy, of course, will try to distract us from God and to live shallow lives. Rather than experiencing that which is good for our souls, we may try to satisfy our spiritual hunger in other ways. Perhaps it is easier to listen to a preacher with a dynamic personality rather than satisfy our own spiritual hunger and experience the Lord for ourselves.
  We also need to quiet down, or we will end up feeling starved and stunted. God designed us to eat slowly, healthily, and not fast food and junk food. That means gearing down, waiting on the Lord, and seeking to hear His voice ourselves. He wants to commune with us and is always speaking and wanting to feed us through His ways. In John 6:63 it says that His words that He speaks to us are Spirit and life. He speaks in His word but also to our hearts. It’s important we become quiet and still enough to hear. We can’t really hear when we are distracted and tuned into the noise of the world.
  God is not silent but always speaking and wanting to feed us. Are we hungry? The Word is not a snack but a dinner. As we go to the Word let us expect to be fed and have the needs of our souls met. It is the Word of God to our souls, and it will surely satisfy.

  Challenge for today: Set aside time to read the Word slowly and ask the Holy Spirit to fill your hungry soul.

Blessings and prayers and love, Judy

 

September 19, 2023

September 18, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
We are in Bloomington, Illinois, tonight and I had a lovely swim after we arrived. I was the only one in the pool so could praise the Lord as I swam. Al went for a walk and the weather is perfect. I read a whole book in the car by an author friend.  I am sending this out early as we will leave right after an early breakfast tomorrow morning. Thank you for prayers! 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  The will of God always trumps our will, for He sees all and knows all and does what is best. Our part is to surrender our will and to seek His will in our lives and in each situation. There are times we may ask others to pray for us that we will hear His voice and know what His will is. Some time ago a couple asked us to pray for His will in a situation and we have faithfully prayed each day over a few months. The answer came but it wasn’t anything like we expected. I hadn’t even thought of that kind of an answer, but we could all rejoice for each of us was seeking what God wanted. Then we rejoiced that He has purpose in His will, and we can say Amen to it!
  The biggest problem seems to be letting go of what we think is best to find His highest in each situation. We are not God, we do not have a panoramic view of things, and we can be deceived. When we pray it is always good to pray our concerns but then to put them all at the feet of Jesus. We may pray, “Lord, I lay them down before you and trust that you will take care of each need and I will rejoice in how you choose to answer.”
  I am reminded so often that I have to die to my will and to embrace His highest will. When there is pain it means I am in the way and have not died to my way. Perhaps for all of us, there is a daily fight against selfishness and wanting our own way. Jesus told His disciples the very thing in Matt. 16:24-25 (God’s Word), and He says to us today, “Those who want to come with me say no to the things they want, pick up their crosses and follow me. Those who want to save their lives will lose them. But those who lose their lives for me will find them.” We are to be self-forgetters and instead conform to God’s will each day. But in the losing of our lives, we find life everlasting.
  Challenge for today: Ask the Lord for grace to forget self and your interests and to take up your cross to follow Him.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

September 18, 2023

September 17, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you had a great week! Sending this early for Monday’s devotional. We had a beautiful service this morning with a dozen new members joining our church. Now our Highlander is mostly packed and ready to head to N.C. about 4 a.m. tomorrow. We are going to take our time and have a mini retreat on the way and also visit a seminary bookstore. Would appreciate prayers for a safe journey and good health and a special time with Mark’s family. 
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  On Friday, I came home from the Audiologist so excited, as she had fitted me with cross-over hearing aids, and I could hear clearly. I could make out Al’s whispers and even the noise from the frig! I The hearing in my right ear has rapidly declined which I was told could be from having Lyme’s, but no one is sure. Now I was hearing beautifully, and I could hardly contain my joy. I also thought of how wonderful it is when we hear spiritually and know God has spoken a word to our hearts, maybe in soft whispers but we get it! Sometimes we need to write it down as He may be speaking of something that is yet to happen and we are in the waiting period.
  I also had joy lately as I will be having a couple implants put in when I get back from N.C. My gums are ready, and the impressions have been made and soon my empty spaces will have teeth. Since it was towards the back of my mouth it wasn’t quite as noticeable but soon, I will be able to chew my food better and maybe be able to smile more widely. When we have extractions from things in this world taken out, there is then more room to have spiritual things implanted in their place. The worldly things which are now decayed and removed, leave space for the pure things that God wants to bless us with.
  Well then there is my skin that had several basil cancer spots that needed attention. I had to put on an ointment for a month, so things got worse before they got better. Sometimes it takes time for unwanted things in our lives to get rooted out, and we must keep applying His grace and forgiveness to those spots until one day they no longer seem to bother us, and we are set free. It leaves us smoothed over and peaceful for we now know the underlying cancer is taken care of.
  Now another thing is my trip to the eye Doctor who tested me and said I could use new glasses. I was tired of my old ones and so ready for new glasses with a prescription that was up to date; I happily went to look for new ones and now I am able to see with greater clarity. Often, we have to be adjusted too, as what was good before is no longer good for now and we need to be willing to change. It was fine in the past but now comes change and we must be willing to move on with the changes God sends.
  I feel like I have had a makeover and quite an expensive one at that. But isn’t it great that God never leaves us partially finished but wants to make us new in all the spaces of our hearts. Let us willingly undergo whatever is necessary to be made more like Him.
  Challenge for today: Let the Lord adjust and change you in whatever ways are needed and all in His timing.
Blessings on your week and prayers and love, Judy

 

September 16, 2023

September 16, 2023 / / 0 Comments
Dear Ones,
Hope you are having a great weekend. Today I will be cleaning and then we will be getting ready for our trip to North Carolina. We plan to leave about 4 a.m. on Monday and we are excited as it has been some time since we have been with Mark’s family. Appreciate prayers for our safety and health as we travel.
Devotions from Judy’s heart
  Our grandson just had a birthday recently and got his first smart phone and the joy on his face says it all. There are guidelines put down by his parents so as not to let the phone be a substitute for actual spoken words and communication face to face. Sadly, people don’t talk aloud much anymore but just text one another; and we might have guessed that there has never been so much loneliness. Phones are good but not as a substitute for heart to heart communicating. It may be surprising to just look around your own home to see if family is really sharing with one another or if is quiet because everyone is simply texting others or gaming on their phones.
  Our phones can also have an effect on our relationship with the Lord if we spend more time on them than talking to Him. Author Emily Rose Massey writes about how important it is to stay connected with the Lord and shares from I Thes. 5:16-18 as Paul gives some final words to the church in Thessalonica, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, give thanks in all circumstances for this is the will of God.” It’s important to stay in constant communication with the Lord, and it builds faith in us and trust, and a heart of thanksgiving. I want to share a prayer Emily wrote to help us put our technology in its rightful place, so as to not neglect the Lord and those around us.
“Father God,
  There can be such a blessing that comes from technology and being able to connect with other people all over the world in a moment. But this blessing can also become a major distraction from something so much better, staying connected to You. Lord, I repent for neglecting to keep our communication a top priority and allowing an electronic device to become a hindrance to the spiritual discipline of prayer. You call us to never cease from praying, meaning that we should be continually looking to You every moment of the day. I lift my gaze to You, knowing that is where my help comes from. I lift up my voice to You, knowing that You incline Your ear to me as Your child.       Thank You, Jesus, for making a way for me to have a relationship with my Heavenly Father. May I never take that relationship for granted? Help me by Your grace and the power of the Spirit to remember to keep prayer a daily, moment-by-moment lifeline to my Heavenly Father.
In Jesus’ name, amen. 
Challenge for today: Pray this prayer and ask the Lord to help you stay connected with Him and others around you.
Blessings on your weekend and prayers and love, Judy
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