How often does the Lord speak to us and we are not aware. I believe He is speaking to us continually in many ways…through His word but also through people and through circumstances, through nature etc. This morning as I woke up and beheld deer right out the window who looked right back at me for the longest time. I remember back when I was in Brunswick on the prayer trail and asked  the Lord to reveal Himself to me, as I must have been in a dry time. All of a sudden a deer stood in the trail ahead of me and just looked at me for an extended time. Another time I went to the end of the prayer trail to the river and there was an otter. He would pop his head out of the water, look at me, and then splash and carry on like a little kid. I think at that time the Lord was impressing on me to lighten up and take some time to just frolic and enjoy Him. When I was floating on an air mattress the other day, I just noticed the various trees and that many of them were not rounded out but had barren places in them. How much more beautiful they are when they are symmetrical and filled out.  I know there are are places in my life that are not balanced and need healing and filling out too. The signs of His presence are all around us… I believe we miss so much when we are not attentive to what He puts before us.

There are always lessons to be learned in the berry patch and I think the Lord has so much to teach us through all of our mundane activities. I have been going berry picking alone since Linnea has been on vacation and I used that time for prayer. But it was good to have a companion on the journey today as we were meant to have balance. We need to enjoy being alone but also to be in community. Both are essential!  We started picking in a patch that was quite wild where we found a few berries but not like we remembered from last year’s pickings. Isn’t that the way it is… what once was, is not necessarily so now?  We often had to bend low ( humility)  to find some luscious berries and at other times step into thick brush. But was it worth it?  Yes! Just now I was enjoying a delicious raspberry muffin! When we finished picking each of us swam from our side of the lake to meet in the middle to take a swim together. A reward from our work and so often the Lord gives us those R&R times to just rest from our work and enjoy. We saw a mama duck and all her babies swim ahead of us. We noticed the tiniest sunfish at our feet. How neat to enjoy the beauty of what He has made with someone who also appreciates the Creator’s handiwork.

Instead of words from Kenneth Boa’s book, I want to share a word from Judy’s heart. When I had devotions this morning it was made more real to me about how important it is to do everything for Him and for His glory. I started this morning making 4 loaves of French bread and cleaning the house for the upcoming retreatants. Then later picked berries and made pies etc. All of it seems so mundane but I had a new awareness that it can be all for Him. God  is pleased when we have our focus on Him in all our doings. It made me want to put extra love into the pies etc.. My head has always known that we should do everything heartily as unto Him, but some how my heart is able to say “Amen” to it in a deeper way.  Al and I spend many hours listening to people as they come to Canaan and somehow that seems more spiritual. But even the little things as preparing fresh bread, picking berries for fresh pies can be used of Him when it is done for Him. As you go about your day tomorrow, may the awareness of all you do for Him bring a smile to you as well as Him.

Devotions based on Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image

James Mc Conkey said that, “Faith is dependence on God. And this God-dependence only begins when self-dependence ends. And self-dependence only comes to its end, with some of us, when sorrow, suffering, affliction, broken plans and hopes bring us to that place of self-helplessness and defeat.”   It is only as we surrender full control of our lives and plans to Christ, that we come to know His peace. When we lose our lives for His sake, we find His life instead. We become new creatures for He lives in us and wants to express His life through us. We must continually remember that our needs have already been fully met in Him so we don’t need to be grabbers but givers.  If we try to gratify our own needs we will be very frustrated. If we pursue God and His kingdom we will be satisfied and our needs fulfilled. But there is a difference between our efforts to do things for Him and inviting Him to live and manifest His life through us. Let us abide in Him and receive His life rather than creating our own independent life!

Devotions based on Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image

Without Christ we are out of harmony with God and life is all about our selves as we use people, things, and circumstances to meet our needs. But in Christ we are in harmony with God and life is all about Him who has already fully met our needs.  God desires to create a community of spiritual beings whom He can reveal Himself and from whom He can receive glory, and show love. When we are members of God’s family, our need for unconditional love and acceptance is fully met in His limitless love.  He is the head and we are the Body. And as individual parts of his body, our need for true significance and identity is fully met. He wants us to receive and reflect His likeness and glorify Him forever. ( Eph. 3:21-22)  As His followers, we must not look to the inadequate and unstable things of the world to meet our needs. God is enough!!!  This doesn’t mean we won’t have painful things in our lives and rejection from others, but these things will not destroy us.   We derive our self-image from God and we are loved and significant and competent in  Him.

Devotions based on Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image

We are all motivated to want to have our needs met.  It is easy to be deceived into worldly thinking  that those needs can be met other than in God. We have physical needs like food, clothing, shelter, rest, protection etc but we also have a set of psychological needs that have to do with our sense of self-worth. Everyone needs the security that comes from feeling unconditionally loved and accepted by at least one other individual. Otherwise we feel incomplete and lack a sense of belonging. Because this need is imperfectly met, we can feel rejection that leads to a sense that we must earn acceptance and love. We often go to great lengths to try to win the approval of others.

We also need a sense of personal significance and identification with someone or something greater than ourselves. We need to feel worthwhile and that life is meaningful. But if we have had experiences of personhood rejection we can feel inferior and try to find significance in other ways….like finding the right partner, the right job, the right car, the right friends, the right clothes etc.
Another need is the sense of competence and fulfillment that comes from the belief that our life has made a difference and that we have accomplished something that will last.  If we have experienced performance rejection we can be left with feelings of personal inadequacy. That leads to trying to validate our worth through achievement and performance.

It is deceptive to turn to people, things, and circumstances to meet our needs because none of these will satisfy them fully. Our joy and our peace depend on looking to Him

Devotions based on Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image

Our spiritual life is not a matter of trying to do things for Jesus but rather resting in what He has already done for us.  In Gal. 2:20 we see that Christ’s life is our life for this exchange is a work of grace and brings us freedom. In a nutshell our spiritual life is a continual process not a crisis. It is not based on knowledge but obedience. It is not external but internal. It is not automatic but cultivated. It is not the product of energy but of His enablement. It is not a dream but a discipline. It is not an unusual experience but a normal experience. IT is not a list of rules but a life relationship. It is not to be endured but enjoyed. It is not theoretical but intensely practical. When we think of expressing His life in us, it can only happen by the power of the Spirit. We can’t depend on our own efforts but our works flow from the power of the Spirit within us.  He lives His life in us, and we are like branches that receive through our connection with the Vine.  God works in us and our new nature we now have in Him is now our deepest identity. We are new people, and the process of transformation is progressive as we are conformed more and more to His character.  We might say our spiritual life is inside-out rather than outside-in. The Father strengthens us with power through His Spirit in the inner man ( Eph. 3:16-19) that we may work out our salvation. ( Phil.2:12) Let us live in the reality of our new identity and in His power

Devotions based on Kenneth Boa’s book, Conformed to His Image

Prayer is such an important spiritual discipline as we commune with the Lord as an intimate friend.  John Piper said, “Prayer is God’s delight because it shows the reaches of our poverty and the riches of His grace.”  When we neglect prayer or it is just an afterthought, we tend to move away from our dependence on Him and get stuck in self-reliance. The author said that Prayer should be the centerpiece of our spiritual journey! It is not just because we are commanded to pray and follow His example, but prayer makes a big difference in our lives. It enhances our fellowship and intimacy with Him, and helps us understand and accomplish His purposes for our lives. It changes our attitudes and desires, and gives us new perspectives on things. It puts us in touch with His power and helps us to stand firm. We need to come before Him in humility with expectancy.  The time and best place for us differs but as we focus on Him we can release all our concerns and stresses and just rest in His presence. It is good to have balance and not just ask for things, but take time to listen and be quiet before Him. We must not let our ministry become a substitute for prayer. When this happens we are ineffective and become self-dependent. “It is not prayers in addition to work, but prayer simultaneous with work.”

Let us set our hearts on Him and spend time in His presence!