Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

August 30, 2012
The Lure of Lesser Lovers
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Here I am!" Jesus says. "I stand at the door and knock" (Revelation 3:20 NIV).

Friend to Friend
If you know Jesus as Savior and Lord, then you are His. He is yours. So why does He continue to woo you, to romance you on a daily basis? Why does he continue to pursue your heart? (He does, you know.) Because our minds forget. Spiritual amnesia runs rampant as we wander off to the wooing of other lovers.

"Step right up!" the barkers of the world's Big Tent call. "Come and see the greatest show on earth!" And even though we know in our heart we're going to be disappointed, we enter the tent flaps, find our way to the seat marked on the ticket stub, and wait to be entertained and amazed with all the world has to offer. In the end, we are always disappointed. This was not the greatest show after all. And even though we don't deserve it, God woos us yet again.

Sometimes I fear we are like Scarlett O'Hara in Gone with the Wind. Throughout the entire story, Rhett Butler tried to win her heart, but Scarlett was smitten by the milquetoast Ashley Wilkes. Finally, as the story comes to a close, Rhett walks away in frustration. "I feel sorry for you, Scarlett," he declares. "You are throwing away love with both hands and grabbing for that which will never love you."

As I watched the movie, I kept thinking, doesn't she see how much Rhett really loves her? He'd move heaven and earth to please her, if she would but let him. Why is she going after someone who would never make her truly happy?

And we are Scarlet, ignoring the only One who can make us truly happy and chasing after figments of our imagination...things that will never make us happy—milquetoast lovers who pale in the shadow of the Lover of our Soul. Of course, in the end, Scarlett realizes her love for Rhett, and runs home to tell him so. But it is too late.

As with most analogies, this one has a fatal flaw...Jesus will never throw up his hands and walk away. "Here I am!" Jesus says. "I stand at the door and knock" (Revelation 3:20).

Let's Pray
Jesus, forgive me for being enticed by other lovers: people, possessions, religion, work, and the list goes on. I know You are the only One who loves me perfectly and completely. I open the door and welcome You. Thank You for continuing to pursue my heart every day.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What are some other lovers that pursue your heart?

Has there ever, ever, ever been any other person or possession that totally satisfied your soul?

Let's make a list of other lovers that pull at a woman's heart. Leave a comment on my blog/devo pageand I'll combine them all to make a list. (Just look for today's post.)

More from the Girlfriends
Do you long to feel close to God but sense there's something missing? That you've missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do have a glory ache – a persistent longing to experience God's presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me and discover how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred and experience a deeper more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

August 31, 2012
Giving and Gaining
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed." (Proverbs 11:25, NIV)

Friend To Friend
I pretty much consider myself to have a black thumb. Charcoal, even. I like plants and genuinely try to keep plants healthy and thriving in my home, but fail at it a lot more than I succeed. Seriously. Black thumb. So when my girlfriend brought me a baby aloe plant, my heart was torn between girlfriend-gratitude and feelings of sorrow for the innocent little aloe.
           
A few weeks after she gave me the plant gift, my friend told me a story. She confessed that she struggles to share things. It's just hard for her. She had two aloe plants for a long time but one day she felt a heart-nudge to give one of them to me. (Bless her heart! She obviously knows nothing of said black thumb!) Though she admittedly isn't naturally inclined to give her things away, she said that she decided in her heart that she would give me the small aloe baby.
           
For weeks she had meant to act on that heart-nudge and give me the aloe plant, but just never got around to it. She kept forgetting. She'd think about bringing me the aloe plant when she wasn't home or remember late at night when it was too late to run it by my house. In the back of her mind she thought that one of her plants would surely have an aloe baby offspring ... reasoning that she could just give me that one instead of one of her two plants.

Finally, she remembered. She brought me the cute little healing plant and gave it to me with a smile. Yay! We threw down a happy plant-dance that morning as we shared both a cup of coffee and our hearts in friendship.

So as we sat at my kitchen table again, coffee mugs in hands, she finished her story by excitedly saying, "The most amazing thing happened this week, Gwen! When I walked past the aloe plant that I'd kept for myself, I noticed that a baby aloe plant had sprung up in the pot! It was almost like a little present from God reminding me that I can't out-give Him. That when I trust Him and obey His nudges, He will bless me right back."
           
I nodded and smiled. She's so right. In the Bible God calls us to be generous, and He promises to bless us when we are. God's Word has a lot to say about the tandem between generous giving and blessings.

"Good will come to him who is generous and lends freely, who conducts his affairs with justice" (Psalm 112:5, NIV, emphasis mine).

"A generous man will prosper; he who refreshes others will himself be refreshed" (Proverbs 11:25, NIV, emphasis mine).

"A generous man will himself be blessed, for he shares his food with the poor" (Proverbs 22:9, NIV, emphasis mine).

"Remember this: Whoever sows sparingly will also reap sparingly, and whoever sows generously will also reap generously. Each man should give what he has decided in his heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver. And God is able to make all grace abound to you, so that in all things at all times, having all that you need, you will abound in every good work" (2 Corinthians 9:6-8, NIV).

"Command those who are rich in this present world not to be arrogant nor to put their hope in wealth, which is so uncertain, but to put their hope in God, who richly provides us with everything for our enjoyment. Command them to do good, to be rich in good deeds, and to be generous and willing to share. In this way they will lay up treasure for themselves as a firm foundation for the coming age, so that they may take hold of the life that is truly life" (1 Timothy 6:17-19, NIV).

God clearly calls His children to generous living ... no matter what we have, who we are, or where we live. Even the poorest among us are called to live generously. And let's not confuse the matter: it's not about our bank accounts – it's about our hearts. We are to be generous, willing to share, and rich in good deeds for the glory of God. The Scriptural promise we can stand on is this: blessings will follow our generosity. When we give freely in obedience to Christ and live open-handed with all that we've been entrusted with, we reap beautiful life benefits.

Where does this promise and prompting find you today? Have you been nudged lately to be generous? Do you struggle to share things, both tangible and intangible?Is God calling you to serve Him somewhere with your time, treasures, or talents? Maybe the thing you need to give is forgiveness to someone or to yourself – or encouragement – or kindness. Got a family member, neighbor, or friend in need? Do something!

Generous living will look different to each of us, but we are all called to give as we live. I was blessed when my friend gave me that baby aloe plant. She was blessed too. God made sure of it. He always does. Friend, consider this truth and ask the Lord to move you missionally and to direct your giving. Today and every day live to give for the glory of God. Good will come of it. He promises ... and that's a promise you can take to the bank!

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, You are perfectly generous. I am blessed by the abundance of Your grace, mercy, love and truth. Help me to live generously and to give open-handedly just as you have with me.
In Jesus' Name I pray,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
What came to your mind as you read this devotion?
What are you going to do about it?
What did today's devotion remind you of? Please come to my Facebook page today and share your heart and your story or thoughts with me. www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic. I will be posting a fun aloe picture! Don't miss it.

More From The Girlfriends
God delights in our worship of Him. He loves when we get past our selves and our schedules... and prioritize adoration, contemplation and exaltation. My most recent CD, Uncluttered, is purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. You can download songs on iTunes or Amazon– or order CDs on www.GwenSmith.net.

[Judy Harder]

September 3, 2012
When You Feel There's Just Not Enough Time
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"In Him we live and move and have our being," (Acts 17:28 NIV).

Friend to Friend
"I just never have enough time to spend with the Lord," Amanda cries. "I work forty plus hours a week, commute ninety minutes both ways, oversee elderly parents' affairs, and take care of my five-year-old son. I'm either on the road, at my desk or taking care of someone else's needs. And on top of that, I never feel like I'm doing any of it well. What does God want from me in the middle of all this madness? How can I carve out time for Him? I feel like I'm constantly failing Him!"

Amanda is not alone. I've been right there with her. Haven't you?

We live in a physical realm and our new, born-again spirits will never be completely satisfied here on earth. There will always be tension between the two. Living in union with the Spirit of God is counterintuitive to the ways of this world. What causes that tension and prevents us from experiencing unbroken union with Christ? I believe it is the tendency to compartmentalize life into two hemispheres: the secular and the sacred.

Everyday secular activities vie for our attention, while our times of worship and communion are relegated to Sunday morning worship, early morning Quiet Times, and mid-week Bible studies (if we can fit them in). We spend the majority of our days operating in secular, day-to-day activities and feeling guilty for the lack of time spent in sacred communion with God.

And for most of us, a struggle to find the balance between the secular and the sacred wages war in our hearts. We live in the secular and yet long to be in the sacred. The constant flip-flopping between the two is exhausting, and inevitably we see one as the winner and one as the loser. We see ourselves as failures struggling to get out of Romans 7 and longing to live in Romans 8. We wobble on a spiritual tightrope, fearing the slightest misstep will toss us into the canyon of God's disapproval.

Thankfully, there is a way to wave the white flag of surrender and end the battle's constant conflict. We can experience true union with Christ when we erase the dividing line and meld the two hemispheres.

What would that look like? Let's go back to Amanda.

What if Amanda communed with God while she commuted to work? While she worked at her job? While she took care of her family? Do you see how that would help alleviate the false guilt that adds to her feelings of insufficiency? The physical or secular realm involves cooking, cleaning, ironing, shopping, vacuuming, laundering smelly clothes, washing dirty faces, and wiping messy bottoms. It involves being a wife, a mother, an employee, an employer, a friend, a student, and a host of other roles and responsibilities that merge on any given day. What could be sacred about all that? Everything. But we'll get to that.

The spiritual or sacred realm includes praying, reading the Bible, going to church, memorizing Scripture, serving the poor and meditating on meaningful messages. The spiritual aspects of our lives include worship and practicing spiritual disciplines.

I want to suggest that God never intended for the lines separating the secular and the sacred to exist in the first place. If in Him we live and move and have our being is true in your life, then the sacred also includes cooking, cleaning, ironing shopping, vacuuming, laundering smelly clothes, washing dirty faces, and wiping messy bottoms. When you erase the lines between the secular and the sacred, your entire life can become an act of worship.

How do you put this into practice? By merging the two worlds. Join me next time and we'll look at how to do that together.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Forgive me for compartmentalizing my faith. I want all of my life, all of it, to be an act of worship. No more lines. One wholly holy life.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Today, as you do your errands, go to work, clean your house, cook your dinner... invite God along. Talk to Him. Acknowledge His presence.

Today's devotion was taken from my new book, A Sudden Glory.If you can relate to Amanda, and really need to learn how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred in your life, leave a comment on my blog post and say, I need this book! Tomorrow I'll randomly pick three gals and send them a free Advanced Reader Copy.

More from the Girlfriends
Do you long to feel close to God but sense there's something missing? That you've missed that mysterious formula to make it happen? Do have a glory ache – a persistent longing to experience God's presence and working in your life, but not quite sure how to make it happen? If so, my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More, is just for you. Join me in discovering how to erase the lines between the secular and the sacred and experience a deeper more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

September 4, 2012
Made to Be Free
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
So Christ has really set us free. Now make sure that you stay free, and don't get tied up again in slavery to the law (Galatians 5:1, NLT).

Friend to Friend
The story is told of an Indian village that held an annual bazaar where villagers came to sell the crafts and wares they made during the year as well as the animals they had raised. One year, a man brought a covey of quail to sell. In order to display the birds, he tied one end of a piece of string to one of their legs and the other end of the string to a stake in the ground.

All day long shoppers passed by - watching the birds walk in a circle around the stake. No one seemed interested in buying them until a religious man approached and asked how much the merchant wanted for them. The merchant named an exorbitant price, which the religious man quickly paid and immediately instructed the merchant to set the birds free. When the merchant asked why he was willing to pay so much for the birds and then let them go, the religious man simply responded, "Because they were created to be free."

The merchant didn't understand but shrugged his shoulders and cut the strings, setting the birds free. The quail continued marching in a circle around the stake. The buyer stepped into the middle of the circle and scattered the birds. They flew a few yards, landed and once again began to march in a circle. The quail were free – but did not know it.

We all seek freedom. With our very first breath, we come into this world kicking and screaming for freedom.  The desire to be free was tucked into our very soul by God Himself as He formed us in the womb. God promises to provide a right way to fill our need of freedom.

Freedom comes with truth.
In John 8:32 we find the promise, "You shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free" (NIV). To know truth, we must first know God because He is truth. John 14:6 says, "I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one can come to the Father except through me." When we come to Jesus Christ in a personal relationship, we will experience true freedom for the first time - freedom from sin - freedom from condemnation and death and freedom to really live. Without truth, there can be no freedom.

Freedom comes with obedience.
Obedience calls us to challenge every priority in our lives and lay aside anything that hinders our walk with God. Instead, we refuse to forsake cherished sin, allowing wrong attitudes to take root and prosper while harmful habits hold us prisoner. The writer of Hebrews offers compelling direction for the captured soul longing to be free. "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us" (Hebrews 12:1). Obedience brings freedom.

Freedom comes with understanding.
Until we understand who we are in His eyes, we will never truly be free. Our value and worth rest solely in the fact that we were created, chosen and pursued by God – for God. We belong to Him. His unconditional love not only sets us free to become all He created us to be but allows us to be more than we ever dreamed we could be. In Romans 5:8 the words of Paul celebrate our identity in Him, "But God showed His great love for us by sending Jesus to die for us while we were still sinners." Recognizing our worth and value to God sets us free from the chains of human expectations and earthly demands. Understanding brings freedom.

Christ really has set us free. The question is - are we living in that freedom? Don't live another day chained to the old ways in your life. Seek His truth, walk in obedience and celebrate your God-created identity! Free! Free at last!

Let's Pray
Father, I come to You today, celebrating the freedom that can only be found in You. Lord, I am so sorry for doubting You when life is hard. Forgive me for questioning Your plan when it seems to make no sense. I want to be a woman of faith who trusts You no matter what happens. Help me become a godly woman who walks in faith. Please strengthen me for every trial ahead. Take my heart and mind captive and make them Yours. Today, I choose faith over fear and trust over doubt.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read and memorize Hebrews 12:1 that says, "Let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which so easily ensnares us, and let us run with endurance the race that is set before us."

Examine your life for any weight that is keeping you from experiencing the peace and freedom God offers. Is it a secret sin or habit? Has God asked you to do something you are unwilling to do? Are you ready to lay down that weight? Right now, make the deliberate choice to fully surrender every part of your life to God. Pray and ask God to honor and empower that choice.

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Mary's E=Bible Study, How to Find Your Missing Peace, can show you how to experience real freedom. Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey and learn how to discover and live out God's plan and purpose for your life. (Join now and have access to all topics covered in 2012.) Be sure to connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

September 5, 2012

Doing Laundry to the Glory of God
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God,

(1 Corinthians 10:31, NASB).

Friend to Friend

In my last devotion we met Amanda who said, "I just never have enough time to spend with the Lord," Amanda cries. "I work forty plus hours a week, commute ninety minutes both ways, oversee elderly parents' affairs, and take care of my five-year-old son. I'm either on the road, at my desk or taking care of someone else's needs. And on top of that, I never feel like I'm doing any of it well. What does God want from me in the middle of all this madness? How can I carve out time for Him? I feel like I'm constantly failing Him!"

We also looked at how to solve Amanda's dilemma (and mine and yours) by erasing the lines between the secular and the sacred so that in him we live and move and have our being encompasses all of life. Here's what it would look like.

Suppose you acknowledge God's presence as you walk down the grocery store aisle, drive through the car pool line, sit in the hair stylist's chair, stir the spaghetti sauce, shampoo your hair, love your husband, or rake leaves in the yard. Isn't that what in Him we live and move and have our being really looks like? Praying with your eyes wide open at times is the only way to practice prayer without ceasing.

Monday always follows Sunday, but when you erase the lines that separate the secular and the sacred, the world becomes your sanctuary. God's presence one steady stream.

This was true for Jesus. He never hurried. He never panicked. He was never driven by the tyranny of the urgent. If I were in his sandals, I probably would have been wringing my hands with all I had to accomplish in three and a half years. I can hear myself now: "I've got three and a half years to make a difference. How can I cram all the miracles and teaching into this short amount of time?"

Three and a half years translates into 1,278 days. If you go back and count the days recorded in the four gospels, you'd come up considerably short. So what was Jesus doing on the days that were not mentioned by Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John? He lived His life. He worked. He ate. He washed. He partied. He prayed. He studied. He meditated. He listened. The Sacred lived in the midst of the secular.

Paul wrote: "Whether, then, you eat or drink or whatever you do, do all to the glory of God," (1 Corinthians 10:31 NASB). Whatever you do...

Cleaning bathrooms to the glory of God.

Vacuuming the floor to the glory of God.

Reading my Bible to the glory of God.

Singing praises to the glory of God.

Being intimate with my husband to the glory of God.

Cooking dinner to the glory of God.

Helping in the soup kitchen to the glory of God.

Shopping for groceries to the glory of God.

Mailing packages to the glory of God.

Filing my taxes to the glory of God.

All things...to the glory of God.

What does "to the glory of God" mean? The Greek word for glory, doxa, denotes honor or splendor, a reflection of God's character. We are to reflect God's character, His ways, and His splendor in everything we do. Discounting sinful behavior, such as sexual perversions, gossip, drug and alcohol abuse, or any number of immoral acts that contradict the life of a Christian, our entire existence both in the secular and the sacred realm could and should be an act of worship. When that happens, words such as "do everything as unto the Lord" and "pray without ceasing" become clearer and more within our grasp.

Yes, we do need times alone with God. Jesus pulled away to be with the Father often. "Very early in the morning, while it was still dark, Jesus got up, left the house and went off to a solitary place, where he prayed" (Mark 1:35). If Jesus, the Son of God, needed to spend extended time alone with his Father, then we certainly do too. However, by acknowledging God's presence in every aspect of our lives, we will experience the blessed union in all things. Moments of sudden glory will appear as manna from God.

God longs for you to experience His presence in the spin of the laundry, the sizzle of the cooking, the buzz of children's chatter, and in the quiet of solitude. From the time God rent the curtain in the Holy of Holies when Jesus took his last breath on the cross, God welcomed you into His presence...not just on so-called holy days, but everyday days.

Let's Pray

Lord, I'm glad You're sticking with me today...and I'm sticking with You. I acknowledge Your presence now and through my entire day. I'm not saying "See you later," with this Amen.  We're going into this day together!

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

This will be fun. I want you to click over to my blog page,find today's devotion, and tell me 5 things you did today...to the glory of God. Just leave your list in the comment box.

More from the Girlfriends More from the Girlfriends

If you want to learn more about how to de-compartmentalize your life...to discover the Divine in the Daily grind, then check out my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More. Join me in discovering how experience a deeper, more intimate relationship with God than ever before. While you're there, you can download a free chapter or watch a video book trailer.

[Judy Harder]

September 6, 2012

Get ready!
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth

Be careful! Watch out for attacks from the Devil, your great enemy. He prowls around like a roaring lion, looking for some victim to devour (1 Peter 5:8, NLT). 

Friend to Friend

During the first week of boot camp, the new recruits were taking a written examination. When one of them was asked why he wasn't working, he replied, "Sir, I have neither paper nor pencil." "Well," exclaimed the instructor, "what would you think of a soldier who went into battle with neither rifle nor ammunition?" The recruit thought for a moment, and then answered, "I'd think he was an officer, sir."

Unfortunately, too many Christians today think they are "officers" in God's army and don't really have to prepare for the battle. Not true and very dangerous thinking! The best way to avoid sin is to stay prepared to face temptation. The minute we let our guard down or the minute we are unprepared, the enemy strikes. We must take three actions in order to be on guard against temptation.

·         Action One: Be alert.

"Alert" literally means "to stay on guard" or "to keep watch." Our Father wants us to stay alert and always be on guard. Columnist Herb Caen wrote in the San Francisco Chronicle: "Every morning in Africa, a gazelle wakes up knowing that it must run faster than the fastest lion or it will be killed. And every morning a lion wakes up knowing that it must outrun the slowest gazelle or it will starve to death. It doesn't matter whether you are a lion or a gazelle; when the sun comes up you'd better be running." It doesn't matter how long we have known God, we must get up each day, prepared to guard against sin, knowing we will face temptation. The best way to stay alert and the greatest deterrent to sin is the word of God.

Psalm 119:11 (NIV) "I have hidden Your word in my heart that I might not sin against You."

It is important to remember that God's truth came before Satan's lies. When God's truth comes first in our lives, we will be able to recognize the lies of Satan and temptation will be easier to withstand. When we get away from God's word, however, we become an easy target for temptation and sin. Sin will keep us from God's Word or God's Word will keep us from sin.

Eve either did not know God's command very well or she chose to forget God's command when she chose to follow Satan instead of God. When Jesus went into the wilderness and was tempted, He won the battle of temptation by using the Word of God. Every time Satan tempted Him, Jesus responded with Scripture. If it was good enough for Jesus, it is good enough for us. The best way to prepare for temptation is by knowing the Word of God.

·         Action Two: Pray continually.

Paul tells us in 1 Thessalonians 5:17 to "never stop praying." But many times, we pray only as a last resort when it should be our first response. I read about a kindergarten class that went to the fire station for a tour. The fireman was explaining what to do in case of a fire. "First go to the door and feel the door to see if it's hot.  If it is hot, fall to your knees! Does anyone know why you should fall to your knees?" A little voice spoke up, "Yeah, to start praying and asking God to get us out of this mess!" How true!

The power to withstand temptation comes from a praying heart. The devil will do anything to keep us from praying. He laughs at our religious activities and mocks our human wisdom, but he trembles when we pray.

·         Action 3:  Practice self-control.

James 1:14-15 "Temptation comes from the lure of our own evil desires. These evil desires lead to evil actions, and evil actions lead to death."

Temptation is the first step on the road to sin. It begins in human desire and can stop there if we learn how to control those desires. I once lived in a place where I often saw cows on the country roads. I even spotted a sign that read "If you hit a cow you pay for the cow." A local farmer explained that cows often escape and get lost. When I asked how a cow could possibly get lost he explained, "Well, the cow starts nibbling on a patch of green grass. When it finishes it looks ahead to the next patch of grass and starts nibbling on that one. Then it nibbles on a clump of grass right next to a hole in the fence. On the other side of the fence is another patch of grass, which the cow nibbles. The next thing you know, the cow has nibbled itself into being lost." Sin is not usually one giant leap, but the result of many small steps. When we choose to give in to, rather than control our natural desires and physical appetites, we will sin.

Genesis 3:6 (NIV) "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye, and also desirable for gaining wisdom, she took some and ate it. She also gave some to her husband, who was with her, and he ate it."

Today, we are tempted just like Eve was tempted. When she ate that fruit, it was more than just a rebellious act. It was choosing to value her own desires over God's will. It was choosing to believe the lies of Satan.  Adam was just as guilty as Eve - not just because he ate the fruit - but because he said nothing. Silence is agreement. Self-control is the choice to do the right thing in preparation for facing temptation. To win the war with temptation we must be prepared by staying alert, praying continually, and practicing self-control.

Let's Pray

Lord, today I choose to become a student of the Bible. Please strengthen me through Your truth and empower me to stand against temptation and sin. I also choose to make prayer a natural part of my everyday life. I want prayer to become as natural as breathing. Help me to be more aware of Your presence and power, Lord. I want to be a godly woman, a woman of discipline, a woman whose life honors you and draws others to You.

In Jesus' name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

·         Recognize the power of prayer against temptation.

·         Admit you have allowed the enemy to "sneak" into your life.

·         Identify the areas in your life that are out of control.

·         Choose to surrender those areas to God.

·         Ask God to make you more aware of His presence in your life.

More from the Girlfriends

We are all in the same boat when it comes to facing temptation, but some of us are more prepared than others to face that temptation. I pray that today's devotional gives you more weapons with which to wage the battle of sin. Need help? Check out my weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey as well as free resources on my web site at www.marysoutherland.com. We are with you. Walk in victory, girlfriend!

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Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 725
Matthews, NC 28106
info@girlfriendsingod.com
www.girlfriendsingod.com

[Judy Harder]

September 7, 2012

Springs of Living Water
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth

"Even now," declares the LORD, "return to me with all your heart, with fasting and weeping and mourning." Rend your heart and not your garments. Return to the LORD your God, for he is gracious and compassionate, slow to anger and abounding in love..." (Joel 2:12-13)

Friend to Friend

Jeremiah was just a youngster when he came to know God and began to work for Him as a prophet. He endured year after year of hard times, frustrating people and complicated disappointments. His message was one that called the people of Jerusalem - God's chosen people - to turn away from the idols that they had been worshiping and back toward the one, true God.

Let me say it straight: God was miffed at the nation of Israel and He sent Jeremiah to let them know. He had every reason to be angry! He had given the children of Abraham a sacred covenant, a promised future, delivery from oppression, and His tabernacled presence, yet they turned their backs on Him. Continually. They doubted His exclusivity and they set their attentions and affections on things other than God. They worshiped idols made of wood and stone. Powerless and worthless. In Jeremiah 2:13, God said of his people: "They have forsaken me, the spring of living water, and have dug their own cisterns, broken cisterns that cannot hold water."

Pastor Greg Laurie describes it this way: "A cistern is a large well or pool carved in a rock. A broken cistern has sprung a leak and can't hold water. God is saying, "If you go out there to the world and drink from that well, it is not going to satisfy you."

It sets my mind to wonder.

Why would anyone place her trust in the unstable, un-powerful, unfulfilling things of earth when she can place her trust in a stable, powerful, satisfying God? Seems like such a no-brainer – yet, don't you and I do that all the time?

Sure we do.

We dig our own cisterns, broken cisterns, and expect them to satisfy our thirst and bring us contentment. We drink from the broken cisterns of materialism, position, wealth, popularity, stuff, relationships, rules and religion. We have faulty expectations that our kids, spouses and friends are meant to satisfy our heart-needs. The ultimate broken cistern, however, is our pursuit of purpose in life via things of this earth.

We were created to pursue God.

We were created to know God – to be satisfied in Him and Him alone.

To worship Him and Him alone.

Oh, you and I are such a thirsty gaggle of girlfriends, aren't we? Even as believers, we deal with emptiness and bow to idols other than God. We place our faith in the economy, in our financial situations, in our health, in our employment status, politics, marital status, and our relationships. When they fail or fumble we fall apart ... and no wonder! They are all broken cisterns and were never meant to be our source of hope or satisfaction!

Friend, we need to turn away from our broken cisterns and turn toward the springs of living water. From stagnant waters to the Living Water. The Bible tells us that confession is the path to the spring of living water. When we eliminate the things that clutter our faith – the broken things we trust in – and place our faith in the resurrection power of Jesus Christ, God's heart swells with mercy, compassion and grace toward us. He forgives and strengthens us.

Who or what are you trusting in today?

Where are you soul-drinking from: broken cisterns or springs of living water?

When Jeremiah was preparing to take God's message of repentance to Jerusalem, God spoke confidence and promise to his shaking heart. Let these words speak confidence to your heart today, friend. God's promise to Jeremiah is valid to you and me when we turn away from the broken cisterns of this world and place our trust in Him. "I am with you and will rescue you, declares the Lord." (Jeremiah 1:19b).

Jesus Christ is the Living Water our souls are parched for (John 4:13-14). "Jesus stood and said in a loud voice, "Let anyone who is thirsty come to me and drink. Whoever believes in me, as Scripture has said, rivers of living water will flow from within them"(John 7:37-38).

Say with the psalmist: "As the deer pants for streams of water, so my soul pants for you, my God. My soul thirsts for God, for the living God." (Psalm 42:1-2a).

Go to Him today. Confess. Believe. Drink. Be satisfied.

Let's Pray

Lord, I'm so thirsty for You! Please forgive me for the times that I have drunk from broken cisterns instead of from Your springs of Living Water! Thank You for Your compassionate grace and ever-flowing love. In a world that is constantly changing, I choose right now – once again – to place my trust in You as my unchanging God. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

·         Today we talked about placing our trust in things other than God. Broken cisterns. We all struggle with this to some degree. How has this affected you in the past?

·         How does it affect you in the present?

·         And to go Dr. Phil on you, "How's that working for you?" Spend time in prayer about this today. Ask God to reveal the broken cisterns you've been trying to drink from. Repent of this and commit to a deeper trust-level today.

More from the Girlfriends

To be honest, there are a million times that I feel like screaming instead of praising. What a battle! Yet, I know the best response is to trust God and choose to praise Him...in and through it all. Music really helps me. My new CD, Uncluttered is purposed to sweep you away from life-noise and to focus your heart and mind on the one thing that matters: your relationship with Jesus Christ. We are running a great CD Special now, so swing by www.GwenSmith.net... or you can download the songs from iTunesor Amazon.

[Judy Harder]

September 10, 2012

Hanging On for Dear Life
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth

For in Him we live and move and have our being, (Acts 17:28, NIV).

Friend to Friend

Steven was just a preschooler when I first taught him to snow ski. The very first day was arduous—for me. I felt like a down-covered workhorse as I lugged two sets of skis in one arm while dragging along Steven with the other. Clunky ski boots, overstuffed mittens, and a hooded snowsuit made it difficult for Steven to maneuver. Add all that to the slippery snow, long lift lines, and a resistant four-year-old, and you have the makings for a windfall of whining in a winter wonderland.

After several failed attempts to teach Steven how to snowplow down the bunny slope with the ski tips pointed inwards, I came up with another idea. I made an A-frame tent with my legs. Then Steven stood in front and between them. He wrapped his arms around my thighs, and off we went! He went where I went. If I moved right, he moved right. If I moved left, he moved left. His only responsibility was to hang on and relinquish control. And even though he thought he was skiing, in reality he was simply along for the ride.

What a picture of how I want my journey with God to be. I cling to Him, wrap my arms around Him, and move where He moves. If He goes left, I go left. If He goes right, I go right. "But the person who is joined to the Lord is one spirit with him," (1 Corinthians 8:17 TLB).

King David wrote, "I cling to you; your right hand upholds me" (Psalm 63:. Peterson's paraphrase says it this way: "I hold onto you for dear life" (MSG). I see Jesus and me. Union. A sudden glory.

So think about how you are going to move about your day? Can you picture yourself clinging to Jesus? I can promise you this...when you cling to Him, He will take you on adventures you never thought possible!

Let's Pray

Lord, I cling to You. I hold on to You for dear life. If You go left, I go left. If You go right, I go right. In You, Lord, I live and move and have my being.

In Jesus' Name,

Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Have you ever run a three-legged race?

What happens if the runners don't keep rhythm with each other?

Just for fun, if you have kids, get them to run a three-legged jaunt and teach them the importance of staying connected to Jesus.

(For those who don't know what a three-legged race is, here you go. Get 2 people standing side-by-side. Tie the right leg of person A to the left leg of person B. Now you have a three-legged unit. The race is a bunch of three-legged runners.)

Are you willing to put Acts 17:28 into practice? If so, click over to this blog/devo postand write in the comment box: I'm living an Acts 17:28 life.

More from the Girlfriends

Did you know that I have a special page on my website for you to share your moments of Sudden Glory. Just click over to Share a Glory Momentand share away. And while you're there, see a picture of little Steven (who is now 28 years old) in his snow suit.

[Judy Harder]

September 11, 2012
Gideon Meets Indiana Jones
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Faith means being sure of the things we hope for. And faith means knowing that something is real even if we do not see it (Hebrews 11:1, ICB).

Friend to Friend
I have a love-hate relationship with the movie, "The Last Crusader." The hero, Indiana Jones, is constantly hovering above some bottomless pit or dodging bullets, flying knives or hoards of sinister enemies and nasty creatures that are trying to kill him and prevent him from completing his mission. It is exhausting to watch! One part of the movie stands out above the rest as terrifying moments go.

As usual, Indiana is on the run and comes to a chasm he must cross in order to obtain the Holy Grail. No bridge. No net. No ropes or hat tricks - just air, and nothing but air.

At this point in the movie, I am looking for a tangible resolution to Indiana's predicament. Maybe a hidden elevator built into the side of the abyss or an alternate route to the treasure. You know, something you could touch and see and ... well, explain.

Instead, the treasure map dictates a ridiculous solution that makes no sense at all but demands a huge step of faith. If Indiana will just step over the edge of that bottomless pit ... a bridge, a rock wall will appear. Right! How about that bridge appears and then Indiana traipses across it?

Nope. That is not the plan.

Even though I have seen the movie several times, my stomach still lurches as Indiana closes his eyes, takes a deep breath and cautiously steps out into air and the seemingly bottomless abyss. If the treasure map is wrong and the wall does not appear, Indiana Jones will surely plummet to his death. Fortunately, the clue is correct, the wall does appear and Indiana Jones races across to safety, resuming his quest.

Gideon and Indiana Jones have a lot in common when it comes to faith. "Am I not sending you?" God asked Gideon, as if that fact explained it all. Actually, it does explain it all. In order to experience the power of God, we have to be willing to step out in faith, even when it seems there is no way and no solution to the problem at hand and our strength is gone. God will strengthen us as we go. He is the Way Maker and the only thing that really matters is the fact that God sends us.

The Coast Guard has a motto: "You must go out but you don't have to come back."  A powerful life is fueled by the kind of faith that steps out in obedience and lets God worry about whether or not we come back. At the center of every challenge is an opportunity for trust in God to work.  Every problem contains a concentrated opportunity and offers the option of stepping out in faith.

The highest truths God has to offer are rarely wrapped in a beautifully wrapped or elegantly presented package and handed to us on a silver platter. I am convinced that our Father takes heaven-sent treasures, buries them at the heart of a huge problem, then watches and applauds when we have what it takes to break that problem apart, finding the wealth hidden there in the darkness. The words of Isaiah say it well. "And I will give you treasures hidden in the darkness - secret riches. I will do this so you may know that I am the LORD, the God of Israel, the one who calls you by name" (Isaiah 45:3 NLT). Some things cannot be learned in the light. The greatest treasures are often buried in the deepest pits and require a step of faith to discover.

We all have faith. We go to a doctor we don't really know and are handed a prescription we cannot read. We then take that prescription to a pharmacist, a total stranger, who presents us with a mysterious bottle filled with pills that we swallow – all in faith. Our problem is not so much a lack of faith but where we place that faith.

Billy Graham said, "Most of us do not understand nuclear fission, but we accept it. I don't understand television, but I accept it. I don't understand radio, but every week my voice goes out around the world, and I accept it. Why is it so easy to accept all these man-made miracles and so difficult to accept the miracles of the Bible?"

Hebrews 11:1(ICB) "Faith means being sure of the things we hope for. And faith means knowing that something is real even if we do not see it."

Faith is built upon trust. God wants us to trust Him - even when we do not understand what is happening or can explain the circumstances. Even when nothing makes sense and everything seems wrong. It is easy to trust Him when the seas are calm and the skies are clear, but the strength of our faith is measured in the midst of a raging storm. A crisis always reveals what is really inside. What life does to us depends on what life finds in us. Faith is a deliberate choice to believe God, to walk through our fear, knowing we can trust Him every step of the way.

Let's Pray
Father, I am tired of living a life that can be explained and understood in human terms. My heart longs to walk by faith, counting on Your strength instead of my own, knowing that You orchestrate every step to illustrate Your power made perfect in my weakness. Today, I choose to trust You instead of demanding an explanation for what is happening in my life. Right now, I choose to walk through my fear and step out in faith.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Scripture tells us that without faith, it is impossible to please God. Matthew 17:20 also tells us that even a tiny amount of faith pleases Him. "I (Jesus) tell you the truth, if you have faith as small as a mustard seed, you can say to this mountain, 'Move from here to there' and it will move. Nothing will be impossible for you."

A mustard seed is tiny, but once planted, it grows into a huge tree. Jesus said a little bit of faith can have incredible results. We don't need a lot of faith - just as much as a mustard seed to produce great results. Why? Because our God is an awesome God and our faith depends on Him. 

What is the greatest storm in your life today?
What step do you need to take to face that trial with faith instead of fear?
What is keeping you from trusting God and stepping out in faith?

More from the Girlfriends
We are on this journey of faith with you and pray for God's strength and power where you need it most. He knows. You can trust Him. Just take one step of faith and He will meet you there.

Need faith?Mary's MP3s Stepping Out in Faithand Strength for the Stormwill help you discover how to appropriate God's power so that you can walk by faith ... not by sight. Check out Mary's weekly online Bible Study, Light for the Journey and connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

[Judy Harder]

September 12, 2012
Am I a Hyphenated Christian?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it - (Matthew 16:24-25).

Friend to Friend
Over the past fifty years or so, I've noticed a trend among married women. Rather than taking their husband's last name, some simply add their husband's name to their own, adjoining the two with a hyphen and keeping theirs intact. Mary Smith becomes Mary Smith-Jones. Betty James becomes Betty James-Riley.

Now I know there are a plethora of reasons for having a hyphenated last name. And I know there may be a multitude of opinions on the subject. I'm not here to voice an opinion about the trend itself, but I do have an opinion about how it mirrors the way many folks view their relationship with Jesus. Hyphenated Christians abound.

I have to ask myself, am I a hyphenated Christian? Have I simply tacked Jesus onto my already busy life? Have I tacked the title "Christian" onto the long list of words that describe who I am and what I believe? Is Jesus just another add-on? Is He an app I've downloaded for easy access? Have I taken on Jesus' name to some extent, but kept my own identity unchanged? Jesus would have thought that preposterous. He said, "I am in my Father, and You are in me, and I am in You," (John 14:20).

Becoming a Christian is serious business. It is an all or nothing proposition, and I fear we have watered it down to simply something we add on to our already busy lives. Jesus is not someone you add to your life. When you come to Him, He becomes your life.

C. S. Lewis notes the following about the Christian life:

Christ says, "Give me All. I don't want so much of your time and so much of your money and so much of your work: I want you. I have not come to torment your natural self, but to kill it. No half-measures are any good. I don't want to cut off a branch here and a branch there. I want to have the whole tree down...Hand over the whole natural self, all the desires which you think innocent as well as the ones you think wicked—the whole outfit. I will give you a new self instead. In fact, I will give you Myself: my own will shall become yours."[C.S. Lewis, Mere Christianity, (New York: Simon & Schuster, 1996), 169.]

Jesus warned those who were considering becoming one of His disciples. It was an all or nothing proposition. "If anyone would come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross and follow me. For whoever wants to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for me will find it," (Matthew 16:24-25).

Imagine if your husband proposed marriage to you with the following caveat: "Dear one, I love you and adore you. I want to spend the rest of my life with you. I promise to be faithful to you 360 days a year. But I do have this thing for blondes, and well, you are a brunette. So five days of the year, I'll keep to myself. But the other 360 days, I'm all yours!"

I don't know which cheek I'd slap first, the right or the left. But I do know that man's ring would not go on my finger.

Making Jesus not only Savior, but also Lord of your life, involves a certain exclusivity that is somewhat similar to marriage, but unmistakably unique to any human relationship. The union involves our entire being and not one molecule goes unaffected. This relationship is all-exclusive, meaning that it excludes every other possible "god" that you could place upon the throne of your life, and it is all-inclusive, meaning there is no part of your life in which Jesus does not rule. When true union takes place, a certain sweetness flavors all of life.

Let's Pray
Lord, please forgive me for acting like a hyphenated Christian who has simply tacked You on to my busy life. I want You to have all of me. All of me. All of me.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
I'm thinking that you're thinking. So I'm not going to give you any extra questions...just one. Ask yourself...Am I a hyphenated Christian?

More from the Girlfriends
When you come to Christ, you are a brand new creation. Hmmm then why don't we act like it? It could be that we don't always understand who we are, what we have, and where we are as a child of God. If you would like to learn more about your new identity in Christ and how to live in victory as a child of the King, then my book Becoming Spiritually Beautifulis the book for you. Friend, there is no one more beautiful than a woman with a confident heart.