Encouragement for Today

[Judy Harder]

September 23, 2009

A Divine Appointment

Wendy Blight

"He answered, 'Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength and with all your mind;' and, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" Luke 10:27(NIV)

Devotion:

Every Memorial Day weekend my friend Karen and I travel with our families to Ocean Isle Beach, North Carolina, for five days of rest and relaxation.  We just cannot wait to dig our toes in the sand, take long walks on the beach, and enjoy the island's incredible sunsets. Every trip is special, but this most recent trip stood above all others.

Karen and I ran to the local grocery.  Feeding nine people for five days resulted in two carts overflowing with food and supplies. We approached the checkout lines looking for the shortest line.  We chose a line with an older woman without a cart.  Apparently waiting on someone else, she motioned for us to go ahead of her. Moments later, a young woman scurried up pushing a crying child in a half-full cart. It was clear the older woman was frustrated that they now had to wait behind us, so we offered to give her back her place in line.

As the young woman and her child passed by me, my heart began to pound. I physically began to tremble. I felt God impressing upon my heart that Karen and I were to buy her groceries. I hesitated, but past experience caused me to obey. I tapped the young woman on the shoulder and spoke these exact words, "I know it sounds strange, but God told me that we are to buy your groceries." 

She graciously accepted with tears in her eyes, and then she and the older woman left. A few minutes later, the older woman returned to share an incredible story. The young woman was her daughter. Her name was Micah.

Micah's husband had walked out on her and her young son a few months before. He had abused her for years before leaving. She could barely make ends meet and felt completely abandoned by everyone, especially God.

Days before this God-ordained meeting in the grocery story, Micah and her mother had prayed. Her mother prayed that God would draw Micah back into relationship with Him.  Micah prayed, "God, if you are real, if you love me, show Yourself to me!" As her mother shared these words, it was a powerful moment. Micah, in the midst of her deepest sorrow and pain cried out to God for His Presence. Karen and I simply walked in the store that day to complete an ordinary task. And God crossed our paths at one point in time to show each of us He is active, involved, and OH SO REAL!

Yes, it was a great day for Micah. But what a day it was for Karen and me as well! Our obedience to the Lord's prompting touched this woman's life in such a powerful way that she KNEW He was real and had not abandoned her, and that He answers prayer. A divine appointment ... a day I will treasure forever.

Heavenly Father, Sovereign Lord, the Great I Am. Thank You that You have planned every day of our lives before we have lived a single day. Thank You that You speak into our lives today. Thank You that You invite us to join You in Your work. Father, give us opportunities to be Your hands and feet. Give us ears to hear and eyes to see the broken and hurting people all around us. Give us a heart of obedience. Give us boldness to speak. May all glory and honor and praise go to You. In Jesus' Name Amen.

Related Resources:

Please pray about becoming part of a child's life through Compassion International

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story by Wendy Blight

Love Your Neighbor as Yourself by Mary Lance Sisk

Visit Wendy's blog, Living Truth

Application Steps: 

Over the next few days, pray for the Lord to bring opportunities in your life to minister to others. Pray that He will open your eyes to see and your ears to hear. 

If you have a story to tell, please share it on Wendy's blog, Living Truth.

Reflections: 

Read Luke 10:25-37: The Parable of the Good Samaritan. Focus especially on Luke 10:27. How does this lesson relate to our devotion? 

Power Verse:

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

© 2009 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

September 24, 2009

A Morning Prayer

Lysa TerKeurst

"Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name." Psalm 86:11 (NIV)

Devotion:

It is very early in the morning. Not many people are stirring yet.

Though my body begs me just to roll over and go back to sleep, my soul is stirring to get up and go sit with Jesus.

Though I can't physically see Him, I know He is present.

I decide to open my Bible to the Psalms and use the verses I read as prayers to start my day. And the more I pray those verses out loud the less I hear all the nagging things of the world. A beautiful melody of truth starts to rise up and suddenly my worries fade in the light of God's truth.

His perspective on things that are troubling me starts to overshadow my anxiety. Like shade on a hot summer's day, I feel relief in His presence.

I know that He is preparing me for what I will need throughout this day. He is already standing in every minute of my day and He sees what I will face. So, He's equipping me to be able to handle what is ahead of me with His gentle boldness, quiet strength, and loving grace.

In Psalm 81:10b, God instructs me, "Open wide your mouth and I will fill it." He will give me what to say today. What to say in happy moments. What to say in aggravating moments. What to say in moments where I feel insecure and what to say when I feel completely confident. What to say in disappointing moments. What to say in response to questions.

He also reminds me that sometimes it is good to keep my mouth closed and say nothing at all.

All the words that rumble about in my brain and those that will proceed out of my mouth, Lord, You be the author of those.

Psalm 84:1 reminds me that God's dwelling place is lovely. So, I ask God to dwell in me richly. I want Him to be what radiates about me. I want Him to be my pretty today.

Not my hair. Not my outfit. Not my efforts. But simply Him and His spirit dancing invisibly about me... shifting a wrong attitude, guarding my words, and whispering constant truths into my heart.

Psalm 86:11 is what I ask the Lord to give me. "Teach me your way, O Lord, and I will walk in your truth; give me an undivided heart..."

Lord, may nothing separate me from You today. Teach me how to choose only Your way today so each step will lead me closer to You. Help me walk by the truth and not my feelings.

Help me to keep my heart pure and undivided. Protect me from my own careless thoughts, words and actions. And keep me from being distracted by MY wants, MY desires, MY thoughts on how things should be.

Help me to embrace what comes my way as an opportunity...rather than a personal inconvenience.

And finally, help me to rest in the truth of Psalm 86:13a, "Great is your love toward me."

You already see all the many ways I will surely fall short and mess up. But right now, I consciously tuck Your whisper of absolute love for me into the deepest part of my heart. I recognize Your love for me is not based on my performance. You love me warts and all.

Have mercy, that's amazing.

But what's most amazing is that the God of the Universe, the Savior of the world, would desire a few minutes with me this morning. Lord, help me to forever remember what a gift it is to sit with You like this.

Dear Lord, I love You.  All that I have read here is the desire of my heart.  I know and confess that sometimes my actions and reactions betray my love for You.  Please forgive me.  Thank You for Your grace that is able to recognize this new day as a new chance to walk closer with You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Lysa's blog to register to win a free conference call with Lysa to do a Q&A with your Bible Study group!

This "morning prayer" is taken from Lysa's new book just released this month called, Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl.  If you've ever wanted a book that will show you how to move into a closer relationship with God, this is the book you've been looking for. Order your copy today!

Application Steps: 

Set aside time today to personally pray through the verses in Psalms listed in this devotion.  Personalize them by inserting things personal to you.  For example: Psalm 86:11 talks about having an undivided heart.  List out those things that divide your heart and pull you away from the closeness you desire with Jesus.  Spend some time confessing these and asking for wisdom to know how to better handle them.

Reflections: 

What distracts me from spending time with Jesus?

Is it important to spend time with Jesus in the morning or is there another time I'm more alert and able to concentrate?

Power Verses:

Mark 1:35, "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." (NIV) 

Luke 5:16, "But Jesus often withdrew to lonely places and prayed." (NIV)

© 2009 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org
`

[Judy Harder]

September 25, 2009

A Financially-Productive Woman

Glynnis Whitwer

"She makes linen garments and sells them, and supplies the merchants with sashes."

Proverbs 31:24 (NIV)

Devotion:

In today's economy, I look for every way to save money.  I'm a sale-shopping, coupon-clipping, leftover-loving woman.  I'm a firm believer in Benjamin Franklin's well-known adage, "A penny saved is a penny earned."  And this past couple of years, my family has certainly had to apply that to our lives in greater measure. 

Sometimes, however, saving money just isn't enough.  As many families face a reduced income due to layoffs and company closures, there are only so many ways to cut corners.  So I'm also a believer in trying to make money in creative ways.  As many of us wonder what the future holds financially, I'd like to suggest we look at a biblical example of how to use the resources we have within our homes to increase our families' incomes. 

One of the best examples I know is found in Proverbs 31.  Throughout chapter 31 we meet a woman who was a good manager of all her resources, and in verse 24, we learn that she used her weaving skills to make money.  As I consider this women's ingenuity, I learn that she identified a need (merchants needed sashes) and then used her skills (making garments) and energy (selling them) to increase her family's financial well being.

I wonder if many of us overlook this principle as we face a financially shaky future with dread.  Perhaps we don't need to look for an employer that is hiring, but instead should consider how to use the resources God has already given us. On a recent trip, I met a wonderful example of a woman doing just that.  She is past retirement age, lives alone and wanted to bring in extra income.  Since I'm a small business owner, our commonalities got us talking. 

This productive woman buys used wool sweaters, shrinks them and sews them into designer mittens using other fabrics and decorative accents.  Then she sells them in a local shop where she has a booth.  That's not all she sells.  She has added hand-made products made by women working at home in other countries, plus some unique new clothing items she buys and resells.  It all started with a creative idea, the use of her talents and some energy to sell them. 

Artistic talents aren't the only resource we have to help our families.  Many people have other skills that can be used to increase incomes.  Some examples are physical strength, athletic training, organization, planning, love of travel, cooking, gardening and cleaning. 

Many have families that can help.  This past summer I watched a local landscaper work every week with his two sons by his side.  They are a family pulling together when it counts most.

No one wishes for hard financial times - though we can learn much in them. When God is on our side, there are always opportunities waiting to be uncovered. Instead of dreading the future, perhaps God wants to tap into the unique resources He has planted within our lives and family for such a time as this.
                                                                                                                                                                     
Dear Lord, I thank You today for the many resources You have given me.  Thank You for my life, for my mind, for what health I have and for the hope you offer.  Please help me to see how I might use these resources to become more financially productive.  Only You know the true depth of my needs.  So today I ask for Your help.  I know I can do all things through You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Work@Home: A Practical Guide for Women Who Want to Work from Home by Glynnis Whitwer

Learning to Live Financially Free by Marybeth and Curt Whalen

Visit Glynnis' blog to read suggestions for home-based businesses you can start with little money. 

Application Steps: 

If you are in a place of financial need, take some time to evaluate all the resources you have.  List five that could possibly be used to increase your financial health.

Reflections: 

God often uses our finances to teach us lessons.  What have you learned about God as a result of a financially difficult time in your life?

What is one wise money management principle that you should apply to your life now? 

Power Verses:

Matthew 25:21, "His master replied, 'Well done, good and faithful servant! You have been faithful with a few things; I will put you in charge of many things. Come and share your master's happiness!'" (NIV)

Proverbs 21:5, "The plans of the diligent lead to profit as surely as haste leads to poverty." (NIV)

John 21:6, "And He said to them, 'Cast the net on the right-hand side of the boat and you will find a catch.' So they cast, and then they were not able to haul it in because of the great number of fish." (NASB)

© 2009 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org
`

[Judy Harder]

September 28, 2009

A Different Way to Look at Suffering

Micca Monda Campbell

"Neither this man nor his parents sinned," said Jesus, "but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life." John 9:3 (NIV)

Devotion:

Jesus had a unique way of clearing up misconceptions by helping people see truth as it was meant to be. For example, in John 9 we find Jesus refuting the traditional explanation of suffering when His disciples point to a man born blind and ask, "Who sinned, this man or his parents?" In other words, they wanted to know Why did he deserve blindness? Jesus answers frankly, "Neither this man nor his parents sinned, but this happened so that the work of God might be displayed in his life."

The disciples looked backwards to find out why the man was blind. Jesus redirects their attention by pointing forward and upward with a new and different perspective.

Usually, our response to challenges or suffering is determined by our perspective.

When our focus is inward on ourselves or outward on circumstances, our natural response is fear, insecurity, grumbling and despair. I know. I've been there far too often. Have you?

Yet, Jesus redirects our questions and our focus. In doing so, it causes us to see suffering in a new light that disproves the old tradition. Not all suffering is a direct result of sin. Pain has a higher purpose in our lives. It's not necessarily there because we deserve it. It's to reveal God's glory.

Suffering is meant to refine us. James says it makes us "perfect and complete, lacking in nothing" (1:4b, ESV). Pain drives us to seek the heart and will of God.

Perhaps you and I have been going at it all wrong. We've been looking backwards in the rearview mirror of life asking, "Why? What did I do to deserve this?" Instead, we should look forward and up asking, "What's the purpose of my pain? What's the end result? What is God trying to do, accomplish, or teach me?"

These types of questions enable us to hold out hope for the future. They remind us our suffering can be transformed or redeemed. Tragedies and hardships like the loss of a spouse, a child, a limb, a job, or a home can be used to display God's work and make us more like Jesus.

Isn't it time you and I looked up? An upward focus brings about a supernatural response that reflects trust and confidence in God, as He brings about His glorious work in each of us.

Dear Lord, give me a new perspective today. Help me see the real meaning of my suffering. Enable me to trust You with the good work You are accomplishing in my life through this pain. I long for You to be glorified in this trial. Give me the strength I need to make that happen. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell

Get Over It and Get On With It by Michelle McKinney Hammond

Visit Micca's blog, Reflections, and find out more about her resources here.

Application Steps: 

Choose not to look in the review mirror of life today. Instead, look forward. Ask God "to what end" is my suffering. Look for evidence of how God is at work refining your faith and character to match His.

Reflections: 

What do you think God is trying to accomplish in your life through your suffering?

The blind man learned something about Christ from being healed. What have you learned about Christ from your experience?

Power Verses:

1 Peter 4:12-13, "Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you. But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ, so that you may be overjoyed when his glory is revealed" (NIV). 

© 2009 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

September 29, 2009

A Mere Piece of Bronze

Marybeth Whalen

"He removed the high places, smashed the sacred stones and cut down the Asherah poles. He broke into pieces the bronze snake Moses had made, for up to that time the Israelites had been burning incense to it. (It was called Nehushtan)." II Kings 18:4 (NIV)

Devotion:

I used to have a quote, cut from a magazine article, taped above my desk. I can't recall the exact quote, but the gist of it was that while our children are gifts from God, it's easy to let them become little idols. I remember the shock value of reading those words printed on the page. My children? Idols? It sounded like heresy! But as I allowed the words to sink in, I realized that the person who penned those words was right. Most anything can become an idol in our hearts -becoming more important than our relationship with God, taking priority over His place in our life.

In Numbers 21:8-9, God told the Israelites to raise a bronze snake on a pole and look to it in order to be healed. Seven hundred years later, the Israelites had gotten off track. They had turned that snake - something that was God's idea -into an idol they worshiped. In our verse for today, we see Hezekiah destroying the snake in an effort to turn the people's hearts back to God. The word Nehushtan in the verse means "a mere piece of bronze." The bronze snake was not the answer to the people's problems. They had attached too much significance to it. Hezekiah had no choice but to refocus their attention where it needed to be by physically removing the idol.

Idols can take many forms in our lives. Family members and friends can become idols. Doctors and medicine can become idols. Work and hobbies can become idols. Entertainment - movies, TV, music, games - can become idols. Food can become an idol. An idol by definition is anything that we place our trust in, anything that takes precedence over God. While we may not pray to it and burn incense to it, it becomes more important than anything, including God. Just like God designed the snake to be a good thing in the lives of His people, so He allows us to have good things in our lives. He just doesn't want us to get things out of whack, as we are prone to do. It's not that the thing itself is the problem; it's our attitude about that thing.

God showed me that I needed to destroy any idols in my life. For me, I had to spend a lot of time refocusing my priorities. I started with how important I had made my husband and children. Yes, my family needed me. Yes, I needed to spend time with them. Yes, I loved them dearly. But they couldn't take the place of my relationship with the Lord. I had to put them in their proper place and renew my perspective.

This can only be done with intentionality and continual heart work. God gives us good things to enjoy - family and friends and work and food and hobbies and entertainment. But He has also given us Himself, opening the door wide for us to come before His throne. May we keep good things in their place and keep God on the throne of our lives.
                                                                                                                                                                     
Dear Lord, please get my attention when I get distracted. Help me to keep the good things in my life where they belong and to keep You first. Help me destroy any idols I have placed ahead of You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Pierced by the Word by John Piper

The Reason We Speak, General Editor Marybeth Whalen

Visit Marybeth's blog, Cheaper by the Half Dozen, and find out more about her other resources here

Application Steps: 

Read Numbers 21:8-9. Think about the difference in how the snake was created versus what happened with the snake 700 years later.

Reflections: 

Is there something God is bringing to your mind that was a good thing that has gotten out of whack in your life? 

Power Verses:

I Timothy 6:17, "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." (NIV)

John 3:14, "Just as Moses lifted up the snake in the desert, so the Son of Man must be lifted up." (NIV) 

© 2009 by Marybeth Whalen. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

September 30, 2009

Turtle Neckin'

Amy Carroll

"Gray hair is a crown of splendor; it is attained by a righteous life."

Proverbs 16:31(NIV)

Devotion:

"There comes a moment when you know that your face has changed; when that effortless glow you always had going for you suddenly requires serious effort. For me, that moment came on the first of August at 4:13 pm, Eastern Daylight Time, while buying a pound and a half of chicken breasts at Simchyk and Sons." - Lisa Kogan

At first I laughed hysterically when I read those lines from an article.  Pretty soon, though, I realized that the laugh was just hysteria and that it had a real note of panic in it. It hit a little too close to home, because I had my own well-defined realization of my aging recently. I caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of my car window, and I almost turned to see who was standing behind me.

Unfortunately, the neck that was reflected was my own. I just couldn't understand where all those little crepe-y lines had come from. I had never seen them before. Upon reflection, I think I must even do the turtle neck in the mirror. You know the move. It's the stretch I do with my neck during pictures to try to eliminate any extra chins. Evidently, I've been doing it in the mirror, too, and that's why I hadn't seen any of those wrinkles on my neck!


I had a significant birthday this year, and there were almost instant changes in my face. I've enlisted my good friend Holly to be my dealer -I mean supplier - of skin care products.  Even though Proverbs assures me that my gray hairs are a crown, I still want my crown hidden for a while under color from a bottle.  I want to age gracefully but not suddenly!

With all the angst over a few wrinkles, I have to admit that I'm also embracing all the good stuff that comes with age. There's actually a lot to celebrate. I have gradually felt myself feeling more comfortable in my own skin. Although I strive to make my words godly, I also feel bolder and more empowered to stand up and speak up.  I've increasingly realized that although I have nothing to offer, Jesus in me has everything to offer.  I'm relishing becoming the older woman who knows a little bit about the world, mothering, pursuing a passion and cultivating a walk with God. 

My outward body may be deteriorating, but I know that running hard on the heels of Jesus will keep me spiritually fit and beautiful.  I can revel in each year as long as my image is more closely matching His image.

I see the stretch of the years in front of me as the stretch to truly begin looking more like Jesus. It's the stretch where, if I do it right, the outside matters less and less. The world is less and less attractive. Heaven becomes more and more my home. My character is more and more submitted to Jesus, and my final destination is in sight. I may decide to apply specialized creams to my neck and dye to my hair, but the increase in years is worth it to gain from God the things I need to be a woman of substance!

Dear Lord, help me to keep laughing about all the changes in my body as I age, but help me to take inner change seriously.  I truly want to grow older and godlier instead of older and grouchier.  In Jesus' precious Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Amy's blog, Ponderings from the Pathway

God's Purpose for Every Woman: A Compilation of Favorite P31 Devotions  by various Encouragement for Today authors.

Do You Know Him?

Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be by Donna Partow

Application Steps: 

Make a list of the blessings that have come with age.

Thank God even for the hard things that come with age. They are the things that make heaven become more appealing and more like home.

Reflections: 

What steps can I take to look more like Jesus every day?

How can I encourage the older people around me that they are valuable and loved?

Power Verses:

Job 12:12, "Is not wisdom found among the aged?  Does not long life bring understanding?" (NIV)

Isaiah 46:4, "Even to your old age and gray hairs I am he, I am he who will sustain you.  I have made you and I will carry you; I will sustain you and I will rescue you." (NIV)

© 2009 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 1, 2009

Thorns and Petals

Lysa TerKeurst

"The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."

Luke 8:14 (NIV)

Devotion:

My life has not been a bed of roses. 

What an odd statement.  It is supposed to mean that I haven't lived a life without snags and hurt.  However, think of an actual bed of roses. Doesn't it have both thorns and flowers?

Let me say, if I was reading this devotion and I saw it was going to be about roses, I might be tempted to click "delete" while rolling my eyes and thinking the last thing the world needs is another cutesy Christian analogy.  But stick with me here.  There is something significant to be discovered about roses and thorns.

My aunt has grown roses for years.  When I was in middle school and my family was falling apart, I went to live with my aunt for almost a year. I remember her telling me not to run through her rose garden.  After all, she had what seemed like hundreds of other acres that unfolded in wide open fields. I could run there.

But I didn't want to.

I only wanted to run through the rose garden.  I wanted to spread my arms wide open and run between the rows brushing my fingertips across all the velvety blooms.  I wanted some of the blooms to burst and shower petals all around.  Then I could gather the petals and spread them along my path.

As if I could carve a new place in this world lined with beauty and void of adult words like divorce, rejection, and hate ... I wanted my world to be soft, pink, and lovely. So, I took a running start with my arms outstretched only to be shocked with searing pain within the first few steps.

Thorns.  Big, mean, vicious thorns.  Thorns that ripped my flesh and opened up the flood of tears I'd been so determined to hold back.  Suddenly, I hated that bush.  I wanted to chop it down and beat it into the ground.  But I couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to destroy something that produced such beauty.

I stood back from the source of my pain and wondered should I call it a bush of thorns or a bush of flowers.  Really, it could go either way.

Suddenly I wasn't just staring at a bush.  I was staring at my life.  My life.  Such a bed of roses.  Would I see the hurt or would I see the beauty?

Luke 8:14 says, "The seed that fell among thorns stands for those who hear, but as they go on their way they are choked by life's worries, riches and pleasures, and they do not mature."  The seed being referred to here is the Word of God.  Isn't it interesting that people who are choked by life's circumstances and never mature are referred to as having thorns in the soil of their soul?  Yes, life sometimes hands us thorns but we have the choice to park our mind on the thorn or on the beauty it can eventually produce in us if only we'll cling tightly to God's Word.  For however a person thinks is how they will eventually become.

If we dwell on and think about the negative in life, we will become negative and God's Word will have a hard time taking root in our souls.  If, however, we acknowledge the negative but choose instead to look for the good that can come from it, God's Word will take root in our souls and produce a lush crop of beauty.

It all comes down to choice.  That day in my aunt's garden, I chose to be aware of the thorns but park my mind on the petals.

And I guess you could say, I've been making that choice every day since.
                                                                                                                 
Dear Lord, it can be really hard to focus on the petals rather than the thorns of life.  Really hard.  Will you help me?  I want the soil of my soul to be healthy and ready to receive Your Word.  I want to produce beauty in my life despite the thorns by which I've been so hurt.  Will You show me how?   In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lysa's blog for a list of verses that will help you further process the thorns you are facing right now. 

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. This book has more details about the rest of Lysa's story and how she made the choice to see beauty from life despite horrific tragedies.

Who Holds the Key to Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst

Application Steps: 

Look at today's key verse again and list out the ways people are choked by life's circumstances.

Isn't it interesting that it's not just the worries of life that can choke us but good things too?  What are some things that might be hindering you right now?

Reflections: 

What does this verse reveal is the outcome of the person consumed with focusing on thorns?  Have you ever struggled with feeling like you aren't maturing in your Christian walk? 

I did... for many years.  That's why I wrote Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl to help us grow deeper in our relationship with Jesus and understand how Jesus can help us process the snags of life in a healthy way.  Why not order a copy for you and one for a friend? 

Click here to order. And also know that your purchase from P31 helps support our free daily devotions...so, thank you!

Power Verses:

Hebrews 6:8, "But land that produces thorns and thistles is worthless and is in danger of being cursed. In the end it will be burned." (NIV)

Mark 15:17, "They put a purple robe on him, then twisted together a crown of thorns and set it on him." (NIV) 

© 2009 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 2, 2009

If You Say So

Van Walton

"Master, we've worked hard all night and haven't caught anything. But because you say so, I will let down the nets." Luke 5:5 (NIV)
     
Devotion:

Shortly after Jesus began His ministry, He sat down in Peter's boat and began teaching those on the shore. Finishing His lesson He told Peter to go back onto the lake and let down his fishing nets.

Peter had already worked all night. Discouraged and tired he didn't jump at the chance to sail back into deep waters. He was ready to quit. 

Reading this story in Luke, I detect a bit of defiance.  Do you, like me, sense some push back, a little attitude in Peter's response in our key verse? I do. I perceive it because it sounds like me!

If I don't feel like doing something or if I don't understand its purpose, I question the idea. I doubt the instruction. Especially if I have already gone down that path unsuccessfully. Why repeat it? Been there, tried that.  I just want to give up and go home.

So when Peter had a rough go of it, working hard to bring home a night's wages and didn't succeed, he wasn't sure that repeating the action wouldn't change the outcome.

He questioned Jesus. Can you imagine?

"Master, we worked hard all last night and didn't catch a thing."

I can totally relate! In my words, "Master, I already tried that. It didn't work."

What was Peter thinking? Jesus doesn't know what he's talking about. After all he's no fisherman. Or, Jesus doesn't have a clue how tired we are!  We've already put in an eight-hour shift.

There have been times I've felt Jesus' prompting: Be kind to her.  I respond, "But Jesus, she ignores me."  I hear Him whisper, Include her.  I respond, "She wouldn't fit in." Invite her to join you . "Ok, if you say so."  I finally obey.

I remember when I first heard, develop a ministry for Hispanic women.  The words weren't the same as God's words to Peter but the meaning was the same: "Let down your nets again."

The thought overwhelmed me.  I had attempted to reach out to my Latina sisters before. Teaching ESL, Bible, and parenting classes had at one time fit into my volunteer schedule.  For one reason or another - cultural differences, changes in leadership, and family relocations - I had grown weary of working so hard to eventually experience empty nets. 

"Been there. Tried that."  But the Holy Spirit kept pressing and finally I replied, "OK. If you say so."  That's when a member of the P31 team asked me to consider developing a ministry for Latinas.

I wondered how in the world I could provide devotions, speaking engagements, prayers, and resources for women from another culture in another language.

First Angela, a Colombian soccer player's wife, joined me. She attended She Speaks and began translating and writing devotions. She started a teaching ministry to Latinas.

Next Ana attended the writers' track at She Speaks and wrote devotions for our weekly publication.

Judith heard Lysa and Renee on the radio and she called the office. Soon after, she began to volunteer by translating our devotions into Spanish. After attending She Speaks, she stepped into a speaking ministry.

Then Laura e-mailed me asking if she could help the team by editing the devotions before we posted them.

Wendy also e-mailed asking if she could volunteer somewhere within Proverbs 31 Ministries.

Lupe called the office. She too offered to volunteer. She attended She Speaks and now writes and translates our Spanish devotions.

Have you felt that God has asked you to do something impossible, something you have already tried, and your efforts have left you exhausted? Are you ready to quit?

Let me encourage you to never give up. Always let your response be,

"Master, if You say so, I'll try again."
                                                                                                                                                                   
Jesus, forgive me for questioning You or Your plans. Continue to challenge me because I never want to miss the joy that comes when I experience a "full net." In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

God's Purpose for Every Woman: A Compilation of Favorite P31 Devotions  by various Encouragement for Today authors.

Click here to see the work Van and all of her Latina amigas have done!

From the Pound to the Palace book and DVD by Van Walton

Visit Van's blog, Created for the Garden, but Lost in the Jungle

Application Steps: 

Look around your immediate community.  Is there a ministry waiting for you to step into or start?  Has God called you to this work?  What is stopping you from "letting down your nets?"

Reflections: 

What is God asking me to do that I have resisted?

Am I willing to follow and obey Jesus?

Do I believe God wants to bless me through this?

Power Verses:

Luke 5:11, "...they pulled their boats up on shore, left everything and followed him." (NIV)

Romans 10:14, "How then will they call on Him in whom they have not believed?  How will they believe in Him whom they have not heard?  And how will they hear without a preacher?" (NASB)

© 2009 by Van Walton. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 5, 2009

The Shape of His Love

Susan Meissner, She Reads Author

"Let no debt remain outstanding, except the continuing debt to love one another, for he who loves his fellowman has fulfilled the law." Romans 13:8 (NIV)

Our guest writer today is Susan Meissner, award-winning novelist, mom of four, and pastor's wife. Her book The Shape of Mercy was chosen as a P31 "She Reads" fall selection. We asked Susan to share a devotion with us that touches on one of the themes of her novel.

Devotion:

Have you ever let fear influence your perspective? My husband still teases me about a time that I did.

When our family lived in Minnesota we experienced what we called "bat season." It was a time of the year when bats regularly got into our home and needed help finding their way out. The usual mode of encouragement was a bucket and a tennis racket. A calm bat could be gently coaxed into a bucket with the racket, and then released outdoors. I wasn't overly afraid of them but I didn't want them near me and their flapping wings were a bit more than I cared to bear.

One night during bat season, I awoke to the sound of those wings. I looked up into the darkness and there on the ceiling was the chevron shape; its wings spread like the Caped Crusader. I had a sleeping husband next to me and no tennis racket.

I jostled Bob awake and rasped out the frightening news.

"Bob! There's a bat above us!"

He jolted upright and I hushed him quickly. "Where?" he whispered.

"Right there!" I pointed to the ceiling. "See?! What are we going to do?"

He looked beside the bed for a shoe, a magazine, anything. "I don't know," he said. "I think I am going to have to turn on the light."

"No! He'll start flying around!" I squeaked.

"I need a racket."

I was practically hyperventilating as Bob reached over to his bedside table and turned on the lamp. We braced ourselves for chaos. Light replaced darkness, revealing not a bat but our adjustable ceiling lights, shaped like a V because I had put them that way nine years earlier.

I had let fear convince me something was true when it wasn't. Not only did I rush to judgment, but I used my fear to convince someone else that what I believed was true.

Too often we pass judgment on people and situations we know little about. History has shown us that when we judge in ignorance we can make terrible mistakes. When we allow our view of someone or something to be swayed by suspicions or what the crowd says, we can make a tragic error of assuming something is true when it isn't. Fear tutors us to think that way. It warps our vision.

Jesus said He has only two expectations of us: Love God, and love others--including those whose ways we don't understand, who behave differently than we do, and who "flap their wings" when we'd rather they didn't. When we love God completely, we find the grace, mercy and wisdom to love the rest of the world. Plus, we are told in 1 John 4:18 that there is no fear in love.

When we make love our highest and best pursuit, fear and judgment dissolve as quickly as the shadows in my bedroom when I turn on the light. I am learning to let His light show me the shape of His love.

Dear Lord, You are the essence of love itself. We know that the more we love, the more we bear Your image to a world that so desperately needs to see it. Help us love more and judge less. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

The award-winning novel The Shape of Mercy, by Susan Meissner, is a fall pick for P31's new fiction division She Reads. Order a copy from Proverbs 31 today.

Want a chance to win a free copy of Susan's novel? Ten winners will be drawn, with the grand winner also receiving a beautiful leather journal and pen set.  Hurry over to P31's new site for fiction fans and enter the giveaway. 

Moving from Fear to Freedom: A Woman's Guide to Peace in Every Situation by Grace Fox

Application Steps: 

Choose an organization in your hometown that ministers to the homeless and spend a couple hours offering compassion, hospitality an service. Check and discard any preconceived notions you may have about the homeless, letting God replace these impressions with His love.

Reflections: 

Have you ever been judged by others or had presuppositions placed upon you? How did it make you feel?

Look at Romans 8:14-16. What does the apostle Paul say here about fear?

Reread our key verse--have you left the debt of love outstanding?

Power Verses:

Colossians 3:13-14, "Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity." (NIV)

Matthew 7:1-3, "Do not judge, or you too will be judged. For in the same way you judge others, you will be judged, and with the measure you use, it will be measured to you." (NIV)

© 2009 by Susan Meissner. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 6, 2009

Coffee, Anyone?

Shari Braendel

"Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified; do not be discouraged, for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go." Joshua 1:9 NIV)

Devotion:

As I tried to catch a few more minutes of sleep, my husband leaned over and whispered that he was going to the pool. We were on a Florida vacation so going to the pool would be a normal activity for many people, just not my husband. He is not someone who "goes to the pool." Ever. The beach, maybe, but usually only when I go with him for a walk. 

So, when he kissed me and headed out the hotel door alone I was curious, although not curious enough to miss a little more shut eye! As I rolled over thirty minutes later, I realized he hadn't come back yet, so I did a little snooping.

I went onto our balcony to see if I could get a glimpse of him, wondering what he might be doing. As I scanned the pool area, I caught sight of a homeless man sitting on the side of the road leading to the public beach entrance. I remembered passing him the day before as he was sleeping in the grass. Today, however, he was sitting with his legs crossed, coffee in hand, talking to someone. I leaned a little further over the edge of the balcony and my heart skipped as I realized it was my husband. The two of them were sitting on rocks, drinking cups of coffee, engaged in conversation.

I watched them from a distance for about twenty minutes until they parted ways.  My husband looked so comfortable talking to this man. They were laughing, smiling and having a nice time. I learned he offered to do the guy's laundry, and then sent him on his way with a little cash.

I had to pause a moment and ask myself if I would have been gutsy enough to do the same.  Would I approach a complete stranger just to sit and talk? Would I offer someone hungry a coffee and a breakfast bar as my husband did?

As I pondered their encounter I thought about the kind of man my husband is. You see, he's not the type to get up early and read his Bible every single day, and he's not on any committees at church. What you will see him do though, is talk to homeless men, give money to needy strangers, and be kind to people. You know, "be Jesus" to others.

I believe God asks each one of us to step out and "be Jesus." Sometimes, though, we get so consumed with everyday life we just don't do it, or we say we'll do it later because we don't have time now.

I also believe that God doesn't ask us to do anything that He hasn't already prepared us for. You see, my husband was homeless as a teenager. He was forced to live on his own from the time he was 15 years old. He learned to find shelter in snowdrifts, basements, and abandoned cars.  He has a heart for the unlovely, the runaways, and those whose clothes aren't so clean. 

We each have gifts, talents and past experiences that allow us to reach out and touch others in ways that will be meaningful to them. It often doesn't cost us more than a cup of coffee to do so. What experiences or passions do you have that would make you a perfect candidate to reach out to someone today?

Dear God, open my eyes to the people around me so I can make a difference to someone else. I know the circumstances of my life are not left in vain when I offer myself to You and Your service. Provide a way for me to "be Jesus" to someone today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

A Love Worth Giving: Living in the Overflow of God's Love by Max Lucado

Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Wess Stafford

Do You Know Him?

Visit Shari Braendel's blog

Application Steps:

Pray and ask God if there is someone whose life He wants you to touch. Pray that He will bring that person into your path and that you will have the courage to reach out.

Make arrangements today to serve at a local food closet or soup kitchen.

Reflections:

What experiences or hardships have I experienced that I can use to help another?

Will I be bitter about my past, or use it to connect with someone else who needs Jesus?

Power Verses:

Ephesians 1:11, "In him we were also chosen, having been predestined according to the plan of him who works out everything in conformity with the purpose of his will..." (NIV)

Matthew 25:40, "The King will reply, 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.'" (NIV)

© 2009 by Shari Braendel. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org