Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

September 13, 2012
The Plan Came First
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Before I made you in your mother's womb, I chose you (Jeremiah 1:5, NCV).

Friend to Friend
Beginnings are very important. In fact, the place of origin has much to do with the quality of the journey as well as the final destination. My journey - like yours - began in the heart and mind of God. Before I took even one breath, God wanted, loved and planned me. That same truth applies to you, girlfriend. You are no accident!  You and I were created in response to the love of God and according to His plans. God did not "accidentally" create us and then step back in alarm and say, "Oops!  I created her. Now what am I going to do with her?"  The plan came first.

There have been many times in my life when I doubted my worth and value. I filled every waking moment with activity – good things – thinking that if I did enough good things, I would be good enough. It didn't work. I can never be good enough to earn the love and favor of God. The good news is that I don't have to be!  My worth and value rest in the fact that I am chosen by God to be His very own child. I am loved, wanted and planned by God Himself.  Wow! God Himself supervised our formation. We were created – not to be a puppet – but for an intimate relationship with God.

Psalm 139:14-16 "I praise You because you made me in an amazing and wonderful way. What You have done is wonderful. I know this very well. You saw my bones being formed as I took shape in my mother's body. When I was put together there, You saw my body as it was formed. All the days planned for me were written in your book before I was one day old." (NCV)

When our son, Jered, was four years old, we enrolled him in a daycare for two mornings each week. Jered loved to play with other children and always seemed to get along with everyone in his class. So I was surprised and upset when his teacher asked me to come in for a conference.  My husband said, "Honey, how bad can it be? Jered is only four!" Jered's teacher met me with a smile and a good report. "Jered is a wonderful little boy," she began, "but there is one problem. How long has Jered known he was adopted?" I was clueless about that being a problem, but answered, "Since he began talking. We have told him repeatedly how special he is and that he is a chosen baby." She smiled and went on to explain that Jered told the other children that he was special because he was adopted. In fact, Jered informed each child that his mom and dad had chosen him – while their parents "got stuck" with them.

Listen, girlfriend, when you begin to understand and live out the eternal truth that you are loved, planned, wanted and chosen by God, His perfect plan and highest purpose will naturally unfold before you each day. Remember, in His eyes, you are special and His plan for your life is simply for you to get good at being you.

Let's Pray
Father, I want to know You and find Your plan for my life. I choose to see myself through Your eyes of love, forgiveness and grace. I want to be the woman You created me to be. Thank You for loving me. Help me to walk each day in the knowledge that I am Your child.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Do you really believe God loves you unconditionally? 
What proof of that belief is evident in your life?
Do you consider yourself worthy? Why or why not?
Read Psalm 139 each day for one month. Record the new truths that you learn, the changes in your perspective and any fresh insights in your journal. 
At the end of the month, write Psalm 139 in your own words and share it with a friend. 
More from the Girlfriends
I spent many years trying to earn the favor and love of God. I worked very hard at being the person I thought God wanted me to be instead of seeking Him to discover who He created me to be. Rick Warren once asked, "Mary, who is going to be you if you don't be you?" I had to stop and think about that statement for a minute, but slowly began to realize that God really does have a special plan just for me and that my highest act of obedience is to seek that plan each and every day. Hope in the Midst of Depression is the story of my struggle to see myself as God sees me and in doing so, be set free from the darkness of judgment and condemnation. I encourage you to visit my online store and pick up a copy.

[Judy Harder]

September 14, 2012
Set Apart Living, Part One
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil. (Ephesians 5:15-16)

Friend to Friend
As Christian believers, we are called to live set-apart lives. To be holy as God is holy. To be in the world, but not of the world. God is the source of all holiness, and in order to live a set-apart life, we must spend time with Him so we can be fueled by His Holy Spirit.

I don't know what your days look like, but mine are pretty full. They start early and end late. Once the sun rises, it seems that coffee isn't the only thing brewing in my house. An invisible competition brews daily that vies for my time and attention. The competitors are often "good things" that end up to be "time-robbing things" that keep me from God's best and God's presence.

Today I'd like to put our computer lives under a spiritual microscope. I'm an e-girl. I love my MacBook Pro computer, my iPhone, email, instant messaging, and the World Wide Web. Though I'm admittedly fully immersed in the e-life, I'm also cognizant of the fact that the e-world has become a dangerous addiction and spiritual deterrent to many. I struggle with this personally. These electronic forums host a new and efficient opportunity for us to connect with other people 24/7. While much of the social networking, online surfing, and emailing is innocent, encouraging, and fun, they clearly present us with opportunities to sin and be distracted from set-apart living.

Over the past several years, Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, blogs, instant messaging, and texting have replaced many face-to-face conversations and, for some, devotion time. They have become a new source of temptation for us, an opportunity to live a fantasy or a momentary escape from the daily grind.

A friend of mine recently said, "My computer whispers to me." Yikes! Mine does, too! Though it's embarrassing to admit, I sometimes don't manage my time efficiently because I've given in to the lure of e-life by responding to the audio alert that indicates "I've got mail" or the notification that someone has left me a message on a social networking page of mine. As a result, I've robbed myself of productive time. Time I have wasted and spent unwisely.

We are warned against this in Scripture. "Be very careful, then, how you live – not as unwise, but as wise, making the most of every opportunity, because the days are evil" (Ephesians 5:15-16, NIV).

Now, hear me clearly on this. I'm not saying that electronic forums or computers are bad or evil in and of themselves. (For goodness sakes, you're reading this devotion because of the amazing electronic world!) I'm simply suggesting that it would be wise for each of us to pray about the amount of time and energy we devote to these things.

How can we be set apart in our e-life? How can we establish healthy e-boundaries that will protect our purity and our time with God? Perhaps we could start by taking an honest look at the amount of time we commit to our social e-lives versus the amount of time we commit to spending in God's Word and in His presence each day. (Did that sting? Rest assured it stings me, too.)

The good news is that we can turn to God for direction and wisdom in all of this. "If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him" (James 1:5, NIV). Our gracious Lord longs for each of us to choose His best and live each day in His strength.

"God, make a fresh start in me. Shape a Genesis week from the chaos of my life. Don't throw me out with the trash, or fail to breathe holiness in me. Bring me back from gray exile; put a fresh wind in my sails!" Psalm 51:10-12, MSG

Let's Pray
Dear God, Please help me to "live a life worthy of the Lord and may please him in every way: bearing fruit in every good work, growing in the knowledge of God, being strengthened with all power according to his glorious might so that you may have great endurance and patience, and joyfully giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance of the saints in the kingdom of light" (Colossians 1:10-12).
In Jesus's name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Let's get practical today:

·             Spend some time in thought and prayer about this subject.
·             Ask God to reveal to you any e-habits that are sinful, indulgent, or inappropriate.
·             Check your on-line notification settings and consider eliminating unnecessary email alerts.
·             Remember that God longs for your time and attention. Be certain that you don't choose mundane activities instead of spending time with Him.
·             Read Ephesians 5:1-20.

More from the Girlfriends
Hey, girlfriend! Last year it occurred to me that one of the biggest time-sucking e-temptations for me came from the homepage I had chosen on my internet browser. I used to have my favorite cable news network set as my home page. Every time I logged on to the internet, the headlines begged me to click their links. So I went into the settings of my internet browser and chose a blank page for my homepage. Though it's not overly exciting to have a blank homepage, it has helped me to be wiser with my time. Hope this spurs you on to similar responses!

Ready to Go Deeper? Learn how God wants to bring you beyond your past mistakes and your present challenges to His wholeness, strength and beauty. Broken into Beautiful is a book filled with stories – real stories ... gritty and honest, not cleaned up and phony. It's also filled with Scripture that will inspire you toward the life-changing grace of Jesus. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net. 

[Judy Harder]

September 17, 2012
Set-Apart Living Part 2
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
Let no corrupting talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear. (Ephesians 4:29, ESV

Friend to Friend
In my last devotion, we began to talk about how to live a set-apart life.  We looked at our e-lives, the time we spend on computers, and were challenged to establish healthy boundaries to protect and strengthen our faiths.  It was noted that God is the source of all holiness and in order to live set-apart lives, we must spend time with Him and then be fueled by His Holy Spirit.  Today, we are going to consider how we can be set-apart (holy) with our words.

When my son, Hunter, was ten-years old, he came to me one night with a humble confession. He said that because he hasn't been spending much time with God lately, he has been grumpier and grumpier. He quietly admitted that he had been mean to his siblings and had said some unkind things. With amazing insight, he connected the amount of time that he spent with God and in God's Word with his behaviors ... recognizing that there was a direct correlation in his life.

Boy, can I relate to that! Tears welled up in my eyes as we spoke about this.  I told Hunter that I experience the exact same thing in my life.  That when I don't carve out time in my day to spend with the Lord, I often say things I shouldn't.  For that matter, even when I do read my Bible and pray, I still say and do sinful things.

There was a time in my life when I really struggled with profanity. My tongue was a loose cannon. My church friends would never have known, but when I was angry, profanity was often present ... even if only under my breath or in my mind. God has delivered me from that ugly habit, but it took over ten years of prayer. In those ten years, I failed repeatedly and struggled to believe that God could change my ways.  It was a long-term process for me to be purified in my language, and I can assure you that it is only by the grace and strength of God that I can stub my toe now without needing to wash my mouth out with soap.

The Bible has so much to say on this topic! Here are just a few examples:

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing. (Proverbs 12:18, NIV)

My dear brothers, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry, for man's anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires.(James 1:19-20, NIV)

When she speaks, her words are wise, and she gives instructions with kindness.(Proverbs 31:26, NLT)

He who guards his lips guards his life, but he who speaks rashly will come to ruin. (Proverbs 13:3, NIV)

This is hard stuff. Living set-apart with our words is simply beyond us... but be encouraged today, friend, because all things are possible with God!  We need to constantly fall before the Lord and ask Him to filter our words through the Holy Spirit.  It's important that we keep short accounts with God. When we do, He equips us to disarm the loose cannon of our tongues.

At the end my conversation with Hunter, I told my son that one of the most amazing things about our Heavenly Father is the mercy that He greets us with when we come before Him to confess our behavior.  I said to him, and I say to you, God loves us so perfectly, that every time we turn to Him with a repentant heart, He offers us His grace. Go in His grace and live a set-apart life in the power of His Spirit today.

Let's Pray
Holy Father, "May the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be pleasing to you, O Lord, my rock and my redeemer." (Psalm 19:14, NLT)
I ask this in Jesus's name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Meditate on Hebrews 4:14,16:  Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has gone through the heavens, Jesus the Son of God, let us hold firmly to the faith we profess. For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but we have one who has been tempted in every way, just as we are—yet was without sin. Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need.
Now, grab your journal and throw yourself into this devotion.  What are your greatest areas of temptation and weakness regarding your words?  Confess those to God and ask Him to grant you the mercy and strength to help you live a set-apart life.
Read Ephesians 4.
Where does today's devotion find you? Let's talk about it – and pray about it – on my facebook page: www.facebook.com/GwenSmithMusic.
More from the Girlfriends

If you are a Christian woman and you're struggling to tame your tongue, know that you aren't alone.  Many believers struggle to honor God with their words.  Keep praying and believing.  The changes might not happen over night, but as you persist, God will work in and through you.

Ready to Go Deeper with God?Learn how He wants to bring you beyond your past mistakes and your present challenges to His wholeness, strength and beauty. Broken into Beautiful is a book filled with stories – real stories ... gritty and honest, not cleaned up and phony. It's also filled with Scripture that will inspire you toward the life-changing grace of Jesus. To order the book, go to Amazon or, for a signed copy, visit Gwen's website: www.gwensmith.net.

[Judy Harder]

September 18, 2012
Are You Enjoying God?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
A merry heart does good, like medicine, But a broken spirit dries the bones, (Proverbs 17:22, NKJV).

Friend to Friend
C.S. Lewis says that most Christians lack "merriment."  I like that word. "Merriment." Just moving the words across my lips is fun. And I think Lewis is right. We lack merriment and we don't expect it. Many Christians look like they've been weaned on a dill pickle. My goodness, if there is anyone who should exude merriment, it is a person who knows Jesus as Savior and Lord. We, above all people, have something to be merry about!           

What God desires, not from you but for you, is life to the full (John 10:10). There's nothing ho-hum about that. I read Jesus' words in John 10:10 and I am famished for glory moments of life to the full. I want to see God, to experience His presence as I live and move and have my being in Him.

John wrote, "How great is the love the Father has lavished on us, that we should be called children of God" (1 John 3:1). He didn't simply use the word given, but lavished. Webster defines lavish this way: "given or provided with great generosity and abundance, to bestow with large generosity, profusion, a downpour."  Ponder those words separately.

Lavished.
Provided with great generosity.
Abundance.
Bestow with large generosity.
Profusion.
Downpour.

Do these words reflect your expectations in your relationship with Jesus? C.S. Lewis said it well in his book, The Weight of Glory:

"We are half-hearted creatures, fooling about with drink and sex and ambition when infinite joy is offered us, like an ignorant child who wants to go on making mud pies in a slum because he cannot imagine what is meant by the offer of a holiday at the sea. We are far too easily pleased."

The first statement in the Shorter Catechism of the Westminster Confession of 1646 states that man's chief end is to glorify God and enjoy Him forever. Enjoy Him! To enjoy God is to glorify Him. Just as He takes delight in you, He longs for you to take delight in Him. You simply can't separate the two.

Are you enjoying God? As you live and move and have your being in Him, is there a smile on your face and a skip in your step? Do you expect the rich adventurous faith-filled life that you read about in the Bible? Do you expect to experience God's glory today? If not, perhaps you need to raise your expectations of what your relationship with Jesus can be.

Once we've tasted the sweetness of His fruit, to settle for anything less than the bountiful orchard of His blessings will always disappoint. Oh yes, there are heavy-laden branches filled with low hanging fruit just waiting to be picked. If only we would reach up high enough, raise our expectations, and pluck them from the tree.

Today, make it your goal to enjoy God! Be thankful. Sing praise! Notice His love notes in the sky, the morning breeze, the face of a flower upturned.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, I just love You. Forgive me for wearing a frown when I, of all people, have so much to be "merry" about. Rather than saving that word for Christmas holidays I'm going to celebrate today. "Merry Today" will be on my lips today.
In Jesus' Name...the One who give me a reason to be merry,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Quick. Stop what you're doing. Look in a mirror. Don't read any further.
Now that you're back, was there a smile on your face or a frown?
If you'd like to celebrate today and enjoy God today, leave a comment on my blog post home that says. "I'm enjoying God today...and He's enjoying me."

More from the Girlfriends
Turn every day into a celebration of God's presence and working in your life. Learn how in A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Your Ache for Something More.Hey, are you on Twitter? Follow me at www.twitter.com/sharonjaynes. Are you a Pinterest gal? Check out my inspirational quotes and Girlfriends in God boards on www.pinterest.com/sharonjaynes.

[Judy Harder]

September 19, 2012
From Tears to Triumph
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers and sisters, about the troubles we experienced in the province of Asia. We were under great pressure, far beyond our ability to endure, so that we despaired of life itself. Indeed, we felt we had received the sentence of death (2 Corinthians 1:8-9, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Trials and hard times are part of life. In fact, they are an important part of life. Yet, we desperately try to avoid any kind of pain, and when the difficult times come we frantically search for the nearest exit. I have discovered that the most beautiful life is often the most broken life. The ashes of death may very well be the fertile soil from which a new life of victory and promise will grow. God is forever covering each pain with His infinite love and mercy, bringing hope and encouragement where there was once only despair and death. We simply need to remember who God really is – the God of all comfort and compassion.

2 Corinthians 1:3 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort!"

God stands ready to comfort His broken-hearted child. He longs to wrap His arms of love around us and bring the peace and comfort only He can give. In every trial, God is with us and for us. Some trials come as the result of sin and frail humanity while others come because we are Christians, striving to live a life of obedience to God. However, the reality is that all trials come with God's permission. Paul writes that God "comforts us every time we have trouble." In this verse, "trouble" literally means "narrow, confined or under pressure." Paul paints the picture of being hemmed in to the point that the only place to look for help was up. For the believer, everything is a divine appointment. What we call "dis-appointment" is really "His-appointment." Trials accompany faith and are a test, a measurement of growth given to see if the learner can pass ... not pass out!  Faith is always tested for a reason.

James 1:2-3 "My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience."

Trouble strengthens our faith and builds endurance, the ability to stay under the load. We have a loving Father who is committed to building the character of His Son in us. His love wants what is best for us, not what is easiest.

Our daughter attended our church school from K-3 through fourth grade. We then felt it was time to move her to public school for her fifth grade year in order to prepare her for middle school, a tough transition at best. All summer long, we talked about how wonderful her new school would be. We visited her new classroom, met her new teacher, bought new clothes, searched for just the right lunch box, ordered the latest back pack, accumulated the coolest school supplies and even drove by the school several times a week. As the school year approached, Danna grew more and more excited about her new adventure and seemed totally prepared for the transition...until the first day of school.

I prepared Danna's favorite breakfast, fixed her hair in her favorite style as she dressed in her favorite new outfit and off we went. When we approached the school entrance, Danna's excitement gave way to sheer terror. As we pulled up to the door Danna was to enter, I heard her gasp as she saw a large group of students waiting for the bell to ring. She did not know a single person! "Honey, you can do this," I encouraged, "and remember I will be praying for you all day!" With tear-filled eyes, Danna opened the car door and literally ran into the building. I cried all the way home and all day long. After cleaning the house three times, I was in the car pool line thirty minutes early. When the bell rang, the school door burst open and students spilled out. No Danna. Cars pulled around me as more students ran to meet waiting parents but still no Danna. Just about the time I began to panic, the door burst open and out came my daughter surrounded by a group of kids, laughing and talking, shouting promises to call each other that night. She hopped into the car, faced me with a grin and announced, "Mom, I am soooo popular!" Danna had a great school year and when the first day of middle school rolled around, Danna was the one assuring her friends that it was "no big deal." Looking back, the easiest decision would have been to take Danna back to the church school where everyone knew her and loved her, but the best decision was to allow Danna to work through that trial. It made her stronger.

Shallow love rescues easily and quickly. Real love walks with us through the trial. We don't know exactly what trials Paul endured, but there were bad enough to make Paul think he was going to die. Still, God loved Paul, protected him and controlled the circumstances, using them for His glory and Paul's ultimate good.                     

1 Peter 1:6 "So be truly glad! There is wonderful joy ahead, even though it is necessary for you to endure many trials for a while. These trials are only to test your faith, to show that it is strong and pure."

God wants us to trust Him in the trials of life, even when we do not understand, even when it makes no sense, even when there seems to be no explanation.

Isaiah 55: 8-9 "The Lord says, "My thoughts are not like your thoughts. Your ways are not like my ways. Just as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts."

You see, it is easy to have faith and to trust God when the wind is still, the waters are calm and the nets are full of fish, but the true measure of our faith is in the midst of the howling storm. His comfort is best realized when our pain is strongest. The darker it gets, the brighter His light shines. We may be down, girlfriend, but we are never out because God is the Shepherd of every valley, Lord of every storm and Friend of the wounded heart. 

Let's Pray
Father, I am so guilty of looking for the easiest way out of a painful circumstance instead of looking for Your hand at work. I really want to become a woman of faith and learn to trust You enough to keep my gaze on You and my glance on my circumstances. And even when my faith is weak, please help me place that faith in You alone.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read the following verses found in James 1:2-3: "My brothers and sisters, when you have many kinds of troubles, you should be full of joy, because you know that these troubles test your faith, and this will give you patience."

Think back over the past month. What trials have you faced? What was your response to those trials? Was your faith tested? Has God strengthened you or taught you a lesson through your trials? In your journal, record what God has accomplished in your life and how He has strengthened your faith through the tough times you have experienced.

More from the Girlfriends
I know every word of today's devotion could have been written by so many of you. You are familiar with the emotions that wreak havoc in your life. Looking back, I wish I had danced in the deepest valleys and embraced my greatest pain as a friend because so much of what I do and who I am today has been accomplished by God at work in the darkest moments of my life. Don't trust your emotions or give credence to your feelings when they tell you to give up. Step out in faith and into His perfect provision...no matter how down you may be. Keep walking through your fear and choose to praise Him.

[Judy Harder]

September 20, 2012
Lord, I Want to See
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Lord, I want to see, (Luke 18:4, NIV).

Friend to Friend
The sun had not pried open the day quite yet. We had been traveling for several days, going from one Pacific Island to another, and I had not been able to sleep the night before. While I had enjoyed seeing God's creation, I had missed our times alone—just the two of us.

Wrapped in a blanket with a hot cup of coffee, I snuck away with my Beloved for a quiet rendezvous before others in the house stirred. As I gazed out through sliding glass doors, I drank in the view of the stilled Pacific Ocean spread before me. All seemed gray in this predawn expanse of sky and sea.

I grabbed my Bible and it fell open to the middle. I didn't bother to turn the pages. I looked down and read familiar words from the well-worn love letter: "May God be gracious to us and bless us and make his face shine upon us," (Psalm 67:1). When I looked up, I noticed the sun struggling to send its rays through two small openings in the early morning clouds...two holes side by side, like headlights on high beam. As I continued watching the morning sun stretch its arms of light, another break in the clouds provided a slit for the rays to escape. An upturned crescent emerged directly under the two circular beams above. And then I saw it—a celestial smiley face beaming through the clouds...divine delight...a holy grin! God's radiant smile welcomed me to another day.

I had a front row seat in God's theater as His glory pierced the darkness and spilled forth grace that filled my heart. Once again, while I rose to pursue Him, He beat me to the punch and reminded me that He was the one pursuing me. I simply showed up. Ah, sometimes we simply need to show up.

God had made His "face to shine upon me," and my smile, be it ever so small and unassuming, mirrored His gift to me. As if the words in His love letter weren't enough, He wrote them in the sky like a love-struck-beau. His passionate pursuit amazed me once again, and I was drawn like a moth to the flame of His love. Me—the bride pursued.

Months later, I told a friend about that precious moment God and I shared on that small Pacific Island so far away from home.

"Things like that never happen to me," she sighed.

"Oh yes they do," I corrected. "You just need to learn how to recognize them."

And I believe that with all my heart. God has pulled out all the stops to reveal glimpses of His glory. But many, I dare say most, don't see it, don't hear it, and don't taste it. "Blessed are your eyes because they see," Jesus said, "and your ears because they hear" (Matthew 13:16).

Today, I sit with the blind beggar- face upturned.

"What do you want me to do for you?" Jesus asked.

"Lord, I want to see." (Luke 18:41 NIV)

Let's Pray
Lord, I don't want to miss a single moment of sudden glory when You make Your presence known in my life. Help me to see. Help me to listen. Help me to not allow the busyness of life block out my view of the Source of Life.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Memorize Luke 18:41 today. It's very simple. Say it often, and be on the lookout for moments where God makes His presence known.

Click over to my blog page and tell me about a time when God made Himself very real to you. It could be as simple as a sunset, as complex as a physical healing. It's all God.

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from A Sudden Glory. To download a free sample chapter, pick up some inspirational tweets, or watch a video of me telling this very story, visit http://sharonjaynes.com/a-sudden-glory/.

[Judy Harder]

September 21, 2012
The Living Bible
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Knowledge puffs you up with pride, but love builds up (1 Corinthians 8:1, NIV).

Friend to Friend
His name was Bill, a college-student with wild hair who wore a T-shirt with holes in it, jeans, and no shoes for his entire four years of college. Bill was brilliant and what some might describe as quirky. While attending college, Bill became a Christian and began looking for a church to attend.

Across the street from the campus was a very conservative church that wanted to reach the college students but was not sure how to go about it. 

One Sunday, Bill decided to visit the church and walked in, dressed in his usual college attire. Since the service had already started, Bill walked down the center aisle, looking for a seat. The church was packed and he couldn't find an empty spot. By now, the well-dressed people are staring uncomfortably at the barefoot young man in his tattered T-shirt and jeans, but no one said a word. As Bill got closer to the pulpit, he realized that there were simply no seats, so he just squatted down on the carpet – a practice perfectly acceptable at college Bible studies but one that had probably never happened at this particular church. 

The people began to whisper and the air was thick with tension. As the pastor wondered what to do, he noticed a deacon slowly making his way from the back of the church toward Bill. The deacon was in his eighties, had beautifully combed silver-gray hair and was wearing a three-piece suit. He was a godly man, very elegant, and very dignified. He walked with a cane and, as he started walking toward the boy, everyone was thinking that no one could blame him for what he was about to do. After all, how could anyone expect a man of his age and background to understand the college kid now sitting on the floor?

It took a long time for the man to reach the boy but the only sound that could be heard was the clicking of the man's cane. Every eye was focused on him and it seemed like everyone was holding their breath. The minister felt like there was no point in even trying to begin his sermon until the deacon completed his mission. Everyone simply waited.

When the elderly man reached the young college student, he dropped his cane on the floor and with great difficulty, lowered himself until he was sitting down next to Bill. The two men smiled at each other and then looked at the minister, ready to hear from God. When the pastor gained control of his emotions, he simply said, "What I'm about to preach, you will never remember. What you have just seen, you will never forget."

We need to be careful how we live. We may be the only Bible some people ever read.

Knowledge – for the sake of knowledge – is worthless and can easily lead to pride and arrogance. But knowledge for the sake of love is priceless. In other words, no one really cares how much you know until they know how much you really care.

Knowledge is powerful and should be used in love and love should always be controlled by knowledge. God gives us the ability to understand the Bible and then wants us to use its truths to build each other up and meet the needs of others.

A preacher once said, "Some Christians grow. Others just swell." Arrogance and pride are the result of knowledge that is misused. Knowledge can be a weapon of destruction or a tool of construction. It all depends on how it is used. We can know doctrine and never know God. We can grow in Bible knowledge but not grow in grace. We can attend church every time the doors are open but until we actually apply God's truth to the way we live, something is lost in the way we translate the Good News of Jesus Christ.

I heard the story of four Bible scholars who were arguing over the best translation of the Bible. One said he preferred the King James Version because of its beautiful, eloquent old English. Another said he preferred the American Standard Bible for its literalism and accurate translation from the original text. A third man preferred the newer translations because of their practical application. The fourth scholar listened thoughtfully and then added, "Personally, I prefer my mother's translation." When the other men laughed, he explained, "My mother translates every page of the Bible into her daily life and it is the most convincing translation I have ever seen."

I wonder. Do the people in my life better understand God because of the way I live? Is my life a living illustration of God's love? Is the "Mary Southerland Translation" of the Bible authentic and real and pleasing to God? Lord, help me be Your Living Bible.

Let's Pray
Father, I am amazed that You love me – no matter what I do or don't do. Lord, I want others to look at my life and see You. Teach me Your ways. Give me Your strength and wisdom to live each day as a beautiful translation of Your unconditional love and grace.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Pray for the people in your life and ask God to show you how to demonstrate His love in a tangible way to each one. Look for a need in each person's life and then make a plan to meet that need.

Read John 3:16. Remember and celebrate the unconditional love of God by reaching out to someone who might live outside your comfort zone. In your journal, record your experience and what you learned and gained from that experience.

[Judy Harder]

September 24, 2012
Making Time for Beauty
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught, (Isaiah 50:4).

Friend to Friend
If you had been among the 1,097 morning commuters bustling through Washington D.C.'s Metro station at L'Enfant Plaza on January 12, 2007, you could have experienced an extraordinary gift. Tucked among the shoeshine vendors, newspaper kiosks, and lottery ticket dispensers, a young, white man in jeans, a long-sleeved T-shirt, and a Washington Nationals baseball cap positioned himself against the wall beside a trash can. From a small case, he removed a violin. He left the open case at his feet and threw some spare change into it. Then he turned toward the huddled masses of rush hour commuters and began to play. If you had been one of the seven who paused during their mad dash to work, you would have had a front row seat to Joshua Bell playing six of Bach's most difficult and exquisite violin pieces on a 3.5-million dollar, 300-year-old Stradivarius...for free.

It was an experiment by Gene Weingarten of the Washington Post. Joshua Bell, a concert violinist who normally earns $1,000 a minute, agreed to participate. As each commuter passed by, he or she had a decision to make. "Do I have time for beauty? Do I have time to pause, turn aside, and listen?"  (Gene Weingarten, "Pearls Before Breakfast," The Washington Post, April, 8, 2007.

The fiddler standing against the bare wall at the top of the escalator was one of the finest classical musicians in the world, playing some of the most elegant music ever written on one of the most valuable violins ever made. And 1,090 busy men and women missed the gift because they were in a hurry.

Every day we have a choice. As we make Acts 17:28 a practical and perpetual reality in our lives, we will have a choice. We can rush through the day and we miss God's magnificent displays of glory and articulate words of love, or we can turn aside and savor the incredible gift.

As we go through life, there comes a whisper, a faint call, a luring pull to a richer life which we sense we're passing by. Outer hurriedness and inner uneasiness are laced with hints that there is something more, something better, or something that we're missing in the blur of life. "What could it be?" we ask.

When we embrace true union and abide in Christ, continual conversation becomes a way of life. All through the Bible we see that God spoke in various ways through various means. He spoke through dreams and vision, though a burning bush and fiery mountain, through a donkey and an angel. He spoke by writing on the wall, a wetting fleece on the ground, and forcing an almond branch into bloom. The important thing is not how God spoke, but that He spoke. Equally as important is for us to remember not how He will speak, but that He will speak. And each one of the gentle whispers or startling shouts from God's heart to your heart carries within it the potential for moments of sudden glory. The key is not to miss it.

I pray Jacob's words will never come from my mouth or from yours: "Surely the LORD is in this place, and I was not aware of it," (Genesis 28:16). Instead, let's listen in expectation with the words of Isaiah on our lips: "He wakens me morning by morning, wakens my ear to listen like one being taught," (Isaiah 50:4).

His lavish response to our longing for something more awaits those who anticipate glory moments and awake in expectation.

Let's Pray
Heavenly Father, Thank You for loving me, Your daughter, enough to show me glimpses of Your glory in everyday life. Help me not to miss them. Help me not to be so busy in the blur of life, to miss You, the Source of Life.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Today, I want to challenge you to notice 5 "beauties." It could be a song, a person, a sunset...whatever catches your attention. But...you have to pay attention. Then log onto my blog page and tell me what 5 things you noticed today. www.sharonjaynes.com.  Don't forget to come back and tell me!

More from the Girlfriends
God's articulate presence is in all of life, we just need to learn how to recognize it. Click here to watch a video about A Sudden Glory and get a taste of what God wants, not from you, but for you.

[Judy Harder]

September 25, 2012
Passing the Test
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Consider it pure joy, my brothers and sisters,whenever you face trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith produces perseverance.Let perseverance finish its work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything (James 1:2-4, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Mark really struggled with spelling. Staring at his spelling test, his heart sank. So many of the words seemed difficult and he wasn't sure how to spell most of them. Softly the enemy whispered, "Look at Jane's paper; she's an honor student and always gets them right!"

Mark hesitated but, desperate to make a good grade, finally gave in to the tempter's suggestion and copied several answers from Jane's paper.

The teacher noticed Mark's actions and was really surprised because she had always thought of him as an honest boy. When it came time to collect the completed work, she saw Mark's inner struggle reflected on his face of anguish. Finally, Mark bowed his head for a moment and then suddenly ripped his test paper into pieces and sat back in his chair with a sigh. Even though he had first given in to the temptation to cheat, he finally decided to take a zero on the test rather than be dishonest.

Calling Mark to her desk, the teacher said, "Mark, I was watching you and I want you to know that I am very proud of you for what you did just now. Today, you passed a much more important test than a spelling test."

As followers of Christ, we sometimes focus on developing and presenting the right image while neglecting the spiritual discipline of integrity. Our public lives are only as authentic as our private lives. Image is who and what people think we are while integrity is who and what we really are. Billy Graham once said, "Integrity is the glue that holds our way of life together. We must constantly strive to keep our integrity intact. When wealth is lost, nothing is lost. When health is lost, something is lost. When character is lost, all is lost."

I have often heard it said that integrity is what you do when no one is watching or that character is best illustrated by how you treat people who can do absolutely nothing for you. Integrity is a heart issue and a spiritual habit that decides beforehand to do the right thing. Character counts. Integrity matters to God.

Matthew 5:8 (NIV) "Blessed are the pure in heart, for they will see God."

1 Chronicles 28:9b "For the Lord searches every heart, and understands every desire and every thought."

The word for "pure" means "ready for sacrifice." In other words, the decisions and choices we make should be living sacrifices that are holy and acceptable to God as acts of worship. To have integrity means to live an integrated life. That integration occurs when what we believe, what we think, what we say and what we do are all consistent. In reality, image really is nothing without integrity and character to back it up.

Let's Pray
Father, I come to You right now, asking You to examine my heart and show me every impurity hidden there. Search my desires and thoughts and show me the disobedience that breaks your heart and hinders my walk with You. I want to please You with every choice and decision I make, Lord. Forgive me for the hypocrisy in my life. I lay down my pride and my agenda and choose instead to seek and follow You.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Memorize Psalm 51:10 that says, "Create in me a pure heart, O God, and renew a right spirit within me." As this verse becomes the consistent prayer of your heart, each choice and decision you make will begin to line up with God's will. He will be honored, and you will experience a new power and purpose in your life. Continually ask yourself, "Will my choice make God smile?"

More from the Girlfriends
Need help? Check out Mary's E-Book Bible Study, Winning the War with Temptation and learn how to stand firm in the face of temptation.

Looking for a Bible Study? 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 26, 2012
When You Feel Far From God
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
Jesus said: 'On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you' (John 14:20, NIV).

Friend to Friend
Do you ever feel far away from God, or that He is far away from you? If you're like most people, then I bet the answer is yes. So let's take a look at those "feelings."

You are a triune being with a body, soul and spirit. Within your soul you have a mind, will, and emotions. That's where those "feelings come from." And if you are like most people, sometimes you feel closer to God than other times. But are you? Really?

Sometimes I feel closer to my husband than others times. But that doesn't mean I'm any less married at some times more than others. I usually feel closer to him after we've enjoyed a fun time together, been especially intimate, or gone through a struggle where we've locked arms and walked through the struggle together.

It's not that much different in my relationship with God. I might feel closer to Him when we've had a good time together (as in worship service), been especially intimate spiritually (as in a morning quiet time), or gone through a struggle where we've locked arms and walked through the difficulty together (as in mourning the death of a loved one).

But just because I feel closer to God in a particular moment doesn't mean that I am. It is just a feeling. We know that we cannot have that giddy feeling about our spouse all the time. Then why do we think we have to have that with God?

Paul prayed for the Ephesians that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ would give them the Spirit of wisdom and revelation so that they could know him better ...that they might know the hope to which he had called them...(Ephesians 1:17-19). He prayed for the Colossians that they would know the mystery of God, namely, Christ in whom are hidden all the treasure of wisdom and knowledge" (Colossians 2:2-3). He did not pray that they would feel like they were close to God or feel the love of God. He prayed that they would know it.

            Specifically, Paul prayed:

"I pray that out of his glorious riches he may strengthen you with power through his Spirit in your inner being, so that Christ may dwell in your hearts through faith. (How? Through faith. In your "knower"). And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know his love that surpasses knowledge—that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:16-19 emphasis added).

Why do we experience times when we feel far from God? How can we feel far from God if His Holy Spirit lives in us? If you are in Christ and He is in you (John 14:20), why don't you feel Him at all times? Can you feel distant from your liver, from your kidney or from your pancreas? Being near to God, or rather feeling near to God is not a matter of proximity, as if one of us moved closer or further away. It is not a matter of a physical position, but it is a matter of our relational acuity. It is a spiritual receptivity, a spiritual awareness, and a spiritual acknowledgement of His presence.

Charles Spurgeon once said: "It may be that there are saints who are always at their best, and are happy enough never to lose the light of their Father's countenance. I am not sure that there are such persons...and I have not traversed that happy land. Every year of my life has had a winter as well as a summer, and every single day has its night...I confess that though the substance be in us, as in the tell-tree and the oak, yet we do lose our leaves, and the sap within us does not flow with equal vigor at all seasons."

God has promised He will never leave us, but we can feel far from Him when we ignore Him, live independently from Him, grow dissimilar from Him, or rush about expecting Him to tag along rather than move in union with Him.

So here's what I want you to do today, stand on what you know. "On that day," Jesus said, "You will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you" (John 14:20 NIV). And friend, you can't get much closer than that.

And while your humanness falters between spiritual times of plenty and times of want, communion with God is always just a whisper away as you acknowledge His presence with you and in you.

Let's Pray
Dear LORD, I'll admit, sometimes I feel far from You. But today, I am not going to be a woman who is lead by her feelings. I am going to be a woman who stands on the truth of Your Word. I am in Jesus. He is in me. And we are both in You. Hallelujah.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
One of the best ways I know to reconnect with God when I feel disconnected is to listen to some great praise and worship music. So click over to www.youtube.com/gwensmithmusic and listen to my favorite recording artist!

After listening to Gwen's music, click over to my blog page, www.sharonjaynes.com or my Facebook page www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes and tell me your favorite GwenSmith song. (Mine is Broken into Beautiful. And then there's All Generations. Oh, and Uncluttered. I'm having a hard time choosing one. Maybe you'll have an easier time. Good luck!)

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was an excerpt from my new book, A Sudden Glory: God's Lavish Response to Something More. Check it out on www.sharonjaynes.com/a-sudden-glory/