Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

February 19, 2009
Scripture as a Guide for Prayer
Sharon Jaynes

In Celebration of Valentine's Day, Sharon's February devotions will focus on marriage.

Today's Truth
"And now I will show you the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31b NIV).

Friend To Friend
Most of us married women would agree that we long to be the woman of our husband's dreams. But I have a question. Why?  Is it so we can get what we want in the long run?  Is it so that when he sees how irresistible we are he'll magically become the man of our dreams meeting our every need?

Those are good questions -- tough questions. But becoming the woman of his dreams won't happen until we decide we would rather win his heart than win the battle, do right than be right, give more than get more, wrap our arms around him instead of wrap him around our little finger.  Becoming the woman of his dreams involves sacrifice.  It involves respecting him as a man and a leader, adoring him as the one who makes your heart skip a beat, initiating intimate friendship through creating commonalities,  safeguarding your marriage by putting him second only to God,  encouraging him in his pursuits and dreams, and sexually fulfilling him.  Many times this means denying ourselves and putting our man's needs above our own. 

Did you realize we can even pray for our husbands with wrong motives?  James said, "When you ask you do not receive because you ask with wrong motives that you may spend what you get on your pleasures" (James 4:3).  Ouch!  Does that mean I can't pray that Steve will change his mind about that new den sofa I want?  Hmmm.  The goal for praying for our husband is not to get them to do what we want but for them to do what God wants.

Hollywood tells us that we will be happy when we "find the right person."  However, I have discovered that a successful marriage occurs when we become the right person.  "For years I prayed that God would change my husband," Denise told me. "Our marriage went from bad to worse and we ended separated and headed for divorce.  Then I began to read about what it meant to be a godly wife.  In the world's eyes, I was doing a pretty good job.  In God's eyes, I was missing the mark.  So I began to pray -- this time for my own heart.  God gave me the answer to my prayer to change my husband...He changed me."

How do we begin to pray like the woman of our man's dreams?  A good place to start is by looking at the Bible's definition of love found in 1 Corinthians 13.  I love to use Scripture as a guide for prayer, so I'm going to pattern today's prayer after this wonderful chapter on love. As a matter-of-fact, the verse that introduces this chapter says it well, "And now I will show you the most excellent way" (1 Corinthians 12:31b).

Let's Pray
If I teach Bible study classes, volunteer for the church women's ministry, and sing in the choir, but do not love my husband, I am only a resounding gong or a clanging cymbal.  If I have a college degree, high paying job, and successful career, but do not love my husband, I am emotionally and spiritually bankrupt.  If I have faith that can move mountains, am quick to pray for those in need, and even have half the Bible memorized, but do not love my husband, I am disobedient and do not please God.  If I keep a spotless house, maintain a well manicured lawn, and prepare nutritionally balanced meals, but do not love my husband, it is all for naught.  Hired hands can do as much.

Lord, help me to be patient.  Help me to be kind. I pray that I will not envy others who have seemingly happier marriages and husbands that are more helpful around the house, thoughtful, or romantic.  I pray that I will never try to lift myself up by putting my husband down.  Lord, I pray that I will not be a proud woman who refuses to listen to her husband, who always has to have the last word, who always thinks her way is best.  I pray that I will not be rude to my husband with curt comments, disregard his needs, and be ungrateful for all he does and is, but treat him with the respect and honor that the king of a castle deserves.

I pray that I will not be self seeking, always thinking about what is best for me, but thinking of what would be best for my husband.  I pray that I will not be angered easily, not hold a grudge, not keep a record of wrongs, not plan ways to retaliate, and not use my tongue as a weapon to cause pain.  I pray that I will not rejoice and say "I told you so" when things don't work out the way my husband hoped.

Lord, above all, I pray that my husband will see me as his chief cheerleader who desires to rejoice with him in his victories, both big and small.  He will see me as one who longs to protect our marriage and our love. Help me to create a warm and loving environment in which he feels safe, wanted, and revered.  I pray that you will give me endurance when things get tough. Help the word divorce to never enter my mind or cross my lips as an option.  Lord, I know that love never fails and that You never fail.  Fill me with your Holy Spirit to give me the endurance to stand up under trials and love my husband as You would have me love him -- till death do us part.

In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Today's application step is very simple.  Open your Bible to 1 Corinthians 13 and pray those words over yourself as you love your husband.

If you are not married, open your Bible to 1 Corinthians 13 and pray those words over the significant people in your life.

More From The Girlfriends
Do you want to become the woman of your husband's dreams? Would you like a little "wow" back in your relationship with the man you married?  Then let seven simple secrets from Sharon's book, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams, transform your marriage.  With Biblical wisdom and responses from hundreds of men she surveyed, you'll get a glimpse into your husband's deepest longings. Also included is an extensive index for praying Scripture for your husband from head to toe and a Bible Study Guide.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

February 20 ,2009
Do You Love Being Loved?
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"The Lord your God is with you, he is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, he will quiet you with his love, he will rejoice over you with singing." (Zephaniah 3:17)

Friend to Friend
Every once in a while one of my children surprises me with unexpected sweetness. Don't get me wrong. My kids are sweet on a regular basis, but I'm talking about a special, take-my-breath-away sweetness that creates a time capsule moment for my mommy heart. A moment that I'll remember forever. 

I had one of those special conversations recently with my nine year-old son, Hunter. It was bedtime.  Teeth were brushed. Jammies were on. Prayers had been prayed. The smell of Pantene lingered from his freshly showered head as I brushed a stray hair from his eye. That's when he initiated "project: unexpected sweetness" with an innocent question: "Mommy, do you know what I love?"

"What do you love, Hunter?" I asked quietly.

"I love being loved," he said.  "Yep. I really love being loved."

As I lay beside him in the dark room I could scarcely process the vast paradox of his statement.  It was the simplest of thoughts, delightfully honest, yet one of the most profound and insightful statements I've ever heard come from his lips. From his heart.

When he spoke those four little words, "I love being loved," he communicated several things to me:

He knew he was loved.   
His love tank was full.   
His greatest need is love.   
Like Hunter, our greatest need is also to be loved. To feel safe, adored, and content in love.

I don't know where this devotion finds you this morning, but I sense God nudging me to tell you that He loves you. Completely. Perfectly. Eternally. (Yes, I'm talking to you!) He knows your name, He knows your heart, He knows your circumstances, and He hears your prayers. He loves you and desires for you to rest in His love.

God's love is not based on performance or beauty. It's not based on position or abilities. Many times we mistakenly think that if we could just do this or that better -- that God would love us more. That if we just hadn't done this or that -- God would love us more. The truth is this: God will never love you more or less...no matter what.  His love is complete and you are the object of His heart. Savor the special sweetness of God's love for you today. Linger on thoughts of His affection for you.

The Bible tells us, "...that neither death nor life, neither angels nor demons, neither the present nor the future, nor any powers, neither height nor depth, nor anything else in all creation, will be able to separate us from the love of God that is in Christ Jesus our Lord."

No matter what you've believed in the past, choose by faith to believe this now: you are valued, priceless, and adored by God. "Take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Live full lives, full in the fullness of God" (Ephesians 3:18--19, MSG).

Let's Pray
"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. And I pray that you, being rooted and established in love, may have power, together with all the saints, to grasp how wide and long and high and deep is the love of Christ, and to know this love that surpasses knowledge--that you may be filled to the measure of all the fullness of God. Now to Him who is able to do immeasurably more than all we ask or imagine, according to his power that is at work within us, to him be glory in the church and in Christ Jesus throughout all generations, for ever and ever! Amen" (Ephesians 3:16-21).

Amen?  Amen!

Now It's Your Turn 

Do you know that you're loved? I'm sure that you're familiar with the famous Scripture verse John 3:16. "For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life." Read it again, but this time, insert your name in replacement of "the world."
"For God so loved _______________ that he gave his one and only Son, that         whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."

God loves you and takes pleasure when you go to Him. Why? Because you're His. Made in His image. Restored to His heart through Jesus Christ. Allow Him to quiet you with His love today.  Spend a few moments in prayer right now. Thank Him for His love. Worship at His feet. Be still before Him.

More from the Girlfriends
Okay.  So you know that I'm a worship chick from the word go, right? Well, I think that the perfect ending to our time together today would be to worship. CLICK HERE to listen to a modern version of the old hymn "The Love of God," which is featured on my latest CD, Unsearchable.

Are you into FaceBook?? Check out Gwen's MUSIC PAGE on FaceBook!!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

February 23, 2009
R-E-S-P-E-C-T
The One Thing He Can't Do Without
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him, and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly."  (Ephesians 5:33 AMP)

Friend To Friend
I've been shut up, shut down, shot down, ridiculed, disregarded, over looked, over booked, and overwhelmed...I know I was made for a reason.  I know that, in God's eyes, I count.  So, I simply want to find someone who believes in me.

No, these are not the lyrics from the latest country song.  They are the lament from one of my survey respondents when I asked hundreds of men what they really wanted in the woman of their dreams.  It seems Aretha Franklin isn't the only one who wants a little r-e-s-p-e-c-t these days.  One area that rated very high in my survey of men describing the wife of their dreams was RESPECT.  Webster defines respect as the special esteem or consideration in which one holds another person or thing, the state or quality of being esteemed, to feel or show consideration to. It's the one thing a happy husband can't do without.

God's Command
In the Bible, Paul wrote to both men and women about their various roles in marriage.  In the book of Ephesians he wrote, "Each one of you (men) also must love his wife as he loves himself, and the wife must respect her husband" (Ephesians 5:33).    Now that doesn't mean that husbands don't have to respect their wives or wives don't have to love their husbands. I believe Paul was summing up what was paramount for both men and women.  We want to be loved and cherished just like our husbands want to be honored and respected.

Another reason I believe that Paul admonishes wives to respect their husbands is because he knew that after years of mistakes, poor choices, wrong decisions,  and smelly socks, respect may not come naturally for a wife.  It may well take an act of obedience empowered by the Holy Spirit within.

But how do you respect someone who vegetates watching TV all the time?  How do you respect someone who sits around waiting for the right job to come along when you're working yourself to death trying to keep food on the table? (You may need to stop and quietly put that responsibility back where it belongs.) How do your respect someone who apparently has no respect for himself?  It may seem impossible, but as the angel asked Abraham, "Is anything too hard for the LORD?" (Genesis 18:14).  The same God who parted the sea for the Israelites to walk across on dry land, who caused the walls of Jericho to fall with a shout, who kept Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego from even having a hint of smoke as they exited the fiery furnace, who caused flesh to reappear on the fingerless hands of lepers, who made a man blind from birth see, and who raised Lazarus from the dead -- that same God can give you the power to respect your husband.  It all begins with prayer and follows with obedience close behind. "There is incomparable great power available to those who believe" (Ephesians 1:19).

In the Bible, power always follows obedience.  As soon as the high priests crossing the Jordan placed their feet in the water, the river parted.  (Joshua 3:15-16)  As soon as the rotting lepers turned toward Jerusalem to tell the priests they were healed, their skin began to heal (Luke 17:14).  As soon as Namaan dipped into the river seven times as the prophet Elijah had commanded, his leprosy began to disappear (2 Kings 5:14).  The miracle didn't come before they obeyed, but after they obeyed. Do you want to see a miracle unfold before your eyes like the petals of a rose unfolding?  Obey God.  An amazing thing happens when we begin to show respect to our husbands.  They begin to act respectable.

Let's go back to Paul's letter to the Ephesians. I love how the amplified version expounds on Ephesians 5:33.  "Let the wife see that she respects and reverences her husband [that she notices him, regards him, honors him, prefers him, venerates and esteems him, and that she defers to him, praises him, and loves and admires him exceedingly."  What a power packed verse!

Carol Ladd, author of The Power of a Positive Wife, said, "Respect is wrapped up in the beautiful paper of kind and gentle words and tied with the enormous ribbons of a loving spirit."  Respect is one of the most beautiful gifts a wife can give.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for my husband.  Help me to be the wife that he needs in all areas of my life.  Help me to respect, revere, regard, honor, prefer and esteem him greatly.  Not only that, but help me to show it in my words and actions so that there is no doubt in his mind just how much I love him.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
During the reign of King David, he brought the once captured Ark of the Covenant back to Israel.  It was one of the grandest moments in his life.  Read the account recorded in 2 Samuel 6 and answer the following questions:

How did David's wife, Michal, react to David's outward praise of God (6:16,20)?

What was David's response to her? (6:21)

What was the outcome of her disrespect? (6:23)

What can we learn from her lack of respect?

More From The Girlfriends
February is the month of love and a wonderful time to contemplate our marriages.  Do you want to become the woman of your husband's dreams?  The woman who makes him sorry to leave in the morning and eager to come home at night?  Then you'll want to read Becoming the Woman of His Dreams by Sharon Jaynes for an insightful look at the wonderful, unique, and God-ordained role only you have in your husband's life.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

February 24, 2009
Celebrate Jesus
Mary Southerland



Today's Truth
"Then God made you alive with Christ. He forgave all our sins.  He canceled the record that contained the charges against us. He took it and destroyed it by nailing it to Christ's cross."  Colossians 2:13-14 (NLT)

Friend To Friend
I love the story of a man who came home from work, picked up the paper and settled into his favorite chair for a few precious and well-deserved moments of solitude after a long day at work.  He had just begun to relax when his son burst through the front door. Spotting his dad, the little boy raced across the room, flung himself against his father's knees and said, "Daddy, I love you!" The father gave him a pat on the head and said rather absentmindedly, "Yes, Son, I love you, too!" Picking up his paper, the father continued reading - but the boy was not satisfied. He leaned a little further into the newspaper barricade and said, "But Daddy, I really, really love you."  The man took a deep breath, put the paper down and hugging the boy said, "Yes, Son.  I love you just as much!"  Again, he picked the paper up and resumed reading.  Finally, the little boy could not stand it any longer!  He jumped up on his father's lap, crushing the newspaper and any thoughts of relaxation the dad might have had.  "Son, what is it that you want?" the father tiredly asked.  In response, the boy threw his arms around his dad and gave him a big squeeze, explaining, "I love you so much, Daddy and I've just got to do something about it!"

That is exactly what God said to Jesus.  "Son, I love them so much that I have to do something about it!" Then He sent His one and only perfect Son to earth where He would live and die for you and for me.  God's love is an unconditional love -- a love with no strings attached -- a love worth celebrating!

In the bible, we find the story of a sinful woman, a prostitute who had spent her entire life seeking a love with no strings attached. Then Jesus came to town and into her life, and everything changed.  When Simon, one of the local Pharisees, invited Jesus to his home for dinner, the sinful woman walked through her shame and fear, and went to meet Jesus.  Everyone at the party, including Simon, knew who she was.  Simon would never have allowed this kind of woman to enter his home, but when a Rabbi was invited to someone's house, others could stop by and listen to the conversation. She came, knowing that everyone at the party would recognize and judge her, but her desire to meet Jesus was greater than her pride. 

Emptiness and sin eating away at her soul, this woman was tired of being used, unwanted and unloved.  She came, and Jesus met her there, love and forgiveness in His hands.  As the love of Jesus enveloped her very soul, she fell at His feet, weeping tears of worship and praise.  Her natural response was to love Him so much that she had to do something about it!  In her hands was her most precious possession, a bottle of very expensive perfume she used in her "business". This woman was not wealthy by any means and worked the streets, selling her body in order to live.  She could have put a small amount on the feet of Jesus and it would have been a great financial sacrifice.  But she brought it all and gave it all!  She came, totally abandoning herself and all she had to Jesus.  His response was to love her, unconditionally and completely. 

Like this sinful woman, we are spiritually bankrupt, looking for love in all the wrong places.  Jesus came, spelling Himself out in a language you and I can understand -- a message of love. There is no condemnation with Him, friend.  He adores you just as you are.  He wants to spend time with you, laugh with you, dry your tears and fill your heart with new dreams.  Today, no matter where you are or where you have been, He stands waiting for you.  Come to Him.  No matter how ugly the sin or how great the failure, He loves you.  Come to His love. Celebrate Jesus!

Let's Pray
Father, I recognize Your unconditional love for me.  I do not understand it or deserve it but I know that it is available to me.  Thank You for loving me!  Today, I accept and celebrate Your love, coming just as I am.  Please forgive my sin and cleanse my heart and soul.  I surrender to You, Your love and Your plan for my life. 

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn 

Right now -- celebrate God's unconditional love.  Read and memorize Romans 8:38-39.
Right now -- celebrate your spiritual bankruptcy. Read and memorize Romans 3:23.
Right now -- celebrate God's payment for your sin.  Read and memorize John 3:16.
Right now -- celebrate and walk, by faith, in His unconditional love and forgiveness! Read and memorize Romans 5:5.

More From The Girls
I can get so busy that I tend to go through each day, unaware of God's work around me. I take His unconditional love for granted.  I forget just how much Jesus paid with His death on the cross so that I can take each step of my day in peace and victory.  Join me in making a new commitment to celebrate Jesus every moment ... of every day.  Check out my weekly online bible study, Light for the Journey, for practical ways to plug God's truth into your daily life.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

February 25, 2009
Can You Love Your Husband and Brad Pitt Too?
Sharon Jaynes

(If you are single, you're not off the hook here.  Keep reading.)

Today's Truth
"Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23).

Friend To Friend
Sitting in a waiting room, I rummaged through stacks of magazines to pass the time.  A magazine for families, I thought as I picked up a popular title.  That ought to be safe.

Thumbing through the pages, I went directly to the "Family Matters" column to see what the culture was teaching these days. The title? "Why You Can Love Your Husband and Brad Pitt Too."  I turned back to the cover to make sure I had not inadvertently picked up Cosmopolitan or The National Inquirer.  Nope it was a magazine for families -- targeted at wives and mothers. 

This is some of what the author had to say:

Last spring I found myself applying a pretty shade of pink lipstick before heading off to the nursery to buy annuals.  Why the fuss?  I hoped to run into the handsome gentleman who worked there....According to experts, married crushes are natural and common.  As long as you don't let them develop into full blown fantasies or consider acting upon them, these minor attractions can actually help you appreciate your spouse more...Infatuations offer a safe break from the marital routine. Everyday life is a bit humdrum, making it hard to maintain a passionate connection all the time...

Well friends, there is another expert on marriage who was not quoted in this article and his teaching is the antithesis of this one. His name is Jesus.  This is what He has to say about infatuation with the delivery boy, flirting with the man at the nursery, or cattily toying with a coworker in the next cubicle.   

"You have heard it said, do not commit adultery. But I tell you that anyone who looks at a woman lustfully has already committed adultery with her in his heart" (Matthew 5:29).

Looking at another man with a flirtatious eye is such a serious offense that Jesus went on to say, "If you right eye causes you to sin, gouge it out and throw it away." (Matthew 5:28). Now, don't worry.  I'm not going to tell you to pluck out your eye if you do have a crush on the buff young man who bags your produce at the grocery store, but I am telling you that you might need to shop elsewhere.  I am saying that if you find yourself adding a bit of lip gloss before heading to the post office where the cute blond with the steel blue eyes always greets you like you've made his day, you need to forget the gloss and go to another post office.  And that man in the next cubicle who always showers you with compliments and makes your heart skip a beat?  I think Jesus is saying to pluck it out, change cubicles, or even more drastic, change jobs. 

Perhaps you think I've gone just a bit too far.  I imagine the folks listening to Jesus' advice about running from temptation thought so too.  The truth is, I've never know one woman who had an affair which did not begin with a toying glance or flirtatious "innocent" bantering.  Every sin begins with a thought and every spiritual battle is won or lost at the threshold of the mind.

Let's face it, women long to feel beautiful.  After being married for a few years and having a baby or two, we begin to wonder if we are still pretty or sexually appealing.  Then a man comes along who pays us a compliment and our hearts skip a beat.  That is natural.  However, if that compliment or attention leads to infatuation, returning for more, or a "crush" as the article implied, Jesus tells us to turn and run in the opposite direction...press the delete button...and avoid reply.  "Flee sexual immorality" (I Corinthians 6:18).  This is serious...pluck it out.

It is interesting that when Satan tempted Eve in the garden, the first step to her downfall was her eyes.   "When the woman saw that the fruit of the tree was good for food and pleasing to the eye...." (Genesis 3:6).  It all began with her eyes...what she looked at.  I wonder what would have happened if she had chosen to look away.

The above article had very little to do with Brad Pitt or Mel Gibson, but more to say about men we meet everyday. Honestly, had it been Brad or Mel, I might have had a chuckle.  But this article was encouraging women to play with fire.  The author went on to say...

Whether you have a soft spot for Mel Gibson or Mel the mailman, make sure your husband knows that a crush doesn't change the way you feel about him.  We all want to know that we are number one in our spouse's life.  As for me, I told my husband about the man at the nursery. 'Going to see your boyfriend?' he teased as I headed out the door to buy mulch.  Later I assured him that while Garden Guy knew the best cure for aphids; he could never melt my heart.

I read that and tried to imagine my husband, Steve, saying to me...."Honey, I want to tell you that I have a crush on the check out girl at Home Depot, but I still love you the best." I get a queasy feeling just thinking about such a conversation.  Yet, this is what the "family magazine" was suggesting for women of the new millennium. No wonder the divorce rate in this country is 50% and rising.

But what if you are single?  Does this apply to you? Absolutely!  The enemy would like nothing better than for you, in your singleness, to fantasize about a man that you see on a regular basis.  He would like your mind to go where it need not go.  He knows that singleness can be a lonely place and he is an equal opportunity tempter.

Bottom line?  "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (Proverbs 4:23). The heart of the matter is the matter of the heart.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to guard my heart today and every day.  Help me to recognize temptation and flee -- run in the opposite direction.  I know that temptation is not a toy to be played with, but an evil weapon against me to be destroyed.  Thank You for giving me the power of the Holy Spirit to resist temptation and the power of the Truth in Scripture to fight the lies that it would bring pleasure.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Is there any area in your life where you are toying with temptation?

If you are single, have you been entertaining a relationship that would not be pleasing to God?

Go back and print off today's devotion.  Highlight the various verses and commit them to memory.  Make them part of your arsenal to resist temptation.

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was adapted from Sharon's book, Becoming the Woman of His Dreams: Seven Qualities every man longs for.  If you would like to learn more about how to have a wonderful marriage, this book is for you.  And, if you would like to learn more about how to resist the lies of the enemy in every area of life, you'll want to see Sharon's latest release, I'm Not Good Enough...and Other Lies  Women Tell Themselves.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

February 26, 2009
A Satisfied Soul
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Satisfy us in the morning with your unfailing love, that we may sing for joy and be glad all our days." (Psalm 90:14, NIV)

Friend to Friend
Our souls constantly demand to be fed, and make no mistake about it: if God does not have the proper place in your life, your soul will remain hungry. When I invite God into my days, I experience His satisfying presence no matter what I face. But when I don't set aside time to pray, when I don't read my Bible, and when I don't praise, I get hungry. Really hungry ... and grouchy.

Christians are hungry people. Just like the Israelites who wandered in the desert, we need God's daily bread, His spiritual manna. Jesus taught us to ask for a daily portion. In the New Testament book of Matthew, Jesus took a moment to teach His followers how to pray. In that prayer, commonly referred to as the Lord's Prayer, He said, "Give us today our daily bread" (Matthew 6:11, emphasis mine).

He didn't ask to be fed for an entire week--just for today.

We would be wise to do the same.

Some people might think that once we become Christians all of our spiritual hunger subsides. Not so! I've found that the more I get to know God, the more I want to know Him. The more I experience His peace, presence, and power in my life, the more I want to experience His peace, presence, and power. I crave Him more.

In John 4:13, Jesus says to a Samaritan woman at Jacob's well, "Everyone who drinks this water will be thirsty again." He was referring to the water in the well and a body's physical thirst. But then He tells her what He can offer her soul: "but whoever drinks the water I give him will never thirst. Indeed, the water I give him will become in him a spring of water welling up to eternal life" (v. 14).

Jesus also addressed spiritual thirst and hunger when He spoke to a large crowd outside Capernaum. The day before, He had met their physical need by miraculously feeding over five thousand hungry people on a hill near the Sea of Galilee. But on this day, the crowds questioned him about what God wanted them to do. Jesus told them that they must "believe in the one [God] has sent" (John 6:29). (God isn't satisfied by what we do, but by whom we believe.) From there, the conversation went like this:

So they asked him, "What miraculous sign then will you give that we may see it and believe you? What will you do? Our forefathers ate the manna in the desert; as it is written: 'He gave them bread from heaven to eat.'"

Jesus said to them, "I tell you the truth, it is not Moses who has given you the bread from heaven, but it is my Father who gives you the true bread from heaven. For the bread of God is he who comes down from heaven and gives life to the world."

"Sir," they said, "from now on give us this bread."

Then Jesus declared, "I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty" (John 6:30-35).

In his book, Come Thirsty, Max Lucado writes:

You're acquainted with physical thirst. Stop drinking and see what happens. Coherent thoughts vanish, skin grows clammy, and vital organs shut down. Deprive your body of necessary fluid, and it will tell you.

Deprive your soul of spiritual water, and it will tell you. Dehydrated hearts send desperate messages. Snarling tempers. Waves of worry. Growing guilt and fear. Hopelessness. Resentment. Loneliness. Insecurity.

But you don't have to live with a dehydrated heart. God invites you to treat your thirsty soul as you would treat your physical thirst. Just visit the WELL and drink deeply.

Every day we eat bread (food) to keep us healthy and strong. We stay healthy and strong spiritually by continually communing with Jesus. He calls Himself the Bread of Life as well as the Living Water. In order for food and water to sustain and strengthen us physically, we must eat and drink it. Likewise, we need to call on Jesus each day to sustain us spiritually. Call on Him now.

Let's Pray
Dear God, Thank You for the invitation to come, eat, drink, and be satisfied in You. You are all that I need, and more than enough. I pray that You will bear the weight of the burdens on my heart today, and ask that You would fill my soul with Your rest.  Finally, please increase my cravings for You, Lord -- so that you can be glorified in and through my life. In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn 

Spending time with the Lord through His Word is one great way to feed your soul.  Read and meditate on Psalm 63:1-8.
Read it silently the first time, then read it again out loud. 
When have you witnessed God's power in your life?  Thank Him!
More From The Girlfriends
Although your physical cravings might include dark chocolate, coffee, and warm, fresh bread - your soul constantly craves intimacy with God.  Spend some time worshiping Him today.  Sing to Him. Gwen's Unsearchable CD is a live worship recording, filled with songs that illuminate the immeasurable goodness of God.

Today's devotion includes excerpts from Gwen Smith's book, Broken into Beautiful. In Broken into Beautiful, singer and Gwen invites you to hear the stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls...and of the loving heavenly Father who makes them beautiful again.

Are you into FaceBook?? Check out Gwen's MUSIC PAGE on FaceBook!!

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

February 27, 2009
Get ready!
Mary Southerland


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

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

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

·         Action One: Be alert.

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

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

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

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

·         Action Two: Pray continually.

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

The power to withstand temptation comes from a praying heart. The devil will do anything to keep us from praying!  He laughs at our religious activities and mocks our human wisdom, but he trembles when we pray!  I wonder what choice Eve would have made if she had talked to God about Satan's temptations.

·         Action 3:  Practice self-control. 


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

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

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

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

Let's Pray
Lord, today I choose to become a student of the bible.  Strengthen me through your truth and empower me to stand against temptation and sin.  I also choose to make prayer a natural part of every day.  Make me more aware of your presence and power, Lord.  I want to be a godly woman, a woman of discipline, a woman whose life honors you and draws other to you.  Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

·         Recognize the power of prayer against temptation.
·         Admit that you have allowed the enemy to "sneak" into your life.
·         Identify the areas in your life that are out of control.
·         Choose to surrender those areas to God. 
·         Make me aware of your power and presence in my life.

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

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

Girlfriends in God - Mar. 2, 2009



March 2, 2009
The Velveteen Woman
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Most of us have read or heard of the childhood classic, The Velveteen Rabbit.  Perhaps you first heard the story snuggled in your mother's lap or like me, as an adult with a child snuggled in your lap.  For me, The Velveteen Rabbit is a treasure I discovered in motherhood, rather than in my childhood.  And like many children's books, the message carries a profound truth that resonates more with adults than with kids.

The story begins...

"There was once a velveteen rabbit, and in the beginning he was really splendid.  He was fat and bunchy, as a rabbit should be; his coat was spotted brown and white, he had real thread whiskers, and his ears were lined with pink sateen.  On Christmas morning, when he sat wedged in the top of the Boy's stocking, with a spring of holly between his paws, the effect was charming.

"The boy loved the rabbit...for at least two hours, but then he was put on the nursery shelf with all the other toys.  Because he was velveteen, some of the more expensive toys snubbed him.  Some of the toys boasted about being fashioned as smaller models of real things, such as boats and soldiers.  But the rabbit didn't even know that there was such a thing as a real rabbit.  He thought all were just as he was, stuffed with sawdust.  But one night, the rabbit made a fascinating discovery.

"The Skin Horse had lived longer in the nursery than any of the others.  He was so old that his brown coat was bald in patches and showed the seams underneath, and most of the hairs in his tail had been pulled out to string bead necklaces. He was wise, for he had seen a long succession of mechanical toys arrive to boast and swagger, and by-and-by break their mainsprings and pass away, and he knew that they were only toys, and would never turn into anything else...

"What is REAL?" asked the Rabbit one day, when they were lying side by side near the nursery fender, before Nana came to tidy the room.  "Does it mean having things that buzz inside you and a stick-out handle?"

"Real isn't how you are made," said the Skin Horse.  "It's a thing that happens to you.  When a child loves you for a long, long time, not just to play with, but REALLY loves you, then you become Real."

"Does it hurt?" asked the Rabbit.

"Sometimes," said the Skin Horse, for he was always truthful.  When you are Real you don't mind being hurt."

"Does it happen all at once, like being wound up," he asked, "or bit by bit?"

"It doesn't happen all at once," said the Skin Horse.  "You become real.  It takes a long time.  That's why it doesn't often happen to people who break easily, or have sharp edges, or who have to be carefully kept.  Generally, by the time you are Real, most of your hair has been loved off, and your eyes drop out and you get loose in the joints and very shabby.  But these things don't matter at all, because once you are Real you can't be ugly, except to people who don't understand."[1]

The Velveteen Rabbit wasn't even sure what a rabbit was supposed to do.  He just knew there had to be more to life than being filled with sawdust and sitting on a shelf. 

Being real.  That's what really matters.  I don't want to wait until most of my hair has fallen out and I've lost my stuffing.  I want to be real right now.  So what if I don't look as shiny as the other toys in the nursery.

Yes, sometimes it is painful to become real.  It takes courage.   But until we do, we'll find our existence sitting on the shelves a dim reflection of the freedom and jubilant dance that God intended in the fields of life. 

Join me tomorrow as we look at a man in the Bible who learned what it meant to be real.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I know that You want me to be real and honest with those around me.  Jesus was.  He never pretended to be something that He was not and He didn't pretend not  to be something that He was.  I am Your child with many faults, failures and foibles.  I made mistakes in my past and will make mistakes in my future. I pray that I will always have the courage to be real with those around me and never participate in religious pretending because of concern over what others may think. I'm just me: saved, sealed, delivered!

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
You might be concerned that today's devotion didn't have more Scripture.  So let's go ahead and prepare our hearts for tomorrow's devotion. 

Read Genesis 25: 23, 24. Who was Jacob?

How did he trick his brother? (Genesis 25:29-34)

How did he trick his father? (Genesis 27)

Jacob was pretending to be someone he was not.  In the end, it caused much heartache. But that's not the end of the story.  Stay tuned!

More From The Girlfriends
Being real is one of the theme's of Your Scars are Beautiful to God by Sharon Jaynes.  God doesn't want us to hide our scars.  He wants us to be real and use the scars of our past to impact those in our present!  To learn more, see Your Scars are Beautiful to God: Finding peace and purpose in the hurts of your past.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

March 3, 2009
Jacob becomes Real
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Am I now trying to win the approval of men, or of God?  Or am I trying to please men?  If I were still trying to please men, I would not be a servant of Christ" (Galatians 1:10 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Yesterday we looked at the beloved children's story, the Velveteen Rabbit. Today, let's look at a man named Jacob. Jacob -- now there was a fellow who didn't know how to be real.  He was the son of Isaac and the twin brother of Esau.  When he was born, even though he was not the firstborn, God promised that the older (Esau) would serve the younger (Jacob).  Jacob was always his momma's favorite, and she wanted to make sure he received the blessing of the firstborn.  Rather than trust God to do what He said He would do, she decided to help God out a bit. So she dressed Jacob up like his hairy brother and tricked her nearly blind husband into giving Esau's blessing to Jacob.  Approaching his deathbed, Isaac asked Jacob, "Are you really my son Esau?"

"I am," he lied.

So Isaac gave Esau's blessing to Jacob.

Later, when Jacob became marrying age, His father-in-law-to-be tricked him into marrying the weak-eye Leah, rather than the promised Rachel. Ah, but Jacob wouldn't be outdone.  After all, he had learned from the best -- his mom.  Jacob in turn tricked his father-in-law and took the best of his livestock for himself.  Jacob was a trickster and he continued to be in control of his life...or so he thought.

But there came a time in Jacob's life when he couldn't control his circumstances.  He was heading back to his homeland to face his brother Esau...the one from whom he had stolen his birthright and inheritance.  Would Esau kill him?  Would Esau welcome him?  Would Esau slay his family?  Would Esau forgive him?  All these questions and more tumbled around in Jacob's mind.

The night before he was to come face to face with his brother, Jacob had a close encounter of the heavenly kind.  In Genesis chapter 32 we read about his wrestling match with an angel.  For years Jacob had been trying to control and manage his life on his own terms.  But he knew he had no control over what was going to happen the next day when he faced Esau.  All night Jacob wrested with the angel, trying to convince the angel to bless him. But before that could happen, Jacob had to face reality.

When Jacob's father, Isaac, had asked him, "Who are you?" Jacob had pretended to be someone he was not and answered... "Esau."  During the wrestling match, the angel gave Jacob another chance to right that wrong.

"What is your name?" the angel asked.

This time Jacob didn't pretend to be someone he was not, but answered truthfully.  "Jacob," he replied.

No pretending, no trying to leave a good impression, no explaining, no justifying.  Jacob spoke the absolute truth. Jacob -- the schemer, the deceiver, the manipulator, the con artist.  That's who I am.

Once Jacob decided to be real and give up trying to be someone he was not, God empowered him with His strength and gave him a new name. No more was he Jacob the "trickster," but now he was Israel, "Prince with God."  Oh yes, he walked with a limp for the rest of his life. Sometimes that's the result of being real.  But that limp was a reminder to Jacob for the rest of his life that God was in control.  He didn't need tricks to succeed.  He just needed God.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, help me to be real and transparent today.  Thank you for accepting me just the way I am, but loving me enough not to let me stay that way.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
The angel could have "taken" Joseph without a struggle at all.  Why do you think the angel wrestled with Joseph?

What do you think God was trying to do with this wrestling match?

Is there a limp in your life or a scar on your soul that reminds you of a time that you wrestled with God?  Are you wrestling still?

More From The Girlfriends
We can have a great impact on those around us when we live an authentic Christian life.  My friend Gwen calls it "organic"  living.  No fake stuff.  No additives.  Just the pure real deal. If you would like to learn more about living the authentic Christian life with no "fake stuff added," see Your Scars are Beautiful to God.

Seeking God?
Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.


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

[Judy Harder]

March 4, 2009
"What's Your Temperature?"
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Search Me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting"
(Psalm 139:23-24, ESV).

Friend to Friend
I got a phone call in the middle of a workday from my son Preston. He was calling from the nurse's office at the school. Here's how the conversation went:

"Hey mom. It's Preston. I'm not feeling well, and I have a temperature of 96.5. Can you come get me?"

"96.5 degrees?" I asked. "Honey, that's below normal! That doesn't sound right."

"I know," he said, "but I don't feel well. Can you please come pick me up?"

"Sure honey. I'll be right there."

I chuckled the whole way to the school at what he had said.  Surely he misread the thermometer! A normal temperature is 98.6. Something was off. I got to the school in a North Carolina minute and headed straight to the nurse's office. While Preston packed up his bag to go home, I spoke privately to the school nurse. With a grin on her face, she explained to me that Preston was resistant to putting the thermometer under his tongue as she had instructed him to do. He wasn't comfortable with that. "So," she said, "he held the thermometer between his lips." The nurse and I exchanged chuckles and amused glances as I thanked her for helping my son.

Although Preston knew something wasn't right with his body, he didn't get an accurate temperature reading because he didn't place the thermometer in deep enough. He didn't let it probe past the surface.

Later that night, as I thought back on the day, the Lord spoke to my heart. He showed me that there are times when I'm resistant to an accurate reading of my spiritual wellness. Times when I won't let Him probe past the surface of my heart, my actions, my attitudes, and my perspective to allow Him to reveal an accurate spiritual temperature for my life. Times when I'm not comfortable with deeper-level stuff. Times when I don't sit still to listen.

I was disturbed by that thought. I needed to be disturbed by that thought. By that truth. I'm in full time ministry, but that doesn't mean that I'm always in perfect spiritual health. To the contrary...the more I learn about God's holiness, the more I realize how much I need His grace and strength every minute of every day.

You might not "feel well" today. Perhaps you have spiritual indigestion from your marriage, your children, your friendships, your finances, your singleness, your conversations. It could be from the shows you watch, the internet relationships you've developed, the gossip you allow to pass from your lips, the jealousy you feel in your heart. You haven't allowed your heart to be probed. You are resistant to an accurate assessment of the hurt---resistant to a true assessment of your own heart.

What's your spiritual temperature? Are you hot or cold? Is the flame of faith in your heart fading or raging? Have you sat still long enough lately to ask God to search your heart? It's time for an accurate reading.

"For the eyes of the LORD range throughout the earth to strengthen those whose hearts are fully committed to him." 2 Chronicles 16:9, NIV

Let's Pray
Holy Father, as the psalmist prayed, I ask that you would, "search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting" (Psalm 139:23-24, ESV). In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Take a spiritual inventory today. Spend a few moments considering your spiritual wellness. What is your quiet time like? Is God a top priority in your life? Do you set aside time regularly to read your Bible? Ask God to probe your heart and reveal areas in your life that need to be made right.

Read John 15:1-11, then write a prayer response.

More from the Girlfriends
The Bible tells us that God disciplines those He loves. I do realize that this devotion might have stepped on your toes today. Please know that Sharon, Mary and I are on the pruning table right there with you, and though we may not always love the sting of God's pruning, we can trust that it is for our growing and for His glory. Hope you take time for the deeper-level stuff today!

Take a few moments to sing a song of praise to God this morning! He delights in your worship. CLICK HERE TO LISTEN to some praise music.

Into FaceBook? Check out Gwen's MUSIC PAGE on FaceBook - leave a message on her wall - share the page with your FB friends!

Gwen Smith is a worship artist, songwriter, speaker, and author. For more information, visit her website at: www.gwensmith.net.