Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

April 20, 2009
Rahab Saves the Day 
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"For the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below" (Joshua 2:11 NIV).

Friend to Friend 
Several years ago, I traveled to the Christian Booksellers Association in New Orleans, Louisiana.  Now why the committee chose New Orleans, I will never know.  However, I must say, I got quite an education while I was there.

One afternoon, I decided to go exploring down the famous Bourbon Street.  It seemed there was some sort of street party going on (which I later realized was coup de jour.)  Before I knew it, I was shoulder to shoulder in a mass of humanity  - a herd of hoopin' and hollerin,' dancin' and drinkin,' carousers.  I kept my purse pressed to my chest and looked for the next exit!  Bombarded by a cacophony or sights, sounds, and smells, my eyes traveled up to a balcony overhead.  Even though it was broad daylight, several "ladies of the evening" were hanging over the railing enticing the men below to join them for sensual pleasure -- by the hour.

The "ladies" wore skin tight tops, thigh high hose with feathery garter belts, and lacy push-up camisoles.  With six inch heels on their feet, dangling jewels from their earlobes, and vibrantly painted lips, they hung over the balcony of what appeared to be a brothel, displaying their bodies with alluring words to seduce their prey.

Never having seen a brothel before, I now had a better picture of what Rahab's house in the Bible must have looked like.  In the Old Testament, just before the Israelites conquered, captured, and claimed the Promised Land, they sent in spies to check out Jericho's defenses.  While there, they went into the house of a prostitute, probably because no one would be suspicious of strange men entering such a place.  The officials made an official visit in search of the spies, but Rahab hid them under stalks of flax on the roof until it was safe for them to leave. Before the sun rose the following morning, Rahab made a statement of faith. 

"I know that the LORD has given this land to you and that a great fear of you has fallen on us, so that all who live in this country are melting in fear because of you.  We have heard how the LORD dried up the water of the Red Sea for you when you came out of Egypt, and what you did to Sihon and Og, the two kings of the Amorites east of the Jordan, whom you destroyed.  When we heard of it, our hearts melted and everyone's courage failed because of you, for the LORD your God is God in heaven above and on the earth below.  Now then, please swear to me by the LORD that you will show kindness to my family, because I have shown kindness to you" (Joshua 2:8-12).

The spies told Rahab to tie a scarlet cord in her window and bring her entire family into the house.  When the army came to destroy the city, they looked for the scarlet cord and rescued Rahab and her family.

I get so excited about this story.  See, we have a scarlet cord as well!  It is Jesus Christ, God's only Son, whose scarlet blood saves us, protects us, and delivers us.  You know what is so wonderful.  Rahab wasn't only saved from destruction, but she was brought into the family of God and used for His glory.  She even married a wonderful Jewish man named Salmon.  Perhaps you haven't heard of him, but I bet you've heard of their son, Boaz, or their grandson, Obed, or their great-grandson, Jesse, or their great-great-grandson, David.

No matter what we've done or where we've come from, when we come to Christ and tie that scarlet cord from the window of our heart, God saves us, welcomes us, and uses us for His glory.  See, many people believe they are forgiven, but they don't feel that they are "good enough" to be used.  They stand like an outsider, like a waif peering into the window of a great mansion as a banquet is taking place within.  Their tummies grumble in hunger as the father slices the roast turkey and the juices seep over the braised meat.  Their mouths water as the rich gravy smothers the steamy potatoes and the sweet biscuits are passed from person to person.

But what they fail to see is the empty seat -- the one with their name printed on the place card.

You have been brought into God's family and invited to dine at your Father's banqueting table.  Don't stare through the window.  Go in and take your seat where you belong.  He's waiting for you.

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father:  Thank You for saving me -- for rescuing me -- for allowing me to be a part of your chosen people.  Thank you for allowing me to sit at your banqueting table each and every time I open my Bible and feast upon Your Word.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Have you ever pondered the idea that David's great, great grandmother was a prostitute?

How does the story of how God saved and used Rahab encourage you today?

Are you sitting at God's banqueting table as the well-loved guest that you are, or are you standing outside longing to join in?

If you have not accepted Jesus as your Savior and would like to do that today, please click on the following link. 

More From the Girlfriends
Today's devotion came from Sharon's book Your Scars are Beautiful to God.  But if you find yourself feeling like you are not good enough to be used by God, then you need to begin seeing yourself as God sees you.  Sharon newest release, "I'm Not Good Enough...and Other Lies Women Tell Themselves will help you begin!

[Judy Harder]

April 21, 2009
Here Comes the Judge!
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"Love one another as I have loved you." John 15:12

Friend to Friend
A lady in a faded gingham dress and her husband, dressed in homespun, thread bare clothes, stepped off the train in Boston, and walked timidly into the Harvard University President's outer office where they had no appointment.  The secretary could tell with one glance that such backwoods, country hicks had no business at Harvard and probably didn't even deserve to be in Cambridge.  She frowned.  "We want to see the president," the man said softly.  "He'll be busy all day," the secretary snapped.  "We'll wait," the lady replied.

For hours, the secretary ignored them, hoping that the couple would finally become discouraged and go away.  They didn't and the secretary grew more angry and frustrated by the moment.   Finally, with great hesitation, she decided to disturb the president.  "Maybe if they just see you for a few minutes, they'll leave," she told him. He sighed in exasperation and nodded.  Someone of his importance obviously didn't have the time to spend with them, but he detested gingham dresses and homespun suits cluttering up his outer office.  The president, stern faced and with dignity, strutted toward the couple.

The lady told him, "We had a son who attended Harvard for one year. He loved Harvard and was happy here. But about a year ago, he was accidentally killed so my husband and I would like to erect a memorial to him, somewhere on campus."  The president wasn't touched.  In fact, he was shocked. "Madam," he said, gruffly, "we can't put up a statue for every person who has attended Harvard and died.  If we did, this place would look like a cemetery."  "Oh, no," the lady explained quickly.  "We don't want to erect a statue.  We thought we would like to give a building to Harvard."  The president rolled his eyes.  He glanced at the gingham dress and homespun suit and then exclaimed, "A building!   Do you have any earthly idea how much a building costs? We have over seven-and-a-half million dollars in the physical plant at Harvard."  For a moment, the lady was silent.  The president was pleased.  Maybe he could get rid of them now. 

The lady turned to her husband and said quietly, "Is that all it costs to start a university? Why don't we just start our own?" Her husband nodded. The president's face wilted in confusion and bewilderment.  Mr. and Mrs. Leland Stanford got up and walked away, traveling to Palo Alto, California where they established the university that bears their name, a memorial to a son that Harvard no longer cared about.

I wonder how many blessings we miss because we are quick to judge and slow to love.  It may surprise you to know that God does not love us because we are so lovable.  God loves us because He is love!  We all long for someone who will love us just as we are, but wonder if such a love even exists and if it does, is it available to us.  Unconditional love does exist and it is available to each one of us - just as we are - through Jesus Christ.

God's love is a gift.  It is neither earned nor deserved.  Just as with any gift from God, His love is not only given for our benefit but for us to share as well.  When we experience the love of God, He then calls us to love like He loves and teaches us how to celebrate the differences in each other instead of insisting that people change.  There must be a thread of elasticity running through the very fiber of every relationship - especially our relationships with difficult people.  The truth is that those who deserve love the least need love the most.  Just as we cannot allow others to define us, we must stop trying to control, change and define others.

Let's Pray
Father, forgive my arrogance when I judge others.  I want to learn how to celebrate the differences in others instead of trying to shape them into something I find pleasing.  Forgive my impatience when someone does not "measure up" to my standards and then forgive me for even having a standard by which to love and accept others.  You love and accept me -- just as I am.  Thank You, Father.  Please help me see others as You see them and love them as You love them.

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Remember a time when someone wrongly judged you.  How did their attitude make you feel? 

Read Luke 6:37 carefully.  What are the consequences when we judge others?  When we condemn others?  What does this verse promise when we choose to forgive others?

Take a few minutes to think about the people in your life -- at home, at work, in your neighborhood.  Do you ever judge them?  Why?  On what basis?  How do you think God would evaluate your attitude toward these people and how does it line up with the attitude God wants us to have?

Are you willing to love the unlovable, accept the unacceptable and forgive the unforgivable?  Remember, Jesus has already done that in your life and in mine. 

More From The Girlfriends

Women are especially good at the comparison game, which is a nice way of saying we are quick to judge other women by how they look, the clothes they wear, their social status -- you get the idea.  Now would be a good time to remember and celebrate God's grace and mercy toward each one of us.  It is also the perfect time to learn how to see others through the eyes of God -- valuable, loved, planned and wanted. 

Are you looking for a way to incorporate bible study and prayer into your busy schedule?  Check out Mary's online bible study, Light for the Journey. And don't miss Mary's special offer this week -- her book (Sandpaper People) and CD (The Power of Forgiveness) together in a powerful relationship tool.

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]

April 22, 2009
The Way Up is Down
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up" (James 4:10 NIV).

Friend to Friend
What do you think of when you hear the word "power?"  Webster defines power as an ability or faculty, control, controlling influence, authority.  In the Greek, the original language of the New Testament, the word is dunamis and is that which manifests God's power.  It is where we get the English word dynamite.

In the Bible, Jesus told the disciples that they would receive power after he had died and the Holy Spirit came to live in and through them (Acts 1:. "It is for your good that I am going away.  Unless I go away, the Counselor will not come to you; but if I go, I will send him to you" (John 16:7).  In the disciples' minds, that did not make sense.  Why would it be better for Jesus to leave them?  How could they possibly have more power if He were gone? 

The disciples would have planned Jesus' reign in a different way.  Even Peter, when Jesus foretold of his imminent suffering, death, and resurrection said, "Never Lord!  This shall never happen to you!"

They did not understand God's economy:  the first shall be last, we gain our lives by dying to self, we receive by giving, we become powerful by being weak, and we are lifted up when we humble ourselves before God.

In Jesus' first recorded sermon, He began with a list of seeming contradictions. 

Blessed are the poor in spirit, 

            For theirs is the kingdom of heaven. 

Blessed are those who mourn, 

            For they will be comforted. 

Blessed are the meek. 

            For they will inherit the earth.   

Nancy Leigh DeMoss, in her book, Brokenness -- The Heart God Revives, notes the following concerning Jesus' words about the poor in spirit.

"...Jesus came to introduce a radically different way of thinking about life.  In the original Greek language, Jesus could have chosen to speak of someone being "poor" using two different words. The first word suggests someone who lives just below the poverty line, someone who has to scrimp and scrape to survive, and someone who makes it, but barely.  That is not the word Jesus chose.  He used another word that means a beggar -- a person who is utterly, absolutely destitute.  This beggar has no hope of surviving unless somebody reaches out a hand and pulls him up."

What is Jesus saying?  Blessed are the beggars -- those who recognize that they are spiritually destitute and bankrupt.  They know that they have no chance of survival apart from God's intervening mercy and grace." (Nancy Leigh DeMoss, Brokenness -- The Heart God Revives (Chicago, Illinois: Moody Publishing, 2002), p.49-50.)

Consider these seemingly upside down verses from Scripture:

·         "Whoever wants to become great among you must be your servant, and whoever wants to be first must be your slave-- just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many" (Matthew 20:26-28).

·         "Give, and it will be given to you. A good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over, will be poured into your lap.  For with the measure you use, it will be measured to you" (Luke 6:38).

·         "Then he said to them, "Whoever welcomes this little child in my name welcomes me; and whoever welcomes me welcomes the one who sent me. For he who is least among you all--he is the greatest" (Luke 9:48).

·         "But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me" (2 Corinthians 12:9).

·         Humble yourself in the sight of the Lord and He will lift you up." (James 4:10)

·          "But God chose the foolish things of the world to shame the wise; God chose the weak things of the world to shame the strong. He chose the lowly things of this world and the despised things--and the things that are not--to nullify the things that are, so that no one may boast before him (1 Corinthians 1:27-29).

We tend to think our scars hinder our service for God when it is our very scars that often render us able.  Through our weakness, He makes us strong.  Through our dying, He makes us alive. Through our wounds, He makes us whole. "For when I am weak, then I am strong" (2 Corinthians 12:10).

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father, I am so weak, and yet, through the power of the Holy Spirit I am strong.  I am constantly amazed at how You take the weak things of this world and make them strong.  You take the humble, lift them up, the uneducated, make them wise, the broken, and make them powerful vessels.  Thank You for taking the wounds in my life and transforming them into beautiful scars that tell a story of hope and redemption.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now Its Your Turn
Today's devotion is full of Scripture.  Go back over the verses and ponder what they mean in your life.

Are there any attitudes that you need to change?

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was taken from Your Scars are Beautiful to God.  To learn more about how God turns our pain into purpose, our hurts into hope and our miseries into ministry, see this inspiring resource.  Perhaps God is about to embark you on a new journey of seeing your scars as beautiful treasures!

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]

April 23, 2009
I Feel Your Pain
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
2 Corinthians 1:3-4 "Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is the Father who is full of mercy and all comfort.  He comforts us every time we have trouble, so when others have trouble, we can comfort them with the same comfort God gives us."

Friend to Friend
The story of the Good Samaritan is one of the most familiar passages in all of scripture.  It is a parable, an earthly story with a heavenly lesson.  Jesus tells this parable in response to a question asked him by a Jewish lawyer.  "What must I do to inherit eternal life?" the successful young truth seeker asked.  Jesus saw his heart and told him the two things he must do, the two things the lawyer would find it hardest to do.  He must love God completely and he must love his neighbor as himself. 

The lawyer didn't like that answer because he lived by the law.  He wanted the laws or doing good works to be his ticket to heaven.  This "loving your neighbor" business sounded too messy and certainly too costly.  It was simply too much personal responsibility.  But Jesus told the lawyer that keeping the law – God's law and man's law - was not enough.  He had to love God and he had to love his neighbor. 

Thinking he could find a loophole, the lawyer asked, "Who is my neighbor?"  Jesus' answer to that question is the parable of the Good Samaritan.  It is a story of compassion and drives home the truth that compassion is not just for the easy to love people, but for the not so easy to love sandpaper people as well, an impossible task outside the supernatural power of God working in and through us.  The word "compassion" is a key word in 2 Corinthians, is used 29 times and can be defined as "called to one's side to help."  How can we become people of compassion? 

It was Easter Sunday, and I was sitting in the sanctuary, waiting for the worship service to begin.  Anticipating a large crowd, I arrived early to drop our son, Jered, off in the nursery, one of his favorite places to go because every nursery worker spoiled him rotten.  Sometimes he would even cry when my husband, Dan, or I picked him up after church, wanting to stay and play.  As the choir filed in, a friend slipped into the pew beside me and said, "I think you need to go to the nursery. Something is wrong with Jered."  Jumping up, I catapulted over legs, toes and bodies as I raced to the nursery and my son.

I was not prepared for what I saw.  Over in the corner, lying on his favorite red mat was Jered, staring at the ceiling, silent and rigid.  As I bent over my precious son and looked into those beautiful blue eyes, huge tears slid down his chubby cheeks as he flew into my arms, sobbing.  You have to understand, as a baby, the only time Jered cried was when he was hungry, wet or sick.  He always seemed to be smiling, happy and contented.  Something was obviously very wrong.  I kissed his forehead.  No fever.  I checked his diaper.  Dry and clean.  I had no idea what the problem was. 

Just then, Mrs. Giles, Jered's favorite nursery worker, drew me aside and said, "Let me tell you what just happened. We had a new little girl in the nursery today.  It was her first time in a church nursery – ever.  When her parents left, she immediately began screaming and wouldn't stop.  Jered came running and wrapped his arms around her but she pushed him away.  He then brought her his bottle, but she hurled it across the room and continued screaming.  Desperate to help the little girl, Jered found his diaper bag and fished out Turtle."   Turtle was a small, stuffed green and blue turtle we had given him months earlier when he was in the hospital, seriously ill with croup.  From the moment he saw Turtle, everywhere Jered went, Turtle went.  Jered slept with Turtle clutched tightly in one hand.  Jered ate with Turtle sitting in his lap and carefully tucked Turtle in his diaper bag whenever we left the house.  Turtle quickly became Jered's most precious possession and an invaluable source of comfort to him.  Mrs. Giles continued, "I couldn't believe that Jered was willing to give Turtle to a stranger, but he tried."  The crying child had taken one look at Turtle and thrown it in Jered's face.  Stunned, he picked up Turtle and laid down on the mat, refusing to move, the stuffed animal clutched tightly in his arms.  Then I knew.  I knew that Jered could not stand to see the little girl in pain and was determined to help.  When he couldn't, he retreated until someone else came to help.  That's compassion.               

Compassion is empathy, not just sympathy.  We sometimes equate showing compassion with "fixing" people.  Genuine compassion is first able to feel their pain.  I believe the more pain we experience, the more compassionate we will be.  We must learn to use our pain in the right way, not lashing out but looking within to identify with and share the pain of others.  There is a choice in every pain, an opportunity in every trial.  We can understand and comfort others who walk through the same trials we face.  Pain makes us focus inward or outward.  It makes us martyrs or merciful.  The choice is ours.

The Samaritan chose to use his pain and help the injured man.  He could understand the man's pain because of the pain in his own life.  Jews hated all Samaritans.  The man lying on the road was a Jew.  There was no logical reason for this Samaritan to rearrange his plans and spend his money to help this "enemy" in need.  But compassion doesn't look for reasons or ask for limitations.  It searches for opportunity.  The Samaritan had a choice, just as we have a choice every time we are confronted with a need.  We can either ignore the need or we can meet the need by giving away part of the comfort God has given us. 

If we can't prevent pain, we can at least lessen the load with compassion.  Allen Redpath wrote, "You can never lighten the load unless you have first felt the pressure in your own soul."  To develop compassion, we must be willing to feel the pain of others, responding as if it were our own. 

Let's Pray
Father, my heart can be so hard and indifferent.  Please help me remember how Your compassion saved me and then empower me to share that same compassion with others who are hurting.  Please help me see them – the wounded ones who cross my path every day. 

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Read the following words, write them on a piece of paper and keep them in your purse or in your car.  As you go through your day, look for ways to demonstrate the compassion of God.

I was hungry

And you formed a humanities club to discuss my hunger.

I was imprisoned

And you went to your chapel to pray for my release.

I was naked

And you debated the morality of my appearance.

I was sick

And you knelt and thanked God for your health.

I was homeless

And you delivered a sermon on the shelter of God's love.

I was lonely

And you left me alone to attend church.

You seem so close to God but I am still very hungry, lonely, and cold! ~ (Author unknown)

More From The Girlfriends
My biggest problem with compassion is the fact that I am sometimes too busy to see a need.  It is so much easier just to walk on by, relegating our responsibility to someone else – anyone else.  However, the way we care for one another and minister to people no one else will touch should be an illustration of God's all-inclusive and impartial love. I encourage you to join me in a new commitment to be more compassionate. 

During your busy day, you can find encouragement and inspiration from Mary's new collection of MP3 devotionals.  Based on personal life stories and illustrations, these devotions will draw your heart back to the center of God's will and motivate you to walk in obedience. 

Rather have a book?  Check out Mary's book, Hope in the Midst of Depression, to learn how compassion saved her in the midst of her personal battle with depression.

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]

April 24, 2009
What Really Matters
Angela L. Craig

Today's Truth
Deuteronomy 31:6 (NLT) "So be strong and courageous! Do not be afraid and do not panic before them. For the Lord your God will personally go ahead of you. He will neither fail you nor abandon you."

Friend to Friend
Did you know that three out of five of us women have been sexually violated? Or that over fifty percent of us are spending more money than we make? Did you know that one out of two marriages will fail, leaving a wake of loneliness, fear, and financial instability for those left behind? What about substance addiction or cancer, did you know that half of us are struggling with them this very moment?

These statistics are only the tip of the iceberg. Pick up any newspaper and you will read about rising unemployment, war, genocide, and a falling stock market. In my city, today's paper headlines the record flooding that has happened over the last three days, leaving many people's lives and homes in a state of devastation. The world seems to be in a downward spiral as one negative event leads to another.

I imagine you sitting at your desk or kitchen counter reading this with one hand on the delete button because the opening of this devotional was anything but uplifting. Am I right? I don't blame you. I didn't want to write those statistics because it is as painful to write as it is to read.

But wait -- just give me one more minute.

Here is the truth: Virtually every person you and I encounter is struggling with something in their life. Life can be overwhelming at times, even for the most "put together" person. Circumstances can lead us to believe that we are alone and isolated. There are times when feelings of grief, fear or anger feel like they will consume us.

How is your world today? Regardless of how you answer, you must know what really matters. You matter. You really matter because God created you and He cares for you. Someone is reading this devotional today that needs to know that you were not a mistake! You are rare and beautiful in God's eyes (Psalm 139). And because you matter, God will help you and He will never leave you (Deut 31:6).

So be strong and courageous...YOU are what really matters!

Let's Pray
Dear Heavenly Father,

I need you Lord. Life is tough and it seems overwhelming at times. I will not be swallowed up by negative circumstances because I trust You for my future. I believe that You have gone before me and are protecting and caring for me right now. I pray that You will give me the faith, knowledge and wisdom to move forward into a life that you desire for me to have. Thank you, Lord, that I matter to You.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now it is Your Turn
1) You are what matters! Meditate on Psalm 139. If you do not have a Bible, you can look up this passage online at: www.crosswalk.com under the heading, "Search the Bible" on the right side of the home page.

2) Remember that you are not alone - God and others surround you and believe in you. Do not be afraid to ask for help! The stress of life situations can lead you to feel like you are in quicksand. Life can become confusing and it may feel like you cannot maintain focus. Don't stay stuck.  Take action toward improving your situation. First, ask God for His help. Then ask a friend to help you brainstorm small steps to help you. God will surprise you with the solution to a problem by working through the people around you -- when you are willing to ask for help.

3) "Doing good" by giving or serving has been scientifically proven to have healing powers. You can start small by giving a word of encouragement or an act of kindness. When you "do good" for others, you are guaranteed to be encouraged and strengthened! 1

1 Luks, Allan & Payne, Peggy. The Healing Power of Doing Good. Lincoln, NE: iUniverse.com (2001).

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 - Apr. 27, 2009



April 27, 2009
Being Real with God
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"Yet this I call to mind and therefore I have hope:  Because of the LORD's great love we are not consumed for his compassions never fail.  They are new every morning; great is your faithfulness" (Lamentations 3:19-24 NIV).

Friend to Friend
Are we brave enough to be real and honest with God? We might as well be; He knows our hearts inside and out anyway. A. W. Tozer, in his book, The Knowledge of the Holy, wrote:

How unutterably sweet is the knowledge that our Heavenly Father knows us completely.  No talebearer can inform on us; or enemy can make an accusation stick; no forgotten skeleton can come tumbling out of some hidden closet to abash us and expose our past; no unsuspected weakness in our characters can come to light to turn God away from us, since He knew us utterly before we knew Him and called us to Himself in the full knowledge of everything that was against us.

God knew the real me before I even knew myself. David wrote, "Before a word is on my tongue you know it completely, O LORD" (Psalm 139:4 NIV).  Knowing what He knew and knows, it is a wonder that He even gives me the time of day.  And to think, He gives us the time of our lives!

Jeremiah was a mighty man of God who was not afraid to be real before His maker. He wrote, "I am the man who has seen affliction because of the rod of His wrath.  He has driven me and made me walk in darkness and not in light.  Surely against me He has turned His hand repeatedly all the day.  He has caused my flesh and my skin to waste away.  He has broken my bones.  He has besieged and encompassed me with bitterness and hardship.  In dark places He has made me dwell, like those who have long been dead" (Lamentations 3:1-6 NASB).

Jeremiah was mad and he was mad at God.  As far as he was concerned, God was the cause of all his problems.  He felt trapped and afraid.  He continues, "He has walled me in so that I cannot go out; He has made my chains heavy.  Even when I cry out and call for help, He shuts out my prayer.  He has blocked my ways with hewn stone; He has made my paths crooked.  He is to me like a bear lying in wait like a lion in secret places.  He has turned aside my ways and torn me to pieces; He has made me desolate...So I say, 'My strength has perished, and so has my hope from the Lord'" (vv.7-11, 18 NASB).

Jeremiah was in a bad situation...mostly because he had a wrong perception of God.  God did not make him to walk in darkness, cause his flesh to waste away, or break his bones.  God had not encompassed him with bitterness or hardship.  But Jeremiah had allowed his perception to be skewed by his circumstances.

Even though what Jeremiah had to say was incorrect and certainly painted a bad picture of God, he was able to be real about what he was feeling.  Jeremiah did not feel the need to put on a holy mask before an all-knowing God.  And you know what?  God didn't strike him dead for being real and saying what was on his heart.

Before we leave poor Jeremiah, let's notice what happens at the end of his lament.  He begins to remember all the times that God had been faithful.  "This I recall to my mind, therefore I have hope.  The Lord's loving kindnesses are new every morning; great is Thy faithfulness. 'The Lord is my portion,' says my soul, 'therefore I have hope in Him'" (vv. 21-22 NASB).

Jeremiah cleaned the clutter out of his emotional closet and rediscovered the treasures he had forgotten were there.  His circumstances didn't change.  God didn't change.  But his attitude and perception of God changed and his emotions followed close behind.

Let's Pray
Dear LORD, sometimes I whine and complain and blame You for all sorts of trouble in my life.  The truth is, I live in a fallen world where  bad things happen and I make poor decisions.  Help me to remember that Your ways are always loving and always kind.  Help me to recall Your great deeds in my life! Thank you that Your mercies are new every morning!  Great is Your faithfulness!

In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
Have you been complaining to God about your circumstances lately?

Have you been blaming God for the difficult circumstances and forgetting to praise Him for the blessings?

Stop right now and offer up a pray of praise to God for all the wonderful deeds He has performed in your life.  The gift of eternal life would be a great place to start.

More from the Girlfriends
Today's devotion was adapted from Sharon's book,Your Scars are Beautiful to God.  The Bible says, "Let the redeemed of the Lord tell their story"  There is unspeakable joy that bubbles up when a child of God takes off her mask and is real with the world about all that God has done in her life.  And nothing is more beautiful that the story of how God takes us from our dark places and transfers us and transforms us into radiant examples of His miraculous love.  To learn more, visit www.sharonjaynes.com and read an excerpt of 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]

April 28, 2009
How to Enjoy Your Family
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Proverbs 31:11-12; 30 (NIV) "Her husband has full confidence in her and lacks nothing of value. She brings him good, not harm.  A woman who fears the LORD is to be praised."

Friend To Friend
Family means different things to different people.  What is a family?  Well, I can tell you that it is not what it used to be.  Family is no longer simple, but blended and complex.  It has changed to include many different relationships of people who live together.

·         Couples with children

·         Couples with no children

·         Single women with children

·         Single men with children

·         Grandparents with children

·         Parents with grown children who have left and come back home

·         Close friends living together

·         Unrelated people living together

And they are all family!  Family is a group of persons belonging to or forming a household.  We've looked at what a family is, but more important is the question, "What is the purpose of family?"  There are no perfect families.  There never have been.  However, the purpose of family is to illustrate the nature and character of God.  In other words, family is the primary place we learn about God. 

A Sunday school class of first-graders was asked to draw a picture of God. When the pastor stopped by to inspect their work, the children were happy to show him their drawings.  One child had drawn God in the form of a brightly colored rainbow.  Another had drawn the face of an old man coming out of billowing clouds. One drawing looked a lot like Superman, but perhaps the best picture was the one proudly displayed by a girl who said, "I didn't know what God looked like exactly, so I drew my daddy!"

Children get their first impressions of God from their parents.  The family is important to God.  In fact, He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed.  At the heart of that plan is love. To be part of a family is to be loved.  So the challenge before us today is how should we love our family?

I know we all want to be part of a family where we give and receive love.  Proverbs 31 tells us how.  This chapter, a portrait of a wife and mother, was painted by a King as the kind of woman his mother wanted her son to marry.  It is a standard of excellence, not only for women, but for every member of every family. Over the next three days, we will find seven ways in the life of this woman to love your family. 

1.  Build trust

Proverbs 31:11 tells us that "her husband has full confidence in her."  "Full confidence" literally means to trust, to take refuge in or to lean on.  The Proverbs 31 woman spent a lifetime building trust.  She trusted God and had a personal relationship with Him (vs. 30). We cannot be trustworthy if we are not trusting, and if we don't trust God, we cannot truly trust others.  If we are not "taking refuge" or "leaning on" Jesus Christ, when others take refuge and lean on us, we will crumble and fall.  Trust shatters fear

Psalm 56:3 (NIV) "But when I am afraid, I will put my confidence in you. Yes, I will trust the promises of God. And since I am trusting him, what can mere man do to me?"

Trust is fragile and once broken, very hard to build again.  When our daughter was a little girl, she constantly rode on the trusted shoulders of her dad, and loved it.  Then, one day, at a church youth activity, one of the youth was playing around and punched Dan in the stomach.  Dan was caught off guard and the youth hit him harder than he meant to.  Dan doubled over and Danna tumbled down. The next time Dan tried to put her on his shoulders, Danna refused.  It took months for Dan to earn his daughter's trust again.  To enjoy our family, we must first trust God, which then enables us to build trust in our family.  Our family needs to be able to trust us, no matter what, without having to worry about stepping on emotional land mines.  There will be no joy in our homes if there is not an atmosphere of trust.  Family is a "team" idea and nothing is more deadly to the success of a team than a lack of trust.  Trust God and then build trust in your family.  Tomorrow, we will explore other ways to enjoy your family.  Don't miss it!

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for the family You have given me.  I want to love them like they need to be loved.  Help me to build trust in them as I learn to trust You more.  Lord, help me to be trustworthy and to be the woman You want me to be as I minister to my family. 

In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Make a list of ways your family can trust and depend on you.   
Identify any areas where you can build trust.   
Have a family meeting to discuss what it means to be a team.   
Constantly look for ways to foster the mindset that your family is a team.

More From The Girlfriends
Everywhere I look, splintered and broken families abound.  Why?  I believe that somewhere along the way, trust was broken by an affair...a betrayal...a forgotten vow.  What is even more frightening is the casual approach to that broken trust.  My friend, God is calling us to trust Him and then to build that trust in our family.  Right now, no matter how many times you have failed, begin again.  We are with you! 

Need help?  Check out Mary's online bible study, Light for the Journey, for a practical and powerful tool that will help you grow in your faith.  Or you might want to download one of Mary's E-Book bible studies. Blessings!

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]

April 29, 2009
How to Enjoy Your Family, Part 2
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Proverbs 31:13; 15; 20 (NIV) "She selects wool and flax and works with eager hands.  She gets up while it is still dark; she provides food for her family and portions for her servant girls. She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy."

Friend To Friend
Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed.  At the heart of that plan is love.  To be part of a family is to be loved. Yesterday, we saw that the first step to loving our family is to build trust.  The second step is to serve our family with joy.  We are told by many to serve ourselves not others.  The Proverbs 31 woman had every opportunity to live a life of leisure.

·         She has a prominent husband.

·         She had a lot of influence.

·         She was visible and active in community.

·         She was in charge of charity events.

But she got up while it was still dark to make breakfast for her family and for those who served her.  Verse 13 tells us she worked with "eager" hands.  The literal meaning of "eager" is "in delight or in chosen joy."  In other words, she chose to serve with joy, which means we can choose to serve our family with joy as well.  Jesus teaches the truth that service is a natural result of love.

Galatians 5:13 (LB) "For, dear brothers, you have been given freedom: not freedom to do wrong, but freedom to love and serve each other."

Yet, many of us find it easier to serve everyone in love except our family.  When my husband, Dan, was a youth pastor, we saw a variety of family dynamics.  At one church, a young man came to us in tears.  I will never forget his words, "My parents are getting a divorce because mom has time for everyone in the world except my dad and me!"  Service to those we love and call family should not be a burden.  In fact, an attitude of service is contagious!  The best way to teach your family to serve is to serve them.

From childhood, making the bed was one of my kid's daily chores but I told them that one day a week, I would make their bed for them.  It could be on a day when they were running late for school, when they were too tired or didn't feel well. Whatever the reason, I would serve them by making their bed one day a week. One morning, I was running behind.  My husband was recovering from an emergency appendectomy and I had been at the hospital day and night and was exhausted.  I got up very early, took one look at my bed and decided I just didn't want to make it.  I went to take a shower, hoping it would wake me up.  When I came out, Danna, our eleven-year-old daughter had made my bed.  To love our family, we must serve with joy.

Plan well.

Proverbs 31:15b, 21, 27 (LB) "She plans the day's work. She has no fear of winter for her household, for she has made warm clothes for all of them.  She watches carefully all that goes on throughout her household."

Planning prevents chaos.  This woman is in control of her home and her life.  The control came from good planning.  She mastered the skill of homemaking before she ever set foot in the workplace.  She set her priorities; then arranged her life around them. She didn't allow others to set priorities for her but chose to focus on what was important, not just urgent.  Have you noticed that the urgent things in life barge in demanding attention while the important things wait to be chosen?  We can spend a lifetime on the urgent and miss the important. We must set family priorities because if we don't, the world will.

The Proverbs 31 woman knew what needed to be done and made sure that it was done first and in the right way.  She didn't fear winter or the hard times because she was prepared.  Family should provide the most satisfying earthly relationships. If it doesn't, the problem may be with our planning.  Here are some simple tips for planning:

1.  Budget your time. 

2.  Choose one day a week to plan the entire week.

3.  Eliminate.  Have an "elimination" meeting once a month with your family.  Eliminate the things that are hurting your family.

4.  Learn to leave the "lesser" things undone.

5.  Delegate. Include everyone in the family in the work as well as the playing.

6.  Simplify.  Give up on perfection. It's for heaven ... not earth!

Plan well!  It demonstrates your love for your family!

Work hard.

Proverbs 31:16-18 (LB) "She goes out to inspect a field and buys it; with her own hands she plants a vineyard.

She is a hard worker. She works far into the night."

There is nothing lazy about this woman and laziness should not be part of our character as women of God.  This is a busy woman, but not too busy and not busy doing the wrong things.  Busyness does not always equal productivity.  I believe a woman can have it all - a career, a family.  I'm just not sure she can have it all at the same time. 

The Proverbs 31 woman has a strong sense of who she is and what God created her to be.  She has a clear plan for life and notice she doesn't do all of the work herself.  (By the way, this is your scriptural justification for a maid or as I tell my children, why do you think God made kids?)  Working together builds a sense of family.  In a nationwide survey, thousands of school children were asked, "What makes a happy family?"  The most-mentioned key to happiness was "doing things together."  Plan "family projects" and family work days.  At the end of day, order a pizza and rent a movie as reward.  You can build some of your greatest family traditions and memories around work.  Every Thanksgiving week-end, we buy a Christmas tree and put up Christmas lights.  While it is a lot of work, it is also a family tradition.  I never have to ask the kids to help.  They are eager to join in.  A woman who loves her family is willing to work hard for them and with them, planning well and building trust.

Let's Pray
Father, family is so important to me.  Thank You for the family You have given me.  I love each one of them.  Help me to show them that love in ways they can understand.  I pray that our family will be filled with trust and become a haven for each person.  Be glorified in our home and in our family. 

In Jesus' name, 
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Identify areas of family life that need to be more structured.   
Establish a weekly family meeting to plan, to keep up and, in short, connect as a family.   
Use the principles in step three to become a better planner.   
Establish a new family tradition that requires the work of every family member.

More From The Girlfriends
I once heard the statement, "Home is the place you go where they have to take you in."  I love that!  And it really is true.  Tomorrow, we conclude this study on how to enjoy your family.  I pray that it is making a difference in your life and in your family.  Remember, your home and family is the best place for God to show up and show off.

Are you looking for resources that will help you grow in Christ and build the kind of home that pleases and delights Him?  Check out Mary's online bible study, Light for the Journey, for a practical tool that will help you develop the habit of daily prayer and bible study.  Visit Mary's online store for a wide assortment of books, CDs, MP3 downloads and E-Book Bible Studies ... as well as unique gifts for that someone special in your 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]

April 30, 2009
How to Enjoy Your Family
Part 3
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Proverbs 31:26 "When she speaks, her words are wise, and kindness is the rule for everything she says."

Friend To Friend
Family is important to God. He created it before He created the church and, as with each of His creations, He made a plan for it to succeed.  At the heart of that plan is love!  To be part of a family is to be loved.  Over the last two days, we have examined the first steps to loving your family; to build trust, to serve them with joy, to plan well and to work hard.  We can also love and enjoy our family by guarding our tongue.

The power of the spoken word is great.  Words are like seeds.  What we plant will grow.  If we plant negative, critical words, we will reap a family that is negative and critical.  Look for the good in your family then speak it.  Be their cheerleader.  Everyone needs a cheerleader!

A little girl was eating breakfast with her Daddy. They were "on a date", spending some special time together.  He was telling her how wonderful she was and how proud he was of her.  What he thought was a sufficient job he picked up his fork and began to eat. His daughter put her hand on his arm and stopped him with these words, "Longer, Daddy, longer."  He didn't eat much food that day but a little girl's hungry heart got fed. Do you have any hearts like that in your family?

CBS released a movie about Karen Carpenter, the great singer who rose to stardom singing with her brother, Richard.  At the age of 32, she died unexpectedly of heart failure due to many years of abuse caused by Anorexia.  But what brought on Karen's fatal obsession with weight control? It seems that a reporter once called her "Richard's chubby little sister."

Psalm 141:3 "Set a guard over my mouth, O LORD: keep watch over the door of my lips." 

Ask yourself these questions before speaking.

   T       is it true?

   H       Is it helpful? 

    I       is it inspiring? 

   N       is it necessary? 

   K       is it kind?

Think before you speak!  Use the five to one ratio when correcting anyone - five positive remarks to one negative. The harder the truth, the greater the love we should use to say it.  It is our responsibility to use our words to train and instruct our family about the daily things in life, but more importantly, to instruct them about eternal things.  We are very concerned about providing for our children when we need to be more concerned about caring for our children.  The greatest care we can give is to disciple them by speaking words of truth.  Guard your tongue!

The sixth way to enjoy our family is to take care of ourselves.  The Proverbs 31 woman certainly did.  "She is energetic.  Her own clothing is beautifully made--a purple gown of pure linen.  She is a woman of strength and dignity and has no fear of old age."  (Proverbs 31:17; 22; 25 LB) 

Families are hard work. In order to make our family relationships replenishing we must be replenished.  Psalm 46:10 instructs us to "Be still and know that I am God."  Let's apply this verse specifically.

Be still, MY MUSCLES, and know God's RELAXATION. 

Be still, MY NERVES, and know God's REST.

Be still, MY HEART, and know God's QUIETNESS.

Be still, MY BODY, and know God's RENEWAL.

Be still, MY MIND, and know God's PEACE.

In order to be all that we can be to our families, we must be all that we can be mentally,             physically, spiritually and emotionally.  We must be balanced.  The Proverbs 31 woman was energetic and hard working for the tasks she was gifted and called to do.  Proverbs 31:25 tells us this woman could laugh "at the days to come."  The picture here is of a woman who enjoyed her life.  She worked hard, but she knew how to stop and plant a vineyard.  She liked to shop and watched for bargains.  She liked to look beautiful, dressing in purple fine linen. 

1 Corinthians 6:19-20 "You are not your own; you were bought at a price. Therefore, honor God with your body."

We cannot give our heart to God and keep our body for ourselves.  When you take care of yourself, you are honoring God and loving your family.

The final way to enjoy and love your family is to remember your audience.

Proverbs 31:28-31 "Her children arise and call her blessed; her husband also, and he praises her: Many women do noble things, but you surpass them all. Charm is deceptive, and beauty is fleeting; but a woman who fears the LORD is to be praised. Give her the reward she has earned, and let her works bring her praise at the city gate."

It's so easy to have the wrong audience and the truth is that our audience determines how we run the race.  Our audience should be God, our mate, our children and then others.  One day we will stand before God as keeper of the family He has loaned to us

for a short time.  Will He be pleased?  Will He say "Well done"?  Will our family stand and bless us?  Will others say this woman loved and enjoyed her family?

Let's Pray
"Lord, You know my inadequacies.  You know my weaknesses, not only in parenting, but in every area of my life.  As You broke the fishes and the loaves to feed the five thousand, now take my meager effort and use it to bless my family. Please make up for the things I did wrong.  Satisfy the needs that I have not satisfied.  Wrap Your great arms around my family and draw them close to You. And be there when they stand at the great crossroads between right and wrong.  All I can give is my best, and I, today, choose to do that!  Therefore, I submit to You my family and myself and the job I have done and will do as a wife and mother.  The outcome belongs to You." (Author unknown)

Now It's Your Turn
I truly believe our greatest opportunity to impact the world is the way we love and enjoy family.  I pray that you have been blessed by this study.  I encourage you to examine your family in light of these principles.  Identify one principle that needs some work and get started.  It is never too late to start and it is always too early to give up, girlfriend.  And know that Gwen, Sharon and I are right there with you on this journey.  Blessings!

More from the Girlfriends
Family is complex and wonderful.  I encourage you to make a new commitment to your family -- no matter what "family" looks like to you.  Choose to love those you call family in a new way.  Determine to daily illustrate God's very character in your home.  Be the thermostat -- not the thermometer -- of your home.  We pray that your home is a place of peace, love and joy and that it honors God. 

Mother's Day is just around the corner! Drop by Mary's online store where you can find a unique gift, a beautifully laminated bookmark for Mom, or a book or CD as a lasting gift for someone you love.  You can even enroll your mom, sister or friend in Mary's weekly online bible study, Light for the Journey.  Blessings!

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

[Judy Harder]

May 1, 2009
Giving our Children to God
by Sharon Jaynes

(In honor of Mother's Day, Sharon will have several devotions this month that are dedicated to moms.)

Today's Truth:
"Everything is possible for him who believes" (Mark 9:23 NIV).

Friend to Friend
A distraught father once had an unruly son with multiple physical and emotional problems.  Many people even said the boy was possessed by a demon.  The dad had tried everything, but the boy continued to demonstrate antisocial behavior, throwing himself in fire and then in water. That sort of behavior, on top of frequent seizures, rolling on the ground, foaming at the mouth, and an inability to talk, made the dad desperate to find a solution.  He even took the boy to some faith healers who were traveling through his hometown.  But nothing seemed to work.

Finally, the dad realized no human being was going to be able to help his son, so he took him directly to God.  The father heard that Jesus was visiting in his community, so he boldly brought the boy to Him. With desperation in his voice the father pleaded, "If You can do anything, take pity on us and help us!"

And Jesus answered, "If You can!  All things are possible to him who believes."

Immediately the boy's father cried out, "I do believe: help my unbelief."

With that profession, Jesus healed the man's son.

Oh how this story from Mark 9 stirs my heart.  Can't you feel the father's pain?  How desperately he must have felt every time the child threw himself into the water or the fire.  "Why son? Why do you do these things?  I don't understand," he must have asked.

Imagine the humiliation of the whispers as the family walked down the streets. "That's the Jones family.  Have you heard about their son?  He's....."  The stares, the snickers, the off-color comments.  Don't you know there were many days when this dad wanted to just give up?   Instead, he offers us a beautiful picture of what all parents must do, the ultimate act in parenting - hand our children over to God.

As mothers, we can sometimes find ourselves at the end of our mental and emotional resources. We feel we have done everything humanly possible and don't know the best action to take with our children. That's exactly where God wants us every day, not depending on our human capabilities but on His insurmountable omniscience, not depending on our own strength but on His unlimited power. When we realize that we do not and never will have all the child-rearing answers and solutions, we discover the importance of giving our children to God.

S.D. Gordon, in Quiet Talks on Prayer, said, "You can do more than pray, after you have prayed.  But you cannot do more than pray until you have prayed."

Let's Pray
(For those who have children still at home)

Dear God, today, I once again bring my child to you.  Please show me how to parent this precious gift that you have given me. Help me to be the best mother that I can be.  I pray that Your Holy Spirit will teach me, Your wisdom will guide me, and Your love will move me.  Most of all, Lord, I give this child to You.  Please make him (her) a servant after Your own heart.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

(For those with grown children)

Dear God,

My child is no longer under my roof or under my wing.  He (She) is now out in the world making life decisions of his (her) own.  I give this adult child to You, Lord.  May he (she) seek You with all his (her) heart.  I pray that You will protect him (her), guide him (her), and open his (her) heart to the truth of God's Word every day.

In Jesus' Name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Make a list of things about your child over which you have no control.

Now turn that list into a prayer and relinquish each item of concern to God.

Remember what Jesus' reply to the Father was when he said, "If you can do anything..."  Write today's key verse down and commit it to memory.

More from the Girlfriends
Being a parent is the most difficult, rewarding responsibility that God has entrusted to us.  I am so glad that He doesn't leave us to figure it out all on our own, but gives us the Bible as the ultimate handbook.  If you would like to discover key elements of great parenting, see Sharon's book, Being a Great Mom-Raising Great Kids.

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