Girlfriends in God

[Judy Harder]

October 7, 2008
Patience Pays Off
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
James 1:12 "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."  (NIV)

Friend to Friend
Patience is not one of my greatest strengths. In fact, I tend to live each day with a schedule in mind, an agenda by which to live that day and several goals I need to meet before the day's end.  God does have a sense of humor.  I can't tell you how many times my schedule falls apart, the agenda is completely forgotten and I have to move today's goals to tomorrow.  I am learning that when God wants to build a certain quality in my life, He puts me in the opposite circumstance.  For example, if God wants me to be more patient, He arranges the hours and minutes of my day in ways that demand patience. 

What is patience?  To be patient is to have the ability to endure, but it doesn't stop there.  Patience must also have the capacity to be wronged and not retaliate.  In other words, patience is love persevering and love waiting.  We are not only to be patient in the way we face difficult situations but in our relationships as well.  That just about covers life, doesn't it? 

One of the most powerful bible passages on patience and perseverance is found in the book of James.  "Blessed is the man who perseveres under trial, because when he has stood the test, he will receive the crown of life that God has promised to those who love him."  Do you want to be blessed?  Stand firm in your trial.  Do you want to be rewarded?  Stand firm in that tough circumstance.  Be patient -- because patience really does pay off.  God promises blessings and rewards to those who persevere and stand firm in hard times, but the reason we can stand firm is because He loves us unconditionally and promises to walk with us through every dark moment life will bring.  Nothing touches our life that does not pass through God's hand, with His permission. 

Remember the bible story of the man named Job?  Job was a faithful servant of God, strong in his faith and unwavering in his obedience to God.  Satan didn't like it.  In fact, he went to God and asked permission to test Job.  I love that truth!  The devil had to go to God like an errand boy in order to get permission to touch His child, Job.  Satan was convinced that if Job lost everything God had given him - his health, his family, his possessions - if Job lost everything, he would curse God and follow Satan.  God told the serpent to give it his best shot, convinced that Job would persevere.  Satan stripped Job of his health, his possessions, his wealth and his family -- everything Job held dear.  Job stood firm. 

Every trial must come through His love but every trial has a purpose.  Every pain has a purpose, every ordeal contains a seed of victory and there is a promise for every problem you and I will ever face.  The psalmist writes, "The LORD is my strength, my shield from every danger. I trust in him with all my heart. He helps me, and my heart is filled with joy."  (Psalm 28:7) 

Patience pays off in many ways, but one of the greatest rewards of patience is joy, a deeply-rooted confidence that God is in control.  Warren Wiersbe writes, "when God permits his children to go through the furnace, He keeps his eye on the clock and his hand on the thermostat!"  God will never let us face more than we can handle with His help.  Hebrews 12:12 says it so well, "So take a new grip with your tired hands and stand firm on your shaky legs." I have been there, done that and can relate to a weary heart and shaky legs.  Can't you?

Patsy Clairmont shares the true story about her son, Jason.  When he was seven, she sent him off to school one day.  After a little while, there was a knock at the door and when Patsy opened the door, it was Jason.  "What are you doing here?" she asked.  "I've quit school" he said.  "Why have you quit school, Jason?" she demanded.  Jason said, "Well, it was too long, it was too hard and it was too boring.  And I didn't like a lot of it!"  Patsy responded, "Jason, you have just described life.  Get back on the bus!"  When God sees patience at work in your life, He is pleased by your choice to "get back on the bus" in obedience and in faith. 

An evangelist told the story of his friend who, during the depression, lost a job, a fortune, a wife and a home, but he held onto his faith because it was all he had left.  One day, he stopped to watch some men building a stone church.  One of the workers was chiseling a triangular piece of rock.  "What are you going to do with that?" asked the friend.  The workman said, "Do you see that little opening way up there near the spire?  Well, I'm shaping this down here so that it will fit up there." Tears filled the eyes of the broken man as he walked away.  It seemed that God had spoken through the workman to explain the trials of his life."  God is using the trials here on earth to refine and purify us.  In Colossians 1:11, the apostle Paul writes, "God will strengthen you with his own great power so that you will not give up when troubles come, but you will be patient!" 

No matter where you are today, where you have been or what you are facing tomorrow, be patient, knowing your God will strengthen you to stand firm. 

Let's Pray
Father, please forgive me when I am impatient.  Help me to see You at work in the trial and choose to depend on Your strength instead of my own.  Help me to see Your purpose and plan but even if I can't understand it all, help me to stand firm in faith.  Lord, make me more patient so that others will see You in me. 
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It Is Your Turn
Read Romans 12:12 "Be patient when trouble comes."  What trouble in your life today requires patience? Are you willing to choose faith and obedience by trusting God with that trouble?   

Read 1 Thessalonians 5:14 "Be patient with everyone."  What relationship in your life demands patience from you?  Evaluate how patient you have been in this relationship.  What one thing do you need to change in order to choose obedience to God as you relate to this person?

Read Ephesians 4:2 "Always be humble, gentle and patient."  Notice that patience is listed along with two other important qualities that God wants to see in us.  How do you think patience relates to humility and gentleness?

More From The Girls
Sandpaper can be very useful or very painful...or both.  When I think about patience, sandpaper always comes to mind.  God uses the difficult people and painful trials in our life to teach us patience.  We can choose to let those tough times painfully rub off the rough edges of our character or we can just choose to endure the pain time and time again.  The only thing worse than learning from experience, is not learning from experience.  I am right there with you, friend.  I encourage you to check out my book, Sandpaper People, as a resource for those difficult relationships in your life.  And something new!  You can download an MP3 file of "Patience Pays Off" by visiting the online store of my website.  Blessings!

Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com.

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]

October 8, 2008
Grieving the Loss
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"See!  The winter is past; the rains are over and gone. Flowers appear on the earth; the season of singing has come, the cooing of doves is heard in our land." Song of Songs 2:11-12 (NIV).

Friend to Friend
Beth is one of my dearest friends.  She had been married for 24 years when her husband walked away from their marriage.  Beth is a very strong Christian and for five years put on a happy face telling everyone, including herself, "Jesus is enough."  She has two absolutely incredible children who love the Lord and serve in some facet of ministry.  And yet, I wondered if she had been the first person I had ever known who had skipped the grieving process that follows the devastation of divorce.

She was not.

Five years after the divorce, Beth and I were talking on the phone about the wonderful man that she had been dating for two years.

"Beth, what's wrong with Randy?  Why is he dragging his heels?" I asked.  "I'm ready to hear some wedding bells."

"Sharon," she replied, "I don't think the problem is Randy.  I think it's me.  I was married for twenty-four-years and honestly, I am having trouble trusting again.  I know Randy is not anything like my first husband.  He loved his wife and they had an incredibly Christ-centered marriage before she died of cancer.  But there's just something wrong with me!"

"Beth, I don't think you ever allowed yourself to grieve over your loss.  I know your first husband betrayed you at the very core of what a marriage is supposed to be, and there is loss.  There is grieving the loss that your children do not have the father they deserve, the loss of investing twenty-four  years with a man who betrayed you, and the loss of the dream of what marriage could and should be like -- what God intended from the beginning of time."

Beth is just now beginning to grieve the many losses that accompanied her divorce and she and her two grown children are in the process of breaking free.

Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, in her book, On Death and Dying, notes five stages of grief:

Stage One:  Denial and Isolation
Stage Two: Anger
Stage Three:  Bargaining
Stage Four:  Depression
Stage Five: Acceptance
(Elisabeth Kubler-Ross, M.D., On Death and Dying (New York: Macmillan Publishing Company, 1969).

But for us who have linked our lives with Jesus Christ, there is a Stage Six:

Resurrection.   
Grief is part of the healing process.  For me, I had to grieve the fact that I did not have the family I had always longed for.  I grieved that I did not grow up being the apple of my daddy's eye, that I was not unconditionally loved, and that I did not get to hold my second child in my arms. Grieving the loss helped me to let it go, but after a time, I had to stop lamenting what was not, and rejoice in the blessings of what is.  Remember, you can't change the past, but you can change what you choose to do with it.  Perhaps you need to grieve the losses in your life. Here are a few to consider:

Loss of innocence
Loss of a nurturing family
Loss of unconditional love
Loss of acceptance
Loss of security
Loss of virginity
Loss of a close relationship with your mother
Loss of a healthy relationship with your father
Loss of trust
Loss of education
Loss of employment
Loss of a marriage
Loss of a spouse
Loss of a child
Loss of friendship
It is healthy to grieve a loss, but then there comes a time for the mourning to end and new life to begin.

"My lover spoke and said to me,
"Arise, my darling,
my beautiful one, and come with me.
See!  The winter is past;
The rains are over and gone.
Flowers appear on the earth;
The season of singing has come,
The cooing of doves
Is heard in our land."
(Song of Songs 2:10-12)

Let's Pray
Dear LORD, I have grieved the losses in my life, and I am so thankful You have brought me to a place of resurrection!  Jesus came that we might have life, and have it to the full!  Help me to always look to resurrection and never stop at simple acceptance of a broken dream.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
Go back up to the list of losses.  Are any of those losses part of your story?  If so, put a check by them.

Now ponder that loss for a moment.  Are you stuck there? Or have you allowed God to take you to the next level ... to resurrection?  If not, consider giving the broken pieces of your dream to God and allowing Him to make them into a beautiful mosaic - lovelier than anything you could have ever imagined.  Resurrection!  It is God's plan of redemption.  We see it in the resurrection of Jesus and the resurrection of our broken dreams.  He's amazing.

More From The Girlfriends
Two of Sharon Jaynes' resources speak to how God wants to move us past mourning and onto fulfilling His amazing plans for our lives.  To learn more, visit her resource page and read excerpts from Your Scars are Beautiful to God and Dreams of a Woman: God's plan for fulfilling your dreams.


Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com.

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]

October 9, 2008
Making Your Heart Sit Down
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Psalm 90:12   Teach us to make the most of our time, so that we may grow in wisdom.  (NLT)

Friend to Friend
Every minute of every day is either wasted or invested. Since the Bible contains over 400 verses about time, we can safely assume that time management is important to God.  In fact, it is a spiritual discipline.  We not only need to view time as an eternal investment, but as an immediate one as well.  One of the most valuable investments we can make is to spend time in solitude. 
     
I once read an African proverb, "Lord Jesus, make my heart sit down". Solitude is deliberately and diligently setting aside time to "sit down" at the feet of Jesus.  It is in those still, quiet moments of solitude at his feet that we can more clearly hear God speak and gain strength and wisdom for the journey ahead.  In order to practice solitude, we must learn how to budget time. 
   
It's been said that women must balance their time more carefully than men because women don't have wives. The fact is we are all responsible for how we spend the time God has given us. Time is a precious gift!  Every morning we are credited with 86,400 seconds.  No balance is carried into the next day and every night erases what we fail to use.  If we use it in the wrong way, that time is lost forever and cannot be reclaimed.  Un-budgeted time gravitates to our weaknesses, is stolen by others or wasted on the unimportant.  We must budget time, just as Jesus did. 

Luke 2:52 "Jesus grew in wisdom and stature, and in favor with God and men" (NIV).

At the age of 12, Jesus traveled to Jerusalem with his parents for the annual Passover Celebration.  When his parents began the long trip home, they did not miss their son at first and when they did, assumed he was traveling with friends.  Jesus was found in the temple, teaching. My first reaction would probably have been pride in the fact that religious scholars and teachers were actually listening to my young son.  I would most likely have encouraged Jesus to continue, basking in the looming recognition and acclaim.  Instead, Jesus returned home where, for 18 to 20 years, he simply grew.  Luke 2:52 tells us that Jesus grew mentally, physically, spiritually and socially. In Luke 3, Jesus begins his ministry, the most powerful ministry ever known.  In other words, Jesus Christ budgeted his time wisely, resulting in a balanced life of fulfilled purpose.  We can live the same kind of life if our priorities are right.

Set priorities:  Ecclesiastes 3:1 tells us that "there is a time for everything, a season for every activity under heaven" (NLT).  We either set our life priorities or allow circumstances and other people to set them. 

Schedule priorities:  There is a right time and a right way to carry out right priorities.  Ecclesiastes 8:5-6 warns, "For a wise heart knows the proper time and procedure. For there is a proper time and procedure for every delight" (NASB). We must schedule time for solitude.  We must set aside portions of each day to spend with God. 

Stick to priorities:  The apostle Paul teaches us to "make the most of every opportunity" (Ephesians 5:16 NIV).  Every challenge will either wreck our priorities or affirm them.  Right priorities stand firm in the face of change.

One day, we will all stand before the Father and give an account of how we invested our time.  Today, examine your time management habits in light of eternity.  Initiate schedule changes that honor God.   Make a new commitment to invest your time wisely. 

Let's Pray
Father, I recognize my need for time alone with You.  I lay down my schedule, my agenda and anything else in my life that would keep me from that time.  Please forgive me for the way I often squander away the minutes, hours and days of my life.  Give me the power to invest time wisely and wisdom to live a balanced life. 
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Choose to practice solitude - today.
Select a place to spend time in solitude -- today.
Lay down your agenda.   
Focus on Him and listen for His voice.
Memorize Psalm 37:7 "Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for him."  (NIV)
Ask yourself these questions and use the answers to shape a plan for regular solitude:
Why am I afraid of silence?
What is the greatest obstacle to solitude in my life?
What steps do I have to take in order to remove those obstacles?
What do I hope to gain from time spent in solitude?
More From The Girls
Learning to rest and be still before God is so important to our spiritual growth, strength and maturity.  It won't just happen.  We have to carve out time to spend alone with God in solitude.  Time spent in solitude allows our heart to be still before God.  Solitude filters through all of the voices in life and seeks out God's voice above the rest.  I encourage you to read Psalm 23 every day this month and find time each week for solitude.  The book and/or CD, Escaping the Stress Trap, will be a helpful tool as you learn to make your heart sit down. 

Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com.

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]

October 10, 2008
Unsearchable
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"I will extol You, my God, O King, and I will bless Your name forever and ever. Every day I will bless You, and I will praise Your name forever and ever. Great is the LORD, and highly to be praised, and His greatness is unsearchable."  (Psalm 145:1-3, NASB)

Friend to Friend
I fell in love with my husband half-my-life ago, yet with fifteen years of marriage under my belt, there are still moments that I shake my head and wonder, "who is that man?" And while I may not have every mystery about him solved, I do know my husband. I know his voice, his touch, and his quirks. I'm a witness to his character, his personality, and his ways. The same is true about my relationship with God.  Over the years, I have learned to hear His voice, to recognize His touch, and to understand some basic truths of who He is.

There are so many revelations of God in His Word.  The Bible boasts of His greatness, glory, honor, and character.  We know that Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever (Heb 13:, that God's grace is sufficient for every repentant heart, and that His power is made perfect in our weakness (2 Corinthians 12:9).  We know that His name is above all other names (Philippians 2:9), that there is no other like Him (Jeremiah 10:6), and that His wisdom holds secrets that are hidden from before time began (I Corinthians 2:7).  And for as much as we know about the LORD, our knowledge of Him is but a fraction of grain of sand as held up the all the beaches on earth.

Though He is the mysterious master Creator who hung each star in the sky and calls them by name, He wants us to love Him, to trust Him, to know Him, and to worship Him.  That thought alone sets my mind to wonder! God invites us to participate with Him in a vibrant dance of abundant life through His Son, Jesus Christ.  Our amazing Heavenly Father bids each and every one of us to come to Him with questions, to be held by His love, to find peace, hope, and healing in His Son. He calls us to seek Him through prayer and to experience new revelations of Him through His Word and through the Holy Spirit.

The voice of all of creation shouts His praise! I encourage you to pause in this moment to consider Him...to respond to Him...to meditate on His glorious splendor.  As you do, He will become the all-satisfying desire of your heart, while at the same time, He will stir up a hunger in your soul to know Him even more.

Let's Pray
Holy Father, Your greatness truly is unsearchable! I pray that you will continue to stir up a hunger in my soul to know all the mystery of You that remains.  Please cause me to think bigger thoughts of You, and to acknowledge You in all my ways.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
This devotion was inspired by a new worship song that I co-wrote called, UNSEARCHABLE.  Take a moment to read through the lyric.  Speak it out loud!

UNSEARCHABLE
By Sue Smith and Gwen Smith

Lord I know that your grace is sufficient for me
I know I am held by your love
And You're there when I call
You are strong when I'm weak
You delight over me from above

And You stir up a hunger that I can't explain
To know all the mystery of You that remains

Unsearchable greatness
Unsearchable wisdom
Unsearchable mercy to me
I am lost in the wonder of all that I know
Knowing there's much more to see
Cause you are unsearchable
You are unsearchable

Lord, I boast in Your glory that humbles the stars
Your name has such power and might
And Your goodness and kindness
Have captured my heart
Your Word keeps giving me life

And you stir up a hunger that I can't explain
to know all the mystery of You that remains

Chorus

Hear the voice of all creation crying out (4x)

Now... CLICK HERE to listen to the song and respond in worship. (Turn on your speakers!)

Read Jeremiah 33:3.  "Call to me and I will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know." What does this verse mean to you?  What does this verse tell you about the rewards of calling on our Lord?  Thank Him for hearing your prayers and for healing your pains.  Be lost in the wonder of Him.

More from the Girlfriends
Gwen's song "Unsearchable" is the title track to her new CD that is just being released.  CLICK HERE to order your copy!

God delights to transform lives...including your own.  In her book, Broken Into Beautiful, Gwen Smith invites you to experience how the unconditional love of Jesus can change your life and then stand back and watch the wonder of grace at work.  He is willing to eternally forgive and forget and to transform your life into something beautiful. To order Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful, please CLICK HERE. 

Gwen Smith is a worship artist, songwriter, speaker, and author. Need a speaker for your next women's conference, retreat, or event?  Consider inviting Gwen.  For more information, visit her website at: www.gwensmith.net.

Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com. 

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]

October 13, 2008
A Woman's Hands
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"She opens her arms to the poor and extends her hands to the needy." (Proverbs 31:20 NIV)

Friend to Friend
On a shelf in my living room sits a black and white photograph of a young girl that was taken in the early 1900's. Her hair is pulled back with an oversized bow peeking from behind the edges of her head.  Her dress is typical of the times with puffed sleeves and a brimming lace collar resting on her shoulders.  She isn't smiling and she appears to be somewhat awkward, timid, and I dare say, even afraid.  This is a picture of my grandmother Anderson on her wedding day.  She was fourteen-years-old.

As I gaze at this amazing woman who bore twelve children and then miscarried eleven others, I am always drawn to her hands. Hanging uncomfortably at her side, are hands that seem much too large for her petite frame. "Anderson hands," my mother calls them. I surmise that God must have known this little lady would need a big heart and big hands to embrace all that life would send her way.

Like my Grandmother Anderson, all of us mothers need big hearts and big hands. Our hands grip the bed rail in pain in the delivery room; then gently caress a newborn for the first time.  Before long, those hands are changing diapers, washing bottoms and faces, cleaning spit-up, wiping tears, rocking sleepy heads and placing babies in a crib.  Then they are holding a toddler's chubby hand and grabbing him to keep him out of harm's way.  Tossing a ball, preparing holiday dinners, setting a festive table, tying packages for birthday parties and Christmas presents.  Coloring and cutting out shapes in workbooks.  Picking up leaves and bugs for collections.  Pushing a swing and letting go of a bike as a child first learns to peddle on his own.  Sewing party dresses and mending torn baseball jerseys, washing scraped knees and spooning out medicine. Holding the sweaty palm of an awkward adolescent while dancing around the den, tying the knot of a neck tie and pinning on a boutonniere for a first party. Writing letters to children away at camp or folding hands in prayer asking for the Lord's protection while they're away. Tightly grasping the steering wheel while chauffeuring children from one place to the next or gripping the seat as a teen learns how to drive herself.  Hands that wave goodbye as a son drives off to college and hands that adjust a cherished daughter's wedding veil.  A mother's hands are loving hands, disciplining hands, grieving hands, protecting hands and providing hands.  They embrace the child and then, when the child is ready, she opens them and lets them go.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, thank You for holding me always in the palm of Your hands.  I pray that today, I will use my hands for good: to help a child, to give a hug, to pat a back, to cook a meal, to touch with kindness, to caress with love.  I lift up my hands to praise you and fold them in prayer to intercede. 
In Jesus' name,
Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Go back and think of all your hands have done over the past week.  Make a list of how you have used your hands to love others.

Make a list of how the touch of other people has encouraged you over the past week.

Proverbs 14:1 says that the wise woman builds her house, but with her own hands the foolish one tears hers down.  What are some ways that we can tear our house down with our own hands?  Are there any destructive uses of your hands that need to be eliminated?

Think back to all the ways your own mother loved you through her hands.  You may even want to write a list or even write her a letter of thanks.

More From The Girlfriends
It is truly amazing all that a mom does on any given day.  Being a mom is one of the greatest responsibilities and privileges we will ever have.  If you're a mom and need a bit of encouragement today, you'll want to read Sharon's book, Being a Great Mom, Raising Great Kids. It's packed with encouraging words, helpful tips and Biblical advice. 


Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com. 

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]

October 14, 2008
You Can't Take It With You
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
Luke 12:15 "Then he said to them, "Watch out! Be on your guard against all kinds of greed; a man's life does not consist in the abundance of his possessions."

Friend to Friend
Greed and stress go hand-in-hand.  If we want to eliminate stress, we must choose to put "things" in their proper place, refusing to attach importance to them. In Luke 12:15, Jesus issues a warning, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns" (ICB).  I believe that attaching importance to "things" is sin and will always lead to more sin. The monster of greed is fed by fear.  We are afraid to give it all to God. We are afraid of not having enough.  We are afraid to sacrifice and not having enough resources for the future. How important are your possessions? How do you view the things you possess? 

The story is told of the world's stingiest man who went shopping for a friend's gift.  Everything was too expensive, except for a $50.00 vase that was on sale for $2.00 because the handle had been broken off.  The stingy man bought it and had the salesman ship it so that his friend would think that he had paid the full price of $50.00 for the vase and that it had been broken in shipment.  A week later, the penny-pinching man received a thank you note from his friend. "Thank you for the lovely vase," the note read. "It was so nice of you to wrap each piece separately."

One way we can guard against greed and control our wants is to view our possessions as resources loaned to us by God for us to disperse instead of treating them as earned rewards or deserved pleasures. "Each one should use whatever gift he has received to serve others." (I Peter 4:10 NIV)  Every spiritual gift, every financial resource and possession has been given to us by God as a way to serve others.  Greed steps in the minute we begin to view those gifts and resources as our own while clutching them tightly in our hands and in our hearts.  Fear then leads us to worry about losing what is not really ours to begin with and left unchecked, greed can lead to dishonesty.  Greed and exaggerated wants can control our lives to the point that we are consumed by a fear that naturally leads to dishonesty and lies.

The reality is that who we are should never be measured in terms of what we have or do not have. Instead, our lives are measured by who and what we are. The lure of material wealth is undeniably stronger than the human will or self-control and always positions itself between us and God. The result will always be stress.  Someday, I think we will discover that the door that shuts out many from heaven is covered with silver and gold. 

I love the story of a wealthy man who prayed, asking for permission to take his earthly wealth with him when he died and went to heaven. An angel appeared to the man and said, "We heard your prayer, but I am sorry. You simply cannot take it with you." The man pleaded so passionately that the angel said, "Let me see what I can do." When the angel returned, he reported, "Good news!  God has made an exception for you.  You may bring one suitcase with you when it is your time to go." Delighted, the man packed his one suitcase and went on with life.  Several years later, he died and appeared at the Pearly Gates where he was met by St. Peter who took one look at the suitcase and said, "I am sorry, sir, but you cannot bring that in with you." The man protested, "But I received special permission." Just then, the angel appeared and said, "Peter, it is true.  He has special permission to bring one suitcase in with him."  Curious, Peter said, "Do you mind showing me what is in the bag that is so important to you?" With a smile, the man replied, "Not at all" and proceeded to open the suitcase to reveal stacks of gold bricks.  Peter's face said it all, "Pavement? You brought pavement with you?"

Stress thrives on greed that urges us on, in a never-ending and futile quest to accumulate "pavement" here that is totally worthless there! Wealth is all a matter of perspective.  We need to understand that our Father wants us to have wealth. We just have to be careful that we do not settle for earthly money and possessions instead of eternal treasures.

Let's Pray
Father, thank You for reminding me that what I have is temporary but that who I am is eternal.  Give me a heart that loves to give instead of to receive. Help me to make decisions and choices that are generous instead of greedy. I pray that others would see You in the way I give myself away in service and that I would never count on earthly possessions for the peace and contentment only You can give.
In Jesus' name,
Amen

Now It Is Your Turn

Make a list of your ten most prized possessions.
If you lost them all, how would your life change in light of eternity?
How much peace and contentment would you forfeit?
Set aside time today to review your list and surrender each prized possession to God.
Give one of those possessions away this week as a secret gift.
Pray for an eternal perspective of earthly "things"
More From The Girls
Several years ago, we moved from a large house to a much smaller one in order to pay off some debt.  As we packed, I realized that half of what we owned would not fit in the new house. We began giving away furniture, making frequent trips to various charities and the local dumpster. It is amazing how much "junk" can be accumulated over the years.  Looking back, with the exception of one or two items, I can't even remember what we got rid of.  It really is just "stuff".  Do you want to break the hold that material things have in your life?  Give them away.  You will be amazed to see that you just can't out-give God!   I want to invite you to join my Free Online Bible Study, Light for the Journey.  We are beginning a new study, "A Glimpse of Heaven" that will encourage an eternal perspective in your life and help you to break free from the grasp of earthly things.


Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com.

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]

October 15, 2008
I am God's Workmanship
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (Ephesians 2:10 NIV)

Friend to Friend
When my son was in elementary school, he created some works of art that had a striking resemblance to that of the world-renowned artist, Picasso.  However, Picasso's paintings are worth millions of dollars and my son's are only valuable to me.  What makes a work of art valuable?  Its value is based on the artist who created it.  You, dear friend, are a piece of art created by God Himself.  King David described it this way:

For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb.  I praise you because I am fearfully and wonderfully made; your works are wonderful, I know that full well.  My frame was not hidden from you when I was made in the secret place.  When I was woven together in the depths of the earth, your eyes saw my unformed body.  All the days ordained for me were written in your book before one of them came to be. (Psalm 139:13-16).

A woman was and is one of God's most magnificent creations.  In fact, she was His grand finale.  After He fashioned Eve, creation was complete and He took a rest!   God has placed in our hearts a love for beauty and a desire to be beautiful. Let's go back to the beginning of time and reflect on our magnificent beginnings.

After God created the sun, moon, stars, earth, waters, creeping and flying animals, he created man.  But something was missing.  For Adam there was no creature suitable for him.  This is the only time God said any aspect of His creation was "not good."  He said, "It is not good for man to be alone" (Genesis 2:18).

So the LORD God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept; then He took one of his ribs and closed up the flesh at that place.  And the LORD God fashioned into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man, and brought her to the man.  And the man said, "This is now bone of my bone and flesh of my flesh; she shall be called Woman, because she was taken out of Man." (Genesis 2:21-24 NASB)

While God created the world and all it contains, He did something a little special when He made woman.  The NASB translation says He fashioned Eve.  He didn't simply make you -- He fashioned you with extra special care and meticulous detail.  You are a thing of beauty, a sight to behold, and one of His most spectacular masterpieces - a work of art, a valuable original, a one of a kind.

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You that I am fearfully and wonderfully made.  Forgive me when I complain about Your masterpiece -- my nose, my hips, my complexion, etc. I praise You for the intricacies of the human body.  The fact that my heart beats without my telling it to, my lungs inhale and exhale without my instruction, and my reflexes react automatically.  Yes, I am fearfully and wonderfully made.
In Jesus' Name,
Amen

Now It's Your Turn
Make a list today of how your body is wonderfully made by God. Example:

My eyelids blink.
My food is digested.
My heart beats.
What ways have you complained about your body lately?

How does the above list of how you are wonderfully made compare to your complaints?

When you see a newborn baby, what is one of your first thoughts?

Considering that Genesis 1:26 says, "Let us make man in our own image," how should we view ourselves?

More From The Girlfriends
Wow, when we think of all the intricacies God put into making us, it is truly amazing.  But more than a body, He also created us with a soul and a spirit. And all through our lives, God is at work to complete the masterpiece of you and me through our minds, wills, and emotions.  If you would like to begin seeing yourself as God sees you, you'll want to read Experience the Ultimate Makeover  by Sharon Jaynes.  When you see yourself as God sees you, you'll never again feel inadequate. 

Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.  For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com.

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]

October 16, 2008
When I Am Afraid
Mary Southerland

Today's Truth
"For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind" 2 Timothy 1:7 (NKJV).

Friend to Friend
We do a lot of laundry at the Southerland house. There always seems to be a load in the washer that needs to go in the dryer, a load in the dryer that needs to be folded and a load of dirty laundry waiting to begin the process all over again.  Sound familiar?

Our washer and dryer have numerous settings for everything from hand washables and fine delicates to cotton and permanent press. In an effort to raise responsible young adults, our children began doing their own laundry at a young age.  However, there was a price to be paid for that lesson.  After a few loads that yielded pink male underwear and sweaters shrunk to fit Barbie dolls, we decided to wash everything on one setting.  Heaven help the man, woman or child who dares to change that setting. 

When a life crisis comes, we generally have an automatic setting of fear and anxiety.  The good news is that we can change that setting to peace and joy!  How?  By counting on God.

Count on God to be with you.  We battle stress every day, but God is faithful and we can count on Him to be with us every step of the way. Worry is trying to fix tomorrow's problems with today's resources. My husband and I are flying to Charlotte, North Carolina.  Dan booked the tickets and reserved seats for both of us.  We have packed our suitcases and made every preparation we can think of.  However, we really don't need any of those things...until we get on the plane.  Grace is much the same.  God gives grace in daily doses -- just when we need them.

Isaiah 43:2 When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you (NLT).

Count on God for direction.  Life can easily spin out of control in a whirlwind of confusion.  God offers direction and guidance through His word, through His people and through the Holy Spirit. 

Psalm 32:8 I will guide you along the best pathway for your life.  I will advise you and watch over you (NLT).

Count on God for provision.  God goes before us in every area of life.  Nothing that happens to us will ever surprise God.  We must be careful to stay away from the scenario sickness of "What if".  There are no "what ifs" when we choose to trust God for every need. 

Isaiah 65:24 I will provide their needs before they ask.  I will help them while they are still asking for help (NLT).

Count on God for protection.  God will fight for us when we are attacked.  When we follow God's agenda, God fights for us.  When we follow our agenda, we are on our own. 

Exodus 14:13 The Lord will fight for you; you need only to be still" (NIV).   

I recently saw a bumper sticker that read, "If God is your Co-Pilot, switch seats!"  Many of us have good reason to be afraid because we are sitting in the pilot seat of life, determined to be in control.  Fear feeds stress. Stress thrives in an atmosphere of fear and doubt when our hand is on the steering wheel of life.  We need to move over, surrender control to God and find the peace waiting in His hand.

Let's Pray
Father, my heart is filled with fear.  It seems like I am drowning in the uncertainties of my life.  Lord, help me to surrender my fears to You.  Strengthen me to face each one and walk through it, knowing that You are with me. I choose to trust You and doubt my fears.  I choose against stress and choose for peace.  I choose You, Lord. 
In Jesus' name,
Amen. 

Now It's Your Turn

What fears are you facing today?
Make a list of your fears.   
What step(s) do you need to take in order to find victory over those fears?   
Surrender each one to the loving control of God as you pray, "I will fear no evil, for you are with me."   
Burn the list as an offering of praise and thanksgiving to God's perfect peace enthroned in your life.
Read and memorize the following verses.  When you are afraid, pray and speak these verses aloud:
Psalm 46: 1 God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (NIV).

Psalm 63: 7-8 Because you are my help, I sing in the shadow of your wings.   My soul clings to you; your right hand upholds me (NIV).

Isaiah 42:16 I will lead the blind by ways they have not known, along unfamiliar paths I will guide them; I will turn the darkness into light before them and make the rough places smooth. These are the things I will do; I will not forsake them (NIV).

More From The Girls
The longer I live and walk with Christ, the more I experience the reality that God is the only one I can truly count on in life.  He never lets me down.  He never leaves me.  He is always there when I cry out to Him.  Fear was once a very familiar prison to me.  Step-by-step, I began to realize just how faithful God is and that realization has changed my life.  When you are afraid, He is your complete peace.  Need encouragement?  Check out the new MP3s now available! 


Don't miss the next Girlfriends in God Conference, October 17-18, in Gloucester County, New Jersey.
For more information, go to www.gcccpray.com.

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]

October 17, 2008
Through The Veil
Gwen Smith

Today's Truth
"Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled to cleanse us from a guilty conscience and having our bodies washed with pure water" (Hebrews 10:19-22).

Friend to Friend
A few years ago, my father received the gift of life as a transplant recipient.  Tragically, in order for my dad to live, someone else had to die.  The only information our family received about the donor is that the person had died in a car crash.  While our family rejoiced at this priceless provision, another family mourned the passing of one they loved.  It was a bittersweet exchange ...wonderful and horrible at the very same time.

At the very moment of Christ's death, across the city of Jerusalem -- in the temple -- the veil that separated the Holy of Holies from the Most Holy Place was torn from top to bottom...from God to man.  The barriers between God's mercy and us no longer exist. 

Some 2000 years ago, when Jesus surrendered His perfect life to death -- once for all -- a new and living way was created for us to be reconciled to the holy heart of God.  It was the Great Exchange.  Through the curtain, which is the body of Christ, we have access to the Most Holy Place ...the presence of God.  In the Old Testament, the high priests entered the Holy of Holies with great trepidation.  Because of Christ, we can cross the threshold of mercy with confidence.

While studying this very topic, the Lord inspired me to write this worship song:

Through The Veil
by Gwen Smith
Hebrews 10:19-23

Through the veil there's a new and living way
Through the curtain, welcome to the Holy Place
Though we once were separated, we are now invited in
Through the veil, through the blood, come to Him
Through the veil, through the blood, enter in

The Holy Place is open, come and worship
The Lamb for Sinner's slain is King of all
We praise and glorify the Lord before His mighty throne
Through the veil, through the blood, come to Him
Through the veil, through the blood, enter in

CLICK HERE TO LISTEN TO THROUGH THE VEIL

I've heard it said that "We are far more sinful than we can possibly imagine and far more loved than we can possibly accept."

How does this affect you and me?  How does this pivotal moment in history, this "veil renting" influence the way we live?  Well, I guess that's up to each one of us.  Hebrews 4:16 says, "Let us then approach the throne of grace with confidence, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us in our time of need." 

Have you accepted this great exchange in your own heart?  Have you prayed to receive this mercy and forgiveness that is offered freely to all who ask?  If not, would you like to now?  God is waiting with open arms.  Roman's 10:9 tells us "That if you confess with your mouth, "Jesus is Lord," and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved."  Nothing you have ever done lands outside the scope of God's forgiveness.

If you would like to pray, it's as simple as this:  "Dear Lord, I confess that I have done many things wrong -- the Bible calls it sin and I'm guilty.  Would you please forgive me?  I do believe that Jesus is Your Son and that He is Lord.  I believe that He lived, died and rose again.  Would you be my Lord?  Would you teach me what it means to follow you?  Thank you Father.  In Jesus' name, amen."

If you prayed that prayer and meant it sincerely, would you please email us and let us know.  We would love to pray for you.

Once we are covered in grace, prayer, praise and worship should be our natural response to God.  We must come with both reverence and boldness...with quiet awe and joyful singing...because He is both a radiant, holy God and a trustworthy, faithful friend.  Enter in today.

Let's Pray
Holy Father, You are amazing!  Thank You for offering forgiveness and mercy through the great exchange of Jesus.  I am blessed beyond measure to be able to come into Your presence with a heart that is pure.  Your love is extravagant.  In Jesus' name, amen.

Now It's Your Turn

Is there an area of your life that needs 'transplanted?' 
Do you know that God can forgive anything you have done? 
Write a response to God.  Thank Him for his love and mercy, and then read it to Him as an act of worship! 
More From the Girlfriends
Gwen's song "Through The Veil" is featured on her new CD that is just being released.  CLICK HERE to pre-order your copy!

God delights to transform lives...including your own.  In her book, Broken Into Beautiful, Gwen Smith invites you to experience how the unconditional love of Jesus can change your life and then stand back and watch the wonder of grace at work.  He is willing to eternally forgive and forget and to transform your life into something beautiful. To order Gwen's book, Broken Into Beautiful, please CLICK HERE. 

To listen to Gwen's music, CLICK HERE!

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

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]

October 20, 2008
Whose Report Are You Going to Believe?
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth
"We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it."  (Numbers 13:30 NIV).

Friend to Friend
All through the Bible, God gives us great and wonderful promises about who we are in Christ, what we have in Christ, and where we are in Christ. Let me remind you of just a few.

"I can do everything through him who gives me strength." (Philippians 4:13)
"Commit to the LORD whatever you do, and your plans will succeed." (Proverbs 16:3)
"God has blessed us in the heavenly realms with every spiritual blessing in Christ."
(Ephesians 1:3)
"For everyone born of God overcomes the world.  This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith." (1 John 5:5)

The Bible is packed full of many promises just like those. However, the enemy, Satan, tells us that we are worthless losers with little to no power to live in victory.  He tells us we are but "grasshoppers" in the face of our difficulties and struggles. So, whose reports are we going to believe?

The Israelites faced the same situation. They had been freed from Egyptian slavery and then roamed around in the desert. God then signaled it was time to enter the Promised Land flowing with milk and honey.  He said, "Send some men to explore the land of Canaan which I am giving the Israelites." At God's command, Moses sent in twelve men to spy out the land and ten of them came back with this report:

"We went into the land which you sent us and it does flow with milk and honey! But the people who live there are powerful and the cities are fortified and very large." (Numbers 13:27, 28) The men went on to say they were like grasshoppers compared to the giants who lived in Canaan.

However, two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, believed God and reported, "We should go up and take possession of the land, for we can certainly do it." (13:30)

Guess who the people believed?  They believed the "evil report" and failed to take the land because of fear. I have an acronym for fear: False Evidence Appearing Real. They saw only the giants, but failed to see Almighty God. God had already given them the land.  The people simply needed to walk in and take possession of it. Instead of moving into the Promised Land, they wandered in the desert for forty years because of their unbelief.  Caleb and Joshua were the only two who inhabited the Promised Land.  The others died in their unbelief.

Oswald Chambers notes, "Human frailty is another thing that gets between God's words of assurance and our own words and thoughts.  When we realize how feeble we are in facing difficulties, the difficulties become like giants, we become like grasshoppers, and God seems to be non-existent.  But remember God's assurance to us -- 'I will never ... forsake you.'  Have we learned to sing after hearing God's keynote?  Are we continually filled with enough courage to say, 'The Lord is my Helper,' or are we yielding to fear?"
I don't want to be like those Israelites who didn't believe God told the truth. Do you?  Let me ask you a few questions.  Are you going to move into the land flowing with milk and honey - take the promises found in the Bible and make them yours? Or, are you going to believe the evil report and continue wandering around in the desert -- free from slavery, but missing the Promised Land? Whose report are you going to believe?

Let's Pray
Dear Lord, Thank You that You have called me to walk in victory.  Help me to realize when I am listening to Satan's lies, "to the evil report," and not to You.  If I am the only person who believes in Your promises today, give me the courage to believe and walk forward in faith to what You've called me to do.
In Jesus' name, Amen.

Now It's Your Turn
Think back over your life for the past few months.  Have you believed what your eyes see or have you believed what God promises in His word?  Make a list of promises of God that mean the most to you and practice believing the truth!

Look back over the promises of God listed above in the devotion.  How might these verses help you defeat that "grasshopper" feeling in your life?

Can you think of a time where you believed God's report instead of the border bullies, naysayers, and gloom and doomers?  What was the result?

Is there someone you have been listening to and believing rather than God?

Do you feel like a grasshopper or a soldier in God's army? Which is the truth?

More From The Girlfriends
Girlfriend, let's start taking our own personal Promised Land.  If you'd like to learn more about claiming what is already yours, see Experience the Ultimate Makeover by Sharon Jaynes.  Victory is only a belief away!

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