Encouragement for Today

[Judy Harder]

October 20, 2008

Give Them a Chance

By Lynn Cowell, She Speaks! Graduate

"For if they fall, one will lift up his companion, but woe to him who is alone when he falls, for he has no one to help him up."

Ecclesiastes 4:10 (NKJV)
       
Devotion:

Recently, I read an interview of a seventeen-year old girl that absolutely blew me away. In the interview, she talked about how badly she wanted her parents to know what was going on in her life: who she was dating, how far they had gone, how he treated her and the mean things he had said to her. She didn't tell them, though. She was afraid; afraid of how they would react.

As a parent, this scenario crushed my heart. I want my kids to be able to tell me the hard things in life that they are struggling with. I want to be that safe place for them and for them to know that they are not alone. I want to be able to pray for my daughter, love her and hold her when she needs to cry. None of that is possible though if my child does not feel that she can be honest with me.

Honesty. That is a tough one. We expect our kids to be honest with us, yet how do we respond when they are?

The Lord has made us, as parents, to be His hands and feet to our children. Yes, we need to discipline them. We also need to be the ones to show them the Father's love and forgiveness. We need to be the ones who love our kids when they find it hard to love themselves.

Give your kids -- or any kids in your life -- a chance. Let your child know that you are aware of what is going on in her culture (make sure you do!). Through non-confrontational conversation, open the doors for honesty and let them know beyond a shadow of a doubt that no matter what happens, you will be there for them.

And when they come to you, lovingly point them towards the guidance and grace offered by our Heavenly Father.

Dear Lord, Show me today how to open the doors of conversation with the children in my life so that I can be a safe place where they are heard and cared for deeply. In Jesus' Name. Amen

Related Resources:

Growing Godly Women: A Christian Woman's Guide to Mentoring Teenage Girls by Donna Greene

Pull a chair up next to your daughter to read together Living With Purpose: A Radical Revolution devotions, written just for tween and teen girls. Today's RadRevolution devotion provides a teen's perspective on "Give Them a Chance," challenging daughters to give their parents a chance!

Lies Young Women Believe and the Truth That Sets Them Free by Nancy Leigh DeMoss and Dannah Gresh

Application Steps: 

Plan a time when you can get one-on-one with your child. Try a walk at the park or dinner out. See it as an investment in them. Begin to share some of your own struggles growing up and let them know you understand how hard it is in today's culture.

Pray and ask the Lord to help you build a trusting relationship with your child where you trust them and they trust you. Ask Him to show you when is a good time to start conversations with your child ... such as on the way to school, while decompressing after school, or while out for a walk.

Make yourself available to a child who does not have a parent who is attentive in her life. Ask the Lord if He would have you to start a mentoring relationship with that child.

Reflections:

How do I respond when my child tells me something about her culture or life that I am not comfortable with?

Do I take steps to understand the current culture so that when my child shares with me I am not shocked by it?

Do I pray for my child and ask the Lord for wisdom to give to her for the things she faces each day?

Power Verses:

Ecclesiastes 4:9, "Two are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor." (NKJV)

Ecclesiastes 4:12 "Though one may be overpowered by another, two can withstand him. And a threefold cord is not quickly broken." (NKJV)

Psalm 51:6 "Behold, You desire truth in the inward parts, and in the hidden part You will make me to know wisdom." (NKJV)

Jeremiah 29:11, "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the LORD, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future." (NIV)

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 21, 2008

Rejected Again?

Glynnis Whitwer

"This is the same Moses whom they had rejected with the words, 'Who made you ruler and judge?' He was sent to be their ruler and deliverer by God himself,

through the angel who appeared to him in the bush." Acts 7:35 (NIV)
         
Devotion:

Rejection is never fun. Most of us avoid situations where we know we'll be rejected, and sometimes we give up too soon. Parents, worn down by the defiance of children, give in rather than discipline in love. Friends avoid giving biblical advice when it's rebuffed repeatedly. Many of us just stop sharing the good news of the Gospel when someone seems uninterested. We may know God asked us to do something, but trying repeatedly is just too hard when we've been rejected before.

There is wisdom in knowing when to press on and when to back up. Only the Holy Spirit can give us direction on what to do when we meet resistance. But many times, I wonder if fear, insecurity or exhaustion drives our decision to stop obeying God's requests. Unless God specifically tells us to stop, we should consider our past marching orders as standing orders and face that possible rejection again.

Moses is an example of someone God called to help people who had already rejected him. In Acts, chapter 7, we read Stephen's final sermon. It included the story of Moses, an Israelite, who was raised in the Egyptian Pharaoh's house, full of wealth and privilege. At the age of 40, Moses visited his fellow Israelites who were enslaved by the Egyptians, and in his anger he killed one of them. When other Israelites discovered the murder, Moses fled to the wilderness for 40 years. That was when God asked Moses to return to Egypt to free His people.

Moses was an unwilling servant in the beginning, full of excuses. In Exodus, chapter 3, Moses begins the list of reasons why he shouldn't go back to Egypt : That he was nobody, that he wouldn't know the name of Who sent him, the Israelites wouldn't believe him anyway, and that he wasn't eloquent. Quite an inventory of excuses, wasn't it? Stephen, over 1,500 years later, cuts to the heart of the matter when he said Moses was sent to the people who had rejected him.

Moses was just like you and me. I think he loved God, but he didn't want to open himself up to criticism and rejection. And so he quickly identified the list of reasons why he couldn't do what God had asked. But God had important plans for Moses. Moses was the one God chose to bring freedom to the Israelites. God saw value and worth in Moses, and God sees that same worth in you.

With God's help and power, Moses returned to the Israelites and led them to freedom. Obedience wasn't easy, but the end result brought God glory, and freedom from slavery to a million people. Sometimes God may send us back to speak truth and freedom to someone who has rejected us before. When that happens, we can trust that God sees our potential and that pressing through rejection will be worth it in the end.

Dear Lord, thank You for including stories in the Bible of people who faced rejection. Obeying Your will isn't always easy. Thank You for being with me always, for being my courage and for working miracles every day around me. Help me not to give up too soon. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

The Character of God: Understanding His Heart for Us by Brian T. Anderson and Glynnis Whitwer

What Happens When Women Say Yes to God by Lysa TerKeurst

Move Me Aside CD by Lindsay Kane

Visit Glynnis Whitwer's blog

Application Steps: 

Make a list of people who have rejected your attempts to invite them to church or talk with them about your faith. Pray over this list. Then try again with one or two of them.

Reflections: 

Why is rejection so painful?

What are some common behavior patterns we adopt when we are afraid of rejection?

What truths can you hold on to from God's Word that will help you deal with rejection?

Power Verses:

Galatians 1:10, "Obviously, I'm not trying to win the approval of people, but of God. If pleasing people were my goal, I would not be Christ's servant." (NLT)

Luke 10:16, "He who listens to you listens to me; he who rejects you rejects me; but he who rejects me rejects him who sent me." (NIV)

Psalm 66:20, "Praise be to God, who has not rejected my prayer or withheld his love from me!" (NIV)

© 2008 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 22, 2008

Cooked Through

By Gina Parcells, She Speaks! Graduate

"Man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

Devotion:

Despite the fact that I cook every night, my spiritual gift is definitely not in the kitchen.

Last night, I was running behind as I cooked burgers on the grill. I needed the meat to cook more quickly so, novice cook that I am, I figured that turning up the heat was a pretty good option. I cooked, I flipped, and I added cheese. I garnished each masterpiece with lettuce, tomato, and onion, and I waited for the compliments to rush in from my beloved family.

"Mom, why is my bun soaked?"

"Whoa, look at how gushy and red this meat is."

My youngest tried to come to my rescue, "Well, from the outside, this burger looks amazing!"

The outside...I thought that if it looked good on the outside then surely the inside must look just as good.

As women, we can be so focused on our outward appearances that we neglect the meat of what God sees.

Each morning, we spend time applying our makeup and fixing our hair, but do we have the same resolve to prepare ourselves inwardly to face the day, every day? Maybe the shine from the lip gloss is imperative for the world, but what about the shine that God wants to develop from within?

We take time to dress in our stylish clothing and accessorize with our fashionista jewelry, but even with these condiments, we become like that burger--cooked on the outside but not yet ready on the inside. The pathetic truth is that quite often the necessity for personal grooming to look good to the world pushes aside the quiet times of grooming that would make me look better to God.

I have to wonder whether God looks at me some mornings and says, "Are you going out looking like that? Baby, you're not ready. Why don't you let Me help you?"

What I really need to realize is that it's only man who looks at my outward appearance. The Lord is looking right at my heart. All the makeovers in the world will do nothing for my beauty compared with the daily heart makeovers that He wants to perform.

Next time I'm grilling burgers, I'll be certain to leave enough time to cook them completely. And tomorrow morning, beyond the primping time, I'll be certain to leave plenty of room for God to work as the Master Chef ensuring that I, too, am "cooked through."

Dear Lord, show me what it means to have a heart that is wholly devoted to You, and help me to desire the inner beauty that only You can provide. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Women's Devotional Bible

Do You Know Him?

Family Enrichment Toolkit by Michelle Weber

Application Steps:

Designate a time to intentionally meet with God each day, and commit this time to Him even if it's only for five minutes.

As you prepare dinner for those you love, pray for your resolve to be "cooked though" for the One who loves you.

Reflections: 

If God were to describe the condition of my heart, what might He say?

Specifically, how do I need to adjust my schedule to ensure that I have time to let God help me get ready for each day?

Power Verses:

Psalm 16:8a, "I have set the LORD always before me." (NIV)

Psalm 143:6, "I spread out my hands to you; my soul thirsts for you like a parched land." (NIV)

1 Peter 3:3-4a, "Your adornment must not be merely external--braiding the hair and wearing gold jewelry, or putting on dresses; but let it be the hidden person of the heart." (NASB)

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

ctober 23, 2008

No Small Affair

Lysa TerKeurst

"Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth."

1 Corinthians 13:6 (NIV)

Devotion:

A few years ago, I sat with a beautiful young woman and watched the tears stream down her face. Six months before our meeting, her world was filled with so much -- a loving husband, a healthy toddler, and fun friends.

Life was full.

But some part of her heart still felt restless, unsettled, and a little empty.

She started to feel detached from her husband and disappointed in their relationship. Why couldn't he make her feel loved? Wasn't he supposed to right her wrongs, fill up her insecurities, and give her a lasting feeling of love?

Then one day she met a man who said things she'd longed to hear her husband say. He made her feel pretty and witty. Soon, she rationalized that she'd never really loved her husband in the first place. A web of lies was spun. She fell into the arms of the other man.

She had not wanted to come to the women's retreat. She knew it might make her feel guilty and she was past having any guilty feelings. She was just waiting for the right time to leave her husband and start over with the new love of her life. But her friends had started to grow suspicious of her pulling back from so many church activities. So, to appease them, she went.

Over the course of the weekend, the walls she'd so carefully constructed to keep everyone at a distance and her secret safe started to crumble. By Saturday night, she sat down with me and confessed her affair. She desperately wanted to know how I felt so full of God's love. She was now convinced it wasn't the love of another man her heart craved; it was the love of God.

Chasing love outside the will of God invites the exact opposite of love into our lives. 1 Corinthians 13: 4-8 is picture of God's perfect love. It is patient. It is kind. It does not envy... it is not self-seeking... it does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth... it always protects... it always perseveres. Love never fails. The things we chase in this world are opposite from God's love. False attempts at love will make us impatient, unkind, envious, self-seeking, resistant to the truth, reckless and temporary.

1 Corinthians 13 is not a description of what is inherently ours when we fall in love with another person. It is a description of God's love. This kind of love can be ours as we become more Christ-like. It is never focused inwardly. It is never about what I'm going to get from another person. It is deciding that this is the kind of love I will give away.

I am challenged by this. Because our souls were designed for God's fulfilling love, if we aren't staying closely connected to Him everyday, our hearts will start to feel empty. Restless. Unfulfilled.

Let us never get to the place where we think we are strong enough to not be tempted in this way. If we are all completely honest, we are only a few bad decisions away from the same kind of mess my sweet friend is now trying to untangle herself from. While I have complete hope in God's ability to restore her, the consequences of her chase for love will be severe on many levels.

The kind of love our souls crave will never be found in the things of this world. Lasting and perfectly satisfying love will only be found when we stop chasing the wrong kind of love and start living out the truths of God.

Dear Lord, help me rest in the security of Your love. Make me wise in how I guard my heart. May I never get lured into any kind of worldly, fake love. But if I ever start to get drawn away, God surround me with people who are bold enough to speak truth into my life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Visit Lysa TerKeurst's blog

Who Holds the Key To Your Heart by Lysa TerKeurst

Do You Know Him?

Application Steps: 

Oh sweet friends, can we make a commitment together today? If something or somebody in this world seems appealing enough to draw our hearts away from the truth of God, let's commit to being women who will readily admit it to another godly woman and ask for help.

Reflections: 

Who are my friends that help hold me accountable? Who are my friends that I can foster this kind of mutual openness with?

Power Verses:

Deuteronomy 7:9, "Know therefore that the LORD your God is God; he is the faithful God, keeping his covenant of love to a thousand generations of those who love him and keep his commands." (NIV) 

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

© 2008 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 24, 2008

Walking Wisely

Amy Carroll

"He who walks with the wise grows wise, but a companion of fools suffers harm."

Proverbs 13:20 (NIV)
         
Devotion:

Do you have an important decision to make today? Rehoboam's story in I Kings 12:1-19 has a lesson for each of us in the midst of making hard choices. Rehoboam had a dilemma. He had an important decision to make, and he didn't know what to do.

Following Solomon's death, the people of Israel gathered to make Rehoboam king. About that time, Jeroboam (I know these names are doozies, but hang in there!) came to speak to Rehoboam on behalf of the people. He said, "Your father put a heavy yoke on us, but now lighten the harsh labor and the heavy yoke he put on us, and we will serve you." The people were worn out. Solomon had been a great king, but he had worked the people into exhaustion with all of his building projects. They were pleading for rest during Rehoboam's reign in exchange for their undying loyalty, but Rehoboam wasn't sure of the kingly response. He asked for three days to come to a decision. Great idea, right? He started well with a request for time to seek counsel.

The first group that he asked for advice was a group of elders who had served under his father. These were men of experience both from years lived and from the places where they had served. They advised Rehoboam to answer the people affirmatively. The elders encouraged him that the people would follow him faithfully if only Rehoboam would humble himself to be a servant leader.

Rehoboam didn't like their answer, so he sought out a different group to ask. This time he decided to ask "the young men who had grown up with him and were serving him." Are warning bells going off for you, too? Not only were these men young and inexperienced, they also were on Rehoboam's payroll and stood to lose or gain by their answer. Here was their advice: "Tell them, 'My little finger is thicker than my father's waist. My father laid on you a heavy yoke; I will make it even heavier. My father scourged you with whips; I will scourge you with scorpions'" (I Kings 12:10b-11 NIV). Rehoboam foolishly listened to his friends.

If we want to make wise decisions, we need to seek wise counsel. Proverbs 12:15 says, "The way of a fool is right in his own eyes, but a wise man is he who listens to counsel." (NAS) How can we make sure that we pick the right people to seek advice from?

Choose a godly person. Proverbs 2:6 tells us, "For the LORD gives wisdom, and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding" (NIV). When I choose to seek advice from someone who knows scripture and seeks God in personal quiet time, I can be assured their advice is based on a foundation of truth.

Choose a person with experience. It's always been helpful to me to learn from other women who have walked before me. I've sought out other teachers, wives, and mothers who are purposeful about building godly relationships and behaving righteously to give me counsel as I live life. It's the principal of the older believers teaching the younger believers that's found in Titus 2.

Choose someone who will tell the truth in love. Ecclesiastes 7:5 explains, "It is better to heed a wise man's rebuke than to listen to the song of fools" (NIV). So many around me would rather "sing me a song" than tell me what I need to hear. I have several friends that I trust to tell me the unvarnished truth when I ask for advice. They love me, but they fear God!

Rehoboam's decision changed history. He reaped a rebellion that ripped the country in two. He lost his following, his potential for enormous power, and the favor of God. We don't have to make those mistakes. We can head the warning taught by Rehoboam's story and follow God by seeking wise counsel.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Finding a Mentor, Being a Mentor by Donna Otto

At the Feet of Wise Ordinary Women by Angie Conrad, et al

Visit Amy Carroll's blog

Application Steps: 

Read the full story of Rehoboam and Jeroboam in I Kings 11:26-12:24.

List the people that you most often turn to for advice. Do they meet the three suggested criteria above?

Reflections: 

Do I usually seek counsel when I am making a decision?

Who in my life will tell me the truth in love rather than saying what I want to hear?

Has there been a time when I've reaped the consequences of following unwise counsel?

Power Verses:

Job 12:13, "To God belong wisdom and power; counsel and understanding are his." (NIV)

Proverbs 20:18, "Make plans by seeking advice; if you wage war, obtain guidance." (NIV)

© 2008 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 27, 2008

The Power of Encouraging Words
Renee Swope

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

Devotion:
I hate open heights. I can't stand balconies and when driving across a bridge, you'll find me hugging the rail along the inside lane.

Some friends tried to help me conquer my fear of heights by inviting our family to an indoor rock-climbing center. My heart stopped as we entered the doors and I scanned the highest peak at 25 feet! The instructors assured me that a web of ropes and harnesses would hold me tight. Before I could say "no thank you," I was strapped in and signing an injury waiver.

Towards the end of the day, our friends John and Laura encouraged their eight-year-old son Steven to climb to the highest peak -- promising tokens and ice cream if he did it. Steven was afraid of heights, too, but he loved a dare. The promise of reward, mixed with the challenge and faith of his father evoked courage in him.

I watched with admiration as Steven started the climb with confidence. He made it to 10 feet, then 15, then 20. But as he inched past the next face of the wall, he saw how far he still had to go. In fear, he looked down with tears and claimed he couldn't do it. Then he cried out for his daddy's help.

By this time, Steven's dad was holding their very tired 3-year-old and his mom was feeding their hungry baby girl. I don't know where my brave husband was, but I quickly realized I was the only one standing there who could do something.

Suddenly courage and strength surged through my body and I called out, "Don't give up buddy. You can do it. I'll help you!"

In record time, I reached the 20-foot marker, crossed over the peak and up beside Steven to encourage him, reminding him of how far he'd come. I told him he could do it with God's strength and that it would be worth it if he'd persevere. With my words and my confidence in him, I helped Steven turn his thoughts towards a higher goal, an inner peak, a reward much greater than ice cream and game tokens -- the reward of getting to a place he had stopped believing he could reach.

Funny how I stopped thinking about my fears when I was focused on helping someone else overcome theirs. I realized that the same promises I had claimed for Steven were true for me, too. I could do it with God's strength and I did!

Each day we have the same opportunity. Like God did with Joshua in today's key verse and like He does with us, we can come alongside each other in some of life's hardest challenges and highest peaks and say, "Don't give up, you can do it. I'll be with you and help you."

When we take our eyes off our fears, our doubts, our struggles and focus on someone else's needs, we somehow forget our own, for a little while. In believing the power of God's promises for others, our confidence in His promises for us seems to grow as well. And that my friend is the power of encouraging words!

Lord, Thank you for the power of Your Words that give me courage to become who You've created me to be -- to go to places You're calling me to go and climb spiritual heights that are out of my reach without Your help. Give me Your encouragement today, and help me encourage someone, too. In Jesus Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Mining for Gold in the Heart of Your Child CD, a message for parents about the power of encouraging words for our kids, by Renee Swope

Visit Renee's Blog to join in giving and getting encouragement from women around the world today.

The Power of a Woman's Words by Sharon Jaynes

Application Steps:

Ask God to encourage your heart today with a promise from His Word that offers hope and power in the midst of your circumstances.

Write a note, leave a message or send an email with a promise and a prayer to someone who needs encouragement.

Reflections: 

How has someone's encouraging words impacted my life in the past? How has God's words of encouragement helped me do things I never thought I could?

Power Verses:

Psalm 69:32, "The humble will see their God at work and be glad. Let all who seek God's help be encouraged.'" (NLT)

Deuteronomy 3:28, "But commission Joshua, and encourage and strengthen him, for he will lead this people across and will cause them to inherit the land that you will see." (NIV)

Psalm 10:17, "You hear, O LORD, the desire of the afflicted; you encourage them, and you listen to their cry, (NIV)

© 2008 by Renee Swope. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

 
October 28, 2008

A View Through Sarah Palin's Eyeglasses

Kelli Regan, She Speaks! Graduate

"Jesus said to him, 'Receive your sight; your faith has healed you.'"

Luke 18:42 (NIV)

Devotion:

In the midst of the media storm surrounding the upcoming elections, there's one news item you may have missed. An economic crisis is upon us--and Sarah Palin is at the center of it. What's the cause of this crisis I'm talking about? Her glasses.

In less than one month's time Sarah has become a household name. Everyone has an opinion about her. But whether you're Republican, Democrat or Independent, there's one issue regarding the vice presidential nominee on which the majority agrees. We love her glasses! I suppose not since Ben Franklin invented bifocals have spectacles captured our fancies so.

Women (and even men) are flocking to their opticians in search of Governor Palin's Kawasaki 704 series designer specs. In less than two weeks, the Japanese company that manufactures the $375 frames received 9,000 global orders. That's more than they normally produce in a year! I'm no economic analyst but there's no way supply can meet that demand.

According to Governor Palin's optician, she selected her now-famous frames from hundreds of choices. I've worn glasses almost my entire life and know what a difficult decision this is! After much searching she selected just the right pair for her--and the rest, as they say, is history.

I imagine many of those buying frames like Mrs. Palin's will later regret their purchase. Something about their new glasses will look "off." Maybe the frames won't flatter their face shape, match their personality, or complement their coloring or hairstyle. Why? Because eyeglasses simply aren't an off-the-shelf purchase. One size does not fit all.

Sometimes we do this with our faith. We see movers and shakers in our church, in our favorite ministry, or in our Bible study who appear to have it all going on. They glow under the spotlight, and we think they must know or have something we don't because...well...just look at them. So we not only admire their godly ways, we try to emulate them as well--we try to "wear" their faith. We might try to copy how they pray, or worship, or talk, or sing, or have devotions, and so on. But when we do, something doesn't fit quite right.

That's because nothing is more one-of-a-kind than our walk with the Lord. While we can learn from our Christian brothers and sisters, we can't order up elements of their walk to accessorize our own. To do so is to lose sight of what God wants from us more than anything: our individual devotion focused on Him. He wants us to love Him with a sincere faith that's custom-made with our own unique personality, passion, experiences and gifts.

Have you been borrowing someone else's faith? Do you want to be custom-fit with a prescription of your own? Go to Jesus, the One who gives sight to the blind. And when He asks, "What do you want me to do for you?" respond, "Lord, I want to see." (Luke 18:41)

As popular as they are today, Sarah Palin's glasses will become yesterday's news. While much of our attention is fixed on who will lead our country come January, we must remember politicians come and go. But there is one leader who has, does and will stand the test of time: Jesus. As we set our sights on the future, let's never forget on whom we need to fix our gaze. And let's offer Him our one-of-a-kind devotion.


Dear Lord, I give you my heart. Open my eyes so I may see and help me stay focused on You as the ruler of my life and the hope of my eternal future. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

At the Feet of Ordinary Wise Women by Angie Conrad, et al

The Air I Breathe: Worship as a Way of Life by Louie Giglio

Application Steps: 

During the remaining days leading up to the presidential election, become an educated voter, but maintain an eternal perspective.

Reflections: 

Have you been striving to mimic aspects of someone else's walk instead of developing your very own?

Are you caught up in the popularity of your faith more than the sincerity of it?

Power Verses:

Ephesians 2:18-19, "Consequently, you are no longer foreigners and aliens, but fellow citizens with God's people and members of God's household, built on the foundation of the apostles and prophets, with Christ Jesus himself as the chief cornerstone." (NIV)

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 29, 2008

Keeping Our Joy

Micca Monda Campbell

"The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy; I have come that they may have life, and have it to the full." John 10:10 (NIV)

Devotion:

She waited until I had spoken to every woman in line. Once the room was empty, the woman timidly made her way toward me. Before she spoke a word, I could see and sense her grief. Her face was marked with depression and her shoulders hung low from the burden that she carried. With quivering lips and tear-filled eyes, she spoke words no mother wants to hear coming from her own lips.

"Please pray for my fifteen-year-old daughter. She's pregnant."

This godly woman has loved and served God in her home, church, and community for years. Now, she does nothing. Ashamed, she blames herself for her child's choices, and because of them, considers herself unworthy to serve. Not only has this woman allowed her situation to steal her peace and joy, but her service too.

Many Christians fall into this same trap. They allow the enemy to rob them of their peace, steal their joy, and kill their witness over situations beyond their control.

It's true. Satan has always been a tempter, but where he catches us off guard is by thinking he tempts us to do bad things. Our flesh mostly takes care of that job. The fact is Satan tempts us in order to lose what God has given us.

If Satan can rob our joy and steal our witness, then he makes us useless in the kingdom of God. Just like this mother, we become unproductive when our faith is stripped by unexpected heartbreak. Nevertheless, you and I must not let Satan use our circumstances to steal our joy.

That sounds good, but how do we find true joy in midst of heartache? We find it by depending on the Lord. David reminds us, "The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and I am helped. My heart leaps for joy and I will give thanks to him in song" (Ps 28:7).

First, David believed God heard his cries. Second, he relied on God's provision and strength. Third, David trusted in God's help with all of his heart. This kept him from growing weak, losing heart, and giving up. Finally, because David believed God was for him, in him, with him, and behind him one hundred percent, David was able to give thanks with a joyful heart.

Like David and this mother I spoke with, we will experience situations that can steal our joy and leave us feeling unworthy to serve. To think this way is to see ourselves outside of God's grace. You and I don't serve God because we are good enough. We serve God because He's good enough. It's His perfection working through our imperfections.

By the same token, our joy is not defined by our circumstances. It's based on our relationship with God who, in due time, will bring us out of our present situation.

Exercising faith in God - not circumstances - aids the discouraged heart so that Satan cannot steal our joy or our purpose.

Dear Lord, Today I refuse to let Satan steal my joy. I long for the fullness of life that You have given me. As I trust You in my present situation, I also trust You to restore my peace and joy. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner by Wendy Blight, pre-order yours today!

Hope in the Midst of Depression by Mary Southerland

Visit Micca Campbell's blog

Application Steps:

Using David as an example, follow his steps found in Psalm 28:7 ...

1. Cry out to God.

2. Rely on His provision and strength.

3. Believe in and wait on His help.

4. Praise Him with a joyful heart.

Reflections: 

Has Satan stolen your joy?

How has this affected your witness; your life; and your service to the kingdom?

Power Verses:

Nehemiah 8:10b, "Do not grieve, for the joy of the Lord is your strength" (NIV)

Ps 27:6, "Then my head will be exalted above the enemies who surround me; at his tabernacle will I sacrifice with shouts of joy; I will sing and make music to the Lord" (NIV)

© 2008 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 30, 2008

Don't be Enticed

Melissa Taylor

"For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of sinful human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error." 2 Peter 2:18 (NIV)

Devotion:

"I Kissed a Girl" is the title of a song that was recently number one on popular radio stations for many weeks. It's been performed live on the Fox Network TV show, "So You Think You Can Dance." It was also the number one iTunes download this past summer. "I Kissed a Girl - and I Liked It," as the lyrics go, has become a trendy saying, even printed on t-shirts for teen girls and women. However, it is not just a trendy saying - it's a deceptive enticement.

As a mother of four children ages 7, 11, 13, and 15, I want to be aware of the things they are being told by the world. As much as I wish I could guard their eyes and ears so they are not exposed to the deceptive influences that can creep in, I know I can't be with them all the time. Therefore, I want to be informed so I can help them deal with what comes their way. I need to know what they are exposed to when they leave the walls of our home.

The cries for acceptance and love are loud today. Can you hear them? Just look at what some women and young girls will do to feel noticed, loved and accepted. Maybe you know someone like this. Maybe you are someone like this.

The truth is -- we are loved, completed, noticed, and accepted. Maybe not by everyone in this world, but by Someone much greater and much more important than anyone we know -- our Creator.

We were created in the image of God, but we are not God. We are human and have human feelings. Too often, we use this as an excuse to sin. If God created me to feel this way, then how could it be wrong? Ever since the fall of man we have struggled with sin. That is our human nature, but we have the ability to make choices.

The Bible says, "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God's will is -- his good, pleasing and perfect will" (Romans 12:2, NIV). I know what it is like to live the world's way. I've been there. The pleasures of this world are enticing but only temporary. We need to guard our hearts and the hearts of those we love by not being persuaded by or giving into the "in thing." We are worth far more than that. As daughters of the King, we are deserving of royal treatment. We do not need to "conform to the pattern of this world," or do inappropriate things for recognition.

The song, "I Kissed a Girl" is written and sung by singer/songwriter Katy Perry, who is a wealthy woman today because of it. She's gaining a lot of attention, popularity, and fame. It may interest you to know that in 2001, she released a Christian album titled "Faith Won't Fail" under the name Katy Hudson.

Not one of us is immune to the influences of the world, and neither are our children. We need to remain intentional, and strongly aware that each of us can be deceived. We can give in to enticing temptations if we are not careful. So let's prayerfully guard ourselves and our children from going along with worthless boasts and appeals to fleshly desires, often found in popular songs of today. Instead, let's look to God to fill our mouths with edifying words, and fill our hearts with a strong sense of acceptance that is grounded in Him.

Dear Lord, Give me the strength to remain on Your path. Help my eyes to remain focused on what is right. Do not let me be deceived by sexual sin or enticed to believe the world's lies. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Who Holds the Key to Your Heart, by Lysa TerKeurst

Teen Virtue Confidential: Your Questions Answered About God, Guys, and Getting Older by Vicki Courtney

Visit Melissa's Blog, "I Am Beautiful" for more encouragement about how God sees you!

Living with Purpose: A Radical Revolution - a website for teen girls.

Application Steps: 

Fill your CD player, MP3 player or car radio with Christian music today and worship Him.

If you do not know how God sees you through His Son Jesus Christ, click here to find out how you can know Him.

Reflections: 

Do I care too much what others think of me? Enough to be enticed away from God's truth?

Am I making godly choices, or worldly choices?

Power Verses:

1 John 2:16, "For everything in the world--the cravings of sinful man, the lust of his eyes and the boasting of what he has and does--comes not from the Father but from the world." (NIV)

Colossians 3:5, "Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry." (NIV)

© 2008 by Melissa Taylor. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

[Judy Harder]

October 31, 2008

My Grand-Pumpkin

By Susanne Scheppmann

"I have been reminded of your sincere faith, which first lived in your grandmother Lois and in your mother Eunice and, I am persuaded, now lives in you also."

2 Timothy 1:5 (NIV)

Devotion:

Have you ever considered if your life matters? . . . Or wondered what legacy you will leave behind? Those questions flit through my thoughts on occasion. However, when I baby-sit my "Grand Pumpkin," I realize I have the potential to leave him a legacy of faith.

I nicknamed my grandson "Grand Pumpkin" because he's my sweet pumpkin and just grand! However, I want him to live up to his given name - Michael. Not Mikey, or Mike, but Michael. I want him to grow into a mighty warrior for God. The biblical Michael is an archangel who fights for the Lord. So I ask myself, "As a grandmother, what can I do to increase my grandson's faith?"

Fortunately, the Bible gives specific instructions about leaving a legacy for my children and my grandchildren. Deuteronomy 4:9 says, "But watch out! Be very careful never to forget what you have seen the Lord do for you. Do not let these things escape from your mind as long as you live! And be sure to pass them on to your children and grandchildren" (NLT). This verse cautions me not to forget the wonders the Lord has done in my life. In addition, I must share them with my children and grandchildren.

So, I intend to influence Michael's faith by sharing the miracles of God every chance I am provided. The Lord has done a mighty work in our family. I will never run out of stories concerning the goodness of the Lord. There are enough to last a lifetime and beyond.

Will you join me in this endeavor to leave a legacy for our future generations? Let's live out the truth of Psalm 145:3-4 (NIV).

Great is the Lord and most worthy of praise;

his greatness no one can fathom.

One generation will commend your works to another;

they will tell of your mighty acts.

Dear Lord, You have instructed me to share with my children and grandchildren the wonders You have done in my life. Give me words that will glorify You and will allow my grandchildren to witness Your miracles in their own lives. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

The Pocket Guide for Parents Raising Godly Kids

The Grandmother's Bible (NIV)

Birds in My Mustard Tree: For Those Who Struggle with Faith by Susanne Scheppmann

Application Steps: 

Buy a journal and begin to write down your memories of what the Lord has done in your life and family. It doesn't have to be chronological, just jot them down as He brings them to mind.

Pray for God to give you opportunities to share your memories with children in your life.

Reflections: 

Do I hesitate when I speak about my faith with my children or grandchildren?

What type of legacy do I want to leave?

How can I make a difference in my family's faith?

Power Verses:

Deuteronomy 12:28, "Be careful to obey all these regulations I am giving you, so that it may always go well with you and your children after you, because you will be doing what is good and right in the eyes of the Lord your God." (NIV)

Deuteronomy 29:29, "The secret things belong to the Lord our God, but the things revealed belong to us and to our children forever, that we may follow all the words of this law." (NIV)

Proverbs 17:6, "Grandchildren are the crowning glory of the aged; parents are the pride of their children." (NLT)

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org