Child Adrift

Susanne Scheppmann

"Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon, that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32 (NLT)

"My child is adrift. How do I let go?" my friend asked with tear-filled eyes.

"You hold on with a tether of prayer," I replied.

Our goal as parents is to raise our children to be independent, faith-filled adults. We teach them right from wrong. We educate them about God and the Bible. We exhibit table manners and good sportsmanship. We demonstrate compassion and empathy for humanity. We subtly point them in the direction of what we suspect will bring them happiness and success. Then they grow-up and seem to drift away from everything we have taught them.

Sometimes, no matter how great the parenting, some children flounder in adulthood. They wander into uncharted territory to test their independence. What's a parent to do then? If the child is of legal age, the best thing a parent can do is to pray. Our key verse demonstrates that this is how Jesus dealt with Simon Peter when he was about to fall into fear and doubt concerning his faith and love for God. Jesus didn't scold, plead or rebuke him. Jesus simply said, "But I have pleaded in prayer for you."

Jesus prayed with complete confidence in the power of God to bring Simon Peter back into the faith and fellowship with the other believers. My favorite part of today's key verse is when Jesus stated, "So when you have repented and turned to me again, strengthen your brothers." Many times when a child wanders away from family and faith, we tend to see it as only a negative. However, Jesus saw Simon's weakness in a different light. Jesus knew that after Simon drifted, he would come back stronger in his walk of faith than before. Simon would be able to strengthen other people.

As we pray for our children, their faults, foibles, and faith frailties, let's remind ourselves that these very things may be exactly what God will use for him or her to help others. It is through personal mistakes that our children can learn compassion and empathy for people—especially those who struggle in similar areas. So, as we pray, let's be encouraged by the knowledge that God never wastes a painful experience. He will use drifting children to minister to a hurting world. So go right now and tether your child to God with a lifeline of prayer.

Dear Lord, my child is adrift in a frightening world. Teach me how to pray for my child. Remind me that the most effective thing I can do is to plead for him/her before the throne of God. Help me to convert my worry into prayer. I thank You that You understand my feelings and I can trust in Your sovereignty in my child's life. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Visit Susanne’s Blog

Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents: Words to Pray When You Don't Know What to Say by Susanne Scheppmann

When Your Child is Hurting: Helping Your Child Survive the Ups and downs of Life by Glynnis Whitwer

________________________________________
When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of life-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you! ________________________________________

Application Steps:
Find a notebook or prayer journal and begin to journal your prayers for your child. Date each prayer. Every time you begin to feel stress and anxiety over your child's behaviors, write a prayer. In addition, as you see promises of hope and change in your son or daughter, jot them down as a reminder when you feel discouraged and overwrought that God is indeed at work.

Read Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents as an additional resource of hope.

Reflections:
Do I believe that prayer is the most effective way to handle my wayward child?

How can I remind myself to pray instead of worry?

When my child turns around, how will he/she be able to strengthen other people?

Power Verses:
Romans 12:12 "Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer." (NIV)

John 17:15, "My prayer is not that you take them out of the world but that you protect them from the evil one." (NIV)

Psalms 27:13-14, "I am still confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait for the Lord; be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord." (NIV)

© 2010 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

I’ll Start Again on Monday

Lysa TerKeurst

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us." Romans 8:37 (NIV)

Have you ever caught yourself compromising your healthy eating plan with the little "I'll start again on Monday" escape clause? Me too.

That cheesecake does look good. The Mexican chips and dip are irresistible. It is a special night. I can start again on Monday.

It is so tempting to give in. Set things in reverse. Pretend it won't matter. But it does matter and not just for the physical or mental set back. It's the denial of a fundamental spiritual truth that will make our healthy eating plan fall apart time and time again. What is this truth? We were made for more than this. More than this failure, more than this cycle, more than being ruled by taste buds - we were made for victory. Sometimes we just have to find our way to that truth.

When I was a senior in high school I was invited to a college party. By the end of the night my friends and I were giggling over the attention of two good looking college boys. As the party died down, they invited us over to their place.

Part of me was so flattered, I wanted to go. A much bigger part of me didn't. But plans got made and before I knew it we were getting into their car and driving away. I was not a strong Christian at this point in my life. And I certainly can't say I'd ever heard God speak to me, but in the midst of this situation, I did.

"This isn't you, Lysa. You were made for more than this."

Truth. A gift of truth. Planted deep within me when God personally knit me together. Untied and presented at just the right time.

I wound up making an excuse for a quick exit and walking back to my car alone that night. I mentally beat myself up for acting like a young, immature high schooler who couldn't handle being a college party girl. But looking back, I want to stand up on a chair and clap, clap, clap for my little high schooler self!

There were other seasons of my growing up years where I heard this truth loud and clear repeated within the confines of my soul and sadly, I refused to listen. These were the darkest years of my life. I wasn't made to live a life that dishonors the Lord.

None of us are.

"You were made for more Lysa - you were made for more." I remembered it especially in those early weeks of my new healthy eating adventure when I was tempted by one million assaults on my sugar-deprived taste buds. I just kept mentally repeating ... made for more. Made for more!
And though my quest pales in comparison to the importance of a high schooler trying to keep her purity - hunger is hunger. Temptation is temptation. Desire is desire. So, maybe they aren't so different after all.

We were made for more.

What a great truth to use while rewriting the "go to" script that plays in our head every time we're tempted. Rewriting the go-to scripts is one of the most crucial steps toward permanent progress. Remember the script that I mentioned earlier in this article? The excuses? The rationalizations? The "I'll do better Monday" escape clause?"

We have to rewrite those by getting into the habit of saying other things. And the first of these is, "I was made for more."

Listen to these words from Proverbs 3:5-8, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways acknowledge him, and he will make your paths straight. Do not be wise in your own eyes; fear the Lord and shun evil. This will bring health to your body and nourishment to your bones."

Trust in the Lord - you were made for more. In all your ways acknowledge Him - you were made for more. Don't try to be wise and do your new diet in your own strength, hold tight to the Lord and flee from temptations - you were made for more. This will bring health and nourishment to you and help you find victory in this struggle - you were made for more!

Dear Lord, I was made for more than getting stuck in a vicious cycle of defeat. I trust You and want to acknowledge You in ALL my ways. Help me to remember I was made for more with each choice I make. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Lysa’s blog today for a list of other “Go To Scripts” perfect for those trying to get healthy!

If this devotion resonated with you, click here to pre-order Lysa’s upcoming book “Made to Crave… satisfying life’s deepest desire with God not food.” This will be a perfect book to use individually or in your January Bible study group. Preorder your copy at a 31% discount this week only and it will ship to you in December.

The “Made to Crave” DVD and Bible study workbook will be released January 10.

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa is also a great resource to use for group Bible Studies and it’s available now on sale!

Application Steps:
If food is an issue for you, visit www.LysaTerKeurst.com for more "Go To Scripts" that will help you overcome tempting situations.

If food is not an issue for you, how does today's devotion apply to your area of struggle?

Reflections:
Who are some friends that can walk with me through this journey of learning to make healthier choices?

Power Verse:
Psalm 78:18, "They willfully put God to the test by demanding the food they craved." (NIV)

© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

A Slow Boil

Melanie Chitwood

"Honor marriage, and guard the sacredness of sexual intimacy between wife and husband. God draws a firm line against casual and illicit sex." Hebrews 13:4 (MSG)

There's a familiar story about the best way to boil a frog – not something I can imagine needing to know, but it offers a good lesson. The story goes that if you put a frog in a pot of boiling water, his survival instincts will cause him immediately to detect the danger and he'll quickly jump out. On the other hand, if you put a frog in a pot of cool water and gradually turn the heat up to a boil, he won't recognize the threat until it's too late.

The lesson here for marriage is to be aware of gradual temperature increases. I've heard people say that an affair "just happened." That may be true in the sense that sexual sin often does not start with a blatantly willful act. A more accurate portrayal of marital infidelity would be to say that the attraction and "temperature" gradually increases the more you are around that person. In other words, affairs develop little by little.

A friendly conversation with a workmate moves to flirtatious comments. Perhaps you find yourself wondering if he finds you attractive. You look forward to your next conversation. Your talks move from chit-chat to more intimate emotional matters. The next step might be secret emails, texts, Facebook messages or phone calls. Then, like the boiling frog, you find yourself in the scalding waters of marital infidelity.

What are some safeguards you can establish to protect your marriage from gradual temperature increases? What can help you avoid being in situations that might cause you or your spouse to be tempted to be unfaithful?
Here are a few suggestions:

• Avoid one-on-one time with someone of the opposite sex. If work or ministry put you in this situation, limit the amount of time spent with the other person. Keep in public places. Keep your office door open.

• Avoid friendships with other men, unless the friendship includes your husband. Be aware that many affairs begin as emotionally as a connection of the heart.

• Be careful how you talk about your spouse and with whom you talk. Aim to always present your spouse in the best light. Be careful not to vent about him, especially to another man.

• Give your spouse free access to your "technology." "No secrets" is a good rule of thumb when it comes to Facebook, texts, and emails.

Truthfully, I probably would have thought this devotion was pretty extreme when I had been married only a short time. So if you're thinking that, I understand. However, after nineteen years of marriage, after researching and writing about marriage for years, and after I've seen many Christian marriages fall apart because couples failed to take preventative measures, I assure you, this is wise.

Consider the ideas presented here, pray about this issue, talk to your spouse, and establish healthy safeguards for your marriage. And I pray you never find your relationship in the boiling pot of infidelity or divorce.

Dear Lord, deliver me from temptation. Make me wise in these matters. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Looking for great gifts for Christmas? Need some extra incentive to buy a book you’ve had your eye on? We’ve got just what you’re looking for and it’s on sale! This week, all our resources are offered at a 31% discount. Click a title below to visit our P31 store and save big!

Today’s devotion is adapted from What a Wife Needs from Her Husband by Melanie Chitwood.

Looking for a gift for a couple? Pair Melanie’s book above with her book What a Husband Needs from His Wife for a wonderful gift set – at 31% off.

Visit Melanie’s blog “What Matters Most”

Application Steps:
Discuss with your spouse the safeguards suggested here to protect your marriage. Are there any you both want to agree to follow?

Consider being accountability partners with a friend concerning your marriage. Choose someone you trust, someone you can be honest with, and someone who is willing to hold you to God's principles in your marriage.

Reflections:
Do you think the safeguards discussed in this devotion are too extreme?

What safeguards do you have in place?

Do you pray daily for your spouse and marriage?

Power Verses:
1 Corinthians 6:18, "Flee from sexual immorality. All other sins a man commits are outside his body, but he who sins sexually sins against his own body." (NIV)

Matthew 19:6, "'So they are no longer two, but one. Therefore what God has joined together, let man not separate.'" (NIV)

(2010 c) Melanie Chitwood. All Rights Reserved.

Do You Hate Sin?

Glynnis Whitwer

"For in his own eyes he flatters himself too much to detect or hate his sin." Psalm 36:2 (NIV)

Recently, a publicity firm invited a group of editors of Christian publications to preview a Hollywood film. The film producers were looking to get the message of this film into churches and wanted feedback from people like me in Christian publishing.

The movie was dark, with a theme of unresolved guilt. Sadly, that guilt consumed the main character all his life, until he became a bitter old man. After we viewed the movie, the publicists turned on the lights and led a discussion. Basically, they wanted to know if we would recommend the movie to pastors. I stayed out of the conversation, because I'm a Pollyanna when it comes to movies. I like them happy and with a predictable ending. I know that's not very high-brow, but it's the truth.

However, the ensuing conversation intrigued me. Some people thought the movie was rich with important themes. They believed it would provoke thoughtful discussion. Others couldn't get past the language, and would never recommend it. One woman shared her opinion on the language with eloquence and passion.

She would never recommend it, she said, because of several instances of taking the Lord's name in vain. She defended her position by saying that too many people minimize sin. In fact, she explained, the film violated one of the Ten Commandments, to not misuse the Lord's name (Exodus 20:7).

The conversation continued with the challenge of relating to people without violating any of our beliefs. Our time together ended, and a few people got up to leave, including the woman who spoke against the movie. After she left however, another conversation began when a college-aged woman spoke up.

"My friends and I would never be bothered by the misuse of God's name," she said. "But we should." We sat in silence digesting her words.

That comment plays and replays in my mind. The honesty of that young woman touched me, as she identified a serious problem among those of us who call ourselves followers of Jesus: we tolerate sin. In fact, at times we even re-label it as "normal." I know there's a fine line between being in the culture but not of the culture. But that's not the root of this issue.

That young woman identified the real source: our hearts. We are going to be around sin until we get to heaven. Sin is woven in our human fiber. That's not the issue. The issue is what I think about it. Do I hate anything that sets itself up against God or His character? Do I hate sin?

I guess there's a part of me that shies away from the word "hate." I've taught my children not to use it, and I guard my own thoughts and tongue. Yet in doing so I've tamed my response to something that separates me from God. I've weakened my response and dulled my senses to that which God hates. He hates it because it takes me away from Him. And He loves me…and He loves you.

Call it old-school religion, but it's time for me to reexamine my response to that which God hates. It's time to settle in my heart whose side I'm on. It's time to decide if I will ignore or hate sin. Yep. It's time.

Dear Heavenly Father, break my heart with the things that break Yours. Remove from me any tolerance for the things that oppose You. You are holy and righteous and worthy of any sacrifice I might offer. Forgive me for tolerating the thing that caused the death of my beloved Savior, Jesus. In His Name and for His sake, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do you know Jesus?

i am not but i know I AM by Louis Giglio

Worship: Nearing the Heart of God by Brian T. Anderson & Glynnis Whitwer

Visit Glynnis’ blog – Welcome Home…Where Your Heart Longs to be!

________________________________________

When you purchase resources through Proverbs 31 Ministries, you touch eternity because your purchase supports the many areas of hope-giving ministry we provide at no cost. We wish we could, but we simply can't compete with prices offered by huge online warehouses. Therefore, we are extremely grateful for each and every purchase you make with us. Thank you!________________________________________

Application Steps:
Read the Ten Commandments found in Exodus 20.

Reflections:
Identify if there is a wrong word, thought or deed in your life you have been tolerating.

What one change can you make this week to turn from that sin?

Power Verses:
Romans 12:9, "Love must be sincere. Hate what is evil; cling to what is good." (NIV)

Exodus 20:7, "You shall not misuse the name of the LORD your God, for the LORD will not hold anyone guiltless who misuses his name." (NIV)

© 2010 by Glynnis Whitwer. All rights reserved.

Just Because He Said So

Rachel Olsen

"And this is love: that we walk in obedience to his commands." 2 John 1:6a (NIV)

"No more words, honey, we're going to be quiet for the rest of the ride home."

My four year-old daughter and my husband were out late at a church event. She's an extrovert so being around all those people had her excitedly talking non-stop on the way home. The more she talked, the more animated she became. Finally my husband issued the no-more-words decree.

"But why?" she asked.

"Because it's late and you are tired, and you need to let your body wind down to rest."

"I'm not tired at all," she insisted.

"You don't realize it but you are very tired; it's way past your bedtime and you need to settle down."

After a moment of silence she said very matter-of-factly, "You can't know how I'm feeling."

My husband, who has a Ph.D. in communication, came through the front door saying, "Our preschooler just out reasoned me!"

She wants to understand our plans, motives, and reasons for everything. If she doesn't understand the logic of something she has a hard time accepting it. She loves us and truly wants to please us, but she wants to know why before she obeys.

She's usually obedient, once she's heard our reasons. Nonetheless, in response to her questioning I'm often tempted to use that infamous parental phrase: "Because I said so!"

I wonder if God ever wants to use that phrase with me?

I sometimes challenge His rules. Do not murder – check. Do not take the Lord's name in vain – got it. Honor your father and mother – um, OK. Do not gossip – hum, not even in the form of a prayer request? Do not lie – you mean, not ever? What if it is a little white lie that prevents hurt feelings? Do not envy – is that even possible?

Other times I question His ways. Can't You just feed the poor by making crops grow? Why do unbelieving drug addicts conceive babies, but my own girlfriend who follows You cannot? Why didn't You give me more organizational skills if You were going to have me marry this man and do this job? Are You sure You weren't distracted when You made me? Or when you gave me this questioning child?

God is infinitely more patient a parent than I am, and He is abounding in grace and love. He can easily handle all my questions without exasperation. But I wonder if He wishes I would just simply trust and obey – just because He is God.

I sure wish I would!

The scriptures say: "Do what your king commands; you gave a sacred oath of obedience. Don't worryingly second-guess your orders or try to back out when the task is unpleasant. You're serving his pleasure, not yours. The king has the last word. Who dares say to him, 'What are you doing?' Carrying out orders won't hurt you a bit; the wise person obeys promptly and accurately" (Ecclesiastes 8:2-5, MSG).

I want to be that wise person.

The Bible also sets my questioning tendencies straight with: "But who are you, O man, to talk back to God? Shall what is formed say to him who formed it, 'Why did you make me like this?' Does not the potter have the right to make out of the same lump of clay some pottery for noble purposes and some for common use?" (Romans 9:20-21, NIV).

Yes, He certainly does. I want to be the fancy pot but I have to trust I will find the greatest joy when I accept the purposes He's designed me for.

So my goal today is not to question God but simply to trust and obey...even if I don't understand why, and even if it's hard to do. I will accept the way that I am made and the plans that He has set before me.

Yes, I know I can take all my questions to the Lord and He will lovingly sift through them, but today I want to obey His commands in swift, willing obedience – just because He said so.

Dear Lord, help me to know Your commands and obey them. Give me the mind and obedient attitude of Christ today. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know by Rachel Olsen

Win a copy of Rachel’s new book It's No Secret: Revealing Divine Truths Every Woman Should Know by stopping by Rachel’s blog. She’d also love to pray for your ability to be obedient to God.

6 Habits of Highly Effective Christians by Brian T. Anderson & Glynnis Whitwer

Read our free P31 Woman magazine article, When God Calls, Answer Yes

Application Steps:
Write out a declaration of intention to obey God at all costs. Pray and ask God to help you grow in obedience.

Reflections:
Have you been challenging the Lord lately about the way He made you? Or the task He has set before you?

Are there commands that you are struggling with obeying?

Will you leave this place of questioning and doubt and move forward in obedience?

Power Verses:
Romans 6:16, "Don't you know that when you offer yourselves to someone to obey him as slaves, you are slaves to the one whom you obey--whether you are slaves to sin, which leads to death, or to obedience, which leads to righteousness?" (NIV)

2 Corinthians 9:13, "Because of the service by which you have proved yourselves, men will praise God for the obedience that accompanies your confession of the gospel of Christ, and for your generosity in sharing with them and with everyone else." (NIV)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

Being Thankful Changes Everything

Lysa TerKeurst

"For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms." Ephesians 6:12 (NIV)

I sat on the bed, tears streaming down my face, negative thoughts racing through my mind … Why does marriage have to be so hard sometimes? Why can't he see my side of things? Why won't he change? Maybe I married the wrong man.

This was a scene repeated over and over the first five years of my marriage. I was discouraged, overwhelmed and so tempted to give up. But here I am about to celebrate my 18th wedding anniversary so thankful I didn't walk away.

Ephesians 6:12 was a great reminder to me over the years that my husband isn't my enemy. Art may feel like my enemy but the truth is Satan is the real enemy who hates marriage and schemes against my husband and me. One thing we must always remember is Satan's goal to be one who casts something between two to cause a separation.

Satan wants to separate us in every way. He wants to separate us with conflict, hurt feelings, misunderstanding, and frustrations of all kinds. He wants to separate us from our neighbors, our friends, our co-workers, our parents, our spouses, our kids. He wants to separate us from God's best. He wants to separate us from God.

One of the best ways for Satan to start these separations is by luring us into a place of grumbling and complaining. If he can get us to focus only on what is aggravating and negative in life, then little cracks of distance start forming in our relationships. The grass starts looking greener everywhere else except where we are standing.

I can see this so clearly when I look back on the first five years of my marriage. Somehow, I became so hyper focused on all I felt was wrong with my husband, I became blinded to all that was good. I grumbled and complained and nagged and set out to change him. And I almost destroyed my marriage in the process. Satan had a field day as the separation between Art and I kept ever widening.

Then one day as I was in a fit of tears asking God to make things better, I felt challenged to start listing out things about Art for which I was thankful.

It was hard at first. I had bought Satan's whispers that there was only negative there with very little positive to find. But, with each positive quality I listed, it slowly changed everything. It was as if the clouds of negativity lifted and I could once again see his good qualities. There were so many good qualities; I was shocked how I'd gotten so blinded.

How sad I spent five years thinking the grass would be greener with someone else. Not true. The grass is always greener where you water and fertilize it. And being thankful --really intentionally listing out things for which we are thankful-- is a great way to start watering and fertilizing and changing everything.

Dear Lord, thank You for helping me see how beneficial it is to be aware and appreciative of the good qualities in those I love. Lord, help me to recognize Satan's schemes and combat them with the power of having a truly thankful heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
What are you thankful for today? I am inviting each person who reads this to stop and take time to list just a few things for which you are thankful by hopping over to my website. Each person that leaves a comment on my website today will be entered for a chance to win a copy of my book “Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl.”

Be sure to check out Lysa’s book and Bible study Becoming More than a Good Bible Study Girl. This is the perfect 6 week summer study or one to consider doing with your women’s group this fall.

To order your copy of the book, click here. To order your Bible study workbook and DVD study click here and here.

Application Steps:
Every time a negative, separating thought comes into your mind today, intentionally combat it with something for which you are thankful about that person.

Reflections:
How does it make you feel to dwell on what you wish was different about another person?

Could this devotion showing up in your inbox today be a reminder from God that there are positive things for which you can be thankful?

How does having a thankful heart change things?

Power Verses:
Philippians 4:6, "Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God." (NIV)

2 Corinthians 4:15, "All this is for your benefit, so that the grace that is reaching more and more people may cause thanksgiving to overflow to the glory of God." (NIV)

© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

It's Not About You

Zoe Elmore

"But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ's sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong." 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 (NIV)

In his popular book The Purpose Driven Life, author and pastor Rick Warren makes one point very clear, "It's not about you." In a world where pursuing personal comfort and happiness is an obsession, many of us chafe and choke at the thought of any struggle or pain invading our lives. The thought that the world wasn't created just to keep us happy and comfortable seems counter intuitive to today's thinking. It can be difficult to swallow the fact that God is not most interested in our comfort, but more interested in our character.

To put this in perspective, I recently reread the trials and tribulations of the apostle Paul. It is eye opening to discover the very things we dread and run from in our lives are precisely where Paul found his contentment. Look at his words in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10. He's essentially saying: I am content when I lose. I am content when I am weak. I am content when I'm insulted. I am content when I endure hardships. I am content with persecutions. I am content with difficulties.

How can this be true? Paul shares his discovery: Because when I am weak, then I am strong.
Paul's stunning contentment is a clear example of the way we should live our lives content in everything. This happens when we allow the divine strength available through the power of the Holy Spirit to permeate our human frailties and weaknesses.

Did you catch that? Paul's prescription for contentment is an attitude of unselfish humility. I think it's important to note Paul's selfless and humble attitude helped him see his imprisonment as a divine appointment.

Had I been imprisoned under Paul's circumstances, I'm sure I would have moaned and groaned, demanding the guards give me special treatment.

Mirroring the life of Christ, Paul empties himself of "self" and allows unselfish humility to drive his attitude and his actions. This is the first step to learning contentment. Paul encourages all believers to go one step further. "Do everything without complaining or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, children of God without fault in a crooked and depraved generation, in which you shine like stars in the universe" (Philippians 2:14-15, NIV). Think about that for a moment; a life that lacks grumbling, complaining or arguing leaves room for only one thing…joy!

As we exchange our selfish attitude for one of joyful humility others will take note and be drawn closer to Christ. Friends, as we allow God to work in the midst of our brokenness and inability His strength rushes in to fulfill our need. Let's make a commitment to be joyfully humble for one week and experience God's transforming work in your life and in the lives of others. Living in His strength, our lives will reflect Christ and we will be content in all circumstances.

Dear Lord, You emptied Yourself of everything but love when You died on the cross for my sins and I am eternally grateful. Empower me through the Holy Spirit to be content in every circumstance or situation. Teach me to rely on Your strength and not my weakness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

All I Need is Jesus & a Good Pair of Jeans by Susanna Foth Aughtmon

Visit Zoe’s blog

Brokenness, Surrender, Holiness: A Revive Our Hearts Trilogy by Nancy Leigh DeMoss

You’ll find more encouragement with our free resource Honoring God with Your Life

Application Steps:
If you are in the midst of a struggle, ask God to encourage you through His Word. Write down the verses of strength you find and put your name in each one. Pray them every day this week and experience His contentment in all things.

Reflections:
Read Hebrews 4:16, "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" (NIV). Reflect on this verse and write down what the Lord reveals to you.

Power Verses:
I Corinthians 1:25, "For the foolishness of God is wiser than man's wisdom, and the weakness of God is stronger than man's strength." (NIV)

2 Corinthians 12:5, "I will boast about a man like that, but I will not boast about myself, except about my weaknesses." (NIV)

2 Corinthians 13:4, "For to be sure, he was crucified in weakness, yet he lives by God's power. Likewise, we are weak in him, yet by God's power we will live with him to serve you." (NIV)

© 2010 by Zoe Elmore. All rights reserved.

Discipline: Willing Surrender

Wendy Blight

"And have you forgotten the encouraging words God spoke to you as His children? He said, 'My child don't make light of the Lord's discipline, and don't give up when He corrects you. For the Lord disciplines those He loves, and He punishes each one He accepts as His child.'" Hebrews 12:5-6 (NLT)

Teaching is my passion.

Besides being a wife and mother, nothing brings me greater joy than teaching and sharing God's Word. Lately I have felt dry, asking the Lord what's next. I was ready for Him to do a new thing…desiring a new message. Well, friends, be careful for what you pray!! Because as I prayed, the Lord drew me to Hebrews 12. It was there He met me and re-introduced me to a word with which I have long been familiar…discipline.

Discipline.

Dictionary.com defines discipline as the rigor or training effect of experience or adversity. My parents disciplined me as a child. With a teenager and a tween, my husband and I find ourselves in a continual process of discipline. But me? I am an adult. I don't need discipline. And who really has the right to discipline me?

Hebrews 12:5-6 discusses just exactly who has the right to discipline me…and you. God. Our Creator. Our Heavenly Father.

I love how the writer of Hebrews 5 begins: "And have you forgotten the encouraging words that God spoke to you as His children?..." God intends for the words that follow to encourage us and not discourage us.

In Hebrews 12:5-6, the writer of Hebrews quotes from Proverbs 3:11-12 which says, "My child, don't reject the Lord's discipline, and don't be upset when He corrects you. For the Lord corrects those He loves, just as a father corrects a child in whom he delights."

This word discipline in the King James translation is "chasteneth," which in the Greek denotes "to train" and is most often used with training up a child.

Elsewhere in Scripture it is translated learned or taught, but in Hebrews 12, it refers specifically to the part of training that means infliction of evils and calamities. When I read that, my first thought was surely not, God. But as I continued my study, God's Word helped me understand.

God knows who He created us to be. Jeremiah 29:11 says, "For I know the plans I have for you…plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope."

God promises in Romans 8:28, "And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them."

God balances these encouraging truths with the reality that we are sinful and selfish creatures. When given the choice, we will choose to please ourselves, serve ourselves, and put ourselves first. God knows to accomplish the plans He has for us, He must burn away that which is selfish and self-centered. He also knows that we will not willingly surrender to this chastisement.

But we all have faults and follies that need to be corrected. And at the time God led me to Hebrews 12, I was in the midst of struggling with those faults and follies. He wanted me to see that I had to walk through His refining fire to burn off all evidence of self in my struggle. Such a hard truth to hear. But the end result, the wonderful truth is that God promises me that when I emerge on the other side of His refining fire, I will be closer to reflecting His image and closer to being the woman He created me to be.

When we look at Hebrews 12:5-6 this way, we should willingly surrender to His discipline. For it is His discipline that assures us we are legitimate, loved children of God. He is treating us as His own. He is preparing us. He is training us. He is transforming us.

Dear Lord, thank you for disciplining me. It is hard to take but I understand it is for my good and Your glory. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Would you be willing to share a time of discipline in your life? Please visit my blog and leave me your story. I will select one comment to receive a copy of i am not, but i know I AM by Louie Giglio.

Hidden Joy in a Dark Corner: The Transforming Power of God's Story by Wendy Blight

i am not, but i know I AM by Louie Giglio

A Perfect Mess: Why You Don't Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God by Lisa Harper

Enjoy more encouragement with our free Everyday Life article A Well-Pruned Life

Application Steps:
Read Deuteronomy 8:2-5. What do these verses say about God's discipline?
Reflections: Reflect on a time of discipline in your life and journal what God taught you and how it has changed your life.

Power Verses:
Hebrews 12:7a, "As you endure this divine discipline, remember that God is treating you as His own children." (NLT)

Deuteronomy 8:5, "Think about it: Just as a parent disciplines a child, the Lord your God disciplines you for your own good." (NLT)

© 2010 by Wendy Blight. All rights reserved.

When I'm on My Knees

Melanie Chitwood

"If we confess our sins, He is faithful and righteous to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness." 1 John 1:9 (NAS)

Bending down with rag in hand, I wiped the coffee spills off the kitchen floor. Then my eye caught the spills dribbled down the cupboard door. I'm surprised I haven't seen that before, I thought to myself as I continued to clean. Okay, I'll just spend some time on my knees on this kitchen floor. Wow, there's more dog hair down here than linoleum. And there's that ball the boys have been looking for.

I thought I had thoroughly cleaned the kitchen, but on my knees I could see many things I had never seen before. So it is in my prayer life. Whether I'm literally on my knees or sitting in my big chair as I usually do when I pray, I'm often amazed to see how my perspective changes in prayer.

A quiet time of humbling ourselves before the Lord will allow Him the time to reveal anything that doesn't please Him. Psalm 139:23, 24 offers us a model of a prayer: "Search me, O God, and know my heart; try me and know my anxious thoughts; and see if there be any hurtful way in me, and lead me in the everlasting way."

When we see the dirt in our lives, we need to make sure we don't move to self-condemnation, but instead take the step God desires from us: confessing our sin to the Lord.

It's important to recognize that sin grieves our Holy Father, so much so that He sacrificed His precious Son for our sin. We need to call sin what it is; it's not a bad habit, a bad choice, or a mistake. Sin is sin, and its roots are rebellion and independence from God. By His death on a cross Jesus has already forgiven us, but confessing our sins is a way of acknowledging and remembering that we need a Savior.

By being honest with God about our sin, we discover a great treasure: He loves us just as we are, and at the same time He wants to transform our character to be like His.

Dear Lord, thank You, Jesus, for Your death on a cross. I never want to take that lightly. In a world where it's more acceptable to be tolerant, I want to remember that You are a holy God who does not tolerate sin. I am a sinner in constant need of Your grace, forgiveness, and love! Thank You for paying the price for my sins. I need You every minute of every day to empower me to be more like You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Melanie’s blog What Matters Most

What a Wife Needs from Her Husband by Melanie Chitwood

Pierced By the Word: 31 Meditations for Your Soul by John Piper

Application Steps:
Print out this devotion, look up each Scripture in the devotion, and spend time quietly meditating on them.

If you're not sure you're a child of God, you are only a prayer away from assurance! Click on Do You Know Him? for guidance in praying.

Go to Melanie's blog, What Matters Most, where you'll find a link to worship music to help you turn your heart and mind toward God.

Reflections:
Do you take time to be quiet before the Lord? Can you take time right now to confess your sin?

Know that God loves you. He is not eager to condemn, but to forgive you.

Power Verses:
Romans 6:23, "For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord." (NAS)

Romans 8:1 "Therefore there is now no condemnation for those who are in Christ Jesus." (NAS)

© 2010 by Melanie Chitwood. All rights reserved.

The Valve

Luann Prater

"Likewise the tongue is a small part of the body, but it makes great boasts. Consider what a great forest is set on fire by a small spark." James 3:5 (NIV)

My husband asked me to pick up some diesel fuel for the tractor. I had his truck and he had put the gas can in a box so it wouldn't tip over. Now, I'm 5'2", so can we just start there? Things that taller-than-me folks can do becomes a bit more of an issue for this vertically challenged gal. I pumped the gas into the can then tried to lift it, not only up to the bed of the truck, but over the top edge of the box. It was then I discovered the little valve cover was open.

A cup of gas escaped through that tiny opening, and strategically ran from the top of my t-shirt to the top of my pants. I panicked that my cell phone might ring and light my fire! That wasn't the type of flame I was hoping God would fan in my life!

I scrubbed and scrubbed in the shower but the stench of gas remained in my nostrils.

My lips are like that little valve. It is such a small opening, yet the fuel that escapes can be unpleasant, caustic and even deadly. Loose lips have snapped at my family. Harsh tones have left friends feeling poisoned. Careless words have killed the spirit in a vulnerable child.

James tells us that our tongue is like a restless evil full of deadly poison. Ouch! My husband didn't want me to spill that gas; we wanted to use it for good. God doesn't want our tongues to open unless they are going to encourage and spur one another on.

Several years ago I made a very small, but very life-changing decision. When a hurtful thought comes into my head, I tighten my lips and force a pause button to appear in my brain. When I allow myself to have just a second to think about the potential hazard that could come from 'speaking my mind' it gives the Holy Spirit time to check my heart and motives. In that pause moment I say, "Lord, take control of this tongue." And He does.

Do I get it right every time? No. But I can see fewer wrecks in my life, fewer wounds, fewer poison-tipped darts flying out of this mouth. And I no longer reek of gasoline I added to the fire.
Want to join me? Pause. Seal up the valve and allow the Holy Spirit to work for good through the words you speak.

Dear Lord, thank You for reminding us that our tongue can rip a heart apart, or seal it back together. Teach us to pause long enough to give Your Spirit time to work in and through us. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

30 Days to Taming Your Tongue: What You Say (and Don't Say) Will Improve Your Relationships and accompanying Workbook by Deborah Smith Pegues

Chat more with Luann on her blog or hear her on Encouragement Café every Saturday!

Self Talk, Soul Talk: What to Say When You Talk to Yourself by Jennifer Rothschild

For more daily encouragement, follow us on Twitter and Facebook!

Application Steps:
Before anything negative slips past your lips today, hit the pause button. Pray that the Holy Spirit take control. Ask God to make you a peacemaker.

Reflections:
Why do I say things I regret later?

When will I surrender my tongue to Jesus?

How can I allow my words to encourage instead of destroy?

Power Verses:
James 3:17, "But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure; then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere." (NIV)

Proverbs 27:15, "A quarrelsome wife is like a constant dripping on a rainy day." (NIV)
© 2010 by Luann Prater. All rights reserved.

Priceless in His Sight

Ariel Allison Lawhon, She Reads Co-Director

"How priceless is Your unfailing love! Both high and low among men find refuge in the shadow of Your wings." Psalm 36:7 (NIV)

Like many other Russian orphans, Masha was forced out of an orphanage at 15 and sent to a tech school – an underfunded holding tank for kids who learn how to lay brick or paint walls. One day, a group of professional looking, wealthy women came to the school and interviewed the girls for the best jobs in Russia. They were promised fancy clothes, expensive jewelry, and all the money they could hope for. Masha was chosen, and assumed her dreams had come true.

However, she quickly realized this dream had turned into an ugly nightmare.

She was taken to an apartment and beaten. In a matter of hours she would be entering the sex trade. The life that loomed before her was one of forced prostitution.

This is a story that's repeated across the globe in staggering numbers. In Eastern Europe alone, 200,000 women and children are sold into slavery every year. Innocents shipped off to brothels, never reported missing and never rescued. The sex trade is now a multi-billion dollar industry and the United States is one of the biggest consumers. I imagine Jesus weeping. We should as well.

Though some consider these women and children a commodity, something to be bought and sold, God sees their worth: priceless, cherished, beautiful. Our value as human beings is not calculated in assets or financial holdings, gender or age, or what we can bring on some shady black market auction block, but as image-bearers of God. Every human is priceless because we are formed by the hand of God for His glory, made for a purpose that was never meant to include slavery or violation. We believe this. And we must put that faith into action.

The good news is that not every story ends in suffering. Masha, for one, escaped her terrible fate. As she waited in that apartment for a group of men to claim her, she remembered a ministry center sponsored by Children's HopeChest – an organization run by She Reads author Tom Davis. She remembered being cared for and shown the love of Christ there. Masha escaped the apartment and ran to the HopeChest Ministry Center in Kostroma where the staff immediately called the authorities and gave her protection.

Today she is safe, receiving an education, and has a future – because of the caring work of believers, believers just like you and me. There is hope for girls like Masha and there are tangible things that every believer in Christ can do to help those who are not as fortunate. Starting with prayer…

Dear Lord, would You have mercy on the countless victims who are locked away, suffering the unspeakable? Comfort them. Redeem them. Be their hope and their ransom. But more than that, Jesus, would You show me what I can do to help? Show me how to be a voice for mercy and justice. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

She Reads author, Tom Davis, knows what it means to walk into the darkest places on earth and show mercy. His novel Priceless tells the gripping story of a young Russian girl swept into the sex trade. The novel is this month’s She Reads selection – visit the site to learn more about the novel and enter today’s giveaway for coffee and a copy!

Priceless by Tom Davis

Consider sponsoring a child and help them be released from poverty through Compassion International – your sponsorship could keep them off the streets and safe from the slavery trade.

Too Small to Ignore: Why the Least of These Matters Most by Dr. Wess Stafford

Application Steps:
Visit Tom Davis's blog, www.sheispriceless.com to learn how you can help those trapped in the sex slave industry.

Pray that God's mercy will extend to every victim of this horrible situation.

Give to ministries that rescue women and children from the sex trade.

Sponsor orphans in need of shelter and protection.

Get educated on the realities of the sex slave industry.

Be vigilant to watch for victims near you – it happens in every city in the United States.

Reflections:
Does my heart break over the things that break God's heart?

Power Verses:
Isaiah 43:1, "But now, this is what the LORD says— he who created you, O Jacob, he who formed you, O Israel: 'Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have summoned you by name; you are mine.'" (NIV)

Zechariah 7:9, "This is what the LORD Almighty says: 'Administer true justice; show mercy and compassion to one another.'" (NIV)

© 2010 by Ariel Allison Lawhon. All rights reserved.

Planning Funerals that Won't Happen Today

Lysa TerKeurst

"And who of you by being worried can add a single hour to his life?" Matthew 6:27 (NIV)

A couple of years ago my teenage son came to me and asked if he could take his brother and sisters to go get ice cream. How fun! How thoughtful! "Sure," I said, "Let me grab my keys and we'll go."

"No, Mom ... we sort of want to go just us kids," he quickly replied.

"Oh," and that's about all I could get my mouth to say as my brain started racing and reeling. In my mind's eye pictures started flashing of a terrible accident, a phone call from the police, planning a funeral, and then thinking back to this moment when I could have said no.

And it was that strange sense that everything depended on me and my decisions that made me want to say no. Absolutely not. You will stay home today. You will all stay home forever. I have to keep you safe.

Why do we moms do that? Most of us live with this gnawing, aching, terrifying fear that something will happen to one of our children. We carry the pressure that ultimately everything rises and falls on whether or not we can control things. And mentally, too often we plan funerals that won't happen today.

We do it because we know the realities of living in a broken world where car accidents do happen. Tragedy strikes old and young alike. We have no guarantees for tomorrow. And that's really hard on a mama's heart.

I stood at the front window of my house chewing my nails and watching as the entire contents of my mama heart piled into one car.

And I realized I had a choice.

I could run myself ragged creating a false sense of control that can't really protect them. Or, I could ask God to help me make wise decisions and choose to park my mind on the truth.

The truth is:
God has assigned each of my kids a certain number of days.

My choices can add to the quality of their life, but not the quantity. They could be at home tucked underneath my wings and if it's their day to go be with Jesus, they will go.

"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 139:15-16)

Jesus conquered death so we don't have to be afraid of it any longer.

Of course, the death of anyone I love would make me incredibly sad, heart-broken and dazed with grief. But I don't have to be held captive by the fear of death.

"Since the children have flesh and blood, he (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death - that is, the devil - and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (Hebrews 2:14-15).

Death is only a temporary separation. We will be reunited again.

In 2 Samuel 12, when David's infant child died, he confidently said, "I shall go to him, but he shall not return to me" (v. 23). David knew he would see his child again--not just a faceless soul without an identity, but this child for whom he was longing. He would know him, hold him, kiss him, and the separation death caused would be over.

I know these are heavy things to process on a Thursday morning. And I certainly don't claim that these truths will help you never ever fear again. But I do hope these truths will settle your heart into a better place.

And the next time my kids go get ice cream together, instead of chewing my nails I'll only pick at them while awaiting their return. See progress? It's good.

Dear Lord, the fear of something happening to one of my children is so raw. And I guess the thing that makes it so hard is I know we live in a broken world and awful things happen to kids. But if I focus on this fear, it will consume me. Instead help me focus on You so I'll only be consumed with Your truth, Your love, Your insights, and Your power. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Click here to visit Lysa TerKeurst’s blog for a list of three practical things we can do when we start to feel consumed with fear.

Lysa is speaking in over 40 cities this year and she’d love to meet you! To check for a city near you, click here.

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl by Lysa TerKeurst. This book is the perfect 6 week summer book for personal devotions or group Bible Study!

Becoming More Than a Good Bible Study Girl DVD set – Contains 6 sessions lasting 15-20 minutes each on one DVD for only $24.99. Perfect for your Bible study group or neighborhood Book Club.

Application Steps:
The next time you find yourself worrying and getting consumed with fear, see it as a trigger to pray and ask God specifically to use His truth to comfort you.

Think of what commonly triggers your heart to go to those fearful places and pray for Jesus to help you work through these. Ask for Him to show you verses in scripture that will speak truth into your situation.

Reflections:
How did this devotion comfort you today?

What is one nugget of truth you can commit to memory and use the next time fear grips your heart?

Power Verses:
Psalm 139:15-16, "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." (NIV)

Hebrews 2:14-15, "Since the children have flesh and blood, he (Jesus) too shared in their humanity so that by his death he might destroy him who holds the power of death- that is, the devil- and free those who all their lives were held in slavery by their fear of death." (NIV)

© 2010 by Lysa TerKeurst. All rights reserved.

Catch the Little Foxes

Melanie Chitwood

"Be kind to one another, tender-hearted, forgiving each other, just as God in Christ also has forgiven you." Ephesians 4:32 (NAS)

Holly has a hard time parking in the garage. It sits at a tricky angle, and she has run into the garage wall quite a few times. In fact, her van has plenty of scrapes and dents to prove it. Her husband Dan could choose many ways to respond—he could be angry every time, or he could berate her, but that's not his reaction. He has repeatedly chosen to forgive Holly. Their situation is an example of one of the "little foxes" mentioned in Song of Solomon 2:15: "Catch all the foxes, those little foxes, before they ruin the vineyard of love, for the grapevines are blossoming!" (NLT). Theirs is a situation that could have become divisive, but because of Dan's gracious response, this "little fox" did not ruin their "vineyard of love."

Do any "little foxes" come to mind when you think about your own marriage? Maybe your spouse was abrupt when speaking to you, didn't give you the attention you wanted, wasn't responsive to intimacy, forgot your anniversary, or got home late without calling recently. Everyday married life presents countless occasions to choose to be offended or to choose to forgive, as today's key verses instructs us.

Without forgiveness, we'll find ourselves becoming irritated, hard-hearted, bitter, and disconnected from our spouse. A friend taught me one way to make sure this doesn't happen: The moment I feel offended, I can choose to forgive. If my spouse says something that makes me mad or hurt, I need to begin praying at that very moment to forgive. Doing this allows God to begin softening our hearts immediately.

In addition to dealing with the little foxes of small offenses, we will sometimes need to forgive our spouses for big offenses. We might be betrayed by unfaithfulness, our trust might be rattled by secrets our spouses keep, or our feelings might be stomped on by spouses who do the same hurtful things over and over again. If one quality makes a Christian marriage stand out from the rest, it's our choice to forgive our spouse. We might feel as if we're ignoring the offense or giving our stamp of approval by choosing to forgive. Our pride and fear might rise up: What if the offense happens again and again? Will I be taken for a fool? What will others think?

Choosing to forgive is an act of obedience to God's commands. Forgiveness entails choosing, often over and over again, not to dwell on the offense because that would allow a root of bitterness to grow in our hearts. But let's be clear: If you're dealing with a sin issue in marriage, choose to forgive but still spend the needed time talking about the situation, praying separately and together, and seeking godly counsel.

Forgiveness is a one of the most essential attitudes for bringing unity and oneness to marriage, and it flows from our relationship with Christ.

Dear Lord, cover our marriage with a spirit of forgiveness. I confess that sometimes I want to hold a grudge, to retaliate, or to be right, rather than forgive. Lord, I don't want the enemy to get a foothold in our marriage, so through the power of the Holy Spirit, I slam the door on Satan by choosing to forgive my spouse. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Need Forgiveness from God?

For more about forgiveness, visit Lysa TerKeurst's blog, where Holly Good, Lysa's assistant, will be blogging today.

Adapted from What a Wife Needs from Her Husband by Melanie Chitwood

Visit Melanie’s blog What Matters Most

What a Husband Needs from His Wife by Melanie Chitwood

Application Steps:
Dwell on Christ's forgiveness of your offenses.

Say, "I forgive you" today.

Say, "I'm sorry" today.

Choose not to dwell on your spouse's hurtful words or actions.

Don't hold a grudge or seek revenge.

Choose your friends wisely.

Take care around others who bad-mouth their spouses.

The moment you feel offended, begin to pray that the Holy Spirit will work through you to forgive your spouse.

Reflections:
What "little foxes" come to mind concerning your marriage?

Have you chosen to be offended and hurt? Or gracious and forgiving?

Have you been avoiding talking to your spouse about a big offense? Can you choose to today to take the first step in talking about this situation, praying about it, and perhaps seeing a godly counselor?

Power Verses:
Colossians 3:12-13, "Since God chose you to be the holy people he loves, you must clothe yourselves with tenderhearted mercy, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience. Make allowance for each other's faults, and forgive anyone who offends you. Remember, the Lord forgave you, so you must forgive others." (NLT)

© 2010 by Melanie Chitwood. All rights reserved.

Love is Powerful

Rachel Olsen

"By his divine power, God has given us everything we need for living a godly life. We have received all of this by coming to know him, the one who called us to himself by means of his marvelous glory and excellence." 2 Peter 1:3 (NLT)

Do you find yourself doing what you know you should not? Do you find it hard to stop?

Yeah, I know.

I've had several discussions lately with people stuck in patterns of behavior they want to quit. They keep sinning. What's more, they feel completely awful about it. Guilty. Shameful. Some to the point of hating themselves. And yet they feel powerless to stop – powerless to resist.

The Bible says when we return to our vices again and again, we are like dogs returning to our vomit (Proverbs 26:11). Eww, ick!

So why do we do this when according to the Bible, Christ has conquered sin on our behalf so we can overcome its power? If, "by his divine power God has given us everything we need for living a godly life," why does sin have any place in our lives?

The answer is the same reason a dog returns to her vomit. Gross as it is, she gets some degree of satisfaction from it. She likes it. See what I mean:

• Lust – or its fulfillment, sexual indiscretion – feels pleasurable in the moment.
• Overeating—or its biblical term, gluttony – feels comforting in the moment.
• Power – called "lording it over someone" in the Bible – makes you feel significant.
• Lying is convenient at the time.
• Splurging and spending – compared to saving or giving -- feels fun and rewarding.
• Stomping and yelling feels cathartic and justifiable.

This list could go on ad nauseam. Sin has power because we enjoy it. It promises something we want - pleasure, escape, wealth, power, attention. Sure it always has consequences we don't want, but in many cases those don't over power its feel-good moments or perceived benefits.

In short, sin has power because we love it.

What can help us overcome the sins that we have love-hate relationships with? A surpassing love. A greater love that carries with it no hate, no guilt, and no shame. A love that actually delivers the many benefits it promises. A love that is full of beautiful grace and soul-deep compassion.

A love more attractive and more powerful than the allure of sin.

It is the love of God displayed in Christ.

When we catch hold of that love - when we read of it regularly, drink it in, pray for it and see it at work in our lives - we cannot help but love Him back with all our heart, soul and mind.

And in that state of all encompassing love, sin pales in comparison. Its power grows feeble.

Immersing ourselves in the everlasting love of God, we become willing and able to walk away from sin.

We can give up that because we have THIS.

Dear Lord, forgive me for the sins I return to. Cleanse me with Your majestic love and grace. Reveal to me the depth of Your love, the extent of Your sacrifice, and the beauty of the mercy You grant me daily. Open my eyes to see Your love afresh and may I be empowered to walk away from sin towards Your heart. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do you know Him who loves you so?

Crazy Love: Overwhelmed by a Relentless God by Francis Chan

Check out Rachel’s blog today.

Application Steps:
Fill your mind and heart today with the love of God. Read the power verses below, look up others in your Bible, or visit Rachel’s blog.

Reflections:
What sin do I return to? What is the benefit I feel this sin provides me?

Power Verses:
Proverbs 8:17, "I love all who love me. Those who search will surely find me." (NLT)

Jeremiah 31:3, "Long ago the LORD said to Israel: 'I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself.'" (NLT)

© 2010 by Rachel Olsen. All rights reserved.

Potholes Required

Van Walton

"Dear…sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it an opportunity for great joy. For you know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow." James 1:2-3 (NLT)

Before moving to the warm South, complete with mild winters and smooth roads, my family lived in Wisconsin. The greatest contrast I noticed? Southern roads free from potholes.

Or so I thought.

Then one day as I sailed along a local street, my car sank into a deep hole. Water and mud splashed over the windshield and bounced off my side view mirror. The abrupt pitfall surely damaged my car. At the very least it was dirty and dented.

"Where did that come from?" I wondered. "A pothole on the streets of my fine city?"

Driving on, I considered the pothole. Every road we travel is susceptible to pothole blight. I remember my front walkway caving in and crumbling after a heavy rain washed out the ground underneath it. I've even found myself walking around muddy holes on forest paths.

Yes, every road we travel is susceptible to the pothole blight, including the road of life. God's Word guarantees it: "You will face all kinds of trouble …Your faith will be put to the test" (James 1:2b-3a, NIRV).

At one time or another, the highway on which we travel will fall out from under us. Or, if we are not personally affected by troubles, we know someone who is. Potholes are inevitable, it seems, if we're going anywhere. Consequently, we can spend much time dealing with the destruction, or rescuing others from their deep pits. Writing these words distresses me and if I were to camp on this thought, I could find myself sorely depressed.

So I drive on, focusing on God's Word. Like the dependable tow truck that fixes damaged tires or the repair shop that aligns them, God's Word assures me that falling into an abyss is not the end of the ride. Life does go on … with a high calling and meaningful purpose.

Consider these words:

"The Father of compassion and the God of all comfort…comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort others …" (2 Corinthians 1:3-4, NIV)

"…we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair…" (2 Corinthians 4:7-8, NLT)

"…under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors. So don't try to get out of anything prematurely. Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way." (James 1:2-4, MSG)

And finally Isaiah 53:3a, 4a explains that the troubles our Lord Jesus suffered made us whole. He was "a man of sorrows, acquainted with deepest grief…it was our weaknesses he carried; it was our sorrows that weighed him down…" (NLT)

Precious friend, are you stuck in one of life's potholes? Don't despair. You're not alone. Jesus knows. You may feel damaged, broken, or rejected but there is a high calling, a greater purpose for your troubling experiences. One day you will comfort others in their afflictions. Your light will shine on another's dark and difficult path. And when you step into eternity you will receive the crown of life.

Hallelujah!

Father, God, I have fallen into a deep hole. I am damaged, broken, and feel rejected. Please use my circumstances to strengthen me and cause me to shine so others may see Your glory. In Jesus' Name I pray, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Van’s blog

From the Pound to the Palace by Van Walton describes for your children how a relationship with Jesus helps us endure troubles.

Trials for Today, Treasures for Tomorrow: Overcoming Adversities in Life by Janet Eckles

For more hope and to take a free test How Do I Know If I’m Depressed? visit God Sees You

Defeating Depression: Real Hope for Life-Changing Wholeness by Leslie Vernick

Application Steps:
Read James 1:1-18 in several Bible translations.

Reflections:
What troubles threaten to destroy me?

Isn't God greater than any trial that comes my way?

Can I set my mind on trusting God rather than caving to defeat, confident that today's trials strengthen me for tomorrow?

Power Verses:
2 Corinthians 4:16-17, "…we do not lose heart. Though outwardly we are wasting away, yet inwardly we are being renewed day by day. For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. (NIV)

2 Corinthians 6:4, "In everything we do, we show that we are true ministers of God. We patiently endure troubles and hardships and calamities of every kind. (NLT)

© 2010 by Van Walton. All rights reserved.

My Triple-Braided Cord

Karen Ehman

"A person standing alone can be attacked and defeated, but two can stand back-to-back and conquer. Three are even better, for a triple-braided cord is not easily broken." Ecclesiastes 4:12 (NLT)

I've been embattled in a knock-down, drag-out fight for over a quarter-century now. Sometimes, I feel the little daily battles that are part of this clash completely defeat me, leaving me helpless and hopeless. And I feel alone in my battle.

What is this battle that consumes me? It is one that many women face. My constant, decades-long skirmish is with food. Or rather, with my desire for food. Bad foods. Wrong foods. Or just vast quantities of food.

A few years back, I felt I'd come to the end of my rope. Severely overweight and reeling from seven different medical conditions, I finally determined to do something decisive for fear I might wind up like my aunt. She died unexpectedly of a heart attack when she was only in her early forties. I had just celebrated my 40th birthday, was the same size my aunt had been, and shared many of her medical issues.

So one day with desperate determination, a pair of hand-me-down walking shoes, and my trusty calorie counter in hand, I set off to religiously follow a weight-loss and exercise regimen. And follow it I did—to the T! Eleven months later, I'd dropped over 100 pounds. All my health conditions disappeared without any medication and I felt better than I had in my twenties. I boldly determined that never, EVER again would I let that weight creep back on.

Fast forward three years. One snowy Christmas eve, my husband's company gave him notice of a layoff. It lasted for nearly 9 months. Money was tight. The future looked bleak. I was worried and teetering on the brink of depression. I hate to admit that, sadly, I again turned to food instead of to God. I made it my comfort; my distraction; my friend.

However, this familiar "friend" quickly became my archenemy. Over the course of those 9 months, I gained back over a third of the weight I'd lost! Now entrenched in the thick of the battle again, I was weary and weak; embarrassed and embittered. However, one day God sent me today's key verse. He whispered in my soul's ear that I needed to stop fighting the battle alone. Time to call in the troops!

I phoned my friend Lysa and asked her if she would pray for me, and allow me to "weigh-in" with her once a month to let her know if I'd lost or gained. She too has fought the battle-of-the-bulge and was gracious and willing to be my second strand, watching my back and enabling me to conquer.

Another friend, who also has fought weight issues, sensed how much my regain was bothering me. On one of my darkest days, she took my chin in her hand, looked me squarely in the eye, and told me I was beautiful and that I needed to stop allowing Satan to beat me up. Shari became my third strand. She also prays for me and I email her each month giving her a report from the front lines of the battlefield.

Knowing these "I've-been-there" sisters were both rooting, as well as praying, for me has made an immense difference. It also inspired me to initiate a Weight Loss Wednesday weekly feature on my blog where nearly 80 women encourage, cheer and comfort each other. Together, we form one thick rope of sisters, intertwining our very souls. And yes, newcomers are always welcome!

Whether it is extra weight on our thighs or excess baggage in our souls, we women all face heated, hard battles. Our key verse today teaches us to decide not to wage war all alone. Enlist another strand or two to strengthen one another in the fight to overcome strongholds and worship God alone. Satan shudders when God's gals band together, with Jesus at the forefront, to courageously face the battle before us.

Dear Lord, forgive me for the times I try to wage war alone. Guide me to someone who will come alongside of me and encourage me not to give up in my quest to glorify You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
To take a peek at the Weight Loss Wednesday cyber group and enter to win a weight-loss jump-start giveaway, visit Karen’s blog today.

The Complete Guide to Getting and Staying Organized by Karen Ehman

Becoming the Woman God Wants Me to Be: A 90-day Guide to Living the Proverbs 31 Life by Donna Partow

When a Woman Meets Jesus: Finding the Love Every Woman Longs For by Dorothy Valcarcel

Share a good laugh and find solid truth with Dear Bathroom Scale

Application Steps:
What areas of battle can you identify where you might need to "call in the troops" for back-up support?

Reflections:
Have there been times in your life when your connection with other women allowed you or a friend to do something that could never have been accomplished alone?

Power Verses:
Matthew 18:19-20, "Again I say to you, if two of you agree on earth about anything they ask, it will be done for them by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, there am I among them." (ESV)

© 2010 by Karen Ehman. All rights reserved.

What Makes a Heart Right?

Wendy Pope

"Rejoice in the LORD and be glad, you righteous; sing, all you who are upright in heart! Psalm 32:11 (NIV)

As I read today's key verse, I am so thankful I can rejoice in the Lord and be glad. I am able to sing because my heart is upright. But I have to tell you, this upright heart was pretty downtrodden a few months ago. Have you ever been there, in a place of oppression so heavy your bones ached and you felt as though your energy had been sapped by the summer sun?

It started about this time last year, in the months leading up to our annual She Speaks conference for aspiring or established Christian speakers and writers. Our staff felt the Lord's leading to fast before the conference. Many fasted lunch each Tuesday, while others followed the Lord in obedience by fasting something else. I participated in the lunch fast but confess today to disobeying the Lord when He asked me to fast something else.

This was something I loved. Maybe, too much. It was something that brought me great pleasure. It put a smile on my face. It was…Dr. Pepper! Yes, the Lord asked me to give up Dr. Pepper in obedience to Him and I said no. I chose to live in rebellion to the Lord I claimed to love and continued drinking the soda. It was at this point my relationship with the Lord started to suffer.

The Lord did not abandon me during my rebellion, nor did He stop using me in His kingdom, which made me believe I was "getting away" with my rebellion. I was still speaking, writing, and leading my online Bible study. It appeared that I had my cake, well in this case Dr. Pepper, and was "eating it too."

Shortly after the conference my spirit became restless. I experienced sleepless nights that lead to draining days. My body and spirit became weak. It became more and more difficult to purchase Dr. Pepper. I knew I was in rebellion but chose to compromise instead of confess. When I ordered Dr. Pepper I would order a small and not get refills. When the grocery store had a buy-one-get-one-free special, I would only purchase one twelve pack. I was becoming a master at the "obedience clause" … obeying my way. This went on for months.

David wrote about the cause and effect of living in sin in Psalm 32:3-4, "When I kept silent, my bones wasted away through my groaning all day long. For day and night your hand was heavy upon me; my strength was sapped as in the heat of summer" (NIV).

These verses haunted me. There was the truth of my life in black and white. Fortunately in verse 5 David tells us what to do when the symptoms of rebellion become realities in our lives. "Then I acknowledged my sin to you and did not cover up my iniquity. I said, 'I will confess my transgressions to the LORD —and you forgave the guilt of my sin'" (NIV).

So, why am I able to today? Last December I acknowledged my sin to God and stopped covering my iniquity. In addition to my confession and repentance I finally obeyed what God had asked me to do months before, I stopped drinking Dr. Pepper. My strength has been restored and my bones no longer ache. My posture is upright and I'm confident because I am walking in obedience. Will I ever drink Dr. Pepper again? That is a question only the Lord can answer; but until He gives the answer, I want the posture of my heart to be upright, singing along the way.

What is the posture of your heart today? Is it up upright or downtrodden? Read Psalm 32 and follow God's instructions. I promise the results will be uplifting!

Dear Lord, thank You for inspiring David to write this amazing message. Help me to live the truths of Your Word so I can rejoice and be glad in my relationship with You. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
More encouragement can be found at Hearing God

Out of the Mouths of Babes by Wendy Pope

Living Free in Christ: Experiencing Life as it was Meant to be (CD) by Wendy Pope

Visit Wendy’s blog

A Perfect Mess: Why You Don't Have to Worry About Being Good Enough for God by Lisa Harper

Application Steps:
Read Psalm 32. Pray through the scripture, asking God to reveal any sin you have not acknowledged.

Reflections:
How do I respond when God asks me to do something?

Why is obeying God difficult for me?

Power Verses:
Psalm 32:1, "Blessed is he whose transgressions are forgiven, whose sins are covered." (NIV)

2 Timothy 3:16-17, "All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work." (NIV)

© 2010 by Wendy Pope. All rights reserved.