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Daily Devotion

2/28/2015

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Katy McCown

"The Day I Saw My Son Drowning"


“For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was

naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.” Matthew 25:35-36 (ESV)

It all happened in a matter of seconds.

We stormed through the hotel pool’s gate with kids, towels, floaties and a stroller. Still wearing my street clothes, I played pool police while my husband, Luke, secured the little ones into life jackets.

Our 4-year-old son, who knows how to swim, waded down the steps with confidence. But this marked our first time at the pool since the previous summer, and time took its toll on Micah’s memory. He’d forgotten how to swim, but didn’t realize it until it was too late.

I spotted him first and shouted, “Luke! Micah!”

Since my husband stood only a few steps away, sporting a swimsuit, I figured he was the guy for the job. I assumed my tone would communicate the urgency of the situation and expected Luke to hop right in and rescue Micah.

But he didn’t.

Luke looked at me confused. He didn’t see Micah. He didn’t know what was happening. And every second I waited for my husband to save our son, Micah struggled to breathe.

I stood steps away, knowing he needed help. But because I reasoned someone else was more prepared or better suited for the job, I did nothing.

I share one of my worst moments as a mother because I often see the same struggles in our spiritual lives. We see someone drowning and, with good intentions, wait for the “right” person for the job.

But God put us in front of the ones who need air. We see them with our eyes. We understand the need. God chose us for these jobs. And while we wait for an expert to jump in, someone is drowning.

Like the new girl at Bible study who unloaded her burdened heart into the middle of our comfortable circle.

Just minutes earlier, I had greeted her with a smile and tried to make her feel comfortable. I didn’t know much about her, so I asked questions to ease the newness of it all. We grabbed some goodies then shuffled into the living room, where the group gathered in our usual circle.

We shared and prayed and pondered God’s Word and will for our lives.

Then the dam broke. The headache in the heart of this new face made her wince as the words poured out of her mouth. Floods of self-doubt and confusion gushed through the gaping hole in her soul.

She described the uncertainty of new things, the unsettled places of old things and the unraveling of too many things. When the words ran out and the tears came close to spilling over, she lowered her head and pleaded, “I just need to know what to do.”

And we all sat silent.

The girl who invited her should be the one to say something, I reasoned. Or surely the leader of the group will shed light on her situation. Or at least someone who’s known her longer than five minutes! I thought to myself.

Everyone else must have rationalized the same way I did. Because not one of us offered a life preserver or anything to help keep her head above water.

In today’s key verse, Jesus paints the picture of the day we stand before God. He says people will ask Him, “When did we see you hungry and feed you? Or when did we see you naked and give you clothes?”

In Matthew 25:40 Jesus shares the startling truth, “And the King will answer them, ‘Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.’” (ESV)

Thankfully, my son Micah’s story ends brighter than the woman at Bible study. That day at the pool, a stranger rescued my son. He saw Micah drowning and took action. I wish it had been me, but I thank God for that man who chose not to hesitate.

The Bible study visitor never returned. She likely left disappointed and embarrassed. I pray God uses someone else to draw her to Him. I wish it had been me.

I urge you today, if you see someone drowning, jump into the water. Grab them by the hand and guide them to the only true Life Preserver. Whatever you do for them, you do also for the King of Kings.

Lord Jesus, give me the courage to jump. I want to be Your vessel who brings hope and rest to those You love. Give me Your eyes and help my arms be like Yours and reach for those who are sinking. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Philippians 2:12b-13, “Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God who is working in you, enabling you both to desire and to work out His good purpose.” (HCSB)

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

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Daily Devotion

2/26/2015

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"Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life"
Beth Moore


Chapter 4 (Part 1)
"Perceiving, recognizing, and understanding the wonders of His person"


I want us to look at these three words: perceiving, recognizing, and understanding.

First, I want you to think about perceiving. We really don't come close to perceiving God as He truly is. And one of the things we want to ask God to do with us is to help us grow in our ability to perceive Him, our ability to discern Him.

We need God's help because I believe our primary cause of errant perception is our attempt to perceive God with our injured soul-man as opposed to our undisturbed, untouched spirit-man.

Hang with me here! Let me explain what I mean.

You are made of three parts and so am I. We are made of a physical body, we are made of a soul, and we are made of a spirit. Now our soul is everything that gives us our emotions, our personality, all the things that make us--us--without the Lord Jesus. The spirit in us is our capacity to know God and to relate to God.

Every single one of us is born with a spirit; it's what sets us apart from the animals. Now when we receive Christ as our Savior, His Spirit takes up residency in our spirit.

But here's what happens. As we seek to understand God, we are constantly perceiving Him according to our injured soul-man. Our soul has been injured by sin. And it continues to be injured by life. Injured by hurts, injured by betrayals, injured by failure, injured by feelings. If we try and perceive God through the lens of any of these things that have damaged our soul, then we end up with a warped perception of God.

For instance, let's say we try to perceive God by what we feel. Now feelings are wonderful, don't misunderstand me, but here's what happens when we perceive according to how we feel. We feel loved today, but we don't feel love tomorrow. Guess how we then view the love of God? We question whether it will be there tomorrow. And our perception of God then flows out of a very injured soul, instead of out of the Spirit.

Let's take sin--now here's something I've got to talk about. Believe me, I have been there. It is always amazing to me how we damage ourselves because of sin.

And we have to understand that we will never be able to fulfill our purpose if we do not turn from our practices of sin. We will never perceive God as He truly is because sin quenches the Spirit. And when we quench the Spirit, we cannot hear Him and we cannot perceive Him.

This is so essential because everything God wants to reveal to us is through His Spirit.

That means you and I have to learn what it means to be filled with His Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:9 says God wants to do more in our lives than our ears have heard, more than our eyes have seen and more than our minds have ever conceived. But it is revealed to us through the Spirit, the Scripture says.

Sin is so corrupting. Sin can ruin our lives and keep us from what God has for us. 1 Corinthians 5:6 is so instructive. Paul uses the yeast and the dough to show us the impact of sin. It says, Your boasting is not good. Don't you know that a little yeast works through the whole batch of dough?

This verse is talking about having an area of sin in our lives that is our pet area. Do you understand what I'm talking about? It's the cherished sin we have in our life. It's this yeast in the whole batch of dough. But God tells us, in verses 7-8,

Get rid of the old yeast that you may be a new batch without yeast . . . (this is my favorite part) . . . as you really are. For Christ, our Passover lamb, has been sacrificed. Therefore let us keep the Festival, not with the old yeast, the yeast of malice and wickedness, but with bread without yeast, the bread of sincerity and truth.

Now look at the phrase, " . . . as you really are." I love that phrase because God wants us to understand that when we're wigged out in sin we are not acting like the person we really are. We might keep trying to say, "Lord, this is just how I am." But He says, "No, you're not. That is not how you are. You are acting contrary to who you are. You are a victor. You are more than an over-comer. I've given you victory over that area of sin. You really are pure."

You must come to that place where you realize you really are something to God. And when you practice on-going sin in your life, you are quenching the glory of God which He so desires to reveal to you.

Perception. Perceiving with the spirit-man.

Lord, let Your Word divide between soul and spirit, bone and marrow, that we would know the difference between what our injured soul-man is trying to tell us and what the Holy Spirit of the living God desires us to understand.

Now, there is something very important I need you to understand. Please track with me here. My physical body has been disturbed. I've been the victim of abuse. Not only that, but I have done goodness knows what else with my body. And my soul has certainly been disturbed, because the physical abuse I have suffered has deeply touched my soul.

But you know what? Nobody has touched my spirit. My spirit is untouched,virginal, chaste, one hundred percent without yeast. No one has victimized my spirit and I have never been able to defile that. Beloved, you have something and someone within you that is totally untouched and totally undefiled! Hallelujah!

When we live the Spirit-filled life, God's Spirit comes and takes command and authority over our lives. But only when we're living out of the spirit-man instead of our injured soul-man. The more you live out of that spirit-man the more your soul-man cannot control!

(to be continued on Tuesday)
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Daily Devotion

2/24/2015

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"Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life"
Beth Moore

Chapter 3 (Part 2) "That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him . . . "


I want you to go to the furthest reaches of your intellect and I want you to try to measure excellence with me. I want you to think of the things around you that speak grandeur to you. I want you to think of the wonders of creation. I want you to think of the universal order, which is so magnificent, the natural laws.

They're nothing but the mere works of His hands! Nothing but the merest suggestion of His person! And we have cheapened our walk by going for what He can do for us alone, when the real joy is growing in the knowledge and the wonders of His person!

When my husband Keith and I were in South Africa we wanted to see some giraffes. God was so sweet to show off for me. It's something I am always asking Him to do. I think nothing of saying, "Show off for me! I tell you what, Lord, if You'll show me, if You'll delight me, I promise You I will jump up and down." I truly believe that the more you applaud God, the more He comes in for an encore!

Anyway, as we were out driving through a field we saw one giraffe. And so I applauded God, I said, "Oh, yes! You are so good!" Just then He brought out fifteen more! We were awed by what we saw. Keith and I just sat there and looked at the wonder of God's creativity. Ever think of those little spots on a giraffe? They are amazing.

And then to watch them drink--all the way down like doing the splits. I want to know the mind that thought that up. That is the mind of our God. Oh the wonders of His person!

Now I want you to think to the furthest reaches of the excellence of man. I want you to think artwork for a moment. When is the last time you just stood in front of a work of art and said, "Who did that? Who could do that?" Have you ever seen Michelangelo's work? I mean, who in heaven's name could do that?

I want you to think of the most excellent performance. Somebody just truly gifted. I want you to think of the most excellent musical score. Think for a second; just let Handel's Messiah play in your head for a second.

All of these are the merest suggestions, the tiniest fragments of what Christ has in full. He is the kind of person we will sit across from someday and say. "Tell me something else. Tell me something else. Tell me something else. Tell me something else. Tell me something else. And what do You think when You see that? And how does that make You feel? What are You thinking right now? What were You thinking when You made that? What was on Your mind?"

We will ask questions to the furthest reaches of our imagination.

Do you remember John Nash, the one who was the subject of the film, A Beautiful Mind? He battled schizophrenia throughout his life, yet won the Nobel Peace Prize because he was such a gifted mathematician. Now think, what is it that makes a mind able to think like that? In formulas and equations . . . sheer brilliance!

Do you understand that is the merest suggestion of the wonders of God's person? That Christ Jesus just spoke it, and it was! Not a beautiful mind . . . the beautiful mind.

It is so sad, but we're just not getting it. I say this as the first of offenders and not with condemnation. But we just don't get the true wonder of His person. We just decide enough's enough, and start cruising on the knowledge that we have. We start cruising on that last tank and do not pursue knowing the wonders of His person.

That I may intimately and progressively know the wonders of His person.

You know, as I've watched my girls fall in love with such a pure love, I've thought so much about the Lord Jesus. I have thought, "You know, there's no going back and doing that again. I can't go back and fall in love like that. It's already done. And I didn't do it the way you were supposed to do it."

But I do get to do that one more time. Now matter how old I feel--and see all the wrinkles. Women, you know what I am talking about! I look in the mirror and I think to myself, "Who are you?" Amen? And I ask God, "What have you done with my neck?"

Not too long ago a friend of mine called me and said, "Okay, Beth, I've read everything I can about menopause, and let me just say, there's no good news here." I have found that to be absolutely true! But you know what I love about the Lord Jesus? I feel totally young and beautiful with Him. I do. And so should you!

In Him our youth is renewed, the Scripture says. So see, I get to enjoy that early romance, and so do you. We get to know the intimacy our hearts yearn for because we can know Him, the eternal lover of our souls. That is the wonder of His person!

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Daily Devotion

2/23/2015

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lynn Cowell

"When My Mind Says 'You Failed'"


"My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises." Psalm 57:7 (NLT)

Fail. It’s a word I’ve heard my kids use when something goes wrong. Just plain "fail."

It’s a word I know as well. Failure is what I felt when I’d done all I knew to do to make a large project successful. Yet, according to my measurement, I had fallen very short. All I could think was, You failed.

I found my mind swirling, trying to process what happened. Confused, I wondered, God, why didn’t You help me? The project was for Him, after all. You would think He would have stepped up and helped me, at least in the way I was looking for help.

What did I do wrong?

Maybe I’m just not cut out for this?

My confidence was gone.

Can you recall a time when you thought you were doing what God wanted you to do, yet it didn’t turn out how you anticipated? Was your confidence shaken, not just in yourself, but in God?

Friend, you are not alone. It’s so easy to lose our confidence when things aren’t going well.

In today’s key verse, David speaks of confidence: "My heart is confident in you, O God."

Reading these words, we might assume David wrote them when his life was going well, possibly moments away from marrying the king’s daughter and living happily ever after.

His reality, in fact, was far from happy. As David penned these words, he was literally running from a mad man (King Saul) who not only wanted to kill him, but also had the power to do so. {You can read 1 Samuel, chapters 19-22, for more of this story.}

When David wrote these words found in Psalm 57:7, "My heart is confident in you, O God; my heart is confident. No wonder I can sing your praises" – words filled with faith and hope – he was hiding in a cave. Not alone, but with 400 guys who were also running from trouble, in debt or just plain discontented with life as they knew it.

Here, in this awful situation, David reaffirmed his security hadn’t changed even if his circumstances did. His confidence was still built on God.

According to my study Bible, the word "confident" in the original Hebrew means: "set in place, make secure, to be made ready, be attached."

I love this last definition: "be attached." My mind pictures a new bride, attached to someone who cares deeply about her, with her face glowing. Her relationship brings her confidence.

David’s relationship brought him confidence as well. Despite his horrific circumstances, David experienced security and contentment because he knew God was with him even in those circumstances.

God can make us brave whether our lives are coming together or falling apart. We can have a heart and mind that is set in place, secure and attached, even when our circumstances seem to say, "You failed."

I want to be like David. Confidence attached to God. Unshaken by any situation or circumstances. Unable to hold back His praises.

Dear Jesus, the way You define failure and the way we define failure is so very different. Help me see when my circumstances are a set-up, an opportunity to build my confidence in You. Always and only in You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Hebrews 10:35, "So do not throw away your confidence; it will be richly rewarded." (NIV)

Philippians 4:12, "I know what it is to be in need, and I know what it is to have plenty. I have learned the secret of being content in any and every situation, whether well fed or hungry, whether living in plenty or in want." (NIV)

Ephesians 3:12, "In him and through faith in him we may approach God with freedom and confidence." (NIV)


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Daily Devotion

2/20/2015

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Wendy Pope

"I Need to Hit the Refresh Button"


"For the word of God is alive and active. Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart." Hebrews 4:12 (NIV)

It never fails. The moment I sit down to work at my computer, I’m interrupted.

I tend to multi-task, so I can be writing a devotion, working on a speaking message or helping my high-schooler with research for a project, all at the same time. As a result, I often have multiple websites open.

That’s when the interruptions start. Bzzztt.

The buzzer rings to move the clothes from the washer to dryer. The water is boiling for spaghetti noodles. Inevitably, "Mom, I need your help!" bellows from the other room.

Hours later when supper is over, the laundry’s completed and the problem is solved, I finally return to my computer. As my PC awakens I notice the opened websites look exactly the same as when I left them hours before. Untouched. Unchanged. Suspended in time.

But as soon as I hit the refresh button, all the information on the untouched, unchanged, suspended-in-time pages turns instantly current.

Something similar happens when we leave our Bibles untouched and then begin reading again. As we read  today’s key verse, God’s Word is "alive and active." Reading it refreshes our souls and can touch and change our lives.

Recently while I was reading Psalm 23, King David’s words became alive and active. It felt like God hit the refresh button in my spirit to show me the current application of this familiar Psalm. Can I share with you how I was refreshed by these six short verses?

"The LORD
is my shepherd; I have all that I need. He lets me rest in green meadows; he leads me beside peaceful streams. He renews my strength. He guides me along right paths, bringing honor to his name. Even when I walk through the darkest valley, I will not be afraid, for you are close beside me. Your rod and your staff protect and comfort me. You prepare a feast for me in the presence of my enemies. You honor me by anointing my head with oil. My cup overflows with blessings. Surely your goodness and unfailing love will pursue me all the days of my life, and I will live in the house of the L
ORD
forever."
(NLT)


Refreshed, these ancient words reminded me:
  • He gives me all I need. (v1)
  • He lets me rest. (v2)
  • He leads me. (v2)
  • He renews me. (v3)
  • He guides me. (v3)
  • He keeps me company. (v4)
  • He protects me. (v4)
  • He raises me up. (v5)
  • He honors me. (v5)
  • He pursues me. (v6)
  • He will spend eternity with me. (v6)

Do you feel refreshed? I know I do. God’s Word has power. Each time we read it, words penned thousands of years ago come to life over and over again! His Word is truly alive and active. God longs to touch and change our lives each day with His power. I just love God’s Word! And I pray if you don’t already, some day you will, too.


Dear Lord, thank You for leaving Your Word for me to read. Help me experience its power in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 119:15, "I meditate on your precepts and consider your ways." (NIV)

Psalm 119:93, "I will never forget your precepts, for by them you have preserved my life." (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

2/19/2015

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"Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life"
Beth Moore

Chapter 3 (Part 1)  "That I may progressively become more deeply and intimately acquainted with Him . . . "


Now how does this all go together? Read again Philippians 3:10.

My determined purpose is that I may know Him, that I may progressively become . . . .

"Progressively" is the next word I want you to think about, because here's what happens. After we come to faith in Christ, we begin to move along in our spiritual walk, but at a certain point we just get to a place where our faith becomes business as usual. It's enjoyable, it's fulfilling to us in many ways. But our knowledge of Him is about the same as it was a year ago. And about the same as five years ago.

We end up at that place where we couldn't really tell you the last time God just shook us up with a fresh knowledge of who He is according to His Word. In fact, we get into the trap where we just read the same things over and over so that we can reconfirm what we already believe. We march ourselves to a Christian bookstore, and we pass by everything that's not familiar to get to what is familiar. And so we just keep reaffirming the same old thing over and over again.

But what we need to do is let Him shake us up a little bit. We need to pray, "Lord, tell me something new about You." We need to progressively grow in our knowledge of Him. We need to be women and men who know our God progressively and more intimately.

So why don't we? Here is what I think hangs us up. We don't believe it's worth it. After all, why would we put all our life's energy and purpose into knowing one person? When it all comes down, isn't that really it? We think, "I'm going to be there for eternity, so can't we do that then? I have a lot to do here. Why in the world would I want to spend my life getting to know Him better?"

Let me tell you why. Because of the wonders of His person. Oh, please don't check out on me here. Giving your life to knowing Christ more intimately is worth it because of the wonders of His person. Sadly, we don't believe this because we have compared and measured Christ according to a human standard.

How does that play out? Let me tell you. We meet someone really, really interesting and decide we want to get to know them. So after a few lunches and some time together we feel like we know them! We think, "I'm so relieved I don't have to go out with them for lunch for six months . . . I already know them!" Amen?

And we think God's like that.

Now, what we have to understand is God has built into us a desire for intimacy. The deep desire of the heart and soul for relationship. It's that yearning I have seen fulfilled in my daughters. It is the sweetest thing to watch.

My youngest one is head over heels in love with a young man who is six-and-a-half feet tall. And I have watched them--they cannot get enough of looking at each other. One night we were going out to dinner and I literally had to get between them and say, "Hello? Do you remember me? My name is Mother. I birthed you in pain and travail! And I have a simple question for you--are you going with us to eat, or not?"

They are so cute!

I've asked her over and over again. "Tell me something new you're learning about him." See, they're in that stage where they want to have a date until midnight and then they want to talk on the phone until three in the morning. Why? Because they just can't get enough of each other! They are filling that God-given desire for intimacy!

I have watched that young love, a pure love, and I am so thrilled for them. At that age, I never knew pure love. I can tell you, I never remember being pure in my whole life. And you will know what I'm talking about if you were the victim of childhood abuse. I just never knew the word "pure"--no way. I didn't know what the word "virgin" meant. I didn't know anything of that. But I have watched this pure love between my daughter and her fiance' and it is the sweetest thing.

That desire for intimacy is a lifelong desire. And that desire was put in us by God. That desire is what some of you need to know. In this life we get just a taste of intimacy and we want it so badly, but ultimately we can't keep it.

Beloved, our desire for intimacy is fulfilled in Him! It is fulfilled in Him! He is the romance you can't get enough of. He is the constant mystery. We have been confused by measuring Him with a standard of humanity. We think He's like everybody else and we're going to just settle in to a nice comfortable relationship with Him.

Perhaps you feel you have settled into a relationship with the God of all creation. I have to tell you, we don't settle into this one when we understand that the wonders of His person are incalculable, impossible to fulfill.

We can never get enough. This is no man. He is no regular person.

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Daily Devotion

2/18/2015

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Glynnis Whitwer

"What Do I Have to Prove?"


"The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice." Proverbs 12:15 (NIV)

A new city, new neighborhood and new school for my children had me feeling very new, too. And insecure. And lonely. And wondering, How would I ever fit in and feel a part of this new community?

So when my children brought home a flyer for the PTO (Parent/Teacher Organization) meeting, I stuck it to the refrigerator, marked the date on the calendar and decided this was the perfect first step to meet other moms like myself. But that wasn’t all, I also wanted to use my experience and talents somehow.

The meeting night came, and after a few wrong turns on the unfamiliar campus, I saw a light glowing through the library door. I rushed across the breezeway and walked in with seconds to spare. I’d hoped to meet a few people before the meeting started, but every table was filled with smiling, laughing, we-are-already-friends women. So instead I found a back table, and sat next to a father who seemed as out-of-place as I felt.

Discussion centered around teacher mini-grants, playground equipment, trees and the annual t-shirt sale. The organization was very well run, and at first it seemed they had no need for me. Until the Spring Fun Fest conversation began.

Then it became apparent they needed someone to organize the snack bar. The room was silent when they asked for volunteers. Of course, I should have asked what was involved, but I’d been organizing projects since I led my childhood friends into starting clubs, putting on plays and hosting backyard fundraising carnivals. So I raised my hand, and found myself in charge of running all the food service for the event.

You know that feeling when you are in your sweet spot? That’s how I felt organizing the snack bar. This was something I could do easily. I got myself a new pocket folder to keep my notes, added some crisp lined paper and started making lists. People to call, things to buy, supplies we’d need. They were going to be amazed at how well this was organized! Maybe it would even be the best snack bar EVER!

Everything was going great, and then the next PTO meeting arrived. One of the other moms, a veteran PTO gal, walked up to me with a huge smile and said, "I found a great sale on soda, so I picked up some for the snack bar. Let me show you where I stored it."

Rather than appreciating a kind gesture from someone who knew how much work the snack bar really was, I immediately felt defensive. Did she think I wasn’t capable of buying soda for a snack bar?

I followed her to a storage room and saw stacks of soda — every variety. At that moment, I should have been grateful. I should have oozed thankfulness. But I didn’t. She sensed something was wrong, but didn’t quite know what, and the moment got very awkward.

My insecurities came from a deep desire to prove myself worthy. To show I have what it takes. When my abilities were questioned (at least in my eyes), I felt like a porcupine with its quills standing at attention. And my potential new friend felt the sting of the barbs.

Rather than walking into that situation with humility, I walked in with pride. Rather than asking for advice and help, I tried to prove something by doing it alone. My approach hindered what my heart really wanted to do: make friends.

God later convicted me of my prideful attitude, and used that situation to teach me an important lesson that has stayed with me:

I need to walk into every new situation with something to learn, not something to prove.

Being a know-it-all isn’t God’s way nor is it the wise way. In fact, the book of Proverbs is clear that wisdom comes from humility. Our key verse says, "The way of fools seems right to them, but the wise listen to advice" (Proverbs 12:15).

As I’ve practiced this approach over the years, I’ve learned it’s much easier to make friends. Plus, I’ve learned I really don’t know the best way for everything. God still has new things for me to learn every day, and He usually uses people to teach me. Even when I’m in my sweet spot.

Father, thank You for teaching me Your ways are always best. Help me approach every new situation with a heart  that is open and gentle, ready to learn whatever new things You have for me that day. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Ecclesiastes 4:13, "It is better to be a poor but wise youth than an old and foolish king who refuses all advice." (NLT)


Proverbs 19:20, "Listen to advice and accept discipline, and at the end you will be counted among the wise." (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

2/17/2015

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"Discovering God's Purpose for Your Life"
Beth Moore

Chapter 2 (Part 2) Is That I May Know Him . . .


To know Him. This word "know" is so powerful. Let me show you what some of the wonderful definitions are in the Greek language.

First, this word "know" in the Greek transliteration is "genasco." It generally means "acquired knowledge." And this knowledge is primarily acquired through perception. That understanding is very important to keep in mind. In fact, the word "genasco" to a very great extent means "to perceive." In other words, when we read God's Word, we cannot read it with the eyes of the natural man and even understand what God is trying to say. It is supernaturally perceived.

So to know Christ is to perceive what He is saying to us through His Word. Do you get that? You cannot know Christ until you perceive His truth through His Word.

This is something I've wanted my daughters to understand. I have told them, "Don't you even think about looking at that Book like just a normal book of 'how to's and 'what to's. You ask God to jump that Word off the page, to make that thing become 3-D. To have it just turn fluorescent for you."

And I challenge you to the same thing. I challenge you to pray the words of the 119th Psalm, Show me the wonders of your Word.

My prayer, my cry is, "Thrill me with Your Word. Delight me with Your Word. Make this my bread and my meat. Cause me to perceive You through what I read, through what I see, through what I experience. Disclose yourself to me. Give me perception."

I challenge you, make that your prayer, too!

As we consider this idea of knowing Christ, we need to understand what that means at even a deeper level. In Philippians 3:8 it says this: What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord.

In this verse Paul uses the noun form of this same verb "to know." That word in the transliterated Greek is "nosis." Now this is the noun form of the word for "knowledge," and in some translations you will see this word in this passage translated as "the knowledge." But it is something more intentional than that. What this word means when it is distinguished from other similar words is this: it implies present and fragmentary knowledge.

It's very important that you get that. Present and fragmentary knowledge. A fragment of real knowledge. This is important because what Paul is implying here (that you and I cannot understand and distinguish in our English language) is this: "The little that I know, the fragments that I have, are worth the loss of everything I've had to give up to know it."

Do you understand what he's saying? This little bit, this little fragment of Christ would be worth the loss of everything else that I identify myself by. These fragments of knowledge I've gained about Christ along the way are worth everything to me. Isn't that an amazing thing?

But the good stuff doesn't stop there. Let me show you another word which is found in 1 Corinthians chapter 13.

When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child, I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways behind me. Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known.

Now I don't want you to miss the importance of this passage, because it takes this word for knowledge that we've been looking at, this present and fragmentary knowledge, and suddenly it gives us the hope of "full and complete" knowledge.

Paul's point is that our goal in life is to pull together as many of these fragments of knowledge about who Christ is . . . what He does, what His ways are like . . . as possible. So as we go through life--through every single season--we need to see that every situation gives us opportunity to pull together another fragment, and another fragment, and another fragment, and another fragment. And what we're looking for while we're walking on this planet is to pull together enough of those fragments so we have a working knowledge of who our God is.

But then one day when we see Him face to face, we will have all these little fragments laying out in front of us that we will bring before Him like pieces before an altar, and in a millisecond it will be made one piece . . . complete. And that is the goal.

My determined purpose is that I may know Him.

My determined purpose is to grab as many fragments of knowledge about Christ Jesus my Lord through this lifetime as is humanly possible. So that when I see Him face to face, He can take those fragments and make them complete. At that moment I will know Him, as I've been known.

In this life who we are is all about Who we know.

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Daily Devotion

2/16/2015

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Sally Clarkson

"The God Who Holds the Stars, Holds You"


"Even the darkness is not dark to You, And the night is as bright as the day. Darkness and light are alike to You." Psalm 139:12 (NASB)


"Mama, the world seems like a very scary place, and it makes me feel insecure and powerless. I’m afraid I’ll be so lonely without friends and family to face the difficulties ahead."

Joy, my daughter, a senior in college, was leaving the next day for a semester of study in Oxford, England. Yet the day we were packing, ISIS had just killed the second of two American journalists. Friends sent messages to Joy wondering if she had seen the news.

"England will be the next target, and that might start war while you are there," one of her friends texted. With devastating, disastrous world news including earthquakes, war, immorality amongst Christian leaders … as a young woman, Joy understandably felt overwhelmed.

Late into the night, we zipped her last suitcase. We were both exhausted from the adrenalin of getting all the details in place for her flight the next day, but she pleaded "Can we have one last time together out on the grass, under the stars? I need some peace before I go to bed."

I knew her fears were still there, so I whispered, "Yes, my sweets! We will make one more memory together before you go."

As was our habit, we took some soft, old blankets out to our front yard, under the tall pines, and lay next to each other shoulder to shoulder on the grass. The cold Colorado mountain air blew gently across our faces, and the aspen leaves in the distance swished and danced. A dog barked in the distance, but otherwise, the night whispered clear and quiet.

We gazed into the sky and silently shared the moment. Stars filled the navy blue landscape and sparkled as though just for us. We breathed out life’s clutter and fears of the day and inhaled the peacefulness of the grandeur above.

"Mama, when I look at what God has done, and keep my eyes on Him, it seems like my fears are melting away," she whispered and snuggled closer.

God’s own voice seemed to speak to my heart as I answered:

"Joy, this vast display of stars has been held in place by the sure, strong hands of God for thousands of years, through wars, tragedies, sadness and disasters of every kind. Not one year of our history has shaken the power or control of God."

"As I lived through years of sleepless nights when you were gasping for breath with asthma, through car wrecks, financial disasters, the tragedies of our friends, I can look back and see the constant faithfulness of God, every day, every year.

"Our God who created this beauty for us to behold, who has shown His power through the calm night skies is the one who will be with you every step of your journey ahead.

"He will fill you with the Spirit who threw the night sky into place, so that you will know His companionship, love, beauty and wisdom each step in your journey. Remember what He told Joshua when he was afraid: ‘Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go’ (Joshua 1:9, NASB).

"Joy, God prepared a story of faith for you to live. Many in Oxford long to know His love that you will bring. Others who look for meaning will need the messages of His truth that are stored in your soul. Beauty will be strewn across your path so you can observe His fingerprints.

"Your hope and faith are needed by those who are filled with despair in these dark times. If you embrace the days ahead that He has prepared for you, your time in Oxford will be a purposeful time, no matter what the days hold. Wherever you go, you will bring His light and love.

"But remember, Joy, you will always have a choice to make.

"If you look at the darkness and fear of the news of the day, you will grow dark in your soul.

"Look to God. Choose to trust Him with your days. Live in His reality.

"Don’t look at fear, just keep the memory of this night, His power and beauty always in your thoughts — and you will find courage and hope that you need every day. The God who holds the stars holds you."

Heavenly Father, let us keep our gaze upon You and rest in Your ability to carry us through all of our fears, through all of our days. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
Joshua 1:9, "Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous! Do not tremble or be dismayed, for the LORD your God is with you wherever you go." (NASB)

Isaiah 41:10, "Do not fear, for I am with you; Do not anxiously look about you, for I am your God. I will strengthen you, surely I will help you, Surely I will uphold you with My righteous right hand." (NASB)

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Daily Devotion

2/13/2015

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Alicia Bruxvoort

"The Shape of True Love"


“God sent His only Son into the world so that we could find true life through Him. This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins.” 1 John 4:9b-10 (VOICE)

The first time I danced with my husband my nose came up to his armpit. We were swaying straight-armed beneath the disco ball at our eighth grade graduation party, and I joked about how I hoped he’d used plenty of deodorant that day. His face turned crimson, the red rising from his neck, as he solemnly promised that he was protected with a double-dose.

I’d stood on my tiptoes in an effort to shrink the gap, but even with my hair ratted and sprayed as high as an ‘80s girl could manage, that boy loomed tall above me.

Of course, I had no idea I was dancing with my future husband that night in the junior high gym. I never would have guessed that six years later we’d trade the sheen of a disco ball for the gleam of rings and pledge to love one another ‘til death do us part.

Though we were no longer gangly teens on our wedding day, my groom still towered 10 inches above me. But I wasn’t bothered by my armpit view on that special day; I’d set my sights on the heights of love.

I’d given my husband a hand-written letter just hours before I’d walked down the aisle, the words scrawled across the page capturing my hopes for the future: “No matter what life sends our way, our love will always stand tall …”

It was a poetic line, not unlike one you might find on a Valentine’s card this month. But after 21 years of marriage, I’ve come to believe my sentiments were wrong.

Love is, indeed, a sacred and lofty gift, but two decades of loving and learning has taught me that the mark of true love isn’t height, it’s humility. True love doesn’t stand tall; it bends low.

As we see in today’s key verse, God sent Jesus to demonstrate how true love is sacrificial at its core.

True love stoops to pick up the trash bag sitting near the kitchen door and crouches to look a sullen child in the eye.

True love bows to change diapers and to shovel snow, to deliver goodnight kisses and offer hugs.

True love bends over the dishwasher and over the sick child. True love hovers over the hurting and kneels quietly in prayer.

True love chooses to be righteous instead of right, servant instead of master, humble instead of haughty.

Let’s be honest, true love isn’t headline news. It’s not greeting card verse. It’s not blockbuster buzz. True love is Heaven’s hope, as we see in 1 John 4:10: “This is the embodiment of true love: not that we have loved God first, but that He loved us and sent His unique Son on a special mission to become an atoning sacrifice for our sins.”

God didn’t declare His love for us with a bouquet of red roses. He didn’t wrap up a box of fine chocolates or a flowery card. Instead, God wrapped His only Son in wrinkled flesh and proclaimed His undying love on Calvary’s cross.

It’s crazy when you think about it, the way the truest love of all stooped the lowest — so we might know the summit of His glorious love.

I didn’t realize it as a starry-eyed bride, but the heights of love can only be discovered in the depths of surrender. It sounds unnatural, doesn’t it? Impossible … on our own.

But 1 John 4:14-17 tells us that when we confess Christ as our Lord, He perfects His love in us. And as the stooping Savior makes Himself at home in our hearts, our lives proclaim the truth that the whole world longs to hear:

The shape of true love isn’t a diamond. It’s a cross.

Dear Jesus, Thank You for loving me with a true and unshakeable love. Grow in me a humble heart so that Your perfect love can shine through my imperfect life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:
1 John 4:11-12, “My dear, dear friends, if God loved us like this, we certainly ought to love each other. No one has seen God, ever. But if we love one another, God dwells deeply within us, and his love becomes complete in us — perfect love!” (MSG)

I John 4:17, “God is love. When we take up permanent residence in a life of love, we live in God and God lives in us. This way, love has the run of the house, becomes at home and mature in us …” (MSG)

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