I liked this one - enjoy :)  Rachel

June 28, 2007

 

Cultivating a Grateful Heart

By Glynnis Whitwer

 

 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find;

knock and the door will be opened to you.”

Matthew 7:7 (NIV)

         

Devotion:

Have you ever wondered why God wants us to ask for things in prayer?  I mean, after all, He knows everything!  He knows my first thought in the morning and my last one at night.  He knows my frustration when I’m late and stuck in traffic, and the words I’m biting my tongue not to say.  When I think I “need” a brownie, He knows I really need a carrot.  And I don’t have to tell God I need help keeping calm while trying to get five kids out the door each school morning.  So, since He already knows what I’m thinking and what I need, why do I need to ask Him for help?

 

One reason I believe God wants us to ask for help is that when we ask and God answers, we appreciate His work in our lives in greater measure.  If God provided everything we need before we asked, we could easily believe we are entitled to things.  And, if we never saw how sweetly God cares for our needs, we might take His goodness for granted.  I’ve learned this lesson a few times, but the one that stands out involved grapefruit.

 

When I was a child, my mother fixed our family breakfast before my dad left to teach for the day, and before my sister and I went to school.  Since my dad enjoyed his routine, breakfast usually consisted of bacon, eggs and toast.  On a cold day, Mom occasionally substituted hot cereal for the toast.  And during the citrus season, we might have found halves of juicy pink grapefruit on the table. 

 

I’ll never forget the first time I prepared my own grapefruit.  I had moved away from home and was attempting to establish some of my own routines, so I had brought home a pink grapefruit.  I cut it in half, grabbed a spoon and prepared to scoop out the individual segments like we had done at home.  I planted my spoon at the grapefruit’s thick outer rind only to have the fruit not budge.  I tried to saw it out with my spoon, but it was stuck fast.  I thought I had purchased a defective fruit.  My mother’s grapefruit sections slipped effortlessly onto our spoons!

 

So I did what every wise daughter does:  I called my mother for advice.   Imagine my surprise when she told me that before we got to the breakfast table, she had already separated the grapefruit sections with a small, serrated knife.  For years I thought grapefruit came like that and was shocked to learn it wasn’t so!  It was my mother who did all the work without being asked. 

 

I never appreciated my mother’s work because I never knew she did it!  Now I know how lovingly she cared for our needs by performing this time-consuming task.  Now I am even more thankful for this small act of sacrifice on her part, which is just one of the many ways she cared for our family. 

 

This is the same with God.  If He removed all obstacles and challenges from our lives before we knew about them, we could easily become complacent.  We wouldn’t see our need for Him and would think we could manage on our own.  Each time we ask for God’s help and see Him answer, we appreciate Him even more.  By having us ask, God is teaching us to cultivate a grateful heart, and a grateful heart is a good thing!  Even sweeter than a pre-sliced grapefruit.

 

Dear Heavenly Father, thank You for allowing me to come to You in prayer and share my daily needs and those deep in my heart.  I thank You for caring about me and for acting on my behalf when I pray.  Help me to be more aware of Your presence every moment of the day, and to see Your hand in every area of my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Related Resources:

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

 

Living Life on Purpose by Lysa TerKeurst

 

Do You Know Him?

 

Application Steps: 

Identify one way God has cared for your needs today.  Thank Him in prayer.

 

Reflections: 

Read Matthew 7:7-11.  What is Jesus telling us about God’s character and abilities in this passage?

 

Since God already knows what we need, what are some other reasons He wants His children to ask for help?

 

What are some reasons God doesn’t answer every one of our prayers exactly as we pray them?

 

Power Verses:

II Corinthians 4:17-18, “For our light and momentary troubles are achieving for us an eternal glory that far outweighs them all. So we fix our eyes not on what is seen, but on what is unseen. For what is seen is temporary, but what is unseen is eternal.”  (NIV)

 

Romans 12:12, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction, faithful in prayer.” (NIV)

 

Philippians 4:6-7, “Do not be anxious about anything, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.  And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.” (NIV)

 

 

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G, Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.Proverbs31.org

 

This was just too good not to share!  This pertains to ever area of our lives and definitely to our homeschooling.  How often do we really listen to and obey God's voice?  Rachel

June 21, 2007

 

Woof!

By Susanne Scheppmann

 

 

Proverbs 8:33-34, “Listen to my instruction and be wise; do not ignore it. Blessed is the man who listens to me, watching daily at my doors, waiting at my doorway. (NIV)

 

 

Devotion:

Woof! I thought I heard one small bark. Not sure, I turned the shower off for a moment. No, I couldn’t hear my little dog yapping. Jasmine is a twelve-pound black and white Shih Tzu and a yapper. If anyone knocks on the door, she goes crazy barking like a hundred pound Rottweiller.  I turned the water back on, stuck my head under the spray, and reached for the shampoo bottle. 

 

However, a voice inside my wet head nudged me.  You heard her bark. Something is up. A realtor could be showing the house! Our home had been on the market for almost a year. About once or twice a week, various realtors would bring a potential buyer to walk through the house. However, it was stipulated that they must call first. The “woof” replayed through my thoughts.  Maybe Jasmine doesn’t bark at people coming in anymore. Quickly, I turned the water off again.

 

I jumped out on to the cold tile floor. To my horror, I heard voices. My bedroom door was wide open. I raced toward the door dripping water along the way. However, it was too late. The realtor along with a husband and wife previewed me along with my bedroom. They saw crisp floral drapes and soft beige carpet, and then they spied cellulite and flab jiggling toward them, reaching out for the blue tattered robe hanging behind the door. I almost slid into their arms as I crossed the wet tile. With wide-eyed shock, they scurried from the house without a word.

 

I collapsed on a rug with laughter and tears. Jasmine came by to lick me dry. She looked at me as if to say, “Hey, I warned you, but you didn’t listen!” 

 

Eventually my heart stopped pounding and my red face returned to its normal color. After the initial mortification, I began to wonder how often I do not listen when the Holy Spirit speaks to me. How many times have I shrugged it off as just my imagination? Jesus said, “But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you” (John 14:26 NIV). I need to learn to listen to His instruction and be wise, not to ignore Him as I did with Jasmine’s first “woof.” 

 

The next time I feel a nudge from God, I will remember my “woof” incident. I plan on listening and moving a lot more quickly than I did. I do not want to repeat the lesson I learned today.

 

Oh, I never heard back from the potential buyers. I guess they didn’t care for the preview.

 

 

Dear Lord, how often have I not listened to Your voice when You warned me of something in my life? Today, I ask that You help me to listen to Your instruction and to be wise. Thank you for giving me the Holy Spirit to teach me. Let me become a quick learner. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

 

Perplexing Proverbs—A Woman’s Bible Study by Susanne Scheppmann

 

Discerning the Voice of God by Priscilla Shirer

 

Application Steps: 

Read Proverbs 8. Write down the advantages given for learning to listen and applying God’s wisdom in your life.

 

Reflections: 

Do I sometimes intentionally ignore God’s voice?

 

How could listening to the Holy Spirit help guide me each day?

 

What does the term wisdom mean to me?

 

Power Verses:

John 10:27, “My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me.” (NIV)  

 

Proverbs 23:23, “Buy the truth and do not sell it; get wisdom, discipline and understanding.” (NIV) 

 

Ephesians 1:17, “I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.” (NIV) 

OK - Ladies (& Gents), I have to admit I cried on this one!  LOL  Somehow God knows just what we need when we need it!  While I homeschool my kids and Mrs. Taylor does not, I too have a HOT boss and love that I am able to help him :)  Even though there are days that I get cranky that he needs my help at least once a week and sometimes more and even that I "have" to help him and take care of the house and teach the kids and try to be me and be pregnant all at the same time!  (Yesterday, was one of those days.  We have been having issues with the kids room and how "clean" they "are".  DH does not want me spending too much time heping them but I kow that I need to help them in some areas.  I, too, need to work on reorganizing my room since baby will be rooming in with us for a bit.  I will be the first to admit that I am lacking in the home organization department and even in the home making department and I am trying to do better.  I was on a roll at doing pretty good up until about a year or 2 ago when things really started getting busy with our business and then when DH moved the business out of the house things went downhill.  Funny things should have been better without all the business stuff here, huh?!?  LOL   Anyway, I all ready had planned 3 weeks offa round Christmas.  I sat down with my laptop last night and pushed off half of our daily work to after that break.  We will continue to work on Bible study, reading and math over the next 2 weeks and work on organization and cleaning as well.  We all ready have in all of our hours, just not our days.  Even if we did have all our days we would have more than enough hours at this point :)  Well, Enjoy the read below and I am off to do some more   before we head off to ballet class.  ~ Rachel )

 

 

 

December 5, 2006

 

Encouragement for Today

 

“A Change in Plans”

Melissa Taylor, Proverbs 31 Ministries Speaker, Board of Directors

 

Key Verse:

Genesis 2:20b-22, “But for Adam no suitable helper was found.  So the LORD God caused the man to fall into a deep sleep; and while he was sleeping, he took one of the man's ribs and closed up the place with flesh. Then the LORD God made a woman from the rib he had taken out of the man, and he brought her to the man.”  (NIV)

 

Devotion:

I had the joy and privilege for being a stay at home mom for twelve years.  My husband, Jeff, and I have four kids, and being their mom and keeper of our home has definitely been a full-time job that I love.  I wouldn’t trade my life for anything in the world.  In fact, I planned to continue being a full time homemaker for the rest of my life.  Yep, that’s my plan.

 

Jeff has had his own business for years.  While being your own boss has its perks, it also comes with many stressors.  This year, business has been slow.  My hard working husband has had to put in more hours than ever.  He also had to let his faithful assistant go. He does not complain, but his demeanor has changed.  My light-hearted, happy-go-lucky husband has become a quiet, exhausted, workaholic.

 

Our youngest started kindergarten this year.  This brought tears to my eyes, but I have to admit, I was ready to reclaim my identity.  This was the year to add some fun, fulfillment, and some me time back into days that previously been child focused.  It was Melissa Time!  I had great plans for my freedom:

 

Monday - Clean House (Ok, maybe not fun and freedom, but necessary)

Tuesday - Spend time working on speaking events and writing

Wednesday - Bible study group, lunch with friends

Thursday - Tennis, lunch with Jeff

Friday - Volunteer at school, lunch with kids, tennis

 

This was the year I had been waiting on!

 

Have you found that it’s hard to enjoy “your time” when someone close to you is suffering?  Each day, I was playing tennis, spending time with friends, or even volunteering at school, I thought of Jeff and how hard he was working.  One day I was working on my Bible study and I couldn’t escape the thought of my husband.  I asked God to show me specifically my part in Jeff’s life -- not just at home -- but in other areas too. The words “suitable helper” kept ringing in my ears.   So I immediately stopped what I was doing and went to my husband.  I asked him what I could do to relieve some of his burden.

 

Friends, our plans may be filled with good intentions.  Our plans may seem solid, pure, and even efficient and productive.  We have to realize that our plans affect more than just us, and more importantly, our plans don’t belong to us.  They belong to God.

 

My husband presented me with a new plan.  It wasn’t like mine and honestly, I really didn’t like it at all.  It involved canceling two vacations and me getting a job outside the home.  The new plan involved me spending my mornings in an office, not on the tennis courts or with friends. Do you know what though?  This new plan brought peace to my husband. He needed a “suitable helper” and that was me! His peace of mind was definitely worth my free time.

 

There is more to the story. I’m blessed to have a part-time job outside of the home that allows me to be home from work once the kids are home from school.  Another blessing is that my new boss is HOT!!!!!  My new boss is none other than, Jeff, my super sweet husband. I’m his new faithful assistant!  Working with and for Jeff has brought me joy I never expected

 

I could’ve said, “No” to God and my husband.  Honestly, that was my first thought. But God says in His Word that He knows the plans He has for us, to prosper and to bring us hope.  Had I been disobedient and done it my way, I would’ve missed the blessings I’ve received as a result of listening to Him and my husband.

 

Our key verse today is music to my ears.  I can’t think of anything I’d rather be referred to than a “suitable helper” for my husband. It is fulfilling and satisfying to be needed. Plus, being a “suitable helper” has it’s perks.

 

Have you asked God lately if you needed to change your plans?  Try it.  He just may have something special in store for you that you never expected.

 

My Prayer for Today:

Dear Lord,  If Your plans are different from mine, would You please show me?  Open my ears to hear You speak Your truth and plan for me today.  In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

 

Additional Resources:

Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed by Lysa TerKeurst

 

Becoming the Woman of His Dreams  by Sharon Jaynes

 

What a Husband Needs From His Wife  by Melanie Chitwood

 

Application Steps:

Begin praying daily for God to reveal His plans to you.  If you are married, go to your husband and ask him what he needs from you.

 

Reflection Points:

Do you spend time with God daily?  Are you still enough to hear His voice?

 

When was the last time you asked your husband for his opinion?

 

Key Verses:

Ephesians 5:22, “Wives, submit to your husbands as to the Lord.”  (NIV)

Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding.  Seek his will in all you do, and he will direct your paths.”  (NLT)

Proverbs 16:3, “Commit your work to the Lord, and then your plans will succeed.”  (NLT)

PROVERBS 31 MINISTRIES
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
Office: (704) 849-2270
www.Proverbs31.org

August 2, 2006 "Fixing My Eyes" Amanda Waldroop Staff Writer for Proverbs 31 Ministries

Key Verse: Hebrews 12:1-3, "Let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Consider him who endured such opposition from sinful men, so that you will not grow weary and lose heart." (NIV) Devotion:   I love to run. I picked it up when I was a freshman in high school and joined the Cross Country team to improve. I've done many 5ks and a marathon since then, and it's become a habitual stress-reliever for me. The funny thing about running is that it's a brutal way to exercise, but there's nothing quite like the runner's high you experience afterward - after you've spent yourself completely. I ran my first 10k race a few months ago. It had been several years since I'd done any kind of racing, so I was a little nervous about setting a realistic goal to pursue. After some thought, I decided that I wanted to finish within 1 hour, and to not walk at all. So I trained consistently for one month, and made sure to drink lots of fluids the day before the race. It just so happened that two male friends of mine were doing the race as well, so we met up at the starting line and set out together when the gun went off. In a crowd of 50,000 runners and walkers, the three of us found that it was incredibly difficult to maneuver through them all at a decent pace. We also found it was almost impossible not to become separated from one another. Unintentionally this happened, and one of us got left behind. A little nervous about not being able to find my way back to my hotel when the race was over, I determined that I was not going to lose my other friend. This would mean something very challenging for me: I would have to keep a steady pace with a male (who was quite a bit faster than me) and I would have to fix my eyes on him at all times to make sure I didn't lose sight of him. Thankfully he had on a bright blue shirt, so this would not be too difficult if I stayed close in proximity. For the first half of the race I was the one leading. Around mile 5, I started hurting and my friend passed me. I could feel the lactic acid setting into my muscles. The salty sweat poured down my face, stinging my eyes, making them foggy. The blue shirt I was set on keeping in sight was getting blurry, but I knew that if I lost it I would lose heart. I would start walking, and my goal for the day would be shot. It was at that point that I realized how desperately I needed to push, to persevere, through the hindering crowd and tell my screaming muscles to be quiet. There was no compromising: I must fix my eyes on my goal - the blue shirt. It is the same for the Christian life. I believe the author of Hebrews must have enjoyed races. He had a good perspective on what it meant to run the marathon of life. He challenged us to consistently throw off those things that would hinder us in the race of life because there would be many of them. He knew that if we didn't have our focus fixed on something steady, we would easily give up when our faith is challenged beyond our understanding. That's why he said we must fix our eyes on something - some kind of goal. That goal was to be the person of Jesus Christ - His life, His death, His mission to bring people into relationship with Him, and His desire for us to become like Him in every way. Once we enter a covenant relationship with God, we are no longer individuals. We become identified with our Covenant Partner. We adopt His goals as our goals, and we must not give up in pursuing them. After all, He didn't give up on the mission that God sent Him to earth to accomplish, and He pleads for us to push through the hard stuff and do the same. He endured the greatest hindrance of all, death, and overcame its finality. Be sure to read today's application steps and consider what it means for you to fix your eyes on Jesus Christ. My Prayer for Today: Dear Heavenly Father, I ask for You to give me a proper perspective of what it means to fix my eyes on You. Reveal to me beautiful spiritual truths found in Your Word. Truths about my role in the mission You came here to accomplish. Truths about loving others, being unified with believers, and what it means to finish strong. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Application Steps: Do you ever experience difficulty maneuvering through a crowd of believers that don't run at the same spiritual pace as you? Ever get so annoyed with them that you refuse to run with them at all? If so, I challenge you to remember that pushing those individuals (and being willing to be pushed by them) is part of accomplishing the long-term goal of becoming unified in purpose as the Body of Christ. Evaluate your over and under-use of your spiritual arms and legs. Working too hard and not working at all both produce lactic acid build-up that can be dangerous to your overall effectiveness in accomplishing the Lord's work. Train them gradually and moderately. Don't be afraid to push yourself, but make sure you are taking in enough living water so that spiritual and emotional dehydration does not occur when the sweat is really pouring out. Reflection Points: Do you fix your eyes on the person of Jesus Christ and the truths of who He is revealed in God's Word? Are you feeling lots of spiritual lactic-acid build up in your muscles right now that is slowing you down in the race? Have you come to a place where you realize your deep and intense need to fix your eyes on Jesus in order not to lose heart in this world? Power Verses: Proverbs 4:25-26, "Let your eyes look straight ahead, fix your gaze directly before you. Make level paths for your feet and take only ways that are firm." (NIV) John 17:24, "Father, I want those You have given Me to be with Me where I am, and to see My glory, the glory You have given Me because You loved Me before the creation of the world." (NIV) Acts 20:24, "However, I consider my life worth nothing to me, if only I may finish the race and complete the task the Lord Jesus has given me-the task of testifying to the gospel of God's grace." (NIV) Galatians 5:7, "You were running a good race. Who cut in on you and kept you from obeying the truth?" (NIV) Additional resources: ·  Running on Empty , by Aaron Chambers ·  The P31 Woman Magazine ·  Persevering in Prayer, ETC Corner PROVERBS 31 MINISTRIES 616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road Matthews, NC 28105 Office: (704) 849-2270 www.Proverbs31.org Posted here with permission from P31.

Posted here with permission from P31.  i really enjoyed this one :)  It goes great with the reorganizing and decluttering so many of us have been doing.  ~ Rachel

 

July 28, 2006 "Wanting What I Have" Renee Swope Executive Director of Communications, Author, Proverbs 31 Speaker

Key Verse: Hebrews 13:5a, "Keep your lives free from the love of money (or stuff) and be content with what you have." (NIV) Devotion:   In a frantic search for a doll her daughter wanted, my friend Janet drove all over town looking in every store for Generation Girl Barbie. ® She remembered how ridiculous she thought it was to watch the Tickle-Me Elmo® craze and couldn't believe how desperately she now wanted to find the one-of-a-kind doll. She finally tracked Generation Girl ® down just days before Christmas. With the anticipation of a child, Janet couldn't wait to see her daughter Ali's excitement as she opened the box and played with her new friend for days on end. Just a week into the new year, Janet was cleaning her house when she stumbled over Ali's Barbies.® She noticed they all looked alike wearing no clothes. Generation Girl ® ended up with the rest of her glamorous friends, in a loss-of-identity crisis. Janet laughed out loud as she realized all her efforts to accumulate the perfect collection had brought her nothing but a bucket of naked Barbies!® Do you have your own "bucket of naked Barbies;" things you had to have that don't really matter any more? In your quest for contentment, have you accumulated possessions that promised to fill a void in your life, yet only left you feeling empty and wanting for more? If so, you are not alone. Historian Arthur Schlesinger observes that our society is marked by an "inextinguishable discontent." For the average American, discontent has become a way of life. Is it even possible to get to a place where we are content with what we have, instead of always thinking about what we want? I believe we can. But only when we understand that contentment isn't getting what we want. As author, Linda Dillow explains, "Happiness is getting what we want. Contentment is wanting what we have." What we need is a want for what we have. When my heart wrestles with discontent, I am learning to ask the Lord to show me what I have that I no longer "want". Simple prayers like this often change my indifference into desire: Lord, thank you for the gifts you have given me: my family, my friendships, my church, my ministry, my home, my health, my time. Thank you for the opportunity to serve with You; the honor of serving You. I am grateful for the favor of your grace, the freedom of your forgiveness, the unconditional love and acceptance that I long for and the promise of your presence. Give me a "want" for the things of God. And thank You for the things I don't want: the track marks on the carpet that remind me of loved ones who live here, the never-ending laundry that reminds me how you have provided for my family, the high power bill that reminds me I have a warm home, the taxes that need to be filed because it means we have income, and my exhaustion at the end of the day because it means I am alive and well. Please give me a contentment that is separate from my circumstances and my stuff. Please give me a want for what I have. As we seek to have a heart filled with contentment, let's seek the Lord, not with a list of what we want but with a want for all that we have. My Prayer for Today: Lord, I long for contentment in the depth of my soul that comes from knowing and being loved by You. So often I fall into the trap of thinking that things will make me happy. And when they don't satisfy my longing, I feel frustrated and confused. I pray that you would show me any areas of my life that I am trying to fill with something other than You. Please give me a longing for more of You, more of Your love and more of Your presence. Help me to want all that I have in Christ! In Jesus' Name, Amen. Application Steps: Define "contentment" in your life right now. Commit to learn contentment (for yourself and with your family) 1. Buy a notebook and start a gratitude journal. 2. Commit for one week to list 3 things you are thankful for each day. 3. Continue your journal by listing things daily or weekly as a family. Encourage kids to vary what they list. 4. At dinner, tell one thing you are thankful for about the person to your left. 5. Commit to not buying anything you do not need for one week. 6. Have each person give 2-3 toys/personal items to a local charity. 7. Start each day by practicing Paul's prescription for contentment with your kids: - Tell God what you need. - Thank him for all he has done. - Thank him for all that you have. Family Discussion: Explain to your children the importance of contentment. Warn them about the danger of comparison and the trap of getting more. The truth is, the more we get the more we want. We all need to be reminded that we will never have everything. There will always be someone who has more. There will always be just one more thing we want. But we can be content by being thankful for what we have! Talk about a time when you, or your children, were not content and how it leads to worry. Remind them that contentment is not getting what you want; it is wanting what you have.

Reflection Points:
What have I recently purchased that I really wanted? Do I still want it, or do I think I'll be happy if I get something else?

What I am going to do when I start wanting just one more thing?

How would my heart attitude change if I chose to be contented with where I am and what I have right now?

Power Verses:
Psalm 32:8, "The LORD says, "I will guide you along the best pathway for your life. I will advise you and watch over you." (NLT)

1 Thessalonians 5:18, "No matter what happens, always be thankful, for this is God's will for you who belong to Christ Jesus." (NLT)

1 Timothy 6:17, "Tell those who are rich in this world not to be proud and not to trust in their money, which will soon be gone. But their trust should be in the living God, who richly gives us all we need for our enjoyment." (NLT)

Luke 12:15, "Then Jesus said to them, "Be careful and guard against all kinds of greed. Life is not measured by how much one owns." (NLT)

Hebrews 13:5, "Keep your lives free from the love of money, and be satisfied with what you have. God has said, "I will never leave you; I will never forget you." (NLT)

1 Timothy 6: 18-19, "Tell them to use their money to do good. They should be rich in good works and should give generously to those in need, always being ready to share with others whatever God has given them. By doing this they will be storing up their treasure as a good foundation for the future so that they may take hold of real life." (NLT)

 

Additional resources:

·  Journey of a Woman's Heart 4-part Tape Series , by Renee Swope

·  Searching for God's Treasures in Everyday Life 4-part CD Set, by Renee Swope

·  Who Holds the Key to Your Heart, by Lysa TerKeurst

 

PROVERBS 31 MINISTRIES
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
Office: (704) 849-2270
www.Proverbs31.org

 

I love this one and just had to share it with all of you :)  ~ Rachel   "God's Abundance" Glynnis Whitwer Senior Editor P31 Woman Magazine, Proverbs Speaker

Key Verse: Ephesians 3:20-21, "Now to Him who is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think, according to the power that works within us, to Him be the glory in the church and in Christ Jesus to all generations forever and ever. Amen." (NAS) Devotion:   As a children's ministry volunteer for many years, I've noticed a common trait among the children of church employees and pastors: they walk through the church with a unique confidence. It's as if they are thinking, "My dad owns this place and I can go wherever I want." I understand this mentality because when I was a teenager, my mother worked as the office manager of our small church. She was an invaluable resource to every volunteer with her efficiency and problem solving abilities. Although I was a little older, I remember feeling pride in my mother's role within the church. And it gave me a sense of ownership and authority. A little child gains confidence because of his or her identification with a parent. Today, you and I can walk through this world with confidence because of our identification with our Heavenly Father. As daughters of the Most High King, we have the privilege of approaching our Father's throne with the boldest of requests. And yet, for some reason, (perhaps a false humility) we hang back. In fact, we often act like orphans; afraid to ask for too much, afraid to seem greedy. But the truth is we have a Heavenly Father who "is able to do far more abundantly beyond all that we ask or think" (Ephesians 3:20). Even Jesus told us in Matthew 7:11 "If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" I heard the story of a professional golfer who was invited to play golf with the king of a Middle Eastern country. The golfer flew to meet the king and spent some time golfing with him. At the end of the visit, the king asked how he could thank the golfer for spending time with him. The golfer said there was nothing he needed, but the king insisted. So the golfer said, "How about a new golf club." The king agreed, and the golfer returned to America. Weeks went by and the golfer was curious about what type of club the king would choose. One day, a man appeared at the golfer's home with an envelope from the king. The golfer opened the envelope to discover the deed to a golf country club. The moral of the story is that we need to think like a king. But I would add, we actually need to think like the daughter of a King. We need to be convinced that God is able to do anything you or I ask, and that it pleases Him to do so. It would be wrong to give the impression that God is like a rich grandfather with a blank check. Scripture is clear in other places that we need to be seeking God's righteousness and pray according to His will. But it is also wrong to walk around with our heads hung low, desperately seeking confidence and identity from worldly sources. I believe we need to walk with our heads held high, in quiet confidence, knowing that our identity is found in being loved by a generous Heavenly Father, who "chose us in Christ before the foundations of the world to be holy and blameless before Him in love." And this same God, who chose us, longs to give us good gifts. My Prayer for Today: Heavenly Father, thank you for choosing me, and adopting me into your family. Your love is overwhelming. Teach me to hunger after your will and your righteousness. I ask for a heart of boldness and confidence that comes from knowing my identity lies in being loved by You. In Jesus' Name, Amen. Application Steps: Consider if your identity and confidence are found in your own abilities or from your relationship with God. Identify the areas of your life where you trust in your strength to meet your needs. Decide to lay all your needs and wants before our Heavenly Father. Reflection Points: What are your most common prayer requests? If you could ask God for anything, what would it be? Why do you think God doesn't answer every prayer with a "yes" answer? Is there anything in you that might hinder your prayers? (unconfessed sin? unforgiveness?) Recall a time when God gave you abundantly more than you even thought to ask. Power Verses: "Ask and it will be given to you, seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks, the door will be opened." Matthew 7:7 (NIV) "Which of you, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will give him a snake? If you, then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give good gifts to those who ask Him!" Matthew 7: 8-11 (NIV) "For you know the generous act of our Lord Jesus Christ, that though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty you might become rich." II Corinthians 8:9 (NRS) "I will sing of the Lord's great love forever; with my mouth I will make Your faithfulness known through all generations." Psalm 89:1 (NIV) "Again, truly I tell you, if two of you agree on earth about anything you ask, it will be done for you by my Father in heaven. For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am there among them." Matthew 18:19-20 (NRSV)   Additional Resources: ·  P31 Woman Magazine, by Proverbs 31 Ministries   ·  Dreams of a Woman, by Sharon Jaynes ·  Radically Obedient, Radically Blessed , by Lysa TerKeurst

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I have permission from P31 to share this and I hope it blesses you as much as it has me :)  ~ Rachel   June 30, 2006 "Fears of a Mom" Lysa TerKeurst President of Proverbs 31 Ministries

Key Verse: Isaiah 54:14, "In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you." (NIV) Devotion:   Are you a mother who battles with a spirit of fear where your children are concerned? A father's greatest fear is usually that he won't be able to provide for his family. A mom's greatest fear is typically that something will happen to one of her children. Fear is a funny thing. It sometimes provides healthy caution but more times than not, it seems to produce undue stress and anxiety over things we have little to no control. The Bible has a lot to say about fear. According to one Bible text search, "fear not," or the equivalent to that, is said 365 times. Let's see, how many days of the year are there? Well, that means we have a verse to hang onto every day of the year. One day I was fretting over having let one of my children go to the lake with another family. I totally trust this other family and had no real reasons to feel anxious, but this gnawing feeling of "what if" seemed to be my constant companion. I kept having little flashes of her getting injured or worse. I went to my husband and asked if by any chance he was having these same feelings. He simply said no. A profound thought struck me. Perhaps the reason why I am so mentally spent by the end of the day is because my mind is constantly on the go where my kids are concerned. Most concerns are small like: Did they brush their teeth? Are they cold? Did they have enough breakfast? Or, did they study their spelling words? But then I have flashes of fear that pierce my heart and make my pulse quicken. Mostly this happens when I hear of bad things happening to other children. A terrible car accident, a brain tumor, a heart defect, a drowning, a child choking- this list of what if's goes on and on. No wonder I'm so tired! It's okay for us moms to be protective over our children and watch out for their well being. It's one of the most important aspects of our job. But it's not okay for the fear of the unknown to paralyze us and stifle our kids in the process. The reality is that God has assigned a certain number of days to our children and nothing we do or don't do will add to that number. "Who of you by worrying can add a single hour to his life?" (Matthew 6:27). I do not speak of this topic lightly. I know the reality of bad things happening to children. When I was 18 years old, my mom gave birth to my beautiful sister, Haley. But tragedy struck when she was only 16 months old. Despite all our pleas for the Lord to spare her, His answer was "no" and she passed away. Also, when my second daughter was only 6 weeks old she became gravely ill. My husband and I heard words from a doctor that no parent ever wants to hear. "We aren't sure she can make it through the surgery. You have 5 minutes to tell her goodbye." Though my voice was paralyzed and silent, my soul screamed out, "Nooooo, you can not take her. I will not let you take her!" How do you tell a lifetime of dreams all wrapped up in one child, goodbye? As they wheeled her away, I collapsed into my husband's arms. He gently led me out to the parking lot of the hospital. Outside, he cupped my face in his hands and asked me who did Ashle