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Daily Devotion

4/28/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lysa TerKeurst

“Pretending I’m Fine or Proving I’m Right”

“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.”
James 3:17 (NIV)


If someone says something or does something that hurts me, what is the godly response? Is it to pretend like everything is fine so I can keep the peace? Or is it to confront the person to prove how wrong they are?

Neither.

If ever I catch myself pretending or proving, I know I’m processing my hurt the wrong way.

The godly way is approaching this situation with soul integrity--responding in a way that’s honest but also peacemaking. James 3:17 says, “But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure (honest); then peace‑loving …” Yes, I want this kind of wisdom--this soul integrity. I want to be honest and peacemaking at the same time. But how?

I must remember I need real honesty combined with real peacemaking.

Real Honesty.

Not all honest expressions of my feelings can be categorized as “real honesty.”

You see, my honest feelings may not be truthful assessments of the situation. I can be honest with how I feel and still exaggerate or misinterpret what is factually true. I can feel justified in being blatant about my feelings--not hiding a thing--and yet prideful for being so real, all under the guise of being “honest” enough not to stuff my emotions.


But in reality, honesty that isn’t real isn’t honesty at all. It could just be emotional spewing. That’s why we need peacemaking honesty--honesty reined in by the Holy Spirit--if we’re going to have authentic soul integrity.

So, if I want real honesty, I have to ask the Holy Spirit to show me real truth. I need to see things from the other person’s perspective. I need to ask questions with the desire to better understand instead of throwing out statements of accusation. Ultimately, my goal should be to add peacemaking to my honesty.

Real Peacemaking.

It must grieve God to see plastic versions of peacemaking that aren’t reined in by honesty. That’s what we do when we stuff our emotions and pretend everything is okay. The upside to stuffing is that we have the semblance of peacemakers. But when we do this at the expense of honesty, we harbor a corrosive bitterness that will eventually emerge. Either it will erode our health and later present itself in a host of emotional and physical anxiety-induced illnesses, or it will accumulate over time and surprise everyone when the peacemaker eventually erupts. Saying “I’m fine” to keep the peace when we’re really not fine builds walls and shuts down intimacy.

Sometimes, dishonesty comes in the form of saying things that aren’t true. But it’s also dishonest when we don’t say things that are true.

It may seem godly in the moment, but it’s false godliness. Truth and godliness always walk hand‑in‑hand. The minute we divorce one from the other, we stray from soul integrity and give a foothold to the instability that inevitably leads to coming unglued.

Yes, we’re after soul integrity--honesty that is also peacemaking that leads to godliness. This soul integrity brings balance to unglued reactions. It makes us true peacemakers--people who aren’t proving or pretending but rather, honestly demonstrating what they experience in a godly manner.

And being a true peacemaker reaps a harvest of great qualities in our lives: right things, godly things, healthy things.

Dear Lord, it is only through You that I’m able to bring all my exploding and stuffing under Your authority and truth. Thank You for Your Holy Spirit who gives me the wisdom to move beyond my reactions. Help me lean on You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

2 Corinthians 13:11, “Finally, brothers, rejoice. Aim for restoration, comfort one another, agree with one another, live in peace; and the God of love and peace will be with you.” (ESV)

James 3:18, “Peacemakers who sow in peace reap a harvest of righteousness.” (NIV)
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Daily Devotion

4/27/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Renee Swope


“When I Don’t Feel Like I Measure Up”

“When they measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, they are not wise.”
2 Corinthians 10:12b (NIV)

Do you ever compare yourself to other women and feel like you don’t quite measure up? Maybe you feel like you’re not as smart, pretty, fun, organized or as good at _______ as they are.

It’s so easy to think that if we had more or knew more, we’d be secure. But the truth is, even people who “have it all” still struggle with feelings of insecurity. The Bible opens with the story of a woman who had everything, but it still wasn’t enough (Genesis 2).

God had established Eve’s worth as His child and the crown of His creation. He also supplied Eve with every woman’s desire: intimacy, beauty, security, significance and purpose. Yet Satan conjured up feelings of insecurity by luring Eve’s eyes off what she had and on to what she didn’t have.

Boy, can I relate. Like Eve, I’ve heard Satan’s whispers telling me I’m not all I could be--or should be. One day I was reading her story in Genesis 3, and I noticed that Satan’s questions and suggestions were intended to plant seeds of doubt in Eve’s heart. He wanted her to doubt God and herself.

The enemy’s whispers tempted Eve to try to “be” more and “have” more by seeking significance apart from God’s provision. He convinced her something was missing in her life and that the forbidden fruit would make her be “like God.”

It was a foolish comparison. All comparisons are. Yet we do it all the time. If only I were like her … if only I had a house like hers, a husband like hers, a job like hers … if only my children behaved like hers … if only _______, then I’d feel significant, satisfied and secure.

In today’s key verse, 2 Corinthians 10:12b, Paul warns us that those who “measure themselves by themselves and compare themselves with themselves, are not wise.”

Comparison will always leave us feeling like we don’t measure up. We can try to do more and be more, yet it’s never enough.

If only Eve had focused on who she was and what she had as a child of God. If only we would, too. Yet Satan wants us to focus on our flaws and feelings of inadequacy, then exhaust even more energy figuring out how to hide them.

We don’t have to go along with his schemes. Instead we can equip ourselves to recognize his lies, refute his temptations with truth and focus on God’s acceptance, security and significance.

Then we can thank God for His provision and His promises that remind us of who we are in Him:

I am accepted …

Ephesians 1:3-8, I have been chosen by God and adopted as His child.
Colossians 1:13-14, I have been redeemed and forgiven of all my sins.
Colossians 2:9-10, I am complete in Christ.

I am secure …

Romans 8:28, I am assured that God works for my good in all circumstances.
Romans 8:31-39, I am free from condemnation. I can’t be separated from God’s love.
Philippians1:6, I am confident God will complete the good work He started in me.

I am significant …

Ephesians 2:10, I am God’s workmanship.
Ephesians 3:12, I may approach God with freedom and confidence.
Philippians 4:13, I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.

Author and psychologist Dr. Neil T. Anderson says, “The more you reaffirm who you are in Christ, the more your behavior (and beliefs) will begin to reflect your true identity!”

So, the next time we’re tempted to use the measuring stick of comparison--let’s commit to measure UP by focusing upward on Christ and who we are in HIM!

Lord, thank You that in Christ I’m chosen, holy and dearly loved. When I’m tempted to measure myself according to the world’s standards or my foolish comparisons, help me recognize Satan’s lies, refuse his temptations and rely on Your truth about me instead. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

1 Peter 5:9, “Stand firm against him [the devil], and be strong in your faith. Remember that your family of believers all over the world is going through the same kind of suffering you are.” (NLT)

2 Corinthians 3:4-5, “Such confidence we have through Christ before God. Not that we are competent in ourselves to claim anything for ourselves, but our competence comes from God.” (NIV)


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Daily Devotion

4/26/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Kara Tippetts

“Life Without a Bucket List”

“I am the vine; you are the branches. If you remain in me and I in you, you will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing.”
John 15:5 (NIV)

{Editor’s Note: On March 22nd, 2015, Kara Tippetts went home to be with Jesus after a long and difficult battle with cancer. While she was here, she touched so many lives, helped people understand how you can find God, even in the midst of suffering, even in the midst of the mundane. Kara’s response to her terminal brain cancer was filled with grace, hope and peace. This devotional comes from her final book, And It Was Beautiful. We hope these words will speak to you in a special way today.}

I can confidently say I don’t live with a long list of things I want to do, see or complete before I’m done in this place. I carried a dream for years of having a farm. I was in love with all things Wendell Berry. I could picture it, the life of routine created by the land and its rhythms.

But beyond that, I’ve never longed for having a list and checking things off. I’m happy with my old cars, my simple wardrobe, my lack of fancy things and vacations. Don’t get me wrong, I do love a good concert, but I also love an organic dance party in my kitchen. I love great food, but I also love a hot dog over the fire pit in my backyard. I love a hike in the mountains, but I also love a walk around the block with my people.

Last week, when I heard I may have another long road to travel on this journey, I turned to Jason and cried. I told him how day after day this place is losing its grip on me. Driving down the street, this place sometimes feels so [vulgar], so wanting my money without care for my heart.

Billboards blare at me what to buy, what to think, how to vote. But the tie that binds me here is relationships. Sickness makes those bonds more real, more important. It’s people who grip my heart.

Suffering has a way of exposing our theology, certainly our practical theology, where what we believe about God collides with where we live. My heart always hurts a little when someone hears my story and begins to question God’s goodness.

I have found that suffering makes my faith more childlike, more simple. Our ideas of God are not necessarily made bigger or more grandiose through suffering, but they are simplified as we wade through the unknown of what comes next.

Last week, in that unknown, I was smooching on [my son] Lake and the thought hit me that I won’t be around to help him navigate his first heartbreak. I was in a public place and I nearly lost my footing because of the fear that gripped me in that moment. I looked up and saw my growing girls and was almost suffocated by the thought of who will help them during the awkward years of puberty. Shouldn’t it be me? That’s the way it’s supposed to be, right? Can’t I stay and be here for them when they need me?

The truth is none of us know the length of our lives. So we pray for daily bread and say thank you when it comes. For today I have a little boy who will cross the room to give me a hug. I have a baby girl who gives me 10 kisses when I ask for five. I have a preteen who still holds my hand in public, in front of her friends even. I have a second born who loves to tell me every tiny detail of her day. I have a guy who makes coffee just like I like it.

A bucket list? No, I don’t need one. I’m so rich. It’s relationships that matter. And for me, paying attention to the precious gift of today is the only thing on my list.

Dear Lord, thank You for the blessings that I have, the friends, family, relationships, even the material possessions I own. But Lord, please let my heart not rest in these. Let my heart not grow hard, or grow weary when You decide that something should be taken from me. May You forever be my ultimate rock and resting place. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Philippians 4:11-13, “I am not saying this because I am in need, for I have learned to be content whatever the circumstances. 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. I can do all this through him who gives me strength.” (NIV)

Matthew 6:33, “But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.” (NIV)


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Daily Devotion

4/25/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Alicia Bruxvoort

“The Treasures God Longs to Give a Mom”


“And I will give you a new heart--I will give you new and right desires--and put a new spirit within you. I will take out your stony hearts of sin and give you new hearts of love.”
Ezekiel 36:26 (TLB)

“I don’t even know who I am anymore,” my friend moaned as we sat side-by-side on a park bench at the end of a long summer’s day. “It’s like these kids are stripping away the old me, and I just feel hollow inside.”

She jostled the baby on her lap and dabbed the tears streaking toward her chin. Then she turned her head to gaze at our crew in the sandbox.

“We’re gonna make the biggest hole ever!” exclaimed one of our preschoolers, as he plunged his chubby fist into the gritty grains. The other kids echoed his enthusiasm and dropped to their knees to dig.

My friend stared at the cavern in the sand, and my stomach churned with empathy. I pulled my friend into a one-armed hug and tried to formulate a comforting response. But my thoughts were quickly interrupted by a squeamish squeal.

“Eowww! There’s garbage in here!” My daughter waved a dirty drinking straw in the air and flung it over her shoulder.

Sure enough, the deeper the kids dug, the more debris they discovered. Their gritty fingers unearthed soggy brown leaves and grimy grey rocks, twisted twigs and long-forgotten gum wrappers.

And that’s when I realized that my experience of motherhood has been a bit like a dirty sandbox dig. Simply put, motherhood is an unspoken invitation for God to excavate our souls.

I never knew what lurked in the depths of me until I became a mother.

I didn’t realize the expanse of my own impatience; I wasn’t aware of the parameters of my pride. I didn’t recognize the breadth of my selfish ambition or the width of my weakness, until God asked me to lay down my life for the children He’d entrusted into my care.

Let’s face it … kids expose our hearts on a whole new level. And in His infinite wisdom, God our Maker uses the daily demands of motherhood to excavate the garbage in our souls.

Selfishness? It’s uprooted piece by painful piece each time we rise in the dark of night to feed a baby or comfort an anxious child. It’s unearthed every time we hold a bucket in front of a sick child, mop a muddy floor or tackle a tower of dirty laundry.

Perfectionism? It’s shaved sliver by sliver as we trade firm abs for stretch marks and spotless windows for smudgy handprints; as we stumble through grocery aisles with spit-up on our collars and wailing ones on our hips. It’s steadily shredded as we embrace our tweens’ goofy mannerisms and our toddlers’ peculiar fashion sense.

Pride? It’s uprooted every time we admit that we don’t have all the answers and we can’t do it all. It’s eradicated when we choose to listen rather than lecture, to compromise rather than control.

It’s humbling--this heart dig--and harrowing at times. It can leave a mama feeling insecure and confused, conflicted and strange.

But what if this soul excavation is more than just an identity crisis? What if it’s a holy hollowing?

Our key verse, Ezekiel 36:26, reminds us God is in the business of making things new--including our hearts. He’s committed to scooping out the impurities within us so we have room to house more of His Spirit, a greater portion of His love.

The process may be painful, but here’s the good news: When God empties us, He doesn’t leave us that way. He offers to fill our purged places with something new. God’s excavation is always intended for transformation.

The chasm in the sandbox resembled a moon crater, and the kids stood back to admire their work. Suddenly, eyes brightened. “Hey, that hole’s big enough to hold treasure now!” a little digger declared.

And in an instant, our scoopers turned into scavengers. They scattered across the park in a flurry of excitement and began to search for hidden treasure.

My friend shuffled the sleeping baby in her arms and flashed me a subtle smile. And as our kids filled that huge hole with playground pearls, I wondered if a mama’s soul excavation is just God’s merciful way of carving out more room in her heart for the treasures He longs to give her.

Dear God, do whatever it takes to make room in my heart for more of You! In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

2 Corinthians 4:7, “But we have this treasure in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us.” (NIV)

John 3:30, “He must become greater; I must become less.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

4/22/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Micca Campbell

“The Blessing of Brokenness”


“Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit.”
John 12:24 (NASB)

I clenched my teeth and closed my eyes as I waited for the explosion. My favorite lamp had fallen to the floor and smashed to smithereens. Somehow, in the scattered fragments I saw a picture of my own broken life.

As I carefully collected the shattered bits, tears stung my eyes and the pain of brokenness surfaced again. It’s a deep hurt. The kind not easily healed. My heart was crushed as if it had been stomped on, broken and discarded. Unable to progress in my work or relationships, I became a hostage to my own sadness. I felt weak and desperate for hope.

No one enjoys the pain of brokenness. Normally it calls for a letting go of something near and dear to us. At the time, it doesn’t make any sense. Yet, since the broken lamp, I have learned that brokenness leads to an unexpected good.

It’s for this reason that God breaks us. Not to cause us undue pain. Not because He doesn’t love us. Instead …

God breaks us to bless us.

He chips away anything that keeps us from finding our true life in Him.

God targets an area of our life that we’re unwilling to submit to Him. Perhaps it’s an unhealthy relationship we won’t release. It could be laziness that’s stunting our spiritual growth. Or even a bad habit that’s standing in the way of experiencing the fullness of God.

Whatever the cause, our tendency is to hold tightly to these things because we believe it’s what we want. We’re convinced they please us by providing the joy, pleasure and fulfillment we seek. But God knows the truth. Only He can truly satisfy our deepest longings. All else is counterfeit to His provision.

Therefore, God selects the tools it takes to break our self-sufficiency and cause us turn to Him. When we give up our independence, we gain a new perspective of God’s plan and purpose for our lives.

A great picture of this process is found in our key verse. “Unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).

Unless the kernel is buried and dies, it will produce nothing. It will remain a lone, solitary stalk of corn. Imagine passing a field that only hosted one blade of corn.

You might ask, “Where’s the rest of this farmer’s harvest?” However, if the kernel dies, it will produce a great harvest.

Consider the life of Jesus. On earth, He was like a single stalk of corn. Yet, through His death, burial and resurrection, His life continually produces a harvest of souls.

In a similar way, as long as I live a selfish life fixed on my own wants and desires, I will produce little. On the other hand, if I die to myself and live according to God’s plan, I will yield a productive life that’s beneficial to God and others.

It sounds difficult, I know, but the unexpected good of brokenness is that it revives the life of Christ in me. I become less and He becomes more. That’s a good thing!

The more we become like Him, the more we become like the true selves God intended. The more love and patience I have in my heart, the more joyful and content I am with others.

Think of it this way. For the wheat to reproduce itself, it had to die. For Christ to reproduce Himself in others, He had to die. If I desire Christ’s life to be reproduced in me, I, too, must die to the lure of the world and my own selfishness. Then, I will experience the fullness of God I desire and reproduce disciples of the same kind. Jesus put it this way:

“For whoever wants to save their life will lose it, but whoever loses their life for me will find it” (Matthew 16:25, NIV).

Sometimes God has to break me to bless me. As challenging as that can be, I’m thankful. Because honestly, I want the life God wants to give me instead of settling for the counterfeit.

God, help me die to the desires of this world and my selfishness that I might find the life You created for me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

John 12:25, “Those who love their life in this world will lose it. Those who care nothing for their life in this world will keep it for eternity.” (NLT)

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Daily Devotion

4/20/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Karen Ehman

“How to Climb the Mountain of Motherhood”


“Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken.”
Psalm 62:5-6 (NIV)

Some days it seems everywhere I look, I see “mountains”--mountains of laundry to fold, papers to sort and dirty dishes to clean. Tending to the mountains in my life often leaves me exhausted. It also triggers frustration because no sooner have I dealt with one of these mountains, when they start to pile up all over again, staring me in the face and leaving me defeated. Have you been there?

Being a mom also brings emotional mountains to scale as well. We train and teach the toddlers, navigate the often-tumultuous teen years and tend to the changing needs of aging parents. These life-tasks often unsettle our souls.

Constant physical tasks, coupled with emotional stress, can make for a difficult climb. Perhaps a little lesson on the sport of mountain climbing can give us insight into how to make our trek a little less daunting.

Mountain climbing is not for the faint of heart. Besides being physically strenuous, there are changes that take place in the climber’s body as they ascend. The higher you go, the thinner the air becomes, decreasing the oxygen concentration. If climbers aren’t careful to take precautions, the change can wreak havoc on their lungs. This can cause serious medical conditions resulting in hospitalization and in some cases, even death.

In order to prevent these potentially damaging conditions, an experienced mountain climber knows how important periods of rest are. And not just stopping at the current altitude to take a break. There is a strategy where climbers retreat to a lower elevation than the one to which they have climbed in order to give their lungs a rest--especially at night. This tactic is referred to as “climb high--sleep low.”

Mountaineers will trek as high as they safely can during the day, but return to a lower elevation to sleep, thereby diminishing the chances of developing a potentially lethal altitude-related lung condition.

Similarly, the expedition known as motherhood is not for the faint of heart.

Although the highs and lows we traverse each day might not adversely affect our lungs, they can wreak havoc upon our hearts and drain us physically. Oh, how important it is to rest our bodies and nourish our souls! To pull back from the “mountains” we are scaling--laundry, paperwork, dirty dishes--or the obstacles we encounter such as physically exhausting toddlers or emotionally testing teens. When we lay low to connect with Jesus, our souls can replenish to scale new heights the next day.

Today’s key verse states it perfectly: “Yes, my soul, find rest in God; my hope comes from him. Truly he is my rock and my salvation; he is my fortress, I will not be shaken” (Psalm 62:5-6). When we carve out time to rest in God--taking a physical break and filling up our spirits--we gain hope and acquire strength to face the challenges of life. When God is our fortress, nothing can shake us.

Have you been trying to scale the mountain of motherhood at break-neck speed, rarely stopping to refresh and refuel? Maybe it’s time to adopt the “climb high--sleep low” strategy yourself. It will make a difference. Even if it is just stopping long enough to savor a cup of coffee with the Savior, drinking in deeply the truths from His Word. When we pull back for a bit, we’re better positioned to return to our tasks with renewed strength and a fresh perspective.

As you scale the mountain of motherhood, God will be with you in the highs. He’ll refresh you in the lows. Press pause, and meet with Him today.

Father, please help me carve out time each week to get alone and meet with You. May I find rest and rejuvenation so I can continue to climb the mountain of motherhood for Your glory. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Psalm 121:1-3, “I lift up my eyes to the mountains--where does my help come from? My help comes from the LORD, the Maker of heaven and earth. He will not let your foot slip--he who watches over you will not slumber.” (NIV)


Psalm 127:2, “It is useless for you to work so hard from early morning until late at night, anxiously working for food to eat; for God gives rest to his loved ones.” (NLT)
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Daily Devotion

4/19/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Gwen Smith

“Do You Ever Feel Unappreciated?”



“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.’”
Jeremiah 31:3 (NLT)

The Bible is a timeless note expressing God’s interest in us.

And let me tell you, I love a good note.

When I was in high school in the late 1980s, the halls buzzed with everything you would expect, including note passing. When you got a note, you didn’t just let it hang out in the pockets of your Calvin Klein jeans or shove it in your leg warmers--you took it out and devoured it.

And then you wrote back, circling yes or no to the questions. Do you like him? Did you watch Miami Vice last night? Did you kiss him? Are you going to Kelly’s birthday party? Will you go with me?

Notes were a dialogue.

They helped you connect with friends, scope out possible love interests, break up, make up and everything in between. Rarely was just one note passed between two people. (And rarely were teachers happy about them.)

Get this: God made sure we got a note from Him.

A love note to pursue our hearts and connect our hearts to His.

A personal note that’s addressed to each of us and ends with “Love, God.”

His love is poured out in the Bible chapter by chapter, verse by verse, so we might understand and accept that His intentions for us are as unique as a snowflake and as extravagant as an ocean sunset.

When I’m feeling unappreciated, unimportant or rejected, it helps to remember that God’s love speaks. I only need to listen.

Your days may sting with an unfulfilled longing, a perceived inadequacy, a devastating loss or a gaping heart wound. Might I offer a word of encouragement? Whether you’re a mother, grandmother, sister or daughter … single, married, widowed, divorced … whether your loved ones value and cherish you or wound you with broken behavior … no matter what, God loves you, knows you and cherishes you perfectly.

Let His love speak life to you.

The Lord declared to Israel, “I have loved you, my people, with an everlasting love. With unfailing love I have drawn you to myself ” (Jeremiah 31:3).

Just as He spoke these words to His children, the Israelites, long ago, God speaks across the universe today to each daughter’s heart:

“I notice you!”

“You are special to Me.”

“You matter.”

“I love you … perfectly … eternally … completely, and I really, really, really mean it.”

He showed us His love through the death and resurrection of His Son, Jesus.

His Spirit whispers that love to the hearts of His children continuously.

He speaks it still today through His Word. Are you listening?

Once you open and read God’s love note, the Bible, you’ll want to respond. To go back and forth in conversation, deepening the relationship. To circle yes or no to His questions: “Do you know how much I love you? Are you aware of the distance between My holiness and your sin? Will you let My love meet you in your achy places? Do you know how beautiful you are to Me? Will you trust Me with that roadblock? Will you acknowledge Me as the source of your significance and the validation you are desperate for?”

I want to circle my answers, Yes!

I want to be so deeply rooted and grounded in God’s love that it stabilizes my faith, no matter how unstable other factors of my life might seem or how unappreciated I feel.

Don’t you?

Dear Lord, Thank You for loving me. When I’m overwhelmed with feelings of frustration, please remind me that You see me and will meet me there with Your everlasting, all-satisfying love. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Psalm 36:5-6a, “Your love, LORD, reaches to the heavens, your faithfulness to the skies. Your righteousness is like the highest mountains, your justice like the great deep.” (NIV)

1 John 4:18, “There is no fear in love, but perfect love casts out fear. For fear has to do with punishment, and whoever fears has not been perfected in love.” (ESV)

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Daily Devotion

4/18/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Amy Carroll

“The Freedom of Releasing Regrets”

“Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death.”
2 Corinthians 7:10 (NIV)

“Time’s up!” Those two words battered my heart over and over as I sat in the silence of an empty nest, drowning in the pain of regrets.

I had thought I’d break into celebration when our two boys headed out into the world on their own. Even though I knew I’d miss them terribly, they were going to good places with spiritual growth as a priority, decision-making skills intact and solid friendships to encourage them … mostly.

I agonized over how I should have done more to fill every gap. I should have prayed more, taught more about Scripture and instructed more concerning finances. I convinced myself I should have stopped to listen more, been present more (instead of consumed with my to‑do list) and empathized more.

Instead of celebrating our boys’ launch into adulthood, I was sinking into despair, but I knew I shouldn’t allow regrets to reign.

Based on past experience, I knew regret would be erosive and paralyzing--washing away my confidence in God and myself. I knew what it would be like to feel powerless to live in the victory and freedom God has for us. Too many times I’d collapsed under the weight of imperfections, mistakes and sin.

Thankfully the Bible, our manual for life, has instructions about how to rid ourselves of regret. As we see in today’s key verse, “Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death” (2 Corinthians 7:10).

This verse helped me assess the situation. Are my sorrows (or regrets) leading to salvation and an eventual release from the regret? Or are they leading to death, a dark place where there’s no freedom in sight? For me, I knew my parenting regrets were of the worldly type because I was in a downward spiral.

One silent morning, after several days of wrestling with regret, I spent time with God, telling Him about my sadness and worry that I had fallen short as a mom. One by one, I took my regrets to Jesus and left them in His care.

With time He brought me to a place of asking Him for forgiveness. Where there were places of sin, I repented. Turning away from those sins was a step that left me feeling washed clean. With others, He showed me how my imperfect parenting had still been enough. God was much gentler with me than I was with myself! For each regret, He promised that His work would succeed where mine had failed and that He would complete what I had left unfinished.

I walked away from my time with God that morning with exactly what He said in His Word--the hope of salvation and a release from regrets. I rested in the truth that His power floods in to fill our gaps. He offers that same relief to you, no matter where your sorrow lies.

Are you worried you haven’t parented well enough? God is still at work in our children’s lives, even after they become adults. Their story isn’t over, and God is big enough to finish the work He started in our hearts and homes.

Are you swamped with shame from your past? God offers salvation today for every circumstance in our rear-view mirror. That door didn’t close the moment we wandered. He is able to soothe our sorrows.

Are you fretting over lost opportunities? Our good God redeems our misses and can fill our lives with second chances. Let’s trade our despair for hope today!

Lord, we come to You needing release from regrets. Instead of wallowing in despair, help us trust in Your powerful, ongoing work. Instead of agonizing over our imperfections, help us look to You for perfecting. In all things, help us turn our regrets over to You, our Redeemer. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Psalm 116:3b-5a,6, “I was overcome by distress and sorrow. Then I called on the name of the LORD: ‘LORD, save me!’ The LORD is gracious and righteous; The LORD protects the unwary; when I was brought low, he saved me.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

4/15/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lynn Cowell

“A Chain of Courage”


“The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live.”
Exodus 1:17 (NIV)

Each day I started my workday by telling myself, You can do this! It’s not a big deal. For many people the task I needed to complete was simple--something they could accomplish in a few short minutes. But it wasn’t for me.

Even though this simple act would help others in their walk with Jesus, that motivation wasn’t enough to push me through. The fear of failure crippled me. I finally found the courage I needed to push past my phobia when a story leapt off the page and into my heart.

The first two chapters of the book of Exodus tell the tale of a chain of courage--one act of fearlessness prompting another until the whole of these women’s actions changed history.

Act 1: Shiphrah and Puah, midwives in Egypt, are commanded by Pharaoh to kill all males as soon as they are born. Exodus 1:17 tells us, "The midwives, however, feared God and did not do what the king of Egypt had told them to do; they let the boys live."

What bravery these women showed in obeying God rather than Pharaoh!

Act 2: Jochebed, the mother of Moses, courageously decides she will not obey Pharaoh, either. Rather than kill her son, she hides him at home. When she can no longer keep his existence a secret, she puts this one she loves in a basket, hiding him in the Nile River.

Jochebed’s faith to take the risk of hiding a baby and putting him in a river is compelling!

Act 3: Miriam, Moses’ sister, stands by, watching the basket boat. But she isn’t just observing. When Pharaoh’s daughter calls for the basket to be brought to her, this grit of a girl steps up and addresses the princess, giving royalty advice on how the child can be taken care of.

Do you see the chain effect one woman’s courage had on another’s?

Shiphrah and Puah decided to go against Pharaoh together.

Jochebed, in the same steps of the midwives, chose courage instead of compromise.

I have no doubt that Jochebed inspired her daughter to show her prowess to the princess.

I want to be a part of a chain effect of courageousness, too!

As a young mother, my mom stepped out of her social norm, embraced Jesus as her Savior and became a prayer warrior for her eight children. Even though several were already adults when she came to know Christ, through her prayers and life testimony, all of us serve Him today.

Seeing my mother’s fearless faith gives me courage to make a difference in my world. Seeing God answer her prayers for her children empowers me to pray for my children’s salvation, asking God that they will follow the steps of Miriam--on the lookout for where God can use them--and when the time is right, boldly step up with the wisdom God gives them.

Friend, where are you in a chain of courage?

Is God calling you to be the first in your family to break out? To step up and bravely make decisions to bring God’s redemption to your family line? To redefine “normal” in your family’s legacy?

Maybe like me, you are blessed to have witnessed the courage of another, and it’s empowered you to be brave. We have to be careful not to grow comfortable or complacent when we’re in the middle of the chain but instead be empowered by the Holy Spirit to keep courage going.

We can start by:

  • Praying for courage.
  • Surrounding ourselves with others who are courageous.
  • Reading stories of others who’ve been courageous in the Bible or in books.

Let’s be brave. Let’s display daring boldness and in turn, teach others to be courageous.

Lord, help us to choose courage over fear. We need the Holy Spirit to empower us to lean on You and take the steps You call us to take. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Deuteronomy 31:6, “Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid or terrified because of them, for the LORD your God goes with you; he will never leave you nor forsake you.” (NIV)

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (NKJV)

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Daily Devotion

4/14/2016

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Picture
Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lysa TerKeurst

“I’m Really Afraid”

“The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.”
Psalm 34:7 (NIV)

A few years ago, one of my back teeth started hurting. It wasn’t the first time that tooth had given me trouble, and quite honestly, I just didn’t want to deal with it.

That tooth had been a complete pain. Literally.

I’d had not one, not two, but three crowns done on the same tooth. The first one broke. The second one broke. And though the third one seemed like it would finally work, the tooth started aching again. Ugh!

The dentist informed me the only thing to do was to have a root canal.

I’m okay with the word “root.” And I’m okay with the word “canal.” But when he put those two words together a wild fear whipped its tentacles around my heart and squeezed the life out of me. I couldn’t do it. I just couldn’t bring myself to schedule the appointment.

So I dealt with the throbbing pain.

For a year, I didn’t chew on that side of my mouth. I didn’t let cold drinks leak over to that side. And I took ibuprofen when the throbbing got the best of me.

A year!

Finally I’d had enough. The pain overrode the fear, and I made an appointment for the dreaded root canal.

And you know what? I survived! Not only did I survive, but I honestly found the whole root canal ordeal to be no big deal. The fear of it was so much worse than actually having the procedure done.

I think fear often plays out that way. Sometimes living in fear of what might be causes more stress and anxiety than actually facing what we fear. Is there something you’re avoiding because you’re afraid?

Psalm 34:7 reminds me, “The angel of the LORD encamps around those who fear him, and he delivers them.” To fear the Lord means to honor Him and magnify Him in my heart most of all. When I focus on or magnify my fears, they become all I can think about. So instead I’ve learned to focus on God by doing three things:


  • I cry out to Him with honest prayers. I verbalize to God what I’m afraid of and how paralyzing my fear is. I ask Him to help me see if this fear is a warning or an unnecessary worry. And then I ask Him to help me know the next step to take.
   
  • I open my Bible and look for verses that show me what He wants me to do in that moment of fear. I write down truths from the Bible about fear and then align my next thoughts and actions with His truth.
   
  • I then walk in the assurance that I am fearing (honoring) the Lord as Psalm 34:7 tells me to, therefore I know with certainty an angel of the Lord is encamped around me, and God will deliver me.

I like this promise so much. It comforts me. It reassures me. And it challenges me to really live like I know it is true.

What’s a fear you can face today? Think of an everyday fear holding you back. Is there a fear of confronting an issue with a friend? Is there a fear of stepping out in obedience to something God is calling you to do? Is there a fear of a medical diagnosis you just received?

Oh, if I were there, I would totally hold your hand. Better yet, God is with you. And when you know He is with you and His angels are encamped around you, you can face your fears.

Dear Lord, if a feeling of fear is a legitimate warning from You, help me to know that. But if this feeling of fear is more of a distracting detriment, help me be courageous and walk assured in Your presence. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:

Isaiah 41:10, “So do not fear, for I am with you; do not be dismayed, for I am your God. I will strengthen you and help you; I will uphold you with my righteous right hand.” (NIV)

2 Timothy 1:7, “For God has not given us a spirit of fear and timidity, but of power, love, and self-discipline.” (NLT)


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