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Daily Devotion

12/16/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Amy Carroll

“When You Need a Helping Hand”


“At that time Mary got ready and hurried to a town in the hill country of Judea, where she entered Zechariah’s home and greeted Elizabeth.”
Luke 1:39-40 (NIV)

God is the world’s greatest matchmaker. I’m not talking about the kind of romantic matches made online, but rather about connections made between women in need and those who can help.

As I grew older in years and in my faith, God consistently placed women in my path who modeled all kinds of things I needed to know. My mom taught me about keeping a home that’s peaceful and full of love. In my teen years, a young woman named Layne showed me what it looked like to cultivate a pure heart.

Later, Deborah lived out being a loving wife even though she never knew I was watching. Macon taught me about mothering small children, and Mona was an example of how to use my words wisely.

Each woman had something to share with me that I needed in order to grow.

Christmas is approaching, and in Luke 1, one of our familiar Christmas passages, God gives us a beautiful picture of what it looks like when He gives the gift of friendship to help us in difficult situations. He joins together a young woman, Mary, with an older woman, Elizabeth, and encourages both of them in the linking. If we’ll zoom in a little, there are some important lessons for us.

1. Mary sought out a woman to help her.

When I slowed my reading of today’s key verses, they left me with lots of questions. Why did Mary need to pack up and leave home to go see Elizabeth? Where was her mother? Her friends?

No matter the answers, one fact is clear. Mary needed a woman with whom she could connect. In fact, Scripture tells us she hurried there!

We live in a lonely culture where 60% of women say they’re lonely and 20% say they’re lonely all the time. Mary gives us an example to follow when we fall into the loneliness pit. She didn’t sit at home and wish someone were there. She didn’t “vague-book” something on social media to manipulate someone to reach out. She packed up and went to spend face-to-face time with Elizabeth.

Mary was blessed with a close connection because of her initiation.

2. Elizabeth chose to connect, rather than to compete.

When we think through the circumstances, Elizabeth could have gotten her feelings hurt. After all, Mary made an unannounced visit and she was carrying the Messiah, the hope of the whole world, in her womb.

Because she was already married and her husband was a priest, Elizabeth held a superior social ranking. Elizabeth could have compared herself to Mary and felt resentment. She could have thought, “Who is she to be carrying the Messiah instead of me?” Instead, she instantly poured out blessing and affirmation to her cousin Mary, a young, pregnant girl trembling with the implications of her amazing assignment.

3. Joy was the result of their connection.

The remaining description of Mary and Elizabeth’s interaction in Luke 1 is a more beautiful scene than I can even imagine. It’s filled with loud declarations of blessing, Spirit-filled babies leaping with joy, and a song so exquisite that it’s nicknamed “The Magnificat.”

The outcome of these women’s connection was great joy. Not only were they happy in the moment, but they were forever enriched by the match that God had made between the two of them. God calls us to connect so we can mature. Mary was supported, and Elizabeth had a chance to share her maturity and support. That same joy can be in store for you and me!

Lord, I praise You that I was made for connection. Help me reach out for help when I need it and to offer it to others when I’m able. Please make me more like You as I do. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Matthew 6:1, “Be careful not to practice your righteousness in front of others to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

12/15/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Dr. David Jeremiah


“How to Help Our Kids Love God’s Word”


“And these words which I command you today shall be in your heart. You shall teach them diligently to your children, and shall talk of them when you sit in your house, when you walk by the way, when you lie down, and when you rise up.”
Deuteronomy 6:6-7 (NKJV)

She was late.

We had agreed to meet at 6:30 and it was almost 7 when I finally saw my teenage daughter strolling through the mall toward where I sat, waiting. Now I’d be late to my board meeting.

In my frustration, I did what many of us parents have done--I reacted and jumped to a wrong conclusion.

When we got home, the truth came out that her watch was broken. She thought she had indeed arrived on time. Gulp.

I penitently made my way to her bedroom where I heard her sniffling and knocked.

“May I come in?”

“Yes,” she said.

“Honey, I am sorry,” I began. “I blew it. I didn’t even ask you. Can you ever forgive me?”

She looked up at me through her tears and said, “Sure Dad, everyone makes mistakes.” We held each other for a few minutes, and I went on to my meeting.

My children are grown now. All four of our children are married and have families of their own, but I have to admit there were some days I wasn’t sure we would get here. Donna and I made some mistakes along the way. My children know all my faults. But I learned one of the best things I could do was be honest with my kids and apologize for my mistakes.

Our biggest failures as parents can become the greatest opportunities to illustrate genuine faith to our kids. When we admit our wrongs and allow our kids to see our humanity, to see how we mess up just like anyone else, it catches their attention. It allows us to set a biblical example of humility, love and forgiveness for them to follow.

My own dad taught me how to admit my mistakes, ask for forgiveness and have the humility to reveal my human weaknesses to my kids. His willingness to admit his wrongs impressed me when I was young. I realized he had faults just like me. And he let me see him seeking God and praying through those weaknesses. It impacted me for life.

Deuteronomy 6:6-9 offers a roadmap for how we are to live out our faith in front of our children. What we believe must make its way into our daily attitudes, conversations and routines.

The old adage is true about parenting: More is caught than taught.

We can teach our kids what the Bible says, but if we want them to live according to its truth, we need to live it. If we want our kids to have a growing faith and love God’s Word, we need to demonstrate its importance in our lives. A “Do as I say, not as I do” approach to parenting will fall flat.

We can’t fake it as parents. If we don’t model a genuine relationship with Jesus Christ, there is little chance our children will grow up to possess what we lack. Even if we didn’t get it right when our kids were young, we can start now. How?

Begin by seeking the Lord today. Read His Word daily. Connect with your church. Make God’s Word a necessary part of your daily life and watch Him renew a hunger and thirst for Him today. Allow your kids to be a part of that process. Allow them to see the importance and joy of God’s Word in your life. By the grace of God, may they learn to lean on God and develop a growing love for Him and His Word.

Lord, help me embrace Your Word. But most of all, help me to live it. Help me be the kind of parent who will inspire my children to please You, because that’s what they see being lived out in my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Proverbs 24:3-4 “Through wisdom a house is built, And by understanding it is established; by knowledge the rooms are filled With all precious and pleasant riches.” (NKJV)

RELATED RESOURCES:

Are you looking for exciting ways to get your kids engaged in the Word of God? Turning Point Ministries’ new Airship Genesis Kids Study Bible by Dr. David Jeremiah gives elementary age children the solid truth of God’s Word with the creative content and quality they deserve.

CONNECT:

Visit AirshipGenesis.com for exciting monthly audio episodes following the adventures of the Genesis Exploration Squad.

Enter to WIN a copy of Airship Genesis Kids Study Bible by Dr. David Jeremiah. In celebration of this book, Turning Point Ministries is giving away 5 copies! Enter to win by leaving a comment here. {We’ll randomly select 5 winners and email notifications to each one by Monday, December 19.}

REFLECT AND RESPOND:

Do you have a love and excitement for the Word that transmits to your family? Take time to pray and ask Jesus for a renewed hunger for the Word and readiness to speak His truth in your home.

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Daily Devotion

12/14/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lysa TerKeurst

“Facing the Impossible”


“You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives.”
Genesis 50:20 (NIV)

Whenever I’ve stepped out to do something I felt God calling me to do, the voices of criticism and condemnation have been there to greet me.

Early on in ministry the voices were loud and cruel: “You’ll never be a speaker.” “You are not wanted.” “Look at you. Do you really think God could use someone like you after what you’ve done?”

Sometimes I measured myself against other people. “She’s so clever. She’s so educated. She’s so connected. Who am I compared to all that?”

Gradually, I pulled away. I put up a front of perfection with carefully crafted words and a house and kids that looked just right. Polished on the outside--yet completely undone on the inside.

Eventually the Lord called my bluff.

I was simultaneously going through the books Experiencing God by Henry Blackaby and Victory Over the Darkness by Neil T. Anderson. Often I would have tears stream from my eyes while attempting to get through the lessons. But one day, it was more than just tears. It was sobs pouring from a chest so heavy with burdens I thought I might literally break apart.

Down on my face, I asked God to speak to me. What I heard in reply was one simple yet life-changing question: “Will you share your story?”

“Yes, I will share my story. The good parts. The parts that are safe and tidy and acceptable.”

But safe and tidy and acceptable were not what God was looking for. He wanted the impossible.

Totally impossible.

Absolutely impossible … in my own strength.

But God wouldn’t drop it. He met every one of my arguments with Scriptures about relying not on my strength, but on His.

He untangled my need for approval with the challenge to live for an audience of One. He helped me see where the voices of doubt were coming from and challenged me to consider the source. And, quite simply, He kept whispering He loved me over and over again.

The first time I shared my story was nothing but an act of absolute obedience. I kept my head down and my guard up. I expected the ladies listening to all start stoning me … especially when I got to the part about my abortion. The shame of all the abuse and rejection was nothing compared to the shame of my choice to abort my child.

I’d wept over that choice.

I’d repented.

I’d gone to God hundreds of times and asked for forgiveness.

I’d laid it down every time there was an altar call.

But nothing brought the redemption that this day brought. As I stood shaking at that podium, I shared exactly what and how God asked me to share.

And then the miracle happened.

When I finished and dared to look up at their reactions, tearstained faces were looking back at me. Mouths were whispering, “Me too. Me too.”

In that moment, I finally understood the idea that “what Satan means for evil, God can use for good” like our key verse tells us.

Seeing God use the very thing that made me feel utterly worthless to help others changed everything. I was finally breaking free from Satan’s chains of shame and could see his lies for what they were.

In that moment, I felt victorious--not in my own power, but in the Lord’s strength and ability to use all things for good. Without that decision of obedience, I would not have been able to see how God wanted to work in the lives of so many women that night.

This is our heart at Proverbs 31 Ministries--to help women dismantle the lies of the enemy with the truth of God so they can walk in freedom. Because when one woman finds freedom, she is able to help countless others discover freedom in Christ!

Will you prayerfully consider partnering with us? We want to continue providing free biblical resources like these daily devotions, but we can’t do it without your help.

If Proverbs 31 Ministries has encouraged you and helped you hold God’s Truth closer, we invite you to join us in continuing to bring the Gospel to women all over the world! You can do this by contributing financially or through prayer. All donations go right back into the everyday operations and expansion efforts of the ministry. Click here to give to Proverbs 31 Ministries today!

Dear Lord, thank You for making the impossible, possible. Thank You for taking every event in my life and using it for good. You are worthy to be praised. I want to follow Your plan for my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Revelation 12:11, “They triumphed over him by the blood of the Lamb and by the word of their testimony; they did not love their lives so much as to shrink from death.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

12/13/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Joni Eareckson Tada

“Your Problems Have Purpose”


“You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people.“
Genesis 50:20 (NLT)

You may not be a quadriplegic like I am, but I bet you resonate with the word helpless. When suffering hits you or your family broadside, we can quickly ask: Where is God? Why is He letting this happen?

It’s why I draw inspiration from the biblical story of Joseph.

Although he was never paralyzed, several things happened to him that could be construed as accidents. He was tossed into a pit by his envious brothers and almost left to die, and eventually, he was wrongly put in prison in a foreign land.

Joseph could have become bitter. But many years later, he told his brothers, “You intended to harm me, but God intended it all for good. He brought me to this position so I could save the lives of many people” (Genesis 50:20).

I like that word, “intended.” God is full of intention--He has a purpose, a target, a goal and a plan. God was a giant step ahead of Joseph’s brothers, aborting their evil intentions to suit His own purposes. Joseph’s problems did not catch God off guard. From the beginning, God planned for Joseph to experience those things. Why? Not only for his own growth in godly character, but for saving others’ lives.

God is not a sweep-up boy who follows after you with a dustpan and brush, second-guessing how everything will fit into a divine pattern for good. He does not put on a hazmat suit so an evil situation doesn’t contaminate His holy reputation.

Think of the disappointing or bad things that have happened to you.

Be comforted by this: God did not take His hands off the wheel of your life for a nanosecond. From start to finish, everything followed God’s plan for you.

This means your trials have much more meaning than you realize. Your problems have more purpose than you can imagine. Not because God merely uses bad things, but because God intends them so others might be introduced to Jesus through your example. What a high calling that is!

Dear Heavenly Father, I’m so grateful You are involved in every step of my life. How comforting to know that in good times or bad, You remain in control and have a plan for me. I thank You that You are good no matter what happens, and that I can rest in Your presence. I am thankful for the faithfulness of Joseph that no matter what happened, he turned to You and never doubted You. I pray to have that kind of faith and live a life of surrender to Your will. In Jesus Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Romans 8:28, “And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them.” (NLT)

Jeremiah 29:11, “‘For I know the plans I have for you,’ says the LORD. ‘They are plans for good and not for disaster, to give you a future and a hope.’” (NLT)

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Daily Devotion

12/7/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Wendy Pope

“Words That Made My Heart Ache”

“Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”
Psalm 119:105 (NIV)

As beautiful as aging can be, it can also have it’s challenges. In my early 40s, I began to notice my arms weren’t quite long enough to make the words on the page appear clear. As the problem began to worsen, I knew I had to move from my regular print Bible to a large-print one.

My search started at one of my favorite online shopping spots looking for affordable, used options. I typed my criteria into the search box … Thinline, Large Print. Scrolling through the results I saw several possibilities, but one jumped out at me.

The descriptions showed the amount of use, and some Bibles were “used” with highlighted verses. Others were of various colors and designs. So many choices!

As I scrolled toward the bottom of the listings, a tan and dark brown Bible caught my eye, so I selected its picture. This was the one! It wasn’t until I clicked to make the purchase that I read the description: Excellent condition. Does not appear to have been read. My heart ached as I paused to re-read the words: Does not appear to have been read.

Why wouldn’t someone read their Bible? Then I remembered why.

For many years, I didn’t read the Bible either. For a long season of my life I was a carrier of God’s Word. I read the Bible during church when the pastor would preach, and I made sure to read enough to fill in my blanks for Bible study.

But to read, highlight and apply Scripture to my life was foreign to me. How could I, a “C” student, ever understand the Bible? I wanted to be one of those women who highlighted and applied, but I didn’t even know where to start.

Then, our local Christian radio station challenged the listening audience to follow a one-year Bible reading plan. I couldn’t fathom reading the whole Bible, much less in only a year.

In an effort to calm my fears, I took a trip to my local Christian bookstore. If I am going to read the whole Bible, certainly I need a new Bible to read. For what seemed like hours, I previewed various types of Bibles in an array of colors, styles and formats. Just when I was about to give up, I pulled a chronological Bible from the shelf.

The format intrigued me. Short readings. An easy-to-follow daily plan. An attractive cover. The best part: Knowing I would read the Bible in the order the events occurred. Yes! This was the Bible for me.

Slowly, I began to understand the Bible as the ultimate guide to life, as Psalm 119:105 reminds us, “Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path.”

I read the Bible from Genesis to Revelation, but not without stumbling. The year taught me so much. I learned Leviticus, Numbers and Deuteronomy are difficult to read in some parts. I learned it’s necessary to read the Old Testament to really appreciate the wonderful sacrifice Jesus made for me as described in the New Testament. Lastly, I learned it’s OK if I don’t understand the whole Bible. God will continue to reveal things to me as I continue to make His Word a priority.

Now, after reading a chronological Bible I am no longer just a carrier of the Word, I am a lover of the Word!

If you’ve always wanted to read through the Bible but desired a friend to come along aside you for support, I pray you’ll take the same challenge and dig into God’s Word in 2017!

Dear God, I admit that reading the Bible is challenging for me. Yet I desire to be more than a carrier of Your Word. Give me a hunger and thirst for Your Truth. Lead me by the power of Your Spirit to study and apply Your Word to my life. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


2 Timothy 3:16-17, “All Scripture is inspired by God and profitable for teaching, for reproof, for correction, for training in righteousness; so that the man of God may be adequate, equipped for every good work.” (NASB)

Isaiah 55:11, “So is my word that goes out from my mouth: It will not return to me empty, but will accomplish what I desire and achieve the purpose for which I sent it.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

12/6/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Francine Rivers

“When Worries Persist”

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need, and thank him for all he has done. Then you will experience God’s peace, which exceeds anything we can understand. His peace will guard your hearts and minds as you live in Christ Jesus.”
Philippians 4:6-7 (NLT)

In the words of Winston Churchill, “Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never.”

That must be the rallying call for the woodpeckers in our neighborhood, some of whom decided the vent holes beneath our eaves are the perfect location for their new homes. We’ve had one pesky fellow trying to widen the access to our attic. He managed to get through the wire mesh and pull out some insulation.

We wouldn’t have known he was at work if he hadn’t decided to put his machine-gun beak into our bedroom wall. I leapt off my exercise bike, ran to the wall, and pounded--with both fists.

Silence. For one whole minute.

I had no sooner returned to cycling than he was back at work. This time I ran out of the room, down the stairs and out through the back door. He fluttered calmly away and took a break on the oak down the hill. I know he was smirking; I could feel it. I went back inside. By the time I reached the bedroom, he was back at the wall, probably laughing.

Such persistence!

He reminds me of the worries that can come rat-a-tatting at my mind, usually late at night.

The doubts and fears flutter in, and I try to rat-a-tat some kind of solution. Then I remember: God is God, and I am not. Which means I have a decision to make: Keep rat-a-tatting, or let go and let God work.

We called in professionals to help cover the woodpecker’s holes with metal vents. When we find ourselves drilling our own holes through constant worry, we can cover those vulnerable places with prayer, which redirects our thought processes and keeps us focused on Jesus.

In Philippians 4:6-7, God promises that when we release our worries and turn instead to prayer, He will give us His peace--a peace that’s beyond anything we can understand. His peace will guard our hearts and minds from the anxieties that can be as persistent as a woodpecker.

Not discouraged, the woodpecker has started drilling his way into the telephone pole across the street. It’s a good reminder to be diligent in prayer and not let worries flutter back and nest in my head.

Lord, it’s so easy to fall into worry. When my fears are reverberating in my mind, help me stop trying to fix everything myself. Teach me to turn to You in prayer, trust You to be in charge and let Your peace reign over me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Psalm 29:11, “The LORD gives his people strength. The LORD blesses them with peace.” (NLT)

Psalm 46:1-2, “God is our refuge and strength, always ready to help in times of trouble. So we will not fear when earthquakes come and the mountains crumble into the sea.” (NLT)

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Daily Devotion

12/5/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Karen Ehman

“Why Chipped Crock-Pots Are Holy”

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms.”
1 Peter 4:9-10 (NIV)

My Crock-Pot is a culinary eyesore. Oh, on the day it was purchased, it was actually a gorgeous and functional domestic tool--sleek and shiny, with a new-fangled “keep warm” feature. But today, this kitchen staple sits silently on my pantry shelf, nicked and chipped--nearly tuckered out from two decades of use.

Although I hate to admit it, at times I have succumbed to slow cooker envy. Especially when I spy some of the stunning new styles. Some are digital, and programmable. Others have cute little clip-on signs to showcase what’s simmering inside just waiting to delight everyone’s taste buds. And then, there sits my dilapidated model. Not pretty, but well-loved.

You see, my aging slow cooker has been an important ministry partner to me.

It has housed batches of homemade three-alarm chili for the hungry football team. It has served vegetable soup to an exhausted mom who’d just welcomed a newborn baby after a scary, surgical delivery. It has contained savory beef stew that nourished the bodies of a grieving family we invited over to eat after the recent death of a loved one. Most often, it has warmed the tummies of my own family during an ordinary Sunday supper served on our old oak farm table.

I could grouse about the not-so-newness of my Crock-Pot, wishing for a newer model with all the bells and whistles--and sometimes I have. But as long as she’s still chugging, I have determined to be grateful and not grumble. To just keep cooking. And inviting. And washing. And drying. And doing it all over again.

When we share our gifts, talents and ordinary household items to bless and serve others, we aren’t just being nice. We’re being obedient to God’s Word as our key verse says:

“Offer hospitality to one another without grumbling. Each of you should use whatever gift you have received to serve others, as faithful stewards of God’s grace in its various forms” (1 Peter 4:9-10).

When we have a God-honoring perspective about our possessions and resources, our hearts and homes can become a wheelhouse for ministry. We can lead with our hearts and bless with our homes. Our homes become a haven--not only for those who dwell there permanently--but for whomever God sends our way. And believe me, He will send people your way.

Our aim should be the same for all of these guests. We don’t offer hospitality--or a home-cooked meal--to impress them. Instead, we want to refresh them. To give them a place where they can relax and unwind. To provide a setting where they can talk and question and contemplate. Most of all, we offer our homes to God as a ministry tool in building His kingdom here on earth. To use our gifts to serve others, displaying God’s grace as we do.

Yes, along with the scrapes and scratches of our kitchen utensils can come work for God’s kingdom. We can weave the gospel into conversations with others. Rock babies as we give their weary moms a break. Encourage teens when they fail to make the team or land a part in the play. Study the Bible, asking big questions and growing our belief. Feed tummies. And fill hearts.

When we offer hospitality with gusto, without grumbling, or complaining, or fretting over our not-so-nice-anymore stuff, we are doing exactly what pleases God--using our gifts for His glory.

A chipped and nicked Crock-Pot is a holy thing indeed.

Father, may I make it my aim today to open both my heart and home without grumbling, using whatever gifts You have given me to serve others. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Hebrews 13:16, “And do not forget to do good and to share with others, for with such sacrifices God is pleased.” (NIV)

Philemon 1:7, “Your love has given me great joy and encouragement, because you, brother, have refreshed the hearts of the Lord’s people.” (NIV)

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Daily Devotion

12/2/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lynn Cowell

“I’ll Take It From Here”

“Saul was told that David had gone to Keilah, and he said, ‘God has delivered him into my hands, for David has imprisoned himself by entering a town with gates and bars.’”
1 Samuel 23:7 (NIV)”

Stuck somewhere between numb and exhaustion, I stared out the window. Lord, how did I end up here? Please forgive me.

I had grown up hearing, “Pray for God to open a door.” So when it came to my job, I had done just that. I prayed, I believed and before I knew it, there wasn’t just one, but many open doors. That’s when I quit praying. Somewhere in my mind, I figured I would just do what I had been trained to do and walk through them.

All of them.

In the middle of the success coming my way, I didn’t stop to ask, “Is this You, Lord?” I already knew it was Him. My actions, however, said, “I’ll take it from here.”

It reminds me of King Saul.

Shortly after being crowned king of Israel, Saul took over his life as well. When he no longer humbled himself to ask for God’s wisdom, Saul’s heart became hard. Although he initially experienced a change of heart and the Spirit of God moving in his life (1 Samuel 10:9-10), the sin of jealousy over a young shepherd boy named David and his success took over. His jealous heart blinded him from recognizing the voice of God.

Saul began to confuse God’s voice with his own jealous heart. So in today’s key verse of 1 Samuel 23:7, when Saul discovers the whereabouts of the hidden man David, in a delusional state he believes God provided this opportunity. He actually thinks God gave him the opportunity to kill David, the one whom God had anointed to be the next king of Israel!

How did Saul slip from the place where 1 Samuel 11:6 says, “… the Spirit of God came powerfully upon him …” (NIV) to the point where he is seeking to kill God’s appointed one?

One step at a time.

First, Saul failed to obey God fully in 1 Samuel 15:9, yet he told the prophet Samuel he had obeyed.

Next, in 1 Samuel 15:30, he chose to value how he looked in people’s eyes over how he looked in God’s eyes.

Finally, in 1 Samuel 18:9, he allowed jealousy to overtake his heart toward David. He deceived himself.

One step at a time, he stopped conversing with God. He stopped asking God for wisdom and to forgive him when he failed. In that place of lost intimacy, his heart grew cold and in the end, his feet walked away from God.

That day of my despair was the beginning of new lessons for me. I realized I need to consult God no matter how sure I feel about my decisions. I need to hear from the Holy Spirit on every aspect of my life. The moment I stop humbly asking my Creator for daily direction and to examine my heart is the day I start a journey I don’t want to go on ever again.

Holy Spirit, help me humble myself, seek Your wisdom and submit to Your ways--not what appears to be right to me. Open my eyes to see when I’m too dependent on my own strength. I want to hear You, see You and walk with You every day, Lord. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


Psalm 26:2, “Test me, LORD, and try me, examine my heart and my mind.” (NIV)

James 1:5, “If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.” (NIV)


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Daily Devotion

12/1/2016

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Proverbs 31 Ministries
Lysa TerKeurst

“Satan’s Plan Against You”

“For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world.”
1 John 2:16 (NIV)

Something I pray on a regular basis is that God will give me a keen awareness of the enemy’s plans and schemes against me. I want to be able to recognize his traps and avoid them.

I believe part of His answer came one day as I studied the story of Satan tempting Eve in Genesis 3 and our key verse: “For everything in the world--the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes, and the pride of life--comes not from the Father but from the world” (1 John 2:16).

As I compared these passages, I had a serious epiphany about how Satan goes after us. These verses outline Satan’s 3-pronged plan of attack on our hearts. And it’s the same plan we see him using while tempting Jesus in the desert in Matthew 4:1-11! A fact that tells me while the enemy may be powerful, he’s also predictable.

Let’s take a closer look at Satan’s plan as revealed in Eve’s story and Jesus’ story:

1. Make them crave some sort of physical gratification to the point they become preoccupied with it. Be it sex, drugs, alcohol or food.

Satan tempted Eve with fruit, which “was good for food” (Genesis 3:6b, NIV).

Satan tempted Jesus while on a fast with bread.

Satan tempts us with whatever physical stimulation we are too preoccupied by--be it taste, smell, sound, touch or sight. These things are good within the boundaries where God meant for them to be enjoyed. But venture outside God’s intention for them, and they become an attempt to try and get our needs met outside the will of God.

2. Make them want to acquire things to the point they bow down to the god of materialism. Keep them distracted by making their eyes lust after the shiny things of the world.

Satan tempted Eve by drawing her attention to what was, “pleasing to the eye” (Genesis 3:6c, NIV).

Satan showed Jesus the kingdoms of the world and told Him that He could have it all.

Satan flashes the newer, bigger and seemingly better things of this world in front of us, trying to lure us into thinking we must have it. “This will make me fulfilled. This will make me happy.” And then it wears out, breaks down, gets old and reveals just how temporary every material thing is.

3. Make them boastful about what they have or do. Keep them distracted and obsessed with their status and significance. Choke the life out of them using the tentacles of their own pride.

Satan tempted Eve by promising an increased awareness which would make her become more like God.

Satan tempted Jesus by telling Him to throw Himself off the highest point of the temple, and then command the angels to save Him. This would impress everyone watching and certainly raise Jesus’ status and significance.

Likewise, Satan tempts us to try and elevate ourselves over others. We wrongly think we have to become something the world calls worthy. This creates a need within our flesh to have people notice us, commend us, revere us and stroke our pride. We then dare to boast about all we are.

Oh sweet sisters, this is where we must stop and remind ourselves that we don’t have to be held hostage by Satan. We are onto him and his schemes. And his power over us is nothing compared to the freeing promises of God.

There was a huge difference between Eve’s response to Satan and Jesus’ response to Satan.

Eve dialoged with Satan and allowed him to weave his tangled web of justifications. Jesus on the other hand, immediately quoted truth. With every temptation, Jesus quoted Deuteronomy as He answered, “It is written …” and He shut Satan down with the truth of God.

What will our response be?

It’s our choice.

Satan has no power over us except what we allow. Moment by moment, decision by decision, step by step--will we operate in God’s all-powerful truth or allow Satan to entangle us in his lies?

Dear Lord, thank You for making me aware of the enemy’s plans against me. I declare today that while the enemy may be vicious, he will not be victorious in my life. Not with You helping me walk in Truth and Light. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

TRUTH FOR TODAY:


1 Peter 5:8 “Be alert and of sober mind. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour.” (NIV)

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