Tuesday, July 31, 2012

Be a Pro Wrestler: Prayer Note # 59

Dutch Sheets says, "We are to aggressively deal with the forces of darkness whenever the challenge or opportunity arises."

            “In Spiritual warfare the point is not so much how we wrestle, bur that we wrestle.


 None of these assertions from Scripture about warfare [in previous post, Note # 58], are defensive in nature. They are all offensive. 

We are to aggressively deal with the forces of darkness whenever the challenge or opportunity arises. Five times the word ‘against’ is used in Ephesians 6. The word in Greek is pros, which is a strengthened form of pro.
            Pro means ‘in front of.’ Either literally or figuratively (in the sense of superior to).

We use the concept today in the word ‘professional,’ or in its shortened form ‘pro’. A pro athlete is one who is ‘in front of’ or ‘superior to’ others.  

Pros also has the connotation of stepping forward and facing toward something or someone. The symbolism in this Ephesians passage is of a wrestler stepping forward and facing his opponent. 

God is saying to us, ‘Step forward and face the powers of darkness.

 Be a pro wrestler!’

            As we wait upon the Lord, He will show us which strategy of method of warfare to use. God is a God of relationship. He is a Father who is passionately in love with His family and He prioritizes love over labor. 

t is our relational aspect of our walk with Christ that prepares us for the warring aspect.”

Prayer Note #59 - Be a Pro Wrestler taken from Dutch Sheets’ book, Intercessory Prayer (142,143 )

The next Prayer Note on July 30th - Devotion to Christ, the Springboard for Everything: Prayer Note # 60

“Then they cried out to the LORD in their trouble, and He saved them out of their distresses. He sent His word and healed them, and delivered them from their destructions. Oh, that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of Men!”  (Ps. 107:19-21)

Today’s treasure truth #10: If you are “born again”, you are delivered from the powers of darkness. (Cor. 1:13)

Our thought for today:  Will you focus your attention on what is wrong in the world, or how you can live at your best where you are?

Jean’s devotional book:  So You Plan to Marry a Man 
  
Tomorrow’s post:  Daily Deeds of Kindness


Monday, July 30, 2012

Gossip is Deadly



In Sharon Jaynes's article today, Gossip is Deadly, she says, "If you would not say something in front of the person you are talking about, then you’re probably gossiping."

 "A monster was sneaking into my yard in the dark of night and devouring my prize plants.


 I never saw his beady eyes or heard his pounding footsteps – just the aftermath of his destruction.


 He left a trail of slim as he moved from plant to plant, leaving large gaping holes in broad leaf Gerber Daisies, gnawing entire velvety trumpet-shaped blossoms on purple petunias and reducing bushy begonias to naked stalks.

'
 I asked a neighbor about my flowerbed’s demise and she determined, 'You’ve got slugs.' 
        
'Slugs!' I exclaimed. 'The yard monster is a tiny little slug?'

 'You can put out slug bait to catch them and see for yourself,' my confident neighbor continued.


 I sprinkled slug bait all around the yard and then waited. The next morning I viewed the 'monsters' remains. The beasts were about ¼ inch long – about the size of my little toe nail.

How could something so small cause so much damage in such a short amount of time? I mused. 


Then my mind thought of something else that is very small that can cause enormous damage in a short amount of time… gossip. King Solomon wrote, “The words of a gossip are like choice morsels; they go down to a man’s inmost parts.”


Just as one tiny slug can destroy an entire flower bed, so can one tiny morsel of gossip destroy a person’s reputation, mare one’s character, and devour a friendship.

 In the South we have this knack for making gossips sound…almost nice. All you have to do is add 'bless her heart' to the end of the sentence.


 It goes like this: 'Susie gained fifty pounds with that last pregnancy, bless her heart.' 'Marcy’s husband ran off with his secretary, bless her heart.' 'I heard Clair yelling at the postman yesterday, bless her heart.' But all the 'bless her hearts' don’t make mask what it really is…gossip."


Charles Allen, the author of God’s Psychiatry observed: 'Those of great minds discuss ideas, people of mediocre minds discuss events, and those of small minds discuss other people.'  Maybe if we are spending our time talking about people, we need to fill our minds with better material such as good books and other reading material (and I don’t mean People Magazine or the National Enquirer).


 What exactly is gossip? Webster defines gossip as 'easy, fluent, trivial talk, talk about people behind their backs.' It is repeating information about another person’s private affairs. If you have to look around to make sure that no one can hear what you are saying, you are probably gossiping.


 If you would not say something in front of the person you are talking about, then you’re probably gossiping.


 We have often heard the phrase, 'knowledge is power.' Perhaps that is why gossip is so appealing. It suggests a certain amount of power because, 'I have the inside scoop.' 


But gossip is not power. On the contrary it shows a lack of power…lack of self-control.


Solomon wrote, “Whoever repeats the matter separates close friends,” Proverbs 17:9 TNIV

Today, let’s make our lives a NO GOSSIP ZONE.

Let’s Pray

 Lord, please keep a guard over my mouth today. If I even consider gossiping about someone, convict me before a word leaves my mouth. May the words of my mouth be pleasing in Your sight today. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn


 Go back to Webster’s definition of gossip.  Can you think of anything you have said in the last week that would fit that description?

 Let’s 'say no' to gossip. If you are willing to eliminate gossip from your life, click over to www.facebook.com/sharonjaynesand type in the following words: I’m living in a NO GOSSIP ZONE.


“Without wood a fire goes out; without gossip a quarrel dies down,”  Proverbs 26:20 NIV .

 Today’s devotion was taken from Sharon’s book, The Power of a Woman’s Words.If you would like to learn about how to control your words and use them to speak life into those in your sphere of influence, then this is the book for you. Visit www.sharonjaynes.com to download a free chapter, watch a video or place an order.

Sharon Jaynes Gossip is Deadly  May 21, 2012 on www.CrossWalk.com


info@girlfriendsingod.com  www.girlfriendsingod.com

Ps. 15:1,3  (NKJV), reads, "LORD, who may abide in Your tabernacle? Who may dwell in Your holy hill?" (v3) "He who does not backbite with his tongue, nor does evil to his neighbor, nor does he take up a reproach against his friend."


Speaking of gardens, here are two cute poems written by my 90 yr. old writer-friend, Farlene D. Benson:

                                   SPRING CATALOG

"There's something not right. There's something amiss.

The catalog pictures did not look like this.

Where are the masses and masses of bloom

That call all the bees with their fragrant perfume?

Why do my hollyhocks not stand tall?

I've planted my plants and I've planted my seeds

But all that I get from my plants are weeds!

I'll have to remember, when catalogs come,

They sell plants and seeds but not a green thumb.


GREEN THUMB?

My plight is a sad one. My thumb isn't green.

My mums aren't the biggest that I've ever seen.

My glads aren't the tallest or fullest of bloom.

My ivy won't grow 'till it circles the room.

My African violets of flowers are bare.

Though I've read everything I can find on their care.

My narcissus bulbs never put on a show.

And most of the seeds that I plant just won't grow.

But what do I care if my thumb isn't green.

If I can't grow a radish, zucchini, or bean?

God's given me patience my garden to tend.

And given "impatients", a gardener's best friend."


Today’s 9th treasure truth: If you are “born again”, you are redeemed from the curse of the Law. (Gal. 3:13)
Our Thought for today: Do you presume you can get away with sin? You can't!
Tuesday' post:  Be a Pro Wrestler: Prayer Note # 59 by Dutch Sheets

Sunday, July 29, 2012

God Sets a Table, Too!



Frances Gregory Pasch tells us that "God sets a beautiful table for us. Throughout the Bible, He offers us a splendid variety of spiritual food for our souls. 

"Once you start to taste the food that God has to offer, says Fran, you’ll want to return frequently for more substantial food."



"My husband regularly sets a beautiful table. It’s not your usual table covered with a cloth and filled with dishes, silverware, glasses, and condiments. 


This one is on our back deck and displays a variety of unusually shaped bird feeders—some plastic, others metal, some small and others extra large. 


Each is filled with a variety of different kind of seeds. Jim also sets out suet.

Our state bird, the gold finch, frequently visits our deck for a snack. Red-winged blackbirds, red poles, sparrows, doves, and cardinals also stop quite often for a meal.


It’s fun to watch the different tactics of each species. The small birds peck a little at a time, and seem to be in no hurry, while the larger birds swoop in, gobble up the seeds and quickly fly away. 


With so many winged friends dining with us, Jim often has to fill the feeders daily.


God sets an even more beautiful table. 


Throughout the Bible, He offers us a splendid variety of spiritual food for our souls—simple truths for beginners who, like the small birds, need messages that are easily digestible without rushing, and deeper treasures for more seasoned Christians to savor. 


Regardless of the level of our spiritual growth, there’s always plenty of food for everyone.


Once you start to taste the food that God has to offer, you’ll want to return frequently for more substantial food. 


The words you absorb from the Bible will stay with you longer than normal nourishment. You will discover they give you strength to deal with whatever situations come your way.


Why is it that we always find time to feed our bodies, often gobbling up more than we should, but somehow don’t concentrate on nourishing our spirits?


If Jim and I get excited when birds visit our feeders, and we get disappointed when they don’t come, God must feel the same way about us. He must smile when we regularly open the Bible and feast on His words. But He must be sad when we get busy and forget to spend time with Him.


Set aside time to surprise God with an unexpected visit. He’ll be happy, and you’ll be blessed.


"For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also." Luke 12:34 NIV


Frances Gregory Pasch has had over two-hundred devotions and poems published in numerous devotional booklets and Sunday School papers. 


Her writing has also been included in over a dozen book compilations. 

Fran enjoys encouraging writers and has led her writers’ group for the past nineteen years. 

She creates her own holiday greeting cards, incorporating her poetry. Fran has been married to her husband Jim for fifty-two years. They have five married sons and nine grandchildren.


Read Frances’s devotions.

Receive a daily devotion on your Kindle!

Posted on Used by permission  

Today’s 8th treasure truth: If you are “born again”, you are a partaker of His divine nature. 2 Peter 1:4
Our thought for today:  We underestimate God and we overestimate evil. Do you see what God is doing?

Tomorrow’s post:   Gossip is Deadly

Saturday, July 28, 2012

Who Can Pass up Chocolate?




Tami Thurber shares with us how we can actually find, "It’s easy to splurge, to let our self-control lag for a moment, but unhealthy food is not the only contaminate we allow into our systems.

I’m sick because I’m dumb. Last week my husband went with me to the grocery store.

Normally I glide by the dessert aisle with a grace and speed that would make Little Debbie shiver. 


However, Tim, succumbing to a lack of sweets, brought our cart to a halt in front of that sandwich cookie with the wonderful filling.

My guard was down and I gave in. Unfortunately, I ate way more than double the stuff. Then yesterday I ate a large order of fries for lunch and a bag of microwave popcorn for supper.

 I still haven’t gotten rid of that giant-grease-ball-sitting-in-your-stomach feeling. We know what we eat affects our physical, mental, and emotional well-being, and yet I would guess I’m not the only one who has ignored that axiom.

It’s easy to splurge, to let our self-control lag for a moment, but unhealthy food is not the only contaminate we allow into our systems.

 We also allow unhealthy thoughts, attitudes, and actions to infiltrate. Our spirits become contaminated when gossip slips from our lips, when we watch that show or look online at images that pull at our passions, and even when we burst out in anger. 


Letting down our guard of self-control is so easy, and yet we all slip.

There are many practical steps we can take to get rid of contaminates in our body, but before we take the practical steps, we must understand WHY we should rid ourselves of impurity.

First, our spirits get sick from impure actions just as my body got sick from junk food. When we willingly contaminate our bodies with impure thoughts and actions, we are spiritually functioning at second-rate levels.

The second reason we should desire purity is out of reverence for God. God desires for us to give our lives to him as a sacrifice, holy and pleasing to him. When we willingly contaminate our spirits, we give a mediocre offering to God.

Examine your life. Ask God to show you any attitudes, actions, or thoughts that are contaminating your spirit and tainting your offering to God. Letting down your guard, even just for a moment, will make you sick.

"Since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God." II Corinthians 7:1

Tami Thurber lives with her pastor-husband and three children in upstate New York. 

She has degrees from Houghton College and Northeastern Seminary. Tami enjoys teaching at women’s events and is a children’s instructor with Walk Thru the Bible, UnveilinGlory, and SuperDoc. 


Tami and her husband co-authored the family devotional Handing it Down. She also blogs at www.tamithurber.com.
Read Tami’s devotions.

Contaminated Spirits – Tami Thurber



Today’s 7th treasure truth: If you are “born again”, you are a new creature. (2 Cor. 6:11)



Tomorrow’s post:  God Sets a Table, too!
Frances Gregory Pasch tells us that "God sets a beautiful table for us. Throughout the Bible, He offers us a splendid variety of spiritual food for our souls. 

"Once you start to taste the food that God has to offer, says Fran, you’ll want to return frequently for more substantial food."


Monday's post: Gossip is Deadly In Sharon Jaynes's article today, Gossip is Deadly, she says, "If you would not say something in front of the person you are talking about, then you’re probably gossiping."

Friday, July 27, 2012

Trust God with Your Time



 Mary Southerland gives us some advice on the importance of our disciplining ourselves concerning the use of our time:

 "Discipline is obedience, a lifetime process that brings us to a state of order by training and controlling our behavior.

 Discipline is focusing and eliminating, zeroing in on what is important in every area of life.

Discipline not only leads to right thinking, pleasing behavior and balanced emotions but also produces a purpose-driven life based on right goals and priorities

 Time management is a dreaded and often ignored spiritual discipline for many of us.

We have either forgotten or failed to realize the truth that our minutes, hours and days are precious commodities gifts from God that can be unwrapped only once.

Time is wasted unless it is invested in goals and priorities that are rooted in God’s plan.

  A busy life is not necessarily a productive life. Oh, I can hear it now! 'I am very busy, but I am busy doing good things.'

Those words were the cry of my heart just before I crashed and burned and landed in a pit of clinical depression. The problem with my list of 'good things' was that it was just that – my list – which was the wrong list for my life.

The result was exhaustion, burnout and disobedience.

 One of the most important lessons of my 'pit experience' was that my perspective of time was skewed. I had poured years into making my plan successful only to discover the truth that God resources and empowers His plan alone.

Outlook determines outcome. It was painfully obvious I needed an outlook adjustment, an eternal perspective.

 I needed to understand the truth that my time is not really mine to do with as I please. It is a resource on loan to me from God.

As a result, every plan, priority and goal should be held against the backdrop of eternity because it is from that backdrop that our priorities are validated, our calling confirmed and our time best invested.

 Learning how to trust God with our time is a challenge for us all. I am, by no means, an expert in this area, but I do want to share some simple ideas that have worked for me.

 Tithe your time. Just as we tithe our money, we should tithe our time. God blesses and multiplies the time we set aside to spend in Bible study, prayer and service.

 Get organized.  In 1 Corinthians 14:40, we are challenged to “do all in a fitting and orderly way.” In other words, being organized is a spiritual discipline, freeing us from the tyranny of the urgent while making room for the eternal things that matter. Here are some simple organizational tips:


  •           Buy and keep a calendar. Writing things down keeps me from wasting time and 'bunching up' activities. It takes the pressure off to remember everything and allows me to see, at a glance, what is important.My weeks and months are more evenly scheduled and I am forced to prioritize, doing the important things first.
  •           Choose one day a week to plan. Every Sunday afternoon, I plan the week ahead, recording the main tasks I need to complete and scheduling the appointments I need to make and keep. Pray over your week, asking the Holy Spirit to make clear those things ordained for each day.
  •           Simplify and eliminate. Experts advise us to approach spring cleaning by dealing with one closet at a time. The same principle works with time management. Break jobs up into manageable steps so that the large tasks seem doable.
  •          Tackle the dreaded task first. I have discovered that tackling the job I dread the most energizes me for the rest of the tasks. I have also learned to use my best time, the time of the day when my energy is highest, for the most important and the most difficult tasks. 
  •          Stop activity when it becomes unproductive. Sometimes, a 10 minute break will boost energy, refocus attention and get creative juices flowing.
  •           Begin a task, even if you won’t have time to complete it. I hate doing laundry and frequently long for the day of disposable clothing. As a result, I often do the laundry in phases. For example, I will start the wash and go answer email. I then toss the wet clothing into the dryer and work on a writing assignment. You get the idea!
  •          Delegate. When we delegate work to our children, we are teaching them godly discipline as well as basic life skills they need to learn. The church is filled with people waiting to be pushed out of their comfort zones in service. Look for those potential leaders and delegate.
  •          Leave margins in your schedule.I tend to fill every time slot during the day. Therefore, when the 'unexpected' comes along, I am overwhelmed and unprepared. Building margins of time into our schedules is a step of faith, trusting God to fill them in any way He chooses.
  •          Yield to the seasons of life. When my children were small, I did not travel and speak as much as I do now. Do not sacrifice your family on the altar of a career or even a ministry. Our greatest mission field is our home, our marriage and our children. It does not matter how much we do or how successful we are, if home and family get the leftovers of our time, energy, emotions and spiritual service, we are walking in sin and disobedience.
Ephesians 5:15-16 (ESV) “Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil.”

 Let’s face it. If we don’t set priorities others will. Time thieves will steal our time as we allow them to impose their plans and standards on us.

While it is true that different [people] have different priorities and different seasons of life, it is also true that one priority remains steadfast. Matthew 6:33 “Seek ye first the kingdom of God…” Once that priority is firmly established, the rest of life will surely fall into place, and we will be trusting God with our time.

Let’s Pray

 Father, I want to live a life of power and purpose. I now surrender my time to You, Lord, and choose to invest each moment wisely. I will no longer put off doing what I know You want me to do.

 I will line up my priorities according to Your Word and will seek to be more disciplined with my time. I will set boundaries that please and honor God. Today, I choose to trust You with my time.
 In Jesus’ name,
 Amen."

 It is suggested that you memorize one of the following:

 ·         Psalm 90:12 (ESV) “So teach us to number our days that we may get a heart of wisdom.”

·         Ecclesiastes 3:1 (ESV) “For everything there is a season, and a time for every matter under heaven.”

·         Psalm 39:4-5 (ESV) “O Lord, make me know my end and what is the measure of my days; let me know how fleeting I am! Behold, you have made my days a few handbreadths, and my lifetime is as nothing before you. Surely all mankind stands as a mere breath!”

 For more help learning how to manage time, check out Mary’s E-Bible Study, Time: Friend or Foe. Need help learning how to live a life of power and purpose? Check out Mary’s weekly online Bible Study, How to Dress for Success and learn how to live a life of victory. Connect with Mary on Facebook or through email.

Mary Southerland  with Trust God with Your Time
on www.Crosswalk.com  May 14, 2012

www.girlfriendsingod.com


Today’s 6th treasure truth: 
If you are “born again”, you are sanctified. 1 Cor. 6:11 (KJV)
Our thought for today:  
There can be many times of refreshment throughout each day, as we ask God to fill us with His love.

Tomorrow's post: God Sets a Table, Too! Frances Gregory Pasch


Sunday, July 22, 2012

Sometimes You'll Not Know What to Say



Jean Oathout says, This information in 
my book, will help women realize
that God is always ready to help 
us, when we ask Him. 

This is one of my devotions in my 

recently-published book. As you 
will see, married women will 
benefit, too.


Sometimes You'll Not Know What to Say

"Sometimes you'll not know what to say
Or what you are to do.
You'll find you cannot know the way
As you are blinded too.

When God can control everything
You will soon understand,
That your commitment is to bring
A chance to help your man.

To know that Jesus does show care
When you call on His name,
Will help you to believe to where
Your life won't be the same.

Pray too that you will touch Christ's heart
Each time your need is great.
You'll find He' s faithful in His part
And guides you for your sake.

As you seek God's Face you will see
He'll help you to endure.
The plans He has for you will be
What's best for you I'm sure.

His promises will help you grow
To learn what Love's about.
Whatever God will bid you know
His way you can find out.

Father, I sure need Your help to know what to say.
Amen."

"What counts in making
a happy marriage is not so much how
compatible you are,
but how you deal with incompatibility."

Leo Tolstoy

Taken from

Granny's Guide to Marriage in Verse




published by Lighthouse Publishing of the Carolinas.
(devotion #22) 

"Lord, thank You for the peace we have down in our
hearts. And that we can be peacemakers with others
through our attitude, words, and deeds.
Help me to show Your mercy and peace. Amen.

Because of the peace of God and peace with God,
we can be peacemakers for God."

Our Daily Bread
11/20/11

"Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O LORD, my strength and my redeemer."  Ps. 19:14

Today’s 5th treasure truth: If you are “born again”, you are justified. Rom. 5:1
Our thought for today:  Let God fight for you when you've been wronged. He's good at it, and desires to avenge His kids!






Today, I will Make a Difference!


Max Lucado  says "I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity.

Today I will make a difference. I will begin by controlling my thoughts.

A person is the product of his thoughts. I want to be happy and hopeful. Therefore, I will have thoughts that are happy and hopeful.

 I refuse to be victimized by my circumstances. I will not let petty inconveniences such as stoplights, long lines, and traffic jams be my masters. I will avoid negativism and gossip. Optimism will be my companion, and victory will be my hallmark.

Today I will make a difference.
 I will be grateful for the twenty-four hours that are before me. Time is a precious commodity. I refuse to allow what little time I have to be contaminated by self-pity, anxiety, or boredom.

I will face this day with the joy of a child and the courage of a giant. I will drink each minute as though it is my last. When tomorrow comes, today will be gone forever. While it is here, I will use it for loving and giving.

Today I will make a difference.
 I will not let past failures haunt me. Even though my life is scarred with mistakes, I refuse to rummage through my trash heap of failures. I will admit them. I will correct them. I will press on. Victoriously. No failure is fatal. It’s OK to stumble… . I will get up. It’s OK to fail… . I will rise again.

Today I will make a difference.
 I will spend time with those I love. My spouse, my children, my family.

A man can own the world but be poor for the lack of love. A man can own nothing and yet be wealthy in relationships.

Today I will spend at least five minutes with the significant people in my world. Five quality minutes of talking or hugging or thanking or listening. Five undiluted minutes with my mate, children, and friends."
Week of June 29
Today I Will Make a Difference
From Shaped by God (original title: On the Anvil)
 Copyright (Tyndale House, 1985, 2002) Max Lucado

Today’s 5th treasure truth: If you are “born again”, you are justified. (Rom. 5/1)
Our thought for today: Don't allow troubles to overcome your joy. Keep your eyes on Jesus.



 

Saturday, July 21, 2012

Friendships


Mary Southerland tells us, " Friendship is the catalyst for every other love and the foundation of every healthy relationship. 

God created us to need each other. We need friends and we need to be a friend.


Over the past few weeks, we have examined the friendship between Naomi and Ruth, a relationship that illustrates vital keys to a healthy relationship.


One of the most important friendship keys is loyalty. 

Ruth was loyal to Naomi. God honored that loyalty and used it to attract her future husband, Boaz. 


“Boaz replied, 'I've been told all about what you have done for your mother-in-law since the death of your husbandhow you left your father and mother and your homeland and came to live with a people you did not know before' ” (Ruth 2:11). 


Boaz was struck by the loyalty of Ruth, realizing that she was the kind of woman he wanted to marry. 


True friends are loyal and committed to each other. Here are some ways to build loyalty into friendship.
  •    Don’t criticize friends to other people.
  • · Cheer at the successes of your friends.
  • · Encourage the strengths of your friends.
  • · Never use a friend’s weaknesses to your advantage.
  • · Overlook 'cracks' in the armor and 'tilted halos of friends.
Protect the heart of your friend by guarding your friendship with loyalty.


Let’s Pray


   Father, I know that I really do need friends but often let the fear of rejection keep me from reaching out in friendship. I choose against that fear right now. I want to please and honor You by the way I love my friends. Help me to become the kind of friend that points others to You.


In Jesus’ name,
Amen.

 "Entreat me not to leave you, or turn back from following after you; for wherever you go, I will go; and wherever you lodge, I will lodge; your people shall be my people, and your God, my God. where you die, I will die, and there will I be buried. The LORD do so to me, and more also, if anything but death parts you and me." Ruth 1:16,17


Read Ruth 1:16-18, NIV

Segments from I Need a Friend Part 5
by Mary Southerland  www.girlfriendsingod.com
September 7, 2011


          “Thank God for you, good friend of mine,
Seldom is friendship such as thine;
How very much I wish to be
As helpful as you’ve been to me.”Clark    

 Our Daily Bread 
Aug. 17,’11 

My friend, Lorraine, had been with me a week in Sept, when I had first posted this, helping me go through the process of recuperating from a hip replacement. I cannot tell you how grateful I was that she was willing to come and help me! I'm finding that friends are very valuable to me! They're given to help me have a walk that pleases the Father. I don't always see what I should do, so their advice challenges me to consider other alternatives.

As I meet with my lady friends, I'm learning to recognize my own faults, and what to do about them. It seems to be the way of the Father! Recognizing them and then confessing them brings the Lord's healing and peace. It doesn't seem to come any other way...what's surprising is that I seem to choose not to deal with inner thoughts that are troubling, instead of seeing they are detrimental to my witness as a Christian. Facing them with truth, or facing the person that has troubled me, is what will bring the victory and a right relationship.

Today’s 4th truth: If you are “born again”, you are saved by grace through faith. Eph. 2:8  


Today's thought:  Do not sit around and feel sorry for yourself! Ask God for a good attitude. 


Jean’s devotional book: 

Wisdom for Brides (Christian Marriage, 
Counseling, & Help) (Volume 1)

Bridal Shower Devotional: Bridal Wisdom for Women
(Daily Devotional for Women)

My book in paperback $7.16

A 31-day devotional book for 
Women contemplating marriage
And looking for godly advice.
Tomorrow’s post: Today, I will Make a Difference! Max Lucado
Tomorrow afternoon's post: Sometimes You'll Not Know What to Say Jean Oathout

The next post, Trust God with Your Time by Mary Southerland