The Colors of Emotion Devotional 3/5/2010

The Colors of Emotion
Susanne Scheppmann

"This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything." 1 John 3:19-20 (NIV)
Devotion:
My feelings scoot across the emotion spectrum. Some days are happy days. Other mornings I don't want to crawl out of bed—I just want to wallow in misery and depression. I sigh and say to my husband, "I have the blues today."

I guess you could say I am a "colorful" person. Maybe you are too. Have you ever found yourself saying something like …

· I am feeling blue today.
· I am so angry; I'm seeing red.
· I am green with envy.
· I am in black despair.

Often our emotions are not based on reality, but on a temporary perception of reality. The prophet Jeremiah wrote, "The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it?" (Jeremiah 17:9, NIV). I don't always understand why I feel the way I do. My moods could result from weariness, hormones, or an unexpected surprise.

Fortunately, although our hearts are deceitful and trick us into colorful emotions, God is bigger and stronger than our weak hearts. Our key verse states, "This then is how we know that we belong to the truth, and how we set our hearts at rest in his presence whenever our hearts condemn us. For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything (1 John 3:19-20, NIV; emphasis added). This makes me shout aloud, "Hallelujah!"
We still hold some responsibility, however, for our thoughts and emotions. Proverbs 4:23 instructs, "Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life" (NIV)." How do we do this? We should take care about the books, movies and television that we allow to influence our thoughts. Listening to gossip, rumors and discontent from friends can certainly stir up negative feelings as well.
Instead of infusing ourselves with emotional junk food, we need to nourish our minds with godly influences. For example, read the Bible, chat with godly friends, or listen to praise music. The more joyful and contentment-filled influences we filter our thoughts through each day, the more we'll experience a positive emotional state—in fact, we'll be tickled pink!

Dear Lord, grant me the ability to recognize my emotions are not always truth. I thank You that You are bigger and stronger than my deceitful heart. Teach me how to be most effective in guarding my heart from fickle emotions. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Visit Susanne's blog

Divine Prayers for Despairing Parents by Susanne Scheppmann

The S.O.S for PMS: Practical Help and Relief for Moms by Mary M. Byers
30 Days to Taming Your Stress by Deborah Smith Pegues
Here are a few tips for A New Year, A Better You
Application Steps:
Memorize the following passages to help you gain control over colorful emotions:

Jeremiah 17:9, The heart is deceitful above all things and beyond cure. Who can understand it? (NIV)

1 John 3:20, For God is greater than our hearts, and he knows everything. (NIV)
Proverbs 4:23, Above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life (NIV)
Reflections:
Do I rely on my emotions to determine the outcome of my day?

What circumstances influence my emotions?

Power Verses:
Romans 12:2, "Don't copy the behavior and customs of this world, but let God transform you into a new person by changing the way you think. Then you will learn to know God's will for you, which is good and pleasing and perfect." (NLT)
Philippians 4:8, "Summing it all up, friends, I'd say you'll do best by filling your minds and meditating on things true, noble, reputable, authentic, compelling, gracious—the best, not the worst; the beautiful, not the ugly; things to praise, not things to curse." (MSG)
Galatians 5:22-24, "But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. Against such things there is no law." (NIV)

© 2010 by Susanne Scheppmann. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/index.php

Unshakable Confidence Devotional 3/4/10

Unshakable Confidence
Sharon Jaynes

Today's' Truth "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV).
Friend To Friend She was among an eager group of four-year-old children crowded around my feet as I taught their Sunday school lesson. I was the teacher and they were the students - or at least that is how it started out. The pint-sized audience listened intently as I tried to create a mental image of Jesus and His disciples trapped in a thunderstorm on the Sea of Galilee.
"The winds bleeeeeeew and rocked the little boat back and forth, back and forth. The waves were soooooo big; they splashed over the wooden sides and got the men all wet. Then water started filling up the boat - and do you know what happens when a boat gets full of water?"
"It sinks," they chimed together.
"That's right." I continued with a wrinkled brow and concerned look on my face. "That's not all. The lightening was sooooo bright; it looked like fire in the sky. And the claps of thunder were sooooo loud; they could feel them vibrate in their chests."
After painting this picture of impending doom and thinking I would have my "congregation" just a little worried about the fate of these men trapped in a storm, I asked the question. "Now if you were in a tiny boat like this, caught in a terrible storm like this, would you be afraid?"
Then one precious little girl, confident and unshaken by the entire scenario, shrugged her shoulders and replied, "Not if Jesus was in the boat with me."
I will never forget that answer. I have come to realize that this answer calms all our worries and fears. Just as the disciples had the storm raging all around them, many times the storms of life rage around us. A friend discovers she has cancer, a husband loses his job, and a child is born with birth defects. These are storms with waves of emotions so high that our lifeboat fills with tears and appears that it could sink at any moment. Waves of fear rock our boat and threaten to spill us into despair without even a life jacket to keep us afloat. Storms cause us to doubt who we are, what we have, and where we are as a child of God. Waves of emotions rock our faith.
"Tell me, would you be afraid?"
"Not if Jesus was in the boat with me."
And guess what. He is. God said, "I will never leave you or forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5 NKJV), and Jesus said, "Surely I am with you always, to the end of the age" (Matthew 26:20). Although the pain may be great, we do not need to be afraid that the storms of life will destroy us, because Jesus is in the boat with us. His power can calm the seas and still the storms of life that threaten to pull us under.
After the children filed out and scattered to Sunday lunches throughout the city, I sat in the room to digest the words of the real teacher that day. It was childlike faith in its purest form. The little girl believed God.
Let's Pray Dear Heavenly Father, I will admit, sometimes I get so scared when the storms of life rock my boat. Thank You that You are in the boat with me, that You will never leave me and that You are always right by my side. That is what You promised. That is what I know to be true.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Now It's Your Turn Go back and read the story of Jesus calming the storm in Luke 8:19-25. How would you answer the disciples' question in verse 25…"Who is this? He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him."
What life situations are rocking your boat today?
Do you have the sense that Jesus is in the boat with you?
What reassurance does that give you?
I would love to hear your answer! Let's chat at www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes or www.sharonjaynes.com/blog
More From The Girlfriends I don't know about you, but sometimes I just need a "faith lift." If that is where you find yourself today, let's go to God's spa together. Join me on the journey of a lifetime in Becoming Spiritually Beautiful and discover the inner glow you have always longed for!
Seeking God? Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Girlfriends in GodP.O. Box 725Matthews, NC 28106info@girlfriendsingod.comhttp://www.girlfriendsingod.com/

Retreat with Jesus Devotional 3/3/2010

Retreat with Jesus
Amy Carroll

"Let them give thanks to the Lord for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men, for he satisfies the thirsty and fills the hungry with good things."
Psalm 107:8-9 (NIV)

Devotion:
When a new neighbor moved in next door, Caroline rallied the troops in her neighborhood to prepare a warm greeting. She and her friend planned a feast to take over to welcome the newcomer to their community. Caroline called her new neighbor and was surprised when her hospitality was met with suspicion.

"Why did you say that you wanted to bring me dinner?" the new neighbor questioned. Caroline explained that it was a tradition in their area and that they'd like to deliver dinner to welcome her personally. The neighbor responded, "I tell you what. I'll give you a call when I'm hungry." Click.

Caroline reflected on how many times we treat God the same way that her new neighbor treated her. Each day God lays out a feast and invites every believer to come eat our fill. I had to ask myself an important question: How many days do I rush by God's table and throw an "I'll come when I'm hungry!" back over my shoulder?

I think I'm full, but God knows that I'm simply ignoring my hunger. I need to sit down daily to eat and be filled from God's table. Luke 1:53 says, "He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty" (NIV).

I long to have a heart to approach Him daily just as I am—poor and hungry. He invites me to come to Him so that I can leave rich and full. What a glorious exchange! What a divine pleasure!

Daily time enjoying God is essential, but sometimes God gives us an invitation to a private, extended feast. I am envious of one of my pastors. He takes a week each year for a spiritual retreat to a monastery. He goes where it's quiet and simple and spends a week with Jesus. Maybe someday when my children are older and I'm caught up on laundry I'll be able to do that, but recently God led me to do something equally wonderful on a smaller scale. I took a spiritual retreat during the school day in a room at my church.

As I walked up the stairs to the empty room, I felt nervous. I had spent hours in prayer with others, but I had never spent this long alone with God. Would I have enough to say to Him? Would He speak to me in the silence? Would the minutes drag by? Would I walk out unchanged or disappointed?

At the end of the day, my questions were answered. God met me there. We filled our time together with prayer, Bible reading and worship. God spoke words of direction to me in the silence. I came in knowing that I was hungry, and He was faithful to fill me.

Having mini-retreats with Jesus is something that I plan to do now at least twice a year. In the midst of a full life, it's necessary to intentionally set extended time aside to seek His face and worship Him. I'll still look forward to a week in an abbey, but in the meantime I'll bask in a school day retreat as I renew my relationship with God and feast on His goodness!

Dear Lord, help me know You are good. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Jesus?

Visit Amy's blog
From My Heart to Your Throne: An Intimate Worship Collection (CD) by Melissa Melbourn
When a Woman Meets Jesus: Finding the Love Every Woman Longs For by Dorothy Valcarcel

Application Steps:
Pray and ask God to give you a desire for extended time with Him.

Mark a day on your calendar for a retreat with Jesus.

Reflections:
Have I ignored my spiritual hunger and run by God's feast?

Power Verses:
Mark 6:31, "Then, because so many people were coming and going that they did not even have a chance to eat, he said to them, ‘Come with me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.'" (NIV)

Matthew 5:6, "Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness for they will be filled." (NIV)

© 2010 by Amy Carroll. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
http://proverbs31.org/

Renewing your mind with the Truth Devotional 3/2/2010

Renewing Your Mind with the Truth
Sharon Jaynes

Today's Truth "Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind" (Romans 12:2 NIV).
Friend To Friend I see three emotions blocking women from being all God intends for them to be and from accomplishing all that God intends for them to accomplish - feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy. I hear women make comments such as, I can't do that. I wish I were talented like Sarah. If people really knew me, they wouldn't like me. I'm not very smart. I feel like a failure. I can't do anything right. I could never stand up in front of anyone and speak. I believe the Bible works for her, but I don't believe it would work for me. I don't fit in anywhere. Nobody loves me. And friend, I admit I have heard similar comments come out of my own mouth!
Where do those feelings come from? From the time we are born, we receive messages about ourselves. These messages are programmed into our minds. We may not realize our minds are being programmed, but it happens as surely as I'm typing these words on my computer. Either we felt esteemed, encouraged, and embraced as a child or we felt unloved, uncared for, and worthless. Messages were given both intentionally and unintentionally by family, friends, teachers and other significant people who made up our own little world. They were programmed into our minds and formed a type of filter or grid system. Every thought we have, every piece of information we receive must pass through that filter before it is processed by our minds. Soon, a false filter distorts the truth.
For example, little Mari was told at an early age that she was stupid, ugly, and clumsy. Her ears looked like wings; her teeth looked like a twenty-car-pileup, and her legs looked like a flamingo's. In the fourth grade, she got coke bottle glasses and kids called her "four-eyes" on the playground when the teachers weren't close enough to hear. One day in geography class, the room erupted with laughter when she incorrectly answered that Philadelphia was our nation's capital.
Seven years later, as a high school junior, Mari's head has grown to catch up with her ears, the orthodontist has done a stellar job of straightening her now perfectly aligned white teeth, and her blue contact lenses accentuated the aqua marine hue of her eyes. She is inducted into the National Honor Society and scores 1420 on her SAT. Yet, when Mari walks into a room full of people, she feels like that awkward fourth grader with the big ears, skinny legs, and thick glasses who was laughed at in geography class. Even though she is a beautiful, intelligent young lady, that negative self-degrading filter is still in place, and deception is the glue that holds it there. She does not see herself for who she really is.
Now let's pretend that Mari goes to a church retreat and hears the good news of Jesus Christ for the first time. Let's say she makes a profession of faith, accepts Jesus as her Savior and begins the journey of making Him Lord of every aspect of her life. What happens to the negative filter covering her mind? Does it immediately disappear when she becomes a Christian? No, it does not. As a matter-of-fact, she probably doesn't even know it is there. Even though Mari is a child of God, holy and dearly loved, unless she removes the negative filter by renewing her mind, she will most likely continue feeling inferior, insecure and inadequate. Only now, she may heap guilt on top of it for not feeling more victorious and peaceful in her new Christian faith.
When Mari became a Christian, she received a new spirit and a new identity. She just didn't know it. It reminds me of a story I heard about two boys arguing if a chicken running around the barnyard with his head cut off was dead or alive. While they were watching this strange phenomenon, an old wise farmer walked up.
"Sir," the boys asked. "Is that headless chicken running around dead or alive?"
The old farmer scratched his chin and pondered the situation. Finally, he spoke, "Well, best I figure, that chicken is dead, but he just don't know it yet."
That pretty much describes many Christians. It described me for about fifteen years of my life after I became a born-again Christian. My old self was dead, but I just didn't know it yet. I had the spirit of Jesus Christ living in and through me; I just didn't know it yet. I was a saint, the salt of the earth, holy and dearly loved; I just didn't know it yet. But when I finally understood who I am in Christ, what I have in Christ, and where I am in Christ, those feelings of inferiority, insecurity, and inadequacy began to fade away.
How about you? Do you know who you are?
Let's Pray Dear Heavenly Father, help me to renew my mind with the truth of my new identity. Help me see the areas when I have been filtering life through the lies of the past. As I read Your Word, please use it to renew my mind with the truth.
In Jesus' Name, Amen.
Now It's Your Turn Think of a time in your childhood that shaped how you see yourself today.
Is it the truth of who you really are or are you allowing the enemy to hold up a false mirror, distorting who God says you really are?

Look up 2 Corinthians 5:17. Write it down. What does that mean to you?
I'd love to hear your answers on question #2. Let's chat. www.facebook.com/sharonjaynes or www.sharonjaynes.com/blog.

More From The Girlfriends We will never be truly beautiful as long as the dark cloud of past wrong thinking blocks the radiance within. If you would like to learn more about who you truly are and how to renew your mind with God's truth, see Sharon's book, Becoming Spiritually Beautiful: Seeing yourself through God's Eyes.

Seeking God? Click here to find out more about how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.
Girlfriends in GodP.O. Box 725Matthews, NC 28106info@girlfriendsingod.comhttp://www.girlfriendsingod.com/

Too Many Eyes Devotional 3/1/2010

Too Many Eyes
Christa Parrish, She Reads Featured Author

"But in fact God has arranged the parts in the body, every one of them, just as he wanted them to be. If they were all one part, where would the body be? As it is, there are many parts, but one body."
1 Corinthians 12:18-20 (NIV)

Devotion:
When I was twenty, my boyfriend said to me, "Christa, you're just not feminine enough," and he ended our relationship. I was devastated, not only because I loved him, but because I had been bombarded with the not enough message for the past three years, since I had become a Christian.

Those at the church I attended, while deeply committed to following God, had definite ideas about what a "good Christian woman" looked liked. I wasn't it. So I strove to throw off the "old" me. I read the right books and listened to the right speakers, and followed carefully constructed do and don't lists. And finally I gained acceptance in the church, but had completely lost myself - any shred of individuality.

I was just another eye (1 Corinthians 12:17) in a crowd of eyes.

For all the proper clothes and activities and friends, I found myself heavy with shame because there were still huge pieces inside of me that wouldn't squish into the "good Christian" mold held out for me. I prayed to be more like this woman or that woman, until one day I realized the only person I should be praying to be like was Jesus. Once I turned my sight to Christ, I began to see how my differences could be of value to Him. The more I became like Him, the more I became the person He made me to be.

My husband continually tells me, usually in response to some quirky idea I have, "I always want you to be who you are," and I hear the Lord's voice in those words. God is glorified through His people, and trying to shake off the personality with which He created us is dishonoring to Him. Each of our unique talents, idiosyncrasies, and abilities can and should be used for Him, and I've learned over and over again God will put us in situations that require just the skills and personality traits He has given us.

In my most recent novel, Watch Over Me, the main characters feel as if they are on the "fringe" of the church body, unable to fit in. For Abbi, it's because of her personal convictions; for Benjamin, it's because of the pain he's carrying around inside him; and for Matthew, it's a physical disability. But all three of them come to realize they are all necessary parts of the body of Christ. They - we - are the eyes and ears and feet and noses. Each of us fills a role in Christ's church, and in the lives of those around us, placed there by God to serve and love one another in our differences.

Dear Lord, You have created each of us in Your image, and also uniquely us. Help us to embrace who You made us to be, to see clearly the strengths You've given us, and rejoice in them. Use our individual weaknesses to turn us to You each and every day, giving us reason to cling to Your promises. Allow us opportunities to use our talents for Your glory and the good of the people around us, both those who are part of Your body and those who do not yet know You. Let our uniqueness be a light for You in the darkness. In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
Do You Know Him?

Watch Over Me by Christa Parrish

Visit P31's She Reads site to learn more about Christa and enter to win a copy of her latest novel Watch Over Me. A grand prize winner will receive a copy of the novel along with a beautiful handmade vase from Arizona Pottery. A runner up will receive a copy of the novel as well.
Youniquely Woman: Becoming Who God Designed You To Be by Kay Arthur, Emilie Barnes, Donna Otto

Application Steps:
Reach out to someone in your church who may feel like she's on the "fringe" of things and doesn't fit in with the other women. Take time to encourage her uniqueness in Christ.

Take a few minutes to think about the talents God has given you. If there are some you aren't using now, ask yourself why that is. Go to the Lord in prayer and see if He reveals a way for you to serve Him with these abilities.

Reflections:
Do you suppress certain parts of yourself because you're worried about what other people may think? How can you overcome this "fear of man" that can prevent you from being all God made you to be?

Have you ever wished you could be more like another woman you know, because she seems more Godly? In what ways can you focus more on becoming "Christ-like" rather than "other-like"?

Power Verses:
Ephesians 2:10, "For we are God's workmanship, created in Christ Jesus to do good works, which God prepared in advance for us to do." (NIV)

1 Corinthians 12:4-6, "There are different kinds of gifts, but the same Spirit. There are different kinds of service, but the same Lord. There are different kinds of working, but the same God works all of them in all men." (NIV)

Jeremiah 1:5a, "Before I formed you in the womb I knew you, before you were born I set you apart." (NIV)


© 2010 by Christa Parrish. All rights reserved.


Proverbs 31 Ministries
616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road
Matthews, NC 28105
http://proverbs31.gospelcom.net/index.php