Night Light for Couples - What a Man Needs

“It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper suitable for him.” Genesis 2:18

Wife, do you understand the needs of your husband? Let’s face it, a man’s career is usually extremely important to his self‐esteem. He is made that way. Many women complain about their husbands’ “workaholism,” which may be valid, and yet husbands deserve thanks for the effort they invest. Compared to the man who sits around the house doing little or nothing, the hard worker is an honorable man. God has assigned two key tasks to men: to provide for and to protect their families. If your husband meets those two requirements, you need to let him know that you appreciate how hard he works.

Several years ago a survey was taken to determine what men wanted in their homes. The result was surprising: It was tranquility. Is your home a peaceful haven for your husband and your family—a place where he can “recharge his batteries” and enjoy the company of his family?

Whatever his specific needs and wants, your husband—and your marriage—will benefit immeasurably when you make him a priority in your life. Scripture says that a woman was designed to be a “helper” for her husband (who, in turn, is commanded to love his wife as Christ loved the church). And after all, there’s no one better for the job than you.

Just between us…

• (wife) Do you feel that I appreciate how hard you work?
• (wife) What do I do for you that you most appreciate?
• (wife) What things could I do to show my love for you this week?

 (wife) Heavenly Father, thank You for my husband. I want to understand and serve him in ways that refresh and encourage him. Show me how to bless him with beautiful gifts like appreciation, support, and tranquility. Amen.

From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.
Survey result from Love for a Lifetime by Dr. James Dobson (Sisters, Ore.: Multnomah Publishers, Inc., 1998)

The Daily Readings for July 13, 2016

Joshua 3:1-13
Early in the morning Joshua rose and set out from Shittim with all the Israelites, and they came to the Jordan. They camped there before crossing over. At the end of three days the officers went through the camp and commanded the people, "When you see the ark of the covenant of the LORD your God being carried by the levitical priests, then you shall set out from your place. Follow it, so that you may know the way you should go, for you have not passed this way before. Yet there shall be a space between you and it, a distance of about two thousand cubits; do not come any nearer to it." Then Joshua said to the people, "Sanctify yourselves; for tomorrow the LORD will do wonders among you." To the priests Joshua said, "Take up the ark of the covenant, and pass on in front of the people." So they took up the ark of the covenant and went in front of the people. The LORD said to Joshua, "This day I will begin to exalt you in the sight of all Israel, so that they may know that I will be with you as I was with Moses. You are the one who shall command the priests who bear the ark of the covenant, 'When you come to the edge of the waters of the Jordan, you shall stand still in the Jordan.'" Joshua then said to the Israelites, "Draw near and hear the words of the LORD your God." Joshua said, "By this you shall know that among you is the living God who without fail will drive out from before you the Canaanites, Hittites, Hivites, Perizzites, Girgashites, Amorites, and Jebusites: the ark of the covenant of the Lord of all the earth is going to pass before you into the Jordan. So now select twelve men from the tribes of Israel, one from each tribe. When the soles of the feet of the priests who bear the ark of the LORD, the Lord of all the earth, rest in the waters of the Jordan, the waters of the Jordan flowing from above shall be cut off; they shall stand in a single heap."

Romans 11:25-36
So that you may not claim to be wiser than you are, brothers and sisters, I want you to understand this mystery: a hardening has come upon part of Israel, until the full number of the Gentiles has come in. And so all Israel will be saved; as it is written, "Out of Zion will come the Deliverer; he will banish ungodliness from Jacob." "And this is my covenant with them, when I take away their sins." As regards the gospel they are enemies of God for your sake; but as regards election they are beloved, for the sake of their ancestors; for the gifts and the calling of God are irrevocable. Just as you were once disobedient to God but have now received mercy because of their disobedience, so they have now been disobedient in order that, by the mercy shown to you, they too may now receive mercy. For God has imprisoned all in disobedience so that he may be merciful to all. O the depth of the riches and wisdom and knowledge of God! How unsearchable are his judgments and how inscrutable his ways! "For who has known the mind of the Lord? Or who has been his counselor?" "Or who has given a gift to him, to receive a gift in return?" For from him and through him and to him are all things. To him be the glory forever. Amen.

Matthew 25:31-46
"When the Son of Man comes in his glory, and all the angels with him, then he will sit on the throne of his glory. All the nations will be gathered before him, and he will separate people one from another as a shepherd separates the sheep from the goats, and he will put the sheep at his right hand and the goats at the left. Then the king will say to those at his right hand, 'Come, you that are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world; for I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me something to drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, I was naked and you gave me clothing, I was sick and you took care of me, I was in prison and you visited me.' Then the righteous will answer him, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry and gave you food, or thirsty and gave you something to drink? And when was it that we saw you a stranger and welcomed you, or naked and gave you clothing? And when was it that we saw you sick or in prison and visited you?' And the king will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did it to one of the least of these who are members of my family, you did it to me.' Then he will say to those at his left hand, 'You that are accursed, depart from me into the eternal fire prepared for the devil and his angels; for I was hungry and you gave me no food, I was thirsty and you gave me nothing to drink, I was a stranger and you did not welcome me, naked and you did not give me clothing, sick and in prison and you did not visit me.' Then they also will answer, 'Lord, when was it that we saw you hungry or thirsty or a stranger or naked or sick or in prison, and did not take care of you?' Then he will answer them, 'Truly I tell you, just as you did not do it to one of the least of these, you did not do it to me.' And these will go away into eternal punishment, but the righteous into eternal life."

Morning Psalms

Psalm 38 Domine, ne in furore
1 O LORD, do not rebuke me in your anger; do not punish me in your wrath.
2 For your arrows have already pierced me, and your hand presses hard upon me.
3 There is no health in my flesh, because of your indignation; there is no soundness in my body, because of my sin.
4 For my iniquities overwhelm me; like a heavy burden they are too much for me to bear.
5 My wounds stink and fester by reason of my foolishness.
6 I am utterly bowed down and prostrate; I go about in mourning all the day long.
7 My loins are filled with searing pain; there is no health in my body.
8 I am utterly numb and crushed; I wail, because of the groaning of my heart.
9 O Lord, you know all my desires, and my sighing is not hidden from you.
10 My heart is pounding, my strength has failed me, and the brightness of my eyes is gone from me.
11 My friends and companions draw back from my affliction; my neighbors stand afar off.
12 Those who seek after my life lay snares for me; those who strive to hurt me speak of my ruin and plot treachery all the day long.
13 But I am like the deaf who do not hear, like those who are mute and who do not open their mouth.
14 I have become like one who does not hear and from whose mouth comes no defense.
15 For in you, O LORD, have I fixed my hope; you will answer me, O Lord my God.
16 For I said, "Do not let them rejoice at my expense, those who gloat over me when my foot slips."
17 Truly, I am on the verge of falling, and my pain is always with me.
18 I will confess my iniquity and be sorry for my sin.
19 Those who are my enemies without cause are mighty, and many in number are those who wrongfully hate me.
20 Those who repay evil for good slander me, because I follow the course that is right.
21 O LORD, do not forsake me; be not far from me, O my God.
22 Make haste to help me, O Lord of my salvation.

Evening Psalms

Psalm 119: Daleth Adhæsit pavimento
25 My soul cleaves to the dust; give me life according to your word.
26 I have confessed my ways, and you answered me; instruct me in your statutes.
27 Make me understand the way of your commandments, that I may meditate on your marvelous works.
28 My soul melts away for sorrow; strengthen me according to your word.
29 Take from me the way of lying; let me find grace through your law.
30 I have chosen the way of faithfulness; I have set your judgments before me.
31 I hold fast to your decrees; O LORD, let me not be put to shame.
32 I will run the way of your commandments, for you have set my heart at liberty.

Psalm 119: He Legem pone
33 Teach me, O LORD, the way of your statutes, and I shall keep it to the end.
34 Give me understanding, and I shall keep your law; I shall keep it with all my heart.
35 Make me go in the path of your commandments, for that is my desire.
36 Incline my heart to your decrees and not to unjust gain.
37 Turn my eyes from watching what is worthless; give me life in your ways.
38 Fulfill your promise to your servant, which you make to those who fear you.
39 Turn away the reproach which I dread, because your judgments are good.
40 Behold, I long for your commandments; in your righteousness preserve my life.

Psalm 119: Waw Et veniat super me
41 Let your loving-kindness come to me, O LORD, and your salvation, according to your promise.
42 Then shall I have a word for those who taunt me, because I trust in your words.
43 Do not take the word of truth out of my mouth, for my hope is in your judgments.
44 I shall continue to keep your law; I shall keep it for ever and ever.
45 I will walk at liberty, because I study your commandments.
46 I will tell of your decrees before kings and will not be ashamed.
47 I delight in your commandments, which I have always loved.
48 I will lift up my hands to your commandments, and I will meditate on your statutes.

His Princess Every Day - Escape

Devotionals for Women - Inspirational author and speaker Sheri Rose Shepherd imagines what a letter written from God to you would look like.

My Princess,

Spiritual warfare is not a game; it is very real. Sometimes, when you feel your strength fading, you will need to run away from temptation to keep from falling. Running away may seem weak, but you must take radical measures to win this spiritual war. No temptation can conquer you if you get out while there is still time. The enemy will always try to tempt you to linger long enough to entangle you in sin.

His strategy has taken down many great men of mine. I will not allow you to be tempted more than you can handle; I will always make a way of escape, but only you can ultimately make the choice to take My exit and save yourself from heartache and regret. If you fall, I will pick you up again and again until you learn to take my exit and stay safe.

Love,
Your King and your Great Escape

You are tempted in the same way that everyone else is tempted. But God can be trusted not to let you be tempted too much, and he will show you how to escape from your temptations. - 1 Corinthians 10:13 (CEV)

This devotional is written by Sheri Rose Shepherd. All content copyright Sheri Rose Shepherd 2015. Used by permission. All rights reserved worldwide. Visit HisPrincess.com for devotionals, books, videos, and more from Sheri Rose Shepherd.

Girlfriends in God - Comparison Highjacks Contentment

by Sharon Jaynes

Today’s Truth

I praise you, for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. Wonderful are your works; my soul knows it very well (Psalm 139:14 ESV).

Friend to Friend

We live in a culture of constant comparison. Someone tweets that they just had lunch at a fab restaurant; you had canned tuna and raw carrots. Not even baby carrots but a big ole carrot out of the bag.

Someone posts an Instagram of a gaggle of friends dressed in Lilly Pulitzer pink lunching by the lake, and you’re reading about it dressed in sweats, trudging down the grocery aisle with a snotty-nosed kid pawing at the cereal displays.

You pull up Facebook and read about Barb’s vacation in Paris, and you’re happy for her . . . sorta.

A woman looks at Pinterest boards, and comes away with her greatest fears confirmed: her kids look shabby, her house looks dumpy, and her clothes look frumpy.

Social media accentuates the culture of comparison by sending the false message that your monotonous tedious boring existence is a poor excuse for living compared to others whose lives are awesomely exciting all the time. Secretly you hope your husband never stumbles across Pinterest to realize what a loser of a wife he really has. Mercy!

Social media breeds instant comparison at the click of a button. Comparing who has more “Facebook friends,” “re-tweets,” “followers” and “re-pins” is maddening. The age-old comparisons of appearance, accomplishments, possessions, and position are still around. Technology has simply magnified the access to other people’s lives, even though you’re only seeing what others want you to see.

Then there’s Christmas letters. Photo cards of friends and family with letters detailing every wonderful milestone of the previous year. We read them and think, “My life stinks!” That letter doesn’t tell about Brian getting suspended from school for cussing in the classroom, Megan getting caught lying about studying at a friend’s house, Brie’s on-going battle with depression, Dad’s loss of a major account, or Mom’s twenty-pound weight gain. Just the highlights. Only the good stuff. We read it and say, “good for them.” All the while thinking, “what’s wrong with me?”

Comparison is the devil’s tool that he uses to undermine your confidence and kills contentment like nothing ever will. It magnifies insecurities and fosters a self-absorbed pre-occupation of your inadequacies. As one pastor said, “One of the main reasons we struggle with insecurity is that we’re comparing our behind-the-scenes with everybody else’s highlight reel."

Comparison sullies the canvas upon which God longs to display His greatest work. Nothing will rob you of your confidence in Christ like comparison. The measuring stick will get you stuck every time.

I love what Jesus said when Peter asked about John’s future. (Yes, he was comparing his future with John’s) “If I want him to remain alive until I return, what is that to you?” (John 21:22) In other words, “It’s none of your business! Stop comparing!”

Have you ever wondered why Jesus picked such a ragtag bunch of blundering blubbering misfits to be his disciples? Even though they stumbled their way through much of the gospels, once they were filled with the Holy Spirit, this uneducated, unrefined, untrained bunch of unruly fishermen changed the world. A few days after Pentecost, the Jewish Supreme Court questioned Peter and John about their persistence in preaching the gospel and their audacity to heal a beggar lame from birth.

The dynamic duo preached a mini-sermon that struck the religious rulers to the core. But here’s my favorite part of the entire scenario: “When they saw the courage of Peter and John and realized that they were unschooled, ordinary men, they were astonished and they took note that these men had been with Jesus” (Acts 4:13).

The Sanhedrin leaders were mystified at how this bunch of scrappy saw-toothed misfits could wax so eloquently. Then they had an ah-ha moment. They realized the men had been with Jesus. That explained everything.

That’s what I want people to say about me! She’s an unschooled ordinary girl. How does she do what she does? Oh, I get it. She’s been with Jesus! Can you think of any better accolade? I sure can’t.

Let go of the tendency to compare and take hold of your uniquely fashioned, pre-ordained, God-given talents and abilities. You are specifically equipped by God to do everything He has called you to do and to go through. Including being the mom your kids need.

Then when the world questions how you do what you do, they’ll say, “Oh I get it…she’s been with Jesus.”

Let’s Pray

Heavenly Father, help me not to compare myself with others, but to celebrate the way You created me! I will praise You for I am fearfully and wonderfully made. I know this full well. Now, help me to remember it!
In Jesus’ Name,
Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Think of all the ways you compared your life with others during the past five days.

Think of all the ways that others compared their lives to your life during the past five days. (You don’t think they did? Oh sister, they did. Believe me.)

Cain compared himself to his brother Abel. What did God have to say about that? Read Genesis 4:6-7.

Read Psalm 139:13-16. Spend some time thanking God for the unique way He created YOU!

More from the Girlfriends

Today’s devotion came from my latest book, Take Hold of the Faith You Long For: Let Go, Move Forward, Live Bold. Just as a trapeze artist who grabs hold of a second bar, but refuses to let go of the first, we can get stuck in our faith when we refuse to let go of all that holds us back. It’s time to let go of all that holds us hostage to a “less than” life…and that includes comparing ourselves to others. Let’s take hold of all that Jesus has already taken hold of for us and placed in us! Check it out at www.takeholdthebook.com where you can download a free chapter and watch a video book trailer. The book also comes with a Bible study guide. Make sure and sign up for my weekly blog to learn when the free on-line Bible study will begin in the fall.

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Standing Strong Through the Storm - MOURNING

Blessed are those who mourn, for they will be comforted. Matthew 5:4

Mourning is the kind of grief that cannot be hidden. It can be a deep sorrow for our own unworthiness that leads us to trust the Lord as our total Provider, seeking His presence and counsel (authority). Such action is rewarded by the Father’s gracious comfort.

It can also be for grief over the sorrow and suffering of this world. Blessed is the man who cares intensely for the sufferings, sorrows and needs of others. And so again we can paraphrase this Beatitude:

Blessed are those whose hearts are broken for the world’s suffering and are deeply sorry for their sin and unworthiness, for they will find the joy and comfort of God.

As we meditate on this, what comes to mind is the need to mourn for the state of the church and Christians generally. In many countries, churches are weak and nominal, or are split by internal conflicts. There is need to mourn. There is need to mourn also for believers who have quit the struggle and crossed to the other side.

Mourn for the poor quality of preaching, the lack of prayer and the deficiency of spiritual power. Mourn for those who come to the church only to find they are unwelcome. Mourn for Christians unwilling to introduce the light of Christ to them. Mourn for a church hiding its light, too scared to let it shine. Yes, there is much to mourn for. Yet, the promise is, if we mourn, comfort will come.

A self-sufficient Bible trainer from the West, spent time in China with young leaders needing biblical training. He felt inadequate at first but later wrote, “As I left them, I wept. I wept because I had to go back to a world where God was not taken half as seriously. I wept to return to a church where if I do not insert enough clever illustrations, eyes glaze over and no one listens to my talks. I wept to go back to a world of unread Bibles and dry eyes. I wept to return to a lifestyle that would regard me as mad if I kept trying to rise at 4.30 a.m. for prayer. I wept because I really wanted to stay with those fifty teachers and learn to love God as they did.”

RESPONSE: Today I will repent of my self-sufficiency.

PRAYER: Lord, I truly mourn over my own sin and unworthiness. And I mourn too for the deep and painful suffering that I see around our globe. May I receive Your joy and comfort.

Verse of the Day - July 13, 2016

Philippians 2:9-11 (NIV) Therefore God exalted him to the highest place and gave him the name that is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue acknowledge that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Read all of Philippians 2