Night Light for Couples - Anchor For the Soul

“In him our hearts rejoice, for we trust in his holy name.” Psalm 33:21

When a sudden storm strikes a ship at anchor, only the links of chain and the anchor wedged in the rocks keep vessel and crew from being set dangerously adrift. Obviously, the more tumultuous the times, the more important the moorings. In our own stressful moments, our hopes need to be anchored securely—not in wishes or feelings, but in God’s promise. As the author of Hebrews said, “We have this hope as an anchor for the soul, firm and secure” (Hebrews 6:19).

Isn’t it comforting to know that we have a secure anchor in our marriages? When storms threaten to overtake us, Jesus Christ will not let us drown. We can count on Him to deliver what He has promised. We may not know what the future holds for our family, career, finances, or dreams—but we can rest in the knowledge that our souls are safe in the hands of almighty God.

Just between us…

• Can you think of a time when you thought the storms of life would capsize you? What kept you float?
• Besides God, who or what provides security and stability in your life?
• Do you ever feel adrift spiritually? If so, how can I help?
• Have we placed our hopes and dreams firmly in God’s hands? If not, can we do that together now?

Lord, You know the desires of our hearts; You know our secret fears, too. But we acknowledge Your unfailing promises and steadfast love. Thank You for being our rock. Tonight we cast our hopes and dreams on You for safekeeping, because we trust You. Amen.

From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Embracing Discomfort

by Sheri Rose Shepherd

And he also said, "It is finished! I am the Alpha and the Omega--the Beginning and the End. To all who are thirsty I will give freely from the springs of the water of life. — Revelation 21:6

Watch this week's video by clicking on the image below.

King David was a mighty warrior of the faith, but His biggest battle was inside himself as he fought to understand why God would chose him. Why did God choose him... then leave him in a cave? This future king was torn from the many comforts he was accustomed to, and forced to hide out in caves to protect his life. I’m sure David must have wondered, "Is God’s will for my life really worth fighting for?" The answer is Yes!

King David did not ask God to become a leader of the faith, but he said yes to the call to fight to further God’s Kingdom. It took sixteen years of "spiritual boot camp," personal battles, and great sacrifices to prepare David to lead God’s people. David did not allow the battles to make him bitter; instead He transferred his painful preparation time into prayers and cried out to God in writing. Today those pain-filled prayers found in the book of Psalms show us how to find God in our own personal battles. His calling was not easy but his life was full of adventure, and his faith still lives on in our hearts today.

Mary could have missed her moment to fight if she had feared what others—including her fiancé, Joseph, would think. Mary did not choose to be the birth mother of Jesus. She had to take a step of faith and embrace the battles that came with her calling to receive the blessing of being used to bring heaven to earth. Many times we have to lay down our dreams for divine destiny.

I know it is hard to see yourself as a David or a Mary, but they are no different then you and me. They were imperfect people who stepped out on the battlefield, and trusted God by surrendering their wants to God’s will for their lives. They lost their lives and gained a legacy of faith. They fought to walk the narrow road, trusting our God to guide them all the way home to Heaven.

This is your time to turn pain into passion and move onto the battlefield to finish what you were sent here to do. Nothing and no one can cancel out the call of God on your life. He as anointed and appointed you for such a time as this. Your God can use all that you have walked through to prepare you for victory on the battlefield. Don’t ever give up your fight because life is hard. This is your moment to bring a taste of heaven to earth. Don’t miss it!

God's Letter to You
My Princess Warrior,

I have created a time for every season of life, and right now it is time for you to dress you in my soul armor. You are more than my daughter—you are My "Princess Warrior." I know this life can take you through times when you feel as if there is no fight left inside of you. But My Spirit will rise up inside your soul and My strength will become your strength. My mighty armor will guard your heart from the fiery arrows of the enemy. In the power of my Holy Spirit you will find the passion and power to step out in faith and face any spiritual giant that comes against you. Your battles won for my Kingdom will become a blessing to all generations!

Love
Your King Who Fights For You

For more about Sheri Rose's ministry, visit HisPrincess.com.

Girlfriends in God - Speak Life

by Mary Southerland

Today’s Truth

Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin (Proverbs 13:3, GWT).

Friend to Friend

I recently received an email from a friend who told me the story of a private school in Washington that faced an unusual problem. Some of 12-year-old girls were beginning to use lipstick and would gather around the mirrors in the bathroom to compare shades and apply their lipstick.

The girls thought it was cute to then press their lips to the bathroom mirrors, leaving dozens of lip prints. The maintenance man did not think it was cute because he had to clean the mirrors – and you know how icky lipstick on a mirror can be.

Every night the maintenance man would remove the lipstick prints only to find that the girls put them back the next day.

The principal finally decided that something had to be done. She called all the girls to the bathroom and met them there with the maintenance man. She explained that all the lip prints were causing a major problem for the custodian who had to clean the mirrors. The principal then asked the maintenance man to demonstrate what he had to do to remove the lipstick and how much effort was required. A stunned silence fell across the bathroom as the weary maintenance man took out a long-handled squeegee, dipped it in the toilet, and cleaned the mirror. There has not been a single lip print left on the mirror since that day.

We read that story and think it is both funny and repulsive. Yet the words we speak often carry the same kind of filth. We need to be speaking life – not death into other people. That sounds harsh, doesn’t it? But when we criticize and put others down, when we gossip about others, we are speaking destruction into their lives.

1. Unless strained through discipline and holiness, words can impart false perspectives and untruths. But the right word, spoken at the right time and in the right way can bring order in the midst of confusion, light on a very dark path, and wisdom where there is foolishness.
2. I believe God gives us spiritual radar so we can assess a situation and speak the right word for that circumstance. In fact, Paul writes, “Let your conversation be gracious and effective so that you will have the right answer for everyone” (Colossians 4:6).

Solomon also offers great wisdom concerning the use of words, “Whoever controls his mouth protects his own life. Whoever has a big mouth comes to ruin” (Proverbs 13:3, GWT). If we do not learn to use and control our tongue, it will use and control us. We need to choose our words carefully.

Proverbs 34:13 “Keep your tongue from evil and your lips from speaking lies."

The word “keep” indicates an action on our part. We decide. We choose what is allowed to take up room in our mind. It is literally the idea of a guard standing at the gate of the city, stationed there to keep watch. He is there by invitation only. If we want to live right and speak right – we must think right, constantly guarding our mind. And that is not all. We must guard our heart as well.

Godly responses come from the heart. If there is something wrong with our words, then there is something wrong with our heart. The truth of Proverbs 16:23 is profound in its simplicity, “A wise man's heart guides his mouth.”

Words are powerful.

Words can destroy or build.

We need to make the choice today – to respond in the right way to angry or hurtful words that are surely headed our way tomorrow.

We need to set our hearts and minds on speaking words of life every time we have the opportunity to do so.

Let’s Pray

Father, I want to please You by encouraging others with the words I speak. Clean my heart, God. Transform my mind and fill my mouth with words that honor You.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Examine the words you have spoken today in light of the following verse:

Psalm 19:14 ”May the words of my mouth and the thoughts of my heart be pleasing to you, O LORD, my rock and my redeemer.”

How did you do? I encourage you to memorize this verse. Ask God to let its truth take root in your heart and work its way out in the words you speak.

More from the Girlfriends

Need help with the tough relationships in your life? Mary’s book, Sandpaper People, offers practical steps you can take that will help you deal with those difficult people. This book can change your life by changing the way you respond to Sandpaper People.

Be sure to check out the FREE MP3s on Mary’s website and connect with Mary through email or on Facebook.

Seeking God? Click here to find out more about
how to have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ.

Girlfriends in God
P.O. Box 1311
Huntersville, NC 28070

info@girlfriendsingod.com
http://www.girlfriendsingod.com

 

His Princess Every Day - Wait On Me

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

Wait on Me, My princess. My timing is always perfect. I know you’re anxious about many things, and I see your passion for all the plans I have put in your heart. I know that you long to fly, and I see your enthusiasm. However, just as a vinedresser nurtures the vine and waits patiently for the right moment to harvest the grapes, so too am I working tirelessly to prepare you to bear much fruit. Don’t run ahead of Me or try to fly before My plans are complete. Your strength will fail you, and your dreams will wither away. Trust Me that My dreams for you are far greater than you can dream on your own. You will run farther and soar higher if you will patiently wait for the season of My blessing. Draw close to Me now, and I promise that this season of waiting will bring you the sweetest of rewards.

Love,
Your King and Lord of perfect timings

But those who wait on the Lord will find new strength. They will fly high on wings like eagles. They will run and not grow weary. They will walk and not faint. - Isaiah 40:31 (NIV)

Do not be afraid, for I have ransomed you. I have called you by name; you are mine. When you go through deep waters and great trouble, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown! - Isaiah 43:1–2

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.

Chocolate For Your Soul with Sheri Rose Shepherd - The Good Fight!

by Sheri Rose Shepher

The LORD will fight for you; you need only to be still. — Exodus 14:14

I know life can hit us so hard that there isn’t any fight left inside our soul and even on the best of days, we find ourselves in the midst of a battle that attempts to steal our peace. Our Daddy in Heaven understands the spiritual heat his daughters experience. He is aware of how hard it is to keep fighting when we are worn out and don’t see the fruits of our efforts and energy. It’s very tempting to walk off the battlefield, and just give into the weakness of our weary souls. However, when life is over, and all is said and done, there will be no better way to exit this earth into Heaven than the way Paul did - fighting the good fight so the next generation has a faith to stand on.

Look at it this way: if we give up now, it is like planting a beautiful fruit tree and chopping it down before it is ready to bear fruit we can see and taste. The Word of God promises a crown for those who finish their race, I can think of no better reward, than to know our lives led many to the king of Kings, and our fight brought victory for our children and grandchildren.

I know you want to finish strong, so be encouraged with this truth. It’s never too late to get up and finish your faith and plant your feet in Gods word which will produce great fruit in the next generation. Even If you are too weak to fight today, you can take the first step and stand; if you’re too weak to stand then kneel and call out to your Daddy in Heaven. He loves you and is your faithful God.

God's Letter to You

I believe if The Lord was going to write you a personal letter about battles this life brings it may read like this.... 

My Beloved Daughter,

When you are too weak to fight, My beloved Warrior, I want you to simply stand. When the spiritual warfare around you becomes great and you are in the heat of a faith battle and don’t know what to do, I want you to stand! Yes, stand on My promises. Stand for what you know to be right! Stand in the gap for those who can’t stand on their own!

Yes, My love, evil days will come, but you have My Spirit inside you, and in My power you can and will stand! It is your confidence in Me that will give others the strength to stand with you. Once you have done everything you can, you will still be standing!

Love,
Your King Who Fights For You


Treasure of Truth
So put on all of God’s armor. Evil days will come. But you will be able to stand up to anything. And after you have done everything you can, you will still be standing. — Ephesians 6:13

My Prayer for You

I pray for you to find the strength in Christ alone to stand. I ask our God to give to you an eternal picture of your life lived souly for him. In Jesus name I pray for His peace and His promises to become the foundation of your faith and may the joy of your salvation become your strength. You will be victorious in the name of Jesus over every evil thing that comes against you, and you will not stay down: because you were designed to be a conqueror and to finish strong! In Jesus' name, Amen.

Standing Strong Through the Storm - PERSISTENT PRAYER

As for me, far be it from me that I should sin against the LORD by failing to pray for you. 1 Samuel 12:23a

An important aspect of prayer is to pray patiently. God meets our needs “at the proper time” (Galatians 6:9). Too often Christians weary of praying, and give up. This is often justified on the basis that God's failure to answer means the request is not according to His will. Remember, God can:

Deliver - whatever we ask in His name;
Delay - to fit His perfect timing (only He sees the end from the beginning);
Deny - and say ‘No’ because we ask amiss or give a
Different and better answer.

Jesus urges us to be persistent in prayer (Luke 11:5-8). This does not mean that God does not want to meet our needs and that we need to try to persuade Him. It simply means that only God, who completely understands the whole situation, can know when and how to answer. Only when we have assurance in our hearts from the Lord, should we remove a matter from our prayer list.

Many times Christians lose heart in prayer because they do not recognize when the Lord does answer their prayers. Sometimes this is due to the fact that they did not pray specifically enough and sometimes because they have decided in advance how God must answer. Perhaps they think that only a great miracle can meet their need.

But the Lord may change the circumstances so that the need seems to be supplied “naturally.” Mature believers will recognize that the events of everyday life also come from the Lord. Our daily bread and safety are miracles of God in this troubled world. Let us not presume to tell God how to answer, and let us praise Him for His daily care.

RESPONSE: Today I will acknowledge God gives His best to those who leave the choices to Him.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to be patient and persistent…and leave the answers to my prayers in Your hands.

Verse of the Day - June 14, 2016

Philippians 3:20 (NIV) But our citizenship is in heaven. And we eagerly await a Savior from there, the Lord Jesus Christ,

Read all of Philippians 3

Night Light for Couples - Healthy Hope

“Faith is being sure of what we hope for.” Hebrews 11:1

Hope based on the realistic expectation that something can or will change is a powerful, positive, driving force. It motivates us to do our best and helps us achieve what may seem impossible to others. But naive hope that’s grounded in wishful thinking can be deeply disappointing and even destructive. I (jcd) know a woman—I’ll call her Martha—who was hurt repeatedly by her father’s lack of interest in her. As long as Martha continued to hope he would change, she suffered a fresh wound whenever he missed an important family event or failed to consider her feelings. I urged Martha to realize that her father was emotionally blind—he was incapable of seeing her needs.

Once she began to accept his “handicap” as permanent, her pain lessened considerably. Your partner’s temperament or experiences may prevent him or her from fully comprehending your feelings and frustrations. My advice is that you change what can be altered, explain what can be understood, teach what can be learned, revise what can be improved, resolve what can be settled, and negotiate what is open to compromise.

Then determine to accept the rest. As you overlook these few “unresolvables” in your relationship, you’ll develop a perspective that brings realistic hope for an honest and satisfying marriage.

Just between us…

• What kinds of changes do we hope to see in each other? Are our hopes realistic?
• Would it help our relationship to accept our “unresolvables”?
• What in our marriage gives you the greatest sense of hope?

Father, thank You that You are “the God of all hope.” Tonight we look to You for help in bringing honest, healing hope to our marriage. Show us what we can change, show us what we should accept, and bless us with hope. Amen.

From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.

Why I Don’t Want Gun Lovers Grieving Another Massacre Alongside Me

by John Pavlovitz, Pastor, North Raleigh Community Church

I am grieving again today.

Once more I am mourning the senseless execution of beautiful souls torn to shreds in the prime of their lives and in the middle of their innocent ordinary. I am again grieving more premature funerals and canceled weddings and discarded futures—and I want to be alone right now.

Gun lover, please don’t tell me you’re grieving along with me today too. I just don’t buy it. You’re welcome to mourn, but I don’t think I want your company right now.

If you’re still against greater gun control measures—I don’t want you to grieve alongside me today.
If you’re part of the zealous, gun-glorifying community—I don’t want you to grieve alongside me today.
If you’re a militant, unrepentant NRA apologist—I don’t want you to grieve alongside me today.
If your right to bear arms ultimately matters more to you than the human wreckage strewn about movie theaters and shopping malls and elementary schools and and nightclubs and hospitals—I don’t want you to grieve alongside me today.

Not again. Not now.

I may have accepted your condolences and prayers and claims of solidarity after the 23rd or the 76th or the 149th mass shooting of the year, but not now.

If I do, if I allow you to bow your head with me and speak a quick prayer before moving on to the exact same posture and practice and politics, then it feels like I am just consenting to more murder. It becomes an empty gesture. As a lover of life and person of faith I simply can’t do that in good conscience, and so I ask you to allow me to mourn in peace right now.

Words of sadness and offers of prayers alone are not significant enough now.

Any expression of grief that doesn’t come with an admission that guns, their easy availability, and (perhaps most importantly) a politically fueled Wild West culture that nurtures their worship are a central part of the problem here—rings hollow to me.

Any claim of mourning that doesn’t also demand some substantial change in how we promote, regulate, access, and talk about firearms is just crocodile tears and a slap in the face to families of the dead.

It all feels ultimately like selfishness to me.

If I have a pool in my open yard and kids keep drowning in it, yet I refuse to put up a fence, how much do I really value the loss of life?
And if I put up a fence and kids still keep getting in and dying and I don’t do more, how sincere is my grief?
And if, after what I believe to be my greatest human efforts to prevent it, my pool still fills with bodies, at some point shouldn’t my humanity kick in and determine that maybe, just maybe my desire to have a pool isn’t worth the carnage to the neighborhood?
When does my need to have a pool become the problem?
If I really give a damn about dead kids floating in my yard, maybe I leave the pools to the professionals.

I’m sorry, but the pool here is overflowing with blood and I’m tired of it.

I’m tired of a centuries-old amendment being propped up as relevant in any way to this time and place in history and to the purpose it was ratified in the first place.

I’m tired of a John Wayne, “cold dead hand”, OK Corral romanticism that makes guns, not some necessary evil but a sexy status symbol of true Americans.

I’m tired of partisan media sky-is-falling, fear-mongering that makes people believe their immanent danger requires an arsenal always at the ready; in their kitchens and in their cars and at their ankles.

I’m tired of a culture that sees repeated mass shootings as the acceptable collateral damage of some supposed personal freedom.

I fully realize if you have fully bought into the lie that says guns are absolutely necessary, entirely neutral, and constitutionally guaranteed—you really don’t care about any of this.

You already likely know the numbers and the statistics and the reality too, but you dismiss it all or rationalize why none of it is relevant. You’ve washed your hands of culpability in the continuing slaughter and exonerated guns and you don’t care to entertain conversation—which is your right.

I’m not going to demand that you conform to my convictions.

I’m not going to try and convince you of what seems so very obvious to me, but I’m also not going to allow you the courtesy of saying you mourn as I do and suffer alongside me, because that simply isn’t true.

You grieve gun violence while loving and celebrating your guns. I grieve gun violence while abhorring guns.

We have a different idea of grief, you and me.

I respect your position and reserve your right to mark this tremendous loss if you wish on your own, but I’d like some distance right now because your presence is simply salt in these wounds.

So today, after yet another gun tragedy—please let me mourn in peace.

NIV Devotions for Women - What About the Poor?

Amos 8:1–14

Ask your neighbor or coworker to list the “top ten” sins, and you will probably hear a version of the Ten Commandments. Murder, stealing, lying and adultery would probably head the list.

But when God revealed to Amos that he was about to bring judgment upon his people, he cited Israel’s treatment of the poor as cause for punishment. In startling imagery, God said Israel had “trampled” the needy and cheated the poor. The poor, the victims of Israel’s greed and exploitation, had no recourse but to appeal to God. And God listened.

In the New Testament, Jesus repeatedly takes up the often-overlooked cause of the poor. When Jesus preached in the synagogue in Luke 4:16–21, the prophecy he chose to read to reveal who he was came from Isaiah 61:1–2: “The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is on me, because the LORD has anointed me to proclaim good news to the poor.” When Jesus described final judgment in Matthew 25:31–46, he evaluated how well people cared for the hungry, the thirsty, the stranger, the needy and the imprisoned. Jesus so identifies with the poor in this passage that he says that the good deeds done to the “least of these” were counted as being done to him!

How does the way you live reveal your concern for the poor? Are the poor an afterthought? A nuisance? A perplexing problem you’ve quit trying to solve? For many of us, Amos’s message challenges us to serve the poverty stricken in ways besides simply giving money. Volunteering in a food pantry or rescue mission may be the first step to helping poor people with their immediate needs. Working directly with people who are poor helps us to put names and faces on poverty. When we do that, we can no longer objectify and ignore the needy. But are there ways to take our compassion one step further? How can we speak up to make sure the poor aren’t exploited? How can we work to make sure our institutions don’t make the problem worse? How can we vote for policies and practices that are equitable?

It is God’s desire that we be willing to share what we have with those in need and help the poor whenever we can. When we do, our hearts beat in time with his.

Reflection

1. What are your assumptions about why someone might be poor?
2. Have you ever been without what you needed to live? What did you do?
3. Why do you think God identifies himself with the poor? What does that tell you about his character?

Amos 8:4–5 Hear this, you who trample the needy and do away with the poor of the land, saying, “When will the New Moon be over that we may sell grain, and the Sabbath be ended that we may market wheat?”—skimping the measure, boosting the price and cheating with dishonest scales.

Related Readings

Isaiah 61:1–3; Matthew 25:31–46; Luke 4:16–21

His Princess Every Day - I Will Lift the Veil

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

My Precious Bride,

I know sometimes you feel as if there is a veil over your eyes. There are many things you won't understand about this life, but one day I will lift that veil and you will see that I had a plan and a divine purpose for all you have walked through in this life. One day, I will touch your cheek and wipe away the very last tear you will ever cry. One day, you will see me face to face--and heaven and earth will no longer keep us apart. For now, my beloved, I leave you my Spirit that lives inside your soul. I command my angels to stand guard over you until the day of my return.

Love,
Your eternal Prince

And be sure of this: I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” - Matthew 28:20 (NIV)

Prayer to my Prince

Please hide me in your arms of mercy and speak to my spirit, Lord. I need to hear your still voice once again whisper, “I am here.” I need a glimpse of what is to come with all the decay of society I see all around me. Remind me to be still, and to let you wash my fears away as I read your written word. May I live a life driven by eternity, and deposit hope into the next generation to come.

Love,
Your Bride who longs to see your face

Now we see but a poor reflection as in a mirror; then we shall see face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I am fully known. - 1 Corinthians 13:12 (NIV)

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.

Women of the Bible - Rizpah

Her name means: "A Hot Stone" or "Coal"

Her character: Saul's concubine Rizpah was the mother of Armoni and Mephibosheth. Though a woman with few rights and little power, she displayed great courage and loyalty after the death of her sons.
Her sorrow: That her only sons were executed and their bodies dishonored because of their father's crime.
Her joy: That the bodies of her sons were finally given an honorable burial.
Key Scriptures: 2 Samuel 21:8-14

Her Story

One day a rabbi stood on a hill overlooking a certain city. The rabbi watched in horror as a band of Cossacks on horseback suddenly attacked the town, killing innocent men, women, and children. Some of the slaughtered were his own disciples. Looking up to heaven, the rabbi exclaimed: "Oh, if only I were God." An astonished student, standing nearby, asked, "But, Master, if you were God, what would you do differently?" The rabbi replied: "If I were God I would do nothing differently. If I were God, I would understand."

One day a woman named Rizpah was standing on a hill in Israel, watching the execution of seven men. Her grief was sharp, for among the dead were her own two sons. Executed for their father's crime, their bodies were left to rot on the hillside, despite a law requiring burial by sunset. Perhaps, like the rabbi, Rizpah wished she were God, even for a moment. Maybe then she would understand the "why" of what she had just witnessed.

It is not hard to imagine Rizpah's suffering. To watch as her body convulses in sorrow. To see her pound a fist against her breast to beat away the grief. When will she turn away from the gruesome spectacle? we wonder. But instead of fleeing the scene of her sorrow, she faces it, drawing close to bloodied bodies she once had cradled in her arms. Then she spreads sackcloth on a rock and sits down, refusing to move except to beat off birds of prey by day and jackals by night. Her vigil would last for several months—from mid-April to early October. Rizpah would not bury her grief as long as the bodies of her sons remained unburied.

Joshua had promised to live in peace with the Gibeonites, but Saul had murdered many of them during his reign, attempting to annihilate them. As a result of Saul's oath-breaking, Israel suffered a famine for three years running. In retribution, the Gibeonites had asked David for seven of Saul's male offspring. David surrendered Saul's two sons by Rizpah and five grandsons by Saul's daughter Merab. Blood was spilt for blood.

Scripture doesn't say whether Rizpah's sons shared their father's guilt. But like all mothers whose children have perished by violence—those in Bosnia, Kosovo, Rwanda, Iraq, Afghanistan, our own inner cities, and even our suburbs—Rizpah must have understood the terrible link between sin and death. One person's sin is a cancer that spreads. By refusing to hide her grief, by living out her anguish in public, Rizpah gave meaning to her sons' deaths, making the entire nation face the evil of what had happened.

Finally, the rains came. Finally, the king's heart was touched. Hearing of Rizpah's loyalty and courage, David ordered the remains of the executed to be buried. He even ordered Saul's and his son Jonathan's bones to be reclaimed and buried.

Scripture doesn't say that God ordered David to hand the men over to the Gibeonites in the first place, or even that the famine ended when they were executed. Instead, as Virginia Stem Owens points out in her book Daughters of Eve, the Bible indicates that God answered prayers on behalf of the land after the dead were given a decent burial. David's act in honor of the dead may have signaled an end to Israel's divisions. Finally, the land could be healed and the Israelites could reunite under David's leadership.

Rizpah made the people look at the cost of sin. Like many women in ancient cultures, she had few rights and little power. But her persistent courage gave meaning to her sons' deaths and helped a nation deal with the sin of its leader. Her story is tragic; her response, memorable. Perhaps because of her, other mothers in Israel were spared a similar grief, at least for a time.

Her Promise

Rizpah's consistency and tenacity is a lesson for all who are inclined to give up when the going gets tough. Out of love and a need to do what was right, she stuck out bad weather, cold, fatigue, and wild animals to protect her dead sons. Finally, someone in authority took notice and did something. Her faithfulness was rewarded, and she could rest. God promises the same to us. He asks us only to be faithful and to leave the rest up to him. Whatever the situation—harsh parents, unloving spouses, rebellious children, financial difficulties, sickness, or death—God knows and will uphold and provide in his time.

Girlfriends in God - Princess Problems

by Gwen Smith

Today’s Truth

Do everything without grumbling or arguing. (Philippians 2:14)

Friend to Friend

My friend Ellen is a preschool teacher who regularly contends with entitled toddlers and privileged preschoolers who know how to major on some minors and throw down some serious tantrums. 

I want the red crayon, but Tommy has it!

I’m not eating this because it has white cheese. I only like yellow cheese.

I want to go first!

I’m allowed. You’re not my boss.

Miss Ellen calls these little escapades “princess problems,” and she does her best to lovingly redirect the heart of each young complainer toward the reality of his or her blessings and toward the virtue of patience, selflessness, kindness, sharing, etc..

Hardly a day goes by that the kingdom of her kiddie classroom isn’t inundated with princess problems. The outbursts are common. Most are simple issues to address, but occasionally they can become a minefield of messy mayhem that disrupts a special moment.

As I reflect on this, it occurs to me that even though I’m adult I’ve got my own fair share of princess problems. At times I throw myself in a tizzy and worry about things that don't need to be given a second thought. I make a big deal out of situations that do not have eternal consequences just because I might be temporarily inconvenienced or offended.

I can’t believe I have to go to the grocery store again. This is the third time this week!

It took them over an hour to change the oil in my car today. Over an hour!

The pastor’s sermon was way too long and the music was loud.

In the Old Testament, Daniel could’ve complained about his problems. But he didn’t. Not even as he faced impending death when he was thrown in a den of lions. Instead, he remained devoted to God and honored the Lord while humbly serving the king who brutally destroyed his hometown and took he, and his friends, captive to Babylon.

In the New Testament, the apostle Paul endured extreme hardships during his missionary journeys. He was attacked by murderous mobs, beaten, betrayed, flogged, arrested, starved, shipwrecked three times, and bitten by a viper… all while serving God! Nice, right? Though he had every earthly reason to whine about the stuff he went through, Paul didn’t. To the contrary, he wrote a letter about joy and perseverance to encourage the believers in the church of Philippi from prison. He encouraged others instead of griping about the mess he’d been through, and in spite of the limitations he was constrained by.

Ah! Perspective.

Yes. I am a daughter of the Most High, King of kings. A noble princess in God’s kingdom with an endless and enchanting inheritance. I am not, however, entitled to grumble and complain about pithy and petty little annoyances. Not even about big things!

Period.

Princess problems don’t fly with God. There’s no loophole.

Paul wrote about this very thing in that letter he sent to the Philippians.

Do everything without grumbling or arguing, so that you may become blameless and pure, “children of God without fault in a warped and crooked generation.” Then you will shine among them like stars in the sky as you hold firmly to the word of life. (Philippians 2:14-16a)

Imagine what our loved ones and co-workers would think if you and I actually live these verses out. If we stop complaining. If we choose to be blameless and pure worshipers who trust God’s sovereignty in the inconvenient, uncomfortable, and even the worst of times.

What would it look like for you and I to hold firmly to the word of life … to sparkle instead of spew?

Let’s make a deal. You and me. The next time we get shipwrecked in our own imaginations and begin to drown in the petty dramas of our own making, let’s straighten our crooked tiaras and ask God to adjust our crooked attitudes. In doing so we’ll move forward in the strength, dignity, and joy of Jesus.

In His grace, Jesus quiets our princess problems and purifies us to shine like stars in the sky for the glory of God.

Let’s Pray

Holy Father, Please forgive me for the times I get flustered and freaked out over things that don't matter. Forgive me, also, when I fail to trust You with heavy and hard trials. I want to be a woman who lives with the strength, joy, and dignity of Jesus. Help me shine for You today, Lord.

In Jesus’ Name,

Amen.

Now It’s Your Turn

Read Philippians 4:1-9. Take note of the peace available to believers who exercise faith and choose to think and behave as we are instructed to think and behave.

Pray about specific stresses in your heart that might be knocking your tiara off balance.

More from the Girlfriends

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Salt and Light - June 13, 2016

Standing Strong Through the Storm - PRAY FOR PERSECUTORS

“But I tell you who hear me: Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, bless those who curse you, pray for those who mistreat you.” Luke 6:27-28

In Luke chapter six, Jesus defines persecution with four verbs: hatred, exclusion, insult and rejection (Luke 6:22). But later in the chapter Jesus gives much more emphasis on how you and I are to respond to persecution that comes our way.

One of the great lessons from the persecuted church is praying for those who persecute you. This is a parallel principle with loving your enemies. Multiple examples can be shared how God has honored this principle of prayer:

Noskie was a former Imam in the southern part of the Philippines. He was a devout Muslim and one who generated respect from that little community in which he lived. Coming home from a fishing expedition one day, he was shocked to discover that his two daughters had converted to Christianity. He was well aware of the shame that this would bring to the whole community.

In his anger, he mercilessly beat them hoping that they would renounce their new faith. But the daughters remained faithful. They loved their father and knew that nothing was impossible with God so they started praying for their father’s conversion.

Sometime later, while fishing, Noskie felt a sudden piercing pain in his stomach. As the pain intensified, his belly began to balloon. He writhed in unbearable pain. He prayed but nothing happened. In desperation he cried out to the God of his daughters, Jesus Christ, and was instantly healed.

Noskie emerged from the experience a new person. He submitted his heart and surrendered to the Lordship of Jesus Christ. Today he faithfully serves the Lord as a lay pastor. His daughters help in the ministry. 

RESPONSE: I am committed to respond to persecution with non-violence as Jesus taught.

PRAYER: Lord, I realize today that when I pray for my enemy and love my enemy, he or she is no longer my enemy. Help me to always respond this way.

Verse of the Day - June 13, 2016

Luke 11:13 (NIV) If you then, though you are evil, know how to give good gifts to your children, how much more will your Father in heaven give the Holy Spirit to those who ask him!”

Read all of Luke 11

Night Light for Couples - Tranquility

“Be at peace with each other.” Mark 9:50

If you don’t protect yourselves from outside stresses, married life can seem more like a marathon than a stroll in the park. With relentless pressure at work, a demanding schedule of carpooling and sports, and the stress of keeping up with home and church duties, moms and dads can begin to lose heart. Then fatigue and irritability set in, angry words are spoken, and soon every member of the family is at one another’s throats.

All of us, especially at the end of pressure‐packed days, need a safe retreat. As a working husband or wife, you need a chance to unwind privately for a while when you first come home. School kids (teenagers, too) need uninterrupted “down time” on a regular basis. No one can keep up a frenetic schedule for long without it affecting his or her attitude.

Jesus told His followers to “be at peace with each other.” If you’re finding hopefulness in short supply in your marriage, maybe it’s time you get off the treadmill of continuous stress. If it’s just the expectations of others that is keeping you on the run, say “no” more often. Take an afternoon off. Get a babysitter so you can have some time to yourself. Set aside quiet time regularly—and guard it. Slow down your mealtimes together. Simplify.

As you make a priority of creating tranquility at home, you’ll feel your heart lifting and hope returning.

Just between us…

• When you feel overwhelmed by demands, do you ever lose hope?
• How can we do a better job of protecting each other’s “down time”?
• How can tranquility at home promote a better spiritual life?

Dear God, forgive us when we allow external demands to dictate the quality of our home life. Give us the foresight and discipline to create a sanctuary of peace and renewal. Amen.

From Night Light For Couples, by Dr. James & Shirley Dobson
Copyright © 2000 by James Dobson, Inc. All rights reserved.

The Daily Readings for June 12, 2016 - 4th Sunday of Pentecost

2 Samuel 11:26-12:10, 13-15
When the wife of Uriah heard that her husband was dead, she made lamentation for him. When the mourning was over, David sent and brought her to his house, and she became his wife, and bore him a son. But the thing that David had done displeased the LORD, and the LORD sent Nathan to David. He came to him, and said to him, "There were two men in a certain city, the one rich and the other poor. The rich man had very many flocks and herds; but the poor man had nothing but one little ewe lamb, which he had bought. He brought it up, and it grew up with him and with his children; it used to eat of his meager fare, and drink from his cup, and lie in his bosom, and it was like a daughter to him. Now there came a traveler to the rich man, and he was loath to take one of his own flock or herd to prepare for the wayfarer who had come to him, but he took the poor man's lamb, and prepared that for the guest who had come to him." Then David's anger was greatly kindled against the man. He said to Nathan, "As the LORD lives, the man who has done this deserves to die; he shall restore the lamb fourfold, because he did this thing, and because he had no pity." Nathan said to David, "You are the man! Thus says the LORD, the God of Israel: I anointed you king over Israel, and I rescued you from the hand of Saul; I gave you your master's house, and your master's wives into your bosom, and gave you the house of Israel and of Judah; and if that had been too little, I would have added as much more. Why have you despised the word of the LORD, to do what is evil in his sight? You have struck down Uriah the Hittite with the sword, and have taken his wife to be your wife, and have killed him with the sword of the Ammonites. Now therefore the sword shall never depart from your house, for you have despised me, and have taken the wife of Uriah the Hittite to be your wife. David said to Nathan, "I have sinned against the LORD." Nathan said to David, "Now the LORD has put away your sin; you shall not die. Nevertheless, because by this deed you have utterly scorned the LORD, the child that is born to you shall die." Then Nathan went to his house. The LORD struck the child that Uriah's wife bore to David, and it became very ill.

Psalm 32 Beati quorum
1   Happy are they whose transgressions are forgiven, and whose sin is put away!
2   Happy are they to whom the LORD imputes no guilt, and in whose spirit there is no guile!
3   While I held my tongue, my bones withered away, because of my groaning all day long.
4   For your hand was heavy upon me day and night; my moisture was dried up as in the heat of summer.
5   Then I acknowledged my sin to you, and did not conceal my guilt.
6   I said, "I will confess my transgressions to the LORD." Then you forgave me the guilt of my sin.
7   Therefore all the faithful will make their prayers to you in time of trouble; when the great waters overflow, they shall not reach them.
8   You are my hiding-place; you preserve me from trouble; you surround me with shouts of deliverance.
9   I will instruct you and teach you in the way that you should go; I will guide you with my eye.
10   Do not be like horse or mule, which have no understanding; who must be fitted with bit and bridle, or else they will not stay near you."
11   Great are the tribulations of the wicked; but mercy embraces those who trust in the LORD.
12   Be glad, you righteous, and rejoice in the LORD; shout for joy, all who are true of heart.

Galatians 2:15-21
We ourselves are Jews by birth and not Gentile sinners; yet we know that a person is justified not by the works of the law but through faith in Jesus Christ. And we have come to believe in Christ Jesus, so that we might be justified by faith in Christ, and not by doing the works of the law, because no one will be justified by the works of the law. But if, in our effort to be justified in Christ, we ourselves have been found to be sinners, is Christ then a servant of sin? Certainly not! But if I build up again the very things that I once tore down, then I demonstrate that I am a transgressor. For through the law I died to the law, so that I might live to God. I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but it is Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not nullify the grace of God; for if justification comes through the law, then Christ died for nothing.

Luke 7:36-8:3
One of the Pharisees asked Jesus to eat with him, and he went into the Pharisee's house and took his place at the table. And a woman in the city, who was a sinner, having learned that he was eating in the Pharisee's house, brought an alabaster jar of ointment. She stood behind him at his feet, weeping, and began to bathe his feet with her tears and to dry them with her hair. Then she continued kissing his feet and anointing them with the ointment. Now when the Pharisee who had invited him saw it, he said to himself, "If this man were a prophet, he would have known who and what kind of woman this is who is touching him-- that she is a sinner." Jesus spoke up and said to him, "Simon, I have something to say to you." "Teacher," he replied, "Speak." "A certain creditor had two debtors; one owed five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. When they could not pay, he canceled the debts for both of them. Now which of them will love him more?" Simon answered, "I suppose the one for whom he canceled the greater debt." And Jesus said to him, "You have judged rightly." Then turning toward the woman, he said to Simon, "Do you see this woman? I entered your house; you gave me no water for my feet, but she has bathed my feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. You gave me no kiss, but from the time I came in she has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not anoint my head with oil, but she has anointed my feet with ointment. Therefore, I tell you, her sins, which were many, have been forgiven; hence she has shown great love. But the one to whom little is forgiven, loves little." Then he said to her, "Your sins are forgiven." But those who were at the table with him began to say among themselves, "Who is this who even forgives sins?" And he said to the woman, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace." Soon afterwards he went on through cities and villages, proclaiming and bringing the good news of the kingdom of God. The twelve were with him, as well as some women who had been cured of evil spirits and infirmities: Mary, called Magdalene, from whom seven demons had gone out, and Joanna, the wife of Herod's steward Chuza, and Susanna, and many others, who provided for them out of their resources.

Forward Day by Day Meditation for June 12, 2016 - 4th Sunday of Pentecost

Galatians 2:20b And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

You can trap a monkey by putting a banana into a jar with an opening just big enough to reach in and grab the bait, but not wide enough for the monkey to pull his hand out while clasped around the food. This is a perfect metaphor for the human ego.

Paul uses the term in this very passage; in the Greek, the word “ego” is simply the word we translate as “I,” the personal pronoun. There is no problem with a healthy sense of self. What leads to sin and suffering is when we cling to our ideas of ourselves like the monkey’s hand on the bait. Our ego—our sense of personal self—is like the bait. There’s nothing wrong as long as we can let go.

Letting go is the work of a lifetime—learning to patiently and gently navigate our own hearts with the infinite love and healing grace of God. Letting go is the joy of the journey, the secret of the saints, and the essence of spiritual experience.

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Standing Strong Through the Storm - TASK PRAYER

Elijah was a man just like us. He prayed earnestly that it would not rain, and it did not rain on the land for three and a half years. James 5:17

Rev. Dr. David Cho who pastors the largest church in the world—a cell group based church—is also very strong on the significance of prayer. As a pastor of a growing Korean church, he felt he could not pray less than five hours a day.

He distinguishes between the type of prayer we usually think of—fellowship prayer—and what he calls “task” prayer. Both are important forms of prayer but task prayer is terrific labor and takes much energy. It is closest to intercessory prayer and is usually very focused prayer about an intense need.

Here are the characteristics of “task” prayer:

1. Have a clear goal – be very focused

2. Use simple words

3. Mobilize all the emotion in your heart

4. Be persistent (Luke 18:1-8)

Believers in China are very much involved in this type of prayer. Here is one description of believers who had gathered for a special meeting in a cave twenty-five feet below ground level. After a three-hour message:
They prayed with tears running down from their eyes, and the stream of tears intermingled with their ‘noserun,’ dripping down like transparent noodles, which they ignored. For their hearts were so turned to the face of Christ that they became totally oblivious of their own unkempt state. One sister prayed for over 45 minutes standing, pleading with the Lord to release her fellow-evangelist and her fiancé from prison. He had fasted for many days and refused to divulge any information on the churches’ evangelistic activity.[1]

RESPONSE: When I have an intense need, I will practice task prayer.

PRAYER: Lord, help me to have the faith, persistence and emotion of Elijah when I pray.

1. Ross Paterson, Heart Cry For China (Chichester, UK: Sovereign World, 1989), p.190.