Favorite Friday

Last time I asked you who your favorite lady in the Bible is.  Today, I want to hear:  what is your favorite miracle that Jesus did while He was on the earth?  There are a lot to choose from, and if you have more than one favorite, that is ok! :)

My favorite is the story of the Syrophenician woman.  The miracle Jesus performed for her, that of casting the unclean spirit out of her daughter, was one He performed for other people, too.  However, that miracle grabs my attention because of the great faith, humility, and boldness this woman had.  She was so confident that even Jesus pointed out her faith (Matthew 15).

Your turn!  Comment with your favorite miracle!

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 31, 1 John 2 

Thoughtful Thursday

This month I have really enjoyed the Pray31 atlas some of us have been praying through.  I am so glad that Pastor Stockton came across the material and encouraged us to participate in this prayer journey.  The Pray31 atlas has served as a great guide for praying for our nation, and has opened my eyes to new ways to pray for others, especially people I do not know.  It would be a great prayer journey to take every October, not just this once!

A few days ago there was a quote in it that really stuck with me, and I wanted to share it with you girls!  

"I don't ask God to bless what I do.  I pray that He will help me to do what He blesses." 

~ Bob Pierce

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 30, 1 John 1

Wonderful Wednesday

Do you know the song called "Wonderful, Merciful Saviour"?  It is such an awesome song that recognizes so many of God's Names and so much of what He does for us.  Perhaps we will sing it as a group someday :)

God really is so much to us - I know that to me, He is faithful and true.  I know I can count on Him.

What is He to you today?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 29, Esther 10

Transformation Tuesday

Why do we need transformed?  The very simple answer is that we are all born sinners.  Adam's decision to sin cost every person after him the pleasure he and Eve knew of being without sin (before their fall).  Think about that for a minute: his one wrong choice affected all of humanity.  How many people do our wrong choices affect?  Probably more than we can imagine.

But back to transformation --- ok, we have a sin nature.  But, everyone does.  And besides that, people say we're "pretty good girls"; we don't do anything as crazy as our friends do, we come to church regularly, we participate in church activities, we help our parents around the house...so what do we really need to transform about ourselves?

I think if we were honest with ourselves, we each know there are many things in our hearts that are not Christlike.  If there weren't, we would always obey our authorities, we would never rush through any homework, we would always get along with our siblings, and we would constantly shine the Light of Christ to others.  It's pretty safe to say that each of us needs transformed, because God says we do....and deep down inside, we know we need it, too.

The question comes...do we want to be transformed?  Or are we happy to stay the way we are?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 28, Esther 9

Musical Monday

God has a lot to say about music in the Bible.  Did you know He mentions it over 500 times?

Our culture has a lot to say about music, too.  Whether it's the dentist, the grocery store, the TV commercial, the mall, or the gas station's bathroom, music bombards our lives everywhere we go!

Music is a powerful force.  Have you ever seen a toddler start bouncing to jumpy music he/she hears, without anyone showing him how to?  Have you ever been at Disney and seen someone jamming out to the music in the middle of the crowd, just because he/she can?  In either of these instances, no one told these people to move their bodies; they just did because they responded to the power of the music.

We cannot control the type of music we hear in public places like stores or restaurants, but we can control the type of music we listen to personally.  Today, before you turn your music up or put your earbuds in, I want you to stop and ask yourself: 

How does this music make me feel?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 27, Esther 8

Feminine Friday

Today I just wanted to celebrate some of the blessings of being a girl.  The fact that God made Eve to complete His creation is pretty amazing; He made us ladies very special!  I do not say that with pride, but with a true wonder that God would call us to fulfill such important parts of His plan.

What are some of those parts?

• When a young child at church starts crying, do they run to the teen guys for a hug and comfort?  NO!  They run straight to you girls.  I see it all the time!
• It is neat to realize that God chooses to bring souls into being through the womb He placed within women.
• God designed us more beautiful than men - can I hear an amen? :)  In the animal world, the male is usually the "better looking" of the two.  But not as far as humans go!  God gave us ladies so many aspects of natural beauty that are captivating.
• We get to work in the nursery!!!  I am sure that somewhere in the world, there are male nursery workers; but I am also sure that those nurseries are not quite as organized and calm as nurseries run by females are :)  This is not to talk down the males in our lives, but instead to recognize that caring for small children is something God gave to women on purpose!

These are just a few blessings God had in store for us ladies when He created Eve.  Can you think of any others?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 24, Esther 7

Thankful Thursday

"It is a good thing to give thanks unto the LORD, 

and to sing praises unto thy name, O most High."

Psalm 92:1

Although this world is such a crazy place; although we have days that we wish would just be over already; although we face discouragement because of present circumstances - there is always, always something to be thankful for.  A thankful heart is another sign of spirituality, just like singing is.  Heads up, ladies!  If the guy you like never says thank you to anyone and always has something to grumble about, LOOK OUT!  There is something wrong with his heart.

...but we're here to talk about OUR grateful hearts, so let's forget the guys for the moment. :)  I would like to praise God today for the absolute miracle He is working in little Carson Corn - really, God has worked/is working countless miracles in that sweet baby's life.  It thrills my heart to read each update of him because he is a direct testimony of what prayer does.  Thank You, God, for answered prayer!

What are you grateful to the LORD for today?  

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 23, Esther 6

Why Wednesday

Hopefully I piqued your curiosity with this new title!  A regular burden on my heart is this: today's young people are being told "we don't do this, but we do this", yet most of the time they are not being told "why".  I was a single girl not so long ago, and I remember how important it was to me to know why.  

The "why's" of life are important factors!  Example: "For God so loved the world, that He gave His only begotten Son..." - the underlined portion is the "why".  Why did God give us the Bible?  So we could be saved! Remember?  "So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the Word of God" - Romans 10:17.  

Why am I talking about all of this?  ...so glad you asked. :)

In the coming "Why Wednesdays", we will cover why we believe what we believe.  The answers for all of our "why" questions are found in the Word of God - THE Answer Book!  I may also do some posts about why we use the King James Bible - because it is yet again something I very rarely hear taught to our young people today.

Perhaps there is something you have "why's" about.  Text me your questions!  I will do my best to answer them either through this blog or in person.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 22, Esther 5

Time On Tuesday

Pastor's sermon on Wednesday from Galatians 6:7-10 was powerhouse-packed full of great truths!  It got me thinking so much about how I spend my time.  Then, that got me thinking about our Time on Tuesday blogposts :)

Verse 9 of that passage says "...let us not be weary in well doing...".  The main thing I took away from the message that night was to make sure everything I spend time doing is "well doing".  It's so easy to spend too much time browsing Instagram, face-creeping people on Facebook (I know we all do it! :D ), fixing myself in front of the mirror, worrying about things I have no control over...the list is different for each of us, but probably endless!

Did you notice I used the word "spend"?  Time is something we spend.  What is something else we spend?  Money.  Today I want to encourage you to think of time like money; how are you spending it?  How are you investing it?

The Bible says "...where your treasure is, there will your heart be also" (Matthew 6:21).  Treasure = money = time.  God doesn't lie, girls; if your heart is somewhere it shouldn't be, that is because your treasure (time) is somewhere it shouldn't be.

Take time for Jesus today!

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 21, Esther 4

Modesty Monday

My sister and I were talking about modesty a few weeks ago.  India made a statement that really stuck with me and I haven't been able to forget it!  In fact, I hope I never will.  It was so simple, so profound...I hope I can re-state what she said without jumbling it all up! :)

We grew up with a lot of friends who dressed "like us", or at least their parents made them dress that way.  As we've grown older and entered adulthood, we've seen many - sadly, most - of our friends choose to dress immodestly rather than modestly.  India said, "Just looking at our friends, I know that no amount of preaching on modesty will make someone dress right.  Dressing modestly is a personal decision that we each come to because of the Spirit's conviction."

May my sister's wise words remind each of us today that dressing modestly is a matter of the heart - not a matter of rules, regulations, inches, or size.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 20, Esther 3 (isn't Esther awesome? :) )

Faith-Works Friday

In the Bible, God talks about people who don't care about His Word.  He actually mentions such people several times.  Such people live without much thought of what the Bible says, not considering the positive effects the Bible could have on their lives if they would just use It.  The easy thing to do is to think of the lost world around us as those people who don't care about the Bible.

But, let us consider our own hearts today.  

Do you care about the Bible?  

Does It really matter to you?  Is It something that you hold in high regard, or just something you bring to church with you when you remember to grab It?  Is It something you think about throughout the week, or do you just think about it when Pastor is preaching to us at church?  Is the entire Bible something you take seriously, or do you just take the parts about salvation seriously?

We say we're saved by grace, through faith; that is true.  That is what the Bible tells us.  But if that is true, shouldn't the rest of what the Bible says matter just as much to us as the verses about salvation do?

"So then faith cometh by hearing, and hearing by the word of God." ~ Romans 10:17

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 17, Esther 2

Thoughtful Thursday

"Remember his marvellous works that he hath done; his wonders, 

and the judgments of his mouth." ~ Psalm 105:5

It has been 4 months since we were at teen camp.  The LORD provided you girls with 2 different opportunities to be at teen camp this summer; you heard a lot of preaching in those 2 weeks!  

God wants us to remember the things He does in our lives.  He wants us to recall lessons He taught us in the past.  It is amazing to especially note how much He directed the Israelites to do so that they would remember what God had done for them in their past.

Today, I want each of us to comment with something the LORD specifically spoke to us about at camp, whether at PCC or at Venture of Faith...something that the LORD spoke to you about during one of the messages or devotion times.

I will start us off!  It is hard for me to pick just one thing...but the thing I remember the most was when Bro. Redlin preached about love.  He gave such great reminders of how we are to love like Jesus loves, no matter what...it was just what I needed that week, and in the weeks to come!

What about you?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 16, Esther 1

Wisdom On Wednesday

Today let's make a list of the people in Proverbs.

- the young man

- the wise man

- the evil man

- the strange woman

- the virtuous woman

These are the most basic descriptions of people in Proverbs.  However, there are tons more listed - which ones can you find?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 15, Ruth 4

Tongue-Talk Tuesday

"But I say unto you, That every idle word that men shall speak, they shall give account thereof in the day of judgment." ~Matthew 12:36

This verse is warning us that someday when we stand before the LORD, we will be reminded of all the words we wasted...every word.  That's kind of a scary thing to think about - but I think the LORD wants us to think of this with a bit of fear, because hopefully that fear would keep us from saying things we shouldn't.

What does the word "idle" mean?  It means "without purpose or effect; pointless."  So, the LORD also wants us to realize that we are not supposed to talk just for the sake of talking.  This is something that is super easy to do in our generation.  How?

Through texting.

Are we texting people mostly idle words?  Or are we ministering "grace unto the hearers"?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 14, Ruth 3

Mindful Monday

"What?  know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?  For ye are bought with a price: therefore glorify God in your body, and in your spirit, which are God's." ~ 1 Corinthians 6:19, 20

A few services back Pastor Stockton made the statement, "Don't mess with the things that belong to God".  This statement made me think of our bodies - because, if we are saved, the Bible says that our bodies belong to God.  

The thought I was struck with was that, if our bodies belong to God, why do we think we have the right to display our bodies as we wish?  To do with our bodies as we wish?  To abuse our bodies like we feel like doing?  Why do we use our bodies without any thought of the fact that we are using/abusing God's belongings?  Whether it is in the matter of where we go, what we say, how we wear our clothes, how we move, and on and on and on...so much of what we do pertains to our bodies.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 13, Ruth 2

Fearful Friday

The other day when I was reading my Bible, the LORD really struck me with a serious fact.  It was an exhortation to me that I wanted to share with you girls in our Fearful Friday series.  Let's start with Jeremiah 32:40 - "And I will make an everlasting covenant with them, that I will not turn away from them, to do them good; but I will put my fear in their hearts, that they shall not depart from me."

God is the One speaking here.  The part that jumped out at me was the fact that fear of Him in their hearts would be what would keep them from departing from God.  Thinking of departing from God jumped my thoughts to the verse in Proverbs 2, that says the strange woman "...forsaketh the guide of her youth, and forgetteth the covenant of her God" (vs 17).  Um - this scared me a lot.  It hit me that the strange woman (we will talk more about her in future Fridays) was one who grew up "fearing the LORD" but then forsakes that way of life as she gets older.  In other words --- the strange woman in Proverbs 2 was a saved woman!  Think about it: what would have been the guide of her youth? ...the fear of the LORD.

The way God connected these 2 verses for me is something I never want to forget.  I want to take this thought as a warning that if I live without the fear of the LORD, I am just as capable of becoming a strange woman as the lady in Proverbs 2 was.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 10, Ruth 1

Therefore Thursday

Word studies involve quite a bit of "work" - but it is fun work, don't worry ;)  The fun part in this one will be that I am doing the work for you girls :)

Today I want to look at the definition of "therefore".  Webster's Dictionary tells us that it means "for that reason; consequently; because of that; on that ground; to that end."

So, when you are reading your Bible and you see "therefore", consider the fact that God put that word there to catch your attention.  Any statement containing a "therefore" is true because of the verses or sentences directly before it; it is backed up by the preceding words.  "Therefore" reminds me of how important God says it is for us to know why we believe what we believe.

A few examples:

- God is good; therefore He loves.

- Mrs. Kim has a husband and eight children; therefore, she is a wife and mother.

- God says His Word is 100% truth; therefore, we can trust in It without any doubts.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 9

CONGRATULATIONS!  By now you have read an entire book of the Bible! :)

Wisdom on Wednesday

"Wisdom is the principal thing; therefore get wisdom: and with all thy getting get understanding." ~ Proverbs 4:7

Wisdom is something that is available to anyone who asks for it.  James reminds us of this in James 1:5 - "If any of you lack wisdom, let him ask of God...and it shall be given him."

It is also something that people aren't born with; it is not something that "some people have and some don't".  The only reason that one person has wisdom and another does not is because one has asked for wisdom.  God has the wisdom we need, but He does not shove it down our throats; He has it in His hand, waiting for us to ask for it.

The thought for today is this: do we ask God for wisdom?  Proverbs exhorts us to utilize all our "getting".  That indicates doing everything within our power to obtain God's wisdom.

What is God's formula for receiving wisdom?

...simply ask Him for it.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 8

Tribulation Tuesday

Besides what we decide to tell each other, none of us really know when one of us is having a bad day.  Those days of feeling discouraged, scared, or lonely pop up in our life because tribulation is a very real thing.  Jesus even told us that in the world, we would have tribulation...but I think it's so neat how He coupled that dismal word with this blessed promise: "...but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world." ~ John 16:33.  

So today, I just want to give you some encouragement from God's Word to "hang in there".  I don't know what your heart is facing today, but Jesus does...so I couldn't think of better words to share with our hearts than His Words.

"Be thou my strong habitation, whereunto I may continually resort: thou hast given commandment to save me; for thou art my rock and my fortress." ~ Psalm 71:3

"From the end of the earth will I cry unto thee, when my heart is overwhelmed: lead me to the rock that is higher than I." ~ Psalm 61:2

"Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it." ~ 1 Thessalonians 5:24

"Blessed be God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies, and the God of all comfort; who comforteth us in all our tribulation, that we may be able to comfort them which are in any trouble, by the comfort wherewith we ourselves are comforted of God." ~ 2 Corinthians 1:3, 4

"It is of the LORD'S mercies that we are not consumed, because his compassions fail not.  They are new every morning: great is thy faithfulness." ~ Lamentations 3:22, 23

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 7

Mindful Monday

"Thou shalt rise up before the hoary head, and honour the face of the old man, and fear thy God: I am the LORD." ~ Leviticus 19:32

"The hoary head is a crown of glory, if it be found in the way of righteousness." ~ Proverbs 16:31

What is a hoary head?  "Hoary" very simply means "grayish white".  So, a hoary head is someone elder, one whose hair is more than likely some version of "hoary" :)  We have several of these in our church, not to mention all of our individual grandparents in our families.

God has a lot to say about the younger generation honoring the older generation.  Why do you think God said "children, obey your parents in the Lord..."?  It is because He knows that respect is something we either learn or don't learn as young children.  It's not impossible for an older teenager/a young adult to learn respect, but it is much, much harder at that age.

Remember once we were talking about basic manners?  I shared with you that it is respectful for you to greet an adult first.  Do you ever do that?  Or are you always in your own little bubble and only speak to an adult when they speak to you?

The simple act of greeting an elder person with a friendly "hello Mrs. ______" pays them a great honor. So often the older generation is left to themselves; yet what great wisdom lies within their hearts, waiting for us to draw it out of them with meaningful questions - "Counsel in the heart of man is like deep water; but a man of understanding will draw it out." ~ Proverbs 20:5

Maybe you've never thought about these things before - and that's ok!  Good manners and social graces are things we sometimes think of as part of "the olden days", but most of them are actually based on Biblical principle, and are thus things that we should make a normal part of our everyday life.

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 6

Favorite Friday

There's so many cool things in the Bible; exciting stories, interesting people, fascinating miracles, curious words...there is no end to what we can learn from God's Word!  I believe God included so much variety throughout the Bible because He knew with what variety He would create each of us.  He knew that some of us would be intrigued with Ruth's example, while others of us would be inspired by Mary Magdalene.  

So...to start off the fun of Favorite Fridays: who is your favorite lady in the Bible?  Why?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 3

Thankful Thursday

I know we just celebrated the LORD yesterday; but I felt it was a good week to do so yet again!  David said "Seven times a day do I praise thee because of thy righteous judgments." ~ Psalm 119:164.  If David knew he praised God seven times a day, I wonder if he had certain times set each day that he purposed to praise the LORD for something.  Do we ever praise God on purpose?  Do I ever praise Him on purpose?

Let's praise the LORD on purpose together, girls...what would you like to thank Him for today?

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 2

Wonderful Wednesday

Alright, girls - let's celebrate the LORD today!  Sometimes, by the time we get to Wednesday in our week, we feel pretty worn out or ready for Friday to come already!!!  That's why it is so neat that we get to go to church on Wednesday night.  We are blessed to have that opportunity to recharge in God's house.  Celebrating the LORD in our hearts helps us get back on track when we've been feeling run down, discouraged, or dismal.

What is one way God has proved Himself to be wonderful in your life?  Has He saved you?  Has He given you food to eat every day?  Has He allowed you to be born in America?  Comment with one way He has done so in your life!

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Bible Reading: Proverbs 1