Like Sheep

June 22, 2007

Just Say Baaaa!
By MaryBeth Whalen

“We all, like sheep, have gone astray, each of us has turned to his own way; and the Lord has laid on Him the iniquity of us all.” (Isaiah 53:6, NIV)

Devotion:
I spent some time this morning just confessing before God that I am a sheep. And I don’t mean that in an “I’m not fat, I’m fluffy” kind of way. I mean in a dirty, smelly, dumb animal kind of way. Let me explain.

As I was praying, I noticed myself once again asking God for some affirmation and encouragement on a specific issue. Now, I have asked for this before - many times, in fact. And God is faithful to answer each and every time. And so, there I was again, asking Him to supply something I know He knows we have already covered. Why can’t I accept this covering once and for all? Why can’t I rest on His promises and accept Him at His word, once and for all? As I listened to myself asking my Heavenly Father for the same thing all over again, I wondered, “Why doesn’t He get tired of me already and tell me to go bother someone else?” And I realized, because I am a sheep. And He expects me to act like a sheep.

As I thought about this, I realized how many other dumb sheep things I do daily. I lose my way. I ask questions for which I already know the answers. My attitude stinks. I ram my head against the same brick wall, hoping for different results. I wander off from Him and then pout because I feel like He’s not there for me. I am a sheep. Yet, He is the Shepherd. Ezekiel 34:11-12a says, “For this is what the Sovereign Lord says: I myself will search for my sheep and look after them. As a shepherd looks after his scattered flock when he is with them, so will I look after my sheep” (NIV). How I need the comfort, nurture and protection of the Shepherd.

After I spent time just confessing how sheep-like I am, I spent time praising Him for His infinite patience with us, His flock. I praised Him for knowing how dirty, smelly and dumb we are and loving us anyway. I praised Him that He knows how very little we have to offer and accepts it as our gift to Him. A shepherd doesn’t expect his sheep to be wolves or eagles or anything other than sheep. Knowing that comforted me in the strangest sort of way. I love knowing that He leaves the 99 to get the one lost, hopeless sheep. (Matthew 18:12-13 NIV). He doesn’t pick the sheep up and yell at it for acting like a sheep. Instead He patiently, lovingly carries it back to the flock and resumes His watch.

I love knowing that when I bring my little insecurities to Him, revealing my weaknesses and confusion, He doesn’t say, “How can you be so stupid?” He says, “I expected nothing less from a sheep” and loves me anyway.

I hope that, like me, this will comfort you today. I hope that when you feel lost, hopeless, and smelly or just plain dumb for making the same mistakes or going to God with the same requests, you will just reflect on being a sheep. Spend time thanking Him for loving you anyway and being your Shepherd every day.

Dear Lord, thank You for being my Shepherd, and for loving me even when I act like a sheep. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:
For the Write Reason by Select Authors, Edited by Marybeth Whalen

P31 Woman Magazine

Do You Know Him?

Application Steps:
Do a word study in your Bible concordance on the words “Sheep” and “Shepherd.” How does reading these verses comfort you? Write your own psalm to God praising Him for His willingness to love us even though we are sheep.

Reflections:
What sheep-like things have you done lately? Have you been beating yourself up for behaving like a sheep? Do you realize that God expects you to mess up, and loves you even when you do? Thank Him for this, and ask Him to help you be a better sheep today.

Power Verses:
Psalm 23:1 “The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not be in want. He makes me lie down in green pastures, he leads me beside quiet waters, he restores my soul.” (NIV)

Psalm 28:9, “Save your people and bless your inheritance; be their shepherd and carry them forever.” (NIV)

John 10:14-15, “I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep and my sheep know me???just as the Father knows me and I know the Father???and I lay down my life for the sheep.” (NIV)


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

Satan's Meeting

SATAN'S MEETING:Satan called a worldwide convention of demons.In his opening address he said, "We can't keep Christians from goingto church. We can't keep them from reading their Bibles and knowingthe truth. We can't even keep them from forming an intimaterelationship with their Savior. Once they gain that connection withJesus, our power over them is broken. So let them go to theirchurches; let them have their covered dish dinners, BUT steal theirtime, so they don't have time to develop a relationship with JesusChrist..""This is what I want you to do," said the devil, "Distract them fromgaining hold of their Savior and maintaining that vital connectionthroughout their day!""How shall we do this?" his demons shouted."Keep them busy in the non-essentials of life and invent innumerableschemes to occupy their minds," he answered. "Tempt them to spend,spend, spend, and borrow, borrow, borrow. Persuade the wives to go towork for long hours and the husbands to work 6-7 days each week, 10-12hours a day, so they can afford their empty lifestyles. Keep them fromspending time with their children. As their families fragment, soon,their homes will offer no escape from the pressures of work!Over-stimulate their minds so that they cannot hear that still, smallvoice. Entice them to play the radio or cassette player whenever theydrive." To keep the TV, VCR, CDs and their PCs going constantly intheir home and see to it that every store and restaurant in the worldplays non-biblical music constantly. This will jam their minds andbreak that union with Christ. Fill the coffee tables with magazinesand newspapers. Pound their minds with the news 24 hours a day. Invadetheir driving moments with billboards. Flood their mailboxes with junkmail, mail order catalogs, sweepstakes, and every kind of newsletterand promotional offering free products, services and false hopes..Keep skinny, beautiful models on the magazines and TV so theirhusbands will believe that outward beauty is what's important, andthey'll become dissatisfied with their wives. Keep the wives too tiredto love their husbands at night. Give them headaches too! If theydon't give their husbands the love they need, they will begin to lookelsewhere. That will fragment their families quickly! Give them SantaClaus to distract them from teaching their children the real meaningof Christmas. Give them an Easter bunny so they won't talk about hisresurrection and power over sin and death. Even in their recreation,let them be excessive. Have them return from their recreationexhausted. Keep them too busy to go out in nature and reflect on God'screation. Send them to amusement parks, sporting events, plays,concerts, and movies instead. Keep them busy, busy, busy! And whenthey meet for spiritual fellowship, involve them in gossip and smalltalk so that they leave with troubled consciences. Crowd their liveswith so many good causes they have no time to seek power from Jesus.Soon they will be working in their own strength, sacrificing theirhealth and family for the good of the cause.""It will work!""It will work!"It was quite a plan!The demons went eagerly to their assignments causing Christianseverywhere to get busier and more rushed, going here and there.Having little time for their God or their families.Having no time to tell others about the power of Jesus to changelives.I guess the question is, has the devil been successful in his schemes?You be the judge!!!!!Does "BUSY" mean: B-eing U-nder S-atan's Y-oke?--------------------------------------------------------------------------------" Unless the Lord builds the house, it's builder's labor in vain." Ps.127:1No amount of success in any field of endeavor, can compensate forfailure in the home.

We want out!

Lily and Pepper

Just A Reminder Devotion

June 20, 2007

Just a Reminder
By Melissa Taylor

“I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me.” Psalm 16:8 (NLT)

Devotion:
A few months ago, I went to a weight loss center. Once again, I was ready to lose weight. The first thing my encouraging counselor asked me to do was to write a letter to myself. “Why?” I asked. She replied, “I want you to remember how you feel right now and why getting healthy is a priority in your life. Over time, you may forget. If you do, I’m going to mail it to you to serve as just a reminder.”

I have found that I often need reminders. I’m a visual person, so visual cues are quite useful to me. I have scripture cards on the inside of my cabinets to bring God’s Word to mind during the day. There is a picture of my niece in my car to remind me to pray for my sister’s family. My laundry room is covered with post it notes containing God’s Word reminding me to be thankful for the laundry I am doing and the blessings who wear those clothes. In our kitchen we have a calendar containing the family’s schedule and my life could not function without the reminders I keep in my daily planner. We need reminders to keep us on track, but we also need to be reminded of how special God is.

A few years ago I went to the store in search of a card for my husband. It wasn’t our anniversary or his birthday; I just wanted to get him a card reminding him of how special he was to me. An unexpected thing happened that day. The first card I picked up read:

In this stressful world,
Yours is the presence that quiets me,
The voice that calms me,
The touch that comforts me…
…the love that helps me remember what is most important in each day.

You’re everything to me.

As I closed this card, my eyes filled with tears. The words were beautiful, only they weren’t meant for my husband. They were meant for my Lord. I did not buy my sweet husband a card that day, and I think he would understand. I bought a card for God instead, to serve as just a reminder.

The words on this card remind me Who I can turn to, Who can comfort me, and Who should be my everything. And that person is not my husband. As great as Jeff is, he can never meet those needs in my life. No one person can - only God can. I need that reminder every day. Not only did I purchase this card, but I wrote a note to God on it and signed my name to it.

Be encouraged today that God wants to be your everything. He desires to be number one in your life. If you are like me, you may forget that at times. I carry that card around with me for that very reason, to serve as just a reminder.

Dear Lord, In this stressful world, Yours is the Presence that quiets me, the Voice that calms me, the Touch that comforts me, and the Love that helps me remember what is most important in each day. You’re Everything to me. In Jesus’ Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

His Princess, Love Letters from Your King, by Sheri Rose Shepherd

Popsicles on the Porch, an ETC article by Trish Berg

Do You Know Him?

Application Steps:
Go to the store in search of a card for your Everything, God. Write a note to Him and sign your name to it. Carry this card in your purse or Bible to serve as just a reminder.

Reflections:
Do you remember daily Who your Everything is?

Are you putting your hope in anyone else but God?

Power Verses:
Psalm 18:1-3, “I love you Lord; you are my strength. The Lord is my rock, my fortress, and my savior; my God is my rock, in whom I find protection. He is my shield, the strength of my salvation, and my stronghold. I will call on the Lord, who is worthy of praise, for he saves me from my enemies.” (NLT)


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

Home again?!!

God loves us all!!

God holds us in His hands!!

Joey and have moved back home again.I pray everything goes better this time.I keep reminding myself that God is in control and I really want to do His will.I feel that this is the right thing to do for now inspite of all the problems (water,roof,heat pump, crazy neighbor).I belive God can and will protect Joey and me plus the horses and dogs.Pslam 4:8 is really helps me sleep at night:I will lie down and sleep in peace, for you alone, O Lord make me dwell in safety. Also psalm 27:1 The Lord is my light and my salvation-whom shall I fear?The Lord is the stronghold of my life-of whom shall I be afraid?Here's another good one:John 14:27 Peace I leave with you, my peace I give you.I do not give to you as the world gives.Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid. Thanks God for everything!