Let our Daughters be like graceful pillars!

A Graceful Pillar

Lynn Cowell

"May our sons flourish in their youth like well-nurtured plants. May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace." Psalm 144:12 (NLT)

Devotion:

Where did the time go? I remember like it was only yesterday...the dark-haired little princess dancing on top of the coffee table, star-studded sunglasses gracing her face, singing as though she was the next "American Idol."

Now, she's a beautiful young lady in the making, grinning at me from the dressing room. Her smile still says, Look at me, Mommy, don't I look pretty? And she does, in so many ways. Her beauty is more than just physical. I see a tender heart that is learning who she is and becoming who the Lord made her to be.

Vickey Courtney says, "Girls who are 'sugar and spice and everything nice' are made, not born." This is so true. Girls today have so much pressure on them to be this and do that; attempting to please the ever-changing culture around them. They often find themselves caught between the daytime world of school and evening world of family. Their desire to be accepted is deep and very real. They want to know that they are valuable; that they have worth.

Maybe that is why God created mothers - to be the conduit for the power of God's truth to be given to the next generation. It is our place to teach our daughters exactly how He sees them. To be the voice that says, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." (Song of Solomon 4:7, NIV). When they are looking in the mirror picking themselves apart, we can pour into them God's Word. Psalm 45:11 "The King is enthralled by your beauty..." (NIV). "Enthralled" means captivated. They are desperate to have someone say, "You make my head spin" and who better to say it than their Creator who is flipped-out over them!

As I think about today's key verse, "May our daughters be like graceful pillars, carved to beautify a palace," I am reminded that pillars are not found in the wild. Pillars are not born. Pillars are formed. Carefully, an artesian chisels away at the stone little by little, creating a masterpiece. You can be the artesian in the life of your daughter. Don't be afraid. The Master Artesian is your teacher. You can be the one that the Lord has appointed to take the rough piece of stone and carve it into the graceful pillar, fit for a palace.

Dear Lord, this task seems too big for me. Raising a daughter that glorifies You could not possibly be more contrary to our culture. I do want my daughter to be like a graceful pillar; a graceful pillar that brings You honor. Show me opportunities today where I can lovingly speak that Truth into her life. In Jesus' Name, Amen

Resources:

Secret Keeper Girl: 8 Great Dates for You and Your Daughter by Dannah Gresh

The Mom I Want To Be: Rising Above Your Past to Give Your Kids a Great Future by T. Suzanne Eller

Visit Lynn's blog

Application Steps:

One way that I pour into my daughters is to have special days with them. On these dates, we do fun things: at-home facials, day at a tea room, a special shopping trip. During these dates, I incorporate a lesson that teaches them one of God's truths. Secret Keeper Girl is filled with these types of dates. It is a perfect way to build memories and relationships too!

Learn who you are in Christ. Study scriptures that teach these truths. As you learn them for yourself, it will give you a fresh revelation to share with your daughter.

Begin a Gather & Grow group with Proverbs 31 Ministries for teen girls. Be a part of forming not only your own daughter, but the many girls today who do not have a godly woman in their life.

Reflections:

Do you feel comfortable having conversations with your daughter about the Lord, or do you need a little help with some conversation starters?

Find another woman who has a raised a godly daughter and ask her for wisdom on this.

Power Verses:

Zephaniah 3:17, "The Lord your God is with you, He is mighty to save. He will take great delight in you, He will quiet you with His love, He will rejoice over you with singing." (NIV)

Song of Solomon 4:7, "All beautiful you are, my darling; there is no flaw in you." (NIV)

Song of Solomon 2:16a, "My lover is mine and I am His." (NIV)

© 2009 by Lynn Cowell. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org

Sit firmly on the foundation

Our Firm Foundation

Ephesians 2:1-9

What we believe determines how we will act. To behave in a godly manner, we must embrace biblical truth. So let's continue examining our beliefs:

• Man's relationship with God is broken, apart from Jesus Christ. When Adam and Eve rebelled against the Lord, their nature became corrupt and alienated them from God. All future generations are born with this condition--a "flesh" nature that separates them from the Father (Rom. 5:12). On our own, we can neither make amends for our sin nor change our nature.

• Salvation comes through Jesus alone (Acts 4:12). God's justice required a penalty for sin, but only a sacrifice without defect would suffice. Jesus, who lived a perfect life on earth, was uniquely qualified. He bore our sins and died in our place so we might be forgiven and adopted into God's family. When we receive Him as Savior, we're given a new nature, and Christ's righteousness is counted as ours (Phil. 3:9; 2 Cor. 5:17).

• The church--Christ's body--is made up of born-again believers throughout the world (1 Cor. 12:13). All Christians are commanded to worship the Lord, care for one another, and share in the work of spreading the gospel. God's followers are also given spiritual gifts to use in building up other believers.

If these truths are the basis for our view of life, we'll find ourselves growing in the grace and knowledge of Jesus Christ. Forgiving others will become a possibility--and dying to self a more common occurrence. Ungodly traits will fade away and be replaced by the fruit of the Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23).

Essential Truths of the Faith

Matthew 7:24-25

Through faith in Jesus Christ, we become children of God and citizens of heaven (Phil. 3:20). We no longer belong to this world. Our allegiance is to the Lord. To live in a way pleasing to Him, our beliefs must align with His. These include:

• The Bible is true. It contains the self-revelation of our heavenly Father--His nature, plan of salvation, and dealings with mankind. God in His omnipotence made sure that His Word was recorded accurately (2 Tim. 3:16). There, we find everything we need for the Christian life (2 Peter 1:3). Since Scripture is the final authority on faith and conduct, embracing its truth is essential for all believers.

• The Lord created the heavens and the earth, including each of us. Genesis reveals a personal God who was intimately involved in this work. As Creator, He has authority and power over what He made.

• There is only one God, and He expresses Himself in three persons: God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. The terms Godhead, Trinity, and Triune God are all used to describe this concept, which is supported by numerous scriptures. For instance, both the Spirit and Jesus were active at creation (Gen. 1:2; Col. 1:16) and identified as divine (John 10:30; 16:7-15).

Ask yourself, Do I believe that the whole Bible is the inspired, infallible word of God? Am I growing in my understanding of it? Am I learning to know the Holy Spirit as well as God the Father and His Son Jesus? Have I accepted the Lord's authority over my life, my family, and my world?

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit

www.intouch.org

and

click here to listen to Dr. Stanley at OnePlace.com.

Confess your way to righteousness restorational crediting in your spiritual account!

Exposed

Micca Monda Campbell

"If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness." I John 1:9 (NIV)

Devotion:

I have a talent for embarrassing myself. A few years ago, at one of our Proverbs 31 Ministries' Conferences, I was alone in the elevator on my way to a meeting, when I noticed that my panty hose were sagging. I had been running non-stop since the conference began, so naturally I needed to freshen up. I figured since I was the only one in the elevator, it was safe to lift up my skirt, bend over, and pull up my hose. I'm sure you have done something similar.

There was only one problem. When I entered the elevator at the bottom floor, it had a back wall. As I rode the elevator from one floor to the next, I noticed something had changed. The back wall had magically transformed into a glass wall! Ingeniously, the hotel was built in a circle with a large floor-to-roof atrium. This design meant that all of the glass elevators overlooked the center of the hotel as they moved up and down. What was in the center of the atrium with the translucent elevators? The hotel restaurant. What time of day was it? You guessed it - dinnertime. The room was packed with people unaware that they were getting both dinner and a show!

I was horrified! Aren't we all when a side of us is exposed that we would rather keep covered? I think sin is like that. We try to hide it, but at some point it reveals itself, leaving us embarrassed, sorrowful, and ashamed. Not all sins are exposed; there are some that we manage to keep concealed. In doing so, it gives us the false illusion that no one can see them. While others may not, we forget that God can see all. And He doesn't need a glass wall to see what is hidden.

What does our sin do to the heart of God? The Bible says that our sin grieves the Holy Spirit within us (Ephesians 4:30, paraphrased). I don't know about you, but knowing that I can break the heart of God does something to my own heart. Not only am I ashamed, but a deep sense of separation from God comes over me. The good news is God doesn't keep a record of our sin. What He keeps a record of is when we believe Him.

The Apostle Paul tells us, "Consider Abraham: 'He believed God, and it was credited to him as righteousness'" (Galatians 3:6, NIV).Therefore, "If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just and will forgive us our sins and purify us from all unrighteousness" (I John 1:9). That's a promise. There is no need to hide our sin or defend our wrong actions when we can simply have God's forgiveness.

In the historical event found in Matthew chapter 26, Jesus sat down with His twelve disciples to prepare for the Passover. During this time, Jesus reveled to His followers something only He could see. "I tell you the truth, one of you will betray me." (Matthew 26:21, NIV). I love the disciples' reaction. They didn't become defensive at Christ's words.

When I know that one of my three children have disobeyed in some way, but I don't know who, I say to them, "One of you has broken a rule." They usually respond by blaming one another or defending themselves. The disciples did not. They didn't try to play cover up or debate the matter. They didn't even point fingers at one another. Instead, each one examined themselves. Even Judas asked Jesus, "Surely not I, Rabbi?" Jesus answered, "Yes, it is you." (Matthew 26:25, NIV).

Once Judas' eyes were open to his sin, he had a choice to make. He could either fess up and be done with it or he could carry out his betrayal. He chose the latter. That choice determined his tragic destiny. Yet, Judas' fate didn't have to end that way. If Judas had responded to his conviction before he betrayed Christ with repentance, someone else would have had to fill his role in history. Why? Because Christ our Lord was sent to free us from sin and restore us back into fellowship with God.

You and I need to understand that Jesus doesn't expose our sin to embarrass us or condemn us. God didn't send Christ into the world to condemn but to save. When you and I sin, God is simply waiting for us to look inward and say, "Lord, it is I?" In the instant we confess with faith, Christ is ready and willing to make all things new.

Dear Lord, I confess to you my sin of _________. I'm sorry that my sin breaks Your heart. Cleans me and restore my relationship with You. Fill me once more with Your peace and presence, In Jesus' Name, Amen.

Related Resources:

Do You Know Him?

Confessions of a Good Christian Girl: The Secrets Women Keep and the Grace that Saves Them by Tammy Maltby

An Untroubled Heart by Micca Campbell

For more from Micca visit her blog and check out her additional resources .

Application Steps:

When you know that you have sinned against God, confess it immediately. Don't wait.

Reflections:

Do you often try to hide your sin or are you quick to confess it?

How are you betraying yourself by not confessing your sin?

Power Verses:

Romans 10:9, "That if you confess with your mouth, 'Jesus is Lord,' and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." (NIV)

Ephesians 1:7, "In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sin, in accordance with the riches of God's grace." (NIV)

© 2009 by Micca Campbell. All rights reserved.

Proverbs 31 Ministries

616-G Matthews-Mint Hill Road

Matthews, NC 28105

www.proverbs31.org