Girlfriends in God- July 16, 2020

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July 16, 2020 The Little Black Dress of Faith Gwen Smith Today’s Truth The wisdom from above is first of all pure. (James 3:17a, NLT)            Friend to Friend All throughout the Bible, we see that wisdom is the real deal when it comes to spiritual must-haves. I like to think of it as the little black dress of faith. An essential must-have for every Christian woman to possess and wear. And surely one that we all look good in! But in today’s world, it can be tricky to make wise decisions and choices. We’re surrounded by foolish and conflicting messages. Messages that oppose the wisdom of God as revealed in Scripture. We get hit from all sides with opinions, posts, and tweets about what people have and want and do—and about what people think is right and wrong. They write it on signs and walk picket lines in an attempt to sway us in their direction. They Instagram it, pin it on Pinterest, send e-petitions to our in-boxes, and blog about it. And then there’s the media that screams like a colicky baby, demanding that we take note of the angle that they are trying to sell as acceptable behavior. One thing’s for sure, there’s a wide difference between the wisdom of God and the wisdom of the world. When I say wide, I mean Grand Canyon wide. I mean the distance-between-the-east-coast-of-America-and-the-west-coast-of-Europe wide! Here’s what James had to say about godly wisdom: The wisdom from above is first of all pure. It is also peace loving, gentle at all times, and willing to yield to others. It is full of mercy and the fruit of good deeds. It shows no favoritism and is always sincere.” (James 3:17 NLT) Does that sound like the world to you? Pure? Peace loving? Gentle? Willing to yield? Full of mercy and good deeds? Fair and sincere? I think not. Keeping these truths in mind helps me as a friend. When I’m tempted to vent my frustration about that other person, God’s wisdom reminds me to be a woman of peace. It helps me as a Jesus follower. When I’m tempted to read a book or watch a movie that is fifty shades of compromise, God’s wisdom reminds me that I’m to be a holy, pure vessel for Him. Here’s a refreshing truth: When the world shouts its ways that are contrary to the wisdom of God, I have a choice. I really do. I might not feel like it, but I do. I get to choose my response even when the pressures of political correctness or public opinion squeeze hard. Even in my workplace. Those pressures are indicators that I need to address the issue and not run from it or cave in to it. My behavior is my choice, no one else’s. And I want my choices to align with the ageless wisdom of the all-knowing God. So I choose to put on my little black dress of faith. And some cute shoes, of course! Let’s Pray Lord, I want Your wisdom. Please direct my choices, my behaviors, and my heart. Forgive me for the times when I look to others or to myself when I should be looking to You. In Jesus’ Name, Amen. Now It’s Your Turn Where is your little black dress of faith? Choose one: A. “I don’t have one, but I’m asking God for one today!” B. “Stuck in the back of my heart closet. I really need to dig it out.” C. “At the dry cleaners! Wore it last week but need to pick it up today!” D. “Wearing, it, baby! Dazzling with His amazingness! Party on!” Where do you want it to be? Swing by my blog and leave a comment or a prayer. Let’s discuss this as a community today. More from the Girlfriends Today’s post is an excerpt from Gwen Smith’s book, I Want It All. You want to grow closer to God, right? Without question, reading the Bible helps make this happen. If you’d like to read and study the Bible, but at your own pace and in your own space, this is the perfect way to get you started! Get your FREE downloadable 5-Day Psalm Challenge now and enjoy studying the Bible in the comfort of your home, in a timeframe that fits with your personal schedule. Seeking God? GirlfriendsInGod.com

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