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TodaysGodlyWoman.com

How To Be a Godly Woman

Learn to Love Your Husband and Children

Today's Scripture - John 15:12

My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.

Today's Devotional

If you’re a married woman with children, do you love your husband and kids?

The apostle Paul wrote a letter of counsel to his friend Titus. One portion of the letter deals with teachings especially for women. Today we often refer to the “Titus 2 woman” because it is in chapter 2 of this letter where we read that mature women are to teach younger women about important life issues. Each daily devotional this week will focus on one of these issues.

Today: older women are to train younger women to love their husbands and children.

This is a rather odd request, isn’t it? Does a woman need to be TRAINED to love her husband and children? According to the Bible, yes. Although most of us would agree that we love our families, apparently there’s a need to be taught HOW to love them.

Today’s Scripture, John 15:12 has something to teach us about this. Jesus says, “My command is this: Love each other as I have loved you.” Here are some questions to think about as you consider how Jesus has loved you.

Has Christ been patient with you?

Has He sacrificed for you?

Does Christ know you & love you anyway?

Is Christ prejudiced against you?

Can you do anything to separate yourself from his love?

If you answered “yes” to the first three questions and “no” to the last two then you have an idea of how to love your husband and children.

When you are patient when you feel like flying off the handle; when you put your needs aside for your husband’s; when you know their obvious weaknesses, but love them anyway, you are loving your family with Christ-like love. When you demonstrate love without playing favorites or love no matter what your husband or children have done, you are loving them as Christ loves you.

This kind of love can be learned because it is not an emotion, it is ACTION. The Bible tells us that we must not just speak words of love, but we must show our love through our actions.

And what do you do if you simply can’t demonstrate the love that you feel?

Go back to God and ask him to help you understand his love for you. Ask him to open your eyes to see how he has lavished on you his infinitely deep and wide love.

And then let that love flow through you to your husband and children. You see, my friend, the only reason you and I can love at all is because he loved us first.

Do you love your husband and children?

Of course you do. But you may not always know how to demonstrate that love. Study how Christ has loved you. And then learn to be a vessel through which God’s love can flow to your family. That’s the lesson for today from the Titus 2 woman.

My Personal Reflection on Today's Lesson

Circle key words or phrases in today’s Bible reading. Then reflect on the following:

What message do these words or phrases have for me?
What new or re-newed insight did I gain from the readings or today’s thought?
What encouragement does God have for me today?

My Response to God Today

Write out a prayer to God, telling him what you learned today and asking him to meet a specific need in your life.

How to be Self-Controlled and Pure

Today's Scripture - 1 Peter 1:13-16

Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: “Be holy, because I am holy.

Today's Devotional

The Bible records for us a letter in which the apostle Paul gives his beloved friend Titus counsel on how to instruct the believers in Christian living. Chapter 2 of this letter has become well known among women’s ministries for what older women should teach younger women. This week we are exploring the teachings of the “Titus 2” woman. Today we focus on training the young women to be self-controlled and pure.

In her book titled FEMININE APPEAL, author Carolyn Mahaney describes “self-control” as being like a protective wall around our souls. (page 55-56) In ancient times every city was surrounded by a wall. That wall was its main defense against wild animals and attacks from other cities. Proverbs 25 draws the comparison for us, “A (person) without self-control is like a city broken into and left without walls.”

Dear friend, self-control is our defense against the plundering of and attacks on our hearts. We must raise up the wall of self-control around our bodies. We also need the self-control wall around our thought life and around our emotions. This kind of control leads us to purity. Carolyn Mahaney defines purity as being holy, innocent, chaste and not contaminated. (page 69) Again this involves our bodies, our minds and our emotions.

The question raised by the Titus 2 passage is: Can we LEARN to be self-controlled and pure? The Bible indicates that we can and once we learn we have the responsibility to teach others. Today’s Scripture, 1Peter 1:13-16, gives us 3 training tools in the areas of self-control and purity.

KEEP YOUR MIND SHARP & READY FOR ACTION. What are you doing to exercise your mind? What are you feeding you thoughts? Take a minute to assess the TV you watch, the magazines and books you read, the music you listen to, the conversations you have. Are these things sharpening your mind or are they dulling your senses? Too little sleep, too much food, too many TV programs or romance novels do not help you develop the sharpness you need to be self-controlled or the passions that lead to purity.
OBEY GOD’S WORD. To obey God’s Word you must first KNOW it. Spend time reading your Bible. Think about what you’ve read and then put it into action. Obedience to the Word of God will lead you into a life of self-control and purity.
DO NOT CONFORM TO OLD EVIL DESIRES. As you think about and act on God’s Word your mind will become transformed so that you won’t even want to conform to those old sinful desires which are just a pattern of this sinful world.

Yes, you CAN learn to be self-controlled and pure. Read 1Peter: 13-16 for yourself and discover how you can build the wall of self-control around your soul and live a pure life.

My Personal Reflection on Today's Lesson

Circle key words or phrases in today’s Bible reading. Then reflect on the following:

What message do these words or phrases have for me?
What new or re-newed insight did I gain from the readings or today’s thought?
What encouragement does God have for me today?

My Response to God Today

Write out a prayer to God, telling him what you learned today and asking him to meet a specific need in your life.

Enjoy Being Busy at Home

Today's Scripture - Colossians 3:15-17

Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful. Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom, and as you sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God. And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.

Today's Devotional

Each day this week we are looking at one aspect of Titus, chapter 2. Today our focus is on this phrase, “…older women train the younger women to be busy at home.”

Now that sounds a little antiquated, doesn’t it? Just goes to prove that the Bible really isn’t relevant to our lives today. Or is it?

Whether you’re an at-home mom, or have a full-time career, as a woman you are a home manager. Here are 5 tips to help you ENJOY this godly position from today’s Scripture, Colossians 3:15-17.

1) LET THE PEACE OF CHRIST RULE IN YOUR HEART. Do you know Jesus as your Savior? If not, start by asking him to forgive you and come into your heart today. Then you have available to you the peace of Christ. Take your anxieties to God in prayer. Pour out your heart to him. Keep track of answered prayers. Christ came as the Prince of Peace. As you trust in him peace will come. Peace in your heart will bring peace to your home.

2) BE THANKFUL! Paul says in Philippians 4 that the peace of God will guard your heart and mind when you take your prayers and petitions to him WITH thanksgiving. Deliberately thanking God for something every day will change your heart and enable you to enjoy the sacrificial work you do at home.

3) LET THE WORD OF CHRIST DWELL IN YOU RICHLY. Take a Bible break every day. Put verses up around the house. Get out of the house and into a Bible study. Invite a group of women to come to your home for a study. Nothing will refresh you more than dwelling richly in God’s Word. Read your Bible first thing or a soon as the kids leave. God will make up the time for you and you will be refreshed and equipped to meet the demands of the day.

4) CREATE AN ATMOSPHERE OF GRATITUDE. Play beautiful, up-lifting, God-honoring music while you work around the house. The Bible says, “…sing psalms, hymns and spiritual songs with gratitude in your hearts to God.” The gratitude attitude begins with you, but it will permeate your home and make it a much more enjoyable place.

5) DO EVERYTHING IN THE NAME OF JESUS. The Scripture says, “…whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus.” Whatever, my friend, word or deed. Answer the phone, talk to a child, clean a bathroom, iron clothes, cook meals, plan schedules, help with homework, plant a garden, vacuum, change beds…. Whatever. Do it in the name of Jesus and your heart will change and WHATEVER will be enjoyable.

Homemaking is a high calling. Be busy at home, dear one, and enjoy it.

My Personal Reflection on Today's Lesson

Circle key words or phrases in today’s Bible reading. Then reflect on the following:

What message do these words or phrases have for me?
What new or re-newed insight did I gain from the readings or today’s thought?
What encouragement does God have for me today?

My Response to God Today

Write out a prayer to God, telling him what you learned today and asking him to meet a specific need in your life.

The Picture of Kindness

Today's Scripture - COLOSSIANS 3:12-14

Therefore, as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

Today's Devotional

Every day this week our CHAT devotionals are focused on one attribute older Christian women are to teach younger women according to Titus, chapter 2. Today we read that older women are to train the younger women to “be kind”.

“Kindness” is best understood by gathering together other words in order to paint a word picture. Words like “good-hearted”, “compassionate”, “sympathetic”, “gentle”, “friendly”, “generous” paint the picture of kindness.

Sometimes it helps to understand a concept by considering its antonym. Carolyn Mahaney in her book FEMININE APPEAL points out three sins that can take hold in our hearts and cause us to be anything by kind; anger, bitterness and judging. Now we see the picture of what “kindness” is and we realize that sin in our hearts can keep us from being kind. But we are still left with the question: HOW can I be kind?

We find our answer in today’s Scripture Colossians 3:12-14. In these verses Paul speaks directly to Christians saying, “…as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. Bear with each other and forgive whatever grievances you may have against one another. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.”

We can discover how to be kind by, again, illustrating it in context with other attributes. In this case “kindness” is tucked right in the middle of six Christian virtues – each one a Christ-like characteristic.

Dear friend, you and I can learn to be kind when we look to Jesus as our example and our enabler. Just as we put on our skirt and sweater, stockings and shoes each day and when we go out in the cold we put on our coat in order to be properly dressed; so must we clothe ourselves with certain virtues in order to be kind. Let’s take a look at each piece of virtuous clothing.

First we must put on the garment of COMPASSION, the Christ-like sympathy for another person. Next we need to pull over our heads the dress of HUMILITY and take on the attitude of Christ when he came to this earth. Then we can slip on the jacket of GENTLENESS and the scarf of PATIENCE both of which Jesus demonstrates every day toward you and me. FORGIVENESS must cover everything making it possible for us to bear with one another. And before we go out to meet the demands of the day, in order to be properly clothed we must put on the cloak of LOVE.

Do you want to be kind, my friend? Clothe yourself with these Christ-like qualities and you will be.

My Personal Reflection on Today's Lesson

Circle key words or phrases in today’s Bible reading. Then reflect on the following:

What message do these words or phrases have for me?
What new or re-newed insight did I gain from the readings or today’s thought?
What encouragement does God have for me today?

My Response to God Today

Write out a prayer to God, telling him what you learned today and asking him to meet a specific need in your life.

Ten Thoughts About Submission

Today's Scripture - 1 Corinthians 14:33

For God is not a God of disorder but of peace.

Today's Devotional

When you read the phrase “submit to your husband” what do you think? Do you cringe and recoil from the thought? Are you bored with the subject?

Here are 10 thoughts regarding submission that I pray will be helpful to you.

SUBMISSION IS GOD’S IDEA. From the beginning of time submission has been God’s way of operating. The Father, Son and Holy Spirit – equal in value, submitting in assignments. Man and woman – created equally in God’s image, submitting in roles and responsibilities.
GOD IS A GOD OF ORDER. Today’s verse is one not often used when talking about submission, but think about it carefully in this context. 1Corinthians 14:33(a) – God is not a God of disorder but of peace. One author has written, “We only need to read the account of Creation in Scripture – or study life cycles and food chains in biology – to understand that God has given us order.” (AT THE FEET OF ORDINARY WOMEN, navpress, page 167) When lines of authority are adhered to, peace is the natural outcome – whether in a nation or in your home.
WE ARE ALL UNDER THE AUTHORITY OF GOD. As wives we ultimately answer to God. Do we obey his directive to be submissive? Our husbands must answer to God, too. Does he take seriously the responsibility he’s given?
A WIFE IS NEVER TO SUBMIT TO SINFUL ACTS OR ABUSE FROM HER HUSBAND. If you find yourself in this situation let someone know immediately!
SUBMISSION IS HARD. We are just not naturally inclined to be submissive. If you struggle in this area you’re not alone!
SUBMISSION IS AN ATTITUDE OF THE HEART NOT JUST ACTION. We can be sitting down on the outside, but standing up on the inside. God looks at the heart.
GOD WILL CHANGE YOUR HEART TO CONFORM TO HIS PURPOSES. One prayer I’ve always found God to answer is the prayer to take my hard or stubborn heart and make it soft and submissive.
YOUR HUSBAND IS NOT PERFECT. He will make mistakes. God will use them to his glory. Trust God!
YES, YOU ARE TO SUBMIT TO A NON-BELIEVING HUSBAND. The burden is on his shoulders to lead your family. Unless there are sin or abuse issues, look for the areas of strength in your husband. Trust his judgment and then trust God more.
NEVER BE AFRAID TO VOICE YOUR OPINION! Your husband needs you. He needs to hear from you. He doesn’t have all the answers. Don’t nag or whine, but speak up in appropriate and loving ways. And then leave it with God.

Yes, dear one, learn to submit to your husband. It will bring order to your family and freedom and blessing to you!

My Personal Reflection on Today's Lesson

Circle key words or phrases in today’s Bible reading. Then reflect on the following:

What message do these words or phrases have for me?
What new or re-newed insight did I gain from the readings or today’s thought?
What encouragement does God have for me today?

My Response to God Today

Write out a prayer to God, telling him what you learned today and asking him to meet a specific need in your life.