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    God Is My Refuge: Twelve Weeks of Devotions and Scripture Memory for Troubled Times
    God Is My Refuge: Twelve Weeks of Devotions and Scripture Memory for Troubled Times
    God Is My Refuge: Twelve Weeks of Devotions and Scripture Memory for Troubled Times
    Ebook167 pages2 hours

    God Is My Refuge: Twelve Weeks of Devotions and Scripture Memory for Troubled Times

    By Kathy Howard

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    About this ebook

    In this daily devotional, Kathy Howard combines Scripture reading, insightful commentary, personal reflection, and Scripture memory to help women draw closer to God and experience his help in the midst of life’s trials.“In this world you will have trouble.” Jesus said it and our life experiences prove it. From financial need and illness to loss and broken relationships, every Christian woman encounters difficulties. Most believe God can help, but many don’t know where to go in the Bible to find the comfort, peace, andguidance he longs to give. God Is My Refuge provides the direction Christian women need to discover, understand, and apply the “ever-present help” that only God can give.Each devotional includes five components to guide readers through a well-rounded time with God. Through these components readers will havethe opportunity to hear from God through the Bible, understand biblical truths, apply these truths to their lives, respond to God in prayer, and equip themselves through Scripture memory.
    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherLeafwood Publishers
    Release dateJan 2, 2013
    ISBN9780891127567
    God Is My Refuge: Twelve Weeks of Devotions and Scripture Memory for Troubled Times
    Author

    Kathy Howard

    KATHY HOWARD has been teaching the Bible for over twenty years to a variety of audiences. She has a Masters in Christian Education from the Canadian Southern Baptist Seminary. Kathy helps women live an unshakeable faith through her Bible teaching and writing. She encourages them to stand firm on our rock-solid God no matter life's circumstances. Raised in Louisiana, she and her engineer husband have moved around the U.S. and Canada.

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      Book preview

      God Is My Refuge - Kathy Howard

      precious.

      Introduction

      Are you in the middle of an overwhelming situation? Have you recently experienced a loss? Are you or a family member facing an illness, job loss, or personal crisis? Are you just struggling with life in general?

      God sees. He knows all about your circumstances. And He cares. Cast all your anxiety on him because he cares for you (1 Pet. 5:7). He invites you to come to Him with all of it. Cast your cares on the Lord and he will sustain you; he will never let the righteous fall (Ps. 55:22). He desires to be your help and strength. God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble (Ps. 46:1).

      This devotional book is designed to help you bring your cares to God so you can experience what only He can provide. He wants to comfort you in your grief, give you hope in times of discouragement, and fill you with joy in seasons of sadness.

      Over the next twelve weeks, immerse yourself in the promises of God’s Word. Each week focuses on a different challenge that life may throw your way, from material needs and illness to broken relationships and loss. Through the five days of devotions each week, you will experience God’s heart for you in the midst of that struggle.

      The first devotion of each week highlights a verse for you to memorize. (I memorize from the New International Version, but you use the translation you like best.) I strongly encourage you to accept the challenge of memorizing these twelve Scriptures over the course of this book. Memorizing God’s Word solidly entrenches His truth in your heart and mind. Then, through it, God can minister to you in powerful and very personal ways. Here are just a few ways God can work in your life through His Word:

      Provide you with comfort, encouragement, peace, and strength (Col. 3:15–16; Ps. 1:1–3).

      Give you guidance and wisdom (Ps. 37:31; Ps. 119:24, 98, 105).

      Foster your spiritual growth (2 Tim. 3:16–17; Heb. 4:12; 1 Pet. 2:2).

      Prepare you to share your faith with others (1 Pet. 3:15; Acts 18:28).

      Fill you with joy and pour out His blessings (Ps. 119:24, 47, 103; James 1:21–25).

      The thought of memorizing Scripture is overwhelming for many Christians—me included! That’s why this devotional gives you daily, doable steps to help you succeed. You can do it, and the effort is more than worth it. God will use His Word in your life to care for you.

      Note: One thing you should have ready in advance is a way to record and store your memory verses. Here are a few suggestions:

      Index cards and a recipe box.

      Blank cards the size of business cards and a business card file. (These files look a bit like small photo albums and come in various sizes.)

      Card stock cut to fit a photo album with plastic sleeves. (You can cut your paper the right size: 4x6 or 5x7.) Also, if you need additional space, consider keeping a journal or notebook to write your responses to the reflection questions or to record your prayers each day. You may find great blessings in being able to look back and see how God has worked in your life and heart over the weeks of this devotional.

      WEEK ONE

      TROUBLE

      Memory Verse

      God is our refuge and strength, an ever-present help in trouble.

      Psalm 46:1

      Day One

      A Safe Place

      Read: Psalm 46:1–7

      Weekly memory verse: Psalm 46:1

      Safe! I’m on base. I’m safe! You can’t get me now!

      Remember playing the game of tag as a child? The person who was it chased all the other players, hoping to tag one and make them it for the next round. Most of the players ran quickly to the safety of home base. However, at least one player would usually tempt fate by continuing to run around, barely darting out of the grasp of it again and again. Not me, though. I always ran straight to home base and the protection it provided.

      I haven’t played tag in a very long time, but I still need a safe place to run to when the troubles of life threaten to overtake me. I need a refuge—a shelter, a place of safety that protects me from danger and trouble.

      In John 16:33, Jesus said His followers will have trouble in this world. We live in a fallen world, full of troubles of all kinds. In fact, sometimes, like the mountains in Psalm 46:3, we may see our lives crumbling around us while the flood waters rise. But God offers protection for His children in distress.

      According to Psalm 46:1, God is our refuge, our ever-present help in trouble. He has the power to save and the authority to act. We don’t have to fear our circumstances. God is bigger than our personal crisis, any physical disaster, or any political upheaval. Whenever and wherever His children need help, God is there.

      Reflect and Apply

      What troubles, difficulties, or heartaches are you dealing with now?

      List the things you learned about God from today’s Scripture.

      Do you believe God is bigger than your troubles? Reflect on how God may choose to use your troubles for His purposes.

      Prayer Prompt

      Write a prayer to God, acknowledging Him as your refuge, your place of safety.

      Memory Minute

      Each day of devotions will guide you through a quick exercise to help you memorize that week’s memory verse. Please take a minute or two each day to follow the suggestions, and by the end of the week you should know it by heart. Don’t forget to review your memorized verses regularly.

      For a constant reminder that God is our source of strength and place of safety, commit to memorize Psalm 46:1.

      Read the verse.

      Read the verses immediately surrounding it to understand the context in which it is written (in this case, read Psalm 46:1–3).

      Rewrite the verse in your own words at the bottom of this page (or in your journal).

      Write the verse and reference on a card. This card should fit the type of storage system you’ve chosen for your verses. (See the note at the end of the Introduction for suggestions.)

      Read it out loud three times.

      Day Two

      God Hears

      Read: Psalm 116:1–5

      Weekly memory verse: Psalm 46:1

      When our three children were little, my husband, Wayne, could sleep even if one of them was in the bed with us, crying in the aftermath of a nightmare. But all it took for me to pop up in bed awake was one small whimper from across the house. If one child went to bed not feeling well, I slept poorly that night. I would only doze off and on, anticipating being needed. It seemed my mom ears were constantly listening for my children’s calls.

      Overwhelmed with trouble, the author of Psalm 116 called out to God for help. God heard and acted. God saved him and met his needs. The psalmist responded to God’s attentive care with praise and a declaration of love. Now that the psalmist has experienced God’s faithfulness, he will continue to call upon the one God who is willing and able to save.

      Our heavenly Father hears the cries of His children. His ears are turned our direction, anticipating our needs, longing to hear us call His name. And when our cries for help reach His ears, He moves to save us. He acts on our behalf because He is gracious, righteous, and compassionate. God helps His children when they put their faith and trust in the only One who is able to save them from all their troubles. Who do you trust to call when faced with trouble?

      Reflect and Apply

      Where do you usually turn first when you are troubled or distressed? Do you turn to God or to a friend, spouse, thing, or activity?

      Do you believe God hears your cries for help? Do you believe He is able to help?

      If God hears our cries and is able to act, why do you think we might turn first to some place or someone other than to God?

      Prayer Prompt

      Cry out to God now. Lay all your hurts and needs before Him in prayer.

      Memory Minute

      Read Psalm 46:1 from the card you created yesterday.

      Spend a moment thinking about what this verse teaches about the following:

      • What you should believe about God.

      • Things you can praise or thank God for.

      • What you can pray for yourself or others.

      Identify two to

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