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Forgiven Much  Gwen Smith Today’s Truth  “Blessed is the man whose sin the Lord does not count against him.”  Psalm 32:2   Friend to Friend  Luke 7 introduces us to a woman who endured her shame publicly. She was guilty of something, though we are never told what. She is simply described as a woman “who had lived a sinful life.” Though she is nameless to you and me, the people of her town surely knew her name. The Pharisees knew enough to condemn her with judgmental thoughts. Her sin was public, not private. Yet, the public disgrace of this broken, sinful woman became the perfect canvas for Jesus Christ to paint a beautiful picture of extravagant grace. “Now one of the Pharisees invited Jesus to have dinner with him, so he went to the Pharisee’s house and reclined at the table. When a woman who had lived a sinful life in that town learned that Jesus was eating at the Pharisee’s house, she brought an alabaster jar of perfume, and as she stood behind him at his feet weeping, she began to wet his feet with her tears. Then she wiped them with her hair, kissed them and poured perfume on the.” (Luke 7:36-38, NIV). Imagine what a scandalous moment this must have been. I’m sure the host was wondering how this uninvited woman managed to get into his home. We know his mind was racing, because the next few verses tell us s When the Pharisee who had invited him saw this, he said to himself, “If this man were a prophet, he would know who is touching him and what kind of woman she is—that she is a sinner.” Jesus answered him, “Simon, I have something to tell you.” “Tell me, teacher,” he said. “Two men owed money to a certain moneylender. One owed him five hundred denarii, and the other fifty. Neither of them had the money to pay him back, so he canceled the debts of both. Now which of them will love him more?” Simon replied, “I suppose the one who had the bigger debt canceled.” “You have judged correctly,” Jesus said. Then he turned toward the woman and said to Simon, “Do you see this woman? I came into your house. You did not give me any water for my feet, but she wet my feet with her tears and wiped them with her hair. You did not give me a kiss, but this woman, from the time I entered, has not stopped kissing my feet. You did not put oil on my head, but she has poured perfume on my feet. Therefore, I tell you, her many sins have been forgiven—for she loved much. But he who has been forgiven little loves little.” Then Jesus said to her, “Your sins are forgiven.” (Luke 7:39-48)               Imagine the freedom that flooded her soul when this woman looked up, through tear-filled eyes, into the face of grace for the very first time. Jesus looked beyond her reputation to her regret. Then He forgave her. Not because she had earned forgiveness, but because Jesus loved her. She was forgiven much, so she loved Him much. Oh, how I can relate to this sinful woman. The love that resides in my heart is so great because the sins I’ve been forgiven of are so many. Jesus still loves to extend grace, and I am so thankful. Grace! What none of us deserves, but each of us longs for. Philip Yancey in his book, What’s So Amazing about Grace?, wrote: Grace does not excuse sin, but it treasures the sinner. True grace is shocking, scandalous. It shakes our conventions with its insistence on getting close to sinners and touching them with mercy and hope. It forgives the unfaithful spouse, the racist, the child abuser. It loves today’s AIDS-ridden addict as much as the tax collector of Jesus’ day. In his book 3:16, The Numbers of Hope, Max Lucado writes, “The heart of the human problem is the heart of the human. And God’s treatment is prescribed in John 3:16.” You have probably heard this verse since you were a child – the verse scribbled on cardboard signs and held up at sporting events. The verse that gives hope to each and every one of us: “For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life” (John 3:16).   Why would He lay down His life for you, for me, and for all humanity? In one word: love. Perfect, unconditional, doesn’t-matter-who-you-are-or-where-you’ve-been-or-what-you’ve-done love. God made a new and living way through the blood shed by Jesus Christ so our wounded hearts could be restored. Let’s Pray  Heavenly Father, You are above all and beyond all!  You are mighty to save, gracious to forgive, and merciful to forget all that I’ve done wrong.  I praise You for who You are, and thank You for the grace that is at work in my heart and in my life.  Help me cast aside everything that keeps me from You today, Lord.  In Jesus’ Name, I pray.  Amen. Now It’s Your Turn  What came to your mind as you read today’s devotion?  Grab your journal and write about it. Have you experienced the wonder of grace at work in your life?  In what ways?  Do you extend that same grace to others? Spend a few moments in prayer.  Thank God for His grace. Print or write out this verse: “Those who look on him are radiant; their faces are never covered with shame” (Psalm 34:5).  Memorize it and allow it to serve as a reminder that in Christ, you are a new creation, and viewed as radiant by our holy Lord. More from the Girlfriends  Hey friend.  I thought I would leave today’s devotion with this beautiful blessing from scripture …“The amazing grace of the Master, Jesus Christ, the extravagant love of God, the intimate friendship of the Holy Spirit, be with all of you” 2 Corinthians 13:14 (MSG). Today's devotion is an excerpt from Gwen Smith's book, Broken into Beautiful. In Broken into Beautiful, Smith invites you to hear the stories of women with shattered dreams, shameful secrets, and damaged souls...and of the loving heavenly Father who makes them beautiful again.

A Look at Daniel

 

Daniel (remember- the guy in the lion's den?) He knew how to really listen to God throughout the day. Daniel 6:10 says: "But when Daniel learned that the law had been signed, he went home and knelt down as usual in his upstairs room, with its windows open toward Jerusalem. He prayed three times a day, just as he had always done, giving thanks to his God."

Three times a day, Daniel paused to pray and give thanks to God. He was focused on God and listening; that's what a Bible devotion is designed to help us do. They're short, concise and don't take long to read, but they give us a thought that will carry us through the day with our focus on God. Now, in Daniel 9:2: "During the first year of his reign, I, Daniel, was studying the writings of the prophets. I learned from the word of the LORD, as recorded by Jeremiah the prophet, that Jerusalem must lie desolate for seventy years."   What was he doing? Studying the writings of the prophets? That would be the Bible, right? Yes, Daniel also did some serious Bible study. We can't just live on snacks all the time. We need to take time to sit down and enjoy a full meal too.   God was able to do amazing things in the life of Daniel. Much of it was because Daniel was willing to seek God's face and take time to listen to His will. Daniel kept his focus on the eternal.     Father, please help me to be like Daniel and seek your face daily. Help me to learn to hear your voice even above the "noise" of the busyness of life and see what's really important. Thank you that You walk with me each and every day and have rescued me from the lion's den.   Read one of Daniel's prayers - Daniel 9:3-19         By the way, did you realize you just read a Bible devotion? It didn't take but a minute - but I hope the idea sticks with you all day. How about you? Do you need a spiritual telescope to help you keep your focus on the eternal throughout your busy day? Try taking a few minutes every day (maybe even three times a day!) to snack on tidbits of the Good News with daily Bible devotions. I promise it won't make you gain weight! (well, maybe "spiritual" weight and that's a positive thing!)       Following are links to other daily Bible devotions by some of our favorite authors as well as Bible devotions geared specifically for youth, children, women and family; however, if you prefer having a Bible devotional book , there are many wonderful ones available.

Brittle Nails

What to do about brittle nails The most common nail wreckers are harsh detergents and water, which can stress nail fibers. So be sure to put rubber gloves on while you clean or do dishes. Also, avoid using perfume lotions that usually contain alcohol if your nails are brittle. It will only make your nails worse. It may be possible that your calcium intake is low, as well.

Tips to Keep Your Nails Strong and Sexy   When you write down your shopping list, as you punch a phone number into your cell, while you wash dishes, do the ironing, clean the windows, or do one hundred other things that women do on any given day ? do you take notice of the condition of your nails? Our hands are such an integral part of our daily lives, and constantly, we risk their health and strength, often without even noticing, because of the hustle and bustle of our day-to-day activities. Take a few moments each day, or at least a few times a week, to monitor the condition of your nails ? the color, the texture, the appearance of ridges or white marks. Make a greater effort to take good care of your nails, and you will be thrilled with the way they complement your wardrobe and your own personal style. Consider the following tips as a way to enhance the health and quality of your nails.  

Great, Healthy Nails

 

Apply speed-dry nail polish when time is of the essence.Drink lots of water. Keep your body hydrated everyday to maintain healthy nails. Fortify your diet with FDA approved vitamins or supplements. Your fingernails count on you to be responsible with your health and your diet. Unless instructed otherwise by your physician, increase your daily doses of Vitamin A, Vitamin C, calcium, folic acid, protein, Vitamin B12, and zinc. Touch up your manicure on a daily basis to prevent chips and cracks. Your nails depend on you to maintain a healthy diet. Take in lots.

 

Nail polish tips:

 

Finish with a clear topcoat to add gloss and sheen.Start with a base coat to strengthen and protect the nails. Store nail polish in the refrigerator to maintain a smooth consistency. Try not to store nail polish in a room that becomes cold. The nail polish bottles may break without warning, leaving you with a big mess.

 

To avoid breaking nails or brittle nails:

 

Avoid using your nails as tools. This means no picking, scratching, digging, pinching, etc. You know who you are!Increase the amount of calcium in your diet. Use products containing alcohol, especially perfumed lotions, sparingly. These items can make nails prone to breaking. Wear rubber gloves when you do chores that involve continual submersion in water or contact with harsh detergents or chemicals.

No quedará piedra sobre piedra

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Cuando Jesús salía del templo, se acercaron sus discípulos y le señalaron los edificios del templo. Mateo 24:1

Las palabras de Jesús: "Vuestra casa quedará desolada", dejaron a los sacerdotes con una sensación de peligro inminente. También preocuparon a sus discípulos. Mientras salían con él del templo, llamaron su atención a la fortaleza y belleza del edificio. (Mar. 13: l.) "Las piedras del templo eran del mármol más puro, de perfecta blancura y algunas de ellas de tamaño casi fabuloso. Una porción de la muralla había resistido el sitio del ejército de Nabucodonosor. En su perfecta obra de albañilería, parecía como una sólida piedra sacada entera de la cantera. Los discípulos no podían comprender cómo se podrían derribar esos sólidos muros". "Josefo compara las murallas de piedra blanca del templo con la hermosura de una montaña cubierta de nieve, y da las fabulosas dimensiones de algunas de las piedras empleadas en su construcción: 45 por 5 por 6 codos (es decir, unos 20 por 2 por 2,5 m)". Jesús y sus discípulos bajaron la empinada cuesta que llevaba al valle de Cedrón. "Dinos, ¿cuándo serán estas cosas, y qué señal habrá de tu venida, y del fin del mundo?" (Mat. 24:3).

"Al formular su pregunta, los discípulos tenían en cuenta los mensajes mesiánicos de los profetas del AT. Sin embargo, ellos, al igual que muchos otros Judíos, no comprendían que las promesas hechas por Dios a Israel sólo podían cumplirse si se daban las condiciones necesarias". Ellos creían, al igual que muchos judíos, que el Mesías desaparecería por un corto tiempo y regresaría de algún lugar secreto. Después de una "segunda venida" así, el reino mesiánico permanecería para siempre. Jesús sabía que la destrucción final de los grandes muros del templo en el año 70 d.C. por las legiones romanas bajo la dirección de Tito (a pesar de sus esfuerzos para salvarlo) no ocurriría por manos humanas. "Ángeles de Dios fueron mandados para destruir el templo, de modo que no quedara ni una piedra sobre otra de las que no hubieran sido ya derribadas".

¡Podemos confiar en las palabras de Cristo! Nuestra fe debe ser fortalecida mientras consideramos las profecías que todavía no se han cumplido.