Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 8 (1st half of chapter)

Scriptures used in chapter:
Admonish the young women to love their husbands. (Titus 2:4, NKJV)

Ointment and perfume delight the heart, And the sweetness of a man’s friend gives delight by hearty counsel. (Proverbs 27:9, NKJV)

The heart of the righteous studies how to answer, But the mouth of the wicked pours forth evil. (Proverbs 15:28, NKJV)

Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, But a good word makes it glad. (Proverbs 12:25, NKJV)

Now hope does not disappoint, because the love of God has been poured out in our hearts by the Holy Spirit who was given to us. (Romans 5:5, NKJV)

But love your enemies, do good, and lend, hoping for nothing in return; and your reward will be great, and you will be sons of the Most High. For He is kind to the unthankful and evil. (Luke 6:35, NKJV)


Key points (from previous notes):
- You are to hold your husband first in your heart after God

Yes, But How?

- What can you do to show your husband affectionate, indulgent, friendship love?

...3. Prepare for Your Husband Daily - "Let the wife make her husband glad to come home." (Martin Luther)

.....- Prepare the house - communicate to your husband "I'm glad you're home."

.....- Prepare your appearance

.....- Prepare your greeting

.....- Set the table

.....- "The king is in the castle!"

.....- "The party!" - Rejoice that the best part of the day has arrived - when your husband gets home and the party is about to begin!

.....- Clear out all visitors

.....- Stay off the phone

For wives arriving after husband:

.....- Prepare all the way home

.....- Pray all the way home

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 7 (2nd half of chapter)

Scriptures used in chapter:
Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed. The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much. (James 5:16, NKJV)

The Lord is not slack concerning His promise, as some count slackness, but is longsuffering toward us, not willing that any should perish but that all should come to repentance. (2 Peter 3:9, NKJV)

...who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth. (1 Timothy 2:4, NKJV)

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives, when they observe your chaste conduct accompanied by fear. Do not let your adornment be merely outward—arranging the hair, wearing gold, or putting on fine apparel— rather let it be the hidden person of the heart, with the incorruptible beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which is very precious in the sight of God. For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. (1 Peter 3:1-6, NKJV)

For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. (Matthew 6:21, NKJV)

The plans of the diligent lead surely to plenty, But those of everyone who is hasty, surely to poverty. (Proverbs 21:5, NKJV)


Key points (from previous notes):
- You are to hold your husband first in your heart after God

Yes, But How?

- Ask of your lifestyle, "Am I spoiling my husband rotten?"

...1. Pray for Your Husband Daily - As you invest your time, your heart, and your life in prayer for your husband, you'll wake up one day and find arguments decreasing and a mellowing - even a warming - in your heart toward your husband. Truly, it's impossible to hate or neglect a person you are praying for!...Focusing on your husband in prayer will help you focus on him in your heart, your thoughts, and your actions. You'll also be surprised at the fruit born in your own life from this prayer - the fruit of understanding, cheerfulness, patience, helpfulness, and calmness.

...2. Plan for Your Husband Daily

......- Plan special deeds of kindness: "What is something I can do for DearHubby today that would help him, cheer him up, make him feel special, lighten his load?"

......- Plan special dinners

......- Plan special times alone

......- Plan spcial dinners alone

......- Plan an early bedtime for children

......- Plan to go to bed at the same time

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 7 (1st half of chapter)

Scriptures used in chapter:
...the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children,... (Titus 2:3-4, NKJV)

Therefore a man shall leave his father and mother and be joined to his wife, and they shall become one flesh. (Genesis 2:24, NKJV)

Key points:
- You are to hold your husband first in your heart after God

Heartfelt Yet Practical Love

- But when God instructs us to "love" our husbands in Titus 2:4, the word is phileo, meaning friendship love - a love that cherishes, enjoys, and likes our husbands! Each of us is to value our husband as our best friend and want to be with him more than with any other person.

Yes, But How?

- Decide to make your husband your Number One human relationship - Your husband is to be Number One in your life (after God) - and he needs to know it. And everyone else needs to know it too.

- Begin to choose your husband over all other human relationships - The wise woman remembers she will begin and end as a wife

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 6 (2nd half of chapter)

Scriptures used in chapter:
Therefore, just as the church is subject to Christ, so let the wives be to their own husbands in everything. (Ephesians 5:24, NKJV)

For in this manner, in former times, the holy women who trusted in God also adorned themselves, being submissive to their own husbands, as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord, whose daughters you are if you do good and are not afraid with any terror. (1 Peter 3:5-6, NKJV)

And the apostles said to the Lord, “Increase our faith.” (Luke 17:5, NKJV)

...that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. (Titus 2:4-5, NKJV)

Nevertheless let each one of you in particular so love his own wife as himself, and let the wife see that she respects her husband. (Ephesians 5:33, NKJV)

Key points:
- You are on assignment from God to follow you husband's leadership

Something to Think About

- What is the scope of your submission to your husband?

- On what matters, decisions, and situations are we to submit?

- SUBMIT IN EVERYTHING to follow and honor your husband

A Life of Faith

- The main reason why we wives hesitate to follow our husband's leadership is fear. We are afraid of what will happen if our husbands do things their way instead of our way. FAITH IS THE OPPOSITE OF FEAR.

- By faith you believe God works in your life directly through our husband

- By faith you trust that God knows your husband's decisions and the end results of those decisions and that God redeems and guides those decisions

The Root...The Motive for Submission

- God has commanded submissions and given you the faith in Him to be able to obey His Word - and He is honored when you do

- Your respect and deference to your husband testifies to all who are watching that God's Word and His way are right

Yes, But How?

- Dedicate your heart to honoring your husband - make up your mind to practice honoring your husband

- Remember to respect - A good way to measure our respect for our husbands is to answer the question, Am I treating my husband as I would treat Christ? Do you ask your husband to do something or do you tell him? Do you stop, look, and listen to him when he's talking? Do you speak about him with respect to your children, your parents, and others?

- Respond to your husband's words and actions positively

...- Phase One: Say nothing! - You don't always have to express your opinions - especially after your husband made a decision.

...- Phase Two: Respond with a single positive word - like "SURE". Once you've begun to respond positively to the small things, you'll quickly find it becoming easier and even natural to respond positively to larger and larger issues

- Ask of each word, act, and attitude, "Am I bending or bucking?"

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 6 (1st half of chapter)

Scriptures used in chapter:
Wives, submit to your own husbands, as to the Lord. (Ephesians 5:22, NKJV)

...submitting to one another in the fear of God. (Ephesians 5:21, NKJV)

...that you also submit to such, and to everyone who works and labors with us. (1 Corinthians 16:16, NKJV)

Obey those who rule over you, and be submissive, for they watch out for your souls, as those who must give account. Let them do so with joy and not with grief, for that would be unprofitable for you. (Hebrews 13:17, NKJV)

Therefore submit to God. Resist the devil and he will flee from you. (James 4:7, NKJV)

Therefore submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord’s sake, whether to the king as supreme, or to governors, as to those who are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers and for the praise of those who do good. For this is the will of God, that by doing good you may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men— (1 Peter 2:13-15, NKJV)

Servants, be submissive to your masters with all fear, not only to the good and gentle, but also to the harsh. (1 Peter 2:18, NKJV)

Likewise you younger people, submit yourselves to your elders. Yes, all of you be submissive to one another, and be clothed with humility, for “ God resists the proud, But gives grace to the humble.” (1 Peter 5:5, NKJV)

Wives, submit to your own husbands, as is fitting in the Lord. (Colossians 3:18, NKJV)

But I want you to know that the head of every man is Christ, the head of woman is man, and the head of Christ is God. (1 Corinthians 11:3, NKJV)

She opens her mouth with wisdom, And on her tongue is the law of kindness. (Proverbs 31:26, NKJV)

Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. (1 Timothy 2:11, NKJV)

Wives, likewise, be submissive to your own husbands, that even if some do not obey the word, they, without a word, may be won by the conduct of their wives,... (1 Peter 3:1, NKJV)

And whatever you do, do it heartily, as to the Lord and not to men,... (Collosians 3:23, NKJV)

Key points:
- You are on assignment from God to follow you husband's leadership

"Be Submissive One to Another"

- The Christian lifestyle - for men as well as women - is one of submission; God's desire for us is to honor, serve, and subject ourselves to one another

- When it comes to marriage, God arranged for the sake of order that the husband lead and the wife follow

- "Head of the house" does not mean that your husband barks out orders, throws his weight around, and demand submission for his wife; it simply means that he is the one finally responsible...In the end, the husband is accountable to God for his leadership decisions, and you are accountable to God for how we follow that leadership

The Privilege of Choice

- Submission is a wife's choice...You must decide to choose to defer to your husband and follow his leadership

- Are you giving the gift of headship?

An Important Distinction

- The "who" of submission for a wife is clear; "Wives, submit to your own husbands," not to other people we admire and respect

- The one exception to following your husband's advice is if he asks you to violate some teaching from God's Word, asks you to do something illegal or immoral - Go to a trusted pastor or counselor if he does

Looking Up Helps

- Look up and think about following the Lord because it has nothing to do with your husband but it has everything to do with the Lord

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 5

Scriptures used in chapter:
And the LORD God said, “It is not good that man should be alone; I will make him a helper comparable to him.” (Genesis 2:18, NKJV)

...just as the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.” (Matthew 20:28, NKJV)

Let nothing be done through selfish ambition or conceit, but in lowliness of mind let each esteem others better than himself. (Philippians 2:3, NKJV)

Key points:
Called to Serve

- A woman after God's own heart is a woman who carefully cultivates a servant spirit who desires to follow in the steps of Jesus which calls for lifelong attention to the heart attitude of serving

- For a married woman, that attitude and service starts at home and more specifically with your husband, not running parallel in competition to him, but behind him, encouraging him

- You are on assignment from God to help your husband; your husband is your career

- This mind-set, especially towards your husband, to esteem him as better than yourself and commit yourself to service, this servant spirit, will help you be more like Christ

Yes, But How?
1. Make a commitment to help your husband

- Let your words reflect YOUR DECISION to help your husband, to be a team with him, and to make helping him the priority focus of your every day

2. Focus on your husband

- Focus on his tasks, his goals, his responsibilities

- Say, "You first!" and ask every day

"What can I do for you today?"

"What can I do to help you make better use of your time today?"

- You want your husband to know that he is your highest human priority. You want to ease his life by helping him.

- Whether you are married or not, serving the people in your life is part of God's will for you. It pleases Him when you follow His will, benefits the lives of those you serve, and shows Christ to the world.
3. Ask of your actions, Will this help or hinder my husband?

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 4

Scriptures used in chapter:
And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will. (Acts 13:22)

Saul’s Unlawful Sacrifice
1 Saul reigned one year; and when he had reigned two years over Israel, 2 Saul chose for himself three thousand men of Israel. Two thousand were with Saul in Michmash and in the mountains of Bethel, and a thousand were with Jonathan in Gibeah of Benjamin. The rest of the people he sent away, every man to his tent.
3 And Jonathan attacked the garrison of the Philistines that was in Geba, and the Philistines heard of it. Then Saul blew the trumpet throughout all the land, saying, “Let the Hebrews hear!” 4 Now all Israel heard it said that Saul had attacked a garrison of the Philistines, and that Israel had also become an abomination to the Philistines. And the people were called together to Saul at Gilgal.
5 Then the Philistines gathered together to fight with Israel, thirty thousand chariots and six thousand horsemen, and people as the sand which is on the seashore in multitude. And they came up and encamped in Michmash, to the east of Beth Aven. 6 When the men of Israel saw that they were in danger (for the people were distressed), then the people hid in caves, in thickets, in rocks, in holes, and in pits. 7 And some of the Hebrews crossed over the Jordan to the land of Gad and Gilead.
As for Saul, he was still in Gilgal, and all the people followed him trembling. 8 Then he waited seven days, according to the time set by Samuel. But Samuel did not come to Gilgal; and the people were scattered from him. 9 So Saul said, “Bring a burnt offering and peace offerings here to me.” And he offered the burnt offering. 10 Now it happened, as soon as he had finished presenting the burnt offering, that Samuel came; and Saul went out to meet him, that he might greet him.
11 And Samuel said, “What have you done?”
Saul said, “When I saw that the people were scattered from me, and that you did not come within the days appointed, and that the Philistines gathered together at Michmash, 12 then I said, ‘The Philistines will now come down on me at Gilgal, and I have not made supplication to the LORD.’ Therefore I felt compelled, and offered a burnt offering.”
13 And Samuel said to Saul, “You have done foolishly. You have not kept the commandment of the LORD your God, which He commanded you. For now the LORD would have established your kingdom over Israel forever. 14 But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you.”
15 Then Samuel arose and went up from Gilgal to Gibeah of Benjamin. And Saul numbered the people present with him, about six hundred men.

No Weapons for the Army

16 Saul, Jonathan his son, and the people present with them remained in Gibeah of Benjamin. But the Philistines encamped in Michmash. 17 Then raiders came out of the camp of the Philistines in three companies. One company turned onto the road to Ophrah, to the land of Shual, 18 another company turned to the road to Beth Horon, and another company turned to the road of the border that overlooks the Valley of Zeboim toward the wilderness.
19 Now there was no blacksmith to be found throughout all the land of Israel, for the Philistines said, “Lest the Hebrews make swords or spears.” 20 But all the Israelites would go down to the Philistines to sharpen each man’s plowshare, his mattock, his ax, and his sickle; 21 and the charge for a sharpening was a pim for the plowshares, the mattocks, the forks, and the axes, and to set the points of the goads. 22 So it came about, on the day of battle, that there was neither sword nor spear found in the hand of any of the people who were with Saul and Jonathan. But they were found with Saul and Jonathan his son.
23 And the garrison of the Philistines went out to the pass of Michmash. (1 Samuel 13, NKJV)

So Samuel said: “Has the LORD as great delight in burnt offerings and sacrifices, As in obeying the voice of the LORD? Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice, And to heed than the fat of rams. (1 Samuel 15:22, NKJV)

But now your kingdom shall not continue. The LORD has sought for Himself a man after His own heart, and the LORD has commanded him to be commander over His people, because you have not kept what the LORD commanded you. (1 Samuel 13:14, NKJV)

The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the strength of my life; Of whom shall I be afraid? (Psalm 27:1, NKJV)

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV)

Let your eyes look straight ahead, And your eyelids look right before you. Ponder the path of your feet, And let all your ways be established. Do not turn to the right or the left; Remove your foot from evil. (Proverbs 4:25-27, NKJV)

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:6, NKJV)

If any of you lacks wisdom, let him ask of God, who gives to all liberally and without reproach, and it will be given to him. (James 1:5, NKJV)

Therefore, to him who knows to do good and does not do it, to him it is sin. (James 4:17, NKJV)

But he who doubts is condemned if he eats, because he does not eat from faith; for whatever is not from faith is sin. (Romans 14:23, NKJV)

Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. (Philippians 4:8, NKJV)

For in that He Himself has suffered, being tempted, He is able to aid those who are tempted. (Hebrews 2:18, NKJV)

If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. (1 John 1:8-9, NKJV)

He who covers his sins will not prosper, But whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy. (Proverbs 28:13, NKJV)

Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14, NKJV)

Key points:
- Obedience goes into making you a woman after God's own heart

Two Kinds of Hearts

- A heart willing to obey vs. a heart satisfied with merely external acts of sacrifice

- A heart that serves God vs. a heart that serves yourself and did things your way

- A heart concerned with following God's will vs. a heart that cares solely for your own will

- A heart centered on God vs. a heart centere on self

- A heart that obeys for time vs. a heart devoted to God impulsively and sporadically

- A heart that humbly depends upon God, trusting in Him, and repeatedly acknowledging that He is the strength of your life vs. a heart that relies on his own skill, his own wisdom and judgment, and his arm of flesh

The first kind of heart learns, grows, excels, and lifts the hearts and souls of others as he fine tunes himself to the Almighty
The second kind of heart creates immature, irregular, discordant sounds that fade away

Yes, But How?
If we keep our hearts, if we diligently attend to them and guard them, then all of the issues, the actions, the "ongoings and the out-goings" of life will be handled God's way. A heart responsive to God and His ways leads to a life of obedience.

1. Concentrate on doing what is right

- Don't do anything until you know what is right

- Ask God for guidance

- Take time to pray, to think, to search the Scriptures, and to ask advice from someone more seasoned in Christ

- If a person is asking you to do something you are unsure of, simply say, "I'm going to have to give this some thought and prayer. I'll let you know later."

- When in doubt, don't
2. Cease doing what is wrong

- The split second you think or do anything contrary to God's heart, stop immediately!
3. Confess any wrong

- Call sin "sin," and by doing so you train your heart to be more responsive to God's convicting Spirit.
4. Clear up things with others

- When it is appropriate, we need to admit our wrongful behavior to the person involved

5. Continue on as soon as possible

- Once you've acknowledged and dealt with your failure to follow God wholeheartedly, once you've addressed your acts of disobedience, you are to forget those things from the past and go on. We are to remember the lessons learned, but we are also to train our hearts to obey by obeying this command from God to go on.

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 3

Scriptures used in chapter:
I will lift up my eyes to the hills—From whence comes my help? My help comes from the LORD, Who made heaven and earth.(Psalm 121:1-2, NKJV)

These things I have spoken to you, that in Me you may have peace. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer, I have overcome the world.” (John 16:33, NKJV)

...casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you. (1 Peter 5:7, NKJV)

God is our refuge and strength, A very present help in trouble. (Psalm 46:1, NKJV)

Then He spoke a parable to them, that men always ought to pray and not lose heart,... (Luke 18:1, NKJV)

Likewise, their wives must be reverent, not slanderers, temperate, faithful in all things. (1 Timothy 3:11, NKJV)

...the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things—... (Titus 2:3, NKJV)

If your right eye causes you to sin, pluck it out and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. And if your right hand causes you to sin, cut it off and cast it from you; for it is more profitable for you that one of your members perish, than for your whole body to be cast into hell. (Matthew 5:29-30, NKJV)

And everyone who has this hope in Him purifies himself, just as He is pure. (1 John 3:3, NKJV)

For do I now persuade men, or God? Or do I seek to please men? For if I still pleased men, I would not be a bondservant of Christ. (Galatians 1:10, NKJV)

And when He had removed him, He raised up for them David as king, to whom also He gave testimony and said, ‘I have found David the son of Jesse, a man after My own heart, who will do all My will.' (Acts 13:22, NKJV)

But I say to you, love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you,... (Matthew 5:44, NKJV)

For the LORD God is a sun and shield; The LORD will give grace and glory; No good thing will He withhold From those who walk uprightly. (Psalm 84:11, NKJV)

Serve the LORD with gladness; Come before His presence with singing. (Psalm 100:2, NKJV)

I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.” (Psalm 40:8, NKJV)

Oh, taste and see that the LORD is good; Blessed is the man who trusts in Him! (Psalm 34:8, NKJV)

...praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints—... (Ephesians 6:18, NKJV)

Key points:
- Develop a meaningful PRAYER life.

Blessing #1: A Deeper Relationship with God
- Prayer increases faith: keep a prayer list and pay close attention to how God answers the list

- Prayer provides a place to unload burdens: give all the cares of life to God in prayer and be relieved and freed from the heavy weights and let the Master take your burdens

- Prayer teaches us that God is always near: God is present in EVERY condition

- Prayer trains us not to panic: replace your tendency to panic at the first hint of any problem with God's strength through prayer

- Prayer changes lives

Blessing #2: Greater Purity
- Becoming pure is a process of spiritual growth, and taking seriously the confession of sin during prayer time moves that process along, causing us to purge our life of practices that displease God.

- Confess sin as an offense to God each time sin is committed and real change begins.

Blessing #3: Confidence in Making Decisions

- Make no decision without prayer. If there is no time for prayer, the general answer should be "no" because you want to be certain your decisions are actually God's choices. This principle will keep you from rushing in and committing yourself before you consult God. It guards you against people-pleasing and your tendency to second-guess your commitments will end.

Blessing #4: Improved Relationships

- You cannot think about yourself and others at the same time: prayer helps you focus outward, away from self and on to others

- You cannot hate the person you are praying for: God changes our hearts when we pray for others

- You cannot neglect the person you are praying for: As you invest yourself in prayer for other people, you find yourself involved in their lives

Blessing #5: Contentment

- Place everything in God's hands, letting it be His job to meet your needs, "If He doesn't meet it, you didn't need it!"

Blessing #6: God-Confidence

- When you make choices that honor God, the Holy Spirit fills you with His power for ministry. You will find His divine life in us overflowing into the lives of others.

- As the events you've prayed about and committed to arrive, you can enjoy the settled assurance that they are God's will and can enter into them with delight, anticipation, and courage.

Blessing #7: The Ministry of Prayer

- Prayer makes a difference in history. Prayer changes the lives of others. Our prayers make a difference!

Yes, But How?
1. Start a prayer log to record requests and responses as you travel your own personal journey of prayer
2. Set aside some time each day to linger with the Lord in prayer and remember that something is better than nothing. Begin small - and watch for the mighty effects!
3. Pray always and in all places, enjoying God's presence with you wherever you go
4. Pray faithfully for others - including your enemies

5. Take seriously the powerful privilege of the ministry of prayer

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 2

Scriptures used in chapter:
For he shall be like a tree planted by the waters, Which spreads out its roots by the river,... (Jeremiah 17:8, NKJV)

A time to be born, And a time to die; A time to plant, And a time to pluck what is planted; (Ecclesiastes 3:2, NKJV)

The thief does not come except to steal, and to kill, and to destroy. I have come that they may have life, and that they may have it more abundantly. (John 10:10, NKJV)

He shall be like a tree Planted by the rivers of water, That brings forth its fruit in its season, Whose leaf also shall not wither; And whatever he does shall prosper. (Psalm 1:3, NKJV)

They go from strength to strength; Each one appears before God in Zion. (Psalm 84:7, NKJV)

...and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus. (Philippians 4:7, NKJV)

...the older women likewise, that they be reverent in behavior, not slanderers, not given to much wine, teachers of good things— that they admonish the young women to love their husbands, to love their children, to be discreet, chaste, homemakers, good, obedient to their own husbands, that the word of God may not be blasphemed. (Titus 2:3-5, NKJV)

Keep your heart with all diligence, For out of it spring the issues of life. (Proverbs 4:23, NKJV)


Key points:
- We must nurture a root system! Roots make all the difference in the health of a plant, and their presence or absence ultimately becomes known to all. The health of anything-whether a garden plant or a heart devoted to God-reflects what is going on (or not going on!) underground.

Drawing Life from God's Word
- We must develop a root system anchored deep in Him.

- We are to draw from Him all that we need to live the abundant life He has promised His children.

- We must seek to live our lives near to God-indeed, hidden in Him!

Roots are unseen
- We want what other people see of our lives-the public portion-to stir up [a] kind of awe and wonder. We want our strength in public to be explained by what goes on in private between us and God. The impact of your ministry to people will be in direct proportion to the time you spend away from people and with God. So that our roots grow deep into Him, God calls us away from this world.

Roots are for taking in
- When we spend time with Christ, He supplies us with strength and encourages us in the pursuit of His ways. [This is the] "great exchange." Away from the world and hiden from public view, you exchange your weariness for His strength, your weakness for His power, your darkness for His light, your problems for His solutions, your burdens for His freedom, your frustrations for His peace, your turmoil for His calm, your hopes for His promises, your afflictions for His balm of comfort, your questions for His answers, your confusion for His knowledge, your doubt for his assurance, your nothingness for His awesomeness, the temporal for the eternal, and the impossible for the possible.

Roots are for storage

- Roots serve as a reservoir of what we need. As a result:

...- You will not be afraid of fiery trials, no matter how long they last because the reservoir you have stored up from God's Word will sustain you.

...- You will bear fruit faithfully even in times of drought. As you regularly draw needed refreshment from God's Word, He creates in us a reservoir of hope and strength in Him. Then, when times are rough, we won't be depleted, dried up, disintegrated, or die...You will be able to go from "strength to strength."

- Find strength in Scriptures you memorize

- Gain spiritual energy from psalms read, studied, and prayed through in earlier (and quieter) times alone with God.

- Tap into God's power through prayer

Roots are for support

- Without a well-developed root system, we become top heavy-lots of leafy, heavy foliage appears above ground but nothing supports it from underneath.

- The support of a healthy root system is vital for standing strong in the Lord!

Yes, But How?
1. Develop the habit of drawing near to God
- Aim for habitual, scheduled time with God whether you feel like it or not, whether it seems like the best use of your time or not. You must draw near to God.

- Chose to have a devotional time with God, even if it couldn't be as long as you hoped for.
2. Design a personal time for drawing near to God
- WHEN: Pick a time that matches your lifestyle. (ie. some moms of newborns have their time with the Lord in the middle of the night when they are awakened by a crying baby...)
- WHERE: Do what you need to do to make a specific spot your place to meet with the Lord.

- WHAT AIDS?: a good reading light, highlighters, pens, pencils, markers, sticky notes, 3"x5" cards, legal pads for writing, a prayer notebook, a box of tixxues, a hymnal or CD player, a journal, a Bible-reading schedule, a devotional book, or some reference books.
3. Dream of being a woman after God's heart!
- Motivation is key when it comes to nurturing a heart of devotion, and dreaming helps motivate us.

- Describe the woman you want to be spiritually in one year.

...- attack a weak area in your Christian life and gain the victory, read through the entire Bible, prepare for the mission field, be mentored by an older woman, mentor a younger one, complete a counseling training curriculum or some training in evangelism, finish a one-year Bible school course, memorize xx verses from the Bible, read a dozen quality Christian books...DREAM ON-AND DO IT!

- Describe the woman you want to be spiritually in ten years from now.

...- jot your present age and write underneath it the age you will be in ten years. Imagine what those intervening ten years might hold, and you'll see that you will need God for the events of those years!

- God will take you as far as you want to go, as fast as you want to go. So how far...and how fast...do you want to move toward becoming the woman of your dreams?

Notes...A Woman After God's Own Heart by Elizabeth George

CHAPTER 1

Scriptures used in chapter:
But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her. (Luke 10:42, NKJV)

For we walk by faith, not by sight. (2 Corinthians 5:7, NKJV)

Now it happened as they went that He entered a certain village; and a certain woman named Martha welcomed Him into her house. And she had a sister called Mary, who also sat at Jesus’ feet and heard His word. But Martha was distracted with much serving, and she approached Him and said, “Lord, do You not care that my sister has left me to serve alone? Therefore tell her to help me.” And Jesus answered and said to her, “Martha, Martha, you are worried and troubled about many things. But one thing is needed, and Mary has chosen that good part, which will not be taken away from her.” (Luke 10:38-42, NKJV)

In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths. (Proverbs 3:6, NKJV)

I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will guide you with My eye. (Psalm 32:8, NKJV)

Your ears shall hear a word behind you, saying, “This is the way, walk in it,” Whenever you turn to the right hand Or whenever you turn to the left. (Isaiah 31:21, NKJV)

...and if children, then heirs—heirs of God and joint heirs with Christ, if indeed we suffer with Him, that we may also be glorified together. (Romans 8:17, NKJV)

I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth.(Revelation 3:15-16, NKJV)

For He who is mighty has done great things for me, And holy is His name. (Luke 1:49, NKJV)

Declare His glory among the nations, His wonders among all peoples. (Psalm 96:3, NKJV)

Let the redeemed of the LORD say so, Whom He has redeemed from the hand of the enemy... (Psalm 107:2, NKJV)

Key points:
- Every one of us has a body that will someday fail us - and that someday is not necessarily too far off.
- Seek to make life count every day and for eternity.
- Choose with your whole heart to seek to live your life for God, love God, worship God, walk with God, serve God, and look forward to being with Him in eternity.

A Heart Devoted to God
1. Discern the one thing needed
- Make the choice that indicates your heart's devotion: know it is important to cease your busyness, stop all activity, and set aside secondary things in order to focus wholly on the Lord.
2. Choose the one thing needed
- Be preoccupied with one thing at all times - God!
- Choose to spend time worshiping God: nothing can take the place of time in God's presence which fuels and focuses all acts of service, time spent hearing and worshiping God can never be taken away, for it is time spent in eternal pursuits, time that earns permanent and everlasting dividends.

Yes, But How?
1. Choose God's ways at every opportunity
- Commit yourself to actively choose God and His ways in your decisions, words, thoughts, and responses.
- Proverbs 3:6: consult with God regarding our decisions, thoughts, words spoken, or responses. Before we move ahead or merely react, we need to stop and pray first, "God what would you have me do-or think or say-here?"...And then God takes over and does His part-He directs your paths. He guides you in what to do, how to act, and what to say.

- The saying "good, better, best":

Good, better, best
never let it rest,
until your good is better, and your better best.

Strive to make the best choice, choose the best way.
- Standing in awe of God: Don't be robbed of even one of God's riches by not taking time to let Him invade your life, by not listening to what He is telling you, by allowing the routine, pressing matters of your minutes to bankrupt you of time for the most exciting, most fulfilling relationship in life. Stand in awe of God and what He wants to do in you, for you, and through you.
2. Commit yourself to God daily
- Start fresh with God by giving Him all that you are, all that you have...now...forever...and daily.
- Give God your life, your body, your health, your husband, each child, your home, your possessions. Nurture the habit of placing these blessings in God's loving hands to do with them what He will. After all, they are not ours-they are His! A daily prayer of commitment helps us to release what we think are our rights to these gifts.
3. Cultivate a hot heart
- Our heart for God should be like a boiling pot, characterized by God-given and intense passion for our Lord, fiery and excited about God, and God will fuel our fire.
- Overflow with His goodness and praise.
- Speak of the great things He has done for you.
- Tell of His wonders.