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LukeWarm Living

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Mark your calendars for PWC Tuesday, August 25. Thelma Wells will be our speaker. You won’t want to miss this very special opportunity to hear her.

Now for an encouraging word for God’s Word.
As a child, I remember running up to a drinking fountain while playing in the park, putting my lips to the water and expecting cold refreshing water to relieve my parched lips and throat. But instead of refreshment, I got yucky warm water! Yes those were the olden days before they had refrigerated drinking fountains (oops, I just dated myself). There were times when I would simply spew the lukewarm water out of my mouth because it was so very unappetizing.
It’s interesting, but in the Bible we read that God talks about spewing lukewarm water out of His mouth as well. In the book of Revelation we see God’s messages to the early churches. He told the church at Laodicea,
“I know your deeds, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish you were either one or the other! So, because you are lukewarm—neither hot nor cold—I am about to spit you out of my mouth. 17You say, ‘I am rich; I have acquired wealth and do not need a thing.’ But you do not realize that you are wretched, pitiful, poor, blind and naked. 18I counsel you to buy from me gold refined in the fire, so you can become rich; and white clothes to wear, so you can cover your shameful nakedness; and salve to put on your eyes, so you can see. 19Those whom I love I rebuke and discipline. So be earnest, and repent. 20Here I am! I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears my voice and opens the door, I will come in and eat with him, and he with me. 21To him who overcomes, I will give the right to sit with me on my throne, just as I overcame and sat down with my Father on his throne. 22He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches.” Revelation 3:15 – 22
Think about it; both cold water and hot water are useful. Cold water is useful for drinking, and hot water for bathing ourselves or boiling food. God wants his people to be useful in the kingdom, not just sitting there warming up to our environment. Yet the real lesson to the church at Laodicea was actually the message of how to be useful in God’s kingdom. God urges them to stop being self-sufficient, self-centered and self-indulgent. Instead he invites them to depend on Him. That same invitation is open to us today to abide with Christ, dwell with Him, and find our sufficiency in Him.
Let’s consider in our own lives, are we leaning on Christ or are we depending on ourselves in our own self-sufficiency. Are we useless like lukewarm water, or are we refreshing like cold water? Are we simply just warming up to our environment or do we offer the traits of hot water springs which are cleansing and healing to the body? Let’s listen to Jesus’ message as He stands knocking at the door of our hearts. Let’s invite Him in and abide with Him every day.
If you want to see and hear me give this message then go to http://www.webtv4women.tv

Today’s blog was inspired by a sermon I heard this Sunday given by Stephen Bramer.

In Pursuit of Wisdom

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We had a tremendous meeting last week. We look forward to being together in August with Thelma Wells. Make your reservations now for Aug 25 at http://www.roaringlambsministries.org.

Devotional:John Bunyan had only a few years of formal education, yet he penned the timeless classic Pilgrim’s Progress in 1666, a book which is still widely read today. Bunyan wrote this masterpiece from his prison cell – imprisoned in England for preaching the gospel without a license. How is it possible that this man of humble beginnings and very sparse education could write such a profound work? My answer in one word would be Wisdom. Wisdom goes beyond what we simply learn it books. It is a profound insight and deeper understanding into matters of life. Discernment, good judgment and prudence are encompassed in wisdom.
The Bible says that wisdom comes from God and from his mouth come knowledge and understanding. Solomon said “The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.” I’m not saying we should ever neglect intellectual pursuits and education, but I am saying we begin our pursuit with a humble recognition of our source of wisdom. The foundation of wisdom begins by acknowledging God as our creator and Father. The opposite of wisdom is obviously foolishness. The fool says in his heart there is no God.
God’s word encourages us to pursuit wisdom. We are also told to ask for wisdom. In the book of James we read, “If any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to him.” Isn’t it easy to go about our day, doing things our own way and going our own direction? Yet the voice of wisdom calls out. God is saying, “Draw near my child and listen to my voice. I will lead you. I will guide you. I am the God of all wisdom and I invite you to come to me.”
As a parent, we must seek God’s wisdom in matters of discipline and raising our kids. A business person would do well to seek God’s wisdom and direction as he or she faces decisions at work. As a writer, I recognize my need for God’s help and guidance to lead me along the path I am to go and to encourage others as well.
Let’s take time right now to seek God and ask for His wisdom to direct our lives. Oh Lord, we are open to you. We desire you. We love you. We need you. We ask for wisdom to live our daily lives and honor you in what we say and do.
This week talk with your kids about wisdom and how it goes beyond what we read in books. Wisdom extends into how we live life with discernment and prudence. Start each day by reading several proverbs from the Bible, and then be on the lookout for ways you all can implement the truth that you learn. Memorize Proverbs 2:6 together. This week especially be aware of when your child does something or says something wise. Take the opportunity to notice it and point out their wise actions or words. Each night as you tuck your kids in bed, pray with them thanking God for the wisdom He gives and then pray for wisdom for tomorrow.
Watch my interview with my daughter at http://www.webtv4women.tv

Precious Child

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Hello PWC friends! We are looking forward to a great lesson this week from Elaine Morris. See you at 12 at Chamberlains Steak and Chop House on Tuesday. Call Roaring Lambs office to make reservations (972-380-0123) or email Donna at dskell@roaringlambsministries.org.

Heres a message from God’s word to bring you encouragement for this week:
Thomas Watson (17th century English preacher and author) wrote, “The name Jehovah carries majesty in it; the name Father carries mercy in it.”

It is an amazing thought to me that the Sovereign God, the High King of Heaven calls us His children. As believers in Christ we are His beloved children. John put it this way, “See how very much our heavenly Father loves us, for he allows us to be called his children, and we really are!” I John 3:1

The apostle Paul reminded believers, “For as many as are led by the Spirit of God, these are sons of God. For you did not receive the spirit of bondage again to fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father.’ The Spirit Himself bears witness with our spirit that we are children of God.” Romans 8:14 – 16

What a glorious privilege to call God our Abba Father, which is a tender term like “daddy.” It means we are loved. We are forgiven. We are free to go before His throne and pour out our hearts to Him. Psalm 103 reminds us, “As a father has compassion for his children, so the Lord has compassion toward those who fear him.”

My friend, I don’t know what your life is like right now, but I do know if you are a follower of Christ, you have a Heavenly Father who tenderly and dearly loves you. Enjoy the blessing of being a part of His family and the strength that comes from knowing you are passionately loved by Him. If you have never taken that step of faith in Jesus, I hope you will recognize God’s loving arms open wide ready to welcome all who believe. Out of God’s great love for us, He sent His Son Jesus to die for us. He rose again giving promise of eternal life to those who believe.

Just as the father ran and embraced the repentant son in the well-known parable of the Prodigal Son, so our Heavenly Father runs to us with arms open wide. His embrace is compassionate and gracious; slow to anger and abounding in love.
Don’t forget to visit my show at http://www.webtv4women.tv

Hope in Troubled Times

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I’m so excited about our July meeting for Positive Woman Connection. Our speaker is my friend Elaine Morris. She is an executive coach and will be sharing with us on the topic of Managing our Emotions. You won’t want to miss this tremendous meeting. PWC will be at Chamberlains Restaurant, 5330 Belt Line road in North Dallas. It starts at 12:00. Cost is $15. See you soon!

July 20
Hope is a powerful word, especially in these troubled times. Often we use the word so flippantly: “I hope you have a good day.” “I hope the shoes I want are on sale.” “I hope you feel better.” For the Christian, hope is much more than simply wishful thinking. We know that God is a God of hope. We have Christ within us, the hope of glory. The definition of “Faith” is being sure of what we Hope for and certain of the things we do not see. If we do not have hope we can become consumed with fear, despair and anger.

The weeping prophet Jeremiah spoke often about hope. Hope shines most brightly in times of difficulty and we see this clearly with Jeremiah. Listen to his lamenting:

Lamentations 3
17 “Peace has been stripped away,
and I have forgotten what prosperity is.
18 I cry out, ‘My splendor is gone!
Everything I had hoped for from the LORD is lost!’
19 “The thought of my suffering and homelessness
is bitter beyond words.
20 I will never forget this awful time,
as I grieve over my loss.”
Certainly Jeremiah is down and out. Perhaps you can relate to his words of grief in your own life right now, or perhaps you will. We all go through low points, difficulties and yes sometimes tragedies. But what I love about Jeremiah is that he was honest about his grief, but then he always turned to hope. He continues,

21 “Yet I still dare to hope
when I remember this:
22 The faithful love of the LORD never ends!
His mercies never cease.
23 Great is his faithfulness;
his mercies begin afresh each morning.
24 I say to myself, “The LORD is my inheritance;
therefore, I will hope in him!”
My friend, let us remember the faithful love of the Lord everyday. Because He loves us, He will care for us. He will not leave us. Reflect on His mercies which are new every morning. Maintain hope one day at a time. Dwell on God’s great love for you and remember that He is a God of hope and can redeem any situation. Don’t place your hope in circumstances or people. Hope in the Lord!

You can also hear me share this message on my show Fresh Start at webtv4women.tv

Live a Grateful Life

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You’ve heard it said, “Freedom isn’t free at all.” Certainly freedom is valuable and costly. Our men and women in the military are familiar with this quote, and I do hope all of us recognize the high price of liberty. Without a doubt – freedom is a precious gift. As Christians, we too know that our freedom was bought for a price. God gave His only Son so that we may experience freedom from the power of sin and death.
Now if you were a prisoner in a foreign land and someone bought your freedom, wouldn’t you overflow with gratitude toward that person? When is the last time you thanked God for the price He paid for your freedom? What if we decided that every single day we were going to take time to thank God for the freedom, forgiveness and blessings we so richly enjoy, but so obviously don’t deserve? Honestly – we would be different people.
If we decided to live everyday in gratitude for the price Jesus paid for us – we truly would be different. For one thing we would freely love and forgive other people – of big offenses and small ones. We would forgive because we are grateful for being forgiven. Think about what that would do to the relationships you have right now!
If we truly valued the price Jesus paid for us on the cross, we would also recognize how precious and loved we are in God’s eyes. The apostle Paul put it this way in his letter to the Colossians “Therefore as God’s chosen people, holy and dearly loved…” Do you see yourself as holy and dearly loved by God? God paid a high price for you – you are his precious child and a partaker of His grace!
So let us live in gratitude for what God has done and the high price He has paid to set us free! I want to encourage you to start each day thanking God for the wonderful gift of being a part of His family, bought with a price, holy and dearly loved. Never take freedom lightly!
Can you imagine what the world would look like if Christians lived every day in gratitude for the precious and priceless gift we have received through Christ? Let’s allow Christ’s light to shine brightly through us living as grateful people – forgiven people – hope-filled people!