The Treasure of God’s Grace

March 7, 2010Leave a comment

Hello Precious Friends! I hope you are having a good month. I look forward to seeing you on March 23, 24 at PWC. Mark your calendars now and be sure to invite a friend. You can RSVP to Dskell@roaringlambsministries.org

Here’s a devotional thought for this week:

When’s the last time you received one of those gifts that was less than thrilling? After you wrote your thank you note, I’m guessing you either put the lackluster gift in the “gift closet” to pass on to someone else down the line, or you took it to Goodwill in order to get a tax write off. Let’s admit it, we’ve all received a few gifts that weren’t quite our favorites.

On the other hand, each of us has also received a few gifts that we would consider treasures. We really enjoy them and use them. They make us smile. There are some gifts that are “keepers” with all certainty. The Bible talks about one gift that is the best by far. Paul called it “God’s unspeakable gift.” In his second letter to the Corinthians, Paul urged them not to receive God’s grace in vain (2Corinthians 6:1). The word vain means uselessly. Paul is telling them not to take the treasure of God’s grace lightly or to live as though it is worthless (as we would if we had received a bad gift). Instead we are to take the grace of God seriously, recognizing the true treasure it is to us.

George Barlow said, “Grace is what all need, what none can merit and what God alone can give.” Oh how precious the grace of God. Because of His grace we have hope. Because of his kindness we are forgiven, redeemed, transformed, reconciled and made new. God’s grace is the greatest treasure we can ever receive. It is not a throw away gift, yet how often do we treat it as such? Do we value God’s gift with our lives? Do we live in gratitude each day for the treasure we have received? Do we share this gift with others? Let us not neglect so great a salvation!

May we live each day with thankful hearts for the great treasure God has so lovingly granted! Jesus gave His life so that we may have life. My friend if you have never received this gift through faith, I encourage you to put your faith in Christ who gave his life on the cross for you and for me. He rose again giving us promise of eternal life. “Today is the day of salvation,” Paul said in this very same passage. If you have already received this gift, I want to encourage you to take time today to thank God for His kindness. It is my hope that each of us will reflect the glory of His grace in our daily lives as we radiate the joy of the greatest gift ever given.

What Does Your Uniform Look Like?

February 22, 2010Leave a comment

Looking forward to seeing you this week at the Positive Woman Connection Bible Study. Tuesday, Feb 23 at Prestonwood Country Club or Wed Feb 24 at Cottonwood Creek in Allen.

Here’s a Positive Thought for the Week

Are you enjoying the Olympics? I think it is a thrill to see the determination and competitive spirit in these talented athletes. As I watch the races in the skiing and skating events, I’m always on the look out for the American coming around the curve or crossing the finishing line. The only way to be able to determine the American in the pack is by their uniform. It’s their uniforms that reveal the country they represent.

In a similar way, our love for others reveals who we represent. Jesus said people will know we are Christians by our love. Do other people see a sincere love shining brightly from Jesus’ followers? What about a genuine compassion? How about loving our enemies or forgiving those who have hurt us? If we want to look like we are on Jesus’ team, we need to love like he did. His love went beyond loving those who were easy to love or who loved him back. He loved the unlovely, the sinners, the difficult people and the annoying ones.

Francis Schaeffer said, “Love – and the unity it attests to – is the mark Christ gave Christians to wear before the world. Only with this mark may the world know that Christians are indeed Christians and that Jesus was sent by the Father. “

Let us ask the Father to pour His love through us each and every day. Admittedly we need His help, because true love isn’t so easy in our own strength and power. May the Lord’s love shine brightly through us so that all the world may see whose team we represent.

See the Potential

February 15, 2010Leave a comment

Hello my positive friends. I want to remind you that we will be meeting again on the fourth Tues (North Dallas) and Wed (Cottonwood Creek) for Bible Study, fellowship and lunch. The message is from Philippians 3 and the title of our lesson is “Press On.” Looking forward to seeing you on Feb 23 and 24. RSVP to Donna Skell – 972-380-0123 or dskell@roaringlambsministries.org

Here’s a little devotional thought for this week:

It’s Presidents Day, and it’s a good time to think about the lives of our national leaders. When I consider the humble beginnings of Abraham Lincoln, I think about the tremendous story of persistence and achievement his life portrayed. He could have given up many times throughout his life, yet through each defeat he continued to press forward. Instead of focusing on his limitations and his past, he recognized what he could do and the difference he could make for good in our nation. Take some time today to read Lincoln’s(http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abraham_Lincoln#Childhood_and_education) and recognize your own abilities and strengths.

God has given each one of us gifts and talents to offer this world. This past weekend my husband and I attended a banquet in Abilene, Texas honoring the wonderful folks at Disability Resources. DRI offers vocational opportunities and a loving home environment for adults with physical and mental disabilities. Several years ago a gifted woman named Kathy Taylor put together a bell choir teaching the special folks from DRI how to play and perform. The “Bell Peppers” bell choir performed for us on Saturday night and they did a fantastic job. I am grateful for the way Kathy and the staff at DRI builds on what the folks can do, instead of focusing on what they are not able to do. http://www.driabilene.org/bell2

What an important lesson for all of us. We may not be able to do everything, but we can do something. Every person has strengths. Play to your strengths and stop focusing on your weaknesses. And when it comes to the people around you, build on their abilities and talents instead of wasting your time worrying about the things they can’t do. Make a deliberate effort to search for strengths and see the best in the people God places in your life.

Watching the DRI bell choir reminded me that no one should ever say, “I just can’t do anything.” The precious folks at DRI learned vocational skills and how to work together playing bells. They have asked the question “What can I do?” and found the answer. So step up to the challenge. Ask yourself, what am I able to accomplish with the gifts I have been given.

Hebrews 10:24 says, “Think of ways to encourage one another to outbursts of love and good deeds.” Let’s make it a personal challenge to ourselves to search and see the potential in others and seize the opportunity to build them up and encourage them in their gifts, talents and strengths. Don’t forget to focus on your own strengths as well. And like Lincoln, don’t let disappointment get you down. Persist as you build on your potential.

Seeing God’s Good Purpose

February 8, 2010Leave a comment

Hello Friends,

Last month at PWC we talked about God’s good purpose for our lives. I want to share with you lesson God taught me to help me see the beauty of His work in our lives.

Recently, I was in Austin, Texas helping my daughter as she was working on some of the details for her upcoming wedding. Austin is a unique and wonderful place set right in the hill country of Texas. I love to drive outside the city and get a fresh look and a reviving dose of God’s beautiful creation. Last night we enjoyed a truly magnificent display of stars. We just don’t see the stars like that in Dallas as the bright city lights drown out the ability to observe the night time splendor. I was completely taken by the majesty of the star-filled sky. Yes, it is true, the stars at night are big and bright deep in the heart of Texas!

David’s declaration in Psalm 19 kept running through my head:

The heavens declare the glory of God;

The skies proclaim the work of his hands.

Day after day they pour forth speech ;

Night after night they display knowledge.

There is no speech or language

Where their voice is not heard.

Their voice goes out into all the earth,

Their words to the ends of the world.

No matter where we go, the night sky is always filled with bright and beautiful stars, but we can’t always see their splendor. Sadly the city lights dim our view. It makes me wonder, what distractions in my life dims my view of seeing the beautiful work God is doing? It’s easy to forget God’s great love for us and His good purpose for our lives. Sometimes we don’t see the loving way He cares for us because we are blinded by our busyness or consumed with our agendas.

Oh Lord, help us to see you more clearly. Help us to recognize those things that distract us and dim our view of your kind and gracious love. Strengthen our focus so we see your majesty and your ever present beauty in our lives.

God’s Presence

February 1, 20102 Comments

It was a great week last week at the Positive Woman Connection Bible studies! I loved seeing all of you and sharing a message from Philippians 2. I think we all were strengthened by the truth of knowing God has a good purpose for our lives.

This past weekend I had the privilege of flying to Phoenix and speaking to the wonderful ladies at La Casa De Cristo church in Scottsdale. It was a blessing to get to know the tremendous women in this community of believers, as I observed their servant’s hearts and joyful spirits working together in the bonds of Christ. Truly a picture of the body of Christ shining brightly!

As I prayed about the message to share with the women there, God put on my heart the transforming truth we find throughout the Bible that God is with us and will give us strength. Even when we walk through dark valleys we do not need to be afraid for God is close beside us. As a Good Shepherd, his rod and staff protect and comfort us.

It may feel like God is far away when things go wrong and we become discouraged. But these can be the very times when our faith grows as we trust God and pour out our hearts toward him even when we don’t understand. I like what Sinclair Ferguson said, “Appearances can be deceptive. The fact that we cannot see what God is doing does not mean that he is doing nothing.”

One time when I was taking my mastiff to the vet, we met up with a beagle wearing a lamp shade. It wasn’t a real lampshade of course, it was one of those silly plastic collars that dogs have to wear so they won’t scratch something on their head. The beagle was miserable and I wasn’t sure how it was going to make it through the day, much less a week of wearing the lamp shade. The owner said to me, “If only my dog knew this is here to help her and protect her.” I thought to myself, how easy it is to doubt our master because we can’t understand why He is allowing something in our lives. Like the beagle, we can either fight against what God is doing in our lives, or trust the love of the master even when we can’t understand the process.

In the same way, I want to encourage you today, trust God’s care for you. You may not be able to see all the reasons why, but you can trust a God who loves you and sees your situation. He is with you. He has a good purpose and a kind intention for your life.