W.O.W.

Pearl of Great Price

2012-01-17T13:28:00.000-05:00

As we begin the series Seeking Him at Women of Wisdom, the introduction was and continues to be what we are seeking after. Jesus spoke of this in Matthew 13:45 -46: "Again the kingdom of heaven is like a man who is a dealer in search of fine and precious pearls, who on finding a single pearl of great price, went and sold all he had and bought it."

As we look at this verse, there are some important points to keep in mind:
1. Jesus was referring to the kingdom of heaven. However, the kingdom of heaven is valuable because of the King - the One Who reigns over it.

2. In order to live in that kingdom/gaining access and favor of the King, it requires something of us:
       a. It requires obedience to the things of the kingdom.
       b. It requires being in right relationship with Him.

3. It should be a high priority as this verse indicates...a strong desire in our lives to give everything we have to attain it. It not only cost Jesus everything (which makes Him the pearl of great price) but it is a great price for us as we are to give everything to "purchase"/gain it.   We are each one faced with the question, "Are we willing to relinquish everything to the One we seek?"

4. Jesus uses the pearl as a picture because of their value and their beauty. A natural pearl is very rare and is the most sought after.

5. One of the most important aspects of God's creation is to always be pointing to Him in some way. The pearl is no exception when we look at the details of how a pearl is created and even harvested. As we do this, we find many parallels to apply as we go "diving" after this pearl as we SEEK HIM!

It is our desire that you will have that desire and join us as we begin this journey which leads us to personal revival.

Wisdom Is Seeking Him

2011-12-28T22:57:00.000-05:00

The phrase "wise men still seek Him" is heard frequently around the Christmas season. However, to seek Him should be a year round experience not just one time a year. It is a most accurate statement that wise men and women seek Him and make that their primary endeavor.

The wise men which we read about in God's Word could represent groups of people in our society today such as those who are highly educated, in high positions, successful in life, ones who are looked to for advice and counsel. The original word for wise men is magoi which comes from our word magician, is now used in a negative sense. In the original this was not the case. These categories of people were philosophers, priests, or astronomers and were held in high esteem...often being counselors for advice. Because these type of individuals have greater knowledge and intelligence, it is often more difficult for them to come to Christ. Their knowledge, riches, and prestige are hindrances in their life. Therefore, to label these men (in the Christmas story) as wise men is quite appropriate because they were seeking what counts for all eternity.

Jesus stated in Matthew 19:24 that it was easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich person to enter the kingdom of God. One can become so wrapped up on one's knowledge or riches (they become one's identity) that to willingly come and submit all they have and are to Christ is a stumbling block.

A wise man is one who comes to the realization that the thoughts of man are empty and futile compared to God and His wisdom (Psalm 94:11 and 1 Corinthians 3:19). So it is that a wise man who starts out on his journey may take longer than it did for those living closer to "Bethlehem" to follow Christ's star which will lead them to the source of Wisdom. That journey may take twists and turns but if he is truly wise, he will stay on course until he finds the One he searches for.

Once he finds this One he is seeking and comes into His presence, as he rejoices over his find he can kneel before Him in adoration and praise just as we see these men doing. "Happy, blessed, fortunate is the man who finds Wisdom and gets understanding (drawing it forth from God's Word the Source of true wisdom, knowledge and riches). (Proverbs 3:13 Amp.) He then can lay down his precious gifts before the King of Kings.

We do not know what motivation was behind the wise men's diligent search and that obviously is not the message God wants us to see. However, the diligence in searching and searching for not what they could get but for Who He was is the message. Jesus' words on seeking apply to every area of our lives. "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33 NKJV) May each of us respond to God's message in this account and become diligent seekers of Him!

Seeking Him

2011-12-05T14:37:00.000-05:00

Anyone who spends the time and effort to seek the Lord Jesus will surely find Him and as we do, change begins to occur within us. A term we could use for this would be personal revival. That is exactly what we are inviting you to do by joining us as we seek the Master individually and corporately.

As the author of our study states, revival isn't just an emotional experience. It's a complete transformation. It can happen in your heart, in your home, in your church, and in your world. As we begin the study Seeking Him by Nancy Leigh DeMoss, these are the goals we are going to go after:

Restoration of our first love.
Developing a heartfelt desire for God's Word.
Resolving conflicts.
The repairing of relationships.
Removing bitterness, fear and worry.
Refreshing of our spirit.
A renewing of the mind.
Re energizing our live

We can get back our passion and zeal for the Lord by seeking Him. The journey begins at W.O.W. (Women of Wisdom) @ Indianapolis Christian Fellowship on Thursday January 5 at 7:00 p.m. A workbook will be necessary for this study. Contact Sharon Winkler for further details and purchase of the book. We hope you will mark your calendar for this date!

Opening Our Mouth with Wisdom

2011-11-14T14:55:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 31 states two very important aspects regarding our mouth...wisdom coming from it and being done with kindness...even if it needs to be a word of correction. If wisdom comes from our mouth that means it should be an evident fruit within us (in the sense of operating within us). Jesus related how this principle works. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks." (Matthew 12:34) If godly wisdom is not operating within us something else will be and it will show up in what comes up and out of our mouth. Psalm 111:10 speaks of the beginning of wisdom. ¹⁰ The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom; A good understanding have all those who do His commandments. His praise endures forever. (NKJV)

If we are operating in the fear of the Lord (which is the beginning of wisdom) that means:

We know and love what God loves.
We know and hate what God hates.
We know how we are to react under various situations and conditions based upon God's Word and examples we find there: God's reactions to them.
We know how to interact with believers and unbelievers based upon God's Word and examples we find there - also Jesus' own life.

So what about the "law of kindness?" We don't find anything in God's Word that states that this is a law, but we certainly see indications of kindness being something we are to do/follow (and not a choice if we are a follower of the Lord Jesus). Ephesians 4:32 states we are to be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God in Christ forgave us. That word "kind" means serviceable, good, pleasant (of things) gracious. Paul also tells the Colossians to put on tender mercies, kindness, humility, meekness, and longsuffering. To put on indicates that we do this as putting on a garment. We are to wear it! May these qualities be one aspect of God's fruit in our lives.

Proverbs 31 Overview

2011-11-01T13:54:00.000-04:00

The ladies of W.O.W. (Women of Wisdom) have been spending several months dissecting this portion of Scripture (Proverbs 31)...the message each verse brings regarding God's pattern (and image) for our lives. By laying out this pattern upon the fabric of our lives, it is His plan for His image to come into focus as we fade further and further back of it all. It is the beauty of Jesus being seen in me.

As we came to verse 24, we see the scene being switched from the individual pattern to the corporate (His body coming together) and how they look as His body of believers...His mandate. Just as the word merchants has the meaning of activity...in the sense of going about to and fro, we are "merchants" for the Lord (another term would be disciple). We are to be going about to and fro...in and out...not just staying within the four walls of the church but rather being about our Father's kingdom business. In order to do that, the church itself should be a place that is providing the various "girdles" (girdles are a symbol of strength in His Word) of strength for us the "merchants."

A body of believers who have willingly laid themselves down as the material for the Lord to place His pattern on them and created His image....when coming together to fulfill the King's mandate...this will be a body that has all the characteristics of verse 25: strength and honor. It is a body of believers that will be effective in what they do and serve effectively. No wonder they are able to rejoice over the future for they are ready for it.

May we become all that God's Word lays out here individually and corporately. When we are in that position, there is no doubt we will someday hear, "Well done, good and faithful servant."

It's All About a Pattern

2011-10-19T11:31:00.000-04:00

When we look at Proverbs 31, we are looking not at what this woman does in the natural, but rather a pattern of God's design for our spiritual lives. Throughout the Scriptures, we are referred to as the Bride of Christ....therefore in the feminine. God (and His Son Jesus) spoke to people using pictures, symbols, parables etc. in order to understand spiritual concepts. This was done using things the people of that time would be able to relate to and therefore clearly understand what God was saying to them. This is what we have in relation to Proverbs 31 and therefore it requires us to go back in time to understand some of these types and pictures.

In these verses, we are seeing God's pattern for our lives both individually and corporately as well as His mission for us as His Bride. For those who are familiar with sewing, you can understand the importance of a pattern. In order to create the object desired one must lay the pattern out on the material to cut around it in order to achieve the finished design we are after. It is the same principle when it comes to God's pattern for us. He has an end design in mind but it requires the laying of His "pattern" on us (the material) to achieve His end goal/ design. It won't work by laying ourselves on His pattern but rather we must lay down our selves/our lives first and then have His pattern placed upon us. As we do this, He can begin cutting out and applying that pattern so we begin taking on His image. In fact, it is His image that is made distinct and our image fades away into the background. His material is a fine linen indicating purity and righteousness and the completed garment is what we are to be clothed in.

May each of us willingly lay ourselves down and allow His intended purposes to be woven in and designed within us so that He may be clearly seen.

She Is a Seeker

2011-10-04T15:58:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 31 is all about God's ideal spiritual pattern for our lives. This portion of Scripture is related to the women and as a woman we can apply the pattern to our lives. It can also refer to the church as the Bride of Christ and the pattern for those who claim to be a child of God. In either application, the pattern remains the same.

In order to understand the picture portrait God paints, it is necessary to place ourselves in this particular time period in order to understand the application. We see throughout God's Word, pictures are used in order to help those to whom the word was given to understand the spiritual principle.  God always uses things around us which we can understand. In this case, the entire weaving process described here was very familiar to this culture.

The entire process leading up to and including the weaving required great diligence...an attribute the Proverbs 31 woman would understand. According to the Jewish Encyclopedia, the distaff (in verse 19) was referrred to as the "wisdom" of women. The distaff and spindle were used in making the threads for weaving. We won't go into the whole signficance of these at this particular time (for the sake of space).

Within the Scriptures, the wool is symbolic of righteousness that comes from sacrifice; sins forgiven by the blood of the Lamb. Returning to verse 13 where she is seeking out the wool and the flax for the making of the linen garments (which indicates garments of righteousness), we see the diligence she shows between the seeking and the "making"...the diligence to become pure and holy. As she is diligently doing this, everything occurring in her spiritual walk becomes significant which is what we see in each of the verses between verses 13 and verse 19.
     1. There is the laying down of her life to follow and serve her God.
     2. There is a life of service to her family and others (she is LIKE a merchant ship).
     3. She is continuing to feed upon the Word of God thus strengthening and maintaining her confidence in Him and His Word.
     4. Her life in Christ is strong and when temptations and trials come (the night seasons), her foundation proves to be solid and that which is in her does not cause her "light" to go out. Her lamp is kept lit.
     5. Confidence is her "spiritual purse" which contains those things necessary for her confidence.

Everything transpiring (in verses 14-19) play a part in making the "threads" of her life which God needs as He has her upon His loom to weave the tapestry of her life. Those threads create the fine linen garment God is looking for - a surrendered and obedient woman through every step.

She Has Confidence

2011-09-12T21:51:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 31:18 (AMP) She tastes and sees that her gain from work [with and for God] is good; her lamp goes not out, but it burns on continually through the night [of trouble, privation, or sorrow, warning away fear, doubt, and distrust].
As we continue to look at and follow the life of this godly woman, in this verse alone we see a woman with confidence. Being a woman who is led by God and uses her giftings, these most definitely lead to profitable results because she does not rely upon herself. Her "tasting and seeing" (distinguishing the "flavors"), she determines what is from God and what may come from her own thoughts. Her ability to do so results in what we read in Proverbs 16:3: she commits her works to the LORD, and her thoughts are established. When we apply God's Word as this woman does, there will be fruit that comes from our lives and that is what God is looking for.

The word confidence means an assurance which comes from a trusting reliance, and for the Proverbs 31 woman (and for us), that source comes/must come from God. Philippians 4:13 speaks of being able to do all things through Christ Who STRENGTHENS us.

Because God is her confidence...her source of strength, she is continually building upon that and her excellent pursuit proves worthy during those "night seasons" when the trials, tribulations, and struggles come. There is an ample supply of "oil"/the Gospel in her lamp that it does not go out during these times. It is because she sold all she had/gave all she had to buy what was needed which proves to keep her lamp burning (a picture of a wise virgin as Jesus depicts in Matthew 25)). Her excellent pursuit is most definitely a model for us to follow. Jesus laid it out for us when He said, "For whoever desires to save his life will lose it, but whoever loses his life for My sake will find it." (Matthew 16:25). This is a lady who is giving all and we see by the fruit of her life that she most definitely has found the life that Christ looks for in each of us.

A Fruitful Branch on the Vine

2011-08-29T15:08:00.000-04:00

It is said of the Proverbs 31 woman that she girded herself with strength (spiritual, mental, and physical fitness) for her God given tasks (Proverbs 31:17 Amp.) The word "girdeth" in this particular verse means to be bound with arms for war, a binding up the loose portions of her clothing into a belt or sash to prepare to go. The word strength speaks of power, might, a boldness. As we go through this study, we see she was not a weak lady in any stretch of the imagination. In every area of her life (spiritually, emotionally, and physically) she was well equipped with the strength she needed. Being such a person, she became a fruitful branch on the vine so that her God would be glorified. That is the purpose for which God created us and His transforming work within us can and will accomplish those purposes. Isaiah 43:7 (NKJV) says, "Everyone who is called by My name, whom I have created FOR MY GLORY; I have formed him, yes I have made him." That word "glorified" means to decorate...the fruits that grow on the branches of a tree as decorations. Therefore, God is looking for healthy, beautiful decorative fruit on His vine. This very well relates to what Jesus spoke concerning the vine and the branches (John 15:2-8). He is not decorated/glorified when there is no fruit or immature/unhealthy fruit hanging off of us.

So where does the strength come from that she girds herself with? First and foremost it comes from God as Isaiah 41:10 tells us. The word strengthen in this verse means a mental strength of courage or determination. The Holy Spirit gives us strength for whatever we have been called to do (Ephesians 3:16), and our encouragement to one another gives strength as well. The example of this is what Jesus states to Peter in Luke 22:32. It is our words, actions, and prayers for one another that help gird us with the needed strength.

Strength also comes from what we "collect." We see in God's Word 3 sources for this.
     1. Wisdom: Ecclesiastes 7:19
     2. Waiting on the Lord: Isaiah 40:31
     3. Grace - God's enabling power available to His children: 2 Corinthians 12:9
It takes each of these to be poured into us as God's vessels which in turn prepares us for the tasks God has for His Proverbs 31 women.

As God does the transforming work in our lives, as His great works are manifested as part of His branch, we are to give back sacrifices of thanksgiving and praise. "Oh that men would give thanks to the LORD for His goodness, and for His wonderful works to the children of men. Let them sacrifice the sacrifices of thanksgiving, and declare His works with rejoicing." (Psalm 107:21-22 NKJV) The word sacrifice in this verse means to ripen, to give off the fragrance of the fruit as it ripens. Just as natural fruit has a fragrance, we too should give off a fragrance. One aspect of that is our sacrifice of thanksgiving and praise. As God's works in us come to fruition, our thanksgiving and declaration contains a fragrance which in turn returns to the Father as a pleasing aroma. May we each one be filled with the fruits of righteousness to the glory and praise of our God.

Considering

2011-08-16T11:01:00.000-04:00

We all may have a field of dreams which may be for ourselves, our family or both. Before the acquisition can occur, the considering is most important as the Proverbs 31 woman did. "She considers a (new) field before she buys or accepts it (explaining prudently and not courting neglect of her present duties by assuming other duties); with her savings (of time and strength) she plants fruitful vines in her vineyard." (Provers 31:16 Amp.)

The Hebrew word "considereth" in this verse is zamam and its meaning here is to plot; to devise a plan of action; usually with evil intent; mischief, consider, devise, think. WHAT??? How could a godly woman all of a sudden do such a thing??? This is just completely out of character. The answer is, she is indeed a godly woman and in her considering... before she picks up (and buys) any new thing in her life is the examining as to anything of evil intent in what I am about to do. Is there anything that would be mischief? How will this affect my family? Will it interfere from my present duties? Is this a selfish/self-centered "dream" of is it one that was given to me by God? This is what God is trying to get at in this verse and this is the most important factor to prayerfully consider and evaluate before we "buy" that new field. Our vision of dreams may be in line with what God gives to us, but it is the timing. The vision may not be for the present, but preparation for another season in our lives.

Before we "carry away" (buy), let us apply the Godly wisdom which our Proverbs 31 woman does well.

Making Your Own Mixes

2011-07-30T09:40:00.000-04:00

THIS TIPS COMES FROM ANGELA (Grocery Shrink)

When making your own mixes, start with a scratch recipe that you love, and make several mixes the same time you are making this dish for your family. Place each dry ingredient from the recipe in single batch containers as you are adding that ingredient to the one you are cooking right then. This saves time because you already have your ingredients out and the proper measuring spoon in your hand. (I had a bad headache when we were filming this–and had trouble with my train of thought. Hopefully you’ll still get something you can use from it.)

Recipes that work great this way are: bread recipes like pizza crust, pancakes, muffins, biscuits, cornbread, etc. Or sauce recipes such as spaghetti sauce or Alfredo. You can also premix marinades (even the liquids for these) and herb rubs, or seasoning blends–such as for fajitas or tacos.
You can substitute ingredients to make the recipe more mix friendly. For example, substitute powdered milk for fresh milk and then only add water when using the mix. You can also substitute sugar (even turbinado) for honey and cut in solid fat such as butter or coconut oil to replace oil.
Mixes with perishable ingredients such as whole grain flour, yeast, or parmesean cheese should be stored in the refrigerator. Be sure to label your mix well with the title and preparation instructions. You can save the labeled mix containers to refill when they are all empty

Considering

2011-07-30T09:23:00.000-04:00

"She considers a field..." from Proverbs 31:16

I hope each of you have enjoyed a short summer break. It is now time to return to our study of the Proverbs 31 woman. We invite you to join us as we resume our time together on Thursday August 4th (6:30 p.m.) in the Lodge.

The verse we will be focusing on will be Proverbs 31:16 and the important word within this verse is the word considers. Each of us may have a field of dreams that we look at from time to time and the considering is an important first step before the acquisition of that particular field we have our sights on. In this verse, the meaning of the word "considereth" will surprise you as it did me. We will talk about it and focus on this particular area as the godly woman will implement all that this implies within her life.

Hope to see you all soon!

Following Her Godly Pattern

2011-07-09T10:17:00.000-04:00

We hope you have not only been enjoying the summer break, but also pursuing and growing in your relationship with your Father just as we have seen the Proverbs 31 woman did in her life. We never want or encourage anyone to take a "vacation" away from this portion of our life.

As we have seen in our study so far, this beautiful lady developed a passionate life vision, she made time for family, friends, and God. In addition, she endeavored to improve life management skills while keeping her sights on God's plan for her. She tended to the fires of her heart and her home. God has placed this pattern within His Word as a pattern for each of us to follow. It is not a journey we need to travel alone, but the Creator God works these qualities in us as we remain on His potter's wheel. In addition, each one traveling with us are sources of encouragement as well...that is why we do not forsake the assembling of ourselves together as the Scripture exhorts us to do.

Just as Jesus declared for His own life...His meat was to do the will of Him who sent Him and to finish the work (John 4:32), we are to do this as well. Within the pattern of the Proverbs 31 woman we see this pattern for us as well. No matter our "arena" of life, we are to do the will of Him who has a work for His women (married or single). As we allow the Lord Jesus to work His pattern/lifestyle within us, the encouragement is to go for and pursue after the "meat" of His Word...the "food" which endures to everlasting life (John 6:27). It is a necessary ingredient which helps us to grow into and arrive at that finished pattern.

In 4 weeks (August 4th), we will pick up on the Proverbs 31 vision...a field of dreams. As you read over this chapter and meditate on the various Scriptures how does her field of dreams compare with yours? We'll be ready and anxious to hear from each of you. See you Thursday August 4th @ 6:30 p.m. in the Lodge.

Giving Meat to Her Household

2011-06-25T10:09:00.000-04:00

Our Focus: Proverbs 31:15
"She riseth also while it is yet night, and giveth meat to her household, and a portion to her maidens."
As with all Scripture, knowing the meaning of key words within a verse enables us to understand what God is saying. Let's look at some key words here:

Night: This can refer to rising early in the morning to gain her spiritual food. Night also means season which would be dark times in our lives. Both rising early and the night seasons are appropriate for the meaning here. When referring to the night seasons, it speaks of the fact that this woman of wisdom doesn't allow those dark times to keep her down She rises up (which means to rise up in the sense of continuing or establishing something) to establish her time with gaining spiritual food she is needing. The spiritual food she gains during these times can be a source of encouragement not only to her but to those of her household as well.
Meat: The word "meat" in this verse means the prey that is torn to pieces by a predator. Meat is an important word spiritually (see John 6:27; Jon 4:32;John 6:50-51;53;55-56; 58). Proverbs 28:1 speaks of the righteous being bold as a lion. Therefore, she is a woman that goes after the meat of the Word and digs/tears it apart to gain what is needed in her life and what she can then pass along.
Maiden: When we look at this verse, our thoughts go instantly to her help/servants. However, this word means a young female, damsel. Therefore, within this verse, the possibility is that it could also refer to her daughters...not necessarily female servants. She gives to them the Word as well...part of their training. Discipleship does begin in the home. She is one that disciples others.

As we look at this beautiful woman, we see from Proverbs 31:15 (as well as other verses in this chapter,) the following characteristics about her:

She led a disciplined life.

She was an economist of time. The word economist means one who manages domestic or other concerns with frugality.
Because she went for the deeper things of God and His Word, she could obtain the meat and therefore was able to pass it on to her family. She was a lady who progressed to the level of being able to teach (see Hebrews 5:12-14). She was one who discipled.
Because of her disciplined life, she was one who used her time wisely and she was (and is) an example...a pattern for her family and others within her sphere of influence.
She was able to "feed" herself. There is nothing wrong with learning and gleaning from others, but those should be the "side dishes"/"desserts" in our spiritual life. The "meat" (main course) we should be able to put on our own "plates."

As we have been progressing through the verses of this Proverbs 31 woman, we see how the characteristics of her life are progressing to deeper levels...moving on to maturity. It is the pattern God has placed within His Word for each of us to follow as well.

She Is LIKE the Merchant Ships

2011-05-31T16:15:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 31:14 states that this beautiful woman is like a merchant ship. Perhaps there are some who might feel offended at being compared to a ship. However, when we begin looking at some characteristics of a merchant ship during these times and apply them to our spiritual lives (as these verses are speaking of spiritual characteristics in this lady), I for one would gladly welcome being compared to such a ship. Let's look at just a few.

1. It was a vessel designed for a specific use. We too are designed by our Creator to become a specific vessel of His choosing which He molds and creates (See Isaiah 64:8 and 2 Timothy 2:20-21).

2. Each ship had a pilot or captain. Christ is the captain of our salvation; the author or source of anything in our lives (See Hebrews 2:10).

3. It was powered by sails or oars - the wind. The Holy Spirit should be blowing on our sails...steering our course; guiding in our choices (See Proverbs 23:19; Psalm 25:9 Psalm 32:8).

4. When it was necessary for extra help in moving the ship forward, the oarsmen played an important part in keeping the ship moving. We need the help and encouragement of not only Christ and the Holy Spirit, but also the help and encouragement of fellow believers...particularly at weak moments (See Romans 8:26; Hebrews 13:6; Galatians 6:2).

5. It was an import and export business. This woman seeks out what is needed to bring in for her family and gives out as well (in the natural and spiritual). She obtains her "bread" from heaven (the Bread of Life) to feed herself and her family (See John 6:35; 51).

6. They were ships of burden. The burdens she may often carry, she doesn't have to carry alone, but draws upon God's grace and mercy...taking them to the Burden Bearer (See Psalm 55:22).

7. They carried a variety of products and lumber. She builds her life upon the foundations of Christ (Hebrews 6:1,2) and carries within her the fruit of the Spirit (See Galatians 5:22, 23).

8. The ship was under orders to deliver goods to certain ports. They were to be faithful to carry out their orders and be trustworthy. Trustworthy and faithful are expected of us and were characteristic of this beautiful Proverbs 31 woman (See Matthew 24:45-47; Luke 16:10-12).

This lady we could classify as one who was truly enterprising (one who undertakes important or dangerous designs; a bold adventurer). It is our prayer that you would allow the work of God's Holy Spirit to create and mold you to also be LIKE the merchant ships.

Working Willingly With Our Hands

2011-05-19T10:15:00.000-04:00

Proverbs 31:13 speaks of this beautiful lady being one to work willingly with her hands. Within this statement, we see that it speaks of an unselfishness and is an indication of the God she serves having her total heart (not just part). It also speaks of the fact that what she does is with the right attitude. All that we do whether it is something very small and insignificant or great, it is to be done as unto the Lord and should be with a willingness of heart.

When one serves and gives in such a way with a right heart attitude, the Bible speaks of there being springs of living water flowing out of their lives (John 7:37-38). Whether it be serving our family or others outside of our families, the springs of living water which flow out from us will be welcomed and refreshing as others receive. It also speaks of the need for us to be continually drawing from the source of living water so that our heart and attitude remain pleasing before the One Whom we are serving through our willing hands. If we serve with a wrong attitude, the receiver will not welcome it as he/she would with one who joyfully gives. That is why the Lord speaks of loving a cheerful giver.

Nehemiah 8:10 speaks of the joy of the Lord being our strength. That joy spoken of here isn't something we work up but is a joy that the Lord places within us which tells us He is pleased. That pleasure which we bring to the Lord is what gives us the strength to keep going. May we continue to give of ourselves to the Lord we serve, drawing from His resources so that out of us can flow springs of living water which will refresh and restore those to whom we offer what we hold within our hands.

GOD'S SPRING OF GOODNESS

2011-05-02T15:05:00.001-04:00

Proverbs 31:12 states that she does her husband good and not evil all the days of her life. The Hebrew word "good" in this verse means something that functions properly. Good also speaks of goodness. When we consider all that is being stated, this type of goodness only comes as a result of God's goodness flowing through her and is therefore manifested in what she does and what she speaks. Goodness is a fruit of the Spirit and is an attribute of God seen within us that is pleasing to Him. "....That you may walk worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing Him, being fruitful in every good work and increasing in the knowledge of God." (Colossians 1:10 NKJV)

When we consider God's goodness, the Bible describes it this way:
     1. As abounding (Exodus 34:6)
     2. As great (Psalm 31:19)
     3. As enduring continually (Psalm 52:1)
     4. As being satisfying (Psalm 65:4)
     5. As being good to all (therefore universal) Psalm 145:9

If these are characteristics of God, as imitators of Him, (Eph. 5:1) they should also be characteristic of our lives as well and as the Proverbs 31 woman displays in her life. "For we are His workmanship, created in Christ Jesus for good works, which God prepared beforehand that we should walk in them." (Eph. 2:10 NKJV)

TWO FRUGAL TIPS FOR THIS WEEK:
1. Getting oily stains out of clothes
You need to do this ASAP after finding the stain, because if you wait until the item has already been washed, the oily stain may have set.  Using a paint brush just brush Goop on the stain. You let it sit for about 20 minutes, then throw it in the washing machine and wash as usual with your laundry detergent

2. Making your own instant oatmeal
Instant Oatmeal mix

1 Cup of whole grain old fashioned oatmeal
1T brown sugar

Run the oatmeal through a food mill until it is finely cut. Add the brown sugar and mix well. Store in a airtight container

To Use:
1/3 cup of the mix
3/4 cup water
Mix in the cereal bowl
Microwave for 2 minutes

The Beauty of the Proverbs 31 Woman

2011-04-19T20:47:00.003-04:00

When we read through Proverbs 31 and all this woman's accomplishments, one might feel overwhelmed with the feelings of I could never achieve all that. However, there are far deeper spiritual aspects of this woman that we find in each of these verses. What makes any Proverbs 31 woman beautiful in God's eyes is the beauty of her Savior that is within her and is thus translated out into what she does. In other words, it is a heart issue and that is where God is looking...the beauty within. What is manifested outside in actions is the result of an inward work being done.

For instance: In verse 16, we read she considers a field and buys it...she plants a vineyard with her earnings. A field can represent an area of ministry....either her own or one she chooses to support. She wisely invests a portion of herself or her resources to one of God's vineyards and thus brings more fruitfulness to His kingdom. In turn, her family is blessed which is a lesson in the fact that we can never out-give God (God's Word states this in Malachi 3:10).

It is looking at the deeper spiritual side of each of these verses that we find some reasons why this lady is considered beautiful and why God wanted her portrait painted in His Word. Therefore, it is not about all the things we do, could do, should do, ought to do etc. It is about the willingness and the heart attitude in regards to what our Father asks of us. Our willingness to do and the act of carrying it out is our spiritual worship to Him. Everything that this Proverbs 31 woman does is an act of worship...that is why her worth is far above precious jewels...why she is considered virtuous. Her loyalty and faithfulness is a reflection of her loyalty and faithfulness first of all to her Maker. That is why she is our example.

A FRUGAL TIP:

We have seen that this lady was frugal and wise with what she had. As we have been sharing with one another, there are resources available that can be helpful to become frugal as well. One of our WOW members, gave us this tip regarding the stretching of foaming soap such as you may purchase at Bath and Body Works.

There's an easy way to keep going with foaming hand soap, especially if you get the first one from Bath and Body Works or some other place like that. When it gets low, just get the large bottle of Equate foaming hand soap (from Walmart), add just a little in the bottom of the hand soap dispenser, add lukewarm water, barely shake back and forth and it keeps on foaming and foaming, and foaming and you still have some of the original fragrance.

Financial Stewardship

2011-04-04T15:06:00.000-04:00

When we look at this beautiful woman of Proverbs 31, too
often we get caught up in what she is doing...the busy-ness of
her life. However, rather then focusing on just the many
things she accomplished in her life, there is much more at
work underneath. First of all, we are reminded that she is a
godly woman....a woman after God's heart, a woman who is
willing to serve in any way that God directs her. By her
heart of willingness to serve others and her family, she realizes she is ultimately serving her Heavenly Father. When we have a heart such as this, it will most definitly show up in our actions/what we do. Therefore, that is where we must begin....that heart attitude.

As our heart is being molded and developed, there is the desire to do well...to have wisdom in what we accomplish through our many tasks. As we continue looking at this lady, she was one who incorporated financial stewardship in what she did. She was wise in stretching the money, she did not waste their resources frivously and she refrained from being impulsive. The result of her actions in this caused her husband to be blessed.

In considering frugality, we are wise to look at ways we can "stretch" our money and make the most of it. There are many helpful resources and suggestions available to help us accomplish this goal. To assist us in shrinking our bills and growing our pantry, there is one website we recommend where you can access some good tips as far as amazing homemade cleaning recipes. It is http://www.groceryshrink.com/

To get you started, here are a few tips to start:

A Good Window Cleaner: Mix together equal parts of amonia, water, and alcohol. Place in a spray bottle.

If you use fabric softeners, you know these can sure mount up in the cost. A very good and less expensive fabric softener is to use 1/4 cup white vinegar. No, it does not leave a smell on the clothes and yes, it does soften nicely. However, make sure you use white vinegar...not apple cider vinegar (that will stain).

Cleaning small grout areas: Use equal parts of oxyclean, baking soda and dish soap, scrub it in without water, then rinse and buff clean. Alternatively, make a paste of baking soda and hydrogen peroxide to clean them with.

Cleaning cloth car seats which have been stained: Using Resolve carpet cleaner, mix it up half strength in a clean spray botle and use a stiff bursh. Alternatively would be 2 T. each of oxyclean (Awesome Oxygen from Dollar Tree is cheapest) and your regular laundry detergent dissolved in 4 cups of the hottest tap water. Pour into a clean spray bottle.

The more we see and understand of this beautiful woman, we see she is made strong by wisdom and grace, and the fear of God. She is a woman of resolution who having espoused good principles is firm and steady to them. May that be a goal for each one of us.

Gems To Our Homes

2011-03-15T11:19:00.000-04:00

A woman who is a sparkling jewel will have many characteristics and qualities which she brings to her home which in turn brings stability and peace to her home. Proverbs speaks of this woman...the value of her character is far more valuable than jewels.

The areas where we bring such gems of value are found in practical skills and our emotional stability. Just as gems increase in value over time, we who are persevering in becoming God's beautiful women should be doing so as well. Sometimes, we need the encouragement and help from others in order to achieve this goal. We may not all have strengths in the areas of homemaking, money management, or time management and this is where we can bring encouragement and suggestions to help strengthen our "sisters" as they endeavor to add more sparkle and brighten up the lives of those around them.

With that in mind, we encourage you to share your tips and ideas here that you have found helpful in these areas. One of the first steps we may look at is becoming organized so we can proceed from that point. Therefore, we'll begin with a few tips in this area.

One of the first steps in achieving some organization within our homes is to create a "to do list." By doing this it helps us to identify what jobs, tasks or chores we are needing to accomplish. Once we have a list, we then can begin to break it down into things that need to be done daily, weekly, and monthly. If you have children in your home that are old enough, delegating some of the more simple chores to them can not only be helpful but important as part of their training. If you have chores that are not assigned to a specific day, set these aside until you have all others filled in (the set time events).

When it comes to actually organizing various areas of our homes (such as closets, our pantry, etc., you may have some great tips to share with us and we welcome you to leave comments/suggestions which you have found to be helpful. The money management aspect of this can play a part as well so that we can be frugal while becoming organized. We look forward to hearing from you as we all endeavor to add more "sparkle" to the lives of our home and families.

A Virtuous Woman

2011-02-28T16:30:00.000-05:00

Proverbs 31 asks the question, "Who can find a virtuous woman?" Can such a woman be found? The Hebrew word virtuous in Proverbs 31 refers mostly to an army. When we think of this lady, most often the picture in our mind has nothing to do with an army. However, this is the description God gives of her character. The further meaning of this Hebrew word is defined as the strength or wealth of a person or army. The picture word indicates what bores through a wall. What the virtuous woman has is what is placed inside by the Creator and bores through to be manifested on the outside. It is a strength, an excellence; or that which constitutes value and merit. Therefore, those character qualities which are viewed as gems....more valuable then rubies are precious.

This woman finds her strength in her God. She is submitted to Him....keeping herself upon His potter's wheel as He molds and makes her the precious and beautiful woman. As we previously mentioned in an earlier post, this is not accomplished on our own. None of us have the ability to create within ourselves those characteristics. "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God." (2 Corinthians 3:5 NKJV)

This woman and the strength of character she brings is able, capable, mighty, strong, valiant, powerful and worthy of all that God Almighty creates within her.

This week in Women of Wisdom, we will begin to look at some areas of these gems and how we can enhance their sparkle in our lives; how we can help and encourage each other in the process.

After a Long Delay

2011-02-16T13:34:00.000-05:00

FINALLY...With the promise of 60 tomorrow, that comes with the promise and hope of being able to "kick off" our Beautiful in God's Eyes series....at least no snow! We're looking forward to seeing everyone.

As we look at the total picture of the Proverbs 31 lady, overwhelming could be one of the emotions one feels. However, we must not look at this through our own eyes or by our own efforts. If we do, it most certainly could be overwhelming. God's Word reminds us of this: "Not that we are sufficient of ourselves to think of anything as being from ourselves, but our sufficiency is from God." (2 Corinthains 3:5 NKJV) His Word also states that it is "Not in your own strength for it is God Who is all the while effectually at work in you (energizing and creating in you the POWER AND DESIRE both to will and to work for His good pleasure and satisfaction and delight." (Philippians 2:13 Amp.) Our part is to submit to His work as He shows us what area and what part of this beautiful lady He wants to work in us.

We encourage you to join us as each one begins to create their own picture of what this beauty looks like. Thursday Feb. 17 @ 6:30 p.m. in the Lodge.

Real Beauty

2011-01-17T13:32:00.001-05:00

In 1 Samuel 16:7, God makes it pretty clear as to where He looks for real beauty. "For the Lord does not see as man sees; for man looks at the outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." It seems that over the thousands of years, man still looks and judges more on what the outside looks like rather then the inside.

However, as we continue to explore God's beauty design, it is a matter of what is inside and about the power we give to the One Who can make those changes and bring out the various characteristics of our beauty.

The real inside transformation begins when we accept Christ as our personal Savior. Because of His death (which was an ugly thing), we can become beautiful through His forgiveness.

Some may look at the Proverbs 31 woman and feel they can never attain all that is there. However, we must realize we will never attain it on our own. It is a transformation that takes time and it is only accomplished as we submit to the One Who makes the changes. It is not about our own abilities because it will become an impossibility if we do try. It's all about the power we give to the Holy Spirit to operate in our lives.

Our worth to the Father is far above rubies or any other item of great value. It is not in any title we may have, our achievements, our status in life, opportunities we have or our outward appearance. Our worth is in the fact that Christ was born, died and rose again for you and me and desires to inhabit us while having an intimate relationship with us. As we allow Him to move in and take over, He will begin to reveal to each of us those areas He wants to change so that His beauty is seen. All we need to do is to respond in the way and manner that He chooses while being obedient to His direction for each of us.

We invite you to join us this Thursday (Jan. 20) as we continue this journey and begin "painting" the portrait of this beautiful lady.

Beautiful In God's Eyes

2011-01-01T14:21:00.003-05:00

As we went through the Crazy Love series, we also looked at various characteristics of the fatherhood of God. We cannot have a crazy kind of love for Him if we do not know Him. We saw the crazy kind of love God has for each of us and we should have the same for Him.

Sometimes we have the wrong perceptions of who and what God is and mixed into that equation is the wrong perception of how He views us. Sometimes we accept labels that others place upon us and transfer these labels to possibly how God the Father feels as well.

As we start the new year out, it is time to take a look at how God really views us. As far as God is concerned, real beauty comes from the heart and works its way out. As we readjust our thinking, we will be looking at the various aspects of the Proverbs 31 woman. Some feel that they can never attain to these standards, but it must be understood that it is not up to us to achieve these under our own strength and abilities. It is only as we submit to our Creator Father and allow Him to begin instilling within and changing us from the inside that we can begin to take on the characteristics we see in this lady.

Through this study and sharing time, we will look at specific steps that will help us all grow spiritually strong, put our efforts in the right places and become a woman who truly understands her beauty ad worth in God's eyes.

Join us starting Thursday January 6th @ 6:30 p.m. as we begin this journey together.

A Biblical Legacy

2010-12-02T11:12:00.001-05:00

Whether we realize it or not, we all will leave some type of legacy. If we are aware of that and give consideration to how we live our life, we are wise to live in such a way that the legacy we leave will be one that will count for eternity.

As we look in God's Word, there are many examples of legacies and lessons to be learned from them. One such example is Esther. Mordeccai had been taken captive by Nebuchadnezzar years prior to Esther's time. God is never taken by surprise when it comes to circumstances we encounter. Each and every circumstance can be woven into His plan. This is the case in the life of Esther and Mordeccai.

Esther most likely didn't fully understand (or even see) how her circumstances would be a part of God's bigger plan. As she was chosen to be taken to the king's palace and prepared for consideration, there must have been feelings, emotions, and many questions that went through her mind.

When the time came and an evil plan of Haman's was revealed, she was faced with an even greater challenge...that of appearing before the king to plead the cause of her people. This would require a true laying down of her life. She would have undoubtedly had fears to overcome. However, after much prayer and fasting, she was willing to unknowingly be a part of God's bigger plan....all she did was present herself as a willing vessel.

What are some lessons we see from this legacy?
     1. No matter what circumstances we find ourselves in, we must trust that God has all things in control even if we think it doesn't look like it. Even when He seems to be silent, we need to remain submitted and continually seek Him.
     2. God's ways are not our ways: don't question the way God will work. In Esther's case, to become the wife of an ungodly king in order to accomplish God's ultimate purposes. These situations require a much greater dependence upon seeking the Lord. In the case of this king, it shows how God's actions serve His own purposes even by the sins and follies of men, which He would not permit if He knew not how to bring good out of them.

None of us may understand the bigger plan and God's plan, but we can live our life faithfully to Him each day and be ready and willing to be vessels He can use in His kingdom for whatever His overall plan may be.

Leaving a Legacy

2010-11-15T20:40:00.000-05:00

The word legacy means to send, to bequeath, or something transmitted by or received. From the meaning of this word, we see how it relates closely to a will. However, tangible items that we leave to family or others are just that...tangible. Over time, they can disappear, become damaged or lost. However, the legacy that we leave behind to our family or others can have an impact for a lifetime...either good or bad. Hopefully, the life we are building as we head for eternity will be one that will have an impact for good.

When we look into God's Word, there are many examples of legacies left behind. However, we'll just take a look at two examples.
1. Abraham (Genesis 25:5,6): In this particular reference, we see that Abraham gave all he had to Isaac. Gifts were given to sons of his concubines, but then he sent them away eastward so they would not be a threat to Isaac.
2. David (1 Kings 2:1-7): In verses 1-4 of this reference, David leaves a charge of what was primary importance that he wanted his son Solomon to understand. This charge should be one that we too would leave for our children and that was his relationship with God and keeping His Word. It should be a charge and a legacy that we leave by example as what may be spoken.

When it comes to our children, what kind of legacy do you want to leave? First of all, we can leave the legacy of our lifestyle (Psalm 101:2). "I will behave wisely in a perfect way. Oh, when will You come to me? I will walk within my house with a perfect heart." An example is the best teacher. Children will take on the character traits of their parents. It is a losing battle when parents teach without living what they teach. If our children see unrighteousness/hypocrisy in us they can be disillusioned with the gospel and the Christian walk. They need to see things of God, not worldliness (Colossians 3:1-2).

We can also leave the leagacy of a wholesome, spiritual environment. It takes diligent, deliberate effort to train our children, but the reward can be great. It takes consistency and reptition. Our children should be seeing God's Word as a constant part of our life and Bible study should be a part of the home's routine.

What kind of legacy do you want to leave behind? What do you want to be known for? Think about it. It is something we should seriously consider.

Profiles of Those Showing Extraordinary Love

2010-11-03T18:38:00.000-04:00

As we approach the ending of our Crazy Love series in W.O.W., it is our prayer that this will be the beginning of a new and deepening relationship with God the Father....falling madly in love with Him and being consumed with His love so that the world around us will see God the Father in ways they had never before.

As we look at those who have an extraordinary love and passion for Christ, we see that there is no hint of lukewarmness in them but rather a passion to be filled with Him that results in a witness that others can't help but see. Let's look at just what some of these would be.

1. The person who has an extrarodinary love and passion for Christ will give freely and openly without any hesitation as the Lord directs him/her. They will not hold on tightly what is in their hands. They will love those who hate them and who can never love them back.

2. The person who has an extraordinary love and passion for Christ are more concerned with obeying God than doing what is expected or fulfilling the status quo. He/she will do things that don't always make sense in terms of success or wealth on this earth.

3. The person who has an extraordinary love and passion for Christ do not consider service a burden. They take joy in loving God by loving His people and have that willingness to give in this way.

4. The person who has an extraordinary love and passion for Christ knows that the sin of pride is always a battle. They know you can never be "humble enough," and so they seek to make themselves less known and Christ more known.

5. The person who has an extraordinary love and passion for Christ is characterized by commited, settled, passionate love for God above and before every other thing and every other being.

6. The person who has an extraordinary love and passion for Christ have an intimate relationship with Him. They are nourished by God's Word throughout the day. They are more concerned with his or her character than comfort and know that true joy doesn't depend on circumstances or environment. It is a gift that must be chosen and cultivated, a gift that ultimately comes from God.

We pray that within these few characteristics you may find this an "amen" in your life. If not (or lacking in any area), we can pursue what it takes to attain a Crazy Love for the one who gave a crazy kind of love for each of us.

Loving With Actions and Truth

2010-10-18T15:13:00.000-04:00

We read an account of the Israelites (in 1 Chronicles 29:9-18) of the people giving willingly which resulted in joy and rejoicing. Have you ever found that when you did give something of yourself...something you "held in your hands" that you just felt "good" after having done so?

When we mention the word "giving", most people instantly go to the thought of money. However, giving goes way beyond just money. That is only a portion of the total package. Many things we hold in our hands (which symbolize what is in our possession) was origianlly given to us from God. What we have been given by God we become merely stewards of that. However, we often latch on to it and hold it so tightly as to not be willing to release it once again if God asks it of us. That becomes the symptom of selfishness which God may want to reveal as part of the cleansing and purifying work that is to be ongoing in our life.

There are may things given to us by God which we hold in our hands that He asks for in return...to whatever amount and degree that may be. A few would be gifts and abilities given to us, our time, our possessions (including our finances) and even our children.

The rich young ruler thought he was doing pretty good but yet he sensed a lack and came to Jesus to inquire of that. However, when Jesus fine tuned what was needed and which really tested and revealed where his heart was, he couldn't bring himself to give extravagantly. Through this, it showed two things of him:
        1. He did not really love his neighbor as himself (the 2nd command given by Jesus).
        2. And he actually was in violation of the 1st commandment (Exodus 20:3) to not have any other gods before God Himself. His money and riches were more important and stood in the way.

As we contemplate our degree of love for God and others, we need to ask ourselves two questions:
       1. Is it intimidating to me to think about giving radically and liberally if God asks that of me?
       2. If I can't bring myself to do that, what does it say of my love for Christ and fulfilling His command to love Him with all my heart, my soul, my strength, and my neighbor as myself?

Let us pray that all that we hold in our hands will not be fists firmly clinched tight but as our picture shows, to be fully open for God to come and take as He so desires. God loves a cheerful (hillarious) giver! (2 Corinthians 9:7) That is an indication of one who has a Crazy Love.

Loving God and Loving Others

2010-10-05T09:57:00.000-04:00

As we continue through our Crazy Love series, the last session's discussion revolved around lukewarmness in our lives and the solutions. "The solution isn't to try harder, fail, and then make bigger promises, only to fail again. It does no good to muster up more love for God, to will yourself to love Him more. When loving Him becomes obligation, one of many things we have to do,we end up focusing even more on ourselves." (Quote from book) It is a matter of becoming intimately acquainted with the One we are to fall in love with and pursue that.

However, there is often one hindrance to more room for the God of love to live within us and that is self. When we are filled with self-centerdness and selfishness, there is not much room left for anyone or anything else. To illustrate this, let's look at the image of a person.

If there is self-centerdness, all my thoughts are related and based on self and not God centered or God directed (they are "me" directed).

If I am full of selfishness, I cannot freely give and tend to withhold/hold on tightly. My hands are not free to give. The result of all this is that there is not much room left for the fullness of God's love to inhabit and operate in and through me. That is why Jesus stands at the door and knocks (as we see in Revelation).

There is a reason why Jesus said for us to deny ourselves. It is in doing so that there is more room for Him...the God of love to live in us and through us. Self is a total hindrance and we cannot fully love when focused on self, selfish desires. The life of self denial brings a freedom! Less of me and more of Him in me to operate in me and through me is made possible. There are no more hindrances. That is the purpose of denying self. May our desire be that our lives are about more of Him in me. That is what the pursuing of Crazy Love is all about.

Are We Serving Left-Over's To God?

2010-09-27T14:28:00.000-04:00

When God gave the command to love Him with all our heart, our soul, and our strength, that word all means everything. In everything we do God deserves first place whether it is our time, our giving, our serving etc. He wants all or nothing. As you search through the Scriptures, there are numerous references in regard to giving or serving with all our heart...not half-hearted. When we are often in a luke-warm state in our life, our lack of giving all ends up with God often receiving what is left-over. That is not pleasing or honoring the Creator Who gave His all and continues to give all.

In one of the Jewish festivals, there is the First Fruits. These items were brought to God house (Exodus 34:26). They were considered holy (Ezekiel 48:14), and it was a way to honor God by giving Him the best (Leviticus 2:12-16; Numbers 15:18-21). Gave His best to us: His Son. Christ became the first fruits of those who have fallen asleep (in death - 1 Corinthians 15:20, 22, 23). Jesus rose from the dead on the 3rd day of the Passover season, the day of First Fruits.

The Jews were not to eat the corn until God's part was offered to Him out of it. We too should begin with God, begin our lives with Him, begin every day with Him, begin every meal with Him, begin every affair and business with Him....seek FIRST the kingdom of God. The time of First Fruits and that principle all speak of this.

The solution to lukewarmness in our lives is not trying harder. The solution is falling madly in love with Jesus. It is only then that the heart is willing and eager to give the first and best to Him. "Honor the LORD with your possessions and with the firstfruits of all your increase." (Proverbs 3:9a Amp.) There is real joy in that!

What Does My Soul Long For?

2010-09-17T19:29:00.001-04:00

Our soul is the seat of our affections, emotions, passions, appetites, desires and feelings. It is a part of us that is to love God and is to be surrendered to Him. The first commandment is to love God with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength. If there is any part of that which is not loving God, we are not fulfilling that command.

What does your soul yearn for above everything else? It is a question we need to ask ourselves. Do we yearn for the things of God? Do we yearn for His presence? David had a yearning desire for God. "I long and yearn for the courts of the LORD, my heart and flesh cry out for the living God." (Psalm 84:2) To yearn for any part of the temple meant to long for God Himself. The word longeth in verse 2 is interesting. Within this word there is a Hebrew picture word meaning silver. When all the letters are combined, it means to desire, long, to be greedy for (silver representing the desire for its value). Therefore, that's how David yearned for God because of His value. God's value to him was far above anything else in his life.

Within David's cry for God and His presence, it was a fourfold desire:
     1. His soul longed for God's house (where God dwelled).
     2. His soul faints for the presence of God.
     3. His heart cried out for the living God.
     4. His flesh cried out for God.
All these combined gives a perfect picture of a desperation. He wanted God more than anything else in life. Do we have that same desire? Or have the things of this world, other people etc. become more of the desire and God is left behind...He ends up with just our "left-overs"...a mere fill in when it is convenient.

As David expressed his desire, he said not only his soul longs for but faints for God. The Hebrew word "fainteth" means to end, cease, expire, waste. The idea is that his soul is willing to expire or come to the end of all human activity to find God. Some may say that sounds pretty extreme. Not really is the answer. That is the kind of crazy love God is looking for in each of our lives. That is what it means to love the Lord your God with all your heart, your soul, your mind and it results in a manifestation of all your strength.

The Bible Describes Crazy Love

2010-09-04T12:11:00.000-04:00

God's crazy love has been shown to each of us when He sent His Son into this world in order to die for you and for me in order that our sins could be forgiven. "God SO LOVED the world THAT HE GAVE." (John 3:16) It was not a giving out of compulsion or duty but rather a giving out of an aching love for His creation and the desire to redeem us back.

It is His desire that as we respond that there be a crazy love develop for Him as well. Numerous times the Bible speaks of it in a variety of ways. One is when Jesus said it requires us laying down our life...dying to self. Matthew 22:37 (taken from Deuteronomy 4:7) speaks of what a crazy love we have for God looks like. 'You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind."

To love with all our heart means all inward affections must be directed to God. There should be no room for any other affection to take His place. To love with all our soul includes the very life of an individual which will include the deepest desires and emotions. To love with all our mind refers to one's thoughts. God's thoughts should be directing our thoughts and His Word should be the compass which points our thoughts in the right direction. All this together indicates we need to be very careful what we allow our eyes to see and what we allow our minds to be filled with. This love is not legalism based on duty, it arises from a relationship with our Father.

When we look at the word love in the Hebrew (the Deut. 4:7 verse), it is the word AHAV. It comes from the parent root "hav" and means "the family one is born into and given as a gift, a privilege." From this parent root comes the child root "AHAV" (or love) meaning "the love (emotional and actions) one gives to the family that one is privileged with."

In order to give this kind of crazy love to a God Who gives crazy love to us, it cannot be returned if we do not have the correct knoweldge of Him....His nature and character and His right to command. Any close relationships we have with friends can only come about as we get to know those people and spend time with them. We also tend to gravitate towards people who have the same likes, interests etc. The same is needed in order to have that close relationship with our Father. We can't fully love someone we really don't know. So the question that stands before us is: "How bad do we want to know Him?" How we answer that will determine the effort we make and may further determine where our heart is really at. If our likes and interests are not the same as His interests, then something is not right. Do we have a heart that is "cluttered" by a lot of other things? If so, it might be time to "de-clutter" to make room for the God of love to move in.
God wants to reveal Himself to others through a people who are consumed with His love.

The Awe Factor of Knowing God

2010-08-28T17:08:00.001-04:00

It is a fact that we must spend quality time with someone in order to become better acquainted with them, what they are like, their likes and dislikes etc. It is no different with God. In our relationship with Him, we must spend quality time with Him...not only talking with Him but listening as well. If we are ever going to have a crazy kind of love for our Creator, it must start with focusing on Who and What He is.  God's Word is filled with descriptions of Him. Here are only a few that I encourage you to take a look at and meditate on.
       * Revelation 4:4-10
       * Isaiah 40:13-25
       * Jeremiah 32:17, 27

As we continue our journey through Crazy Love (by Francis Chan), the constant reminder is and will be to spend time learning more about the One Who has a crazy love for you. If we just look at creation alone, it speaks volumes about Him. The invisible God desires to make Himself visible through the works of His hands but unfortunately we have become "numb" to it all.

Some questions for you to think about as you look at attributes of God would be:
     1. What do you think would come out of your mouth the moment you saw God?
     2. Do you think that it is a possibility that a lack of understanding God and His attributes have been a contributing factor in your relationship with God?
     3. Do you feel that a better understanding of God and His attributes would in turn bring changes to your prayer life? We encourage you to take time to read some of the Scriptures that describe His attributes before you enter your time with Him. Begin to focus on the One to whom you are going to speak with.

Crazy Love

2010-07-24T09:53:00.006-04:00

It's crazy if you think about it. The God of the universe - the Creator of nitrogen and pine needles, galaxies and e-minor - loves us with a radical, unconditional, self-sacrificing love. And what is our typical response? We go to church, sing songs, and try not to cuss.

Whether you've verbalized it yet or not...we all know something's wrong...somehow we're just missing it.

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to religious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts - it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, as Francis Chan describes it, you will never be the same. When you're wildly in love with someone, it changes everything.

We invite you to join us starting Thursday August 19th as we begin the 10 session pursuit of Crazy Love. Through the DVD series and small group discussions, it is our hope that the Crazy Love for God will come alive and live out in our lives each and every day. A copy of the book will be necessary. If you have any questions, please contact Sharon at discipleshiponline@sbcglobal.net

Gem Polishing

2010-07-15T11:01:00.000-04:00

It is without question that women love the sparkling gems we see in various pieces of jewelry and even more when we can have them in our own possession. We seldom see them in their original state...only the finished product after it has gone through a vigorous process to become sparkling and much admired and desired.

Malachi (3:16, 17) speaks of those individuals who remain faithful to God, who love, fear and honor Him as being quite special. In fact, God will publicly recognize and openly declare them to be His jewels. Just as the stones we see in our jewelry sparkle, we must go through the process to be that jewel for Him.

Some seem to have (in this life) a more outward manifestation of that vigorous scrubbing than others. The question in my mind is does the type of process depend upon the type of jewel God has in mind? Possibly.

Joni Eareckson Tada would be a prime example of the vigorous scrubbing and polishing she has gone through and continues going through. She talks about this on-going process and its different stages in the book "Voices of the True Woman Movement.

As she talks about the ups and downs and submitting to God's scrubbing and polishing, I see how as God does His work, that whatever jewel we are to become and the process that requires, God's grace is poured out and applied to the mix. That is appropriated to us in the process as long as we activate it.

Even as Joni has gone through this process, she has not kept her focus on herself and her condition. A part of this refining and polishing has been to allow God to use it for good. She is focusing on others she feels to be more needy than herself. What a living life lesson/witness that is for us. Whatever our scrubbing process entails, we need to allow God to work it for good and His glory in our lives in order to become bright, glowing gems for Him. Joni summed it up well. "Yield to the chisel. Serve and help others while you wait. You are being fashioned into a jewel for the crown of your King."

Fears

2010-07-09T11:27:00.001-04:00

Various anxities in our lives can often be an open invitation for fears to come waltzing their way into the midst of whatever stimulates anxiety resulting in its negative work within us. Those two together (anxiety and fear) can hinder us in many different ways and its awful effects can affect us physically, emotionally, and spiritually. This type of fear God never intended for our lives. It is not of Him.

As Karen Loritts (in the book Voices of the True Woman Movement) related the experience she encountered (in regards to a fear that griped her life and didn't want to let go), one thought and question came to my mind. Do these fears come into play and become activated because of an area in our lives where there is a "God void?" Could we cut if off sooner rather then let it play out in our lives if we would allow God to reveal where that void is and allow Him fill it before fear continued its down-spiraling work?

In Karen's case, this seemed to occur when their last child went off to college and she entered the "empty nest" time in her life. I'm sure she is not the only one encountering this time of adjustment. To all of a sudden realize our mothering role (as it has always been for years) has changed and a lonely, empty feeling hits, the anxiety and fear of our worth and how do I fill all my time now can really slap us in the face. The emotional melt-down can be devastating and trying to handle it on our own can prove worthless. Karen found this out as she made the attempts. Our pride gets in the way...not wanting anyone to think we are so weak and vulnerable. Now isn't that really a lie of the enemy in this mix!

How much quicker we could experience victory if we would put our enemy on notice, run to God, and to those we trust who can support us with their encouragement and prayers during these times. Karen stated it well in regards to this. "Of all the things we must resolve to do when life is at its hardest and our fears are at their worst, the first is to resolve to surrender." We don't surrender to our enemy but rather to God and then to those who can stand with us and "uphold our arms" as we walk it out. "Be strong and courageous" is a word God spoke (and repeated) to Joshua in taking the land. (Joshua 1:6-7, 9) It is a word for each of us as well no matter the circumstances we face in our lives. Surrendering to Him and others results in being strong and courageous!

God's Ultimate Unseen Purposes

2010-06-30T19:06:00.001-04:00

As I read through Janet Parshall's account of Hannah (Samuel's mother) (from Voices of the True Woman Movement), there are many accounts within her life where we could push the pause button and meditate on the lessons there. However, to look at her life overall, this is an amazing story. It is easy for us looking at her life from the point the Scriptures pick it up on to the finale and see the total picture (knowing the beginning and the end). However, I'm sure as Hannah walked through each step and phase, it was not easy and she undoubtedly went through agonizing moments at various points. She did not know the beginning to the end. Each step she came to required a new step of faith and another act of surrender...even greater than the previous one.

None of us have the capability to figure out God's ways, why He chooses to do what He does and for what reasons. In our simple minds, we might think why didn't God simply bring about Samuel's birth and go from there as far as his destiny? Perhaps if it had been otherwise and Hannah was able to conceive, there would not have been the dedication and surrender to the Lord of this special child. To her and her husband, there would have not been anything special about his birth as what God chose in this case. There had to be a "birthing process" started in Hannah herself (not only in the natural but the spiritual). He had to bring her to the point she was totally God-centered. That was His ultimate purpose.

What a lesson for us to think about for our own lives. The birthing process of anything in our lives is not easy. There may be many steps and processes we must go through to be completely God-centered. There is the desperation, many times of surrender along the way, a testing of our faith, the waiting period etc. to bring about the God ordained birth.

Even though Janet's account (in this chapter of the book) is directed to women and a mother's role, the process can apply to anyone. In Hannah's case. the reward of her full commitment and the surrendering of her son to God (the one thing she longed for) were more children. This came about when she totally and physically gave this gift back to God and not until then. Whatever it may be that we surrender and re-commit back to God, we can be assured we do serve a generous God who does above and beyond all we can think or imagine. He is not a taker but a giver. He will and does fill our lives with more blessings than we can ever hold.

When God is Silent

2010-06-23T10:42:00.001-04:00

The book of Esther and the account of her life has always been my favorite since I was a small child. There are so many lessons to learn from this story...particularly when God's name is never mentioned in the entire book. However, even though His Name doesn't appear, His hand is at work;orchestrating the events to fulfill His purposes. This is quite evident. I'm sure that the Jewish people, Esther, and Mordecai (as they were caught up in the drama) didn't see it. However, it did cause them to seek and cry out to the One they knew cold intervene on their behalf. That too may have been a part of what He was orchestrating in the scheme of things.

When we face various dire circumstances in our lives, we too may wonder, "God, don't you see what's happening here? Why are You silent? Don't You care?" These and numerous other questions may race through our minds. However, we need to come back to the reality of the fact that Heaven rules (as Nancy Leigh DeMoss states in the book Voices of the True Woman Movement...A Call to the Counter-Revolution).

Just as evil seemed to be prevailing in Esther's story, the situation was not as it would always be. God had the final say in their situation just as He will in ours. Nancy DeMoss made the point quite well when it comes to our dire circumstances. "Don't judge the outcome of the battle by the way things look right now." We have a God far greater and more powerful than any evil. We may go through suffering now but one day we will share in an eternal triumph. It is far more important of a matter as to how we are handling the problem as we "walk" through it and are we focusing more on it or the One Who is far bigger than the problem. If God seems to be silent and unattentive, we need to remember what Pastor John Piper stated (which we see in Esther's story). "In every situation and circumstance of your life, God is always doing a thousand different things that you cannot see and you do not know." Never forget that!

We've Come a Long Way Away

2010-06-15T11:46:00.000-04:00

There is no doubt whatsoever that we (in this country) have departed so far from God and His ways that one wonders if it is even possible to go any further. It is not just the women who fall into this category, but rather men and women. However, because the book "Voices of the True Woman Movement" deals with a call to women to return to what God has called them to be that is more the emphasis at this time. As women, we need to realize and acknowledge our part in the overall condition we presently find ourselves in due to thoughts and attitudes that have been adopted.

As Mary Kassian layed out the history of the women's movement from its conception to the present time (which led us further and further away from God's original plan), I found the lengthy details of it to be difficult to hold my attention. However, after "plowing" on through all the history, the thought which came to me at its conclusion was the influence these few women had at its conception was profound. As they added like-minded women to their ranks, the results of that spirit (which was at work) had devastating effects not only on them, but men and all society as well. It was a few who probably had issues resulting from possible abuse in their lives, fathers who disappointed them etc. It was a combination of these which resulted in an anger against men as a whole that allowed that spirit to begin its "snow-ball" work. The momentum was so great that it has brought us to the point of an anger against the Creator Himself and His intentions for that side of Him to be seen in us.

Because of that, we see what our Creator (whether male or female) has to say regarding the issue of us becoming the ones who say what we are, what we will be, and how we will do it. "WOE to the one who argues with His Maker - one clay pot among many. Does clay say to the one forming it: What are you making? Or does your work (say): He has no hands?" (Isaiah 45:9 HCSB) That attitude brings the results of what that word WOE means...a pronouncement of impending doom from God.

All the self transformation away from the Creator will never in this life time bring us a fulfillment and contenment within ourselves. It is only as we have a knowledge and understanding of who and what God is and our God worth in relation to Him will we find that contentment and peace... what all the striving of self transformation will never ever bring. If the feminist movement started with only a few, that influence of a few can be turned from a negative to a positive. As the few begin to return, what an influence we can become to the fact that it is only in Him do we really live, move and have our being.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tJGx_-ygNmY&feature=related

Living a God-Centered Life

2010-06-08T15:35:00.000-04:00

As I continued reading Nancy Leigh DeMoss' thoughts from the book Voices of the True Woman Movement, a lot of thoughts came to my mind with the question being "How Big is Your God" attached to these thoughts. So much of what she is writing and thoughts for us to think about fit very well as we prepare to begin our pursuit of Crazy Love in August at W.O.W. That is why through the summer, each of the thoughts from this book will begin to help us to examine our own hearts as to how crazy our love is for God.

As we endeavor to live a God-centered life rather then a self-centered life, we can begin to understand how Paul describes God's wisdom, His judgments, and His knowledge which are mysterious and impossible to fully understand. If we just think about creation alone and could break down every single component of everything God created, it just overwhelms the mind to even fathom being able to do such a thing. Creation alone speaks of how big and how awesome He is.

However, how limited we make Him and in our self-centeredness, He becomes a much smaller God inour mind than what He really is. When this occurs, it's no wonder our problems and trials become bigger to us than what God is. If we only come to a greater realization of His greatness and what He is fully capable of doing in and through us when our world revolves around Him, we can then agree with Paul! "Everything comes from him; Everything happens through him; Everything ends up in him. Always glory! Always praise! Yes. Yes. Yes. (Romans 1:36 The Message Bible)

To live a God-centered life comes with the knowledge we can trust Him (even when we question regarding what is occurring as being good). We must still trust that He sees what we cannot. I must agree with Nancy's statemnt that "It's God Who defines good." I just heard someone recently make the comment: "Only when we come to an intimate knowledge of Him can we truly discern what is good."

So the question again (which we individually must answer) is "How big is your God?" Is He big enough that you can say (as Mary did) "Yes, I see it all now; I'm the Lord's maid, ready to serve. Let it be with me (whatever that may be according to God's knowledge) just as you say." (Luke 1:38 Message Bible)

True Womanhood ---The Call

2010-06-01T16:08:00.000-04:00

It seems that every direction I turn there is another voice which is echoing the cry of God's heart and it is always the same call stated in various ways. It is a call for a Crazy Love and it is also a cry coming not only to the men but to the women as well to respond to it. As I began to read a book entitled Voices of the True Woman Movement, the voices coming to us to join this counter-revolution are ones to listen to and ask ourselves if we are going to respond. It is not just a woman or a man speaking, but it is God Himself speaking to us through various "vessels" within His kingdom.

One of the first voices to speak is John Piper who endeavors to help us understand what true womanhood looks like from God's viewpoint. There are so many conflicting voices out there and each of those voices compete with God's voice. The problem lies in the fact that if we begin to listen to these voices, God's voice will be and is lost in the mix. As His voice is drowned out, it causes our spirits to become quieter and the results are not beneficial to us.

As we listen and begin to apply other definitions of our womanhood, our theology becomes a "wimpy theology" as John Piper describes it. This is a good term for it for if you look at the meaning of wimpy, it is to be weak and ineffective. By accepting the world's definition of our womanhood, we've more or less accepted less because we no longer desire the call of God and this new theology becomes weak and ineffective. Any and all other voices are voices of a "wimpy theology." His call for all of us...men as well as women was to love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind (Deut. 6:5 & Matthew 22:37). That means a display of a crazy kind of love in the world's eyes. We have lost the full meaning of God's theology because of listening to many conflicting voices.

By living out this Crazy Love, each of us (no matter our roles, no matter if we are married or single) will reveal truths of Christ and His kingdom to the world around us. He cannot be revealed and magnified to others unless we are living according to God's theology/His way/His purposes. A call to this counter-revolution means we must begin disconnecting the connection between us and the other voices until we get back to God's voice alone. I invite you to join me in this revolution.

John Piper says it well: "So whether you marry or remain single, do not settle for a wimpy theology. It is beneath you. God is too great. Christ is too glorious. True womanhood is too strategic. Don't waste it. Your womanhood - your true womanhood - was made for the glory of Jesus Christ."
True Womanhood

Crazy Love

2010-05-26T11:40:00.001-04:00

Does something deep inside your heart long to break free from the status quo? Are you hungry for an authentic faith that addresses the problems of our world with tangible, even radical, solutions? God is calling you to a passionate love relationship with Himself. Because the answer to relgious complacency isn't working harder at a list of do's and don'ts - it's falling in love with God. And once you encounter His love, it will never be the same.

We invite you to consider if this addresses all that you may feel stirring within you... that desire. Beginning August 19th, we will begin this journey and pursuit of what the world may describe as a Crazy Love. Using the book entitled Crazy Love by Francis Chan, this will be the focus at W.O.W. August - November. There are 10 sessions where each of us will have the opportunity to search our own lives as far as that love relationship with the Creator of the universe. When we are wildly in love with someone, it changes everything and change within will bring about a change in our thinking and our actions.

If you would like to be a part, contact Sharon Winkler to purchase a book and receive a schedule. An introduction by Francis Chan is below.
Introduction to Crazy Love

Walking The Path of Blessing

2010-05-17T21:11:00.000-04:00

I'm sure each of us desire to walk the path of blessing. In order to obtain blessing, we must be constantly aware of influences in our lives and the power they can hold. Proverbs 10:22 (NKJV) states "The blessing of the Lord makes one rich, and He adds no sorrow with it."

Psalm 1:1 tells us "Blessed is the man who walks not in the counsel of the ungodly, nor stands in the path of sinners, nor sits in the seat of the scornful." The word "blessed" in the Hebrew means happy, blessed, prosperous, successful, straight, right, contented. Its origianl meaning is "be straight."

Within this verse we see a progression of acceptance regarding something we shouldn't walk toward. First it is walk, then stand, and lastly sit. This progression can be very characteristic of temptation: a casual influence all the way to participation.

The ungodly man has his counsel (walks). The sinner stands (he has his way) and the scornful one sits down in the way of iniquity. In other words, he has his seat there and that is when the conscience may be seared.

So what are the practical steps we can take to experience victory and not take that path? Psalm 1:2 gives the answer. "But his delight is in the law of the Lord, and in His law he meditates day and night." The key word is "meditate." This word means to reflect, to moan, to mutter, to ponder; to make a quiet sound such as sighing; to meditate or contemplate something as one repeats the words. Hahah (the Hebrew word for meditate) represents something quite unlike the English meditation, which may be a mental exeercise only. In Hebrew thought, to meditate upon the Scriptures is to quietly repeat them in a soft, droning sound, while utterly abandoning outside distractions. From this tradition comes a specialized type of Jewish prayer called "davening," that is, reciting texts, praying intense prayers, or getting lost in communion with God while bowing or rocking back and forth. Evidently, this dynamic form of meditation and prayer is very ancient and was practiced in David's time. I wonder how might this form of meditation on our part affect anxiety, worry, fear or even depression in our lives. Let us choose to walk the way of blessing. It is a path that God will walk with us. It is the way of wisdom!

Our Next Get Together Time

2010-05-07T22:02:00.000-04:00

We invite you to join us on May 20th for a time of good conversation and fellowship. This will be our last get-together as a group until August. June and July are busy months for families and we plan to take these two months as a break time. Bring a snack to share. We will be sharing on the upcoming plans for August - November. Hope to see you there!

Releasing Your "Arrows"

2010-05-04T21:14:00.000-04:00

The theme Scripture verse for our last W.O.W. gathering came from Psalm 127:3-5: "Behold, children are a heritage from the Lord. The fruit of the womb is a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior, So are the children of one's youth. Happy is the man who has his quiver full of them; They shall not be ashamed, But shall speak with their enemies in the gate."

The Scripture refers to our children as arrows and at some point all parents need to release their arrows. In the natural, arrows are not designed to stay in the quiver. They are created for flight. The focus of their training (while in the "quiver") should be so that when they are released they will hit the target "dead center."

Proverbs speaks of training a child in the way they should go (Proverbs 22:6). The Hebrew word (hanak) for "train" means to dedicate. It seems to include the idea of setting aside, narrowing, or hedging in. The word is sometimes used in the sense of "start." Child-training involves "narrowing" a child's conduct away from evil and toward godliness and starting him in the right direction.

One quote which brought a lot of discussion was as follows: "The most common mistake made by parents of older teenagers (16 to 19 years of age) is refusing them the independence and maturity they require. And in so doing, we force our young adults into one of two destructive patterns: Either they passively accept our over protection and remain dependent "children" into adult life or they rise up in great wrath to reject our bondage and interference. They lose on both counts. On the one hand they become emotional cripples who are incapable of independent thought, and on the other they grow into angry, guilt-ridden adults who have severed ties with the family they need."

Much wisdom is needed in guiding, training, and knowing the right time and way to release our children a little at a time so that they in turn can become responsible, productive, and godly adults in God's kingdom.

Confidence

2010-04-19T21:09:00.003-04:00

The topic at our last W.O.W. had to do with confidence. There are many things (and perhaps even people) in this life that we have found we cannot have our confidence placed in. Too often, we have experienced disappointment and even dis-trust. The only sure confidence that we can safely place that element in is God. Even then, God has His ways of putting our confidence in Him to a test and often this occurs to see where our trust and faith in Him really lies.

There are two areas in particular where that confidence will be tested.

1. What He may ask of us to do in regards to serving Him.

2. Times of lack and hardship which come to our lives.

Our society suggests that the experience of victory over any hardship can only be real when you have what you want when you want it. However, the Bible teaches just the opposite. We win, not when you get what you want but the moment you believe. When we are surrounded by problems, we win not when they're solvent but when we believe God's promise to sustain through or beyond it.

So what do we not place our confidence in? The Bible gives the following areas:

1. In weapons (Psalm 44:6)

2. Wealth (Psalm 49:6-7)

3. In our leaders because man will fail and disappoint us (Psalm 146:3).

4. In man (Jeremiah 17:5)

5. In our works (Jeremiah 48:7)

6. In one's own righteousness (Ezekiel 33:13)

God's Word says the things we are to have confidence in (which all deal with God Himself are:

1. God's Name (Psalm 33:21)

2. God's Word (Psalm 119:42)

3. Jesus...God's Son (Matthew 12:17-21)

"In the fear of the Lord THERE IS STRONG CONFIDENCE. And His children will have a place of refuge." Proverbs 14:26 NKJV

Contentment and Discontentment

2010-04-07T09:53:00.002-04:00

We all have experienced discontentment in our lives and the reasons can probably run the gamit. One of those reasons which seem to pop up is a restlessness. However, that can lead to an endless chase. When we get to where we think what we achieved or obtained will bring contentment, we only find something still lacking and the vicious circle continues.

What causes discontentment? Often it is unmet needs that we have in our lives and this little "weapon" of Satan can and often will affect our relationship with God. God chose not to give contenement as a gift but rather to teach us to be content as we allow Him to work in us.

If we would take the time to "peel back the layers" of discontentment, we might find at the root a dissatisfaction of who or what we are. The reasons of this can also vary ...mistreatment/abuse/name-calling/ lack of affirmation in our lives to name a few.

The remedy: turn from how we perceive ourselves and others remarks/opinions and focus on how God sees you. In His eyes you are of great worth and value to Him. There are two beautiful pictures from Scripture we can see of our worth and value.

1. The story of David and Jonathan: 1 Samuel 18:1-4). The Scripture says when Jonathan became one in spirit with David a covenant was made. Jonathan loved David as his own life. When that covenant was made, Jonathan stripped himself of his princely robes, his military tunic, his sword, his bow and belt and place it on David. David then wore the princely garb and others would see him with that mark of identity.

2. That picture is one of what Jesus also came and did for us because of His great love for you and I. He willingly stripped Himself of everything to become as one of us. It didn't just end there but went to the point of giving everything....hanging naked on the cross so we might wear His robe of righteousness and therefore be identified as a child of God when others see us. He was not and is not ashamed of you or I but wants others to know (with pride) that you belong to Him.

Anyone who would go to that extreme for someone else...that individual would surely have to consider that individual one of GREAT worth. That is what you are!

The Promise of Wisdom Part 2

2010-03-15T16:21:00.002-04:00

James 1:5 states that if we lack wisdom, we should ask the giving God who is willing to give liberally and without faultfinding that wisdom we need. The phrase "let him ask" means "let him keep on asking." There is no limit to the times we can come to Him for God's wisdom never runs out. As parents, we sometimes become weary of the constant questions our little ones may keep asking, but our Father in heaven never becomes weary of it. He finds plesure in it. The only time He may be irritated with our asking is when we consistenly fail to follow His wisdom. At that point, He may refuse to answer any further or listen to our questions.

As with all of God's promises, there are prerequisites to our asking (Verses 6-8). We are to come asking in faith without doubting. If we have questions as to whether God will give an answer, that is doubt and that blocks out an answer. If God gives a promise and says He will do it, He will do it. Believing we will receive opens the door to receive. Doubt shuts the door. In fact, God states this person is unstable and uncertain about everything he does. He is like a wave of the sea being tossed by the wind. Doubt must be destroyed in order for faith to be active, continue to live, and bear fruit.

Let us be seekers of wisdom from God. "If you seek it like silver and search for it like hidden treasure, then you will understand the fear of the Lord and discover the knowledge of God. For the Lord gives wisdom; from His mouth comes knowledge and understanding." (Proverbs 2:4-6 HCSB)

The Promise of Wisdom Part 1

2010-03-03T14:52:00.003-05:00

There aren't any of us who have all wisdom for every area or situation in our lives. If we did, we most definitely wouldn't rely upon God. God created each of us in such a way that we would need Him and recognize that need. Why? It is because His desire is to have a personal and intimate relationship with each of us. Anyone who feels they are self-sufficient doesn't feel they need anyone and perhaps the tendency would be to isolate themselves from others. The bottom line is we all need God and other people in our lives. We were created to be relational.

When we face any situation where we lack wisdom (fall short of), this doesn't mean knowledge alone but rather the practical (and godly) way of using that knowledge we do have. It is in these situations when we go to the Father for His advice. God delights in having us come to Him and the promises are He willingly, generously, and without criticizing will give to us what we need in order to guide us in our choices. (See James 1:5)

As the generations come together in W.O.W., there is never to be any condemnation (or criticizing) for the wisdom we feel we are needing regarding the various issues that come up in our life. It is the daughters, mothers, and grandmothers coming together to find the answers from God's Word in order to encourage, edify, and build one another up. There is great strength in that as we do so, we in turn can be "doers" of the Word. We encourage and invite you to join us as a seeker of godly wisdom!

Friendship Wrap-Up

2010-02-09T14:04:00.006-05:00

Friendships are important to us all. God created us in such a way that we need others and the list could contain many reasons. Satan would like to destroy good friendships and if a friendship becomes broken, he will do what he can to keep it from being repaired. Anything to isolate us is his goal.

So if we do experience a broken friendship, how can it be repaired. From God's wisdom in the word, here are a few Scriptures which can direct us toward that goal.
Matthew 5:22: Everyone who is angry with his brother will be subject to judgment. Not a good option.
Matthew 5:25: Your goal should be to "make friends with the person who has accused you rather than to place blame.
Leviticus 19:17-18: This speaks of not hating your brother in your heart.
Matthew 18:15-20: If your brother sins against you, you are to go and rebuke him in private.

The following video shows how lasting friendships can leave such an impact. Even though it involves an animal, the message is quite clear (as far as the one giving friendship and the one who receives).

Speaking the Truth in Love

2010-02-02T21:58:00.002-05:00

Another question which was presented in regards to friendships was "How can I speak the truth in love and still maintain a friendship?"

First of all, if we tend to be of the personality where we are "born fixers", we need to be careful. The important part of this intitally is to not be quick to advise your friend. Many times it is far more important to listen first, and respect what they have to say. Most solutions may not be as simple as they seem.

A few Scriptures which you can look at in relation to this question would be:
1. Proverbs 27:6:
The wounds from a friend can be trusted, but an enemy multiplies the wounds.
A friend has your best interests at heart (a genuine friend that is).
An enemy may only say what you want to hear (sweet words).
A friend's advice (no matter how painful it may seem) is much better.

2. Ephesians 4:25
Since you put away lying, speak the truth, each one to his neighbor, because we are members of one another.

3. Zecharaiah 8:16
These are things you must do: speak truth to one another, render honest and peaceful judgments in your gates.

4. Ephesians 4:29
No unwholesome talk - only what is helpful for building others up

5. James 1:5-8
Sometimes we may not have all the answers. However, God promises to give wisdom to us when it is needed.

Have you ever had any experiences/solutions/problems in relation to this question. Please feel free to add your comments.

Unhealthy Friendships

2010-01-23T21:55:00.002-05:00

Several friendship questions were discussed at our last group time. This blog entry and the next few, we'll focus in on some of the highlights of our discussion with some added notes and Scriptures for you to add to the thoughts and wisdom applied.

This topic has to do with unhealthy friendships and how to tell if we are involved in such. To look at the opposite of unhealthy, a healthy relationship would be one that encourages you to please God in all your habits, attitudes and your walk with Him. Any relationship that pulls you away from a relationship with Christ would definitely put it into the unhealthy category.

Proverbs 22:24,25: This reference speaks of not making a friend with an angry man, as well as not becoming the companion of a hot tempered man. The danger is that you will learn his ways and entangle yourself in a snare.

Psalm 1 signifies a progression from a casual influence of ungodly people to collusion with them in their scorning of the righteous. In this chapter, we see that the happy (blessed) man
1. Does not follow the advice of the wicked.
2. Does not take the path of sinners.
3. Does not join a group of mockers.

Looking at Proverbs 4:14,15, we learn the following:
1. Don't set your foot on the path of the wicked.
2. Don't proceed in the way of evil ones.
3. Avoid that way and don't travel on it at all...turn away!

Going to the New Testament, 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 tells us not to be mismatched with unbelievers. The word yoked means yoked with a different yoke. In Leviticus 19:19, God spoke of the union of beasts of different kinds...it wasnt to happen. Two different kinds of animals yoked together just woudn't work and the same applies with the 2 Corinthians Scripture reference.

Our influence as Christians needs to be a much stronger influence upon those who do not know Christ. We are not to compromise for that will eventually do harm to us. We need to be stronger in our Christian walk than the sinner is in his sin. God gives His wisdom through each of these Scriptures for a very good reason. We need to heed and follow every word of it.

Re-Grouping Time Coming Up in January

2009-12-11T15:50:00.003-05:00

The last time we met was in November. Taking the month of December off, we hope each of you have been enjoying the preparations for the time we celebrate the birth of the Lord Jesus. As preparations are made let us be careful that we don't crowd out the significance of this time and basically saying with all the hurried pace...."There is no room here."

Our time in November was a little on the skimpy side and we know that this was due to illnesses and other commitments. We shared Thanksgiving experiences and some good recipes. The recipient of our Thanksgiving basket was most appreciative. Thank you to all of you who made contributions.

As we look to the New Year and our time together again, may it be a time of further developing our relationships by the strengthening, and encouraging we bring to one another. Many desire good friendships and friendships are needed in our lives. With that in mind, we will kick off 2010 with the topic of friendships. As you think about this topic and the questions we will look at (below), may it be with the purpose of making the connections even stronger. Questions we will find wisdom's answers to are:

1. If I'm naturally introverted and independent, why should I go out of my way to make friends?

2. How can I forgive a friend who has greatly wronged or disappointed me?

3. How can I repair a broken friendship?

4. How can I speak the truth in love and still maintain a friendship?

Hope to see you all on Thursday January 7th at 6:30 p.m.

Our Apparel

2009-11-05T22:36:00.006-05:00

We missed A LOT of you at W.O.W. tonight (Thursday Nov. 5). Because of that, we will place some of the highlight notes from our topic on dress, jewelry and make-up. As we discussed how God wants us to dress (as young ladies and women), we see from Scripture some basic principles we should follow.

God is always looking at our heart, but it is man who looks at the outward appearance (1 Samuel 16:7). What we are on the inside will be reflected on the outside. The primary focus in our lives should be the development of our inner character. When we are spendng more time (and money) on the outward appearance, something is wrong/out of balance.

From God's Word, we see our apparel should be without show (drawing attention to ourself). 1 Peter 3:3-5 give us some guidelines.

1. Our beauty does not consist of elaborate hair styles, jewelry or our clothes. Our outward appearance should compliment our inward beauty.

2. Peter was addressing this issue regarding the women's appearance because wealthy women in their society flaunted their prestige by braiding their hair in an elaborate manner and used gaudy adornments to draw attention to themselves. They use this to appear well in the sight of others. Peter warned the women to not allow this influence to come into their lives and the church. Again, society is not to be our "yardstick."

3. Peter was not condemning jewelry and color for God's world is full of color. It is (and was) the emphasis that was being placed on it and the motives behind it.

4. We are to focus on the heart and develop a gentle/quiet spirit which is great worth in God's eyes.

Men are attracted by what they see (visual) and when we dress in such a way where we are drawing the attention to our physical/outward appearance which says, "Notice me," men are going to respond. Therefore, when we dress inappropriately or in a way that focuses the attention on us, we are being a temptation to the men. We will answer to God for such actions.

When the emphais is notice me, it may also indicate a need within us. We are taking ourselves out from unfulfilled desires to look for it in other places....the attention we get as a result of how we dress. For those ladies who are married, if we are dressing inapprorpriately or in suggestive ways, we are not showing the respect we should have for our husbands.

As we looked at 1 Timothy 2:9,10, the word modest means: well-arranged, becoming, properly, orderly. These words are clues to how we dress and our over-all appearance. Once again, our emphasis should be on our inner beauty, good deeds and faithful service. God doesn't expect us to be dumpy and unattractive, but rather to reject the world's "yardstick" for measuring our beauty.

As we dress, these are some guidelines to consider:

1. Is what you wear something you would wear in front of Jesus? Actually, we always are seen by Him. This is the same principle as WWJD.

2. What image are you portraying by your dress?

3. Do you represent Christ in what you wear?

4. Does Jesus teach to call attention to ourselves?

5. Suggestion: Even if we are married and have little girls: with their Barbie dolls, we need to be careful with what they are learning as they play with them. If we get involved in their play with these dolls, it can be a learning time. We an teach tehm what is or is not appropriate...even as they may shop for little Barbie outfits.

In all we do (even our dress and appearance), we are to do for the glory of God.

Following our discussion, we had a little fun time determining what "season" we are using the "Color Me Beautiful" format. Hope everyone will be back November 19th when it will be a Thanksgiving theme.

The Garden of Our Minds

2009-10-12T13:45:00.004-04:00

At our last W.O.W. gathering, the topic was "Negative Self-Talk." In other words, when we talk about ourselves, the tendency may be to talk about ourselves in a negative fashion. The following are some thoughts which were given as a follow up for you to further consider and apply to your life.

Our minds are like a garden, which may be intelligently cultivated or allowed to run wild; but whether cultivated or neglected, it must, and will, bring forth some type of "fruit." If no useful seeds are put into it, then an abundance of useless weed seeds will fall therein, and will continue to produce their kind. Just as a gardener cultivates his plot, keeping it free from weeds, and growing the flowers and fruits which he requires, so may a man (or woman) tend the garden of his mind, weeding out all the wrong, useless, and impure thoughts, and cultivating toward perfection the flowers and fruits of right, useful, and pure thoughts.

Each of us are a creation of God Almighty and when we speak negatively about ourselves, it is basically saying, "God, I don't like what you created." Every word we speak is a seed. Every action we take is a seed. Every thought we have is a seed. What do seeds do? They grow. So the question to ask is whose seeds are you using? God's or Satan's? To use the right seeds and sow the proper seeds, we need to understand and see ourselves as God sees us....understand our "God worth."

I think of Satan as the chief of chameleons. I use that term because he has no true values and can change his appearance (as a chameleon) and personality with ease and as he so desires. He in turn will use other's words and actions and then our own thoughts to make us believe we are something different than who God intended us to be. When we listen to the lies, start accepting those lies as fact and believing them, he has us hooked into the ranks of "Chameleon Syndrome Intl." We then are caught in a cycle which we can't seem to get out of. We have believed a lie and when we speak negatively about ourselves, we are speaking a lie.

God's word states that He hates lies and especially if we tell them. (See Proverbs 12:22; Exodus 20:16; and Proverbs 6:16-19). James 3:9-10 speaks of the tongue: blessing and cursing. If we speak of ourselves in a negative way (as a result of believing a lie), are we not cursing men (us) who were made in God's likeness? This is a reproach on God as Creator. This would apply to whether we are calling ourselves names or calling others names. When we recognize this in our own lives, we need to first of all, repent and turn from that. The next step is to begin looking through God's Word to see ourselves as He sees us. That is His intention for each of us because that is who we really are.

I encourage you to read through Ephesians 1:3-8. There are 8 words within this reference which describe your identity in Christ. Can you find them? Let's stop believing and speaking a lie when it comes to ourselves and value the vessel God has created.

Tara's Passion and Wail

2009-09-15T19:39:00.008-04:00

We watched the Lisa Bevere DVD in W.O.W. about a woman's wail. I shared about the wail the Lord has given me. I have a passion to reduce the 90% termination rate of pregnancies with a diagnosis of Down Syndrome. It breaks my heart that women are believing a lie and ending a wanted pregnancy because of misinformation or pressure from the medical community.

This has been my wail since giving birth to Simeon seven months ago,when I first learned of the numbers. These children were created in the image of the Almighty God and are fearfully and wonderfully made and yet, because they are not what is expected, they won't survive the womb.

I feel so strongly about this that I was having trouble finding balance. I believe education and exposure to those with Down Syndrome are key, so I spent a great deal of time reading blogs, news articles, and message boards educating when I could. I also spent a great deal of mental energy obsessing over the things I've read and heard. I was constantly searching for an opportunity to educate and minister. I had trouble mustering enthusiasm for the things He has already called me to do: educating my children, ministering to my husband, maintaining my home, etc.

Last week, I was praying and reading the affirmation statements and Scriptures that Linda gave us. When I read Matthew 6:33 and Ephesians 1:4,5, they jumped out at me. I realized that the Lord has placed this passion within me. He gave me a voice and chose me to do His work before time began. However, I don't have to find the work He has predestined me to do. It is HIS responsibility to bring the work to me! I don't have to waste my time and energy looking for it. He is more than able to put me in situations where He wants me to speak.

This revelation has been a huge relief to me. My responsibility is to be yielded to Him and obey. It's so simple, as it always is with Him.

Thoughts and Notes

2009-09-10T15:06:00.007-04:00

At our last W.O.W. gathering, thanks to all of you who brought great salads for us to enjoy as we also had a good time of conversation and fellowship before viewing the last session of Nurture.

Just a reminder of some thoughts we gave for you to take and think about. As Women of Wisdom, we want to be encouraging and helping one another in this: "Get the attitude that you bring solution to every problem you encounter. In the Word of God, there is a solution...together we want to find that as we talk about the various areas of our lives. We need to be women that when we arrive, darkness flees and light comes. We need to out-rank everything in the spirit. When we come on the scene, we do not need to be afraid of anything because we have the attitude 'I am the daughter of the Most High God. Demons, you need to trenble and be afraid.'"

It is very important to keep a positive attitude full of faith and power. How can you maintain such a mindset? By hiding the promises of God's Word in your heart. It is the energy of God's living Word that nurtures and fuels the fire of our dreams. No other book on earth possesses the power to transform our lives.

NEXT TIME WE MEET: Thursday September 17: 6:30 p.m. in the Lodge
The topic: The world's mantra is that we, as women, need to take time for ourselves and make ourselves a priority. How does this line up with Scripture? Should we love ourselves or deny ourselves? Is there a balance? If so, what does that look like? Have you faced this in some way and has the Lord given you wisdom regarding this area? Come ready to share what God has shown you (and bring your Bibles along as well). You can even begin by leaving comments here as well.

Here are some "pics" of our fellowship time:

God Pursues Us

2009-08-24T20:12:00.003-04:00

Just think about it! The God of all wisdom so desires a one on one relationship with each of us that He will do whatever is necessary to pursue us and He will use whatever means to speak to us so that we will understand how much He loves us and desires to spend time with us personally. One of our WOW members recently received this message as a result of a recent encounter with her dog. Sounds funny? Maybe so, but He knew what it would take for her to understand. This is her testimony.

"Cody has become my dog. He can't wait to see and greet me when I come home and then follows me all over the house and lies down by myfeet when I sit down. On Monday night, I was very busy when I got home and didn't have time to even "greet" him back, even though he cried for my attention. Tuesday was the same way. I had to get home by 4:30 p.m. for my daugher-in-law to help me with something on the computer. Cody tried and tried to get my attention and I kept pushing him away. As I leaned over, he had wedged himself in front of me so I couldn't ignore him. As I leaned over to pet him, I heard the Lord say, 'I just want to spend time with you.' Wow! (and no pun intended). I think that got my attention, but it was a very reassuring attention getter because I realized He WANTS to spend time with ME! I didn't have to sit in my chair and wait to hear from Him. If He could say that to me by using my dog as an example, what a great example! Just like Cody, I've been pushing God away. So now, I'm working on getting rid of the negative comments that replay in my head and trying to see what God has for me."

God desires that time with you as well. If we are to pursue wisdom in our lives, it means we must pursue the author of wisdom! He loves you greatly!

Bringing It Home

2009-08-21T16:05:00.003-04:00

Thursday (August 20) we "hit" the halfway mark in laying the foundation for W.O.W. The session from Nurture was entitled "Bringing It Home." By using the examples of Naomi and Ruth, Mary and Elizabeth we saw the importance of the mothers and the daughters. When the older women connect with the younger women, there is a restoration of inheritance and legacy. We need the young and the old if we are going to get this restoration.

**************************

The questions to be considering this week during your "quiet time" are:
1. Is God beginning to "plant" within you the impossible?
2. What is He saying that He wants you to consecrate to Him?

******************************

Taking it With You: You are Priceless

Have you ever been considered insignificant and consequently, overlooked or left behind by others? God doesn't see you that way. To Him you are pricelss! And He views the women around you in the same way. He has great things planned for your life and theirs. This is the season to unite and overcome the obstacles of fear and failure - to encourage the gift of God in yourself and others and embrace the impossible dreams God has deposited in you.

Making Your Connection

2009-08-14T19:44:00.013-04:00

We had a great time Thursday evening as WOW is now underway. The 2nd session of Nurture clearly defined WOW's purpose....making the connection ofdaughters, mothers, and grandmothers). Some highlights brought out which also stimulated discussion were:

1. Daughters are growing, so they need to ask for things, such as connection, love, affirmation and answers. The question "Why?" is often in their mouths.

2. Mothers are grown; they have answers, meet needs, give love, ask for obedience and are often busy. The word "because" is often in their mouths.

3. Grandmothers have aged and almost embody maternal love and life answers, but they watch and wait as they ask for hugs and kisses. The phrase "Let it go, it doesn't matter" is in their vocabulary as they pat you.

There is a need for healthy connections among women of all ages. Far too women are disconnected and isolated. Others want desperately to connect but just don't know how to see this happen. It may be awkward at first, but it must start somewhere.

We're excited to see connections beginning to happen. Great discussion, ladies. Don't forget to give us your topics and questions as we plan for more great discussions and encouragement from God's Word. Also: let's begin to hear from you for postings on our blog. We know you have some wisdom thoughts to give down there somewhere.

The following is a thought from Nurture for you to think about (because it is exactly how we feel about each of you:

There's room for you. The spaces and places are not filled.
The problems not all solved. There's an Earth-felt need for
someone just like YOU!

Have a great week and we look forward to everyone back with us this next Thursday!

What Does She Look Like?

2009-08-05T21:12:00.008-04:00

When we speak of the Woman of Wisdom, what does she look like? What are some of the evidences of the fruit that "fills her life (basket)?"

* She walks in the fear of the Lord recognizing it is the pre-requisite to Wisdom. (Proverbs 9:10 and Psalm 111:10).

* She is one who earnestly seeks it. (Proverbs 2:6)

* She recognizes God as the Author and source of Wisdom. (Proverbs 2:6 and James 1:5)

* She considers Wisdom as she would an intimate relative and understanding as a kinsman and treats them as such. (Proverbs 7:4)

* She allows Wisdom to build her house and make it complete (the number 7 representing completeness) (Proverbs 9:1; Proverbs 14:1; Proverbs 24:3)

* She speaks with wisdom and loving instruction. (Proverbs 31:26)

www.icfonline.us

W.O.W.'s Purpose

2009-08-04T20:07:00.006-04:00

As a Woman Of Wisdom, it is our purpose on this blog site to seek out and apply godly wisdom for every area of our life so that our lives and our homes are filled with godly treasures. A Woman Of Wisdom recognizes that foolishness and sin in our lives does not contribute to security and prosperity, but wisdom does. That is why we are seekers of the Author of all wisdom.

As we encounter various issues in our homes and lives, God will guide and instruct us with His wisdom to bring about resolution to the issues we encounter. Even though we may have made mistakes along the way, we can gain wisdom through them. Because of wisdom gained, we then pass along wisdom learned to others so that they do not "build" foolishly but rather wisely. We may not have yet attained our goal, but we continue pursuing wisdom as we encounter God's Word and through the encouragment we receive from our "sisters" in Christ. It is our desire and purpose to share these insights based on God's Word for the purpose of building, edifying and strengthening so that we are each walking wisdom's path.

We invite you to come back and join us frequently. Feel free to leave comments and/or questions you may have regarding wisdom needed in your life. We will do our best to answer your wisdom question. God bless you as you walk wisdom's path.