“The Amen, the faithful and true Witness, the Originator of God’s creation says: I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I wish that you were cold or hot. So, because you are lukewarm, and neither hot nor cold, I am going to vomit you out of My mouth." Revelation 3:14-16 (HCSB)
We have just experienced one of the coldest weeks in decades! Temperatures have not climbed above freezing for more than a week as we have all been under "a deep freeze warning" night after night. With the deep freeze warning there comes some specific instructions to "take extra care" of the "P's" in our lives...Pets, Plants, Pipes, People...
There are times in our Christian walk that God calls us to "take extra care" so that we will continue to have "Hot Hearts" for Him! Here we are after all of the "new year commitments" have been made and we begin to live out a New Year surrendered afresh and anew to all that God has called us to...and then comes the deep freeze season of life, WINTER... the enemy can even try and use the weather or the season of life that includes more darkness (Winter) to try and cause our lives to grow "cold".
I will never forget the time that we teamed up with His servants from all over North America and ministered to an almost unreached people group in of all places...Alaska. As we prepared for this special time of going and sharing Jesus, we learned so much about how the cold dark long Winter months can affect the people of Alaska. We learned that during the cold months, Alaska leads North America in the areas of; depression, alcoholism, unemployment, and tragic family issues, just to name a few of the real struggles that the cold can bring upon lives. Many women gave their lives to Christ in Alaska that week that was so full of Jesus and His Love that Warms the coldest heart! Today it was -57 as we keep praying for Alaska as God keeps doing His Work!!
As believers, the enemy will even try and use anything, even "the cold" months of Winter, to make our hearts grow cold inside when it comes to daily growing in The Lord and daily sharing Him with others! What are some possible steps we can take to "fan the FLAME" of The Holy Spirit in our lives for Jesus?
"Having A Hot Heart for Jesus in a Cold World"- Ideas (Please Turn Up The Heat!): Ask God for A Hot Heart = Pray; Clean out the Filter of our Heart = Confession; Put in some new fresh kindling that helps build a new fire in our heart = Begin A New Prayer Plan, Bible Study Plan, Retreat; Share The Warmth from the Fire that God has Built = Reach out to others, Share Jesus, Pray with Someone, Have an Accountability Praying Friend, Realize the ways that God is at Work in and through our Lives, Encourage (Fan The Flame) Others!
We can either be a thermometer that only reflects the temperature in the room or we can ask God to make us a THERMOSTAT that sets & reflects a Hot Heart for God that can warm cold hearts around us for the cause of Christ! We would love for you to share some of your simple steps that you have taken that "Fans the FLAME" as we ask God to Please Turn Up The Heat inside of our HEARTS because like it has been said "it only takes a spark to get a fire going"!!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MvUNkRbi5Rc - Lord I Give You My Heart!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vnqb7Vn4AEE - Open The Eyes Of My Heart!
