Conformed or Transformed?

I have found myself saying "That's just not fair!" this week. I have experienced frustrating situations that I would allow to consume me. I have let my mind wander and have experience a cluster of destructive emotions. I had valid reasons to be angry; valid reasons to fight; valid reasons to quit. So, if that is the case, why would I say "it's not fair" and out of the same mouth "God is up to something great"? Perspective. It comes down to perspective. In all of our situations, whether or not we can see it, God is up to something great! Through our situations, we may find ourselves saying: • How could God let this happen? • This isn't fair! • If God cares about me, why is he allowing ____________ to happen? Our life is a short little speck in light of eternity. God has seen all of the past thousands of years and he already sees the next thousand years. He knows everything we have ever done and will ever do. He knows what will happe...

Last night I finally took that sliver out of my foot. Because it was so small, I had to dig a bit to get it out and now today, my foot really hurts. It hurts worse than when I had the sliver in there. Every step I feel the cut. I thought about that for a bit, as it pertains to my post from yesterday. When we confess our sin and finally get it out of our lives, the pain of the consequences of our sin linger. Sometimes the consequences of our sin are worse than the pain of having the sin in our life. The good news is...that pain may feel worse at first, but it goes away and you become stronger and wiser for having gone through that process. Key for today: Cut out the slivers in your life and rejoice in God's grace and healing power in your life.

Somehow when I was in the basement yesterday, I got a sliver from the floor in my foot. I didn't notice it much, but every once in a while I got a little poke in the bottom of my foot that kinda bothered me. It wasn't that big of a deal, so I left it. I figured it would work its way out since it was such a small sliver. It wasn't worth all the digging and cutting. Last night every time I took a step it really kinda bothered me, but today, it's almost as if I've gotten used to the occassional little pick I get. It's not like I am running a marathon that I need to keep my feet in good condition. So...the sliver is still there. In Hebrews 12:1 it says "Therefore, since we surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us." The phrase that stands out to me is "sin that so easily entangles". Why and how d...

I was outside pulling weeds in my garden and was reminded of the spiritual impact of "pullin' weeds". If the weeds are left to themselves in the garden, they will take over the beautiful flowers and vegetables that should be growing there. The garden was meant for beauty and producing fruit (or vegetables). We may think that now that we are a Christian that we have our ticket to heaven and that is enough. IT'S NOT! We have to pull the weeds, the sin, to be what God created us to be. He desires that we grow, flourish and bear fruit, but sin left untreated, will take over our life and choke us out. I can go out on any given day and pull at least ONE weed. Spiritually, I can go to prayer and seek my heart and almost always find at least ONE weed (sin, bad attitude, ect.) that needs to be removed. How about you? When was that last time you opened your heart up and let God reveal improper motives, attitudes and sin? Does your heart break over the sin or have you become in...

In my Spiritual Formation class with Mark Wilson , I was given these questions and they were very revealing in my own life. I would encourage you to use them in your own devotional time. They are from John Wesley's Holy Club and Loyola, the found of the Society of Jesus. Here is one set of nearly two dozen questions which John Wesley gave to members of his discipleship groups more than 200 years ago. The questions may have their origin in the spiritual accountability group started by Wesley when he was a student at Oxford -- a group that detractors called "The Holy Club." 1. Am I consciously or unconsciously creating the impression that I am better than I really am? In other words, am I a hypocrite? 2. Do I confidentially pass on to others what has been said to me in confidence? 3. Can I be trusted? 4. Am I a slave to dress, friends, work or habits? 5. Am I self-conscious, self-pitying, or self-justifying? 6. Did the Bible live in me today? 7. Do I give the Bible t...

I have been reading the Imitation of Christ by Thomas A. Kempis slowly over the past few months. There is so much rich material in there that I can't possibly take it all in by reading it through in a few days like I would like to. So, periodically I have been sharing a few thoughts from the book here. On how to aquire peace and on the desire to improve: "Resist one sin for a year!" Simple. We tend to look at all the things we need to do better in and then end up not doing well in any of the areas. If we became truely disciplined in ONE area of our life that needs attention, in a few years, we would cover some of the hardest things we deal with and be victorious. This idea reminds me of dieting. When I go on a diet, I tend to say "Ok, I am going to eat right, drink my water, exercise every day, and get good sleep" Yeah right! And day two of the diet, I am overwhelmed and discouraged because I can't change all those habits overnight. But....what if...

I watched the Passion of the Christ movie for the very first time today. We had it at our church a few times, but I always helped with the kids and never actually got to see the movie. Here are the notes from my journal: So much to say and yet no words.... He offered pardon and received none. He offered love and received hate. (and then after a time of intense prayer....) these songs: Jesus, I love you! I worship and adore you! Glorify your name in all the earth! Glorify your name! Glorify your name! Glorify your name in all the earth! Spirit, I love you! I worship and adore you! Glorify your name in all the earth! Glorify your name! Glorify your name! Glorify your name in all the earth! Father, I love you! I worship and adore you! Glorify your name in all the earth! Glorify your name! Glorify your name! Glorify your name in all the earth! Lord, I come to you. Let my heart be changed, renewed. Flowing from the grace that I've found in you. And Lord, I've come to know, the weakn...

I've been pondering this word for the last 24 hours. Compartmentalization. I like the word, because it's such a big word. It's a fun word to say. As a kid, we like little compartments. They are fun to discover and hide little things in. You can buy a frog for your garden that has a secret compartment for a key to your house. I love a purse with lots of little compartments. A jewlery box with lots of compartments helps us organize our precious little things. But in our life, our hearts, is compartmentalizing a sin? Is it ok for us to separate out or hide little things in our heart in the name of organization? When I gave my heart to Jesus and received His free gift of salvation, I gave my whole heart. When someone dies for their faith because of persecution, they give their everything. He has their whole heart. So, why as we go through life and issues and circumstances come up, do we think it's ok to tuck things away in a part of our heart just for us. We once gave all...