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...

I want to share a quote from a friend that she posted on her facebook this week. It has totally encouraged me in my faith. "To know that God watches my back is so wonderful. I say I trust Him to take care of me only to find that when it comes down to the wire, He outlasts my faith. Just when I wonder how I am going to make things work, He reminds me that it is His timing, not mine and comes through the Victor at the final bell. I am humbled." I am in the process of starting a church in Interlochen, Michigan. It's an exciting time, but we have not been able to get into a building. There is NO question in my mind that this is what we are supposed to do, but why hasn't God opened up the doors to the right place for us? We have one option, but I am just not at peace about that quite yet. God's timing is NEVER late. I trust in that and reading her quote reminded me once again, that He WILL come through and I just need to keep my eyes on the Savior and not look in...

You say: "It's impossible" God says: All things are possible (Luke 18:27) You say: "I'm too tired" God says: I will give you rest (Matthew 11:28-30) You say: "Nobody really loves me" God says: I love you (John 3:1 6 & John3:34 ) You say: "I can't go on" God says: My grace is sufficient (II Corinthians 12:9 & Psalm 91:15) You say: "I can't figure things out" God says: I will direct your steps (Proverbs 3:5- 6) You say: "I can't do it" God says: You can do all things (Philippians 4:13) You say: "I'm not able" God says: I am able (II Corinthians 9:8) You say: "It's not worth it" God says: It will be worth it (Roman 8:28 ) You say: "I can't forgive myself" God says: I Forgive you (I John 1:9 & Romans 8:1) You say: "I can't manage" God says: I will supply all your needs (Philippians 4:19) You say: "I'm afra...

A science professor begins his school year with a lecture to the students, "Let me explain the problem science has with religion." The atheist professor of philosophy pauses before his class and then asks one of his new students to stand. "You're a Christian, aren't you, son?" "Yes sir," the student says. "So you believe in God?" "Absolutely." "Is God good?" "Sure! God's good." "Is God all-powerful? Can God do anything?" "Yes." "Are you good or evil?" "The Bible says I'm evil." The professor grins knowingly. "Aha! The Bible!" He considers for a moment. "Here's one for you. Let's say there's a sick person over here and you can cure him. You can do it. Would you help him? Would you try?" "Yes sir, I would." "So you're good...!" "I wouldn't say that." "But why not say that? You'd help a ...

This last week part of what I preached was how we view our troubles. What if God allows troubles to come our way to grow us into the people that He wants us to be. What would happen if we viewed troubles as opportunities to see God work? I believe that miracles were not just for Bible times, but also for today. Mark Batterson says this "Too often our prayers revolve around asking god to reduce the odds in our lives. We want everything in our favor, but maybe God wants to stack the odds against us so we can experience a miracle of divine proportions. Maybe faith is trusting God no matter how impossible the odds are. Maybe our impossible situations are opportunities to experience a new dimension of God's glory." What trouble are you facing right now? Instead of praying to ask God to take the trouble away, try asking God for a miracle! What do you think? Talk to me.....

It has been a really busy week and I have read Chapter 3, but haven't had a chance to post about it. When I got an email yesterday asking "Where is chapter 3?" I figured I had better get on that! I really appreciate those of you who faithfully read and comment. It encourages me to keep on sharing. Sometimes you wonder if what you have to say ever makes a hill of beans difference in anyone else's life. I pray that the words here on this blog will encourage and inspire your relationship with God in a new way. I know it hold me accountable to keep my relationship with God going strong. I pray that for all of us that we will "no longer be conformed to this world, but transformed by the renewing of our minds". So, on that note....chapter THREE!!! First, I realized that I haven't really shared with you what "chasing lions" is all about. Beneniah killed a lion in 2 Samuel 23:20-23 . I am sure it was one of the scariest moments of his life, yet the m...

We are doing a sermon series based on the movie "Facing the Giants" and today I preached on Complete Surrender. We ended the sermon with my first communion service that I have performed. I felt so unworthy to be serving. What an awesome privilege I have been given. Here are some of the notes from my sermon: What does it mean to love God more than anything else? The first time “love” is used in the Bible is when Genesis speaks of Abraham’s love for his son Isaac. Isaac was Abraham and Sarah’s only child, born to them when they were past child-bearing age. God promised to Abraham that Isaac would continue the legacy and ancestry of Abraham for future generations. Did Abraham love Isaac more than God? God was going to test Abraham’s commitment to Him by asking Abraham to do the unthinkable. Let’s read about it in Genesis 22...... Genesis 22:1-18 1 Some time later God tested Abraham. He said to him, "Abraham!" "Here I am," he replied. 2 Then God said...

Yesterday was a great day to be in the house of the Lord! There's some "junk" going on, but as I told my Senior Pastor, that means something good is going on here. So, let's keep pressin' on. We covet your prayers for us as we try to handle these situations. I preached on "Attempting the Impossible" based on Matthew 14, where Jesus fed the 5000 and where Jesus and Peter walked on water. It was a good message for me, as there are situations in my life that seem impossible and without God, I can't make it. The thing that God spoke to my heart most was this: We need to keep our eyes on the Savior and not the situations. It's easy for me to get frustrated with the situations of life, but my job is to have a good relationship with God and seek His heart for what I am to be doing....and then keep my eyes focused on the Savior and let the situations fall to the side. Jesus told Peter to come out on to the lake in Matthew 14 and His focus was tot...

Have you seen the movie "Facing the Giants"? I am becoming very familiar with it, as Pastor Roger and I are doing a sermon series based on the movie. I will be preaching two of the sermons in the series. The two sermons I will be preaching are titled "Never Give Up!" and "Complete Surrender", and boy oh boy, I feel like I am being tested in these areas!!! My husband is trying to sell a big CNC Router. Yesterday a crew flew in from New Jersey to look at it and test it out. They were here all day and it looked as if tey were going to buy it. (This machine cost more than my first house and we really need to sell it) As they were finalizing things, they tried one last cut with the machine. Long story short, the machine ran out of fuel, which caused the air compressor to quit, which caused a malfunction in te air hydrolics and the whole head of te machine came crashing down, causing about $15,000. worth of damage. UGH!!!!! In the Facing the Giants movie, if you...

I am finally home again after another great FLAME class. The classes fill your brain with knowledge that makes your head want to burst, but the networking that takes place, the time alone with God, and of course the food make it all an incredible experience. I mentioned the time alone with God. It's so nice to get away from all the busyness of life and be able to listen. I was walking on the sidewalks early one morning and I kept coming to a dead end. The sidewalks would be going along and then they would just end. There were quite a few like that. It was kinda weird, until God used that picture to speak to my heart: The avenues I have been taking, although good, are leading me to a dead end, unless I am obedient to go off the end into uncharted territory. To walk by faith and not by sight. When God first called me to ministry, this is what He asked of me. I have made every excuse in the book as to why it can't be now, and yet, that's just what it is.....an excuse. In some ...

In Romans 4:18-21 Abraham and Sarah had lost hope to become the father of many nations, as he had promised. They were old and past child bearing age and saw it as impossible at that point in their life. He didn't see how God would fulfill that promise, but believed in the promise. The key to these verse for me today was in verse 20 that says "but he grew strong and was empowered by faith as he gave praise and glory to God." How is it that one can praise God in dire circumstances? How can we have faith when everything around us looks tells us a different story? The answer is in this verse. The more we praise God for who He is, the more our faith increases. You see, the more we praise, the more we realize what a BIG and mighty God we serve. The more we can trust in Him. Praise increases our faith. Praise empowers our faith. So, when I praise God in the worst and impossible situations, I trust even more in the one who knows it all and has my best interest in mind....

James 2:18 You have faith, and I have works; show me your faith without the works, and I will show you my faith by my works. Here are some good words from Neil Anderson: When my son Karl was just a toddler, I would stand him up on the table and call for him to jump from the table into my arms. Did Karl believe I would catch him? Yes. How did I know he believed? Because he jumped. Suppose he wouldn't jump. "Do you believe I will catch you, Karl?" I might coax, and he may nod yes. But if he never jumps, does he really believe I will catch him? No. Faith is active, not passive. Faith takes a stand. Faith makes a move. Faith speaks up. There are a lot of Christians who claim to have great faith in God but are spiritually lethargic and don't do anything. Faith without action is not faith; it's dead, meaningless (James 2:17, 18)! If it isn't expressed, it isn't faith. In order to believe God and His Word, we must do what He says. If you don't do what He sa...

Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 (NIV) I have a few situations in my life that are "impossible" in my eyes. But.... they are only impossible for me....and not my God. My job is to trust completely and not worry. Worry is not faith. Worry says "This is impossible!" Trust says "I can't do this, but so what?!....God can!" What looks impossible that I am trusting God for today? Am I walking by faith or only by sight?

Hebrews 11 is the great hall of fame in faith. Noah built an ark, even though there had been no rain and it seemed absurd. Abraham obeyed went where God told him to, even though he didn't know where he was going. Joshua marched around the city, even though it seemed like an absurd way to take a city. The Israelites crossed the Red Sea, even though escape seemed impossible. God is the God of our "even though". Even though: I have a past......You have forgiven me. I have sinned......You have mercy. I can't...............You CAN! I am scared.........You have the plan. I am weak..........You are strong. I hurt................You heal. I feel alone.........You are with me. I am empty.........You fill me. I am hopeless.......You are my hope. What's your " even though "?

I have been reading the book The Practice of the Presence of God by Brother Lawrence again. This book is one of my favorite books. I am amazed at a man who lived his life washing dishes and was able to live a life of worship through it all. He prayed continually and was an incredible example to me on living a sanctified, holy life. He was as ordinary as they come in this life, and yet so extraordinary in his walk with God. I will probably be posting more from this book, but for today, here is the quote that got to me: "When he was troubled by something, he seldom consulted anyone about it. Knowing only that God was present, he walked in the light of faith and was content just to lose himself in God's love no matter what happened." I am a person who processes things by talking them out. Sometimes that gets me in trouble. God is really the only one that can do anything about my situations. In times of trouble, I need to "lose myself in God's love" and trust...

Today I started back working with the Teens. It was good to be back, and they were happy to see me too! (or maybe it was the doughnuts that they were excited about, hmmm???) I shared a story from the book Jesus Freaks, a book about being a martyr for Christ. We discusssed whether or not they would still come to church if they knew that they could go to prison or be tortured for coming. Many said "no" they would not come and others said "yes", but probably more because it was the right thing to say rather than what would really happen. At this point, God isn't calling us to be a martyr here in our comfortable USA, but we are called to be witnesses. We then moved the discussion to the mustard seed. A tiny seed when planted, but fully grown, one of the biggest trees in the garden. Do we have enough faith that we trust God can change the heart of one of our friends....or even our enemies? I asked them to think of a friend and pray over that mustard seed. We then wen...

This morning as I was praying, I asked God to increase my faith. And, as soon as I did, I said to myself "you know what praying for faith does...it means God will give you something that will require you to have faith". I knew I was in trouble. Why did I pray that? "God, I do want to have faith, but please don't make me......" Here it is 2:00 in the afternoon of the same day.....a husband with some huge life decisions and a choice to worry or trust in faith. Hebrews 11:6 says without faith it is impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to him must believe that he exists and that he rewards those who earnestly seek him. My job today is to believe he exists and earnestly seek Him....nothing more, nothing less. Hebrews 11 is a great faith chapter filled with those who had faith "even though...." God is bigger than the "even though". I trust that today!

Since last Friday we have been getting dumped on as far as the snow goes. I have been procrastinating putting new tires on my car. They are the low profile summer tires that do absolutely nothing for you but slide all over on the winter roads. Now, don't forget, I live in Northern Michigan. I know how to drive in snow, so getting stuck this early in the game shouldn't happen......especially in your own driveway! AHHHH!!!! This morning I was backing up and hit the brakes and the car spun around almost hitting two trees. We have about a 4-5 inch drop off the edge of our driveway, because we only poured the cement and haven't put the yard in yet, so my car slid off the edge and plowed through the pile of snow from the snowblower. Of course, I was in a hurry because we were late for school....NOW....we're really late. I called my neighbor and asked her to come take Olivia to school for me. She gracious obliged. I figured I would come in and call Brian and have him come home...

Our small group is studying Chasing Daylight by Erwin McManus. Tonight we talked about uncertainty and what faith really is. McManus says "Faith is the ability to know that God can be trusted." Sometimes God requires different levels of faith for different tasks. For example, what is the difference in the faith required in the crossing of the Red Sea vs the crossing of the Jordan River? With Moses, God parted the water and they crossed. They watched God at work. With Joshua, the people became a part of the miracle. They were told to step into the water and when they did, the water dried up. No matter what God is calling us to.....we must do so in faith. Sometimes this will mean we need to take action. Other times, it means we need to just be still and know that He is God. Hebrews 11 is filled with heroes of the FAITH. They believed God. God CAN be trusted. Why do I ever doubt?