"Spare Change".

Romans 12:1-2 / ESV 

I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship. Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.

I had a dream last night, and in my dream I was having a conversation with a man who was expressing his difficulty with not seeing desired change after his professed conversion to Christ. as I woke I began thinking what would I say to one such as this should the Lord give me an opportunity?

So many believers focus on "change" as a means to an end. change is good - especially when we have negative behaviours in our lives. but to make desired change our sole focus reduces our faith to a form of behaviour modification, striping it of its true transformative power and in that form it is no longer superior to anything else we may find out in the world. we all want to change, we all want to be better than what we are; and I believe it is right and good to look to Christianity as a means to those goals. yet we cannot stop there.

It is when we look to Christ and pattern ourselves after Him that true and lasting change comes. when we make him Lord of our lives - He directs our footsteps toward Himself, toward His will and desires for our life. in following that path we can look back (hindsight being 20-20) and see how much we've been transformed. again change is not the central thing it is periphery what is central is Christ himself. if we have truly accepted Christ as our saviour, if He is the saviour of our very souls than our response to him can only be one of worship. the maxim that one becomes what they worship is true.

It is our worship that becomes the transforming agent in our lives, it is our worship that has the power to change our old selves, as beings that dwell in darkness to the "new creation", sons and daughters of the father, children of light.

So what would I say? I would attempt to express this one thought:

"If you are struggling to see manifested change in your christian walk I would challenge you to look to your worship, focus on that, make that central to your existence and the change you so desire will become evident not only to yourself but to all those who look upon you, and in that moment you will be a light for all the world to see.

And when you have  the light of Christ shining within not only have you been changed, you now posses the power to change the very world!"

Luther.  

"Looking to Journeys end".

Philippians 1:6

"And I am sure of this, that he who began a good work in you will bring it to completion at the day of Jesus Christ".

This week has found me attending yet another funeral; the third this year out of our faith family. All these beloved were somehow linked, directly or indirectly to our worship team. They were prophets, elders, choir directors, - innovators, accountability partners, friends. Those who undeniably had more of their lives to pour out, more to give, full spirits to say the least. They were candles snuffed out before their time. And to add insult to injury; I have to make an appointment to see my spiritual father - soon; he has cancer.

As a side note: "they" gave him six months to live; .... eight months ago! (praise God for going beyond the "expiration date")!

All these losses and looming tragedies have me unusually focused on death, the afterlife more specifically. I've realized that it's not death itself I fear; not that I want to die mind you, but my fear lies in what comes after death; that being judgement.

For the believer this is not an issue of salvation or condemnation for our hope and standing are in Christ. No; my fear is having to answer for a life not lived. A destiny aborted, my divine purpose wasted. I find the idea of meeting The creator carrying that which He assigned me to give away, a buried talent as it were.

Given the average american lifespan I am nearing the halfway-mark. And I've yet to achieve so much more both personally and spiritually. I know there is more for me to be and to do - in this life, and if I fail to reach that pinnacle, there just might be "hell" to pay.

For now I must have faith that the one who began the work will see it finished. and that He will soothe the heartache from losing our beloved ones along the way.

Luther.