Transformation

"Bring the whole tithe into the storehouse, that there may be food in my house. Test me in this," says the LORD Almighty, "and see if I will not throw open the floodgates of heaven and pour out so much blessing that you will not have room enough for it." This verse, from Malachi 3:10, is a verse that I have used many times to signify that God's abundance is boundless. It affirms the verse, from Mark 10:27, that "all things are possible with God." A butterfly is not just a caterpillar that is trying harder. No, it is a living thing that has undergone a total transformation, a metamorphosis of its entire self. This is also true for you and I. In our own spiritual transformation, like the lowly caterpillar that undergoes complete transformation and metamorphosis to inevitably become a butterfly, we too, will be transformed into a spiritual otherness, a mystery that is, really, unfathomable. In Ist Corinthians 15, the Apostle Paul said, "we will all be changed--in a flash, in the twinkling of an eye." This will result in God's shepherding of us, and our church. God shepherding and God-presence creates a spiritual solidarity, which causes us all to "stand together, stay together, and stick together." Has there ever been a time in your life when you were not faithful: to your beliefs; to your family, or even to your church and God? When that happens, it doesn't feel very good, does it? Yet, in the world that we live in, we are taught that we should shop around and try new things, and look for what is better on the other side of the fence! But when we find ourselves following that advice, we often have the feelings that come when we realize that we haven't been faithful to what we know is important to our own spiritual health; that our spirit cannot be fed with what is NOT spiritual food! Being faithful to Jesus Christ and being faithful to the places where you are being fed spiritually is what counts! God is faithful to us, even if we, occasionally, are not faithful to God. After all, God’s love and forgiveness know no bounds. God loves you, and invites each of us to give back to God in ways that put to use our God-given talents, whatever they may be. As we head into Fall, towards Thanksgiving and Christmas, take stock of your blessings, and prayerfully make the commitment to honor God with your spiritual commitment to our community and world. We have a mission here, and that is to be a real God-presence, that starts here in North Platte and extends into the whole world! So, I close by saying, "Thanks be to God for His love, faithfulness and shepherding, through the gift of His Son, Jesus Christ!" And, thanks be to you! Blessings!!

Pastor Jan