Change!

Are you tired of that word yet?
It's the "it" word of the day. Change.

From the White house to my own house, our nation is in a state of change right now.

I feel pretty safe in assuming that many of you are also in a season of change.

Some changes are huge- moving, major job changes, marriage, divorce, children. Others are smaller, yet meaningful changes. Some changes are internal such as attitudes and dreams.

I believe that the body of Christ is going through changes also. There seems to be a common thread in the conversations that I have with Christians lately. It is a sense that the Lord is calling us closer to Him and that things are starting to shift and shake within our churches.
Some of the changes are painful, yet necessary for us to become the "spotless bride" that He will ultimately return for.

One thing is for certain...we're being taking out of our comfort zones!
My "comfort zone" was always busyness. Yes, running around taking care of this ministry and that ministry and having lots of goal driven activities filling my time.
Now the Lord has brought me into a quieter place and calling me to lay down some of these things as He ministers to me the value and necessity of family and home.

This has caused me some pain. There have been a few things...titles...etc. that I have had to lay at the altar and walk away from.

Has God asked you to lay something on the altar?

He asked Abraham.
Gen 22:2
2 Then God said, "Take your son, your only son,
Isaac, whom you love,
and go to the region of Moriah.
Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering
on one of the mountains I will tell you about."
NIV

Abraham was asked to bring his greatest blessing to the altar.
His legacy. His only son, whom he loved so much.

Isaac was a gift.
Abraham was God's servant. He knew His God. He trusted His God.

God then provided a different sacrifice.
Genesis 22:12-14
12 "Do not lay a hand on the boy," he said. "Do not do anything to him. Now I know that you fear God, because you have not withheld from me your son, your only son."
13 Abraham looked up and there in a thicket he saw a ram caught by its horns. He went over and took the ram and sacrificed it as a burnt offering instead of his son.
NIV

Abraham renamed that mountain "The Lord Provides," also known as "Jehovah Jireh."

Look at what Abraham said on the way up the mountain:
Gen 22:5
We will worship and then we will come back to you."
NIV

Did you know that is the first time in scripture that the word 'worship' is used?

There were other offerings, but not worship such as this.
How beautiful is that?

When we lay down, as to sacrifice, something for the Lord- it is an act of true worship.
As a former worship leader and one who loves to sing praises to Him, that is powerful to me! There is no talk of music or singing being involved, but there was...worship.

So again, let me ask...has He asked you to lay something on the altar?

I believe, "sacrificial change" as opposed to "superficial change" will be the hallmark of the body of Christ in these last days.

Let's look at the blessing Abraham received for honoring the Lord:
Gen 22:17-18
17 That in blessing I will bless thee, and in multiplying I will multiply thy seed as the stars of the heaven, and as the sand which is upon the sea shore; and thy seed shall possess the gate of his enemies;
18 And in thy seed shall all the nations of the earth be blessed; because thou hast obeyed my voice.
KJV

I love it!
The Lord will bless our obedience. He knows our hearts. He puts desires in us. He will take care of bringing them to pass...in His time and in His way! He's so incredibly loving.

When we sacrifice our own wants and needs so that we can honor Him with our lives, He is worshiped!

As we do this, it changes us. It makes us more like the Savior we worship.

It’s change that we can really believe in!