The Holy Spirit Transforms And Renews

"Do not conform

to the pattern of this world,

but be transformed

by the renewing of your mind.

They you will be able to test

and approve what God's will is---

His good, pleasing and perfect will."

Romans 12:2 (NIV)

My four sons have always loved to dress up in homemade costumes, especially my youngest son Matthew. However, none of them have ever gone or asked to go treat-or-treating. They just knew that it would not be God's good, pleasing and perfect will. No matter what age you are, when you give you heart to Jesus, God's Holy Spirit transforms and renews your mind that you no longer conform to the pattern of this world.

Here is a picture of my oldest son Daniel in his first costume I made for him for fun one day. I didn't have much money to spend, so I made angel wings from a cardboard box and white tissue paper. His halo was made from a white coat hanger and his gown was made from an old light coloured turquoise bed sheet. (It was the closest colour to white I could find around the house from material I wasn't using.)

It just so happens today is Daniel's birthday and we are going to celebrate! He was born on October 31st, thirty years ago. Happy Birthday Daniel!

Always Giving Thanks For Everything

Once a week I teach a little girl and her grandmother piano. After I was through teaching them on Monday, the grandmother went into the bathroom and the little girl went into the kitchen to where I was. There she took hold of my hand, smiled as she looked up at me and said, "Thank you for teaching me piano." My heart melted. She is a fatherless eight-year old who knew how to be thankful.

"Always giving thanks to God the Father

for everything,

in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ephesians 5:20 (NIV)

One Field and One Building

This Wednesday night for New Hope Kids, I will be teaching the children the body of Christ are all co-workers in God's service. God views all of His children together as His one field and His one building. God does not see individual churches, nor does He see the beauty of the physical buildings people call churches. God sees the beauty of people's hearts who are totally in love with Him and dedicated to serve Him.

"For we are co-workers

 in God's service;

you are God's field,

God's building."

1 Corinthians 3:9 (NIV)

The Tabernacle, God's Old Testament building where He dwelt among His people, once looked like this:

Now, God's building looks like this:

By Faith We Understand

Here are some more pictures of Saturday's walk in God's creation.

It is only by faith that we understand how the universe was formed. God spoke it into existence, so the beauty and wonder we see was made out of beauty and wonder that we cannot see---God Himself.

"By faith we understand 

that the universe was formed 

at God's command,

so that what is seen 

was not made out of what was visible."

Hebrews 11:3 (NIV)

He Gives Life To Those Who Walk In It

Yesterday, Tim, Matthew and I went hiking for the first time at Elk Island National Park.

There are ten trails to choose from. We took the Wood Bison trail which is 16 kilometers long. The estimated time was four to five hours. We walked very briskly, so did it in three.

It was a beautiful warm fall day! Within minutes we all shed our outer garments with Matthew and I taking turns carrying them, while Tim took pictures with my camera.

This park is located 35 kilometers east of Edmonton along the Yellowhead Highway.

It is fully enclosed with an area of 194 square kilometers.

A variety of wildlife can be spotted such as the plains bison above, wood bison, elk, moose, white-tailed deer, mule deer, coyotes and beavers.

With every walk in nature, we perceive the hand of God.

He gives life to all those who walk in it.

"This is what God the Lord says---

the Creator of the heavens,

who stretches them out,

who spreads out the earth

with all that springs from it,

who gives breath to its people,

and life to those who walk in it."

Isaiah 42:5 (NIV)

People Look At The Wrong Things

"The Lord does not look

at the things people look at.

People look at the outward appearance,

but the Lord looks at the heart."

1 Samuel 16:7b (NIV)

Many times Christians who do not raise their voices and talk exuberantly when they preach, or who do not pray garrulous, well-versed, public prayers, or who do not jump up and down and dance when they praise the Lord, are judged to be lacking in spiritual maturity. It is disturbing that church people today still look at the outward appearance.

If Jesus were to visit and attend a modern charismatic church, He would be reprimanded and ostracized for His simplicity, His quiet and gentle nature, His high moral standards, His unskillfulness in manipulation, and His infrequent, short, social prayers. He would be viewed as spiritually inadequate and immature, self-righteous and legalistic, too forthright, and therefore ineffective for church ministry and growth.

Christians need to be careful not to look at the wrong things and judge other Christians by what they see outwardly in them. Instead, we need to look with our spiritual eyes and see the true hearts of people.

But You Will Remain

The North American Mitchell B-25 is newest aircraft on display at the Alberta Aviation Museum.

This aircraft was named in honour of Billy Mitchell who was a General in the US Army. 

The B-25 is an American twin-engine medium bomber that was also used by many Allied air forces during and after World War II, spanning an era of four decades. They were so popular that almost 10,000 B-25's were built.

The B-25s were the most heavily armed aircraft during World War II and very versatile. They could be used for high- and low-level bombing, machine gun firing, photoreconnaisssance, submarine patrol and as a fighter.

Though all things in this world will perish, wear out, change or be discarded, we know for certain God will always remain!

"They will perish, but you remain;

they will all wear out like a garment.

Like clothing you will change them

and they will be discarded."

Psalm 102:26 (NIV)

Burns In Our Hearts And Bones Like Fire

My husband's parents are presently visiting us, so Brian and I took them to the Alberta Aviation Museum yesterday. While Brian and his parents were examining the different kinds of aircraft, something caught my attention, so I wondered off. It was a restored 1940's Royal Canadian Air Force firetruck.

At present my son Chris is in the process of getting ready to apply to the Edmonton City Fire Department, so I excitedly took some pictures of this antique firetruck to show him.

The Bible says God's Word burns inside our hearts and bones like fire that is impossible to contain. If we try to hold the fire in, we would wear ourselves out.

"But if I say I'll never mention the Lord

or speak in His Name,

His Word burns in my heart

like a fire.

It's like a fire in my bones!

I am worn out trying to hold it in!

I can't do it!

Jeremiah 23:29 (NLT)

So let us not try to contain the fire that burns inside, but rather allow the fire inside to spread to all those around us.

Blessings Out Of The Mouths Of Little Children

Last Sunday one of the girls in Children's Church interrupted me while I was teaching to tell me, "You look like an angel!" Perplexed I asked her what she meant because I wasn't wearing white or anything frilly for that matter. I was wearing a jean dress with black leather boots. The precious ten-year old girl then said, "It is not because of what you are wearing." My heart melted and those words she spoke to me I will never forget. Moments like those make serving the Lord such an honour and blessing.

Yesterday, the angel dresses arrived at my door for the Children's Christmas Pageant. And it just so happened that the head angel in my play will be this little girl I mentioned above.

"Yes, praise the Lord,

you armies of angels

who serve Him

 and do His will."

Psalm 103:21 (NIV)

Angels serve God and do His will, so to be called an angel was the greatest compliment I could have ever received.

Don't Judge A Prayer's Effectiveness By Its Words

Sometimes I am in awe at the eloquence of some people's prayers. The words flow like a steady stream, seemingly as if there is no end. I can't help but be impressed and wonder how blessed of God they must be to be able to pray like that. I then sadly compare them with my stuttering prayers, and immediately feel inept.

However, when I get to know some of these gifted people, I am shocked to find out that some of them do not have a lifestyle or exhibit Christlike characteristics that match their prayer life. Ironically, their own lives are a total mess in desperate need of prayer!

Prayer is only powerful and effective when the person is living in obedience to God. God sees the heart and we only hear the words.

"Therefore confess your sins to each other

and pray for each other

so that you may be healed.

The prayer of a righteous person 

is powerful and effective."

James 5:16 (NIV)

It is more important that our prayers, whether they are simple and the words are few, or softly spoken in the privacy of our closet, come from hearts that are in total love with God, and not ourselves.

When We Trust In God, Our Heart Leaps For Joy

Before my family and I moved to Alberta, I contacted a real estate agent in Edmonton to inquire about the housing market and the best location to live in the area. I chose this particular agent because on her website it stated that she was a Christian. I made one phone call to her, and she made several phones calls back to me.

About six weeks later, I again received a call from her and when I answered, she abruptly asked accusingly, "Who are are?! (I looked on my call display before I answered the call, so I already knew who I was talking to.) Perplexed to the state of this woman's mind, I gently told her my name.

Then in a lawyer-type-of-fashion, she went on to inform me of the evidence she had from her last phone bill that several long-distant phone calls had been made from her home to me. Finally understanding what she was getting at, I calmly and compassionately reminded her that the phone calls were from her. At this point I really felt sorry for her. For whatever reason she didn't trust her husband, and that mistrust clouded her judgment. It caused her to think irrationally.

It is the same with our faith in Christ Jesus. When we begin to loose faith in Christ and the promises stated in His Word, we deprive our mind of mental clarity, sound judgement, and logical thinking. On the other end of the spectrum, when we trust in God, we become strong, protected from the enemy and joyful!

"The Lord is my strength

 and my shield;

my heart trusts in Him,

and He helps me.

My heart leaps for joy,

and with my song I praise Him."

Psalm 28:7 (NIV)

Let Your Glory Be Over All The Earth

"Be exalted, O God,

above the heavens;

let Your glory be over

all the earth."

Psalm 57:5 (NIV)

It is so important for the church to encourage each other's hearts and unite one another in love, so that we may all have the full riches of complete understanding of Jesus Christ.

Yesterday I went to a Women's Day Retreat at my church and had a wonderful time! Did we have a special speaker? No. We followed one of Group Publishing's manual and we took turns reading from it.  Did we have a gourmet meal? No, it was very simple: soup and salad. Did we have special music and entertainment? No, we sang along to a CD. Why then you may ask was it wonderful? It was because we all encouraged and loved one another. As a result, we each left enriched with a better understanding of the glorious nature of our Lord Jesus Christ here on earth.

"My goal is that they may be encouraged

in heart and united in love,

so that they may have the full riches

of complete understanding,

in order that they may know the mystery

of God, namely, Christ."

Colossians 2:2 (NIV)

The riches we have are not in talents displayed or in wealth. It is all in Christ Jesus, and they are free and simple to obtain. We just need stop thinking about ourselves, and learn to love and encourage one another.

What A Heavy, But Wonderful Burden!

"I applied my mind to study

and to explore by wisdom

all that is done under the heavens.

What a heavy burden

God has laid on mankind!"

Ecclesiastes 1:13 (NIV)

The Exploding of a Bullrush

Clover Among Fallen Leaves

Understanding the marvel of all that God has created is challenging, but it is so delightful to explore and study! May we never stop trying.

A Time And Season For Everything

"There is a time for everything,

and a season for every activity 

under the heavens."

Ecclesiastes 3:1 (NIV):

The ducks and geese in our neighbourhood are enjoying our Fall weather. They haven't left to fly south for the winter yet. It's not the right time. They're waiting for God's instructions.

There is a time and season for everything on this earth and everything in each of our personal lives.

The Earth God Has Given To Mankind

When I went for my walk yesterday with my two dogs and camera, I stopped frequently to take pictures of the beauty surrounding me. The highest heavens belong to God, but the earth God has given to us.
 

"The highest heavens belong to the Lord,

but the earth He has given to mankind."

Psalm 115:16 (NIV)

"With My great power

 and outstretched arm

I made the earth and its people

 and the animals that are on it,

and I give it to anyone I please.

Jeremiah 27:5 (NIV)

"For this is what the Lord says ---

He who created the heavens,

He is God;

He who fashioned and made the earth,

He founded it;

He did not create it to be empty,

but formed it to be inhabited---

He says: "I am the Lord,

and there is no other."

Isaiah 45:18 (NIV)

Take time each day to enjoy the earth God has given to us.

Bless And Pray For Those Who Mistreat You

For the last few days, I have been feeling stressed, so stressed that I started feeling physically sick. I went for a long walk yesterday to pray. I asked God to please take the stress away. I felt His presence surround me, but the thing that was bothering me so much hung on like a leach. I literally felt the life in me was being sucked away.

When I got home, the phone rang. It was a call from the person I least wanted to talk to. My anxiety level hit the ceiling as I reluctantly picked up the phone. I wished I could have just run away from it all, but I couldn't. That is when God performed a miracle. Within minutes after picking up the phone, every ounce of my stress left my body. Was is something the person on the other end said? No, definitely not. It was God's Holy Spirit filling me with His strength and wisdom when I chose at that moment to love someone I didn't like.

"Bless those who curse you,

pray for those who mistreat you."

Luke 6:28 (NIV)

There Is Neither Jew Nor Gentile

"There is neither Jew nor Gentile,

neither slave nor free,

nor is there male and female,

for you are all one in Christ Jesus."

(Galatians 3:28)

Many of our churches today are still asleep to the prejudice and discrimination occurring in the body of Christ. The different ethnic groups may sit together during the Sunday morning service, but the church is still divided. People of one race have unreasonable feelings, opinions, and attitudes towards another race. In public, general comments, insensitive to another race, are being made from the pulpit. In private, direct personal comments, rude and derogatory of a person's culture and nature, are spoken to another.

Presently, I minister to the children in a predominately African decent church. Among them, I sense no racial barriers, but with the adults, it is a different story. If only the adults would have the hearts of children, we would be all one in Christ Jesus.

Give Thanks For Everything

"And give thanks for everything to God the Father

in the Name of our Lord Jesus Christ."

Ephesians 5:20 (NIV)

At church yesterday, the Worship Leader asked the congregation to tell the person next to them what they are thankful for. The first thing that came to my mind is my new stove. It is convection oven with an induction stove top and I couldn't wait to cook my Thanksgiving dinner with it! I am cooking it right now as I write this blog.

It is so awesome because nothing burns! Everything is cooked evenly. I love it!

The Bible says we are to thank God for everything, so I am thanking the Lord for my new stove. I now can't wait to serve my sons the meal they have been waiting patiently for.

Give Thanks, For The Lord Is Good

With my camera in hand, I went for a walk yesterday under a canopy of blue skies. The air was refreshing and the colours of Fall were spectacular! God is so good!

"I will give thanks to the Lord

because of His righteousness;

I will sing the praises of the Name

 of the Lord Most High."

 Psalm 7:17 (NIV)

"Give thanks to the Lord,

for He is good,

His love endures forever."

1 Chronicles 16:34 (NIV)

Come Before Him With Thanksgiving

Let us come before God with thanksgiving for He is a great God!

"Let us come before Him with thanksgiving

and extol Him with music and song.

For the Lord is the great God,

the great King above all gods.

Psalm 95:2-3 (NIV)

Many people in my neighbourhood have already displayed their gruesome and ghastly Halloween decorations. I won't celebrate Halloween because I know death, demons, Satan and hell are real. It makes me sad to know others think it is make-believe.

I will, however, celebrate life, God and heaven. I am thankful for who God is, all He has done, and will do, so in my yard, I have a display of happy scarecrows and an orange cat.

Loneliness: The Greatest Scar Of Them All

When my husband Brian and I went on a tour to view the Wild Mustangs of McCullough Peaks of Wyoming, we first spotted a male all by himself.

The tour guide told us that when an old male Wild Mustang can no longer fight the other male Mustangs in the herd for a female Mustang, he is forced to live on his own. This is very difficult for the Wild Mustang because Mustangs are social animals. As a result, they do no live long afterwards. I felt so sad for the horse.
(If you click on the picture below, you will get a closer look. He is covered in scars.)

Sometimes, we may feel like we are all alone like this Mustang, but don't be afraid or get discouraged. The Lord says in His Word that He goes before us and will always be with us. We are never alone. There will never be a moment in time when God will leave us or forsake us.

"The Lord Himself goes before you

and will be with you;

He will never leave you nor forsake you.

Do not be afraid;

do not be discouraged."

Deuteronomy 31:8 (NIV)

God's Word's Is Going Out In Photographs

"I will make rivers flow on barren heights,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs."

 Isaiah 41:18 (NIV)

Each week I print a dozen copies out one of my favourite photographs with the week's memory verse on it for New Hope Kids. The children love this and they beg me to tell them what the picture is long before it is time for me to hand the pictures out to them. Many of them will start on the Sunday before.

I haven't yet asked the children what they are using the pictures for, whether they are using them for bookmarks, room decorations, or an album. All I know is that the Word of God is being brought home for the children to cherish. It is an opportunity for God to speak to their hearts, as well as to the hearts of unsaved family members. Who would have ever thought that something so little, would become so big!

The Bible states His Word will never return to Him empty. It will accomplish what He desires and achieve the purpose for which He sent it.

"So is My Word that goes out from My mouth:

It will not return to Me empty,

but will accomplish what I desire

and achieve the purpose for which I sent it."

Isaiah 55:11 (NIV)

It will be His Word that will make rivers flow on barren heights, and springs within the valleys. It will be His Word that will turn the desert into pools of water, and the parched ground into springs.

"I will make rivers flow on barren heights,

and springs within the valleys.

I will turn the desert into pools of water,

and the parched ground into springs."

 Isaiah 41:18 (NIV)

And Your Joy Will Be Complete

For the last two weeks, I have been planning the Christmas program for the church with much excitement and anticipation. Unfortunately, the church has no costumes, so yesterday I went around to the different stores that sold Halloween costumes to see if I could buy angel costumes. To my dismay, everywhere I went the angel costumes were sold out. Finally, I asked a worker in one of the stores about it. She told me that a Children's Pastor bought them all and has been to all the Value Villages in the Edmonton area to collect as many as he could. (Value Village has the best angel costumes for the lowest price.)

When I got home, I was discouraged. Then I thought, "I know! I'll call the Value Village in Red Deer. It is almost two hours away. I am sure that Pastor didn't travel there."

Wrong! I then wondered (with a bit of jealousy), "How big is this man's children's program?!"

As I sat in my bedroom brooding and complaining to God (I am not much better than the Israelites), God spoke to me. He told me to try Kamloops, BC. My first thought was, "God, are You crazy! I am not travelling ten hours (and that's just one way) to get some angel costumes!"

Then God patiently reminded me that Brian's parents are coming up in a week for a visit. My tune suddenly changed, "Oh, God, that's a great idea!"

With great eagerness, I phoned Value Village in Kamloops and the lady who answered told me the store has lots of angel costumes in every size. Joyously, I then phoned my father-law in Logan Lake. He told me that he would be glad to go pick them up for me. He and his wife were planning on going to Kamloops today. "Wow!"

Just like the Bible says, when I finally asked God, I received, and now my joy is complete.

"Until now you have not asked

for anything in My Name.

Ask and you will receive,

and your joy will be complete."

John 16:24 (NIV)

Loving God Is Obeying Him

There are now five children (all girls) coming to New Hope Kids on Wednesday nights. They are learning to worship God and know Him better through songs, sign language, puppets, crafts, games, and Bible memorization.

I have been teaching these girls the Bible during the time the Israelites were freed from Egyptian captivity and living in the desert with God as their Provider, Protector and Guide.

This week the girls will learn the first four of the Ten Commandments God gave and spoke audibly to the people from Mount Sinai. (I would have loved to been there to hear the voice of God!) The first four commandments teaches us to love God because if we truly love God, we will obey the rest of the commandments which teaches us to love others.

"Whoever has My commands and keeps them

is the one who loves Me.

The one who loves Me 

will be loved by My Father,

and I too will love them

and show Myself to them."

John 14:21

This is the craft I have ready for the girls to make Wednesday and hang in their bedroom as a reminder to "Seek first the Kingdom of God and His righteousness".  John 14:21