From “2×4 Moments” to Total Surrender: Living as a Sacrifice at Lakeview Christian Church

When God Gets Our Attention

Have you ever tried doing things your own way, only to have God redirect your path in an unmistakable way? At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we call these “2×4 moments”—those times when God has to get our attention because we’ve stubbornly insisted on our own plans instead of trusting His.

Think about Jonah. God called him to Nineveh, but Jonah had other ideas. He boarded a ship heading the opposite direction, convinced his plan was better. We all know what happened next—God threw a whale in his path. That’s the ultimate 2×4 moment! When we refuse to trust God and insist on doing things our way, we shouldn’t be surprised when He intervenes.

The Call to Living Sacrifice

Romans 12:1-2 reminds us of God’s call on our lives: “Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God. This is your true and proper worship. Do not conform to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—his good, pleasing and perfect will.”

This passage challenges us to rethink everything. True worship isn’t just singing songs on Sunday morning—it’s offering our entire lives as living sacrifices. It’s recognizing that nothing we have truly belongs to us: not our money, not our time, not our relationships, not our careers. Everything is God’s, entrusted to us for His purposes.

Be the Change Through “Just 3”

At Lakeview Christian Church, our mission is simple yet transformative: Be the change as Jesus has changed us. We live this out through what we call “Just 3”:

Study – We study to love and know God. When we renew our minds through Scripture, we begin to see the world—and our resources—through God’s eyes rather than our own limited perspective.

Share – We share to know and love others. This means opening our lives, our stories, and our resources to build genuine relationships that reflect Christ’s love.

Serve – We serve as love in action. True transformation happens when we stop clutching our time, talents, and treasures with closed fists and instead offer them with open palms.

Approaching Communion with Open Hands

When we gather around the communion table, it shouldn’t be routine. Each time we partake of the bread and cup, we’re reminded that Jesus held nothing back. He gave everything—His body broken, His blood poured out—so that we could experience new life.

The question communion asks us is this: If Jesus gave His all for you, what are you holding back from Him?

Are you clutching your schedule, afraid to give God your time? Are you protecting your comfort zone, unwilling to share your faith with others? Are you gripping your resources, convinced you’ve earned them and they’re yours to control?

The Transformation Begins Today

The beautiful promise of Romans 12:2 is that transformation is possible. When we stop conforming to the world’s patterns of self-protection and self-promotion, and instead allow God to renew our minds, we discover His good, pleasing, and perfect will for our lives.

At Lakeview Christian Church of Portage Lakes, we’re committed to being a community that lives with open hands and surrendered hearts. We’re learning together what it means to trust God completely—not just with our eternal salvation, but with our daily lives.

Will you join us in refusing to settle for 2×4 moments? Instead, let’s choose daily surrender, offering ourselves as living sacrifices and discovering the abundant life Jesus promises to those who trust Him completely.