What's the use?

As each of us finds our place in serving the Lord we have a great opportunity. An opportunity to find our niche in God’s plan and see how His plan involves us. His awesome, perfect plan not only changes us, but also changes the lives of all those we meet. Not because of who we are and what we can do, but because of who God is and what He will do through us. We are part of the TEAM.

I saw a sign in a high school football workout room a few years ago that said, “There’s no I in TEAM.” After I realized what it was saying (I’m a little slow) I saw the importance of everyone doing their part for God’s work. Which brings to mind this: how is God using YOU? Are you available and does He get your best (first fruits) or just the leftovers? If it is the latter, let me tell you that you are missing a blessing. You are only seeing a part of the plan God has for your life and you are missing out! You can miss a lot of things in life and not have much impact on you, but this is one you do not want to miss.

I know some very presumptuous people who minimize God’s plan in their life and just say, “Whatever will be, will be” and they think their part in this whole God plan is not significant. They are wrong and have believed “the lie” and continually stand on the sideline when God wants them in the game. They are living the “I” and God wants them to experience the TEAM.

So, as worship leaders and worshippers my challenge is to get up and get off the sideline of no commitment and get out there on the field and follow God’s plan. God has a great use for you in His game plan and now is the time to cinch up your gospel shoes and sprint to the line, ready to hit something. God will take care of everything else and then you will start to see victory on a daily basis. You will never be the same. Then you see the USE God has for you.  Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armor of God so that you can take your stand against the devil's schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armor of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace.

--Ephesians 6:10-15

You’ve got it….Now use it!!

The Pilgrimage continues....


David Warren

birth pains...

I have had the great pleasure of being nearby on some great births over the years. More recently my own grandchildren’s births have brought into focus all of God’s great plans for life and how precious life is to Him. He created life and protects it as only Abba Father can, with the utmost care. As we stood on the side of the road during Life Chain I saw those who honor life like the Father, and those who just don’t understand how important it is to look at life like God does. How we view eternity many times brings the importance of life into focus more than anything else. We know that even though we are living and breathing right now, without spiritual regeneration we are dead, yet breathing. Eternity takes what a lost world misses and brings the essence of life back to one person, God the Father. We must look at life like He does and share that message with the world! Why?

If you will read Matthew 24:1-8 this week you will see that the birthing process for Christ’ return is revealed in a parallel form to child bearing. Our Heavenly Father shows us the picture vividly through our own physical birth, and then transfers it to our Spiritual Birth. He ties the temporal with the eternal and they fit. The only problem is “Do we see the fit?” We have so much going on around us and it is all happening so quickly we might just miss the warning signs and be caught unaware. God does not want us unaware, just as much as He wants us to trust Him. As worshippers we have been called out to make a difference as God’s plan continues to unfold before our very eyes. A plan that is perfect and will be revealed with many more signs and wonders.

Just as my eyes were reopened to all it takes to birth a new baby, our eyes are seeing the signs of the birth of a new day for all of us. A day we anticipate with eagerness and faith. Even though we are seeing birth pains all around us every day, may we look to the end of the process and the culmination of the promises of God’s Word. We can trust Him through it all. As we lead in worship, let us lead with a fervency that can only be powered by Him, our Creator. All glory to God. He is truly our great Redeemer.  May we lift our praises to Him.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Jesus left the temple and was walking away when his disciples came up to him to call his attention to its buildings. "Do you see all these things?" he asked. "I tell you the truth, not one stone here will be left on another; every one will be thrown down." As Jesus was sitting on the Mount of Olives, the disciples came to him privately. "Tell us," they said, "when will this happen, and what will be the sign of your coming and of the end of the age?"

Jesus answered: "Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, 'I am the Christ,' and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.

--Matthew 24:1-8

drinking from the same cup...

I am so proud of the Godly attitude I see every day in those who serve in the worship ministry here at Scotts Hill. The world is so strong in its push to make us all want to have all these “rights” and that agenda is a constant in everything we see and live. Sadly enough, it continues to plague “the church” as the enemy offers a tainted fruit called “self” to us on a very decorative platter. The subtle way it affects us is evident in the way we try to mix in very personal agendas with the leading of the Holy Spirit. If we serve, how we serve (position), and what that service can do for me is mixed in with the true attitude of service called selflessness. The attitude of selflessness is one that only wants to glorify the Father and understands that any lifting up of us is always filtered through the way we honor Christ first.

The problem of lifting up self is always highlighted more with musicians, and the desire to make ourselves “stars” is the end result of denying Christ His place of majesty and honor in our worship. Of course, this falls in line with what position satan elevated himself to as the leader of worship, just before he and his angels were kicked out of heaven. We continue to deal with the attraction to make ourselves known, which in turn puts Christ on the back burner, and the end result is a loss of fellowship with the One who gave us our talent. This makes no sense, but still is an ongoing problem with musicians and singers alike when it comes to the “reason” we use our talent. A talent given by God to be given to God for His glory is a talent God can use in incredible ways and for eternity’s sake. That same talent used in the wrong way will have its glory here on earth, but no benefit for the Father.

Once again, I am so proud of the ever growing attitude and lifestyle of those who lead worship at Scotts Hill and I want to encourage each of you to daily evaluate who is getting the praise and keep your focus on our Lord. He is worthy of all praise. Not us! Once that attitude is established and strong it gives us a boldness that is Spirit led and focused on Him. We have come so far and God has more great plans for each of us. Keep Him as your focus. Even though He has gifted each of us in different ways and levels, it is still His desire for each of us to fall equally before Him and cry Holy. If we realize we are all drinking from the same cup, it will keep us level with our attention on Him who fills us with His Spirit.

The body is a unit, though it is made up of many parts;

and though all its parts are many, they form one body.

So it is with Christ.

For we were all baptized by one Spirit into one body—

whether Jews or Greeks, slave or free—

and we were all given the one Spirit to drink.

--I Corinthians 12:12-13

The Pilgrimage continues....


David Warren

making the most of...

I remember years ago working with a dear lady we called Miss Ruby. She is a true southern lady with the deep accent and all. When she talked words just slid out of her mouth with little or no effort. She is the kind of person who makes everyone she meets feel great. I remember when things would go wrong and we had something that didn’t quite work out Miss Ruby would come and say, “You know what you do when you get a lemon? You make lemonade!” Through the years it may seem like you have so many lemons, that you could make lemonade every day for the rest of your life. Life does throw us lemons. You miss that promotion. Your plans for a vacation fall apart. Your kids do something that is totally off the map. Life is full of lemons and we can deal with them by letting them sour us, or we can use them to take us to a new level of commitment. A commitment that allows God’s plan to add a little sugar and a little vision can make some sweet tasting lemonade.

This all brings to mind the word LONG-SUFFERING. Long-suffering has a meaning that brings making lemonade come totally into focus. The definition of long-suffering is long and patient endurance of injury, trouble, or provocation. Or dealing with lemons!! So, I guess if you were to name the fruit for long-suffering it would be a LEMON. The attitude we must have is to allow the fruits of the Spirit to come alive in our life and one fruit that can really make life victorious is the fruit of Long-suffering. When Miss Ruby would encourage us all to make lemonade out of those lemons she showed me a great fruit of the Spirit in her life: long-suffering.

But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace,

long-suffering, gentleness, goodness, faith...

--Galatians 5:22

Point for worshippers: When things don’t go your way, make lemonade. When life throws you a curve ball, make lemonade. Let the fruit of long-suffering be seen in your life by allowing God’s strength and power to make sweet tasting lemonade out of the lemons in your life. If you didn’t have Christ and there was no power, you would just have lemons and the fruit would be sour. But with Christ the fruit is made not only sweet, but becomes a major life-changing agent that makes us more like Him. Each of us must make the most of every situation by allowing Christ to move us through the obstacles as he makes lemonade out of each of us.

Get sweet and don’t get beat!
The Pilgrimage continues....


David Warren