Lights, Camera, Reality!!

I was getting ready to shave this morning and I was so sleepy I didn't even turn on the bathroom light.  We have one of those foggy, can't see through, windows in our bathroom and there was just enough light to go ahead and shave, so I did.   About halfway through the shave I thought, "Man I'm looking younger every day!"  I didn't see near the wrinkles I had before and thought there was some fountain of youth going on in my body when I remembered.  "I don't have the light on!"  You know the end to this story.  I turned on the light and walked back over to the mirror and there it was....reality!  The wrinkles were still there.  My hair was still thinning.  The rest you can guess.  So I did what any full blooded 

American male would do.  I turned the light back off!  I'm no dummy...

It's amazing what light can do when it is introduced into a situation.  All of the hidden things that poor lighting can hide are all of a sudden exposed.  Those things you thought were gone, are not gone at all.

I remember when HD TV first came out and quite a few of the movie stars were concerned because the image was so clear that it showed all the good and bad things about their faces.  With the right lighting, the real truth came out about their looks. For the ones who were natural beauties it only enhanced their looks.  But the ones who were marginal and used makeup to make them look better, it was tough.  

Adding light to anything has a way of taking away the shadows and helps us and others see the real me more clearly.  Jesus addressed this light issue by saying in John 8:12, "I am the world's light.  No one who follows me stumbles around in the darkness.  I provide plenty of light to live in."  So the same light that shows us our real selves is also the light that shows us the way to live a victorious life.  What a great light He is!!  Conclusion: Allowing that light to show us our imperfections will change our attitude and outlook about His light leading us to a better way of living.  That's just the way it is (ala Bruce Hornsby).    Jesus went on to say in John 12:36, "As you have the light, believe in the light.  Then the light will be within you, and shining through your lives.  You'll be children of light."  Sometimes we can get lured into an alter reality, where we think everything is great when it isn't.  His light shows us the true reality and His truth sparks more of the same thing.  In John 3:21 Jesus said, "But anyone working and living in truth and reality welcomes God-light so the work can be seen for the God-work it is."  Light begins a synergetic process that starts to positively affect every area of a believer's life and our thoughts and impressions start to change us internally.  Then the light begins to shine through each of us and others can see it is God!!

So, if you are getting used to looking at yourself in bad lighting, then it's time to change.  Turn on the God-light and see just how much more good stuff is in the room with you and how much more God wants to show you.  If you will do that, then you are living in God's reality and that reality is driven by His light.  In John 9:39 Jesus said, "I came into the world to bring everything into the clear light of day, making all distinctions clear, so that those who have never seen will see, and those who have made a great pretense of seeing will be exposed as blind."  If you know Christ, you are not blind.  So......don't live like it.   Live in His light and see the world for what it really is.  Lights, Camera, Reality!!

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

The Tide is Changing - Rip it...Rip it good!!

We lived near Wilmington, North Carolina for three years and during those years we came to know a little more about tides and currents.  We even lived on Topsail Island for about a year and came to love the ocean and the beach.  Living on the ocean gives you a deep appreciation for the sheer power of the water and it's tides. We learned many lessons, by experience, and became what you might call "novice" ocean dwellers.  One of those lessons came when we went swimming and boating with some friends near a place called Figure 8 Island.  We would board a boat in the waterway and make our way out to the island through different channels and end up at the place where we were going to have some great water fun.  It was always a great time for my family to spend time together in a totally different environment than we were used to.  You see, our water fun was always on the lake or on a small river and lake water is much different than ocean water.  One thing we noticed about where we swam on the island was that when the tide was in, the water was deep and the distance between Figure 8 Island and the other island across the way was wide and very tough to swim across.  When the tide went out, it became so low that you could walk across it with ease and reach the other island.  Tides are that way.  They come and go with regular timing, but due to the motion of water, they change a little every time they go through their cycle.  There are two different definitions for the word Tide.  One is  - a powerful surge of feeling or trend of events.  The other is - a rising and falling of the sea twice a lunar day due to the attraction of the moon and the sun.  Both well represent the word tide and help me illustrate a Biblical Truth from 2 Timothy 3:1-5.  Why?  Because our world is changing every day and those changes cause us to ask why and how.  These changes do not catch Christians unaware and if we think about and see what is happening,   then we will know how to understand and react to it.  In the mentioned scripture Paul is writing to Timothy about how the world will be changing and how those changes need to be handled.  He points to the "last days" and that refers to the time period from his writing until the Lord's return.  You may hear some talk about the "last days" and that we are in those last days right now.  This is true.....just to settle a point!  Paul points to some things that are going to take place in those last day.  People will be self absorbed, money hungry, self promoting, stuck up, profane, crude, disobedient to parents, dog eat dog, slanderers, impulsively wild, savage, cynical, treacherous, ruthless, bloated wind bags, addicted to lust, and allergic to God.  That's just the first four verses!!!   So you may say, "That's in our government, in our schools, in our homes, and even in our churches."  It's a way of life that we have come to realize is just HERE!  That is true.  Which brings us to verse 5.  Oh verse 5...The Message version of the Bible says it like this, "They'll make a show of religion, but behind the scenes they're animals.  Stay clear of those people."  Woh!  I say, WOH!!!  Here's the result of "religion" in America.  Wow, it's makes me want to throw up.  Think how it makes God feel!  Things are changing for the bad so quickly it makes me realize that our faith, refined by fire, will actually be the only thing we can rely on.  But that's the way it should be and will be for those who truly know Christ.  A word for what is happening right now where we live is Apostasy.  Apostasy is the abandonment or renunciation of a religious or political belief.  So don't be surprised when you see the tide turning before your very eyes.  Like the guy said, "We're making history here!"  Oh, we're making history alright!  The things that used to be so far apart between Christianity and the World are now becoming more and more alike.  The width and depth of the sea of conviction is growing more shallow and more narrow every day and the tide of concern to stop it is going out making the distance way too short between good and evil.  Now the water is so shallow that both easily coexist together and not much difference is seen between the two.  But what about verse 5?  Verse 5 is the difference maker for us and those who are drinking the world's koolaid.  Why?  Verse 5 says to recognize it and stay away from it!  In other words, CLEAR THE AREA!  We know the Apostasy exists and we know that it is wrong, but our acceptance of it also exits.  Fighting it with worldly weapons will only making it stronger and stronger.  In other words, evil begets evil.  One of the only ways we can change the regular tide is with a Ripe Tide.  A rip tide "rips" through the regular water and creates a division in the water that causes a synergetic force that actually catches the other tide by surprise and shakes up everything.  I was caught in a rip tide twice while in NC and the first time I fought it and almost drowned.  The second time I just let go and it shifted me to a safer place.  I gave in to the force.  We need a rip tide.  We need God's power to fall so strong on us, that we can't resist it. How does that happen?  By believers being truly consistent in prayer, ministry, Biblical understanding, true fellowship, and courage under pressure.  The tide can turn!  But only God can turn it.  Oh yeah, down in verse 14 Paul tells Timothy, "You, however, continue in the things you have learned and become convinced of, knowing from whom you have learned them." In other words, know who you are serving and what He wants you to do.  Don't just assume!  KNOW!!

Things are crazy right now and if you take a stand for Christ in our world, you will be pummelled.  God's says, "So!"  Lambs to wolves......look it up.  Keep in mind, they will never be able to defeat our Lord or us who live for Him.  His promises, not mine!!  The world should never  affect how we live our lives for Christ, but we MUST live our lives for Christ first of all.  Then you will see the tide change for the better.  Have you been letting the changing tides get you off your game?  Scrap that for a better plan.  Find the Rip Tide and let er rip!  When it happens we will ride that tide to victory for Christ.  Christ is on the hillside looking ahead to the battle and looking back at you.  When His eyes meet yours, will yours say, "let's go?"

That's what needs to happen.  Make it happen!!

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

"The Adventure of a Lifetime"

Remember the famous Indiana Jones and The Temple of Doom movie sequence where Indiana is in the "doll's" (better known as Willie Scott) bed chamber looking for a way to an underground tunnel.  She was convinced that he was looking for her, but to her unbelief he just kept ignoring her to see where the breeze in the room was coming from.  When he found that source, he could find the way to the tunnel he was seeking.  The "doll" gave it her best effort though, and she kept saying, "I'm right here!"  His eyes were not looking for what she was offering though, and it wasn't long before he found his way to the tunnel.  Here are some things to think about when thinking about Indiana.  First, he was an archaeologist, so he knew his history and he studied "signs" to see where the object was he was searching for.  Secondly, when his interest spiked, he would do whatever it took to find the object of his search.  Thirdly, he never let "distractions" keep him from finishing his search.  And lastly, and most importantly, he was totally committed to the search.  End result:  He found what he was looking for....cha-ching!!  No matter what things got in his way, like the "doll", he never gave up!!
In scripture Jesus tells all who will hear that IF we seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, then everything else will fall into place and we will find what we are looking for.  The question is; what are you looking for?  Are you looking for peace?   You will find it in Christ.  Are you looking for direction for your life?  You will find it in Christ.  Are you looking for a way to go to  heaven?  You will find it in Christ.  Are you looking for the long lost meaning of life?  You will find it in Christ.  To go out without the map to look for any of these things, plus many others, will be like shooting in the dark.  Your search will cause you to come up empty handed and frustrated.  Also, if you choose other avenues besides Christ you will come up very short and incomplete at best.  You might find peace in a self help book or teaching,  but that will end.  You might find some direction to get you moving, but if that direction isn't centered on Christ, then you will find yourself dissatisfied at best with your search.  You might look to other religions (or no religion) to find a way to heaven, but all will fall short of you reaching your goal.  You might dig up some old theory from a past philosopher and think you have found the meaning of life, but the definition is all wrong.  There are many different things that get in the way of PURE PERFECT TRUTH, and they all say, "I'm right here!"  Problem is they are all wrong.  Of course, for me to state this Biblical Statement of the perfection of God's Plan as being the only way will be tough for some to hear, but.......it's true.  To take one statement from The Waterboy, "That's some high quality H2O!"  Waterboy was making that statement about the purest source of water he could find and it revived him.  In this mega media world we live in, there are answers to everything you could search for.....Duh  Google!  It doesn't mean those answers are correct!  You must search in the right place to find what you are looking for and Jesus says all these answers are found in Him.  Now that's some High Quality H2O that quenches your thirst forever!! Read John 4:14
So, what's it going to be?  Are you going to continue to accept the substitutes of the world that says, "I'm right here!"  Or will you tap into the pure source of all of this and more, Jesus Christ?  It's your choice and you need to make it, because life is going to get more complicated if you don't!!  The thing that drew Indiana into the "doll's" room was the presence of a breeze indicating that the entrance to the tunnel was near.  He just followed the breeze to the source of it.  John 3:8 says, "The wind blows where it wishes and you hear the sound of it, but do not know where it comes from and where it is going, so is everyone who is born of the Spirit."  Can you feel the breeze?  Is it drawing you to God?  If so, when you seek Him He will say, "I'm right here!" and much different than the "doll", He will be what you are looking for.  So, get your adventure hat on and set sail on the biggest and best adventure of your life, SEEKING GOD!  You won't be disappointed with what you will find...Matthew 6:33 - But seek first His kingdom and His righteousness and all these things will be added to you


The Pilgrimage continues....


David Warren

Bomb Threat - They Deserve to Know

Our church took the opportunity to reach out to a nearby town with food, music, games, and good ole friendship.  During the event our worship band shared some awesome worship music with the crowd that had gathered.  It was great to see Christians rubbing shoulders with those who just needed a kind word and some encouragement, and of course, the message of Christ.  I was sharing little tidbits before each song our band played and took the liberty to inject humor, but also some real truth.  As we continued through the night it was apparent that many people were searching and that searching had brought them to this event.  Before one song I shared that they needed to choose one or the other, heaven or hell, and as I was saying the word HELL, it almost got caught in my throat.  Why?  I guess I was scared to offend anyone?  Who knows?  But the hesitation really got me thinking.  There is a heaven, and there is a hell.  Why are we so hesitant to mention hell?  Is it embarrassment?  Is it "Not the cool thing to say?"  Is it not true?  Why don't we weep for those who don't know Christ? Maybe it's not my personality to speak of such things!  Then I realized something.  It's not about the messenger.  It's about the message. When I remembered that great truth it did something awesome!  It took me out of the picture.  If I only shared some things about salvation and left other things out because of maybe shyness or embarrassment, then the message of salvation is no longer dependent on God's message, but on the filter I have on the message through me. In other words, I have made it MY message.  I suddenly realized how dangerous that was and took my "feelings" out of the mix and made a firm commitment to share it like it is.  I served with a youth pastor a few years ago and he would not say certain things from the Bible for fear of it hurting someone's feelings or not being cool.  His image was premiere and God's Word was secondary.  To say the least, there was a shallowness in his life that became apparent in many areas.  His family, his relationships, his convictions, all suffered from the filter he had installed in his personal convictions.  That filter took the strong message of God's Word and compromised it.  What a sad commentary. Has this whole thing come to this?  Picking out easy passages of the Bible to make us feel better about ourselves?  Dangerously sad...
In the book of Revelation John wrote when Jesus taught and here's what He said in Chapter 3 verses 14-22 "Don't compromise.  If you do, you aren't any use to me.  Keep in touch with my truth that is made of refined gold.  I'm knocking at your door, so let me in.  If you really are listening, then you will hear what I am saying."  Now you won't find that translation anywhere but here.  But that is what He's saying.  If you will stop long enough to look around, you will see that things in this earth are spiraling.  And it's not spiraling upward!  Years ago we would talk about  "Jesus coming back" with an urgency that caused people to believe it.  In some ways, that urgency has left our message and now we seem to be more "politically, spiritually correct" in our approach to sharing the message.  Of course, we need to know our world and be relevant with that message, but it should not go through man-made filters that are weak at best.  The message is at it's strongest when we don't change it.  The story below helped me see this in a whole new light.....
A lady arriving early at work one morning witnessed a terrorist, strapped with a bomb, sneaking into the building.  As she fled, she passed her fellow workmates coming into the office and wondered if she should warn them.  She hesitated and thought: ‘What if they don’t believe me and nothing happens, how foolish I will feel.’  As she quietly agonised on what to do, the office suddenly exploded into a great ball of fire.
Later, the police took the lady’s statement.  She told them everything she witnessed.  When the police asked why she hadn’t warned her co-workers and saved their lives, she responded meekly: ‘I was too embarrassed - I didn’t think they’d believe me and label me a fool.’
In reality, God will get His true message out and the warning will be direct and firm.  He just might not do it through you anymore!!  Why?  God doesn't like our filters!!
If you have found yourself worrying more about "coolness" than Godliness, then possibly there needs to be a "bomb threat" made to your heart to wake you up!  I guess if I really worried about the "correct" thing to say in this blog, I wouldn't even mention this stuff.  But I don't!  I'm just sayin.....
The threat is real......Trouble is on the horizon....People need to know before it's too late... It's up to you and me.....How will you respond?




The Pilgrimage continues.....


David Warren

A Defining Moment

I look in the Webster's Dictionary quite often to get definitions of words I am studying, so I can get a clear vantage point to clarify and represent the word properly.  Something came to mind today to me that really got me curious.  I thought, "What is the definition of the word definition?"  I looked once again in the dictionary and saw this; Definition - an exact statement or description of the nature, scope, or meaning of something.  Wow!  In all my searches to find the meaning of some word, I completely forgot to get the meaning of the word definition itself.  Guess I just assumed.....  Which brings up a good point.  What is your definition?  The word we like to use as Christians is your "witness", but that word doesn't go deep enough to fully expose the "whole truth and nothing but the truth."  What defines you is a very deeeeeep subject.  Why?  Because it takes in your whole life.  You know, from birth to now.  It takes in your childhood, youth years, college age years, early married years (if you married), your years as a young, median, or older parent(if you had children) and all those in between.  If you go to God's Dictionary and look beside your name, what do you see as the definition of YOU?  Per the earlier definition of the word uh...definition...  What is an exact statement about your life, or a description of your nature,  or the scope of your influence,  or the meaning of YOU?  Who are you?  These things don't even come into focus for a person who is a child, youth, or even a young adult.  We only start thinking about them when we get on the back side of thirty or when someone who is close to our age dies.  It's called "reality check" and it is good for us to do this on, get this, a DAILY BASIS!  You are probably thinking, "too time consuming and repetitive!" Not so!  To be current, think about the Olympic Athletes and their place in history as they compete for their country, their friends and family, and themselves.  What will history write about them and how will it define them? They will find out this weekend, as competition begins. You can bet THEY are thinking about it!!

Paul in writing to his son in the faith Timothy addressed the definition of a soldier of Christ.  In 2 Timothy 2:1-4 - he writes, "You therefore my son, be strong in the grace that is in Christ Jesus.  The things which you have heard from me in the presence of many witnesses, entrust these to faithful men who will be able to teach others also.  Suffer hardship with me, as a good soldier of Christ Jesus.  No soldier in active service entangles himself in the affairs of everyday life, so that he may please the one who enlisted him as a soldier."  This was to be a "defining" moment in the life of Timothy as Paul gave him his "marching orders" and also defined what attitude he would need to have to follow those orders.  Of course, we know the definition or witness of Timothy and the impact Christ had through his life.  Think about this though; Paul defined the life Timothy was to lead.  No more letting days go by thinking about would haves and should haves.  Every moment of every day totally focused on serving God.

As you think about Paul's definition of Timothy's Call, perhaps it brings to mind God's definition of your call in life.  A call that qualifies and explains who you are as a person.  It shows your strengths and weaknesses and your continued dependence on God.  It shows that your past doesn't control you, but your future home in glory doesn't numb you to the work at hand here on earth.  It shows that life just isn't about being a part of a church as an organization, but investing your life with others to make an impact on the world you live in.  You are defined by all that and more.  Why not think seriously about how it defines you?  Why not do a daily look back at the end of a day and see where things went right and things went wrong and let God further define and fine tune your days ahead by what you have learned today?  I am amazed by how little we evaluate anything because we want to avoid the chance of us admitting we could have done some things better.  The only thing that makes it even worse is when we don't learn from it and change.  Then our definition would be "a prideful person."  You don't want that and God doesn't either.  Look at what you have done and how you have lived in the past and if it's not where it needs to be.....change definitions.  When you decide to rewrite your future after learning from your past, that will be your defining moment.

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Yesterday's News/Keeping the Gorilla Busy

I love watching Fox News Channel, and Fox and Friends is my favorite morning show.  I have noticed something lately that is kind of weird about Fox though.  They will show something as a headline on Fox and Friends, and then it will be a headline on the next show, and the next show, and so on.  If you watch more than two shows, you start to get repeat news over and over again and to tell you the truth, it's boring.  I have also noticed that they will let a story go for a fews days then recycle it again.....ON ALL THE SHOWS!  Woh!  Talk about something NOT being current!  I like to call this Media Overlap!  To me, Media Overlap is where our media sources all collide together and overkill what they are showing.  What used to be the latest thing is overdone and highlighted too much.  Some other culprits of this very thing are Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, and many other "media outlets."  Media Overlap causes me to become a little dulled by all the info being "beat to death" and I become basically disinterested.  What is the source of all this "information" that we deem so important and vital.  Curiosity!  Curiosity in the Dictionary is defined as a strong desire to know or learn something.  Our curiosity has warped into something strange and unknown though.   We take something we see one time, like a man falling off a pier into the sand, and we watch it over and over again, and then some time goes by and we watch it again.  The same thing happens at the zoo when they are trying to keep the gorillas amused!  Strange beast, those gorillas.  Put a mirror and a repeating dvd of Wild Kingdom on and they will watch it the rest of their lives and be happy.  Someone asked me a few years whether I believed in evolution and I said, Duh!  NO!"   At least not the evolution they were talking about.  I do believe in the evolution of a Christian to become better, more, and ever growing.  That evolution process begins the moment we accept Christ and it keeps on going and growing.  Or does it?   Like the Silverback Gorilla in the cage we can become dumbed down into just existing as a believer to the point that we just watch reruns of past life experiences with Christ and live our faith off of those.  Just put a mirror in front of me and a memory of a past Spiritual Experience in my head and I will just sit there and watch it until I die.  Really?  That's what we are doing every day when we don't allow the evolution process in our spiritual life to continue to develop.  Why does this happen?  First of all, it's our fault for not staying in the Bible and serving with the talents God has given us, so we get lazy and lifeless.  Secondly, we start following men instead of God and our source is second hand instead of primary when it comes to our relationship with God.  Thirdly, like the gorilla, we have become institutionalized.  Our faith has changed sources and we no longer have a close relationship with Christ, and our main source of spiritual nurturing is a church building or pastor, or TV preacher.  Just like Fox News we hear these great lessons about following Christ in a church service or Bible Study over and over from the same sources, and we amen it all the way to the bank.  But where is the action?  What action?  We are too busy watching those reruns from "Yesterday's News" and now we have taken a seat in the chair of conformity and that is where we will stay......Until?

Someone splashes water in our face and wakes us up.  Wakes us up to the fact that we have removed ourselves from the very life that God wants to enrich.

A couple of years ago Bruce Willis starred in a movie called Surrogates.  The basic premise of the movie was that all people had quit feeling, moving around, and basically living and the enablers offered a way for them to stay in a machine and live their thoughts through surrogate robots.  Finally good ole Bruce broke free from his inactivity as a human and started shaking things up, (as only he can) and then they all woke up.  The thing was, he was almost too late, and the "living death" was almost more powerful than he could fight, but he did win.

I believe we as Christians have become complacent to the point that we will let someone else tell us what to believe and how to believe it.  We will let someone else do what God has called us to do (Surrogates) and thus we will cease to exist in the land of Abundant Living.  It is spreading rapidly through our churches as I write this and the only hope for us is to resist it by getting active in our faith.  Don't let Yesterday's News become the thing you rely on for your faith.  Get current.  Get active.  Develop a fresh new relationship with Jesus and see what great plans He has for you.  Psalm 119:156 says, "Great are Your mercies O Lord, revive me according to Your ordinances." Romans 12:1 says, "Therefore I urge you, brethren,  by the mercies of God, to present your bodies a living and holy sacrifice, acceptable to God, which is your spiritual worship of service."  Hebrews 10:19-25 says a lot, but mostly it says for us to keep on living in the day and do that individually and as a church.  I'll let you read that one for yourself.... if you will!   If we will once again believe He is life and that His life lives in us, then we will break the mirror, turn off yesterday's news and get on with the abundant life.  Don't let someone take away your joy by doing what God  has called you to do.  Break  the spell of the surrogate and get back in with the living.  When you do that you aren't just watching Yesterday's News.   You are making Today's News!!   

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Christianity is Failing and We are One of the Worst Culprits!!

I saw a pizza commercial the other day where the company, Dominoes, was talking about their pizza.  They were describing things that were "wrong" with their pizza.  They found out these wrong things when they made a concentrated effort to evaluate realistically  how their pizza tasted.  The assurance that came across to me the consumer was, "they really want to do their best when making pizza."  It made me want to go out and buy a pizza and "check it out!"  Dominoes didn't just stop with their pizza though.  The next commercial spoke to the matter of how much cheese was on their cheese bread.  The guy on the commercial stated that they had tasted many different cheese breads, and they found out most didn't have much cheese, and then he said it.  "We were one of the worst culprits."  The guy standing beside him almost passed out when he stated that fact.  His "full disclosure" though upfront and real, was almost more than the other guy wanted to admit.  You see, we aren't wired that way.  We want to admit to some of the wrong, but when it comes down to it, we can find someone else who is "more" wrong than us.  We think that lets us off the hook.  But does it? NO!!!  People leave churches today over the fact that we aren't getting it done when it comes to ministry.  They leave and then blame everyone else but the true culprit.  Themselves!!  With full disclosure there comes reality.  Reality is a bummer when you are trying to keep your head above water in life.  It is that nagging thing that rains on every party you try to plan.  Reality shows us the "truth" of who we are and where we stand.  Reality is the kind of stuff that knocks you off your feet when you ask someone to evaluate how you are doing.  Reality is tough.  Dreams on the other hand are great.  You may never get what you dream about, but the hope you have keeps you going through a parallel "dream universe."  I love dreams and I believe in God using dreams to help us change our realities for the good.  Dreams go wrong though when they overtake and ignore reality.  God gives us reality every day when we spend time with Him and He shows us where and who we are.  If we listen!!  If Dominoes had gone out and surveyed all those cheese breads and just cut them down and not improved theirs, realistically all they would have done was bash the other companies without improving theirs.  That wouldn't make their cheese bread any better.  They would have fallen into the dream mode of putting other breads down to avoid dealing with their own lack of cheese.  Get it?

Jesus dealt with the problem in Matthew 7:1-5 and in verse 3 he says, "Why do you look at the speck that is in your brother's eye, but do not notice the log that is in your own eye?" Why?  Because we don't want to look at our own faults in any matter.  If we do it means we have to deal with it and possibly change.....Oh that would be terrible.  It gets better though.  Jesus says in verse 4, "Or how can you say to your brother, Let me take the speck out of your eye, and behold the log is in your own eye?" Here is another great problem for those of us not wanting to see our own faults.  We have put a BIG wooden filter in front of our eyes (called a log) and we now look at others through this filter.  The filter makes it look like everything we do is right and makes it look like everyone else is wrong.  By the way, that's not a filter.  It is a stronghold for sin and a barrier between us and our Lord.  Finally, Jesus cuts to the chase in verse 5.  "You hypocrite, first take the log out of your own eye, and then you will see clearly to take the speck out of your brother's eye."  Ouch!!!  That does not compute in 2012!!  Why?  First of all, we rarely self evaluate because it takes too much time.  Secondly, if we did REALLY look at our life, we would see such a jumbled up mess of excuses, we would give up trying. Thirdly, we don't care...  Base level.....we don't!  If we did, we would do it.  If you will read further in that Chapter, you will see this teaching is base level junior scout stuff, not eagle scout.  Which brings to mind.  If you can't handle the basic things of the Christian life, how will you handle the very challenging things.  We have just enough Americanized Christianity in us to keep us from really allowing God to grow us up and make us useful.  Until then, we are heavily focused on other's faults.  If we stay this way, we are in the H Category Jesus mentioned.  You know what I mean....HYPOCRITE!!  Time to change.  Time to fly.  Time to be real.  Time to get back on track.  It's TIME!!!  We see doom and gloom all around us and now we are part of the problem, not the solution.  Take the time to self evaluate.  How is my cheese bread (my Christian walk)?  Is there really enough cheese in it to call it cheesy bread?  If not, then I am the culprit and things have to change.  Keep this in mind.  The only people who resist change in everything else are those who allow no positive change in their life.  I'm just sayin......  Christianity is failing.  Are you the culprit?  Hopefully not!!

The Pilgrimage Continues...

David Warren

No Inheritance Tax

How would you like to inherit something from somebody and on the day you receive it at least 10% or up to 35% of it is taken by the government?  Bummer!!  That's what happens in our country at this point, and what used to be a blessing to leave behind something for the living is taken by the government.  Wow!  We can't even escape taxes when we die!  It's amazing that people still try to let the government be their "conscience" in most matters and just hand over the keys to almost everything of value.  This continuing saga has been going on since freedoms were won by those who gave their lives in past wars and conflicts. It cheapens the freedom we have come to love and appreciate and the future looks like more of the same.  We have gone from our government being for the people and by the people, to people being for the government by the government.  You may notice no shock in my writing.   That is because there is none.  But what if the promises made at the beginning were not hedged on at all?  In fact, more was promised and received than we had originally planned for and now things are "looking good?"  That is exactly what God promises and delivers to those who know Him.

In 1 Peter 1:3-5, Peter says a mouthful when he says, "Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, who according to His great mercy has caused us to be born again (get an inheritance) to a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ (taxes are paid) from the dead."   Here's the awesome part, "to obtain an inheritance which is imperishable and undefiled (given to the government) and will not fade away, reserved in heaven for you."

Can I get an AMEN???  This inheritance cannot and will not be touched in any form or fashion.  No last minute amendments, or special clauses to steal it from us.  Just like the saying that developed when we here in Alabama Football won last year's national championship....D O N E.

Of course, those who don't know Christ will think differently about this whole "faith thing" and they will try to minimize the truth of it, but it doesn't matter.  It's in the bank and cannot be touched by human hands.  Call 1-800-ITS-MINE and there will be no telemarketer to talk  you out of it.  You can find me at www.lovingtheviewinglory.org.  Glory revealed, glory received!!  You would think we as Christians would be doing our "happy dance" or jumping for joy to tell others this great news.  But we don't!  Why?  It could be that we have become so apathetic due to broken promises all around us that we have given up.  It could also be that we don't believe it could happen to us because we have not spent enough time with the one leaving it to us.  Maybe it's because we know we don't really deserve it.  From God's perspective, that's not the point.  The sooner we realize that we don't deserve it, and see God's grace and mercy in full power, it will change us "AGAIN."  Again is not bad though.  Maybe this time we will get it.  I mean really get it.  God's love is higher than the mountains, deeper than the valleys, stronger than the ocean.  God's love is limitless and He always comes through.  I believe the more we discover this, the more we will once again believe, and then our eyes will be focused on what matters most.  Telling others....  Until we discover it, we are living a miserable existence that is superficial at best and declining at worst.  No need....No need....

Verse 5 says it all, "who are protected (God's Secret Service) by the power of God through faith for a salvation ready to be revealed in the last time."  God's power will not let our inheritance be stolen from our grasp.  His love is holding on tight. The Psalmist said a great thing when in Psalm 13:5 he said, "But I trust in Your unfailing love, my heart rejoices in Your salvation."  Where are you putting your trust?  In the government?  C'mon,  you know better than that if you really know Christ.  We trust in God.  If you are trusting in God and not man then Proverbs 20:7 is your verse.  "Some boast in chariots and some in horses, but we boast in the Name of our Lord, our God."  When it's all said and done, where is your trust?  Make sure you trust in God and not man.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

The Olympic Swim Team

We've been watching the Olympic Trials the past two weeks and they are exciting to say the least.  It's great to see our American Athletes who have invested so much time and training compete to get to go to London and showcase their talent.  In swimming it seems like the elite athletes get younger every year and the introduction of coaches into their lives to guide them in honing their talent at a young age is paying off great dividends.  In most sports there is kind of a "pecking order" that young athletes have to go through age wise to get to the place they can compete alongside other older athletes.  Not swimming!   The muscles used in swimming can be developed at a young age and the ability to glide through water at a fast pace doesn't begin when an athlete is 18-20, but more like 8-12.  I like to see fresh young faces developing their potential, if possible, at a young age and seeing the fruit of an early commitment to their sport.  No more, "some day you will grow up and get a chance to pursue something you have right now."  Today is the day!!!

I think this brings to mind a very important aspect of parenting or mentoring a child or youth.  Too many times we don't develop that early faith after they accept Christ as a child.  We think all this Christian stuff is way over their head!   But in reality, all we are doing is doubting how capable a child is from the moment they give their heart to Christ.  Of course, they are still just "kids."  Which is also a name for a young goat.....Go figure.  I'm not talking about "cramping their style" when it comes to living out their childhood or youth years.  I am talking about where God fits into this quotient.  I believe we should challenge them in their faith to the point that their minds and their hearts have a chance to respond to the deep questions of life, and thus give them the chance to find those answers early in life.  Answers that are vital to molding them in their faith and deepening their personal relationship with Jesus Christ.  The world, including a very informative media, starts indoctrinating them from birth and we accept that like it's nothing.  After 18 years of seeing the world's perspective and possibly just attending church or Sunday School without relevant discipleship, puts the maturing process for those young believers at risk.  The old term "garbage in garbage out" definitely applies here, and the introduction of basic Christian principles when a youth gets 16 years old is just too late.  Those "kids" who should be taking their world by storm for Christ, waver between;" should I wear makeup at age 10?"; "or how far can I go on the first date at age 14?" , or "how far can I drift away from God and still keep my parents happy?"  Why does this happen?  It's easy!!  They are being treated like children when it comes to following Christ, but adults when it comes to handling all this worldly influence.  This just won't work, and of course, we know it's not working now.  We read in Proverbs 22:6, "train up a child in the way he should go, even when he is old he will not depart from it." and think that means praying at a meal, attending church events, or even reading their Bible every day.  It doesn't mean that at all.  What it means is "teach your child how to live a victorious life in Christ!"  When?  Now!!  Don't wait.  Explain your faith to them and why you do what you do.   Let them know the joy you have in serving Christ.  Challenge them to greatness in response to the new life they have in Christ.  How often?  Every day and throughout the day.  Make plans for them with teachable moments and be a vibrant person of instruction in their life.  I hear parents saying things like, "I just pray every day that little Johnny will be able to handle this big ole world...."  Blah, blah, blah!!  Don't end it with a desperate prayer and no instruction.  That's not what God  wants you to do.  He wants to you to offensively show who He is to your child or youth and develop who they are in Him.  Paul wrote to Timothy in 1 Timothy 4:12 and said, "Let no one look down on your youthfulness, but rather in speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity, show yourself an example of those who believe."  Paul didn't just say, "go out there and do whatever you want because you are young."  He poured his life into Timothy and he knew that God could do great things through Timothy because he knew who Christ really was.  Timothy was trained!!  In the same way that those young swimmers are now coming to the forefront, young believers who have developed their faith will too.  IF WE TRAIN THEM, AND THEN LET THEM SERVE!!  Now is the time to take off the shackles and let them go, but not before we have shown them where to go and how to go.  Then they will represent their Savior in Life's Olympics with a vibrant witness, and a pure passion to serve Him.  Life's Games are waiting to be won.  Are you willing to see the greatness of Christ in your child or youth and spur them on to great things in Christ.  What's holding you back?

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren