King Shepherd

Sheepfold - A sheep pen

In the time that Jesus walked on this earth there was a way of caring for sheep that actually still exits in that region today.  This "sheep pen" was a public pen that was used by many different flocks to house their sheep for the night.  Those different flocks would gather in the sheep pen by going through the "door" that was watched and guarded by a doorkeeper.  The pen was usually open air with no roof and it housed many sheep and protected them from robbers and animals.  In the morning the shepherds would come and collect their sheep because they knew exactly who they were.  In John 10:1-18 Jesus shares some great wisdom with us about the importance of the sheep, the shepherd, the pen, the door, and the doorkeeper.  It almost sounds like the title for a C.S. Lewis novel.  In the same way that Lewis wrote his great parallels of the Christian life, Jesus exposes some great truth that we must consider as believers.  First of all, in verses 1-3, Jesus exposes the truth of Him being the only true shepherd of the Jews and the fulfillment of prophecy.  There are many others who will claim to be that shepherd, but Jesus is the only true shepherd, and the others are just imitations.  We as  believers are the sheep, and Jesus takes us through the door to the safety of the pen by calling to us, and by the way, we know His call because we know Him.  Which brings to mind.  If we have someone that is trying to lead us to another door, we really shouldn't be able to hear them, and as it says in verse 5, "We will flee from him."  With the Lord in our life we are given "spiritual red flags" that pop up at the sound of danger, and false teachers will raise a red flag every time.   In verse 10 a verse that is well quoted starts to make more sense, "The thief comes only to steal, and kill and destroy; I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly."  There are many thieves and robbers just waiting to be used by satan to distract and manipulate us into following them.  They have one thing in mind; DECEPTION!  The way to keep our red flag in full alert mode to identify those robbers is to study God's Word and get with other "sheep" in the pen to draw strength and insight.  Here's a little side note:  If you are the type of person to get all involved in following a minister or teacher to the point that you trust in their strength you are following the wrong person.  In verse 13 it says what a hired hand will do when the going gets tough.  They will flee, because they are not concerned about the sheep.  Jesus goes on to say in verse 14, "I am the good shepherd and I know My own and My own know me."  Enough said.... In verse 16 He goes ahead to speak about us Gentiles and the realization that we are a part of the flock, and we are all under one shepherd and His name is Jesus.  And then in verses 17 and 18 Jesus says what all believers live by, He is our salvation, and that is the formed evangelical church of today.

The illustrations used by Jesus to teach this great truth are very deep and also very expansive.  The breadth of His comments encompass all believers and give us hope and security.  Hope in the safety of the sheep pen, and security to know that robbers and wolves cannot take us out of that pen.  I believe the doorkeeper is the Lord and His perfect righteousness.  God sets all this into motion and the finality of what He did in sending His Son for us helps us realize a great sense of assurance knowing that Abba Father is watching over us when we are awake or asleep.  It means that God is intimately involved in what is going on in our lives and never sleeps or lets down His guard when watching over us.  I don't know about you, but that is awesome news to me, a sheep.  First of all, I can't protect myself because I am totally reliant on my shepherd.  Secondly, I don't know where to go except that Jesus show me.  Thirdly, God provides for my every need  as the Creator of the Universe, Almighty God!

So, fellow sheep arise, and please trust the good shepherd and the doorkeeper to equip us, protect us, lead us, and love us.  God is the Great I Am and His strength is something we must tap into if we are going to first of all, live an abundant life, and share it with other prospective sheep.  Some may say, "Why was Jesus born of a virgin and why did He live such a humble life, as a carpenter?  Where is the strength in that?  Remember, Mary His mother, was from David's lineage, and that lineage had changed through the years.  David was a King during his living days, but his father Jesse was a shepherd, and David was "annointed" to be King.  Through the years that line lost it's royal standing and Mary was very poor and humble.  All of this was to fulfill prophecy to the fullest.  So, when you read scripture that is related to sheep and shepherds, really listen closely for the great wisdom God imparts to us through those truths.  David was the annointed King, but Jesus is the King of Kings.  His reign will never diminish, though our modern day society may try to make us think so.  He is almighty God and He nows us.  He is a shepherd to His sheep, and a King to all.  He is King Shepherd....

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

The Ultimate Daddy Warbucks

If you have ever seen the movie, or the broadway musical version of the story of "Annie" you have probably shed a tear or two.  Annie is a touching story of an orphan who is adopted by a super rich man out of a horrible orphanage.  The  movie and musical are based upon the popular Harold Gray comic strip Little Orphan Annie. The story takes us through the trials of this little girl and how she captures the rich tycoons heart after being brought in as an act of kindness by him at Christmas.  The orphanage supervisor, Miss Hannigan, tries every way she can to thwart any progress in Annie's life and involves other unsavory characters in her schemes.  It is Miss Hannigan's desire to get all the money she can from her unscrupulous way of life and Annie is her main target.  At the end it becomes increasingly evident that Annie is destined for a new life and all of Miss Hannigan's deceptive schemes fall apart as she and her cohorts are arrested.  Annie proves that orphans can have a life too, and that the "Sun will come out tomorrow" and hope is not something just dreamed about.  It's a great story and sounds very familiar.

We as Christians have that same orphan complex before we know Christ.  Satan tries to do everything he can to keep us from finding The Ultimate Daddy Warbucks, Jesus Christ.  We are in a desperate position in life without Christ and hope is just that, something to be hoped for, but many don't know where their true hope lies.  Romans 3:23 says, "All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God."  That means all of us are born as sinners, or orphans without much hope for eternal life in heaven, until God visited us through His Son, Jesus Christ and gave us the hope we were looking for in the first place.  Jesus paid our ransom (orphanage costs) and took us out of the horrible condition we were in and made us co-heirs of the kingdom of God.  Like Miss Hannigan and all her cohorts, satan tries to keep us from hearing the truth, or even realizing there is a better way to live.  He does everything he can to put roadblocks in our path and keep us attached to the orphanage of hell.  Like Annie, when we hear that there is more to life than the orphanage, or constantly being deserted by the world's promises, we know we must do everything we can to get this hope.  The great thing about God is He has done everything to insure our adoption is final and complete.  Jesus Christ paid the ultimate debt for our souls to ensure that we could be part of God's Forever Family.  Just think, a real family!!   Here's a real true word from the orphanage complex.  We all are looking for God and His hope.  We may not recognize it though until someone who is a member of the family tells us about the possibility of adoption.  This is where the true story of Annie and Us starts to make sense.  The hope  offered by God is in all who call Him Savior, but we sometimes want the big mansion to ourselves, so we don't tell other orphans of His hope.  This has got to change.  The same heart that saved us, also calls each of us to tell other orphans that "The Sun will come up tomorrow" in a better place.  The only difference for us is that the resurrection of Jesus Christ made it where the statement says, "The Son Will Back Tomorrow."  In John 14:15-21 Jesus says, "If you love Me, You will keep my commandments." "I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Helper, that He may be with you forever; that is the Spirit of Truth whom the world cannot receive because it does not see Him, or know Him, but you know Him, because He abides with you and will be in you."    Here's the great word we can rely on, "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you.(verse 18)"  When Jesus went to be with the Father in that heavenly home, He promised He would return and take us there and He will.  "Bet your bottom dollar!!"

We can bank on our Daddy Warbucks, known as Abba Father because His promises are true and He is in the business of adopting orphans wherever they will receive Him.  He is our hope and our Ultimate Daddy Warbucks.

A man approached a little league baseball game one afternoon. He asked a boy in the dugout what the score was. The boy responded, "Eighteen to nothing--we're behind." 

"Boy," said the spectator, "I'll bet you're discouraged." 

"Why should I be discouraged?" replied the little boy. "We haven't even gotten up to bat yet!"

Don't despair in the world we live in.  When we receive Christ He reclaims all the orphans who come to Him, and gives them a bat, and says, "Swing Away."  May our lives always be lived giving thanks to the one who adopted us, and may life be one home run after the other.

The Pilgrimage continues..

David Warren

Spiritual Immigration

A lot is being said about immigration lately and the debates will go on and on and on. (They are politicians you know)  While everyone tries to figure out a way to rewrite the rules, lets keep in mind how the whole thing works.  A person comes to this country and applies for citizenship, and after learning the language and completing the needed documentation, they become an American Citizen with all the rights of any other citizen.  Where the rub comes in is when someone tries to cheat or go around the rules for citizenship.  Basically, someone who tries to cheat is not willing to go through the process that all others have to go through and that disqualifies their right for citizenship.  We seem to have a lot of that lately as people try to illegally gain whatever they can and try to "beat the system."  The system is set up that way for a reason and in reality we all are immigrants, except for the American Indian.  I believe, like our motto, that our shores are open to all, but they must do what is required for their citizenship.  No shortcuts.  No cheating.  Rules are rules.

In the Christian life we see ourselves as immigrants of another sort.  When we hear of that place of true freedom and life eternal, we also have something that has to happen to receive that citizenship.  For me, I realized I was lost without Christ and on my way to hell.  At that point I knew I needed the freedom that had been presented to me and desired to receive this citizenship.  I read what the scripture says it takes to get that freedom and then I had to decide if I was willing to do what it required.  I took that step of faith and received the freedom I longed for and a spiritual immigrant became a citizen of the kingdom of God.

In the many years I have shared this same path to freedom with many people, some have accepted it and others have rejected it.   Some have tried to cheat their way in and the end result has been drifting away from faith and the church.   You may say, "David, do you think a person who drifts away from serving Christ is really not saved?"  Let me ask you a question.  When that person receives Christ and they are "new" what does that new look like?  The Bible says they are radically changed!!!  They don't become someone you have to beg to come to church.   They don't become someone who can take God's Word or leave it.  Their personality is the same, but different as the old things pass away  (or die) and the new things take residence.  They have a desire to forgive others, to live God's Word, to reach the world, to love others as never before, and to follow God's direction, wherever He may lead.  If those things aren't evident, then the fruit of a "present" Spirit (as in Holy Spirit) is not evident.  The Bible says if that fruit is not there, then their tree is not of the spiritual kind.  Jesus said in John 15:4, "Live in me.  Make your home in me just as I do in You.  In the same way that a branch can't bear grapes by itself but only by being joined to the vine, you can't bear fruit unless you are joined with me."  As in our immigration system, there are definitely those who have tried to get this citizenship in heaven through cheating and going around the rules for citizenship.  The fruit that is seen from their lives vividly shows that they are "Illegal Spiritual Aliens" and they actually believe they are "in" when they truly aren't citizens.  So, if you are trying to keep from letting Christ totally change your life, but you want to get to heaven, I have some good news for you.  You can still make the cut by:

1. Admitting you are a sinner.  Really admit it. I felt utter remorse about my sin and knew I was lost in that sin.  It was the condition I was in and it wasn't good.  So know what you are and where you are coming from.

2. Confess your sin to God.  You may say, "All of them?"  Well, I confessed a lot of them and God brought them to mind for me quickly.  The rest were taken care of by my confessional minded attitude at the time.  Confess that you are a sinner and mean it!!!

3. Repent of those sins.  Repent means to turn away from the direction you are headed and turn to God for forgiveness.  It's a total 180' change.  For me, it was a life that just drifted through like everyone else, but I knew there was something more, but I had to make a conscious turn to this new way of thinking.  This is the tricky part for some.  We think we can sneak across the border into God's grace with just a little turn and then we turn back.  Not so!!!  You have to give up your citizenship here on earth and turn to a new country or a new way of thinking.

4. Believe in your heart that Jesus is the way to eternal life and that His Word is true and He forgives you.  Ask Him to come into your life and surrender to His Will.  You will do this by faith.  Ephesians 2:8 says, "For by grace you are saved through faith."  God's grace kicks in the moment you have that faith cry and give your life to Christ.

5.The rest is learning and growing and knowing more about the Savior.  Here's the part where we really can fail and fail bad.  We get eternal life and go ahead and live our life knowing that when we die we go to heaven, but we don't grow.  Why does this happen?  There are two faults here.  One who is at fault is other Christians.  Christians who are growing in the Lord forget that we are supposed to help new believers get on their feet and then turn them loose.  The other one at fault is the new believer.  The immediate invasion by the old self, known as the flesh, will try to pluck this new seed out of the ground so it won't grow.  Every new believer has a desire to pursue God, but they must act on that desire and God gives them the discernment and the power to do that very thing.

So!  Are you an Illegal Spiritual Immigrant trying to get in to God's Heaven by avoiding what must happen to get there.  If you are then you need to own up to it and give your heart, really give your life, to Jesus in faith.  You may ask, "when do I need to do this?"  NOW!!

When the Lord comes for His people, all the reasons why you didn't go through the process won't mean a "hill of beans" because it will be too late and you won't be on that flight.  So, don't get cozy in your avoidance and own up to the fact you may not know Christ at all, and you will not have citizenship in heaven if you don't change that now.

1 Peter 2:11 says, "Friends, this world is not your home, so don't make yourselves cozy in it.  Don't indulge your ego at the expense of your soul."  Here's my take on the whole thing.  Don't play games with God's Grace.  If you don't really have it, then get it today.  Then you will be a Legal Spiritual Citizen of a place known as Heaven!!!

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren

Been There, Done That

The very popular saying, "Been there, done that" continues to be said day after day by so many people.  It basically proclaims that there is nothing new in what you are saying you did, because I have already done it.  Skydived yesterday...."been there, done that."  Swam with sharks today, "been there, done that."  Kayaked over an 80 foot waterfall, "been there, done that."  These are just a few of the examples of things I  cannot say "been there, done that."  Those are things I watch people do on TV and wonder if they will live or not.  My radical "been there, done that" includes bungee jumping with a triple harness, jumping off a  20 rock ledge into the water, canoeing on the Ocoee River, etc.  My list is more rambunctious than radical.  If you were going to list what you have done for Christ, the list might be different as well.  "Told someone I attend church regularly today, "been there, done that."  "Refused an alcoholic beverage from a coworker at a staff party "been there, done that."  "Didn't cuss for two weeks "been there, done that."  That list is also rambunctious, but not very radical.  How do we move from rambunctious, to radical in our lives.  For thrill seekers, you have to be willing to face the possibility of death in order to do something radical.  You have to put it out of your mind that "a shark could come up and bite my leg and serve me up to his fellow sharks for dinner."   You have to put it out of your mind, "the percentage of parachutes that don't actually open up like they are supposed to, making me a very dead midget."  "You also have to clear your thinking from, "What if I can't turn my kayak back over after being knocked unconscious from an 80 foot drop."  The life of a thrill seeker is one of flirting with death on almost a daily basis, cause they are looking for the next thrill, the next buzz.  I saw Nick Wallenda, a high wire walker, on Fox News this morning and he was going to walk on a wire, without a net, across a highway in Sarasota, Florida.  When asked, why?  He said, "It's what my family has always done.  It's in our blood!"  Wow, he said a mouthful when he said that statement!  It's in my blood!

As a believer you probably have those thoughts from time to time, where you think, "I need to be more radical for Christ and share His message wherever I go."  Then you start thinking about all the things that could go wrong should you choose that type of life.  You begin to think, "What if someone asks me a question about the Bible I can't answer?"  "What if my present friend group starts to exclude me and I'm all alone?"  "What if my family doesn't understand my stand for Christ?"  "What if someone tries to kill me for my faith?"  All valid questions, and all very reasonable for Christians to think about.  Here's the kicker for each of us who feel a ground swell of radicalism starting to sprout up.  Jesus has already paved the way for each of us, because He has "been there, done that."

In Genesis 45: 1-7 the brothers of Joseph, who had sold him into slavery, were standing before the one they had sold, Joseph.  Joseph had grown in power to be over all the food distributed during the famine of the day and his brothers had come to get food and left after paying for it.  Joseph had planted a chalice in one of their bags to cause them to come back before him again.  It was at this time that he tells them, "I am Joseph your brother."  They were speechless and couldn't believe what they were seeing and hearing.  He then tells them in verse 4 and 5, "I am Joseph your brother whom you sold into Egypt.  But don't feel badly, don't blame yourselves for selling me.  God was behind it.  God sent me here ahead of you to save lives."  Woh!  That was a shocker for the brothers who had sold him to slavery and the awesome power of redemption and forgiveness resulted in them all being saved."  Now that was radical faith and radical forgiveness.  They were impacted in a huge way by the way Joseph perceived the overall picture.  Which brings something important to mind for each of us.  Do we understand the full picture of what God has done through Jesus for us.  Jesus was sold out by Peter, and falsely accused and beaten by those in high places.  He was unjustly crucified on a cross that was meant for the worst of society.  He was buried in a borrowed tomb and silenced to be heard no more.  All of that is so amazingly radical!  All of that paints a picture that has continued to impact lives since those terrible days for God's Son, yet glorious days for believers.  Why?  THE THIRD DAY!  That is the day that "radical" took on the ultimate form.  That is the day that "been there, done that" was said once and for all.  That day is the day that living on the edge began.  Because of what Christ "did" on the cross and because of what Christ "did" in defeating death, hell, and the grave, we now have a reason to live a "radical" life of faith and victory.  For all of us who know Christ, the burning desire in our hearts to live for Him in a radical way are warranted and must be acted upon.  You may say, "why" do I have this burning in my heart to give my all to Him.  Just like Nick Wallenda said, this morning, "It's in our blood."  But with one change, "it's in HIS blood."  Believe it or not, mediocre, cringing, weak faith will become a lifestyle of our past when we tap into the awesome, life-changing power of the resurrection of Jesus Christ.  In Genesis 45:7 Joseph said a statement that resonates in my heart, "God sent me on ahead to pave the way and make sure  there was a remnant in the land, to save your lives in an amazing act of deliverance." Sound familiar?  In John 14: 1-4, Jesus echoes those same words, but He is talking about eternity.  God knows there is a famine in our land and He knows that we need His nourishment in our souls to be able to make it through that famine, and He has left a remnant, you and me, to live a radial faith that is beyond compare.  Jesus has gone ahead of us in every situation, so our fears should not hold us back, and make us doubt.  In fact, or faith should be radical to the point that we go out as never before proclaiming the mercies of God and His great provision of forgiveness for all who come to Him in repentance.

Don't fear living a radical life for Christ.  When He says, Been there, done that" it is the ultimate statement.  His statement sounds more like this though.....IT IS FINISHED!  Live in His victory.  Defeat fear with faith.  Let rambuntious faith become radical faith.  When that happens your last statement to Christ will be "been there, done that."  At that point He will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  Now that is radical!!!

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Awakenings

Robin Williams and Robert DeNiro starred in a 1990 movie entitled Awakenings.  In the movie the victims of an encephalitis epidemic many years earlier are offered new hope through a new drug that "wakes them up", thus the title of the movie.  The main story focuses on Robert DeNiro's character, who contracted the disease as a young boy that slipped him into a catatonic state and institutionalized him for many years.  Robin Williams character is a doctor who finds a new drug that "wakes up" Robert DeNiro's character and shows him a whole new world that has totally changed since his sleep.  This movie and it's plot tell us a lot about a sleeping world of Christians that also have slipped into a mostly catatonic state of existence.  Catatonic in the fact that the influence and the impact of most Christians has become less and less due to the "sleep" that appears to be widespread in our world today.  Things we took for granted as believers years ago no longer exist and the supposed Christian Nation we live in is now considered to be Post Christian.  So what needs to happen when we realize the situation we are living in?   What can we do to be "salt and light" in a world, and specifically a country of leaders", who have turned their back on God?  Just like in the movie Awakenings they needed a cure, and we also need a cure.  We have drifted far too long while living off our past days of glory and ease of living the Christian Life.   We have allowed ourselves to be lulled to sleep by those who will soon enslave our very faith.  We have not been on our knees in prayer near enough!  We have not been willing for God to awaken our hearts to a whole new way of thinking and living.  We have been inoculated by the world's sweet message that we can do anything by ourselves and let that be our mantra.  And now the very thing we used to warn the world about is our way of living.  WE HAVE FALLEN ASLEEP!!

When thinking about encephalitis  and how it's contracted you can't help but relate it to our present condition in our world.  Encephalitis is most often caused by a viral infection.  Many types of viruses may cause it.  Exposure to those viruses can occur through breathing in respiratory droplets from an infected person; eating contaminated food or drink; bites from mosquitoes, ticks, and other insects, and skin contact.  But get this.  Other diseases may also cause encephalitis like; measles, mumps, polio, rabies, rubella, and chickenpox.  You may say, "Where are you going with this David?"

Here's what I am saying.  We have fallen asleep as believers and it has directly started to affect our leaders in our country and the population at large.  Just look at the results of this past election and the dim horizon for those who follow Christ.  It seems like I hear a new story of our country kicking Christians in the face every week.  We must wake up and smell the rotten roses of our society and turn to the only hope we have, Jesus Christ.   How has this happened.  Just like the causes for encephalitis there are causes for our quick downward slide in our country. Some possible causes might include:

1. We are infected.  This lethargy, this lack of fervency in believers has taken on a form in our soul that is ever-increasing and eating away the very fabric of who Christ is in our life.  In Biblical terms we would say "the flesh has become weak" and disease has morphed itself to look healthy.  In other words, our sickness has been made to look normal when the long term effect will be spiritual death.  We have the virus, but we have subdued the symptoms to make us look normal and not worry about it.

2. In our weakened state we cannot see that a process has been taking place and over a period of years the world's influence has been biting us and poisoning our system.  It may be media influence, wanting to be the next big thing, church made friendly, or just basic unGodly weak tradition.  Whatever it is, the poison has spread to epidemic proportions.

3. Other cults and weak religious denominations have caused us to give credence to their approaches to the faith, even though they don't match up with the Word of God.   We have accepted them as truth in order to keep everyone happy and now we are bearing the fruit of our indifference.

4. We just don't care.  The fire just isn't there anymore and the end result is a person saying those fateful words for any believer, "WHATEVER!"

What does God have to say about all this?  Paul wrote in Ephesians 5:14, "For anything that becomes visible is light.  Therefore, it says, "Awake, O sleeper, and arise from the dead, and Christ will shine on you"

Jesus Himself said in John 11:11-14 "Our friend Lazarus has fallen asleep, but I go to awaken him."  When God says something is not just dead, but is sleeping, to me it says that there is hope, because the one who gives hope says there is.  In the same way Jesus commanded Lazarus to come forth out of the grave, I believe He is calling all believers to shake off the sleeping sickness that has come upon us and step forward in faith and strength.  We can no longer rely on the faith of a few people from the past in our present condition.  We have to blaze our own trails of faith and trust God to supply the "new drug" to wake us up.  We have a sleeping sickness, that may look like death, but it is just a sleeping sickness.  We can awaken.  We can see God move again in our lives and in our nation, but we will have to be about making prayer and a passion for God our focus.  Be encouraged, God knows what we are feeling when we are afraid and lack understanding, and He is able to give us the strength we need.

In Hebrews 4:15 the writer said, "For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin." Get in on God's perspective through reading His Word and you will sense an urgency and a passion that is no longer accepting the status quo.  You will see your faith grow stronger and stronger, and before long you will see God changing things through your life.  Romans 10:17 says, "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing through the word of Christ." 

Well, you figured it out.  Our new drug to get over this sleeping sickness is FAITH.  The only thing you need to do now is "take the drug" and start trusting God for great things through your life, and then you will become an impacter and not a detractor.  Let's get the momentum going right now and believe that God can still change things, and that He wants to start through me!!!  This is my Awakening.  What is yours?

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

The Gravity of The Situation

Gravity - the attraction of the mass of the earth, the moon, or a planet for bodies at or near its surface, or a serious situation or problem  

I remember the movie Back to the Future when Dr. Emmett Brown was explaining to Marty that his mother was attracted to him in her past life condition and the ensuing conversation resulted.  

Marty - Whoa. Wait a minute, Doc.  Are you trying to tell me that my mother has got the hots for me?     Doc - precisely  Marty - Whoa.  This is heavy      Doc - There's that word again.  "Heavy.."  Why are things so heavy in the future?  Is there a problem with the Earth's gravitational pull?

If you were to go back to the 1950's in a time machine boy would things be different.  Terms we use would be totally different and the perception of things would be amazingly changed.   Just like the Doc hearing Marty say the word "heavy."  He thought it meant that the earth's gravitational pull was getting stronger, but Marty just meant that this was a serious problem or situation.  Both words had to do with gravity, but in different ways.

As believers we are held to this earth by gravity and it is "heavy."  But also, we are held to this earth by God's purpose as well.  For those who know Jesus Christ, our mission on earth is much more than breathing air, and succeeding in life.  The gravity of the situation of us being here on this earth is immense and the effect God has through each of our lives is not without meaning.  We have value, not just worth, but value, and that value is to used by our heavenly Father to share His message of hope and repentance.  We live in a world that so desperately needs answers to the tough questions of life and the heaviness (gravity) that is felt by this world can only be alleviated through a saving faith in Jesus Christ.  If you know Christ and have experienced the life changing  forgiveness of God's Grace, then you know the gravity defying faith we live in every day.  They don't and we are obligated, yes commissioned, to tell them about it while we have a chance.

In Ephesians 2:2  Paul says, "You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live.  You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience."  This scripture is US before Christ, and those who don't know Christ are smack dab in the middle of this very condition.  They will have to hear the truth of God's Word to be able to know there is another way to live.  If we go back into the worldly way of living it will hinder us from ever telling others about Christ, because the heaviness of trying to live on our own will weigh us down, thus restricting the message of Christ.  This can not, and should not be!!!  Don't be fooled by the wrongful things presented to you each day by a world that thinks it is cool, but isn't.  Paul wrote to the Corinthians and said, "Be God's fool- that's the path to true wisdom.  What the world calls smart, God calls stupid.  It's written in Scripture, He exposes the chicanery of the chic."  If our desire to be cool and have meaning takes us away from what we know is right, then we have compromised the message of God's Word for us and those who are watching us.  Don't be a trend Getter, but be a Trend Setter.  Our desire to be "original and real" is the thing that will keep the weight of the world off our shoulders and free us up to be a vibrant witness of the saving grace of our Lord.  If we compromise who we are in Christ, we are welcoming the non spiritual gravity of the world to hold us down and that will wear on our mind and our heart.  God intended for the freedom we have in Christ to be "true weightless freedom."  It doesn't mean we won't have problems, because we will.  But it means those problems won't dictate who we are and how we serve our Lord.

You might say, "Is this going to make me a non-cool person, who is a prude, and steps back from the real world?"  Not at all!!  In fact it will make you a much sought after person, because your assurance of who you are in Christ, and focused direction will make such an impact on people, that it will cause them to seek you out!  True freedom really does look inviting!!!  You can't do it half-heartedly though.  It must be God induced, and world reduced.  In 1 Corinthians 7:31 Paul wrote, "Deal as sparingly as possible  with the things the world thrusts on you.  This world as you see it is on its way out!"  That's what I call "big picture thinking."  If we can keep this way of thinking present in our consciousness, then the gravity that hinders others will be controlled in our lives.  Gravity Free is the only way to go!

So what's all my purpose in this?  Live in the freedom Christ gave, and share it with others wherever you go.  If we know the gravity of the situation we live in, and look at it through the eyes of Jesus, it all starts to make sense and your life of purpose begins afresh and anew.  Remember, even though the world is not our home, we need to love people like Jesus loved them and make every effort to share the hope we have in our hearts.  Jesus said in John 3:17, "God didn't go to all the trouble of sending His son merely to point an accusing finger, telling the world how bad it was.  He came to help, to put the world right again."  The only way the world is right again for you and me is when we experience the true freedom found in Christ.  So, now you see the gravity of the situation.  What will you do now?  Just keep in mind.  We are held on this planet by gravity, but when Jesus comes gravity will be held back and we will be clipping up through the clouds to a beautiful new heaven and earth.  That takes a serious situation, like living in a lost and dying world, and gives us the hope we need to live free and victorious.  Now you know "The Gravity of the Situation!"

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Fruitcake Anyone?

If you have been listening to any news lately you can readily see that talking heads are babbling out of control from the top down.  It's amazing how much truth is replaced with falsehood with no apparent recourse for those doing it.  I hear one person say one thing as truth and another will say the opposite and also proclaim it as truth.  It makes you think that all of them are liars and that what we thought was truth is just a cruel mirage.  In the movie Conspiracy Theory Mel Gibson's character was paranoid about everyone and everything and his existence was driving a taxi and identifying government conspiracies.  His conspiracy theories almost got him committed.  With the rush of so many things that don't add up lately, I am starting to believe that there are some weird things going on that confirm that some of this stuff is creepy.  Lies have always been a part of society and the desire to have more power doesn't travel down the highway of truth.  It travels down the road of deception.  When we pass through that wide gate to get what we want, we make a huge mistake in judgment and open a doorway to whatever depravity goes along with it.  Here's how it goes for me.  I hear the upper leadership say something and I believe it.  Later I hear, from their own mouth, a "different" truth or an evolution of truth, and their first comment becomes a lie, and the second comment becomes a weak, wasteful comment at best.  Whew!!  This is living life walking through a wide gate that allows for anything to be said or unsaid to prove a point or make oneself more powerful.  In this one area, lying, it opens up many theories of what might be the truth.  Why?  Because the lie of the first truth discounts everything said from there on until trust is rebuilt.  Jesus spoke in Matthew 7:13-20 about the narrow gate we should use as a parameter for our life and He went on to share that there are few who go through that gate.  He also followed it up by saying that there are many who go through the wide gate and their fate is destruction.  This a proving ground for those who know Him and are part of The Way.  It all comes down to fruit!  In verse 16 Jesus says, "Grapes are not gathered from thorn bushes, nor figs from thistles, are they?"  And the answer is a resounding no!!!  You see, we have lived in the world so long, and compromised our faith so much, that we have now started accepting the lies of those who try to control us.  We have tasted their fruit, and at first it was bitter and spoiled, but now we have acquired a taste for it, and even long to eat of it again and again.  Years ago as a child my mom gave me a piece of fruitcake and I took one bite and spit it out.  It was terrible!!  Of all the things I have tried to eat, the impression that fruitcake made on my taste buds, turned me off on eating it for good!  I have no desire to try it again, and I can even remember the taste of it at age 8.  Ugh!  No more fruitcake for me.

We have tasted the fruit of this world and it's leaders and spit it out again and again and vowed to never eat again, but now it looks like the wide gate, spoiled fruit message of our world is starting to be acceptable by some.  In today's scripture it is basically a litmus test for those who follow Christ as to who they will follow.  The world or The Way.  In verse 18 Jesus says, "A good tree cannot produce bad fruit, nor can a bad tree produce good fruit."

Can we not figure this out with base level Biblical reasoning that if it tastes bad once, it will taste bad again and again, so don't taste it anymore.  Go to a better fruit.  Put down the fruitcake.  I'm not channeling a Conspiracy Theory here, but if it looks bad, sounds bad, thinks bad, and tastes bad......IT IS BAD!!  When the children of Israel were saved by God from the Egyptians you would have thought that they would have been eternally grateful for what God had done, but they weren't.   They took their blessed state and demanded more from God and God gave it to them, but He also gave them empty hearts.  BAD FRUIT. In Psalm 106 there is a direct parallel between where we are right now in our world, and where the children of Israel were, and it is not good.  An empty heart is a heart that denies any absolutes from God.  An empty heart is a heart that denies that God is our sole provider.  An empty heart is a heart that allows pride to make us think we have gotten all of this on our own.  An empty heart is a heart that accepts lies and doesn't question those in leadership who make them.  An empty heart is a heart that tastes the bad fruit and tells everyone else it tastes good.  An empty heart is a disillusioned heart that even says fruitcake is good, when it isn't.  An empty heart is a heart that is far away from God, but doesn't even know it.

In writing this I know that some will say that a bell ringer is just that,  a person who rings a bell that is ignored after awhile.  Some may even say that there is no conspiracy and you are crazy, just like Mel Gibson's character was in the movie.  Just remember this.  In the end, he was right and it wasn't any theory at all.  It was the truth!  So, if you've got anything left in the tank.  If your heart has anything left on the gauge, let's commit to call truth, truth and lies, lies.  We will call those who tell the truth, good.  We will call those who tell lies, liars, and at least, we will show where we stand.  On the Word of God.  Fruitcake anyone?  I think  I'll pass......

Augustine said, "When regard for truth has been broken down or even slightly weakened, all things will remain doubtful."

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Point Break

Point Break - a permanent obstruction such as a coral reef, rock, shoal, or headland that causes a wave to break, forming a barreling wave or other wave that can be surfed, before it eventually collapses.  

The cult classic movie Point Break brought out that very surfing term and brought to light a way of thinking that parallels the world we live in today.  In the movie a group of surfer adrenaline junkies decided they would start robbing banks in a very unique way.  They dressed up with masks of past presidents for disguises and entered the banks with weapons loaded.  Johnny Utah (played by Keanu Reeves) an FBI agent befriended them with the intent of stopping their bank robbing and almost became one of them by dialing into their flawed philosophy of living.  Their philosophy basically came down to one thing, "We are going to surf till the day we die."  It's been 21 years since the movie debuted, but that philosophy of no remorse in doing whatever we want, no matter the consequences, has gotten momentum and now we are about to see the end result of the "big slide" called the wave of apathy.

Radical, unbridled living has always been the tendency for a fallen world and up to this point it has been avoided by those who call themselves Christian.  In America we see that a large part of our country is now drinking the Kool Aid and it is tainted with poison that is slow acting, but deadly.   As we continue to see more and more of our country's strong principles erode we also see what is underneath it all.  Sin and satan.  

In the surfing term Point Break we also see the reality of what a point break is and how it is formed.  The coral under the water is unseen as it forms waves without restriction that will come to the shore in beautiful majestic streams.  The effect of that process is shown in the waves beginning and it's end.  When the water hits the coral underneath it builds a "swell" and that swell forms the wave that will come to shore.  In our world the coral is the underlying patterns of a fallen world that obstruct the flow of water and form the peaceful waters into a  strong, forceful wave.  We are seeing the obstructions that are forming against God and His Word that have been placed by our government to take what should be a peaceful flow, and turn it into a tumultuous wave of deception and sin.  The forming of this wave looks so majestic and good, but the end result is much different than what we bought into.  When we lived on one of the barrier islands in North Carolina I would go out and Bogey board and body surf almost every day.  The waves were all different, but all the same in many ways.  Different in form and size, but the same in result.  At the end of the wave there would always be a "crash."  If you rode the wave properly, you would get pushed toward the shore at a fast pace and then glide to the waiting sand.  If you didn't ride the wave properly you would get "hammered" and find yourself gasping for air because it was totally out of your control.  This is where the obstructions, put here by satan, have started a wave that some believers think they can ride, but the end result will be a horrific crash.  Why?  The wave is not started by God, but by man's disobedience.  Right now the world is on this wave and the perception is the wave is going to ride us into the shore safely, but it's not.  There will be a crash, and the casualties will be massive.  When we get to that point break, many will say, "what happened", and "why didn't you tell us?"  All the words will not mean anything because it will be too late and it will be over.......  The way of satan is always subtle and his ways of building a killer wave starts under the water where it can't be seen.  The sad part for those who ride that wave is they don't know what the wave will do to them.  By the way, Christians have all the information available to know the "condition" of the waves long before they get in the water.  There is no excuse for those who know Jesus.  NO EXCUSE!!

In our selfish, prideful way of looking at life, the thrill seekers are always looking for the ultimate rush, and that is because of a dissatisfaction with reality.  Patrick Swayze's character said it well, "If you want the ultimate, you gotta be willing to pay the ultimate price.  It's not tragic if to die doing what you love."  That's the world's mentality right now and the trade out will be disastrous.  It's seems the country we live in has let the wave grow  out of control and they are riding it as long as they can but.......there will come a crash.  Why?  Because what's under the water will surface and everyone will see they have been deceived.

We must ask ourselves now.  What is my Point Break?  What obstructions have caused me to drift away from the purity of the truth.  Am I riding the wave of sin and apathy expecting the world to give me what I want out of life?  Have I "bought in" to the lure of the enemy?  If so, it's time to hang up your surfboard and get out of the water because you are in the wrong ocean and deception has gotten control over your life.  In Psalm 89:9 the Psalmist said, "You put the arrogant ocean in its place and calm its waves when they turn unruly."  God can and will silence the rough waves and He has already defeated the obstructions satan tries to put in our life.  In Luke 8 Jesus was asleep in the boat with the disciples and the waves started getting very rough.  In verse 24 it says, "They awoke Jesus: "Master, Master, we're going to drown!"  Getting to His feet, He told the wind, "Silence!" and the waves, "Quiet down!"  They did it.  The lake became smooth as glass."  Don't give in but, don't give up either.  God is still on His throne and the same power that allows the waves to rise will quiet them also.  We must remain faithful no matter what condition our country is in and that will be the witness that will impact the lives that will soon crash on the shore.    It's kind of ironic also that in the movie the bank robbers wore masks of president's faces.  It might stand to reason that even a president could be different than the way they look when they take off their mask.  There are robbers wherever you go, so be aware, and turn your eyes to the only true Master of us all.  Jehovah God.  His ways are the best ways.   If we will just remember that it will be our Point Break!!  Jude said it well in 1:13, "Wild ocean waves leaving nothing on the beach but the foam of their shame.  Lost stars in outer space on their way to the black hole."  What ocean are you surfing in?

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Fear Factor

I was watching the previews for the newly reformed show "Fear Factor" the other night and they have truly amped up their fear quotient for the contestants.  In case you don't know, Fear Factor started as a test for those who were willing to challenge themselves to see how much they could conquer their fear.  The ones who were able to handle things like snakes in a box with them, scorpions crawling on their face, eating pigs livers raw, and many other things, would usually make it to the final round and then on to victory.  Their prize....money!!

The show would take the mild mannered and the aggressive and pit them against all kinds of terrible fear producing things to get them to crack and then.....go home disgusted and defeated.  Some of the things I would see would make me say, "I could do that."  Then they would take it into a realm I couldn't begin to handle and I would say, "no way." Fear is an amazing thing that can bring forth many different emotions we never counted on which can make us go to a new level of greatness or crawl into a hole waiting for the hammer to fall.

In Matthew 10 Jesus was sending out the disciples to go and spread the word of hope and forgiveness through Christ.  In verse 1 Jesus gave them power and authority to cast out unclean spirits, heal every kind of disease, and every kind of sickness, and touch lives through the power of God.  The scripture lists every disciple's name, so these were not just some flunkies passing by.  They had purpose.  It's interesting that Jesus sent them out first to the household of Israel (His people) and told them to stay away from the Gentile people.  In other words, He was sending them out to those who knew of the Messiah and shared the message that "He has come" with all they met.  We always speak of the Great Commission given in Matthew 28:18-20, where Jesus told His disciples to go to all the world and share the hope of salvation.  This is actually the "first" Great Commission and it was given to His disciples to share with those of the "household of faith." Yes, Jesus wanted to keep it from the Gentiles, and gentiles represent people like me of English and French background.  Wow, talk about feeling excluded.....NOT!  As usual, Jesus had a great purpose in what He was doing and His sending out the disciples to the Jews had a definite reason.  I don't know the particulars of His reason, but it appeared that they were the ones who would readily receive the message and respond the quickest, because they knew of the prophecy, but they didn't.  Jesus knew this would be the case and warned His disciples about the trouble they would be getting into with those who would not receive the message of the Messiah.  He used terms like "sheep among wolves", "rejection and ridicule" through trumped up charges in court, "scourging" in the synagogues, The SYNAGOGUES!  That would be church to you and me.  He also told them that family members would turn against them for His sake and that they would be hated by all for the sake of His name.  He mentioned that all of this would be a testimony to the Jews AND the Gentiles.  So, it appears that there would be a testimony to the Gentiles, but not a direct voice to the Gentiles.  Just a WITNESS to them.  Strange....

In His final charge to them He says, "Do not be afraid."  Jesus went on in verse 28 to tell them that they didn't need to fear the one who could kill the body, but fear the one who is able to destroy both soul and body.  Now that's what I call a "Fear Factor."  At that point in the show, the New Testament Fear Factor, the disciples would either back away in fear or run the race He called them to run.  If they chose to follow this commission their fears of man and the world would fade away, and their fear of God would give them a new found strength in following God.  It wouldn't involve eating worms, or riding a rhinoceros, or even jumping off a cliff to the water below.  This fear woud generate "service" and not only service, but life altering service.  Service that compels us from our inner core to give all we have to the One who called us.  Now that is a great "Fear Factor" result!!

So why doesn't that happen for those who have "new life" in Christ?  Why aren't Christians everywhere jumping at the chance to give their all to Jesus in service and love?  I don't really totally know the whole answer, but I think we are given a hint through Jesus instructions to the disciples to take the message to those who already know of the message.  In their time it was the Jews.  In our time, it is Christians sitting in the pews of a church.  If there is ever going to be a time of revival and renewal, and a time of all out commitment by evangelicals, it will live and die with those who already know the truth.  In other words, US.  Keep this in mind.  The ones who are rejecting the true message of faith right now are.....CHRISTIANS!  God is always wanting to do a new thing.  To shake up our world and thus shake up the world of everyone we meet.  And if we reallllllly fear God as the disciples did, that shaking will begin in us.  No more excuses about being overworked, tired of the daily routine, need to take care of the kids, need a vacation, family won't cooperate, church won't do right, got my feelings hurt, etc. will keep us from doing what the source of our faith, God, asks us to do.  We will not only begin to do these things, but we will keep on doing these things.  That is our fear factor.  That is our stimulus. That is our purpose.  That is where we find our value.  That is what being "saved" is all about.  And get this.....That is the only place you will truly find peace.  It will be found in serving our Master, Jesus Christ.

So, do you fear the world?  Do you fear your friend's and family's impression of your love for God?  Have you let "things" keep you from following the commitment God has burned in your heart?  Here's what you need to do REPENT!  Yep.  REPENT!  It's not the most pleasant thing you can do at the time, but the resulting life is awesome!!!  If you go to a church (aka synagogue)  and share the message of hope and challenge people to serve Christ with all they are and they reject you....."shake the dust off your feet and don't let them get you down."  If your fervency for serving God alienates your family, pray for them and keep on going.  If your commitment confuses those you work with, pray for them and keep on living it.  If you are brought before the "court of cool" set up by those who are Sunday Christians, plead guilty to loving God too much. He will fight your battles for you and you will see Him in Glory.

All of this may seem very radical for you to read, but I can assure you through God's Word it is the truth.  Just read it for yourself and you will see what God wants you to do.  Just don't fear the results from the word.  Fear the one who calls you and then repent and live for Him.   When you "factor" in that kind of "fear", the world around you will start to see change like never before and then God will be truly glorified, not just a song we sing in church.

William Gurnall said, "We fear men so much, because we fear God so little."  Sounds like a sound word of truth to me.  How about you?  Who do you fear?

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

The War with Distractions

There is a story involving Yogi Berra, the well-known catcher for the New York Yankees, and Hank Aaron, who at that time was the chief power hitter for the Milwaukee Braves. The teams were playng in the World Series, and as usual Yogi was keeping up his ceaseless chatter, intended to pep up his teammates on the one hand, and distract the Milwaukee batters on the other. As Aaron came to the plate, Yogi tried to distract him by saying, "Henry, you're holding the bat wrong. You're supposed to hold it so you can read the trademark." Aaron didn't say anything, but when the next pitch came he hit it into the left-field bleachers. After rounding the bases and tagging up at home plate, Aaron looked at Yogi Berra and said, "I didn't come up here to read." 

Distractions are big problem in our lives and the very basis for them is to confuse us and get us off track.  Distraction - a thing that prevents someone from giving full attention to something else.  In the movie Up, the old man and the kid meet a lovable talking dog named Dug.  It doesn't take long to see that Dug cannot keep his attention on what is going on, especially when he thinks he sees a squirrel.  It's comical to see Dug running ahead and carrying on a perfectly good conversation and then in the middle of everything turn his head, and say "Squirrel", and then run off.  Of course, you know why we laugh so much at Dug....We are just like him to some degree.  It's like we are saying "I'm totally committed, but I am keeping my options open."  It's ok to keep your options open, but not when it keeps you from focusing on what God wants you to do.  Focus is an amazing thing and very hard to keep when there are so many things fighting against it.  The temptation to jump from one thing to the other is ever present and strong.  Those who are able to keep focus and not get distracted are having to fight something that is almost as constant and strong as gravity itself.  Years ago I felt the need to expand the ministry of the Lord through my life and He made it my focus, but I let distractions aka squirrel, take me away from following that path. Like Dug, I would get moving toward that goal and then someone or something would get me distracted and back on the path of status quo.  I would wake up months down the road and think, "How did I get here?"  Not a memory loss, but a commitment loss.  In working with leadership in the church I have seen it again and again.  A person will feel called to serve in a particular area and they are red hot, then a squirrel walks by.  Distraction!!!  They start to lose their fervency about the thing they were supposed to do and starting chasing things that are less than what God wanted them to do.  Distractions come from many sources; loved ones, jealous friends, other distracted people, non-dreamers, etc.  However those distractions come and wherever they come from, we've got to fight it constantly.  Then you may ask, "How can I know what I am focusing on is the right thing, so I don't waste my time going after the wrong thing?"  For Christians it comes back to the same thing again and again, discernment.  God gives us direction through His Word and through an inherent map made possible through the Holy Spirit.  That map is God's Plan for our life and His perfect GPS will guide us to our location every time.  But we must trust Him.  Think about it.  Is it God's plan for all Christians to do the exact same thing week after week, and day after day in their lives?  Out of 168 hours in a week, here's what it looks like.  Sunday Church - Sunday School 1 hour/Worship 1 hour (two hours if you have Sunday Night Services)  Wednesday Church - Bible Study/Prayer Meeting for 1 hour and if you sing, Choir Rehearsal for 1 hours.  In between those times, what are you doing?  Squirrel!!!   That "church" time adds up to 5 hours at the most and if you are a really committed "saint" you will give God a week or two on a short term mission project once a year.  That's all great, but look around.  That seems to be all most Christians are doing.  No wonder churches are losing members at an alarming rate!  We are distracted people!!   In Hebrews 12:2 the writer says, "fixing our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."  The Message Translation of the Bible says it this way, "Keep your eyes on Jesus, who both began and finished this race we're in.  Study how He did it.  Because He never lost sight of where He was headed."  Hopefully you haven't lived a life of distractions, but just in case you have, now is the time to focus and finish strong.

What you need to do is have an all out war with distractions.  In war you plan strategies, accumulate weapons, learn your enemy, and then fight.  In the war with distractions you will need to do just that and not let the "squirrel" moments of your life keep you from continuing to move forward in your walk.   As Paul wrote to Timothy, "don't entangle yourself in the affairs of everyday life" where distractions are constant.  Live a life of purpose that is meant to please the one who gives us life, Jesus.  Replace "squirrel" with "Jesus" and you will stay on task without distractions taking you from the calling God has placed on your life.  It's a new day and God is the one who made it.  Let Him guide you through it perfectly.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Hard Rock Cafe' or House of Blues

Gen. Douglas MacArthur wrote this prayer for his son. He prayed: "Build me a son, O Lord, who will be strong enough to know when he is weak, & brave enough to face himself when he is afraid. One who will be proud & unbending in honest defeat, & humble & gentle in victory.

"Build me a son whose wishes will not take the place of deeds - a son who will know Thee, who is the foundation stone of knowledge. Lead him, I pray, not in the path of ease & comfort, but under the stress & spur of difficulties & challenge.

"Here let him learn to stand up to the storm. Here let him learn compassion for those who fail. Build me a son whose heart will be clear, whose goal will be high, a son who will master himself before he seeks to master other men, one who will reach into the future, yet never forget the past.

"And after all these things are his, add, I pray, enough of a sense of humor so that he may always be serious but never take himself too seriously. Give him humility so that he may always remember the simplicity of true greatness, & an open mind of true wisdom, & the meekness of true strength.

"Then I, his father, will dare to whisper, `I have not lived in vain.’"

A good foundation is what keeps a house from falling apart.  A good foundation keeps us strong in the midst of so much weakness.  A good foundation is necessary to handle the storms of life at all levels.  Jesus spoke about that strong foundation in Matthew 7:24-27 and He gives all of us the opportunity to live in the Hard Rock Cafe' or the House of Blues.  He makes a comparison between those who hear His words and acts upon them and those who hear His words and don't act upon them.  The comparison is quite stark and, might I say, earth shattering for each of us.  You see it's one thing to hear the Word of God and quite another to act upon it.  Once we hear it we are indicted in the courtroom of God's justice.  In other words, just hearing God's Word is not the end, but living it completes our lives until the end.  Jesus said that when we act upon His Word we will have a strong foundation that will enable us to handle all kinds of storms.  He basically gives us a warning that storms will come and the wind will slam against us, but living His Word will equip us to stand strong in those tough times.  I guess you could say He is taking the Bible Study and putting feet to it.  If He says, "I will do this, if you do this." then we should do it.  If He makes a promise then the logical thing would be for us to act upon that promise in total faith.  But it's tough to do that because we want to "see" the end result before we "believe" His Word.  When we back away from that total belief and don't act upon His Word we start to try to reason things out in our reasoning and the foundation of that reasoning starts to show the weakness of it.  Jesus calls this person a foolish man and shows us that the foundation built on our reasoning and the lack of action that accompanies that way of living will soon fall.  In verse 27 Jesus says, "and great was its fall."

I remember seeing the life story of a man who had built an empire on sound reasoning and wisdom.  Over a period of time he began to let things slip a little at a time, and soon his great wealth turned into great debt.  Why?  Because he didn't guard and keep focused on what got him there.  We as believers have to watch out and make sure that we keep our lives focused on the One who gave us this hope and eternal life, Jesus.  If we ever take our eyes off of Him and quit acting on His promises, our slide into obscurity will begin.  Just as MacArthur's prayer for his son is similar to what God wants for us.  God wants us to live the abundant life He offers us and He wants us to "live it", not just read about it.  It can get quite scary at times though.  I remember going rock climbing years ago and I started up a small crevice that went up about 70 feet.  At the base of the climb I had to make a commitment to stay after it once I started, no turning back.  About 30 feet up it got real tough and I wanted to back down, but I couldn't safely.  I remember looking up at the climb ahead and looking back at what I had climbed thus far and saying, "No turning back now.  Onward and upward."  I made it through the tough part and climbed to the top and what a beautiful view.  I looked back and saw what I had done and felt such a sense of accomplishment.  It prepared me for other climbs because I had completed that one.  Some Christians will never get the joy of building that strong foundation Jesus talks about because they never "act" on God's Word, they just read it.  Those people will always live in the House of Blues.  The ones who act on God's Word will do more and more for Him and live a full, abundant life that is built on the solid rock.  They will be living big in the Hard Rock Cafe'!  Which do you choose?   Hard Rock Cafe' or House of Blues?  As Jesus said in verse 26, it would be foolish to choose the House of Blues.  If you choose that you may get to the end of your life and think it was lived in vain, and you may be right.  The point is you can choose today to learn and live on the solid rock and nothing will be able to stop you.  That's not me talking.  That's straight from the Word of God.  The forms are set and ready for God's concrete.   All you need to do is say, "pour" and then step forward actively living your life on God's Foundation.  It's gonna hold you up every time.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Tickle My Ears

Tickle - Appeal to some one's curiosity. The good thing about information is "it keeps us informed."  Duh!  The bad thing about information is "it keeps us informed."  Uh....what?

Information and the acquiring of knowledge is good and it keeps us up with what is going on around us, but there is a kicker that must be applied when acquiring information.  Check your sources and filter it through God's Word.  But there is another kicker here.  Make sure you are following the truth of God's Word and not just some person's impression that they happen to be speaking to that day.  I have been a part of conferences, revivals, or just regular church services and come away from such meetings with new information, some of it earth shattering at the time.  Then I have to decide how that applies to my life and take some time to discern what God is telling me through that information.  In the modern church world we Christians have a tendency to hear the latest, greatest and then rush off half cocked into a whole new realm of thinking because it sounds good and "every body's doing it."  I call it the "mob mentality" and the danger of gathering others to support your half cocked cause can start you down a path that can have disastrous effects.  By the way, this is how cults get started.  Not just the crazy ones, but the subtle ones as well.  In 2 Timothy 4:3-5 Paul warns Timothy to keep preaching the consistent, pure message of Christ at all times because there will be a day when people will not endure sound doctrine and their minds will be distracted by the latest greatest.  He goes on to tell Timothy the reason people will do this.  They like the feeling it gives them at the time.....the buzz.  Paul literally says they will want to have their ears tickled and that they will follow teachers who keep on tickling those ears.  Here's where the cult thing comes in.  These people will trade God's Word for a secondary truth from God's Word that more fits their wants and desires and will be current for "what's happening" today.  They will follow supposedly "credible" teachers of God's Word instead of God's Word and let the mob mentality keep them on the track to total obedience....to the person who teaches the Word, not the Word.  Do you see the problem here?  They will also be so duped that they will make excuses to keep on getting their ears tickled by saying they still have their own convictions.   But do they?  We can hear this same reasoning to keep on following teachers of the Word in the words of alcoholics when they say, "Oh, I drink.  But I can quit anytime I want."  The key is "they just don't want to quit."  Why?  Alcohol tickles or completes the buzz they desire, so they keep on drinking.  The drink those who follow false teachers are drinking is a mixed drink filled with falsehoods and disillusionment.   Those who fall off into this practice are what I like to call "spiritualholics."  They must have some separate cause or cool teaching to follow to make them feel more spiritual and they bounce from one thing to another hoping to get the "real truth" when the real truth is right there in their hands.  The Word of God.  Paul in verse 4 says those people will turn away from the truth and turn aside to myths.  Definition of a myth is anything that is not in line with the pure truth of God's Word.  What does Paul say we should do to counter this ear tickling tendency?  Be sober.  Don't get drunk in the desire to make yourself feel better with a watered down theology that is from a source with an axe to grind.  They will lead you down a path of disappointment, and even destruction.  When I used to come home as a kid and say "every body's doing it", my mom would say, "then it may not be good for you."  Be yourself.   Think for yourself.  Don't be the one who follows every teaching that comes through the pass.  Read God's Word and be sober in your judgment on who you will follow and make sure they are after Jesus.  Here's a little test.  Make some signs on cards that are 4"x 6" and write names in those signs like Andy Stanley, Louie Giglio, John Piper, Adrian Rogers, John Calvin, Joseph Armenia, or your pastor's name.  Take a piece of 20" x 24"poster board and write the name JESUS on it in big bold letters.  Put the smaller cards on a wall closely placed together.  Take  the poster board and place it just over all those small cards.  What do you see?  Follow Him.  It's simple to me.  Ooooh that tickled....

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren