This Is It!!

It's hard to believe I am writing my 365th blog entry.  That means I have a full year's worth of blog entries.  Wow!  I hope these blogs are helpful to all who read them, and if not, at least something to get you thinking  As you can read, I write about things I see and experience and relate God's Word to them to leave a lasting message that is attached to a real life action.  Common sense wisdom from God's Word for common sense problems and questions.  Now that I have made my first goal for this blog  you might think I would quit.  Not so fast my friend.  There is more to go, because life is ever-changing and God's Word is teaching us new lessons every day as we live our lives as vessels of His grace, mercy, and wisdom.  That's where the word Vesselogical comes from.  It stands for logic for those wishing to be a vessel for God's wisdom. This is it, but it's not over.  ala Kenny Loggins song. 
Lyrics below...

There've been times in my life, I've been wonderin' why. Still, somehow I believed we'd always survive. Now, I'm not so sure You're waiting here, one good reason to try But, what more can I say? What's left to provide?

(You think that maybe it's over,) (Only if you want it to be.)  Are you gonna wait for a sign, your miracle?

Stand up and fight.

(This is it.)  Make no mistake where you are. (This is it.) Your back's to the corner. 
(This is it.)

Don't be a fool anymore.  (This is it.)

The waiting is over, no, don't you run. No way to hide. No time for wonderin' why. It's here, the moment is now, about to decide. Let 'em believe. Leave 'em behind. But keep me near in your heart. Know whatever you do, I'm here by your side.

(You say that maybe it's over.) (Not if you don't want it to be.) For once in your life, here's your miracle.

Stand up and fight.

(This is it.) Make no mistake where you are. (This is it.) You're goin' no further. (This is it.)

Until it's over and done.

(No one can tell what the future holds.) Oh-oh-oh-oh. (Who makes the choice of how it goes?) It's not up to me this time. (You know.) Comes a day in every life.
(This is it.) Make no mistake where you are. (This is it.) You're goin' no further. (This is it.) Until it's over and done.
(This is it.) One way or another. (This is it.) (No one can tell what the future holds.) (This is it.)
Your back's to the corner. (This is it.) (You make the choice of how it goes.) (This is it.)
The waiting is over. (This is it.) (No one can tell what the future holds.) (This is it.)
One way or another. (This is it.)

So, Lord willing, I will continue writing these blogs, if for no one else....me.  I hope I will touch some hearts and challenge some doubters to keep on following God and live an inspired life.  We live in perilous times and the exercise of seeking God hasn't gotten old, but is new and fresh every day.  Jesus said in Matthew 6:33 "But seek first his kingdom, and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well."  I'm gonna keep on seeking and trusting God because I am on a pilgrimage and it just keeps on going and going.   

The pilgrimage continues...

David Warren

Scared of Knowledge? I think not! People herding....

In Proverbs 1:7 scripture says, "The fear of the Lord is the beginning of knowledge, but fools despise wisdom and discipline."  When I was in my teens I lived on a farm that was located in Howell Valley.  Howell Valley was a valley just outside of West Plains, Missouri and my dad moved us to our 63 acre farm when I was just about 12 years old.  I can visualize the valley right now as I look out our back door across the road where 60 beautiful "bottom land" acres were situated.  I had many a great time on those acres and most of them involved horses and cattle.  My dad was a cattle auctioneer and cattle buyer, and from time to time we might have as many as 80 head of cattle roaming that acreage.  We would fatten those cows up and then ship them off to be sold.  When it came time to bring in those cattle to load them up I had a little cattle pony I would hop on and ride out to the main pasture and start gathering up our stock and guide them toward a lane that had been made by narrowing the fence to make it only 14 feet wide.  That lane allowed us to keep the cows moving into the holding pen that led to the shoot that led to the truck.   You get it.  We were herding cattle.  Before the cattle got to that lane they had every chance of getting away from me and my horse because we were in the big pasture and all they needed to do was start running in different directions.  That would overwhelm my ability to keep them moving forward and I couldn't keep 20 different cows together when they were moving in different directions.  So it was my goal to gently move them to a  place where I could control them better, and getting them to the lane was my main goal.  Most of the time this plan worked, but every once in a while we would have a wild cow or two who would realize what was happening and then they would make a break for it.  When they got away the others turned around and realized they could break free too.  Havoc ensued when this happened and I had to start the whole thing over again.  Like I said, most of the time it all went as planned and the lane would serve it's purpose in getting the cattle herded in the same direction and they would end up in the same pen.  Job completed!!!  Whew!!  I don't know what was more difficult, doing the cattle herding or telling you about it.  Anyway, cattle are just a little dumb, so they can be manipulated to move from here to there pretty easily.  

As Christians we are led by God's hand from here to there at times as he gently moves us to another place in our life.  When he is gently moving us we, as trusting souls, keep moving forward as he places us in another location for doing what he wants with us.  It is called the "will of God."  God also puts us in a position to listen to Him and follow His direction many times as He fine tunes our options to direct in the way we should go.  Sometimes our wants and desires can come across as looking pretty dumb when we try to revolt against the direction God is taking us.  But our fear of God should kick in and cause  us not to "buck" against His will, but follow it completely.  When we learn to fear God to that point, we start to show we have some knowledge of who God is and what He wants.  This narrowing of purpose, God's Will, is a part of a perfect plan God has for our life.  That plan's defining moment is when our knowledge of God kicks in and we step in the footsteps He has laid out before us.  There is a poem entitled Footprints in the Sand that speaks to this very thing.

One night I dreamed a dream.
As I was walking along the beach with my Lord.
Across the dark sky flashed scenes from my life.
For each scene, I noticed two sets of footprints in the sand,
One belonging to me and one to my Lord.

After the last scene of my life flashed before me,
I looked back at the footprints in the sand.
I noticed that at many times along the path of my life,
especially at the very lowest and saddest times,
there was only one set of footprints.

This really troubled me, so I asked the Lord about it.
"Lord, you said once I decided to follow you,
You'd walk with me all the way.
But I noticed that during the saddest and most troublesome times of my life,
there was only one set of footprints.
I don't understand why, when I needed You the most, You would leave me." 

He whispered, "My precious child, I love you and will never leave you
Never, ever, during your trials and testings.
When you saw only one set of footprints,
It was then that I carried you."

So as the scripture I quoted at the beginning of this blog says,  The fear of the Lord is the beginning of wisdom.  That fear sparks a Holy Spirit led lifestyle that seeks God and His ways, and God is faithful to direct us in the direction He wants us to go and sometimes He carries us there through trials and testing.  The scripture goes on to alert us to the fact that we are fools when we don't follow His ways.  

On one of my cattle drives I was herding a bunch of mothers with new calves.  One calf was so young and weak that it couldn't go any further and it just laid down.  At that point I picked the calf up in my arms and carried it through the lane to the new pen where it's mother was waiting for it.  When I got it there it's mother ran over to make sure the calf was not hurt and helped it continue on.  There may be times in  your Christian journey when you feel like you cannot go any further and you just want to quit.  God will pick you up and help you  make it to the next place of growth in your life and make sure you are ok and strengthened.  The Psalmist says in Psalm 68:35  "You are awesome, O God, in your sanctuary; the God of Israel gives power and strength to his people. Praise be to God!"  God is our strength and our song and He not only directs us, but picks us up when we cannot go on our own strength.  If that is knowledge, I want all I can get!!  In my  heart I need to fear God and follow His plan and trust His ways are higher than my ways and let Him direct my path to that new place He has for me.  If I will learn to follow God's ways my life will be solid and secure.  In Matthew 7:24 Jesus said it like this "Therefore everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a  wise man who built his house on the rock."  Don't be foolish.  God's ways are the best ways and it is time to let Him guide you into a deeper walk with Him.  Learn to fear God and let Him guide you into the way of everlasting.  I love the story told by Elizabeth Elliot, wife of Jim Elliot, the missionary who was killed by the Auca indians while trying to share the gospel with them.

Elizabeth Elliot tells of two adventurers who stopped by to see her, all loaded with equipment for the rain forest east of the Andes. They sought no advice, just a few phrases to converse with the Indians. She writes: "Sometimes we come to God as the two adventurers came to me -- confident and, we think, well-informed and well equipped. But has it occurred to us that with all our accumulation of stuff, something is missing?

She suggests that we often ask God for too little. We know what we need--a yes or no answer, please, to a simple question. Or perhaps a road sign. Something quick and easy to point the way. What we really ought to have is the Guide himself. Maps, road signs, a few useful phrases are things, but infinitely better is someone who has been there before and knows the way.

God knows the way. Let Him be your guide to get there.

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren

Institutioned Not Inspired

1 Thessalonians 1:3 -" We continually remember before our  God and Father your work produced by faith, your labor prompted by love, and your endurance inspired by hope in our Lord Jesus Christ."  

When was the last time you were really inspired to do something great in your life?  To step out and, by faith, trust God and do a really God-sized act?  If it has been a while then you have probably fallen into what I call "institutionalized Christianity."  We see way to much of that kind of Christianity today in our churches and actually, we foster that kind of faith by doing nothing to challenge believers to greatness.  You may say, "what is greatness?"  Greatness is that thing you do that sets you apart from others by your actions, not your words.  It means you live out your faith every day as, what the Bible calls, a disciple; a person who walks with Jesus.  It's not how big you are, or how well you are liked, or how big or trendy your church is.  It is who Jesus is in your life and how you are living that out by action every day.  We don't even have to get "super spiritual" about it.  We just need to know that it is all about Jesus and no one else.  That kind of greatness is the kind of faith that makes an impact in the world we live in and sets things into motion that leads others to Christ.  Greatness comes from inspiration.  The word inspire means to fill with an animating, quickening, or exalting influence.  To produce or arouse, and to influence or impel.  We just don't see that kind of faith anymore in our churches, in our pulpits, or really anywhere.  We have become institutionalized in our lifestyle and it has caused our faith in Jesus to be replaced with our thoughts about Jesus.  The personal relationship has been replaced with a very impersonal way of perceiving the one who has saved our soul from hell and eternal fire.  Yep...I wrote that...FIRE.  We have become so numb to the prospect of  inspiration we cannot even think in clear terms about it to the point of getting back to it again.  We have become mesmerized by the thought of Christianity and the perception we have about our faith, but none of that is real and relational.  Just think about the concept of the Son of God coming to this earth and being born of a virgin and living a life as fully God and fully man!!  Just think about the nastiness of living and walking on this sinful earth that shakes a bony fist at our creator with almost every breath we take.  Of being unjustly accused and convicted of a crime that was no crime at all and then being crucified for the whole thing; all the time loving those who were crucifying you.  Now if that doesn't affect your thinking about serving God, then you don't know Him at all.  Nope...you don't.  Don't make excuses.  He is not your savior.  The thought of Him is  your salvation and that thought will get you a front row seat on the next train to hell.  So many churches have been established on that thought and now they are closing down one by one as the worldly juice that keeps them open runs out into the streets with no inspiration to do anything more than ATTEND.  And the end result is a church building that has become the saving faith of those who attend, but in the end it won't save anyone.... no one!  Our world has dumbed down our faith to point of control by getting us to huddle in our church buildings and that has made us feel "good enough."  We have been taught to celebrate death more than life and we actually are pretty good at celebrating it in our church buildings.  This last statement is the most dangerous.  We have been TAUGHT!!  In the context I say it makes it sound like we have been programmed and that is exactly what has happened.  I used to think it was my denomination that was the culprit, but it is all denominations, and even the ones who like to think they aren't denominations (ain't no such thing).  This attitude about church life and about Jesus that lacks inspiration is something even felt by those who start new churches. They think they are doing something earth shattering to get away from old, dead traditions, but give them a few years and they will have them a whole new set of traditions in their church starts.  It's not about old or new.  It's about doing the work of the Savior.  In Matthew 28:19 Jesus said, "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit."  Mission organizations love to use this scripture as if it was their own.  It is not just for those going to another country on mission.  It is for us.....now......serving.....inspired......on fire.  We are those missionaries and it is right where we live and function that this mission work takes place.  But, not if we aren't inspired to do it.  And apparently we aren't.  There are many churches that are closing their doors every day because of their lack of being on mission for Christ.  That's not the worst of it though.  It is the ones who are thriving at doing nothing that are the problem.  Those that are thriving, doing the wrong thing are much more destructive that those who are dying from a lack of caring and serving.  Why?  Because they are making disciples who think the same way.  It's not about church growth.  It is about "walking with God" and the impact that has on those who come in contact with you.  Do you inspire others to GREATNESS?  If Christ is your true inspiration, then you will.  The result will be lives that have been radically changed and taught to "be the church" wherever they go.  Those people will never let mediocrity raise it's ugly head  in the church and they will push all barriers that keep them from living that inspired life for Christ.  So, the question is "do  you live an institutionalized faith or an inspired faith?"  Today is the day to find out and start allowing God to take your inspiration, Jesus Christ, and make Him known through who  you are in Him.  The results will be astounding..  Jeremiah 29:11  "For I know the plans I have for you, declares the Lord, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

The Pilgrimage continues..

David Warren

Pressure Treated

  I am now starting to see some pretty significant wear on the fence surrounding my back yard and as I repair boards that are coming loose I can see that the boards are falling apart a little more each day.  I told my wife today that I didn't think the boards used  years ago were pressure treated and that is why they are starting to rot a little.  The pressure treating process takes place in a cylindrical holding tank.  The tank is depressurized to create a vacuum and the treatment solution fills the tank.  Pressurization forces the wood to soak up the solution.  Once the treatment completes, workers and cranes remove the boards. The lumber bakes to dry, and the solution is reusable. Kiln drying adds expense to the wood treatment process; however, most pressure-treated wood can be air dried.  Some kinds of timber are difficult to treat.  Incising is a process of cutting slits into the wood to allow more surface to soak up the preservative product.   The process of of pressure treating is a remarkable thing as the wood soaks up the chemical needed to keep it fresh and make it resistant to the forces around it like rain and insects.  The process of causing the wood to soak up the chemical by putting it in a a vacuum is a lot like the process God uses in developing our faith as we live our daily life.

Our treatment is the Word of God and the ongoing way it fill us with wisdom and power in order to handle the pressures of life is an amazing process itself. The definition of the word vacuum is "a space entirely devoid of matter or a space not filled or occupied." When you give your life to Christ the vacuum that is left is empty because the penalty of sin has been removed. The Holy Spirit is the one who occupies the empty space. Jesus' death on the cross emptied the sin presence in our life as we stand before God. Of course, we know that sin is still an issue in our life, but we live in the precious freedom God gives us by not having that penalty for that sin. In that freedom there is a vacuum that has been created by God taking away our sin penalty. WE ARE NEW OR BORN AGAIN!! Many times a new believer will not realize what has just happened in their life and they will allow the wrong things to fill that vacuum in their life. It goes back to the seed in their life being overrun by the thorns of life, so there is not a lot of growth in their relationship with Jesus. The vacuum has been filled, but with the wrong things. That is why it is necessary to get into God's Word immediately after receiving Christ so that the vacuum is filled with God's teaching and direction. This process insures that the person's faith will grow stronger and be able to handle the storms of life. In a nutshell, the life is a pressure treated life. The stronger the storms, the stronger the faith because of the pressure treated life. The writer of Hebrews says it this way in Hebrews 1:2,3, "Don't run from tests and hardships, brother and sisters. As difficult as the are, you will ultimately find join them ; if you embrace them, your faith will blossom under pressure and teach you true patience." The filling of the Holy Spirit in a person's life sets that life on a course of Godliness, good habits, and Spirit-filled growth that only God can give. Over the years a believer won't get weaker because of the storms of life, but they will get more resilient to the tough things in life. Their pressure treating is real and lasting and them filling that sin vacuum with the things of God will insure they grow and get stronger in their faith. I have seen some people who have been Christians for a long time that show a very weak and old faith, and the wear and tear of living life with a world view of faith is starting to show. The only thing that will help those dear people is a fresh infusion of the Holy Spirit in their life and that can only be done by true revival. I have also seen those who are growing steadily in their faith through the years and their life is pressure treated with the best of the best, the Holy Spirit. They were shown how to grow in their faith immediately after receiving Christ, and their faith is strong and ready for the tough times and stormy things of life. They are ever growing in their faith and have a youthful vibrancy about them that shows God is still fresh in their life. That is how I want to be and my desire to serve God has to be driven by a fresh relationship that is growing and getting stronger every day.

Pressure Treated Christians are Christians who know where their strength comes from and that process began when the vacuum in their life was filled by the Holy Spirit.  That freshness in their life can only come from God.  Is your life pressure treated or is your faith old, stagnant, and dead?  It's time to come back to God and let the freshness of the Holy Spirit renew your commitment to him.  We need the freshness that can only come from God in order to face the struggles of life and follow Him.  Time to get pressure treated!!

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren

Lethargy - The Devil's Weapon of Mass Destruction

Lethargic - affected with lethargy; drowsy, sluggish, apathetic

What is affecting the masses of Jesus' Disciples in our world today?  The word lethargy comes to mind and in it's true meaning hits the nail squarely on the head.  The apathetic condition of the church in our world is just a pathetic mess.  If Jeremiah or Isaiah would come back to life and offer one of God's Prophecies we would cut them up and put them in a suitcase and ship them off.  Why?  Because to whom the offense hits the most the most hurt and offense it will land.  You might say, "Oh David you are overreacting to situations around you in our world and you just need to chill and let it take it's course."  You might be right....but I doubt it!!  Go out on a job and do your work and at the end of the work's day volunteer to do more work to help out for no pay.  You will be  put in a mental institution for being crazy.  Here's how apathy or lethargy works.  We react to the situations around by looking at how they will directly affect us.  If they will cause us to have to change and do more we will set our standard to the level it will affect us the least.  This has a tumbling affect that over time will set a standard that affects the masses.  Look at the way our country has reacted to a lack of "quality" jobs in the work place.  Our leaders think that giving people money for no work will fix the problem, but in the end it makes the problem worse!!!  This is not a new problem by the way.  The writer of Proverbs wrote to this very subject by saying in Proverbs 26:16  "The sluggard is wiser in his own eyes than seven men who answer discreetly."  We have numerous people that know that the best way to fix our economic situation is to work and earn, but the one person who receives this help and doesn't really want to work anyway will trump them with "But I can't work" and their desire to be a sluggard sets a standard in their life for everything in their future plans.  In other words, excuses!!!  Of course, we know how to make excuses and excuses are the make up of the lethargic lifestyle.  Excuses come from a craving to get without giving.  In Proverbs 21:25 the writer says, "The sluggard's craving will be the death of him, because his hands refuse to work."  Wow, the death of him?   Yes!!  I hear Pro athletes say, "I play for the love of the game."  I say, take away their salary and see how much they love the game!!  

The devil's weapon of mass destruction is a lethargic mind and lifestyle.  I say mass destruction because that kind of attitude is synergetic at it's roots and the tumbling affect it has builds and builds until it has become the norm.  As Disciples our attitude should be the opposite of lethargic.  We should be active!!  Not to get in better with God, that will never be the end result.  But to live out a sincere love for God and in that love find a heart that wants to serve like Jesus did.  The writer of Proverbs also says in 6:9  "How long will  you lie there, you sluggard?  When will you get up from your sleep?"  When is the time to get working and serving in this great kingdom work?  NOW!!  Don't pray about it, but go about doing it in an attitude of prayer, asking God to empower you and equip you for service.  Paul wanted to visit Rome and in Romans 1:8-10 he told them they were in his prayers all the time.  Paul didn't sit around and do nothing until God answered his prayer.  He was serving all the time as he waited for God to answer his prayers.  He was active!!!

The best cure for the lethargy we see all around us is to get active.  This will give a shot of cure to all who come in contact with you and your life of activity will spread even faster than the lethargy we see in our world today.  Jesus is the cure for the lethargy today and the words of Paul in his letter to Philemon in chapter 1 verse 6 still ring true. "I pray that you may be active in sharing your faith, so that you will have full understanding of every good thing we have in Christ."  Take the cure with  you wherever you go by being active in  your faith.  It's in your blood!!  Make that Jesus' blood!!

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

The Elitist vs. The Humble

Elitist - of a person considered superior by other or by themselves, as in intellect, talent, power, wealth, or position in society

Humble - not proud or arrogant; modest

The attraction to "be" somebody special and superior is the new humble today.  Even those wanting to be known as humble are doing humble things to win the "humble competition."  It seems that life is a competition where if we are on the top we win.  Bigger house=WIn.  Bigger bank account=Win.  Bigger office=Win.  Bigger team=Win. And of course, it is better to win than to lose.....right?   The old adage "the bigger the victory, the harder they fall" just seems to be wrong doesn't it?  Ours would be "the bigger the victory, the bigger the pride (Christian Pride of course) In what we have accomplished.  If that were right then Jesus would have taken His Godly power and rounded up all the wrongdoers and struck them down with one fatal swoop.  He would have been the omnipotent Thor to their wickedness and the good guys would have taken a victory lap.  I can see Simon Peter doing backflips now as he taunts the Pharisees with the taste of the Messiah's victory.  It would have been like this; no humiliation, no whipping, no carrying a cross through the city, surely no death, and no grave.  The Son of God would have knocked some heads and taken some of the gold He made and built a beautiful castle on a hill overlooking his domain.  We would have been saying, "Wow, did you see that hit!"  Jesus would have been the ultimate warrior King and we would have been riding in on his coat tails in victory.  Whoop Whoop!!  Talk about The Whip and The Nae Nae.  It would have been "off the charts!"  Whoa...  That would only work in today's world.  We want to take how we have molded and shaped our faith and put Jesus in those terms to be able to do what we think He needs to do.  A new, modernized version of the Messiah would be needed today to make the impact we believe He should make.  The only thing we would need to leave out would be God's Word and it would so work for us.  Hmmm, God's Word.  The writer of Hebrews spoke this way about the Word of God.  Hebrews 4:12 - "For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit; joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitude of the heart."  Oh now that really throws a wrench into our plans for a new, updated version of what humble means.  If it weren't for the Word of God, we could keep on getting more and more elitist in our attitude and lifestyle.  If it weren't for the Word of God, we could morph this Christian Faith into something that would really elevate us into a group of elite individuals in our society.  It it weren't for that Word...........  So the plan must be to get rid of or edit the Word of God to make it fit our circumstances to make what "we think" be like what God thinks, but in reverse.  Now that plan surely will work and make us more highly thought of in our social circles.  We can even put in some fake righteousness that will make the wrong look less wrong.   Compromise is good!!  Of course, I am being rather silly in this "crazy scenario", but as crazy as it seems, we have done this.  We have somehow been able to morph our faith into something that is palatable and justifiable to make us fit into our society without much trouble at all.   It seems that everybody is almost a Christian in this very apathetic scenario and that almost anything is acceptable if it meets the elitist way of thinking.  Remember the definition of elitist at the beginning of this blog?  If we think we are superior, I guess we are superior.  When others start saying we are superior, then we are REALLY superior.  Put down the cup and stay away from the cherry Kool aid.  The Word of God is still the Word of God and Christ has won the battle, but only by the terms decided by God and His Word.  So where does the elitist attitude come from?  The devil!!  In Luke 3:1-13 Jesus was led by the Spirit into the desert where he was tempted for forty days by the devil.  Part of that temptation had to do with Jesus elevating himself to rule the earth at that time. Jesus, being God, knew what was awaiting Him.  Jesus knew about the humiliation, the pain, the death that was awaiting Him , and still he refused to be persuaded by the devil offering him something he couldn't supply to keep Him from completing His course.  The temptation was real, but the humility was real too.  Jesus was not an elitist, even though He had that very power at His disposal.  Here is the attitude of Jesus.  In John 13 He washes His disciples feet and teaches them and us, a lesson in true greatness.  In verse 17 Jesus says, "Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them."  Try this on for size!!  A humble heart=ministry mindedness  A humble heart=receives the blessing from God.  A humble heart=bowing to God's Word.  A humble heart=denying the world's offers for a better offer from God!!  So...Do we still want to be elitist?  Those who will trade what God offers through humility for temporary position?  Or do you want to experience the source of true wealth?  I choose God's Word and His ways, because anyone with good sense and the Spirit of God in their life will see the end result of that choice.  Are you in that wilderness now?  Is the devil offering you power and position in exchange for not following God's Word (His plan) for your life's purpose?  Time to follow the direction of the Holy Spirit, deny the devil, and leave that wilderness for the next step in your journey.  You can be sure that humility will be a part of that journey, but in that humility you will find the riches that only God can offer through a peace that passes all understanding.

Wakefield tells the story of the famous inventor Samuel Morse who was once asked if he ever encountered situations where he didn't know what to do.  Morse responded, "More than once, and whenever I could not see my way clearly, I knelt down and prayed to God for light and understanding."  Morse received many honors from his invention of the telegraph but felt undeserving.  "I have made a valuable application of electricity not because I was superior to other men but solely because God, who meant it for mankind, must reveal it to someone and He was pleased to reveal it to me."

The gospel has been revealed to us and it is now our humble position that causes us to be glad to give it to the world.  We don't reveal that gospel because we are superior to other men, but because God decided to use us to share it with the world.    May the light be seen through our humble attitudes and may Jesus be glorified through our humble lives.  God's blessing is found in that kind of life.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

The No-Loss Diet

John 4:31-35 In the meantime, the disciples pressed him, "Rabbi, eat. Aren't you going to eat?" He

told them, I have food to eat you know nothing about. The disciples were puzzled. Who could have brought Him food? Jesus said, The food that keeps me going is that I do the will of the One who sent me, finishing the work He started. As you look around now, wouldn't you say that in about four months it will be time to harvest?   Well, I’m telling you to open your eyes and take a good look at what’s right in front of you. These Samaritan fields are ripe. It’s harvest time! (The Message)

How would you like to be on the No-loss Diet? Some of you may feel like that is the diet you are on. You cut back on your eating and weigh after a few days and you don't weigh any less. If I was talking about physical weight loss it would definitely be a bummer. But, what I am talking about is our spiritual appetite. Jesus' disciples were concerned that Jesus needed to stop and eat, and he took this time to drive home a very important point for them, and for us. His hunger was being satisfied by doing the will of the Father and finishing the work He had started. By the way, Jesus was the best "finisher" of all time!!!

So, if you want to be a good finisher you need to eat the right foods. These are foods where you don't lose spiritual weight but gain weight spiritually. Doing the will of the Father should be the battle cry of every believer. Doing that will means the "weight" of our testimony changes for the good. We don't lose weight, we gain it!! Let's see what gaining weight by doing the will of the Father does in our life.

Gaining weight in our words - Matthew 5:37 But let your statement be Yes or No, anything beyond these is of evil. A person who is light in their spiritual britches will have a tendency to say yes, when they know they aren't going to follow through on something. When that happens those who depend on them will not depend on them anymore because they know they aren't dependable. Their words have no weight because their commitment won't back them up. Weak, weaker, weakest....

Gaining weight in our actions - James 1:22 But prove yourselves doers of the word, and not merely hearers who delude themselves. (The word delude means impose a misleading belief upon someone, deceive, fool.)This scripture covers a lot of people, including pew sitters, TV watchers, fans in the bleachers, etc.... I have heard messages at times that impact me so much I immediately start doing what God told me to do from His Word. I mean immediately. Some people listen to a message from God and even say Amen, then turn around and do nothing. So sad to see that kind of deluded person. More weight in our actions will cause a huge awakening in the Lord's church and revival WILL take place!!

You might call this the "key" to the whole thing and that's because it is just that, the key!!

Gaining Weight in our Convictions - 1 Thessalonians 1:5 "For our gospel did not come to you in word only, but also in power and in the Hoy Spirit and with full conviction." Hardly anyone has their own convictions anymore. Usually they are the convictions of some other person, usually a pastor or priest, or Bible Study teacher, or friend. Those convictions are most generally second hand and light. What the world needs now is someone with some strong, weighty convictions that are original with the Word of God. A person who is dedicated to the cause of Christ with no thought to position or power. Just following what God tells them to do. Anything less than that is leaning toward cultism and that is not good. Any conviction we have should come from the Holy Spirit and as Jesus said in John 14:25 25 “These things I have spoken to you while abiding with you. 26 But the Helper, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in My name, He will teach you all things, and bring to your remembrance all that I said to you.

So the No-Loss Diet is the best diet and it begins by committing to do the will of our heavenly Father. It's actually a Weight Gain Live It that consists of living and feeding on the Word of God and His ways for nutrition. In Matthew 4:4 Jesus said "It is written, Man shall not live on bread alone, but on every word that proceeds out of the mouth of God."

That's good enough for me. I hope it is for you. Now pass me the Spiritual Big Macs and eat up!!

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

The Christian Life is a Pressure Cooker

James 1:2-4 (The Message Bible) - "Consider it a sheer gift, when tests and challenges come at you from all sides.  You know that under pressure, your faith-life is forced into the open and shows its true colors.  So don't try to get out of anything prematurely.  Let it do its work so you become mature and well-developed, not deficient in any way."  Do you feel like your life is in a pressure cooker sometimes?  How does that pressure cooker work anyway?  A pressure cooker works on a simple principle: steam pressure.  A sealed pot, with a lot of steam inside, builds up high pressure, which helps food cook faster.  So how do you get that steam?  You turn the heat up!  The Christian life is a life of pressure and the heat being turned up.  Who is controlling the thermostat is what we need to look at today.

Some people believe they should never have to be put under any pressure as Christians and that means don't get yourself involved in anything that takes great prayer and great practice.  But, that doesn't line up with scripture. In James 1:3 he writes "Knowing that the testing of your faith produces endurance."  When the pressure is put on you what happens?  Do you fall away from the faith or does it cause you to bear down and endure even more so?  I have at times asked God why I having to deal with a certain problem and been shown through His word that there is a reason.  In that reason I learn to trust God more and expect greatness to be seen in my life and that usually happens.  So why would I back away from the challenges of the Christian life just because of a little pressure?  Possibly because I don't see how it helps me.  But just like in the function of the real pressure cooker, when the heat is turned up it makes steam, and steam cooks the food faster without burning it up.  Food that is cooked that way is very good and pleasing to the palate.   Our lives are much better and the "cooking" process of pressure cooking makes us more pure in our approach to what we are doing.  In other words, more like Jesus.  Another thing the heat does is burn the impurities of our life away to make us look more like Jesus in every area of our life.  Peter wrote in 1 Peter 1:7  "So that the proof of your faith, being more precious than gold which is perishable, even though tested by fire, may be found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ."  Our lives are precious to God and Him turning up the heat on our lives is His way of making that life look more like His son, Jesus.   Remember though, apart from God you cannot handle the heat.  Only with God does the heat make us more like Him.  Which is why it is important to be current in your walk with God so that when the heat is turned up and we are cooked, the end result is a glorious success in making us look more like our Savior.  You may be thinking at times when someone says it is important to have a daily quiet time, why?  Here is the reason.  Your current life is being prepared by spending time with God in His word to handle God's temperature hike in the future to grow you closer to Him.  We are not supposed to remain the same and get stagnant in our walk.  We are to grow closer to Him and His ways and thus see a radical change in how we view life.  That will only happen when God starts cooking our lives by turning up the pressure and developing us quickly into who He wants us to be.  When I see someone who is very carnal in the way they live their life and how they react to things, I think "They are not receiving the cooking process from God in the right way."  

It's time to immerse yourself in living for God and realize that the pressure is good for us, but we must handle that pressure with God's Spirit and God's Word.  James goes on to say this in verse 5-8  "If you don't know what you're doing, pray to the Father.  He loves to help. You'll get his help, and won't be condescended to when you ask for it. Ask boldly, believingly, without a second thought.  People who "worry their prayers" are like wind-whipped waves.  Don't think you're going to get anything from the Master that way, adrift at sea, keeping all your options open.

So you get the point don't you?  It's all God and God alone.  No substitutes.  Only Him. Remember who was in the fiery furnace with Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego?  GOD!

When He turns up the heat on you and pressure cooks your faith, He will  be right there with you through it all and you will be a much better disciple.  God is our only option......

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Here Am I, Send Him

 The prophet Isaiah was a major prophet who heard from the Lord in a very specific way.  Isaiah even knew about the coming of the Messiah, Jesus and he described Jesus as wonderful counselor, the prince of peace. Isaiah also knew about the call of God.  In Isaiah 6:1-4 Isaiah saw the Lord high and lifted up and the train of his robe filled the temple.  Above him were seraphim, each with six wings: with two wings they covered their faces, with two they covered their feet, and with two they were flying.  And they were calling to one another:  Holy,  holy, holy is the Lord Almighty, the whole earth is full of his glory."  At the sound of their voices the doorposts and thresholds shook and the temple was filled with smoke.  What a worship service that must have been.  They were "shaking the house" with the sound of their worship.  In other words, IT WAS LOUD!!  It shook Isaiah so much that he cried in verse 5 "Woe to me!  I am ruined!  For I am a man of unclean lips, and my eyes have seen the King, the Lord Almighty!"  The experience didn't stop there with Isaiah saying he was unworthy, but at that very time one of the seraphim flew to him with a live coal in his hand, which he had taken with tongs from the altar.  Verse 7  With it he touched my mouth and said, "See, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away and your sin atoned for."  Then in verse 8 Isaiah heard the voice of the Lord saying, "Whom shall I send?  And who will go for us?"  Do you get the picture of this awesome time of worship where Isaiah is getting to experience and worship the Lord in His presence with the angels?  Wow!  What an experience!  Now it gets to the result of the whole thing where God asked "who will go for Him?"  I will guarantee Isaiah would not say, "Here am I, send Him."  Why?  First of all, because that is what scripture says and secondly, when you experience the presence of the Lord in that way what would be the result of it all for you?  I venture to say that you would fall on your knees and say, as Isaiah did, here am I, send me!!  How could you not accept that invitation from God?

In the modern day church we have learned a lot of good things and a lot of bad things about serving and following God's call.  Oh, we read about Jesus being a servant, even as the Son of God.  So we don't think of serving as being a  "less than" type of mentality.  But one of the things we have learned to do is "walk away from a worship experience without committing."  You are probably thinking of a church service as your worship experience, but that is not only what I am talking about.  The Lord came to Isaiah with a word in the temple, and prior to Jesus' death, burial, and resurrection that would have been the place.  But with the coming of Jesus and the coming of the Holy Spirit, that worship experience can happen just about anywhere God wants.  It may be a quiet time when God reveals Himself to you through His Word.  It could be a life and death scare that wakes up your soul to really "listen" to God.  It could be time of untimely blessing, where God has done something so wonderful for  you and you feel so unworthy.  It could be a church service where the Word of God speaks to you so specifically that you want to hit your knees in worship.  Whatever and wherever it is,  God shows up and calls you.  We have those experiences from time to time when God challenges our call or commitment, asking for more that we are doing or giving right now.  He may even shake up our life like he did in the temple with the volume of the worship being so loud that it shakes and wakes us up.  Even with this shaking, many have learned to say something much different than Isaiah when the Lord called him out.  We have learned to say, "Here am I, Send Him or Her."  It doesn't really matter whether it is male or female because it is just the result of the poison of apathy that makes that reply come from modern day church attenders.  Send him!!  Send Her!!!  Whatever you want Lord.  I'm not doing it!!  It doesn't matter the excuse, it doesn't matter the reason, it doesn't matter the timing.  What matters is "the heart!"  

The New Testament shows the same question being voiced by Jesus in Matthew 4, where Jesus told some fishermen, "come follow me."   They dropped their nets and left their livelihood and followed the Lord.  In Matthew 9  He saw a tax collector named Matthew and said "Come along with me" and Matthew followed Him.  There was also one who came to him in Matthew 10.  He was a rich young ruler and he was shaken by the presence of the Lord, but his heart was not in following Jesus.  Jesus told him to sell all he had and give it to the poor to get his treasure in heaven, but the rich young ruler turned away and in so many ways said,  "Here am I, send him."  God knows the heart.  Paul, in Acts 15 shared that the heart is where these decisions are made and the heart is affected by the Holy Spirit.  In other words, it is not the outside influence that makes those decisions, but it is the inside of us that does.  So, if a person can have a life changing experience with God, much like Isaiah, and not say "Here am I, Send me", something is wrong!!  If you can come to a worship experience in a church setting and see the hand of God moving and walk away unchanged, something is wrong!  The Lord is still alive and moving in His people.  The Lord is still showing up among His people.  The Lord is still calling for life changing commitment from His people.  If our  hearts are open to hearing from Him, the Lord is still speaking to His people.  Maybe, we don't want to hear what He may say to us because,  like Isaiah, God will ask "will you go?"  I wrote a song a few  years back called Will You Go and the lyrics go like this "will you go, when He calls out your name?  Can you say, where He leads I will go.  He is calling you now. open up.... to His love... open up."  Those lyrics say exactly what I am trying to get across.  Are you willing?  Are you really?  Then voice that commitment to God and say, "Here am I, Send me!"   When Jesus called his disciples, that's exactly what they said when He said "follow me."  If there was an awakening in the remnant today, it would be filled with many saying, "I will go!"  

With that kind of awakening true servants would gobble up everything needing to be done to reach a lost and dying world and we would be stepping over each other trying to get it done, instead of a paltry, small group of saints having to do the whole thing by themselves because no one else will go.  We need an awakening of hearts ready to do whatever He asks.

Pastor Richard Wurmbrand spent 14 years in a Romanian prison cell because he would not deny Christ.  In his autobiography Tortured for Christ, he tells of the atrocities suffered by Christians and others.  For years the book was refused by publishers because they thought it was too condemning of communist governments and too graphic in its descriptions of the suffering of those Christians.  May we not practice avoidance in dealing with reality when it comes to the atrocities seen in weak church members and then see God's Word published in our lives as we live the call of the Master every day of our life.  May our loyalty to Christ be seen in our heartfelt commitment to follow Him at all costs and  thus say, "Here Am I, Lord Send Me!"

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Sure. I am narrow minded..

Political correctness (def) - the avoidance, often considered as taken to extremes, of forms of expression or action that are perceived to exclude, marginalize, or insult a group of people who are socially disadvantaged or discriminated against.  There is a lot being said about political correctness lately and it seems that we as a people have marginalized just about every pure thing in life.  Some truths cannot be marginalized though and the gospel is one of those truths.  If you go to someone who is a waffler and tell them Jesus is the only way to eternal life, they will say, "oh there are many ways."  That reasoning works only if you don't believe the Bible, but then you have another issue to deal with..... God!!  In John 14:6 Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life; no one comes to the Father but through me."  So, you might say to me, "Are  you saying there is no other way to eternal life, but through Jesus Christ?"  I will say, "No, I didn't say that.  God's Word says that!"  Now that throws a kink into the apathetic argument of someone who thinks there are many ways to heaven, and it also probably insults them that someone would be so narrow-minded, but that reasoning doesn't line up with the words Jesus used to those who were considering following Him.  In Matthew 7:13  Jesus said, "Enter through the narrow gate.  For wide is the gate and broad is the road that leads to destruction, and many enter through it."  That doesn't sound very politically correct does it?  Nope!  But it is God-correct and that is the linch pin that holds the whole thing together.  That truth is vital for all who are searching for The Way.  In the Beatitudes Jesus warned about things that would happen to those who were narrow-minded.  In Matthew 5:11  Jesus said, "Blessed are you when people insult you and persecute you, and falsely say evil against you because of me."  Why did Jesus say this right of the gate?  Because He knew the narrow-minded truth would be rejected and that those who were telling that truth would have to deal with political correctness or maybe spiritual correctness.   But in verse 12 Jesus tells us to "Rejoice and be glad, for your reward in heaven is great; for in the same way they persecuted the prophets who were before you."  

If we choose the stance to go through the wide gate, you can see how things can get out of hand and the truth will easily be marginalized by the many different human opinions about which way is right.  That stance is the scourge that is affecting our world and our churches today.  Churches are dying because of open mindedness.  Only those who follow the narrow way will receive the promises of God.  Jesus is that narrow way.  So you might ask me, "Are you narrow-minded?  To which I will say, "If you are asking if Jesus is the only way?  I say, YES!  Yes, I am narrow-minded because truth is truth when it comes from God.  Man's opinions and watered down wisdom is the broad way and there are many who are following that reasoning, but the end is destruction.  Destruction.....  Proverbs 16:25 is starting to ring in our ears isn't it?  "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."  Common sense alone says, "don't follow that way."  But God's Word commands and says, "There is no other way but Jesus!"  

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

A Knight's Tale - Lacking Nothing

Perseverance (def)- Steadfastness in doing something despite difficulty or delay in achieving success.  In the movie A Knight's Tale, Heath Ledger's character took quite a  journey of greatness.  The movie chronicles his life from his childhood, born a poor man's son, his father basically selling him into service as a valet to an aristocrat.  The story fast forwards to show the boy as a young man serving yet another nobleman who goes through the country jousting for sport and money.  The man he is serving dies after a joust where he got wounded and the young Will Thatcher takes on this man's colors and identity.  He is extremely talented at jousting, and after honing his skills, starts winning jousting matches.  Much to the dismay of one Adhemar, who up to the entrance of Will into the jousting world had been the ongoing undefeated champion.  Young Will and his band of misfits continue to win one competition after another in their quest for more wealth and position.  He even uses counterfeit papers to allow him to continue to compete and fights his way to power and position.  Adhemar hears of young Will's rise to stardom, but cannot do anything about it as he is called off to war.  Upon returning from war Adhemar sees his chance to meet and hopefully defeat Will at the upcoming championships in London.  This match is particularly special to Will because that is where he is from and also left as a young lad.  He seeks out his father and upon finding him is discovered  as the impostor he is by Adhemar and is put in the stocks or prison.  Prince Edward, who Will was very fair to at an earlier match, overrides the decision to keep Will from the match by issuing an order that only someone of his position can order and Will gets to joust in the championship match.  At this point in the movie I was thinking, "Will is going to destroy Adhemar and get his just due."  But Adhemar puts a spear head on the end of his jousting spear and on their first pass injures Will severely.  Earlier Adhemar had visited Will in jail and beat him up and leaned down and said, "You have been weighed, You have been measured, and you have absolutely been found wanting."  Those words rang in young Will's ears as he realized his injury might keep him from fulfilling his dream of winning the tournament.  But like his name, his will took over and he willed himself to get back on the horse and defeat Adhemar.  Victory!!!  As he goes to the fallen Adhemar, he leans in and repeats those fateful words, "You have been weighed, You have been measured, and you have absolutely been found wanting."  Justice at last.

No matter what the circumstances of his life,  young Will was determined to finish his race, complete his quest at all costs.  One distraction after another, one let down after another, but yet he still kept on.  He saw the goal and worked to keep that goal in front of himself and showed great perseverance.  It's because of perseverance that goodness turns into greatness.  It's because of perseverance that mediocrity becomes majesty.  It's because of perseverance that defeat becomes decided victory.  Jesus showed great perseverance as he was met at every turn of his travels on this earth with great hatred, deceit, and evil.  But He persevered!!  He finished His race for you and for me.  Scripture calls us to persevere  in the face of great odds and great evil.  Ephesians 6:12 says, "For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms."  So, our perseverance has some tough times ahead as we know our enemy is very powerful.  But don't despair and don't give up. Romans 12:11 says, "Never be lacking in zeal, but keep your spiritual fervor, serving the Lord."  Perseverance...  The enemy will try to keep us from trusting in God and His mighty power.  The enemy will try to make us doubt the power we have inside us and he will tempt us by giving us easier alternatives in our direction, so as to keep us from having the effect God wants us to have in our life's direction.  But persevere, please persevere.  The Kingdom depends on our perseverance, so don't despair, don't fall back, don't quit, keep on serving.  The enemy will even whisper these words to us from time to time to get us to quit,  "You have been weighed, You have been measured, and you have absolutely been found wanting."  But James 1:4 says, "Perseverance must finish it's work so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything."  The Word of God admonishes each of us by saying "Perseverance must finish it's work."  In other words, don't give up!  Persevere!!! Here is a story of one Godly man's quest to finish the work God started in him. 

One day George Muller began praying for five of his friends. After many months, one of them came to the Lord. Ten years later, two others were converted. It took 25 years before the fourth man was saved. Muller persevered in prayer until his death for the fifth friend, and throughout those 52 years he never gave up hoping that he would accept Christ! His faith was rewarded, for soon after Muller's funeral the last one was saved.

It would be so sad to start a quest and quit in the middle and never experience the victory of  that quest by quitting.  Perseverance is something that has to happen if you expect to see God do great things through your life.  Our goodness will become greatness, if we persevere!!  Our apathy will become awesome, if we persevere!!  

Romans 5:3-5 says it well about this process of persevering.  "3 No only so, but we also rejoice in our sufferings, because we know that suffering produces perseverance; 4 perseverance, character; and character hope  5 And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out his love into our hearts by the Holy Spirit, whom he has given us."  We have all we need to finish the race set before us so here's what we need to do.  Press on.. Philippians 3:14 says "Press on toward the goal to win the prize for which God has called me heavenward in Christ Jesus."  God's Word has spoken... perservere!!!

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren

Mow the Grass

This week I went out and scalped my lawn and mowed it for the last time of the season.  It ended up being the most difficult job yet. I put my riding mower cutting height a little lower this time and I was amazed at the amount of grass clippings I had to rake and bag.  All through the summer I had fertilized and killed weeds and I must say the yard really had a good look. I would cut it at a depth that looked very uniform when finished and that depth would make me have to mow it about every four days.  As summer days turn to fall the grass also turns more brown than green in color and the growth stops for the winter season.  But those grass clippings!!  It is just a bunch of dead grass and when the wind gets up it flies all over the place.  Frustrating...

Those dead grass clippings really got me thinking about how my lawn is watered and taken care of and how when fertilizer is added it gets really green and then at the end of the summer it goes dormant.  Kind of a controlled death.  Not growing, but not totally dying, and not very good to look at with no growth at all.  Peter wrote to the church in 1 Peter chapter 1 about being holy and also staying green all the time and what it takes to do that.  In verse 13 Peter says "prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope full on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed."  He goes on and talks about the ongoing hope in verse 23 we will have if we know where it comes from "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring word of God."   A life built on God's Word never goes dormant.  It is always growing and thriving and the witness God builds in our lives through His Word is a beautiful representation of His living Word, the Bible.   

Too many times we as Christians try to live our life out of secondary information like, I heard someone say one time...., or remember the old saying....  All of those are very pleasing to our ears, but only the words from the Word of God have the power to change and rearrange and make us fresh and ever growing in our faith.  What we have to offer as humans is not ever growing and fresh, but dying and perishable and goes dormant when you really need it.  In verse  24 Peter says, "All men are like grass, and all their glory is like the flowers of the field; the grass withers and the flowers fall, 25 but.... the word of the Lord stands forever."  There is a very important final sentence in this scripture and it goes like this..."And this is the word that was preached to you."  What are you listening to that is preached to you.  Is it the unedited word of God or is it someones impression of the word filtered through a worldly viewpoint.  Sometimes we want to take God's Word and filter it through a worldly filter to make it more palatable for those listening, like we have to explain what we think it was really saying, so people can comprehend and make it apply to how we live today.  What is really happening is we are watering it down because don't see the power of it being so blunt and so exact.  When we do that we are causing God's Word to be less lasting and effective, and it will become dormant in our lives.  Why?  Because we have inserted us and our opinions into the mix.  When that happens it loses some of it's life, some of it's power.  Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any doubled-edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  

So if you are a blade of grass and all through your life you have been watered and fertilized by a filtered version of God's Word you will go dormant or die eventually.  Bad news huh?  The good news is you can make it right today by seeking God in His Word and taking it for what it really says, and nothing less.  In other words, mow the grass that has been grown by teachings that are filtered through man's intellect and reasoning and redo your lawn (life) by getting into God's Word and seeing what it says to you and the Holy Spirit will do the rest.  Actually most believers are living their faith from filtered truth and that produces weak and changing faith that is very ineffective.  God's Word is imperishable truth and never goes dormant, but is fresh and new every time you read it.  If you don't believe me.  Try it. Cause I know that's true.  The Apostle Paul sent letters to Timothy, his son in the faith and he said a lot of great things, but the one that stands out most to me is what he said in 2 Timothy 3:16 "All scripture is God-breathed and is  useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness."  Mow the grass that is dying and going dormant and reseed with the pure Word of God.  Then your grass (life) will always be green and growing....

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Ketchup on my clothes

Have you ever had a stain of ketchup on your shirt?  I have!  And boy it is really hard to get out.  We were  eating on the patio of Sonic today (fine dining) and to eat my onion rings I needed to empty about six of those ketchup packets on a napkin and then I would have enough to eat my rings with and feel complete...  So, I empty out the packet on the napkin, not realizing there was a breeze blowing.  The breeze can't lift the napkin when the ketchup pile is heavy, but the more I ate of the ketchup, the more the breeze affected my napkin.  Of course, you know what happened a little later.  Ketchup is almost gone and the napkin, without much ketchup weight gets turned over by the breeze.  Now my ketchup is where it shouldn't be...under the napkin.  Bummer!!

If I just left the pile of ketchup on the napkin, with all it's weight to hold it down, I wouldn't have had a problem.   Then the problem would be getting the taste of the ketchup on my onion rings.  Oh how they need that ketchup.  Use the ketchup, get the flavor.  Don't use the ketchup, don't get the flavor but  you keep the stain off your clothes.  One time the same thing happened and it landed on my shirt and put a stain on it that looked terrible.  Ketchup on my clothes.  In Isaiah 61:10 the prophet said, "I delight greatly in the Lord; my soul rejoices in my God.  For he has clothed me with garments of salvation and arrayed me in a robe of righteousness,  as a bridegroom adorns his head like a priest, and as a bride adorns herself with her jewels."  How are we "adorned" as disciples?  With the blood of Jesus!!  It is because of His blood that we have the righteousness we now live in and the stain of that blood is a real reminder for each of us.  That stain...  The clothes we wear as believers are clothes that represent who Christ is to us and identifies us with Jesus at every turn of our life.  When I say clothes, I mean the righteousness that we now have because of His blood.    Of course, much more than ketchup, real blood.  That blood was shed for you and for me and it is "who we are"  as we go about our everyday life of service.  Some who claim the name of Jesus don't want to have that blood stain seen in their lives, but it is still there if they actually know him.  Sometimes you may want to be a convenient Christian, but not one who totally identifies yourself with our Savior.  First of all, shame on you.  Secondly, you cannot escape what that blood stain means.  Even if you wanted to.   The blood stain of Jesus' blood was not meant to be hidden, or even cleaned off.  It is the flavor of our life.   The flavor that blood adds to our life is a flavor that gives us a righteousness that impacts people in a very confrontational way at times.  It is almost intimidating and very convicting for those who profess Christ and those who don't

Today make an effort to put away anything that may be an attempt to keep His righteousness from shining through and "embrace the stain."  Let the stain be a reminder, a stimulus, a heart's cry, an identity, and let the breeze of the Holy Spirit blow through your life so you can live in the freedom only found in Christ.  Here is what the Apostle Paul said about Christ' love for the church in Ephesians  5: 26  "and to present her to himself as a radiant church, without stain or wrinkle or any other blemish, but holy and blameless."  Because of the blood of Jesus we can be presented in that way without stain or blemish, but whole and complete.  Praise the name of Jesus for His great love and sacrifice for you and for me.  

The pilgrimage continues....

David Warren