The Ultimate Combo Meal

When I go to a fast food restaurant I am usually looking at combos.  You know, burger, fries, and medium drink for a "special price."  It does save money, but you realize as you are eating it that it is not quite up to par with the non-fast food restaurants.  When we have a special night for going out to eat we will step it up a bit to maybe a Red Lobster, or Olive Garden or some place like those.  When we step it up, we also step it up in price.  You actually hold a menu instead of reading one on a lighted board behind the cashier.  Both are food and both are good, but a basic difference in them both is preparation.  As you look in the back of a fast food place, you will see a grill, a bun warmer, and some deep fry cages.  They will basically cook every meal on those cooking areas and it will taste good (most of the time).  You will get a meal.  When you go to the nicer place you will see guys and girls in there with chef's hats and the servers will come around and refill drinks or take dessert orders.  It's all food, but one is able to exist at their cost with the way they quickly prepare pre-made food.  The other will cook the food from scratch and they will have a chef who has trained for this different level of food preparation.

Believe it or not, leadership is looked at the same way.  In ministry all service is good and all service is needed.  But not all servants serve at the same level in the area of leadership.  Paul gave some specific instructions in 1 Timothy 3:1-7 about one area of leadership called elders.  Different denominations look at this level of leadership and come from different vantage points.  Elders can be paid staff members of a church, and elders can be those who are non-paid, but make high level decisions in the area of church polity and direction.  It seems like the elder position can be looked at in many different ways, but one thing is sure.  They must have their act together spiritually. In verses 1-3 Paul states the fact that if someone wants to be an elder or overseer, it's good he wants to pursue it.  Then he states a few "givens" for the position and the need for that person to have their life and family under control.  Why under control?  Common sense would say, "if you are able to be a fair and spiritual person in your home, then you will probably be that way in that position."  It just make sense that a man would have characteristics like temperate, prudent, respectable, able to teach, and many others if he is wanting to lead in the Lord's church.  In fact, Paul reemphasizes the point in verse 4 by saying "He must be one" and in verse 5 the common sense point is brought to the forefront.  The must part has been compromised through the years by churches and people of political strength who replace those who have the aforementioned requirements.  Why?  It's the nature of the beast.  We tend to try to develop everything on our own with "insider" position taking and the result is chaos.  Keep this in mind.  Politics has been in the church since it's beginning and we are no better off now.  If we just applied the standard Paul lays out in these verses it would make straight a lot of the crookedness we have in church life today.  I guess scripture is alive and relevant for today.  Duh!!!   One last thing mentioned by Paul in verses 6-7 is that the person shouldn't be a new convert.  In other words, not wisdom that anyone could bring to the table, but wisdom that is developed over time and circumstances.  Service that has been weighed by time and consistency.  Godliness that is known by all in the church and outside the church.  OK! I'll say it.  He needs to be a Man of God!!  Why mention this Paul?  Because without the right people in the right place, the whole thing will fall apart like a house of cards.  Leadership is not something acquired, but earned.  For believers it is to be thought of with honor and for those in that leadership position, it should be protected at all costs.  In the midst of all this position filling Paul was talking about, he always brought into the picture, the need for Godliness.  That is the key!  A Godly man will protect his witness and protect the ministry of the church.  A Godly man will step in faith and strength and humbly follow God's leading as he leads others.  A Godly man is the "chef who prepares each meal to perfection" so that those who partake go away filled.   He doesn't think in combo ministry plans, because He knows that every decision needs to be a God-inspired decision.  Now that is an Elder.  Do you know any?  Hold on tight to them, because their numbers are fading before our very eyes.  Elders aren't just combo meals that are sold at the cheapest price, they are the ultimate combo meal.  Great food from wisdom, and great preparation to make it the best it can be.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Beauty Is Only Skin Deep

I remember when I was about 17 years old, we had a youth group come and sing in our church for a special program.  Of course, all the guys were checking out the girls on stage and I saw one that was beautiful.  Afterward we took them out to eat at a local pizza place and they let some of their youth ride in cars with some of our youth.  I made a beeline for the girl I had been eyeing, only to find out she was a Miss Teen Tennessee. (no wonder she was beautiful)  She and two of her friends rode in my car and I was thinking, "she is so good looking."  And she was really pretty until she started talking..... The girl I had been so wanting to get to know turned from a lovely young lady into an egotistical, self centered, snob.  In the ten minute drive from our church to the pizza place, she went from a 10 to a 2(maybe).  It was all because of who she was and not how she looked anymore.  When we came in the door of the pizza place all my buds gave me a big thumbs up and I just nodded.  I let the girls get their place at a table and turned and walked off.  One of them said, "aren't you going to sit with us?"  I just ignored her went to my friends table and put my head in my hands.  One of my friends said, "you better get over there before someone else moves in."  My reply, "knock yourself out."  The outside beauty was great, but it was nothing compared to the disastrous inside of the beauty queen.  I learned a lot about life that night and it jarred me into reality.  Reality that came up with the quote, "beauty is only skin deep."  Boy, was that ever true.

Which brings to mind the scripture in 1 Timothy 2:9-15.  Wow, we like to avoid these verses if at all possible to keep the peace with each other.  But, here goes.  Paul specifically says two very important things in these verses. Number one.  Beauty is only skin deep!  Yep, there it is right there in scripture in verse 9.  True beauty is seen in godliness, not trendiness.  True beauty is seen through modesty, not gaudiness.   True beauty is seen through being secure in who you are, not who you hope to look like.  I am fortunate to be married to a woman whose rare beauty is on the inside and only compliments her outside beauty.  I dated quite a few girls in my day and really fell head over heels for some of them, but those relationships pale in comparison to the relationship I have with my wife, Andra.  Her inner qualities are a strength that God uses to bless everyone who comes in contact with her.  But remember, it's not about her, it's about whose she is and how that is seen in her actions.

The second thing Paul says it that women should not be over men in teaching and authority.  They should remain quiet as is their role.  Boy, if Paul was preaching today our modern media would have a field day by trying to tear him apart.  They would call him a curse for all womankind!  I beg to differ...I believe Paul is making a relevant point about the scope of things and how they line up.  I think we will all agree that women have a special kind of discernment that is settling and helpful.  Most people who have that gift and use it are thinkers, not talkers.  If talking and action were to have a fight for credibility, action would win every time.  The great strength of women is not in what they say, but in what they do.  Their constant example of strength and wisdom is more seen than heard.  If a lady thinks she is less than a man because she lets him talk, then she has lost sight of the very strength she has been given by God.  That strength is completion.  From the beginning of time God enabled women to complete the picture he has for life and happiness.  They are the piece of the puzzle that men cannot live without.  When I say live, I mean LIVE!!  I am alive because my mother gave birth to me.  I am complete in my course of life because my wife gave herself to me.  I am the best I can be because of the women in my life.  Enough said.  

Paul's challenge to all women was to continue in faith and love as examples we all draw strength from as believers.  Women set the standard for loving hearts and faithful companions again and again.  To lessen that role is to take a big chunk out of God's plan for true happiness. 

Tough scripture, but a very helpful one to remind all of us that a woman's role in any area of  life is one of foundational faith and strong love.  May we all give them their due and may all women never back away from the strong place God has put them in life itself.  Is it about the outward appearance?  That fades!  Is it about what someone says?  We forget those words!  Is it about who a person is?  The depth of character is always proven through action and there are no better examples than the women of our lives.  That is where true beauty is found.

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

The Ransom is Paid!!

Years ago I watched a Mel Gibson movie entitled Ransom.  The story centers around a very wealthy airline owner who's son gets kidnapped.  It shows all of the emotions the parents went through as they bargained with the kidnappers only to find out that one of the detectives was behind the whole kidnapping!!  Wow, that was a twist I had not planned on, but it brought to mind a Biblical parallel in 1 Timothy 2:1-8.  Paul is writing to Timothy, his son in the faith, and in this part of his letter he brings out three very important things that are all tied to the word "ransom."   In verses 1 - 4 Paul tells Timothy that we should pray with humble hearts for all men, including kings or those in authority.  In making our requests for them we should pray for their salvation and believe that the "ransom" for their lives has been paid also.  I know we don't all agree with our leaders from time to time, especially now, but it doesn't lessen our need to pray for their eyes to be opened to the gospel and for their lives to be changed.  If they don't know Christ then they are not accepting the ransom that was paid on the cross and they "just don't know any better."  When we pray for them we should pray that Christ, our mediator, would be shared with them and that they would get to know of His incredible offer of real life.  Just imagine what would happen if a leader truly came to know Christ, and the changes that would take place in their thinking and reasoning.  It would be awesome to see God at work in their lives.  As you can see we have our work cut out for us and that work should be done on our knees praying to the one who offers freedom for those who are kidnapped by the power of sin.  In verses 6- 7 Paul talks about the testimony of Jesus Christ.  You know, we don't really mention the testimony of Jesus much,  but it is vital for sharing our testimony.  According to Paul the testimony of Jesus is powerful, and very timely.  You may ask how?  We are in a time in our nation where we need a powerful, pure testimony that will shine out through all of the haze that has accumulated through weak ideas and worldly pursuits.  We have plenty of people talking, but the testimony is weakened because of the injection of "political correctness" into everything we say and do.  The pure testimony we need is the one of Jesus Christ himself.  We must hold onto the strong truth of the Word about who Jesus is and what He did.  We must point to our ransom, Jesus Christ.  You see, we have diminished the worth of what He did on the cross by not telling it with true conviction and belief.  We have allowed it to become a back story instead of the headline, and our testimony has suffered because of our lack of telling it again and again.  Paul says in verse 7, "I was appointed a preacher and an apostle as a teacher of the Gentiles in faith and truth."  In other words, he was to take this testimonial from Christ to a group of people that most of us fall into, Gentiles.  He didn't take this lightly and knew that on his own he would fail, but with Christ' testimony he would succeed.  The last thing Paul addressed was the attitude of those who are ransomed.  In the movie, Ransom, the look on the boys parent's face when they saw their son was priceless.  They thought they had lost him and for a while lost hope, but their joy came back when they saw their son was free!!!  We too are free.  What is your attitude of gratitude toward God when you realize that through the ransom being paid you are free forever?  I bet it is not near celebrative enough....Why is that?  We forget!  Pure and simple, our memories fade.  You may ask, "Why can't I seem to keep my faith strong and my attitude of praise ever growing.  It could be you really don't know Christ.  You just said a prayer one time and  there was no repentance, no life change, no Holy Spirit, and you are a Christian by name, but there is no Spirit in you.  Bummer.  You aren't alone.  Many church members are in this condition of not really knowing Christ, but their name is on a church roll.  All of that will remain on earth when the Lord comes again and they will not be heaven bound.  Or it could be you know Christ, but you haven't been seeking Him and His righteousness and nothing has been added to your life.  You are a spiritual baby.  It's time to grow up.  Paul  wrote to Timothy to remind him of what should happen in his life because of his ransom being paid.  He knew Timothy was the real deal and that this letter would be received as good instruction to "help" him.  Paul's last bit of advice on the subject in verse 9 called all men to quit fighting and start focusing on Christ by lifting up holy hands to Him.  Don't focus on the world.  Focus on Christ.  You can do that through prayer, Bible Study, surrendering to serve the Lord in a ministry, or whatever.  Seeking is a neat thing.  When you do it you immediately find that God is right there with all the answers.  There is the other parallel to the movie Ransom and that is the cop who was behind the whole kidnapping thing from the beginning.  We have one who is trying to divert our eyes from the truth by going around behind the scenes to keep us kidnapped by lifestyle choices.  It's time to quit living by the perspective of satan and allow God's truth to be our focus in every situation.  We must quit letting the world tell the story we know by heart.  It's ours to tell, so we must tell it right, and tell it with the conviction of Christ.

Keep in mind.  When we live life by God's perspective, the results will always be God's results, not ours.  It's time to get on our knees and stand up changed.  Rejoice!!  The ransom is paid, so quit acting like you are still kidnapped.  Walk like you are free!!  Because you are!!!

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Shipwrecked!!

 I played basketball in High School and the different personalities that make up a team cause me to really marvel at coach's who can make them all work together.  Our team was full of superstars (not me) that individually were being looked at by many colleges, so the level of play even at practice was high.  I was the number one sub at point guard and even started a couple of games, but I mostly played behind another guy.  He was incredible and basketball was his life, where life was my life and basketball was a pastime.  I distinctly remember on one occasion when we were playing a cross state rival that all of those personalities didn't work together as a team.  With all the stars that would have been okay, except, we were playing a real "team."  They knew exactly what they were doing and what their roles were and we were running around like people who didn't  know what they were doing.  It got so bad with our point guard that our coach called numerous time outs to settle everyone down and get our guard to start moving the ball around.  Up to this point our guard had made a decision he was going to win this game on his own and he was killing us.  The rest of the team saw what was happening and we quit believing that we could win under the present circumstances.  In the second half after a blistering halftime speech our point guard showed a little change of attitude, but then it happened.  He ran one of our favorite plays, a man came open, and instead of passing it to him, he drove the basket and threw up a prayer that didn't work.  That was it!  Our coach was livid!  With red face and heavy breathing, he looked down the bench at me and said, "Warren get in there and run the plays."  I jumped up and went to the scorers table and checked in.   As I was walking by our point guard and our coach I heard our coach say, "Sit down.  You're done."  At the time I didn't know what he meant, but after about five minutes I could see that I was in the game to stay.  When he said, "You're done", he meant for the whole game.  Woh!  What it meant was he was no longer any help to the team's effort and in fact, he was losing the game for us.  It was like he was for the other team, even though he wasn't.  In 1 Timothy 1:18-20, Paul's writes to encourage Timothy to keep on keeping on.  He tells him to keep on "fighting the good fight" like he was prophesied to do.  Timothy keeping the faith was the best thing for keeping the team together and winning the battles ahead.  Two others who had been on the team were told "you are done."  They weren't given any more grace or used to help the cause of Christ.  They were done.  Paul used the term "shipwrecked" in explaining their condition.  Why were they shipwrecked?  Because they rejected doing things the right way that results in God being not being glorified and the cause of Christ not furthered.  They were not team players, but superstars in their own minds.  Paul yanked them out of service and told them they were done.  Done for good....He even put a very harsh indictment on them by handing them over to satan to be taught not to blaspheme.  Sometimes it can get that bad when others in faith start taking away from the team and start working against the team.  They lose sight of what is important and start thinking more for themselves than for the whole team.  Which brings up the question.  Are you contributing for Christ, or distributing against Christ?  It's either one or the other and that fact we hate to admit.  But it's true. Time out for self evaluation.  Are you sailing on the high seas of life and growing in Christ as you sail, or are you shipwrecked.  It would be tragic to get to the point where God would say, "You're Done!"  Remember who you are in Christ and what is possible when you totally surrender to him.  You will be in the good fight when that happens and God's prophecy for you to do great and mighty things will come to pass.  Now is the time to keep sailing.  Rocks ahead, but with Christ they aren't obstacles, but direction finders for new seas that lie ahead.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Eternal Reflective Patience

Don't you just hate waiting?  I've gotten better at it over the years but I still don't like to do it.  Someone in a car in front of me at a stoplight may pause when a light turns green, but after 3 seconds of grace, it's on!!  I remember years ago waiting for my dad to bring home a two-wheeled sulky for me to hitch up a little pony I had called Stubby.  He told me he had found what I wanted and he was going to get it on this trip to Memphis.  Good thing we didn't have cell phones, because I would have burned one up calling to see where he was about every 30 minutes.  Of course, he was late.  He decided to make a stop on the way home that turned into a two hour ordeal.  It didn't mean that much to him to be late, but to me.....AGHHHHHH!  I was so impatient and mad about him being a little later than expected usual that it almost ruined me getting the gift. NO PATIENCE.  If ever a group of people should be able to be patient, it should be believers.  Just think about how many times Christ is patient with us as we work and plow our way through something we got ourselves into.  Think about the amount of patience it took when His disciples just could not get the point of the whole thing.  But, He was patient.  I truly think patience isn't something we just wake up one day and have.  I believe it is much deeper than than.  It's one of those core things we must learn, but sometimes have to fail in a few times before we get it.  Paul in writing to Timothy in Chapter 1 verses 12-17 sets up a great "patience scenario."  This scenario hits deep in my heart about the subject of trusting God.  Patience. associated with trust God?  You bet!

In verses 12-15 Paul tells how much he appreciates Christ giving him the strength to serve. He goes on to remind Timothy that he was a blasphemer, a  persecutor of the church, and a violent person.  Yet Christ didn't give up and His grace and mercy impacted Paul in an incredible way.  He further affirms that Christ came into this world to save sinners.  He admitted he was one of the worst ones.  Paul upon self examination remembered the patience Christ had for him and shared with Timothy that he was a living example of that "perfect patience."  Hmmmm,  perfect patience.  I'm a long way from there for sure.  But, boy I am sure glad I got the benefit of that perfect patience as Christ waited for me to surrender to Him and His will.  Because of His "eternal patience" I am heavenbound and earth walking with Jesus.  In reality, we are ALL examples of God's patience and mercy and  living testimonies of patient grace.  Like Timothy, we have seen it in others lives, but now must realize the purpose of it in our lives.  The purpose of us realizing his patience in my life is to turn on "the switch."  You may ask, "what switch?"  The light switch!  It's the switch that controls a light that shines through each believer who realizes how good God is and then glorifies Him with their life.  The light is Christ and the switch is us receiving our marching orders and letting that light shine through us.  When we step into darkness, we hit the switch and the effect of Christ in our life lights the room.  Not us....Him!  The light that is shining is a new kind of patience that is reflective of the grace and mercy and trustworthiness that only Christ can give.  It's immortal, invisible, and only from God.  Let Him be reflected in you and allow His great patience toward us be seen through us.  People will notice and God will be glorified.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Timothy - The Heart Surgeon, Pre-Med Years

As I begin blogging from the teachings of Paul the apostle to his son in the faith, Timothy, I can't help but get excited about what God is going to show me over the next few weeks.  I love reading and learning from God's Word because it is timeless and ageless and is always current.  There is no other book that can boast those qualities, because there is no other book inspired by God.  As humans we boast about a lot of things and try to make them pure and timeless, but they all fall short of their boastings because they are temporal.  Temporal is an interesting word.   You may not know this but temporal in the dictionary is defined as relating to worldly as opposed to spiritual affairs.  Isn't that cool?  The dictionary defining a word with two sides; spiritual and worldly.  That's kind of where we are going to go today in my opening blog.  This blog will be built around the scriptures found in 1 Timothy 1:1-11 and just some observations I acquired from these beautiful words of truth sent to Timothy by Paul.   Paul is so open in his letters to Timothy, and begins by doing some good bragging about his relationship with this young man in the faith.  In verses 1 and 2 he addresses the letter by calling Timothy his "true" child in the faith.  He does that with sincerity, but not before he makes a very important statement about his position as a person.  In verse 1 he states what his existence as an apostle is built upon, the commandments of God.  This is very important and need not be missed when he says "The commandments of God."  Why?  Because it is his basis for all he is, and all he does, and all he says!!  Woh!!  We haven't even gotten past the first two verses and already they are setting up the remainder of his writings to Timothy.  Paul has connected who he is in Christ  with Timothy.  Not just getting together to have a donut, mocha, and talk about God things.  He is "pouring his life" into this young man.  Why?  So Timothy will know the essence of the truth of life in Christ Jesus and live his life based upon it.  In the following verses we see the "why" of such a deep commitment to training Timothy.

This type of commitment is very difficult to do and you don't see it much in our society of "fly by night" wisdom and fleeting truth.  One example in our society that is parallel to such a commitment is medical school.  My son Ty decided he was going to be a doctor when he was 10 years old.  He went in and out of what kind of doctor he was specifically going to be but never stopped working toward that initial commitment of all the schooling and years of study required for such a calling.  I use the word calling because it takes a great commitment to "go the extra mile" and becoming a doctor.  I admire Ty's tenacious attitude in getting it done and marvel at how much he learned and how he uses it for God's Glory. But as good as Ty's commitment was, he wouldn't be the doctor he is today but for those who went before him and instructed him in the ways of medicine.  He has countless stories of college professors, instructors, and many more who poured their time and lives into him to allow him to bloom into the doctor he is today.  He knows how fortunate he is and mentions them frequently in conversations.  Why?  They "poured" themselves into his life so that he could carry on what they were teaching him.  He will never forget it.....

Because of Paul's commitment to do the same with Timothy, he buried deep into Timothy's life the truth of the commitment made by Christ to insure his freedom from the penalty of sin.  I guess you could say, "Timothy was pre-med in heart surgery."  His heart surgery would not deal with physical aspects of the heart, but the spiritual aspects of it.  He learned from Paul how to recognize the symptoms of the patient and how to administer the right cure to make the heart new and vibrant.  He learned how to share God's truth as any good heart  physician would and showed people their desperate need for a new heart given by Christ.  If not for the training from Paul, he would falter and even fail, but.....He didn't!!  The pre-med years started to pay off and Paul is ready to let him go and come into his own.  When we read Timothy he is reaffirming something already done, already shared. He is giving him a nudge of instruction, because now Timothy is a doctor too and there will be tough times ahead.  In verses 3 -7 he tells Timothy to forget the teachings of the world and trust his instincts based on a sincere faith.  In verses 8-11 he reminds Timothy that if you have Christ you are free from the law, but if you don't the law applies to you.  He is calling Timothy and us to live above the wisdom of this world and tap into the wisdom from God.  I wish I could explain it in more detail, but it is one of those things you have to experience for yourself.  Which brings again to mind the word TEMPORAL.  The truth of the world will always be subjective and fleeting, not satisfying completely.  It is TEMPORAL TRUTH!  It is from a fallen world.  It cannot heal what ails you. The truth of God is ETERNAL TRUTH!!  It is from Almighty God.  It will always heal you.  Timothy followed God's truth and impacted the world he walked and lived in, and the world was never the same.  Paul passed this truth down to Timothy and loved him like his own child.  Paul the heart surgeon, sharing truth with Timothy, the graduated medical student as he started his pilgrimage to minister to the world.  Wow!  Great Truth.  Are you sharing it?  if not, why not?  Now is the time to "school" someone with what it takes to be that "bearer of the truth."  Why not start now, here.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Upcoming Topical Blog Posts on Timothy

I'm back!!!  My family went on vacation this past week and the week before that I was just lazy.  After spending some time thinking and praying about it, I have decided to do a series of blogs on the books 1 and 2 Timothy.  I will take portions (in order) and do blog entries that take the different subjects and do two things: 1 - explain the verses, 2 - expose the truth of how they are applied in daily life.  I hope this will be helpful and encourage each of you and myself in our Christian Walk.  While on vacation I was kayaking on the lake one evening and as I looked across the lake I stopped my mind long enough to think about the subject of living an aggressive life of faith.  In a time when any forward thinking activity is considered aggressive (ha) I thought I would practice doubling my "forwardness" in sharing my faith and my beliefs about God's Word and His Ways.  It seems I have let myself be lulled into a world shaped cocoon that is not as vibrant as God intends it to be.  It's not about church.  It's not about fellowship.  It's not about Bible Study with other Christians.  It's about me.........me.  I guess you could say I am going on a "faith walkabout."  I am going to look back into my early years as a believer and try to rediscover that part of joy that only comes through walking in faith.  Here's the thing.  It is not a walk that has anyone going with you, but a walk that is with God alone.  It is the ultimate, el-supremo, constant quiet time.  This time will be absent of church/world influence, and will not be compromised by other people's nominal opinions.  Some might call it "back to basics" but I won't call it really anything at all.

I was watching the news the other day and they were warning about the threat of salmonella from tainted cantaloupes.  As I watched that newscast I suddenly realized that the news was a warning to keep me, or anyone else, from eating that "forbidden fruit."  The warning was clear: Don't eat cantaloupes from this farm.  My ears perked up and guess what?  I made a mental note to watch what kind of cantaloupe I eat.  I believe part of my growth in the Lord is centered around warnings from God's Word about foundational things that must remain strong and fresh.  The world on the other hand takes great pleasure in getting me to drift from those foundations.  When the foundation is weak, the house will get tilted and almost fall.  The sad part is, we kind of accept it as being the norm.  It's kind of like the leaning tower of pisa.  It tilted and became a landmark as a tilted building.  Instead of straightening it up, it became a novel thing for tourists to flock to every day.  I believe the foundations of our Christian Faith have weakened and instead of fixing them by straightening them up, we just look at our tilted faith and think it's ok.  So what happens?  Thousands of people who profess Christ step back and admire the tilted faith we call Christian and accept it as being trendy and good.  In other words, we have made a tilted faith seem kind of trendy and cool.  But, it's not!  But keep this in mind, if I'm going to change anything as a believer, I am going to have to fix myself first, or I will go off half cocked and fizzle out.  This special time in my pilgrimage will be very honest and heart felt, and my blog entries will reflect that as I chronicle the words of Paul the Apostile to Timothy.  I am also going to do four video blogs that will be posted on Facebook at specific times in the study.  I welcome comments from you and hope you will be encouraged to deepen your walk with the Lord and get back to your roots and take a stand with me.  The blog's first entry will be on Monday, August 27 and I will add them in the mornings. Please pray for me and pray for yourself.  I need the prayer and you need the practice.

The Pilgrimage takes a new turn....

David Warren