The Power of Forgiveness

When the first missionaries came to Alberta, Canada, they were savagely opposed by a young chief of the Cree Indians named Maskepetoon. But he responded to the gospel and accepted Christ. Shortly afterward, a member of the Blackfoot tribe killed his father. Maskepetoon rode into the village where the murderer lived and demanded that he be brought before him. Confronting the guilty man, he said, "You have killed my father, so now you must be my father. You shall ride my best horse and wear my best clothes." In utter amazement and remorse his enemy exclaimed, "My son, now you have killed me!" He meant, of course, that the hate in his own heart had been completely erased by the forgiveness and kindness of the Indian chief.

In the short book of Philemon there is a huge example of a desire for forgiveness that causes me to think about how much Paul really knew the true essence of the word, forgiveness.  Basically a man by the name of Onesimus, a slave of Philemon, had stolen from his master and fled. He eventually made his way to Rome where he crossed paths with the Apostle Paul, who led him to faith in Christ.  The forgiveness and life change Christ did in Onesimus was complete and known by Paul, so Paul wrote to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus.  The letter Paul wrote to Philemon is recorded in God's Word and sandwiched in between the books of Titus and Hebrews.  Such a small part of the Bible, but such a great truth that reveals the essence of our forgiveness and sets an example of what our attitude should be in the area of forgiveness.  In the letter Paul's approach was to praise Philemon for his great love and faith in verse 5 and then make his plea to Philemon on behalf of Onesimus.  In verse 8 Paul stated that he was confident in the forgiveness that Philemon had experienced in Christ.  He knew that he would not have to demand he forgive him, but just appeal to him to forgive him.  In verse 9 Paul stated he did this for love's sake.  Paul in those three words, "for love's sake" drove home the point in Christ-like fashion to Philemon and to us.  Keep in mind that this letter was written by Paul while in prison for preaching about the very forgiveness he was exhibiting.  Paul knew that the chains and prison walls that confined him physically could never contain the great forgiveness he had received from Jesus and his appeal to Philemon was very heartfelt and real.  Paul in verse 17 said, "If then you regard me a partner, accept him as you would me."  Paul even pledged to pay back anything Onesimus owed Philemon as a way of letting him know he was very serious about the young man's change in life.  Paul's example of going the extra mile for Onesimus shows me the huge importance of living a life with forgiveness in your heart. Get this!  This epistle was being sent by Paul and Onesimus was the one delivering it!!   The above story at the first of this blog shows that forgiveness is something that must be complete to allow us to go on with our lives and the freedom it gives shakes us to our core. Because it is at our core is where love's fountain must flow to permeate every area of our life.  Our words, our actions, our hopes, our dreams, our relationships, everything.  When growing up as an eleven years old boy a group of people reached out to me and led me to Christ.  My mother accepted Christ at the same time and this began a journey for me dealing with a father who was super skeptical about the Christian faith and actually told me he was disappointed that I had ever gotten involved in the whole "Christian thing."  That was soured even more when I surrendered to the Gospel Ministry full time and started the journey I am still on today.  I harbored unforgiveness toward my dad for quite a few years because I knew he wasn't proud of me for the steps I had taken.  It was ironic.  The very thing I was preaching was something I was having trouble doing.  I preached about God's forgiveness and all it entails, but yet I  had unforgiveness and hurt in my heart toward my father.  Our course, my heavenly Father showed me just how wrong I was and I had a "come to Jesus" meeting with him about this very issue, and I changed my attitude about the whole thing by forgiving my father for not supporting me.  I cannot express in words the freedom I felt when this happened.  I didn't go on TBN and tell them all my dirty laundry and make a big thing about it.  I just forgave and that was it.  It was a conversation between me and my heavenly daddy about my earthly daddy and then it was over.  I will say the sunshine was a little brighter after that exchange and my heart was refreshed.  Paul in Philemon verse 20 says, "Yes, brother, let me benefit from you in the Lord; refresh my heart in Christ."  It was going to be refreshing for Paul's heart to see that Philemon would offer his forgiveness to the new convert Onesimus.  Paul would just get to watch the forgiveness and it would refresh his heart.

So.... Forgiveness is not just something we get when we accept Christ. Forgiveness is "who we become." We become forgiveness and take on the very essence of forgiveness in our life as believers.  It changes us to our core.

That is why we must share our testimony of God's forgiveness through Jesus with others who are living without that forgiveness.  We are compelled by God's great forgiveness to experience it and live it every day.  Here is some scriptural background for this very point

Matthew 6:12 (Lord's prayer)

Luke 6:37 - Forgive and you will be forgiven

Luke 7:47 - whoever has been forgiven little loves little

John 20:23 - If you forgive anyone's sins, their sins are forgiven; if you do not forgive them, they are not forgiven

Forgiveness that is real shakes our very core and our lives are forever impacted by that forgiveness because we own it and must be forgiving agents of grace.  Read Philemon and see just what I am writing about and it will impact how you look at others and their problems.  Praise God for His great forgiveness.  May I become a person of forgiveness myself.  May you realize today the power of forgiveness.  It will change your life!!

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren

Brick by Brick - Building the House

Ephesians 2:20-21 "He used the apostles and prophets for the foundation.  Now He's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone"  

I was in carpentry for a while early in my work life and I remember working feverishly on a house and almost built it totally by myself.  My boss came out to the job site the first morning of building this house and said, "I can't get a backhoe, so we are going to dig the footing by hand (or shovel).  I  was just dumb enough, and hungry enough to say, "Sure, where's the shovel?"  So we laid out the measurements for the footing and I started digging.  After about there hours I started thinking, where is my boss?  Or where is the other part of WE?"  My boss said WE were going to have to dig it by hand, and then he was no where to be found.  I shrugged my shoulders and said, Oh well, and kept on digging.  By 2 pm that afternoon I had dug the entire footing for the blocks or foundation to be poured and laid.  The footing was 2 foot deep and 20 inches wide, so there was no doubt I was going to be sore the next day.  My boss had a lot of other interests that took his time, so he didn't show up until around 2:30 p.m. and when he drove up he was grinning  from ear to ear.  He got out of his truck and said, "I thought it would take us two days to dig this footing."  I said, "WE?"  He laughed and said, "Oh well, now we can lay the blocks and keep going and now we are ahead of our time frame."  I went over and washed my face with some cold water and loaded up and went home, exhausted.  What started out as WE turned into ME.  I really felt deserted a little after noon that day.  I knew that with someone else digging we could really get it dug quickly but my boss's interests were elsewhere, but he stilled wanted the footing dug.  He would constantly use the word "team" when doing something and then when the work started "team" was me.  

That's how some people look at the church and serving Christ.  They will attend and say they are part of a church, but never invest in serving the Lord through that church.  Like my boss they are members in name only, and sometimes not even that.  So, the work of the church is turned over to a small group of laborers who become the "team" and keep the whole thing going.  

If we are going to reach the harvest the Lord calls us to reach we are going to have to realize just how important each of us is to the whole process.  We aren't the "boss."  We are co-laborers for Christ and that position puts us in a place to not just look at the work being done and then leaving for our own self interests, but becoming a part of the building itself by doing the work of a servant.  There will always be distractions we have to deal with,  but the greater issue is not the distractions, but the heart.  Perhaps believers don't realize just how much we bring to the table in serving God.  Of course, on our own, we don't offer much as fallen people.  But with the Holy Spirit in our lives our importance meter really goes up to the point of making a huge difference in "being the church."  The Apostle Paul wrote beautiful letters to the churches he planted all over the region, but it seems to me his letter to the Ephesians is a shining guidebook for how we as believers should be a part of the building of the church.  In the above Scripture in verse 20 it says, "Now He's using you, fitting you in brick by brick, stone by stone, with Christ Jesus as the cornerstone."  A friend of mine, who is a Calvinist, said a few years ago to me, "God doesn't need us to get anything done.  He already has it all planned out and we can't change that."  To which I replied, "If He doesn't want to use us then why put the Holy Spirit in our lives and conviction in our thinking?"  We are "compelled" by the Holy Spirit to do the work of the Lord.  It is inescapable!!  Sadly though many believers have become "numb" to the conviction of the Lord and have in their hearts been able to squelch that conviction that brings them back to the core of who they are in Christ.  Like my boss, they say WE, but get distracted by other interests, other things, and leave just when they could contribute so much to the house being built.  Along with that, those who serve, even with right hearts, get a little disillusioned and the work suffers.  Keep in mind Paul says we are not the builders, but we are the bricks used in the house to keep it strong and Jesus is the cornerstone.  If we aren't willing to invest our lives in the house being built, there will be gaps where there should be bricks and the house will suffer.

It's time to quit letting distractions take us away from our mission as believers and give our "lives" to the Lord to be used to build His house.  We need to put blinders on so we don't get distracted by side to side distractions and we need to put in ear plugs so the siren call of the world cannot draw us away from what Jesus wants us to do.  And as the writer of Hebrews said so well in Hebrews 12:2 - 3 "Fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith.  For the joy set before Him He endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.  Consider Him who endured such opposition from sinners so that you will not grow wear y and lost heart."

Maybe that is the main problem, we aren't "considering Jesus" and all He did for our salvation, so the heart of gratitude and worship is being replaced with a heart of selfishness and pride.  I believe if you will readjust your thinking and jump in the midst of serving the Lord, one day you will be able to step back and look at something that was built and say, "I know that house, front to back and my life is in that house."  To which Jesus will say, "Well done, good and faithful servant."  The foundation is laid, the cornerstone is strong.  Time to lay bricks....Uh.. that is you and me.  When the Lord picks up your life (brick) and lays you in His house I'm sure I will hear you singing. "Take my life and make it useful for You Lord."

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Mother's Special Place in This World

Anna M. Jarvis (1864-1948) first suggested the national observance of an annual day honoring all mothers because she had loved her own mother so dearly. At a memorial service for her mother on May 10, 1908, Miss Jarvis gave a carnation (her mother's favorite flower) to each person who attended. Within the next few years, the idea of a day to honor mothers gained popularity, and Mother's Day was observed in a number of large cities in the U.S. On May 9, 1914, by an act of Congress,  President Woodrow Wilson proclaimed the second Sunday in May as Mother's Day. He established the day as a time for "public expression of our love and reverence for the mothers of our country." By then it had become customary to wear white carnations to honor departed mothers and red to honor the living, a custom that continues to this day. Pulpit helps May 1991

Genesis 3:20 - Adam named his wife Eve, because she would become the mother of all the living. 

As Mother's Day approaches there is an all out assault by a secular and Christian world to come across as lifting up mothers.  I use the word assault because many times the thing that drives this recognition is none other than money and greed.  The rest of the year motherhood is basically ignored and even put down by those wanting to advance "their" rights as individuals.  To me that is so ironic because a true mother is one who only wants to serve, whether it be her husband or her children.  She is a servant.  A secular humanistic society will call that being slighted, but God's word calls her glorified and highly esteemed.  In fact in Proverbs 31:10 it speaks of a Godly wife by saying, "A wife of noble character who can find?  She is worth far more than rubies."  Part of that noble character, a BIG part of that noble character is heightened by the introduction of motherhood in a woman's life.  When a woman has a child it changes her, in some ways completes her, and even strengthens her.  For women who cannot go through child birth they sometimes feel like they are missing something.  In God's great wisdom He sees fit to alleviate their emptiness in mothering by allowing them to adopt or become godmothers to other's children, but mothering just the same.  What I am saying is the mothering capacity God gives to women is "special" and even life changing for those who get to experience it.  Personally I am thankful for all mothers, even the poor examples of mothering, because there is still hope for them to realize just how special God has made motherhood.  Mothers take on a power to protect that mirrors God's great protection of His people and in that mirror mothers can also be seen protecting their children in many ways.  In watching the NFL draft, I was amazed, not surprised, to see so many mothers walking the red carpet with their sons.  Sons looking to lift up their moms because of how much their moms made them believe in themselves by saying "you can do this."  I know my mother was a constant encouragement to me and I miss her words of strength urging me on to greatness.  My wife Andra, has been the best example of motherhood I have ever seen and I know that my children will echo these words when I say, "she is the best!"  If you were going to mess with our children, you were going to mess with mom.  If you doubted my children were capable of doing something she would reroute your mind to a better place called belief.  If you threatened to harm our children you were walking into a lions den.   Mothering is a special quality that God put in His creation and that quality continues to shape lives and our world.

I thank God for my mother, my wife, and my daughters and daughter in laws and lift them up as being pivotal women in God's plan.  I want to honor them and say, "We need you."  And say it again and again.  Please keep on keeping on!!  You are appreciated and loved.

You have a special place in this thing we call life and God has blessed all of us with your presence.

Happy Mother's Day Andra, Dana, Natalie, Lindsey, and Jessica.  And to all mothers out there.  Happy Mother's Day and thanks for being a mother.

Keep this scripture in mind - Proverbs 31:30 - "Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing, But a woman who reveres the Lord will be praised."  I hope my words of praise will in some way let you know how much you are appreciated and loved.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Tomorrowland Is Real. Are You Going There?

If you haven't had a chance to see the movie Tomorrowland, you should give it a try.  It was a failed box office movie, but personally I liked it.  It centers the story around a  new world that was being built, and because of a lack of dreamers and corruption it was not completed.  One such dreamer locater has left a commercial of that new world for a girl who is unhappy with what is going on in her world and that commercial is on a pin.  When the girl picks up that pen she sees the other world, or Tomorrowland, and even though she isn't physically there, it all seems so real.  The dreamer locater named Athena follows up on this girl, named Casey Newton and leads her to Frank Walker who went to Tomorrowland when he was a child but got kicked out. Now Frank doesn't believe anymore.  Casey's great desire to see Tomorrowland and Athena's mission orders put them together at Frank's doorstep. When Casey gets into Frank's house she sees the latest technology from the mind of dreamer Frank.   Casey convinces Frank to try one more time to believe in Tomorrowland and  he takes her and Athena there and through a series of events starts building the Tomorrowland again and begins recruiting new dreamers to make it happen.  Wow. What a great story!!  This parallels the great desire God has for his children to focus on the new heaven and earth He has built for those who know Him.  In John 14: 1-4  Jesus said, "Do not let your hearts be troubled. You believe in God; believe also in me.  My Father's house has many rooms; if that were not so, would I have told you that I am going there to prepare a place for you?  And if I go and prepare a place for you, I will come back and take you to be with me that you also may be where I am.  You know the way to the place where I am going."  Of course, you know where our Tomorrowland is don't you? It's heaven. The reason for Tomorrowland in the first place was to build a whole new world and they need more "converts" to live there. Sound familiar?  That is the beckoned call of all who call Jesus Lord.  Get more people to this new world Jesus taught about.  The writer of Revelation in chapter 21 verse  1 describes that new world and summarizes by saying, "Then I saw a new heaven and a new earth,  for the first heaven and the first earth had passed away, and there was no longer any sea."  Heaven is our Tomorrowland!!  Now where do we fit in to this parallel story?  We are the Athena's or the dreamer locaters.  We have our pen, which is the message of the gospel, and we can give unbelievers a glimpse into this new world through God's Word.  No movie magic can compare to the explanation given in Revelation 21 and we know first hand it is a completed Tomorrowland!  But like those who started the Tomorrowland project in the movie, some have given up their hope and they don't anticipate that glorious city anymore.  Tragic.  Not just for believers, but for those who need to hear about this new heaven and earth that is available to them.  In the movie Frank was a total believer and dreamer as a young boy, but the constant hits against him made him quit believing and he just gave up.  When we first accept Jesus the whole thing is so fresh and real, and amazing.  We can't think about anything else but our Tomorrowland and we want to tell others about it so they can go there too.  But life kicks in and one bump after another causes some to quit looking forward to it so much.  Time dims our enthusiasm and the message of a new world somehow dies with it.  But it shouldn't!  It must not die!!  Years ago a guaranteed big crowd attraction was when someone did a Bible study in the book of Revelation.  You couldn't fit everyone in the room because they wanted to know and hear about our Tomorrowland.  I wonder if anyone is even interested anymore in hearing about heaven and all that it holds for those who know Jesus?  What we need are some more Athena's.  Those willing to keep spreading the Word and finding others who would believe in Jesus and His new Tomorrowland He has built for us.  By the way, Athena was a robot who was focused on one thing, recruitment.  We aren't robots, but we are to be very focused in our life and our goals.  Hebrews 12:2 says, "let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith."  We are to be FOCUSED! 

Tomorrowland, a reality or a bust.  It is a REALITY!!!  You just need to wake up to the fact of our Tomorrowland and tell (recruit) all you know about it and how to get there (faith in Jesus).  Think about what Paul wrote to the church at Ephesus in Chapter 2 verse 1-6  "It wasn't so long ago the you were mired in that old stagnant life of sin.  You let the world, which doesn't know the first thing about living, tell you how to live.   You filled your lungs with polluted unbelief, and then exhaled disobedience.  We all did it, all of us doing what  we felt like doing, when we felt like doing it, all of us in the same boat.  It's a wonder God didn't lose his temper and do away with the whole lot of us.  Instead, immense in mercy and with an incredible love, he embraced us.  He took our sin-dead lives and made us alive in Christ.  He did all this on His own, with no help from us!  Then he picked us up and set us down in the highest heaven in company with Jesus, our Messiah."(The Message)  Since God has placed us in the company of our Savior Jesus, it should not be too hard to dream about our Tomorrowland, heaven, and know so much about it that we tell all who will listen they must accept Jesus to go there.  That message should be in the forefront of our mind and our lives.  We make it believable by our passion and conviction about it and our total belief in God's Word.

"Do You Believe" is more than just a movie title.  It is a question we must all answer.  I believe!!  Do you?  Tomorrowland is real and I'm going there.  You should too!!

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

You’re My Brother, You’re my Sister, so take me by the hand.

The interdependence of believers.  Depend – Rely on.  It is not by accident that God put us believers on an even playing field with no one better than the other and no one favored more than the other.  Scripture calls it UNITY.  It is where we are all focused on Christ.  He is the hub, or as scripture says The Vine, and we are the branches.  The question may be asked, “How many Christians does it take to build a church?”  The answer is “all of them.”  It seems like it is more and more difficult to keep a Church together, much less grow one in the present condition of our world.  We have digressed into the attitude that believes someone owes us something, instead of Jesus’ teaching where he says in Mark 10:45 “For even the Son of Man did not come to be served, but to serve, and to give his life as a ransom for many.”  We “Americans” don’t understand the serving thing so much anymore and it is a foreign policy that has been tossed out with the latest effort to build each other up.  Selfishness is the new norm and it takes our faith and puts it on a slippery slope that will surely end in chaos and war.  Many churches have taken this mantel and allowed it to drive their faith right off a cliff and the return trip up the mountain seems insurmountable, but it CAN be done.  As written in the above Scripture, “even the Son of Man took on the form of a servant.”  This brings to mind WWJD.  Remember the quirky little letters that started a firestorm of servant mindedness back in the 80’s?  The only problem with thinking about what Jesus would do is we need to know what Jesus would do and those answers are found in God’s Word, not in our personal impressions of what we “think” Jesus would do.   Which brings us to the problem at hand.  We have been living our Christ-centered lives from counterfeit information, and we are the counterfeiters putting out the fake Christianity.  The counterfeit faith of many has been handed down to their children and their children’s children, and the end result is a selfish generation.  I know this because I have been part of the problem.  I drank the Kool Aid long ago and the sweet taste of it only marginalized my walk with God.  I finally woke up and quit drinking,and because of the conviction of the Lord said, “enough is enough!”   In making my commitment I didn’t realize that changing my mind wouldn’t mean that others would come alongside and join me in my commitment to live a real life for Christ.  It was like telling an alcoholic they needed to quit drinking.  The first thing they say to you is “ I can quit anytime I want.”  But they can’t!   Here is where the whole interdependence thing kicks in.  We need each other, and we need to commit together to only follow God’s Word and keep each other accountable to this very lifestyle.  Together we can do it.  In Unity!!   Paul wrote in Ephesians 4:3 “Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” We need to make an effort and it starts right now.  We as believers need to learn to love God and love God’s people.  Love will be the glue that holds the whole thing together.  Colossians 3:14 says, “And over all these virtues put on love,  which binds them together in perfect unity.”  If you do take this stand to trust others to help keep you accountable you will start to lean on them  and they will on you and the process of true fellowship will kick in and empower you to live a more committed, servant lifestyle.  !1 Corinthians 15:58 says, “Therefore, my dear brothers and sisters, stand firm. Let nothing move you.  Always give  yourselves fully to the work of the Lord, because you know that your labor in the Lord is not in vain.”  Paul wrote this scripture at the end of a wonderful chapter that explained the victory that we as believers must live and walk in.  Let us walk it together in peace and harmony.

 and we will experience true victory.

The Pilgrimage continues….

David Warren

Put Some More Salt on Those Fries

I love salt!  I mean I love it on my food and usually add more of it to the disdain of healthy people.  If a meal doesn't have enough salt on it I can tell it in milliseconds.  What do I do?  I add more salt! There are many different types of salt and many different effects of salt.  Jesus in Matthew 5:13 says, "You are the salt of the earth, But if the salt loses it's saltiness, how can it be make salty again?  It is no longer good for anything, except to be thrown out an trampled underfoot."  So, according to Jesus, we are the salt of the earth.  When a person meets us they need to experience a good flavored life that is salty and tasty.  The vibrancy of the Holy Spirit in our life is the salt they need to taste and that comes from a deepening relationship with Jesus at a Biblical level.  Biblical level means that the Word of God, which is alive and cuts like a two edged sword, should be seen in every area of our life.  It is  also heard in the words we say.  Colossians 4:6 - "Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone."  We know the importance of the tongue being under the Lord's control.  In James the writer gives a good illustration of the power of the tongue.  The tongue can be used by God and by the devil and seasoned with salt is the way God wants us to use ours.  A discerning heart supplies the right words at just the right time as it says in Proverbs 12:18 - "The words of the reckless pierce like swords, but the tongue of the wise brings healing."  I have experienced those wise words before and the taste of it is very salty indeed.  The aggressive nature of Christ's message in that day gives us a picture of how that salt needs to be applied through our life.  That application needs to always be doing something with the salt, instead of just letting it stay in our thoughts.  There needs to be action.  The Dead Sea in Israel is just that DEAD.  The Hebrew name for the Dead Sea is "Sea of Salt" and the lack of anywhere for that sea to go causes it to become water that is full of salt that lacks purpose and direction.  The salt water flows in but doesn't flow out and it's elevation is below sea level, so the prospects for changing are bleak at best.  It does have awesome natural minerals in the mud taken from the sea and the thousands of years of deposits make it mineral rich, but you have to dig in the mud to get those minerals.  The water itself is dead, with no place to go.  In our lives we get our salt from the Holy Spirit, in a relationship with Jesus Christ, but that salt is not designed to stop with us.  We have a command to share it with others through our words and our actions, or the living water in each of us will become "stale."  We will be full of helpful salt for others, but we never share it, so it remains with us.  This should not be!!  God's plan for that salt is to season our lives with such a strong seasoning that it impacts all who meet us and causes them to wonder how we are so different from other people.  Our sharing the salt and how to use it is what we call Discipleship!  We learn from God's Word and from other believers just how good the salt is and how much it affects the lost and we realize we have exactly what others need and it is Jesus.  No Dead Sea will do for believers.  The salt doesn't stop at us, it is shared with every step we take in our daily walk.  It has wonderful, spirit- filled flavor.

What is the flavor of your life?  Are you in a growing, deepening relationship with Christ, or did your growth stop after your salvation experience.  There is so much more and the life of Christ compels each of us to desire the salt to be seen in us and through us.  Now is the time to get more of that salt and let it be tasted by all who meet you.  Put more salt on those fries!!  Keep this in mind.  Salt is an extremely active element found naturally only in combined form; it always links itself to another element.  Chlorine, on the other hand, is the poisonous gas that gives bleach it's offensive odor.  When sodium and chlorine are combined, the result is sodium chloride or common table salt.  When Jesus comes into our lives he takes that part of us, human, and attaches his salt to our lives and the end result is a sweet tasting life that makes a difference.  Should we take the salt away, we become a poisonous gas again and that just won't work.  If anything it should be our desire to get more salt in our lives through being a disciple that is growing in our relationship with Jesus.  When we get that salt, share it!!  When you commit to the life of a disciple Jesus is freeing you from a self destructive lifestyle that has no purpose, and you need to keep moving forward and don't look back or you might end up like Lot's wife, as a pillar of salt and a lifeless form.  God wants to be active in our lives and He wants our lives to be actively sharing the Good News wherever we go.  Invest your time and talents into living God's Word and sharing the salt that is the eventual result of that kind of living.  Then, we will make the impact the Bible speaks about.  We will be SALT!!!

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

When Your Boat is Smaller Than the Storm

In Luke 8:22-25 it says, "One day Jesus said to His disciples, "Let us go over the other side of the lake."  So they got into a boat and set out.  As they sailed, he fell asleep.  A squall came down on the lake, so that the boat was being swamped, and they were in great danger.  The disciples went and woke him, saying, "Master, Master, we're going to drown." He got up and rebuked the wind and the raging waters; the storm subsided, and all was calm.  Where is your faith?  he asked his disciples.. In fear and amazement they asked one another, "Who is this?"  He commands even the winds and the water, and they obey him." Have you ever felt like your boat is too small for the storms in your life?  Perhaps you ventured into an area that you thought you could handle, but the storm that came up overwhelmed what could keep you afloat.   You will notice that Jesus first of all didn't quibble over "which" boat they should get when they needed to go over to the other side of the lake.  He also fell asleep without a worry in the world.  Even when the squall came up they had to awaken him to help them.  Squall - A sudden, violent gust of wind or localized storm, especially one bring rain.  Scripture said they were in great danger.  Not, they thought they were in great danger.  The danger was real and Jesus got up and rebuked the wind that was powering the squall and it subsided or calmed.  If you are going through storms in your life, they are real to you.  They may also be very dangerous for your life and you know the end result will be bad.  The storms of life are going to come and they will be like a squall.  They will come at you suddenly and with great ferocity.  So we have established there will be storms. Now we come to the point where you realize "who you gonna call" (ala ghost busters)  The disciples didn't have to think about it.  They called out to Jesus and woke him up because they knew they needed him desperately.    When Jesus rebuked the wind and waves, that wind and those waves obeyed and they calmed down and the disciples were safe.  They needed help and called on Jesus and when he did show his power they were amazed!!  Jesus not only calms the storms in our lives, but He goes even further to show He is in control.  This is a very affirming event to read about and I am sure an affirming event for them to experience, but it is proof positive that Jesus is in control of every situation and his great power is real and right on time.  Publus Syrus said in 42 B.C. " Any one can hold the helm when the sea is calm."  Jesus takes the rough seas of our lives and calms them so we can handle these situations with His power.  If  you are going through some stormy weather right now and it came up out of no where, wake up your prayer life, call out to Jesus, and He will calm those storms for you.

One other thing Jesus did that day on the lake.  He asked them "Where is your faith?"  For those who have a relationship with Jesus, we realize that our faith is not in what we have faith we have in, but it is who we are in Christ.  Paul wrote in Romans 5:1 "Therefore, since we have been justified through faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ."  The storms of life only cause us to draw closer to God, because we know He is the essence of who we are and it changes how we perceive those waves that come upon us so violently.  Our storms are handled through the power of Jesus, once and forever, because of what He did on the cross to justify our faith.  Are you amazed by what Jesus did for you on the cross?  Maybe you need to have a "come to Jesus" meeting and turn to Him for all your daily strength and decisions and let the faith you have in Him energize and guide your life.  Then your boat will be able to handle any storm in any situation.  Now...that is good news!!!  If we can't handle the storms of life, how will we ever be able to walk on the water?  Only holding on to Jesus' hand and Him empowering and guiding us.  When you are in a great storm, "Who you gonna call?" I'm calling out to Jesus!!

The Pilgrimage continues...

David Warren