The Road to Recovery

Recovery - Return to a normal state of mind, health, and strength

The Road to Recovery is a road of redemption where those who know Christ can come and  experience forgiveness and mercy.  This road is paved with the blood of Jesus and made possible by the grace and mercy of God.  Recovery is needed by those who have been living in Squander far too long and want to make a radical change in their attitude and life purpose.  Recovery is a wonderful thing, yet also sometimes painful when sacrifices have to be made.  Here are some helps for those desiring a new start with the Lord.  These are things that will help lead you back to recovery, and this road is full of helpful tips to get back on track spiritually.  Some of these tips will be radical for a traditional person's thinking and must be looked at through eyes of discernment for those who are wanting to break free from a life of apathy and squander.  I pray that God will lead you individually as you approach this life of recovery. I also pray for you as begin walking on this road, knowing that the rest will fall into place. 

The first thing that must happen is repentance.  We must have a total turn-around in our way of thinking and living.  Repentance is something that is difficult at the time, especially if we have lived a long time without it.  There is a town in a remote portion of Canada, called Wabush.  It was completely isolated for some time.  Recently, a road was cut through the wilderness to reach it.  Wabush now has one road leading into it, and thus, only one road leading out.  If someone would travel the unpaved road for six to eight hours to get into Wabush, there is only one way he or she could leave--by turning around.  Like Wabush, there is only one road to Christ and that way is through faith.  Over the years a person's faith can become weak and almost nonexistent.  We begin to believe more in ourselves than in God and thus that weakened faith weakens our perspective about living life.  The Normal becomes abnormal to us as our faith weakens and the purpose for living puts "living for Christ" on the back shelf.  When that happens satan gives us a plethora of reasons we shouldn't change and before long we become more his than God's.  It's what the Bible calls "living for the world."  That life is no longer strong for Christ and the same road that was cut by the influences of the world is the same road that leads us out of it "when we turn around."  That turn-around is what we call repentance and that repentance has benefits that really complete us as believers.  First of all, repentance immediately gets us back into a right relationship with the Lord.  We quit avoiding coming to Him with our sins and shortcomings, and we begin to admit we can't live life without Him.  That's sparks a new way of thinking that is filled with a commitment to serve Him with a new fervency, look at the world around us with new eyes, and communicate with Him in a new and open way.  As you turn your life vehicle around and head the right direction, you will also pick up speed and the trip is much shorter going the right way, and a life of freedom is immediately felt and offered by God.  You begin to feel a freshness in your commitment and your faith is affirmed and lasting.  1 Peter 1:23 says, "For you have been born again, not of perishable seed, but of imperishable, through the living and enduring Word of God."  The Bible will begin to be very real to you again and you will begin to see things more like God as you once again love reading His Word.  Which means, your spiritual health will be much better and your priorities will once again be birthed from your relationship with God.  This love of God will be lasting and His Word will lead you into an even deeper relationship than before.   Look what Hebrews 4:12 says, "For the Word of God is living and active.  Sharper than any two edged sword, it penetrates even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart."  The Road to Recovery will be a narrow road and when it goes through the tunnel of God's Word will become very wide and full of possibilities and hope.  One thing builds on another until we are complete and "normal" again spiritually.

The last thing that will take place is we will realize what it means to be "sent."  To be sent means to know where you are going and why you are going there.  Jesus sent the disciples out and gave them instructions and destination points and He does the very same thing with us.  He will send you to your home ready to lead out, to your work ready to win others, to your church ready for revival and service, and to your world ready to do whatever it takes to serve Him.  We like to use the word GO when we talk about the sent.  We are to GO, and GO for God.  Now keep in mind, you don't have to go to church to GO!  In fact, your church attendance will be different after you start going when you aren't in church. This is where we have the church thing messed up when we start saying that the church is the sending station.  I believe Jesus is the sending station and some will do it through the church and some will do it "as the church."  Whichever works best for God's Will in your life is the one that you should choose.  A church can hold you back by never using you, but God will never hold you back individually.  Does that make sense?  I hope so!!   The sent in Jesus' day went to houses and synagogues, but one thing was for sure...they went somewhere.  And we should to!!!

Recovery is a great thing and The Road to Recovery is much better than The Road to Squander.  Once we realize that recovery is possible it seems to cause us to want to move to that new town.  The "want to" in that sentence is because that is where God is and that is where we should be.  In Romans 11 Paul is writing about the Jews and their lack of receiving the Messiah.  In writing he affirms that they too have the opportunity to receive Jesus, but they must have a change of heart and a change of mind.  He says they are self interested and thick skinned toward God.  In verse 12 he says, "Now if their leaving triggered this worldwide coming of non-Jewish outsiders to God's kingdom, just imagine the effect of their coming back!!  What a homecoming!" The church has seen many people just quit because there doesn't seem to be much life in it.  Many people have drifted away from the local church and have quit attending at all.  What if in this recovery process, the church would revive, how much more would it draw those people who are seeking to get right.  Oh, what a homecoming.  Now's that a recovery I would like to be a part of and that is the reason for this blog.  Just thought you might want to know that.  Get on the right road and see what God will do when that road leads to Him.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

The Road to Squander

Squander - waste something in a foolish fashion.

Squander is a town in the middle of the state of confusion, in a nation called apathy, that's in a world of hurt.  In this town everyone thinks they can get everything without doing anything  and this way of thinking keeps them "just manageable" in everything they do in life.  The people there never get beyond the imaginary line of accomplishment that everyone must face at some time or the other.  This line is the invisible, yet known, line that compels those who have so much to offer to just let their dreams and goals be controlled and managed.  If there is ever anyone who goes beyond this line alerts are sent out everywhere to get them back under control.  Because in the town of Squander, in the middle of the state of confusion, in a nation called apathy, that's in a world of hurt, we must never, I mean never, try something that's out of the ordinary.  It wouldn't allow anything that might challenge someone else to try to do something great and exciting with what they have been given in their life by God.  It's in this fog or state of apathy that the church of Jesus Christ has learned to exist and thrive.....without really thriving.  How can I say that?  Because we see churches that judge their success through how they can meet a man-made budget, or get people to come through their doors, or do the coolest thing on the block without hopefully, offending the God who empowers us.  This is the world we live in and we are in a "world of hurt."  The hurt that is known is the hurt of not fulfilling the Great Commission as given by Jesus Christ.  The part of it that is not known is those who die every day without the opportunity to receive the life changing gospel of Jesus Christ, and that is what is being squandered.  The greatest message of truth in all eternity is squandered and wasted in lives that are fully equipped to share it, and that lack of commitment by those lives is what makes it become a daily practice.  All of this happens in a nation of apathy that lets our leaders dictate what we will do with our lives and controls just how much or how little we can share this great message of hope.  Who is apathetic?  To a certain extent, we all are.  To do less than what we can do  is apathy to a certain degree.  To just get by is the core of apathy and that is seen in the numbers of churches that are folding their doors and giving up.  The church (God's people united) has for so many years squandered the freedom we have had to reach out as never before and let our differences in the theory of reaching hold us back from being a unified force.  And now things are changing again and God is pushing us all out from under the canopy of laziness and indifference to reach our world or die.  Of course in the state of confusion, we see that direction is lacking and everyone is running their own crazy race based on their own impressions of what being a church really is and God remains patient....or does He?  Remember God is not the author confusion, but satan is, and the confused state of the church, and believers, are to never be without direction and purpose.  We can see the state of confusion is causing everyone to "run for the door" to keep from having to feel guilt or conviction at all.  For believers, that run will end up hitting a wall at some time or another, and causing us to turn and get back in line with God's ways.  Until then the confusion remains.  All of this comes back to the town called Squander.  It is a town with so much potential, but so little accomplished.  This town is a place of doing nothing, but what is the status quo.  It is the town that lives on tradition and of course, no new thing.  It is a trap for all of the gifts and talents given to those who now live there.  Gift and talents given by God and not given to live in Squander anymore.  You may ask,"What can be done?"  If you are headed to this town, turn around and go the other way and use what God has given you to live to the fullest for Him.  If you are already in this town, then pack up and move to a place where your life will have spiritual purpose again.  The Road to Squander has been paved with good intentions, buried talents, unused gifts, and many other things.  The Road is also very WIDE, which is a good indication God is not in the paving process.  That process comes from our lack of desire, passion, ingenuity, and purpose to make a difference with our life.  Whatever you have lost there through the years of your life can be reclaimed and used again when you stop and turn around and give all out commitment to the "road builder" Jesus Christ.  When you get on His road it will be paved with strong commitment, unified love for each other, challenging each other in accountability, and a commitment to use what God has given you.  That road will lead to fulfillment, and that will result in a Godly state of purpose, that will result in a nation of movement, that will result in a world of hope.  All of that is possible by the great I AM, and no one else.  Use what God has given you and then He will give you more and more to accomplish the mission He has set out before us.

There is a story about a woman who fell out of a second-floor window and landed in a slow-moving garbage truck.  Half-buried in the litter, she tried without success to get the truck-drivers's attention.  A foreign diplomat standing on the sidewalk saw her and quipped, "another example of how wasteful Americans are.  That woman look like she's good for at least another 10 years."

Funny story, but true as I believe we are surely good for another run at this "win the world" thing aren't we?  Let's be found giving it all we can and see what God will do.  I think there is more to this life than what we are seeing right now and the time to find it out is now.

Proverbs 8:33 - "Mark a life of discipline and live wisely; don't squander your precious life."

Romans 13:13 -"We can't afford to waste a minute, must not squander these precious daylight hours in frivolity and indulgence, in sleeping around and dissipation, in bickering and grabbing everything in sight. 

2 Corinthians 6:1 - "Companions as we are in this work with you, we beg you, please don't squander one bit of this marvelous life God has given us."

Tomorrow's blog will share how to make the most of every day for Christ and how to get in line with His will for your life.  Won't it be great to be a shining light in the midst of so much darkness.  Let's travel together on the road to redemption....

The Pilgrimage continues......

David Warren

Stand Strong, Stand True

Solitary - done or existing alone....As humans we are people of the people.  We like to be around each other for the most part and that desire to be "in the crowd" is something that can be used for the good or for the bad.  It's for this reason that hardened criminals are sometimes put in solitary confinement for a period of time.  No interaction with anyone else, and confinement in a small cell that is away from the main flow of the action.  The plan is to break people, but many just become accustomed to their surroundings and live on.  We lived near San Francisco, California in the 80's and we had some great times of getting to visit places we had only seen on TV.  One place we traveled to was Alcatraz Prison in the San Francisco Bay, right across from the city.  It was amazing that a bustling city like San Francisco was just a few hundred yards from one of the most famous full security prisons in the world.  As we approached it I remember thinking, "Man these guys are really isolated on this rock island."  They were isolated, but a much worse isolation was going to be shown to us on the inside.  As we traveled inside the prison the history of the Island was shared with us, and it was very interesting.  Then the tour took a much different turn as we went down a hallway that housed the solitary confinement cells.  They told us of the solitary confinement of the notorious Al Capone and the thinking behind this type of imprisonment.  The next thing that happened made it all come vividly to life for me.  He asked for volunteers to go in one of the cells and warned that he would shut the door behind you.  Of course, I volunteered and took my few steps toward the waiting door and the smiling tour guide.  As I went by him, he said, "This is going to be a life changing experience for you."  I stepped in the prison cell that had a really dark outer area, and then stepped in the inner cell and he closed the door.  Total darkness!  I mean total isolation and in my mind I really got scared.  I was so glad when he opened the door.  My perspective changed for the rest of the tour and I had a great appreciation for the impact of being in "solitary."   There are two sides of Solitary, and two very different perspectives to learn from it.  There is the solitary a person who doesn't know Christ experiences in their life every day.  They are imprisoned and put in solitary sin confinement due to the sin in their lives.  Their prison is unbelief and the key that could open their cell door is waiting for them but they don't know that there is a key at all.  They just go through every day away from the loving God who died to get the key.  They don't think the cell is dark because it is what they have always been used to, so it is normal.  But it isn't.....  They don't know that there is a new life of freedom just on the other side of the prison door, but they can't know about it unless someone tells them about it.  This is where the dark side of solitary comes into focus.   Those of us who have been freed from the dark cell and prison can tell them about the key that is waiting to open their prison door.   It is imperative that we share this message of hope to those who are imprisoned and in darkness.  It is time to Stand Strong and Stand True.  1 Timothy 2:4-6, "He wants not only us but everyone saved, you know, everyone to get to know the truth we've learned: that there's one God and only one, and one Priest-Mediator between God and us-Jesus, who offered Himself in exchange for everyone held captive by sin, to set them all free.  Eventually the news is going to get out." It would be such a tragedy to keep this freedom from those who are imprisoned.  Sure, they are in prison because of their sin, but we were there too and know what it feels like to hear the message of freedom and then get to choose Christ.  Of course, some people will see the open door and be afraid or non-believing enough to walk back in the prison cell and stay there.......in darkness.  The point is "we must at least tell them!" The great thing about this message we carry is there is lasting power in it.  In Acts 5:19-42,  the Apostles were seeing God do great miracles as they proclaimed the name of Jesus and the hope He gives.  The High Priest rose up against them in jealousy and had them put in the public jail.  During the night an angel came and opened the prison doors and set them free.  The Word of God could not be imprisoned....The angel didn't tell them to go hide out, but said, "Go, stand and speak to the people in the temple the whole message of this Life."  When they heard this they entered the temple at daybreak and began to teach.  The High Priest wasn't through yet and continued to try and thwart their preaching but God used a well known learned man by the name of Gamaliel to reason with the high priest and so the High Priest beat them and let them go.  He told them when they left, "Do not speak anymore in the name of Jesus."  The apostles felt honored that they could be whipped for the sake of Christ and every day after that continued to teach the whole message of Christ in the temple and house to house.

Here's the whole thing in a nutshell.  No one really wants to live in solitary confinement.  The only ones who can tell them about the key are those who are free....us.  If we will dedicate to share that message, no amount of restrictions put on us by the world will keep that message from being shared, if we will Stand Strong, Stand True.  Which brings to mind the point.  Have you been around people who are in prison much lately?  If not, maybe you need to take a tour to the prison they are in and it will compel you to share with them how to get out of that prison.  A little side note:  Alcatraz means Island of the Pelicans. When you go to Alcatraz, you don't even think a thing about Pelicans.  The name of the Island that keeps lost people captive is Sin.  The more I get to know of Christ it makes me realize that when I look at the Island of the world, freedom is not the first thing that comes to mind. Stand Strong, Stand True.....G.K. Chesterton said "There are an infinity of angles at which one falls, only one at which one stands."  Christ is our ANGLE and with Him we will stand!!!

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Sherlock Holmes - A Game of Shadows

In the world of detectives there are few names that can outdo the reputation of the fictional character, Sherlock Holmes.  Holmes was created by author and physician, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle in 1887, and grew more and more fame through the followings years as the astute detective who solved one case after another.  Sherlock Holmes was in a class by himself as he used forensic science and a super sharp intellect to solve the most difficult cases with relative ease.  What would usually escape the normal eye would catch his eye as he consulted with the police and helped them bring criminals to justice.  He is a character that has stood the test of time as the reemergence of Sherlock and his sidekick, Dr. Watson, has been seen in two movies featuring Robert Downey Jr. and Jude Law.  Also, the TV show, Elementary has risen to the top of the heap of late night television with a modern day Sherlock and a female sidekick.  It's amazing that something written before the turn of the century could garnish such strong interest in our modern day world.  But it has.....

Ah, the art of mystery is always a compelling and attractive draw for most people, and especially for me.  I love to see the unfolding of a story that makes the mysterious become the obvious.  It is that love for mystery that draws me in again and again.

What is it about mystery that compels such a following, that captures our eye, that draws us in to know more.  Some say it's curiosity at it's highest level, and some say it is our habitual desire to uncover everything unknown.  I believe both are true and for me the unknown has always been fascinating.  The definition of curiosity is the strong desire to know or learn something.  It is this curiosity that helps me discover more and more of the truths of God's Word, and also puts more and more pieces of this puzzle we call life together.  Oh, I'm no expert, even with my many years as a believer, I struggle to keep interest and at times just drift.  The great thing about the Holy Spirit is He won't let my ship drift without giving me a gentle breeze to get me going in the right direction again.  It is this breeze that directs me from truth to truth in God's Word, to keep me on track and on course.  You may say, "what's the big thing with mystery?"  If you look in Colossians chapter 1 and 2, you will see that the exposure of truth in the midst of mystery means eternal life in heaven and abundant life here on earth for those who are curious.  In 1: 26 and  27 Paul says, "that is, the mystery which has been hidden from the past ages and generations, but has now been manifested to His saints, to whom God willed to make known what is the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles, which is Christ in you, the hope of glory."  In this case, curiosity doesn't kill the cat, but gives full and complete understanding to those living in the shadows.  Paul goes on to say it is our need to proclaim Him to every man that makes us come to life as believers.  But it gets better.  In verses 1-3 of Chapter 2 in Colossians Paul goes on to hammer the point that the mystery is Christ Jesus Himself.  He continues to share that when that mystery is solved through faith in Jesus, all other mysteries begin to be solved in the wisdom that comes from that one thing, a regenerated life. Paul makes a very bold statement in verse 3 where he says, "in whom are hidden all the treasures of wisdom and knowledge."  Woh!  This is huge for those who know Christ.  It also further emphasizes a truth Jesus gave in Matthew 6:21 where He says, "It's obvious, isn't it?  The place where your treasure is, is the place you will most want to be, and end up being."  Paul spoke about this treasure truth to his son in the faith, Timothy, in 1 Timothy 6:20  where he says, "And oh, my dear Timothy, guard the treasure you were given!  Guard it with you life.  Avoid the talk-show religion and the practiced confusion of the so-called experts." Here is the truth of the whole thing.  If we have Christ in our life, life is NOT A MYSTERY!  That's it, that's the truth and that truth opens a whole new way of thinking and perceiving those things around us.  This is where the truth starts to get a little bit weird though.  It's start to cause us to really fine tune our faith and start looking at things through God-inspired glasses. It starts to bring questions to mind.  Like what if the way we do church and live our Christian faith in America is not exactly what God wants, and what if the way we do things is not directly from the treasure of truth that God has given us, but it is from second hand information and tradition that has long since become ineffective?  What if, instead of God's Truth progressing in our lives and radically changing us, we are getting "filtered truth" that is filtered through religion and denomination?  You may say, "David you ask too many questions.  You have been in a denominational ministry for over 30 years, so just drink the kool aid and live out your life."  If you are saying that to me, then you are saying it to the wrong guy.  It is this great truth that compels me to ask why, and why not when God's Word upsets my apple cart.  Remember, we only question when we look realistically at where we are in life, and those questions keep us from becoming stale and ineffective as believers.

Back to Sherlock Holmes and his strong desire to solve the mystery.  His Nemesis, Moriarty, tried to keep the truth from surfacing so he could conquer the world, when the world was asleep to the fact that he was building a huge war machine.  Sherlock saw the clues and pursued exposing Moriarty and thus exposing the lies he had put in place to confuse those in power.  In the end Sherlock was willing to give his life to expose the truth and thus bring light to the shadows.  Just like Jesus came and gave His life and brought light into the shadows of man's reasoning, and brought light and life in the midst of hurt and despair.  Jesus is the ultimate mystery solver, because He is the answer to the mystery that lived in the shadows.  His light has exposed the truth that we believers treasure in our hearts.  He is the one who goes ahead of us, guiding us from one truth to the next.  I believe it is imperative that we follow Him and His truth in these perilous times and expose the truth to everyone we meet so that they too can see the truth, and thus come out of the shadows into the light.  No more mysteries.  The light has come to abolish the shadows and the evil one has been exposed, and a life has been given to keep that truth exposed and growing.  May it ever be so in our lives.

1 John 1:1-3, "From the very first day, we were there, taking it all in-we heard it with our own ears, saw it with our own eyes, verified it with our own hands.  The Word of Life appeared right before our eyes; we saw it happen!  And now we're telling you in most sober prose that what we witnessed was, incredibly, this: The infinite Life of God himself took shape before us.  We saw it, we heard it, and now we're telling you so you can experience it along with us, this experience of communion with the Father and His Son, Jesus Christ." 

The mystery is solved.  The light has come.  His name is Jesus and He is the treasure we carry in our hearts every day.  He is the hope and He is the life.  My Savior!!  May I never compromise His truth by believing the truth from man.

The Pilgrimage continues....

David Warren

Without A Trace

Trace - Follow or mark the position of something or someone with one's eye, mind, or finger.   A TV show came out in 2002 and ended in 2009 called Without a Trace.  It was basically about a special FBI unit that dealt with missing persons cases, and their main goal was to find those who had been considered missing.  I watched quite a few episodes and some of the things that came out of it really sparked my interest about how a person can "go missing."  The investigators would bring out the importance of time, location, and motive in almost every study.  The time element was an important factor because the more time that passed, the further a person's whereabouts would be compromised.  The "trail" would become cold very quickly and the possibility of finding the missing person would lessen with each moment of every day.  The location covered many different dynamics and the investigators would want to know where the person was at a certain time and trace their location up to the point they went missing.  Their location was vital information in helping the investigators pinpoint where to start from and how to go from point A to their point B.   If they believed foul play was involved the motive of the person kidnapping the victim would need to be established to see where the criminal would be taking the victim and what their plans were for them.  Of course, these three factors were just a small part of an elaborate way of tracing a person's location in order to find them.

When I think of God's Hand and how many people He put  in my life, I marvel at how God would reach out to me and offer me salvation.  I also marvel at the way He has continued to guide me through His grace as I "find' more and more of His great plans for me and my world.  I say my world because this is the world I live in, and the people I come in contact with, whether for a short time, or for all my life, are  intricate parts of how God found me and how I continue finding more of Him.

In my life, time is also very important.  The time I take every day cannot be replaced, and if I choose to lose myself in my wants and desires, I start to lose what God wants for me in His great will.  The great thing about God is I am not lost "without a trace."  God is always watching and caring for me and working His plan for my best.  In Jeremiah 29:11 Gods Word says, "I know what I'm doing.  I have it all planned out- plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for."  Boy, that is awesome news isn't it?  God's caring for me is not lost in the shuffle of life and His great love for me is shown by how much He wants to maximize my days and bless me.  God's love for me is evident in Jesus teaching where He says in Matthew 10:30, "He pays even greater attention to you, down to the last detail-even numbering the hairs on your head."  Keep in mind, that is the Son of God, telling us what God the Father is like and how much He cares for every detail of our life.  Don't ever forget how much God wants to guide us and keep us close to Him and every day is an opportunity to grow closer, not further away, from God. 

When we think about location, we see a God who watches us when we are awake and asleep.  He doesn't go on vacation when it comes to keeping up with where we are and what we are doing.  Remember God is the One who commanded us to GO!!  Go where?  Wherever He sends us!  That is probably one of the most difficult things for believers to accept!  You see, going can mean staying in one town, all of your life, and raising your kids in that town so they get that home town feel...blah blah blah.  You know the user friendly routine of most Christians.  But it could be, or possibly can be, or might be that God wants us to GO to another location.  I'm just sayin.... He might want us to move away from the comforts of "little town America" and get out there in that big ole world and make some changes of our own.  If that's the case, then location is very important.  Of course, we know that we can bloom wherever we are planted because He is in us.  Just make sure you know that your garden is growing where God wants it to, and that your life is making a significant impact in the location where you can serve Him best!!!  I know my family has been moved literally "all over the country" and God has allowed us to see His mercy and grace come alive in areas we never thought we would travel to, much less live in.  His protection and calling on our children's lives were a result of this traveling that God put us through and I don't regret any of the "locations" of God's Call. Why?  Because He was right there with us and we could trace His hand on those moves through the lives that were touched.  If you have shut down and are not listening to God's call, then maybe you need to take your hands off your ears and listen for the call of God in the area of "location."

The last thing that was brought out in the show "without a trace" was the motive.  The why of what happens is a big part of the core reasoning for it.  I could easily say, "why did God choose to use me?" The many times I failed God were paled by the overwhelming forgiveness that only He can give.  His motive was to use a very weak, and unworthy person like me to show His grace, and His mercy.  For that, I must praise Him and thank Him with a devoted life!!  I must!!  His motives are seen in the purity of His commitment in sending His Son, Jesus to die for my sins when I least deserved it.  His motives are seen in the many times He forgives again and again, and offers me more chances to pour my life out for Him.  His motives are felt in the blessed satisfaction of knowing that I am no longer lost "without a trace", but found in the grip of His grace.  A grace that compels me to find others as well, and share the awesome realization that Jesus is alive, and His hope is for all who will come, and repent, and believe.  

As for me, I am a part of a very specialized unit called "the saints" who are going about seeking the lost, reclaiming those who have strayed, and helping them find where they need to be.  With God.  If you ever lose touch with me, I hope you will always be able to find me where God is working, and that I will be working there too. That way you can always trace me to where I need to be in my life, serving God.   If you have a prodigal heart and your desires for what you want have led you astray, come back to God.  He wants to locate you in the center of His Will and start making every day count for Him.  Then you will be able to trace what God has done in your life and see evidence of His mighty hand.  I hope you have that kind of heart and that it is your desire to be "found" in Him and not "lost" without Him.  If I'm choosing, found is the one I choose, with a trace of salt in my life.

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren

Spiritual Sleep Study - Maranatha!!

The word "maranatha" is a Syriac expression that means: "our Lord comes."  It was used as a greeting in the early church.  When believers gathered or parted, they didn't say "hello" or "goodbye" but "Maranatha."  If we had the same upward look today, it would revolutionize the church.  O that God's people  had a deepening awareness of the imminent return of the Savior!  (Our Daily Bread)

When you woke up this morning what was the first thought that came into your mind?  Or better yet, when you went to sleep last night, what was the last thought on your mind?  Followers of the way in New Testament times were constantly anticipating the return of Jesus, and their thoughts were always going heavenward.  There was an urgency to tell others the Good News of Jesus' return and His salvation while it was still light.  The Apostle Paul taught about the Lord's Return in 1 Thessalonians 5 by saying in verse 2 "For you yourselves know full well that the day of the Lord will come just like a thief in the night."   In other words, we don't know when Jesus will come, so those who don't know Jesus need to hear that He is coming from those who know Him.  His coming won't catch us by surprise as those who don't know Christ, because we are not going to be asleep at the wheel.  In verse 4 Paul says, "But you, brethren, are not in darkness, that the day would overtake you like a thief." The reason we won't be surprised is because the return of our Savior is what turns the crank in our life.  Looking for Jesus is the fuel that runs our life and as we study God's Word, fellowship with other believers, and minister in this world, we see more and more evidence that it will be soon.   Just as sure as prophecy was fulfilled when Jesus, the Messiah, came and lived on this earth, went to the cross and died, and rose on the Third Day, He is coming again.  MARANATHA!!!  Paul gives a warning in verse 6 that we all need to heed, "So then let us not sleep as others do, but let us be alert and sober.  For those who sleep do their sleeping at night, and those who get drunk get drunk at night."  If we were to do a "Spiritual Sleep Study" on those people it would indicate that they are numbing themselves to the truth of the gospel.  It also means they are not thinking about "what may come" in the days ahead.  Scripture says they are people of the night and that they have a darkness in their thinking, and thus we have the statement "thief in the night."  Sadly enough, there are many Christians who have moved to the "dark side" (ala Star Wars) in their thinking and the talk of Christ coming back soon is almost laughed at by them.  Verse 10 speaks to them and those who are anticipating Christ' return, as both will go to heaven, but it's much bigger than just going to heaven.  Those who know Christ and aren't anticipating His return need to be encouraged and reminded to "live on the edge" and make the most of every day.  That's where the greeting Maranatha by early Christians was so vital.  It is a reminder, a wake up call, for those who know Christ but may have fallen asleep in preparation for His Coming.  I guess you could say it was some of the very first "accountability" that keeps all Christians "on point" and growing.  It's like in a service where the worship leader or pastor says "Amen" about a truth from God's Word and He waits for a reply from those in the congregation as a response.  Some may say about that practice "you are just trying to get an amen" and they are right.  A response is a wake up call for those who are starting to experience the numbness of just "living life."  The abundant life is supposed to be much more than just living.  It is actually living a full, vibrant life with leftovers.  Paul wrote to the Romans in 15:13, "May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit."

Once again, what was the last thing you thought about before you went to sleep last night? Was it Jesus?   What thought filled your mind first thing this morning?  Was it about Jesus?  I remember hearing of a person who went in to do a sleep study and they couldn't go to sleep!  They stayed awake all night.  Why?  Get this; they were worried about not falling asleep for the study, so that kept them awake.  How crazy is that?  Maybe we need to be a little more concerned about falling asleep, and not expecting or anticipating the return of Christ.  Perhaps we need to practice staying awake by reading God's Word with more purpose and passion.  It could be that we really need to get someone who will help us stay awake when all others around us are falling asleep.  Seek out that someone and when you see them say, Maranatha, and get them to say it back to you.  Also, tonight before you go off into lala land in your bed, quietly say, Maranatha.  When you get up in the morning say Maranatha.  That could be some of the overflow of the abundant life you have been missing lately and keep in mind, if you are looking upward to God for everything, your perspective on the life around you when you look back down will be totally different.  If we were to have God look at the results of our Spiritual Sleep Study, He would probably say, you are getting way too much sleep.  Time to wake up.  Revelation 16:15, "Behold, I come like a thief!  Blessed is he who stays awake and keeps his clothes with him, so that he may not go naked and be shamefully exposed." Jesus is coming again so WAKE UP AND LIVE!!!

The Pilgrimage continues......

David Warren 

I Only Have Eyes for You

It is said that Cyrus, the founder of the Persian Empire, once had captured a prince and his family. When they came before him, the monarch asked the prisoner, "What will you give me if I release you?" "The half of my wealth," was his reply. "And if I release your children?" "Everything I possess." "And if I release your wife?" "Your Majesty, I will give myself." Cyrus was so moved by his devotion that he freed them all. As they returned home, the prince said to his wife, "Wasn't Cyrus a handsome man!" With a look of deep love for her husband, she said to him, "I didn't notice. I could only keep my eyes on you- -the one who was willing to give himself for me."

In Genesis 22 we see the testing of Abraham by God.  His test was this; verse 2 "Take your son, your only son, whom you love-Isaac- and go to the region of Moriah.  Sacrifice him there as a burnt offering on a mountain I will show you."   If that had been me, I would have replied ok, ok, and then when I heard the sacrifice son part, I would have had to ask.  Are you sure?  What did Abraham do?  The very next verse says, "Early the next morning Abraham got up and loaded his donkey." STOP!!!  That's it?  He got up first thing the next morning and went about his business of getting ready to go to a mountain and kill his son?  Yes!  Two blogs ago I spoke to the righteousness that Abraham had and how it was given to him because of his faith.  Here is a glowing example of what kind of faith he had and how that faith was more than belief.  It was a lifestyle!  In verse 6 it's worthy to note that Isaac was carrying the wood for himself to be sacrificed.  Not only did Abraham trust God, but Isaac trusted Abraham, his father.  Just a side note:  We need more fathers to show Godliness and more of their sons to follow that example of Godliness by honoring their father.  So, they are going up to the altar built for the sacrifice and Isaac looks at his father and says in verse 7, "Behold, the fire and the wood, but where is the lamb for  the burnt offerings?" Without hesitation in verse 8 Abraham said, "God will provide for Himself the lamb for the burnt offering, my son."  Little did Isaac know, but it was him who was going to be the sacrifice.  Abraham's faith was being tested and his testing showed a love for God that was incomparable.  It was this kind of faith that prompted God to say that Abraham would be blessed, as well as, all his descendants from that time on.  Of course, an angel stopped Abraham short of killing Isaac and God provided a lamb for the sacrifice. Wow, the willingness by one man to sacrifice his son as God had so ordained.   Does this sound familiar?  Of course it does!!  God needed a lamb to sacrifice for the sins of the world, once and for all.  God chose to give His Son, Jesus, to make the ultimate sacrifice.  In this one act of love He made it possible for all of those who receive Christ to be blessed forever and ever.   Just like Abraham and Isaac went up the mountain God had picked for their sacrifice, Jesus carried the cross up Golgotha, the place of the skull, to complete His sacrifice for you and for me.  Abraham's faith in that sacrifice was counted for him as righteousness.  Jesus sacrifice on the cross was what made it possible for you and me to be counted as righteous.  What a parallel these stories are in life.  There is another sacrifice though.  It is the one we make when we give our life to Jesus in full obedience.  We don't have to die  physically, but each of us is called to take up our cross and follow Jesus.  Many times this is the part that believers forget and their effectiveness in sharing the message of Christ is compromised.  But, those who do follow God's Word and live that kind of life make a huge impact on everyone they meet.  In so many ways, we are living and breathing the Gospel because it lives on in each of us.  

It is imperative that we focus on what Christ' sacrifice meant for each of us and how we should honor it with our lives.  I want you to pause and picture the hill Jesus died  on and picture if it was you who had to die for someone when you had done nothing.  That sacrifice should make us pause and lift our eyes to the hills and say, "thank you Jesus."  That way when we go about our everyday life it will reflect that we only have eyes for Jesus.  No split obedience, with some for the world, and some for God.  All out faith and focus on Him and His will.  What will make that happen?  When we fully realize the sacrifice He made for us, we will only be able to keep our eyes on Him.  All other "stuff" is just earth living....That's all...

The Pilgrimage continues.....

David Warren