Today’s In Touch Devotional was a powerful message to all believers, Here it is in it’s entirety;

 

1 Corinthians 3:1-3

 

 

When we are called into a new life with Christ, we will encounter obstacles. One of the biggest barriers is the culture in which we live. We may not ever recognize the danger we are in until we fall. Let’s look honestly at our world.

 

First, it’s a secular culture, which means it has little interest in religious matters or the Bible. It teaches us to trust in ourselves and in the things we can see rather than in our unseen triune God.

 

Our world is also materialistic. Its primary focus is on accumulating possessions and gaining wealth, not on caring about others and giving sacrificially. Tragically, many of the things our culture values stand in opposition to the way Jesus calls us to live. When Scripture contradicts what our society believes, it’s not uncommon for people to belittle our lifestyle as narrow-minded and extreme.

 

In many ways, our society is spiritually rebellious, in that it defies both the laws of God and the laws of man; obedience is considered optional. A large percentage of the population rejects God’s viewpoint on intimacy and marriage in order to please self—as a result, immorality is prevalent. But they have been deceived into thinking that they can violate God’s laws without any consequences.

 

Unless we’re careful, we can fall prey to the world’s traps. The key to avoiding its snares is God’s Word. When we study Scripture, the Holy Spirit will identify lies we are believing and show how we can apply God’s truth to set us free. Are you immersed in the culture or in God’s truth?

 

It is vital that we remember who we are, and who we belong to.

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

Forty three years ago, today, I made the second best promise of my life, to love Sherelene for the rest of my life.  The best promise was to accept and honor Christ, and Sherelene would agree with those rankings.  God has so richly blessed us with a wonderful family, our health, and a fantastic life together.

 

I met my bride when my father was in the hospital recovering from cataract surgery.  This pretty student nurse came by and I asked her if she would get my father a cup of ice water.  She responded she would check his chart and see if he was allowed to have some.  I assured her it would be fine!  She later told me I was the cockiest guy she had ever met. We went out shortly after that and we both only kept one other pre agreed to date after that, with those obligations taken care of, we never dated anyone else, ever again….

 

Our relationship of forty three years has had it share of challenges, highs, and lows, but through it all we’ve stuck together, supported, and prayed for one another, and our love has grown stronger and better.  Sherelene once remarked that she raised four children, our three, and me!  I’m afraid it is true, and she did a great job with our three children, she’s still working on me, the perpetual child!. Once I grow up, I hope to grow old with  her!

 

Thnak you sweetheart for honoring me with your love, and allowing me to be a part of your life! Happy Anniversary!

 

the pilgrim

This morning on Mike & Mike in the Morning,  (a sports show on ESPN), the talk was about Lebron James.  Last night he scored over 30 points for his 6th straight game and hit over 60% of his shots, a record in the NBA. The all morning discussion was is he now the greatest basketball player of all time toping Michael Jordan?  All of the sports basketball legends called in to debate who was the greatest! It was entertaining, revealing, and completely irrelevant.

 

I love sports, I love sports because it’s just a game, nothing more, nothing less  We hype it into the be all, end all, but in the end, it’s just a game!  The world would love for us to assign extreme value to things that are not so valuable.  Life is a contest where a heavy person skates on thin ice. We usually find ourselves on thin ice, because we willingly  skated out on to it!  There is a solution though, skate somewhere else!

 

Choose what you value carefully.  Make the decision to invest in something that will accrue great value, Him!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

I love this camera bag tag, I have on one of my Domke bags.  I have long subscribed to this philosophy, that it’s the journey not the destination.  Spiritually, it’s both!  If we belong to Him we know the destination, the journey is all down here, and it’s all about how many will we take with us!!! The problem is do you have a plan on how you will try to get people to decide to want the same destination you are going to?

 

Can we tell people where they should want to go?  No, not really, most people will not listen to that kind of advise.  Can we scare them into a decision for Christ, some have certainly tried, but I don’t think that works as often as some people think it does.  It is always best to see how Jesus did it!  It is simple if you read the New Testament, He loved them until they couldn’t resist!!!  It may seem too simple but peopel don’t care how much you know, until they know how much you care!!!  Christ proved it.  His love compelled others to want to know Him, and follow Him.

 

Are you compelling others to want to know your Heavenly Father?  Love is the Answer…..

 

blessings,

 

the pilgrim