Eating Habits

Looking into some data, it appears that we can survive anywhere from 4-6 weeks without food, and in normal temperature situations about 10 days without water.

Scripture

John 21:12

Jesus said to them, "Come and have breakfast"

Observation

Answer honestly, how are your eating habits? The nutritional guru's say that we should eat 4-6 small meals throughout the day. In reality what do we do? Grab a cup of coffee, with a granola bar, maybe eat lunch if not caught up in some intense immediate business need, and plob down with some type of casserole for dinner. The 4th meal is a plate of cookies, piece of pie, a bowl of ice cream before we go to bed! Do your meals sound anything like mine? That has not made me healthy. But if I would eat more natural foods, vegetables and fruits more often, along with some protein my body would be stronger and run better. Jesus has invited me to come and have breakfast, but what type of breakfast am I having with him?

Application

Jesus told me in John 7:38 that by believing in him I would have living water flow within me. He told me in John 6:68 that his words are eternal life. In John 6:48 he proclaims that He is the bread of life. As I stated in the opening, I am able to "survive" for a certain period of time without food, but do I just want to survive or do I want to thrive. Maybe there should be a show called "The Thriver", someone who is the most balanced, healthiest, etc. I think we all want to thrive, but do I feed myself enough to thrive. Spiritually speaking. Do I get my 4-6 meals a day? Or am I surviving more on my one meal a week plan. I've even had a Christian tell me that they did not need to go to church or read the word because they've heard it before and would not learn anything new. They are really stretching the 4-6 weeks without food.

Am I regularly partaking from the Bread of Life, or am I eating off some Wonder Bread from the day old store? Am I picking up the pitcher which has living water in it, and pouring the fresh, clear, eternal water into a glass or am I going to the back yard with my pail and dipping it into a green pond? Really. Think about what your spiritual eating habits are? Am I feeding my spirit with worthless and harmful nutrients, or am I frequently sitting down with Jesus, as he calls me come sit with him, and consuming the fullness of His Bread and the wonder of His Living Water?

Prayer

Father, You sent Jesus for my survival, but not just survival but to thrive. I pray that you would help me today to make the right choices with my spiritual eating habits. You have provided me with the Bread of Life and Living Water, but sometimes I want to rewrite the menu and fill it in with things that "look or sound good". May my taste buds continue to be refined that your Bread of Life and Living Water will be all I desire. Amen.

This is Who I am?

Scripture
John 17:17
Sanctify them by your truth, your word is truth.

Observation
The entire chapter of John 17 is incredible, as Jesus is praying for us. To read it slowly word by word, to see Jesus looking towards heaven and petitioning the Father for me, gives great insight into the love the Father and Christ has for us. Then we get to verse 17. Jesus asks God to sanctify me. What does that really mean? Here are multiple definitions of it; 1)To make sacred or holy; to set apart; 2)To make free from sin; to cleanse from moral corruption and pollution; to purify; 3)To impart or impute sacredness. Hold on, stop the presses....Jesus is asking God to make me holy, to set me free from sin, to not only cleanse me but to purify me, and to impart sacredness to me. Here's a question. Did God answer that prayer? The answer is absolutely yes.

Application
If the prayer was answered and I am sanctified what am I to do next? Should I get some more AquaNet and puff my hair up high, should I get some big gold cuff links, should I wear big gold rings, should I sit in a big gold chair and act spiritual? I think some believers who think they are holy, think they are holier than all and so there is a very bad picture of sanctified. Jesus died to cover my sin setting me free from the bondage of sin, and I have been purified by his blood sacrifice. Romans 8:1 says that I am not condemned because I am in Christ, and I have been set free from the law of sin and death. The reality is that I am still human and still a sinner. BUT because Jesus paid the price for me, I am sanctified in the eyes of God. He set me free from sin, He washed all my sins away, He imparted His Holiness to me. Jesus prayed that I would be sanctified by the truth and the truth is Gods word. How do I make sure I am fully part of this sanctification? Stay in the truth, stay in the word. Surround myself with the things of God, and they will act as my defense from this sinful world. Sound simple, sound easy?; No. Is it truth that I have been set apart? Yes. And each day I spend with Christ and the Father, I am more set apart from the tentacles this world tries to tie me up in.

Prayer
Father, Thank you for sending Christ to be my sanctification, so I can be set free from this world. I do not want the things of this world, as they are as worthless as hay stubble in a fire; worth nothing and gone in seconds. I ask that you would continue the sanctification in me, continue burning me with the fire of your Holy Spirit so I am more purified today than yesterday. Skim the impurities from my life today, and I thank you for it. Amen.

"I think He's got it"

"By George, he's got it", would be a saying that might be heard in a movie about someone who finally understood something. Have you worked with that person? Time and time again, you have gone over the task or concept only to find out that it was not done correctly. Then you show them again, and something clicks and they get it. Solid. They see what the procedure is and how their part fits into it, and they now have it so good that you will not have to mention or review with them again. This person could be one of the "dull" ones I wrote about recently. The ones who Jesus had to call them out by saying, "are you still so dull?" But look at the scripture today:

Scripture:

John 16:31

You believe at last!

Observation

Jesus has continued day after day speaking truth to the disciples. They would complain and rumble among themselves about what Jesus meant by this and that; and Jesus knowing what they were thinking would readdress their concerns in "some dull speak". Finally, as Jesus is giving some last minute instructions the disciples say "we can see all things and we don't need to ask any more questions"(verse 29).

Jesus proclaims, "You believe at Last!!!!!" Can you imagine the smile and joy that Jesus had? After all the instructions, the miracles, the compassion, the peace, the wonder that the disciples saw each day to finally have them say "we've got it". I see it like a parent who is working daily with their athletically challenged child to get them to ride a bike. Time and time again the child gets on but falls off, even asking how the bike is supposed to work, and then at the end of a long week, 10-12 hours a day, late on a Friday evening and the parent just wants to go in an rest for a second, BUT the parent goes out one more time and helps the little guy get on the bike. This time they turn and tell the parent, "I think I've got it this time", and off they go. The joy the parent has as the child bikes away from them, squealing with delight and joy as they make their way down the sidewalk. The parent celebrates!!!

Application

What area in my life is Jesus continuing to instruct; waiting for me to say "I see that now, I won't question that"? I think the application is to keep my spiritual eyes open to what Jesus is speaking to me about. But how do I do that? Keep my eyes on the things of Jesus, and judge things from Jesus words. Jesus told me to have compassion. That doesn't mean just to people in my house. It means to the cashier at WalMart, after I have stood in line, behind just 3 people, for 35 minutes, because the cashier did not know how to clear a void or unjam the receipt tape. When I get to her, the love of Christ should greet her instead of Warren's festered flesh. I need to examine all areas of my life, to see if "I've got it", or I may still be a bit dull.

Prayer

Father, Thank you for sending your Spirit to instruct me, to direct me so that I will believe you at last. Thank you for the patience you have with me, as I peel off layers of this depraved flesh to reveal more of you. Amen.

The In Crowd

The In Crowd. The word "in" means used to indicate inclusion. So the question is am I part of the in crowd? Let me take inventory; I don't have 22's on the Safari van, I don't have a Gouchi watch, I don't have a Pierre Cardin sweater, I have a wife who does not have a Coach purse or set of shoes, I don't even have a 52" LCD HDTV: Sharp's LC-52SB55U Full HD 1080p LCD TV provides a slim, versatile high-definition television solution with a distinctive design. The LC-52SB55U features a high-performance Advanced Super View LCD panel for high brightness, a 10,000:1 Dynamic Contrast Ratio, low-reflection glare protection and wide viewing angles!-What is wrong with me. I don't get invited to parties with caviar and crackers, I don't get calls to meet my cronies at the country club to hit a round and the governor has not asked me to the inaugural ball, so I must conclude........ that I AM IN WITH THE IN CROWD.

Scripture
John 15:1-10
1"I am the true vine, and my Father is the gardener. 2He cuts off every branch in me that bears no fruit, while every branch that does bear fruit he prunes so that it will be even more fruitful. 3You are already clean because of the word I have spoken to you. 4Remain in me, and I will remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me.
5"I am the vine; you are the branches. If a man remains in me and I in him, he will bear much fruit; apart from me you can do nothing. 6If anyone does not remain in me, he is like a branch that is thrown away and withers; such branches are picked up, thrown into the fire and burned. 7If you remain in me and my words remain in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be given you. 8This is to my Father's glory, that you bear much fruit, showing yourselves to be my disciples.
9"As the Father has loved me, so have I loved you. Now remain in my love. 10If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love, just as I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love.

Observation
In this portion of scripture there are 9 references to me remaining in him, and 3 references to him being in me. Remember...in means to indicate inclusion. What a place be me to be. A sinner saved by grace, a man whom God is constantly shaking his head at "Warren what are you doing, you're killing me"-but covers me with the blood of the lamb and sees me through the redemption he provided, BUT YET I am included in God. Included in God. Wow. Jesus tells me that if I remain in Him, in His Vine, in His Love, in. Jesus wants me to come. If I come... I am in with the IN crowd.

Application
Remaining in him. Remaining means to continue to be as specified. Jesus died to cover the depth and depravity of my sin. When I accept that eternal gift I am in Christ. Galations 2:20 says I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. So how does. So what does it look like to have Christ in me, to have me remain in Christ, to continue in Christ? How do I remain with people around me? I talk with them, we sit down and have a cup of coffee and a scone, I share my thoughts, I listen for theirs, we laugh, I share hopes, I share disappointments; I have a working relationship with them. That relationship will continue, and continue and continue. If I approach it like this. "we said we would continue to be friends but I never call you, I'm kind of angry at you( not sure why),I never read the encouraging notes you leave for me, I won't listen to the wise counsel given that will keep me from huge mistakes and problems in my life, I don't share any of my hopes and desires, and I only complain that nothing good happens to me since we became friends." I have not continued in the relationship. So I need to remain in Christ, then I need to continue to talk with Christ, read the notes he has left for me, appreciate and love him for what he did for me(he saved me. I was going down a class 5 river with rapids all around, my head popping up and down(more down) gasping for breath and life and he threw me a life line and pulled me to shore, cleared my lungs, removed my wet clothes and provided me with new dry ones, made a fire for me for warmth, and walked me over to his cabin and had me sit in his hand made rocking chair, then gave me something warm to eat and said, "welcome in").

Prayer
Father, You have given me the path to be in with you. Thank you for that. It is nothing I have done, or can do. You established the route for me to be in you. I ask that you would take all the things away from me, that would attempt to cause me not to remain in you. Take my eyes off the things of this would that would draw me in to a 52" plasma, instead of into you; take my eyes of what my neighbor has and let them by onto you realizing what you have given me; take my heart which desires recognition and let me remain in you recognizing what you have done for me. Thank you for letting me be in the IN crowd. Only IN YOU. Amen.

Cut It or Prune It

Do ya know this guy; a dirty baseball hat, a baggy, flannel shirt over a T-shirt, a stained pair of jeans and leather boots, with leather gloves, working out in his garden or flower bed. I think we have all seen him.

What is he doing? Using an aerating machine so the lawn gets more oxygen, applying fertilizer for a richer and more abundant growth, trimming wild growths, pruning back branches and stems for fuller growth, carefully opening the soil to place a new plant, a long stemmed watering wand which provides soft and tender water instead of a hard forceful flow from a hose. The gardener has to get down in the dirt, close to where the plant is to examine its health. Are there aphids destroying the leaf/plant, are ants taking over the soil, are slugs coming in the still of the night and eating away all the healthy plant, etc? The good gardener has the best tools with which to work. A hoe to open up the soil and tear away weeds, a multitude of trimming devices( a set of small scissors or an extended ratcheted branch cutter), a shovel to turn the soil over, a rake to clear the area. Do you know this guy, have you seen him as well as I have?

Scripture

John 15:1-2

1I AM the True Vine, and My Father is the Gardener.
2Any branch in Me that does not bear fruit [that stops bearing] He cuts away (trims off, takes away); and He cleanses and repeatedly prunes every branch that continues to bear fruit, to make it bear more and richer and more excellent fruit.

Observation

God is my Gardener.

Application

God is the Gardener of my soul. Think about the gardener you have seen. This is what God is doing me. He is taking his pruning sheers from his work belt, and cutting everything from me that does not bear fruit. He is turning over the soil of my life. The Gardener knows best, He knows how to prune the plant effectively. He examines the plant, knowing exactly where to cut where there is NO fruit growing. As the plant, I may not recognize the area that is damaging the whole or what branch is not producing the best fruit, so the Gardener cuts. I need the cutting. I need the Gardener to look at me and cut the disease from me. What is the disease that needs to be cut off? Is it jealousy of my neighbors boat? Is it fits of rage over not getting a promotion? Is it selfishness about "things" I have? Is it the idolatry of me putting all my time into a hobby and nothing for the Lord? Is it gossipping about those I don't know? Is it the my impure thoughts? But God is there to do more than cut me up, where there is but a stem of me left. He is also going to make me produce lots and lots of fruit because he is going to prune me. The definition of pruning is: to remove the undesirable. Praise the Lord. God my Gardener is going to remove the undesirable things in me. I can only be thankful that God loves me enough to cut and remove things from me. Will it hurt, will it set me back? It might. But my Gardener knows everything about this plant and how to make it strong, and beautiful, and full of fragrance, and reproductive, and full of life. It will be a good day when the Gardener walks towards me with scissors.....I know I am receiving the fullness of the Gardeners Love and Care.

Prayer

Father, Thank you for being my Gardener. You want to cut away the waste in me, and prune back the undesirable so I will be bear more fruit. The fruit I bear is not for MY use, I receive no benefit, but the fruit I produce will benefit your Kingdom, your Way, your Word. Thank you for letting me produce for you, so cut and prune me into what could only be described as "God Shaped". Amen.

Comfort-Coffee/Chocolate/Credit Cards or Christ?

Scripture

John 14
Jesus Comforts His Disciples
1"Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me. 2In my Father's house are many rooms; if it were not so, I would have told you. I am going there to prepare a place for you. 3And 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. 4You know the way to the place where I am going."

Jesus the Way to the Father
5Thomas said to him, "Lord, we don't know where you are going, so how can we know the way?"
6Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. 7If you really knew me, you would know my Father as well. From now on, you do know him and have seen him."
8Philip said, "Lord, show us the Father and that will be enough for us."
9Jesus answered: "Don't you know me, Philip, even after I have been among you such a long time? Anyone who has seen me has seen the Father. How can you say, 'Show us the Father'? 10Don't you believe that I am in the Father, and that the Father is in me? The words I say to you are not just my own. Rather, it is the Father, living in me, who is doing his work. 11Believe me when I say that I am in the Father and the Father is in me; or at least believe on the evidence of the miracles themselves. 12I tell you the truth, anyone who has faith in me will do what I have been doing. He will do even greater things than these, because I am going to the Father. 13And I will do whatever you ask in my name, so that the Son may bring glory to the Father. 14You may ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it.

Jesus Promises the Holy Spirit
15"If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. The world cannot accept him, because it neither sees him nor knows him. But you know him, for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. 19Before long, the world will not see me anymore, but you will see me. Because I live, you also will live. 20On that day you will realize that I am in my Father, and you are in me, and I am in you. 21Whoever has my commands and obeys them, he is the one who loves me. He who loves me will be loved by my Father, and I too will love him and show myself to him."
22Then Judas (not Judas Iscariot) said, "But, Lord, why do you intend to show yourself to us and not to the world?"
23Jesus replied, "If anyone loves me, he will obey my teaching. My Father will love him, and we will come to him and make our home with him. 24He who does not love me will not obey my teaching. These words you hear are not my own; they belong to the Father who sent me.
25"All this I have spoken while still with you. 26But the Counselor, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you all things and will remind you of everything I have said to you. 27Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives. Do not let your hearts be troubled and do not be afraid.
28"You heard me say, 'I am going away and I am coming back to you.' If you loved me, you would be glad that I am going to the Father, for the Father is greater than I. 29I have told you now before it happens, so that when it does happen you will believe. 30I will not speak with you much longer, for the prince of this world is coming. He has no hold on me, 31but the world must learn that I love the Father and that I do exactly what my Father has commanded me. "Come now; let us leave.

Observation
Jesus is preparing to be betrayed. He is telling the disciples what life will look like after he leaves. So he is telling me how I can react to this out-of-control world. Let's take a look.

Application
What brings me comfort? In Puyallup there is a "Comfort Food Cafe", which might bring me comfort. There's chocolate, coffee, a fat juicy steak, a book, a quiet time in front fireplace, spending money on a credit card, a vacation, a long walk, sitting on top of a mountain by myself; what is it for you? When I look at my list here's what I see. Some things that are pleasurable to me, but they are things which will end. I'll finish my coffee, eat through the chocolate, the fire will go out, I'll finish the book, I'll have to climb down from the mountain top and return home, so after all these things are finished will I still have comfort or will I need more of something else to give me another level of comfort? If I follow the darken world's ways, I will need to keep "reloading" to get a false comfort for a fleeting moment. But Jesus is telling me about a lasting comfort; God living in me through his Holy Spirit. He tells me that God will never run out of giving me comfort. I will never be a Comfort Orphan. He has revealed himself to me, I obey his word, God knows me, He lives in me and He will not leave me. Jesus goes on to say in verse 23 that God/Jesus/Holy Spirit will make THEIR home in ME.

Verse 1-Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God. How do I do that? In the Christian world that is a phrase thrown around like a football from Brett Favre to Laveranues Coles. "Just Trust, it will be OK". But all the while life is spinning, and spinning and spinning around you.
Verse 6-I am the way and the truth and the life. Jesus is the answer, and the directional compass I need.
Verse 15/16/17-If you love me, you will obey what I command. 16And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor to be with you forever— 17the Spirit of truth. Jesus has told me that he is the way. That is the truth of the matter, but now there is something I must do. I must OBEY his truth, his ways, his words, his commands.
Verse 17/18 for he lives with you and will be in you. 18I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. God the Holy Spirit is living in me. Jesus told me he will not leave me alone.

So the decision I have to make is this: Do I live a life of Faith or Folly? God in/through Jesus told me that they will live in me, make me the home. Do you get comfort going home? I do. So when I need comfort from the spinning world, I need to come home to the Holy Spirit and enjoy the sweetness of His embrace, I need to come home to Jesus and listen for the words of Life to be spoken to me, I need to come sit in the comfort of my Fathers lap and share my troubles and let him put His arms around me to guide me. Trouble will come, but I am not on my own, I am not an Orphan who is lost. I have the God of the Universe seeking me, and caring for me and residing in me so His kingdom will be glorified. Or do I think that I can make it through because I don't want to be like those TV Christians and live a life of folly? It is clear to me what decision I need to make: The Warren Plan has trouble in it before it even begins, but the God in Warren Plan will bring me comfort in troubled times.

Prayer
Father, You came in the beginning to have a relationship with me. I broke that relationship by sinning against you, but you have provided to me a way back to you. You have not only done that, but you have crossed back over to me to come live with and in me. Thank you for loving me and caring for me, for allowing me to Trust in you, to keep me from trouble. I ask that you would help me turn to your comfort each time I see trouble, and not turn to things which bring only temporary comfort. You are the only comfort I need. I thank you that I am not an Orphan in this world, but you have, again, provided a home where we all can live together. I welcome you into this house, and ask that you design it for your glory. Amen.