Where Have You Camped?

Since the Fall of 1958, I have been on a spiritual journey, of which, until the last 15 years, I have been largely unaware. It was in 1958 that a 20 year old “Christian,” living in the Sigma Nu house at the University of Oklahoma, discovered a relationship with Jesus Christ that was not simply intellectual (Gk.,eido – mental assent to facts), but experiential (Gk., ginosko – personal, existential involvement with those facts)

In 2013, I wrote a book chronicling this journey, entitled Waiting for the City Which Has Foundations. This title, of course, refers to the New Jerusalem of Revelation 21, to which God is ultimately bringing us as our  permanent dwelling. In this book I relate the ten camps in which I have “pitched my tent,” each representing a spiritual truth I have learned, on my personal, unique pilgrimage to that City.

Each chapter is about a different camp. I can assure you that when I first pitched my tent at each one, I was sure I had arrived at my final destination. I thought that his truth was the answer! The journey’s over! I have arrived!

However, either the camp maintenance was terrible, the other campers made the site almost uninhabitable, or the creek dried up in the summer! I was NOT at the final destination! 

Over the years, I have come to realize that God had me in each campsite on my life’s journey for the purpose of learning a particular spiritual truth, and I did learn an important, crucial one at each camp. Similarly, while there, I believed some teaching that today I do not believe, and I have discarded it. The spiritual truths that I cannot deny are with me today, as a part of my permanent equipment to fulfill my task in ruling over the earth (“digging my personal ditch!”). But none of those truths (both permanent and discarded) was THE CITY. I couldn’t stay there as my permanent campsite!

Here are the titles to the chapters in my book that correspond with each campsite in my journey to The City: 1.) Starting the Journey – Childhood Church, 2.) Jesus is Alive and Knowable, 3.) Grace Introduced  4.)  New Testament Church  5.) Discipleship  6.) The Holy Spirit – His Ministry and Gifts,  7.) The Kingdom of God, 8.) Reformed Theology  9.) Grace Revisited, 10.) Evangelical Universalism.  This book, as are all my books, is available free in pdf form upon request. Drop me an email.

Where are you on your journey to the City? You may not yet be aware you are on one, but, make no mistake—you are! You may be questioning your faith, buried in circumstances, such as failure, tragedy, and disappointment (Romans 5:1-5). Or you may be experiencing success, accomplishment and accolades (Romans 123; Philippians 2:3). Both are circumstances our sovereign, all-powerful, Heavenly Father is purposely teaching you how to handle, and He knows just what you need! Daddy’s got it! 

“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Next week, I want to show you a picture that encapsulates beautifully how God is moving us all along our respective, unique camping journeys to arrive at The City with Foundations!