Perhaps you saw this photo in the news recently. Apparently the driver of this truck was committed to trusting his GPS device to get him where he needed to go. 

 I have no idea what the outcome was or how they ‘fixed’ this problem; but the photo speaks volumes. 

 And it’s not the first time where someone made the news for doing the same thing…trusting their GPS device in spite of all common sense and instinct from within yelling to ‘turn around’. (This photo was taken in China, bytheway) 

 Don’t get me wrong…I love my map-apps on my phone and use them regularly. But I also love a good atlas/map that I can open up and hold and spread out and examine up close and even mark with a pencil if needed. But what do you do when the two disagree? 

 I’ve shared with you here previously of an incident when years ago our family was on a road trip, and my mom questioned my dad as to where he was going and if he knew where he was going. His classic response was legendary: “I’m just following the guy in front of me…he looks like he knows where he is going.” Our family had some interesting road trips over the years. :- ) 

 Interestingly this morning’s post…was a ‘re-route’ of sorts. I really thought I had an idea where I was going the next few days with these and the Holy Spirit prompted me with a ‘re-routing’ nudge when I sat down to my computer this morning. And while I don’t personally feel drawn in to theological debates, which is so easy for us to do, I find myself coming back to the main ‘route’ of the discussion here that centers around the question as to whether we are …abiding…in Him. 

 We can argue and discuss and debate all day long as to what it means to be ‘saved’ or to ‘have faith’ or to ‘believe’ and where does ‘faith alone’ vs ‘with works’ come in to play. Does it really just boil down to ‘saying I believe’? But abiding is pretty simple and clear cut in scripture. 

 I don’t know when that driver in the truck started feeling uneasy and suspecting something was not right before he nearly went over the cliff, but I’m sure there were ‘signs’ or ‘indicators’ that in hindsight, he is wishing he paid closer attention to. 

 I’ve made no apologies for circling back with familiar scripture and passages over the past few months regarding the need and seriousness to ‘examine ourselves’ and scripture as well…to see if we are going in the right direction. There was a good reason why Paul admonished us to do so in 2 Cor. 13:5: “Examine yourselves as to whether you are in the faith. Test yourselves. Do you not know yourselves, that Jesus Christ is in you?...unless you fail the test.” 

 A modern day Paul might ask: “Are you sure your GPS is working correctly?” 

 He was jealous with a godly jealousy of the church and constantly expressed concerns and warnings that they might be easily deceived and/or led astray with ‘other gospels’ and following ‘another Jesus’ . (2 Cor 11:3-4) He spoke of a great ‘falling away from the faith in the last days’ ( 2 Thess 2). He advised Timothy to be on guard as ‘doctrines of demons’ would filter in and many would depart from the faith being seduced by teachings that would ‘tickle ears’ and provide a ‘false peace’ or security. Even Jesus Himself expounded on this warning throughout Matthew 24 of the same thing and the need to take heed…lest even the ‘very elect’ be deceived. (vs. 24) 

 Some might accuse me of making ‘new’ believers nervous and get them ‘questioning or doubting their salvation’. I don’t know if that is happening, but I do know that we are living in a time where God certainly wants us to check our bearings, and taking another look at His ‘map’ is a good idea. You know, these ‘modern devices’ (man made doctrines) can go awry at times and malfunction. 

 But His word…we can always trust and rely on. 

 So what should we be looking for or re-examining? The ‘message’ I know God has driven into me has to do with ‘are we abiding in Him’. That really is all that matters. I would suspect that the reason we have so many denominations today teaching so many different ‘formulas’ as to how one can be ‘saved’ ( or ‘get there') is probably because at one point they heard a voice whisper ‘finding an alternate route’. 

 And it is likely that those voices originated from deceptive spirits that Paul mentioned in 2 Cor 11:14-15 (demons disguised as ministers of righteousness). Jesus spoke of them as ‘wolves in sheep clothing’ (Matt 7:15) 

 I mean after all, all of humanity was ‘re-routed’ by the deceptive words of a snake in the garden who flat out suggested that God’s word did not really mean what it said and he offered an ‘alternate route’. And how did that work out for the human race? 

 But Jesus invites us to abide in Him. (John 15) 

 The word ‘abide’ was used by John often, in both his gospel and his letters. It means to 'remain' or 'continue'. To abide in Christ is probably the best and safest place to be. If you are ‘abiding in Him, you can be sure you are ‘saved’. And if you continue to abide in Him, chances of you ‘missing the rapture’ (whenever that takes place) are slim. 

 Abiding in Him is everything. And it has a very distinct ‘look’. 

 Well, if you open up your ‘atlas’ and examine it carefully it does. 

 “He who says he abides in Him ought himself also to walk just as He walked.” ( 1 John 2:6) 

 “whoever abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit” - Jesus (John 15:5) 

 “Whoever abides in Him does not sin. Whoever sins has neither seen Him nor known Him.” (1 John 3:6) 

 “In His presence, there is fullness of joy.” (Psalm 16:11) 

 You are walking in perfect peace if your mind is stayed on Him. (Isa 26:3; Col 3:2) Might inject a good reminder here to ‘keep one’s eyes, mind, heart , affections…on the road.” 

 Have you been ‘perfected’ in love yet?  “If we love one another, God abides in us, and His love has been perfected in us.” ( 1 John 4:12) 

 If you admit to ‘sinning all the time’ or ‘daily’, you might want to pull over to a rest area and double check your location. “Now he who keeps His commandments abides in Him, and He in him.” ( 1 John 3:24) I only mention this because ‘sin’ by definition, is ‘breaking the commandments or not keeping them. (1 John 3:4, 6) 

 Take some time today and look over the verses I cited. For that driver in the image I posted, backing up and turning around did not appear to be an option. But for you and I…well…that is always the option as long as He is providing light and we hear the trumpet warning of ‘re-route, re-route’. 

 See you tomorrow.