Here, Piggy, Piggy!

“I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”
—Romans 12:1

On the shelves in my bedroom I have a piggy bank that belonged to my brother. It was a gift from my Aunt Paula when we were children. She gave me one as well, but it has long since been destroyed, as is the fate of most of my possessions. However, this is one of the few items I have that belonged to my brother who died at 20. So, I cherish it. Many cherish their own piggy bank. It might not be a child’s savings account, but acclaim, self-worth, a bank account, power, luxury, or any number of things.

But why a piggy bank? History shows us it comes from our need to secure our future. For centuries many rural families depended on an actual pig for their financial security. They would acquire a piglet in the spring and feed it on household rubbish throughout the summer and into the fall. In winter, when assets were no longer liquid for commerce, the pig would be their financial security blanket. You could slaughter and eat it, sell it or trade it to survive the winter months.

The pig concept came down through history as a icon of savings. The earliest versions of the “Pig Bank” come from 1900. As an advertisement declared, “The latest novelty — The Pig Bank. You have to kill the pig to get the money — 25¢ each.”

The ad declared the redemption criteria of the piggy bank. It had no stopper to get the money out. This protected the money from theft and encouraged savings. The only way to get the money out was to “kill the pig” and break it to pieces.

The same is true today in our spiritual lives. We seek security. Long for identity. We invest and save up for rainy days when acceptance is lacking. Our pig might be a position of authority, financial security, social acceptance, accomplishment, renown, family, church, or any number of things. We invest in them for the long winter months of scarcity.

Don’t get me wrong. There is nothing wrong with preparing for the future and providing for your family. I’m talking more about how we find our identity in these things. How we try to find a way to establish our own security for the future in and of ourselves. How we seek to establish our own safety net by our own efforts.

It is interesting that the pigs were fed on rubbish. So are we much of the time. The Bible declares pigs to be unclean (Leviticus 11:7-8). This has more to do with the transmission of disease, but it is interesting. How often are we infected with the need to try and establish our own safety net; our own security blanket? How often do we feel alone facing the winter of life and feel we have to find a way to provide for the future on our own. So, we feed our need with rubbish (the things of this world) and hope to make it through.

There comes a time when we have to break the piggy bank! We have to let it shatter upon the floor and realize there is nothing in it that will get us through the winter. As Paul writes in Romans 12:1, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that you present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable to God, which is your reasonable service.”

Broken, shattered and alone; we each must come to the Lord. We give up all that we are, for there is nothing there substantial enough to pay the debt we owe. And in exchange, He gives us all He is to balance the debt and grace abounds.

Why do we continue to hoard our assets in piggy banks that will avail us nothing in eternity? Whether it be money, time, effort or any other activity, all is wasted and will be broken to pieces in the trial of winter. The only savings that matters is the treasures we store up in heaven (Matthew 6:20). “For where your treasure is, there your heart will also be.” (Matthew 6:21)

Again, I’m not saying that we shouldn’t be wise with our money, providing for our family and future. I’m talking about our identity. Where do you find your treasure? Are you what you own? Are you what you accomplish? Are you the position you hold? Are you defined by the relationships you have with others? Are you…fill in the blank?

Or are you defined by who Christ says you are? What He has done? Who He has called you to be?

I’m challenged this week to evaluate where I am storing up my treasure. Is it in my own efforts? For my own comfort? Or is it in who Christ has called me to be?

I believe I need to break a few piggy banks in my life. Let go of the security blanket I’m trying to create for myself and trust His plan. Invest in heavenly treasures. Sacrifice who I want to be in order to be who He called me to be.

I don’t need a spiritual piggy bank! I have a trust fund. “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.” (Proverbs 3:5-6)

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

A Commonplace Pearl

“Again, the kingdom of heaven is like a merchant seeking beautiful pearls, who, when he had found one pearl of great price, went and sold all that he had and bought it.”
—Matthew 13:45-46

Dear Christian, you are God’s favorite child! Period. But, most of us have made it commonplace.

The term ‘commonplace’ has come down to us today as meaning “a usual or ordinary thing”. However, you know me and how much I love history; there is a story here. The word ‘commonplace’ comes from the emerging usage of notebooks. More specifically it originates with the production of paper in Europe during the Renaissance.

As paper became more accessible, people began making more notes and notebooks. One such creation was Commonplace Books. During the Renaissance and after, people would jot down snippets of knowledge in a commonplace. It was a way to consolidate knowledge (quotes, poems, verses, etc.) into categories readily accessible to the reader. However, over time, these snippets began to be regarded as trivial. In other words, people wrote down wise thoughts, but did not own them nor live them. They began to be seen as tripe knowledge, where the beholder of such was no better off despite the wisdom they held.

Thus, today, commonplace refers to something ordinary.

One of the earliest usages of Commonplace Books was in the collection of Biblical verses around a topic. I will provide an example here. If you assimilate just a few of the verses about who you are as a child of God you will find…

In Christ you are:

Chosen by God - John 15:16
A Child of God - John 1:12-13
Completely forgiven - Colossians 2:13
Totally loved - 1 John 4:16
Righteous - 2 Corinthians 5:21
Accepted in His sight - Ephesians 1:6
Holy and without blame - Ephesians 1:4
Created for good works - Ephesians 2:10

And these are just a few of the verses that could be in your commonplace notebook. However, rather than understanding them and the magnitude of how they impact our life, we have made them commonplace in the modern understanding of the word. It’s just an ordinary thing Christians say.

How tragic! Do you not understand that you are in Christ! He is in you! You are a partaker of the divine nature (2 Peter 1:4). Christ was the pearl of great worth, for which we sold everything to acquire! How much more are we the prodigal child that He runs to embrace and celebrate for we once were dead and now are alive again? (Luke 15:32)

I’m an challenged this week with the commonplace ideas I hold onto. I’m challenged to consider them anew. I’m challenged to never consider them as ordinary, but to understand how truly significant they are in my life. I acquired the pearl of great price (Christ), and in doing so, I have become a person of great wealth. I am a “new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.” (2 Corinthians 5:17)

There is nothing you can do to make God love you more. There is nothing you can do to make God love you less. You are who you are in Christ because He has made you so. It is all about Him, not you.

I challenge you: has the commonplace of God’s truth become “commonplace” in your life? Have you allowed all that you know about your relationship with Him to become ordinary? Or are you willing to join me this week in experiencing the extraordinary person He called you to be? Nothing is more extraordinary. You are His favorite child! Be ALL He created you to be!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

Swing Away!

“Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened…I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”
— Psalm 40:6-8

Have you ever seen a man hop around on one foot and howl like a maniac while grasping his butt cheeks? I have, and I laughed.

When I was a youth minister, we had returned home from a retreat and were unloading the trailer. I picked up a wooden boat oar and pretended to smack Brian (an adult counselor) in mock slow motion. In response, Brian laughed, stuck out his butt and said, “Go ahead. Give it your best shot.” To which, I did. I lit him up. I held nothing back. Don’t give me a shot, because I will swing away! In that moment I was only thinking about myself, not his pain.

A few days later, his wife informed me that he had a bruise from his belt line down to the middle of his thigh. I’ve never been afraid to take a shot. I do feel bad every time I chuckle at the memory. But he gave me permission. Right?!

We often forget that permission does not equate profitability. Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 6:12, “All things are lawful for me, but not all things are helpful; all things are lawful for me, but not all things edify.” I had permission, but I don’t think my actions benefited anyone.

In the Old Testament, the Israelites had permission to be governed by an earthly king. God warned them about the consequences, but they chose a king anyway. God told the prophet Samuel, “Heed the voice of the people in all that they say to you, for they have not rejected you, but they have rejected Me, that I should not reign over them.” (1 Samuel 8:7)

Even then, God chose the best of men to be their king. He was everything you could want in a king and he was a man of faith. When it came time to anoint Saul king, Samuel looked everywhere for him in the crowd, but he wasn’t there. They searched for him, but couldn’t find him. The Lord spoke to Samuel and said, “There he is, hidden among the equipment.” (1 Samuel 10:22).

Saul knew he was going to be made king, but it terrified him. He felt unworthy and unqualified. And he was, until the “Spirit of God came upon Saul.” (1 Samuel 11:6) Then he swung away! He put everything into his work as king and defeated the Ammonites.

If you know the story, then you know the next four chapters did not go well for Saul. He got tired of waiting for the Lord’s prophet to show up and made an unlawful sacrifice before a battle. He built a monument to himself, and broke God’s command in the battle against Amalek. His justification was that the king and animals he kept alive would be a sacrifice to the Lord.

As a consequence, God rejected Saul as king of Israel. Samuel asked Saul, “When you were little in your own eyes, were you not head of the tribes of Israel?” (1 Samuel 15:17) In other words, when you were hiding in the equipment hadn’t God already made you king? But now you think it is about you instead of God. So, God has removed you as king. Samuel concluded with, “Behold, to obey is better than sacrifice.” (1 Samuel 15:22).

It is not possible to have obedience without being dependent on the Lord.

What is amazing about this story is God replaced Saul with a king “after His own heart”: David. He messed up every bit as much as Saul did. What was the difference? Simple, David never forgot he was just a man and God is God! Both men were the type that would swing away with all they had when given a chance. Saul forgot his place thinking periodic sacrifices would be enough. David, even through all his sins, never forgot who was Lord!

I’m astonished by the number of people paralyzed by their past. They feel disqualified to join God in His work. They hide in the equipment hoping not to be discovered. That is where Saul was at his best! It was the one moment when his kingship was all about God. Similarly, Paul relates the Lord’s response to his own weakness in 2 Corinthians 12:9, “My grace is sufficient for you, for My strength is made perfect in weakness.”

We were put on this earth to swing away! Swing for the fence! Give it all we’ve got. Yet, while everything is permissible, not everything is profitable. It is not about our activity, because it is not about us. It is all about Christ. It is all about joining Him in His work, that only He can bring to completion.

It is easy to start thinking it is all about ourselves. That thinking only ends one of two ways; paralyzed by guilt or blinded by pride (which inevitably leads to the fall). It is not about giving God His due, as sacrifice is not His desire. It is about knowing Him, His law written on your heart, and being obedient to who He called you to be: a child that is completely dependent on Him in every moment.

Understanding we are completely dependent on Him empowers our lives. It enables us to come out of hiding, face our past, forgive, love and swing away! Go for it, trusting it is all about Him and not about us. We are going to mess up. We are going to get it wrong. Yet, if we always move forward understanding it is all dependent on Him and not us, we are able to say with David (the man after God’s own heart), “Sacrifice and offering You did not desire; My ears You have opened…I delight to do Your will, O my God, And Your law is within my heart.”

Swing away! Go for the fences! Light it up! Just understand everything is dependent on Jesus and He is able to speak, work and live through you in this moment. Will you let Him? Batter up!

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

A Woman Shall Encompass a Man

“How long will you gad about, O you backsliding daughter? For the Lord has created a new thing on the earth — A woman shall encompass a man.”
— Jeremiah 31:22

It is rare in today’s world to find a verse in the Bible where interpretations are so disagreed upon as that of this verse. Early Biblical theologians attributed this verse to the coming of the virgin Mary, but the vast majority of theologians today discredit that interpretation. I’m no theologian. I’m just a man who reads the Bible and shares what I find in its words. So, here is my opinion… and you know what they say about opinions.

I’m the worst planner in the history of mankind. I’ll never forget the day I proposed to Wendy. Most men fret over this day, plan, find a romantic spot, get people to witness and film, but, unfortunately for Wendy, she did not find such a man.

We were sitting on the couch in her parents’ living room watching TV. I was laying down with my head in her lap. I asked her, “Have you ever thought about getting married?”

She responded with something along the lines of, “Yes, but I want to finish college first. Maybe go to California and try acting or something. Then, maybe, I’ll be ready for marriage.”

I listened, hesitated, then said, “You want to get married?”

She instantly responded, “Yep, sure do!”

Then, the thought hit me, I had better figure out how to get a ring.

I took a job green-breaking horses, mending fence and building roping dummies for Edd Farabee just outside of Levelland, TX. He was a stern man. His wife often had breakfast, lunch or even dinner ready so we could keep working. He was a fair man. More than that, he was generous. He gave me the money to buy the ring and let me work it off. He also tremendously impacted my life and character.

I think about this story often. My wife deserved better. She deserved more planning, consideration, romance… just more! Instead she got me.

The Bible often refers to believers as the bride of Christ. He was a much better planner than me. He loved us. He pursued us into the darkest regions of the world. He had a plan. That plan led to Him laying down His life on the cross. It included descending into hell, rising again and offering the engagement ring of life to all.

For most men (and, in today’s world, sometimes women), that is the scariest moment of their entire life. That eternal moment after “popping” the question and waiting for the answer. It feels as if everything in life is determined by that moment. All the chips are pushed to the center of the table. We are all in and have no control over what comes next.

I believe this is the moment of Jeremiah 31:22. The passage is a prophecy verse of what is to come. It anticipates all the preparations and workings of Christ in order to issue the proposal to His bride of eternal life. Throughout all of the Old Testament God chose His people. He made the decision. However, under the New Covenant, He created “a new thing on the earth.” The death and resurrection of Christ was a proposal to His hopeful bride, but we would have to choose Him.

Make no mistake, Christ awaits in earnest expectation of your answer. All of His love is focused on you. Everything He has done has been for you. He planned the perfect moment. He paid up front for everything. He is offering everything He is to you. And He awaits your response.

He awaits for the woman to encompass the man! For you to accept Him, accept His life into yours, and to come alive with His presence in your life. For everything you are to be built around Him. He awaits for you to accept Him and become His bride.

If you have not made this decision, know He eagerly awaits. His love is true. And reach out to me or someone you trust to share in this moment.

Maybe you already have done this, but don’t miss the word “encompass”. It means to completely surround. It is the idea of every aspect of your life revolving around Him. He is not calling us to walk hand-in-hand. He is calling us to allow Him to live through every aspect of our lives.

Sometimes, I feel as if I’m walking this road still trying to pay off the cost of the engagement ring. I fail to see that Jesus has already paid for it all. The only thing left for me to give is myself. I’ll be honest, it is scary to give all. I want to see how the relationship works out first. But it doesn’t work, unless I give all. Everything I am in exchange for everything He is!

I’m challenged with identifying what I’m holding back? Will I, as a bride of Christ, encompass the man? Allow everything in my life to revolve around Him? I know He earnestly, patiently and lovingly awaits my response in this moment. How will I respond? How will you?

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.

Anxiety: The Dark Cave

“Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”
— Philippians 4:6-7

Winston Churchill once said, “When I look back on all theses worries, I remember the story of the old man who said on his deathbed that he had a lot of trouble in life, most of which had never happened.”

I am a problem solver, not a time manger. In other words, if it isn’t a problem today, I’m not working on it. I wait until it becomes a problem and then I solve it. Many have tried to reform my ways. I once tried to utilize a day-timer to control my time. The day I caught myself entering events that had already happened into my day-timer I realized it wasn’t working for me.

I thrive under stress. Most people do everything they can to avoid stress, but I intentionally allow stress to drive me. I become more clear in my thoughts. I work faster and usually better. Without stress, I would be like Leonardo Di Vinci, who worked on the “Mona Lisa” for 14 years and died with it unfinished. It is just the way I’m wired. There are problem solvers and time mangers. I am the former. If you force me to be the later, I will be miserable.

However, my way of life comes with a tremendous amount of worry as well. Schedule a meeting with me and I will have played through every possible question you could raise and calculated my answers before the meeting even begins (but sometimes I’m surprised by a question). As a consequence, many of the moments I have lost in life are to worries and fears that never came to be.

We all do this to some extent, but I excel at it. Many are the nights I have worked in my mind throughout the dark hours to find solutions to problems which never even come to be. However, I also recognize it is what has given me an edge in my career. I have the solution before the meeting. I have an answer before the question is asked. Unfortunately, I also have the worry before there is a need to worry.

I recognize I’m a captive in Plato’s cave of forms. The light cast shadows of things in the world, but they are not the things themselves. I know they are not real, but simply shadows of things that might be real and usually they are distorted. I calculate, strategize and plan for all the possibilities. But I am still bound in the dark cave of anxiety!

One of the hardest verses for me to comprehend is Philippians 4:6-7, “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

How do I handle this verse? Time management doesn’t work for me. In fact, it doesn’t reduce worry for anyone. I have worked with many time mangers in my time. I hire them to compensate for my weaknesses, and they worry as much as I do. I worry about what needs to be done today, they worry about what we are not planning for in the future. But worry is worry and it leads to anxiety. I’ve come to realize the key is not in how you schedule your day. It is not in how much time you plan or don’t plan. The key is in where you place your trust. Is it in yourself? Or is it in the Lord?

“Be anxious for nothing…” is not a determination on how you should plan your day (because you can’t plan everything). It is a determination of reliance on Christ. The directive is simple, take everything to the Lord. He wired you the way you are. He knows your strengths and weaknesses. He knows the answers.

It is not a matter of time management or problem solving. It is a matter of reliance on the Lord. That doesn’t mean everything will work out great in the world. It doesn’t mean you can wait till the last second on everything and God will make it wonderful. It also doesn’t mean if you spend years planning something it will come off without a hitch, or even work at all. It simply means, as the verse says, you will have peace and God will guard your heart. It will be okay regardless of the outcome.

I believe we should always do our best! Not because God demands it; our best is nothing compared to His perfection. Rather, our best is what is best for us. It is what enables us to become everything God called us to be.

If you are a time-manager, be the best! If you are a problem solver like me, be the best! But whatever you do, don’t think for a moment that you are alone and everything is dependent on you. Understand, we serve our living Lord. He is perfection. He is everything. He sustains us when we succeed or fail. Therefore, do not worry. Cast your cares upon Him. Go do your best, and trust Him to work through your life. We only see shadows in the dark cave of anxiety, but He is the true light. He has already done everything necessary for our acceptance. Trust in that truth.

Don’t get me wrong, I struggle with worry and depression often. It comes with how I’m wired. You may be like me (at least at times). I also know, when I struggle, my eyes are squarely focused on my abilities or lack there of. I’m consumed with me. Those are the moments I need to refocus my eyes on Christ. It is only when I focus on Him I can be “anxious about nothing.” Where is your focus today?

© 2025 Warren Martin. All rights Reserved.