Memorial Day... EVERYDAY of the year!

I have found myself watching a lot of the local news this weekend due to the seemingly never-ending line of severe weather that, like clockwork, appear in the late evening and continue through the early morning hours every day... including today... and continuing on into tomorrow! 

So, while I have kept up with the excellent weather coverage, I have also learned about all the special events that have been happening around the area as Oklahoman’s go all out in their honorable celebration of Memorial Day and in particular, of those who gave the ultimate sacrifice in service to our country.

As I was out walking the dog this morning under the gray skies that seemed to have finally drained their reserves of water after raining steadily all night (Tulsa broke their all-time record yesterday with the most rain in a single day, measuring out at almost 5 inches... the former record was under 2 inches!), I got to thinking about all the ceremonies that were being held in cemeteries around the state. 

Volunteers had put out hundreds of flags to mark the graves of fallen soldiers and one military cemetery had also put out an interesting display of army boots and flowers along with the flags.  Oklahoma really knows how to honor the military!

As I discussed this with the dog... he can be very intuitive, you know... I suddenly saw a parallel to a scripture that I was sleepily (not having slept much this weekend with all the storms) studying earlier this morning from Hebrews 4:15-16.  Where, after talking about how Jesus was tempted in every way that we are, but didn’t sin,” (God’s Word ©) the author of the book of Hebrews continued teaching saying,

“Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of GRACE, that we may obtain mercy, and find GRACE to help in time of need.” (KJV) 

Well, the revelation that seemingly hit me with the same force of the 60 mph winds that knocked down numerous big trees along the golf course during Saturday morning’s storm was that, as Christians, we honor and celebrate the life of the Eternal One who gave up His life for the freedom of mankind in every nation across the globe.

But... the difference being... Jesus, the living Son of God, conquered death and then walked out of the tomb where His body was placed... and now... we don’t go to a cemetery to place wreaths or flags at His empty grave... but can go “boldly unto the throne of GRACE” to receive, as the Remedy Translation says,

“God’s GRACE without fear, but confidently, realizing that He longs to dispense all the resources of heaven to heal us so that we may receive mercy, GRACE, and every benefit to give us victory in our time of need.” 

So yes... It is very important for us to set apart a special day each year when we can remember and honor those who gave their lives for the freedoms we enjoy as citizens of the wonderful country we live in, but as Christians, it is also very important that we walk on a daily basis in the freedoms that Jesus’ death, burial, resurrection and ascension to the right hand of the throne of God provided for us... and go boldly to His throne... which is the very seat of the power and authority of God’s GRACE, as well as the place where He longs to fellowship with us and in doing so, allow us to receive His mercy, His GRACE and every benefit to enable our victory in our times of need.

So instead of just going to a cemetery to remember important people in our past, we can also go... on a daily basis... to fellowship with the living Son of God, to bring fresh joy, peace, wisdom and strength to our lives... and be empowered to live the life that Jesus has provided for us!  WOW!  Isn’t God Good!

Enjoy the rest of your special 3-day weekend, honor the heroes of our country and go with a bold assurance to the throne of God’s GRACE where He is waiting to spend special times with you... each and every day!

Who is Your SPOKESMAN?

I’m sure that you’ve all noticed, that when a municipality holds a public news conference after a big news worthy event… sadly… many times after some tragic incident… the leader of the gathering will step up to the microphone and have a line of individuals who are SPOKESMEN for other departments or organizations or individuals that have a stake in the situation, standing solemnly behind them.

The Oxford Online Dictionaries defines a SPOKESMAN as “a person who makes statements on behalf of a group or individual.”  Dictionary.com describes them as “a public speaker.”

In my Bible study times this week, I discovered the Apostle Paul talking about a very important SPOKESMAN that each of us should employ in the course of our daily lives.  As I was reading and studying various Scriptures, I began to take note of how many times Paul and the other writers of the New Testament talk about JOY in reference to the believer’s walk of faith. 

I’ve always taken it for granted that JOY was an important benefit of the Christian life… but the deeper I looked in to it… the more I began to see that it is not just a benefit… but also both an offensive and defensive weapon for us to strategically use as we face the pressures that arise in our daily existence.

With the thought of JOY as a weapon, the immediate scripture that came to mind is from the book of James where the pastor of the Jerusalem Church speaks of the use of JOY as something that to be honest… doesn’t seem to make a lot of sense nor is easy to follow!  I would imagine that the members of his church and the readers of his letter across the known world at the time, responded with a raised eyebrow as he taught…

“My brethren, count it all JOY when ye fall into divers temptations” (James 1:2 – KJV)

This familiar scripture is one that many of us tend to bypass as we read our Bibles… especially when we are in the thick of a difficult situation in our lives.  I mean, how can one be JOYFUL when everything looks to be falling down around you?  And even if you attempt to be JOYFUL in the hard times… people are going to think that you aren’t taking things seriously or are just plan naïve! (or in my case a few times… called stupid!)

JOY in the difficult places in life just isn’t a normal response,,, right?  Well… I’m pretty sure that Pastor James would emphatically say “WRONG!” in response to that question.  The Passion Translation of James 1:2 opens up James’ thoughts a little more distinctly by saying,

“My fellow believers, when it seems as though you are facing nothing but difficulties, see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest JOY that you can!” 

A key word to understand in this verse is “COUNT” in the King James and translated “SEE” in the Passion Translation.  In the original Greek, these words connotate the idea of “to lead or command with official authority.  To lead with respects to influence; to control in counsel and/or to be a SPOKESMAN.”

So, if I’m getting this right, James is instructing us to understand and employ Godly, word-based, faith-filled JOY as a powerful force to be reckoned with in our daily lives!  He and the Apostle Paul, who taught by precept and personal example, explained that the official role and responsibility of JOY in a Christian’s life is to lead, command, preside over and be the SPOKESMAN in not only the good times of life, after the battles has been won… but also… and maybe most importantly…within the very midst of the most difficult and rough situations that we face throughout our lives.

And yes… Being full of JOY in the midst of difficult times is not the way of the world.  The world expects one to feel fearful, anxious, confused, helpless and even angry when things go wrong.  But remember that our Christian handbook, the Bible, tells us in 2 Corinthians 10:5 that,

“The weapons with which we fight are not human weapons, but are mighty for God in overthrowing strong fortresses.” (Weymouth) 

And what we need in troubled times is a weapon that is mighty for God to use for us when overthrowing our strong problems!  And that is exactly what happens when, despite what is negatively happening around us, we can have an attitude of JOY – BECAUSE – we have more faith in the power of God and in what His Word is specifically telling us about the outcome of the situation we are dealing with.

James encourages us in James 1:2 to let our attitude of faith-filled JOY be the SPOKESMAN in the midst of the hard times.  To let JOY be the SPOKESMAN that directs the conversation concerning yours and my situations in life.  To let JOY be the SPOKESMAN who is leading you with the information he has concerning God’s kingdom abilities working for you!

You know… a good SPOKESMAN stays up-to-date and current with the information about those he represents… and likewise, a good SPOKESMAN of JOY stays in touch and receives regular updates (through you) from the Word of God.  This way… when any questions arise concerning the needs and/or success of God’s way in your life… the SPOKESMAN of JOY always has the right answer!

When I study the Word of God, I can see pretty clearly that,

JOY is God’s ANTIDOTE for trouble!

And according to the dictionary, the definition of an ANTIDOTE is something (ie; a medicine) that prevents or counteracts particular poisons or injurious or unwanted effects… poisons like fear, doubt, unbelief, depression, anger, sickness, financial need, a lack of wisdom and any other unwanted, injurious problem that you and I might face in life!

So… when you step up to the podium to make a report on the news of your life… which SPOKESMAN are you going to call upon to share the right, victorious and peace-giving report for your situation?  The choice is up to you… but if it were me… I would choose to,

“see it as an invaluable opportunity to experience the greatest JOY that you can!”

Have a terrific weekend and as you do… Choose the SPOKESMAN of JOY to be the authoritative voice in your life… whenever you face trying times... (and for every other time as well!)

Participant...

participant

/pɑrˈtɪsɪpənt/

/pɑˈtɪsɪpɪnt/

Definitions of: participant

-A participant is a person who participates, or takes part in something.

-A person who participates in or is skilled at some game

-A participant plays a role in the unfolding of events.

______________________________________________

When my wife Piper and I were young we enjoyed playing volleyball.  I guess you could say that we like to participate in the activity whenever we could!  We played with our high school friends at the beach on different occasions and when we attended our local junior college we took the Volleyball P.E. class numerous times during our two-year attendance at the school. 

During that time, Piper’s whole family got involved and her dad had matching t-shirts made up so that the family (me included!) could play volleyball together after holiday dinners at her paternal grandmother’s ranch, located in one of the rural/country areas of our town.

After we got married, we played a lot of volleyball on the lawn of our church on Sunday evenings as well as following the mid-week service.  We talked about joining a city league team, but never quite found the time to do so!

With the classes we had taken at the JC, we had become somewhat skilled at many parts of the game and always encouraged those we played recreationally with, to follow the official rules of the game… and not play “Jungle Ball” as we called it where rules were haphazardly followed and one could return the ball in any way possible.  Playing according to the rules of the game with our ever-increasing skill level made our participation in the activity that much more exciting and enjoyable.

In thinking about it now, I believe that I could make similar comments when it comes to my active participation in my Christian faith.  The Apostle Paul tells us in Romans 12:11-12 to,

“Be enthusiastic to serve the Lord by keeping your passion toward him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit and let him fill you with excitement as you serve him.  Let this expectation burst forth within you, releasing a continual joy. Don’t give up in times of pressure but stay consistent and diligent in talking with God.”*

I don’t know about you… but when I read these verses, I can’t help but to feel something being stirred up inside me!  It immediately draws me back in remembrance to the very early years of our marriage when Piper and I began to learn in our Bibles, about the authority that we as Believers have, in our union and legal position in Christ.

I can’t help but to get excited and sense the ever-increasing desire to participate in the Gospel message in and through every avenue of my life.  The very vivid and descriptive words and phrases that Paul uses to paint a picture of his faith like “be enthusiastic, passion, boiling hot, radiate with the glow of the Holy Spirit, excitement, expectation and continual joy” simply thrills me and encourages me to be an active participant in the faith of Jesus Christ within the full spectrum of my daily life.

Now granted, I am quoting these verses from some modern English translations, but when you look up the original Greek definitions in the words used in the King James Version, you will find all of these very descriptive terms making up the Greek meanings… so the early Christians reading these letters in the original language of the time, clearly understood stood the full intent of the excitement and passion of what Paul was wanting to convey.

I believe that is why we see all of the excitement, miracles and life changing events that surrounded the early church as was written down in the chronology of the Book of Acts.  Wouldn’t it be exciting to have those same events happening today?  Well, you know… It doesn’t get a lot of publicity in mainstream media… but it is happening all over the world… Right Now! 

It is happening on College Campuses, in Churches and in evangelistic meetings occurring all over the world… and it can be happening with you and me as well!  All we have to do is let Paul’s excitement become a part of us as we seek out and allow ourselves to actively participate in the Gospel message, seek the fellowship of like-minded (or heartfelt) Christians and then share our experience with others.

It’s like learning and increasing any athletic skill… it just takes enthusiasm, a hungry heart, practice and consistent and diligent talking and personal interaction with our heavenly Head Coach!

Well… now that I’ve got us all stirred up… Let’s get going and start actively participating (or increasing our level of participation) within the daily events of our life!  I hope everyone had a great Mother’s Day weekend and that it will continue for the week ahead!  We have a beautiful and warm forecast for the week and I pray that you do as well!

 

*A combining of The Passion and Remedy translations

The Foundations of Faith

I went to bed last night with and air of excitement and expectation for the warm sunny day that had been forecast, not only for Saturday but for the entire weekend and through Monday as well!  You see… It is spring here in Oklahoma and while that means warmer weather and the dormant lawns and countryside turning green, the changes in the temperatures also signal the season of severe thunderstorms and tornados!

And much to my personal displeasure… we’ve had a lot of those in the past few weeks.  In fact, this month of April produced the record for the highest amount of rainfall ever recorded!  So… you can easily see why I was so enthusiastic about this weekend’s change of pace forecast!

But low and behold, when I woke up before seven this morning, I found myself fighting a bombardment of concerns for the multitude of things that need to be completed before I can put the house on the market and follow through with the plan to move to Tennessee… and alas… all that enthusiasm for a fantastic weekend seemed to blow away in a puff of smoke! 

So… I dragged myself out of bed and out of nowhere… began to speak aloud and interestingly enough… say to myself,

“Jim, Be anxious for nothing and don’t be pulled in different directions or worried about a thing. But be saturated in prayer and the Word throughout each day, offering your faith-filled requests before God with overflowing gratitude. Tell him every detail of your life, and then God’s wonderful peace that transcends all human understanding, will guard your thoughts and emotions and make the answers known to you through Jesus Christ.”*

Well, that should have been enough to flip my lid and get me going in the right direction… but it didn’t!  It took me the time to brew up and pour into my insolated cup some Folger’s Hazelnut flavored coffee… how does that jingle go…

♫ “The best part of waking up is Folger’s in your cup”♪,

sit at my desk in the study, turn in my Bible to where I had left off yesterday and read,

“Thank God that He gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. So, then, brothers and sisters, don't let anyone (or anything) move you off the foundation of your faith. Always excel in the work you do for the Lord. (for) You know that the hard work you do for the Lord is not pointless.” (I Corinthians 15:57-58 – TPT)

The truth of not letting anyone nor anything move us off our foundation of faith, brought back immediate memories of the various individuals who seemed to thrive in their attempts to shake our faith with their negative opinions of Piper’s and my needs when she got sick… BUT… It wasn’t their words that I was reminded of this morning… it was God’s and His faithfulness to His Word toward us… all along the pathways of that journey.

And THAT’S what gave me the victory and return me back to the place of excitement and expectation that I went to sleep with last night!

But you know?  It didn’t end there… As I mulled over all those thoughts in my heart and mind, I suddenly remembered something that Piper and I used to discuss a lot, as well as share with others, throughout the 48 years of our relationship, from high school on… that we always felt and held to the conviction that

“The Christian life… (and we’d make it very personal by adding) ‘Our Christian Life’ is supposed to be an EXCITING and ADVENTEROUS personal relationship and walk of faith with Jesus Christ… But it is NOT for the WEAK or WORRY hearted!”

Well, the recollection of our long-standing belief and personal approach to our faith made me smile this morning and feel any overwhelming sense of despair float right out my study window!  Then when I looked back at my open Bible, my eyes carried up a couple of verses from Philippians 4:6-7 to verse 4… and I literally burst out with a hearty laugh… so much so that the dog jumped off the couch behind me with a look, as if to say “Hey I was sleeping here!”

Philippians 4:4 seemed to confirm everything I had just learned and caused me to lift my arms in praise to the Lord as I read aloud…

“Be cheerful with joyous celebration in every season of life. Let joy overflow, for you are united with the Anointed One!” (TPT) 

So, yea… I felt like the Lord was reminding me and re-connecting me to Piper’s and my personal conviction of the way we lived our faith.  As I walked out of my study this morning, I definitely felt the old swag and pull of the excitement and adventure of my faith.  The cheerfulness and joy that keeps me strong, confident and balanced on the foundation of my faith had re-centered me and is there to keep me strong and on point for all the good things that the good Lord has in store for me!

What about you today?  Are you feeling strong, confident and balanced on the firm foundation of your personal faith?  What are you going to do when you feel the burdens and cares of your life shaking your faith?  If you haven’t yet… you might want to memorize Paul’s encouraging and life strengthening words found in Philippians 4:4-9** from your favorite Bible translation… It’s a quick and proven way to re-center your life on the foundation of your faith!

Have a great weekend.  I hope that your weather forecast is as nice as our is today… and as you’re out enjoying God’s creation… Keep EXPECTING to EXPECT God’s BEST for your life!

 

*Personalized version of Philippians 4:6-7 from the God’s Word © and The Passion translations. 

**Remember that Paul wrote these words while awaiting an uncertain future in prison…

Living BIG!

I was studying some scripture earlier this morning that definitely got me to thinking about the possibilities of Living BIG for God.  So… it kind of made sense that I would be giving that idea the freedom to run through my mind and mouth, as Fiver and I took our cloudy day walk about an hour later.

As is my habit, I tend to verbally talk through the conversations that are going on in my heart and mind while Fiver blissfully ignores me and pushes his nose into every interesting smell that catches his attention along the way.

Well… as you might imagine, the idea of Living BIG for God immediately got me reminiscing about my wife… as she tended to do exactly that!  As the dog and I meandered down the pathway along the green commons area of our neighborhood next to the city golf course, I had to laugh while I pictured Piper going into the kitchen at her parent’s home during their annual Christmas time “opening of the presents under their tree” gathering in order to assist in the food preparation.

First of all, let me just say that entertaining groups of people at their home was totally different than that at my parent’s home.  Being first generation Italian Americans, my folks were used to BIG and often held family gatherings, with a ton of delicious, homemade Italian cuisine, where everybody jumped in to lend a hand… while noisily laughing, joking and singing … all at the same time!

Piper’s immediate family was much more reserved and private.  So, the annual family meal and Christmas gathering tended to be a lot quieter and a tad disorganized… until Piper got there!  But it wasn’t that she carried a commanding presence or quickly took control of the situation.  She simply walked in with her big confident smile and let the love and joy of the Lord, that emanated from her, fill the tiny kitchen area. 

Therefore, it wasn’t necessarily that she purposedly set out to Live BIG for God… but simply let the abounding Spirit of the Lord in and about her live BIG wherever she went.  Within a matter of moments after her arrival, tensions, frayed nerves and raised voices tended to melt away and be replaced with laughter, encouraging words and an orderly flow as the meal preparations came together.

And that is where my thoughts were centered as Fiver and I returned from the neighborhood park and pond and proceeded toward our street at the end of the pathway.  As our street came into view, I noticed a young mother in the distance, pushing a baby stroller and accompanied by a young girl on a bike coming our direction.  When we got closer, I realized that we hadn’t met these folks before, so I told Fiver to behave himself, put on a big smile and heartedly greeted them.

Well… Fiver immediately grabbed their hearts as he wiggled and whooed up to them and the mom beamed from ear to ear as she reached out to pet the dog and encouraged her daughter to do the same.  While all this was going on, I noticed that the baby looking at me from the stroller was hooked up to a machine that I imagine was helping him to breathe, so I smiled and waved to him.

Then, as we exchanged some quick pleasantries with each other, I felt a strong, over- powering desire to either pray for them or encourage them… without offending them.   So, without much further thought, I raised forth my left arm over the baby and simply said, “God bless you guys, in Jesus name!”  And the mom’s response was amazing to me as she glanced down for a second and then looked up at me, with a glow on her face, and joyfully declared to me, ‘YES! YES! YES!

And with that, I felt impressed that that was all I was supposed to say, so I encouraged them to have a blessed day and off they joyfully went along the path we had just taken while we continued in the opposite direction home.

Hummm… Live BIG for God.  Could this be an example of something Paul was trying to teach us?  The portion of scripture that I was studying this morning, is where Paul encouraged the Corinthian church to,

“Thank God for giving us the victory as conquerors through our Lord Jesus, the Anointed One.  So now, beloved ones, stand firm and secure. Live your lives with an unshakable confidence. We know that we prosper and excel in every season by serving the Lord, because we are assured that our union with the Lord makes our labor productive with fruit that endures.” (I Corinthians 15:57-58 – TPT) 

We know from these verses and others throughout both the Old and New Testaments, that God is a BIG God and lives BIG for us.  Paul tells us first of all, that we are to be thankful to God because He produces BIG victories for us, that cause us to act as CONQUERORS in and through our faith in Christ Jesus.  And then, with that in mind, Paul further encourages us to “live our lives with an unshakeable confidence” because “we know that we will prosper and excel in every season by our serving the Lord.”

In matter of fact, Paul here, is telling us to Live BIG for God… BECAUSE… He lives and provides the tools we need to succeed in this life in a BIG way for us!

Likewise, Ephesians 5:1 instructs us to,

“Be imitators of God in everything you do, for then you will represent your Father as Hs beloved sons and daughters.” (TPT) 

So… were my simple, straight forward words spoken to that young family this morning a BIG thing for God?  It wouldn’t seem like it… BUT.. the glow on the mom’s face and the joy that radiated in her simple reply tells another story!  Was it a BIG, momentous action for me?  Not necessarily… but it definitely was a BOLD thing for me to do in obedience to HIS urgings! 

Maybe Living our Lives BIG for God is more about being humble, obedient and BOLD to do what HE instructs us to do… when He tells us to do them… rather than looking for BIG and seemingly impressive things to accomplish.  That makes more sense to me. 

What do you think?  The glowing look and smile present on the face of that mom this morning was worth my stepping out in obedience to God… PLUS… I had a joyful confidence as Fiver and I walked away from them this morning… That the power of God was released and HE was doing something special in the life of that little baby TODAY!

Living my Life BIG for God… Well…that’s my plan for the rest of my day today… and tomorrow and everyday after that!  Won’t you join me in that endeavor for the Kingdom of God?  And as you do it… Keep EXPECTING God’s BEST in your life!

The Other Side of the Cross

On our daily walks this last week, I found myself reminiscing about the various observances of Holy Week that I participated in during my childhood years.  Looking back today, I can see that my understanding and focus of this special week, that leads up to Easter, has changed from my Catholic upbringing to my adult life as an evangelical, Pentecostal Protestant. 

One Catholic tradition that stood out in my memory was The Stations of the Cross devotion that commemorates what we Protestants refer to as The Passion of Christ.  It is the period of time that highlights the events surrounding the suffering and crucifixion of Jesus Christ, from The Last Supper to His death on the cross and burial.

What I remember most as a kid attending Parochial school is that it was a solemn, dramatic (depending on the priest leading the procession around the 14 Stations), sad and to be honest… a little boring event that we attended during school hours throughout the week, as well when our parents went back at night to meet their personal obligation.

As I recounted my experiences with this tradition on our walks this week, I suddenly stopped and turned to the dog who was indignantly looking at me and wondering why I halted his sniffing adventures, and declared, “Boy, I wish I knew back then what I know today!”

One of the main aspects that I realized as I came into the life-changing experience of having a personal relationship with Jesus during my high school and college years, was that while the remembrances of the events leading up to Resurrection Sunday are very important… as a Christian, I don’t want to stay there!  For my wellbeing and maturity in Christ that undergirds everything I do in my life today… all happens on the other side of the cross!

Everything that Jesus did for us through His suffering, death on the cross, burial, resurrection and assumption to the right hand of God, He accomplished so that we can legally have our sins forgiven… once and for all… and then… receive and walk in all the promises that are outlined for us (as we bring the gospel message to the nations) throughout the Pauline revelation as written in the epistles from the book of Romans through Revelation!

And speaking about the promises of God, 1 Corinthians 1:20 informs us that’

“For all the promises of God, whatever their number, have their confirmation in Him; and for this reason through Him also our "Amen" acknowledges their truth and promotes the glory of God through our faith.” (Weymouth) 

So YES!  When I think about all that Jesus suffered for YOU and ME during Holy Week, I am almost speechless on Easter morning at the sight of the empty tomb and the vacant cross… and I can’t help but to praise and worship Jesus for His unconditional LOVE for YOU and ME and… look forward with JOYFUL expectation to what now lies on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CROSS!

Everything that Jesus provided for us at the cross of Calvery is NOW AVAILABLE for us and makes me want to shout aloud,

“Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place.” (2 Corinthians 2:14 – KJV) 

ISN’T GOD GOOD!

Have a blessed celebration of Easter tomorrow and keep moving forward with all that HE has for you… on THE OTHER SIDE OF THE CROSS!

Absolutely None!

Today was one of those strange days, for me, where I woke up in a funk… and just couldn’t seem to shake it!  Usually, I can simply start praising the Lord and by the time I’ve got my cup of coffee and I’ve been in the Word for a few minutes, the funk has melted away… but not today!  Thankfully though, by force of long-standing habit, I pushed on through, and as I followed my regular morning routine, I FINALLY got some relief after thirty minutes or more of study time in my Bible!

I’ve always been a “get-up-and-go” sort of person… of which I couldn’t say the same for my wife.  I still remember the first time I saw her, first thing in the morning… We were at a snow retreat with her high school youth group in the Tahoe area of California.  The leadership had rented a somewhat small cabin where a whole bunch of us youth stuffed ourselves and our belongings for the weekend.

At night we were told to throw our sleeping bags wherever you could find a spot… and somehow… my bag just happened to locate one open place… right next to my high school sweetheart and future bride, Piper.  Well, as you might imagine, I woke up all “bright-eyed and bushy-tailed,” rolled over to cheerfully address my girl… when one look at her sleepy eyes and the expression on her face made it clear… that I needed to “cool my jets” and allow her the space to wake up on her own!

I have always been thankful to Piper’s college dorm roommate who was also an “up and Adam” energetic in the morning type of person, who somehow… miraculously, I might even say… turned Piper into a much more enthusiastic morning riser!

But I digress, this morning’s funk finally began to evaporate as I deepened my almost, weeklong Bible study into James 1:17-18 where the Pastor of the church in Jerusalem stated:

“Every good gift and every perfect boon, is from above, and comes down from the Father, who is the source of all Light. In Him there is (absolutely) no variation nor the slightest suggestion of change.  (For) God decided to give us life through the word of truth so that we would fulfill his chosen destiny for us and become the favorite ones out of all his creation!”*

This particular portion of scripture contains a large and varied cornucopia of “teachable moments.”  For me today, the “teachable moment” was focused on my need to grab hold (and hang on tight) to the truth, that with God,

“there is absolutely NO variation NOR the slightest suggestion of change.”

And what triggered it all was an event that happened at church yesterday.  It was pretty evident from about midway through the first Praise and Worship song that God was wanting to do something special at that service.  The anointing of God in the atmosphere of the large auditorium was thick and the enthusiasm and expectation amongst the congregation was contagious.

When the Pastor came to the podium, encouraged the people to continue worshipping the Lord and then asked the church Pastoral staff to come to the front of the auditorium, you just knew that God was going to show forth His glory… and that He did, as the Pastor spoke to the congregation and declared if there was anyone with any kind of pain in their bodies to come forward.

Within a few moments the front of the auditorium was literally packed with people and the Lord began to move with astonishing results.  I couldn’t help but to stand in awe, laugh and even shed a tear or two as I watched the power of God in action and recalled… the great multiplicity of times that Piper and I, as part of the church leadership team, had been in the thick of identical kinds of experiences at many of the church services that we were apart of over the years.

What saddened me was that this type of event was an exciting part of Piper’s and my past and had also been a vivid vision of our life plan together, following our graduation from Bible College… but then, with the onset of the Alzheimer’s that attacked Piper… all that changed!

But then again… had it?  Had it ALL changed?

That funk that had tried to attach itself to me this morning began to go up in a puff of smoke when I realized that while my personal plans and circumstances had painfully and drastically changed… God hadn’t changed… in point of fact,

“In Him there is absolutely NO variation NOR the slightest suggestion of change.”

I began to realize this morning… and it has taken me six years to come to this realization… that while the love of my life, my closet friend and partner in the call to ministry has left this world and gone home to “greener pastures” sort-of-speak… God hasn’t changed… and in reality… either have I!

For even without Piper at my side… I am still the same individual that I was before.  I still carry the same giftings, talents, anointings, experiences and the calling that God has given me over the years.  And you know… it was actually kind of fun to see that the same awesome moves of God, as well as the everyday work of the ministry, still stirs up the excitement of my soul!

It would seem that God’s “chosen destiny for me” is still very much alive and just waiting for me to re-connect with it.  My personal circumstances may have changed and the original characters in God’s plan for my life may also have changed… but God in His nature, in His ability to make the seemingly impossible possible in my life, and in and with the power of His anointings… are still the same… and…

“there is absolutely NO variation NOR the slightest suggestion of change.”

How about with you?  Are there things that have seemingly disrupted and/or changed the plan and/or direction of your life?  Well… let me just say that you are NOT alone and while your life may look and feel a little (or maybe a lot) upside down… God in His LOVE for you and in the POWER of His infallible Word hasn’t changed one bit!  He still has His destiny for your life and only needs for you to throw your care upon Him… so that He can lead and empower you into best of life that He still has for you!

WOW!  I’m gonna take advantage of all the favor that God says I have with Him… How about you do the same…

I can’t wait to hear all your good reports!  Have a fantastic week and keep asking yourself… “What am I EXPECTING today?”

 

*My personalization of James 1:17-18, by combining portions of the King James, Weymouth, God’s Word © and The Passion translations. 

Mingle!

As the effects of the Alzheimer’s progressed and my wife was having an increasingly difficult time chewing and swallowing her food, along with the corresponding loss in weight, I did some research, talked to her Neurologist and began to custom blend nutritious and high calorie protein smoothies for her breakfast consumption. 

It was actually an enjoyable process as I dusted off my grandmother’s trusted Osterizer blender and learned to “mingle” different varieties of fresh, sweet fruits and berries, protein powder, honey, oats, yogurt, vanilla ice-cream, whole milk and other delectable ingredients that would turn into a frothy, colorful and tasty concoction for her to enjoy… which she did seem to relish when I helped her with her breakfast each morning.  

She was known to have a sweet tooth… that’s probably one of the reasons she married me… he! he!... and in the early days of our marriage, would occasionally have her dessert at the beginning of dinner… rather than at the end… just because she could without parental objection!  So, having a milkshake type drink for breakfast was very acceptable, as far as she was concerned!

I learned another side to the idea of “mingling” different ingredients this week in my study of God’s Word.  The Apostle Paul made an interesting statement about the Gospel message at the beginning of the book of Romans, when he boldly declared,

“For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek. For therein is the righteousness of God revealed from faith to faith: as it is written, ‘The just shall live by faith.’” (Romans 1:16-17 – KJV) 

Adam Clarke explained in his Commentary on the Bible, that “Whosoever believeth on Him, shall not be ashamed” meant that “They shall neither be confounded nor disappointed of their expectation (of the Gospel).” And me, being the literary genius that I am (another round of he! he!), had to look up the meaning to the word “confounded” in order to better appreciate Clarke’s definition.

What I discovered was that “confounded” describes a situation where the outcome is “thrown into confusion or disorder” and/or “mingled so that the (various) elements cannot be distinguished or separated.”* And when you put that truth together with Paul’s bold assertation that the Gospel of Christ is the power of God for our salvation and therein, HIS righteousness is revealed from “faith to faith,” or as The Message Bible puts it: “shows up in the acts of faith” we, as Christians, understand the importance of our faith-filled actions as demonstrations of the Gospel message to those around us.

So… since our faith-actions are live demonstrations of the Gospel message… Paul is encouraging us to NOT be “ashamed” or “confounded” by our expectations of the Gospel message, by “mingling” our words and steps of faith with words and/or actions of fear, doubt and unbelief that might be contrary to the truth of God’s Word.

When I used to create Piper’s morning nutritious and great tasting protein smoothies, I made a deliberate practice to only add or “mingle” the ingredients that would produce the healthiest and best tasting drink that she would savor and not reject!

The same could be said for yours and my daily Christian walk.  Paul is instructing us to only add, say and then do the practices and actions that the people around us will savor and not reject!

And you know what?  One never knows when or if something we say or do makes a positive, life-altering, encouraging or healing effect on those around us.  In recent years, I have had numerous individuals tell me how much something Piper and/or I said to them… many years ago in the past… that met a special need and encouraged them in such a way as to help them make it through a difficult time in their lives.

I can also think about those special people in our lives, through the years, that greatly blessed and encouraged us!  And I bet that you have many personal experiences as well!

So… I encourage you to be that shining example in your world and make it a deliberate practice to only live by, speak and do words and actions of faith and NOT “mingle” them with any words and/or actions that would take away from the sweet and enjoyable savor of the truth of God’s Word working in and through your life!

Have a GREAT week!  We woke up this morning to blue skies that were free from the “mingling” of thundering BOOMS, icy, howling winds and pouring rain… and WOW…  was that ever a sweet treat to savor! 

And while you’re at it, don’t forget to keep asking yourself… “What am I EXPECTING today!

 

*Dictionary.com

SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS!

I had reason to pause the other morning as I grabbed the handle to the freezer side of our refrigerator.  My attention had been drawn to the various pictures of my wife that I had taped to the door.  The thought that caused me to stop in mid- reach, was the startling reality that, even after six years, she isn’t here anymore! 

I can’t say that a week has gone by during this time, in which I haven’t found myself physically turning around, after getting up from bed in the morning… and fully expecting to see her waking, sleepy smile in the place she occupied next to me for 48 years!  But my initial shock and pang of sadness doesn’t last very long as the Lord gave me some scriptures to stand upon for situations just like these. 

A week or so after her passing back in 2018… after the kids had returned to their homes in California and Oklahoma, I found myself in the quietness of our empty home, praying at the kitchen table.  I had peace and comfort in knowing EXACTLY where she was, but asked the Lord for a picture of how she was physically (or spiritually?) doing in her new home.  After a few more moments of prayer, I sensed a leading of the Holy Spirit, instructing me to look at and combine the scriptures located in Ephesians 1:4 and Psalm 16:11… and, rather specifically, to do so using my favorite God’s Word © Bible translation.

So, after I reached to my right where my Bible just happened to be sitting on the table near me, I read the two scriptures and couldn’t help but to break out into a big smile as I gained a clear and concise picture of my sweet wife in heaven! 

After encouraging the church to “Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ,”* Paul went on to instruct them in Ephesians 1:4 saying:

“Before the creation of the world, He chose us through Christ to be HOLY and PERFECT in his presence.” 

While, many years previous to the Pauline Revelation, David had written while thanking the same God for not abandoning him during the various trials and tribulations of his life declaring,

“You make the path of life known to me. Complete JOY is in your presence. Pleasures are by your side forever.” 

And without a second thought, I grabbed my trusty mechanical pencil, underlined the verses, and scribbled some notes in my Bible and then wrote on my note page for the day… that my

“Piper is NOW: HOLY, HAPPY and PERFECT in the presence of Almighty God!”

…and I have held that picture of her vividly in my heart every day since that experience! 

Over the years since then, I have also made those two scriptures to be a part of my daily scripture confessions that I declare first thing every morning.  But an interesting thing happened one morning not too long after we moved into our home here in Oklahoma.  I was confessing these verses, while rehearsing the picture that they always present to me of her walking through the beauty of heaven with that big, warm, encouraging and loving smile on her face, when my tongue sort of tripped and I added to my confession that,

“Piper is NOW: HOLY, HAPPY and SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUSLY Perfect in the presence of Almighty God!” 

Well… I must say that this threw me a curve and I stopped and said aloud… “Isn’t that kind of sacrilegious to add that word… if it even is a word… to the Word of God?”  And without missing a beat, I immediately recalled all the various adjectives and double adjectives that Paul is well-known for using when he spoke of the goodness of God in his various epistles… and I thought… Well… you know what?  I bet if Paul was around today… that he would also be tempted to use “SCRUMDIDLYUMPTIOUS”** in his modern descriptions of God’s goodness!

In fact… I think that it perfectly describes Piper’s life in heaven… because it is the nature of God to be perfectly SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS in everything that He does for all of us… whether we be in heaven or on the earth!***  And I especially like the word SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS because, to me, it gives the connotation of being so good and enjoyable that it spills all over you and you get MESSY in order to fully enjoy it!

A good example would be my mother’s absolutely delicious Crab Cioppino that she used to make on special family occasions.  There was NO WAY that you could fully appreciate and enjoy the wonderful richness of the combination of crab legs, various kinds of fish and the thick Italian sauce without it dripping down your face, down your hands… any many times… on your shirt as well… even with the special Crab Cioppino bibs she always had on hand!

Therefore, if you’re anything like me… then you also want to live life with the SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUSNESS of the goodness of God dripping down from all over you!  Am I right about that?

It gives me instant peace and a spark of JOYFULL HAPPINESS when I look over at the empty other half of our bed in the morning, or at Piper’s piano that she’ll never play again or at the memories of our life and family that are hanging from picture frames around the house, when I remind myself of how Holy, Happy and SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUSLY Perfect**** she is in her new home in heaven.

And likewise, I am JOYFULLY reminded that it is also the way that our heavenly Father thinks of us who are still on this earth… and wants us to be in return… JUST LIKE HIM… with the remnants of His Grace-filled SCRUMDIDDLYUMPTIOUS goodness-like sauce dripping from us!

Now that’s a picture you won’t soon forget!  Have a great weekend, share HIS special sauce with those around you and keep asking yourself…

“WHAT AM I EXPECTING TODAY?”

 

*Ephesians 1:3 – God’s Word ©

**And YES! It is a word that the Oxford Online Dictionaries defines as a food that is extremely tasty; delicious or of a person who is very attractive!  Also check out: https://www.thekitchn.com/scrumdiddlyumptious-is-now-recognized-as-a-word-in-the-oxford-dictionary-236166

***Remember Jesus’ prayer to the Father concerning His followers in Matthew 6:10 where He prayed “Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven.”

****I understand that the word translated “Perfect” in this verse is defined as “being without blame” due to Jesus’ shedding of His blood during His sacrifice on the cross that cleansed us of our sins… but to me… Piper was made Perfect as the love of my life (as I think every husband should feel about his wife… and visa versa)!

Bright Morning Star

I guess that I have always been sort of a morning person.  As I have gotten older, I have come to really enjoy the quiet calm of the early morning where I can just sit alone and enjoy the feeling of the nearness of the Lord that seems to be so easily available at that time of day… at least to me!

I’ve mentioned on numerous occasions of how I loved to be the first up and out of the tent, and later on the trailer, when camping with the family in the mountains of northwest and northeastern California.  But even before I tried to quietly unzip the entrance flap on the tent, I also enjoyed experiencing the first light of day as it would slowly filter through the canvas or nylon sides and roof of our various tents.  Many times, I would let the little kid in me have its way and would quietly giggle as I remembered my mother’s disdain of the loud squawking Bluejays that would break the silence of the morning… and her precious last few moments of sleep in the tent!

Nowadays I look forward to and take great pleasure in flowing with the solitude of the morning stillness as I open my Bible first thing and spend time in conversation with God.  Weather permitting, I will open the window in order to enjoy the cool freshness of the day before the sounds of others pursuing the busyness of their day come into play.  Out here in Oklahoma, I have even been known to put on a thick sweater or hoodie so as to see, feel and fully enjoy the ambiance of that special time of day… without my teeth chattering!

I got the feeling this week during my Bible study times, that Jesus also enjoys the quiet stillness of the morning.  One of the very last messages that He left us at the end of the book of Revelation, which was the last discourse of the Lord’s written communication to mankind, was when He declared that,

“I, Jesus, have sent my angel to give this testimony for the churches. I am the Creator, the Root from which life originates, but also the descendant of David, and the true Light Bearer—The BRIGHT MORNING STAR of truth.”  (Revelation 22:16 – The Remedy Bible)

The word “MORNING” is defined in the Greek as “relating to the dawn” or “brilliant in the early day.”*  One thing that I have noticed in my early morning escapades is that when the sun begins to rise over the horizon… one can’t hardly resist being drawn to its golden glow!  But as if that wasn’t enough, Jesus preceded his self-reference to the “MORNING” with the adjective “BRIGHT!” …and this to me is where things get descriptively exciting!

Some of the words used to define this Greek word are “radiant, limpid (meaning completely clear of anything that darkens**), magnificent, sumptuous, gorgeous and white”* or “resplendent, attractive and impressive through being richly colorful.”***

So… Jesus doesn’t just compare Himself with the morning time of day… but separates Himself from anything else by His vivid descriptions and thereby bluntly records His presence in the annuals of written history, as the greatest, most wonderful, most resplendently beautiful and sumptuous sight and LIGHT that you and I will ever set our eyes upon… PERIOD!

So again, with all that in mind… why wouldn’t any of us want to get up in the early solitude of the morning to spend time… alone… with Him?

I’m pretty sure that most of us have heard the old adage that “The early bird catches the worm.”  Well… similarly, in the context of this post, one could also confirm that the early risers see things… wonderful things… in the quiet freshness of the morning and gain revelations that others won’t or cannot see in the heat and busyness of the day!

I recently started re-reading an old favorite book**** which tells the story of an Episcopalian priest, Father Dennis Bennett, who in the early 1960’s and 70’s came into the charismatic movement, received the Baptism of the Holy Spirit with the evidence of speaking in tongues and was forced to resign as Pastor of a big Episcopalian church in Southern California.  After leaving that church, he took on a new assignment at a small missionary Episcopalian church in Washington state and soon became one of the world-wide leaders of the bourgeoning Charismatic Movement.

One of the main observations that stirred a greater hunger for God in his wife’s and his hearts was the young couple from another Episcopalian church in Southern California who had experienced the Baptism of the Holy Spirit and the dramatic change in their lives that drew the attention of their Pastor, who then introduced them to Dennis.  Upon their first meeting of the young couple, Father Dennis and his wife both agreed that the couple,

“radiated something that stirred feelings and responses deep inside them and that the young husband and wife seemed to know God – to be so sure of Him.”

I clearly remember Piper and I having almost identical feelings through the years of our faith walk that could… and still do… propel me to want to spend as much time with Him as I can.  And while I do take opportunities to be with Him whenever possible throughout my daily activities… my early morning coffee and study times that I set apart and committed to Him many years ago, is still my favorite, most encouraging and strengthening part of my day… hands down!

When is the last time that you spent time in the quiet calm of the early morning to experience the greatest, most wonderful, most resplendently beautiful and sumptuous sight and LIGHT of the world?  If it hasn’t been for a while… well… it can start tomorrow morning!

Enjoy the rest of your first spring week of 2025… and keep asking yourself… “What am I EXPECTING today?”

 

*Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries

**Oxford Online Dictionaries

*** Thayer’s Greek Definitions

**** “Nine O’Clock in the Morning” by Dennis J. Bennett, © 1970 by Logos International

         --- This book especially spoke to my heart because of the similarity of my liturgical Catholic upbring and Father Bennett’s Episcopalian training ---