TIPTOE!

“This little piggy went to market,

This little piggy stayed home,

This little piggy had roast beef,

This little piggy had none,

This little piggy cried “Wee! Wee! Wee!” all the way home.”

 

Okay, Okay!  Contrary to what you may be thinking as you take a first look at today’s blog post… I am actually endeavoring to take a vivid and personal memory of this old-time classic children’s rhyme and turn it into a very adult-life object lesson!  So… do I have your attention?  Okay!

This story’s humble beginnings date back to the leather sandals that my high school sweetheart wore when we first started dating in our senior year.  The footwear was a little unusual to me as the front portion of each sandal that normally has a strap across the full width of the shoe, only had one leather loop that held each of her big toes in place.  Now you may think it weird (and maybe it was…) that a girl’s shoes would attract my attention, but I was enamored with the gal and everything about her caught my attention… including her small feet and tiny little toes.

I always loved to make her laugh and since she wasn’t very ticklish, I had to come up with other unique ways to elicit a happy giggle from her.  So… as her open toed shoes seemed to beckon me on… I came up with the spontaneous singing of “This little Piggy” while I surprised her by gently pulling each of her TOES for each verse of the rhyme… down to the very last line with her smallest TOE - which I wiggled and dramatically sang ♫“And this little piggy cried ‘Wee! Wee! Wee!’ all the way home.”♫

The memory of it makes me smile now as I think about it, because that little song and my corresponding actions ALWAYS sparked a round of laughter from her EVERY TIME I did it… from her teens well into her senior years!  I guess some special things are never meant to grow old!

And so… to the point of today’s blog post… due to that simple children’s rhyme and my ensuing funny experiences with Piper that it elicited…

EVERY TIME I see the word “TOE” or hear it in a conversation… I ALWAYS think back to the heartfelt memories of the way my wife would break into a big smile and laugh from the bottom of her heart… when I sang the silly lyrics and pulled on her TOES!  Therefore, the word, “TOE and the resulting feelings of LOVE, FAITHFULNESS and LAUGHTER all seem to go together for me and have a warm and special place in my life!

So… when I turned to look at my Message Bible’s modern translation of Romans 4:20-21 the other morning, I couldn’t help but to smile and recall “This Little Piggy” and the laughter inducing corresponding actions with my wife.  The Apostle Paul’s teaching here concerns the seemingly impossible promise of a baby that the Lord had made to 100-year-old Abraham and his 90-year-old barren wife Sarah*  And speaking of Abraham, Paul wrote,

“He didn't TIPTOE around God's promise asking cautiously skeptical questions. (But instead,) He plunged into the promise and came up strong and ready for God, sure that God would make good on what He had said.” 

The older more traditional King James Version that we might be more familiar with tells us that Abraham,

“…staggered not at the promise of God through unbelief…”

Vincent’s Word Studies states that the word “staggered is better translated ‘wavered’ and implies a mental struggle.”  While Wurst Word Studies explains it this way, saying,

“Staggered" is diakrinō (in the original Greek), made up of krinō, "to judge" and dia, whose root meaning is "two," thus, "to judge between two," thus, "to vacillate between two opinions or decisions." Abraham did not vacillate between belief and unbelief with respect to His difficulty and the ability of God to meet it. He did not waver…”

Simply put… The TOE-tantalizing message of this post today, is to NEVER GIVE UP on God when He gives you a promise, a vision, a special plan or purpose… no matter how impossible it may seem… but instead… to be BOLD in your faith and not TIPTOE around what God has spoken to you in your heart** and/or through His Word.

And what is the biggest tool that the enemy of our faith will use to distract us from receiving God’s promise?  Thoughts of DOUBT, UNBELIEF and FEAR of failure… and how do we combat these havoc causing, faith stealing lies?  By building our faith with the consistent hearing (and reading) of God’s Word*** and by keeping the promise of God before our eyes and thereby not allow ourselves to entertain,

“Cautiously skeptical questions.”

Simple RIGHT?  Well… actually it is… But it does take personal determination, consistency and dedication!  Our Pastor’s wife once told us that Piper was like a bulldog… that once she put her faith onto something that God had told her through the Word or in her spirit… she bit down into it and NEVER LET IT GO… until she had the answer that she was EXPECTING!

So, even though I would pull on and then let go of Piper’s TOES when I sang “This Little Piggy” you can rest assured that God will never LET GO of you and the promise He has given you… as you grab hold of Him and pull your faith into line with Him and the truth of His Word… until you have your answer… NO MATTER how IMPOSSIBLE it may look!

So… Be BOLD in your FAITH and don’t TIPTOE around!  Expect to receive God’s answer… along with His LOVE, FAITHFULNESS and LAUGHTER… and you’ll get it!

I’m looking at gray skies outside my third story balcony today after a heavy downpour caught me off-guard during my afternoon walk yesterday!  But I’m ready for it today and tomorrow… Have a great weekend… and let me know if you remember the classic Children’s rhyme “This Little PIGGY”… and if you have any special memories with it or any other old Children’s rhymes.

*See Genesis 17-15-21

**The truth or validity of what God speaks to you in your heart, will ALWAYS be confirmed in His Word.  So, it might take a little study on your part to clarify how you believe the Lord is leading you… before you step out.

***Romans 10:17

The Right, Responsibility and Authority

My Tennessee family and I went out to a casual dinner last night at a farm called Breeden’s Orchard, out here on the outskirts of Mt Juliet.*  It would seem that their specialty is all things apple, but I also noticed groves of peaches and other fruit trees on the vast property.  The location reminded me of the old Twin Hill Ranch in the hills by the little town of Sebastopol near our hometown in northern California, on the way out to the coast.  It looked like it, felt like it… but I would have to admit… didn’t smell like it.  In its location near the coast, Sebastopol has a unique fragrance with hints of ocean breezes, the orchards, fog and the surrounding Redwoods!

I enjoyed watching all the families that filled the place.  It most definitely had a friendly atmosphere as the adults and kids enjoyed the various activities available along side the shops, live music, small restaurant and the onsite Friday Night Market.  I will assuredly return… when it’s less crowed… to purchase some of the unique apple products and merchandise that they have on hand.

This has been a busy week for me as I had a lot of different activities on my “To-Do” list to accomplish.  I even had my annual eye exam and finally ordered some new prescription sun glasses.  I realized that my current pair is at least ten years old, having got them way back when we lived in North Carolina… and even though my eyesight hasn’t changed that much… it will be nice to see things more clearly!

I discovered during my morning walk earlier in the week, that I was having to deal with some anxious thoughts about all the new things that were filling my upcoming calendar.  This may sound silly… but I still have a difficult time figuring out just who I am, in this season of my life, without my sweet wife Piper at my side.  But as I walked around the back portion of the complex, I had a startling revelation that made me pause on the path and consider a very familiar verse of scripture from Philippians 4:13 where Paul wrote… and I personalized for myself and declared…

“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.” (EMTV)

And then as I stood there for a moment thinking about that verse and its meaning to me, I heard myself saying aloud:

“As a Christian, I don’t have the RIGHT, the RESPONSIBILITY nor the AUTHORITY to be anxious about anything, because the Word tells me that ‘I CAN-DO and I CAN-HAVE all things through Christ who strengthens me!’” **

But what I DO have is the RIGHT, the RESPONSIBILITY and the AUTHORITY of God’s Word to NOT BE ANXIOUS about anything because Jesus has commanded me and all Christians to,

“Be ANXIOUS FOR NOTHING, but in everything, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, (to) present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6 / BSB)

With the promised corresponding following result

“That God’s peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine, will (then) guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:7 / God’s Word ©) 

Wow!  Think about the effect that walking in that truth can mean in YOUR life!  It’s one of the foundational truths that we looked at last week that can cause us to,

“Consider it pure JOY, my brothers (and sisters), when you encounter trials of many kinds…” (James 1:2 / BSB) 

The daily TRIALS that we encounter in life… when we give them to the Lord and fight them in HIS heavenly courts… are covered under the laws of HIS truth as found in His Word and thereby demonstrate the RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITY and AUTHORITY that are given to us as members of the Royal Family of God!***

Knowing that we have RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITIES and AUTHORITY that is backed by the TRUTH of God’s Word can and should make us approach the events of our daily lives with a whole new level of excitement, adventure, expectation and determination!

Wouldn’t you agree?

Remember that Jesus prayed to His father before He went to the cross and asked Him

“to sanctify or set-apart those of us who are Born-again Christians by the TRUTH (and then declared that) THY WORD is TRUTH!” (John 17:17 / KJV)

And… just before He left this world and was ascended up into heaven to sit at the right hand of God, He gave us the RIGHTS, RESPONSIBILITY and the AUTHORITY to be His representatives here on the earth!

WOW! 

That reality kinda stirs up a lot of positive and highly EXPECTANT energy and excitement in me… HOW ABOUT YOU?

Have a great weekend.  When I stepped out onto my balcony around 6:30 this morning it was in the 50’s with a light but totally refreshing breeze!  It looks like fall has finally come upon middle Tennessee and I’m definitely ready for it

 

*https://www.breedensorchard.com/

** Also see Paul’s additional statement a few verses down from this verse in Philippians 4:19

*** See Jesus’ GREAT COMISSION in Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:15-20 where HE declared His Authority over everything in heaven and earth and then conferred that Authority on us… His Body… in order to be His living examples on this earth and to bring the Good News to the world around us.

MATLOCK

Did you ever watch the popular TV series Matlock which premiered on NBC in 1983, moved to ABC after six seasons and then ended its nine-year run in 1995?  I don’t remember watching it too much when it was originally broadcast, but it definitely came onto to our radar after moving to Andy Griffith’s home state of North Carolina in 2014.

He is a most venerated favorite son in the state, having been born and raised in the small town of Mount Airy in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, about three miles south of the Virginia State border in northwestern North Carolina.  Mount Airy is said to be the inspiration for Mayberry, the setting of Andy’s first popular series, the Andy Griffith Show… and capitalizes on its connection with many special museum buildings and related events throughout the year.

It seemed like we could hardly turn on the TV, read the Raleigh newspaper or go into town without seeing a program, article or advertisement for something to do with Andy Griffith and/or Mayberry!  So, once we settled into our new home in the country side between a couple of small towns south of the state capital of Raleigh, we couldn’t help but to watch reruns of both of his popular shows!

I especially enjoyed his presentation of the Matlock character.  He portrayed a very likable, easy going Southern Trial Lawyer with a folksy personality, some finicky, penny-pinching habits but yet with a strong sense of right and wrong.  Once in the court room his years of experience with the justice system and command of the law always shined forth.  And his dogged determination and dedication to the truth regularly prevailed by the end of each show… I mean… what else would you expect… right?

Well, I found something un-expected this last week as I continued to study on the subject of the JOY that we have in the Lord, based on the Old Testament scripture in Nehemiah 8:10, where Ezra the priest and Nehemiah the governor of Jerusalem encouraged the grief-stricken children of Israel after getting a first glimpse of the destruction of their beloved city of Jerusalem, saying,

“Today is a holy day for the Lord. Don’t be sad because the JOY you have in the LORD is your strength.” (God’s Word ©)

I was led to a well-known scripture in the New Testament, written many years later by the Pastor of the Jerusalem church to his congregation, as well as to the Christians who were scattered around the known world.  Here James, like his OT predecessors, writes to encourage his troubled readers, who were experiencing persecutions and various trials, telling them to,

“Consider it pure JOY, my brothers (and sisters), when you encounter trials of many kinds, because you know that the testing of your faith develops perseverance.  (&) Allow perseverance to finish its work, so that you may be mature and complete, not lacking anything.” (James 1:2-4 / Berean Study Bible)

And you know me… I just had to dig into the meanings of the original Greek words in order to best understand what the writers… under the influence of the Holy Spirit… were trying to convey to us modern day readers some 1,980 years later (give or take).

So… I started off with the very first word in the verse “Consider” or “Count” in the King James Version where I found the something unexpected!  Strong’s Greek and Hebrew Dictionaries defined it as “To lead, that is to command (with official authority)” While Thayer’s Greek Definitions described it’s meaning as “to have authority over; of regal power; to lead as respects to influence.”

Well… that wasn’t what I expected to hear!  It sort of threw my long-held theology on this verse for a loop… and yet… it EXCITED me at the same time!

James isn’t telling us to just think about or half-heartedly consider trying to have some JOY when we encounter the various trials that we face throughout our lives… He’s instructing us to take a much more proactive and authoritative approach!  I thought of Matlock at this point of revelation in my personal study, because the idea of having a more authoritative role in the testing times in my life, caused me to picture Christians feeling very confident as they go to trial, in a court of law, with a high-powered, brilliant attorney at their side.  But in these particular trial’s that we face in life, the high-powered attorney at our side would be the Holy Spirit – the Spirit of Truth* of whom Jesus said,

“I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Comforter (Counselor, Helper, Intercessor, Advocate [ie; lawyer], Strengthener and Standby), that He may remain with you forever.” (John 14:16 – Amplified Bible)

Once again, Pastor James is explaining to us that we can and should take on the trials and tribulations that come our way from a place of authority… because we have the full backing, resources, scope, rights and power of God’s TRUTH on our side!  No wonder we can experience and keep the cheerful, calm delight** of JOY about us when things may not look their best during the difficult times in our lives! 

We not only have the absolute TRUTH of God’s Word for our defense, but the best trial lawyer in the universe… in any realm… representing us!  For you see… all of the things that the enemy of our souls may try to throw at us in our low times are all lies from the pit of hell.  And the TRUTH of God’s Word will prove it so!  The enemy will call us all kinds of names and make many false accusations in order to steal our faith… and when that doesn’t work, he will attack our character!

But that’s exactly when the TRUTH of God’s Word, His LOVE for us and a powerful Attorney sitting next to us really shines forth!  So don’t ever give up but stay strong and EXPECT God’s TRUTH to prevail… every time… in every situation! 

WHAT DO YOU THINK ABOUT THAT?

I can’t remember MATLOCK ever losing a case… and while he may have been good… He’s couldn’t come close to the Spirit of Truth living in us!

Have a good fresh new week ahead!  They are forecasting the beginning of a fall weather pattern this week in our neck of the woods out here… and I’m excited about that!  What’s it like where you live?

 

*See John 14:17, 26

**the definition of JOY in Strong’s Greek Hebrew Dictionaries 

The PERSONALITY of JOY!

I mentioned in last week’s blog post of how JOY just seemed to emanate from my wife-to-be, when I first met her in high school.  It was the main (of many) attributes that caught and kept my attention on her throughout the years… until she took her last breath in 2018.  But you know… I wasn’t the only one whose attention was caught when she walked into a room.  She had… what I am learning lately to call… a visibly bright PERSONALITY of JOY! 

It seemed to precede her wherever she went and never dimmish in intensity… even as the first physically manifested effects of Alzheimer’s began to slowly present themselves in her body when we went to Oklahoma for Bible School between 2006 - 2009.  If you recall my personal, experience-based translation of our verse from last week’s post* in Nehemiah 8:10, I described the JOY that we have in the Lord… the kind of JOY that we take personal possession and ownership of as,

“The foundational STRENGTH of all our inherent ABILITIES and God given GIFTINGS and TALENTS.”**

The JOY that she had in the Lord was always on show for anyone to take advantage (in the most encouraging manner) of… And that JOY made her a very capable, willing and easily accepted minister of the Gospel of love.  Within a few weeks of us making our new home in Broken Arrow, she had made close friends with the elderly Walmart Greeter at the Super Walmart near our home as well with the young black manager at the Dollar Tree in the little strip mall next door. 

No matter where in the store the manager was when we walked into that Dollar Store, the manager would spot Piper in the mirrors around the interior and would literally yell out “Hello Honey!” in her thick Southern accent!  Then they would meet up and hug like long lost friends.

In John 15:11 Jesus had just finished teaching the crowd that had gathered around Him the importance of obeying the Word of His Father and thereby abiding in His love… and summed it up by explaining,

"I've told you these things for a purpose: that my JOY might be your JOY, and your JOY be wholly mature.” (The Message Bible) 

That word ‘mature’ not only infers the idea of “being complete and satisfied,” but also conveys the ability to “pervade someone or something with influence.” 

Now stick with me here… just what kind of influence are we talking about when we discuss “the JOY that we have in the Lord?”**  Well… it just so happens that the Apostle Paul gives us that answer in Galatians 5:22-23.  In these verses Paul names JOY as one of the first Fruit of the Spirit saying,

“But the fruit produced by the Holy Spirit within you is divine LOVE in all its varied expressions: JOY that overflows, Peace that subdues, Patience that endures, Kindness in action, a life full of Virtue, Faith that prevails, Gentleness of heart, and Self Control.  (and) Never set the law above these qualities, for they are meant to be limitless.” (The Message/God’s Word ©)

So… when I read this in the understanding of the strength or “influence” that JOY carries with it when it walks into a room… through an anointed and yielded individual… I can’t help but to realize that JOY has a unique and specialized PERSONALITY!  And what are the unique capabilities and/or characteristics of that PERSONALITY type?

Well… as one of the first Fruit of the Spirit, the PERSONALITY of JOY is part and parcel of and includes characteristics of all the fruit including, PEACE, PATIENCE, KINDNESS, VIRTUE, FAITH, GENTLENESS and SELF-CONTROL!

I was reading an article in the summer edition of Country Living Magazine yesterday, and it colorfully described the effect of a re-decorated room in a lakeside cabin … as a brightly and JOY-fully decorated living space…  Writing that “it arrives in a riot of color and that,

There is a particular kind of JOY that announces itself before you’ve even crossed the threshold!”

And you know… I think that perfectly describes the same thing that can happen when you or I are operating within the anointing of the PERSONALITY of JOY and approach a room full of people!  I saw it over and over again when Piper and others like her walked into a room.  Eyes are instantly drawn to them and growing smiles can’t help but appear on other’s faces when the Peace, Patience, Kindness, Virtue, Faith, Gentleness and Self-control that’s associated with the PERSONALITY of JOY say’s “Hi!”

I’ll never forget the time when I wheeled my non-verbal wife from the waiting room of our Neurologist at the Brain Heath Center in San Francisco, into the doctor’s examination rooms and a female patient seated near the door leaned over and touched my hand with a big smile and gently said “Your wife has such a sweet spirit about her!”

With tears in my eyes, I profusely thanked the lady for her kindness and couldn’t help but realize that the PESONALITY of JOY that pervaded my wife’s being, was not subject to her physical ability to converse or even smile at that time… but was an inner strength and anointing that she had happily and studiously pursued her entire life... and it brightly and colorfully presented itself even as she lost her physical abilities.

That’s the PERSONALITY type that I also seek to continue to pursue, acquire and increase in my personal life… How about you? 

Have you ever noticed what happens when you walk into a room?

 

Have a terrific weekend and take a few quiet moments today – on the anniversary of the 911 attacks that happened 25 years ago – and remember the lives that were stolen as well as all of those who were directly and indirectly affected that day…

We’ll most likely talk about the subject of JOY for a few more posts to come… so keep an eye out for next week’s post!

 

 

*https://pjberruto.blogspot.com/2026/09/the-strength-of-your-joy.html

**Taken from The King James and Apostolic Bible Polyglot with Strong’s numbers versions and personalized from a word study on the original Hebrew and Greek translations of Nehemiah 8:10

The Strength of YOUR Joy…

Today marks the eighth anniversary of my sweet wife Piper’s Homegoing on September 2, 2018 at our country home in North Carolina, where we had lived for the previous four or five years.  And I see it as no coincidence that the Lord has been leading me on a further study of His kind of JOY over the last week… up to today.  For you see… I find it almost impossible to even consider the JOY of the Lord… without a direct reference or connection to Piper!

My very first memory of her was when she walked past my desk in eleventh grade academic English and sat down behind me… literally radiating with her big contagious smile, bright brown eyes and JOYFUL countenance.  And although she had been physically ravaged with the destructive results of Alzheimer’s in her body… as I stared deep into her eyes on that final evening back in 2018, I saw that same brightness and JOY radiating from her spirit that was actively present on that first day in class 49 years previous that night.

In the Old Testament book of Nehemiah, we see the priest and newly appointed Governor speaking to the children of Isreal as they faced the physical destruction of their beloved Jerusalem.  Things didn’t look too good… but the leaders encouraged the downtrodden people by saying,

“Today is a holy day for the Lord. Don’t be sad, and do not faint, because the JOY (that) you have in the LORD is your strength.” (Nehemiah 8:10 – God’s Word©/Apostolic Bible Polyglot w/Strong’s Numbers)

First and foremost, I believe that it is of most importance that we understand the key point of this verse… which is the fact that God’s JOY is to be seen and employed as an important source of yours and my STRENGTH!  The word ‘STRENGTH’ in both the original Hebrew and Greek is defined as our force, power, means of safety, protection, refuge and our stronghold.  And likewise, it also refers to our personal abilities.  In my life, I have come to understand and experience the power of the JOY of the Lord as,

“The foundational STRENGTH of all my inherent ABILITIES and God given GIFTINGS and TALENTS.”

The other important part of this verse is the step of faith that actually activates that STRENGTH in our daily lives which in our verse, follows the word “JOY” with the phrase,

“YOU have in the Lord!”

In other words… JOY… Godly JOY… Is a level of JOY that is predicated, fully focused and solidly based on our utmost TRUST in the Lord and the truth of his Word… and is something that each of us have to personally appropriate and then use in our daily lives!

My unshakable understanding and reference to the JOY of the Lord in connection to Piper, is based on 48 years of seeing His JOY working in and through her on a daily basis… no matter where she was, whom she was with, what was going on around her or whether she was in a good mood or not… of which it was difficult to find her in a bad mood… occasionally maybe… but not too often… because she worked to keep God’s JOY strong and active in her life!

You see… the JOY she radiated was not dependent on the varying circumstances in her or our lives… but was deeply founded on her personal relationship with Jesus, her unrelenting faith in the truth of His Word and her consistent ability (through years of practice) to verbally PRAISE the Lord in both the good times as well as the stressful ones!  She was a steadfast student of I Thessalonians 5:16-18 which tells us to,

“Always be joyful.  Never stop praying. And whatever happens, give thanks, because it is God’s will in Christ Jesus that you do this.” (God’s Word ©)*

So… the activity, STRENGTH, power (and enjoyment) of JOY went together with Piper… just like Peanut Butter and Jelly!  (Of which she preferred with freshly ground peanuts from the natural foods section at our neighborhood Raley’s and Smuckers Strawberry Preserves on Ezekial Bread… just a bit of Piper trivia in case you wanted to know! Oh… and I liked to add raisins and a sliced banana on mine… Hmmm… now I have to go out and get a box of raisins… I’ve got everything else!)

And what about you?  Does the level of Godly JOY that is based on your close personal relationship with Jesus and your unshakeable trust in the truth of His Word go together with YOU like Peanut Butter and Jelly (or whatever your favorite sandwich might be…)?

Think about it… Godly JOY is a lot more enjoyable, constructive and powerful in and for YOUR life than is sadness, depression and fear…  Just saying!

Have a great rest of your week.  We are back into daily Heat Advisory’s with today’s ‘feels like’ temps projected to be near 106 degrees!  But you know what?  I’m choosing to be THANKFUL and to let the JOY of the Lord be my STRENGTH (and my sense of COOL…) today!

 

*The King James Version gives us a little more information by clarifying “In (not for) everything give thanks: for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” 

We are taught to give thanks and praise to the Lord with- IN the midst of everything – including the negative incidents in our lives… NOT because we are blaming HIM for the bad things… but instead, are TRUSTING Him to work in our behalf to give us strength, wisdom and resources throughout the situation.

Who Am I?

Have you ever awoken in the morning with an unusual lack of self-confidence?  Well… I did a few days ago.  But I’ve had days like that before and can usually erase those feeling through a little time spent in fellowship with the Lord during our morning coffee and Bible fellowship time together.  And while it did take a bit longer than normal, I was able to push past those negative thoughts and find myself getting built up by the Word of truth as discovered in my Bible.

So… with that all behind me, I took a shower, got ready for the day and then marched down the stairs from my third-floor apartment and out to the sidewalk that encircles our large luxury apartment homes complex… in the not-too-hot-yet Tennessee morning air.  Once on the sidewalk, I said hello to a couple of friends I’ve made over the almost year that I have lived here and proceeded across the front of my building toward Fiver’s and my favorite green space/park in the community.

As I meandered along, I began… as is part of my walking routine… to talk to the Lord about all the new things that are happening in my life.  But when my thoughts started to focus on the prioritized projects list that I had made… I felt many of those previous early morning lack of self-confidence thoughts knocking on the door of heart.

My instant response was to think about my deceased wife and the emptiness that still resides in parts of me since her heavenly homegoing… and I paused near the park, looked up into the beautiful deep blue sky and audibly asked the Lord the same question I’ve been asking for nearly eight years now… “Who am I without Piper?”

But this time something different happened and I began to picture myself thumbing through the many Bible translations that I own and stopping at many of my favorite verses that I have underlined, circled and/or highlighted in them.  I also had to laugh aloud as I recalled one of Piper’s Bibles that had far more verses as well as entire pages highlighted and notated in a variety of creative ways… that gal knew many things but she especially had a deep command of and attentiveness to the promises in God’s Word!

As I looked at the picture of the personally marked up verses in my Bibles, I quickly realized that the Lord was answering my question by showing me who… I already knew I was… according to His opinion of me… as clearly stated in His book.

And so, with that heavenly reminder, I resumed my walk and for the duration of it… quietly spoke out the highlighted verses I was seeing in my mind’s eye.  The first two scriptures that came vividly to mind were old favorite, memorized and well depended on commands of God that have HIS descriptions of the characteristics and strengths that I have as a Christian… found in Joshua 1:9 and 2 Timothy 1:7.

I’m not going to write out those wonderful verses in the blog today, but I would most definitely encourage each of you to look them up in your Bibles and to underline or highlight them as you speak them out and take them as a personal endowment from the Lord… just for you!

Since that early morning encounter with the Lord, I’ve been studying many of the verses in the Bible that tell me who I am that are in direct agreement and cooperation with how God sees and empowers me to be.  One surprise scripture that keeps popping up during my morning Bible Study is found in John 9:5 where Jesus tells you and me that,

“For as long as I am in the world, there is plenty of LIGHT.  I am the world's LIGHT." (The Message)

Another translation that I enjoy is a little more descriptive and has Jesus saying,

“As long as I am with you My life is the LIGHT that pierces the world’s darkness.” (The Passion Translation) 

The first thought that I had when I initially read this verse was the question… “Who or What is He talking about?”  Is He just talking about Himself for the period of time that He physically walked this earth… or does this statement also have bearing for you and me who are living in the world today?

So, let’s think about this… we know that after the cross and resurrection, Jesus eventually returned home to the Father and is now seated at His right hand in the seat of all power and authority at the throne of God.  But if Jesus is in heaven… and this verse is also for us today… who is here and acting as the LIGHT of the world that pierces the world’s darkness?

Well then… Many verses like Colossians 1:18 make it clearly understood that while Jesus is the head, we… the church… are the body of Christ* by declaring that,

“He (Jesus) is the Head of His body, which is the church. And since He is the beginning and the firstborn heir in resurrection, He is the most exalted One, holding first place in everything.” (The Passion Translation)

Therefore, verses talking about the LIGHT of or in the world… are describing the role and purpose of you and me as members of the church!  Likened to the mechanics of a human body, the church as the body of Christ takes its directions from the head… but yet the head can’t operate without its body… and likewise the relationship of the body to that of the head.

And as a caveat to that position as the body of Christ, the very next verse in Colossians 1:19 informs or better yet… EMPOWERS US in order to operate in that place… by letting us know that,

“God is satisfied to have all His fullness dwelling in Christ.” (The Passion Translation) 

Now that’s pretty exciting wouldn’t you say?  For found within us… as the body of Christ… is the workings of the FULLNESS of GOD!  It is all there within Christ… which includes us as His hands, feet and spokesmen in the world right outside our front doors!  We just have to look for it in the written Word of God, which is available to us within the pages of our Bibles! 

And it is His Word and His owner’s manual that tells each of us exactly WHO WE ARE along with the provisions, tools, authority and power that are available to us in order to be the LIGHT in the darkness of the world (that seems to be getter darker each day) and for bringing the LIGHT of His freedom and truth into everywhere we go and in everything we do!  And while the idea of bringing His LIGHT into the darkness may be a little intimidating… just remember that John 1:4-5 tells us that,

“He (Jesus) is the source of life, and that life is the LIGHT for humanity.  The LIGHT shines in the dark, and the dark has (and will) never extinguish it.” (God’s Word ©) 

So… keep your part of the body in good shape by filling it and strengthening it with the Word of God… and then being fully fueled… Go out and be a bright shining LIGHT in the darkness that is trying to encroach upon us!

Until next time… Be blessed!

 

* 1Corintians12:27; Romans 12:5. Colossian 1:24: Colossians 2:19; Ephesians 1:22.; Ephesians 4:2, Ephesians 4:15; Ephesians 5:30.

Satellite Radio...

I first started listening to Satellite Radio toward the end of 2014 when Piper and I purchased our Mustang GT convertible.  The car was equipped with a satellite antenna and receiver and because of the novelty of it, we decided to try it out and subscribed for the Sirius XM car and home internet package.

Well… it didn’t take me long to see the value of it as it made available a huge variety of music stations, with almost every genre of music available, a broad range of news/talk radio and coverage of just about any professional sports game throughout their various seasons of the year.  SiriusXM also offers live and/or recorded coverage of a wide scope of musical concerts, special events, religious programing and even the live audio for many of the major TV news networks.

A major perk for me was the ability to listen to the stations that I enjoy as I travel about in my car, without the typical fading in and out of the terrestrial AM/FM radio stations.  During the different times I drove from state to state, I was amazed and comforted to know that I could listen to the same station the whole way… or for that matter… to any station that I desired and then be able to flip back to my favorite station, and enjoy the same, strong, consistent reception.

And speaking of enjoying the ‘same, strong and consistent reception,’ I came across a couple of verses that seemed to confirm my thoughts… not only for life in the natural realm, but also in the furtherance of my daily spiritual life.

Proverbs 3:5-6 encourages us to,

“Trust GOD from the bottom of your heart; (and) don't try to figure out everything on your own. (but instead,) Listen (intently and even intimately) for God's VOICE in everything you do, (and in) everywhere you go; (for) He's the One who will keep you on track.” (MSG/TPT personalized) 

The idea of listening intently and even intimately to the VOICE of the Lord from these modern translations definitely arrested my attention.  The more traditional King James Version says “In all thy ways acknowledge” the Lord.  And a quick look at the definition of “ACKNOWLEDGE” in both the Hebrew and Greek informs us that this word is a direct derivative of the Greek word “ginosko” which speaks of having an ‘intimate’ and deeply personal relationship with the VOICE (ie; wisdom) of the Lord!

So… with the thought of intimately listening to His VOICE in “everything we do and in everywhere we go,” I was immediately reminded of a section of Old Testament scripture when the Lord was speaking with Elijah the Prophet and instructed him to go and stand on the top of a mountain.  And thereby… Elijah obeyed… expecting to receive a clear word from the Lord… climbed up the mountain and was immediately inundated with hurricane force winds, that were followed by an earthquake, to which the scripture states that the Lord was not to be found in any of those things… but the natural disasters didn’t stop there as the next verse declares:

“And after the earthquake a FIRE, but the LORD was not in the fire: and after the fire (finally -whew!) a STILL SMALL VOICE.” (KJV / I Kings 19:11-12)

Over the years, I have personally gotten to know that “STILL SMALL VOICE” of the Holy Spirit speaking to me from the depths (or ‘BOTTOM’*) of my heart quite well!  But it didn’t happen overnight.  I’ve learned from my older teenage years through today, that familiarity with that VOICE increases in degrees the more we “intently and intimately LISTEN” and obey it!

For me it began as a familiar VOICE that I heard coming from somewhere deep inside me the very first week Piper and I started dating, when I heard (or rather “sensed”) it say, “This girl is special and you need treat her with respect and honor… and protect her innocence.”

It was a friendly, familiar but yet gently authoritative VOICE that yes, I had heard before… but in reality… had NO idea who or what it was… just taking for granted, that it was the gentlemanly example of respect, honor and love that my dad always exhibited toward my mom! 

But it was not only that… it was much more!  Through the ensuing months and years, I entered into a personal relationship with Jesus Christ and became increasingly more and more familiar and intimately knowledgeable of that VOICE as the VOICE of the Lord… speaking softly, gently and yet authoritatively to my spirit on the inside of me.

Now… you’ll notice in our verses from I Kings 19:11-12, that when the Lord instructed Elijah to go up to the top of a mountain, Elijah did not immediately get the clear and concise word of direction that he was expecting.  In fact, he got the opposite as he faced all kinds of natural, noisy, destructive and distractive catastrophes before he finally tuned in to the Lord’s STILL, SMALL VOICE speaking to him.

It is pretty clear that listening for and being able to tune in and hear the VOICE of the Lord takes an ever-increasing familiarity with His VOICE and the ability to not be distracted from the things that will try to make us not hear or incorrectly hear and discern His wisdom and/or instruction to us.

Jesus gives us an example of having and ever-increasing familiarity with His VOICE, when a blind man with whom He had healed, came back and inquired of Jesus saying,

“Sir, tell me who He is so that I can believe in him.” (John 9:36 / God’s Word ©)

And Jesus replied, (This response hit me as a somewhat humorous answer… who says Jesus doesn’t have a sense of humor…):

"You're looking right at Him. Don't you recognize My VOICE?" (John 9:37 / MSG)

I’m pretty sure that the healed man’s life changed that day, after his introduction to the man behind the VOICE of his healing.  I would imagine that he made it a point to hear and become a lot more familiar with that VOICE over the following years of his life… and in turn, be a walking and talking, fervently vocal disciple of Jesus, spreading the word of that VOICE in everything he did and in everywhere he went.*  And you know… that’s exactly the person that I believe God wants you and me to become!

But be aware… One thing that I have noticed since listening to Satellite Radio is that now that I’ve had it for a few years… it is easy for me to tune it out as simply background noise… with all the distractions around me in the house or car… due to its ‘same, strong and consistent reception!” 

I tended to be more alert to and aware of the music or talk that was coming from the radio when I was listened to the old terrestrial AM/FM radio stations… with their occasional atmospheric static and loss of reception.  When the program got fuzzy, I would take immediate notice and attempt to fine tune the frequency so that I could hear it better… 

Humm… I betcha that I sometimes do the same thing when God is trying to speak to me… and my familiarity and level of comfort with His VOICE causes me to lose the urgency of staying tuned in to His VOICE… What about you?

Have a great week and weekend ahead.  We’ve been under Extreme Heat Warnings for a week or so… but it broke yesterday with a high forecast of only 87… PHEW – PTL! 

But… out here one always needs to stay alert to sudden weather changes… like the potential of a stray TORNADO tonight that I just heard about! 

I pray that your weather is pleasant so that you can go out and enjoy nature while sharing your knowledge and intimate relationship with the VOICE of God with those around you!

 

 

*See Proverbs 3:5-6 above…