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…

Trust Anticipates…

After spending a lot of time with my older son a few weeks back on our trip to California, I decided to take a leap of faith and significantly upgrade my coffee drinking experience.  As a kid and young man, I used to enjoy the smell of my parent’s coffee brewing in their old stove top percolator in their kitchen at home, or on the camp stove in the beautiful Redwoods at Richardson Grove State Park each summer.  The only downside though… was that I didn’t enjoy the taste… even with a few teaspoons of sugar added to the steaming hot beverage.

Well, that all changed after Piper and I got married and I began to cultivate a taste for hot coffee in the morning with a dash of cream.  I had always thought that it would be cool to be able to serve her a cup of hot coffee in bed on Saturday mornings… but over the years she never developed a palette for it.  So occasionally I’d surprise her with a cup of hot cocoa… but it never seemed to be the same to me!

But back to my original story here… over the years, as an adult, I found particular brands that I preferred as well as certain coffee beans that I enjoyed.  I even purchased an inexpensive coffee grinder that I used occasionally but never felt the need to delve into the new sensation of preparing gourmet coffee from home… which seems to be more of the norm in today’s culture. 

For me, it was a big deal just to have a new Mr. Coffee brewer and the ability to grind my own fresh beans (when I felt like it… but usually going for the ground coffees from some of the new upscale coffee companies) that tended to satisfy me and keep me happy with my first cup of coffee in the early mornings! 

All that seemed to be working for me until a few months ago… when I found that it wasn’t working for me anymore!  I began to realize that I was not enjoying my coffee like I used to.  So, my first thought was that I’d get another new drip coffee maker and that I’d ask Josh… my gourmet coffee connoisseur son for some suggestions. 

Well, that was a few weeks before our trip and by the time we got on the first plane, he was passionately regaling me with his extensive knowledge and experience of the whole coffee process from where the beans are grown, how and where they are roasted and finally, the various ways in which the beans can be ground and the cup of coffee brewed!

So, what originated as a clueless request for a better cup of coffee… turned into a precise coffee (bean) scale, an Encore adjustable burr grinder and a professional quality Bonavita Enthusiast 8 Cup Coffee Brewer with a Stainless-Steel Carafe… and then to top it off… we made a recent trip to his favorite coffee house on the outskirts of Nashville for just the “right” bag of freshly roasted beans grown in Burundi, a landlocked country in East Africa.

And well… what can I say?  I’ve had it all for almost a month now and so far… it seems to be well worth the investment I made… and I’m still experimenting with the vast array of variables that go into a great cup of coffee… that tends to be unique with the unique qualities of almost every bean growing region in the world.

I will openly admit that I have had some fairly high expectations for the cups of java that are brewed through this fancy set-up… and as of yet, I have not been disappointed.  My TRUST in my son’s passionate expertise, the proven track record of the equipment purchased, the positive reviews of the many product videos I watched… and… to be perfectly honest… the financial outlay for the products… has paid off and I now approach each morning’s fresh, hot cup of coffee brewed with this system… with a definite, exciting level of highly expectant ANTICIPATION!

And speaking of living in an exciting level of expectant ANTICIPATION, King Solomon encouraged us Believers today saying,

“Trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on your own opinions. With all your heart rely on Him to guide you, and He will lead you in every decision you make.  Become intimate with Him in whatever you do, and He will lead you wherever you go.” (The Passion Translation) 

As I studied this verse over the weekend and again today, I came across a theological explanation of the teaching Solomon puts forth when he called for us to ‘Trust in the Lord completely’ (or in the KJV – ‘Trust in the Lord with all your heart’) written in the 1871 Speaker’s Commentary by Thomas Lumisden Strange. 

The author wrote,

“This teaching of trust in God, “ANTICIPATES” the doctrine of faith.”

In other words… this Old Testament scripture actually prophecies Hebrews 11:1 where the New Testament writer defined the power, purpose and place of FAITH in the life of a modern-day Christian by explaining,

“Faith assures us of things we expect (or anticipate) and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot (yet) see.” (God’s Word ©) 

So… the writers of both Proverbs 3:5-6 and Hebrews 11:1 tell us the same exact thing when it comes to putting our “TRUST in the Lord COMPLETELY”  When you and I make the specific, determined and single-minded decision to TRUST in the LORD and the truth of His Word… with all of our hearts, and not allow ourselves to be dissuaded by anyone else’s disagreement with us or by what physical evidence may be telling us at the moment… we engage the power, purpose and place of the Biblical doctrine of FAITH in our lives - and thereby open the door for the Lord to work supernaturally (or as my Pastor in Oklahoma would say… add His Supernatural to our natural!) in the midst of our need.

And so again… When I take the extra time and dedicated effort to prepare for a good cup of coffee on my new equipment in the morning… I am fully expecting and ANTICIPATING to get what I was promised by the manufactures and the professional Baristas who recommend and use the equipment… just as I expectantly ANTICIPATE my belief and corresponding actions of FAITH to produce the results that Jesus promises me in His Word!

Wouldn’t you agree?

This… to me… is what makes the Christian walk and the possibility of the power, purpose and place of Faith in God and His Word… working in my life SO EXCITING!

So… I not only get up each morning now… with an expectant ANTICIPATION of my first cup of gourmet coffee… but also with a highly expectant ANTICIPATION of seeing my faith in Christ and His Word open doors to the miraculous in my life… fresh and anew TODAY!

Have a terrific week.  We’ve got more hot weather and the possibilities of a summer storm tonight… but whatever the weather… I am enjoying my new home here in Tennessee!  Until next time…

CHALLENGE the CALL…

Being as I lived over two thirds of my life in northern California, it is easy to deduce that I am a San Franciso Giants baseball team fan.  I even decorated our guest bath in our homes in North Carolina and Oklahoma in the team’s colors, merchandise and memorabilia, and to a lesser degree (due to room constraints) here in my apartment in Tennessee.

I have fond memories of my dad listening to the Giants games on his transistor radio… which was propped up on the fence… while he worked around the yard each weekend during the baseball season.  And now, both my boys and especially Josh, are die-hard Giants fans.  So, even though none of us live in California anymore, the family tradition along with the Giant’s flag, caps, hoodies… and in Josh’s case… a tattoo on his forearm… continues wherever any of us call home!

I will admit though, that while I still do enjoy the game, I am not a big fan of the extended use of Instant Replay.  I guess that I’m a little old-fashioned and liked it better when the umpire’s call was the law and whether a mis-call was made or not, the game moved faster and there was only one individual to hate rather than every official at the game and/or in the Replay Command Center in New York!

But, on the other hand… I do enjoy the drama that ensues when a team manager will come out in support of his players and give his impassioned plea of disagreement to the umpire for what he believed was a bad call.  You would have to admit that some of those interactions are downright funny as the two individuals will stand nose to nose and CHALLENGE each other’s positions on the play.

Well… I got to thinking the other day, about the idea of CHALLENGING the calls on the plays that occur in the daily activities of our lives.  At some time in our existence on this earth, each of us will be faced with situations that are called in such a way that we may not agree with the ruling.  Maybe it’s a diagnosis of sickness, a financial crisis or the need for wisdom, physical strength, favor or assistance in any other negative event that occurs in our lives.

Like the manager of a professional baseball team who is well-steeped in the rules of the game… can you give a legitimate CHALLENGE to what you consider a bad call? Whose words, rules and directions are you going to listen to for guidance on how to handle your needful situation?

I recently saw a very heart-felt and emotion-tugging TV advertisement requesting monthly donations to the Alzheimer’s Association of America that instantly brought back floods of memories of when I was caring for my wife before she succumbed to the effects of the awful disease.  But what was most prevalent in my thoughts was how impossibly difficult it must be for families that face the disease without a strong faith in Jesus Christ.

I was telling my oldest daughter Saturday, as we traversed the aisles for groceries together at our local Super-Walmart, that one of the most difficult and surprising things that I was forced to handle when Piper was sick, was the constant bombardment of anxiety coming from individuals outside of our immediate family. 

It became quickly obvious to me that these people only had only one voice that they were listening to… and that was the voice of FEAR.  They seemed to have no knowledge and/or working trust in the powerful voice of the Word of God in order to CHALLENGE the FEAR that was calling their plays on the subject of Alzheimer’s… or any other need in their lives for that matter!

In John 15:7 Jesus tells us that,

“As you continue to abide and live in life-union with Me and My Words continue to abide and live POWERFULLY within you – THEN – you can be sure that when you ask for something that you desire… that it will be listened to, acted upon and completed for you.” (personal rendition from EMTV/TPT/MSG)

As Christians, Jesus says that when we make the decision to abide in Him and actively allow His Words to abide in us… that we can be assured of a positive answer to our requests in times of need… that is directly in line with His powerful and masterful Word… period!  End of story - PTL!! 

And His words are the only ones that can successfully CHALLENGE, silence and change any word of FEAR, doubt or unbelief. People without a personal and active faith in Jesus and His infallible Word do not have access to any words that will CHALLENGE the tremendous, fear-driven hopelessness that seems to come to them from every direction… and thereby they lack the peace that “passes all understanding”* that only an active faith in Jesus can provide!

So… While a major league baseball team manager can go out to the plate and yell and scream at the Homeplate umpire… their words have no real power to change the call…  But as Christians… who study and know the Word and abide in it with Christ… you and I have the right words… Christ’s Words… that when spoken out in faith with authority** will successfully CHALLENGE the words of FEAR, doubt and unbelief that may attempt to bombard us whenever tough situations arrive in our lives!  In fact… Paul tells us through His knowledge of God’s WORD and with lots of personal experience to back it up – that,

“God did not give us a spirit and character of insecurity, doubt and fear, but a spirit, mind and character of confidence, power in the truth (ie; the WORD***), love, and self-control.”

And then knowing that we might feel a little intimidated to speak out Jesus’ Words in order to CHALLENGE a wrong call given by the enemy of our faith, Paul went on to say,

“Don’t ever be embarrassed to speak boldly about our Lord…” (2 Timothy 1:7-8A - God’s Word © / The Remedy New Testament)

So… What’s holding you back?  Grab your favorite baseball team’s cap off the hat rack next to your front door and step BOLDLY out with the Word of God on your lips… and CHALLENGE any wrong calls the enemy of our faith tries to trick you with today!

And believe-you-me… you’ll notice an instant - POSITIVE change in the atmosphere around your life… from insecurity, doubt and FEAR… to one of PEACE, JOY, CONFIDENCE and LOVE!

Have a great week!  We’ve had lots of periods of heavy rain over the weekend… but there is a hope for some sunshine ahead this week! WHEW!

 

 

*Philippians 4:7

**See Matthew 28:18-20 and Mark 16:14-20 where Jesus told of the authority that He had following His death, burial and resurrection and then… conferred that authority to all of us who actively believe in Him and His Word to GO and DO the ministry of his Word!

***John 17:17 (KJV)