Pageantry

I was talking with my cousin earlier this week and we were reminiscing about our childhood memories of the traditional services held in the Catholic church on Palm Sunday and during the ensuing Holy Week between Palm Sunday and Easter.  I mentioned how I miss the pageantry that really helped to not only draw me into the service but also give me a deeper sense of the significance to what Jesus went through.  We also had a good laugh as we recalled a service, that apparently both of our family’s attended, when our great uncle Frank seemed to get carried away with his vocal and emotional participation in the group readings of the passion of Christ when Jesus was brought before Pilate.

My cousin recollected the palm leaves that were given to each member of the congregation as they entered the service and how she would place it in a prominent place in her bedroom to remind her of the service throughout the next year.  I recalled the procession of the choir in their flowing blue robes as they marched in, carrying majestic palm branches and singing their way down the long middle aisle of the theater like setting in the Baptist church where Piper and I were married. 

But I have to admit, that after we left that church at the end of 1982 and joined the ranks of different charismatic and/or Pentecostal fellowships, I never saw any of the pageantry on Palm Sunday or during Holy Week again… at least in the churches we attended.

I thought about Palm Sunday again this morning as Fiver and I were out for our morning walk.  I had been thinking previously about all the changes that Piper and I, and really just about all of us, have had to adapt to over the years.  Things like changes in jobs, or churches, or neighborhoods or even working or living conditions, or in the attitudes or respect or favor that we have with others… and that’s what I zeroed in on in my thoughts about Palm Sunday today.

On Palm Sunday Jesus entered Jerusalem as a celebrity to the people.  In most of their minds He was the conquering hero, the One who was going to re-establish the Jewish Kingdom and rule of the earth.  They crowded on the sides of the street as He came through, waving palm branches and laying some down on the street for Him to walk on and “cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.” (John 12:13 KJV)

Everything was going great, everyone was behind Jesus and everyone carried about a sense of hopefulness of what they thought was going to happen in their very near future…  but then, less than a week later… everything changed!  Jesus suddenly went from being everyone’s hero, to everyone’s condemned convict.  One moment Jesus’ popularity was at the top of the charts and the next, He was standing in the King’s court being unjustly condemned to death.

Have you every had times like that in your life?  When everything looks wonderful and all of a sudden, the floor seemed to drop out from under you?  I’ve definitely been there over the last few years!  I think that we all have had, to varying degrees, changes that were unexpectedly thrown upon us that we were forced to deal with.

In reflecting upon all the changes that Piper and I went through over the years, including her untimely promotion to heaven following a long battle with Alzheimer’s, I could plainly see that our first defense and how we handled just about every change… big or little… was always, without a doubt, based on our attitude or more distinctly said… on what we were EXPECTING to happen!

Since her passing, I’ve discovered that I hear Piper’s voice speaking to me through the underlined and circled portions of her favorite scriptures in her various Bibles.  And as I think about dealing with changes, I go in my mind’s eye to page 982 in her King James Rhema Study Bible (of which I have an identical copy with a black leather cover in difference to her burgundy), where the prophet Jeremiah speaks the Lord’s encouraging words to us saying, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” 

I vividly recall her speaking this scripture on many occasions throughout the years of our relationship.  I’m pretty sure that all four of our kids not only have this verse memorized, but highlighted in their Bibles as well!  If you knew her, then you automatically had the sense of how she would handle just about any change that was incurred.   

One immediately understood that she was going to EXPECT what she knew to be the truth of God’s Word to have the final say in our circumstances.  She’d slip over to Philippians 4:13 and confess, “I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” And before you could catch your next breath she would continue with a confident and peace-filled tone of voice and declare, “for I know that my God shall supply all our need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (both KJV)

And once she firmly established what she was EXPECTING and from Whom she was EXPECTING the answer, she’d say, “Let’s pray!”  Her child-like faith was most definitely a force to be reckoned with!  But you know?  We just learned to live that way and not allow ourselves to be blown away when sudden changes appeared before us.  As I read the story of Jesus’ triumphant procession on Palm Sunday and then witness how the atmosphere in the city totally did a 180 degree change… I can’t help but smile to see that Jesus’ demeanor, his patience and His trust in His Father never wavered… even though the emotions of those around him seemed to be completely out of control.

You see… Jesus knew the outcome from the beginning!  His EXPECTATIONS were totally secure in His understanding of the truth of God’s Word… and THE GOOD NEWS is that WE TOO can know the answers even before the changes pop up.  Like those favorites of Piper’s in the book of Philippians chapter four, His ability, His promises and His answers are ours for the taking!  But it all begins with our EXPECTING His best for us.  With that EXPECTATION under our belts, as we go into any difficult situation, we can face it without fear and confusion, keep a level head and pray for and then follow His directions… all without freaking out!

So yeah… I miss the pageantry of Palm Sunday services.  All the drama, the pizazz and all the wonder it brings to me makes me to remember the BIGNESS of the ability of my God available to me in my life! 

Wouldn’t you agree?

Do me a favor and ponder all of this as we come to the celebration of the resurrection of Jesus on this Easter Sunday!  I’m always AWESTRUCK by what He did for us! 

How about you?

Living the Expected Plan

I had to make a change in the PLAN this morning as Fiver and I were out on our morning walk.  We normally walk behind the houses at the back of our subdivision, along the golf course and up to the neighborhood park and large pond.  As we got closer to the park though, I noticed that the lawn care crew was out and about mowing in and around the park.  And since the noise from the commercial zero-turn mowers startle Fiver and make him anxious, I made some quick decisions and turned us around when we got near the park and took him along another path that would be more conducive to our normal morning time of solitude and mental refreshment.

I realized earlier as I was grabbing Fiver’s harness and leash off the coatrack, that I actually look forward to and enjoy our early morning outside adventures.  Whether the weather is windy like it was today, freezing cold in the winter, cool and crisp as in fall and spring or just plain HOT like most summer days… Our AM walks just seem to help me to get refreshed and ready for whatever may lie ahead. The activity outside, first thing in the morning, gets me thinking about more than just myself, and gives me an opportunity to greet and uplift the early morning golfers… and maybe most importantly, I just like to be outdoors and enjoy the weather, the view, the company and speak out my praise and thanksgiving to God for directing me to where I am right now!

And speaking of where God has me right now… When Fiver and I needed to make a change in our normal morning walk PLAN earlier today, I began to reflect on how God has a unique PLAN for each of us that will, at times, need to be adjusted, re-routed, reconfigured to fit the current status of our lives… and many times… to be adjusted to account for the mis-steps, that I believe He most likely knows, that we’ll make along the way!

When Piper and I returned home to California after I attended Bible College, I never expected to leave California again!  Our PLAN was to start a church in a city north of our hometown and to dive into the full-time ministry opportunity that we had prayed about and envisioned for years… and look where I am some twelve years later, including a five year stay in North Carolina and Piper’s passing onto glory!  Whew!  I can’t say that I saw any of THAT coming!

As you can probably imagine, I have spent a lot of time over this last year, while my life began to settle down following that pretty turbulent time between our return to California and my new home, thinking about, praying about and simply antagonizing about the “WHAT NOW PLAN” that I NEVER in a million years would have thought to consider as a part of MY life!

Over the weekend though, I was led to seek shelter from all my questions and considerations in the form of God’s promise to us as found in Jeremiah 29:11 when HE declared, “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.” (KJV)  The Message Bible removes any confusion to the point that the Lord was trying to make by simply stating, “I know what I'm doing. I have it all planned out—plans to take care of you, not abandon you, plans to give you the future you hope for (or better said: the good future that you are expecting).” 

For me, that special promise takes out all the doubt, unbelief and worst-case scenarios that any of us can think about concerning God’s PLAN for our future.  Wouldn’t you agree?  I may not yet know the details of the specific PLAN that God has formulated for me here in Oklahoma… but what I DO know... is that HE has everything PLANNED out for a positive future.  

I find that I do best when I stop trying to look for and figure out any potential future PLANS while looking backwards.  God’s promise to you and me in Jeremiah 29:11 assures us that our future is a good future filled with all the greatest EXPECTATIONS that we can dream of!  What do you think about that?

Sure, parts of the PLAN will get adjusted as we go along in our lives, but in the end, I believe that if we keep in tune to Him and His Word, stay sensitive to His leadings and expect His BEST… then we are assured that there are still good things in our lives that are yet to come… and that our futures are bright! 

Over the years I have seen too many people get so stuck in their past that they can’t break free to envision a positive future… much less receive the GREAT EXPECTATIONS of the PLAN that God has ready and waiting for them.  So never give up!  Stay in fellowship with Him through His Word, prayer and church fellowship and keep EXPECTING His best! 

...And as usual... I’m expecting you to have a terrific week!

Addition or Subtraction?

You know it’s a funny thing, that for most of her life, Piper was the healthiest one in our family as well as in her extended family.  I remember her getting the flu not too long after our wedding, and a few slight colds through the years but that’s about it!  She always took good care of herself.  She did personal exercises for years, took daily walks and was very careful about the food that she cooked and served at our table.  In fact, the kids to this day will joke about her very sparse use of salt in our meals!

I firmly believe that the key to her success was her joyful, cup half-full attitude and her commitment to do whatever it took to keep her at a firm and fit 105lbs… or less!  Throughout the years, various family and friends would suggest to her different eating plans, exercises and lifestyle regiments that they tried, but she could be a little stubborn and was always cautious when it came to changing things around… especially when she had a tried-and-true plan and process that seemed to suit her just right! 

It is interesting to note that her zeal for life, lifestyle choices, health history and positive mental attitude were totally opposite to the “typical” stereotype of someone inflicted with a dementia disease such as Alzheimer’s.  I can’t tell you of the multitude of times I told her story to the different medical professionals we went to over the last twelve years of her earthly stay, that could only shake their heads with puzzlement and confusion when I finished.  Which is exactly why I firmly take to heart verses of scripture like John 10:10 as the culprit behind the attack on her life.  This is the verse where Jesus spoke of the devil as being the one who comes to steal, kill and destroy our lives.

Lately I’ve found myself re-living parts of her journey over the last few years and the path we chose to take, as I’ve been sort of stuck on one scripture in particular found in the book of James.  In a lesson using the faith of Abraham as the standard of our modern-day faith in God and His Word, the leader of the church in Jerusalem stated, “You see, he (Abraham) was trusting God so much that he was willing to do whatever God told him to do; his faith was made complete by what he did, by his actions, his good deeds.” (James 2:22 - The Living Bible)  The Contemporary English Version says that “Abraham’s faith and deeds worked together” and that his actions “proved” his faith.

I got to thinking, that just as Piper tended to stick with her lifestyle choices that she knew worked for her, that she and I chose to stick to the plan of faith that we firmly believed that the Lord had given us to follow once she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  As I’ve written before, we had many individuals suggesting (and sometimes demanding) that we stop doing what we were doing, switch gears and follow the plan that they were suggesting to us… but we never did!  Truth be told, we really never even considered the other suggestions because we had prayed and agreed together on a plan in the months before we left Oklahoma.  She and I knew our level of faith and not only what we COULD believe for… but also where we NEEDED to stretch in order to believe for her prolonged health.

As I continued to study this scripture, I began to understand that if I had stopped the direction of faith that Piper and I were following and did what a few others were strongly, fearfully and many times angerly telling us to do, then I would have been abandoning Piper’s and my plan and in doing so, let Piper down by going against her wishes.  Maybe even more importantly… I would find myself proving their faith (or in some cases, lack of faith) and NOT OURS!

Let’s face it here folks… when the rubber hits the road, this was our good fight of faith (I Timothy 6:12), it was our lives and was totally dependent on our faith.  In James 2:22 we see where James teaches that Abraham’s “faith was made COMPLETE by what he did”, not by someone else’s faith and what they told him to do!

Thayer’s Greek Definitions tells us that one of the meanings of the word “COMPLETE” is “to ADD what is yet wanting in order to render a thing full.”  That definition also caught my attention because I realized that every “suggestion” that was given to us that was contrary to the direction we were taking, would limit the scope of what we were standing for in faith, and would in some way or another, take away from our quality of life at that time and in effect… SUBTRACT from the end result that we were expecting!

One thing I knew back then and still hold on tightly to today, is that my God is the God of ADDITION… or better yet, the God of MULTIPLICATION!  My Bible tells me that He is the giver of the “good measure, pressed down, shaken together and running over.” (Luke 6:38 KJV)  He is the One who, through His power working in us, is able to “achieve infinitely more than our greatest requests, our most unbelievable dreams, and (far) exceed our wildest imaginations!” (Ephesians 3:20 TPT) … And I could go on and on as there are many examples of His nature of abundant giving throughout both the Old and the New Testaments!

So, what are a couple of good pointers that act as a quality litmus test for faith?  First of all… Ask yourself it what you are believing for from God is based on what YOU know to be true or on what someone else knows and believes.  When the times get tough… it is tough to go on if the foundation of your stand of faith isn’t inside of you.  If you’re standing on what someone else believes when the rough patches hit, then that foundation of expectation for what your standing for... won’t be there when you need it!

And secondly… check to make sure that what you are believing God for does indeed, ADD a positive result to your quality of life and not SUBTRACT from what you already have.  Remember, God’s wants the BEST for you.  It takes work to believe in God and His Word and stand in faith for the promises that He wants you to have from His Word.  Like my example of Piper’s healthy lifestyle above, you’ve got to have the right “I can do it” attitude, you’ve got to practice your faith by exercising it on a regular basis, indulge some self-control and not give up when the going gets tough.  And finally, stay consistent in your expectations of God’s Word working for you!

Have a great weekend, and once again... keep expecting God’s best in your life!

Marked!

I was looking at a particular picture the other day, that I had taken of Piper back in our Junior College days.  It is a favorite of mine that I have posted on the blog a few times.  In it, she is sitting on her family deck on a cold fall day wearing a warm sweater over one of her swim suits.  You probably know the story of how we were alone that afternoon after our classes for the day were finished, and as usual, I was with my trusty Minolta SRT 101 35mm SLR camera in hand, taking photos of her for one of my school projects.

When we had completed the planned photos, I jokingly suggested that since we were alone, that we could get some swimsuit photos of her… well, you’re right!  Her first reaction was “You’ve got to be crazy Jim, its freezing out here!”  But it didn’t take long for her to give me that daring, adventurous smile of hers and say, “You know, I could put on my wool sweater and nylons and we could shoot the pictures like that!”  And as a 19-year-old boy… well… how was I going to argue with that!  So, she went inside and changed while I planned the poses outside. Then when she returned, we got serious and actually got some of the best pictures that I had taken of her up to that point in what would turn out to be a long and rewarding relationship.

What I noticed in the picture as it now hangs on my study wall in front of my desk, was that she was wearing my high school ring, a silver locket that I had given her and most likely the silver Gruen watch I’d also gifted her!  Gee, you’d think that I was rich working as a part-time Sporting Goods salesman at the old Sears store downtown!  But then, that was before I bought my first car and had noting to spend my extra cash on except for investing in my girl’s happiness!

As I seem to do a lot these days, I found myself laughing as I thought about that picture and turned to the dog behind me and said, “She sure was MARKED as being with me!”  It was fun to observe that she most definitely wore the various MARK’s that tagged her as Jim Berruto’s special girl!  And like I’ve told before, that’s precisely why I wanted to get engaged BEFORE we went off to Chico State University.  I wanted all those young guys there to know that she was spoken for and TOTALLY off-limits!  I also believe that she was proud to wear the different MARK’s that associated herself as being connected to me.

The scripture from Jeremiah 15:16 that we have been looking at for a few posts now, specifically talks about how we as Christians are MARKED and tagged as being associated with Christ.  The Living Bible paraphrase states, “Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul.  They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me.  How proud I am to bear your name, O Lord.”  Taken in the light of New Testament terminology, we as Christians can proudly stand and boldly declare, “How proud I am to bear (or be as one who wears the MARK of) your name, O Lord!”

According to this verse (and many others throughout the Bible) the visible MARKS of a Christian are a hungry heart, a joyful heart and a heart that is delighted in Him and His Word.  And I call them a visible MARK because characteristics like those residing in our hearts are very difficult to hide!  They just sort of show forth like the ring, the necklace and the watch that Piper proudly wore for many years.

I also noted in this verse, that the two main subjects spoken of are God’s Words and you and I as the one’s who hunger after it.  It is describing a close and personal relationship between each of us and God’s Word.  His Word is something that we have to feel a special connection to and want to wear as a MARK that shows who we are in a relationship with on a daily basis… just as Piper took the time to put on the various pieces of jewelry that I had given her very early in our relationship.  In fact, her wedding ring, which she eventually exchanged with my high school ring, was the very last thing that I took off her hand when she was promoted to heaven.

So, in conclusion this morning, I would encourage each of you to proudly and boldly wear the MARKS of your special connection, of your personal relationship with the Lord Jesus Christ as you walk the paths of your daily lives from your front door, to the world you interact with and then back home again! 

Every time I look at that picture of Piper and the various pieces of jewelry I gave her, of which I still have in her jewelry box on my dresser today, I can’t help but smile and be content with the warm feelings of all the memories we made together… just like I can’t help but to open up my Bible each day and smile with the HUNGER I have for more and more of Him and the JOY and DELIGHT that His Word imparts unto me! 

Can I get an AMEN!

Have a great day, and as you do, keep expecting God’s best for your life!

Keeping On!

I was talking with my youngest daughter on Friday night about some of the “what if’s” in my life throughout the years.  I had gone over to her home for a post-Birthday dinner of which she served Tortellini topped with a delicious red marinara sauce… and to say the least… my 100% Italian blood was singing an operetta that Pavarotti himself couldn’t surpass!  Besides being delicious, that dinner got me to thinking about the scripture that I wanted to share today… but first let me finish my original thought…

I had mentioned to my daughter that I had passed over numerous opportunities, especially in the first decade of our marriage, where I could have graduated from part-time into full time ministry, but either felt that the timing wasn’t right, or that I did not yet possess the proper qualifications for such an undertaking.  I mentioned three specific occasions when leaders from the different denominations that we were involved with over the years, encouraged me to file the papers of ordination with them.

But my daughter quickly cut me off from going down that “What if I had” path of wondering and explained how she had come to explicitly believe that the Lord had led her Mom and I, along with our family, down the right path… the one that we had diligently followed!  She then mentioned different experiences in her own life when she obeyed the Lord’s leading, even though it wasn’t necessarily her first choice and then saw doors open up for her that she never would have perceived as possible.

It was especially confirming to me to see that some of those examples were first predicated by my listening to the directions of the Lord (against some strong negative input from individuals in our lives who were very contrary to the idea… including my youngest daughter at the time!) to pack up and move our family to Oklahoma to attend Bible School in 2006. 

One of the most important lessons that I have learned over the 50+ years of my Christian walk, is that in order for one to know that you’re doing the right thing and correctly hearing the voice of the Lord, is to make sure that you personally know Him, possess an increasing understanding of His will and ways and are ready and obedient to follow His leadings… which brings me to the words of the Old Testament Prophet in the book of Jeremiah chapter fifteen, verse sixteen, where the writer declares, “Your words were found, and I devoured them. Your words are my joy and my heart's delight, because I am called by your name, O LORD God of Armies.” (God’s Word ©)  

If you look at this Old Testament prophecy through the eyes of New Testament terminology, it is easy to deduce that this scripture has particular meaning to the individual Christian today as well as it did to Jeremiah back then.  Whereas the Lord only spoke through the anointing on the Prophet, Priest or King under the Old Covenant, He is now able to speak to each Christian through their reborn spirit and the presence of the Holy Spirit living in them as part of the New Covenant brokered through the blood of Jesus on the cross.

To me, this one verse clearly describes the way of success for the New Testament believer.  Above I mentioned certain things like having a personal relationship with the Lord, possessing an increasing understanding of His will for our lives and the importance of our obedience to His leadings in our life as being some keys to success in the Christian walk.  Well, this prophetic word from Jeremiah lets us know how to get those keys!

First, he instructs us to search for the truth in God’s Word and once found, to devour it.  I looked up the word “devour” and like you’d think, it means in both the original Hebrew and English, to “eat hungrily or quickly.” (Strong’s and the Oxford Online Dictionaries)  Have you ever sat down to eat dinner and get halfway through the food on your plate before your realized how hungry you were… with everyone else at the table looking at you?  That was a common occurrence at my house when I was a kid.  After playing outside for a while, I was starving and couldn’t wait for someone to get through the blessing so that I could dig in and chow down!

I believe that is the kind of enthusiasm and hunger for the Word of God that Jeremiah is talking about!  It didn’t take me long to learn what a good cook my Mom was!  As a full-blooded Italian, I think her cooking skills were a part of her DNA!  Piper had a high mark to hit when we got married and she started cooking for us!  But you know what they say… “Love conquers all” and as far as I was concerned… it didn’t matter what she cooked… she just looked so good cooking it!  And, as it turned out, she also became a great cook!

Jeremiah went on to exclaim how God’s Word was his JOY and his Heart’s Delight and how proud he was to be called by the name of the Lord.  But since this post is getting a little long, I’ll let you chew on the first few keys to a successful Christian life and we’ll discuss the others next time!

While I was continuing to study this verse over the weekend, I pulled out different translations to see if I could gain additional insight and suddenly remembered Piper’s “The Way” paperback version of The Living Bible that was given to her back in 1974 as an engagement present from one of the Ladies Circles in the Baptist church that we were attending.  When I turned to Jeremiah 15:16 I immediately noticed that she had underlined it, signifying that it was a meaningful verse to her. 

When I read this paraphrase of the scripture, it was almost to me, like she was standing in the room talking to me and explaining what God’s Word personally meant to her, declaring: “Your words are what sustain me; they are food to my hungry soul.  They bring joy to my sorrowing heart and delight me.  How proud I am to bear you name, O Lord"                                            

I couldn’t help but to tear up a little as I thought of how perfectly those words described Piper’s commitment and relationship to the Lord.  And on top of that, extra tears came forth when it also sounded like she was giving me a personal word of encouragement for my life now without her physical presence in it!  Together we had lived a life wherewith we sought to serve the Lord and hungered and thirst for Him on a daily basis.  I think she was telling me through her underlined verse in that old Bible, “to keep on, keeping on” with what had helped us to be successful in our Christian walk!

What about you?  What are you going “to keep on keeping on” in your life to be successful in your Christian Walk?  A good place to start, like I mentioned previously, would be to SEEK out the truth in God’s Word and then to DEVOUR it!  I’m getting hungry just thinking about it… or then again maybe that’s because its past lunch time!

Have a great week, and as you do, keep expecting God’s best for your life!

 

Thrilling Thursdays!

Happy Thursday everyone!  I’m not sure if I ever shared this before, but for years, Thursday had been one of my most favorite days of the week.  Let me explain… in most people’s eyes, Thursday is a good day because it signals, for those working the traditional Monday through Friday work schedule, that the work week is almost over, that Friday is next and then the weekend!

But for me, who normally worked a regular 40 hour (+) job and as a minister, worked in-between and on weekends… well, let’s just say that my schedule was a little unique!  No matter what shift or schedule I worked in the various secular jobs I held over the years, I normally spent my Friday lunch times and a good portion of my Saturdays at home preparing for our Sunday morning Children’s Church service.  Then on Sunday’s it was “Go-Time” at church, preparing for the Children’s Church activities, conducting an action-packed 2 hour service and then cleaning up, which all together took from early morning until 1:00 or 2:00 in the afternoon when we would return home, have lunch and usually take a well-deserved hour or two nap! 

Then back at my secular job at the beginning of the week, you would regularly find me spending my lunch hours on Monday’s and Tuesdays, with some time after work in my study at home, preparing for our mid-week Youth or Children’s services on Wednesday evenings at the church.  When I worked Swing-Shift, I would tend to take an extended lunch on Wednesdays in order to lead those services at the church and then return to the secular job and work late that night to make up for the time away. 

What can I say… the ministry call was a labor of love and I never thought too much about the extra effort that I needed to fulfill those responsibilities.  Although when we moved to Oklahoma to attend Bible College, I did notice that the regular migraines that I used to get for many years, suddenly went away…

But Thursdays…. Well on Thursdays, I could relax and not think (too much) about the next class or service that we would be leading at the church.  It was the one day a week that I took off from thinking, planning and/or praying about our church duties (most of the time…)!  For me, there was a most noticeable lift and feel of relaxation from the moment I got up on Thursday mornings.  I still went to work at my secular job, but I definitely felt a sense of vacation and release from my ministry position.  And you know… even though I have been somewhat retired for a few years now… I still feel more of that sense of freedom and relaxation on Thursday’s than on any other day of the week!  So, again I’ll say: “Happy Thursday Everyone!” 

I was reading from Psalm 119:162 once again this morning and couldn’t help but see a few glaring points in this verse where the Psalmist writes, “Your promises are the source of my bubbling joy; the revelation of your word thrills me like one who has discovered hidden treasure.”  (The Passion Translation) 

I couldn’t help but smile at the thought of God’s promises being the source of my bubbling joy.  But while I would consider myself to be a somewhat joyful individual… I am not too sure that I would claim to have “bubbling joy”  Although, without a moment’s hesitation, agree to that description being designated to Piper!  If you knew her… then I bet that you would agree that she tended to have an infectious joy that could make the toughest of sceptics break into a smile within a few moments of being in her presence!  And the source of her joy was definitely based in her relationship, knowledge and love of God and the truth of His Word.  She wouldn’t even have to say a word… you just felt it radiating from her bright, laughing eyes, her big smile and her happy disposition!

I would say though, that for me and many others that I know, that the hearing, study and practice of the principles of God’s Word most definitely thrills us.  As I’ve stated on many occasions, my mornings would not be complete without a good cup of coffee and the study of God’s Word… with the caffeine in the coffee acting as a stimulant to my body and God’s Word acting as a stimulant to my daily life and the foundation of who I am in this world.   How about you?  In what tangible ways does the hearing, study and practice of God’s Word thrill you and make an impact in your daily life?

The part of this verse that really caught my attention today, was the last part of it where the writer likens the thrill of God’s Word to the one who discovers hidden treasures.  As I thought about this section, it dawned on me that in order to discover hidden treasures… one has to be looking and/or searching for them!  I realized that every morning when I pick up my Bible… or turn on my Bible study program on my computer… that I am EXPECTING to hear from the Lord… that I am fully expecting to hear His voice and have a fresh revelation for that particular new day!

You see, since John 1:1 tells us that, “In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God,” (KJV) I approach my daily Bible study with the understanding that I am coming into the very presence of the Lord and will be conversing directing with Him… through the pages of my Bible!   And like any good explorer, when I search for the treasures in God’s Word, I do my homework and come equipped with the right supplies, which for me includes various translations of the Bible, a good concordance, different Bible commentaries that I am familiar with and trust, as well as with a long history and collection of personal preaching notes and other supporting materials like study books, DVD’s and CD’s of many other Biblical teachers that I trust and honor as generals in the faith!

So therefore, in order to be THRILLED by the Word of God, and have the BUBBLNG JOY that comes from being in His Presence through His Word, while you search for and find the wonders and riches of His HIDDEN TREASURES… you need to have commitment to Him and His Word and then take the time necessary to work diligently in your personal training and discoveries of His life-changing principles for your life!

And let me tell you… that it is worth all the effort and that the results are definitely THRILLING!

Have a great rest of the week… enjoy your Thursday and keep EXPECTING God’s best throughout it all!

 

 

flat-footed

[flat-footed]

 

o   Having flat feet.

o   Unable to move quickly and smoothly; clumsy

o   Not clever or imaginative; uninspired

                            synonyms:

clumsy · awkward · blundering · bumbling · lumbering · shambling ·  

    

Have you ever felt like a certain situation suddenly happened and it caught you “Flat-Footed?”  This reaction hit Piper and I very close to home when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.  I was trying to explain this to a close family member the other day, but I had a difficult time putting it into words… until I came back to a familiar verse of scripture found in Ephesians 1:12, a few days later.  

Previous to this in Ephesians 1:10, the Apostle Paul relates to his readers of how “He (God) planned to bring all of history to its goal in Christ. Then Christ would be the head of everything in heaven and on earth.”  And following in verse twelve he explains that “He (God) planned all of this so that we who had already focused our hope on Christ would praise him and give him glory.” (both verses- God’s Word ©)  Once again, we find that the word translated “hope” comes from a combination of two words meaning “to put in front of and to expect.” (Thayer’s) Therefore this verse could more accurately be stated as “we who had already focused our expectations on Christ…”  

When I read this verse, I had to stop and shout out (startling the dog sleeping on the couch behind me) “That’s It!”  And the thought that immediately popped into my mind was that Paul was giving us a huge hint by declaring that we who have already placed our expectations in Christ will therefore already be focused on the answer and not be caught “Flat-Footed” when sudden trials and tribulations encroach upon our lives! 

It was like the light suddenly went on!  The blank looks, the uncomfortable quiet in the room when Piper and I came in and the intellectualization of almost everything I explained to them concerning Piper’s situation now made sense to me.  They were caught “Flat-Footed” when the unexpected news was announced!

For Piper and I there was absolutely no hesitation when the bad reports came in.  We simply handed it over to the Lord, shifted into a lower gear (sort-of-speak) and prepared ourselves for the slow but steady grade that we were facing… with a high expectancy of the directions, resolutions, assistance and peace that He promised us in His Word… which instantly reminded me of the time in the early 1980’s when we were visiting my sister and her family on the way to a camping vacation in our new Datsun pickup and tent trailer. 

They lived in a country setting, down a narrow road to their home.  Well… getting to the house and backing down into their driveway was no problem, but the next day when we tried to leave, my little truck didn’t seem to have the guts to pull the trailer up the steep driveway!  But after a little discussion with Piper, we simply flipped the hubs, putting the truck into 4-wheel drive, down-shifted and “Walla!” we had the extra power and torque to do the job!  

We weren’t caught flat-footed because we had thought ahead and ordered the truck with the 4-wheel drive option because we wanted to do some off roading and also figured that the all-wheel drive could help in tight spots… especially with the small engines that were only available in the truck at that time!  Our pre-planning and extra expense paid off! 

In the spiritual realm, we had also done our home-work through the years by taking the time and effort to regularly fill ourselves up with the Word of God on a daily basis… and it also didn’t hurt that we had just spent three years in a very condensed time of study in the Word through Bible College and the school’s home church that we were involved with.  Another way to think of it was that we had a full tank of gas and were ready for the long trip ahead of us.  Unfortunately for some, they were caught with an empty tank and got left behind as we moved forward in our difficult adventure in faith. 

Psalm 119:18 tells us that there are miracles and wonders hidden in the Word of God when the Psalmist prayed saying, “Open my eyes to see the miracle-wonders hidden in your word.” (The Passion Translation)  In verse 162 of the same Psalm the writer likens the Word to the discovery of hidden treasure declaring, “Your promises are the source of my bubbling joy; the revelation of your word thrills me like one who has discovered hidden treasure.” (TPT)  

I have to admit that I still look forward with a joyful expectancy to what I am going to learn each day when I sit down to study my Bible.  I normally end up with a page (or more) of notes, in various colors of ink, that fill up just about every open spot on the page!  Then when I review my notes throughout the day, I have to turn my notebook around in circles in order to read all the lines of thought! 

I guess that the bottom line for me… is that I don’t like to be caught “Flat-Footed!”  I like to do my research before I step out and do almost anything.  Just like I did with Piper’s condition or when I purchased the new house last year and even recently with the new electric shaver I bought myself for my birthday… and if I do it for those things… then I’m most certainly going to do it when it comes to living my life! 

What about you?  What kinds of research do you like to do?  And when it comes to spiritual things, are you just as well versed as in the daily activities of life?  Or let me put it this way… Are your tanks empty or full?  How far will your reserves take you? 

Have a great new week, and as you do… keep expecting God’s best for your life!

 

Mangled Oranges...

Don’t you just hate it when you’re attempting to peel a hard-boiled egg and the shell does not want to come cleanly off?  I get frustrated because I feel like I am only getting half the egg when most of it stays connected to the inner shell… and when you’re on a diet… well… every part of that egg counts!  Do you know what I mean?

Today it was an orange that got to me.  After I put the grooves in the peel, I began to slip my thumb under the skin but everything stuck like glue and the more I played with it, the more the flesh stuck to the peel and the stickier my hands became!  And if you know me, then you know that I can’t stand dirty… much less sticky hands!  When I finally sat down at the kitchen table with my mangled orange, I felt like I got robbed!  I definitely was not able to enjoy the fullness of that delicious looking fruit!

When I read my Bible, I can’t help but notice that God also wants you and I to live in the fullness of life that He has planned for us.  That truth popped up in my head out of nowhere early this morning when I couldn’t sleep and peeked at the clock next to me that read 5:08 AM!  I felt led to grab my Passion Translation that was sitting next to me on the bed and the flashlight off the night stand, opened up to Psalm 91:16 and read aloud, “You will be satisfied with a full life and with all that I do for you. For you will enjoy the fullness of my salvation!” 

When I plopped back on my pillow with that verse swirling around in my head and my heart, I began to think about many of the things that the Lord had done for Piper and I throughout the years where He helped us to live in the fullness of His life for us.  Even during the last eight years of Piper’s earthly existence, I can’t help but marvel at all the miracles He provided for us in order for us to enjoy our lives, even in the midst of great trial.

While we had gloom and doom being spoken over us when I quit my job to devote all my time to assisting Piper, God answered our faith-filled prayers by showing me different state and federal benefit programs to assist us, directed us to some of he best medical care that I believe was available in northern California and provided us with sources of income that enabled us to continue living our lives without missing a beat. 

I promised Piper two things at the onset of her diagnosis.  One, that she would never be alone and that I would be with her all the way, and two, that we would continue to live our lives as normal as possible.  Which is the reason I took her with me almost everywhere… custom wheelchair and all, (traded our Mustang in order to get an SUV so we could carry said wheelchair), took daily walks together and enjoyed each other’s company and talked with her like nothing unusual was going on.

And all along the way God met our faith and answered our every request… sometimes whether we knew we needed a particular item or not.  I learned an important fact along the way… that God not only provides our needs, but many times also our desires!  Remember in Mark 11:24 Jesus stated, “Therefore I say unto you, What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” 

I also learned that our active, now faith is the force that enables God to move on our behalf.  Ephesians 3:17 tells us that by “constantly using your faith, the life of Christ will be released deep inside you, and the resting place of his love will become the very source and root of your life.” (The Passion Translation)  The God’s Word Translation tells us that Christ will live and thrive in us through our personal, active now faith.

We discovered that when our focus, faith, expectancy and love was set on Christ and the truth of His Word, that the fullness of His life was found to be thriving in and around us!  I continue to find myself starting and ending each day by boldly declaring Proverbs 3:5-6 saying that I “trust in the Lord completely, and do not rely on my own opinions. (but) With all my heart I continue to rely on Him to guide me, (for I know that) He will lead me in every decision I make.  (for) I choose to be and stay intimate with Him in whatever I do, (for I know that) He will lead me wherever I go.” (The Passion Translation – personalized) 

So therefore… just as I don’t care for eating half a boiled egg or a mangled orange but want the fullness of each… I also want to live in the fullness of life that God has planned for me… and strive to stay strong, current and active in my faith in order to provide Him with an open door into my life, so He has access to perform His will for me and mine!

How about you?

Have a great weekend and as you do, continue to expect God’s fullness for your life!

The File Cabinet...

I did my little happy dance yesterday afternoon as I stepped away from my desk and knelt down in front of one of my office cabinets in order to put away a file labeled “Property Tax” for yet another year.  As I pulled open the top drawer, I reflected on how it good it felt to have completed that project.  This was the second and final payment.  The first payment came due at the end of last year and had sort of taken me by surprise, forcing me to dip into savings to pay it.  But this time around, I had a very calculated plan and was able to take care of it without touching anymore savings!

I felt a little like Hannibal Smith from the ‘80’s TV series The A-Team when at the end of the show he would exclaim, “I love it when a plan comes together!”  So, I had a pretty big smile on my face as I ran my fingers over the tops of all the other files in the drawer on my way to the “P” section.  When I got there, I pulled back the files previous to it and was stumped for a moment and my heart skipped a beat when I saw the various files with the title of “PIPER” written on the top label.

Those various files contained everything from her birth certificate to her death certificate and a whole lot of things in-between!  I grabbed a couple of the files, sat down on the floor in front of the cabinet and began to go through the information included within the manila folders. 

As one might imagine, a whole different mix of feelings and emotions flooded me as I leafed through the various legal forms, benefit applications, medical reports, detailed notes and records of just about everything else that I pursued for her during the last eight years of her life.  I couldn’t help but break out into my patented crooked grin as I began to see just how much work and effort I had put into her care. 

But, believe me when I say, that I am not writing any of this for a slap on the back because at the time, I never thought about the work that was entailed in her care, but simply did it out of my love for her, because I felt it was my responsibility as her husband in fulfilling Jesus’ command in Ephesians 5:25 when Paul said, “Husbands, love your wives as Christ loved the church and gave his life for it.” (God’s Word ©) and because of the covenant we made together on July 12, 1975 where we both sealed the deal when we said “I Do!” 

I also smirked because it reminded me of all the negative input that I had to plow through during those difficult times.  As I am sure that I mentioned on other occasions, I quickly had to learn in the early days when the changes in Piper’s health really began to go downhill, to put aside the criticisms, the complaints, the mis-information that was discussed as fact, and all the “helpful” advice that was anything but helpful!

Some of the best advice though, came from my Biblical training and in particular scriptures like I Peter 5:5-7 where the Apostle taught us saying, “God resists the proud, but gives grace to the humble.  Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time, casting all your anxiety upon Him, because He cares about you.” (EMTV)

I learned that my job was to “humble myself under the mighty hand of God” and answer to my faith in Him and not to the voices of people.  And as part of that process, I had to get really good at “casting all my cares upon Him, because He cares (for and) about me.”  An interesting tid-bit to this transaction between us and God, is knowing when to “cast” our cares and/or anxieties upon God. 

In the original Greek, the word “cast” or “casting” means “to throw or place upon,” and comes from the Greek words describing “the superimposition of time, place and order” and “to fling” those cares off of you “in a sudden motion, denoting a deliberate hurl!” (Thayer's)  Which in plain English is instructing us to quickly and deliberately fling every care, every worry and any anxious thoughts upon Him as soon as they occur… at any time and in any place… whenever they try to come your way!  (whether they originate in your own head or from the lips of someone else!)

It took a while, but I learned to keep what I was doing to myself and not allow myself to be moved by the conflicting and oftentimes incorrect conversations or “advice” that I was constantly bombarded with!  I really believe that this was one of the practices that greatly assisted in keeping me sane and on an even keel with all the things I did as witnessed by the many “Piper” files in my office cabinet!

When I finally got all the various files re-organized and placed back in the cabinet, I sat there on the floor in my study, leaned back on my desk next to the dog who was comfortably slumbering in the footwell under the desk, blew out the breath it seemed like I was holding the whole time and contentedly praised the Lord for not only helping me through it all, but also for helping me to know that I did my best for my sweet wife!  I guess you might even say that I had a hand in escorting her up to the veil between heaven and earth!  I can’t think of a higher honor for a spouse than that!

So… now that she is on the other side and I am still here… what do I do?  Well… I take my own advice and continue to “humble myself under the mighty hand of God.”  I keep seeking first His kingdom ways and directions for me… and through it all, I also continue to quickly and constantly “cast all of my cares upon Him” and let Him carry them for me!

What do you think?  It that some advice that could work for you as well?  According to the Word of God, it is… and it would be another accomplishment for you to file in the personal files of your life!

Have a great rest of the week, and as you do, keep expecting God’s best for your life!

Whose on FIRST?

It looks like we are in for some great weather this week… at least until Thursday that is.  When I look out the window right now, I see nothing but sunny, bright blue, cloudless skies as far as my eyes can see across the golf course to the bank of trees that line its far border to the north of the neighborhood.  The temps are slated to hover around the low 70’s for most of the week, but the blue skies will make a quick exit as a spring-type weather system of thunderstorms makes an appearance beginning on Thursday.  The only somewhat negative thing that we’ll have to put up with until the rains come, is some strong winds blowing in from the south.

My dog Fiver is an interesting character.  With his partial Australian Shepherd heritage, he can be a bit anxious when conditions around him change… be it a squirrel running by, an approaching dog, loud noises or the blowing wind.  In quiet conditions he will comfortably walk by my side and casually sniff at the various scents that he picks up in the air, in the grass and especially around fence posts or the base of tree.  (Gee… I wonder why?)

When the winds pick up, as with today’s walk, he steps with a noticeable amount of hesitation and/or anxiety.  The swirling air and the noise that it produces seems to totally discombobulate his sense of smell.  When we climbed up the berm to the pond and received the brunt of the strong wind, I thought of the Pastor’s sermon yesterday, when she was reading from Acts 2:2 where Luke described the tangible coming of the Holy Spirit saying, "suddenly they heard the sound of a violent blast of wind rushing into the house from out of the heavenly realm. The roar of the wind was so overpowering it was all anyone could bear!” (The Passion Translation) 

At that slightly higher elevation, my ears were definitely inundated with a sound which I could easily liken to a roaring wind!  That experience gave me an understanding of what Fiver with his sensitive ears was hearing.  When the wind blows like that, he tends to pull on his leash throughout the walk, and jerk me in different directions while he attempts to follow a scent.  His antics on this morning’s walk got me to thinking of my earlier Bible Study that I enjoyed at my desk, in my study along with a hot cup of coffee!

When I had stepped out of bed first thing today, my thoughts immediately went to a familiar Bible verse found in the book of Matthew, chapter six, verse 33.  So, without much thought, that is precisely where I turned to when I sat in my study. In this portion of the scriptures Jesus is giving His followers some all-important hints on how to refrain from anxiety in their daily lives.  He sums it up in this particular verse by stating, “But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.” (KJV) 

As I watched Fiver on our walk, I became aware of how the wind caused him to be unable to follow any one scent to its source, where he could thoroughly investigate it to his satisfaction.  You could almost see the confusion on his face as he kept changing directions.  And that is when I had my “Ah-HA!” moment.  Fiver’s difficulties were exactly what Jesus was warning His followers about!

In effect, He was telling them to not allow themselves to be distracted by the different “winds” of thoughts, worries and/or regular activities or needs (ie; things) that are all a part of our daily existence.  The whole point of His very simple teaching was that when you put Him first, then “all these things shall be added unto you.”

Simple right?  Well… maybe not as easy as it may sound, especially when you consider that just about everything else in this world says the total opposite to us!  Out in the world we are constantly bombarded with ads describing how this car, this house, this vacation, this educational degree, this amount in savings, these clothes and even how these shoes will give you the satisfaction in life that you deserve!  In society today, it is all about the “THINGS!”

Now don’t get me wrong.  I firmly believe that God wants us to have nice THINGS… But what He doesn’t want is for those THINGS to have us!  I’ve come to understand in my Christian walk through the years, that when I seek Him first each and every day, that the rest of my day goes much better!  The daily plans, desires and goals that I set, more often than not, get met and I have more peace and joy in doing it all and then at night, find that I can relax feeling satisfied and fulfilled.

Once again though, I would say that this didn’t happen overnight.  It is a practice that I have and continue to hone throughout my adult life.  I can’t really remember when I started the practice of taking time early in the morning, many times before the rest of the family got up, to go off by myself and study in the Word of God.  I recall doing it in the mid to late 1980’s when we bought our first home in the Larkfield area of northern Santa Rosa.  It was the first place that we lived in where I had a room that I could call my office or study, although I do remember studying in the backyard or patio of other residences that Piper and I had lived in before we had kids.

I believe that Piper had already developed the practice of personal Bible Study before we met and I still have a picture that I had snapped of her studying the Word in our first little apartment just down the street from her parent’s home.

As I sat at my desk thinking about Matthew 6:33, I couldn’t help but smile and laugh when I began to recall all the times that the Lord was faithful to that scripture in our lives.  I laugh because of the simplicity of following the truths in God’s Word and of the statement that Piper and I and our kids have made through the years regarding His faithfulness to our obedience saying with awe, “You know… this stuff really works!”  I think that it is all about having that confident, “child-like faith” that my sweet wife always exemplified!

What about you today?  Are you ready to uncomplicate your life by exchanging your anxiety over “THINGS” with the daily practice of “seeking first the kingdom of God” and then be able to say with awe “This stuff really works!” as He works out the twists and turns of your life and you see “all these THINGS added unto you?”

All I can say, is what I have come to know… and that is: “That this stuff really works!”

Have a great week, and as you do, keeping expecting God’s best for you!