Character

I have been captivated with close-up photography ever since I got my first single lens reflex camera in 1970, just before I started dating my future wife.  There is just something special about getting down close and personal with the subject in front of one’s camera lens.  While in high school and junior college, I took every photography class that I possibly could. 

For those first three years of Piper’s and my relationship, we spent countless hours, on my days off from work, driving throughout our local county, looking for unique and/or out-of-the-way places where I could find subject matter for all the various photo projects that were assigned in my classes.

I figure that Piper was either extremely patient or hopelessly in love with me during those hours spent in the car, hiking along creek beds, up and down mountain trails or sloshing in the tide pools at Bodega Bay, around an hour from our home!  It was a common practice for her to turn around while we were on a hike, only to find me down on my hands and knees pointing my camera into a plant or bug… or anything other minute little object that caught my attention! 

But she tended to keep an encouraging smile and never tried to keep me moving along.  Then again… for every close-up picture I took of something in nature… I usually took two or three pictures from various angles with different poses of her… which she always seemed to enjoy… and was quite the natural in front of my lens.

My enjoyment of photography seemed to flow right in step with my inquisitive nature when it came to capturing the up-close details of God’s creations in nature, that often go unseen and/or un-thought of by folks spending a day in the great outdoors.   And I guess that one could say the same thing about my enjoyment and inquisitive nature when it comes to discovering and understanding more of the close-up details found in the Word of God… as written in yours and my Bibles.

Take for instance, one of the two earliest verses of scripture that made an impact on my life as a young married man.  In the King James Version, 2 Timothy 1:7 tells us that,

“God hath not given us the SPIRIT of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.” 

I can’t tell you of how often that scripture has helped through the difficult times in my life since the first time it was impressed upon me at a Junior High Snow Camp that Piper and I brought our youth group to in 1976.  Since then, I have read and studied it in various translations, study guides and with Bible Study groups at different churches and continue to grow in revelation and close-up knowledge of its meanings in my life…

And then, just when I began to think that I couldn’t get any more revelation out of that verse, I recently came across a new English Bible translation called The Remedy and it opened up an even greater, close-up look into the writer’s intent for its meaning.  Here in modern day language, the Apostle pens,

“For God did not give you a CHARACTER of insecurity, doubt and fear, but a MIND and CHARACTER of confidence, power in the truth, love, and self-control.” 

Well… the way in which the word “CHARACTER” is substituted in place of the normal usage of “SPIRIT” definitely caught my interest and as I would, if I were back out on the trail with Piper in days of yore, I quickly attached my +1, +2 and +4 close-up lens set to the camera lens of my mind and focused in on the word through the usage of a couple of Greek/English Dictionaries.

A magnified look at the Thayer’s and Mounce Greek-English Definitions helps us to see that the word “CHARACTER” is probably a more accurate description of the original intent of the word.  They tell us that it is the “simple essence that possesses the power (in us) of knowing, desiring, deciding and acting.”  It is “a pervading influence and/or frame of mind as distinguished from outward circumstances and action.”  It is “the spiritual nature of God” working in us.”  And it is “a term for a process that is superior to a merely natural or carnal course of things that operates by the Divine Spirit in us.”

In other words, as a Christian… “the mind and CHARACTER of confidence, power in the truth, love and self-control” that God has given you and me, is to be the guiding force by which we live our daily lives!

And so… as I amplify that closer look into God’s divine purpose for wanting each of us to have His CHARACTER accurately working in us, I then turn the close-up lens set attached to the camera of my heart and mind and ask myself…  “Is that the overriding and abiding CHARACTER that I exemplify in my life… 24/7… Whether I am in public or alone in my house?

How about you?  How would you answer that question after looking through a close-up lens set at YOUR LIFE?

What I like best about close-up photography is that is causes you to see things that are hard to detail with the naked eye.  But sometimes that’s good and sometimes… Well…

Just think about it!

Have a great rest of your week.  Its damp, overcast and a bit gloomy outside my house right now, but that’s all supposed to turn into a beautiful weekend by Saturday!  Maybe I’ll take out my old close-up set and camera and go hunting for some beautiful things that I would otherwise miss!  And… Don’t forget… Keep EXPECTING God’s BEST as you walk in His CHARACTER while bringing your week to a close!

Exercise, Develop and Expand!

As a kid growing up in the 1960’s, I have many fond memories of my dad barbecuing in the backyard.  He didn’t get a gas BBQ until way after my older siblings and I married and began families of our own.  So, my childhood remembrances of barbequing included the bag of charcoal briquettes, the black BBQ kettle, lighter fluid or most times… waded up news paper under the mountain of coals arranged in the center of the grill… and… a folded newspaper that dad vigorously swung back and forth over the smoking coals in order to stir them up into a nice, white, hot glow!

One of the first prized possessions that I purchased as a young adult was a single wide portable hibachi so that I could barbecue the steaks that Piper and I would treat ourselves to - once a month - while attending college at Chico State University.  We would go up to the upper portion of Bidwell Park, find a secluded picnic site along Big Chico Creek and while away the day by enjoying each other’s company, feasting on a delicious meal and then hiking together in the park.

And just as my dad had done, I always included a folded newspaper in order to fan the coals into a flame that resulted in white hot briquettes…at just the right temperature to perfectly cook the meat!  I hadn’t realized until recently of how much our time together, away from home, on our own, while attending school at CSU, established many traditions and other foundations for our marriage.  We may have been housed in different dorms, but we basically did everything together and depended on each other as we traversed through that preparatory time in our lives!

The remembrance of those times at Chico State brought an instant smile to my face this morning as I read from a longtime favorite portion of scripture in 2 Timothy 1:6-7 where the Apostle Paul reminded Timothy that,

“I’m writing to encourage you to FAN INTO FLAME and rekindle the fire of the spiritual gift God imparted to you when I laid my hands upon you.  For God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.” (TPT) 

Paul’s imploring of the young pastor Timothy to “fan into flame” the things of God that he had inside of him, the gifts, talents, abilities, Biblical teachings and the developing understanding of those truths, caused me to recall the amount of physical effort it took to consistently fan a newspaper over unevenly lit coals in order to reignite a solid flame under them.

A glance over at the Remedy translation gave me a greater and more practical understanding to the meaning of “fan into flame.”  It more vividly details this process by explaining that we need to,

“…continue to EXCERCISE, DEVELOP and EXPAND the enabling and gifts God gave you when I laid hands on you.” (Remedy)

So, just like it took consistent effort to fan the charcoal briquettes into a white-hot flame, it takes consistent effort to EXERCISE, DEVELOP and EXPAND our personal gifts, talents, abilities and Biblical training, in order to continue to develop and mature in the daily walk of our Christian faith.

Piper would sometimes laugh at me when I would diligently work at (and purposely over-emphasize my actions) when “fanning into flame” the charcoal briquets in our little hibachi… but you know… her smile and sweet laughter would make the effort all the more worth it… especially as we sat at the picnic table when all was prepared and enjoyed our tender, juicy and perfectly cooked, delicious steaks!

Likewise, the extra effort and diligence we take to regularly “fan into flame” the faith of our personal Christian beliefs, the more time we take to EXERCISE, DEVELOP and EXPAND our knowledge and understanding of God’s promises to us… the more we can enjoy the sweet victories that are available to us, as we stand firm in the truth of God and His Word… in the face of the trials and tribulations that come our way in the world around us.

Have a great weekend while you make the effort to EXERCISE, DEVELOP and EXPAND the ever-growing truth of God in you… and as you do, keep EXPECTING God’s BEST!

Feeling a Little Foolish!

As you may have already read about in today’s news, we had a big and very active storm front move through central Oklahoma last night.  The Tulsa area where we live, was spared the main fury of the storm, although we were pummeled with some pretty strong wind gusts throughout the night and into the waking hours of today. 

The towns southwest of us did not fare so well though, with numerous tornado touchdowns which resulted in widespread damage to property and the loss of life.  The reports and pictures are still coming in and we will all be praying for the families involved and for the needs in the affected areas.

For me and Fiver, the wind tended to keep us awake and on our toes as there were a few times when I had the feeling that we would end up taking a ride into the air like Dorothy’s house did in The Wizard of Oz!  What I finally realized was that the four or five foot corridor that runs down the side of my house between the master bedroom and the fence, tends to act as an echo chamber when the winds pick up!  But even with that figured out, it was still loud and unsettling!

The funny thing though, was that I prayed numerous times in the afternoon, previous to the storm blowing in, and was standing on the Word in proclaiming God’s protection against the severe elements of the storm.  So in between the various creaks in the house and wailing of the wind, I kept reminding myself that I had prayed and set my faith in action and that all would be well with me and my family in Broken Arrow, as well as with my youngest son and his family in Edmond, which was very close to the action of the storm.

This morning I got good reports from our local family and the worst that Jeremy got was some baseball size hail as the storm passed by… with the tornado outbreaks occurring after the front moved further east.  So… what can I say?  God did it again… exactly what He promised us in His Word that He will do for us… Right?

Well… I had to answer that question again when I got up this morning and headed out of the bedroom.   My normal morning habit is to pet the dog who is usually on the couch and then open the blinds in the back of the living room.  But today instead, I made a beeline to the kitchen and opened the front blinds that look over the porch, the cul-de-sac and golf course beyond. 

In my minds eye, I was fully expecting to see some down trees and branches strewn across the normally well-manicured greens on the golf course.  But alas!  I was a little taken back because everything looked… WELL… It looked normal!

Then I heard it… and kinda felt foolish… when that small-still-voice on the inside of me clearly stated… “What did you EXPECT?  You prayed MY protection over your home and the entire neighborhood… and that is EXACTLY what you GOT!

I had to back away from the window, laugh and shake my head at that one!  I even think that the dog was giving me that “Did you really just do that… again?” look on his face as he rested his head on the arm of the couch and glanced into the kitchen!  What can I say?  Busted!  Guilty as charged!

But as I turned toward the coffee maker, I couldn’t help but to smile in my moment of embarrassment for I remembered God’s promise to us in Romans 5:5 where it declares,

“And hope maketh not ashamed; because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Ghost which is given unto us.” (KJV)

And I knew it was because of His love for me, that He gently reminded me of my stand of faith and of His loving faithfulness to His word.  I also had to stop right there in the middle of the kitchen and raise my hands in praise to the Lord as I celebrated the inter-active involvement of His truth, not only last night, but for the entirety of my adult Christian life… Then another familiar set of verses describing the God kind of love came to mind and I found myself declaring from memory that,

“(God’s) Love joyfully celebrates (His) TRUTH and finds no delight in what is wrong.  (For His) Love is a safe place of shelter, and it never stops believing the best for others. (And best yet, God’s) Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.” (I Corinthians 13: 6-7 – TPT)

So, I can’t help but to rejoice and be thankful and glad for God’s faithfulness to His Word toward a Christian’s faith-filled prayers… and being assured that:

“…tremendous power is released through the passionate, heartfelt prayer of a godly believer!” (James 5:16 – TPT) 

I sorely miss the joy and privilege of having my wife, best friend and prayer partner to come in agreement with me when it comes to praying for any situation that I may face… like God’s protection last night!  But never-the-less, I still know the love of God and that as His son, I have the right and ability to come into the Father’s presence and ask for and believe to receive the promises in His Word for me… and the SAME IS TRUE FOR EACH OF YOU AS WELL!

Do you believe that?

Have a wonderful rest of your week… hopefully it will be as comfortable and calm as my local forecast is now predicting… and as you do… Remember His love for you while you bring your needs to Him in prayer… and then EXPECT His BEST results!

What Is Your Reality?

I may have mentioned it a time or two before, but I like to collect different Bible translations.  At last count I had well over 50 and still growing!  It is something that I just sort of started to do when I first began to study the Bible on my own in the mid 1970’s. 

As it turns out, the old Hebrew and Greek languages that the Bible was originally written in are a lot more descriptive than my native English tongue.  One word in the old languages can actually be translated into many different English words, depending on the specific usage or intent in the original text.  And with that in mind, I am always interested to see how the various English translations convey the thought and purpose of the writer.

It is also interesting to note that many scriptures like Hebrews 4:12 tell us that,

“God's word is living and active. It is sharper than any two-edged sword and cuts as deep as the place where soul and spirit meet, the place where joints and marrow meet. God's word judges a person's thoughts and intentions.” 

These verses remind us that God’s Word is a living organism that, for lack of a better term, grows along with us in our Christian growth and development.  Just as I have repeatedly experienced over the years, a Christian can read a verse one day and then at a later point in time, as they mature in their Christian life, look at that same verse and get much more understanding from it.  It is one of those truths that Christians understand, but is difficult to comprehend for someone who has never experienced the life-changing, life-infusing, personal relationship with Jesus Christ!

Case in point, when I do my daily Bible Study, I tend to employ my Bible Study program on my laptop, rather than page through my many hard copy Bibles and reference books.  It is just easier and a more productive use of the hour or so that I allot, as everything is preloaded into the program and is only a simple key tap away.  But what I have come to notice is that the digital copies of the various Bible translations do not always have all the margin and footnotes that many of the hard copy, printed versions do. 

There are times like a few nights ago, when I’ll grab a printed copy that happens to be handy, and look up a verse and be surprised at the additional study notes and/or possibly more accurate English word translations included.  On this specific occasion, I was getting ready to turn out the light before bed, and suddenly remembered something that had happened to Piper and I, that still carried a slowly fading distasteful memory.  So, I stopped short of the light switch and instead, grabbed my small Passion Translation Bible that I keep on my nightstand and turned to the chapter that talks about the God kind of love and in particular to I Corinthians 13:6 where it declares,

“Love joyfully celebrates honesty and finds no delight in what is wrong.”

What caught my attention in the printed copy was the little “d” next to the word ‘honesty’.  A quick peek to the footnotes at the bottom of the page told me that the word ‘honesty’ could also be translated “REALITY” or “truth.”  And as soon as I grasped what that verse was saying, I understood that the folks who had perpetrated the distasteful memory, saw a different “REALITY” that was based on a different truth than Piper and I were basing our faith and corresponding actions on.

Then as I reviewed the definitions of the God kind of love that the Apostle Paul explained in I Corinthians 13, I immediately felt my thoughts turning inside and thinking, “What is my definition of love?” and “Does it line up with the God kind of love as outlined in I Corinthians 13?”

Well, those questions and self-reflection set me off on about a dozen rabbit trails as I began to think about the importance of our words, how we define them and to not always assume that the people around us have the same understanding (or the depth of understanding) or definition of the God kind of love… or any other word for that matter, than I do!

For Piper and I, our definition of the truth was simply based on what the Word of God said about it.  I mean… I’m not going to be the one to question the wisdom of God… especially when Jesus Himself in talking to His heavenly Father, asked Him, as recorded in John 17:17 to,

“Sanctify them (Christians) through thy truth: (for) thy WORD is truth.” (KJV) 

I remember feeling a definite sense of confusion, frustration and disunity when talking to different people about Piper’s needs and the things we were doing in sync with what we were believing for.  Those conversations had a certain sense of eeriness that felt like we were almost existing in two different realms! 

Have you ever had that kind of sense when talking with someone else?   When sharing something that is very near and dear to your heart?

I read an article in The Federalist this morning that explained how we live in a time and age right now in society, where it is becoming a common practice for groups of individuals to change the definitions of words in order to better fit their agenda, their lifestyle and emotional feelings… instead of on objective facts.*

All this brings me to the place of thinking that before two people can have a successful conversation, they must come to agreement on the definitions of the words that they are using!  So as to discover the other participants REALITY that they consider to be the truth that leads and guides them in their daily lives?

Have you established that foundational understanding in your life?  Remember that God’s Word tells us that “Love joyfully celebrates REALITY…”

What REALITY are you celebrating today?

Have a great week, and as you do… Keep EXPECTING God’s REALITY which is His BEST for you!

 

*https://thefederalist.com/2018/05/01/lefts-war-words-manipulates-mind/

Harmonic Rhythms

When my wife and I first started leading the praise and worship services in church back in the early 1980’s, we were attending a small fellowship that met in various rooms at a large motel and convention center near the southern border of our hometown.  Most of the rooms were totally empty except for rows of folding chairs… which meant that the only accompaniment that we had was my faithful twelve string guitar!

The twelve string gives out a richer and fuller sound than a normal six string and with the added amplification of a small PA system, adequately filled the small rooms and supported our voices.  Everything usually worked out well… except for when some folks attending the services brought their tambourines and tapped them along with the music.  The problem was that they didn’t know how to play a tambourine and worse yet… tended to beat on it out of cadence with the songs we were playing.

Now, I consider myself to be a decent rhythm guitarist and well able to keep a steady pattern of metric pace during a song, but it became increasingly difficult to keep the correct beat when a loud and offbeat percussion was added to the mix!  It finally got to the point where (as I had previously seen done at a Second Chapter of Acts concert that we had attended), I asked the head usher if he could gently ask people in the congregation playing their tambourines to stop!  The problem ceased after the ushers incorporated this process and Piper and I were able to focus more of our attention toward leading the congregation into the presence of the Lord… instead of just working to keep the rhythm of the music intact!

The memory of those early days of leading the music services came floating back into my memory yesterday as I turned to a scripture in Philippians 2:2 where Paul encouraged his readers saying:

“Then fill me with joy by having the same attitude and the same love, living in HARMONY and keeping one purpose in mind.” (God’s Word ©) 

I do not believe that those charismatic folks, who thought it okay to bring their tambourines into the church, realized the disharmony they caused to the flow of the praise and worship and the way it upset the united, one purpose of the congregation during the service.

The Prophet Jeremiah also spoke about our heavenly Father’s input into the importance of harmony and rhythm in our lives when he told of God,

“who gives rain in both spring and autumn and MAINTAINS the RHYTHM of the seasons, Who sets aside time each year for harvest and keeps everything running smoothly for us.” (Jeremiah 5:24 MSG) 

When Piper and I returned home from attending Bible College in Oklahoma and began to deal in earnest with her growing health needs, the Lord made it stunningly clear that we needed to continue to flow within the HARMONIC RHYTHMS of the song of our lives that she and I had co-scripted with the Lord, throughout the many years of our relationship… as we faced the most difficult trial of our lives, of our marriage and of our faith.

As we endeavored to re-establish our network of family and friends following our three-year absence, we slowly realized that there were certain individuals and environments that were like the off-beat banging of that TAMBORINE some 25 years previous.  And as I have spoken of in past posts, it got to the point where I had to make the difficult decision… with the leading of the Lord… to limit our interactions with these individuals and situations. 

The off-beat rhythms and disharmony of their inputs came across as the Bible describes the absence of the God kind of love as “a loud gong or a clashing cymbal.” (I Corinthians 13:1 - KJV)  The disturbances not only caused noticeable changes in the environment… but were also physically and spiritually harmful to the both of us… and especially in Piper’s physical countenance.

Looking back on those personal experiences and having been on the receiving end of the “loud gong” and “clashing cymbals” with actual off-beat TAMBORINES and disharmonic words and actions… has caused me today… to be extra sensitive to my words and actions when I minister to people going through rough patches in their lives.  I realize now more than ever, that sometimes the best thing I can do for these folks is to simply share a smile, a cup of coffee and a sweet treat and/or maybe just hold their hand in silence.

I don’t need to immediately try and “fix” the situation or offer my personal experiences, education or ministerial wisdom.  My job is to love them where they are, to begin to learn and understand the HARMONIC RHYTHMS of their lives and then help them to get back in tune and flow in the ways that God has led and guided them throughout their lives.

What do you think about all of that?  What are the HARMONIC RHYTHMS that carry you successfully through the everyday events and situations of your life… And how can you assist others in need, to return to the unique HARMONIC RHYTHMS of the song of their lives?

Have a terrific rest of your week, stay in tune to the HARMONIC RHYTHMS of the song of your life, and as you do… keep EXPECTING God’s BEST!

Stir It Up!

I was telling my cousin the other day, that in my mind, there is nothing more inspiring than the pageantry of an Easter morning service at a Catholic church!  As a kid growing up in a devout Catholic family, Easter Sunday was the culmination of the 40-day fasting period of Lent.  It was an honored day that we looked forward to and celebrated with great pomp and circumstance.

As a kid I was always at awe when the air was filled with the sweet fragrance of incense as the priests, wearing their colorful ceremonial robes, altar boys and other servers proceeded slowly down the center aisle of the big church, holding banners, palm branches and the sacramental elements. 

I admit that it was one of the things that I missed when I left the Catholic church and became a member in good standing of my wife’s Baptist denomination.  Although… her church did have a wonderful music department who presented many excellent performances and/or choral processions down the center aisle of our church on Palm Sunday and/or Easter, that definitely riveled that of my former Catholic Cathedral.

One difference that I did notice between the Catholic and Protestant Easter Sunday services… and especially in the Pentecostal churches in which we served… was the environment of the worship service.  In the Catholic church there was a strong sense of deep reverence and quiet, worshipful respect for the momentous accomplishment of Jesus’ resurrection from the dead that happened over 2000 years ago and is remembered and celebrated on Easter Sunday.

The Protestant/Pentecostal services emanated a totally different atmosphere, permeated by loud and joyful celebration and cheerful glee at the revelation of what Jesus accomplished for mankind by stepping out from that tomb in the country side of Jerusalem.  From my own experience and viewpoint, the Pentecostal celebration is more of a personal expression of the life changing and empowering event that continues to be a vital part of the individual Christian’s daily expression and ever-growing adventure of their faith.

In the last church that Piper and I served in before heading off to Bible School, Easter Sunday was usually celebrated as a family service, which meant the kids were in the main service with their parents and that Piper and I got to play with the music team.  There was always one special song that our worship leader liked to lead off with on Easter.  It told the story of Jesus’ resurrection and had a distinct rhythm that was very joyful and fast moving!  It was one that I had to repeatedly practice before the service as it was filled with rapid and unusual chord progressions… that I didn’t normally play in Children’s Church.

I have fond memories of me deeply concentrating on the movement of my left hand as it manipulated up and down the neck of my 12-string guitar… at the same time that I was joyfully singing (thank God I had a head mic on) and awe-fully observing the way my fingers seem to magically fly during that song!  Following the fast-paced music service and the encouraging and rousing message from the Pastor, my family and I were definitely STIRRED UP in our Christian walk… and also highly anticipating the candy and delicious extended family dinner that awaited us that afternoon!

The Apostle Paul wrote his many letters or “epistles” to the Christian church as a means of instruction for the Gospel message of Jesus Christ and also to STIR UP their faith and thereby cause them to hunger for more of God in the daily adventures of their personal Christian walk.  In his second letter to his protégé Timothy, Paul wrote to remind Timothy of his Christian roots and to STIR UP and rekindle his faith and the personal gifts that he had in operation in his life and ministry.  In a favorite ‘kind of Easter’ verse of mine found in 2 Timothy 1:6, Paul encouraged his young friend saying,

“Wherefore I put thee in remembrance that thou STIR UP the gift of God, which is in thee by the putting on of my hands.” (KJV) 

Hopefully you are just like me when it comes to being STIRRED UP in my personal Chrisitan faith whenever I read about the story of Holy Week in the Gospel books of Matthew (21:1-11), Luke (19:29-44), and John (12:12-19).  And then my personal faith can’t help but to be re-kindled and set aflame when I attend Easter morning services.

The Apostle Peter was also keen at knowing the importance of keeping the Gospel message concerning the truth of Jesus Christ present and alive in the hearts of the early church.  He encouraged his readers by stating,

“I think it only right for me to STIR UP your memory of these matters as long as I am still alive.” (2 Peter 1:13 – Good News Bible) 

So you see that the message of what Jesus accomplished for us on the first Easter Sunday many years ago… isn’t just something that we remember and honor once a year… but is a message and a way of love, of faith, of power and of life that we should STIR UP every single day.

I think that it is one of the first things that we should call to remembrance and STIR UP inside of us every morning when we first open our eyes and before we take our first steps of the day!  It is a simple 3-word message that should STIR UP within us the excitement that we always feel at an Easter Sunday service.  Why do you think that Easter Sunday is the most attended church service of the entire year?

It is because people want to feel the hope of the Good News of Jesus Christ in their lives and then share it with a hurting world.  It is because something deep inside of us longs to hear the words that the angel spoke in the tomb, early on the first Easter Sunday morning when he declared,

“He is Risen!”*

Has He risen in your life today?  If so… STIR UP the hope that is in you and rejoice and celebrate what HE has done for you and me!  And if not... catch the footnote below!**

Have a glorious EASTER celebration at church and with family and friends… and keep the fire burning in you!

 

*Mark 16:6

**If Not… Romans 10:9 gives us the recipe (or instructions) on how to become a Christian.  Simply follow God’s plan of salvation, find an easy (for you to understand) Bible, start reading it (most people say that the book of John is a good place to start) and search out a good Bible believing church… and then… STIR UP what is now growing inside of you!

Certified, Authorized and Genuine Parts

I was looking through some old pictures the other day and came across a picture of my first car parked in the driveway of my parent’s home.  It was a black 1966 MGB that I’d bought from my sister’s husband in 1973.  It was a wonderfully fun little car that Piper and I thoroughly enjoyed for about four years, until the need for a bigger car that could carry all my photography equipment became apparent.

But as fun as it was… it was a bit of a finicky machine that required a lot of tender loving care!  In those four years I had to replace numerous parts on the car including second gear, the clutch, multiple mufflers, resonators, shock absorbers, a U-Joint and other sundry items of importance… hummm… including the original soft top that leaked!  But again, I was young, enjoyed the challenge and was able to do some of the work myself (with the help of a close friend!).  I actually got pretty good at tuning and syncing the unique dual carburetors by ear!

The worse mishap I had with the car was being hit by a drunk driver on the way home from work one evening… a month or so before our wedding… which required the replacement of the right rear quarter panel.  And so it was at that time, that I splurged and had the car repaired and painted a deep blue… and soon after… replaced the soft top (which I got with a 10% employee discount through the Sears catalog.  You still could get almost anything through their catalog at that time!)

One thing that I learned with that car though, was that it always ran best when I used official British Leland parts… and paid the extra cost for the more unusual repairs… to have the one certified MGB/British car mechanic in town that I knew, do the repair work.  He had the right knowledge and experience, the right parts and the right tools and electronics to bring it back to factory specs.

Now, all that came to mind as I remembered my MGB while opening my Bible study program today.  Then the light went on and I thought… Hummm… that same reality could… or SHOULD… be said by Christians living anywhere in the world today!

I mean let’s face it… simply stated, since we and everything else in this world was created by God… shouldn’t we be using His divinely authorized and approved parts for the repair and/or smoother running of our bodies and our lives?  Colossians 1:16 informs us that,

“He (God) created all things in heaven and on earth, visible and invisible. Whether they are kings or lords, rulers or powers- everything has been created through Him and for Him.” God’s Word © 

Sounds like the perfect scenario for a wonderful life, doesn’t it?  Well, that was the plan, until Adam and Eve rebelled against God and sin entered into the world… along with the presence of the enemy of our souls whose only job is to “steal, kill, and destroy” (John 10:10 God’s Word ©) 

I actually like the more accurate translation in The Passion Translation where it is declared that, “A thief has only one thing in mind—he wants to steal, slaughter, and destroy.”  The enemy doesn’t just want to kill… he wants to make it messy… so much so that it will destroy any hope that the believer might be holding onto… and then have a lasting memory of just how awful the experience was, so that no future hope can arise again!

So, what do we do to make sure that these problems can be accurately repaired… or maybe even never happen in the first place?  By the regular service of our lives and the use of God’s CERTIFIED, AUTHORIZED and GENUNE Heavenly Parts!   And where do we find those CERTIFIED, AUTHORIZED and GENUINE Heavenly Parts you might ask?  In the Word of God!  The Word is the creative power of God in our lives.  It is what God used to create the world.  Hebrews 11:3 clearly states this by declaring that,

“Faith convinces us that God created the world through His WORD. This means what can be seen was made by something that could not be seen.” (God’s Word ©) 

In the first chapter of the book of Genesis, the book of beginnings, Moses described how God created the heavens by the words that He spoke.  In each of the six days of creation it is recorded how “God said… and there was” and then “God saw… that it was good.”*

When Jesus came to this earth, He repeatedly told His followers that He only did the things that He saw His Father God doing or spoke the words the Father told Him to say.**  And then in John 1:1-3, John told of how Jesus was the Word of God and how everything came into existence through Him.

So, with these and many more verses throughout the Bible, we see the foundational truth that God established from the very beginning of time… that His Word and His Word alone… not only contains… but IS the CERTIFIED, AUTHORIZED and GENUINE Heavenly Parts that we should be using to keep our lives in tip-top running condition!

I’m thinking that just like the big sign that hangs in front of the Service building at the local Chevrolet dealer where I bring my car for it’s factory scheduled service, that proudly states; “WE USE GENUINE CHEVROLET PARTS”… that every Christian church that preaches the Word of God should have a sign over their entrance that reads, “WE USE GENUINE HEAVENLY PARTS.”

What do you think about that?  When I’m feeling down, in need of spiritual, physical, emotional and/or mental repair or service in my life… the first place I go is to my Bible!

How about you?  It makes sense that the original manufacturer will know you and your life better than any second-hand source… doesn’t it?

I can honestly say that when my little 1966 MGB was running well, it purred like a kitten, and hugged those winding roads along the majestic northern California coastline with that same sense of exhilaration and security that one of Piper’s up close and personal embracement’s would give to me… and then ooh… those exhaust notes as I shifted through the gears… it serenaded the two of us in the cockpit with sounds as beautiful as a church choir singing Handel’s Halleluiah Chorus!

And you know… it’s the same serendipity of pleasant notes that my life resonates as I maintain it with the CERTIFIED, AUTHORIIZED and GENUINE Heavenly Parts that I discover each day as I study God’s handbook for His creation… universally known and loved as the Bible!

Have a wonderful spring day!  I made the big move today and switched over to shorts for the fist time in 2023… (maybe not such a daring move since it’s supposed to be in the mid-80’s today!)  But whatever your weather is… have a GREAT day by your use of God’s CERTIFIED, AUTHORIZED and GENUINE Heavenly Parts in every part of your life and thereby keep EXPECTING God’s BEST!

 

*See Genesis 1:1-31

**See verses like, John 8:28, 38, 10:30 or 14:21 etc…