tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-37188001092718915062024-03-17T21:59:35.096-05:00WHAT ARE YOU EXPECTING? - an encouraging wordPastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.comBlogger2226125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-51271969419556686932024-03-16T14:15:00.000-05:002024-03-16T14:15:42.479-05:00What's In a Name?<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I got interested in </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>NASCAR</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> about three years
ago and have been enjoying the race day theatrics, burning rubber, loud
exhausts and spectacular pileups ever since.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It seems to be one of the last national sports that still incorporates
old time American patriotic values and honors our country’s Christian
heritage.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I think my two most favorite times in each race are the pre-race
ceremonies when the announcer asks everyone at the track to stand and remove
their hats for the presenting of the American flag, the prayer of invocation
over the race and for the safety of the drivers, the singing of our national
anthem, the military flyover and the excitement that is generated throughout
the stands when a special guest takes to the microphone and emotionally
proclaims the words that starts everyone’s heart to pumping <b><i>“Driver’s
start your engines!”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The other time is the last 10 or so laps when the remaining
cars are vying to be the first to cross under the black and white checkered
flag at the finish line.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can’t help
but to find myself standing up in front of my couch with both arms raised as
the winning car zooms under the waving flag… It is also the time when I
inevitably have to remind myself to start breathing again… <i>after holding my
breath throughout the final lap!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What really startles me and warms my heart at the same time
is when the appointed chaplain, minister or priest finishes the race day prayer
spoken over the microphone and heard throughout the track and on national
television, with the affirmative and powerful words, <b><i>“In Jesus Name,
Amen!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know that it shouldn’t</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… but
I guess that we’ve been so programed over the last few decades, for the fear of
offending someone, to <b><i>NOT</i></b> speak the <b><i>NAME</i></b> of Jesus
in public gatherings… that it still catches me a little off guard.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But like I said, it also warms my heart like
when someone mentions the name of a very special friend and/or a popular dignitary
in a public setting!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve been re-reading <i>(for the umpteenth time)</i> a book
entitled <i>“The Wonderful Name of Jesus”</i> written in the 1940’s by the
renown Bible teacher and pastor E.W. Kenyon.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In his writings, the author discusses how the modern church in his day,
at the brink of WW2 <i>(and still seems prevalent in the 2020’s),</i> has
seemingly forgotten, down played or simply by-passed the knowledge of the
importance that the <b><i>NAME</i></b> of Jesus has in the application and <i>power</i>
that is inherent in our Christian faith.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">A look into the New Testament writings of the early church
leaders will demonstrate the central and pivotal role that the <b><i>NAME</i></b>
of Jesus occupied as the gospel message was introduced to the world.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In the book of Acts, Luke repeatedly talks
about the content of the message that was being taught… a good example being
the ministry of the evangelist Philip where it is summed up by saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But when they believed
Philip preaching the things concerning <u>the kingdom of God</u>, and <u>the
name of Jesus Christ</u>, they were baptized, both men and women.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Acts 8:12 – KJV)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve been doing a study of the <b><i>NAME</i></b> of Jesus
in the New Testament over the last few days and I’ve been discovering that
Philip’s preaching was right in line with all the writers of the New Testament…
<i>including Jesus Himself!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Jesus taught throughout the book of John in chapters 14, 15
and 16 of the importance of praying to the Father in His <b><i>NAME</i></b>.<b>*<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b>The book of Acts records many stories of
incidents when the <b><i>NAME </i></b>of Jesus<i>, when spoken with faith
through the lips of the Apostles, Prophets, Evangelists and the everyday church
members,</i> brought physical, emotional and spiritual healing and restoration
to people, cast out devils, brought unity and order between individuals and in
the churches, changed the weather and literally raised the dead!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But it is not just knowing the <b><i>NAME</i></b>, it is
knowing the One who <b><i>IS</i></b> the <b><i>NAME</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve told many times of the long nightly
phone conversations that my girlfriend and eventual wife Piper and I had when
we were dating in high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my
strong Catholic background, I knew the <b><i>NAME</i></b> and was taught to be
very respectful of it… <b><i>BUT</i></b>… Piper not only <i>knew</i> the <b><i>NAME</i></b>,
but more importantly, the power that the <b><i>NAME</i></b> carried as she
enjoyed a very personal, intimate and ever-increasing covenant relationship
with the One who <i>was</i> the <b><i>NAME!</i></b> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Do you know the <b><i>POWER</i></b> that is inherent in the
mighty <b><i>NAME</i></b> of Jesus?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have
you ever spoken out the <b><i>NAME</i></b> and seen the negative circumstances
that might be approaching you change?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>I
have!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Just recently in fact, with
the bout of Severe Weather threats that we faced throughout our part of the
state a couple of days ago.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The two-fold message of the <b><i>Kingdom of God</i></b>
and the <b><i>NAME</i></b> <b><i>of Jesus</i></b> is just as prevalent today as
it was to the early church when it was first presented to the world over 2000
years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with everything that is
happening in our country as well as in the rest of the world today… <i>It’s
probably even more needed</i> <b><i>NOW!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ll share some more truths about this life-changing,
powerful and somewhat untaught truth in blogs to come.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in the meantime, I might suggest that you
pick up your Bibles and spend some time reading the New Testament… <i>and in
particular in the four gospels and in the book of Acts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Underline and/or highlight the times that the
<b>NAME</b> of Jesus is spoken of… </i>and I think that you might just be
excited to discover, along with me, the power… <b><i>THAT IS AVAILABLE TO YOU
AND ME</i></b><i> as faith-filled <b>BELIVERS</b>… in the mighty <b>NAME</b> of
Jesus! <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You never know</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… this
revelation truth just might change the way you walk in your daily life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a wonderful St Patrick’s Day tomorrow.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was listening to someone explain the big
influence that the Christian conversion of Ireland <i>(by the ministry of St
Patrick)</i> had to the entire continent of Europe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One can never fully appreciate the power and
depth of influence that the <b><i>NAME</i></b> of Jesus can have… <i>so
therefore</i>… keep <b><i>EXPECTING</i></b> God’s best as you celebrate St
Patrick’s Day <i>and</i> share your faith with your world tomorrow!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">See: John 14:13,14,26 / John
15:16 / John 16:23-26<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-39836721558861116882024-03-09T14:25:00.000-06:002024-03-09T14:25:38.154-06:00I've Got History<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was contemplating the other day about the rich and
wonderful </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>HISTORY</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that I shared with my beloved wife Piper… and
while other couples also share a </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>HISTORY </i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">with each other, our
particular story is totally unique and special to us.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is a story written in the annals of </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>HISTORY</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
that I can hold on to and know that is all mine.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There are experiences and special moments in
time that we enjoyed together that most people will never know of.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">There were special looks, touches and
unspoken words shared between the two of us that meant the world to us, but yet
to others, would have absolutely no significance.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I came across an old notebook of hers from 2007 with one
page that was basically empty except for a few words and was entitled,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Jim’s Birthday Day”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Underneath the title she penned in her familiar
handwriting, <i>“Chocolate Cake w/Chocolate frosting.” </i>And while the rest
of the page was blank, save for three other words, my mind’s eye saw a whole
story filling that page and many more throughout the notebook.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I immediately drifted back in my memory to the 36 other
birthdays that we had celebrated up to that time, both alone and then with our
children around the kitchen table, complete with homemade cards from the kids,
balloons, streamers and candles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
thought of how she always delighted in baking me my favorite cake or pie, <i>many
times from scratch,</i> in order to honor me on my special day.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I especially remember her
Chocolate-on-Chocolate cakes and Lemon Meringue pies. <b><i>YUM!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Over the years, I have tasted other chocolate cakes and
lemon meringue pies, but none of them tasted as delicious and mouthwatering as
hers… for hers contained something that no other’s desert could ever have… <i>and
that was her love for me that was the major ingredient for every slice and
every bite!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now this may sound funny, but the memories of her special
birthday deserts came wafting through the air the other day as I read something
familiar that the Apostle Paul wrote to the church in Phillipi… and I don’t
think that it actually had any reference to a Birthday party!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In Philippians 4:19 he wrote,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I am convinced that MY God
will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of
glory revealed to me through the Anointed One, Jesus Christ!” (TPT)<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">You’re probably thinking that I wrote about this verse in
my last blog post… <i>and you would be right!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But the thing that is very exciting about the
Word of God, is that it is a <i>living and active<b>*</b></i> gospel that has
countless layers to every verse and every chapter!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I read this verse the other morning, I no
sooner got four words in when the fifth word jumped off the page and thumped me
right in my heart!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I stopped breathing there for a second or two as I caught
hold of the word <b><i>“MY”…</i></b> <i>and the personal ownership that Paul
associated with it</i>… and found myself repeating aloud… <b><i>“My, My, My!” </i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when I<b><i> </i></b>finally caught my
breath, I turned around to look at the dog laying on the couch behind me and
exclaimed …with an <i>“Ah-Ha!”</i> smirk on my face.., <i>“He had some <b>HISTORY</b>
with God!” </i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I instantly realized that Paul was so convinced and assured
that <b><i>HIS</i></b> God would <i>“fully satisfy every need”</i> that the
giving members of the Philippian church had… because he had <i>personally</i>
experienced the faithfulness of God <i>over and over</i> again in his own life
and ministry!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Paul knew God in a similar fashion to the way
in which Piper and I knew each other.</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He didn’t need to go into a lot of
explanation with the Philippians, but simply shared from the wealth of <i>personal
</i>interactions, words,</span> <span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">both spoken and unspoken, touches, special
looks, and the thoughts and feelings that are intimately shared between
individuals who enjoy a close relationship with each other.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges states that
Paul’s use of the term <b><i>“My God”</i></b> are <i>“words</i></span><i> </i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">that
are</span> </i><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">deeply characteristic of St Paul” </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and
emphasize the depth and wonderful relationship that he enjoyed with his God!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Joseph Benson’s Commentary on the Old and New
Testaments explains Paul’s deeper meaning adding that <i>“<b>my</b> God — <b>Whose
ambassador I am</b>; shall supply all your need — <b>As he has mine</b>.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And Dictionary.com describes the word <b><i>“MY”</i></b> as
an adjective which describes a particular quality of the word that they are
modifying,” in this case, Paul’s personal description of his close relationship
with God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Piper got sick, I had different people tell me to
watch out because Piper was going to displays certain negative behaviors as the
symptoms of Alzheimer’s increased… to which I simply laughed and said <b><i>“NO
WAY”</i></b> because I <b><i>KNEW</i></b> my wife and the precious <b><i>HISTORY</i></b>
that she had with her God that would prevent certain actions from having their
way with her… <i>and you know?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She <b><i>NEVER</i></b>
displayed any of those fearful behaviors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So… How personally do you <b><i>KNOW </i></b>God?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Would you stand in front of anyone and refer
to Him as <b><i>“MY God?”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>If
someone told you that He was going to do something that was contrary to the
Word of God and your knowledge of it… would you stand firm and tell them <b><i>“NO
WAY” ?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I would encourage each of you to take a few moments this
weekend and ask yourself:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Do I have a HISTORY with God?” and how would I
explain it to someone else…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We had lots of rain over the last couple of days but are enjoying a
sunny <i>(but cool)</i> day today with a warming trend into next week!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, our prospects are looking good and I hope
that yours are as well!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And as I am enjoying the sweet memories of the special <b><i>HISTORY</i></b>
that I shared with my wife, I pray that each of you are enjoying sweet times in
the midst of your current <b><i>HISTORY</i></b> with <b><i>YOUR</i></b> God!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">See Hebrews 4:12<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-52567460403617275412024-03-02T12:20:00.000-06:002024-03-02T12:20:38.205-06:00I Am Convinced!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Some of my favorite memories as an adult were made when Piper
and I would take the kids up to the Redwoods or the Sierras for a summer
camping adventure and when Piper and I would take one of our two-night holidays
at a lodge along the Sonoma County coast in northern California.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And I think what made them even more extra
special was all the anticipation and expectations that would always build up in
me in the days or even weeks before we actually got in the car and pulled out
of the driveway!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Do any of you know
what I’m talking about?</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By the time we actually arrived at our destination, all
that anticipation and expectation working in me, <b><i>CONVINCED</i></b> me
that we were going to have a <b><i>GREAT</i></b> time… <i>and you know?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I don’t think that I was ever
disappointed!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We learned from any
potentially negative parts of the vacation every time we would go, so that we
eventually packed and/or were prepared for any type of unexpected event… <i>rain
for instance</i>… that would arise.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
also think that our background in Youth and Children’s ministry prepared us to
be flexible and easily adaptive to any hiccup that might arise!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like I said earlier, whenever we would sit down to plan one
of these special times… I was fully <b><i>CONVINCED</i></b> that we would thoroughly
enjoy ourselves!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>But it didn’t just
happen</i>… for we would plan activities and special times to enhance our experience
wherever we where going.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When Piper and
I would book a two-night holiday, I would always surprise her with a new
nightgown and we would purchase special food treats, bring some good books and
rent a movie or two that we both enjoyed... <i>and then plan on taking many
romantic walks, hand in hand along the bluffs overlooking the breath taking
views of the Pacific ocean.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Similarly, like my parents always did on our family camping
trips, Piper would plan for special meals and treats that we could cook over
the open fire, bring some fun books to read with the children and surprise the
kids with some new toys to enjoy at camp.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>In the meantime, I planned for family hikes in the mountains and other
excursions to places that were unique to the area we were going to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In later years, I also wrote some Bible related,
all family, VBS type activities that we could all participate in during our
week at camp.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The way that we planned for and enjoyed Piper’s and my personal
holidays alone and the family camping trips with the kids, were very similar to
the way in which we planned and enjoyed the personal experiences of our faith
life as well.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Paul wrote
that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I am CONVINCED that my God
will fully satisfy every need you have, for I have seen the abundant riches of
glory revealed to me through the Anointed One, Jesus Christ!” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Philippians 4:19 – The Passion Translation)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t know if you see what I do in that particular verse
of scripture, but when I read this translation, I can’t help but get <i>very
excited</i> because I see a man that fully <b><i>EXPECTED</i></b> God’s Word to
work in his behalf when he went to the Lord with a need!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when you study the rest of Paul’s letters
to the early church, you quickly understand that Paul was a man that put the
work in that would <i>assure</i> Him of the truth of God’s Word being a solid
reality in his life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Paul stepped out the door first thing in the morning
on the way to a ministry event, to go visit a friend or to travel to a new
region of the country… he was <b><i>CONVINCED</i></b> that God would fully
satisfy <b><i>ANY</i></b> need that arose… <i>and you know why?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Because he had seen it all before and carried
the evidence of the faithfulness of God in his heart wherever he went.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Like Piper and I on our vacation events, we were <b><i>CONVINCED
</i></b>ahead of time that we were going to have an enjoyable time and be blessed
along the way as well!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We always put in
the time to prepare for whatever we were doing both physically and spiritually
and were never disappointed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Earlier in that same letter to the Philippian church, Paul
declared that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I have mastered the secret
of living… I am equal to every lot, through the help of Him who gives me inward
strength.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Philippians 4:12 – S. Way)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Paul always gave all the glory and/or credit to Christ for
the success of all that he endeavored to accomplish in his life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in order to do that and be fully <b><i>CONVINCED</i></b>
that God would meet his every need, he made the consistent effort to spend time
with the Lord in prayer, recalling and meditating on the revelations that the
Lord had directly given to him, and in reading the Old Testament promises <i>(since
he and the other apostles were then writing what would become known to us as
the New Testament).<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of Piper’s favorite Old Testament promises that I’m
pretty certain that the Apostle Paul also favored and took to heart, is found
in Jeremiah 29:11 where the prophet wrote of the Lord saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“For I know the thoughts
that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to
give you an E<u>XPECTED</u> end.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Message Bible makes it a little easier to understand
and put into practice in our lives by declaring,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“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</span></i></b> <b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">that you
hope for (</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">or<b> that you are E<u>XPECTING</u>*).”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></b></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, let me ask you today</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… on
this absolutely warm and beautiful - <i>albeit windy</i> – day in northeastern
Oklahoma, are you <b><i>CONVINCED</i></b> that God will fully satisfy and/or
meet all your needs today?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b>Why</b> or
<b><i>Why</i></b> not?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Think about it and ask yourself… <i>“What am I really <b>EXPECTING</b>
today?”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How satisfied will you be
when your head hits the pillow tonight?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great day enjoying the promises of God actively
participating in your life today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Put in the time and your life will be sublime!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Both Strong’s Hebrew and Greek
Definitions and Brown-Drivers – Briggs Hebrew Definitions define the word “hope”
as “<b>EXPECTATION</b>”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-15666620439519030562024-02-24T14:51:00.003-06:002024-02-24T14:51:43.143-06:00The 1970's<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I found the old </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>1977</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">-1983 C.H.i.P.’s TV
series on one of my streaming channels the other day and have been
reacquainting myself with the series that Piper and I used to watch in the
early years of our marriage.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">After a few
shows I realized two things.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">First</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… that Fiver does <b><i>NOT</i></b>
like the theme song and will break out into a loud and soulful howl every time
the theme plays at the beginning and end of each episode… and <i>Secondly</i>
that this show… <i>more than any other from the many old TV series that we used
to enjoy…<b> REALLY</b></i> pulls at my <b><i>HEARTSTRINGS,</i></b> overflowing
my memory banks with endless recollections of all the fun, adventures, loving
and poignant times that Piper and I shared in the first ten years of our
relationship.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I watched another episode at lunch yesterday and when it
was over and Fiver and I stepped out the front door to take a leisurely walk in
the beautifully warm weather, I asked the Lord why this show affected me with
such strong, specific and vivid memories of Piper.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then as we strolled and Fiver stopped every
few feet to take a deeper sniff of a scent that caught his nose, I began to
envision a timeline in my mind’s eye that started at one end with the date of <b><i>1970</i></b>
and ended on the far side with the date of 1980.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">With each step that we took, familiar activities, events
and milestones began to fill the length of the timeline.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I was a little amazed at how many things were
recorded in that relatively short, ten-year period of our lives… and by the
time we climbed up the berm and looked across the glassy looking, calm waters
of our large neighborhood pond... <b><i>it hit me! <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And I realized all the foundational events that occurred to
Piper and I <b><i>in the 1970’s</i></b> that became the groundwork on which the
rest of the next four decades of our marriage and family were built.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From the initiation of our dating in <b><i>1970</i></b>
to our marriage in <b><i>1975</i></b>, the call to ministry I felt in <b><i>1976</i></b>
and our first ministry position, the fire that was ignited in our hearts for
the message of faith that directed our Christian walk for the rest of our
lives, and the beginning of our family in <b><i>1979</i></b>, along with all the
other kinds of visions, plans and, purposes that we began to pursue… <i>all
happened in the decade of the seventies!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the C.H.i.P.s stars ride their motorcycles along the
highways and byways of Los Angeles County in Southern California and pass a <b><i>1973</i></b>
Pinto wagon, I’ll yell out to Fiver <i>“Hey that looks like Piper’s Pinto”</i>
and I’ll be blasted with memories of her in that car, of all those early
camping trips we took and the countless times we pulled into the parking lot of
the First Baptist Church where we were employed as Youth Ministers.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then there’s the plethora of British sportscars like my ’66
MGB that were so popular in the sixties and seventies, the young gals in their
short skirts and boots or shapely jeans just like Piper wore in high school and
college and all the memories of my eyes popping out of my head when I saw her
in them, the lingo spoken at the time, and the way that the cameras captured
the California lifestyle that Piper and I enjoyed back then.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Yes… I finally figured it all out!</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The seeing and re-living of all those sweet
memories is what caused my heart strings to be plucked into the melody of a
moving song of remembrances of the woman I loved and partnered with for 48
years… <i>and of all the adventures we experienced in our teens and twenties. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And you know what else I realized, as Fiver and I reversed
our direction and headed home from our afternoon walk?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I understood that God also had a <b><i>HEAVY</i></b>
hand in the midst of all of those events that shaped and established our
future. I can look back at almost each and every one of those experiences
listed on that timeline that unfolded in my mind’s eye and observe His nudge in
a certain direction, Him sending special individuals into our lives at just the
right time, scriptures that spoke to our hearts and led us to make certain
decisions and the countless answers to prayer all along the way. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I realized with an emotional jolt that caused me to
suddenly stop on our walk and pull on Fiver’s harness when he kept walking on,
that God set Piper and I up for <b><i>success</i></b> back then… <i>and is
still doing the same for me</i>… <i>as well as for you dear reader,</i> <b><i>TODAY!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Was it always easy to follow His directions… <b><i>NO!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did everything always work out as planned… <b><i>NO!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Did we ever make mistakes along the way… <b><i>YES</i></b>…
many times!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Paul told his readers in Philippians 4:12-13 that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I have learned the
secret—the secret to real peace and contentment in every situation, regardless
of circumstance, regardless of whether I’m hungry or well fed, regardless of
whether I am rich or poor. The secret to real peace and contentment is an
abiding trust in Christ—realizing that my strength comes from him; and through
the peace, strength, wisdom and perspective that Christ gives me, I can handle
whatever happens”. </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(The Remedy
New Testament)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The <b><i>SECRET </i></b>of Paul’s <b><i>success</i></b> in
life was his abiding trust in Christ… <i>and in looking back through our
memories of the <b>1970’s</b>,</i> I realized that the good Lord was giving
Piper and I the same message that we sought, to the best of our abilities and
ever-increasing scriptural knowledge, to do the same.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then I picked up a hint from Jesus Himself on how to best
accomplish this task in the middle of this mixed up and crazy world that we
seem to be living in today.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus tells
us that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“If you continue in My Word,
then are you are my disciples indeed, and you shall know the truth, and the
truth (in My Word) shall make you free.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(John 8:31-32 – KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So <b><i>YES!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I believe that God has set us <b><i>ALL</i></b> up for <b><i>success</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He has given us <b><i>ALL</i></b> the tools
we need to <b><i>succeed</i></b> in everything we set out to accomplish in this
world… <b><i>ALL</i></b> we have to do is to discover His will for us in His
Word and then <b><i>DO</i></b> it… according to the way that He leads us to in
His Word!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><i>EASY RIGHT?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Well… not really… but <b><i>ALL</i></b> the
dedicated effort on our part <b><i>SURE DOES</i></b> payoff!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend… <i>and as you do</i>… spread some <b><i>JOY</i></b>
and Godly <b><i>success</i></b> along the way!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We are in the midst of a picture-perfect weekend here in
northeastern Oklahoma… <i>if someone were to ask me</i>… I’d have to say that
Oklahoma copied a page from the <b><i>1970’s</i></b> California lifestyle that
Piper and I used to enjoy when <b><i>C.H.i.P.s</i></b> was one of the top shows
on NBC!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-38622409585348898082024-02-19T12:10:00.000-06:002024-02-19T12:10:08.510-06:00Fiver's 411<p><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“All of you came to me and
said, "Let's send men ahead of us to gather INFORMATION about the land for
us. Have them report to us about the
route we should take and the cities we'll come to." </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Deuteronomy 1:22 - God’s Word ©)</span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was thinking the other day that not much has changed in
my morning schedule since Piper’s homegoing a few years ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I still get up around seven every morning,
get the coffee going and head into my study to spend an hour or so with the
Lord, reading and interacting with Him through my investigations of His
Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Being as my study faces our front yard with views of the
cul-de-sac and the adjoining city golf course, Fiver enjoys standing at the
window and watching the outside activities as the neighborhood wakes up and <i>depending
on the weather,</i> the golfers who populate the greens.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve gotten into the habit of cracking one of
the windows open about an inch <i>(or more depending on the temperature…)</i> so
that he can not only catch the <i>sights</i> outside but also the <i>sounds</i>
and <i>smells </i>of the new day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I usually make a big deal over the opening the window so
that he gets a little excited, perks up his ears and hastens to the window
sill.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once there and he presses his nose
against the screen, I’ll plop back down onto my desk chair and tell him to go
ahead and give me the <b><i>INFORMATION</i></b> or <b><i>“411”</i></b> for the
day!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is amazing to see how much
sharper his senses are when the window is open.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He’ll start softly whimpering a few seconds before a walker comes into
view and even louder if they have a dog with them!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He'll take note of the golfers and especially so if they
are talking to each other, keeps track of the two neighbors across the street
who leave for work the same time each day and turns a very watchful eye on any
unfamiliar vehicles that turn around in the cul-de-sac… and don’t even get me started
with the noisy lawn mowers performing their daily trims of the golf course
lawns… Whew!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>He does <b>NOT</b> like
loud engines or noises of any kind!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When he is satisfied with his first observations of the
day, he’ll usually back up a step or two and lay down on the rug right in front
of the window… <i>while looking up expectantly at me.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I’ll play along, turn in my squeaky but
comfortable desk chair and ask him for his morning <b><i>INFORMATIONAL</i></b>
report of our neighborhood. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ll say <i>“Fiver,
what’s</i> <i>the<b> 411?”</b></i> and he’ll look at me like I’m crazy, put his
head down between his legs and close his eyes!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And so, the morning ritual goes and I’ll laugh as I turn in my chair and
get lost in conversation with Lord!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve been involved in a situation lately where I have had
the opportunity to share a lot of counsel with some individuals in need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I have prepared for our times together, I
have found myself praying and then searching through my Bible for just the
right and succinct <b><i>INFORMATION</i></b> or <b><i>“411”</i></b> that would
best satisfy the particular needs of this situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as has been my practice over the years of
my ever-growing personal Christian experience, I find that God continues to
have the uncanny ability to bring me to the exact portions of His Word that are
helpful to those reaching out for assistance.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The section scripture that has provided a solid foundation
for the thoughts that I have been sharing recently, is one that I wrote about
in a blog post a few weeks ago.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is
found within the third chapter of the book of James.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Here the Pastor is discussing God – like <b><i>WISDOM</i></b>
and looks at its results <i>in contrast</i> to the effects of natural thoughts
and ideas that come from a heart of anger, selfishness and/or fear.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">He stated that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Real wisdom originates in
heaven and is <u>always</u> pure, healing, restorative, kind, compassionate,
selfless, merciful, peaceful, transformational, unbiased, and sincere.”*<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“selfishness, envy, and all
violations of God’s law of love break his design for life and cause chaos,
disease, suffering, and everything evil.”* <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Informational scriptures such as these give me the <b><i>411</i></b>
that I need in order to best prepare me for the events of life and to address
and successfully work through the situations that I am involved with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When asked for advice or assistance from
those in need, I have discovered that God’s <b><i>411 </i></b>always presents
the most <i>logical,</i> <i>compassionate</i> and <i>healing</i> solutions to
whatever or <b><i>whomever</i></b> this situation has entangled.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I guess you could say that my Bible… <i>otherwise known as
God’s <b>411</b> manual</i>… has become my <b><i>GO-TO</i></b> source whenever <i>proven,
reliable</i> and <i>long-lasting</i> tools for the successful navigation through
the journey of life are sought… and I am <b><i>NOT</i></b> alone in this
practice!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>“According to the Guinness
Book of World Records, the Bible has now been printed over a billion times in
more than 2,400 languages, making it the most-printed book in history.”<b>**<o:p></o:p></b></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">SO</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… Just like I open the window
for my <i>four-footed furry friend</i> each morning and charge him to sniff out
the neighborhood and give me the <b><i>411 </i></b>before we step out on our
morning walk… I also take the time to study and sniff out God’s <b><i>411</i></b>
for whatever or <b><i>whomever</i></b> comes across the pathways of my life each
and every day. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I like to be <i>in the <b>KNOW</b></i>… and I like to <b><i>Be
Prepared</i></b>… <b><i>DON’T YOU?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great President’s Day today</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… and speaking
of <b><i>President’s Day</i></b>… I got to thinking this morning that a
President’s merits are judged by what they do with the <b><i>INFORMATION</i></b>
or <b><i>411</i></b> that they receive while in office.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess that the same could be said about you
and me too!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I wonder what the history
books will record from <i>my life… or yours?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">__________________</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*James 3:17,16 – The Remedy New Testament<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">**</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Holy Script – <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">https://www.theholyscript.com/how-many-copies-of-the-bible-have-been-sold/#:~:text=The%20first%20printing%20of%20the%20Bible%20was%20in,languages%2C%20making%20it%20the%20most-printed%20book%20in%20history.<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-11061589860582476412024-02-10T15:06:00.000-06:002024-02-10T15:06:28.505-06:00Why I Stay in EXPECTATION of Him...<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">During the years of our relationship, from dating in high
school and the ensuing 43 years of marriage and ministry… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">which seemed to be
closely related and intertwined…</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> my wife and I had many opportunities to
minister to or counsel countless individuals who were experiencing difficult
times in their lives.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And in the
majority of those cases, my wife would make the sincere comment that, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">“they
need to know how much God loves them.” </i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In each of those situations I would always nod my head and
agree with her… <i>although to be perfectly honest</i>… I really didn’t
understand the importance and scope of her statement until years later when she
was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">During the last eight years of her life, I did a lot of
things to keep myself strong and focused spiritually, physically, mentally and
emotionally.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I got up early every
morning to study the Word and thereby build myself up in order to face the new
day with a joyful and positive attitude and to help keep me focused if any
emergency situations should arise.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I made sure that we ate right, took daily walks and
diligently strived to keep a healthy and faith-filled environment around our
home… but what really gave me the strength and ability to trust the Lord and
all that His Word was providing for us in the face of many contrary situations,
less than helpful advice, negative medical reports and the increasing changes I
saw to my wife’s beautiful visage, was the personal knowledge of how <i>intimately</i>
Jesus knew and loved Piper and I.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I finally got that revelation… <i>that Piper seemed to know
from way before we started dating… </i>while preparing a sermon for my
preaching class in Bible College back in 2008.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I know that I have written about this before, so I won’t go into a lot
of detail.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But will suffice to say, that
while researching my topic for the sermon one day, I opened up a new Bible
translation that I had just discovered, to one of the two prayers of Paul’s in
the book of Ephesians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this portion
of his letter, he penned that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>“You will KNOW Christ's love, which goes far
beyond any knowledge. I am praying this so that you may be completely filled
with God.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Ephesians 3:19 - God’s
Word ©)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I looked up the word <b><i>“know”</i></b> in the
original Greek, I discovered to my amazement that it defines an <i>intimate</i>
relationship as in the very act of <i>intimacy</i> between a husband and wife…
and as the light went on inside of me, I heard that small still voice of the
Lord speaking to me saying, <i>“Jim, I know and love you and Piper in the same
depth of intimacy in which you… and you alone… physically and emotionally know
her.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The graphic picture of that revelation opened up to me an
entirely new and deeply personal relationship with Jesus and His Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And just like I knew without a shadow of a
doubt that I would do <b><i>anything</i></b> for my wife… I knew that He would
do the same for us throughout the rest of our lives together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, when the nights got long and dark for me
during that difficult period in my life, I <i>could</i> and <i>did</i> rest in
the comforting knowledge of how <i>intimately</i> He knew me and would always
be true to the promises in His Word concerning us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Following that understanding concerning the <i>intimacy</i>
in which Jesus <i>knew</i> and <i>loved</i> me and Piper eventually brought me
to the secure place where I simply trusted and <b><i>EXPECTED</i></b> Him to
act… <i>according to His Word</i>… in all the circumstances of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">According to I Corinthians 13:7 in Ben Campbell Johnson’s
relational paraphrase of the New Testament entitled <b><i>“The Heart of Paul”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“(God’s) Love is the most
enduring quality of human existence.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
keeps on keeping on; it trusts in God in every situation and EXPECTS God to act
in all circumstances.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>(For) Nothing can
destroy God’s love.” <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the five years that she has been gone now, I continue to
stand on the heartfelt truth of the <i>intimacy</i> in which Jesus knows and loves
me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The <b><i>EXPECTATION</i></b> that
it releases into my heart has given me the daily strength to carry on and move
forward in this new season of my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It empowers me to believe that His<b><i> BEST</i></b> is still before me
today and tomorrow and gives me the joy of living and sharing His Good News
everywhere I go!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… <b><i>And you know what?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He wants to do the same for <b><i>YOU! </i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Isn’t that special?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I hope that you are having a great weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We’ve got some rain coming tomorrow with a good
chance of more snow on Monday morning… but the temperatures during the week are
going to be fairly warm… <i>so the white stuff won’t last long – YEAH!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Be blessed… and as you are… share some of God’s
<b>BEST</b> with those around you!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-10836550532143420432024-02-03T14:23:00.000-06:002024-02-03T14:23:18.196-06:00SUPERMAN<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’m not totally sure why, but I have been seeing many posts
on my Facebook feed from a Classic </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>TV/SUPERMAN</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> group.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Many of the pictures and comments reference
the 1950’s TV series staring George Reeves in the title role.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I do remember watching the show when I was a
kid, but I would assume that it was reruns as the program went off the air in
1958 when I was still pretty young.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
have to admit though… that even back then, I had a difficult time trying to
figure out how Jimmy Olsen and Lois Lane never realized that Clark Kent was </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>SUPERMAN</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">…
especially since the only disguise he wore were his black rimmed glasses?</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But I digress</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… What I do fondly
remember about the show was how <b><i>SUPERMAN </i></b>calmly stood on the
window sill of Clark’s office, many floors up in the skyscraper Daily Planet
building, bent his knees and was seemingly <b><i>CATAPULTED</i></b> off into
the sky on his way to save a damsel in distress.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That picture and the idea of being <b><i>CATAPULTED</i></b>
from one place to another came to mind as I continued my study in the Word that
had branched off from I Peter 1:8, where Peter, in speaking of Jesus, wrote to the
believers in various provinces of the Roman Empire declaring,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Whom having not seen, ye
love; in whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy UNSPEAKABLE
and full of glory!” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Mounce Concise Greek-English Dictionary defines the word <i>“unspeakable”</i>
as <i>“ineffable”</i> which the Oxford Online Dictionary describes as <i>“too
great or extreme to be expressed or described in words.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I thought about that definition, I began to understand
that amongst other things, Peter was telling his readers that there is a level
of <b><i>JOY</i></b> that needs to take the worshipper to the end of their
words and <b><i>CATAPULT </i></b>them into the fullness of God’s words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also saw Peter’s words as an encouragement
telling us that that process is a good one to follow whenever the situations in
our lives take an upside down turn for us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One thing that I have learned through the years, is that
the sooner I can stop thinking or talking about the things happening in my life
from a natural standpoint and begin to see them and then talk about them from
the viewpoint of God’s Word… the <b><i>BETTER</i></b> it is… the sooner I can
let God be God in the midst of my need!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For you see… <b><i>God’s Word has it all! </i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whatever we need in any situation, God’s Word
has an answer for it!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">John chapter one tells us that God’s Word has been with us
from the very beginning of time, and that His word is the source of all life,
and the light for anything that we may need illumination for.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I John chapter four informs us that God is
Love.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hebrews 4:12 lets us know that His
Word is living and active and is able to discern a person’s thoughts and
intents, while 2 Timothy 3:16 declares that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“<u>Every</u> Scripture
passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out
errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's
approval.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word ©)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And then, if you still don’t believe me, there’s Jesus
himself, who when praying to the Father before going to the cross, asked Him to
set those of us who believe in Him apart from the ways of the world by saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Sanctify them by Your TRUTH;
Your Word is TRUTH.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(EMTV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So… like my beloved wife always said, from a tender and
child-like heart, <b><i>“God said it, that settles it for me and therefore I
believe it!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I sure believe it… <b><i>HOW ABOUT YOU?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’re anything like me, then you are going to want to
quickly get to the end of your words in the face of any situation and allow God
to <b><i>CATAPULT</i></b> you into the fullness of His truthful and powerful
words.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wouldn’t you rather face life as
a <b><i>SUPERMAN</i></b> or <b><i>SUPERWOMAN</i></b> by speaking what God’s
Word say about your circumstances… <i>rather than having your own words working
against you?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a wonderful weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I would encourage you to take some time away in prayer and ask the Lord
to show you ways in which you can incorporate the working of His Word into the
various areas of your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guarantee
that it will make a noticeable change for the positive for you and yours!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We not only have rain forecast for the weekend… but we also
had a <b><i>5.1</i></b> <b><i>EARTHQUAKE </i></b>last night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I really thought that when we left
California, that we had left those things behind… but… I guess not!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><i>PRAISE THE LORD!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-1927480240077204102024-01-27T12:11:00.000-06:002024-01-27T12:11:38.058-06:00Wisdom is...<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was thinking back the other day about my life and careers
that I worked in during my adult life.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I
say </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“CAREERS”</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> because while my 20 years spent with
Hewlett-Packard/Agilent Technologies, many years with Sears, Unruh’s Photography,
The Home Depot and the multitude of side jobs I performed from wedding and portrait
photography to mowing lawns, would be considered to be my </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>VOCATION</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">…
But my true and heartfelt </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>CALLING</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> was to the Ministry… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">in which
Piper and I were involved with since practically day one of our relationship!</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What struck me a little funny as I took a stroll down
memory lane, was that even though I was many times asked to take a leadership
role in almost all of those occupations… I didn’t always employ a lot of <b><i>WISDOM</i></b>
in the performance of my responsibilities!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I think back in particular to the first areas at Hewlett Packard when I
supervised teams in the fabrication area of the division and I cringe at some
of the things I said or did to those under my direction… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And then… <b>OMG!</b></span></i><b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I don’t
know how any of the youth in the first Youth Group that Piper and I led as
Youth Ministers in the late 1970’s, stuck with us and are <i>still</i> strong Christians
today!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I guess God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
really is an extremely powerful agent of His <b><i>LOVE</i></b> for us!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">On a more positive note, though, I would also have to admit
that I believe that I did and continue to learn from my mistakes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I grew in my hunger and thirst for the
Word of God and spent time learning and listening to Him… I would say that the
things that I say and do today, line up a lot more succinctly with the ways
that He thinks and desires me to walk and lead others in. <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">James the pastor of the early church in Jerusalem gave us a
specific but yet simple litmus test for when we seek to share <b><i>WISDOM</i></b>
with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In James 3:17 he wrote,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Real wisdom originates in
heaven and is always pure, healing, restorative, kind, compassionate, selfless,
merciful, peaceful, transformational, unbiased, and sincere.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(The
Remedy New Testament) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For me, James’ advice acts as a sort of checklist that I
can consider when I talk with others in everyday conversation or when asked for
specific counsel from others with a need.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>The King James Version tells us,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But the wisdom that is from
above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, and easy to be intreated, full of
mercy and good fruits, without partiality, and without hypocrisy.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I did a word study on the different descriptive words in
the verse, a couple of things especially stood out to me.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The word <b><i>“PEACEABLE”</i></b> is defined
in the Greek as <i>“peaceful in character and intent” </i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Strongs)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and it
helps me to think of the way that I need to approach the individual that I am conversing
with.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In other words, I am not speaking in
frustration or anger or as a know-it-all, but as someone who truly cares for
and wants the best outcome for the other individual(s).<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The phrase <b><i>“easy to be intreated”</i></b> talks of
one who is <i>“devoted to”</i> the best possible outcome for the situation at
hand.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This got me to thinking that the
one sharing their <b><i>WISDOM</i></b> with someone else, should be more <b><i>devoted
</i></b>to the <i>other </i>person and <i>their</i> need… than to themselves
and how the conversation can positively affect them.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have had some folks in the past share <i>(or
simply command)</i> what they thought I should do… and then found myself
thinking… <i>“was that <b>“advice”</b> for <b>MY</b> peaceful benefit or for <b>THEIRS!</b>”<b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></i>In my experience, that kind of <b><i>“WISDOM”</i></b>
is more confusing than helpful!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And then the clincher for me was found in the definition of
the phrase <b><i>“good fruits.”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Thayer’s Greek Definitions tells us that the <b><i>WISDOM</i></b> that
we share with others, should be <i>“something that we can present to God as a
thank offering.”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That makes me stop and think <i>before </i>I ever open my
mouth when I am about to share some <b><i>“WISDOM”</i></b> with someone.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I like the way in which The Remedy breaks down
the verse from the King James and spells out the specific direction in which
our words to others should take…<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>and
then to keep in mind throughout the entire conversation… that in the end… are
my words <i>“something that we can present to God as a thank offering?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That phrase alone helps me to be diligent with the things I
say and assure that the <b><i>WISDOM</i></b> I share truly is the <i>“Real
WISDOM that originates from heaven,”</i> and not just something <b><i>I THOUGHT</i></b>
would be good and/or appropriate to say!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you think about that?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We’ve just gone through a crazy weather week that has thrown
at us just about everything that Oklahoma has to offer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This morning’s weather front is on the way
out right now and I am looking forward to the sunshine and temps up into the
low sixties forecast for next week… <b><i>Yee Haw!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hope you are all doing well wherever you
might be… and while you’re at it… consider the <b><i>WISDOM</i></b> that you
share with others… <i>while keeping in mind how <b>thankful to God</b> your words
of <b>WISDOM</b> are… or can be!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-79408818270371318892024-01-20T14:23:00.000-06:002024-01-20T14:23:05.009-06:00I Had a Dream...<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I woke up this morning from a dream that I was having at
about 2:30 AM, according to the clock on my nightstand.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s kind of funny that while I didn’t
remember most of the content of the dream… I did recall that I was at my
parent’s home and had just walked down their long curving driveway and into the
street… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">which I had done countless times as a kid,</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> having grown up there
from the early 1960’s until Piper and I got married in 1975.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Something about the dream though, had unsettled me and as I
laid in the dark staring at the ceiling, I tried to make sense of the troubling
feelings that clouded my mind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I finally
threw off the covers and walked into the bathroom to get a drink of water.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once I quenched my thirst, I leaned back
against the counter and began to analyze my thoughts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized that my attention to the dream was
all focused on the important part that my parent’s house had played in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I was also made aware that I had never brought any closure
to that part of my life since Piper and I moved out of state in 2014.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It wasn’t as if we dropped everything at the
time and moved as quickly as we could.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>We <i>(okay… I)</i> planned the move for over a year, but with Piper’s
rapidly declining health, I had all I could do to care for her changing needs
and prepare for the move across the country.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Piper was my <b><i>first</i></b> and <b><i>foremost </i></b>priority
and aside from the move preparations, she received every spare moment of my
attention… <i>and with the sale of my parent’s house going on at the same time…</i>
it meant that the repairs, updates and improvements that my brother and a
cousin who is a contractor were doing on the house, were <i>totally</i> off my
radar.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And when the house was sold, I
never had <i>(or made)</i> the time to go back and see it and/or say my <i>memory
filled</i> goodbyes.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I would also need to add that I was under a lot of pressure
from a small contingent of extended family who didn’t agree with some of the
decisions I had been making with Piper’s care.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There were many inaccuracies stated that could have easily brought <i>instability,
disorder</i> and un-needed <i>commotion</i> amongst Piper and I and our kids… <i>which,
thank God, never occurred and in fact worked to intensify our faith and our
unity!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I Corinthians 14:33 in the King James Version tells us
that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“God is not the author of
confusion, but of peace, as in all churches of the saints.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The modern Message paraphrase Bible puts it this way
saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“God doesn't stir us up into
confusion; He brings us into harmony. This goes for all the churches—no exceptions.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, while there were many things stirring up the pot… <i>so
to speak</i>… at that time in my life, I prioritized my energy and attention on
caring for my wife’s increasing needs and the upcoming move… which didn’t leave
me many opportunities to bring closure to other areas of my life that I may or
may not ever get to see again… <i>as we moved far away from our hometown and
state. <o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now though, as I look back some ten years later, I do not
regret any of the decisions that were made… <i>under what I believed to be the
Lord’s leadings back then</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as
the dream last night reminded me… I do wish that I could have had the time to
bring closure to some special memories that were left behind!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I do think that if I had been more aware of the physical
consequences of the outside pressures of <i>confusion</i> and <i>disharmony</i>
that were attempting to be put on me… that I would have been able to spend less
time dealing with them and more time in completing activities that I now wish I
had addressed.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, what is my point in all of this?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Simply, to be aware of <i>confusion</i> and <i>disharmony</i>
in your life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>According to our scripture
<i>(and many more like them in yours and my Bibles),</i> <b><i>confusion,
disharmony, disorder</i></b> and <b><i>instability</i></b> are <b><i>NOT</i></b>
activities given to us by our loving heavenly Father<i>… and are in fact</i>… a
part of the enemy of our faith’s arsenal of weapons that he throws against us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>John 8:44 plainly informs us that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“The devil was a murderer
from the beginning. He has never been truthful. He doesn't know what the truth
is. Whenever he tells a lie, he's doing what comes naturally to him. He's a
liar and the father of lies.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word
©)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Therefore, with that Biblical understanding under your
belt, be aware of the lies that he attempts to slip into our lives in the forms
of <b><i>confusion, disharmony disorder</i></b> and <b><i>instability.</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Don’t allow his tactics to stop you from
pursuing and enjoying your family, your daily activities, your dreams, your
life goals and the plans and purposes that the Lord has for you and your loved
ones to pursue in your life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As for me</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… well… this early
morning’s dream helped me to see and plan for ways that I can and will bring
closure to the important areas of my life that were all set aside when Piper’s
needs demanded my loving and clearly focused attention.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">HOW ABOUT YOU?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are you going to look out for as <b><i>YOU</i></b>
pursue the daily events of your life?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend…. <i>Stay alert to the enemy’s tactics
and keep <b>EXPECTING</b> God’s Best… and then, pass it on to someone else!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We are back in the teens and minus windchill
factors for a few days, but it seems rather comfortable compared to the Artic
weather we experienced earlier this week<b><i>… I guess that it’s all relative!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Stay warm and dry and enjoy your weekend!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-27402824428477995852024-01-13T14:30:00.000-06:002024-01-13T14:30:20.074-06:00Secret Places<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Did you ever have a </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>SECRET PLACE</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> that you
liked to go to when you were a kid?</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">To
be honest… I don’t recall having any such places to retreat to as a youngster,
but I do, as an older teenager and well into my adult years… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">and it all
began when I started dating my wife-to-be during our senior year in high
school.</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Let me explain…</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From the very beginning, we just enjoyed each other’s
company!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As time went on and our lives
got busier with school, church, jobs, friends and family events, we actively
looked for scenic, private places where we could get away from <i>everyone</i>
and <i>everything</i>…, and simply be alone to talk and dream together!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now don’t get the wrong idea here</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">…
while there may or may not have been a little bit of smooching going on, these
times, in what we called our <b><i>SECRET PLACES</i></b><i>,</i> were spent
getting to know each other and to discuss our future, while we allowed our
imaginations to run free and see our united dreams form into a congruent vision
and a life plan.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>One of the exciting
legacies of these activities is that they continued right up to the time Piper
left us for her heavenly reward… <i>and I treasure those memories deeply in my
heart today!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And speaking of <b><i>SECRET PLACES</i></b><i>,</i> ever
since I wrote last weekend’s New Years blog post where I wrote about the
importance of us coming to the end of our words and into the beginning of
God’s… <i>where we can hear God’s unspeakable words of wisdom, love and
direction for our lives...</i> I’ve come to realize that those special times
all occur within God’s <b><i>SECRET PLACES!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Paul described such an event in 2 Corinthians 12:4 where he
wrote of a personal experience and explained,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“How that I was caught up
into paradise, and heard unspeakable words, which it is not lawful for a man to
utter.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Some of the more modern Bible versions give a deeper
understanding into the precise meaning of what he was trying to relate to his
readers. The Passion Translation says,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I was caught up in an
ecstatic experience and brought into paradise, where I overheard many wondrous
and inexpressible SECRETS that were so sacred that no mortal is permitted to
repeat them.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">While The Remedy New Testament expresses Paul’s thoughts
as,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I know I was taken to
paradise where God is. While there, I heard wonderful truths—truths beyond
earthly comprehension; truths human beings are currently unable to
explain.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It would seem that Paul’s experience, as like others that
are recorded in our Bibles <i>(and other men and women’s in more modern times
that I have read about)</i> all talk about things that were personally seen
and/or heard… <i>while in deep prayer, praise and worship or even in dedicated
times of study within the Word of God</i>… in which they were later unable to
accurately describe or explain in human languages.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In my personal life,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I can
remember many different times when I have heard leadings, words of wisdom or
clear directions given to me from the Lord through that <i>“still small voice”<b>*
</b></i>on the inside of me, when spending personal and private time in the
Lord’s presence…<i>of which I could not explain the rhyme or reason to others
concerning the validity and/or the full reasoning of what I heard<b>**.</b>..</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
since the Bible makes it clear, as the Apostle Peter found out when he
witnessed the Holy Spirit falling on the Gentiles and declared,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I perceive that God is no respecter of persons” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Acts 10:34 - KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">…<i>that if God will speak to me</i> as I set time apart in
my daily life to spend time alone with Him in His Word or while singing hymns
of praise to Him… then He <b><i>can</i></b> and <b><i>will</i></b> do the same
for <b><i>YOU!</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When Piper got to the point in her battle with Alzheimer’s
where she could no longer verbally communicate, I wasn’t moved because I knew
that all our time spent alone in the <b><i>SECRET PLACES</i></b> that we had
sought out together over the years, would pay off… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Because even if she couldn’t speak</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… I
could still <b><i>“hear”</i></b> or <b><i>“read”</i></b> what she was wanting
to communicate… because <b><i>I KNEW HER!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I knew exactly how she thought, the things
she enjoyed and the things she definitely would <b><i>NOT</i></b> like!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I could read her expressions, her movements,
and even the crinkles around her eyes.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>All the time that we spent alone together was not for naught, but highly
tuned us to be able to respond to each other’s basic and deepest needs and
desires!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And you know</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… the same exact
closeness of our relationship can also be experienced between you and God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All you have to do is to make the commitment
to each other and then <i>(as the saying goes: “Come hell or high water”) </i>be
and stay consistent in order to make it happen on a regular basis!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend… <i>and if is anything like it is here
in northeastern Oklahoma</i>… bundle up and stay warm, while you expect to hear
from God… <i>and then share His best with those around you!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">See: Acts 10:34, Romans 2:11,
Ephesians 6:9<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">**</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Many times, the only
one who I could tell who would understand and/or trust me enough to proceed
with the direction was Piper… because of all the time we had spent together
getting to know each other in the <b>SECRET PLACES</b> we had enjoyed over the
years!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-76693194030833979622024-01-06T14:53:00.000-06:002024-01-06T14:53:19.406-06:00From the End to the Beginning!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I always tend to get a little excited around this time of
the year as we pack up the old year and then unleash a fresh, new and
optimistic bundle of our uninhibited goals, plans and dreams for the New Year
ahead!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It is kind of like packing up the
very last box of Christmas decorations, placing it back in storage and then
walking into the house with a whole new chance for life, unincumbered by last
year’s junk!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Does that feeling sound familiar to any of you?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For as long as I can remember, I have been as
planner… or maybe more accurately stated: <b><i>“A DREAMER”</i></b> <i>and
proud of it!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And then, low and
behold, who should I meet as I neared the end of my high school years but
another <b><i>DREAMER…</i></b> packaged up in a sweet, petite, freckled and
joyful personality that I fell for… <b><i>Hook, Line and Sinker!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It was like the direction of my life was all
preplanned and I had all that I could do but to jump on the band wagon and <b><i>Hold
on Tight!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, with all that in mind, the beginning of the year has
always been a special time for me to cast a vision for the coming 12
months.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Piper and I liked to take some
time away from the hustle and bustle of life and refresh as we set our hearts
together to <b><i>DREAM</i></b> and then set the course for the New Year.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">One of the things that we learned as we <b><i>DREAMED</i></b>
and planned and then set out to physically accomplish our goals, was to know
when to <b><i>Come to the End of our Words, and Enter into the Beginning of
God’s Words! <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i></b>Let me
explain.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The Apostle Peter put it best,
when talking about our believing in the Lord Jesus Christ and then expressing
our love for Him saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Whom having not seen, ye
love; in Whom, though now ye see Him not, yet believing, ye rejoice with joy
unspeakable and full of glory.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(I Peter
1:8 – KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Peter is telling us here, that in order to really enter
into the <b><i>JOY</i> </b>of the Lord in our worship and honor of Him… that we
have to come to the place where we let go of ourselves, <b><i>STOP TALKING</i></b>
and enter into the realm of <b><i>His GLORY</i></b>… where we can no longer
express our <b><i>LOVE</i></b> and <b><i>JOY</i></b> for Him in our own human
words!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, what does this have to do with pursuing our <b><i>PLANS</i></b><i>,<b>
VISIONS and DREAMS</b></i> for the New Year… <b><i>EVERYTHING!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I, like many of you, am <b><i>NOT</i></b> one to give up on
my <b><i>PLANS</i></b><i>,<b> VISIONS AND DREAMS</b></i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is one of the many characteristics that my
wife and I shared throughout the 48 years that we enjoyed together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Therefore, like Peter shared, whenever we hit
a wall in the pursuit of what we believed to be a God-given <b><i>DREAM</i></b>…
we would take some time individually or together <i>(as time and circumstances allowed)</i>
and come before the Father God in prayer in order to seek His direction and/or
clarification.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We also learned through time, experience, practice and <i>with
some mistakes mixed in</i>… to spend more time in prayer <b><i>LISTENING</i></b>
than we did in <b><i>SPEAKING!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Being musicians <i>(not that I would put myself anywhere near the level
of talent of my wife…),</i> we would praise and worship the Lord in song,
confess scripture, pray in tongues and speak out our verbal needs and requests
before Him… but then there came the all-important time when we would quiet
ourselves and be <b><i>still</i></b><i> </i>and <b><i>listen</i></b> with our
hearts to that small still voice speaking on the inside of us.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If you’re anything like me</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… I’m
not always a fan of too much quiet… and while I enjoy our quiet neighborhood,
the soft rustling of the trees blowing in the wind on our camping/hiking
adventures… I do play music throughout the day when I am home.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I also do not care for prolonged periods of
silence when I am in conversation with someone else… <i>but like I said,</i> I
am learning to be quiet and at peace when I go into prayer with God… <i>and
remind myself that prayer is a <b>TWO-WAY</b> conversation!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>There is a time to <b><i>talk</i></b>… and an
even more important time to <b><i>LISTEN!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s the time when we Come to the END of OUR
WORDS and enter into the BEGINNING of HIS!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Isaish 46:10 talks about God knowing the <b><i>END</i></b>
from the <b><i>BEGINNING</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The
Message Bible puts it this way declaring’<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“From the very BEGINNING
telling you what the ENDING will be, All along letting you in on what is going
to happen, Assuring you, 'I'm in this for the long haul, I'll do exactly what I
set out to do,” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, it only makes sense… that if God knows the <b><i>END</i></b>
of what’s happening in our lives, from the very <b><i>BEGINNING</i></b>… then I
want to spend as little time as possible in trying to figure things out for
myself… <b><i>STOP TALKING</i></b> and begin to quiet down so that I can hear
what <b><i>HE</i></b> has to say about the situation in which I have come to
Him for guidance in… <b><i>RIGHT?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I am in conversation with the Lord in prayer… I want
to quickly come to the <b><i>END</i></b> of <b><i>MY</i></b> words and enter
into the <b><i>BEGINNING</i></b> of <b><i>HIS</i></b> words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Wouldn’t you agree!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Sounds like a plan for 2024… doesn’t it!<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><b><i>EXPECT</i></b> God’s <b><i>BEST</i></b> and as you do… watch over
your words while you remember to <b><i>LISTEN</i></b> for <b><i>HIS!</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-15241295028840106542024-01-01T14:30:00.004-06:002024-01-01T14:30:55.384-06:00Goodbye to 2023 and Hello to 2024<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was listening to a recent newscast where the panel of
commentators were discussing the results of a new poll, where it was reported
that 63% of the participants felt that 2023 had been a bad year for them.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">And while I wasn’t really surprised with the
findings of the poll, I had to stop and think for awhile of how I would
personally characterize this past year.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sure, I am spending a lot more on my monthly expenses… <i>in
almost every category,</i> but yet my Christian faith and trust in God’s Word
doesn’t really allow for complaining as I have repeatedly seen the positive
results of Philippians 4:19 where the Apostle Paul wrote,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But my God shall supply all
your need according to his riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This scripture is specifically written in the context of
financial supply and I joyfully report that while my expenses have increased… <i>so
has, what I consider to be,</i> the supernatural provision of the increased
demand upon my checkbook… <i>and I usually end up with a nice balance leftover
in my monthly budget!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, with that settled, I took a few moments this morning to
look back at 2023 to see what lessons I <b><i>may of</i></b>… or possibly <b><i>should
of</i></b> learned in the course the last 365 days.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I considered and prayed about it, I
suddenly heard the phrase inside of me saying:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Go back to the beginnings…”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And I knew in an instant what it meant and flashed back to
all the notes that I have been taking during my morning Bible study over the
last few weeks!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It would seem that since
mid-November of this year, that the Lord has been constantly <b><i>“Bringing me
back to the beginnings” </i></b>of Piper’s and my marriage when He marked us
with a revelation of scriptures that directed our Christian walk and our belief
system, so that it played a major part in just about every decision we ever made!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For us it was similar to the young teenage virgin Mary to
whom the angel appeared in order to announce the birth of Jesus and God the
Father’s salvation plan for mankind.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As
with Mary, Piper and I made the decision at the beginning of our marriage to <b><i>believe</i></b>
<b><i>in</i></b> and to <b><i>apply</i></b> the miraculous power of the Word of
God in our lives, and declared in agreement to the Lord, <b><i>"may it be
with us in accordance with your words!"*<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For us though, the specific scripture that lit the fire of
faith in us for our entire marriage and continues on with me today, is found in
Mark 11:24 where Jesus taught His disciples the message of the God kind of
faith<b><i>**</i></b> by instructing them saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Therefore I say unto you,
What things soever ye desire, when ye pray, believe that ye receive them, and
ye shall have them. “ </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I look back over 2023… <i>and every past decade
beginning in the 1970’s</i>… I can see multiple situations and experiences
where the Lord brought us <b><i>“Back to the beginnings”</i></b> of our faith
in order to enable us to gain renewed strength and momentum to successfully
accomplish the task before us and/or face and see victory in the midst of
trying times.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As you look back on 2023 and ahead to the fresh New Year…
can you see times when you went <b><i>“Back to the beginnings”</i></b> of your
faith that strengthened you and carried you through to victory in life?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are there positive lessons in your past that
you might need to regain familiarity with in order to empower you to better
times in 2024?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Are there any life
lessons from your <b><i>beginnings</i></b> that you may need to dust off to
help you through your todays and tomorrows?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Granted there may be some experiences from your past that
you would rather like to forget… <i>and I’ve had plenty of those!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then there are also those, like Piper’s
and my faith beginnings surrounding the Word of God… <b><i>and in particular
Mark 11:22-24</i></b>… that have been the bedrock for our Christian walk,
guided just about every major and most minor decisions we ever made… and still
is the rock that I depend on as I navigate life anew with the memory of Piper
strongly speaking to my heart.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">How about you?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>What are the <b><i>beginnings</i></b> that
you would like to re-establish in your life for 2024?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I believe that God wants the best for you in
this new year… <b><i>so why not re-connect with Him in His Word</i></b>… and
let His truth revolutionize your faith and bring you into new and exciting
depths of <b><i>His Faith, His Grace, His Joy</i></b> and <b><i>His Peace</i></b>
throughout 2024… <i>and beyond!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great New Year… keep <b><i>EXPECTING</i></b> His
Best… <i>and then pass it on to others!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Luke 1:38 (KJV) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">**</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> Mark 11:22<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-85938532222960337882023-12-27T15:35:00.000-06:002023-12-27T15:35:10.083-06:00More and More in 2024!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’ve been reading this blog for any amount of time,
then you probably know that I usually follow, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">what I would consider to be,</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
a divinely directed theme over the course of each year.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Beginning in late November and then
throughout December, I will begin to pray and keep a spiritual eye out for a
word of direction for the coming year during my daily Bible study time each
morning.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Sometimes it is just a single word that pops up in my
heart, or at others times… <i>like for this coming year,</i> it may be an
entire phrase… <i>that most times will rhyme!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span></i>Then, once I’ve received what I consider to be His leading, I will
search through my Bible to find the particular verses of scripture that work to
empower my pursuit of the purpose that He has given to me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The theme for 2023 has been that <b><i>“God is bringing a
cheerful me to the place He’s called me to be in 2023”,</i></b> with a
scriptural foundation based on Hebrews 10:35-36. You see, at the beginning of
this year, I had every intent and purpose to move, before the end of summer, to
Tennessee and be near our older son and his family. But as the year progressed,
there were a series of events that got me to thinking that maybe it was more
important to stay here for a while longer with our other three children and
their growing families.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And so,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I began to understand the
theme that God had given me in a new light.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I realized that the place that God was bringing me into was more a place
of submission to the His will, a sense stability and satisfaction in my heart <i>(since
I really, really don’t care for the geography in Oklahoma)</i>… than that of a
new physical location and the beautiful mountains that I miss so dearly.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then, in the beginning of December, as I finally yielded to
His will and began to meditate on the future, I suddenly found myself grabbing
a pen one afternoon, and writing down on the back of an envelope the statement
that <b><i>“The adventure continues… with more and more in 2024!”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as the excitement began to build inside
of me, I spoke aloud and asked <i>“What kind of adventures are we talking about
here?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And in one fluid motion, I
continued to put my pen to paper and wrote <b><i>“Adventures in Faith,
Adventures in Grace, Adventures in Joy and Adventures in Peace!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, I don’t know about you… <i>but that brings an exciting
surge of faith-filled adrenaline into my system</i>… especially considering the
fact that I didn’t plan on staying in my current location!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once I had the theme… <b><i>and you’ll notice that it
rhymes</i></b><i>…</i> it was easy to come upon the right scripture to back it
up and empower it to work in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>You’ll remember the conversation between the angel Gabriel and the
virgin Mary, when the angel told her about the miraculous event in which she would
play a center role in, and he summed it up saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“For no word from God shall
be void of power.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Luke 1:37 - Revised
Version) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To which she replied,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“And Mary said, Behold, the
handmaid of the Lord; be it unto me according to thy word…” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Luke 1:38 – Revised Version) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The first time I read that verse this year, I had an
immediate revelation and called out as I looked at a picture of Piper, from the
early years of marriage that I have hanging on my study wall, and said, <b><i>“that
is exactly what happened to YOU and I back in the mid-1970’s!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">For you see,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> at that time, we began
reading some books on faith that set a fire to our faith-life that we stirred
up and stoked throughout the rest of our lives… and it was ignited when our spiritual
eyes were opened and we realized, <i>with</i> <i>a simple and child-like faith</i>
the truth that <b><i>“No word from God shall be void of power”</i></b> and
excitedly agreed and confessed together, that as an adopted son and daughter of
the Most High God… <b><i>“Be it done unto US according to God’s word!”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And through the years that followed, the Lord repeatedly
reminded us of that revelation and of the confession we made… right up to and
including the beginning of this month when that <i>small-still-voice</i> on the
inside of me declared that it was, <i>once again,</i> the way in which I would
successfully and enjoyably experience the countless <b><i>“Adventures in Faith,
Adventures in Grace, Adventures in Joy and Adventures in Peace”</i></b> that He
has in store for me in 2024!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And <b>YOU </b>know what?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You too can experience many of those same <b><i>ADVENTURES</i></b>
and see the miraculous power of God working <i>in, for</i> and <i>through</i>
your life… by believing and acting with <i>a simple and child-like faith</i>…
in the truth of His Word that declares unto you and me that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“No word from God shall be
void of power… and may it be unto me according to Your word!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now that’s a promise from God that should also set the
expectations for <b><i>YOUR</i></b> New Year into His mode of <b><i>MORE and
MORE in 2024!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So. what more can I say?<b><i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>GO FOR IT!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Pretty exciting… wouldn’t you say?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-37152039018603579262023-12-23T10:44:00.000-06:002023-12-23T10:44:09.313-06:00A Christmas Message of WOW!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I went Christmas shopping with our oldest daughter
yesterday… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">and had an absolute blast! </i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I literally cannot remember the last time that
I went gift shopping with someone else.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I know that it had to be before Piper got sick and most likely before we
originally moved to Oklahoma for Bible school in 2006.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">With all the craziness that ensued with the
attack on Piper’s health, online shopping became the norm for me.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But I finally came to the realization that I wanted this
year’s celebration of Christmas to be more like the fun times that I remembered
from my past.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As I thought about it, I
remembered fun experiences shopping in the old downtown of my northern
California hometown with Jr High friends, with my young spunky girlfriend in
our senior high school days, and later at the mall with my wife <i>(ie; the
same gal!)</i> shopping for special gifts for our growing family, as well as
with individual kids as we combed the store aisles for just the right present
for their siblings!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had decided ahead of time that I wasn’t going to let the
crowded parking lots and stores bother me and just try to regain a cheerful
enthusiasm for the holidays… <i>that just has never been the same since Piper
moved on to her heavenly reward.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
yesterday with Jamie, was exactly what I needed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had so much fun.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I felt like a kid again.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We laughed, as we looked at and played with
the various toys that we were examining as potential gifts for the grandkids,
took funny pictures and found ourselves on numerous occasions having to excuse
ourselves for blocking the aisle or standing in front of a display that other
customers wanted to look at.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We also had some meaningful adult conversations and I
couldn’t help but to tell her about some of the revelations that I’d been
receiving as I studied the Christmas story this year.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once again, I have found myself honing in on
the interaction between the young virgin Mary and the angel Gabriel.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After relating God’s divine plan concerning her
all-important role in the birth of Jesus in Luke 1:26-38, the angel of the Lord
answered all of Mary’s unspoken questions by declaring,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“For no promise from God
will be impossible of fulfilment.” To which Mary replied without hesitation, ‘I
am the Lord's maidservant, may it be with me in accordance with your words!’"
</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Luke 1:37-38 – Weymouth)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The more often quoted King James Version states the angel’s
declaration as </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“For with God nothing shall
be impossible.”</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But a
little study of the original Greek shows that this translation tends to leave
out some of the most vital information of the angel’s statement.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The literal translation of the verse tells
the reader </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“For no word from God shall
be void of power.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Revised Version) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And it is most interesting to note that the word <b><i>“WORD”</i></b>
is defined in the Greek as the <b><i>“RHEMA”</i></b> word of God rather than
the all-encompassing <b><i>“LOGOS”</i></b> of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In his definitive work entitled <i>“Word
Pictures in the New Testament,”</i> R.T. Robertson explains the difference
between the two words by stating that <b><i>“rhēma brings out the single item
rather than the whole content (logos).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Same as is in Luke 1:38”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve also heard it explained that as the <b><i>“LOGOS”</i></b>
speaks of the whole Word of God as written in our Bibles, <b><i>“RHEMA”</i></b>
is a specific word or scripture<i>(s)</i> in which the Holy Spirit imparts a
special significance or revelation to the student of the Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In my own experience, I like to refer to a <b><i>“RHEMA”</i></b>
word as a <b><i>“WOW!”</i></b> Word… because that is my usual verbal reaction
when I suddenly get a new or deeper revelation to a scripture that I hadn’t
seen before and is directly applicable to my life’s needs at the moment.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Hebrews 4:12 tells us that </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“God's word is living and active...” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word ©) </span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">and a <b><i>“RHEMA”</i></b> word comes
from the <b><i>“living and active”</i></b> co-participation between the reader
and the Holy Spirit, who Jesus told His disciples was </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“the helper, whom the Father will send in my name, who will teach you
everything. He will remind you of everything that I have ever told you.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word ©)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, as I read and study the original story of Christmas
once again this year, I can’t help but to compare to the angel of the Lord’s
proclamation to Mary with Paul’s various letters to the churches throughout the
Roman empire.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me it is easy to see
that the angel was setting a <b><i>precedent</i></b> as to the manner in which
we Christians should be studying, receiving and stepping out in faith as we act
upon the Word of God in our daily lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The great evangelist Oral Roberts was well known for his
saying <b><i>“Expect a Miracle!”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And you know?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>I think he was</i>
<b><i>RIGHT!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As you and I step
out in a firm understanding and belief in the angel’s confident statement to
Mary… <i>then we can’t help but to <b>“Expect a Miracle!”</b> in our lives that
is based on the powerful word of God that we are applying to our daily lives!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But <b>PLEASE NOTE</b>:</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The ability to receive a <b><i>WOW Word</i></b>
is not for the casual reader of the Bible, but for the one who comes with <b><i>INTENT</i></b>
and <b><i>PURPOSE</i></b>…<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you think?</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It makes me see the Christmas story of the
birth of a child in a lowly stable in the little town of Bethlehem in a whole
new light!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>A light that has the power
and ability to change my entire life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s the exciting message of Christmas that I want to
carry into and through 2024 and every year beyond!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><i>HOW ABOUT YOU?<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I pray that you are experiencing the best Christmas ever
and are looking forward to a powerful and prosperous New Year ahead… where you
have the ability to <b><i>EXPECT</i></b> and <b><i>RECEIVE</i></b> a miracle… <b><i>as
you put your confident trust in the Word of God!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-81503680067973703082023-12-16T14:52:00.000-06:002023-12-16T14:52:05.362-06:00In The Light of JOY!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was at awe as I slipped out the back door at 4:30 this
morning, so that Fiver could attend to his business… and looked up at the
beautiful sight on display over our backyard.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It had rained throughout the day and evening yesterday and I expected
the sky in the predawn hour to be overcast and gloomy.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But what a surprise!</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Even though there were still a few clouds in
the sky, the rest of it was crystal clear, bright and literally filled with
incredibly lustrous stars!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In the four
years that we have lived here… I have </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>NEVER</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> seen the nighttime
skies as bright and sharp as they were this morning!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Whenever I gaze upon the celestial heavens, I am always
reminded of my sweet wife and how she liked to point out the different
constellations to me when we took walks at night.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And while that <i>was</i> the immediate
memory that came to mind this morning, I was moreover drawn into the thought of
Jesus’ birth in that little town of Bethlehem and found myself wondering if the
sky that night, <i>so many thousands of years ago,</i> was as bright and sharp
as this one that lit up our backyard.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That question and the beautiful picture that had unfolded in
the skies before us earlier in the morning, came knocking on the door of my
heart as I sat down for my morning Bible study time a couple of hours
later.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I followed that leading and
turned in my Bible to the story of that first Christmas as recorded in the book
of Luke.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But in order to bring more
context into the events that happened on the night of our Savior’s birth, I had
to go back in time about nine months or so, when the angel of the Lord first
appeared to a young teenage girl and brought some startling and life-changing
news!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Luke 1:26-31 tells us all about it
and recorded the event declaring,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Calibri Light"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">“And in the sixth month the angel Gabriel was sent from God unto a
city of Galilee, named Nazareth, To a virgin espoused to a man whose name was
Joseph, of the house of David; and the virgin's name was Mary. And the
angel came in unto her, and said, Hail, thou that art <u>highly</u> f<u>avoured</u>,
the Lord is with thee : blessed art thou among women. And when she saw him, she
was troubled at his saying, and cast in her mind what manner of salutation this
should be. And the angel said unto her, Fear not, Mary: for t<u>hou</u> <u>hast</u>
f<u>ound</u> f<u>avour</u> <u>with</u> <u>God</u>. And, behold, thou shalt
conceive in thy womb, and bring forth a son, and shalt call his name JESUS.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: "Calibri Light"; mso-bidi-theme-font: major-latin;">(EMTV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The story of these initial events of Christ’s birth
continues on for another eight verses, but for the purpose of today’s post, I
wanted to focus in on one important revelation that came forth in my study of
this story.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have always been amazed that out of all the Jewish women
in the world, that God set His sights on that young teenage girl Mary, to be
the mother of the incarnate son of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Most Bible scholars and historians place Mary’s age to be between 12-15
years old.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And as I pondered that fact
once more this year, I noticed that the phrases <b><i>“highly favored”</i></b>
and <b><i>“thou hast found favor with God”</i></b> are used when the angel
addressed Mary and told her of God’s plan for her life.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Both of the words translated <b><i>“favor”</i></b> come
from the same Greek base word meaning,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“That which affords <b>joy</b>, pleasure,
delight, sweetness, charm, loveliness: grace of speech; grace and <b>joy</b>
and the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life.”<b>*<o:p></o:p></b></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, I have to admit that I was a little taken by surprise
at what popped into my head as I studied these definitions.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have always thought of God looking at we,
His children, through the eyes of compassion and grace… but I had never really
contemplated the idea of God… <i>along with compassion and grace</i>… looking
at us… at me… <i>with <b>JOY</b>!</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is a lot easier to think of ourselves as not being
perfect and as not always hitting the mark of excellence in our lives and <b><i>KNOWING</i></b>
that God’s compassion and grace are always available to us!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But these verses seem to imply that God
choose Mary because she and the life she lived, brought <b><i>JOY</i></b> to
His heart!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In others words, He looked
upon her and choose her because of what she did <b><i>RIGHT</i></b>… <i>which
in His eyes</i>… most likely over-rode the mistakes she may have made in her
young life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So… if I read this right… God is telling us to see
ourselves and to live our lives more through His loving eyes of <b><i>JOY</i></b>…<b><i>LIKE
HE DOES</i></b>… than in self-condemnation and doubt over the mistakes we might
make.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I John 4:17 confirms this idea and
tells us that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“God's love has reached its
goal in us. So we look ahead with confidence to the day of judgment. (for) While
we are in this world, <u>we </u>a<u>re</u> e<u>xactly</u> l<u>ike</u> H<u>im</u>
with regard to love.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So… if God loves us and sees us through in light of the <b><i>JOY
</i></b>that we bring to Him… shouldn’t we love ourselves and see ourselves in
the light of <b><i>JOY</i></b> as well?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The angels of the Lord that lit up the night sky with the
glory of God, told the shepherds tending to their flocks on the night of Jesus’
birth that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“…I have good news for you, a message that will
fill everyone with <u>JOY</u>.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Luke 2:10 – God’s Word ©)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And with that in mind</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… I’ll
leave with a thought to ponder as we celebrate Christmas and the birth of the
baby Jesus… <b><i>“Does my life bring forth a message of JOY in the lives of
those I love?”<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If not</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… <i>or if you’re not sure</i>…then
maybe you need to start seeing yourself in the same light of <b><i>JOY </i></b>that
Jesus looks upon you with!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a fun and <b><i>JOY</i></b><i>-filled</i> weekend as
you continue making your final preparations for the celebration of <i>HIS</i> <b><i>JOY</i></b>
that came on that star-studded bright and shiny night so long ago!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Strongs and Thayer’s<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-89761945798704425612023-12-09T14:12:00.001-06:002023-12-09T14:12:47.894-06:00Joseph The Protector<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I can’t help but to think of my late wife Piper when Fiver
and I take our daily walks.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">From our
college days at Chico State University and throughout our years of marriage,
walking together, </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">hand in hand,</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> was one of our favorite pastimes that we
enjoyed together.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When she was healthy
it was an almost a daily occurrence and when she became wheelchair bound in the
last years of her life, I would push her around the neighborhoods in which we
lived!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the dog and I walked along the golf course yesterday, I
began to contemplate the almost innate desire that I had… <i>from the early
days of our relationship in high school until the day she went home to be with
the Lord</i>… to <b><i>PROTECT</i></b> her.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>It wasn’t even that she needed protection as she was one of the most
confident and wise women that I had ever met!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But she had an <i>innocence</i> about her that just made me want to
lovingly take good care of her.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">She was always up to a good challenge!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Planning and leading large-scale activities
and events in high school, at the different churches we served in over the
years, as well as with our extended families, <i>never seemed to phase her</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was quick on her feet, a good multitasker
and stayed calm even when things around her got a little crazy!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, while it wasn’t necessarily me protecting her in a
physical sense, it was probably more in the way of protecting her good <b><i>reputation</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When we were dating and throughout our
marriage, I tried to always be respectful and honorable of her wishes, and
sought to never put her in a position that could be seen in any way as
something that would impede her high moral character and excellence.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And it was within that line of thought, while Fiver and I
walked in the cool and crisp December air, that I suddenly stopped and said
aloud to no one in particular, that <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Joseph was a <b>PROTECTOR</b>!”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">From the very beginning of his introduction in the gospels
of Matthew and Luke, Joseph is shown to be the one called to <b><i>PROTECT</i></b>
Mary, the young, <i>innocent</i> teenage girl who was chosen to become the
mother of the coming Savior of the world… <i>and his very first thoughts toward
the woman he loved and was engaged to be married to</i>… was to <b><i>PROTECT</i></b>
her <b><i>reputation,</i></b> when she was found to be with child!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Matthew 1:19 tells us that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Joseph was an honorable man
and did not want to disgrace her publicly. So he decided to break the marriage
agreement with her secretly.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word
©)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But Joseph wasn’t just an honorable man, he was also a <b><i>VIGILANT</i></b>
man with great personal strength and conviction to obey the word of the Lord… <i>even
if it meant going against the long-held and sacred Jewish traditions. </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The next six verses detail the event that
instantly changed Jospeh’s plans and set him <i>and his wife to be </i>on an
adventure that would soon become known throughout the world… <i>for all the
generations to come!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Joseph had this in mind
when an angel of the Lord appeared to him in a dream. The angel said to him,
"Joseph, descendant of David, don't be afraid to take Mary as your wife.
She is pregnant by the Holy Spirit. She will give birth to a son, and you
will name him Jesus [He Saves], because he will save his people from their
sins."<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>All this happened so that
what the Lord had spoken through the prophet came true: "The virgin
will become pregnant and give birth to a son, and they will name him
Immanuel," which means "God is with us." When Joseph woke
up, he did what the angel of the Lord had commanded him to do. He took Mary to
be his wife. </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(And)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> He did not have marital relations with her before she gave birth to a
son. Joseph named the child Jesus.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word ©)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I can only imagine some of the looks, or the hushed chatter
that went on behind their backs as Mary and Joseph walked, <i>hand in hand,</i>
down the streets in their home town before their trip to Bethlehem and the
glorious birth of the anointed child Jesus.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>But I can clearly see the <i>confident</i> and maybe even a little <i>defiant</i>
look in Joseph’s eyes as he squeezed Mary’s hand and smiled gently to her with
a warmth that said <i>“Don’t worry Honey, all will be fine and turn out exactly
as the Lord said it would!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">David wrote in Psalm 37:23 that,<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“The steps of a good man are
ordered by the LORD: and He delighteth in his way.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is interesting to note that the term <i>“a good man” is
actually defined in the Hebrew as the description of “a <b>VALIANT</b> man, a
warrior (emphasizing strength or the ability to fight)” </i></span><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;">(Strong’s/Brown-Driver-Briggs.)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">This verse gives us an accurate picture of Joseph.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Once he had his steps ordered by the Lord,
Joseph became <b><i>VALIANT</i></b> and ready to fight any tradition or the
words or actions of men that would try and interfere with the important calling
on Mary’s life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’ve always sought to be like Joseph <i>(after all it is my middle name),</i> in all my roles as a
husband, a father, a grandfather and as a friend… <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>and to follow with the best of my ability,
conviction and strength</i>… the Word of God and the directions I believe that
He gives me... and <b><i>I bet YOU do too!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">In the midst of this Christmas Season, as we <i>remember </i>the
story of that first Christmas and <i>celebrate</i> the birth of our Savior, let’s
think about the important role that Joseph played and strive to emulate his <b><i>VALIANT</i></b><i>
courage</i> and <i>strength</i> in following the Word of the Lord in the New
Year ahead!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a terrific weekend, enjoy all the Holiday events, keep
<b><i>EXPECTING</i></b><i> God’s <b>BEST</b></i><b> </b>and give <b><i>HIM</i></b>
the glory due His holy name!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-15906106013420416452023-11-25T14:58:00.000-06:002023-11-25T14:58:30.686-06:00Tis The Season of GRACE<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I just came in from our backyard where Fiver and I played a
little catch… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">or rather a game of toss the ball and chase after the dog</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">…
and I am feeling exhilarated and thankful with an overall sense of peace!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">It’s a beautiful fall day here in
Oklahoma.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">When we took our morning walk
along the golf course a couple of hours ago, the weather was in the mid-thirties
with a bright blue, wispy cloud filled sky!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">
</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Then, by the time we went into the backyard, the setting was the same,
except the temperatures have gone up about ten degrees.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To me, this is the perfect weather to get one in the mood
to enjoy the traditions and family adventures of Christmas.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>We had two wonderful Thanksgiving gatherings
with our kids and their families, which enabled me to get in some quality
Grandpa, or as my Oklahoma City granddaughter calls me, “<i>Grandpa Papa”,</i>
time.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The weather on Thanksgiving was brisk but did edge its way
up into the low sixties.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yesterday
started out in the low twenties with a cold northern wind and forced me to put
on some thermals for Fiver’s and my morning walk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But by the time we gathered with the family,
the weather was at a much more manageable temperature.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today started out cool, much like yesterday with blue skies
but no wind that made for a very enjoyable morning walk!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>This afternoon though, the forecast is for
increasing clouds with some rain and even a chance of snow over the night time
hours!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, yeah… <i>It’s beginning to feel a lot like Christmas in
the flatlands of Oklahoma!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with
that atmosphere filling my home, I can’t help but to go back to the Old
Testament prophecies and New Testament stories that tell of the coming <i>King
of Kings</i> and <i>Lord of Lords!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I have begun to re-visit those precious verses of
scripture over the last few days, I have been especially drawn into noticing
the multiplicity of times that the <b><i>GRACE</i></b> of God is spoken
of.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The verse that started it all off
for me was the prophetic words as recorded in the book of Luke explaining,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Then Zechariah was filled
to overflowing with the Holy Spirit and he prophesied, saying: ‘Praise be
to the exalted Lord God of Israel, for He has seen us through eyes of GRACE,
and He comes as our Hero-God to set us free!’” *<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges, with its biblical
commentary, states that Zecheriah’s prophecy,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“was early recognized as the last Prophecy of
the Old Dispensation, and the first of the New, and furnishes a kind of key to
the evangelical interpretation of all prophecies.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, if I understand this correctly, <b><i>GRACE</i></b> and
the concept of God viewing us all through the eyes of <b><i>GRACE</i></b>, is
then the key to unlock the underlying meanings of all the evangelical
prophecies that tell of the <i>plan, purpose</i> and <i>power</i> of the Gospel
message.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Jesus thought so highly of the
importance of God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b> in the life of the believer, that He
reassured us declaring,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“But don’t worry. My grace
will never desert you or depart from your life.” ** <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Strong’s and Thayer’s Greek/English dictionaries tell us
that God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b> is defined as,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“the divine influence upon the heart and its
reflection in one’s life, the spiritual condition of one governed by the power
of divine Grace, one’s kindly bearing, favor and the reception of beneficial
opportunities”<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I get excited when I read of the underlying explanations
and foundations that define God’s intentions of His <b><i>GRACE</i></b> and of
His seeing me and my fellow brothers and sisters through the eyes of that <i>loving,
favor giving, opportunity presenting, divinely influencing, power </i>of God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
operating <b><i>in</i></b><i>, <b>for</b></i> and <b><i>through</i></b> our
lives!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I would encourage you to begin to think about everything
that you do in celebration of Christmas this year… <i>in the celebration of the
coming of the Savior of the world</i>… with the joyful understanding of God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
operating in the activities of your daily lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Meditate on and then <b><i>expect to see and receive</i></b>
the beneficial opportunities of His Grace in every part of your life… <i>in
everything you do,</i> with everyone you interact with and <i>within all the
plans, hopes and dreams that you hold dear in your heart.<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Enjoy the rest of your Thanksgiving weekend and then set
your heart for a wonderful and more meaningful experience of the Christmas
season… by your personal and hands on knowledge of the real <b><i>intent </i></b>and
<b><i>power</i></b> of God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b> working in your life… <i>and
then pass it on to others!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Luke 1:67-68 – The Passion
Translation<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">**</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Luke 21:18-The Passion
Translation<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-39957481953408753932023-11-23T11:53:00.001-06:002023-11-23T11:56:02.165-06:00Happy Thanksgiving!<p><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">As I drove away from my local grocery store yesterday
morning, I had to smile for I was pleasantly surprised that the store was less
crowed than I thought it might be on the day before Thanksgiving!</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">I’ll
be spending Thanksgiving Day with our oldest daughter and her husband who are
preparing a complete </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>KETO</i></b><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> friendly feast, including turkey and my
favorite homemade pumpkin pie!</span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span face="Arial, sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt;">Then
we’ll connect with the rest of the clan on Friday with the other two Oklahoma
families in town and online with the Tennessee Berruto’s.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">It has been fun for me to observe as our oldest daughter
has flawlessly stepped into the family organizer role which her mom had seamlessly
performed… <i>and she does it with the same joy, order and grace as Piper did!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I couldn’t help but to tear up yesterday,
after discussing our holiday plans with Jamie, when I proudly put down my
phone, looked upward and said… <i>“You know Piper?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>You’d be very proud of your older daughter… for
she’s acting just like you, as she has stepped into your shoes as the family
gathering expert!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So, with those plans getting ironed out, I started thinking
this morning, that I am very <b><i>THANKFUL</i></b> for the strong foundation
of <b><i>LOVE</i></b><i>,</i> <b><i>GRACE</i></b><i>,</i> <b><i>RESPECT</i></b>
and <b><i>HONOR</i></b> that Piper and I established beginning in high school
as our relationship blossomed, and continued to grow in our family through the
years as our children matured into adulthood.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I was telling Jamie that it deeply saddens me that Piper
was not able to enjoy watching the fruit of her labors in our adult children,
from the limitless hours that she joyfully endeavored to put into the raising
of our kids as their mom, their daily spiritual and moral example, and guide…
and as their very much hands on, dedicated homeschool teacher.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But then I had to pause and smile as Jamie
and I agreed… <i>that she most likely is keeping a watchful and very <b>THANKFUL</b>
eye over us all!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m <b><i>THANKFUL</i></b> over this <b><i>THANKSGIVING</i></b>
week, that I see many of the unique and special qualities that marked Piper,
demonstrated in each of our four children.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>I catch familiar glimpses of her in their words, their smiles, their
caring hearts, in the practice of their faith and in the ways in which they are
raising their families.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">In his first letter to the church in Thessalonica, the
Apostle Paul encouraged the church saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“In everything give thanks:
for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus concerning you.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(I Thessalonians 5:18 – KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If I was forced to choose one thing that I am most <b><i>THANKFUL</i></b>
for… I would have to say that I am most <b><i>THANKFUL</i></b> for the <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
of God operating in my life.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Paul prayed
for us, through his letter to the church in Rome, that God’s<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Joyous GRACE and total
well-being, flowing from our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, rest upon you.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Romans 1:7 – TPT) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Thayer’s Greek Definitions tells that the word <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
in this verse speaks<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">“of the merciful kindness by which God,
exerting his holy influence upon souls, turns them to Christ, keeps,
strengthens, increases them in Christian faith, knowledge, affection, and
kindles them to the exercise of the Christian virtues.”<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">This definition informs me that God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
isn’t just a one-time salvation experience, but a life-long anointing that gives
us the wisdom, the strength and the love of God to continually grow in our
Christian faith and live lives that positively influence those with whom we
interact with in our daily lives.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">To be perfectly honest… I don’t think that I could have
made it through the last 20 years of my life without the power and blessings of
God’s Grace working <i>in, for</i> and <i>through</i> my life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">If you were to pick the one thing that you are
most THANKFUL for right now in your life… What would it be?</span></i></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">I invite you to list your answers in our comments section, under
our Facebook posting or on whatever platform that you are reading our <b><i>THANKSGIVING</i></b>
post on.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">So…however you celebrate today’s special holiday that <i>(at
last to me)</i> opens up the door for the all-out, no holds barred, celebration
of Christmas!... I pray that you have a very blessed, enjoyable and downright fun
<b><i>THANKSGIVING Day!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">And if you remember… </span></b><span face=""Arial",sans-serif" style="font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">save a
piece of pumpkin pie for me! <i>(One can never have enough of a good thing!)<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-22001804521711679742023-11-18T14:10:00.000-06:002023-11-18T14:10:10.382-06:00Adventures in GRACE!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">As I continued to study the Word today through the idea or
predetermined filter of </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>“ADVENTURE</i></b><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">,<b>”</b></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> I found some
interesting scriptures that talk about </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>GRACE</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Through the whole <b><i>ADVENTURE</i></b> of faith that
Piper and I experienced with the attack of Alzheimer’s upon the last twelve
years of her life, and the ensuing five years since then, I have come to
understand that God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b> is the power of His love <i>toward
us, in us, for us</i> and <i>through us</i> unto others.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I found it exciting this morning as I read from some of the
initial mentions of the <b><i>GRACE</i></b> of God at the very beginning of the
New Testament gospel message, when Zechariah, the father of John the Baptist, prophesied
of the soon coming Savior declaring:<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Praise be to the exalted
Lord God of Israel, for He has seen us t<u>hrough</u> e<u>yes</u> <u>of</u> GRACE,
and He comes as our Hero-God to set us free!” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Luke 1:68 - The Passion Translation) <o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had never seen this verse translated with this amount of
description before, so I had to go back to the familiar King James rendering of
this verse and look at the original Greek meanings of the words… <i>and you
know what?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The above Passion
Translation does bring out the actual intent of Zechariah’s words.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And that is when the revelations of the Biblical <b><i>“Adventures
of GRACE”</i></b> flooded my mind… and my heart exploded with fireworks as I
sat back in my chair and shouted out loud that: <i>“God looks at us… at you and
me… through the eyes of <b>GRACE</b>!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">That’s why verses of scripture like Romans 8:1 are so
important and even foundational to our personal faith.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In speaking to us Christians, the Apostle
Paul simply but yet concisely writes,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“There is therefore <u>NOW</u>
<u>NO</u> condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> </span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">If some of you go back to do your due diligence and check
this out in your own King James Bible, you will see that I did not include the
last ten words written therein that say, <i>“who walk not after the flesh, but
after the Spirit.”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>Most theologians
agree that the last phrase is not a part of the original manuscripts.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The renown American pastor, author and
theologian C.I. Scofield (1843-1921) notated in his bestselling annotated Bible
that, <i>“The statement ends with "Christ Jesus"; the last ten words
are interpolated.”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>From what I have
seen, the vast majority of the more modern translations exclude the last
phrase.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I believe the Apostle Paul was emphasizing the power of the
<b><i>GRACE</i></b> of God in Romans 8:1 by clearly stating that the blessings
of God only come to us through the power of His loving <b><i>GRACE</i></b> and <b><i>NOT</i></b>
through following an Old Testament-like system of Do’s and Don’ts. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does that mean that we don’t need to live our
lives according to Jesus’ standard of love?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span><i>Of course not!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But it
places the emphasis of <i>how</i> and <i>why</i> we live holy lives, on the
ever-growing foundation of our love for God and our acceptance of His amazing <b><i>GRACE</i></b>
that functions <i>toward us, in us, for us</i> and <i>through us</i> unto those
around us!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Our scripture in Luke 1:68 tells us that God looks at you
and me - <i>and the activities of our daily lives</i> - through the eyes of <b><i>GRACE</i></b>…
and <b><i>NOT</i></b> with condemnation!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And if you, <i>like me,</i> take Jesus as your example to follow in this
life… <i>then we should be doing the same… right?<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Proverbs 3:5 tells us to,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Trust the LORD with all
your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word ©)</span></i><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"> <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Another translation says to </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“not rely on your own opinion”*<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I look back on this verse, I often wonder how many
times I have looked at people or at situations with the filter of my own
opinion… and thereby judging or forming my response by my own life experiences…
<i>without the benefit of knowing the point of view of those involved.</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Does any of that sound familiar?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I realized as I was forming my own opinion this morning,
while watching a neighbor from my study window, while enjoying my daily Bible
study, that I really had no idea what they were doing.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>As it turns out, I do my morning Bible study
at the same time everyday and I notice some of my neighbors following certain
routines.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The individual I saw today has
a weekend routine where they come out when I’m studying, jump into their
vehicle, drive away and then return a few moments later with a cup of coffee
and a small white bag.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So today when they came out looking like they had just got
up, wearing running shorts, slippers and a heavy coat <i>(it was 35 degrees
outside)</i> and hopped in their truck, I assumed that I’d witness the return
trip as usual… but you know… <i>they never came back…</i> <i>at least for the
next hour while I was in my study</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>At one point I got up and walked into the kitchen to pour myself a
freshly brewed cup of coffee and then returned to the study.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once in there,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> I
stood in front of the window and started talking to the dog who was resting
comfortably on the loveseat next to me, about all the things that our neighbor <i>could</i>
be doing… when I suddenly stopped and laughed as I realized that I had
absolutely <b><i>NO</i></b> idea what the person was up to.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I hardly know the individual and was coming
up with an opinion of what they were doing based on <b><i>MY</i></b> personal
life experiences… <i>that may or may not have anything in common with my neighbor’s!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Then I looked over at my Bible opened up on my desk and
read from Luke 1:68 and thought… <i>Hummm</i>… I should be looking at this
situation through the eyes of <b><i>GRACE</i></b>… through the eyes of the
power of God’s love in action!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>And so,
I did</i>… <b><i>and found myself praying blessings and protection for my
neighbo</i></b>r… then I sat back down at my desk and continued my morning
study! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What do you think about that?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have you ever found yourself in a similar
situation?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve been on both sides of
that coin… both judging people unfairly and also being judged unfairly by
others… who had absolutely <b><i>NO</i></b> idea what they were talking about… <i>and
neither one of those experiences felt very good!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I’m learning that seeing myself and others through the eyes
of God’s <b><i>GRACE</i></b> brings freedom, peace and the breath of Godly <b><i>LIFE</i></b>
into not only my life… but also into the lives of the others involved!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And you know… <i>It makes for a pretty sweet
life!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, have a sweet weekend as you begin to see life around
you… <b><i>through the eyes of God’s GRACE!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*The Passion Translation</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-42602419880354589352023-11-11T14:52:00.004-06:002023-11-11T14:52:52.176-06:00The Adventure Begins...<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">After taking the dog out in the wee hours of the morning
today, I sat down on the edge of the bed, in the dim of the nearby nightlight
and found myself lost in thought over my </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">past, present</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> and </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">future</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">For some reason, I began to recall the day
near the beginning of my senior year in high school, when my new girlfriend… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">to
whom I was growing rapidly attached to</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">… gave me a used gray colored paperback
version of The Good News Bible.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And with that thought in mind, I turned around and grabbed
hold of the little Passion Translation Bible that I had sitting on the other
side of the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It reminded me of that
old paperback version as it also is gray in color, <i>although this one is
bound in leather</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I held the Bible in my hand, I recalled coming home from
school that day, <i>so many years ago,</i> and walking down the hallway toward
my bedroom.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I held many school books for
homework in my hands, but at the very top was the slightly worn, paperback
Bible… which… at the time… I didn’t know why… <b><i>it just felt special</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Then today, right there at around 5:30 in the
morning… <i>it dawned on me why!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And before the thought actually formed in my head, I called
out aloud, <b><i>“That’s it!”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And I immediately realized that <b><i>EXPECTATION </i></b>for the Word
of God working in my life, was born at that very moment in me!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Nowadays I can’t help but to smile every time I see a Bible
sitting on a self or on a table in somebody’s house or on the seat in their
car… but it especially warms my heart when I see one <i>that is open</i> in
someone’s hand!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Over the years, the
Bible has become a personal friend to me… <i>You see, it’s not just a book, but
it is the very words and power and will of God that speaks directly into yours
and my daily life.</i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Once I climbed back under the covers this morning, I began
to think of all the <b><i>ADVENTURES</i></b> that Piper and I experienced, <i>both
individually and together,</i> over the years, as we stepped out in faith due
to our ever-increasing understanding and personalization of the Word of God
that is contained between the covers of our Bibles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The Apostle Paul talks about these <b><i>ADVENTURES</i></b>
in I Corinthians 1:9 when he wrote,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“God, who got you started in
this spiritual ADVENTURE, shares with us the life of his Son and our Master
Jesus. He will never give up on you. Never forget that.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(The Message)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Lying there in bed also got me to thinking about the early
1980’s children’s TV program that we used to watch and record for our kids
called <b><i>“SUPER BOOK.”</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was a Christian anime television program that was produced in Japan in
cooperation with the Christian Broadcasting Network here in the United States.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The series chronicled the <b><i>ADVNTURES</i></b> of two
children, Chris and Joy and their toy robot Gizmo, who comes to life after they
find an ancient Bible that can speak and send them back in time each week, to
experience <b><i>ADVENTURES</i></b> from various stories within both the Old
and New Testaments.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Each episode began
with the deep and booming voice of the Bible talking to them, followed by an
explosion of bright light as the ancient book opened its covers and magically
sent the time travelers off into a new <b><i>ADVENTURE</i></b> of faith as taught
in the Word of God.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know that I’ve said it before, but now that Piper has
gone home to be with the <b><i>AUTHOR </i></b>of our Bibles, I find myself
feeling closest to her when I read the <i>many, many </i>highlighted, circled
and underlined portions found within her different Bibles.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I can sense what <b><i>ADVENTURES</i></b> she
was feeling, learning and experiencing when she read those particular verses… <i>and
assimilated them into her life</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And
as each of her Bibles were used at certain times during her life, I can also
recall what was going on in our relationship, our family and in the world at
that time!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I peeked out from under the warm covers once again
this morning, I set my attention on that little Passion Translation Bible
sitting next to me on the bed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And I
couldn’t help but to smile and laugh as I pictured that little Bible beginning
to shake, hear its deep voice beginning to speak and witness the bright flash
of light as its covers dramatically flew open and began to draw me into the
next <b><i>ADVENTURE</i></b> of faith that God was desiring for me to
experience and learn today!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What about <b><i>YOU?</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>When was the last time that <b><i>YOUR</i></b>
Bible drew you into an <b><i>EXCITING</i></b><i>,</i> <b><i>NEW</i></b> and <b><i>LIFE-CHANGING</i></b>
<i>(for you and/or others around you in your daily life) <b>ADVENTURE</b></i>
of faith?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When you look at <b><i>YOUR</i></b> Bible… <i>or at any
Bible for that matter</i>… what do you think about?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Do <b><i>YOU</i></b> think <b><i>ADVENTURE</i></b>…
<i>or something else?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>How would you
define <b><i>YOUR </i></b>interactions with God’s Word?<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Hummm… something important to think about…
wouldn’t <b><i>YOU</i></b> say?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend… <i>and as you do</i>… take a moment
or two to consider the <b><i>ADVENTURES</i></b> that God might have awaiting
you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-9713341305091052262023-11-06T10:47:00.000-06:002023-11-06T10:47:11.190-06:00More EXCITEMENT!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I was thinking on Fiver’s and my morning walk a little
while ago, of the many things that have brought </span><b style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"><i>EXCITEMENT</i></b><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> into
my life over the past 70 years.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">One of
my first remembrances as a child was our summer camping adventures with my
family.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I enjoyed just about every
aspect of those vacations… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Okay</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">… maybe not so much when we got home and
had to unpack the car and store away the camping equipment into the attic racks
in the garage.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">What I recall the most
about </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">those times</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> was my dad’s irritability and his relatively short
range of patience… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">which was unusual for him</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">… as we kids dragged our
feet and didn’t want the vacation to end.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">But later in life,</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> after
I began to walk in his shoes, and experienced coming home with our four kids
after a week of non-stop activities and a six-hour drive home from camping… I
rather found myself acting out with the same impatient behavior as my dad!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Funny how things come back to haunt you!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I remember one time in particular when my mom and dad took
us to spend a week camping at DL Bliss State Park on Lake Tahoe.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The park did not take reservations at that
time and was on a first come, first serve basis.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, with that in mind, my dad planned for us
to leave a few hours before the break of dawn, in order to get there bright and
early and be first in line to grab a vacant campsite!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>My greatest remembrance of that vacation was
the <b><i>EXCITEMENT</i></b> bursting in me throughout the previous day and the
early hours of the day we left.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What an adventure!</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Going somewhere I’d never been, driving in
the dark and finally catching a view of the magnificent Pine forests as the sun
began its climb through the trees and glimmer off the pristine, clear waters of
Lake Tahoe!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And you know?</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>That <b><i>EXCITEMENT</i></b> never left me
in my adult years as we would pack up the station wagon… <i>looking a little
like the Beverly Hillbillies<b>*</b></i>… and drive away from our home, and
head toward the pine or redwood forests <i>(depending on the park we were going
to)</i> with smiling kids and a beautiful wife enjoying the <b><i>EXCITEMENT</i></b>
she observed all over the kid’s faces!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Needless to say, there were all kinds of adventures
throughout my childhood and teenage years that brought <b><i>EXCITEMENT</i></b>
into my life, with the highest attainment reached when I met my future wife at
the beginning of our junior year in high school.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Our relationship brought the two of us into a
great variety of <b><i>EXCITING</i></b> adventures throughout our 48 years
together.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For me though, the pinnacle of
that <b><i>EXCITIMENT</i></b> was Piper’s introduction to me of the
life-changing, positively challenging, fun-filled and <b><i>EXCITING</i></b>
Christian lifestyle that we dove into from practically day one!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Romans 12:11 in The Passion Translation encourages
Christians to,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Be enthusiastic to serve
the Lord, keeping your passion toward Him boiling hot! Radiate with the glow of
the Holy Spirit and let Him fill you with EXCITEMENT as you serve Him.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">After Fiver and I returned from our morning walk today and
I stood at the stove cooking breakfast, I got to thinking about the <b><i>EXCITEMENT</i></b>
that Piper and I shared throughout our marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I realized that we blended our Christian
faith into just about <b><i>EVERY</i></b> aspect of our lives… from the mundane
daily activities, to the growth and training of our four children, in the
performance of our jobs, within the relationships we had with our extended
families and even in the midst of our most intimate times together.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And for us</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… that is what made our
lives to be <b><i>EXCITING!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In
Psalm 71:18 the Psalmist implores the Lord to,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Give me grace to
demonstrate to the next generation all Your mighty miracles <u>and</u> Y<u>our</u>
EXCITEMENT, to show them Your magnificent power!”</span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">** ** </span></i></b><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;"><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We made a decision very early in our marriage to not just
observe the potential benefits of Christianity from the sidelines… <i>that are
promised throughout the pages of yours and my Bibles</i>… … <i>but to jump in
and regularly practice and hone our faith</i>… so as to be able to play on the
field, as members of God’s <b><i>first-string</i></b> team, in the game of
life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And <b><i>WOW!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>What a life it has been… I can’t think of a more <b><i>EXCITING</i></b>
way to live it… <b><i>CAN YOU?</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a terrific week and as you do… share the <b><i>EXCITIEMENT</i></b>
of your faith with others.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a week
of <b><i>C-O-L-D</i></b> weather, I’m back to wearing shorts and enjoying temps
into the high 70’s!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><i>Yep… Life in
Oklahoma can also be pretty <b>EXCITING!</b><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had to put air shocks on the
Pontiac wagon in order to level the car!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Otherwise, the back bumper would have been dangerously close to the
road!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Funny though… we never had that
problem with the Suburban we finally purchased!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">**The Passion Translation<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-17000218878092413532023-11-01T14:27:00.000-05:002023-11-01T14:27:32.054-05:00EXICITING Times!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">Ever since my sweet wife passed onto her heavenly reward
some five years ago, I find that the coming of the Holiday season always brings
with it a flood of heart warming <i>and at times… heart wrenching memories</i>
of the 48 holiday seasons that we enjoyed together! For us, with our involvement in the church,
those special memories would</span> <span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">actually flow non-stop from the summer
until Christmas! </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It was a continuous adventure of fun church events that
Piper and I planned, organized and led, including Vacation Bible School in
mid-summer, back to school special events and lessons in the fall, a large
carnival-like Family Fun Night on Halloween and a variety of special Christmas
events in the classrooms and of course, the seasonal extravaganza Christmas
program for the whole church to participate in or just to sit back and enjoy!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">To be honest</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… it was a lot of work…
but we enjoyed just about every minute of it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>For me, it was a time when I could let my creative juices flow in making
the gospel message to be <b><i>EXCITING</i></b><i>,</i> fun and very meaningful
to our students and the adults in our different church congregations… and it
didn’t hurt having a very supportive and talented wife who could wear so many
different hats throughout the organization and performance of the different
events!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As the time continues to pass since her home going, I find
myself <i>crying less and laughing more,</i> as I recall different aspects of
the variety of fun events we participated in from the original song we sang
together as husband and wife in the foyer of the First Baptist Church in 1975
during their annual Christmas Tree Lighting and Carol Sing, to the Adams Family
themed video our family put together, acted in and filmed as a promo for the
last Halloween Family Fun Night we led before leaving for Bible School in 2006.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">What I realized last night as I sat in the living room with
the dog at my feet, wondering if we would have many Trick or Treaters come to
our door… <i>and how I was going to hold back my over-friendly, 65lb dog and
hand out candy at the same time</i>…<b>* </b>was that our Christian ministry as
well as the way we chose to live our Christian faith was rather <b><i>FUN</i></b>
and <b><i>EXCITING!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Going to church almost every time the doors were opened and
participating in the various events on the Church calendar was far from boring…
and while I enjoyed creating, writing, organizing and leading the many
programs, Youth retreats, puppet skits, songs and even an original Children’s
Church curriculum before moving to North Carolina in 2014, it was the honor and
joy of seeing the lives of the children, youth, college age and adults mature,
change and improve in the light of the <b><i>EXCITING</i></b> message of the
Gospel of Jesus Christ that drove us to put out our best effort in everything
we did!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I pray and thank the Lord each day for His continued
direction for me in this new season of my life, I can’t help but to remember
that old, cold-air-leaking cabin at Snow Camp near Lake Tahoe in California, that
I shared with the young Junior High boys from our first youth group in the
mid-seventies, when I heard the clear and concise voice of the Lord calling me
into His ministry… and especially now, as I declare Psalm 71:18 from The
Passion Translation saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“God, now that I’m old and
gray, don’t walk away. Give me grace to demonstrate to the next generation all
your mighty miracles and your EXCITEMENT, to show them your magnificent
power!” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">His Gospel message is still as <b><i>EXCITING</i></b> to me
today as it was to Piper and I throughout our marriage.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It still ignites my heart with purpose and
passion to see lives change as thy are exposed <i>to</i> and then spend time <i>in</i>
learning about the <b><i>EXCITING</i></b> principles and promises that the
Bible contains for all of us.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I find it
difficult to understand how anyone can be bored in their Christian experience…
especially if they are serious about their personal faith and their continued
growth in it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>His message <b><i>NEVER</i></b>
gets old and it <b><i>NEVER</i></b> loses its power!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, while I may be missing my wife, my best friend and my
fun-filled and talented life and ministry co-conspirator… I can and do rejoice
in the fact that although my personal circumstances may have dramatically
changed, God’s Gospel message hasn’t and it is still as <b><i>EXCITING</i></b><i>,</i>
powerful and life promoting as it ever was.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My life with <b><i>HIM</i></b> has always been… and
promises to continue to be <b><i>EXCITING!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Wouldn’t you agree with that statement of
fact in your life as well?<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a terrific rest of your week.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>After a few days of morning freezes, followed
by ice-cold northern winds and chill factors in the 20’s… our weather is
forecast to get back up into the 70’s over the weekend!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, if that isn’t <b><i>EXCITING</i></b>…
then I don’t know what is!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">May your week be just as <b><i>EXCITING</i></b>, and as you
enjoy it… share <b><i>HIS</i></b> <b><i>EXCITING</i></b> message with those
around you!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><o:p> </o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">*</span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As it turned out… it was
especially cold in our area last night and we didn’t have one Trick or Treater
all night!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I guess I’ll have to
figure out what I am going to do with all that delicious chocolate candy I
bought… He! He! He!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Yum……<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-78301421878156144882023-10-28T14:30:00.000-05:002023-10-28T14:30:09.460-05:00Carrying On!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">If you’ve been following this blog for any amount of time, then you most likely know that I am a man that puts a lot of stock in the Word
of God.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">Which as I wrote about
yesterday, is what my wife and I have come to see as the script for the story
of our lives!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I know many people who look to the daily news in order to
stay informed as to what is happening in the world that may affect their
lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have come to learn that no
matter what the news says, I do not have to fear or be moved.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Instead, I am thankful because the Word of
God tells me that no matter what… My God will always lead me in victory! <i>(See:
2 Corinthians 2:14)</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I’ve made a
point over the years to always look at the Word first thing each day, before I
look at any paper or electronic news source.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>This way I am fortified for any natural reports that I may hear or see.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">My reliance on the Word has only increased over the last
nine years with the battle for my wife’s health.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And throughout that time, I have learned many
lessons concerning how His Word affects the very core of our daily lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I have seen that when one is fighting a war
for a loved one’s health, that this individual <b><i>NEEDS</i></b> the constant
input of life that only the Word of God can give!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Early on I would find myself getting very frustrated and
drained when I was around certain Christians.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Recently I have come to understand that in most instances, when we were
around these folks, the only Word that was being spoken was coming from myself
or my wife when she still was still able to converse with those around her.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Romans 10:17 tells us that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the word of God.”</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></span><i><u><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(ESV)</span></u></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, in other words… <b><i>No Word = No Faith</i></b>!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The writer of Hebrews tells us that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“The word of God is living
and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing the division of soul and
spirit, of joints and marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the
heart.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Hebrews 4:12 ESV)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> </span><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I now understand this verse to mean that fellowship with
other Believers, that is centered around the Word… <i>brings life and involves
the whole man… spirit, soul and body!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>If the conversation is only based on natural things, then it is only a
mental exercise! <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Don’t get me wrong.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>There is definitely a place for these kinds of discussions, but when the
conversation is center on an individual fighting for their very life, <i>then I
want to speak the Word into the discussion! </i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Believe me when I say that those of us who are
in the throes of a life-or-death situation <b><i>NEED</i></b> to hear the Word
in order to continually build up our expectations for the miraculous power of
God’s Word to be working in our situation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Remember Hebrews 11:1 declares that,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Faith assures us of the
things we expect…” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word ©)</span></i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">People in the middle of a battle <b><i>NEED</i></b> to keep
their expectations <b><i>HIGH!</i></b><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I
am so thankful for friends like my long-time buddy John who calls me from
California on a weekly basis to encourage me with testimonies that he’s been a
part of as he has prayed for friends that needed a touch of God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Many times, though, he simple calls to build
my expectations by sharing a favorite scripture with me.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So yeah</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… I am a man who
greatly desires <i>to hear, and hear, and hear</i> the Word!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For you see… <i>that for Piper and I</i>… the
truth and reality of God’s Word has become the very foundation of our lives.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For us it is His Zoë… <b><i>the absolute
fullness of the God kind of life! <o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It is the power that gives me the strength to get up with a
smile <i>(most times…)</i> in the middle of the night to meet my wonderful
wife’s needs and then to <b><i>keep</i></b> a smile on my face, <i>as well as
faith in my heart and on my lips</i>… when I see the devastating changes that
have come upon her person.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It is the way
that God’s personal words to me that <b><i>“the best is yet to come”</i></b>
stays sharp and alive in me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I mean
let’s face it… <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“If God be for us, then who
(or what) can be against us!” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(Romans
8:31 KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Therefore, let me leave you with this question to ponder
over this weekend: <o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">“Do you have God’s Word of life ever growing in
intensity, reality and power in your daily activities?”<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I sure hope so!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Have
a great weekend, and as you do, keep asking yourself… <i>“What part of God’s Zoë
life am I expecting to encourage, uplift and empower me today?”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-57892889541201422962023-10-25T14:20:00.000-05:002023-10-25T14:20:17.460-05:00PKB Sightings!<p><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">I’ve been dreaming about my beloved wife quite a bit over
the last few weeks although, it’s not like they contained any deep
conversations or special loving moments together.</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">In most of the dreams… </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">she was just there</i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">…
somewhere by my side, a quiet participant in whatever was going on in the
dream!</span><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;"> </span><i style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt;">But yesterday morning was a
little different.</i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Just before I woke up for the day, I dreamed that she and I
had gone to her doctor to get a report on some lab work that she had done.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>In this scenario, she was in her early 50’s… <i>which
is the age I tend to remember her at, since it was soon after that the physical
effects of the encroaching Alzheimer’s began to become evident.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">We were standing at a counter in the doctor’s office when
the doctor approached us with a bit of a smile on his face, opened the folder
in his hand and said, <i>“We’ve discovered that your wife is pregnant!”</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>And with that, Piper and I both laughed, well
knowing that she was past menopause… <i>and I woke up… with a chuckle that
broke through the smile on my face!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I have no idea where that dream came from.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I did have some lab work done last week, so I
can understand that part… <i>but the pregnancy?</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>I haven’t thought about Piper’s pregnancies
for a long time!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So… like I said, I’ve been having a lot of dreams about her
and since they began, I kind of got into the habit of jotting down a one-line summary…
under the title of <b><i>“PKB Sightings”</i></b> on the bottom of my daily
Bible study note page, of my first waking thoughts of her that day.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Today’s initial thought of her was of her <b><i>PASSION</i></b>
for just about everything she did.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>It
was one of her trademarks that separated her from many of her
contemporaries.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Whether it was her love
for God, her love for me and our children, the excitement and joy with which
she approached homeschooling, our ministry with the children and youth at
church and even the enthusiasm in the way she ministered to our neighbors or
others like the cashiers who rung her out at the grocery store!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>She was an exciting individual to be around
and spread her <b><i>PASSION</i></b> for life to everyone she interacted with!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">It's therefore no coincidence that after writing down
today’s <b><i>“PKB Sighting”</i></b> at the bottom of my note page, that I was
eventually led in my Bible study to Philippians 3:12, where the Apostle Paul is
writing about his life and in particular, concerning the way that he was
constantly striving toward the goal of his ministry call from the Lord saying,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“Not as though I had already
attained (the full measure of God’s call), either were already perfect: but <u>I
follow after</u>, if that I may apprehend that for which also I am apprehended
of Christ Jesus.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(KJV)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Interestingly enough, the term <b><i>“I follow after”</i></b>
in this verse is defined in the Greek as, <i>“to pursue or to seek after
eagerly, to earnestly endeavor to acquire.” (Thayer’s)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i>And a deeper look into the meaning of <b><i>“to
earnestly endeavor”</i></b> explained as, <i>“The bold and sufficient pursuit
of an activity with more <b>PASSION</b>, endeavor and application and
therefore, often succeed.” (Webster’s 1828 Dictionary)<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">So, with that understanding, it’s easy to see that Piper, as
well as everyone else who reads and studies Paul’s writings… <i>including <b>YOU</b>
and <b>ME</b>,</i> had and has a <b><i>TERRIFIC</i></b> example to follow in
the way we pursue our Christian Faith, our callings in life and the ways in
which they all intertwine in our daily activities!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The modern <b><i>PASSION</i></b> Translation of the Bible,
in keeping with the theme of its translation, states Philippians 3:12 as,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“I admit that I haven’t yet
acquired the absolute fullness that I’m pursuing, but I run with PASSION into
his abundance so that I may reach the purpose that Jesus Christ has called me
to fulfill and wants me to discover.” <o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I love the idea of living life and all of the things that I
endeavor to do throughout the course of my existence with such a <b><i>PASSION</i></b>
that it oozes all over anyone that gets near me… </span><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">HOW ABOUT YOU?<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I pray that you are having an exciting week and are running
with <b><i>PASSION</i></b> into the fullness of God <i>(as promised throughout <b>YOURS</b>
and <b>MY </b>Bibles)</i> and are stretching out to reach the fulfillment of
His purposes while you discover <b><i>EVERYTHING</i></b> that He wants for you
to discover in your life!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">… and all along the way… Let your <b>PASSION</b>
ooze off on those around you!<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3718800109271891506.post-29870342339285400482023-10-21T12:21:00.000-05:002023-10-21T12:21:36.007-05:00Color and Clarity!<p><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">As I’ve probably mentioned a time or two</span></i><span style="font-family: Arial, sans-serif; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 107%;">… I
like a lot of light! So, first thing
every morning I go around the house and open all the blinds. I made it into the study around 7:15 this
morning, said hello to Fiver, who was already reclining on the loveseat in the
darkened room, and nonchalantly spun the handle on the blinds expecting light
to flood the room… <i>and you know what?
It didn’t.</i> I stead I was met
with a murky gray day that made every house and the truck parked outside my
window in the cul-de-sac look the same undefined shade of <b><i>blah!</i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had seen the truck parked a time or two in my neighbor’s
driveway, but had never really paid attention to it.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But as it was now parked across the street,
directly in front of my house, I noticed that it had a good-sized sign attached
to one of the side doors.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>But no matter
how hard I tried… <i>it was just too gray outside to read it!</i><span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>So, I shrugged my shoulders and went back
into the kitchen to get the coffee going.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">By the time I walked back into the study to prepare for my
morning Bible study, something caught my eyes through the slats on the open
blinds… It was a ray of golden sunlight that had finally made its way over the
houses at the other end of the block!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>And low and behold, the gray truck had miraculously turned into a maroon
red and the multicolored sign on its side boldly advertised a local roofing and
construction company!<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">At that point I turned to the dog who had since joined me
at the window <i>(he is the prefect size where he can rest his chin comfortably
on the window sill!)</i> and mentioned what a difference the sunshine can make
in one’s perception of the day… and I instantly heard that familiar, small,
still voice on the inside of me quietly say, <i>“Just as the Son’s light also
brings <b>color</b> and <b>clarity</b> into one’s perception of their world!”<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Now, I can’t say that the dog heard the same thing that I
did, but he suddenly looked up to me with a cocked head and an upright ear… <i>as
if to confirm that it was a word of insight from the Lord!<o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">When I tuned back to my desk and sat down in front of my
Bible study program that was opened up on my computer, I automatically thought
of John 1:1-5 where the Apostle of love penned,<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 14.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">“In the beginning the WORD
already existed. The WORD was with God, and the WORD was God.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>He was already with God in the beginning.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Everything came into existence through him.
Not one thing that exists was made without him.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>He was the source of LIFE, and that LIFE was the LIGHT for humanity.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The LIGHT shines in the dark, and the dark
has never extinguished it.” </span></i></b><i><span style="font-family: "Ink Free"; font-size: 10.0pt; line-height: 107%; mso-bidi-font-family: Arial;">(God’s Word
©)<o:p></o:p></span></i></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I had to smile as I understood that this verse of scripture
defines the Son of God and refers to Him as the <b><i>WORD</i></b><i>,</i> the <b><i>LIFE</i></b>
and the <b><i>LIGHT</i></b> that shines in the dark… <i>with the darkness <b>never</b>
being able to extinguish it!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">I thought back fifteen minutes in time when everything was murky
and gray outside and of how fast just a little bit of the sun’s golden colored light
totally changed what was sitting in plain view right before me!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>The situation in the cul-de-sac didn’t change,
nothing moved, there was no bolt of lightning that suddenly rained down from
the sky and the ground didn’t shake… but all it took was a thin line of golden
light that slowly expanded from the tailgate of the truck facing westward in
the cul-de-sac, to the houses across the street and finally to the beautiful
greens of golf course beyond the houses.<o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">And as I turned in my squeaky desk chair and looked out the
big window that overlooks my front yard, I smiled once again as I realized that
I didn’t actually need that ray of golden sunlight to suddenly appear on our side
of the block that ends with the cul-de-sac that bumps up to the golf course <i>(and
the bright yellow golf ball also sitting right in front of my house between me and
the red truck… that’s why I never leave my car outside of my garage!)<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></i></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">All I needed to do to brighten my day and bring <b><i>clarity</i></b>
and <b><i>color</i></b> into my life was to pick up one of my many Bibles
scattered throughout my house or reach inside of my heart where I have hidden
His Word <i>(See: Psalm 119:11)</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>For
you see, God’s <b><i>LIFE</i></b> and God’s <b><i>LIGHT</i></b> is always
available to us… 24/7 – 365 days of the year – <b><i>WITHIN THE PAGES OF HIS
WRITTEN WORD</i></b> as found in <b><i>YOURS</i></b> and <b><i>MY BIBLES</i></b>
- <i>to bring <b>insight</b>, <b>clarity</b> and or <b>definition</b> as well
as <b>color</b> to every and any situation we may face… <b>anytime and
anywhere!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span></b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">The information contained in today’s blog post is very timely
and applicable to the current and highly charged unrest in the <b><i>MIDDLE
EAST</i></b>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Darkness seems to be
creeping out all over,,, <i>but yet</i>… <b><i>YOU</i></b> and I <b><i>KNOW</i></b>
exactly how to dispel that darkness… <b><i>Don’t We!<o:p></o:p></i></b></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><b><i><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">STUDY</span></i></b><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;"> the Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><i>BELIEVE</i></b> the Word.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><b><i>PRAY</i></b> the Word and then <b><i>LIVE</i></b>
the Word… Let <b><i>HIS LIGHT</i></b> and <b><i>LIFE</i></b> overtake the <b><i>DARKNESS</i></b>
and make it run away from the power of God working <i>in</i> and <i>through </i>His
<b><i>WORD</i></b>… <i>that is working in</i> and <i>through <b><u>YOU</u>!</b></i><o:p></o:p></span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal"><span style="font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 12.0pt; line-height: 107%;">Have a great weekend!<span style="mso-spacerun: yes;">
</span>Keep <b><i>EXPECTING</i></b> God’s <b><i>BEST</i></b>… <i>and as you do</i>…
pass it on to others around you… who may need a little <b><i>LIGHT</i></b> to
brighten their day today!<o:p></o:p></span></p>Pastor Jimhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13683691197068993800noreply@blogger.com0