Our 40th Wedding Anniversary!

My wife and I will be celebrating our fortieth wedding anniversary on this coming Sunday, July 12^th.  I was reading that the fortieth anniversary is the ruby jewel anniversary.  Without going too far beyond the G rating of this blog, I noticed that Kay Jewelers describes the ruby as the gem of passion and of smoldering desire.  And as I look back over our forty years of marriage (and five years of dating before that) I can honestly say that we have always lived together with a passion for life, for God, for our family and for each other.

Piper has been my best friend for forty-five years, my confidant, my shoulder to rest on, my encourager, the love of my life and my constant companion through thick and thin!  I think all of that is why I was so devastated when some members of her family would even consider telling our kids and a mutual friend that they didn’t know if I would “stick” with her when she was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s.

As I considered our upcoming anniversary, I found myself facing an inner battle between my emotions and my faith.  One side of me was thoroughly excited about this milestone anniversary, of the many years we have enjoyed together and what the Word tells of a long life and bright future ahead.  The other side of me looked at the increase in physical weakness she has been exhibiting a little more often as of late, my sore joints from having to exert more muscular strength to help her to accomplish her daily needs and the constant pressure of the emotional strain that comes from observing my once lovely and lively, compassionate, fun-filled and active wife who cannot walk nor do much of anything without assistance anymore.

I also considered the memory of our thirtieth wedding anniversary which was our last stress free, I guess you could say “normal” marriage celebration.  At that time we were able to hook up our trailer and spend a week alone at our favorite place in the world, in the midst of the Plumas National Forest, situated at 5500 plus feet above sea level within the borders of Plumas Eureka State Park in north eastern California near the Nevada border.  Now that was living… that was one of the best times in our recent lives!

This morning as I sat next to my wife beside her side of the bed, I just stared at her and thought about all of this.  About the last forty five years, about the good times that far exceeded the bad times, and how special she is to me.  I also considered the Word of God that describes how in a marriage the man and women shall become one. (Mark 10:8)  I must say that over these last six years I have really come to understand the significance of that statement.  When all the loving intricacies and interactions between a husband and a wife slowly begin to deteriorate due to a deliberating disease in one partner, you really begin to physically, mentally and emotionally feel like a major part of you missing!

So as I placed my hand gently on Piper’s side this morning and began to pray and speak out the Word of life and thank the Lord for her and my good/blessed fortune at having her in my life, I suddenly began to see things from Papa God’s viewpoint.  Within a few moments I noticed that the entire mood in the bedroom had changed as it was charged with His expectations of life!  Suddenly the visual marks of the disease seemed to fade from view and I could only see her as God sees her… healed and whole, lovely and lively, filled with compassion, with that fun-loving glint of joy in her eyes, that special hop in her step and her God-given passion for love and for life.

Colossians 2:10 in the Phillip’s paraphrase tells us that “your own completeness is only realized in him, who is the Authority over all authorities, and the Supreme Power over all powers.”  As I sat through that transformation of thought, the redirection of my faith, and the re-igniting of our earnest expectations of God’s best for my wife and I this morning, I understood where, what and Who we needed to keep our eyes on… no matter what is going on before us.  The Lord Jesus Christ is the One who completes us as individuals and as one in our marriage covenant together.

Piper is a unique and interconnected part of me as I am with her, but our completeness comes through our oneness with Him.  I think we could rewrite that verse to say what it implies in that “the two shall become one… in Him!”  For He is the key to every success in every part of our lives whether you're staring at death in the face, a desperate financial need, an emotional struggle, relationship problems or any other situation!  He is the one that completes the picture with His answers, through His power and with His authority over every other authority above, below and upon this earth.

I have come to believe that this is the great realization that every Christian must come to!  It is the realization that is causing me to see our fortieth wedding anniversary in a new, expectant and excited light.  In fact, I started telling Piper again yesterday afternoon that now that we are living in North Carolina and only a few hours away from the Great Smoky Mountains, that I am fully expecting us to get another trailer rig and go on some more exciting camping/hiking adventures in the places that some of our country’s forefather’s traveled, hunted, lived and fought to keep our country united...  And I expect it to be happening soon!

Have a great day filled with the realization that your completeness in life comes from a oneness with Him.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “With Whom am I expecting to be complete in today?”

Freedom from the Notebook...

I found myself standing by the kitchen table the other day thumbing through one of the little notebooks that my wife always tended to carry around in her purse.  She mostly used the little booklets for her shopping and to do lists.  Occasionally she would also jot down notes from Sunday sermons in them although she usually preferred to take a clean sheet of paper for those notes so that she could store it in her bible and review the Pastor’s teachings throughout the week.

This particular green pocket-sized spiral memo book contained all the above plus notations from some of her personal daily bible studies as well.  From the dates, I could tell that this was one of the notebooks she used while we lived in Oklahoma.  It is a little funny in that I had high hopes of attending as many of the extra-curricular activities at the large international ministry based church that the Bible College was attached to while we were there.  It seemed that there was always a special service, seminar or fun activity going on.  But alas, our personal circumstances with the beginning stages of Piper’s health concerns messed up my plans!

As it turned out, when I wasn’t in school I was usually working, so Piper and our youngest daughter got to attend a whole bunch of services without me.  The positive side to this was that although she ended up not being able to attend school, Piper did get a large and concentrated dose of the powerful Word of God through all these meetings!  I am positive that this Word is what’s been keeping her going and working strongly within her right now!

But back to the notebook… One of the things that this book captures is Piper’s custom of keeping track of all her purchases when she went grocery shopping.  Like most families, there were times in our lives where we needed to keep close tabs on our budget, and Piper was always very good with our finances.  She would write down the cost of each item she put in her basket and keep a running total of her purchases so that she knew exactly where she was with her allotted budget for that shopping trip.  She had a good eye for bargains and knew which items were a better buy than others.

One of the stores we shopped in back in our hometown had a large Mexican foods section (with most items labeled in Spanish) and Piper knew that there were many items there that were the same as some of the popular name brands for a lot less money!  Let’s just say that she was a wise shopper and knew how far she could stretch a limited grocery budget!

Now that we are “empty nesters” the strains on our monthly budget have been greatly reduced.  Lately I find that I want to make up for those limited times in the past whenever I purchase things for my wife.  I want to get her all the things that she may have had to do without as she always put the kid’s needs before hers.  Yesterday I wanted to pick up some new lipstick for her and without much restraint ended up buying her the color she was running out of and another new red-wine colored tint just because I could and I knew that she would like it.  I just want to give her everything and go and do the things that we weren’t always able to do when the kids were living at home.

As I studied out the word “complete” in Colossians 2:10 this morning, I got the solid idea that this is probably a positive trait that I picked up from my Father God!  Verse nine tells us “For the full content of divine nature lives in Christ…” (GNB) and then in the next verse Paul continues saying “and God has made you complete in Christ.” (God’s Word ©)  The completeness that Paul is referring to is talking about the nature of Papa God.

Strong’s defines “complete” here as “to make replete, that is to cram.”  Being the linguistics scholar that I am, I had to look up the word “replete” and discovered it to mean “abundantly supplied or provided; as to be stuffed or gorged with food and drink.” (Dictionary.com)  You see, God’s plan is to make us complete in an abundant, overflowing and over-the-top manner!  The Apostolic Bible Polyglot states Colossians 2:10 as “And you are in him being fulfilled…”  To me this implies that it is a progressive process going on inside those of us who are actively seeking and believing for His wisdom and directions from His Word.

It is the progressive attainment of a nature that is totally different, free from and FAR exceeding that which the world’s wisdom has to offer.  It is His nature of love and grace without judgement, giving without fear of lack, and the answer to dilemmas that the world says are impossible to believe for.  It is the nature of Papa God that my wife and I have surrendered to and come to trust without question over the last six years.  It is also a way of life that we have taken a fair amount of flack over… especially from many Christians!

Lately as I read the scriptures, I get the feeling that most of us Christians are living way below the standard that God has provided for us to live.  I think that we have sold the Lord short by trying to understand His Word within the limited understanding of our own natural thinking.  Because our physical minds can’t figure it out, we tend to put up walls that deny the supernatural, miraculous attributes of our abilities in Christ!

What do you think?  I see the early church in the book of Acts living in an entirely different place than the modern church.  Miracles, the power behind the name of Jesus spoken through the mouths of the saints (and not just the Apostles), and the living expectation of what Jesus said and did working for them in and through their lives are the signs that mark that era… and as far as I can see we are still living in the same New Testament age as they were…  So, what’s wrong with this picture?

Just as most of the restraints have been removed from our budget now that the kids are grown and on their own, I think that Christians today should also be able to live free from the restraints of a life bound by the limitations of their own natural understandings and released into the exceedingly, abundantly of Papa God through the supernatural understanding of the Holy Spirit’s instruction in our lives.

Have a great day!  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What or Who’s understanding of God’s promises am I expecting to live by today?”

"ZOWIE!"

This may sound like a funny comparison to some of you, but as I started reading from Colossians 2:10 this morning, I thought about our new car.  In this particular scripture Paul is telling us how “God has made us complete in Christ…”  Vincent’s Word Studies clarifies the meaning of the American Standard translation of: “And in him ye are made full…” stating “Not ye are made full in him, but ye are in him, made full.”  The difference being the knowledge that our success in life is all about Him and not us!  Yes we make the choice and take the steps to be in Him, but we are to continually remember and trust in the fact that it is His power, His abilities, His resources and His grace working through us… and not our own!

When I come up against a wall in this life, it is the realization of Who I have inside of me that empowers me to overcome the situation.  In Him I become another person.  In fact, 2 Corinthians 5:17 says that in Him we are totally new creatures!

So what does this have to do with our Mustang?  Well, when we followed the Lord’s leading to move to Oklahoma a few years back, we knew that we would have to part with some things in order to help finance the move and lessen the amount of things we needed to transport halfway across the country.  After much prayer and a bit of heartbreak, my wife decided that she would give her beloved piano away and I felt it necessary to sell my shiny red Camaro.

As it turned out, the pastors we had given the piano to followed the call of the Lord to Montana a few years later and put the piano up for sale.  A good friend of ours from the old church saw the piano and just knew that they needed to get it back for Piper… and they did!  When we returned to Santa Rosa, her piano was waiting for her.  The tears in her eyes when she sat down to play it again told me that a part of her had been returned!  I can’t tell you how much that piano has also come to mean to me since Piper has not been able to play it for a few years now.  Just looking at it helps me to stay connected to the expectation of her healing and the vision of her playing it again!

I hadn’t really realized that the same thing was going on in me until my kids convinced me to go with my heart and purchase the new car even though I could not come up with any compelling reason to do so!  But I tell you… every time I get in to that Vapor Silver with a red interior car it mysteriously feels like a part of me has come home to stay!*  I can’t explain it, but I just feel complete!  You know… It just makes me feel special and loved of Papa God as He would bless us with such an over-the-top conveyance.

In many respects that is similar to what Paul is telling us who believe.  Our union with Christ makes us complete.  He fills the gaping hole in people’s lives.  The Moffatt Version says “It is in him that you reach your full life.”  As I studied this verse over the weekend I had the revelation that without him I am merely a natural man limited to what I see, hear, taste, smell and feel.  But in Him I have access to the supernatural and the Kingdom of God’s unlimited resources, capabilities and miraculous answers!  

That realization gives me a 1960’s Batman TV show exclamation like “Bam!” “Wow!” “Zowie!” “Smash!” “Zonks!” “Kapow!” and “Holy Miracles Batman!”**

When you understand what it means to be complete in Him, it kind of makes you want to put on your spiritual cape, jump in your Godmobile and go out (in His power) to conquer anything that the enemy of our souls puts before us… doesn’t it!

Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “In What or Who’s completeness am I expecting ‘Zowie’ today?”

  

*Piper and I have always shared a passion for fun cars beginning with my very first car, a black MGB in the seventies, to our 280Z, a Bronco, a 4X4 Sports Truck, a Dodge Challenger and then the Camaro before the recent edition of the Mustang GT.

**Did you know that there is an entire web page dedicated to Robin’s “Holy” exclamations from the 1960’s DC Comics show?  Check it out at: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_exclamations_by_Robin

Better Than The Fireworks Shows!

I hope that everyone had a wonderful, safe and sound Fourth of July this last weekend.  We had somewhat of a quiet weekend, experiencing more fireworks – per say – inside the house than on the outside!

I have mentioned in past blogs about some of the adventures that we have been having with the red and black crickets (I thought) in our home this summer.  With the onset of the warmer weather, the bugs have come out in force and have far exceeded the amount we saw last year.  It got to the point to where I had gotten up around 2:00 in the morning on a couple of days a week or so ago, only to find the counters around the kitchen sink looking like it was a cricket convention!  So I finally talked to the gals in the office and set an appointment for the exterminator to make an appearance at our apartment.

My first surprise was when I showed the gentleman a couple of the dead bugs that I had saved.  He informed me that they were not crickets as I had assumed but cockroaches… big palmetto bug – American cockroaches!  I had seen cockroaches hiding in the old organ we had gotten from a work friend for Piper and JoAnna in Oklahoma, but they were nothing like these fellas.  So, he spent a few minutes spraying around the entrance ways, bathrooms and kitchen and then left.

But alas… it didn’t seem to have worked as the population of bugs did not go down during the week.  I finally went out in between the thunderstorms on Friday and bought some Raid spray.  That evening I sprayed all around the locations throughout the house where I had seen the bugs while making sure that it was out of the range of the dog’s tongue.  By the next morning when Mandie got me up to go outside around 6:45, I had forgotten all about it… until Mandie stopped to sniff a couple of dead bugs near the patio door.

Then when we walked back to the bedroom I noticed the fireworks!  The kitchen floor was literally covered in dead cockroaches!  By the time I swept them all up I had counted over 25 of the species.  I wasn’t sure if I should have been disgusted or rejoice!  The next day we found a few more in the kitchen and today we discovered four in the bedroom.  When I told the story to some locals they simply smiled and said: “Welcome to North Carolina!”  They also warned me of the need to keep up my persistence or they’ll come right back!  So yeah… I guess you could say that we had a not necessarily fun but productive weekend…

Piper woke up this morning with glimpses of that old funny spontaneity that has always marked her sparkling personality.  She opened up her eyes rather quickly as I greeted her and quietly laid in bed as I spoke out and decreed the Word of life into her.  Then when I came to the last three verses in Jeremiah 1:12, Mark 16:20 and Luke 4:21 where it tells of the Lord performing, working with, confirming and fulfilling the Word in her, she suddenly broke out into a smile and her lips began to quiver in joy and agreement!

That, of course, caused me to pause and smile and I declared: “You believe that don’t you?”  And she just smiled even bigger and gently nodded her head!  Then after I had gotten her in an upright position and sitting on the end of the bed, I started putting her slippers on her.  As I worked to pull on the left shoe she began to lean back so I stopped, reached up behind her back and gently straightened her up and then went back to her slippers.  These actions repeated themselves a few times until I finally noticed a silly little grin on her face… she was doing it on purpose!  You can’t tell me that the Word isn’t working in her!

Colossians 2:10 tells us that “God has made us complete in Christ” (God’s Word ©)  and I firmly believe that it is His process of completion that we are seeing happening in my wife.  We are witnesses of the impossible becoming possible before our very eyes!  Why, that’s a far more spectacular show than any fireworks demonstration that was staged across our country this weekend.  It’s even better than all those dead bugs on our kitchen floor Saturday morning!

What examples of His process of completeness happening in your life have you experienced lately?  I’d love to hear about them in the comments section of this blog!  Papa God earnestly desires to put on a show in your life today.  He wants you to see and experience the satisfying completeness that can only be found in Him!  It’s all to be discovered in His Word… so dig it out and get the Word working for you.  Have a great week.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What or Who’s FIREWORKS am I expecting to personally experience today?”

True Independence!

One of the many things I have enjoyed since moving from the west coast to the east is the abundance of history that literally swarms throughout this area!  And while I am proud of my California heritage, I cannot help but feel closer to my American roots as I explore the lands where those who discussed, penned and fought for our independence lived and died.

As it turns out, North Carolina was right in the forefront of the fledgling government and fight for freedom in the 1700’s.  There is a strong belief felt by many that “on May 20, 1775 a group of colonial militia leaders met in Mecklenburg, North Carolina and declared independence from Great Britain a full 13 months before the Continental Congress.”  And while no original copy of the “Mecklenburg Declaration” has survived and many including Thomas Jefferson argued that it never did exist, its legacy still rings loudly as “the date of its supposed signing – May 20, 1775 – still appears on both the North Carolina state flag and seal.” (http://www.history.com/news/did-north-carolina-issue-the-first-declaration-of-independence)

As I was reading some articles about the colonial revolution against the British, it dawned on me that I had never really thought about it, but when the representatives from the thirteen colonies adopted the resolution that came to be known as “The Declaration of Independence” on July 4, 1776, the actual war was still in its beginning stages.  After the signing of this document, which most historians now agree actually occurred nearly a month after its adoption on August 2, 1776, the war raged on until “the Treaty of Paris ended the war and recognized the sovereignty of the United States”  (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Revolutionary_War) in 1783.

During the seven years between their adoption of the Declaration of Independence and the final signing of the treaty that ended the bloodshed, our forefathers fought with a strong conviction and faith in the belief and understanding of that document.  The history of their determination reminded me of the similar conviction and faith that we Christians stand and fight for in our unmovable belief in the Bible, which is the document that defines our freedom against the oppression of the enemy of our souls on this earth.  It also got me to thinking about the astounding odds that were stacked against the colonists as they gave their all to fight for the truths that they firmly believed in.  But in the end… they overcame and won the fight!

Well, the same can be said for Christians today!  In this world we are constantly bombarded with threats against our Biblical beliefs and stand for the God-kind of life we believe to be the only way.  Laws are changed, historical understandings and definitions are reversed or re-defined, and at times it looks like the battle is lost.  But you know… when you read the end of the book, just like the results of the lopsided fight the colonists fought in the late 1770’s in the United States… we win!

Therefore, I think we have a lesson to learn as we here in the United States of America celebrate the establishment of our nation.  This is not a time to get angry or afraid, but rather the time to dig in even deeper to where our lives are rooted.  Colossians 2:7 encourages us to “Sink your roots in him and build on him.  Be strengthened by the faith that you were taught, and overflow with thanksgiving.” (God’s Word ©)

We still have a job to do, another battle to fight and many more victories to win!  If you’re feeling down, upset or are concerned about the state of things in this world then it is time to fire God’s Secret Weapon of JOY in the knowledge of His truth as stated in
Romans 8:31 where Paul declared: “What shall we then say to these things?  If God be for us, who can be against us?” (KJV)

So go out this weekend and celebrate our country’s origins and at the same time rejoice in the knowledge that along with Christians anywhere in this world who are facing all kinds of disturbing events… YOU ARE ON THE WINNING SIDE!

Have a great weekend.  Stay in tune to His Word, and keep asking yourself… “What or who’s ultimate INDEPENDENCE and VICTORY am I expecting to celebrate today?”

 

Personal Joy!

I had kind of a weird experience this morning.  I got up around 7:00 AM to let the dog out.  When I opened the door to the patio I looked up into the sky and automatically began singing in my mind’:

♪“Oh what a beautiful mornin’

   Oh what a beautiful day

   I’ve got a wonderful feeling

   Every thing’s going my way ♫ *

After Mandie finished her business she came back in and I closed the door behind us and began to walk back to the bedroom.  Then it hit me and I stopped in step and thought… “Huh?  What’s going on here?  It’s NOT a beautiful morning out there!  It is rather dark, overcast, humid and dreary outside… It is far from a beautiful morning!”

That thought stuck with me for a moment or two, and when nothing else seemed to enter into my mind, I shrugged my shoulders, chuckled a bit and went back to bed.  Once my head hit the pillow I suddenly had a revelation concerning the importance of one’s PERSONAL JOY and a previous experience with that Christian characteristic.

Yesterday had been a rather tough day for us.  It actually began a couple of days ago when Piper was rather weak which required a lot more physical exertion on my behalf as I assisted her throughout the day.  Then she had some difficulties during that following night and I hadn’t got much sleep followed by another weak day.  So that day was difficult as she was needing me to steady and hold her up a lot more often and I was a bit sore in some of my joints from the previous day’s activities.  That combination did not add up to an easy day!

As I laid there in bed this morning, I thought about how my PERSONAL JOY got me through some of the tougher interactions, especially as I helped her get ready for dinner.  During the last experience I was attempting to help her walk back to her chair when she just couldn’t go any further.  At that moment I had a vital decision to make…  I was pooped!  My shoulder and wrists weren’t too happy and I was VERY tempted to throw in the towel on this whole faith thing!

But I looked into the bathroom mirror at Piper’s reflection, thought about the pictures of her that I have hanging just outside the bathroom door in our bedroom that depict her as a vibrant and vivacious twenty one year old in one shot and two others when she was in her forties and in the midst of her happy parenting adventures… and I just couldn’t say it!  In fact, I swallowed hard and spoke out loud declaring that “I won’t say it, I won’t say it!”

I was finally able to stretch out and pull the chair to her where she sat down rather limp like a Raggedy Ann Doll.  I didn’t say anything else, but I still wasn’t a happy camper!  I brought Piper back into the kitchen and set out to serve the food I had prepared for dinner.  Then it dawned on me.  I was NOT going to let the enemy of our souls have an inch of ground in our battle for my wife’s health! 

I was tired, more than just a bit disgusted and desperately needed the Lord’s assistance at that moment.  So what did I do?  Even though I didn’t feel like it, I began to praise the Lord and sing a simple joyful children’s song unto the Lord.  In fact it was a song that Piper had written so I knew that it would be very familiar to her.  Well, it didn’t happen right away but about an hour later I noticed that Piper seemed stronger and more alert. She was sitting up fairly straight on the couch and was partaking of her dinner.  That little miracle was enough to make me shout!

In John chapter fifteen, Jesus is teaching about His being the vine and we being the branches.  He talks about the importance of being connected and in unity with Him and the Father.  Then in verse eleven he states: “I have told you this so that you will be as joyful as I am, and your joy will be complete.” (God’s Word ©)  I think that He was referring to our PERSONAL JOY here.  Vincent’s Word Studies explains that this statement declares a “distinction between the absolute joy which is Christ’s, and the PROGRESSIVE, but finally consummated joy which is the disciple’s.”

In other words, our PERSONAL JOY is something that WE HAVE TO DEVELOP over time through the various experiences and situations in our lives…  Just like I did last night.  I had a choice to put up the white flag of surrender or to force myself to be joyful and thereby allow His power and ability into my immediate need. 

And you know… Not only did Piper get stronger and more alert last night… but so did I!  After I had helped her get ready for bed later in the evening and was confessing healing scriptures over her, I noticed that I was not exhausted like I usually am at that time each night!  Yielding to Him and forcing myself to stir up His Joy in me gave me strength! (See: Nehemiah 8:10)

There was no one else around at 7:00 last night when I was struggling to help my wife walk to her chair.  I was occupied in such a way that I couldn’t even get my phone to call someone.  So I had to do it myself.  I had to choose JOY or to whine and give up!  That’s when years of practice and lots of the Word in me kicked in.  Soldiers many times talk about how their training just sort of kicks in when they are in battle.  Well, that’s exactly what happened to me.  When I was squeezed, what was inside came out!  When I made myself begin to praise the Lord, the training took over and before I knew it things had turned around for the two of us!

Do you have that PERSONAL JOY inside of you?  Have you spent the time getting His Word in you and practicing His JOY?  I am sure glad that I have… and continue to do so!  There’s no better time than the present to start your training and practice!  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What or Who’s JOY am I expecting to train for and practice today?”

PS:  Maybe I just need to MAKE IT be a beautiful morning today... no matter what the weather looks like!!!

 

*“Oh What A Beautiful Morning” Songwriters:  GERSHWIN, GEORGE / GERSHWIN, IRA; Lyrics © Warner/Chappell Music, Inc., IMAGEM U.S. LLC

WOW!

I have subscribed to Motor Trend Magazine for most of my adult life.  I can’t really remember when I started receiving the monthly journal.  It may have been when I was in Junior College, but it was definitely a regular sight in our home by the time Piper and I were married.  Over the years the magazine that was first published in September of 1949 with the tagline of “The Magazine for a Motoring World” by the Peterson Publishing Company in Los Angeles California, has changed ownership at least four times when Robert Peterson sold his publishing empire in 1996.

I personally feel that the magazine editorial flavor, car coverage and story content have suffered ever since that time!  Over the last few years though, I have picked up a sense of the humor and personal relational elements with the writers that marked the Peterson ownership.  But throughout it all, I have continued enjoying most of the articles, being awestruck as I read about some of the most outrageous and bodacious automobiles in the world, and dreaming about what it would be like to have a barn full of hot cars!

I guess that is one of the reasons that I also enjoy reading my Bible!  It continually causes me to be awestruck by the out-of-this-world encouragement, miracles, strength and potential that is available to me as a son of the living God.  Its words – His Words of truth - cause me to step beyond the limits of my own understanding into His “exceeding abundantly above all that we ask or think” (Ephesians 3:20 – KJV) and not only dream of big things, but also strive to actually attain them!

I had a difficult time staying asleep last night and found myself continually reviewing and meditating on the words of the Psalmist in Psalm 91:16…. “With long life will I satisfy him, and make him to behold my salvation.” (Jewish Publication Society Bible)  First of all I personalized the verse to read: “With a long life am I satisfying you Jim and Piper, and I am making you to behold My salvation.”

Then I considered that word “behold.”  Many of the other translations render it as “show” but I feel that “behold” best describes the feeling that the author is trying to convey.  One of the definitions that Strong’s gives is “to make to enjoy.”  The Expositor’s Bible Commentary renders it as “to revel in My salvation” or to “feast his eyes with.”  Those variations tend to help the reader pick up the sense of joyful awe behind the truth of this verse. 

Rick Renner who pastors the rapidly growing Moscow Good News Church in Russia, has written over thirty books and is known around the world as a gifted Bible scholar and teacher, defined the word “behold” in modern terminology as “Wow!”  Its actions of causing someone to fix their gaze on God and His endless possibilities and power while having your breath taken away as you are awe-struck by His love, grace and compassion accurately reflect the Psalmist’s thoughts of God making us to BEHOLD His salvation!

Remember also that “salvation” in both the Hebrew and Greek yields inference to “all of God’s redemptive processes” as explained by Cyrus Ingerson Scofield in his 1909/1917 Scofield Reference Bible, which many consider to be “one of the most influential theological works of the early 20th century.” (http://www.studylight.org/commentaries/srn/)

As I whirled this verse around in my mind last night, I got to the point where I was almost laughing in bed as I joyfully declared that “Papa God wants to ‘WOW’ me and Piper with all of His redemptive processes!”  Think on that for a moment or two… The God of the universe earnestly desires to “WOW” us with ALL His redemptive processes.  He wants to “WOW” you and me with the fullness of life that starts now and continues into eternity!  He wants us strong, wise, healthy and with every need met while having more in store to give to others.

“WOW!”  That’s all I can say about that!  The more I think about it, the more I understand why God wants… and has empowered you and me to be actively walking in His JOY while letting this - His secret weapon - splash onto others!

So reach out toward Him today and allow Him to make you BEHOLD His salvation.  Let go of any restraint and let Him “WOW” you with ALL of His redemptive processes!  Have a great day.  Stay in tune to His Word and keep asking yourself… “What or Who am I expecting to ‘WOW’ me today?