"Man Up!" - Bold Confidence

I attended St Rose Parochial School from kindergarten through second grade.  Then when my family bought a new house and moved to another part of town, I went to a public elementary school for one year while on a waiting list for an opening for the new parish school whose area we moved into.  That opening came for the next school year and I attended St Eugene’s Parochial School from fourth through sixth grade.  From there I went to the public junior high where my Dad taught, and then moved onto high school in the same district where I met my wife… and the rest is history!

One fond memory I have of my time in Parochial School was the yearly church fairs that they used to hold on the elementary school’s playground.  As I look back today, I can’t really say how big or professional those fairs really were, but at the time, in my mind’s eye, they rivaled the large summer county fair!  I do remember one incident at the St Rose fair that served as a lesson that I have reviewed many times throughout my adult life.

Amongst the seemingly endless array of booths set up around the playground that year there was a ball toss challenge that caught my entire attention for the fair. 
The source of that attention grabber for me was a cool hat that could be won with a bullseye toss.  I am not sure why, but for whatever reason I felt like I couldn’t live without that fedora style hat.  (Who knew that they would come back into fashion today?)  But the more money I spent tossing balls, the more I realized that I wasn’t going to win that hat without a little help… so I began to pray earnestly, like I had NEVER prayed before.  I still recall standing in the quiet behind that booth begging God for the ability to win that hat!

Well, to make a long story short… I finally talked my big brother (who was a lot better athlete at the time than me) into trying his luck at the booth.  But his participation came with a cost.  He made me promise that if he won the hat that I would give him my parakeet!  So after a little consideration of his terms I consented… and he proceeded to hit a bullseye, win the hat for me and gain a long term relationship with my bird! 

That green parakeet ended up living for a LONG time and each year on her birthday, I still get a phone call, email or text from my brother telling me how old Jackie (the bird) would be if she were still alive!  - Oh, by the way… did I mentioned that I NEVER liked that bird as she would peck at me every time I put my hand in the cage… it really wasn’t a hard decision to give her away… but don’t tell my brother I said that!

As the Apostle Paul concluded his directions to us about the church’s role in God’s plan for all history (See Ephesians 3:9-11), he declared that “we can go to God with bold confidence.” (God’s Word ©)  With that scripture in mind, I will share that the major lesson that I learned, as I have matured in my Christian walk, from that childhood experience some fifty years ago, was that I need not ever BEG God for anything when I come to Him in prayer!  Instead I have come to understand that as a son of the living God, adopted into His family and as a member of Christ’s body, I am supposed to come into His presence with a bold confidence.

Jesus Himself told His disciples “Therefore I say unto you, what things so ever you desire, WHEN YOU PRAY, believe that ye receive them, and ye shall have them.” (Mark 11:24 KJV)  The God’s Word © translation says that we are to “have faith that you have already received whatever you have prayed for…”  It is that faith and/or believing in God’s will being accomplished in your prayer that causes the bold confidence in your approach to Him!  One thing that I appreciate when I read the four Gospels is that Jesus always proved what He taught by His actions.  Before publically raising his good friend Lazarus from the dead He prayed to the Father and thanked Him declaring “Father, I thank thee that thou hast heard me.  And I knew that thou hearest me always…” (John 11:41-42 KJV)

I believe that the boldness and confidence that we are able to pray to God with is part of that authority that I wrote about Monday that Jesus said is inherent in us as part of His body.  Jesus and Paul were telling us that as we pray the will of God that we can expect Him to hear and answer our prayers accordingly!  Jesus taught His followers early on in His earthly ministry not to ramble on and on in prayer like the heathen do, but to “pray in this way, Our father who is in Heaven, Hallowed be Your name.  Your kingdom come, Your will be done on earth as it is in heaven.” (Matthew 6:9-10 MKJV)  And how can we be assured that we are praying His will?  By praying His Word… for His will is found in His Word!  Remember that in His final hours Jesus prayed to the Father asking him to “sanctify them (us believers) through thy truth: thy word is truth.” (John 17:17 KJV)

Can you imagine how we could change the direction the world is going if we all came in faith to God in prayer with the bold confidence that we were praying the will of God and that His will was going to be accomplished?  Then instead of getting anxious or angry when we read the negativity in the headlines or hear of some new act of terror or new legislature that is being proposed that is contrary to the truth found in God’s Word, we would cry out in praise and thanksgiving to God knowing that our prayers were being answered and that His will would ultimately prevail!

That kind of bold confident prayer is what keeps me going day in and day out.  It is the thing that energizes my joy, maintains my strength, and keeps me focused on God’s perfect will for the healing of my wife.  You and I have the authority to pray this way, to stay strong, to resist fear and worry and know that we know that God’s will is being done because we have taken our place in prayer and are assured therefore, that Papa God’s plan for history is being accomplished through the body of Christ!

What do you think about that?  Let me know… and as you do, keep asking yourself… “In whose will am I expecting to pray and thereby see it come into being in my world today?”

"Man Up!" - Authority

Yesterday dawned blue and true with beautiful clear blue skies and the true warmth that prevails in the midst of a warm spring day… even though it was only the last day of January!  With the promise of temperatures in the mid to high sixties, my wife and I jumped into our Mustang, put the top down and headed south down the meandering US Highway 401 toward the metropolis of Lillington and beyond!  Along our way we traversed through the little communities of Chalybeate Springs, Kipling and Cape Fear before reaching the county seat at Lillington.  After perusing the little old town we moved on past Harnett with a final stop at Bunnlevel where we gave in to the still a bit too cool weather and put the top up before retracing our path home!

The further south we got, the more country-like the surroundings became.  At one point I turned to me wife who seemed to be enjoying our adventure and declared that it was like a completely different world out here when compared to our former home on the northern west coast of California. 

Little country churches at the center of the little communities, some that date back to the 1700’s, fields that are being prepared for the new year’s planting of cotton, remnants of the pine forests that used to cover most of the county but were decimated for the navel stores needed for the wooden sailing ships of yesteryear, numerous creeks, the Cape Fear River that was once one of the main routes used for the early settlers to gain access to central North Carolina, a few swamps and lots of fresh air, breath-taking views of a gorgeous countryside and lots of quiet broken only by the birds singing their sunshine songs.  (There are some additional perks to having the top down as you can really get in tune to the sounds and smells of the areas you pass by!)

As we pulled into our driveway a few hours after we left, I found myself thinking how it seems like most people in the world have the same vision of Christians as I did of the countryside out here.  I get the idea that they see us as being from a different world… one that they have no conception of!  Our beliefs, our Bible based morals and our way of life are often described as being out of touch and not relevant to modern life.  And I had to laugh, because from my point of view and probably most of you who read this post believe… they are the ones that are actually out of touch with the true plan of life... the one that Papa God “carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (Ephesians 3:11 God’s Word ©)

But you know… I also believed that this attitude and the direction that the world system has gone has not taken God by surprise!  Remember, His plan was and still is for the church to “let the rulers and authorities in the heavenly places know his manifold wisdom.” (Ephesians 3:10 God’s Word ©/English Standard Version)  And He not only has a plan for us, but He has also given us the tools and ability to work His plan… in and through His abilities and power… not ours! (See; Ephesians 6:10)  One of the first things that each of us has to come to terms with is the authority that you and I possess as members of His body.  Just before Jesus ascended to heaven to take His position at the right hand of the throne of God, He told his disciples (as well as you and me and every Christian) “All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to me.  Go Ye THEREFORE and…” do My work and complete the Father’s plan for all history! (Matthew 28:18 KJV)

As the church,we are His body and are wholly connected to Him as the head!  We are called to submit our wills to Him, to obey His commands and do the things that He, the head, directs us to do… with the same authority that the head walks in… backed by the manifold wisdom, power and authority of the throne and kingdom of Father God Himself!  Whew!  Why don’t you chew on that for a few days, and I’ll continue on Wednesday with the first place we should focus that authority in.

Have a great week as you begin to fully acknowledge what it means to be a member of the body of Christ… and keep asking yourself… “Who’s authority am I expecting to walk in today?”

"Man Up!" - La, La Land or Optimism?

The American Heritage College Dictionary defines an optimist as “One who usually expects a favorable outcome,” while the WordNet 3.0 Thesaurus adds “A person disposed to take a favorable view of things.”  I think that this description would adequately describe my wife and I.  I would imagine that it was one of the things that brought us together back in High School.  It was and still is very enjoyable and rewarding to have a partner in life that always seems to have a positive and encouraging outlook on just about everything!  I also think that this is one characteristic that has set us apart from many within each of our individual families!  I know that it has been a point of contention over the years concerning directions that we have pursued.

But it is also one of personal ingredients that get me very excited when I read scriptures like Ephesians 3:10 where the Apostle Paul tells us that Papa God has tagged the Church to be His voice in the world today!  You know, I can’t help but think that Paul was also an optimist when it came to the things of God.  In Ephesians 3:8 he talks of the “unsearchable riches of Christ,” and then in verse ten speaks of His “manifold wisdom.” (KJV)  As you read through Paul’s letters it is easy to pick up his wonder at God’s amazing and limitless abilities as he repeatedly uses multiple descriptive words to define them, like at the end of the same chapter we are currently discussing when he wrote about how God is “able to do exceeding, abundantly above all that ask or think.” Ephesians 3:19 KJV)

In the scriptures mentioned above, Thayer’s Greek Definitions defines “unsearchable” as something “that cannot be searched out or comprehended.”  According to Strong’s, the intent of the original language for the word “manifold” speaks of that which has “great diversity or variety,” while Thayer’s definition of Paul’s use of the word “wisdom” makes it clear that it is a level of wisdom that goes far beyond any worldly understanding and will have answers and directions for every and all needs and situations as well as having answers for ALL of our questions.

Now, with all that in mind, when I look at today’s world situation in the light of God’s planned role for the church to play in bringing history to His intended goal, as stated in Ephesians 3:10-11 in the God’s Word © translation, I do not react in fear and disbelief, but just the opposite… I get VERY EXCITED and EXPECTANT of seeing God move through you and me! 

Now you might be thinking about how this is supposed to happen.  Well, take another look at those two scriptures.  Verse ten speaks of how “through the church, he could let the rulers and authorities in heaven know his infinite wisdom.”  Then the next verse says that it is “carried out through Christ Jesus our Lord.” (God’s Word ©)  That makes it pretty clear that Jesus in cooperation with the church are to be working hand in hand through His wisdom and directions and our actions of faith in Him.  Multiple scriptures throughout the Word like 1 Corinthians 6:15, tell us that we are all part of the body of Christ with Him as the head, and to make it quite simple, the head is now seated in the place of ultimate authority at the right hand of Papa God and His body (ie; you and me) are on the earth doing what He is instructing us to do!

Now if that doesn’t make you optimistic about what is supposed to happen in our world… then I think you’d best go hide somewhere and study His Word until you get it!  When push comes to shove, for this to work as I believe God has it planned, you and I have to come to the point of belief that God’s Word is the strongest, most powerful and wisest force in the world… and that NOTHING can stand before it… or you and I as we walk in the dominion of His kingdom capabilities, as defined in Ephesians 6:10.

Now, let me go back and say that it is the force of faith in Him that has become the foundation of the optimistic attitude that my wife and I have.  That optimism has come under some serious scrutiny over the years… in fact I remember one member of the family once telling me that we lived in a “La, La Land and that this attitude had to stop!”  Well, our faith in Papa God and His Word has only grown since then and that so called “La, La Land” attitude that they described our stand of faith to be has also grown all the more!

What about you?  Are you going to live in the “La, La Land” of indecision, fear, doubt and unbelief that is being projected to us through the world events reported in the newspapers, TV and online… or step out in the optimistic reality of God’s Word and be a mighty part of His plan for history?  Oh, Oh, Oh!  Now I’m really getting excited! 

Think about all this over the weekend, make your decision, get excited and move out in the victorious directions He has for you to pursue… and keep asking yourself… “What or Who’s plan am I expecting to be a part of today?”

"Man Up!" Follow the Scent

I know that I have made mention on numerous occasions of the Lord’s directive to me about four years back, to saturate my wife with His Word of healing.  So it is one thing that I never miss, first thing in the morning, last thing before she goes to bed and many times inbetween!  In cooperation with this mandate I have also been reading to Piper after our morning and afternoon meals, from a wide variety of Christian teaching books concerning healing, of the power and authority that Christ delegated to Believers, as well as historical narratives of great revivals and revivalist throughout past generations, with whom the anointing of God flowed with great signs and wonders.

One morning quite a few months ago, I heard that small still voice inside of me telling me to re-read the book on the authority of the believer that we were just about to finish.  And since that day, I have heard that same suggestion numerous times as we have moved on to other books of the same nature.  Yesterday I realized as I was in the midst of my morning Bible study time that my wife and I had been reading the same five or six books over and over again for months!  Then as I continued meditating on the book of Ephesians, I realized that Lord has been having us follow a “scent” this whole time!

That got me to thinking about the Diagnosis Murder TV episode that we had watched the previous day.  As the show came to its climax the country Sheriff that the LAPD Police detective was working with called out the county’s Search and Rescue team complete with their blood hounds.  The Police officers had discovered a sweater owned by the deceased victim and gave it to the dogs in order to sniff and pick up the scent.  Then the dogs were off with their trademark bark and bawling as they ran through the forest chasing down the scent… and of course, in the end, they found what they were searching for!

The more I think about it, I’m getting the clear idea that this is exactly what the Lord is speaking about to me… and it is the scent of revival!  Over the last year I have gotten a lot more in tune to the upcoming presidential elections, the individual candidates and the very divergent views on which they stand.  I have also become increasingly aware of all the horrendous things that are happening across the globe.  Without my strong faith and trust in the Lord, I could easily succumb to fear and hopelessness.  And it is that knowledge of His Word, along with faith and trust in the Lord that gives me hope and an earnest expectation of once again seeing the power and anointing of God bringing about a positive conclusion.

But how is that going to happen?  What is going to slow and or stop the rampant flow of unrighteousness, terror and fear… You guessed it… REVIVAL!  But who is going to be revived… Well, the church of course!  That is where it all has to start.  Paul tells us in no uncertain terms when speaking about helping the world to understand the Gospel Message of Jesus Christ, “that NOW – through the church – he (God) could let the rulers and authorities in heaven know his infinite wisdom.” (God’s Word ©)

That’s talking about you and me folks!  As members of the church we have been given a responsibility on this earth… and before Jesus left this earth to assume the highest position in the universe at the right hand of the Father, He conferred on us the authority to complete that mission.  So will we hunker down in anxiety and fear at what we see and read about on almost a daily basis?  Do we just shake our heads in amazement and defeat when our leaders speak of things and then set laws into motion that stand opposite to God’s laws?  I think that answer is pretty evident.  We’ll spend a few more posts going into greater detail about this “scent” of revival that the Lord has been unfolding to me.  But until then, consider what the news is telling you and then consider what God in His unfailing Word says… and decide where you stand… and what you intend to do about it!

Have a great rest of the week and keep asking yourself… “What SCENT am I expecting to follow today?”

"Man Up!" - Keep the Light On

I am happy to report that we made it through the wild winter storm over the weekend!  As expected we did not get much snow, but quite a bit of freezing rain on Friday and Saturday which led to power outages.  The lights in our house clicked off and on during  Friday afternoon and evening and finally went out for good just before ten that night.  They did not to go back on again until Sunday at 1:00 PM.

Those 39 hours without lights and more importantly without heat (with the temperature out on our back deck hovering around 22 degrees the whole time) proved to be quite interesting!  Once again I am thankful that I obeyed that still small voice on the inside of me that prompted me to go back to our local Walmart on Friday morning and purchase a small inside-safe propane heater I had looked at on the previous day.  I am not sure what we would have done without it!

Many things go through your mind during extreme weather induced situations.  We actually had endured a similar but worse situation when we lived in Oklahoma when that ice storm was a lot worse and the power was off for almost three days.  At that time we were living in a home in a new development with very few old trees.  We didn’t notice any of the damage the radio was talking about until we finally braved the conditions to go to church for the midweek service (we knew the church had power and would be warm!).  When we drove out of our neighborhood into the rural surrounding, we were all spell bound as it looked like a bomb had been dropped!  Almost all the old growth trees lining the road had either fallen over or their branches hung at weird angles having cracked on the trees under the weight of the ice!

Needless to say that brought back some concerns as our new home sides and backs up to forested areas.  I could see the ice on the trees and was slightly comforted that it wasn’t anything like the storm of the century that hit us in Oklahoma!  Although I did hear some cracking and popping whenever I went out to check on things.  I am thankful for many things this weekend, one being that we only had a few branches come down and bend our wire fence in the backyard.  Some of our neighbors were not as lucky as there are some large trees and branches down in their front yards.  From what I have observed there is no property damage though.

Besides learning of some items that I will need to purchase since we are out in the country like a generator and a chain saw, I would say that the greatest lessons I learned through this experience were thankfulness and the faithfulness of God.  Sunday morning was probably the greatest test of all.  My cell phone was almost out of juice and we were down to three canisters of propane.  The propane concerned me the most as we weren’t slated to have our power on until late the next evening!

On the positive side, I awoke on Sunday with the sudden revelation that I could charge my cell phone through the battery on my laptop which still had a couple of hours of charge on it!  (Oh yea… the other item to purchase was a car charger for the phone!)  So the first thing I did was to plug it in and get it up from 10% power to 60% before the computer was down to 10%.  Another thought that popped into my head as I was getting ready for the day was from Philippians 4:6 where it states “Never worry about anything.  But in every situation let God know what you need in prayers and requests while giving thanks.” (God’s Word ©)

That encouragement came back to me later while I was brewing up some coffee on one of our camp stoves.  I was praying at the time and was telling Papa God that I was very concerned for my wife and my ability to care for her with supplies looking like they were running out.  Once His encouraging words wafted up to me like the fragrance of the coffee percolating next to me (I think I finally learned how to make a good cup of camp coffee after ALL my years of camping experiences!), I felt an instant covering of His peace.  So without any further ado I got on my knees and prayed that the power would go back on that day… and I followed it throughout the next few hours with lots of heartfelt verbal thanksgiving.

Well, since I am also a proponent of doing all that we can in the natural while standing in faith, my wife and I hopped into the car after breakfast (Sunday ended up being clear and sunny – got all the way up to 37 degrees - and our driveway and the road were clear and dry!) and headed into town.  As I was expecting, there was no propane to be found but did pick up a car charger for the phone and a couple of candy bars.  It was also nice to walk in the sun and let it warm the cold I was beginning to feel down to my bones! 

Even though we couldn’t get the propane I still had an uncanny peace as we drove through the beautiful countryside on the way home.  Then when we pulled up to our driveway and began to turn in, I saw it and began to shout and rejoice!  Up on the front porch, the light was on!  I tell you, I felt like a little kid as I kept tapping Piper on her lap and saying… “The porch light is on!  The porch light is on!”  Two thoughts came immediately to mind.  The first was the faithfulness of God to His Word and our obedience and faith to it… and Tom Bodett’s, the spokesman for the Motel Six chain, famous closing line on their commercials: “We’ll leave the light on!”

You Know… with God, His light is always on!  We all go through times that stretch us, test us, maybe shake us a little, and build our faith all at the same time.  The key though is our looking to and depending on Him.  For when we come to God with our needs “in prayers and requests – WHILE GIVING THANKS…”  we will experience His peace and faithfulness to His Word – EVERYTIME!  And once again, I am living proof of this!  I bet you are as well!

Think on that as you face this new week.  Keep focused on Him and keep asking yourself… When, Why and What experiences am I expecting to bring to Him in prayers and requests – while giving thanks – today?”

"Man Up!" - How Others See Us

As I have mentioned in previous blogs, my wife and I had been actively involved in church leadership for over thirty years.  All the churches that I served in as Assistant or Associate Pastor over the areas of Student Ministries and Music were small pioneering churches and thereby I was always on a part-time pay basis, with the understanding that as the church grew, so would my remuneration.   Therefore in order to provide for my family I had to have a full time secular job… and sometimes another part-time one on the side!

I spent twenty years, mostly in management, at Hewlett Packard and then their spin off company Agilent Technologies.  While in Bible School and a few years after I graduated, I worked for The Home Depot, with the last two in management positions.  With every team I supervised in both companies, I had both those who appreciated my Christian faith and a few that didn’t, who seemed to enjoy poking me with jokes about my beliefs.  And while I didn’t force my faith, I definitely strived to live my relationship with Jesus brightly, letting my team “breathe in the exquisite fragrance.” (2 Corinthians 2:15 The Message)  Through the years I was able to help many members of my teams through tough personal situations when they felt comfortable and safe enough to come to me with their questions and needs.

At times though, it really amazed me how people who saw me every day in the workplace, went to the same meetings and observed the way I carried myself and how I answered the questions tossed at me concerning my faith by my few distractors, could come away with completely polar opposite renditions about me! 

We have experienced this same dichotomy as we’ve interacted with different individuals as we’ve progressed in our journey with the battle for my wife’s health.  And I have been very perplexed at how people can hear and see the same results with the majority of them agreeing with and supporting us while a small few have not…(while being very vocal about it, and avoiding personal contact with us.)  The solution finally seemed to come as I studied 2 Corinthians 2:14-17.  As you will recall in our last couple of posts, I described how I was understanding verse fourteen as showing us “How we should see ourselves,” verse fifteen as “How God see us” and now verse sixteen as “How others see us.”

The God’s Word © translation declares: “To some people we are a deadly fragrance, WHILE to others we are a life-giving fragrance.”  That clearly states the dichotomy that I spoke of above.  I really like the no nonsense way that The Message Bible puts it stating:  “Because of Christ, we give off a sweet scent rising to God, which is RECOGNIZED by those on the way of salvation --- (as) an aroma redolent with life.  Those on the way to destruction treat us more like the stench from a rotting corpse.” 

Both of those versions answered many of my questions.  The Apostle Paul makes the difference in the reception to the presence or aroma of God between believers and non-believers very evident.  But I also see some things concerning the way individual Christians can respond to certain things of God.  In my many years of Christian leadership, I have come to realize how even strong, mature Christians can still have areas within their lives that they are needing to fully commit to the Lord.

All kinds of things can account for this from personal life experiences, the way they were raised, where they live, the Christian teaching they receive, their personality types and especially the amount of or lack of time they spend alone in 2-way conversation with Papa God in His Word and prayer.

The word “redolent” as used in the Message Bible paraphrase is defined in the Merriam-Webster Dictionary as “full of fragrance or odor, causing thoughts or memories of something.”  Our recent experience has demonstrated that the remembrances it evokes in some might not always be pleasant, as it reminds them of areas in themselves that need to be faced and or dealt with.  So therefore it may cause them to respond to us in a negative way, or want to avoid us and the fragrance we carry about us.

I’ve personally experienced the anger and avoidance tendencies years ago about the time we were going through the trials and tribulations of the potential foreclosure on our home that I mentioned a few blogs ago.  Along with the bank, it seemed like every bill collector in the world was calling us.  It got to the point that the sound of the phone ringing or the distinctive tone of the mail truck going down our street made me fearful and angry.  I made every excuse I could think of to not answer the phone or go out to the mailbox! 

My false theory at the time was that if I ignored it and didn’t think about it, it would simply go away… But you know… it didn’t!  Thankfully my wife saw what was going on, did some research, sat me down and made me address the situation with her.   Once I finally faced my fears, we sought help and were able to get some relief through a bill consolidation plan, a new budget and a new job!   I’m sure that I was not the nicest individual to deal with when I was still closed off to accepting the things I needed to change… and doing something about it.  The interesting thing I came to learn through it all, was that I wasn’t really upset with those who were calling our delivering the “final notice” letters, I was upset with myself… and most likely a little bit with God because I thought He wasn’t helping us out like He should… even though He was trying to talk to me the whole time and I WOULD’NT STOP AND LISTEN!

So again, I have learned these last few years, that those who have contested many of the things we have and are doing in our fight for Piper’s good health, are most likely not really as upset with us as they are with God concerning the needy areas that the aroma of Christ that we carry reminds them of in their own lives.  That realization has freed me up tremendously and enabled me to continue in my attempts to reach out to them with a new found supply of grace.  In some respects I think that is what the process of love and forgiveness is all about as we seek to open doors of understanding and common roads of communication.

I would encourage you to meditate on these revelations this weekend.  It just might help you to have a better understanding of how different folks you know and love can have polar opposite views on what they hear and see of you.  It could be as whole new opportunity for God’s grace to flow!  Have a great weekend and as you do keep asking yourself… “How am I expecting to love and reach out to those who may not understand me today?”

"Man Up!" - How God Sees Us

From the earliest days of our relationship, my wife has repeatedly demonstrated that she is not afraid of talking to anyone.  This which I consider to be a strength of her personality and personal fortitude, is especially evident when it comes to sharing the Good News of Jesus Christ!  And to be perfectly honest, there were times during our dating days as well as into the first few years of our marriage when I was a little embarrassed by her actions.  You see, I was new to the faith and was not yet real comfortable with my knowledge of the Word especially when it came to personal evangelism.

In speaking of Piper’s fearlessness, I must add the caveat that she has always possessed an acute sensitivity to the leading and caution of the Holy Spirit.  She can quickly ascertain when it is right or wrong to approach someone and always followed the direction coming from her “inner man.”  I must also say that I have seen her grow and mature in her sensitivity as well as the manner in which she ministers to others over the many years we’ve been together. 

She enjoyed talking to the boys dressed in white shirts with black ties when different pairs of them would canvas the neighborhoods we lived in.  I remember one time in particular when she and I were doing some yard work at my Grandmother’s home that we were renting from my folks when two of the “missionaries” came up and began talking with her.  I became a bit irritated when she put down her rake and began to speak in earnest with them… and especially so when she called me over to join in on the conversation.  At one point she even excused herself and ran into the house to retrieve her bible in order to give visible evidence to her statements.  She also had the knack to turn just about any situation into a teaching event!  That why she was so good as a homeschool teacher!

Well, much to my consternation, we spent the next hour with the two young fellows as she patently listened to them, shared her differing points of view, and had them read the scriptures she was referring to from the compact New American Standard Bible I had given her the previous Christmas… the whole time retaining a sweet smile on her face.  The one thing I will have to admit is that even though I was complaining on the inside because I wanted to finish our yard work, I actually learned a lot from that and similar experiences as I took note of Piper’s methods, boldness and knowledge of the Word!

I think Piper’s approach to life and especially with those she interacts with is a perfect example of today’s second part of the three points that the Apostle Paul is teaching his readers in 2 Corinthians 2:14-17.  Yesterday we looked at what I perceive to be the way that we are to look at ourselves.  Today we look at how God sees us.

2 Corinthians 2:15 declares: “To God we are the aroma of Christ among those who are being saved and those who are being lost.” (God’s Word © & The Good News Bible)  I think the meaning of this scripture is pretty evident.  Simply stated, God sees us as carriers of the aroma of Jesus Christ Himself, no matter where we go, no matter who we are speaking to.  Just as it never mattered to Piper whether the person she was talking to was a well-known public personality, like the time she went right up to Charles Shultz who was the well-known creator of the Peanuts comic strip when he walked into the take and bake pizza store we were in, or the homeless lady whose appearance was actually quite scary as she approached us outside the Mall in our hometown. 

As Jesus said in Matthew 4:16 concerning our being the light of the world, Piper always let that light radiate from her as her sparkling personality and the very evident concern that she had for people emitted the “exquisite fragrance” of Christ (See 2 Corinthians 2:14-15 in The Message Bible) wherever she went.  She was never too busy to take a moment to minister to someone in need.

I’ve personally discovered that the more I keep His picture of me in my mind, the more confidence I have in my ability and willingness to reach out to those around me.  What do you think about that?  Have a great day as you dwell on God’s view of you… and in the process keep asking yourself… “How and why am I expecting to reach out to others today?”