JOY and SATISFACTION!

I’ve been thinking a lot about mornings the last week or so.  I’ve noticed that ever since Piper moved her residence to heaven, that I haven’t been getting up with the same drive that I did while she was still here.  I realized as the hot water was beating down on my stiff neck in the shower the other day that my mornings have been… for lack of a better term… sort of blah!  I also realized that “blah” is a real word that describes “something which is boring or without meaningful content.”  (Oxford Online Dictionary)

The thought of being “without meaningful content” sums up my first-thing-in-the-morning attitude rather accurately!  Although, I would think that a grief specialist would most likely say that my morning experiences are normal for someone who has just lost someone close to them.  But you know… it is very unsettling to me because that isn’t normal for me! (to which the grief specialist would again say is normal…)  I’ve always been a smiling, happy to be alive kind of morning guy.  I have always been thankful for Piper’s college dorm roommate who helped to transform Piper from a don’t-talk-to-me- in-the-morning type of person to one who was more receptive to us get-up-and-go types!

Psalm 30:5 tells us that although “weeping” – or wailing aloud… which I’ve experienced lately… “may endure for a night but joy comes in the morning.” (MKJV)  Then there is Psalm 90:14 where the Psalmist declares, “Satisfy me in the morning (O Lord) with your steadfast love, that I may rejoice and be glad all of my days.” (ESV – personalized)  These two verses give me hope… but I am still waiting to get even a small sense of that morning JOY and/or SATISFACTION!

I wrote in my “Piper’s Story” journal yesterday morning as I was studying these morning scriptures that, ”I am looking forward to and am expecting JOY and that uncanny sense of SATIFACTION to come back into my mornings,  like the times I would wake up to the coastal sunshine streaming in through our window at the Fort Ross Lodge on the northern California coast with Piper at my side and a warmth of happiness flowing throughout my whole being.”

Earlier this morning as I re-looked at these portions of the Word, I felt the Lord speaking to my heart telling me that He now wants to be that SATISFACTION and source of JOY anytime, anywhere, and in any situation for me!  As I pondered that statement I started to understand that would be like getting a product directly from the manufacturer… without the middleman… or in my case… the middle women = Piper!  Does that make sense?  I believe that our Father God does use people close to our hearts to be fountains of His love and grace, but when they are no longer in the picture, it would make sense to go directly to Him and allow Him to set up your future.

Except for my sweet Piper, I’ve always had a difficult time allowing (and or trusting) certain people to reach out to me.  Like many of you, I’ve had both distant and recent experiences that sort of sealed the deal on that personal reaction.  But I do admit that I’ve had some terrific individuals in both California and out here, as well as our great hospice team over the last year and a half that certainly worked to softened my heart!

So, in many ways I am excited to see what and how the new path will unfold before me.  Will there ever be JOY and SATISFACTION again in my mornings?  I don’t doubt it at all… the only frustrating part is that I want it NOW… but then again, I realize that there is a process of time that must first take place for me to be ready to receive all that the Father has for me…as there are things that I need to let go of, different things I need to gain and many new things that I need to learn along the way, as I progress into this new chapter of my life!

And so, a new week begins!  I am looking forward to it!  How about you?  Have a great week ahead, and as you do, say with me… “I am expecting to see some JOY and SATISACTION enter in to parts of my life today!”

It's Shoutin' Time...

I sat down a couple of days ago to watch a program during lunch when something supernatural happened.  Let me explain…

I’m not sure why but it seems like the hour or two after lunch tends to be the worst time of day for me when it comes to my emotions.  It is like my heart explodes as it is flooded with all kinds of vibrantly poignant memories of my wife.  But on this day, it was like God had another plan.  Who says that our Father God is not spontaneous?

After I sat down on the couch, I reached for the remote control and at the same time glanced up to the TV screen across the room.  With our home entertainment system all the electronic devices feed into the Pioneer receiver/controller and then up to the TV which serves as the visual display for everything.  As I unconsciously went to redirect from the Sirius XM Southern Gospel enLighten channel 65 that was on, I suddenly froze as I noticed that the current selection being played was “It’s Shoutin’ Time in Heaven” by the well-known Southern Gospel family group The Hopper’s*

I plopped back down on my seat and turned to Fiver who was totally focused on the doggie dental chew that he knew he would be getting for lunch, and exclaimed, “Let’s listen to this song, I like it!”  The selection was recorded during a live performance and always tends to send shivers down my spine as the excitement and truth of the song come to an astounding crescendo.

Toward the end of the number as they began to repeat the emphasis of the song that “It’s Shoutin’ Time in Heaven!,” my quiet solitude of sitting on the couch was taken over with a very visual picture of my Piper being in heaven, singing, shouting, playing the piano and dancing (You know… she was pretty talented, but I’d never seen her dance while playing the piano before… but who knows what one can do in heaven!).

With tears beginning to freely flow, I arose to my feet, lifted my hands unto the Lord and couldn’t help but be carried away with the excitement of the truth of that simple but moving song:

“Its shouting time in heaven

A sinner once lost is found

Its shouting time in heaven

Salvation has been brought down,

No wonder the angels rejoice to know

My sins have been covered by the crimson flow

And now I'm feeling fine

I'm walking on the highway with my Lord

My name is written down in courts above

Its shouting time in heaven,

Oh yes, its shouting time.

No wonder the angels rejoice to know

My sins have been covered by the crimson flow

And now I'm feeling fine

I'm walking on the highway with my Lord

My name is written down in courts above

Its shouting time in heaven,

Oh yes, its shouting time,

Its shouting time in heaven,

Oh yes, its shouting time!”**

I glanced over to her piano to my left and focused in on the framed print of her playing that piano at home one day and let my mind drift off thinking about how she seemed to step up into the anointing during services when participating in songs like this one.  She would simply glow and her little hands seemed to float above the keys while they flew from one side of the keyboard to the other.  Then she would take the index finger on her right hand and run it down the keys as the tune came to its final conclusion!

I betcha that she is doing a lot of that now!  And like I’ve said repeatedly, as far as I am concerned, she deserves every minute of it!  But what about me… Well, when the song finally came to its last conclusion, I simply fell down on my knees and thanked the Lord for a glimpse into heaven!

It’s kind of funny you know?  I didn’t have a rough time after lunch that day!  Even though it wasn’t anything about me, I received a strong shot of hope and expectation for my future through the experience with that song.  I not only pictured my sweet wife enjoying her just reward, but I received an uncanny peace about His plans for me… today, tomorrow and onward!

One can’t be sad with a spontaneous event like that… as far as I am concerned… I can only rejoice and be glad.  Who knows, maybe I’ll get to the place faster than I thought possible… where in the midst of everything going on, I will be able once again to arise with that “…shout of joy (that) comes in the morning” flowing from my lips! (Psalm 30:5 NASB)

Have a great weekend, and as you do, I would encourage you to be on the alert for the spontaneity of God in your life!  In fact, say with me right now, “I am expecting God to act spontaneously in my life today!”

*.https://thehoppers.com/

** https://www.musixmatch.com/lyrics/The-Hoppers/It-s-Shouting-Time-In-Heaven

Be Brave!

One of the most interesting and maybe even a bit scary parts about the passing of my wife Piper a little over a month ago, is discovering that there are parts of me that were lost along with her!  Those parts of who I am because of the oneness and uniqueness of our relationship that began to form during our high school years.  I admit that this realization shook me more than just a little!  But I was comforted again this morning as I felt led to something that hasn’t been lost, and that is who I am in Christ.  It is what I believe that my careful and consistent study of God’s Word says about me!

Joshua 1:9 in the Contemporary English Version of the Bible reminds me of what the Lord has repeatedly spoken to me over time through His words encouraging Joshua as he took over the daunting task of replacing Moses saying: “I've commanded you to be strong and brave. Don't ever be afraid or discouraged! I am the LORD your God, and I will be there to help you wherever you go.”  I like this particular translation as it uses the word “brave.”  And if there has been any time in my life where I have needed to be brave… it is RIGHT NOW!  He also comforts me as I can almost feel Him gently taking my hand, looking into my eyes and softly inspiring me to not be discouraged.

When you read through the book of Joshua you quickly discover that God was true to His Word throughout Joshua’s period of leadership.  He was there for Joshua in the good times as well as in the bad and through it all, as long as Joshua kept his focus on Jehovah, he was everything that this verse said he would be… strong, brave, fearless and not easily discouraged!  To me, that is proof enough that my God will also be true to His Word for me.  That alone gives me the fortitude to press forward and to be brave in whatever may be before me in my future.

As I began to list all the places where I believe that Piper played a pivotal position in our relationship, I began to realize that at this point, due to the extended period of her illness, most of those areas are not in the physical such as the daily tasks of life that we shared, but mainly in those areas of the inner me.  Once we had returned home after our three-year stint in Oklahoma, I had gradually taken over all of the house and family tasks as her capabilities continued to diminish.  So, there’s no doubt that I can make it in the natural areas of life!  It would seem that God had a plan as my Mama (and my wife) trained me well over the years.  Give me an apron and I can cook and clean with the best of them!

But what about all those inside characteristics that truly identify me as me?  What about how she validated my very existence? What about all of those dreams, visions and plans that we talked about over the years… and believe me… we dreamed a lot and big, and our future looked bright!

Piper used to like it when I would come up behind her and wrap my arms around her as she stood in front of the large mirror attached to her dresser in our bedroom.  We would simply smile as we lovingly gazed into the image reflected in the glass and absorb the oneness of that special moment.  Now as I look into the mirror all I see is me!  I’m not too sure which is more daunting… what Joshua faced as he took over a nation posed to go into the promise land facing unseen enemies, tests and trials, or me as I face the unseen new land before me?

Well… that story is yet to unfold, but I do have the confidence in the truth of God and His Word which gives me the ability to be brave in the midst of uncertainty!  II Timothy 1:7 tells me that “God has not given me the spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.” (MKJV personalized)  The word “power” in the Greek means among other things, “ability” (Thayer’s), so as I look to that verse I understand that God has given me His abilities to be brave in whatever it is that I need to do and to walk in whatever new areas of life that He directs me to walk.

So… what’s there to be concerned about… right?  I guess I’ll have to let you know about that as we walk this journey together in the coming weeks, months and years!  Have a great mid-week, and as you do, repeat after me: “I am expecting God to be true to his Word… just for me today!”

Practice Makes Perfect

I recently received a book that I had ordered online entitled “Grieving: How to Go on Living When Someone You Love Dies” by Therese A. Rando, PH.D. and eagerly began to read over the weekend.  What immediately caught my attention was the fact that many of the things that I have been feeling and/or going through are not that unusual when a loved one passes on.  That understanding gave me a sense of wholeness and helped to calm the wind-swept waters that I have been treading over the last 5 weeks since my wife’s move to heaven.

In reading the first few chapters of the book, I realized that I not only lost the most important person in my life, but I also lost the part of me that has identified with her for the last 48 years, along with all of the visions, plans, dreams and hopes for our future together.  Then it hit me that I not only have to build a new life for myself, but also a new identity!  I used to joke with Piper all the time that the thought of “Jim and Piper” went together like the combination of “Peanut Butter and Jelly!”  It is something that someone would always put together in their minds!  Most people who know us would hardly think of one without the other.  But now… it’s just “Jim…”

So, with that in mind I grabbed my “Piper’s Story” journal and began first, to make a list of all the things in my life that most likely were NOT going to change.  At the top of that list, besides our children and their families, was my personal hunger and dependence on God and His Word which brought a familiar scripture to mind where the writer of the book of Hebrews confidently declares that: “without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.”  (Hebrews 11:6 KJV) 

This keynote verse located within the chapter of the New Testament that is affectionately called “The Roll Call of Faith,” was always a standard description of Piper’s and my faith and I do not foresee any reason for that to change now!  It is one of those “Practice Makes Perfect” foundations in my life that I will continue to develop.

I recently read an article defining the meaning of the word “Believe,” especially in the light of Hebrews chapter eleven.  The author Tom Stuart, Pastor and leader of Ignited2Pray Ministries in in Blaine, MN, states:

“Did you know that in twenty of the world’s most primitive languages the word for believe is the same as the word for do?  That is something Wycliffe Bible translators have discovered in years of working to translate the Bible into the native language of remote people groups.  In other words, for those cultures, to believe something literally means to do something.  Faith and action are inseparable. Truth be told, that is the way God intends it.

Genuine faith is expressed through action.  This is a discovery that one readily makes when studying Hebrews 11 the great faith chapter of the Bible.  A careful reading of the account of Abraham, the father of our faith, in verses 8 through 19 underscores this truth like none other.”     (http://tomstuart.org/2010/10/20/believe-is-an-action-verb/)

So, like I said previously, even though there is a lot of “NEW” things for me out there in the world, there are some foundations that will stay the same.  I will continue to practice my faith… which the article above describes as my “active” believing of God and his Word, so that when the different, the difficult, the damaging and the unsettling things of life threaten me, I will automatically go into action… putting to work the things that I have continued to practice in my daily life!

What do you think about that idea?  Are there things/ways/procedures/foundations in your life that you practice on a regular basis in order to prepare you for the unseen things ahead… or in other words… things that you “actively” believe?  Maybe today is good time to start taking stock, prepare and then practice what is important to you!

Have a great new week ahead, and as you do, say with me: “I expect to practice my faith in order to be ready for whatever is in my future!”

It's Your Choice!

I was thinking while I sat warm and cozy in my La-Z-Boy chair yesterday, writing in my journal that I had entitled “Piper’s Story,” as the rain and wind were plummeting everything outside as a result of hurricane Michael, that we had established some important principles early on in our relationship.  With one of the first and foremost being, to do our best to create and maintain an attitude of joy in us and around us at all times!

And while this was not always the easiest of tasks, I think that in some respects with our personalities, it came somewhat easy to us.  I’ve heard it said many times that opposites attract, but I sure don’t see that a lot with Piper and I!  We both have had easy-going, patient, fun-loving, inquisitive, and sensitive natures about us.  That is what immediately drew me to that cute girl that always seemed to have a smile on her face back in High School!

I was telling someone the other day that I always loved to make Piper laugh (as she did with me as well)… even to the very end while I kneeled on the floor at her bedside in her final hours and found myself telling her funny stories from our past.  The ability to find something cheerful in almost any situation just seemed to come easy to us.  Or did it?

While I was thinking, praying, and writing about this during the blistery weather yesterday, I was quickly reminded of one of both Piper’s and my favorite scriptures that never went a day without being spoken out of our lips, usually on multiple occasions.  And that scripture is found in Psalm 118:24 where the Psalmist exults, “This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it.” (KJV) 

Over the years it became one of the first things we spoke out even before we got out of bed in the morning.  Many times, we sung it individually or together as we turned our heads on our pillows and smiled at each other!  I still do it to this day, although the only one I can sing it with now is the pooch, who normally only builds up enough energy to open up one eye and glance at me across the bedroom!

This verse holds what I believe to be one the major keys that helped us function effectively throughout the long years of our ordeal with Piper’s health.  To me the Psalmist, who most agree was David, starts with a statement of fact that my faith in God and His Word will not allow me to overlook.  Mainly, that God is the creator of this new day!  The initial and most popular usage of the Hebrew word “day” in this verse constitutes “a 24 hour period” (Brown Driver-Briggs) or as the Greek translation states: “The time between dawn and dusk.” (Strong’s)  This scripture therefore makes a good argument that David meant for the reader to take it for each and every new day!

The next part of the verse then tells us exactly what to do about it.  It declares, “we will rejoice and be glad in it.”  To me, he is giving us a command.  I’ve always read it as “I will to rejoice and be glad in it.”  It is a choice that each of us has to make each day!  Piper and I always understood it that way and decided that it was a deliberate decision that we would make each and every morning!  So… before our feet hit the ground, it was already decided that we were going to rejoice no matter what came up that day.

I’ve found that having already decided my reaction to the situations in daily life, quickly gives me the upper hand when things happen… especially if they are not too positive!  And it was that years-developed foundation that I believe gave us the ability to keep a smile on our face, Godly based expectation in our hearts and that “peace, which goes beyond anything we can imagine” that “will guard your thoughts and emotions through Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:7 God’s Word ©) throughout the incredibly tough events of the last 11+ years, while many around us fell to the wayside battling the effects of hopelessness, depression and/or confusion over what had happened to Piper.

As the results of all the tests and other information about Piper’s situation began to come in, the two of us simply continued to flow in an attitude of joy, knowing that our trust was in Him and that He would “not neglect nor abandon us” (See: Joshua 1:5)  Was it easy? NO!  Where there times when I found myself literally on my knees in the hallway, at the bottom of the stairs or on the kitchen floor crying out to Him? YES!  Did I ever lose my joy?  To be honest, NO -  but I did almost consider it for a few seconds… but the joy of the Lord was so engrained in me that there was no way I could ever give in or give up and go back to what...  anxiety, fear, depression or hopelessness?

NO!  NO! and NO!  That’s just not a part of who Piper and I were, and for her sake, I could not nor would not give up on Him or her in the greatest time in our lives where she needed me to be strong for her… as well as for me!

With her moving on to glory a month or so ago there have been many times where I seem to hurt all over while missing her.  Every time I see a couple smiling and/or laughing together I wonder if I’ll ever have that happiness again, for I can’t imagine having the closeness of the relationship we had with anyone else.  But then the Lord reminds me that while I may not have the physical happiness of being in her presence again (at least until I get to heaven), I can and will always have access to HIS JOY which isn’t dependent on physical situations but is able to cause me to rejoice and be glad no matter what… each and every day!  So why not choose to rejoice and be glad? 

What do you think?  If it worked for Piper and I it will work for you.  Have a super-duper weekend, and as you do, say with me, “I am expecting to rejoice and be glad for the day the Lord has made… just for me, today!”

SURPRISE!

I’ve told the story many times of when my wife and I, along with the kids, were camping up in the Sierra’s in northern California.  Our campsite that year was next to a small stream that meandered throughout the campgrounds.  If I remember correctly, we spent a good amount of time wading in that cold, snow melt fed stream on that vacation. 

On one afternoon after some relentless prodding, the kids and I actually got Piper to venture into the water all the way to her hips… and just when we thought that it couldn’t get any better than that, she suddenly dove underwater, shot out like an arrow and to our utter amazement yelled at the top of her lungs, “You didn’t think I’d do that, did you?”  To which we could only nod our heads as it took us TOTALLY by surprise!

Well… that TOTAL surprise and inability to speak and/or explain what I had just witnessed is exactly the same experience I had the first couple of years after our return home from our Bible School-driven move to Oklahoma.  There was just SO many emotional, mental, physical and spiritual realities going on as we finally began to get some informed details concerning the depth and speed of Piper’s health deterioration, a new demanding job that was keeping me out of town and away from the house for up to 12 hours a day, a breakdown of our former network of family and friends that we’d depended on previous to our move, and negative responses from family that were completely unexpected.

To say that my life was in a tailspin would be a grave understatement!  But as was the case throughout Piper’s and my marriage, we continued to turn to the Lord and his Word for direction.  As we began to focus fully on Him and the ways we believed He was calling us to follow, we started to discover the need to be strongly knowledgeable and convinced of our own faith in what we believed to be His truth for us and our path through the valley we had entered into.

It was also at this time that I began to really take notice of the atmosphere that Piper and I were being surrounded with.  At the beginning, I found myself just doing all the religious things that I had done before, thinking that this would be enough.  But after many weeks and months of growing confusion and frustration, I began to hear the Lord’s voice in me, distinctly calling me to step up… or in His exact words to: “Man-Up!”

Then, old familiar Bible verses like Nehemiah 8:10 began to repeatedly pop up in my head reminding me that “the joy of the LORD is my strength.” (KJV personalized).  While others encouraged me to “Always be joyful in the Lord! I'll say it again: Be joyful!” (Philippians 4:4 God’s Word ©) And of course there was our old favorite that I’ve been talking about in recent blog posts where Peter seems to be making a clear connection between the action steps that we take while believing God and His Word, with our personal levels of joy saying: “you believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory, obtaining the outcome of your faith…” (I Peter 1:8-9 ESV)

I admit that it took awhile for the Lord to get through this thick head of mine, but I slowly began to see the utmost importance of keeping both Piper and I in an environment of JOY, praise and the confession of God’s Word… and as much as possible, AWAY from negative, depressive and/or discouraging venues.

I can remember the day I finally “got” this directive of the Lord like it was yesterday.  It was the day when I realized that my care for my sweet wife was to entail a lot more than just assuring that her physical needs were met, but also… and maybe more importantly, that her spiritual needs were met… on a daily basis!

So, with that understanding, I began to make a series of tough decisions that eventually led to our move out here to the east coast.  And you know, even though I dearly miss many of our family members and good friends back home, I have NEVER regretted that decision!

I like the wording of I Peter 1:9 in the Easy-To-Read Version of the Bible where it explains the results of our JOY infused steps of faith declaring that: “Your faith has a goal, and you are reaching that goal—your salvation.”

For, I have NO doubt that our consistent efforts to keep us in and then diligently protect the atmosphere of JOY that we surrounded ourselves with, caused that verse to become a reality in our lives!  A quick examination of the word “salvation” will note that the word used is a derivative of the Greek word “sozo” which encompasses many promises to the Christian who actively believe including: “to save, that is, deliver or protect (literally or figuratively): - heal, preserve, save (self), do well, be (make) whole.” (Strong’s)

Well, while I am experiencing even greater times of emotional pain and duress every time I think about the absence of my lovely best friend and wife,* I am immediately reminded and re-filled with JOY in knowing that she is NOW at the goal of our faith, in the very midst of her “sozo” in heaven!

So, what more can I say?  Well… I actually do have a few more thoughts about the importance of a life of JOY which I’ll continue with in upcoming posts…  But until then… think about it for a few moments, and ask yourself… “How am I expecting to enter into and protect an atmosphere of JOY around me today?”

*I think I figured out that with all of the physical and legal details of Piper’s passing completed, that I am now free to simply focus on all of the special and countless memories that I hold dear to my heart concerning her wonderful qualities, high levels of spiritual discernment, her personal, mental, physical and moral characteristics, personal beauty and maybe most of all, her always abounding and seemingly never ending JOYFULNESS!

Be Full of Joy... what now?

I’ve been doing some thinking and Biblical study lately on the meaning and purpose of having Godly joy in our lives.  The word “joy” appears 63 times in the King James Version of the New Testament.  The vast majority of the uses of the word are the Greek word “chara” with the Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries number of 5479.  Strong’s defines it as “cheerfulness, calm delight,” While Thayer’s describes it simply as “gladness,” or “the cause or occasion of joy.”

So, what’s the big deal about “joy” in the life of a Christian?  Well, Peter seemed to connect being an active Believer with the attitude of joy when he told his readers in 1Peter 1:8 “yet believing, ye rejoice with joy unspeakable and full of glory:  (KJV)  The angel Gabriel made it pretty clear that the coming of Jesus and His gospel message was something for everyone to be joyful about when he told Mary, “Fear not, for behold, I bring you good tidings of great joy which will be to all people.  For unto you is born this day in the city of David a Savior, who is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:10-11 KJV)

Jesus Himself talked about joy like it was not only an important characteristic for His followers to have, but something that would set them apart from the world in His absence.  He talked about having His joy being fulfilled in them when He prayed to the Father in the garden before His crucifixion saying, “When I was with them in the world, I kept them in Your name. Those whom You have given Me I guarded; and not one of them is lost except the son of perdition, so that the Scripture might be fulfilled.  But now I am coming to You, and these things I speak in the world, so that they may have My joy fulfilled in themselves.” (John 17:12-13 EMTV)

He clarified that the reasons He taught His disciples was so that His joy would be a part of who they were, He declared: “These things I have spoken to you, that My joy may abide in you, and that your joy may be full.” (John 15:11 EMTV)  And the list goes on and on as all the writers of both the Old and New Testaments talk about the importance of joy in the life of the Israelites who obeyed the Law and then after Christ came, in the sons and daughters of God Almighty.

To me, one of the mightiest and most powerful and encouraging testimonies in the whole Bible is given by the Apostle Paul in the letter written from jail and his impending death to the Philippian church.  Biblical Scholar Finis Dake, describes Philippians as “The joy of Christian grace and experience in all of life and death.”  He then continues in the book comments section of his popular Bible translation “The Dake Annotated Reference Bible” stating that Paul “mentions ‘joy’ 14 times in the epistle. The key word is ‘rejoice.’ Christians are to rejoice in fellowship with one another; in afflictions of the gospel; in the ministry for saints, in faithfulness of ministers; in the Lord and not in Judaism or in the flesh; in unity, and always in all things.

I think that I might have had a revelation as I was studying some of this yesterday afternoon.  I have often times made the statement that one of the most outstanding lessons that Piper and I learned as we stood for her healing over the extended period of time of eleven plus years, was the importance of building and protecting our faith in order to guard our joy.  But you know… after some preliminary study on the importance of joy, I think that I may have had that truth backwards…  As I now read about faith in the New Testament, I am beginning to understand that Christians need first to build and protect their joy in order to guard their faith.

In our experience, it was our abounding joy in the face of the doubt and unbelief, the sad looks and depression of some that greeted us almost every time we walked out the door, and the discussions of medical science concerning the disease that plagued my wife, that greatly helped to keep us focused on what we believed… and I still do… to be the ultimate truth of God’s Word! (See: John 17:17, Psalm 119:160, Ephesians 4:21 and a whole host of other scriptures)  And where does faith come from… Your right, “by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.” (Romans 10:17 KJV)

I recently read that “The second greatest thing that comes to us in the New Birth is joy (the first being the love nature of God).  This is something that makes trouble lose its grip upon us; makes poverty lose its terror.  It is the joy of the Lord.  And you remember that He said, ‘The joy of the lord shall be your strength.’  That was a prophecy.  Now Jesus said, ‘My joy I give unto you.’” (In His Presence, E.W Kenyon pgs 191-192)

I’m not sure how you reacted when you read that statement, but it definitely made me stand up and shout!  I’ll be sharing more about the importance of joy in coming posts as well as some of the harmful effects of a lack of joy that we saw demonstrated as we walked along the daily path of our journey. 

I am also seeing how important it is for me to stay in joy (no matter what!) as I painfully go through the events of the last month and begin to focus in on my future.  Hummm… this could be exciting after all!

Have a great new week, and as you do, keep declaring with me… “How am I expecting to keep His joy at the top of my priorities today?”