Doing Amazing Things

I had an epiphany the other night while simultaneously watching a new Hallmark Christmas movie and scrolling through some video ‘reels’ on my Facebook feed.  As I absentmindedly observed the two mediums, it dawned on me that there are so many things going on in the world… or at last represented on mainstream visual and audio programing… that seem to be NORMAL to most people, that are so ABNORMAL to me!

It seems like MY world… the one I grew up in as a child and through my teenage years, my relationship to my girlfriend who later became my wife, the way we raised and educated our kids, the recreational activities that we enjoyed and participated in, and our life that was in most aspects centered around our Christian beliefs, the Christian ministry we felt called into and the church families that we fellowshipped with… existed in a totally different universe than the one portrayed throughout public media today!

After I thought on it for a few moments though, I had to remind myself that according to the Biblical principles that I believe in… my world is the normal one… while the world’s “normal” is actually the “abnormal” phenomenon in today’s society!  In reality, the world outside of the Christian church should be looking at us as their model of living a most satisfying and exciting life!

People followed Jesus when He walked the earth because He was exciting to be around.  There was never a dull moment in His world!  Even the people who disliked Him and disagreed with His teachings attended His meeting just to see what phenomenal things He was going to do next! 

Luke 5:26 describes the results of such a meeting when Jesus healed a lame man… after the bed-ridden individual was lowered through a hole that was made in the roof of the house they were meeting in… because the crowd was too large to enter by the front door.  After the healed man got up and walked out, Luke wrote,

“And amazement gripped them all, and they were glorifying God, and they were filled with reverential awe, saying, ‘We have seen extraordinary things today!’" (EMTV)

The people who lived in the areas where Jesus travelled expected the unexpected when Jesus was around… and He didn’t disappoint them either!  According to Strong’s Hebrew and Greek Dictionaries, the word translated “amazement” defines “a displacement of the mind.”  Thayer’s Greek Definitions says that it is “a throwing of the mind out of its normal state, an alienation of the mind” while E.W. Bullinger explains it simply as something that is “contrary to what is normally seen.”

For me today… the definition of “amazing,” when speaking of the things that Jesus did… and still does today… through His church on this earth (see: Hebrews 13:8, Mark 16:20, Ephesians 3:10), is when the supernatural power of God supersedes the laws that govern the natural realm.   

Over the weekend I started re-reading the book entitled “Ever Increasing Faith” that was first published in 1924 and written by Smith Wigglesworth, a world-renowned evangelist from England at the turn of the 20^th century.  He was an uneducated plumber who was filled with the Holy Spirit at the age of forty and then began a powerful healing ministry that eventually touched the world.  It was documented that over 20 people were raised from the dead through his ministry, with literally hundreds more healed from almost every kind of sickness known to man at the time.

The book is one of two that were put together as a compilation of his sermons and testimonies at the time and highlights the supernatural power of God that was aflame throughout his ministry.  He was actually arrested on numerous occasions in some of the different countries that he ministered in, for healing without a license but was usually released after the police agencies were flooded with documented reports of the actual healings that occurred.

And his ministry was not… and is still not unusual through the centuries up to and including today.  I have been a student of rivals across America, some reportedly starting in the 1700’s in the early settlements along the east coast, continuing on with huge revivals in major cities like Chicago in the 1800’s and the Azusa Street Revival in Los Angelos in 1906.  After those came the healing revival of the 40’s and 50’s followed by the more modern-day revivals with nationally known ministries like Oral Roberts, Aimee Semple McPherson, Kathryn Kuhlman (Piper got to attend one of her meetings in northern California), Billy Graham and dozens more.

The amazing moves of God have never waned over the annals of time and continue on today in countries across the globe.  But as I witnessed over the weekend, they do not get the publicity as they used to in the mainstream media.  These things that I… and many like me… consider to be the norm for our lives and consider to be a strong, healthy, happy and rewarding foundation in our lives, gets pushed aside by others attempting to push another agenda.

But… like I said before… revival is still happening around the world… and if we want to see it in the places where we each call home… then it is up to us to be the voice of God and His powerful Word right where we are today!   At the conclusion of the book of Mark, the writer (who was said to be writing for or from Peter’s notes) gives us not only our marching orders but also shows us how to physically accomplish it!  After Jesus was received up into heaven and seated at the right hand of God, the Apostles and other followers of Jesus went out and followed through on the instructions that He had given to them… and it was recorded for our benefit saying:

“And they went forth, and preached every where, the Lord working with them, and confirming the Word with (miraculous) signs following. Amen.” (KJV) 

So… What more can I say except, “Go Ye and do the same!”

Wow!  What a way to start off the New Year… and while you’re at it… Keep EXPECTING God’s best for your lives!

FIRSTS!

Well… it looks like winter is finally going to catch up with us out here in Oklahoma.  We had a very mild and some might say warm fall… but alas… plunging temperatures with the accompanying winter mix are all a part of the forecast for the beginning of the new year!  

So, I guess, as my mother always said… much to my chagrin as a kid… “All good things must come to an end.”   But… I don’t know how you are feeling, but I am sensing that new and maybe even better good things are in store for 2022!  Who out there will agree with me?

When Fiver and I were out earlier this morning taking what will be our last morning walk of 2021, I couldn’t help but take notice of all the extra boxes and assorted discarded items that many of my neighbors had piled next to their garbage cans that were set on the curb for today’s weekly pickup.  But then it dawned on me…

This is the first pickup since Christmas!  So, with that in mind, and knowing that the New Year starts tomorrow… I thought that it was quite apropos as a visual reminder of the familiar saying, “Out with the old and in with the new!”

I have always tended to get excited about the start of a whole new year!  I may not be one to party and cheer in the new year when the clock strikes midnight, but I do get enthused about the fresh beginning each January first promises to bring!  For some reason this year seems extra special for me.  It will be the beginning of the fourth full year since Piper’s homegoing.  This last year has been a year to catch my breath and somewhat settle into my life without her.

I am enthusiastically looking forward to 2022 as being a year to move forward and establish many new FIRSTS in my life.  Luke 5:26 tells of the reaction that came from a group that had gathered to listen to Jesus and witnessed a miracle that came as a response to receiving party’s faith.  According to The Message Bible,

“The people rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then also gave glory to God. Awestruck, they said, ‘We've never seen anything like that!’" 

Did you catch the sense of awe-struck excitement that captured the people’s hearts and minds?  Read it again,

“The people rubbed their eyes, incredulous—and then also gave glory to God. Awestruck, they said, ‘We've never seen anything like that!’" 

That is what I am EXPECTING in 2022!  I am planning for a lot of FIRSTS in my life throughout the entire New Year… how about you?  Won’t you join me in EXPECTING many new, better, seemingly miraculous things from God in your life starting tomorrow and lasting for the next 364 days?

All it takes is personal commitment, dedication and consistency in your personal faith.  Just remember that Hebrews 11:1 tells us that,

“Faith assures us of things we expect and convinces us of the existence of things we cannot (yet) see.”   (God’s Word ©) 

And that Hebrews 10:17 declares,

“faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God.”   (EMTV)

So… YES… I am excited about this New Year of 2022.  I am over-the-moon to see and hear about all the spectacular things that our heavenly Father has in store for you and me!  In fact… I’m so excited that I may even stay up until my Bulova Pendulum Chiming Wall Clock in the living room melodiously rings in the New Year!

How about you?  Are you excited to personally witness some things that you’ve never seen in your life before?

I pray that each of you have a blessed, safe and EXPECTANT New Years!

 

-       Jim

A Strange Time of Year!

I did a little research this morning and learned that over 160 nations around the world celebrate Christmas, while only a few over 30 countries do not.  And I had to admit… that I had to grin… just a little… when I gathered that information.

As I have perused the mainstream media over the past year, I have come to realize that Christianity has been portrayed more and more often as public enemy #1… especially in the minds of those who favor the WOKE culture that seems to be gaining unparalleled influence in today’s world.  We’ve been called a great number of negative names, falsely accused of being ignorant of and insensitive to the changing attitudes in society and then cancelled… while they place us into nice little boxes because we don’t agree with them and their ever-changing, morally deficient principles. 

And why?  Well… we believe in a loving God and in the truth and infallibility of His Word and… to be blunt… THEY DON’T!

So yeah… I couldn’t contain a grin and a chuckle as the vast majority of the world will temporarily pause from their worldly pursuits today and… whether they understand it or not… celebrate the birth of the Son of God, Who came into the world to suffer the judgment of all our sins (including theirs) so that each of us could have a pathway to everlasting life.

As I was reading from Luke 5:26 earlier today, I found myself taken-in by the reactions of the people in the house listening to Jesus preach when four men tore apart the roof and lowered a man on a bed through the ceiling, right in front of Jesus.  The main thing that caught my attention was that although it didn’t seem to faze Jesus, it sure stirred up some strong feelings within the others in the room.

Jesus just sort of stood there and watched what was going on.  When He observed the faith in the one’s involved, He forgave the sick man his sins and then healed him.  Following that, the healed man and his four companions simply grabbed the bed, walked out of the house and returned to their own homes while they glorified God! 

What was particularly interesting to me, was the way Dr. Luke (the writer of the epistle) recorded the response of the Pharisees and doctors of the law who were in attendance by notating, “And they were all amazed, and they glorified God, and were filled with fear, saying, ‘We have seen STRANGE things today.’” (KJV) 

With most of our collective focuses set on the Christmas Season, I couldn’t help… after reading this scripture… but to reflect on all the STRANGE THINGS that occurred before, during and after the original event of Christ’s birth over 2000 years ago.  The unfolding of all of these unique, one-of-a-kind events were so STRANGE that every time the angel Gabriel came to tell it to the different characters in the story, his first words were always preceded by and/or included the command “Don’t be afraid!”

Whether it was Zacharias, the father of John the Baptist, or the young teenage Mary, or her espoused husband Joseph or even the lowly shepherds watching over their flocks by night, the messenger angel of the Lord prepared the way by letting them know that YES… it was a STRANGE event, but NO… it was nothing to be afraid of, for Gabriel also reassured Mary saying that, “no word from God shall be void of power.” (Revised Standard Version) A literal translation of that verse could state that “The Word of God will never fail!” (footnote in TPT)

My Holiday thoughts on these points would lean to the idea that God wanted us to know, that the entrance of His influence on this earth… in the form and personality and power of Jesus Christ… would hail a change in the “status quo” of the world and be a direct challenge and/or alternative to their rapidly deteriorating ways.

I firmly believe that God was clearly telling each of us, that through the ages to come, that our new norm would be to EXPECT STRANGE THINGS.  Those things that would be seen as very STRANGE to the world’s way of doing things.  To EXPECT that the STRANGENESS of the Gospel message, coming through the powerful Word of God, spoken from our lips, would be the bright light that causes the darkness that once prevailed… to be extinguished… one person at a time!

So, what’s my Christmas message? 

It’s simple… EXPECT to be STRANGE!  EXPECT the STRANGE Gospel message (to the world’s way of thinking) to move mountains (Mark 11:22-24), “to supply all your need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.” (Philippians 4:19 EMTV), to heal the sick (I Peter 2:24) and be the answer for just about ANY need you may have or any situation that you may face in life. (Mark 10:27)

So why not just learn to ENJOY it!  Enjoy being STRANGE!

Have a wonderful and STRANGELY beautiful celebration of Christmas and an exciting, and STRANGELY EXPECTANT New Years!

Responsibilities and Side Trails!

Once Piper and I discovered the awe-inspiring beauty of the Plumas National Forest in northeastern California, we felt like two kids in a candy store!  The initial thing we did on our first trip in 1976, was to stop, before we went up the mountain to our campsite, at the general store in the metropolis of Graeagle, California (population 737).  Along with the customary unhealthy but delicious vacation snack foods, we sought to purchase whatever hiking trail maps we could get our hands on!

From that day forward, with every vacation we went on to the Sierra’s over the next 29 years, we soaked up the gorgeous sights and were enthralled by the local mining history, while we trekked along as many trails as we could explore throughout each trip!  Piper and I tended to be more adventurous in the first four years before we started our family and liked to start on one trail and then meander along on the side excursions on the many trails that intersected the main one.

I clearly remember on one occasion when we were hiking up a mountain, through a thickly forested area of tall pines, when the trail suddenly popped out of the shaded canopy into an open area along the edge of the mountain.  We quickly realized that this particular spot offered a breath-taking and majestic view of another two mountain peaks, separated by a rich green valley in-between. 

It was so overwhelming to our visual senses that all we could do was to grab each other’s hand and in unison say “Wow!” while we collectively caught our breaths from the strenuous hike and the surprise of the scenery before us!  The funny thing was that because we took so many side trails along the way… that we were never able to find that exact spot again… which was frustrating when the kids got older and would have enjoyed the trail and the rewards that they could have seen at the end of the trail!

During my Bible study this morning, I likewise found myself taking a couple of totally unplanned side trails when studying, once again, from I Corinthians 2:15-16.  When I read the last sentence in verse 16 where Paul explained,

“But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually do have within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ,”  (TLB)

I thought, “Well, that’s not too surprising especially since we were created in the image and likeness of God.”  In Genesis 1:26 God is said to have declared “Let us make man in our image, after our likeness…” (KJV)  

Then my line of thought continued on to the next chapter where a more detailed version of this event is written.  I noticed that after Adam was created that God specifically told him that,

“You are free to eat from any tree in the garden.  But you must never eat from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil because when you eat from it, you will certainly die.”  (God’s Word ©)

From there I read through chapter three and mankind’s defining moment when Adam and Eve fell to the deception of the serpent, disobeyed God and opened wide the door of sin to come into the life of every person throughout the coming ages.

When I finished reading and put my Bible down, I suddenly began to contemplate the idea… what if Adam had prevented his wife from eating of the fruit, and rebuked the serpent?  I would confess without a second thought, that I am definitely a traditionalist in that I fully believe that one of a husband’s major roles in the marriage is to protect his wife whenever possible… and I am not just talking about physical protection.

With my personal experience with Piper’s health issues, I am especially sensitive to this.  In our situation I quickly learned that I needed to not only take care of her physical sick-ness related needs and watch over her and protect her from physical harm… but also from wrong diagnosis, hurtful words, depression oozing off people who might come into her presence and from things that would zap us of our faith… when we needed it the most!

With the celebration of Christmas just a few days away, it is easy for me to see a very different outcome than that of Adam and Eve, from another covenanted husband who stepped up, took his role seriously and protected his espoused wife. 

When Joseph learned that the woman that he loved, the woman he was under covenant to marry, was with a child that was not his… his first thought was to care for her and to protect her from living in shame… not to blame her and try to pass the responsibility of the situation off on her… contrary to Adam who quickly declared to the Lord when asked about their transgression and stated,

“That woman, the one you gave me, gave me some fruit from the tree, and I ate it." (Genesis 3:12 God’s Word ©)

And then take a look at the results… Adam’s refusal to protect his wife caused their once blest of the Lord, idyllic life to crumble in a matter of moments.  It was also a mistake that negatively affected the lives of every single human being that was born after them.  

If I were Adam though… the thing that would have hurt me the most was knowing that I let my wife down… and worse yet… knowing that SHE knew… that I threw her “under the bus” sort-of-speak when she needed my support the most!

But in Joseph’s case… well… the total opposite happened.  Because he let her well-being be more important than his own… he listened to the angel of the Lord, proudly took Mary to be his wife and protected her through the perilous journeys to Bethlehem and then to Egypt.  He also took the child as his own, and provided for and shared the care of Mary’s first-born son…

For Joseph, his taking responsibility for the care of his wife-to-be proved to be a one-of-a-kind event that would positively affect every boy and girl, man and women alive then and in the future to come.  For through the young virgin girl Mary… with Joseph’s unrelenting care and protection… was born unto us… “this day in the city of David a Savior, which is Christ the Lord.” (Luke 2:11 KJV) 

Hummmm… I bet you never thought of the Christmas story like that!

 

I pray that each of you have a most joyful, blessed, encouraging

                                          and peaceful Christmas  - Jim

A Force to be Reckoned With!

I remember when our Pastor back in Santa Rosa preached a sermon early on in his tenure at our church and described the reading and study of the scriptures as being similar to the skin of an onion.  Now that rang a very familiar tune in my heart as I have had lots of experience peeling and chopping onions in preparation for my world famous… at least in my head… pasta sauce!

For me, one of the foundational steps in the making of my sauce is the peeling, chopping and then lightly browning of the onion(s) in olive oil, before any of the other ingredients are added to the sauce pot… and believe me… when it comes to sauce pots, I have a pretty good selection of them for almost any size crowd who will enjoy my all-time favorite meal.  On both ends of the spectrum, I have some for one or two diners and a couple of very large, heavy-duty stainless-steel containers for the times the different youth groups we worked with held church-wide spaghetti dinner fundraisers.

So, yeah!  I am familiar with the unique consistency of the many layers to an onion!  That said, over the years, I have also become very familiar with the one-of-a-kind, unique and special make-up of the Holy Scriptures that are contained within the pages of yours and my Bibles.

Like many of you have most likely experienced before, I still find myself in awe when I read a familiar verse in one of my 50 plus Bibles (I like to collect different translations…) and see something in it that I had NEVER seen before… a word, a thought, or a totally different viewpoint that brings a deeper revelation and understanding to my life… and many times… it is exactly what I needed for a particular situation that I was facing at that specific moment in time!  You know what I mean?

Well, that happened numerous times over the last three days as I read from I Corinthians 2:15-16 in Piper’s 1974 New Living Bible where Paul wrote to straighten out some theological problems in the struggling church at Corinth.  He taught,

“But the spiritual man has insight into everything, and that bothers and baffles the man of the world, who can’t understand him at all.  (and) How could he?  For certainly he has never been one to know the Lord’s thoughts, or to discuss them with Him, or to move the hands of God by prayer.  But, strange as it seems, we Christians actually DO HAVE within us a portion of the very thoughts and mind of Christ.”

When I read this translation for the first-time last week, my thoughts, as seems to be a common practice for me lately… went back to my early days with Piper!  And I reminisced and wrote in my notebook “One of the first things that I learned from Piper was that I could actually have a two-way conversation with God!  Before her, my prayers consisted of a lot of begging and very little believing!”

As I have mentioned before, when Piper and I got together, I was a practicing, good Catholic boy with a heart toward God… and very little else when it came to any practical knowledge about Him!  Before Piper I knew God like I knew a celebrity on one of my favorite TV shows!  I knew of and about him or her, but I didn’t really “KNOW” them personally.  The only thing I was familiar with was what I saw on their TV show or heard on the news!  Likewise with God.  Even though I attended Parochial School for six years, was an altar boy in good standing and went to church every Sunday, I knew a lot about Him… but had absolutely NO idea that I could interact with Him on a personal basis!

I can still remember hanging up the wall phone in my parent’s kitchen (anyone remember those?) after talking to Piper for an hour or two (every night after dinner) with my head spinning (in a good sense) over the things we had talked about concerning our religious beliefs.  She could quote chapter and verse from the Bible to prove most of what she said, while the things I thought to be true were only based on what I had heard or decided upon in my own rather limited understanding.

When I prayed back then, it was like me trying to converse with a character on the TV set in the middle of the show… while I sat on the couch in my parent’s living room!  The section of our verse in I Corinthians that initially caught my attention was where Paul said,

“For certainly he (the man of the world) has never been one to know the Lord’s thoughts, or to discuss them with Him, or to move the hands of God by prayer.”

Beginning in high school and then ensuing over the many years of our relationship, I learned and had repeatedly witnessed that Piper’s prayers definitely moved the hand of God!  By the time that we were in our thirties, I realized that Piper’s prayers were a force to be reckoned with!

If I had the time, I could give seemingly countless examples of when she prayed and stood in faith for a variety of situations that others around us said was impossible.  Be it our family’s needs, a friend’s healing from a report of cancer, extended family members returning to church, people in situations needing a reversal from the path that they were heading or for church members who had gone off course in their personal faith…  when Piper went to the Lord in prayer… she meant business!

You see, she “KNEW” Him.  She “KNEW” how much He loved and cared for her… as well as for all who have committed their lives to Him.  She “KNEW” her Bible.  She “KNEW” who the Word of God says that we are, she “KNEW” the benefits of being a son or daughter of the living God, and she strove to live her life according to the standards set within the pages of our Bibles… no matter what others around her thought… or how strange the world’s ever-changing standards may have been!

And you know… She was absolutely NO DIFFERENT than you or me!  She wasn’t some super-spiritual person who walked on the water.  She liked to have fun and sometimes do outlandish things!  She was just an ordinary (cute) girl who loved God (and happened to capture my heart in the process) and wanted to do right by Him!

Romans 2:11 tells us that, “God does not play favorites.”  *  If her prayers could “move the hand of God”, and “bother and baffle” those living their lives in doubt and unbelief around her, then so can yours and mine!  I’ve seen the progression in my own life from my early Catholic days that changed dramatically by the influence of one individual… and so can you!

So, what do you think?  Do you want your prayers to “move the hand of God?”  Well then… grab your Bible (I suggest you get one that is easy for YOU to understand – and one will do… you don’t need 50 of them!) and begin to get to “KNOW” Him and all that He has promised and provided for you! 

Then begin to pray and step out in faith… fully EXPECTING your prayers to be “A Force to be Reckoned With” as they enable God to move on your behalf and do what He says in His Word that He will do for you!

 

*God’s Word ©

 

Smarter Than the Average Bear!

♫ “Yogi Bear is smarter than the average bear,

Yogi Bear is always in the ranger's hair.

At a picnic table you will find him there

Stuffing down more goodies than the average bear.

 

He will sleep till noon but before it's dark,

He'll have every picnic basket that's in Jellystone Park.

 

Yogi has it better than a millionaire

That's because he's smarter than the average bear.” ♪*

 

So… you might be wondering what an old song about a cartoon series from my past has to do with any scriptural subject that I may be writing about!  Well… if you don’t know by now… NOW YOU DO!  It’s just the way my unusual train of thought seems to work!  I guess you could blame it on some thirty plus years of coming up with exciting, different, challenging and creative ways to share the gospel with youth and children… with a few adults thrown in along the way!

Piper and I shared a common passion to always make the gospel of Christ to be an exciting and fun place for our young charges to be.  Our desire was that they would always associate Jesus as a friend and recall their personal experiences with Him as very pleasant and memorable encounters.

I mean let’s face it… Piper and I loved a fun time, we loved to laugh and make others laugh along with us… and when you put us in a room, leading a group of teens or elementary school children… the odds were that we would have fun and LOTS of it… all encompassed around the very positive message of Christ’s love, grace, peace and acceptance for each of us… just the way we are!

So yeah… I’m reading from 1 Corinthians 2:16 in The Passion Translation during my Bible Study time this morning where Paul is teaching the church saying,

“For Who has ever intimately known the mind of the Lord Yahweh well enough to become his counselor? Christ has, and we possess Christ’s perceptions.” 

And I immediately sensed the thought that “Hummmm… we, as Christians, have the mind or the perceptions of Christ… Who intimately knows the mind of God!”

Then I leaned back in my chair, scratched my head and further considered the idea that if that is true… and it is, since Jesus Himself told us that God’s Word is the truth in John 17:17… then... we Christians have the ability to be a step ahead of everyone else in the world who has not YET accepted Jesus Christ as their personal Savior and Lord (See: Romans 10:9-10)!  The King James Version tells us that “we have the mind of Christ.”

According to Thayer’s, the definition of the word “mind” infers “the capacity for spiritual truth, the higher powers of the soul, the faculty of perceiving divine things, of recognizing goodness (in others) and of hating evil.”  Mounce Concise English-Greek Dictionary defines it as “a settled state of mind, or a frame of mind”

Plainly said, having the mind or perceptions of Christ, gives us a greater degree of understanding to things going on around us... than those who don’t.  In some respects, one could (humbly) say… we just might have an edge that could enable us to be a little smarter than the average person whose mind… as non-believers… has not yet been “transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and well pleasing and perfect will of God.” (Romans 12:2 EMTV)

And that is precisely where it happened!  As soon as I completed this line of thought, the picture of Yogi and Boo-Boo Bear dancing through the campgrounds at Jellystone Park, grabbing a food basket from right under the watchful care of Ranger Smith and running away with Yogi calling out “Hey Boo-Boo!” zipped right into my mind!  Then for the next ten minutes, all I could hear was the show’s theme song of “Yogi Bear is smarter than the average bear…”

But you know… as silly as that may seem… I bet-cha anything that you’re now singing that song and will remember it when it comes to hearing the perceptions of Christ… as you study God’s Word, increase your understanding of it and begin to trust Him more and more for EVERYTHING, EVERY SITUATION, EVERY NEED, EVERY BIT OF WISDOM that you may desire and EVERY BLESSING that you may need!

And when you get that extra perception of the situation that you find yourself in the middle of… and are able to see victory in the midst of seeming failure… You too will tell those around you that,

“Hey Boo-Boo… Yogi and I ARE smarter than the average bear!”

Isn’t God Good!  Have a great rest of the week, and in doing so… Keep EXPECTING God’s best in your life!                                                                                       

 

*source: http://www.lyricsondemand.com/tvthemes/yogibearlyrics.html

Developing Relationships...

I’ve been thinking about relationships lately, and how they develop between individuals.  Relationships come in all different shapes and sizes, and exist for various reasons and needs.  But my line of thought centered around close, personal relationships between two individuals.

Without a moment’s hesitation, I would unequivocally say that my most rewarding, successful and longest tenured relationship was between my wife and I.  Her’s and my friendship seemed to leap from “Hi, my name is Jim!  Hi, I’m Piper!” to one that encompassed the sharing of our deepest thoughts, desires, hopes and dreams… overnight!

I was thinking about it on Fiver’s and my morning walk today.  It is important to note that Fiver has a good ear when it comes to my multifaceted and at times, oddball and unrelated one-sided conversations that we share each day!

I was telling my four-footed companion that after the first two weeks of being together, Piper and I just seem to fit into a groove that we never slid out of!  To put it mildly… we were very comfortable in each other’s company and just seemed to know how to bring out the best in each other… plus… she made me laugh and I sent the laughter right back at her!  I’ve often times thought that my favorite thing in life was to see her happy with her patented Piper smile that seemed to reach her eyes and convey excitement and life anywhere we went, in any activity we participated in. 

As the seasons of life changed from high school to college, to young marrieds, to becoming mom and dad and all the years that ensued, we continued to enjoy each other’s company and grew daily in our understanding of the unique nuances that made each of us who we were, at each stage in life.

I knew her practically better than I knew myself.  I knew how to approach her when discussing different subjects.  I knew how to cause her to feel warm and cozy and well loved and respected.  And… I also knew the triggers and attitudes that would upset her… and did my best to avoid those words and/or actions… Although looking back, I must admit… I was not always as successful as I would have liked!  Sometimes I would want to smack myself for pushing somethings as far as I did… has anyone else ever been there?

I can pretty much say the exact same things about her toward me concerning what I just wrote.  But you know… We also constantly worked to improve our relationship and to keep it exciting and adventurous… and I can honestly say that it never got old!  We both had our individual ways to surprise the other with funny comments or actions, small gifts or meaningful/loving keepsakes.  This was all something that I tried my best to keep going when Piper’s cognitive abilities began to drift away.  I wanted her to know… to the very end… that as far as I was concerned, nothing had changed and I was going to keep responding to and interacting with her as if all was normal… normal for us that is!

The verse of scripture that got me thinking along this line of thought is found in Ephesians 3:12 from The Living Bible, where Paul is talking about God’s plan for the church (you and me), our responsibilities in the world and our ensuing relationship with Him through Jesus Christ.

With all of this in mind, Paul assured us that

“Now we can come fearlessly right into God’s presence, assured of His GLAD WELCOME when we come with Christ and trust in Him.”

Thayer’s Greek Definitions says that this scripture describes “that relationship with God whereby we are acceptable to him and have assurance that he is favorably disposed towards us.”  I like having that kind of a personal relationship with God, in knowing that I am acceptable to Him and that He is favorably disposed toward me!  Don’t you?

I discovered through the years… that there are many people out there that don’t even know that God likes them… much less loved them so much that He sent His only Son to take the punishment for their sins so that they could have this kind of relationship with Him! (see: John 3:16)

The Cambridge Bible for Schools and Colleges defines this type of relationship between us and God as “the boldness of intimate intercourse” and in doing so bluntly declares that our relationship with God should be extremely close, deeply personal, and open to any subject, conversation, need or dream… no matter how private, unorthodox or seemingly out-of-reach it may be!

Using my example above, God’s desires you and I to have an enjoyable, exciting, adventurous, safe, loving and ever-growing connection with Him… similar… and even better than Piper and I had.  Piper and I always felt free to share anything with each other… even when we might have been upset with one another… storming angrily out of the room (which seems to be so prevalent in the presentations that Hollywood gives us) was not an acceptable option in our home.  There was a freedom in our union for either of us to go to the other for support, comfort and advice on any subject.  We also enjoyed the extravagance of just aimlessly sharing thoughts, dreams, visions and hopes.

I’ll let you in on a little secret… since Piper passed… I do that same thing with God now… and I think He enjoys it!  He and I have developed the habit of sharing all kinds of ideas, thoughts and dreams right after I turn off the light each night!  And I am MORE than sure that He would LOVE to do the same thing with YOU!

So, what do you think?  Is that the type of relationship that you have with our heavenly Father?  Is it one that you’d like to have?  I think He’d like it… and I am pretty sure that you would too!

Have a great new week, and as you do… Spend more time with Him and keep EXPECTING His best in your life!