His Touch... Our Touch!

Yesterday, I wrote about three quarters of the blog post that I had intended to publish today and was pondering over ways to bring it to a good conclusion while preparing the coffee maker this morning, when my thoughts were interrupted by a song that came over our home entertainment system.  On Saturday mornings I like to listen to the special live recordings of the Bill Gather Homecoming concerts played on Sirius XM.

Today was no different and I was pulled out of my blog thoughts by a female voice singing about how “GOD ALWAYS HOLDS HER HAND!”  I can’t even say that I heard much of the rest of the content of the song because I immediately pictured all the times that I had held my sweet wife’s hand throughout our five years of dating and subsequent forty-three years of marriage, before her early homegoing to heaven.  And with that personal example, I considered all the ways in which our heavenly Father likes to stay in physical contact with us… His family on the earth. 

When I had gone grocery shopping earlier in the week, I saw an older lady (Hah… probably my age!) moving herself along in her wheelchair with one arm while pushing a basket with the other as she went down the aisles.  For some reason, I was already having an extra emotional day that day and when I saw her, I had to stop and pull myself together as all the memories of me pushing Piper along in her wheelchair with one arm while pulling a cart behind us when grocery shopping in North Carolina came flooding back to me.

But what I especially remembered this morning as I listened to that song, was how… even in her semi-unresponsive condition… that I couldn’t keep my hands off of my wife.  I realized one afternoon years ago, while perusing the aisles of the Super Walmart in Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina where we lived at the time, that every time I leaned over and/or walked around her chair to grab something off a shelf, that I also made the extra effort to touch her shoulder.

In some respects, one could say it was an unconscious response derived from a long-established habit of physical touch between us, but I had also committed to her when she got sick, that she would never be alone and that I would be with her the whole time.  So, while all those touches may have been from long established interactions, they were also a very deliberate action on my behalf… because I wanted her to physically feel the touch of my deep and intense LOVE for her.

I Corinthians 13:7 in the Passion Translation eloquently declares that,

“Love is a safe place of shelter, for it never stops believing the best for others. Love never takes failure as defeat, for it never gives up.” 

I wanted Piper to know that in whatever was physically and mentally happening to her at the time, that she was ALWAYS safe in the shelter of God’s love manifesting through me.  That I would NEVER believe for anything less than the specified best of God as stated in His Word, would NEVER consider this attack of sickness as a form of failure in our faith (which some people actually stated and other’s implied…) and that she could be secure in the FACT that I would NEVER give up on her or on God!

The idea of the touch of God upon me, or the picture of His holding my hand as He “leads me all the way through the valley of the shadow of death…”* has been the constant foundation of my life since Piper’s graduation from this realm to God’s in 2018.  There are times that He feels so close to me, that I have to lift up my arm in the strong sense that He is taking hold of my hand and leading me at that very moment in time.  That happened to me yesterday afternoon when Fiver and I were out walking along the golf course next to our house and along the string of backyards that openly face the greens.

I was so wrapped up in my conversation with the Lord that I didn’t even realize what I was doing… and when I did think about the invisible people watching me** from their living room windows… I had to laugh and say “Who cares… hopefully they are blessed by it… or possibly think of me to be a little strange!”

Do you ever think about how God reaches out to you each day?  It could be through the guy who walks by your house and raises a hand to heaven in worship unto the Lord, or the smile from the person in the car next to yours.  Maybe it is the cashier who surprises you by saying “God bless you” as you walk away from the register (happens out here a lot!), or like the little girl who lives behind us and always yells out “Hello!” if she catches a glance of Fiver or I through the fence.

I don’t think that God can contain Himself!  When we are thinking about Him… He is also thinking about and reaching out with His LOVE to us!  In Psalm 73:23-24 the Psalmist spoke in heartfelt passion saying,

“Yet, I am always with You. You hold on to my right hand. (and) You wisely and tenderly lead me, and then You bless me”  (God’s Word © / The Message)

I can’t think of any place that is as safe a shelter for all the circumstances of life, than smack-dab in the middle of God’s LOVE… Can You? 

I bet that you can’t ether!

So, I challenge you to think about His touch upon you and your life as you walk through your day today, tomorrow and throughout the following week… and while you’re thinking about Him… why not allow yourself to be used of Him to LOVINGLY touch the life of someone around you!

Have a terrific weekend… and keep EXPECTING… and passing on… God’s best for you!

 

*Psalm 23:4 – KJV/TPT

** I quite often run into people in the neighborhood when out walking, who, when they bend over to pet Fiver, have told me that they see us walking every day!  That also happened at the apartments in North Carolina as well as in the planned community where we lived in Santa Rosa before moving to North Carolina!  You NEVER know who is watching you!

Avoiding Disgraceful Behavior!

On the suggestion of our pastor’s sermon on Sunday morning, I have begun reading the entire chapter of I Corinthians 13 first thing every morning.  There are only 13 verses in the chapter and would make for fairly quick reading… if it wasn’t filled up with so much substance!

It has been difficult for me to get through each line without uttering a lot of Oooh’s, Wow’s, Oh Me’s and Oh My’s!  Then I find myself pouring over my many translations, concordances and Greek/English dictionaries to further define the different themes, specific words and many concise statements.  Today I found myself deeply embedded in I Corinthians 13:5 where Paul wrote:

“LOVE does not behave disgracefully, does not seek its own, is not provoked to anger, thinks no evil;”   (EMTV)

The fist thought that caught my attention was the initial phrase that, “LOVE does not behave disgracefully.”  As I looked up the meaning of the word “DISGRACEFULLY” I couldn’t help but cringe, take a deep breath and look for a tissue in case I began to tear up… with the remembrances of my personal involvement with that behavior… being on the receiving end that is!

As one might think, Strong’s and Mounce’s Greek Dictionaries define the action of the word as one who “acts unbecomingly, does not keep with good taste and propriety and is improper.”  A secondary definition was “to behave in a manner open to censure.”

For most of us, I believe this outlandish behavior in the midst of a very difficult and emotional situation is almost unbearable… and again… for most of us… unthinkable!  But the next phrase gives us the reason for how such behavior is possible.  Paul simply explains that Godly, Christian LOVE “does not seek its own!”  And that statement brings me over to the letter to the Roman church where Paul stated,

“Those who are motivated by the flesh only pursue what benefits themselves. But those who live by the impulses of the Holy Spirit are motivated to pursue spiritual realities.”  (TPT)

From my experience over the years in life and in ministry, the first part of Romans 8:5 is talking about individuals who have given their heads and hearts over to fear.  Depending on the translation you read, Galatians 5:6 tells us that our faith works by or is expressed through LOVE.  So, it makes sense that without LOVE we have NO FAITH and without FAITH we are easily taken over by the self-preservation tendencies of FEAR!  And FEAR causes individuals to act in non-sensical, unbecoming, unstable and many times… unthinkable ways!

One of the many factors that led me to move Piper and I across the country to North Carolina to be near our oldest daughter when we did in 2014, was to physically separate us from the non-sensical and depressing environment that kept bombarding us in California.  And like I said before… IT WORKED… and gave us/me an opportunity to re-establish us in a quiet, physically beautiful atmosphere of peace, of focused faith in the Word of God and in joyfully ministering to Piper and her growing needs... By surrounding her with LOVE… without the unwanted and unhealthy encroaching effects of FEAR.

So, what more can I say?  I agree with the Apostle Paul!  God’s standard of Christian LOVE never acts in a way that is disgraceful to God, disgraceful to the people around us or even is disgraceful to ourselves… in fact Jesus taught that it is impossible to love others without first loving ourselves!   But that is another subject for another blog post!

Suffice to say, I want to live my life in such a way that when people see me, they see a “LOVE in action that is,

“Large and incredibly patient. A LOVE that is gentle and consistently kind to all. One that refuses to be jealous when blessing comes to someone else, does not brag about one’s achievements nor inflate its own importance, does not traffic in shame and disrespect, nor selfishly seek its own honor. A LOVE that is not easily irritated or quick to take offense.”  (TPT personalized)

And I bet that there is no one out there reading this today who doesn’t desire the same thing for themselves! 

Am I right? 

I hope and pray that you are having a fantastic week!  I’m thinking that our weather here today is just like the weather that Piper and all our loved ones who have gone on before us, are experiencing in heaven… currently at 73 degrees with a high of 80 forecasted!  And YES!  You’re Right… I’m wearing shorts and looking forward to Daylight Savings Time beginning in just a few weeks!

Be blest and let the LOVE of God flow through your life today… and as you do… Keep EXPECTING and sharing God’s best!

LOVE's 411

I have had the pleasure and honor over the years of ministry, to officiate at the marriages of numerous family and friends (as well as a few other folks who called the church looking for a pastor to conduct their wedding).  I’d always ask the couple to meet with me in the weeks previous to the event so that Piper and I could share some practical advice and talk to them about the Biblical standards of marriage as presented in the Word of God.  My most often used scripture to conclude the session was and continues to be found in I Corinthians 13:7-8.  I have used various translations from Paul’s well-known chapter on LOVE, but once I discovered the God’s Word © modern verse in Bible School, it has been my mainstay ever since!

The church in Corinth was founded in the midst of the major port city of Greece and was an area that celebrated its worldliness with great enthusiasm in their open displays of debauchery and immorality.  Paul in his communications with the church, had received some troublesome reports concerning certain negative conditions existing in the church. 

It is thought that Paul wrote as many as four separate letters to the church in Corinth to address the needs that he had heard about.  I Corinthians 5:9 speaks of the first letter that was written, followed by what we now know as the Biblical book of 1 Corinthians, a third referred to by Paul in 2 Corinthians in various places as the “severe” letter and the last being preserved as the book of 2 Corinthians.  Both the first and third letters were seemingly lost over the centuries.

The letter known as I Corinthians is largely practical in emphasis and is a classic pastoral response.  Paul masterfully refreshes the congregation in the basic beliefs and doctrines of Christianity and shows them once again, “how to work all the glorious details of God’s saving LOVE into their LOVE for one another”*

Chapter thirteen in I Corinthians is specifically known in Christian circles, as the Bible’s 411 on Christian LOVE.  And of the thirteen verses of that chapter, my favorite summary for any married couple is found in I Corinthians 13:7-8 where Paul writes,

“LOVE never stops being patient, never stops believing, never stops expecting, never gives up.  LOVE never comes to an end.”  (God’s Word ©)

Whether a couple is married for one week, 43 years as were Piper and I, or for 60 plus years as were both my parents and Piper’s, this verse is the perfect refreshing encouragement to stand on when things might get a little heated.  It’s also a good verse to hang on the wall in your kitchen as well… but it works best when you not only read it, understand it and agree together upon it… but also DO IT CONSISTENTLY throughout your life together!

I was just glancing over at Piper’s 1976 copy of “The Way” Living Bible Illustrated where she had highlighted portions of this chapter and noticed verse seven, where it declares,

“If you LOVE someone you will be loyal to him no matter what the cost.  You will always believe in him, always expect the best of him, and always stand your ground in defending him.”

Well, I know without a doubt, that she definitely did that for me… as I did for her up to the night that she breathed her last breath on this earth.  You know… it really is TRUE!

“LOVE never comes to an end!”

I bet many of you could share some personal experiences on that truth as well!  Have a wonderful week.  Keep walking in LOVE… and as you do… keep EXPECTING God’s best in your life!

 

 

 

*Introduction to I Corinthians from The Message Devotional Bible copyright © 1993, 2002, 2018 by Eugene H. Peterson.

EXAMPLES

I thought that a change of pace might be a little nice this morning, so, I’m writing today’s blog post from my kitchen table!  I normally write in my study as all my reference books are shelved there and the large front window affords lots of light and a nice view of our cul-de-sac and neighboring golf course. 

The kitchen is actually only a few feet over from the study, separated by the front door and entryway.  But it’s got a different vibe… maybe not as much light from the front but has additional light coming from the four windows looking out on the backyard behind us, in the connected, open design living area.

“And So…” as Piper’s and my least favorite sociology teacher in JC used to annoyingly say every time he’d take a pause in his monotone teaching… we’ll see how it goes!

I had a nice conversation with my two older siblings in California last week on the day that would have been our Dad’s 101^st birthday.  We all shared some special memories of him and of our childhood in general.  A few days later, I was reading the Message Bible’s paraphrase of 2 Corinthians 5:14 and was reminded of his EXAMPLE to me in the way that he loved and cared for my Mom.  In this portion of scripture Paul wrote,

“Christ's love has moved me to such extremes. His love has the first and last word in everything we do…”

When I read that aloud, I suddenly realized that Christ’s love was the EXAMPLE that inspired Paul to love and care for the people in the way that he did… and I immediately turned to the dog laying on the floor next to me and declared… “Just like the way that my Dad was the EXAMPLE that I followed in loving Piper for the 48 years that we were together.”

When Piper was diagnosed with Alzheimer’s, there was never a question or doubt in my mind that I would be by her side and take care of her all the way… no matter what it entailed… no matter what I needed to lay aside.  Thinking back to those very emotional, difficult and confusing first few years, I also never had a doubt that my parents would back me 100%... and they did stand behind us and continually asked how they could help us out.  I can’t though, say the same thing for everyone else in our circle of family and friends.

It really confused me at the time, but after the revelation from today’s scripture, I began to see some light.  I realized that none of those folks had the same type of EXAMPLE of a father figure in their lives as my siblings and I did in ours. 

I can’t say that my Dad doted over my Mom, but he definitely always gave her the first place of honor and respect in his life.  My Mom was a very outgoing, fun-loving, full of life, 100% Italian, New York born and bred women!  There were times when she would get upset with my Dad & be a bit vigorous in her communications… but I never recall my Dad raising his voice in his reply.  A characteristic my kids have said that I followed.  She could easily enlighten a gathering of family and friends with her humor, smile and all welcoming personality.  My Dad was more on the quiet side, but also tended to quickly gather the respect of anyone in the room with his soft smile, the humor in his eyes, the wisdom with which he spoke and the honesty with which he conducted himself.

One of the earliest memories I have of him was when my Mom was diagnosed with breast cancer when I (I believe) was still of preschool age.  I remember that my grandparents had come over to our house to take care of me while my siblings were in school and my Dad was with my Mom at the hospital.  I didn’t really know what was going on at that time, but I remember sitting quietly on the floor in the hallway, secretly spying on the events unfolding in the kitchen where my grandparents were, when my Dad came in and with tears streaming down his face, told them of my Mom’s diagnosis and the necessary procedure to follow.

Like I said, it wasn’t until many years later that I understood what was happening that day, but my Dad’s tears and heart-felt emotions toward my Mom, made a mark on my life that I have NEVER forgotten!  While they didn’t necessarily have an overly affectionate public relationship with each other… as my Mom would shew him away if he ever tried to kiss her in front of us kids, (Humm… why does that sound so familiar to me?) they would hold hands when they walked together, he would always open doors for her and even pull out her chair at the dining table.  After us three kids were married and out of the house, they enjoyed traveling both domestically and internationally together, along with their monthly trailering holidays with a group of friends.

He and my Mom met and at a USO dance in New York where my Mom lived, and my Dad was stationed toward the end of World War Two.  My Mom tells the story of their first dance saying that she thought that he was so stuck up, hardly smiled and barely looked at her… while my Dad told of how he was very shy and trying his best to concentrate and count his steps so that he wouldn’t mess it up!

After that night, he became a pretty good dancer and he and my Mom loved to dance every time they went to an event where music and dancing was offered!  While quiet and conservative in most situations… on the dance floor he and my Mom, many times, cleared the floor with their Swing dance moves!  And when you saw the look in his eyes as he gazed fondly upon her when they danced… there was NEVER a doubt of His love for her.

One of the few things that sort of bugged me throughout the years growing up was my Dad’s regular reply of “We can’t afford it” when we asked if we could go on a special vacation, get a new bike or even at times, a special treat.  (Not that it was like we didn’t have our needs abundantly met) But in later years when my brother stepped in to help him with the care of their finances, he was amazed at the scope of their investments and savings.  At that time my Dad confided in him by explaining that after my Mom’s breast cancer, that he always strove to make sure that she would have enough finances to care for her in case of his absence.

So, like the EXAMPLE that my Dad lived before us, my spouse always had first place in my life.  Looking back at Piper’s and my life and our new church Pastoring plans, as empty nesters, after Bible School, I can see that I laid that all aside for her care.  But you know… it wasn’t until very recently, a few years after her home-going to heaven, that I actually realized what I did!  At the time I never thought of it!  My concerns were only about her!

So again, when a small group of individuals questioned my motives, I was totally taken by surprise… I just assumed that every husband felt the way I did.  But today I have a better understanding and I am SO THANKFUL for the wonderful EXAMPLE that my Dad lived before me.  He carved a path in my life that I NEVER thought to stray from. 

And NOW I pray that the EXAMPLE I lived before them, with their Mom, had the same effect to our four children… and you know… I believe it has!  When someone questioned my kids after Piper’s diagnosis, concerning my love for their Mom, they told me later that they instantly shook their heads saying, that if there was one thing that they all KNEW FOR SURE it was how much I loved and respected their Mom!

And There Ya Go!  Being a positive EXAMPLE in someone’s life is one of the most important roles we play during our lifetimes!  I pray that my EXAMPLE to my kids and the many children, youth, college age students and adults alike, that we ministered to in the past and present… continue to be at the level of excellence that I have repeatedly heard my Dad complimented on by his class students throughout the years at Herbert Slater Junior High.

What do you think?  How about you?

Have a great weekend.  Our temperatures are heading up in the right direction once again.  The snow is beginning to melt and our weekend and following week might even see me break out my shorts…  So, enjoy your weekend, think about your EXAMPLE and while you’re at it… Keep EXPECTING and sharing God’s best in your life!

Morning Attitudes...

I’ve always been kind of a morning person and have never been one to wake up in a grumpy mood.  I was told by Piper’s roommate at Chico State that she could be a little grumpy in the morning and have always been thankful to her bubbly-from-the-moment-she-opened-her-eyes roommate (as Piper described her) for changing Piper’s morning outlook on life!  

I had only seen Piper first thing in the morning a few times at church group retreats before we got married.  In those kinds of exaggerated settings where a whole bunch of us youth or college-career young adults were in sleeping bags, packed together in the living room of somebody’s cabin… everyone had to wake up with a smile or face dire consequences like a glass of icy water poured on you!  Anyone else ever attend weekend retreats like that!

I did come to learn how to gently and slowly engage my wife when waking up though!  Whereas I could quickly become attentive… she, not as much… until we had kids and then the slightest sound coming from their room had her instantly at their side!  Piper was cool though.  She had that “teacher” instinct and knew that I wanted to be a blessing to her… so she, at times, would talk to me about the things that blessed her in the mornings… as well as the things that didn’t!  So, we learned to work together in order to enjoy the most harmonious outcome of our different morning attitudes! 

Plus… I knew how to get to her and could almost always make her laugh… and she likewise… knew exactly how to melt through my toughest resistance!

I have noticed though… since Piper’s passing, that although I still tend to wake up in a good mood, I many times arise with the different pressures and subsequent questions of my new life without her, laying very heavily on my mind.  But I have also noticed how much Fiver’s and my early morning walks in the quiet and stillness of the hour, help to refocus and set the motivation for my day!  I couldn’t help but stop and pause in enjoyment and awe, for a moment when we reached the edge of the golf course yesterday and enjoy the rather brisk… read that C-O-L-D… wind that hit my face like the aforementioned glass of icy water splashing on me at youth camp!

It was rather awakening and refreshing and quickly focused my thoughts on the love of God and His uncanny (and well proven) ability to turn any situation around in one’s favor!  I couldn’t help but to think on that again during our morning walk today as Fiver and I stopped to visit at the backyard wire fence of the home of his newest friend “Wallace.”  Wallace is a young Golden Retriever puppy that I have slowly been introducing to Fiver. 

I don’t always know how Fiver will respond to other dogs, so I’ve been cautious in letting them get close enough to sniff at each other.  But over the last week, I’ve given Fiver enough slack to go nose to nose and he and Wallace seem to have become good buddies!  Wallace is about half of Fiver’s size with almost identically sized paws as Fiver… so, he’ll also be a big boy!  Today we also got to talk with Wallace’s little girl and boy and his human mom!  We’ve talked before, but this time enjoyed the antics of the two dogs as they barked and bounced around.

Activities like these are always a great way for me to draw myself out of my worries and I can’t help but to think on scriptures like 2 Corinthians 5:14 where the God’s Word © translation states that,

“Clearly, Christ's love guides us…”

Or the way the Passion Translation expounds the same verse in describing Christ’s love-motivated actions on our behalf, explaining,

“For it is Christ’s love that fuels our passion and motivates us, because we are absolutely convinced that He has given His life for all of us.”

Piper always enjoyed and talked a lot about scriptures that describe the love of God for us.  And now, after everything that she and I went through with the attack of Alzheimer’s upon her life, I have also come to the place of personally and intimately knowing the power of His love for me.  It’s the love that carried us through our past… and now that I am older, I’m thoroughly dependent upon it for the successful accomplishment of my future... and you can be too!

Now that’s the attitude that I like to start my mornings with… wouldn’t you agree!

Have a terrific week.  We have a warm day today, thunderstorms coming in tonight and another warm day forecasted for tomorrow… only to be followed by another winter storm complete with sleet and snow at the end of the week… Is this gonna be the new norm?

Oh well… throughout it all, you and I… well, we’ll just have to keep EXPECTING God’s loving best for our lives!

Hot Air!

I was watching a news briefing the other day as I prepared my lunch and found myself pausing after a few minutes and wondering aloud… “Why is it that I just don’t believe a word that this individual is speaking?”  And then it dawned on me, that he has had a terrible track record of saying one thing… and then either not doing it… or have his plan completely fall apart as soon as it was implemented.  Do you know of anyone like that?

I was reminded of that particular news conference and couldn’t help but to burst out laughing, later in the day, when I happened to peruse James 1:26 from the Message paraphrase translation of the Bible, where it succinctly states,

“Anyone who sets himself up as ‘religious’ by talking a good game is self-deceived. This kind of religion is hot air and only hot air.”

Now I’m not saying that this individual or others currently in his high level of government responsibility are setting themselves up as being religious… but they most definitely are attempting to set themselves up as experts in the cabinet positions that they hold… but people across the country are beginning to regularly take notice and see the “HOT AIR” that tends to come from their lips! 

People who don’t take responsibility for their words tend to quickly lose their credibility around others… and believe you me… they are all around us. I’m sure we have all cringed in shock, unbelief or embarrassment when we have been in a gathering when someone unknowingly made a statement or off-handed comment that was totally inappropriate, hurtful or insensitive to someone else.  If you’re like me… it sends a shiver up my spine, as I have been on the receiving end of such comments… and it does not produce good vibes!

The King James Version of James 1:26 says,

“If any man among you seem to be religious, and bridleth not his tongue, but deceiveth his own heart, this man's religion is vain.” 

The original Greek word translated here as “bridleth” means “to curb, lead, guide or to hold in check, restrain or control.”  Describing one’s religion as being in “vain” conveys the idea of being “profitless, and/or devoid of force, truth, success and result.  It is as something worthless, of no purpose, fallacious, misleading, mis-informed, delusional and disappointing.” (Strong’s and Thayer’s)

Stop and think about all that for a moment!  James, the wisdom filled leader of the Christians in Jerusalem, of whom the original Apostles went to for direction on certain questions relating to the early church… is instructing us of the need to restrain, hold in check and control the things that come out of our mouths!  Then in no uncertain terms, he clearly defines the results and consequences of those who don’t put a guard on their words.

But is that even possible for us to do?  I don’t know about you… but I hear people all the time justifying their lack of self-control of the words they speak saying, “Well, that’s just me… or… get used to it, that’s just who I am and I can’t change.”  Then there are those who blame it on their ethnicity, saying things like, “I can’t control that… it’s just my Irish temper!” (I used to tell Piper when I would suddenly take hold of her hand and start kissing her up along her arm, that “It was the Italian, Latin lover in me!” & she’d laugh and say “JIM!” and then push me away… especially if the kids were in the room!)

Well… I personally believe that it is possible, particularly if you are a Christian... and I have scripture to prove it!  2 Corinthians 5:17 unequivocally declares that 

“Whoever is a believer in Christ is a new creation. The old way of living has disappeared. A new way of living has come into existence.” (God’s Word ©) 

So, when you became a new Believer, your spirit was born anew, the old things in you passed away and behold, all things became new inside of you.*  But it normally doesn’t just happen like the flip of a switch… although I have seen people immediately set free from addictions and bad habits the moment they surrendered their lives to the Lord…  Romans 12:2 teaches us to,

“Be not conformed to this world: but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind, that ye may prove what is that good, and acceptable, and perfect, will of God.” (KJV) 

And we renew our minds… and thereby our lives and lifestyle… by reading and studying the Word of God.  Paul told young Pastor Timothy in 2 Timothy 3:16-17 of the importance of the scriptures in people’s lives saying,

“Every Scripture passage is inspired by God. All of them are useful for teaching, pointing out errors, correcting people, and training them for a life that has God's approval.  They equip God's servants so that they are completely prepared to do good things.”  (God’s Word ©) 

And if that is not enough to convince you… 2 Timothy 1:7 confirms the above verses and encourages us to know that God has given us the tools that we need to be successful in life - when we put them to work and practice what we preach.  He taught that,

“God will never give you the spirit of fear, but the Holy Spirit who gives you mighty power, love, and self-control.”  (The Passion Translation) 

So… if God says that we can have SELF-CONTROL… Then I believe Him! 

How about you?

NOW… doesn’t that excite you enough to put HIS Word to work in your life?  I sure hope so.  I want the actions in my life to match the words that I speak… and I am sure that you desire your words to do the same!

Have a great rest of the week.  Keep speaking and acting on His Word… and while you’re diligently working at it… Keep EXPECTING God’s best in your life!

 

*See the King James Version of 2 Corinthians 5:17 

On Guard!

Throughout both the Old and the New Testaments, the Bible tells lots of stories of individuals being spoken to or led by an angel or the Lord Himself in their dreams.  But I’ve also been told from the pulpit, that if you don’t remember much of the dream when you wake up… then don’t try to make anything of importance out of it!

Well… I had a dream early this morning and while I don’t recall the actual content of the dream… I did wake up with some negative feelings toward myself.  Whatever the dream was about, it definitely was demeaning to my self-confidence.  As I laid there in the dark for a few moments, I suddenly turned over and noticed that my clock next to the bed read 3:35AM.  I knew that I needed to do something in order to shake the emotional thoughts and decided to get up and get a drink of water.

But you know… an interesting thing happened as soon as I stood up and took my first few steps toward the sink in the adjoining master bath.  My mind was rapidly filled with scripture after scripture reminding me of how much God loved me… and of how special I was to Him!*  Then after a few sips of water, I was reminded of some thoughts that I had considered the previous evening, when I was kind of feeling a teeny-weeny bit sorry for myself and had wallowed over how special and important Piper always made me feel!

But in the midst of those thoughts, I had to stop and sheepishly smile when I heard that all familiar, small-still-voice on the inside of me softly say… “Well, you don’t have her around anymore Jim… but you do have ME!”  Then another interesting thing happened… as I stepped over the dog who had gotten up to see what I was doing stumbling around in the middle of the night… I realized that ALL the negative, demeaning thoughts were gone!

I remembered that early morning event about four hours later after I had gotten up for the day and with a fresh brewed, hot cup of java in hand, turned in my Bible to James 1:26 in The Passion Translation and read,

“If someone believes they have a relationship with God but fails to guard his words then his heart is drifting away and his religion is shallow and empty.” 

There is a lot of meaning in that verse that we’ll explore in additional posts, but for today, in thinking back to my early morning activities, I saw how my somewhat well-trained subconscious mind stepped in to override the negative words that were attempting to harm me through the dream I had.  You see, from the early days of our marriage, Piper and I learned and made a dedicated effort to keep watch, or as our scripture says, “to guard his (or our) words…”

That particular truth is actually one of the mainstays of the denomination that we have been a part of since we left the Baptist church at the end of 1982, as well as with the Bible College I attended.  Both the Old and New Testament writers, under the direction and influence of the Holy Spirit, spoke of the importance of the guarding of our tongues.**  

Think about it with me for a moment… What type of individuals do you enjoy being around?  Those who simply speak whatever thoughts or words that pop into the heads… no matter how harsh, false, demeaning or insensitive they may be… or those who take the time to consider and think about the words they share with those around them… those who carefully phrase their comments, counsel or suggestions in such a way as to best fit the situation at hand… and/or the understanding of those that they are conversing with?

I’ve told of some of the awful and less-than-encouraging words that some folks said to me and my kids when Piper got sick.  At times I was tempted to get angry, be frustrated with their lack of sensitivity, or just stand in front of them with my mouth wide open in shock… but I learned… I had to learn… to control my emotions so that I could hear the Lord (and not be led by the distractive voices) and then respond according to His plan.

I have also learned… like I experienced in the wee hours of the morning today, that I not only have to guard myself from the reception of the words spoken to (or at me) by someone else… but also from any negative words that I may hear and consider that come up from inside of me!

I’ve discovered that the best way for me to think about myself, (as well as toward others) is to think in the same way that the Lord, through His written WILL and WORD… as found within the pages of our Bibles… thinks or says about me!

After all, in the gospel of John chapter seventeen verse seventeen, Jesus Himself asked His Father to “Sanctify them (His followers… ie; you and me) through Thy truth”  and then declared, “Thy word is truth.” (KJV)  Therefore… if the Word of God is THE TRUTH… then I want to KNOW… and to BE who the Word of God says that I am… and not listen to any other mis-truths or more commonly known today as “MIS-INFORMATION” that might be spoken toward me!

I also want to continue to do my best in guarding over the words that I speak… in order to best meet the needs of whatever situation I find myself in… and/or best minister to those around me!  Wouldn’t you agree for yourself?

Oh Yes... Have a great VALENTINE'S DAY today! 

...and as you do, enjoy a piece of chocolate for me and keep EXPECTING God’s best while His best words coming from your lips today!

 

 

*The same way that He feels about ALL of us! (John 3:16 et all)

**See scriptures like: Proverbs 10:19, Proverbs 18:21, Ecclesiastes 10:12-14, Mark 11:23, James 3:6-9 and many others as well as our verse today in James 1:26.