Friend William J. Petersen, author of over thirty books, has trekked through life using several Bible verses as anchors to give him assurance and insurance. At 88, he teaches a men’s Bible study and is a prolific writer. Read some of his insights below.
Assurance
As a young man, I adopted 2 Timothy 1:7-8 as a theme verse: “For God hath not given us the spirit of fear: but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind” (KJV).
Now in a retirement community, I appropriate Psalm 116:8: “For you, O Lord, have delivered my soul from death, my eyes from tears, and my feet from stumbling.”
That’s complete deliverance: spiritual, emotional, and physical.
Shine with Strength and Responsibility
God isn’t promising immunity from trouble, but he helps us to be radiant, resilient, and reliant every day.
Real Assisted Living
I have also found encouragement from Psalm 121:3: “He will not let your foot slip.” Five times in verses 3 through 8, the Psalmist repeats, “The Lord is watching over you.” The psalm closes with the words: “The Lord will watch over your coming and going both now and forevermore.”
That’s what they call “assisted living.”
No Fall/No Fault Insurance
In verse 24 of the Book of Jude we read, “To him who is able to keep you from
before and you lay your hand upon me.” (Artist Anneke Kaai)
falling. The New Living Translation says “stumbling.” The Message translates, “keep you on your feet: and to present you before his glorious presence without fault and with great joy. The Message adds, “Standing tall in his bright presence, fresh and celebrating.”
Amazing! God is giving us both no-fall and no-fault insurance.
Standing Tall
From all of this, I have made my own translation. “When I enter the courts of heaven I will be found both fall-less and faultless. Jesus will meet me and escort me to the Father.” The words for “present you before his glorious presence” are unusual. You would think we would be bowing face-down in the celestial dirt, but the Greek word indicates we are presented “ standing.” Hence, The Message translation is appropriate.
Our BFF
At other times, we will bow low in awe of the divine presence, but in this case, as we are ushered into God’s presence, it seems that Jesus is announcing, “Father, may I present to you my friend for whom I died ___________________.” (Put your name in the blank.)
Wow!
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Bill Petersen wrote “Growning Up Culturally Deprived” for this blog site. Find it at https://www.csboyll.com/growing-culturally-deprived/.
To view more of Anneke Kaai’s art go to: