Author: Dennis

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Wild Ride

Wild Ride

I had a dream last night sometime that brought our Sunday message t’ mind. I was in a car with one of my sons or grandsons…i can’t recall which. We had just slipped into our seats…i was behind the wheel…when a wind blew hard enough for us to start sliding sideways. The hill had just enough slope to it to act as the perfect “slide”. We barely avoided “teeboning” a tree and continued towards the swollen creek. We never slid straightforward , always sideways as in a graceful dance. The inability to come to a stop was crazy…it was if the car wouldn’t be satisfied until it put us in the woods. It finally dawned on me…crank the engine and apply the gas…maybe the thrust will slow it down or help somehow. It worked ! We stopped without damaging the car, but we were in need of a chainsaw to get a couple o’ trees out the way so we could drive back up to the house. Crazy; huh ?! Here’s what i got out of it … Sam preached outta Hebrews Sunday morning, and Hebrews 2:1 says, “ We must pay more careful attention, therefore, to what we have heard, so that we do not drift away.” Call it coincidence or whatever, but i believe God supplies us warnings, reminders, signs and wonders to keep us safe, encouraged, self-controlled and holy. This “drifting” can be the result of our neglecting our personal “set-aside” time with Him. We can drift towards laziness, laxness and lethargy …. it’s us , not making time to “hear” what God is wanting us to hear. It could involve avoiding worship services, neglecting our gathering with other believers for whatever, leaving our Bibles to gather dust, watchin tv or our phones most of the time, saying prayers that have no substance, neglecting to pray for others or acknowledge their needs, finding every other activity under the sun to keep us busy and forfeiting the things of God, and what He wants to give us. This drifting results in many heartaches. It leaves a body drained and useless, depressed and lonely. I picture a boat without an anchor … pounded against a pier, cypress knees or taken over the falls. Unless we apply the gas and thrust needed to propel us to safety, we’re just gonna continue to drift until it’s too late. God didn’t save us to see us live a life of mediocrity. He also didn’t die a sinner’s death and rise again for us to continue dabbling in sin ! NO !! We’re saved to live in freedom FROM sin ! We’re saved to live an abundant life ! To keep from drifting into dangerous waters or suffering damage to our witness, we have to make self-controlled efforts to walk in the Spirit and not in our flesh. Unless we’re abiding in Christ and drawing closer to God, we’re gonna drift. If we’re not in God’s Word each and every day, listening and adhering to it, we’re gonna hear something else…and it ain’t gonna be nowhere near the truth that His Word is. If we’re drifting, it ain’t because of God. If we’re not living to please Him, we’re living to please ourselves…and we’re FAILING those that HE’S entrusted to us ! How’s that sayin go ? If you don’t appreciate what He’s given you, He’ll take it away and give it to someone who will. STOP DRIFTING !! Yeah, you CAN do something about it !!

 

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Allowing

Allowing

What are you still allowing in your home that goes directly against God’s commands, mandates and warnings ? Uh-Oh ! That one oughta cause some serious pause and a slight spike in the ol blood pressure and pulse ! Let’s put it in layman’s terms … if whatever “it” is, causes friction between you and them, if it could possibly cause a little one to stumble, if it’s not promoting Christ-likeness, if it’s sacrilegious or dishonorable to the development or maturity of a believer, if it goes directly against God’s word, then it needs to go ! He ( God ) will direct you towards making it right. He will cleanse the house if you’re serious about glorifying His Name in ALL your ways. Let’s not forget about our work places, also. If it’s dishonorable at home, it’s dishonorable at work…there’s no difference. What is bound in darkness will be exposed in the light ( Luke 12:3 ). As followers of Christ, we ought not be giving a false impression of our Lord and Savior ! The reflection we cast ought not be distorted…therefore, let’s be determined to make it clear who our Lord really is ! Our faith we receive from God is a gift …( Ephesians 2:8-9 ) … therefore, our salvation should never be taken lightly. A “good gift” from God should be highly treasured and protected. Let’s not be so callous as to treat this gifting with contempt, but to cherish it as the most precious bestowment we could ever receive. The Lord spoke to Moses ( and He speaks to me and you ), “When you cross the Jordan into the land of Canaan, you must drive out all the inhabitants of the land before you, destroy all their stone images and demolish all their high places. You are to take possession of the land and settle in it because I have given you the land to possess” ( Numbers 33:50-53 ). This “cleansing” is gonna be hard if we’re still wanting to live for this world and please people. But if pleasing God is our number one priority, we will get rid of whatever it is without hesitation, remorse or regret. And GOD will honor the person, the workplace and the home that honors Him ( 1 Samuel 2:30 ) ! There is nothing hidden…no “secret sin” that is hidden from the eyes of GOD … just read the actions and consequences of Achan, in Joshua chapter seven. Because of his disobedience unto God’s instructions , he not only jeopardized his own life, his “secret” costs the lives of his wife and kids, not to mention, his fellow countrymen. If that somebody , that idol , that position, that item, that “whatever”, is causing sin to prevail in your home, ain’t it time you evicted it ?! The freedom felt after the trash is cleared out, is hard to explain. For those who know, no explanation is necessary …for those who don’t, none is possible.

 

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Convict

Convict

“convict”…a person found guilty of a criminal offense and serving a sentence of imprisonment. “conviction”…a firmly held belief or opinion. It’s my experience, a man/woman without convictions, more than likely, becomes a convict. Without a moral compass, our course will be all over the place … direction will be wherever the wind blows or based on popular opinion. I can remember vividly, watching and listening to older kids that seemed to have life by the short hairs, and some of the things i heard come out of their mouths…some of the things i saw them doing, just didn’t “feel right”…but i chose to participate anyway because i wanted to “fit in”. Of course, i suffered the consequences of my actions and still live with the scars…most in my memory…and it was the result of my compromising my convictions or just not having any to start with. Aaron Tippin wrote a song a good while back that said, “ You’ve got to stand for something or you’ll fall for anything.” If that ain’t some truth, i don’t know what is ! There’s no limit of people that are willing to sell us something … it’s up to us whether we buy it / buy into it or not. God implants something inside each one of us at birth…it’s called a “conscience”. It’s that moral compass that always reads “true north”… ( just picture heaven ) … which oughta be our heart’s destination each and every day. Our journey along the way is gonna be fraught with many temptations, trials and hardships…but that shouldn’t stop us from carrying out our duties unto God, family and country. We have responsibilities and obligations that require us to be vigilant…to adhere to certain prescribed standards of living ( God’s Word ) and to hold firmly to our convictions. That’s why it’s crucial that those convictions are God-centered, God-prescribed and God-glorifying ! Anything contrary to the truth, is a lie born of Satan. His desire is to see us fail…to see our marriages fall apart…to see us raising kids that never follow Christ…to cause chaos in all our relationships…and to keep brothers and sisters in Christ bickering, back-biting and bowing to the ways of this world. He knows if he can get a foothold, he stands a chance of redirecting any prior convictions that may’ve caused him to “lose another one.” If all we’re doing is listening to the word but not doing what it says, we’re like a man/woman who looks at themselves in a mirror, walks away, and immediately forgets what they look like ( James 1:23-24 ). Sounds silly; doesn’t it ? But, if we don’t hold to the convictions of the Lord…or we don’t set them as our “true North”…we might as well get ready for some sure-nuff pain, heartache and suffering ! “Blessed are those who don’t walk in the counsel of the wicked, or stand in the way of sinners, or sit in the seat of the scornful.” ( Psalm 1:1 ) It ain’t too hard to get “off track”, but to stay there or keep going there will be the stupidest thing we’ll ever do ! So what’ll it be for you … conviction leading to correction and righteousness … or … just plain ol’ convict ?

 

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The Plan

The Plan

“I’ve got your back”…” I’ve got your six”… both statements mean the same thing and they both imply that someone else has taken the responsibility of “helping” us in some way or another if we need em. I tried thinking back over my lifetime of the few people that “had my back” when i really needed help. Yeah…i can recall a few … as I’m sure you can, too. None of us are “self-sufficient”…we’ve all needed a helping hand at least a time or two, whether we’ll admit it or not. I got another word that goes along with this … “contingency” … a provision for an unforeseen event or circumstance. A “back-up plan”, if you will. In this life, we will have unforeseen circumstances arise that will call for actions that maybe we weren’t “ready” for. That’s why it’s always important to have a contingency plan … just in case. We’ve been told to put a little money back for that rainy day…not to put all our eggs in one basket…leave ourselves an out…not to count our chickens before they hatch…and how a bird in the hand is worth two in that bush. Every one of these old sayings resulted from someone seeing the need to plan ahead and make wise choices…”before” the need arose and they were “caught holdin the bag” or “with their pants down”. I’m tellin you, whoever originally came up with some o’ these sayins oughta have their hand shook and a plaque on the wall acknowledging their names. Sayin all that to say this … “What’s your contingency plan for your last-taken breath on this earth ? Do you have a back-up plan if everything you’ve believed doesn’t pan out ? Is there someone in your life that’s gonna “have your back”? I’m gonna love you enough to tell you the truth ! Anything other than faith in Christ is gonna get you a packed seat in Hell ! If you think you’re “bad”, “invincible” or “untouchable”…you’re gonna find out you were only fooling yourself along with a handful of friends. There is but one name under heaven given to men ( that’s me, you and everyone that’s ever been born ) by which we can be saved…and that name is “Jesus” ! ( Acts 4:12 ) NOT your name or your mama’s…not Billy Graham’s or Charlie Kirk’s…not Paul the Apostle’s or even Mary’s, the “mother of God”. Jesus tells us all, in ( John 14:6 ), “ I am the way, the truth and the life…nobody comes to the Father ( literally, figuratively or otherwise ) except through Me.” Sure…you can ignore Jesus’ statement and anything else that points to his message of salvation…but when your end comes, if your faith wasn’t “in Him”, you won’t have anyone to “have your back”, and any “contingency plan” you’ve contrived will prove to be “not worth the paper it’s written on.”

 

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Born For This

Born For This

You ever said, or heard someone say, “ I was born for this !” ? It usually follows the question, “ Are you ready for this ?”. In our lifetime, we’ll experience some things that provide “platforms” for us to testify on … it could be something that changed our life dramatically, or it could be something that matured us , and the time to pass that gained wisdom, knowledge or encouragement forward, is now. We’ve all made poor choices…we’ve made mistakes…but that ain’t the “end” of it ! Naw ! God can use that situation to help someone else. He sees beyond our todays, and orchestrates our tomorrows and next years, for His glory. He even takes our “bads” and can turn em into “goods”. He knows who will and who won’t accept His free gift of salvation, and He capitalizes on our experiences for someone else’s good and His glory. He’s THAT BIG, yall !! Personally, I can remember the sickening feeling and hatred i had for my own daddy’s ways and actions, as i was growing up and becoming a young husband and daddy. I vowed to God that i wouldn’t dishonor Him, my wife or my kids by those same actions and ways. I knew, even as a child, something was wrong with his actions and words…and i wasn’t going to follow in those same footsteps. I’d have t’ find another role model in someone else’s daddy. Yeah it sucked ! Yeah it was hard ! And yeah, it hurt ! But life goes on , and God never intends us to wallow in self-pity and live a life of mediocrity. He died so we could live life more abundantly ( John 10:10 ) ! And so i followed Him, instead … and He provided men in my path that i could look up to and emulate … men like my uncle Lavon Byrd, uncle Phil White, cousin David Byrd, Sam Simmons, Roland Walker and Eugene Dilmore, Frank Stephens, and so many more. I was watching them, listening to them and learning from them…taking lessons…life-lessons that would make me wiser as i grew up. These lessons were already instituted by God and FOR God. He was using them to help me … and He would use me to help someone else ! He wants to do the same for “you” and “with” you ! The apostle Paul said, “ Follow my example as I follow Christ’s” ( 1 Corinthians 11:1 ). Paul wasn’t “taking credit” for his actions…he was “giving credit” to Jesus ! Same with you and me … If any good comes from anything we’ve said or done in this life, it’s GOT t’ come from GOD … Amen ? Take your experiences in life and help mold someone else … they’re listening and watching, whether you know it or not. They NEED to hear TRUTH…they need to know that you are REAL…they need someone to care…and they NEED to see JESUS. Just as Mordecai told Esther, in ( Esther 4:14 ), “ And who knows but that you weren’t placed here for such a time as this ?” Naw, you ain’t perfect …but you know the One who IS ! Don’t make em look elsewhere for the example of Christ they need ! And just remember… you were BORN FOR THIS !!

 

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Washed By Jesus

Washed By Jesus

Pennye Jacobs Lewis and i had our two youngest grandgirls this past weekend, just enjoyin their company and lettin em hang out like they were college dorm mates or somethin. They’re 8. While lounging on the couch, I took another opportunity to pick on Merritt, who was the only one there at the time. She’d just took her bath and come back in the livin room where me and Pennye were, plopped between us, to settle in with her i-pad. Pennye: “Did you take a good bath ?” … Merritt: “Yes ma’am” … Me: “Lemme see”, so i leaned over to sniff her hair. Me: “ You don’t smell like shampoo” … Pennye: “ She doesn’t wash her hair every night, Pep” … ( along with a stern look from Merritt ) … Me: “ Oh. Did you use deodorant ? Do you use deodorant ?” Merritt nods her head. Me: “ Really ?! Like under your armpits ?!” ( i legitimately didn’t know at what age a kid ( especially a girl ) starts using deodorant ). Merritt gives me another look; like what planet have you been livin on ? … and quickly asks, “ Where do you think I use it, on my forehead ?!?” I was schooled by an 8 year old. 😂🤣😁 As long as kids have been kids, baths haven’t been too high on the priority scale. Sure…gettin in a tub of bubbles is entertaining, but it doesn’t constitute “bathing”…in the sense of getting good and clean. Rinsing off ain’t bathing … just sayin. That ol’, wet-the-rag and the bar of soap trick’s been used by many a boy over the years…and I’m certain, by a few little girls, too. Can’t hide stink, though. So many of us grownups wanna use the same trick / technique when it comes to cleanin up our act. We’ll try playin games with God…doin the “church” thing, sayin all the right phrases and tryin to “earn” His blessings and favor. We treat God like a rich uncle… thinkin we can play Him like we do a stranger … and what we don’t realize is, He’s already onto us…already knows our hearts and whether we’re sincere or not. “God doesn’t look at things as humans do. Humans see what is only visible to the eyes, but the LORD sees the heart”( 1 Samuel 16:7 ). If we’re still tryin to live in our flesh…livin for this world and self, we’re never gonna be clean, much less content and righteous. Serving two masters will keep us smellin foul … and bring us nothin but shame, destruction and regret ( Matthew 6:24 ) ! If we would but give up the fight and turn it all over to Jesus, He would fight FOR us ! There’s no other cleansing like the cleansing of the LORD ! Jesus shed his blood, once, for all … the life he lives ( and the one WE can live ), is then, lived for God ( Romans 6:10 ). There’s no comparison ! Just ask anyone that’s lived both sides of that fence ! The Psalmist said it like this … “ Surely I was sinful at birth…Surely you desire truth in the inner parts; you teach me wisdom in the inmost place. Cleanse me with hyssop, and I will be clean; wash me, and I will be whiter than snow” ( Psalm 51:5-7 ). Until and unless we get washed by Jesus, we’ll remain stinky. There’s no sin too hard for Him to wash off. Won’t you come to Him and finally be clean ?!? You’ll never look back with regret on the day you surrender to Christ, completely. It’s the best bath you’ll ever get !

 

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Tell Somebody

Tell Somebody

You ever watch a movie or a tv show and just had to tell somebody how good it was ? Sure you have ! What about that concert you went to…wasn’t it worth the cost of admission and the crowds, and for days after, you were still talkin about the performance ? What about that wedding you attended ? You go on and on about how pretty the bride was and how crazy that best man acted on the dance floor. Let a local kill a big buck and see what attention they get … or some friend that catches big fish regularly…they’ll get talked about every time we turn around. We’ll brag on our favorite teams, especially the individuals that make big plays … but when it comes to Jesus, we’ll shut up tighter than a clam. Oh sure…we’ll smile and be polite at church…mumble “amen” when the mood hits us…maybe even tell the preacher “good job” as we head out the door…but that’s about it … till next Sunday … oh wait … that’s the day we were gonna ( you fill in the blank ). Somewhere along the way, we’ve lost our desire, our zeal, our want-to for the ONE SOMEBODY that can rock our world ! We either AINT SAVED, or we’ve forgotten what SALVATION means ! My relationship with my wife is the best thing that’s ever happened to me…second only to my salvation through faith in Christ ! How could i not bring her into my conversations with others ? I count it a privilege to be seen with her…to be able to hang out with her…to wear the ring that tells the world that I’m married to her…to hold her door open for her…to protect her… to hold her hand and meet her needs… and to see her smile when I’ve done something that pleases her. How could i not brag on her ?! And she doesn’t even have the ability to save my soul or create a new man outta the old me !! Jesus said, in ( Matthew 10:28,32-33 ), “ Don’t be afraid of them that can kill the body…Be afraid of the One that can destroy both body and soul in Hell. Whoever acknowledges Me before men, I will also acknowledge before My Father in Heaven. But whoever disowns Me before men, I will disown before My Father in Heaven.” So … are you ashamed to let people know you’re a Christian ? If so, there’s a high probability that you ain’t ( a Christian ) . Seriously… if you’re “disowning” Him here on earth, what makes you think you’re ever gonna get “in” to His kingdom ?! If i treated Miss Pennye Jacobs Lewis the way some o yall treat Jesus, she’d o’ kicked me to the curb a long time ago . Loving Him oughta make us wanna tell somebody about Him ! Won’t you ACKNOWLEDGE HIM with me today !?!

 

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Electrified

Electrified

“Revelation” …definition: 1. a surprising and previously unknown fact , especially one that is made known in a dramatic way. 2. The divine or supernatural disclosure to humans of something relating to human existence or the world. — The second definition is closer to what I’m trying to describe…so just bear with me. Have you ever been electrocuted ? If not, you oughta try it at least once. Not really…but take it from me, it’s not all that enjoyable. I ate a Charms pop one day when i was a kid, one of those good ones that let you work up some thick spit in your mouth…and because i was simple-minded, i reasoned that i could spit one of them long, unbroken ropes of spit, down on my mamaw’s electric fence, break it off at my lips and watch it attach itself to that strand of wire and sit and sizzle as it stretched to the ground. In theory, the plan was ingenious … but , in reality, that 14 inches of congladilated saliva never broke loose from my lips … and the current that ran through not only my mouth and head, but my whole body, was enough to keep me from ever trying that twice. You don’t forget that feeling … not pleasurable ! I had another taste of electricity when me and my brother-in-law was fishin a friend’s lake out of a two-man plastic boat. When you have cows, sometimes it’s necessary to run your fenceline through the pond or lake. This allows em to get water or submerge their upper bodies to alleviate all the biting flies and horseflies that torment them. As i casted, my line went over the top strand of one of those bobwire fences, took a trapeze loop-te-loop and wallah, i was snagged. I told Dwayne to troll me over so i could untangle it, but true to form, he ran us up to it a little too fast, causing me to grab holt to it or risk decapitation. Nothing happened for the first second i grabbed it, but then…my whole body shook ! I like t’ not been able to let it go ! And naw, i didn’t know it was “hot” … i mean, who puts electricity and water together ! And how much current does it take to deter a cow from going through a fence ! That beetle spin is probably still on that wire. Being electrocuted is the closest thing i could think of to being given a revelation from God ! I’ve experienced them, as I’m sure you have, and they leave a trail of chill-bumps up your backbone, arms and legs and gives you a feeling like nothing else ! The tingling shiver is not only “electrical”, it’s exciting and awe-inspiring ! I credit it to the Holy Spirit and His way of revealing His presence ! Don’t waste your time tryin to convince me otherwise or shame me into believing differently…i know it’s God ! I can be talkin to someone else and the Spirit within me connects with the Spirit within them and the revelation is given to both of us … and we’ll both “get it” ! It’s an adrenaline rush on top o’ the best vacation you’ve ever had ! God ain’t holed up in some box or just waitin on us to get to heaven ! He’s as real as real can be ! And he’s wanting to be a part of everything we do … the fun, as well as the not-so-fun. Didn’t he say, “ I’ll never leave you or forsake you” ( Hebrews 13:5 ) ? God doesn’t look at our circumstances like we tend to…He looks at em as just another way to reveal himself to us and to those around us. He uses our weakness to reveal his strength and power ( 2 Corinthians 12:10 ). He doesn’t want us to just “use” him or call on him when we’re in a bind…he wants an intimate relationship with us that’s built on trust and love and loyalty ( Hosea 6:6 ). The more you wanna know God, the more he’ll be known ( James 4:8 ). When you get to experiencing those chills that the Spirit sends coursing up and down your body, just smile and love him that much more ! With maybe a tear or two leaking from your eyes, tell him, “Thank You”, for never givin up on you.

 

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To God’s Glory

To God’s Glory

What’s on your agenda for today ? You workin, playin ball, piddlin with your ride, huntin, shoppin or makin groceries ?…maybe you’re just gonna take it easy. Whatever “it” is, try t’ glorify God while you’re doin it. Doesn’t Colossians 3:17 tell us, “ And whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through him.” ? If that thought that’s about to leave your mouth is not gonna glorify God, don’t say it ! If you’re angry about something someone said or did, don’t let it cause you to sin ( Ephesians 4:26 )…instead, say a silent prayer for them and ask God to soften both your hearts. Stump your toe or pinch something while workin on a project ? Just say, “Thank you, Jesus !”, insteada cussin. Didn’t He say we should be joyful in all situations and circumstances ( 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 ) ? I’s readin Matthew 9:1-8 this mornin and it got me t’ considering my own actions and the attitude i take towards certain situations and circumstances. I can tell you, i ain’t proud o’ the way i represent my Savior sometimes. And naw…it ain’t acceptable. If it ain’t glorifying Him, it ain’t right ! Let’s make no excuses for it or try justifying it. Same way with yours. Yeah…He said love covers a multitude of sins ( 1 Peter 4:8 ), but it ain’t “lovin”, when we’re exacting revenge, being selfish, being prideful and trying to control every situation, losing our cool in traffic, stirring up dissension at work, talking down to our spouses or kids, being disrespectful to our parents or cussin the ump out for makin a bad call. Godly love doesn’t look like that. We’re instructed to do good to those who disrespect us, cuss us, cut us off in traffic or don’t let us in ( Luke 6:27 ). We’re to go the “extra mile” for the one that treats us like the gum on the bottom of their shoe ( Matthew 5:41 ). We were bought at a price that we couldn’t afford ( 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 )…therefore, we need to act like our namesake ! Jesus offered healing to a man and the self-righteous took offense ! Afterwards, the common folks praised God and stood in awe of Jesus ! Which one are you ? Whatever you do, say or think today, let it honor and glorify Jesus Christ. Let’s practice it more , because practice makes perfect ; right ? And because He is perfect ! “ Don’t just hear My words and so deceive yourselves, be doers of it.” —Jesus ( James 1:22 ).

 

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Mercy Stop ?

Mercy Stop ?

When does mercy stop and enabling start ? That’s right…you heard it right ! This statement / question kept reverberating in my mind this morning, so i had to post it. We always hear about the “mercy of God” … how he doesn’t give us what we deserve, due to our sin… which is spiritual death and separation from his blessings and kingdom. Ok…i get it. But where’s that line stop !?? I know you can relate to “yo home situations” maybe a little better than yo situation twixt you and God, so lemme put it in country-boy terms … You, dad / mom, have a kid…he/she grows up into a teenager…they ask if they can go to a friend’s and hang out, but it’s already 9:00 on a school night. You say “no, it’s too late”, they fuss and try to get you to change your mind, but you ain’t havin it, so they storm off and shut themselves in their bedroom, makin some comment under their breath that you don’t really wanna know. Yall hit the hay ( that’s, ‘go to bed’, for you younguns )…and as you lay there, you can’t help but think of that Scripture, “ Don’t let the sun go down on your anger and so, give the devil a foothold” ( Ephesians 4:26-27 )…so you get up and go to their room and knock softly, sayin their name. No answer…figures…but you persist, trying the knob…locked…so after repeated attempts, to no avail, you go get the ice pick and spring the lock. Flipping the light on, you see they aint there…the window is open and so the trackin begins. You started out wantin to make amends, now you’re wantin to ring a neck. Off to “that friend’s” house. When you pull up, you see your child and their friend out in the yard , hangin out with a couple o’ “no goods”, bad role models. After the necessary disclosures and apologies are exchanged between you and that other kid’s parents, you head back to your own home. Tensions are maxed out and your mind is racing through all the punishments you can come up with. You love your child, therefore, punishment must be administered, according to God’s Word ( Proverbs 13:24 ); right ?! You’re relieved they’re back home and safe, and you’re trying to remain their “friend”, so you decide to deal with it in the morning rather than take care of it right then. In fact, you’re even wondering if it’s worth starting it back up…because you’ll just ruin both y’all’s day, so you choose to let it go … nobody was really hurt, so no big deal; right ? Your coworkers just laugh it off and say things like, “ We were all teenagers at one time” … “ They’re just sowin their wild oats; they’ll grow out of it”… and you’ve just fallen into a lie that’s sent many a son/ daughter to hell. You went from being a parent…a mama / daddy that was given a child and all the responsibilities that fall on you, to being an enabler. You withdrew the punishment and chose to enable them to sin and disrespect you and your authority. They saw that they could get away with being disobedient and not suffer consequences that hurt a little while…therefore, they didn’t learn a lesson, weren’t remorseful, so their sinfulness and disregard for authority increased as time went on. Administering mercy doesn’t mean there’s no consequences to our actions. God is definitely a merciful Father… but He’s also a “just” Father. He does what any good parent does that loves their kid and wants em to grow into responsible, respectful and God-honoring adults … He disciplines His child. He knows if he lets it go, they’ll / we’ll only get worse. He still loves us…he still offers mercy and forgiveness…but he also has to train us in righteousness ( Proverbs 22:6; Ephesians 6:4 ). Jesus paid to GET us “there”, but it’s up to us to build on that foundation ( Matthew 7:24-27 ). To be a strong supporter…a parent or individual that desires to please God, we’ve got to “work out” our faith with fear and trembling ( Philippians 2:12 ). If we bow down to any other god, including popular opinion, we’re only setting ourselves and those under our influence, up for failure and heartache. You can’t be a follower of Christ and a weak believer at the same time … it ain’t gon’ work ! Don’t be an enabler ! Speak TRUTH while you can ! God’s given you the mic … say somethin that’ll save em from calamity and the fires of hell !! They don’t need a friend, they need the truth ! God’s Word is right there … whatchoo gonna do with it ?

 

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Thank You

Thank You

Many of us that can’t make our grandyoungun’s games will often watch on our phones from our homes or wherever else we had to be. This was the case the other day, during my oldest grandgirl’s softball game, and on one particular play she made, the sportscaster doing the feed excitedly announced, “ I see you MK ! “ Of course, i was proudly grinnin and wishin i coulda been there in person to see it better, but the announcer did such a good job, which reminded me of something … although we may not think it, someone’s seein what we did, even if the accolades don’t come like we kinda expected. There’s SO MUCH goes into the organization and orchestration of our kid’s and grandkid’s ballgames and seeing that they are well-equipped and supplied with everything they’ll possibly need…but that kid will probably never notice…never say “thank you, Mom / Dad”…the gate folks may never say, “ Thank y’all for coming and paying our too-high gate fee”… and win or lose, we’ll probably never NOT hear complaints from someone…especially our young ones. There’s so many examples that’ll come to mind that remind us of things we’ve done “for” others, and we can’t even recall a simple, “Thank you.” Guess what though… God sees you ! He reminds us in ( Matthew 6:1-4 )… “ Be careful not to do your’acts of righteousness’ before men, to be seen by them. If you do, you will have no reward from your Father in heaven. So when you give to the needy, don’t announce it with trumpets, as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and on the streets, to be honored by men. I tell you the truth, they have received their reward in full. But when you give to the needy…( when you do a good job or deed, make a good play, achieve a goal, tithe or give an offering , prevent something bad from happening or make someone else’s life a little better ), don’t let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, so that your giving may be in secret. Then your Father, who sees what is done in secret, will reward you.” It dont hurt to praise someone for their hard work or efforts…It feels pretty good to receive an “Attaboy” or “Attagirl” at times… but even if it dont come , KNOW that God sees you … that’s what really counts in the grand scheme of things…and hear Him say proudly and enthusiastically, “ I see you, _______ !!” ( put your name in the blank ) Just know this … He’s supplied you the resources to share and see to those needs you’re meeting. He’s giving you the talents and giftings it takes to get it done. He’s supplying you the breath, mental capacity and strength to make it happen. So…maybe insteada waitin for that pat-on-the-back or that thank you, why not smile and look up towards heaven and say, “ I see you, Lord !” He likes to be recognized, too. And He definitely deserves our “ Thank You’s” !!

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What Then ?

What Then ?

Look around you … what do you see ? Nice home, manicured yard and flowerbeds, comfortable ride(s) … and what about the things that bring you some comfort … good steady job, plenty o’ groceries in the cabinets and frig, wide selection of footwear and clothes in the closet, a variety of weapons in the safe, weekend toys, maybe a home-away-from-home … and what does all this “stuff” really mean to you ? Do you let it define who you are ? Do you gain some sense of deep satisfaction because of it ? If it was all taken away from you through some act of God or social government take-over, would you collapse into a helpless basket-case ? If you don’t have a close relationship with Christ, you probably will. When our stuff is gone and our flesh is failing, there’s nothing that’s gonna sustain us except our faith and hope in Christ … so we’d be wise to grab holt to it before it ever comes to that; right ? The apostle Paul wrote, “ By whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ. What is more, I consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord, for whose sake I have lost all things. I consider them rubbish, that I may gain Christ and be found in him, not having a righteousness of my own that comes from the law, but that which is through faith in Christ…the righteousness that comes from God and is by faith.” ( Philippians 3:7-9 ) If all that we’ve ever worked for, suddenly is gone, what then ? If everything we consider “success” is ripped from our hands, what then ? If that pride is all we have that sustains us, and God decides to make an example of us, what then ? Ask for humility…now…before it ever comes to that ! God’ll not only provide the salvation of our souls, he’ll provide salvation from “ourselves”. Put Him first, and He will sustain you through the lean times. “Seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and He will see to all your needs” ( Matthew 6:33 ). And I’m living testimony that He will also let you have a few things that brings you a little extra joy… like a fringe benefit ! He’s SO GOOD, yall !! Won’t you praise Him with me !?!

 

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House On The Rock

House On The Rock

I’ve been around for 63 years and I’ve seen alotta things and people, so until you’re my age or older, don’t try to change my mind about certain things or try and convince me your way is right, over mine. I’m not sayin this with a hateful or mean spirit, I’m just sayin. And naw, i don’t know everything and I’m not perfect … lemme just say that right out the gate. Where I’m goin with this, is this…because I’m older and alot wiser than i was ten, twenty or thirty years ago, I’ve learned what God intended me to learn…it just took me longer t’ learn it. Maybe you know what i mean … maybe your parents “held you back” in school. Your grades were so-so, because you never “applied yourself”, thought it important enough to “study”, or you just plain ol’ didn’t give a ( care ) about school. You had to repeat that grade you’d wasted so much time on and got left behind by your friends that DID apply themselves … ( or maybe their parents just didn’t care about em as much as yours did, you ), and insteada makin more excuses, you chose to buckle down and pass this time…cause repeating that same grade once was embarrassing enough…wasn’t gon’ be no return trip a third time. The sooner we learn this valuable lesson, the faster we’ll move forward. God’s willing to teach us, but we’ve gotta be willing to learn. When we leave this ol world, whether it be from heart failure, fiery car crash, drowning or organ failure, we’re gonna stand in front of The Judge, Jesus Christ, and “reap what we’ve sown”( Galatians 6:7 )…so yeah…what we choose to do here and now DOES MATTER ! He ain’t hearin no lame excuses like, “ My mama and daddy abused me”…” Nobody told me or taught me about you, Jesus” … “ We didn’t have no tv, so i couldn’t watch them sermons about you” … “I couldn’t focus because i was outta my medication”. ( Some o’ y’all may wanna share this with someone God’s bringin to your mind / heart right about now )…if you really love em and don’t wanna see em go t’ hell. See ? We tend to teach em about everything BUT the truth of GOD ! We’ll invest tons of money towards their tuitions, their toys, their extracurricular activities and honeymoons, but what are we investing in their futures !?! One day, everything will be burned up ( 2 Peter 3:10 )…and yeah, that’s including those of us that haven’t already gone “Home” / “home”. “Therefore, everyone who hears these words of mine and puts them into practice is like a wise man that built his house on the rock. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house; yet it did not fall, because it had its foundation on the rock. But everyone who hears these words of mine and does not put them into practice is like a foolish man who built his house on sand. The rain came down, the streams rose, and the winds blew and beat against that house, and it fell with a great crash.” ( Matthew 7:24-27 ) Jesus said it … i finally heard it, accepted it and have proven it over and over again ! THAT’S why i said, “Don’t try to convince me otherwise !” The sooner we hear His truths and learn to put them into play, the sooner we’ll reap the benefits of them. Everything else is from another sinful man … or maybe it’s A I . 😳🤨😗 Build on a good foundation ! Begin with Christ as your personal Savior and Lord, study on His truths and laws to live by, let everything you do bring him glory, and watch your “house” withstand everything that tries to bring it down ! Then, you can tell someone else how faithful He is…cuz you’ve tested and proved it !

 

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Love Others

Love Others

1 Corinthians 13:4a says, “ Love is patient. Love is kind.” As many times as we say to someone, “ I love you”, you’d think we’d get better at being more patient and kind; right ? I’m self-evaluating and I’m not sure if I’m getting better, or worse, at this seemingly impossible feat. I think it’s that “love” issue that gets skewed, misdiagnosed or misinterpreted. The love of “this world” says, “I’ll love you if …” … “ As long as you do what I want you to, I’ll love you”… and THAT kinda love ain’t what God was speaking of in 1 Corinthians 13. The love he was talkin about is pure and unadulterated “AGAPE” love. It’s love that expects nothing in return. It’s sacrificial love…given without counting the costs. Agape love expresses itself in ways that promote Jesus and his character. They say patience is a virtue…( behavior showing high moral standards ) … what’s higher than God’s standards !? If i tell you i love you, and I’m walking in the Spirit, then i oughta be more patient with you ; right ? If im walking in the Spirit, then my kindness towards you oughta reflect more of Jesus and less of me; right ? Maybe that’s my problem. Maybe I’m not walkin in His Spirit, but my own, if I’m not exhibiting the patience and kindness His Spirit promotes. I don’t like me alotta times. I don’t love like i ought to, and that bothers me. I wanna be more Christlike and less, “me-like”. I wonder if that word “melarky” originated from our being more “me-like” and not so much, Christ-like ? Sumpem t’ think on. Lord, if you really wanna do a miracle in me, help me love others like you do. In Jesus’ name…amen.