Phil's Thoughts

Like Mama – Like Daddy

“She got alotta her mama in her” … “ He inherited that habit from his daddy” … “ The apple didn’t fall far from the tree with that one” … these utterances have stigmatized many a boy, man, girl or woman over time. The young child that constantly heard, “ They so bad”, figured it was something to live up to…so they worked hard to prove everybody right. It may start off being “cute”, but marking someone as flawed or stuck with bad traits or genes, ain’t nothin but ignorance. Anybody can change. Anybody can break away from poor upbringing and create a new generation. Chains can be broken and new links can be installed. Just because our grandparents or moms and dads weren’t there for us, doesn’t mean we follow suit and dessert our own families. So what if the ones we depended mostly on gave more attention to everybody else…that doesn’t mean we do the same. I grew up with two parents … one that lived for self, the other lived for family. One was a part-time parent, the other worked overtime at everything she did. One was the spiritual leader of our home, the other, i never heard pray or got to sit with at church. I’d hear some dads singing praises to God, I’d hear mine talkin about his trips to the dog races, the golf course or the casinos. I can’t tell you the times I’d watch the interactions of couples at church…how the husband would hold the door for his wife, as well as others…how they’d share a smile and hold hands, sharing a hymnal … and I’d long for my own daddy to BE THERE, hearing what i was hearing, maybe catch a tear rolling down his cheek while sittin beside my mama. I tried tellin him how much i needed to know that he was “right” with God. I explained God’s word on salvation in Christ and Christ alone … but he’d never talk about it with me. I needed a daddy that loved God as much as my mama … but i never did receive one. His years drawing to a close, his quality of health deteriorating, he FINALLY called me from his hospital room and told me he’d given his heart to Jesus. He even said, “Phil, I know you’ve always worried about me” … and i really hope his salvation was secured in Christ. Waiting so late in life and not really being physically able to “catch up”, i didn’t get to experience anything but his tears that came more regularly and the look in his eyes as he stared at me with what seemed like an apologetic look. He’d started tellin me, “ Phil, no matter what, don’t forget that I love you.” I guess he was trying to make amends for all the times he WASN’T there…all the things he’d said that he wished he hadn’t, and all the things he didn’t teach me about loving God and living to please Him. I vowed early on to break that rusty chain and start with new links. I invited Christ to be Lord and Savior of my life and to mold me into the man HE wanted me to be. I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me. ( Galatians 2:20 ) If I’m wanting to be the best i can be, i must rely on Christ in me. If I’m to be a Godly daddy, Pep or husband, I’ve got to rely on Christ in me. If my work as an employee is ever to amount to anything, i must rely on Christ in me. Don’t compare me to anybody other than Jesus. I’m not my daddy and this apple comes from the “tree of life”. My circle of life has God in its center. And no, I’m not perfect…I’m still a work in progress…but God is still shaping me and refining me, molding me into the image and character of Jesus Christ ! If the same is your desire, don’t let anyone tell you that you won’t ever change. You can either stay your “mama’s daughter” or your “daddy’s son”, or, you can surrender to Jesus Christ and place your faith completely in HIM to change you. ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ) “_______, unless you are born again, you will never enter the kingdom of God” ( John 3:3 ).

Everything You Need

“Early to bed, early to rise, makes a man healthy, wealthy and wise” … it’s one o’ them ol sayins that’s been around awhile. I’m not real sure it works, but the concept has some validity. If you’re goin t’ bed early, you ought not be late for work ( or church ) the next day … and you oughta be full of energy and ready to give a hundred percent. If you’re working, you’re earning an income to support yourself and your family … “wealth” is more than havin a fat wallet or bank account. A person can be broke as can be and still be wealthy. If we have good health and our eyesight, we’re rich. If we’ve got the means to get back and forth to wherever we need to go, we’re blessed. Having a good wife that loves the Lord makes a man wealthy beyond measure. If we have a job that keeps us busy and pays us for it…that’s also a bonus. Groceries in the cabinets and a frig that keeps our tea cool…that’s wealth. A roof over our heads, runnin water and electricity, and propane in the tank…that’s proof of our wealth. But the greatest sign of a man’s wealth is his relationship with GOD through faith in Jesus Christ. Without that, a person will always be hopeless, naked, blind and destitute. In fact, the third part of that sayin won’t be possible, either…the “wise” part. True “wisdom” comes FROM GOD. Any other kind is a “knock-off”, “slum”, “fake”. Who is wise and understanding among you ? Let him show it by his good life, by deeds done in the humility that comes from wisdom. But if you harbor bitter envy or selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast about it or deny the truth. Such “wisdom” does not come down from heaven, but is earthly, unspiritual and of the devil. For where you have envy and selfish ambition, there you find disorder and every evil practice. But the wisdom that comes from heaven is first of all pure, then peace-loving, considerate, submissive, full of mercy and good fruit, impartial and sincere. Peacemakers who sow in peace raise a harvest of righteousness. ( James 3:13-18 ) I’m fairly healthy…wealthy by God’s standards and i enjoy the wisdom God provides me. I have everything I’ll ever need…thanks to Jesus ! I hope you can say the same.

What’s it take to stop you ?

What’s it take to stop you ? I bet at least 99% of yall got all rigid and bowed up at this question…ready t’ fight or put up some show of defiance … “full of yourself” … but my question had nothing to do with your “physical strength”… and everything to do with your “spiritual strength.” Case in point … say you’re an average church-goer. You attend most Sundays and tithe occasionally ( which ain’t considered “tithing”, since EVERY dollar that God allows you to earn or is given you, He expects a tenth returned to His storehouse…Malachi 3:10 ), and you actually sing praises to Him when the words are on the screen. One day, you get shunned by a couple o’ ol gossips and now your feelins are hurt. You retreat into your “safe place” and discontinue to gather at “your” church. Here’s us another common scenario : God’s gifted you with a particular gift or talent … you feel like He’s leading you to use it where you gather for corporate worship, so you voluntarily mention it to someone “in charge”. They smile and say all the polite things…” By all means, we will definitely find you a spot” … “Oh, OK, we could use another _______” … and that’s the last you hear from em. Your feelins are hurt and you’re also a little ticked off. Who do they think they are ?! So, you leave and try “home-worshipping”, like a lotta others are into now … Covid and everything; you know. 🙄 People find so many reasons to quit on God, and it doesn’t take much to make it happen. Ergo my initial question…What’s it take to stop you ? If we don’t stand firm, we’re gonna fall. If we let a handful of ignorant people hold us back from doing what God has told / led / called us to do, shame on them and us ! People are prone to disappointing us … always have, always will . We just haveta expect it and roll with the punches. Satan still uses “Christians” to do his bidding, sometimes. It sho ain’t God that’s causing them to act like that ! Don’t think it doesn’t happen and don’t think it can’t happen to you ! If we choose to ignore God’s warnings or avoid a God-honoring principle, we’ve left the door open for the devil. If we leave part of our armor behind ( Ephesians 6:10-18 ) because it was too cumbersome or “too much trouble”, we’re leaving Satan a foothold. When we isolate ourselves and try doing life alone, we’re setting a place at our table for Satan…and he won’t refuse an invitation to dinner. “ Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak” ( Matthew 26:41 ). “ Unless you abide in Me and I in you, you can do nothing” ( John 15:4-11 ). “So if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall !” ( 1 Corinthians 10:12 ) … ( 2 Peter 3:17; Hebrews 2:1; 2 Thessalonians 2:3 ) The “church” is made up of imperfect people. Some are committed completely…some ain’t. It’s easier to fall into the “aints”…just expect to get bit. What’s it take to stop you ? Chew on that one for a little while … and ask God to give you the strength to overcome all the obstacles that hinder you from serving Him completely.

Rumble Strips

You’re drivin down the highway or byway, just minding your own business, and you see a gasline, powerline or some other “cut-out” coming up, so you take your eyes off the road for a split second to check it for deer or turkeys … next thing you hear, “ RRRHHHGGGHHH !!” … and you bring your ride back between the painted lines. What you just felt and heard ? “Rumble Strips”. The highway commission or county road crew installed these “washboard” ridges to let a brother/sister know they were going off the beaten path … a “warning” device, of sorts, developed by a dude named, Neil E. Wood, from Pennsylvania, back in 1989. There were similar versions back in the early 50’s used to alert motorists of upcoming toll booths and lane departures, but ol Neil gets the credit for the ones we enjoy today. As is the case many times, God uses inanimate objects to convey His messages to those of us that need a “picture” to learn 😄…and rumble strips can be a great teacher. What if, every time we “got outta line”, ignored His commands or did things “our way”, we’d hear, “RRRRGGHHHH” … would that “warning” wake us up to reality and prevent us from making a huge mistake ? Would a rumble strip, and that unmistakable noise, capture our attention to the fact that we’re going “outside” God’s boundaries, causing and convincing us to “pull back on the throttle”, to keep from crashing ? It’s the distractions of this world that causes us to leave the path of righteousness and do damage to what’s most precious. If the Spirit of God doesn’t reside in us, we don’t HAVE a rumble strip. Even then, He’ll still allow us to choose our course. By staying focused on His Word, loyal to His mission and “lettin Him drive”, we can be a part of something way bigger than we could ever imagine ! Therefore, dear friends, since you have been forewarned, be on your guard so that you may not be carried away by the error of the lawless and fall from your secure position” ( 2 Peter 3:17 ). As my Pennye Jacobs Lewis says, “ You’re not asleep; are you ?”

What Are You ?

Yesterday, an object lesson transformed into a short conversation that resulted in a life-lesson that we can all benefit from…if we will hear with our hearts and make the conscious effort to apply it. Here’s how it went : I was about to fill a couple of propane cylinders for a guy when my brother in Christ came out to handle it. As i was already in the process of examining the cylinder, i commented that one of em still had gas in it…that it was “half full” … which he replied, “ Is it half full or half empty ?” I gave him a blank look, as if he’d presented a “trick question” or was just tryin t’ be witty or aggravating or something in-between. He proceeded to ask again and say, “ You know the difference; right ? One presents an optimistic view, the other, a pessimistic view. Ok…Ok…yeah, we’ve heard that one before…” the optimist says the glass is half full, the pessimist says it’s half empty”. He took it a step further … he said, “ I’m neither , I’m a psalmist”… Again, i gave him a blank stare and waited on the punchline. He’s grinnin like a coyote eatin yellow jackets and says…” The Lord is my shepherd, I shall not want…” . This is why i like workin with this crazyman…he uses his God-given words to touch the hearts of any and all that are willing to receive God’s little “crumbs”, “morsels” or “snacks”. A “psalmist” … i’ll haveta remember that one. And if you’re wondering where he got it, just revisit Psalm 23. It may’ve been a “psalm of David” long ago, but it’s still claimed by many today. “The Lord is my shepherd, i’ll be satisfied with that and find my contentment in Him. He provides me peace in his creation and constantly restores my soul. He guides me in the path of righteousness for His name’s sake. And even though i walk through the valley of the shadow of death, i won’t fear it or the evil it’s made up of, for He is my God and my Guard ! He prepares a place at His table for me…enemies or not. He treats me as an anointed child of the King and provides me everything good…even to the point of overflowing . Surely goodness and mercy will follow me all the days of my life…and i will dwell in the house of the LORD forever.” Being a “psalmist” ain’t just reciting Scripture…it’s living out a relationship with Jesus Christ and progressively maturing in holiness…because He’s “real” to you and anything good coming from you will come because of Him. A “psalmist” knows what that “other side” feels like … because they’ve BEEN THERE ! A life in Christ causes CHANGE … and that change benefits not only the psalmist, but also those within that psalmist’s influence. What about you ? Are you a pessimist, an optimist, or a psalmist?

On Your Heart

Whatever’s on your heart, you’ll impress on your children, your spouse, your grandchildren, your coworkers, strangers, etc; etc.. ( Deuteronomy 6:5-9 ) As i sat listening to the preacher yesterday, taking notes on the provided fill-in-the-blanks insert in the bulletin, this age-old Scripture caused me to consider…”what do you, Phil, “impress” on those you claim to love most ?” Sure…God supplies me these “devotionals”…but that doesn’t mean they read them. So when I’m around em , like family get-togethers, the rare visits when they come to the house, at their kid’s games, etc; with the short time i have with em, what did i say or do to leave an impression on them, that MEANT something to em ? Was it something comical that made em laugh ? Did i do or say something that embarrassed em or made em mad ? Is my love for deer huntin all they’ll think of ? Maybe you’re better at it than me… but i believe we leave far more, unsaid , than we do, said. Sure, we love Jesus and we love our families and friends, but do they receive more than the occasional hug or peck when they see us ? Do they hear us even mention the name of Jesus ? Do they get asked about their own faith-walk and how it’s going ? Do we share what the Lord’s done for us, personally, in the last few days ? When we say the prayer at that fine meal prepared by loving hands, do they hear our gratefulness and admiration for the “meal”, more than the admiration and gratitude for the One who provided not only the meal, but also the one’s’ who cooked the meal ? Because without Him, they wouldn’t be here. If we really love the Lord our God with all our heart, soul, mind and strength, shouldn’t we be impressing “HIM” into their lives more ?!? Go back and read Deuteronomy 6:5-9 when you get a few seconds. Let God impress on you what you need to be impressing on those He puts around you.

Holy

“HOLY”… definition: “Set apart from what is common or sinful, and dedicated to GOD.” For the Scriptures say, “ You must be holy because I am holy” ( 1 Peter 1:16 ). Well…there it is in black and white. So are you living a holy lifestyle ? Is the choices you make based upon the Word of God and covered under the blood of Jesus ? When you wake up each morning, is your primary focus on living a holy lifestyle that glorifies God and holds to His code of conduct ? If you aint…why not ? Do you willfully sin because you live under the grace of God that was applied at your confession ? Do you claim Jesus’ righteousness when it’s convenient, but “turn His picture over” when you don’t want Him to see you sinning ? Does 2 Corinthians 5:17 mean anything to you ? “Therefore if anyone is in Christ they are a new creation.” Are you ? New ? Or, are you the same old person you’ve always been ? If there’s no change, there’s no Jesus…and if there’s no Jesus, there’s no salvation. I can’t know your heart like God knows it ( 1 Samuel 16:7 ), but i DO know what Scripture says…and GOD cannot lie ! Lost people CANNOT live holy lifestyles. Holiness comes from salvation found “in Christ” ( Acts 4:12 ). Holiness is activated as a person abides in Christ ( John 15:4-5 ). Holiness, is the working of the Holy Spirit placed in the person that lives to glorify God ( John 14:26-28 ). Do we know it all ? No. Do we gain knowledge supernaturally ? Only if we want it. Unless we’re diving off into the Word of God daily…asking God to increase our understanding of Him and what He’s wanting us to know, we’ll walk around as with a bucket over our heads. God ain’t a mythical imaginary figure ! He’s GOD of all creation ! If He’s not important enough to us…guess what ? He ain’t gon’ force himself on us. Until we recognize the futility of “our efforts” at gaining happiness, freedom and a good life…and instead, look to the Way, the Truth and the Life that Jesus Christ offers, ( John 14:6 ), we’re just gonna keep circling this toilet bowl of life until it’s too late to stop it. Have you been made holy ? Are you now living an “uncommon” lifestyle ? Is your “everything” dedicated to God ? If not, today is the day of salvation ( 2 Corinthians 6:2 ) !! Holiness is only a “plea” away ! If you declare with your mouth,” Jesus is Lord”, and believe in your heart God raised him from the dead , you will be saved. For it’s with your heart that you believe and are justified , and it’s with your mouth that you profess your faith and are saved. ( Romans 10:9-10 ) What’ll it be ?

God Says No

“Three times I pleaded with the Lord to take away this thorn in my flesh, this messenger of Satan that torments me; but He said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness” ( 2 Corinthians 12:7-9 ). Maybe you can relate to Paul’s dilemma. Maybe God didn’t save your marriage, heal your mama or some other loved one, get you out of that abusive relationship, bring salvation to someone you’d been praying for, taken that destructive desire from the one you love, etc; etc; etc.. We’re not told what this “thorn-in-the-flesh” was, but we know he prayed at least three times for God to remove it … and God didn’t. Instead, God reminded Paul , and us, that HIS grace is sufficient to see us through the problem, the issue or the circumstances. So why does God say “no” sometimes !?? If you’re a parent or have ever been given the responsibility of herding a buncha younguns, you know as well as i that you don’t give em everything they ask for or let em do anything they want to … sometimes, you haveta tell em “No”. I don’t know what the statistics are, but as many “no’s” as God has given, i can testify personally that He’s had as many “yes’s” and “ok’s”. God ain’t a stingy God … His desire is to grow and mature us in our faith … to hone us into a sharp weapon … to forge us in the fire, so-t-speak, and to make us stronger and better abled to serve Him. Instead o’ meeting His “no’s” with bitterness, anger and a vengeful attitude, why don’t we determine in our hearts that God knows best and must have a good reason. Maybe there’s sin in our lives that He’s waiting for us to repent of and seek His forgiveness. Maybe He needs to put us through something so we’ll know how to handle a task coming up that He’s orchestrating. Maybe He’s just seeing just how much we trust Him … since it ain’t too hard to trust someone if the heat ain’t too high. Our “no’s” for our kids are often met with sullen attitudes and discontentment … they’re “kids” for peets sake ! So, when our Father in heaven gives you / me a “no”, next time, let’s examine our spiritual maturity level by our response. It might not be much different. When we are weak, He is able to provide the strength and prove yet again that He’s God, and we ain’t.

Witty

Growing up, you’ll hear some things that were meant to be funny or “witty”. One such “sayin” stuck in my memories and goes along with today’s thoughts. I’d spotted something of interest and pointed it out to my daddy while workin with him … me: “ Did you see that ?” my dad: “ I see, said the blind man !” 🙄 I know…kinda corny, right ? But give this short question some serious thought … “Can you see ?” I ain’t askin if you can see like anybody else that goes about town window-shoppin or just watchin a cork waitin on a fish t’ bite … I’m askin you if you’ve been given your “new eyes” yet…and are you USING them ? 2 Corinthians 5:17 tells us that , “ if we are in Christ, we are a new creation…old things are replaced with new things”. If we’re still using the same ol tired eyes we were born with, we’re missin out on ninety percent of life ! Jesus took several opportunities to bless the “physically blind” with eyesight. I can imagine their facial expressions after receiving this miracle from God ! Seeing for the first time what the people they’d talked to for years, really looked like … seeing the colors of fabrics and the blue of the sky … seeing that ugly face of the camel and the donkey … etc; etc.. I’m sure their mouths were locked, semi-open…their eyes transfixed on the objects and people they were now seeing. To have a video of it ! But we very seldom get to hear about these people afterwards. Did they praise God for his merciful healing ? Did they abandon the feeling of awe and wonder and continue their journey with a self-serving lifestyle ? Did they gather in the local synagogue or temple for a couple o’ months and then get bored and stay roun the house, or find something that interested em more ? We can’t know … but we CAN know about ourselves ! If God has opened our eyes, removed the scales and healed us of our blindness, how are “we” receiving it … and what’s changed within us ? I can’t speak for yall, but i can tell you of some of the ways my vision has changed. I’ve noticed I’m not so judgemental. People are people and Jesus died for each one us … nobody’s perfect and all need Jesus to change … His word comes alive when i take the time to explore it, and He speaks to my heart as if he’s sittin right in front of me, speaking … i see more clearly the lostness in people that still refuse to follow him by faith … i see the love of Christ flowing from true believers and followers; through their expressions and their actions … i see God’s hand as He intwines the thoughts, the messages and sequences of events of one brother or sister in Christ, with the other …i watch my family closer, and i see what God is doing in their own lives, and i pray continuously for their lives to reflect Him … i recognize and admire God’s creations more , and i stand amazed and in awe of the way He orchestrates “happenings” ! I “see” why even the wind and the waves obey Him ( Matthew 8:27 ) ! Nobody but God can do the things He does ! I just wonder… can you see em ? Does the rocks haveta cry out His praises because we won’t…because we just refuse to see ( Luke 19:40 ) ? Do you see ?

Super Christian

“superChristian”… you ever heard that one ? Ever given that title to anyone that you know ? Anybody ever referred to you with that moniker ? First of all, real life human beings ain’t comic book characters …we’re born with bodies that ache and deteriorate as time goes by, and we eventually die. We’ve all heard the stories of someone having “superhuman” strength … and it goes right along with those who have been given “supernatural” power … but remember this, if a human exhibits anything “super”, it’s got to be GIVEN to them…”by” someone else. A four year old kid who plays a piano like Beethoven…an eight year old little girl who earns three master degrees in college courses…some dude able to pull four train cars with his teeth… the Guinness Book of World Records are full of stories of people who have done some amazing things.., but unless that extraordinary strength, talent or mental capacity has been supplied, that person is no different than you or me. They get sick, bleed when cut, discharge bodily fluids when nature calls and exhibit every other “normal” tendency of a “real” person. So what makes a “superChristian”? Well…just think of someone that’s been “referred to” as one. Who comes t’ mind … the apostle Paul ? Shepherd boy turned king, David ? Billy Graham ? C.S. Lewis ? Tim Keller ? Charlie Kirk ? This short-list doesn’t scratch the surface…we can all list some people that were instrumental in bringing the gospel of Jesus Christ to not only thousands, but to “us”, personally. And every single one of these faithful followers have one thing in common…they surrendered their lives to Christ ! By faith they believed and received the forgiveness of their sins, the grace of God that wasn’t earned, and the Spirit of God that provides the power ( Acts 1:8 ) ! The words they exhort…that’s given by the Spirit also ( Matthew 10:19, Mark 13:11 ). These people, like you and me, are “born sinners” ( Psalm 51:5, Romans 5:12 )…they all inherited a “sin nature” from Adam ( of the Adam and Eve , the serpent and the apple, story…Genesis chapter 3 ) and they all needed Jesus’ righteousness to “change” them from who they “were” ( 2 Corinthians5:17 ). Ain’t nothin “super” bout none of us … but we that follow Christ, can’t follow at a distance and expect to get in on the fringe benefits of that relationship ! If he’s handing out “prizes” ( gifts, talents, supernatural powers, divine appointments, blessings, etc; ) and we’re not “abiding” ( staying close )…how can we expect anything extraordinary to happen !?? Any and all of the “superChristians” we can name, remained faithful because they “CHOSE TO” ! Wandering away from, only gets us lost or in trouble…and our witness will be compromised. SuperChristians exalt Jesus Christ and use their God-given abilities to honor and glorify Christ. It ain’t “about” them ( John 3:30-35 ), no more than it’s about us. I’m sure you’ve thought of a couple of people that have influenced you for your good and God’s glory … so why not tell em, if they’re still around. They won’t claim any fame from it…they’ll pass the praise right on up to the One who’s worthy of receiving it … “Jesus, the Christ” ! Better yet… “be” that one that lifts high the name above all names… and “be” that super Christian !

Tell Your Story

Treasure

What’s your “treasure” ? Is it your spouse, your kids, your vehicle, all them guns you’ve been collecting, that motorcycle in the garage, those gold bars you’ve got in that safe … what does your treasure consist of ? Maybe you’ve never given it much thought…you may not consider anything you own worthy to call a “treasure”. Did you ever consider the word, though ? “treasure” … “something of great worth and value”; “a person esteemed as rare or precious”. It’s that person in your life that you would do anything for ( as long as it’s legal 😉 ). You trust em with your deepest thoughts and secrets and you can’t imagine doing life without em. You’d protect em with your life and defend their honor with everything you own. When it comes to assigning the title, “treasure”, to someone or something, it shouldn’t be taken lightly. It also should cause us pause … because when it comes down to it, some of the things we treasured when we were younger, just dont seem to fit that category anymore. Very few things are really worth “treasuring”; amen ? My salvation in Christ would haveta come first ! I mean, my wife…definitely ! My kids and grandbabies; surely ! I have some sentimental things that belonged to my mama…some cards or drawings my kids and grands gave me…my copies of God’s word…our dog…but other than that, I’m not sure I’d consider anything else i own, a “treasure”. Jesus said, “Where your treasure is, there, your heart will be also” ( Matthew 6:21 ). We’ve gotta be careful with what we consider worth “treasuring” and the worth we assign to these things. There’s a fine line that we MUST NOT cross ! GOD spells it out clearly in numbers 1 and 2 of the “original 10 Commandments” … “Have no other gods before me” and “ Don’t make idols out of anything”. If we’re assigning more worth to our “things”, our “jobs/money”, our kid’s activities or even our “family members”themselves, than we are GOD, then we’ve stepped OVER that line. Since God knows our hearts, he also knows what things we consider our “treasures”. We can lie to ourselves and argue differently, but GOD knows … and He ain’t gon’ bless the one that doesn’t put HIM first. You may be blessed by Satan while you’re here on earth, but earth ain’t gon be our final “resting place”. Eternity is gonna be alot longer than the “here an now”! If you feel like God’s blessed you with the things you’re enjoying , and you’re not living to please Him and putting Him first and foremost, don’t automatically feel like it’s from GOD. Satan tried to entice Jesus Himself, with the treasures of this world ( Matthew 4:9 ), so why would he not try the same tactics with you and me ?!? As the psalmist said, “ When yall look around and see what all these others have, don’t be envious of em, for they have all they’re ever gonna have” ( Psalm 37 ). Trust in the LORD and do good; Delight yourself in the LORD and He will give you the desires of your heart. Committee your way to the LORD; trust in Him and He will do this: He will make your righteousness shine like the dawn, and justice of your cause like the noonday sun. Be still before the LORD and wait patiently for Him.” ( verses3-7 ) And even if our gospel is veiled, it is veiled to those who are perishing. The god of this age has blinded the minds of unbelievers, so that they cannot see the light of the gospel of the glory of Christ, who is the image of God. For God, who said,” Let light shine out of darkness,” made his light shine in our hearts to give us the light of the knowledge of the glory of God in the face of Christ. But we have this TREASURE in jars of clay to show that this all-surpassing power is from God and not from us. ( 2 Corinthians 4:3-7 ) “Something / Someone of great value and worth…esteemed as rare or precious.” …. where’s God land on your list of “treasures” ?

Most Excellent Way

The Spirit of God, through the apostle Paul’s pen, tells you and me, this…concerning “the most excellent way” to love : ( 1 Corinthians 13:1:4-8 )… He starts off telling us how he/we could be doing everything else right, but if we weren’t doing it in love, we were “nothing” but alotta noise, and we would gain nothing ( verses 1-3 ). Before we get into this “excellent way” to love, let’s consider the “not-so-excellent” ways we love. We tell our kids, “Love you”, as they depart for school…but did we pray out loud for them to receive all the knowledge and wisdom that would be provided them from those who God has placed in their facilities ? Did we leave them with sound instructions to do everything as if for the Lord, and not just for personal gain or to please their teachers and coaches ( Colossians3:17 )? Did they know that Jesus would provide angels to watch over them, for their safety, therefore, they wouldn’t need to waste time being afraid ( Matthew 18:10 ) ? If we loved them “excellently”, they would. What about our spouses ? We tell em we love em all the time; right ? RIGHT !?? So why is it we wind up hollerin at em in anger or frustration, instead of holding our tongues until we considered a calmer response ? Why do we try to manipulate every scenario to fit what “we” want…when God’s clearly stated, “ Consider others and their needs as more important than yourself and your own”( Philippians 2:3 ) ? Why do we say, “I love you” one minute and fight like cats and dogs, the next !?? What about those “other folks” in our life ? We’re all the time throwin out a, “love you” or “love y’all”, and when they call, the first thing we do is grumble or mutter an expletive and give that eye-roll, wondering if we should answer. Loving someone “excellently” ain’t easy; is it ? I’d go so far as to say it’s “impossible”, without the Holy Spirit involved. He not only provides the supernatural power ( Acts 1:8 ), He provides the resources. Me and Pennye Jacobs Lewis have enjoyed this firsthand many many times. Our love for each other has stood many a storm and hardship, but our Anchor holds ! We attribute our 41 years of marriage, to His grace and mercy. Every minute of it may not’ve been “blissful”, but they were “beneficial”. He’s taught us many lessons along the journey…and one of em is that He is faithful, even when we ain’t ( 2 Timothy 2:13 ). Now, to this ”excellent way” of expressing Christ-like love … “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it ain’t proud or rude or self-seeking. It’s not easily angered and it dont keep a record of wrongs. Love doesn’t delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Love never fails ( verses 4-8 ). Me and Pennye don’t get it right alotta times, but we know where reconciliation begins…and that’s where we start… asking God to heal the hurt we’ve caused because we strayed from His “excellent way” of loving. Forgiveness MUST accompany this excellent love … without it, the anger and envy and resentment will fester and infect. If God’s ways are higher than ours ( Isaiah 55:8-9 ), shouldn’t we adapt to em and let our old ways go ? If we’d focus more on showing this “excellent way” of loving, to those we say we love, our homes would be a more pleasant place to hang out…our businesses, a better place to work…and our gatherings, a more pleasurable place to congregate. Let’s resolve to try it more, under the direction of the Spirit of God. He’s not only the Author and Perfector of our faith, He’s also the Author and Perfector of our “love”. ( Hebrews 12:2 )

When You Pray

“And when you pray, don’t be like the hypocrites or keep babbling like the pagans, for your Father knows what you need before you ask him. This, then, is how you should pray: “Our Father in heaven, hallowed is your name, your kingdom come, your will be done on earth as it is in heaven. Give us today our daily bread. Forgive us our debts ( trespasses ), as we forgive our debtors ( trespassers ). And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from the evil one. For yours is the kingdom, the power and the glory forever. Amen.” ( Matthew 6:5-15 ) .. The “Lord’s Prayer” or “the model prayer”, as it’s called…I fear it’s lost its power since Jesus wrote and quoted it so many years ago. Sure, we still hear Rudy and his teammates reciting it before the game ( on tv )…and some ballteams still recite it before or after a game…but dont you feel it’s more out of habit…like a ritual, than an actual plea for God to hear our hearts desire ? You know…like the, “God is great, God is good, let us thank him for our food” prayer, before meals ? Words without substance … words rehearsed and recited, but not felt…repetitious…not life-changing. Don’t get mad…just think about it for a minute. Let’s take one little part of the prayer … “ And lead us not into temptation”. Why would Jesus feel this was important enough to mention ? Didn’t he die so we could be free from sin ? Didn’t he rise from the grave to live again, as proof that the grave aint the “end” of life as we imagine it ? Didn’t he tell us that the kingdom of heaven is reserved for the pure of heart ,” …for they will see GOD” ( Matthew 5:8 ) ? Didn’t James tell us that God cannot be tempted with evil and he does not tempt anyone ( James 1:13 ) ? Then why in the world would Jesus say, “ And lead us not into temptation” ? Because he knows how weak we humans can be ! Maybe you don’t have a problem with alcohol, opioids or porn…maybe you don’t let that second slice of pizza or dessert entice you to overindulge…maybe your eyes don’t pursue what others have to the point you dig yourself deeper in debt…maybe your patience is perfected and you see traffic congestion as just more time to listen to your podcast or to finish puttin on your makeup. But, you have the propensity to sin, even AFTER you’ve surrendered by faith to Jesus Christ. Being saved…becoming a child of God…name recorded in the Lambsbook of Life, does not make you automatically sin-free or exempt from temptation. We’re still susceptible to it and you can bet your bottom dollar that Satan won’t stop trying to get you to sin. He’s actually looking for opportunities to slip in when you least expect him…get a foothold in the areas of your life that pose the best chance of causing chaos…and placing people in your path that will do your character the most damage, if they can. He’s crafty…he’s a liar…he’s the author and perfector of deception…and he’s willing to go to great lengths to bring you down. God ain’t gonna tempt us…and he’s ready and willing to lead us away from temptations IF we’re really wanting him to. He’s already told us that there ain’t a temptation out there that ain’t been heard of and given in to before ( 1 Corinthians 10:13 )…and He’s still able to lead us away from and around em, if we’re wanting him to. Giving “in to” temptations just get us deeper into trouble. They cause heartaches in our homes and prevent us from casting the light of Christ that’s within us. Nobody listens to someone that sins just as good as they do. If there’s still a tendency to sin, without a repentant heart, it stands a good chance there was never any “surrender”. And if there was no surrender, there was no salvation…and hell is still the final destination for the souls separated from God because of unrepentance. If this is you, aintcha tired ? Now’s the time to set things right. Today is the day of salvation ! ( 2 Corinthians 6:2 ) There’s no time like the present ! God’s ready to forgive you your debt and forgive your sins … all he’s waiting for is for you to ask. If you’ve already secured your name on His list, do whatever you need to, to walk worthy of your calling. Abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit … and pray…” lead me not into temptation and deliver me from the evil one”. I guarantee you He’ll do it !