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Advice

Advice

When you give advice, where do you pull your resources from ? Is it from the internet, something you’ve heard someone else say, from personal experience…maybe it was mandated from up the ladder and you are the one that’s supposed to pass it down. Whatever “it” is, make sure it’s worth hearing. Don’t just talk to be talking…we’ve got enough talkin heads on the radio and tv that spew forth all manner of lies and trash…we don’t need another one. So, how are you at “receiving” advice ? Do you believe everything you hear ? Are you one of those gullible or naive people that’ll believe everything someonesays … never investigating it for its authenticity ? I like to say that word…”authenticity” … it just has a nice ring to it. So…if advice is as common as bellybuttons, where should we “lean in”, and when should we “run from” what we hear ? I’ve got the answer ! ……. In the presence of God and of Jesus Christ, who will judge the living and the dead, and in view of his kingdom, i give you this charge : Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out; correct, rebuke and encourage…with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine; instead, to suit their own desires, they’ll gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They’ll turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths. But you, keep your head in all situations, endure hardship, do the work of an evangelist, discharge all the duties of your ministry. ( 2 Timothy 4:1-5 ) “The Word” … THAT’S where truth comes from ! I hope your Bible ain’t just sittin somewhere collectin dust. I hope the very presence of it fills you with a longing that screams, “ Here I am…pick me up and let’s communicate !” Treasured words breathed out by the Creator of everything, seen and not seen ! History made and passed on from generation to generation. Whether you saw your parents studying it or not, that shouldn’t stop you from relying on its treasures ! Rely on it MORE than you do your billfold or purse. Never be ashamed to carry it and pull from its valuable resources. The earlier you learn to trust its contents, the wiser you’ll become. There’s nothing we’ll face in life that can’t be located in God’s Word. The Scripture that leads you to making a wise decision today, may be the same Scripture God uses several months or years later to help you in some other matter. We’re gonna be “preaching” something, every day … why not let it come from God’s spoken Word ?! Our coworkers, kids, spouses, family and acquaintances need sound advice to navigate life’s obstacles … let it come from God ! Correct, rebuke and encourage someone with its authenticity today. They need it as much as you do !

 

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Lord, Lord

Lord, Lord

“Not everyone who says to me,’Lord, Lord,’ will enter the kingdom of heaven, but only he who does the will of my Father who is in heaven” ( Matthew 7:21 ). A long time ago, i invited Jesus to be my “Lord” and Savior. I had a one-on-one conversation with our preacher, per my mama’s insistence, so as to remove any doubts or answer any questions i might have. I knew one thing…i didn’t wanna go to hell if i was to die…at 13 years old, or 113. I didn’t know much, but i knew my decision was a result of my faith in Christ’s ability to save me from hell. I’s always playin with fire, so i knew how uncomfortable it was to be burned..,and i heard how you can’t “burn up” in hell … it’ll be like burning and suffering for eternity ( Mark 9:48; Luke 16:27-28 )…and i didn’t want no part o’ that ! “Savior” was easy to understand, but it took me a lot longer to realize what that “Lord” part looked like, and i think it’s gonna be the demise of a whole lotta “self-proclaimed” Christians, right alongside all the folks who never turned to Christ by faith. When we give someone something, it’s no longer ours … it’s the same with our lives ( 1 Corinthians 6: 19-20 ) . Until we give God our everything, we have no right to call him, “Lord”. Unless we’re surrendering, we’re actually still fighting Him. Partial obedience is STILL, disobedience. The Spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak ( Matthew 26:41 ), and that road to hell is paved with “good intentions”. Until we come to terms with our salvation experience and hear Jesus’ statement, “ Unless you repent, you too will perish”( Luke 13:1-9 ), we’re just foolin ourselves and ridin a lie that has won Satan many a soul. Many of us can come to Christ out of a fear of dying and spending eternity in hell, where the fires are never quenched and the maggot never dies, but, until we let him have the Lordship of our lives, we need not say to him, “ Lord, Lord”… because that ain’t gonna reserve us a mansion or even a cardboard frigerator box ( John 14:2-6 ) in his kingdom. Oh…and bein a “good person” ain’t gon’ cut it either … hell’s fullo good people who never surrendered their lives to Christ. Jesus doesn’t want our goodness, he wants us to believe his gospel and pledge our loyalty to him ( Romans 10:9-10 ). He ain’t expecting perfection, he’s looking for obedience. The sooner we grasp this fact, the sooner we can really understand what “Lordship” feels like. Unless we search his Scripture as searching for buried treasure ( Proverbs 2:4 ) we’ll never really understand the depths of his love for us. The greater the love, the greater the sacrifice. The more we know him, the more we’ll love him … and the more we love him, the more we’ll understand what calling him “Lord” looks and feels like. There’s still time to make it right and real ! Don’t wait and hope…be confident in the grace and mercy of our living God … and when you say to him “Lord”, say it and mean it through total surrender and obedience.

 

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100%

100%

I remember way back when i was “young and dumb” and “bigger’n my britches” and knew i was good at what i was doin…i believe it’s what’s called, “prideful”…and a new “boss” came on the scene and started off by telling us we were gonna haveta start doin this-n-that… which had nothing t’do with the task we were paid to do. I’d heard enough and was young enough to walk out and find another employer, so i told him flat out, “ That ain’t my job. That’s not what I was hired to do.” And i left. As a general rule, the employee works FOR the employer. As long as it’s legal and morally right, an employer can make an employee do whatever they want. If they are paying an honest wage, they get to call the shots…and if you wanna keep gettin paid, you just roll withit and do whatever it is you’re asked to do. I couldn’t help but think back on this young “me” when i fell upon ( 2 Chronicles 26:16 ) …” But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the Lord his God, and entered the temple of the LORD to burn incense on the altar of incense.” That ain’t yo job Uzziah ! Incense burning was the chosen priest’s job…consecrated for the job under God’s direction. Uzziah’s motives got misplaced due to his prideful heart. He’d done got too big for his britches and he was about t’ be schooled. The LORD struck him with leprosy…which he carried all the way till his death. King or janitor, goin against God and His mandates, rules, commands, precepts or proclamations will ultimately lead to our downfall. You wanna get in hot water with your Creator, get cocky and prideful and go outside His boundaries. He ain’t playin our games … He’s expecting more from those that carry His name. And yeah, Christian…some jobs in the “church” ain’t yo job ! You may volunteer for everything but that doesn’t mean you have control over everything … God has the say-so when it comes to placing workers where He desires em to be. It AINT YER CHURCH … it’s HIS ! The same Holy Spirit that calls one person to a task is the same Holy Spirit talkin to you. So stop thinkin you’ve got something somebody else dont have ! Some of us need to step up to the plate and quit backin out the box ! Insteada sayin / thinkin, “ That aint my job”…we need t’ be sayin, “ Hear i am, I’ll do it.” It takes 100 % cooperation to achieve 100 % success… if we’d all do SOMETHING ! Glorifying GOD ain’t rocket science … living out our calling is simple. It ain’t always fun or easy…it’s work. But it’s worth it ! God’ll let you know what your job is…if you really wanna be used by Him. Whether in word or deed, work at it with all your heart, and do it as if you’re working for the Lord, and not just man. ( Colossians 3:23 )

 

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Punisnment

Punishment

What did the punishment for your disobedience look like when you were a kid ? Let’s not get mad about it all over again…let’s just learn from it. Some of us will tone it down considerably, because what was administered to us might be too severe for today’s standards. Some of us will take the complete opposite approach and scold / punish our own kids and grandkids in ways that our own parents and grandparents wouldn’t’ve even considered. If i was misbehaving or embarrassing my mama or daddy, it didn’t matter WHERE we were … they’d snatch me up by my arm and wear me out with their hand, and didn’t care who witnessed it. Probably saved another kid from receiving a similar whippin by example. We learned early on not to be disrespectful to ANY adult…especially not our own mamas and daddies. “Permission t’ whoop” was a given…nobody had to be granted it. Same with our kids … if they needed a whippin, whip em ! Don’t be callin us while we’re tryin t’ eke out a livin…and don’t waste an opportunity to teach em right from wrong and about consequences ! Ain’t nobody got time for that school meetin or delay of discipline stuff. Take care of it as the need arises. You probably savin em from a life-o-crime…or worse. Somewhere along the way, the, “it takes a village to raise a child” got lost … and that’s a shame. This week’s SS lesson reminded me that even though God is merciful, He’s also “just”… “ Based on or behaving according to what is morally right and fair.” My mama and daddy loved me, therefore they punished me accordingly. God loves His children too much to let em continue a life of disobedience. Yeah, we’re gonna slip up every now and then, but that shouldn’t mean we make it a habit. God said, “ How long will these people despise me ? How long will they not trust in me despite all the signs I’ve performed among them ? I will strike them with a plague and destroy them.”( Numbers 14:11-12 ) God’s done got tired of their disobedience and negativity. He’s sick of their belly-achin and distrust…even after ALL He’s done for em ! Sound familiar ? Sometimes, we have to suffer some pretty hard consequences to realize how GOOD we’ve had it. Although God loves us, He’s also gotta discipline us like good parents do ( Proverbs 3:12; Hebrews 12:6 ). He wants our unadulterated love and trust, and if whoopin us is what it takes, whoopin is what it’s gonna be. I ain’t real sure God holds to the “time out” policy… He wants to get our attention … more of a “nip it in the bud” kinda God. Yeah…the people done pushed Him bout as far as He could stand…so He left em out in the desert to die out and allowed only Caleb and Joshua and their families to enter the Promised Land … because they trusted Him to do as He said He’d do ! The kids of all those adults weren’t held responsible for their parent’s actions, so they got a reprieve, also. What a waste ! Folks forfeited the land of promise … the “land of milk and honey”, for wasteland ! What about you ? Does God need t’ bring about some drastic measures down on you and your family to correct some wrong behavior ? Is there something you need to repent of, while God’s still patiently waiting ? Maybe you need to stop running from Him and accept His free offer of salvation. Whatever He’s saying to you, please humble yourself and submit to Him … before it’s too late.

 

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Think A Minute

Think A Minute

Think about something for a minute … in your lifetime thus far, who is it that’s REALLY influenced you to the point that you REALLY “listened” to what they said ? It wasn’t so much their tone of voice or their delivery…but in your mind you knew what they were tellin you, you could bet on it … or as Pennye Jacobs Lewis would say, you could “put your foot on it”😁. The only times you heard em stretch the truth was when they were funnin with you…so that didn’t count. They weren’t liars, and if someone insinuated it behind their backs, your hackles would rise and you’d immediately come to their defense. That was just how trustworthy they were ( are ) to you. This takes me to where the Spirit led me this mornin … when Jesus said, in ( John 14:6 ), “ I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.”… why is it we question the validity of his statement ?!? Why would we shrug it off and give it less attention than a pesky mosquito flyin around our ear ? The “God-Man” that never told an untruth in his whole life ( Hebrews 6:18 ), tells us the route to the Father of all creation, and we should so callously discount it and forfeit a relationship that could change everything about life as we now know it ! Blows my mind ! What !? Is it too easy to believe, so we just figure it must be a gimmick ?! Something so simple, there must be a trick to it; right ? WRONG !! Jesus is not only “the way” to GOD, he’s also the way to peace with GOD, salvation from sin, abundant life ( which includes managing respectful responsible kids, a healthy marriage, good job, needs met, lack of worry, joy in your spirit, great relationships with others, etc; etc; etc.. ) and the favor and blessings of GOD ! Jesus is “the truth”, personified … he cannot lie, therefore, everything he says, you can count on, bank on and yeah, put your foot on. His truth is recorded in his word ( the Bible )…if we neglect our study of it, we’re actually sayin to Jesus, “You ain’t worth readin about.” Truth’ll set us free … therefore, knowledge of Jesus will set us free from all the trappings and lies that we’re being fed since birth. If we choose to ignore it, we better be satisfied with what we get ! Jesus says he’s “the life”. I’ve lived a life apart from him because i thought my way was gonna be better; i was sadly mistaken. The life Jesus supplied me, i never could’ve dreamed up ! He’s shown me things i never would’ve seen apart from him. I’ve experienced one miracle after another and it still chokes me up to recall em. That grass ain’t greener on the other side…that’s just another lie that Satan dupes folks into believin to keep em livin in discontent. True livin comes when we give our life to Jesus, by faith in his abilities and not ours. He came to earth as a baby, just so we could hear and see the possibility of living a righteous lifestyle, all the while glorifying GOD the Father. He sacrificed his own life so we could die to self and raise to new life, in Him ! All that’s required on our part is to accept by faith that Jesus died for us, personally…that he was raised the third day to live again…and confess this “truth” to our fellow man … that’s it ! ( Romans 10:9-10 ) Walking in awareness and newness ain’t bein withheld from anyone … GOD already knows who will choose Him and who won’t. He doesn’t desire anyone to perish, but that all would come to repentance and live…the way, the truth and the life that’s found only in Jesus, the Son. ( 2 Peter 3:9 ) Stop listening to liars and instead, listen to someone that’s NEVER lied to you.

 

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Do Not Sin

Do Not Sin

“In your anger do not sin”. Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, and don’t give the devil a foothold…for man’s anger does not bring about the righteous life that God desires. ( Ephesians 4:26-27; James 1:20 ) Ohhhh, if we’d hang on tight to this one and pause long enough to ask God for righteous responses, many of us ( men and women alike ) would stay outta the doghouse a lot longer than usual. We’ll still have inconsiderate people blocking the passing lane…one cashier that can’t seem to speed up…thugs that don’t care who hears their vulgar “music” at the redlights or gas station parking lots…missed calls by the umps and referees…the occasional spat-with-the-spouse… and any other number of things that get under our skin…but…we don’t haveta sin in our anger. Remember…anger ain’t a sin…it’s what we do with it that is. “So, if you think you are standing firm, be careful that you don’t fall ! No temptation ( to sin ) has seized you that someone else ain’t already experienced. And God is faithful; He won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you ARE tempted ( to sin ), He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it.” ( 1 Corinthians 10:12-13 ) It’s ahight t’ get mad, just don’t let it cause you to sin … whether it be against another human being, or God. God’ll test us sometimes to see what we’ll do…and even if we don’t hear, “ I’m proud of how you stood up to that test and passed with flyin colors”… we can know God saw it and is proud of us…and THAT’S what counts. You might ask, “I thought anger and sin kinda went together … how can we get angry and still not sin ?!” Don’t respond like this world expects. Satan gets a foothold when we respond in “unrighteous” ways. We get angry at the slow traffic, slow check-out person, slow employee… we oughta bow or close our eyes ( not while driving ) and pray for them. We don’t know what their struggle is at that time…but God does…and He may just be waiting on you to ask Him to help that person. Sure…some people are inconsiderate of others and live self-centered lives, but that shouldn’t have anything to do about how you live yours. As far as it depends on “you”, get along with everyone and treat em as more important than yourself” ( Romans 12:18; Philippians2:3 ). Remember how good God’s been to you ! You’re no longer locked up or locked down … you’re free from all chains and shackles ! Sin ain’t cha daddy anymore … God is ! Jesus bought and paid for you … and the ol devil lost a good-un ! ( 1 Corinthians 6:19-20 ) Instead of findin things to complain about, find things to compliment that person about. Finding fault, tearing down and belittling ain’t a character trait of Jesus Christ our Lord … neither should it be ours. Flippin somebody off or cussin ain’t honorable unto God and it doesn’t compliment the NAME we carry around…”Christian”. Anything that doesn’t glorify God and magnify the Name above all names, oughta bring shame upon us and cause us to repent and seek forgiveness … from God, first, and then from the one we wronged. If you’ve never been good at saying you’re sorry, you oughta try it ! It’s liberating ! And the more you practice it, the easier it gets. Plus, it honors God … even if it was the other person that SHOULD be doin the apologizing. We’re all gonna disagree every now and then … but it doesn’t mean we’re enemies. We’re here to encourage and make each other better. By acknowledging God’s word as our guide, walking in the Spirit instead of the flesh, and abiding in Christ in all our ways, thoughts and actions, we CAN get angry ( about sin ) and still not fall victim to it ! I’m pretty sure we can all be of one mind and one spirit … as long as it’s THE SPIRIT ( of GOD ) … we’ve only to ask Him to glorify Himself, in us and through us, today … because that’s what we’ve got right now ! Won’t you join me ?! Stand up to them temptations and battle against em with God’s armor ! You’re a warrior and didn’t even realize it ! Satan saw you on your knees with your head bowed and thought he’d won … until he heard you say, “ Amen “ !

 

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Humble Yourself

Humble Yourself

Humble yourselves, therefore, under God’s mighty hand, that He may lift you up in due time. Cast all your anxiety on Him because He cares for you. ( 1 Peter 5:6-7 ) Sounds like a promise that so many of us forget sometimes. When the boss seems to be lookin for ways to get rid o’ you…when the spouse seems to be tired o’ bein married…when the kid won’t mind…when the bills outweigh the income…when the ride starts actin up…when our bodies won’t heal…the funerals come more often than the weddings…etc; etc; etc.. Calgon, take me away ! ( old commercial 😁 ) Ain’t no bubble bath, alcohol drink, illegal substance, opposite sex, self-help book, vacation or “supposed” greener grass on the other side o’ the fence gonna cure what ails us, like God can. Being “prideful” can not only kill a body, it can cripple it so as to wish we were dead ! Retaining pride is like holding onto acid reflux, gas, diarrhea and vomit all at the same time. EXPEL IT !! Get it outta your system !! Until we get humble, we will NEVER experience the grace and mercy of our all-powerful God. Ain’t gon’ happen ! A humble heart and spirit activates the power of God. If God never did another miracle, He’s already proven so many times that He can ! Created mankind and all of creation…parted and held back the waters of a sea and made dry ground for the people to walk across…gave a kid the ability to kill a giant…healed the blind…raised the dead…made the lame to walk…restored families…gave forgiveness and the ability to forgive…torched whole cities from heaven…turned water into wine…allowed one man to kill a thousand men with only the jawbone of a donkey for a weapon ! And we can go on and on and on and on with examples of God’s amazing power ! So … does it make more sense to combat our DAILY trials, struggles, problems and troubles with our foolish pride … or … does it make more sense to “humble ourselves” under God’s mighty hand, so He can lift us up in due time ? That’s “it”; ain’t it ? We don’t wanna wait on God ! We think we can do it ourselves ! We won’t accept advice and we won’t ask God for help…and patiently wait on Him to do whatever’s best for us ! We settle for the “temporary fix” and forfeit the “permanent solution” that brings that euphoric feeling ! WHY do we settle for less than ?!? Nothing and nobody can bring “permanence” like God can. If His stamp is on us, then we’re “sealed”… bought and paid for by the blood of Christ ( 1 Corinthians6:19-20 ) ! Nobody can do anything to snatch us outta His hands or cause us to be “disenfranchised” ! We are His and His alone ! ( John 10:28-30; Romans 8:38-39; Romans 6:10 ). Cast that anxiety on Him…He can handle it a lot better than you can ! And never ever forget…He cares for you !

 

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Repent

Repent

Y’ ever been goin somewhere, maybe on a vacation or business trip, the area totally unfamiliar, and you realize too late that you missed your exit ? Blood pressure and adrenaline spikes and you frantically search your gps or phone for the next exit to do a uey… but wait…there’s one o’ them crossovers that’s made for “emergency vehicles only” … well…do i – dont i – do i- dont i ??? Do they REALLY care if i use it ? I mean…it IS an emergency…sort of. So…after deliberating about it for a whole two seconds, you dart back into the fast lane and brake so hard that the folks behind you doing 75 haveta slam on brakes, almost creating a major accident, horns blasting and at least two of em shouting something inaudible while tellin you through sign language that you are “number one” in their books🙄. Well…at least you found your turn-around, albeit you almost kilt a family of five in the process. We’re quick to turn around when we’re going the wrong way because it just don’t make good sense to keep goin the wrong way; right ? So why is it we find it so hard to REPENT ? Shouldn’t it be the natural thing to do if we’re goin against God’s laws, commands, precepts or directives ? Do we give greater attention and credence to this world’s opinions, suggestions and bad habits, than we do t’ GOD…the Creator of all the heavens, the earth…and us ? Do we not realize that we were created “by GOD” primarily for “HIS pleasure”( Colossians 1:16 ) ? He could’ve made us puppets on strings, but He didn’t. He gives us free will to choose. Sure…He could make us do as He wishes, but He doesn’t. He knows that if we’ll trust Him and place our complete faith in Him, we’ll come t’ see that He is a loving GOD…the Friend a friend would love to have ( Hosea 6:6 ). He knows if we’ll test Him, we’ll see that He’s trustworthy and loyal. He ain’t out to kill our fun and make us boring…He’s all about havin fun and building relationships…and He’s got a great sense of humor … just look around you at some of the things and people He’s created 😉🤣( Jeremiah 29:11 ). The only time we’re exempt from “man’s law” is when it goes directly against “God’s law” ( Acts 5:29 ). God clearly states that we are to submit to the governing authorities, because they were established by Him ( Romans 13:1-7 )… and if we hold to those standards, and those governing authorities make laws that contradict God’s laws, then we hold “to the higher road”…God’s. We may face persecution or penalties, but at least we won’t dishonor GOD or go against His principles, His codes of conduct or standards of righteous living. In other words, that illegal uey went against state law as well as God’s directives…and im pretty confident that the po-po aint gon’ be lenient if we try the ol’, “ I was just repenting” excuse ! Wrong is wrong, no matter how we try to justify it ! I’m pretty sure, we do this quite often, so as to feel better about our sin. We dishonor and disrespect our spouses with our unkind words and rude behavior, and we say it’s because “they” made us … or it’s because “they” did the same thing. This behavior has never and will never line up with God’s word. Number one, it dishonors one of God’s kids ( how would you respond if someone was dishonoring one of your kids ? )… plus, God’s word says we are to love them like Christ loves His church ( Ephesians 5:25 ) … demonstratively , sacrificially and unconditionally. If both parties would try harder to commit to this one principle and let the Spirit lead, divorce lawyers would be looking for other work. Children are a blessing from God, whether they are ours or someone else’s. When we treat em as less, God ain’t pleased ! He’s already warned us that to abuse a child or direct them towards unrighteous behavior, is deserving concrete shoes while in deep waters ( Matthew 18:6 ). This goes not only for children, it relates to “baby / immature Christians.” God takes a hard stance on how we treat each other ! Anything we do that MISSES GOD’S MARK of PERFECTION, is “SIN”… period. If we’re as serious about repentance as GOD says we oughta be, then we WILL TURN AROUND … 180 degrees , and go GOD’S WAY !! Jesus says, “ Produce fruit in keeping with repentance “ ( Matthew 3:8 ). The fruit He’s referencing is “fruit of His Spirit”, “Spiritual fruit” ( Galatians 5:22-23 ) … we’ll never be deficient if we’ll produce, harvest and make this “fruit” a staple of our daily diet. “ Every tree ( vine ) that does not produce good fruit will be cut down and thrown into the fire” ( Matthew 3:10 ). And who enjoys being burnt; right ? Therefore, “ Repent, for the kingdom of heaven is near” ( Matthew 4:18 ) … nearer than we think ! Aintcha tired of pushin against the goads ( Acts 26:14 ) ? Google it…if you’re interested.

 

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In His Footsteps

In His Footsteps

Over the last seven days, I’ve had conversations with both my sons about life experiences they’d encountered, themselves. One was about a client that felt blessed by my boy’s work ethic and obvious love for Christ … the other, a personal conversation with his daughter and her experience with a “bully”, and how proud he was of her for not reacting like the world expects. Talk about a proud daddy ! My heart swelled within me on both occasions, causing me to silently thank God for their stance for HIM and willingness to love on strangers, as well as family. Parents can only teach, train and live an example for their kids to follow…how they “turn out”, depends on them. So … what are you teaching em ? What kind of example are you giving them that they’re gonna follow ? I know my example wasn’t always the right one, and i regret alotta my ways… I’m not “there” yet … God’s still whittlin on me. You ( we ) can’t expect our kids to act right or do right ( according to God’s standards ) if we don’t show em ! Can you REALLY say you want your kids to be JUST like you ?! There’s an old song that says, “ Lord, i wanna be just like you, cause he wants to be like me”. That oughta be all our goal…to be more Christ-like in the things we think on, the things we say, in our actions and reactions, in the way we treat our spouse, how we treat our enemies ( just like the bullies ), how we spend the resources God allows us to earn, the attitude and attention we give to God’s written word and our worship and praise of Him. They NEED to hear and see what our relationship with Christ has done for “us”, personally ! If we’re not training em towards righteousness, someone else will be more than happy to train em in unrighteousness. If we’re not teachin em to love God with all their heart, mind, soul and energy, someone else’ll teach em to be selfish, hateful and self-centered. Being a Christian…one who lives and breathes to follow Christ in obedience unto His word, walking in the Spirit instead of the flesh, ain’t an easy task…but it’s worth the effort ! Jesus said, “ I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not the smallest letter, not the least stroke of a pen, will by any means disappear from the Law until everything is accomplished. Anyone who breaks one of the least of these commandments and teaches others to do the same will be called least in the kingdom of heaven, but whoever practices and teaches these commands will be called great in the kingdom of heaven.” ( Matthew 5:17-20 ) Jesus didn’t come to abolish the Law and the Prophets, He came to fulfill em ! SO SHOULD YOU and I . Let God use you today. Speak truth to someone. Encourage someone with the love of Christ that is within you. Show others what it looks like to be forgiven and changed. Love on that person that others have turned their backs on. Be Christ-like so “they” can follow in your footsteps. One day you won’t be here. Are you leaving a legacy that’ll benefit others ? Is Jesus magnified in your house ? Don’t be the reason they go to hell ! Give em a fightin chance ! Tell em what God expects and let em know how proud you are of em when they mimic Him.

 

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Magnify Him

Magnify Him

I can remember a few Christmas presents when i was younger … a Hot Wheels track with the “loop”, a SSP car with that “rip stick”, a Daisy BB gun, Schwinn bike , … these were some of my favorite presents, i guess that’s why i remember em. There was always a stocking with a variety of hard-shelled nuts, tangerines, and if i was really lucky, a pack or two of firecrackers. My brother got a present that, although not my bag, was interesting in a way … it was a chemistry set … complete with tweezers, glass test-tubes and my favorite…a “microscope”. Although it was a cheaper version of those used in a real lab, you could put an ant on that piece of glass ( of course, it wasn’t volunteering; you usually had to “subdue” it ), place it under the lens piece and check him / her out so close you could see hundreds of tiny hairs on its body. It was so cool ! A tick off o’ the dog was always a treat, too😆. After i got my BB gun, i got into shooting stuff … cans, bottles, clothespins, waspnests and any other “target” that i deemed a challenge. My BB gun was my weapon, my companion and my power over anything that dared try me … ( hey, i had a vivid imagination 😄 ). It wasn’t until i graduated up to a scoped rifle that i realized my potential, though. That scope, alot like that microscope, brought my targets so close you felt like they were near enough to touch. Microscopes, rifle scopes and magnifying glasses were some o God’s greatest inventions in my book. They took a piece of glass and curved it in such a way as to magnify the object you were focusing on, bringing it so much closer. A good telephoto camera lens will do the same thing. So…what’s the difference, or the similarities, of GOD…and magnification ? Y’ ever heard or said, “ GOD, be magnified in my life” ? Does “bringing Him closer”, magnify Him, in your eyes ? When you give Him your full attention…focus on His kingdom principles, His commandments, His promises and His love…does it make Him BIGGER in your eyes …does it MAGNIFY Him in your heart ? GOD is already SO BIG ! Our finite minds can’t even comprehend the bigness of GOD ! We don’t need microscopes, binoculars or scopes to see GOD … He’s right there inside those who have placed their faith in Him ! He takes up residence in our hearts, if we’ll allow Him access. “ The Spirit of truth …lives with you and will be in you” ( John 14:7 ). God sends the Spirit of His Son into our hearts ( Galatians 4:6 ). And, if by faith we receive Jesus as our Savior, and allow Him the Lordship of our lives, our bodies are then considered “temples of the Holy Spirit” ( 1 Corinthians 6:19 ) ! To “magnify” GOD, we glorify and exalt Him by our life-choices…the way we receive people…the way we react to hardships and troubles…the way we promote His Son, Jesus Christ…and most of all, how we love on people … starting within our own households. When we really start acknowledging GOD for who He truly is, His power and magnitude will only get bigger in our eyes and our lives … and reflecting His truth and glory in our worship, in our testimony and in our service unto HIM , won’t be a problem or have t’ be faked. Magnify Him today ! See what happens ! ( check out Cody Carnes’ song, “ Christ Be Magnified” )…it may just be what gets your focus offa you and your troubles and back on Him.

 

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Ambivalent

Ambivalent

English class was never my favorite , but if i didn’t learn anything else, i learned what a “noun” was … a “person, place or thing.” Y’ever just thought about the “ambivalence” of a person, place or thing ? Uh-Oh…i just lost some o’ y’all 🤣. Lemme save you time … “Ambivalent” def.: To have both positive and negative feelings or aspects regarding a certain thing.” In other words, the person, place or thing can be both “good” and “bad”for us. Case in point … the “emergency / parking brake” on a vehicle… it can be good to hold that vehicle still or keep it from rolling when you don’t need it to. But, it can be bad when you leave it engaged and drive that same vehicle down the road. It’s called, “operator error”, and it ain’t good for the vehicle at all. What about that anchor on your boat ? It’s great when it holds your boat still while you’re fishin or hangin out with friends who surround your boat with theirs … but, it ain’t good when you decide to head up river and you forget to roll it back up. Certain people can be both good and bad for us, also. That same person that you always hung out with that didn’t care ‘bout nothin or nobody…was intent on destroying their body with foreign substances and illicit living, may’ve seemed good or fun at that time, but now that you’ve matured and have a family and responsibilities, that same person probably ain’t the one you need to be hangin with. “Bad company corrupts good morals”( 1 Corinthians 15:33 ). That pool hall or beer joint used t’ be “the place” … all your “friends” could be found there and life was good … but, shootin pool wasn’t all that was goin on there. There was alotta immoral activity that was taking place and the occasional fight was common, due that same immoral activity. Some places are best, avoided . If living a God-honoring lifestyle is our goal, certain people, places and things will need to be avoided and left in our past ! God gave us a whole list of reasons why being “unequally yoked” will never work ( 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ). He also gave us the perfect recipe for living a lifestyle that is pleasing to Him … He calls them, “ The Ten Commandments” ( Exodus 20:1-17 ) … “Respect your coworkers and them that have authority over you. Hold them in the highest regard in love because of their work. Live in peace with each other. Warn those who are idle, encourage the timid, help the weak, be patient with everyone. Make sure nobody pays back wrong for wrong, but always try to be kind to each other and to everyone else. Be joyful always, pray continually, give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus. Don’t put out the Spirit’s fire, don’t treat prophesies with contempt. Test everything. Hold on to the good. Avoid every kind of evil” (1 Thessalonians 5:12-22 ). “ As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as He who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do ; for it is written, “ Be holy, because I am holy” ( 1 Peter 1:14-16 ). The “ambivalent nouns” in this life will either draw us into a closer relationship with Christ, or, they’ll kill our chances of ever becoming more Christlike. It’s up to you / me which one we want more.

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Your Name

Your Name

What’s your name…where’d you get it and what’s it mean ? I was named after two men my daddy worked with 🙄 ( he must’ve been hopin for a raise or somethin 🤣 )…and if you looked up the meaning … my “front name” means, “horse lover”, my middle name, “clay settlement”…and my “back name”, “renowned warrior”. I’ve ridden horses and had my share of scrapes, bruises and sore backsides from em…and although i “like” a horse ride occasionally, i ain’t buyin one, feedin one or takin one on t’ raise … so i don’t consider myself a “lover of horses” or hold any grand “fondness” for em. As for the middle and last names… i do hail from Mississippi, and we got plenty o’ “clay soil”…and as for bein a “renowned warrior”…the only parallel there is my being a warrior for Christ…which i proudly proclaim ! I KNOW my daddy wasn’t thinkin along those lines when he was tryin to come up with a name for me, but hey, it’s the one i tote with me every day so it’s just gon’ haveta do. Give thought to your name for a minute. Not the name on your birth certificate, but the one you’re given later. 🧐 See ? We all have an opportunity to “change” our given name … from “non-Christian” to “Christian”. Personally, i know a few “Christians” ( birth names ) , and i ain’t convinced they’re all “born-again”( John 3:3 )…but that’s neither here nor there…but i also know alotta “Christians” ( in the Biblical sense ) that raise a few eyebrows, also. They “claim” the name of “Christ”, but i ain’t real sure He ever “assigned” it to em. We can answer someone in the affirmative, “ Yeah, ima Christian”…”Yes sir, ima believer”, but still be lost and headed to hell in a handbasket…for the simple reason that we’ve never given Jesus the Lordship of our lives. Sure…there may’ve been a “confession” of our lips, but there was never a confession of our heart…and that’s where any good relationship starts ! Jesus said it Himself…” They honor Me with their lips but their hearts are far from Me” ( Matthew 15:8-9 ). Y’all…He ain’t just talkin bout those folks “back then”…He’s talkin bout most of us today ! It’s a personal choice to hang onto our old handle ,” non-Christian” … or take on a new name with new ways ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ), the name, “Christian”. If you’ve never tried it, what’s stopping you ?! If you’ve received it already, you oughta notice changes takin place daily ! You’ll notice things that display the glory of God … the way the trees, the ocean and streams proclaim His goodness … the winds whisper praises to Him … creation magnifies His name ! You’ll look at people differently…you’ll see “worth” where you used t’ not … you’ll feel a love for em that you used t not ! You’ll start exhibiting not only love, but joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control…because it’ll be coming from the Spirit living in you ( Galatians 5:22-23 ). Jesus Himself says it, “ Those who love Me will not only look like Me, they’ll act like Me” ( paraphrased )…( John 14:15 ),”and will do what I command.” So … whose “namesake” are you wearing ? If it’s Jesus’ , can others see it ? Can they tell there’s something different about you other than your hairstyle, your facelift or your confidence-level ? Psalm 139:23-24 oughta be our daily prayer to GOD … “ Search me, O GOD, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. See if there is any offensive way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting.” For YOUR namesake, Amen.

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Becoming

Becoming

Who do you look more like, your mama or your daddy ? Now… which one of em do you “act” more like ? There ain’t nothin you can do about the former but there’s a lot you can do about the latter. We see someone else’s kids and can immediately tell who they favor; right ? Ever now and then we see a slight “blending” of the two … they’ll have one of em’s nose and the others hair color … be tall like one of em and the eyes of the other. As parents, we can’t dictate what our younguns look like, physically, but we CAN dictate the paths they take, mentally and spiritually. We train em in righteousness so they’ll be more Christlike…and when they get older, they’re not be stuck wondering how to act( Proverbs 22:6 ). If we don’t …or if we don’t take the time… they’ll resemble someone else … their “friends”, someone else with opposing beliefs and even the devil, himself. We MUST deliver and teach the truth of GOD, so they’ll have a CHANCE in the life they live on earth and the one they’ll live in eternity ! For them to be equipped for what they WILL face in life, we MUST first, be equipped ourselves ! Only GOD can prepare and equip His people for the daily battles that we face … how we train our kids, how we love our spouses, how we respect our boyfriends and girlfriends, how we respect our coworkers and respond to each other, how we treat a stranger or folks that don’t look like us, and yeah…how we treat our brothers and sisters in Christ ! If we’re acting like “the lost”, it’s a good chance we’re still lost ourselves. God’s Word clearly states, “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ ( saved / born again ), they are a new creation, old ways are gone, new ways have come”…( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). So…who does your family say you look like ? You know they know you better than most … they see the real you. So who do you resemble ? Jesus or Satan ? If you can’t let go of the past or forgive … chances are you’re not equipped for it. If you’re hangin on to old ways … chances are you haven’t been set free from the trap yet. If you can’t love like Jesus loves, you just might not have the Spirit in you that affords you that privilege . God provides spiritual gifts, leadership and training to His followers to enable them to serve Him, build up the church and mature in their faith to become like Christ ( Ephesians 4:11-13 ). Once we’re His, we have no excuse to not look like Him ! Let’s each one take a good, long, hard look at ourselves and ask God to transform us more into His image. We can’t afford to go around with a “mistaken identity”.

 

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Success

Success

What parent doesnt want to see their kids succeed ? What spouse doesnt want to see their soulmate happy, fulfilled in all their endeavors and enjoying life for all its worth ? What manager, supervisor or company owner doesn’t desire to see their employees satisfied and hungry to improve ? See where I’m going ? We all want what’s best for those that we love … those we invest our time in … and those that look to us for some guidance that’ll help them be better. I could care less if my kids were sheep farmers, rocket scientists, school teachers, ditch diggers, professional ball players or stay-at-home workers, as long as they weren’t lazy…enjoyed their positions and gave God the glory. It mattered not if they made 12,000 dollars a year or 12,000,000, i just wanted to see em happy, contributing to the household, a respectful citizen and loving God with all their hearts, souls, minds and strengths. I don’t believe that’s too much to ask; right ? I believe, if God expected less outta His Son, we wouldn’t have the luxuries we enjoy today. If Jesus had “quit early”, been lazy or lost heart for the job the Father sent Him to do, we’d all be hopeless and bound for a lifetime of torment and destruction. But, because He didn’t do any of these things…and our futures are secured through our faith in Him, shouldn’t we be more intentional in our faith-walk ? When someone does something for us, shouldn’t we be more gratefully thankful, instead of ungratefully hateful ? Shouldn’t our actions prove that our words are for real ? When life gets tough on us, shouldn’t we tap the hand of our Partner and allow Him a go at it ? God never intended us to “come to Christ” and walk out our journey alone … that’s why we’re given His Spirit as Helper, Counselor and Constant Companion. “If you have any encouragement from being united in Christ, if any comfort from His love, if any fellowship with the Spirit, if any tenderness or compassion, then make my joy complete by being like-minded, having the same love, being one in spirit and purpose. Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others. Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus.” ( Philippians 2:1-5 )
If we love em like we say we do and want the best life possible for em, we need to start em out with the truth of God’s word !! Period !!