Phil's Thoughts

August 24, 2025

For Nothing ?!

You got a gun ? A baseball bat ? A tazer ? Pepper spray ? Flame thrower ? How do you plan on defending yourself if the need arises ? Some o y’all done started gettin excited … lookin forward to some action … wantin t’ “throw down”, but I’m just tryin t’ get you t’ thinkin. What if you were asleep and a sound awakened you ? Burglar ? The dog ? Your defense mechanism kicks in…your “Spidey senses” are tinglin. Besides a flashlight, whachoo gon’ use for a weapon ? Cause you know most criminals don’t go unprepared … they usually anticipate an unwelcoming response to their invasions of privacy. It ain’t THEIR castle…they’re just willing to help themselves to yours ( ours ) and our stuff. The 10th commandment clearly states, “ You shall not steal” ( Exodus 20:15 )…but undoubtedly , they ain’t worried about God’s laws. So… you’re “shock-woke” to an unfamiliar sound. An intruder has broken into your house and is trying to kidnap one of your kids. The adrenaline is flowing and you’re one priority is to save your child. What’s your next move ? Another scenario : It’s prom night and you’ve taken all the pictures your senior can stand, so you send him / her out with all the normal paternal warnings and threats…followed by, “And have fun.” About halfway through the night, you hear a bulletin on the news… there’s a madman on the loose and he’s in the vicinity of the prom location. What do you do ? I mean…it’s your only kid. Another scenario: You’re at the park with your 5 year old grandkid…gonna grab snowcones afterwards. You’ve played all you can and you release em to have fun with them other kids that’s just as energized as yours. About an hour in, you notice a suspicious character lurking a little too close to the play area. You feel uncomfortable and start walking towards them, ready to take action if necessary . You done heard all about child trafficking and this may be one of em . You’re “packin”, so you mentally prepare to intercept and eliminate if your hunch is right . I wanted to present situations that make us think about the seriousness of our youngun in danger…and how it’d make us feel. Now think about this … God the Father, knew aheada time, what was gonna happen to His Son, Jesus Christ. He watched from heaven as Jesus was beaten within an inch of his life…spit upon…pounded with stones…cursed and mocked. He watched as “we” nailed him to a rugged cross…lifted him up and dropped the post into a hole, causing excruciating pain. He watched him suffer with a mock crown of thorns jammed on his head. He heard all the insults…saw the smirks on the faces of the religious leaders … and yet, He didn’t stop it . He had every available weapon in His arsenal and at His disposal, but He didn’t use em. He saw the agony on His Son’s face…saw His body bleeding, His insides exposed, but He didn’t stop it or come to His aid. He watched Jesus die…and didn’t lift a finger. I can’t imagine … can you ?! On top of all that, it was all “premeditated” ! God knew what would happen … and even orchestrated it all !! Imagine GOD, in the interview room at headquarters, being interrogated … one of the officers asking Him, “ Why ?!” … and with tears running down His cheeks, He chokes out an almost inaudible, “ I had to…for you.” See what i mean ? Unless you and i really make Jesus’ life “personal”, we’ll never really understand why He had to die. Our sin mocked Him and beat Him. Our sin accused Him falsely and nailed Him to that cross. Our sin literally killed Him ! So … was it for nothing ? Does it draw some sorta deep conviction within you…causing you shame and remorse ? It’s God’s way of “drawing” you … knocking at your heart’s door, wanting you to open it and let Him in ( John 6:44; Revelation 3:20 ). I hope and pray, if you haven’t received Jesus as your Savior, and let Him be the Lord of your life, you’ll make the commitment now ! Today is the day of salvation ( Romans 10:9-10; 2 Corinthians 6:2 ) ! Oh ! By the way… Jesus didn’t “stay dead” ! He rose victorious 3 days later … defeating the grave and death ( 1 Corinthians 15:4 ) ! O death, where is your sting ? O grave, where is your victory ? The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law. But thanks be to God, which gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ ! ( 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 ) Die to “self” … Live in Christ … and let Him show you what abundant life is like ! ( John 10:10 ) Don’t let His death be for nothing !

August 23, 2025August 24, 2025

Good Job

“I’m proud of you” … “Don’t worry, I won’t shame you” … “ You sure make us proud “ … I bet you’ve either heard, or said one of these statements, at one time or another; right ? I can remember as a kid, cuttin and haulin firewood with my daddy and brother. After he’d saw the tree down and “limb” it, me and my brother’s job was to load the trailer or back of the van ( daddy’s work van doubled as our everyday transportation vehicle, slash, vacation “camper” 🤣 ). I wasn’t one to be outdone, so I’d stack as many limbs as i could across my upturned arms, then I’d tell my dad or brother to keep it coming till i said “that’s good.” I’m one o them people that tries to make as few trips as possible … so the more i carried, the less back-and-forth was required … plus, i wanted to make my daddy proud and maybe hear him say it… or at the least, to see his expression of admiration . We participate in all manner of extracurricular activities, whether voluntarily or forced, and are expected to excel, so as to meet someone else’s approval. We may or may never hear,” Good job, I’m proud of you”…therefore, we will lose heart and tend to feel as if we don’t measure up … like our efforts weren’t good enough. This ain’t nothin new … it’s been a common characteristic of way too many people over time. It evolves out of an innate desire for “more”… more output…more money. They can never find contentment because they’re searching for it with the wrong mindset. When we’re “prideful”, we’ll never be satisfied. That’s why so many people bounce from one job to the next … it ain’t about the money ( even though it’s used as an excuse quite often )…it’s a “pride” issue…and it ain’t of God, by God or from God. It’s sinful and it’s holding folks back every single day ! It’s not, nor will it ever be, a “fruit of the Spirit”… and until we repent of this sin and invite Christ to be our Savior and Lord, we’re never gonna find the peace we’re after…in our work, in our relationships, in our performance or even in our own hearts. You’ll never hear God say, “ Son / Daughter, I’m so proud of all that you’ve accomplished… I’m proud of all the money that you’ve made”. What you WILL hear him say is, “ I oppose the proud, but I give grace to the humble” … “ Money is the root of all evil; pride, the root of all sin.” Unless we adopt the mindset of GOD, holding it to the highest standard of living, we can never find contentment and we’ll always be searching for that elusive pot o’ gold at the end of that rainbow. By HIS power, HE provides the Savior, the Spirit and an endless supply of wisdom and knowledge. All we’ve gotta do is accept it and use it to bring HIM glory ! GOD didn’t create you or me to fail. HE wants us to be righteous and live lives that bring glory to His name. When we choose His ways, we’ll hear Him say things like, “ Hey Satan, wha choo think about my servant, Job ? There’s no one on earth like him; he’s blameless and upright, a man who fears God and shuns evil” ( Job 1:8 ) … “ I delight in MY people and I crown the humble with salvation”( Psalm 149:4 ) … “ I know the plans I have for you, plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you a future and a hope” ( Jeremiah 29:11 ) … and “ This is my son / daughter, who I love; with him / her I am well pleased” ( Matthew 3:17 ). Down here, some will never be pleased or satisfied with our efforts… but if our desire is to please our Creator, GOD Almighty, we can rest assured that He is well pleased with us. And that oughta be enough.
2:26 PM

August 20, 2025

Relationship

I can remember as a kid, going to the grocery store with my mama…seeing all those products on those shelves, all lined up so neatly…all that colorful fruit and candy. I can still recall wishin we had plenty o’ money, where i could take my own buggy up and down them aisles and fillin it with the things i wanted. It never happened. But i DID get to pluck a grape or two off a bunch and eat em while i trailed my mama. “Hungry” … or just “shoplifting”? Whatever it was, Jesus has me covered NOW ! I couldn’t help but remember this when i was reading Matthew chapter 12:1-14 this morning. Jesus and his disciples were cuttin through some dude’s field in their travels…in was the Sabbath, so all the Laws established were well-known to Jesus…i mean, HE established em; right ?!? So as they’re walking, a few of the disciples just reached down and stripped a little grain from the heads of the wheat and ate it, because they were hungry. Immediately, the “church police” … the Pharisees call em out on it saying, “ Look ! Your disciples are doing what is unlawful on the Sabbath.” Jesus’ answer rocked em to their heals ! He reminded em that even king David and his companions ate the sacred bread in the house of God…and how the priests desecrate the Sabbath in the temple, but yet they are innocent. ( Here’s the clincher that choked em out…) “ I tell you that one greater than the temple ( AND the Law ) is here. If you had known what these words mean, ‘ I desire mercy, not sacrifice,’ you would not have condemned the innocent. For the Son of Man is Lord of the Sabbath.” We tend to forget that God calls the shots … not man. These disciples didn’t ignore the Law because they were with Jesus, the Law Writer … they picked a little grain because they were hungry ! And Jesus knew their hearts…just as He knew those Pharisee’s hearts. Jesus wasn’t “condoning” sin…He was simply teaching a valuable life-lesson : GOD ain’t so concerned about whether or not we keep every “letter of the Law” or never slip up and sin … He desires a “RELATIONSHIP” over “religion” and “religious do’s and don’ts”. He quoted ( Hosea 6:6 ) … “ For I desire mercy, not sacrifice, and acknowledgement of GOD rather than burnt offerings.” GOD desires “love” over everything else … “Love GOD, first … love others, second “ ( Mark 12:30-31 ). His word is clear…if we really wanna hear it… when we don’t try to tell Him what to say.

August 19, 2025August 19, 2025

Remembering You

I always ask God to show me something to write about and i open my copy of His Word and search the scriptures until He locks me in. This morning’s just happened to be Philippians chapter 1, verses 3-6. It reads like this … “ I thank my God every time I remember you. In all my prayers for all of you, I always pray with joy because of your partnership in the gospel from the first day until now, being confident of this, that He who began a good work in you will carry it on to completion until the day of Christ Jesus.” This may seem insignificant or trivial to some, but i can relate to Paul’s words and expressions of joy towards his friends and his brothers and sisters in Christ. I’m thankful when i remember yall in my prayers…not only because God saw fit to use you in my own life’s journey, but also because of your “partnership” in the gospel. We’re in this thing together … this “adventure” that’s taking us places we never knew existed before we met Jesus. His Spirit reveals new things to us every day…sharpens us for the battles we’re gonna face and revives us after em. Yeah, we take a beatin sometimes…who dont ? But our faith in Christ and what He’s already done stands strong ! ( 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 ) Because of you, i don’t haveta go it alone. I know if i need you, you’ll be there for me … and i hope you know you can count on me to be there for you. God never meant for us to be disunified … He created us to be of one accord…one Spirit … HIS ! “A cord of three is stronger than one” ( Ecclesiastes 4:12 ) … therefore, we know that “isolation” is just another trick / another lie of the enemy that weakens our defenses. He’s crafty and deceitful…always trying to steal, kill and destroy our marriages, our health and our witness. His sole job is to create havoc to take our eyes off the prize ( Philippians 3:14 )…but he ain’t got what Jesus has ! Satan’s power is limited ( plus, he’s already been whooped ! ) … but he ain’t a quitter. He dont know when to cry “uncle”…but his day is comin ! We have Christ on our side, and nobody can pluck us out of His hands ( John 10:28-30 ) ! Because of your good confession, we’re a team … and nothing nor nobody can separate us ! The good work He started, He will complete ! If we remain in Christ ( John 15:5-8 ) and walk in the Spirit ( Galatians 5:16 ), we “will produce good fruit”… we won’t be able t’ help it ! Whether you get there before me or after me, I’ll continue to smile because of you ! Your friendship and love for Christ brings joy to my soul. Stay the course … hold on for the ride … and enjoy this abundant life that’s been made available for us … Jesus has already paid for our admission !! ( John 10:10; Psalm 119:1-8 )

August 18, 2025

Why me?

Why me ? At first, i thought our sermon message was going to wrap around the concept of our trials, troubles and tribulations … but it turned out, God revealed himself through His provision, providence and protection ! It was beautifully “preached”… extremely emotional … and i know my heart wasn’t the only one blessed by it. Thank you, Sam Taylor, for being His mouthpiece and relaying His message passionately ! Getting another opportunity to look back into the life of Ruth, we were reminded of how God took care of her, when she needed Him most ( Ruth2:1-10 ). I immediately thought back to times He did the same for me. I recall the early morning coming home from a church-sanctioned lock-in…driving my parent’s car…so tired i couldn’t keep my eyes open. I should’ve been hit head-on or centered a large oak tree where i left the road … but i didn’t. He guided the car for me, resulting in no damage. I remember climbing a mimosa tree at my aunt and uncle’s when i was just a boy. I’d gone as high as possible and scooted out on a limb…sitting on it like a swingset seat … holding a limb above with both hands. The limb i was gripping popped, leaving me nothing but air to grab … but God wrapped both my legs around the limb i was sitting on, similar to a trapeze artist, which kept me from falling several feet to the ground, possibly breaking my neck. I’ve had instances where he protected my son when he wasn’t making good choices…because we cried out to Him and begged Him to. We’ve navigated troubling times in our marriages…to see better days…because we asked Him. We’ve seen relationships restored and financial obligations met…because we asked Him. We’ve seen Him do miracles during our poor health conditions … because we prayed and believed He could do it ! Nobody can set up a divine appointment like GOD can ! Nobody can orchestrate outcomes like GOD can ! If you don’t believe it, you probably won’t ever see it or understand it…but I have ! When times ain’t perfect … when troubles abound … it’s common to look up to heaven and say, “ Why me ?” … and if you’ll listen closely, you may hear God reply, “ Why not you ?”. But…if you’ll hold on to your faith in Him, and ask…you’ll get to experience the wonders of your Creator… and with tears flowing down your cheeks, you can then look up and humbly understand what Ruth must’ve felt … and silently say, “ Why me ?” … and hear God’s soft reply, “ Because I love you, and you’re my son / daughter.”

August 16, 2025

The Road

“The road to hell is paved with good intentions” … that sayin’s been around a lot longer than me and you … but have you ever just thought about what it means ? It implies that, thinking about doing something positive, but not following up on it with “action”, is the same, or sometimes worse than, NOT wanting to do anything positive. Pennye Jacobs Lewis can ask me to clean out the pool before the weekend … i can give her that stare as if she just lost her mind and say ,” OK. I’ll get ‘tuit’ tomorrow”… with no more intentions of tackling that task than if someone asked me to eat a raw oyster🤮. That would be a flat-out lie. But if i told her, “ OK baby. I’ll get on it this afternoon or tomorrow”, and i wind up lettin it slide until the next time she reminds me…that’s good intentions without positive actions…what hell’s paved with… because that’s what I’m gon’ be catchin’ by ignoring her wishes🥴. I believe we’ve all “been there, done that”, at least a time or two; amen ? I know I’m pitiful to follow up with some of the things I’ve promised…even if the action didn’t require an actual “promise”. Just say you relayed the need for prayer for a friend or family member, and i immediately said,” You got it. I’ll be praying for them every day”… but i stop within the first couple o’ days. I more’n likely didn’t stop out of a lack of concern…probably i just forgot because of the other le’m thousand things I’ve got on my mind. Still…i let that person down because i neglected to lift their need up to God. I can’t help but think of the words of James, Jesus’ brother , so long ago …” But someone will say,’ You have faith; I have deeds.’ Show me your faith without deeds, and I’ll show you my faith by what I do.”( James 2:18 ) We can know the good we oughta do, but fail to respond positively…and nothing ever gets done…or… we can know the good we oughta do, and do it, and rejoice that we got er done ! On to the next project … the next good deed ! There’s people all around you / me that needs to know Jesus. Many of em are attending church services right t’ere by you. We can all agree with that fact…but if we’re not inviting em to worship with us…encouraging em to nail down their decision for Christ before it’s too late … praying for their salvation… then what good have we done ?!? How did our prompting by the Spirit result in a positive response or action ? It didn’t ! Therefore…that person says,” Nobody cares. I ain’t goin t church with a buncha hypocrites that dont practice what they preach.” And ol boy / ol girl dies one day, still separated from a relationship with Christ, and to hell they go … to burn eternally without being able to burn up ! Is that what you / we want for our kids and their spouses ? For our grandkids or their friends ? For our own mamas and daddies …our spouse ? Just as faith without works is useless and dead ( James 2:13 )… so is good intentions without positive action. We need to honor the commitments we make and glorify God every chance we get. I don’t wanna be the one that gets to the gates of heaven, standing in front of Jesus only to hear him say,” See ya…wouldn’t wanna be ya” ( Matthew 7:21-23 ) !

August 15, 2025

Women

What about the woman / women in your life … what kinda influence are they making on you ? I’ve been blessed with two God-fearin women in my direct path in this world… my mama, Jeraldine Lewis, and my wife, Pennye Jacobs Lewis. My mama has gone on home ( by way of a massive heart attack ), and God provided me Pennye to help me along my journey. I didn’t have a spiritual leader in my daddy, so my mama took the responsibility of that role…for which, I’m eternally grateful. Naw, it ain’t “Mama’s Day”, but i don’t think we give enough recognition to our God-fearin mamas / wives that help us draw closer to Jesus by correcting us when we take on like heathens or when we just need a little remindin about who we belong to. I know i wouldn’t be worth killin if it wasn’t for these two godly ladies. You don’t know what you’re missin if you don’t have at least one godly role model or mentor woman in your life. They may not know it here on earth, but i guarantee you they’ll know it when they hit them pearly gates, how much influence they really had for the kingdom of God. I think it’s a disservice to God when we don’t recognize them for their impact. They don’t HAVETA do all they do…but they do it anyway…because God uses them to exemplify His compassion, His concern, His provision and His love. ( He’s also notorious for usin em to keep us straight 😉 ) We definitely don’t give em the props they deserve. Mother’s Day and their birthday ain’t nearly enough to tell em how much they’re respected, admired and loved. I believe we as men, will be held accountable for being, not only the spiritual leader of our household…the one that lovingly guides our women to be Christ-like and respectable ( Ephesians 5:25 ) …but also, being good stewards of these “gifts from heaven”. If God’s given us a gift, what does it say about us if we treat that gift as if it’s nothing ? I believe God’s watchin us to see if we really appreciate it ( them ) … and expects us to take care of it ( them ) as we ought to. We’re in the book of Ruth in our Sunday School class at the moment, and i was reminded by Naomi’s ( Ruth’s mama-in-law ) words to Ruth, as to the blessedness of a God-honoring woman. I know there was more than one God-fearing woman listed in the Bible, but I’m also reminded that “my mama” was Pennye’s mama-in-law … and how their mutual love for the Lord reflected in their relationship, in the conversations they had, how they made each other better, how they so enjoyed each other’s company, and how they expressed their love and respect for each other. We miss mama all the time…but I’ve got two daughters-in-“love” and a daughter that gets to benefit from Pennye’s example…her love for the Lord overflows on them…and i just sit back and smile, and yeah, sometimes i have a tear roll out my eyes…and i thank my awesome God for blessing me, my kids, their wives and husband, my grandyounguns and many others that ain’t even kin to us, with a Godly, God-fearin woman ! Pennye Lewis … i bless the day i met you … i thank our Lord for you, and i love you more than I’ve ever been able to tell you ! Men…cherish that woman-of-God that He has placed in your life. He didn’t have to give her to you. Thank You, Father God, for the ones that you’ve given me. Continue to mold them into the beautiful vessels that they are. In Jesus ’ name…Amen.

August 14, 2025

Good ?

Are you a “good” man/woman ? Uh-Huh…caught you off guard; didn’t i ? We’ve all heard the comebacks when that question was posed … “ Depends on who you ask “ … “ Depends on what day it is “ … “Good enough “ … and we all chuckle and think nothin else about it. I don’t believe we reflect enough on whether are not we’re measuring up to the standards of God. Being a “good” man/woman in the eyes of our peers ain’t hard … all we’ve gotta do is conform to whatever image they think is cool. It matters not if we’re conforming to the image of GOD, so long as we’re not making “them” feel uncomfortable. See where I’m goin ? There’s “man’s goodness”, and there’s “God’s goodness” … and you can bet your last dollar there’s a difference. We can cut up and tell crude jokes, drink and smoke with the best of em, cheat on our spouses, steal time from our employers, cuss and belittle our kids…and blend in with the crowd in every other common way, and still be considered a good man/woman in the eyes of those whose lifestyle matches ours. But what about GOD ? How do we look to Him ? This post may sting a little … but if it’ll get our attention and cause our hearts to change… cause us to understand more clearly what God expects of His sons/daughters…then it was worth the reading of it. Ain’t that what “truth” does alotta times ? It hurts ? God’s truth DOES hurt sometimes…because it convicts … but it also heals…as long as we’re sorry / remorseful for how we’ve been living…in opposition to God’s will…in disobedience to His word and commands. See ? A good man / woman receives favor from the Lord, but a man of evil devices He condemns ( Proverbs 12:2 ). I can’t speak for you, but I’d a whole lot rather receive favor from God than condemnation ! It all starts with Jesus. If we’re ever gonna crawl out of that pit we’ve dug for ourselves, shuck those chains of despair and live a life free from the bondage of sin and shame, then we’ve gotta start with getting a relationship with God’s Son…Jesus Himself. He’s not only the Way, He’s Truth and Life ( John 14:6 ), and NO ONE gets to the Father except by Him. It ain’t hard to hear God’s calling…He knows our number … and the invitation is always open … until it ain’t ! If our “yes” is sincere and our hearts are broken because of our sin, He’ll pull us out of that mud and mire, clean us up ( Psalm 40:2 ) and place us on solid ground. Here’s the “good” part … our former goodness will be discarded ( Isaiah 64:6 ) and replaced with Jesus’ goodness ! After our deliverance from the desert, our eyes are opened to new ways, our hearts are made new and we’re able to live lives of freedom ( Luke 15:17; Acts 9:18; Ezekiel 36:26; John 8:36 ) ! We die to sin and are able to live in Christ ( Romans 6 ) ! Being a “good” man / woman is impossible without Him. It ain’t gon’ happen ! That’s why it all starts with Jesus ! God’s grace ( unmerited favor ) is sufficient … that means it “sticks” ( 2 Corinthians 12:9; Ephesians 2:8 )… only through that faith-based relationship with Christ. Good men and women are a dime a dozen when it comes to worldly standards. That doesn’t mean they’re good in the eyes of God, though … and their end is always gonna be the same … ( Matthew 7:21-23 ) … Jesus’ words; not Phil’s. Why wouldn’t we want the favor of God over the favor of an ordinary man or woman ?!? God’s blessings and favor trump anything this world and its people have to offer… and for the man / woman that walks uprightly in His eyes, He blesses with protection and honor ( Psalm 84:11 ). He holds them securely in His big ol hands ( John 10:28-30 ) and Satan has no control of them ! The life we now live, we live in Christ, who’s defeated the grave and provided ABUNDANT LIFE ( Galatians 2:20; John 10:10 ) ! No longer a slave to sin … and a “good” man / woman in the eyes of God, t’boot ! Life dont get no better than that ! Father God, help us examine our own goodness through the lens’ of your eyes and stop worryin about whether we look good to ordinary folks. Let our righteous living be proof of our relationship with You, bringing You honor and glory. Thank You for being a Good Good Father, Friend and Savior . In Jesus’ name we pray … amen.

August 13, 2025

Faith

“Faith” … def.: 1.”The complete trust or confidence in someone or something.” If we never learn anything else before we die, we need to learn this: Don’t place your faith in things or people ; they will let you down. I’ve tested a few things over the years and I’ve found some of em couldn’t handle me. As a kid, you made your own fun. You didn’t have an iPhone or Xbox, so you created your own excitement. I’d climb slender trees as far up as i could go, let go with my legs and “ride” the tree all the way to the ground. I had faith that the trunk wouldn’t snap before getting me safely back on my feet. I’d swim way out off the beach when on vacation…sometimes on a raft, but you can’t see the bottom on a raft, so I’d abandon it and swim down…and down…until i could touch bottom…for my own satisfaction. I had faith that a shark wasn’t gonna eat me and I’d find my raft once i got back to the surface. I had faith in total strangers that put up the fair rides…confident that I’d finish the thrill-ride the same way i started it…unscathed. I’d cross logs that fell across the creek, trusting that they would hold my weight…swing on vines that wove their tendrils amongst the high up limbs, ramp scrap pieces of boards on my bike, get “lost” on purpose in the woods just so i could find my way out, explore abandoned buildings where the homeless hobos lived, jump on and ride the occasional slower-moving trains, … and i realized something when i got older … my “faith” was in “me” and “my” abilities. I trusted in my ability to lie good enough so i wouldn’t get a whoopin … steal like a common thief and not get caught … take dangerous chances just for the thrill of it … and all the time, I’d be asked…” What were you thinking ?!”…”Why did you do that?!” … and my answer was always the same … “I don’t know.” Most of the time, i didn’t have a good reason…i just did it because it was something to do…something that was exciting and got my adrenaline pumpin. It wasn’t scary to me… it was exciting…and i did all of it for my own enjoyment…my own benefit … and hey…if someone was watchin, that was for me, too … a reason to show out. It took me a long time to realize, my mortality ( the state of being subject to death ), wasn’t something to be taken so lightly…and as mama always said, “Stupid is, as stupid does.”( Forrest Gump ). I trusted in “my” abilities until the “vine broke”, the “ramp failed” and the “undertow liked t’ve got me”. Taking chances and trusting in “self” will hurt you … and sometimes, it may “kill” you. Our mamas had us, but God created us in their wombs ( Psalm 139:13 ). He designed us just like he wanted us, for a purpose ( Colossians 1:16 ). He sees our every move, hears our every thought, even before we think em ( Psalm 139:2-4 ). Until we understand this fact, we’ll continue believing that it’s “all about us” … when it AINT ! Accomplishments and successes can be deceiving … they can give us the illusion that “we” are “it”…that people oughta be pattin us on the back and wantin our autograph … and ’fore you know it, “pride” sets up shop and begins to create a monster. We form great opinions about ourselves and trust in our own abilities over our Creator’s. Next thing you know, He’s deciding how to bring us back to reality … how to “humble” us, so that we’re reminded of who it is that we ultimately answer to. God never created us to serve our own desires and live to please ourselves. If he gives a special gift, he expects us to thank him for it and then use it for his glory. If he decides to give us a talent, he expects us to invest it in his kingdom’s work and honor him with the results ( Matthew 25:14-30 ). If he supplies extra, he expects us to distribute it amongst those who have less ( 2 Corinthians 9:6-15 ). It’s his way of meeting his people’s needs and proving once again that He can be trusted … and, it lets us be a part of the process ! Win-Win for everybody involved ! Understanding that it’s God who’s created us…God, who wills and acts in accordance with His own purposes ( Philippians 2:13 ), in us and through us…God, who lets us choose wisely, but when we don’t, knows how to administer correction ( Hebrews 12:6 ) and discipline … because that’s the loving Father that He is, is the beginning of wisdom. If we’d “get it”, sooner than later, can you imagine the impact He could make in this world !? Our faith…complete trust and confidence, ought never to lie in a “noun”…a ( human being ) person, place or thing … but only in GOD. Period. “ You shall have no other gods before me. You shall not worship anything or anyone else, besides me. Don’t misuse my name and remember my Sabbath and keep it holy, for I, the LORD your God, am a jealous God, punishing the children for the sins of the fathers to the third and fourth generation of those that hate me, but showing love to a thousand generations of those who love me and keep my commandments.” ( Exodus 20:3-8 )

August 11, 2025August 12, 2025

Use Me

“Yahwey Jireh”… or more often referred to as “Jehovah Jireh”, translates simply into, “The LORD provides”. At our men’s breakfast at FB Florence yesterday morning, i was reminded once again of the provision of God … how He always provides for His people. We heard personal testimonies of mission trips recently returned from and the work that was accomplished. Sure, you’d hear the brief comments about the good meals that were provided by the gracious members of the church being built…the friendliness and kindness of the local people of the village…the not-so-perfect weather conditions and the occasional ribbing from another brother. But what i kept hearing, more than anything else, was how God took the willingness of a few volunteers and raised a 4,000 + square foot building in less than a week … how they routed muddy water through a filtration system and built a remote village a system of potable water fit for human consumption … all because God provided … the manpower, the materials, the knowledge, the talents, the resources, the willingness and most of all, the “heart”. It reminded me of how God doesn’t need our “ability”… He desires our “availability”. He doesn’t need our money…but by being faithful to His commands, we get to be a part of the things He’s wanting to do, for people all over this ol world…and yeah , it takes money to make it happen…that’s why we tithe…out of obedience unto God. If we would just love God more than anything else, we’d love people. If we love people, we’d wanna help em. If we’d just listen, God will direct us to those He wants helped. It matters not what the “help” is … it could be picking up sticks or garbage in a neighbor’s yard, cuttin their grass, waterin their flowers, collectin their mail while they’re gone, takin em a meal or to the grocery store, helpin a feeble person navigate a tight area, cleaning their house, stacking some firewood, wiping the frost off their windows and mirrors, holding the door for em, lettin em go first, etc; etc; etc.. There’s an unlimited number of things we can do for others… but it all starts with a love for God and a love for people. Jesus said it many many years ago … “You are to love the Lord your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your mind and all your strength. And you are to love others as you do yourself.” ( Matthew 22:37-40 ) As is common with so many “Christians”, we’ll say we love Jesus, but we withhold Christ-like love from those around us…and sad to say…many of those somebodies, are our own family members ! We tend to treat em worse than a common acquaintance … a stranger or an enemy ! Believe this … it doesn’t escape the eyes of the LORD ! By neglecting our responsibilities, we’re withholding the love of Christ and what He wants to do for that person / those people. He’s trying to help “them” and mold “you” more into His image ! If we keep leaping off the conveyor belt, we’re gonna wind up missing some parts … and unable to function as planned. God’ll provide the necessary equipment and tools … we just need to submit and make ourselves available. That brother that hollered out, “ Here i am…send me” ( Isaiah 6:8 )…got it. People don’t care how much we know, until they know how much we care. Didn’t Jesus tell us, “ When you’ve done it for the least of these, you’ve ( actually ) done it for me.” ( Matthew 25:40 ) ? God will never go against His own nature. God’s never short on provisions . He’s already lined up work for us ( you and me ) to do. He’s just waiting on us to say, “YES”… here i am, use me.”

August 9, 2025

No Excuse

I’ve got a friend…a brother in Christ, that i communicate with regularly … we share our messages that God reveals to us as an encouragement … like sharing half your sammich with someone who may’ve come to work without. Doesn’t Scripture tell us to share with others the good things He gives us ( Galatians 6:6-8 ) ? It’s a way to testify about the goodness of GOD, the transforming power of His Spirit and the love of Christ the Son ! One subject we hone in on, on a regular basis, is the ABILITY to NOT sin, as a believer. We, as humans, feel like it’s a natural thing to continue sinning and leading a two-faced lifestyle, even after asking Christ into our lives. We lie, cheat and steal as if we’re free t’ do so, now that we’re “in Christ”. Let’s be real … God’s word HAS never and WILL never condone bad ( sinful ) behavior in a Christian ! I’ll save you some time … you won’t find anything in the Bible that claims otherwise. When we hate on our brothers, take too long a look, treat our spouses worse than an enemy, act a fool in traffic, withhold forgiveness, our witness or our tithe ( HELLO ! ) …it’s still considered “sin” in the eyes of GOD. When we sin, we’re literally telling God, “ I know this is going outside your will, but I’m gonna resurrect my old self for a while…you’ll just haveta turn your head, close your eyes and stop up your ears.” When we believers accept Christ by faith, believing that He died and rose again for our sake, confessing Him as “Lord” ( Romans 10:9 ), we are immediately covered under the grace of God “through Christ’s blood sacrifice”( Ephesians 2:8-9; Romans 3:24-25 ), no longer under the “spell” of sin’s deceitfulness. God puts it like this: “Our sin nature has no control over us anymore ! We died to sin; how can we live in it any longer ? We were buried with Christ through baptism into death in order that, just as Christ was raised from the dead through the glory of the Father, we too may live a new life. Our “old self” was crucified with Him so that the body of sin might be done away with, that we should no longer be slaves to sin—because anyone who has died has been freed from sin. What shall we say then ? Shall we go on sinning so that grace may increase ? By no means ! Absolutely not ! “ ( Romans 6:1-7 ) Jesus paid far too high a price for us to continue living a life handcuffed by sin. Unless we turn the lordship of our lives over to Him completely, we might as well quit calling Him, “Lord”. To “surrender”, means we wave the white flag and hand over our weapons. We cannot be taken prisoner if we keep firing shots at our enemy. And that’s exactly what we’re doing if we’re telling God that we surrender, but we keep on sinning. We remain an “enemy” of God ( Romans 1:18-32 ). Saying one thing but doing just the opposite is hypocrisy 101 ! It’ll not only land us in jail, it’ll land us in hell ( “Many will say to me on that day, “ Lord, Lord” …but I will tell them, “Depart from me you workers of iniquity; I never knew you.” — Matthew 7:21-23 ). Therefore, I urge you, brothers and sisters, in view of God’s mercy, to offer your bodies as living sacrifices, holy and pleasing to God — this is your spiritual act of worship. Do not conform any longer to the pattern of this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind. Then you will be able to test and approve what God’s will is—His good, pleasing and perfect will. ( Romans 12:1-2 ). If we will abide in Christ ( John 15:7-9 ) and walk in the Spirit ( Galatians 5:16 ) daily, we wouldn’t have to apologize or see our spouses and kids crying, worry about signing divorce papers, paying high traffic tickets, wake up with a hangover, be looking over our shoulder or waiting for that axe to fall. Sin ought not still be a part of our lives, once we’ve crucified it and been raised to new life in Christ ! Preachers, teachers and most of this world’s people have polluted our minds and sold us a bill of goods that says something completely different from GOD’S WRITTEN WORD … we DON’T HAVETA SIN … we CHOOSE TO , when we walk outside the will of God. Sin doesn’t control a born again believer in Christ ( John 3:3 )…we let it in and welcome it ! If we’re not suiting up in the full armor of God, daily, we’re leaving ourselves vulnerable to the enemy ( Ephesians 6:10-18 ). If we’re not abiding in Christ, daily, we’re leaving Satan an opportunity to get a foot in the door ( 1 Peter 5:6-8; Ephesians 4:27-29 ). If we’re not walking in The Spirit, daily, we’re going to find ourselves on some really dark paths. Lemme end with this…it’s God’s words : “No temptation has seized you except what is common to man. And God is faithful; He won’t let you be tempted beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, He will also provide a way out so that you can stand up under it” ( 1 Corinthians 10:13 ). So see ? We don’t haveta continue making excuses about why we choose to sin … after we’ve accepted Christ. There’s really no valid excuse; is there ?

August 5, 2025

Created

What’s your aspirations ? What are you shooting for ? What do you wanna accomplish before it’s over ? When we were kids, grownups would ask, “What do you want to be when you grow up ?” Well…some of us are “there”, and we still don’t know what we want ! Some of us caught a wave and rode it out pretty well. Some of us didn’t load enough powder, and our shot came up short of our target. Many of us are still scratchin and clawin, tryin to get out the hole we’ve dug for ourselves. Sure…we’ve all made mistakes…who ain’t ?! But when it’s all said and done, what are you and i leavin behind…for the ones coming behind us ? Debt ? A pile o’ bills ? A cool antique ? A house fulla furniture and what-nots ? Motorcycle, hotrod, deer heads, weapons, real estate, vacation home, boat, plane, get-away cabin, … what did we work so hard for so as to leave “it” for our loved ones ? NEWS FLASH … If it was material possessions, it’s gonna be ASHES !! Everything as we see and know it is gonna be laid waste one day ( 2 Peter 3:10 ). So…How does that fact change your way of thinking ? Does it open your eyes a little more as to REALITY and what we can expect ? “Eat, drink and be merry”; right ? “Everybody’s gotta die somehow”; ain’t that what they say ? Maybe that’s what “they” say…but what does God say ? I mean, He created all of us; right ? He also created all the things we see, as well as the things we don’t; right ? ( Genesis 1:1-3; Colossians 1:16; Hebrews 11:3 ) He even gives us brains, talents and giftings to come up with new stuff…create marvels and gain success in our endeavors. So, shouldn’t He have a say-so in what we do ? Dont He get a vote as to what we become ? If we’re wanting to become anything worth a flip, shouldn’t we ask Him for help, for guidance, for instructions, for wisdom, for the giftings and talents to make it happen ? I mean…HE IS GOD; ain’t HE !?! Listen to His Spirit through the quill pen of King Solomon…. Whoever loves discipline loves knowledge; but he who hates correction is stupid. ( Mama said,”Stupid is as stupid does.”🥴 ). A good man obtains favor from the LORD, but the LORD condemns a crafty man. A man cannot be established through wickedness, but the righteous cannot be uprooted” ( Proverbs 12:1-3 ). I don’t hear GOD tellin us that obtaining “stuff” makes us better than anyone else. I don’t hear Him sayin that the more money we make, the better off we’ll be in the end. I didn’t hear Him say the prettier or more handsome gets the grand prize. If the sayin’s true about the “golden rule”… “ He who has the gold, makes the rules”… then GOD is the only one who has the authority to make the rules … since His roads are paved with it ( Revelation 21:21 ) ! A man ( or woman ) that stands out in God’s eyes, loves the discipline of the LORD…obtains his righteousness from his faith in Jesus Christ…and receives the favor of GOD ! THAT’S what we all need to be concerned with ! THAT’S what we all should aspire to ! If we’d all just go back to the basics…to the purpose for which we were created, we wouldn’t be chasing after so many other things like dogs chasing our tails … it’s hopeless !! “You shall not have any other gods before Me” … “You shall not worship anything made” … “Never use My name flippantly” … “ Remember My Sabbath and keep it holy” … ( Exodus 20:3-8 ). We were made to glorify GOD and pass HIM down to those HE places in our path…period ! Instead of chasing that ever-elusive dollar bill, tryin to make it to the top of that ladder ( steppin on whoever gets in our way ), and trying to fill that hole that has no bottom, why not invite Jesus to take that weight off your back and shoulders…and let HIM mold you into the person you were created to be ? “Come to me, all you who are weary and heavy-burdened, and I will give you rest.” — Jesus ( Matthew 11:28 )

August 4, 2025

Pinky Promises

Remember “pinky promises” and “cross my heart and hope to die’s”? Next thing came along was our “swear to God’s”… followed by the more common, “On God”, “On my mama” or “On my kids”. STOP THIS NONSENSE !! If you can’t just tell somebody the flat-out truth , don’t say nothin. We shouldn’t haveta include anything “extra” as if it validates our statement even more. If you’re a known liar, a habitual liar or the “boy/girl that cries wolf” regularly, no amount of fluffin is gonna matter anyway … we don’t believe you no matter who you “put it on”. So many marriages start out with promises made … to each other and to God, that wind up broken. Appointments mean nothing anymore … if we’re late, you can always create a fabricated excuse and act a fool to get your slot back. We see it all the time. A man’s word useta mean something. We proclaimed it and shook on it … that’s all it took. Nowdays, lawyers and law offices are makin a killin off fancy words and typed up documents … just so it all stays legal. That paper won’t stop a lie from occurring, no more than that lawyer can keep folks from breaking promises. If we’d all hear and heed God’s directive, in ( Matthew 5:33-37 ), we’d be a people of integrity and some of these law offices would haveta board up their doors and take down that shingle ( ask an old person what that means if you don’t know 😄😉 ). Jesus said,” Y’all heard it said, ‘ Don’t break your oath, but keep your oaths made to the Lord.’ But I’m tellin yall, Don’t swear at all, not by heaven, the earth or by Jerusalem, by your head, (on your mama or your kids or anything else ). Simply let your’yes’ be yes and your’no’ be no; anything beyond that comes from the evil one.” Puts a new spin on it; dont it ? Not really. God’s word has been around alot longer than we have … we’re the ones that changed it to suit us. We really didn’t “change” it…we just stopped abiding by it. His word has never changed… and neither has God. In fact, turn to the back of the Book and read (Revelation 22:18-19). It’s a warning from God and it says, “ I warn everyone who hears the words of these prophecies in this Book: If anyone adds or takes away from this Book, God will take away their share in the tree of life and in the holy city, which is described in this Book.” “Changing the rules” ain’t up to us … that’s up to God … and He never changes ( Hebrews 13:8; James 1:17 ). So… wanna make a promise ? Then you better keep it ! He’s watchin t’ see that you do.

August 3, 2025

Words Matter

“WORDS MATTER”… This short statement is made numerous times at our training facility. The instructors want every employee to realize the correct terms of what we do, and, they want us to be able to explain our processes and procedures to a tee…therefore, words matter. Men and women alike use roughly 16,000 words each day…and yeah, we know “that person” that uses their 16,000 PLUS at least half of ours, because they won’t let us get a word in edgewise … they just love to hear themselves talk ! Just consider this for about 30 seconds… what are we saying ? Are we encouraging more than we’re discouraging ? Are we rattlin on about “nothin”, or are we passing on useful information ? When we respond to our kids or spouses, do we speak in tones and use words that transfer respect and love, or are we “snapping” at em like they’re a nuisance, just for speaking ? At work, do we convey a positive attitude, accompanied by friendliness and a jovial spirit, or, does our face look like those old tintypes where the couple looks ticked off most of the time ? God tells us, in ( Ephesians 4:29 ), “ Don’t let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouth, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those that listen.” Jesus would also remind us that “it’s not what goes into our mouths that make us unclean, it’s what comes out that makes us unclean, for everything that comes out of our mouth originated in our heart ( Matthew 15:11,15-19 ). If I’m constantly berating my son / daughter, they will grow up getting a poor reflection of our loving Savior. If i belittle an employee, instead of offering kind guidance and instruction, they will have a blurred picture of a loving Father that desires for them to grow in their training and admonishing of Him ( Ephesians 6:4 ). If my nerves are frayed and I’m ready to snap, i can choose to remain silent and pray that the words i use will be as living water, and not bitter herbs ( Proverbs 16:24 ). I cannot count the times I’ve uttered harsh words, smartellic comebacks or a foul word…even if it felt like the right thing at the moment. Because the Spirit of God lives in me, i knew immediately it was wrong, and felt shame and remorse. God knows our weaknesses and loves us anyway. He doesn’t like to hear our dirty talk , harsh responses, coarse language or smartellic comebacks … He holds us ( those that He calls, “son” and “daughter” ) accountable for every word ( Matthew 12:36-37 ) we speak ! Therefore, we should weigh very carefully what we say and how we say it…knowing what GOD has to say about it ! “Lord, let the words of my mouth and even my thoughts be pleasing to you” ( Psalm 19:14 ), oughta be our constant prayer. God wants only the best for his people … that’s why he came down from heaven to live amongst us and show us how it can be done ( 1 Corinthians 11:1 ). If we don’t care…and we continue to cast a false impression of HIM, what does that say about “us” ? Either we’re living outside His will, living in defiance and disobedience of His rules, regurgitations and commands, or we’re striving to be more like Christ…putting other’s needs before our own…lovingly admonishing and correcting, using the words of our Lord and Savior ( 2 Timothy 3:16-17 ). Let’s make it a resolution to use our words more wisely…and if they don’t sound like something Jesus would say, let’s keep em from slipping out our mouths. We may still haveta ask God for forgiveness, but at least we didn’t include someone else ! Father, temper our words with grace…let mercy be the balm we use to heal…and let Your love be our guide. In Jesus’ name … Amen. Words matter.