Phil's Thoughts

The Perfect Life

Maybe you’re living the perfect life. The bills are caught up and there’s still money in the bank…your health is as good as it’s ever been and you’re really feeling good. Your kids, grandkids and their spouses are gettin along beautifully and the warmness of the sun is makin all your plants and flowers smile right along with you. But maybe… just maybe…everything’s not like you’d like it to be. Maybe you’re under alotta pressure and you’ve been tempted to give up. Maybe your health ain’t what it used to be and you’re just tired o’ feelin bad. Maybe your spouse or your kids aren’t treating you with the love and respect that you’ve tried so hard to earn. Maybe your boss hasn’t remembered all that you’ve done to make the company successful, and you’re feeling unappreciated. Whatever’s holding you back…making you feel unappreciated…causing you to feel defeated…making you second-guess life in general… stop…touch the “play” icon on this video, and listen carefully. 

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It’s God’s reminder to you that it’s gonna be alright. He’s aware of your situation and He’s listening to your cries. Let Him hug you to His chest and comfort you.

Freedom In Christ

It is for freedom that Christ has set us free. Stand firm, then, and do not let yourselves be burdened again by a yoke of slavery. Galatians 5:1 I believe, one of the greatest tragedies that occurs each and every day, is the “forfeited freedom” of born-again Christians. When a person has come to a place in their life that they are hearing God’s call of repentance ( John 6:44 )…and by faith, they finally surrender / give up, their lives to Christ ( Ephesians 2:8-9 )…confessing Jesus as Lord ( Romans 10:9 ), that person is literally “freed” from the penalty of past, present and future sins ( 1 Peter 3:18 ), because of Jesus’ sacrifice. Yes, we’re freed ! ( John 8:36 ) Yes, we’re sanctified and made righteous ! ( 1 Corinthians 6:11; 2 Corinthians 5:21 ) Yes, we’re given the Holy Spirit and given gift(s) to use for His glory ! ( Ezekiel 36:27; 1 Corinthians 12 ) So why would a person willingly go back to being chained up and thrown back in a dungeon of darkness ?!? Sin will always be around…but that doesn’t mean we have to choose it over freedom ! Jesus proved that ! ( Hebrews 4:15 ) When we choose to sin, rather than be obedient unto the one that offers us freedom, we’re in a sense tellin God, “ I’m OK. I appreciate it, but I’ve got more confidence in myself than I do your Son.” Walking all over the “blood of Christ” and refusing God’s grace is akin to spiritual suicide ! (Hebrews 10:29 ) Didn’t Jesus tell us,” Unless you repent, you, too will perish.” ? ( Luke 13:3-5 ) The Spirit says,” They exchanged the truth of God for a lie, and worshiped and served created things rather than the Creator — who is forever praised. Amen.” ( Romans 1:25 ) Do we really think God overlooks or forgets and forgives such behavior ?!? Let’s hear Him loud and clear : “ Furthermore, since they did not think it worthwhile to retain the knowledge of God, He gave them over to a depraved mind, to do what ought not be done. They have become filled with every kind of wickedness, evil, greed and depravity. They are full of envy, murder, strife, deceit and malice. They are gossips, slanderers, God-haters, insolent, arrogant and boastful; they invent ways of doing evil; they disobey their parents; they are senseless, faithless, heartless and ruthless. Although they know ( better )…that God’s righteous decree states that those who do such things deserve death, they not only continue to do these very things, they also approve of others who practice them.” ( Romans 1:28-32 ) Forfeiting freedom … it just doesn’t make sense ! Hold fast to your confession ( Hebrews 10:23 ). Don’t let Satan convince you that sin is “ok” with God. That’s how he introduced it in the first place ( Genesis 3 ).

Crucified with Him

As i re-read ( Galatians 2:20-21 )…” I have been crucified with Christ and i no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life i live in the body, i live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me. I do not set aside the grace of God, for if righteousness could be gained through the law ( or, by observing the law ), Christ died for nothing”, i ask myself, “ Does He ? Is there something different about me that proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that Christ lives in me ?” Maybe you’d better ask yourself the same question. Do you hear and see things any differently, after you confessed Jesus as Lord ? Do you still hang onto “old ways”, or did “new ways” take their place (2 Corinthians 5:17 ) ? Do you look at folks differently ? Are they now, more important than yourself ( Philippians 2:3-4 ) ? What about your talk ? Does it reflect the attitude and character of Jesus Christ ? He wasn’t hateful…He didn’t demean or belittle others because of their race, religion or status in life…He loved em and accepted em for their worth in His Father’s eyes ( Matthew 6:26 ). He didn’t judge them…He loved them and came to save them ( John 12:47 ) from their sins. Do you and i love them enough to introduce them to Jesus … to get them in front of Him … and to encourage and help them in their new adventure with Him ? If we’re not constantly scrutinizing our own “fruits”, how will we ever know if our “conversion” really “took” ? God says,” The fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control” ( Galatians 5:22-23 ). Did His “graft” take ? Was there really a “heart-change” … “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit in you ; I will remove from you your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh” ( Ezekiel 36:26 ). If the words coming out our mouths DON’T sound like something Jesus would say, then we better start examining our HEARTS…because that’s where those words and thoughts originate ( Luke 6:45 ) ! I don’t wanna go through life “thinking” I’m right with God over some simple actions or words … do you ? I wanna know that I’m saved, sealed and being transformed into the sanctified vessel that glorifies God…in actions, in speech and even in my thoughts ! If there’s something in your life that doesn’t resemble Jesus Christ…doesn’t line up with His will or His Word…or, something that just keeps you from living the abundant life He’s prepared for you, stop what you’re doing and humbly bow before Him right now and ask Him to make the necessary adjustments. It may be you need to really surrender everything to Him and be born again. It may be a sin you need to relinquish and repent of. It may be a true “heart transplant” that’s needed. Just stop being one way on Sundays and a different somebody on the other six days !! God knows your heart. If your His, He’ll refine you ( Zechariah 13:9 ) and purify you. God hasn’t changed His standards or His character. Ours should line up with His … not the other way around ( Psalm 50:21 ). Pennye Jacobs Lewis has a lemon tree growing out back…if it sprouts apples, something’s wrong. The tomato plants she’s growing better not produce prunes and the muscadine vines ought not grow cucumbers. Neither should a child of God produce fruit of the sinful nature…” sexual immorality, impurity, debauchery, idolatry, witchcraft, hatred, discord, jealousy, fits of rage, selfish ambition, dissensions, factions, envy, drunkenness, orgies and the like” ( Galatians 5:19-21 ). We’re saved from such ! Jesus shed His precious life-giving blood to set us free from all those wicked ways ! Does Christ really live in you ? Have you really been crucified with Him ?

Guesswork

Do you recall the childhood “origami fortune teller” thingy constructed from a sheet of notebook or tablet paper? The individual skilled in folding it would inscribe various “answers” corresponding to numbers and colors. Upon placing the device over the thumbs and forefingers of both hands , one could manipulate the “count” to coincide with their “fortune”. For instance, if prompted to select a color depicted on all four sections of the device, the player would reveal a number, then open and close the fortune teller a specified number of times, ultimately exposing another layer containing predictions such as the number of children one would have, future residence, or type of vehicle. This simple yet engaging device provided entertainment while others focused on academic pursuits. Life often presents itself as a series of multiple choices, akin to the numerous options found in convenience stores and grocery markets, where one might encounter an overwhelming array of products, including multiple flavors of candy, chips, cookies, and energy drinks. The proliferation of options can be attributed to the inability of manufacturers to satisfy all consumer preferences, resulting in a continuous stream of new products and flavors. Man has even convinced themselves that everybody’s goin t’ heaven…and there’s several ways our souls will get there. In fact, we really don’t give “eternity” , our “eternal destination”, very much thought. People’ll live like hell and believe they’re goin t’ heaven once they die. Their faith is in themselves…banking on their “good” deeds outweighing their bad ones. Jesus never enters the picture until they’re using His name in a vain manner. God is just a slang word or
a part of a cuss word…given no more thought than that schoolbook they had wrapped in Manila paper. God’s Word would choose to differ. He said,” Salvation is found in no one else , for there is no other name under heaven given to mankind by which we must be saved .” ( Acts 4:12 ) Just one … and His name is “Jesus” ! For us simpletons, those one-choice answers take all the guesswork out of it.

Starve Sin

But after Uzziah became powerful, his pride led to his downfall. He was unfaithful to the LORD his God, …. ( 2 Chronicles 26:16 ) Here’s a man that knows God…followed in his daddy’s footsteps and served God…feared God…was blessed by God because he “sought” God … until he didn’t. ( Read it for yourself; chapter 26 ). Because of his pride and disobedience to God, he was stricken with leprosy…until the day he died. I’ve read this passage numerous times…and to me, it always serves as a warning to all of us. A lot of our day-t-day problems, uncomfortable circumstances and unpleasant predicaments are the direct result of our disobedience unto God. Whether it’s a sin of omission or commission, it’s still “sin” in the eyes of God. Ol’ king Uzziah just got too big for his britches … let his pride get the best of him … and ultimately, paid the price with his health and quality of living. It ain’t a “fairy tale” or “make-believe” story… it’s a historical fact ! King David is another case-in-point. A man after God’s own heart…brought from shepherd-boy poverty to king of all of Israel. He was livin large…until he wasn’t. He spotted a good lookin woman from his rooftop…took too long a look and lust took over. He wound up committing adultery, got her pregnant and had her husband killed while in battle. In turn, God killed his baby boy ( 2 Samuel chapters 11 and 12 ). Only two accounts of God-fearing, God-followin people…but oughta serve as real-life examples of what we need to avoid … “the sin brought on from temptation”. Our sin nature will always be at war with our spiritual nature ( Galatians 5:17 )… that’s why it’s so crucial to “feed the latter” and starve the former. Trickery, thievery and lies are the devil’s handiwork. He’s good at his work and has plenty of helpers … “wolves in sheep’s clothing”( Matthew 7:15 ), so-t-speak. Being tempted ain’t nothin new…he started doin it with God’s first man and woman ( Genesis 3 )…that’s how sin was introduced…and it’s been inherited by the rest of us ever since. We like to think of sinnin as “big” ones and “little” ones; don’t we ? Your cheating on your spouse is worse than my cheating on that test. My addiction to opioids ain’t as bad as your addiction to porn. You killed somebody that time…all i do is cuss those that block the lane I’m driving in. It’s only a white lie…it ain’t like i was really lyin. Gossip, mean-spiritness, silent hatred, contempt, inflated egos, poisoning our systems with mind-altering chemicals, calling “wrong” right, coveting our neighbor or their toys, holding contempt towards someone, unforgiveness, greed, not praying for someone, etc; etc; etc.. Sin is Sin ! Turning from it is only possible by abidance “in Christ” and walking in the Spirit ( Galatians 5:16 ). Repentance from sin cannot be faked. A true heart-transformation can only be done by God. Unless we repent, we too shall perish ( Luke 13:3 ). Learning from the examples of others is a lot easier than havin to face it ourselves !

Muddy Water

Like a muddied spring or a polluted well is a righteous man who gives way to the wicked. ( Proverbs 25:26 ) Naw…it ain’t somethin i found in a fortune cookie … it’s God, speaking to us through King Solomon, many many moons ago…and we’d do well to acknowledge this advice. If you’ve ever watched a good western, you’ll be able to relate this proverb. Dry country, as out West, doesn’t have springs poppin up every hundred yards … it’s sand, rock and nothingness for a reason… NOT much water. When a parched and dying traveler finally crawled up on a small pool of standing water, they couldn’t be 100% confident in its purity. Many times, animals had drank due to an illness, died in the water and poisoned it even more…much like deer with CWD ( chronic wasting disease ) do. If you’ve ever watched “Dances With Wolves”, with Kevin Costner, you’ll recall one of his first major undertakings when he took over the deserted desert post … cleaning out that waterhole. It was unsafe to drink, due to all the dead animals and debris. Remember Woody’s voice box when Bonnie pulled his string ( Toy Story 3 ), “Somebody’s poisoned the water hole.” Hey ! Don’t judge me. I like all kinda shows 😄. When God says that a “righteous man who gives way to the wicked” winds up pollutin a well or muddyin a spring, He’s warning us of the dangers of allowing sin a place in our lives. To NOT be able to get a drink of refreshing water, is like being sentenced to death from dehydration ! We not only put ourselves in harms way, we also impose a death sentence on those who come behind us ! In a sense, our allowance of sin in our own lives can be transferred to our spouses, kids, grandkids, coworkers, friends, kinfolk, etc; etc.. We can be found guilty of murder because of our own stupidity ! That’s why it is SO crucial to say “NO” to sin ! Opportunities abound…temptations await around every corner…and just because “everybody else does it” or “so-n-so’s mama lets them do it”, doesn’t make it OK in the eyes of God … or for His kids !! Taking active steps in the direction God leads is a positive way to keep sin “outside” our doors ( Genesis 4:7 ). Daily Bible study…continuous prayer…listening to Christian music and Jesus-preaching podcasts…surrounding ourselves with Christ-honoring people…using our gifts of the Spirit to glorify God…avoiding impure or dishonorable ( water holes )…putting feet-to-faith and offering “fresh water” and “food” to the needy…in Jesus’ name…giving our personal testimonies and asking others if they’ve ever invited Jesus to be their Lord and Savior..; all good ways to keep our own springs from being muddied up and our wells fulla fresh water. Brother…sister…let’s not be guilty of casting a poor reflection of Jesus or imitating those who don’t know Him ( yet ). Abide in Christ and walk in the Spirit, and you won’t give in to the desires of the flesh ( Galatians 5:16 ) !

He’s Got Our Backs

Then seizing Him ( Jesus ), they led Him away…( to be wrongfully convicted and crucified ). Peter followed at a distance. As he sat amongst Jesus’ accusers, a servant girl looked closely at him and said,” This man was with Him.” But he denied it. “Woman, I don’t know Him”, he said. A little later, someone else saw him and said,” You also are one of them.” “Man, i am not !” Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted,” Certainly this fellow was with Him, for he is a Galilean.” Peter replied,” Man, i don’t know what you’re talking about !” Just as he was speaking, the rooster crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: “Before the rooster crows today, you will disown me three times.” And he went outside and wept bitterly. ( Luke 22:54-62 ) Nobody likes to be denied, betrayed or disowned. Normally, we refer to it as “stabbed in the back”, “thrown under the bus”, or “turned against “. Either way, it doesn’t feel good to have somebody close to you, all of a sudden, treat you like a criminal, like you were trash or even like they had no feelings for you. It’s disloyalty at its ugliest. Jesus had never done anything to Simon ( Peter ) to deserve this disloyalty…this betrayal. Jesus had taken Simon under His tutelage and shown him how to live a life in honor to God. He’d spent days and weeks with him, eating with him, sharing God’s truth with him, laughing and doing life with him. Simon had seen Jesus do one miracle after another…marveling at the transformation of the receivers of these miracles. And then…when Jesus was being falsely accused, beaten and abused…Simon had denied even knowing Jesus…three separate times. Jesus could’ve “returned the favor” or called down a thousand angels to administer vengeance on Simon…but He didn’t. Instead, He forgave him and was merciful to him. Later, He even reinstated Simon…changing Simon’s name to “Peter”…the rock on which He established His church ( Matthew 16:18 ). Maybe you’ve experienced a similar betrayal…after investing weeks, months, even years of your life with a particular person or group of people. No matter the hardships and struggles you’ve gone through, together, they turned on you or just left you hanging. It’s common practice in big business, when loyal individuals are passed over for promotions, laid off because of budget cuts or replaced with younger employees. Promises are broken…future plans are destroyed… and nobody seems to care about “people” … they are just a number or a commodity to be traded when the mood hits. That’s why you can’t place your faith and trust in another human being. They’ll turn on you, let you down and disappoint you. People are flawed sinners…imperfect and unpredictable. God is perfect …faithful and merciful. Loyalty is just another word that starts with an “L” to some… but God is a friend that sticks closer than a brother ( Proverbs 18:24 ). Betrayal is as common as Mississippi humidity in the month of August. So how do we react when it happens to “us” ? I believe Jesus was hurt deeply by Simon’s denial…but His mercy overshadowed it. Jesus saw Simon Peter’s potential. He recognized his strengths, as well as his weaknesses..,and He knew his value would be an asset to His kingdom. Forgiveness, mercy and love proved to be what Simon needed…and God provided it. If we, as individuals, practiced Jesus’ response and actions towards those that denied, betrayed or “threw us under the bus”, maybe the world would get a better idea of what God deems as pure, holy and honorable behavior … and maybe they’d understand that glorifying GOD is always the best response to take. Ask Him to help you respond in ways that honor Him. Pray for that person…that group of individuals, that persecute you or betray you. God works in the hearts of “people” .., and He’s always “got our backs”.

My Valentine

God says , “ Love is patient and kind…it doesn’t envy or boast and it’s not proud. It’s not rude or self-seeking, nor is it easily angered. It doesn’t keep a record of wrongs or even delight in evil…but it rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes and always perseveres. Love never fails.” ( 1 Corinthians 13:4-8 ) We throw out “I love you”s like they were beads at Mardi Gras parades … but do we really prove true with our actions ? Yeah…Valentine’s Day is officially the “day of love” … and couples will be spending that hard-earned money on flowers, candy and stuffed animals…not to mention the jewelry and the night-out meal. It’s the same ol’ song-and-dance … the restaurants and retailers get richer, while we watch our weight go up and our pocketbooks get lighter … all because we’re trying to do what everybody else is doing. What about the other 364 days of the year ? Are we gonna love that significant other any less than we do on “Valentines Day” ?!? We better not ! If i asked you how you stacked up against God’s list of is’s and is not’s in these five verses, how would you rate yourself ? Better yet, how would your significant other rate you ? Are you lovingly patient with him/her…does your kindness still attract her/him to you ? You don’t see them as a rival or look at them as competition; do you ? Are you still proud of them…proud to be with them and proud for people to know they are “yours” ? Do you still brag on em…like you used to ? Ladies, do you allow them to open doors for you and be the gentleman they were designed to be ? Men, do you still treat them like the gift from God that they are … opening their door, pumping their gas and allowing them the privilege of NOT having to take the leadership role of your home ? When you get angry, do you immediately ask God to keep you from sinning against Him…until that anger subsides ? Please tell me you don’t keep bringing up his/her “past” ! It’s just another tool of Satan that he uses to cause pain and division…to relive shame and regret…and it DOES NOT GLORIFY GOD one iota ! When they start to say or do something that goes outside God’s boundaries … something that promotes or invites trouble or hate…do you lovingly redirect their brief lapse in holy behavior ? Do you use God’s own words to realign their hearts ? Do you stand up for her, husband/boyfriend … not allowing Satan a foothold…or anyone to treat her as less than God sees her ? Wife/girlfriend, do you instinctively go to his side when others try to tear him down or discredit him ? Do you still pray for him/her every day … asking God to mold them into His image even more … to give them everything they’ll need to honor and glorify Him ? Do you still have the dreams and hopes of tomorrow, “for yall”, because your hope is still found in Christ Jesus, your Lord ? Don’t let Satan rob you of the hopes, joys, peace and happiness that’s found only in a relationship with Jesus Christ ! Your wife/husband/ boyfriend/ girlfriend deserves the BEST from you ! Let’s all of us ask Him to “love” others through us … that way, they’ll get to experience “love”, the way God designed it to be ! Happy Valentines Day yall ! Sorry … i didn’t get you no candy or flowers 😁 .

God Is Waiting

You ever wonder why bad people seem to prosper and good people get taken earlier than “their time” ? Seriously…speaking from personal experience and witnessing it numerous times, I’ve often wondered why the good “die young” ( as Billy Joel sings ) and the parasites and self-seekers of the world seem to live forever. Some of the most godly people in my life were whisked away in their prime, while those who never darken the door of a worship center, never speak God’s name unless it’s profanity, contribute nothing to the good of mankind, make a mockery of our justice system and carry on all manner of evil, seem to never suffer and, in fact, sometimes prosper ! I’m reminded of Scripture that speaks to this subject … ( Psalms chapters 37 and 73 )…therefore, I’ve settled this matter in my heart and leave their eternal destiny to God. It wasn’t long ago that God revealed the true reason He allows many a wayward soul to remain here on earth, while some of the sweetest and dearest have gone on to glory, sooner than expected. The answer can be found in ( 2 Peter chapter 3 ) … “ The Lord is not slow in keeping His promise, as some understand slowness. He is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance. Bear in mind that our Lord’s patience means salvation…” ( verses 9 and 15 ). I’ve secretly wished a few people “dead”, to my shame. I’ve made remarks that sounded nothing like our Lord, Jesus Christ. And then i heard Him say…” Aren’t you glad I was patient with you ?” My salvation experience has taken me from one glory to another. He’s grown me spiritually over the years…even if i slowed Him down by my unrepentance and following at a distance. I’ve learned the difference in “salvation” and “Lordship”… which I’m certain alotta you know what i mean. Knowing that God’s patience was what kept me out of hell, only makes me love Him even more ! His patience also has taught me a thing or two about “showing mercy” … “forgiving” when it made no sense … and offering “grace”, even when it wasn’t warranted. I’ve been the recipient of all of these “blessings” from our Lord … so i ought not have an issue with being a distributor of them. “Christ” died for us to live differently. If we’ve not changed, then Christ ain’t in us ( 2 Corinthians 5:17 ). God’s waiting on those ungodly people to come to repentance and taste salvation … just as He did you and me ! Now we know why they are still around.

Pleasing God

Without Faith, it’s impossible to please God, because anyone who comes to Him must believe that He exists and that He rewards those who earnestly seek Him. ( Hebrews 11:6 ) Sometimes, i think we’ve forgotten that it’s “God” that we’re supposed to be pleasing … NOT, ourselves ! This is probably the greatest misconception the world has bought into … “Do what makes YOU happy” … “Whatever feels good, go for it” … and one of Mr. Sam’s oft quoted sayins, “ Get all you can, can all you get and sit on the can.” If we’ve been duped into believing that the more we’ve got, the happier we’ll be…we’ve missed the whole point of our being here. We were created by God, for God…period. The relationship available with Him must come from faith in Jesus … and faith “without works” is useless ( James 2:14-26 )…and without faith, it’s impossible to please God. Ok…now that that’s established…what’s your faith look like ? What “works” have you done that establishes the fact that your faith is legit ? It’s easy to say,” Yeah, I believe in God” … “Yeah, I know Jesus, personally” … or, “ Yeah, I’m a Christian” … but if you’re satisfied in those popular responses to get you a home in heaven and an inseparable relationship with God, you may’ve just fallen for one of Satan’s greatest cons. Words matter, but it’s faith that’s gonna get you the grand prize ! And true faith is always proven by action. I can put on anybody’s uniform and pretend to be a policeman, pilot, crane operator, firefighter or surgeon… but “proving it” is gonna expose the farce. The book of Hebrews…chapter eleven for one, points out many examples of God’s people and their faith “actions”. One such example…By faith Moses, when he had grown up, refused to be known as the son of Pharaoh’s daughter. He chose to be mistreated along with the people of God rather than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a short time. He regarded disgrace for the sake of Christ as of greater value than the treasures of Egypt, because he was looking ahead to his reward.( verses 24-26 ) See ? More often than not, we’ll have to “give up some things”… “turn away from some people that pulls our attention away from godly living” … “ say ‘NO’ to sin” … and “become unpopular so that Jesus becomes greater”. Faith in God is impossible to hide. It matters not if our peers notice…but if Christ is the Lord of our life, we can be assured that God sees what we’re doing…sees our heart and our “sacrifices”. Material possessions rust, burn and are stolen … but kingdom treasures are stored where God lives !

Participation Trophy

“Participation trophy” … Whoever came up with this probably had everybody’s FEELINGS in mind, but they inadvertently created a spirit of halfheartedism and a willingness to quit if the “whatever” got too hard. Think about it … you run track, play soccer, softball, baseball, basketball, football, or any of another hundred activities, and you don’t place first, second or third…but you still get a “participation trophy”, medallion or ring…what are you telling the ones that put forth more effort, more practice, starved themselves on some strict regimen or invested more blood, sweat and tears ?!? That it’s alright, long as you tried ? More like, it’s alright, at least you showed up for one outta twelve practices. We’re sending the WRONG message people ! We need to train our young ones that to get the prize, you’ve gotta invest, sacrifice and crave that which you desire ! We’ve grown so many wimpy kids that thinks everyone owes em something or everything oughta be handed to em on a silver platter. People are asking for raises before their thirty-day probation periods are up ! If one spouse gets their feelings hurt, they’re ready to sign divorce papers ! Loyalty to an employer is almost a thing of the past…and an employer will discount a good employee over much of nothing nowdays. We make it too easy to quit, instead of staying the course and grittin our teeth and continuing the fight.” Therefore, we must give the more earnest heed to the things which we have heard , lest at any time we should let them slip” ( Hebrews 2:1 ). “ So, my dear brothers and sisters, stand strong. Don’t let anything change you. Always give yourselves fully to the work of the Lord. You know that your work in the Lord is never wasted” ( 1 Corinthians 15:58 ). “See to it that you don’t abuse the spirit of grace, rejecting Jesus’ sacrifice and trampling the Son of God under foot” ( Hebrews 10:29-31 ). And don’t let yourselves be counted in with this next bunch … “ They went out from us, but they didn’t really belong to us. For if they had really belonged to us, they would’ve remained with us; but their going showed that none of them belonged to us” ( 1 John 2:19 ). A “follower of Jesus Christ” will not seek ways to sin, even though sin still finds a “chink in their armor” occasionally. A repentant heart will determine to live a maturing lifestyle devoted to pleasing God and glorifying Christ. Quitters only prove that they were never really committed to begin with. The Lord won’t be handing out any “participation trophies” when we breathe our last. We’re either “for Him” or we’re “against Him” ( Matthew 12:30 ).

Braggin on God

I love to hear people braggin on God ! It reaffirms my own faith in His abilities to handle any situation I’m in or may “be” in , in the future. My oldest son, Hunter Lewis, sent me and Pennye Jacobs Lewis this clip last night that proves, yet again, the power of God over infirmities, handicaps and human ailments. God ain’t limited by small-mindedness; He’s capable of doing miracles even when those around us see no hope. Faith as small as a mustard seed can move mountains ( Matthew 17:20 )…It’s “who” we place our faith “in” that either opens doors or leaves em closed. God’s already told us that when we pray for something, we need to pray as if He’s already granted our request…thanking Him for hearing and answering…even before we see the results ( Mark 11:22-24 )! It’s “faith” that trusts in His power…”faith” that He’s aware of our problems and situations…”faith”that believes He’s more than capable of handling the issue and faith that proclaims His majesty and greatness, boldly before others. We don’t have to understand it all…we just have to place complete faith in Him. Jesus said it numerous times …”Your faith has healed you”…” Your faith has made you well”… “Your faith has made you whole”( Matthew 9:22; Mark 10:52; Mark 5:34 ). You know what limits God from performing more miracles than He does ? It’s a “lack of faith” ( Matthew 13:58 ). You know what produces a lack of faith ? Pride. We tell ourselves,” I can handle this myself”… “Whatever comes, I’m good with it”… “ I’ll deal with it when the time comes”…and God would have us hear, “ I can take care of that for you if you want me to. All you gotta do is ask “ ( James 4:2-3 ). Don’t limit an unlimited God ! Don’t forfeit a miracle because of foolish pride ! And don’t block God’s opportunity to reveal His powers to a world that needs to know there’s hope ! His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of Him who called us by His own glory and goodness. Through these He’s given us His very great and precious promises, so that through them, you may “participate” in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires. ( 2 Peter 1:3-4 ) Won’t you be a participant in something He’s already wanting to do ? Come on ! Show the world your faith !

Count the Cost

“Count the cost” … It’s been a dilemma for decades … the desire for something, or to achieve something, but knowing it won’t just be handed to you on a silver platter. Folks have gone into certain lines of work that required more than your standard level of commitment due to longer than average hours, time away from family and the need to be wherever the job took you. It puts you in a different class of people … either making you “harder” and “tougher”, or “breaking” you down where you can’t take it no more. It’s also a matter of deciding what means more to you … whether it be money, the degree, the prestige or … something else. I’ve heard people use this saying many times…”Gotta go where the money is”. “Money” can be found anywhere … it’s just that some people think the more money they make, the happier they and their family will be. That’s just another lie Satan tells people that they believe. If a person loves the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength…and loves others as they do themselves…putting no other gods before GOD…the “idols” of this world will fall flat as the useless articles that they are and the true blessings of GOD will become evident. Families have dissolved thousands of times due to that “money” lie over the centuries. They’ve traded the things of this world over the truth of God’s word, and the proof speaks for itself ! Money’s ok, but we can’t make it our god ( 1 Timothy6:10 ). Count the cost. To be a disciple of Jesus, costs. We must not go into it on a whim or without alotta forethought. It’s not for the half-hearted or the weak … it’s gonna require dedication and discipline. There ain’t no such thing as a “part-time Christian”…either you’re in, or you’re out ( Matthew 12:30; Revelation 3:15-16 ). Jesus says, “ You’re gonna haveta put everything and everybody, including yourself, AFTER ME, or else you can’t be My disciple” ( Luke 14:26-27 ). Count the cost before you commit. Don’t start if you can’t finish strong. Once you “pick up that cross” and start carryin it, it’s a part of you…aint no castin it in a ditch or proppin it up in the garage like some exercise bike or treadmill that gets used for a little while, and then aint ( Luke 9:23 ). A committed Christian is a dedicated follower…a staunch supporter…a do-or-die disciple…believing that Jesus Christ IS the WAY, IS the TRUTH, and IS the LIFE ( John 14:6 ), worthy of everything HE provides or allows em to have or be ! Count the cost. I didn’t start a relationship with my wife, Pennye Jacobs Lewis, with the idea that it was gonna be for a short period. I never considered “divorce” an option … it was “for life…till death do us part” … that’s what i promised ! I made a covenant with her and she made one with me…and we made one with God. Forty-one years, nine months and seven days later, that covenant has been honored and our love for each other is still strong … the credit going to our relationship with Jesus Christ … otherwise, she’da probably already kilt me and buried me behind the house 🤣. As with any commitment, the cost needs to be counted BEFORE we “sign on that dotted line” … and following Jesus ain’t one to be entered into lightly. God expects more outta his kids than we do our own…fortunately. His code of conduct calls for higher standards of living than the world expects. Being pure and holy ain’t easy … it takes discipline and commitment … hard work and determination ( 1 Peter 1:16 ). Christianity ain’t for everybody … but the benefits FAR outweigh the costs ! Father, as we say goodbye to another year and usher in a new one, let our commitment unto you, count. Help us be fully committed to glorifying you with everything we have, everything we say and everything we think. Let our “yes” be yes and our “no” be no. As we consider every “next move”, let us first, consult you, for your approval or disapproval. Help us commit even more to studying your word … to understand better your will and your ways. Help us to love others more…the way you would have us to. As temptation presents itself, help us remember our covenant with you and hold to your standards of living. Jesus paid too high a price for us to live any other way ! Thank you for making us a way to live an abundant lifestyle. Thank you for being our awesome God ! In Jesus name…Amen.

God Came

We’re all about the birth of baby Jesus this time o’ year … which is appropriate. If God hadn’t come to earth as a baby, placed upon himself the responsibility of securing our ability to be once-and-for-all, sin free, we wouldn’t be able to celebrate Christmas for what it really stands for. And even though I’ve heard it quoted a thousand times, God made sure i heard it loud and clear during the sermon yesterday … “But God demonstrated his love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us” ( Romans 5:8 ). He didn’t “have” to, but he did it ‘cause he loved “you”/ “me”. He didn’t just say it…he proved it. So the question I’ll answer myself … and the question you can ask yourself…. “ How do i demonstrate my love for him ?” The relationship may be “personal”, but every word we speak, every deed we do and every unspoken thought we think, oughta demonstrate our love for Him. Thank you God, for your sacrifice. Help me never forget it … and help me to be less of a grouch when i get to demonstrate this same kinda love. In Jesus’ name, Amen.