Category: communication

Posted in communication, fear, life, Scripture, travel

Driver Assist

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart, and do not rely on your own understanding; in all your ways know Him, and He will make your paths straight.” Proverbs 3:5-6

Judy and I have a new car! Well, actually it isn’t a new car but it is new to us and it is new enough to have some really cool gadgets. If you are a regular Grits reader then you might know that I am a gadget person. The amazing part of  all of this is the fact that my wife Judy, who is not a gadget person, is pretty fond of this car too. For her, a car has always been a way to get from one place to another. But it seems that she sees this one just a little different.

Today I want to tell you about one of the gadgets. Oh, and for the record, I wouldn’t be surprised if there are a few more stories about a few more gadgets coming in the future. So, one of the things this car has is something called driver assist and it is really not one thing but a collection of things that work together to help the driver drive. Believe it or not, this car can almost drive itself. When I turn on the driver assist feature, using all kinds of technology, it will keep the car in the correct lane…effectively steering itself. Now one of the rules is that I do have to keep my hand on the wheel just so it will know that I am still there.

So it works like this. You turn it on and a way you go. Following the curves in the road, the steering wheel turns accordingly. I have to admit it works really quite well. The only problem is…I don’t trust it. I find myself constantly fighting against the driver assist to make sure I am in control. That usually results in my growing weary turning the steering wheel this way or that. I want to be in control…period.

At the bottom of this “give and take battle” between me and the technology is a lack of trust. I am sure I know more and can do a better job driving. And until I learn to at least begin to trust it—I might as well not even have the gadget. Well, one day, as I was driving and fighting, it occurred to me that this battle between me and car was not a whole lot different that me and God and my life. Too often I find myself pulling one way while He is pulling another. And the crazy part is that He has never given one reason for me to doubt Him. He has never made a mistake, He has never caused me to crash and He has never let me down. So why do I, do we, resist Him so?

The bottom line is just like with the car we want to be in control. I guess it is a human nature thing but we need to remember that when we became Jesus follows He gave us a new nature.   So what is it in your life that you are wrestling with God about? What is it that you just can’t surrender too Him? Let me suggest that the both of you have a “heart to heart.” I believe, I know you will come to the same conclusion that I did—God can unconditionally and completely be trusted. You will find you that you don’t need Him to assist you—you only need to give Him the wheel completely. So, be brave, take your hands off the wheel, and trust Him. Oh, and don’t worry. You can rest assured that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne 

Posted in communication, Family, love, loving others, marriage, priorities, Scripture

Valentine’s Day, Football and Love

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “I give you a new command: Love one another. Just as I have loved you, you are also to love one another.” John 13:34

Today is Valentine’s Day. It is a day that makes a whole lot of money for all the people who sell that kind of stuff—flowers, jewelry, eating, candy, gifts and all kinds of other stuff. I’m not sure who came up with the idea but like anything it has its good points and bad. If Valentine’s Day is just a day when you gotta do something special for  someone special—well that isn’t very meaningful. But, if it is a day when we “get to” do something special for someone special—well that is a game changer.

Did you know that Valentine’s Day is kinda like a game of football? Well, I think it is. You see, my wife Judy and I have been married for a pretty long time—almost 49 years. If the Lord is willing that means next year we will be celebrating 50 years of doing life together. Five decades—that is just unbelievable. Now there are two things I know. First, I believe we both would say it has been a great journey—not perfect, not by a long shot—but a great journey. Second, just like a football game has its up and downs—so does any marriage.

As I look back on the Valentine Days we have celebrated, it reads like a romantic barometer. There have been years when we have done a pretty good job celebrating this day. As an example, one year I remember I cooked a meal (imagine that) and set our living room up like a nice restaurant. I then had our daughter Sarah serve us dinner and then, get ready, we played some soft music and we danced. Trust me it was pretty romantic. Another time we went out to dinner and came home and watched one of our favorite movies, “Sleepless In Seattle.” That was a good one two.  The secret ingredient seemed to always have to do with quality time—when we made time for each other. You might want to write that one down.

And what was the biggest flop. Well, one year we decided that we really wouldn’t do anything for Valentine’s Day. It was probably one of those times when our pastor life led to a packed calendar and we were just wore out. So, I followed the plan, which was a bad one, and didn’t get a gift or a card. Like I said…bad. Well, anyway, I think Judy got a card for me card but I had nothing…did nothing. Judy was so disappointed. I should have known better. Did I mention bad? Well, the next day, I went and bought a gift and a card but it was way too late. hat day that I learned to never let Valentine’s Day be just another day. 

Like I said marriage and Valentine’s Day are a lot like a football game. No game is going to be perfect but trust me it is so important to win the game…to win the day and the best way to do that is to do your best and that day was not my best. It is not a matter of dollars and cents—it is often a matter of common sense. The one you chose and the one who chose you needs to know that you care—that you love them. So let’s be sure and not fumble the ball. The songwriter said that “love is a many splendid thing” and they were right. Sometimes the simplest thing can be the most splendid of things. 

God didn’t invent Valentine’s Day but He is the author of love and the creator of marriage. Today is an opportunity to show Him that we understand His love for us but showing our love for our special someone. So go ahead, grab the football today (metaphorically speaking) and run for the end zone. Not very good at romance? Me either but even in that department, we can know that, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, food, life, love, loving others, priorities, Scripture

Where’s the Beef?

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Matthew 22:40

Well, the Super Bowl has come and gone again. We all know that the Super Bowl really isn’t about football.  It is really about all the great food and of course, the great commercials. Did you know that thanks to the Super Bowl that wings are now one of the most expensive parts of the chicken? And the commercials are a show into themselves. Get this. This year a 30 second spot during the big game will set you back a whopping eight million dollars.  Can you believe that?

Super Bowl worthy or not one of my favorite commercials from years gone by showed a little old lady asking the question, “Where’s the beef.”  It was a poke at some of the hamburger chains whose burgers had gotten smaller and smaller till they had virtually disappeared. And that prompted the question, “Where’s the beef?” It seemed that the hamburger world had forgotten the main point of a burger was not the bun, not the pickle, not the sauce, nor the cheese. The main point of the burger was the burger. Forget that and you might as well start cooking and selling something else.

And do you know what?  It sure seems that in our crazy and busy world, it sure is easy to lose the burger—if you get my drift. Whether it is our family, or more specifically our marriages, our priorities, our values or a half dozen other important things—we seem bent on not keeping the main thing the main thing. I believe that is often most obvious in our faith. Think about yours just for a moment.  What is the most obvious thing on your faith list.  Religious rituals? Attending church? Do’s and Don’ts? Too often, even God, if He makes the list, is somewhere near the bottom. Isn’t that strange?

It would seem obvious that God has to be the center of our faith world. And by that I don’t mean just the fact that there is a God but that He impacts our world in a real and meaningful way. Jesus said something that is so important. When He was telling His followers the most important thing about being His follower, it was a four letter word—love. He said in John 13:35, “By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.” Wow…all the religious stuff didn’t even make the cut—but love led the way.  In other words…the most important thing about our faith, besides simply believing in Jesus, is love.

Jesus, in Matthew 22:40, said that we are to love God and love people and then He said this, “All the Law and the Prophets depend on these two commands.” Don’t miss that. Love God, Love people—that is where the dust settles when it comes to who we are as Jesus people. It is far to easy to get lost in all the religious hoopla of today’s world but Jesus commands to keep love at the center of our God universe.

So…don’t let your burger get lost under the pickle. Make sure when people see you they see Jesus and make sure when they see Jesus in you they see His love. If we don’t keep the main thing the main thing—we will never be able to see the world changed for His good and glory. Instead of asking, “Where’s the beef?” we should be shouting, “Here’s the love!” Loving like He loves isn’t easy but it is always possible because, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, gratitude, prayer, pride, Scripture, thankful

Prayer and Animal Crackers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “When you pray, don’t babble like the Gentiles, since they imagine they’ll be heard for their many words. Don’t be like them, because your Father knows the things you need before you ask Him.” Matthew 6:7-8

 Prayers can be like a box of animal crackers. I suppose you remember way back when we could go to the store and buy a box of animal crackers.  They might still make them today but even if they do…they probably aren’t the same.  Back then, the colors on the outside of the box were so rich and vivid and of course there was a small piece of fabric that served as a handle.  You opened the box and I remember two things specifically.  First, the little cookies actually looked like animals and second, they were genuinely good. Of course, the box was full and consisted of more than a few different animals.

Well, if you think about it, that box of animal crackers is like some of the prayers I have heard in church.  When I was a kid I never figured out how you got to be selected to pray in church. I figured surely there was some sort of selection committee, but if there was they sure had a variety of tastes.  The prayers were as varied as the animals in the box of crackers.  Sometimes they were long…too long.  Those were the people that forgot the part in the Bible where Jesus said He didn’t care how many words were said in a prayer.  I remember a man that if he got the call to pray, you might as well kiss lunch goodbye.

I can remember another guy who I am sure sounded just like God.  His voice was deep and his cadence would be slow. So, I grew up believing that God when He talked, had this really deep voice with each word carefully spaced and pronounced in each sentence.  I’m not sure how effective he was as far as God hearing his prayer but it was impressive…at least to me.  Oh, and of course, some people I am certain made the cut because of the number of big words they knew. I can remember listening to their prayers and wondering what in the world they were saying.  I guess in the long run it didn’t matter because they weren’t talking to me anyway.

Yup, when I was growing up prayers were just like animal crackers and I guess in some ways they still are today. Usually, though, they are a little more generic.  There are certain words like “Heavenly Father” and “lead, guide and direct,” oh and “for our good and Your glory” that find their way into a lot of prayers. I know I’ve got my words too.  Recently at church one of our students prayed and well, I liked it a lot.  It was simple, it was to the point and I believe it was from his heart.  Now that is a good prayer.

When I was a kid we had this prayer that we prayed at dinner.  It, too, was simple and to the point.  You’ve probably prayed it before yourself.  It went something like this, “God is great, God is good, let us thank Him for our food.”  Now some variations went on to say, “By His hands, we are fed. Give us Lord our daily bread.”  Whether it was the longer or the shorter…it was a good prayer.  God is indeed great.  We should not only acknowledge that, but we should believe and live that.  Oh, and indeed God is good. I always like it when I am reminded that not only does God do good…He is good…and every good thing comes down from Him. 

And we mustn’t forget the last of the triplet—let us thank Him for our food.  Did you know that He not only gives us food to eat, He gives us everything else too?  The Bible tells us in Psalm 24:1 that everything belongs to the Lord…the stars, the earth and everything else on the earth. And it also reminds us that since He owns it all we should be grateful that He has decided to share with us.  So it only makes sense that we should remember to thank Him for our food and everything else.  I mean even the air that we breathe was made by Him and we should thank Him for that too.

So, the next time you are in church, you might remember this short story about animal crackers and prayer.  I hope you will remember that each prayer is different and that is more than ok. I hope you will remember that it isn’t how long or short, how big the words are or what the person’s voice sounds like that matters.  What matters is that our heart is focused on Him and whether we are praying or listening to be sure and give our all to Him for those sacred moments. After all, He is great God and He is good and always…He’s got this! Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Family, friends, life, loving others, Scripture, Southern born, travel

I’m Al from the Bronx

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “And I am certain that God, who began the good work within you, will continue his work until it is finally finished on the day when Christ Jesus returns.” Philippians 1:6

It was a fresh breeze from decades ago. One of the things we have enjoyed in our latest foray south has been seeing friends—some from where we live now, some from where we used to live and some from a long time ago.  It has all been very special. A week ago we had lunch with one of those more ancient voices. It was 1983. I was still in the Air Force and pastoring my first full time church. I had about eight months to serve in the Air Force and had began the process of stepping out so I could step into something even bigger—God’s big plan for my wife Judy and I.

As the time for my separation came, the Air Force and I decided that I would leave my current position working directly the the Wing Commander and head down to the Security Police Group to head their administrative area.  It was there that I met Alfonso Pinzonfonseka. Now that spelling is probably not exactly right but you can also probably see why we just called him Al Pinzon. One day he arrived to work in the office I managed and according to him I asked him, “Do you listen to that rock music?” This was followed by an “Aw Son” and probably a “Shoot that thang.” He was a kid from the Bronx and I was a Southern boy so you can see how we instantly hit it off.

Well, the short story is I invited him to church. Since he didn’t drive, and since the church was about eight miles from the base, Judy and I invited him to come and spend the weekend with us. Pretty soon that was a regular routine. Al was kinda tall and our couch was kinda short so it was common for his feet to stick out. To keep this story short, before long I had the privilege of leading Al to become a Jesus follower. Raised Catholic this was a big step for Al. In fact, his New York momma was convinced He had joined a cult.

Like I said, Al didn’t drive, so I taught him and then sold him an older Orange Pinto that we owned to boot. So Al had Jesus, had wheels and soon had a girl friend. Our church pianist was Anita and believe it or not this kid from the Bronx and this girl from rural Missouri hit it off, fell in love and later were married. There is a whole lot more to this story but since our tag line is “short stories with big truths” we had better leave it there.

Now, fast forward thirty-nine years. We find Al and Anita in Fort Lauderdale…just about an hour and a half from where we were staying and decide to meet for lunch—Al and Anita’s treat.  See, that proves some things never change…I can always find a free lunch.  So, we visited for about three hours and it was just wonderful. Perhaps the best part was when Al said, “Dewayne, you literally changed my life. If I hadn’t met you, I wouldn’t have met Jesus. And, I guess you could say he might not have met Anita either. There is so much more to the story but I told Al this, “If this story, your story, was the only one, all these years of pastoring would be worth it.” And that friend is the truth.

So, guess what? Each of us, all of us, probably have a story like this tucked away in our lives. We all have probably made more of a difference than we could ever imagine. So if you ever wonder if it has been worth it—it has. Whether you are a preacher, teacher, factory worker, coal miner and just an ordinary Joe…our lives have touched other lives and only eternity will tell all of the story. If you get discouraged, just have a chat with your Dearest Daddy and asked Him to share what you might not be able to see. He will and then He will remind you that “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Grace, life, Scripture

Braces Not Dentures

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.” Psalm 139:23-24

Dentures…not exactly what I meant to say.  So as a public speaker I have had plenty, and I do mean plenty, of misspeaks. Actually since I wasn’t sure misspeak was a word and given today’s story I decided to check it.  Yup…it is a word and yup…it sure does fit.  A misspeak is when you fail to express yourself insufficiently, clearly, or accurately.  They probably invented that word just for me—or at least people like me.  My most famous misspeak will remain a guarded secret.  Even though it happened very publicly I would rather it not be shared again publicly until my funeral.

Misspeaks can be quite funny.  I had so many at a church I previously pastored that when it was time to move on they came up with a book of “Dewayne-isms.” And fortunately for me most of mine have been funny…just like the one that prompted this story.  I was speaking about the fact that Jesus told His followers up front that a life that included following Him was going to be hard.  He put it like this, “In this world you will have trouble.  But be of good cheer because I have overcome the world.”  There you go…crystal clear.  Too often though you will hear Christian speakers making some pretty big promises on God’s behalf. It usually includes the fact that if we choose to follow Jesus…the rewards are enormous. It is about then that I list a few.  They usually include things like you will never get sick. You will always have a job and never lose said job.  Every promotion at that job is a guaranteed thing and on and on and on. 

Right before I end the list, I always throw the kids in.  They will all be handsome and attractive, be superstar athletes and never, ever need braces.  Well, that is what I meant to say but instead of saying braces, I said dentures. So flying out of mouth came, “And your kids will never need dentures.” Ok, I know and you know that dentures is not even close to braces so where it came from? Who knows?  But it took about one second for the crowd to catch it and have a good laugh.  Of course I corrected it right away and even added a bit to add to the unexpected humor. We all had a good laugh, and I can only imagine the next time braces or dentures come up in a conversation, someone just might say, “I remember when…”

Misspeaks—it is a love/hate relationship and as I said are often quite funny…until it isn’t.  I suppose you, like me, have said things we wish we hadn’t.  It’s the kind of thing that happens when you say something and you instantly wish it hadn’t.  It’s the kind of thing that we call a slip of the tongue but then you wonder, “Where did that come from anyway?”  And these misspeaks can sometimes leave a scar—the size of Texas.  Jesus said one time that these kind of misspeaks come from the heart. He said, “It is out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.”  He was saying that often our words reveal what is lurking in the heart.

Now these are not the funny things we say like dentures and braces, no, these are those unkind and hurtful things we say about people…even those and often those…close to us. Typical topics can include weight, appearance, fashion, cooking, housekeeping, oh, and the need for dentures…I mean braces.  You might be wondering, “How do I prevent these things from happening?”  Well, speaking of housecleaning, maybe we need to do some “heart-cleaning.”  The best way to keep the tongue under control is to keep our heart under control. There is a scripture in the Old Testament that says, “Search me, God, and know my heart; test me and know my concerns. See if there is any offensive way in me; lead me in the everlasting way.”

Boom…there you go.  We need to ask God to give us a day-by-day heart checkup and if He finds anything that doesn’t belong there…ask Him to take care of it.   Often that will include leading you down a different path…a better path…a right path.  One thing I have learned about God is that He really does want to help us do the right thing…including managing our hurtful misspeaks.  If you are like me and sometimes struggle with what you say, just ask and He will help you…every time…anytime.  He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Grace, Integrity, life, Scripture, spiritual battles, Uncategorized

Inside and Out: Bumping Vs Mapping

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

“But the Lord said to Samuel, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” 1 Samuel 16:7 

They sure looked alike. A while back I told you about a robot vacuum we had bought that would help clean our house. It was really quite amazing. It was rechargeable and even knew when it was time to go home and get recharged. I think most amazing of all was the fact that it would “map” our house, remembering how each room was laid out and where it had already been and where it needed to go. Well, all good things have to come to an end. After about a year, we noticed that her charge didn’t last as long as it had before. Instead of running about an hour it would go for about 30 or 40 minutes and then it would simply announce that it was going home to recharge.

I quickly figured out that her time at the Taylor house was limited and we were right. Suddenly, and without warning, she would just—die. Instead of going home we would find her in the middle of the floor deader than a doornail. We would carry her back to the charging station and while she would eventually come back to life—it was never for very long. It was time to look for a replacement.

I went to eBay (an online shopping site) to find what we needed. Before long I found what appeared to be her sister, same brand and almost the same model—in fact—it was a new model. The price was right, I placed the order and in about a week she was sitting in our living room. We charged her up and mashed the go button. Well, rather quickly we realized that something was very different about this one. She didn’t seem to know where to go and would often go over the same area again and again. She would bump into something and then randomly turn.  We figured out soon, to use a historical quote, “Uh, Houston, we have a problem.”

We thought she was defective but in fact she wasn’t. It turned out that while they looked alike on the outside they were in fact radically different inside. Our first friend had a feature called “mapping.” This enabled it to learn the layout of our rooms. It knew where to go, it knew where it had been, and it knew where home was. It wasted little time uselessly bumping and running into things. The new one was wired totally different. It had what the company called, “bump technology.” Call it what you want but the truth was it it just about useless. So as it turned out it may have looked the same, it may have sounded the same, it may have had the same name but inside it was different. Inside.It.Was.Different.

You might know where this is going but let me help. What is true about our two vacuum friends is true about people. When it comes to Jesus, what really matters is not the outside, though that is important, what matters is what Jesus has done on the inside. Religion can dress up the outside but only Jesus can change what matters—and what is the inside—the heart. In God’s opinion the heart always trumps appearance.  That is what God told Samuel, the preacher in the Old Testament, when He said, “Don’t judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The Lord doesn’t see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the Lord looks at the heart.” It was true then and it is true now.

So if you are in the market for a robot vacuum, be sure and read all about it. And as you do life, remember, don’t waste time bumping into walls instead let Jesus map your life by giving you a new heart. You won’t regret it and you will quickly find out that, “He’s got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, Integrity, life

Watch the Small Print

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “Throw all your anxiety onto Him, because He cares about you.” — 1 Peter 5:7

Just pay a separate fee.  I’m a big fan of the infomercials on television that you see all the time.  Oh, I’m not interested in the products and I don’t like the way they interrupt my viewing times.  No…I like them because they are just hilarious.  As you watch them, it is as if they were the first on the planet to discover the fountain of youth and it is always something that I just can’t live without.  And, it is like they are my very best friend.  They like me so much they are offering a deal that is just for me.

Sometimes it’s a garden hose that expands like crazy when connected or shrinks up like a snake when it is isn’t.  Or maybe it is some miracle herbal supplement that is guaranteed to make me lose weight, or gain weight, or grow hair or remove hair from where you don’t want it.  Regardless—they all carry a money back guarantee.  If you don’t like it…just send it back—minus shipping and handling and your first born.

My favorites are the ones that offer you two instead of one. That’s right folks because we like you so much, we are going to send you two of these amazing products—just let us know—and, of course, pay a separate fee. Wait. What?  If I am paying a separate fee isn’t that like walking into a donut shop advertising buy one, get one free and still paying for both?  Or maybe going into Best Buy and them saying we are not going to sell you one television today but two. All you have to do is pay a separate fee. That is called two for the price of two.

Then of course there is the small print.  On most screens there are like fifteen lines of extremely small print.  We are going to send you a two-week supply of this amazing product that will cause you to grow six inches overnight—and it is free.  What you can’t read is the small print that says if you don’t cancel in five minutes and speak fluent Swahili then the deal is off.  I remember we were driving back from somewhere on a trip listening to a radio show that I trusted.  They were offering a two-week supply of this amazing herbal deal that would help me lose weight.  Well, I needed to lose weight and there was no risk, right?  Well, a month later I was fighting a $69.99 charge on my credit card.  Oh, the small print.

I saw a commercial recently for those amazing HD Tactical Sunglasses on television.  They made them sound like they would cause the blind to see. Oh well, I bought some at a local store and they didn’t exactly live up to all the hype.  In fact they were so dark I couldn’t see anything—in HD, SD or any other D. They are in the car waiting for a return trip to the store.  The bottom line is if it sounds too good to be true…it probably is.  And it seems the more the hype—the greater the chance that it is full of hot air and not so true promises…except one.

The exception to this rule is one you won’t find on television.  That one exception is God. Here’s the deal.  He never makes a promise He won’t keep and He’s not big on the small print.  He lays it all out and there is no separate fee.  In fact, His gift of love and forgiveness comes prepaid—no shipping and no handling. I need to be honest and tell you that sometimes folks speaking for God like to make promises on His dime and then God gets the bad rap when it doesn’t happen.  But there’s an answer for that too.  Just get a copy of His Word and check it out for yourself.  Like I said…He lays it out and it is a deal you just shouldn’t pass up.

As we begin this New Year, here’s some more great advice.  First, record your favorite shows and watch them later when you can fast forward through the commercials.  You can save yourself a chunk of time and, in fact, if you are tempted by those outrageous claims in the commercials, a few bucks too. Second, tune in to God.  He’s good, He’s faithful and He can be trusted.  Notice, by the way, that I didn’t say religion—I said God.  He has a great no extra fee offer.  He says, “Throw all your anxiety onto me, because I care about you.” And do you know what?  He really does.  There is nothing that He and you are going to face that He can’t handle.  Rest assured, “He’s got this.”   Bro. Dewayne

Posted in communication, fear, Grace, Integrity, life, Scripture, spiritual battles

Trust the Truth

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 “For the word of God is alive and powerful. It is sharper than the sharpest two-edged sword.” Hebrews 4:12a

On your mark, get set, go. Today is Monday.  While not the first day of the week, that honor is set aside for Sunday, for many it is the first day of their work week. But wait—this week there is sometime way bigger.  Wednesday is January 1st, the start of a new month and, wait for it, the start of another New Year.

In Psalm 118:24, we are reminded that, “this is the day the Lord has made.” We are also told what we are to do with that truth, “We will rejoice and be glad in it.” He makes each day and we get to celebrate each day. So if God is the author of each day then He is also the author of each week, month, and year and we should celebrate each one.

One of the best ways to celebrate all this newness is by reading and celebrating God’s Word. I cannot, we cannot, overstate the importance of God’s Word to each and every Jesus follower. You see, reading, studying, meditating and ingesting God’s Word is vital to our intimacy with our Abba Father—our Dearest Daddy. God’s Word is our weapon to fight against our arch enemy Satan. The Word is alive, active, and sharper than any two-edged sword. But wait there is more. When we hide Scripture in our heart, it helps us battle with the forces of evil. We have an enemy, and the last thing he wants us to do is trust God and His Word.

You can take this to the bank. Our spiritual enemy wants to keep us in a place of doubt, fear, guilt, shame and insecurity. But when we know who we are, children of the Most High God, we can confidently demolish every lie that distracts us. Jesus said of Satan, “He has always hated the truth, because there is no truth in him. When he lies, it is consistent with his character; for he is a liar and the father of lies.” Don’t miss that—no truth in him. Just think, whatever comes out of Satan is a lie so we must be careful to believe nothing he says.

I was reading one day and came across this list of some common lies we’ve all believed, and the truth we need to remember to overcome them. These powerful truths will help equip us  and help us to overcomer the enemy this year.

Satan Says — You are a failure, and can’t do anything right.

God Says — You may struggle, but you can do all things through Christ who gives you strength. (Philippians 4:13)

Satan Says – If God cared, why would He let these hardships happen to you?  

God Says — I cause everything to work together for My glory and My good (Romans 8:28). My grace is sufficient for you, and My power is perfected through your weakness. (2 Corinthians 12:9)

Satan Says — You will always be the way you are.

God Says — You can change because you belong to Christ. The old you has gone and the new you is here (2 Corinthians 5:17)!

Think through the lies you’ve believed. Unfortunately the list is probably longer than we want to admit. It’s easier to entertain lies when we allow them to become a part of us. But once you recognize the lies you’ve internalized, you’re halfway to victory. God gave us His Word so that we could know the truth …  and it’s His truth that sets us free.  As we launch into this New Year, let’s start living more like the conquerors we are, and apply the life-giving, hope-delivering truth provided to us through God’s Word. Let’s make the commitment to live and believe that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Christmas, communication, food, friends, life, loving others, missions, Scripture, thankful, travel

Scoops Not Spoons

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

 Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.”

 It was sure more than I was expecting. So a week or so ago a group of folks from several local churches loaded up a couple of vans and headed to Atlanta, Georgia to work at one of the Operation Christmas Child processing centers. On our work day our shift was seven hours and I can tell you two things. First, it is a long seven hours. We go to work and we do work. Our station consists of two people checking the boxes for donations (funds can’t go overseas—that’s a big deal for customs). Four people then check the boxes for an inappropriate items—candy, food, war toys, toy guns and the like—once again things customs frown on. Oh and by the way, you might be wondering what happens to all those item. They are donated to local ministries that don’t have to worry about customs! Oh also by the way…those four people are the last people to touch the inside of the boxes before the child opens it in their country…what a privilege. Then two people tape each box and four people (two scanning the packing codes and two placing the boxes in their shipping cartons.) There you go…a lot of great team work makes it all happen.

Well, our shift was over so we took our traditional team photograph in front of the OCC Christmas tree and shortly after we headed to the bus—a little weary but with a deep sense of satisfaction. We were definitely the hands and feet of Jesus. This year right in front of the processing center was a Culver’s and if you know anything about Culver’s you know they serve delicious ice cream. One of our team members loves ice cream—especially chocolate ice cream. When our shift was done, she headed straight to Culver’s. As a little God wink the flavor of the day turned out to be Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch. She was smiling from ear to ear.

When I saw her heading for the door, she said she was going to Culver’s. I said to her, from a short distance, “Be sure and get two spoons.” The implication was I was going to steal a bite or two. So as I approached the bus, here she came and in her hands was not one cup of Dark Chocolate Peanut Butter Crunch but two! She said, “Here you go mister bus driver.” Now I was smiling from ear to ear. Of course I graciously thanked her and that was when she said, “Well, you said to get you two scoops too. It was then that I had to laugh because what I said and what she heard was two different things and her version was so much better. I didn’t get a couple of bites but a couple of scoops. She had accidentally blessed me more than I could imagine.

At that moment I realized that this is exactly like God. You see, time and again, God gives us more than we could even know to ask for. Is there a verse for that? You bet. Ephesians 3:20 says, “Now all glory to God, who is able, through His mighty power at work within us, to accomplish infinitely more than we might ask or think.” How about that—more than we might ask or think. I hope this will be a game changer for us. We need to understand that God is anything but stingy—He is an abundant God—just waiting to give not only more than we can imagine but also what is just right for us. I love that—a lot. Imagine that, a “I’ve got this” God who just loves to bless us. Bro. Dewayne