Category: forgiveness

Posted in forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, Military memories, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials, wisdom

Teach Me to Abide

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from Me you can do nothing.” John 15:5

It is a beautiful song. Music has long played a major part in my life. Oh, it’s not that I am way talented and can play multiple instruments it more that I just love music. There are only a few types of music that cause me to push away…most seem to draw me in…move my soul. And trust me…I count it as a gift. I can stomp my foot with the best at a good country song and marvel at the harmony of a gifted bluegrass group. I love the blending of voices of southern gospel and barbershop. Music can cause my memories to soar as John Denver belts out Rocky Mountain High and another pair sings about laughter in the rain.

Even as I write this I’m smiling. During my one winter in Minot, North Dakota (courtesy of the United States Air Force) only one guy had a car, and we would stuff it full every two weeks on payday and would drive the twenty miles into town for two cheeseburgers, a fry, and a coke at McDonald’s. Two things were gimmes on the trip.  We would play “freeze out—rolling down all the windows with the thermometer hovering at ten degrees as long as we could stand it. The other was all of us singing at the top of our voices the hits of the day—especially John Denver singing about country roads that one day would take us home.

Take.Us.Home. Nothing stirs my soul more than songs about a God who loves me more than any words can express and one day will take me home. I’ve come to realize that music is the best language to encourage a broken heart and a longing soul. I was at a conference a couple of months ago and bumped into one of those game changing songs.  The worship team sang a song called, “Abide.” It is a mellow but hopeful song about God and how He watches over us in our day by day walk about life. One of the many key thoughts is based on what Jesus said in John 15:5. The songwriter put it this way, “You’re the Way the Truth and the Life, You’re the well that never runs dry, I’m the branch and You are the Vine, draw me close and teach me to abide.” How lovely…how thoughtful…how moving.

I love to go to YouTube and watch and listen as Arron Williams passionately sings these words. In the room with him is a guy playing keyboards. I watch as his fingers dance over the keys. Also in the room is a woman playing the cello. Oh my, at her command the rich tones fill the room and cause me to worship. Finally, there is the lead vocalist playing the guitar and artfully singing the beautiful lyrics.  All of this comes together and soothes my heart. This is a song I shared with my sister who was battling cancer and a dear friend who is also doing the same. She loved it, he loves it, and I love it too.

One of my favorite lines in the song says, “When I pass through death, as I enter rest, I depend on You, I depend on You. For eternal life to be raised with Christ…I depend on You, I depend on You. What wonderful words of promise. We will all face death one day but each one of us who knows Jesus will not stay there…we will pass through…depending on Him. So, I hope you too will discover or rediscover the world of music…especially the wonder of worship.  Allow it to teach you, fresh and renew the truth that, “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Abide (with lyrics)  https://youtu.be/BLDEt9KP2O0

Abide (live video) https://youtu.be/BA-Wi4fdcVE

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, gratitude, life, love, loving others, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, travel, Trials, wisdom

Mountains or Monuments

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Where there is no vision, the people perish.” Proverbs 29:18

It was on my bucket list. I confess…I am a pretty big fan of America. I mean, even with all of its warts, and there are plenty, with all its flaws, surely a bucket full, it is the best place to call home. Over the years I have visited over twenty-five countries—some in Europe, some in Asia and some in Africa. Some were affluent, some were poor, and some were somewhere in between. All had something to offer but none
could match this land I call home. While some of my visits were brief, my wife Judy and I lived three years in Germany and the final word was…wait for it…home is better… there is and was no place like home.
I think the secret to learning to appreciate where you live is to learn to look for the good and not bad, the whole and not the broken. The way we look at things can vastly change how we experience things. A few days ago, I mentioned a quote from a movie that I had watched which, by the way, was based on a true story. The guy said, “There are two ways to live—either nothing is a miracle, or everything is a miracle.” He opted for the latter and I think I will too.


Last year, we were out west on a trip with part of our tribe. The main, but not only, destination was to see Mount Rushmore. I’ve seen a chunk of America, but I hadn’t seen that…and yes, it was on my bucket list. So, the day came. As we drove toward the monument, suddenly, around a curve we were face to face, if you will, with Washington, Roosevelt, Jefferson and Lincoln and it was amazing. We parked the car and frankly, the closer we got, the more amazing it became.
This great tribute to America (no, it wasn’t just a tribute to four men) took over fourteen years to build. As you keep in mind it was about ninety years ago, you begin to appreciate the vision, work, and skill that it took to turn a mountain into a monument. I was amazed to learn that many of the workers, who often had 12 hours days, were paid about $14 dollars…a week. Those were hard times, and they were grateful to have a job. But for many…the job became a passion…a mission…a cause to believe in.


Somewhere along the journey, they stopped seeing a mountain and began to see presidents. Somewhere along the journey they began to see what Gutzon Borglum saw. While the project wasn’t his idea (that belongs to a guy named Doane Robinson) he was the one that chose that mountain. The quality of the stone led him there and, honestly, where others saw just a mountain, he saw presidents. He.Saw.Presidents.

So, perhaps, just perhaps, it does matter what we see around us. Perhaps if we choose to see miracles…or like Borglum to see monuments where others see just a block of stone, perhaps we can help make this world a better place. Perhaps our lives, regardless of our messy circumstances, will take on a deeper meaning and a deeper purpose. Perhaps if we learn that it is not about us but about others…things will change…for the better.


One of the writers in the Old Testament part of the Bible said that when people don’t have a vision, when they choose to see desolation rather than miracles, well, they perish. It is true individually and it is true corporately. If we are going to see a better world, two things need to happen. First, we need to learn not to just see a mountain but what that mountain can become. Secondly, and this one is for God followers, we need to believe again that with God nothing is impossible. As we stand on the edge of the new normalcy, with that stinking COVID in the rearview mirror, let’s choose to believe again. And why stop there? Why don’t we determine to see presidents where others see mountains and believe that “He’s got this.” Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, gratitude, Integrity, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, sovereignty of God, Trials

Hard Prayers…Harder Prayers

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.” Romans 9:2-3

There are prayers and then there are hard prayers. I sometimes think that prayer is one of the most misunderstood things in the Bible.  A casual glance at prayer can give a person the wrong impression of prayer…and I get it. Several times in the gospels and in Paul’s writings we get the idea that all we need to do is ask and God will grant our every wish. While I am certain I don’t fully understand all the ins and outs of prayer, I’m pretty sure that isn’t the way it works.

The other morning, I was having some Jesus time, and I was giving prayer my best shot. A friend of mine who is struggling with life crossed my mind. He is a great guy but if life was a baseball game, the score would be dramatically in the other team’s favor. So, I decided to pray and pray a little more boldly than normal. Because I care for him and his family, I prayed a big but hard prayer.  It went something like this, “Lord, I thank you for Steve, but he is so struggling with life.” That was the easy part—then it got harder.  I said, “Lord, I am asking you to do whatever is necessary to bring him home to you and not only him but his wife and children.” Wow…that was a pretty strong prayer.

I knew I was releasing God (not that He needs releasing) and in fact was asking God to work in a way that could be good…but might well be difficult.  That is the kind of prayer that just might not be appreciated…especially by the person you are praying for.  But here’s what I knew—the most important thing in life, and in his life, and in their life, is God’s redemptive work.  Even with all those good intentions…it was a hard prayer. But then…it got harder.

Part two of this prayer time was even harder and it was unplanned and for the most part unexpected. I began to pray this, “Lord, I want you to do whatever is necessary in my life” and it was just about then I paused.  Dare I continue, dare I pray this prayer.  Well, I did continue, “Lord, I want you to do whatever is necessary in my life to bring my friend Steve home to you, and his wife, and his kids.” Whoa.  Did I really pray for that? Well, I did and I’m not too sure it didn’t frighten me. But I just knew that love demands those kinds of prayers.

Well, that is where I left it with God. When I get brave enough, I will probably pray the same again..and again. I’m reminded of something that Paul, the guy in the Bible, said about the Jewish people. He said, “My heart is filled with bitter sorrow and unending grief for my people, my Jewish brothers and sisters. I would be willing to be forever cursed—cut off from Christ!—if that would save them.” Wow…I can’t imagine saying that, much less praying that.  That is a bold, love filled prayer.

So, if you have a prayer life and list, why not check, and see how your list looks.  Is it a wish list or bold list—prayers for you or prayers for others? We probably won’t totally figure this prayer thing out this side of heaven but until then, we can trust the One to whom we pray.  After all, He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, prayer, Scripture, Trials

Not a Good Night

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Proverbs 12:18

There is pain and then there is pain. We know that some people can be a pain in the neck…or worse. We also know about different levels of pain. There is the pain a woman must bear to bring a new life into the world.  There is the pain that a person endures when they have a kidney stone.  There is the pain of being hit by a semi-truck going sixty-five miles an hour.  And then there is the pain I experienced one night.

My wife Judy and I go to bed at different times, but we are usually within a few minutes of each other.  So, it is not uncommon for one or the other to walk into a dark room.  It’s not a big deal, really, because we have a light in the hallway that casts a little light into the dark room.  And perhaps that is the reason we do it.  “It” is we put a small pillow or some other something in the doorway to keep the door from closing all the way.  It is more a habit than anything though in the summer it ensures good air circulation. And that night, it was a setup for a painful good night.

Judy was in bed and the room was dark.  Uncharacteristically, the door was closed all the way so when I entered the room I couldn’t see very well. I knew she was still awake, so I asked her, “Where’s the pillow?” It was understood I wasn’t talking about the one for our heads but the one for the door.  I believe she responded, “I don’t know.”  Well, I looked in the dimly lit one side of the room and could see it wasn’t there.  So, I began to walk over to the dark side of the room and that, dear friends, is when it happened.

As I walked over, in the dark, to look for the pillow that should have been in the doorway, I hit…no, I sledgehammered, my shin and foot into the end of the bed frame. Let me explain.  Our bed frame is designed so you can attach a footboard if you want to.  Well, a long time ago we wanted to and then one day we removed it because we didn’t want to.  That left the bracket just sitting there waiting to cause pain. Part of the bracket got my foot and part of it got my shin. And when flesh collided with iron…it hurt, and it hurt bad.

I’ve never had a baby, but I have had several kidney stones.  I’ve never been slammed by a semi-truck going sixty-five, but I am almost certain that none of that hurt as badly as my shin and foot did.  I hollered…maybe even screamed! I hollered, well, I’ve already said that, and then I blamed…not me, not the iron frame but poor Judy.  My pain filled logic was it had to be her fault because she didn’t put the pillow in the door. Well, I did find the stinking pillow and I did put it in the stinking door. And I did one more thing.

As my shin and foot throbbed, as Judy apologized for what clearly wasn’t her fault and as she prayed for God to take the pain away…I realized I needed to apologize…and I did.  It was all fine in a few minutes as we drifted off to sleep…gratefully not mad.  Well, the next morning I looked at the wounds again and there were two gashes and one bruise. Ouch.  Did I mention a semi-truck doing sixty-five miles an hour or having a baby?  Judy stuck her head in my home office a little later and I showed her the bruise and apologized one more time for good measure…and I meant it.

This unfortunate encounter caused me to realize that we must be careful about pain. You see, whether it is emotional or physical, when we are filled with pain we can say or do things we later regret.  Someone said that hurt people hurt people. I know that is mostly speaking of emotional pain and scars, but it is also true when our foot and shin are sledgehammered into the bed frame. In addition to fixing or removing the problem, we need to plan, to practice how we are going to respond when pain walks into the room—or when we walk into pain. We need to plan, or practice hitting the pause button or yanking on the emergency brake of our words. If we do maybe we will stop before we let our hurt—hurt others.

Solomon, one of the wisest men to ever live, wrote in Proverbs, “Reckless words pierce like a sword, but the tongue of the wise brings healing.” Those are certainly wise words from a very wise man, but it is encouraging to know that even he didn’t always get it right. And guess what? Despite our best efforts, we won’t either.  But the good news is that when we don’t there is a graceful God who’s just waiting to forgive us and help us.  So, the next time you run into pain, hang on–He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, loving others, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful, Trials

Unkept-the Look

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” Proverbs 4:23

It was unkept…but it was cool. Ok, let’s just lay it out there.  I am just a tad on the old school side.  I was a teenager in the late sixties and early seventies with a daddy who wasn’t fond of anything countercultural—and that included longer hair.  That was phase one.  Phase two was twelve years in the United States Air Force.  They and my Daddy would have gotten along well since they weren’t fond of anything countercultural either.  Phase three was being a Baptist pastor.  Back in the days, Baptists were pretty much not fond of anything countercultural either.  Suits and ties were the norm and facial hair was basically a no-no.  So, you can probably understand that I wrestle with some of the new fashion norms. It’s not that I don’t like them—it’s just that I don’t understand some of them.

As an example, part of my morning routine is having a time with God.  Part of that is watching a short video of someone speaking.  This morning it was a pretty successful young pastor from somewhere.  As the video began, I noticed a couple of things.  First, his hair had the now fashionable “unkept” look.  It was like he got out of bed, ran his fingers through his hair and went to work.  Again, that’s cool.  Hang with me.  Second, he sported the wildly popular beard stubble look.  I mean if you don’t have a stubble… you’re not ready to rumble.  He had a good stubble.  Hey, that’s cool.  I wish the Air Force had discovered that when I was in. Again, the cool “unkept” look.

Another fashion statement with the “unkept” look are jeans with holes in them.  They are crazy poplar.  When I was growing up jeans with holes were tossed out and people who wore them were poor.  Now, people pay big bucks to have jeans with holes.  Hey, just buy a regular pair and give them four years—bam—another cool “unkept” look.  And you save a few bucks.  Another “unkept” look that is popular with the “we don’t own an iron” crowd is the wrinkled look.  You just grab your shirt or whatever and throw it on and you are in. Again, totally cool—totally in.

I’ve even seen this in yards.  There are folks who have unkept yards because they just don’t like to mow grass or trim their yards but there is another group that simply loves that look.  To them unkept is “unkept—the cool kind.”  To some folks an “unkept” yard is all about nature.  I really liked that when I was young—my Daddy did not.  It just wasn’t his thing.

So, what’s up?  Well, through the years different things have come and gone.  It’s just the way culture works.  Things are fashionable for a while, and they move on.  I know there was a time I couldn’t imagine preaching without a tie.  I even said one time that I didn’t think I could preach without a tie.  Nowadays, I usually preach with an open collar.  Things change.  Right now, “unkept” is cool and one day it probably won’t be and I’m good with it either way.  But wait.

While “unkept” is cool, fashion wise…it is not cool or healthy to like an “unkept” life.  You ask, “What is that?”  It is a life that is lived solely in the moment.  In the sixties it was the “if it feels good, do it” thing and each decade has had its version of that thought pattern.  But the bottom line is that when we live “unkept” lives there are usually consequences and regrets.  I said this morning to my wife Judy that “success is not accidental, it is intentional.”  That almost sounds deep.  I also think that God’s peace, and joy, and happiness, and a host of other things that make life worth living aren’t accidental either…they are intentional.

For me, as a Jesus follower, that intentionality involves checking in with God on a regular basis to see what He thinks about my day…my life.  For me it is a daily dose of His Book, the Bible. Trust me on this one…there is a reason why it remains one of the best-selling books of all time.  The truths and teachings of Jesus are found in the second part, the New Testament, and they were groundbreaking two thousand years ago and they still are today.

Ok, so I don’t know if I will ever do the “unkept” thing or not.  It took me a long time to figure out I could teach without a tie.  But I do know this. When it comes to life, a “kept” life is just better—fewer consequences—fewer regrets.  That is probably why the Book says, “Guard your heart above all else, for it is the source of life.” God really wants what is best for us…He loves us that much.  If you find yourself in an “unkept” mess, just remember that He is there waiting and no matter what it is, “He’s got this.”

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, prayer, Scripture, Trials

The Cat’s Meow

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” James 1:5

“Dewayne, we have a problem.” It was Judy and it was what greeted me as I was going to the garage to get something I needed.  I think I know how it must have felt when the crew of Apollo 13 uttered those now famous words, “Houston…we have a problem.” I had started painting our upstairs bathroom. You need to know I am no Michelangelo, and this was not going to be a Mona Lisa. Into those throes the news came.  “We” have a problem.

I quickly explained to Judy that I didn’t have time for a problem.  My paint was drying and some of it was in the wrong place, like the floor.  She told me there was a cat trapped in her car.  Wait.  What?  Well, the night before she had told me she saw a cat go in our garage and I should check before I closed it up for the night.  About 9.30, I went out and did the “here, Kitty, Kitty” thing, shined my flashlight around in the corners and such.  No cat. “Good.” I said.  Or not.

It turns out our homeless friend didn’t move on—he moved in.  The crazy part was that it took up residence in the engine compartment of her car.  Silly cat.  I was going to say, “Stupid cat” but I thought you might think me harsh.  So anyway, I left the drying paint in the bathroom to attempt a rescue.  It was about then that I discovered why it is so expensive to work on Volkswagen cars.  You open the hood only to discover that every square inch is stuffed with something.  And somewhere in all of that was the cat.  Silly cat.

A friend was there with Judy and all three of us looked and prodded, we called and cooed and nothing except the occasional meow of the cat. Judy volunteered to look if I jacked up the car to see if we could see anything from underneath.  I did and she couldn’t.  It was time to call in the calvary.  I called my neighbor Jared who manages a local tire place.  Surely, he would have an idea.  As we waited for him to come, we continued to prod and poke, coo and call.  In my sweetest voice I kept saying, “Hey silly cat, come here silly cat.”  I wanted to say stupid cat, but I was trying to be Christian about this whole deal.

Then it happened.  The cat, who turned out to be the cutest kitten south of Chicago wiggled out of its tight spot and ran to the corner of the garage.  Quickly, I moved from poking and prodding under the hood to poking and prodding in the corner filled with stuff we didn’t need.  Cute or not, this kitten was about to mash my button. Not to bore you with details but four grown adults spent the next ten minutes chasing this cute little silly cat from one corner of the garage to the other.  From behind the washer and dryer to the corner of no return we played hide and seek. Finally, the cute little kitten saw the light of day, ran through our friends’ hands and legs and out the door.  Game. Set. Match.

The cute little silly kitten was on the run and that was all that mattered.  Jared went back to work; the ladies went on with life and I went upstairs to scrape dried paint off the floor, and I know I heard this kitten laughing from across the street.  What is up with all this?   Surely the kitten knew better.  Surely, he or she knew the danger of living under the hood of a car. Probably not.  To the cute little kitten, it was just a place to hide.

You see the kitten wasn’t silly and the kitten wasn’t stupid. The kitten just lacked experience.  It was naive. It hadn’t lived long enough to understand the dangers of parked cars/garage living.  And do you know what?  That is true of a lot of us. Solomon, the wisest guy to ever live, wrote in Proverbs, “I saw among the inexperienced, I noticed among the youths, a young man lacking sense.”  And the crazy part was that it had nothing to do with age.  We have all made some crazy decisions at one time or another. Too often we just throw common sense to the wind and well, we end up with a train wreck.

The good news is that God is in the train wreck avoidance business.  That’s what led the half-brother of Jesus to write in James 1:5, “Now if any of you lacks wisdom, he should ask God—who gives to all generously and ungrudgingly—and it will be given to him.” If we did that one simple thing we could avoid a lot of painful situations.  Just stop for a moment, ask God if this is the wise thing to do, and wait for an answer.  By the way, silence might be the answer, so don’t miss it.

Well, I hope our cute little kitten found a new place to live and hopefully it wasn’t in someone’s engine compartment.  And I hope we will learn to trust a wise, loving Father to give us the wisdom we need to live better lives with fewer regrets and better consequences.  You know He loves you, don’t you?  He wants you to come to Him and rest in the safety of His arms.  He wants you to know He has this.  And He does.  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, Integrity, life, loving others, prayer, pride, school days, Scripture, Southern born, thankful, Trials

Crime of the Century

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

As Jesus went on from there, He saw a man named Matthew sitting at the toll booth, and He said to him, “Follow me,” and he got up and followed Him.” Matthew 9:9 (CSB)

It was the crime of the century.  Somewhere right around the time I was learning how to cut watermelon with a butcher knife, I was learning how to be a criminal.  I already had the regular sin thing down by then.  I could be jealous, tell a lie, be angry, be envious and be selfish—yup I was a pretty good sinner.  But one day, one ordinary day, I became a thief.  I became the “Al Capone” of 6008 Carlton Road.

My mom was the Girls Auxiliary teacher at the church we attended.  It was a class that taught girls about God and missions.  As part of the class, they would bring their change, and put it in one of those small, metal world globes.  Momma, to keep it safe, brought the globe home and one day, one ordinary day, I decided to steal.

My plan was never to take all the money—that would be too obvious.  I wanted just enough to go to the store and buy a water gun.  So, one day, Momma and my sisters left, and I was in the house by myself.  I went and took the globe to our porch and with a butter knife I began to fish the money out of the globe.  Nickels, dimes, and quarters fell to the floor.  When I got what I wanted I put the globe back and collected my booty. I don’t remember if I felt remorse, but I did feel fear.  “What if?” I said.

So, later, Daddy went to the store, and I tagged along.  I went back to the toys and picked up my water gun and bought it.  Now those were the days when kids didn’t have money laying around, so Daddy asked, “Where did you get the money to buy the water gun?”  I panicked but quickly and efficiently covered the crime with a lie.  “Oh, I found it.” I replied.  Found it indeed.

The only thing I remember from that point on is going back to the crime scene and making sure I had found all the coins that had fallen to the floor.  I didn’t find any, but I did find something else.  More fear and a burden of guilt.  I don’t remember how the story ended.  I don’t remember confessing, I know I didn’t replace the money, and I know it still bothers me to this day.  I bet Momma is going to have some questions when I get to heaven.  The cat is out of the bag.

So, along with being a regular sinner, I fell into stealing from God and lying to my Daddy—and probably my Momma.  Thankfully, somewhere down the road, I also became forgiven. It’s too long of a story to share here but when I was 13, I was plunged into grace.  I threw aside an unhealthy dose of religion and got a relationship with the God of the universe and beyond.  And do you know what?  That sin, and all my other sins, were forgiven, eradicated, erased, and thrown away. Amazing.

So, put your rocks down.  You might be wondering, “How can a professional criminal that stole from God be a Christian—much less a preacher?” That is the wonder, mystery, and power of God’s love.  You see, the worst sinners in the days of Jesus were tax collectors.  They were professional thieves who betrayed their friends and country men to the Romans.  Matthew was one of those. He was sitting at his collection table taking people for a ride.  Then it happened.

Jesus walks up to this most unlikely person and says, “Follow me.” The other followers’ jaws dropped, the Pharisees nearly threw-up and Matthew, well, he stood up, left it all behind and followed Jesus.  And, like they say, the rest is history.

I don’t know what your story is like—maybe you’re a lot better than me—maybe a lot worse.  Let me tell you what I know—God loves you and wants you in His family.  If you are willing to turn from your sin and follow Him, He will forgive your sins and give you a new past and a new future.

You see God can handle all this stuff we are in.  Crazy days and crazy sin doesn’t faze Him.  He can handle your circumstances—and your sin, no matter how much you resemble Matthew or Al Capone.  Come to Him today, rest in Him today.  He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, fear, forgiveness, friends, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, sovereignty of God, spring, thankful

Larry, Barry, Harry, Terry, Ralph, and Bubba

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

If the whole body were an eye, where would the hearing be? If the whole body were an ear, where would the sense of smell be? But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as he wanted.” (1 Corinthians 12:17-18)

The geese in our city park and I are occasionally on a first name basis. There are two kinds of geese in the park.  Almost all of them are standard, brownish geese.  Then there are also four or five white snow geese.  Now trust me on this.  In the past the snow geese and the regular geese just didn’t like each other.  But something must have happened.

Let me tell you what happened one day. First, there were several of the standard brownish geese families.  They were teaching the kids about swimming, eating, how to potty on the walking path…you know the standard things.  But then there was something else happening.  There were four white geese and they had like five babies, and they were one big happy family. I’m sure there was a mom and a dad but there was also at least an aunt and an uncle.  They were all doing their family thing.  But hang on.

There was also a pair of standard brownish geese, and they had babies.  What was different was they had two brown babies and a baby that obviously came from the snow geese. No really.  I’m thinking they adopted one.  And you know what?  They treated him just like the rest.  But that wasn’t quite the end of the story either.  So, there was a pair of standard brownish geese, and they had five brown babies.  They were so cute.  I think their names were probably like Larry, Barry, Harry, Terry, and Ralph.  Anyway, there’s one more thing.

There was one of the big snow geese in the family mix.  He obviously had to be a distant, and I mean distant, relative.  But he was one tough dude.  The little babies were on the sidewalk and mom and dad were standing there.  Usually, when I would walk by a family, the dad would hiss at me, and I would act afraid.  I wasn’t but I was hoping it would make him feel better.  Anyway, mom and dad were casual—no deal.

But then there was the snow goose named Bubba.  I mean when I got close, he puffed his chest out, stretched his neck, glared at me and gave me his best manly hiss.  You know the kind those big cobra snakes do in India. The hair stood up on the back of my neck and on my arms and I kept moving.  I don’t know who Bubba was, but he likes his family—brown or not—a lot.

You know, the more I thought about it…the more I thought it wasn’t weird at all.  I thought maybe that’s exactly how it is supposed to be.  The geese, regardless of their feather color, came together, formed a family and a community and were doing life.  Everyone seemed happy to me.  Well, all except Bubba.  He had an attitude, but I think even that was because he loved and cared for the others.

Someone once said it takes a village to raise a child.  It takes all kinds of people to make life work.  And do you know what?  It takes all kinds to make God’s family work too. If you go to church, you know sometimes it can get just a little bumpy. Someone doesn’t like this or doesn’t like that.  Someone wears the wrong thing or not enough of the right thing.  Someone thinks things are too loud or too soft or too hot or too cold. Well, I think we need to take a lesson from the guys and gals at the park.

In the Bible Paul wrote that things would be weird if a body was one giant ear or one giant eye.  If we were all the same, we would just be in a hot mess.  It takes every part—every person—being themselves and doing what God designed them to do.  And do you know what else it says?  It says in 1 Corinthians 12:18 “But as it is, God has arranged each one of the parts in the body just as He wanted.”  As.He.wanted.  That means that the person that you just love at church was put there by God.  And it also means the person who irritates you the most was put there too.  And perhaps they are there just for you.

Of all God’s creations, the church, His body, is one of His most beautiful.  A flower garden is made beautiful not in its sameness but in its variety. The body of Christ is made beautiful the very same way.  So, in these trying days, these crazy days, these days when it is so important that the church be the church, be sure and remember that the body is a bouquet of people and personalities selected and arranged by God himself.  We need the Bubbas, and we need Larry, Barry, Harry, Terry, and Ralph too.  We need the younger and we need the older.  We need each other.  Sound too difficult? Sound a little overwhelming?  Don’t worry about it.  God’s good at helping His rowdy, sometimes difficult kids grow.  So, take a rest in Him. He’s got this. Just ask Bubba. Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, prayer, priorities, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful, Trials

Choose Wisely

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

But for us, there is one God, the Father, by whom all things were created, and for whom we live. And there is one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom all things were created, and through Whom we live.” 1 Corinthians 8:6

I’ll take that with extra onions and no pickles.  One of the things I like about fast food is you can usually order your burger or whatever exactly like you want it. You can add extra stuff or leave some stuff off and are you ready for an added benefit?  Well, if you make a special order, for example, if you say, “no pickles” you are almost always guaranteed a fresh meal.  You probably know that many fast-food places keep a short supply of regular sandwiches to speed up service.  Special orders might be a little slower but are well worth the wait.

People like the freedom to choose their fast food just like they like it but think about this.  What about choosing your God? It seems to me that too often we tend to think we can special order God to be exactly how we want Him. You know, not too demanding, always right on time according to our time, tolerant about sin, and understanding about our rebellion.  Well, here’s the deal…God loves you (and the world) but He is not in the business of winking at our sin or compromising His standards. It just ain’t gonna happen.

And trust me, you really wouldn’t want a wishy-washy God and you really don’t want one that you always understand.  After all, if the kind of God you want is no bigger than you…sounds like trouble to me!  I like God to be bigger and wiser and stronger than me. I want a God that is unlimited and unconditional, and the good news is, that is exactly the kind of God He is.

Check this out. Here are just a couple of things that God can do that you can’t do: First, He can give life to the dead. The Bible promises that every person who puts their faith in Jesus will live eternally.  But wait, there is more. If we can give us new life, He can also give new life to a dead marriage or career.  In fact, He can give life to the most lifeless thing in our life.

Second, He can create something out of nothing. In fact,…that is His specialty.  He did it in the beginning and He does it every day.  That’s why it is never out of the realm of possibility with God.  He said Himself, “Nothing is impossible with God.” So, if you happen to be God shopping today, remember to choose One that loves you unconditionally and can do anything. Choose One who can bring life to the lifeless and who can resurrect dead dreams and bust through roadblocks.

When you are looking for a God to worship, be sure and choose One that never makes a mistake and will always be there…choose Jehovah God…the only true God.  Afraid you won’t recognize Him? Just look and listen for the one who declares, “I’ve got this.”  Bro. Dewayne

Posted in Family, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, Trials

Saying No to the Pie

Posted on by Dewayne Taylor

No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.” 1 Corinthians 10:13

It is something we know to be true, but boy, do we wrestle with it.  Unless you are one of those incredibly blessed people with a metabolism that operates at warp speed, you know what I am about to write is true. If you eat more calories than you burn, you are going to gain weight. That’s just a fact of life.  Next is the real bummer.  Long after the sweet, wonderful taste of that pecan pie (not a slice—the whole thing) is gone, the weight sticks around.  All my life I have fought the “battle of the bulge” and too often lost. And every time the culprit is the fact that for that moment, taste outweighs (no pun intended) my common sense. I know that if I eat too much of this or that—I will pay the price and the price is always more than the worth of that momentary pleasure. Crazy.

It can all be summed up in a few words—the weight outlasts the dessert. Yup, it is just true and if we are talking just about weight, it is somewhat serious but not disastrous.  Now…instead of weight and dessert let’s talk sin and consequences.  You see just like the weight outlasts the taste, so the guilt and shame of sin lingers long after any sinful pleasure that we may have felt.  I know and you know people today who are still carrying guilt and shame for a poor decision years ago. And sometimes, well, it is more than guilt and shame, it is wounds that haven’t healed and scars that never go away.

The big truth is this…count the cost before you take the bite.  If it is pie…count the cost but if it is the kind of decision that ends marriages and kills careers and character…really, really count the cost. One of the best things we can do is to recognize bad decisions in the windshield and not the rearview mirror.  Put another way—learn to say no and avoid the “oh no.”

One of the great scriptures in the New Testament is found in a letter that Paul had written to the church at Corinth.  You might know that they weren’t known for making good decisions, so it probably is no surprise that Paul gave them this good advice and great truth.  Here it is, “No temptation has come upon you except what is common to humanity. But God is faithful; He will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able, but with the temptation He will also provide the way out so that you may be able to bear it.” In other words, you are not the first person to be tempted and you won’t be the last.  And, it gets better, God will not allow you to be tempted beyond what you are able to resist, and the bonus round is that He always provides a way of escape.

With that truth, we know we can say no to the whole pie, say no to a dangerous relationship and say no to whatever Satan throws your way.  We can win because we are winners.  Isn’t that great news? Sometimes the best thing we can do is talk with someone who can help us with our struggles. Well, I know someone who is more than willing to help and that is our Heavenly Father.  Sit down for chat…He’s got this.  Bro. Dewayne