gospel – Grits with Grace

forgiveness, friends, Grace, life, loving others, Scripture, sovereignty of God, thankful

The Heartmaker

Posted on February 27, 2025February 16, 2025 by Dewayne Taylor

“Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I watched and liked what I saw. I just finished a pastoral career of 42 years. It was a great ride and I have to admit it still surprises me when I realize just how quickly time and has come…and gone. I was privileged to stay at my last church for 24 years and if the first number was surprising to me…the second is even more so. To be at one place that long…to say hello to so many people and sadly goodbye to others…was eye-opening. It also has been fun watching the kids grow up. The guy who led worship for us was five years old when I came. Amazing. I even had hair back then…or at least more.

In my 42 years serving as a pastor, I have bumped into a lot of people. Some of them were nice by nature. You know, always smiling, always optimistic, and always holding the door so someone could enter first. They never forgot a birthday and were always looking for ways to lend a helping hand. When these folks met Jesus, there didn’t seem to be a lot to change…at least on the outside. That’s one kind of people but there is another. Take the opposite of everything I just wrote and meet the other side of the fence. And this is what is really exciting because it so shows the power of the gospel.

I love to hear everyone’s Jesus story but I especially love the ones where the change Jesus brings is like night and day. It’s kinda like when you mow your grass and it really needs it…you stand back and say, “Wow…that looks better.” Now to be sure, every Jesus story is a “wow” story but to see a rough old sinner become a saint by God’s grace is simply amazing. And here’s the deal. Whether it is someone who oozes kindness or someone as rough as a corncob, the truth is they are who they are because of the “Heartmaker.”

I was officiating at a funeral one day for one of those really good people and I told the audience that we should remember that the person we were honoring that day was who they were because of Jesus. When they met Him, the Heartmaker gave them a new heart…a heart just like His. Tucked away in the Old Testament part of the Bible is a word picture of this. It says, “And I will give you a new heart, and I will put a new spirit in you. I will take out your stony, stubborn heart and give you a tender, responsive heart.” That’s what the Heartmaker does for every person who chooses to follow Him.

I’ve said before, “I wish I had that person’s heart.” Oh, I’m generally a pretty nice guy but when I see someone who seems to do Jesus really well, it creates a longing in me to be more like them which is more like Jesus. The good news is that we don’t have to wish…all we must do is ask and the Heartmaker will come to the rescue. But you need to know this…a heart like Jesus doesn’t come cheap…it will mean seeking, surrendering, and maybe suffering…just like Jesus. It means loving the unlovable and forgiving those who hurt us the worse…just like He would.

There is a story about a young pastor who was visiting with an old, respected pastor. The young pastor said he wished he could have the maturity and respect he saw in the older pastor’s life. The elderly statesman said, “Son, those things came into my life through great toil and suffering. Are you ready to pay that price?” Not surprising, his answer was no. We can all admire a man or woman with a great heart but how many of us would be willing to pay the price that comes with it?

The truth is all of us who are Jesus followers can and should have a heart like Jesus…the Heartmaker. I think the path that leads to a Jesus heart is found in Proverbs 3:5-6 “Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” If you’re interested in having a heart like Jesus, it starts with asking the HeartMaker. Trust me—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

friends, Grace, gratitude, Integrity, life, love, loving others, missions, prayer, priorities, Scripture, thankful

HeartMaker

Posted on February 10, 2023 by Dewayne Taylor

Trust in the Lord with all your heart; do not depend on your own understanding. Seek His will in all you do, and He will show you which path to take.” Proverbs 3:5-6

I watched and liked what I saw. I am a pastor and have been one for just about 41 years. It has been a great ride and I have to admit it still surprises me when I realize just how quickly time and has come…and gone. I have been at my present church for going on 23 years and if the first number was surprising to me…the second is even more so. To be at one place that long…to say hello to so many people and sadly goodbye to others…is eye-opening. It also has been fun watching the kids grow up. The guy who leads worship for us was five years old when I came. Amazing. I even had hair back then…or at least more.

In my 41 years serving as a pastor and in my 22 years here where I serve now, I have bumped into a lot of people. Some of them were nice by nature. You know, always smiling, always optimistic, and always holding the door so someone could enter first. They never forgot a birthday and were always looking for ways to lend a helping hand. When these folks met Jesus, there didn’t seem to be a lot to change…at least on the outside. That’s one kind of people but there is another. Take the opposite of everything I just wrote and meet the other side of the fence. And this is what is really exciting because it so shows the power of the gospel.

Family, food, forgiveness, Grace, gratitude, life, love, loving others, prayer, Scripture, thankful, wisdom

Seasoning for the Seasons

Posted on October 19, 2022October 18, 2022 by Dewayne Taylor

If the salt loses its flavor, how shall it be seasoned? It is then good for nothing but to be thrown out and trampled underfoot by men.” Matthew 5:13b

Man..that would have to be bland. I was talking to someone the other day and they said something that caught my ear. They said, “I don’t like salt.” Wait. What? I mean I’ve heard lots of people say that they don’t use salt. The reason is usually a doctor or a spouse that has laid down the law. It is usually medically driven, and you do without so you can keep on doing. But this person said he didn’t like salt. That is just hard to imagine.

You all probably know that I love food…just about all kinds, all flavors, and all portions. But food without seasoning just kinda takes away the whole point. You know what Jesus said don’t you? He said that salt that has lost it savor…its flavor…its ability to influence is worthless. “Chuck it out on the sand pile,” he said. Imagine grits with no salt, green beans with no salt (or fatback…oh my), mashed potatoes with no salt (wait that might even be a sin) and the list just goes on and on. At least for me it becomes a gray world where eating becomes something you have to do instead of something you want to do…you crave to do.

I was listening to a short devotional video that sparked all this thinking about seasoning and salt. The person said we should allow God’s Word to marinate our lives. Let me explain. I like chicken. I really like fried chicken. I especially like fried chicken that has been dipped in a really good dry mixture of spices—how many does the Colonel use? Or maybe it is a wet batter just waiting to be plunged to a frying pan of hot grease. Can someone say hallelujah?

Believe it or not there are other ways to eat chicken and one of the most popular is grilled chicken. I’m a fan of that too but especially when the chicken has been marinated in some sort of marinade. You see, as the chicken takes a bath in whatever it is the flavor of the marinade slowly seeps into the chicken…changing it from just chicken to something that is just about heavenly. Are you tracking with me? So, the bottom line just seems to be the things that we season our food with changes the whole experience. It is true with food…and it is true with life.

An unseasoned life can be pretty boring and at the same time a life seasoned with the wrong things can be pretty disastrous. It is important that we allow the right things to influence us. The wrong environments, the wrong company, the wrong media habits, and the wrong mindset can all set us up for a life that at the least is less than and at the most leaves us depressed, discouraged, and disillusioned. Just like with food…the seasonings matter. Colonel Sanders talks about his secret blend of seasoning and spices, but I don’t want this to be a secret.

You see, as I have journeyed through the kitchen of life (and trust me I have ended up in a few frying pans) I have discovered the secret to a well-seasoned life. Are you ready? It is a personal relationship with the God who created it all. Now wait…don’t close the book yet. Notice I didn’t say religion, I didn’t say church, I didn’t say doing this or doing that…I said a personal encounter with the God who loves me and you enough to give His Son to a Roman cross. When you add that kind of love to your life…it’s gotta be good. Smucker’s (they make jams and jelly) says this, “If it is Smucker’s it has to be good.” I’ve had their stuff and it is pretty sweet…no pun intended.

Well, let me tell you, if it is God, contrary to what you have heard, it has got to be good. Now I’m not talking about the version you see too often in the lives of people…I am talking about the version that you find in His book…the Bible. So, if you are thinking about adding some seasoning to your life, let me encourage you to get a copy of the Bible and try reading about Jesus. You might want to start in the Gospel (which means Good News) of John. Using the index will make it easy to find. What you will discover will change the flavor of your life. If you are finding that things in your world are just a little or a lot bland—ask the Master Chef—He’s got this. Bro. Dewayne

Family, Grace, gratitude, Holidays, life, Scripture, thankful

Flag Day

Posted on June 15, 2020 by Dewayne Taylor

The heavens declare the glory of God, and the expanse proclaims the work of His hands. Psalms 9:1

It was for better or worse. In a little more than a week my wife and I will celebrate our 44th wedding anniversary. I know if you have ever seen us you would find that hard to believe because we look so young. Smile. The years have flown by so quickly. I can remember the days we would go to a conference and something and they would introduce the guest speaker saying they had been married for 35 years or so. The crowd would erupt in applause. I would think how old they were. I am now that person. But they say that age is just a number and that’s true.

When I married Judy that hot (and I do mean hot) June day in south Georgia we made a commitment to each other. It went something like this, “for better, for worse; for richer, for poorer; in sickness and in health till death do us part.” It was a deal we made with each other that no matter what we were stuck on (and not stuck with) each other. We decided that we were in this for the long haul. There have been speed bumps, detours and even a few fender benders but love somehow learns to forgive, and sometimes ignore, those.

I bet you think this story is about marriage, didn’t you? Got you. Nope, it is about my love for this country. Yesterday, June 14th, was Flag Day. It garnered a place on our church marquee and a mention in the sermon intro. Oh, and I also worn a flag pin. But it had a much bigger place in my heart. I love my country, the land where God put me, America…not because it is perfect but because I can stand every week in our church and say what I want…and no one is going to arrest me. I love America because it is still the land of the free. I am writing this in Tennessee. I didn’t need anyone’s permission to leave; I just got in the car and off Judy and I went. Yup, I love America. Having lived in and visited over twenty-five countries in this world…I have seen and experienced many others and America still tops the list.

You are probably wondering, “Dewayne, with all its warts and imperfections, with all its injustices and wrongs, with all its junk, how can you love America?” Well, the answer is two fold. One, from where I sit, it is still the best place in the world to live. Its landscape and people-scape are just amazing. It is filled with people willing to die for what they believe…that is why we are free. It is a place where you can speak your mind and even protest a wrong. The second reason is I signed up for the long haul. Its kinda like the deal that Judy and I made. “For better, for worse; for richer, for poorer, in sickness and in health till death parts us.” I’m an American till the end.

Judy loves me…a lot. She somehow manages to love me in spite of my failures and faults. It kinda reminds me of God. He just refuses to give up on us. He extends grace and mercy and works to make us more and more like Him. With that comes a better me. As we work to make America a better place to live and work, as we extend grace and mercy to each other, we are mirroring Him. Sounds like a good plan to me.

Like I said earlier, yesterday was Flag Day. When I look at Old Glory I see the rich history, imagine the price that countless men and women have paid for this experiment in democracy and fall in love all over again. And in these stars and stripes I see the hope not only for you and me, not only for America but for the world. I see the gospel according to Old Glory. I know each color and each part of the flag has special meaning but allow me some liberty…pun intended.

When I see the field of stars I am reminded that in Psalm 19:1 “the heavens declare the glory of God.” It reminds me that every star in the sky is a witness to the existence of God. The blue field reminds me that there is a King in heaven. Blue is the color of royalty and it points to the King of the universe…the creator of all. His name is Jesus and He loves everybody regardless of skin color, language spoken or place lived. The red reminds me of the measure of this King’s love..He died on a Roman cross. He was not murdered and He wasn’t even martyred…He willingly died. The payment for sin…all sin…was death and He paid the price. Amazing.

And the white…well that is my favorite color because it stands for forgiveness. White shouts that my sins are forgiven, that I am free and that I can call the Creator of the universe, “Abba Father or Dearest Daddy.” I know you might think I’m taking a little too much liberty with that title but that is what He is.

Anyway, I’m grateful for a wife who loves me regardless of my shortcomings. I am grateful for a place to call home that gives me the freedom to live, worship and believe as I see fit. Perfect? Not even by a long shot but I’m gonna stick around and do what I can to make her better. I’m gonna stick around and make sure the America my grandkids grow up is even better that the one I knew and know. And I am very grateful for a God that loves me unconditionally, that He is big enough to handle all the fears and warts of life and big enough to give me a place to rest…in Him. Oh, and I’m glad that He is big enough to conquer sin, death and grave because it just proves…He’s got this.