A Hill Of Beans

A Hill Of Beans

Luke 18:27

Luke 18:27 “And he said, the things which are impossible to men are possible with God.” I woke up this morning with junk on my mind. You probably did too, you know, that old stuff satan puts in your mind that doesn’t mean a hill of beans. For me, this morning, I remembered a time when I was the object of sneers and jeers for my faith and hope. I worked twenty eight years as a forest ranger, before I retired, and had many lessons of life. In the ranger service there is a lot of very colorful characters, and to be honest, it is very hard to find a Christian face in the crowd. Unfortunately, that seems to be the norm everywhere and in all places today. On this particular day, fire danger was very high and we were sitting around waiting on the next fire call and listening to air patrol. I had just finished reading a article in Mother Earth News about a community in Florida named “The Community Of Anything Is Possible With God”. A band of Christian folks had gotten together and transformed their town into this wonderful sounding place. In the middle of these hyenas, I made the statement that I really would love to live in a place of faith and hope like that. Wow. Laughter erupted in a deafening tone as pure disbelief of this basic tenet of our faith was ridiculed. I can imagine how the same exact thing would happen today across the newspapers, televisions, internet and all other forms of media if the headlines held “teenage virgin gives birth in cave” or “mysterious star leads kings to poverty stricken area” or “Angels appear in the sky to band of sheep herders“. My goodness, how our adversary the devil has blinded the eyes of man and planted doubt within the heart. Our Scripture today tells us, in my opinion, one of the greatest promises ever given to us and the foundational hope of our faith. Absolutely NOTHING is impossible with God. Did you read that right? Nothing, absolutely positively NOTHING, NO…THING!!!!!!!!! With man, we hit the wall of ability and thinking and ridicule the rest. But with God, anything and everything is contingent on His will and ability. He is all knowing and all powerful. If He wants the sea to part, it will part. If He wants a disease to stop it’s progression, it will retreat. If He wants a few dollars to appear from thin air to help with the power bill, it will appear. If He wanted to send His Son in the most compassionate act of love ever known to save a worthless hunk of mud like me, He did. Our God is not held by any limits or thinking of man. I am so thankful of that. You may be finding yourself facing things that seem impossible to you right now, but remember, God has the last word on everything. This time of year brings sneers and jeers from those that are lost and don’t understand the awesome power of God. Satan blinds eyes and thinking, so don’t let any of them or any situation you find yourself in get you down or take your joy from you. It doesn’t mean a hill of beans, nothing is impossible for him that believes. Go and have a good Christmas, keep the faith and hold on to the unending promise of hope that is available to all. To God be the glory!! Love you all…….Pastor Brion

The Christmas Onion

The Christmas Onion

II Timothy 3:15

II Timothy 2:15 “And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness:” Oh how I love scripture!!! It’s the anchor that helps me to hang on. It soothes the soul, breaks the heart and gives hope to all of mankind. It paints a beautiful picture of God’s love, mercy and grace past, present and future. In my lowly attempt to be a Expository Preacher and Writer, I have found that for myself, Scripture should be understood in comparison to the composition of a onion. No, I haven’t been in the eggnog or moonshine again, just sit back, keep reading and hear me out!!! A onion (makes you weep) and is composed of many, many layers leading downward until you finally reach the center. You start by peeling it, or scratching the surface, then taking off layer by layer. In our Church, I try to teach the God’s Word in this manner. Every part of the Bible has layers beneath the layers, so we scratch the surface and then we see what else we can find. It’s what makes God’s Word so exciting and alive!!! The Bible also tells us that scripture is to be mined, so you have to work hard and dig deep to get to the gems. The story of Christmas and the birth of Jesus has endless layers of messages, revelation, truths and precious gems for us to understand. Wisemen, shepherds, Angels, Virgin birth, stables, Angelic proclamations, a shining star, drama, etc., etc., etc. and the layers go on and on. The myriads of preachers today are in constant spasms trying to find a different angle, a new way to preach it or some mysterious hidden message to uncover. But if you are not careful, you will flue flue and fluff it up so much you will destroy the true meaning of this great celebration . So I ask myself today as a simple mountain Pastor, if I had one layer that I could expose to you all about the precious Christmas onion and the Message it holds, what would it be? My simple mind and my inability to understand Scripture causes me to focus on one grand and glorious thought. For me, the truest meaning of Christmas. The King of Kings, Lord of Lords, Wonderful, Counselor, Mighty God, Messiah and our Savior (He’s my Bud and I think a lot of Him) came to us as a Common Baby, in a common place, to common parents, announced to common people so a common person like me could have access to Him, His Kingdom, His blessings and all of His glory. You see, any body can walk into a barn, smell animal smells, listen to animal sounds, walk up and look into a feed trough. I reckon if for no one else, this story and this layer of the onion is all for me. It’s what makes Christmas so special to me. How about all of you common, simple folks? Ever looked into the feed trough? Just stop for a moment, smell the smells, hear the sounds and picture in your mind the sight. You’ll never be the same. Enough said. Love you all, thanks for loving us and have a great day……….Pastor Brion

　

University Of The Fourth Floor

University Of The Fourth Floor

Proverbs 17:17

Proverbs 17:17 “A friend loveth at all times, but a brother is born for adversity.” If we really pay attention, we can learn the lessons of life from any situations we find ourselves in. This week we were given the opportunity to spend a week at the University of the Fourth Floor. It is a very interesting place. The halls are lined with classrooms of reality as the students contained within learn lessons of strength and stature. The Professor is not the Doctor or Nurse that course the halls, but the God given ability to feel pain, tribulation and adversity. The tests are not written in volumes of print, but across the faces of those that are learning the lessons. Signs of Medical achievement crowd around each student and their applause of victory ring out with chirps, beeps and clamors. But the most important resident of the University is not the Surgeon, the Nurse, the Therapist or the Unsung Hero Laborer, it is YOU!! You will never know your value to those that are temporary residents of the University. I know by experience that your well wishes, comments, expressions of love, calls and prayers were always the brightest parts of our days. Just knowing that everyone was there at a moments notice, if a need presented itself, was more valuable than gold. This morning it brings me to the Bible’s description of a true friend. One that loves and goes into action at all times. Not just the good times, but the bad times as well. My text book tells me that we are blessed with true friends, and they are very special when a student attends the University of the Fourth Floor. They seem to have a way of showing up at just the right time and exercising the ability they were given at birth. Thank you for being our friends and for being the most important part of our lives. The living example of the Bible’s definition of a pal, buddy or friend. I pray that we all continue to be the type of kinship that people can depend on and carry the support we all need in every situation of life, not just the good times. Remember us in your prayers as we start the trek back to “normal”. I pray that our God will bless you with immense blessings and open the windows of Heaven for you. Have a great day…….

The Meanest Mule On The Mountain

The Meanest Mule On The Mountain

Jeremiah 17:23

Jeremiah 17:23 “But they obeyed not, neither inclined their ear, but made their neck stiff, that they might not hear, or receive instruction.” I woke up this morning about 3:30 am. My neck was so stiff this morning I could hardly move it. I spent too many years bouncing around on those dozers fighting forest fires and it‘s all catching up with me. Such is life!! Sitting here with a crick in my neck and feeling sorry for myself brings into mind the term “stiff neck” in the Bible. In context it describes a farmer plowing with a ox. The farmer commands the ox to go where he wants him to go to get the job accomplished. But there are those times when the ox will not listen or obey the farmer. This puts extra work on the farmer in the form of frustration, harder work and strain. The muscles in the farmer’s neck stiffen, causing pain, strain and discomfort. I have seen this photograph played out many times before my eyes. My Granddad, Alfred Scott, always kept a few mules. He trained them to do many different things. They were trained for coal mining, plow dragging and just plain old hard work. I remember a great big one he had that was in a class all by it’s self. It was the meanest, most orneriest, ugliest critter you ever did see. He had a big long face and ears that stuck up like antennas. It liked to stare at you, lay his ears back, bare his teeth at you and growl like a bear. If you got in the field where he was, he would let out some sort of caterwauler and run to chase you. Then stand with a grin on his face after he chased you out of his domain. When he got close enough to you he would try his best to bite you. The crazy thing grabbed me by the arm one day. Once I got loose he chased me until I jumped over a barbed wire fence. As I went over the wire he grabbed me by the seat of the pants and FIRMLY told me he was boss. Granddaddy did not want anyone get to close to that old defiant grouch, he was too dangerous. I guess I failed to listen. When it came time to plow, he carried his handmade bull whip and stepped into the battle ground. The two would face each other like gladiators in the coliseum. After much slapping, kicking, cussing and feuding the mule would finally settle down and let Granddad put on the reigns. The battle of the gladiators would transform the meanest mule on the mountain into the hardest working mule on the mountain. Together they geed and hawed all over the place until the job at hand was done. I find these symbolisms in the Bible to be fascinating to me. God uses these descriptions to give us a clear picture of OURSELVES. Many times He called the children of Israel a “stiffed neck people”. Simply meaning that they would not listen, would not heed, would not take direction and were disobedient never getting the much needed work done. Sounds like most Pastors, Deacons and the people that set in the Church pews!!!! God asks of us and we sneer, growl, snirkle, bite and walk away in the opposite direction like a grumpy, grouchy old mule. Our will and God’s will for us seem to instantly clash. And this clash of wills bring pain, sorrow, a stiff neck and unfinished tasks. Will we ever learn? It is my prayer for you this morning that we all learn a lesson from the meanest mule on the mountain. Let’s all be attentive to God’s will for us and stop the frustrations that arise out of disobedience. There is a lot of Kingdom work that’s not getting done because of all this mule faced disobedience. Let’s start in the right direction and follow the lead that God lays before us. This upcoming year let’s pledge to no longer ignore the work of the Kingdom but gladly accept the reigns of responsibility. No more stiff necks, they hurt!! I hope each and every one of you have a great day today. I hope your blessed and you bless others. Keep walking towards that promised land…..love you lots….Pastor Brion

The Gridiron

The Gridiron

Zechariah 14:34

Zechariah 14:3-4 “3) Then shall the LORD go forth , and fight against those nations, as when he fought in the day of battle. 4) And his feet shall stand in that day upon the mount of Olives, which is before Jerusalem on the east, and the mount of Olives shall cleave in the midst thereof toward the east and toward the west, and there shall be a very great valley; and half of the mountain shall remove toward the north, and half of it toward the south.” The stage is finally being set and the day is rapidly approaching. The gridiron is being readied and the warriors from both sides are in concentrated anticipation and preparation for battle. The crowds are being assembled into the stadium to witness the greatest battle ever devised. The Coaches from opposing sides are planning strategies that are sure to bring the sweet taste of victory. And all of the world, stars and galaxies await the greatest touchdown ever. My penning is not about the much awaited Alabama Georgia football game. It is about the day when the greatest touchdown will be the day when Jesus once again stands on the Mount of Olives and peers toward Jerusalem. The crowds assembled are the clouds of witnesses that surround us as we all prepare for the end time battle between good and evil. The gridiron is the Valley of Decision, where the sides have been chosen and lines laid. The Coaches are Lucifer and Jesus, and they both stand prepared for battle. Oh how quickly that day approaches and what anticipation I have in my heart as I try my best to prepare a rag tag squad of my own to play our part amongst the crowds. Victory is sure for those that wear the banner of good and defeat is as sure as the wind blows for those that have chosen the team of evil. As I sit and ponder this glorious finality I honestly could care less who wins the Alabama Georgia game. My roots come from Alabama where my Great Great Grandfathers proudly fought in the Alabama Calvary during the civil war. My ancestors stood with Stonewall Jackson and Robert E. Lee and faced Sherman as he swept across Georgia. I’ve built my life in Georgia, but each year I traveled to Alabama and laid flowers on their graves. My ancestors preached the gospel across Alabama, the mountains of Tennessee and the foothills of Georgia. They banded together throughout their lives and united together they readied as many generations as possible for the final battle. These football gridiron battles of man’s inventions are done in all fun and school spirit, but a dark side they hold. It is my prayer that the drunken insults, rantings and jeers never enter into the heart of man. Each School and their fans deserve better than that. It’s all fun and enjoyment, but it’s not the end of the world. I know when the final battle rages I will stand shoulder to shoulder with those of every state and nation as we have chosen the team of good on where to plant our feet. So to all my friends in Alabama, I love you dearly and I hope and pray your Tide rolls on!!!! And to my friends in Georgia, I pray your Dawgs are to the task and they display valiant honor in the face of a tough fight!! But when the final clock ticks down, we all drop the façade of football and school spirit, but stand together under the Banner of Christ on the final gridiron. Hey………I love you all and have a great day………..Pastor Brion

　

　

Does A Bird Have Worry Wrinkles?

Does A Bird Have Worry Wrinkles?

Matthew 6:26

Matthew 6:26 “Look at the birds. They don’t plant or harvest or store food in barns, for your Heavenly Father feeds them. And aren’t you far more valuable to Him than they are?” I had the best time this past Saturday. My son-in-training and I spent the day deer hunting and walking in the mountains. Before daylight we clamored our way through the brush and found the places we would sit and wait for our winter’s four legged provision. My son-in-training was about midway up the mountain and I continued on up to the high country. I found the perfect place and prepared myself for one of the greatest shows on earth, the sunrise over the mountains. As the show started, a great cast of characters began to take the stage of nature. Birds began to sing, squirrels began to squirrel, sounds in the distant gave witness that man was waking up and wood peckers began hammering out their thanks to God. This act in His wonderful play was absolutely beautiful. As the show continued, my new best friend came and fluttered into a nearby bush. A multi-colored small bird with the nicest disposition. He just sit and watched the sunrise with me. As he watched, he cheerfully ate the breakfast he was provided in a simple bush. The lovely sounds of thanks followed after each morsel he was given. I loved the picture and the lesson learned. Jesus was and is a awesome Teacher. He teaches today just as much as He taught when He walked this earth. He uses plain simple things to get His point across and help us understand. I’m so glad He does because I have so much difficulty understanding written words. In His Sermon on the Mount, He teaches a very important lesson about God’s provision by using the simple example of birds. He explained that they do nothing for their food except accept it from God. Just show up somewhere and it is there. Some get it from fields, others from grasses, others from feeders located in the yards of good Samaritans and others from the parking lots of fast food restaurants!! Wherever it is, God loves them and feeds them. Birds have none of the promises we have, they are not promised eternal life nor are they created in the image of God, but they do experience His grace. I have never seen one of these little fellow ever look worried at all. I’ve never seen one with bags under their eyes for lack of sleep or have I seen them pacing to and fro in nervousness. I’ve nearly hit a few buzzards with my pickup a few times, I’ve even tried to hit a few aggravating guinea hens. They may have been a little shook up looking at a crazed preacher with a Hemi, but no worry wrinkles. In His teaching Jesus was saying, “Look, the birds are fine and you are too. He cares about them, do you not know that He cares about you?” God’s love for us is so strong that He desires to provide for us the things we need to exist. He IS the Great Provider to all of creation. Why do we ever doubt and why do we create the worry wrinkles? Our faces tell the story of truth. So as you start your week and are saying your prayers of thanks and making requests, remember the lessons taught by the little birds.

Said the sparrow to the robin,

“I would really like to know,

why those human beings rush around and worry so?”

Said the robin to the sparrow,

“I think that it must be,

they have no Heavenly Father that cares for them

as for you and me.”

Makes you wonder doesn’t it? My prayer for you all today is for you to spend less time worrying and more time enjoying the assurance that everything is just fine!!! A little bird told me so…..Love you all, have a blessed day…..Pastor Brion

Possums And Patience

Possums And Patience

James 1:22

James 1:22 “But be ye doers of the Word and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves.“ You folks out there that read my devotions are putting me in a very interesting place. I pray for the words that I need to write and by doing that the Lord places on my heart what you need for the day. This morning all I can think about are possums and patience. I guess someone out there needs patience, or are waiting for something, and others are acting like old possums. Possums are those cute little critters that scavenge around the garbage cans looking for those delectable morsels of joy. They stink too. I was climbing a tree on Pigeon Mountain in a effort to exercise my manly instinct of deer hunting. As I was climbing, I started smelling the absolute worse smell. I stopped and looked around for flying buzzards over something dead, but nothing was there. As climbed a little further, the stink got worse. I stopped and looked at my boots to see if I had picked up a unwanted traveler, but nothing there. I finally climbed as far as my nose would let me when I decided that I just had to leave. I heard a low growling noise just above my head. I looked up into the face of one of those cute growling critters as he stunk like a skunk and bore his teeth at me. Now I know that you’ve heard people talking about grinning like a possum, but I promise you, this one never heard that phrase before. Then the excitement began!!! It was better than any story Jerry Clower has ever told. It was go ahead and shoot up here amongst us, one of us has to have some relief. That crazy thing would growl and snap, then when I’d try to khatoon it, it would act like it was dead. I’d turn my back to it and try to climb a little further down the tree and it would come back to life all growling and snarling. This continued on until I gave the demoniac that tree. Crazy things!! Growl and snarl until you approach them, then they fall down like there dead and can’t move a bit. Can’t turn your back to them either, they’ll sneak up on you. I guess you could say they call to mind a possum Christian. A possum Christian is a big theological word taught in the world’s best of seminaries that describes someone who is alive and well, has the ability to snarl and growl about anything, approaches visitors with baring teeth, can’t turn your back to them and will stand their ground until you approach them and ask them to do something. They look at you real funny, then just faint and hit the floor. It happens too if you ask them to give a little extra for missions or such. You all pray for me because I just caused an uproar in the greatest of theological Church members. The Bible tells us that we have the ability to listen to God’s Word and then discount it. That means to never put it or ourselves to work. The fields are ripe for harvest, but no one is going to the fields. We need workers and we need givers, not snarlers, growlers or fainters. Workers and givers are those folks that know they will be blessed just by the opportunity of serving the Lord. Christmas is approaching soon and I challenge you all to do a little something extra for the Kingdom this year. Give food, time, money or friendship to those that need it most. Those that don’t know the joy of the Lord. Well, there’s the possum story so I guess tomorrow will be about patience or waiting. Waiting is a lonely place and patience is something we all have to have. See you tomorrow! Love you all and thanks for reading…….Pastor Brion

The Unlikely

The Unlikely

Isaiah 6:8

Isaiah 6:8 “Also I heard the voice of the Lord, saying, Whom shall I send, and who will go for us? Then said I, Here am I; send me.”

I recently read a book written my Theodore Roosevelt and Henry Cabot Lodge. This unlikely pair gave the greatest picture of American Heroes that I have ever known. They spanned the time from the birth of America on up to the time the book was written. The stories of courage and bravery in the face of adversity brought tears to the eyes and warmth to the heart. But as I read about all the heroes, a common thread began to immerge from each story. In the background always stood a group of men I will call the “unlikely’s”. These were men mustered from primarily the South - Tennessee, Georgia, North Carolina, Virginia, Kentucky. Theodore Roosevelt called these men the “backwoodsmen”. These men answered the call of service to THEIR country in their “buckskin clothes, stoic faces and coon skin caps”. They all had in common a small bore rifle with a incredible ability to use it and a love for the freedom of this country. Andrew Jackson, during his assault on King’s Mountain, called his unlikely buckskin band of soldiers the “rough rifles”. Before the battle, a black clothed Presbyterian Minister prayed and preached a sermon for the men to “have great zeal and carry the sword of the Lord and Gideon”. These unlikely bands of volunteers are the reason that America is America today. Yes, we have heroes that stand out by themselves as great leaders, but they would be nothing without the unsung faces behind the scenes. I see the Kingdom of God in the same manner. Yes we have great communicators that stand out in the pulpits, but the Kingdom would be lacking without all of the “unlikely’s” that sit among the pews of the little Churches. If you read throughout the Bible you will find a fantastic theme of God calling the most unlikely to do the impossible. And the unlikely succeeded. As you read this today, you are probably a “unlikely”. You probably think that you could never venture out to do anything of “significant” service to the Kingdom. Well. I have great news for you!!!! You are the reason for the Kingdom!!!! It exists because of your work, not the pulpit masters. As Isaiah entered into the presence of God, he never focused on his inability to do anything. He only said “yes Lord”, regardless of ability, “I will go”. So God’s call is clear this morning “Whom shall I send, and who will go?” The “unlikely’s” that’s who, and it’s me and you. Let’s shake up this old nation and our communities, and be the unsung, unlikely heroes behind the scenes for the glory of the Kingdom of God!!!! Bless you all, have a great day and love you bunches…………Pastor

Five Kernels Of Corn

The Five Kernels Of Thanksgiving

Psalms 103:1-6

Psalms 103:1-6 “A Psalm of David. BLESS the LORD, O my soul; And all that is within me, bless His holy name! Bless the LORD, O my soul, And forget not all His benefits: Who forgives all your iniquities, Who heals all your diseases, Who redeems your life from destruction, Who crowns you with lovingkindness and tender mercies, Who satisfies your mouth with good things, So that your youth is renewed like the eagle's. The LORD executes righteousness And justice for all who are oppressed.” I hope and pray each one of you have a good Thanksgiving. I am planning to have a wonderful one. Linda Gail is cooking like a Trojan and my ol’ Pal Roscoe is standing guard. I laughed at him yesterday as he asserted his manly duties with great pride. I reckon he fought every imaginary intruder and Thanksgiving meal stealer he could conjure up. Roscoe is definitely planning on having a good dinner and no one or no thing is going to stand in his way!! As we celebrate this day with joy and happiness, let us always drift back into the time when the foundations of our country were being established. When a band of courageous Christians planted the mustard seed of faith on our beautiful American shores. Those best of times for us were very tough for them. They had no provisions and hunger was a rampant and devastating thing. It was so bad that they saw a time when each person only had five kernels of corn per day to survive on. That was their daily ration. But as little as it was, they still gathered together and gave thanks for what they had. As times grew better, with the help of the Native Americans, the Pilgrims had more, but they never wanted to forget where they came from and how God had blessed them. At each Thanksgiving dinner they would place five kernels of corn on a plate to remind them what their forefathers endured. They would pass the plate around and each person would say five things they were thankful for. Psalm 103:1-13 was also used to remember that God was the one who provided, who saw them through all the tough times and to always remember for all generations His enduring mercy and grace. Our scripture today will give us those things which we never need to forget. They are:

#1. The Kernel Of Forgiveness - We Have A Forgiving God

#2. The Kernel Of Redemption - We Are Bought Back With A Price, Jesus Christ, The Very Son Of God

#3. The Kernel Of Healing - Both Spiritual And Physical #4. The Kernel Of Love And Compassion - We Have A Loving God That Cares For Us More Than We Could Ever Realize

#5. The Kernel Of Satisfaction And Renewal - Nothing Satisfies Our Soul Like A Personal Renewing Relationship With Christ

So this Thanksgiving, start a new tradition with your family or just by yourself in the prayer closet of your heart. Take a good look at five kernels of corn and think about how it would be if that was all you had. And then really give thanks for what you do have. Not one of us have done anything to have been born in this wonderful land of plenty. It is only by the wonderful grace and mercy of our Lord that we have what we have. To Him alone be the honor and glory forever…..Amen and Amen. Thank you so much for reading. Please have a good and safe day. Love you all forever…….Pastor Brion

The Lonely Treasure

A Lonely Treasure

Ecclesiastes 4:10

Ecclesiastes 4:10 “For if they fall, the one will lift his fellow: but woe to him that is alone when he falleth; for he hath not another to help him up.” I learned a big lesson when I was growing up. My Dad and my Mom had compassion for others. There was a elderly lady that lived across the creek from us that they worried about all the time. She lived all alone and had no one to look after her. They worried about her health, whether she had food or clothing, her heat in winter and all the other essentials of life. I can remember my marching orders to go cross the creek, run through the woods and bring a report of her condition back home. If it was terribly cold, I would bundle her up and bring her back home across the creek to spend the night with us in the warmth of our home. On other days my Mother would fix her a sack lunch, or a plate from our table and I would whisk it away over to her house with a unexplainable excitement. Then I would sit down with her, say the blessing and listen to her words as she feasted on home cooked morsels. Years and years of history passed across her lips as she told me how she grew up, how she met her husband, how he worked in a mill and how they built a life during the industrial revolution of America. I remember her dragging out his tool box and explaining each and every tool in great detail to a young boy who listened to every word. One day during one of these journeys through time, she gave me some of these prized possessions. I cherished them more than gold. When Thanksgiving and Christmas came around, it was always a special time. She knew how to make special candies and delicacies that our family truly loved. My Mother would drive to her house, pick her up and bring her to ours. Our kitchen would be prepared and would be standing at attention, ready for an onslaught of mega calories. The little old lady would come in and go straight to work. Various ingredients would soon transform into pecan pies, pecan divinity, potato candy, chocolate and peanut butter fudge and piles and piles of cookies. I can still remember the taste of all these treasures on the most special time of year. Then on Thanksgiving and Christmas day I would happily trudge across the creek and through the woods to carry that sweet old lady our offering of thanks and friendship in the form of home cooked goodness. Oh the memories that flood across my mind!! What a lesson I learned as I received a blessing I did not even know I was getting. What a treasure to a young boy in the form of a lonely, little old lady. As I sit here this morning and drift back into yesteryear I am bothered by a news report on our television. It is about the loneliest people experiencing the loneliest of days. A group in Atlanta is cooking and preparing meals for the elderly that have been forgotten. As they deliver the meals, the drivers are the only people they will see on these special days. What a shame and what a heart wrenching thought for me. I wonder how many little old ladies or grumpy old men, these treasures of life, are within the sight of our homes and Churches that will spend the greatest of days alone? And maybe never see another person. Because of this tragedy and our effort to make a difference in this world, let’s all notice those around us. I am issuing a challenge to our Church and all of my Facebook friends today, to not let loneliness happen this year. There is treasure out there waiting to be discovered. Let’s always seek the lost, but let’s seek the lonely and let’s take time to listen and care. It is time we show the world what we are made of. We may not make it by Thanksgiving, but let’s develop a treasure map by Christmas and change lives this year. So there’s our challenge and there’s our purpose. Let me know how you feel about this. Now go out and do what you do best, make a difference for Christ!!! Have a great day, keep reading and love you lots…..Pastor Brion

The Front Porch

The Front Porch

Exodus 3:5

Exodus 3:5 “And He said, Draw not nigh hither; put off thy shoes from off thy feet, for the place whereon thy standest is holy ground”. I received one of the greatest compliments I have ever had the honor to have been given last night. We spent the evening at the funeral home paying our respects to the departed’s families and talking with a lot of special people. I was talking with one of these special friends and reader, Denise Avery Freeman. In conversation she told me what a compliment her son had given me. She said her son had mentioned that I was a guy that you would like to sit on the front porch and talk with. I don’t know if I have ever received a more meaningful compliment. After being called the things I have been called throughout my life, that was quite a breath of fresh air. LOL!!! You see, the front porch is a very special place for me. It is a place where I went from childhood to manhood listening to the wisdom of many fine men. A place where a forest of red cedar has slipped through my hands in piles of little curls and shavings. A place where the problems of the world have been repaired, the problems of the family have been settled and problems between people have vanished forever. The front porch is a place where the grandest of deer have been killed, the biggest of bears have been wrestled, the birds and the bees have been let out of the cage, thousands of squirrels have been put on the supper table, trout have been fought and rabbit dogs traded. The front porch is the place where I stood and waited on my wife when we had our first date. I remember arriving in my Jeep and the walk to the front door. I was scared and excited at the same time. But all apprehension faded away when I saw her smiling face and was granted acceptance from the front porch to the living room. And that same night I brought her back to the front porch…….. and received the sweetest kiss that has ever touched my lips. And after I asked her to marry me, the front porch is the place where we sit and made our plans for the future. The memories abound like it was yesterday. Oh……the front porch….it is a place, for me, called holy ground. Our Scripture tells us of a place where God meets us. It is a place that He Himself calls Holy Ground. It is so Holy that He demands that the very shoes you have on your feet be taken off. It makes me wonder if we will be bare footed in Heaven? I’m sure that God has a front porch because I tell our Church folks that we need to have a “front porch” relationship with Him. I love to read how Moses was just minding his own business, working in a simple job and God met him where he was. They carried on a special conversation and Moses received special instructions about a special future that God had planned for him. As I look at this precious Scripture and story, it brings up points to mind that we can look at, cherish and sit on the front porch with Him for just a moment in our day:

1. HOLY GROUND IS A SPECIAL PLACE
A. A Place Where God Met Man And Man Met God
B. A Place That Is Personal. God Meets Us There.
C. A Place Of Conversations, Hope, Dreams And Direction
2. HOLY GROUND IS A COMFORTABLE PLACE
A. God Said Take Your Shoes Off
B. Set A Spell
C. And LISTEN
3. HOLY GROUND IS A LOVELY PLACE
A. A PLACE WHERE GOD KISSED ALL MANKIND
B. THE KISS OF THE WORDS “I AM”
C. His Love For Us Is So Strong He Is All We Ever Need
D. “ I AM___________” You Fill In The Blank With Whatever You Are In Need Of

I’ve got a front porch. I hope and pray that it will turn out to be one that I can be proud of. It’s not much in man‘s eyes, but it is a place where you can take your shoes off, feel as welcome as you can be and get just as comfortable as you see fit. I believe that it is Holy ground and a place where man and God meet. So thank you for the compliments and thank you for the confidence you have in me by reading these front porch conversations we have each and every day. If I have a prayer that I can pray today, it would be that you find that “front porch” relationship with the great “I Am”. He is our everything and He desires that you meet Him in your special place. A place where you feel welcome, a place where you are the most comfortable and a place where His love abounds. I hope you have a great and wonderful day. Thanks for spending time with us, love you lots, see you later………Pastor Brion
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Memories

Memories

Philippians 1:3

Philippians 1:3 “I thank my God upon every remembrance of you”. This is one of my most favorite Bible verses. It is one I want to live by and it is one I want to model. I hope to live my life in such a way that you will thank God for me each time I drift across your mind. I remember one time when I was addressing a gathering of Pastors at a meeting. They were all “prominent” Pastors of big Churches. I used this verse and I simply asked the question “On Monday morning, how many people say this about you?” It is funny, I’ve never been asked to be a part of the meeting since then……….. People remember things about us, whether they be good or bad. Our actions and attitude controls what everyone remembers about us. I can’t help but sit and think this morning about the two folks we had that departed into glory this week end. They both were distinct, separate personalities and we are remembering everything about them now. I remember Mr. Bowen for all the hard work that he did through life. Farmer, logger and equipment operator. Part of the logs for my house he hauled for me. I thank my God upon every remembrance. Then there is Ms. Carzelle. A very petite and lovely lady that always had a smile on her face. She loved to go to Wendy’s and eat lunch. A hamburger, a cup of coffee and a vanilla frosty. On how she loved to eat that ice cream!!! I thank my God upon every remembrance of her. So many other memories of them both come to mind that would fill volumes. But our Scripture today is a startling reminder to us that we etch something on people’s minds. It is very simple, it is either good or bad. We have a God given ability to remember and we do. What is it that you are doing that is memory worthy to others? Will you be remembered for your faith? Your service? Your anger? Your love? Your hate? And a endless list of qualities and actions we display stream before all of us this morning. It is my prayer today that we start etching smiles across everyone’s minds and reserve a memory of joy when people think of us. May God bless each and every one of you. Thank you for reading and supporting what we do. Have a great day and remember us in prayer as we prepare the words to send these loved ones on. And I really, really do thank my God upon every remembrance of you. Love you lots, see you soon………Pastor Brion
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Euroclydon

Euroclydon

Acts 27: 14

Acts 27:14 “But not long after there arose against it a tempestuous wind, called Euroclydon.” It has been a fairly difficult week for us and a lot of different people. There have been many who have had health issues, many who have had economic issues, many who have lost family members and some dear friends who have been called into ministry are having a very difficult time. All these things prompted me to preach a sermon today that I titled the “Indestructible Christian”. I know many of you are thinking I’m crazy, but as long as God has a purpose for you and you are striving to fulfill that purpose, you are supernaturally indestructible. That does not to give us license to tempt Him by living foolishly, but through the hard times, when we think we cannot take another step, it should give us the security and certainty that everything will be alright. Our Scripture today speaks of a time when God told Paul that he had to go to Rome. Paul believed God and he knew that he would get there. But as he left, suddenly there arose a great tempest that prompted them to think that all would be lost. But Paul held on to his faith and he knew all would be okay. I have broken this down into four simple points, and I would like to share them with you.
1. THE SUDDENESS OF THE STORMA. Without Warning The Storm Hit
B. They Never Saw It Coming
2. THE SEVERITY OF THE STORM
A. It Was Bad, So Bad They Didn’t Think They Would Make It
B. So Bad They Got Rid Of Their Material Possessions
3. THE SENSELESSNESS OF THE STORM
A. The Storm Was Not Caused By Paul’s Rebellion
B. God Had Told Paul He Was Going To Rome
C. Paul Simply Believed And Trusted God At His Word
4. THE STEDFASTNESS IN THE STORM
A. The Seamen Panicked
B. Paul Preached And Had The Opportunity To Be A Example
C. God Used Paul’s Obedience, Not Rebellion To Show That
God Is More Powerful Than Life’s Storms
There are so many more points that I would love to discuss and drag out of this Scripture. But I know that some of you are in the midst of a storm right now and you simply need to hear that everything will be okay. Just don’t give up the ship!! My word and my prayer for you today is to simply hold on and do not panic. God is not done with you yet. You know that He has called you according to His purpose. The sudden waves have hit you all at once, but steady is the course. Don’t faint, but use the opportunity to teach others that come what may, everything is going to be alright. Listen……God loves you and I do too. See you on here a little later. Keep praying and reading……Pastor Brion

Are You Sober This Morning?

Are You Sober This Morning?

1 Thessalonians 5:18

1 Thessalonians 5:18 “In all things give thanks, for this is God’s will for you in Christ Jesus”. Oakey Mountain is a place of many personalities. People have come and gone and mostly stayed. It is a place where people come and find a home. A place where they just don’t fit in any where else. Among these many personalities is our oldest member of the Church, Mrs. Annabelle Dean. Annabelle is now 87 years old and that’s how many years she has been coming to Oakey. Always a joyous smile on her face and always laughing. I remember one Sunday morning as I was greeting the people before service, she stepped up on the porch and asked me a life changing question, “Preacher, you sober this morning?”. I stood there for a minute not knowing what to say. If I said yes, that meant there were times when I wasn’t. If I said no, well, you know what that meant. I know that it was all a joke and Miss Annabelle was going on with me, but it made me think about myself. Am I really sober? Or do I live in some fantasy world? The sobering thoughts of life came back to me this morning as I was studying God’s wonderful Words. I came across a prayer written by Cindi McMenamin that set me back for a moment. A prayer that we all need to read and think about every word. Our Scripture today tells us that we need to be thankful at all times, whether they be good or bad. It is easy for us to be thankful when everything is at it’s best, but it is a sobering thought to be thankful for the bad. In all things God works for our good. We may not realize it at the time, but He is a Master at transforming trash into treasure. I hope and pray that these simple words from man will open a insight to a new world of “sobering” thoughts. God bless you all, thanks for reading and have a great day. Love you lots……Pastor Brion
Thank you, God, for this food we are about to eat. And thank You for Your many blessings on us this past year...the ones we've seen, as well as the ones we haven't seen.
Thank you, God for the times You have said "no." They have helped us depend on You so much more.
Thank you, God, for unanswered prayer. It reminds us that You know what's best for us, even when our opinion differs.
Thank You for the things you have withheld. You have protected us from what we may never realize.
Thank You, God, for the doors You have closed. They have prevented us from going where You would rather not have us go.
Thank you, Lord, for the physical pain You've allowed in our lives. It has helped us more closely relate to Your sufferings on our behalf.
Thank you, Lord, for the alone times in our lives. Those times have forced us to lean in closer to You.
Thank you, God, for the uncertainties we've experienced. They have deepened our trust in You.
Thank You, Lord, for the times You came through for us when we didn't even know we needed a rescue.
Thank You, Lord, for the losses we have experienced. They have been a reminder that You are our greatest gain.
Thank You, God, for the tears we have shed. They have kept our hearts soft and moldable.
Thank You, God, for the times we haven't been able to control our circumstances. They have reminded us that You are sovereign and on the throne.
Thank You, God, for Your ability to take what we consider 'tragedy' and turn it into a treasure.
Thank You, God, for those You have called home to be with You. Their absence from this earth reminds us to keep our eyes fixed on heaven.
The last one really got me….Peace to you all………Pastor Brion
　
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The Joy Of A Pocket Knife

The Joy Of A Pocket Knife

Proverbs 27:17

Proverbs 27:17 “Iron sharpeneth iron; so a man sharpeneth the countenance of his friend.” I have always loved pocket knives. I received my first one when I was four years old. My Daddy gave it to me and I thought it was the greatest thing in the world. I put it in my pocket and carried it around everywhere. I remember it like it was yesterday. One day we all jumped in the family car to go town and everywhere we went I always stood up in the seat behind my Daddy’s shoulder. There was no such thing as seat belts in those days, so he was my security. He did not know that I had the little knife in my hand and for some reason I had it open. When he set back in the seat the little thing poked him. Scared me so bad because I had hurt my Dad. But he laughed and told me it was all right, but never took away my pocket knife. The first time I ever had to go to the Principal’s Office was over a pocket knife. I was six year’s old and just had started to school. My Mother had packed an orange in my lunch box and told me to use my pocket knife to cut a hole in the end. That’s the way we ate oranges, cut a hole in the end, squash out the juice, then eat the insides. I did that at lunch that day and the Teacher had a coronary. You would have thought I had robbed someone or something. Dad had to come to my rescue again, but he laughed and gave me back my pocket knife. There was never a time when I was growing up that I did not have a pocket knife. It was one of those important things a boy has and needs. It is his companion to manhood. I also remember sitting on my Granddaddy Scott’s front porch. He sat and told stories, chewed tobacco and whittled on a piece of red cedar with his pocket knife. He just sat and tried to go from one end of the piece of wood to the other without breaking the curl. If you sat on the porch, you whittled too. And if your knife wasn’t sharp enough to make the little curls in the wood, he sat right there and made you sharpen it under his watchful eye and guidance. As I sat in my chair this afternoon and sharpened my pocket knife under my ol‘ pal Roscoe‘s watchful eye, these memories of days gone by danced across my mind filled with laughter and thanksgiving about a simple little thing that means so much to me. The Scripture that we have for today gives us a picture of sharpening knives. Just I sat here and sharpened my knife, dragging the edge across steel making it better, friends do the same thing for each other. Our friends should be of the quality that their lives and actions will influence us and we will be made better for it. How great is a friend that makes you sharper in your faith, sharper in your family and sharper in your walk with God. Someone you can spend time with and talk to about anything and everything. Someone who will be standing there with you when everyone else leaves. A true friend. I know that I have been blessed to have this type of friendship and relationship with my beautiful wife. I cherish our time together as we make one another better during our walk through this life hand in hand. I hope to have this kind of relationship with my son-in-training as we sharpen our knives together, fish, hunt and enjoy this life as a family. I also cherish the friendships that I have forged with people all over the world. And it’s always great to go to Church every time the doors are open and see true friends once again. Everyone always makes me better. But what about your friendship and relationship with others? Are people better just because they know you and have chosen to spend time with you? Do you influence others to be sharper in their walk of faith, their relationship with God or Kingdom work? Are people really glad to see you, spend time with you and go to Church with you? These are tough things to look at in the mirror, but something we all need to do. It is my prayer today that we all become that friend that everyone else needs, but we also need to be thankful for all those friends that God has sent our way, that make us sharper and better every day. So as iron sharpens iron, let’s make each other better. Thank you for doing that for me. After all, that’s God’s plan. Love you all, have a great day, see you later…….Pastor Brion

Which Way Did He Go? Which Way Did he Go?

Which Way Did He Go?

Proverbs 29:18

Proverbs 29:18 “Where there is no vision, the people perish: but he that keepeth the law, happy is he”. Through my life I have learned a lot of lessons. My childhood education came from Bugs Bunny, Daffy Duck, Elmer Fudd, Lassie, Flipper and other great role models. I graduated with the highest honors from the School Of Hard Knocks and The University Of Been There Done That. I’ve sit for hours and listened to the wisdom of old mountain men, moonshiners, coal miners and tried my best to soak it up like a sponge. I started early in life learning the ways of the mountains and how to survive on a flat rock. I learned things like a knife is sharp, a stove is hot, what goes up must come down, squirrels taste good, keep your area clean and the Bible is the complete and Holy Word of God. So with my background in wisdom and simplicity, it is easy for me to trust it, have faith in it and believe everything it says. Can I get a witness and a rousing AMEN!!! So when I read our Scripture today, it seems to me that it is pretty simple and easy to understand. When we have no direction, we perish!! Some translations say that we cast off restraint, which means we aimlessly go in every direction but the right one. Now you know that I am not in to politics, never discuss them. Don’t care who’s President, I just pray for them because Jesus is my King and My Lord. I am not a Harvard graduate or anything like that. But I am an American, of proud Appalachian heritage with calloused hands, that has enough mule sense to understand that things in our world and country is not right. I wonder when someone will stand up during one of these grand and glorious press conferences, in a pair of overalls and a ball cap amidst the $1000 suits, while the upper crust is telling the country all these complex things we have to do to get better, and simply quotes Proverb 29:18? What a revelation it would be. So I say….. Good Morning America…..listen to me just a minute, it won’t take long, the answer to our problems is very, very simple: WE HAVE LOST OUR VISION!!!!!!! We have drifted away from what we were created for, from why our country was established AND the American way. The vision was set for a country devoted to GOD, HARD WORK, COURAGE, INDEPENDENCE AND A FUTURE FOR ALL OF OUR POSTERITY!!!!!!!! The vision was never about political correctness, dependence on government handouts, gay rights, abortion, idolatry or RED AND BLUE STATES. OUR VISION WAS AND SHOULD BE ONE NATION UNDER GOD, INDIVISIBLE WITH LIBERTY AND JUSTICE FOR ALL. Whew, there will be a meeting in the morning for sure!! I am sure my poor ol’ deacons are sweating right about now. “He’s turned loose, quick, get the computer away from him”….LOL. Folks, I tell ya, this Scripture is so simple for us to follow, learn and understand. It stands just as true for our country as it is for the Church. If we can’t see where we are going, we will wander around and die. And to implement this strategy costs ABSOLUTELY NOTHING. It will not add to the national debt, it will solve it. Folks will go to work and render unto Caesar. No child or person would ever be naked, homeless or hungry. That’s not God’s way! Social security will be solvent until Christ comes because people would take care of it instead of destroying it. The unemployment rate would be zero because Americans would keep jobs in America. There would be no need for political parties. Craziest things that have ever been invented. There is one vision for America, not red or blue, it is the true and perfect will of God for us all. Oh my goodness, I’m going to have to quit. I’ve run out of coffee but not things to say. I don’t need to get on these soap boxes, but I do need to proclaim the glorious Word Of God. So in your prayers, pray for vision. The vision for us to see, strive for and obtain that perfect will of God for us, our Churches, our communities, our families, the Kingdom and THE GREATEST NATION IN THE WORLD!!! And in the words of my Cross Point friends….Sola Deo Gloria!!!!!!!!! Love you lots, see you later…….Pastor Brion
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Supper's Cooking

Supper’s Cooking

Isaiah 43:2

Isaiah 43:2 “When thou passeth through the waters, I will be with thee; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow thee: when thou walkest through the fire, thou shalt not be burned; neither shall the flame be kindled upon thee.”
I’ve always liked the simpler things in life. I try to do what the Bible says by working with my hands, minding my own business and leading a quiet life. Linda Gail knows that and she knows that I don’t have to have extravagant things or extravagant meals, just as long as she cooks it, it doesn’t matter. I’m sitting down for a minute this afternoon, drinking a little coffee and smelling the aroma of freshly cooked pinto beans. I know that before Church there will be a pan of fresh hot cornbread in a cast iron skillet put in a prominent place right beside them. Mmmmm……mmmmm…….easy, simple living fit for a king. Those pinto beans cooking get me to thinking about our lives and the things we all are encountering everyday. Times are tough and it’s taking a toil on all of us, our families and the Churches. All three react and change in their own way. The contents of my old timey mountain kitchen preaches a sermon to me like music to my ears. Imagine, for a moment, that there are two pots on the stove and one old fashioned coffee pot sitting beside it. In one pot sits pinto beans, the other pot sits eggs and in the coffee pot, well you get the idea. All three start out with a hard outer shell and all three are thrust into hot, steamy boiling water. After a while, the pinto beans seem to start getting soft, then softer and softer until they become kinda mushy. The eggs, behind or beneath that outer shell, they just get harder and harder. The coffee……. it just flavors the water. Now I know that you are just sitting there thinking I got into the moonshine again or something like that, but let’s think of it through simple eyes. All three of them faced the same adversity, boiling water, but all three reacted differently. The dried beans started out all tough, hard and unrelenting. But after the boiling water they became soft and weak. The egg started off with a tough exterior but a soft inside. After the bath of boiling water it still had a tough outside, still looks the same, but the inside just got harder and harder and harder. The coffee, well my friend it’s different and unique, it just flavored the water. And it didn’t reach it’s fullest potential and do it’s best for everyone that comes in contact with it until it reached 212 degrees F. Now here is the best part, how do you react or respond to adversity? When you are thrust into the “hot water” how does it change you? How do you react? Do you just get weak? Maybe you just get hard on the inside and hide it from everyone? Or do you have the influence enough to change the very thing that is bringing the adversity? Our Bible verse today tells us that it is a definite that we will pass through the water and we will pass through the fire. We will face times of adversity when we can be our best or our worst. But God Himself promises us that He will be with us every step of the way. Instead of the adversity changing us, our families and our Churches, let’s all change the adversity for the better of all. Let’s steer clear of the hardening of our hearts and never get weak in adversity’s face. We are somebody, we can influence the world, and we have Someone who will never leave us nor forsake us. I hope you have a good and great day, love you all, keep reading and I’ll see you tomorrow………Pastor Brion
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Boloney, Ahh Phooey And Other Words Of Comfort

Boloney, Ahh Phooey And Other Comfort Words

Proverbs 25:11

Proverbs 25:11 “A word fitly spoken is like apples of gold in pictures of silver”. What a wonderful morning!! I woke up to aches, pain and stiff as a starched shirt. My feet hurt as I walk, I can’t find my glasses and I broke a tooth on a piece of beef jerky. Both tires are still flat on my wagon, the porch needs cleaning off, the garbage needs taking out, Roscoe just threw his ball in my lap and Elmo is getting attacked on the morning news. Sometimes a man just needs a comforting word. A word that rings true to the situation you are in and brings comfort amidst all the discouragement. I need these words. I may be the only one in this world, but I need to hear them, think them and share them with others. As I open up my heart and thoughts to you through written words, it resurrects experiences in my life that bring joy, happiness, concern, anger. pain and also bitterness. It seems that satan capitalizes on bitterness and anger. God concentrates on happiness and joy. My career as a Ranger, for me, was one of joy and happiness but ended in bitterness and anger. The politics of government was more than I could stand and their high standard of lies and deceit just went against the fabric I am made of. Twenty eight years of faithful service ended with my service plaque sent to me in the mail after having a heart attack on the Black Mountain fire in Missoula, Montana. What a wonderful way to end!!!! I searched and searched for a word of comfort. I found them in the Bible but also in the words spoken by men. I drift back to a older gentlemen in the Church that grew up in the mountains. His comfort word was “ah phooey”. I can hear him speaking those words right now, “Brother Brion……when I come up against something I can’t do nothing about, I just throw up my hand and say ‘ahhh phooey’, it just makes things better”. I also think of the by word of Alfred E. Smith, Governor of New York. His word was “baloney” or “bologna”, whichever you prefer. This word gained him the love of a nation, gained him four terms as governor, as he used this high definition photgraph to describe the beauacracy of Washington and the speeches of those in office. I look at all the trouble we have within our government today and in recent days, the words spoke and spoken, I believe there is no more word fitly spoken than “BALONEY!”. Nuff said. As I finish my thought for the moment, I can’t help but think of my Grand Dad Alfred Scott. He was a coal miner up in Tennessee. He never had anything in his life but hard work and hard times. Even when he eeked out an existence on a rock, he always had a word fitly spoken, his word was “ahh shucks”. In the midst of our world today, I wonder what your word is? A word fitly spoken or a word that adds to grief? Either encouraging or discouraging, one or the other. Hmmmm…….that hurts. Our precious Scripture tells us that there will come a time when we WILL need a word fitly spoken from a child of God. These words will be absolutely beautiful to us. They will be:
1. Nourishing - like the vitamins in the apple
2. They Will Be Well Rounded - Like The Shape
3. They Will Be Valuable - Like Silver And Gold
4. They Will Be Desired - Like Precious Treasures
Are your words like that, or do you add to the anger and bitterness of the situation? It is my prayer for us all today to look and pray for the right words to say at the right time. The Scripture tells us to ask and it shall be given, so what’s wrong for asking for a word fitly spoken? And if you are like me and in need of a word, I pray that you seek them from a person that intends to help more than hurt. And as a final word of advice, take the words of some very wise men: “ahh phooey, ahh shucks and baloney”!! Try it, you’ll like it. Well, my wife just said the sweetest words fitly spoken. “breakfast’s ready…..eggs, biscuits, red eye gravy, scuppernog preserves, fried spam and a full coffee pot!!!” Gotta go!!! Have a great day, keep on reading, love you lots……Pastor Brion
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Snake Boots

Snake Boots

Ephesians 5:15

Ephesians 5:15 “See then that ye walk circumspectly, not as fools, but as wise,” Yesterday was a very busy day for me. We had a couple of folks having early surgery so we headed out to the hospital first thing. I try to take advantage of each trip we take to Gainesville or Atlanta and get as much done as possible to save on gas. I needed a few things from the Bass Prop Shop, imagine that, so when everyone was in surgery we escaped and traveled on southward to one of the greatest places on earth. We arrived right when they opened, so we had the place pretty much to ourselves. I hit all the normal places, filled up my buggy and topped it off with a new pair of camo bayou knee high side zipper snake boots. Boy, are they comfortable. We left and headed back up the highway and worked in ministry the rest of the day and finally returned back home around dark. Everyone was tired, so we just finished the day. I set back, went through the day in my mind and enjoyed a cup of coffee. As I set in my chair I couldn’t help but look across the room and admire my new snake boots. And then it hit me, they were…..snake…..boots. I came to the immediate realization that I actually needed something to put on my feet that bore witness that I had no better sense than to frequent a place where I needed such. Then I read the most comforting statement on the box, “Our boots are made of the highest quality that will protect you from 99% of North American Pit Viper attacks”. Hmmmmmm………99%???? Now where exactly does that 1% live? And what does that 1% look like? Do they have, uh……, like spiked Mohawks? Tattoo’s? The older I get the more I’m not too sure about these things. I know one thing, if one of those 1%’ers gets after me I will leave a lasting impression on it!!! It will never be the same. My immediate and rapid colonic activity will leave it scarred for life!!!! Poor thing would cough and gag for a week. Now all of you hyper-Calvinistic stuffed shirt folks out there that are condemning for a little jest at myself, let’s see how long your clothes stay clean when one of those 1%’ers slips up on you, grabs you by the leg and in North American Pit Viper language says “Boooooooo”. Hahahahahahahaha!!!!!!!!! I’m sure my poor ol’ Theology Professor is proud of me now!!!!!! Oh my goodness, I think I just split my overalls!!!!!!!!! Really folks, loosen up, we need a little laughter in these days just to get us through. The Scriptures that I chose today is all about walking or living in a very dangerous world, exactly like the one in which we live. The idea is that we are walking through a cactus patch, barefooted in the dark. You have to really be careful where you step, because if you step in the wrong place you will get hurt. Such is life for all of us. Sin, trouble and strife is waiting all around us and satan is just waiting for us to make a misstep. When we do, the pain is immediate and lasting. In order to walk safely the path has to be illuminated so we can see our way safely through. We need to be very thankful that the Bible sheds light on those ol’ sticky cactus patches and that Jesus has already gone through so we can follow. We won’t walk through the path without any problems or pain, but we’ll have plenty of help and company along the way. My prayer for each of you today is for a well lit path, a never leaving Companion and a joyous journey through the cactus. Hey, thanks for reading. Love you lots, have a great day and see you tomorrow………..Pastor Brion

Flat Tires, Wood Stoves And Coffee Cups

Flat Tires, Wood Stoves And Coffee Cups

Ephesians 5:18

Ephesians 5:18 “And be not drunk with wine, wherein is excess; but be filled with the Spirit;” Flat tires, wood stoves and coffee cups. One makes me angry, one makes me happy and another makes me sad. You see……I hate flat tires, love wood stoves and live off of coffee. I had an occasion the other day to come close to missing the Rapture again. I needed to get some firewood brought down to the house before bad weather set in so I went outside to crank my tractor and take my wagon on top of the hill and load it. I love burning wood, cutting wood and even getting wood for the heater. To me it is not work at all. It gets empty and I fill it up again. I sense when it’s getting low and I just jump into action. Well anyway, I grabbed a cup of coffee and went outside and was met with two flat tires. Easy enough, so I cranked up my compressor, set down my coffee cup and started filling tires. The first one blew up, held just fine and was ready to go to work. The second was another story. I fought, wrestled, twisted, tugged, beat, frailed, prayed, cus…(not that), fumbled, bludgeoned and carried on the likes that you have never seen before. No matter how hard I tried, all I heard was “psssssssst”. I used about forty dollars worth of fix a flat and green slime proving that this little tire was not going to get the best of me..psssssssssssst. I got my composure, grabbed the wife and headed off to town to buy a $20 inner tube, come home, wrestled for another hour, plugged up the air and PSSSSSSTTTTT!!!! Well, I finally gave up on it, forgot about my coffee that was now two hours cold and decided I didn’t like firewood as much as I thought. What a lesson in life for me!!!! In this goofy mind God gave me dances around the spiritual imagination of thoughts of this maddening adventure and the glorious Scripture He gave us. I think of His children who become saved, get filled with the Holy Spirit, have a very important job to do then pssssssssstttttt. The Holy Spirit just starts leaking out all over the place. Some stay filled up pretty well. They may have a slow leak, but they are eager to work and easy to fill. Some are like my coffee cup, as soon as it gets low it’s ready to fill up again with the elixir of life and is hot as fire. Then there are those that sit in the pews of the Church and pssssssstttt all over the place. I preach and stomp and snort and try my best to close up all the holes or at the least slow down the leak, but all you can hear is psssssssstttttttttt. But in all seriousness, the Bible teaches us that we are supposed to be continually and constantly filled with the Spirit. We are by nature people who have a slow leak. We get all filled up but the things we encounter in life and go through seems to take a little or a lot from us. Our lives, Christian witness, families and Churches are deflated. We really need to learn to be sensitive to the Holy Spirit and be continually asking for the infilling. And all those things that poke holes in us, we need to learn to fix quickly. We are admonished by God to live a Spirit-filled life so others can see the best in us, His work can get done, our families and Churches will be complete. I pray that today you will ask for a fresh filling and seek to fix those things that take away from that Spirit filled life. Without it, you are missing out. Thank you so much for reading. Love you all……….

Pastor Brion