Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, August 1, 2025.

I'm in the chair.

A woman walks in the barbershop with her child.

The fellas start, "Man, Paul, talkin' about being fine…"

But, that doesn't excite me like that anymore.

Don't get me wrong, I definitely notice women.
And it's a constant battle to conform my thoughts to match what Jesus thinks when He sees them.

But I've learned something:
A pretty face and a nice body are a dime a dozen.

My wife has the sauce and the substance too.

And you just don't stumble upon a wife. You have to find her—and you need favor from the Lord.
I had to struggle and toil as a co-laborer with Christ as He brought the precious gem of my wife forth.

Ain't no way I'm trading that for fool's gold.
I know what I've got.

"Who can find a virtuous wife?
For her worth is far above rubies …
Charm is deceitful and beauty is passing,
But a woman who fears the LORD,
she shall be praised."
– Proverbs 31:10, 30

This is not just words in the Bible anymore.
This is truth to me now.

I cherish my wife.

And I wish I had, even before I met her.

#lust #marriage #perfectourlove

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, July 26, 2025.

Beloved, beware the use of AI when studying the Bible.

As with all science, AI can tell you "what" but it cannot tell you "why" because it lacks the capacity—a soul, spirit—to interact with the text.

But it will try, because it's created by people with a soul and spirit who may not be quickened by the Holy Spirit and believe—which are critical to even see the text (it is hidden from the proud and unbelieving, see Deuteronomy 29:29, Mark 4:11-12, James 4:6), not even to speak of interpreting it rightly. It's giving you someone else's interaction with the text and that's the most dangerous part.

Don't get me wrong, AI can be an excellent tool for Bible study, but as with any discipline: medicine, coding, etc., it is most effective when you have enough basic competency in a field to understand its fundamentals and ask questions that do not betray them.

In the understanding of Scripture, Jesus as God and King made flesh is fundamental (1 Corinthians 3:11).

Beware beloved.

#ai #chatgpt #biblestudy #perfectourlove

Originally posted on Facebook on Monday, July 21, 2025.

During our last Bible Study, Brother James Triplett said something powerful:

“From this study of John, I realized that God sees, then He speaks to produce what He sees. That's powerful. That makes me ask—what am I seeing? What am I speaking? Because as His child, my words have power.”

He's not wrong.

Proverbs 18:21 says,
“Death and life are in the power of the tongue, and those who love it will eat its fruit.”

You can completely change the path someone is on by the words you speak.

Here’s how that practically plays out for me:

I’ve never met a “bad” kid.

There are, however:

● Bad environments
● Bad health
● Bad options
● Bad choices

But, they aren't bad. That's not what God saw, nor what He called them (Genesis 1:31).

Approaching a person based on the truth of God's declaration rather than their perceived problems makes a world of difference.

I look forward to seeing everyone at The Hub tomorrow night for Starkville Bible U as we continue to encounter Jesus and learn how to express His kingdom on earth as it is in heaven.

#StarkvilleBibleU #BibleStudy #Lesson3 #Testimony

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, July 13, 2025.

Whether I get anything out of Scripture depends on whether I’m actively looking—because I’m in need.

“Then Jesus turned, and seeing them following, said to them, ‘What do you seek?’”
— John 1:38

Those who are satisfied with themselves and with the world—who think they need nothing—receive nothing.

“Then some of the Pharisees who were with Him heard these words, and said to Him, ‘Are we blind also?’
Jesus said to them, ‘If you were blind, you would have no sin; but now you say, “We see.” Therefore your sin remains.’”
— John 9:40–41

“Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked…”
— Revelation 3:17

And even if I think I receive something, what determines whether it’s worthless fool’s gold or the true riches is what I want.

Those who want worldly gain will find nothing that satisfies.

“Do not labor for the food which perishes, but for the food which endures to everlasting life, which the Son of Man will give you, because God the Father has set His seal on Him.”
— John 6:27

But those who want the Kingdom of God and His righteousness—which starts with wanting the King, Jesus Christ—will receive overflowing fulfillment.
A deep, abiding joy.
They will never hunger or thirst again.

“And Jesus said to them, ‘I am the bread of life. He who comes to Me shall never hunger, and he who believes in Me shall never thirst.’”
— John 6:35

“Blessed are those who hunger and thirst for righteousness,
For they shall be filled.”
— Matthew 5:6

So I either come to the Word for Him—Jesus Christ, the Word made flesh—or I get nothing at all.

#WYSIWYG #WhatYouSeekIsWhatYouGet #perfectourlove

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, July 10, 2025.

Everyone knows what a plane is, right?

That depends.

How it’s used in a sentence is what reveals its meaning.

“We boarded the plane for our vacation.”
“The artist sketched a cube on a flat plane.”

Same word. Different meaning.
Context is what gives it meaning.

Last night at Starkville Bible U, we began our study of John—and it was wonderful. Those who got the most from the lesson will tell you the key was prayer and reading through the whole book.

Because context is what gives things their meaning.

We invite you to join us in the study of the Gospel of John—not only to better understand Jesus, but to better understand yourself.

Because context is what gives things their meaning.

Jesus is context for everything.

“All things were made through Him, and without Him nothing was made that was made.”
— John 1:3

We hope you’ll read through the entire Gospel of John and join us next Tuesday.

A link to the study questions for Lesson 2 is in the comments.
#StarkvilleBibleU #BibleStudy #HowToReadTheBible #Context

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, July 6, 2025.

When I understand that Jesus' life is an act of worship, it reveals what true worship is—and transforms how I worship.

“But the hour is coming, and now is, when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him."
— John 4:23

Worship is not just music and lip service.

Worship wants God's glory more than anything: it's an invitation for all to know and love God the way Jesus does—in Spirit and in Truth. This is God's will: God with us, God in Us, God through us, God all in all. And worship is everything that is joyfully offered, to the extent of our whole lives, in order to reveal it.

#Worship #HeartWords #TrueWorship #WorshipInSpiritAndInTruth #perfectourlove

Originally posted on Facebook on Friday, July 4, 2025.

In preparing for our next meeting of Starkville Bible U on Tuesday, July 8th, I've already been tremendously blessed. It's amazing how you come to a text you've read many times and still get something new. It truly is God's living Word.

I am so excited to learn and grow with fellow disciples.

We are going through the book of John. A link to the study questions will be provided in the comments. To get the most out of the study, it's recommended that you read through the entire Gospel of John. It's rich and you'll want to constantly re-read certain sections, but try to get through it in one go. There will be plenty of opportunity to dig deep as we go through the study.

Everyone should try to answer all of the questions if they can, but we recommend focusing especially on the following questions because these are the ones we will discuss:

– Question 4 (sets the framework for the rest of the study)

– Questions 1, 3, 5, 6, 7

– And Question 8 if we have time!

Each meeting will follow this general format:

– 📖 Brief introduction to Starkville Bible U
– 👋🏾New attendee introductions (optional)
– 🙏🏾 Prayer
– 🗨️ Roundtable discussion of selected questions facilitated by an Orientation Leader
– 🙋🏾♂️ Answering selected submitted questions (general questions about God, the Bible, the Church, faith, and more)
– 🙏🏾 Closing prayer
– 👋🏾 Dismiss

Feel free to ask any questions in the comments and we look forward to seeing you there!

Originally posted on Facebook on Thursday, July 3, 2025.

Nehemiah 6 stood out to me from my Bible Study this morning, specifically where his enemies make multiple attempts to disrupt his work, finally by bribing a "prophet" to make him afraid. But, Nehemiah said this,

"Should such a man as I flee?"
—Nehemiah 6:11

Wow.

It reminds me of where Jesus said,

“Now My soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? But for this purpose I came to this hour."
— John 12:27

It is a conqueror's mindset—marching forward, refusing to be stopped by fear (note I didn't say we're not afraid or concerned but rather not stopped).

And I glean this:

When the Lord gives you a work, let no one make you afraid—even those who come to you in the name of the Lord, because a spirit of fear is not from God. (2 Timothy 1:7)

#LetNoOneMakeYouAfraid #BibleStudy #perfectourlove

Originally posted on Facebook on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

When we say witness, we should think with-ness.

To witness is to attest to something—to give an account. In this context, it means testifying to the goodness of God.

But we are called to attest to God's goodness by being His goodness.

“Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works and glorify your Father in heaven.”
— Matthew 5:16

More powerful than telling someone about God’s goodness is being His goodness with them.

Witness in such a way that He is expressed in word and experienced in deed.

“My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”
— 1 John 3:18

Let’s perfect our witness through with-ness.

Christ is Immanuel—God with us.

With-ness.

Nothing is more Christian.

#WitnessToWithness #witness #perfectourlove