Category Archives: Life

The Most Important Word

Brainflurry.com | Sin - The Most Important Word

What word in the Bible do I believe is the most important, even more so than justice, love, truth and even faith?

Sin.

Sin means to miss the mark, to offend. It indicates that there is someone that set the mark. Which further indicates there is someone who claims to have the authority to set the mark.

On what basis can one claim such authority? The very word “authority” suggest the answer: authorship.

Sin demands a Creator who has the authority of ownership and thereby the right to set the mark.

According to the Bible, the Creator set that mark for us to be His representatives in the earth, to be caretakers of it. But we were not satisfied with being His representatives and in ignorance of the knowledge and power it takes to sustain creation, we rejected His rule and made for ourselves gods we could understand and control so that we could be the rulers and sit on the throne instead of God. In our effort to gain and to maintain power we have suppressed what can be known of God even apart from the revelation of Holy Scripture by creating false and distracting narratives. In our ignorance, we were also unaware of the immutable spiritual law that to whosever’s idea you yield or to command you obey, you become that person’s slave. Furthermore, we did not understand that ideas do not originate with us: they either stem from Truth or Lies, Good or Evil. As such, by obeying a command stemming from lies we did not become rulers as we thought but subjects, trading the rule of a loving God for the rule of the Father of Lies. We thereby entered in league with Satan and acting as his subjects, we threw the world into disorder, injustice and evil.

We missed the mark.

We used what has been given to us for purposes other than what the Giver intended, thereby opposing and offending God which is sin. There was yet another immutable law, the penalty of sin is death. Sin is opposed to God and whatever opposes God will be destroyed. We are all guilty under this law, leaving corruption and death in our wake and becoming enemies of the Creator, appointed to destruction.

But, God.

But, God was not caught unaware. In fact it was part of His design. Before time, He purposed to grow His beloved family, accounted for our weakness and prepared a Way out for those who were born into corruption but would accept His Love.

In His tender mercy and His loving kindness, God humbled Himself to plea His case with the creatures He made! He spoke through messengers and even established an entire nation to demonstrate the impossible task of humans bridging the gap between themselves and God, even if we were given the instructions!

These were tutors to humble us and bring us back to square one that upholding and governing the universe –achieving good, requires that God does it. But even more than that, it was to prepare us for His greatest act of Love yet, making His appeal to us flesh and walk among us. Such was God’s desire to be with us that He came and made His case to us directly in the person of Jesus Christ!

But not only that, Jesus was sent to take back the creation we lost by being a human that presents Himself obedient to God, being a caretaker of creation, advancing the kingdom of God by taking dominion of the earth, submitting everything that enters His domain to the Father, translating it from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light.

Not only that, He sent Jesus to satisfy the penalty of sin -death, by dying Himself, so that there would no longer be any separation between us and God. Being a perfect man in whom the fullness of God dwells, Jesus is a sacrifice who’s worth can cover all the sin of all mankind; past, present and future. So great is His worth that His sacrifice forever tips the scale so that grace continually abounds toward us.

Not only that, when we believe that God sent the Son, we agree with God about our sin, that the penalty is just, that we are incapable of setting things right, that He alone is good and fit to rule and we, having now no reason to boast, are at His mercy to restore us and all creation.

Not only that, for those that humble themselves, acknowledge their error and place all their hope in Christ, so great is God’s love towards us that rather than leave them subjects, He gives us robes and crowns and makes us sons and daughters! Hallelujah!!!

In this age, by the tutelage Christ’s example provides but moreover by the power God provides and that we receive through faith, we are transformed and given a new heart -a new center of our being with new desires. We want what God wants and walk as Christ walked -living obedient to God, submitting everything in our domain to Christ as he continually translates everything from the kingdom of darkness into the kingdom of light until that day when all things have been put under His feet -where all evil, darkness and even death have been abolished. Our ultimate hope is the resurrection that begins the age where we reign with Christ and live with our loving Father and all those that love Him forever.

To many, this is utter foolishness but if any of this resonates with you, you are being saved.

You need only need to confess a belief at the center of your being (in your heart) that the Father sent the Son and raised Him from the dead to be saved -saved from the death your sin is contributing to the world now and the second death later; the wrath of God to come.

If you want to learn more, start here: https://bit.ly/39ipuDP

I love you.

In Week 13 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for this…

In Week 13 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for this moment of reconciliation. At points…

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, March 27, 2021.

In Week 13 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for this moment of reconciliation.

At points throughout my life, I've been a real piece of work; selfish, self-willed, self-absorbed -incorrigible. This often put me at odds with my father and for years we didn't speak. I thought everything was his fault and truth be told, there were things he contributed to our rift. But after I submitted my life to Christ, God brought me to accountability for my error and gave me His desire for reconciliation.

It started with making a phone call, then offering an apology. Every step was difficult, awkward and each time it required me to revisit my anger and my error and then bring my thoughts captive to Christ and to be obedient to His leading. I stumbled a lot, but by His grace I kept going. Phone calls turned into conversations and conversations blossomed into a relationship.

I will never forget the phone call when my Dad asked me to be the best man in his wedding. I can scarcely think of a time I've been more honored. Through all the pain we suffered, through all the damage I had personally caused, God gave me my father and to my father He restored a son.

What is impossible for God?

I am thankful.

#52WoG

In Week 12 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Judge…

In Week 12 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Judge Lydia Quarles. Starkville Youth…

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, March 21, 2021.

In Week 12 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Judge Lydia Quarles.

Starkville Youth Court Judge Lydia Quarles understands the trappings of the criminal system and sees first-hand how a single bad decision can snowball into devastating, lifelong consequences. Wherever appropriate, Judge Quarles attempts to help point young people that come before her bench toward a productive path and toward resources that help them to avoid becoming entangled in the system. So, rather than issue purely punitive sentences, Judge Quarles has referred them to organizations such as the J.L. King Center as an opportunity to get on the right track.

The youth court referral program at the J.L. King Center is called the Leadership Academy. And, we are so fortunate to have the leadership of Rev. LeRoy F. Davenport to head this program. There, the focus is to support these young people and provide them with tools to succeed in school, the workforce and to be leaders in our community. We work with them as we would our own children; meeting after school with a snack, going over homework, revisiting the highs and lows of their day and discussing strategies to make the next day better.

Our justice system could benefit from a lot more of this, where well-being is the aim. I believe we'll be better as a community for it. I'm thankful. #52WoG

Consider The Lilies Of The Field

Brainflurry.com | Lilies Of The Field

Worry is more than a momentary thought about an issue of concern.

Worry is an emotional state that is a response to a perceived existential threat.

We typically do not worry about our car breaking down. What we do worry about is how the car breaking down may affect our ability to get to work, to earn a livelihood so that we can secure food, clothing or shelter. So in this example, the real worry is not about the car but the underlying perceived threat to our physical well-being.

There are a number of aspects to our well-being besides physical, such as emotional and social. As such, there are a seemingly limitless combination of things we can worry about. But, whatever aspect of our well-being is giving rise to unrest and anxiety in our lives, Jesus has a prescription.

I, for one, have been wrestling with my sense of self worth. We live under a constant barrage of messages that aim to assess and ascribe our value. The use of terms such as “net worth” and the practice of placing value on human lives based on how much stuff they’ve been able to amass or how many people the are able to control is the cornerstone of our culture. I therefore find myself assessing my own value based on such trivial things as how much money I make, how may followers I have or how much engagement I have on a social media post.

Sure it would feel good to shed ourselves of these measures of value, but we live in the real word and value is a real thing, so can something have worth if others do not value it?

Absolutely. We know that even apart from the wisdom of scripture. How many songs do we have about things and people we didn’t appreciate until they’re gone?

But, Jesus reveals a higher truth. He says, “Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow: they neither toil nor spin…” (Matthew 6:28). God’s creation blooms and blossoms, they give their fruit in season without the slightest care about your acknowledgment or approval.

Now imagine how duplicitous a thing would be if its characteristics were to change based on who’s watching or how many approve. What if that thing were basing its actions on how much applause it would get? This is the way of the world and is fertile soil for double-mindedness and hypocrisy.

As for the lilies of the field -God’s creation, it matters not whether you appreciate them or enjoy their fruit. It simply does what it is in obedience to its creator.

Therefore, my prayer is,

“Lord, help me to be like the lilies of Your field, a tree in Your garden, a branch of Your Vine -Your creation. Help me to bear fruit according to the incorruptible seed, the image of Your Son -the implanted Word. Help me to do the good I was created to do regardless if anyone notices.
Amen.”

Jesus concluded His exhortation about how we should handle worry with an affirmation: if God shows such care for the grass of the field and the birds of the air, what does that mean about you? You are beautiful, even more so than a lily arrayed finer than the richest man in the world. You are valuable, even more so than many birds.  You are of great value to God. (Luke 12:7)

The key to overcoming worry and securing our peace is opting out of the world’s value system and taking up God’s (seeking His approach and government i.e. ‘the kingdom of God’ Matthew 6:33). Rather than “net worth”, Jesus must be the chief cornerstone in our lives upon which all value and truth are built.

The truth is: you and I are valuable whether anyone sees us or not. In fact, you are most you when you believe no one sees. So, I say to my soul and yours: Whether seen or unseen let us be what God created: blessings; loving caretakers of creation and our fellow man (Ephesians 2:10). Our life and value in Christ are secure. There is no need to worry.

In Week 11 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Lorin…

In Week 11 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Lorin Langston Chancellor. When I…

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, March 14, 2021.

In Week 11 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Lorin Langston Chancellor.

When I mentioned the work that Alison Buehler and a group of passionate volunteers were doing to maintain the operation of the J.L. King Community Center after a loss of federal funding, Lorin Chancellor of Sullivan's Office Supply kindly offered assistance. As an interior designer, she brought together a team to reimagine the center as a bright, innovative space made for inspiring minds.

As planning began, the Chancellor family was met with the dreadful news of a child being diagnosed with leukemia. In the midst of a time I can only imagine was soul wrenching, Mrs. Chancellor took the time to recruit the aid of others to keep the project moving forward while she was away. She also reached out to her personal contacts with other companies to find furniture that could be donated to the center.

It was an extraordinary act of caring that is an example to me and a beacon of hope. I am grateful. #52WoG

In Week 10 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Cornall…

In Week 10 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Cornall Jones. "THUMP-FSSSSSSSSSS!!",…

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, March 6, 2021.

In Week 10 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Cornall Jones.

"THUMP-FSSSSSSSSSS!!", was the sound I was suddenly greeted with as I turned the corner behind the Cracker Barrel just off I-55 in Jackson, Mississippi.

Metal hitting stone could be felt when one of the wheels descended into a crater of a pothole. The hissing that followed was a dead give-away that the tire had ruptured. The impact ripped a tear so large that the air was escaping completely. As I maneuvered in an attempt to avoid losing a second tire to the hole, before having gone another yard, the car started to lean to one side.

I get out to find the car resting precariously on the rim. I then set about the task of changing the tire. It's the middle of a Mississippi summer day. It's hot. And, it seems like everything is piled in the trunk. So, before I can get to the spare, I have to empty the trunk and then only to find that the spare is flat!

Less than two hours prior, I was sitting in an ambulance with my mother, feeling helpless because I could do nothing more than offer her moral support. I came to Cracker Barrel to pick up one of her favorite dishes in an effort to do something helpful, however small. But, here I am, behind the restaurant with her food in the car, with a flat tire and a flat spare. What's more, is it's nearly 3 PM and my son has a football game later that night in a town more than two hours away.

I'm having a great day.

My frustration is reaching a boiling point and I remember to pray. By God's grace, I regain enough composure to return to the task at hand and find that the spare only needed air and one of the many items we had in the trunk was an air compressor. After getting the spare in place, I hobble to the nearest tire shop, Firestone Complete Auto Care in Jacksonian Plaza.

They're packed. I have to go behind the shop just to find a park. The lobby tells an even more grim story. Yet, almost immediately, I am kindly greeted by a young man, "Welcome to Firestone. How may I help you?" I tell him I've had a flat and need a replacement tire. He replies, "Can you leave it overnight?" I explain that I live out of town and trying to get to my son's football game, so I'd be happy to wait if there was any chance he could squeeze me in. He replies, "Man, all my bays are full and we're backed up but I understand what it's like to have kids playing ball. I can't make any promises, but if you're willing to wait, I'll do the best that I can."

About thirty to forty-five minutes later, a technician comes in the lobby on break and I overhear the young greeter ask him, "Can you man the front for me?" to which the tech jokingly retorts, "Dude. I'm on break." He says, "I know. Help me out." I could hear the mutual respect for each other in their voices. The tech relents, "Gone head, man." The young man, who I now have come to learn his name is Cornall Jones and is also the Service Manager, runs over to me and asks, "Are you parked in the back? Do you have a jack?" He then proceeds to go outside, remove the old tire from the rim, fits the rim with the new tire, balances it and then manually jacks up the car -outside in the heat and mounts the replacement tire himself.

Mr. Jones returns to the lobby, clothes dotted with sweat and with hands soiled from his work. Handing me my keys he says, "Mr. Luckett, I think we've got you going. I hope you make it in time to see your boy." Because of his kindness, dedication and extraordinary efforts, I did. Not only that, but it changed the trajectory of my day and left an impression I am recounting two years later. His gesture was an excellent example of the impact we can all make even in the course of a regular work day by doing all we do, including our work with love. I'm grateful. #52Wog

In Week 9 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Jackie…

In Week 9 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Jackie Rogers. I'm preparing to pull out…

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, February 28, 2021.

In Week 9 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Jackie Rogers.

I'm preparing to pull out of my parking space when I hear a friendly "beep beep" and a car comes to a stop directly behind me. A lady gets out and starts walking towards my window. As she approaches, I wonder, "Is my tire flat? Have I left a door open?"

As I roll down my window, she begins, "You probably don't know who I am, but I know you and your wife. I've watched how you interact with your family. I just want you to know that you're a wonderful father and you're a blessing to me."

Her words came on one of those days where, despite my best efforts, I felt like I was failing on every front.

She then continued, "There is something I want you to have." She goes to her car and comes back with a small wooden cross filled with small polished pebbles. She told me that it was handmade and wanted me to keep it as a reminder that God sees our work, even if it seems like no one else does. And, when we keep our trust in Him, He will take it all, including the rough places of our lives and make something beautiful.

That cross Mrs. Rogers gave me hangs above my desk to this day as a reminder to "keep going". I am grateful. #52WoG

In Week 8 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Ed Hardy.

In Week 8 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Ed Hardy. I don't believe I've ever had a…

Originally posted on Facebook on Sunday, February 21, 2021.

In Week 8 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Ed Hardy.

I don't believe I've ever had a conversation with Ed Hardy. But, his life spoke volumes to me.

Ed Hardy and I both attended Mississippi State and though I'm not sure we even had one class together, he was somehow always on my radar -someone I took notice of around campus and watched from a distance for years.

This was during a time in my life when I was utterly lost, worldly and grappling with my own identity. While I was floundering, deeply insecure and pathetically trying to live out some fantasy I had seen in BET music videos, Ed was anchored. I observed him to be purposed, diligent, studious, friendly and honorable in all his dealings. There was a firm "uprightness" about him that was seemingly apparent to everyone, so much so that there was a widespread rumor that he and a young lady who were allegedly "talking" parted ways because he refused to have sex before marriage. As people talked about that, they laughed. I laughed. But for reasons I couldn't explain then, I deeply respected him. I wanted to be like him but simply lacked the Strength and courage to do so.

What I've come to understand, is that Ed Hardy's extraordinary walk, resolve and strength come directly from his relationship with Jesus. I don't have to talk to him to know that. To this day, I admire how he lives out his faith as a husband and father. (There's a lot of things you can fake but the countenance of your wife and family aren't among them.) Since before I had a relationship with Christ, when I was in sin, Ed Hardy modeled a more excellent way. God used his life to demonstrate to me that by His grace, better was possible. I'm thankful. #52WoG

In Week 7 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pastor…

In Week 7 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pastor Johnny Buckner. It was the largest…

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, February 13, 2021.

In Week 7 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Pastor Johnny Buckner.

It was the largest interracial gathering I had ever seen in Starkville besides a Mississippi State football game. And there I was, at the podium of First Baptist Church giving the commencement speech before hundreds of high school graduates and their families. As a youth minister, I was in my element speaking to young people. But leading up to the event, I wondered, no -worried, whether I would resonate with white youth in the same way as blacks. It was then that I was reminded that what mattered was not their reception of me but of Jesus and He is universal.

So by the grace of God, I focused on lifting Him up, sharing how in the midst of very difficult challenges I faced after high school, it was Jesus who helped me through. I tried to share God's heart for them and encouraged them all to develop a personal walk with Jesus, closing by leading the audience in the hymn, "What a Friend We Have In Jesus." As I began to take my seat, I remember Pastor Gregory Jones sitting on one of the front pews with a straight face and a smile in his eyes, motioning a silent fist pump the way a father would celebrate a child's winning performance. It still warms my heart to this day.

I share this because the real story is this was but one of many times where Dr. Gregory Jones and Pastor Johnny Buckner had been partners in crime for the betterment of our community. See, Dr. Jones was supposed to deliver the commencement. Johnny Buckner had used his influence and platform to arrange it in an effort to bring the disparate and fractured parts of our community together. They later jointly decided that Dr. Jones would step aside to allow me to deliver it, having an eye toward handing the baton to others who could carry their vision into the future.

Decades before the George Floyd marches or Black Lives Matter, Pastor Johnny Buckner was working across racial and denominational lines with intentionality to bring mountains low and valleys high so that we all might share equal footing at the cross. He sought unity in Christ unhindered by worldly schisms.

Further evidence of this were the "youth nights" Pastor Buckner would organize at the old Coca Cola warehouse off Hwy 12. It was a place where youth groups from different churches, different denominations and different races from all over Starkville and beyond would come together. When I was the Youth Pastor at Greater Ebenezer, I loved taking our youth group there. It opened whole new worlds of fellowship and function in the body of Christ. We had some of our best Bible studies and discussions after these events.

I also remember when Pastor Buckner planted a church in, what was then, the old Burger King log cabin. I and Jannie Thompson often liked to take the Greater Ebenezer kids off campus because our group was teenagers and it was helpful to have a space that the kids could call their own, if only for a short time. Pastor Buckner opened the building to us, giving complete and unrestricted access to the facilities. It was one of the first times I had seen a Christian act like the church wasn't theirs but Christ's. Moreover, it was the first time as a black person I had gone to a "white church" and been treated as though the church was just as much for us as for them, rather than being told to sit at someone's footstool.

I am led to say how discouraging it must be to dedicate yourself, to give so much, to suffer loss (that by the Spirit I know that he did) and then to endure accusations such as "All white people are devils and racists," as though your work was for nothing and went completely unnoticed.

Well, I noticed.

And, for this reason, I can never go down the path of categorically condemning an entire group of people. Because of his life and ministry I know that the color of one's skin does not make them an enemy. "We wrestle not against flesh and blood.." It does not determine who they are. "Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new." -II Corinthians 5:17

The life of Pastor Johnny Buckner is proof.

He is not my enemy. He is my friend. I am grateful. #52WoG

In Week 6 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Vernon…

In Week 6 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Vernon and Carolyn West. Mr. and Mrs.…

Originally posted on Facebook on Saturday, February 6, 2021.

In Week 6 of 52 Weeks of Gratefulness, I give thanks for Vernon and Carolyn West.

Mr. and Mrs. West are the owners of West Memorial Funeral Home. When I began my business in Starkville more than 20 years ago, they were one of my very first clients. But beyond giving a young entrepreneur a chance, they also demonstrated a personal concern for me and my professional development. Even though they were clearly very busy running their own business, they made it a point to take time to visit with me and impart wisdom.

I remember on one particular occasion, I was underneath a desk working on a computer, Mr. West casually walked in and said, "You know Paul, to be successful you have to change how you think about money. Don't think about what a dollar can buy but what it can earn. For every dollar you have going out, try to make it bring at least 3 to 5 dollars in."

Moments like that not only shaped me as an entrepreneur but it also taught me how to pay it forward. I am a living testimony that it is personal investments like theirs that truly make a difference. Thank you Mr. and Mrs. West for your mentorship and friendship. I am grateful. #52WoG