"Boots And Bibles"
Here's a nugget of Wisdom from Pastor Kenneth Phillips of PromiseLand Church: "Without God, we cannot; without us, God will not!" In other words, and in Texan terms, the work of God requires "Boots and Bibles," and I'm not talkin' about Cowboys! ... or then again, maybe I am ...
Yep! I'm talkin' about Cowboys ... Americans, Chinese, Japanese, Asians, Indians, Greeks ... everyone in the world ... if you wear shoes; I'm talkin' about you! The head scripture says, "Honor all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king." It's about loving one another in the faith. One translation says, "Show proper respect to everyone." That's sometimes tough to do, since we are not always afforded that reciprocal respect. However, that's what motivates the God of the universe ... loving others, laying down one's life for a friend, preferring our brother or sister, eating with the publicans and sinners, feeding the hungry, helping those in need ... and taking the Gospel to every living creature on the face of the earth ... that's America! America has always been the most benevolent Nation, and we don't crow and beat our chest for that ... it comes from our love for the eternal God, who teaches us all how to love. And, that's God, Himself, in operation! He passes the baton to us to carry on His work and if the operation happens to be passed to a boot shod, slow-talkin', rodeo belt-buckled cowboy-hat-clad Texan ... so be it!
"Give to Caesar what is Caesar's, and to God
what is God's."
(Matthew 22:21)
Clarke's commentary says it brilliantly, "This answer is full of consummate wisdom. It establishes the limits, regulates the rights, and distinguishes the jurisdiction of the two empires of heaven and earth. The image of princes stamped on their coin denotes that temporal things belong all to their government. The image of God stamped on the soul denotes that all its faculties and powers belong to the Most High, and should be employed in his service." In Texan, that means, "Not plum, but pert near ..." what I would say! One thing you should know; Texans are BIG on America, and Texans are Texans through and through ... some of 'em say things like, "on the eighth day, God created Texas!" ... I wasn't born in Texas, but I got here quick as I could!" ...
If there's one thing you don't wanna do, it's "mess with Texas." We believe in God, Guns, Country, and Barbeque! And, if you mess with us on this very patriotic day, we'll say things like, "Well that just dills my pickle;" "That's about as useful as a trap door on a canoe;" "You look about as happy as a tick on a fat dog;" "I'm finer than frog hair split four ways;" "She was so tall if she fell down, she'd be halfway home;" "You're lyin' like a no-legged dog;" "You could start an argument in an empty house;" "a bird in the hand causes a big mess;" "Why are you smilin' like a goat in a briarpatch?" You get the picture ... Texans have a "sayin" for everything!
"Now that you have purified yourselves by obeying the truth
so that you have sincere love for your brothers, love one
another deeply from the heart."
(I Peter 1:22)
You've heard of "Deep In The Heart of Texas?" We've got deep hearts, and Hey, you gotta love us ... God said so! It's for sure; if you ever come to Texas, you'll see "Boots and Bibles!" And, don't be surprised if the first hour you're here, somebody walks up, tips his hat, smiles, and says in that good ole friendly Texas drawl, "Well, don't you look prettier than a glob of butter on a stack of wheat cakes!"
Happy 4th from Texas!
By Sheryl Fowler
(Visit promiselandchurch.net and theexperience238.com.
PromiseLand Church, Austin, Texas, Pastor Kenneth Phillips)
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