ClydeStyle

Blog

  • Tribute to my mom

    image

    One of my favorite songs we sang growing up in church was Home of the Soul. I never really understood this song beyond the melody which I liked.

    But as I got older I started listening to the words and discovered this is a song describing the place that Jesus is preparing for us. I eventually matured to be able to put scriptural application with this song and in addition to seeing the place Jesus is preparing for me in the future, I saw another place. This place was prepared for my living in the past.

    My mother, Annie Mayberry, is like no other. Pound for pound she’s the best mom you could have. (I know I’m bias but bare with me)

    Looking back at what we had back in the day, I realize how hard it was to make that happen. We were not rich, but we lived in an extremely clean home that was comfortable and had nice stuff.

    I looked forward to coming home from a hard day at school, hard time at basketball practice, frustrating day with friends and the reason I loved coming home was because it was prepared for me.

    My mom in anticipation of us coming home made sure things were right. There was always more than enough food. All of my needs (and some wants) were taken care of and she did this despite how she felt on any given day.

    My mom never wanted anyone to look down on us. She never wanted anyone to think we were not cared for and she never wanted us to feel cheated in life. She gave us a respect for the arts — from paintings to great music — she kept beautiful things around us.

    She took our senses and used them to her advantage. We were surrounded by beauty, grew up on incredibly delicious soul food, clean clothes, warm bed and toys — what else could a child want.

    But the greatest thing my mom gave me and my siblings was her love. Her love truly covered a multitude of sins — ours and hers. There was no doubt that she was in our corner and would not hesitate to whip our a$$ or kick somebody else’s a$$ in a New York minute.

    So today I give honor to my first love. A woman who I admire and appreciate greatly! Thanks for everything Annie! Love you much!

  • Give God’s word free range

    image

    The apostle Paul in his second letter encouraged the Thessalonians in chapter 3 to allow the Word of God to have free course or free range and to be glorified.

    Sounds easy enough except that most folks today have a hard time understanding this. To allow God’s word to have free range is to allow it all over your life — even in the areas you are not willing to surrender.

    We would rather apply God’s word out of convenience — for example if I don’t struggle with lying or cheating then I’m quick to learn those scriptures and tell my brother that he should stop these things according to God’s word.

    The issues we struggle with we try to hide them from God’s word. We know his word is always applicable but the problem is not in application.

    I liken this to the way we raise chickens in America. There was a time when chickens were naturally raise on a farm and they had room to run around and get strong naturally. They had “free range” of motion and less fat. They were happy and ate well. They were clean and free from chemicals. From egg to adult it would take 90 days.

    Today, science has cut this process in half — 45 days and the chicken’s breast — because America loves white meat — would grow three times the normal size. Their little legs could not hold the excess weight and their legs would break. Sadly, chickens today are kept in darkness not allowed to move around and they sit in their own feces. They are fed steroids and on day 45, they are snatched out of darkness and taken to slaughter. Then this steroid – filled fatty meat is cooked and put out to eat. We see the results really well in our children: Seven year olds look 13 and 13 year olds look 21.

    image

    Chicken is much more deadly when not allowed to move and live and so is the word of God. You see, when we hide truth from ourselves, we end up establishing our own righteousness instead of yielding to the righteousness of God. Now the word which was designed to bring life, we cause certain death.

    Dear friend are you allowing the word of Christ to dwell in you richly? Does the word have free course in your life or are you just applying it’s blessings and not heeding the call of its warnings?

    Take the whole counsel my friend.

  • Why God should be the only judge

    image

    One of the greatest historical education summits is being held across our country, everytime a black man is murdered while being arrested.

    From New York to South Carolina to Florida, Michigan, Missouri and Maryland, we see public opinion very prominent and it reveals the heart of America — we are still bias, prejudice and racist. This current generation will not wait for the previous two generations’ learning curve on this issue. Now what we see from them is anger: uncut, uncensored, destructive and painful.

    It seems that those who know, won’t tell and those who have no clue keep talking. Bitter wounds of our racial past are re-opened with every killing and every judgment. The flesh won’t allow us to be fair.

    Our superficial judgment seat needs to be torn down in favor of a new seat of love and forgiveness. That seat is nestled between the grace and mercy seats of God.

    If our society could simply remember and respect what God has said on judgment, it would change the game for us. Jesus said in his sermon on the mount that the measure we use to judge each other, will be the measure he would use. Lord help us.

  • Can you hear me now?

    image

    I always thought I was a bit hard of hearing. Growing up my mom would call me two and three times before I would answer.

    I think I even invited the word “huh?” because I said it so much. As I got older I saw how selective my hearing had gotten. I would hear everything that had a direct benefit on my life. My mother only had to call once to let me know dinner was on the table, but twice or thrice to help with dishes.

    I learned that my heart was connected to my hearing — meaning that if I liked you, I would hear every word. If I didn’t like you well that’s the time I discovered the volume control — I could tune you out in a New York minute.

    As I got older and in control of my own life, this listening thing got worse. I decided who I would listen to, how long I would listen and how much I would accept. And I didn’t just do that to the people in my life, I did that to God.

    So when his word was in my favor I heard it loud and clear. The few times I was in the right, I could hear his word like I wrote it. When I was wrong, I convinced myself that his word was misapplied.
    image

    So today I take off those filters that led to my inner deception. I denounce earwax, a hard heart and self all together. I am now ready to receive the engrafted word which is able to save my soul.

    Dear friend, how about you?

  • Another letter to God

    image

    Dear God,

    It now makes sense to me why people don’t like to examine themselves: Our image is broken!

    I feel bad sometimes when I realize that I live in a country that treats animals (primarily dogs and cats) better than poor people. I live in a country that does not forgive or forget.

    I live in a country that is racist, bias and hypocritical. And I am sadly a part of this country. I represent those who point fingers both ways. I represent those who realize that they are the things they hate.

    Father, l need you to search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. Teach me a better way Lord that I might let your light shine through me.

    I am not worthy of your light. I am not fit for your use. I need you, Father, to cleanse me enough to say amen. Give me your words that I may never thirst.

    Heal my heart. Make me an instrument of righteousness that I may serve you with gladness. Help me not judge those who are not where I am. And please let me not covet those in the place where I want to be.

    Forgive me O God for I have sinned. Make me invisible so that those who see my good only see you and not me. Save all of my credit for heaven father. Don’t allow people to ever praise me here.
    image

    Thank you father for my gifts and I vow to do your name good with them.

    Heal the hurt I have caused and turn my negative to positive. In the name of the one who chose the cross for me!

    Amen.

  • Gratitude (Part 2)

  • Letter to God

    To my Father in heaven,

    It is with love and gratitude that I write this blog in dedication of your devotion to me. You have gone far above the call of duty in being my God. I am in awe of you.

    I make horrible decisions at times. Some of my infractions are purposed and I still struggle with negotiating right and wrong. There are people who I have such an issue with that they consume my thoughts. There are people I need to forgive.

    And in spite of my stupidity you do amazing things in my life. You make me want to be a better person. You make me want to seek after the higher parts of me. I want to do the right thing, Father, but I am weak.

    What I really want to say to you Father is thank you. Thank you for loving me when I didn’t want to love myself. Thank you for showing me the way to the light when I was lost in darkness. Thank you for forgiving me when I am weak. Father, thank you for your grace and mercy. Thank you for saving my soul and for being long suffering with me.

    Thank you for another day to praise your name. Thank you that I’m healthy and in my right mind. Thank you most of all for Jesus who made me a partaker of his cleansing power.

    I actually don’t want to ask you for anything. I just wanted to express my love for you and say thanks.

    Sincerely your servant,

    Clyde

  • GRATITUDE

  • Is your religion pure?

    image

    I don’t know about you, but I keep running into people who say that they are not “religious”, but instead they are spiritual. That really doesn’t make much sense.

    Normally the statement is made to justify why the person who said it doesn’t attend bible study or worship often. They have been hurt by some religious nut trying to control them under the authority of religion. They may have even been given a list of do’s and don’ts to follow.

    I want to try and set the record straight.

    Everyone was created by God. That means Genesis 2:7 would apply to all of us: God formed man from the dust and breathed his spirit into that dust and created a living soul.

    So we all have his spirit in a connected or disconnected way (depending on if you believe) and religion should be the manifestation of our spirit. What I mean is that it shows how well we understand  God and apply his teaching.

    image

    Religion can be summed up in four concepts: Love, unity, fellowship and reconciliation. If your religion is doing anymore than that, you’re doing too much.

    Nothing else matters after these four things. Your practice of these four elements show your application of what God has done in your life.

    Because I have been reconciled I seek to reconcile others to God. Because I enjoy a fellowship with Christ I seek to build a similar fellowship with my fellow brothers and sisters. Because Christ has unified me I seek to unify others to him and oh what wondrous love I see! I want to love like Jesus. And when I do these things, I make my religion pure.

  • My God the great guarantor

     

     Children are so easy to please. As my children progress into their late teens I reflect back on how easy it has been to care for them. All things considered, I’ve been able to provide their needs and most of their wants. I can say to them do not worry about this or that because I would take care of whatever they feared. They live under the safe covering of dad. There are things and situations that they could not even imagine having to experience. In fact many of the horrors are locked away forever in the make believe section of their minds because they would swear today that it could not happen to them in “real life”.

    I know and have counseled kids who came home from school and all of their favorite things were laying in the yard being picked over by their neighbors. I have listened to children lament about being caught in the middle of a boxing match between their parents and me trying to explain fear away from them because they witnessed such anger. A daughter now believing her father is capable of such rage that if he could beat her mom unconscious, it’s only a matter of time before she has her turn.

    From jail to drugs to violence and sex, kids of all ages have had to deal with this things far too soon. As men we have the responsibility when raising a family to make sure certain evils are kept out of the house and God’s goodness is freely flowing within. There is a sacred trust we hold as dads to be the guarantor of good things. 

    This role should not be taken lightly because you see when we do it correctly we imitate a character of God that the rest of the family will believe and trust in for the rest of their lives. If I am the guarantor of good things for my family, and they know and understand that the source of my guarantee is the Almighty himself, then when it is time to turn them over to our father in heaven, that task is simple. They will already have a love and fondness for the heavenly father because they are very comfortable with the works of the earthly father.

    God among other things is my guarantor. All of his promises are backed by his personal guarantee that nothing is too difficult, too powerful or too challenging for him. And God loves spending time demonstrating this fact to his followers. As feeble little children we reach up to the father with all of our fears and anxiety and he reaches down smiling and picks us up.

    Praises be to our God and father who is also the guarantor for all of his children!