Watts' Words

Reflecting on the last 18 hours causes me to reflect on the last 18 months and my one feeling is this; “I’m glad it’s over.”  Admittedly, many of the candidates I voted for – won their ‘race.’  That said, it will be refreshing to not have the media (print, video, & technology) pitting one candidate over another by telling us how terrible one is and avoiding simply reporting the truth.  Perhaps the most annoying characteristics of this process has been the revelation of the ‘blatant bias’ of the mainline media.  One of my lifelong, valuable, and dear friends and I had a private conversation about the fact that every story seemed to offer ‘half-truths’ and not attempt to give the facts but rather offered  ‘slanted stories.’  Then, to ‘fact check’ means we must vet the ‘fact checker’. (GRIN) I’m glad it’s over. Today, the decision has been made, a new president has been announced, a concession speech has been given, the election is behind us, and I’m glad...

The question for Tuesday may not be “Can I vote for Donald Trump?”  It may be “Can I endure four years of Hillary Clinton?”  This may be especially true if you claim “Christianity” as your belief system.  However, I’ll save that argument for a little later as ‘enduring’ four years of Mrs. Clinton may well be a ‘double-down’ on the last eight years of the immorality, illegality, and unethical work of our current President.  Who would have ever thought that a “sitting president” would issue a ‘decree’ or ‘edict’ about anything let alone bathrooms.  Tomorrow is the day for the “Supreme Choice” which sets the direction for the “Supreme Court” so I pray we make a “Supreme Decision” which allows our country to become “Supreme” for the future.  I pray that we make a decision that at least gives us the possibility of returning to being government by the verbiage of the constitution and being ruled by document. Of all the things I heard I personally like use retur...

I grew up in a small town in South Mississippi.  It was the kind of place where everyone ‘thought’ they knew everyone else.  It was a good town, with good people, which evokes some good memories.  However, there is a dark-side to being raised in such a small place.  I wish I could count the times when, I did something that I didn’t want my parents to ever find out, only to discover that before I got home – THEY KNEW!!  You get the picture.  You get in a fight, have a breakup with a girlfriend, or just do something stupid (I hold a Doctor’s degree in stupid), and before you get home someone has phoned home and told your mom.  If I have a nickel for every time that happened, I’d be a rich man today. You know what? When someone called mom (God rest her soul), I don’t think she ever asked, “Do you love my son?”, “Do you like our family?”, or with mom she probably never even asked, “How do you know Jerry?”  Actually, (I know my sister will read this a...

  This election cycle has been weird if nothing else AND it has been plenty other things.  For me, many words describe this past year.  Some of the words which come to mind are unbelievable, astounding, crazy, unspeakable, and certainly EMBARRASING.  The embarrassment for me exists on several levels.  The language, the innuendos, and the stories surrounding both candidates have been and continue to be untenable.  At the same time it has been embarrassing to have religious (Ok Baptist) leaders attempt to tell us how we should or shouldn’t vote.  Amazingly, many of them do not realize just how much influence they have lost by attempting to guilt people into a course of action.  TO BE CLEAR:  This blog is not an attempt to coerce anyone into do what I am doing, but rather to make my case for why “I” am doing this and believe deeply it is the right thing to do for our country and as a Christ-following citizen.  My desire is to do this in t...

This Presidential election cycle has been pretty sad.  I find myself frequently saying, “300+ million people and these are the best we have?”  That said, I do not remember a time when so many ‘so-called’ leaders have made it their personal job to ‘tell everyone’ who they ‘Shouldn’t’ vote for.  It’s uncanny. One of the other ‘modern-day’ traditions is to actually ask people ‘how’ they will vote or ‘who’ will they vote for.  Yes, I’m old enough to remember when a person’s vote was their own business and it was considered rude to ask someone the how or who.  So now we basically have these two – the donkey and the elephant – to choose from.  (I know Gary is trying to make a Libertarian run, but he faces two major problems; 1) The third party is in its infant stages and probably needs at least 4 more years of hard work to compete, and 2) his last stumble on a national stage probably ended any possibility of getting enough traction to garner the needed suppo...

When I was young, admittedly my temper could get the best of me.  It was on a ‘hair-pin’ trigger, did much damage to my Christian witness,  and it caused me much grief.  Thankfully, through the years, the Lord has moderated that emotion a great deal (no, I have not arrived but am just still growing and on the journey).   Candidly, after a  I am probably still a bit steamed.  This posting began on Memorial Day.  Knowing much of what I felt needed to be said, I had to walk away from this subject to gain some civility in these words. On May 27, 2016, our sitting President spoke in Japan at Hiroshima.  His words, like so many other of HIS WORDS, are an offense to any American, young or old, who values this nation, this way of life, and the cost of the freedom we enjoy.  I cannot imagine the pain which these words caused families who lost family & friend  at Omaha, the Battle of Berlin, the Battle of the Bulge, or at Pearl Harbor. ...

(This is the first in a series of several blogs concerning the upcoming Presidential Election) Someone said to me, “This is the most unusual, if not unbelievable, Presidential election that I can remember.”  Immediately I agreed because, it matters not who you support (and I have friends as well as acquaintances who passionately support each candidate) THIS PRIMARY PROCESS and the upcoming election is a weird event, an unusual environment, and even a defining moment in this nation. Generally, the ‘first political’ office a candidate runs for is not the top office in the land – this year we have that. We have never had a female candidate for the Presidency – this year we have that.  (Admittedly, a female candidate is not a big deal at this point. It was going to happen because it should happen. However, just like the person who was elected the first African-American President was the wrong person for the health & progress of this nation (another blog), I am wondering...

Yesterday was the 'National Day of Prayer'.  Pauline Goff, the local director for this effort, graciously asked me to speak at this noon-day event.  It was an honor and was the first time in my life that I had been asked to do speak at such an event.  As I prayed about the message, I became struck about the nature and depth of the struggles in America.  It is sad but extremely true that we are in a battle for faith as the culture in the USA (like so many before) have now seemingly decided that 'we know better than God'.  But with the national mood like it is, we also have a 'civil' battle for these United States of America.  Hopefully, I will follow up this blog with one about the ongoing Presidential 'free-for-all' which we are enduring.  Sadly, unless something drastic happens in the next 6 months, casting a vote for a person of faith will not be possible.  But I'll save this discussion for an ensuing post.  Suffice to say, that the Nation...

Charles Sheldon’s book “In His Steps”, published first in 1896, has sold more than 30 million copies and has been read, quoted, and highlighted as many times as any other book in history.  From the story of this classic book, we have used the acrostic WWJD as a challenge for living and lifestyle for many years.  One of my favorite golfers, the late Payne Stewart, is well known for wearing the wristband with WWJD inscribed.  Certainly, these letters which, we all know,  stands for “What would Jesus do” can serve as a guiding light – ONLY if we know the historical and Biblical Jesus.  But, it seems to me, there is the ‘rub.’  The modern day concept of Jesus seems to be markedly different from the Jesus found in the gospels.  According to modern culture, Jesus ‘kind of ‘ lives and let live and offers ‘suggestions’ for life instead of guidelines for time and eternity.  I have often said that the modern culture seems to see our Lord as a cross betwee...

“The Old saying (well at least since “God for Us”) is “God is good all the time and all the time God is good.”  While this is a timeless truth, the “Praise and Worship’' revival made the saying a part of every Church and Christian’s life.  He is ‘good’ and He is ‘good all the time.’ AMEN. These are the words which I carry in my heart today.  At the beginning of 2016 God goodness called and brought me to a new ministry position, an Associational Missions Director.  Having worked in and around Southern Baptist Associations for 40 years in almost every position and on every committee imaginable, already I feel at home in this vocational work.  Although God is good is all He does, He has especially been good to me in that, He has resisted every opportunity I’ve given Him (over my lifetime) to “Through me under the bus” AND He continues to give me health, strength, and the heart to join Him in His Kingdom’s work of purveying His word.  Coming to this position ...

When most of my friends & many colleagues are announcing their retirements, I am grateful that God has seen fit to give me a new assignment AND I am THANKFUL for that new assignment.  For the last 41 years Deboria and I have moved around the southeast doing our best to serve the Lord wherever we were.  This has been a great 'turn of the page' and a 'new chapter' in life and ministry. For over 15 years, I served as a "Music Minister" (today called a "Worship Minister") and then, after getting my relationship with God in order, God called me to preach - which I have attempted to do since 1992.  God is good as in my weakness HE has always been strong.  Through the good & the not so good, God has been a constant companion, encourager, and leader ever by applying discipline as I've needed it.  As I have said many times in the pulpit, "I am thankful God has never taken the many opportunities I have given Him to 'throw me under the bus...