WHO IS THIS MAN?

Greetings friends. The picture you see is the picture of aman who may or may not mean anything to you...but if you are reading the Rambling...he has had an impact on your life. His name is Gary Montgomery.

This man is the reason that I am sitting here and writing this Rambling. There was a time when we both worked at the same factory. We were both Christians, we were both seeking more of God, we were both hungry for a deeper walk with Him. At the factory where we worked, we would witness our faith to others, pray, read the Bible. We would go to various meetings at churches, Holiday Inns, anywhere that there was something shaking for God.

But one day...there was a shift in our relationship. I slowly began to drift back into the patterns of my old ways. Oh they were subtle shifts...but in the end those old ways crashed down upon me and engulfed my life...to the point where I totally turned my back on God...and backslid...only my backslidding was more of a face first...dive into the muck and the mire of my former way of life. Details are not necessarily important at this point, but suffice to say...I was worse than I was before my 1970 conversion.

One hallmark in this journey was when I gave my Bible study tools to Gary...including my concordance, my Vines Greek Lexicon, my Naves Topical Bible and my Zondervan's Pictorial Bible Dictionary. After all, I was leaving God...and would not have a need for them any longer...since I would never teach the Bible again. NEVER SAY NEVER!!!!

I continue my downward descent in the the dog vomit of my past...that was now my present...and if something didn't change...would be my future. Remember...I was just getting ready to get married...to my lovely honey bun of 35 years...but this still did not keep me from CHOOSING death over life...from CHOOSING curse over blessing. This descent (with many cause and effect consequenences to my actions manifested) went on for around a year...until I finally reached bottom like the Prodigal Son in the pig slop. The only way to look up. When I was at that point...there was Gary Montgomery.

When I chose to leave...Gary chose to go to a group of Christians who were meeting in homes...and asked them to pray for someone who they did not know. I'm convinced that this is the reason that I am (1) alive
(2) still married (3) walking with God today (4) teaching the Word of God with renewed passion (5) Ruminating

I called Gary up...and asked him if I could get my books back..and instead of condemning me for past sins and choices...welcomed me back with open arms. Since that point...Gary and I have had many adventures...ups and downs...laughs and tears. Today we stand the test of time...with a love for each other...that is tied together with the common thread of Jesus.

Hey...the next time you see Gary Montgomery...you can either thank him...or blame him for the RUMINATOR. Multiple Mooooo's to Gary.

Love and brotherly kisses
Rodney "Escaped from Dog Vomit and Prodical Pig Pens" Boyd 

THE FAMILY FEUD: Survey SAYS(_____________)

Greetings Game Show Fans....It's time to play THE FAMILY FEUD. The Family Feud has been on T.V. ever since I can remember. It has a plethora of hosts starting off with the Hogans Heroes alumnus...Richard Dawson who was famous for kissing the ladies on the show. Then we roll in with Ray Combs, Louie Anderson, Richard Karns and currently the guy who played Peterman on Seinfeld and ex-Dancing with the Stars dancer.

The premise is simple... take two families...ask them questions from a survey of 100 people and see the top answers. A couple of days ago...I was at work...when I received a page from King Kat Daddy Kotton...and was caught in the hallway by The Parkenator...aka Mr. Electrician...with some hot news. The news....The Family Feud just had a survey...that blew their minds. The question was, "Name a person who made the world a better place. Hmmmm....seems simple enough...but it was the answers that blew their minds....and they knew...as they told me...THEY SMELL A RAMBLING. They were correct. Here are the top five people who made the world a better place...in order of importance.

Survey SAYS!...
#1 Martin Luther King
#2 Ophra Winfrey
#3 Bill Clinton
#4 Ben Franklin
#5 Jesus Christ

Say WHAT!?!?!? Bill Clinton beat out Jesus Christ as a person who made the world a better place? YIKES!!!!!!!!! It feels good to be ONE NATION UNDER GOD...or is that ONE NATION UNDER OPRAH? Even Martin Luther King had a dream....but even he admitted that JESUS was #1. We always tend to worship the messenger...rather than the one the message is about. Thanks to Mr. Clinton... hundreds of thousands of children were asking their parents what was oral sex...and was single handed able to define what constitued what was sex and what was not sex. Ben Franklin...one of the fathers of our nation...literally. There seemed to be some electricity in his way with the ladies.

Here's a good question for the Family Feud. "WHO IS JESUS?" C.S. Lewis...in his book MERE CHRISITANITY posed the question and made this statement..."A man who was merely a man and said the sort of things Jesus said would not be a great moral teacher. He would either be a lunatic--on the same level with a man who says he is a poached egg--or he would be the devil of hell. You must take your choice. Either this was, and is, the Son of God, or else a madman or something worse. You can shut him up for a fool or you can fall at his feet and call him Lord and God. But let us not come with any patronizing nonsense about his being a great human teacher. He has not left that open to us." He is either (1) Legend (a mixture of myth and reality) (2) Lunatic (one sad, delusioned individual) (3) Liar (a megalomaniac who lied and manipulated simple minded people of his day) or the last conclusion (4) Lord and God in the flesh (He was who He said He was over and over and over again).

Before Richard Dawson was born...Jesus the Christ was having his own Family Feud survey with His followers. Jesus had been shaking things up by making outrageous statements and doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the devil, for God was with Him. (Act 10:38).

Matthew 16:13-19 is the transcript of this interaction.

Jesus came into the district of Ceasarea Philippi, He began asking His disciples, saying;

JESUS: Who do people say that the Son of Man is?

THEY SAID (Survey says):

1. John the Baptist
2. Elijah
3. Jeremiah
4. One of the Prophets

These answers stream into the year 2006 as the survey elevated Martin Luther King, Oprah Winfrey, Bill Clinton, and Benjamin Franklin above JESUS CHRIST as who made the world a better place. Apparantly there is nothing new under the sun...same mindset different answers.

JESUS: But who do YOU say that I am?

SIMON PETER: Thou art the CHRIST...the anointed one....the Messiah; the LIVING SON OF GOD.

You can almost here the DISCIPLE FAMILY clapping and shouting out... Good Answer...Good Answer.

JESUS: Blessed are you Simon Barjona (son of Jonah). In other words...you are correct Sir.

It is at this point that Jesus begins to contrast who Peter (petros) is compared to His revelation that the church will be built (the petra)

Petros means small stone...while Petra means MASSIVE ROCK. You need a massive rock for the foundation of the church. Peter (petros) was a weak, wishy-washy, man pleasing, little girl fearing man. The one thing that he got right was the REVEALTION that Jesus is the CHRIST...the LIVING SON OF GOD.

This revelation is the that was not revealed by flesh and blood...but was a direct revealation from the Jesus' Father who is in heaven. The prize for winning the FAMILY FEUD...was THE KEYS TO THE KINGDOM. With those keys...that authority...that whatever he shall bind on earth (where Peter was)...would be bound in heaven (where the revelation came from), and whatever you he shall loose on earth (where Peter was) shall be loosed in heaven (where the revelation came from). The power of these keys...this authority to bind and loose...the power to have "Thy will be done on earth as it is in heaven"...was a powerful weapon in the hands of clay vessels...where the GATES of Hades shall NOT overpower it

The gates of Hades will not...cannot...shall not...overpower the CHURCH that has as its foundation...the PETRA...the MASSIVE ROCK...of the revelation from the Father that JESUS IS THE CHRIST...THE LIVING SON OF GOD.

Fast forward to the year 2006. The question is...just like it was posed to Peter..."Who do YOU say I am?" Remember the option is NOT...oh you are a great prophet, teacher, moral leader. He is either a LEGEND...a MYTH...a LIAR...or a LUNATIC....or...He is who He said He was...and who the REVELATON from the FATHER...The CHRIST...THE LIVING SON OF GOD.

Did Bill Clinton die on the cross for your sins....Did Martin Luther King really set anyone free...does Oprah's humanitarian efforts qualify as Christ like...does harnassing the electricty that Jesus create make Ben Franklin co-equal with the Creator?

We know what the SURVEY says...What do you SAY?

Love and Game Show Kisses ala Richard Dawson
Rodney "You win a consolation price of RICE-A-RONI" Boyd 

THANKSGIVING AT THE BOYDS INVITATION

Well....Hello Pilgrims...it's that time of year where the leaves are turning into a multiplicity of colors...the frost is on the pumpkin....people are sipping on warm, steaming cups of hot chocolate...there is a nip in the air and a tug at the heart to be THANKFUL for blessings that you have. It is a time of giving thanks instead of getting. It is also time to gather with friends and families all across the world.

One place of gathering will be at the BOYD HOUSEHOLD. In a world where tradition can sometimes be equated with the antiquated...this is one tradition that we are glad that we started.

Years ago...the Boyds (Brenda, Phillip and Rodney) experienced a season of grief...as my mom (Elizabeth)...my Dad (Lonnie)...Brenda's mom (Martha)...my uncle (Neal) all died within a two year period. At some point we decided that we would open up our home to whosoever... for whatsoever reason...to join us for Thanksgiving. We put out the invitation...and a diverse group of people show up. Some people we know and love...some we have never met and come to love. Well...it is that time of year again..and we would like to invite YOU to join us. Here are the who, what, when, where, why, and how to the invitation.

WHO: You
WHAT: Thanksgiving
WHEN: November 23
WHERE: The Boyds at 1502 Jarratt Drive, Rockvale Tennessee
WHY: Why not? A time of feast, thanks, fellowship, fun, frivolity and a down right good time to be had by all.
HOW: Come. You can call us at (615) 890-3209 or contact by e-mail for more details. You can e-mail us at
ruminator12@comcast.net


We look forward to hearing from you.

Love and Very Thankful Kisses
Rodney, Brenda, Phillip and Sweetie the Wonder Dog 

BACK TO THE BASICS

Good morning...afternoon...evening... whenever you happen to be chewing on this word. I've been thinking a lot about THE BASICS lately. In the world of Christianity...people are always ready to move on to the next BIG THING. We always want the next wave...a new revelation...the next hot topic...the more mature move of the Spirit. In our bid to be culturally relevant...we tend to believe that we can't be associated with some old thought or way of moving in this hip and happening world. After all...think of what Jesus could have done with all of the modern technology and mass communication of this modern age.

It not just the church that has that mindset...it is the world in general. I know that in karate...from the beginning that I started...the goal was the triple sumersault spinning back flip kick. But of course...you don't start out like that. You start out with the BASICS. Lesson # 1 is REI. We learn how to bow. The rei/bow is the way that we start and end all techniques. Rei is simply a sign of respect to the roots of our style, to the person training us, and to each other. But rei is more than just bending over at our waist and leaning forward as a mere formality. Rei is the extension of the respect that we have for ourselves...before we can respect anyone or anything else. It is BASIC. The problem is that it becomes a habit...and we tend to hurry on to the next big kick, punch, move, etc. We then move on to a simple move called Jun-Zuki. This is a moving forward punch. It is one of the BASICS. We then proceed to various BASIC blocks, punches, strikes, katas (a combination of the various BASICS). A common problem with people is that they tend to learn the BASICS...to get them out of the way so we can get to the real stuff...but you cannot do the REAL STUFF without the BASICS. Everything is built on the BASICS and if you neglect the BASICS...you will be sloppy in the ADVANCED.

This is true with Christianity. There are BASICS in Christiantiy that must be learned...taught...discipled from younger to older...before we can move on to the ADVANCED. As with karate...sometimes we want to move to the "DEEP" things of God...but we either learn some basics and then assume that you don't need those things any longer. The book cover that you see is a biography...my favorite biography, about a man named Dawson Trotman. Daws...is about the man who started The Navigators. This was origianally a ministry to men in the Navy during World War II...and now has expanded worldwide as a very strong para-church organization.
They are called along side to church to help instill the basics of Christianity and to help mature the body. They are very focused on the Word of God and the practical application and outworking of the Word in the beliver. They believe that everyone should have a Timothy...and everyone should have a Paul...someone in the faith that they can mentor and/or learn from as the walkout their faith. The watch word is..."Who's your Timothy...Who's your Paul?"

Daws...died an untimely death when he was rescue some kids from drowning....he drowned himself. The legacy he left behind was rooted deep into his love for the Word of God...and the believe that God was real, practical, and available. Billy Graham said of Daws, " I think Dawson Trotman touched more lives than any man I have ever known. Thousands of people of many races and languages and cultures have been influenced by this great man." Daws developed the materials used for Billy Graham's crusades. When Mr. Graham invited people down and told them that the buses would wait....people were being given lit-rah-ture...that Dawson had developed. One of the things that grew out of Daw's ministry was a thing called the TOPICAL MEMORY SYSTEM. When I dropped out of teaching the Word...because I was burned out...disillusioned...and discourged...years later...it was the TOPICAL MEMORY SYSTEM that was the roots of the RUMINATORS SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS...that became the genesis of the RUMINATOR RAMBLINGS.

One section, out of the five sections that I taught (and also developed a workbook to go along with the program was the WHEEL. We were studying and memorizing 60 verses that dealt with (A) Live The New Life (B) Proclaim Christ (C) Rely on God's Resources (D) Be Christ's Disciple (E) Grow In Christlikeness.

The WHEEL dealt with six BASICS that forms the WHEEL of our Christian life. Much like the REI that we learned about at the beginning of this Rambling...these BASICS are not something that you learn...and then TOSS aside as you go for the next big revelation. They are the foundation for what everything else is rooted in.

It starts of with a hub...that is surrounded by the rim...which is connected by spokes. If anyone of these areas are out of balance...you will have a bumpy ride on your journey. The wheel..."gets it's driving force from the hub."

THE HUB: Christ the Center (a) II Cornthians 5:17 (b) Galatians 2:20
THE RIM: Obedience to Christ (a) Romans 12:1 (b) John 14;21
SPOKE #1 God's Word: (a) II Timothy 3:16 (b) Joshua 1:8
SPOKE #2 Prayer: (a) John 15:7 (b) Philippians 4:6-7
SPOKE #3 Fellowship (a) Matthew 18:20 (b) Hebrews 10:24-25
SPOKE #4 Witnessing (a) Matthew 4:19 (b) Romans 1:16

The goal is to renew your mind with the Word...to meditate upon the Word...to speak God's Word...and to act upon God's Word. Without this type of foundation...everything else crumbles...no matter how good or honorable or spiritual it is...it crumbles.

Other areas of the BASICS are things like servanthood, humbleness, purity, honesty, love, good works, etc. A true disciple will...put Christ first, be steadfast, serve others, give generously, develop world vision... but again it is all rooted in the basics.

In Hebrews chapter 5 verse 12-14...we see that there is what is known as the ELEMENTARY PRINCIPLES OF THE ORACLES OF GOD. People start off with the ELEMENTARY...the BASICS...and are expected to progress to the ADVANCED. The elementary is called the MILK...and the advanced is called SOLID FOOD or MEAT. The writer of Hebrews states that, "SOLID FOOD/MEAT is for the MATURE...". This is in contrast of the MILK for the BABE.

The list of the ELEMENTARY/BASICS (it is progressive) includes:

(1) Repentance from dead works
(2) Faith towards God
(3) Instruction about washings (baptisms)
(4) Laying on of hands
(5) Resurrection of the dead
(6) Eternal judgement

Again...these are the BASICS...and we are to learn these...and press on to maturity...but not at the expense of casting aside the BASICS.

Hebrews 5:14 defines what MATURITY is..."but solid food is for the MATURE, who because of PRACTICE have their senses TRAINED to discern good and evil."

Maturity is not learning the basics...and then discarding them so you can now have some DEEP REVELATION. Maturity is the doing of the BASICS. When Jesus was with the woman at the well in Sycar...his disciples came to Him trying to get him to eat some food/meat. Jesus' answer to them was, "My MEAT/FOOD is to do the will of Him who sent me." It is the practice of the MILK ...that develops the MEAT.

We must learn the basics...like I learn a basic kick...because before I mature up to the spinning back kick...I have to have a foundation of the basic kick...the basic stance...the basic attitude...REI. What's more important to you...the next best thing...or Christ the Center of your life... obedience to Him...The Word of God...Prayer...Fellowship with other believers...Witnessing to a lost and dying world? All of this can be manifested in many forms, fashions, culturally relevant things...but get back to the BASICS.

Wow...I needed to hear this one myself.

Love and Basic Kisses
Rod "Rei" Boyd 

THE ART OF SERVANTHOOD

Howdy-do all of you SERVANTS. What do these two people have in common?
Well....(1) they both have hoary heads of white hair.
(2) Both are older than me, but not by much (3) They both...don't look like ministers. (4) They both are ministers. The main thing that they both have in common...they are SERVANTS. Welcome to the Ruminator Rambling blog site...Bruce Coble (Missions Pastor at Smyrna Assembly) and John Key (Director/Coordinator of Community Servants at Wherry Housing in Smyrna TN). These two men are examples to me...of what it means to be a follower of Jesus...not just in some religious, theoretical principle...but in practical, fleshed out, nitty gritty Christianity. I would be amiss if I failed to mention their two RIBMATES...Jill Coble...and Shirley Key.

NOTE: At creation...Adam's wife Eve was called a HELPMEET (Helper). In the New Testament...the Holy Spirit is called the HELPER. Men...if you would realize that your wives are like the Holy Spirit...and if you would listen to her...you might avoid some of the pain of your decisions. Just a thought from someone who is married to a goddess...name Brenda Sue Boyd. I am the HEAD of the house...but Brenda is the NECK...and the neck turns the head anywhere she wants it.

Bruce introduced me to a book by a guy named Gayle D. Erwin called THE JESUS STYLE. The book lays out the principle of following Jesus by serving others. As some on you know...periodically I will send out a TOP TEN LIST. I give the top ten reasons it's OK for me to cuss...or the top ten reasons its OK for me not to trust God...or the top ten reasons I can get drunk. The # 1 reason is always...IT'S ALL ABOUT ME BABY...IT'S ALL ABOUT ME. Of course my tongue is placed firmly in cheek...because IT'S ALL ABOUT JESUS...and if I choose to align myself with Jesus...I choose to die to myself...live to Him and server others. Jesus pointed to the greates commandment in the Law when He quoted from Deuteronomy 6:5 and Leviticus 19:18 "And He said to him...you shall love the Lord you God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the great and formeost commandment. And a second is like it, you shall love your neighbor as yourself." Love is manifested as it is expressed towards others.

Jesus not only taught servanthood... he exemplified it by washing the feet of His disciples...and later by allowing Himself to be nailed to a cross. In John 13:1-20...we see Jesus and the boys before the Feast of the Passover (a Jewish celebration of the angel of death passing over the households where the blood of a Lamb was on the doorposts)...sitting down for some supper...it was SUPPER TIME.

At this point in time...Jesus knew that He was getting ready to depart out of the world to the Father. He loved His own who were in the world...to the END...and the end was near.

Jesus...(1) rose from supper (2) laid aside His garments (3) took a towel (4) girded Himself about (5) poured water into a basin (6) began to wash the disciples feet (7) wiped them with the towel that He was girded.

The Creator of the universe and all that was in it...was LOWERING Himself to serve the creation.

When He came to Peter....Peter's question was , "Lord, do You wash my feet." Jesus responded, "What I do you do not realize now, but you shall understand hereafter." Little did Peter know that Jesus was giving them insight into His death, burial and resurrection. Little did they know that Jesus was giving them a picture of the ATTITUDE OF A SERVANT.

"Have this ATTITUDE in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed IN THE FORM OF GOD...did not reqard EQUALITY WITH GOD a thing to be GRASPED., but EMPTIED Himself by becoming OBEDIENT to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Phillipians 2:5-8)

QUESTION: What part of your religious wonderfulness are you grasping? What righteous quality do you have that makes you feel superior to someone else. Are you willing to empty that thang...and die to yourself...and be filled up with Him...and live? I'm just asking...because I find my self holding tightly to my pride all of the time. I have an ATTITUDE...it's usually just the wrong one.

The ATTITUDE is listed in Phillipians 2:3-4 (1)Do nothing from selfishness (2) Do nothing form empty conceit (3) Have humility of mind
(4) Regard one another as more important than himself (5) Do not merely look out for your own personal interests (6) Also look out for the interests of others. HAVE THIS ATTITUDE IN YOURSELVES WHICH WAS ALSO IN CHRIST JESUS.

Peter was adament that Jesus would never lower Himself to wash his feet. After all....Jesus was the teacher...Peter was the pupil. On the surface it looked like a righteous statment...but Jesus was never one to just be on the surface...but struck deep at the root of pride...when He told Peter..."If I do not wash you...you have no part with Me." Peter wised up when he declared..."Lord, not my feet only...but also my hands and my head."

Again...Jesus was not talking about rub a dub dub...of the outward man...but a cleaning from the inside out...."He who has bathed needs only to wash his feet, but is COMPLETELY CLEAN...and you ARE CLEAN, but not all of you (Judas)." (John 13:10) QUESTION: Are you one of the clean ones...or one of the NOT ALL OF YOU?

After He did the deed...He came back up to table level...and asked them..."Do you know what I have done to you?" Now that's a teacher.. doing it...and then teaching it.

Jesus then states that what he did as the Lord and Teacher...washing their feet...that they outght to wash one another's feet. He gave this as an EXAMPLE that you should do as I did to you. Again...it more that the physical act...but the Art of Servanthood that was to be taken to heart.

Jesus underscored this when He said..."Truly, truly I (Jesus) say to you (disciples) a slave is not greather than his master; neither is one who is sent greater than the one who sent Him. (John 13:16) Jesus was sent by the Father...we are sent by Jesus. The example...get down where the toe jam is and minister. It's not a pretty ministry...it is not full of glory...it is not prestigious...it is not T.V. worthy....but it is Jesus.

Jesus could lower Himself...open Himself to give of Himself when there was the possiblity of rejection by the ones that He was serving because of three things found in John 13:3. Before He could do John 13:4-12 He had to have John 13:3 deep in His heart.

(1) Jesus KNOWING that the Father had given all things into His hand.
Jesus knew where His authority and power came from...the Father

(2) That He had COME FORTH from God. Jesus knew His point of origin.

(3) And was GOING BACK to God. Jesus knew that He was only passing through...and while He was here...he would be obedient to the Father and serve.

"You know of Jesus of Nazereth how God anointed Him with the Holy Ghost and Power and how He went about DOING GOOD...and HEALING all who were oppressed by the devil...for God was with Him." Acts 10:38

Love and clean kisses
Rod "Toe Jam" Boyd 

SIMPLE STUFF FOR SIMPLE MINDS

Howdy all of you Intellectual Giants. The brain is an amazing thing. The capacity for what we can store in our noggins is amazing. Thing about all of the trivial things rolling around up there...and then factor in personal, meaningful stuff...along with the knowledge of the ages. With all of this knowledge... we must be on the brink of greatness...we must be on the edge of eradicating every disease known to mankind (until another disease pops up its ugly little head)...we must be on the verge of intellecutally, scientifically, moralistically, politically, humanistically, religiously, answering the question...WHAT IS LIFE.
What does it all mean? How can I be a better person? I keep 6 out of 10 Commandments....that's 60%. NOTE: If you are walking across a gap.. and you start at one side and build it to 60% completion...you still fall short of the 100% mark.

Sometimes we become so complicated that we miss the simplistic. The former persecutor of the Christians...Saul...later becoming who he persecuted...Paul...wrote of how this thing called the gospel...D.B.R... death, burial, resurrection...would confound the wise...the intellectuals, and actually become a stumbling block...or something that would trip up their mental prowess.

"For the word of the CROSS is to those who are perishing FOOLISHNESS...but to us who are being SAVED it is the power of God. For it is written...I will destroy the wisdom of the WISE, and the cleverness of the CLEVER I will set aside. Where is the WISE man? Where is the scribe? Where is the DEBATER of this age? Has not God made FOOLISH the WISDOM of the world? For since in the WISDOM of God the world through its wisdom did not come to KNOW God, God was well-pleased through the FOOLISHNESS of the MESSAGE (D.B.R.) preached to SAVE those who BELIEVE. For indeed Jews ask for signs, and Greeks search for WISDOM, but we preach Christ crucified, to Jews a STUMBLING BLOCK and to Gentiles FOOLISHNESS, but to those who are the called, both Jews and Greeks, Christ the power of God and the WISDOM of God. Because the FOOLISHNESS of God is WISER than men, and the WEAKNESS of God is STRONGER than men. For consider your calling, brethren, that there were not many WISE according to the flesh, not many mighty , not many noble, but God has chosen the FOOLISH things of the world to shame the WISE, and God has chosen the WEAK things of the world to shame the things which are STRONG, and the BASE things of the world and the DESPISED, God has chosen, the THINGS THAT ARE NOT, that He might nullify the THINGS THAT ARE, that NO MAN should BOAST before God. But by His doing you are IN CHRIST JESUS, who became to us WISDOM from God, and righteousness and sanctification, and redemption, that just as it is written, Let Him who boasts, boast in the Lord. And when I came to you brethren, I did not come with SUPERIORITY OF SPEECH or of WISDOM proclaiming to you the testimony of God. For I determined to KNOW nothing among you except Jesus Christ, and Him CRUCIFIED."
(I Corinthians 1:18 to II Corinthians 2:2)

"You can go to your college...you can go to your school...but if you don't know Jesus..you're and educated fool...and that's all."
(Demomination Blues)

The illustration at the start of this Rambling is from The Navigators. It takes a simple verse...Romans 6:23...and lays out all you need to know about life...real life...not what we call life as we try to survive the spinning ball of confusion that we live on...but eternal life. I stepped in the streams of this eternal life back in 1970...and whoa...talk about a ride on the rapids.

For the Wages: What you earn...what you deserve...what's owed you.

Of sin: An attitude of your nature that is expressed in a many ways

Is death: Cause and effect of what you have been working towards

BUT: A sharp contrast is being made to this deathtrap that you earned

The (free) Gift of God: A gift...is not what you earned or deserved, but is based on the heart of the Giver

Eternal Life: On one side of a cliff is Death...on the other side of the cliff is life...and there is a large gap inbetween with no bridge. You may try to cross by various means...good works...not smoking, cussing, and fussing, giving money to charities...but everything falls short

In Christ Jesus: The bridge between death and life is the Cross. You walk across this bridge...not by intellect, not by piety, not by heritage (there are no grandchildren in the kingdom...just children)...but you walk across by mercy and faith.

Our Lord: The word Lord means...boss...and I don't mean Bruce Springstein...but Jesus. The one who calls the shots.

There you go...The Gospel...the Good News...laid out in a simple format. I know...I know...the mind, the emotins, the rationale side of your intellectualism says that's too simple...BUT...That's the way it is.

You can either use this as a STUMBLING BLOCK...or STEPPING STONE.

Love and Simple Kisses
Rod "King of the Simple Minds" Boyd 

POWER SURGE

Greetings Power Rangers. Back in the 1950's...I would sit in front of my black and white T.V. with a glass of chocolaty Ovaltine and watch someone who was more POWERFUL than a locomotive. That's right....SUPERMAN! He had POWERS far beyond those of mortal men. What kid didn't put on a towel as a cape and hop on their bicycles and pretend that you were flying like Superman? I even took it a step further...by putting on a tee shirt with the Superman emblem drawn out in my mother's lipstick...towel on...and then put my clothes on over all of this outfit. Then I would have a friend down the street call out for help...and then I would run behind a shed at my house...take off my glasses (of course I had to put them back on because I couldn't see)....take off my clothes to reveal SUPERROD. I would then hop on my bicycle and fly to rescue my friend. This was just last week...but I'm doing fine in therapy.

An atomic blast...evokes fear or awe...depending on where you are viewing the POWERFUL blast. Again in the 1950's...I remember very well the threat of attacks by this POWERFUL FORCE... as we would practice at school by hearing an alarm and then get under our wooden desks for the ultimate protection against an atomic blast. Hmmm this appears to be a rock, paper, scissors deal...where wooden desk loses to atomic bomb.

In the English language we have a word that describes the force that we are talking about....POWER. In the Greek language it is broken down a little more than just one word.

POWERWORDS

1. Dunamis: dynamic ability
words like DYNAMITE are derived from this. Acts 1:8 states to the believer in Jesus that..."You shall receive DUNAMIS when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you shall BE my witnesses both in Jerusallem and in all Judea and Samaria and even to the remotest part of the earth." The promise is for POWER, for DYNAMIC, EXPLOSIVE ABILITY to be witnessess.

Another word for POWER is EXOUSIA.

Exousia: Freedom of action, right to act, absolute, unrestricted, delegated authority.

Where DUNAMIS POWER is the muscle...the dynamic ability to carry out what needs to be done....EXOUSIA POWER is the delagated authority...that backs up the DUNAMIS. Chuck Norris...as Walker Texas Ranger...has the DYNAMIC ABILITY with his gun and kicks...but he has the BADGE...the AUTHORITY to back it up. There is a statue in the capital of Texas...of a Texas Ranger with the inscription...ONE RIOT... ONE RANGER. Now...that speaks of EXOUSIA and DUNAMIS.

When an officer of the law...proclaims STOP in the name of the Law...he is wearing a badge...that is symbolic of what is backing up his RIGHT to make that statement. In government...that backing goes all the way to the OVAL OFFICE...where the buck stops. In our spiritual walk...our RIGHT to proclaim to the devil...to our flesh...is backed up all the way into the FOURSQUARE OFFICE...the throne room itself. On the earth it is the PRESIDENT...in heaven it is GOD THE FATHER.

When we pray the Lord's Prayer (Jesus' teaching tool about how to pray) we see that we need to be praying that THY WILL BE DONE ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN. In HEAVEN is the genesis of delegate authority and on earth is where the dynamic ability is demonstrated.

Other words for POWER includes: (1) ischus: ability, force, strength
(2) kratos: force, strength, might, manifested power, dominion
(3) dunation: powerful, able (4) arche: a beginning rule
(5) energes: in work, energetic, effectual, powerful

The bottom line is...that we can do a lot in our OWN POWER...but to accomplish the purposes of God...there must be the synergistic quality of POWER...where you combine thatEXOUSIA...with...DUNAMIS...and then stand back and see what the Lord can do through a CLAY VESSLE. We begin to realize that God has chosen to use weak vessels to manifest His POWER. One problem arises...when we willingly SIN...we reliquish the EXOUSIA...as our badge is taken away. We can have that power restored when we confess...repent...and walk forgiven.

Love and Explosive Kisses
Rod "Boom-Boom" Boyd 

MUSICAL ROOTS

Howdy all of you Rootie Kazootie fans. Rootie Kazootie is one of my earliest recollections of music. There were Rootie Kazootie cartoons...Rootie Kazootie books...Rootie Kazootie records. I was around 4 or 5 years old. Everyone was listening to Mary Had A Little Lamb... Twinkle Twinkle Little Star..
Itsy-Bitsy Spider...etc.
I owe my current musical roots to Lonnie Louis Boyd...my father. He had an ecclectic taste of music...minus anything country. My childhood memories are on Friday and Saturday nights...after he had a few Miller's Highlife brewski's...he would bring out the portable record player...and put on a little Glenn Miller. Mom and Dad would then dance to In The Mood...Moonlight Seranade...Pennsylvania 6-5000. Even now when I hear a Glenn Miller tune...it evokes fond memories. It's a little known fact that my Dad won a Jitterbug contest in London before he went off to fight a war...and had his toes blown off in a cave as he stepped on a land mind. I still have the purple heart. He also was hit in the chest with a bullet...but in his pocket...was a New Testament that he was given when he was deployed...and the bullet struck the New Testament...saving his life. If he had not had the Word of God...close to his heart...there would be no cute little Rodney (CLR)...writing this Rambling...and you would be reading something else this very minute.

Back to my early musical roots...my Dad would encourage me to listen to Brook Benton (way before a Rainy Night In Georgia) and his singing partner Dinah Washington. The were the Marvin Gaye and Tami Terrell of the 50's. I remember playing there songs A Rockin' Good Way and You Got What It Takes. When the opening riff of the strings kick off the record...it sends chills up and down my spine.

The first record that I bought with my own money..that my mom and dad gave me....at the age of 6 years old...was the theme from the movie JAILHOUSE ROCK. While my peers were singing...Mary had a little lamb.. little lamb...little lame...Mary had a little lamb...it's fleece was white as snow...I was singing...The warden threw a party in the county jail...the prison band was there...they began to wail...The band was jumping and the joint began to swing...you shoulda heard those knocked out jailbirds sing...LET'S ROCK. That movie also had one of the classic quotable quotes...when Judy Tyler (who died in a car wreck after the filming of the move...prompting Elvis to never watch the movie)...rebuked Elvis for kissing her by stating...Don't use those tactics on me. Elvis smile back and says..."Dem ain't tactics...that's just the beast in me."

As the years progressed...the music changed...society changed...I changed...and in 1970...the year that I made a committment to Jesus Christ as my Lord and Savior....my musical taste...rooted in my father...now had new roots in my Heavenly Father. Old Hymns, Christian Rock, Scriputures set to music, Psalms...Hymns...and Spiritual Songs...Vertical Music....Praise...Worship.

RUMINATOR RECOMMENDATIONS: At Smyrna Assembly...one of my Pastors...Ronnie Meek is doing a series on POP CULTURE PROPHETS: Series 1-The Beatles. Each message is based on a Beatles song. I told Pastor Ronnie that ...this series is RUMINATOR WORTHY. If you can come...great...if you can't go..you can go to www.SmyrnaAssembly.org and listen to it. The series includes:

October 8 Elanor Rigby (Look at all the lonely people)
October 22 Help (I need somebody)
October 29 While My Guitar Gently Weeps
November 12 Nowhere Man (A bit like you and me)
November 19 Revolution (We'd all lvoe to see the plan)
November 26 Here Comes The Sun (It's alright)

I still love music of all styles...and thanks to my son Phillp...I even like country music...but to take my guitar...and begin to Worship the creator of music...and sing...

I Love You Lord
And I lift my heart
To worship you O my soul rejoice
Take joy my King
In what you hear
Let it be a sweet, sweet sound in Your ears

Love and Solid Rocking Good Way
Rodney "Thank Ya Very Much" Boyd 

THE NUMBER YOU HAVE REACHED IS NOT IN SERVICE.....

GREETINGS PHONE PHANS...are you connected or disconnected? If you don't have a cell phone...you just ain't happening. Years ago...someone took this snapshot of Cute Little Rodney (not my estimation of my cuteness...but my Canadian friend Red's accurate viewpoint)...making a phone call to someone. The ironic thing about this phone picture...is that my lovely wife of 35 years had a similar photo taken of her talking on the phone...so in essence we had a connection all those years ago...and we did finally make a connections.

One ringy dingy...two ringy dingies...snort,snort...is this the party with whom I am talking? Lily Tomlin made a career out of this phone routine. I remember going to Africa...and taking note..that one of the most high visibility businesses in Africa...was cell phones. We were in the middle of no where... and someone would pull out a cell phone.
One of the most bizzare phone things that I experienced was at a funeral...where there was a funeral wreath...much like to one you see here...with a banner across it...and a plastic pink phone attached to the wreath...and the words...JESUS CALLED written in glitter. YIKES!?!?!? I do believe that I would check out the Caller I.D. before I answered that call. That one crazy wreath... put the FUN back in FUNeral for me.
All kidding aside. The invention of the phone opened up the lines of communication for the world. I have found over the past 36 years since I have become a Christian...that God truly wants to communicate with me. He has put into place a far superior phone system than anybody could imagine. Someone once said that God's phone number was JEREMIAH 33:3, "CALL unto me...and I will ANSWER YOU." It has been said that when you CALL upon God from America to Heaven...it is a LONG DISTANCE CALL....but when you PRAY from Jerusalem...it's a LOCAL CALL. The old gospel song...that had a resurgence in the 60's and 70's was JESUS ON THE MAINLINE...tell Him what you want...Why don't you CALL Him Up. The song continued with...If you want salvation..tell Him what you want, or if you want a healing...tell Him what you want...or if you want the Holy Ghost...tell Him what you want...Why don't you Call Him Up...Call Him up...tell Him what you want...Jesus on the Mainline Now. It is a private line...ain't no PARTY LINE...where people are listening in on your private stuff. He has one private line for you...and off course there is the RED PHONE...the HOT LINE...when trouble is coming on strong.

The bottom line is...that God wants some communication with you...and He wants it to be a dialouge versus a monolouge. "If you ABIDE in Me and My words ABIDE in you...ASK whatever you wish...and it SHALL BE DONE unto you." (John 15:7)

The commercial says...REACH OUT...and TOUCH SOMEONE. The Ralph Carmichael song implores...REACH OUT TO JESUS...He's REACHING OUT TO YOU.

Are you disconneted...is your service not in order....The Holy Ghost Telephone Repairman...has fixed the problem...No more dropped calls... no static on the line.

Love and Ringy Dingy Kisses
Rodney "Smooth Operator" Boyd 

THE FINAL BENEFIT: The Satisfaction Factor

Howdy...all you who are weary and looking for a little SATISFACTION. Poor Mick Jagger and the boys...lament about how they CAN'T GET NO...SATISFACTION. Many people...after they have persisted in doing it THEIR WAY...and make a complete mess of something...have heard the disgusted phrase..."Well... are you SATISFIED NOW!?

Our quest for satisfaction leads to many unsatisfying conclusions. Just last night...I ate stood at the refrigerator...staring into it...like I had done 5 times before in a 30 minute period. I finally settled on something to eat...but after I ate it...I was not SATISFIED...I wanted something else but I could not put my finger on it. I want something GOOD...you know a GOOD THING.

One of my favorite bands...Paul Revere and the Raiders had a big hit with their song GOOD THING. When you combine that song with KICKS.. and it just "don't get no better." (Bad English...Good Description).

SATISFACTION: (1) A satisfying or being satisfied.

SATISFY: (1) To fulfill the needs, expectations, wishes or desires of someone; content; gratify.

BENEFIT #5: Who SATISFIES your years (desire) with GOOD THINGS, so that your YOUTH is RENEWED like the EAGLE. It's the simple things that I am finding that bring satisfaction. Watching Brenda take joy in measuring the growth of my son Phillip and marking it on the doorway. We have marks from his first birthday up to 17 years old. Eating crawfish with my boy...meeting Phil Keaggy and giving him an old amp that I never use and he repairs and begins to use...friends...finally learning a kata...bringing pleasure to someone...IT'S THE LITTLE THINGS that leaves me with SATISFACTION. But as good as those feelings of satisfaction are in my life...sometimes we get weary. One of the benefits is to SATISFY our years (I have 55 under my belt now)...with GOOD THINGS. The word of God is filled with GOOD THINGS. Salvation, intimacy with Him, gifts of the Spirit, fruit of the Spirit, healing, deliverance, blessing, etc,. GOOD THINGS.

The CAUSE and EFFECT of this satisfaction...this benefit...for my years and desires...is that my youth...even at 55 is RENEWED...made fresh again...like an EAGLE. When the winds blow and the eagle spreads out those magnificent wings...and they begin to soar without flapping those wings....it is inspirational. I am wearing myself out...flapping my wings like crazy...trying to go against the wind...when all the while God wants to satisfy my desires....by simply going with the current of the Spirit.

Psalm 37:4 says for me to DELIGHT myself in the Lord and He will give me the DESIRES OF MY HEART. That word delight means to make myself PLIABLE...yielding my will to Him. The idea is that he will give...or plant in me desires....and then will bring about those desires in my life. NOW...that's SATISFACTION.

The Rolling Stones may not be able to get satisfaction...and Paul Revere and the Raiders sing about those good things...but with the BENEFITS package...I am one satisfied man.

Bless the Lord...O My soul...and all that is within me...bless His Holy name...Bless the Lord, O my soul...and forget NONE (no not one) of His BENEFITS. (Psalm 103:1,2)

I hope you enjoyed this series...I know I sure did need to hear it.

Love and Benevolent Kisses
Rodney "A Satisfied Mind" Boyd 

BENEFIT #4 CROWN JEWELS

Welcome back to the Holy Ghost Human Resource Office. I am your friendly Human Resource Officer... leading your through your BENEFITS PACKAGE found in Psalm 103:1-5.

We have seen that we have the power to bless the Lord...the creator of the universe by simply NOT FORGETTING none (no not one) of His BENEFITS. Thus far we see how we qualify for these benefits by the fact that He has PARDONED all your iniquities. Without this pardon you do not deserve anything. Then we see the medical plan kicks in when he HEALS all your diseases. We also get to go to the redemption catalouge and see that he has REDEEMED our life from the pit.. Now...BENEFIT #4...He CROWNS you with:

(1) lovingkindness (2) tender mercies (compassion).

The word CROWN implies royalty...a place of power...rule...reign. but the word in this verse actually means to ENCIRCLE (for attack or protection). WOW...what a benefit... to be put in a place of power for attack...and a place of protection. Kings are crowned...our head also has what is know as the crown (look out for that cow lick). Both are places on the HEAD...and the head represents the MIND...what we think. The mind is also the PLACE of attack from the enemy...satan...the devil...the place where imaginations run wild and anxiety attempts to be Lord or King in our lives. There are two things that our heads...our minds...the battlefield ...where we need to have attacking capabilities and protection...(1) lovingkindness (2) tender mercies (compassion).

Lovingkindness: (kheh-sed) piety, beauty, favor, good deed, mercy. The Psalmist sang about it when he said, "Thy lovingkindness is better than life...I will lift up my hands to the Lord."

When Jeremiah was lamenting...weeping about affliction, wanderings, wormwood and bitterness...and his soul was remembering these sad things...to the point of where his sould was bowed down within him...he RECALLED to MIND...something. He recalled..."The Lord's LOVINGKINDNESSES...indeed never cease. For His compassions never fail...they are new every morning...GREAT IS THY FAITHFULNESS. The Lord is my porition says my sould...therefore I HAVE HOPE in Him." (Lamentations 3:19-24). When the Lord CROWNS us with lovingkindness...he is giving us HOPE.

The next thing that He encircles our minds with preparation for attack or protection .. is TENDER MERCIES...or COMPASSION.

TENDER MERCIES: compassion, the womb (as cherishing the fetus, tender, love).

When we were at our weakest...we were the most protected. When we were a fetus...in our mothers womb...we were encircle by a place of nutrition, warmth, concern, expectation. If you don't think attack comes against the fetus...beware the saline solution.

There was a movie starring one of my favorite actors by the name of Robert Duvall. The movie was TENDER MERCIES...and it illustrates how when we are at a place of vulnurability...that God can place us in a place of healing and hope. The promo says it this way..."Robert Duval as Mac Sledge...a down and out country singer. His struggle for fame was over. His fight for respect was just beginning. Alcoholic, former country singer Mac Sledge makes friends with a young widow and her son. The friendship ENABLES HIM to find inspiration to resume his career." To me...once again...God has used Hollywood to drive home a modern parable about the TENDER MERCIES and COMPASSION that God ENCIRCLES us with when we need Him...and need HOPE.

The BENEFIT is that when we are in a place of attack or hopelessness...he protects and gives us hope. When our minds are running a thousand different directions...when we have stepped out of the boat...and we are sinking fast...we can reach up...and Jesus is there to calm the waves and wind in our minds...

Now that's a pretty good BENEFIT.

NEXT TIME: Rolling Stones Theology versus The Benefits Package.

Love
Rodney "Will You Go Around In Circles" Boyd 

THE BENEFIT BONUS: Pit Redemption

Greetings Brethren and Cistern. I hope your Human Resource experience has been a good one so far. The key to a good Human Resource Director is (1) they must be human (2) they must serve as a resource for you.

Do you remember going to the grocery store...and when you pay the bill...you were given a certain amount of GREEN TRADING STAMPS? My mother would take those stamps...lick them...and paste them in the SAVINGS BOOK. For months...we would look at the REDEMPTION BOOK...and dream about what we could REDEEM with our stamps. There was some pretty good stuff in that book. The more stamps...the better the prize. We would then travel down to Nashville fromMurfreesboro (about a 30 mile drive)...go to the REDEMPTION STORE...turn in the stamps and REDEEM OUR PRIZE...take it from the store...and back home.

Back in the 70's...one of the hottest games around was PIT. My brother Tom Rutherford...recently purchased an old Pit game with the official bell. It is a trading game of the Stock Market. The goal is to trade the cards in your hand and have a complete set. The trading is frantic as everyone is shouting out loud how many they are trading...2, 2,2...3 for the win...5, 5, 5, 5,....when someone gets a complete set they shout at the top of their lungs...PIT!!!!!...and ring the bell in the middle of a table. Brenda and I hosted a PIT party once...where we had five tables going at once (talk about a sonic boom)...and one of the guys at our table got so excited...he leaned back in our nice...wooden chair...and broke the back off of it. Aaaaahh those were the days my friend...we thought they'd never end.
In our BENEFITS PACKAGE...there is another PIT. This pit is not so much fun. A PIT can be anything from a Bar-B-Q Pit where delicious pig is cooked to an orchestra pit where melodious music swells with raputre....to a grease pit where old stinking grease is stored. But the PIT that we are talking about is a PRISON...where a hole in the ground is dug out....to the level where the captive one cannot jump up or climb out. At the beginning of this Rambling I sent out greetings to all of the brethren and cistern. Cistern a play of words on sisters...compared to the brethren...or sistren. A cistren was a place of collection for water... but if the CISTERN is cracked...and won't hold water...the cister could be used as a PIT or a PRISON. What once was a place of life could be turned into a place of death.

NOW...finally...we are REDEEMED from the PIT. Something of value has been exchanged for our REDEMPTION...from the place...the prison...the PIT...that has held us CAPTIVE. The REDEEMER ..the thing of value is a person not a thing..He is JESUS the CHRIST...who hung on a cross...in our place...as a SUBSTITUTE...as a SCAPEGOAT...as the propitiation or satisfaction for God. As the song goes....I've been redeemed (I've been redeemed), by the BLOOD OF THE LAMB (by the blood of the Lamb)...I've been redeemed (I've been redeemed) by the blood of the Laaamb...I've been redeemed by the blood of the Lamb...filled with the Holy Ghost I am...all my sins are washed away...I've been REDEEMED.

As sinners...we were bound by the sin in our lives. He has PARDONED all of our INIQUITIES...He HEALS our DISEASES...and now He REDEEMS our life (which really was death)...from the PIT.

WOW.....these benefits just keep getting better and better. You may be thinking to yourself...well...I don't see any of this stuff in my life. It really is a matter of faith...love and obedience.

"He/She who has My (Jesus) commandments and keeps them...he/she it is who loves Me...and he/she who loves Me...shall be loved by My Father, and I will love him, and will disclose/manifest/reveal Myself to him."
(John 14:21)

Access into the benefits is by FAITH..."Now faith is the substance of things hoped for (the benefits)...the evidence of things not seen (the benefits)." (Hebrews 11:1)

NEXT TIME: The Crown: Size 7 3/4

Love and PITLESS kisses
Rodney "Savings Stamps Quartet" Boyd