BALL OF CONFUSION (You Sure Can't Hide)

Greetings Earth Dwellers.
How is your equilibrium? Are you holding on for dear life as this 3rd Rock From The Sun...spins out of control? Back in 1970...that smooth...soulful...romantic, group...The Temptations were into their "psychedilic soul" period as they were singing about Cloud Nine and other songs. They released one song of social commentary called BALL OF CONFUSION (That's What The World Is). As I listen to the song today...at the close of 2006 and the opening of 2007, the lyrics are still as poignent as they were the day they were penned.

BALL OF CONFUSION LYRICS AND COMMENTARY

LYRIC: People moving out...people moving in, why, because of the color of their skin...run, run, run...but you sure can't hide...an eye for an eye...a tooth for a tooth...vote for me and I'll set you free...rap on brother, rap on.

NOTE: Bigotry and Racism is still alive and well on planet earth...and it ain't just a Southern thang. Oh we may dress it up a little better...we may supress it...but just like a cup of coffee shaken...the reason coffee comes out of the cup is not because it is shaken...the reason coffee comes out...is because that is what is in the cup. The same with bigotry and racism...all is well when you are not shaken.


LYRIC: Well...the only person talking about love thy brother is the preacher...and it seems nobody's interesed in learning but the teacher...Segregation, Determination, demonstration, integration, aggravation, humiliation, obligation to our nation...BALL OF CONFUSION...Oh yeah, that's what the world is today.

NOTE: In a world where religion and education take the lower rung of the pay and respect scale...and where preachers preach one thing and live another...and where teachers molest our children...(of course not all teachers and preachers are guility of the crime)...it's hard to take to heart and our minds what is being preached and taught.

LYRIC: The sale of pills are at an all time high...young folks walking around with their heads in the sky...the cities ablaze in the summer time...and oh, the beath goes on...Evolution, revolution, gun control, sound of soul, shooting rockets to the moon, kids growing up too soon, politicians say more taxes will solve everything...and the band played on...so...round and around and around we go...where the world's headed, nobody knows.
Oh...great GOOGALOOGA, can't you hear me talking to you...just a ball of confusion...oh yeah, that's what the world is today.

NOTE: Drugs, sex and rock and roll...there's nothing new under the sun. Back in the sixties in a world of free love (translated: having sex with whoever you want)...cosmic enlightenment (taking drugs to see the world as it really is)...and music to express and manipulate the mind of the masses...the mood was revolution (as the Beatles stated...we'd all love to see the plan). We are still shooting rockets...kids are being forced to be adults at a younger and younger age with the advent of the internet and relaxation of the mores of society. We continue to throw money at the problems and reap more problems. The end of this lyric states WHERE THE WORLDS HEADED...NOBODY KNOWS. In 2006...we STILL don't know.

LYRIC: Fear in the air, tension everywhere, unemployment rising fast, the Beatles new record's a gas...and the only safe place to live is on an Indian reservation...and the band played on. Eve of Destruction, tax deduction, city inspectors, bill collectors, Mod clothes in demand, population out of hand, suicide, too many bills, Hippies moving to the hills, people all over the world are shouthing END THE WAR...and the band played on.

NOTE: Fear continues to drive the world...anxiety, worry, tension, fear, unbelief...wars and rumours of war...all are still with us. People still have a desire for ABSENCE OF CONFLICT (in the world and in our personal lives). The Ball of Confusion keeps on turning.


In the beginning...whenever that was...this thing we call mother earth...was in a confused state. It was a BALL OF CONFUSION. It was (1) formless (2) void
(3) dark (4) waste and
(5) emptiness. "And the EARTH was formless and void (waste and emptiness) and darkness was over the surface of the deep." (Genesis 1:2)

Depending on which theological guru that you are listening to...this was either origial creation or the condition after a cosmic conflict and was a recreation...but whatever the chronological creation...it was a mess. The solution for the chaotic stew...was the SPOKEN WORD. The Spirit of God was moving...sweeping...hovering over the MESS...and God brought ORDER into CHAOS by speaking...."Then God Said...Let there BE light...and there was light" (Genesis 1:3)

The same thing can bring order into our PERSONAL BALL OF CONFUSION...which in turn can bring order into the areas of the GLOBAL BALL OF CONFUSION...that we have influence. The overall picture is overwhelming and impossible looking...but God's heartbeat is for bringing order to chaos.

"For God so loved the WORLD (kosmos)...that He gave His only begotten Son that whosoever should believe in Him should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16). The way that God SPEAKS order into our personal chaos in 2006, is the same way He spoke order into chaos IN THE BEGINNING. He used the SPOKEN WORD...then...and He uses the SPOKEN WORD now.

"In the beginning was the WORD (Jesus)...and the WORD (Jesus) was with God...and the WORD (Jesus) was God. He (Jesus) was in the beginning (at creation) with God. All things came into being through Him (Jesus)...and apart from Him (Jesus)...nothing came into being that has come into being. In Him (Jesus) was life; and the life was the light of men. and the light shines in the darkness...and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:1-6)

NOTE: Many people today sit in the darkness of their ways...miserable... but to stubborn to admit that they need help. The light is shining but the cannot fathom that (1) they need a Saviour (2) Jesus is the Saviour. They (I was...and at times am still) may come to an intellectual conclusion...but they do not want to give up their lifestyle.

"But as many as received Him (Jesus) to them He (Jesus) gave the right to become children of God, even to those who believe in His (Jesus) name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God. And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us (33 years) and we beheld His (Jesus) glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth." (John 1:12-14)

"For God so loved the BALL OF CONFUSION (and all the confused inhabitants)...that He gave His only begotten Son...that whoever is swirling around on this BALL OF CONFUSION....should not perish but have everlasting life." (John 3:16 Ruminator Style).

Oh GREAT GOOGALOOGA...can't you hear me talkin' to you...

Love and Non-Confused Kisses
Rod "Fighing Tempation" Boyd 

TOP TEN REASONS I'M NOT THANKFUL

Hello all of you Turkeys. It's that time of year...where we wind down the greed factor... and try to be good so that we can exude peace on earth... good will towards mankind.

What once was being touted by Ben Frankline...as our national bird...instead of the American Eagle...has now been reduced to being baked, deep-fried, made into hash, cold sandwiched, plucked, Butterballed, divided into white meat, dark meat, legs, wings...and gibblitzied. All of this is done in the name of giving of thanks.

This year I am going anti-thanks. I refuse to take ONE day out of the year and pretend that I am THANKFUL. So here are the TOP TEN REASONS...I'M NOT THANKFUL.

#10 I was scarred as a youth...when Grandmother Bowles...snuck in oysters in her dressing and did not tell me. There is nothing worse than having a big bite of oyster dressing...and you can't swallow for fear of throwing up.

#9 Who wants to get together with relatives that you can't stand throughout the year...and wonder when Aunt Bonnie is going to say something about Cousin Emmett that will mark the beginning of the end of the thankful occasion.

#8 Why do we have to ask God to bless our food...when what we are really saying is..."God...please bless our GLUTTONY as we cram every food known to mankind through our pie holes...and ask for forgiveness as we beg for Alka-Seltzer

#7 Why do I need to thank God for anything...as long as I have my retirement...401K...health and life insurance...Roth IRA...and numerous credit cards maxed out. Why do I need to thank the Master...when I worship the true Master...Aaaaahhhh Yes Master..MASTERCARD.

#6 Two Words... (1) Tofu (2) Turkey

# 5 I know that the Bible says in I Thessalonians 5:18, "in EVERY THING gives thanks...for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus." But surely He does not mean having to endure the stuff that I have to endure. Thanks...but no thanks.

#4 After 55 years of this old world...If I live to be 110 years old I am currently middle aged. In the words of Peggy Lee...Is that all there is? Bring out the booze.

#3 Why should I be thankful...when the local oldies radio station.. changed format to adding in songs of the 70's and 80's. If I wanted to listen to the station that bought them out and made them move to another frequency...than I would listen to that station. If they thought that I would not stop listening...then they don't know JACK.

NOTE: For those not in this area...JACK is the name of the station and you don't know JACK is there promo.

#2 Thanks alot God for creating gravity...every part of my body is sagging...So what if gravity keeps everything from flying off into space... If I can't look good...what's the use of being anchored to this terrestrial ball...the 3rd Rock from the Sun...the old Ball of Confusion?

#1 And the number one reason why I'm not thankful....

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME BABY...IT'S ALL ABOUT ME.
Now...let me take my tongue firmly out of my cheek...and let you know...that I AM THANKFUL...in everything in my life. I am thankful that in 1970 I became a new creation in Christ...I am thankful that the old things passed away...and the new things came. I am thankful that the Lord brought Brenda Williams into my life...and was bold enough in her faith to witness to me...and share Christ with me...and then had the Biblical Knowledge to lead me through the Roman's Road to Salvation. I am so thankful the Phillip Stephen Boyd came into our lives. He is a joy to us for the past 17 years. I thank you that my son is a strong, hunk of a young man...who still has a tender side...where he will hug and kiss on his Mom...and will do the same with his dear old Dad. I am thankful that ever since Brenda and I tied the knot in 1972 at 6:30 P.M. at Bellwood Baptist church...that God has met our needs according to His riches in glory in Christ Jesus.
I am thankful that after 55 years of being on this old spinning ball...called Planet Earth...that I am able to get out on a dojo floor...and I am still alive and kickin'. Maybe I'm not kicking to the head...but if a wee old leprechan attacks me...I believe I can reach his head.

I am curious...WHAT ARE YOU THANKFUL FOR....how about responding back...and letting old Rod know...why it is not ALL ABOUT YOU.

Love and Deep Fried Turkey Kisses
Rod "Someone Alert The Fire Station" Boyd 

THE BITIN' SOW PRINCIPLE

Howdy-do gang....are you about to give up? I've got one word...DON'T...or is that really two words rolled into one...(1) Do (2) Not?

The Reverend Dan Smith has an album called JUST KEEP GOIN' ON. He is a black preacher/bluesman...who grew up son of a poor dirt farmer...who knew what it meant to keep your faith focused and never give up...on the Lord. He was well acquainted with adversity, troubles, hard times...and was prolific in his music about how to deal with STUFF. "Take every knock as a boots...every stumbling block as a stepping stone...lift up your head...and hold your own...just keep goin' on."

To put it in layman's terms...."Ya gotta hang in there like a bitin' sow." Take a close look into the eyes of this Mamma Sow. Do you think that if you came between her and her piglets.. that you would stand a fighting chance. She would come after you...latch onto your arm or leg...and clamp down and would not let go until you either made her bacon or hamhock.

What are you going through in your life now...that has got you on the verge of throwing in the towel...throwing up your hands in surrender....yielding to the pressure. As Winston Churchill states...NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP!

Jacob wrestled an angel of God ALL NIGHT LONG...for a blessing...to the point of having his hip thrown out of joint...BUT in his tenacity...he got his blessing along with a name change and a heritage that stretches far into the time-space continnum and around the world...as the Savior of the world...enters into our world.

Sometimes we gotta be like the frog who is holding on for dear life around the startled storks neck.

The paradox of the matter is...that in the kingdom...we have to surrender to get. We have to yield to receive. We have to fall to the ground as a grain of wheat and die before the harvest is manifested. But in the things of God...in our stance of faith...in matters of doing good, and loving the Lord with all of our heart, soul, mind, strength...we may become weary in well doing in relation to sowing to the Spirit and reaping eternal life from the Spirit but here's Paul's encouragement..."And let us NOT LOSE HEART in DOING GOOD...for in DUE TIME we shall REAP...if we DO NOT GROW WEARY." (Galatians 6:9)

God is known as the God of 11:59...just before the final click to 12:00... the answer that we need may not appear...but God is not late. It's like you are walking along...for blocks and blocks...and you come to a corner...but just before you turn...you give up and turn around...BUT if you had just turned the corner...there is your answer.

Back in the 70's there was a coffeehouse called KOINONIA (sharing life in the Son)...where there was this folk-rock band called Dogwood.
One of the songs that they sang was KEEP ON WALKIN'...and it goes a little something like this:

Are you weary in well doing
Walkin' on the road to New Jerusalem
Are you hopin' and a prayin'
Lookin' any minute for the Lord to come

And do you see a lot of pleasant lookin' places
Where you might lay down and take a rest
If you do...take a look at all the faces there
And the sadness will tell you that it's best

To KEEP ON WALKIN'
You don't know how far you've come
KEEP ON WALKIN'
For all you know that it may done
And the Father is standing up right now...to give the call
And end it all
KEEP ON WAAAALKIN'

I know that it would sound better with music...so ask me to sing it for you the next time you see me...BUT...you get the idea.

If you are faced with the impossible...visualize your dreams, your prayers, your goals, your desires...as your little piglets...and anything that is getting you your way...CHOMP, CHOMP...and HANG IN THERE, LIKE A BITIN' SOW.

Love and Tenacious Kisses
Rod "Oink Oink" Boyd 

DISCIPLINED SPEECH

Hello Halitosis Haters...What's coming out of your mouth?

We have seen in our last few Ramblings that we as believers in the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus...the D.B.R...nothing more nothing less..
that we are to discipline ourselves for the purpose of godliness. (I Timothy 4:7). There were five areas of discipline...speech, conduct, love, faith, and purity (I Timothy 4:12) Today we focus on our SPEECH. Without discipline...our SPEECH would just flow out of our mouths unrestrained...but the old saying is to..."Think before you speak." When I was in Bible school...I took a class in Homiletics. The teacher was a crusty old crumudgeon of a saint named Marshall Dykes. We were a bunch of wet behind the ears preacher wannabes....who did not want to study...but wanted to preach. Brother Dykes opened our first day in class...we an admonisment to study by stating..."Yooooou preacher boys! You misquote scripture by saying...your going to open your mouth and the Lord will fill it. Yeah...He'll fill....WITH HOT AIR....you got to study to show yourselves approved." A lot of people think they have a lot to say...so they just spout off with no thought or care about who they hurt or insult. Of course a lot of the time...this is a defense mechanism to divert attention away from their inadequacies. I have used this method many times in my life. If I point out someone elses faults enough times...they won't notice who I really am.

Speech is merely the verbal expression of inward thoughts. Discipline of the SPEECH is more than just NOT saying something that you are thinking. That is repression.. and can become like an ingrown hair that is infected from the inside out...that will eventually manifest itself on the surface. No...SPEECH... to be properly disciplined...needs to be dealt with on the ROOT level.

HALITOSIS: Bad smelling breath. Halitosis is dealt with on many levels. (1) Brush your teeth (2) Brush your tongue (3) gum
(4) Mouthwash (5) Floss. All of these are trying to deal with the BREATH problem...what is coming out of your MOUTH on a surface level. Some believe that to deal with halitosis...bad breath...by going to the root of the problem in addition to what is manifest in the mouth. It has been said that THE TONGUE IS THE MIRROR OF THE COLON. They (who is this they that keeps saying things)...say that when you go to bed at night... and wake up in the morning with MORNING MOUTH...that it actually the condition of the COLON that is the body's way of releasing toxins in the colon...with the result being BAD BREATH.

The Bible is pretty specific that OUT OF THE HEART...THE MOUTH SPEAKS. The issue for discipling our SPEECH for the purpose of godliness...is to go to the root...of what we have placed in our heart. This means that we need to RENEW OUR MINDS....MEDITATE ON HIS WORD...TAKE CONTROL OF OUR THOUGHTS...PULL DOWN IMAGINATIONS...AND SPEAK WORDS FOR THE NEED OF THE MOMENT.

Speaking WORDS was an intricate part of the creation process. GOD SAID. The earth was dark, formless, void, chaotic....and God had a better idea. God's will was expressed in the form of WORDS.. and creation and order took place.

Ephesians gives a clue as to how we should be speaking. "Let no unwholesome WORD proceed from your MOUTH...but only such a WORD as is good for EDIFICATION according to the NEED OF THE MOMENT, that it (words) may give GRACE to those who HEAR." (Ephesians 4:29)

The phrase (Let no)...means to don't allow it. This is discipline. Just because a thought comes into your head...does not mean that it needs to come out of your mouth. If it is an UNWHOLESOME word...take control of it. What is the need of the moment. It is the moment...that you need to be ready to build up someone rather than tearing them down. We are called to be GRACEGIVERS. Grace is the divine influence in your heart.. manifested in your life...especially in your mouth.

If you SPEECH is filled with doubt, unbelief, fear, worry, anxiety, tension, care...that can be manifested with an undercurrent of anger, frustration, cussing, cursing rather than blessing...then you have HALITOSIS of of the HEART...manifest in YOUR MOUTH...resulting in your SPEECH.

Remember...UNRESTRAINED THOUGHTS...PRODUCED UNRESTRAINED WORDS...RESULTING IN UNRESTRAINED ACTIONS.

Until next time...

Pass the Breath Mints
Rod "It's Colon Cleaning Time" Boyd 

RESTRAINING ORDER

Greetings and salutations all of you FREE and RESTRAINED saints. Free? Restrained? What kind of mumbo jumbo kind of talk is this.

Harry Houdini was a master escape artist and illusionist...who would allow himself to be bound by ropes...shackled with multiple handcuffs...put in a strait jacket...locked in wooden crates...the bottom lined he was RESTRAINED. His goal...to get FREE.

We know that Jesus taught that if we
(1) If we abide in His Word (2) Then we are His disciples (3) We shall know the truth (4) The truth shall make you free. Of course people twist this concept around to mean that if you are just blunt with everyone...if they just know truth...then the would be FREE. They want to bypass the abiding, discipleship, coming to an intimate relationship with the truth...and just go on to being free. When the believers that He was giving this message began to question whether or not the were every really not free...Jesus pointed out to them that everyone who COMMITS SIN is the SLAVE (bound/restrained) of SIN. He then declared that if the Son shall make you free, you shall be FREE INDEED (not just think your free...but actually free from sin).
(John 8:30-36)


Proverbs 29:16-18...or as I like to call them the PRO-VERBS...POSITIVE ACTION.. states..."When the wicked increase, transgression increases...but the righteous will see their fall. Correct your son, and he will give you comfort; He will also delight your soul. Where there is no VISION, the people PERISH. But happy is he who keeps the law."
The word PERISH mean to be UNRESTRAINED. When someone (saint or sinner) is walking in sin...they are bound...slaves...not free. But when you have VISION...insight into the law...the Word of God...you go from being unrestrained...doing whatever you like and reaping the consequences...to be RESTRAINED. You reign yourself in like a horse with a bit in the mouth...and then lead and guide the horse instead of the horse leading and guiding you.

We Christians value our FREEDOM. We actually thing that our new found freedom gives us the liberty to do things that may or may not be good for us. That's why you see so many people who profess to be true believers...one day...out of the blue...end up addicted to drugs...hooked on tobacco...in a feeding frenzy as we fatten ourselves to the point of overweight oblivion.. descending from being social drinkers to social drunks...bound by porn...to the point of where you can't tell the saints from the sinners without a program. In Kenneth Copeland's booklet called Discipline of the Flesh...he points out that the words liciviousness...or licentiousness mean to be unrestrained. Those two words seem to slither off your tongue. When you think about it...you almost need to take a bath after you say them.

Paul wrote to the church at Corinth...some advice about their freedom. Remember from the previous Rambling...that they were a spiritual group of believers who either were wallowing in the things of the flesh...or tolerating the things of the flesh. Somewhere along the way...they had lost their VISION...the were FREE in their minds...but they were UNRESTRAINED in their actions. Paul wrote:

" Or do you not know, that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be decieved; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, no homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers, shall inherit the kingdom of God." (I Corinthians 6:12) YIKES!!!! How can we avoid this fate? "And such WERE some of you; BUT you were washed, but your were sanctified, but you were justified in the name of the Lord Jesus Christ, and in the Spirit of our God." (I Corinthians 6:11) The contrast... the BUT...is washed, sanctified, justified...all tied up in the D.B.R...the cross...the blood of Jesus.

Paul now contrasts the freedom we have and the old ways of life that can once again...enslave us...bind us...restrain us. "All things are lawful for me...but not all things are profitable. All things are lawful for me, but I will not be MASTERED BY ANYTHING. Food is for the stomach...and the stomach is for food; BUT God will do away with both of them. Yet the body is not or IMMORALITY, but for the Lord; and the Lord for the body." We may be FREE...to do certain things...BUT...it will not be PROFITABLE...beneficial for us to do them.

As we have seen...we are called to discipline ourselves...for the purpose of godliness. We are to discipline our SPEECH (what we say)...CONDUCT (what we do)...LOVE (what motivates)...FAITH (what gets us through when the end is not in sight)...PURITY (what we allow or do not restrain in our lives).

It is time...that as believers (imperfect as we are)...to issue a RESTRAINING ORDER on ourselves. Cease and desist from going against the deeds of the flesh. Restrain and be free.

Next Time: YOUR SPEECH (What's comin' out da spout?)

Unrestrained thoughts (what we think)...Produces unstrained words (what we say)...Resulting in unrestained actions (what we do)

Love and Restrained Kisses
Rod "Houdini" Boyd 

YOUTH WATCH

Greetings all of you old goats and young bucks...or is that old goats and goatettes and young buckettes?

"People try to pus us dddown...(talkin' bout my generation)
Just because we get around
(talkin' bout my generation)
Things they do look awful cold
(talkin' bout my generation)
I hope I die before I get old
(talkin' bout my generation)"
My Generation
The Who

"We are...we are...the Youth of a Nation"
Youth of a Nation
P.O.D.

Youth...the next generation...passing of the baton...the hope for the future. Maybe...maybe not. Each generation faces this duelistic hope of the fading generation and rising generation leading the way for the next generation.

As we state in the last Rambling...there is nothing new under the sun... unless you are under THE SON. The Apostle Paul...former hit man against the church...who was in charge of stoning, murdering, persecuting the followers of THE WAY (aka Christians)...was leading the way for the next generation of young Christians to lead the way. His protoge' was a YOUNG MAN by the name of Timothy. Paul was his "father in the faith." Timothy was his "true child in the faith" (I Timothy 1:2).

Timothy had been given responsiblity of OVERSEEING a group of believers. Paul had some advice back then that is appropriate for the next generation in the year 2006...that would be NOW.

"Let (don't allow) no one (anyone) look down on your YOUTHFULNESS, BUT (in contrast) rather in (1) Speech (what you say) (2) Conduct (what you do) (3) Love (what motivates you) (4) Faith (what gets you through) (5) Purity (what keeps accusations away)...show yourself an EXAMPLE (how it's down) of those who believe (in Christ Jesus)." I Timothy 4:12

The bottom line of this advice was...don't give the old goats and goatettes any reason to criticize the young bucks and buckettes in their Christian walk. The world and non-Christians will always have an excuse to point a finger...they did with Jesus and they will with us. Jesus was accused of being a drunkard and a glutton because he hung out with drunkards and gluttons and ate and drank with them. Of course he was not a drunkard and a glutton...but he was guilty by association. NOTE: Too many Christians use this as an excuse to let their guards down...and enter into the slippery slop of the flesh...and sin.

Paul encouraged YOUNG TIM...to discipline (exercise, practice unencumbered) yourself for the purpose of godliness (the five areas listed above). (I Timothy 4:7) There is value in this discipline...(1) it holds promise for the present life (2) it holds promise for the life to come.

The reason behind it..."For it is for this we labor and strive, because we have fixed our hope on the living God, who is the Savior of all men, especially of believers." (I Timothy 4:10). Paul encourged Timothy to
(1) Prescribe (2) Teach these things ( (I Timothy 4:11)

This godliness in the areas of speech, conduct, love, faith, purity (that if not taken care of will turn into a negative)...needs to be cultivated.

Paul lays out ways to walk in this discipline:

1. Give attention to public reading of Scripture
2. Give attention to exhortation
3. Give attention to teaching (of the Word)
4. Do not neglect the spiritual gift within you (bestowed upon through
prophetic utterance with the laying on of hands by the presbytery
(old generation)
5. Take pains with these things
6. Be absorbed with these things
7. Pay close attention to yourself (keep your self in check)
8. Pay close attention to what you teach
9. Persevere (don't give up) in these things

WHY? Why discipline yourself for the purpose of godliness? WHY? Why do you not allow the old to look down on the young in the areas of speech, conduct, love, faith and purity? WHY? Why take such a focused approach with these things? WHY? Show yourself as and example to the lost and the believers?

ANSWER:

1. So that your PROGRESS may be EVIDENT to ALL.
2. To insure salvation both for (a) yourself (b) those who hear you

QUOTABLE QUOTE: Unrestrained thoughts...produces unrestrained words...resulting in unrestrained actions.

NEXT TIME: DISCIPLINE FOCUS: Speech, conduct, love, faith, purity

Love
Rodney "Old Goat" Boyd 

H.E. Double Hockey Sticks: Sunday Vs. The Rest Of The Week

Greetings all of you righteous and godly people.

"If you want to go to heaven...you got to raise a little hell." (Georgia Satellites)

"Do as I say...don't do as I do." (Multiple People)

There is only one thing worse than a non-Christian who delights in the fall and foibles of religious leaders. That would be a Sanctimonious Saint (S.S. Saint)...who feels religiously superior to the Fallen Saint (F.S. Saint)
Both of these people goes against the grain of I Cornithians 13:6 where we are told not to "rejoice in iniquity" of the fallen. NOTE: No matter how many high visibility Christians fall....there are millions of believers who are not wallowing in sin and are living their lives out daily.

The fact is...you don't tug on Superman's cape...you don't spit into the wind...you don't pull the mask off the ole Lone Ranger and you don't mess around with Jim. (Thanks and a tip O da hat to Jim Croce). One thing Jim left out is.. "...be not deceived...God is not mocked...whatsoever a man sows..that shall he also reap. For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life." (Galatians 6:7-8)

The fact is...that believers...true believers (as oppossed to those who just mentally ascent to historical or religious facts about Jesus)...are very susceptible to being "laid low in the wilderness." (I Corinthians 10:5)

The freedom that we experience as believers...can easily turn into an opportunity for the FLESH. (Galatians 5:1, 13,16-21). I know from first hand experience...how a saved, redeemed, Lord loving, spirit filled believer can BACKSLIDE face forward in to the muck and mire of the Prodigal Pig Pen (P.P.P. Luke 15:11-32)...and return and eat the dog vomit of my former way of life. (Proverbs 26:11/II Peter 2:22) There is nothing new under the sun (Ecclesiastes 1:9) including the warts and scars of our religious heroes. NOTE: I'm glad that the Bible does not show a pristine view of the saints. It really underscores the need for a Saviour.

The fall does not come "OUT OF THE BLUE". What is the anatomy of the backslidder? Backslidding...falling into sin...being laid low in the widlerness...is NOT a sudden descent from righteousness to sin. It is a slow, inch by inch...yielding to the little foxes that spoil the vineyard.
(Song of Solomon 2:15) What's nippling at your grapes?

I Corinthians is a letter written to a group of people who were spiritually attuned. Paul wrote to them and praised them for being "spiritual".
Read I Corinthians 1:4-9 about the grace of God in their lives...the enrichment in everything by Him in all utterance and all knowledge, the testimony of Christ was confirmed in them...the come short in NO gift.. they were eagerly waiting for the revleation of Jesus. These were BELIEVERS...but Paul had to write a letter of correction to this body of believers. The corrections to the believers included:

a. Divisions among the people and lifting up certain teachers over
others. Some like Paul...some Apollos...some Peter...and some
threw in their trump card...they only listen to the teachings of
Jesus. Even the Jesus card was played with the wrong attitude.
b. Incest
c. Lawsuits
d. Fornication
e. Marriage and Divorce
f. Eating food offered to idols
g. Wearing of veil
h. The Lord's Supper
i. Spiritual Gifts out of order
10. Resurrection of the Body

In the letter of correction...Paul compared the fallen church...to the children of Israel falling in the wilderness. Read I Corinthians 10:1-13

These people had a unique and common spiritual ground. They:

a. Were all under the cloud (of guidance and protection)
b. All passed through the sea (symbolic of our baptism and deliverance)
c. All were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea
d. All ate the same spiritual food
e. All ate the same spiritual drink
f. They had a Rock of anointing supply calle the ROCK/CHRIST

BUT...with most of them...God wan not well pleased. What cause this displeasure with them? Verse 5...THEY WERE LAID LOW IN THE WILDERNESS...their bodies were SCATTERED IN THE WILDERNESS.

Twice it was pointed out that these things (being laid low in the wilderness and what cause it) were to be our EXAMPLES.
(I Corinthians 10:6, 11) If you don't think that this can happen to you in 2006...there is an ominous warning found in verse 12..."THEREFORE LET HIM WHO THINKS HE STANDS TAKE HEED LEST HE FALL."

A good book (for men and women) to read about this subject is MAXIMIZED MANHOOD by Edwin Cole. Here are the things that caused the fall to them...and will cause the fall to us...no matter how SPIRITUAL we think we are. We open the door by WINKING AT SIN.

a. They lusted after evil things
b. The became idolaters (to the point of worshipping themselves)
c. They sat down to eat and to drink and rose up to play
d. The committed sexual immorality
e. They tempted Christ
f. They complained about their situation and against their leaders

They lived like H.E. Double Hockey Sticks...while they wanted the Promised Land. Today is no different...God is still not mocked...we still sow...we still reap...and wonder why the wheels come off of our spiritual wagon.

NEXT TIME: DISCIPLINING OURSELVES FOR THE PURPOSE OF GODLINESS (5 areas of discipline)

Love
Rodney "Taking Heed" Boyd