Pre-LENT-tive Strike

Greetings Fellow Pilgrims...how's the journey going?

"Blessed is the man whose STRENGTH is in You, whose heart is set on PILGRIMAGE...as they PASS THROUGH...the Valley of Baca (weeping, tears)...they MAKE IT a spring; the rain also covers it with pools (or blessings). The go from STRENGTH to STRENGTH...each one appears before God in Zion." (Psalm 84:5-7)

Tis the season...not to be jolly...but refective. That's right...I'm talking about that tradition of discipline where we take 40 days and do a tune up on the old spiritual life. Of course...the tune up should be happening on a daily basis.. but alas...it is usually like our old car going through a harsh winter...and we finally can't stand it...and we have to wash off the salt brine from the road, the dust...clean out the floor boards where we had discarded trash and clutter. It is a time of focus, reflection, rumination, repentance, strengthening, encouragement, challenge. For some it is a tradition that wears around the neck like a religious stone...that pulls them down to the depths of despair. The thumb of legalism is what they were set free from (either by an experience with Jesus...or by rejection of their church upbringing)...and they are determined not to allow that back in their lives.

DISCLAIMER: If you never go through Lent...God loves you. Lent...a 4th century tradition...is merely a tool...not a commandment.

I for one...am looking forward to this season. This year FAT TUESDAY is on February 20th. This is the precursor to entering into the Lenton season via ASH WEDNESDAY. Fat Tuesday has turned into an excuse for excessive debauchery with it's Mardi Gras festival...Carnival...eating, drinking and being merrily drunk and perverted. It is the last gasp of the flesh. The word CARNIVAL itself means a doing away or turning away from MEAT...FLESH. It is tradition to GIVE UP something during this 40 day timeframe. It can be anything from eating meat, sweets, a plethora of bad habits. This is personal and individual (not a competition of who can trump the other saint's sacrifice). I am approaching it from this prespective this year...I am asking God to put His finger on things that are MASTER in my life. They may actually be things that are not bad...but are in control of me. They may actually be beneficial...they may be lawful for me...but not benefical for me. "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." (I Corinthians 6:12) NOTE: There ain't nothin' that you can do or give up that will make the Lord love you any more...or give you an edge on the grace and mercy of God. Your sacrifice is putting yourself in a position to clean out your spiritual ears...so you can hear God more clearly...and do what He says...that's all.

Lent is celebrated by the "high church"...and I guess by default...what is called as the "low church". It can be entered with the pomp and circumstance of ritual..or entered in by a decision to press in closer to him without the pomp and circumstance.

The time frame is 40 days. A cursory overview of the significance of 40 can be seen in Exodus 24:18 and Exodus 34:28 with Moses on the Mountain of God...in Numbers 13:25 with the spies in the land for 40 days...in I Kings 19:8 with Elijah TRAVELING (it is a pilgrimage) 40 days to reach a cave and a vision...in Jonah 3:4) where Ninevah was given 40 days to repent...and of cours in Matthew 4:2...where Jesus was led BY THE HOLY SPIRIT in the wilderness for prayer, fasting, and a time of testing.
The time frame again is 40 days...and for my purposes...it will be 40 WEEKDAYS...with Sunday's off for a time of celebration of RESURRECTION. This season...I am going to be reflecting on and expecting a renewal in the areas of my spirit, soul and body as expressed in I Thessalonians 5:23 "Now may the God of peace Himself SANCTIFY (set apart for His purpose) entirely; and may your spirit, soul and body be PRESERVED COMPLETE, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ."

I am also expecting God to move in three other areas of my life...(1) the lust of the flesh (2) lust of the eyes (3) the boastful pride of life. "Do not love the world, nor the things in the world. If any one loves the world, the love of the Father is not in him. For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh and the lust of the eyes and the boastful pride of life, is not from the Father is not from the Father, but is from the world. And the world is passing away, and also its lusts; but the one who DOES THE WILL OF GOD...abides forever." (I John 2:15-17)


As stated before...this is a journey...it is a season. It is not meant to be a permanent self-degrading experiment is false humility. The journey for 40 days ends in a glorious RESURRECTION...THE D.B.R...NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS. This is RESURRECTION EXPERIENCE is available 365 days a year...for those who receive. Again...Lent is merely a concentrated focus...a time of refreshing...a sober look at who we are and where we are on this journey. Remember Psalm 84:5-7...is a journey THROUGH the valley of BACA...the valley of TEARS. NOTE: Baca is a type of balsam plant that can SURVIVE in dry conditions. There is a promise of RAIN and a PROMISE of STRENGTH in the journey...with the destination being appearing before GOD IN ZION. Because of the D.B.R...and the Blood of Jesus...we have the access into the presence of the Living God. As you GO THROUGH the dry times...as you GO THROUGH the tough times of doubt...as you GO THROUGH the VALLEY OF THE SHADOW OF DEATH...as you go what feels like GOING THROUGH HELL...don't stop in the middle of it and take up residence...and set up camp...GO THROUGH IT...and come out the other side with proven character and strong. Jesus came out of the wilderness of temptation...he returned to Gallilee IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT. (Luke 4:14) GO THROUGH Lent...with the expectation of coming out IN THE POWER OF THE SPIRIT.

This will be the last RUMINATOR RAMBLING that you will receive for a while. I will see you on the other side of Lent after RESURRECTION SUNDAY (April 8th). Be praying for me...and I will be praying for you.

Love and Lent Kisses
Rodney "On The Road Again" Boyd

TROUBLE WITH A CAPITAL T

Greetings fellow cud chewers...what's the TROUBLE?

If you're lookin' for TROUBLE
Ya came to the right place
If you're looking for TROUBLE
Just look right at my face
I'm only made out of flesh, blood and bones
So if you're gonna start a RUMBLE don't ya try it all alone
Cause I'm eeeevil...my middle name is misery
I'm evil...so don't cha mess around with me

TROUBLE
Elvis Presley (King Creole 1958)

TROUBLE is a song from my favorite Elvis Presley movie...King Creole. The movie is adapted from the book A Stone For Danny Fisher by Harold Robbins. It is the story of Danny Fisher...a high school senior in the French Quarters of New Orleans...who has a penchant for getting into TROUBLE. he works in a club as a bus boy at night...and goes to school by day. During one day at work...he helps out a local kingpin's (Walter Matthau as Maxie Fields) girlfriend (played by Carolyn Jones aka Moriticia on the Addams Family) out of some TROUBLE..that ends up sinking him deeper into more TROUBLE. One thing leads to another...with him losing his job...getting kicked out of high school in his senior year (she gave him a ride to school and planted a big kiss on him in front of everyone)...and ended up singing in a competitor's club called the KING CREOLE. Of course..it is an Elvis movie...and he is singing multiple songs...including one called TROUBLE.

TROUBLE: (1) to disturb or agitate (2) to cause mental agitation to: worry, harass, perturbe, vex (3) to cause pain or discomfort, to afflict (4) to cause difficulty or inconvenience, to incommode (5) to pester, annoy, tease, bother
(Webster's Dictionary)

Of course...once you make the decision to follow Jesus...become a believer.. to take a stand a Christian...your TROUBLES are over.?!? Happy days are here again. If you have FAITH...you will never again have sickness and disease...financial difficulties...fights with your flesh...troublesome temptations...conflicts with other Christians...and all of the non-believers will accept you with open arms and never mock your faith.

Once you sign up for the TROUBLE FREE ride of Christianity...you become what is known as a TEFLON CHRISTIAN...where things may come against you...BUT...they won't stick. Satan will look at you and decide to leave you alone...to live out your newly found faith in peace and harmony...absent TROUBLE. Now...if you believe all of this...I have got one question...WHAT HAVE YOU BEEN SMOKING?!?!

The kingdom of God is not eating and drinking (the physical realm)...but is righteousness (right living),
peace (wholeness/rest) and joy (sense of strength and happiness) IN THE HOLY GHOST (the spiritual realm that affects the physical realm). The kingom of God is lived out in this cursed and fallen world...and STUFF (aka trouble) HAPPENS in the form of TROUBLE. It is how you go through the TROUBLES...that determines your PROVEN CHARACTER in your Christian walk.

WARNING: There are many causes for trouble...that we have a tendancy to BLAME on God...but we need to realize WHY a lot of the STUFF that HAPPENS...HAPPENS.

THE STUFF FACTOR

1. We live in a cursed and fallen world (Genesis 2 and 3)
2. There is a satan...a devil (little d)..a liar..a thief...a killer..destroyer...out to get you (John 10:10)
3. There are well orchestrated SCHEMES of the devil (little d) (Ephesians 6)
4. There is a TEMPTER to pull us away from who we really are (Matthew 4)
5. The BARNEY FIFE SYNDROME: This is where we shoot ourselves in our own foot. Andy told us to
keep the bullet in our pocket but we had to do our own thing and disobey Sherrif Taylor) (Read
Galatians 5 and 6) aka THE SOWING AND REAPING SYNDROME
6. There is GODLY SUFFERING (II Corinthians 1:1-7) WARNING: Do not confuse ALL suffering as
GODLY SUFFERING.
7. There is Christ example of suffering [I Peter 2:21-25] (more of an attitude and control of your
mouth]...and there is suffering WRONGLY...WHERE YOU ARE DOING WRONG...and DESERVE
your TROUBLES...versus...doing what is RIGHT...and suffering for doing the RIGHT THING.
(I Peter 2:18-20)

The bottom line is TROUBLE comes...not IF...but WHEN TROUBLE COMES...and you need to ask like it says to do in James 1:5...when you encounter various TRIALS...to ask for WISDOM. I believe the wisdom you need...is to have some insight in to WHY you are going through what you are going through...so you can determine how to take a stand. You may need to RESIST the devil so he will flee from you...you may need to DIE TO YOUR FLESH...crucify the flesh with your passions and desires... (Paul had to die daily)...you may need to REPENT for you stupidity...you may need to hunker in and REJOICE IN THE LORD ALWAYS....because you are suffering for Christ's sake...you may need to GIVE THANKS IN EVERYTHING because the giving of thanks in everything is the will of God for you...you may need to realize that ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, and the ugly) ARE WORKING TOGETHER for your good...because you love the Lord and are called according to His purpose. You
may need to determine the SCHEMES of the well ochestrated attack and COUNTER ATTACK with DUNAMIS and EXOUSIA (dynamic ability and authority) with your spiritual weaponry...as the gates of hell...attempts to prevail against you...but CAN'T. (See I Peter 5

TROUBLE ...does not mean that you are OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD...most likely it means that you are SMACK DAB IN THE MIDDLE OF GOD'S WILL.

"Assuredly, I say to you, among those born of women, there has not risen on greater than John the Baptist; BUT he who is least in the kingdom of heaven is GREATER than he (John the Dipper)...and from the days of John the Baptist until now...the kingdom of heaven SUFFERS VIOLENCE...and the violent TAKE IT BY FORCE." (Matthew 11:11,12)

NOTE: According to the note in the SPIRIT FILLED BIBLE..."Though the Greek here is somewhat difficult to translate...the idea in this verse is that the kingdom of heaven...which Jesus set up as a powerful movemetn or reign among men...(suffers violence)...requires of them an equally strong and radical reaction. The VIOLENT then who TAKE IT BY FORCE...are people of keen entusiasm and commitment who are willing to respond to and propagate with RADICAL ABANDOMENT the message and the dynamic of God's reign." NOTE TO THE NOTE: It ain't easy...it will appear as TROUBLE...but when you are smack dab in the middle of God's will...TROUBLE may be surrounding you...attempting to overtack you.

When the church was around 10+ years old...after the Day of Pentecost...Luke recounts the EASY LIFE of a believer..."then Jews from Antioch and Iconium came there; and having persuaded multitudes...they STONED PAUL...and DRAGGED him out of the city...supposing him to be DEAD. NOTE: Now that is TROUBLE. However (in contrast to the trouble)...when the disciples gathered around him...he ROSE UP...and went into the city. And the next day he eparted with Barnabas to Derbe. And when they had preached the gospel to that city and made many disciples, they returned to Lystra, Iconium, and Antioch,
STRENGTHENING the souls of the disciples...EXHORTING them...to CONTINUE IN THE FAITH (in the midst of persecution and troubles)...and saying...We must through MANY TRIBULATIONS enter the kingdom of God." (Acts 14:19-22)

NOTE: The tribulations...the trouble...was not a requisite for salvation...BUT ...when we begin to continue in the faith..when our souls are being STENGTHENED...there is TROUBLE...TRIALS...and TRIBULATIONS...if we want rightouseness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost manifested. IT AIN'T A HOLY GHOST PICNIC.

THE PROGRESSION (with Amplified Ruminator Commentary) Romans 5:1-5)

"Therefore...having BEEN (past tense) JUSTIFIED (Just As If I's Never Sinned) by FAITH...we have PEACE WITH GOD...through our Lord Jesus Christ (D.B.R...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS)... through whom also we have access by FAITH (substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen) into this GRACE (free gift, unmerited favor, divine influence in the heart manifested in the life).. in which we STAND (against anything that comes against you...especially the gates of hell)...and REJOICE (praise God) in HOPE (confident expectation) of the Glory of God. And NOT ONLY THAT (the beginning of what was just laid out...there is more to follow the inital experience)...BUT...we also glory in TRIBULATIONS (trials, troubles, stuff)...KNOWING (an understanding)...produces (brings about) PERSEVERENCE (tenacity...keepin' on keepin' on...hangin' in there like a bitin' sow...never giving up in the face of trouble) and perseverence, CHARACTER (a quality of doing the right thing when no one is watching...the quality of who you are)...and character HOPE (confident expectation). Now...hope does not disappoint (your confident expectations will be fulfilled)...BECAUSE (the cause and effect and reason for no disappointed confident expectation)...the LOVE OF GOD (agape'...love with no hidden strings attached)...has been POURED OUT (not trickle down economic of the kingdom...but a liberally and generously poured out...good measure...pressed down...shaking together...running over...flood gates opened) in our hearts (the core of who we are) by the Holy Spirit who was given to us."

Love and Non-Trobuled Kisses
Rod "Ain't Lookin' For Trouble" Boyd