FIRE INSURANCE VS. LORDSHIP

Greetings friends and neighbors... who's your Daddy?

That phrase..."Who's your Daddy?"... is meant to say..."Who's The Boss." It implies..."Who's in control." We love bumper sticker mentality that says..."God is my CO-PILOT." This means...I am in control...I am the pilot...and God is over to the right hand side...as 2nd in command. If things get tough...if I lose control of the plane...the co-pilot is there to help out. I can understand that...after all we are men and women of VOLITION...free will...free choice. God has allowed us the ability to make decisions...and has graciously allowed us to call upon him to interact within the affairs of man and wo-man. We do this by prayer. As Jack Hayford's book title says it all...PRAYER IS INVADING THE IMPOSSIBLE. Jesus has two titles (really there are multiple titles)...Jesus is (1) Lord (2) Savior. The question is...which one is he in your life...or is he both...or have you added a third option. Sometimes I feel as if he is the third option in my life.


The third option....(3) FIRE INSURANCE. We are living out our lives on planet earth...then one day we get to the point of where we can't standing it any longer. We either feel as if we are living a hell on this earth.. or we start to believe the Bible and the fact that there is this place of torment called HELL. We figure we better do something...so we get SAVED. We look at salvation as getting "saved from Hell" or...investing in our FIRE INSURANCE. As long as we have that policy...we are save from the flames licking our backsides. The problem is that we think that with that FIRE INSURANCE POLICY...that we can live like HELL here on earth...and do anything that we want to do...and it is covered by grace and mercy...while avoiding HELL in the afterlife.


This thing called salvation is more than just avoidance of punishment...it is only the beginning of a wonderful life here on this cursed and fallen swirling terrestrial ball called the 3rd Rock from the sun...planet Earth. God has reached down to humanity in the form of Jesus Christ to bridge the gap. As we live this life..."between the glory and the flame"...between heaven and hell... Jesus must be more than just FIRE INSURANCE. He must become LORD...not just our SAVIOR.

SAVIOR: soter (so-tare)...a deliverer...to save...that is deliver or protect...heal, preserve, do well, make whole.

LORD: kurios (koo-ree-os)...supreme in AUTHORITY...controller, master, Sir, Mr. (the bottom line...BOSS)

One is what he DOES...the other is what He IS. He is not the co-pilot...He is the PILOT. You know...I am writing this as if I know what I am talking about...and actually practice this 24/7...HOWEVER...a lot of times in my life...I act as if ROD IS GOD. Instead of Jesus is Lord...I act as if Rodney is LORD.


Currently...on April 28th, 2007...we are able to practice VOLITION (free will and choice)...and abdicate our Lordship to His Lordship. We are able to bow ourselves down before Him and say Jesus is BOSS. Jesus is the one in CONTROL of our lives. Our fate is not in the hand of the devil (little d)...the government....world leaders... or even corporate entities. There will come a time...when the choice is out of our hands...it will be mandated...but then it will be to late.

"Wherefore God also hath highly exalted Him (Jesus) and given Him (Jesus) a NAME which is above every name (you name it...Jesus is above it). That at the NAME OF JESUS...every knee should bow of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth, and that every tongue should CONFESS (say the same thing God says) that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD (boss, the one in control), to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)

IT'S A CRYIN' SHAME

Greetings Oh Ye Chewers of the Cud...how ya doin'? The Temptations had a song out a few years ago...that spoke of how they were willing to lay down their pride for the love of a woman... because..."I AIN'T TOO PROUD TO BEG." They were voicing the sentiments of millions upon millions upon millions of men (well at least a few of us)...the fact that they were NOT ASHAMED of the fact that they LOVED her. I know a lot of people who are very PROUD... and NOT ASHAMED...of their: (1) sexual escapades over the weekend (2) ability to drink themselves into a drunken stupor to the point of not remembering their sexual escapades (3) the ability to drink quantum amounts of alcholic adult berverages and not get drunk (4) intellectual superiority over the rest of us (5) how pretty/handsome they are compared to rest of the ugly populace (6) how much money they make (7) their family, dog, job, talents, abilities, etc. They not only are NOT ASHAMED about these things...but they want you to know about it...as they verbally express their pride to anyone willing to listen. They like to pontificate about politics, religions, world events, yada yada yada, bla bla bla woop woop woop. I'm so PROUD that I am not like them.

The band THE NEWSBOYS...had a great song that proclaimed that they were NOT ASHAMED OF THE GOSPEL OF CHRIST. They based that song on a statement made by the Apostle Paul found in Romans 1:16. It was true then...it was true when the NEWSBOYS were spreading the good news...and it is true NOW...in 2007.

"For I AM NOT ASHAMED of the Gospel (good news) of CHRIST (Jesus); for it (the Gospel) is God's power working unto SALVATION (for deliverance from eternal death) to every one who BELIEVES with a personal truast and a confident surrender and firm reliance , to the Jew first and also to the Greek. For in the Gospel a righteousness which God ascribes is revealed, both springing from faith and leading to faith---disclosed through the way of faith that arouses to more faith. As it is written, 'The man who through faith is just and upright shall live by faith.'" (Romans 1:16,17 The Amplified Bible)

Many people feel that this thing called the GOSPEL...is a very private matter...and should always, under all circumstances...be kept personal. We are conditioned by people...to keep our faith to ourselves. We should keep the GOOD NEWS...within the four walls of the various sanctuaries in th world...and leave it sitting in the pew after the Sunday Service. Once you enter the work place on Monday Morning...then hang your head down...and be very apologetic for what you believe. After all...if you express the pleasure that you received from worshipping the living God...if you listened to an inspiring message...if you chose to tap your foot to a rockin' and soulful gospel tune...and tell someone about it...you will be considered a religious fanatic...or worse...a certifiable NUT.

In the words of the rock band ARGENT...HOLD YOUR HEAD UP! What is the source of our SHAME. Hmmmmmmmmm....a sinless man...allowed Himself to be set up for a trial...beaten to a pulp...spit on...beard pulled out by the roots...drug through a crowd and mocked...nailed to a cross...
a crown of thorns pressed deep into his scalp....a spear thrust in his side...hung up on the cross between two thiefs...allowed to be considered a curse as he hung on a tree...apparantely forsaken by His father....his follwers deserting Him...and then died. And then to add insult to injury...we believe that after He died...on the third day He was raised from the dead....left this earth and claims that He will come back again for us. This is who we consider to be our Lord. This is who we choose to follow. This is who we are afraid to talk about in front of others because it sounds so stupid...so improbable...so foolish.

D.B.R..NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS is what we hold our heads down in the face of the altar of Humanism. In the face of politically correctness...and religious mindset...we must be hush hush about the DEATH of Jesus...the BURIAL of Jesus...and the RESURRECTION of Jesus.

The Apostle Paul clarified what he was NOT ASHAMED about in the book of
I Corinthians 1:17-31

"For Christ DID NOT send me to baptize...but to but to preach the GOSPEL (D.B.R.)...not in cleverness of speech, that the CROSS OF CHRIST should not be made void. 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."
(I Corinthians 1:17,18)

NOTE: What is the cross to you...(1) foolishness (2) 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." (I Corinthians 1:19)

"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." (I Corinthians 1:27-29

"For indeed Jews ask for signs/attesting miracles...and Greeks search for wisdom; but we preach CHRIST CRUCIFIED...to the Jews a STUMBLING BLOCK...and to the Gentiles FOOLISHNESS." (I Corinthians 1:22,23)

One of the best reasons for NOT BEING ASHAMED...is the fact that God is NOT ASHAMED of us.

In Hebrews 11...also known as the Hall of Faith...we see a listing of men and women who were considered to be men and women of FAITH. They were not perfect men and women...but on the contrary...they were fallable human beings who trusted and believed in an infallable God. That thing called faith...was faith in their God...not faith in their faith. Years ago...when I was in Bible School... I hung a sign on my dorm door...that simply said...JESUS HUNG UP...FOR OUR HANG UPS. I was put on noticed that this was not appropriate and had to take the sign down. This is the whole reason that Jesus came...to set us right before God...because WE CAN NOT DO IT. Titus 3:5 says, "He saved us NOT ON THE BASIS of deeds which we have done in righteousness...but according to His MERCY...by the washing of regeneration and renewing by the Holy Spirit."

"Rodney Boyd is NOT ASHAMED of the Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus Christ...and the fact that I need forgiveness and cleansing constantly by the blood of Jesus...because RATS...MESSED UP AGAIN...for it (D.B.R.) is the dynamic ability for my SAVING...to the Jew first then to the rest of the world." (Romans 1:16 RRSBV Ruminator Rambings Standard Bible Version)


Love and Boastful Kisses (Boastful In Him That Is)
Rod "NOT ASHAMED" Boyd

THE SERVANT CONNECTION

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Humble Servants of the Lord. How's your tennis game. Are you practicing your SERVE? The picture to your left is a cartoon drawing of a guy by the name of Gayle Erwin. He is the author of many books...including one called THE JESUS STYLE. The Jesus Style is a portrait of how Jesus manifested the will of the Father on earth as it is in heaven. Many people love to pray that humble ending to their prayers...
"Thy will be done..." or another version..."If it be THY will." This is not a bad thing to pray...but it can be prayed with a sense of false humility...with an air of religious superiority...or as a way to submit to that Doris Day type of faith...Que Sera Sera...WHATEVER will be will be...the futures NOT ours to see Que Sera Sera...thy will be done.
To see what the WILL of the Father is...on earth as it is in heaven...we need to take a close look as JESUS...and see His STYLE. We need to take a look at the four GOSPELS...and get a snapshot of how He spent 3 years walking around on this earth...and what he imparted to His disciples. Acts 10:38 states..."You know of Jesus of Nazareth...how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and power and how he went about DOING GOOD and HEALING all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him."


In the Gospel of John...chapter 13...Jesus gives us a physical example of a spiritual principle. The ART OF SERVANTHOOD...is exemplified. Jesus the teacher...seated at a place of honor at the supper table...rose up...and lowered Himself to the lowest place possible...at the feet of the students. He took on the role of a SERVANT...and began washing their feet. I don't know about you...but I don't like my feet. I don't like the way they feel, look, or smell. I've got missing toenails...sock lint...toe jam...callouses...it ain't a pretty picture. In the days of Jesus...I've got a feeling that the footcare was not as meticulous as it is now days. I've got socks...nicely made shoes...foot poweder...toenail clippers...and in those days...sandals...dusty roads....etc. This is what Jesus lowered Himself to...dirty feet. The purpose....was to SERVE the students. When you read John 13...the first three verses... you see WHY Jesus could HUMBLE Himself to the place of a SERVANT. He (1) knew where he came from (2) knew why he was here (3) knew where he was going back to. He knew that if he left a place of honor and lowered himself to a place of dishonor...that he would be elevated back to a place of honor. He knew that the first would be last and the last would be first. He knew that if you wanted to be great in God's Kingdom...you have to learn to be the servant of all. He knew that if you humbled yourself under the mighty hand of God..that He would EXALT you at the PROPER TIME. Jesus ended His lesson on humilty and servanthood by checking to see if they understood what had just taken place. Then He told them..."You call Me the Teacher (Master) and Lord, and you are right in doing so, for that is what I am. If I then, your Lord and Teacher (Master), have washed your feet, you ought---it is your duty, you are under obligation, you ow it---to wash one another's feet. For I have given you this as an EXAMPLE, DO [in your turn] WHAT I HAVE DONE TO YOU." (John 13:13-15 The Amplified Bible) The problem is...that we try to follow the example...from the point of the washing of the feed (the physical work)...but we have failed...to realize that TRUE SERVANTHOOD does not start at the actual DEED...but starts way before we DO SOMETHING. It starts with intimacy with the Father...where we know where we came from...we know why we are here and we know where we are going back to (John 13:1-3). We must first realize that whatever we are doing in the physical to someone else...is really an act of obedience to the Father...manifested on EARTH as it is in HEAVEN.

The Jesus Style...the lifestyle of a Servant...goes against the grain of the flesh. Pride screams that IT'S ALL ABOUT ME...SERVE ME...GIVE ME...I DESERVE...I WANT...I NEED. This thing called SERVANTHOOD is a matter of ATTITUDE. Everyone has an attitude...it is either a good attitude or a bad attitude. It is either a wrong attitude or a right attitude. The question is...is it a JESUS ATTITUDE.

Phillipians chapter 2...speaks of the JESUS ATTITUDE...that is a reflection of John 13. Encouragment, consolation, fellowship, affection, compassion, and joy will be manifested in peoples lives when they developed this JESUS ATTITUDE. There must be continuity in the JESUS ATTITUDE...where the servant is of the same mind, maintaining the same love, regarding one another as more important than himself, looking out for not only your personal interests...but also for the interests of others. Everything that was just mentioned was the ATTITUDE that Jesus had. "Have this ATTITUDE in yourselves which was also in CHRIST JESUS. (Philippians 2:1-5)






THE JESUS ATTITUDE MANIFESTED (Philippians 2:5-11)

1. Although He existed in the form of God...did not regard equality with God a thing to be grasped.

NOTE: What are you grasping? What are you regarding compared to others around you? What do you feel that you do in your religious duty...makes you better than the one who needs to be served?

2. But EMPTIED Himself.

NOTE: I am FULL OF MYSELF. It is hard to SERVE others...when I am consumed with serving myself.

3. Taking the form of a BONDSERVANT

NOTE: A bondservant is someone who has been set free from the master...but chooses to willingly continue to serve...not out of forced labor...but our of love.

4. Being made in the likeness of men...and being found in appearance as a man.

NOTE: Identification with humanity. In II Corinthians 5:16-21...we see that if ANY man/woman is IN CHRIST...they are new creations.. the old things passed away...behold...new things have come (and are constantly coming). We see that from NOW on...we will no longer recognize man according to the flesh (theirs or ours). We are now called to be MINISTERS OF RECONCILIATION and AMBASSADORS FOR CHRIST. Those are our titles...and the job description is...NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM...and begin ENTREATING THEM TO BE RECONCILED TO GOD. The ultimate act of servanthood by Jesus is found in verse 21..."He made Him who knew kno sin to be sin on our behalf, that we might become the righteousness of God IN HIM. " Outside of Jesus...there is none righteous not not one (Romans 3:10)...but IN HIM...we become the righteousness of God in Christ. It's hard to identify with people...when you hate them.

5. He HUMBLED HIMSELF

NOTE: Lowered Himself from His rightful place.

6. By becoming OBEDIENT

NOTE: Obedience is the key. John 14:21 "The person wh has my commandments...and keeps them...is the one who [really] loves Me... will be loved by My Father. And I [too] will love him and will show [reveal, manifest] Myslef to him---I will let myself CLEARLY BE SEEN by him and make Myself REAL to him." For revelations, disclosure, reality, manifestation of the Father and Jesus in our lives...the act of OBEDIENCE...is needed.

7. To the point of death, even death on a cross.

Jesus...allowed Himself (nobody took anything from Jesus...He did it willingly)...to be hung on the cross to become a curse for us. We have to identify with that act...and then die to ourselves..our will...our wishes...our desires...and live to Him. Paul new this principle...in Galatians 2:20 and I Corinthians 15:31 we see that it is a past event and a daily occurance.

8. Therefore

NOTE: In reference to what has been said from Philippians 2:1-8

9. Also God highly exalted Him and bestowed on Him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those who are in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD, to the glory of the Father.

NOTE: The cause and effect of the JESUS ATTITUDE...the attitude that should become the RODNEY ATTITUDE...or the (fill in the space with your name) ATTITUDE...is exaltation. It is not easy...it is never easy to allow nails to be driven into our WILL...and then allow our dreams to go to the point of death. As we yield...as we serve...as we obey...just like Jesus was elevated...just as Jesus was RESURRECTED...God wil breath life on us...and blow away the chaff...and leave what is needed.

10. So, then, my beloved...JUST a you have always OBEYED...not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence...WORK OUT YOUR OWN SALVATION WITH FEAR AND TREMBLING...for it is God who is AT WORK IN YOU...bot to will and to work for His God pleasure. Do ALL things without grumbling or disputing.

NOTE: Obedience is the key. Working out your own salvation...is not you determining what will get you saved and devising a new salvation plan. That has already been established...D.B.R...NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS...BY THE GRACE AND MERCY OF GOD AND NOT BASED ON DEEDS WHICH YOU HAVE DONE IN RIGHTEOUSNESS...BUT BY THE WASHING OF REGENERATION AN RENEWING BY THE HOLY SPIRIT...BY GRACE HAVE YOU BEEN SAVED...THROUGH FAITH...NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS so that you can never boast about how good or what you did. This WORKING OUT...is letting the inward work be manifested in your life. It must be done with true, reverant fear of the Lord with trembling...not with some cavalier attitude. It must also be done without GRUMBLING AND COMPLAINING/DISPUTING.

Well...that's it. As Bob Dylan sang on his SLOW TRAIN COMING album...Ya Got To SERVE Somebody...It May Be The devil...It May Be The LORD...But Ya Got To SERVE Somebody.

Love and Serving Kisses
Rod "Attitude" Boyd