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