SAINT'S AND SINNERS

Greetings all of ye SAINT'S and SINNERS...and ye know who ye are.

Bruce Cockburn...Canada's son...who has international appeal in the world of music, politics, and spiritual appeal. His music is laced with melody, rhythms, social commentary and reflections of his faith in Jesus Christ. He is NOT a Contemporary Christian Artist...but his music speaks and challenges me to be a better Christian. One of his 40 or so albums was BREAKFAST IN NEW ORLEANS, DINNER IN TIMBUKTU. The first song on the album is called When You Give It Away. One line that jumps out at me is:

Deep in the city of SAINTS and FOOLS
Pearls before pigs and DUNG becomes JEWELS
I sit down with TIGERS, I sit down with LAMBS
None of them know who exactly I am
I've got this thing in my heart
I must give you today
It only lives when you
GIVE IT AWAY.

Our mindset of SAINTS versus SINNERS is the SAINT is the one with the perfect halo around their heads...who are never tempted or if they are tempted they defeat temptation and their halo is never tarnished...while the SINNER is obvious. They look the part. Fill in the blank of what you think a "sinner" looks like...the only problem is that if you put a saint and sinner side by side...you may not be able to tell the difference. THE SAINT is a literary character that leaps off the pages of books written in the 1920's and 30's (written by Leslie Charteris) and leaps onto the movie screen (played by various characters from George Raft to Val Kilmer) and onto the T.V. (played by Roger Moore...who played in Maverick, The Persuaders, James Bond, etc). The Saint is Simon Templer (S.T.)...aka The Saint, The Hapy Highwayman, the Brighter Buccanner, the Robin Hood of Modern Crime. He is age 31, height 6 ft. 2 in., weight 175 lbs, eyes blue, hair black and brushed back straight, compelxion tanned, bullet scar through upper left shoulder, 8 inch scar on right forearm. Special characteristis includes: Always immaculately dresse, lxurious tastes, lives in the most expensive hotels, and is a connoisseur of food and wine. Carries firearms and is an expert knife thrower. He is a liscensed air pilot and speaks several languages fluently. He is known as THE SAINT from a habit of leaving drawings of a skeleton figure with halo at the scenes of crimes. I was reading the book The Saint: Knight Templar last night and discovered a RUMINATOR connection with the Saint. In one of his brushes with the Law...he was smooth talking a constable...and, "The Law blinked BOVINELY MEDITATIVE." That's the state of mind that we are...BOVINELY MEDITATIVE. Anyway, that's what prompted this Rambling about SAINTS and SINNERS. It don't take much now do it. : )

SAINT: (1) a holy person (2) a person who is exceptionally meek, charitable, patient, etc. (3) those, esp. holy persons, who have died and are believed to be with God. (4) in the New Testment, any Christian (5) in certain Christian chruches, a person officially recognized as having live an exeptinally holy life, and thsu as being in heaven and capable of interceding for sinners; canonized person. NOTE: For those who are bristling at the picture of Jimmy Swaggert next to a definition of a saint...take a chill pill.

SAINTS: People who have been made holy in God's eyes through Christ's merit ALONE. Followers of the Lord are referred to by this phrase throughout the Bible, although it's meaning is developed more fully in the New Testament. Consecration (setting apart) and purity are the basic meanings of the terms. Believers are called saints (Romans 1:7) and saints in Christ Jesus (Philippians 1:1) because they belong completely to the ONE who has provided their sanctifications (I Corinthians 1:2, I Corninthians 6:9-11).
(Hayford's Bible Handbook)

SINNER: (1) a person who sins (2) a wrongdoer (3) someone who misses the mark, fails, offense, taking the wong cours, wrongdoing

NOTE: For those who are wondering...this is a picture of Dr. SYN aka The Scarecrow of Romny Marsh...a Disney series starring Patrick McGoohan aka Secret Agent Man, The Prisoner, etc.

Well...who is a sinner who is a saint. We see in Romans 3:10..."As it is written...there is NONE righteous, no not one." Again in Romans 3:23, "For all have SINNED, and fallen short of the glory of God."
Isaiah 53:6 points out that..."ALL of us like sheep have gone astray, EACH of us has turned to his own way...BUT the Lord has caused the iniquity of US ALL to fall on Him." Romans 5:12 points out that...
"Therefore, just as through ONE MAN SIN (Adam) entered into the world...and death through SIN...and so death spread to ALL MEN, because ALL SINNED."

There appears to be a large gulf...a gap...between us and God...and that expanse that seperates us from God is SIN. So at this point...it appears that this sin factor makes us sinners. So what can take us from that SINNER category...and bring is into the SAINT category.

Maybe if we live right. Maybe if we just do some good works. Maybe if we go to church. Maybe if we quit smoking, drinking, chewing, cussing, fornicating, gossiping, (fill in the blank with anything that you consider bad)....or maybe if I go to church, tithe, give to the Jerry Lewis Muscular Dystrophy telethon, give money to those guys selling newspapers for children, maybe light a candle, maybe have a priest wave over us and chant spiritus sanctum sodium penethol...maybe if we do our best to keep the 10 commandments...after all keeping 6 out of 10 commandments is still 60% and that's passing with a D... maybe we can rely on our Grandmother's faith to get us in. What is it going to take to get us from sinnerhood to sainthood.

"For by GRACE (unmerited favor) you have been SAVED...through faith (in the D.B.R.) and that NOT OF YOURSELVES...it is the GIFT of God; NOT AS A RESULT OF WORKS...that no one should boast."
(Ephesians 2:8)

"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." (Titus 3:5)

"For the love of Christ controls us, having concluded this...that one died (Jesus) for all (that includes you) therefore all (you and me) died...and He (Jesus) died for all (again, you and me) that they who live (that would be us) should no longer live for themselves (it ain't all about us anymore)...but for Him (it's all about Him baby)...who died and rose again on their (you and me) behalf.=D.B.R. (II Corinthians 5:14-15)

"And this is th emessage we have heard from Him and announce to you, that God is light, and IN Him there is no darkness at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness, we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from ALL SIN. If we say that we have no SIN, we are deceiving ourselves, and the truth is not in us. IF (this hinges on our choice) we confess our SINS, He is faithful and righteous to FORGIVE US OUR SINS...and to CLEANSE us from ALL unrighteousness." (I John 1:5-10)

"For HE delivered us from the DOMAIN/AUTHORITY of DARKNESS...and transferred us to the KINGDOM OF HIS BELOVED SON, in whom we have REDEMPTION, the FORGIVENESS OF SINS."
(Colossians 1:13,14)

"I have been (it's good to be a has been) crucified WITH Christ; and it is no longer I who live, but Christ lives in me; and the life which I NOW live in the FLESH...I live by FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD (faith in the D.B.R...nothing more...nothing less)...who loved me and deliverd HImself up for me." Galatians 2:20

"That if you CONFESS (come into agreement with what God says) with your mouth Jesus as Lord (the boss) and you BELIEVE with your heart (not just a mental acknowledgment of facts)...that God has RAISED HIM FROM THE DEAD, you shall be SAVED....for with the heart man BELIEVES...resulting in righteousness...and with the MOUTH he confesses, resulting in SALVATION...for WHOEVER will CALL upon the name of the Lord will be saved." (Romans 10:9-10; Romans 10:13)

"But as many as received Him, to them He gave the right to become children of God...even to those who believe in His name, who were born not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God." (John 1:12,13)

Well...from one sinner turned saint to another...from one beggar telling another beggar where he found a piece of bread...I have found that the difference between trying and trusting is results. If you are weary in trying to be a saint...or if you have given up...give TRUSTING a try. God will take IMPUTED RIGHTEOUSNESS (what he did inside of you)...and work out IMPARTED RIGHTEOUSNESS (the process of revealing outwardly what is inwardly done...and it is a process). If you have never taken the first step in accepting Jesus...or if you have in the past and are currently in a backslidden state...He is waiting for you with open arms. Give me a call. This old sinner/saint will pray with you.

Love And Saintly Kisses
Rodney "God Ain't Through With Me Yet" Boyd

CODE ONE OH NO SHOW

Greetings to all available MANPOWER...and also to all the available WOMANPOWER. When a situation arises...various places of business have a system of CODES.. that alerts the personnel of said place when the need arises for action. If there is a tornado on the way...the page will come across the paging system as Code one 0 something or another...or it could be Code Beige..or some other color that someone thought up.

The other day we had a code at the hospital for a Code 106. That means that all available personnel needs to come running lickty split to the locations designated over the paging system...because someone is getting disruptive...and we want a show of force present to deter the rambuncious, rowdy, trouble maker. Enter...Kevin "I Got Arms Bigger Than Nuclear Bombs" Bolyjack. NOTE: For those that don't know...you can click on the pictures and enlarge them.

The other day...we were having a leisurly lunch...when over the intercom system...CODE ____. It was like a dam had burst and the people were running like water into a dry valley to the location designated. By the time we got up to the location...the call went out...CODE ___ cancelled. It turned out to be a false alarm. We all went back to where we were prior to the Code...for me and a few others it was back to the lunch room where we left our lunch to go save the hospital.

When we walked in...we noticed a lot of emtpy chairs and lunch trays deserted...and one lone man...Kevin. The man stayed behind with the women...and continued to eat his hamburger...slathered with methodical strips of mustard on his burger.
Now...Kevin is one of the nicest guys you will ever met...BUT...the table shows no mercy. He has been dubbed as Kevin "Double 0 No Show"...and a multiplicity of other names. Beware the bite of the British Bulldog...and the sting of King Bee Cotton.

Remember the old Ghostbuster's song...Who ya gonna call...
GHOSTBUSTERS. Well I tell ya who you AIN'T gonna call...
GhostNO SHOW.

His excuse for the no show..."Somebody had to stay and protect the ladies (and he is a ladies man)"...and "Somebody had to stay and shoo the flies off of our food." He also tried to smooth things over by appealing to our male egos by stating..."I knew that you guys had it all under control."

Kevin is a great sport to take of of this ribbing. He is one of the nicest guys I no show...I'm sorry the no show just keeps coming up. NOTE: Ladies...he is single...great personality... muscular...and male model material. One warning...he may not show up at the wedding.

As you know if you every have read these Ramblings before...I have to bring it back to a spiritual bent.

I was in need at a time in my life...where my life was a mess back in 1970. I was paranoid...addicted to anything that would numb my fears and insecurities...and at times to the point of despair and hopelessness. I called out for a CODE GOD...and as soon as I had hit rock bottom...where the only way out was up...HE SHOWED UP WITH HIS HANDS STRETCHED OUT TO LIFT ME OUT OF MY PIT OF DISPAIR. He was a SHOW...not a NO SHOW.

He showed up with His Benefits Package in hand...and I signed up. Read Psalm 103 for an overview of the BENEFITS that he SHOWED UP with.

Love and CODE GOD Kisses
Rodney "Needed A Saviour" Boyd

WARTS, PIMPLES, INGROWN, INFECTED HAIRS

Greetings you saintly church members...may I see you I.D. Badge please? NOTE: These photo's are various gatherings of the church.

The controversy has raged through out the ages. What controversy? The B.C. controversy...aka the Building of the Church controversy. Each side has their scriptures loaded and ready to fire. Do we meet in an "organized" fashion...or do we just "hang out". Do we construct a metal shed and go bare bones...or do we construct a state of the art edifice to entice the masses...or do we dust off our couches in our homes and just sit around and connect. Do we open the doors wide open to whosoever...or do we just surround ourselves with just people that we like. Do we sit in an audience while people perform for us...or do we enter in and worship for ourselves. Do we simply make a joyful noise without instrumentation...by making melody in our hearts and plucking the strings of our hearts...or do we ramp it up to Old Testament proportions and bring out every instrument known to mankind to worship God? Do we have a structured, systematic, orderly service...or do we sit around until the Holy Ghost shows up...and then through something against the wall and see if it sticks.

Throughout the years...I have been in every kind of gathering known to mankind. I have met in the home and I have sat in a shed in Peru. I have been in a place called The Church by the Lake Next to the Slaughterhouse in Africa...and I have gathered with the saints in upscaled homes. Depending on what we believe (and everyone who believes something...believes that they are right)...separate in to nice tidy denomonations so we can be sure that we don't get contaminated with the beliefs of others...after all we don't want the speaking in tongues cooties rubbing off on the last apostle died miracles ended proponents. Heaven forbid if the take communion one time a year people collided with the lets take it everytime the door opens people (after all it says as often as you meet). NOTE: I have taken communion in my home with a group of students from M.T.S.U. using hot dog buns and Tang. It was one of the more moving communion services that I have particiapted.


I got saved in the driveway of Brenda Sue Williams...a cute little Independent Baptist girl...who attended a place called Temple Baptist Church. After I had a conversion experience in my 1964 Mercury Comet...parked in her driveway...I went to "church"...where I walked down the aisle...shook hands with a man who mumbled something (I could not hear him because the music was "just too darn loud")...as the one piano, without amplification blared on. I then was baptized... got feed the Word of God...memorized scriptures...and got disappointed by tarnished saints.

I next went away to a Bible School in Chattanooga...where I attended Highland Park Baptist Church...where the 3rd Largest Sunday School in the WORLD was located (according to them anyway). Again...good times and bad times were had.

By 1972...I was getting tired of the "organized church"...and started going to peoples homes...where it was more relaxed...there were refreshments...music...people could share their hearts...and the small, home meeting turned into an infected hair...of people who thought they were more spiritual than others who "had the truth" that the larger organized church did not have. During this time...I also attended home meetings that turned into the development of a thing called The Full Gospel Businessmens Fellowship International...Murfreesboro Chapter. Again...this was supplemental to the "church"...aka a Parachurch organization. A parachurch organization..is called along side..to help the "church" accomplish what the organized church could not pull off. Also at this time...I was attending Miracle Baptist Church on Sunday mornings...The Lord's Chapel on Tuesday nights (for those who needed a dose of the Holy Ghost that they were not getting on Sunday mornings in their regular church)...and attending home meetings in peoples homes...again, smaller groups with a more intimate, more spiritual viewpoint than the "organized church".


Well...after meeting in the small home meetings...and attending the larger organized Spirit filled church...the only thing left to do...was to leave the Baptist Church...and start another church. That's the nature of America...if you have a Mexican eatery...or a Chinese eatery...what do you need to have open up in your town? Another Mexican or Chinese eatery. After all...you can't have too many won-tons or burritos.

Now I was attending a place called NEW LIFE CHAPEL. A place where disgruntled...Spirit seeking people could have a place to go...and alternative to regular...structured... and organized religion. We would even have meetings in homes... aka cell groups, home meetings, home ministry centers, two or three gathering places, etc. I stayed there for 15 years until people in leadership got tired of all of the bickering, backbiting, confrontations, different viewpoints, of each other and the people. So we dissolved the church. That sounds better than a church split or a church breakup.

Brenda and I church hopped for a while...from everything to nice pew filled churches to hot store front churches (where the preacher preached about the sin of men coming to church in short sleeved shirts...and I was the only one in a short sleeved shirt) YIKES!!! I also spent time on my couch in my living room (my own little home church with Brenda)...as I worshipped at the altar of Abbott and Costello on my boob tube. We were going through the adoption process at the time...and the lady we interviewed with wanted to know where we were now worshipping since our church had closed down? I told her on my couch watching Abbott and Costello. Here comment...as Brenda sunk down into the counselors couch..."Well...that's not very fulfilling, now is it." In my mind, I was thinking...yes it was.


Eighteeen years ago...Brenda and I showed up at Smyrna Assembly of God...aka Smyrna Assemblies...aka S.A. During our tenure here...there have been many incarnations of the nature and flavor of this body. We have gone from total corporate gathering...to adding in home meetings...cell groups...turning Sunday nights into individual teaching pods...transitioning from the original sanctuary to a dynamic ministry center complete with a working stage for plays, concerts, etc.

Smyrna Assembly with Pastor Ronnie Meek has empowered people to fufull their ministry, vision, destiny. Smyrna Assembly is a place where wounded warriors can come and lick their wounds...and get back into the battle. Smyrna Assembly has been a place where people can get equipped for the ministry. If you have a heartbeat for the Creative Arts...Smyrna Assembly is the place for your training ground. If your heartbeat is Missions...Servanthood...Holy Sweat for the Lord...you can get as dirty as you want to be...as we springboard as close as Wherry Housing in Smyrna to the the jungle/bush of Africa. If you want to be taught the Word of God...there are many opportunities including The Ruminator Sunday School Class...Barbie Loflin with her Wednesday night offerings to the dynaminc pulpit ministry of Ronnie Meek, etc. I hear every now and then someone say..."I'm just not getting fed here" You can have a banquet table set before you...but if you don't pick up a fork and eat...you will starve to death...and enter into "failure to thrive."

You may be asking yourself...Self...why is Ruminatin' Rod...rambling about this stuff. Because... after all my years of experience...in the multiplicity of settings of "the church"...I have come to the conclusion that I like the large, corporate gathering like we have at Smyrna Assembly...but just like man cannot live by bread alone...you cannot live by large corporate gatherings alone. There must be on some level small, intimate interaction with face to face people...not just the back of their heads. And on the flip side...man cannot live by living rooms alone...you need the gathering of the great assembly...or at least I do.

I hear people talk about how...the organized church has missed it. How the organized church has failed. How the organized church stifles growth and development. But for all of the warts, pimples, ingrown hairs, infected toenails, body oder of the body...I for one...love the Great Assembly...and the small gathering of saints.

Randy Matthews...Danny Taylor...and Mike Johnson (three Contemporary Christian musician pioneers) recorded an album together. One song said..."I believe in this...you believe in that...this and that are keeping us from loving one another."

We can either isolate ourselves in our living rooms...or isolate ourselves in our ornate structures. Either way...we isolate ourselves from God.

"If therefore there is any ENCOURAGMENT...if there is any CONSOLATION OF LOVE...if there is any FELLOWSHIP IN THE SPIRIT...if any AFFECTION...and COMPASSION...make my joy complete b being of the same ind, maintaing the same love, united in spirit, intent on ONE PURPOSE. Do NOTHING form selfishenss or empty conceit, but with HUMILITY OF MIND, let each of you regard one another as more important than himself; do not merely look out for your own personal interests, but also for the interests of others. HAVE THIS ATTITUDE in yourselves which was also in Christ Jesus, who, although He existed in the form of God, did not regard EQALITY with God a thing to be grasped... but EMPTIED HIMSELF...taking the form of a BONDSERVANT...and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in apppearance as a man...He HUMBLED HIMSELF by becomeing OBEDIENT to the point of death, even death on a cross." (Philippians 2:1-8)

As we hole up in our homes and our large edifices...and we load our spiritual guns for bear...consider an attitude adjustment...as we yield our rights...to be right.

Love and Love the Church Kisses
Rod "They Will Know We Are Christians By Our Love" Boyd

EK-KLAY-SEE-AH

Greetings Ruminating Herd...how's the field.

HERD: (1) A number of cattle or other large animals feeding, living, or being driven TOGETHER (2) Any large group suggestive of this; crowd; company.

CHURCH: ek-klay-see-ah: A calling out, a popular meeting; especially a religious congregation (synagouge, or Christian community), an assembly. Also can refer to any gathering ie. political, public forum, etc.

Back in the late 60's and early 70's...there was a movement called THE JESUS MOVEMENT. It was a movement that was sweeping the world, where young people from all walks of life...who were seeking more to this crazy, mixed up world...were seeking from many places including: drugs, sex, free love, political uprisings, music, eastern religions...any thing that went against the current status quo. Many found righteousness, peace and joy in the person of Jesus Christ. Their new found freedom from the bondages of the past and sin were manifested in every area of their lives. The ways they dressed, talked, walked, music they listened to was infiltrated and infused with Jesus. A new genre' of music called JESUS MUSIC was born as they were born again. One "Jesus Freak"...by the name of John Fischer recorded one of the first Jesus Music Albums called...THE COLD CATHEDRAL... referring to how the old was being revitalized by the new. What was once cold and dead...was now alive with a fresh move of the Holy Spirit. The seminal Jesus Music group was Love Song (led by Chuck Girard of the Hondells fame). They had a song called LITTLE COUNTRY CHURCH.

LITTLE COUNTRY CHURCH (Love Song: Churck Girard and Fred Field_

Little country church on the edge of town...doo doo doo doo doo doo
People comin' everday from miles around
For meetin's and for Sunday School
And it's very plain to see...It's not the way It used to be
Preacher isn't talkin' 'bout RELIGION no more
He just wants to praise the Lord
People aren't as stuffy as they were before
They just want to praise the Lord
And it's very plain to see...It's not the way it used to be
They're talkin 'bout revival and the need for love
That little CHURCH has come alive
Workin' with each other for the common good
Puttin' all the past aside
Long hair, short hair, some coats and ties
People finally comin' around
Lookin' past the hair and straight into the eyes
People finally comin' around
And it's very plain to see...It's not the way it use to be.


As a child we use to use our hands to play a little game and rhyme by saying...here is the church...here is the steeple...open the door...here are the people. As we said here are the people we would wiggle our fingers to represent the alive, living, active people of the "church building."

If you read Matthew 16:13-19...we see Jesus...proclaiming the roots of the establishment of "the church". The Pharisees and Sadducees were testing Jesus by asking him for a sign or attesting miracle from heaven. (Read Matthew 16:1-12 for details of this interaction).

Jesus began to ask His disciples (followers)..." Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" The answers were: (1) John the Baptist (2) Elijah
(3) Jeremiah (4) One of the prophets.

Jesus then posed the questions to his disciples (not just Peter)...But who do YOU say I am?"

This is a very important question...not only to the disciples/followers of that time...but to you in 2007. Your answer will determine where you are in the building process of the "church".

Simon Peter said, "Thou art the CHRIST (anointed one with yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power)...the Son of the Living God."

Jesus responded, "Blessed are you Simon Barjona, BECAUSE flesh and blood did not reveal this to you, but My Father who is in heaven."

Jesus then declared what the "church" would be build upon...and it was not PETER (petros...little stone) but it was on PETRA (massive rock). "And I (Jesus) say that you are Peter/petros/little stone...and upon THIS ROCK/PETRA I will build My CHURCH...and the gates of Hades shall NOT overpower it (the CHURCH)."

The revelation that JESUS IS THE CHRIST...THE LIVING SON OF GOD is the FOUNDATION of the CHURCH. When saints gather around that revelation...and respond to the Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus...nothing more...nothing less...they build upon that MASSIVE ROCK. As long as the CHURCH... the EK-KLAY-SEE-AH...walks in that revelations...the gates of Hades...shall not overpower the church. Get away from that revelation...the gates of Hades WILL overpower the CHURCH.

Here is the church...here is the steeple...open the door here are the people. The PEOPLE are the CHURCH. The people are the BODY of Christ. Maybe the rhyme should start with the people...here are the people...open the door...here is the steeple...


"Truly I say to you, whatever you shall bind on earth shall have been bound in heaven; and whatever you loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. Agains I say to you, that if two of you agree on earth about anything that they may ask, it shall be done for them by My Father who is in heaven. FOR WHERE TWO OR THREE HAVE GATHERED TOGETHER IN MY NAME, THERE I AM IN THEIR MIDST"
(Matthew 18:18-20)

This can take place in a large ornate structure or in the living room of the saints. The only requisite for this is (1) Two or Three gather (2) The gathering is in Jesus name.
The cause and effect is that Jesus will be there in their midst. You will be having...you will be THE CHURCH.

"And coming to Him as to a LIVING STONE...rejected by men, but choice and precous in the sight of God, YOU ALSO...as LIVING STONES...are being BUILT UP as a SPIRITUAL HOUSE for a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ. (I Peter 2:4, 5)

In Acts chapter two...we have a reporting of what was happening at a festival called PENTECOST. The Holy Spirit swooped in...and thousands were getting saved. As a result...for the moment...there needed to be a place where these saved people could go...get feed (physically/spiritually)...and then go back to their countries/homes. God used peoples homes as they continued daily with one accord (1) in the TEMPLE (an established/structured place of worship)...(2) from house to house as the (a) ate (b) had all things in common (c) devoted themselves to the apostles teachings (d) breaking bread...doing it all with gladness and sincerity of heart (Acts 2:42-46)

The problem was...like many of the revivals today...we love to say under the spout where the glory comes out...that we forget that we were never called to say within the four walls of a church building, a synagouge or even a persons home. We are merely to use these places as places to get fed, taught, fueled up, encouraged, wounds patched and head back out into the marketplace...back into the WORLD. The church becomes a greenhouse situation...where everything is perfect. Anyone's faith can grow in those places...but God wants growth in the real world.

So CHURCH...get up...get out...or as it was said in the SHAWSHANK REDEMPTION...get busy living or get busy dying. For us...it is both...get busy dying to our self...and living unto Him.

Love and Ek-Lay-See-Ah Kisses
Rod "On The Mooooove" Boyd

THE LONE HEIFER

Howdy Partners...are ya ridin' alone...or are you with your posse? If you are ridin' alone...it may be IM-POSSE-BLE to make it in this rough and tumble world.

QUESTION: What does Giacchino Rossini...Kikola Rimsky-Korsakov, The Green Hornet (aka Britt Ried) and Kato (Bruce Lee) all have in common?

ANSWER: The Lone Ranger

That's right...the Lone Ranger (played primarily by Clayton Moore)!! Rossini wrote the William Tell Overture (part of it used as the theme for the Lone Ranger)...Korsakov wrote Flight of the Bumblebee (part of it used as the theme for The Green Hornet)...The Green Hornet...aka Britt Reid is the grand-nephew of John Reid (aka The Lone Ranger)...and Kato (Bruce Lee) is the counterpart to Tonto (the Lone Ranger's sidekick). NOTE: Even though he is known as the LONE Ranger...he really was not A-lone.

Our tale begins on January 30th 1933 on the radio at WXYZ Detroit Michigan and spread throughout the country via television and movies. The story was created by George Trender and Fran Striker.

The story is that a troop of Texas Rangers were ambushed by Butch Cavendish (the bad guy)...and a spy within the Rangers (named Collins). All of the Rangers (except John Reid) were left for dead. Reid's childhood companion...TONTO (played by Jay Silverheels) found him and nursed him back to health.

NOTE: Tonto was a Potowatome Indian. He was a childhood friend of Reid who had once saved him. The word KEMOSABE...is what Tonto calls Reid. It means either FAITHFUL FRIEND...or trusty scout.

Reid was now...the LONE Ranger. They buried the Rangers...and then went after the bad guys. Reid took the leather vest off of his brother (who was also one of the dead Rangers)...and made himself a leather mask to "hid his identity.

The Lone Ranger...Tonto...and his faithful steed Silver...set off on a journey that continues on to this day...righting injustices and dealing with evil. The Lone Ranger had a silver mine (he was a rich man)... where he had another confidant making an endless supply of SILVER bullets (his trademark). The reason he used silver bullets was to remind him of how precious and expensive firing a gun was...and how when dealing with a human life... that he should shoot sparingly.

What does THE LONE RANGER...have to do with us...THE LONE HEIFERS? Well...if you are a true RUMINATOR...you don't chew alone. Say what?!? I know...you are thinking that it is you and Jesus...because you got a good thing going (Tom T. Hall song). I know...you're thinkin' my relationship with God is a private, personal thing. I know...you're thinking that your "religion" is like a mystery novel...and only you and God know "who done it".

Well...."A firey cow with the spped of light...a cloud of dust, and a hearty Hi-Yo Silver." "Return with us now to those thrilling years of yesteryear...THE LONE HEIFER rides again."

Christianity is not an individiual sport. You really do need each other as you stumble along in this rough and tumble place called the world. There is a bad gang of ambushers like the Cavendish gang... that are out to lay you low in the wilderness. Unless you have someone who has your back...you may be in deep cow patty.

"Let us hold fast to the confession of our hope (D.B.R... nothing more...nothing less)..without wavering, for He who promised is faithful; and let us consider how to STIMULATE ONE ANOTHER...to love and good deeds, NOT FORSAKING our own assembling together (the herd), as is the HABIT (a bad one at that) of some...but ENCOURAGING ONE ANOTHER; and all the more as you see the day drawing near (His return). (Hebrews 10:23-25)

Now this is not talking about "church attendance". You can attend church all day long...and that does not make you a Christian...anymore than going to McDonald's makes you a Big Mac...or standing in a garage makes you a car. Also...going to church does not make you part of an interconnected body of people. Some of the most isolated places in the world are churches. People use these edifices (things that we call churches...but the "church" is really the people)...as HIDING PLACES.
Sometimes we use a "church" as a place to salve our conscious for momentary relief of our sin patterns until next time...or we hop from church to church...or even worse from one spiritual high to another.

We can be LONE RANGERS in the midst of thousands of people. God has called us beyond ISOLATION into COVENANT with one another. He has called us into what is known as KOINONIA. This thing called KOINONIA (coin-oh-knee-ah)...is a Greek word that means...(1) fellowship (2) communion (3) communication (4) sharing life around something in common. The root word for KOINONIA is KOINE' which means..common. For example...there is the Classical Greek language...aka the hoity-toity language of the educated and refined...then there is what the bulk of the New Testament is written in... the KOINE'...the COMMON Greek Language. This is the language of the street people...the average everyday man/woman.

God has called us to SHARE LIFE IN THE SON. In the First Epistle of John...we see the heartbeat of God for KOINONIA. NOTE: The word epistle is a word that means LETTER...not to be confused with an APOSTLE. Epistle is NOT the wife of an APOSTLE. (Sorry...I've used that joke ever since I've heard it back in 1970..and I still find it amusing...unlike those of you who have heard it multiple times)

I JOHN CONNECTION

Verse 1: "What was from the BEGINNING, what we have HEARD, what we have SEEN with our eyes, what we BEHELD and our hands HANDLED, concerning the WORD OF LIFE--

NOTE: Notice the commonality circling around the WORD OF LIFE. This is what we have IN COMMON or in KOINE'.

Verse 2: "And the LIFE was manifested (revealed) , and we have seen and bear witness and proclaim to YOU the eternal life, which was with the Father and was manifested to us."

NOTE: This LIFE...was now being shared...not hoarded. It was something that was isolated just for a select few.

Verse 3: "What we have seen and heard we proclaim to you also, THAT you ALSO may have FELLOWSHIP (koinonia) WITH US; and indeed our fellowship (koinonia) is with the Fatehr, and with His Son Jesus Christ."

NOTE: Notice the expansion of this thing called FELLOWSHIP. Now it is with them, with us, with the Father and with the Son.

Verse 4: "And these things we write, so that our JOY may be made complete."

NOTE: The cause and effect of this sharing in common is COMPLETED JOY...it is like the gap in the circle is complete. So many times us LONE RANGERS stay out of the loop for many various reasons. We don't like the people within the circle...we don't like getting close with others...because the closer others are...they might discover our faults that we have hidden so well. We may have to admit that we need help.

COMMERCIAL: If Ist John has caught your attention...if you are in the area...you can attend THE RUMINATOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS...where we are studying the First Epistle of John verse by verse. We start at 9:00 A.M. at Smyrna Assemblies in the Fellowship (koinonia) Hall.

Now...I AM NOT TALKING ABOUT CHURCH ATTENDANCE...however that is part of the mix.

Years ago...I heard a teaching by Bob Mumford that resonated with me...and still does. He talked about the Three C's of Commitment. Over the years I have seen that these three C's...can be applied to every area of my life. All three C's are good and necessary...but they reflect different levels of committment to our jobs, or marriages, our "church" attendance, our inter-personal relationships with other believers, etc. It seems to me that you can have each one of these individually...but to walk in true KOINONIA... to walk in a richness of relationship...to break the LONE RANGER MENTALITY...you need all three.

THE THREE C'S OF COMMITTMENT. NOTE: Only you and God knows your level of commitment to a job, a place, a person, a church, God, etc. You may be at various levels with multiple things.

C #1= Community: This is where we have something in common. It may be a marriage. It may be a job situation, it may be a structured place of worship (a tangible building/edifice), a common cause (whatever it may be). Many people attend a church...with community mindedness. They know Jesus (they could be a new Christian or a long timer). I have noted (through watching my level of committment) that the Community mindset tends to flit around. As long as I'm getting what I want out of the relationship...I'm happy...BUT if I don't like something or I am made to feel uncomfortable...or if something better catches my eye...or if there is a new wave of "the Spirit moving somewhere else"...I'm outta here. This could be the level where you are when you first get married. Your are committed to your husband or wife....and as you start your walk together...you grow closer and closer...and go deeper into your commitment to one another. Community is a good thing.

C# 2= Communion: This is a deeper commitment to whatever you are committed. You get married... you make adjustments to personalities...you break through the tough times together. You don't just up and run the first time there are hard times or conflicts. In a church sense...you know that you belong to a group of people, you may give your money, time, sweat, etc...but if you don't let a little KEMOSABE action into your life...you may keep a little back... but the more you press in...and open up...what you have in COMMON (koine') strengthens.

C#3= Covenant: This is the strongest...and it incorporates the community and communion aspects. You have opened up...allowed yourself to be planted...rooted. When the strong winds blow...when the conflicts comes...when trouble brews...you are linked together with fellow believers. The Steeplechase...the Church Hop...is no longer an option. NOTE: This is not to say that God may move you to another location...but you will not be running...you will be sent. (See the booklet by Edwin C. Cole called Entering Crisis and Leaving).

Where can a Lone Ranger find fellowship. There are multiple places within the body. Everybody does not have the same levels of needs...or opportunities. There are areas where you may have an interest of like minded believers. It could be a worship team, theater groups, missons, childrens ministry, etc. It could be a Sunday School class like the Ruminators where we eat, praise and worship, shared prayer requests, listen to teaching of the Word, interact. There needs to be some kind of interaction not only at church but at least by phone call, card, letter, etc...and of course meeting within a HOME SETTING. There needs to be a stimulation to love and good deeds...and this cannot take place in isolation. In isolation...you are vulnerable like a sheep outside the sheepfold...and a ravenous wolf is waiting to devour you. We tend to place ourselves into SELF-ISOLATION...because of something someone said or did...or something that someone DIDN'T say or DO. We have become OFFENDED...and we will teach the offender a lesson by withdrawing to ourselves and God (Remember Me and Jesus got a good thing going...Me and Jesus got it all worked out).

As you...leave the gathering of the saints (within the four walls of a church building or within the wall of your home)...I hear the sounds of...."Who was that masked man?" "Why...that was the LONE HEIFER."

CUE THE MUSIC ROSSINI'

Love and Non-Isolated Kisses
Rodney "The Lone Hefier" Boyd

AT THE TIME...IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA!?!?

Greetings and Saluations all of you deep thinkers. Thought and good thoughts lately?

Many moons ago...when the lovely Brenda and I were first married...we use to make trips to Chattanooga (yes Mr and Mrs. Hart...you heard right...Chattannoga). It was a lovely trip...with 106 miles of beautiful scenery... from Murfreesboro along I-24, up Mont Eagle Mountain...down across Nickajack Dam....rolling around Moccasin Bend Mental Institution... into the town of Chattanooga. Once on the way home...we were driving along, enjoying the company of each other, soaking in the scenery...when we heard a rattling. "Hmmm...wonder what that is honey bunch. I don't know sugar lump...maybe we should stop the car and see."

Of course...being the manly man that I am...the provider of my woman... I pulled over the side of the road...boldly got out of my car...and began looking over the situation about which I knew nothing about. I got down on my hands and knees looking under the car from the rear end...and noticed a pipe protruding out (aka the tailpipe...aka the exhaust). In my MIND...I reasoned...I wonder if that pipe is loose and that is what is making the rattling noise? In next logically thought out that if it is loose that I should shake it just to make sure. It did not factor into the equation that we had driven 50 or more miles...and that the tailpipe just might be slightly HOT. I reached up...as Sweet Brenda Sue was sitting in the car...admiring her manly man as he took authority to solve our problem...and took my five fingertips and grapped hold of the HOT PIPE. Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Of course instead of instantly letting go at the first signs of pain...my fingers reflexively gripped the hot tailpipe tighter. Long story, short (I know...too late)...we went into a local truck stop looking for medical aid. Let's just say there were a bunch of burly truck drivers...sassy waitresses ala Flo on the T.V. show ALICE...all looking at a scrawny kid who was grapping hot tailpipes. AT THE TIME...IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA.


Fast forward from 1972 to 1989. I had seen some cooking show...where the chef was caramalizing sugar. He went on and on describing how the aroma was intoxicating and the taste was woooooooonderful!
Sooooooo...I got out my pan... melted butter...but in the sugar...and sure enough, he was not lying. The smell of that caramalized sugar was wafting up my nostrils like a sweet ambrosia dripping on the tongue of a thirsty soul. Again...my brain shifted into gear...thinking...I need to have a taste of that....just a taste. Control central of my brain set into motion the the arm and the index finger of my body as I reached in ever so carefully...so as not to burn myself...and dipped the tip of my finger into the caramalized temptress. Immediately...my finger tip sent a signal to my brain...Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikesss!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

I quickly removed my finger...and instictively...like the instincts of a well trained Ninja...place the hot glob of sweetness into my mouth to cool down my finger...not realizing that now...my tongue would be sending another signal to my brain....Yiiiiiiiiiiiiiiikes!!!!!!!! Now I was in pain in two locations. AT THE TIME...IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA!?!?


There are two verses found in the book of PROVERBS...or as I like to call it...the book of PRO-VERBS...a collection of PRO (positive) VERBS (action) to live out our lives in this land that we call NITTY GRITTY...where stuff happens. It teaches us not only how rough life is...but how we can avoid some of the pitfalls of life...so we do not have to suffer needlessly. God's has got the cure...but sometimes...a lot of the times...we do not want the solution. Why? It might infringe upon our "fun". There was an old commercial for Excedrin headache medication...when a kindly...gentle....old lady was asking her daughter if she could help her with something. The daughter...who had a headache...snapped the old lady's head off by yelling..."MOTHER...I WOULD RATHER DO IT MYSELF!!!!!!!!!!! I do the same thing with God...because at the time IT SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

Proverbs 14:12 says, "There is a way which seems right toa man, but its end is the way of death." God underscores this again in Proverbs 16:25, "There is a way which seems right to a man, but its end is the way of death."

The Amplified Bible puts it this way..."There is a way which seems right to a man...and appears straight before him, but at the end of it are the ways of death."

The Message Bible says, "There's a way of life that looks harmless enough; LOOK AGAIN---it leads straight to hell. Sure, those people APPEAR to be having a good time, but all that laughter will END IN HEARTBREAK."

There once was an angel...who was the head worshipper in the house of God. He desired the worship that was being given to God...and hatched a scheme to take over. He convinced a third of the heavnely host to join him...and the cause and effect was that he was cast out of heaven along with a third of the heavenly host. To Lucifer...AT THE TIME ...IT SEEMED LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

Everybody...reaches up...at times and grabs the TAILPIPE OF LIFE...dips our fingertip into the CARAMLIZED SUGAR OF OUR MUNDANE EXISTENCE. SMART people do STUPID things all of the time. We do it so often...that our stupidity becomes the standard for what we measure other peoples actions by...and when they fail to reach our standard...we look at them and go..."DUH!" We also do what at the time...seems right... that our senses become dulled to the voice of God...and we DO WHAT WE WANT...no matter the consequences....to ourselves or to others. We become mockers of what is right and justifiers of what is wrong. (Read Romans 1-3)

There needs to be a reaching out and touching with our fingertips alright...and NOT like my stupid blunders. We need to reach out and touch the fingertip of the Creator. As the Ralph Carmichel classic songs says..."Reach out to Jesus...He's reaching out to you."

A the fingertip of God is the fingerprint of God (I really don't know for sure if God has a fingerprint...but it sounds good). He has transferred his fingerprint to our finger tip...and now whereever we go and whatever we touch in his name...we leave His fingerprint. Don't burn the fingertip and mess up the fingerprint with what AT THE TIME....SEEMS LIKE A GOOD IDEA.

NEXT TIME: THE FINGERPRINT

Love and Caramalized Kisses
Rod "Yiiiiiiiiiiiikes!" Boyd

FASHION PLATE

Greetings all of you clothes horses...whatcha going to wear today?

Have you ever stood in front of a refrigerator...with an open door...and try to figure out what you are hungry for...only to close the door...and come back again, and again...and never pull anything out the frige? Have you ever done the same thing with your clothes closet. You can't find anything that fits, that looks good, that strikes your fancy?

The lady pictured here with the two adorable children (one kid is not in the picture)...is a friend of mine by the name of Jennifer Burden. She is currently in a contest for PEOPLE magazine...called WORST TO BEST DRESSED. Out of thousands of entrys in the U.S....she was chosen to be in the top ten...and is currently in the top 3. You can...watch her video...and then vote for her daily at http://www.people.com/. What does she win? A fashion makeover in New York City...home of the fashion perfect. She thinks she's a slob...I beg to differ. Her inner personality overrides any fashion fox pass.

They say..."clothes makes the man." On the album of one of Elvis' greatest hit albums called 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can't Be Wrong...Elvis is standing wearing his $100,000 gold lame' suit on...looking with all the flambouyant sartorial splendor.
This was a sharp contrast from the Memphis pink and black hep cat clothes he use to buy from Beale Street or his Crown Electric uniform when he drove a truck. When he stepped into Sun Records...before he sang My Happiness for his mama... his fashion style preceded him.

Later on...he would be known for a full length black leather suit worn on what would be known as the 68' comeback special that would morph into the karate influenced jumpsuits with the caps and scarfs. Yikes...shades of Liberace.

Hmmmmmmmmm...I wonder if the British Bulldog could Photoshop my head on top of the gold lame' outfit? I know that whenever I pick out my own clothes... my lovely wife of 35 years will question me by asking...or is it a declaritive statement...
"You're not going out wearing that...are you?!?!

We all know that clothes make the SUPERHERO. Superman...with his indestructable red, blue, yellow costume (how did Ma Kent get the needle through it if it as she sowed it if it was so indestructable?)...Spiderman with his webslinging costume...Green Lantern...you fill in the blank of your favorite superhero. My favorite is more mortal in nature...BATMAN and ROBIN. Through out the years...from the original comic book, to the 1940's movie serial (really funny stuff)...to the 1960's T.V show (campy)...to the cartoons on T.V....to the Batman movie series starting with Michael Keaton as the Caped Crusader to the current Batman Begins...the costume has evolved from cloth to armor.

One key element on Batman's costume...apart from the cowl to hid his identity from his foes...to the flowing cape, boots, and bat symbol on his chest...is the UTILITY BELT. This is the belt that houses everything a crime fighter needs to do battle with the enemy. It houses everything from a batarang (that would be a boomarang with an attitude) to Bat-Shark Repellent (during the campy era). When Batman was on the attack...or Batman's back was against the wall...he would be able to pull out what he needed out of that utility belt. A fine accessory for the latest Bat Fashion. But the question is this..."WHAT DOES THIS HAVE TO DO WITH ANYTHING SPIRITUAL? I'm glad you asked. It is not about my friend's makeover (although it would be nice if she won)...or Elvis' clothing options....or even a Super Hero's wardrobe. It's about what you are wearing in your everday walk with God...as you stand before Him...and as you are in battle with the enemy.

We start of this Spiritual Fashion Show...by you disrobing the old...and putting on the new. A total Spiritual Fashion make over. It all starts with getting rid of the old....and that comes when you are IN CHRIST. "Therefore if any man/woman is IN CHRIST...they are a NEW creation...the OLD things past away...behold NEW things have come." (II Corinthians 5:17).

Isaiah spoke of a NEW CLOTHING LINE..."I will rejoice greatly in the Lord, My soul will exult in my God...for He has CLOTHED me with GARMENTS OF SALVATION...for He has WRAPPED me with a ROBE OF RIGHTEOUSNESS, as a bridegroom DECKS himself with a GARLAND...and as a bride ADORNS herself with her JEWELS. For as the earth brings forth its sprouts, and as a garden causes the things sown in it to spring up, SO the Lord God will CAUSE the righteousness and praise to spring up BEFORE ALL NATIONS." (Isaiah 61:10)

When the Prodigal Son...the Lost Son...returned from his sojourn into the land of SQUANDER...the land of LOOSE LIVING...(Read Luke 15:1-32 for full details)...the Father ran to met him with...embraces, kisses, the BEST ROBE, a RING on his hand...and SANDALS on his feet, and then the Father through him a party with a thick rib eye steak cooked to perfection with all the fixings. NOTE: I added the ribeye part..but there was a party.

Again in Isaiah...the clothing not only dresses up the outer person...but it affects mourning and depression...as it speaks of the burden lifting, yoke breaking, opression removing, sickness healing, anointing that Jesus was anointed with..."To grant thouse who mourn in Zion, giving them a GARLAND instead of ashes...the oil of gladness instead of mourning...the MANTLE OF PRAISE instead of fainting, so they will be called oaks of righteousness, the planting of the Lord, that He may be glorified."
(Isaiah 61:3)

The robe of righteousness...is placed on by the Father...through Jesus...but there is also an aspect of where we have to choice about our daily wear.

"If then you have been raised up with Christ, KEEP SEEKING the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. SET YOUR MIND on the things above, not on the things that are on the earth. For you HAVE DIED and your life is HIDDEN WITH CHRIST in God. When Christ, who is our life, is revealed, then you also will be revealed with Him in Glory" (Colossian 3:1-4) NOTE: This will be the ultimate fashion show.

"Therefore (in reference to verses 1-4)...CONSIDER (think about)...the members of your earthly body as dead to immorality, impurity, passion, evil desire, and greed which amounts to idolatry (worship of yourself versus worship of God). For it is on account of these things that the wrath of God will come, and in them you also ONCE WALKED, when your wear living in them." (Colossians 3:5-7). NOTE: There is nothing worse that walking around in your OLD CLOTHES...when you have NEW CLOTHES to wear. NOTE TO THE NOTE: When God comes back...he will be looking for someone in NEW CLOTHES...and you will be disguised in your OLD CLOTHES...not good.

"BUT NOW (in contrast to verses 5-7)...you also, PUT THEM ALL ASIDE (your choice from the clothes closet): anger, wrath, malice, slander, and abusive speech from your mouth. Do not lie to one another, since you LAID ASIDE the OLD SELF...who is being RENEWED (the makeover) with its evil practices...and have PUT ON THE NEW SELF...who is being renewed to a true knowledge according to the image of the ONE who CREATED him (the ultimate fashion designer and creator)...a RENEWAL in which there is no distinction between Greek and Jew, circumcised and uncircumcised, barbarian, Scythian, slave and freeman, but CHRIST IS ALL, and in all. (Colossians 3:8-11) NOTE: The Fashion Creator...has a new set of threads for you...but you have to put them on. that ARE YOU?!?!

"And SO, as those who have been chosen of God, holy and beloved, PUT ON a heart of compassion, kindness, humility, gentlenss and patience; bearing with one another, and forgiving each other, whoever has a complaint against any one; just as the Lord forgave you, so also should you. And beyond ALL these things...PUT ON LOVE...which is the perfect bond of unity." (Colossians 3:12-14) NOTE: In the world if you are trying to impress someone with how you look...you are trying to PUT ON airs...BUT in the kingdom...we are encouraged to PUT ON.

Well...that's it for now. I was going to talk about the fashion for WARFARE...but I rambled on about other things...maybe next time.

One last questions for you...as you are standing in front of your closet...getting ready to go out into this lost and dying world..."YOUR NOT WEARING THAT ARE YOU?!? Put that old thing back...and get out the styling and profiling, fashion plate, duds.

NEXT TIME: WARFARE FASHION

Love and Sartorial Kisses
"Rod "Was Fashion Impaired...But Now I'm Healed" Boyd

GODINCIDENCE

Greetings Oh Ye Fellow Sojourners on this terrestrial ball called Planet Earth...feeling LUCKY?

This is a picture of our son...Phillip Stephen Boyd. He is an 18 year old young man...who is a young lion in development. Over the past 18 years...Brenda and I have tried to instill in Phillip life lessons based on the Word of God...that will hold water in the REAL WORLD. We have laid out the principles that we have seen in the Word...and then tried to walk out our faith before him with an open, honest approach. That means...he gets to see us blow it...get angry...worry...be anxious...cuss and fuss...argue...BUT he also sees us repent, ask for forgiveness, make up, back up and punt, not worry, stand in faith, etc. Phillip...over the years has got to have a BOYD'S EYE VIEW...to God moving in our lives from the poverty in Mexico...to the jungles of Peru...to his own journeys down to Biloxi...as He BREAKS A SWEAT...and serves those who cannot give back to him.

How easy it is to subscribe to some cosmic roll of the dice to the times and events of our lives. I find myself slipping into that mentality all of the time. A car just misses me...and I find myself "thanking my lucky stars"...or I live in assumption that a reversal of a Physician's diagnosis was due to an original mis-diagnosis by the Physician versus supernatural intervention by a loving and caring God. Take a minute and read this phrase (for those who have done this before bear with me...because it really is a power point to how we view our lives playing out in this space-time continuum.


GODISNOWHERE

Did you see GODISNOWHERE....or did you see GODISNOWHERE? It's all in how you view things that puts the way you live your life in perspective. Either God is NO where...and all of this thing we call life is just a primordial glitch in the accidental collision of various gases and ooze...OR....God is NOW here...interested in the goings and comings of his creation. It is either from goo to you by way of the zoo... or God spoke...and it was. In the world of bumper sticker theology it is like one said...I believe in the Big Bang Theory of creation...God said BANG...and it was.

LUCK: (1) the seemingly chance happening of events which affect one; fortune; lot; fate (2) good fortune; success, prosperity, advantage, etc. (3) an object believed to believed to bring good luck

COINCIDENCE: (1) the fact or condition of coinciding (to occur at the same time) (2) an ACCIDENTAL and remarkable occurrence of events, ideas, etc. at the same time, suggesting but lacking a casual relationship

GODINCIDENCE: (1) "And we know that GOD CAUSES ALL THINGS to work together for good to those who love God, to those who are called according to His purpose. [Romans 8:28] (2) "If you ABIDE in Me and My words ABIDE in you, ask whatever you wish, and it shall be done for you." [John 15:7] (3) "Do NOT BE ANXIOUS then, saying what shall we eat? or What shall we drink? or With what shall we clothe ourselves? For ALL THESE THINGS the Gentiles eagerly SEEK; for you HEAVENLY FATHER KNOWS that you need all these things...but SEEK FIRST His Kingdom...and His righteousness; and ALL THESE THINGS shall be added to you. Therefore DO NOT BE ANXIOUS for tomorrow, for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of it's own." [Matthew 6:31-34]. (4) "ASK and it shall be given to you; SEEK, and you shall find; KNOW and it shall be opened to you. For everyone who ASKS...receives...and he who SEEKS...finds, and to him who KNOCKS...it shall be opened." [Matthew 7:7,8]

More and more...I am seeing that God is NOW here...even in the small, mundane, practical things of life. Remember that small and mundane is in the eye of the beholder...and when you are going through something...you FEEL IT. You feel the fear creeping up into your throat...you feel the tears of frustration when things seem out of your control...you feel the knot in your stomach when a physician speaks forth medical facts to you. It is real...not imagined...BUT we...as believers...are called beyond the facts...into TRUTH...and truth trumps reality every time. Jesus defines truth as He was praying for the disciples...which includes you and me in 2007..."Sanctify them in the TRUTH...THY WORD IS TRUTH." (John 17:17) Jesus then clarifies who He is praying for when he states..."I do not ask in behalf of THESE ALONE (disciples of that time)...BUT for THOSE WHO BELIEVE IN ME THROUGH THEIR WORD (that would be you and me). (John 17:20)

This is a picture of a hammock in my yard. I love my hammock...especially when there is a cool breeze blowing softly through the trees....as the net gently rocks back and forth...and I am sipping on a cool, refreshing lemonade...that attacks my taste buds with a sweet and tart explosion, that takes my mind back to summer days of my youth. (Shout out to the Bulldog...it ain't gin and tonic...but just as refreshing : ). This picture represents the place where God desires us to be in the midst of trials and tribulations...at a place of REST. In the book of Hebrews...the author identifies someone who is NOT as rest...as someone who is in UNBELIEF...and even calls for us to take care unless we have an evil, unbelieving heart in falling away from the living God." (Hebrews 3:12,19). Trusting that God is NOW here when you are going through something is being at REST. You are at REST when you know that He'll take care of the REST. (Shout out to Keith Green).

On the last trip to Africa...we were in the middle of a safari...and two times...we had FLAT TIRES. In my mind...
NOT a good thing to have in the middle of a land where lions, leopards, hyenas are running free...and it was around lunch time. YIKES!!! On the first trip to Africa...back in 2001... as we were heading home...on roads where there were no roads... and the sun was setting...getting darker and darker... a drive shaft fell off in the middle of the night. Again...NOT good thing when you are trying to get back home. Maybe some other time I will speak to you about God's provision ... God's GODINCIDENCE in our lives in Africa...BUT I want to bring it on up into 2007...in the past few days.

GODINCIDENCE #1
One was on Wednesday night...August 1, 2007. I received a call from Brother Bill. He had been in contact with Sister Jackie via Sister Rue. It seems that J was going to be coming home from the hospital...IF they could place an I.V. in her veins. The problem...in the entire hospital..no one could find the vein. If there was no placement in the vein...no trip home. Jackie requested prayer from the church.. but in the mean time Bill and I pressed into God with our request. In the prayer it was mention that we would like someone with an ANOINTING of finding veins to be sent on the scene....in the name of Jesus AMEN. Bill gave me Jackie's cell phone...and I called her within 3 minutes of our prayer. Jackie answered...and I asked what she was up to? Her answer was that a nurse had JUST FOUND A VEIN. Hmmmmmmmmmm....luck....fortune....natural cause of events that would have happened whether we had prayed or not...OR was it a case of GODINCIDENCE. I guess it depends on if you see
GODISNOWHERE OR GODISNOWHERE.

GODINCIDENCE #2
Yesterday...Friday, August 3, 2007...I was at home...and my son Phillip came in and was nervous. I asked him what was wrong and he told me that he had lost his cashed paycheck...$250.84. Another opportunity for Phillip to either see us walk in the flesh or the Spirit. Here are the chronological order of events of this GODINCIDENCE:

1. Phillip gets his paycheck after a week of working in the heat of summer at his construction job.
2. Phillip goes to Suntrust Bank (we do trust the SON) to get it cashed. They cashed it, put it in a bank
envelope along with the card that he gives them with his banking information on it.
3. Phillip goes to McDonalds to talk with a friend and to get him some Sweet Tea (after all we are in
the South). Phillip takes out his wallet and pays for the tea...and puts the wallet and the envelope back
into his back pocket.
4. Phillip comes home and put his keys, hat, empties his pockets, and his wallet on a desk. He realizes
that the envelope is missing. A quick search of the truck...no money. He goes back to McDonalds,
looks around, talks to his friend, and the manager. NO MONEY. Tension builds, frustration, anxiety.
5. Phillip is back home...and he tells me (Brenda is not at home at this time). I tense up a little bit...OK,
I tense up a lot. I search his truck and the entire house and grill Phillip with a fatherly interrogation...
to get the facts ma'am...just the facts. (you are old if you know what that last statement is from)
6. I go back to McDonalds...and search the floors, the bathrooms, between seats, talk to the manager,
and go outside to look under cares and in the garbage cans.
7. I go back home...Brenda comes home...and we break the news to her.
8. We hold hands in the kitchen and begin to pray and declare that we believe that GOD IS IN CONTROLof this SITUATION. We begin to pray the Word of God (after all His Word is Truth)...and began to declare/make proclaimations that God is Jehovah Jireh (the God who provides)...that our God will meet our needs according to His riches in Christ Jesus...and their ain't no shortage in Christ Jesus.
(Philippians 4:19).

NOTE: CHRIST means anointed one...anointed with BURDEN LIFTING...YOKE DESTROYING...HOLY GHOST POWER.

9. We had done all we could do in the physical...and in the spiritual. Phillip and his girlfriend went out to eat...and came back home to watch a movie.
10. We received a call on our phone/answering machine from Suntrust...but it was too late to call back.
11. Saturday, August 4th 2007...Brenda talked to Suntrust...and the teller spoke forth GOOD NEWS.

Yesterday...a man saw that Phillip had dropped the envelope...but was unable to get to Phillip before Phillip had left McDonalds. Remember...at this time Phillip still did not know he had lost the money.
The man did not feel good about turning it in to McDonalds...so he took it to the closest SUNTRUST where he turned it in. He refused to leave his name...and said that was not necessary. PRAISE GOD...can you say...as Alan Smiths...can you say...guardian angel.

We could easily say that we are LUCKY...or FORTUNATE....or QUE SERA SERA...WHATEVER WILL BE WILL BE...THE FUTURES NOT OURS TO SEE QUE SERA SERA...or we could acknowledge in ALL THINGS that God is in control of our lives. That we THANK Him...and PRAISE Him...and WORSHIP Him in the acknowledgement that HE IS LORD...BOSS...IN CONTROL.

Bad things...DO happen to good people...but that does not mean God is out to get you. Yes cataclysmic events happen in the natural...sometimes as a result of sin...sometimes just because we live in a fallen, cursed world...sometimes allowed to test us...but the bottom line is...my family refuses to attribute BAD to GOD. What the world would view as ACTS OF GOD...we view as an opportunity for GOD TO ACT. Joseph said it right when his brothers...who had faked his death, sold him into slavery...begged for forgiveness....and Joseph stated....you meant it for harm....GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD. (Genesis 48-50).

We are BLESSED...not cursed...we choose LIFE...not death....we choose GODINCIDENCE.

Love and Blessed Kisses
Rodney/Brenda/Phillip "ATTITUDE OF GRADITUDE" Boyd