VISIONARY

Howdy-Doody all of you VISIONARIES. How is it looking out there in the darkness of night?

The darker the night...the brighter the light? I hope so...but sometimes walking in this old world gets weary...when on the surface it looks like the darkness... and yes...the prince of darkness rules. Sometimes we forget that "...the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." (I John 5:19) We need to be reminded...

"You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN YOU THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD." (I John 4:4)

I wonder...that someone gets up one morning...and says to themselves... I think I will ruin my life and become a child molester?!? Does anyone sit down and right out a list of goals...and at the top of the list is...I think I will become an alcoholic and loose my family, my job, my self-respect?!? I do believe that I will set as one of my primary goals to die in a bathroom with a band wrapped around my arm so I can get a more clear shot of my vein so I can stick a needle in it and inject myself with some drug and die as I inhale my own vomit. I believe that I will have sex outside of marriage and end up either pregnant or some "social" disease. Hmmmm....I believe that I will start to overeat...and have a heart attack...become diabetic...feel miserable. I think I will start to smoke... and get lung cancer and die like those tough guys Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne...now those are real men...dead but real men. I DON'T THINK SO. Our self-inflicted problems...are more SUBTLE than pre-meditated destruction. They are like the unique bird. You know how you catch a unique bird? U neek upon it. You know how you catch a tame bird? The tame way.

The problem lies with our lack of VISION. The flesh (the carnal nature that draws us away from God)...must be RESTRAINED. In the King James Version... Proverbs 29:18...states, "Where there is no VISION, the people PERISH; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

The New American Standard Bible says, "Where there is no VISION, the people are UNRESTRAINED, but happy is he who keeps the law."

NOTE: I highly recommend you to get a copy of this book by Kenneth Copeland called HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR FLESH. Good stuff.

There are a couple of words that we don't hear to often in this day and age. Lasciviousness and Licentiousness. They both kind of slid of of the tongue and make you feel as if you need to take a shower. I can almost here them oozing out of the serpents/devils mouth...with a hiss. Lassssssssssssssssiviousness and Licssssssssentiousnesssss,

LASCIVIOUS: Wantonness characterized by lust or lewdness. Need to excite lustful desires.

LICENTIOUS: Disregarding accepted rules and standards. Morally UNRESTRAINED, especially in sexual activity; lascivious, libertine.
These words reflects the deeds of the flesh found in Galatians 5:19-21.

The VISION in Proverbs 29:18 is in reference of the law/the Word of God. Without insight into the Word of God (God's heartbeat, his wish, his desires, his will)...we are UNRESTRAINED (with the cause and effect being that we perish). I know in my life...all of my sin issues (and believe me, I've got issues...that I deal with on a regular basis)...are rooted in my past where I have not RESTRAINED myself. They may start off with little acts of unrestraint...but before I know it...as I yield one little thing.. it leads to another little thing...that leads to a bigger thing...and before I know it...BLAM! Oh...I can get sanctimonious about it...and thank God I'm not like a mass murderer...or a drunk laying in the gutter...or a sexual pervert like a child molester or committing adultery...YET. I become NUMB to my condition...because I surround myself with people who do the same or worse things that I do...and justify myself.


Well...Rod...Oh Prophet of Gloom and Doom...why don't you lighten up a little or at least tell us what we can do about these little foxes that spoil the vineyard (Song of Solomon 2:15).

Notice the picture of the man with the Cross. His name is Kolchak from the T.V. show the NIGHTSTALKER. He is played by one of my favorite character actors named Darren McGavin. His character was a reported who reported on the supernatural...and was faced with creatures of the night. Remember we started off this Rambling talking about NIGHT VISION...and to need to SEE. The only way to deal with the flesh...is to rely on what Jesus did for us. We yield our will to Him...and accept what God says is the satisfaction for Him. This takes and act of faith...that is then walked out in the physical.

Again in Proverbs...is some advice that I give to my son over and over again. "My son...if sinners entice you...DO NOT CONSENT." (Proverbs 1:10)
The advice is not just for punks who try to get him to do wrong...it is also good advice for the desires of the flesh. My son...if your flesh tries to get you to do drugs...DO NOT CONSENT. My son..If your flesh tries to get you to have sex outside of marriage..DO NOT CONSENT. My son...if your flesh tries to get you to hate someone...DO NOT CONSENT.

Proverbs goes on to say..."My son, DO NOT WALK in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path. For their feet run to evil..."

We have taught him the principle of CAUSE AND EFFECT...and CONSEQUENCE...and yes...he has learned some hard lessons personally and...by observation of friends, family, and yes...even dear old Dad. I have been very open with him from an early age of my stupidity, my sins, my fleshly habits including, drugs and sniffing chemicals...BUT not only my stupidity...but the SAVING GRACE AND REDEMPTION of God that delivers me our of my self-inflicted pit...and how he can use my sinful past as stepping stones.


How can we DISCIPLINE OUR FLESH? By becoming a VISIONARY. By looking intently at the Word of God...and then with the help of the Holy Spirit DO THE WORD.

Galatians 2:20..."I have been crucified with Christ...and it is no longer I who lives...but CHRIST (Jesus with the yoke breaking, burden lifting, devil oppression removing power of God)...lives in me...and the life which I NOW live...I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me."

Galatians 5:16..."But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will NOT carry out the DESIRE OF THE FLESH."

Galatians 5:24..."Now those who belongs to Christ Jesus...have CRUCIFIED the FLESH...with it's PASSIONS AND DESIRES.

NOTE: This Rambling is not necessarily for the Non-Christian. These verses are written to true believers...who not only have the opportunity to walk in the FLESH...the were doing it.

Pull in the reins on your flesh...before it's to late. Whoooooaaaaa flesh... get back into line with the Word of God.

Love and Humble Kisses
Rodney "Jesus Hung Up For Our Hangups" Boyd