-ISMs...-ICs...and -ANITY

Greetings Peace Lovers...have you given peace a chance? I like the sign I saw on a church sign once...NO JESUS--NO PEACE....KNOW JESUS--KNOW PEACE. Hmmmmmmmmmm.....sign of the times?

QUESTION: What does Tommy Smothers, Petula Clark, Allen Gingsberg, Timothy Leary, Murray the K, members of the Canadian Radha Krishna Temple all have in common?

ANSWER: The Plastic Ono Band

In 1969...in Montreal, Quebec Canada....in room 1742...at the Fairmont Queen Elizabeth Hotel (aka the "Queen E") these people listed...plus more and the media...gathered together with John Lennon and Yoko Ono for a campaign blitz for PEACE. The were holding a BED IN....where new media came and they focused on their message of PEACE. It was in that room...that the first single... John Lennon's first...non-Beatle single (although he gave Paul writing credits for writing the song)...was recorded on a simple 8-track recording machine. The song was GIVE PEACE A CHANCE...and was the first PLASTIC ONO BAND recording. After the Beatles broke up (after singing All You Need Is Love)...one of John's first live appearances was at the Toronto Rock and Roll Revival with a new configuration of the Plastic One Band including Klaus Voorman and Eric Clapton.

SIDE NOTE: John's version of Blue Suede Shoes was what inspired me to sing the song in the dynamic rock band I was in called THE BLIND DISTORTION in 1970 at the Central High School Senior Talent Show.

Anywho...the song GIVE PEACE A CHANCE mentions a lot of -ISMs.

GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

Ev'rybody's talkin' 'bout: Bag-ISM, shag-ISM, drag-ISM, mad-ISM, rag-ISM, tag-ISM...this-ISM, that-ISM...ISM, ISM ISM...
All we are saying...IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE...all we are saying...IS GIVE PEACE A CHANCE

That song is what triggered this Rambling. I began to think about all of the
-ISMs...and -ICs in the world that shapes peoples beliefs and perceptions of the world that we live. Some are good, some are bad, some are ugly. From Communism, Capitalism, Marxism, Buddhism, Hinduism, Humanism, Liberalism, Modernism, Post-Modernism, satanism, atheism, Judaism, Formalism, Materialism, Rationalism, Hedonism, Existentialism, Spiritism, Denominationalism, Nazism, this-ISM, that-ISM...ISM, ISM, ISM. All of these -ISMs....represents thoughts, philosophies...usually of a central figure who becomes the leader of these various movements...who people believe and trust either out of desperation, fear, idealism, etc. -ICs...includes...Islam-IC.

Some of the -ISMs...have some truth in them...and not all people who adhere to these -ISMs are bad people. They are sincere in their belief...but their sincerity may be skewed or tarnished. Some are sincere in their belief...but the are sincerely wrong.

Back in 1970...after searching for truth in various -ISMs...I found TRUTH in an -ANITY....Christi-ANITY. I began following a man by the name of Jesus Christ.
Jesus...whose mother was Mary (chosen by God to be the vessel for the Messiah as a virgin)...with his earthly father Joseph (who had nothing to do with the conception process)...grew up for 30 years...and then for 3 years...demonstrated the will and kingdom of God on earth as it was in heaven.

Christi-ANITY were a group of people who were followers of CHRIST. Christianity in the Greek is Christianos=followers of Christ.

"And he left for Tarsus to look for Saul; and when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. And it came about that for an entire year they met with the church, and taught considerable numbers; and the DISCIPLES (followers) WERE FIRST CALLED CHRISTIANS (Christianos...followers of Christ)...in Antioch" (Acts 11:25,26)

Jesus' last name is not CHRIST. Christ is the epithet of Jesus. Jesus is the ANOINTED ONE...so when we say we are CHRISTIANS... which forms this thing called Christi-ANITY...we say we are following the ANOINTED ONE....who is ANOINTED. What does it mean to be ANOINTED. The word ANOINTING...has the roots in the word chrio...which means to contact, smear on, rub into, pour on OIL...in consecration for specific purposes of service for the Father.

Jesus is the CHRIST...the ANOINTED ONE...ANOINTED for the purposes of the Father. When Jesus initiated His ministry...he went into the synagogue...and read from ISAIAH 61...which is found in Luke 4:18-20.

"The Spirit of the Lord is UPON ME...because He ANOINTED ME...to: (1) preach the gospel to the poor (2) proclaim release to the captives (3) recovery of sight to the blind (4) set free those who are downtrodden (5) proclaim the favorable year of the Lord. Again... He was referring back to Isaiah 61:1-2. This ANOINTING was the same ANOINTING found in Isaiah 10:27...in reference to the oppression and bondage of the Assyrians.

"So it will be in that day...that his BURDEN will be removed from your shoulders...and his YOKE from your neck...and the yoke will BE REMOVED...because of FATNESS/ANOINTING." (Isaiah 10:27) This is where we get the phrase...THE ANOINTING SHALL BREAK THE YOKE.

When Jesus referred to the ANOINTING....people knew that he was not talking about slopping on some oil on Him...but something from God that would be YOKE REMOVING/DESTROYING....BURDEN LIFTING....OPPRESSION REMOVING...POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.

"The word which He sent to the sons of Israel, preaching PEACE THROUGH JESUS CHRIST (yoke removing/destroying...burden lifting...oppression removing power of the Holy Ghost)...(He is Lord of all)---you yourselves know the thing which took place throughout all Judea, starting in Galilee, after the baptism which John proclaimed. You know of Jesus of Nazereth, 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." (Acts 10:36-38)


This is who we follow...as followers of CHRIST. This is what we associate with the name CHRISTIAN. This is the -ANITY...that we follow versus an -ISM or an -IC. CHRISTIANITY...is following the ONE who was ANOINTED with the YOKE REMOVING/DESTROYING....BURDEN LIFTING...OPPRESSION REMOVING..
POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST/SPIRIT...and POWER (dunamis/dynamic ability).

Not only did JESUS (God is Salvation)...the CHRIST (Anointed One)...Immanuel (God with us)... demonstrate the WILL OF GOD...on earth as it is in heaven...He then...ALLOWED Himself...to be nailed to a cross...in YOUR PLACE...for YOUR SINS...to be the PROPITIATION (substitute and satisfaction) by a vicarious and bloody sacrifice...resulting in his DEATH.

He was then BURIED...and after 3 DAYS....was RAISED FROM THE DEAD (resurrection). This constitutes the GOOD NEWS...THE GOSPEL....OF Christ-IANITY.

There ain't no (not good English but good thinking) -ISM...or -IC...that could do that for you. History has proved this...that HIS-STORY....is what can bring TRUE PEACE TO YOU.

All we are saying is....IS GIVE CHRIST A CHANCE.

Love and non -ISM/-IC Kisses
Rodney "Christian" Boyd

PRAYER HINDERANCES

Greetings Prayer Warriors. Have you ever got down on your knees...looked up to heaven...and breathed out an earnest, heartfelt prayer...only to have the sensation that you have hit a brass ceiling?You are down on your knees being bombarded by the words that you have just prayed as they sprinkle down back on you like a shattered dream? Welcome to the world of prayer.

Sometimes...NOT ALL OF THE TIME...there seems to be a roadblock to your prayers. Hinderances seems to BLOCK your road to God...or at least God's road to you...with the ANSWER to your prayer. In this MCDONALDS/BURGER KING WORLD...we want it OUR WAY...NOW...and when the answer does not appear...we GIVE UP.

DISCLAIMER: This Rambling does not purport to have any personal knowledge of why YOUR prayers are not answered. I only speak from my personal experience with this thing called THE ART OF PRAYER.

In the book of James we are told that when we encounter various trials/temptations...we are to COUNT/CONSIDER IT ALL JOY. Why? Because we can KNOW that the TESTING OF OUR FAITH...produces what is known as ENDURANCE. This thing called endurance can...if we LET/ALLOW IT...to have a PERFECT RESULT/WORK...so that you can be (1) perfect or mature (2) complete (3) lacking in nothing. (James 1:2-4). The next verse in James speaks of LACKING WISDOM. If you LACK WISDOM...you can ASK/PRAY of God...who GIVES/ANSWERS PRAYERS to all men generously and without reproach...and it will be given him. (James 1:5)

This ASKING/PRAYER...should be asked IN FAITH (the substance of things hoped for...the evidence of things not seen)...and without DOUBTING. If you be doubting...you be tossed around like the SURF OF THE SEA. In the words of the Beach Boys...SURFS UP!

The WISDOM that you are asking for...is in reference to the VARIOUS TRIALS that you are going through. You can KNOW if (1) You are being attacked by satan schemes (2) You shot yourself in the foot like Barney Fife (3) You are experiencing the effects of a cursed and fallen world (4) You are not doing anything wrong...but God is allowing you to be tested. Why would you need wisdom about why you are being tested? So...that you will know what to do in the middle of STUFF HAPPENING. You may need to: (1) Rebuke the devil and his schemes (2) Repent for shooting yourself in the foot by disobedience (3) Realize that it is raining on the just and the unjust and the storms come against both houses (built on rock or sand)...and you need to shore up and stand strong (4) Rejoice in the Lord always...and again Rejoice. You may need to learn the lessons and go on.

The reason that I took time to talk about how you can pray about and get wisdom on WHY you are going through various TRIALS...is that that same principle...will work in your PRAYER LIFE about HINDERANCES AND ROADBLOCKS...so you can adjust, repent, stand, or praise between the POINT of PRAYER------------------------------------------------------------->POINT OF PROVISION. When you pray...and you don't see anything happen...and you start to get nervous because you don't see or feel or experience anything...you tend to (1) GIVE UP or (2) TRY TO MANIPULATE and BRING THE ANSWER TO PASS. Again...this may not be YOU...but I sure know that I have run the gamut of PRAYER GAMES. With that in mind...here are some (not all) of the things that could be at the ROOT of your PRAYER PROBLEMS.

PRAYER ROADBLOCKS/HINDRANCES

1. SIN: I know for sure that it's not God's fault...so I do a SIN CHECKUP. I ask the Lord to shine His light on me...and reveal anything that I may be doing that needs a little Repent Action (R.A.) More likely than not...I already know what the sin is...I just need to 'fess up (aka cconfess)...repent...and get back on track. (I John 1:5-10)

2. PRIDE: When I am walking in pride (maybe about how God answers my prayers)...there is a RESISTANCE FORCE...and it AIN'T satan. It is God resisting the proud. The solution is to humble myself under the mighty hand of God...and He will lift me up at the PROPER TIME. When you are humble...there can be a time gap...from when I pray...and the answer arrives...and I don't get NERVOUS IN THE SERVICE. (I Peter 5:6-7)

3. NOT PRAYING GOD'S WILL: I may not say it...but I am thinking it...when I end my prayers....I end them with those 4 words that Jesus closed His model prayer...ROD'S WILL BE DONE. When we ask ANYTHING...ACCORDING TO HIS WILL...He HEARS us...in WHATEVER...we ASK. We can KNOW that He HEARS us....and that we HAVE the requests which we have ASKED from Him. The key... is ACCORDING TO HIS WILL. (I John 5:14,15)

4. SCHEMES: There are schemes, strategies, and deceits of the devil (little d)...that are AGAINST US. When we pray...we sometimes walk by SIGHT and not by FAITH...and we expend our energies on FLESH and BLOOD instead of the TRUE ENEMY...the enemy forces in the form of (1) despotism's (2) powers (3) master spirits/world rulers of THIS PRESENT DARKNESS (5) spirit forces in the heavenly (supernatural) spheres. We are called to (1) Be strong in the Lord (2) Be strong in the strength of His might (3) Put on the full armor of God (4) Stand against the scheme (5) Resist in the evil day (6) With all prayer and petition PRAY AT ALL TIMES IN THE SPIRIT
(7) Be on the alert with all perseverance and PETITION for all the saints. (8) Pray that utterance of the mystery of the death, burial, and resurrection will be spoken with boldness. (Ephesians 6:1-18)

5. ASKING AMISS: James states that YOU HAVE NOT...BECAUSE YOU ASK NOT. Well...asking is not my problem. I ask for plenty. There must be some other reason for why my ASKING is HINDERED. James answers that in the next stroke of the pen...You ask...and DO NOT RECEIVE...because you ask AMISS/WITH WRONG MOTIVES...so that you may spend it on your PLEASURES. Hmmm... MY pleasure versus HIS pleasure. (James 4:1-3; Hebrews 11:6)

6. NOT ABIDING: The word abide means to (1) stay in a given place, state, relation, expectancy (2) continue (3) dwell (4) endure
(5) be present (6) remain (7) stand (8) tarry. In John 15...we are called to ABIDE in JESUS...and JESUS' WORDS ABIDE in you. The cause and effect of ABIDING...is that we can ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH...AND IT SHALL BE DONE FOR YOU. I find myself NOT ABIDING...but WISHY WASHING...in and out of Jesus and His Word...and in and out of Jesus and His word in me. (John 15:7)

7. WIFE PROBLEMS: As I live in this macho man culture...where misinterpretation of husband/wife...man/woman...relationships abound...MY PRAYERS ARE HINDERED because (1) I don't live with Brenda in an UNDERSTANDING WAY (2) I don't treat her as a WEAKER VESSEL (3) I don't GRANT HER HONOR (4) I don't treat her as a FELLOW-HEIR of the GRACE OF LIFE. This was brought to my attention by a brother in the Lord named Benny Sumrall. He shared with me this verse...and told me he started to look at his wife Eva...as NOT JUST a wife...but a SISTER IN THE LORD...with authority, giftings, talents, etc. Sometimes we treat our wives one way... and our brothers in the Lord...and even our sisters in the Lord DIFFERENTLY. The cause and effect=HINDERED PRAYERS.

8. POOR PRAYER LIFE: I spend too much time in the ASKING MODE...instead of the INTIMACY MODE with the FATHER. Jesus set the tone as he would often draw away to a mountain or a CERTAIN PLACE...to get recharged and get clarity on directives from the Father. (Luke 6:12; Matthew 6:2-13; Luke 11:1-11)

9. QUE SERA SERA PRAYERS: In the Ruminator Sunday School Class...we call this DORIS DAY FAITH. It's where we pray something...and it does not immediately appear...we throw up our hands...and say...IT MUST NOT BE GOD'S WILL...so we QUIT. Que sera sera...whatever will be will be...the future's not ours to see...que sera sera...THY WILL BE DONE.. Jesus...after teaching (outlining) about prayer...and the WILL OF GOD...on EARTH...as it is in HEAVEN...to be tenacious in our ASKING. Keep on ASKING...keep on SEEKING...keep on KNOCKING. He then underscores this will parables about WEARING OUT judges and friends with REQUEST. How MUCH MORE will our HEAVENLY FATHER...GIVE (prayer requests and the Holy Spirit) to those who KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON? Again... I pray once...if there is no answer...it is either yes/no/not yet. I STOP asking...I STOP seeking...I STOP...knocking. (Luke 11:5-13; Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 18:1-7)

10. ANXIETY FACTOR: Anxiety chokes out faith. We are called to cast anxiety on Him...because He cares for you (I Peter 5:7). The range of what we are NOT TO BE ANXIOUS for ranges from NOTHING....to....EVERYTHING. We can take what we are anxious for... and put it in the NOTHING COLUMN...and then transfer the same list into the EVERYTHING COLUMN (because they are the same thing)...and then apply PRAYER PRINCIPLES including: (1) prayer (talking to God) (2) Supplication (humble specifics/petitions about the nothing/everything) (3) With THANKSGIVING...before you see any answers to the prayer. The CAUSE AND EFFECT...will be a PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING between the point of prayer and the point of provision. There will be a guard around your heart and your minds known AS PEACE THAT PASSES UNDERSTANDING. The peace you understand is the absence of conflict, no war, no needs...but you can have peace when the storms swirls.

11. SOIL/HEART PROBLEMS: The seed in the Word of God...The soil is your heart. Sometimes...you need to pay attention to your heart/soil. The problem in NOT the seed. The seed has everything it needs in it to produce what it is designed to produce. You need to CULTIVATE the soil. The birds/satan arrives to steal the seed/word. Cause and Effect...no seed/no word....no faith. Faith comes by hearing and hearing by the Word of Christ (the yoke breaking...burden lifting...oppression removing power). Other soil corruptions includes no firm roots when the afflictions persecutions arise, thorns as the worries of the world, deceitfulness of riches, and desire for other things begins to CHOKE the WORD...and it becomes unfruitful. Sometimes when I pray...I have a HEART/SOIL CONDITION...that needs to be dealt with before...my prayers can be effective. The KEY to a GOOD HEART/SOIL... is found in Luke 8:15. The GOOD HEART/SOIL: (1) Have heard the Word (2) Is honest (3) Is good (4) Holds the seed/word fast (5) bears fruit (6) perseveres.
(Mark 4:1-20; Luke 8:4-16)

FINAL THOUGHT...FINALLY

If this was a TOP TEN LIST...which it is not...I would of course ended with the #1 PRAYER HINDRANCE in my life is:

IT'S ALL ABOUT ME BABY...A L L A B O U T M E!!!!!!

As always...thanks for Ruminatin' and Ramblin' with Ruminatin' Rod. Until next time....

Love and Roadblock Removing Kisses
Rodney "Keepin' On Keepin' On" Boyd

KEEP ON TRUCKIN'

Hello my brutthers...and sista's...are you keepin' on keepin' on? Are ya keepin' on truckin'? We are continuing our Rambling from last time on PRAYER. What does prayer have to do with truckin'? Well...I'm glad you asked.

In our first collage...we see some references to truckin'. Back in the late 60's and 70's...there were some buzz words of the hip. Words like...right on...far out man...and keep on truckin'. These words arose from the drug culture...and were fleshed out...or cartooned out by an artist named Robert Crumb. He had many underground comics including Fritz the Cat...and various album covers from artist ranging from Janis Joplin to Hot Tuna. Recording artist like The Grateful Dead and Eddie Kendricks (ex-Temptations member) sang the songs like TRUCKIN' and KEEP ON TRUCKIN'.

The roots of the phrase KEEP ON TRUCKIN' goes deep into black culture. As with most things...the white population...took black culture...and homogenized it.

Truckin' was rooted in the minstrel shows in the 1930's in Louisville Kentucky as entertainer Dan Thomas Rice...reportedly did a dance step called truckin'. Some credit Pigmeat Markem doing the Truckin dance at the Apollo Theater in New York. It is considered a Harlem dance from 1927 that signifies a strutting walk done when one is happy or joyful. You can see the dance in the Lindy Hop and later on in dances in London in 1935. You can also see various variations of the dance step in movies like CABIN IN THE SKY with Ethel Waters and Lena Horne. Even in the Walt Disney movie DUMBO...the crows see a vegetable truck go by and they line up in the truckin' pose.

The words truckin' can be found in 1920's and 1930's BLUES SONGS like KEEP ON TRUCKIN' and Blind Boy Fullers TRUCKING MY BLUES AWAY. NOTE: I may have sung some form of the song in my blues personification of BLIND LEMON PLEDGE.

Well...where ever the phrase comes from...it has come to be known to mean (1) carry on (2) keep on keepin' on (3) don't give up (4) keep on doin' what you are doin' (5) persevere. That leads us to today's item on the Rambling menu...PRAYER

Before we delve into the tenacity of prayer...let's get some things straight. GOD IS NOT: (1) Your SUGAR DADDY (2) Your PERSONAL SANTA CLAUS (3) The HOLY SLOT MACHINE (4) Your FAIRY GODMOTHER that will wave her MAGIC WAND to grant your WISH...bippidy, boppidy BOO. (5) Your personal MAGIC LAMP that you can rub three times (in significance of the Trinity) so that He can grant you three wishes.

Prayer is that DYNAMIC CONNECTION from CREATOR to the created. It is not JUST ASKING. It is a touchstone of intimacy between you and the Father.

When Jesus had finished praying (he did this quite often)...in a CERTAIN PLACE (do you have a certain place to pray?)...one of His disciples said to Him..."LORD...TEACH US TO PRAY...just as John taught his disciples to pray."

(Luke 11:1-4/Matthew 6:9-11) Jesus gave them a model of the prayer...and then gave examples of prayer. 10 POINTS OF THE LORD'S PRAYER:

1. Pray to the Father who is in heaven
2. Declare His name to be holy
3. Invite His KINGDOM (rule, reign, realm) to come (from heaven to earth)
4. Ask His will (his wish, his desire) to be done on planet earth as it is in heaven.
5. Ask for DAILY provision (fresh manna versus horded stale manna)
6. Ask for forgiveness of sins/debts in the same way that we forgive others
their sins/debts.
7. Ask not to be led into the way of temptation (like Jesus was led by the Holy Spirit)
8. Ask for DELIVERANCE from evil (Like Jabez wanted)
9. Declare whose KINGDOM it really is (not ours...but His)...the kingdom, the power, and the glory forever
10. End with a big AMEN (so be it...bring it to pass Lord)

Now this outline of prayer is a Rambling in itself...so let's get back to what we started out with...the nature of KEEPIN' ON KEEPIN' ON in our PRAYER LIFE.

Sometimes when we pray...we quit before we see the answer. There are many reasons that we do this. Sometimes we have been taught that whatever happens...God has answered the prayer. The answer is either (1) yes (2) no
(3) not yet. Or we have been taught that we must always end the prayer on the note of THY WILL BE DONE...and when we don't get the answer to our prayer...then IT MUST NOT HAVE BEEN HIS WILL. Another reason that is linked closely to the Thy will be done principle...is the DORIS DAY FAITH PRINCIPLE...aka QUE SERA SERA...whatever will be will be...the futures not ours to see QUE SERA SERA. This usually means...that whatever happens, the good, the bad, the ugly is God's will. If I get sick...it must be God punishing me or teaching me a lesson... so I will BEAR THE CROSS he has given me...and ACCEPT whatever comes down the pike. This is closely related to Hinda/Eastern thought of...things like KARMA...the CASTE system, etc.

Someone asked me..."How long do I keep praying?" My answer...until the prayer is answered...until God gives you PEACE (God's umpire) to stop praying...or until you die. KEEP ON TRUCKIN'...KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON. See Hebrews 11:13; 35-40 I would rather go out believing...than not believing.

In our collage...we see various things that reflects this TENACITY in prayer. ASK, SEEK, KNOCK...hang in there like a bitin' sow (watch out for mamma hogs protecting their piglets. They bite down and don't let up). Go after it like a BIG DOG. Run the race until you finish (ie. Eric Liddle...Chariots of Fire). Rocky Balboa in training. The original suggestion for the National Bird of American... the rough and tough, FIGHTING TURKEY. We see Dog The Bounty Hunter in pursuit of criminals...and won't give up until he has accomplished what he set out to do. Our friend the FROG resisting the PELICAN. As I am writing this Rambling I am listening to the soundtrack to the movie THE APOSTLE. Steven Curtis Chapman is singing...I WILL NOT GO QUIETLY!!!!! Bob Mumford (a Bible Teacher) calls God the GOD OF ELEVEN FIFTY NINE (11:59). Sometimes we GIVE UP at 11:58.

"KEEP ON ASKING...and it will be GIVEN YOU...KEEP ON SEEKING...and you WILL FIND...KEEP ON KNOCKING...and the door will be OPENED for you. Fore every one who KEEPS ON asking RECEIVES....and he who KEEPS ON seeking FINDS...and to him who KEEPS ON knocking...it will be OPENED. Or what MAN is there of you, if his son asks him for a loaf of bread, will hand him a stone? Or if he asks for a fish, will hand him a serpent? IF you then, evil as yo are , know how to GIVE good and advantages gifts to your children...HOW MUCH MORE...will you FATHER Who is in heaven...(perfect as He is)...give good and advantageous things to those who KEEP ON ASKING HIM! (Matthew 7:7-11/ Luke 11:9-13) NOTE: Luke equates the GOOD AND ADVANTAGEOUS THINGS...to the HOLY SPIRIT.

Jesus...as He teaches about the PERSEVERING PRAYER...shares two parable to illustrate His view of ASKING.

LUKE 11:5-8 (following the Lord's Prayer outline)

"And He said to them...Suppose one of you shall have a friend, and shall GO TO HIM AT MIDNIGHT...and say to him, friend lend me three loaves; for a friend of mine has come to me from a journey, and I have nothing to set before him; and from inside he shall answer and say DO NOT BOTHER ME...the door has ALREADY BEEN SHUT and my children and I are in bed...I CANNOT GET UP AND GIVE YOU ANYTHING. I tell you...even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend...YET...because of his PERSISTENCE/SHAMELESSNESS...HE WILL GET UP AND GIVE HIM AS MUCH AS HE NEEDS."

Jesus follows up this parable of SHAMELESS PERSISTENCE...with the passage of KEEP ON ASKING...KEEP ON SEEKING...KEEP ON KNOCKING.

Another parable is found in LUKE 18:1-8

"Now He was telling them a parable TO SHOW that at ALL TIMES...they OUGHT TO PRAY AND NOT LOSE HEART...saying...There was in a certain city a judge who did not fear God...and did not respect man. And there was a widow in that city...and she KEPT COMING TO HIM...saying...GIVE ME legal protection from my opponent. And for a while he was UNWILLING...but AFTERWARD...he said to himself...Even though I do not fear God...nor respect man...YET because this widow BOTHERS ME...I WILL GIVE...her legal protection...lest by CONTINUALLY COMING...SHE WEARS ME OUT. And the Lord said...hear what the unrighteous judge said...now SHALL NOT GOD...bring about justice for His elect who CRY TO HIM DAY AND NIGHT...and will He delay over them? I tell you that He WILL BRING about justice for them speedily...However, when the Son of Man comes...WILL HE FIND FAITH ON THE EARTH?"

FINAL THOUGHT...FINALLY

When we pray...and we don't SEE the answer...what do we do? Do we give up...assume that God is NOT going to answer our prayers...or do we KEEP ON TRUCKIN' by FAITH. Do we walk by SIGHT and not by FAITH...and give up...OR do we walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT...and KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON? When He comes with the answer will He find..."the substance of things hoped for (confidently expected)...the evidence of things NOT SEEN. Will He be PLEASED as we come to Him as we BELIEVE that He exists...and that we BELIEVE that He is a REWARDER of those who DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM...versus those who PASSIVELY INQUIRE...and give up when we don't immediately see the answer.

NEXT TIME: HINDRANCES TO YOUR PRAYERS.

Love and Persevering Kisses
Rodney "Keep On Truckin'" Boyd

P R A Y E R

Greetings friends. I would like you to do a few things for me...right now.

1. Take a deep breath
2. Slowly exhale
3. Say the name...GOD.

What you have just done is initiate a prayer.

"Be unceasing in prayer--praying PERSEVERINGLY" (I Thessalonians 5:17)

In Jack Hayford's classic book on prayer he lists various reasons...and needs for this thing called prayer.

(1) People addicted (2) Bound by destructive habits (3) Businesses shipwrecked on rocks of economic reversals (4) Marriages with the love wrung out of them
and society asserting that divorce is the answer (5) Medical reports silently screaming CANCER (6) Children exploding into unpredictable behavior patters
(7) Bills towering above an overdrawn checkbook (8) Jobs disappearing and unemployment offering a way to nowhere (9) Long-term hopes dissolved
(10) Constant pain from a physical problem that knows no reprieve
(11) Recurring frustration with a personal deficiency that can't be overcome
(12) Blockades on the highway to happiness (13) Bulletin boards affixed with blank papers (14) Wondering what to do next (15) Having tried anything and everyone (16) Futility (17) Face-to-face with IMPOSSIBLITIY---or what seems to be like it." (Prayer Is Invading The Impossible by Jack Hayford)

In the first collage of pictures...you can tell the focus is on PRAYER. The prayers are based on FAITH...the substance of things HOPED FOR (confidently expected)...the evidence of things NOT SEEN (Hebrews 11:1). There several pictures of Jesus...going to the Father in PRAYER...as He faced torture and death...and as He pulled a way from the hustle and bustle of his MINISTRY...to get recharged and get directions from the Father...since He never said or did anything unless he heard or saw it from the Father. Prayer was KEY to Jesus. A couple of the pictures are from the movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE. The movie starts of with prayers swirling from various people of Bedford Falls....specifically for a man in desperation and trouble named George Bailey. The prayers left the lips of the praying people...up through the atmosphere into the heavens...and set into motion the answer for their prayers. (see the house picture). The picture of Jimmy Stewart as George Bailey...is of George...in a bar...trying to numb himself and figure out a way out of his problems. He prays to God for help...and the prayer was IMMEDIATELY ANSWERED...by George getting a fist slammed into his face. AMEN...THANK YA JESUS FOR THAT ANSWERED PRAYER! He left the bar...and determined that SUICIDE was the way out...BUT God had another answer already set into motion...an Angel 2nd Class (without wings)...named Clarence. (See the movie It's A Wonderful Life for full details on how the prayer was answered). Other pictures show dry and cracked land with no RAIN IN SIGHT....with Elijah (with whom we share the same nature)...and his servant on the lookout for the answer to the prayer.

"And the PRAYER [that is] of FAITH will save him that is sick...and the Lord will restore him; and if he has committed sins, he will be forgiven. Confess to one another therefore you faults--your slips, your false steps, your offenses, your sins; and PRAY FOR ONE ANOTHER...that you may be healed and restored--to a spiritual tone of mind and heart. THE EARNEST (HEARTFELT, CONTINUED) PRAYER OF A RIGHTEOUS MAN MAKES TREMENDOUS POWER AVAILABLE--DYNAMIC IN ITS WORKING." (James 5:16)

"Elijah...was a human being with a nature such AS WE HAVE---with feelings, affections and constitution as ourselves; and he PRAYED EARNESTLY...for it NOT TO RAIN and no rain fell on the earth for three years and six months. And then HE PRAYED AGAIN and the heavens SUPPLIED RAIN and the land produced it's crops as usual." (James 5:17,18)

If you read I Kings 17 and 18...you will see this man who has the same nature as you...PRAYED for something SPECIFIC...and then had to WALK BY FAITH...NOT BY SIGHT. The EARNEST PRAYER process took SEVEN (7) times before a cloud the size of a fist rose up out of the sea. This speaks of the EARNEST...DILIGENT...TENACITY...of PRAYER.

The picture of the SKELETON praying speaks to me of the tenacity of prayer...DEM BONES GONNA RISE AGAIN. And finally...we see the picture of the group PRAY FOR RAIN with UMBRELLAS UP. Couple that with the dry, cracked waterless ground picture...and you get a picture of not only tenacity of prayer...but EXPECTANCY of an ANSWER TO PRAYER. Years ago...I remember how we were praying for and end to a rainless season in Tennessee and the surrounding area. I was struck with what I DID NOT SEE (including me). I did not see anyone CARRYING AN UMBRELLA...in expectation for the COMING RAINS.

Another aspect of this thing called PRAYER...is TENACITY. So many times we pray once...and are afraid that if we pray again we would JINX the prayer. It has been said by CHARIS-MANIACS...that if you pray TEN (10) times... then NINE (9) of those prayers were out of UNBELIEF. They say if you pray once...you don't pray again...but you can THANK HIM for the answered prayer.

Well...prayer and thanksgiving (before you see the answer) is definitely needed...but I believe that UNLESS THE LORD tells you to give up...then you NEVER, NEVER, NEVER GIVE UP (Winston Churchill). You are like the frog in the pelican's mouth...with a strangle hold on the pelican's neck...as the frog refuses to GIVE UP. The mama hog...the sow...represents the tenacity of prayer. If you show harm to her little piglets...she will attach her teeth onto your leg...and NEVER LET GO. The Ruminator saying is..."YA GOTTA HANG IN THERE...LIKE A BITIN' SOW."

Perseverance brings success. Positive Thinkers....love to take a godly principle without submitting to the Lord of the principle. The bottom line...prosperity and success are linked to tenacity. Joshua knew the principle as God gave him instruction on how to BE STRONG AND VERY COURAGEOUS.

"This book of the law shall not depart OUT OF YOUR MOUTH...but you shall MEDITATE (ruminate) on IT (the word)...that you may OBSERVED and DO according to all that is written in it...for then you shall MAKE YOUR WAY PROSPEROUS...and then you shall DEAL WISELY and have GOOD SUCCESS."

Biblical Prosperity is...having your needs met with enough to overflow to those in need (not necessarily monetary)...and Biblical Success is.. accomplishing what God has purposed in your life.

NEXT TIME: We will look at the KEEP ON KEEPIN' ON PRINCIPLE.

Love and Tenacious Kisses
Rodney "Bitin' Sow" Boyd

MIRROR IMAGE: AMERICAN IDOL

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Worshippers. Everyone is a worshipper of someone or something. The question is...who or what do you worship. Some will feign shock as they pledge allegiance to "the man upstairs". Some will sneer with discuss as they deny the existence of such a weak concept as God. Some will place their trust in a "higher power"...that may be in the form of a god, a doorknob, another human being. Some even will be honest enough to admit that they worship the only person worthy of their worship...themselves. Collectively, their is a church that many attend everyday...as they worship of the temple of their own bodies...at the 1st Church of Humanism. We build idols to the human capacity...but would never consider that we are walking in idolatry.

WORSHIP DEFINED: Proskuneo (pros-koo-neh-o)= to kiss towards (and object/person)...like a dog licking his master's hand. To fawn, crouch, to prostrate oneself in homage, to reverence, adore.

American Idol...the T.V. show where people sing...people vote...people win the coveted title of AMERICAN IDOL. Of course...there's nothing new under the sun...and rock n' roll idols have been with us for a long time. I remember going to RCA Recording Studio B...in the back...on a Sunday afternoon...waiting for my IDOL...Elvis Presley to roll in for a recording session of the soundtrack for STAY AWAY JOE. It was a surreal experience as I met him...got his autograph...even touched his Blue Suede boots when I dropped my pin (I figured that while I was down there (in a kneeling position) I might as well touch the king). When he went into the studio...I began to cry. I was sixteen years old...and I was crying like a baby...because I had been in the presence of the one who I IDOLIZED since I was six years old.

In Psalm 115:1-8...we see how the "HEATHEN" idolizes their God. Thank God I'm NOT like those heathens...idolizing dead God's.

The nations/heathens...ask.."Where, no is their God? As Christians...followers of Christ...we worship who we do NOT see. The heathen... needs something MORE TANGIBLE...than theoretic concepts. That's why they build IDOLS. Our IDOLS...may not be built out of silver or gold...but they are constructed in the recesses of our minds...that is manifested in our actions. The first collage represents Verses 4-7 as a composite picture of the HEATHEN'S IDOL.

1. Their idols are silver and gold
2. They are the works of man's hands
3. They have mouths...but they cannot speak
4. They have eyes...but they cannot see
5. They have ears...but they cannot hear
6. They have noses...but they cannot smell
7. They have hands...but they cannot feel
8. They have feet...but they cannot walk.
9. They have throats...but they cannot make a sound

The bottom line is...what cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk, make sound...is worthy of them kissing towards like a dog licking his master's hand as they fawn, crouch, prostrate themselves face forward in homage, to reverence and adore.

The problem is...as is stated in verse 8...THOSE WHO MAKE THEM...WILL BECOME LIKE THEM (or are like them).

That principle is so true. If you worship MONEY...you become GREEDY. If you worship SEX...you become FULL OF LUST. If you worship POWER...you become CORRUPT (absolute power...corrupts absolutely).

NOTE: This corruption is not limited to some foreign or communist country. It is not even limited to Democrat or Republican. It can be manifested in the corporate world or the religious world.

If you worship yourself or the human condition...you become unrighteous or fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23) The mask that we wear as we worship ourselves...will leave the imprint of who we are...and will affect everyone with whom we come into contact.

I personally am able to mask who I really am quiet well. I can cover up my fears, my anger, my frustrations, my rage, my greed, my lust, my corruption...by humor, intimidation, good works, religious acts, indifference, piety, success, denial.

The REASON...we become like the idols that we make ourselves is found in verse 8. WE already see the cause and effect of making the ineffective idols... WILL BECOME LIKE THEM. The REASON is...because we TRUST IN THEM.

Our money says IN GOD WE TRUST...but too often...it is what those words are printed on...is really what we trust. But that tangible MONEY...is very unstable...and as the DOLLAR fails....so does our FAITH...because what we TRUST is only as good as what/who we put our TRUST IN.

Hopefully...as we put our TRUST....HAVE FAITH...in the LIVING GOD...we will BECOME LIKE HIM. Psalm 115 starts off with the heathen/idolater questioning...WHERE IS THEIR GOD? The Psalmist answers...BUT OUR GOD IS IN THE HEAVENS. The Psalmist then declares...that this God that we cannot see...who is in heaven...DOES WHATEVER HE PLEASES.

The question now begs...WE'LL...WHAT DOES HE PLEASE? Well...our God... who is heaven (Our Father Who Art In Heaven)...decided...that He would become FLESH...and dwell among His fallen creation in the form of His Only Begotten Son...aka Jesus the Christ. Jesus would live on planet earth for 33 years...three of those thirty-three years would be spent...DISPLAYING WHAT PLEASES GOD...that would be culminated in Jesus...allowing Himself to be beaten, humiliated, scourged, and die on the cross in our place...as the propitiation (substitute/satisfaction)...that would satisfy God. He would DIE... He would be BURIED....He would be RESURRECTED. This is known as the
D.B.R...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS. Jesus then...went back to the Father...and sent the Holy Spirit to indwell our clay temples (aka our bodies)... and begin to manifest the inward experience in our outward lives. As we renew our minds with the washing of the water of the Word of God...and yield our will to His will by our volition (free will)...moment by moment...we conform to the image of Christ. We BECOME LIKE WHO WE WORSHIP. This process will be taking place until He comes back. Thank God...I've got a long way to go.

Are their imperfect Christians...who don't look any different than the idolaters who idolize everything or everyone other than God. SURE!!!

Jesus is our example that we are to FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS (I Peter 2:21-25). My problem is that I make many mis-STEPS. I trip, I stumble, I fall down...I repent, plead the blood, get forgiveness...and continue on in the process. As I worship Christ...Lord...help me to become more CHRIST-like.

"You know of Jesus of Nazareth...how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and Power...and how He went about...DOING GOD...and HEALING...all who were OPPRESSED...by the devil." (Acts 10:38). Lord...as I renew my mind with your Word...as I look at God's will in action in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John...Lord, help me to FOLLOW IN YOUR STEPS...and become LIKE the ONE I WORSHIP.

FINAL QUESTION (FINALLY)

In the 1950's...there was a game show starring an unknown comedian/magician by the name of Johnny Carson. The name of the show is what I want to ask you...WHO DO YOU TRUST?

Love and Non-Idolatry Kisses
Rodney "TRUSTING GOD" Boyd

POWER PLAY

Greetings Oh Ye Explosive Saints. How's your POWER STATUS?

QUESTION: What do ya get when a goat eats dynamite?
ANSWER: KA-BLOOEY!!!!!!!!!

QUESTION: How POWERful is Superman?
ANSWER: More POWERful than a locomotive.

QUESTION: What song have most blues singers recorded?
ANSWER: BOOM BOOM BOOM BOOM!

QUESTION: How much POWER is needed to send a DeLorean Back To The Future?
ANSWER: 1.21 Jigawatts

QUESTION: Ruminatin' Rod..What's up with all the POWER QUESTIONS?
ANSWER: I'm glad you asked.

I was reading in the Book of Acts how...the CHURCH...went from 12 guys following Jesus...in one of the smallest countries in the world...to a WORLD WIDE movement. What was the POWER SOURCE...that led the POWER PLAY that was heard around the world?


Jesus layed out His POWER PLAN...to His followers...as He layed out the Father's plan. "Then He opened their minds to understand the Scriptures, and he said to them, Thus it is written, that the Christ should suffer and rise again from the dead the third day (aka D.B.R.); and that repentance for the forgiveness of sins should be PROCLAIMED in HIS NAME to ALL the NATIONS...beginning in Jerusalem. You are WITNESSES of these things. And behold, I am SENDING FORTH THE PROMISE...of My Father UPON YOU...but you are to stay in the city until you are CLOTHED WITH POWER FROM ON HIGH." (Luke 24:45-49)

Luke...the Beloved Physician...lays out the Plan...the Purpose...the Promise...the source of Power. Luke is also attributed with writing the Book of Acts...where he continues with what he began in Luke 24.

"And gathering them together, He commanded them not to leave Jerusalem, but to WAIT for what the Father had PROMISED...which He said...you heard from Me (Luke 24:45-49)...for John baptized (dipped wholly) with water...BUT you shall be baptized (dipped wholly) WITH/IN THE HOLY SPIRIT not many days from now." (Acts 1:4-5)

NOTE: In Ephesians 4:4-4...we see"There is ONE body and ONE Spirit, just as also you were called in ONE hope of your calling; ONE Lord, ONE faith, ONE baptism (dipped wholly), ONE God and Father of all who is over all and through all and in all. (Ephesians 4:4-5)

In the book of Hebrews chapter 5 verse 1-2...we see that one of the elementary principles/teachings about the Christ....is the doctrine/instruction about baptisms/washings (plural).

In the act of baptism....there is (1) the Baptizer...the one who dips wholly (2) the Baptizee...the person being dipped wholly (3) the element that the Baptizer...dips the Baptize into...and brings back out. There are multiple types of baptisms seen in the New Testament including: John the Baptist's baptism in preparation for the King and the Kingdom (the candidate was people who had repented...and evidence was a changed life before the dipping into the element...the Jordan River. Another would be Jesus as the Baptizer...where his followers would be baptized into the Holy Spirit and fire. Then in Romans 6...there are those who have been baptized into Christ Jesus...into His death. And of course there is what theologians describe as a baptism of suffering that Jesus would experience (Luke 12:50, Mark 10:38)

When the gathered disciples heard what Jesus said about a baptism that would differ from John the Baptist's dunking...they responded by trying to change the subject..."And so when they had come together, they were asking Him saying...Lord, is it at this time You are restoring the kingdom to Israel." (Acts 1:6).

Jesus was instructing them in POWER FOR THE KINGDOM...while they were thinking POLITICAL POWER on earth.

Jesus responded by contrasting two types of POWER. "He said to them...It is not for you to know times or seasons/epochs which the Father has fixed by His own POWER (exousia=delegated authority)...BUT you shall RECEIVE POWER (dunamis=dynamic ability) when the HOLY SPIRIT HAS COME UPON YOU...and you SHALL BE (cause and effect of the HOLY GHOST POWER coming on them)...and you SHALL BE...My WITNESSES (martus=witness, record, martyr)...both in (1) Jerusalem (2) in all Judea (3) and Samaria (4) and even to the remotest part of the earth.

Dunamis power is that dynamic ability to reproduce like a dynamo...where we get words like Dy-No-Mite. Of course there was no dynamite in the Bible....but the potential was there. Explosive power that would send shock waves throughout the world as freshly baptized in the Holy Ghost believers...began to share their faith and walking in what Jesus taught and demonstrated for three years.
They went about (like Jesus)...taught/shared/proclaimed the Good News of the Gospel (like Jesus)...and demonstrated the healing, delivering power, the yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing power of the Holy Ghost (like Jesus) [see Matthew 4:23-25;
John 14:1-13; Mark 16:15-20; Matthew 28:19-20; The entire Book of Acts...aka Acts of the Apostles...which really should be called the Acts of Jesus/Holy Spirit).

Exousia power is delegated authority. It is what backs up the dunamis. It's like Walker Texas Ranger...with the badge...and authority to stop the bad guys. This authority goes up the change of command from Walker...to the head of the Texas Rangers...to the governor...to Washington...to God. He has the authority to say...STOP...IN THE NAME OF THE LAW. If the bad guys do not stop...then Walker has been AUTHORIZED...to pull out the FIRE POWER...and bring them down.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!

Petra...one of my favorite Christian Rock N' Roll Bands...and I do mean Rock N' Roll...had an album called MORE POWER TO YA. The album covers at that time had a Space Fighter theme (ala Star Wars...). Here's of the words to the song MORE POWER TO YA (if ya get a chance find a copy and listen up)

You say you've been feeling weaker...weaker by the day
You say you can't make the joy...of your salvation stay
But good things come to them that wait
Not to those who hesitate
So hurry up and wait upon the Lord

More power to ya
When you're standing on the Word
When you're trusting with your whole heart
In the message you have heard
More power to ya...when we're all in one accord
They that wait upon the Lord...they shall renew...they shall renew their strength

Jesus promised His disciples...He'd give strength to them
Jesus told them all to tarry in Jerusalem
When they were all in one accord
The POWER of His SPIRIT poured
And they began to turn the world around

SO be strong in the Lord and in the POWER of His MIGHT
Put on all His armour and fight the good fight
In all of our WEAKNESS...He becomes so STRONG
And He gives us the POWER and the STRENGTH to CARRY ON.

QUESTION: Have you received the POWER
ANSWER: ????????????????????????????

Love and Explosive Kisses
Rodney "I Am Weak But He Is Strong" Boyd

THE BLESSING BENEFITS

Good Morning After Sunday. That's how it works in this world. After Sunday.. comes Monday. Yesterday we took time to worship God...study the Word...sing the songs...dance the dances...and partake in the Table of the Lord...aka COMMUNION.

Once again...I was able to preside over the table...and reflect on what this time with the elements means in relation to the cross and this life that we live in the NOW. The cross in the past reaches forward to our now.

"I (you) HAVE BEEN (in the past) crucified WITH CHRIST (died)...and it is no longer I who live...BUT Christ LIVES IN ME...and the life which I NOW (2008) live...in the flesh (my body)....I live by FAITH (in the D.B.R.)...in the Son of God (Jesus)...who loved me...and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

"If then you HAVE BEEN (in the past) raised up WITH CHRIST...keep seeking (not a one time event)...the things above, where Christ is seated at the right hand of God...SET your mind (a mindset) on the things above...not on the things that are on earth...for you have died (Galatians 2:20)...and your life is hidden with Christ in God." (Colossians 3:1-3)

The reason the table of communion has any validity in 2008....is because of what Jesus did when he was 33 years old...around 2000 years ago.

Last time we looked at Isaiah 54 to get a thumbnail sketch of what HE went through for us...so that we would not have to. Today (and what we looked at yesterday)...was HOW WE CAN BLESS GOD. Of course...we are blessed...by what He did....BUT...the question is... HOW do YOU bless GOD?

To be BLESSED means to be fortunate, well off...HAPPY. This is from the word (makrios) and is found in what we call the BEATITUDES found in Matthew chapter 5. NOTE: The beatitudes...BE the ATTITUDE we should BE having.

In Psalm 103...we David tunes up his psaltery...and encourages his SOUL (his mind, his free will, his emotions, the totality of who he is at the seat of his emotions)...he encourages his SOUL...to BLESS THE LORD...and to BLESS HIS HOLY NAME. He is singing about NOT the Lord BLESSING him (although the Lord does)...but BLESSING THE LORD.

In Psalm 103...the word BLESS means...to knell as an act of adoration, to praise, to salute, to thank. It is a verb...an action word. A primary way to bless the Lord...and blessing His holy name...is to FORGET NONE OF HIS BENEFITS. We praise...salute...and thank the Lord for WHAT HE HAS DONE (which happens to be GREAT THINGS). We are called TO REMEMBER...not forget...what He has done.

This is where COMMUNION comes into play. As we come to the TABLE OF REMEMBRANCE...we begin to reflect, ruminate, remember the benefits that BLESS US...and then we begin to BLESS Him...because of the benefits that BLESSES US.

Here are some of the BENEFITS mentioned...and how the D.B.R...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS...reflects the BLESSING BENEFITS.

1. Who PARDONS (forgives, pardons,spares) ALL your INIQUITIES (perversity, evil, sin)

2. Who HEALS (mends, cures, repairs) ALL your DISEASES (malady, sickness, diseases)

3. Who REDEEMS (be the next of kin, to buy back a relatives property, ransom, purchase, deliver) your LIFE ( alive, fresh, strong, a living thing) from the PIT (a trap, destruction, corruption, ditch, grave)

4. Who CROWNS (to encircle for attack or protection) you with LOVINGKINDNESS (piety, beauty, favor, good deed) and COMPASSION/TENDER MERCIES (compassion, the womb as cherishing the fetus, tender love)

5. Who SATISFIES (to sate, to fill to satisfaction, have enough, have enough) your YEARS/DESIRES/MOUTH (a sense of trappings, finery, an outfit) with GOOD (beautiful, best, bountiful, cheerful, at ease, prosperity, sweet ) THINGS

6. SO that your YOUTH (childhood, juvenility) is RENEWED (renew, rebuild, to be new, repair) like the EAGLES (to lacerate)

These are not the only benefits. You can read the rest of Psalm 103 for the total package...BUT...just these alone...are enough to approach the TABLE OF COMMUNION with a FRESH EXPECTANCY...and BLESS THE LORD by NOT FORGETTING...but REMEMBERING His BENEFITS.

BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL AND ALL THAT IS WITHIN ME BLESS HIS HOLY NAME...BLESS THE LORD OH MY SOUL AND FORGET NO...NOT...ONE...OF HIS BENEFITS.

You don't have to wait until the next time your church as communion....start REMEMBERING now.

Love and Blessed Kisses
Rodney "Ruminating On The Benefits" Boyd

DO THIS

Good morning...evening...mid-day friends and neighbors. There is a common link among Christians know as COMMUNION. It is known as communion, The Lord's Supper, Eucharist, The Table, The Lord's Table, The Cup and the Wine and many other names. It is taken by some daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, yearly. The elements run the gamut of wine and wafers...Welches grape juice and little tiny squares of cracker to loaves of bread and wine. One of the most moving communion services was in my living room with hotdog buns and Orange Crush. Some view it as symbolic obedience while others view it as the bread and wine turning into the actual body and blood of Christ (transubstantiation).

I have the honor of presiding over the table this month as Smyrna Assembly. The table is a time of remembrance of the Death, the Burial, and ultimately the Resurrection of Jesus...who became the propitiation (substitute and satisfaction) in our place. Isaiah 53 paints a prophetic portrait of what we are remembering. There are 5 areas listed that were dealt with on the cross:

1. griefs/sicknesses
2. sorrows/pains
3. transgressions/going beyond known limits
4. iniquities/lawless rebellion
5. unrest/no peace or wholeness

These 5 things were dealt with 2000 years ago...and the cause and effect reaches through the space-time continuum into 2008. When we take the bread and wine...we remember what HE DID for us on the cross. Here's what He did...so we would not have to:

1. griefs/sickness: He bore them
2. sorrows/pains: He carried them
3. transgressions: He was pierced/wounded for them
4. iniquities: He was crushed
5. unrest/no peace He was chastened for our well being

Isaiah reveals how all of this took place in Isaiah 53:5:

BY HIS STRIPES/SCOURGING....WE ARE HEALED.

I spend so much time trying to do what already was done. I am constantly bearing, carrying, wounding, crushing, chastening myself in an attempt at SELF-ATONEMENT...when what I need to do is REMEMBER what HE HAS ALREADY DONE...and accept by FAITH what satisfies God (propitiation/substitute/satisfaction: I John 1:6-10; I John 2:1,2)

The communion table points to the D and the B...but the RESURRECTION is what makes it have any worth at all. Without the RESURRECTION OF JESUS...all you have is another historical martyr. Because He lives...we live.

Love and Blessed Communion
Rodney "Pass The Bread and Wine" Boyd

THE WEAK STRENGTH PRINCIPLE

As you can tell by the first collage...this is a grouping of manly men...muscular men...STRONG MEN. Also as you know...beautiful women are drawn to US manly, muscular, strong men. I know...I know...the pictures of me don't look very manly...BUT...just like Clark Kent...when I take off those Buddy Holly looking glasses...I turn into an animal. Let me introduce you to the cast of characters...(1) Joe Weider...the worlds' greatest builder of virile He-Men (2) Stick Boyd (3) Steve Reeves as Hercules (4) Skinny Man and Brenda Sue (5) Hans and Franz wanting to pump (clap) you up (6) The new Batman Villain...The Smiler aka Buddy Holly (7) The Governor of Cal-i-fornia, Arnold (8) Mr. 3 Piece Suit and his # 1 fan (9) The Hulk (green with envy over my body) (10) Bow Tie Boyd...the bow tie is bigger than my body. What beautiful woman would not want a picture standing next to me (11) Lou Ferrigno as Hercules (12) Rodney "Tom Jones" Boyd with the grand prize the future Mrs. Boyd (13) Hulk Hogan and Andre the Giant just before the Hulkster body slams the Giant (14) A Norman Rockwell picture of what looks like me in my room in my youth NOTE: This really does look like me in the face from an angle (15/16) And this is where we started...contrasting weakness and strength...you be the judge.

In the world's eyes...strength and being a man...is tied up with POWER... muscles...able to dominate the weaker...survival of the fittest. If the world-view is true...I am in BIG trouble. After all...I can't just keep by on my GOOD LOOKS. What set of this RAMBLING was a verse that I was reading in my Amplified Bible (plug it in and turn it up to 11).

The verse in the New American Standard Bible reads like this..."I CAN DO all things through/in Him who STRENGHTENS ME." (Philippians 4:13)

The Amplified Bible says..."I HAVE STRENGTH...for all things IN CHRIST...Who EMPOWERS Me--I am READY for ANYTHING and EQUAL to ANYTHING through Him...Who INFUSES INNER STRENGTH into me [that is...I am SELF=SUFFICIENT in CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY]." (Philippians 4:13)


God has always gone against the flow of thought of those who feel that something that they are bringing to the table makes them more SUPERIOR than those who have nothing to offer. People feel that they are better than others because of their: intellect, looks, physical strength, athletic ability, positional power in business, size of their physical anatomy, size of their bank accounts, how many degree they have accrued, the purity of their pedigree, their race (and if they can eliminate the impure races...then they will be #1), and if they win the race. Of course we know...that who ever wins the RAT RACE is crowned the # 1 RAT.

The CROSS is a sign of WEAKNESS to some. Sun Yung Moon...the leader of the Unification Church...aka The Moonies...declares that Jesus FAILED in His mission because he DIED on the CROSS. He states that he (Moon) was sent to fulfil where CHRIST failed. God puts it this way:

"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. For it is written, I will destroy the WISDOM of the WISE...and the CLEVERNESS of the CLEVER I will set aside." (I Corinthians 1:18,19) Paul continues on about FOOLISH WISDOM versus the WISDOM OF GOD....and how people are searching for a sign (Jews) and wisdom (Greeks)...but they were preaching CHRIST CRUCIFIED that to the SEARCHERS...became a STUMBLING BLOCK (Jews) and FOOLISHNESS (Greeks/Gentiles). Paul then says in I Corinthians 1:24,25..."but to those who are the CALLED (those who believe)...both Jews and Greeks...CHRIST the POWER of God and the WISDOM of God. Because the FOOLISHNESS of God...is WISER than God...and the WEAKNESS of God...is STRONGER than men."

Muscles don't carry much weight in this thing called the KINGDOM. Paul carries out the thought in I Corinthians to the end in chapter 15 as he talks about this BODY (flesh, blood, bones, muscles)..."So also is the RESURRECTION of the dead. It is sown a perishable body...it is raised an imperishable body...it is sown in dishonor, it is raise in glory; it is sown in WEAKNESS...it is raised in POWER." (I Corinthians 15:42-43) He is speaking of how because of the D.B.R. we don't have to stuck with our 98 pound weakling bodies.

Paul (or a man not revealed) alludes to the Lord's strength and our weakness is light of THORNS IN THE FLESH (in the Old Testament, always enemies)...which are defined as A MESSENGER FROM satan (little s)...with schemes (see Ephesians 6) of the little s, to BUFFET (not a food bar)...but a beating up...to keep Paul from EXALTING HIMSELF. "And because of the SURPASSING GREATNESS OF THE REVELATIONS, for this REASON...to keep me from exalting myself, there was given me...A THORN IN THE FLESH. The devil hates to see us being lifted up, exalted, built up, strengthened. Paul went to the One who could help him in this satanic ATTACK. He went to the LORD.

"Concerning this (the thorn in the flesh...the messenger from satan sent to buffet him)..I entreated the Lord THREE TIMES that it (the thorn in the flesh...the messenger from satan sent to buffet him) MIGHT DEPART from me." (II Corinthians 12:8) NOTE: I can relate to wanting to getting the devil off of my back...BUT God does not always...just wave his Spiritual Wand and POOF the devil disappears. More often than not...God ALLOWS us to go through stuff...so we can utilize what we have at our disposal...to develop character and true strength versus FEIGNED strength. He calls us to UNFEIGNED FAITH...faith that will stand in the hard times.

God's answer ..."And He has said to me...MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU." (II Corinthians 12:9) Grace...being God's favor, God's unmerited favor, God's free gift...the divine influence in the heart...manifested in the life of the believer...IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU.

The question is WHY is God's grace sufficient in reference to the thorn in the flesh...the messenger of satan who is buffeting Paul to keep him from exalting himself because of the revelations revealed in Paradise/the third heaven... and the inexpressible words which a man is not permitted to speak. (II Corinthians 12:2-4)

The REASON why GRACE is SUFFICIENT in the face of the THORN is ..."GOD'S POWER...is PERFECTED in WEAKNESS."
(II Corinthians 12:9)

Paul's response...is the same thing that Mary responded with when the angel of the Lord gave her the news that she would be the mother of the Saviour of the world..."Behold, the bondslave of the Lord...BE IT DONE TO ME ACCORDING TO YOUR WORD." (Luke 1:38) Paul's response to MY GRACE IS SUFFICIENT FOR YOU..."Most gladly, therefore I will rather BOAST ABOUT MY WEAKNESS...that the POWER OF CHRIST MAY DWELL IN ME." (II Corinthians 12:9)

Paul was learning...that the Lord was NOT going to remove the thorn...even with MULTIPLE REQUESTS/ENTREATINGS. The POWER would be when he came face to face with his inabilities and weaknesses. Paul then says THEREFORE (because of what was just revealed) I am well CONTENT with (1) weaknesses (2) insults (3) distresses (4) persecutions (5) difficulties FOR CHRIST SAKE (satanic attack because of revelations and the Gospel about the D.B.R.)...for when I am WEAK (our own strength)...I AM STRONG (in Christ's strength)."
(II Corinthians 12:10)

This is more than just accepting whatever comes down the pike as the will of God...walking in Doris Day faith and singing Que Sera Sera, whatever will be will be...the futures not ours to see Que Sera Sera. It is recognizing the THORN...taking off your Buddy Holly glasses (representing your strength which is actually weakness)...and raising up with the POWER OF GOD...to deal with the thorn. God's POWER will be PERFECTED in WEAKNESS.

"I HAVE STRENGTH FOR ALL THINGS IN CHRIST (yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power) for ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, the ugly)...Who EMPOWERS me...I am ready for ANYTHING (weakness, insults, distresses, persecutions, difficulties, thorns, satanic messengers, etc) and EQUAL TO ANYTHING (I am not below...but up to the task)...THROUGH HIM (not through me) Who INFUSES INNER STRENGTH (as long as I am in my strength...the infusion can't take place)...into me...THAT IS...I am self-sufficient IN CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY (after all...His grace is sufficient). " (Philippians 4:13 The Amplified Bible with Ruminator commentary)

LAST THOUGHT (aaaaah...at last)

We don't roll over and just take it when satan attacks...but we do roll over in our weakness...and rise up in HIS POWER.

Love and STRONG KISSES
Rodney "98 Pound Strong Man" Boyd

YES MASTER

Greetings O Ye Rock Em, Sock Em Ruminators. I want each of you to repeat after me...YES MASTER. Now...say it again...but say it in a monotone, submissive voice...YESSS MASTER. Now...say it again after I give you a command. Go to your banks...withdraw a $100.00bill...place it in an envelope.. address it to me...put a stamp on the envelope...and mail it to me now.
Your response: YESSSS MASTER.

The good news is that we are not hyp-mo-tized...or drug induced Zombies...or programmed ROBOTS. We have been created (if you subscribe to that notion) with what is known as VOLITION. Aaaaaaaaah Sweet Volition. NO...I did not say Sweet Videlia ..but Sweet Volition. Volition is merely...the concept of FREE WILL. To be...or not to be that is the question. We have talked many times about our abilities to CHOOSE...life/death...blessing/curse...obey/disobey...
yes/no.

I love science fiction stories...and movies. Robots are central characters in the stories and moves...from CP3O, R2D2, Robbie the Robot(in the classic Sci-Fi movie Forbidden Planet)...and of course Robbie the Robot refurbished in the T.V. show...LOST IN SPACE, etc. Issac Asimov introduced robots with his science fiction short stories. The word ROBOTICS was 1st used in Asimov's 1949 story LIAR!. In 1950 he published 9 short stories that were connective by a narrative device of a story teller. Part of those short stories was one called I, ROBOT...which was seen on the T.V. show THE OUTER LIMITS...and later in the movie I, ROBOT with Will Smith in 2004. Asimov introduced what is known as the THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS (that go awry when the created robots...develop human emotions and volition. DANGER...DANGER WILL ROBISON (Lost in Space reference).

THREE LAWS OF ROBOTICS

1. A robot MAY NOT INJURE a human being or, through inaction, allow a human being to come to harm.

2. A robot MUST OBEY ORDERS given to it by human beings, except where such orders would conflict with the first law.

3. A robot MUST PROTECT its own existence as long as such protection does not conflict with the 1st or 2nd law.

Good laws to live by...if you are a ROBOT. Instead of I, ROBOT...we are I, HUMAN.

Man...Wo-man...Man/Woman-kind...were CREATED with the capacity to worship, fellowship, love, commune...and CHOOSE.

In the book of Genesis (beginnings)...we see an overview of creation by the Creator...with Genesis 1:1-25 God SPEAKING into existence various things from light to animals...with his assertion that what He had CREATED was GOOD. Then in verse 26 we see God saying..."Let US make man in OUR image according to OUR likeness...." He goes on to say, "...and let them rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over the cattle and over ALL the earth, and over every CREEPING THING (including creepy serpents) that CREEPS (authority over the creeps). Verse 27 continues with a description of the creation process..."And God created man in His own image, in the image of God He created him: male and female He created THEM.

NOTE: That this authority for the created beings was given to MALE and FEMALE.

Verse 28 continues..."And God BLESSED them (male and female) and God said to THEM (male and female), be fruitful and multiply (and God was not talking about mathematics)...and fill the earth (with the cause and effect of the multiplication process)...and subdue it (utilize the delegated authority)...and rule over the fish of the sea and over the birds of the sky and over every living thing that moves on the earth." Verse 29-30 continues on with what God had given man and woman...male and female. In the end...in verse 31..."And God saw all that He had made...and behold, IT WAS VERY GOOD..."

While Genesis 1:1-31 gives a broadbrush overview of creation in a 7 day thumbnail sketch...Genesis 2:7-25 zeros into the specifics of the creation of man/woman, male/female, husband/wife.

In Genesis 2:7...we see the first case of CPR...jumpstarting a lump of clay..."Then the Lord God formed man of DUST...from the ground...and BREATHED into his nostrils...THE BREATH OF LIFE...and man BECAME (cause and effect) a LIVING BEING/SOUL." Later on we see the first surgery performed with anesthesia as God caused a deep sleep to fall upon the man, and he slept...and then He took one of his ribs (pre Famous Daves) and closed up the flesh at that place. And the Lord God FASHIONED (1st fashion show) into a woman the rib which He had taken from the man and brought her to the man. (Genesis 2:21-22)

NOTE: Remember that woman was not an after thought. She was in the original plan of creation...in the image of God...and was to have authority and dominion over earth as was man.

Then the union of man (Ish) and wo-man (Isshah)...became bone of my nones and flesh of may flesh...and for this cause a man shall leave his father and his mother and shall cleave to his WIFE and they shall become ONE FLESH. (Genesis 2:23)

Well Mr. Ruminator...what does all this mean? Well...Mr. and Mrs. and Miss and Ms Ruminators and Ruminettes...it's like Pastor Bruce Coble says..."we are just lumps of clay filled with the glory of God."

We are NOT robots. We have a divine link with the CREATOR of the universe. What gives value to a container...is not the container...it is what is IN the container that gives it value.

We are lumps of clay...with the breath of the creator of the universe...that was set into motion in the Garden...and continues to breath... until he stops it.

Part of the VOLITIONAL PROCESS that we have...is found in the song HAVE THINE OWN WAY, LORD

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Thou art the POTTER...I am the CLAY
Mold me and make me...after Thy will
While I am waiting...Yielded and still

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have thine own way
SEARCH me and TRY me...MASTER today!
Whiter than snow, Lord...wash me just now
As in Thy presence Humbly I bow

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Wounded and weary...Help me , I pray
Power all power...surely is Thine
Touch me and heal me...Saviour divine

Have Thine own way, Lord! Have Thine own way!
Hold o'er my being absolute sway!
Fill with thy Spirit...surely is Thine
Till all shall see
Christ only, always...LIVING IN ME!

This song penned by Adelaide Pollard and George Stebbins...with a copyright in 1907...still rings true to me in 2008.

YES MASTER....I choose to obey and yield to your desires.

Love and non-robotic kisses
Rodney "I, RODNEY" Boyd