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