I NEVER PROMISED YOU A ROSE GARDEN

Hello Kingdom Warriors. How's the battle, the skirmish, the tussle, the war going? Pretty EASY...huh!?!

Lynn Anderson had her big hit...as she sang...I beg your pardon...I never promised you a rose garden. Sometimes...as we approach our Christianity...we have an expectancy of EASY STREET. The life we left behind was hell on earth...and once we accepted Jesus as our Saviour...or took a step in our Christian walk closer to Him...we expect a little heaven on earth...HOWEVER...more times than not...it gets worse.

One comment that I hear a lot...when I write these Ramblings...or as I teach the Ruminator Sunday School Class is..."that's EASY to say...but it is HARD to do." I agree. It is EASY for me to PONTIFICATE about the various principles of God...as I sit in my comfortable office...surrounded by my wall of books and research materials, listening to music on my computer...sipping on my hot cup of coffee. It is especially EASY when I am not going through what others are going through. I guess that would be the next thing I hear a lot..."You don't know what I am going through." "IT'S HARD!!!!!!!!!!!!"

It could be anything from forgiving the unforgivable to disciplining yourself for the purpose of godliness.

The word EASY means (a) causing or involving LITTLE DIFFICULTY or DISCOMFORT (b) requiring or indicating LITTLE EFFORT, THOUGHT, or DISCOMFORT.



HARD...would mean...(a) causing or involving DIFFICULTY or DISCOMFORT and requiring or indicating EFFORT, THOUGHT, or DISCOMFORT.

If you are attempting to apply the principles of God in your life...and it AIN'T EASY...that does not mean that the principle is wrong or not worth pursuing. It does not mean that because you are experiencing resistance to your effort that you are OUT OF THE WILL OF GOD.

"And from the days of John the Baptist until NOW the kingdom of heaven suffers VIOLENCE...and the VIOLENT take it by FORCE." (Matthew 11:12)

"And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time the kingdom of heaven has ENDURED VIOLENT ASSAULT...and VIOLENT MEN SEIZE IT by FORCE [as a precious prize]--a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought for with MOST ARDENT ZEAL and INTENSE EXERTION." (Matthew 11:12 The Amplified Bible)

Pursuing the kingdom...in the natural...appears to be a hard thing...but Jesus does promise that if we follow Him his yoke is EASY...His burden is LIGHT.

"Come to Me...all you who labour and are heavy laden...and I will give you REST. Take My yoke upon you and LEARN FROM ME...for I am GENTLE...and LOWLY in heart...and you will find REST for your souls. For My yoke is EASY...and my burden is LIGHT." (Matthew 12:28-30)


In the words of Michael Buffer...."LEEEEEEEEET'S GET READY TO
RUUUUUUUUUUUUMMMMMMMMMMMMMBBBBBBBBBBBLE!!!!!" In our last collage...I have place pictures of various rumblers. It ranges from a lion (representing the Lion of the tribe of Judah...aka Jesus), Billy Jack...kicking with Hapkido...Sumo wrestlers...Michael Buffer, Walker Texas Ranger...Paul McCartney's album cover for Run devil Run...Bill Taylor smashing boards...Elvis as boxer Kid Galahad...William Wallace declaring freeeeeeeeeedommm....Old Style Batman fighting the darkness of Gotham city...the boys of Bonanza...the Incredible Hulk....Smith Wigglesworth (a plumber in England filled with the Spirit of God)...Billy Graham with a simple message that changes lives.... Hopalong Cassidy (aka William Boyd)...Hulk/Thunderlips and Rocky getting ready to rock...Chuck Conners as the Rifleman...The Man From Uncle (Napoleon Solo and Illya Kuriaken fighting the forces of evil)...King Creole standing up against the mob and Maxie Fields...Flash Gordon against the evil Ming...Petra album cover with flaming sword...Tojo Yamamoto with his deadly wooden shoe... a Ruminator Cow ready for action...Barney Fife and Sgt. Friday...Rowdy Roddy Piper ready to fight the aliens forces....kingdom warfare...and a Black Belt Cow.

You can put your picture in here...because if you are a follower...you are a warrior.

The things that I write about...are not EASY...but they are WORTH FIGHTING FOR.

In the last Rambling I mention Bruce Cockburn and his song...THE WHOLE NIGHT SKY. Another song that speaks to me about this subject...is LOVERS IN A DANGEROUS TIME. We are living in DANGEROUS TIMES.

When you're lovers in a dangerous time
Sometimes you're made to feel as if your love's a crime
But NOTHING WORTH HAVING COMES WITH OUT SOME KIND OF FIGHT
Got to KICK at the DARKNESS...
'Til it BLEEDS DAYLIGHT.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!

Remember that in this fight...this spiritual wrestling match...that:

"For we are not WRESTLING with flesh and blood--CONTENDING only with physical opponents--but against the despotisms, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of THIS PRESENT DARKNESS...against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere." (Ephesians 6:12) NOTE: Read Ephesians 6:10-20 for full details of battle armour and strategies.

Instead of responding to opposition in your walk like a newspaper man who would yell out...STOP THE PRESSES...I would encourage you to continue to PRESS ON...AND IN...THE LORD.

Love and Rumbling Kisses
Rodney "I Ain't Gonna Stop Proclaiming The Principles of God" Boyd