PERFECT PEACE IN NOT SO PERFECT TIMES

Hello fellow planet dwellers. How's the STORMS in your life? Well...if you are living on planet earth...you either are going through a storm...or you will be going through a storm. Trouble is like concrete...it will either be cracked or just not cracked yet.

"Earthquakes...famines...wars...rumours of war...pestilence...violence...and murders by the score..." These are the words from that rockin' Jesus song... called ENDTIME BLUES IF YOU DON'T KNOW JESUS. When the band that I was part of was playing at a Girls correction school in Tullahoma...I announced the name of the song...and a girl shouted out..."Don't sing me no blues!" But the bottom line is...STORMS rage against houses built on sand...and houses built on rock. It rains on the just and the unjust...SO...you need something...someone to weather you THROUGH THE STORM.

What has happened to you lately? Discouraging news...disappointments... overwhelming emotions...situations that only get worse...circumstances that you are always the victim of...may be the NORM in your life. We live in a CURSED, FALLEN WORLD...with an enemy that is out to get you with well orchestrated schemes...to put on a yoke, a burden, an oppression on you. As believers...we don't deny the reality of what is going on in this world... the collective world as a whole and the world in general...and in your own private world...BUT...we do deny to the enemy the right or authority to KEEP US DOWN.

I find myself getting in the RUT OF COMPLACENCY in my walk with the Lord. I find myself being on automatic pilot.

NOTE: A rut has been defined as a grave with both ends knocked out.

As I walk out this journey...I sometimes find myself just going through the emotions... voice of emotions. Life plods along like the footsteps in a foggy night where I can't see where I am going...but I put one step in front of the other...hoping it will lead me somewhere. I find myself living on PAST experiences and becoming complacent...and in my complacency...letting myself go...body, soul, and spirit.

I find myself like the character played by Michael Keaton in the movie MR. MOM. He is released from his place of security and his wife becomes a working superstar in advertising. He takes over his wife's position as keeper of the house...and realizes the routine of the mundane...and LET'S HIMSELF GO. He becomes void of emotion and any direction or drive. He becomes sloppy in his work, his appearance and his attitude.
He then realizes that he must TAKE BACK HIS LIFE...in the MIDST OF THE MUNDANE.

NOTE: Sometimes...in the midst of the mundane...we have to stand up and take a stand...to BREAK THE CYCLE OF COMPLACENCY. If we want to MOVE ON to the next future leg of our journey...we have to live it out where we are in the present...and not live in the past experience (good or bad).

When you don't DO SOMETHING...ANYTHING can take control and rule you. When you don't stand, resist, fight, push back against the STORM...whatever is on the attack...will flood in and DOMINATE...and take over you life...take over you mindset...take over you words...and take over your actions.

UNRESTRAINED THOUGHTS (what you think)...PRODUCE UNRESTRAINED WORDS (what you speak) RESULTING IN UNRESTRAINED ACTIONS (what you do). You either are going to REACT in the flesh (which will result in death)...or you will RESPOND in the Spirit (which will result in life and peace).

There is a SONG found in the book of Isaiah...that speaks of the PEACE that falls in the realm of PERFECT.

"In that day...shall THIS SONG be SUNG in the land of Judah (praise)...we have a strong city...the Lord SETS UP SALVATION as walls and bulwarks. Open the gates, that the [uncompromisingly] righteous nation which keeps her faith and her troth with God may enter in. You will GUARD him and KEEP him in PERFECT and CONSTANT PEACE...whose MIND is STAYED on You...and HOPES CONFIDENTLY IN YOU...so TRUST IN THE LORD--COMMIT YOURSELF to Him--forever...for the Lord God is AN EVERLASTING ROCK--THE ROCK OF AGES." (Isaiah 26:3)

Isn't that what you need now? I know that is EXACTLY what is needed in the fragile times that we live.


A few years ago...after I returned back from a teaching trip to Kenya, Africa...I was called into my bosses office...and the director of Human Services was in there. They informed me that they were cutting my position to PART TIME. This meant...20 hours a week (and I would still have to go home if there were no patients so it could be less than 20 hours)...there would be a cut in benefits (thank God for the Benefits Package found in Psalm 103:1-5)...there would be an increase in cost for health insurance...etc. This is not to mention the wounds to my PRIDE (which probably needed to be wounded in the first place). After all...I had been out doing the work of the Lord...and this is how I was rewarded? Around the same time I had been reading a book by JACK HAYFORD called...PURSUING THE WILL OF GOD (Reflections and Meditations on the Life of Abraham). The book spoke of pursuing the will of God and the UNEXPECTED CROSSROADS that you may find yourself at...that will sneak up and take you by surprise...and how in these times you must YIELD YOUR WILL..to HIS WILL.

NOTE: As with many people...when you are studying the Word...trying to walk out the Word.. the WORD will be tested and tried in your life. This is my experience in what I am studying and the Ramblings that I write. I remember at that time that I was sharing with Brenda about the book and our current experiences at that time...and she stated..."You've got to stop reading these books."

During these hard emotional and financial times...I got a word of encouragement from my friends, worship pastor, spiritual prod...WAYNE BERRY. He sent me a simple e-mail that read..."THERE ARE MANY WELLS IN THE LAND TO DRAW FROM. " This was based on Isaiah 12:3 and Psalm 84:1. There are WELLS (plural) and SPRINGS (plural) that will get your through (keep on moving...don't stop in the valley...cause you will come out the other side) the VALLEY OF TEARS/WEEPING...and it will be made a PLACE OF WELLS/SPRINGS (plural)...where the early rain will FILL [THE POOLS] (plural) with BLESSINGS.

This sparked in me...the hope and faith to go no. I was NOT LIMITED by my circumstances or my present situation. I knew...that the Word of God was true and that....

"And my God will liberally supply (fill to the full) your EVERY NEED according to His riches in glory in CHRIST JESUS." (Philippians 4:19
The Amplified Bible)

and...

"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 in me...[that is I am self-sufficient in CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY].
Philippians 4:13 The Amplified Bible)

As I write this Rambling...I am listening to Wayne and our worship team at S.A. sing a song about how God will help the BROKEN ONES.

Just a snippet of that SONG OF ENCOURAGEMENT goes like this:

If you bow down...way down
You may find a place where few have gone
And if you stay down...stay way down
You may see things that few are shown

When you humble yourself under God's mighty hand
He will lift you up and steady you to stand
He will embrace...the Broken Ones
He will embrace...the Broken Ones

If you give up...really give up
You can find your place of sweet release
And If you give up...completely give up
God will flood your heart with PERFECT PEACE

At the beginning of this Rambling...I spoke of how you have to stand against the onslaught. PRIOR TO...standing, resisting, fighting, pushing back...you HAVE TO POSITION YOURSELF PROPERLY.

"Therefore HUMBLE YOURSELVES (demote, lower yourselves in your own estimation)...under the MIGHTY HAND OF GOD...that in due time/season...He may EXALT YOU. Casting the WHOLE OF YOUR CARE ---all your anxieties...all your worries...all your concerns...once and for all--on Him; for He cares for you affectionately, and cares about you watchfully. Be well-balanced--temperate, sober minded; be vigilant and cautious AT ALL TIMES...for the ENEMY of yours...the devil (little d)...roams around like a lion roaring (in fierce hunger] seeking someone to seize upon and devour. WITHSTAND HIM...be firm in faith [against his onset]...rooted, established, strong, immovable and determined---knowing that the same (identical) sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world." (I Peter 5:6-9 The Amplified Bible)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!

Thanks Wayne.

Love and Multiple Well Kisses
Rodney "No Limits" Boyd