From Baby to Adult: The Road

Hey friends...between the point of birth...to the point of death...there is this little thing that we walk out called life. Sometimes the roadsigns looks like the one in this Rambling...ARNO ROAD. The joke that I never get tire of saying every time I pass this road..."Don't go down that road...there ARE NO road."

Brenda laughs...so I will not tell it again...Phillip announces..."Dad...that may have been funny the first time...but it's not now."

As Phillip is growing into a man...an adult...old Dad...keeps pointing out roads NOT TO GO DOWN...sometimes to now avail. It seems as Phillip chronologically is 19 going on 21...and I don't know anything...my little road map comments goes unheeded. That's alright...one day...he will all of a sudden realize how smart I have gotten. Part of the fun of parenthood...is hoping that what you have taught over the years will stick...and will at some point manifest in actions.

But until then...you love...continue to speak into their lives...and PRAY.


Over the past 20 years...I have watched...young kids at Smyrna Assembly... grow up...leave home...make decisions (some wise...some not so wise)...and continue to pray for them also.

It seems like somewhere along the way...we (I include myself in that we) equate growing up with FREEDOM. We become FREE to make choices...FREE to talk the way that we want to talk...FREE to do the things we want to do. That freedom includes things that are not necessarily conducive to the walk of a follower of Jesus. As I watch and listen...I see and hear...things that grieves my heart...and I know it grieves the heart of the Father.

When Paul is encouraging his son in the faith...Timothy...to DISCIPLINE himself for the PURPOSE of godliness...transitions to a place where he encourages Timothy...not to give the older generation a reason to look down on the younger generation. I pray these things for my son...for the children of Smyrna Assembly...and to be honest with you...I pray these things for MYSELF.


"Let no one look down on your YOUTHFULNESS...but rather in:

1. Speech: The way that you talk...your conversation.
2. Conduct: The way that you act...when no one is looking.
3. Love: Not lust...but true love
4. Faith: What pleases God
5. Purity: Freedom from things that taint your waters

We are called to "show yourself an example of those who believe".

It hurts to read various My Space pages...and Facebook pages...and see how freely the F-bomb...or other four letter words are dropped. Some thing that to be an adult is to be free to express in language meant to offend. It hurts to see "godly" ladies show more cleavage than your average hooker. It's sad to see young ladies...give away their treasure to any yahoo that pretends that they love them. As I watch...people drift away into intellectual and elitist confabulations in exchange for their relationship with God...there is a sense of helplessness. In a quest to become adults...we try to imitate what has become a substitute for art...and think that we are free as we indulge freely into the excesses of the world. People who are already adults...and are growing spiritually...sometimes think that we are free to do whatever we want to do. Before we realize it...our freedoms have turned into a trap. We tend to think that our maturity in the Lord...allows us to rise above the warning sings along the road.

"All things are lawful for me, but not all things are PROFITABLE. All things are lawful for me...but I WILL NOT BE MASTERED BY ANYTHING." (I Corinthians 6"12)



Now I know that I run into the danger of being called a legalistic twit...who wants the ladies to wear clothing to the excess of Islam...and the boys to put on horse blinders...and try to exchange the grace of God for a system of doisms and dontisms...or not drink anything but pure spring water versus wine...but that is not it at all.

I realize that this is not...the same world that I grew up in...and that there are new wineskins and methods that the next generation can express their faith...but...immorality, the flesh, sensuality, and speech and conduct...still have their place in the kingdom walk. I also realize that I can't expect Phillip Stephen Boyd to be a Rodney Lewis Boyd clone in his Christian walk...but I do have an expectancy for him to love the Lord God with all his heart, soul, mind, and strength and to love his neighbor as himself.

"Let no unwholesome word proceed from your mouth...but only such a word as is good for edification according to the need of the moment...that it may give grace to those who hear."
(Ephesians 4:29)

"It was for freedom that Christ set us free, therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to a yoke of slavery."(Galatians 5:1)

"I am writing to you, little children, because your sins are forgiven you for His name's sake. I am writing to you , fathers...because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I am writing to you young men because you have overcome the evil one. I have written to you children because you know the Father. I have written to you fathers because you know Him who has been from the beginning. I have written to you young men, because you are strong, and the WORD OF GOD abides in you, and you have over come the evil one."
(I John 2:12-14)

"How can a young man KEEP HIS WAY PURE? By keeping it ACCORDING TO THY WORD. Thy WORD have I treasured in my heart, that I may not sin against Thee." (Psalm 119:9,11)

I'm praying for my son...for the children of S.A....for other believers...and for MYSELF.

Love and Non-Legalistic Kisses
Rodney "Me First Lord" Boyd