THE C-FACTOR

Greetings Oh Ye Chili aficionados. The question arises...with...or without? Depending on who you are talking to...you either like your chili with meat...or without meat. I prefer my chili...
CON CARNE...with meat/flesh.

I have vivid memories of growing up...and every other Wednesday night...when my Dad got paid...we would go to the local Kroger...and buy groceries. When we got home from Kroger...Mom would put on a pot of coffee...and open some cans of chili...CON CARNE. When I close my eyes... to this day...I can almost smell the aroma wafting through the Boyd household. Even to this day... I judge all chili...by my Mom's chili...out of the can.

I like my chili with meat/flesh...but my Christianity is another thing. The C-Factor...is a series of Cs...CONFESSION...of a...CHRISTIAN CON CARNE. This would be...a Christian (follower of Jesus)...with or in...THE FLESH.

Of course there is only one thing worse than a sinner...and that's a Christian...who walks and lives in the flesh...or the CARNAL...CON CARNE life.

The word in the Greek language for flesh/meat/carnal...is SARX. Sarx is...flesh...the meat of an animal...human nature...with it's frailties (physically or morally)...and passions...carnal.

In this losey-goosey...world that we live in...I am seeing an increasing tendency...for followers of Jesus...to let the guard down...and instead of walking by the Spirit....we walk/live...with a mixture of Jesus Loves Me This I Know...and...doing anything I want, when I want, and how I want. This is a recipe for trouble.

DISCLAIMER: Let me say from the onset...and I know that this will come as a surprise to many of you...that I am not perfect. You can easily come in and scrutinize my life...and I will come up lacking and wanting. I know that when you point your finger at someone...you have three pointing back at you. I know the Scriptures talk about not judging...while you try to take out a speck in someones eye...while you have a 2 x 4 sticking out of your eyes. So...as I right this...I am looking at a mirror and talking to myself.

I have been a follower of Jesus for the past 38 going on 39 years. In the early days...it was a roller coaster ride...and sometimes the roller coaster came of the tracks and I crashed in a flesh accident. I smoked more dope...drank more booze...and did more stupid fleshly things...AFTER I was saved, baptized, baptized in the Holy Spirit...than BEFORE I became a follower of Jesus. I guess that's why I have empathy...for those struggling with FLESH issues. I especially am sadden...when I see "some" young Christians...teens and old young Christians...being bound again by choices to live a carnal life.

NOTE: Not all believers are walking in the flesh...not all teenage believers are living a carnal lifestyle...but enough to where....I am reflecting on MY LIFE of FLESH WALKING.

There is nothing new under the sun. God's people have always been on the roller coaster of life...and the Bible is a reflection of how God deals with His people. If I was writing a book about mankind's relationship with God...I would probably hide the warts...and make believers look pristine...BUT not God. The Bible...especially the New Testament...are writings...letters of corrections and encouragement.

I Corinthians 10:1-33 talks about God's people who were LAID LOW IN THE WILDERNESS. Why did God reveal these things? According to I Corinthians chapter 10 verses 6, 11...these things were written to us as EXAMPLES and INSTRUCTION for us...SO WE WON'T BE LAID LOW IN THE WILDERNESS.

WARNING #1: I Corinthians 10:12...warns us that if you think...that YOU CAN'T FALL TO THE FLESH...look out. "Therefore...let him who thinks he stands TAKE HEED...LEST HE FALL." It's easy...to sit back...and look down on those who do certain things...that WE DON'T DO...and at the same time...DO THINGS that we should NOT DO.

WARNING #2: Beware of being a spiritual ARMCHAIR QUARTERBACK. I am guilty of this...trying to determine someones motives for why and what they are doing. It's like it says in I Corinthians 2:11..."For who among men KNOWS THE THOUGHTS of a man...except the spirit of the man...which is in him?"

WARNING #3: Spend more time interceding for the FLESH WALKER...than tsk tsking the FLESH WALKER.

NOW...what to do...what to do? Do you just let us FLESH WALKERS...keep on walking in the flesh. No...I would dare say...encourage by the Word. As it points out in Galatians 6:1-4..."Brethren...even if a man is CAUGHT IN ANY TRESPASS (not just walking in the flesh...but actually caught in overt sin)...you who are SPIRITUAL...restore such a one in a SPIRIT OF GENTLENESS (not in a fit of anger or superiority)...LOOKING TO YOURSELVES (check out the mirror)...let you too be tempted. Bear one another's burdens...and thus fulfill the law of Christ. For if ANYONE THINKS HE IS SOMETHING...when he is nothing...he deceives himself. But let each one examine his OWN WORK... and then he will have a reason for boasting in regard to himself alone...and not in regard to another."

The last collage is what I desire for the youth of the church where I attend...the young adults that have grown up in the church...the adults who have been Christians forever and have gotten in a spiritual rut....and especially ME.

I Timothy 1:7-16...is Paul writing to a young Timothy...about what he needs to do...as a young man walking out his faith and authority in the church. He encourages Timothy...to not allow anyone to LOOK DOWN ON HIS YOUTHFULNESS. Don't give anyone a reason for disregarding your confession of faith in Jesus Christ. I see 5 areas where Timothy is encouraged to DISCIPLINE HIMSELF FOR THE PURPOSE OF GODLINESS....(1) Speech (2) Conduct (3) Love (4) Faith (5) Purity

SPEECH: is what we say...but what we say is what we think. Of course in the Ruminators...we quote..."UNRESTRAINED THOUGHTS... PRODUCE UNRESTRAINED WORDS...RESULTING IN UNRESTRAINED ACTIONS. I am not talking about cussing...however that is a big part of it. The foulness that comes out peoples pie holes is atrocious. I am not talking about non-Christians...I don't expect anything less...but I am talking about followers of Jesus. Reading Facebook or My Space is revealing of what is in the hearts of many people. Another aspect of disciplining the speech...is how much unbelief, worry, tension, anxiety, fear comes out of the same pie hole that praise God on Sunday mornings.

CONDUCT: is what we do...how we act. Again disciplining...restraining...our thoughts will control what we do...or the choices we make.
Sometimes on Sunday mornings as I stand up on the stage for communion...and I look out at the people...it is amazing how many people are not listening...talking...playing games on their phones...etc. Also...the way people dress is also revealing...especially some of our lovely Christian ladies. There is a looseness in dress...that is distracting...when there is more cleavage showing than a hooker on Saturday night.
Again on Facebook or My Space...are flooded with Christian believers...in seductive poses...for the sake of art...or an in the face comment on the freedom they have.

LOVE: is what motivates and moves us...but there appears to be a confusion with love and lust. Christian boys...whisper in the ears of Christian girls...that they LOVE THEM...but what they really mean is I LUST you. One step leads to another (connected to the CONDUCT)...first base...second base...third base...and rounding to home with a baby. Like Larry Norman sang...I once knew a girl as sweet as could be...but she fell for a man like a chained saw tree...she listened to his lies...fooled by his charms...now she's sitting with a baby in her arms...you got to WATCH WHAT YOU'RE DOIN'" Notice it is not just the girl...it takes two to tango.

FAITH: is what we believe...with the root of our believe in the D.B.R...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE NOTHING LESS. If you read the book of Galatians...it is a letter of correction of believers...who are adding to the faith...in the areas of rules and regulations...and walking in the FLESH...not in the SPIRIT.

PURITY: is mixing in bitter waters...with fresh waters...and that makes the whole spring polluted. Purity is a lost art...because after all WE ARE FREE. Paul underscores this in I Corinthians 6:12...in his letter of correction to the fleshly church of Corinth..."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."

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!

I can't tell anyone what to do...I have a handfull just with my life, my family and those who...for whatever reason look up to me. But this I do know...that is good for me...and everyone.

1. Work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. (Philippians 2:12)
2. When you know to do good...do it and don't sin. (James 4:17)
3. Whatever you do...do it by faith...and don't sin. (Romans 14:23)
4. Discipline yourself (remove encumbrances that trip you up (Hebrews 12:1; I Timothy 4:7)
5. Keep focused in the Word (I Timothy 4:11-16; II Timothy 3:16,17; Joshua 1:8)
6. Stay free (Galatians 5:1,9,13,16-26)

SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION

If you are in the Smyrna and surrounding area...you are invited to THE RUMINATOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS where we are currently studying HOW TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION, SIN AND THE FLESH. If you are outside of the are...email me...and I will send you a copy of the workbook over your email

Love and SAN CARNE KISSES
Rodney "Preaching to Me" Boyd