Aaaaah Look At All The Lonely People

Greetings to all the Non-Lonely and all the Lonely People. How's your LONELY FACTOR. The range of loneliness would range from...NOT LONELY... to DESOLATE.

The Beatles had a song...mainly penned by Paul McCartney...with input from others including John, Ringo, and a fellow named Paul Shotten. The song was ELEANOR RIGBY. It was a snapshot of humanity...who go through the motions of life...but the loneliness cries out like dark screaming for daylight.

For years McCartney declared that Eleanor Rigby was a fictional character... but over the years...there arises clues that she was a real person. In the first collage there are two related pictures. There is a tombstone...with the name Eleanor Rigby on it. The tombstone is found in St Peter's churchyard in Woolton near Liverpoole. The picture under it shows a skiffle band called The Quarrymen who was led by John Lennon. This is where John met Paul McCartney...where Paul may have seen the tombstone of Eleanor Rigby.

Other pictures includes the group America...along with Dan Peek who was 1/3 of the group. They had various hits like A Horse With No Name, Tin Man, and a song called LONELY PEOPLE.

This is for all the LONELY PEOPLE
Thinking that life has passed them by
Don't GIVE UP until you drink from the silver cup
And ride that highway in the sky

The song struck a chord with many lonely people...and like many in the 60's/70's...they were always looking for some kind of relief. Dan Peek who wrote the song along with his wife...got tired of the "anything goes" lifestyle...and recommitted his relationship with Jesus Christ. He released Christian albums (All Things Are Possible and Doer Of The Word)...and even rewrote the song LONELY PEOPLE. He changed the last line to...

Don't GIVE UP...until you drink from the silver cup
And give your heart to Jesus Christ.

For more on Dan Peek...go to www.danpeek.com


It seems like loneliness is not limited to being alone. Over the years I have observed...in my mirror and in the lives of many people...that this thing called loneliness can be manifest is a CROWD. There is nothing worse to be lonely...other than being lonely in a crowd. The problem is that we try to cover up...mask...dull the loneliness with everything from sex, booze, drugs, religion, good works, surrounding ourselves with other lonely people.

I do like what my good brother Michael Seckinger stated...."One thing that I like about BEING ALONE in a CROWD is that it keeps me from going along with the crowd." Of course brother Mike knows that he is never alone in a crowd with the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit always there.

The Swirling Eddies...and spin off from the band Daniel Amos...had a song on their OUTDOOR ELVIS ALBUM...called DRIVING IN ENGLAND. It talks about driving in England on the Santa Anna freeway...while someone cries out...your going the WRONG WAY. When you are a believer in a crowd of unbelievers...you go against the flow...go against the grain...rub people the wrong way...so you are ALONE IN A CROWD.

Jesus was like that. While religious people (those who were washed on the outside but stank on the inside)...were going one way...Jesus was going the WRONG WAY...which was really the RIGHT WAY. This Way (actually the only way) lead Jesus into LONELY PLACES...places of prayer...places of betrayal and desertion...and the lonely place on the CROSS in our place. He was so lonely...that at one point He cries out...My God...My God...Why has Thou forsaken me?" But it was necessary for Him to bare the loneliness...so we would not have to...and come to a place...where He would never leave us or forsake us. (Hebrews 13:5,6)

The ultimate end of loneliness lead to hopelessness...and when you have no hope (confident expectation)...we become discouraged and contemplated doing a George Bailey off of a bridge. In the movie It's A Wonderful Life...the many prayers of George's friends and family (which he could not sense or see in the crowd)...moved Father to send an answer.

I have known a few people who have chosen the route of suicide to end the overwhelming sense of failure and loneliness. It is always sad for those who are left behind...with lingering questions about what they could have done differently. One thing worse that the loneliness of suicide...is those who are the WALKING DEAD...who do like it says in the song Eleanor Rigby...they are "wearing a face that she keeps in jar by the door".

NOTE: There are times when we draw away to the lonely place...to be with the Father. Jesus did this quite often...and always came away...not lonely...but refreshed...and empowered...with direction. This is not retreating into isolation that only feeds into the loneliness...and surrounds us with self-pity and hopelessness.

Jesus...knew that He was NOT ALONE.

"And yet if I do judge, My judgment is true; for I AM NOT ALONE...but I am WITH THE FATHER who sent me." (John 8:16)

"Then Jesus said to them...when you lift up the Son of Man...then you will know that I am He...and that I do nothing of Myself; but as My Father taught Me...I speak these things. And He who sent Me...is...WITH ME. The Father has NOT LEFT ME ALONE...for I always do those thing that PLEASE HIM. (John 8:28,29)

"Indeed the hour is coming, yes has now come, that you will be scattered, each to his own and will LEAVE ME ALONE. And yet...I AM NOT ALONE...because the FATHER IS WITH ME." (John 16:32,33)

"Let your conduct be without covetousness...be content with such things as you have. For He Himself has said...I WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU NOR FORSAKE YOU. So we may boldly say...THE LORD IS MY HELPER...I WILL NOT FEAR. What can man do to me?" (Hebrews 13:5,6)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

If you are lonely...if you have tried to mask your loneliness with sex, booze, parties, drugs, laughter, sarcasm, intimidation, bravado, religion, good works, attempts to be good...and when the sex is over and the effects of the booze and drugs wear off and when you run everyone who loves you away with your sarcasm, intimidation and bravado....and when the religion, good works, attempts to be good don't fulfill....CONSIDER JESUS. Jesus Christ (the Anointed One...anointed with yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Spirit...WILL NEVER LEAVE YOU OR FORSAKE YOU. The Father will be with you by the Holy Spirit...the Helper... the Comforter...the One called along side to help.

Who am I writing to? (1) Myself (2) This is for all the lonely people...aaaaaaaah look at all the lonely people (3) Anyone who are wearing a face that they keep in a jar by the door.

Love and Non-Lonely Kisses
Rodney "Never Alone" Boyd

THE FUNNY BONE AND THE GLOWING WOMAN

Hello dear friends. I am still processing all that happened in Guatemala. One encounter that I would like to share with you is with a couple I met by the name of Sunne (sunny) and Wayne (rain with a w) Gregg.

Be sure to click on the collage to get the full blown effect of these two saints.

Sunne is a bubbling, exuberant, kinetic ball of fire for the Lord...who is a part of the Women's Aglow group. If there was a female Barnabas (son of encouragement)....she is it. If you don't feel lifted up after being in her presence...you are to heavy to be lifted up. She is a woman of the Word...who moves in the Spirit (that would be Big S)...in her little s (human spirit). She is the perfect mate...for the next character...and I do mean........ char-ac-ter.

His name is Wayne (yes things are a little strange in Wayne's World)...Gregg. This man is the Prince of Puns...well rehearsed. His big thrill is when they let him out of the "compound"...so he can go to Wendy's and get a #9 (fried chicken) with a Frosty. Visually...he looks like a character out of a Client Eastwood western...or the movie Jeremiah Johnson. His voice is kind of high pitched with a twist.

Together...these two are the Dynamic Duo of Missionaries. They have been around the world...especially...their heartbeat...Bulgaria. Currently...they are in Guatemala...destination unknown...except by the Spirit of God.

When our group flew to Guatemala...we were asked to carry a few things in our luggage...everything from canned tuna to a laptop computer. One thing that I carried was a clown costume...I am NOT clowning around. On the Saturday before I flew out...I got to see the costume in action. Wayne is a clown...a clown for the Lord. He wears a button on his costume saying...I am the funny bone in the body of Christ. The clown costume that I was carrying was for Sunne...who was making her debut as a clown. They put on a dynamic presentation of the BLESSING CUP...for some children from the neighborhood...where we fed them...and then not only made them laugh...but gave the the anointed Word of God.

Towards the end of my journey...Wayne opened a door in his private past to me (I consider that a great honor). Wayne...at one time was a Mormon. Not just your average, everyday Mormon...but a Mormon climbing up the ladder of Mormonhood. Long story short...Wayne read a book called the THE GOD MAKERS....written by an ex-Mormon...and I believe a current Mormon. This opened up his eyes to the truth and the simplicity of the Gospel.

The gospel...the good news...about the death, burial, resurrection of Jesus as the substitute or satisfaction for God. We were separated by sin...and Jesus brought us back together with God by becoming the sacrificial lamb...in our place. This is often called the scandalon...or the STUMBLING BLOCK...where people stumble over the SIMPLICITY of the CROSS. Wayne had a revelation of this.

Wayne was to be excommunicated from the Mormon church...and had the opportunity to go to a tribunal hearing. He did not have to go... but...he did. Wayne heard the charges laid against him...and stood up and in that kind of high pitched with a twist said....

"You guys are making this too hard." Then he quoted John 3:16...

"FOR GOD SO LOVED THE WORLD...THAT HE GAVE HIS ONLY BEGOTTEN SON...THAT WHOSOEVER BELIEVES IN HIM...SHALL NOT PERISH...BUT HAVE EVERLASTING LIFE" (John 3:16)

Well...Wayne was not CLOWNING AROUND. He turned around...walked out...and walked right into the beginning of the greatest adventure a man could have....walking in the Spirit. The Lord gave Him...a perfect sole mate (sole for walking partner)...in Sunne.

I am a better man (blessed...belisimo) for having encounter the Holy Spirit...through Wayne and Sunne Gregg.

Love and Clown Like Kisses
Rodney "Don't Stumble Over The Cross" Boyd

THE SEEKER

Hello friends. Long time...no write. I have just returned from Guatemala... where the Lord was faithful. Before I went there...the Lord spoke a word...and gave me a vision. The word was found in Romans 1:11,12...where like Paul...I desired to come to the school to impart (give, share, impart, distribute grant liberally, encourage) some spiritual gift...so that they may be established. In verse 12 Paul clarifies what he means..."that is, that I may be ENCOURAGED TOGETHER with you by the MUTUAL FAITH...both YOU and ME." That did happen as we gave and received from each other. The vision was on of a world that was CONNECTED by WATER. I could see how one thing that everyone in the world has in common is the connectivity of the water ways...the rain...rivers, oceans, etc. They HOLY SPIRIT is represented by water...where Jesus speaks of thirsty people..."On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone THIRSTS...let him COME to Me and DRINK. He who BELIEVES in Me, as the Scripture has said...out of his HEART/BELLY will flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER." (John 7:38) Jesus clarifies what he meant when he said WATER..."But this He spoke concerning THE SPIRIT, whom those BELIEVING in Him would receive; for the HOLY SPIRIT was not yet given because JESUS was not yet glorified." (John 7:12)

This leads us to the purpose of this Rambling...THE SEEKER. It has been said that..."God is silent." Francis Shaffer says..."God is not silent...we are NOT LISTENING." I tend to agree.

The first collage that you see is a collection of pics...that touched me during my early days of following Jesus. This was during the times of what is known as THE JESUS MOVEMENT...or the JESUS REVOLUTION...where the followers of Jesus were called JESUS PEOPLE or JESUS FREAKS. This was before the current trends of Christian music called CCM...or Contemporary Christian Music. It was called JESUS MUSIC...or CHRISTIAN ROCK AND ROLL. One aspect of this revolution was a guy named Scott Ross...who in the 60's was one of New York City's top disk jockeys. When the Beatles landed in America they were met by the Scottish transplant Scott Ross. NOTE: For full details of the adventures of Scott Ross...read his book SCOTT FREE (this can be found on the CBN website in full form). Scott ended up marrying Nedra Talley who sang with Ronnie and the Ronettes (Be My Baby). She is the one on the far left. Together they started a place in Freeville New York called LOVE INN. This was a group of believers who lived community style. Phil Keaggy (my favorite guitarist) spent some time there. He was under Ted Sandquist who along with many talented members put out a couple of albums...one being IN THE COURTS OF THE KING. During this time...there was a teaching series done by Ted and Scott called A NEW SONG FOR A NEW AGE. It was about the heartbeat of worship...and the freshness of creativity in music/song. NOW...I said all of that to say this. One of the songs was based on Psalm 63. The Psalmist (David) wrote this when he was in the Wilderness of Judah...and was a song about joy in the fellowship of God.

O God...You are My God
Early will I SEEK You
My soul THIRSTS for You
My flesh LONGS for You
In a DRY and THIRSTY land
Where there is NO WATER
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary
To See Your POWER and GLORY

ENTER THE SEEKERS. Many people do not SEE God in their lives. They do not sense His presence. Since they are "sense people"...people who base everything on what they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste...they ASSUME that God is nowhere in sight. Hebrews 11:1 states..."Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do NOT SEE...and the conviction of their reality--faith perceiving as REAL FACT...what is NOT REVEALED TO THE SENSES." (Hebrews 11:1 The Amplified Bible) In Hebrews 11:6...we see that..."But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would COME NEAR TO GOD...must (necessarily) believe that God exists...and that He is the REWARDER of those who EARNESTLY...AND DILIGENTLY...SEEK Him out."
(Hebrews 11:6 The Amplified Bible)

When your back is against the proverbial wall...and when your spiritual throat is parched to the point of being unable to even swallow...the tendency is to rely on you physical experience...and to lose all hope...give up...and consider the revealed senses. I know for sure that is what I do.

I lose my focus...and I begin to REACT in the FLESH versus RESPONDING in the SPIRIT. The key...is to KEEP ON SEEKING.

To be a SEEKER...you have to do one thing....SEEK. In the Old Testament the word seek means to tread or frequent...to follow for pursuit...or search. IN the New Testament it means to worship...desire...endeavour...enquire...seek after. This is not a PASSIVE THING. It is not throwing up your hand when you don't see what you are seeking...but is a DILIGENT SEEKING not a PASSIVE ENQUIRING.

There are many verses of Scripture that speaks of SEEKING...here are just a few...

"The FOOL has said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works. There is non who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men TO SEE if there are ANY who understand, WHO SEEK GOD." (Psalm 14:1,2)

NOTE: At that time...three was...no, not one. Hopefully...as God looks our way...he will see us SEEKING...not GIVING UP.

"But SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God...and his righteousness...and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

NOTE: This is the end of Jesus teaching about provision. Instead of worry and anxiety...we are called to SEEK His Kingdom (His rule) and His Righteousness (His standard). The rest will take care of itself. I find myself seeking the kingdom of Rod...and end up with my wrongeousness. The cause and effect is worry, tension, frustration, anxiety, doubt and unbelief.

"Keep on ASKING and it will be GIVEN YOU....KEEP ON SEEKING...and you WILL FIND...KEEP ON KNOCKING...it WILL BE OPENED." (Matthew 7:7) In the same flow of teaching...Jesus talks about the TENACITY of ASK (A=Ask S=Seek K=Knock). Jesus continues..."For every one who keeps on asking RECEIVES...and he who keeps on seeking FINDS...and to him who keeps on knocking... IT WILL BE OPENED. (Matthew 7:8) Jesus continues on comparing our earthly mentality of giving...and how good will give good and advantageous gifts to those who KEEP ON ASKING. In Luke 11...Jesus says..."...how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ASK...and CONTINUE TO ASK.: (Luke 11:13) NOTE: Those who are seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit...don't give up...keep on keepin' on.)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

God's heartbeat is that of a REVEALER...to those who SEEK Him. In the parable of the sower/seed/soil...Jesus' disciples asked WHY He spoke in parables...where some did not understand. "And He said to them...To you it has been given to know the MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD...but those who are outside...all things come in parables...SO that...seeing they may see and NOT PERCEIVE...and hearing they may hear and NOT UNDERSTAND...lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven." (Mark 4:10-12). The kingdom and things of the kingdom are for WHOSOEVER...but it is for those who truly hunger and thirst...and SEEK...not those who would just PASSIVELY INQUIRE. So...........if you are hungry and thirsty...you will be filled and quenched.

Love and Seeking Kisses
Rodney "O Lord You Are My God" Boyd