RUMINATIN' ROD'S RECOMMENDED READING

Hello fellow Cud Buds...aka chewers of the Cud...aka Ruminators. Read any good books lately?

1963 and 1964 were turning points in my life. In 1963 I was in the 6th grade...for the FIRST time. That's right...for the FIRST TIME. In 1963 I failed the 6th grade. I don't understand why I failed...it could have been the 13 D's and the 4 F's that had to do something with it. I did have a hard 4th and 5th grade family life...that was distracting. I remember getting my report card...and it sunk in that I was not advancing to the 7th grade with all of my friends who I have been advancing with since the 1st grade. I remember walking across a field...next to the large water tower on my way home...crying. People would come up to me who were advancing and trying to consol me. They didn't. I was devestated. On July 3rd and 4th 2009...Central High School is having a combined reunion of 1968, 1969, and 1970. I will be seeing some of my old friends from the 6th grade... the first time that is.

My 6th grade teacher was Mrs. Martha Adkerson. She was also my 6th grade teacher...the second time around. My second tour of duty in the 6th grade...I scored with ALL A's. WHY? It could be I was more mature...it could be I had already been over the material the previous year...or it could be some sage advice from Mrs. A...who became my favorite teacher of all time. Her advice..."Rodney, you can go anywhere in the world...by opening a book and letting your imagination take you there." It was then that I fell in love with reading. I wish I could say that my academic career took off from that point... BUT...over the next few years...I trudged along...bored with school...and excited by clowining around. In high school...I would fail this...and fail that...go to summer school and pass. I would even have to sneak into a couple of teacher's grade books and change a couple of my grades from F's to B's.

My college career was not much better. I became a Bible school drop-out...went to Middle Tennessee State University...and dropped out of there with a 1.6 grade point average. I even tried to apply to Oral Roberts University...and wrote a letter to them explaining that I understood that my grade point average was not up to their standards...but...in the words of their catch phrase...I was EXPECTING A MIRACLE. I never heard from them. After multiple jobs...I ended up in school for Speech Pathology... got my Masters of Education...and have been working ever since. I graduated with LAWDY HAVE MERCY. It's kind of ironic that I am now on the scholarship committee at Smyrna Assembly...interviewing potential candidates and giving our sage advice about academic excellence.

Over the years that have been various books that have caught my interest and means a lot to me.... SO we come to RUMINATIN' ROD'S RECOMMENDED READING. Here are just a few books...in no particular order...except the first one.

1. The Bible: In reality...66 books...or love letters from my heavenly Father. File this book under history...or HISstory...as the heartbeat of God for mankind is revealed.

2. The Secret of Crossbone Hills: One of the first books I bought with my own money at a book fair. I read this one over and over and over again about the adventures of Dave and Kathy in South Carolina as they fought pirates and sunburn.

3. The Wizard of Oz: Pre-Harry Potter. The book is more indepth than the movie...but I enjoy the movie. You could tell it was Easter every year when CBS would show the movie. My mom was amazed that she could turn to a page and start reading a section of the book...and I could recite it word for word. My Dad on the other hand...would get his drinking buddies and have me recite the T.V. schedule from the newpaper for them...stations, shows, and times.

4. The Cross and the Switchblade: David Wilkerson's story of going to New York in the 1950's and how God used him to deal with gangs and drugs. I found this book at Tennessee Temple Bible School in the bookstore. It was the first time I saw how this thing called THE BAPTISM IN THE HOLY SPIRIT was used in changing the lives of drug addicts. A co-book is RUN BABY RUN...about one of David's first converts Nicky Cruz.

5. A New Song: Pat Boone. I found this book in a Church of Christ book store bargin bin for fifty cents. It is the story of Pat Boone searching for more in his walk with the Lord. Again...the baptism in the Holy Spirit was key to his journey.

6. The Saint: A series of books from the 1930's and 1940's by Leslie Charteris. It is not a spiritual book despite the character. It is about a rouge named Simon Templer...who was a modern day Robin Hood with a twinge of James Bond. Played on T.V. by Roger Moore.

7. The Spirit-Filled Believer's Handbook: Derek Prince. This is the teachiings of the foundations of Christianity. Repentance from dead works...Faith towards God...the Doctrine of Baptisms (plural)... the laying on of hands...Resurrection of the dead...Eternal Judgement. These teaching are systematic, Biblical...and wonderful.

8. DAWS: This is the story of the founder of the Navigators. Combine this with the Topical Memory System...and you have a life changing book. Dawson Trotman was a man of vision and insight...and had a hunger for the Word.

9. Shout It From The Housetops: Pat Robertson's story of a man who had everything...and gave it all away...moved to the slums of New York...and God speaking to him about a world wide vision for getting the gospel out via T.V. Profund effect on my life.

10. The Secret Kingdom: Pat Robertson with the various laws of the kingdom like the Law of Reciprocity, the Law of Use, etc. Very practical walking out of the Kingdom.

11. The King and You: Bob Mumford teaching the principle of the Kingdom....it's constitution, preamble, and laws of the Kingdom.

12. Scott Free: Scott Ross' story of a man's journey...from humble beginnings...to heady power in the world of rock and roll and back to humble beginnings. This is one of the first places that I heard about a guitar player named Phil Keaggy. 50+ albums later...well...

13. Renewal Theology Volumes 1,2,3: J. Rodman Williams: In depth theological look at the charismatic movement. Good Stuff.

14. Prayer Is Invading The Impossible: Jack Hayford (really any book by Papa Hayford). He is deep but simple...and practical. He makes me feel as if I can walk out what he is teaching. This book is about tapping into a dynamic prayer life...that will invade impossible situations.

15. The Battlefield of the Mind: Joyce Myers...WOW...renewing the mind by the washing of the water of the Word to deal with the attacks of the enemy in the heart and the mind. Combine this book with another book called ME AND MY BIG MOUTH...and you have the double anointing.

16. Evidence That Demands A Verdict: Josh McDowell. From how the Bible came to be...to the resurrection of Jesus....doubters must make a decision based on truth rather than emotions or feelings.

17. Know What You Beleive/Know Why You Believe: Paul Little. Another book of apologetics. Always have a defense for what you believe.

18. THE AMPLIFIED BIBLE: Plug it it...turn it on...crank it up to 10 on the potentiometer...and listen loudly to the Word of God.

19. Charisma's Bible Handbook on the Holy Spirit: Jon Rhea's study on the Holy Spirit from Genesis to Revealation.

20. The Memory Book by Jerry Lucas and Harry Lorayne: I can't remember why I like this book. Maybe it will come to me later.

21. MAD MAGAZINE: I know...not a book...but they have collections of materials of Mad Magazines in book forms. They have MAD ABOUT THE ________________________ (50'S. 60'S, 70'S, 80'S, 90'S). These are satirical looks at human beings and the things we deem important. Nobody is immune...liberals, conservatives, religious, atheists, etc.

Well...that's it...an imcomplete list of important books in my life. I'm curious...what books have impacted your life.

Love and Book Report Kisses
Rodney "I Love Mrs. Adkerson" Boyd

Captain Love

Greetings fellow lovers of love. Have ya loved lately? The old song wondered, wondered, wondered WHO...who wrote the book of LOVE? For those inquiring minds that wants to know...WHY THE COSTUME...I respond...what costume. This is CAPTAIN LOVE. Captain Love was attending a Valentines banquet at Smryna Assembly...many moons ago. He swooped in...spread his love like peanut butter on sourdough bread. He then flew out...to the sound of people asking...Who was that capped man? Why...that was...CAPTAIN LOVE. Faster than a cockroach when the lights are turned on...more powerful than a paid off politician...able to leap a frog in a single bound...look up in the sky (he ain't there)...it's a bird (wait a minute that was bird)...it's a plane (no...it's a bird)...IT'S CAPTAIN LOVE.

"The Beatles said all you need is LOVE...and then they BROKE UP." (Larry Norman Reader's Digest)

Many a young man tried to coherce a young lady to give up her treasure by saying the words...I LOVE YOU...when what they really meant was...I LUST YOU." "

"I once knew a girl...sweet as could be...she fell for a man like a chainsawed tree...listened to his lies...fooled by his charms...now she's sitting with a baby in her arms...you gotta watch what you're doing." (Larry Norman Watch What You're Doing)

Jesus said..."He who has My commandments and keeps them...he it is who loves Me...and he who loves Me...shall be loved by My Father...and I will love him and will manifest, disclose, reveal, My love to Him." (John 14:21)

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

"Love has been perfected among us in this: that we may have boldness in the day of judgment; because as He is...SO ARE WE in this world. There is NO FEAR in LOVE; but PERFECT LOVE casts out FEAR...because FEAR involves torment. But he who fears has not been made perfect in LOVE. We LOVE HIM...because HE FIRST LOVED US." (I John 4:17-18)

Love and Well Lovin' Kisses
Rodney "Captain Love" Boyd

FOOLISH...PLOTTING...EXHALTATION: THE SOLUTION

QUESTION: What cud are you chewing?

FOOLISH...PLOTTING...EXHALTATION: THE SOLUTION

I love the PRO-VERBS. You know...the book of Positive-Action...the book of wisdom on how to do the practicalities of life. Pro-Verbs has the right amount of chapters...where you can read one chapter a day for 31 days. If you add 5 Psalms along with it...you will plow through the Psalms and the Pro-Verbs in one month.The Pro-Verbs deals alot with what you think...what you say...and what you do...and the CAUSE AND EFFECT of those three things.

This goes along with one of RUMINATOR RAMBLINGS QUOTABLE QUOTES:"Unrestrained THOUGHTS (what we think)...produces unrestrained WORDS (what we say)...resulting in unrestrained ACTIONS (what we do).

"With that in mind...let us turn to PRO-VERBS 30:31...and see how to deal with FOOLISH...PLOTTING... EXALTATION.

1. If you have been foolish (my incorrect mindset)

2. In Exalting yourself (lifting myself up above where I should be..aka arrogance)

OR

3. If you have plotted evil (thought out plans that are not good)

4. PUT YOUR HAND ON YOUR MOUTH=The Solution for #1 and #25. For the churning of milk produces butter (cause and effect)

5. And pressing of the nose brings forth blood (cause and effect)

SO

6. The CHURNING of ANGER...PRODUCES...STRIFE.

APPLICATION:

a. Your mouth is the churnb. What you think is the materials to be churned

c. Talking is the agitator that churns the materials

d. What is in the churn (your mouth) produces something. Milk produces butter...anger produces strife.

SOLUTION=STOP THE CHURNING...

(A) Take hand (B) Place over mouth.

NOTE: To truly nip what you speak in the bud...go to the root of what you think...by renewing your mind with the washiing of the water of the word.Change what you put in the churn (mouth)...and begin to agitate something positive and produce something positive.

Instead of anger producing strife...put in a little love in the churn...and produce life...lack of fear...faith...etc. It's like the Elvis song say..."a hunka hunk of CHURNIN' LOVE.

Love and Pro-Verb Kisses

Rodney "Did I Just Say A Hunka Hunk Of CHURNING LOVE" Boyd

THE COCKROACH THEOLOGY: The Art Of Spiritual Pest Control

The German Cockroach...with the egg that houses 40 little baby roaches.
The cockroach is a nasty little insect...that can be in million dollar mansions...or filthy shacks...and everywhere inbetween. The presence of a cockroach does not necessarily indicate a "dirty house"...however...it does not necessarily exclude a "dirty house." Many moons ago...in my colorful work career...I was an Orkin Pest Control Service Technician. My job...go to a customer's house...and kill the bugs. Have you ever got up in the middle of night to get a drink of water...turned on your light in the kitchen... and saw a roach...or roaches scurry away? The little buggers...cannot stand the light. Just like sin and the flesh nature cannot stand the light. "And thisis the message we have heard from Him and announce to you...that GOD IS LIGHT and in Him there is no DARKNESS at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness...we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we WALK IN THE LIGHT as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all SIN." (I John 1:5-7)When I would go into someone's home...and it is obvious that they have not cleaned their house in years...they always say..."I haven't had time to clean today." Years of ingoring the dirty things in our lives...will result in INFESTATION. I went to one house...and sprayed my powder that runs the cockroach out of their hiding place...and it was like a COCKROACH ATOMIC BOMB. The roaches will run from the nest...and run UP...to the ceiling. This one particular house...the walls became black with the roaches...the ran up the walls and began to rain down like our recent rains here in Tennessee...falling on my head...down my shirt...all around. I invented a new dance called THE COCKROACH STOMP.When the cockroach is subjected to THE LIGHT...they scurry back into their nest. The exacerbated problem is...when the cockroaches are out and about in the broad daylight. The reason they are in the broad daylight...is because the nest is full.Sin...and the deeds of the flesh are like cockroaches in our lives. One or two may appear...but before you know it...if you don't deal with them...the egg of sin...that houses multiple things in our lives...will explode and becomes an exponential phenom. Oh...they may only come out at night like the cockroach...but after a while...like the deeds of the flesh...they become EVIDENT. (Galatians 5:119-21)In the natural...cockroaches are subjected to the bottom of my feet...and chemicals. In the spiritual... sin and the flesh are subjected to FEET also."And I will put enmity between you and the woman...and between your seed and her seed; He shall BRUISE you on the head...and you shall bruise him on the HEEL." (Genesis 3:15)"...These are in accordance with the WORKING OF THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT...which He brought about IN CHRIST (yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost)...when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED (including sin, flesh, and cockroaches) not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put ALL THINGS (including sin, flesh and cockroaches) IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEED, and gave Him as head over all things to the church...which is HIS BODY (that would be you)...the fulness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:19-22)"And the God of peace will soon CRUSH satan (little s) under YOUR FEET." (Romans 16:20)We have many resources to deal with the fleshly cockroaches and sin patters in our lives including:The Word of God, The Spirit of God, The Authority of the Believer, The Body of Christ, The Gifts of the Spirit, The Fruit of the Spirit. Love...etc.Soooooooooooooooo....it's time to DANCE...the old COCKROACH STOMP...crunch, crunch, crunch.

Love and Stompin Kisses

Rodney "PEST CONTROL" Boyd
Rodney Boyd at 7:44am May 18

After I published this...I thought of the two main resources to deal with the flesh, sin, tempation and cockroaches...D.B.R...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS...THE CROSS...and THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

MY TWO FAVORITE PEOPLE

My two favorite people on planet earth. Brenda and Phillip are both Godsends to this 58 year old cud chewer.

FREEDOM...JUST ANOTHER WORD?

Greeting FREE PEOPLE What are you doing with your FREEDOM? The word freedom evokes many images with each individual. You hear the word free... you thing of no cost...no attachments...no responsibilities...no nothing.

Kris Kristofferson penned the song ME AND BOBBY MCGEE...that was made popular by Janis Joplin...and declared that..."Freedom's just ANOTHER WORD for nothing less to lose...nothing don't mean nothing honey if it ain't free." Is it really JUST ANOTHER WORD...or is it a word that carries deep meaning that will have a deep impact on the way the we live our lives.

Harry Houdini...master of escape...would self inflict himself to shackles chains, imprisonments...and would always effect an escape based on illusion. Houdini would live a well calculated life of bondage and freedom...to leave the effect of one who could set himself free...but he was bound in the mind about the other side once someone died.

At the mythic 3 day festival...Woodstock...that started out as a capitalistic endeavour to cash in on the freedom mindset...and only turned into a free concert when people exercised their freedom to tear down the fences (don't fence me in)...turned in to three days of sex, drugs and rock and roll...Richie Havens opened up...with the song FREEDOM. It started out by Richie playing guitar with background of various drums...singing the word FREEDOM 8 times,
followed by..."sometimes I feel like a motherless child (sung 3 x)...a long way from home." In this quest for freedom...there is a loneliness. It is like being alone in a crowd. The theme/thoughts of freedom...is not a new thang...but an age old cry of the heart...of either people who were bound against their will in slavery...inflicted by either an oppressive nation...or sold into slavery by their own people...bound and brought to another land against their wills. There are those who are bound into mental slavery as their environment, family, experiences dictate how they act out their bondage by fear, anger, humor, intimidation...anything to act as if they are free. Some are bound by the tyranny of the urgent as we fill our time with whatever we want to fill it with...and push out the things that we need to fill it with...resulting in being bound by the clock. Stephen Stills sang a song that epitomized the carnal nature of what we call freedom..."If you can't be with the one you love...honey...love the one you're with...love the one your with." Of course that FREEDOM PHILOSOPHY ended up in a generation bound by self desire...manifested in alcoholism, drug dependency, social diseases and unwanted pregnancy that was easily dealt with with abortion. As Steve Taylor sang in his song...WHATEVER HAPPENED TO SIN..."If you can't support it...why don't you abort it instead." This leads us into the ultimate form of bondage...SIN....thus the need for a Saviour...Jesus... who hung on the cross in our place to redeem us from sin. There was a saying that I hung up on my door at Tennessee Temple Bible School...that got me into some trouble...because it was viewed as sacrilegious...JESUS HUNG UP FOR OUR HANG UPS. I still stand by that statement.

Freedom...the release from the pressure of stuff...feels REFRESHING. The misconception of freedom is...that I am free...not bound by anything...no responsibilities....no pressures...not nothing....just free to do anything I want to do...not answering to anybody.

Teenagers long for this freedom...away from parental guidance...free from rules and regulations...free to do what they want to do. Again...their ain't nuttin' new under the sun...this has been the age old struggle between kids and parents. The only problem is...they have idealistic views of how things ought to be in this world called freedom...but they can't afford to live in the lifestyle that they are accustomed to...without their parents. The sad thing for the parents...is to watch their children make mistakes...get bound into sin...and generally make a mess of their lives. The happy thing for the parents are to watch their children... make wise choices...leave the nest...and learn to fly.

The question is...how can we make FREEDOM...MORE THAN JUST ANOTHER WORD...FOR NOTHING ELSE TO LOSE?


"My son (daughters can also follow this advice)...do not forget my law, but let (or allow) you heart to keep my commands (it always starts in the heart before being manifested in actions)...for length of days and long life and peace they will add to you (cause and effect)...Let not (don't allow it to happen) mercy and truth forsake you. Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart (keep them near you) and so find favor and high esteem in the sight of God and man (cause and effect in heaven and on earth)." (Pro-Verbs 3:1-4)

The above passage is the ideal for freedom. The next verses is the HOW.
"TRUST in the Lord with all your heart and LEAN NOT on your own understanding; In all your ways ACKNOWLEDGE Him...and He shall direct your paths. Do not be wise in your own eyes...FEAR THE LORD and DEPART EVIL. It will be health to your flesh and strength to your bones."
(Pro-Verbs 3:5-8) The old hymn says..."trust and obey...for there's no other way...to be happy in Jesus...but to trust and obey." The flip side of that song is..
"Don't trust and don't obey...for there is no other way...to be miserable in life..but to not trust and not obey."

The heartbeat for humanity was...and still is FREEDOM. Galatians 5:1 says it all.

"Stand fast therefore in the LIBERTY by which Christ has made us free, and DO NOT BE ENTANGLED again with a YOKE OF BONDAGE."
(Galatians 5:1 New King James Version)

"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 New American Standard Bible)

"In [this] FREEDOM Christ has made us FREE--completely LIBERATED us; STAND FAST then, and DO NOT BE HAMPERED and HELD ENSNARED and SUBMIT AGAIN to a YOKE OF SLAVERY--which you once put off."
(Galatians 5:1 The Amplified Bible)

This is the revealed WILL OF GOD...for your life. The thing is...there are a couple of aspects about God's will...one is His sovereign WILL...because He is God and He can do whatever He wants...and it does not matter if you get in line with His plan or not....HE IS KING...HE IS LORD...HE IS SOVEREIGN. The other aspect of His will...is His wish...His desire...BUT...His wish and His desired...IS HINGED ON YOUR RESPONSE.
His WILL IS FOR YOU TO BE FREE AND STAY FREE...but His will...is hinged on YOUR RESPONSE. You can choose NOT TO BE FREE.

"For you brethren...were [INDEED] called to FREEDOM; only [do not let your] FREEDOM be an incentive to your flesh and an OPPORTUNITY or excuse [for selfishness], but THROUGH LOVE you should SERVE ONE ANOTHER." (Galatians 5:13 The Amplified Bible)

The starting point of this thing called FREEDOM is to have a relationship with the one who sets you free. Become a follower of Jesus. If you are a follower of Jesus...and you are following Him to where He goes...He will lead you into the PRESENCE OF THE LORD...THE FATHER. No longer will SIN separate you from the Lord...but now...you are FREE.

For more information about this FREEDOM...you can contact me...Ruminatin' Rod...as 415-7577 or by email... ruminator12@comcast.net

Love and FREEDOM KISSES
Rodney "Free At Last...Free At Last...Thank God All Mighty I'm Free At Last" Boyd