FOOL...NOW AND THEN...

Greetings...Believers in God....I mean believers in Jesus...I mean..."In the beginning was the WORD/JESUS...and the WORD/JESUS was with God... and the WORD/JESUS.....WAS GOD." (John 1:1)

In 1959...Elvis Presley released a song...sandwiched between the song One Night (1958)...and A Big Hunk O' Love (1959)...was a song called...NOW AN THEN...THERE'S A FOOL...SUCH AS I. When this song was recorded... you hear the low tones...of the pre-J.D. Sumner bass singer...Ray Walker. During the recording of this song...Elvis wanted Ray to come over...and sing on the same microphone as Elvis sang...and the rest was history.

One of my favorite Beatles albums is...The Beatles...Live At the BBC. This is a great review of the roots of the Beatles...rough, raw, and brilliant...songs ranging from country...rhythm and blues...to rock and roll. At the beginning of the project...there is what is listed as "speech" which is the introduction by the boys...

"I'm Ringo and I play the drums."
"I'm Paul and I play the ..uh, uh..bass (slight laugh)"
"I'm George and I play a gui-tar"
"I'm John and I too play a guitar...and sometimes I play the FOOL."

"The FOOL has said in his heart, there is NO GOD..." (Psalm 14:1 and Psalm 53:1)

In Jesus' Sermon on the Mount...Jesus was talking about the Law...righteousness...who can...or better yet who can't keep the Law...and people's attitudes about other people. Murder is compared to heart attitude as people were calling people names...and how that attitude puts them in danger of the hell of fire...Gehenna...a perpetual burning garbage dump outside of the walls of Jerusalem.

"But I say to you that every one who is angry with his brother...shall be guilty before the court; and whoever shall say to his brother RACA (empty head) shall be guilty before the supreme court; and whoever shall say...YOU FOOL, shall be guilty enough to go into the hell of fire."

FOOL= dull or stupid (as if shut up), heedless, blockhead, absurd, foolish, dunderhead.

Well...obviously...at least to me...Jesus is not referring to the mere utterance of the word FOOL...but to the attitude behind the heart of the utterance.

The only thing worse than someone saying in their heart...that there is NO GOD...is when I...Rodney Lewis Boyd...who professes with my lips that there IS A GOD...but with my actions...ACTS LIKE THERE IS NO GOD...or at the very least that...GOD IS NOT BIG ENOUGH TO HANDLE MY PROBLEMS. I proclaim FAITH...but I live by things revealed to my senses.

The crazy thing about FOOLS...is that they think they are RIGHT...and everyone else is WRONG. They proclaim free thinking...and crucify anyone who thinks that there is a God...or that Jesus is real...or that a gathering of like minded, sinners, hypocrites who gather together (aka church)...are the FOOLS. They preach the age of enlightenment...scientific advancements...medical breakthroughs as their PROOF that THERE IS NO GOD.

"There is a WAY that seems RIGHT to a man...but its END is the WAY OF DEATH/DESTRUCTION."
(Proverbs 16:25) This statement is preceded by..."PRIDE goes before DESTRUCTION...and a HAUGHTY spirit before STUMBLING." (Proverbs 16:18)

NOTE: The Book of PRO-VERBS (Positive-Action) is full of references and contrasts of FOOLS to the WISE.

The question is...how do you deal with a FOOL (or someone who has said in his heart that there is no God)?

Well...we are called to be ready (adjusted, ready, prepared) to give a defense (apologia=a plea, answer for self, clearing of self) to EVERYONE WHO ASKS YOU to give an account for the HOPE that is IN YOU , yet with GENTLENESS and REVERENCE...and keep a GOOD CONSCIENCE so that in the THING IN WHICH YOU ARE SLANDERED (what you believe)...those who REVILE your GOOD BEHAVIOUR IN CHRIST...may be put to shame." (I Peter 3:15-16)

We are called to do the above...without FEAR and INTIMIDATION and TROUBLED...of those who want to harm you...because you are ZEALOUS for your faith. (I Peter 2:13,14)

SO....what to do...what to do. We feel so pressured in defending what we believe that we enter into a DEBATE...with the FOOL...and many times our emotions are drawn out...and we start speaking from emotion rather than faith.

"Do not answer a FOOL according to his folly...lest you ALSO BE LIKE HIM." (Proverbs 26:4). NOTE: It does not say...don't answer a fool...but don't answer according to his foolishness. Don't let the fool dictate to you how to answer.

"ANSWER a fool...as his folly (foolishness) DESERVES...lest he be wise in his OWN EYES."
(Proverbs 26:5) NOTE: This is the problem in the first place...there is a way that SEEMS RIGHT to a man...but the end is never building up...it is always tearing down. There is always an under current of strife and a lack of peace on that man/woman's life...who says in their heart that THERE IS NO GOD..and it seems RIGHT TO THEM.

Over my 39 years as a Christian...I have seen...and have been someone who has turned my back on my faith in God. I took on the mantle of a FOOL...as I lived my life as if I believed THERE WAS NO GOD.

Proverbs 26:11/I Peter 2:22...likens this type of person as DOG...that RETURNS to its VOMIT...is the FOOL who REPEATS his FOLLY (foolishness)."

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

You have got to WATCH WHAT YOU ARE DOING...especially when you share your faith. Larry Norman sings..."Ya gotta love everybody...but don't be blind...sometimes people try to mess your mind...you gotta watch who ya know." (Watch What You Are Doing). In Jesus' teaching about how to properly JUDGE (take the log out of your eye before you try to take the speck out of your brother's eye)...he talks about CASTING PEARLS before SWINE. His recommendation..."Do not give what is holy to dogs...and do not throw your pearls before swine...lest they trample them under their feet, and turn and TEAR YOU TO PIECES." (Matthew 7:6). Yes...share your faith...yes defend your faith...yes you will suffer maybe to the point of death for what you believe...but be wiley as a serpent...harmless as a dove (Matthew 10:16).

Love and Non-Foolish Kisses
Rodney "I Am A Fool For Christ" Boyd

THE EQUALITY GRASP DANCE

Greetings children...of God. There are two things that are sure (1) If you are reading this Rambling...you have been born (2) If you are reading this...you will die. It is questionable if you have been born twice...born again...been saved...but the first two things are a surety. No matter how people try at the end of life...no matter how hard they gasp and grasp...they can't carry anything with them or prolong the inevitable.

While we are here on planet earth...we perform a little dance ritual called THE EQUALITY GRASP. It is a delusional dance...but many... including myself continue the futile steps with a passion. This dance is all about attitude...and for myself...I need an attitudinal adjustment at times.

"Have this ATTITUDE in yourselves which was also in CHRIST JESUS...who...although He existed in THE FORM OF GOD...did not REGARD EQUALITY WITH GOD A THING TO BE GRASPED...but emptied Himself...taking the form of a bond-servant...and being made in the likeness of men. And being found in appearance as a man...He HUMBLED Himself by becoming OBEDIENT to the point of DEATH...even DEATH ON A CROSS." (Philippians 2:5-8)

Jesus exemplified the EXAMPLE of how to properly do THE EQUALITY GRASP. Now you may be sitting at your computer thinking to yourself...I don't have an ATTITUDE. I don't GRASP anything. O.K...but for me...I need some sort of adjustment.

Now...there is no doubt...that we are NOT equal with God. Jesus was...and is...but in obedience to the Father...He became flesh and dwelt among us. (John 1:1-14). Angels...no matter how much humans worship them...do not compare to the Son...and those angelic beings cannot ever claim equality with God as a thing to be grasped or ever think about being the radiance of the Father's glory and the exact representation of the Father's nature... like JESUS could. (Hebrews 1:1-14) Why? Because He was EQUAL with God...and choose NOT to GRASP IT.

Oh we grasp though. Christians and non-Christians alike do the EQUALITY GRASP. Intellectuals grasp on the vast amount of knowledge that they have accumulated...and hold tightly in their hands the various degrees of sheepskins they have accumulated over the years. The Apostle Paul released his grip on his intellectual prowess. "But whatever things were gain to me...those things I have COUNTED AS LOSS (loosened my grasp) for the SAKE OF CHRIST. More than that, I count ALL THINGS TO BE LOSS in the view of the surpassing VALUE of KNOWING CHRIST JESUS MY LORD, for whom I have suffered the loss of all things...and count them but RUBBISH/DUNG in order that I may GAIN CHRIST." (Philippians 3:7-8)

The story of the monkey who reached into a bottle to GRASP a banana (or piece of candy depending on who is telling the story)...and got himself trapped because as long as he had a GRASP on the banana... he could not release himself from the bottle. Sometimes we hold on so tightly to what we want...that we become trapped.

The partner that we grasp onto...changes from person to person...but we consider that partner to be our equality with God. Things like our religious experience. We thing that if we speak in tongues and someone else does not...or I have been to seminary and you have not...or I tithe and you do not...or I belong to the First Church of So and So...and you do not...or I do not suffer from donelop disease (where your belly done lopped over you belt) and you do...or I am pretty and you are ugly...or I work at this place and you work at that place....I am white and you are black...I am Aryan and you are a Jew...I am a good old Redneck filled with Southern Heritage Pride...and you are everyone else. NOTE: All of these can be reversed depending on the person. We dance around and grasp our giftings, talents, social standings, intellectual prowess, denominational ties, political pontifications, our religious pride, our maturity levels, to the point of being like the Pharisee who thanked God that He was not like the publican...while the publican cried out...HAVE MERCY ON ME...A SINNER.

NOTE: I heard someone say...No man can judge me...only God can. This was said as an excuse to do whatever they wanted to do...without anyone saying anything to them. Of course if you mention someone like Michael Vick...and they immediately begin to JUDGE THEM...or mention someone...anyone...who does anything that they disagree with...and let the EQUALITY GRASP...begin.

The question is...how can I break the pattern of THE EQUALITY LIFE IN MY LIFE.

As always...Jesus is our example. For Jesus...the facts were actually true (unlike our sense of being superior or equal)...and He did certain things.

1. He did not REGARD equality with God a thing to be grasped. We have to come to a new mindset...of who we are....and loosen our grip. (Phil. 2:6)

"For through the grace given me I say to EVERY MAN/WOMAN among you...NOT TO THINK MORE HIGHLY OF HIMSELF THAN HE OUGHT TO THINK...but to thinks so as to have sound judgment, as God has allotted to each a measure of faith." (Romans 12:3)

2. He EMPTIED Himself. (Philippians 2:7) Sometimes...we are so FULL OF OURSELVES...that we have to empty ourselves of our SELF. Bruce Lee was quoted as saying..."Before you taste my tea...you must first empty your cup."

3. He TOOK the form of a BONDSERVANT. (Philippians 2:7) God does not ever ENSLAVE PEOPLE... He SETS THEM FREE. A bondservant is someone who has been set free...but because of love...continues to serve.

4. He was made into the LIKENESS OF MEN (Philippians 2:7) He identified with who had a need not who He was and who he could grasp in His equality.

5. He HUMBLED Himself...by becoming OBEDIENT. (Philippians 2:8) When we don't humble ourselves (not God forcing the issue)...we are walking in disobedience...and GRASPING EQUALITY.

6. His OBEDIENCE extend to the POINT OF DEATH...DEATH ON A CROSS. (Philippians 2:8) We are also called to DEATH...If we want to stop the EQUALITY GRASP DANCE...and begin a NEW DANCE AS WE SING A NEW SONG.

"I have been CRUCIFIED WITH CHRIST...and it is no longer I who lives but CHRIST LIVES IN ME...and the life in which I NOW LIVE...I live by FAITH IN THE SON OF GOD...who loved me...and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

"And he who does not take his CROSS and FOLLOW ME is not worthy of Me...He who has found his life shall lose it...and he who has lost his life for My sake shall find it." (Matthew 10:38)

"Then Jesus said to His disciples, If anyone wishes to come after Me, let him DENY himself, and TAKE UP HIS CROSS...and FOLLOW ME...For whoever wishes to save his life shall lose it; but whoever loses his life for My sake shall find it." (Matthew 16:24,25)

"And it was the Father's good pleasure for all the fullness to dwell in Him and through Him to RECONCILE all things to Himself, having MADE PEACE THROUGH THE BLOOD OF HIS CROSS; through Him, I say whether things on earth or things in heaven." (Colossians 1:19,20)

"Having CANCELLED OUT...the CERTIFICATE OF DEBT consisting of decrees against us and which was hostile to us; and He has TAKEN IT OUT OF THE WAY...having NAILED IT TO THE CROSS." (Colossians 2:14)

"Fixing our eyes on JESUS...the author and finisher/perfecter of our faith...who for the joy set before Him ENDURED THE CROSS....despising the shame...and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:2)

NOTE: All of these past verses points to what Jesus did on the CROSS...in our place...as HE DID NOT REGARD EQUALITY WITH GOD A THING TO BE GRASPED. If He did that for us...why is it that we GRASP the things that we thing makes us SUPERIOR to others. All we can do is ACCEPT WHAT HE DID. That is what Paul was talking about in Galatians 2:20...and underscores about how he now dies daily. Not Jesus dying daily...but dying to ourselves and living to Him. Dying to what we consider EQUALITY and what makes us SUPERIOR TO OTHERS...and live to Him. We accept the WORK OF THE CROSS.

"I protest, brethren...by boasting in you...which I have in Christ Jesus...I DIE DAILY."
(I Corinthians 15:31)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY.

I was with my Dad...at bedside while he was dying. He was gasping for breath...struggling...and I leaned down to his ear and told him that it was alright to LET GO...we would see Him again...and Mom was waiting...and more than that Jesus was waiting. Almost in an instant...He ceased the struggle to gasp and GRASP this life...and slipped out into eternity....and peace. If I could only learn to let go of the GRASP here on this earth...while I am still alive...die to myself...and live unto Him.

Love and Non-Grasping Kisses
Rodney "Counting Things As Cow Dung" Boyd