THE CASM (Chasm) OF SAR

Greetings all of you sarcastic people...and you know who you are.

I know who you are...because I are one. There are many questions about this Casm (chasm) of Sar. Is it a sin? Should we Christians use it? Was it used by Jesus? Was it used by God? Did Paul, Moses, Isaiah...via God use sarcasm as a tool to drive a spiritual point home. "Give me that old sarcastic spirit...If it was good enough for Paul...then it's good enough for me." Is it okay to hurt someone with sarcasm if the end justifies the means...or would that be meany?

Throughout the Bible...there are may forms of figures of speech utilized to present the truth in a way that we can relate to and understand. Some of the more common figures of speech includes:

1. Metaphor: implied comparison between two things which are different.

2. Simile: expressed comparison of two different things or ideas that uses the words like, as, as, so is, and/or such as.

3. Hyperbole: a deliberate exaggeration for effect or emphasis.

4. Metonymy: when the name of one object or concept is used for that of another to which it is related.

5. Synecdoche: another figure of association where the whole can refer to the part of the part to the whole.

6. Personification: when an object is given characteristics or attributes that belong to people.

7. Irony: a statement which says the opposite of what is meant. Irony is used for emphasis or effect.

NOTE: Sarcasm is a "form of irony" in which apparent praise conceals another, scornful meaning. For example, a sarcastic remark directed at a person who consistently arrives fifteen minutes late for appointments might be, "Oh, you've arrived exactly on time!" (said with sneer on face or in voice). (Dictionary.com)

On top of all of these there are puns, parables, allegory's, types, symbols, satire and sarcasm.

NOTE: Many times there will be an overriding of each of these and could be hard to distinguish the differences.

NOTE: Thanx And A Tip O' Da Hat to notes from The International Inductive Study Bible from Kay Arthur (Precepts Ministries).

I have been known to use satire, puns, and sarcasm on more than one occasion in more than one blog or teaching to get a point across.

SARCASM DEFINED

1. Harsh or bitter derision or irony
2. A sharply ironical taunt; sneering or cutting remarks
3. Latin to rend (flesh), sneer
4. Bitterness, ridicule, jeer

"Sarcasm? Not a fruit of the Spirit." (Joel Osechle)

"Sarcasm is a tool wielded that cover ups our own insecurities while revealing someone elses insecurities." (R.L.B.)

The various tools of the tongue will either heal of destroy but rarely both. Tools or instruments are extensions of the people who wield these things. If you take a sharp scalpel...you have a cold, inanimate object that is very sharp. In the hands of a caring, compassionate servant who has taken the Hippocratic Oath to heal...this extension of the surgeon's hands...the scalpel becomes a tool for cutting, repairing, removing, etc. In the hands of someone like Jack The Ripper...the tool/instrument now becomes an extension of the hands of someone who is bitter, angry, filled with rage...and becomes a tool of destruction and death.

It's all about the motive and attitude of the heart.

"And do not present your members as instruments/weapons of unrighteousness to sin, but present yourselves to God as being alive from the dead, and your members as instruments or weapons of righteousness of God." (Romans 6:13)

To often...I have fallen into the CHASM of Sar...as I used what I thought was humor to drive a point home...when all the while the sarcastic humor was a cover for my true feelings. I remember once a good brother in the Lord called me on my motive for doing something...and immediately I went into a defensive mode and began wielding my instrument of sarcastic words. It escalated into a near shouting match...in church. The good news is...I tracked him down and asked for forgiveness...he did...and to this day we are still in love.

I was reading an article on sarcasm...and I cannot find the author...but the bullet points were:

1. Sarcasm is a lie and not the language of the Kingdom
2. Sarcasm fosters insecurity
3. Sarcasm interferes with authentic community
4. Sarcasm discourages inquisitiveness
5. Sarcasm interferes with good leadership
6. Sarcasm undermines true humor
7. Sarcasm is the language of bullies

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

I am not saying that satire, humor, wit, puns, irony, etc. can't be used to disarm the listener and allow a point to be driven home...but the attitude of the heart is the motivator. If I have to use humor to put down someone...so I can be lifted up...then I have missed the point.

"Let/don't allow no foul or polluting language, nor evil word, nor unwholesome or worthless talk [ever] come out of your mouth; but only such [speech] as is good and beneficial to the spiritual progress of others, as it is fitting to the need and the occasion, that it may be a blessing and give grace (God's favor) to those who hear it. And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, (do not offend, or vex, or sadden Him) by Whom you were sealed (marked, branded as God's own, secured) for the day of redemption--of final deliverance through Christ from evil and the consequence of evil. Let all bitterness and indignation and wrath (passion, rage, bad temper) and resentment (anger, animosity) and quarreling (brawling, clamor, contention) and slander (evil speaking, abusive or blasphemous language) be banished from you, with all malice (spite, ill will or baseness of any kind). And become useful and helpful and kind to one another, tenderhearted (compassionate, understanding, loving-hearted), forgiving one another [readily and freely], as God in Christ forgave you." (Ephesians 4:29-32 The Amplified Bible)

Love and Guarded Kisses
Rodney "Bit In The Mouth" Boyd

39 And Counting

Greetings O Ye Love Birds...

July 14th...will be our 39th wedding anniversary. We got married in 1972...but we met in 1968...in a garage on Nancy Avenue in Murfreesboro Tennessee...during a Sunday afternoon band practice of The Blind Distortion. Of course it was love at first sight...on my part....but it didn't take to long to "woo her with my charms." (Earnest T. Bass)

NOTE: The first picture is one of our first dates (the first was after a homecoming bonfire...and then we went to eat at Sir Pizza...where we ordered a large half hamburger...half mushroom pizza...and ate a total of two slices).

In honor of the re-release of MOO GOT MAIL ( a collection of Ruminator Ramblings)...here is a reprint of the August 16th 2003 Ruminator Rambling called THE ART OF MARRIAGE.


THE ART OF MARRIAGE

Hello fellow Ruminators...chewers of the cud... the bovinian meditators of the Word. July 14th, 1972. This is a date on the time-space continuum that drastically changed my life. This was my last day of being a single young man...my wedding day. Brenda Sue Williams...was the lucky girl who was about to become married to her hunny bunny...her sugar booger...dare I say...her stud muffin.

We met in 1968 in a garage on a Sunday afternoon. I remember it as if it was yesterday. I was in a rockin' little band called THE BLIND DISTORTION. I looked every inch the rock n' roller...NOT!!! It was 131 pounds soaking wet...while everyone else had their hair combed down in the finest summer of love fashion...I still had my hair greased back like an Elvis Presley wannabe...I wore a pair of thick, black glasses (I looked like a bad impression of Buddy Holly)...and my clothes came from Pigg and Parsons (the clothing shop of the frat boys at that time). The guys in the band were trying to do a major make over in my life...so they let me play in their band and gave me tips on how to change my image.

Brenda (or as I like to refer to her as "the goddess"...was best friends of the lead singer's girlfriend. They dropped in to check out our practice session. Of course...she did not gravitate to me...but more to the lead guitar player (ain't that how it always is).

Let me compress the years: (1) Courtship (2) Talking about marriage (3) She tells me that I will be going to hell (as I was about to take a bite into a Shoney's Onion Ring) (4) She leads me to the Lord in her driveway at 426 4th Avenue (5) Long distant courtship as I went to Tennessee Temple Bible School in Chattanooga (6) July 14, 1972 at 6:30 P.M (7) Started out life as husband and wife (8) 39 years later to now in 2011. NOTE: If you get married at 6:00...you are on the DOWNSWING...at 6:30 you are on the UPSWING. Don't ask me...I Just showed up when I was told.

The question is..."How did we survive 39 years? Obviously she did not marry a perfect man (I know it's hard to believe...but it's true)...and although she is known as "the goddess"...she does have a few minor flaws (BUT even her flaws border on perfection). Here are a few (just a few) of the things that we have done to survive being married.

DISCLAIMER: We don't claim perfection. We have had our share of ups and downs...arguments...times of frustrations...stubborn stand offs...etc. Just because we are Christians, DOES NOT MEAN...that hard times, temptations, frustrations, inconsistencies, don't hit us in the face like anybody else. Christians have marital difficulties like anyone else...it rains on the just and the unjust. We don't always do these things right...but when we get off track...and it gets unbearable...we always return to these things/principles.

1. FOUNDATION: Our foundation is solid. Matthew 7:24-27. We made the decision...the choice to have our foundation solid on the rock. We knew the storms would come and we did not want a house/home built on sand.

2. THE BUILDER: We contracted an expert to build our house. Psalm 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house... they labor in vain who build it; unless the Lord guards the city, the watchman keeps awake in vain." We could throw up a physical building, but it would not last. Lord Help us build our house/home. By the way...He also is great with remodeling.

3. THE DECISION OF SERVICE: Bod Dylan had a great son on his album Slow Train Coming.. and it rang true with us..."You Got To Serve Somebody..it may be the devil...it may be the Lord...but ya got to serve somebody." Joshua 24:15..."but as for me and my house...we will serve the Lord."

4. MORNING COFFEE: Men...pay attention. Every morning (except for a few exceptions)...I get up, make the coffee, let Brenda sleep, and then bring her a cup of coffee (maybe with something sweet to eat) and I gently shake her and say..."It's time to get up." The only coffee connection that I could find in the Bible was from Jill Coble...proof that man is suppose to be the one who has coffee duties is found in the book of HEbrews (sorry).

5. THE SHE'S NOT MY SUBMISSIVE SERVANT PRINCIPLE: Benny Sumrall taught me this principle years ago...I had to not only look at Brenda as my wife...mother of our child...but as a Covenant Woman...a daughter of God...a handmaid of the Lord...a sister in Jesus. A fellow-heir of the grace of life. This principle is found in (I Peter 3:7). In Acts chapter 2, where the Holy Spirit fell on people...some of these people were women. God can speak to Brenda (and does) just as well as he speaks to me (maybe even better)...which leads me to the next principle.

NOTE: Men...if you do not get this principle down...your prayers WILL BE HINDERED.

6. THE HELPER CONNECTION: Adam was a lump of mud with the breath of God blown into him. He was alone. God saw that it was not good for Adam to be alone...so He took a rib...formed a woman to be his help meet/helpmate/helper. In the Bible the Holy Spirit is called The Helper. I don't think that it is too far of a stretch to equate my wife...with the Holy Spirit. She is a comfort, speaks wisdom into me, if I listen to her guidance I avoid all kinds of trouble. Check out Genesis 1-3 and John 14-16.

7. THE SUNDOWN SYNDROME: Ephesians 4:26 "Be angry and yet DO NOT SIN; do not let the sun go down on your anger...and do not give the devil an opportunity." Resolve the anger issues as soon as possible and don't let it fester overnight like an infected wound or ingrown hair." Deal with it.

8. LOVE STORY (The Sorry Excuse): When we were dating (I was in Bible School) and Brenda was back home in Murfreesboro, on of the movies out was LOVE STORY. There was a line in that movie that was the catch phrase of the day. It was..."Love, means NEVER having to say YOU'RE SORRY." That sounded so good...so in one of y love letters to Brenda...i wrote it at the end of the letter. Oooooh Well! That was the wrong thing to write. In Hollywood that may be OK...but in real life...learning how to say your sorry and meant it...can end a lot of tension.

9. STICKS AND STONES AND WORDS: Sticks and stones CAN break my bones...but words can never hurt me. Bull...oney!!! Words CAN hurt...words can goo deep...words are weapons. We have to be careful what we say in the heat of an argument. The words that we say to one another in private and the words that we say to one another in public...and the words that we say to someone else about each other...can have an effect physically, emotionally, spiritually. Oral Roberts wife Evelyn states that in all their years of marriage...he has never said a negative word about her in public. I know men and women who constantly talked about their wives/husbands to others. There appears to be no privacy about anything and they degrade them publicly aka NO RESPECT. Ephesians 4:29 states..."Let/allow no unwholesome word proceed form your mouth, but only such a word that is good for edification according to the need of the moment, that it may give grace to those who hear [especially your wives...my words].

10. MURDER: We heard Billy Graham's wife make a statement and we decided that would be good rule to follow. She said, "In all our years of marriage the word divorce has never come up...murder has...but never divorce." We PURPOSED to one another not to divorce...and by the grace of God...so far, so good.

NOTE: We know people...have relatives...have friends ...have brothers and sisters in the Lord who have been divorced...and they are no less Christians than we are. Things happen that get out of control...but God can take anything and redeem it.

11. THE PLAN (Ephesians 5:15-33): We try to stick as close to God's plan as possible. Many people stumble over this, especially in this world of independence and being your own man and being a man of the world...and the proliferation of media that constantly bombard us with the exact opposite of what God wants...however...we have found that this works. it is not a matter of a second class woman submitting to a first class man. It is (speaking from a man's point of view)...the man loving the woman like Christ loved the church. That means that if I a really going to love Brenda...so that she will have someone that she is willing to submit to...then I am going to have to stretch out my arms...and be willing to die (to my own will and self)...and live to serve my wife."

NOTE: I don't have this perfected yet...but continue to work on it.

Well...there ya go boys and girls. These are just a FEW of the principles that we have distilled down to what works for us as we walk out this thing called THE ART OF MARRIAGE.

Love and Kisses (holy ones that is)
Rodney

THE OPPORTUNITY: Faith Fruit or Flesh Deeds

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Free People...are ya still FREE?!?

You may be asking yourself..."Self...why is Rod asking if I am still FREE?" Well...I'm glad you asked yourself that question. Here's my answer....because...I know what it is like to be set free from my sins...and return to them like a dog returns to his own vomit. I know what it is like to be a prodigal son...who had FREEDOM lavished upon him...only to be lavish in my squandering of grace...and have nothing but HOG FOOD. I know from very personal experience of going from FREEDOM back into the BONDAGE that I was set FREE from...by MY OWN CHOICE...and I see the same thing happen over and over again...to young believers who allow the little foxes to spoil their vineyard.

"Or do you not know that the unrighteous will not inherit the kingdom of God? Do not be deceived; neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor homosexuals, nor thieves, nor the covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor swindlers will inherit the kingdom of God. Such were some of you...but you were WASHED, but you were SANCTIFIED, but you were JUSTIFIED in the name of the LORD JESUS CHRIST and in the SPIRIT OF OUR GOD." (I Corinthians 9-11)

Paul is writing a letter of correction to the church in Corinth. They had a relationship with God through Jesus Christ and the Holy Spirit. He starts of the letter by praising them..."I thank my God always concerning you for the grace of God which was given you in Christ Jesus...that in EVERYTHING you were enriched in Him, in all speech and in all knowledge, even as the testimony concerning Christ was CONFIRMED IN YOU...so that you are NOT LACKING in any gift, awaiting the revelation of our Lord Jesus Christ, who will also CONFIRM you to the end, blameless in the Day of our Lord Jesus Christ. God is faithful, through whom you were called into fellowship with His Son, Jesus Christ." (I Corinthians 1:4-9)

These people were FREE...but they were slowly sliding into BONDAGE again...and Paul is writing a warning and correction. They were ALLOWING thing within the body at Corinth... that was not BENEFICIAL FOR THEM.

Paul wrote another letter to the church in Galatia...about FREEDOM and BONDAGE.

"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)

Here is a picture from the movie BRAVEHEART...where William Wallace leads the people with the cry of FREEDOM.

The church in Galatia were allowing things back into the grace that they had in the D.B.R....Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus only...by allowing things to be added back into the mix. Some of the things were not necessarily bad things...but when you add anything to unmerited favor aka grace...then the allowed things become NOT BENEFICIAL.

"For you were called to FREEDOM, brethren...only do not turn your FREEDOM...into an OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH...but through LOVE...SERVE ONE ANOTHER."
(Galatians 5:13)

If you don't deal with the little things...they can turn into the big things...and before you know it...you are back in a worse state than you were before you started. Check out the deeds of the flesh...that we as believers are capable of doing...if we all our FREEDOM...to turn into AN OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH (Galatians 5:19-21)

Again...as someone who has fallen...to the level of the pig sty and dog vomit...I know whereof I speak...and I see the same thing happen over and over to other believers...especially to the young lions and lionesses who are transitioning from child to adulthood... and they think that their chronological age...must mean they can do "adult things". Some of these "adult things" may be allowable...but they are not "beneficial."

NOTE: This is not limited to by young people...old people...doing "adult things" get bound again also.

Thanx and a Tip O Da Hat to my son Phillip for the cross artwork.

"All things are lawful for me...BUT...not all things are profitable/beneficial all things are lawful for me...BUT... I WILL NOT BE MASTERED BY ANYTHING." (I Corinthians 6:12)

FREE INDEED (Janny Grein)

"I was bound by the forces of evil
Lived on lies and the love I could steal...until I was told...that I could be set free...then He came and He told me He loved me...and I knew it was true when He touched me...through it all..I have been set free. I've been set free, free indeed...I got nothing that's binding on me...Oh Lord I'm free, free indeed...your love has set me free."

"But I say, walk and live habitually in the (Holy) Spirit--responsive to and controlled and guided by the Spirit; then you will certainly not gratify the cravings and desires of the flesh--of human nature without God." (Galatians 5:16 The Amplified Bible)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

When you begin to write things like this...there will be those who will think...or some even say..."Who do you think you are to tell me how to live?" Or they will begin to misquote..."Judge not...lest you be judge." Or they will begin speaking about specks and 2 x4 in my eyes. Or they will ask..."Who died and made you the spiritual sheriff over me?"

Well...I always filter these things through my experience...so I won't be pontificated about something I don't know about. If I truly love you...ya gotta expect that I will try to restore you in the spirit of gentleness. (Galatians 6:1-5) If you received a box of rattlesnakes...and I knew what was in the box...don't you think I would do everything I could...to stop you from opening the box...and placing your hands in there to get snake bit?

I'm just saying...don't let your freedom turn back into bondage. I have been there and back... and it is fun for a season...but reaping is harsh.

Love and Loving Kisses
Rodney "Sheriff Elderodo" Boyd

FOOLS WISDOM (Whose Fool Are You?)

Greetings Fools.

We are all FOOLS...in one way or another.

"The FOOL has said in his own heart that there is no God." (Psalm 14:1; Psalm 53:1)

"We are FOOLS FOR CHRIST'S sake..." (I Corinthians 4:10)

"I am a FOOL for Christ...tell me...whose fool you are?" (Gary S. Paxton)

FOOLS WISDOM (Malcom and Alywn)
Got myself some wisdom from a leather back book
Got myself a Saviour when I took a second look
I opened up the pages and what did I find
A black and white portrait of a king who's a friend of mine
Funny how when you think you're right, everybody else must be wrong
Till a someone with with fools wisdom somehow comes along
His voice was strange and the words he said I didn't quiet understand
But I knew that he was speaking right by the leather back book in his hand
Hey Hey...what a day...fools wisdom

The picture here is the first Bible that I owned after I became a Christian in the fall of 1970. It was the biggest, thickest, blackest Bible I could find at the time...and I wore it out. Many hours of digging for gold with tears of joy and sadness...as I mined the Word of God...for Fools Wisdom.

This picture is taken in the Ruminator Sunday School class of one of the mooers and chewers of the cud of the Word of God. Bible out...pen in hand...ready to hear from God. We are a CLASSROOM FULL OF FOOLS...who do NOT say in our hearts that there is no God...but we declare and proclaim within our hearts THERE IS A GOD...and He is speaking to us through the leather backed book in our hands. He speaks from His throne on high...and from the altar within us on our hearts.

"Hear, O Israel! The Lord is our God, the Lord is one! You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your might. These words, which I am commanding you today, shall be on your heart." (Deuteronomy 6:4-6) This is known as The Shema...Judaism's basic confession of faith. When Jesus was quizzed on what commandment was the foremost of all...He quoted The Shema..."Jesus answered, the foremost is Hear, O Israel! The Lord our God is one Lord...and you shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, and with all your soul, and with all your mind, and with all your strength. The second is this...You shall love your neighbor as yourself. There is no other commandment greater than these." (Deuteronomy 6:4-5; Leviticus 19:18)

When we look at one of the earliest Christian books was written...Jame a bond-servant of God and of the Lord Jesus Christ...wrote to the twelve tribes who were dispersed abroad...underscored the fact of the One God..."You believe that God is ONE. You do well...the demons ALSO believe, and shudder." (James 1:1, 19) What we must do with this FOOLS WISDOM...is not just believe it...(this is the starting point)...but with this FOOLS WISDOM... it must bring us to the point of "ACTING THE FOOL."

"But are you willing to recognize you foolish fellow...that FAITH WITHOUT WORKS IS USELESS (dead)." (James 2:20) What separates demons from true fools...is not just believing something..but acting as if it is true.

Hey...Hey...what a day...Foooooooool's Wisdom

Love and Foolish Kisses
Rodney "A Fool For Christ" Boyd

WHY I DO THE THINGS THAT I DO

Greetings and Salutation O Ye Friends, Neighbors, and Enemies...you know who you are.

WHY? You may be asking yourself that question...I find myself asking myself WHY all of the time. WHY do things happen? WHY do I have to be in the position that I am in today? WHY DO I DO THE THINGS THAT I DO?

This first picture is a collage of various personification of myself throughout the years. Some funny...some serious but all reflecting me doing something at some point in the time-space continuum of my life.

"I've proven who I am so many times...the magnetic strip's worn thin...and each time I was someone else...and every one was taken in...Powers chatter in high places...stir up eddies in the dust of rage...set me...to pacing the cage." (Pacing The Cage by Bruce Cockburn on the album Charity Of The Night)

A big driving force in WHY I do the things I do...is my family. Brenda and Phillip are my incentives to get up in the morning and trudge off to a job that I am really not that thrilled about trudging off to...so I can bring in money...to live in the lifestyle we are accustomed to. Eating, clothing, housing are great motivators.

"Do not worry then, saying...what will we eat...or what will we eat...or what will we drink...or what will we wear for clothing? For the Gentiles eagerly seek all these things...for your heavenly Father KNOWS that you NEED all these things. BUT...SEEK FIRST (1st) HIS KINGDOM...and HIS RIGHTEOUSNESS...and all these THINGS will be added to you. So...DO NOT WORRY about tomorrow; for tomorrow will care for itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own." (Matthew 6:31-34)

NOTE: This is not an edict to never plan or budget...there are plenty of references to work hard and plan...but we must always NEVER WORRY...and lay our plans on the altar...and let God breath life on them.

For the past 41 years...I have in some form or fashion...been teaching the WORD OF GOD. I have been blessed to be able to share the Word...at The Springhouse Worship and Arts Center (formerly Smyrna Assembly of God) in the Ruminator Sunday School Class...and periodically on Wednesday night. Also...for the past 30 plus years I have been writing in the form of Bible study workbooks...and blogs (Ruminator Ramblings)...and was blessed last year to record a CD of old songs I wrote in the 70's. (Ruminator Unplugged). WHY? Why expend that much energy into these things? WHY gather together with other believers (church)? WHY tithe...give offerings...go to other countries to teach? I could think of a lot of other things to do and a lot other places I could funnel my money.

"I never knew what you wanted...so I gave you everything. All that I could pillage...all the spells that I could sing. It's as if the thing were written in the constitution of the age...Sooner or later you'll wind up...pacing the cage." (Pacing The Cage by Bruce Cockburn from Charity Of The Night).

The bottom line...for the WHY in what I do...is that I love the Lord my God...with all my heart, soul, mind, and strength...and love my neighbor (and enemies..my addition) as myself. (Luke 10:27;
Matthew 22:37; Mark 12:30)

Another burning WHY question that I ask myself all of the time...WHY ME LORD? Kris Kristofferson got it right with this song. WHY ME...? There are visions, dreams, writings, books, desires, music swirling in my head...and I am thinking...I can't even live the life I live now.

"For what I am doing...I do not understand; for I am NOT practicing what I would like to do...but I am doing the very thing I hate." (Romans 7:15)

I am so aware of my failures and my capabilities...that sometimes I am paralyzed with fear and guilt about standing before people and opening my mouth.

"But if I do the very thing I do not want to do...I agree with the Law...confessing that the Law is good. So...NOW...no longer am I the one doing it...but SIN which dwells in me. But I know that NOTHING good dwells in me...THAT IS...in my FLESH...for the WILLING is present in me... but the doing of the good is not. For the good that I want..I do not do...but I practice the very evil that I do not want. But if I am doing the very thing I do not want ...I am no longer the one doing it...but sin which dwells in me. I find then the principle that evil is present in me...the one who wants to do good. For I joyfully concur with the law of God in the INNER MAN...but I see a different law in the MEMBERS OF MY BODY...WAGING WAR against the law of my MIND and making me a prisoner of THE LAW OF SIN which is in my members. Wretched man that I am! Who will SET ME FREE from the body of this death?" (Romans 7:16-24)

NOTE: The theological debate is...is this Paul speaking about pre-conversion...or is he speaking about his post conversion state. I relate to both sides...because I struggle with the WHY of why I do the things (negative) that I do...knowing better. Then I get all guilty and condemned and fearful for doing anything for God. Well which ever side the theologians pontificate about...thank God...Paul answer the question in verse 25.

"Thanks be to GOD THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! So then...on the one hand...I myself with my mind am serving the law of God...but on the other...with my flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:25) NOTE: Read Romans 8 for the mindset that will set us free from death and bring us to a place of life and peace.

"You think I built this for me? You think I built this for me? This isn't mine...it's Yours, It's really for You...I didn't build this for me." (I Did Not Build This For Me...by Daniel Amos... about WHY people do things for God)

Well...whether I am clowning around...teaching the Word of God...going to work...singing a song...being a dad...being a husband...writing a Rambling...the driving force is love for the Lord.
I am an imperfect man...serving a perfect God. Jesus hung up for my hang ups...and I have plenty. As I bide my time on planet earth...just visiting...this world is not my home...I am just passing through...with my eyes on the sky...waiting for His return...but occupying until He does.

"Sometimes the best map will not guide you...you can't see what's around the bend...sometimes the road leads through dark places...sometimes the darkness is your friend...today these eyes scan bleached- out land...for the COMING OF THE OUTBOUND STAGE...pacing the cage... pacing the cage." (Pacing The Cage by Bruce Cockburn from Charity Of The Night)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY. No really FINALLY!

Why do I do the things that I do?

"Whatever may be your task, work at it heartily (from the soul) as [something DONE] FOR THE LORD and not for men...knowing (with all certainty) that it is from the Lord [and not from men[ that you will receive the inheritance which is your {real} reward. [The One Whom]you are actually serving [is] the Lord Christ, The Messiah." (Colossians 3:23-24 The Amplified Bible)