VIVA LAS VEGAS (For God So Loved Las Vegas)

 These are the pictures that did not show up on the previous Ruminator Rambling.

VIVA LAS VEGAS (For God So Loved Las Vegas)

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye Bright Lights City fans...

If you hopped in your Way Back Machine with Mr. Peabody and Sherman (on the Rocky and Bullwinkle show in the 50's and 60's) and set the machine to 1964...you would have seen me...coming back from Camp Boxwell (Boy Scout Camp).  You would see me in a car with a bunch of fellow scouters...at a three way stop sign on Kingwood Drive in Murfreesboro TN...listening to WGNS...and hearing a brand new Elvis song called VIVA LAS VEGAS.  I was 13 years old at the time and an avid Elvis fan.  That song was electrifying to me.  Fast forward to April 25th 2013...and I am 61 years old (going on 62)...and on an airplane with Brenda...flying out to Las Vegas for a relaxing weekend in SIN CITY.  You know the saying..."What goes on in Vegas...stays in Vegas".  Of course...like James Bond had a "license to kill"...those who come into Las Vegas...have a "license to SIN." 

NOTE:  There are many people who live in Las Vegas...many people who work in Las Vegas...and many people who visit Las Vegas who are not overt sinners.  There are churches and synagogues...and many good people living in Las Vegas and the surrounding area.

Our Las Vegas experience was a mixture of fun and excitement shrouded by by a sense of sorrow. 

When we flew into Las Vegas...the first sign that we were descending into a different world...was the fellow passengers.  The plane was filled with an eclectic group of people with kids and parents...groups of guys headed to Sin City for a bachelor party...a group of ATT employees going to town for a convention...me and Brenda for a quick getaway to unwind and destress.  Sitting next to me...was a girl headed into Vegas for the ATT convention...who started out as a quiet girl...with a short dress that kept riding up to where the imagination was not needed...and silicon enhancements.   As we flew...she kept drinking...and you could watch her inhibitions lower...and she became more boisterous.  She took up a conversation with one of the group of guys headed to their bachelor party and loudly began talking about partying in Sin City...getting arrested in Vegas...getting "lucky" in Vegas, etc.  After departing from the plane she and they disappeared into the airport...stopping to play the slot machines.

NOTE:  The airport was filled with row after row after row of slot machines...for the opportunity to either strike it rich or lose your money before you entered the city.

By day...interesting looking city...by night...a neon jungle with electricity in the air.  We went to our hotel, unpacked...and headed out for a four hour tour of HOOVER DAM.  Wow... what a fascinating bit of history.  It was more than just a historical monument...but a tribute towards the ingenuity of man and a tip of the hat to the American spirit.

We came back and set out for a stroll down the Vegas strip.  It was glitz and glamour...as we walked through the Old Vegas on Fremont street and down New Vegas...one hotel/casino after another.

On Saturday we had a nice breakfast at The Peppermill.  We walked there and past by a lady sitting on the ground...who asked for spare change...and I gave her some money but stopped and talked with her and heard her story...and asked to pray for her.  A little money and a prayer seemed so inadequate but when we past by Maria...she smiled real big and blessed us. 

Back into the night a little later on...again...the glitz, the glamour, the flashing neon lights, the electricity in the air draws you in...as we walked the streets.  Show after show after show were drawing people into the various hotels.  When you walk in...you are immediately in a beehive of activity of slot machines, blackjack tables, poker, roulette wheels, drinking, revelry.  My mind goes to the song Viva Las Vegas:

Bright light city gonna set my soul...gonna set my soul on fire
Got a whole lot of money that's a ready to burn...so get those stakes up higher
There's a thousand pretty women way out there
And their all living the devil may care
And I'm just the devil with love to spare...Viva Las Vegas

How I wish that there was more...than the 24 hours in a day
Caus even if there was 40 more I wouldn't sleep a minute away
Oh there is black jack and poker and the roulette wheel
A fortune won and lost on every deal
All you need is a stone heart and nerves of steal...Viva Las Vegas

NOTE: And the song goes on and on...with the catch phrase...VIVA LAS VEGAS

The advertisement for Vegas now days not only includes "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas"...but also touting that Vegas is "family friendly" diluting the mobster, sex, gambling, drinking nature of the inner city.

Again...Brenda and I had a good time in Las Vegas...and we really don't care if what we did in Vegas stays in Vegas or not.  I did see a billboard on the way to the airport that said, WHAT HAPPENS IN VEGAS...IS KNOWN IN HEAVEN.

Hey...sin is sin...if you are in Murfreesboro Tennessee...or Las Vegas.  It is more in your face in Vegas...but we tend to hide our sins a little better back home. 

One verse popped nto my mind...that speaks of the nature of sin...that if indulged in...progressively becomes more blatant as our inhibitions are lowered...by either alcohol or by being surrounded by people who don't care.  It is found in the book of PRO-VERBS (the book of positive action in a negative world).  "This is the way of an adulterous woman (can be applied to men also...after all it takes two to tango)...she/he eats and wipes her mouth and says...I HAVE DONE NO WICKEDNESS." (Pro-Verbs 30:20 The Amplified Bible)  Combine that with James 4:17..."So any person who knows what is right to do but does not do it, to him it is sin." (James 4:17 The Amplified Bible)

The solution for SIN in Las Vegas is the same solution in Murfreesboro Tennessee, Kenaya Africa, Iquuitos Peru, Jerusalem Israel...or any other place in the world SIN IS SIN...and God's Grace Gift (G.G.G.) is the same for Adoph Hitler, Larry Flynt, Billy Graham, Mother Theresa, Rodney Boyd etc.

"For God so greatly loved and dearly prized the world that He [even] gave up His only-begotten (unique) Son, so that whoever believes in (trusts, clings to, relies on) Him shall not perish--come to destruction, be lost--but have eternal (everlasting) life.  For God did not send the Son into the world in order to judge--to reject, to condemn, to pass sentence on--the world; but that the world might find salvation and be made safe and sound through Him.  He who believes on Him--who clings to, trusts in, relies on Him--is not judged (he who trusts in Him never goes up for judgment; for him there is no rejection no condemnation; he incurs no damnation)....  But he who does not believe (not cleave to , rely on, trust in Him is judged already; (he has already been convicted; has already received his sentence) because he has not believe on and trusted in the name of the only begotten Son of God.  He is condemned for refusing to let his trust rest in Christ's name." (John 3:16-18 The Amplified Bible)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Las Vegas is known as SIN CITY...but SIN CITY is in any city that has SINNERS.  Lord, help me not be judgmental and condemning for others...but help me to pray for them and love them as God demonstrated His love towards them.  "But God shows and clearly proves (demonstrates) His [own] love for us (sinners) by the fact that while we were STILL/YET SINNERS Christ , the Messiah, the Anointed One, died for us." (Romans 5:8 The Amplified Bible with my emphasis)

Love and Viva Kisses
Rodney "Viva Las Heaven" Boyd

BACK TO THE FATHER (The Time Travel Factor)

 Greetings Time Travellers...how's the journey?

I love movies about Time Travel.  There is just something about taking the "Quantum Leap"...and changing your destiny.

Historical events unfold on the space-time continuum from day one.  Of course as believers in the D.B.R., the Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus we see history as HIS-story. 

Time is broken down into three time periods...(1) Past  (2) Present and the (3) Future.  I am typing in the Present, but as I continue to type, NOW is the Present...and the original Present is now considered to be the Past and the potential typing will be in the Future.

I was born on August 15th 1951.   As of this writing it is April 20, 2013 and I am approaching 62 years of living on planet earth  Between the 1951 and 2013 many things have happened in my life, some good, some bad, some ugly.  The things that happened on the life timeline shaped who I am.  My soul (psyche) was like a chalkboard that was empty...but as time rolled on, the events in my life conformed my mindset and my choices and emotions followed.In the Fall of of 1970 and event took place that shook my world.  I was BORN AGAIN.


As mentioned at the BEGINNING of this Ruminator Rambling...which is NOW in the PAST...I love time travel movies.  One of my favorite is BACK TO THE FUTURE.  Two of the pictures are from that movie with Doc Brown, Marty McFly, the converted Delorean, and the panel picturing the dates for time travel.  For me...the mode of time travel was THE CROSS where the D.B.R. was initiated.  When I accepted was Jesus did on the CROSS...in the PAST...it affected my NOW...and gave me a FUTURE.

"I HAVE BEEN (PAST) crucified with Christ...and it is no longer I who live...but Christ lives in me...and the life I NOW LIVE (PRESENT) in the flesh (physical body)...I live by FAITH in the Son of God (Jesus)...who loved me and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)

Because of this HIS-torical event in the PAST...my PRESENT (1970 at the time) was affected...and proceeded to give me a FUTURE to this very day.

In the movie it was revealed that the Flux Capacitor was what made time travel possible.  As stated...it was the CROSS that made my spiritual time travel possible.  In the movie...the Delorean Time Machine had to be fueled by plutonium.  For my spiritual time travel...it was fueled by the BLOOD OF JESUS.  In the movie there had to be a surge of power.  It needed to be 1.21 gigawatts to give it the power boost to break the time barrier.  In my spiritual time travel it was the POWER OF GOD  It was a dynamic burst called in the Greek DUNAMIS...dynamic ability...where we get the word DYNAMITE...OR DYNAMO.  In the movie BACK TO THE FUTURE II.  The Delorean was incapacitated and was hidden in a cave...until it could be found in the future and brought back to life to go back in the past to rectify things.  So it is with my spiritual time walk...as Jesus was placed in a cold TOMB/CAVE...and three days later...He was RAISED FROM THE DEAD.  Because of the DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION...He dealt with my PAST SINS, which affected my PRESENT WALK..and gave me HOPE FOR A FUTURE.  In the movie...the Delorean was just a car..until it was accessed and motivated.  It had to be driven...and the speed had to be 88 miles per hour before all the things kicked in to sling the person driving back or forward into time.  What does it take for my spiritual time experience to start.

It starts with REPENTANCE.  It starts with a change of heart, attitude, direction by my choice.  Unless there is a TURNING POINT...to God...then sins cannot be wiped out in my life.  The work was done and finished on the CROSS...but to access it takes a choice of my free will/volition.  Spiritual Time Travel is available to WHOSOEVER...but you must BELIEVE, REPENT, BELIEVE and ACT on the furnished work.  The cause and effect will be manifested in your PAST (sins forgiven) PRESENT (walking by faith)...and PRESENT (Back To The Father).

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

"Jesus Christ is the same...Today, Saturday April 20, 2013...Yesterday, Friday  April 19 , 2013...and Forever...Sunday, April 21 2013 INFINITY AND BEYOND!" (Hebrews 13:8)

"For He says, At the the acceptable time I listened to you and on the day of salvation I helped you...behold...Tuesday April 21, 2013 is the acceptable time...behold, Tuesday April 21th 2013 is the day of salvation." (II Corinthians 6:2)

God has more than a Delorean Time Machine to deal with you past, present, and future. What does God have to span the space-time continnum? THE D.B.R...From CROSS...to GRAVE...THE RESURRECTION. He needed more than 1.21 Giggawatts to POWER this TIME CROSS. "For I am not ashamed ot the GOSPEL (I Corinthians 15:1-3; Galatians 2:20; I Peter 3:18) OF CHRIST for IT (the Gospel of Christ) is the POWER...DUNAMIS...DYNAMIC ABILITY...EXPLOSIVE DYNAMITE POWER of God unto SALVATION (of you past, present, future)...to everyone who BELIEVES...to the Jew first and also to the Greek." (Romans 1:16)

"Therefore if any person is (ingrafted) in Christ, the Messiah, he is (a NEW creature altogether) a NEW CREATION; the OLD (previous moral and spiritual conditin) has PASSED AWAY.  Behold, the FRESH AND NEW HAS COME." (II Corinthians 5:17)

Love and Time Travelling Kisses
Rodney "Back To The Father" Boyd

LORD OF THE HARD TIMES

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye True Believers in the LORD...in the good times, the bad times, the ugly times.

In our last Ruminator Rambling, PORTRAIT OF LAST DAZE MEN...we looked at the nature of men...and the nature of God as He gives us His WORD and His HOLY SPIRIT.

In this Ruminator Rambling we want to look at THE LORD OF THE HARD TIMES.  If JESUS IS LORD...He is LORD in the good, the bad, and the ugly times. 

"For this reason also, God highly exalted Him (Jesus) and bestowed on Him (Jesus) the NAME (Jesus) which is above every name (anything that has a name)...so that at the NAME OF JESUS every knee will bow, of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth and that every tongue will confess that JESUS CHRIST IS LORD to the glory of God the Father." (Philippians 2:9-11)


LORD in the Greek Language is kurio (koo-ree-os(supremacy); supreme in authority, that is, (as noun) controller; by implication Mr. (as a respectful title): - God, Lord, master, Sir.

He is either LORD when gas is $5.00 or $1.00.  He is either LORD when there are terrorists or if there is peace in the land.  He is either LORD (you fill in the blank of your situation or fears).

There is a lot of speculation, fear, myths, about what the END DAZE will look like.  Here in America..in the past few years...we are getting a feel with what the rest of the world is experiencing.  Some are having their FAITH shaken.  The question is...what WAS their faith in...God or something else.  In Hebrews 6:1 we see that one of the basic principles of Christ is "FAITH TOWARDS GOD."  If our faith is towards anyone or anything else other than God...then as soon as whatever your faith is towards fails...then there goes your faith.

People are praying...and their prayers will either be by faith or by flesh.  Prayers by FAITH..puts their trust in the WORD OF GOD...with substance of things hoped for (confidently expected) and the evidence of things not seen (revealed to the senses).  Prayers in the FLESH...are prayers that are tossed around like winds on waves...filled with doubt and changes with every change in circumstance. The expectation is that that man should not expect to receive anything from the Lord. (James 1:5-8)

The key to FAITH PRAYERS...are that they are ABIDING PRAYERS.

"If you ABIDE (continue) in Me (Jesus) and my Words (Jesus) ABIDE (continue) in you...ask whatever you wish and it shall be done unto you." (John 15:7)

In a world of bombs, falling towers, hatred, fear and weakness...there needs to be something that will STAND STRONG. 

"The NAME OF THE LORD...is a STRONG TOWER...the righteous run into it and is safe." (Pro-Verbs 18:10)

This is not sticking our heads in the sand and deny THE HARD TIMES...but getting an elevated...God's eye view that will place things into perspective.  Again...if JESUS IS KURIOS...LORD...the one who is supreme in authority...the one in control...the master... the one to whom we say...YES SIR.

Jesus (God is Salvation) the Christ (Anointed One...anointed with yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost)...Immanuel (God With Us) IS LORD... and NOT the HARD TIMES.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Stay in the WORD OF GOD more than  you stay in the Internet, Facebook, CBS, ABC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC, ETC.  Faith will only come by hearing and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)

Love and Submitted Kisses
Rodney "Jesus Is Lord" Boyd

PORTRAIT OF LAST DAZE MEN

 Greetings True Believers...how's your world?

"But realize this...that in the LAST DAYS...difficult time will come..."
(II Timothy 3:1)

Well..."difficult times" are upon us... and getting worse.  At the same time, in the face of "difficult times"...other things are going on that are not so bad.

"And it shall be in the LAST DAYS...God says...that I will pour forth My Spirit upon all mankind...." (Acts 2:17)

In these LAST DAZE we are in a war...a spiritual war...that is manifested in flesh and blood...in our nitty gritty lives...in the form of hu-man beings.  We are encouraged in Ephesians 6:12 about the struggle that we are experiencing..."For out struggle is NOT against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in THE HEAVENLY PLACES." 

In 67 A.D. Paul calls us into this war as soldiers. "Suffer hardship with me as GOOD SOLDIERS OF CHRIST JESUS." (II Timothy 2:3)  Here is a description of men,
wo-men, hu-mans in these LAST DAZE found in II Timothy 3.
For men will be:

1.  Lovers of self
2.  Lovers of money
3.  Boastful
4.  Arrogant
5.  Revilers
6.  Disobedient to parents
7.  Ungrateful
8.  Unholy
9.  Unloving
10 Irreconcilable
11 Malicious gossips

12.  Without self control  13. Brutal  14.  Haters of good  15.  Treacherous  16.  Reckless
17. Conceited  18.Lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God,

 Now that is a pretty vivid picture of LAST DAZE MEN...but the key description to me is..."Holding to a form of godliness...although they have denied it's power." (II Timothy 3:5)  They are..."always learning and never able to come to the knowledge of the truth." (II Timothy 3:7)

What can we do in these LAST DAZE to counteract these men...so that we will NOT turn into these men? The answer to that question is found in II Timothy 3:10 as Paul encourages Timothy to follow him.

"Now you followed my (1) teaching (2) conduct (3) purpose (4) faith
(5) patience (6) perseverance
(7) persecutions and (8) sufferings."

In all of the persecutions  that Paul endured..."out of them, the Lord rescued me!" (II Timothy 3:12)

As the LAST DAZE progresses... it is not going to get better...but worse. "But evil men and impostors will proceed from bad to worse, deceiving and being deceived." (II Timothy 3:13)

 "You...however, continue in THE THINGS you have LEARNED and become CONVINCED of KNOWING from whom you have learned them..." (II Timothy 3:14)

What we can do...is hinged on the WORD OF GOD.,,the sacred writing which are able to give wisdom that leads to salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus.

In this world...on this BALL OF CONFUSION...The WORD OF GOD is rock solid.  This is why we need to be washing and renewing our minds with THE WORD OF GOD.  Paul encourages Timothy...and us..how to become "adequate & equipped for every good work" (II Timothy 3:17)...that is hinged and based on the WORD OF GOD.

In II Timothy 3:16 lays out how the WORD OF GOD will prepare us for these LAST DAZE and DIFFICULT TIMES.

"All Scripture (Word of God)...is God breathed (inspired by the breath of God...the Holy Spirit) and profitable (beneficial) for (1) teaching (2) reproof (3) correction (4) training in righteousness."
(II Timothy 3:16)

In these LAST DAZE...we have THE WORD OF GOD...and THE SPIRIT OF GOD.  Remember the second verse at the beginning of this Rambling...speaks of the LAST DAZE.

"And it shall be in the LAST DAYS...God says...that I will pour forth MY SPIRIT upon all mankind...." (Acts 2:17)

FINAL WORDS...FINALLY

In troubling times...we do not have to live and walk in fear...but be in the Word...faith comes...walk by this faith and not by sight (things revealed to the senses.)...and live by faith as you have faith continually. (Romans 10:17; Romans 1:17; II Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:1; Mark 11:22)

You will either be in a DAZE...or His DAYS will be yours to walk as more than a conqueror.


We do NOT deny reality...but we do deny the reality of these LAST DAZE MEN to rule our lives.  We walk in TRUTH...and Jesus says in His prayer to the Father..."Thy WORD is TRUTH." 
(John 17:17)

Love and Undazed Kisses
Rodney "Adequate and Equipped" Boyd

HEALING & REFRESHEMENT (Body & Bones)

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye Healed and Refreshed Saints.  How are your bodies and bones holding up?

I was in my office at home this morning...having a little time with my son Phillip.  Since he is working 3rd shift at Nissan and going to school after he gets off from work...and then comes home and goes to bed...this was one of those rare moments of just sitting and talking.  The topic of conversation led to how the Lord has blessed him throughout the years and how we can expect continued blessings in his life.
Usually I will bring out my Bible and try to leave him with a Word from God.  In our conversation we began to talk about FAVOR.  This favor that we were talking about is not only with God...but man also.  I turned to the practical book of PRO-VERBS...the book of Pro=Positive Verbs= Action...the book of Positive Action.  We cracked open the Book to Pro-Verbs 3:1-12.

As with most of Pro-Verbs (with a few exceptions) it is a book written from a Father (Solomon) to his son.  In this conversation...it was encouragement from a father (me) to my son (Phillip). Here is a breakdown of Pro-Verbs 3:1-12 as applied to me and my son.

Verse 1:  "My son, do not forget my teaching. But let your heart keep my commandments."

NOTE:  Sometimes we as humans...in the hustle and bustle of this world tend to...not remember things taught to us.  When we forget...we tend to stray away.  So it is with our relationship with our Heavenly Father.  The lowest points in my life were when I forgot...did not remember...by my choice the things the Father and His Word had spoken to me.  The word BUT lays out the contrast to forgetting the words.  Instead of forgetting we are to LET/ALLOW our HEARTS (the core of who we are) to KEEP (treasure) commandments (words spoken).  NOTE TO THE NOTE:  It is nor just a bunch of do's and don'ts...but protecting them by keeping watch over them...so we don't forget them."

Verse 2:  For length of days and years of life and peace will be they (teaching/commandments) will add to you."

NOTE:  This is called CAUSE AND EFFECT. I have found that every time I listen to my Father...and keep/treasure/do His commandments...that I AVOID TROUBLE...and the things that shorten my life span.  I find that my PEACE in the midst of the whirlwinds of life...is prevalent...and I tend not to be as frustrated, angry, fearful and anxious.  Eliminating those things alone prolongs my life.

Verse 3:  "Do not LET/ALLOW kindness and truth leave you; Bind them around your neck, write them on the tablet of your heart."

NOTE:  This speaks of our VOLITION...our FREE WILL...our God given right to CHOOSE.  If we don't choose correctly we go into automatic default.  Binding them around your neck speaks of an outward action...while writing them on the tablet of your heart is an inward action.  As we take the Word of God...read it...hear it..meditate or ruminate on it...what takes place from outward to mental to heart is manifested.

Verse 4: "So you will find FAVOR and GOOD REPORT/REPUTE/REPUTATION in the sight of God and man."

NOTE:  Again the concept of CAUSE and EFFECT is seen.  This outcome of FAVOR and GOOD REPORT with GOD and with MAN...is hinged on  verse 3.  Many years ago a dear sister...Mary Carroll spoke this word into me prophetically...and I took it to heart.  I can look back over my life...and at every intersection of need...I saw God giving me grace, mercy and favor...with man.  After all...promotion comes from God (Psalm 76:6-7)

Verse 5: "TRUST in the LORD with ALL your HEART and DO NOT LEAN...on your OWN UNDERSTANDING."

NOTE:  In Mark 11:22...we are told to "have FAITH in God...CONSTANTLY." (The Amplified Bible)  It is easy to trust in the Lord when things are going good...but FAITH...TRUST...in the Lord...is in the good, bad and ugly times.  As we treasure the WORDS of the Father...and FAITH comes by HEARING...and HEARING by the WORDS OF CHRIST (Romans 10:17)...whether it looks like we have FAVOR with anyone...we continue to TRUST in the Lord... and we don't lean on what we understand...because we WALK BY FAITH AND NOT BY SIGHT. (II Corinthians 5:7)  In Hebrews 6:1...one of the elementary/basic principles of Christ...is FAITH TOWARDS GOD.  When our faith is directed towards anyone or anything... including our faith...our understanding...we will fall every time.

Verse 6:  "In all your WAYS...ACKNOWLEDGE Him...and He will make your PATHS STRAIGHT."

NOTE:  Sometimes when you get on a dark and winding road...you are wondering if you will ever reach your intended destination.  I have learned with the advent of the GPS (Global Positioning System)...that at times that it leads me down unknown roads.  There are twists and turns that are confusing to my understanding...but usually if I just follow (acknowledge) the lead of the GPS...my paths becomes straight...and I end up at my desired destination.  So it is with my God...as I yield my ways to His ways...even if my own understanding is confused...I acknowledge that He is Lord and He always makes my crooked ways straight.  The Guidance System is His Spirit and His Word.

Verse 7: " Do not be WISE in your OWN EYES...fear the Lord and TURN AWAY from evil."

NOTE:  When God says something once...it is important...but when He says it twice...I might need to listen up.  It is like when Jesus would say "verily"...it is something important...but when He rolls out with a "verily, verily"...look out.  In Pro-Verbs there is are two verses that speaks of our WAY.  "There is a WAY which seems RIGHT to a man...but its end is the way of death." (Pro-Verbs 14:12; Pro-Verbs 16:20)  That is what happens if we don't keep our focus on the WORDS OF THE FATHER...we begin to think that our WAY is right...and we forget to fear the Lord and we run smack dab into evil...instead of running away.  We tend to love evil (for a season) more than we fear (respect the Lord's wishes) the Lord.

Verse 8:  "It will be HEALING to your body...and REFRESHMENT to your bones."

NOTE:  Again...cause and effect is in play.  Healing instead of sickness and refreshment instead of weariness.  This is not just spiritual healing and refreshment but manifests itself in the body...but it is hinged on your inside relationship with the Father...His Words..His Commandments...His Way.


Verse 9:  "Honor he Lord from your wealth, and from the first of all your produce."

NOTE:  What are ya gonna do with all the cause and effect of blessings.  We HONOR the Lord from what He has blessed us with...and be sure to give off the top and the bottom. 

Verse 10:  "So your barns will be FILLED with PLENTY and your VATS will OVERFLOW with NEW WINE."

NOTE:  In Joshua 1:8...when it speaks of PROSPERITY and GOOD SUCCESS...it is hinged on the relationship of THE WORD on your MIND and LIPS.  This leads to doing the Word and the cause and effect is PROSPERITY (enough to meet your needs and an overflow for others) and GOOD SUCCESS (accomplishing the purpose of God in your life).  The CAUSE and EFFECT of honoring the Lord from the first of what He has blessed you with...is being filled with plenty and overflow.  "GIVE and it will be GIVEN to you...good measure, pressed down, shaken together, RUNNING OVER they (men) will POUR into your lap.  For WHATEVER (love or money or grain)...you deal out to others, it well be dealt to you in return."

Verse 11: "My son...do not reject the DISCIPLINE/INSTRUCTION of the Lord...or loath His REPROOF." 

NOTE:  At times people tend to think discipline means to beat a child/son/daughter in to SUBMISSION.  The DISCIPLINE/INSTRUCTION of the Lord...is REPROOF/CORRECTION utilizing THE WORD OF GOD.  It is training...teaching...laying out the cause and effect of the Word in their lives...and then...they choose.

II Timothy 3:16-17 is a wonderful TEACHING MODEL that I try to follow.  "All SCRIPTURE (the Word of God)...is inspired (God Breathe and infused with the Holy Spirit) and PROFITABLE (beneficial) for (1) teaching: laying out of information (2) reproof: grading (3) correction: showing where it is missed (4) training: modeling and showing how it is done) in righteousness (right standing and right living)...that the man/wo-man/hu-man of God may be adequate (reaching the standard)...EQUIPPED FOR EVERY GOOD WORK (what God has planned for them)."

Verse 12: "For whom the Lord LOVES...He reproves...even as a FATHER...the SON in whom he DELIGHTS."

NOTE:  We started out this Rambling with the father...exhorting...teaching...reproving the his son.  Notice that the father does not hate, resent, despise this son...but he DELIGHTS in the Son.  I love my son Phillip...and cherish the times to be able to wash him with the water of the Word...to encourage Him..I always let him know how blessed he is...but it is still his responsibility to PRESS INTO THE LORD...develop his own relationship with the Lord...and the CAUSE and EFFECT will be continued BLESSING in his life.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Your heavenly Father is speaking to you...via His Word.  Read the Word, Hear the Word, Speak the Word, Ruminate on the Word...Moo and Chew on the Cud of the Word of God.  I leave you with a REFRESHING verse from the book of Acts.

"So repent--change your mind and purpose; turn around and return [to God], that your sins may be erased (blotted out, wiped clean), that times of refreshing--of recovering from the effects of heat, of reviving with fresh air--may come from THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD." (Acts 3:19)

Love and fatherly Kisses
Rodney "Healed and Refreshed" Boyd

JESUS: MISSION & PURPOSE

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye Followers of Jesus Emmanuel the Christ.

At the time of this writing I am in the middle of Lent...a time of reflection, repentance, renewal and refreshing of my spirit, soul, and body.  In  this R.R.R.R....I keep coming face to face with Jesus and His work on the cross. 

Years ago...when I was a student at Tennessee Temple Bible School...I got in trouble for placing a small poster on my door.  It said..."Jesus Hung Up... For Our Hangups."  I was told that this was not appropriate...but to this day I believe that it was and still is appropriate.  Why?  Because it tells it like it is...we need a Saviour...and He was it.  The GOSPEL...the GOOD NEWS...the D.B.R. is where we must deal with our SINS and FLESH.
 "In the beginning was the WORD and the WORD was with God and the WORD was God. He was in the beginning with God.  All things came into being through Him, and apart from Him nothing came into being that has come into being.And the light shines in the darkness, and the darkness did not comprehend it." (John 1:1-5)  "And the WORD became flesh and dwelt among us, and we beheld His glory, glory as of the only begotten from the Father, full of grace and truth."

This WORD...this JESUS became FLESH with a purpose.  "...the Son of God (Word/Jesus) appeared (became flesh) for THIS PURPOSE, that He might DESTROY THE WORKS OF THE d-evil (little d)."
(I John 3:8)
When Jesus was ANOINTED by the Father with the Holy Ghost (Matthew 3:13-17)...He was anointed with PURPOSE.  Jesus went to the synagogue and rolled out the scroll of Isaiah and stopped at Isaiah 61 when He found Himself...and unrolled the purpose of His ANOINTING. 

"And the book/scroll of the prophet Isaiah was handed to Him.  And He opened the book/scroll and found the place where it was written...THE SPIRIT OF THE LORD IS UPON ME BECAUSE HE ANOINTED ME: 

(1) Preach the Gospel to the poor
(2) Proclaim release to the captives
(3) Proclaim recovery of sight to the blind
(4)  To set free those who are downtrodden
(5) To proclaim the favorable year of the Lord.


Hmmmmm....destroy the works of d-evil, preach, proclaim, set free people.  If you read the Gospels (4 accounts of three years of the Word/Jesus...you will see the WILL OF GOD in action.  Every incidence of Jesus healing, delivering, setting people free was destroying the works of the devil. 

"And you know of Jesus of Nazareth...how God ANOINTED HIM with (1) the Holy Spirit (2) and with power...and how He went about (1) doing good (2) healing...ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE d-evil...for God was with Him." (Acts 20:38)

"Jesus Christ is the SAME...(1) yesterday (2) today
(3) and forever." (Hebrews 13:8)

Jesus' mission has not been rescinded...changed or modified...just the delivery system has been changed.  Jesus was crucified, died, buried, rose from the dead, seen by many and went back to heaven, sent the Holy Spirit back to continue the mission in human beings.  His ultimate destructive work of the devil was breaking the power of sin and pouring out salvation (healing, safety, deliverance, etc.) and commissioning his believing followers to do the SAME THINGS HE DID...but more. Until He returns.  preach, proclaim, bind/loose, etc. 

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Jesus is Lord!

Love and Word Kisses
Rodney "Man On A Mission" Boyd

FOR GOD SO LOVED THE 7,021,836,029 (aka the world)...Why don't you?

Greetings human beings...

In this island that we live...called planet Earth...the 3rd Rock from the Sun...we are not alone (although sometimes we feel like it).  Currently the world population is 7,021,836,029. That would be 7,021,836,029 individual people that have the same make up of (1) spirit (2) soul (3) body.

"And may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through--that is separate you from profane things, make you pure and wholly consecrated to God--and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved sound and complete [and found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Messiah." (I Thessalonians 5:23 The Amplified Bible)

Man was not the thought of man...but the thought of God. "Then God said, Let Us make man in OUR IMAGE according to OUR LIKENESS..."
(Genesis 1:26) We started out as a thought in the mind of God (imagination) and the blueprint was God Himself.  "God is Spirit (Big S)...and those who worship Him must worship in spirit (little s) and truth." (John 4:24)  Again, we are a three part being...that moves as one unit.  We are a spirit (pneuma) who has a soul (psyche) housed in a body (soma).  And again, there are 7,021,836,029 of these humanoid units living in this world (give or take a few as people, live, die, are born or aborted).

There was a shift of relationship between man/wo-man and God...Creator and the created...in the Garden (of Eden) when Eve and Adam choose to disobey God...and begin walking in high treason.  As a result of this disobedience...death was instituted and spread throughout the world...which no includes the 7,021,836,029 human beings (spirits, souls, & bodies).  "Therefore, just as through one man SIN entered into he world, and DEATH through SIN and so DEATH spread to ALL MEN, because ALL SINNED." (Romans 5:12)  "As it is written, there is NONE righteous...no not one." (Romans 3:10)  "For all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:23)

God loved the world.  "For God so loved the WORLD that He gave His only begotten Son (Jesus), that WHOSOEVER believes in Him (Jesus) should not PERISH (death/die)...BUT (in contrast to dying) have EVERLASTING/ETERNAL LIFE." (John 3:16)  God does NOT love the "world system (ruled by the devil/death)...but the 7,021,836,029...spirits/souls/bodies within the world.  "For God so loved the 7,021,836,029...that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever (of the 7,021,836,029) believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life?" (John 3:16)

If God love all of these humanoids comprised of spirit/soul/body...what should our response be to them.  Sadly, we bicker, fight, hate, accuse, berate, manipulate them if they don't fit into our patterns of living. We will love them IF they clean up their lives.  Of course God demonstrates how we should express our love towards them. If we followed His example we would treat humans differently...Christian or non-Christian.alike  "God demonstrates (shows us how) His own love toward us...in that while we were YET sinners...Christ died for us." (Romans 5:8)

We (as humans) are shaped by our experiences (good, bad, ugly).  When God saved us...our human spirits...who are now IN CHRIST...are NEW...the OLD things past away...behold...NEW things have come...and are constantly coming in our new lives. (II Corinthians 5:17).  If we looked into a mirror...for the most part...we look the same in our body(soma)...and we still have residual thought and emotions of our previous life.  We begin to RENEW OUR MINDS with the washing of the water of the Word of God.  (Romans 12:1-2; Ephesian 4:23). 

Our souls...our psych...our minds/free will/emotions have been affected by the environment that we have lived in for years...the good, the bad and the ugly.  This is why we act and respond to things the way that we do.  That is why we as Christians...need to understand that an unrenewed mind cannot understand the things of God.  When you expect a non-Christian to act like you...you will become disappointed and angry with the world...the one that God so loved and then demonstrate how we are to love them.  Die and lay down your life...BEFORE they change. 

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Here is how God speaks to us...filtered through the spirit and a renewed mind...giving us the MIND OF CHRIST.  Remember there are many of the 7,021,836,029 spirits, souls and bodies...but all do not have the spiritual reconnection that the D.B.R. can give them.  It is when we realize this...that maybe we can begin to LOVE THE WORLD.

"Things which eye has not seen and ear has not heard and which have not entered the heart of man, all that God has prepared for those who love Him.  For to us God revealed them through the Spirit (Big S), for the Spirit (Big S) searches all tings, even the depths of God.  For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit (little s) of the man, which is in him (location of the human spirit)?  Even so the thoughts of God no one knows except the Spirit (Big S) of God.  Now we have received no the spirit of the world (or the world system), but the Spirit (Big S) who is from God, tht we might KNOW the things freely give to us by God...which things we also SPEAK, not in WORDS taught by human wisdom, but in those taught by the Spirit (Big S, combining spiritual THOUGHTS with spiritual WORDS.  But a natural man (one of the 7,021,836,029 who has not received him or walk in the flesh with an unrenewed mind)...does not ACCEPT the things of the Spirit (Big S) of Gd, for they are foolishness to him, and he cannot UNDERSTAND them, because they are spiritually appraised by no man.  For who has know the MIND OF THE LORD...the he should instruct Him?  but we have THE MIND OF CHRIST." (II Corinthians 2:9-16)

Love and 7,021,836,029 Kisses
Rodney "spirt, soul & body" Boyd