Sunday, July 28, 2013

INTERVIEW WITH A RUMINATOR

 Welcome to an interview with The Ruminator.  This is a rare opportunity to see what is going on in the head of an individual who is one strange and quirky bird. This humble interviewer will attempt to peel away the layers and see what makes him tick.

Interviewer:  Thank you for letting me interview you today. Many people have submitted questions for this interview.

Ruminator:  It is my pleasure.  Maybe I can found out what makes me tick also.

Interviewer:  When and where were you born?

Ruminator:  I was born at a very early age.  Chronologically I was a gleam in my mother and father's eyes around December of 1950.  On the space time continuum...I appeared on August 15th 1951. One minute I was in my mother's womb and then BOOM...a Baby BOOMER was born. I was born in Allen Clinic in Murfreesboro TN.  The people present at the birth were two nurses, the Doctor, me...and oh yes...my mother was there.

Interviewer:  How old are you now?

Ruminator:  I am currently approaching the ripe old age of 62.  I don't feel like I am 62...and when I look in the mirror I don't see a 62 year old man looking back at me...so...I guess I am doing pretty good.

Interviewer:  How was your childhood?

Ruminator:  I would consider it to be pretty normal.  I went to school, had friends, played sports, watched T.V., played outside, listened to music. 

Interviewer:  Your intelligence is astrodynamic.  What kind of student were you in your formative years?

Ruminator:  I was not a very good student.  I was an awkward and backwards child.  I remember at an early age to be able to utilize humor to mask my fears and inadequacies in school.  I would do anything for a laugh.  Once the teacher left me in charge of the class as she went to the office. What was she thinking?  I took the opportunity to entertain the class...and began swinging from the door.  The teacher was not amused as she caught me in mid swing. In high school...I would sneak into some of the teacher's grade books and change my F's to B's.

Grades 1 through 3 went O.K...but when I hit the fourth grade...things started going downhill.

Interviewer:  What do you think caused that decline?

Ruminator:  I had some family issues.  My parents were increasing in their arguments  I would wake up at night and hear my mom calling various bars looking for my Dad...and when she did find him... she would begin screaming at him to come home.  Once Mom was so anxious and depressed...she tried to get me to go to the gas station...buy some gasoline so she could burn down the house with us in it.  As evidenced by the fact that we are dong an interview...I did not obey my mother.  Alcohol was the cause for ingniting the flames of family troubles.  My parents also had a conflict with my 4th grade teacher.  Probably because of how I was affected by my home life.

Interviewer:  How did that effect you? 

Ruminator:  I remember at some point that I was taken to a child psychologist...and looking at some ink blots.  I remember thinking...somebody was pretty sloppy with the ink bottle...spilling all of that ink.  I really don't remember much about that experience.  I ended up failing the sixth grade...which was probably...the best thing that ever happened to me.  I had 13 D's and 4 F's. My social graces balanced out with my emotional levels. The next year I had straight A's.  Either I got smarter...OR...I just remembered the material from the previous year.   Mrs. Adkerson my sixth grade teacher...opened the world of reading to me when she told me..."Rodney...you can go anywhere in the world that you want to go...by opening up a book and placing yourself in the book with your imagination.  I became a reading machine. 

Interviewer:  What kind of church upbringing did you have as a youth?

Ruminator:  I started in the Cradle Roll at North Boulevard Church of Christ and continued on into my teen years at Kingwood Drive Church of Christ..  I would not miss church.  Early on my parents would take me...and then when they stopped I continue to go on my own.   I would spend weekends at my Grandmothers...and walked down the street to the church.  Eventually I dropped out...just stopped going...but the roots were still there.

Interviewer:  How were your teenage years?

Rumiantor:  Well...I was pretty awkward.  I was shy around the girls...and really spent a lot of time in my room...reading,...listening to music...watching T.V. 

Interviewer:  It is well known that you have a passion for music.  How did this passion develop?

Ruminator:  My Dad and Mom use to dance on Saturday nights to old Glenn Miller albums. (There were actually good times in the midst of the bad family times).  When I was 6 years old...they let me buy the 45...Jailhouse Rock by Elvis.  The flip side was Treat Me Nice.  All of my friends were singing..."Mary had a little lamb"...and I was singing..."The warden had a party in the county jail".  The other 45 that grabbed me an early age was Brook Benton and Dinah Washington's A Rocking Good Way...and Baby, You Got What It Takes.  Combine that with Glenn Miller, Benny Goodman, Woody Herman, The River Boat Five...and you have a pretty eclectic influence...that carries over even to today. 

Elvis remains a strong influence.  I remember my mother using Elvis to train me to do right.  I learn to comb my hair by emulating Elvis...and my mother once told me...that Elvis didn't smoke cigarettes... so I should not (as she was puffing on a cigarette).  Hmmmm....we see how that worked out for Elvis.

Interviewer:  What got you out of your room and into the mainstream of life?

Ruminator:  A couple of guys name Bruce Fortner and Dan Bogle.  Dan approached me about starting a band with his friend Bruce.  We got together and played a few things and it just began to unfold.  Dan told me.."Boyd...we got to get that grease out of your hair and get you out of this room.  By this time...I had taken down all the Elvis pictures...and my Dad painted my room black.  Kudo's to Dad for catering to my weirdness. 

Interviewer:  I hear that Bruce Fortner also played a pivotal part in your life that continues to this very day.  What did he do?

Ruminator:  Bruce was dating a girl named Debbie...and Debbie came to one of our band practices with her best friend...Brenda Williams.  WOW...or as I would now say...HallelWOWjah!!!!  She was a vision, a dream, my destiny.  The only problem is...she did not like me...but liked the lead guitar player...and I played rhythm.  But I persisted...some would call it stalking...but in the end...I wore her down and in the words of Earnest T. Bass..."I wooed her with my charms." 

Interviewer:  I hear also that Brenda played a major influence in your life...that shaped who you are today.  Could you tell us about how she did that?

Ruminator:  Well...every time I called her for a date...she was at church.  Dan Bogle once said, "Boyd... what are you doing...trying to date a missionary?  I figured...if I went to church with her... I could get a little more of Brenda time.  Remember, she was a Christian...I had a religious background but had never took the plunge to be a follower of Jesus.  After a while...we were considering getting married...and we were at Shoney's eating supper.  I told her that when we got married, that we could raise the children in any religion that she wanted...because...I was a heathen...and I could adjust to any religion.  I then said back...pretty proud of myself...and was just about to crunch into those world famous Shoney's onion rings...and Benda said, "That's nice...but when me and the children die we will go to heaven and when you die...you will go to hell...and we will be separated."

Interviewer: Wow...how did you respond?

Rumiantor:  I knew she was right.  I had been sitting in church with her...trying to act like a cool rock star (never would close my eyes when they prayed...and made sure someone saw me with my eyes already opened...when they opened their eyes)...but the Gospel about the Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus was being preached and I heard it and faith came.  I took her home...and asked her..."What do I have to do to be saved?"  She led me down the Romans Road to Salvation (Romans 3:10, Romans 3:23, Romans 6:23, Romans 5:12, Romans 10:8-17)  She then led me in a salvation prayer...I accepted Jesus and BAM I was saved.  Thank God for a good little Baptist girl...who did not let me drag her into my world.

Interviewer:  What happened next?

Rumiantor: Well...a thumbnail sketch is...I went away to Tennessee Temple Bible School...I dropped out of Tennessee Temple Bible School...I received the Baptism in/of/with the Holy Ghost....and then I backslide and smoked more dope, drank more booze, did more stupid things than before I was a Christian.  Then I came back to the Lord and am still standing   This all took place when I was around 19...and I am now 62.

Interviewer:  Someone (Tammy Dozier) wants to know, what is rolling around in your head?

Ruminator:  Glad you asked.  I once had an MRI...and the technicians told me, "Well...there is nothing up there."  I believe he was talking about some kind of malady or tumor...but I could be wrong.

Interviewer:  How did the Ruminator Sunday School start...and how did it get it's name?

Ruminator:  Brenda and I had just left a church called New Life Chapel.  We had been there 15 years and it imploded.  At that time I was in leadership there and I taught a Sunday School class.  We checked out various churches with no success...and ended up at Smyrna Assembly of God. (now named Springhouse Worship and Arts Center).  We have been there now for 24+ years.

I had declared that I would NEVER teach another Sunday School class or step into another pulpit.  We wanted just to blend in and lick our wounds and become anonymous.  We would be involved with the activities...but not do anything.   At that time there were little groups for Sunday School that would gather back in the kitchen and we would discuss the upcoming sermon.  The groups would name  themselves. Me, Brenda, Mark and Theresa Robertson and a couple of others were in the group and we decided to call our group THE WILD KINGDOM.  Mark Robertson...kept hounding me to start teaching again...and I continue to say no and resist.  That part of my life was over...but the Holy Spirit was NOT over me.  Eventually after talking to Wade Hutchinson (an elder) who I had been involved with at MTSU in a group called Follower's Fellowship...about possibly teaching a class called THE TOPICAL MEMORY SYSTEM by the Navigators.  He told me..."I think you ought to go for it."  So in essence you can blame Mark Robertson and Wade Hutchinson for me teaching today.

Interviewer:  Well how did the name come about...and why are cows the symbol of class and not a more Biblical symbol of sheep?

Rumiantor:  Well...The Topical Memory System was a system of 60 verses that we memorized in a systematic fashion.  One verse...in The Word section was Joshua 1:8 which stated..."This book of the Law (the Word) shall not depart from your MOUTH...but you shall MEDITATE on it (the Word) day and night, so that you may be careful to DO all that is written in it (the Word) for then (cause and effect) you will make your way PROSPEROUS and then you will have GOOD SUCCESS."

Well...that just rang a bell with me...and I began to think about this meditating thing.


MEDITATE:  hâgâh (haw-gaw')=A primitive root (compare H1901); to murmur (in pleasure or anger); by implication to ponder: - imagine, meditate, mourn, mutter, roar, X sore, speak, study, talk, utter.

The Latin word for MEDITATE meant to RUMINATE...where certain animals...would eat food... swallow food through a series of four stomachs or chambers and regurgitate that back up into the mouth as a cud and chew.  Goats, sheep, cows, and others are ruminants.

I began to think about cows in a field...chewing on that cud...and I thought of the phrase...Mooing and Chewing on the Cud of the Word of God.  That phrase stuck...and we began to call our self...the Ruminators.  I would also send out some writings via email to those interested and called them...RUMINATOR RAMBLINGS.  At some point I collected some of these writings into a book and Richard Jacobson designed a picture of a cow sitting at a computer and we called the book...MOO GOT MAIL.  A few years later...Richard suggested that I do this new thing called BLOGGING...and now there is a Ruminator Rambling blog site that can be found at www.ruminatorramblings-rodney.blogspot.com

Interviewer:  How many people have been in an out of the Ruminator Sunday School Class?

Ruminator:  I have no idea.  There have been certain ones who have been in there long term who have been called along side to help...and others have been in there for a season and left...and others have left an now are back in the class.  The phrase that we use is...
"Once a Ruminator...always a Ruminator."  I do know this...that the leadership of the church have been gracious in allowing us to do what we do going on 24 years.

Interviewer:  Exactly what do you do?

Ruminator:  Well...Food, Fun, and Fellowship begins at 9:00 (that's when the herd starts gathering)...and then we begin teaching at 9:30. 

Interviewer:  Do you think that you will ever break out of the walls and go elsewhere to spread the Word?

Ruminator:  I have often wondered about that.  I have had many opportunities to go teach at various places outside of the country from Peru to Africa to Guatemala, but...IF I never go anywhere I else...I do know that I am to be here to encourage people to open their Bibles and study the Word of God for themselves...and then simply obey what the Spirit and the Word speaks into their lives.  I feel called as a teacher and an encourager to the body of Christ.

Interviewer:  Why have you and Brenda stayed at your current home church?  I believe that you have been there for 25+ years.

Ruminator:  Well...to be honest...we have had some conflicts over the years...and have entertained the idea of going somewhere else...BUT...if we went to somewhere else and not work through problems that we encountered...we would be on constant a constant move.  We feel that if we enter into a relationship with the people...why should we withhold our love.  If we went somewhere else (aka church hopping...or...a steeple chase) we would only wind up with the same problem...us. 


Interviewer:  Are there any earthly inspiration to you to do what you do?

Ruminator:  Well, of course Brenda...my Pro-Verbs 31 woman...is constant encouragement to me...in all aspects of life.  As Jack Nicholson said in one of his movies..."You make me want to be a better man."  My son Phillip inspires me to be a better father.  Bruce and Jill Coble inspires me to be a servant and go out into the world and teach.  The Ruminator Sunday School Class...filled with Ruminators are a major source of encouragement.

Interviewer:  Who are a few of your favorite music people?

Ruminator:  Weeellll....well, well, well....I guess Elvis is at the top of the stack...but I like all kinds of artist and music types.  Brian Mason get the fires burning with The Brian Mason show...consisting of music, interviews, laughs every Sunday morning.  Phil Keaggy is a hero.  Love me some Bruce Cockburn.  I love the Monkees and Michael Nesmith of the Monkees is a fav.   There is a CD that really is rough and raw...but it is close to my heart called RUMINATOR UNPLUGGED.

 

Interviewer:  Some would say that you are a little bit crazy.  What would you say to those who speak about your skewed outlook on life?

Ruminator:  I would have to quote a man named Vance Akin III.  "I would rather be crazy the way I am...than sane the way you are."  Vance was instrumental in introducing me to the power of the Holy Spirit.

Interviewer:  Why do you dress in various costumes and pose as various characters?  From Captain Love to The Blues Brothers to Cousin Vinnie to Blind Lemon Pledge to Karate Man...to The Turkey Frying Fire Man...that is a pretty eclectic group of personalities.  People want to know WHY?

Ruminator:  I don't know what you are talking about.  You must be mistaking me with some other nut job.

Interviewer:  How did your love for Martial Arts start and are you still doing it?

Ruminator:  I first became interested watching Peter Lorre playing Mr. Moto in the movie series.  He was a small framed, white suit wearing, John Lennon glasses (before John Lennon was born) wearing, international man of mystery...who new ju jitsu and threw around the bad guys instead of using a gun.  Around 1972...I got beat up on the side of the road (of my own fault)...and started taking karate at Bushido School of Karate under Sensei Newton Harris.  I dropped out at around 23 years old...and then started again when I turned 50 years old.  I am now 62...and I am teaching at Bill Taylor's School of Karate...the same school that I started at back in 1972-73. 

Interviewer:  Very interesting.  How do you justify the Oriental Arts from a country that does not believe in God or Christianity. 

Ruminator:  I don't justify it...I redeem it...I make it mine and not it me.  In all my years at Bushido School of Karate...I have never been subject to any demonic or religious or cultural boogie men.  I address this in my soon to be released book...NEVER RUN A DEAD KATA (Lessons I Learned In The Dojo)

Interviewer:  You teach the Bible...and many wonder what qualifies you to teach the Bible?  What is your Bible training?  Do you have any Theological degrees?

Ruminator:  When I first received Jesus...I sensed a strong calling to preach...so I enrolled at Tennessee Temple Bible School...with the intentions of getting a degree in Bible...and become an Evangelist.  Nobody told me there would be courses like English.  I was there to learn everything I could about the Bible.  Through a series of events...I ended up leaving school...before I got kicked out.  I did get a minor in Bible at MTSU.  They use to have a religious studies department headed by Dr. John McCray. It was a great minor.  One of the elders at church...Wade Hutchinson took classes from Dr. McCray.  I tried to go to Oral Roberts University but for some reason they did not accept me (or I never heard back from them).  I wrote them and told them that I had a 1.5 average but I was "expecting a miracle" (the phrase used at O.R.U.)...and looked forward to them accepting me.  I ended up getting a Masters degree in Speech Pathology.  Some have asked why I did not get my Doctorate?  I tell them...I would rather be called Master than Doctor.

Interviewer:  How do you study the Bible?

Ruminator:  I approach my Bible study from many different directions.  Just reading the Word is a good place to start.  Realizing that the Holy Spirit within you is your teacher and He will lead you into all truth.  I like to do character studies of the various characters (and believe me there are some characters in the Bible)...and see how they deal with life.  I love to do Word studies.  Seeing the Hebrew and Greek meanings behind the words fascinates me.  I am NOT  Greek or Hebrew Scholar... but I can use a concordance and Greek/Hebrew Lexicon with the best of them.  I also like to use the INDUCTIVE BIBLE STUDY METHOD...where I ask the who, what, why, where, how questions and study the surrounding context of the Word.  Then I like to ask the Lord to show me how to practically apply what I am reading for NOW.  I like to read other peoples insights into the Word and glean from what God is speaking to the body of Christ around the World.

Interviewer:  What version of the Bible do you use?

Ruminator:  I like the New American Standard Bible.  Also I like to plug in the Amplified Bible and turn it up to 10.  I use a lot of other translations and paraphrases...and I like my E-SWORD on my computer...to bring out Greek and Hebrew word meanings.


Interviewer: Is there anything that you would like to say?

Ruminator:  Yes I would.  My calling is to be a teacher for the body of Christ.  My heartbeat is to encourage people to read the Word of God, hear from God, let faith come, and obey the Word.  I desire to be someone that encourages, edifies, lifts up, challenges, provoke and stimulate to love and good deeds.  I hope to be able to teach the Word of God in such a way that it is not THEOLOGICALLY out of reach for the everyday man and woman.  I hope that when I teach that someone walks away saying..."I understand that...and I believe I can read the Word now."

Interviewer:  Thank you so much for allowing me to interview you and to open the door of your mind so people will get to know you a little better.

Ruminator:  It is my pleasure...and by the way...I must say that you are not only a wonderful interviewer...you are a very handsome, muscular, witty, and dare I say...one of the most funny people I have ever met.   Have you heard the one about ARNO ROAD?

Interviewer:  Well...thank you.  It IS like looking into a mirror.  No I have not...please share.

Ruminator:  Well...I was traveling down 840 on the way to Florida and we passed by a sign for an exit that said ARNO ROAD.  I told my son Phillip...son...don't ever go down that road.  He said, "Why not Dad."  I responded..."Because there ARE NO ROAD."  To this day...my son and my wife tell me..."You're not funny."

Interviewer: Thanx and A Tip O Da Hat once again for opening up your mind to the world.

Wednesday, July 24, 2013

20 THINGS TO DO IN TIMES OF TROUBLE

 Greetings Brothers and Sisters in the Lord...are you in TROUBLED TIMES?  Does it look like those who do wrong (wrongdoers) and do evil (evildoers) cause you to be envious because the appear to be getting away with murder...while you do good and the right things as you try to follow the Lord...and you get butkus?  I mean...you might as well go over to the dark side...RIGHT?  WRONG!!!!

This Rambling is taken directly from a Facebook post in the RUMINATOR SUNDAY SCHOOL GROUP.  My prayer..is that this Rambling will encourage you...in discouraging times.  Here are 20 THINGS THAT YOU CAN DO IN TIMES OF TROUBLE:      


WHAT TO DO IN THE FACE OF EVILDOERS AND WRONGDOERS (Psalm 37)
In the face of those who do evil (evil doers) and those who do wrong (wrongdoers) it seems at times that they are getting away with murder...while you are doing good (good doer) and doing right (right doer) and we become ENVIOUS. Psalm 37 is one of my favorite Psalms that gives us some proactive things to do in the face of distractions. Here are the TOP TWENTY THINGS TO DO...IN TIMES OF TROUBLE:
1. Be not envious

2. Realize the outcome. They will (a) wither like the grass (b) fade like the green
herb

 3. Trust in the Lord (believe...trust in, cling to, rely on)

 4. Do good (and not bad)

 5. Dwell in the land (walk in the promise of God)

 6. Cultivate faithfulness (remove those things that choke out the seed of the Word)

 7. Cultivate faithfulness (feed on God's faithfulness)

 8. Delight yourself in the Lord (become pliable in the Lord) Cause and Effect of
     delighting yourself in the Lord=He will give (plant and bring to pass) the desires
     of your heart

 9. Commit your way to the Lord (Start and hold your course with God)

 10. Trust also in Him...He will do it.

 11. Rest in the Lord (relax in the Spirit)

 12. Wait patiently for the Lord (Confidently expect without anxiety for the future)

 13. Fret not because of the evil and wrong doers as they prosper as they carry out
      their wicked schemes. FRET=going over and over and over again in your mind

 14. Cease from anger (Stop it by your choice...make a decision)

 15. Forsake wrath (leave room for God to deal with wrath)

 16. Fret not (#2) If you don't it will dead only to evildoing...so you become like
       them.

 17. Wait (confidently hope and expect) for the Lord (don't get ahead of Him)

 18. Depart from evil (turn and run like Joseph)

 19. Do good...as opposed to doing bad

 20. Dwell, utter wisdom, speak wisdom, wait for the Lord, keep His way, take
       refuge in Him.

"But the salvation of the righteous is from the Lord...He is their strength in TIME OF TROUBLE. And the Lord HELPS them, and DELIVERS them...He DELIVERS them from the wicked, and SAVES them... because they TAKE REFUGE IN HIM." (Psalm 37:40)

I hope this encourages you in discouraging times.

Love and Secure Kisses
Rodney "Delighting In The Lord" Boyd
 
 



                                                            

 

Monday, July 22, 2013

PLEASE...EXCUSE...MY EXCUSES

 Greetings and Salutations Friends and Neighbors.

Have you ever caught yourself making excuses?  For me...I am usually in the middle of justifying why I am doing or saying the things I do and say.  After all...there must be some rhyme or reason for WHY I am conducting myself in my life.

C.S. Lewis...in his book Mere Christianity in the section called The Law of Human Nature...covers this concept of reason or excuse and why we behave the way we do.

EVERY ONE HAS HEARD people quarreling. Sometimes it sounds funny and sometimes it sounds merely unpleasant; but however it sounds, I believe we can learn something very important from listening to the kinds of things they say. They say things like this: "How’d you like it if anyone did the same to you?"--‘That’s my seat, I was there first"--"Leave him alone, he isn’t doing you any harm"--"Why should you shove in first?"--"Give me a bit of your orange, I gave you a bit of mine"--"Come on, you promised." People say things like that every day, educated people as well as uneducated, and children as well as grown-ups.
Now what interests me about all these remarks is that the man who makes them is not merely saying that the other man’s behavior does not happen to please him. He is appealing to some kind of standard of behavior which he expects the other man to know about. And the other man very seldom replies: "To hell with your standard." Nearly always he tries to make out that what he has been doing does not really go against the standard, or that if it does there is some special excuse. He pretends there is some special reason in this particular case why the person who took the seat first should not keep it, or that things were quite different when he was given the bit of orange, or that some thing has turned up which lets him off keeping his promise. It looks, in fact, very much as if both parties had in mind some kind of Law or Rule of fair play or decent behavior or morality or whatever you like to call it, about which they really agreed. And they have. If they had not, they might, of course, fight like animals, but they could not quarrel in the human sense of the word. Quarreling means trying to show that the other man is in the wrong. And there would be no sense in trying to do that unless you and he had some sort of agreement as to what Right and Wrong are; just as there would be no sense in saying that a footballer had committed a foul unless there was some agreement about the rules of football." (C.S. Lewis Mere Christianity: The Law of Human Nature)


The bottom line is that you feel that you are right...and the other person is wrong...so you become a lawyer as you defend your case.  "Never mind the furthermore...the plea is SELF defense.  We are defending our SELF nature with what is in essence our SELF-RIGHTEOUSNESS.

How quickly we forget from where we come...from dirty, rotten, sinner (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23) to the RIGHTEOUSNESS OF GOD IN CHRIST. (Romans 1:17; II Corinthians 5:21)

Of course between "there is none righteous" to "the righteous live shall live by faith"...something took place that put us in the position of the righteousness of God...IN CHRIST." (II Corinthians 5:21)  That SOMETHING was the D.B.R.




 
EXCUSE:  par-ahee-teh'-om-ahee (par-ahee-teh'-om-ahee)=to beg off, that is, deprecate, decline, shun: - avoid, (make) excuse, intreat, refuse, reject.

In the parable of the slighted invitation...may are invited to a feast...but everyone was coming up with EXCUSES about WHY they could not come.  The Master of the feast sends his slave out to the highways and byways to compel them to come in.  Jesus stated,
"For I tell you, none of those men who were invited shall taste my dinner." (Luke 14:7-24) 

Our EXCUSES will keep us from experiencing the FEAST OF THE LORD in our lives.  The menu for the feast includes: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, gentleness, and self-control. (Galatians 5:22-23)

Don Adams...aka Maxwell Smart (Agent 96) on the show GET SMART came up with some far fetched excuses...and would precede them (in his nasal voice)  with..."Would you believe..." The chief would say..."No...I wouldn't." Then Smart would give two or three more improbable excuses.

Another word for an EXCUSE is found in Romans 1:20 where people excuse themselves for there sins by saying they did not see or know God.

EXCUSE: anapologētos (an-ap-ol-og'-ay-tos)=indefensible: - without excuse, inexcuseable

Paul speaks to people who have all kinds of excuses for NOT BELIEVING...affecting their LIFESTYLE that goes against the grain of God...and they are WITHOUT EXCUSE.

"For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who suppress the truth in unrighteousness, because that which is KNOWN about God is EVIDENT...WITHIN THEM; for God made it EVIDENT TO THEM.  For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes...His eternal power and divine nature, have been CLEARLY SEEN, being understood through what has been made, so that THEY ARE WITHOUT EXCUSE." (Romans 1:18-20)
 

 
What can we do...if our EXCUSES have wrapped us up in the rope of sin?  What can we do to hydrate our thirsty and dried spirits and souls? 

You have heard of the 3 R's...Readin' Rightin' and Rithmatic.  Well Acts 3:19 had the Spiritual 3 R's...
Repent...Return...Refreshing.

"Repent therefore and return that your sins may be wiped away, in order that times of refreshing may come from the presence of the Lord." (Acts 3:19 NASB).

Oh I know...excuse may not be a sin to you...but when your excuses begin to affect your life...when your excuses give you what in your mind are valid reasons to do or not do something...then it is turning into sin...and at the least...moving in the flesh and not in the spirit.  A good indicator if you excuses are turning into sin...is the PEACEOMETER.  Are you in a constant state of UNREST in your life?  Do you constantly want to avoid FELLOWSHIP with people you once loved?  Are your excuses...a good justification for why it is OK for you to continue in SINS and DEEDS OF THE FLESH

Instead of an excuse..Repent....have a change of  heart, mind, attitude, direction.  Return to your first love...remember from where you have fallen...repent...and do the deeds you did at first. (Revelation 2:5; Acts 3:19)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

What is your excuse?  Is your excuse...other people....circumstances...your emotions...you intellect... your special gifts?  What ever your excuses...don't let them rob you of your peace and your connectivity to the Lord and His people.


Love and No Excuses Kisses
Rodney "If...But" Boyd


Posted by Picasa

Friday, July 19, 2013

DESPAIR VERSUS HOPE

Greetings O Ye Mooers and Chewers of the Cud of the Word of God... got a minute?

Waiting...is normally watching the clock tick by slowly...that ranks up there with watching a pot full of water to boil.  When you are kid and you are going to Florida on a vacation... and as soon as you leave your driveway from home...within five minutes the question arises..."Are we there yet?"

 This thing called waiting...with no hope of ever seeing what you are waiting for...can easily turn into a little thing called DESPAIR.

"I would have DESPAIRED..." This phrase is found in a Psalm by the Shepherd King David...who was familiar with reasons to despair.
FAINT/DESPAIR: râphâh (raw-faw')=A primitive root; to slacken (in many applications, literally or figuratively): - abate, cease, consume, draw [toward evening], fail, (be) faint, be (wax) feeble, forsake, idle, leave, let alone (go, down), (be) slack, stay, be still, be slothful, (be) weak (-en). 
 
This despair...is a HOPELESSNESS.  Hope means to have CONFIDENT EXPECTATION.

HOPE:  tiqvâh (tik-vaw')= literally a cord (as an attachmentfiguratively expectancy: - expectation ([-ted]), hope, live, thing that I long for.
 
In Psalm 27...David speaks of FEAR and DREAD...EVILDOERS and ADVERSARIES.  He speaks of ENCAMPMENTS SURROUNDING...and WAR RISING.   Do you have these things happening in your life...in your family, in your job, in your church...in your WORLD?  The question is the same one that David addressed (there is nothing new under the sun)..."Whom shall I FEAR?  Whom shall I DREAD" (Psalm 27:1-2)
 
David's expected answer was NOTHING (no thing, zilch, zero, nuttin' honey)  His "Biblical answer by faith was..."In SPITE of this...I SHALL BE CONFIDENT."  What this means is...that David has HOPE.
 
David said..."I would have DESPAIRED...unless...I HAD BELIEVED...that I WOULD SEE...the GOODNESS OF GOD...in the LAND OF THE LIVING." (Psalm 27:13)

Despair was nipped in the bud by FAITH...by his BELIEVING (trusting in, relying on, clinging to, adhering to) seeing with spiritual eyes and not by sight (II Corinthians 5:7)...and perception of things not seen by things revealed to the senses (Hebrews 11:1).  What did David see?  THE GOODNESS OF GOD...in the face of BADNESS in the world.

The question is...what do you do between the point of prayer and the point of provision?  The answer is WAIT.

WAIT: qâvâh (kaw-vaw')=A primitive root; to bind together (perhaps by twisting), that is, collect; (figuratively) to expect: - gather (together), look, patiently, tarry, wait (for, on, upon).
 
Psalm 27:14 lays out what we are to do:
 

(1) Wait for the Lord  (2) Be strong (3) Let/Allow your heart to take courage (4) Yes...WAIT FOR THE LORD.
Back in the 70's...during the Jesus Movement...we would sing Scriptures.  One of those was found in Isaiah 40:31...about waiting upon the Lord:
 
They that WAIT upon the Lord
Shall renew their strength
They shall mount up with wings as eagles
They shall run and not be weary
They shall walk and not faint
Teach me Lord...Teach me Lord...to WAIT.
 
Again...this concept of waiting is binding together and twisting together for strength...to have an expectancy. 
 
The Everlasting God...the Lord...the Creator of the ends of the earth...DOES NOT BECOME WEARY or TIRED. (Isaiah 40:28)  If you are WEARY and TIRED...it would behoove us to WAIT on the one who does not become WEARY or TIRED...The Lord.   Why would you want to WAIT on the Lord?
 
(1)  He gives STRENGTH to the WEARY
(2)  He increases POWER to those who lacks MIGHT
(3)  Youth and young mean who grow weary/tired and stumbles badly He increases POWER
(4)  The will GAIN NEW STRENGTH
(5)  They will MOUNT UP WITH WINGS AS EAGLES
(6)  They will RUN AND NOT BE WEARY
(7)  They will WALK AND NOT FAINT/BECOME WEARY
 
FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY
 
Teach me Lord...Teach me Lord...to WAIT.

Love and Goodness In The Land Kisses
Rodney "Wait A Minute Mr. Postman" Boyd



 




 
 
 
 

Posted by Picasa

Wednesday, July 17, 2013

OPERATOR...GIVE ME JESUS..ON THE MAINLINE

Greeting and Salutations O Ye Praying people...

In 1950 Mr. William Spivery had a song hit called OPERATOR...which was later recorded by Manhattan Transfer.  The premise was calling heaven to talk to Jesus.

OPERATOR (written by William Spivery)


Operator...Give me information...Information

Give me long distance...Long distance
Give me heaven...Operator...Information
Give me Jesus on the line...Operator
Information...I'd like to speak to a friend of mine
Oh prayer is the number...Faith is the exchange
Heaven is the street...And Jesus is his name
Operator, Information...

The old joke is...if you call heaven from America... it is a long distance call...but call heaven from Jerusalem... then it is a local call.  Of course...we are talking about PRAYER....COMMUNICATION WITH GOD.

Another song about connecting with Jesus in prayer....that we would sing back in the 70's...is JESUS ON THE MAINLINE

JESUS ON THE MAINLINE (written by Norman Hutchins)

Jesus is on the mainline,tell Him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline,,tell Him what you want.
Jesus is on the mainline,tell Him what you want. Jesus is on the mainline...tell Him what you want.


NOTE:  The chorus went...Call Him up...Call Him up...Tell Him what you want.(repeat this three times and then end with Jesus On The Mainline Now).  Then you would go on to tell Him what you want. "If you want salvation...tell Him what you want...OR...If you want the Holy Ghost...tell Him what you want...OR...if you want a healing...tell Him what you want...etc.  and then end with Jesus on the Mainline now.

Some would say that these songs were selfish, greedy, self indulgent prayers...asking for things and consuming on their lusts...BUT...I don't think so.  God's heartbeat is one of a giver and a rewarder and it PLEASES GOD.

"And without faith it is impossible to pleas Him, for He who comes to God must believe that He is, and tat He is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him (not just passively inquire)."

(Hebrews 11:6)
 

I like this picture of my son Phillip praying.  It reminds me of Jesus' with His words..."Keep watching and praying that you may not enter into temptation; the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak."
(Matthew 26:41)

God is Pro-Prayer.  He wants us to come to Him for our needs and wants. 

"Therefore do not be like them, for your Father knows what you NEED...BEFORE...you ASK Him." (Matthew 6:8; Matthew 11:23))

Jesus said..."If you ABIDE in my...and my Words ABIDE in you...ASK WHATEVER YOU WISH...and it shall be done for you." (John 15:7)

The key is ABIDING ...us in Him and His WORDS in us.  This thing called ABIDING in not just a passive inquiring...and then giving up...it is a CONTINUATION in Jesus and His Words.


ABIDE:  menō (men'-o)=A primary verb; to stay (in a given place, state, relation or expectancy): - abide, continue, dwell, endure, be present, remain, stand, tarry (for), X thine own.
 
The usual Modus Operandi for many praying people is...to shot gun blast heaven with request and when they get no answers immediately...they assume that it is either not God's will for them...or that there is no God and we are speaking to air.  Neither is true. Again the key is continuing in Jesus...and then continuing in HIS WORD.  His WORD is truth and His will in a matter.  This is a safeguard for asking for selfish things. 

 
This picture is from the opening of the movie IT'S A WONDERFUL LIFE.  The scene is one of various people praying for a man named George Bailey...as the prayers ascend upward...the house is seen from a heavenly perspective...as the prayers...hit heaven and set things into motion for George. 

Mr. Emil Gower: I owe everything to George Bailey. Help him, dear Father.
Giuseppe Martini: Joseph, Jesus and Mary. Help my friend, Mr. Bailey.

Ma Bailey: Help my son, George, tonight.
Bert: He never thinks about himself, God, that's why he's in trouble.
Ernie Bishop: George is a good guy. Give him a break, God.
Mary: I love him, dear Lord. Watch over him tonight.
Janie Bailey: Please, God, something's the matter with Daddy.
Zuzu Bailey: Please bring Daddy back.

These prayers sets things into motion...angels are dispatched...and there is a process of the prayer of being answered.  Sometimes there is a lapse of time between the POINT OF PRAYER...and the POINT OF PROVISION...between the REQUEST...and between the ANSWER.

Daniel was a prayer warrior.  In Daniel 9:21 we see..."While I was STILL SPEAKING...in PRAYER, then the man (angel) Gabriel, whom I had seen in a vision previously, came to me in my extreme weariness about the time of the evening offering.  And he GAVE ME INSTRUCTION and talked with me, and said O Daniel, I have now come forth to give you insight with understanding.  At the beginning of your SUPPLIATIONS the command was issued, and I have come to tell you, for your are highly esteemed, so give heed to the message and gain understanding of the vision." (Daniel 9:21-23)

NOTE: Verse 20 shows Daniel's attitude during this prayer..."Now while I was SPEAKING and PRAYING and CONFESSING MY SIN...and the sin of my people Israel, and PRESENTING MY SUPPLICATION before the Lord my God in behalf of the holy mountain of my God." (Daniel 9:20)

Another incident of prayer with Daniel speaks of a DELAY in the answer to prayer. 

"In the third year of Cyrus king of Persia a message/word was revealed to Daniel, who was named Belteshazzar; and the message was true and one of great conflict, but he understood the message and had an understanding of the vision.  In those days I Daniel, had been mourning for THREE ENTIRE WEEKS (21 Days).  (Daniel 10:1-2) 

21 Days later...the angel rolled in with a word. 

"And he said to me, O Daniel, man of high esteem, understand the words that I am about to tell you and stand upright, for I have now been sent to you.  And when he had spoken this word to me, I stood up trembling.  Then he said to me...Do not be afraid, Daniel for FROM THE FIRST DAY THAT YOU SET YOUR HEART ON UNDERSTANDING THIS and on humbling yourself before your God...YOUR WORDS WERE HEARD...and I HAVE COME IN RESPONSE TO YOUR WORDS.  But the prince of Persia was WITHSTANDING (standing opposite) me for 21 DAYS...then behold, Michael, one of the chief princes, came to help me, for I had been left there with the kings of Persia.  Now I have come to give you an understanding of what will happen to your people in the latter days, for the vision pertains to the days yet future." (Daniel 10: 11-14)

NOTE:  Just because you DON'T see an answer to prayer...does not mean that the prayer was NOT HEARD...or that the prayer was DENIED.  There may be warfare between angelic princes...one to prevent the prayer...the other to deliver the prayer.
 
Jesus...when He was teaching on prayer...told His follower to "HAVE FAITH IN GOD...CONTINUALLY"
(Mark 11:22 The Amplified Bible)

Jesus begins to speak of mountain moving faith in the area of prayer, and shows the connection between faith and prayer.

"Truly I say to you whoever SAYS (the prayer) to this mountain, be taken up and cast into the sea and DOES NOT DOUBT in his heart but BELIEVES (trusts in, relies on, clings to, adheres to) that what he SAYS (prays) is GOING TO HAPPEN, it shall be granted (answered prayer) him." (Mark 11:23)

After teaching it...He now clarifies "Therefore (because of what was just said)...I say to you all things for which you PRAY and ASK...BELIEVE (trust in, cling to, rely on, adhere to) that you HAVE RECEIVED (not going to...but have) them and they shall be granted you."  (Mark 11:24)

So...when you get on your Holy Phone...and the Operator connects you to the Heavenly Exchange... and you have Jesus on the Mainline...go ahead...tell Him what you want.  He knows what you need and are thinking even before you dialed the number. 

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

QUESTION:  Do you know God's Phone Number? 

ANSWER:  Jeremiah 33:3

WHAT?  "CALL unto Me...and I will ANSWER you...and I will TELL you great and mighty things...which you do not know." (Jeremiah 33:3)

Love and Dialed Up Kisses
Rodney "Jesus On The Mainline Now" Boyd
Posted by Picasa