ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM AND LOVE

 Greetings Freedom Travelers...

"I'm on the road to freedom...on the road to love..." (On The Road To Freedom by Alvin Lee)

This is from the 1973 album by Alvin Lee...of Ten Years After and Woodstock fame...and Mylon Le Fevre who wrote the Gospel song...Without Him...recorded by Elvis Presley.  Alvin was from England and Mylon from "the south."  The album was a blend of English and Southern rock.

The theme of the album...and the times was FREEDOM and LOVE. 
Of course freedom and love back in the day (from 1967 and beyond) meant FREE to do whatever feels good and LOVE...and emotional connection with the world...and sex with whoever you happen to be with at the time.  Stephen Stills lamented about what to do if the one that you love is not with you in his song Love The One You're With.

"If you're down and confused
And you don't remember who you're talking too
Concentration slips away
Cause you're baby is so far away
CHORUS
Well there's a rose in the fisted glove
And eagle flies with the dove
And if you can't be with the one you love honey
Love the one you're with"
In the song Me And Bobby McGee...Kris Kristofferson and Fred Foster wrote...and originally recorded by Roger Miller and then Kris Kristofferson and after her death...Janis Joplin.

"Freedom's just another word for nothin' left to lose
Nothin', don't mean nothin' hon' if it ain't free, no no"

This is a picture of Alvin's album, Still On The Road To Freedom.  Alvin Lee has recently passed away at the age of 68...and is now off that road.  Hopefully he was on the right road to freedom.

Biblical FREEDOM and LOVE looks quite different than from the world's view.

FREEDOM:  eleutheria (el-yoo-ther-ee'-ah)=From G1658; freedom (legitimate or licentious, chiefly moral or ceremonial): - liberty.

LOVE: agape (ag-ah'-pay)=From G25; love, that is, affection or benevolence; specifically (plural) a love feast: - (feast of) charity ([-ably]), dear, love.
 
The apostle Paul tells us..."It was for FREEDOM that Christ set us FREE, therefore keep standing firm and do not be subject again to the yoke of slavery." (Galatians 5:1)

 Jesus tell us. "If therefore the Son shall make you FREE...you shall be FREE INDEED." (John 8:36)

True LOVE is laid out in John 3:16..."For God so LOVED the world...that He GAVE His only begotten Son (Jesus)...that WHOSOEVER (the qualifier of who can experience this love) BELIEVES (trusts in, clings to, relies on) in Him (Jesus) shall not perish but have everlasting life (cause and effect of believing the D.B.R.)" (John 3:16)  This is the nature of AGAPE LOVE.

I Corinthians 13:4-8 lays out what TRUE LOVE (not lust) is all about.  LOVE IS or DOES:

1.   Patient
2.  Kind
3.  Not jealous
4.  Does not brag
5.  Not arrogant
6.  Does not act unbecomingly
7.  Does not seek its own
8.  Is not provoked
9.  Does not take into account a wrong suffered
10.Does not rejoice in unrighteousness
11. Rejoices with the truth
12. Bears all things
13. Believes all things
14. Endures all things
15. Love NEVER fails

This type a love is a far cry from the lust that we call love back in the day...of being ON THE ROAD TO FREEDOM...and ON THE ROAD TO LOVE.

This year...Brenda and I had the honor of being able to sit under the teaching ministry of Mylon LeFevre at the Faith Outreach Church in Clarksville Tennessee.  He was there along with his wife Christy, his daughter and her husband (and Mylon's son-in-law) Peter Furler (of the Newsboys and now solo fame).

Mylon had gone from being part of The Singing LeFevres...writing songs that Elvis recorded...to recording in 1969 one of the first Christian Rock albums...and then down the slippery slope of "sex, drugs, and rock and roll"...where he bought into the lies of FREEDOM and LOVE outside of Jesus. When he came back to the Lord...and experienced TRUE FREEDOM and TRUE LOVE...his life turned around.  He left the world of sex, drugs, rock and roll and became a janitor in a church...lost his wife...was in Bible School...and eventually started a band called MYLON LEFEVRE AND BROKEN HEART.  Through a series of events...Mylon had a heart attack...was healed with a miracle recreated heart...and then became a minister of the Gospel.

For a full account of his life...check out his new book with his wife Christie...called...LIVE FOREVER.  You can also check him out on Facebook or go to his website at www.mylon.org
Mylon and Christi have a daily video blog called CHURCH ON THE RUN...as they travel ON THE ROAD on motorcycles around the country.  Good Stuff.

When Brenda and I saw him and Christi at Faith Outreach Church...he spoke on LOVE...the true love that he and Alvin Lee could only allude to at one point.  He spoke of true FREEDOM also.

NOTE:  I realize that I am talking a lot about Mylon...but what I am really talking about how GOD can change a person...through the Death, Burial, Resurrection of Jesus on the cross with His shed blood for the remission of our sins as a propitiation (satisfactory substitute) for the debt we owed and could never pay.  Mylon and Alvin were searching on the ROAD TO FREEDOM...and LOVE.  Mylon found the destination...Alvin...Only God knows.  I do know (because Mylon shared this with us)...that he had many long talks about God, Jesus, and true FREEDOM and LOVE. 

I end with a picture of the album by PETRA called COME AND JOIN US.  I love the picture of a road to a kingdom...and people who are sitting by the ROAD...being invited to join the travelers and pilgrims onto this ROAD (of freedom and love).

COME AND JOIN US (words and music by Bob Hartman)

We are like stones built together in a wall
Made up of whosoever, the Master builder calls
We are not worthy but together we are strong
Built on the rock of ages, the wall is almost done

 

Come and join us in the sunlight
You've been sittin' in the shade too long
Come and give us a chance to sing you a song

Come and join us in the sunlight
If you would reach, you could touch the sky
Come and drink from the well
That will never run dry

 

We are like stranger and pilgrims in this world
Lifting the blood stained banner, our flag has been unfurled
We have a homeland, no eyes have ever seen
But those who've gone before us, whose souls have been redeemed

 

Come and join us in the sunlight
You've been sittin' in the shade too long
Come and give us a chance to sing you a song

Come and join us in the sunlight
If you would reach, you could touch the sky
Come and drink from the well
That will never run dry

 

We are like children held in the father's hand
Growing into the image of Christ, the Son of man
We are not perfect but changing every day
Through trials and tribulation we'll find the perfect way

 

Come and join us in the sunlight
You've been sittin' in the shade too long
Come and give us a chance to sing you a song

Come and join us in the sunlight
If you would reach, you could touch the sky
Come and drink from the well
That will never run dry

 

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

 

I traveled a ROAD in search of LOVE and FREEDOM many years that led to LUST and BONDAGE...and in 1970...my girlfriend led me to the Lord...and we have been on this ROAD TO FREEDOM...THIS ROAD TO LOVE ever since.  The journey...knowing where we will end up...has been an adventure...with many ups and downs...hills and valleys...high times and low times. 

If you don't know Him...or are side tracked off the road...lost and wandering...we invite you back.  The Lord loves you and will guide you along the way.

 

"Thy WORD is a LAMP to my FEET and a LIGHT to my PATH." (Psalm 119:105)

 

Love and Traveling Kisses

Rodney "On The Road To Freedom and Love" Boyd