BLESSED TODAHGIVING & EUCHARISTIAGIVING

 Greetings O Ye Givers of Thanks...

I want to say to you...BLESSED TODAHGIVING.  Of course the word BLESSED or BLESSING means to be...

BLESSED: makarios (mak-ar'-ee-os)=A prolonged form of the poetical μάκαρ makar (meaning the same); SUPREMELY BLEST by extension fortunate, well off: - blessed, HAPPY (X -ier).

THANKSGIVING: tôdâh (to-daw')= properly an extension of the hand, that is, (by implication) avowal, or (usually) adoration; specifically a choir of worshippers: - confession, (sacrifice of) praise, thanks

 

THANKSGIVING:  eucharistia (yoo-khar-is-tee'-ah)=From ; gratitude; actually grateful language (to God, as an act of worship): - thankfulness, (giving of) thanks (-giving).  G2170:  eucharistos (yoo-khar'-is-tos)=From G2095 and a derivative of G5483; well favored, that is, (by implication) grateful: - thankful.

 

In the good old U.S. of A...we take one time a year in November we reflect and give THANKS.  Of course there are 364 days left that we should also GIVE THANKS (and many do)...but let us be THANKFUL for the one day also.

Here are just a few of the connections with what we call TODAHGIVING: 

Psalm 26:7      Tell all Thy wonderful ways
Psalm 50:14    Pay vows to the most high
Psalm 69:30     Magnify Him
Psalm 95:2      Come into His presence and make
                        joyful noise with Psalms.
Psalm 100:4    Enter his gates and courts with praise
Psalm 107:22  Declare His works
Psalm 116:17  Call on His name
Psalm 147:7    Sing unto the Lord

Now...off course there is nothing wrong with TODAHGIVING for a good job, food, family, friends, your church...because...in essence...we acknowledge that..."every good thing and every perfect gift is from above, coming down from the Father of lights with whom there is no variation or shifting shadow."  (James 1:17)  We also know that we should..."Rejoice always...pray without ceasing and in EVERYTHING..GIVE THANKS for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus."          (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

Let us also enter into EUCHARISTGIVING...

II Corinthians 4:15  Grace and abundance
II Corinthians 9:11  Enriched in everything to all
                                bountifulness
Philippians 4:6        All your request be made known
                                to God before you see an answer
                                for anxiety to be busted and
                                peace that surpasses all
                                comprehension to guard your
hearts and minds in Christ Jesus

Colossians 2:7   Rooted...Built up...Established in the faith
Colossians 4:2   Continue in prayerful watching
Revelation 7:12  Blessing, Glory, Wisdom, Thanksgiving, Honor, Power, Might unto our God

"Amen! (So be it!) they cried.  Blessing and gory and majesty and splendor and wisdom and THANKS and honor and power and might (be ascribed) to our God to the ages and ages--forever and ever, throughout the eternities of the eternities! Amen! (So be it!) (Revelation 7:12)

Oh what a wonderful day to focus on our God and our Lord.  Of course the Psalms point out the fact that "this is the day..." (Psalm 118:24)  On the space-time continuum...on the chronological time line...THIS refers to the current day.  THIS day is referred to as THE DAY OF VICTORY and is speaking of the day that He was sacrificed on the CROSS as our PROPITIATION (satisfactory substitute for us on the cross).  That DAY change our lives for every day of the year.  The D.B.R....made EVERY DAY worthy of THANKSGIVING.  "Therefore if any man or wo-manor hu-man is IN CHRIST...they are NEW CREATIONS...the OLD THINGS have passed away...behold NEW THINGS have come." (II Corinthians 5:17)  Everyday that I wake up...I wake up as a NEW MAN...and everyday I wake up I should have NEW THANKSGIVING on my lips.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

The old song encourages us to...Count your blessings...name them one by one...count your blessings see what God has done...Count your blessings...name them one by one...count your many blessings and see what God has done." (Johnson Oatman Jr. Lyrics and Edwin O. Excell Music)

Let's take this day of  BLESSED TODAHGIVING & EUCHARISTIAGIVING  and COUNT OUR BLESSINGS...and give Him  TODAH and EUCHARISTIA

Love and Very Thankful Kisses
Rodney "Turkey Fryer" Boyd

THE YET MODE

 Greetings O Ye Reality Dwellers...

As you live out your life...in what we call THE LAND OF NITTY GRITTY, we are continually faced with REALITY.  We do not DENY REALITY...because REALITY...is... well REAL...YET...

When you are face to face with reality...we have a choice.  You can either go into the DEFAULT MODE...aka FEAR/DOUBT/WORRY/ANXIETY MODE...or you can by CHOICE...go into the YET MODE.  That's what I love about the passage in Habakkuk 3:16-19.

In the book of Habbakuk...we see a prophet in the WONDERING MODE.  He looks around Judah and sees violence and wickedness...He see the wicked prospering and the righteous suffering...and wonders why God does not do something.  Over the next few chapters we see God utilizing the wicked to cleanse the wicked.  There is a KEY VERSE that will get the people through the cleansing...and it is hinged on their choice of MODES. 

"Behold...as for the proud one (Chaldeans)...His soul is not right within him...BUT the righteous (God's people) SHALL LIVE BY FAITH." (Habakkuk 2:4)

When God says something ONCE...it is worthy of paying attention...BUT...when it is quoted three more times...LISTEN UP! (Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38)  You get the idea that this thing called FAITH...is not a one time event or to be lived out intermittently...but it (faith) is THE LIFESTYLE OF THE RIGHTEOUS.  Of course we know that "there is no righteous...no not one" and that all have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God." (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23)  BUT...
something happened...that placed us in the RIGHTEOUS category...and IF we are RIGHTEOUS we are going to have to LIVE IT OUT LOUD...by this thing called FAITH.  (Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:6; II Corinthians 5:21; II Corinthians 5:7)  The book of HABAKKUK gives us an example how and when this thing called FAITH can be LIVED OUT LOUD.

Habakkuk's prayer is..."...O Lord...REVIVE Thy work I the midst of the years...in the midst of the years make it known...IN WRATH REMEMBER MERCY." (Habakkuk 3:2)

The Chaldeans are known as...THE HOUSE OF EVIL. (Habakkuk 3:13)  Here in 2013...there is a lot of evil in this modern house...and it appears at time that EVIL WINS...RIGHTEOUS LOSE.

The reaction that we have is the one that we tend to default to FEAR/DOUBT/WORRY/ANXIETY  MODE is found in Habakkuk 3:16..."I HEARD and my inward  parts (belly) TREMBLED; At the SOUND my lips QUIVERED...decay enters my bones...and in my place I TREMBLE..." (Habakkuk 3:16)  The question is...WHY THE PHYSICAL REACTION?  The ANSWER..."because I must wait quietly for the DAY OF DISTRESS...for the people to ARISE WHO WILL INVADE US."

It is at this point that we enter into the land of THOUGH leading to the YET MODE.  THOUGH:

• The fig tree should not blossom
• There be no fruit on the vines
• The yield of the olive should fail
• The fields produce no food
• The flock should be cut off from the fold
• There be no cattle in the stalls

These six things...are REALITY.  What kinds of realities are you facing today.  THOUGH:

• The world is falling apart
• There be no money coming in
• The job market is dried up
• There is no money to buy what is needed
• The health is failing and no insurance is found
• Everything I once trusted has disappeared
• The doctor said...the mechanic said...the boss said...the president said...the d-evil said
• Fill in the blank of what you are facing

SO...what do you do IN THE FACE OF THESE REALITIES?  You don't DENY reality...BECAUSE REALITY IS REAL...but you do deny the reality the right to you rule your life.  You deny reality by thinking, speaking and doing the truth.  TRUTH TRUMPS REALITY. 
SO...what is truth?  Well Jesus praying to the Father answered this question.  "Father...sanctify them by TRUTH...THY WORD IS TRUTH." (John 17:17)

The YET MODE is a choice in the face of reality.  The words YET I WILL speaks of this choice.  The CHOICE then changes into a DECLARATION.  YET I WILL:

--Exult in the Lord
--Rejoice in the Lord
--I will rejoice in the God of my salvation
--The Lord God is my strength
--He has made my feet like hinds feet
--He makes me walk on my high places



FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

As I stand in faith....about ANYTHING...I am faced with the choice that...Either He is or He ain't...Either He will or won't...Either He can or He can't. I CHOOSE by an act of my VOLITION...my FREE WILL...based on His WORD and His WILL ON EARTH AS IT IS IN HEAVEN...that He IS...WILL...AND CAN!!!!!!!!!!  What...is...your...choice?

Love and Faith Filled Kisses
Rodney "Living The Lifestyle" Boyd.

MIRROR...MIRROR IN THE BOOK...WHO DO I SEE WHEN I TAKE A LOOK?

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye Mirror Gazers...what do you see?

Carly Simon sang a song called YOU'RE SO VAIN.  There was...and still is... all kinds of speculation about who she was singing about.  The suspects ranged from Mick Jagger to Warren Beatty.  Part of the song mentions this VAIN person...looking in the mirror as he walked by and as he was gavotting.

"You walked into the party like you were walking onto a yacht Your hat strategically dipped below one eye
Your scarf it was apricot You had one eye on the mirror as you watched yourself gavotte And all the girls dreamed that they'd be your partner They'd be your partner, and..."

The MIRROR can either be an implement to cater to our VANITY...or used as a REFLECTION of who we are.

In the book of James...we see this thing called a mirror is "the perfect law that gives freedom..." (James 1:23-25)



"For if any one only listens to the Word without obeying it and being a doer of it, he is like a man who looks carefully at his [own] natural face in a MIRROR." (James 1:23)

In folk lore and horror movies... the MIRROR is used to identify vampires and to repel zombies. The vampires cannot see his/her reflection in the MIRROR and the zombie (the walking dead) would be repelled from attacking people if they saw their reflection, thus mirrors were hung on the doors to keep them away.

NOTE:  Years ago I wrote a series of Ramblings called THE CHRISTIAN VAMPIRES AND ZOMBIES... about the old nature and flesh that tries to rise again (after being crucified with Him on the cross)...and tries to recapture who we were before Christ.  One of my favorite movies is called THE LAST MAN ON EARTH starring Vincent Price.  He utilizes MIRRORS as one of his weapons against them.  I cover this in the series.  You can go to the Ruminator Ramblings page and in the upper left hand corner you can search by typing in vampire or zombie and it will pull up the series.

As you look into the WORD MIRROR...I believe you will see TWO REFLECTIONS.  One reflection will show us who we are WITHOUT CHRIST...while the other one will reflect WHO WE ARE IN CHRIST...and WHO HE IS IN US. 

If we don't CONTINUE to see what we see in the reflection...we will FORGET who we are...but more importantly...we forget WHO HE IS.

If the ten spies...who were sent out with Joshua and Caleb had a MIRROR,they would be looking and seeing themselves as  GRASSHOPPERS.  How they SAW themselves...were how the GIANTS (enemies) of the Promised Land saw them...and in turn prevented them from entering into the land.  Joshua and Caleb...had the MIRROR OF THE LORD and saw themselves TAKING THE LAND (See Numbers 13:1-33)  One view produced FEAR...and one view produced FAITH.

The James MIRROR PASSAGE is in the context of people who were encourage to be DOERS of the Word...and not just HEARERS who delude themselves. (James 1:22)  Then James compares the HEARERS ONLY and the HEARERS AND DOERS...that is "like a man who LOOKS at his natural face in a mirror." (James 1:23)  The HEARER ONLY...looks at himself and goes away...IMMEDIATELY FORGETS what kind of person he was." (James 1:24)  The one who LOOKS INTENTLY at the PERFECT LAW (the law of love...the law of liberty...the Word) and not only LOOKS at it...but ABIDES by it (a doer of the Word) becomes an EFFECTUAL DOER versus a HEARING ONLY NON-DOER.  The cause and effect..."this man will be BLESSED IN WHAT HE DOES." (James 1:25)

As we look into THE MIRROR OF THE WORD OF GOD...and as we SPEAK what we see in the MIRROR OF THE WORD OF GOD...and as we DO what we SEE in THE MIRROR OF THE WORD OF GOD. 

What you SEE in the WORD is a REFLECTION of what you SEE in your LIFE.  We must RESTRAIN our MINDS with the MIRROR OF THE WORD OF GOD.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY
"Unrestrained THOUGHTS (what we think) produces unrestrained WORDS (what we say) resulting in unrestrained ACTIONS (what we do)." (Unknown)

Love and Reflective Kisses
Rodney "Hearing and Doing" Boyd

THE POSSIBILITY OF THE IMPOSSIBLE

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye Believers in the Possibility of the Impossible

We face IMPOSSIBILITIES everyday…in every form and every size.  We turn on the television and are bombarded by IMPOSSIBILITIES on CBS, ABC, NBC, CNN, FOX, MSNBC…as the talking heads barrage us with the ever changing world.  We listen to TALK RADIO and the negative is underscored by the talk show hosts…and then we listen to the opinionated masses call in and line up with the host…on BOTH sides of the issue.  Our POLITICAL SAVIORS fail to save…and our HEROES continue to fall of the altar of the pedestals that we have erected.  In this world where HEALTHCARE…appears not to care…and the more money we throw at the earthly healers…we just keep getting sicker…the world collectively screams for solutions in the face of IMPOSSIBILITIES.  There are two little words that I try to factor in to the chaotic mix of IMPOSSIBILITIES.  Those two words are BUT GOD.

Smith Wigglesworth…in his book EVER INCREASING FAITH states, “Nothing is impossible with God.  All the IMPOSSIBILITY is with us is WITH US when we measure God by the limitations of our unbelief.”

 

When Gabriel A.M. (angelic messenger) rolled in to see Mary with news of her being the virgin conduit for the Savior of the world…she questioned this IMPOSSIBILITY. 

“And Mary said to the angel…How can this be…since I have no [intimacy with any man as a] husband.” (Luke 1:34)

This was a very valid question and was not considered to be questioning God…but more of clarification. The angel proceeded to give her specifics (Luke 1:35-36)…and then dropped on her the BOTTOM LINE.

“For with God NOTHING (no thing, nada, zip, zilch, zero, nuttin’, nuttin’ honey) is EVER IMPOSSIBLE…and NO WORD from God shall be WITHOUT POWER or IMPOSSIBLE of FULFILLMENT.” (Luke 1:37)

BOOM…there it is!!!!!  Now Mary was faced with a CHOICE in the face of the IMPOSSIBILITY…and she chose wisely.

“Then Mary said…Behold…I am the handmaiden of the Lord…LET (allow) IT (the impossible possibility) TO BE DONE TO ME…according to (based on what God spoke through the angelic messenger)…YOU HAVE SAID.” (Luke 1:37)  

The WORD that the angelic messenger) had SAID was what GOD HAD SAID.  Just one WORD from God can turn the IMPOSSIBLE into the POSSIBLE.

“And from the days of John the Baptist until the present time…the kingdom of heaven  has ENDURED VIOLENT ASSAULT…and violent men SEIZE IT BY FORCE (as a precious prize)—a share in the heavenly kingdom is sought for with most ARDENT ZEAL and INTENSE EXERTION.” (Matthew 11:12)

NOTE:  I dare say that no many of use (me include) have that ardent zeal and intense exertion as we stand in faith in the face of impossibility.

“When they had preached the Gospel (I Corinthians 15:1-5) and made disciples of many of the people, they went back to Lystra and Iconium and Antioch…ESTABLISHING and STRENGTHENING the souls and the hearts of the disciples, URGING and WARNING  and ENCOURAGING them to…STAND FIRM IN FAITH…and telling them that it is through many HARDSHIPS and TRIBULATIONS WE MUST ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD.”  (Acts 14:21-22)

NOTE:  That is a far cry from the romanticized notion of Christianity and the Kingdom.  It is in the face of IMPOSSIBILITIES…as we wait for THE POSSIBLE to be manifested…where we need to WALK BY FAITH NOT BY SIGHT (II Corinthians 5:7)

 

Of course…when you read things like this article…or when you hear somebodies testimony…or you hear me pontificate in Sunday School about healing or even when your read in the Bible about Jesus delivering and healing ALL who were oppressed by the d-evil…we tend to romanticize the experience.  It is like Civil War buffs…who read and collect and reenact the Civil War experience…they can never feel the pain and struggle as the stand for a cause.

It is HARD…and there is a STRUGGLE between the point of prayer and the point of provision in the LAND OF NITTY GRITTY. 

I quote Bruce Cockburn often from his song LOVERS IN A DANGEROUS TIME as he sings of tenacity in the face of DARKNESS or the IMPOSSIBILITIES:

When you're lovers in a dangerous time
Sometimes you're made to feel as if your loves a crime --But nothing worth having comes without some kind of fight --Got to kick at the darkness 'til it bleeds daylightWhen you're lovers in a dangerous time
Lovers in a dangerous time
And we're lovers in a dangerous time
Lovers in a dangerous time

NOTE:  He sings of a lover in the sense of a woman…in dangerous times…but I hear being a LOVER OF JESUS…in these LAST DAYS and PERIOULOUS…DANGEROUS TIMES.  There will be RESISTANCE as you TAKE A STAND FOR THE POSSIBLE.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

We started out with the A.M...angelic messenger...speaking a Word about the birth of our Savior...Jesus the Christ...the Anointed One...anointed with yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing healing power, sin removing power of the Holy Ghost.  Now let us hear from the IMPOSSIBILITY that became a POSSIBILITY...Jesus.

"But Jesus looked at them and said, with MEN this is IMPOSSIBLE...but ALL THINGS ARE POSSIBLE WITH GOD." (Matthew 19:26; Mark 10:27; Luke 18:27)

Now....Who you gonna believe...men (the impossible) or Jesus (the possible)?

 

Love and Possible Kisses
Rodney "Standing In The Face of Impossibility" Boyd

 

THE STRUGGLE: INTERNAL OR EXTERNAL

 Greetings O Ye Strugglers, Wrestlers, Warriors, Followers of Jesus.  How's Da Battle?

In my job...as a Home Health Speech-Language Pathologist...the hardest part is NOT seeing my patients in their homes...it is coordinating five offices that spreads out between multiple counties.  One patient wants to be seen in the morning..the other afternoon...another only on Tuesday the next one on Wednesdays and Fridays only...after 11:00 before 12:00.  I call this pull...this juggling of people...THE STRUGGLE OF THE JUGGLE. Oh how many times...as I juggle these patients...I drop the ball.  The cause and effect of the EXTERNAL JUGGLE is frustrations, anxieties, depressions in an INTERNAL JUGGLE.

Combine that with juggling all of the various aspects of my life from being a husband, father, karate instructor, Sunday School teacher, elder at the church, and multiple other odds and ends of life in general...YIKES!!!

In our spiritual life...we tend to combat the SEEN..when we really should fight the UNSEEN..  How many times to we wear ourselves out...by fighting the flesh and blood of life?  Aunt Gertrude is constantly causing you trouble...and Uncle Harold lies about you.  Your boss is just so unfair while the President of the United States (whoever happens to be in office at the time)....is a liar, knucklehead, incompetent, the Anti-Christ.  Your wife just doesn't understand you...and your husband just doesn't understand you.  Your children were not raised to act like they do...and don't get me started on that Pastor...and oh my...that Sunday School teacher is just not spiritual enough.../too spiritual...or not funny. It can get confusing as you battle what is good or you battle what is bad.

I know that sometimes...when you get sick (which is the d-evil on the move...is merely an EXTERNAL INDICATOR of and INTERNAL PROBLEM.  The confusion is in what we see and feel.  Actually...our bodies are fearfully and wonderfully made...and in spite of the curse of sickness, disease, pain and suffering...the EXTERNAL...OUTWARD signs of sickness is our fearfully and wonderfully made bodies...FIGHTING THE INTERNAL.  When you ingest too much booze on Saturday night (which at the time would seem like a good idea)...turns into worshiping at the porcelain altar offering a heave offering as your vomit your guts out.  On the surface...this looks like a curse (which it is)...but it is your fearfully and wonderfully made body...FIGHTING THE INTERNAL ENEMY...the booze...AND GETTING RID OF THE PROBLEM.  If someone overeats...and they get heartburn and feel nauseous...the EXTERNAL is dealt with...by PLOP PLOP, FIZZ FIZZ...OH WHAT A RELIEF IT IS...to neutralize the effect of your cause which was GLUTTONY.  Smoke a cigarette and see how quickly the mucosal lining begins to weep in defense of the inhaled smoke NOTE:  In-haling smoke does not get you in-HELL...but it may get you there quicker than you realize.  If the inhaled smoke continues for years and years...it may reveal cancer.  The body is again...merely combating something external by internal means.  We tend to throw all the money at THE EXTERNAL...while we need to be fighting not the symptom but the cause.  Instead of putting the detrimental into our bodies...(which I do all the time...but getting better)...we need to feed what will attack the unseen that is causing the external. 

NOTE:  This applies to the physical...but Oh how it applies to my spiritual life.  What do I allow in my mind and life...that is manifested in my external life.  Renewing my mind with the Word...feeding on the Word of the Bread of Life...drink from the well of Living Waters...drinking deep and flowing in the Spirit of the Rivers of Living Waters will deal with the root of the DEEDS OF FLESH that manifests in my EXTERNAL LIFE.  The old saying is..."starve a cold...feed a fever" may or may not be good advice...but if you starve your flesh...and don't put wood on the fire of your flesh...it will go out...while on the other hand...feed the embers of fever of passion for the Lord...and you zeal for the Lord will ignite.


"For we are NOT...WRESTLING or STRUGGLING with FLESH and BLOOD (the EXTERNAL)-- contending only with physical opponents--BUT against the despotism, against the powers, against [the master spirits who are] the world rulers of THIS PRESENT DARKNESS, against the spirit forces of wickedness in the heavenly (supernatural) sphere." (Ephesians 6:12)

Frank Peretti's book THIS PRESENT DARKNESS is a tale of  town that is going through EXTERNAL STRUGGLES...but it is the UNSEEN...that is the real enemy.  If you fight THIS PRESENT PHYSICAL enemy...that you can see...you will only be SHADOW BOXING...an will be constantly frustrated and worn out.

The band PETRA...on their album...THIS MEANS WAR...has a great song entitled GET ON YOUR KNEES AND FIGHT LIKE A MAN...that speaks of this struggle.

Get on your knees and fight like a man
You'll pull down strongholds if you just believe you can
Your enemy will tuck his tail and flee
Get on your knees and fight like a man

Phil Keaggy recorded a song on the self titled album PHIL KEAGGY...sang about this struggle in the song SIGN CAME THROUGH A WINDOW:

Sundays real honesty
Declarations of dependency
Confessions of an eternal struggle here.

It is futile to use carnal weapons against spiritual enemies.

"For though we walk [live] in the FLESH (physical external world)...we are NOT carrying on our WARFARE according to the FLESH and using MERE HUMAN WEAPONS." (II Corinthians 10:3)

We don't deny the REALITY of the FLESH...but we do deny the REALITY'S RIGHT TO RULE our lives.  We do not shadow box...and wear ourselves out by fighting FLESH and BLOOD.  We do not use MERE HUMAN WEAPONS...but go to our SPIRITUAL ARSENAL. and deploy SPIRITUAL WEAPONRY.

"For the WEAPONS of our WARFARE are NOT PHYSICAL (weapons of flesh and blood), BUT they are MIGHTY BEFORE GOD...for the OVERTHROW and DESTRUCTION of STRONGHOLDS." (II Corinthians 10:5)

The enemy has been targeted...the weapons have been identified...and the purpose of the warfare is stated.  OVERTHROW and DESTRUCTION...THE PULLING DOWN OF THE UNSEEN.  This UNSEEN WAR will at some point be manifested in the seen....but you must neutralized the enemy (or the carriers of the enemy message...ie humans)...in the spiritual. 

In Joyce Meyer's book...BATTLEFIELD OF THE MIND...she reveals where things really take place in the UNSEEN...in the INTERNAL...that is manifested in the EXTERNAL.

"[Inasmuch as we] REFUTE ARGUMENTS and THEORIES and REASONINGS and EVERY PROUD and LOFTY THING that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God; and we LEAD EVERY THOUGHT CAPTIVE into the OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST, the Messiah, the Anointed One." (II Corinthians 10:5)

There it is...THOUGHTS...setting themselves up AGAINST THE TRUE KNOWLEDGE OF GOD.

We are called to (1) refute arguments (2) refute theories (3) refute reasoning (4) refute every proud and lofty thing (5) lead captive thoughts INTO OBEDIENCE OF CHRIST.  Read Philippians 4:6-9 to see how to win the war in the mind.


In 1999, Paul McCartney released an album of "familiar and obscure" rock and roll from the 1950's.  He also added three new songs...an a DVD of these songs recorded live at THE CAVERN (early place that the Beatles played).  Check out this link to see Sir Paul rehearsing the song.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oae_otCrDQA

RUN DEVIL RUN LYRICS
(PaulMcCartney)

 Run devil run, the angels having fun
Making winners out of sinners better leave before it's done
When he gets through, he'll be coming after you,
Listen what I'm saying to you Run . . . Run Devil Run

By a swamp in Alabama in the cold in the damp
Sittin reading by the light of a kerosene lamp
Lives a holly roller with a mission on her mind
Got to spread the word to anybody she can find
You can hear her screaming any time in night or day
This is what she says to keep the demons away

Run devil run, the angels having fun
Making winners out of sinners better leave before it's done
When he gets through, he'll be coming after you,
Listen what I'm saying to you Run . . . Run Devil Run

Her brother and her sister said that she brought them down
Steppin on the bus that was heading to town
There they started drinking, they got into a fight
The sheriff introduced them to the jailhouse for a night
When the holy roller came to town to pay the bail
This is what she sang as she was leaving the jail

Run devil run, the angels having fun

Making winners out of sinners better leave before it's done
When he gets through, he'll be coming after you,
Listen what I'm saying to you Run . . . Run Devil Run

Lead solo (8 bars)

Piano (8 bars)

Well by the middle of the summer they were back in the shack
Picking cotton for a livin keep 'em on the right track
Visiting the nieghbours trying to spread the good news
Singing gospel music with a hint of the blues
All of them determined to deliver the goods
Now you you hear the music comin out on the woods

Run devil run, the angel having fun
Making winners out of sinners better leave before it's done
When he gets through, he'll be coming after you,
Listen what I'm saying to you Run . . . Run Devil Run

Ah you'ld better Run . . . Run Devil Run
You better Run . . . Run Devil Run

Of course...you MUST be spiritually prepared as you FIGHT IN THE STRUGGLE/WARFARE.

"Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God and He will lift you up at the proper time." (I Peter 5:6)

 "Withstand him (the d-evil)...be firm in faith [against his onset]--rooted, established, strong, immovable and determined...knowing that the same [identical] sufferings are appointed to your brotherhood (the whole body of Christians) throughout the world." (I Peter 5:9)

 "Submit therefore to God. Resist the d-evil and he will flee from you." (James 4:7-8)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Read the end of the book...we win.  We are MORE than conquerors...ONLY BECAUSE JESUS DID IT ALL IN THE D.B.R....in the DEATH...BURIAL...and RESURRECTION.  It is not based on what we do...but based on WHAT HE DID.  Armor up (Ephesians 6:13-18)...arm yourself with the SWORD OF THE SPIRIT...THE WORD OF GOD (Ephesians 6:17; Hebrews 4:12) and let the Holy Spirit...the HELPER...HELP (John 14:16)...and in the face of WAR/TEMPTATION...utilize everything that Jesus utilized...(1) The Spirit (2) The Word (3) Authority (Matthew 41-11; Luke 4:1-13)

Love and Non-Struggling Kisses
Rodney "Come Jesus Come...Run Devil Run" Boyd

THE PRESS: THE ROAD TO WHOLENESS

 Greetings and Salutation O Ye Who Are Facing...the Crowd of Opposition,

Back in the 80's I use to lead worship at a church called NEW LIFE CHAPEL.  One of the songs that we sang was PRESS ON...and it goes a little something like this...

"So let us know...let us PRESS ON to know the Lord...for surely as the dawn He will come...and as the dewdrops kiss the morning grass...so He will come to His own...my faithfulness to thee had faded away...like a cloud I could stand before the sun...I was broken...but then You came...and made me whole again...Oh come let us return to the Lord."

Some times...when you are facing trials, troubles, tribulations, temptations...it seems like God is nowhere to be found.  In those times I personally feel I need to take matters into my own hands and rectify the situation...but every time I do...I come up short.  Oh I may have temporary fixes to my problems but no REAL RESOLUTIONS.

This Ruminator Rambling was inspired by a Digital Blog by Mylon and Christi LeFevre. 

In the book of Hebrews...it speaks of REST...and how an "evil and unbelieving heart" prevents that 7 Day Rest...not just a rest on the Sabbath.

"For indeed we have had the glad tidings [of God] proclaimed to us just as truly as they [the Israelites of old did when the good news of DELIVERANCE FROM BONDAGE came to them]; but the message they heard...did not BENEFIT THEM...because it WAS NOT MIXED WITH FAITH [that is...with LEANING OF THE ENTIRE PERSONALITY ON GOD IN ABSOLUTE TRUST and CONFIDENCE IN HIS POWER, with wisdom and goodness]...by those who heard  it; neither were they UNITED IN FAITH with [Joshua and Caleb] the ones who HEARD...[DID BELIEVE]. (Hebrews 4:2 The Amplified Bible)

You can have a promise of GOOD NEWS...but IF you don't MIX IT WITH FAITH...all you have is HOPE.  You can pray IN HOPE all day long and not get an answer...but when you MIX IT WITH FAITH...that is when your CONFIDENCE goes from HOPE to POWER...and that is BENEFICIAL to you.

The first two pictures in this Rambling...shows a woman...with a need.  She had and issue of blood (hemorrhage) for TWELVE YEARS.  She had endured much at the hands of MANY physicians and had spent all that she had...and WAS NOT HELPED.  As a matter of fact...she had GROWN WORSE. (Mark 5:25-26)

NOTE:  How long have you been enduring certain things in your life...and they have not changed...but they are getting WORSE?

Some would blame the woman for her problems, others would lay it on God that he was teaching her a lesson, while others would blame it as AN ACT OF GOD.  But we know that this sickness was not FROM GOD...and that it was His will to HEAL THIS WOMAN. 

"And you know of JESUS of Nazareth, how GOD ANOINTED HIM with the HOLY GHOST and with POWER...and how He went about doing good... and HEALING ALL WHO WERE OPPRESSED BY THE DEVIL" (Acts 10:38)

:...The SON OF GOD appeared for this PURPOSE...that He might DESTROY...the WORKS of the d-evil (little d)." (I John 3:8)

This woman...was OPPRESSED by the WORK of the d-evil...NOT by God. 

She had HEARD about Jesus.  Many had heard...and today you may have heard about this Jesus.  She probably had heard how wonderful a teacher he was...she may have heard of various manifestations of God through Him...and most likely she had heard that He was a HEALER.  This HEARING had sparked HOPE in her.  This HEARING set here to THINKING.  She began to THINK..."If I just touch His garments...I SHALL GET WELL." (Mark 5:28)

Now...at this point...the woman is just like the people mentioned in Hebrews 4:2 at the beginning of this Rambling...and probably just like many of us as we face trials, trouble, tribulations, and temptations....but not experience BENEFIT.  She probably had HOPE...but she had to go BEYOND HOPE and mix in FAITH.  She thought and KEPT SAYING..."if I only touch His garments I shall be RESTORED TO HEALTH." (Mark 5:28)  Then with this hope mixed with faith...she added the final piece to mix...SHE DID WHAT SHE WAS THINKING AND SAYING.

"She had HEARD the reports concerning JESUS...and she CAME UP behind Him in the THRONG (press) and TOUCHED His garment...For she KEPT SAYING If I only touch His garments I shall be RESTORED TO HEALTH." (Mark 5:27-28)

The CAUSE & EFFECT was BENEFIT.  "And IMMEDIATELY her (FLOW OF) blood was DRIED UP AT THE SOURCE...and (SUDDENLY)....she felt in her body that she WAS HEALED of her (DISTRESSING) AILMENT. (Mark 5:29)

NOTE: Notice...that what was a problem for TWELVE YEARS...was resolved IMMEDIATELY.  Also note that this problem was DRIED UP AT THE SOURCE (the root).  Also note that SUDDENLY her FEELINGS matched HER FAITH.  This woman was HEALED from the OPPRESSION of the d-evil.

Jesus TOOK NOTE of something taking place.  He FELT the VIRTUE...the POWER OF HEALING ANOINTING proceeding from Him.  He turned around an questioned..."Who TOUCHED me."  Notice it was not Jesus TOUCHING but someone with FAITH touching Him.  The disciples told Him everyone was PRESSING IN and TOUCHING HIM. (Mark 5:30-32)

The woman KNEW WHAT HAD BEEN DONE FOR HERE. (Mark 5:33)  "But the woman, KNOWING what had been done for her, though ALARMED and FRIGHTENED and TREMBLING, fell down before Him and told Him the whole truth."  (Mark 5:33)

NOTE:  Sometimes when the SUPER comes on your NATURAL...and the POWER is released in you...you may be on an EMOTIONAL ROLLER COASTER in HIS PRESENCE...but your TESTIMONY before the Father will bring you to a PEACE and REFRESHING in HIS PRESENCE. (Act3:19)

The question is...WHAT MADE HER WHOLE.  Wonder no more...Jesus answered that question.

"And He said to her, Daughter, YOUR FAITH (that is, your trust and confidence in Me, springing from faith in God] has restored you to health.  Go in (to) PEACE, and BE CONTINUALLY HEALED and FREE from your (distressing bodily) disease." (Mark 5:34)

NOTE:  It was HER FAITH (in God) that made her whole.  She was told to go in PEACE...and BE CONTINUALLY HEALED and FREE from the distressing bodily disease.  We are told in Mark 11:22 in the Amplified Bible..."And Jesus replying  said to them HAVE FAITH IN GOD...CONSTANTLY."   We are not to let our guard down...continue to have faith in Him...continue to walk in the work that He has done in you.


FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

As we walk out this life in the Land of Nitty Gritty... we are amphibious in the sense of we live here on planet Earth, but we are NOT OF THIS WORLD... because we are of The Kingdom of God (righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost Romans 14:17)  We walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT or THINGS REVEALED TO THE SENSES and please God as we DILIGENTLY SEEK HIM...and not just passively inquired. (II Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:1; Romans 1:17; Hebrews 11:6)

We know that the kingdom of God suffers violence and violent men TAKE IT BY FORCE. (Matthew 11:12)  We know that through much tribulation we ENTER THE KINGDOM OF GOD. (Acts 4:22)  We know that faith without CORRESPONDING ACTIONS is dead. (James 3:17)  We know that we are called to PRESS ON for THE PRIZE to the mark of the high upward  calling of God in Christ Jesus. (Philippians 3:13-14)  We know that we are to KEEP ON ASKING...KEEP ON SEEING...KEEP ON KNOCKING with a TENACITY and WEARING GOD OUT, (Matthew 7:7-11; Luke 11:9-13; Luke 11:5-8)

DO YOU HAVE FAITH?  It comes...and comes by hearing the WORD OF CHRIST...THE ANOINTED ONE...ANOINTED WITH YOKE BREAKING, BURDEN LIFTING, OPPRESSION REMOVING, HEALING POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST. (Acts 10:38)

When Paul was before a man who was lame from his mother's womb, who had never walked...Paul fixed his gaze on him...and PERCEIVED that He HAD FAITH TO BE MADE WELL/WHOLE.  When Paul saw that...He said with a loud voice, STAND UPRIGHT on your feet." And he leaped up and began to walk." (Acts 14:8-10) 

Begin now...to HEAR...and what you HEAR...THINK ON IT...and what you are THINKING ON...begin to SAY...and then add some CORRESPONDING ACTIONS TO THE MIX...and get ready for GOD TO MOVE ON YOUR BEHALF.

Love and Faith Filled Kisses
Rodney "Mooing and Chewing and Doing The Cud of the Word of God" Boyd

WHEN SELF-SUFFICIENCY IS NOT SUFFICIENT

 Greetings O Ye Puller Uppers by your own BOOTSTRAPS. 

Back in the 60's there was a commercial for Excedrin Pain Reliever.  There was an interaction between a mother and her grown daughter that was rather tense and made me uncomfortable.  The younger daughter was trying to accomplish something...and the older mother was trying to help her.  The younger daughter had a headache...and viciously snapped at the helping mother and said..."MOTHER...I'D RATHER DO IT MYSELF!!!!"  Yikes....the hurt look on the mother hurt me...even though I was just a kid.

So many times...as we fumble around trying to help or do something...the one who can do it better may not yell at us...but the do tell us to get out of the way...I can do it myself.  Self-Sufficiency just seems to be a lot easier.

You have heard the phrase to..."Pull yourself up by your OWN BOOTSTRAPS."  The old saying (and the Jerry Butler song) is, "Only the STRONG SURVIVE."  Darwin states it is the, SURVIVAL of the FITTEST.   It is always the 98 POUND WEAKLING that gets the sand kicked in his face...as the strong, muscle bound man gets the girl on the beach.  People worship at the altar of STRENGTH and look down their self-worshiping noses at WEAKENSS.

Whenever...Popeye The Sailor Man was getting his booty WHUPPED (not whipped but whupped)...at the last minute...he would bring out a can of spinach...gobble it down in one gulp and the STRENGTH came on and he would be able to deal with PLUTO or BRUTUS.  In the words of the Popeye theme song..."I'm STRONG to the FINISH...cause I eats me spinach...I'm Popeye the Sailor Man."  In our world...our spinach is either steroids or self sufficiency.

Even our founding fathers...who had a strong believe in God...but also had a strong belief in DEISM.  This is defined as:  "Belief in the existence of a supreme being, specifically of a creator who does not intervene in the universe. The term is used chiefly of an intellectual movement of the 17th and 18th centuries that accepted the existence of a creator on the basis of reason but rejected belief in a supernatural deity who interacts with humankind."

  Thomas Jefferson even went as far as removing any reference to miracles with razor and glue to reflect the DEISTIC point of view. 

NOTE:  As much as I appreciated Thomas Jefferson and his contribution to the early rumblings of our country...he was just wrong.

In the book of Joel... the children were called to, "Proclaim this among the nations; prepare a war; rouse the mighty men! Let all the soldiers draw near, let them come up!  Beat your plowshares into swords, and your pruning hooks into spears; LET THE WEAK...SAY I AM STRONG." (Joel 3:9) 

Paul...under demonic attack begged the Lord three times to remove the attack...but God responded...in II Corinthians 12:9"My GRACE is SUFFICIENT...for you...for POWER is PERFECTED in WEAKENSS"

GRACE: charis (khar'-ece)=graciousness (as gratifying), of manner or act (abstract or concrete; literal, figurative or spiritual; especially the divine influence upon the heart, and its reflection in the life; including gratitude): - acceptable, benefit, favour, gift, grace (-ious), joy liberality, pleasure, thank (-s, -worthy).
The SUFFICIENCY that Paul needed in the face of satanic attack...was not SELF-SUFFICIENCY...but HELP from the GRACE OF GOD.  He needed DIVINE INFLUENCE upon his heart...and a REFLECTION (manifestation) in his LIFE.  Paul did not need to pull up his SANDLESTRAPS...and handle it by his own power...but by the POWER (dunamis/dynamic ability of God).

In this PERFECTED WEAKNESS...because THE POWER OF CHRIST dwelled in him...he could be CONTENT (not just accepting whatever came down the pike...but not being ANXIOUS when it did come)...with weakeness, insults, distresses, persecutions, with difficulties.

NOTE: Remember...the THORN in the FLESH was not God...but a MESSANGER FROM satan to buffet Paul to keep him DOWN (not exalted). As Paul HUMBLED himself...brother Peter put it this way..."Humble yourself under the mighty hand of God...and HE (God) will LIFT YOU UP (exalt) at the PROPER TIME. (II Peter 5:6)

Paul then spoke the spiritual truth..."when I am WEAK...then I am STRONG."
(II Corinthians 12:10)

Paul knew THE SECRET of money...and this secret carries over into ALL AREAS OF OUR LIVES.  It is not about what we can do...but all about what He did on the CROSS...and being buried and raised again (aka D.B.R.)

"Not that I SPEAK from WANT...for I have LEARNED to be CONTENT IN WHATEVER CIRCUMSTANCE I AM." (Philippians 4:11)

Then Paul writes..."I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me." (Philippians 4:13)

The Amplified Bible expands this..."I have STRENGTH for all things IN CHRIST Who EMPOWERS me--I am ready for anything and equal to anything THROUGH HIM...Who INFUSES INNER STRENGTH into me...[that is...I am SELF-SUFFICIENT in CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY." (Philippians 4:13)

WOW!!!! This really blows me away...every time I read it.  It is not about my SELF SUFFICIENCY...but CHRIST'S SUFFICIENCY...infused and empowering me...helping me in ALL THINGS.
In the Gospel of John...Jesus states in chapter 14 that He is going away...but He will be sending ANOTHER (allos--one of the same kind)...to HELP.  He was speaking of the Holy Spirit who is with us now...HELPING US...but what catches my attention...is the word ANOTHER.  Jesus was here first HELPING them and was going to send ANOTHER COMFORTER/HELPER.  Jesus is Helper #1 and THE (not a) Holy Spirit is Helper #2.  Both from the Father. (Read John 14 for full details). 

In the Philippians 4:13 passage...we see that our HELP...our SUFFICIENCY...our INFUSED EMPOWERMENT...comes from CHRIST (the Anointed One) who was ANOINTED with yoke breaking, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Spirit (Acts 10:38)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

You may wonder...well what part do I have to do with this if it not MY SUFFICIENCY...not me DOING IT...not me PULLING UP MY BOOTSTRAPS?  Well...I am glad you were wondering.  James 2:18 tells us that, "Faith without works is dead."  As we take our FAITH and place it in Him...and step out and do what He says...He joins us...the SUPER ON OUR NATURAL (Thanx and a Tip O Da Hat to Mylon LeFevre for that phrase)...and the WORK is accomplished.

"Nay, some one will say, "You have faith, I have actions: prove to me your faith apart from corresponding actions and I will prove mine to you by my actions." (James 2:18 Wheymouth's Translation)

Love and Sufficient Kisses
Rodney "Infused and Empowered" Boyd 

THE d-evils ARSENAL vs GOD'S WEAPONRY

 Greetings and Salutations O Ye Warriors.

As we walk out our sojourn with the Lord...enjoying the blessings of God in our lives...the birds are singing...the sun is shining...life is bliss...THAT IS...until the ENEMY ATTACKS.  When people try to convince other people to come to the Lord...they sometimes get exuberant in their advertising...and say something like..."Come to the Lord and ALL of your problems will be over."  Now that sounds good... but in reality...when you come to the Lord...you are enlisting in a war.  The battle is on...and while your life will definitely change for the better...things may get worse in someways. WHY?  Because there is a d-evil (little d...he does not deserve capitalization)...and he is out to steal, kill, destroy...and you are a prime target.  The question is...what kinds of weapons does he have and what kinds of weapons do we have?  FEAR NOT...God has not left us unprotected.


"Finally, BE STRONG...IN THE LORD, and IN THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT. Put on the FULL ARMOR OF GOD...that you may be able to  STAND FIRM against the SCHEMES OF THE d-evil.  For our STRUGGLE is not against FLESH AND BLOOD...but against rulers, against the powers, against the world forces of this present darkness, against the spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places." (Ephesians 6:10-13)

One of the biggest weapons that the devil uses...is DISTRACTION and MISDIRECTION.  If he (little h) can convince you that the enemy to fight is made out of flesh and blood...he can continue to attack you without you even knowing it is him (little h) doing the attacking.

"For though we walk [live] IN THE FLESH, we are not carrying on OUR WARFARE according to THE FLESH and using MERE HUMAN WEAPONS." (II Corinthians 10:3) 

For me...this is KEY to understanding the concept of the war and our enemies and our weaponry.  We are NOT limited to MERE human weapons.  Ever since THE FALL IN THE GARDEN (Genesis 3) and the AFTERMATH of that fall...weapons have ranged from rocks to swords, to sharp pointed sticks...to boiling cauldrons of oil, to bows and arrows to knives to single shot guns, shotguns, rifles, bombs, atom bombs, submachine guns, throwing stars, nun chucks...and on and on.   All of these (plus anything else you can add to the list)...things falls into the category of MERE HUMAN WEAPONS...that we struggle with against FLESH AND BLOOD.  Even in the world of KARATE...which simply means EMPTY HAND...where we have NINE WEAPONS at our disposal...including 2 feet, two knees, two elbows, two hands and one head would fall into the MERE HUMAN WEAPONS category.  Well...what does the d-evil use...and what do we have to combat the ARSENAL of the d-evil?

This Ruminator Rambling was spawned by the Rambling preceding this one called OPPORTUNITY: The World, The Flesh, The d-evil.  It was speaking of the schemes against us and go me to thinking about what the d-evil uses to bring us down. 

"For all that is in the world, the lust of the flesh [craving for sensual gratification], and the lust of the eyes [greedy longings of the mind] and the [boastful]  pride of life [assurance of one's own resources or in the stability of earthly things]--these do not come from the Father but are from the world [itself]. (I John 2:16)

NOTE:  Seeing this picture of an Atom Bomb blast reminds me of my dad.  He would pronounce this an Atom Bum.  I would respond back to him in a typical smart mouth teenage fashion..."An atomic BUM!?!?  What is that...a NUCLEAR HOBO????"  He was not amused.  I miss you Dad.

The d-evil tactics and arsenal is more subtle.  He does not start out...getting in your face and telling you how terrible he is and how he is going to bring you down. 

"And no wonder, for even satan (little s) DISGUISES himself as an ANGEL OF LIGHT."
(II Corinthians 11:14)

In the Garden...he approaches Eve...and begins the ATTACK.by throwing out DOUBT..."Indeed, has God said..." (Genesis 3:1)  Then he proceeds by presenting God as a liar (in reality he...the d-evil is the father of all lies)..."You surely shall not die." (Genesis 3:4)  (Even though God said she would).  Then he presents God as withholding something good from her. "For God knows that in the day you eat from it your eyes will be opened, and YOU WILL BE LIKE GOD...knowing God and evil." (Genesis 3:5)  Here the serpent...the d-evil...the deceiver...the angel of light...employs the trifecta of temptation...(1) the lust of the eyes (2) the lust of the eyes (3) the boastful pride of life.

Once he gets your defenses down...then you will be open to his other weapons of mass spiritual destruction (W.M.S.D.)

One of his favorite tools to bring you down is DISCOURAGEMENT.  If he can get you down...where you have lost your COURAGE...your MIND SET will be on the things of the FLESH (where our struggle is not).  "For the MIND SET on the FLESH is DEATH..." (Romans 8:6)  After he wears you down with DISCOURAGEMENT...he throws the counter punch of HOPELESSNESS.  Hope is CONFIDENT EXPECTATION...and without HOPE...you have NO EXPECTATIONS for anything good to take place in your life.  If the devil can get in your MIND...and discourage you and rob you of hope...you will be WALKING IN THE FLESH...and not IN THE SPIRIT.  We are called to WALK BY FAITH...and not BY SIGHT. (II Corinthians 5:7)  Walk in the FLESH...you will constantly be fighting FLESH and BLOOD...and constantly losing the battles.  In the Book of Joshua...in chapter one...we are told in multiple places to BE STRONG...and be VERY COURAGEOUS versus being WEAK and VERY DISCOURAGED.

"Have I not commanded you?  Be STRONG and COURAGEOUS!  Do not TREMBLE or BE DISMAYED, for THE LORD YOUR GOD IS WITH YOU WHEREVER YOU GO." (Joshua 1:9)

The d-evil will use distractions of everything from sickness, disease, poverty, world events, economy, wars and rumors of war, religion, atheist, humanism (worship of humans), intellectualism (worship of your mind) unanswered prayers, loved ones, hate for people of other colors or nationalities...anything to drain you of your faith and quench your spirit for the Lord.


Thank God that we are NOT left defenseless against the d-evil's attacks and his well orchestrated schemes against us.

"The grass withers...the flowers fade...BUT... the WORD of our God SHALL STAND FOREVER." (Isaiah 40:8)

"For the WEAPONS of our warfare are NOT physical (weapons of flesh and blood)...BUT... they are MIGHTY before God for the OVERTHROW and DESTRUCTION of STRONGHOLDS." (II Corinthians 10:4)

Our WEAPONRY starts with THE WORD OF GOD.  The hinge with Joshua and the possessors of the Promised Land in the face of enemies was THE WORD OF GOD...which would insure their prosperity and good success.

"This book of the law (the Word) shall not depart from your MOUTH...but you shall MEDITATE on it day and night...so that you may be careful to DO all that is written in it...for then you will make your way prosperous and then you will have good success." (Joshua 1:8)

In the Ruminator Sunday School Class we quote often that..."Unrestrained THOUGHTS (what we THINK)...produces unrestrained WORDS (what we SAY)...resulting in unrestrained ACTIONS (what we DO)."

This would start with TAKING CAPTIVE the strongholds our thoughts. A stronghold is something that is holding you strongly.  If you thoughts are captive then you lose...if you captivate your thoughts...you win.

"[Inasmuch as we] refute arguments and theories and reasonings and every proud and lofty thing that sets itself up against the (true) knowledge of God; and we lead every thought and purposes away captive into the obedience of Christ, the Messiah, the Anointed One." (II Corinthians 10:5)

In the karate class that I teach...I have the student grab my wrist.  They are in control...but with a flick and twist of my wrist...I have their wrist and I am in control.  Another thing that I do is have them grab my Gi (uniform) with both of their hands...once again they are in control.  But with a swoop of my arm and turning of my body...I entrap both of their arms and pull forward...I am in control.  So it is with this thing called captivity in the spirit...we can go from being captive to being the captor of the stronghold.

Another part of our weaponry...is FAITH.

"For we WALK BY FAITH [that is, we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] not by SIGHT or APPEARANCE." (II Corinthians 5:7)

This thing called FAITH...is something we walk by, live by, speak, have continually.  The d-evil would love for us to not have faith.  He knows that faith comes by HEARING...and hearing by the WORD OF GOD. (Romans 10:17)  He knows that if we regulate and conduct ourselves by FAITH that we would not be swayed by his distractions. The d-evil knows that if we have FAITH...that we will please God...by knowing that God is real...that we would come to God...that we would know that God is a rewarder and not a thief...and that we would not just passively inquire of God but that we would diligently seek Him (Hebrews 11:6)

The key to this of course is MIND DWELLING.  Where you are DWELLING will be TELLING on your lips and in your actions.

"Finally brethren...whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever I lovely, whatever is of a good report, if there is any excellence, and if anything is worthy of praise...LET/ALLOW YOUR MIND TO DWELL ON THESE THINGS." (Philippians 4:8)

Of course...our ultimate example of a Warrior is Jesus.  Remember that He was subjected to d-evil attack and dealt with him with spiritual weaponry.  Read Matthew 4:1-11 and Luke 4:1-14 for full details.  Jesus had at His disposal and utilized:

1.  The Spirit of God.  He baptized in the Holy Spirit...was led about in the wilderness by the Spirit and  left the wilderness FULL OF THE SPIRIT. 

2.  The Word of God:  Jesus met each temptation with the Word of God...and quoted Deuteronomy 8:3..."Man shall not live by bread along...but by every THING that proceeds out of the mouth of God.  In the natural...words are nothing but breath driven thoughts...so it is with the Word of God...they are Spirit driven God thoughts.

3.  The Authority of God.  "Then Jesus said to him...BEGONE, SATAN." (Matthew 4:10) The cause and effect of the authority used..."Then the devil left Him..." (Matthew 4:11)

As we walk in the Word...as we renew our mind with the Word...as we speak the Word...as we exercise the delegated authority of the Word...we present the DUNAMIS...DYNAMIC ABILITY... the DYNAMITE and EXPLOSIVE POWER OF THE WORD.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Everything flows from the CROSS OF CHRIST...THE D.B.R...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION OF JESUS...THE BLOOD OF JESUS AS THE PROPITIATION IN OUR PLACE AND OUR CONFESSION THAT JESUS IS THE CHRIST ANOINTED WITH YOKE BREAKING BURDEN LIFTING OPPRESSION REMOVING HEALING POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST....THE LIVING SON OF GOD

This is but a thumbnail sketch of the AUTHORITATIVE WEAPONRY that we have at our disposal in this warfare...until He returns.  The sad thing is...when a believer has all at his disposal but does not utilize it...and lives not an abundant life.  When you have your priorities straight...spiritual first...flesh and blood secondary...you will be able to choose your battles effectively.

Love and Strong In Him Kisses
Rodney "Weak But He Is Strong" Boyd