GOING THROUGH STUFF...THE ENDURANCE & PERSEVERANCE FACTOR

GOING THROUGH STUFF...THE ENDURANCE PERSEVERANCE FACTOR


Sometimes when we are going through something hard in our lives...we tend to want to give up or give in...but if we PERSEVERE...there is usually great reward at the end of the journey.  I am thinking about when we were walking around Israel...walking, walking, walking...up and down stone roads, dirt ruts, hills and valleys...fighting the pain, enduring leg cramps....huffing and puffing (P.S. NOTE TO SELF: GO INTO TRAINING BEFORE GOING BACK TO ISRAEL) and then arriving at some magnificent site. You begin to anticipate through the pain of the walking...that it will be worth it in the end.


I began to think of the people of the Bible...how much they sacrificed as they came to the temple from all directions, braving weather, going where there were no roads or minimal roadways...to be in the presence of the Lord and offer sacrifices and celebrate with feasts unto Him.  They sacrificed time, money, physical discomfort.  I grumble and complain when I have to get up and drive in my comfortable car to go to church.


When we have been JUSTIFIED BY FAITH...we have PEACE WITH GOD through OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.  We have also obtained our INTRODUCTION BY FAITH into this GRACE in which we STAND...and we EXULT in HOPE OF THE GLORY OF GOD. (Romans 5:1-2)  As we BEGIN this journey of grace, faith, and hope...we begin to go through progression in the journey.  Romans 5:3-5 we see the beginning and the prize at the end:


1.  Exult in tribulations
2.  Tribulation brings about perseverance
3.  Perseverance brings about proven character
4.  Proven character brings about hope
5.  Hope does not disappoint
6.  The Love of God has been poured out within our hearts through the
     Holy Spirit.

I begin to think of Jesus, leaving His comfort in glory, taking on the form of man...walk around for three years doing good and healing all who were oppressed by the d-evil...with His destination being to be tortured, mocked, humiliated, and nailed to a wooden cross in our place.  Why...and How could he do such a thing?  Well...because of the JOY SET BEFORE HIM.


"Therefore, since we have so great a cloud of witnesses surrounding us (who travelled the journey prior to us)...let us also lay aside every encumbrance, and the sin...which so easily entangles us, and let us run with ENDURANCE the race that is set before us.  FIXING OUR EYES ON JESUS...the author and finisher of our faith...who for the JOY SET BEFORE HIM...ENDURED THE CROSS...DESPISING THE SHAME, and has sat down at the right hand of the throne of God." (Hebrews 12:1-2)


The JOY set before Him...as He endured the CROSS and despising the SHAME...was the joy of the RESURRECTION....emerging from DEATH into LIFE...being reunited with His Father...and bring with Him you and me.
 
What are you going through?  What are you enduring?  What shame is trying to bring you down?  Go through it with great faith and hope for the JOY SET BEFORE YOU...knowing that as you walk through the valley of the shadow of death...you do not have to fear evil...for HE IS WITH YOU.


Love and Persevering Kisses
Rodney "Enduring" Boyd

GOD WILL SURELY TAKE CARE OF YOU

Greetings Pilgrims...


"So therefore, do not be afraid...I WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU and your little ones. So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them." (Genesis 50:21)

"Joseph said to his brothers, I am about to die, but GOD WILL SURELY TAKE CARE OF YOU, and bring you up from this land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac, and to Jacob."


As we travel on our journey of life...we are pretty secure when things are going well...provision is in place...insurance, credit cards, 401-K, stocks/bonds/investments, food in the refrigerator, job security, birds singing and the sun is shining.  But what do you do when everything crumbles and falls apart like a stale cookie without a glass of milk.
When Joseph's brothers came face to face with the one they had betrayed by faking his death, lying to their father, thrown into a pit, sold into slavery...Joseph gave them some comfort:

• Do not be afraid
• For am I in God's place
• You meant evil against me...but God meant it for good
• God brought me to this present result...to preserve many people alive
• So do not be afraid
• I will provide for you and your little ones
• So he comforted them and spoke kindly to them

When Joseph was on the verge of death...he was the security of Israel's sons...Joseph's brothers and he gave out wisdom and comfort.  Their security was about to die.

• I am about to die
• But God will surely take care of you
• God will bring you up from the land to the land which He promised on oath to Abraham, to Isaac and to Jacob (Israel)  NOTE:  When you read Exodus...we see that Joseph was prophetically correct as bondage came on them...and they left "this land" and were led to "the land which He  promised".
• God will surely take care of you

So we see that while he was here...Joseph said I WILL PROVIDE FOR YOU and then went to the point of death and instead of him providing...to...GOD WILL SURELY TAKE CARE OF YOU.


Joseph...as a type of Jesus...did the same thing.  For three years He had walked, talked, and provided for his followers.  As He was preparing His followers for the fact that He was going to leave them, but there will be provision.  In John 14:1-3) we see:

• Let not your hearts be troubled
• In My Father's house are many dwelling places...if it were not true I would have told you so
• I go to prepare a place for you
• I will come again and receive you to Myself so where I am...you will be.

Jesus then tells us that when He goes...we will carry on His purpose (to destroy the works of the d-evil)...and that "the works that I do shall he do also; and GREATER WORKS than those shall he do; because I go to the Father." (John 14:12)
Jesus then lets them know that while He was leaving...that the Lord is going to provide because:

• He will ask the Father
• The Father will give you ANOTHER (allos...one of the same kind) Helper
• He will be with you forever
• He will not leave you as orphans
• I will come to you.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY


Well...Jesus DID die...was buried,...rose again...and ascended to the Father...just like He said He would  Paul calls this the GOSPEL...the power of God for salvation where righteousness is revealed (Romans 1:16-7; I Corinthians 15:1-8)
Jesus was their provider...The Helper...the Holy Ghost...was sent back as "one of the SAME kind." for God to "surely take care of you."


Love and Provided Kisses
Rodney "Taken Care of By God" Boyd

TIED BY THE PAST...RELEASED FOR THE NOW...POISED FOR THE FUTURE.

Hello O Ye Believers in the Death, Burial, and Resurrection of Jesus....




How's it going since the initial release...since you believed...since you WERE saved?  We know that the will of God for you is FREEDOM...and not to be bound again...by a YOKE OF SLAVERY (aka sin).




"It was for FREEDOM that Christ set us FREE...therefore (referring to this previous statement in this verse)...KEEP STANDING FIRM...and do not BE SUBJECT AGAIN...to a YOKE OF SLAVERY (to sin)."  (Galatians 5:1 with emphasis by me).


On the chronological...time-space continuum...there are three phases of time for us...(1) Past
(2) Present (3) Future.  There was an event is history...that is really HIS-story...that changes everything.  That event was the D.B.R.  For those knew to the Ruminator Ramblings...the D.B.R. is Death...Burial...Resurrection of Jesus...nothing more...nothing less.  This is also known as THE GOSPEL.  The cause and effect of this event...when someone believes it...and not only believes it...but receives/accepts Jesus is a change in the course of event on your timeline. 


"Therefore...if any man/wo-man/human...is IN CHRIST...they are new creations...the OLD THINGS past away...behold...NEW THINGS have come." (II Corinthians 5:17)


The problem is when we LIVE IN THE PAST and that PAST affects our FUTURE.  The way that we walk out this thing called FAITH is what we do in the NOW.  This leads us back to CROSS... as we identify with what Jesus did on the cross...that was laid to rest in a grave...and was manifested in the power of the resurrection.


"I have been crucified WITH Christ...nevertheless I LIVE...yet not I but CHRIST LIVES IN ME...and the LIFE that I NOW LIVE...I LIVE BY  FAITH in the Son of God...who loved me and delivered Himself up for me." (Galatians 2:20)


If then you HAVE BEEN raised up with Christ...KEEP SEEKING those things which are above, where Christ IS, seated at the right hand of God.  SET YOUR MIND/AFFECTIONS on things above, not on THINGS THAT ARE ON THE EARTH...for you HAVE DIED and your life is hidden WITH CHRIST IN GOD." (Colossians 3:1-3)


Between the point of when you were saved/born again...and Jesus coming back to planet earth to gather his saints...there is what we call THE LAND CALLED NITTY GRITTY.  How we walk out our lives...will determine if we become SUBJECT AGAIN to the YOKE OF SLAVERY (sin).  It is all hinged on CHOICE...and our CHOICES are hinged on our MINDS....either renewed by the Word of God...or not. 


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


When our thoughts are not restrained...because we keep thinking about the past and what we were...then we are captive in the now...which affects our future.  If you LIVE IN THE PAST... you can not walk in FREEDOM IN THE NOW...which will determine your FUTURE.


What you say...has the POWER to produce life or death.  The fruit of your thoughts manifested on your lips will either be good fruit or rotten fruit.


"Death and life are in the POWER OF THE TONGUE and those who love it will eat its fruit." (Pro-Verbs 18:21)


If you are constantly talking about the negative in your past...you will never be free in the now...and fulfill your future.  What you speak is hinged on your MIND SET. 

"For those who are according to the FLESH...SET THEIR MINDS...on the THINGS OF THE FLESH...but those who are according to the spirit...(set their minds on) the THINGS OF THE SPIRIT.  For the  MIND SET on the FLESH is DEATH...but the MIND SET on the SPIRIT is LIFE and PEACE." (Romans 8:6-7)


You PEACE is hinged on what you think...which is manifested on your lips...which dictates how you act.


PEACE:  eirēnē (i-rah'-nay)=Probably from a primary verb εἴρω eirō (to join); peace (literally or figuratively); by implication prosperity: - one, peace, quietness, rest, + set at one again.


"The steadfast of MIND though will keep in PERFECT PEACE...because it (the mind) is stayed (fixed/focused/set) on Thee." (Isaiah 26:3)


In The Ruminator Sunday School Class we use as an example with what we call THE COFFEE CUP THEOLOGY.  We find an unsuspecting newbie...and take their cup of coffee and begin to gently shake the cup.  We progress to shaking it a little more harder and then shake it until the coffee overflows all over the table.  Then we ask them the question..."Why did coffee come out of the cup?"  Their answer is always..."because you shook it."  We then respond with ..."No...coffee came out of the cup...because that is what is in the cup.  The shaking only revealed what is in the cup."  The question is...what is in your cup?  If you have an unrenewed mind...your cup is filled with junk....and when something or someone shakes your cup...that is what comes out of your mouth.  The way you put something in your cup... is by RENEWING YOUR MIND WITH THE WORD OF GOD...or not renew your mind by talking and coming in agreement with the d-evil (does not deserve a capital d)...about your past as he convinces you about you now and you future.


That is why it is so important to watch over your CUP/HEART...and your WORDS.


"My son (or daughter) give attention to my words...Incline your ear to my sayings.  Do not let them (my words) depart from your sight.  Keep them (my words) in the midst of your heart...for they (my words) life to those who find them, and health to all their whole body.  Watch over your heart with all diligence for from it flow the springs of life.  Put away from you a DECEITFUL MOUTH and put devious lips far from you." (Pro-Verbs 4:20-24) 


FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY


The mind...the heart...the ears...the mouth will either keep you free or return you to bondage.  What you think...is what you believe...determined on what you hear...and what you speak.  If you constantly think negative thoughts and constantly speak negative thoughts and constantly believe what you hear and ruminate about...determines what you speak...which will either bind or release you. 


"The good man/woman out of the good treasure of is heart BRINGS FORTH what is good; and the evil man out of the evil treasure BRINGS FORTH what is evil; for his MOUTH SPEAKS from that which FILLS HIS HEART." (Luke 6:45)


"And He said, Are you also still without understanding?  Do you not understand that everything that goes into the mouth passes into the stomach, and is eliminated?  But the things that proceed OUT OF THE MOUTH come FROM THE HEART...and those DEFILE THE MAN/WOMAN.  For out of the HEART come EVIL THOUGHTS, murders, fornication, thefts, false witness, slanders." (Matthew 25:18)


The good news is that Jesus has got you covered...PAST...PRESENT...and FUTURE...so as the d-evil reminds you of your past...you can remind him of your future and live you now in freedom...but it is all hinged on who you come into agreement with and what you speak.  Confession is not just saying that there is none righteous no not one (Romans 3:10) but also confessing that you are the righteousness of God in Christ. (II Corinthians 5:21)


"Jesus Christ is the same...YESTERDAY (past)...and TODAY (now) and FOREVER (future)." (Hebrews 13:8)


Love and Positive Kisses
Rodney "Speaking The Word of the Lord...NOT...the words of the d-evil" Boyd

GOT FAITH? HAVE IT...CONSTANTLY!!!

THIS RUMINATOR RAMBLING IS BROUGHT TO YOU BY A RECENT FACEBOOK POST ABOUT FAITH.
Greetings O Ye men and wo-men of the assurance (the confirmation, the tittle-deed) of the things [we] hope for, being the proof of things [we] do not see and the conviction of their reality--faith perceiving as real fact what is not revealed to the senses....aka FAITH. (Hebrews 11:1 The Amplified Bible) 
This thing called FAITH is not some magic formula or cosmic power that we bring ...out like bring out the big guns when we are in trouble or want something. We are not called to be intermittent in our faith...but the righteous (those in Christ...and are now the righteousness of God in Christ) shall LIVE BY FAITH. This thing is for the long haul...it is s LIFESTYLE as we LIVE BY FAITH (Romans 1:17; II Corinthians 5:21)
We LIVE this thing called LIFE 365/24/7. Every year...every month...every hour... every minute...is to be LIVED...and LIVED...by FAITH. In LIFE...we experience good things, bad things, and ugly things interwoven throughout our experiences... but one thing does not change...LIVING BY FAITH.
I like the way The Amplified Bible puts it as Jesus goes into a teaching mode (in the context of Him teaching about prayer using a cursed fig tree as an example)...
"And Jesus replying said to them, HAVE FAITH IN GOD...(CONSTANTLY)." (Mark 11:22)
In a world that say, "The only thing CONSTANT is death and taxes"...I need to add in one other thing...FAITH. To HAVE or NOT TO HAVE...that is the question. The answer concerning FAITH IN GOD...and have it CONSTANTLY.

"Have Faith in God...constantly." (Jesus)
 In a post on my F.B. page I wrote a little not about constant faith. On this group page of mooers and chewers and doers...I encourage you to LIVE BY FAITH...and NOT BY SIGHT. (II Corinthians 5:7)
Yesterday...my day started of with a drive to Nashville for a doctor's appointment...that was O.K. but not stellar. I went from there back to Murfreesboro...in a funk...to Revolution Chiropractics which was good. I then headed out to Woodbury to see a patient and had a good session. My day was PLANNED OUT BY ME...and things were beginning to go fairly well. Got in my car...started it up...and headed down the old country road in the middle of nowhere...and my car started making a clattering noise...and I stopped and ended up on the side of the road. BAM!!!!! My day was like a roller coaster...that was emulated by my emotional state of mind. I got out my cell phone to call TRIPLE AAA....and up in the left hand corner were the words NO SERVICE. It was not even searching...just NO SERVICE. A perfect glitch into a non-perfect day.

I then called the SPIRITUAL TRIPLE AAA...The Father, The Son, and The Holy Ghost....where there is always service with 5 bars.
I looked down...and now I had service on my cell phone...was able to call TRIPLE AAA...for a tow truck. As soon as I got off of the phone with TRIPLE AAA...and immediately the service went out again and would not come back on.
"Have faith God...constantly"...when you have service on your phone and when you have NO service on your phone. When I got into the tow truck to ride to Gold Street I told the tow truck driver my phone story...and he loudly said (in a good old country boy accent)....NOW THAT'S GOD!!! Of course this speaks to me of how my FAITH is like a roller coaster...ebbing and flowing...in and out...when things are going good...but not as things are going bad. Well...things did not necessarily get better...but my attitude sure did. Physically...a large headache developed...and things did not get better as I went back to seeing patients in a loaner truck...and other things are still pending...BUT CONSTANT FAITH continues.
I hope you are having a good day...BUT if not...remember that God is constant...and as you put your faith in God constantly..."...all things (the good, bad, an ugly work together for good to them that love the Lord (that would be you) and are CALLED according to His PURPOSE." (Romans 8:28) How does it feel to be (1) foreknown (2) predestined (3) and being conformed to the image of His son...as you go through ALL THINGS? (Romans 8:29)
This thing called FAITH...is something that comes by hearing...and hearing by the Word of God. (Romans 10:17)  As this thing called FAITH comes...the people that receive this FAITH now have a MEASURE OF FAITH. (Romans 12:3)  Faith can be little. (Luke 12:28; Matthew 14:31) Faith can be great. (Matthew 8:10) Faith can be weak. (Romans 4:19)  You can be strong in faith. (Romans 4:20)  Faith can grow. (II Thessalonians 1:3)  You can be full of faith. (Acts 6:5) Your faith can be rich. (James 2:5)  Your faith can be fake (feigned) or real (unfeigned). (I Timothy 15) Your faith can either be shipwrecked or held onto. (I Timothy 1:19)
FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY
Sometimes we wonder why our faith fluctuates.  We wonder why at times we are on top of the world and other times we are being buried in the valley.  We wonder why our faith is like a roller coaster with high anticipation and then like our heart in our throats as we descend and hit every curve on the track.  F.F. Bosworth...who wrote the classic book on healing called CHRIST THE HEALER has some great insight.


"Most Christians feed their body three hot meals a day and their spirit one cold snack a week.  And they wonder why they're so WEAK IN FAITH."  (F.F. Bosworth)

Love and Faithful Kisses
Rodney "Walk By Faith and Not By Sight" Boyd

WITNESS: TO BE...OR...TO -ING....THAT IS THE QUESTION

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Witnesses or Witnessing Ones...do ya have the Power?




In this crazy mixed up world of Christianity...we tend to jump through the hoops of semantics...or word meanings.  We build whole cases on words...syntax...semantics...and context.  As a Speech Language Pathologist...who loves a good word study...I truly believe in utilization of a Greek-Hebrew Lexicon...to bring and draw out the meaning of context of the Scriptures.


Just take the word for love...that in the Greek has multiple meanings...whereas in English we utilize the word love for everything. Think about the words PRAISE and WORSHIP.  We usually use PRAISE for singing lively songs...and then we enter into WORSHIP when we slow the songs down and get all reverent....but they both meld together as ONE COIN with TWO SIDES.  Keep this in mind when we see how TO BE or -ING in reference to the word WITNESS. Even the word...word...has a couple of meanings...that we may delve into at a later Rambling...but for now...we want to think about the word WITNESS. 




There are two ways to view this thing called witness...with one way being what we ARE...and the other being what we DO. I believe they are the same thing like on a two sided coin...except this coin has three sides.  The thing that is common to BEING a witness and BEARING witness is...the object of what/who is witness...JESUS.





BEAR WITNESS


"What was from the beginning, what we have HEARD, what we have SEEN with our eyes, what we BEHELD and our hands HANDLED, concerning the Word of Life (Jesus)--and the life was MANIFESTED, and we have SEEN and BEAR WITNESS and PROCLAIM to you the eternal life, which was with the Father and was MANIFESTED to us--what we have SEEN and HEARED we PROCLAIM to you also, that you also may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father, and with His Son, Jesus Christ. And these things we WRITE, so that our joy may be made complete." (I John 1:1-4)


BEAR WITNESS: martureo (mar-too-reh'-o)= to be a witness, that is, testify (literally or figuratively): - charge, give [evidence], bear record, have (obtain, of) good (honest) report, be well reported of, testify, give (have) testimony, (be, bear, give, obtain) witness.


BE MY WITNESSES

"But you shall RECEIVE POWER when the Holy Spirit has come upon you; and you SHALL BE MY WITNESSES both in Jerusalem, and in all Judea, and Samaria, and even to the remotest part of the earth." (Acts 1:8)

BE MY WITNESSES: martus =(mar'-toos)=Of uncertain affinity; a witness (literally [judicially] or figuratively [generally]); by analogy a "martyr": - martyr, record, witness.


Another aspect of this witness/witnessing is giving a defense for what you believe/hope to those who ask you about it.


MAKE A DEFENSE


"But sanctify Christ as Lord in your hearts, always BEING READY to make a DEFENSE to everyone who asks you to give AN ACCOUNT for the hope that is in you, yet with GENTLENESSand REVERENCE; and keep a good conscience so that in the thing in which you are slandered, those who revile your good behavior in Christ may be put to shame." (I Peter 3:15-16)


DEFENSE:  apologia (ap-ol-og-ee'-ah)=From the same as G626; a plea ("apology"): - answer (for self), clearing of self, defence.


So...we see that we are TO BE a witness...we are TO BEAR WITNESS...and to HAVE A DEFENSE of your hope to those who ask. 

On Phil Keaggy's instrumental album called BEYOND NATURE...Phil quotes St. Francis of Assisi with the following quote:


"Witness for Christ each day, and if necessary use words." (Attributed to St. Francis of Assisi)


The idea is...LIVE YOUR LIFE OUT LOUD instead of using your WORDS.  Let people see your life...verses having to "witness".  No doubt...if you don't live the life...don't speak about it. 


FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY


The answer to the question concerning the word WITNESS...To BE or -ING...is YES.  BE... -ING...and BE READY WITH A DEFENSE for the HOPE WITHIN YOU.


Love and Witnessing Kisses
Rodney "BE and -ING" Boyd

AND THE BEAT GOES ON

Greetings and Salutations


It has been a while since I have blogged...secondary to difficulties with BLOGGER...unable to post pictures....but we will persevere.


"And the beat goes on."


Back in the 60's, the husband and wife team of Sonny and Cher were all the rage.  They even had their own T.V. Show...where each week they would sing songs, banter back and forth and have special musical guests.  The first time I saw them was on the show SHINDIG and it struck me how strange they looked and trying to figure out how a guy like Sonny got a hot chick like Cher.  One of their hits was the song THE BEAT GOES ON.

THE BEAT GOES ON (Written by Prini, Rossano / Sandrini, Paolo / Naraine, William / Ulivi, Vito / Baratta, Marco / Sudano, Riccardo.)

(Chorus)
The beat goes on, beat goes on
Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain
La de da de de, la de da de da

The idea is that things come and things go...fads change...but "the beat goes on".


Solomon put it this way in his Ecclesiastical Ramblings...."That which has been is that which will be...and that which has been done is that which will be done...so...there is nothing new under the sun." (Ecclesiastes 1:9)


Larry Norman states..."There is nothing new under the sun...unless you know Jesus."


"Therefore if any man is IN CHRIST...he is a NEW CREATION...the old things passed away...behold all things have become new." (II Corinthians 5:17)


On this swirling, whirling, ball of confusion...The Temptations in their song BALL OF CONFUSION...underscores what Sonny and Cher have stated..."AND THE BAND PLAYED ON".


Have you ever noticed...that when someone dies...someone is born.  Whenever you are going through personal tragedy...people surrounding...may mourn for and with you...but all around you...people live out their lives in a normal mode.  Where your world comes to a standstill...there world just keeps on spinning.  Jesus tells us that the poor will always be with us.  There will always be conflicts in the Middle East...there will always be hypocrites in the church and outside of the church.  There will always be those who will deny Jesus base on intellectual (pseudo intellectual) scientific, feelings and emotions.  I for one will never be able to prove or explain the existence of God...and those who don't believe will never be able to explain God away.  Time Magazine may print in bold type that GOD IS DEAD...but they can never find the body to prove it.


"The beat goes on, beat goes on....Drums keep pounding a rhythm to the brain...La de da de de, la de da de da".


There will always be FOOLS who say in their hearts there is no God and live out their lives in arrogance and with an undercurrent of bitterness towards  FOOLS FOR CHRIST...who say in their hearts THERE IS THE GOD...who will live out there lives in blissful ignorance like me.  There will also be...sad to say...those who believe...but act like THERE IS NO GOD by the way the think, speak and act.

FINAL WORDS...FINALLY
As we finally come to an end...I am reminded of the late, great Vance Akin III.  I once say a factory worker (where we worked) come up to Vance and tell him.."Akin...you are crazy".  Vance did not miss a beat as he looked at this man and said..."I would rather be CRAZY the way I am...than SANE the way you are."


Love and Crazy Kisses
Rodney "The Beat Goes On" Boyd