AMPHIBIOUS WARFARE (Part One)

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Amphibious Beings...how's it hopping? "Froggy went a courtin'."

AMPHIBIOUS: (1) living or able to live both on land and in water; belonging to both land and water.
(2) capable of operating on both land and water; amphibious vehicles
(3) of or pertaining to military operations by both land and naval forces against the same object, especially to a military attack by troops landed by naval ships.
(4) combining two qualities, kinds, traits, etc. of or having a mixed or twofold nature.

The first picture/collage is a collection of fighters, warriors, defenders of the weak...with the battles taking place with some on planet earth...while others practice KNEEOLOGY and fight first in the heavens...and then on planet earth. NOTE: The smiling, baldhead man...is my pastor's dad...Mr. Harvey Meek...a true warrior of the Kingdom...now in the presence of the Father.

This picture is a group of fighting Missionaires (including my wife Brenda in the far right hand corner of the ring) in a little place called WAR West Virginia.

Years ago...Brenda and Me (or is that Brenda and I...I/Me can never remember)...were at a retreat called CFO (along with Gary and Rena next to Brenda in the picture). CFO stood for CAMP FARTHEST OUT...and it was. At this place called CFO there was an old man by the name of Glenn Ellis who was a naturist...and would take us on walks in the woods and walk and talk about the Creative God and how we could see Him everywhere we looked.

"For since the creation of the world His invisible attributes are clearly seen, being understood by the things that are made, even His eternal POWER and GODHEAD/DIVINE NATURE, so that they are without excuse." (Romans 1:20)

At one point Glenn made a comment of how we were really amphibious beings...living here on planet earth, and seated with Christ in heavenly places. The saying is...derived from Scriptures is that we are IN this world...but NOT OF IT. Randy Stonehill had an album a few years ago called BETWEEN THE GLORY AND THE FLAME..speaking of our walk on this 3rd Rock from the sun...as we walk out our faith. Petra had an album called NOT OF THIS WORLD (II Peter 2:11; John 15:18-19; John 16:33; Matthew 16:18; John 14:3) In the Ruminator Sunday School Class we call this THE LAND OF NITTY GRITTY...where we walk by FAITH and not by SIGHT or THINGS REVEALED TO THE SENSES. This is the place where real stuff happens to both Christians and non-Christians alike. This is the battlefield where things are manifested like sickness, death, dying, pain, suffering, economic roller coasters, wars and rumours of wars, political upheaval, selfishness, hedonism, overt and covert sins, transgressions, and iniquities....and the devil (ruler of earth and prince of the power of the air).

As AMPHIBIOUS BEINGS...we are CALLED as emissaries of the KINGDOM OF GOD...where we continue with the commission of Jesus and pray down the Kingdom of God on earth as it is heaven. We are ministers of reconciliation, envoys, ambassadors...representing God and his will, wishes and desires. For this to take place...we are fighting in two locations...we are trained or organized to fight on both land and sea...on earth and in the heavens...but before the first blow is struck on earth...we must fight in the heavens. If we don't...we will be wearing ourselves out...by fighting the wrong enemy...flesh and blood.

At Bushido School of Karate...run by Sensei Bill Taylor...we are trained to fight, defend, and deal with the enemy. In Wado Ryu (our style of karate) there are no wasted movements, but subtle shiftings, twists, turns. On thing Mr. Taylor tells us...that "FIGHTING IS A GAME OF ADJUSTMENTS." If you don't adjust...and try to fight with a mind set on one way...then you will lose. A fight that starts out on your feet can easily end up on the ground...and if you are fighting with a standing mindset...you lose. You must ADJUST to the attack of the enemy... to be able to defend appropriately.

We are at WAR...that takes place in the heavenlies...and is manifested on earth. Two places of battle...but NEVER FEAR...we are AMPHIBIOUS (A.B.). We are on a mission (Go-Mission) from God...Spiritual Operations (S.O.) have been...and continually are being trained and organized to fight.

In Wado Ryu karate...everything begins and ends with respect...or as I like to call it...REI-spect. Rei simply means to bow. We can either bow standing or down on our knees... in preparation for our workout. In the kingdom of God...I like to call this KNEEOLOGY.

NOTE: In my 10+ years...I have never been taught, encouraged, forced to bow down and worship or pledge my allegiance to any man or deity. I bend my knee to NO human, false God, demon. The bow is a sign of REI-spect.

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Next time we will be looking at the (1) battlefield (2) enemy (3) armour (4) weapons
(5) schemes (6) how to counter the schemes

Love and Amphibious Kisses
Rodney "Let's Get Ready To Ruuuuuuummmmmmmmmbbbbllle" Boyd

NEW MAN FOR THE NEW YEAR

Hello all of you NEW people. I know...I know...you are looking around the room as you sit at your computer reading this...thinking..."Who is old Rod talkin' to?" Well...if you are reading this, I am talkin' about you. "If any man...wo-man...hu-man is in Christ...he/she/they are NEW creations...old things passed away...behold NEW THINGS are coming (constantly coming)."
(II Corinthians 5:17)

Well...here it is...2010...a NEW year...and I want my God...to complete the work that He started in me. "For I am confident of this very thing...that He who BEGAN A GOOD WORK in you...WILL PERFECT IT...until the day of Christ Jesus." (Philippians 1:6) Every New Year that rolls around...I get up my determination...and make resolutions that tend to sputter out before the New Year has time to turn old...and then I get depressed because I did not do what I said I was going to do. Well this year...I believe that I will approach this a little differently... I RESOLVE to allow the Lord to complete what He started in me...and I will partner with the Lord in whatever He wants done in me...spirit, soul, and body. "Now may the God of peace Himself... sanctify you entirely/wholly/totally...and may your spirit and soul and body be preserved complete, without blame at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ." (I Thessalonians 5:23)


I want the Lord to touch me in my (1) spirit (pneuma) (2) soul (psuche/psyche) (3) body (soma). This is the totality of who I am.

In my SPIRIT is the place of my intimacy with the Lord. It is the place where I hear His voice...the place where I receive revelation...the place where I serve Him...the place where the Spirit of God dwells...and flows out of me like rivers of living water...my innermost being. Lord if there is anything in me that quenches, hinders or blocks me hearing you...and obeying you I ask for the Help of the Helper...the Holy Spirit. Lord...in this New Year...2010...may I be closer to you than ever before.

In my SOUL is the place where my mind (what I think)...my volition/free will ( what I choose) and my emotions (the barometer of what is happening in my life)...the seat of who I am...is either under your control or my control. Lord...as I am drawing closer to you...may my soul be in subjection to you. May my mind be renewed by the washing of the water of the word...and I become transformed in my mind and not conformed to this world. May my choices be based on the truth...of a renewed mind and not based on an unrenewed mind filled with lies and past experiences. Lord...in this New Year...2010...may by soul be in line with my spirit...which is in line with you.

In my BODY is the physical place...that houses my human spirit...that houses your Holy spirit. My body is the instrument that will be an instrument of righteousness or and instrument of unrighteousness. May my body...my flesh, blood, bones...be physically fit to carry out your will for me. As my spirit comes into order with your Holy Spirit in my life...and my soul comes into order with my spirit...may my body...come into order. As I yield my will to your will...as I eat what I need to eat...as I exercise....as I move in you....may my body move along.

Lord as these three areas come under your order...may I exemplify THE JESUS STYLE...of a servant, an example, humble, child like, no reputation, no ambition, obedient to the point of death to my self and desires...and alive unto you.

May I become an obedient Christian in the basics of life...where Christ is the center of my life with everything else revolving around Christ. May I be obedient, pray, stay in the Word, fellowship with other believers, and witness to others about my personal experience with Jesus.

May the Word of God...God's thoughts, God's wishes, God's desires...expressed in the written word... become words of a page in a book...and living and alive...sharper than any two edged sword. In 2010... may the Word of God....be fresh and open...and new revelation and conformation of what your Spirit is speaking to me...be manifested to others.

Finally Lord...may I exemplify...what Alfred E. Newman reflects..."WHAT...ME WORRY?"

In 2010...Lord as love the Lord God with my whole heart, mind, soul, and strength...not WORRY...or BE ANXIOUS for anything. May my life reflect a trust in you in everything... the good, the bad, the ugly.

"Be ANXIOUS/WORRY for NO-THING (zip, nada, zero, nuttin' honey, zilch)...but in EVERY THING (all the stuff in the no-thing category, by (1) prayer=talking to God (2) supplication= being humbly specific (3) with thanksgiving (giving of thanks...before you see any change in the circumstance)...let/allow your request be made known to God." (Philippians 4:6) The cause and effect="And the peace of God which surpasses all comprehension (the kind of peace you comprehend is the absence of conflict) shall guard your hearts and your minds (the place of attack) in Christ Jesus." (Philippians 4:7)

Lord in 2010 help me not to be anxious or worry...but to trust you. Help me to be a mind dweller as I dwell not on situations and circumstances....BUT...on whatever is true, honorable, right, pure, lovely, a good report, excellence, anything worthy of prayer.

Well...if the Lord does that for and with me in 2010...it will be a good year. The only thing that would make it better...if I had someone to go with me on this years journey. I have my lovely wife Brenda...my son Phillip...and my dog Sweetie...BUT...I would love the herd of mooers and chewers...The Ruminators...to join me in this fresh pasture.

I would like to say how much I appreciate all of you who read these Ramblings. I know of your love for Him...and your heartbeat for the Word of God.

Write and let me know if you will be joining me as He completes the work that He started in you.

Love and Anticipating Kisses
Rodney "What...Me Worry?" Boyd

HAVE YA HEARD THE HERD

Greetings and Salutations all of you Mooers and Chewers of the Cud of the Word of God. Welcome to the Herd.

NOTE: Click on the collage and get a good view of the herd.

Herd? Whatcha' talki' 'bout. Well...what I am talking about is a gathering of people who are dear to my heart....called The Ruminators Sunday School Class. This is a group of people who gather on Sunday mornings for food, fellowship and feeding on the cud of the Word of God.

Many years ago...I was attending a church that imploded... and at that time I declared that I would never, ever, in a thousand years...teach the Word of God again. Well...in the words of Phil Keaggy and Glass Harp..."never is long time.' As the James Bond title states...Never Say Never.

Fast forward to 2001 in Kenya, Africa. This picture is me standing in the teaching center of a Youth For Christ Discipleship Training School... I had the honor of doing what I would be doing what I proclaimed that I would never, ever, do again...teaching the Word of God. The question is... what happened between 1989...and 2001...and then up to October of 2009?

NOTE: I am cradling in my arms the head of a hippo. Man...you shoulda seen dem ribs...slowly cooked to perfection...half dry rub...and half with a special Kenyan sauce...dripping down the side of my face with each bite...MERCY! Actually...the only ribs were in my dreams.

I digress...aka bunny trail. When I became a Christian back in the fall of 1970...I was infused by the Holy Spirit with a hunger and desire to read and understand the Word of God. The Word of God was my lifeline to God. By 1971 I was attending a Bible School in Chattanooga...with the goal of getting a degree in Bible...and becoming an evangelist and save the world. Prior to becoming a Christian...I was a mediocre student...but after I became a born again believer...I was still a mediocre student. My dreams were shattered when I started Bible school...with the cold water of an English class. I ended up with a C in English and a B in Old Testament Survey. I ended up dropping out of Bible school...a Bible school dropout...and floating from odd jobs to odd jobs including working for Orkin Pest Control...working at Sir Pizza...working at Cummings Sign Company... a helper at Tennessee Mechanical Corporation...construction work...building log cabins...etc...until my current profession as a Speech-Language Pathologist. The irony of all of this is that this mediocre student from elementary school to Bible school...attained a Masters in Education. God really does have a sense of humor.

Back to 1989...I am sitting in a Sunday School class at Smyrna Assembly... hiding out in a crowd of people...sitting on any gifting that God graced me with...as I ran from God. There was one guy named Mark Robertston...who was sitting in the Sunday School circle (where we discussed the upcoming sermon) ...and kept encouraging me to pick up the gift again...because the gifts and calling of God are without repentance or irrevocable. Bruce Coble kept encouraging me to press into God. I started having rumblings from within (and it was not gas) of picking up my Bible again...and as I started reading...I was overwhelmed by thoughts and lessons and teachings...IF I was teaching. I never felt a condemning compelling to teach...but I did have an increasing desire to not hold on to what God was showing me.

During this time...our church had a retreat...and Brenda and I went. God was speaking throughout the retreat. During a break in the teaching... I was sitting talking to Wade Hutchinson and confided in Him that I had an inkling to teach a class called The Topical Memory Class. This would be based on The Navigator's Topical Memory System as we would memorize and study the surrounding context of 60 Scriptures with various topics. Wade gave me these words of wisdom.."I think you should do it." I cleared it with the pastor...Ronnie Meek and boom. I was teaching again.

One of the Scriptures that we were studying and memorizing was found in Joshua 1:8.

"This book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate/haw-gaw/ruminate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do according to all that is written in it, for then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have success."

Thus was borne the name...The Ruminators...who meditated...chewed...muttered under our breath the cud of the Word of God. For some reason we incorporated the cow as the symbol of the class (I guess it could have been sheep)...but we didn't. Well...that was around 1990...and here it is coming into 2010.

I had declared in 1989 that I would never, ever teach the Word of God again...and since that time...many people have come and gone from class (once a Ruminator...always a Ruminator)...and God has been faithful in giving me the desires of my heart...teaching the Word of God...as I delighted myself in Him (Psalm 37:5). I have been blessed to share the Word (with Bruce Coble) in Mexico, Peru, Africa, Guatemala...but always returning back to the Ruminators in class.

Thanks to all who join with me in the journey in the Word.

Love and Remembering Kisses
Rodney "Lovin' Da Word" Boyd