Merry CHRISTmas and Happy HOLYdays

Seasons Greetings to one and all...and God bless us...everyone.

May Ruminatin' Rod be the first to wish you a Merry CHRISTmas and Happy HOLYdays. What's that you say? I'm not the first? Walmart, Target, Macy's (fill in the blank with commercial retailers)...has already started humping the holidays?

Before the Halloween candy and costumes were packed up...the commercialization of CHRISTmas has begun. Take not of the photo taken from the photography class that was held at Smyrna Assembly. It's a picture of a name...my name to be precise...made up of various images of letters. The name...R...O...D...N...E...Y. My favorite letter is the N...done in mustard.

By the grace and mercy of God...we do not celebrate this season by saying Merry RODNEYmas.

"And Joseph also went up from Galilee, from the city of Nazareth, to Judea, to the city of David, which is called Bethlehem, because he was of the house and family of David, in order to register, along with Mary, who was engaged to him...and was with child. And it came about that while they were there, the days were completed for her to give birth. And she gave birth to her first-born son; and she wrapped Him in cloths, and laid Him in a manger/feeding trough, because there was no room in the inn. And in the region there were some shepherds staying out in the fields, and keeping watch over their flock by night. And an angel of the Lord suddenly stood before them, and the glory of the Lord shone around them; and they were terribly frightened. And the angel said to them, Do not be afraid, for behold I bring you GOOD NEWS of GREAT JOY which shall be for ALL THE PEOPLE; for today in the city of David there has been born for you a SAVIOUR...who is CHRIST...the LORD." (Luke 2:4-11)

"And she will bear a Son...and you shall call His NAME....JESUS, for it is He who will SAVE His people from their SINS. Now all this took place that what was spoken by the Lord through the prophet might be fulfilled, saying, 'Behold, the VIRGIN shall be with child and shall bear a Son...and they shall called HIS NAME...IMMANUEL...which translated means GOD WITH US. And Joseph arose from his sleep and did as the angel of the Lord commanded him...and took her as his wife...and KEPT HER A VIRGIN...until she gave birth to a son...and he called His name....JESUS." (Matthew 1:21-25)

NOTE: For full details of the birth of Jesus...Read the Matthew and Luke account.


During this season...you will either be celebrating Christmas...or CHRISTmas. One will be politically incorrect...the other will be THE REASON FOR THE SEASON.

Hey...I love this time of year...even with the trappings. I love the "Christmas" songs...the movies...the flavours...the smells...the merriment...and even the idea of Santa Claus...BUT... CHRISTmas Rules.

JESUS...IMMANUEL... the CHRIST...the SAVIOUR...the LORD.


JESUS: God is Salvation (deliverance, safety, healing, sound mind, wholeness, etc.)
IMMANUEL: God with us
CHRIST: Anointed One...anointed with yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost
SAVIOUR: One who saves
LORD: The Boss


We are celebrating...the entrance of God Himself into planet earth...this third rock from the sun...to SAVE US...from ourselves...from our sins.

"In the beginning was the Word (Jesus)...and the Word (Jesus) was with God...and the Word WAS GOD...And the Word (Jesus) became flesh, and dwelt among us...and we beheld His glory, glory as of the ONLY BEGOTTEN from the Father...full of grace and truth." (John 1:1,14 Read John 1:1-14 for more info...actually read the entire Gospel of John for full details).

"Beloved...do not believe every spirit...but test the spirits to see whether they are from God; because many false prophets have gone out into the world. By THIS you know the Spirit of God...every spirit that CONFESSES THAT JESUS CHRIST HAS COME IN THE FLESH (came from heaven to planet earth for D.B.R.)...is from God...and every spirit that DOES NOT CONFESS...JESUS (coming in the flesh)...is not from God; and this is the spirit of the ANTICHRIST (aka anti-Jesus...anti-yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost..and anti-D.B.R.), of which you have heard is coming and NOW it is already in the world." (I John 4:1-3)

NOTE: The good news is...that even though the spirit of antichrist is around..."...greater is He who is in you...than he who is in the world."
(I John 4:4)


Again...the birth...of a little baby...in a little manger...in a little city...in a little country is about the entrance of a little baby...who would grow up to be a 33 year old man...who would allow himself to be nailed on a cross...in your place. When Peter was explaining to what was happening on the day of Pentecost...his first sermon status post the Holy Spirit outpouring...He underscored the D.B.R. "Men of Israel, listen to these words: Jesus the Nazarene...a man attested to you by God with miracles and wonders and signs which God performed through Him in your midst...just as you yourselves know--this Man...delivered up by the predetermined plan and foreknowledge of God...you nailed to a cross by the hands of godless men and put Him to death. And GOD RAISED HIM UP AGAIN...putting an end to the agony of death...since it was IMPOSSIBLE FOR HIM TO BE HELD IN ITS (death's) POWER." (Acts 2:22-24)

NOTE: Thanx and a Tip O' Da Hat to Pastor Ronnie Meek for the sermon Sunday...that points out that it was impossible for death to hold Jesus down in the tomb.

Our last picture is of the album by Randy Stonehill...called WELCOME TO PARADISE. Randy is one of the pioneers of Christian Rock and Roll. On the album...among the other jewels...is a song called CHRISTMAS SONG FOR ALL YEAR 'ROUND....and it goes a little something like this:

I wonder if this Christmas...they'll begin to understand
The Jesus that they celebrate is much more than a man
Cause the way the world is...I don't see how people can deny
The only way to save us was for Jesus Christ to die

And I know that if Saint Nicholas was here he would agree
That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me
They led Him to the slaughter on a hill called Calvary
And mankind was forgiven...when they nailed Him to a tree

But most of all the CHILDREN...they're the ones I hope will learn
That Jesus is our Saviour and He's going to return
And Christmas isn't just a day...and all days aren't the same
Perhaps they'll think about the word
And see it spells his name

And I know that if Saint Nicholas was here he would agree
That Jesus gave the greatest gift of all to you and me
They led Him to the slaughter...on a hill called Calvary
And mankind was forgiven...Mankind was forgiven...Mankind was forgiven
We were all forgiven...when they nailed Him to a tree

So Meeerrry Christmas...Meeerry Christmas...Meeery Christmas
I wonder if this Christmas...they''' begin...to...under...stand?

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!

Santa Claus...St. Nicholas was NOT crucified on the cross in your place. The Easter bunny was not bruised for your iniquities. The latest political Messiah was not chastised for your peace. It is not by the stripes of your own attempts to be good...that you were healed. It started in heaven...was revealed in a manger...walked out for 3 years as Jesus went about, doing good, and healing all who were oppressed by the devil for God was with Him (Acts 10:38)...was lifted up for the world to look at on a cross...was buried in the ground...and was raised up again to seal the deal. As Larry Norman...Randy Stonehill's mentor...stated in his song WHY SHOULD THE DEVIL HAVE ALL THE GOOD MUSIC..."They nailed Him to a cross...they laid Him in the ground...but they should have know that you can't keep a good man down."

Love and Merry Kisses to One and All
Rodney "Ho...Ho...HOLYday" Boyd

DA CHRISTMAS SPIRIT

Seasons Greetings, Happy Holiday, Have A Nice Day, Merry Lukewarm Wishes!!! Do you have the Christmas Spirit yet? I asked that question to somebody the other day...and their response was, "NO". I asked them, "Why not?" Their responses was, I don't know...I just don't feel IT yet."

That got me to ruminatin'...what is the IT...that they are trying to experience? What is this elusive FEELING...the IT...that we have experienced during previous Decembers...that we have not got YET? Is there something that we can do to ourselves to crank up that spirit. Can we manipulate our emotions to FEEL the spirit? Even with all of these things that once brought joy...we come up empty...we just don't have that good old Christmas Spirit yet.

Our feelings are based on previous experience...of Christmas past. Every one's soul (mind, will and emotions) have the imprint of what Christmas means to us. It could be the anticipation of Santa coming, the smell of various foods that have been cooked, the gathering of family members, the deluge of holiday shows/specials on T.V., the sounds of Jingle Bell Rock, Blue Christmas, Rockin' Around The Christmas Tree....or hit list of your favorite secular (godless) Christmas songs, the sound of the bell of the Salvation Army soliciting donations for the poor and homeless (thus relieving the guilt that we have for hoarding our money all year long). Maybe if this global warming thing was not messing up the weather patterns and sending 60 degree weather with rain instead of the White Christmas that I am dreaming about. HO HO HO...or as the political correct version is now...HA HA HA.

Santa Claus has become almost on the same level as some of our concepts of God...as the Christmas Slot Machine. Instead of pulling the lever by prayer... during this season...we pull the lever by sitting on the lap of Santa...and wishing for what we want. We have taken...a Saint....aka Nicholas...and made him the Sugar Daddy for little children everywhere.

I actually...enjoy the various trappings of Christmas...BUT...the various trappings still leaves me empty. What can someone do to recapture...that FEELING of the SPIRIT of CHRISTMAS?

Hmmmmm...maybe if we... as the Beatles waxed poetic.. GET BACK TO WHERE WE ONCE BELONGED.

We...or at least I have at times...have got away for the true REASON FOR THE SEASON. We have de-Christed Christmas (Christ-mass)...and filled it with winter festivals, multiple celebrations lumped in with the birth of the Savior of the World, lowered the bar of expectations by sentimental hogwash, greed, watered down saints in red suits and white beards...and generally edged out the advent of the coming saviour.

Hey...December 25th...probably ain't the actual birthday of Jesus... but it is a time of celebration of who would become the source of peace on earth, good will towards men. It is the entrance of God into planet earth for the precise purpose of becoming the substitute for our sins, and to be the exact representation of God and His will for the world. This baby would grow up...and then go about, do good and heal all who were oppressed by the devil...for God was with Him.

He is still with us...and as we take time to focus on this day and season of His birth...try not to get lost in the trappings as you search for the true meaning of Christmas. It has been said that WISE MEN STILL SEEK HIM...and WISE WOMEN too.

Merry CHRIST-mas and Happy HOLY-days.

Love and Beyond Mistletoe Kisses
Rodney "HO HO HO...HOSANNA" Boyd