THANKSGIVING MEMORIES

Happy 2 days after Thanksgiving. I am still giving thanks...even though the "official" day for giving thanks is over. It's kinda like prayer. Many people...me included...pray when there is a need...which a lot of times for me is not a need but a greed...BUT...prayer is always in order....just like rejoicing is always in order...and thanking is always in order. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18 and Philippians 4:4)

We had a wonderful time as an eclectic grouping of people arrived at our home for feasting, fun, and fellowship. Chip Payne and J.R. Becker along with myself... baptized the bird in hot peanut oil. Remember that the word baptized is rooted in the Greek language as bapto...baptizo...which means to DIP...to wholly immerse and object into an element and to withdraw it from said element. Various baptisms mention in the Bible are John's baptism...where John the Dipper...dipped people into the element of the Jordan River because they had repented. God dips us into the body of Christ...while Jesus dips us into the Holy Spirit and fire....and Christians are dipped into water as we become followers of Jesus. The questions begs to ask....should we DIP our turkey into the element of PEANUT OIL...or should we DIP the TURKEY...in GREECE? (Sorry).

Steve Burkett...and Dr. J (Dr. Frank Jones)...brought along their musical instruments...and more important...their musical giftings....and entertained with various selections. Ol' Ruminatin' Rod even played a few. I have got to change those strings. I mean...3 years is a long time to be playing on the same strings.

For a brief minute...we thought that we may not have enough food...but the Lord was gracious and everyone got plenty of food...plus some.

It was a perfect day weather wise...in the 60's...no rain...sunshine. This is especially good...since it opens up the deck for people to congregate.

We had one mishap on this joyous day...of Thanksgiving. Someone...went through some purses...and stole over $100.00 worth of other peoples money.
Brenda and I were devastated. In all our years of opening our homes...this has never happened. As we were playing our music...while people were eating... while people were laughing...someone was giving thanks...that no one was in the bedroom where the purses were....and they were very thankful that God had supplied them sweet pickings for their Christmas.

The question is....WHAT DO WE DO NOW.

The answer is....REJOICE ALWAYS...PRAY WITHOUT CEASING...IN EVERYTHING GIVE THANKS....FOR THIS IS THE WILL OF GOD CONCERNING YOU IN CHRIST JESUS. (I Thessalonians 5:16-18)

NOTE: The WILL OF GOD...is NOT...that someone absconded with the money....but the WILL OF GOD...is NOT to lose focus on who is in CONTROL of our lives.

"And we know that God CAUSES ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, and the ugly)...to WORK TOGETHER...for GOOD...to those who love God...to those who are called according to His purpose." (Romans 8:28)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!!!!!!!!!!

Lord....bless this individual that stole the money....but more importantly speak to this person...convict them of their sin...and let them realize that they need an intimate relation with you.

They can't steal from us...because we are only stewards of what God has given to us.

Love and Very, Very, Very, Thankful Kisses
Rodney "Lovin' How God Can Take A Bad Thang...And Turn It into a Rambling" Boyd

MIRROR IMAGE: AMERICAN IDOL

Greetings and Salutations O Ye Worshippers. Everyone is a worshipper of someone or something. The question is...who or what do you worship. Some will feign shock as they pledge allegiance to "the man upstairs". Some will sneer with discuss as they deny the existence of such a weak concept as God. Some will place their trust in a "higher power"...that may be in the form of a god, a doorknob, another human being. Some even will be honest enough to admit that they worship the only person worthy of their worship...themselves. Collectively, their is a church that many attend everyday...as they worship of the temple of their own bodies...at the 1st Church of Humanism. We build idols to the human capacity...but would never consider that we are walking in idolatry.

WORSHIP DEFINED: Proskuneo (pros-koo-neh-o)= to kiss towards (and object/person)...like a dog licking his master's hand. To fawn, crouch, to prostrate oneself in homage, to reverence, adore.

American Idol...the T.V. show where people sing...people vote...people win the coveted title of AMERICAN IDOL. Of course...there's nothing new under the sun...and rock n' roll idols have been with us for a long time. I remember going to RCA Recording Studio B...in the back...on a Sunday afternoon...waiting for my IDOL...Elvis Presley to roll in for a recording session of the soundtrack for STAY AWAY JOE. It was a surreal experience as I met him...got his autograph...even touched his Blue Suede boots when I dropped my pin (I figured that while I was down there (in a kneeling position) I might as well touch the king). When he went into the studio...I began to cry. I was sixteen years old...and I was crying like a baby...because I had been in the presence of the one who I IDOLIZED since I was six years old.

In Psalm 115:1-8...we see how the "HEATHEN" idolizes their God. Thank God I'm NOT like those heathens...idolizing dead God's.

The nations/heathens...ask.."Where, no is their God? As Christians...followers of Christ...we worship who we do NOT see. The heathen... needs something MORE TANGIBLE...than theoretic concepts. That's why they build IDOLS. Our IDOLS...may not be built out of silver or gold...but they are constructed in the recesses of our minds...that is manifested in our actions. The first collage represents Verses 4-7 as a composite picture of the HEATHEN'S IDOL.

1. Their idols are silver and gold
2. They are the works of man's hands
3. They have mouths...but they cannot speak
4. They have eyes...but they cannot see
5. They have ears...but they cannot hear
6. They have noses...but they cannot smell
7. They have hands...but they cannot feel
8. They have feet...but they cannot walk.
9. They have throats...but they cannot make a sound

The bottom line is...what cannot speak, see, hear, smell, feel, walk, make sound...is worthy of them kissing towards like a dog licking his master's hand as they fawn, crouch, prostrate themselves face forward in homage, to reverence and adore.

The problem is...as is stated in verse 8...THOSE WHO MAKE THEM...WILL BECOME LIKE THEM (or are like them).

That principle is so true. If you worship MONEY...you become GREEDY. If you worship SEX...you become FULL OF LUST. If you worship POWER...you become CORRUPT (absolute power...corrupts absolutely).

NOTE: This corruption is not limited to some foreign or communist country. It is not even limited to Democrat or Republican. It can be manifested in the corporate world or the religious world.

If you worship yourself or the human condition...you become unrighteous or fall short of the glory of God (Romans 3:10; Romans 3:23; Romans 6:23) The mask that we wear as we worship ourselves...will leave the imprint of who we are...and will affect everyone with whom we come into contact.

I personally am able to mask who I really am quiet well. I can cover up my fears, my anger, my frustrations, my rage, my greed, my lust, my corruption...by humor, intimidation, good works, religious acts, indifference, piety, success, denial.

The REASON...we become like the idols that we make ourselves is found in verse 8. WE already see the cause and effect of making the ineffective idols... WILL BECOME LIKE THEM. The REASON is...because we TRUST IN THEM.

Our money says IN GOD WE TRUST...but too often...it is what those words are printed on...is really what we trust. But that tangible MONEY...is very unstable...and as the DOLLAR fails....so does our FAITH...because what we TRUST is only as good as what/who we put our TRUST IN.

Hopefully...as we put our TRUST....HAVE FAITH...in the LIVING GOD...we will BECOME LIKE HIM. Psalm 115 starts off with the heathen/idolater questioning...WHERE IS THEIR GOD? The Psalmist answers...BUT OUR GOD IS IN THE HEAVENS. The Psalmist then declares...that this God that we cannot see...who is in heaven...DOES WHATEVER HE PLEASES.

The question now begs...WE'LL...WHAT DOES HE PLEASE? Well...our God... who is heaven (Our Father Who Art In Heaven)...decided...that He would become FLESH...and dwell among His fallen creation in the form of His Only Begotten Son...aka Jesus the Christ. Jesus would live on planet earth for 33 years...three of those thirty-three years would be spent...DISPLAYING WHAT PLEASES GOD...that would be culminated in Jesus...allowing Himself to be beaten, humiliated, scourged, and die on the cross in our place...as the propitiation (substitute/satisfaction)...that would satisfy God. He would DIE... He would be BURIED....He would be RESURRECTED. This is known as the
D.B.R...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS. Jesus then...went back to the Father...and sent the Holy Spirit to indwell our clay temples (aka our bodies)... and begin to manifest the inward experience in our outward lives. As we renew our minds with the washing of the water of the Word of God...and yield our will to His will by our volition (free will)...moment by moment...we conform to the image of Christ. We BECOME LIKE WHO WE WORSHIP. This process will be taking place until He comes back. Thank God...I've got a long way to go.

Are their imperfect Christians...who don't look any different than the idolaters who idolize everything or everyone other than God. SURE!!!

Jesus is our example that we are to FOLLOW IN HIS STEPS (I Peter 2:21-25). My problem is that I make many mis-STEPS. I trip, I stumble, I fall down...I repent, plead the blood, get forgiveness...and continue on in the process. As I worship Christ...Lord...help me to become more CHRIST-like.

"You know of Jesus of Nazareth...how God anointed Him with the Holy Spirit and Power...and how He went about...DOING GOD...and HEALING...all who were OPPRESSED...by the devil." (Acts 10:38). Lord...as I renew my mind with your Word...as I look at God's will in action in Matthew, Mark, Luke, John...Lord, help me to FOLLOW IN YOUR STEPS...and become LIKE the ONE I WORSHIP.

FINAL QUESTION (FINALLY)

In the 1950's...there was a game show starring an unknown comedian/magician by the name of Johnny Carson. The name of the show is what I want to ask you...WHO DO YOU TRUST?

Love and Non-Idolatry Kisses
Rodney "TRUSTING GOD" Boyd

Of Mice and Men

Hello fellow human beings...are we men/women or mice.

In 1785...the Scottish poet Robert Burns was inspired to write a poem after he ploughed up a mouses home in the fields. The poem was entitled: TO A MOUSE, ON TURNING HER UP IN HER NEST WITH THE PLOUGH. But, Mousie, Thou are no thy lane In proving foresight may be vain;
The best-laid schemes O' Mice an' Men
Gang aft agley, and lea 'e us naught
But grief and pain.

The Standard English translation reads: But mouse you are not alone... in proving foresight may be vain...the best laid schemes of mice and men...go often askewed...and leaves us with nothing but grief and pain...for promised joy.

The bottom line...you can plan out all day long what you want to happen.. but a plough can come along and disrupt your plans.

This concept is glorified in novels by John Steinbeck (Of Mice and Men)...and the subsequent movie...starring Lon Chaney (of The Wolfman horror flicks).

You would think that after 37 years as a Christian...that I would have learned this Mice and Men principle by now...but
Nooooooooooooooooooooo....I still plan things and get disappointed, depressed, deflated hope, over and over again.

I ain't talking about a 1785 poem by the Scottish Plougman...or about a 1937 Novella by Steinbeck...or a movie by Hal Roach (also of the Little Rascals fame), but I am talking about Nitty-Gritty...down to earth...down and dirty life on planet earth. I have got to learn to temper my plans with faith in God...and adjust. In karate...boxing...street fighting...the guiding principle is...FIGHTING IS A SERIES OF ADJUSTMENTS. The same principle goes for the Kingdom of God...LIFE is a series of adjustments...and just when you think you should have bobbed...you should have weaved...BLAMMO.

Well...what's a BELIEVER to do? I'm glad you asked. First we need to live our lives like Oswald Chambers mentions in the devotional MY UTMOST FOR HIS HIGHEST. In the January 31st devotion...he mentions twice and attitude that we have to keep forefront if we are to fulfill our CALLING.


NOTE: This man in the picture is saying...Have Thine own way Lord... have thine own way...Thou art the Potter...I am the clay...mold me and make me...after Thy will...while I am waiting...YIELDED AND STILL.

"To talk in that way is a sign that the reality of the Gospel of God has not begun to touch me; there is no RECKLESS ABANDON TO GOD. God cannot deliver me while my interest is merely in MY OWN character. Paul is unconscious of himself, he is RECKLESSLY ABANDONED, separated by God for one purpose--to proclaim the Gospel of God." (Romans ix.3.)

This is step one...to preparing for adjustments in our well thought out plans of how life should be and turn out for us.

Step two entails...getting our eyes of of evildoers and wrongdoers...that tend to appear to be the ones who screw up our lives...and then appear to prosper and get everything that we were suppose to have. Psalm 37 speaks of this...as we start to whine about life not being fair...or why does everything always happen to me.

NOTE: Things happen to us for various reasons: (1) We live in a cursed and fallen world (2) There is a devil out to steal, kill and destroy (3) The Barney Fife Syndrome where we shoot ourselves in our own foot after Andy told us to keep the bullet in our pockets (4) The natural testing of your faith as God is drawing out proven character in you.

In Psalm 37...we need to circle all of the VERBS...ACTION WORDS that appears to be OUR RESPONSIBILITY...when things AIN'T GOIN' AS PLANNED (our plans that is). Here is a cursory look at some (not all) of the things that we are suppose to do between the point of prayer and the point of provision: fret not...be not envious...trust in the Lord...do good... dwell in the land...cultivate faithfulness (feed on His faithfulness) ...delight yourself in the Lord (He will give you the desires of your heart)...Commit your way to the Lord...trust in Him (He will do it)...rest in the Lord...wait patiently for Him...CEASE FROM ANGER...

Well, you get the idea. We are NOT just sitting passively aside as the plan shifts and evildoers and wrongdoers appear to have the upper hand.

Step number 3 is a matter of TRUST: "Trust in the Lord with ALL your heart, and DO NOT LEAN ON YOUR OWN UNDERSTANDING...In ALL your ways ACKNOWLEDGE HIM...and He will make your paths straight...DO NOT BE WISE IN YOUR OWN EYES...fear the Lord and turn away from evil." (Proverbs 3:5-7)

Step number 4 is found in the book of James: "Come now, you who say, Today or tomorrow we shall go to such and such a city...and spend a year there and engage in business...and make a profit. Yet you DO KNOW KNOW what your life will be like TOMORROW. You are just a VAPOR that appears for a little while and then VANISHES AWAY. Instead, you ought to say...IF THE LORD WILLS, we shall LIVE, and also do THIS or THAN. But as it is, you BOAST in your ARROGANCE...all such boasting is EVIL. Therefore...to one who know the right thing to do...and does not do it...TO HIM IT IS SIN." (James 4:13-17)

Step # 5 is found in Romans 8:28..."For we know that God causes ALL THINGS (the good, the bad, and the ugly)...to work together for GOOD to those who LOVE GOD...to those who are called according to HIS PURPOSE (not our purpose)."

And finally...Step #6...or the Joseph Principle...where Joseph...had his murder faked, stripped of his pride and joy (his coat of many colours), thrown in a pit, sold into slavery, accused of attempted rape (false charges), prison...and then elevated to a position of power. Joseph had every right to grumble, complain, whine, attempt revenge, get even...but Joseph had a DIFFERENT PERSPECTIVE.

When the brothers who had done the bad stuff to Joseph were confronted by Joseph...Joseph states.."And now do not be grieved or angry with yourselves...because you sold me here; for GOD SENT ME BEFORE YOU TO PRESERVE LIFE." God had different plans for Joseph. He underscored it again..."And GOD SENT me before you to preserve for you, a remnant in the earth, and to keep you alive by a GREAT DELIVERANCE." Genesis 45:4-7

After their father died...the boys became fearful...that NOW Joseph would get even. Again Joseph was moving from a different perspective of how the PLANS in his LIVE were adjusted. God gave me this word personally for my first trip to Africa..."Do not be afraid, FOR AM I IN GOD'S PLACE." Genesis 50:19 NOTE: God's Place...no matter what has happened to you in the past, present or future...is a good place.

Joseph then underscores...the BEST LAID PLANS OF MICE AND MEN..."And as for you...you meant EVIL AGAINST ME (meant harm)... BUT...GOD MEANT IT FOR GOOD....in order (there is always order in God's plan...even when it looks chaotic)...to BRING ABOUT this present result to preserve many people alive." Genesis 50:20

Sometimes to get to the RESULT that God desires....our PLANS have to be PLOUGHED UP by the MASTER PLOUGHMAN.

Love and Planned Kisses (but subject to change)
Rodney "gang aft agley" Boyd