SIN, FLESH, AND FREEDOM

Hello Freedom Friends.

Have you tried over and over and over again...to break the power of sin and the flesh in your life? I have...and always come back to the pig pen and vomit of the dog. I then walk in the condemnation and discouragement of who I am versus who I want to be. Can I get an AMEN...or an OH ME?

"For what I am doing...I do not understand. For what I WILL to DO...that I DO not PRACTICE; but what I HATE, that I DO." (Romans 7:15)

If you are like me...you start off with good intentions that turns into failed contentions. Romans 7:16-21 identifies the problem as SIN. There is a WAR that is WARRING within us between "the law in my members, warring against the law in my mind..and bringing me into CAPTIVITY to the LAW OF SIN which is in my members." (Romans 7:22--23)

The conclusive thought process is..."O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?" (Romans 7:24) That is the question that I constantly ask myself...especially when I am in the middle of failure...again.

ANSWER: I thank God--through JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! So than, with the mind I myself serve the law of God...but with the flesh...the law of sin." (Romans 7:25)

KEY TO VICTORY: "There is therefore now no condemnation to those who are IN CHRIST JESUS...who do not WALK according to the FLESH...but (walk) ACCORDING TO THE SPIRIT." (Romans 8:1)

The devil (little d) condemns...the Lord edifies. "For the law of the SPIRIT OF LIFE IN CHRIST JESUS...has made me FREE from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:2)

NOTE: Read the rest of chapter 8 to see how to become MORE THAN CONQUERORS.

A great companion chapter to Romans chapters 6-7 is Galatians 5-6.

We are called to STAND FAST therefore in the LIBERTY/FREEDOM by which Christ Jesus has MADE US FREE...and do not be ENTANGLED AGAIN...with a YOKE OF BONDAGE/SLAVERY. (Galatians 5:1)

Just because you call yourself a Christian...or are actually a Christian...does not mean an automatic pass for freedom. You CAN...and WILL BE bound again by sin and the flesh...if you ALLOW IT TO HAPPEN.

I speak from personal experience. I was saved in the fall of 1970...baptized in the Holy Spirit in 1972...and backslid into more sin than I did before I was saved and baptized in the Holy Spirit. It all happened because I did not follow the recommendations in Galatians 5.

NOTE: Be sure to note...that I had CHOICES to make. I CHOSE sin and the flesh over freedom and peace. The Lord never promised to deliver us from our friends...only our enemies...and as long as whatever you are doing that violates the principles of God are you FRIENDS...you will always...be caught between the the Spirit and the flesh...between freedom and bondage.

If you are going to answer God's CALLING in your life...you must really understand what His calling is for you. "For you, brethren..HAVE BEEN CALLED TO FREEDOM...only do not USE FREEDOM...as an OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH...but through LOVE...SERVE...ONE ANOTHER." (Galatians 5:13)

When we walk in sin and in flesh...we do not love (1) The Lord with all our heart, soul, mind, and strength (2) Love our neighbor (anyone other than you...including family, co-workers, friends, etc) (3) Love yourself. and we do not serve. We love ourselves more than anyone...and become bound instead of free.

"I say then...WALK IN THE SPIRIT...and you shall NOT FULFILL the LUST OF THE FLESH." (Galatians 5:16) It is obvious to me...that if I am fulfilling the lust of the flesh...I am NOT walking in the Spirit.

The solution...is found at the Cross Of Christ...and by FAITH...accepting what I can't do. Galatians 2:20...is manifested as I am faced with choices of sin and flesh. " And those who are Christ's have CRUCIFIED THE FLESH...with its passions and desires. If we LIVE IN THE SPIRIT...let us also WALK IN THE SPIRIT. Let us NOT become CONCEITED, provoking one another, envying one another." (Galatians 5:24-26)

NOTE: It is easy for me to pontificate about this...but I know it is the truth. I struggle all the time with sin and flesh...but find that the more I am focused on the Word, focused on the Lord, focused on the Spirit...focused on crucifying my flesh with it's passions and desires...versus focusing on my failures and the devil's lies...I am quicker to REPENT (have a change of mind, change of attitude, change of direction...moving towards the Lord and away from sin and things of the flesh.) Acts 3:19 becomes evident as I RETURN and REPENT...and experience REFRESHING IN THE PRESENCE OF THE LORD. The neat thing is...the Lord will LET/ALLOW me to do whatever I want to do. I have found this...the quicker I get to the bottom of the pig pen...and quit digging below ground level...and look up to the Father waiting for me...the quicker I can dine on the fatted calf...versus dog vomit.

Love and Repentant Kisses
Rodney "Thanks Be To Christ Jesus" Boyd

THE COCKROACH THEOLOGY: The Art Of Spiritual Pest Control

The German Cockroach...with the egg that houses 40 little baby roaches.
The cockroach is a nasty little insect...that can be in million dollar mansions...or filthy shacks...and everywhere inbetween. The presence of a cockroach does not necessarily indicate a "dirty house"...however...it does not necessarily exclude a "dirty house." Many moons ago...in my colorful work career...I was an Orkin Pest Control Service Technician. My job...go to a customer's house...and kill the bugs. Have you ever got up in the middle of night to get a drink of water...turned on your light in the kitchen... and saw a roach...or roaches scurry away? The little buggers...cannot stand the light. Just like sin and the flesh nature cannot stand the light. "And thisis the message we have heard from Him and announce to you...that GOD IS LIGHT and in Him there is no DARKNESS at all. If we say that we have fellowship with Him and yet walk in the darkness...we lie and do not practice the truth; but if we WALK IN THE LIGHT as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all SIN." (I John 1:5-7)When I would go into someone's home...and it is obvious that they have not cleaned their house in years...they always say..."I haven't had time to clean today." Years of ingoring the dirty things in our lives...will result in INFESTATION. I went to one house...and sprayed my powder that runs the cockroach out of their hiding place...and it was like a COCKROACH ATOMIC BOMB. The roaches will run from the nest...and run UP...to the ceiling. This one particular house...the walls became black with the roaches...the ran up the walls and began to rain down like our recent rains here in Tennessee...falling on my head...down my shirt...all around. I invented a new dance called THE COCKROACH STOMP.When the cockroach is subjected to THE LIGHT...they scurry back into their nest. The exacerbated problem is...when the cockroaches are out and about in the broad daylight. The reason they are in the broad daylight...is because the nest is full.Sin...and the deeds of the flesh are like cockroaches in our lives. One or two may appear...but before you know it...if you don't deal with them...the egg of sin...that houses multiple things in our lives...will explode and becomes an exponential phenom. Oh...they may only come out at night like the cockroach...but after a while...like the deeds of the flesh...they become EVIDENT. (Galatians 5:119-21)In the natural...cockroaches are subjected to the bottom of my feet...and chemicals. In the spiritual... sin and the flesh are subjected to FEET also."And I will put enmity between you and the woman...and between your seed and her seed; He shall BRUISE you on the head...and you shall bruise him on the HEEL." (Genesis 3:15)"...These are in accordance with the WORKING OF THE STRENGTH OF HIS MIGHT...which He brought about IN CHRIST (yoke destroying, burden lifting, oppression removing, healing power of the Holy Ghost)...when He raised Him from the dead, and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all rule and authority and power and dominion, and EVERY NAME THAT IS NAMED (including sin, flesh, and cockroaches) not only in this age, but also in the one to come. And He put ALL THINGS (including sin, flesh and cockroaches) IN SUBJECTION UNDER HIS FEED, and gave Him as head over all things to the church...which is HIS BODY (that would be you)...the fulness of Him who fills all in all." (Ephesians 1:19-22)"And the God of peace will soon CRUSH satan (little s) under YOUR FEET." (Romans 16:20)We have many resources to deal with the fleshly cockroaches and sin patters in our lives including:The Word of God, The Spirit of God, The Authority of the Believer, The Body of Christ, The Gifts of the Spirit, The Fruit of the Spirit. Love...etc.Soooooooooooooooo....it's time to DANCE...the old COCKROACH STOMP...crunch, crunch, crunch.

Love and Stompin Kisses

Rodney "PEST CONTROL" Boyd
Rodney Boyd at 7:44am May 18

After I published this...I thought of the two main resources to deal with the flesh, sin, tempation and cockroaches...D.B.R...DEATH, BURIAL, RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS...THE CROSS...and THE BLOOD OF JESUS.

HASHBROWN THEOLOGY

Greetings Hashbrown lovers everywhere. I wrote a little blurb on my Facebook page about HASHBROWN THEOLOGY...and wanted it to get onto the blogsite...in an extended form. For those who have read the snippet...read on for a little more...for those first time readers...enjoy.

I love to eat at the WAFFLE HOUSE...especially sins there is no smoking there any longer. Eggs...waffles...bacon...coffee...and of course...especially...the HASHBROWNS. There are at least...according to the menu...1,572,864 ways to order them including:

1. Smothered--onions
2. Covered--cheese
3. Chunked--hickory smoked ham
4. Topped--chili
5. Diced--tomatoes
6. Peppered--jalapeno peppers
7. Capped--mushrooms
8. Scattered All The Way


What was it that got me thinking about...ruminating about Waffle House Hashbrown? I'm glad you asked. I was reading PSALM 32 one morning...and saw how King David...the man after God's own heart...was asking God to deal with his (1) transgressions: going beyond known limits (2) sin: missing the mark (3) iniquity: rebellion (4) deceit.

King David...had killed threats to his sheep...stood up to giant and was still standing when the giant was on the ground via a surgical strike stone from his slingshot...anointed as King... Psalmist/musician...was now...needing forgiveness for his sins. He had abused his authority as king...had sex with another man's wife (Bathsheba)...plotted to cover it up by having her husband come in from the war front so he could lay with his wife...and make him think it was his baby (a little kink in the plan when her husband would not enjoy the pleasure of sex while his men were in the field)...then the King arranged for his murder. Thinking he got away with it...a prophet exposed him for his sin. PSALM 32 and PSALM 51 are a contrite sinners prayer for pardon and expression of blessedness of forgiveness and trust in God.


King David's life became SCATTERED. In Genesis 11...there were a group of people in the plain of Shinar...that settled there. They were in communication with one another...since they all SPOKE THE SAME LANGUAGE. The only problem was...the were speaking and elevating themselves. They wanted to build themselves a city...with a tower that reaches to the heavens...SO that we may MAKE A NAME FOR OURSELVES...and not be SCATTERED over the face of the whole earth. Being SCATTERED was not considered to be a good thing.

The Lord came down...saw what was shaking...and said..."If as ONE PEOPLE SPEAKING THE SAME LANGUAGE they have begun to do this...then NOTHING THEY PLAN TO DO WILL BE IMPOSSIBLE FOR THEM."
(Genesis 11:6) The solution was that God SCATTERED THEM...exactly what they did not want to happened. They stopped building the city...and from there the Lord SCATTERED THEM OVER THE FACE OF THE WHOLE EARTH.



King David wanted his SCATTERED LIFE (because of his transgression, sin, iniquity, and deceit to be dealt with by God. Well...just like the Waffle House has the solution for their HASHBROWNS...so does God...if we open up to Him. King David wanted to be:

1. Transgression/Going beyond known limits--forgiven
2. Sin/Missing the Mark--covered
3. Iniquity/Lawlessness/Rebellion--Not imputed/accounted for
4. In his spirit (little s...human spirit)--No deceit

Trying to keep silent about his sin did not work...his body wasted away through groaning all day long. For day and night...Thy (God's hand) was heavy upon him. His vitality was drained away.

How did King David deal with this situation.

1. I acknowledged my sin to Thee
2. My iniquity I did not hide
3. I will confess (say the same thing God says about it) my transgression to the Lord

Cause and effect of King David's request...THOU DIDST FORGIVE THE GUILT OF MY SIN.

For us...it all comes back to the DEATH, BURIAL, AND RESURRECTION...NOTHING MORE...NOTHING LESS. (D.B.R.)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

Lord...I give you my HASHBROWNED LIFE...my SCATTERED LIFE. There may be 1,572,864 ways to order the HASHBROWNS at the WAFFLE HOUSE...but there is only ONE WAY to get your sins forgiven...by the D.B.R...nothing more...nothing less.

Love and Hashbrowned Kisses
Rodney "Waffle House" Boyd

STRANGE CASE OF DR. BOYD AND MR. BUDDY LOVE

Hello all. How's your personality doing? Are you still intact or are you split... and I don't mean banana. I am a big fan of Jerry Lewis movies...even without Dean Martin. In France...Jerry Lewis is considered to be a filmatic GENIUS. (If you get a chance...listen to Weird Al's song...Genius In France on his CD Poodle Hat).

One of may favorite Jerry Lewis movies...is THE NUTTY PROFESSOR. It is the story of a nerdy professor by the name of Julius Kelp who mixes a potion in his laboratory that transforms him from and insecure, bucktooth, inept professor (who constantly has explosions in the lab)...into the smooth, suave, debonair, obnoxious, handsome, BUDDY LOVE. Stella Purdy (one of Professor Kelp's students)...is not attracted to Professor Kelp...but is strangely drawn to Buddy Love.

The problem is...the more Professor Kelp turns into Buddy Love...the Buddy Love personality begins to take over...and Kelp is driven to keep going back to the potion for longer lasting effects.

Much of the action takes place in the college hangout called THE PURPLE PIT where Love makes his first appearance. He plays piano, handles tough punks, sets the ladies hearts aflutter. He even teaches the bartender how to make a new drink called THE ALASKAN POLAR BEAR HEATER:

--2 shots of vodka
--A little rum
--Some bitters
--A smidgen of vinegar
--A shot of vermouth
--A shot of gin
--A shot of scotch
--A little brandy
--A lemon peel
--An orange peel
--A cherry
--Some more scotch

The bartender is then instructed to MIX IT NICE...and then POUR IT IN A TALL GLASS. The bartender asks if he can try it...takes a sip and immediately becomes in a frozen position. Of course Buddy Love chugs it with no ill effect. Hmmmmmmmmm....Professor Julius Kelp is MIXING a drink to make him cool...and Buddy Love is mixing a drink that is a result of him being cool. Another side note...many movie critics point out the apparent similarities to the estranged Dean Martin (Buddy Love) and Julius Kelp (Jerry Lewis). Whatever the comparison...this is a definite comedic play on STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL and MR. HYDE by Robert Louis Stevenson.

The STRANGE CASE OF DR. JEKYLL AND MR. HYDE...was a novella written by Stevenson in 1886...as a result of dreams he was having about "bogey men".

The case is told from the perspective of a lawyer who investigates strange occurrences between his old friend Dr. Henry Jekyll and Mr. Edward Hyde. Like the Nutty Professor...the experiment goes awry as Mr. Hyde takes over Dr. Jekyll...and the inhibitions are released...reflected in rampant hedonistic lifestyle. Where the good Dr. had restraints...the bad Mr. has no restraints.

It reminds me of that verse...Proverbs 29:18..."Where there is NO VISION (revelation)...the people perish (cast off restraint...are unrestrained)...but happy is he who keeps the law". The vision talked about is insight into the Word of God...the thing that restrains behaviour. No revelation...no restraint...enter in the world of lasciviousness or licentiousness.

Paul writes about this dualistic personality in Romans 7:13-25 as he struggles with sin, good, evil. NOTE: Depending on which theologian you are reading or listening to...the struggle is Paul BEFORE he became a follower of Jesus...OR...it is Paul lamenting about his life AFTER his conversion. Whatever the time frame of the struggle...the ANSWER to the struggle is found in JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD (Romans 7:25)

I for one relate to my SPIRITUAL ROLLER COASTER RIDE...as I struggle with this thing called the FLESH versus the SPIRIT. A cursory look at the EPISTLES (letters) from the various New Testament writers...you can see a lot of warnings and corrections to believers. Peter...who was ONCE a coward and impulsive follower of Jesus...went from a denier of Jesus in the face of pressure from a little girls accusations...to the chief spokesman of the FAITH. He was saved, baptized in the Holy Spirit, a strong witness...some say he was the first Pope...founder of the church. This stalwart of the faith had to be rebuked and corrected in the eyes of others by Paul when he reverted back to OLD FEARS and acted differently in front of religious people than in front of the ones he preached to. (Galatians 2:11-21)

Here is the problem that Paul was encountering...

PROBLEM STATED

"For what I am doing...I DO NOT UNDERSTAND. For what I WILL TO DO...that I DO NOT PRACTICE; but what I HATE, that I DO NOT PRACTICE; but what I HATE...I DO. If, then I DO what I WILL NOT TO DO...I agree with the law that it is good...BUT NOW...it is NO LONGER I WHO DO IT...but SIN that DWELLS IN ME. For I know that IN ME...(that is, in MY FLESH) NOTHING GOOD DWELLS...for TO WILL is present with me...but HOW TO PERFORM WHAT IS GOOD...I DO NOT FIND. For the GOOD that I WILL TO DO...I DO NOT DO....but the EVIL I will NOT TO DO...that I PRACTICE. Now if I DO what I will NOT TO DO...it is NO LONGER I WHO DO IT......BUT SIN THAT DWELLS IN ME. I find then a law, that evil is present with me, the one who wills to do good. For I delight in the law of God according to the INWARD MAN. But I see another law in my MEMBERS...WARRING against the law of my MIND.... and bringing me INTO CAPTIVITY to the law of SIN which is in my members." (Romans 7:15-23)

DECLARATION AND QUESTION

"O WRETCHED man that I AM! Who will deliver me from this boyd /body of death? (Romans 7:24)

THE ANSWER

"I thank God--THROUGH JESUS CHRIST OUR LORD! So then...with the MIND I myself server the law of God...but with the FLESH...the law of sin." (Romans 7:25)

If you are in CONDEMNATION because of the STRUGGLE...there is a way that you can have NO CONDEMNATION.

NEXT TIME: How To Break The Power of HYDE/BUDDY LOVE.

Love and Julius Kelp Kisses
Rodney "Staying Away From the Alaskan Polar Bear Heater" Boyd