THE SEEKER

Hello friends. Long time...no write. I have just returned from Guatemala... where the Lord was faithful. Before I went there...the Lord spoke a word...and gave me a vision. The word was found in Romans 1:11,12...where like Paul...I desired to come to the school to impart (give, share, impart, distribute grant liberally, encourage) some spiritual gift...so that they may be established. In verse 12 Paul clarifies what he means..."that is, that I may be ENCOURAGED TOGETHER with you by the MUTUAL FAITH...both YOU and ME." That did happen as we gave and received from each other. The vision was on of a world that was CONNECTED by WATER. I could see how one thing that everyone in the world has in common is the connectivity of the water ways...the rain...rivers, oceans, etc. They HOLY SPIRIT is represented by water...where Jesus speaks of thirsty people..."On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, if anyone THIRSTS...let him COME to Me and DRINK. He who BELIEVES in Me, as the Scripture has said...out of his HEART/BELLY will flow RIVERS OF LIVING WATER." (John 7:38) Jesus clarifies what he meant when he said WATER..."But this He spoke concerning THE SPIRIT, whom those BELIEVING in Him would receive; for the HOLY SPIRIT was not yet given because JESUS was not yet glorified." (John 7:12)

This leads us to the purpose of this Rambling...THE SEEKER. It has been said that..."God is silent." Francis Shaffer says..."God is not silent...we are NOT LISTENING." I tend to agree.

The first collage that you see is a collection of pics...that touched me during my early days of following Jesus. This was during the times of what is known as THE JESUS MOVEMENT...or the JESUS REVOLUTION...where the followers of Jesus were called JESUS PEOPLE or JESUS FREAKS. This was before the current trends of Christian music called CCM...or Contemporary Christian Music. It was called JESUS MUSIC...or CHRISTIAN ROCK AND ROLL. One aspect of this revolution was a guy named Scott Ross...who in the 60's was one of New York City's top disk jockeys. When the Beatles landed in America they were met by the Scottish transplant Scott Ross. NOTE: For full details of the adventures of Scott Ross...read his book SCOTT FREE (this can be found on the CBN website in full form). Scott ended up marrying Nedra Talley who sang with Ronnie and the Ronettes (Be My Baby). She is the one on the far left. Together they started a place in Freeville New York called LOVE INN. This was a group of believers who lived community style. Phil Keaggy (my favorite guitarist) spent some time there. He was under Ted Sandquist who along with many talented members put out a couple of albums...one being IN THE COURTS OF THE KING. During this time...there was a teaching series done by Ted and Scott called A NEW SONG FOR A NEW AGE. It was about the heartbeat of worship...and the freshness of creativity in music/song. NOW...I said all of that to say this. One of the songs was based on Psalm 63. The Psalmist (David) wrote this when he was in the Wilderness of Judah...and was a song about joy in the fellowship of God.

O God...You are My God
Early will I SEEK You
My soul THIRSTS for You
My flesh LONGS for You
In a DRY and THIRSTY land
Where there is NO WATER
So I have looked for You in the sanctuary
To See Your POWER and GLORY

ENTER THE SEEKERS. Many people do not SEE God in their lives. They do not sense His presence. Since they are "sense people"...people who base everything on what they see, hear, smell, touch, and taste...they ASSUME that God is nowhere in sight. Hebrews 11:1 states..."Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-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." (Hebrews 11:1 The Amplified Bible) In Hebrews 11:6...we see that..."But without faith it is impossible to please and be satisfactory to Him. For whoever would COME NEAR TO GOD...must (necessarily) believe that God exists...and that He is the REWARDER of those who EARNESTLY...AND DILIGENTLY...SEEK Him out."
(Hebrews 11:6 The Amplified Bible)

When your back is against the proverbial wall...and when your spiritual throat is parched to the point of being unable to even swallow...the tendency is to rely on you physical experience...and to lose all hope...give up...and consider the revealed senses. I know for sure that is what I do.

I lose my focus...and I begin to REACT in the FLESH versus RESPONDING in the SPIRIT. The key...is to KEEP ON SEEKING.

To be a SEEKER...you have to do one thing....SEEK. In the Old Testament the word seek means to tread or frequent...to follow for pursuit...or search. IN the New Testament it means to worship...desire...endeavour...enquire...seek after. This is not a PASSIVE THING. It is not throwing up your hand when you don't see what you are seeking...but is a DILIGENT SEEKING not a PASSIVE ENQUIRING.

There are many verses of Scripture that speaks of SEEKING...here are just a few...

"The FOOL has said in his heart THERE IS NO GOD. They are corrupt, they have done abominable works. There is non who does good. The Lord looks down from heaven upon the children of men TO SEE if there are ANY who understand, WHO SEEK GOD." (Psalm 14:1,2)

NOTE: At that time...three was...no, not one. Hopefully...as God looks our way...he will see us SEEKING...not GIVING UP.

"But SEEK FIRST the kingdom of God...and his righteousness...and all these things shall be added to you." (Matthew 6:33)

NOTE: This is the end of Jesus teaching about provision. Instead of worry and anxiety...we are called to SEEK His Kingdom (His rule) and His Righteousness (His standard). The rest will take care of itself. I find myself seeking the kingdom of Rod...and end up with my wrongeousness. The cause and effect is worry, tension, frustration, anxiety, doubt and unbelief.

"Keep on ASKING and it will be GIVEN YOU....KEEP ON SEEKING...and you WILL FIND...KEEP ON KNOCKING...it WILL BE OPENED." (Matthew 7:7) In the same flow of teaching...Jesus talks about the TENACITY of ASK (A=Ask S=Seek K=Knock). Jesus continues..."For every one who keeps on asking RECEIVES...and he who keeps on seeking FINDS...and to him who keeps on knocking... IT WILL BE OPENED. (Matthew 7:8) Jesus continues on comparing our earthly mentality of giving...and how good will give good and advantageous gifts to those who KEEP ON ASKING. In Luke 11...Jesus says..."...how much more will your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to those who ASK...and CONTINUE TO ASK.: (Luke 11:13) NOTE: Those who are seeking the baptism in the Holy Spirit...don't give up...keep on keepin' on.)

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY

God's heartbeat is that of a REVEALER...to those who SEEK Him. In the parable of the sower/seed/soil...Jesus' disciples asked WHY He spoke in parables...where some did not understand. "And He said to them...To you it has been given to know the MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD...but those who are outside...all things come in parables...SO that...seeing they may see and NOT PERCEIVE...and hearing they may hear and NOT UNDERSTAND...lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven." (Mark 4:10-12). The kingdom and things of the kingdom are for WHOSOEVER...but it is for those who truly hunger and thirst...and SEEK...not those who would just PASSIVELY INQUIRE. So...........if you are hungry and thirsty...you will be filled and quenched.

Love and Seeking Kisses
Rodney "O Lord You Are My God" Boyd

GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM

Greetings and Salutations in these perilous financial times. Depending on when your read this...the roller coaster economy could be at a high or a low. Hang on to your hats.

QUESTION: What does BUDDY HOLLY have to do with the ECONOMY?

AN EVEN BIGGER QUESTION: Were these two studs separated at birth?

Buddy Holly...a scrawny, bespectacled kid...saw Elvis Presley in concert in Lubbock Texas...and decided at that point...that is what he wanted to do. In a short time span...Buddy was appearing with Elvis in concert...playing his Texas version of rock and roll with his Fender guitar...and the Crickets...which included a young Waylon Jennings. History shows that Buddy Holly...J.P. "The Big Bopper" Richardson...Ritchie Valens...and Roger Peterson (the pilot) died in a plane crash after a concert. Jennings missed the flight as he yielded his seat to the Big Bopper because Richardson had the flu and asked Jennings for his seat. Later in the 70's Don McClean would proclaim that day as...THE DAY THE MUSIC DIED.

THE QUESTION STILL REMAINS: What does BUDDY HOLLY have to do with the ECONOMY?

The answer to this...and even more exciting questions will be answered later.

Anybody with a pulse...knows that these ain't THE GOOD OLD DAYS. Wall Street is reeling from fierce blows and seems to be down for the count. Our collage shows (1) A Wall Street street sign (2) A young George Bailey wishing he had a million dollars...HOT DOG! (3) Scrooge McDuck swimming in his vault of loot (4) Fort Knox...the federal reserve with gold O' plenty.

All of these represent our POINTS OF TRUST for our financial future. Each one is as fragile as the other...and the stock market is up and down almost as much as our emotions are...and are subject to a crash along with our emotions.

FEAR is the master of a lot of peoples fate...and sometimes drives them to the point of hopelessness...that brings them to the END OF THEIR ROPES... literally as the either jump out of buildings...hang themselves...or shoot themselves in despair.

If hope is defined as CONFIDENT EXPECTATION...then hopelessness must be defined as WAVERING EXPECTATION OF THE WORST.

It was only a few weeks ago...when oil/gas shortages sent gas prices flaring and flaring tempers at the gas pumps...where people would get into verbal arguments...and actual fist fights...as each one would HORDE gas..."just in case".

Now...gas appears to be on the way down...emotions are subsiding...until the next spike in price. What is the answer to our fragile situation? GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM. To some it is "hiding your head in the sand"....and "avoiding reality". To others...it is WALKING BY FAITH instead of CRAWLING BY FEAR. Whenever I go to the gas pump... I always...always...always...quote Philippians 4:19. If God can supply gas to me at 36 cents a gallon...is it not reasonable that He can supply my need for gas at $5.00 a gallon?

NOTE: Read the entire 4th chapter of Philippians for how to deal with anxiety, and the secret to walk in Philippians 4:19.

The BASIS for GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM is found in Philippians 4:19"

"And my GOD will liberally supply (fill to the full) your every need ACCORDING TO HIS RICHES IN GLORY IN CHRIST JESUS." (The Amplified Bible)

Note...that it is not...WASHINGTON will supply my every WELFARE need...according to how much we can TAX the people. As I have heard from others..."Let them tax me...you can't get blood from a turnip."

With Philippians 4:19...as the BASIS for GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM...let us look as some of the PRECEPTS of this SYSTEM.


In the original Garden...that would be the Garden of Eden...NOT...the Woodstock attempt at getting back to the Garden...there was NO LACK. There was abundance and provision...until DISOBEDIENCE entered in...along with THE CURSE...which included POVERTY (Genesis 1-4; Deuteronomy 28:1-68; Galatians 3:13) POVERTY IS A CURSE...JUST LIKE SICKNESS IS A CURSE. if poverty and sickness are a blessing...then quit trying to get out of the blessing by going to the doctor or working to bring in a paycheck. NOTE: Living a FRUGAL life is not the same thing as being under the OPPRESSION of POVERTY.

The elder Elder...John wrote a brief letter to the beloved Gaius...and opened with a prayer: "Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in EVERY way...and [that your body] may keep well...even as {I know] your soul keeps well and prospers." (John 3 The Amplified Bible).

NOTE: Proponents who attempt to distance themselves from the prosperity teachers...will emphasize that this is ONLY (1) a way of opening a letter (2) John was only talking about spiritual prosperity. I personally think it is a balanced prayer to PROSPER (have more than enough to meet your need and enough to pour out to others)...in the spirit/soul, body, and financial. As I search the Word...it does not negate having stuff. Of course...as Philippians 4 states... "God will meet your NEEDS"....not your GREEDS. God is a gracious God...but He is also a CONDITIONAL GOD.

Another aspect of GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM is found in the teaching of Jesus found in Luke 6. The context of this section...is Jesus being accused of being unlawful by the Pharisees (religious people...not spiritual people). Jesus entered into discussion with them...which included a discussion about healing. They were filled with RAGE...and began to discuss how to handle Jesus. Jesus went off to pray...and then came to teach the people what is known as the BEATITUDES (these BE the ATTITUDES...that we should BE having). Jesus then began to teach about RECIPROCITY. This included...how to love your enemies, how to bless those who curse you, how to deal with those who mistreat you...how to walk in the art of giving...and to treat men as you want to be treated. He explained that if you do good to those who do good to you...what credit is that to you. Even sinners do the same thing. He then gets into lending to those whom you expect something back in return. What credit is that to you. Even sinners do the same thing. The Jesus added the word BUT...which let them know that he was going to CONTRAST how NOT to do it...with HOW to do it. (Luke 6:27-34)

"But love your enemies...and do good...and lend...expecting NOTHING in return...and your reward will be great...and you will be sons of the Most High...for He Himself is kind to UNGRATEFUL AND EVIL MEN. Be merciful, just as your Fatter is merciful. And do not pass judgement and you will not be judged; and do not condemn and you shall not be condemned...pardon and you will be pardoned."
(Luke 6:35-37)

Now...Jesus brings in the main thought about all of this...which is based on love and faith...not fear and hoarding.

"GIVE...and [gifts] will be given you...good measure...pressed down...shaken together...running over will they (men) pour into [the pouch formed by] the bosom [of your robe and used as a bag]. For with the measure you use when you confer benefits on others--it will be measured back to you." (Luke 6:38 The Amplified Bible)

NOTE: If you take a bushel basket....and pour in or fill it will a good measure...that is fair...BUT...God does not stop there. You then press it down...to make room for MORE. Then you sake it together to make sure everything is settled so MORE can be placed in. And then.... you continue to pour in to the very top of the basket...BUT you don't stop there...you KEEP ON POURING IN...until...IT BEGINS TO OVERFLOW. Now...that is PROVISION. Now...that is the HEARTBEAT OF GOD'S ECONOMY.


But what do you do...when it looks like there is no provision? What do you do when it looks like Wall Street is crashing and burning.? What do you do when the gas lines are circling the block...and there are fist fights at the pumps and gas is $10.00 a gallon? I'm glad you asked. YOU WALK BY FAITH...NOT BY SIGHT. (II Corinthians 5:7; Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:6; Romans 1:17; Galatians 3:11; Hebrews 10:38; Habakkuk 2:4)

"Behold the PROUD...his soul is not straight or right within him; but the rigidly just and the uncompromisingly righteous man shall LIVE BY HIS FAITH and in hi faithfulness." Habakkuk 2:4)

Pride short circuits...GOD'S ECONOMY SYSTEM for you individually. His ECONOMY SYSTEM is alive and well...but your access has been hindered. You have to HUMBLE YOURSELF...walk by FAITH...and not by FEAR.

NOTE: There is NO SHORTAGE in God's riches in glory in Christ Jesus.

Here is what you do between the point of prayer...and the point of provision as you WALK BY FAITH.

"Though the fig tree DOES NOT blossom...and there BE NO fruit on the vines... [though] the product of the olive FAIL...and the fields YIELD NO food... though the flock be CUT OFF from the fold...and there BE NO cattle in the stalls...YET..." (Habakkuk 3:17)

ENTER THE YET PRINCIPLE OF GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM

In contrast to what YOU SEE...the word YET...transitions us to the ANSWER. So far we have seen the PROBLEM. Now we see what ACTION that we take BY FAITH.

YET:



1. I will: This is our free will. We make a choice to do what is needed.
2. Rejoice in the Lord: Praise is in order...even if the circumstances, situations, economy does not warrant it. You are not rejoicing in
you circumstance...but IN THE LORD. It is like the verse in I Thessalonians 5:18..."In EVERYTHING give thanks...for this is God's
will for you in Christ Jesus." EVERYTHING that comes down the pike IS NOT God's will for you...BUT you giving THANKS to God
in the midst of EVERYTHING...IS God's will for you....so REJOICE.
3. I will EXULT in the VICTORIOUS GOD OF MY MY SALVATION. Exulting is not just a passive, quiet response to something. It
is a demonstrative demonstration of exuberance. Jump up...spin around...get clamorously foolish...RAVE ON. Again...it is not for
the bad stuff/times you are going through...but in response to the answerer of your prayers...the God of your salvation...and that
God ain't congress....or a presidential candidate...or a religious leader.

NOW....we begin to make FAITH DECLARATIONS:

1. The Lord God is my strength (Philippians 4:19)
2. The Lord God is my personal bravery.
3. The Lord God is my invincible army
4. He makes my feet like hinds' feet and will make me WALK [not to stand still in TERROR...but to WALK] and makes SPIRITUAL
PROGRESS upon my high places [of TROUBLE, SUFFERING, OR RESPONSIBILITY].

FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY!

This is just scratching the surface of GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM. Read Philippians 4:10-19 for THE SECRET of GOD'S ECONOMIC SYSTEM.

OH BY THE WAY:

You did not think I forgot the original question...did ya?

QUESTION: What does BUDDY HOLLY have to do with the ECONOMY?

ANSWER: RAVE ON!

One of Buddy Holly's last hits...before the plane crash was RAVE ON.

Little thing you say and do
Make me want to be with you
RAVE ON, This crazy feeling
And I know it's go me reeling
When you say I LOVE YOU...RAVE ON

The word RAVE means:

1. To talk wildly , as in delirium
2. To talk or write with EXTRAVAGANT enthusiasm
3. An extravagantly enthusiastic appraisal or review of something
4. Chiefly a British slang word...A boisterous party

This is the nature of what we are to do when were EXULT in the VICTORIOUS GOD OF OUR SALVATION in this economic mess.

Love and Rave On Kisses
Rodney "Where Did You Get Those Glasses" Boyd

STOP...DON'T BOIL THE BABY!!!!!!!!!!!

Howdy Oh Ye Trusters in God. How's you TRUST FACTOR doing in the midst of world events?

The year was 1971. I was enrolled at Tennessee Temple Bible School. I was freshly saved from the fall of 1970. During a Missionary Conference at Temple Baptist Church in Murfreesboro Tennessee...I listen to a preacher by the name of Milton Kerr preach a message. I don't especially remember what he said...but I do know that I experienced an overwhelming desire to be used by God.

I made a commitment to do anything that was needed to be used of God. I quite the band that I was still in...THE BLIND DISTORTION. We played one more gig at the Moose Lodge...where we pulled a WHO ending and went out on a feedback frenzy...knocking over instruments and creating havoc. If those Moose members could have had a cow....they would have.

Fast forward to one of my first sermons...that I diligently put together after taking Homiletics. The message was called DON'T BOIL THE BABY!!! After all of these years...as I listen to the economic woes of 2008...the message still rings true with me. The message about not boiling babies was preceded by how the invisible supersedes the visible.

II Kings 6:8-24...the Lord reveal how what appears to be...is not necessarily so. The King of Syria was warring against Israel. The attendant of Elisha had risen early one morning...and saw an army with horses and chariots circling the city. The servant's reaction was FEAR..."Alas, my master! What shall we do?
Elisha's response to the visible was NOT to deny what was visible...but to take control of the FEAR..."Do NOT fear." The reason for not fearing was what Elisha was SEEING...that the servant was NOT SEEING. "...for those who are WITH US are more than those who are WITH THEM." At that point Elisha asked the Lord to allow the servant to see what he was seeing...."O Lord, I pray, OPEN HIS EYES...that he may see." And the Lord did. "And the Lord opened the servant's eyes, and HE SAW...and behold...the mountain was FULL OF HORSES AND CHARIOTS OF FIRE all around Elisha. The Lord then orchestrated for the tables to be turned on the enemy by blinding the eyes of the enemy, routing them into the midst of Samaria.

WOW...what a powerful lesson about TRUSTING IN GOD...even if it looks like we are at a disadvantage.

In this crazy world that we live in...it is easy to look as CBS, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, FOX NEWS, read blogs, listen to talk radio, read a newspaper....and begin to trust in our master....MASTER...MASTER...MASTERCARD. Instead of FEARING...We need to pray for the Lord to show us the TRUTH. We don't deny REALITY...but we know that TRUTH TRUMPS REALITY. We need a God's eye perspective on what we are going through.

II Kings 6:25-29 speaks of two women in the midst of a besieged and famininized Samaria. A donkey's head was sold for eighty shekels of silver (Hee Haw), and a fourth of a kab (a kab=1 pint) of dove's dung was going for five shekels of silver. Talk about price gouging. I refuse to give more than 3 shekels for dung. I wonder if they had dung wars at the corner market. If there was a gas station in Samaria...gas would have going for 500 shekels a gallon. One woman cried out to the King of Israel, complaining about another woman. The two women had struck up a deal that they would BOIL HER SON...and EAT HIM...and on the next day....they would BOIL the other woman's son and eat him...HOWEVER...the other woman backed out of the deal after eating the first woman's son...and she HID HER SON.

Sometimes in the MIDST OF BEING BESIEGED and IN THE MIDDLE OF A FAMINE...with out backs against the wall...we do DESPERATE things in DESPERATE TIMES. Thus...the title of one of my first messages a young Baptist preacher boy....DON'T BOIL THE BABY!!!! Instead of boiling the baby....TRUST GOD FOR PROVISION.

NOTE: At this point...I want everyone to take a collective breath...and say...THAT IS HARD TO DO!!!!!!!

God's heartbeat is PROVISION...to those who TRUST HIM...and sometimes even to those who don't. God can deal with honest doubt. There was a man who had a son possessed...and he cried out for pity on him and his son...and asked for HELP. Jesus' response was...IF YOU CAN! All things are POSSIBLE TO HIM WHO BELIEVES." Immediately the boys' father cried out....and began to say...
"I DO BELIEVE...HELP THOU MY UNBELIEF." Jesus response to the BELIEVING UNBELIEF...DELIVERANCE.

"Faith is the substance/assurance of things hoped for, the conviction/evidence of things NOT SEEN." (Hebrews 11:1 NASB)

"Now faith is the assurance (the confirmation, the title-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." (Hebrews 11:1 The Amplified Bible)

"For we walk by faith and NOT BY SIGHT." (II Corinthians 5:17 NASB)

"For we walk by faith [that is, we regulate our lives and conduct ourselves by our conviction or belief respecting man's relationship to God and divine things, with , with trust and holy fervor; thus we walk] NOT BY SIGHT OR APPEARANCES." (II Corinthians 5:7 The Amplified Bible)

God is a PROVIDER. He provided food for Elijah via Raven Delivery...Fresh Baked Manna (HOT like a Krispie Kream Donut)...Quail under glass....and fresh, running water from the Rock. All of these items were delivered....WHEN IT LOOK LIKE IN THE NATURAL THERE WAS NO WAY OUT. Faith put eyes on belief. TRUTH TRUMPED REALITY.

One of the COMPOUND NAMES of God...that reflects his character is...
JEHOVAH JIREH...which means MY PROVIDER...the God who will meet our needs according to His riches in Glory...in Christ Jesus.

Why am I Rambling like this? I'm glad you asked. In these last days...we need to start trusting God...in the good times...because...there will come a day when there is no hope to be had in MasterCard...insurance companies...401 K...gas pumps...etc.

IF God can provide when gas was 36 cents a gallon...and if He can provide gas at a dollar a gallon...and He can provide gas at $5.00 + a gallon...He can provide anything.

Oh...by the way...this PROVISION goes way beyond the material. He will provide for your marriage, your peace, your job, your family, your sanity, your destiny

Lord...open our eyes and let us see BEYOND what the world wants us to see. Let us see beyond what is staring us in the face and breathing down our necks. Let us see your PROVISION...let us SEE YOU.

Love and Provided Kisses
Rodney "Eyes Wide Open" Boyd

P.S.

Oh yea...IT'S HARD...but it's WORTH IT. Still kickin' against the darkness till it bleeds daylight.

Love and P.S. Kisses
Rodney "Ain't Gonna Hoard Dove Dung" Boyd