FREEDOM...NOTHING BUT ANOTHER WORD?

Greetings and Salutations to all of you FREE people.

DISCLAIMER: I am writing this to myself. If at anytime you feel condemnation or finger pointing...then realize that I am writing this to myself. After all...you are FREE to believe...do...act anyway that you want to do. You are free to be bound by vices, habits, consequences of your actions because after all...you are an adult...and are FREE to live your life as you wish.

How does it feel to be FREE...assuming you are FREE. I guess depending on your definition of being FREE would determine if you realize that you are FREE or BOUND.

I love this picture of Harry Houdini. For some reason I keep hearing Aretha Franklin in my head...chain, chain, chain...chain of foooools. Harry ALLOWED himself to be chained...locked up...tied up...bound on purpose. That was his thang...so he could amaze us by getting out of the bondage.

Our problem is...we also ALLOW ourselves to be chained...locked up...tied up...bound...sometimes without even knowing it...and even worse than that... thinking that we are actually FREE. Some of us were once FREE...but we have returned to the state of not being FREE...still thinking...I am FREE.


Kris Kristofferson...penned the song...Me and Bobby McGee... made famous by Janis Joplin...where he stated that..."Freedom is another word...for nothing left to lose." How sad...but true... that FREEDOM..us usually our last option as opposed to our first option.

As a teenager...I remember eying the days of FREEDOM...with the thought that FREEDOM meant that I would be (1) FREE to do anything I wanted to do (2) I would not have to listen to anyone tell me what to do (3) I could say anything I wanted to say because I had FREEDOM of speech (4) There would be no consequences for my actions.


Wow...was I wrong about that. So many young people have the idea...that ADULTHOOD...would be when they would be FREE. They could be FREE to (1) smoke (2) drink/get drunk (3) have sex with whoever they could convince that they loved (4) live with whoever they want...and then leave whenever I want (5) no rules, no regulations, no consequences. (6) free to have sex...have a baby...etc.

NOTE: Refer back to the DISCLAIMER.

In this world filled with Drama kings and queens...we see FREEDOM played out on a daily basis. One thing we have tried to teach our son...is CAUSE AND EFFECT...that there are CONSEQUENCES to our ACTIONS. Why is it...that as adults...we think we can do anything we want...and NOT have to pay the piper? I love this book by Dave Berg...with the wounded and bandaged man...looking up to God for help. God's help...the HEALING WORD.

I have found that EVERY TIME...that I went out on my own... in my FREEDOM...I would end up looking like Roger Kaputnik on Berg's book...BOUND by the bandages of the CONSEQUENCES OF MY ACTIONS. I was FREE all right... FREE to make mistakes...and FREE to REAP...what I SOWED. The saying is..."SOW TO THE WIND...REAP THE WHIRLWIND."



Jesus proclaimed that we would know the TRUTH and the TRUTH would SET US FREE...INDEED. (John 8:32) NOTE: This is one of the most misquoted...out of contexts sayings of Jesus ever perpetrated.

People use this misquote as their rationale for "speaking their mind"... after all they were only speaking the truth...and the Good Book says that you will know the truth and the truth would set you FREE. They are only trying to set people FREE...with their truth.

Newspapers...print this verse on their masthead of their paper...because as we all know...if it is printed in the newspaper (or internet, on the radio, from the pulpit, on T.V)...that it must be TRUE...thus we will be FREE...if we know all the FACTS. Someone gives someone else a "piece of their mind" so the other person will know the TRUTH...after all...I am only speaking what is TRUE.

NOTE: Why is it that when someone is giving someone else a PIECE of their minds... they are never at PEACE in their mind? NOTE TO THE NOTE: Just because you have something to SAY...does not mean that you have to SAY IT.

The people who quote John 8:32...almost never quotes John 8:31..."Then Jesus said to those Jews who believed Him...IF (the condition) you ABIDE in MY WORD...you are my DISCIPLES indeed." Therein...lies the problem. We try to be FREE...without the IF CONDITION.

The previous picture...is how our FREEDOM was obtained. This last picture...drawn by my son Phillip... is how we keep FREE. The empty cross represents the fact that He died, He was buried...BUT...HE ROSE AGAIN. (Galatians 2:20)

Paul encourages us..."Stand Fast therefore in the LIBERTY/FREEDOM by which CHRIST HAS MADE US FREE...and do not be ENTANGLES again with a YOKE OF BONDAGE."
(Galatians 5:1). The potential for us to look like the first picture of Houdini...after we have been set free is highly possible...if...we don't follow the IF in John 8:31. If we don't CONTINUE...if we don't ABIDE in His Words.

"For you have been called to LIBERTY/FREEDOM...only do not USE LIBERTY/FREEDOM as an OPPORTUNITY FOR THE FLESH..but through LOVE...SERVE ONE ANOTHER." (Galatians 5:13)

When we FREE...we have choice...free will...and we can choose to open the door for the flesh with our FREEDOM...or use our FREEDOM to open the door to LOVE...and SERVE ONE ANOTHER...instead of serving our FLESH.

"I say then...WALK by the SPIRIT and you shall not fulfill the LUST OF THE FLESH. For the flesh lusts against the Spirit...and the Spirit against the flesh...and these are CONTRARY to one another...so that you do NOT DO THE THINGS YOU WISH." (Galatians 5:16,17)

Our concept of FREEDOM...is to DO THE THINGS YOU WISH. You wish to get drunk...you wish to have immoral sexual relationships...you wish to do this or do that...all in the name of FREEDOM...but the things that you do...thinking you are FREE...are really locking, chaining, binding you back again...as you think you are FREE.

Teenagers...and even adults...think they are FREE to have sex outside of marriage...and get pregnant...and act as if that is normal and O.K. We can abort as a matter of convenience. Married people think they are FREE to commit adultery. Males/Females think they can go outside the boundaries of God...and have sex with whoever, whatever, and whenever the please. After all they are ADULTS...and are FREE to do whatever they want. We think we can eat like hogs...and not gain weight...and then wonder why we are sick all of the time (my own personal vice).

NOTE: Check out the DISCLAIMER ONE MORE TIME.

Final Words Finally...and it's about time

What can I do?

"And those who are Christ's...HAVE CRUCIFIED the flesh (identified with the cross and Christ's death on the cross... ala Galatians 2:20)..with it's passions and desires. If we LIVE IN THE SPIRIT...let us WALK IN THE SPIRIT." (Galatians 5:24-25)

Love and FREE INDEED KISSES
Rodney "Check Out The Disclaimer" Boyd

HAND TO THE PLOW...AGAIN

Greetings Plowboys and Plowgirls...how's the furrow?

One of my FAV albums...in the top five of FAV albums of all time would be HAND TO THE PLOW by Paul Clark. The picture on the front of the album is a picture that Paul took of his Grandfather...with his hand....not to the proverbial plow...but to the real plow. Of course for us believers...the analogy is not lost... as we plow along in this walk that we are in...keep focused...don't look back... don't give up...KEEP YOUR HAND TO THE PLOW.

If you look back...the straight furrows...turn crooked...If you take your hand of the plow...you are no longer in control of the mules/horses...and your life goes willly-nilly.

The title song of the album is a mixture of jazz and rock...which turns into funk.
Mmmmmmmmmm quite tasty.

Over the years...since 1970 (the year when I first started plowing this field)... many times I have taken my hand off of the plow. I took my hands off the plow for many different reasons (some, in my mind ligit). Temptation, sin, the flesh, discouragement, hopelessness...all resulting from letting my guard down...not disciplining my self for the purpose of godliness...letting up on reading the Word.. allowing my prayer life to dry up...not dying to myself and living to Him daily (usually dying to myself every week or so or as the my needs arise)...not taking up my cross (yielding my will to His will)...ALL reasons/excuses...with the same result...NO RIGHTEOUSNESS, PEACE AND JOY IN THE HOLY GHOST (Romans 14:17).

The first verse states:

I've felt the pressures of temptation...I've heard the breathing lies of ac--u--sa---tion...
I know the world can be distracting...but if I keep on foot there I'm--just--acting
Well, I can't think of a reason why I should look back...and I don't intend to start now
Gonna set my face LIKE FLINT TO JESUS AND HIS WORD
Yes...I'm KEEPING MY HAND TO THE PLOW

NOTE: WOW...when I first heard those words...I was infused with the hope that I can make it...I can keep on...no matter how many times I fail... I can get up again. The second verse continues:

I've felt the weight of condemnation...And how the dEVIL TWISTS MY SITUATION
My brother...if you feel defeated...let me remind you friend that YOU'VE BEEN CHEATED
Well...I can't think of a reason why I should look back...and I don't intend to start now
Gonna set my face LIKE FLINT TO JESUS AND HIS WORD
Yes...I'm KEEPING MY HAND TO THE PLOW

NOTE: Whenever I would sin...succumb to temptation and walk in the flesh...CONDEMNATION would be heaped on me...and my reasoning would be...well...I've screwed up again...why even try. The condemnation did not come from God...He convicts...with the outstretched hand of redemption. "There is NO CONDEMNATION for those who are in Christ Jesus." (Romans 7:25) We have been given the ministry of reconciliation... "Now all these things are from God...who RECONCILED us to Himself through CHRIST, and gave us the MINISTRY OF RECONCILIATION." (II Corinthians 2:18) This ministry is defined in the very next verse..."namely, that God was in Christ RECONCILING THE WORLD to Himself...NOT COUNTING THEIR TRESPASSES AGAINST THEM...and He has committed to us the WORD OF RECONCILIATION." (II Corinthians 5:19)

The devil (little d...he does not deserve a capital d) really does twist our situations...giving us a feeling of defeat...all the while being cheated.
Notice how the word devil says it all...d-evil.


Another great song that speaks to me...about walking out his walk is Bob Dylan's Got To Serve Somebody. Dylan lists multiple people from all walks and lifestyles...and makes the statement..."You got to SERVE SOMEBODY...it may be the devil...it may be the Lord...but you got to SERVE SOMEBODY."

You are either plowing the fields of the Kingdom of God (righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost)...or you are sowing the fields of the devil (unrighteousness, unrest, and sadness).

This picture show two of my favorite artists...Phil Keaggy and Paul Clark rocking out to Dylan's GOT TO SERVE SOMEBODY. For my money...it just don't get no better than this.

Put your hand to the plow...and serve the Lord.



FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY...

I close with how I opened...PLOWBOYS AND PLOWGIRLS...how's your FURROW. The furrow is a narrow groove made in the ground by a plow...plowed land. The plowing preceded the planting....which proceeds to growth...which results in harvest. It's all about preparation in the Kingdom of God. Sometimes...the ground becomes fallow. Fallow ground is ground that was plowed but not seeded for one or more growing seasons to kill weeds or make the soil richer...OR just left unattended. The ground develops a hardness and must be broken up again, de-weeded...etc. Either way...THE PLOW must be administered before THE PLANTING...with growth that may need PRUNING... but that's another Rambling for another time.

Love and Plowed Kisses
Rodney "Hand Back On The Plow...Again" Boyd

IT'S A RUMINATIN' NEW YEAR: 2009

Hello dear friends. Do you feel like you are about to dry up and blow away. Is your spiritual walk feeling like bleached bones. Are you hungry and thirsty for a Word from God.

Well...me too. I am convinced that the devil (little d)...the accuser of the brethren...and sistern also...the murderer...the thief...the one who entices you to evil and attempts not only to pull you into sin...but really wants to pull you away from who you really are...WANTS TO KEEP YOU AWAY FROM THE WORD OF GOD...and the WORD OF GOD AWAY FROM YOU.
(Mark 4:1-20)

I convince that little d knows that if you plant the Word of God in your heart...renew you mind with the washing of the water of the Word...allow the Word to abide in, continue in, take up residence in you...then FAITH WILL COME (Romans 10:17)..and little d...DOES NOT WANT YOU TO HAVE FAITH in any shape, form, or fashion.

When you have the : assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for (confident expectation)...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)...you place your self in a position of PLEASING GOD...by (1) coming to God
(2) believing that God exist (3) believing that God is a rewarder (4) and diligently seeking Him versus passively inquiring about Him (Hebrews 11:6) Little d don't like that (bad English... good theology).

2009 will be the YEAR OF THE WORD. This year on Sunday mornings and Wednesday nights, we will have the opportunity to MOO AND CHEW ON THE WORD (Joshua 1:8)

Starting on Sunday morning...January 4th, 2009 at 9:00 A.M....THE RUMINATOR SUNDAY SCHOOL CLASS will be starting a new session called:

HOW TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION, SIN, AND THE FLESH

We will dig our way into the Word utilizing a workbook. Some of the chapter titles includes:

1-Koinonia (The Common Connection)
2-Garden Roots (The Obedience Key)
3-The Lust Factor
4-The Way Out
5-The Competition Principle
6-The Art of Resisting Temptation
7-The Anointing (Yoke Breaking...Burden Lifting...Oppression Removing POWER)
8-Impotent Idle Idols
9-Freedom Fighters (How To Defeat The Flesh)
10-The Discipline of Self-Examination
11-Circumcised By The Cross
12-Flesh Reapers and Spirit Sowers
13-Whatever Happened To Sin
14-The Mindset Principle
15-Be A Visionary: GODISNOWHERE
16-VICTORY IN JESUS

These are just a few of the chapters that we will be ruminating about.


On January 7th, 2009...Wednesday night...we will be meeting for the year...reading through the ONE YEAR BIBLE...RUMINATOR STYLE.

We will be taking a journey through the entire Bible...and each Wednesday night we will have a REST STOP ALONG THE WAY...and discuss what God has shown us for that week. There may be a small teaching...but the input is really about what is God saying to you through the Word.

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

1. A One Year Bible (or you can get the text for the week that night)...but I would recommend getting a One Year Bible.

2. A three ring binder note book.

3. Dividers for the notebook. You will need four sections (a) Old Testament (b) New Testament
(c) Psalms (d) Proverbs

As you read...write down what the Lord may bring forth to you. It does not have to be an in depth Bible Study. It is really the nuggets of the Word that you discover on your journey.

The CAUSE and EFFECT of all of this...will be a peace that passes understanding...keeping your way pure...faith will come...your prayer life will change as you pray the Word...Biblical success and prosperity...you may speak a word that will change a life...because you are speaking the Word.

Wednesday nights will also have many choices of classes from Kingdom life with Wayne Berry...Claudia Peterson teaching real men how to dance real good...Pastor Barbie encouraging us in our giftings...Scott Asher showing us how to effectively share our faith...Kevin O'Dea leading the 30 year and under in holiness...and the the moo and chew crowd.

Well...that's it for SHAMELESS SELF PROMOTION. See ya in 2009...It's gonna be a great year in the Lord.

Love and Word Filled Kisses
Rodney "Mooin' and Chewin' Boyd

VISIONARY

Howdy-Doody all of you VISIONARIES. How is it looking out there in the darkness of night?

The darker the night...the brighter the light? I hope so...but sometimes walking in this old world gets weary...when on the surface it looks like the darkness... and yes...the prince of darkness rules. Sometimes we forget that "...the whole world lies in the power of the evil one." (I John 5:19) We need to be reminded...

"You are from God, little children, and have overcome them; because GREATER IS HE WHO IS IN YOU THAN HE WHO IS IN THE WORLD." (I John 4:4)

I wonder...that someone gets up one morning...and says to themselves... I think I will ruin my life and become a child molester?!? Does anyone sit down and right out a list of goals...and at the top of the list is...I think I will become an alcoholic and loose my family, my job, my self-respect?!? I do believe that I will set as one of my primary goals to die in a bathroom with a band wrapped around my arm so I can get a more clear shot of my vein so I can stick a needle in it and inject myself with some drug and die as I inhale my own vomit. I believe that I will have sex outside of marriage and end up either pregnant or some "social" disease. Hmmmm....I believe that I will start to overeat...and have a heart attack...become diabetic...feel miserable. I think I will start to smoke... and get lung cancer and die like those tough guys Humphrey Bogart and John Wayne...now those are real men...dead but real men. I DON'T THINK SO. Our self-inflicted problems...are more SUBTLE than pre-meditated destruction. They are like the unique bird. You know how you catch a unique bird? U neek upon it. You know how you catch a tame bird? The tame way.

The problem lies with our lack of VISION. The flesh (the carnal nature that draws us away from God)...must be RESTRAINED. In the King James Version... Proverbs 29:18...states, "Where there is no VISION, the people PERISH; but he that keepeth the law, happy is he."

The New American Standard Bible says, "Where there is no VISION, the people are UNRESTRAINED, but happy is he who keeps the law."

NOTE: I highly recommend you to get a copy of this book by Kenneth Copeland called HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR FLESH. Good stuff.

There are a couple of words that we don't hear to often in this day and age. Lasciviousness and Licentiousness. They both kind of slid of of the tongue and make you feel as if you need to take a shower. I can almost here them oozing out of the serpents/devils mouth...with a hiss. Lassssssssssssssssiviousness and Licssssssssentiousnesssss,

LASCIVIOUS: Wantonness characterized by lust or lewdness. Need to excite lustful desires.

LICENTIOUS: Disregarding accepted rules and standards. Morally UNRESTRAINED, especially in sexual activity; lascivious, libertine.
These words reflects the deeds of the flesh found in Galatians 5:19-21.

The VISION in Proverbs 29:18 is in reference of the law/the Word of God. Without insight into the Word of God (God's heartbeat, his wish, his desires, his will)...we are UNRESTRAINED (with the cause and effect being that we perish). I know in my life...all of my sin issues (and believe me, I've got issues...that I deal with on a regular basis)...are rooted in my past where I have not RESTRAINED myself. They may start off with little acts of unrestraint...but before I know it...as I yield one little thing.. it leads to another little thing...that leads to a bigger thing...and before I know it...BLAM! Oh...I can get sanctimonious about it...and thank God I'm not like a mass murderer...or a drunk laying in the gutter...or a sexual pervert like a child molester or committing adultery...YET. I become NUMB to my condition...because I surround myself with people who do the same or worse things that I do...and justify myself.


Well...Rod...Oh Prophet of Gloom and Doom...why don't you lighten up a little or at least tell us what we can do about these little foxes that spoil the vineyard (Song of Solomon 2:15).

Notice the picture of the man with the Cross. His name is Kolchak from the T.V. show the NIGHTSTALKER. He is played by one of my favorite character actors named Darren McGavin. His character was a reported who reported on the supernatural...and was faced with creatures of the night. Remember we started off this Rambling talking about NIGHT VISION...and to need to SEE. The only way to deal with the flesh...is to rely on what Jesus did for us. We yield our will to Him...and accept what God says is the satisfaction for Him. This takes and act of faith...that is then walked out in the physical.

Again in Proverbs...is some advice that I give to my son over and over again. "My son...if sinners entice you...DO NOT CONSENT." (Proverbs 1:10)
The advice is not just for punks who try to get him to do wrong...it is also good advice for the desires of the flesh. My son...if your flesh tries to get you to do drugs...DO NOT CONSENT. My son..If your flesh tries to get you to have sex outside of marriage..DO NOT CONSENT. My son...if your flesh tries to get you to hate someone...DO NOT CONSENT.

Proverbs goes on to say..."My son, DO NOT WALK in the way with them. Keep your feet from their path. For their feet run to evil..."

We have taught him the principle of CAUSE AND EFFECT...and CONSEQUENCE...and yes...he has learned some hard lessons personally and...by observation of friends, family, and yes...even dear old Dad. I have been very open with him from an early age of my stupidity, my sins, my fleshly habits including, drugs and sniffing chemicals...BUT not only my stupidity...but the SAVING GRACE AND REDEMPTION of God that delivers me our of my self-inflicted pit...and how he can use my sinful past as stepping stones.


How can we DISCIPLINE OUR FLESH? By becoming a VISIONARY. By looking intently at the Word of God...and then with the help of the Holy Spirit DO THE WORD.

Galatians 2:20..."I have been crucified with Christ...and it is no longer I who lives...but CHRIST (Jesus with the yoke breaking, burden lifting, devil oppression removing power of God)...lives in me...and the life which I NOW live...I live by FAITH in the Son of God, who loved me and delivered Himself up for me."

Galatians 5:16..."But I say, walk by the Spirit and you will NOT carry out the DESIRE OF THE FLESH."

Galatians 5:24..."Now those who belongs to Christ Jesus...have CRUCIFIED the FLESH...with it's PASSIONS AND DESIRES.

NOTE: This Rambling is not necessarily for the Non-Christian. These verses are written to true believers...who not only have the opportunity to walk in the FLESH...the were doing it.

Pull in the reins on your flesh...before it's to late. Whoooooaaaaa flesh... get back into line with the Word of God.

Love and Humble Kisses
Rodney "Jesus Hung Up For Our Hangups" Boyd