Wanted Dead or Alive

I know it’s a stretch, but if you would allow me, I want to share how the Bible, in some ways, reminds me of the old, western reward posters—WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE—a metaphor as it were.  Let me explain.

I know the wording, Wanted Dead or Alive denotes bringing in a criminal breathing or not.  A bounty hunter or agent will then receive their just reward that was stated on the poster.    

God loves people.  To bring it closer to home, God loves you and me with a sacrificial love, so much that He died on a cross for the redemption of humanity.   

Jesus was unjustly crucified atop the hill called Golgotha, which means, Place of a Skull.  He willingly gave His life for the sins of every man, woman, boy, and girl that needed a Savior.  This means everyone to this day and all tomorrows.  (Matthew 27:33)

This hill was outside the gates of Jerusalem where criminals were executed for their crimes.  But Jesus was perfect in every way and did not deserve to die a cruel death.

We read in the Bible that God desires for every person on earth to become alive through the new birth.  This happens when a person asks forgiveness of their sins and accepts Jesus as their personal Savior. 

This born-again experience is essential because Adam and Eve separated themselves from God in the Garden of Eden when they sinned.  At that moment they became dead in the eyes of the Lord. 

God did not walk away from Adam and Eve; they chose death over life when they disobeyed Him and ate of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil that God commanded them not to eat.  Because of their disobedience, sin entered the world.  Every person that is born has an adamic nature in them and needs a Savior to live again.

(Genesis 2:16,17) “And the Lord God commanded the man, saying, ‘Of every tree of the garden you may freely eat;’ ” (17) “ ‘but of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.’ ”

The Bible is the narrative of true events recorded by holy men of old, as God breathed upon each one.  The inerrant Word of God was written on scrolls, now captured between two covers called the Bible.  In it we find how to become alive rather than remaining dead in sin.

Everyone should ask themselves, “Am I dead or alive?”  This question is not to determine the state of one’s health, but the condition of the soul.  Is it full of dead-mans-bones, figuratively speaking, or is it alive and well in Christ Jesus?

God wants every dead person that is walking down the wide road to destruction to be saved.  He also wants those that are alive in Him to stay true to His statutes through every trial and tribulation, as they journey down the straight and narrow path that leads to heaven.

God gave us the Bible as a lamp to our feet and a light to our pathway to emphasize the importance of finding our way back to Him in a dark and nightmarish world of sin through reading His Word and meditating on it day and night. 

Wandering souls, dead in their trespasses, and Christians that are alive because of Jesus, need to get alone with God and ask for His perfect will in their lives.  We need to see the pitfalls that the devil puts in everyone’s pathway.  The Bible gives us the ability to see clearly where our next step will take us. 

(1 Peter 5:8,9) “Be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the devil walks about like a roaring lion, seeking whom he may devour.” (9) “Resist him, steadfast in the faith, knowing that the same sufferings are experienced by your brotherhood in the world.”

Jesus wants those that are tired of running from God, because of their inherited death sentence, to be transformed into a new creation.  The Lord promises that it will be a wonderful transition from being dead to being alive in Him. 

The Lord also wants to encourage Christians, who are stumbling and perhaps fading in faith, to become grounded once again.  Jesus is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.  In Him we live.

(Matthew 11:28) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I was certainly a dead man walking before the Holy Spirit sent agents my way that were acting on God’s behalf to share the Good News that Jesus would give me an abundant life if I surrendered to Him. 

I am glad these Christians saw the reward poster, WANTED DEAD OR ALIVE before my number was called and I was weighed in the balance and found wanting after passing from this life. 

I am sure these agents will receive their just reward in heaven.  They were faithful servants of the Lord, witnessing for Him.  I am glad I passed from death unto life before meeting my Maker face to face.  I now have a hope of eternal life when God calls me home.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

 

Something Bigger Than Me

I am amazed and spellbound when I take time to look around me and behold the beauty of God’s creation.  The firmament above is breathtaking, especially when gazing at it in dimly lighted surroundings.  I feel like a microorganism when considering the vastness and splendor of the cosmos when I compare it to me.

The grandeur of all variations of flowers and trees tells me there is a greater power at work as my mind tries to grasp the glory of it all and how it began.  How can anyone say there is no God? 

It is hard to comprehend the magnitude of thunder when listening to it clap loudly overhead after the brilliance of lightning flashes.  It is mindboggling how powerful natural phenomena are.

I remember as a young boy, my dad told me that thunder was the marvelous voice of God.  There is no doubt in my mind that it could be, but I have found through the years that the Lord speaks to me in a quiet voice when I steal away from the hustle and bustle of everything around me and just listen.

Here’s some food for thought.  Just think, a bolt of lightning can carry a voltage exceeding 10 million volts of electricity, with between 30 thousand to 110 thousand amperes.  The power of Mother Nature (God) is mind melting.

To give you a small comparison of the energy in a lightning bolt, a standard electrical plug inside a house, in the United States, has 120 volts with 15 or 20 amperes.  Clothes dryers and oven plugs have 240 volts with 40 amperes.  It is hard to grasp 10 million volts.

Category 5 hurricanes can have a wind velocity of 157 miles per hour or greater, and a category 5 tornado can reach wind speeds of 261 to 318 miles per hour.  A cordless leaf blower produces a mere wind speed of 90 to 150 miles per hour depending on the model.

Earthquakes, tsunamis, and title waves give me feelings of helplessness, inadequacy, and impotence, especially listening to breaking news on television regarding these natural phenomena.  It does something to my brain when I try to comprehend the magnificence of God’s incredible power.

I am captivated when I read about the wonders of God, in the Bible, when He rolled back the Red Sea for Moses and the children of Israel to cross on dry ground.  They were fleeing from the armies of Egypt’s Pharaoh, who, once again, wanted to enslave them or worse yet, slay them all.  

In the following Bible chronicle, the prophet Elijah prepared a sacrifice to the True and Living God and placed it on an altar, dug a trench around the alter, and commanded that four barrels of water be poured over the sacrifice and wood, three times, which filled the trench.  This was after the priests of Baal failed in their attempts to call down fire to consume their sacrifice. 

Elijah prayed and immediately fire came down from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, stones, and the soil, and licked up the water in the trench.  This act of faith determined whether the people would serve the god of Baal or Almighty God.     (1 Kings 18:38)

At a wedding feast, the wine had run out and Jesus turned water into the best wine of the day.  It was indeed a miracle, as was the time He fed five thousand hungry souls after they listened to Him teach. 

Jesus blessed a young boy’s lunch of two fish and four loaves of bread and multiplied it more than enough to feed the crowd.  Wow, this tells me that there is something bigger than me at work around us or should I say, Someone bigger than you and me, for sure.  It is the power of God at work.

Mankind can become puffed up in their own ideals and standard of excellence, thinking they are all powerful, because of what their money can buy, but compared to God Almighty, they are just fooling themselves.

Even with weapons of mass destruction that countries possess, they mean nothing in the comparative scale of God’s power.  He is the ultimate power Who has the final say in all things that pertain to heaven and earth.  Remember, He rained down fire from heaven on the cities of Sodom and Gomorrah because sin had become an abomination to Him.

No man, woman, or Antichrist will ever replace God and remove Him from His throne of authority.  God is omnipotent and unyielding.  Nothing and no one, not even Lucifer himself can achieve the power of God within themselves, because they were the created, not the Creator.

I am now in my senior years and realize more and more each day how quickly a lifespan can slip away.  I have heard my dad say, “The older I get the faster the years go.”  The Bible says that a lifespan is around seventy to eighty years of age. (Psalm 90:10) The Bible also says that life is a vapor and then vanishes away. (James 4:14)

It would behoove us to consider where our alliance lies.  Ponder for a moment how terrible it would be to come to the end of life and not have treasures laid up in heaven, having our way paid for by Jesus, Who gave the ultimate price for our redemption.

The wealth we may attain in this world will stay here when we pass.  Naked we came into the world and naked we will leave it.  No U-Haul trailer has ever followed a hurst.  We need to seriously ask ourselves, “Where do I want to spend eternity…heaven or hell?”

In my opinion, it is fine to acquire money and get ahead in life, but if money becomes a person’s god, I believe it becomes harder for them to think about the true God, because they have no need of Him.  They can buy just about anything they want, except salvation and peace of mind.  These are God-given benefits that only come from Him.

(Mark 8:36) “For what will it profit a man if he gains the whole world, and loses his own soul?”

I want to hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant.”  In that, Father God, gave His only Son to die for our sins, this is my hope of eternal life in heaven, because I accepted Jesus as Lord.  There is no other name under heaven, whereby, we must be saved.

The message I want to convey is this:  Christians are used to perform miracles.  Today is no different than Godly men of old.  The same Spirit dwells within born-again-Believers.  We need to exercise our privilege as children of God and believe Him for phenomena when we pray, while we still have breath in us.

Christians are special in the eyes of God.  He hears us every time we pray, but haughty people are so caught up in themselves that they fail to see the One Who created them.  They feel sufficient in their own self-righteousness, thinking they need not a Savior.

I consider myself someone special, because God sees me through the blood that His Son shed on the cross for my sins.  The moment I asked God to forgive me of my sins, I became His child with all the privileges the Father gives a son.

I am saved by grace, and I believe that God can use me to call down power from heaven if need be.  It is important that I witness to others about the beauty a relationship with the Lord brings.  He gives peace that passes all understanding when the Godhead takes up residence in our heart.

God’s power in nature is overwhelming, but when a sinful soul surrenders their life to Jesus, this step of faith causes all of heaven to rejoice.  In my mind I imagine that the thunder I hear could be the angels and loved ones that have gone on before are shouting, “Glory to God in the highest!” because another soul said yes to the Holy Spirit’s wooing.

There is something bigger than me at work on earth.  When a Christian trusts God by exercising their faith in the power of the Creator, things happen to glorify His name.  We are a conduit that God uses to bring about His will in people’s life. 

Every man, woman, boy, and girl is precious to God.  His desire is that no one be lost, but that everyone would be saved.

(John 3:15-18) “that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have eternal life.” (16) “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.” (17) “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.” (18) “He who believes in Him is not condemned; but he who does not believe is condemned already, because he has not believed in the name of the only begotten Son of God.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Shame on my Tongue

Where shall I begin?  Allow me to lay it on the line as I view one sided communication.  There are those around us that believe what they say should be the final word.  Don’t do as I do, do as I say is their motto, not only through spoken words, but in some cases, actions as well.

People like this do not think about the lasting impact that their hurtful words can have on another person.  Like India ink, unkind words can be indelibly printed on the psyche of those on the receiving end of cruelty.  Words either draw or repel others to oneself, depending on the context and how words are delivered. 

Shame on anyone that is overbearing with strong words that cut deeply into the heart of individuals that would rather exchange peaceful communication than not.  In some instances, a person gives into the aggressor and ceases to stand up for what is right in their own eyes.  Shame on one-sided communicators.

No doubt, such big mouths have bullied others their whole life and have been allowed to get away with hastily spoken words without being put in their place.  Verbal abuse equals physical and mental cruelty in my opinion.

An uncontrolled tongue can produce an emotional rollercoaster ride for those trying to keep the peace.  Speaking with a cruel or forked tongue is frowned upon by God.  An unruly tongue is set on hellfire and is hard to bridle, but the Holy Spirit is the Watchman at the mouth of Spirit-filled people that want to do better.

If inconsiderate behavior becomes a way of life, it keeps others at bay.  People would rather be somewhere else than in the presence of someone that fails to weigh their words before speaking.  Everyone needs to think before they speak.  Remember, a kind answer turns away wrath.

I am reminded of a fellow I knew in high school.  As the story goes, he took time to drive to another city to visit his grandmother that he hadn’t seen in a while.  Instead of welcoming him with open arms, she proceeded to berate him with negative words, saying, “When are you going to visit me?  You never come to see me anymore!”

The poor boy was taken-a-back and said, “But Grandma, I’m here now.”  She continued, “You will probably come see me when I’m dead and in my coffin!”  These words cut him to the core.  That was the last time he went to see her. 

Harsh words can cut like a straight razor that is finely honed on a razor strap.  Some people hone their skills of negative communication to achieve the final word when dealing with others.  What good is this if people cease to come around?  Words can drive a person away or draw them to one’s bosom.

Had love and affection been demonstrated that day, I am convinced that my friend would have made special efforts to visit his grandmother more frequently; we will never know, because it didn’t happen.  

It is wise to consider words that uplift another person’s spirit rather than tearing them down with a tongue full of wielding, faultfinding retort, like a weapon in the hands of a killer.  I said that I was going to lay it on the line.

Unsuitable words that are spoken can kill a relationship, business dealings, and at any other venue where conversation takes place.  Appropriate words and the right attitude are a must if successful attainment is truly desired.

I do not believe that anyone wants loneliness as a bedfellow, so-to-speak.  Anyone that refuses to control their tongue will soon be talking to themselves after friends, family members, and colleges choose to not engage in conversation any longer.  They will distance themselves.

Shame on my tongue if it causes conflict of any kind.  Shame on me if I know to do good and do it not.  The Bible says that it is sin.  Thank God for the Holy Spirit that helps me control angry words that sit on hellfire.  Kindness to others is Godly.  Bad words are not.  

I believe in treating everyone as I want to be treated.  After all, is this not the Golden Rule?  Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

(Matthew 7:12), “Therefore, whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets.”  

Please don’t feel that I am pointing a finger of accusation your way, to charge you with fault, because three would be pointing back at me if I did this.  I just believe that it is more blessed to share words of encouragement and uplifting splendor that inspire another party to feel good about themself.  I think we can all do better in this area.

We are to speak with love, which conquers all things.  The Bible says that we are to love our neighbor as ourselves.  This doesn’t mean sending certain words their way if they play their music too loud, park in front of our house, or allow their dog to poop on our lawn without picking it up.  A kind word changes things.

Shame on my tongue if I yield to the old nature of a “get even syndrome.”  I am no longer that person.  I am in Christ Jesus.  I need to speak in ways that people see the Lord in me.  Shame on me if I fail to do so.  Shame on me if I heed not God’s Word.  The Bible says that from the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks.

(Matthew 12:35, 36), “A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things.”  (36) “But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment.”             

I think we should evaluate to see if our heart measures up to God’s Word.  Is it a heart of flesh or a heart of stone?  Jesus gives beauty for ashes when we listen to the Holy Spirit and strive to do better with our communication.  He casts away the nastiness of speech from us because He changes us from the inside out.

God’s love makes all the difference when He takes up residence in our heart.  The Lord brings forth kindness and long suffering because this is who He is.

Words fitly spoken are like a bouquet of flowers with a card saying, “I respect your feelings and love you to the moon and back.”  Such is a tongue controlled by the Spirit of God.  As we try harder to bring harmony rather than confusion with our words, God’s blessings surround us, which draws people our way.

 

Written by,

Papa Boyd 

It Won't be Long

I remember, as a kid, sitting patiently on pins and needles for my father to finish installing our first television set.  He had promised this day would come and it was finally here.  My anticipation was almost more than I could bear.  I was excited to say the least.

I wanted to help Dad make the installation go faster, but listened to him when he said, “It won’t be long.”

I waited with bated breath to behold the black and white program that would come on when Dad turned the rabbit-ears just right to receive the broadcasting station’s signal.  I must have been five or six years old at the time.

The program that finally came in, after the tubes warmed up, was spectacular, mind blowing, as it were, even though the quality of picture was somewhat distorted, because it lacked a good signal impedance.  But I was on cloud nine anyway!

I had never been so excited except at Christmas when I saw all the beautifully wrapped presents under our decorated tree.  Santa Clause had indeed visited our home the night before because my name was written down on his “good list” and not the naughty one.

More exciting than a new T.V. or Christmas presents under a tree, something sensational and exhilarating is about to take place for Christians of all ages.  It is the promise of God the Father to His children, which is on the horizon of my anticipation.  It will be the finishing episode of a long-awaited event—the return of Jesus!

The signals (signs) are everywhere if people would take time to turn their spiritual antenna toward heaven and see how many prophecies, concerning the second coming of Christ, have already happened around them. 

Prophets, and even Jesus, said that signs would be given concerning His return.  Before Christians leave this earth and go to heaven, these things will come to pass.  (Matthew 24:2-7) It won’t be long.

This spectacular event will be the breath-taking occurrence of all happenings since the beginning of time.  Nothing can compare to the glory and splendor that is coming.  It will be a one-time event that determines the destination of one’s soul—heaven or hell. 

Either a person has accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, or they haven’t.  It is a simple statement, but everything hinges on the answer.

We will see the King of Kings and Lord of Lords coming in clouds of glory.  When we behold Him, we shall be like Him.  Pain and suffering will be no more as we rejoice in His presence.  Heaven is going to be reality to the children of God because we will behold the picture-perfect authenticity of heaven, firsthand.

The questions I want to ask are these:  Are you ready to meet the Lord?  Is your name written down in the Lamb’s Book of Life—the “good list” in heaven?  The Bible says that today is the day of salvation.  No person has the assurance of seeing tomorrow’s sunrise or watching their favorite television program tonight.

What are you waiting for?  Jesus is stretching forth His hand of mercy, by His Spirit.  He is inviting you to come as you are.  He will make you perfect in the sight of God.  We can try in ourselves to be good, kind to others, and give money to the poor, but everyone has sinned, and everyone needs the Savior, Jesus Christ, to become children of God.

(Matthew 11:28, 29) “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”  (29) “Take My yoke upon you and learn from Me, for I am gentle and lowly in heart, and you will find rest for your souls.”

(Romans 3:23) “for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God.”

God wants you to experience sins forgiven and newness of life through Christ, His Son...the Lamb of God.  Just ask Jesus to forgive you and believe that God raised Him from the dead, and you will be saved.

(2 Corinthians 5:17) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”

Your hope of eternal life, in heaven, will be made clear as you look with anticipation into God’s Word, the Bible.  The second coming of Jesus is nigh at hand.  He is coming soon.  It won’t be long. 

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Is Healing for Today or Not

The gift of healing is one of the nine gifts of the Spirit, spoken of in the Bible, (1 Corinthians 12:7-11).  I can only speak from personal experience and what I have seen regarding the validity of a controversial question, “Is supernatural healing for today or the early church only?”

I believe that the gift of healing is for today’s Believers as is each one of the other gifts.  The nine gifts are:   the word of wisdom, the word of knowledge, faith, gifts of healings, working of miracles, prophecy, discerning of spirits, different kinds of tongues, and the interpretation of tongues.

God does not change.  He is the same yesterday, today, and forever.  Just because a skeptic or scoffer says that the Bible is false and just a collection of fables, does not make it so.  Who are they anyway? 

God’s Spirit breathed upon holy men of old as they penned His infallible words.  The Bible is God’s will and testament to whoever will.  Disdainers attempt to ridicule truth, but God is still on the throne and His power to sustain the accuracy in the Bible goes without saying.  

I not only have been healed by the laying on of hands, but I have also been used of God to pray for others and see the Lord miraculously meet their needs.  God has the final say in any situation.  His fondness and warmth toward us are without end because He loves us dearly.

God’s ways are perfect, and for this reason He gave us His Word as a lamp to our feet and a light to our path that we might not stumble when scorners come against the Bible.  God’s truth conquers all ridicule.  Where sin abounds the love of God and His grace does more abound.

As Christians, we must not become discouraged if healing does not come instantaneously.  God’s timing is perfect.  He hears our prayers and knows the situation.  We must continue to trust and believe God’s promises.  Miracles still happen.

If healing is a thing of the past, then Jesus, who was heartlessly beaten, without mercy, was pointless, and He suffered in vain for our healing.  But God’s plan for people in need of a Savior was accomplished when Jesus was crucified for the sins of humanity.  By His stripes we are healed.

When we pray, we ask in faith believing according to God’s will and then leave our request at the altar, while maintaining faith in God to do what He said He would do in the Bible.

(Hebrews 11:1), “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen.” 

(John 14:12-14) “Most assuredly, I say to you, he who believes in Me, the works that I do he will do also; and greater works than these he will do, because I go to My Father.”  (13) “And whatever you ask in My name, that I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.”  (14) “If you ask anything in My name I will do it.”

No one in their right mind can say that God is no longer healing today.  I do not believe in their deception, and neither should you.  Our Father is still the miracle working God.

The Bible tells us that the effectual, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.

(James 5:16) “Confess your trespasses to one another, and pray for one another, that you may be healed.  The effective, fervent prayer of a righteous man avails much.”

If the preceding scriptures are not accurate, then the Bible is fallible and the teachings that I have been taught from childhood are false.  God’s Word does not return void and is accurate in every way.  It is sharper than any two-edged sword.

(Hebrews 4:12) “For the word of God is living and powerful, and sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing even to the division of soul and spirit, and of joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.”

Christians have the authority and privilege of praying for the needs of others, while expecting God to do that which we request in Jesus’ name.  We ask according to His will, but there are those that choose not to pray for fear that God will not hear and answer their prayer. 

Embarrassment can be very humiliating, and no one desires to be humbled in such a way as not having their prayers answered.  Not seeing immediate results, the person praying can become mortified if onlookers or the person being prayed for shrug their shoulders and say by their actions, “Is that all there is?”

We must remember that we are not the ones doing the healing, we are instruments of God that heed His call to pray when a need presents itself.  We should not worry about our reputation or our standing in church circles if God chooses to wait.

It doesn’t matter how brilliant or misinformed another person is when they exude doubt by raising their eyebrow of reservation when results to prayer is not seen.  It matters not what they think or feel if it appears to them that God is on vacation or not concerned. 

Circumstances do not diminish the fact that God is omnipotent and will do exactly what He wants to do in His time.  We do not see the beginning, nor do we see the ending of God’s purposes.  He only asks that we be willing to see the need; act upon what we see; and pray that God’s will be done.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Imperfections Resolved

I’m sitting here in my family room looking at the crown molding I had installed by a licensed contractor a few years ago.  There is a separation in the joint where two pieces of molding come together.  This decorative trim is located where the wall intersects the ceiling.

Overtime, the gap occurred due to shrinkage, even though the wood was kiln-dried to prevent contraction.  I attempted to fix the imperfection but used the wrong kind of calking to fill the void. 

When dried, the calking shrunk into the seam, leaving it low and not flushed with the two pieces of wood, which meant I would have to get on my ten-foot ladder with calking gun in hand and fill the imperfection once again.  I did this several times until I found non-shrink calking that brought back the beauty of the crown molding like there was never a separation in the first place.  It was healed, figuratively speaking.

You might ask why it matters so much to fill a space in the crown molding.  It matters to me, because the beauty of the molding is not seen, because one’s eyes go to the separated joint that is ugly, rather than seeing the beautiful handywork that the contractor did.

I realized something profound when looking at the gap.  I thought of God and mankind and the gap, called sin, that occurred in the Garden of Eden when Adam and Eve disobeyed God and consumed the fruit that He said not to eat.  At that point in time there was a separation between mankind that is willful and disobedient and a holy God, who is perfect in all ways.

Before I had a “Born Again” experience where God forgave me of my adamic nature of sinning, I tried to rectify the gap of impure thoughts in my brain, housed within the crown of my head, with the wrong kind of repair elements which kept me separated from God.

The behaviors of my body and verbal crudeness that proceeded from my mouth revealed to people the imperfections that sin produced.  They did not see the beautiful masterpiece that our Creator formed in my mother’s womb. 

Sin, in time, caused the beauty to disappear and all that could be seen was the ugliness that separation from God created, just like the crown molding in my family room.

Temporary fixes like self-help books and “religion” gave momentary promise in restoring God’s purpose for my life, but things soon began to shrink back into old nature thinking and the gap appeared again.  Time after time when I thought I was showing attainment with the fixes, the separation from God became visible.

It wasn’t until the perfect fix was given to me from God that the gap between me and the Lord was restored.  His gift was to whoever will, which included me.  He gave His only Son, Jesus, who brought newness to our relationship.

 (John 3:16), “For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life.”  

The old look of sin was gone.  The gap was healed forever, because Jesus paid the ultimate price for my sins by giving His life, freely, on a cross so that the beauty of God could be seen and appreciated by those that see Him through me.

I liken my situation to the woman at the well, spoken of in the Bible, (John 4:5-30).  This is interesting reading and will bless you when you grasp the meaning of the story.  I immediately related to the message that Jesus presented to the woman.  It was like He was speaking to me. 

She was looking for healing of her disquieted soul but was looking in all the wrong places to find the proper repair to restore beauty to her wayward lifestyle.  She was trying to quench her thirsting spirit with crack-fillers that failed to get the job done.

Jesus told her that He was the bonding agent that could meet her need…water that she would never thirst again.  He was referring to her search for purpose and life’s meaning and that He had the answer. 

Jesus was the One who could heal the gap between her and God if she wanted it.  Her desire for a fulfilled life and a true bond with her Maker was great and was apparent when she listened to the Lord and said yes to Him.

(Matthew 11:28), “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”

I am glad that the building industry has excellent products available to help beautify projects like the crown molding in my family room.  The proper calking certainly enhanced the look of the molding when the ugly gap, now repaired, was finally painted.

Jesus is God’s perfect fix for all needed repairs in our life if only we stop trying to use other means to bring about answers that only He can fulfill.

(Philippians 4:19), “And my God shall supply all you need according to His riches in glory by Christ Jesus.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

May 13, 2024

Building Blocks to Live By

 As of late, a minister friend of mine texted me to ask when I was going to send him another one of my writings.  His encouragement is certainly appreciated, which gets me off the dime to get alone with God and allow my mind to retreat from the everyday comings and goings to see what nuggets He has for me.

I asked God, “What’s up there today?”  I am referring to my brain and thought process when He speaks to me.  Suddenly, a phrase came to mind, which is the title of this writing.

Honestly, I am amazed at the content that God enlightens me with.  These words are always connected to building blocks to live by.  The words and thoughts that fill my head are not my own, because I know my personal viewpoints can be skewed and a bit unreasonable at times.  He levels me out and blesses me with words that encourage my heart and lifts me above the troubled events around me.

I would be remiss to not tell you what I think the building blocks to live by are.  They are found in (Galatians 5:22,23).  “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” (23) “gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.”

God softens my harshness and opinions to help me grasp that which He is speaking.  My negative prospectives are set aside as I write what I am impressed to write. 

The noise of worldly influences bombards me daily, but God somehow encourages me to listen to my heart of flesh rather than a heart of stone.  I can do this because of God’s grace.  He is teaching me to step into the realm of creative thinking with Him, not only to encourage self, but others as they read thoughts for today.

Poignant moments sometimes flood my mind, which are memories of past happenings when God intervened on my behalf—lessons not to be repeated before I met the Lord.  They give me pause to thank Him for His longsuffering and mercy.

Some of my past behaviors were beyond reprehensible because I was running in the opposite direction from God.  I wanted to live life without interference from Him or any other authority figure for that matter.  I was a headstrong young man that believed I had all the answers.  How foolish I was.

I do not live my life looking in the rearview mirror at past mistakes, but as I remember the pain and heartache that buffeted me, these memories help me to stay on course toward heaven, with the Holy Spirit as my co-pilot.

There is no fear like fear itself.  Worrying what tomorrow may bring was like a whirlpool draining the very life out of me.  When I met Jesus, the Prince of Peace, fear, and self-condemnation of past sins took flight as the Lord gave me building blocks to live by—His attributes.  All things became new in Christ Jesus and the old nature of my past lifestyle was replaced by building blocks that help me stay true to my faith and Him.

(Philippians 4:13) “I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me.”   

(1 Peter 5:6,7) “Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you in due time,” (7) “casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.”

God, Jesus, and the Holy Spirit found permanent residence in my heart when I asked God to forgive me of my sins.  The Holy Spirit is teaching me, every day, how to enjoy life without all the drama that living in sin brought.

Learning how to cast my cares upon Jesus, while allowing Him to heal hurtful memories, enables me to walk circumspectly before God.  I can look at my mirror image and know that God is walking with me.  If I stumble or fall, He is there to pick me up, dust me off, and say, “I forgive you,” when I repent.

God wants us to walk in victory, not under clouds of despair and regret.  His desire is that we live an abundant life through His Son, Jesus.

Having many years of construction background, I am well acquainted with industrial, building blocks that are used to erect structural retaining walls, buildings, and a host of other uses in the building industry.

Building blocks are usually laid on a firm foundation of concrete that is reinforced with steel rebar.  It provides stability for the imposed load rather than erecting the blocks on mere sand, gravel, or unstable ground. 

A foundation of Godly principles and divine building blocks, with Jesus as the cornerstone, are a must to have a healthy, spiritual growth that enables joy to be ours in life and hope regarding the hereafter.  This concept of erecting a spiritual edifice that houses the Godhead is crucial for a successful life.  It is as important, and more so, as building a physical structure on an engineered designed footing or foundation. 

Jesus is our rock; the firm foundation that we need so desperately.  He is speaking in the following scriptures.

(Matthew 7:24-27) “Therefore whoever hears these sayings of Mine, and does them, I will liken him to a wise man who built his house on the rock,” (25) “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it did not fall, for it was founded on the rock.”  (26) “But everyone who hears these sayings of Mine, and does not do them, will be like a foolish man who built his house on the sand,” (27) “and the rain descended, the floods came, and the winds blew and beat on that house; and it fell.  And great was its fall.”

We can build our life on a solid foundation of faith in God or refuse His guidance and pridefully depend on self to bring about certain goals and desires.  The latter lacks lasting satisfaction when achieved, whereas trusting God provides happiness and peace of mind not only in the now, but a wonderful hope of eternal life in heaven with Christ when we pass from this life.

“My way or the highway,” was the slogan I used to live by before I met the Lord.  I thought self-sufficiency was all I needed to succeed in life.  “If I can’t do it, it can’t be done,” was my attitude. 

Yes, I was successful in the eyes of those around me, but the fact of the matter, I lacked true, lasting happiness.  The glamor of this world could not satisfy the deep longing and emptiness inside me.  Though I had money to buy the toys that are supposed to make a guy feel good…self-indulgent living could not begin to give me peace of mind that I was searching for.

I learned after giving my soul to the Lord that my body is a temple of God.  Step by step, the Holy Spirit is teaching me how to place block upon block on the foundation of Christ.  The “new birth” event that I experienced when I surrendered myself to God is a happening that changed the whole focus and purpose of living on earth.

Building blocks to live by help us build a healthy, strong spirit.  They are the fruit of the spirit working in us.  (Galatians 5:22,23).  

Written by,

Papa Boyd