Blind Innocence

Let’s face it, there is not one person on earth that has reached the apex of perfection that has not broken the cardinal rule of which other matters hinge.  There is no doubt in my mind that every person born will at some time in their life break one or more of the Ten Commandments.  How do I know this?  The Bible says that all have sinned. 

The only person that does not fall in this category is Jesus Christ.  He was God incarnated in human form who walked among mankind and did not sin, because God cannot sin.

Personally, I strive every day to do right by people and try to remain blameless in all things, especially in business dealings as a building contractor.  Refusing to do anything shady or devious to bring shame upon me, my family, and most of all the Lord Jesus Christ, is most important to me.

Now that I am a Christian, challenges that come are much easier to face, because I know that God is attentive to my needs and will never leave or forsake me.  I make every effort to consciously remain true with regards to my responsibility of not offending God or allowing my desires to override good judgment.

I must admit, there are times, though, when I find myself in situations that I ask, “How did I get here?”  I call it blind innocence…doing something with no malice in mind or ill-conceived notions of deceiving or misrepresenting the truth in any way.

Sometimes things just happen, because of being naïve to what is about to take place and not realizing the consequences that entering such traps may bring.  Remember, Satan is out to get us by hook or by crook. 

A person has everything to lose and little to gain by doing wrong when they know better.  But I am talking about those times that common sense or good judgment is not at work in the unsuspecting mind, like innocently saying the wrong thing at the wrong time and wishing you had kept your mouth shut; wishing you could take it all back, but the damage was already done.

When I feel trapped through careless behavior, I ask myself, “Why did that happen?”  I believe things sometimes take place to help us grow in grace to teach how to become more astute in our thinking and not take everything at face value.  Allowing one’s mind to focus more closely on situations rather than jumping in with both feet and regretting it later is a learning process for sure.  I remember the saying, “You’ve got to crawl before you can walk.”

Oft times I receive change at a checkout and fail to count it.  One time I counted the change at my car and realized that I had been given too much money.  It was not my fault that the clerk gave me too much, after all, I was the innocent shopper and was in a hurry to get to my next destination.  It sounds like I was trying to justify not going back in, doesn’t it?

Was it a lot of money, you might be wondering?  No.  My point is this.  It has nothing to do with the amount of money that was mistakenly given to me; it has everything to do with what I do with the knowledge I now have regarding the money that is not mine.

Trying to justify the situation even further, I said to myself, “It’s only a dime.  Does it really matter that much?  Would anyone know or care one way or the other?”  But I knew!  A small voice then spoke to my subconscious, “What’s the difference between ten cents or ten dollars?  Is it yours?” 

Well, do you know what I did?  I took the dime back to the cashier and went on my way feeling good about what I had done.  Though blind innocence visited me that day, I felt that God was pleased with my resolve.

As you read these last four paragraphs you might be thinking, “This is silly.”  But I ask you, was the ten cents mine to keep?  No.  Did I leave the store justified that I did the right thing?  Yes.  Did I turn my blind innocence into a lesson learned?  Yes.  I rest my case.  I want to always do everything in this flesh to please my Maker.

“But it was only a dime,” you might exclaim!  Where does sin begin and where does it end?  At what point does blind innocence turn into something else?  Sin is sin anyway you look at it.  I am only trying to point out the beauty of doing what is right when placed in a situation where blind innocence is at play.

We can shrug our shoulders and justify our actions of not listening to the Holy Spirit as He speaks to our heart by allowing our actions to say that it doesn’t bother me, or we can do the right thing in the presence of God…whatever we are dealing with.  It really does matter in the long run.

God wants us to grow in grace and get out of the crawling stage of life to be more mature to recognize pitfalls and dangers that lie in our pathway.  The decisions we make distinguish whether we are a conscientious person of character or a not so caring person.  This is my take on it anyway. 

To willfully do wrong is not blind innocence.  This nature is not in the same ballpark as innocence.  It is an offence against God who will deal with it as He sees fit.

In my opinion, blind innocence is being naïve regarding questionable encounters like attitude or lack of concern for others, or simply put, having one’s head in the clouds and not taking thought of what affect our words and actions have on other people or oneself.  I call it tunnel vision. 

At the opposite end of the spectrum from blind innocence is another type of personality, which is the “me syndrome.”  It is all about them and what they want no matter who gets hurt.  If a person is this hellbent on being a scoundrel that lacks moral and ethical behavior, this type of attitude is not spoken of in the same sentence as blind innocence.

These outcasts of society will no doubt have their day in court one day.  They will also have their day of judgment, while standing in front of a holy God if they do not change their ways and ask God to forgive them of their sins.  By this I mean, God will have the final say at the judgment seat of heaven concerning their fate.

“All this because I didn’t take back a dime to the cashier,” you might ask?  Perhaps you missed my thought.  Where does a person draw the line when it comes to wrongdoing ruling their life at whatever level it may be?  God abhors sin.  I am trying to draw somewhat of an intersecting difference between blind innocence and willful, premeditated wrongdoing.

Being filled with guile or corrupt thinking is not on the same page or level as accidently finding oneself in a compromising situation, because they are lacking good horse sense, as my granddad would say.  I believe that these times of lapsed thinking or using poor judgment are taken into consideration by God.  After all, He sees the intent of the heart.

I know the law of our land says, “Ignorance of the law is no excuse.” I guess this, for the most part, is the moral compass and heartbeat of man’s laws.  I do not think or believe that blind innocence always falls in the same category as the quote above.

I am reminded of when my youngest child was learning to crawl, while exploring the wonderous surroundings of the living room in our home.  The little guy would lift himself up on his arms and thrust himself forward, thus, moving that much closer to what he had spied.

As any good parent would do, I scanned the carpet for any small objects that might find their way into his mouth.  I then sat back to enjoy watching him explore new and exciting pursuits as he propelled himself across the room under my watchful eye.

On the north side of the room was our fireplace with a raised, brick hearth in front.  As it would happen, our precious son was headed straight for it.  He was not aware of the potential danger that lie ahead, but I was.  This case of blind innocence on his part was happening quickly.

I watched him draw closer and closer to the hearth, waiting for a change of direction, but he was determined to make that hearth his soul purpose for living, or perhaps it was the little statuettes and doodads that my wife had placed there that caught his eye.

Thoughts raced through my mind like, He will learn a valuable lesson not to crawl there anymore if he bumps his head on the hearth; maybe he will see the bricks in time and not hurt himself.  I also realized how tired I was from the hard day at work, as I relaxed in my easy chair.

Recognizing the situation and the grief that was about to happen, I jumped up at the last moment and moved my little munchkin away from danger to another location.  Blind innocence was recognized by his father and action was taken to protect him, because of love.

I sat back down as God spoke to my heart.  “This is what I do for you.”  I realized, though I may not be aware of dangers ahead, God is always mindful of my situations and acts accordingly, because He loves me.  He does not want to see His precious son hurt in any way.

Sometimes I wonder how many times God has intervened on my behalf, preventing physical, mental, or spiritual injuries that would have occurred had He not.  Unbeknownst to me of the dangers, the watchful eyes of God are always on the lookout, watching my every step, because of His great love for me—agape love as it is known.

(Psalm 37:23) “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord.”

The enemy of our soul, the devil, is going about as a roaring lion seeking whom he may devour.  He sets snares and traps for innocent people like you and me to stumble into, but God protects us, because we are precious in His sight.

On occasion, I look back and can see the hand of God directing me, while I was walking in blind innocence.  Potential misery is revealed and how close I was to falling for Satan’s lies and schemes or the pit he had dug for my demise.  But God had other plans when He relocated me to a safe environment where protection is provided for those walking in blind innocence.

I envision my Father in heaven watching me, waiting to see if I turn in another direction or come to my senses, but when the danger is imminent, He scoops me up in His loving arms and rescues me from another attempt by the devil to hurt one of His children.

Even the times I willfully wanted my own way, God, in love, protected me.  In our curiosity, blind innocence sometimes takes flight and is not blind or innocent at all.  When we toy with sin, chastisement with a swat on the behind from God, figuratively speaking, helps us remember next time when we are tempted to stray like sheep.

When I was watching my child learn to crawl, did I reprimand and punish him for not seeing the danger ahead?  Of course not!  I had compassion, just as our Father in heaven has compassion on us as we learn how to crawl and then walk in His strength.

God is never too tired or too busy to meet our needs.  He is there for us, watching and caring what happens just as a good parent nurtures and cares for the gift of life that God has entrusted to them.

(Matthew 7:9-11) “Or what man is there among you who, if his son asks for bread, will give him a stone?”  Vs. 10 “Or if he asks for a fish, will he give him a serpent?”  Vs. 11 “If you then, being evil, know how to give good gifts to your children how much more will your Father who is in heaven give good things to those who ask Him!”

I would rather that blind innocence be said of me rather than blind stupidity.  Perfect I am not, but loved by God, I am.  I am His child that He will never leave or forsake.

(Deuteronomy 31:8) “And the Lord, He is the One who goes before you.  He will be with you; He will not leave you nor forsake you; do not fear nor be dismayed.”

God cherishes humanity, but to bring it closer to home, God loves you and me with a never-ending love.  It is as simple as that.  Do not believe any lie from Satan that says otherwise.

Though blind innocence occurs, God is longsuffering and patient with His children so much that He wants to spend eternity with us, so He gave His precious Son to die on a cross for our sins.

(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 way to heaven is through Jesus Christ, and only Him.  There is no other way to make heaven our home after leaving this body.  Jesus paid the full price for our sins, whereby, accepting Him as Lord brings us to a Father/son, Father/daughter relationship with Almighty God—the I Am that I Am.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

The Cloud

I’m sure you know what the “cloud” is.  If not, it is cybernetics technology that people use to store personal data, pictures, etc. in case their mobile phone crashes.  This technology helps to prevent lose of important and irreplaceable things that would otherwise be lost.  It is great insurance against unforeseen situations that may occur.

As a boy, on occasion, I allowed my imagination to run wild when clusters of brilliant, white clouds were overhead…puffy, cotton-like or fluffy in appearance.  I imagined seeing animals, people, and all kinds of neat things when my creative mind kicked in.

They are called cumulus, which are low level clouds that usually form at altitudes between 1,000 and 5,000 feet. These amazing clouds are totally opposite from dark, stormy clouds.

Dark clouds are indicative of an approaching storm that block the sun, preventing its rays from warming my personal space as I venture to and fro.  The cloud most feared by people that live in the Midwestern United States and other places is a funnel cloud that touches down, which then is called a tornado; a violently rotating column of air in contact with the ground.

Scary clouds that look like tornadoes, but aren’t, are roll clouds, gustnado, wall cloud, tail cloud, scud cloud, and tuba cloud.  When such clouds begin to form I can see in my mind's eye the fear on people’s faces.  I have relatives that live in areas where tornadoes are common.

To see pictures and read about these types of clouds on the internet is interesting reading, and certainly eerie to say the least.

A black cloud can also be significant of having a bad day.  No doubt you’ve seen cartoon pictures of sad looking characters with bent-over shoulders and a black cloud following them wherever they went. 

I can relate to such characters, because it seemed that I was always walking around with a dark cloud over my head before I met Christ.  I was always under the weather with nothing going right for me.  Jesus rebuked the storm clouds in my life when I received the brilliance of His light into my soul.  All my sins were forgiven!

Whenever storm clouds try to block out the rays of glory, and the whirlwind of calamity surrounds me, the Lord calms every turbulence and disorder by calling out, “Quiet!  Be still!”  He did likewise for the disciples when they were being tossed about in the boat by a raging storm.

(Mark 4:37-39), “And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling.”  (vs.38) “But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow.  And they awoke Him and said to Him, ‘Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?’” (vs.39) “Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, ‘Peace, be still!’  And the wind ceased and there was a great calm.”

A bad situation sometimes causes a person to lose the picture of good health or cloud data of a personal nature, but God’s grace is sufficient in all things.  We can call upon the name of Jesus and watch the dark clouds disappear.

He is great insurance against unforeseen problems, and it costs us nothing; no monthly dues or payment plan to contend with.  Jesus paid the full price to remove the dark clouds of sin that kept us from seeing God’s brilliance by freely giving His life on the cross.

Perhaps you are aware of a cloud hovering over your head from morning to night and cannot escape its cold shadow.  Jesus is the light of the world and ready to shine your way.  The Lord wants us to cast all of our burdens, all of our cares, on Him.

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

Sin loves darkness, but God dispels every dark cloud when we ask Him to send His light.  A gloomy lifestyle becomes enlightened and free from the bondage and blackness of sin.  We become born-again Believers and children of God at the same time…free for the asking.

(Matthew 7:7) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  (vs.8) “For everyone who asks receives; and he who seeks finds; and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

To walk in the light of God’s love, allowing Jesus to remove the clouds of doubt, fear, depression, etc. is a liberating experience that brings peace of mind in this day of turmoil and unrest.

A dark cloud need not ruin your day.  Ask Jesus to intercede on your behalf, and He will do just that.  Remember, His grace is sufficient.

The cloud I really want to see is the cloud of glory in the Eastern sky when Jesus returns to earth and receives born-again Believers unto Himself, His bride.  When we see Him we will be like Him.  Some Christians call it the rapture of the church.

(Mark 14:62), “Jesus said, ‘I am.  And you will see the Son of Man sitting at the right hand of the Mighty One, and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”

(Matthew 24:27), “For as the lightning comes from the east and flashes to the west, so also will the coming of the Son of Man be.”

(1 John 3:2), “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

True Compassion

True compassion conveys the “L” word—Love.  Without love it is impossible to sustain lasting happiness; and without compassion, love is void of the impact it could have when yielding to the benevolence of ministering to others.    

Yes, things of the world can bring momentary pleasure, but they lack long-term contentment.  When a person discovers the joy that true compassion brings, they will walk in love and satisfaction.

Many people find it hard to express true compassion in a world that is filled with hate and deception—takers and players as it were.  But with God, all things are possible.  He can teach us how to feel empathy and demonstrate kindness through our actions.

Look at what non compassionate people did to Jesus; they crucified Him.  They were filled with hatred and malice, yet Jesus asked God to forgive those that condemned and killed Him, because He had compassion and love for them.

There were three men crucified that day on Golgotha, a skull-shaped hill in Jerusalem.  The men on either side of Jesus were criminals and deserved their punishment, but the Lord was virtuous and without sin.  He was falsely accused and unjustly sentenced to death.

One of the convicted men blasphemed Jesus, saying, “If You are the Christ, save Yourself and us.”  But the other, answering, rebuked him, saying, “Do you not even fear God, seeing you are under the same condemnation…but this man has done nothing wrong.”  He then said to Jesus, “Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Jesus said to him, “Assuredly, I say to you, today you will be with Me in Paradise.”  The Lord expressed true compassion for the man.  Even with all the dishonest things he may have done, love spoke loudly that day in the presence of evildoers.  Mercy and kindness were given freely to the one criminal that reached out to Jesus.

It would have to be a spiritual intervention, an act of God, for me to forgive someone that intentionally harmed one of my family members, let alone to have compassion and love for them as Christ had for those that falsely accused and crucified Him. 

Forgiveness is a God thing, but He said that if we do not forgive others, how then can He forgive us our transgressions?  It’s certainly food for thought.  I pray that this test will never come my way, because as I play different scenarios in my mind, I believe I would do everything in my power to prevent harm from coming to my wife or family.

God said that He would not put anything on us more than we could stand to bear.  I do believe that God’s grace is sufficient for every situation that we face, and His love is abundant and free.  When we claim His promises that are in the Bible, we walk by faith in His strength.

When someone says that they would do such and such if something challenging were to come their way, they are talking through their hat.  No one can say for certain how they will behave or react should an incident unfold.  How a situation would be handled is impossible to know until a person is put in that position.

The fight or flight reflex that occurs when adrenalin is pumped suddenly through one’s body, activated by the senses, will determine the response mindset in a moment of time.  I think I know how I would respond to stress or emergencies but cannot say for sure.

I would hope that my quick-thinking would be coupled with Holy Spirit led reflexes and not do something in haste that I would regret later.  If there is time for true compassion to show up, I would hope that good decisions would be made, and that I could indeed react with compassion.   

God’s Word says that a soft answer turns away wrath, but what about those times when there is no time to talk, only act in response to an incident?  Circumstances can happen quickly where a split-second decision may determine life or death.  We will have to live with our decision. 

For this reason, I pray for God’s protection on me and everyone I hold dear.  I believe that praying for God’s safeguard will shroud us with the blood of Jesus, which protects us from evil.

When a person prays, “Not my will but Thine be done,” they should also pray for true compassion to be coupled with the sensitivity that is linked to God’s will. 

My personality is such that I am strong-willed and quick tempered at times, though God has softened and mellowed me since I became a Christian.  He is still working on me, teaching compassion and love, thus, longsuffering is slowly taking root.

It would be nice if the fruit of the Spirit were immediate when I asked Jesus into my heart, but the fact of the matter, I am learning how to reject the old man’s pattern of handling things and putting on the new person that I have become in Christ Jesus.   

Is true compassion one of the fruits spoken of in the Bible?  If not, it certainly runs parallel and is intermingled with the fruit of the Spirit.  They all go hand in hand.  God’s grace, through the working of the Holy Spirit, is a learning process; some people call it sanctification—dedicating one’s self in becoming more like Christ and demonstrating the fruit of the Spirit—consecration.  

(Galatians 5:22, 23) “But the fruit of the Spirit is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness,” Vs. 23 “gentleness, self-control.  Against such there is no law.”

I believe Christians are to strive for the mark of the high calling in Jesus and put on His attributes, while expressing compassion where needed.

(1 John 3:17, 18) “But whoever has this world’s goods, and sees his brother in need, and shuts up his bowels of compassion from him, how does the love of God abide in him?” Vs. 18 “My little children, let us not love in word or in tongue, but in deed and in truth.”

Jesus performed many miracles when He walked the earth, but I sincerely believe that He was so compassionate that He could not walk past a person that was in need without reaching out to them and meeting their need, whatever it was.

Jesus was filled with empathy for others because He was God in flesh.  One of the attributes of God is love in its purest form—love linked with true compassion.  Oh, to have this kind of sensitivity and warmth, but I am working on it.  My desire is to express true compassion without expecting something in return—genuine empathy, devoid of pretense.

I believe if a person is walking in the Spirit, they will demonstrate compassion, because God is love, and Christians are His hands extended to those needing love.

(James 2:15-17) “If a brother or sister is naked and destitute of daily food,” Vs. 16 “and one of you says to them, ‘Depart in peace, be warmed and filled,’ but you do not give them the things which are needed for the body, what does it profit?” Vs. 17 “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead.”

This is where true compassion steps up to the plate and hits a homerun when helping someone in need.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Defy Laws at Your Own Risk

Warning signs are everywhere you look.  It is up to each individual whether they choose to obey the signs or risk getting caught by the authorities or worse yet, being injured or killed, because of noncompliant behavior.  

Amusement parks have disclaimer signs stating Ride at Your Own Risk.  Other signs I’ve seen are, Enter at Your Own Risk; Do Not Enter; Wrong Way; Yield; Keep Out; No Trespassing and Roadwork Ahead, to name a few.

The word Defy in the title may sound somewhat neurotic, but to defy the biggest warning of all is like taking one’s life into their own hands.  This warning is Thou Shalt Not!  These three words are more than obsessive, they are compelling, especially when they are attached to The Ten Commandments.

The risk of disobeying The Ten Commandments is twofold…spiritual and physical.  The Commandments are given to protect, not to condemn or exert authority.  God cares what happens to mankind, so He gave Moses The Ten Commandments to shield and safeguard God’s prize design—humanity.  He does not want us to suffer the consequences of our actions.

Sir Isaac Newton was a renowned physicist that conveyed Newton’s Laws of Motion.  His theory stated that for every action there is an equal and opposite reaction. 

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you; Seek and you shall find; Knock and it shall be opened; A kind answer turns away wrath, are positive perspectives pertaining to this law.

A person is taking matters into their own hands when they disobey the laws of the land and God’s laws.  They enter a place of no return, having to answer for their blindness of selective vision or deliberately closing their eyes to what is being expected of them to do or not to do.

The old saying, “Pay the Piper” is bearing the consequences, sooner or later, for something that was enjoyed.  Let us hope that this is not the negative aspect or penalties of doing something wrong. 

Abstaining from wrongdoing of any kind, whether thought or deed, is to a person’s benefit, not to their downfall.  Whether in Jesus’ day when He walked the earth, or today, rules are rules, and they should be taken seriously and always applied.  There is no getting around the fact that wrong is wrong, and evil is evil, anyway you look at it.  There are no in-betweens where laws are concerned.

Signs around us give fair warning for our protection and other’s wellbeing.  The Bible also gives fair warning that entertaining sin is done entirely at a person’s own risk.  God does not make anyone serve Him.  He gives mankind the freedom and discretion to choose right from wrong.  We are freewill moral agents to decide, for ourselves, what road we will travel…the straight and narrow path that leads to heaven or the wide road to destruction.

Newton’s Laws of Motion go hand in hand with the following scripture that is found in the Book of Galatians.

(Galatians 6:7,8) “Do not be deceived, God is not mocked; for whatever a man sows, that he will also reap.”  Vs. 8 “For he who sows to his flesh will of the flesh reap corruption, but he who sows to the Spirit will of the Spirit reap everlasting life.”

A person living on the edge and hoping that their frivolous life does not catch up with them, while sinning against God, will one day bring judgment in the courts of the land and the spiritual realm.  There is a payment due at some point because they defied laws at their own risk.  It does not pay to disobey rules that have been established to improve the quality of physical, everyday living, and the spiritual dominion.

Substance abuse, regarding drugs and alcohol, damage body organs and brain cells.  Tobacco usage, of any kind, may cause cancer, while sexual promiscuity can bring to bear Sexually Transmitted Diseases of all kinds, when rules are disobeyed.

When we heed the signs and restrain ourselves from entering wrongdoing, risk is nullified.  We walk in peace and experience abundant living that God desires for us.

Willfully surrendering to sin, at one’s own risk, is like running into a burning building without protective clothing or jumping off a cliff with an umbrella…the result is the same—injury or death.  These examples are dealing with the physical aspect of poor judgment.  The spirit world is something of another matter.

Jesus did everything in His power to make a way for people to not have to suffer the consequences of sinning.  He paid the full price for the sins of mankind by suffering death on the cross to make a way for you and me to walk in victory and enter heaven after our journey on earth is over. 

Though we sin and come short of the glory of God, Jesus defied death and arose the third day so that we would read the sign, “I Love You.”  He desires a relationship with us.

No-one is perfect.  We have all transgressed the laws of God and need a Savior to put us on the straight and narrow path to righteousness and take us off the wide road to destruction.

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

Though we have sinned, God forgives sin when we confess them.  We need to ask Jesus into our heart and experience newness of life.  This event is called, the new birth—being born again.  It is a spiritual awakening of new beginnings.

(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.” 

Nothing in this world, and no-one except Jesus Christ, can bring satisfaction that lasts.  All is sinking sand.  The Lord is the unmovable, solid rock—the firm foundation and cornerstone of a victorious life that is built upon the attributes of Almighty God. 

Only the Lord can satisfy the deep longing in the soul of a wayfarer that is wandering aimlessly without direction, looking for peace.

Sin is momentary pleasure that lasts for a short season, and then one day the reality of sin kicks back, much like Newton’s Laws of Motion.  The person reaps what they have sewn. 

The choice is ours to make.  Not only will we be grateful on earth that we chose Jesus, but the second part of God’s blessing comes when we see Him face to face in heaven.  Praise God!

Written by,

Papa Boyd 

Whose Am I

The title may seem a bit odd or weird, but whom we belong to matters.  I am not talking about individual’s parents, stepparents, adopted parents, or foster parents; I’m talking about the character of good or evil—the essence of principled values vs. unprincipled deficiencies that a person looks up to and heeds.

Ask yourself, “Whose am I?”  Are your needs met with blessings, or are you struggling, unsure and hesitant?  What entity are you spending most of your time with?  What spirit is directing your life?  Who do you think gives hope and comfort in times of need—Satan or God?  I ask these questions because I know you matter to God.  He loves you profoundly!

With whom have you decided to follow?  Whose are you anyway?  Jesus paid the price for sin when He died on a cross for humanity, whereas Satan is seeking those that he can devour and destroy their lives.  Do you think he would give his life for you or me?  If the answer is no, then why would a person give their life on earth and the hereafter for him?

Not only does a person’s physical makeup suffer on earth when serving the wrong master, the spiritual man will be totally dismayed and separated from God one day in everlasting darkness. 

Jesus offers eternal life in heaven where the light of the Lord shines forever, because He sincerely loves us and shed His blood on the cross for our transgressions.  He died to unite sinful mankind with a holy God.  What greater love is there than this?

Yes, it is certainly a great question to ask one’s self, “Whose am I?”  I want to belong to God Almighty and be able to call Him, Abba Father, which means, Daddy God.  When we accept His Son, Jesus, into our heart, we become sons and daughters of Father God.  We now belong to Him and are members of the family of God.

When you know Jesus as Lord, you can say with confidence that you belong to our Father in heaven.  (Whose am I) is answered with, “I know in Whom I believe!”  Jesus’s blood covers and protects us from our adversary the devil.  The evil one is the dearth that God fends off because we belong to Him.  We have hope in Jesus.  He removes the doubt of whose we are because His love indwells us.

(1 Corinthians 6:20) “For you were bought at a price, therefore glorify God in your body and in your spirit, which are God’s.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

When the Urge Hits

 

What does it mean, “When the urge hits?”  When I was a kid growing up in the bedroom community of Martinez, California, my Grandma Boyd taught me the significance and distinction between number 1 and number 2 when it came to going potty.  Funny, but this training has followed me into adulthood.

I had great bladder control in my youth so I would put it off and put it off until the urge really hit me and then I would run home lickety-split and barely make it to the bathroom in time.

Now, in my twilight years, when the urge hits me and Mother Nature is calling, I usually stop what I’m doing to “see a man about a horse,” as my Grandpa Boyd would say.

Every now and then my night sleep is interrupted when an urge hits me to pray for someone.  I believe there is no distance too great for prayers to span, in that God is omnipresent, which is being everywhere at the same time.  Afterall, He is God, and He can do anything.

As quickly as I awoke, I would easily fall back to sleep when my prayer had concluded.  There is power in prayer; it moves the hand of God when nothing else seems to work.  All we must do is ask and He will do the rest.

(Matthew 7:7, 8) “Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you will find; knock, and it will be opened to you.”  Vs. 8 “For everyone who asks receives, and he who seeks finds, and to him who knocks it will be opened.”

I love to compose short writings and post them to my blog so that others may glean from my experiences and insight.  In the middle of the night, I have been awakened suddenly with an urge to write.  Inspiring thoughts were motivating me to rise from bed and jot down the ideas flooding my mind.

I have learned in the past that if I do not get up when the urge hits me, the thoughts are gone the next morning.  It is better to not put off something for another time lest a notion be lost because of sleepiness.

It is enjoyable to sit at my computer and reflect on the goodness of God and listen intently to what God is speaking in my mind.  At times it is difficult to keep up with words that are inundating my thought process, but it is rewarding none the less. 

The urge to write is so strong on occasion that it is joy unspeakable and full of glory when my senses are touched by God and the words are flowing like a fountain of living water.  It is amazing what an inquiring mind and open heart can hear and feel when a person turns off the TV, silences their phone, and ceases to search the internet for something that steals time.

To listen is gain, rather than doing all the talking or pounding the keyboard looking for websites to entertain and satisfy one’s curiosity.  Quiet time is the key to spiritual enlightenment.  It is wonderful when God is speaking, and I am tuned into His frequency. 

What better place to listen than the quietness of my home office to be caught up with enlightenment and awe as I quickly type on the keyboard, careful not to miss anything that the Holy Spirit is sharing with me.

As a side note, now and then I will go back and read thoughts contained in some of my writings, which bring tears to my eyes, because I know that God was speaking when I penned the words.  I figure if the content touches the author in this way, others can be touched as they read writings of hope.

When I was newly saved and allowing God to direct my life, while teaching me how to live an overcoming lifestyle, fresh ideas overflowed my mind and feelings came that I had never encountered before, like the time a sudden urge came over me to go into the carpenter’s hall.  It was a bit strange because rollcall was Monday mornings not Tuesdays…this was a Tuesday.

I had been out of work for a few weeks and was getting a little worried.  Building projects were slowing down, because of high interest rates.  I was faithful to check in for Monday rollcalls hoping there was a request for an apprentice carpenter on the bulletin board.  Contractors usually called the office on Mondays, the day when out of work carpenters were there.

The more I resisted the uncanny urge to go in, it became stronger and stronger until finally I had to yield to the puzzling impulse.  I whipped my truck around and headed toward the hall…only to realize later that the pressure I was feeling was the Holy Spirit directing me that day.  This experience was new to me.

I walked into the hall just as one of the union Reps. tacked up a request on the board for an apprentice.  No-one else was there but me.  It was the beginning of my understanding of how God speaks to His children—after all, I was now His child.  He was with me to meet my every need if I remained tuned into His voice and moved in faith.  God leads us into all truth.

I’ve had urges hit me to ask perfect strangers if I could pray for them.  These times were the most terrifying moments as a Christian, but never was I denied, by any person, to pray.  Not only had God laid it on my heart, but He also prepared them to receive an outsider's prayer as an answer to their need.

I did not know their need, but God did.  The Lord chose me to be His hand extended and then leave the rest to Him.  He is faithful and we must trust that His timing is perfect in all things.  

Feeling the urge to pray for someone is like the one I had when I drove to the union hall, which, I might add, landed me a job that lasted over a year—God’s blessings!  That experience of yielding to God and going into the hall was one of the most enlightening days I could have had.  It taught me to be sensitive to the voice of the Holy Spirit, even when it comes to praying for people I don’t know.

Are you having an overwhelming urge to bow your head and talk to God?  Do it!  Ask for His touch in your life and believe that the urge you are feeling is God speaking.  He is ready to forgive your sins, heal your mind, and cleanse you from whatever is keeping you in bondage.  God can set you free when you call upon the name of Jesus.  Just try Him and see what happens.

(2 Corinthians 5:17, 18) “Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; old things have passed away; behold, all things have become new.”  Vs. 18 “Now all things are of God, who has reconciled us to Himself through Jesus Christ, and has given us the ministry of reconciliation.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Run the Race with Confidence

I ran track as a young teenager in high school.  My coach wanted me to try out for the 880-yard run, because I had long legs.  The distance was two laps around the football field.  This half mile was a strenuous race at a fast, grueling pace.  I was always exhausted at the end, but the reward of metals I received at meets made all the hard work at afterschool track-practice worth the effort that I put into it.  I had more endurance because of it.

The type of athletic shoes worn with cleated soles, and the wind sprints at practice and breathing techniques, prepared me to win.  My body was made strong for competition and I did well, because of good coaching and personal discipline. 

On occasion,  I experienced what is called a second wind.  It is the feeling of an exhilarating burst of energy that happens when a runner is becoming fatigued.  It is like a breath of fresh air or inhaling pure oxygen.  This sense of bliss was always welcomed when the going got tough.     

I could always hear Coach urging me on and calling out the elapsed time as I drew nearer to him on my first lap, which helped me pick up the pace.  I not only wanted to please him, I wanted to win the race.  He was always there to encourage me with, “You can do it!”

The attitude I demonstrated to Coach and my own state of mind played an important role in the success of each lap and the results at the end of the race.  I always had a made-up mind to endure to the end no matter what shape the track was in or what elements that I had to bear with regards to weather conditions.

Some schools that I competed at were lucky to have a football field or track at all do to the lack of funding in that district.  These unkept surfaces were less than desirable to run on, because of the ruts and unevenness that puddled at times due to the field sprinklers going off or passing rainclouds that dumped water the day before a big event.

The build-up of wet soil on my shoes made it difficult to turn a satisfactory time at the end of the race, but all runners had to tolerate the same degree of challenges as me.  The success or failure to place was dependent upon where the runners landed their feet on the track, careful not to twist an ankle or fall.  The amount of hard work and dedication that athletes did at practices to ready themselves for upcoming meets was invaluable. 

Preparation, both mentally and physically, had a lot to do with winning races.  My dad always said that a good mindset affected the end results of something wanted.  In essence, he was saying that if a person wants something bad enough, they will not give up when the going gets tough.  An “I can do it” attitude plays an important part in winning.

A winner never quits, and a quitter never wins.  Two more phrases that inspire me are: “Keep on keeping on,” and “Inch by inch anything’s a cinch.”  No matter what comes our way, if we maintain a healthy relationship with God and not give up, we will finish the course a winner when we pass from this life to the hereafter.  It takes watching where we place our feet on this road of life and looking out for pitfalls that are filled with the miry clay of sin.

The Lord is always encouraging us saying, “You can make it.”  He is there for us and never leaves us alone to run the race without having prepared us with His Word and breathing into us the breath of Life.  Jesus is at the finish line waiving us home to victory.  The Holy Spirit is our second wind when we become tired and face situations that test our faith.

Our existence on earth is a race.  Instead of receiving a metal at the finish line, we inherit eternal life in heaven as our reward.  Jesus will welcome us across the finish line and place a crown of righteousness on our head, because we endured till the end.  I believe that He will embrace us and exclaim, “Well done!” 

Though metals were nice to display on my varsity sweater for the wins in 880-yard runs, a robe of purest white will be mine along with a crown of sonship, which will be the ultimate prize for finishing the course.

Though ruts of temptation surround me, and the mire of sin tries to slow me down, my healthy relationship with Jesus always provides the stamina I need to finish the race-of-life.  Keeping my eyes on the finish line and Who is cheering me on, gives me the wherewithal to keep on keeping on.  I desire to please the Lord in all things, and yes, I want to win the prize.

The reward at the end is what matters, not the circumstances we face on the journey.  It will be worth it all when we see Jesus and hear the words, “Well done, good and faithful servant; enter into the joy of the Lord.”

When I cross the finish line and break the blood-stained ribbon, it will be a reminder of the sacrifice that Jesus endured on the cross for my successful run.  He paid the price for sin when He willingly shed His blood and died for you and me.

(John 15:13) “Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.”

With our feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace, our lungs filled with the breath of God, and our eyes focused on Jesus, all will bring a victorious win in the race we are running.

(2 Timothy 4:7,8) “I have fought the good fight, I have finished the race, I have kept the faith.”  Vs. 8 “Finally, there is laid up for me the crown of righteousness, which the Lord, the righteous Judge, will give to me on that Day, and not to me only but also to all who have loved His appearing.”

To be a winner takes discipline and courage to follow the Ten Commandments of God, which make the race a successful one.  Remember, Jesus was and is a perfect example of discipline and obedience to Father God, while obeying the Ten Commandments.  He is our example.

If anyone ran the race with purpose, Jesus did.  He endured to the end, thus, teaching us that all things are possible when we trust in God.  Our hope of finishing the race will become reality one day.  We will see God face to face.  Wow!  There is no greater prize than this!  Thank you, Jesus, for making it possible for me to behold the Creator of all things!  I am His child, because of You!

(1 John 3:2) “Beloved, now we are children of God; and it has not yet been revealed what we shall be, but we know that when He is revealed, we shall be like Him, for we shall see Him as He is.”

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Does It Really Matter

 

Is there such a thing as a little, white lie?  Of course, there is, but the question should be, “Is it the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth?”  If the answer is no, then I guess it must be a lie any way you look at it. 

Where does a person draw the line where honesty is concerned, or a more sobering question, “Where does God draw the line?”  Does He wink at white lies and look the other way?  Does He overlook it like it does not matter?

One thing is constant and sure, God is holy.  He is perfect in all ways as was His Son Jesus when He walked the earth.  I believe that God expects us to strive for perfection, because the moment we sin, we may be taking a step away from a holy God.

My desire is to draw as close to God as I can, but I am not naïve to think that I have reached the pinnacle of perfection.  I do not think there is a day that goes by that I do not call out to the Lord for help and forgiveness for my folly.  I feel like a child at times that misbehaves and needs to be reconciled with their earthly father or mother.

The Holy Spirit makes me aware of my reckless behavior by convicting me when I step out of line.  He makes me cognizance of my shortcomings.  God desires that I mature and repent, thus, being reconciled to Him, our Heavenly Father.  I do not want to crucify Christ afresh and put Him to an open shame by sinning.

(Hebrews 6:4-6) “For it is impossible for those who were once enlightened, and have tasted the heavenly gift, and have become partakers of the Holy Spirit,” Vs. 5 “and have tasted the good word of God and the powers of the age to come,” Vs. 6 “if they fall away, to renew them again to repentance, since they crucify again for themselves the Son of God, and put Him to an open shame.”

The Holy Spirit reminds me of my responsibility as a child of God to let the light of Christ shine brightly before others that they can see the glory of God in me.  It is only by the grace of God, through Jesus Christ, that those around me can be touched for the cause of Christ.  My righteousness is as filthy rags, but God forgives sin when we ask Him to do so.

(Isaiah 64:6) “But we are all like an unclean thing, and all our righteousness’s are like filthy rage; we all fade as a leaf, and our iniquities, like the wind, have taken us away.”

(1 John 1:9) “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.”

The above scripture is God’s promise to us.  Without forgiveness, no one can see God, because sin is enmity to Him.  He hates sin of any kind, because sin is sin; there is no in-between areas acceptable to Him.  It is like a pregnant woman—she is, or she is not. 

The fact of the matter is this; yes, God hates sin, but He loves the sinner so much that He gave His only Son to die on a cross for the salvation of mankind.  Jesus paid the full price for our redemption when He willingly died for our sins.  Though we misbehave, we can be reconciled with Father God when we confess our sins.  He forgives us, because of Jesus.

This manifestation of love is called grace.  God is merciful and wants us to be with Him in heaven.  God’s grace is sufficient for everything we face in life.  He is our strength and high tower.  In Him we are made complete. 

No longer do we have the stigma of sin buffeting us each day, because they have been thrown into God’s sea-of-forgetfulness…never to remember them against us again.  This is how Christians walk in peace—it is the peace of God that passes all understanding.

God’s ways are far beyond our ways and higher than any intellectual personality.  Natural thinking measures lies on a scale of 1 to 10, 10 being a downright, dirty lie and 1 being a tiny, trivial, white lie.  But remember, it is impossible for God to lie at any degree or level on the “honesty scale.”

Each promise in the Bible that God and Jesus declared to people like you and me is truth and nothing but the truth.  None of them are little, white lies.  If God said it, He will do it!  We need not fret and lose hope if the answer is not immediate?  Giving God a chance to work out the situation is key.  Discouragement, giving up is the lack of faith.  Maintaining proper focus on Him and not the problem is called faith.

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

It is the ability of our finite mind to trust the honesty of God.  He is infinite…limitless in power and love.  It is just impossible for our Heavenly Father to lie to His children.  It will not happen.  We can believe with confidence, knowing that God is touched by the feelings of our infirmities.  We can call upon Him and trust that He has all things in His control.  We can walk in peace because you and I matter to Him.

(Philippians 4:6,7) “Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God;” Vs 7 “and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.”

The next time I am tempted to tell a little, white lie, I will ask myself, “What would Jesus do?”  No doubt this will give the answer.  Little, white lies matter to God.  Though He may frown on the times we slip and fall, yet He forgives our trespasses when we ask Him to do so.

God does not take pleasure in chastising us, but when necessary, in love He will do what is needed to get our attention to help us become more like Jesus.  His way of helping us grow spiritually is not like some parents raising their children, “Do as I say, not as I do.” 

The kindness of the Lord leads us to repentance, which allows reconciliation that removes the fear of punishment.  We again feel the tender embrace of compassion from Father God.  Once more we are reminded that He loves us with a never-ending love.

The Lord encourages repentance, which helps us grow in grace, rather than allowing us to continue practicing bad habits.  It matters to God, which path we travel.  He is perfecting us in the image of Christ with the help of the Holy Spirit who leads us into all truth.

(Proverbs 3:11,12) “My son, do not despise the chastening of the Lord, nor detest His correction;” Vs. 12 “For whom the Lord loves He corrects, just as a father the son in whom he delights.”

My example of telling a white lie is only a clumsy way in trying to encourage you to be mindful of how to keep an open communication with God.  When we endeavor to please Him and put aside questionable situations and attitudes, it negates the chance of a rift developing between He and us.

We will walk in newness of life and experience the blessings of Almighty God.  When we draw nigh to Him, He draws nigh to us.  It is like taking one step toward Him, while He is taking two toward us.

Does it really matter how we live our life?  Yes, it matters to God, even when we tell little, white lies.

Written by,

Papa Boyd

When Storms Abound

 

A couple of days ago was quite unnerving to say the least.  It was a blustery day with strong winds and driving rain.  Trees toppled and telephone poles broke under the gale-force winds leaving thousands of people without power to heat their homes and sustain perishables in refrigerators.  It was just one more negative event to add to the perils of Covid-19.

Fences blew over, trees fell across houses, cars, and power lines, which made life more unbearable for many people.  As if corona virus were not enough to deal with…people losing their jobs and business, and not having enough money to buy food or pay bills.

I am old and have never seen such unrest and uneasiness around me.  There is so much going on in our government, riots in the streets of America, murders and mayhem throughout the land, while hatred is taking center stage.  The United States of America is becoming a scary place to live and call home.

People are buying guns like there is no tomorrow, because of fear.  Chaos is on every hand, but I do not have to tell you what you already know.  It is how a person handles stress and fear that matters most to the wellbeing of mind, body, and soul.

We need not allow fear to dictate our emotional state of mind, because love casts out all fear.  When we put our trust in God and reassure ourselves that He cares about every predicament we face, fear takes a back seat, becoming subject to the Spirit of God.  The Lord takes up all the room in our heart where fear wants to abide.  He pushes it out and removes it all together.  There is no chamber left in which fear can hide.

(1 John 4:18) “There is no fear in love; but perfect love casts out fear, because fear involves torment.  But he who fears has not been made perfect in love.”

Fear reveals itself in many ways.  Hording food and toilet paper, buying generators and storing several cans of gasoline, while remaining behind locked doors to prevent Covid-19 and unwanted intruders from entering are signs of fear.

Watching daily news on television can worry a person, because of all the negative happenings around the world.  Our hope lies in Jesus Christ who overcame the world and provided a way to remain calm during stressful situations.  All power rests in the name of Jesus.  When we speak His name, fear and distress dissipate, and hope arises.

God always makes a way were there seems to be no way when we put our trust in Him.  He leads and guides into all truth and will never leave nor forsake us, because our hope is not in mankind or what the government can do for us, we are sustained by the Holy Spirit, our Comforter.  Hope is in Jesus Christ, the Son of God.

When we feel like screaming at the top of our lungs and giving up, because of worry, stress, and just the everyday pressures of life, remember, there is One who is bigger than your problem.  The Lord will meet your need when you call upon Him. 

When the blustery storms of life blow your way and you do not know which way to turn, lift your eyes toward heaven and speak the name of Jesus and then believe that He hears your petition, because He will calm the storms in your life if you trust Him to do so.

(Hebrews 4:15,16) “For we do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses, but was in all points tempted as we are, yet without sin.”  Vs. 16 “Let us therefore come boldly to the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy and find grace to help in time of need.”

The preceding scripture is telling us that God sympathizes with His children and will come to their assistance in time of need.  What greater promise can a person have than this?

Written by,

Papa Boyd