A Question Lingers

Have you ever swallowed a pill that became lodged halfway down your throat until you coughed it back up?  Scary, isn’t it?  For me, after this happens, it’s almost impossible when trying to re-swallow the same pill with water…Psychological hang up, I guess.

Sometimes there is a lingering aftertaste that won’t go away until I rinse out the bitterness.  This unwelcome experience reminds me of a question that, at times, lingers on the tip of my tongue until an answer, like water, eliminates the bitter taste.

The question leaves a bad taste in my spirit like a pill stuck in my throat.  I don’t know if it’s just me, or if other Christians experience the same distasteful question pertaining to forgiveness that assaults the mind.  This narrative sometimes bombards my subconscious, while troubling my soul.

The lingering question is this: “What happens if I unwittingly sin or stumble and sin now that I’m a Christian?”  I certainly know and trust the Bible of what it says about confessing our sins, and that God is faithful to forgive those sins, but on occasion, there is a ‘what if’ that lingers and wants to taunt my thinking.  It troubles me that the question is there at all.

I know in my heart when God promises something, there are no ifs, ands, or buts that He will fulfill what He said He would do, because God cannot lie.  God is holy in every sense of the word and at the opposite end of the ‘truth spectrum’ from those that do not keep their word, but God keeps His.   He is perfect in all ways; a promise is a promise of which He will not renege.

I know the assumed reality regarding ordinances of the land says that ignorance of the law is no excuse, but does this apply to those walking with Christ that may trip and fall along the way and sin?  Satan would have us believe that grace takes flight and forgiveness won’t happen, but these are lies.

When I stop to consider the source of these negative thoughts, I quickly conclude that they are originating from the pit of hell, because God is not the author of confusion.  In Him there is hope and forgiveness, so it stands to reason the devil is filling my mind with doubt to create confusion regarding forgiveness—he is the great deceiver.

The joy that I have as a Believer, while living for Jesus cannot be equaled by anything in the world nor compromised unless I permit it to happen by listening to Satan’s lies. 

As for me and my household, we are serving the Lord.  We stand secure in the knowledge that salvation, through Jesus, has secured our inheritance of heaven.  Nothing can separate us from the love of God.

(Romans 8:38-39), “For I am persuaded that neither death nor life, nor angels nor principalities nor powers, nor things present nor things to come,” (vs 39) “nor height nor depth, nor any other created thing, shall be able to separate us from the love of God which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”

Whenever Satan hits me with a lingering question that causes me to doubt my position in Christ, and whether God forgive all sins, I quickly take control of my thought process and rebuke the questions that are raising their ugly heads.  I then refocus my thinking on good things.

(Philippians 4:8), “Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things.”

Positive thinking or better yet, positive faith, dispels all questions and brings victory that allows peace to flow from God’s throne, uninhibited, to wash away the bitterness of lies.  This is the hope of Christians that all sins, past, present, and the times we stumble, will be forgiven when we accept Jesus as our Savior.  He frees us from sin as we confess our faults to Him.

God is loving and long suffering.  We need only to ask for forgiveness in Jesus’ name and God tosses our sins into the depth of the sea, never to remember them again.

(John 3:17), “For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.”

God loved us so much that He gave His only Son to die on a cross that we might be saved from our sins and experience an abundant life through Him.  He sets us free from the bondage of sin.  It’s like being born-again out of the corruption that sin brings, into an incorruptible birthright as children of God.

God is not quick to cast us aside because we fail.  He encourages us to pick ourselves up when we stumble and fall.  God does not want us to splash around in the mire or role around in the filth of self-pity, but to clean ourselves off, wash our face, and continue walking with Jesus.

The Holy Spirit gives us the strength to rise and live an overcoming life in Christ.  Remember, a winner never quits, and a quitter never wins.

(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.”

Living for the Lord is like the song lyrics say, “It is joy unspeakable and full of glory; and the half has never yet been told.”  When we trust God with each step we take, we walk in victory, because our steps are ordered by the Lord.

(Psalm 37:23-24), “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.” (vs 24) “Though he falls, he shall not be utterly cast down; for the Lord upholds him with His hand.”

The bitter taste of sin is neutralized when we drink from the springs of living water that flows from heaven.  Tormenting questions that create confusion and try to linger in our minds are quickly washed away.  We are set free from the bitterness of satanic lies and sinister questions when we reside in Jesus, Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Jesus dispels all questions that try to linger.  We are set free from worrying whether God forgives sin when we stumble…He does!  And because of this, we live in Truth, not lies.

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Mercy Triumphs Over Judgement

I would like to begin by asking the following question.  Are you looking for something tangible with lasting peace, but your search has turned up nothing in your attempts to secure anything at all to bring contentment?

Perhaps your mind is bombarded with thoughts that you are way beyond finding peace or happiness, and that forgiveness of things in your past will never happen.  You are probably feeling that they have everything to do with you never finding true satisfaction.

I have wonderful news for you.  The mercy of God is still available.  No matter what Satan tells you or what you are feeling deep inside that keeps you in a stupor or vacuum, know this, he is a liar and the father of lies.  He is trying to keep you in a state of turmoil and confusion, keeping you away from the peace that you desire in your soul.

Satan is the great deceiver, so don’t listen to his rhetoric when he whispers, “You’ve strayed too far from God to ever receive His mercy and grace.”  It’s all a lie!  Don’t listen to him!  He’s leading you down the path of uncertainty and disorder.

God was certainly merciful to me, a sinner, when I was at the end of my rope thinking there was little to look forward to.  I was void of hope, and peace eluded me.  I was listening to the enemy of my soul telling me that heaven was far beyond my reach and out of the picture, because of my riotous living and sinful history.

Amazingly, the Holy Spirit was tugging at my burdened soul desiring that I make an about-face to allow God’s blessings to fill the emptiness within me.  He wanted to give me an abundant life that would replace the hell hole I was living in.

(Matthew 11:28-29), “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.” (vs 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.”

I yielded to His gentle touch and asked God to forgive my sins.  I was not disappointed!  Peace rushed in like a river as I felt the heavy burden of sin lifting off my shoulders.  God proved Himself faithful and forgave my sins.  He cleansed me from all my iniquity. 

Past sins are now under the blood of Jesus that He shed on a cross for the forgiveness of sins.  My righteousness was like filthy rags, but God looked beyond my faults and saw my need.  I was lost without a Savior, but He gave me Jesus, His Son.  My sins will never be remembered against me again.  God threw them into the sea.  I am a new creation because of Jesus.

(Micah 7:18-19), “Who is a God like You, pardoning iniquity and passing over the transgression of the remnant of His heritage?  He does not retain His anger forever, because He delights in mercy.” (vs 19) “He will again have compassion on us and will subdue our iniquities.  You will cast all our sins into the depths of the sea.”

(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.”

Jesus is no respecter of persons; what He did for me He will do the same for anyone needing mercy rather than judgement.  If you are looking for a new life without all the drama, Jesus is the answer. 

The Lord loves us dearly and wants the very best for us no matter what the devil says.  I don’t know why it is, but for some reason humans are prone to listen to lies rather than trust what the Bible tells them about forgiveness.

(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 Bible is God’s word, which is infallible—without error.  It provides truth in every way and gives direction in all situations of life.  It was pinned by holy men of old, inspired and breathed upon by the Spirit of God for the benefit of mankind.

The Bible is our roadmap to salvation through Jesus Christ, and Him only.  There is no other way to commune with the true and living God except through Jesus.  We can believe what the Bible says. 

(Acts 4:12), “Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

When a person sins, their willful disobedience requires judgement, but God provided a way to receive His mercy rather than judgement when we bow our heads before the Lord and ask Him to forgive our sins.  Mercy will triumph over judgement.

When Satan comes in like a flood and slams you with untruths, you can, as a Christian, stand on God’s word and in the strength of His might and rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus and receive, by faith, victory in your soul.

(1 John 1:7), “But if we walk in the light as He is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus Christ His Son cleanses us from all sin.

(Isaiah 40:31), “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Up Up and Away

When I was younger, I watched a television series called, “Tarzan.”  He was quite the character; a “noble savage” who was abandoned as an infant in the jungle and raised by apes and later discovered his human roots.

I was fascinated to watch how trick photography made it appear as if he was swinging higher in the trees on vines and branches—up up and away, as it were.  It was one of those shows that was fun to watch and perhaps challenged kids to get out of the house and swing on a tree branch like Tarzan.

As a boy, I enjoyed playing outside instead of sitting in the house all day on my ‘do nothing’ like kids today.  They should be encouraged to get up up and away from the couch to inhale fresh air outdoors, while swinging on a tree branch or two.  Any kind of exercise is better than none.

Talk about swinging; in my teens I loved, “The 5^th Dimension” a swinging American vocal group.  Only one person from the original group is with them presently.  Their music encompasses sunshine pop, pop soul, and psychedelic soul. 

One of their songs I enjoy was made popular in 1967, “Up Up and Away.”  Some of the lyrics are: “Would you like to ride in my beautiful balloon—up up and away, my beautiful, my beautiful balloon” of which inspired me to jot down a few thoughts regarding a beautiful trip I am looking forward to someday.

Trust me, if you haven’t made the necessary arrangements to go on this trip, you don’t want to miss this ride for anything.  Everyone is invited, but there are those that choose to procrastinate and not make the required reservations.  They prefer to do other things and say, “I’ll take care of it tomorrow.” but tomorrow never comes to make that all-important plan.  It will affect where they live in the future.

These people refuse to consider the consequences of waiting and failing to get their ducks in line for that up up and away trip that would have taken them through yonder clouds to an unbelievable destination.

The price of admission for this trip has already been paid in full.  We need only to believe it’s paid for and receive this gift that is free for the asking.  When the time has arrived for departure, all that’s left for us to do is get on board the soul plane and we’re off.  It will take us up up and away to a beautiful place that our minds cannot comprehend its magnificence.

An incredible man who owns the cattle on a thousand hills is the one that knew we had nothing tangible to offer in exchange for the fare.  He had compassion on us and paid the price so we could enjoy the journey without the worry of indebtedness…I owed a debt I could not pay; he paid a debt he did not owe.

The peaceful environment of the destination is a place like nothing we have ever visited or can conceive of in our finite minds.  The Seven Wonders of the Ancient World cannot begin to compare to the beauty and majesty of this amazing place.  Are you ready to go up up and away to a monumental establishment that’s awaiting our arrival?

On the appointed day when we go up there, all heartache, worry, pain, and questions about tomorrow shall cease.  This remarkable environment is somewhere beyond the horizon in the eastern sky.  The trip is soon to come, so we must be ready or be left behind with many regrets.

This one-time event was predicted many years ago that would take place.  I do not know the day nor the time of departure; it is an unknown mystery known only to the one in charge who established this wonderful place. 

He gave us clues that were written down in a very popular book.  The information he shared pertains to the season of this monumental happening.  Not even the owner’s son, the one who paid our way there, knows the time.

The horizon I alluded to will be displaying the most beautiful clouds in that area of the sky.  When those arriving see the majesty of the clouds, they will call them ‘clouds of glory’, because of the person that is in the midst of them.

On this day that we were made aware of in the Bible, the event will involve the owner’s Son who was and is a VIP that changed the destination of people that desired to go up up and away. 

This place of eternal life, not made with hands, has many mansions.  The gates to the city are made of pearls and the streets paved with pure gold.  There is a registration book at the entrance called, The Lambs Book of Life.

The people that received the entrance fee, paid for with blood, death, and the resurrection of that special person, Jesus Christ, will certainly recognize Him, because of the nail scars in His hands and feet.

People that are committed to God and accepted the gift of life, His Son, will have their names written in that book of life and enter through the gates into heaven.  We will know the season, but not the exact time that the trip to heaven will take place, which is the second coming of Jesus.  The Bible is clear on this.

There is another place for those individuals that missed the soul plane whose names are not written in The Lamb’s Book of Life.  The up up and away trip is known as the rapture. 

Departure date is near at hand!  DO NOT procrastinate to accept Jesus as Lord and Savior of your life.  You don’t want to be left behind!  It's the trip of a lifetime that born-again Believers are going on.  It will not be in a beautiful balloon, it will be instantaneous, in the blink of an eye.  It’s the journey of all journeys.  The person that bought our ticket made it possible for us to live with Him in heaven—Jesus, the Son of God.

(1 Corinthians 15:51-52), “Behold, I tell you a mystery: we shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed—” (vs 52) “in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet.  For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.”

Jesus died on the cross for our sins and paid the price for our sin-debt that was impossible for us to pay, because our righteous is as filthy rags is the sight of God.  It is Jesus that we are going to see in all His glory and power in the clouds that we will pass through as we enter the gates of pearl into the place prepared for the children of God.

Our destination is God’s creation, called heaven where Christians will live forever in the presence of the Creator of all things, God Almighty.  What a day that will be when the family of God experiences a great welcoming home celebration!

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

The Profit Margin for Success Part 1 of 2

My dad and his father before him were hard working men when they were fortunate enough to find jobs, especially during America’s stock market crash.  Work was scarce.

The Great Depression, as it is known, not only broke people’s will to face another day because of financial ruin, the job market dried up, and individual finances crumbled overnight.  This devastating collapse impacted lifestyles and affected livelihoods across the nation.

The effects lasted from 1929 to 1939, but God was faithful in providing sustainable income and sustenance for Dad, my grandfather, and their families.  Everyone was blessed as the Lord supplied all their needs in a time when hardship and despair were everywhere.

Tenacity and commitment to hard work kept them employed when God opened the doors of employment.  I am thankful that Dad raised me with the same work ethics as he and his father were taught growing up.  I strived to do it likewise with my three kids.

The profit margins for all our successes are measured “hundred-fold” compared to some of the people today that refuse to take a job when they are physically fit and able to do so, but don’t.  For reasons unknown to me, there are those that feel they are owed a living and entitled to special privileges, for whatever reason, and don’t have to work for it, or they have a job and habitually slack off each day, because of supposed entitlement.

I’m proud to say that all my adult children and their spouses are hardworking individuals and do not take their pay for granted.  They always exceed their bosses’ expectations each week.  None of them have ever backed up to their checks on payday, metaphorically speaking.

They are not inept or incompetent, but responsible employees that are dedicated to the companies they work for, not like the slackers that shirk their responsibilities during the week and embarrassed to look their employers in the eyes because they failed to give eight hours of honest labor for eight hours pay each day.

All my children and their companions take pride in the knowledge that they are excellent employees and receive their checks facing their employers, because they are proud of their exceptional work ethics.  I believe God expects this of us. 

It is wonderful they are also teaching their children the value of taking responsibility and being good stewards of their money, while impressing on them the importance of working hard to be the best at what they do.  “Anything worth doing is worth doing well” is the motto we live by.

The quality of being honest and having strong moral principles goes together with the integrity that comes from worthwhile training.  Teaching by example is most important when it comes to valuable lessons that are passed down from generation to generation.

(Proverbs 22:6), “Train up a child in the way he should go, and when he is old, he will not depart from it.”

This scripture is pertaining to walking with God and living within His statutes, but I believe it applies to work ethics as well.  Conscientious training is priceless.

When a person utilizes and adheres to this training, it produces favorability with others that opens doors of opportunity, which are blessings from God to one’s livelihood.  Advancements present themselves to those who have uncompromising convictions to do what is right in life.

People take notice, because trustworthiness radiates from principle-minded individuals.  It’s who they are, and people see their worth and are drawn to them.  They are certainly worth hiring, notwithstanding, they feel good about themselves in a world of takers and freeloaders.

Obtaining a vault full of money is not an issue here nor the intent of this writing.  Money cannot buy happiness, though many people try, but their efforts are in vain. 

Contentment is contingent on making good choices, investing one’s money wisely, and enjoying life without all the hullabaloo of trying to keep up with the Jones’s next door or get ‘one-up’ on the Smith’s down the street.  Living for Jesus is the key and number one avenue to success.  He is the One Who prospers us.

Most importantly, God should be ‘top billing’ and held in high esteem above all things, while being first on everyone’s list of desires.  A person having honor, integrity, and a good character that is coupled with nobility is living an all-around good life through Jesus and blessed beyond measure.

Situations manifest themselves in positive ways and fall into place when godly people are walking with Jesus.  Things have a way of working out for them, because their steps are ordered by the Lord.  People that demonstrate sensible thinking and practice aboveboard behavior are the ones, like Noah, that find grace in the eyes of the Lord.

They stay in God’s good graces as they obey His word, which brings us to my next thought.  I believe a big part of enjoying a wonderful life in Christ begins with giving the first fruits of our labor to God, which is His just due of 10% out of each paycheck.  This subject is addressed in (Malachi 3:8).  It’s called tithing. 

You may or may not be tracking with me at this point regarding this issue, so I will leave it between you and God to work out for yourself.

(Malachi 3:8), “Will a man rob God?  Yet you have robbed me!  But you say, ‘In what way have we robbed You?’  In tithes and offerings.”

As for me, I have learned through the years that I can do more with 90% of my money than the full 100% of earnings, while feeling good about my obedience to God’s word. 

Tithing is God’s plan that works when His children step out in faith to implement His expectations and follow His directives.  Success works out exceedingly well when we obey God.

(Luke 6:38), “Give, and it will be given to you; good measure, pressed down, shaken together, and running over will be put into your bosom.  For with the same measure that you use, it will be measured back to you.”

While jotting down my thoughts, I contemplated changing the title to “How Much is Enough” dealing with money accumulation, with ‘self’ being the central focus of my meddling.

I think, for some people, the response to this title would be, “Just a Little More” or “There’s never enough.”  Sadly, many of these people have placed money on a throne all to itself, above everything and everyone else.  For most of these tunnel-visioned people, the love of money has become foremost in their thinking and their god.

How much of their money and possessions do you think they will be permitted to take with them when they breathe their last breath on earth?  At the closing moment of life, all their riches are for not, because they came into the world with nothing and will leave the same way.  Everything is left behind.

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

**Please continue reading: “The Profit Margin for Success” Part 2 or 2

The Profit Margin for Success Part 2 of 2

When was the last time you saw a U-Haul trailer hooked up to a hurst that was heading for the cemetery?  I am not saying, by any stretch of the imagination, that those having a lot of money has lost their way regarding salvation, or forfeited their soul because of money, God forbid.  It is when money becomes a person’s god that problems arise.

When a person chooses to leave God out of the equation, this personal choice determines their fate at the end of life’s journey. 

(1 Timothy 6:10), “For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evil, for which some have strayed from the faith in their greediness, and pierced themselves through with many sorrows.”

Yes, they may be able to buy anything in this world in a feeble attempt to satisfy their lack of fulfillment and deep longing for the sanctity of peace, but all their efforts are in vain as they try, unsuccessfully, to find lasting joy that money cannot buy.  They refuse to see their need for God in their life Who is joy unspeakable and gives lasting peace, forever.

(Matthew 19:24), “And again I say to you, it is easier for a camel to go through the eye of a needle than for a rich man to enter the kingdom of God.”

Their profit margin for success in the lifestyle they chose is zip, zero, nada.  Without Christ in a person’s soul, money and things are merely counterfeit placeholders for the Real Thing—Jesus.

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

As you have discovered in Part 1 and Part 2 of this writing, it encompasses how to achieve true success without selling out to mammon (money).  We must be careful not to fall into the trap of putting all our marbles into the ‘sack of greed’ with a hole in the bottom.

At the end of life, a person may find themselves “weighed in the balance and found wanting” as the Bible says, having lost everything, namely their soul, because Jesus Christ was second fiddle to wealth.  It is not too late to place Jesus at the top of your list of desires, if in fact He is toward the bottom.

(Matthew 6:33), “But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness, and all these things shall be added to you.”

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

 Written by,

Papa Boyd

**Please read, “The Profit Margin for Success” Part 1 of 2, if you haven’t already.

Defensive Praise

There is a program on television, “In the Eye of the Storm” that shows the unprecedented power of Mother Nature’s fury.  They play video clips from individuals that recorded actual moments on their phones when they were literally caught during tornadoes touching down and while experiencing, firsthand, hurricanes as they ripped through their neighborhoods and towns where they lived and shopped.  The power of wind and the aftermath of destruction can boggle the mind.

When death was eminent and the storm was tearing off roofs of homes with people inside, turning cars over with people in them, and houses collapsing around families inside, I heard screams of terror on the videos from people that were panic stricken crying out to God for help and invoking the name of Jesus to save them from the horror they were facing.  They, for sure, knew Who to call on in their time of desperation.

I’ve heard that even professing atheists will call out to God when danger or death threatens them.  There is no doubt in my mind when push comes to shove, we all know in Whom our hope lies.  Salvation is in no other person, place, or thing other than Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God. 

When we cast our feelings of hopelessness upon the Lord, it’s the dawn of a new day with hope on the horizon.  I believe that Christians and non-Christians alike call out to the God of miracles in every bad situation when hope is fading and answers evade questions.

The following is my synopsis relating to personal accounts of people I’ve met through the years of how they reacted when troubling times came their way.  I’ve observed attitudes and facial countenances change in an instant, while unbelief and sometimes fear filled their faces when they found themselves in a whirlpool of turmoil that originated from a brewing storm of calamity that was bringing on a state of confusion.

When wave after wave of stress, anxiety, and moments of an overwhelming sense of panic set in, most always the ‘why’ question surfaced.  Now that I think about it, I may be seeing my own reflection of awareness and spiritual growth in the mirror of “teachable moments” as the Holy Spirit taught me, early on in my Christian walk with Jesus, to cast all my cares upon Him, because He cared for me in all situations.

My overview of people going through hardships is what the title of this writing encompasses—Defensive Praise.  I will try to convey how some of these acquaintances reacted to hardships and how they handled uncanny dilemmas they were facing.

I believe a defensive stance was the normal reaction that rose up first to deflect any aggressive action or bad situation that was upon them, whether spiritual, mental, or physical needs.  I interpreted their reactions as the fight or flight syndrome that was kicking in.

I suppose people, for the most part, are prone to become very defensive at the onslaught of bad things that are happening to themselves or their loved ones.  As they stood in this defensive mode, I’ve seen individuals revert to an offensive stance against incoming difficulties of which they didn’t understand nor had control over.

Secondly, a few of them established a hard-shell attitude rather than putting on the whole armor of God like the Bible tells us to do.  While in a defensive/offensive state of mind, while questioning, “What can I do now?” it seemed they took on a position of, “Leave me alone!” while keeping God at arm length in the beginning when everything was coming at them.

I sensed a hardness of spirit creeping inside them for fear of what they were up against.  They had a reflex response from negativism, because the challenges took them off guard and it was difficult to get their mind around what was happening.

Their first impulse was not to praise God during the on-slot of the unknowns  They reacted defensively and sometimes expressed angry demonstrations of rebellion, because of the hurt they were enduring.

The preceding reactions were not always the case, there were certainly exceptions, depending on the personality of each person affected.  In my experience, it appeared to me that shortly after the initial impact and shocking reality of things was evaluated, most of those under attack experienced ‘defensive praise’ that began to exude from individuals that believed in a higher power.

When they realized it wasn’t God who was bringing the problem but Satan or the results of bad decisions on their part, attitudes changed.  The emotions they were caught up in must have required a cooling off period to understand and grasp the gravity of what was happening.  It took time to refocus their loyalty and trust in Jehovah God, the One Who cares.

These people concluded in their minds that there was no one that had the power to bring about positive changes except Almighty God.  I’m sure I speak for most of us when I say, total submission to God takes faith, because we are prone to work things out on our own, but God teaches us that when facing desperate times, desperate measures must be initiated to allow hope to surface from within a person through prayer and praising Him.

We know there is only One true power Who can change things from bad to good; we need only to remember this the moment trials flair up.  We can cry out to God, in confidence, for miracles to manifest themselves just like the people that cried out for help when they were caught in tornadoes and hurricanes.  God protected them from harm.

Though it is hard to relinquish our will to God’s will and trust His sovereignty at times, the bottom line is this: in our ‘God mind’, as I call it, which is the place where the knowledge of God’s omnipotent power resides, this mindset is separate from the ‘natural thinking mind’. 

We can resolve and carefully conclude that when we unite the infinite, Spiritual realm of God with the finite thinking of oneself, good things happen when we trust the Lord.  I call this unification between the two, “faith.” 

This is the only place where individuals can rise above the woes of uncertainty and having defensive feelings, while stepping into the light of God’s hope and allowing Him to bring us out from under the dark cloud of hopelessness into an attitude of praise—Defensive Praise.

(Jeremiah 29:11), “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil to give you a future and a hope.”

Let’s face it, giving praise in times when hurt and uncertainty are bombarding us is most difficult, but when we stabilize our thinking, with the help of the Holy Spirit, these are the moments that peace overshadows us like a warm, woolen blanket on a cold, winter’s night.  This peace is unexplainable, yet attainable through Christ.

The warmth we feel is freely given by the Holy Spirit, our Comforter Whom Jesus promised would come when He returned to heaven after being crucified and raising from the dead on the third day.  The Comforter speaks peace to our soul when we offer up a sacrifice of praise to God in all things—Defensive Praise.  The Lord inhabits our praises.

(Colossians 3:16), “Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly, teaching and admonishing one another in all wisdom, singing psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, with thankfulness in your hearts to God.”

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

The Lifeline of Hope

The following definition of ‘lifeline’ was provided by Siri… “A thing on which someone or something depends or provides a means of escape from a difficult situation.”

The impact of an unforeseen adversity, or heart wrenching situation can affect one’s psyche and has a way of shaking the very foundation of faith.  It can be most daunting to try and maintain some kind of semblance of hope when being bombarded by outside forces. 

These forces can affect the mental stability and spiritual state of mind associated with faith.  No doubt the level of heartache is dependent upon the severity or intensity of what a person is going through.  Troublesome times can also cause a glitch in the communication factor between God and those that believe in prayer and trust its power. 

Unexpected happenings have a way of testing one’s capacity to maintain faith when hope is bordering on hopelessness or nearing its breaking point.  This can happen when God’s answer to prayer is delayed or not answered in the time that the petitioner thinks it should happen.  (Note) Impatience is not a virtue; patience is.

All the above thoughts can be misunderstood as negative in nature, and lacking encouragement, but the truth and reality are real.  The above is exactly what people endure when facing trouble.  Stay with me.

Things happen to everyone; no-one is exempt from pain or suffering—it’s life.  How we handle this misery is what matters most.  The Bible says that problems fall on the just and unjust alike, but then there’s God!

When effectual, fervent prayers are exercised and maintained, faith has a way of magnifying the light of God’s power and does not illuminate the problem even in our darkest hour when doubt tries to creep in like a thief in the night.

Through prayer, born-again Believers can stand in the righteousness of Jesus Christ, recognizing that He is the hope for all tribulations. 

(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.”

Most everyone has heard the phrase, “Keep the faith.”  These are powerful words to remember in times of trouble, but it requires perseverance in prayer to do so.  When we submit our emotions, anxieties, and questions to the Lord, while grasping onto faith, we stand our ground and demonstrate trust in God as we face oppositions.  This keeps hope alive in our heart. 

Prayer is the lifeline of hope, and when coupled with faith, they bring peace when we need it the most.  Together they become our stronghold that helps us maintain open communication with God.  Without hope, hearts can real and rock under the strain of unanswered questions that may cause a person to fear the worst.

Do not give fear a seat at the table of hope.  Fear does not have the final say, God does.  When we stand on the Truth of God’s word and pray, this act of faith enables hope to move any situation beyond the finite question of “why” and brings us into the infinite, spiritual realm of God’s realism of hope that allows us to expect and believe Him for miracles.

The Holy Spirit, our Comforter, brings comfort to the weary and hope to worried hearts through prayer.  God’s bountiful love goes beyond our wildest dreams when He speaks peace during the hard times.

(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.”

Intercessory prayer is the lifeline of hope that keeps doubt at bay.  Doubt is most assuredly initiated by our adversary, the devil.  Though he tries to poison our faith in Jesus with lies and unfounded bombast, we can stand on the promise of God.

(1 John 4:4), “You are of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is greater than he who is in the world.”    

As I said, it can become a challenge to keep the faith and maintain a positive outlook when our mind is fighting off negative thoughts that Satan throws our way.  He tries to deplete the hope we have in Jesus through his antiques. 

On occasion, my faith is shaken and wains a bit when it seems as if the heavens are brass when I pray.  I’m sure you’ve experienced the same feeling of aloneness, but we walk by faith and not feelings.  Feelings can be misconstrued as factual, and we fail to see the reality of the spiritual realm.

If loneliness rises and shouts with a loud voice in your soul, “Where is God?!” this is the time we can lay honesty on the altar before God and humbly say, “I believe, but help me overcome my unbelief.”

Jesus wants us to be honest concerning our feelings and thought process.  He understands us better than we know ourselves.  If we give ear to the devil’s lies that God is too busy to care about our hardships, this can bring about fear, and cause hope to crumble.

Satan tells us we have no hope and that we are standing alone to face the challenges ahead.  He tries to convince us that we lack strength to overcome the trial by saturating our hope with false misgivings.  But God will someway get the glory out of any situation when we stand in His strength.

God’s amazing love goes far beyond our natural understanding of things.  It is hard to grasp the enormity of God’s agape love that He has for us.  The Bible says that we see through a glass as if it were very foggy.  God’s ways are far beyond our understanding.

(1 Corinthians 13:12), “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face.  Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.” 

Remember this: negative thoughts are generated by the devil and are merely smoke screens to try and overshadow or cover up God’s miraculous power from our tear-filled eyes.  Satan wants us to doubt the superiority and power of Almighty God, with headwinds of negative thoughts, while using people having personalities like job’s comforters to sow platitudes of doubt.

We may not see what’s around the corner, but we need not fear the unknown when God is in control.  We must keep our eyes always on Him.  Rebuke Satan in the name of Jesus and plead the blood of Jesus over your situation!

Keep bombarding heaven with prayers and continue to look for and expect miracles to happen.  Prayer is the lifeline of hope that maintains our faith in Jesus.  Faith moves the hand of God in our behalf.  The following scripture says that we have a High Priest who is touched by the feelings of our infirmities. 

(Hebrews 4:15), “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.”

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

Whatever troubles us, concerns God.  He has a plan for us and will bring it to fruition in His time.  We must always trust in God’s sovereignty, because He has our best interest at heart—always.  This trust is maintained through prayer, the lifeline of hope.

Don’t allow the devil to steal your hope or shake your faith in Jesus…trust in God; He will never leave nor forsake you.

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

The Perfect Plan

Have you ever made plans, only to have them literally fall apart before your tear-filled eyes with nothing going right?  I know a have.  After the implosion of regrets was over, as I picked up the broken pieces of ‘whys’, it hit me; what or whom did I rely on?

What could I have done differently?  It didn’t take too many disappointing incidents to figure out when I include God in the planning stages, things have a way of working out.  This applies to all areas of one’s life.

The Lord loves us dearly and wants to be involved in every area that concerns us!  He promotes the perfect plan.  With this acknowledgment, it is now fun to plan events.

Planning vacations, an ocean cruise, or surprise parties for friends and loved ones is always exciting.  I would be remiss if I failed to mention the endearing joy of planning a wedding, especially when it’s your own.

The days leading up to my marriage to the most incredible woman that God blessed me with, there was a lot of planning that was challenging and tense at the same time.  I won’t minimize the anxiety level that we faced when trying to get all our ducks in line, as it were, to plan everything…food, flowers, cake, groomsmen and bridal party, tuxes and matching dresses, and most importantly, the bridal gown.

Securing a venue for the reception worked out perfectly.  God calmed our minds and made everything come together.  The church leadership allowed us to use the large, multipurpose room and didn’t charge us.  It was perfect.  I will quote Mr. T in the 1982 movie Rocky III: “I love it when a plan comes together.”

Finding an apartment was quite an adventure.  Hand delivering the information needed by the apartment manager before someone else jumped in ahead of us to secure the apartment for themselves was interesting, to say the least.  It was all in God’s hands. 

The supply and demand ratio of apartment seekers vs. the limited availability of apartments was an eye-opening shocker, but God worked it all out.  I should not have stressed, knowing that God was in control and instrumental in working out His perfect plan for us. 

The Lord does not do things halfway; everything has a way of falling into place.  He helped us find favor with everyone we dealt with.  What can I say?  God is good!  The manager held the apartment for us, and it was perfect in every way.  We loved it!

Planning for the pastor of her church and the pastor of my church to officiate our wedding on the same day took some coordinating, but God, again, worked out every detail, because His plan was perfect concerning my bride-to-be and me.

During all the planning, my fiancé and I went to the courthouse in Martinez, California to obtain our marriage license.  I lovingly looked at her as we stood in line and she was pale as a ghost.  I quietly asked if everything was okay, and she assured me that all was well, and that it couldn’t be better.

Later, she shared that the realization of marriage and the grave responsibility of becoming a partner for life flooded in on her.  Although a smidgen of fear creeped in briefly, she had full confidence that God’s plan was coming together and that everything was working out in grand fashion, according to His will.

It is probably natural for couples that are embarking on a serious venture together in marriage that in the days leading up to any marriage they may experience unsettled emotions deep within their psyche, causing questions to arise.  A lifelong commitment is a lot for anyone to process.

I was sure that this was God’s plan concerning me.  My companion also believed that our unity was God’s plan for her and me.  I was ready for marriage as she was even though we had been dating for only three months, plus three months engagement.

Some people said, “Long engagements are better.”  But she and I were the ones saying, “I do.”  We were ready.  No doubt, with some couples, a longer engagement is best, because a short engagement can generate stress.  It is better to know for sure before tying the knot.  Time provides safeguards against making life-changing decisions too quickly.  We were both excited and ready to take the next step, together.

Backtracking a bit, allow me to give you a little history.  The future Mrs. Boyd was thirteen when she saw me for the first time when I sang with a Christian quartet at an “Eye Rally” in the City of Walnut Creek, California.  The gathering was a David Wilkerson sponsorship for youth. 

I was seventeen at the time, four years older than her.  She was certainly too young for me, but little did I know what was around the corner.

Almost a decade later, I met this girl, because the organist in her church, who knew me, gave me her telephone number.  That teenybopper was now Twenty-one years old.  I called her and we talked for Forty-five minutes.  I was drawn to her on the phone, never having seen her.  There was just something there!  We had a lot in common.  It was God!           

After dating for a while, she told me that she had eyes for me back when she saw me that first time.  How sweet is that!?

Who knew in nine years that I would marry this girl?  Oh wait, God did!  He had the perfect plan for both her and me.  It just took time for everything to fall into place prior to us meeting.  As God’s plan unveiled itself through the years, the Lord directed both our paths and in His perfect timing, we met, fell in love, and were married.  She was Twenty-two and I was Twenty-six.

Our marriage together has been a wonderful partnership, because God’s plan was perfect from the beginning regarding her life and mine.  I believe we were created for each other.  When God does something, He does it right, because of His unfailing love.

My advice to anyone looking for romance, or a mate, or needs confirmation and assurances that they are heading in the right direction is this: most importantly, be patient and DO NOT get in a hurry.  DO NOT branch out into unfamiliar waters to deviate from God’s plan.  DO NOT get ahead of Him by doing your own thing, lest you are filled with remorse later.

Follow God’s direction, faithfully, because the Lord has a perfect plan for those that trust in His providence.  We MUST allow God time to work out the details of His plan. 

For sure, giving our life to God is a step of faith.  It takes courage and absolute trust to not take destiny out of God’s hands to pursue our will.  It is much better to wait a little longer than to make a mistake, an irrational move, and regret the decisions made.  Our adage should be, “Not my will, but Thine be done.”

I am told that patience or perseverance are vital when making decisions.  We all need to practice this concept, because humans are prone to be impatient and move too quickly, because we want it now!  God may have a five-dollar watch, figuratively speaking, but He is never late; He is always on time.

If you are concerned what lies ahead and the things that tomorrow holds around the corner awaiting to be revealed, the moment you give your all to Jesus, your heart will be filled with perfect peace.  He will bring His plan into focus and fulfill the perfect plan in His time.  Allow Him to direct you in the way that is right.   

‘The Perfect Plan’ is His delight, because He delights in you and me.

(Jeremiah 29:11), “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

(Psalm 37:23), “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

Creepy Crawlers

From a man’s perspective, I would think that guys, for the most part, especially Type-A personalities, do not want to appear feeble, fragile, weak, or afraid of anything.

The word ‘macho’ is sometimes used to describe certain male figures.  I would venture to say that not too many males make a practice of touching or playing with any type of creepy crawler.  I choose to leave them alone and I want them to leave me alone.

In the beginning, God created man with a strong, physical makeup and having a mental disposition unlike the woman.  I believe it’s only natural for males to assume the role of protector and provider, because of their masculinity. 

Let us be real, underneath all that macho persona, often, things exist that men ignore, while hiding them in the recess shadows of their brain, preferring not to talk about them. I believe it is reasonable to say that the one big factor in men, they display an outward façade of manliness to not appear as overly sensitive or having feminine qualities.

Most men sidestep girlish emotions lest they are perceived as being a wuss or lacking manly characteristics.  Please, don’t assume or read into my words that I think women are physically or mentally inept—they are not!  From my viewpoint, they are certainly a helpmate to the male gender in decision making and other important areas.

Some guys live in a bubble that is full of pretense; a pretend reality to modify the truth to suit their mindset.  They want to be seen as brave.  I think the truth of the matter is this: men are sometimes discreet in nature, trying not to attract attention to the weaker areas they are hiding. 

Men do not want to be seen as being an easy mark to be taken advantage of in any way, shape, or form.    This is just my take on masculinity.

The following percentage is quite interesting.  52% of males experience Arachnophobia, a phobia of spiders and Ophidiophobia, a fear of snakes, which are common phobias.  The fear of snakes affects approximately 1 to 5 percent of the global population.  These phobias are usually a non-spoken reality with men, known only to their closest friends or family members.

The fear of spiders is more prevalent in women than men, but I can attest that these phobias are real in my circle of friends.  Some of the men I know are afraid of spiders, even daddy-long-legs. 

One of these guys was an M.P. (Military Police), physically toned and very strong.  I would say a tough character, yet he is vexed with phobias. 

In my late teens, I knew a fellow that if you teased him with a snake, even a non-venomous one, he would beat you to a pulp, because he was deathly afraid of creepy crawlers, especially “slithering reptiles” as he put it.

When I was a young kid growing up in the bedroom community of Martinez, California, one of my childhood buddies had no problem catching and playing with lizards when we were messing around in his backyard.  He had pet tarantulas, snakes, and other creepy crawlers in glass enclosures in his bedroom.

These critters were not in my wheelhouse for having fun.  They creeped me out and made my skin crawl even though my personality was Type-A.

The following creepy crawler was instrumental in bringing about a total mess on earth from the very beginning when God created man and woman in the Garden of Eden.  Humanity has been shackled with the ‘sin-nature’ that has plagued the world’s population since Adam and Eve sinned in the garden.

In their defiance, they ate the forbidden fruit that God commanded them not to eat nor touch.  Because of their shameful disobedience, we inherited an ungodly nature of sinning thanks to these self-centered ancestors.

Eve, the woman God gave to Adam, should have restrained her inner desires and walked away from the one tree that God exclaimed, “Do not eat the fruit!”  She obsessed over the fruit, while listening to the serpent that was more cunning than any beast in the field.  He tempted her to eat the fruit by telling her she would be like God, knowing good and evil.

Eve did the unthinkable when she refused to give credence to God’s warning and ate the fruit.  She then encouraged Adam to do likewise.  That creepy crawler was Satan himself, the deceiver that took on the form of a snake.

Later, when Eve was questioned by God concerning what she had done, she tried to blame the serpent for her disobedience.  God didn’t buy it!  He knew she was not blameless in the betrayal.  This senseless act of willful misbehavior was an out and out sin against God. 

Eve disregarded the consequences for her selfish, undisciplined act, and involving Adam.  She wanted her way, period.  God expelled them out of the Garden of Eden.

Humans, today, are suffering negative repercussions because of Adam and Eve’s sin.  One thing is certain, listening to Satan’s lies and doing what he tempts us to do destroys any chance of promoting forward motion to wholesome living.  Sin does not pay in the long run.

Adam and Eve’s fall is a good example and lesson for you and me to not sin when we know it’s wrong to do so in today’s radical environment of temptations.  It is wise to leave creepy crawlers alone—namely sin.

Why risk playing with sin, like people tempt fate when they handle creepy crawlers, only to get bitten as they play with venomous spiders, snakes, lizards, and other such critters? 

Before sinning, we should consider the consequences of our actions lest we die from the bites.  We need to remember that Satan’s venom is toxic and deadly if we choose to listen to his lies.  Nothing in the world is new since the beginning of time.  The devil is still slithering here and there seeking whom he may deceive and devour.

The ‘Adam-nature’ to sin is born into every human being, but we can resist the urge to sin through Jesus Christ and the born-again experience.  The ‘sin-nature’ was inherently transferred to us through heredity that sets the tone for our behavior, but as I said, we can change because of God’s amazing grace.

Mankind is inclined to do their own thing just like Adam and Eve.  It’s easy to disobey the 10-Commandments and the rule of law in the land, but there is hope in Jesus.  We don’t have to listen to the serpent and give into temptation when we stand in Christ.

Sadly, sinning comes naturally, but God provides a way of escape to those who are looking for deliverance—it’s God’s plan of salvation that is free to anyone wanting redemption from the plague of Adam and Eve’s sin.

Every person that sins can try to blame someone else for their misbehavior, or push it off on Adam and Eve’s as if it’s their fault for having uncontrollable urges to sin, but the truth is this: there is no excuse under heaven for turning one’s back on God and choosing corrupt behavior rather than wholesome living, when God has provided a plan of escape.

Every person is responsible for his or her own actions and will pay the price for their sins, but the answer to ‘new beginnings’ and how to ignore the creepy crawler that tempts us to sin is in the name of Jesus Christ, the Son of the living God.  He alone sets us free from the ‘sin-nature’, because He paid the full price for sin.

Jesus was crucified on a cross to set us free from the bondage and venomous bite of sin.  God gave His Son to provide salvation for whosoever will, but it is up to everyone to accept Jesus as the propitiation for sin or to reject God’s plan and die as a result.

(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.” 

We need not fear Satan, the creepy crawler.  He is the evil one who wants company in hell and is hell-bent on deceiving us like he did Eve.  God gives us the power to tread on this serpent and cast him to the curb in the name of Jesus.

(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.”

God gives us the insight and wherewithal to identify the creepy crawlers in our lives and to recognize all his disguises and turn away from them before we are deceived and bitten.

Today, people prefer to tempt fate rather than running in the opposite direction.  Even though they know something is bad and that they might get bitten, they go against the laws of God and against the rules of society.  They want to do their own thing just like Eve did in the garden.

Nothing has changed over time.  Satan’s creepy crawlers, the angels of darkness (fallen angels) are everywhere and hazardous to one’s physical and spiritual health.  Though something may seem harmless, it’s better to leave it alone than to die because of hardheadedness.

A person can either partake of sin and die or leave it alone and live through Jesus Christ our Savior.  Why play around with creepy crawlers that deceive, bite, and kill their hosts?

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd

When Pigs Fly

When I was just a little guy, I became enamored with flying after seeing the creation of Walt Disney’s Dumbo, the elephant that could fly because of his extremely large ears.  I loved watching dirigibles (blimps) and airplanes fly overhead until they were out of sight.  Observing birds captivated my imagination regarding the idea of flying.  It was all I could think about.

I desired it so much that I saved my nickels and dimes until I had enough money to put inside an envelope with a few cereal box tops to fulfill my dream of flying.  I asked Mom to send away for a super-duper Superman cape with the letter ‘S’ embossed on it.

This “deal of a lifetime” as I saw it, was advertised on the back of the cereal box that Mom set out for me one morning.  Something bothered me.  I had to get my order in before supplies ran out.  Was I too late?  Superman was my favorite super-hero in the comic books I thumbed through.

When the cape finally arrived that I thought may never come, I immediately opened the long-awaited package.  “At last, I can fly” I uttered to myself.  I quickly tied the cape around my neck and headed out the door to climb on top of the roof.  Mom was inside cooking dinner and was not privy to what I had in mind.

I figured if Superman could fly with his cape, I could do likewise now that I had one of my own.  You would think I should have learned my lesson the time I jumped off the roof clutching Mom’s open umbrella, but this present venture was different.  I would be like Superman; able to leap tall buildings in a single bound.

Thank God we didn’t live in a two-story house.  Though things failed to turn out the way I expected, I was still in one piece but determined to fly one day.  Even in my dreams I would find myself running down hills with my arms outstretched, lifting my feet, and soaring into the wild blue yonder.

Having the innocence of a child’s thought process, I wondered if God would some day give me a pair of wings, like His angels, when I went to heaven.

In my quest and imagination to fly, I bought ten cent Balsa-wood airplanes at the 5 & 10 cent store down the street from where we lived.  When the money waned, I folded paper airplanes and flew them off my grandparents’ two-story balcony at the back of their house that overlooked a gentle-sloping hill.  We lived across the street from them.  I watched my handmade creations soar forever as it seemed, wishing I could do the same. 

One Sunday afternoon my parents and I visited my other grandparents in a nearby city, a bedroom community close to where we lived.  I walked in the front door and Grandpa John, as I called him, greeted me with his favorite saying, “Hi kid!  You’re fine how am I?”  He then hugged me, and I sat next to him to watch television.

It was exciting for me, because we didn’t have a “boob-tube” as they were called back then.  Suddenly, I couldn’t believe my eyes!  I watched intently as a man ran down a steep hill hanging onto what looked like a huge bed sheet that resembled the toy kites I enjoyed flying.

As he built up speed, he lifted his feet (like I did in my dreams) and began to sour like an eagle!  Grandpa called the bed sheet a hang glider.  It was literally a dream come true!  I told him that I was going to do that someday.  I figured I wouldn’t have to wait until I got to heaven to fly like angels.

Years passed.  Married now with three teenage kids at home, my wife and I were driving down the coast to enjoy a day in Monterey, California.  As we drew closer to the city, I glanced out the passenger’s window toward the ocean and spotted something I remembered seeing on Grandpa John’s television set.

Two hang gliders were crisscrossing back and forth as they soared above the sandy beach on the morning breeze blowing in from the ocean.  I took a quick detour to get a closer look at my lifelong dream.  To my surprise, I discovered at that location an independent company was providing lessons on how to fly hang gliders for a nominal fee.

Yes, I took eight assisted flights that day on the large beach at the edge of the ocean.  Two men ran along on each side of me toward the ocean with ropes tethered to the triangle-shaped airfoil called a delta wing.  They prevented me from flying too high, while helping me control the flight.

I was now enthralled with flying more than ever before.  I was hooked.  Later that week I enrolled in a class that specialized in training and licensing people that wanted to hang glide.  The company was located closer to home in Milpitas, California.

For the next few Saturdays, I took 20 more solo flights on their training hill outside the City of Hollister, California.  It took two and a half hours to drive from my house to the site, but the experience was worth every mile I drove there.

The company supplied the hang glider I trained on.  28 flights were now under my belt including the 8 flights at Sand City near Monterey.  I was in ‘hog heaven’ to say the least.  That Saturday I was going to receive my Tear-1 pilot’s license for completing the course.

My 28^th flight was perfect in every way.  I maintained full control of the aircraft, having confidence that I knew how to operate and fly hang gliders.  The energy of the flight was declining as I began to descend.  A few feet off the ground I prepared to land at the bottom of the hill when something unexpected was about to take place.

I flared the delta wing to touch down, while feeling ecstatic with my accomplishments.  What happened next was certainly bad luck, but in my case, it was blind luck.  Of all the places I chose to land, sadly, it was in an area where ground squirrels had dug out their burrows. 

I didn’t see or anticipate what was about to happen; it was too late.  My right foot sank deep into one of the open holes as I collapsed in excruciating pain.  My dream of obtaining a pilot’s license flew out the window that day. 

The goal I wanted to achieve was shattered in a moment of agony when my ankle twisted and the glider fell on top of me, adding weight to an already bad situation.  The results of the X-ray revealed that my ankle was not broken as I had anticipated, it was a very bad sprain that laid me up for several months.  I was told that sprains can be worse than broken bones in some cases.

A while after my recovery I began to feel the urge to once again take the class and complete my training to secure the pilot’s license.  Thinking about it now, it reminds me of that hardheaded kid that attempted to fly with his mom’s umbrella.  Not giving into failure, he was willing to try again to fly with a cape he purchased.

Someone had other ideas with more sense than me, with regards to flying off cliffs and perhaps leaving this world forever.  After all, I would be subject to the wind, at its mercy.  What if I encountered a downdraft, then what?

My wife, in a calm, yet stern voice, having a stiff upper lip said the following three words to me: “When pigs fly.”  I knew what that meant.  It’s an adverb, meaning ‘never’.  You know what they say, “Happy wife, happy life.” 

That was the end of my flying adventures, because I didn’t want her to worry about me.  But I flew!  It was the fulfillment of a lifelong dream.  I was happy that my childhood desire was satisfied. 

After analyzing the accident, I concluded that my misfortune may have saved my life sometime in the future.  I figured if I got hurt that badly on a good flight, what would happen on a bad flight?

God gets the glory out of situations that we sometimes think are negative in nature and not going our way, hence the accident.  God knows best.

(Psalm 37:23), “The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord, and He delights in his way.”   

(Jeremiah 29:11), “For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, says the Lord, thoughts of peace and not of evil, to give you a future and a hope.”

On a day that is soon to come, I will take one more flight into the wild blue yonder to meet Jesus in the clouds of glory.  It will be the flight of all flights when I and all my loved ones, with those that are born-again Believers, will rise into heaven when Jesus returns for all of God’s children.

We will be caught up in the blink of an eye to meet the Lord in the air.  Gravity will no longer have the power to restrain us from flying.  It’s the flight I’ve been planning for my entire Christian life.  It is the hope of every Christian; the promise from God to those that gave their heart to Him, having their sins forgiven.

Living for eternity in heaven is the promise.  In that I accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, I would like to think that He blessed me with my pilot’s license after all, because of His death on the cross.  He gave His life freely so that we could take that final flight with Him to heaven.

(1 Thessalonians 4:17), “Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air.  And thus, we shall always be with the Lord.”

www.wordsfrompapa.blogspot.com

Written by,

Papa Boyd