Roscoe's Ramblings...

[Roscoe]

 Well....we don't have a lot of traffic here anymore. And I've been thinking about blogging. But- I know nothing about doing so, and here is a perfect place with most of the people that "get" me anyway. And there's times that I want to write whatever is on my mind...so, I figure I shall inflict you guys. If ya don't like it, don't look.
And someday if I do begin to blog, I will steal what I post from here. And advance notice- This won't be as deep and super spiritual as, say, "Mini's Musings" would be. I don't have his chops with the Word yet, and although dear Galoot has uplifted me and caused me to look deep in myself, I am not as godly as he- yet. And no, I don't mean that in any way other than the truth. So- onward with the first post.
                                                                     FACEBOOK
Recently, I was told by a pastor friend of mine, half jokingly, half criticizing, that I "never post any God things" on Facebook. He went on to say that my postings were mostly about my truck, and my family, leaving him to wonder about where God was in my life. I was gobsmacked.
This man has known me since I was 12. There's no way he doesn't know my feelings on pretty much any subject. And after the gobsmack, I got a little ill- and convicted. Then, I settled into reviewing what all I post there. He was right in what I post. BUT- I don't feel convicted at all now. I'll explain... but before I do, let me clarify. My pastor friend was not mean spirited or judgmental, and my observations are not in anyway an attack on him or anyone else. In fact, I appreciate his comments because they caused me to take a long look at myself, and we all need that sometimes.
Social media is a relatively new phenomenon that has occupied nearly everyone to some degree. I started into the world of Social Media way back in MySpace days, didn't do much with it, then signed up to facebook when all of my friends did. But my page is a little different.
See, I work in a very political environment. If I post bashing of Democrats, and one gets elected to be my boss, I have possibly posted my way out of a job. Same thing about Republicans. So- 1) I don't do politics.
Social issues are usually tied closely to politics. Thus, I avoid them. For example, two that are sweeping the nation right now-
Gay marriage-  When the recent Supreme Court decision opened up gay marriage, I didn't post a thing. Nor did I rush to unfriend my friends that celebrated and changed their profiles, despite my personal feelings on the matter. First of all, everyone that knows me has a pretty good idea of where I stand.  If they have doubt, look at what God's word says, and you'll find me struggling to obey it and agree with it. I say struggling, because I'm human.
  And secondly- there is a world of hurting people out there. Some of them may be gay, some may be just observing me and other Christians. If I post that "Bless God, the Bible says you are going to hell", it might be true- but I can promise you that if I get obnoxious about presenting it, I will have destroyed any chance I ever have to reach for them in love. See- I don't hate gays. I hate the sin. I want to see them repent, and turn from their sin. Just like I want the man or woman in adultery, or the fornicating teen, or the thief, to repent and turn from their sin. and whatever I can do to help this, and further the Kingdom of God, I want to do.
I never want to be a stumbling block for a sinner, or, for that matter, a saint. I will stand up for what I believe, but not with a bad attitude.
Rebel Flag- Lord, have mercy. Firstly- I am a southern boy. I grew up with Rebel flags. My seatcover when I was 17 was a Rebel flag. My CB handle- remember them?- was "Rebel".  To me that flag represents sweet tea, hot summer evenings and weekends, cruising with my friends (black and white) and all that comes with being a Southern Redneck kid. It has zero racism attached to it for me, and I'd fly it in a heartbeat because of what it represents to me. But I don't.
Why? Because what to me represents a life of growing up southern, fiercely independent, hard working and self sufficient, represents something else to at least one of my best friends and brothers, who happens to be black. He sees it- and I know this because he and I have discussed it- as what it became. Hijacked by the KKK, representing slavery and Jim Crow, the flag to him is a slap in the face to his people.
There's a verse in the bible that comes to mind-  Proverbs 18:19 " A brother offended is harder to be won than a strong city: and their contentions are like the bars of a castle. "
If I ignore his feelings, I may never win him to Christ. It does me no harm to avoid flying the flag, even though I don't think removing it is going to change anything, except stir up more hate. And my job is not to wave a flag or aggressively push my feelings. My job is to win him.
And back to what started this post...You don't see a lot of Bible verses and quotes on my Facebook. Why? Am I ashamed of God, and my beliefs? Lord, no. Not in the least.  Facebook is for me a way for me to interact with people I rarely if ever see, as well as those I see daily. I hope to lighten up or cheer up their day, so I'll post what to me is humorous or thoughtful, and brag about my kiddo and my hobbies.
But I hope that those who know me know my Christianity runs far deeper than a facebook post. I hope that the life I live, in and of itself, speaks more than a verse I've copied and pasted. Because I will tell you, I have heard some humdingers when it comes to sermons- then watched as the person that preached/quoted it acted as ungodly as they could be.
I've saw people post bible verse after bible verse- then ten minutes later share a post with obscene language and hate. No thank you..
James 3:9
9 Therewith bless we God, even the Father; and therewith curse we men, which are made after the similitude of God.
10 Out of the same mouth proceedeth blessing and cursing. My brethren, these things ought not so to be.
11 Doth a fountain send forth at the same place sweet water and bitter?
12 Can the fig tree, my brethren, bear olive berries? either a vine, figs? so can no fountain both yield salt water and fresh.

So you might see the occasional verse, if it speaks to me and I feel like I need to put it out. But don't count on a lot. I try- emphasis on try- to live my sermon every day, with the help of God;Psalms 51:10 "Create in me a clean heart, O God; and renew a right spirit within me."
And there, my friends, is Roscoe's Ramblings for the day, a conglomerate of the thoughts I have running through my twisted mind today. God Bless.- Roscoe

[The Purple Fuzzy]

I agree. For me, FB is a more lighthearted place. Most heavy posts won't do any good anyway. Also, I don't think folks need to post all their business on there to be twisted and possibly used against them later.

[Lynx]

Some good thoughts here, and not just about Facebook. To coin a phrase... :like:

I knew there was some reason I kept this guy as a friend. 

[sunlight]

:like:

[Roscoe]

Something that's been bothering me lately-
I have been raised in an Apostolic church all of my life. I've saw people come and go, play with God, and get serious with Him. I've saw His powers on full display, saw miracles happen and impossible situations lined out.
And I've saw people walk away from Him. But never like I have saw recently. See, I remember growing up in a church where people would come in, pray through, and stay. They had a LIFE-CHANGING experience with God. Even the people who backslid at least made an effort to live for Him for a while.
But as of late, I have witnessed a number of people come into a church, have an incredible experience with God- and walk out, never to return. They seem to have had a one night stand with God.
I understand getting weak, letting your prayer life go, and growing cold- I've done that, shamefully. But even in my coldest place I couldn't escape the relationship with God. You see, my encounter with God was life changing. It wasn't a casual encounter with God.
So I don't understand how someone can encounter God, speak in tongues and be delivered, then go immediately back to the past. Yet time and again recently I've saw this happen, even in my home church. The first time, I blamed myself. Maybe we didn't reach enough for them.
But when the next one did the same, even with follow up calls and contact- well, what else can a Christian do?
All I can hope is that somehow, sometime in their life when it falls apart- and it will, without God- is that they remember their "one night stand" and turn it into a real relationship. That they will somehow realize that God desires and demands a total commitment relationship, not a casual relationship.
For those of you that were kind enough to NOT surprise me the other night and being tortured by my speaking- I had a thought the other day that bothered me. A casual relationship with God- what's wrong with it?
Being a definition geek, I went looking for definitions, and this is one I found:Casual 2. without definite or serious intention; careless or offhand;
I always liked "Casual". Casual Fridays, casual dress, casual conversation- anyone that knows me, knows that I am decidedly NOT formal. Casual suits me.
But lord, after reading that definition- Casual has become a curse word for me. Lord, I don't want a careless or offhand relationship with Him.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
I want to do everything in my walk with Him with all my might- not casually.
Please Lord, let me have an intimate relationship with You, not a casual encounter... and may I be an example for those who have had a casual encounter, that I might help them grow their walk with Him to a lasting relationship.
-Roscoe

[Lynx]

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." - C. S. Lewis

I know it's Bob's thread, but the quote fit so well I had to post it.

[Roscoe]

"Christianity, if false, is of no importance, and if true, of infinite importance. The only thing it cannot be is moderately important." - C. S. Lewis

I know it's Bob's thread, but the quote fit so well I had to post it.

Wish we had a *like* button...

[sunlight]

For those of you that were kind enough to NOT surprise me the other night and being tortured by my speaking- I had a thought the other day that bothered me. A casual relationship with God- what's wrong with it?
Being a definition geek, I went looking for definitions, and this is one I found:Casual 2. without definite or serious intention; careless or offhand;
I always liked "Casual". Casual Fridays, casual dress, casual conversation- anyone that knows me, knows that I am decidedly NOT formal. Casual suits me.
But lord, after reading that definition- Casual has become a curse word for me. Lord, I don't want a careless or offhand relationship with Him.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
I want to do everything in my walk with Him with all my might- not casually.
Please Lord, let me have an intimate relationship with You, not a casual encounter... and may I be an example for those who have had a casual encounter, that I might help them grow their walk with Him to a lasting relationship.
-Roscoe

So glad you posted this... Have been trying to remember these exact words... I do have to say I like(respect) you a lot better after hearing your heart in preaching finally.

[Roscoe]

For those of you that were kind enough to NOT surprise me the other night and being tortured by my speaking- I had a thought the other day that bothered me. A casual relationship with God- what's wrong with it?
Being a definition geek, I went looking for definitions, and this is one I found:Casual 2. without definite or serious intention; careless or offhand;
I always liked "Casual". Casual Fridays, casual dress, casual conversation- anyone that knows me, knows that I am decidedly NOT formal. Casual suits me.
But lord, after reading that definition- Casual has become a curse word for me. Lord, I don't want a careless or offhand relationship with Him.
Ecclesiastes 9:10 Whatsoever thy hand findeth to do, do [it] with thy might; for [there is] no work, nor device, nor knowledge, nor wisdom, in the grave, whither thou goest.
I want to do everything in my walk with Him with all my might- not casually.
Please Lord, let me have an intimate relationship with You, not a casual encounter... and may I be an example for those who have had a casual encounter, that I might help them grow their walk with Him to a lasting relationship.
-Roscoe

So glad you posted this... Have been trying to remember these exact words... I do have to say I like(respect) you a lot better after hearing your heart in preaching finally.

In all honesty, preaching is difficult for me. Not just the speaking part, but I'm very self-aware, if that makes sense, of my faults and limitations. And I fear that I don't always show what I actually feel in my heart, my relationship with God, in preaching. If I could speak what I feel in my messages when I am alone, I'd be a lot less self conscious.
I also have had problems identifying myself as a minister. Maybe because my Dad's view of many ministers was that they did it to avoid working, I don't know, but it's hard for me to claim that title when I see "real" ministers like Mini and my pastor, and I know I don't measure up. 'Tis just a piece of battle that I have to overcome. Total transparency there. And thanks for everything- you and Robbie's prayers and friendship means the world to me.

[Lynx]

The only reason you don't think you measure up is because you know your faults better than you know ours.  You knew my faults, you wouldn't feel half so bad about yours.

Not that I'm going to tell you mine... just saying.

[Roscoe]

The only reason you don't think you measure up is because you know your faults better than you know ours.  You knew my faults, you wouldn't feel half so bad about yours.

Not that I'm going to tell you mine... just saying.

Probably true.

[sunlight]

Maybe the fact that you are not worthy is what makes it possible for God to use you and speak through you...

[The Purple Fuzzy]

I agree. As long as Saul was small in his own sight he did ok, then he got proud...

[Backseat Radio]

Just read the post about Facebook last night and I agree with your assessment of what's appropriate on a social media forum. 

I quit Facebook myself about a year ago after my preacher issued me a challenge to ditch Facebook for a time because of how it was effecting me.  I cried over deleting my account at the time but getting away from there was the best thing for me.

[Roscoe]

Preached at by a bucket of Bondo....

As anyone who knows me knows, my stress relief/hobby is working on old cars. I hesitate to say "Restore" old cars, since nothing ever seems to get finished, but I mostly leave them better off than I when I found them.  I do a little work  here, let it sit for a bit, do a little more....it's not unusual for there to be months between my efforts.
For instance, I have a spare fender for my '52 Chevy (Sam the 52) that I have been sanding and bodyworking for around 8 months. I figure I'll have that fender pretty and shiny in around another year, and we will move to the next one.

 My daughter influenced me to drag in a '79 Corvette for her first car. It runs good, but of course needs paint. I'm not great at this, and not really fond of it, although I can use a spray gun passible. What I hate about it is that it takes so much time sanding and getting the body ready for paint.
 See, you can spend thousands on paint, get the best materials, and lay it on so perfectly, but if the surface underneath is not prepared properly, it will not look right and will not last. As soon as it is stressed, the paint will began to crack and peel, and it will look worse than it did before you started.

There is a spiritual parallel, I think. Too many Christians focus on the outside, and the appearance. But let me tell you, no matter how good an image you present, no matter how holy you appear, if you don't let the Spirit do the work on the INSIDE, as soon as you are stressed, the image will crack, and your outcome will be worse than when you began.
2 Peter 2:20
"For if after they have escaped the pollutions of the world through the knowledge of the Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ, they are again entangled therein, and overcome, the latter end is worse with them than the beginning.
21 For it had been better for them not to have known the way of righteousness, than, after they have known it, to turn from the holy commandment delivered unto them."
They know the right things to do. But if there is not an internal change, one that stays, one that genuinely changes the base, it is only a matter of time before the cracks appear.

 Having said that, what got me pondering today was a bucket of Bondo. Due to the current state of affairs in our nation, I find myself unable to take the vacation I had planned, and have a bit of "free" time to putter in the shop, as long as my sweet wife doesn't discover that I have nothing that HAS to be done.
Shop supplies I have, so out I go, and spend some time, just me and the good lord, sanding on the daughter's Corvette, and thinking about God and life in general. I find myself at a stopping point on the Corvette, and turn my attention to the fender I mentioned earlier. I have the intention of having it ready for primer, so I can use it to practice my painting technique on, since it will be easier to repaint a fender than mess up the Corvette.
 I've massaged most all of the dents out of the fender, and all that is needed is a skim coat of body filler to level everything out.  For those that don't know, body filler is a two part mixture a bit of concoction "A", a thin ribbon of Hardener, mixed to a uniform color, and you are good to go.
The deal is though, it begins to harden fairly quickly, so it has to be applied immediately. Ideally, you can spread it quickly and smoothly, and when it is hardened completely, go back and sand it down, maybe use a bit of glazing putty, and it'll be ready for primer.
I applied a bit of it, but then kept working it, thinking I could get it just a bit smoother... yep, I messed with it just too long, and what would have done nicely had to be sanded completely off and redone.
 It was like God spoke to me then...."If you would have stopped messing with things, it would be ready for the next step now. If you will get your hands out of the things you have CLAIMED to leave in My hands, the situation will be ready for the next step."
Too many times we tell God, "I leave this in Your hands". But when we don't like the way things are going, when we don't think things are going in the direction WE want them to go in, we run in and put our hands in the mix.
It always makes things worse.
There used to be a saying I'd hear old saints say- "Let go and let God". Oh, that we could learn this. That we could learn to totally trust Him and know that He has the situation well under control.
My favorite bible verse of late says this:
Jeremiah 29:11
For I know the thoughts that I think toward you, saith the LORD, thoughts of peace, and not of evil, to give you an expected end.

 In this time of turmoil and trouble, it is time for we Christians to leave the situations of our lives in the Hands of the One who created all things, the One who loves us above and beyond our greatest imagination.

Luke 12: 6 Are not five sparrows sold for two farthings, and not one of them is forgotten before God?
7 But even the very hairs of your head are all numbered. Fear not therefore: ye are of more value than many sparrows.

Job said , in his time of need, a time when he could not even find God:
 Job 23:8 Behold, I go forward, but he is not there; and backward, but I cannot perceive him:
9 On the left hand, where he doth work, but I cannot behold him: he hideth himself on the right hand, that I cannot see him:
10 But he knoweth the way that I take: when he hath tried me, I shall come forth as gold.

Stand tall. Let Him where you can't see, and come out of this trial like gold.