HAND TO THE PLOW...AGAIN

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

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

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

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

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

The first verse states:

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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



FINAL THOUGHTS...FINALLY...

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

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

IT'S A RUMINATIN' NEW YEAR: 2009

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

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

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

When you have the : assurance (the confirmation, the title-deed) of the things [we] hope for (confident expectation)...being the proof of things [we]do not see and the conviction of their reality--faith PERCEIVING AS REAL FACT...what is not REVEALED TO THE SENSES (Hebrews 11:1)...you place your self in a position of PLEASING GOD...by (1) coming to God
(2) believing that God exist (3) believing that God is a rewarder (4) and diligently seeking Him versus passively inquiring about Him (Hebrews 11:6) Little d don't like that (bad English... good theology).

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

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

HOW TO DEAL WITH TEMPTATION, SIN, AND THE FLESH

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

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

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


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

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

RECOMMENDED MATERIALS

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

2. A three ring binder note book.

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

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

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

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

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

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

HAND TO THE PLOW

Hello fellow CULTIVATORS. How's your fields?

In Psalm 37...in the face of evildoers and wrongdoers...who look like they are getting away with murder...while we can't catch a break while we are doing the right thing...we are called to..."Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land... and CULTIVATE FAITHFULNESS." (Psalm 37:3) NOTE: If you read the entire chapter and circle the verbs that we are expected to do...you will see that you do NOT have to sit back with your arms folded while the situations, circumstances of life run over you.

The world is our field...and we are called to CULTIVATE as we CELEBRATE.

CULTIVATE: (1) To prepare soil for the raising of crops; to loosen or break up the soil. (2) to foster the growth of; to improve by labor, care or study.

TILLAGE: Preparing soil by digging up soil for fostering growth.

If you look at the picture in the lower left hand corner...if you look closely you will see the me with my hand to the tiller...tillaging...cultivating soil.

If you don't keep your eye on the row...if you are looking around at what is revolving around you...or if you LOOK BACK...you will be off course...with crooked rows.

Paul Clark...(see the lower right hand corner of the collage)...recorded an album called HAND TO THE PLOW. The picture of the hand to the plow...is his Grandfather's hands.

The song was a progressive...rock/jazz fused song that was...and still is a song that helps to keep me on track.

I've felt the pressures of temptation
I've heard the breathing lies of acc-u-sa-tions
I know the world can be distracting
But if I keep one foot there...I'm just acting

Well I can't think of a reason why I should look back
And I don't intend to start now
Gonna set my face like flint to Jesus and His Word
Yes, I'm keeping my HAND TO THE PLOW

I've felt the the weight of condemnation
And how the devil twists my situation
My brother, if you feel defeated
Let me remind you friend that you've been cheated

Well I can't think of a reason why I should LOOK BACK
And I don't intend to start now
Gonna set my face like flint to Jesus and His Word
Yes, I'm keeping my HAND TO THE PLOW

Temptations...are designed not necessarily to pull you into some gross sin (however that may be one of the outcomes)...but temptation is designed to PULL YOU AWAY FROM WHO YOUR REALLY ARE. The cultivation process is to (1) Submit yourself to God (2) Resist the devil (3) Be lifted up at the proper time.

No matter how much pressure you are to stray away from who you are in Him...no matter how many lies and accusations the enemy breathes out to you...no matter how distracted you are by the world and their swirling circumstances...no matter how much the enemy tries to condemn you for your past, present and future sins...now matter how much the enemy twists the truth...no matter how low and defeated you feel...know that YOU'VE BEEN CHEATED...SET YOUR FACE LIKE FLINT... keep your eyes ON THE WORD OF GOD...KEEP YOUR HAND ON THE PLOW.

Cultivation...is sweaty work...but the fruit of your labor...will be SWEET.

"But the humble will inherit the land, and delight themselves in abundant prosperity." (Psalm 37:11)

Love and Rock Solid Kisses
Rodney "Farmer Boy" Boyd