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

OF SOWERS,SEEDS,AND SOIL

Salutations Oh Ye Saints and Sinners. I find myself falling in both categories at times...that would make me a Sainner.

Jesus was a wonderful teacher who would relate spiritual truths of The Kingdom with comparisons that the common man could relate to. He used what was known as parables. One of the parables used was known as The Parable Of The Sower. His disciples came to Him after he had taught a group using the Parable of the Sower. They began asking Him about the parables. "He was saying to them, To you has been given the MYSTERY OF THE KINGDOM OF GOD; but to those who are OUTSIDE get everything in PARABLES." (Mark 4:10-11) Jesus then gave the reason, why He spoke in parables..."IN ORDER that while seeing, they may see and NOT perceive...and while hearing, they may hear and NOT understand lest they return again and be forgiven."
(Mark 4:12) That on the surface is an odd statement...but the things... the mysteries of the Kingdom of God...are not toys to be played with and then discarded...they are not like pearls that are cast before swine...where the swine turn around and run you down. They (mysteries of the Kingdom) are for those who are sincere in their faith. Those who will hunger and thirst for the things of God.

Jesus then questions them..."Do you not UNDERSTAND THIS PARABLE? And how will you UNDERSTAND ALL THE PARABLES?"
(Mark 4:13) Remember...Jesus spoke in many parables. He implies here that the key to understanding them lies with understanding this parable. Let's take a look and see what's to understand...so we can unlock other KINGDOM PARABLES.

The first character is the SOWER. The sower is the one who goes out into the fields...and BROADCASTS, scatters...SOWS this thing called the SEED.

Jesus begins to speak of the things that would HINDER the seed from PRODUCING what it was designed to grow.

He mentions 4 types of SOIL.

(1) Packed Soil/The Road (2) Rocky or Stony soil (3) Thorny soil (good soil). Each of the 3 soils had a quality about them that would hinder the seed from doing what it was designed to do...produce. The GOOD SOIL would produce.

In Jesus' explanation of the parable He identifies the various components.

1. The Sower: This could be the Father, the one who speaks the Word.

2. The Soil: This is the heart of the one who receives the Word.

3. The Seed: This is the Word of God
I have often wondered why there would be such an attack on the SEED/WORD in the life of the believer. It is amazing to me...that as powerful as the WORD is...that it can be made of none effect in our lives. The mustard seed...the smallest seed...can be planted and a tree can grow to house birds of the air.
Our faith only has to be the size of a grain of mustard seed...but even that can be hindered. Why is there so much OPPOSITION of the SEED/WORD being planted in the SOIL/HEART. Because FAITH comes by HEARING...and HEARING by the WORD OF GOD. The reason for the opposition is the devil knows that if the WORD/SEED is planted in our SOIL/HEART...the FAITH COMES...and if we are men and women of FAITH...we are a tremendous THREAT to the kingdom of the devil. We will become men and women of FAITH that will PRODUCE/BE CARRIERS of the KINGDOM OF GOD (righteousness, peace and joy in the Holy Ghost)...here on earth as it is in heaven...and the gates of hell shall not prevail. No seed...No faith...No threat.

As disciples/believers...we have the ability and authority to deal with the things that would pollute our soil and make it GOOD SOIL

In the parable...the soil types are defined:

1. Beside the road: The seed/word is sown...the birds..aka the devil. The devil comes and snatches the word heard immediately.

2. Rocky/Stony: The seed/word is sown...the word is heard and immediately received with joy...but it has NO FIRM ROOT in themselves and AFFLICTIONS/PERSECUTIONS arise because of the word...and they immediately FALL AWAY.

3. Among the Thorns: The seed/word is sown...the word is heard...and the WORRIES OF THE WORLD and the DECEITFULNESS OF RICHES and the DESIRES FOR OTHER THINGS enter in...and CHOKE the WORD ...and it (the Word) becomes UNFRUITFUL.

The final SOIL is GOOD SOIL. Of course the good soil is free of packed ground, rock, thorny soil. In Luke 8...the good soil is defined as..." the ones who have heard the word/seed...in an HONEST...and GOOD HEART...and HOLD FAST...and BEAR FRUIT...with PERSEVERANCE. (Luke 8:15)

In Psalm 37:3...we are encouraged to...in the face of evildoers and wrongdoers...to trust in the Lord...do good...and CULTIVATE faithfulness. The word cultivate means to feed securely or feed on His faithfulness. In our soil we need to cultivate...weed out thorns, pick out rocks, shew away birds, and fertilize our soil (1) be honest (2) hold fast (3) persevere. This will insure GOOD SOIL...that will produce 30 fold, 60 fold, and 100 fold.

In John 15...we are encouraged to keep hooked into the branch (Jesus) and the branches (us) will BEAR FRUIT. The amount will be dependent on how we allow the vine dresser (The Father) as He takes away...lifts us up out of the mud...washes us off...ties us closer to the branch...and prunes us (cuts away the useless stuff). The amount of fruit production is (1) No fruit (2) Some fruit (3) More fruit (4) Much fruit. Much like our parable of the sower/seed/soil...Fruit production/crop production is the WILL OF GOD IN OUR LIVES.

I recently was going through some rough times mentally, emotionally, spiritually. I wrote Bruce Coble...and vented...and he called me...and did the Bruce thing (aka encouragement). In the encouragement...he pointed me back to the Word of God...and specifically told me to read Mark 4... and then asked me to tell him...which soil did I think that I was. I ask you the same question. Whatever you are going through...what soil are you. Do you need to cultivate the soil...and then PERSEVERE.


Love and "Happy Fruit/Crop Bearing" Kisses
Rodney "Fertilized" Boyd