SEED THIEVES

Greetings Seed Planters and Harvest Reapers...how's da crop?

Last night in the HEALING 101 class, we were talking about renewing the mind...changing the way we view and think about healing...by renewing our minds with the washing of the water of the Word of God. Part of the lesson was based out of Pro-Verbs (Positive-Action) 4:20-27

We were seeing how there was a need to give attention, incline our ears, keep our eyes focused and keep the WORDS and SAYINGS of the father. The cause and effect of doing this would be (1) life (2) health/medicine to all their flesh (3) issues of life springing out of the heart.

In Pro-Verbs 4:21,23 that we are to KEEP these WORDS/SAYINGS in our HEARTS and to KEEP them with ALL DILIGENCE.

KEEP: Shamar (shaw-mar)= A primitive root; properly to HEDGE ABOUT (as with thorns), that is GUARD; to PROTECT, ATTEND, PRESERVE.

In Mark 4:1-20 and Luke 8:4-15 is what is known as the Parable Of The Sower/Seed/Soil. The common thread throughout the parable is the sower...is sowing the seed...into the soil. What changes is the condition of the soil. There is (1) soil by the wayside (2) soil with stony ground
(3) soil with thorns (4) good soil.

In each soil...the SEED was the target of difficulties in TAKING ROOT.

NOTE: This picture is of one of my favorite albums by Barry McGuire (Eve of Destruction)...SEEDS.

Jesus identifies the SOIL...as our HEARTS. The SEED is identified as THE WORD OF GOD.

Jesus identifies the SEED THEIVES as: (1) birds=satan (2) scorching sun= tribulation, persecution (3) thorns= the cares of this world; the deceitfulness of riches, the desire for other things.

These identified thieves...either steal, cause to stumble, and chokes out the SEED/WORD. The cause and effect of all of these thieves...there is NO ROOT...and NO FRUITFUL PRODUCTION.


WHY? Why would these thieves want to steal this seed, scorch this seed, choke this seed. Well...if the SEED is THE WORD...and...FAITH comes by hearing...and hearing by the WORD OF GOD...IF the seed is stolen, scorched, choked out...then FAITH won't come...and without FAITH it is IMPOSSIBLE TO PLEASE GOD. (Romans 10:17; Hebrews 11:1; Hebrews 11:6; II Corinthians 5:7; Romans 1:12; Romans 1:17; Habakkuk 2:4; Hebrews 10:38; Galatians 3:11; Galatians 5:6)

IF you want good fruit production and harvest...you need to KEEP...GUARD...CULTIVATE the HEART/SOIL and the SEED/WORD. The GOOD SOIL...are those who (1)heard the word (2) heard with a noble and good heart (3) keep the word (4) bear fruit with patience. (Luke 8:15) The cause and effect is bearing and yielding a crop that (1) sprang up (2) increased (3) produced 30, 60, 100 fold.

That's WHY it is so important to hide the WORD/SEED in our HEARTS/SOIL...and then GUARD IT...KEEP IT...DILIGENTLY SEED A HEDGE OF THORNS around it...so the SEED THIEVES can't get in...and steak, scorch, and choke the WORD making it of no effect in our lives.

One good way to do this is the TOPICAL MEMORY SYSTEM...by THE NAVIGATORS, where you can systematically memorize/store the Word of God in a renewed mind, and store it in your hearts.

FINAL THOUGHT...FINALLY

"How can a young man keep his way pure...by keeping it ACCORDING TO THY WORD...Thy WORD have I HID/TREASURED in my HEART/SOIL...that I might not SIN AGAINST THEE" (Psalm 119:9,11)

"My son...GIVE ATTENTION to my WORDS...INCLINE your ear to my SAYINGS. Do not LET/ALLOW them (words and sayings) DEPART from your eyes. KEEP (guard) THEM (words and sayings) in the midst of your HEART/SOIL. For they (words and sayings) are LIFE to those who find them and HEALTH/MEDICINE to all their flesh. KEEP (guard) them (words and sayings) WITH ALL DILIGENCE...for out of it (HEART/SOIL) spring/flows the ISSUES OF LIFE." (Pro-Verbs 4:1-23)

Love and Protective Kisses
Rodney "The Farmer In The Dell" Boyd

BIRD ATTACK

Hello Bird Lovers...Back in the 1950's and 1960's...there was a place that I use to go just about every Saturday (more in the 60's than the 50's)...where I could lose myself in the convolutions of my imagination...THE PRINCESS THEATER. Where else could you go and see an absented minded professor fly a FLUBBER mobile...a magical coin become powerful by uttering the words ZOTS...or Hercules performing mighty feats of strength while Jason and the Argonauts met with Cyclops. It was at THE PRINCESS THEATER that I would sit and watch the movie A HARD DAYS NIGHT starring a little known rock and roll band from England called THE BEATLES. What was strange was...I could not hear the movie for the girls screaming. Saturday afternoons you could get in for a double feature...and sit and watch it again and again and again...and not get asked to leave. Milk Duds...popcorn...cokes...Sugar Daddy's...Chocolate Covered Peanuts...seeing friends...girls you liked...and oh yes...ELVIS MOVIES. I remember in 1965...standing in a line for the movie TICKLE ME...that wound down the street...past the Post Office (later the library)...curving around and extending down the block. On the side of the theater there was a large billboard advertising the coming movies. I remember one day...passing by the theater in 1964...and seeing a gigantic billboard advertising the latest Elvis movie...ROUSTABOUT. Elvis straddles across a motorcycle...looking back... and the promise of a rocking good time. Wow...what sweet memories. Oh yes...there was that little thing called RACISM...where the "coloreds" had their own entrance and designated area to sit...upstairs in the balcony...behind the white people...and separate drinking fountains and separate access to the candy counter. Some call it the "good old days"...but that part of the "good old days"...were really the "bad old days."

It was in 1963...that I went to see an Alfred Hitchcock movie called...THE BIRDS. It was a movie based on a novelette by Daphne Du Maurier...aka Lady Browning. Ms Du Maurier also wrote other books that Alfred Hitchcock made into movies including...REBECCA...and JAMAICA INN. This movie was about...a quaint, little, quiet San Francisco town...whose peace was disturbed by a sudden uprising by BIRDS. They appeared...and began to attack the people from little children to old women...and everyone in between. The BIRDS did not discriminate with their attacks.

After the movie let out...I had to walk home down Maple Street that was surrounded by row after row of trees on each side of the street...lining the sidewalks like a parade. Guess what was hovering in those trees. You got it...what appeared to be hundreds...no...thousands...wait...tens of thousands of BIRDS....watching me take step by step...in an effort to get home before they could attack. Well...so much for imagination unrestrained. The only thing that may have happened... would be a little bird poop on my shirt (or did I imagine that also).

You may be asking yourself..."Self...why the Bird Blog?" Well...I'm glad you asked. The other day...I was driving down Rucker Lane...on the way to church...and I noticed a field of freshly planted SEEDS of some sort. At the time I did not know what the SEEDS were...but later found out it was soybeans. SIDE NOTE :(aka Bunny Trail)...growing up in the midst of the soy beans were scattered remnants of the old crop...corn. That got me to thinking about the parable of the WHEAT AND THE TARES...but that is for another Rambling...another time. BACK TO THE BIRDS: As I was thinking about the Princess Theater...and the movie THE BIRDS...I began to think about the BIRDS in my spiritual life since I accepted Jesus as my Lord and Saviour back in 1970. Various scriptures speak of if God provides for the fowls/birds of the air...will He not provide for you/me? In the Old Testament...ravens brought food...God sent quail for food. Back in the New Testament...God knows when one bird falls...again how much He cares for you.

One negative connotation of BIRDS...is found in THE PARABLE OF THE SOWER/SEED/SOIL (depending on how you view and read it). There are three places where this parable is told and explained...(1) Matthew 13:1-23 (2) Mark 4:1-20 (3) Luke 8:4-15

Now...this Ramblings is not meant to go into detail about this parable...that is for another time...but there are some common threads that deal with THE BIRD.

In all of the parables there are some common threads.

1. The SEED is the Word of God.
2. The SOIL is the heart.
3. The condition of the SOIL will determine the amount of production/fruit.

In Luke...the GOOD SOIL is defined in Luke 8:15..."And the SEED/WORD in the GOOD GROUND...these are the ones who have (1) heard the word in an
(2) honest and good heart (3) and hold it fast (4) and bear fruit (5) with perseverance/steadfastness

One of the attacks was by THE BIRDS. This was not just a random attack. It was not just an uprising of THE BIRDS like in the movie that was never explained. No...these attacks are thought out...well orchestrated...schemes. The BIRDS in all of the versions liken the BIRD ATTACKS to (1) the evil one (2) satan (3) the devil.

In the Matthew account it says..."the evil one comes and snatches away what has been sown in his heart."

In the Mark account it says..."...the word is sown...and when they hear...immediately satan comes...and takes away the word which has been sown in them."

In the Luke account it says..."then the devil comes and takes away the word from their heart...so that they may NOT BELIEVE and be SAVED."

This attack...this snatching....this taking away of the seed...the Word...is deliberate and malicious. This comes as no surprise to many who are aware of the devil...satan...the evil one...the liar...the stealer...the killer...the destroyer. We see in Ephesians 6:11-12..."Put on the full armour of God...that you may be able to STAND against the SCHEMES of the devil. For our STRUGGLE is not against FLESH and BLOOD ...but against (1) rulers (2) powers (3) world forces of this (present) darkness (4) spiritual forces of wickedness in the heavenly places (realm).

We see the nature of this WARFARE/BIRD ATTACK in II Corinthians 10:3-6..."For though we WALK IN THE FLESH (not flesh nature but the physical being)...we do not WAR ACCORDING TO THE FLESH...for the weapons of our WARFARE are not of the FLESH...but DIVINELY POWERFUL for the destruction of FORTRESSES. We are destroying speculations and every lofty thing raised up against the knowledge of God...and we are taking every THOUGHT captive to the obedience of Christ...and we are ready to punish all disobedience, whenever your obedience is complete."

This attack by the bird/satan...just like in the movie...wants to peck your eyes out so you cannot see. This is why we need to WALK BY FAITH...AND NOT BY SIGHT (II Corinthians 5:7)

The question still remains...why the attack on the SEED/WORD. Here is my humble opinion...

1. Faith comes by hearing...and hearing by the SEED/WORD of God. (Romans 10:17)
2. If you have faith..you will not be moved by what you see...hear...feel...you will only be moved by the Word that is real...the Word that
came to life...that came to me. Thanks and a Tip O Da Hat To Janny Grein for Covenant Woman (Hebrews 11:1)
3. The bird/devil/evil one...does not want the WORD OF GOD IN YOUR MOUTH (Romans 10:6-17)
4. If faith comes...and you begin to walk by faith and not by sight...you will PLEASE GOD...by coming to him...believing that He is...
believing that he is a rewarder of those who diligently seek Him and not be a passive inquirer. (Hebrews 11:6)
5. You are now a danger to the bird/devil/evil one.

NOTE: In the book by Frank Peretti...called THIS PRESENT DARKNESS...it is about how when a believer...begins to PRAY...he becomes a danger to the enemy...and the schemes are thwarted. As the enemy faces one of the characters in the book...he hisses out...Oh...it's you praying one."

FINAL THOUGHTS FINALLY

It is time for us to deal with the birds in our lives....protect that SEED/WORD. Keep going to the FEED MILL (gathering of believers) for some more SEED/WORD. Start CULTIVATING your SOIL on a regular bases...get rid of the WEEDS (cares of the world)...and begin to BEAR MUCH FRUIT.

Love and SEEDY Kisses
Rodney "GET OUTTA HERE BIRDS" Boyd

OF SOIL, SEED, ROOTS, FRUITS

Greetings and Salutations fellow gardeners, farmers, and cultivators...how does your garden grow?

In the beginning...there was a GARDEN...and it was GOOD. Man...and WOman were placed there with the authority to KEEP it...as good stewards of what God had trusted them with...and they gave it away with high treason. Disobedience was the ROOT of ORIGINAL CROP FAILURE. (Read Genesis1-3) This CROP FAILURE reverberated down through history to all man and womankind.

"Therefore, just as through one man (Adam) sin entered the world, and death through sin (cause and effect) and thus death spread to all men (that would be you and me), because ALL sinned." (Romans 5:12)

The soil of mankind was tainted...polluted...corrupted. The SOIL had to be recaptured. It was lost by one man...and one man regained it back for us.

"God the love of Christ compels us...because we judge thus...that if ONE (Jesus) DIED for ALL (that would be you and me)...then ALL DIED; and He (Jesus) DIED for ALL , that those who live should live no longer for themselves, but for Him who died for them and rose again." (II Corinthians 5:14,15)

"But now Christ is RISEN (D.B.R...NOTHING MORE, NOTHING LESS) from the dead, and has become the FIRSTFRUITS of those who have fallen asleep. For since by man (Adam) came DEATH (cause and effect)...by MAN (Jesus) also came the resurrection of the dead. For as in Adam all DIED (cause and effect)...even so IN CHRIST (Jesus D.B.R.)...ALL (you and me) shall be made alive." (I Corinthians 15:20-23)

Now that the spiritual garden has been restored IN CHRIST...we begin to tend our spiritual gardens again. In Mark 4...we see that the soil is our hearts, the seed is the Word, the roots represented the process, and the harvest is the fruit or production of God working in our lives.

NOTE: Read Mark 4:1-20; Matthew 13:1-15; Luke 8:4-10 for full details of the Parable of the Sower/Soil/Seed/Harvest.

The SOIL...is the heart. The seed is the Word.

The soil sample is (1) by the road (2) rocky soil (3) thorns (4) good soil. The seed enemies are (1) birds/satan (2) tribulations or persecution (3) cares of the world, deceitfulness of riches, and desires for other things.

The good soil...hears the word...accepts it...and produces results at various levels. In Luke 8:15...the good soil is described like this: "But the ones that fell on the GOOD SOIL/GROUND...are those who (1) having heard the word (with a noble/good heart) (2) keep it (2) bear fruit with patience/perseverance.

We must cultivate...and till the soil of our hearts in preparation for the reception of the seed. As powerful, as good, as wonderful as the seed/Word is...it can still be made of no effect if the heart/soil is not prepared. Not only are we to prepare the soil for the initial planting...but also as the growth takes place.

NOTE: In the seed is the everything needed to produce what it is suppose to grow. If you plant seeds of doubt...you will produce doubt in your life...if you plant the word of God by faith..you will produce faith.

Once the soil is prepared...and the seed (proper seeds ) are planted...you will not necessarily SEE if anything is taking place. The process of growth is first beginning UNDERGROUND. Just because you don't see crops...does not mean crop failure. Even when there is activity above the soil line...there still is a process going on where you do not see any FRUIT...or PRODUCE. That does NOT mean something is wrong about the GROWTH PROCESS. Even when FRUIT..PRODUCE is MANIFESTED...it still may be not RIPE.

So many times we INTERRUPT the process or attempt to EAT the fruit before it is ready for its PURPOSE. We take a bite of an apple that is not ripe...spit it out and curse the apple. Poor apple. It is only doing what it was created to do.. to grow...ripen and then do what its destiny is...sweet delicious APPLE PIE.

We don't go out and DIG up the SOIL...to see if anything is growing...because we would be no better that a bird, or thorns, or scorching sun...negating the process of growth of the seed.

"And He (Jesus) said, the Kingdom of God is as if a man should scatter seed on the ground...and should sleep by night and rise by day...and the seed should sprout and grow, he himself does not know how. For the earth yields crops by itself; first the blade, then the head, after that the full grain in the head. But when the grain ripens, immediately he puts in the sickle, because the harvest has come." (Mark 4:29)

God's HEARTBEAT...is FRUIT PRODUCTION. In this cursed and fallen world....satan is out to do everything he can to stop production of love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, and self control in our lives. (Gal. 5:22,23)

The heartbeat (if he has a heart) of the devil, satan, the accuser, the liar, the murderer...is to steal, kill and destroy (John 10:10). Jesus came to give LIFE and that more ABUNDANTLY (fruit production) (John 10:10)

The desire of farmer devil is OPPRESSION...the Vinedresser God wants OPPRESSION REMOVED.

"And you know of Jesus of Nazareth, how God ANOINTED Him (Jesus) with the Holy Spirit and power...and how He (Jesus) went about doing good...and healing ALL who were OPPRESSED by the devil...for God was with Him." (Acts 10:38)

Jesus layed out his Garden plan..."The Spirit of the Lord is upon Me, because He has ANOINTED ME (See Acts 10:38) to preached the gospel to the poor; He has sent Me to heal the brokenhearted, to proclaim liberty to the captives, and recovery of sight to the blind, to set at liberty those who are oppressed; to proclaim the favorable year of the Lord." (Luke 4:18-19/Isaiah 61:1-3)

This ANOINTING that Jesus was anointed with...that he quotes about in Isaiah 61...is the same anointing...that Isaiah spoke of as His (God's) people were under the oppression of an earthly oppressor (the Assyrians). "It shall come to pass in that day that his BURDEN will be TAKEN WAY from your shoulder and his YOKE from your neck, and the YOKE will be DESTROYED because of the ANOINTING OIL" (Isaiah 10:27)

Anointing was oil that was poured on, rubbed into, smeared on...to mark the anointed for the purposes of God. In the believers life...this is symbolic of the Holy Spirit in our lives.

This ANOINTING...that was on God's people...that was all over Jesus is the YOKE DESTROYING...BURDEN LIFTING OPPRESSION REMOVING POWER OF THE HOLY GHOST.

Finally...the key to good fruit production versus crop failure is staying connected to the vine.

"I am the true vine, and My Father is the vinedresser. Every branch in Me that does not BEAR FRUIT...He takes away; and every branch that BEARS FRUIT, he prunes, that it may BEAR MORE FRUIT. You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you. ABIDE (continue in, dwell in, take up residence) Me, an dI in you. As the branch cannot BEAR FRUIT of itself, unless IT ABIDES IN THE VINE...neither can you, unless you ABIDE IN ME. I am the vine, you are the branches. He who ABIDES IN ME, and I in him, BEARS MUCH FRUIT; for WITHOUT ME...YOU...CAN...DO...NOTHING." (John 15:1-5)

NOTE: Read The Secrets of The Vine by Bruce Wilkenson.

Believer, Believer...how does your garden grow?

Love and 30,60,100 fold Kisses
Rodney "Farmer Boyd" 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