Plowing Stony Ground

Plowing Stoney Ground


God to Adam:- Tend the Garden- Have dominion and rule over it- Subdue it- Be fruitful and multiply it- Fill all the Earth

• Genesis 1 & 2

Being Fed, Not Being Taught


Conventional Christian Theology:The Bible is the dogma of our faith and must be taught.

Not-so-conventional Christian Theology:The Bible we have is the living Word of God. It brings life to those who heed it. It is His testament to us, that He lives and those who heed His Words might also live.

One becomes ritual and religion … the other becomes relationship


PastorComes from the Latin Word

“pastor”Meaning: to feed

“Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another…”

- Hebrews 10.25 KJV

Come to learn, yes!Come to encourage & be encouraged, yes!

Come also to be fed…


The Quiet Man(Republic Pictures, 1952)

John Wayne as Sean Thornton plowing his Irish cottage field runs into another stone, picks it up and tosses it aside.

“Now I know why you have so many rock walks in this country.”


“God never said it would be easy, but He did say it would be worth it.”• Dr. Larry Lea


Whatever your hands find to do, do it with all your might.- Ecclesiastes 9.10 NASB

Work willingly at whatever you do, as though you were working for the Lord rather than for people.

- Colossians 3.23 NLT


You shall not covet you neighbor’s house… wife … servants … livestock … or anything that is your neighbor’s.

- Exodus 20.17

… or even your neighbor’s freshly turned and plowed fields

You do not know the cost that was paid to clear their field.

Stay in your field, commit to working with God in your field.


Honestly…

Wouldn’t we all like it a little easier?

But…

God didn’t call you to “easy”God called you to “tend, dominate, rule, prosper, multiply”


Jesus said: “No one, after putting his hand to the plow and looking back is fit for the kingdom of God.” – Luke 9.2 NAS

After having said you would do a thing, do not remove your hand from the “plow”, no matter how difficult the field

“Some days I sing. Other days I just push the plow.”- Dave “Doc” Rogers


… Paul said it this way:

“… I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know how to get along with humble means, and I know how to live in prosperity; in every circumstance I have learned the secret of being filled and going hungry, both having abundance and suffering need. I can do all things through Him [Jesus Christ] who strengthens me.”

- Philippians 4.11-13 NASB


On staying put…

Now there was another famine in Canaan where Isaac wandered, besides the famine that occurred in the days of Abraham.

God told Isaac to not go to Egypt, to stay in the land.

God said He would be with Isaac and bless him.

Isaac stayed in the land, plowed, farmed the dirt, and God gave him a 100 fold return.

Isaac became rich until he became wealthy. He had so much stuff that his neighbors, the Philistines, envied him.

- Genesis 26.1-5, 12-14


You may find yourself in less than fun circumstances

You may find yourself in tough circumstances

Learn to lay your hand to the plow and push if need be

You can be a great success, “IF” you do not leave the land God has given you

Because God is in the midst of the struggle with you if you let Him

Will you let God into the struggle with you?

Plowing Stony Ground

Spiritual

Transcript of Plowing Stony Ground