Seeds For Thinking

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Let the words of my mouth and the meditation of my heart be acceptable in Your sight, O Lord, my strength and my Redeemer. (Psalm 19:14, NKJV)

Most farm animals seem to know when it is feeding time, calling out in anticipation of the feast. Each species has its own dialect, it seems, which I interrupt as, “Let’s eat -Now!”
There comes a moment, though, that is special, something that is calming to my soul. Once fed, they obey the old admonishment, “Don’t talk with your mouth full.” A hush fills the barn; the only sound heard is that of chewing or pecking, depending upon the structure of the eating apparatus. An almost magic time. A moment to pause, reflect, and marvel at this aspect of God’s creation.
Ah, the mouth. As noted by James, “Out of the same mouth proceed blessing and cursing.” I agree with James, as he added, “My brethren, these things ought not to be so.” (James 3:10)
The mouth/tongue is the source of lying, idolatry, unfaithfulness, cursing, pride, evil, lies, vanity foolishness and flattery. I’m sure gossip is covered in that group somewhere. “Yakity-Yak!”
Some people (like little children) are “all ears.” Gossip is best handled by letting it go in one ear and out the other. Let it go. But, sometimes - all too often - it goes in both ears and out the mouth. A talkity person may be called a “motor mouth.”
I have heard advice given to the overly-mouthy person, something like, “Put a sock in it!” The psalmist phrased it this way: “ I will guard my ways, lest I sin with my tongue; I will restrain my mouth with a muzzle . . .” (Psalm 39:1) Another piece of appropriate advice - Be sure the mind is running before throwing the mouth in gear. Speech prior to knowledge is like, “Open mouth, insert foot.” The remedy? “Whoever guards his mouth and tongue keeps his soul from troubles.” (Proverbs 21:23) Or, in the Living Bible translation,”Keep your mouth closed and you’ll stay out of trouble.”
A common problem in our society is the prevalence of “potty mouth:” foul, filthy language. You will often find it in company with anger, wrath, malice, and blasphemy, according to Paul. (Colossians 3:8) We are to shun “profane” and vain babblings (2 Tim. 2:16).
Our mouths and our ears interact so closely that it is difficult to listen when the mouth is running. In worship, as in that moment of meditation in the barn at feeding time, we need to pause, listen, reflect, and marvel at God’s creation. There is a time to “Be still, and know that I am God.” (Psalm 46:10)
The best way to help another is by listening, not by ‘mouthing off.’ Listening is necessary if we are to “rejoice with those who rejoice, and weep with those who weep.” (Romans 12:15)
Your speech, those words coming out of your mouth, defines who you are. Does it matter? Hear these word of Jesus about -Words. "For out of the abundance of the heart the mouth speaks. A good man out of the good treasure of his heart brings forth good things, and an evil man out of the evil treasure brings forth evil things. But I say to you that for every idle word men may speak, they will give account of it in the day of judgment. For by your words you will be justified, and by your words you will be condemned." (Matthew 12:34-37)

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

* Questions
* Scripture: Job said, “Oh, that I knew where I might find Him, That I might come to His seat! I would present my case before Him ”, Job 23:3-4a NKJV

In the beginning, there were a series of very positive statements, which is not surprising, since they were made by The Lord God. “Let there be light,” He said, and there was light. Likewise, at His Word, the waters and firmament were created, earth and seas, the sun and moon, and all living things. Genesis 1:27 states that God created man and woman, male and female, again by His Word.
A blessing is a very special statement, which God gave to the man and woman; He further blessed them by placing them in a Garden of Delight, a possible meaning of the Hebrew word for ‘Eden.’ He also blessed the seventh day, making it holy.
I’ve checked several versions of the Bible, including the KJV, NKJV, NIV and NRS, and I find nothing but positive statements until Genesis the 3rd chapter. Enter the Fallen One in the form of a serpent. There is recorded the first question, “Hath God said?” or “Did God really say. . . ?” (Genesis 3:1)
The next thing we read from God is the question of the ages: “Where are you?” The questions flow freely from that point, as if the first one had broken a leak in a vast reservoir.
“Oh, what a tangled web we weave,
When first we practice to deceive.”
Enter jealousy and anger. God questions Cain concerning that anger, and suggests that Cain will gain the acceptance he seeks, if he does what is right. Instead, Cain grows that anger into murder.
God is again forced to ask that probing question concerning a fall into sin, in this case, “Where is your brother, Abel?” (Genesis 4:9) Cain answers with a question, of course, “How should I know?” “Am I my brother’s keeper?”
Questions. Questioning God. The book of Job is structured around questions, including the probing questions of Job’s friends, and Job’s stated desire to question God. (Job Chapter 23:3-5) This question is rebutted later by God, but not in the form that Job expects. It is often formed from our own lips; “Why, God, Why?”
Turn with me to Job Chapter 38: God answers us with both a question and a statement, thus: ”Who is this who darkens counsel without knowledge? . . . I will question you, and you shall answer me.”
Job’s questions are at an end. He responds with a statement of humility and confession; “I have uttered what I did not understand, things too wonderful for me, which I did not know. (vss. 42:3-4) Therefore I abhor myself, and repent in dust and ashes. (vs. 6)
We can not presume to come to God contentiously, in anger and defiance, for He is the Great Judge, who will ask the final questions.
August 21, 2005

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: Now the LORD had said to Abram: Get out of your country, from your family and from your father’s house, to a land that I will show you. (Genesis 12:1, KJV)

We are all - by nature - pilgrims. We are at times, from the moment of conception until our last breath, a traveler, crusader; worshiper, devotee, or believer; We journey from what we are at the moment to what we shall become, a wayfarer; perhaps as one who is driven and tossed by the wind as a wave of the sea (see James 1:6) but hopefully as one who quests for the righteousness of God.
Hebrews chapter 11, vss. 8-10, recounts how Abraham went out from his family and homeland, not knowing where he was going, and by faith dwelt in the land of promise. Abraham’s quest involved not only traversing the fertile crescent route from Ur and Haran in Mesopotamia to Canaan land, but also a spiritual journey that took him and his descendants from the gods of his former homeland to a covenant relationship with the Creator God.
Although Abraham was to receive personal honor and blessings, it seems to me that the most important result of his quest for God is that others would be blessed through him and his descendants, one of whom is the Messiah, The Christ.
We all make a physical journey through life. Our educational path may lead us through several possible choices, perhaps focusing on the appropriate match with our interests and capabilities. Often times an unexpected encounter will lead us to make a life change seemingly as great as that of Abraham, or of Moses and the Hebrews during the Exodus. Keep in mind that they were not on a quest for wealth, power, or fame, but to find and follow the will of God. That we can also do.
Saul’s encounter with the Lord on the road to Damascus totally changed his life, and, as Paul, changed the world. For most of us, though, changes in our life journey may be rather modest compared to the ‘giants’ of history, but we do not know the certainty of that.
Paul wrote to the Corinthians, “When I was a child, I spoke as a child, I understood as a child, I thought as a child; but when I became a man, I put away childish things.” (1 Corinthians 13:11) The search for understanding and knowledge is a pilgrimage. It is a journey that should never end with ‘graduation’ from school. Most schools refer to the completion of their course of study not as an ending, but as a ‘commencement’ of life in a broader learning environment.
While many people will work at the same job most of their lives, others will change jobs and employers several times, not always at their own choosing. We, too, may be called to work or serve in a new community, state, or country. That may bring to mind thoughts of a missionary, one who brings the Christian message to those in far places: an evangelist, apostle, preacher, minister or priest.
In truth, we are all missionaries. Our relationship to God, for better or for worse, is noted by someone. We may be the inspiration for blessings, or not. People also note, and sometimes are attracted to, the “storm tossed life,” thus led astray. James further states that such a life, drawn away by their own desires “gives birth to sin, and sin, when it is full-grown, brings forth death.” (James 1:15)
A quest, in medieval romance, was an expedition made by a knight to accomplish a prescribed task. The knight could only achieve success by ridding his life of all filthiness and overflow of wickedness, just as James advises. The person who looks into the perfect law of liberty and continues in it, who becomes not just a hearer of the Word, but a doer of the Word - this one will be blessed in what he does. (vs. 25)
Keep in mind that we are called, not to just believe, but to be fruitful believers. Fruitful for the Lord. Abraham was justified by faithfully doing the will of God. And remember, the effective, fervent prayer of a righteous person avails much. Seek to be, or to bring, a blessing to someone.

Link: http://seedsforthinking.oldgleaner.com/

Scripture: John said, “Teacher, we saw someone who does not follow us casting out demons in Your name, and we forbade him because he does not follow us.” Mark 9:38, NKJV

I’ve listened and listened; I know well what it is, but I am not sure of the best way to describe the sound of a buckeye nut hitting a tin roof. “Whump.” Maybe “Ka-Whump”? Whatever! It is loud enough to get your attention if you happen to be near my barn during late summer when the buckeye tree starts dropping its crop of nuts.
I wish my other nut trees were as fruitful. Rather than rejoice at the large crop that this particular tree bears each year, though, I lament that the buckeye nut is toxic, so it is not a food source. Leaves, nuts and hulls have to be cleaned up, of course. Sounds like three strikes against that buckeye tree by the barn, right?
However, in spite of the downside, I am not inclined to take the ax or saw to that tree. I am willing to tolerate a few supposed flaws because it is not doing me that much real harm. First, the tree was there before the barn was built. It is one of the best specimens of the buckeye tree (Aesculus glabra) in this area, straight, tall, and well formed, compared to the shrubby examples in our woodlot. The Ohio buckeye was useful to the early settlers of Ohio. The wood, which is white, fine-grained, and moderately soft, was widely used for turning and for making small items of woodenware, such as bowls, spoons, handles, ornaments and boxes. The bark produces a yellow dye that has been used to tan leather, and the seeds were used as a source of oil for lamps, an insecticide, and bookbinder's paste. In addition, the buckeye nut is thought by many people to be a sure preventive of rheumatism, arthritis, or headache - I’ll give you one to carry in your pocket. They make a nice conversation piece!
The association of Ohio with the buckeye tree was popularized in 1840, after Gen. William Henry Harrison began using the buckeye as a campaign symbol in his presidential quest. During the campaign, hundreds of buckeye walking sticks and canes were distributed, and buckeye log cabins built on wagons as floats appeared in parades in many towns and villages.
My buckeye tree thus stands as an example of the State Tree of Ohio, a reminder of the settlement of the region, and as a symbol and mascot of the state’s largest university. Why, then, should I destroy it simply because of perceived imperfections, created not by the tree, but by my own choice in building the barn there. In fact, the tree has more reason to feel aggrieved by me than I with it. A little tolerance, please.
I note often in the scriptures where Jesus was tolerant of those outside of His inner circle, replying to John, “He who is not against us is on our side.” (Mark 9:40)
Practice counting your blessings. Accentuate the Positive. You will feel better, even without a lucky buckeye!
September 11, 2005