Seeds For Thinking

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

* Be Prepared
* Scripture: "And you will hear of wars and rumors of wars. See that you are not troubled; for all these things must come to pass, but the end is not yet. Matthew 24:6, NKJV.

"Wars and rumors of wars" - surely we have plenty of evidence in our time, but does this mean that the end times are near? Many think so, but others are not so sure. Jesus also said that there would be famines, pestilences and earthquakes. We have those, as well. More evidence?
Perhaps, perhaps not. Jesus also said that all of these things would come to pass, but would not necessarily signal the end time.
Jesus also said that no one except the Father knows the date and time - not even the angels in heaven. (Mt. 24:36) Further, He foretold the coming of false prophets, deceivers, those who will show great signs and wonders "to deceive, if possible, even the elect." (Mt. 24:24)
Chapters 24 and 25 of Matthew's Gospel are well worth rereading from time to time, just to keep us on track. In addition to the second coming, these chapters include the parables of the Two Servants, The Ten Virgins, The Talents, and the judgment of the Blessed and the Cursed (sheep and the goats.)
Jesus raises many things to think about in these discourses and parables. Wars and rumors of wars should be the least of our concerns. He said, "He who endures to the end will be saved." (Mt. 24:13)
Think about the message contained in the Parable of the Ten Virgins: We are to be prepared, vigilant, ready even if the 'coming of the bridegroom' is delayed. "Watch, therefore, for you know neither the day nor the hour in which the Son of Man is coming." (Mt. 25:13)
Be a wise servant, faithful in doing the work of the Master, for the reward for the evil and unfaithful servant is not a pretty one. Just reading it is enough to send shivers up and down your spine! (Mt. 24:45-51)
Ignorance is no excuse. Neither is the false security of doing nothing because you don't see The Master right there looking over your shoulder. Use all that you have for His sake; treat everyone as if they were The Lord Himself. Think about it: We are all created in His image.
Wars may come and go; strife is as old as humanity itself, and will continue until the end time. Remember, in that final moment, though the world and all that it contains will pass away, Jesus will not pass away, nor will our soul. That moment will determine if we will be with the group going into everlasting punishment or with the group of righteous who will spend eternity with Christ. (Mt. 25:46)
June 11, 2006

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

* Thorn In the Flesh
* Scripture: Jesus said, “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.” Matthew 5:45b, NKJV

Now I ask you , is that really fair? It only seems right that the evil and unjust should be punished in some way, and the righteous alone should be the beneficiary of God’s gifts.
Then there is the matter of the man who hired laborers at different times during the day, and paid them all the same wage, whether they worked all day in the sun, or just an hour or so. There should have been a government agency in charge of that one. (Mt. 20:1-16)
I’ve heard it said, “Don’t get mad; get even!” An eye for an eye. Tit for tat. You push me; I push back. Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. That’s the way the world goes.
Apparently Jesus doesn’t play by the world’s rules, though, from what He states in the preceding and following verses.
Love your -”enemies?” Bless those who curse you? No, those are not the way things usually go. Oh, we pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us, all right - for something nasty to happen to them.
Don’t think so? How about the tele marketer who calls at meal time; the #*%@ who cuts you off in traffic, or ducks into the parking place just ahead of you. You say nice things?
Let’s face it: it is a real struggle to rise above the trials and tribulations that come our way. The real test of a loving and forgiving heart comes when bad things happen to us. The slap on the cheek, the law suit, the unwanted request, as noted by Jesus in Mt. 5:38-42, give us an opportunity to witness to the power of a loving God.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:17) that he had a ‘thorn in the flesh,’ and pleaded to the Lord that it might be removed. The Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Paul does not reveal the nature of the thorn in his flesh, only that the Lord’s answer was, “No!” Instead, Paul received God’s grace to bear the thorn.
We are not unlike Paul, then, when we are beset with infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. Yes, we can - and should - pray about these things. The Lord can and will remove such as He desires.
Sometimes, though, the answer is not removal of the ‘thorn,’ but grace sufficient to endure, even as Jesus endured.
Take to heart the ‘Sermon On The Mount;’ pray that you develop qualities exemplifying the Father in heaven.
October 16, 2005

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

SCRIPTURE: Be patient, then, brothers, until the Lord’s coming. See how the farmer waits for the land to yield its valuable crop and how patient he is for the autumn and spring rains. You too, be patient and stand firm, because the Lord’s coming is near.” James 5:7-8, NIV.

Mention the word “patience” and many people will associate it with the Biblical Job, Patriarch of Uz, in the Old Testament. Someone who endures in the presence of difficulty is said to “Have the patience of Job,” and we nod knowingly. Resorting to my dictionary, I find:
PATIENCE: “1: bearing pains or trials calmly or without complaint.”
However, my reading of the Book of Job indicates much complaint, against his friend’s viewpoints, to the point of impatience: “restless or short of temper especially under irritation, delay, or opposition.” In fact, my references do not indicate that a word directly meaning “patience” is found in the entire Book of Job. I will grant that Job exemplifies the definition of PATIENCE: “4: steadfast despite opposition, difficulty, or adversity,” but Job also keeps moving forward.
Job endures. He is steadfast, he “hangs in there,” he persists in defense of his innocence, and pursues God until he receives an answer. I find passages alluding to Job’s righteousness (Job 1:1,5,8) and fortitude (1:20-22; 2:10). Just to be picky, the section relating complaints by Job, and replies by his three friends, comprises chapters (not verses -chapters!) 3 to 37! This I say neither to discredit Job, nor to imply that he is not without his virtues, but to suggest that there is more depth to this story than a mere word, a word that is not actually used in the telling.
Consider the “Parable of the Sower” as told by Jesus, in Mt. 13:1-23. His emphasis is on the seed, and alludes to the depth of understanding by the “one who hears the message.” Read again Mt. 13:16, where Jesus says,“Listen then to what the parable of the sower means.” He is talking about both persistence, and patience. The hearer of the word who has little or no root (understanding) “lasts only a short time.” I think His words are plain enough that we grasp the meaning.
The seed is the message of the Word of God; WE ARE THE GROWTH MEDIUM, in which the word sprouts, and then either grows to fruition, or withers and dies.
True, we must patiently wait upon the Lord, but not to the extreme that we do not actively grow. When the withering sun comes out, ie., the “heat” of opposition, difficulty, or adversity, do we fold our leaves - er, hands, and say, “I’m being patient, LORD!” Or do we actively, vigorously, put down deeper roots?
Now, consider the farmer, the sower. Hopefully, we will grow to become the disciple that strives to fulfill the terms of “The Great Commission” -‘make disciples, baptize, teach’ - (Mt. 28:16-20.) Certainly, this means to work as a “sower” of the seed of the Word of God. In fact, James writes about “patience” in terms of the farmer waiting for the land to yield its valuable crop, and advises us as brothers and sisters in Christ to “be patient and stand firm.” (James 5:7-11) I note, however, that while the Greek text uses a word translated “patience” in verse 7, James used a different word meaning “perseverance,” or “steadfastness” when referring to Job in verse 11, saying, “you have heard of Job’s perseverance!”
Peter provides a listing of the virtues needed to “participate in the divine nature of God” in his second epistle. (2 Peter 1:4-11) Peter also uses the same word as James, meaning “endure” or “persevere” rather than the word meaning patience. ( 2 Peter 1:6)

Yes, we must be patient in our quest to be a sower of the Word of God, but great endurance will also be required. “Be all the more eager to make your calling and election sure.” (2 Peter 1:10)

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

Scripture: Jesus said, “He makes His sun to rise on the evil and on the good, and sends rain on the just and unjust.” Matthew 5:45b, NKJV

Now I ask you , is that really fair? It only seems right that the evil and unjust should be punished in some way, and the righteous alone should be the beneficiary of God’s gifts.
Then there is the matter of the man who hired laborers at different times during the day, and paid them all the same wage, whether they worked all day in the sun, or just an hour or so. There should have been a government agency in charge of that one. (Mt. 20:1-16)
I’ve heard it said, “Don’t get mad; get even!” An eye for an eye. Tit for tat. You push me; I push back. Love your neighbor and hate your enemy. That’s the way the world goes.
Apparently Jesus doesn’t play by the world’s rules, though, from what He states in the preceding and following verses. Love your -”enemies?” Bless those who curse you? No, those are not the way things usually go. Oh, we pray for those who spitefully use us and persecute us, all right - for something nasty to happen to them.
Don’t think so? How about the tele marketer who calls at meal time; the #*%@ who cuts you off in traffic, or ducks into the parking place just ahead of you. You say nice things?
Let’s face it: it is a real struggle to rise above the trials and tribulations that come our way. The real test of a loving and forgiving heart comes when bad things happen to us. The slap on the cheek, the law suit, the unwanted request, as noted by Jesus in Mt. 5:38-42, give us an opportunity to witness to the power of a loving God.
The Apostle Paul wrote to the Corinthians (2 Cor. 12:17) that he had a ‘thorn in the flesh,’ and pleaded to the Lord that it might be removed. The Lord replied, “My grace is sufficient for you. My strength is made perfect in weakness.”
Paul does not reveal the nature of the thorn in his flesh, only that the Lord’s answer was, “No!” Instead, Paul received God’s grace to bear the thorn.
We are not unlike Paul, then, when we are beset with infirmities, reproaches, needs, persecutions, and distresses. Yes, we can - and should - pray about these things. The Lord can and will remove such as He desires.
Sometimes, though, the answer is not removal of the ‘thorn,’ but grace sufficient to endure, even as Jesus endured.
Take to heart the ‘Sermon On The Mount;’ pray that you develop qualities exemplifying the Father in heaven.
October 16, 2005