Seeds For Thinking

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

Scripture: Jesus said, “On these two commandments hang all the Law and the Prophets”. (Matthew 22:40, NKJV)

There is an old saying, “Cleanliness is next to godliness.”
I am not sure how the “godliness” part applies to gasoline engines, but I can tell you - from experience - that cleanliness does make a big difference - to go, or not go!
Assuming that the hardware is all in place, and the proper fuel is supplied, there are still two things that have to occur at the right time: The proper fuel to air mixture must be pulled into the cylinder (carburization) and the plug needs to spark at the right time (ignition).
The spark part is easy to check: Grab ahold of the spark plug wire and spin the engine!
Not really!!
Take the plug out and check it - part of the cleanliness routine. Then spin the flywheel and check for a spark at the plug. Got spark? Good; the ignition part is ready to go.
Now, to the fuel part - carburization - a part that can drive you nuts! Not just fuel, but the proper ratio of fuel to air. A speck of dirt, a cloggage in any part of the system, messes up the entire process.
If I have the parts that make up the ignition system, along with the fuel tank and the carburetor, I have an engine, ready to go.
No?
You’re correct! There are valves, cams, pistons, a crank shaft and many other critical parts. So what is the “greatest” part of a working engine?
The Pharisees asked Jesus to tell them what kind of law, of all the laws, is the most important. It is a trap, as verse 35 attests. It is like asking, “What is the most important part of an engine?”
At the very least they're asking him (they think) to choose between moral law and ceremonial law, to declare an ultimate allegiance either to the Pharisees (who would have generally focused on the moral law) or the Saducees (ultimate guardians of the ceremonial law as operators of the temple).
Both parties get caught up in observing a minutia of details and trivia. When to pray; how to pray, what to wear; what to eat; what is considered to be work - etc, etc . . .
Jesus replied, "Love the Lord your God with all you are AND your neighbor as yourself. From this all the law and prophets hang."
This is what Jesus was saying in Matthew 22:37.
The first and greatest commandment concerns our relationship toward and with God, and is like the spark of an engine: Sure, we might “fire” only part of the time - not consistent in our relationship to God. Our “timing” might be erratic; we are not in synch with God’s plans for us.
Maybe our devotion becomes “short circuited” by things that draw our attention away from God - things that become our idols, focusing on our wants & desires, not our needs. On worldly things, trinkets & treasures, habits & pleasures. But the bottom line is: either you have a total commitment to God, or you don’t.
So - Love the Lord, your God with all of your being.”
People! Your “Neighbors.” And who is my neighbor? That’s like the carburetor of an engine: lots of small things can mess up the mixture. A common belief limited such neighborly relationships to their friends and companions, and one of their own religion. It was said, "Do not I hate them that hate me?"
Jesus acknowledged that was a common saying, beginning in Matthew 5:43 (part of the Beatitudes, chapts. 5-6-7 of Matthew’s gospel). He said, “Love your enemies, bless those who curse you, do good to those who hate you, and pray for those who spitefully use you and persecute you, that you may be children of your Father in heaven.”
Loving the Lord God with all our being, and extending that love to all of God’s creation, still lacks one import part: Most of us know by heart John 3:16 :
“For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in Him shall not perish, but have everlasting life.” John 3:17 adds that the people of the world will be saved through Him.

Seeds for Thinking (©) 1996 - 2011 by Leland Hubbell

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

* Pointers
* Scripture: Jesus said, "The Scribes and Pharisees sit in Moses' seat. Therefore, whatever they tell you to observe, that observe and do . . . "
(Mt. 23:2, 3a, NKJV)

A man walking his Pointer, a hunting dog, responded to an inquiry about the dog's ability to point at game, "Yes, he does well in the field," he replied, and added that he was also a friendly dog. "
"It must be great to have a good, friendly hunting dog," commented the admirer. "Well, yes, for hunting, maybe, but when a thief robbed our house, the dog welcomed him in, and pointed to all of our valuables."
Ahh! The fine line between good and bad from the same thing.
Get the idea? Many things are good if used for their intended "good" purpose, yet bad when out of place. After all, God looked at the whole of His creation, and called it good. Never-the-less, we sometimes wonder about the bad that results even from good things.
For example, what is your first thought when you hear the word "fire?" You might think of a fire burning down the house, or a fire in the grill to cook food. Quite a difference, but still fire, both good and bad.
Ready for another? Pharisee . . .
If you are familiar with the New Testament accounts concerning the Pharisees you likely have an image of 'hypocrites,' and 'blind guides, those harsh words coming from Jesus, no less. (cf. Mt. Chapter 23)
. It is important to understand the forces at work in the Jewish world during the centuries between the Old and New Testament periods to better understand the issues here.
The armies of, and successors to, Alexander the Great promoted Greek culture in all the lands they conquered, including Palestine. Among the influential groups that emerged from this time period when observance of God's laws was endangered by pagan influence were the Sadducees (a priestly party favoring the Greek views) and the Pharisees.
"Pharisee" means "separated" because they separated themselves from the secular and ungodly ways of the world of that day.
Read Jesus' words carefully and thoroughly. Jesus commended the Pharisees for pointing to God, because they interpreted the laws governing daily life in accordance with Mosaic tradition, i.e., the "Laws and the Prophets" (See Mt. 23:2-3.) Jesus came to fulfill those Laws. Basically, the Pharisees made very positive contributions to religious observance at a critical period in Jewish history.
Some, however, crossed that line from good to bad. They were welcoming in practices that "shut up the kingdom against men" (vs. 13) and were pointing people toward the wrong things, sometimes placing too much emphasis on minor details while ignoring the weightier matters of the law, such as justice, mercy and faith. (Mt. 23:23)
In truth, our beliefs and religious practices as Christians are much closer to those of the Pharisees than to any other sect of Jesus' time.
As Christians, our lives should display love of God, faithfully pointing toward Him. However, we must be careful that we do not welcome beliefs and practices that rob us, and others, of God's promise.
September 17, 2006

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

Scripture: Jesus said, “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, “I am the Christ, and will deceive many.”
Mt. 24:4, 5. NIV

We begin this edition of Fairyland News with a fast-breaking story:
Three mice were observed running into the Hickory-Dickory clock tower. The clock struck one; we do not yet know which one.
A local musician’s son was apprehended earlier today running down the street with a pig under his arm. The pilfered pig turned out to be from Farmer Fred’s herd. The young man, named Tom, was chastised and remanded to the custody of his father, the Town Piper. The pig was reportedly being held for evidence.
An incident at the town well is being investigated on two counts. A young male was treated at the scene for a personal injury to his head after Jack and Jill fell while fetching a pail of water. The accident raises safety concerns to be addressed by the city, while the first aid treatment will be scrutinized by the Medical Board.
The housing shortage is becoming more evident in the city as citizens turn to unconventional structures. Peter the Pumpkin Eater has moved his wife into a pumpkin shell, while one widow has moved her family into a shoe.
On the social scene, Old King Cole has thrown another of his successful and well-attended parties. Everybody who is anybody was there, except for Humpty Dumpty, who is suffering from a devastating fall from the city wall.
The Prince is searching the kingdom this morning for the charming young lady who obviously captivated his heart at the ball, only to depart suddenly at the stroke of midnight, leaving behind a glass slipper. . .

Hopefully, you recognized the nursery rhymes used as the basis of my slightly twisted news report. Perhaps you recited them to yourself. Recognition is one thing; accuracy another. My purpose is to point out that many twist the Gospel - the Good News - with empty claims concerning Jesus and the scriptures.
Jesus warned that many false prophets will appear, with claims no more valid than fairy tales. (Mt. 24:11; see also Rev. 13:11-18)
Peter speaks at length of false teachers in 2 Peter, Chapter 2. Peter states, “For they mouth empty, boastful words and, by appealing to the lustful desires of human nature, they entice people who are just escaping from those who live in error.”
Fairy tales; empty words.
Get the Good News; Read your Bible daily!
September 28, 2003

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

Scripture: Jesus said, “Love your neighbor as yourself.” Mark 12:31a, NKJV

Solicitude, an attitude of attentive care and protectiveness; could aptly be defined as that time between when you hand your child the keys to the car, and when you hear the door safely close upon his or her return.
There are a lot of mixed emotions involved with the parenting of a child at any age, but it is especially difficult to watch without emotion as they step out into the wide, wide world on their own. There is pride in this moment, of course, on realizing what they have accomplished in their few years, but tempered by both the fact that this is one more step closer toward leaving the nest, and that there are many dangers and trials awaiting “out there.”
Each person, even as a child, is an individual, and though we do our best as a parent, we do not have total control over their thoughts or actions, nor should we. It is far better to lead them with lines of love than to bind them with chains of compulsion. The scriptures are filled with such admonitions, including the “Love” chapter of 1 Corinthians, Chapter 13. Paul also counseled the church at Ephesus concerning love within the family, between husbands and wives, and between parents and children. (Ephesians 5:22-6:4)
Jesus summed up the Commandments, Laws and Prophets with these words: “’Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind and with all your strength.’ The second is this: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’ There is no commandment greater than these. (Mark 12:30-31, NKJV)
All that about love having been said, perhaps we need to step back a little and look at children as ‘neighbors.’ Read again Jesus’ words. We “own” neither our neighbors nor our children. As full-fledged individuals, neither are extensions of ourselves. True, we have a special responsibility to, and relationship with, our offspring, but they are not possessions to be used at our whim, nor as avenues to vicariously attain goals that perhaps eluded us. I have witnessed examples where parents forced children into activities the children did not desire, have read too many stories of abused children, and observed cases where people probably treated their neighbors better than they did their own children.
What do we wish for ourselves? Certainly, we wish to love and to be loved, to be safe from harm, and the freedom to express ourselves as an individual.
While Jesus especially showed concern for little children, he expanded the “neighborhood” in the parable of The Good Samaritan . (Luke 10:25-37) And Jesus replied, “Go and do likewise”
February 6. 2005