Seeds For Thinking

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

Scripture: Jesus said, “I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Counselor (Paraclete) to be with you forever - The Spirit of Truth.”
John 14:16, NIV

The Book of Job begins with a depiction of a heavenly gathering of angels before the Lord, and Satan “also came with them” (Job 1:6). I note that the literal translation of the Hebrew word used here for Satan means “accuser.”
I quickly slide off into a daydream; I envision a heavenly court, not unlike a Perry Mason script, where the Prosecuting Attorney is Satan, “The Accuser.” God is on the High Bench, of course, and the Defense is in good hands, being the Paraclete, the Counselor of John 14:16,
I am not an observer from a back corner of the courtroom, however. I find myself in the witness chair, front and center, the subject of this trial, the Defendant!
The Prosecution begins by opening a large ledger, and my heart shrinks within me. Satan maintains not only a very sharp pencil, but has kept a scrupulous and thorough accounting. I think of the words of the Prophet Isaiah, when he saw a vision of the Lord, high and exulted: “Woe to me,” Isaiah cried, “I am ruined, for I am a man of unclean lips.” (Isaiah 6:5).
Satan begins. They are all listed there, sins of omission, as well as sins of commission. The gross as well as the petty, laid out for all to see. Am I to be like the wicked of the First Psalm, as “chaff that the wind blows away?” Satan is skilled, and cunning. He has well earned the title of “The Accuser.”
As a glowering “Accuser” completes the presentation of his case, he closes his ledger with a sharp “Thunk” of finality.
In despair, I realize that I can do nothing but throw myself upon the mercy of the court. I am reminded that the prosecution is only half of a trial, however. The Defense, the “One who Walks Alongside,” begins. He, too, opens a ledger. All in the court, including Satan, strains to see what is written there. It is a list of names; the Counselor runs his finger swiftly down the page, stopping at a name, and looking up at the bench, proclaims, “I present to the Court, that the defendant's name is written here, in the Book of Life.” Heads nod. Satan scowls, and rises to object.
“Your Honor, it is apparent the defense is ignoring the facts.”
The objection is denied. The Counselor asks that the defendant step down for the moment, and asks to present evidence that all of Satan’s accusations are null and void, because they have been purged from the Heavenly record. Again Satan rises. “I object, Your Honor. My records are complete, and factual. Surely the defendant must be found guilty. Justice must prevail.” Again, the objection is denied.
The Counselor calls another witness. “Please tell the court”, he asks, “ why the defendant should not be found guilty in this case.”
“Because I have already paid whatever penalty is due to this defendant,” states the witness. “How can that be?” sputters Satan. “Can sin be forgiven?”
“Yes,” Jesus replies. “Though sins be as scarlet, they shall become as white as wool, and the one who believes in Me shall not perish, but have everlasting life. While he was yet a sinner, I died for him.” Stretching forth His hands, He holds them up for all to see.
Thomas, one of the Apostles, sitting to one side, nods, and smiles.
I can but only acknowledge, “My Lord, and My God.”
Well, it is only a dream, isn’t it?

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

Scripture: “And thou shalt make them linen breeches to cover their nakedness; from the loins even unto the thighs they shall reach: And they shall be upon Aaron, and upon his sons, when they come in unto the tabernacle of the congregation, or when they come near unto the altar to minister in the holy place; that they bear not iniquity, and die.” (Exodus 28:42-43, KJV)

Those of us who reside in the temperate and frigid zones can’t help but long for the annual return to more hours of sunlight than darkness, and the reflowering of the earth. Warmth! Ah, the time when we can discard the bulky, constricting clothing of winter and traipse light and airy into the balminess of springtime. Lest you forget the capriciousness of the season, however, best keep those warm wraps handy, as evidenced by this tombstone epitaph:

“Neath this stone, like a lump of clay,
Lies Uncle Peter Daniels,
Who, early in the month of May,
Took off his winter flannels.”

Uncle Peter was likely wearing a type of warm underwear called a “union suit.” It originated as women's wear during the 19th-century United States clothing reform efforts, as an alternative to constricting garments, and soon gained popularity among men as well. The first union suit was patented in 1868 as "emancipation union under flannel." Traditionally made of red flannel with long arms and long legs, it buttoned up the front and had a button-up flap in the rear.
It was not uncommon until the mid-20th century for rural men to wear the same union suit continuously all week, or even all winter. Yes, a different life style, indeed!
Underwear can be used to preserve the wearer's modesty, as was demanded of the Aaronic priests when officiating at the altar of the tabernacle or temple. The breeches or undergarments were made of linen (Exodus 28:39), since the priest must not perspire when officiating (Ezekiel 44:18).
The LORD instructed Moses, “These are the garments they are to make: a breastpiece, an ephod, a robe, a woven tunic, a turban and a sash. They are to make these sacred garments for your brother Aaron and his sons, so they may serve me as priests. Have them use gold, and blue, purple and scarlet yarn, and fine linen. “ (Exodus 28:4-5)
While the breeches were part of the daily dress of the priest, they were worn under the Tunic, a long or half-sleeved shirtlike garb reaching to the ankles.
The first "over" piece to be put on was the robe of the Ephod. This garment, probably sleeveless, was essentially a large blue mantle with a hole for the wearer's head. (Exodus 28:31-34) The Ephod, (Exodus 28:6-12) a kind of apron made of materials woven out of gold and linen thread and variously colored yarns, was perhaps the most important item of the priestly clothing. It covered the back and chest, reaching nearly to the knees. It was fastened to the body by two shoulder straps and a belt with which it was lined. The breastpiece, so called because of its position when worn, was a pouch made from the same materials as the ephod. Chains of braided gold and golden rings with loops of blue secured the breastpiece in position. Its primary purpose was to contain the sacred lot, the Urim and Thummim. By wearing them above his heart, Aaron would indicate that justice originates with God and would remind God to maintain the administration of justice in Israel.
The priests’ garments were for glory and beauty (Ex. 28:2,40), with the priest demonstrating modesty through the wearing of linen breeches or undergarments.
Paul describes appropriate garments for followers of Christ in Ephesians 6:10-18 - The whole armour of God - including the breastplate of righteousness; feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace; the shield of faith, (wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked); the helmet of salvation, and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. But under it all, have your “loins girt about with truth.” (KJV) Wear it all week, for every season. Truth is central to the Faith. We must always remain loyal to God’s truth and keep His Law.
March 11, 2011

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

Scripture: Jesus said: The Pharisee stood up and prayed about himself: “God, I thank you that I am not like all other men - robbers, evil doers, adulterers - or even like this tax collector. I fast twice a week, and give a tenth of all I get.” Luke 18:11-12, NIV

In a moment of silliness, I inquired, “Mirror, mirror, in my hand. Who is the most handsome in the land.”
Starting to lay the mirror down, I added, “Well, mirrors talk for Walt Disney.”
And a voice responded, “He pays better than you do!”

(To simplify the following dialogue, ‘L’ will stand for Leland; ‘M’ for Mirror.)

L: What? Oh, so you can talk.

M: Ooops!

L: So answer the question.

M: Do I have to?

L: That’s the rule. I ask “Who is the most handsome guy in the land?,” and you always answer, “You are, O Master.”

M: Ahhh - You know that saying about “pride goeth before a fall.”?

L: Yes.

M: Get ready for a thump!

L: What do you mean?

M: Mirrors can not tell a lie. You are not the most handsome guy.

L: Oh! I’m not, huh? Pray tell, why not.

M: Ugly, ugly, ugly!

L: Well, thanks a lot! You know what happens to smart-aleck mirrors? Now YOU get ready for a thump!
(Raise mirror)
M: I wouldn’t do that if I were you!

L: And why not?

M: Seven years bad luck, you know.

L: Oh! Well, just the same, you deserve a good smashing for what you said. By the way, I see that you have a mirror on both sides. Does that mean you are two-faced?

M: All the better to see the truth.

L: I’ll bet! Well, just for fun, let’s try a second opinion.
(L. Turns mirror over)
Mirror, mirror, in my hand, who is the most handsome guy in the land?

M2: You are right! He IS ugly!

L: OK, OK. Well, if I’m not number 1, number 2 is still not so bad.

M: Uhhh . . . pick another number.

L: TEN?

M: Higher.

L: Higher?

M: More than 70 times 7.

L: Peter used that term in the Bible to mean a number so big it was beyond counting.

M: You got it!

L: Now, really!
OK, I’ll grant that there are probably guys that are more handsome than me. Just tell me who number One is, and I’ll go and congratulate him.

M: Sorry, I can’t give out his name.

L: What you mean is, you don’t know, and don’t want to look foolish.

M: Oh, I know all right, but after that Sleeping Beauty incident, we mirrors are not permitted to tell who it is.

L: Sleeping Beauty?

M: Yeah, my cousin, “Mirror on the Wall,” told that nasty old witch who the most beautiful girl was, and she put her to sleep for a hundred years.

L: Now do I look like the kind of person who would do something just to get even?

M: Well . . .

L: Watch it!

M: Any way, there are not enough princesses these days who are willing to risk kissing guys who are snoring away! Sorry, just can’t risk it.

L: I suppose you are right. But does that happen often? People get mad and get even if they can’t be number One?

M: Oh! All the time! For example, Jesus told about the vain man, praying in the Temple. Now suppose that I told him he wasn’t as perfect as he thought he was, and it was the tax collector who went home justified .

L: And you think he would do something to that other man, the tax collector?

M: Well, jealously can cause big trouble. Think back to Cain and Able, and how Cain was the first murderer. And their parents, Adam and Eve.
Adam blamed Eve, Eve blamed that old snake, Satan, and everyone except mirrors has been lying ever since.

L: Sounds to me like you have your own case of “Better than thou.”

M: Well . . . Anyway, us mirrors have been looking at people for thousands of years, and some things never change.

L: Like what?

M: Well, tomorrow I’ll still be a mirror, and . . .

L: And what?

M: And you will still be ugly!

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

* Support Systems
* Scripture: Paul wrote, "Put on the whole armor of God, that you may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil." Ephesians 6:11, NKJV

We do many things without thinking about them. Breathing, for instance. Most of the time I give no thought to breathing at all, but I can control it to a certain extent, like when the doctor says, "Take a deep breath and hold it." Automatic breathing is probably a good thing, considering how often I forget things any more.
Likewise, we seldom give thought to the many people who provide services for us, because we do not personally see them at work. People who operate and maintain the electrical power system, for example, or gas, water, and the "tele' services. We notice when the system goes down, but even then little thought is given to the many people behind the service technicians who come to our neighborhood.
Few people are able to totally sustain their lives without input from others along the way. Our clothing, our food, the tools we use and the companionship we enjoy require us to look beyond ourselves to discover the many relationships that seldom enter our thoughts.
Consider, then, the armor worn by a soldier such as Paul describes in his letter to the Ephesians. Find a picture of a completely equipped soldier if you can, or a knight from the middle ages. You will see that the "whole armor" that Paul recommends is quite complex, made up of many pieces, all held together by laces, belting and straps. It is highly unlikely that the soldier could put on a full suit of armor by himself, let alone possess the skills needed to build it.
There would be several levels of metal workers, from the miner of ore, to the smelter and refiner, and the fabricator of parts. The sword maker was and still is a specialist in the trade. Leather working passes through several stages, as well.
Was the fully armored soldier thinking of all of these people as he moved forward into battle? Probably no more than we think of all the people who have contributed to the spiritual armor with which we should equip ourselves: truth, righteousness, the gospel of peace, the shield of faith, the helmet of salvation, and the Word of God.
Have we alone equipped ourselves? Are we standing alone? By no means! Praise God, we stand shoulder to shoulder with countless numbers of "Christian Soldiers," following the saints who have preceded us and sacrificed for us. We owe what we have and hold dear to parents, teachers, pastors and preachers, refiners and fabricators of the spiritual armor with which we go forth.
Paul adds, "Praying always with all prayer a supplication in the Spirit, being watchful to this end with all perseverance and supplication for all the saints -" (Ephesians 6:18, NKJV)
June 4, 2006

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

* Rewrite
* Scripture: This is the disciple who testifies of these things, and wrote these things, and we know that his testimony is true.
John 21:24, NKJV

A young lad was telling his mother about his Sunday School lesson for the day, the story of Moses and the Israelites crossing the Red Sea.
"Pharaoh came with his army while Moses was trying to get all of the people into the boats," he said. "The Israelites started shooting with machine guns, so Pharaoh called for the tanks. Moses had his soldiers set out land mines. The tanks tried to go around them and catch the boats, but ran into the sea and drowned. Moses and all the Israelites got away over the Red Sea."
"Is that what your teacher really told you,?" his mother asked.
"Well, no," the boy replied. "But if I told it like the teacher did, you wouldn't believe it either."
Many people have a problem accepting what is written in the Bible. Well, so be it. That is their prerogative. Others, however, are like the boy and the Sunday School lesson about the crossing of the Red Sea. Not satisfied with the way it is written, they rewrite the Bible in their own style, and with the facts changed to seem more plausible by their way of thinking.
Pick a topic, any topic, and you will find skeptics who claim knowledge of "the real truth" that others are conspiring to hide.
Members of "The Flat Earth Society" sincerely believe that the earth is not round at all, but flat, just as you can see. There is a group of people who are convinced that the moon landings were faked, all part of a big conspiracy on the part of NASA to get money.
The so-called "docudrama" is a popular form of entertainment that is based on some event that has a basis in fact, but is embellished far beyond the basic truth. All it takes is some element of mystery, some conspiracy theory, and many people become convinced that the "retelling" is more factual than actual truth.
A popular radio call-in program is based on numerous conspiracy theories, drawing those who are certain they have an elite gift of knowledge that enables them, and them only, to see the "hidden truth."
The disciple John ended his gospel with these words: "And there are also many other things that Jesus did, which if they were written one by one, I suppose that even the world itself could not contain the books that would be written. Amen." (John 21:25, NKJV)
Yes, John, many things have indeed been written about Jesus. Unfortunately, many are not truly inspired by God, and can not stand the scrutiny of knowledgeable witnesses.
John recorded Jesus' words (8:31-32) "If you abide in my word, you are my disciples indeed. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." Responsible witnesses affirm that John's words are true.
May 21, 2006

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

* Guidance
* Scripture: Jesus said, “I am the way, the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” John 14:6,

I still have, and cherish, a book that I received for Christmas when I was six years old. It is titled, “We Grow Up” - and my reading ability did indeed grow up with that book. I was fascinated by the many stories about the marvels of the times.
Railroads were probably in their golden age. Steam locomotives still held sway, and the sound and sight of an engine in full cry has never been equaled for awesome majesty, in my opinion.
The U.S. Mail rode the rails in those days, and one of the stories in the book told how the mail car snatched the mail from a pouch hanging on a pole alongside the track. I was privileged to observe that magical pickup on the fly at a post office near where we lived.
The U.S. Mail was also taking flight. Early aviators were literally the “Pony Express” of the 1930’s and 40’s. While the railroad engineer was firmly guided by the tracks, the airplane could go wherever the pilot wished, but sometimes too much freedom is not a good thing. More than one pilot found guidance in the ‘trackless skies” by following a railroad track to a known location.
My book told how the aviation beacon system worked. We could see several such beams at night, shining forth their rotating beacons of light, each with a special on and off pattern that identified the location. Pilots could follow the beams from point to point, even if nothing else on the ground was visible.
Another marvel was the new radio navigation system, and I had to take their word for this one, because it was invisible to the eye, and we had no radio to pick up the signals. But the pilot ‘riding the beam’ could hear the tones in his headphones that signaled “Too far right” or “Too far left” and corrected the airplane’s direction until the tone signified “On The Beam” - the true flight path.
We had another book at home that told how to find and follow the moral and spiritual true path - the Bible. I cherish that Book, also.
We are not unlike a railroad train in our early years. We are guided firmly by our parents along a way that constrains us. Yet, even with rails, trains have signs and customs to keep all who travel that route directed safely to the proper destination.
Later, we have freedom to literally “roam the skies.” Even here, too much freedom is not always a good thing. We need guidance, something to keep us “on the beam.” Jesus is that beacon, the beam of light that keeps us from becoming lost in the darkness of sin.
October 30, 2005

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

* Transfer Knowledge
* Scripture: Jesus said, “To you it has been given to know the mystery of the kingdom of God; but to those who are outside, all things come in parables, so that ‘seeing they may see and not perceive, and hearing they may hear and not understand; lest they should turn, and their sins be forgiven them.’” Mark 4:11-12, NKJV

I have acquired a variety of different stringed musical instruments since I first learned to play a ukulele, years and years ago. My collection includes instruments like the mountain (lap) dulcimer, which is easy to play, even for a beginner, to the guitar and violin, which require a lot of work and practice to achieve proficiency. .
. Each instrument is slightly different when it comes down to playing well, yet all have many principles in common. They all have strings, of course, tuned so as to produce a certain pitch note on the musical scale. The number of strings and tunings vary, as well as the size and layout of the fingerboard. Many instruments have metal frets to mark the note locations; the violin family does not. But a tuned string is a tuned string, and simple tunes can be played on any instrument, once you are familiar with the musical scale.
It seems to amaze people that I can pick up any of my instruments and play an easy tune like “Mary Had A Little Lamb.”
The reason that I can do that is not because I am super talented, but because I use what I know about one instrument and apply that knowledge to another.
That is the principle of the parable, the teaching story that Jesus used well to illustrate the mysteries of the Kingdom of Heaven. Jesus often began with an earthly topic or subject with which the listeners were familiar, such as a lamp, a shepherd, or a fruit tree, and applied that knowledge to heavenly things. Those who were willing to make the comparison between earthly things and heavenly truths gained a greater understanding of God’s kingdom. Some, however, were either not willing nor able to make that ‘leap’ of understanding, that transfer of knowledge, that would bring them inside to God’s truths.
I sometimes show a person how easy it is to play “Mary Had A Little Lamb” on one of my instruments, and offer them the instrument, only to have them react as if I had handed them a live snake! They have no desire to even try. Strange - the shunning of knowledge!
Perhaps Jesus was experiencing this same phenomena. Some people just don’t want to think about making any changes in their lifestyle, whether it is a health issue in this world, or spiritual truths about God’s kingdom in the eternity to come.
Sad. So many left ‘outside’ because they see, but do not perceive, and hear but do not understand - and have no desire to change.
March 27, 2005