Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 20 March
2012
Hi all,
Genesis
is a marvellous book. It’s the book of beginnings. David Pawson’s observation
was that if it wasn't there, the Bible would begin with slaves in Egypt. How or
why, would be something we could hardly even guess.
For
me, Genesis is the best book in the Old Testament. It takes us from before
creation. I love the vast panorama of history. The characters are so real. They
were no more perfect than you or me. They made mistakes and have the appearance
of a human touch. When Noah came out of the ark, he planted a vineyard and
promptly got drunk. Abraham was afraid of the Egyptian Pharaoh. So he let them
take his wife into Pharaoh’s harem. He lied and said she was his sister! Jacob
was a liar and a cheat. Today we would say that he was a hustler or a conman.
No one would want to buy a used car from a man like Jacob. He ended up with two
wives, two concubines, twelve sons and a daughter. God radically changed him
and gave him the name, “Israel”.
One
summary states that Genesis begins in the heavens before the Garden of Eden and
ends with a coffin in Egypt. It covers more time than all the rest of the
Scripture combined. It is called the seed plot of the Bible. Virtually every
other book has a flash-back to Genesis. The book of Revelation has several
references to Genesis. So there is a sense in which all the Bible is founded on
this amazing book.
Today’s
meditation begins with a reference to one of the most tragic comments in
Biblical history. 5 God saw that human
evil was out of control. People thought evil, imagined evil--evil, evil, evil
from morning to night. 6 God was
sorry that he had made the human race in the first place; it broke his heart.
7 God
said, "I'll get rid of my ruined
creation, make a clean sweep: people, animals, snakes and bugs, birds--the
works. I'm sorry I made them." Gen
6:5-7 MSG
It’s
hard to imagine how wicked the people were for God to state He was sorry He
made them. According to the ages of the respective antediluvians, it took place
about 1600 years after the creation of Adam. In other word from the fall of man
to when mankind became totally depraved was in the order of 1500 years. This
was all the time Satan needed to achieve this.
Today’s
meditation is in the form of a discussion between God and a man; perhaps you or
me. It focuses on what God saw prior to the flood. It then traces the
difference between keeping the law and salvation by grace through being
faithful to the Lord. It concludes with the realisation that it is only in
Jesus Christ that we can be accepted into the family of God.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
My Favoured Sons and Daughters
The Bible’s saddest Scripture
is found in Genesis. (Gen 6:5)
Is anything more tragic than
what we see in this?
The thoughts of man were evil.
There wasn’t any break.
The Lord was grieved He’d made
them. “It’s more than I should take!
I’ll blot them out completely; all men and birds and beasts.
I never should have made them; from greatest to the least”.
But then He looked at Noah; and
Noah made Him pleased.
And when God thought about this,
His anger was appeased.
How does a man find favour in
the eyes of God Most High?
There is a way to do it, if
only we will try.
The secret’s to be faithful,
obedient and true;
To do what is expected, from
the likes of me and you.
We know that it’s impossible
for us to keep the law.
But rather that we understand
what it was given for.
God knows we cannot keep it. He
knew that we would try.
That we would break it frequently,
before our time to die.
So law was not our answer. That
really is a shame.
But there is still one answer.
To call on Jesus’ Name.
To trust in Christ the Saviour,
to give His righteousness,
To swap it for our sinful lives
and utter wickedness.
“But isn‘t that immoral? I’m
sure it isn’t fair.
I get all His joyfulness and He
gets my despair!
It’s so much more than I
deserve. The mess that I am in,
Was brought about because of my
intense desire to sin!
I know I cannot change it. But
Father God Most High;
Your Son was far too excellent
to take my place and die”.
“My son, I know the problem. I knew it from the start.
Before the world was ever made, I knew in My heart.
There had to be a better way for you to be with Me.
And Jesus Christ, My only Son, complied implicitly.
He knew you were imperfect, you couldn’t keep the law.
And if He came and died for you; that He could do no more.
And now He makes this promise; if you will faithfully,
Walk in what He’s done for you, then you will certainly,
Receive from me forgiveness. Because He took your place;
And was the representative of all the human race!
Then, anyone who trusts in Him, will be a child of Mine;
My favoured sons and daughters through Jesus Christ Divine!”
Jim Strickland
Written Tuesday 20th March 2012
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