ONE TINY GLIMPSE

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 25 April 2012

Hi all,

Tuesday was a coldish day; overcast and rainy. It was Good weather for watching DVD’s.

Speaking about DVD’s we spent some time in Mbabane looking for a DVD recorder. There were none available. You cannot buy them in RSA. DSTV has too much “clout” with manufacturers. They want us to use their PVR. But I don’t want a PVR. I want to be able to record onto a DVD directly from the TV; sadly, not available in RSA; also not available in Swaziland. It looks like I’m going to have to try and get one outside RSA. If anyone is going to Dubai or anywhere such things are available, please let me know. Perhaps we can arrange something?

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 25 April 2012
INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES					ONE TINY GLIMPSE
As a general rule it is not acceptable to accept your own testimony about yourself. What do I mean? In Paul’s second letter to Timothy, Paul states, “All Scripture is inspired by God”. Paul was not referring to the New Testament. Some of it had still not been written. He was referring to the Jewish Scriptures. Paul would also have been unwilling to claim that his writings would subsequently be regarded as Scripture. I suspect even the thought would “terrify” him. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right.2 Timothy 3:16 NLT This means that Paul had no idea he was writing Scripture. History tells us that the New Testament Cannon was not finalised until many years later at a great Church meeting in a placed called “Chalcedon”. However, since Paul’s letters to Timothy were recognised as Scripture, what he had written concerning the Old Testament was true of his own words in this letter. Sadly, many scholars do not believe the Scriptures are “God breathed”. So they feel free to chop and change them any way they choose. There is a “modern group of scholars who have approached the Bible with a pair of scissors. If the words do not confirm with their “rational” minds they cut them out. So the creation account is regarded as a myth. Miracles and supernatural signs are discarded and Jesus cannot be God’s Son. Think about this for a moment. It means that they see their own rational mind to be a higher authority than God’s Word! In the light of this, it’s hardly surprising that many theologians have no faith in God whatsoever. What is diabolical is that they teach their people to believe nothing. You will find this true of many “ministers” in our Episcopal churches. Many of their “flock” are unsaved and on their way to hell because their minister is an unbeliever. All this because of the scourge of rationalism. God will hold them to account for this. Phyllida and I are unashamedly fundamentalists. We believe the Bible is inerrant; people are not; we aren’t inerrant either. Because we believe the Scripture, we know that Jesus came and died for us. This morning’s meditation asks if any of us could have done what Jesus did. I freely admit I can’t; not even if I wanted to. It also looks at whether we will get what we deserve. It also asks whether we should line up to live in His Kingdom. When I look at what He’s done; I start to think hell is a bit too good for me. Jim & Phyllida Strickland		9 You are familiar with the generosity of our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us--in one stroke he became poor and we became rich. 2 Corinthians 8:9 MSG					Do you think you could do it? I only wish I could. I don’t think I could live a life so excellent or good. I’m “happy” in my comfort zone and couldn’t face the change, From being God, to serving pigs! That’s far too large a range From Sovereign in the Palace, to eating food for hogs! From such a mighty pedigree, to slaving with dogs. From making all creation, to living in a womb. From knowing that you are the “life” to lying in a tomb How else can we express it? We surely can’t conceive, What’s written in the Word of God. Who me? I can’t believe! I just don’t have it in me! I know I can’t step down.  To being made the slave of all when I had worn the crown! I know about the fairy tale of incognito kings, Walking midst their people, so they could “check out” things. They wear the garb the ordinary people wear each day. But know it’s not for very long they’ll carry on that way. We’ve revelled in the moment when all has been revealed; The unattractive servant is now as king revealed! He didn’t have to journey into the vale of death. He doesn’t die in agony, gasping for each breath! He wasn’t in such poverty, he didn’t have a grave, He didn’t go and visit Hell for other men to save. Yet Jesus Christ did all of this. From wealth to poverty! It seems the “gap” was infinite to save a wretch like me! God knows we don’t deserve it. He took my punishment, For living in my selfishness, my thinking warped and bent! A hundred billion years in Hell would be appropriate A million crucifixions, a much more fitting fate! But Jesus Christ endured it for folk like you and me! How many people can be saved by “killing” Deity? A hundred million billion could never quite suffice. But every sinner who has lived is closer to the price. So lets all think about it and go through it once more. Is this the God you want to serve, to worship and adore? I don’t deserve to serve Him. I’ll do it any way. Not to be rewarded, that cost for me’s OK. “My good and faithful servant”. Is much too good for me. A slave within His palace I think I just might be. Anything to be with Him, Lord, anything at all. Just to get a glimpse of Him! Somewhere cramped and small. Then I can face eternity, locked in the deepest hell! For I’ll have served the Son of God and seen His face as well! Jim Strickland – Written 25th April 2012
		19 For God in all His fullness was pleased to live in Christ, 20 and through Him God reconciled everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ's blood on the cross. Colossians 1:19-20 NLT
		3 The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4 This shows that the Son is far greater than the angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names. Hebrews 1:3-4 NLT
		6 Though He was God, He did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When He appeared in human form, 8 He humbled Himself in obedience to God and died a criminal's death on a cross. Philippians 2:6-8 NLT
		19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow you wherever you go." 20 And Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests, but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head." Matthew 8:19-20 ESV
		20 It is also written, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the wise don't amount to anything." (Psalm 94:11) 21 So no more bragging about human beings! All things are yours. 22 That means Paul or Apollos or Peter or the world or life or death or the present or the future. All are yours. 23 You are joined to Christ and belong to him. And Christ is joined to God. 1 Corinthians 3:20-23 NIrV
Compiled – Wednesday, 25 April 2012	P O Box 1694, Randpark Ridge, 2156, South Africa			Page 1 of 1	14 Conduit Street, Johannesburg North, 2153, South Africa			Printed - Tuesday, 24 April 2012
Email - jim.s@telkomsa.net - ejsnpbs@gmail.com Phyllida@telkomsa.net	Mobile +2782 755 8872		Jim & Phyllida Strickland			Home+2711 462 4061; Neotel+2711 234 5670		Fax +2786 531 4962
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