Time with Jesus - Thursday, 16
August 2012
Hi all,
Today’s meditation is an exercise in mental gymnastics.
We do a bit of digging into “now” as well as “past, present and future”. This
is my way of dealing with things I know nothing about. So if we don’t see eye
to eye, don’t worry about it. The Lord has blessed me with the ability to be
delightfully wrong. So now what was is and will be new?
Blessings
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Thursday, 16 August 2012
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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INTO
EXISTENCE
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You and I have a major problem when it comes to
visualising eternity. Our closest approach is probably a ring. It’s more or
less circular with apparently no beginning and no end. But a ring is not
eternal in the sense that it goes round and round. If we start at point “A”
we will eventually come round to point “A” again. Even a ring with an
infinite diameter is not exactly “eternal” in the sense that God is eternal.
We may never be able to arrive at point “A” again. But we know it is “there”.
God’s “eternity” does not have a beginning nor an end. Instead it has a never
ending “now”. Which means, no matter where we are in “time”, it is “now” with
God. For us, this has a universal “spin off”. It means that at any point in
our time, salvation is obtainable “now”. It also means that there is no such
thing as eternity past and eternity future. It is always “now”.
It also means that Jesus’ death on the cross is
always “now”. In other words, those born before Jesus was crucified and those
born after he was crucified were all saved “now”. This also confounds the concept of “how
long will people be in heaven or hell?” They will be there as “long” as God
is “alive”. They will be dwelling is the ever present “now”. We have no way
of describing this in a manner that is meaningful to us. What I believe we
can say is that Jesus’ death is somewhere in the middle of “now”. It also
explains how we can say: 8 Everyone
living on earth will worship it, everyone whose name is not written in the
Book of Life. That book belongs to the
lamb who was slaughtered before the creation of the world. Revelation 13:8 GW
If nothing else, this proves one thing. Your and my
salvation through Jesus’ death on the cross was catered for before God
commenced creating. I don’t know what this does or says to you, but I’m
utterly flabbergasted.
This means that God knew all about the Crusades
before they happened. He knew all about the holocaust in the Nazi
concentration camps from before the beginning of time. He has always known
the time, place and date of my birth, and the time, place and date of my
death.
People are often inclined to look at the world
around them and complain bitterly about the way things are. Evil appears to
be everywhere. Things look as though they are out of control. They ask why
God doesn’t do something about it? The fact is He already has. Jesus Christ,
slain before the foundation of the World! There is nothing He doesn’t know
about and is beyond His control. I gasp when I think of this. It seems to be
far too good to be true. But this does not take into consideration the power
and knowledge of God. No matter what we may think, God is still in charge.
Satan may seem to be giving Him the “run around”. But God knows all about
that too. What I think is the most stunning conclusion about all this is: One
day (if I may use such an expression) things will draw to a conclusion. God’s
“whistle” will have blown and everything will have been dealt with. End
times, judgement and the creation of a new heaven and a new earth will be
“history”. Then in His infinite wisdom God will point to all that has taken
place; all the sin, disease, suffering and hate. Looking back at it all, He
will ask the question “Was it worth it? We will look at Him and say, “Yes Father,
You were right!”
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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17 He was there before any
of it came into existence and holds it all together right up to this
moment. 18 And when it comes to the church, he organizes and holds
it together, like a head does a body. He was
supreme in the beginning and--leading the resurrection parade--he is supreme
in the end. From beginning to end he's there, towering far above everything,
everyone.
Colossians 1:17-18 MSG
14
"And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the
faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's
creation.
Revelation
3:14 ESV
22
"The LORD formed me from the beginning,
before He created anything else. 23 I was appointed in ages past, at the very first, before the earth
began.
Proverbs
8:22-23 NLT
27 I was there when He established the heavens, when He
drew the horizon on the oceans. 28 I
was there when He set the clouds above, when He established springs deep in
the earth. 29 I was there when
He set the limits of the seas, so they would not spread beyond their
boundaries. And when He marked off the earth's foundations, 30
I was the architect at His side. I was His
constant delight, rejoicing always in His presence.
Proverbs
8:27-30 NLT
13
"And that is not all! I have always been
God, and I always will be. No one can save people from my powerful
hand. When I do something, who can undo it?"
Isaiah
43:13 NIrV
8 All
inhabitants of the earth will worship the beast--all whose names have not
been written in the Lamb's book of life, the Lamb
who was slain from the creation of the world.
Revelation
13:8 TNIV
2
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and
perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning
its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.
Hebrews
12:2 TNIV
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When you look at Jesus, what is it
that you see?
Upon first observation He looks ordinary.
To see Him walking on the shore, I’m
sure I’d double-take;
And ask, “Is this man genuine, or is
He just a fake?”
I’m sure I couldn’t answer. What man
can raise the dead?
Who can say the sort of things that
Jesus Christ has said?
Who can cloth eternity with mortal
flesh and bone?
Who performs these miracles, save God
and God alone?
But it is so incongruous. That God may
be a man!
It seems to be impossible. No human
being can,
Enfold within his body incarnate
Deity.
Which person can believe it apart from
you or me?
And yet it is so obvious. There’s no
alternative.
Not if human beings are ever going to
live.
Unless the Lord takes action, each one
of us are stuck.
There is no other way the Lord could
save us from the muck!
And yet this is His purpose and very
fascinating.
One hundred million robots are easy in
His making.
But why would they obey Him? There’d
be no other choice!
They’d instantly obey the mere suggestion
of His voice.
But could they ever love Him? Not of
their own free will.
He’d have to give them choices if they
were to fulfil,
That which He intended when He started
to create.
Even with ability to govern their own
fate!
This would take great wisdom and many
years of time.
Freedom to obey Him, or embrace a life
of crime.
How intimidating and downright
dangerous.
When you think the outcome was
creating all of us!
Before He even started, He had to make
a place,
Suited for the purposes of all the
human race.
When it was completed, that’s when He
next began,
Creating men and women, generically
called “man”.
No one could resist Him. No one could
tell Him “No!”
No one could prevent it when He
decided “Go!”
He created Adam and a woman they
called Eve
Equipped with what was needed so that
she could conceive!
He knew just what would happen when
Satan came along.
But when He went ahead with it, He
didn’t get it wrong!
The pieces of the puzzle were firmly
in His mind;
And that the final outcome had been
properly designed.
This wasn’t all just guesswork. He
knew that man would fall.
And He had made provision for people
great and small.
He even planned the agony of dying on
the cross.
Though man was given freedom, it’s
clear He’s still the boss.
And even in this wicked world, He’s
firmly in control.
And not just of a little bit, I’m
speaking of the whole!
Jim Strickland – Written 16th
August 2012
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