THE GREAT EXCHANGE

Time with Jesus - Monday, 10 September 2012

Hi all,

Mount up with wings as eagles. Have you ever watched an eagle in flight? There is a pair of eagles which have a nest in the rocky heights above the Jo’burg Botanical Gardens. I’ve watched them in flight briefly. They use the thermals to go higher and higher. Their wings seem motionless. But they rise higher and higher. Isaiah says that this describes those of God’s people who are willing to wait patiently for Him! This is our meditation.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday, 10 September 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE GREAT EXCHANGE
When I committed my life to Jesus Christ, I started to get excited about the things of the Lord. In 1961 I heard about an event in Derbyshire called the “Cliff Convention”. Cliff College was a school for evangelists, teachers and ministers in the Methodist Church. Since I was in the Methodist Church, I decided I’d like to attend. Their convention took place over the “Easter” long weekend. I was an apprentice at the time and couldn’t afford the conference fees. So I volunteered to be one of the workers for the duration of the conference. The college agreed. I managed to get away early and arrived there at about lunchtime on the Thursday. Like many of the other volunteers, I spent the rest of the day preparing for the conference. One task was scrubbing the floor of the dining hall. It wasn’t exactly what I would have liked to do, but since I was there for “free” it seemed reasonable. The next morning, the people arrived by the hundreds. At that time the “Cliff Convention” was one of the most popular events in the Methodist Church in UK. It had been in existence for over a hundred years. They would train the young men (men only back then) to go round the towns pulling a hand-cart and preaching wherever they could. A bit like what happened back in John Wesley’s days. I can’t recall how successful this was. But I do know that many young men had passed through Cliff college and had gone on to taking on a variety of ministries. I met one in 1995 who had been a student in the 1930’s At the turn of the nineteenth century, Cliff College’s Head’s was the renowned Samuel Chadwick. It’s said he had a “silver tongue”. He could preach or lead a prayer meeting in such a way men and women would sit for hours just listening to him. Three hours was not unusual! On my first visit to Cliff, I came across most of the students and could listen to what was happening. They mostly talked about the things of the Lord and the way God had spoken to them. I hadn’t come across this sort of thing before. I knew God had led men in the past but didn’t know an example in the 20th century. One young man whose name I’ve forgotten told me about his call from God to attend “Cliff College as a student. He told me that the Lord had spoken to him through the following verse. 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 ESV In particular, “they shall mount up with wings like eagles”. He said that he had tried to establish what this meant for him but had been unsuccessful. In the end he wrote to “Cliff”, asked for an application form, completed it and sent it in. Then he waited to see what would happen. A few weeks later he received a letter from Cliff saying he had been accepted for the following year’s student intake. Then he was amazed with what he saw. There was a picture on the letter. It showed Cliff college high up on a hill. Suddenly he spotted the similarity between the word “Cliff” and a mountain. “Perhaps Cliff College is where the Lord wants me to mount up and study?” He said to himself. He continued to read the acceptance letter, At the bottom of the letter there was the signature of the Dean of students. His name? Professor Eagles! Suddenly he knew! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			31 But those who trust in the LORD will receive new strength. They will fly as high as eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not grow weak. Isaiah 40:31 NIrV 10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV 5 "And now," GOD says, this God who took me in hand from the moment of birth to be his servant, To bring Jacob back home to him, to set a reunion for Israel-- What an honour for me in GOD's eyes! That God should be my strength! Isaiah 49:5 MSG 9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 TNIV 5 Or let them take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me. Isaiah 27:5 MKJV 22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalms 55:22 NLT 24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel Genesis 49:24 TNIV, 26 Then the Man said, "Let Me go, for the dawn is breaking!" But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." Genesis 32:26 NLT 45 David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. 1 Samuel 17:45 MSG A psalm of David.1 O LORD, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me. 2 Put on Your armour, and take up Your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Psalms 35:1-2 NLT	Have you never heard of it? Do you not understand? The Lord God everlasting, created our great land! He never does grow weary. He doesn’t need to rest. He spoke the word – It happened – All this was manifest. We cannot comprehend Him; His depth we cannot plumb. Everything which we can see. He is its total sum. He is the Great Exchanger who made all things from naught. He spoke into the nothingness and in His speaking brought, Everything to being. In this He specialises. He’s the Great Exchanger Who sees through all disguises. A man may look unbeatable, with muscles made of steel. But when it comes right down to it, his power isn’t real. If power doesn’t come from God; he’s like a little flea, And God will take the weakest man and give him victory. For God has all that’s needed. He has all kilojoules; And those who wish to take Him on don’t realise, “God rules!” That’s why a new-born infant, can beat the strongest man. When God exchanges power with him. The little infant can Destroy that mighty warrior. God cannot be denied. And He will do what He will do. He will not be defied! When we are at our weakest, that’s when He makes us strong. But if we trust in our right arm, we get the whole thing wrong! He gives strength to the powerless exactly when it’s needed. Just enough to win the fight. That will not be exceeded. Have a look around you at young men in a race. They quickly get exhausted and fall down on their face. They cannot keep on going, eventually they flop. But God will keep you going when all men have to stop! How can a man achieve this? How can he know for sure, That God will undertake for him so that he may endure? It only comes by trusting God, each and every day. Then we’ll know His awesome strength in each and every way. We think that we are eagles which soar on high with wings. Those of us who trust the Lord. will know what trusting brings. New strength He’ll surely give us. The power to carry on, When all the strength which we possess, has crumbled and has gone. That’s when He gives a second wind or even nine or ten! The weariness will vanish and we’ll have strength again. The distance will not matter. A thousand miles or more. We’ll walk and won’t be weary. What do we need that for? To glorify the Master and praise His Holy Name. To walk without our fainting! And give Him all the fame! Jim Strickland – Written 10th September 2012