JIMMETS – VERACITY & CREATIVITY

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 31 October 2012

Hi all,

I thought today would be a good day for a couple of Jimmets; makes for a change. Today’s Scriptures describe the total dependability of God. They illustrate His truthfulness and His reliable creativity!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 31 October 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	JIMMETS – VERACITY & CREATIVITY
“Cross my heart and hope to die!” Are these words as familiar to you as they are to me? They come from childhood. Someone would say something. “Is that true?” someone else would respond. In my day, it was something you said to confirm your statement. “Yes it’s true”, was never quite enough to add credence to your words. So we would make foolish statements hoping the other person would be convinced. It was certainly not a “Christian” phrase. But when you’re somewhere between the age of 6 and 10, what else can you say to emphasise that your statement is absolute truth. If memory serves correctly, it was only partly true anyway. Part of it was said for effect; to make yourself seem more reliable and truthful than you really were! To some extent, David’s words to the Lord in 2 Samuel 7 have a feeling of incredulity about them. Yes, these were words of thanks and grateful appreciation to God for promising David that His line would continue forever. After all, what do you say to God when you hear that He has made such an extraordinary promise? It’s not a time to say, “That’s great so what’s for lunch?” How can I say this about David’s comment to God? It has nothing to do with David and everything to do with God and the prophet Nathan. David was already thoroughly aware that God doesn’t tell lies. David also knew that Nathan the prophet always only brought God’s truth to the discussion. If Nathan really was a prophet of God – and David correctly believed that he was – God’s message would be totally reliable. In those days, lying prophets very quickly vanished from the scene. Rapidly removed might be the way to put it. Stoned to death! Not a bad idea! Perhaps we should do it today? There is something else about God not telling lies that is hugely comforting. It’s the fact that we can be sure that what has happened in the past will happen today and tomorrow. If God is a liar, how do we know tomorrow will come? Why would the speed of light be constant? Would we have children or cabbages? Would there be anything we can depend on? Would two and two still be four? All these are true because of God’s invariable reliability. Now God also understands the creatures He has made. He knows that we live in a fallen world and that we are sceptical about anything and everything. We are inclined to doubt the Lord God Himself. So when He made a promise to Abraham He said, 16 "I swear by My own name that 17 I will certainly bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number. Gen 22:16-17 NLT Now that’s a trustworthy statement. It’s His version of, “Cross my heart and hope to die!” Jim & Phyllida Strickland			25 "And now, O LORD God, I (David) am Your servant; do as You have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm it as a promise that will last forever. 2 Samuel 7:25 NLT 38 Keep your promise to me. Then other people will have respect for you. Psalms 119:38 NIrV 42 Then I will answer those who make fun of me, because I trust in your word. Psalms 119:42 NIrV Zayin. 49 Remember what you have said to me. You have given me hope. - 54 No matter where I live, I sing about your orders. - 72 The law you gave is worth more to me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold Psalms 119:49, 54 & 72 NIrV Lamedh. 89 LORD, your word lasts forever. It stands firm in the heavens. 90 You will be faithful for all time to come. You made the earth, and it continues to exist. Psalms 119:89-90 NIrV 17 So God took an oath when he made his promise. He wanted to make it very clear that his purpose does not change. He wanted those who would receive what was promised to know that. 18 God took an oath so we would have good reason not to give up. We have run away from everything else to take hold of the hope offered to us in God's promise. So God gave his promise and his oath. Those two things can't change. He couldn't lie about them. 19 Our hope is certain. It is something for the soul to hold on to. It is strong and secure. It goes all the way into the Most Holy Room behind the curtain. 20 That is where Jesus has gone. He went there to open the way ahead of us. He has become a high priest forever, just like Melchizedek. Hebrews 6:17-20 NIrV 1 And because of His glory and excellence, He has given us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human desires. 2 Peter 1:4 NLT	VERACITY It’s difficult for us to understand, Almighty God will never tell a lie. Liars we observe on every hand, Many of them, do not even try To tell the truth; and lying is their norm. Every word they speak is to impress. Speech is little more than verbal porn, Weaved into a web of “truth-less-ness”. Politicians – whom can we believe? Government’s a stranger to the truth. Is it they’re intending to deceive, Voters and especially the youth? What has happened to veracity? Bring it back O Lord, we beg of Thee. Jim Strickland  Written 31st October 2012 CREATIVITY The things the Father told us long ago, Are guaranteed and they will come about. This is something we all need to know. There need be no wavering or doubt. Why is this? Because it was His Word Spoken; and creation came to be. In that empty, nothingness was heard, God Almighty’s creativity. That is how our universe was born. Light with time and space quickly appeared. What God said was like the break of dawn. All the host of heaven loudly cheered! God had started what He had said He’d do. Make a paradigm for me and you. Jim Strickland  Written 31st October 2012