Monday, March 19, 2012

MY FAVOURED SONS AND DAUGHTERS


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