Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 10 April
2012
Hi all,
“One potato, two potato, three
potato, four.” Does that ring any bells? As a youngster it was the way we
decided an issue. Choosing the boys for two sides always worked this way. I
suppose if you were a mathematical genius you would have known very quickly who
was on which side. For the rest of us, “decision by potatoes” worked fine. Mind
you when it got down to only four or five “potatoes” left, some cheated and
changed position! In their own sweet and innocent way they changed the rules.
Thank God we didn’t choose
Jesus that way, and He doesn’t change the rules. He still approves of that
which he approved 2000 years ago. Conversely … let’s not go there. God never
changes the rules. Yesterday’s sin is sin today and will always be sin. The
rules of society may change, but His don’t. Mostly, we choose to sin. Sure
society now blames everyone and everything for what happened. If someone steals
something today it gets blamed on the way their mother didn’t smile at them.
Perhaps their father was rude? Anything at all!! Just don’t blame the culprit.
Perhaps he has been robbed blind. But as far as God is concerned, a thief is
still a thief. Don’t try and minimise it with a load of psychological claptrap.
Incidentally, how do we
“un-steal”? If I’ve stolen something, even if I return it, it changes nothing.
If we bear in mind that every sin is a sin against God, we start to feel the
pressure of what we have done. It’s better not to take the chance. It’s better
to obey His commands.
John makes a fascinating
comment in his gospel: 10 If you obey my
commands, you will remain in my love. In the
same way, I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. John 15:10 NIrV
At face value this seems an
innocent statement. But it’s so much more than that. It’s actually an
alternative way of checking if you are “in the kingdom” or not. Are you obeying
His commands? Think back over the past several weeks. Have you been keeping His
commands consistently? If you are not sure, ask Him. He’ll tell you.
David Pawson tells of the time
he asked his congregation to check things out with the Lord. He told them to
ask God if there was anything in their lives He (God) would like you to change.
One lady immediately responded,” I know what it is”. “No you don’t” said David.
“Go home and ask Him”. She came back to David and told him she had been right!
I must confess that the question bothers me. He might tell me something I’m
reluctant to change.
However, Jesus told His
disciple in John’s gospel, that if we have kept His commands, we will abide in
His love. More than that; He compares it with the way He stays in His Father’s love;
which mean we have another method of checking to see if we are still in His
love.
Today’s meditation explores
this in the light of Song of Songs and the fruit of the Holy Spirit.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
We have
just been reading of the witness in our heart;
The
Holy Spirit gives us, to show we are a part,
Of
Jesus and His Kingdom. This method never fails.
But
what is it that we can do if we’ve “come off the rails”.
We
probably haven’t, it’s usually a lie,
That
Satan tries to put on us, our trust in God to try.
But the
Scripture tells us of something that reveals,
A
method that does not rely on how we think or feel.
It
tells us in John’s Gospel, Chapter fifteen and verse ten,
A way
that we are certain we are not serving men.
Keeping
His commandments, in all we say and do,
Proves
to us conclusively that unto Him we’re true.
Willingly
obeying Him, demonstrates our love,
And
keep’s us intimately with Jesus Christ above.
Look
back on your recent past and see if you’ve obeyed.
If you’ve
been consistent, you needn’t be afraid!
Jesus
Christ has told us, that if we’ve kept His Word,
Never
be concerned about the lies which we have heard.
Jesus
was obedient to Father God’s commands.
He was
quite at home therein and that’s how His love stands!
So we
can please the Father, by loving Christ His Son.
Keeping
His commandments till all of life is done.
If you’ll
be His lover and love intimately,
You’ll
always be at home with Him for future history!
Smell
His myrrh and spices and eat His honeycomb.
Eat and
drink your wine and milk and you’ll be in His home.
Make
Him your Beloved and surely He’ll be yours.
Give to
Him your garden; He’ll wash away your flaws.
You
will be His “woman”; a pure and spotless bride.
You’ll
dwell with Him forever and never leave His side.
He will
make you fruitful; the fruit which you will bear,
Is love
and joy and gentleness; His patience will be there,
With
faithfulness and kindness; with self control and peace,
And goodness
motivating you, to never ever cease,
To be
that special lover that Jesus Christ desires.
Totally
committed to lighting inner fires;
And
being what He’s wanting to praise His Holy Name.
For
when you fall in love with Him, you’ll never be the same.
Jim Strickland – Written Tuesday 10th April 2012
