Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 25
April 2012
Hi all,
Tuesday was a coldish day; overcast
and rainy. It was Good weather for watching DVD’s.
Speaking about DVD’s we spent
some time in Mbabane looking for a DVD recorder. There were none available. You
cannot buy them in RSA. DSTV has too much “clout” with manufacturers. They want
us to use their PVR. But I don’t want a PVR. I want to be able to record onto a
DVD directly from the TV; sadly, not available in RSA; also not available in
Swaziland. It looks like I’m going to have to try and get one outside RSA. If
anyone is going to Dubai or anywhere such things are available, please let me
know. Perhaps we can arrange something?
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 25 April 2012
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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ONE TINY GLIMPSE
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As a general rule it is not acceptable to accept
your own testimony about yourself. What do I mean? In Paul’s second letter to
Timothy, Paul states, “All Scripture is inspired
by God”. Paul was not referring to the New Testament. Some of it had still not been written. He was
referring to the Jewish Scriptures. Paul would also have been unwilling to
claim that his writings would subsequently be regarded as Scripture. I
suspect even the thought would “terrify” him. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us
realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and
teaches us to do what is right.2 Timothy
3:16 NLT
This means that Paul had no idea he was writing
Scripture. History tells us that the New Testament Cannon was not finalised
until many years later at a great Church meeting in a placed called “Chalcedon”.
However, since Paul’s letters to Timothy were recognised as Scripture, what he
had written concerning the Old Testament was true of his own words in this
letter.
Sadly, many scholars do not believe the Scriptures
are “God breathed”. So they feel free to chop and change them any way they
choose. There is a “modern group of scholars who have approached the Bible
with a pair of scissors. If the words do not confirm with their “rational”
minds they cut them out. So the creation account is regarded as a myth. Miracles
and supernatural signs are discarded and Jesus cannot be God’s Son.
Think about this for a
moment. It means that they see their own rational mind to be a higher
authority than God’s Word! In the light of this, it’s hardly surprising that
many theologians have no faith in God whatsoever. What is diabolical is that
they teach their people to believe nothing. You will find this true of many “ministers”
in our Episcopal churches. Many of their “flock” are unsaved and on their way
to hell because their minister is an unbeliever. All this because of the
scourge of rationalism. God will hold them to account for this.
Phyllida and I are unashamedly fundamentalists. We
believe the Bible is inerrant; people are not; we aren’t inerrant either. Because
we believe the Scripture, we know that Jesus came and died for us. This
morning’s meditation asks if any of us could have done what Jesus did. I
freely admit I can’t; not even if I wanted to. It also looks at whether we
will get what we deserve. It also asks whether we should line up to live in
His Kingdom. When I look at what He’s done; I start to think hell is a bit too
good for me.
Jim &
Phyllida Strickland
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9 You are familiar with the generosity of
our Master, Jesus Christ. Rich as he was, he gave it all away for us--in one
stroke he became poor and we became rich.
2 Corinthians 8:9 MSG
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Do you think you could do it? I only wish
I could.
I don’t think I could live a life so excellent
or good.
I’m “happy” in my comfort zone and
couldn’t face the change,
From being God, to serving pigs! That’s
far too large a range
From Sovereign in the Palace, to
eating food for hogs!
From such a mighty pedigree, to slaving
with dogs.
From making all creation, to living in
a womb.
From knowing that you are the “life”
to lying in a tomb
How else can we express it? We surely
can’t conceive,
What’s written in the Word of God. Who
me? I can’t believe!
I just don’t have it in me! I know I
can’t step down.
To being made the slave of all when I had
worn the crown!
I know about the fairy tale of
incognito kings,
Walking midst their people, so they
could “check out” things.
They wear the garb the ordinary people
wear each day.
But know it’s not for very long they’ll
carry on that way.
We’ve revelled in the moment when all
has been revealed;
The unattractive servant is now as
king revealed!
He didn’t have to journey into the
vale of death.
He doesn’t die in agony, gasping for each
breath!
He wasn’t in such poverty, he didn’t
have a grave,
He didn’t go and visit Hell for other
men to save.
Yet Jesus Christ did all of this. From
wealth to poverty!
It seems the “gap” was infinite to
save a wretch like me!
God knows we don’t deserve it. He took
my punishment,
For living in my selfishness, my
thinking warped and bent!
A hundred billion years in Hell would
be appropriate
A million crucifixions, a much more
fitting fate!
But Jesus Christ endured it for folk
like you and me!
How many people can be saved by “killing”
Deity?
A hundred million billion could never quite
suffice.
But every sinner who has lived is closer
to the price.
So lets all think about it and go
through it once more.
Is this the God you want to serve, to
worship and adore?
I don’t deserve to serve Him. I’ll do it
any way.
Not to be rewarded, that cost for me’s
OK.
“My good and faithful servant”. Is
much too good for me.
A slave within His palace I think I
just might be.
Anything to be with Him, Lord,
anything at all.
Just to get a glimpse of Him! Somewhere
cramped and small.
Then I can face eternity, locked in
the deepest hell!
For I’ll have served the Son of God
and seen His face as well!
Jim
Strickland – Written 25th April 2012
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19 For God in all His fullness was pleased
to live in Christ, 20 and through Him God reconciled
everything to Himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth
by means of Christ's blood on the cross.
Colossians 1:19-20 NLT
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3 The Son radiates God's own glory and expresses
the very character of God, and He sustains everything by the mighty power of
His command. When He had cleansed us from our sins, He sat down in the place
of honor at the right hand of the majestic God in heaven. 4
This shows that the Son is far greater than the
angels, just as the name God gave Him is greater than their names.
Hebrews 1:3-4 NLT
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6 Though He was God, He did not think of equality with
God as something to cling to. 7
Instead, He gave up His divine privileges; He
took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being.
When He appeared in human form, 8 He humbled Himself in obedience
to God and died a criminal's death on a cross.
Philippians 2:6-8 NLT
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19 And a scribe came up and said to him, "Teacher, I will follow
you wherever you go." 20 And
Jesus said to him, "Foxes have holes, and birds of the air have nests,
but the Son of Man has nowhere to lay his head."
Matthew 8:19-20 ESV
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20 It is also written, "The Lord knows that the thoughts of the
wise don't amount to anything." (Psalm 94:11)
21 So no more bragging about human beings! All things are yours. 22
That means Paul or Apollos or Peter or the world
or life or death or the present or the future. All are yours. 23
You are joined to Christ and belong to him. And
Christ is joined to God.
1 Corinthians 3:20-23 NIrV
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Compiled – Wednesday,
25 April 2012
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P O Box 1694,
Randpark Ridge, 2156, South Africa
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Page 1 of 1
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14 Conduit
Street, Johannesburg North, 2153, South Africa
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Printed - Tuesday, 24 April 2012
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Mobile +2782
755 8872
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Jim &
Phyllida Strickland
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Home+2711 462
4061; Neotel+2711 234 5670
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Fax +2786 531
4962
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