Time with Jesus - Friday, 15 June
2012
Hi all,
Today we take a look at
meanings. What did Jesus mean when He said, 23 At that time you won't need to ask Me for anything. I tell
you the truth, you will ask the Father directly, and He will grant your request
because you use My name. John 16:23 NLT
This is today’s meditation.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Friday, 15 June 2012
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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These
devotionals are the intellectual property of Jim Strickland and copyright
protected. You are welcome to copy and distribute them to anyone provided it
is for non-commercial Christian purposes
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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ASK
THE FATHER IN MY NAME
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I’m
sure I’ve mentioned before that Jesus found me in 1960. I didn’t find Him. I
was the one who was lost. He knew exactly where I was and He found me. What
it does mean, is that I’ve been in and around Christianity for just about 52
years. That does not necessarily mean that I’ve got 52 years of experience. There
is a subtle difference between repetition and experience. For example, a
teacher may have taught grade 4 for forty years. She may have 40 years
teaching experience. It is also possible that she has one year’s experience
repeated forty times. The same is true in Christianity. Many have not progressed
any further than Grade one. They may have gone round and round in circles
like the Israelites in the wilderness and learned virtually nothing. Of
course our lecture and pew system does almost nothing to get men and women
busy serving the Lord. How can they? It’s easier to be entertained than
active.
One
thing I have observed over the past 50 years is that generally speaking,
prayer seldom seems to assist. This is not intended as a criticism. It
appears to be one of the facts of Christianity. Statistically only 3% of
prayers for healing are answered. Incidentally, I’m not excluding my own
prayers in this. Why is this? I don’t have a complete answer. But it seems
that many Christians approach God rather like a slot machine. You know what I
mean. We pray to the Father in Jesus Name. Then nothing happens. This is
incongruent with Jesus’ words in John 16. Now we all know that God is
timeless. What Jesus said to the 11 disciples back there at the gates of the
temple, is as applicable now as it was when Jesus spoke them. So, what’s the
problem? Why doesn’t it work out like that?
I
can’t accept that the problem lies with God. It lies with us. Thirty years
ago I was taught that the difficulty was lack of faith on our behalf. We
needed to develop our “faith” muscle rather like a body-builder develops his
muscles. At first I accepted that. But on reflection it would mean that
healing depends on you and me rather than on the grace of God. I’m not denying
the need for us to have faith in God. But to say that it depends on our
attaining the right amount to trigger the grace of God! That’s nonsense. I’d
like to suggest that in Christianity over the past 30 years, the emphasis has
moved away from God to an emphasis on you and me. Praying to the Father in
Jesus’ Name has become a religious “mantra” Something to “tack on” at the end
of our prayer in an effort to get the Lord to give us what we have asked for.
This attitude will have as much effect on the Lord as the Tibetan prayer
wheels which get blown round in the wind. The “results” over the past few
years confirms this. Occasionally the “slot machine” spits out a bonanza. God
help us get back to genuine Christianity; putting Jesus and not ourselves,
first in everything.
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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27 And the Father who knows all hearts knows what the Spirit is saying,
for the Spirit pleads for us believers in harmony
with God's own will.
Romans 8:27 NLT
23 At that time you won't need to ask Me for anything. I tell you the truth, you will ask the Father
directly, and He will grant your request because you use My name. 24
You haven't done this before. Ask, using My name,
and you will receive, and you will have abundant joy.
John 16:23-24 NLT
18 Praying at all times in the Spirit, with
all prayer and supplication. To that end keep alert with all
perseverance, making supplication for all the saints,
Ephesians 6:18 ESV
14 There is one thing we can be sure of when
we come to God in prayer. If we ask anything in keeping with what he wants,
he hears us. 15 If we know that
God hears what we ask for, we know that we have it.
1 John 5:14-15 NIrV
3 God's will is for you to be holy,
so stay away from all sexual sin.
1 Thessalonians 4:3 NLT
7 For God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness. 8 Therefore whoever disregards this,
disregards not man but God, who gives his Holy Spirit to you.
1 Thessalonians 4:7-8 ESV
16 Always be joyful. 17 Never stop praying. 18 Give thanks no matter what happens. God wants you to
thank him because you believe in Christ Jesus. 19 Don't put out the Holy Spirit's fire.
1 Thessalonians 5:16-19 NIrV
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There’s something that is missing when we ask in Jesus Name.
The Trinity is constant, eternally the same.
So praying to the Father and asking Him for “things”,
Doesn’t mean a motor car, nor yet a pair of wings.
We know that prayer is needed; along with faith I’m told.
And that we should be confident, or even very bold.
So why is it the answer, is very seldom seen?
There must be something missing; or what did Jesus mean?
The passage speaks of questions. They didn’t understand,
That He would soon be absent. The Leader of their band,
Was going to the Father, for just a little while.
Then He would come back to them and bring them back their smile.
So they were asking questions and saying “Please explain”
What’s this about Your going, then coming back again?
He said they would be mourning and the world be full of glee.
The world would think it’s finished and they’d seen the last of Me.
But for the Lord’s disciples, that grief would turn around.
They would be rejoicing at precisely what they found.
They could ask the Father and go to Him direct.
If they asked in Jesus name, they’d not be incorrect
He also indicated, that the Spirit from on High,
He’d send as His “replacement”. And that they could rely,
On what the Spirit stated; the truth is what He’d bring.
And this describes the context of “Ask for anything!”
The problem with our thinking in two thousand and twelve,
Is that we think it’s anything to squander on ourselves.
I can’t see a connection with a mansion by the sea,
And what the Lord was meaning going to Gethsemane.
We think that it is baubles and a pocket full of gold.
Of aeroplanes and bank account and dreams of wealth untold.
That wasn’t Jesus’ thinking as they reached the temple gates,
And helps our understanding of what the Bible states.
The Spirit will not help us, to satisfy our lusts.
Nor will He comply with, the list of all our “musts”.
To use the Name of Jesus as an “Open sesame”,
Is bordering on witchcraft, not Christianity.
So let us ask for wisdom; the Father will comply.
And then the things we ask for, won’t be a stream run dry.
Jim
Strickland
Written 15th June 2012
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