THE THOUGHTS OF JESUS

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 21 August 2012

Hi all,

A different style of writing today; short verses rhyming every other line. I’ve not covered all ten Scriptures. I’ve focused on Psalm 69:20. I’ve tried to “fill in the blanks” of what Jesus might have been thinking at that time. The emphasis is on what He might have been thinking. We don’t have to agree. 6 hours on the cross! 6 hours to murder God! “Father forgive them, they know not what they do!” AMEN Lord Jesus.
Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 21 August 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE THOUGHTS OF JESUS
The Lord Jesus Christ was amazingly accurate in His assessment of people and the things they desire. Being God, this is not surprising. Because of this, He is able to sum things up with a succinct phrase. In Luke’s Gospel He summed up our attitude toward “things” as follows; 34 For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also. Luke 12:34 TNIV I’ve looked at this statement on a number of occasions trying to understand His meaning. The context is our attitude to wealth or money. What I took from this was that if my treasure is money, that’s where my heart will be. It seems a bit obvious. Charles Dickens’ better known novel is “A Christmas Carol”. There we see the great miser, Scrooge, obsessed with money and the drive to accumulate more and more. His statement, “Christmas – humbug!” stands out from this story like a sore thumb. Nevertheless, it’s clear that Scrooge’s treasure was money. That’s where his heart was. The story of his transformation makes “A Christmas Carol” one of the best loved stories in English literature. When Jesus spoke, His words were invariably on many levels. It’s obvious where Scrooge’s heart and treasure was. But what about you and me? Now it’s very easy to get all pious and say that my heart and treasure are with Jesus Christ. That would be wonderful, For me, I wish that were always true. So where is your heart and your treasure? Dr A W Tozer spoke about this in one of his books. He said “If you want to know where your heart and treasure are, all you need to do is stop and think. What do you think about in your spare time? What does your mind return to when you are free to think of anything you wish?” He added, “That is where you heart and your treasure are”. Very simple isn’t it? I find this very scary. You would think that every man or woman of God would always think about Jesus, His Father, The Holy Spirit and the Kingdom of Heaven. I’d like to think it’s true for me and all who reads this. What happens in fact is that many men tend to think about the opposite sex. This may not be unsavoury thoughts. Some think about the girlfriends they had when they were growing up. Many think of their Mother. None of these thoughts are wrong. They become wrong when they are revisited whenever the opportunity arises. Whenever they are free to dwell on such thoughts. That’s where his treasure is! Ladies also have fantasies. It could be “Prince Charming” or the boy next door! These thoughts are not wrong. But when they are an obsession, they become wrong. That’s where her treasure is! In today’s meditation I’ve taken some of the Scriptures and turned them into short rhyming verses. The one I’d like to draw your attention to is taken from Psalm 69:20. What I’ve tried to do is imagine the thoughts of Jesus while He was on the cross. Through His agony, was He able to think of anything? I think so. I’d be surprised if He was in such pain that He couldn’t think. One of our recent choruses says that He thought of you and me! Whether or not that’s true, I’m not able to say. There’s little doubt in my mind that He was fully aware of everything happening around Him. No doubt, snatches from the Psalms and Prophets passed through His mind. All I’ve done is tried to fit some of them together in a rational way. Am I right? Don’t ask me, ask Him! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			10 If you falter in a time of trouble, how small is your strength! Proverbs 24:10 TNIV 29 He gives strength to those who grow tired and increases the strength of those who are weak. Isaiah 40:29 GW 9 and then he told me, My grace is enough; it's all you need. My strength comes into its own in your weakness. Once I heard that, I was glad to let it happen. I quit focusing on the handicap and began appreciating the gift. It was a case of Christ's strength moving in on my weakness. 2 Corinthians 12:9 MSG 15 When they call on Me, I will answer; I will be with them in trouble. I will rescue and honour them. Psalms 91:15 NLT 27 God lives forever! You can run to him for safety. His powerful arms are always there to carry you. He will drive out your enemies to make room for you. He'll say to you 'Destroy them!' Deuteronomy 33:27 NIrV 20 Insults have broken my heart, and I am sick. I looked for sympathy, but there was none. I looked for people to comfort me, but I found no one. Psalms 69:20 GW 1 Every high priest is a man chosen to represent other people in their dealings with God. He presents their gifts to God and offers sacrifices for their sins. 2 And He is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because He Himself is subject to the same weaknesses. Hebrews 5:1-2 NLT 5 That is why Christ did not honour Himself by assuming He could become High Priest. No, He was chosen by God, who said to Him, "You are My Son. Today I have become Your Father. " Hebrews 5:5 NLT 8 Even though Jesus was God's Son, He learned obedience from the things He suffered. 9 In this way, God qualified Him as a perfect High Priest, and He became the source of eternal salvation for all those who obey Him. Hebrews 5:8-9 NLT 4 He suffered the things we should have suffered. He took on himself the pain that should have been ours. But we thought God was punishing him. We thought God was wounding him and making him suffer. Isaiah 53:4 NIrV	Failing in the Time of Trouble. And your strength is small? That is when you burst your bubble. And you’ll lose it all! He will always give His power, To those who are weak. For He is a strong high tower! Ask for what you seek. I’ve sufficient grace for you, Far more than all you need. When you’re weak, then I can do, A strong and mighty deed, That’s when I stopped asking, Lord, take this thorn away. From now to everlasting, He’s all I need each day! Call on Me, I’ll answer you, If you are in a jam. Rescuing is what I do, For that is who I Am! Our great God is eternal. So safely run to Him. He deals with the infernal; He makes their power go dim! He’ll drive away your enemies. “Destroy them” He will say. So seize your opportunities, And you will take the day. I’m terribly insulted. Heart-broken, I feel sick. My searching has resulted, That no one cares a lick. There’s not even a token, Of any sympathy. No kind word has been spoken; No one would “pity me”!		Comfort has departed. The agony’s severe; And it has barely started. If only God was near. Why have you forsaken; Your one and only Son? What action have You taken? It feels like You have gone! This horrible sensation. All sin, throughout all time. This dreadful desolation, Which I have made all Mine! But Father, I’m still trusting, That this will also end. I know I look disgusting; But on You I depend. I know we’ll be together. My life’s been free of sin. Then we will be forever! Mankind will be our kin! The trial is nearly over; My Spirit I’ll dismiss. Then we’ll all be in clover; Justice and mercy kiss! I see the Priest’s knife flashing. It’s time for me go, The devil’s work is crashing; He doesn’t even know! My task has been completed Mankind can be restored, For sin has been defeated. All men may serve the Lord! Jesus became High Priest, Because The Father said, “Since You made Yourself the least, I’m going to make You Head. This honour was not taken, Assuming it Your right. But when You were forsaken, You showed the world the light!”
				Jim Strickland – Written 21st August 2012