AMEN AND AMEN

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 18 October 2012

Hi all,

Amen. There is a way the word is used which implies that nothing further can be added. It’s the way Christians should view the word. It’s a bit like say, God said it – that settles it. When God has spoken, that’s it. Nothing can be added or taken away. It’s guaranteed. It cannot be changed. Of course that’s because He is God. In English the word “FINIS” is sometimes appended to the end of a statement. It’s over and done. Amen is the word we can write under what God has said. It’s a guaranteed certainty!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 18 October 2012			Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give
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INTRODUCTION			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	AMEN AND AMEN
Words seem to come and go. They appear to change meaning from time to time and from place to place. One of the big surprises I found as reading school reports. In my days, if I got a 5 on my report card, my parents would have been very unimpressed. 1’s were wonderful, not that I ever got any. I seemed to be able to hover at ±3. No more and no less with the accompanying statement, “Jim could do better! The last time I looked at my grandchildren’s school reports, they were dotted with 4’s and 5’s. Then I was told that to understand them, I should stand on my head. They were upside down to what I knew. One amusing little riddle about “Amen”. Question: - Why do we say “Amen” and Not “A-Women”? The answer is because we sing Hymns and not Hers! Words also have a habit of changing meaning. Perhaps the best known is the word “gay”. It used to mean carefree, happy and enjoying things. Now it means homosexual. I’m not sure I approve. But my opinion is not important. The word “Amen or So be it” doesn’t mean what it meant when the Bible was translated into English. According to Nelson’s New Bible Dictionary it means: a solemn word by which a person confirms a statement, an oath, or a covenant (Num. 5:22; Neh. 5:13). It is also used in worship to affirm an address, psalm, or prayer. It used to mean the truth. The Lord identified Himself with this word when He said, I am Amen. I am the truth. No longer. The word has been considerably downgraded. Today it is used to answer a question. The preacher will say something, followed by the word, “amen?” He expects the congregation to reply “amen”. So the word has been downgraded from being one of the Names of our great and glorious God. Now, all it seems to mean is, “I agree!” So, how do we change this? Do we need to change it? This is perhaps a better question. I think we should do what we can to make people aware of the words they use. In USA the people speak of an automobile. We understand that they mean a motor car. We speak of a bonnet. They call it the hood. They say trunk when we say boot. But we do understand each other. In South Africa we know what is meant by the word “condom”. In USA it’s called a “rubber”. So if you go for a brief visit, be careful you don’t ask your hostess if she’s got a rubber. She will not be amused. Not even to rub out pencil. That’s an eraser. Listening to dialects on the TV or movies, it doesn’t take long to realise that the way people speak English in USA, UK, RSA and Australia is different. Not so different that we can’t understand each other. There may come a day when this changes. In the UK, dialects are significantly different. A couple of years ago I picked up a book called, “Laarn yersel Geordie!” Which being translated means teach {learn (laarn)} yourself (Yersel) [to speak] Geordie! Geordie being the dialect spoken in and around Newcastle on Tyne! I’ve also come across a book on “Strine” - Australian. Here in RSA we have a small sample of it in the Afrikaans speaking community. Listen to the dialect in Malmsbury. It’s different. Dear old Professor Higgins of My Fair Lady fame asked the question, “Why can’t the English teach their children how to speak?” For me it would be enough if we started understanding the language we use! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			13 'And do not lead us into temptation, but deliver us from evil. For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the glory forever. Amen.' Matthew 6:13 NASB 36 Benaiah the son of Jehoiada answered the king and said, "Amen! Thus may the LORD, the God of my lord the king, say. 1 Kings 1:36 NASB 16 All who invoke a blessing or take an oath will do so by the God of truth. (The Amen – Hebrew aw-mane Amen, so be it, truth). For I will put aside My anger and forget the evil of earlier days. Isaiah 65:16 NLT 13 For when God made a promise to Abraham, since he had no one greater by whom to swear, he swore by himself, (The Amen – The truth) Hebrews 6:13 ESV 16 Now when people take an oath, they call on someone greater than themselves to hold them to it. And without any question that oath is binding. 17 God also bound Himself with an oath, so that those who received the promise could be perfectly sure that He would never change His mind. 18 So God has given both His promise and His oath. These two things are unchangeable because it is impossible for God to lie. Therefore, we who have fled to Him for refuge can have great confidence as we hold to the hope that lies before us. Hebrews 6:16-18 NLT 14 "And to the angel of the church in Laodicea write: 'The words of the Amen, the faithful and true witness, the beginning of God's creation. Revelation 3:14 ESV 20 For no matter how many promises God has made, they are "Yes" in Christ. And so through him the "Amen" is spoken by us to the glory of God. 2 Corinthians 1:20 TNIV 18 Praise the LORD God, the God of Israel, who alone does such wonderful things. 19 Praise His glorious name forever! Let the whole earth be filled with His glory. Amen and amen! Psalms 72:18-19 NLT	Amen; It is all over; it’s finished; it is done. It seems to be a kind of verb that’s seldom used for fun. It means finalisation. That’s how it’s going to be. A thousand million years from now and for eternity, This truth is now established; the earth may pass away. But this will be unvarying as what it is today. A little illustration. One plus one is two. It will always be this way, no matter what we do. The Lord above won’t change it. There’s really is no need. It is the confirmation in thought and word and deed. In local courtroom jargon, it’s an established fact. It tells us the right way to go, when we’re compelled to act. It verifies a statement; it establishes the truth. Regardless of the circumstance, maturity or youth. At times you’ll find it’s also used, as some sort of a noun. Rather like the title of some rather special town. So we speak about it and say it is a trust. It’s firm and confidential; a certainty; a must! It also is an adjective, a specific piece of law. Although we find it’s seldom used in this way anymore. On the odd occasion a prayer begins “Amen” Confirming that what follows is reliable again. But the common usage is at the very end. “Yes, this is reliable. On this you may depend. A congregation uses it when they are all agreed. When they’ve heard a statement they believe is truth indeed. Written in Psalm eighty nine and in verse fifty two, We find Amen repeated; so everyone may view; The glory and the majesty of Him Who reigns on High. Who deals with every mocker and informs them, “Do not try”. God used the expression, when by Himself He swore. None can overrule Him. He is the highest law! We’re told that all God’s promises in Jesus are AMEN. They won’t be rescinded or issued once again! The book of Revelation, behold in chapter three, Recorded in the fourteenth verse quite categorically, He says He is the Amen. He’s faithful and He’s true. “Those in Laodicea, be careful what you do; If you are not careful, I’m going to spit you out. Turn from being lukewarm. Your future is in doubt. Only overcomers shall sit at my right hand. All the rest will go to Hell when I give the command. Indeed I am the Holy One, “I AM!” That is My Name. Amen! All this is certain. Amen! Always the same. Jim Strickland – Written 18th October 2012