Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 31 October 2012
Hi all,
I thought today would be a good day for a couple of
Jimmets; makes for a change. Today’s Scriptures describe the total
dependability of God. They illustrate His truthfulness and His reliable
creativity!
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 31 October 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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JIMMETS
– VERACITY & CREATIVITY
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“Cross my heart and hope to die!” Are these words
as familiar to you as they are to me? They come from childhood. Someone would
say something. “Is that true?” someone else would respond. In my day, it was
something you said to confirm your statement. “Yes it’s true”, was never
quite enough to add credence to your words. So we would make foolish
statements hoping the other person would be convinced. It was certainly not a
“Christian” phrase. But when you’re somewhere between the age of 6 and 10,
what else can you say to emphasise that your statement is absolute truth. If
memory serves correctly, it was only partly true anyway. Part of it was said
for effect; to make yourself seem more reliable and truthful than you really
were!
To
some extent, David’s words to the Lord in 2 Samuel 7 have a feeling of
incredulity about them. Yes, these were words of thanks and grateful
appreciation to God for promising David that His line would continue forever.
After all, what do you say to God when you hear that He has made such an
extraordinary promise? It’s not a time to say, “That’s great so what’s for
lunch?” How can I say this about David’s comment to God?
It
has nothing to do with David and everything to do with God and the prophet
Nathan. David was already thoroughly aware that God doesn’t tell lies. David
also knew that Nathan the prophet always only brought God’s truth to the
discussion. If Nathan really was a prophet of God – and David correctly
believed that he was – God’s message would be totally reliable. In those
days, lying prophets very quickly vanished from the scene. Rapidly removed
might be the way to put it. Stoned to death! Not a bad idea! Perhaps we
should do it today?
There
is something else about God not telling lies that is hugely comforting. It’s
the fact that we can be sure that what has happened in the past will happen
today and tomorrow. If God is a liar, how do we know tomorrow will come? Why
would the speed of light be constant? Would we have children or cabbages?
Would there be anything we can depend on? Would two and two still be four?
All these are true because of God’s invariable reliability.
Now
God also understands the creatures He has made. He knows that we live in a
fallen world and that we are sceptical about anything and everything. We are
inclined to doubt the Lord God Himself. So when He made a promise to Abraham
He said, 16 "I swear by My own
name that 17 I will certainly
bless you. I will multiply your descendants beyond number. Gen
22:16-17 NLT Now that’s a trustworthy statement. It’s His version of, “Cross my heart and hope to die!”
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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25
"And now, O LORD God, I (David) am Your servant; do as You have promised concerning me and my family. Confirm
it as a promise that will last forever.
2 Samuel 7:25 NLT
38 Keep your promise to me. Then other people will have
respect for you.
Psalms 119:38 NIrV
42 Then I will answer those who make fun of me, because I
trust in your word.
Psalms 119:42 NIrV
Zayin. 49 Remember
what you have said to me. You have given me hope. - 54 No matter where I live, I sing about your orders.
- 72 The law you gave is worth more to
me than thousands of pieces of silver and gold
Psalms 119:49, 54 & 72 NIrV
Lamedh. 89 LORD,
your word lasts forever. It stands firm in the heavens. 90 You will be faithful for all time to come. You made the
earth, and it continues to exist.
Psalms 119:89-90 NIrV
17 So God took an oath when he made his promise. He wanted to make it very clear that his
purpose does not change. He wanted those who would receive what was promised
to know that. 18 God took an oath
so we would have good reason not to give up. We have run away from everything
else to take hold of the hope offered to us in God's promise. So God gave his promise and his oath. Those two things
can't change. He couldn't lie about them. 19 Our hope is
certain. It is something for the soul to hold on
to. It is strong and secure. It goes all
the way into the Most Holy Room behind the curtain. 20 That is where Jesus has gone. He went there to open the
way ahead of us. He has become a high priest forever, just like
Melchizedek.
Hebrews 6:17-20 NIrV
1 And
because of His glory and excellence, He has given
us great and precious promises. These are the promises that enable you
to share His divine nature and escape the world's corruption caused by human
desires.
2 Peter 1:4 NLT
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VERACITY
It’s difficult for us to
understand,
Almighty God will never tell a
lie.
Liars we observe on every hand,
Many of them, do not even try
To tell the truth; and lying is
their norm.
Every word they speak is to
impress.
Speech is little more than
verbal porn,
Weaved into a web of
“truth-less-ness”.
Politicians – whom can we
believe?
Government’s a stranger to the
truth.
Is it they’re intending to
deceive,
Voters and especially the
youth?
What has happened to veracity?
Bring it back O Lord, we beg of
Thee.
Jim Strickland
Written
31st October
2012
CREATIVITY
The things the Father told us
long ago,
Are guaranteed and they will come
about.
This is something we all need
to know.
There need be no wavering or
doubt.
Why is this? Because it was His
Word
Spoken; and creation came to
be.
In that empty, nothingness was
heard,
God Almighty’s creativity.
That is how our universe was
born.
Light with time and space
quickly appeared.
What God said was like the break
of dawn.
All the host of heaven loudly
cheered!
God had started what He had
said He’d do.
Make a paradigm for me and you.
Jim Strickland
Written
31st October
2012
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