Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 15 January 2013
Hi all,
Today’s meditation is all about “faith”. To write about
“Faith” in South Africa today is a bit like running blindfold through a swamp
infested with crocodiles. Everyone claims to know all about it. Certainly there
have been some very good teachers on this topic over the past 30 years. There have
also been some not so good teachers. What we have also found is that there is
still more to learn about faith than we all realise.
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 15 January 2013
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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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According to your faith
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Today’s Scriptures focus
on faith. I’m always reticent when it comes to speaking or writing about
faith. Unfortunately it’s one of those topics in Christianity which everyone
has heard about and has fixed ideas on. Indeed, the “Church” has just passed
through a time when “Faith” was taught by all and sundry. Sadly, sundry seems
to have won the speaking contest and has left many of us down-stream without
a paddle.
Before I proceed with
this, please allow me to make it clear that Phyllida and I were very much a
part of the faith movement. We loved it and learned many lessons that we
still regard as invaluable. We are much indebted to men like Jerry Savelle
and the Hagin family.
Oddly enough, the best
message we heard on faith was in 1982 in Rhema Randburg by Lester Sumrall. He
called it “The Trajectory of Life”. The little illustration he gave at the
time, lives with us today. He spoke of a young girl standing on the stage.
Her father walked up to the stage and said to her, “Come on honey, Jump!” The
little girl took one look at her father. Then she ran up to the edge of the
stage and leaped into his arms accompanied by shrieks of delighted laughter.
A few moments later, Lester tried it out on the little girl. “Come on honey,
Jump!” She looked at him, then looked round for her parents. She couldn’t see
them. So she looked back at Lester sadly and shook her head. Lester then
asked a profound question. He asked us why the little girl didn‘t jump? He
was as big as her father and as strong as her father and his arms were just
as good. But she wouldn’t jump. “Why?” he asked. His answer was simple. She
had no faith in Lester, because she didn’t know him. He then told us that
faith was knowing God.
Since that day, Phyllida
and I have taught people that faith was not a “commodity” that you can have
more or less of. Faith is knowing God. The more we know Him, the more faith
we have; and the more we trust Him. We have taught this now for almost 31
years. At times we have been accused of having no faith. We’ve no problem
with accusations of that sort. Why should we? By His grace He has kept us
going for the past 31 years. I’m reluctant to say it was achieved by faith.
The reluctance stems from the fact that it’s been a daily walk, step by step
with Him. Yes, we’ve made mistakes. Yes we are not perfect. Yes there is
still so much for us still to learn. In spite of all this and more, the fact
is we have developed a relationship with Him. It may not be all that it could
be. But we trust Him to the best of our ability and, as the relationship has
deepened, so our trust and thereby faith in Him has likewise increased.
Today’s meditation takes
a look at faith from this particular angle. Some of our brothers and sisters
may not agree. But that’s fine. Eugene Peterson translates Hebrews eleven
verse one as follows: - 1 The
fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the
firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our
handle on what we can't see. Heb 11:1 MSG
This “definition” is a
beautiful picture of Jesus Christ. He makes everything in life worth living.
It’s not a “magic handle” on getting stuff from God. Who wants “stuff” when
we can have Jesus?
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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12 Think with sober judgment, each according to the
measure of faith that God has assigned.
Rom 12:3 ESV
1 Welcome people who are weak in faith,
but don't get into an argument over differences of opinion.
Rom 14:1 GW
20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God,
but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory
to God.
Rom 4:20 TNIV
31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying
to him, "O you of little faith, why did you
doubt?"
Mat 14:31 ESV
28 Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great
is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her
daughter was healed instantly.
Mat 15:28 ESV
28 When he entered the house, the
(two) blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, "Do
you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes,
Lord." 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you."
Mat 9:28-29 ESV
5 The apostles came up and said to the Master, "Give
us more faith
Luke 3 17:5 MSG
20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up
in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit,
Jude 1:20 ESV
7 Have your roots in him. Build
yourselves up in him. Grow strong in what you
believe, just as you were taught.
Col 2:7 NIrV
21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand
firm for Christ. He has commissioned us,
2 Cor. 1:21 NLT
10 And the God of all grace, who
called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after
you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you
strong, firm and steadfast
1 Peter 5:10 TNIV
1 We who are strong ought to bear with the
failings of the weak and not to please ourselves.
Rom 15:1 TNIV
13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on
one another. Instead, make up your mind
not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister.
Rom 14:13 TNIV
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The big misunderstanding about our
“faith” today,
Is thinking we can measure it. It doesn’t
work that way.
The faith we often speak of is a
“quality” of God.
He is the One Who gives it. It isn’t
something odd.
It isn’t something that we own; it
never will be ours.
The Father distributes it, a bit like
April showers.
There isn’t “lots” or “little” He
gives it as He wills.
According to His Holy ways the Master
comes and fills,
Believers with what’s needed; within a
circumstance.
It’s not a Holy lottery that we can
leave to chance.
It’s trusting the Lord Jesus for what
you think is needed.
It never rests upon how much that you
have prayed and pleaded.
It never does take very much; a
mustard seed in me,
Could cause a giant sycamore to jump
into the sea!
The essence is believing that Jesus
Christ can do,
Everything that’s needed to make the
dream come true.
“According to your faith”, He said.
Not faith in me or you.
But trusting only in what Christ, the
Lord of Life can do.
We cannot generate it. We cannot make
it come!
It’s not something inflatable. To
think that way is dumb!
It’s always very simple. It’s like the
A B C.
It starts and ends with Jesus. It’s
His ability.
Of course we’d like to do it. Of
course we’d like the power.
But only He can ever cause the seed to
bloom and flower.
In fact, if I could do it, why should
I trust in Him?
Then life would be a fairy tale like
those by brothers Grimm!
It isn’t fatalism. It isn’t cast in
stone.
It’s going to the King of Kings and
trusting Him alone.
A pious Christian guru can never get
it done.
But when we put our faith in Christ,
God’s One and Only Son,
Things get in proportion. That’s when
we get things right;
For only He can ever change the
darkness into light.
So when we think of having faith,
don’t make a big mistake.
Don’t run around; punch the air,
tremble, scream or shake.
There really is no purpose. You cannot
bring it on.
The pagan priests on Carmel succeeded
– not a one!
That’s when you ask Him humbly, if He
will intervene.
It’s not some “quantity of faith” but
hope in the unseen!
An absolute assurance in what the Lord
can do;
And not relying on the “faith” you’ve
got inside of you.
The fact is there is nothing that
“faith” can bring about.
But when your faith’s in Jesus Christ,
the answer’s not in doubt.
Jim Strickland
Written
15th January
2012.
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