Time with Jesus - 03
August 2013
The ages of responsibility and accountability are
something we are aware of. Defining when it starts and ends is almost
impossible.
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| Jamie Bulger |
The tragic account of the murder of James
Patrick Bulger highlights this. “Jamie” Bulger was a boy from Kirkby, England. He
was murdered on 12 February 1993, at the age of two. He was abducted, tortured
and murdered by two ten-year-old boys, Robert Thompson and Jon Venables. “Jamie”
disappeared from the New Strand Shopping Centre in Bootle, near Liverpool,
while accompanying his mother. His mutilated body was found on a railway line
four km away in Walton, two days after his murder.
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| CCTV Footage of Jamie Being Abducted |
It’s a good concept. It seems to conform to Old
Testament Scripture. But the question remains, “What is the age of
responsibility?” For God, it is not a problem. He knows the motives behind everything.
He knows when the child is not responsible for his actions.
We are not in that
position. We need to “enquire of God” to establish the facts.
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| Hophni & Phineas |
You don’t wait until a child is a teenager before you
set limits and boundaries for them to follow. By then it’s too late. You must start
the way you intend to continue. If you don’t, you will reap the crop of what
you have sown.
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| The Ark of the Covenant |
In the case of Eli, Hophni and Phineas, we see the
application of this. Eli made no attempt to restrain and control his sons.
Eventually it got to the place where they were uncontrollable. They did what
they wanted, when they wanted and to whom they wanted.
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| Samuel takes God's Message to Eli |
11 And the LORD said to Samuel: "See, I am about to do
something in Israel that will make the ears of everyone who hears about it
tingle. 12 At that time I will
carry out against Eli everything I spoke against his family--from beginning to
end. 13 For I told him that I would judge his family forever because
of the sin he knew about; his sons blasphemed God, and he failed to restrain
them. 14 Therefore I swore to the house of Eli, 'The guilt of
Eli's house will never be atoned for by sacrifice or offering.'”1 Samuel 3:11-14 TNIV. It’s a terrible judgement.
It came about because Eli hadn’t disciplined his sons.
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| Jesus Takes the Punishment for You and Me |
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 03 August 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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ELI,
HOPHNI AND PHINEAS
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1981
was a difficult year for me. It started with serious marriage problems which
culminated in divorce. It was also the year Phyllida and I met and married.
The reason I mention this is because my youngest son was three months younger
than Phyllida’s youngest son. There was only three months between them. So we
often referred to them as the “step-twins”. They were both in Primary School.
In the same grade, but in different classes. For a number of reasons, it was
necessary for them both to live with Phyllida and me in 1982. That was a new
experience for all of us. They may have been step-brothers or even step-twins.
But they were very different.
In
Matthew’s Gospel, Jesus tells a story about a man who had two sons. 28
"Tell me what you think of this story: A man
had two sons. He went up to the first and said, 'Son, go out for the day and
work in the vineyard.' 29
"The son answered, 'I don't want to.' Later on he thought better of it
and went. 30 "The father
gave the same command to the second son. He answered, 'Sure, glad to.' But he
never went. 31 "Which of
the two sons did what the father asked?" They said, "The
first." Jesus said, "Yes, and I tell you that crooks and whores are
going to precede you into God's kingdom. Matthew
21:28-31 MSG. Phyllida and I
found this story by Jesus described our sons perfectly. When asked to do
something, one said “No” and then went and did it. The other said, “OK!” but
didn’t do it. Phyllida and I often spoke about that in 1982.
In
today’s meditation we look at Eli and his two sons, Hophni and Phineas. The
first four chapters of 1st Samuel describe all three of them. At
that time, Eli was functioning as the “High Priest”. Sadly, he had no influence
over his sons. What happened to make them like this isn’t stated. One thing
we do know is that from God’s perspective, Eli was responsible for them. He
should have disciplined them. He didn’t and they ended up unmanageable. Worse
than that. They used their position as the sons of the High Priest to ignore
God’s clear instructions and do what they wanted. Ultimately God judged Eli
for not controlling his sons and He judged the two sons. All three of them
died, just as the Lord had said through His prophet.
We
all need to bear in mind that God is not permissive. Furthermore, every sin
that has been, is now, or ever will be committed will be judged. Nothing is
overlooked. Eli died when he learned that the Philistines had captured the
ark. His two sons died in the battle with the Philistines. Thus Samuel became
the new “High Priest”. Since he was a Levite, he was eligible. God “promoted”
him.
Jim and Phyllida
Strickland
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30
Therefore the LORD, the God of Israel, declares: 'I promised that your house
and the house of your father should go in and out before me forever,' but now
the LORD declares: 'Far be it from me, for those
who honour me I will honour, and those who despise me shall be lightly
esteemed.
1 Samuel 2:30 ESV
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The sorry tale of Eli, Hophni and Phineas,
Is quite enough for us to read and then to say “alas”.
These dreadful sons of Eli were not remaining true.
They took advantage of the folk, did what they wanted to.
God’s Word says they were scoundrels. They didn’t follow God.
They helped themselves to anything and they would feel His rod.
Eli tried to stop them. But he was getting old.
And they took little notice of that which they were told.
Now God had promised Aaron his house would always stand.
His sons would be His Holy priests forever in their land.
But when God looked upon them, He said, “This cannot be.
I will honour everyone who truly honours me.”
He also said to Eli that for their dreadful crime,
Everyone in Eli’s line, would die before their time.
Eli took it bravely, for what else could he do?
Every word God spoke to him was what He wanted to.
His sons were very wicked; according to God’s eyes;
The time had come for Him to truly cut them down to size.
Eli’s time as Priest of God was soon to pass away.
Samuel was standing by. He’d be God’s Priest one day.
That’s more or less what happened. Eli fell down dead.
Just about the way the Lord through Samuel had said.
His son’s Hophni and Phineas, both died on the same day,
Fighting with the Philistines is how they passed away.
To help them in the battle, Israel took the ark.
The Philistines then captured it. They took it off to park,
Alongside their god Dagon. Next morning when they rose,
They found Dagon was lying down, as if before God’s toes.
The moral of this story, is plain in Jesus sight.
Don’t accept behaviour that clearly isn’t right.
Better that you honour Him and He will honour you.
When He tells you something, immediately do,
That which He’s instructed. Prefer Him far above,
Your family, your children; the family whom you love.
The wife whom you have married; must all take second place.
This is the one requirement to know the Master’s grace.
Be prepared to suffer. Be faithful unto death.
Love Him with your body and with each and every breath.
The crown of life He’ll give you, that lasts forevermore;
This is what awaits those whom Jesus they adore.
Jim Strickland
Written 3rd August 2012
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32 "What about
someone who says in front of others that he knows me? I will also say in front
of my Father who is in heaven that I know him.
Matthew 10:32 NIrV
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37
"If you love your father or mother more than
you love Me, you are not worthy of being Mine; or if you love your son or
daughter more than Me, you are not worthy of being Mine. 38
If you refuse to take up your cross and follow
Me, you are not worthy of being Mine. 39 If you cling to your life, you will lose it; but if you
give up your life for Me, you will find it.
Matthew 10:37-39 NLT
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12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and
temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has
promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12 NLT
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10 Don't be afraid of what you are going to suffer.
The devil is going to throw some of you into prison so that you may be tested.
Your suffering will go on for ten days. Be
faithful until death, and I will give you the crown of life.
Revelation 2:10 GW
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17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very
long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will
last forever!
2 Corinthians 4:17 NLT
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7
These trials will show that your faith is genuine. It is being tested as fire
tests and purifies gold--though your faith is far more precious than mere
gold. So when your faith remains strong through many trials, it will bring you much praise and glory and honour on
the day when Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.
1 Peter 1:7 NLT
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