Time with Jesus - 12 Sept 2013 |
| Juke Box |
The man in question had 700 wives
and 300 concubines. If he took 1 of them to bed every night, it would take 2.73
years before he could begin again! Is this variety, gluttony or stupidity? It’s
probably a bit of all three. What about power? There was no one to challenge
him militarily. Moreover he was thought of as the wisest man alive. So wise,
the Queen of Sheba came to see him. She was astonished. We are referring to
King Solomon. |
| King Solomon & Queen of Sheba |
Today, the vast majority would
think that if he/she was all powerful, immeasurably wealthy and with the
physical ability to indulge in a similar sexual lifestyle, they would be happy!
King Solomon’s words indicate the fallacy of this!
We are told that the easiest way to
stop someone doing something, is to allow them to do anything they want. I’m reminded
of a story told to me by my grandfather. At one time he worked for a company
called “Needlers”. They made chocolates. At the time, Needlers Chocolates were said
to be among the finest obtainable in UK. When he went to work there, he thought
his appetite for chocolates would be satisfied. He had visions of bringing
boxes of chocolates home for family and friends. 
When he started work he was
told that he could eat as many chocolates as he wanted. There was no limit
imposed on his hunger for their products. At first, he says he, “tucked in” and
enjoyed whatever his eyes desired. He found, over a period of ±2 weeks, his
appetite for chocolates decreased. He arrived at a place where he didn’t want
to eat any. He was satiated with chocolates. He added that he could buy boxes
of “seconds” at a good price. There was nothing wrong with them. They looked “odd”
so were not suitable to sell in the shops. It wasn’t long before family and
friends no longer had a “taste” for chocolates.
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ECCLESIASTES 1:2
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Trans
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Vanity of vanities, saith the
Preacher; vanity of vanities, all is vanity
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ASV
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Vanity of vanities, says the
Preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
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ESV
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"Absolutely pointless!"
says the spokesman. "Absolutely pointless! Everything is
pointless."
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GW
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Vanity of vanities, saith the
Preacher, vanity of vanities; all is vanity
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KJV
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Vanity of vanities, says the
preacher, vanity of vanities! All is vanity.
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MKJV
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Smoke, nothing but smoke. That's
what the Quester says. There's nothing to anything--it's all smoke.
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MSG
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"Vanity of vanities,"
says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."
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NAS77
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"Vanity of vanities,"
says the Preacher, "Vanity of vanities! All is vanity."
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NASB
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"Everything is
meaningless," says the Teacher, "completely meaningless!"
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NLT
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"Meaningless!
Meaningless!" says the Teacher. "Utterly meaningless! Everything is
meaningless."
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TNIV
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Today’s meditation focuses on two verses of Scripture. Both of
them are in Jimmet style.
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| Gears and Wheels Don't Grow on Trees! |
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 12 Sept 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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JIMMETS – PS 118:7 & 1 COR 10:13
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Today’s
Scriptures and meditation were “tailor made” for writing a couple of Jimmets.
Both of them remind me of my early days in Christianity. I seem to recall, we
did much more singing back then than we do now. Perhaps this is a subjective
opinion, brought about by what we used to refer to as “Old Man Syndrome”. As
a young man in the 1960’s, the “old men and women” didn’t seem to have any
time for the latest modern music. Now things have gone full circle. It’s the
folk of my generation that get irritated with modern music. I’m tempted to
ask if it really is music. But I’ve thought better of it!
I’m
reminded of a UK TV programme in the early 1960”s called “Juke Box Jury” It
was one of my favourite programmes in those days. The compere, David Jacobs,
would play one of the latest musical releases and ask the jury to mark it out
of five. The younger members of the jury always gave a favourable mark. The
older ones didn’t. I suspect it was this question and answer time between
each song that the audience enjoyed most. One young girl – she must be in her
70’s now, would listen and in a deep Somerset accent say, “Oi Loikes it, Oil
Bouy it and Oil give it foive”. The audience would roar with laughter. The
most amusing incident I recall was when one of the older members of the jury
appeared with a peg on his nose. He said that the noise was bad enough. He couldn’t
face the smell.
Over
the next couple of years, music changed. We went through a marvellous time
when Dave and Dale Garret recorded “Scripture in Song”. They had a gift of
being able to find tunes suitable for singing various Scripture verses. Some
40 years later, I still find myself “singing” those old songs. It was because
it was the way I was able to memorise Scripture. Today the easiest way for me
to remember the first few verses of Isaiah 61
is to sing them. Never loudly of course. It wouldn’t be appreciated.
The
first Jimmet is an extrapolation of Psalms 118:7.
As I read, it I’m reminded of singing “Who is on the Lord’s side?” The
Scripture states “The LORD is on my side as my helper”. It’s not exactly the
same thing. But if He is on my side, logic tells me that I’m on His side.
That must be the connection in my mind. One of the first Scriptures I committed
to memory was 1 Corinthians 10:13 Back
then the only readily available translation was the KJV. It follows that the
Scriptures memorised were all in King James translation English. No doubt
people memorise verses today, from one of the more recent translations.
That’s fine. But somehow there is something about the KJV that still appeals
to me. I must confess that many times I don’t understand the KJV meaning.
That’s when I look at other translations to get a “feel” for it. This is why
the Scripture quotations in the middle of these meditations are from different
translations. My “Daily Light” is from the KJV. So I try to find a Scripture
which I think brings out the best meaning. Sure it’s subjective. But it helps
me.
The 1 Cor. 10:13 has been of great help. Through it,
I’ve started to understand that everything I’ll ever experience, has been
experienced by Jesus and or those who have gone on ahead of us. It’s
comforting to know that Satan can’t dream up anything new, that will ensure
his success over us. It’s also good to know that Jesus is fully in charge.
Satan can’t stop Him.
Jim &
Phyllida
Strickland
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7 The LORD is on my side as my helper; I shall
look in triumph on those who hate me.
Psalms 118:7 ESV
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PSALMS 118:7
We know that if the Lord is on our side,
We’ll look in triumph, at the ones who hate
Us with a passion which they cannot hide;
And constantly are seeking to berate,
God’s people. Lord, that’s why we look to You.
You have been our helper through the years.
Thank You there is naught that they can do,
And they’ll become a victim of their fears.
O Lord is there a possibility,
That You will change them? Lord for this we pray.
It would be so wonderful to see.
Them following You, Master, every day.
Though it seems the chance is very slim,
Without You Lord, their future is so grim!
Jim
Strickland
1 CORINTHIANS 10:13
You’ve
said that no temptation comes along,
That
ever in our lives we’ll have to face,
That
can’t be overcome if we are strong.
That’s
why, O Lord, You’ve granted us Your grace.
Our
trials and our temptations aren’t unique.
Other
men of God have faced them too.
You
have strengthened them when they were weak;
And
the time has come for us to do,
What
they did. To stand and not to yield.
The
enemy may come in like a flood;
And
tell us that our fate is surely sealed,
But,
we have the power of Your blood.
And
that Master, You will show the way,
To
escape; regardless; come what may!
Jim Strickland
Written 12th September 2012
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For the choir director: A psalm of David. 1
In times of trouble, may the LORD answer your
cry. May the name of the God of Jacob keep you safe from all harm. 2
May He
send you help from His sanctuary and strengthen
you from Jerusalem.
Psalms 20:1-2 NLT
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5 May we shout for joy when we hear of your victory and raise
a victory banner in the name of our God. May the LORD answer all your
prayers.
Psalms 20:5 NLT
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7 Some nations boast of their chariots and horses, but we boast in the
name of the LORD our God. 8 Those nations will fall down and
collapse, but we will rise up and stand firm.
Psalms 20:7-8 NLT
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19 So
they shall fear the name of Jehovah from the west, and His glory from the
rising of the sun. When the enemy shall come in
like a flood, the Spirit of Jehovah shall make him flee.
Isaiah 59:19 MKJV
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13 No test or temptation that comes your way is beyond the
course of what others have had to face. All you need to remember is that God
will never let you down; he'll never let you be pushed past your limit; he'll
always be there to help you come through it.
1 Corinthians 10:13 MSG
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31 What
should we say then? Since God is on our side, who
can be against us?
Romans 8:31 NIrV
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6 The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What
can mere people do to me?
Psalms 118:6 NLT
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17 If
this be so, our God whom we serve is able to
deliver us from the burning fiery furnace, and he will deliver us out
of your hand, O king.
Daniel 3:17 ESV
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