Time with Jesus - 16 Sept. 2013
Israel in the Days of Jesus |
Hi all,
Symbol of Para-Olympics |
First UK Olympics |
London 1948 Olympics |
Para - Tennis |
A One Horse Raced |
At times He'll carry you! |
Do your best with what you've got! |
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 16 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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NOT PLAYING GAMES!
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Did
you enjoy watching the Olympic and Paralympic Games on TV? It really was
special. We only saw the final moments of that which the athletes have
invested in time and effort to get there. Most of them didn’t even win a
medal! Sure we cheer the winners. We should do. But how many of us identify
with those who won silver or bronze medals. Many of the athletes were in
tears because they didn’t get “gold”. It seems that there are no prizes for
being second best! As Christians our hearts reach out to them. Not because we
are better than them. Frankly I don’t have the dedication to sport that they
do. The training, the pain and suffering to win a race. Why? It’s beyond me!
There
is a comparison between training for the Olympic and Paralympic Games and the
Christian life. Paul, in his letter to the Corinthians expresses it as
follows: 25 All good athletes train
hard. They do it for a gold medal that
tarnishes and fades. You're after one that's gold eternally. 1 Corinthians 9:25 MSG Eugene Peterson’s
translation puts it in classic “Olympic Games” language.
What
we do not realise is that in the race of Christian life, there is only one
person we have to beat. Ourselves! In a way, everything is the “wrong way
round”. In London 2012, only one person in the race gets gold. They get it
after they have won the race. In Christianity, we are informed that the “Gold
medal” is awarded to everyone who finishes the race. To get “gold”, we have
to keep on keeping on! Others may be faster and better than we are. But not
in Jesus’ eyes. He sees us all as gold medal winners, if we complete the
course. That’s encouraging.
There
is a sense in which we are running as “Paralympic” athletes. In London, the
Paralympic contestants were divided into various groups so that people only
compete against others similarly challenged. That’s quite correct and is
considered fair. But in our race of life each of us is in a class of our own.
Jesus sees you and me as unique. We don’t get categorised. We run against
ourselves in a one person race. If we finish the course we win. The “gold” is
there for the taking. If we finish the
race, we’re in first place! The question is, will we finish?
The
Paralympics is a competition. But in the Christian race of life, we are not
competing with others. The difference is that Satan and his bunch do
everything they can to discourage and force us out of the race. In a way, we
could say that most of the officials don’t want us to finish and use
everything they know to keep us away from the finishing line. We can’t ignore
them. We have to get past them. But we have the greatest Coach who ever lived
on Earth. Jesus Christ. More than that, He runs with us. With Him, we will
never be defeated. The “gold” is ours.
Jim &
Phyllida
Strickland
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5 For
His anger lasts only a moment, but His favour lasts a lifetime! Weeping may last through the night, but joy comes with
the morning.
Psalms 30:5 NLT
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His anger lasts a moment. His favour
lasts for life.
No matter what our problems
are; regardless of the strife,
We know we’ll be delivered, the
weeping soon be gone.
The night will soon be over;
with joy we’ll carry on.
Don’t let pain and suffering cause us
to fail the test.
Go through the experience and in
it we’ll be blessed.
Our enemies are doing it; the devil
wants to smash,
The followers of Jesus and
cause our hopes to crash.
We knew that it would happen. It’s
what he’s always done.
But we’ve received the victory
through Christ, God’s only Son.
The Lord said tribulation, was sure to
come about.
So it is going to happen. Of
this, there is no doubt.
Even in the midst of it, we’ll know
His inner peace;
No matter what they do to us,
His love for us won’t cease.
So let us be encouraged and let us all
take heart.
The Lord has overcome the world
and Satan cannot part,
Us from the love He has for us. The
world cannot succeed,
And tear us from God’s Kingdom
and the life He helps us lead.
Indeed it’s like a nightmare.
Excruciating pain,
Is what the devil uses. But it
is all in vain.
It only lasts a moment; and in
eternity,
The actual duration is just
momentary.
There’s really no comparison. It isn’t
cause to quit.
Pray and ask the Master to help
you cope with it.
He will not refuse you. He will not
let you down.
And in His Royal Kingdom,
you’re sure to wear a crown.
A woman in her labour will cry out in
her pain.
But when the child’s delivered,
the thoughts within her brain,
Will never be her anguish; she will be
filled with joy,
Because she cradles in her arms
her baby girl or boy!
Her suffering was worth it. She knows
it very well.
Even if she went through the
very fires of hell,
The joy which she experiences through
her baby’s birth,
Is more than all the treasures
we find upon the earth.
So let us all take courage. Our life
on earth is short.
Yes, there’s tribulation. Satan
will resort
To anything available, to keep you
from the Lord.
But Jesus is the One Who should
be worshipped and adored.
Nothing is worth keeping! He’ll dry up
all our tears;
He will swallow death and put
an end to time and years.
We will live forever and be with God
Most High.
If we follow Jesus ‘til the instant
that we die.
Jim Strickland
Written 16th
Sept. 2012
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3 We sent him so that no one would be upset by times of
testing. You know very well that we have to go through them. 4
In fact, when we were with you, we kept telling
you that our enemies would make us suffer. As you know very well, it
has turned out that way.
1 Thessalonians 3:3-4 NIrV
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33 I have
said these things to you, that in me you may have
peace. In the world you will have tribulation. But take heart; I have
overcome the world."
John 16:33 ESV
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15 Because I do what is right, I will enjoy your blessing.
When I wake up, I will be satisfied because I will see you.
Psalms 17:15 NIrV
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12 The night is about over, dawn is about to break.
Be up and awake to what God is doing! God is putting the finishing touches on
the salvation work he began when we first believed.
Romans 13:12 MSG
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4 Then he will be like the light of morning at sunrise
when there aren't any clouds. He will be like the bright sun after rain that
makes the grass grows on the earth.'
2 Samuel 23:4 NIrV
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8 He will swallow up death forever; and the Lord GOD will
wipe away tears from all faces, and the reproach of his people he will
take away from all the earth, for the LORD has spoken.
Isaiah 25:8 ESV
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4 He
will wipe every tear from their eyes. There will
be no more death or mourning or crying or pain, for the old order of things
has passed away."
Revelation 21:4 NIV
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17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be
caught up together with them. We will be taken up in the clouds. We will meet
the Lord in the air. And we will be with him forever. 18 So cheer each other up with these words of comfort.
1 Thessalonians 4:17-18 NIrV
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