Time with Jesus - 9
Oct 2013
One of our
grandchildren recently got 98% in a school examination. This grandchild’s
sibling has also achieved extraordinary results. No doubt this, in part, is
attributable to the work they put into learning for their exams. 
Over the past half century or so, results have improved
steadily for those who have had the time and determination to succeed in
school. It was only in the 1980’s we started to look at matric results. Finding
out that a number of students had received 7 distinctions, was the first sign
to us that we were behind the times. 
Since then, students (called “learners”
today) results have, if anything, improved. Sadly, after 1994, results have
been very disappointing. This is not the case in the rural schools.
One of the tips both of us received during our school
days, was that to improve, you needed to “play” with those who are as good as,
or better than you are. For example, if you want to become a world class tennis
player, you must play tennis with world class players. Furthermore, you will
need a world class tennis coach to fine-tune your skills. 
Of course you must
have a basic ability in tennis. If you don’t, you will not get very far in
tennis circles. For me, a classic example is Graeme Pollock. I saw him playing
cricket when we were both in primary school. He was a cricketing phenomenon. In
a way he was a “one man team”. What I mean is that if you were fortunate enough
to be on his side, you were almost guaranteed to win.
He went on to become one
of South Africa’s finest batsmen and his name is frequently included is the so
called “world’s best cricket teams”.
An essential quality required to rise to be the very
best in anything is determination and a willingness to dedicate yourself
completely to your quest. You have to seek for perfection.
Of course, none of
us are perfect. But if you want to be the best, you have to make perfection
your goal. In South Africa, gold is a good example. To obtain pure gold from
gold ore is a lengthy and costly process. It doesn’t happen by wishful
thinking. Furthermore, you must start with gold ore. If there is no gold in the
ore, you are wasting your time. You can no more obtain gold from coal than you
can make “a silk purse out of a sow’s ear”.
Living the life of a Christian is not grossly different
from obtaining pure gold from gold ore. The starting point is somewhat
different. Eugene Petersen, in the Message, quoting from John’s Gospel
expresses it as follows:16 "This is
how much God loved the world: He gave his Son, his one and only Son. And this
is why: so that no one need be destroyed; by believing in him,
anyone can have a whole and lasting life.
John 3:16 MSG
Note the words, “no one”. Jesus has the Divine ability
of starting with anyone. It doesn’t matter who you are, where you’ve been, or
what you’ve done. He can change iron ore into gold ore. He specialises in
impossible situations and with seemingly impossible people.
He can take a “monster
of iniquity” from any culture or belief system and “convert” him or her into
the “basic building block” required for His building. No person is too “bad”.
Likewise, no person is too “good”. 
Pope or peasant, it makes no difference to
Jesus. Muslims, Hindus, Confucians, Buddhists, Atheists, Agnostics, Jews; put
the name of any religious system or opinion, and He can miraculously convert
them into what He desires. 
It’s not difficult for Him. They are “born again”
and made into new creatures in Christ Jesus. On the outside they look and may
even feel exactly the same. However, they have been changed; converted into “gold
ore” which is about to be processed and purified into “pure gold”.
In Paul’s second
letter to the Corinthians the Message states: 17 Now we look inside, and what we see is that anyone united with the Messiah gets a fresh start, is created
new. The old
life is gone; a new life burgeons! Look at
it! 2 Cor. 5:17 MSG
In other words,
anyone who has been born again is this new creature Paul was writing about.
Jesus, in John 3, in His discussion with Nicodemus,
speaks of someone being born again. According to Paul, it’s a new start as a
new creature in Jesus. In almost every case, the new creature starts life as a
baby; an infant who should grow and develop into a mature adult. We see this in
the animal kingdom as well as Homo sapiens. 
Nicodemus was right. No one is born
fully grown! It’s exactly the same in Christianity. None of us are born fully grown.
In the same way that gold begins with gold ore, Christians are born from “Christian
ore” created by Jesus! Then we begin the process of becoming what we were made
to be. 
We see an excellent example in William and Kate’s new baby, George. He
has been born as third in line to the UK throne. He was that when he was born.
He will grow and in time will be King of UK. He is about to start the process
of becoming what he was born to be.
In 1960 I was “born again” and became a new creature in
Christ Jesus. For me, the process began. One day, the fullness of this will
dawn. It’s a long process and is certainly not complete. There are lots of
impurities which need to be refined out. It may take all of eternity.
But since
Jesus does the refining, I’m in no hurry. At the moment I’m not 98% pure; far
from it. But if our grandchild can get 98% for a school exam, it tells me that
with further purification, I’ll get there. Thank you Lord Jesus.
Shalom
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 9 Oct 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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BEING
PURIFIED.
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Purity is a very strange thing. We try to achieve it and soon find
that it is an impossible task. Those of you who remember or know about the
1950’s, will recall the drive among athletes to beat the 4 minute mile.
Today, most of us don’t know what a mile is! Why should we. It was a
measurement of length in the old “English” system. At the time, this was seen
as the “Holy Grail” of middle distance athletes. The record for this distance
had been reducing from 4min 10 seconds. Many regarded the time to be an
impossible target. Then on 6 May 1954 Roger Bannister succeeded. A couple of
weeks later, John Landy, the great Australian runner, also ran the mile in
less than 4 minutes. In the British
Empire Games in Vancouver, in a race billed as "The Mile of the
Century," both runners beat the four minute time, but Bannister came in
first at 3:58.8 to Landy's 3:59.6. Since then, many men have broken this
“barrier” and it is no longer seen as impossible.
If people ask what has happened in the intervening years, we are informed
that training techniques have changed significantly. Better nutrition and
intensive exercise have equipped sportsmen to achieve what was once thought
to be impossible. Obviously, there will come a time when it will be humanly
impossible to break the record. In other words, we will never be able to
produce a perfect athlete. Now Jesus is perfect in every respect. But, in His
manhood, to improve on the record will be impossible, even for Him in His
perfection! Don’t ask me when that will be. But it would be very helpful if
you would tell me!
If you take the time to read the dietary requirements and exercise programme
of any Olympic athlete, you will probably decide not to try it yourself. I came
to that conclusion shortly after the Sydney Games. There was a TV program
showing us some of the young Australian gymnasts preparing for the Beijing
and London Olympics. Little girls who volunteered to commit to a regimen to
which they would devote the following 4 or 8 years of life.
Will any of us achieve perfection? It’s a good question. In the race
of life it takes the willingness of an Olympic athlete to finish the course.
But there is a difference. We only compete against our self. In addition, the
Holy Spirit is our coach and Jesus is our trainer. They assure me that if I
keep going, I will definitely come first in my race! They also tell me that
it won’t be for just a gold medal. It will be for a crown of gold that Jesus
will give. All who finish the course will get the same or similar golden
crowns. Will we then be perfect? I’m told that by then it could be possible.
Our mortal bodies require adjustment. But when we will change our mortal body
for a resurrection body, it may be bit easier. Will we then be able to run a
sub 4 minute mile? Good question!
Jim
& Phyllida
Strickland
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6 And the words of the LORD are flawless, like silver
purified in a crucible, like gold refined seven times.
Psalms 12:6 TNIV
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Purifying anything takes lots and lots of time.
Silver in a crucible, is how it is refined.
Gold is heated seven times to skim away the dross.
People can be purified by nailing on a cross.
Jesus was the perfect man. And yet He had to learn,
Obedience to Father, by going through that burn.
The agony of whipping, which would kill lesser men,
Inflicted by a specialist for pain beyond our ken.
Tormented by the hammering, of nails through hands and feet;
Of hanging there stark naked in that “hellish” midday heat.
That’s what Jesus suffered, when He was crucified.
That’s what He experienced while being “purified”.
He didn’t have to do it. He could have walked away.
But in the middle of it, He knew He had to stay.
Because He traded places; He took it all for me,
And all the other members of the human family.
We needed to be purified. The sin was yours and mine.
But since the Blessed Master, was also Christ Divine,
His death was efficacious for all the human race.
So what the Lord experienced, we do not have to face.
There wasn’t an alternative. The heat was turned up high.
And just because of what He did, we know that death will die!
What Jesus did was flawless. He is the Living Word.
Everything predicted has certainly occurred.
Not a tinge of falsehood. Each
prophesy fulfilled.
There is now a “way to God” because His blood was spilled.
Lord, You said You’d do it. O Lord You’ve been proved right.
You achieved the victory, so we may win our fight.
You sent Your Holy Spirit, so we’re not on our own.
We grow in our salvation, through You and You alone.
You gave Your commandment, to help us stay on track;
And by Your generosity, there’s nothing that we lack.
You grant to us discernment to reject all shameful deeds.
And willingness to follow You and put aside our greed.
We know You are refining us, to bring us forth as gold.
That somehow in the process, Your plans for us unfold.
We’re yearning for perfection, when we will be like You!
And all the promises You’ve made, will certainly come true.
Jim Strickland
Written 9th Oct 2012
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140 Your promises have been thoroughly tested; that is why
I love them so much.
Psalms 119:140 NLT
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8 The precepts of the
LORD are right, giving joy to the heart. The commands of the LORD are
radiant, giving light to the eyes.
Psalms 19:8 TNIV
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5 Every word of God
proves true. He is a shield to all who come to Him for protection. 6
Do not add to His words, or He may rebuke you and
expose you as a liar.
Proverbs 30:5-6 NLT
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11 I have hidden Your word
in my heart, that I might not sin against You
Psalms 119:11NLT
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15 I will study Your
commandments and reflect on Your ways.
Psalms 119:15 NLT
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8 Finally, brothers,
whatever is true, whatever is honourable, whatever is just, whatever is pure,
whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable, if there is any excellence, if
there is anything worthy of praise, think about these things.
Philippians 4:8 ESV
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2 Like new-born infants,
long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may grow up into
salvation
1 Peter 2:2 ESV
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17 You see, we are not
like the many hucksters who preach for personal profit. We preach the word of
God with sincerity and with Christ's authority, knowing that God is watching
us.
2 Corinthians 2:17 NLT
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2 We reject all shameful deeds and underhanded methods.
We don't try to trick anyone or distort the word
of God. We tell the truth before God, and all who are honest know
this.
2 Corinthians 4:2 NLT
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