Time with Jesus - 7 Oct 2013
Hi all,
What is it that constitutes fame? Certain names speak
for themselves. Winston Churchill, Florence Nightingale, Adolf Hitler, Emily
Pankhurst, Joseph Stalin, Jezebel, Horatio Nelson, Salome, Abraham Lincoln,
Queen Elizabeth 1st, Nero, Mother Teresa. I could go on with lists
of this sort; famous or infamous men and women of history.
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Name
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Age at birth of
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Adam
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687
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Seth
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557
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Enosh
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452
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Kenan
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362
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Mahalalel
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292
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Jared
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227
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Enoch
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65
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Methuselah
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0
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Going down through the years, we come to another
remarkable man; one of only two men who didn’t die. His name was Enoch. The
little table on the left gives the age of antediluvian patriarchs from Adam to
Methuselah. Adam was 622 when Enoch was born.
One day, Enoch said to Adam. “What was it like in Eden?” Adam replied, “It was wonderful. You would have loved it.” Enoch
then asked Adam, “What happened? Why aren’t we all
still there?” Adam replied, “It was your
great, great, great, great grandmother Eve! She ate us out of house and home!”
Mmmmm
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Seth
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Enosh
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Kenan
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Mahalalel
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Jared
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Enoch
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Methuselah
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| Thought to be Lamech |
Lamech is in the “ungodly” line of Cain and is also
Adam’s great, great, great, great grandson. Lamech is thought to be one of the
wickedest men in the antediluvian period. He is on record as the first man to
have more than one wife. |
| Methuselah |
According to dates and times we find that the flood occurred, the same year he
died. Thus, for the best part of a millennium, a man walked the earth telling
everyone, through his name, that the flood was coming. 
I may be wrong but if this is true, we can say that one man was able
to tell every antediluvian that God would “wash the world clean” when he died.
It seems only Noah and family believed him! |
| "Face" on Shroud of Turin |
Shalom
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Monday, 07 October 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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BUILDING
A HOUSE
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Do
you love surprises? For me, it all depends on the circumstances. Usually I
love surprising other people. But I get a bit embarrassed when people
surprise me. The example I have in mind is the notices most churches issue
every week. In most of them there is a column with names, birthdates, and
telephone numbers. The idea is to phone the person on their birthday with a
greeting of some sort. For as long as possible I’ve done my very best to keep
my date secret. These well-meaning and supposedly encouraging calls, I find
most embarrassing.
What
about a surprise party? Have you ever been the subject of one? Organising such
an event can be hectic. How do you arrange a party for someone and keep it
secret?
Has
it occurred to you that nothing can surprise God? He is omniscient. Besides
which, God doesn’t have a birthday. Well, perhaps Jesus does have a physical
birthday. But that’s different. In this regard God always announces His
intentions before He acts. Amos tells us: 7 The fact is, GOD, the
Master, does nothing without first telling his prophets the whole story.
Amos 3:7 MSG
In
the light of this, let’s spend a few moments thinking about King David. Apart
from Jesus Christ, he is one of the best loved men in the Bible. We are told that
Samuel informed Saul that God had rejected him as King; - 14 But now your kingdom must end, for the LORD has sought out a man after His own heart. The LORD has already appointed him to be the leader
of His people, because you have not kept the LORD's command."1 Sam 13:14 NLT The man was David. Now David was
not perfect and he knew it. But he loved the Lord. David was a man of war.
His hands were stained red with the blood of his enemies. The “Bathsheba”
incident confirms he was subject to the same temptations we experience. He
wanted to build a temple for God. David was the architect of the first
Jerusalem Temple. His chief aim in life was to build it. All his personal
wealth was given to finance it. Through the prophet Nathan, David was told
God had said he was not to do so. It would be built by his son, King Solomon.
Nathan added that although he (David) had wanted to build God a house, God
would build a house for him. An everlasting dynasty. 16 Your house and your kingdom will continue before Me for all
time, and your throne will be secure forever.'"2 Sam 7:16 NLT This was David’s big surprise. To
say he was “gob-smacked’ is an under-statement. We are told: King David went in and sat before the LORD and prayed, "Who am I, O Sovereign LORD, and what is my family,
that You have brought me this far? 2 Sam
7:18 NLT How do we handle such surprises? You tell me!
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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29 And now, may it please
You to bless the house of Your servant, so that it may continue forever
before You. For You have spoken, and when You grant a blessing to Your
servant, O Sovereign LORD, it is an eternal blessing!"
2 Samuel 7:29 NLT
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The crafter of a building is called the architect.
He puts his plans on paper. His purpose, to reflect,
The vision of the building, which he has got in mind.
They’re very skilled and competent; is what you always find.
They don’t erect the building, although I’m sure they could.
A builder takes the set of plans and does just what he should.
He brings in brick and mortar, the marble, sand and stone,
The wood, the tiles and scaffolding to build what has been shown.
Now who should get the credit when all the work is done?
The architect or builder? It should be everyone,
Who made a contribution to see the work complete.
For as folk take a look at it they’ll say, “That’s quite a feat!”
Now what about God’s temple? King David made the plans.
God wouldn’t let him build it with blood upon his hands.
That task was left to Solomon. It took him seven years.
But David was the architect. At least that’s what appears.
Everything that David owned; all this was dedicated.
To build a temple for the Lord, precisely as he stated.
God wouldn’t let him build the house; He had a better plan.
God said “Your son will build it – he is a peaceful
man”.
He said He’d build a dynasty that wouldn’t ever end.
David was the starting point. God said He would send,
A King who’d reign forever. He’d be from David’s line.
The “house” He’d build for David, would have a King Divine.
David sat there “gob-smacked”. It’s hard to comprehend,
That someday He would send a King, Who’s life would have no end.
David was His forefather. How do you come to grips,
With anything the Lord had said? A King Who would eclipse,
Anything and everything that David might have done?
A King Who’d rule in righteousness; Who also was God’s Son!
I don’t think I could handle that. I think somehow I’d freak!
I think I’d sort of shake my head and say, “Lord, I’m too weak!
O Lord I’m just a servant and I can hardly cope,
With knowing what You’re doing. It’s far beyond the scope,
Of all I have imagined. You’d do all this for me?
You know I am a sinner Lord. How can You let this be?
But Lord, You said You’d do it. So Father, carry on.
Thank you Lord for telling me that I will be that one!”
Jim Strickland
Written 7th Oct 2012
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27 Now you have been
pleased to bless the house of your servant that it may continue forever
before you, for it is you, O LORD, who have blessed and it is blessed
forever."
1 Chronicles 17:27 ESV
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22 It is the LORD'S blessing that makes a person rich, and
hard work adds nothing to it.
Proverbs 10:22 GW
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35 In
everything I did, I showed you that by this kind of hard work we must help
the weak, remembering the words the Lord Jesus
himself said: "It is more blessed to give than to receive.'"
Acts 20:35 TNIV
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13
Instead, when you give a banquet, invite the
poor, the handicapped, the lame, and the blind. 14 Then you will be blessed because they don't have any
way to pay you back. You will be paid back when those who have God's approval
come back to life."
Luke 14:13-14 GW
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34
"Then the king will say to those on his right, 'Come,
my Father has blessed you! Inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the
creation of the world. 35 I was
hungry, and you gave me something to eat. I was thirsty, and you gave me
something to drink. I was a stranger, and you took me into your home. 36
I needed clothes, and you gave me something to
wear. I was sick, and you took care of me. I was in prison, and you visited
me.'
Matthew 25:34-36 GW
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To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. 1
Blessed is the one who considers the poor!
In the day of trouble the LORD delivers him;
Psalms 41:1 ESV
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11 For the LORD God is a sun and shield; the LORD bestows
favour and honour. No good thing does he withhold from those who walk
uprightly.
Psalms 84:11 ESV
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