Time with Jesus - 14 Nov 2013
As a youngster, I was taught never to question God. What
was meant by this was, never to question His authority. I recall thinking that
questioning Him would be a bit futile. It’s a bit like challenging one of those
300kph bullet trains the Japanese have successfully built. The best
recommendation is not to get in its way. It will crush you like a bug without
even noticing your presence.
Years ago, while studying theory of machines, I
learned that it was due to what is called inertia. The best explanation was
what happens going uphill and downhill. Which way is easier? No prizes for
saying “downhill”. At least, that was what I thought until I came across
government. Now I know that it is the resistance experienced when visiting any
government department. Getting action varies proportionately as a direct function
of seniority. The higher up the ladder you go, the more the resistance you find
to doing anything.
When you reach the highest office in the land, nothing happens
whatsoever. Trying to oppose this is virtually impossible. Try it. All you’ll
get is ulcers. There is only one “thing” I know of that is more futile; trying
to resist God.
However and here is the most interesting part; although
you cannot question God, He loves you to ask Him questions. I learned the
difference many years ago when starting to get into the Bible. I would read a
passage and wonder what it really meant.
We find a good example in a very popular verse in John.
Jesus was speaking to the Pharisees and about sin. In the discourse He says; 35
A slave is not a permanent member of the family,
but a son is part of the family forever. 36 So if the Son sets you
free, you are truly free. John 8:35-36 NLT
Clearly Jesus was speaking about a slave and a member of
the family. The reference to sin and slavery to sin requires no explanation.
But what has this to do with the son setting you free? To get a feeling for
this we need to know something of the culture and happenings of those days. Now
Jesus did not approve of slavery. He would have abolished it if He could.
Sadly, in those days, slavery was common. You could buy a male slave for 30
pieces of silver. A female slave would cost you about 20 pieces of silver. Now
if you were a slave, you disobeyed your master (owner) on pain of death. He had
complete control of you.
So if the master saw an attractive young female slave
for sale, he could buy her. She was then his property. If he decided to have a
child by her, there was nothing to prevent it. Furthermore, to do so wasn’t
considered immoral. An illustration from the Old Testament is Abraham, Sarah
and Hagar. Hagar was Sarah’s slave. So if Sarah wanted Abraham to have a child
by Hagar, it was normal and quite acceptable. We find much the same in the life
of Jacob, his two wives Leah and Rachel and their slaves Bilhah and Zilpah. Jacob
had two sons by Bilhah and two sons by Zilpah at his wives request!
In such circumstances, the children of the slave girls
were the owner’s offspring. Technically, they were also slaves. He could treat
them as slaves or as sons. The choice was entirely his. In some instances,
these children were sold as slaves. In other instances, they were treated as
sons. However, their status was not assured. A final decision concerning their
future occurred after the owner died. The owner’s eldest son could sell them or
set them free. If he set them free, they were slaves no longer. In many
instances they were considered as the brothers of the eldest son. If he set
them free they were free indeed!
I’ve spent much time looking at the incident of Jesus
cursing the fig tree. My problem is why He cursed it? Yes, the Word tells me
that He was hungry. Even so, I find it very difficult to understand my Lord
cursing a tree. It appears to be a very petulant action and appears to be out
of character with the Lord we all love. Nevertheless, the incident is there for
all of us to see recorded for us in Mark 11. The question is why would the
sinless Jesus Christ curse a tree? Somehow I suspect it has something to do
with the tree of the knowledge of good and evil. Could it be that in some way
Jesus was cursing a “representative” of the tree of the fruit which brought
about the fall of man?
Certainly Jesus was crucified shortly thereafter. Was He
somehow “cursing” the “curse”? Because of Jesus Christ, the “curse” of the law
(not the law) is gone. We are redeemed from the curse of the law. Was His
action depicting this?
Shalom
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Thursday 14th November 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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QUESTIONS
AND ANSWERS
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Strange
statements and words with hidden meanings were very popular during the 1950’s.
One that comes to mind is, “How high is a Chinaman”. Pronounced and spelled
this way it’s meaningless. But when it’s spelled, “How Hi is a Chinaman”.
It’s no longer a question but a statement. Mr How Hi is clearly Chinese.
Perhaps
the best known riddle in the Bible was the one posed by Samson. 14
Samson replied, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the
strong came something sweet." For
three days they couldn't give him the answer. Judges
14:14 NIrV We know that eventually, Samson’s “wife” gave the answer of
the riddle to the Philistines. It made Samson angry and he dealt with them
accordingly.
Riddles
posed by men to men are one thing. When God poses a riddle it’s seldom that
He is looking for an answer. An example in today’s Scriptures is found in
Jeremiah 12:5. “Suppose you have run in a race
with other men. And suppose they have worn you out. Then how would you be
able to race against horses?” We are left with this open question.
Almost
the entire book of Job contains questions and answers. Some have
straight-forward answers. Others do not. Some of them were posed by his three
“friends”, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite.
These three “friends” tried their best to convince Job that full
responsibility for this disaster was at the door of Job himself. Those who
have read the book know the facts!
Toward
the end of the book, another “friend” Elihu the Buzite, continues with the
interrogation process. From Chapters 32 to 37, he questions and challenges
Job in a remarkable way. Some of his questions are quite extraordinary. We
are prompted to wonder where and how a young man could ask such deep
questions. But if we take a look at his name, we see something rather
beautiful. His name Elihu, means, “he is my God himself” A strange name for such
an interrogator. Then, suddenly in Chapter 39, the Lord begins to ask
questions. This raises the issue of whether or not Elihu’s words didn’t originate
from the heart of God?
The
Lord’s first statement to Job is: 3 Brace
yourself like a man, because I have some
questions for you, and you must answer
them. Job 38:3 NLT One of my
favourite verses from Job is found in Job 41: 1
"Can you catch Leviathan with a hook or put a noose around its jaw? Job 41:1 NLT Reading these words I feel
embarrassed for Job. How can anyone answer such questions? Toward the end, we
get a glimpse of God’s greatness and our smallness. This is the God Who
created the universe. We are little more than a speck on the surface of a
tiny planet in a cosmic backwater. But He loves us. Why? That’s the biggest
riddle of all!
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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5 The
LORD says, "Suppose you have run in a race with other men. And suppose
they have worn you out. Then how would you be able to race against horses?
Suppose you feel safe only in open country. Then
how would you get along in the bushes near the Jordan River?
Jeremiah 12:5 NIrV
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He called it a “canackler”; that’s how
my Dad described
A question without answers that clever
men contrived.
Like what’s the basic contrast between
water, ice and steam?
They are the same, but different; like
butter, milk and cream.
And then there is the snowflake. Each
one looks just the same.
But looked at through a microscope –
now that’s a new ball-game.
Can you compute precisely the true
value of “Pi”? {(Pie) - (π)}
If you want to do it, go on - give it
a try.
Or, how long is a piece of sting when
cut right through the middle?
And is there any difference between
violin and fiddle?
These questions all sound silly. But
don’t take me to task
Until you check the questions which
God Almighty asked.
When you compete with other men in an
athletics race.
If you are feeling tired out, please
tell me how you’ll face,
When running against horses! Do you
think you will cope?
A little word of warning friend, you
haven’t got a hope.
These are the sort of questions the
Lord delights to ask.
He’s wants us to confess to Him, it’s
far too big a task.
Usually He asks them, when we forget
our place,
And we feel so embarrassed; with “egg
upon our face”.
Obedience is better. For when He speaks
to you,
Then do and do and do and do and do
and do and do!
If He says “You have to jump”; then
leap into the sky.
The only proper question is, “O Father
God, how high”?
The river Jordan was in flood and it
could not be forded.
When the Priests bearing the ark, by
Joshua were ordered,
To march into the river. Some thought
that he was mad.
Perhaps he’d lost his marbles? Or he’d
done something bad?
But when the priests who bore the ark
put one foot in that stream
The flow of water somehow stopped. It
all backed up it seems.
We’re told it rose up like a dam as
far as Zarethan
And everybody walked across. Each
woman, child and man!
When the priest had walked across and
reached the other side,
The water started rushing back like an
enormous tide.
So when the Lord has told you to do
some “crazy” thing.
Do not even hesitate. His words may
have the ring
Of something so outrageous that you
would rather not,
Just go ahead and do it. It’s the only
chance you’ve got.
Jim Strickland
Written
14th
November 2012
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15 (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest
season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge
of the Jordan River and set foot in 16 the water, the water
stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as
the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the
Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from
the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the LORD'S promise
stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation
of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground.
Joshua 3:15-17 GW
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9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels
for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered
death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.
Hebrews 2:9 TNIV
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4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will
fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me.
Psalms 23:4 NIV
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2 You will pass through deep waters. But I will be with
you. You will pass through the rivers. But their waters will not sweep
over you. You will walk through fire. But you will not be burned. The flames
will not harm you.
Isaiah 43:2 NIrV
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17 When
I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. Then he put his right hand
on me and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the
First and the Last. 18 I am the
Living One. I was dead. But look! I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold
the keys to Death and Hell.
Revelation 1:17-18 NIrV
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