Time with Jesus - Sunday, 03 February 2013
Hi all,
My love for the sort of verse I write goes back to
infancy or shortly thereafter. My parents loved the Christopher Robin series by
A A Milne. “Winnie the Pooh and all that”. I literally cut my teeth to the
sound of the verses in, “When We Were Very Young” and “Now We Are Six”. Even
now, all these years later, I can still recite some of those verses and even
sing (while no one is listening) “Christopher Robin is Saying his Prayers” Sitting
here writing this message, I’m reminded of one of Milne’s poems, dealing with
how God began. Elizabeth Ann Had a wonderful plan: / She
would run round the world till she found a man / Who knew exactly how
God began. Of course it was Milne’s imagination. Since Milne was an atheist,
the poem surprises no-one. Today’s meditation touches on something closely
related; “The Creation Story.” For me, the Biblical account suffices. But how
did creation begin? God spoke and it was so. Einstein tends to support this.
His equation E=MC2 leaves out only one imponderable; the speed of
light! God Himself had to decide what this would be. Why God chose 186000 miles
per second is something, I’ve never fathomed. Not that it matters. It was His
decision and He must have had His reasons. Speaking about Einstein, he is on
record as saying; “only two things are infinite. The universe and the stupidity
of man – and I’m not sure about the universe!”
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Sunday, 03 February 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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Light and Darkness
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The
story of creation is laughed at by many scientists. Liberal Christians tell
us it should not be taken seriously. They claim it is a “Fairy Story”,
written for ignorant people. Well, if that’s what you believe, “good luck” to
you. They say that in a couple of million years, you may evolve into
something better. But they don’t know what it is.
Among
Christians, opinion is divided. Some believe it took place in a literal 7 day
24 hour period. If that’s your opinion, I’m not going to fight with you.
Others believe that since the word “day” is translated from the Hebrew Word
“Yom”, the length of time of each “day” may be different in each case. As
I’ve heard stated, “The day of the horse and cart is over” does not mean a 24
hour interval.
Followers
of the “gap” theory, suggests that there is an interval between Genesis 1:1
and Gen 1:2. Thus the creation account from Gen 1:2 onward is a “recreation”
rather than a creation. Of course they may be correct. My problem with this
is that it doesn’t account for the initial “creation”. If God’s Word is
perfect, how can there have been a creation followed by a recreation, which
God describes as a Creation?
There
is a fact that we must establish before we speak of creation. Did God create
time and space? If not, it means they existed before Him. In other words, God
lives in time and space. If so, how is it He doesn’t age like you and me? You
cannot be eternal if you dwell in time and space. However, if time and space
dwells in God, He can be eternal. In other words, God created time and space.
So how
come it isn’t included in the creation account? If we bear in mind that God
is Spirit, it follows that He creates in and from the spirit. Furthermore,
there is an account of God creating time and space. Einstein gave us the
clue. [E=mC2 (Energy = Mass X speed of light squared)]
We
know that mass can be converted to energy and vice-versa. This takes place at
the speed of light squared. The atom bomb proves this. Now God is infinite
power; infinite energy. So if He creates light, He has the two things
necessary to make mass. In other words, when God created light, simultaneously
everything in our universe could also be created. We know that it was.
So the
creation of light is what started our universe ticking. This will continue to
happen until He says “Stop”! Thus the universe continues to expand at the
speed of light! Now I can believe in a God Who is able to do this! This is no
little tin pot deity! This is the Infinite, Everlasting and Omnipotent God.
If you
feel like throwing your hands up in despair at all this scientific gobbledegook,
you really don’t need to worry. I have no idea how mobile phones work. All I
can do is make calls and send text messages. But I still use the thing. It’s
the same with creation theory. All we need to know is God created everything!
For
the purpose of today’s meditation, this understanding is written into the
poetry. You don’t have to accept it or believe it. It really doesn’t matter.
Jesus Christ matters. He is the main consideration.
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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11 If I say, "Surely the darkness shall cover me,
and the light about me be night," 12 even
the darkness is not dark to you; the night is bright as the day, for
darkness is as light with you.
Psalm 139:11-12 ESV
21 "He has his eyes
on every man and woman. He doesn't miss a trick. 22 There is no night dark enough, no shadow deep enough,
to hide those who do evil.
Job 34:21-22 MSG
23 Am I a God who is only close at hand?" says
the LORD. "No, I am far away at the same time. 24 Can anyone hide from Me in a secret place? Am I not everywhere
in all the heavens and earth?" says the LORD.
Jer 23:23-24 NLT
4 He will cover you with His feathers. He will
shelter you with His wings. His faithful promises are your armor and
protection. 5 Do not be afraid of the
terrors of the night, nor the arrow that flies in the day. 6
Do not dread the disease that stalks in darkness,
nor the disaster that strikes at midday. 7 Though a thousand fall
at your side, though ten thousand are dying around you, these evils will not
touch you. 8 Just open your eyes, and see how the wicked are
punished. 9 If you make the LORD your
refuge, if you make the Most High your shelter, 10 no evil will conquer you; no plague will come near your
home. 11 For He will order His angels to protect you
wherever you go.
Psalm 91:4-11 NLT
3 He will not let you stumble; the One who watches over you will not slumber. 4
Indeed, He who watches over Israel never slumbers or sleeps. 5 The LORD Himself watches over you! The LORD stands beside you as your protective shade.
6 The sun will not harm you by day, nor the moon at night. 7
The LORD keeps you from all harm and watches over
your life. 8 The LORD keeps watch over you as you come and
go, both now and forever.
Psalm 121:3-8 NLT
4 Even though I walk
through the dark valley of death, because you are with me, I fear no harm.
Your rod and your staff give me courage.
Psalm 23:4 GW
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A little light is quite enough to drive away the dark.
The darkness doesn’t like it; and just one tiny spark,
Is quite enough to send it galloping away;
Running helter-skelter, to escape the light of day.
Of course, it’s not surprising, for Jesus Christ is light.
In Him there is no darkness that’s hiding from our sight.
And though we’ve lived in darkness, this fact we know is true.
That in the blackest darkness, He can see me and you.
I find it rather difficult to really comprehend;
That light expels the darkness. A tiny dot will send,
The darkness to another place. I think it’s rather odd.
Until I start to understand the brilliance of God.
Before there was creation, there was no time or space.
There was no light or darkness; nor was there any place,
For anyone to put it. No tiny micro-dot;
Or anything the scientists could dream about or spot.
So saying there was nothing, may baffle us a tad.
There’s nothing less than nothing. The concept drives us mad.
How can we speak of nothing? It makes the mind go “tilt”
For if there isn’t anything, from what was all this built?
I hesitate to say that it was somewhere in God’s heart.
Somewhere in the Spirit realm, in which we have no part.
But what was the “material” that God Almighty used?
The universe from nothing? It makes me feel confused.
One word and it all happened. The Lord God said, “Light be”
And from that first commandment, came everything we see.
So in the great creation, of time and light and space,
The Lord God was the brilliance and darkness found its place.
The Lord knew it would happen. He did it anyway.
And that became the origin of night as well as day. Gen 1:4-5
But which one is the greatest? It cannot be the night.
For darkness always runs away the moment that it’s light.
And since the Lord is Master in all of space and time.
The chance of darkness winning? – It isn’t worth a dime!
So darkness is defeated, when Jesus Christ comes near.
The fact is, if the truth be known, it runs away in fear!
For Jesus Christ has conquered; the dark is overcome.
And Christians can follow in the Light of God’s own Son.
Jim Strickland
Written
3rd
February 2012
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