Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 20
February 2013
Hi all,
Christians today are in something of a difficult position. The following
two Scriptures illustrate the difficulty. Luke 11:9 tells us to keep on asking,
seeking and knocking and we will get an answer from God.
9 "And so I tell you, keep on asking, and you will receive what
you ask for. Keep on seeking, and you will find. Keep on knocking, and the door
will be opened to you. Luke 11:9 NLT
and
11 So if you sinful people know how to give good gifts to your
children, how much more will your heavenly Father give good gifts to those who
ask Him? Mat 7:11 NLT
From these two Scriptures it seems clear that we should persevere in
prayer. The parable of the unjust judge and the widow (Luke
18:1-8) underlines the fact that we need to be persistent in prayer.
It is also evident that there are occasions when God gives us what we are
clamouring for, but there is a terrible price to pay as a result of “badgering”
Him.
15 So he gave them what they asked for. But he also sent a
sickness that killed many of them. Psalm
106:15 NIrV
There must be a difference between persevering in prayer and badgering God.
So, how do we know the difference? The Lord’s half-brother James appears to
have put his finger on it!
2 You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are
jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to
take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask
God for it. 3 And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all
wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure. Jas 4:2-3 NLT
Phyllida and I have found a useful rule of thumb to help us with this
difficulty. Prayer for our own needs may come from bad motives. Usually it
would be for something bigger or better; a bigger house or a better car etc. In
this regard our desire to “live up with the Jones’” is a great example. You
know what I mean. They have just bought a brand new top of the range Mercedes.
This means we must have at least the same as they have, or a more expensive and
better vehicle. In a sense, such prayers are initiated by envy. As such they are
a waste of time and effort.
On the other hand, prayer for the needs of others is seldom likely to be
wasted on our own lusts. Usually, prayer for others flows from a heart of
compassion. We see what they need and respond with prayer that their need be met.
Phyllida and I do not benefit from such unselfish prayer directly. Somehow I
suspect the Lord will more readily respond to unselfish prayer, than prayer
purely for our own betterment. I’m not in a position to say this is always correct.
But perhaps you may also find it useful?
Today’s meditation is the Quail’s Tale. It elaborates on what happened when
they “got the bird” for wanting “bird
Shalom,
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
|
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 20 February 2013
|
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
||||
|
©
|
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
|
©
|
||||
|
INTRODUCTION
|
DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
|
The Quail’s Tale
|
||||
|
Sometimes, to understand
the Biblical narrative, it’s necessary to look at Bible commentaries to get a
feel for what took place. The story of Moses, the Israelites and the quail is
a good example of this. If you take the time to read Numbers 11, what took
place, is recorded.
Essentially, the
Israelites began to complain that all they were given to eat was manna. But
they wanted meat. They complained and complained about this. Finally the Lord
decided that if they wanted meat, He would give them quail to eat. That’s all
they would get for one whole month. They would eat quail ‘til it came out of
their nostrils.19 You will not eat it
for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, 20 but for a whole month--until
it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it--because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have
wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'"
Num 11:19-20 TNIV
One of the dangers of
moaning and groaning to the Lord about something is that He may give you what
you want. But with it will come “leanness of soul”. 15 So He gave them what they asked for, but He sent a
plague along with it. Psalm 106:15
John Gill’s commentary
describes this as follows: But sent leanness into their soul: he gave
them flesh to the full, even to a nausea; they fed too heartily on it, and
were surfeited with it; which not being digested brought a repletion, and
issued in a consumption; or rather death, immediate death, for while the
flesh was in their mouths, and they were chewing it between their teeth, the
wrath of God came upon them and slew them. (sic) 33 But while the meat was still between their teeth and
before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people,
and he struck them with a severe plague.
Num. 11:33 TNIV
This is an aspect of the
Lord which most of us don’t like. We badger God repeatedly with “ungodly
requests”. Rather like the way the people badgered Samuel/God for a king.
They got Saul. He (Saul) ended up giving the people “leanness of soul”. Jesus
encourages us to ask and keep on asking. So how can we tell the difference
between “badgering” God and repeatedly asking God for something?
Perhaps James tells us
the difference: 2 You want what you
don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others
have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from
them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it.
3 And even
when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want
only what will give you pleasure. James 4:2-3 NLT
So don’t badger God for things. You may not like
what you get.
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
|
7 As the Holy Spirit says, "If you hear God speak today, don't be
stubborn. 8 Don't be stubborn like
those who rebelled and tested me in the desert. 9 That is
where your ancestors tested me,
Heb. 3:7-9
GW
13 When someone is tempted, he shouldn't say
that God is tempting him. God can't be tempted by evil, and God doesn't tempt
anyone. 14 Everyone is tempted
by his own desires as they lure him away and trap him. 15 Then desire becomes pregnant and gives birth to sin.
When sin grows up, it gives birth to death.
James
1:13-15 GW
14 In the wilderness their desires ran wild,
testing God's patience in that dry wasteland.
Psalm
106:14 NLT
1 And Jesus, full of the Holy Spirit, returned
from the Jordean and was led by the Spirit in the wilderness 2
for forty days, being tempted by the devil.
And he ate nothing during those days. And when
they were ended, he was hungry. 3 The
devil said to him, "If you are the Son of God, command this stone to become
bread." 4 And Jesus answered him, "It is written,
'Man shall not live by bread alone.'"
Luke 4:1-4
ESV
18 Because he himself suffered when he was
tempted, he is able to help those who are being tempted.
Heb 2:18
TNIV
31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to
sift all of you as wheat. 32 But
I have prayed for you, Simon, that your faith may not fail. And when
you have turned back, strengthen your brothers.”
Luke
22:31-32 TNIV
|
He gave them what they wanted. But oh what a surprise!
Their stomachs soon got sickened,’til it “came out of their eyes”!
Quail they had for breakfast, for dinner and for tea.
Quail for each and every meal was fed continually.
And then when they had eaten it, they had to eat some more.
They didn’t like the manna, so quail was all they saw.
But with it came a sickness. The body can’t digest,
Such huge amounts of quail and soon their bodies manifest,
A sort of inner churning, that filled them up inside,
So chock-a-block with quail meat, they turned around and died.
This sort of thing still happens, when God’s people belly-ache;
And keep up with their badgering – “O Lord for
Jesus sake,
Please let me have a “whatsit” and let me have it now.
I really can’t afford to wait, so won’t you please, somehow,
Provide me with a “whatsit” or better still, a pair.
I don’t know what I’ll do with them, but certainly somewhere,
I’ll find a use for both of them. Please Lord don’t make me wait.
I have to have an answer Lord, before it’s ten past eight!”
I’m not sure if you’re like that; whether you are or not,
Be sure that what you’re asking for, you may not like a lot.
He’ll give you what you wanted. But let me make it clear.
You’ll wish you hadn’t asked for it ‘til August of next year!
You’ll find your “whatsit” poisonous; Inhabited with “fleas”,
The size of baby marrows with infection and disease.
So don’t be in a hurry with your requests to God.
If you are impatient He may not spare the rod.
He may give you an answer far quicker than you need.
And send a special “whatsit” to satisfy your greed.
Don’t think that He won’t do it. You may be tempting “fate”
And wish you hadn’t badgered Him, but were prepared to wait!
This little funny story that’s intended to amuse,
Is written so that Christians, may know that if they choose,
To ask the Lord for something and badger Him each day;
He may well give it to you and give it in a way,
That you will find unpleasant. You may receive your quail,
And find you have a serpent you’ve picked up by the tail.
Then, after you’ve been bitten and you are dead and gone.
You’ll wish you hadn’t carried on and on and on and on!
Jim Strickland – Written 20 February 2012
|
||||
