KEEP MY COMMANDS

Sheep and Goat

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 10 April 2013

Hi all,

Jesus’ words are not always what we would like to hear. Three verses in Matt 7 are far from being comforting. They occur directly after His teaching about good and bad fruit. Its, therefore, reasonable to assume, that this portion of Scripture is intended as a warning, to those who say they are Christians, but their actions belie their confession. Certainly His words are very challenging and even though I’ve followed Him for over 50 years, I tremble a little when reading this passage.

Separating sheep and goats

  ²¹ "Not everyone who says to me, 'Lord, Lord,' will enter the kingdom of heaven, but the one who does the will of my Fa ther who is in heaven. ²² On that day many will say to me, 'Lord, Lord, did we not prophesy in your name, and cast out demons in your name, and do many mighty works in your name?' ²³ And then will I declare to them, 'I never knew you; depart from me, you workers of lawlessness.' Mat 7:21-23 ESV

Sheep and Goat Judgement

When I think of the number of evangelists, preachers and teachers who preceded me down through the ages, it is intimidating to think, that some of them, may be among those He turns away! People ask me where I think I will stand at that time. I would love to say that all is well for me. I would like to be able to do so. I pray that He will receive me. But I’m not naïve to the point where I don’t tremble, when I think of the time, when I will be called before Him to His bar of judgement. I tremble when men tell me, they have no fears in this regard. My prayer is that their comment does not originate from a heart filled with pride. 

Sheep Rejoice

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 10 April2013			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	KEEP MY COMMANDS
“One potato, two potato, three potato, four.” Does that ring any bells? As a youngster it was the way we decided an issue. Choosing the boys for two sides always worked this way. I suppose if you were a mathematical genius you would have known very quickly who was on which side. For the rest of us, “decision by potatoes” worked fine. Mind you, when it got down to only four or five “potatoes” left, some cheated and changed position! In their own innocent way they changed the rules. Thank God, we didn’t choose Jesus that way, and He doesn’t change the rules. He still approves of that which he approved 2000 years ago. Conversely … let’s not go there. God never changes the rules. Yesterday’s sin is sin today and will always be sin. The rules of society may change, but His don’t. Mostly, we choose to sin. Sure society now blames everyone and everything for what happened. If someone steals something today, it gets blamed on the way their mother didn’t smile at them. Perhaps their father was rude? Anything at all!! Just don’t blame the culprit. Perhaps he has been robbed blind. But as far as God is concerned, a thief is still a thief. Incidentally, how do we “un-steal”? If I’ve stolen something, even if I return it, it changes nothing. If we bear in mind that every sin is a sin against God, we start to feel the pressure of what we have done. It’s better not to take the chance. It’s better to obey His commands. John makes a fascinating comment in his gospel: 10 If you obey my commands, you will remain in my love. In the same way, I have obeyed my Father's commands and remain in his love. John 15:10 NIrV At face value this seems an innocent statement. But it’s so much more than that. It’s actually an alternative way of checking if you are “in the kingdom” or not. Are you obeying His commands? Think back over the past several weeks. Have you kept His commands consistently? David Pawson tells of the time he asked his congregation, to check things out with the Lord. He told them to ask God if there was anything in their lives He (God) would like them to change. One lady immediately responded,” I know what it is”. “No you don’t” said David. “Go home and ask Him”. She came back the next day to David and told him she had been right! I must confess that the question bothers me! However, Jesus told His disciple in John’s gospel, that if we have kept His commands, we will abide in His love. More than that; He compares it with the way He stays in His Father’s love; which means we have another method of checking to see if we are still in His love.  Today’s meditation explores this in the light of Song of Songs and the fruit of the Holy Spirit. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			16 My lover is mine, and I am his. Nightly he strolls in our garden, Delighting in the flowers SoS 2:16 MSG 20 And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there." Mat 18:20 MSG 24 A person who doesn't love me doesn't do what I say. I don't make up what you hear me say. What I say comes from the Father who sent me. John 14:24 GW 10 If you keep my commands, you'll remain intimately at home in my love. That's what I've done--kept my Father's commands and made myself at home in his love. John 15:10 MSG 16 "Wake up, north wind! Come, south wind! Blow on my garden. Then its sweet smell will spread everywhere. Let my love come into his garden. Let him taste its fine fruits." SoS 4:16 NIrV 1 I have entered my garden, my treasure, my bride! I gather myrrh with my spices and eat honeycomb with my honey. I drink wine with my milk. Oh, lover and beloved, eat and drink! Yes, drink deeply of your love! SoS 5:1 NLT 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Gal 5:22-23 NLT 8 When you produce much fruit, you are My true disciples. This brings great glory to My Father. John 15:8 NLT 2 He removes every one of my branches that doesn't produce fruit. He also prunes every branch that does produce fruit to make it produce more fruit. John 15:2 GW 11 May you always be filled with the fruit of your salvation - the righteous character produced in your life by Jesus Christ - for this will bring much glory and praise to God. Philip 1:11 NLT	We have just been reading of the witness in our heart; The Holy Spirit gives us, to show we are a part, Of Jesus and His Kingdom. This method never fails. But what is it that we can do if we’ve “come off the rails”. We probably haven’t, it’s usually a lie, That Satan tries to put on us, our trust in God to try. But the Scripture tells us of something that reveals, A method that does not rely on how we think or feel. It tells us in John’s Gospel, Chapter fifteen and verse ten, A way that we are certain we are not serving men. Keeping His commandments, in all we say and do, Proves to us conclusively that unto Him we’re true. Willingly obeying Him, demonstrates our love, And keep’s us intimately with Jesus Christ above. Look back on your recent past and see if you’ve obeyed. If you’ve been consistent, you needn’t be afraid! Jesus Christ has told us, that if we’ve kept His Word, Never be concerned about the lies which we have heard. Jesus was obedient to Father God’s commands. He was quite at home therein and that’s how His love stands! So we can please the Father, by loving Christ His Son. Keeping His commandments till all of life is done. If you’ll be His lover and love intimately, You’ll always be at home with Him for future history! Smell His myrrh and spices and eat His honeycomb. Eat and drink your wine and milk and you’ll be in His home. Make Him your Beloved and surely He’ll be yours. Give to Him your garden; He’ll wash away your flaws. You will be His “woman”; a pure and spotless bride. You’ll dwell with Him forever and never leave His side. He will make you fruitful; the fruit which you will bear, Is love and joy and gentleness; His patience will be there, With faithfulness and kindness; with self control and peace, And goodness motivating you, to never ever cease, To be that special lover that Jesus Christ desires. Totally committed to lighting inner fires; And being what He’s wanting to praise His Holy Name. For when you fall in love with Him, you’ll never be the same. Jim Strickland Written 10th April 2012