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| Masculine image today |
Time with Jesus - Monday, 13 May 2013
Hi all,
We live in an era of “main manne”.
To really succeed as a man you need to be at least a front rank forward in a top
rugby team. An acceptable alternative would be a cross between the Incredible
Hulk and Spiderman. If anyone gets in your way, you walk over him or neutralise
him with a portable canon. Weakness in any form is not acceptable. The image is
to be hard drinking, hard fighting with complete control over any situation
including women.
If you don’t believe me, have a
look at what’s on TV these days; bulging biceps for the men or big boobs for the
women. Better still, have a look at the games the kids play on their play
stations. They are mainly about killing the opposition. The more you kill, in
the shortest possible time, the better you are.
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| The Image Today |
With the macho image and the
love of killing games available, is it surprising that we have terrible
incidents in real life. Men who shoot and kill students on a lonely island; men
who will open fire with an assault rifle on little children in school. It doesn’t
take a PhD from a University to connect the dots. But please be careful. If you
suggest there is a connection between a macho image and the murder of the
innocent, you run the risk of being ridiculed by those who should know better.
I get the feeling that if Jesus
came for the first time in the 21st century, academia would run Him
out of town. They wouldn’t harm Him. They would merely dismiss Him and leave
Him alone with His “strange ideas”.
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| Weakness? |
On several occasions I’ve
mentioned that the Kingdom of God is the opposite of the world system. As Jesus
is recorded to have said in Mark’s Gospel, 42 So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their
people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader
among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of
everyone else. Mar 10:42-44 NLT
Most
Christians read this Scripture as though it had nothing to do with them. It’s fine
for Jesus and His Disciples. But we are modern and up to date.
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| Loan Rangers are not part of Christianity |
The truth is the opposite. If I
would like to be in the forefront of Christianity, Jesus says I must be your
slave. A Macho image is valueless in God’s Kingdom.
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| Called to serve! |
Today’s meditation looks at
being strong in Christ.
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Matt
10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Monday, 13 May 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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STRENGTH OUT OF
WEAKNESS!
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We’ve
all probably heard the story of the Chinese Christian who visited America.
When he was back in China his comment was, “It’s amazing how much American
Christians achieve without God!”
It’s
true. Many men and women are building their own ministry rather then God’s
Kingdom. Of course it’s quite possible to do so. The various cults and
religious thinking which has come out over the past several years,
demonstrate this very clearly. In Europe the biggest cult was built by one
man. Adolph Hitler. The problem in most cases is pragmatism. If it works,
don’t fix it.
Sadly
it’s also quite possible to start well and go off the rails. The Jim Jones
tale is an excellent example. He started off as a fiery young preacher. It
ended up with mass suicide.
The
fact is God is a jealous God. He watches His people very carefully. If they
deliberately want to go astray, He will let them. Remember, partial obedience is disobedience. So before any decision
is made; before any plans are put in place, we need to check things out with
Him. Furthermore, we must check it out with the other members of the
leadership. Always remember that in the New Covenant, a church should be run
by consensus by a team with a leader. It should never be by one man; a leader
with a team.
What
tends to happen with a one man band is that the Lord will let them have what
they want. The Psalmist states 15 And
he gave them their request; but sent leanness
into their soul. Psalms 106:15 KJV
Another
problem we have is that leaders don’t like to be seen as weak. They like to
be seen as God’s man of power for the hour. This is the very opposite of what
He wants to see. His strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul puts it as
follows: 10 Now I take limitations in
stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to
size--abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over!
And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.2 Corinthians 12:10 MSG
In
this morning’s meditation I’ve composed a “letter from God” on this topic.
It’s based on the Scriptural principle that indicates, “You want it? You got
it!” King Saul is probably the best example of this. The people clamoured for
a king. In the end, God said, “You want a King? You got one. King Saul. Try
this one for size. King Saul was a disaster.
Based
on this principle, reinforced by the personal experience of Phyllida and me,
I’ve composed this meditation. Please don’t regard it as irreverent. What it
is trying to indicate is God’s attitude to people who insist on following the
Sinatra doctrine. “I did it my way!” There is only one way to go. His way.
The
poem is not intended as criticism of any person in particular. It’s not
focused on you or anyone else. All I may say is that we see it as God’s heart
for today. It does not promote anything or anyone other than complete
dependence on God and His Son Jesus Christ. It’s merely a warning against
disobedience.
Jim and Phyllida
Strickland
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10 My heart is pounding. I
have lost my strength. Even the light of my eyes has left me.
Psalms
38:10 GW
For the director of music. A psalm of David to be played on stringed
instruments. 1 God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer. 2 From a place far away I call out to you. I call out as
my heart gets weaker. Lead me to the safety of a rock that is high above me.
Psalms
61:1-2 NIrV
9 Each time He said,
"My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now
I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work
through me. 10 That's why I take
pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and
troubles that I suffer for Christ. For
when I am weak, then I am strong.
2
Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT
28 Then Peter called to Him, "Lord, if it's
really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water." 29 "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the
boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the
waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he
shouted. 31 Jesus immediately
reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus
said. "Why did you doubt Me?"
Matthew
14:28-31 NLT
10 If you fall to pieces
in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place.
Proverbs
24:10 MSG
29 He gives strength to
those who are tired. He gives power to those who are weak.
Isaiah
40:29 NIrV
27 The eternal God is your
refuge, and His everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the
enemy before you; He cries out, 'Destroy them!'
Deuteronomy
33:27 NLT
11 We ask him to
strengthen you by his glorious might with all the power you need to
patiently endure everything with joy.
Colossians
1:11 GW
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“If you insist on doing it, go on
then, have a go.
What happened to you last time? Did I
not tell you so?
If you want to do it, I’ll let you
carry on.
I’ll let you keep on trying ‘til all
your strength has gone.
It seems you keep forgetting, I only
help the weak.
So when the wheels start coming off,
don’t turn around to seek,
If I am walking with you. I’ll let you
make a mess.
Perhaps when you have had enough,
you’ll ask if I will bless,
The things which you are trying. But it
was your idea!
You didn’t even talk to me or ask Me
to draw near!
Many folk have thought that if you do
things in My Name
Then I’m obliged to bless it. Such
thinking is insane.
Of course I will assist you if the
suggestion’s Mine.
But then it must be done the way of
Jesus Christ Divine.
I’m not some sort of slot machine with
money in the slot!
It’s Me Who is omnipotent! I’m sorry,
you are not!
Don’t try some verbal “arm-lock”. It surely
won’t succeed.
Even if you bawl and squall. Not even
if you plead,
You have the wrong idea. It doesn’t
work that way.
Before you start with anything, just
take the time to pray.
Check if what you’re wanting is what I
want from you.
Moses sent a dozen spies and I’d not
told him to.
It was one big disaster. They brought
back a report.
It made the folk so terrified the
whole plan came to naught
I told them they should take the land.
They sent in spies instead.
The net result was at the end the
adults all were dead.
They wandered in the wilderness for
almost forty years
They thought that I would change My
mind. They shed so many tears
But it was not productive. That was
their cost for sin.
Unbelief had taken them. They would
not enter in.
So listen very carefully. I don’t want
you to fail.
But if you try it on your own! That is
another tale.
Far better if you listen and let Me
show the way.
There isn’t an alternative for
Christians today.
My purpose is to bless you; for you to
get it right.
Do the things I show you and I’ll
bless you “out of sight”.
Don’t be in a hurry. Take time to fast
and pray.
Put things to your leadership. Consult
with them each day
There isn’t a “Lone Ranger”. Those
days are dead and gone.
Let them see your weakness. Then when
you call upon,
My Son for His assistance, He’ll make
your weakness strong,
And all that I intended for you will
not go wrong”
Jim Strickland
Written
13th May 2012
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