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| Mona Lisa |
Time with Jesus - Thursday, 27 June 2013
Hi
all,
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| Leonardo da Vinci |
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| Wedding Dress |
Phyllida
and I had the privilege of seeing it when we visited Paris in 2008. Actually, “seeing
it” is a misnomer. We could only get ±5 meters from the painting because of the
crowds, the barrier and the glass casing (probably air tight and bullet proof) in
which it is housed. If you want to get a good “close-up” you’d be better advised
to buy a good art book!
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| Bullet Proof Glass |
There
is of course, only one Mona Lisa. We have no idea how many people have tried to
“paint it themselves”. Thus far, no one has succeeded. I’m told that it is virtually
impossible to paint an original of this painting by Leonardo; to do so, you
would have to “get into” his mind”. We can’t do that. Since my painting ability
is slightly better than zero, I’ll go along with the comment.
The
Mona Lisa is one of Leonardo’s masterpieces. God has hundreds of billions of
masterpieces. You are His masterpiece. So am I. So is every other person who
has ever lived. Each of us is unique. Actually, our God does not make copies.
No matter what we can think of, no two are identical. Even “identical twins”
have different fingerprints. No two snowflakes are identical.
You and I can produce many copies of this like postage stamps. We know they are copies. But God not only makes animals, fishes, birds, insects and human beings, He gives them “life”. They move, live and breathe! God allows us to reproduce. The process He has endorsed gives rise to living, breathing creatures. We can do this unaided because of His command: 27 So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground." Gen 1:27-28 NLT
You and I can produce many copies of this like postage stamps. We know they are copies. But God not only makes animals, fishes, birds, insects and human beings, He gives them “life”. They move, live and breathe! God allows us to reproduce. The process He has endorsed gives rise to living, breathing creatures. We can do this unaided because of His command: 27 So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them. 28 Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground." Gen 1:27-28 NLT
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| God's Moral Law The 10 Commandments |
It’s
interesting to note that two mountains cannot reproduce. Only that which
contains “life” can do so. However, an eagle cannot mate with a fish. A monkey
cannot mate with a human; a chicken cannot mate with a lion. If it tried to do
so, the lion might have it for lunch.
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| God's Family |
Some
months ago I suggested that the reason God created everything is because He
wanted a bigger family. In other words, the purpose of the universe and all it
contains was, so that sons and daughters could be included into His family.
He
wanted His people to love Him voluntarily. So He created men and women with the
ability to ignore Him, or to love Him. Today’s meditation looks at this.
It
looks at the reason for the Laws of God and includes a portion explaining some
of the reason behind free will and creation. He was making the point that
nothing could manufacture the uniqueness of His creatures and intended family.
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 27 June 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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A
FRESH LOOK AT GOD’S LAW
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Have
you ever tried to do something that’s impossible? I know that I have and I’ve
met a number of others who have the same problem. My dilemma is getting into
the trousers I wore at my wedding. Since then I’ve gone from a size 36 to a
size 42. Even with a shoe horn I can’t squeeze myself into those trousers. I
could if I went on a diet. But at my age I don’t have the motivation to do
it. I’ve come to the conclusion that my pall-bearers will have to be big
strong men!
Now
ladies, I know your problem getting back into your wedding dress. After a couple
of children and a wee bit of middle-age spread, that dress has shrunk by
about four or five sizes. Leaving it hanging on a hanger in a cupboard obviously
makes it shrink. But my husband likes me this way.
That’s true. So stop looking wistfully at that dress. Put it in a box and
pass it on to your daughter! What’s that, she thinks it’s too old fashioned?!
Oh well, you can always cut it up and use it for dusters! Hey! Put down that
meat cleaver!
Of
course, when we come to looking at the law of God, we have a major problem.
It wasn’t derived democratically. It was put on us by an all wise and loving
God. The terms are very clear. “This is how you must behave for your entire
life. No mistakes, no slip-ups!” God has a zero tolerance policy. Furthermore,
He knows every detail of your life from conception to termination. He knows
it better than you. God forgets nothing! He also has different ideas about
the seriousness of sin. To dishonour your father or mother is as serious as
murder in His eyes.
So
why did He give us the law? Firstly, it tells us what He is like. He is perfect
in every way. He has no difficulty keeping the law. It’s His “style” forever!
So we look at it and say, “Wow Lord, that’s
wonderful!” Can I have a go? “Sure!” Try
it and see.!” We do and quickly find we can’t do it. “Had enough?” He asks. “Can
I have another go” we ask. “Be My guest”
He replies. Then we fail again. “Have I made My
point?” “Err, Yes. I can’t keep it can I”
we answer sheepishly. “That’s what I said”
He says. “So why did you give it, if You know I
can’t keep it” we ask even more sheepishly? “I
want you to know you can’t do it alone” He replies with all the wisdom
only He has. “How does that work” we ask?
“As follows” He says
I knew when I made man that he would fall. I gave him free will so he
can obey or disobey. To disobey
is to sin. I also know that if a sinner comes near Me he will be “fried to a
frazzle”. But I want him to be able to come near me. So someone had to be
“fried to a frazzle”. My Son, My Holy Spirit and I looked at this together.
We can do it. Don’t ask Me how! We decided that if My Son was “fried to a
frazzle” for you, it would solve the problem. So that’s what we did. My Son
came to earth and after living a perfect life, keeping all the law all the
time. No easy matter, believe Me. He had to deal with a fallen Archangel to
do it. But that’s another story. Then He was arrested, falsely accused, tried
and found guilty on a trumped up charge. So they flogged Him to within an
inch of His life. Then they crucified Him and He died. It should have
happened to you, but you could never have taken it. “Now here’s the clever
bit! Because He is God, what He did for you was done for all humanity”! Even
so, We want you to live a perfect life here and now. So My Spirit and My Son
come and help you when you fail. If you repent and ask for forgiveness, they
do what’s necessary and get you going again with a clean sheet. We have
everything figured out. So We put the law there so it can get you started on
the forgiveness routine! Kind of neat huh?
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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2 Do not take me to court for judgment, because there is
no one alive who is righteous in your presence.
Psalms 143:2 GW
18 "Come now, let's
settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I
will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will
make them as white as wool.
Isaiah 1:18 NLT
5 So the enemies of my people had better come to me for
safety. They should make peace with me. I will say it again. They should make
peace with me."
Isaiah 27:5 NIrV
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"Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby
good will come to you.
Job 22:21 ESV
1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight
by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has
done for us.
Romans 5:1 NLT
16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by
faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in
Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in
Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made
right with God by obeying the law."
Galatians 2:16 NLT
20 So it can't be said that anyone will be made right with
God by obeying the law. Not at all! The law makes us more aware of our
sin.
Romans 3:20 NIrV
39 Everyone who believes in Him is declared right with
God--something the law of Moses could never do.
Acts 13:39 NLT
56 For
sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57
But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and
death through our Lord Jesus Christ.
1 Corinthians 15:56-57 NLT
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He knew they couldn’t keep it and no one asked Him,
“Why”?
Utterly impossible; although He knew they’d try.
It’s typical of people. They turn and grit their
teeth.
“Others cannot do it but they are far beneath,
The things which I am doing. I’m going to get it
right.
I am quite determined; that they will see the sight,
Of somebody succeeding where they themselves can’t
go.
But I am going to do it. Just God and I will know!”
Here we see the evil and the wicked hearts of men.
They will keep on trying and trying once again.
They’d crawl on broken bottles from Jo’burg to the
sea,
If that would make them righteous. They all fail miserably.
Can we ever keep it? We must never fail.
Just one violation will cast us into jail.
For when the law is broken, it’s as sure as sure can
be.
They’ll lock you in a “hell-hole” and throw away the key.
And yet the law is beautiful when written on the
wall.
We say it’s right and proper and then from grace we fall.
So it becomes a nightmare that will not go away.
What will Jesus do with me when He comes back one day?
I think it’s time for us to take a fresh look at
God’s law.
And understand the reasons God put it in there for.
It says, “These are the standards of the One
Who is ‘I AM!’
If you cannot be like Me, then you are in a jam.
I know you’ll try to keep it, to prove you can be
good.
Keep on trying harder, the way you think you should.
But in the end you’ll founder. You’re not Divinity,
Although you like to think that you are just as good as me.
It’s there to let you see that you will never get it
right.
And turn to me and tell Me of your never ending plight.
It’s then that I can show you the way to come to Me.
A method you can count on wherever you may be.
Admit you cannot keep it and ask Me what to do.
I’ll tell you of the Saviour Whom I have sent to you.
He is not a sinner. He is My only Son.
He will take the punishment for all that you have done.
Trust Him absolutely. Give Him your whole life.
He will be your husband and you will be His wife.
Then My Holy Spirit will come and show to you,
How to live the Christian life in everything you do.
You will be empowered by My Spirit and My Son.
That’s the only way that Christianity is “done”.
He will be your Saviour and you will come to Me.
Sin won’t be your master for He will set you free.
My law won’t terrify you and you will understand.
That everything is working out exactly as I planned.”
Jim
Strickland
Written
27th June 2012.
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