THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

Time with Jesus - 04 July 2013

Hi all,

We are told that in order to understand and to succeed, we need to start thinking “out of the box”. Usually, it’s very difficult, because all we know, is that which is “inside the box” of familiarity. 

For instance, we know there are three dimensions; length, width and depth. It’s been suggested that “time” is a fourth dimension. Certainly we can imagine length, breadth and height in time. Change the time and the other three dimensions can change. 

The Holy Trinity

Is there a fifth dimension? If such a “place” existed, it would be where the other four could occur without affecting the fifth dimension. Essentially, God could perhaps be regarded as “the fifth dimension”. This is because time and space are all within Him. His “dimension” contains all four without changing Him whatsoever. Jesus has also informed us: ²⁴ For God is Spirit, so those who worship Him must worship in spirit and in truth." John 4:24 NLT 

God is Spirit
Worship Him in Spirit
and Truth

It’s important to note that “a” is not present in His statement. God is Spirit. It follows that we should say that the entire creation is in the spirit, the Spirit is God! He is the Spirit in its entirety. Everything He has created is located “within Him” All of creation is within The Spirit of God. We are going down this road, in order to better understand the likely reason why God created mankind.

It’s pointless asking questions about God and time. God is not in, or subject to time. We also know that God is perfect. He has no needs. Before He began creation, He was and still is complete. If the entire creation “vanished”, it would not change Him at all. He doesn’t need any of the angels and certainly doesn’t need us. What we can say is that Spirit comprises Father, Son and Holy Spirit; three in one and one in three. It was and still is perfection. It was the very essence of covenant. Each one committed, totally and completely, to the other two in an unbroken and unbreakable covenant relationship. 

This relationship is / was so perfect and agreeable they decided they would like a bigger family. Not just three but four or more. How they went about this is the story of creation, culminating in the likes of you and me.

Whether they “discussed” this is impossible to know. Since they are all wise and all knowing, they must have known exactly what they required. It’s foolish to say that They “decided” together. What we can say is that it required “creatures” who would be free to love them or not. It involved giving these creatures ‘”free will”. From then on, everything that took place was done to bring men and women to glory. The Godhead knew exactly what would happen in time and space and planned accordingly.

One consideration that is/was required is that the “creatures” would be able to show whether or not they loved Them. Jesus summarised this for us in John’s Gospel: - ¹⁵ "If you love Me, obey My commandments. John 14:15 NLT - And  - ²³ Jesus replied, "All who love Me will do what I say. My Father will love them, and We will come and make Our home with each of them. ²⁴ Anyone who doesn't love Me will not obey Me. And remember, My words are not My own. What I am telling you is from the Father who sent Me. John 14:23-24 NLT

What all this boils down to, is we show our love for Jesus in and through obedience to Him. It is a matter of lifestyle. It’s pointless saying “I love you” if I am abusing you. Anyone and everyone will be able to see love in action. Then, all will know who it is we love! It’s all about living the Christian life.

Ultimately, when God “wraps up” everything, those who loved Him will be with Him. The ultimate destiny is to be incorporated into the Spirit. Don’t ask me how. My thinking “outside the box” is over for today.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 04 July 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					©
	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
When I say to people that living the Christian life is impossible, I get asked why? When I tell them I’ve never met anyone who can do it, they look at me as though I was something that had just crawled out from underneath a rock! “If that’s the case, what are you doing?” is their next question. The way they put it implies that I must be either a candidate for, or have just escaped from Tara. When I grin at them and say I can’t do it either, is when they start nodding and looking for a quick way to get away from me. My next comment raises eyebrows. “If I can do it, why would I need Jesus and the Holy Spirit?” For me, this is the most wonderful things about the Lord we serve. Nothing is impossible for God. For Him, the impossible is routine. Every second, every minute, every hour of each and every day, They deal with this sort of thing. “But that’s a miracle!” is what people then say. “Absolutely!” I reply. “That’s their ‘modus operandi’. Those of us who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ and have made Him Lord of our life, need to realise we are in direct contact with the supernatural. We don’t need to go anywhere or do anything heroic, to be in instant contact with Him. We tend to forget this. Years ago when I began the Christian journey, there was a story about a very wealthy man. He deposited millions of Rand into the bank account he had opened, for a certain young man. He sent the young man a message telling him what he had done. He even gave him the bank account number and PIN details. Needless to say, the young man was thrilled. Then he started to get into serious financial difficulties. He could easily have accessed the account that had been opened in his name. He didn’t! He knew it was there but somehow the significance escaped him. Many years later the young man died apparently penniless. When his estate was being finalised, the executor wondered why he had never accessed his money. In the end he concluded that, although he had access to limitless finance, the young man didn’t understand that he could draw on it. The Christian life is very much like that. We try and try and try to live the way a Christian should. We know how that should be, but we can’t do it. It doesn’t stop us trying. But we don’t seem to get it right. We have the account number and the PIN code but don’t use them. Why? Because we don’t realise we can. Many of us keep on digging ourselves deeper and deeper into sin and depravity. Jesus has done everything necessary for us. We know it, but don’t act on it. We prefer to mess about doing our own thing. Christianity is impossible. Christians can’t do it either. But Jesus can. When are we going to stand aside and let Him? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 TNIV	He ran round in a panic; his heart was filled with fear. He knew that he was dying and death was very near. He didn’t know for certain, what he would have to face, When he appeared before the Lord. Would he be in disgrace? He thought that on an average, his life had been quite good. He hadn’t cheated anyone and did the things he should. But he was agitated. What did his future hold? And all that he could think of was what he had been told! The Lord was very fussy. Unless you made the grade, Your prospects were quite limited and he was sore afraid. He hadn’t liked his parents. He thought that they were odd. He knew he hadn’t honoured them. What would he say to God? There was no point in lying. The Lord would see right through, Anything he mentioned, unless it was all true. He knew that he had pilfered some items from his work. He’d even taken something from the offering in Kirk. But it was not Important and wasn’t very much. He had put it back again so all was square – as such. He wasn’t very faithful. He’d had a brief affair. He hadn’t told a person. In fact he didn’t dare. His wife would take exception and sue for a divorce. Better she knew nothing; and marriage stayed on course. He was not a murderer. His hands were more than clean. People didn’t know about the bad things he had been! So thinking of his average, he thought he had done well, And when he met the Master wouldn’t be consigned to hell. This illustrates the thinking, of many of the men, Whom he’d been introduced to; he’d do it all again!  “What can I do?” he wondered. How can I put things right. He wondered what would happen if he would die that night? The more he thought about it, the worse his thoughts became. I wonder if I call on God and ask, in Jesus Name, To take me to His bosom and give a brand new start. But how to go about it? He couldn’t cleanse his heart. That’s when he started sobbing. My God, I know I’m lost. I haven’t been obedient. I didn’t count the cost. Is there something You can do, to help the likes of me? I cannot face the prospect of dying without Thee! And then he heard a whisper. Will you repent My Son? And ask Me for forgiveness, for all that you have done? The standards I have set for people coming into here, Is absolute perfection every second, year on year! I’m sorry, you don’t make it. It’s just a bit too late. But if you are repentant and want to change your fate, I will be your Saviour! But it is up to you. You are in the driving seat. What are you going to do? Jim Strickland  Written 4th July 2012
			20 The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it. 21 Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. 22 I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you My commands for the people of Israel. Exodus 25:20-22 NLT
			9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so our land will be filled with His glory. 10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! Psalms 85:9-10 NLT
			3 LORD, if You kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? 4 But You offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear You. Psalms 130:3-4 NLT
			7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. 8 He Himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin. Psalms 130:7-8 NLT
			23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, Romans 3:23-25 NLT