Time
with Jesus - 06 July 2013
Hi
all,
What
is the difference between “service” and “service”? Apparently, nothing; they
are both the same word spelled the same way. So when we speak of a church
service and Christian service, are they the same? Of course they aren’t. A
church service takes place within the confines of a building at predetermined time
and days. Say at 11H00 each and every Sunday! Christian service, we are
supposed to do willingly for others as we work out the Christian life
practically.
For example, visiting prisoners, feeding the poor, or coming to
the aid of struggling neighbours. In some respects we could say that the church
service focuses on our worshipping and loving God. The other is focussed
primarily on other people.
Should
there be this perceived difference? Not if we understand Jesus correctly. In
Matthew’s gospel Jesus is recorded as speaking about those who had and had not
loved Him. Read Matthew 25:31-46 to get to
grips with the entire parable. It reveals that which the Lord expects from His
followers. Essentially it boils down to what we do or don’t do for His brothers
and sisters.
For convenience; 40 "And
the King will say, 'I tell you the truth, when
you did it to one of the least of these My brothers and sisters, you were doing
it to Me!' Mat
25:40 NLT
What
is fascinating here is that there is no reference whatsoever to what we think
of as church services. His approval or disapproval focuses entirely on what His
servants do for others. No sermons; no bands; no worship teams; no rows; no
lecture mode at all. There are not even pastors and elders in His discourse.
Love for Him is expressed exclusively in and through service to others.
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| Love God by Loving Others |
Now
I’m not suggesting there should be no leadership. Paul makes this very clear.
He even spells out the requirements for those in leadership in a locality. The
mistake we make is to transplant this directly into a “church hierarchy”. Not
in those days. Paul had in mind the entire Christian community in a locality.
For example, he wrote to the Church in Ephesus. Leaders were needed in Ephesus
to ensure that Christians behaved and lived as Christians should.
Those who had
been Gentiles needed to know the difference between normal Gentile behaviour
and Christian behaviour. To go from the one to the other was a major paradigm
shift; from the formalised worship of idols to the worship of the true God. He
was not writing to those who met in the building, owned by a particular denomination.
He was not writing to the Anglicans who met in the “Anglican Church” in Ermelo
or to the Methodists who met in the “Methodist Church” in Worcester. His
letters were sent to all the Christians in that town. |
| Psalm 121 I lift up my eyes to the hills |
What
appears to have happened down through the centuries is the incorporation of Old
Testament practices into New Testament worship. Jesus’ relaxed and simple
example, gave way to all the liturgy, paraphernalia and ritual of what we now
have throughout Europe and the English speaking world. Even the Charismatic
churches have gone down this road of turgid repetition, albeit at a faster,
bouncier pace. Thus, the emphasis changed from loving and caring for the people
in the neighbourhood, to going through religious routines mostly within the
confines of buildings built for that purpose. This has been called a “worship
service” directed to the Lord. But it is not service to our fellow man. This
latter sort of “service”, for our fellow man is conveniently put on one side where
possible.
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| 1 John 4:10 |
How
can we put this right? There is no easy answer. People do what they like doing.
Getting into a rut happens very quickly. Attend a weekend conference and you
will find that by the end, everyone is sitting more or less in the same place
as they have throughout the weekend. That’s people! I’m told that the only
difference between a rut and a grave is the depth. I think it’s true.
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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| Auschwitz -Result of Hating Others |
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| Heaven - Result of Loving Others |
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 06 July 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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LOVING
GOD & OTHERS
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About 30 years ago Phyllida and I went to a meeting
in Nicky van der Westhuizen’s tent in the Krugersdorp area. We went to see a
visitor from South America. His name was Juan Carlos Ortiz. Some of you may
remember him. He had written a couple of books on discipleship. Books we had
found particularly challenging. So we went along to the tent to hear what
this physically small man had to say.
Juan Carlos spoke reasonable English so there was no
need for an interpreter. He started talking about love and told us a
remarkable story. He was the pastor of a fairly large church. Every week he
had to preach to the people much the same as is done in South Africa, On this
particular Sunday morning before the service, he had a talk with the Lord.
“What are you speaking about today?” the Lord asked him. “Love” replied Juan
Carlos. “Will they do it?” asked the Lord. “No!” replied Juan Carlos. “So why
are you speaking about love if they don’t love each other?” stated the Lord.
“I don’t know!” said Juan Carlos. “Don‘t you think you should do so before
you continue with something else?” “Tell them to love one another!” the Lord
added”. That was the end of the conversation. But Juan Carlos didn’t know
what to do.
He did what he could to prolong the preliminaries
leading up to the “sermon”. When the time came, he went up into the pulpit.
He then looked at the people and said, “The Lord says to tell you to love one
another”, he said rather nervously. Then he sat down. The silence was
deafening. After a couple of embarrassing minutes, he got to his feet and
said, “The Lord says to tell you to love one another. Then he sat down again.
After a few moments, one of the elders stood up and asked, “Aren’t we doing
it?” “It seems not!” said another. This started a time of discussion in the
church. They had to go back to basics and develop a system such that they
didn’t move on to the next step until the Lord said they were ready. It took
about six months. Then they could move on.
Even today Phyllida and I get excited about people
being involved in the weekly meetings. For most people this becomes
threatening. They are not used to participation in the services. All they
have ever known is the lecture mode we see all around us. We don’t know how
the Lord is going to do this.
Today’s meditation goes back to 1984. We had started
to look for a new and better system. Two of the poems came out of that era.
The final one, “Neighbours”, goes back to 1981. At that time a number of
friends were instructed by their pastor to have nothing further to do with
us. The issue was divorce. At that time the attitude toward many couples who
had been divorced was, “God will forgive you but we won’t!” We were sad to
lose the friendship of this couple. That’s when I wrote that poem. The
sentiments are still the same. We subsequently overcame the problem and the
four of us became friends again. Thank You Lord.
Thank God those days are over. We have all learned
much from what happened; things we have been able to use when coming into
contact with people who have been through the pain of divorce. Love is the
only solution to such problems. Love that is genuine and willing to reach out
to others.
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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3 For I am always aware of Your unfailing
love, and I have lived according to Your truth.
Psalm 26:3 NLT
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On into eternity;
Beyond all of infinity
Is where the love of Jesus goes.
As precious as a fragrant rose
Which blooms and spreads its scent abroad;
That's how the Love of God is poured
Upon a person who is seen
As someone who's a king or queen!
It never ceases; never ends;
It never wavers; never bends;
It is as solid as the ground
On which the universe is found.
It is the cure for loneliness
And is the way the Lord can bless
A person throughout all his years;
The way to calm his deepest fears.
And, ultimately, you will see
That, though He is Divinity,
His care for you brings nothing less
Than everlasting blessedness!
How do we love each other?
How can I lay my life
Aside for every brother,
Sister child and wife?
Am I a good example
Of Christian love and care?
A little tiny sample
Of how we all should share?
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We are so self-sufficient;
We don't identify.
But Lord, You are omniscient;
So, open every eye
And show us what is needed
To break our frozen masks.
For Lord, we all have pleaded
To find that simple task
By which, all of the emptiness
Our faces do conceal,
Can be replaced with blessedness
That's genuinely real.
Lord, help us smash the barriers
That keeps each other out.
May we all be carriers
Of what Your love's about.
Cut out our tongues and silence us
If loving is just words;
If all we do is make a fuss,
Ignoring what we've heard.
So, help us love, we beg You,
In practice and in fact.
For then, like You, the things we do
Will not be just an act.
Then, everyone who knows us
Will praise The Lord above
And say they know God chose us
For, "See how much they love!"
Although we live along the street
It seems as though we never meet.
Which really is an awful shame;
Perhaps we're equally to blame!
For it must surely grieve God's heart
When Christian people have to part.
For I am sure He longs to see
The
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8 The LORD is gracious and compassionate; slow to anger
and rich in love.
Psalm
145:8 TNIV
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44 But I say, love your enemies! [Bless those who curse you. Do good to
those who hate you.] Pray for those who persecute you! 45 In that
way, you will be acting as true children of your
Father in heaven. For He gives His sunlight to both the evil and the good,
and He sends rain on the just and the unjust alike.
Mat 5:44-45 NLT
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1 You are the children that God dearly loves. So
be just like him. 2 Lead a life
of love, just as Christ did. He loved us. He gave himself up for us. He was a
sweet-smelling offering and sacrifice to God.
Ephesians 5:1-2 NIrV
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32 Be kind and compassionate to one another,
forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you.
Ephesians
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22 Now that you have obeyed the truth and
have purified your souls to love your brothers sincerely, you must love one
another intensely and with a pure heart.
1 Peter
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14 Christ's love controls us. We are
sure that one person died for everyone. And so everyone died.
2
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35 "But love your enemies. Do good to
them. Lend to them without expecting to get anything back. Then you will
receive a lot in return. And you will be sons of the Most High God. He is kind
to people who are evil and are not thankful. 36 So have mercy, just as your Father has mercy.
Luke 6:35-36 NIrV
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Jim Strickland –
Written 1984
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Compiled – 06
July 2013
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Page 1 of 1
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Printed - Saturday, 06 July 2013
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Mobile +2782
755 8872
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Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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Home+2711 462
4061; Neotel+2711 234 5670
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Fax +2786 531
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