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| He (The Truth) Will Set You Free |
Time with Jesus - 12 July 2013
Hi
all,
The
Lord Jesus Christ had a major problem when He walked the roads of Judea and Galilee.
This remark seems incredible, since Jesus is God and God knows everything. Thus
God has no problems. Even so, Jesus Christ had a problem. That problem was
getting men and women to know He is who He is.
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| Healing the Sick and Raising the Dead |
After all, if you were in His
place, how would you tell everyone that you are the Eternal Son of God? Today,
if someone wanders round South Africa saying, “I’m the Son of God!” what would
happen? Most of us would say “You are crazy!”
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| Walking on Water |
Let’s
complicate the problem a little. Let’s assume that the man everyone thought of
as your father, owned and ran a small fleet of taxies in Alexandra. You had a
couple of brothers who drove two of them. In addition, the husbands of your
sisters were also taxi drivers for your dad. Furthermore, for a couple of years
you had also driven taxies in dad’s firm.
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| Feed the 5000 |
In such a scenario, what would people
say if you suddenly became an itinerant preacher claiming to be the Son of God?
If your “dad” passed away at about the same time you started preaching, what
would people say? They would probably say that your grief at the passing of
your dad had “freaked you out”. Now you are a candidate for a mental hospital.
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| Restoring Sight |
On
top of that, assume your mom and the family members come to take you away quietly.
What if you looked at them and asked the question “Who is my mother and
brothers?”
Does
all this make sense? Well, if we take off our religious blinkers and read the
Bible with an open mind, the magnitude of Jesus’ “problem” becomes abundantly
clear.
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| Where Jesus Walked |
Question:
How do you go about convincing people that you are the Son of God without telling
them beforehand? The four Gospels show us how Jesus went about it. It was done
step by step over a period of about 3 years. He called men to follow Him. Then
He began to work miracles in their presence in the name of God. He walked with
them and talked with them and showed them who He was by what He did. There were
miraculous healings, demons were cast out of people; He miraculously fed the
multitude on two occasions. He walked on water and calmed a storm. He wanted
them all to know who He was.
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| Caesarea Philippi Jesus asked Whom am I? Matthew 16:16 |
Then, when Jesus came to the region of Caesarea Philippi,
He asked His disciples, "Who do people say that the Son of Man is?" 15
Then He asked them, "But
who do you say I am?" 16 Simon Peter
answered, "You are the Messiah, the Son of
the living God." 17 Jesus replied,
"You are blessed, Simon son of John, because My Father in heaven has revealed
this to you. You did not learn this from any human being. Mat 16:15-17 NLT It was a critical question at a
crucial point in time. His disciples knew His true identity. Now He could go to
the cross and complete the task His Father had given Him.
From this
point in His ministry, He could talk to His disciples and others about His
relationship with the Father in ways they had never suspected. John’s Gospel
states:
31 Jesus said to the people who believed in Him, "You are
truly My disciples if you remain faithful to My teachings. 32
And you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free." John 8:31-32 NLT – And - 3
And this is eternal life, that they know you the only
true God, and Jesus Christ whom you have sent. John
17:3 ESV
Notice
the strong connection between them. They both refer to who He really was; The
Son of God! When we know Jesus is the son of God and obediently follow Him
accordingly, we are set free. Nothing else can set us free. In this way we
begin to know the Father and the Son. This is eternal life!
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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| That They Know You the Only True God and Jesus Christ Whom You Have sent John 17:3 |
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 12 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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STAND
UP STRONG AND TALL
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The
older we get the more we begin to know how little we really know. I saw a
comment recently in this regard. It said, “Consult a young man now, before he
grows up and no longer knows everything.” Were you a bit like that? I know I
was!
It’s
very sad, but Christianity lends itself to this type of thinking. With us,
the problem is doctrine. I remember Juan Carlos Ortiz telling us that the
Bible is an amazing book. He said that if you were a Baptist minister, you’d
been to a Baptist seminary where you were taught Baptist doctrine by Baptist
theologians who used the Bible to prove it. He then said much the same thing
about the Methodists, Episcopalians and the strict Brethren. The implication
was that by careful manipulation you can prove just about anything from the
Bible. Paul in his second letter to Timothy described such things as foolish
controversies. 23 Have nothing to do
with foolish, ignorant controversies; you know that they breed quarrels.2 Timothy 2:23 ESV For example, at one time in
one of the denominations, there was an argument concerning how many angels
could stand on the head of a pin. This was indeed foolish controversy. It had
nothing to do with living the Christian life.
We
cannot say that about today’s Scriptures. Samuel Bagster very cleverly put
these Scriptures together in a way that challenges the way we live. It
should. For far too long we have been under the false impression that the
acquisition of knowledge defines a Christian. It doesn’t. Satan probably
knows every word of Scripture. But he is not a Christian. The same can be
said for your minister, pastor, priest or home group leader. According to
John’s Gospel, Jesus commented on this. 31 To the Jews who had believed him, Jesus said, "If you hold to my teaching, you are really my disciples. 32 Then you will know the truth, and the truth will set you
free." John 8:31-32 NIV Please
note that by itself the truth does not set you free. There is a natural progression
here. First you must hold to his teachings. This is not the acquisition of
knowledge but an active participation in what He has said. Christianity is
active. It’s what you do and are. It’s being a “doer” of His Word. That’s
when you start to “know” the truth. He alone is the truth. He made this very
clear in John 14:6. Truth is a person. We think that truth is a series of
facts. It isn’t. Truth is a person. We get to know Him by doing what he has
said. It is Jesus Christ who sets us free, not a bunch of facts. Sure, facts
help with our understanding. But even if you could jam all the knowledge of
this world combined into your head, what good would it do you? All the
combined facts in the Encyclopaedia Britannica will not save you or me.
Sadly,
we find that the average University Professor of Theology is less likely to
know Jesus than a little child. Indeed, I’ve personally observed that many
seminaries and tertiary education institutions teach their students to
believe nothing. These lecturers have destroyed the faith of many. I’ve
watched it happening in the Religious Institution I still love. Sadly their
ministers are taught basic unbelief. God help them. We need to know and do
“The Truth”.
Jim &
Phyllida
Strickland
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24 Let us think of ways to
motivate one another to acts of love and good works.
Hebrews 10:24 NLT
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Let us put our minds to it; let’s seek to find the ways;
To motivate each other to do good all our days;
To seek to find some methods, to spur each other on,
To acts of love and kindness, for each and everyone.
Some actions may be difficult; some honest words bring pain.
But if it makes us loving, the end result is gain!
Think back to what has happened not very long ago.
The tests & trials all came along & that’s what made us grow.
Thinking back to yesterday, can prompt us all to do,
Many of the former things that all of us once knew.
I’m sure the Lord will help us. He knows us heart and soul.
The names of those who serve Him are written on His scroll.
He listens to each word we say; and He does not forget.
He knows the ones who honour Him. On them His heart is set.
This is His “normal” pattern. His love on them He pours.
He honours those who honour Him and keep the Saviour’s laws.
Don’t think He isn’t listening if only two or three,
Come and pray together. For should they then agree,
About what they are asking; if it’s what He intends,
The Father will be listening. And He will surely send,
Exactly what is wanted, so quick they’ll get a shock,
They will assign thanksgiving, to Jesus Christ our Rock.
The Lord is interested in all aspects of life.
He plans to give each husband, a helpmeet for a wife.
A man was not intended to ever be alone.
So He created woman, to share her husband’s throne.
He knows that two are better when reaching for success.
For they can help each other if one gets in a mess.
They also learn it’s easier if they cooperate.
But if one starts to think that he is better than his mate,
Or starts to criticise him, or judge in any way,
It won’t be very long before he’s sure to rue the day,
He thought he was superior. For if the other falls,
He’ll find that he’s in trouble the day the Master calls.
So let us stand together as a spiritual house.
Help those who are stumbling, or who haven’t got the nous,
To keep away from evil and doing what is wrong;
Restore them very gently, and help them to be strong.
So let us help each other when temptation comes to call
Then in the Master’s teachings we will stand up strong and tall
Jim Strickland
Written 12th
July 2012
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25 Honest words are so painful! But your reasoning
doesn't prove anything.
Job 6:25 NIrV
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1 This is now the second letter that I am writing to
you, beloved. In both of them I am stirring up
your sincere mind by way of reminder,
2 Peter 3:1 ESV
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16 Then those who feared
the LORD talked with each other, and the LORD listened and heard. A scroll of
remembrance was written in his presence concerning those who feared the LORD
and honoured his name.
Malachi 3:16 TNIV
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19 "I also tell you
this: If two of you agree here on earth concerning anything you ask, My Father
in heaven will do it for you.
Matthew 18:19 NLT
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18 Then the LORD God said,
"It is not good for the man to be alone. I will make a helper who
is just right for him."
Genesis 2:18 NLT
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9 Two people are better
off than one, for they can help each other succeed. 10 If one person falls, the other can reach out and help.
But someone who falls alone is in real trouble.
Ecclesiastes 4:9-10 NLT
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13 Let us stop judging one
another. Instead, make up your mind not to put anything in your brother's way
that would make him trip and fall.
Romans 14:13 NIrV
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1 Brothers and sisters,
if a person gets trapped by wrongdoing, those of you who are spiritual should
help that person turn away from doing wrong. Do it in a gentle way. At
the same time watch yourself so that you also are not tempted. 2 Help carry each other's burdens. In this way you will
follow Christ's teachings.
Galatians 6:1-2 GW
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