Time with Jesus - 24 July
2013
The Royal
Coat of Arms
Hi all,
Coat of Arms
What is particularly exciting
about this event from a Biblical viewpoint, Kate – Catherine Middleton – is a
complete outsider to royalty. Before marrying Prince William, she had no claims
on the Royal Family. She was much like you and me; ordinary everyday people,
seeking to live life as best we can with the aid of Jesus Christ.  |
| William and Kate Someday King William and Queen Catherine? |
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| Catherine Middleton |
Personally, I’m not surprised by comments of this
nature. There must be literally thousands of single young women who would have done
anything to marry Prince William, simply to be mother of the future King. 
How
do I know this? Because it is true to human nature. In this regard I recall my
schooldays in the 1950’s at an all-boys school. The comment then was that if anyone
wanted to be among the idle rich, go to UK and marry Princess Ann!
Of course it
was said in jest, but the idea was “out there”. If boys can do that, why not
girls?
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| Tamar Seduces Judah |
What does this have to do with moving mountains and
faith? To help us get this in perspective, please open your Bible to Genesis. Tucked
away in Chapter 38 there is an extraordinary story which some think shouldn’t
even be in the Bible. Slotted into the history of Joseph, we come across the
story of Judah and Tamar. Reuben, Simeon and Levi had disgraced themselves in
the eyes of Jacob. As a result, Judah had become “senior son”. He was the one
through whom Messiah was to come. He had left home and went to live in Adullam.
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| The Prize? "Mother of Messiah" |
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| Signet Ring Elder Prince of the Tribe |
In those days and later, under the Mosaic Law, if a man died
without having a son, his brother was required to marry the widow. Their first
son would be regarded as the deceased man’s son. The purpose was primarily to
protect family inheritance rights. Er died and then Onan. Tamar still did not
have a son so she asked Judah for her to marry Shelah. It didn’t happen.
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| The Cord Father's Blessing and Birthright of Leading Son |
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| The Staff of Leadership Leader of the genealogy Passed from Father to Eldest Son |
She believed she could be in the line of the Messiah. No doubt she
learned this from Er or perhaps Judah himself. Then she combined her faith in
being a progenitor of Jesus with action. What she did may offend out 21st
century Christian norms. But in her days and in terms of her culture, it was a
chance worth taking. Incidentally, if you look at the 3 articles she took from
Judah, you will find they are the items which defined his covenant with God and
identifying him as the one who would lead the family after Jacob's death. The
progenitor of the Messiah.
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| Tamar's offspring was ultimately Jesus - The Lion of Judah |
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| Tamar the Canaanites who was determined to be in the Line of Messiah! By faith and her woks, it happened. Honoured by God and included in Jesus' Genealogy |
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 24 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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MOVING
MOUNTAINS
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In English we have an
expression, “Are you pulling my leg?” We all know that nobody has even
touched your leg, let alone pull it. It means, “Are you telling me the
truth?” It’s an expression usually used between family and close friends and
suggests that it may be “evang-elastic” truth. In the North-East of England,
if the story was said to be true, the comment was, “Pull the other one. It’s
got bells on!” Sadly, many Christians use this in their approach to the Bible
and to God. For many reasons, many are of the opinion that the Bible is
nothing more than a collection of stories and letters from antiquity. To
think that any of it is true would be to commit intellectual suicide. Yes;
there are stories in the Bible that are difficult to understand or believe.
“The Bible is full of contradictions!” people tell me. To which I reply,
please show me one! In my 70 years on this planet I haven’t found any. When
people say to me, “Do you really believe that Jonah was swallowed by a big
fish?” I tell them that I not only believe about the big fish, I also believe
about the worm! (See Jonah 4:7) Then they say to me, “You’re crazy!” Then I
can tell them I’ve been crazy about Jesus for more than 50 of those years.
Over these years,
opinions have come and gone. In the 1970’s we went through the Serendipity
phase. (discovery of something fortunate) Then we arrived at the “Faith”
years in the 1980’s. We loved those years. We felt as though the Lord was
setting us free to believe Him for great things. Ken Copeland, Jerry Savelle
and the Hagins brought in a freshness and simple approach to being a
Christian. Of course there were problems. Show me any move of God and I will
show you the problems they had in those days. The devil tries anything and
everything to wreck the moves of God. Then we had the “Toronto Blessing” as
it was called. This arrived on the scene at more or less the same time as “Alpha”.
The faith message was
very exciting. Above anything else we were taught to believe the promises of
God. Accordingly we began to get to grips with the Patriarchs and the faith
displayed by them some 4000 years ago. Even now, as I read the book of
Genesis I get “intoxicated” with that which happened and how God honoured
their faith. The Old Testament is “awash” with tales of real men and women
and great faith. Hebrews 11 expounds on this. 39 All these people earned a good reputation because of
their faith, yet none of them received all
that God had promised. 40 For God had something better in mind for us, so that
they would not reach perfection without us. Hebrews
11:39-40 NLT. In a way we are being told that as much as we look back
at their wonderful example, they are looking at us and cheering us on. Did
you know that Abraham is waiting for you and me? So are Isaiah, Jeremiah and
Ezekiel. We may never be told to take our one and only son to the top of Mt
Moriah and offer him as a sacrifice. SA Police would never understand! But we
are expected to exercise faith in a way that is meaningful today. We could
start by finding what “mountain” needs to be cast into the sea? Perhaps we
could pray with a young couple who have been trying to conceive for years?
Perhaps we could find someone who has been through a terrible divorce? Perhaps
all that is needed is a word of encouragement for someone in a difficult
place? Whatever it might be! “Hang on
Abe, I’m coming!”
Jim
& Phyllida
Strickland |
20 Abraham never wavered in believing God's promise. In
fact, his faith grew stronger; in this he brought God glory.
Romans 4:20 NLT
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We’ve all heard about Abraham and know
just what he did.
For thirteen years he said that God had promised him
a kid.
A son who would inherit the land in
which they stayed.
But Abram didn’t own it and kind of disobeyed.
He conspired with Sarah that they
would have a son;
And came to an agreement; through Hagar it was done.
Perhaps he thought that God Most High
required them to do,
That which in the natural was too good to be true.
For thirteen years thereafter, Ishmael
was the one,
They thought that He had been given them as the
expected son.
But that was not God’s purpose. Sure
Ishmael was OK.
But he was not the promised son whom Hagar bore that
day.
Then at the age of ninety, Sarah
gently laughed.
“For me to have a baby!” The thought itself was
daft.
But nothing is impossible for God who
reigns on high.
So when He said to Abraham, that Isaac had to die.
“Abie” wasn’t bothered. “If Isaac’s
dead and gone,
The Lord will raise him from the dead so he can
carry on”.
Such was the faith of Abraham. He knew
that God could do,
Anything and everything that He wanted to.
For God, a resurrection, was just a
“piece of cake”.
So sacrificing Isaac was not too hard to take.
And we all know what happened. That in
the nick of time,
God gave the sacrificial ram, which He said would do
fine.
How can we believe it? Some people
look for proof.
They think that God is distant, incredibly aloof.
That He would never do it. That it is
all a lie.
But that is not the way it is for folk like you and
I.
We know if God has said it, the
outcome’s guaranteed;
That anything He ever says is “very truth” indeed!
To us it seems impossible. But it’s a
bagatelle.
This miracle for Sarah, He did it very well.
One word and opposition, is quickly
blown aside.
It’s certified to happen; for God has never lied.
It may not be tomorrow and may not be
next year.
But if the Lord has said it, it’s going to appear.
“Have faith in God” said Jesus. You
don’t require much.
The size of just a mustard seed is all you need as
such.
To tell a great big mountain, to jump
into the sea.
If that’s enough for Jesus; It’s quite enough for
me.
And all down through the ages, we’ve
seen that it is true.
God can work a miracle for folk like me and you.
“Faith” is not a quantity. It all
depends on trust.
And knowing that His Father is always true and just.
If we will just believe Him and that
which He does say,
The outcome is as certain as night will follow day.
Jim Strickland
Written 24th July 2012 |
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22 Then Jesus said to the disciples, "Have faith in God. 23 I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain,
'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you
must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. 24
I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you
believe that you've received it, it will be yours.
Mark 11:22-24 NLT
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6 No one can please God without faith. Whoever goes to
God must believe that God exists and that he rewards those who seek him.
Hebrews 11:6 GW
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17 By
faith Abraham, when he was tested, offered up Isaac, and he who had received the promises was in the act of
offering up his only son, 18 of
whom it was said, "Through Isaac shall your offspring be named."
19 He considered that God was able
even to raise him from the dead, from which, figuratively speaking, he
did receive him back.
Hebrews 11:17-19 ESV
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21 He was fully convinced that God is able to do whatever
He promises.
Romans 4:21 NLT
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14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return
about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son."
Genesis 18:14 NLT
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26
Jesus looked at them intently and said, "Humanly speaking, it is
impossible. But with God everything is possible."
Matthew 19:26 NLT
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5 The apostles came up and said to the Master, "Give us more faith." 6 But
the Master said, "You don't need more faith. There is no 'more' or
'less' in faith. If you have a bare kernel of faith, say the size of a poppy
seed, you could say to this sycamore tree, 'Go jump in the lake,' and it
would do it.
Luke 17:5-6 MSG
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