OUR HERITAGE

Time with Jesus - 23 Sept. 2013

Hi all,

The story goes about a preacher who was visiting a church in one of the larger mid-western towns of the USA. The preacher was known as a man who had a way of communicating with children. 

He could talk to a large audience in a way that the kids loved. As for parents, usually they found that when he had finished speaking, they felt that they too had been touched in a special way. 

I suppose he had a gift something similar to the one Jesus demonstrated so clearly during His own ministry; a gift that almost every preacher on earth “covets”!

The preacher knew that the children would be waiting to hear his message. He also knew that in the congregation there was a professor of Mathematics from the local University. They knew each other informally from their “Varsity days”. Back then, the professor had a tendency to be a bit stiff and formal. Nevertheless, the preacher and professor appreciated humour, even when it was directed toward them personally.

The preacher commenced his sermon in the usual way by getting everyone settled down and feeling comfortable. He then greeted one or two old friends from the pulpit, including the professor. Then he started with his sermon. He was speaking about the way Jesus used numbers, particularly when speaking to children. 

He mentioned the 5 wise and the 5 foolish bridesmaids. He coupled it together with the servants who were given 5, 2 and 1 talents respectively. That’s when he really touched the hearts of the children and they started getting involved in his sermon. So much so he was able to ask questions to the children and the members of the congregation.

Suddenly, he paused and looking at the professor said, “What’s two and two?” The professor rose to his feet and looked nervously round. “Please will you repeat the question?” he asked. “Yes!” said the preacher. “What is two and two?” 

The professor was stunned that he would be asked something so elementary. “There has to be a trick here somewhere” he thought to himself. So his mind started racing through the various possibilities that might be lying just beneath the surface. Accustomed to “stalling” the questions of his undergraduates, he tried to stall the preacher with a couple of inane coughs and splutters. Then he heard the question from the preacher once more. 

“What’s two plus two?” He was stumped. “How could this preacher ask him such an elementary question?” Then he spluttered out an answer. His “I’m not sure!” echoed round the church like the sound of a gun. Then the professor sat down very embarrassed.

The preacher turned to the youngest member of the congregation he could see. “Young man”, he said to him. “What’s two plus two?” Almost instantly he received the answer back. It’s four, sir!” “That’s right” he said to the young man. “Two plus two is four.” The congregation gasped. The professor was livid and was on the point of getting up and walking out when the preacher spoke again in a most reconciliatory tone.

“Thank you professor”, he said. “Thank you for helping me illustrate one of the most important points in Christianity. Very often in life we miss the obvious, not because we don’t know the answer, but because we think it’s a trick question. 

Thank you for being patient with me. Now we all know what Nicodemus felt like when he met Jesus that dark night. You’ll see it in John’s Gospel. ¹ There was a man named Nicodemus, a Jewish religious leader who was a Pharisee. ² After dark one evening, he came to speak with Jesus. "Rabbi," he said, "we all know that God has sent You to teach us. 

Your miraculous signs are evidence that God is with You." ³ Jesus replied, "I tell you the truth, unless you are born again, you cannot see the Kingdom of God." ⁴ "What do You mean?" exclaimed Nicodemus. "How can an old man go back into his mother's womb and be born again?" John 3:1-4 NLT

“My friend, Nicodemus was the local professor of Religious Studies in Jerusalem. Look at verse 10: "You are Israel's teacher," said Jesus, "and do you not understand these things?” John 3:10 TNIV Nicodemus knew all right. He knew far more than he said. 

 Look how he coughed and spluttered his comments to Jesus! Once again, thank you for helping me show how men like you and me can misunderstand the essential simplicity of God’s truth.

The preacher then continued, “The Gospel of Jesus Christ is so simple. So simple, a little child can understand. It doesn’t require a professor of Divinity to look for tricks. As Jesus said to Nicodemus in verse 16”: For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whosoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life John 3:16 TNIV.

“It’s simple enough for everyone here today to understand, without looking for tricks. There are no tricks. He loves everyone. No one is excluded; the young, the old, the children; you, me, men, women, boys, girls, babies; black; white, coloured, Arabs, Asians, Jews.

I am a “whosoever” You are a “whosoever”. He came for you! Will you come to Him? Jesus Christ, He is our everything!”

The preacher then gave an altar call. The response continues to be felt!

That’s the story. My prayer is that it will touch you as deeply as it touched me.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 23 Sept. 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					©
	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	OUR HERITAGE
My mother told a great story about me from way back in 1948. We were living in Durban at the time in the Esau Hotel. It was quite close to the Durban beach. The hotel has probably gone by now. I was about 6 and was taken to a little school fairly close to where we were staying. She said that after my third or fourth day at school, I came home and told her that it was not necessary to go back. I had learned all I needed to know! Of course it was a preposterous thought. But it does have a parallel with today’s Scripture. 9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets.1 Cor. 2:9-10 NLT We can and do laugh at a child who says he knows everything, when he knows nothing. We know that the child is speaking in ignorance but is expressing his perception of knowledge. At the same time, we forget that when it comes to the things of God, we are all just as ignorant. We have our concepts of what is good and beautiful. Most of it is. But when it comes to what God has prepared for His children, it is beyond our limited imagination. I have great sympathy for the prophet Ezekiel at the Kebar river. He had been greatly blessed by God. He experienced a “touch” from God and saw something indescribable. Read Ezekiel chapter 1 and see what the Prophet tries to depict. How do you describe the indescribable? How do you write it down? How do you begin to grasp what you have seen? As I read this chapter, I sense a huge “frustration” in the man. How can such a vision be explained? What do you write in such circumstances? It’s reasonable to assume that his personal knowledge of God was not grossly different from ours. What did he know about God? What do we know about God? A truthful answer would be, “precious little”. We can’t even imagine The God Who “contains” the universe and everything inside it! But Ezekiel sees something. It’s so far beyond his understanding that he can hardly put it in writing. We know that the Bible contains all the information God has chosen to make available to us. How much is that? We have no idea. For example we know that most of an iceberg is under water. We also know that a polished diamond has many facets. How many can we see? We can’t see them all because we can only see the portions facing us. To know more, we would need to be able to handle it to make a thorough examination. It’s impossible for us to “pick up God” The little He has revealed to us tells us something about Him. He is infinite. But what does infinity look like? We have no idea unless the Spirit of God reveals it to us. We can’t begin to imagine the future without God’s Spirit. Occasionally, for example in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, we are given a number of hints. Hints that whet our appetite to know more. Will we be shown more? I suppose that if it was in His interests He would do so. He does give us the overall dimensions. Whether it’s a cube or a pyramid, we cannot be sure. Rev. 21:10-27 gives us an idea of the appearance of the New Jerusalem. The Spirit revealed it to John. Read it and be astonished! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			7 The one who conquers will have this heritage, and I will be his God and he will be my son. Revelation 21:7 ESV	The Hebrews and the Gentiles both have a heritage. One which they all have to share and not get as a wage. No one knows exactly what it is they will see. All they know for sure is that each beneficiary, Will be with God Almighty when Jesus Christ comes back. All those who’re ready, will never suffer lack. It’s been like this since Abraham first saw the Promised Land. A little bit of real estate; that God said He had planned, To give to Abraham’s offspring. Exactly where or when, Was something that they didn’t know, at least not way back then. We know that under Joshua, they took the land by force. But it was not their heritage. Such thoughts are way off course. For sure, the land was fruitful. The Bible makes that plain. But it was not the paradise they thought they should obtain. They seemed to be quite satisfied, when it had been inspected. But it was not the place their holy men had all expected. It wasn’t such a bad place and they could settle down; Until the Lord provided them a city or a town. The centuries rolled by them. The people came and went. They didn’t get the city and settled for a tent. The towns they had were beautiful but how do you compare, The promised Holy City with the tents they had back there? So what is it we’re waiting for? This City from on High, Where all the streets are paved with gold and people do not die? No one has ever seen it; at least not in this life. But many people think they know and man’s opinion’s rife! The only thing we know for sure, the architect is God. We know about the gates and walls but what is very odd. Is when we talk about the size. We’re told there’s lots of room; And looking at its size, it would fit right into the moon! It has a tree-lined river flowing from the Father’s throne. No one ever dies there and no one is alone. The tree of life is growing and there is no more night. The Trinity abides therein and they provide the light. We truly can’t imagine it. No human mind has known, The things Almighty God has made for those who are His own. And here is what’s exciting. The saints who’ve gone before, Are waiting for us all to come; They can’t wait any more. And so they stand and clap their hands, they ululate and cheer. For God has said we’ll all receive, when all of us are here! So hang in there and overcome. For they who say and do, Will all receive their crown of life. I cannot wait, Can you? Jim Strickland Written 23rd September 2012
			19 And if our hope in Christ is only for this life, we are more to be pitied than anyone in the world. 1 Corinthians 15:19 NLT
			16 But they were looking for a better place, a heavenly homeland. That is why God is not ashamed to be called their God, for he has prepared a city for them. Hebrews 11:16 NLT
			4 We have been born into a new life which has an inheritance that can't be destroyed or corrupted and can't fade away. That inheritance is kept in heaven for you, 1 Peter 1:4 GW
			21 So don't brag about people. Everything belongs to you. 22 Whether it is Paul, Apollos, Cephas, the world, life or death, present or future things, everything belongs to you. 1 Corinthians 3:21-22 GW
			9 It is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has known what God has prepared for those who love him." (Isaiah 64:4) 10 But God has shown it to us through his Spirit. The Spirit understands all things. He understands even the deep things of God. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NIrV
			4 No one's ears have ever heard of a God like you. No one's eyes have ever seen a God who is greater than you. No God but you acts for the good of those who trust in him. Isaiah 64:4 NIrV
			8 Watch yourselves, so that you may not lose what we have worked for, but may win a full reward. 2 John 1:8 ESV
			1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a huge crowd of witnesses to the life of faith, let us strip off every weight that slows us down, especially the sin that so easily trips us up. And let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. Hebrews 12:1 NLT

YOUR HEART’S DELIGHT

Time with Jesus - 22 Sept. 2013

Parsons First Steam Turbine
Driven Ship

Hi all,

Sir Charles Algernon Parsons invented the steam turbine. In 1889 he opened a factory to produce them commercially for power stations and as steam engines for ships. 

A Modern Turbine

The 1960’s were a watershed era in power station engineering. Technology advanced at an extraordinary pace. Suddenly, one turbo-generator unit - 500MW in those days - could generate more electricity than 10 X 30MW power station units. The long term future for the turbo-generator manufacturers began to look bleak. 

The only way forward was through research and development; nuclear research became essential. Parsons responded by establishing their Industrial Research and Development subsidiary. (IRD)

New apprentices began their training in the training school and after 6 months were sent to various parts of the factory for further training. 

Biblical Submission

A friend of mine whom I’ll call “John” was sent to the IRD. He was 16. He was an industrious lad and usually remained at his work-bench during the 1 hour lunch break. Like most youngsters, John was curious. Likewise, he didn’t have much idea what was “going on”. Put the two together and you could have a serious problem; particularly in places like the IRD.

Submission
to Employer and staff

One day, about 10 minutes before he was due to return to work, he spotted a strange looking container on someone else’s workbench. It wasn’t locked so he decided to have a look at what was in it. He opened it and saw something strange which he didn’t recognise. He picked it up, more from curiosity than anything else. 

This is not submission
it's Slavery

At almost the same moment the man responsible for the box returned. He saw what John was doing and went as white as a sheet. “Put it back and close the box” the man shouted to John. He did. In no time at all, he was surrounded by men in white overalls. He was taken to a special room. There he was told to undress, put his clothes to one side and get into the shower. He did exactly what he was told. 

Obedience by Force
is Slavery

Then this group of men shaved him from head to foot and started to scrub him. He said later that he was almost to the point where he was bleeding from the scrubbing. He also found out that he had been handling a piece low-grade radio-active material. Most of that afternoon was spent scrubbing him and checking him with various scanners. 

Submit to each other
as Jesus did to His Father

When they were satisfied that he was not a danger to himself or others, he was given new clothes to wear. The ones he had been wearing were incinerated. For John it was a close call. There were repercussions in the IRD, but not for him. He came out of the situation a very sore, but very clean, 16 year old.

No Knowledge of evil
is Innocence

Thinking back on that situation 52 years ago, I’m reminded of what took place in the Garden of Eden. Adam and Eve were innocent, in that they had no real idea, what eating the fruit would mean. Adam certainly knew he wasn’t to eat it. It’s not really clear what Eve knew. Not that it matters now. 

The World's Greatest
Catastrophe
The Fall of Man

The catastrophic events which took place when he ate that fruit, were far worse than John’s handling a small piece of low grade, radioactive material. Adam had actually pronounced a death sentence over himself, his wife who had also eaten from the tree and all of their offspring for ever. This was not something that could be scrubbed off by men in white overalls with brushes. For you and me, that would have been easy. But sin can’t be scrubbed off with brushes. That’s because sin isn’t a surface problem. It goes much, much deeper.

To Lead is to Serve
There is no other Way

I’m not really in a position to comment about what happens to anything we eat. I suppose science can tell us how the food is digested and the nourishment assimilated into our bodies. It’s not essential that we understand the details anyway. It’s sufficient to know that if I eat something highly toxic, it will kill me. That’s exactly what happened to Adam and Eve – with a huge difference. 

Sin struck Creation
Like an Atomic Explosion

Like a gigantic atomic explosion, it ripped into all of creation. Suddenly, lions became predators! It seems that the plant world was affected and some plants which had once been beautiful, became weeds; the ground no longer cooperated with Adam. He had to work at it by the sweat of his brow.

Most of us have seen photographs of Hiroshima and Nagasaki before and after the detonation of the atomic bombs. Looking at the pictures, you can hardly believe what you are seeing. I suspect the damage and changes in creation as a result of Adam’s sin, would make the atomic bomb damage on Hiroshima and Nagasaki look like a child’s sandcastle, on a beach after the sea has swept in and out.

Sand Castle Washed Away

 If we take a close look at Genesis 2 and 3, the enormity of what took place when Adam sinned and fell, is not immediately obvious. 

The ONLY Way Marriage Will Work!

That’s because we don’t really know what creation was like before the fall. We will never know unless it is revealed to us by the Lord. We do know the world is not what it was and that we are not what we should have been.

Not This Way

Of course, that was not all that changed. Mankind’s relationship with God changed dramatically. Interpersonal relationships between husbands and wives also changed. Instead of it being a “partnership of interdependent equals” with clear roles and without conflict, harmony was shattered. 

Suddenly, there was competitiveness in what they were doing. He had to “compete” with ground. It wanted to bring forth thorns and thistles. He had to work hard so the earth would reluctantly bring forth the crops he wanted to grow to provide for himself, his wife and family. 

Pain in Pregnancy
and Childbirth

Family became her responsibility. Eve’s “punishment” was: ¹⁶ Then He (God) said to the woman, "I will sharpen the pain of your pregnancy, and in pain you will give birth. And you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you." Gen 3:16 NLT

One “curse” was pain in pregnancy and in giving birth. This is true today. Notice, however, the NLT translation of the second “curse” you will desire to control your husband, but he will rule over you. 

Wives, Don't Even Try!

To this very day, many wives do whatever they can to control their husbands. It’s part of her sin nature. She will usually fail. Her husband will “rule over” her by force if needed. Historically it’s what usually happened.

Thank God we have been shown a better way as shown by Paul to the Ephesians: ²² For wives, this means submit to your husbands as to the Lord. ²³ For a husband is the head of His wife as Christ is the head of the church. He is the Savior of His body, the church. ²⁴ As the church submits to Christ, so you wives should submit to your husbands in everything.

Jesus Did This For Me
Husband, do Likewise
For your Wife!

²⁵ For husbands, this means love your wives, just as Christ loved the church. He gave up His life for her ²⁶ to make her holy and clean, washed by the cleansing of God's word. ²⁷ He did this to present her to Himself as a glorious church without a spot or wrinkle or any other blemish. Instead, she will be holy and without fault. ²⁸ In the same way, husbands ought to love their wives as they love their own bodies. 

For a man who loves his wife actually shows love for himself. Ephesians 5:22-28 NLT. 

Maranatha – Even so, come soon Lord Jesus

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Success in Marriage Comes by
Mutual Submission to Each other
In the Power of Jesus Christ

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 22 Sept. 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					©
	INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	YOUR HEART’S DELIGHT
Most men have a “soft spot” for women. That’s exactly what God planned. In Genesis it was as true then as it is today. 18 GOD said, "It's not good for the man to be alone; I'll make him a helper, a companion." Gen 2:18 MSG The first thing that springs to mind is what was meant by God saying it was not good for man to be alone. God had just stated that everything was very good. (Gen 1:31) By implication, even in the perfection of God’s entire creation, which was very good, something was not quite right. God saw Adam had no-one like himself to love. This is very important. To obey God and love someone else, there must be someone else! Every creature except Adam had a mate. They couldn’t multiply and fill the earth without a mate. Now this didn’t particularly bother Adam. He was “totally absorbed” in tending the garden. Today, generally speaking, most men are totally absorbed by their work. They would do it 24/7 if it was physically possible. It occurs to me that Adam was so focussed on his job that he didn’t know there was a problem. Don’t be surprised. In a perfect environment with no “female” distractions he’d still be there today. Why not? He didn’t even know he had a problem! Sure, he had a very gregarious nature. But being on first name terms with the animals - he did name them all - he must have thought he was in paradise! There was a minor problem. God had told all the “animals” to 28 “Be fruitful and increase in number; fill the earth and subdue it”. Gen 1:28 It must have puzzled Adam. They could, but he couldn’t! God knew all about this and had created Adam with this in mind. Adam needed a creature like himself. He didn’t need a boss or a servant. He needed an equal to help him. They would have had different roles in the order of things. But there would be no “battle of the sexes”. There would be perfect harmony between them. Their love relationship would have been impeccable. They would both have been seeking ways to enrich each other’s lives. Children would do that. Each “child” would have been perfect and equal in every respect other than gender. So what! There would be no shame or embarrassment. Not one of them would have even been aware of their own nakedness. Today we are familiar with the differences between the male and female anatomy. But in that perfect environment, would these differences have been so obvious? The question is academic. One thing we can say for certain is that Adam and Eve were pleased with each other. What did they look like? We don’t know. We know that Adam was delighted. In our fallen world with fallen faculties and minds, when we read of them being brought together, we tend to think of gender differences and sexual pleasure. But did they think and feel like that? It’s difficult to imagine anything else. But we should. Today, the highest form of pleasure is glandular. This is fact, not fantasy. The guys chase the girls. The girls enjoy being chased. According to some, every aspect of human life is governed by sexual attraction. How can this be changed? Only by a decision to follow Jesus Christ and the New Testament pattern for family life. Husbands love your wives as Jesus loves the church and laid down His life for her. It is done by a decision he makes. Wives, submit yourselves to your own husbands. This is done by a decision she makes. When we follow this model, fulfilment becomes the norm. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			39 He went on a little farther and bowed with His face to the ground, praying, "My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine." Matthew 26:39 NLT	Submission is the strangest word, most women do not like. Not enough for them to think that they should go on strike. I must admit the attitude is sometimes hard to bear, Particularly thinking, that the men don’t seem to care! There’s much misunderstanding about what the Lord intends. There is no subjugation He imposes on His friends. Yet that is what most people think submission really means. And ladies are subservient because of female genes! But women aren’t inferior at all, in any way. A wife is not a slave, a husband doesn’t have to pay. But there is still an attitude that men can have it all. And women must bow down to every word the men-folk call. That isn’t in the Bible. It really isn’t true. A woman is permitted to do all that men can do. The model is the Master and all that Jesus did. He made it clear He’d only do that which His father bid. He wasn’t “second fiddle” to Someone way up high. Whatever He was told to do, not once did He reply, “I do not have to do this. I’m not some kind of fool, Who walks round in obedience to any petty rule! I’m following My Father for it’s the finest way, For Me to get the very best on each and every day. I know that we are “equal” for I am God as well. But I am in submission to all that He may tell.” A wife is just like Jesus in the way that she relates. She has complete authority to govern her own fate. But of her own volition she chooses to submit, And it’s so liberating, she never wants to quit. Her husband doesn’t rule her. That never was God’s plan. But there’s Divine relationship between her and her man. He was “hoop-ak-o-ay” is the word we find in Greek, Harkening attentively; obediently meek; Comes from Strong’s Concordance, where it very clear.  (Heb. 5:8) He was in submission to His Father ever near. Look at where it took Him. To death upon a cross. He didn’t want to do it, but Father was the boss. In spite of all His suffering, He held on to the end. And gave us an example on which we can depend. So do not be discouraged. You ladies have it best, If you’re loved as Jesus was by Father, you are blessed. You don’t have to worry if your husband’s wrong or right. He’ll know what you need and give to you your heart’s delight. Jim Strickland Written 22nd Sept. 2012
			27 "Now is my soul troubled. And what shall I say? 'Father, save me from this hour'? But for this purpose I have come to this hour. John 12:27 ESV
			38 I came down from heaven not to follow my own whim but to accomplish the will of the One who sent me. John 6:38 MSG
			8 And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Philippians 2:8 ESV
			7 In the days of his flesh, Jesus offered up prayers and supplications, with loud cries and tears, to him who was able to save him from death, and he was heard because of his reverence. 8 Although he was a son, he learned obedience through what he suffered. Hebrews 5:7-8 ESV
			53 Don't you realize that I am able right now to call to my Father, and twelve companies--more, if I want them--of fighting angels would be here, battle-ready? Matthew 26:53 MSG
			46 He told them, "This is what is written. The Christ will suffer. He will rise from the dead on the third day. 47 His followers will preach in his name. They will tell others to turn away from their sins and be forgiven. People from every nation will hear it, beginning at Jerusalem. Luke 24:46-47 NIrV