Time with Jesus - 7 Nov 2013
If my memory serves me well, in the 1970’s and 1980’s,
the Portuguese Hall was used on several occasions for sporting events broadcast
on TV and radio. I can’t recall if it was a popular venue. However in the early
days when Rhema was located on Jan Smuts Avenue, close to the Randburg shopping
centre, it would have been an acceptable venue. I suspect Rhema needed a hall
large enough to accommodate a bigger crowd than usual. The founder of Rhema,
“Daddy Hagen” and his son Kenneth Hagen Junior were the two main speakers. Ray
McCauley was also one of the speakers as was (I think) Theo Wolmarans.
On the Thursday evening, Ken Hagen spoke on the topic,
“Why are you sitting in jail when the prison doors are open?” He spoke about people
being addicted to all sorts of different drugs and over-the-counter-medicines.
“The time has come to put all that behind you!” was his impassioned statement.
Now I had been dependent on nasal decongestants since 1955. i.e. for ±26 years.
That evening, Ken stated that Jesus would deliver people from such
“addictions”. On the way home that night, it seemed the right thing for me to
do, would be to thank Jesus for releasing me from the dependence. That was 32
years ago! Jesus broke that dependence and released me. The following night at
the convention I testified to this before the crowd. Today, I’m reluctant to
make use of anything similar; even when the doctor prescribes such medicines.
To return to that bondage is something I avoid like the plague.
I saw something else during my first evening at the
Portuguese Hall. People would rise from their seats and leave. Obviously, they
didn’t like or approve what they saw. I confess I was tempted to do the same.
It was something of a tug-of-war between the forces of light and darkness. What
kept me in my seat was the memory of the empty days without Jesus. What
happened to those people I can’t even guess. I think that was on the Wednesday
evening. My “reward” for persevering was being delivered from dependency on
nasal decongestants. Clearly this was evidence to me that I’d begun to “Walk in
the Spirit!”
Two men have greatly influenced Phyllida and me regarding
Walking in the Spirit. The first was Ray McCauley. He was teching on how to
pray for healing. His comment was that every Christian can do this. “Forget
all, about ten steps to follow in praying for healing”, he stated. “It’s a
matter of placing your hands on the person. The easiest place is on the head.
Then it’s ‘left hand, right hand, pray’” What touched me was the simplisity of
it. No “hocus pocus”. “Your job is to pray” he stated. I seem to recall someone
asking Him what to do if nothing happened? His answer was so simple. It
consisted of one word. “Next!” He pointed out that no one is good enough to
pray for someone’s healing. Jesus is the only person who is perfect. He has the
right and authority to do so. “So what’s stopping you?” was Ray’s unasked
question.
Ray’s answer to how to walk in the Spirit was equally
simple. “Left, right, left right” more or less covers it all. The big question
was not so much the walking, as being in the Spirit. As Paul wrote to the
Galatians; 16 Let me
explain further. Live your life as your
spiritual nature directs you. Then you will
never follow through on what your corrupt nature wants. Gal 5:16 GW How do you know if you are doing what
your spiritual nature desires? The answer is to examine yourself and see if
there is any known sin in your life. If not and you are being obedient to God’s
Word, in all probability you are Walking in the Spirit. Trust the Holy Spirit
to tell you if you are wrong! Surely this was “Jesus’ Way!” His dialog was with
His Father. That’s how He walked in the Spirit. You and I may not be perfect.
But our way of walking in the Spirit must be very similar. Don’t
over-complicate it. If and when you make mistakes, repent, ask to be forgiven
and start off again!
By the way, when you are walking in the Spirit, don’t
keep looking to change directions. Malcolm Smith taught us to take a tip from
Jesus; 51 “as the time approached for
him to be taken up to heaven, Jesus resolutely
set out for Jerusalem”. Luke 9:51 TNIV Isaiah put it this way: 7
“because the Sovereign LORD helps me, I will not be
disgraced. Therefore have I set my face like flint,
and I know I will not be put to shame”.
Isa 50:7 TNIV
It’s easy to get side-tracked. Don’t let it happen. Set
out in the direction God has shown you. Don’t look to the right or to the left.
Keep going forward until the Lord points you in a different direction. That’s
what Malcolm taught. I recall a man on whom you could never depend. At times he
didn’t arrive. He said the Lord had told him to do something else. Of course
that can and occasionally does happen. But when it becomes the norm, is the
time to check and see if the instructions really were from the Lord!
Bear in mind there is only one way. It’s known as “The
Jesus Way”. There isn’t really any other way to God.
Shalom
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 7 Nov 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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THE
JESUS WAY
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A
couple of days ago we were looking at the fact that we Christians are not
always as honest as we should be. Usually, it stems from a desire to be liked
by others and to impress them. These intentions are very understandable but
they are also carnal. They raise their ugly head when we are asked to give
our testimony. Many of us embroider them a bit for effect! How do I know?
I’ve done it myself. It’s something like the fisherman’s story of his catch. It
ends up sounding much bigger than it really was. In Christian terms we talk
about things being “evang-elastic”. Like the young preacher’s kid who was listening
to his father. “Is that true?” he asked, or “were you only preaching?”
Much
the same thing happens at the great tent meetings. “How many ‘decisions’ for
Christ were there?” A number is quoted in good faith. Each night the people
who came forward were counted, so the number is accurate. What we don’t
really know is how many came up for the second or third time. How do I know?
As a new Christian, I did it myself on several occasions. What I was looking
for was reassurance. So I kept on “going forward” until the issue was finally
settled in my own mind.
What
about salvation? Mine was decidedly suspect. I was at that meeting because
that’s where all the pretty girls were. A very important reason for a single
18 year old male. The reason I went forward on that occasion was because I
didn’t want my skin singed in hell. In other words, my intentions were purely
selfish. It would be wonderful if we could see men and women coming to Jesus
for good Biblical reasons; like being overcome by the extent of their own
sinfulness and the extent to which they have offended our Righteous and Holy
God.
Today,
Jesus is presented to the masses as a universal panacea for anything and
everything. Whatever fix you are in, He’ll fix it. On occasions it happens
instantly and the person is instantly healed. But this is not always the
case. I was instantly healed of the need to wear specially built up shoes.
Later I was healed of my dependence on nasal sprays. For most of us it has
been a question of standing against the devil until the symptoms have gone.
The
thing I most strongly object to is when people tell others that if you come
to Him, everything will be perfect. That’s deception. The Christian life is
wonderful. But it means going against public attitudes. It’s not easy to be
laughed at and called a “Jesus freak”. It’s hard to change your value system
from that of the world to that of Christ. Humanly speaking, it can’t be done.
But when He is in your corner, the fight is not quite as bad as we think. He
will and does bring victory – when you have given up trying.
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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10 As
an example of suffering and patience, brothers, take the prophets who spoke
in the name of the Lord. 11 Behold, we
consider those blessed who remained steadfast. You have heard of the
steadfastness of Job, and you have seen the purpose of the Lord, how the Lord
is compassionate and merciful.
James 5:10-11 ESV
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“Give your life to Jesus
and you will have a ball.
No more further problems. The big ones
or the small.
If you give your life to Him, your
problems He will trash.
And if you’re short of money, He’ll
give you lots of cash.
Come and sleep on rose-buds and snooze
your life away.
Nothing could improve upon the
Christian life today”
Have they caught you napping? It’s
just a pack of lies.
A parcel from the devil, packaged to
disguise!
The facts are just the opposite of
what you’ll find is true.
This is just the devil’s way of his
deceiving you.
The only part that’s easy, is at the
very start.
Jesus will receive you, then He will
make you part,
Of challenging convention. You’ll go
against the grain;
You’ll find that all your former friends
treat you with disdain.
They’ll tell you, “You are crazy!” and
“don’t be such a jerk.
It’s only phoney, charlatans who ever
go to kirk.
Come and smoke a little “pot” or chill
out on some “crack”
If you are a Jesus freak; you’re never
coming back!
You will not be welcome in all your
former haunts.”
Listen very carefully, can you hear
the taunts,
That the world will give you? Each
word of it sounds true.
So will you stick with Jesus, the way
He wants you to?
Be very, very careful, think well and
then decide.
Do you want an easy life that rots you
from inside?
Then walk away from Jesus. You’re not
worth your salt.
But when you are committed and Jesus
you exalt,
You’ll find the pain is worth it. The
going will be rough,
For Jesus Christ is teaching you, you
have more than enough,
To stand up to the devil, when you’re
on Jesus’ side.
So tell the folk around you, it is for
them He died.
He will be their Saviour and give
their life a goal.
Walk and talk with Jesus and He will
make them whole!
It isn’t just a pipe-dream; it’s not
imagination.
The Lord will give them victory in
every situation.
Not some little medal to hang upon the
wall.
But someone Who’ll empower them to
stand up straight and tall.
A Saviour Who will be with them in all
that they go through!
The One Who makes life possible in
everything they do.
Jim Strickland
Written 7th
November 2012
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3 More than that, we rejoice in our sufferings, knowing
that suffering produces endurance, 4 and endurance produces character, and character produces
hope, 5 and hope does not put
us to shame, because God's love has been poured into our hearts through the
Holy Spirit who has been given to us.
Romans 5:3-5 ESV
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11 No discipline is enjoyable while it is happening--it's
painful! But afterward there will be a peaceful harvest of right living for
those who are trained in this way.
Hebrews 12:11 NLT
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2 Dear brothers and sisters, when troubles come your way, consider it
an opportunity for great joy. 3 For you
know that when your faith is tested, your endurance has a chance to grow.
4 So let it grow, for when your endurance is
fully developed, you will be perfect and complete, needing nothing.
James 1:2-4 NLT
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12 God blesses those who patiently endure testing and
temptation. Afterward they will receive the crown of life that God has
promised to those who love Him.
James 1:12 NLT
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9 Each
time He said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness."
So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so
that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That's why
I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions,
and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I
am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT
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