Time with Jesus - 13 Nov 2013
My Child
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My Child, You may not know Me,
but I know everything about you. (Psalm 139:1)
I know when you sit down and when
you rise up. (Psalm 139:2)
I am familiar with all your ways.
(Psalm 139:3)
Even the very hairs on your head
are numbered. (Matthew 10:29-31)
You were made in My image. (Genesis 1:27)
In Me you live and move and have
your being. (Acts 17:28)
You are My offspring. (Acts 17:28)
I knew you even before you were
conceived. (Jeremiah1:4-5)
I chose you when I planned
creation. (Ephesians 1:11-12)
You were not a mistake, for all
your days are written in My book. (Psalm 139:15-16)
I determined the exact time of
your birth and where you would live. (Acts 17:26)
You are fearfully and wonderfully
made. (Psalm 139:14)
I knitted you together in your
mother's womb. (Psalm 139:13) and brought you
forth on the day you were born. (Psalm 71:6)
I have been misrepresented by
those who don't know Me. (John 8:41-44)
I am not distant and angry, but
am the complete expression of love (1 John 4:16)
and it is My desire to lavish My love on you because you are My child and I
am your Father. (1 John 3:1)
I offer you more than your
earthly father ever could (Matthew 7:11) for I
am the perfect father. (Matthew 5:48)
Every good gift that you receive
comes from My hand (James 1:17) for I am your
provider and I meet all your needs. (Matthew 6:31-33)
My plan for your future has
always been filled with hope; (Jeremiah 29:11)
because I love you with an everlasting love. (Jeremiah
31:3)
My thoughts toward you are
countless as the sand on the seashore. (Psalms
139:17-18)
I rejoice over you with singing.
(Zephaniah 3:17)
I will never stop doing good to
you (Jeremiah 32:40) for you are My treasured
possession. (Exodus 19:5)
I desire to establish you with
all My heart and all My soul. (Jeremiah 32:41)
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I want to show you great and
marvellous things. (Jeremiah 33:3)
If you seek Me with all your
heart, you will find Me. (Deuteronomy 4:29)
Delight in Me and I will give you
the desires of your heart (Psalm 37:4) for it
is I who gave you those desires. (Philippians 2:13)
I am able to do more for you than
you could possibly imagine (Ephesians 3:20)
for I am your greatest encourager. (2 Thessalonians
2:16-17)
I am also the Father who comforts
you in all your troubles. (2 Corinthians 1:3-4)
When you are broken-hearted, I am
close to you. (Psalm 34:18)
As a shepherd carries a lamb, I
carry you close to My heart. (Isaiah 40:11)
One day I'll wipe away every tear
from your eyes and take away all the pain you have suffered on this earth. (Revelation 21:3)
I am your Father, and I love you
even as I love My son, Jesus (John 17:23) for
in Jesus, My love for you is revealed. (John 17:26)
The Lord Jesus Christ is the
exact representation of My being. (Hebrews 1:3)
Jesus came to demonstrate that I
am for you, not against you. (Romans 8:31) and
to tell you that I am not counting your sins against you. (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
Jesus died so that you and I
could be reconciled, (2 Corinthians 5:18-19)
His death was the ultimate expression of My love for you. (1 John 4:10)
I gave up everything I loved that
I might gain your love. (Romans 8:31-32)
If you receive the gift of My son
Jesus, you receive Me. (1 John 2:23) and
nothing will ever separate you from My love again. (Romans
8:38-39)
Come home to Me and I'll throw
the biggest party heaven has ever seen. (Luke 15:7)
I have always been Father, and
will always be Father. (Ephesians 3:14-15)
My question is... Will you be My
child? (John 1:12-13)
I am waiting for you. (Luke 15:11 32)
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Love,
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Dad
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(God Almighty)
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If this touched your heart, give
thanks and share this love letter with others.
Shalom
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – 13 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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IN
JESUS’ NAME
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I’ve
heard it said that for some considerable time, theologians argued about how
many angels could stand on the head of a pin. All these years later I can
give the answer. “All of them, one at a time”. It’s this type of frivolous discussion
that has caused us to overlook the obvious. As one man said, “we have majored
on minors and minored on majors for so long, we no longer know what is major and
what is minor”. Of course, theology lends itself to such discussions. We tend
to love circular arguments. A bit like a merry-go-round, there is no starting
or stopping point. Everything is random. Get on and get off where you can.
Sadly,
prayer appears to have taken on a frivolity that is difficult to understand.
Perhaps it is because prayer has become the “lost art” of Christianity, it is
regarded by many as being frivolous. Many years ago I was informed that only
3% of Christians ever pray; other than at the specified points in the prayer
book. I can’t confirm this to be the case. What I can say is that if
attendance at church prayer meetings is anything to go by, the statistic is
not far from being accurate. Why is this? God’s Word encourages all of us to
pray. Why don’t we do so? I rather suspect that it is brought about by our
own experience of lack of answers.
Now
if you are one of those blessed Christians who spends hours in prayer and is
familiar with regular and appropriate answers, these comments are not
intended or directed at you in any way. But if you are among those lesser
mortals who finds prayer is like trying to swim in treacle, these words are
primarily for you. I won’t tell you my exact position other than hinting that
I’m a bit weary of the taste of treacle! Yuk!
One
thing I must state immediately is that a lack of answers to prayer cannot be
laid at the door of the Lord. It’s never Him. It’s invariably me – or you if
the cap fits. In this regard, Jesus has given us promises that are overwhelmingly
encouraging. In John 14 is recorded 13 Whatever
you ask in my name, this I will do, that
the Father may be glorified in the Son. John 14:13 ESV Looking at this quote,
it occurs to me we do lots of asking in His Name, but not so that God will be
glorified. For most it’s to impress others with our “spirituality”. If I’ve
touched a nerve, sorry. Remember that every word I write is directed at me as
much as anyone.
President
Harry S Truman had a sign on his desk saying, “The
buck stops here”. As far as America was concerned, during his
presidency, it was true. Where should we place that sign? Not at Jesus door.
With unanswered prayer, the truth is “the buck stops with me”. If it doesn’t
happen, blame your friend you see every time you look in the mirror. One day
we’ll pray in Jesus Name for the right reasons, What then?
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to
the Father.
Ephesians 2:18 ESV
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Whatever I ask in Your Name, You’ve
said that You will do.
But from my observation, it seems to
be untrue.
It’s not an accusation. I know there’s
something wrong.
It’s not the sort of thing You’d say,
to any who belong,
To those whom You have rescued. So
what is it I’ve missed?
I can’t demand an answer. And I cannot
insist,
The One who made creation, would give
the reason why,
Our prayers remain unanswered no
matter how we try?
But if there’s no objection, You won’t
mind if I guess,
And try and find the reasons why You
do not answer “Yes”?
I think part of the problem is I concentrate
on me.
Prayer for other people is a huge
minority.
We are not important to anyone but
You,
And since our prayers for others are
very, very few,
I think they’ve been discarded or put
in file thirteen,
Which then is only opened for the annual
spring clean.
Perhaps there is a special bin for all
of the junk mail.
The prayers which are so selfish, they
surely have to fail.
Others so religious, that they do not
arrive.
Instead, they are diverted to some
heavenly archive.
Perhaps those You will answer are
placed into a queue
Marked, “When I get around to it; for
anytime will do”.
And Lord could there be something
about us trapped in time?
Because You are eternal and totally
Divine,
What we prayed for yesterday, will
take a thousand years,
Before it ever gets to You or falls
upon Your ears.
Then there is the motive hidden deep
inside our hearts.
Is there an agenda which wants us to
look smart;
Impressing all the people with a
clever turn of phrase,
Belying how You see us and our
disgusting ways?
O Lord, all this is frivolous. I know
the problem’s me.
It isn’t up in heaven. The truth is
that You see
Everything I’m doing and hear my every
word.
To think You are delaying it is
totally absurd.
So let us concentrate upon the idols
in our heart.
Only when we deal with them, will all
Your blessings start,
To come upon the people, who pray in
Jesus Name.
Because, without sincerity, all prayer
is just a game.
Jim Strickland
Written
13th
November 2012
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23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly
one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even
as you loved me.
John 17:23 ESV
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13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the
Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it.
15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16
And I will ask the Father, and he will give you
another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot
receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells
with you and will be in you.
John 14:13-17 ESV
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4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have
been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and
living through all.
Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT
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2 And
He said to them, When you pray, say: Our Father,
who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name.
Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in Heaven, so also on the earth.
Luke 11:2 MKJV
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19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter
the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us
through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we
have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full
assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience
and our bodies washed with pure water.
Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV
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