Time with Jesus - Friday, 25 May
2012
Hi all,
Today’s meditation is about the
apostle John and the writing of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Time with Jesus – Friday, 25 May 2012
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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JESUS REVEALED
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The
first chapter of the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ deals with the
appearance of Jesus to John on the Isle of Patmos. At first it was a frightening
experience. This was not the Jesus he remembered. Not the one he had leaned
back on as they gathered to have a meal together. This was Jesus as He had never
been seen before. The description of Jesus in Chapter one is awesome!
The
next two chapters are Jesus’s seven letters to each of seven churches. It seems
John knew each of them fairly well.
Only
God knows what our reaction would be if Jesus manifested Himself to us in
this manner. I suspect it would be one of abject terror. Perhaps a bit like
the allied soldiers who landed on the Normandy beaches in 1944. I’m told that
as the landing craft drew close to the beach, all the men experienced fear of
some sort. I suspect I would have been no different.
We
are told that Jesus appeared to John on the Lord’s day. We have assumed that
this was on a Sunday. Any Sunday in the year. It wasn’t. It was a special day
which took place once a year. It was the day on which every man, woman and
child was required to appear before the local priest. There they were required
to say, “Caesar is Lord”. Those who refused would be killed by order of the Caesar.
It was called “the Lordly day”. John would never do this. So, instead of
killing this old man, they banished him to the Isle of Patmos.
There,
living under impossible conditions, John was kept a prisoner. Then the Lord’s
day – the Lordly Day, came round again. Once again John would have refused to
say the required words. Suddenly, Jesus appeared to him. Not as the man he
knew and loved so well. He appeared with all the splendour and glory of the
Son of God.
John
was overwhelmed. I’m sure that His appearance would have a similar effect on
me and most of the readers. It seems to be fairly conclusive that everything
recorded in the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ came directly or indirectly
from Jesus Himself. There are two portions of Scripture which must have come
directly from God. One is the first two chapters of Genesis. The other is the
content of the book of Revelation. I suppose in this context we can say that
Jesus Christ is the beginning and the end of the Bible. He’s most certainly
the Alpha and Omega. He is the starter and finisher of our faith. John saw
this in vivid detail in a way no other man has ever seen. Thank You Lord!
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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18
"To the angel of the church in Thyatira write: These
are the words of the Son of God, whose eyes are like blazing fire and
whose feet are like burnished bronze.
Revelation 2:18 TNIV
9
"The human heart is the most deceitful of
all things, and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? 10
But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine
secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their
actions deserve."
Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT
8 You keep track of all our sins; every misdeed since we
were children is entered in your books.
Psalms 90:8 MSG
61 At that moment the Lord turned and looked at Peter.
Suddenly, the Lord's words flashed through Peter's mind: "Before the
rooster crows tomorrow morning, you will deny three times that you even know
Me." 62 And Peter left the
courtyard, weeping bitterly.
Luke 22:61-62 NLT
24 But Jesus did not fully trust them. He knew what people
are like. 25 He didn't need others to tell him what people
are like. He already knew what was in the human heart.
John 2:24-25 NIrV
14 He knows what we are made of. He remembers that we are
dust.
Psalms 103:14 NIrV
3 He will not crush the weakest reed or put out a
flickering candle. He will bring justice to all who have been wronged.
Isaiah 42:3 NLT
19
Nevertheless, God's solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this
inscription: "The Lord knows those who are
his," and, "Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must
turn away from wickedness."
2 Timothy 2:19 TNIV
14
"I am the good shepherd. I know my sheep
as the Father knows me. My sheep know me as I know the Father.
John 10:14 GW
27 My sheep hear my voice, and I know them, and they
follow me. 28 I give them
eternal life, and they will never perish, and no one will snatch them out of
my hand.
John 10:27-28 ESV
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Jesus Christ wrote letters
and put them in the book,
We know as “Revelation”. He
said He’d had a look,
At seven of His Churches.
It now was time to state,
Exactly what He thought of
them and what would be their fate!
He told John the apostle that
he must write them down.
The details of His comments
and send them to each town.
To all those seven
churches, He wanted to make clear,
If they had been “successful”
or was their judgement near?
John tells us just what
happened and how the Master looked.
No longer like the victim whose
goose the priests had cooked!
This wasn’t baby Jesus wrapped
up in swaddling clothes.
This was the Lord Almighty from
head down to His toes!
They had been “buddy-buddy”
and Jesus was His friend.
But this was someone
different to Whom his knees must bend.
This was the God of Abraham
who knew what’s in men’s hearts;
Who knows how “good” or “bad”
we are in detail, not just parts.
The sort of cardiologist who
looks inside to tell,
The motives that are
driving us - to Heaven or to Hell!
When Jesus looked at Peter,
we know it made him cry.
But as the Lord looked at him,
John felt that He would die.
He knew the Lord remembers
and knows that we are dust.
He wouldn’t crush the
weakest reed; provided He could trust.
That
person to be diligent and write down what he’d seen.
And
John would surely write down exactly what had been.
Then, seeing the Lord Jesus
as he’d never seen before,
He fell down at His feet
like a dead man to the floor.
Then the Master touched him
and told him not to fear.
This sounded like the Shepherd
he’d wanted to be near.
The One he still remembered
as the One who loved His sheep.
The One who knew His Father
and said that He would keep,
His followers forever. He’d
keep them “in His hand”
No one would be “snatched
away” or perish in the land.
They would closely listen
and go the way He led.
That is what He promised;
exactly what He said.
When he had recovered,
Jesus told him to write down
Everything He showed him
about those seven towns.
John was very fussy and
noted every word,
That on the Isle of Patmos he
knew that he had heard.
Now we know what happened
precisely on that day.
The day when all the
;people were instructed they must say,
“Caesar is the Master and
Caesar is the Lord.”
John would never say it. It’s
Jesus he adored.
No matter what they did to
Him The only words He’d say
Were, Jesus is the Lord of
all forever and a day”!
Jim Strickland – Written 25th
May 2012
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