THE CHRISTIAN LIFE

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 04 July 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is all about becoming a Christian and the Christian life. Of course, living the Christian life is impossible. Try it and see. Only Jesus Christ can do so. But if we are “in Christ” He is able to do it in us. So the best thing we can do is die to ourselves so that He can live the life in us.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 04 July 2012			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	THE CHRISTIAN LIFE
When I say to people that living the Christian life is impossible, I get asked why? When I tell them I’ve never met anyone who can do it, they look at me as though I was something that had just crawled out from underneath a rock! “If that’s the case, what are you doing?” is their next question. The way they put it implies that I must be either a candidate for, or have just escaped from Tara. When I grin at them and say I can’t do it either, is when they start nodding and looking for a quick way to get away from me. My next comment raises eyebrows. “If I can do it, why would I need Jesus and the Holy Spirit?” For me, this is the most wonderful things about the Lord we serve. Nothing is impossible for God. For Him, the impossible is routine. Every second, every minute, every hour of each and every day, They deal with this sort of thing. “But that’s a miracle!” is what people then say. “Absolutely!” I reply. “That’s their ‘modus operandi’. Those of us who have committed our lives to Jesus Christ and have made Him Lord of our life, need to realise we are in direct contact with the supernatural. We don’t need to go anywhere or do anything heroic, to be in instant contact with Him. We tend to forget this. Years ago when I began the Christian journey, there was a story about a very wealthy man who deposited millions of Rand into the bank account he had opened for a certain young man. He sent the young man a message telling him what he had done. He even gave him the bank account number and PIN details. Needless to say, the young man was thrilled. Then he started to get into serious financial difficulties. He could easily have accessed the account that had been opened in his name. He didn’t! He knew it was there but somehow the significance escaped him. Many years later the young man died apparently penniless. When his estate was being finalised, the executor wondered why he had never accessed his money. In the end he concluded that although he had access to limitless finance, the young man didn’t understand that he could draw on it. The Christian life is very much like that this. We try and try and try to live the way a Christian should. We know how that should be, but we can’t do it. It doesn’t stop us trying. But we don’t seem to get it right. We have the account number and the PIN code but don’t use them. Why? Because we don’t realise we can. Many of us keep on digging ourselves deeper and deeper into sin and depravity. Jesus has done everything necessary for us. We know it, but don’t act on it. We prefer to mess about doing our own thing. Christianity is impossible. Christians can’t do it either. But Jesus can. When are we going to stand aside and let Him? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			1 My dear children, I write this to you so that you will not sin. But if anybody does sin, we have an advocate with the Father--Jesus Christ, the Righteous One. 2 He is the atoning sacrifice for our sins, and not only for ours but also for the sins of the whole world. 1 John 2:1-2 TNIV 20 The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it. 21 Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark. 22 I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you My commands for the people of Israel. Exodus 25:20-22 NLT 9 Surely His salvation is near to those who fear Him, so our land will be filled with His glory. 10 Unfailing love and truth have met together. Righteousness and peace have kissed! Psalms 85:9-10 NLT 3 LORD, if You kept a record of our sins, who, O Lord, could ever survive? 4 But You offer forgiveness, that we might learn to fear You. Psalms 130:3-4 NLT 7 O Israel, hope in the LORD; for with the LORD there is unfailing love. His redemption overflows. 8 He Himself will redeem Israel from every kind of sin. Psalms 130:7-8 NLT 23 For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God's glorious standard. 24 Yet God, with undeserved kindness, declares that we are righteous. He did this through Christ Jesus when He freed us from the penalty for our sins. 25 For God presented Jesus as the sacrifice for sin. People are made right with God when they believe that Jesus sacrificed His life, shedding His blood. This sacrifice shows that God was being fair when He held back and did not punish those who sinned in times past, Romans 3:23-25 NLT	He ran round in a panic; his heart was filled with fear. He knew that he was dying and death was very near. He didn’t know for certain, what he would have to face, When he appeared before the Lord. Would he be in disgrace? He thought that on an average, his life had been quite good. He hadn’t cheated anyone and did the things he should. But he was agitated. What did his future hold? And all that he could think of was what he had been told! The Lord was very fussy. Unless you made the grade, Your prospects were quite limited and he was sore afraid. He hadn’t liked his parents. He thought that they were odd. He knew he hadn’t honoured them. What would he say to God? There was no point in lying. The Lord would see right through, Anything he mentioned, unless it was all true. He knew that he had pilfered some items from his work. He’d even taken something from the offering in Kirk. But it was not Important and wasn’t very much. He had put it back again so all was square – as such. He wasn’t very faithful. He’d had a brief affair. He hadn’t told a person. In fact he didn’t dare. His wife would take exception and sue for a divorce. Better she knew nothing; and marriage stayed on course. He was not a murderer. His hands were more than clean. People didn’t know about the bad things he had been! So thinking of his average, he thought he had done well, And when he met the Master wouldn’t be consigned to hell. This illustrates the thinking, of many of the men, Whom he’d been introduced to; he’d do it all again!  “What can I do?” he wondered. How can I put things right. He wondered what would happen if he would die that night? The more he thought about it, the worse his thoughts became. I wonder if I call on God and ask, in Jesus Name, To take me to His bosom and give a brand new start. But how to go about it? He couldn’t cleanse his heart. That’s when he started sobbing. My God, I know I’m lost. I haven’t been obedient. I didn’t count the cost. Is there something You can do, to help the likes of me? I cannot face the prospect of dying without Thee! And then he heard a whisper. Will you repent My Son? And ask Me for forgiveness, for all that you have done? The standards I have set for people coming into here, Is absolute perfection every second, year on year! I’m sorry, you don’t make it. It’s just a bit too late. But if you are repentant and want to change your fate, I will be your Saviour! But it is up to you. You are in the driving seat. What are you going to do? Jim Strickland Written 4th July 2012

THE THINGS HE DOES

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 03 July 2012

Hi all,

By way of a change today’s meditation is in truncated limerick form; eight two verse compositions rephrasing the eight corresponding Scriptures. Here we see a tiny sample how different God’s thoughts are from ours.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 03 July 2012				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		THE THINGS HE DOES
God has told us through the Prophet Isaiah that His thoughts are not our thoughts and His ways are not our ways. I’ve scratched my head when I’ve read this and asked how this can be. The first answer was associated with thinking. We have no idea what this means. The purpose of our thoughts is usually to reach a conclusion or make a decision. We assemble all the known related facts. Then we go over them, putting them in some sort of order, so that we can make a decision concerning our priorities. At times, our thoughts are just for “fun”. We recall memories, so that we can “relive” them. We think of things that happened in our past and try to learn from them. However, we are told that God does not work like that. The reason for this, is that He has all knowledge. He knows! Not in the way we do. I don’t have to think if someone asks me, “What’s one plus one”? My answer is instinctive. It’s not necessary to ponder before answering. I know the answer. I learned it from a very early age. Probably before I went to school. In a way, that’s what God is like with everything. He doesn’t have to think. He already knows. In fact He has always known. It follows that He can never be taken by surprise. He doesn’t need Sky News, CNN or SABC to keep up to date. He knew it before it happened. But this relates to His infinite knowledge. His mind, unlike a computer, doesn’t have to go through millions of iterations to come up with an answer. The answer is already there. Many years ago I read a book of short science fiction stories by Dr Isaac Asimov. He was studying for his PhD at the time. I can’t remember his field. But while he was experimenting in his laboratory he came across a compound that instantly dissolved in water. It happened so fast he could hardly believe it. Suddenly, his Si-Fi mind thought, if this could dissolve any quicker; it would dissolve before water was added. For us, such a thought is ridiculous. It’s impossible. But if there is an answer, God would know it. God is not into Si-Fi. But He does have the answer to impossible questions. How He does it and what these thoughts are, is unknown. It’s a different paradigm. I doubt if anyone knows. What little we can see is demonstrated in the words and behaviour of Jesus. His thinking is “outside the box”. “I am the vine, you are the branches”, illustrates this. How does God inform men of the importance of their different “functions”, that so aptly describes them? These words describe it perfectly. Without the vine, the branches are dead. How did He know whom to choose? Through His Father’s eyes. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			28 God chose the things of this world that are common and looked down on. He chose what is not considered to be important to do away with what is considered to be important. 1 Corinthians 1:28 NIrV	1	He chose that which was common and “clever” men despised. He planned to show, That all might know,        1 What’s wisdom in His eyes. For that which is exalted by men can never be, Considered right, In Father’s sight, It’s only junk to Thee. The people were astonished and asked how can this be? There is no way, The things they say,           2 Were learned in Galilee! They were not educated and are just fishermen. They are so “filled”, With Him we killed! Has He come back again? Simon and his brother were busy on their boat, Upon the Sea, Of Galilee.                           3 Two fishermen of note. Then, as the Lord was walking, He called to both of them. “Come follow me, And you will see, The way to fish for men!” John and Simon Peter looked confident and sure. They were not trained, But they had gained,      4 A knowledge that was pure. They were not educated, but understood God’s Word. They understood, What’s right and good. It’s Jesus they had heard!		My message and my teaching were always very plain. It had to be, Simplicity.                            5 Or all would be in vain. It wouldn’t take great genius, for you to understand! What God desired, Was God inspired. As He had always planned! You didn’t do the choosing. It was all done by Me. If you’re astute, You’ll bear the fruit,                  6 My Father wants to see. That’s why you’ve been appointed. So ask Him in My name. He’ll surely do, What’s asked by you, For His eternal fame. My friends, you are the branches and truly I’m the vine. So dwell in Me, Then you will be,                  7 The special friends of mine. But if you cease to follow and do the things I say, You won’t prevail. The crop will fail; And perish far away. This light is shining brightly. It’s coming from our heart. We’re jars of clay. And there’s no way,                  8 These vessels can impart, A treasure to our listeners. The Lord God gives the power. To set us free, Eternally, He is our strong high tower!
			7 They were completely amazed. "How can this be?" they exclaimed. "These people are all from Galilee, Acts 2:7 NLT	2
			18 As he was walking along the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon (called Peter) and Andrew. They were throwing a net into the sea because they were fishermen. 19 Jesus said to them, "Come, follow me! I will teach you how to catch people instead of fish." Matthew 4:18-19 GW	3
			13 They couldn't take their eyes off them--Peter and John standing there so confident, so sure of themselves! Their fascination deepened when they realized these two were laymen with no training in Scripture or formal education. They recognized them as companions of Jesus, Acts 4:13 MSG	4
			4 And my message and my preaching were very plain. Rather than using clever and persuasive speeches, I relied only on the power of the Holy Spirit. 1 Corinthians 2:4 NLT	5
			16 You did not choose me, but I chose you and appointed you that you should go and bear fruit and that your fruit should abide, so that whatever you ask the Father in my name, he may give it to you. John 15:16 ESV	6
			5 "I am the vine. You are the branches. Those who live in me while I live in them will produce a lot of fruit. But you can't produce anything without me. John 15:5 GW	7
			7 We now have this light shining in our hearts, but we ourselves are like fragile clay jars containing this great treasure. This makes it clear that our great power is from God, not from ourselves. 2 Corinthians 4:7 NLT	8