YOU BELIEVE

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 29 November 2012

Hi all,

One of the most popular teachings of the early 1980’s was the fact that the expression “seeing is believing” was not Christian. The way it should be is “Believing is seeing”. It’s the other way round. ²³ I tell you the truth, you can say to this mountain, 'May you be lifted up and thrown into the sea,' and it will happen. But you must really believe it will happen and have no doubt in your heart. ²⁴ I tell you, you can pray for anything, and if you believe that you've received it, it will be yours. Mark 11:23-24 NLT In other words, if you want to see it you must first believe it. In many ways this is the “essence” of the faith movement. It still is. It all boils down to what you believe and is part of our meditation for today.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 29 November 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	YOU BELIEVE
Pastor Yongi Cho has the world’s largest church situated in South Korea. He wrote the book, “The Fourth Dimension” back in the late 1970’s. I remember that it was very popular in 1981 when I returned to the Lord from my own wilderness experience. What fascinated me was the title. “The Fourth Dimension”. At school they taught me that there are only three dimensions. So what was the “fourth one”? Many folk told me it’s the “spiritual” dimension. Yongi Cho’s book didn’t contradict this, but it helped me realise that the dimension in which God dwells is very different from ours. I scratched my head until I came across the marvellous description by Paul in Romans 8. And I ask18 you'll be able to take in with all Christians the extravagant dimensions of Christ's love. Reach out and experience the breadth! Test its length! Plumb the depths! Rise to the heights! Eph. 3:18 MSG I love the way Eugene Peterson’s paraphrase describes Paul’s special words. There we “see” four dimensions. We could quibble and say that depths and height are the same. But this version puts a magnificent interpretation on Paul’s words. Enjoy them. They are superb! Personally, I love this sort of thing. I like to understand what I’m reading. Very often, I find things hidden in Scripture that for me are revelatory. By this I’m not speaking about a new “revelation from God”. That would be highly unlikely. But I love asking questions as I read. Questions such as what Jesus meant when He said to the 11 apostles, “Now you believe” or “You believe at last?” To understand everything Jesus said, it’s vital we get to grips with context. We need an exegetical understanding or we will miss the point!  A good example is found in Paul’s letter to the Philippians. 13 I can do all things through Christ which strengthens me. Phil. 4:13 KJV People think this means anything. Then I point out that you can’t fry ice. You can’t make a square into a circle. And for the men I remind them that no matter how much faith they have, they will never fall pregnant! With this approach, I’ve tried to get my head round what Jesus meant at that time and in that place. I’ve tried to “get into His shoes” (sandals if you prefer) and try and explain it. I sense it revealed He was getting to the point of exasperation and frustration with the apostles. But this demeans Him and I’m not happy doing so. For me, Jesus is perfect and to suggest that He may have had weaknesses of this nature borders on blasphemy! But I would be untrue to Him if I don’t state what I read in His Word. So I submit this meditation to The Holy Spirit as well as my brothers and sisters in Him. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			29 His disciples said, "Now you're talking in plain words and not using examples. 30 Now we know that you know everything. You don't need to wait for questions to be asked. Because of this, we believe that you have come from God." 31 Jesus replied to them, "Now you believe”. John 16:29-31 GW 14 What good is it, dear brothers and sisters, if you say you have faith but don't show it by your actions? Can that kind of faith save anyone? 17 So you see, faith by itself isn't enough. Unless it produces good deeds, it is dead and useless. James 2:14&17 NLT 17 It was by faith that Abraham offered Isaac as a sacrifice when God was testing him. Abraham, who had received God's promises, was ready to sacrifice his only son, Isaac. 19 Abraham reasoned that if Isaac died, God was able to bring him back to life again. And in a sense, Abraham did receive his son back from the dead. Hebrews 11:17&19 NLT 21 Don't you remember that our ancestor Abraham was shown to be right with God by his actions when he offered his son Isaac on the altar? 24 So you see, we are shown to be right with God by what we do, not by faith alone. James 2:21&24 NLT 25 But if you look carefully into the perfect law that sets you free, and if you do what it says and don't forget what you heard, then God will bless you for doing it. James 1:25 NLT 19 Every tree that does not produce good fruit is chopped down and thrown into the fire. 20 Yes, just as you can identify a tree by its fruit, so you can identify people by their actions. 21 "Not everyone who calls out to Me, 'Lord! Lord!' will enter the Kingdom of Heaven. Only those who actually do the will of My Father in heaven will enter. Matthew 7:19-21 NLT 16 I tell you the truth, slaves are not greater than their master. Nor is the messenger more important than the One who sends the message. 17 Now that you know these things, God will bless you for doing them. John 13:16-17 NLT	Have you ever thought of standing in the Master’s shoes? Yes I know He is the Lord and King of all the Jews. I’ve known this from my childhood. They taught me this in school. I know He’s the Creator. For evermore He’ll rule. Now God is always perfect. In each and every way. He knows what’s going to happen. So why did Jesus say, To all of His disciples, "You believe at last!" The context is important. They’d just been walking past, The gates of Herod’s temple. They’d paused to have a talk. Jesus Christ knew perfectly, this was His final walk. In just a few brief hours, He knew that He would be, Dying on a Roman cross upon Mt Calvary. Could Jesus feel frustrated? We cannot tell for sure? Some think that His Holiness never could endure, A feeling of frustration. That would be sin indeed! A thought that’s contradictory to every Christian creed. And yet these words are written, "You believe at last!"                John 16:31 NIV The words He had been waiting for, for just about the past, Three and a half years ministry. They knew He came from God. If that is not frustration, it’s surely very odd, That Jesus Christ would say to them. They’d got there just in time. Now they knew for certain that Jesus is Divine. Of course it could be argued, He knew what they would state. He knew that it would happen in spite of the long wait. But there is an expression, the English language uses. It is used so often. It’s made when one accuses, Somebody arriving by “the skin upon their teeth”! At the final instant, they got in underneath, The final, full time whistle or adjudicator’s gun. A millisecond later, it’s over and it’s done! Was this the Master’s meaning? I really cannot say. I know from my perspective it seems to be that way. But I can’t “second guess” Him! I’m surely not that bright. So many things were happening to all of them that night! So Master, please forgive me for what is written here. I’ve shared my understanding; but Master please draw near. And bring Divine correction to anything I’ve said. And blot out any error, from every reader’s head. Jim Strickland  Written 29th November 2012

SUPERCHARGED

Time with Jesus - Wed. 28 November 2012

Hi all,

John’s letters reveal to us things which, if they were not in the Bible, I wouldn’t believe. For example, ² Dear friends, now we are God's children. What we will be isn't completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 1 John 3:2 GW The expression, “We will be like Him” is extraordinary. Can we say that we will have resurrection bodies like His that will be able to do the same as we record in Scripture? Personally, I believe we will! What will it be like? Today’s meditation, “Supercharged” looks at this and describes what we may be able to do in the resurrection. Decide for yourselves if the theology is good. In any event enjoy my interpretation of what it will be like under such conditions. It’s called “super-charged, because that’s how I’ve imagined the difference between our present bodies, and the one He has designed for us! It’s super-charged!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 28 November 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	SUPERCHARGED
My grandson and his father are motor car racing “crazy” They attend every local meeting that’s within driving distance from their home in Pretoria. They are aficionados of Motor Sport. In some respect I admire them. But I’ve never really taken much interest in people driving at high speed round and round a race track. Something happened in the late 1950’s that put me off forever. A friend and I decided we’d hitch-hike from Port Elizabeth to East London for the SA Grand Prix. The big attraction was to see Sterling Moss driving in competition. Two things spoiled it for me. The first was we got a lift with a couple who had a baby in the car. One too young to control his inner workings. Not a problem except that the soiled nappies were put in a bag immediately behind our heads on the rear window shelf. So my friend and I travelled all the way accompanied by “enchanted pheromones”! We said nothing. We needed the lift and were fighting for fresh air. The second disappointment was the race itself. We couldn’t afford the fancy price of tickets close to the start and finish line. So we sat out somewhere in “left field” as the Americans put it. We saw cars going round the circuit. But who was driving which car and who was winning? We had no idea at all. My friend was more enthusiastic than I was, so he wasn’t badly put off. But it was my first and only grand prix. After watching all the different cars going round and not knowing who was who put a real damper on the occasion. We knew Sterling Moss was somewhere there. But where he was and which car he was driving remains a mystery to this day. I don’t even remember who won. But we did manage to hitch a ride back to Port Elizabeth later that day. Funnily enough, I can’t remember if our respective parents even knew where we were. Signs of a misspent youth! To this day I’m not much of a car enthusiast. All the models look just about the same. But the resurrection life model body the Lord has promised us is something else! Watch what Jesus could do in His! It was supercharged! Walk through walls. Rise from the grave! Ascend into heaven. Now He can even live in all of us at the same time! Travel faster than the speed of light (If He made it He must be able to exceed it!) Now that really is neat. There’s a whole bunch of space, stars and planets out there. I’d rather like to spend about 100 million years just loving and worshipping Him. Then I’d like to take a tour of the universe. I’d like to visit the Crab nebula. How about a face to face meeting with Orion! His belt is fine, but what about the rest of him? I’d like to make the tour with people I’ve met and loved here. My wife Phyllida would be my first choice. How could that work in eternity? I’ve no idea. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			14 Because God's children are human beings--made of flesh and blood--the Son also became flesh and blood. For only as a human being could He die, and only by dying could He break the power of the devil, who had the power of death. 15 Only in this way could He set free all who have lived their lives as slaves to the fear of dying Hebrews 2:14-15 NLT. 55 O death, where is your victory? O death, where is your sting? " 56 For sin is the sting that results in death, and the law gives sin its power. 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:55-57 NLT 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 2 Corinthians 4:16 NLT 1 For we know that when this earthly tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made for us by God Himself and not by human hands. 2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT 6 So we are always confident, even though we know that as long as we live in these bodies we are not at home with the Lord. 7 For we live by believing and not by seeing. 8 Yes, we are fully confident, and we would rather be away from these earthly bodies, for then we will be at home with the Lord. 2 Corinthians 5:6-8 NLT 1 "Don't let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God, and trust also in Me. 2 There is more than enough room in My Father's home. If this were not so, would I have told you that I am going to prepare a place for you? 3 When everything is ready, I will come and get you, so that you will always be with Me where I am. John 14:1-3 NLT	He had to make Him human. Yes, Jesus Christ the Lord, Had to be a human to wield His Father’s sword. Some fancy little robot could never ever do. He had to be in every way the same as me and you. A twenty foot gorilla, with teeth and jaws of steel, Couldn’t fight the devil. The difference too unreal. Satan took on Adam and beat him with one bite! It follows that our Master must beat him in a fight, Where there was no advantage, in favour of each side. The only way for Christ to win, was to be crucified. He had to see the contest through; let Satan think he’d won. There wasn’t an alternative ‘til everything was done. Satan was ecstatic when Jesus passed away. “I’ve beaten God Almighty” was all that he could say! He sounded like a donkey. Like that and nothing more. He hadn’t seen his error; his one gigantic flaw! The Jesus dying on the cross was really me and you. And Satan looking at Him just didn’t have a clue! His hold on death was slipping and he didn’t even know. The fact is Jesus has the keys, so death will have to go. We’re not sure when it happens. It will be in His time. From then on Satan’s tactics will not be worth a dime. The earthly tent we live in will shortly be antique. When Jesus gives us new ones, then Satan’s going to freak! We’ll have eternal bodies, not made by human hands. God Himself is making them inimitably grand. Until the day it happens, we’ll keep on keeping on. Believing without seeing is how we get along. So let us all be confident, in spite of our abode. Our bodies may be aging and our reactions slowed. But God is making new ones; the prototype He’s tried; And we can hardly wait to have our spirit man inside; The turbo-charged edition that simply walks through walls, Travels at the speed of light and never ever stalls; Runs on “Holy Spirit” and not on gasoline, Proving just how generous the Lord our God has been! Never mind a “Cadillac”, a “Lexus” or a “Rolls”. Don’t let your heart be troubled; new bodies for our souls! Jim Strickland  Written 28th November 2012

TEMPTATION

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 27 November 2012

Hi all,

Phyllida suggested that since I’ve used the word in today’s meditation, I give a definition of “miasma”. Here goes; an unpleasant or unhealthy smell or vapour which surrounds or emanates from something. Straight from Google! So fight with them please. I’ve described sin as a miasma. It most certainly smells that way. A stench in the nostrils of the Lord.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 27 November 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	TEMPTATION
In 1789, Benjamin Franklin, in a letter to Jean-Baptiste Leroy, wrote: In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except death and taxes. He may or may not be the originator of this well-known saying. But the facts are it is true! I cannot say for certain whether or not he was a Christian. If he was, surely he would know that death is a by-product of sin. 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 NLT So Ben Franklin would have put it better if he had written, “In this world nothing can be said to be certain, except sin and taxes”. But “death and taxes” sounds better than “sin and taxes”. For our purposes, they are the same. Talking about sin, Dr Ken Stewart told a story some 35 years ago. It seems his deacons had come to him and complained that all he ever preached about was Jesus Christ! “What about some teaching about the wickedness of sin”, they asked? Somewhat nonplussed, he agreed. So the following Sunday morning he got up and said. “I’ve been asked to talk about sin. God’s against it. The deacons are against it and I’m against it. So let’s talk about Jesus.” One thing we must admit about sin. It seems to be the most popular activity in the world today. The vast majority of people on this planet are either committing it or thinking about committing it. According to Jesus, thinking about it is the same as committing it. The other fact is that we are incapable of not committing sin. According to Paris Riedhead, we are all “monsters of iniquity who love our sin”. I don’t like it, but have to admit that it’s true. It takes a miracle from God to change it. Each and every one of us was falling into the bottomless pit until God intervened. If He hadn’t it would have been “game over” for all of us. Oscar Wilde, in his play of 1892, “Lady Windermere's Fan” wrote, “I can resist anything but temptation”. It’s a fair assessment of the power of temptation and sin in our lives. I’ve deliberately emphasised the power sin holds over us. The only “way out” is in and through the power of Jesus and the Holy Spirit through our being born again. There is no other way! Yes, the words have been cheapened by overuse and bad interpretation. But that does not make them any less true than they were when Jesus spoke them ±2000 years ago. The prophet Isaiah stated, 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 ESV It describes us all perfectly. I don’t know how He did it. I don’t really care why He did it. The fact is, He did it! Now we must walk in it. But we can’t unless He enables us to do so. He has and He will for you. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			10 My child, if sinners entice you, turn your back on them! Proverbs 1:10 NLT 6 When the Woman saw that the tree looked like good eating and realized what she would get out of it--she'd know everything!--she took and ate the fruit and then gave some to her husband, and he ate. Genesis 3:6 MSG 20 Did not Achan the son of Zerah break faith in the matter of the devoted things, and wrath fell upon all the congregation of Israel? And he did not perish alone for his iniquity.'" Joshua 22:20 ESV 2 "You must not follow the crowd in doing wrong. When you are called to testify in a dispute, do not be swayed by the crowd to twist justice. Exodus 23:2 NLT 13 "Enter through the narrow gate because the gate and road that lead to destruction are wide. Many enter through the wide gate. Matthew 7:13 GW 7 For we do not live to ourselves alone and we do not die to ourselves alone. Romans 14:7 TNIV 13 You, my brothers, were called to be free. But do not use your freedom to indulge the sinful nature; rather, serve one another in love. Galatians 5:13 NIV 9 But be careful that by using your freedom you don't somehow make a believer who is weak in faith fall into sin. 1 Corinthians 8:9 GW 12 When you sin against other believers in this way and harm their weak consciences, you are sinning against Christ. 1 Corinthians 8:12 GW 6 All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned--every one--to his own way; and the LORD has laid on him the iniquity of us all. Isaiah 53:6 ESV	It’s just like a miasma, that flows up through the grate, Of hell and tries to harm the folk and leave them in a state. It’s terribly insidious. It wants your heart and soul. Given opportunity, destruction is its goal. If it can annihilate or smash you to the ground, It’s achieved the purpose, the one the devil found. You know what I’m speaking of. The miasma is sin. If it can defeat you, then Lucifer will win. You will be his prisoner; and far beyond a doubt, You will never find a way whereby you can get out. It starts off with deception. He makes it look so good. “Try a little sample. You know you really should. Jesus told you something that’s not completely true. A little bit of evil, is very good for you. The difference you have heard about, you’ll never know for sure, While you’ve this obsession for always being pure. Here’s a bit. Just try it. And then you’ll really know, That what the Lord was telling you is not the way to go. To know something is evil, you have to try it first. Then your eyes will open and you will not be cursed” Can you sense the wickedness of what is written here? Eve and Adam tried it. That’s why they are not here. Sin looked so inviting, according to the snake. Both of them were tempted; with all this world at stake. They succumbed and listened. They ate forbidden fruit; And Satan captured both of them. Creation was his loot. So do not trust a sinner. Far better, turn away. Do not mess about with it or you will be its prey. Perhaps it does look tempting. But surely that’s the point. Give the devil half a chance and he will “own the joint”! We must always follow, the straight and slender way. Enter by the narrow gate and from its path don’t stray. Don’t think it’s acceptable to join in with the crowd. Jesus Christ has made it plain, that it’s not allowed. Set a good example for everyone to see. That is why the Saviour came. To set the captives free. Follow His example. It’s perfect and it’s good. If you are obedient, you’ll do the things you should. Jim Strickland  Written 27th November 2012