LIFE COMES THROUGH DEATH

Time with Jesus - Friday, 28 December 2012

Hi all,

Many statements in God’s Word are circular. For example, ⁶ And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. Heb11:6 NLT If you believe He exists He will reward you. This encourages you to seek Him. So He rewards you. Then you seek Him. Do you see this beautiful circular promise? In today’s meditation we look at what it means to be alive to Christ and dead to yourself. Have fun with this delightful paradox.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 28 December 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	LIFE COMES THROUGH DEATH
A year or two ago, Phyllida and I were watching Oprah on TV. She always had a number of guests. Some were well known TV personalities. On many occasions it was Dr Phillip McGraw, better known to us all as Dr Phil. We particularly enjoyed his honesty. He didn’t beat around the bush when dealing with people. He wasn’t particularly “politically correct”. He said what was needed and that was that. Agree with him or not. That was irrelevant. He said what he thought and, presumably, thought what he said. Back in the UK the expression was, “He would call a spade a spade, unless it was a bl…. shovel!” Watching him on TV was always fun. At times I recall saying to myself, “I wish Christians were this honest with people!” Sadly, most of us aren’t. We would rather “die” than be unkind to someone. It’s a wrong attitude and one that was completely foreign to Jesus. Political or Religious correctness does not get sinners into heaven. If anything it prevents them from entering. There is only one way in; and that is through the person of Jesus Christ. Quoting Paul, Christians say 8 For by grace you have been saved through faith. And this is not your own doing; it is the gift of God. Ephesians 2:8 ESV Thank God for that. It’s a wonderful relief to know that all my efforts toward trying to please God are as much use as square wheels on a rickshaw. Having stated that, there is a question to ask. Namely, how do I get rid of self-effort? To put this somewhat paradoxically, “What do I not do, so that I’m not doing anything?” Now that really is a “canackler” as my late Dad would have said. What do you do so that you are not doing anything? There is an answer. The answer is you have to be dead. Yes indeed! When you are dead you are not doing anything. But if I’m still alive, what do I do? The answer is, “Die!” No it’s not a trick question. You have to settle this completely in your head or in your mind. If you are dead, that’s it. You cannot be born again unless you are dead! Are you following my logic? It’s only the dead who can be alive in Christ. If you are alive, you are not alive in Christ. You are alive yourself. You have to be like the grain of wheat. You have to fall to the ground and die. I’m not bluffing. Jesus said so. So how can I be dead to self and alive in Christ? You start by denying yourself; plans, ambitions, wants, needs, comfort and all the trimmings that go with being alive. When all that has gone, you are dead. When you are dead. Hey! Stop wriggling! As I was saying. When you are dead, all that stuff is behind you. No temporary resurrections for breakfast! Only then are you truly alive in Christ! So die! Jesus didn’t say it was easy. Just do it. If you don’t, you are not alive in Him! You can’t have it both ways. But can I do it? You mean everything; even prosperity must be behind me? Absolutely. There is no prosperity in the grave. Furthermore, when you are alive in Him, there is no need for prosperity. You will never be more prosperous than the living Lord Jesus Christ. Incidentally if you are dead, you can never be one of the following. 15 Outside are dogs, sorcerers, sexual sinners, murderers, idolaters, and all who lie in what they say and what they do. Rev. 22:15 GW It seems to me, being dead in Christ is the right way to be. Of course if you want to keep your life ------- Jim & Phyllida Strickland			20 Now among those who went up to worship at the feast were some Greeks. 21 So these came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, and asked him, "Sir, we wish to see Jesus." John 12:20-21 ESV 8 LORD, we are living the way your laws command us to live. We are waiting for you to act. Our hearts long for you to be true to your name. That's what you are known for. Isaiah 26:8 NIrV 18 The LORD is ready to help all those who call out to him. He helps those who really mean it when they call out to him. Psalms 145:18 NIrV 20 And when two or three of you are together because of me, you can be sure that I'll be there." Matthew 18:20 MSG 18 "I will not leave you as orphans; I will come to you. John 14:18 ESV 20 Teach them to do everything I have commanded you. "And remember that I am always with you until the end of time." Matthew 28:20 GW 1 Therefore, since we are surrounded by such a great cloud of witnesses, let us throw off everything that hinders and the sin that so easily entangles, and let us run with perseverance the race marked out for us. 2 Let us fix our eyes on Jesus, the author and perfecter of our faith, who for the joy set before him endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God. Hebrews 12:1-2 NIV 12 For now we see in a mirror dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part; then I shall know fully, even as I have been fully known. 1 Corinthians 13:12 ESV 23 I find it hard to choose between the two. I would like to leave this life and be with Christ. That's by far the better choice. Philippians 1:23 GW 2 Beloved, we are God's children now, and what we will be has not yet appeared; but we know that when he appears we shall be like him, because we shall see him as he is. 3 And everyone who thus hopes in him purifies himself as he is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 ESV	“Sir may we see Jesus”. That’s what those Greek men said. Do you think it’s possible? “To Him we have been led. Soon it will be Passover. We saw Him come to town We heard the Hallelujah’s. We thought the crowd would crown, Him as the Great Messiah whom they were waiting for. If it is true, we also want to worship and adore, This Galilean Carpenter Who rode in on a colt. It sounds as if this city, is almost in revolt, Against the Roman army! They’d better all calm down. Or there will be a massacre within this ancient town. We don’t know if He met them. I think He may have done. But there was something critical occurring to God’s Son. The Gentiles of the nations were starting to believe. The glory of the Son of Man by some could be perceived. He said, “Except a grain of wheat falls to the earth and dies. There couldn’t be a harvest and all alone it lies.” It’s only by its dying, it’s able to increase. If it doesn’t give it’s life, then life will surely cease. Anyone who loves his life, for him life will be lost. Those who give their lives away, will realise the cost Was truly next to nothing. They’ll grow abundantly, And they’ll bring forth a harvest they thought they’d never see.” To be the Master’s servant, first you have to die. If you will not do it, then wish your life good-bye. Death to self produces a life that multiplies. If you try to keep your life, you and your future dies. Jesus knew instinctively, the time had surely come. For Him to save humanity, His dying must be done! If He dodged or ducked it, no one He could save. If He didn’t give His life, we’d all stay in the grave. And what is true for Jesus, to each of us applies. Entry into heaven is paid when someone dies. It cannot be avoided. If you and I would live, The cost is death to self on earth. It’s what we have to give. If I’m not dead in Jesus and think I will survive, Then I have been deluded; the “dumbest” man alive. The “second birth” is meaningless unless the first has gone. You cannot be alive in Christ, if you just carry on, Living as you want to. First, lie down and die. If you will not do it, your salvation is a lie! Entry into heaven is by the Saviour’s death. If you do not follow Him, you’ve just wasted your breath. So let us learn a lesson from what has gone before. Sacrifice your life on earth and enter heaven’s door. Jim Strickland Written 28th December 2012

HE IS OUR PEACE

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 27 December 2012

Hi all,

Trying to understand Jesus and the things He said is impossible. Admittedly He did His best to refine what He said down to understandable portions. Even so, much of it is incomprehensible. The Gospel of John focuses largely on the final week of Jesus’ ministry on earth. His words at that time to His disciples could only really be understood after His resurrection. Read His High Priestly prayer in John 17 and try to come to grips with it. Today we focus on His statement to His disciples that He was leaving His peace. (John 14:27) Today’s meditation seeks to “unpack” something of what He said and meant..

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 27 December 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	HE IS OUR PEACE
Examination nerves. Who still experiences them? Who can recall them? What I recollect is that the more I knew and remembered about the subject, the less the examination nerves. I can’t quantify this in real terms, but it was true enough. I do recall opening the exam paper and reading the questions. They seemed easy enough, so I got on with it and did quite well. I also remember writing a hydraulics exam paper in 1963. One look and that was the end. I hadn’t enjoyed the subject and it showed. The only question I could answer with any degree of certainty was on the front cover. It said Name? I think it was a clear example to me of reaping what I’d sown. Another way to put it is: zero input = zero output. That would have been the end for me. But the following year I was at a different Technical School. This school didn’t include hydraulics in the syllabus. So I managed to get through for two years and ended up with my Mechanical Engineering Certificate. Even today, hydraulics continues to be a closed book. Fortunately I’ve never needed it. But I’ve never forgotten those exam nerves. Mr Bernoulli, his theorem and I, didn’t get on! What about Jesus? Did He experience a nervous reaction before the crucifixion? We know He did. The whole Gethsemane account clearly tells us He didn’t particularly want to pass that exam. If anything, He would have preferred an alternative test in a different School. Who can blame Him? If I knew that what happened to Him from Gethsemane to His death on the cross, was about to be my lot, I think I would have run away. As far and as quickly as possible! How do you prepare for something like that? I suppose a good pass from the School of Martyrs would be ideal. But Jesus had the wonderful ability of being able to focus on the present, rather on what would happen a few hours hence. Even so, He was able to sit down with the twelve; later the eleven; and encourage them. He knew He was on His way out. He knew what tomorrow would bring. In spite of this he was able to say to his disciples: 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 ESV For me, this is perhaps one of His greatest miracles. Less than 24 hours before His death on the cross, He encouraged His disciples. Of course He is the Prince of Peace, so He could speak to them of the peace He was leaving them. Not an absence of war type “peace”. This was a supernatural peace. One that would take them into any and every situation with very little fear. Fear and peace are not good bedfellows. It’s what they needed to hear. That’s what He gave them. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			14 So he is our peace. In his body he has made Jewish and non-Jewish people one by breaking down the wall of hostility that kept them apart. Ephesians 2:14 GW 19 that God was reconciling the world to himself in Christ, not counting men's sins against them. And he has committed to us the message of reconciliation. 20 We are therefore Christ's ambassadors, as though God were making his appeal through us. We implore you on Christ's behalf: Be reconciled to God. 21 God made him who had no sin to be sin for us, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God. 2 Corinthians 5:19-21 NIV 19 For God was pleased to have all his fullness dwell in him, 20 and through him to reconcile to himself all things, whether things on earth or things in heaven, by making peace through his blood, shed on the cross. 21 Once you were alienated from God and were enemies in your minds because of your evil behaviour. 22 But now he has reconciled you by Christ's physical body through death to present you holy in his sight, without blemish and free from accusation Colossians 1:19-22 NIV 14 He wiped out the written Law with its rules. The Law was against us. It opposed us. He took it away and nailed it to the cross. Colossians 2:14 NIrV 15 He did this by ending the system of law with its commandments and regulations. He made peace between Jews and Gentiles by creating in Himself one new people from the two groups. Ephesians 2:15 NLT 27 Peace I leave with you; my peace I give to you. Not as the world gives do I give to you. Let not your hearts be troubled, neither let them be afraid. John 14:27 ESV	There’s such a massive difference between the Lord and men. None of us can bridge it, though we try it now and then. But He is God Almighty. He’s infinite in size. And we are almost nothing. Regardless how man tries, To get to The Creator; to close the massive gap, It seems it gets much bigger; and therein lies the trap. We think that we can do it. But we are doomed to fail. There’s no way to get to God while we’re in Satan’s jail. We know the gap originated many years before, Satan and his followers were chucked out heaven’s door. He was in rebellion; his peace with God was broken. He wondered if in Eden, the same could be awoken. So he came to Adam and called on his wife Eve. He had one objective, the woman to deceive. When he was successful and Adam disobeyed, A gap between the Lord and them instantly was made. This has grown much greater as sin was piled on sin. And it became impossible for man to enter in. Sin is so offensive. God could never stand, Anything that’s sinful, come to His right hand. People couldn’t do it. They’d be torn to pieces; Shredded to a nothingness that never ever ceases. Only God could do it. Only He could go, Into situations that man could never know. He is ultra-hostile to sin in any form. So this separation for Him was quite the norm. But He didn’t like it. The people He had made, Couldn’t ever get to Him unless His wrath was stayed. So between the Maker and His folk there was no peace. Something needed doing to cause the gap to cease! The Father solved the problem, by sending us His Son. He received the punishment that to us should be done. He became the bridge that crossed the monumental span, Sin and Satan put between Divinity and man. Simultaneously a bridge was also built Between the Jews and Gentiles. His precious blood was spilt So that all His people were likewise reconciled. Now in Christ the Saviour, we are all undefiled! Jim Strickland Written 27th December 2012