PETER TESTIFIES

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 16 January 2013

Hi all,

Simon-Peter:  Of all the 12 apostles, the all-time favourite is surely this man. All of us have seen in the man the reflection of ourselves. Big, bold, friendly, fearful, passionate, vocal, loud; here was a man who was convinced that the Lord was finished with him. How could the Lord possibly forgive him for denying he knew Him? It was bad enough being told in advance that it was going to happen. Then after the resurrection of Jesus, we observe Jesus’ concern for Peter. Look at what is recorded in Mark’s Gospel. The gospel is said to have been “overseen” by Peter himself. Look at the words. ⁶ The angel said, "Don't be alarmed. You are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was crucified. He isn't here! He is risen from the dead! Look, this is where they laid His body. ⁷ Now go and tell His disciples, including Peter, that Jesus is going ahead of you to Galilee. You will see Him there, just as He told you before He died." Mark 16:6-7 NLT Go and tell His Disciples “including Peter”. The Lord knew exactly how Peter was feeling. He knows how you and I are feeling. He cares!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 16 January 2013			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	Peter Testifies
One of the greatest proofs of the existence of God is personal testimony. Provided it is true and not a distortion of the truth, there is nothing that can be said or done to you to negate it. One of my favourite teachers when I was in Bible School was Dr Ken Stewart. I distinctly remember him teaching on the topic of personal testimony. He gave a classic example of what to say when questioned by non-believers. The two words are “I Believe”; very little can be done with such an answer. “You’re an idiot! God doesn’t exist! This is just your imagination! Don’t tell me that some old book is the Word of God!” What can be done against, “I believe!” How can this be changed? It cannot. How can people come against someone who says, “I’ve seen it; I believe it! Few of us understand the power of a personal testimony. In the book of Revelation we read the following: -11 They won the victory over him (Satan) because of the blood of the lamb and the word of their testimony. They didn't love their life so much that they refused to give it up. Rev 12:11 GW Truthful personal testimony is irrefutable. One of the best known personal testimonies today is that of Rev John Newton. “Amazing Grace, how sweet the sound, that saved a wretch like me. I once was lost, but now am found. Was blind but now I see.” He had been the captain of a slave ship. This great hymn is his personal testimony. We all know it. You have a testimony. So have I. I know what I was like before He found me. I know how much He has changed me. It is irrefutable. People may not believe me. But I’m in good company. They didn’t believe Jesus either! 2000 years later the issue is whether by what we do and what we and say, people can see Jesus. The world can smell a hypocrite as soon as they open their mouths. If we behave like the devil, and say we are followers of Jesus, they know it all too quickly. Poor old Peter was caught in this trap. The little lady knew he was a Galilean. But when he opened his mouth it all went down the tubes. I’m not criticising him. It’s true of us all. Never say you love Jesus if you don’t obey Him. The truth is if you don’t obey Him, you don’t love Him! Today’s meditation has been compiled as though Peter is addressing people. He is giving his personal testimony concerning what he had seen and knew of Jesus Christ. There are only two possibilities. It is either a pack of lies or it’s the truth. His audience must decide one way or the other. You cannot be neutral regarding personal testimony. You either believe it or not. The decision is yours. “Choose ye this day”. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			19 "So write down what you have seen. Write about what is happening now and what will happen later. Rev 1:19 NIrV 21 And why? Because it's not something concocted in the human heart. Prophecy resulted when the Holy Spirit prompted men and women to speak God's Word. 2 Peter 1:21 MSG 3 We proclaim to you what we ourselves have actually seen and heard so that you may have fellowship with us. And our fellowship is with the Father and with His Son, Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3 NLT 39 Look at my hands and my feet. It is really I! Touch me and see. A ghost does not have a body or bones. But you can see that I do." 40 After he said that, he showed them his hands and feet. Luke 24:39-40 NIrV 35 The eyewitness to these things has presented an accurate report. He saw it himself and is telling the truth so that you, also, will believe. John 19:35 MSG 16 We weren't, you know, just wishing on a star when we laid the facts out before you regarding the powerful return of our Master, Jesus Christ. We were there for the preview! We saw it with our own eyes: 2 Peter 1:16 MSG 14 5 That your faith might not rest in the wisdom of men but in the power of God. 1 Cor. 2:2-5 ESV	High upon the mountain, we saw His glory shine! His person was transfigured, with light from the Divine. Three disciples saw it. James and John and me. Jesus Christ of Nazareth, the Man from Galilee. Moses and Elijah spoke with Him that day. And then we heard the voice of God! There isn’t any way, That we could be mistaken. We didn’t see a ghost. We saw Him as the Master of the Angelic Host. For three years we were with Him. We heard Him prophesy. We heard Him speak the words of God and later saw Him die. When he was resurrected, we saw His flesh and bone. This isn’t just a fairy tale, concocted on our own. We know what He intended. We know what He revealed. The fellowship we have with Him can never be concealed. And I am an eye witness and I confirm these things! He wasn’t just a phantom that came to pull our strings! He let us see His hands and feet. The nail-prints were still there. He even let us touch Him. For in our deep despair, From knowing what had happened, kept us trembling with fear. And this is what He dealt with the moment He came near. My friends, I am not lying. We know He’s coming soon. For that is what He told us on that wondrous afternoon. And that is why I’m talking and telling you the truth. Indeed it surely happened when John was still a youth. But friends I’m getting older. My days are running short. It’s my responsibility that I give a report, Of all that we experienced. I’ve had it written down, So that you have the record, when I have left this town. I know He is Messiah. We saw it all come true. The many words the prophets spoke; they all came into view. You know I was the leader of the little band of men, Whom Jesus called to be with Him. These words I speak are “gen”. I was just a fisherman. Peter is the name, The Master thought that I should have. I’ll never be the same. Not after being with Him. He gave me life anew. And that is why I’m here today, to tell each one of you, To put your faith in Jesus; and trust Him with your soul. For He knows all about you; and wants to make you whole. Jim Strickland  Written 16th January 2012

ACCORDING TO YOUR FAITH

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 15 January 2013

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is all about “faith”. To write about “Faith” in South Africa today is a bit like running blindfold through a swamp infested with crocodiles. Everyone claims to know all about it. Certainly there have been some very good teachers on this topic over the past 30 years. There have also been some not so good teachers. What we have also found is that there is still more to learn about faith than we all realise.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 15 January 2013			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	According to your faith
Today’s Scriptures focus on faith. I’m always reticent when it comes to speaking or writing about faith. Unfortunately it’s one of those topics in Christianity which everyone has heard about and has fixed ideas on. Indeed, the “Church” has just passed through a time when “Faith” was taught by all and sundry. Sadly, sundry seems to have won the speaking contest and has left many of us down-stream without a paddle. Before I proceed with this, please allow me to make it clear that Phyllida and I were very much a part of the faith movement. We loved it and learned many lessons that we still regard as invaluable. We are much indebted to men like Jerry Savelle and the Hagin family. Oddly enough, the best message we heard on faith was in 1982 in Rhema Randburg by Lester Sumrall. He called it “The Trajectory of Life”. The little illustration he gave at the time, lives with us today. He spoke of a young girl standing on the stage. Her father walked up to the stage and said to her, “Come on honey, Jump!” The little girl took one look at her father. Then she ran up to the edge of the stage and leaped into his arms accompanied by shrieks of delighted laughter. A few moments later, Lester tried it out on the little girl. “Come on honey, Jump!” She looked at him, then looked round for her parents. She couldn’t see them. So she looked back at Lester sadly and shook her head. Lester then asked a profound question. He asked us why the little girl didn‘t jump? He was as big as her father and as strong as her father and his arms were just as good. But she wouldn’t jump. “Why?” he asked. His answer was simple. She had no faith in Lester, because she didn’t know him. He then told us that faith was knowing God. Since that day, Phyllida and I have taught people that faith was not a “commodity” that you can have more or less of. Faith is knowing God. The more we know Him, the more faith we have; and the more we trust Him. We have taught this now for almost 31 years. At times we have been accused of having no faith. We’ve no problem with accusations of that sort. Why should we? By His grace He has kept us going for the past 31 years. I’m reluctant to say it was achieved by faith. The reluctance stems from the fact that it’s been a daily walk, step by step with Him. Yes, we’ve made mistakes. Yes we are not perfect. Yes there is still so much for us still to learn. In spite of all this and more, the fact is we have developed a relationship with Him. It may not be all that it could be. But we trust Him to the best of our ability and, as the relationship has deepened, so our trust and thereby faith in Him has likewise increased. Today’s meditation takes a look at faith from this particular angle. Some of our brothers and sisters may not agree. But that’s fine. Eugene Peterson translates Hebrews eleven verse one as follows: - 1 The fundamental fact of existence is that this trust in God, this faith, is the firm foundation under everything that makes life worth living. It's our handle on what we can't see. Heb 11:1 MSG This “definition” is a beautiful picture of Jesus Christ. He makes everything in life worth living. It’s not a “magic handle” on getting stuff from God. Who wants “stuff” when we can have Jesus? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			12 Think with sober judgment, each according to the measure of faith that God has assigned. Rom 12:3 ESV 1 Welcome people who are weak in faith, but don't get into an argument over differences of opinion. Rom 14:1 GW 20 Yet he did not waver through unbelief regarding the promise of God, but was strengthened in his faith and gave glory to God. Rom 4:20 TNIV 31 Jesus immediately reached out his hand and took hold of him, saying to him, "O you of little faith, why did you doubt?" Mat 14:31 ESV 28 Then Jesus answered her, "O woman, great is your faith! Be it done for you as you desire." And her daughter was healed instantly. Mat 15:28 ESV  28 When he entered the house, the (two) blind men came to him, and Jesus said to them, "Do you believe that I am able to do this?" They said to him, "Yes, Lord." 29 Then he touched their eyes, saying, "According to your faith be it done to you." Mat 9:28-29 ESV 5 The apostles came up and said to the Master, "Give us more faith Luke 3 17:5 MSG 20 But you, beloved, building yourselves up in your most holy faith and praying in the Holy Spirit, Jude 1:20 ESV 7 Have your roots in him. Build yourselves up in him. Grow strong in what you believe, just as you were taught. Col 2:7 NIrV 21 It is God who enables us, along with you, to stand firm for Christ. He has commissioned us, 2 Cor. 1:21 NLT 10 And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast 1 Peter 5:10 TNIV 1 We who are strong ought to bear with the failings of the weak and not to please ourselves. Rom 15:1 TNIV 13 Therefore let us stop passing judgment on one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put any stumbling block or obstacle in the way of a brother or sister. Rom 14:13 TNIV	The big misunderstanding about our “faith” today, Is thinking we can measure it. It doesn’t work that way. The faith we often speak of is a “quality” of God. He is the One Who gives it. It isn’t something odd. It isn’t something that we own; it never will be ours. The Father distributes it, a bit like April showers. There isn’t “lots” or “little” He gives it as He wills. According to His Holy ways the Master comes and fills, Believers with what’s needed; within a circumstance. It’s not a Holy lottery that we can leave to chance. It’s trusting the Lord Jesus for what you think is needed. It never rests upon how much that you have prayed and pleaded. It never does take very much; a mustard seed in me, Could cause a giant sycamore to jump into the sea! The essence is believing that Jesus Christ can do, Everything that’s needed to make the dream come true. “According to your faith”, He said. Not faith in me or you. But trusting only in what Christ, the Lord of Life can do. We cannot generate it. We cannot make it come! It’s not something inflatable. To think that way is dumb! It’s always very simple. It’s like the A B C. It starts and ends with Jesus. It’s His ability. Of course we’d like to do it. Of course we’d like the power. But only He can ever cause the seed to bloom and flower. In fact, if I could do it, why should I trust in Him? Then life would be a fairy tale like those by brothers Grimm! It isn’t fatalism. It isn’t cast in stone. It’s going to the King of Kings and trusting Him alone. A pious Christian guru can never get it done. But when we put our faith in Christ, God’s One and Only Son, Things get in proportion. That’s when we get things right; For only He can ever change the darkness into light. So when we think of having faith, don’t make a big mistake. Don’t run around; punch the air, tremble, scream or shake. There really is no purpose. You cannot bring it on. The pagan priests on Carmel succeeded – not a one! That’s when you ask Him humbly, if He will intervene. It’s not some “quantity of faith” but hope in the unseen! An absolute assurance in what the Lord can do; And not relying on the “faith” you’ve got inside of you. The fact is there is nothing that “faith” can bring about. But when your faith’s in Jesus Christ, the answer’s not in doubt. Jim Strickland  Written 15th January 2012.