Time with Jesus - Thursday, 17 January 2013
Hi all,
Today’s meditation is in two halves. They are called,
“It’s Happening” and “He’s Coming”. We are told that the end times will be
marked by a huge falling away from following Jesus Christ. Then He will return
for His people. Are we ready? Good question! You answer!
Blessings,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Thursday, 17 January 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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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
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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It’s Happening – He’s
Coming
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For
the past 30 years I’ve been passionately interested in the prophetic. That’s
not surprising since, when I met Phyllida, she was moving in the prophetic.
There was a time in those very early days when we “flowed” together in
speaking in tongues and interpretation. In a very inadequate way, we saw
through a “glass darkly” and were able to be a blessing to a number of
friends and acquaintances. It still happens occasionally as the Lord wills.
One of
the reasons this happened was because of our great interest in God’s Word.
Not in the usual way many of our brothers and sisters in the charismatic
movement preferred. We wanted to know something of the Old and New Testaments
and not just a few selected texts, many of which were taken completely out of
context. There is an old teacher/preacher’s adage that states, “If you can’t
convince them, confuse them”. Is that why there is so much confusion in
Christ’s body today?
Today’s
Scriptures provide us with a wonderful overview of the prophetic. The focus
is mainly on the Second coming of Christ and our understanding of the
associated implications. The comments by Jude, Paul and John harmonise in
their warning about apostasy and false prophets during the end times. In 1996
I composed a poem about what we could see was happening in the church. It was
called “It’s Happening”. In spite of its being written some 15 years ago, it
seems relevant for today.
The
second section of poems, written in a similar style, are based on what two or
three of what the Scriptures state. This deals with the second coming of
Christ. All I’ve done is express the thought behind the Scripture in poetry.
When people say to me that a 2000 year wait is a long time for a “soon
coming” it reminds me that from Adam to Jesus was about 4000 years give or
take a couple of hundred or so. So the Lord’s promise of a redeemer to Adam
was about 4 millennia. Since Jesus ascended to now, is roughly 2 millennia.
In terms of Divine counting, that’s about 6 days. (1 day = 1000 years)
According to this system of Divine counting, we are round about the start of
the 7th Day! In other words we are round about the commencement of
“His Sabbath”. Perhaps He’s about to come for us before His Sabbath starts.
That must be very soon!
The poetry
style today is slightly different from usual. The rhyme is every second line
and the verse construction is 8, 6, 8, 6. It makes a pleasant change for me.
But it doesn’t lend itself to “story telling”. There not enough words to get
things across properly.
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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19 Now
write down everything you see: things that are, things about to be.
Rev 1:19 MSG
12 Now we see a blurred
image in a mirror. Then we will see very clearly. Now my knowledge is
incomplete. Then I will have complete knowledge as God has complete knowledge
of me.
1 Cor 13:12 GW
8 You have put everything under his (Jesus) control."
(Psalm 8:4-6) So God has put everything
under him. Everything is under his control. We do
not now see everything under his control
Heb 2:8 NIrV
19 We couldn't be more
sure of what we saw and heard--God's
glory, God's voice. The prophetic Word was confirmed to us. You'll do well to
keep focusing on it. It's the one light you have in a dark time as you wait
for daybreak and the rising of the Morning Star in your hearts.
2 Peter 1:19 MSG
105 Your word is like a
lamp that shows me the way. It is like a light that guides me.
Psalm119:105 NIrV Nun
17 But you, my dear friends, must remember what the apostles of our Lord Jesus Christ
said. 18 They told you that in
the last times there would be scoffers whose purpose in life is to satisfy
their ungodly desires.
Jude 17-18 NLT
1 Now the Holy Spirit
tells us clearly that in the last times some will turn away from the true
faith; they will follow deceptive spirits and teachings that come from
demons.
1 Tim 4:1 NLT
18 Children, it is the
last hour, and as you have heard that antichrist is coming, so now
many antichrists have come. Therefore we know that it is the last hour
1 John 2:18 ESV
12 The night is far gone;
the day is at hand. So then let us cast off the works of darkness and put on
the armour of light.
Rom 13:12 ESV
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1)
It's happening! It's happening;
Just as the Lord predicted!
The blind are leading those who cannot see.
We ridicule the prophets,
The way that He depicted;
And teach the deaf to hear what cannot be!
They stumble through the darkness with the light behind their backs,
And gesture with the antics of the dumb.
Their hearts are full of evil, And as Lucifer attacks,
They lap up every syllable and crumb!
Father God, in Jesus' Name, Please turn again our face;
That we indeed may turn again to You.
Lord, our plight is desperate,
With shame at the disgrace,
Of doing what the Pharisees did do.
Place Your fingers in our ears, So that we all may hear.
And make Your clay of spittle for our eyes.
Help us know reality; And that You're drawing near,
That we'll no longer heed the devil's lies.
Jim Strickland – 1996
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2)
The Lord is surely coming. The keys are in His hand.
To open and unlock the gates of Hell.
He’s been resurrected, Just as His Father planned.
Write down everything you’ll hear us tell.
The mirror isn’t clear enough. The image is distorted.
Enough to make the message incomplete.
So, be rather careful of those things you see reported.
Perhaps it’s not the thing God said must be?
Everything the Lord has made, Is under Christ’s control.
Though it doesn’t seem to be that way.
Do not be deluded. He’s managing the whole.
And we’re sure to see it all someday.
Children let me tell you, this is the final hour,
And many anti-Christs are all around.
They’re deceiving many, but trust in Jesus’ power.
He’ll ensure each one of them is found.
Jim Strickland Written 2012/01/17
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