A FRESH LOOK AT GOD’S LAW

Mona Lisa

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 27 June 2013

Hi all,

Leonardo da Vinci

One of the best known, if not the best oil painting in the world is the Mona Lisa. (La Giocondo or La Joconde). It’s a half-length portrait of a woman by the Italian artist, Leonardo da Vinci. It’s thought to be a portrait of Lisa Gherardini, the wife of Francesco del Giocondo, and is believed to have been painted between 1503 and 1506. It’s been on permanent display at the Musée du Louvre in Paris since 1797.

Wedding Dress

The ambiguity of the subject's expression, which is frequently described as enigmatic, the monumentality of the composition, the subtle modelling of forms and the atmospheric illusionism were novel qualities that have contributed to the continuing fascination and study of the work.  (Information courtesy Wikipedia)

Phyllida and I had the privilege of seeing it when we visited Paris in 2008. Actually, “seeing it” is a misnomer. We could only get ±5 meters from the painting because of the crowds, the barrier and the glass casing (probably air tight and bullet proof) in which it is housed. If you want to get a good “close-up” you’d be better advised to buy a good art book!

Bullet Proof
Glass

There is of course, only one Mona Lisa. We have no idea how many people have tried to “paint it themselves”. Thus far, no one has succeeded. I’m told that it is virtually impossible to paint an original of this painting by Leonardo; to do so, you would have to “get into” his mind”. We can’t do that. Since my painting ability is slightly better than zero, I’ll go along with the comment.

The Mona Lisa is one of Leonardo’s masterpieces. God has hundreds of billions of masterpieces. You are His masterpiece. So am I. So is every other person who has ever lived. Each of us is unique. Actually, our God does not make copies. No matter what we can think of, no two are identical. Even “identical twins” have different fingerprints. No two snowflakes are identical. 

You and I can produce many copies of this like postage stamps. We know they are copies. But God not only makes animals, fishes, birds, insects and human beings, He gives them “life”. They move, live and breathe! God allows us to reproduce. The process He has endorsed gives rise to living, breathing creatures. We can do this unaided because of His command: ²⁷ So God created human beings in His own image. In the image of God He created them; male and female He created them^{. 28} Then God blessed them and said, "Be fruitful and multiply. Fill the earth and govern it. Reign over the fish in the sea, the birds in the sky, and all the animals that scurry along the ground." Gen 1:27-28 NLT

God's Moral Law
The 10 Commandments

It’s interesting to note that two mountains cannot reproduce. Only that which contains “life” can do so. However, an eagle cannot mate with a fish. A monkey cannot mate with a human; a chicken cannot mate with a lion. If it tried to do so, the lion might have it for lunch.

God's Family

Some months ago I suggested that the reason God created everything is because He wanted a bigger family. In other words, the purpose of the universe and all it contains was, so that sons and daughters could be included into His family. 

He wanted His people to love Him voluntarily. So He created men and women with the ability to ignore Him, or to love Him. Today’s meditation looks at this. 

It looks at the reason for the Laws of God and includes a portion explaining some of the reason behind free will and creation. He was making the point that nothing could manufacture the uniqueness of His creatures and intended family.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 27 June 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			A FRESH LOOK AT GOD’S LAW
Have you ever tried to do something that’s impossible? I know that I have and I’ve met a number of others who have the same problem. My dilemma is getting into the trousers I wore at my wedding. Since then I’ve gone from a size 36 to a size 42. Even with a shoe horn I can’t squeeze myself into those trousers. I could if I went on a diet. But at my age I don’t have the motivation to do it. I’ve come to the conclusion that my pall-bearers will have to be big strong men! Now ladies, I know your problem getting back into your wedding dress. After a couple of children and a wee bit of middle-age spread, that dress has shrunk by about four or five sizes. Leaving it hanging on a hanger in a cupboard obviously makes it shrink. But my husband likes me this way. That’s true. So stop looking wistfully at that dress. Put it in a box and pass it on to your daughter! What’s that, she thinks it’s too old fashioned?! Oh well, you can always cut it up and use it for dusters! Hey! Put down that meat cleaver! Of course, when we come to looking at the law of God, we have a major problem. It wasn’t derived democratically. It was put on us by an all wise and loving God. The terms are very clear. “This is how you must behave for your entire life. No mistakes, no slip-ups!” God has a zero tolerance policy. Furthermore, He knows every detail of your life from conception to termination. He knows it better than you. God forgets nothing! He also has different ideas about the seriousness of sin. To dishonour your father or mother is as serious as murder in His eyes. So why did He give us the law? Firstly, it tells us what He is like. He is perfect in every way. He has no difficulty keeping the law. It’s His “style” forever! So we look at it and say, “Wow Lord, that’s wonderful!” Can I have a go? “Sure!” Try it and see.!” We do and quickly find we can’t do it. “Had enough?” He asks. “Can I have another go” we ask. “Be My guest” He replies. Then we fail again. “Have I made My point?” “Err, Yes. I can’t keep it can I” we answer sheepishly. “That’s what I said” He says. “So why did you give it, if You know I can’t keep it” we ask even more sheepishly? “I want you to know you can’t do it alone” He replies with all the wisdom only He has. “How does that work” we ask? “As follows” He says I knew when I made man that he would fall. I gave him free will so he can obey or disobey. To disobey is to sin. I also know that if a sinner comes near Me he will be “fried to a frazzle”. But I want him to be able to come near me. So someone had to be “fried to a frazzle”. My Son, My Holy Spirit and I looked at this together. We can do it. Don’t ask Me how! We decided that if My Son was “fried to a frazzle” for you, it would solve the problem. So that’s what we did. My Son came to earth and after living a perfect life, keeping all the law all the time. No easy matter, believe Me. He had to deal with a fallen Archangel to do it. But that’s another story. Then He was arrested, falsely accused, tried and found guilty on a trumped up charge. So they flogged Him to within an inch of His life. Then they crucified Him and He died. It should have happened to you, but you could never have taken it. “Now here’s the clever bit! Because He is God, what He did for you was done for all humanity”! Even so, We want you to live a perfect life here and now. So My Spirit and My Son come and help you when you fail. If you repent and ask for forgiveness, they do what’s necessary and get you going again with a clean sheet. We have everything figured out. So We put the law there so it can get you started on the forgiveness routine! Kind of neat huh? Jim & Phyllida Strickland				2 Do not take me to court for judgment, because there is no one alive who is righteous in your presence. Psalms 143:2 GW 18 "Come now, let's settle this," says the LORD. "Though your sins are like scarlet, I will make them as white as snow. Though they are red like crimson, I will make them as white as wool. Isaiah 1:18 NLT 5 So the enemies of my people had better come to me for safety. They should make peace with me. I will say it again. They should make peace with me." Isaiah 27:5 NIrV 21 "Agree with God, and be at peace; thereby good will come to you. Job 22:21 ESV 1 Therefore, since we have been made right in God's sight by faith, we have peace with God because of what Jesus Christ our Lord has done for us. Romans 5:1 NLT 16 Yet we know that a person is made right with God by faith in Jesus Christ, not by obeying the law. And we have believed in Christ Jesus, so that we might be made right with God because of our faith in Christ, not because we have obeyed the law. For no one will ever be made right with God by obeying the law." Galatians 2:16 NLT 20 So it can't be said that anyone will be made right with God by obeying the law. Not at all! The law makes us more aware of our sin. Romans 3:20 NIrV 39 Everyone who believes in Him is declared right with God--something the law of Moses could never do. Acts 13:39 NLT 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 15:56-57 NLT	He knew they couldn’t keep it and no one asked Him, “Why”? Utterly impossible; although He knew they’d try. It’s typical of people. They turn and grit their teeth. “Others cannot do it but they are far beneath, The things which I am doing. I’m going to get it right. I am quite determined; that they will see the sight, Of somebody succeeding where they themselves can’t go. But I am going to do it. Just God and I will know!” Here we see the evil and the wicked hearts of men. They will keep on trying and trying once again. They’d crawl on broken bottles from Jo’burg to the sea, If that would make them righteous. They all fail miserably. Can we ever keep it? We must never fail. Just one violation will cast us into jail. For when the law is broken, it’s as sure as sure can be. They’ll lock you in a “hell-hole” and throw away the key. And yet the law is beautiful when written on the wall. We say it’s right and proper and then from grace we fall. So it becomes a nightmare that will not go away. What will Jesus do with me when He comes back one day? I think it’s time for us to take a fresh look at God’s law. And understand the reasons God put it in there for. It says, “These are the standards of the One Who is ‘I AM!’ If you cannot be like Me, then you are in a jam. I know you’ll try to keep it, to prove you can be good. Keep on trying harder, the way you think you should. But in the end you’ll founder. You’re not Divinity, Although you like to think that you are just as good as me. It’s there to let you see that you will never get it right. And turn to me and tell Me of your never ending plight. It’s then that I can show you the way to come to Me. A method you can count on wherever you may be. Admit you cannot keep it and ask Me what to do. I’ll tell you of the Saviour Whom I have sent to you. He is not a sinner. He is My only Son. He will take the punishment for all that you have done. Trust Him absolutely. Give Him your whole life. He will be your husband and you will be His wife. Then My Holy Spirit will come and show to you, How to live the Christian life in everything you do. You will be empowered by My Spirit and My Son. That’s the only way that Christianity is “done”. He will be your Saviour and you will come to Me. Sin won’t be your master for He will set you free. My law won’t terrify you and you will understand. That everything is working out exactly as I planned.” Jim Strickland Written 27th June 2012.

Blood, toil, tears and sweat!

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 26 June 2013

Hi all,

The past ±100 years have been the most traumatic that this world has ever experienced. Two world wars; the invention of the atomic bomb; the assassination of Kennedy and Ghandi; the horrors of apartheid, the break-up of the British Empire; the holocaust; the establishment of the state of Israel; 

The development of electronics and weapons that enable men to destroy targets thousands of miles away with incredible accuracy; computers, mobile phones; television; 24 hours per day news channels on TV that enable us to literally watch wars as they take place.

Strangely enough, the 20^th century commenced with many politicians believing that the future for the planet was bright and rosy. “On and on and up and up!” was the comment about the future. 

The first real indication that it was an unrealistic outlook occurred with the sinking of the Titanic. Two years later the world was plunged into “the war to end all wars”. It didn’t and hasn’t, as we are all painfully aware.

On 10 May 1940, Winston Churchill became Prime Minister of the UK. On 13^th May he said in the UK House of Commons, “I would say to the House as I said to those who have joined this government: I have nothing to offer but blood, toil, tears and sweat. We have before us an ordeal of the most grievous kind. We have before us many, many long months of struggle and of suffering. - You ask, what is our aim? I can answer in one word: Victory. Victory at all costs — Victory in spite of all terror — Victory, however long and hard the road may be, for without victory there is no survival.” Few speeches have ever touched the heart of people the way this speech did. What do you say to a people when the outlook is only one or two decimal points above destruction? Churchill chose to speak of victory.

That situation was similar to the one which faced the eleven apostles shortly after Judas left the upper room to betray Jesus. Jesus knew it only too well. He fully expected it, having been “warned” in advance by the prophetic word. He knew the time had come from the moment Peter told Him: -¹⁵ He pressed them, "And how about you? Who do you say I am?" ¹⁶ Simon Peter said, "You're the Christ, the Messiah, the Son of the living God." Mat 16:15-16 MSG 

Now His apostles knew Who He was; He knew His time had come. He was on His way to Calvary. He knew His “deadline” was on Passover that year. He knew what would happen to Him and that He would “die” at the same moment was the High Priest slaughtered the Passover ram that year. He knew that the High Priest was going through the motions of the “type” of sacrifice that His sacrifice was all about.

He could count off the days from the Mount of Transfiguration to Passover. He was on His way to complete the mission He had been sent to fulfil. He was going to Jerusalem and Calvary to “endure the unendurable”. God was going to allow Himself to be abused as no other person on this planet has ever been abused. His experience would make Churchill, his speech and the UK’s experience in that dreadful war, look like a Sunday school picnic! 

He was about to take on everything that Satan and his cohorts could bring against Him. He knew it. He also knew He would succeed. This contest made this planet’s experience of the last ±100 years look like a pleasure cruise on a fancy yacht!

Jesus and Churchill shared one objective. That objective was victory. To get there, Jesus would experience nothing but blood, toil, tears and sweat. But He would be victorious. 

Do This in
Remembrance of Me

The outlook for Him to others must have looked much like that which Churchill outlined on 13^th May 1940. Churchill was merely speculating. Jesus Christ knew the outcome. Thank you Lord Jesus.

Do This in
Remembrance of Me

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus   Wednesday, 26 June 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		BLOOD, SWEAT AND TEARS
It was the evening before the crucifixion. Within 24 hours He would have laid down His life. He was having what would probably be His final meal before surrendering His body to be “thrashed, bashed and trashed.” From there He would go on to be crucified. All this would take place on the same day as the last supper. He was speaking to and comforting His disciples, telling them He was going on a journey but would come back later. The fact that He was comforting them is a miracle. If it had been me, I would have been the one to need comforting. In fact I would have stood up and run away to Galilee as fast as I could go. But Jesus was not panicking. He was introducing a simple method by which His disciples should remember Him. The casualness of the event was remarkable. It was the custom in those days for the lowest slave in the household to wash the feet of those who entered. The person with the lowest status in the group was the youngest disciple, John. But he didn’t do it. This ceremony was not a religious practice. It was done for the sake of all who would partake of the meal. In those days men didn‘t sit round tables to eat. They sat reclining on the floor. This means that their feet were more or less under the nose of one of those they sat next to. The feet would be very smelly after walking for the day. That’s why a slave washed them. No one volunteered so Jesus took the place of the lowest slave and washed all their feet Himself. He didn’t need to wash their hands. They would do it themselves for practical and religious reasons. Practically, they did so because they ate with their hands. So everyone would have clean feet and clean hands for the meal. Traditionally, they would be “seated” in the circle in order of their age. Thus John would have been on one side of Jesus and Judas Iscariot on the other. Before they ate, He took a piece of bread. Unleavened bread because it was what God had instructed the Israelites to eat before they left Egypt. He took the loaf of bread, broke it and distributed among them. We are told, 24 He gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and said, "This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me."1 Corinthians 11:24 NLT There was no religious fanfare, no trumpets, no dancing girls and no men in weird clothes dressed up to look like women. It was very simple and casual. After they had eaten and Judas had left, Jesus took the cup of wine. Many say the cup was the special “Messiah” cup placed before the people and only to be drunk by Messiah. It’s possible but not certain. So now they had all eaten and we are told, 25 In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, This cup is the new covenant between God and His people--an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it."1 Corinthians 11:25 NLT. Once again there was no religious fanfare, no trumpets’ no dancing girls and no men in weird clothes dressed up to look like women. It was very simple and casual. His instructions were to do it whenever you want in remembrance of Him. All very simple and casual. So why has it become clouded and crowded out with ritual? He certainly didn’t do that. So why do we? Phyllida and I have begun to do this each day at home. Just the two of us unless there are guests or visitors. It’s done very simply. All we do is remember our Lord. Sometimes we forget. But He doesn’t seem to mind. Praise the Lord! Jim & Phyllida Strickland				42 GOD kept watch all night, watching over the Israelites as he brought them out of Egypt. Because GOD kept watch, all Israel for all generations will honour GOD by keeping watch this night--a watch night. Exodus 12:42 MSG 23 For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord Himself. On the night when He was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread 24 gave thanks to God for it. Then He broke it in pieces and said, "This is My body, which is given for you. Do this to remember Me." 25 In the same way, He took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and His people-an agreement confirmed with My blood. Do this to remember Me as often as you drink it." 1 Corinthians 11:23-25 NLT 41 He walked away, about a stone's throw, and knelt down and prayed, 42 "Father, if You are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not Mine." 43 Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened Him. 44 He prayed more fervently, and He was in such agony of spirit that His sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood. Luke 22:41-44 NLT 14 It was now about noon on the day of preparation for the Passover. And Pilate said to the people, "Look, here is your king!" John 19:14 NLT 16 Then Pilate turned Jesus over to them to be crucified. So they took Jesus away. 17 Carrying the cross by Himself, He went to the place called Place of the Skull (in Hebrew, Golgotha). 18 There they nailed Him to the cross. Two others were crucified with Him, one on either side, with Jesus between them. John 19:16-18 NLT 7 Get rid of the old "yeast" by removing this wicked person from among you. Then you will be like a fresh batch of dough made without yeast, which is what you really are. Christ, our Passover Lamb, has been sacrificed for us. 8 So let us celebrate the festival, not with the old bread of wickedness and evil, but with the new bread of sincerity and truth. 1 Corinthians 5:7-8 NLT	All I have to promise you is blood and sweat and tears. Winston Churchill said it to the British as their fears, Of enemy invasion was very, very real! He said it so the British could be people made of steel. Did he understand it? He knew that it would cost. He had to make a statement; the war could soon be lost. But Churchill never wavered. He spoke of victory, Even though to many, the words were fantasy. The families of Jacob were oppressed and merely slaves. The thought of finding freedom; only just the brave, Thought that it could happen. Then Moses came along; And proved the God of Israel was infinitely strong. The Israelites won freedom in the face of massive odds. In ways that could be demonstrated came to them from God. Both these men had passion; they knew they had to win They battled with their “Pharaohs”; not once did they cave in. They both went through a “baptism” of blood and tears and sweat But theirs was only “child’s-play”. The one whom Jesus met, Was the archangel Lucifer who’d fallen in his pride, Along with all the others who had taken Satan’s side. There within a garden, Jesus knew He had to win, This battle with the devil and the crushing power of sin. It couldn’t be avoided; Jesus had to take him on; And thrash him so completely that all his power was gone. He didn’t want to do it. And yet, His Father’s will, Was what He Knew He had to do and He kept praying ‘til, His blood and sweat were mingled with the teardrops on His face. He knew this was the moment and was the proper place, For Him to be the sacrifice. His blood would be poured out. His body bent and broken, so there could be no doubt, That all had been accomplished. There was no other way, For Him to beat the enemy on that Passover day. We know the things that happened; that He was crucified. “It’s finished” are the final words he said before He died. And at that very instant the New Covenant was cut. Satan could do nothing except go off his nut. The Ram of God was sacrificed and down throughout the years, God’s people could remember the blood and sweat and tears. He wants us to remember Him whenever we break bread. And every time we drink the wine, remember what He said He said “This is my body; It’s broken just for you. Drink the wine My people. It’s all you have to do.” His stripes now heal our body. His blood cleanses our sin. His body has been broken and we may enter in. Wickedness and evil can now be put aside. In truth and in sincerity, we’re now our Master’s bride. Jim Strickland Written 26th June 2012