For all of us, going to school introduced us to new
things every day. Very often, what we learned on one day was the foundation for
the next.
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| The Alphabet |
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| The Symbol for Infinity |
What has this to do with today’s Scriptures? To get a
feel for this let’s take a look at Matthew’s Gospel. Jesus is on record of
telling His disciples, 18 Then Jesus
came to them and said, "All authority in
heaven and on earth has been given to me. 19
Therefore go and make
disciples of all nations, baptizing them in
the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20
and teaching them to obey everything I have
commanded you. And surely I am with you always, to the very end of the age." Matthew 28:18-20 NIV
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| Jesus Love and Power are Infinite |
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| Worlds May Come or Go Away Jesus Christ is Here to Stay |
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Saturday, 27 July 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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EQUIPPED
FOR BATTLE
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When
I use the word, “all”, what is it I mean? Usually it means a definite amount.
If I pick up the salt shaker and nothing comes out, I’m inclined to say’
“It’s all gone”. What I mean is the salt shaker is empty. There’s still
plenty of salt somewhere. It just isn’t where I need it. Sure it’s all gone,
but there is still lots more out there. Perhaps I should have said, “the salt
shaker’s empty”. It would have been a lot more accurate!
There
is however, a huge difference between what I say and what Jesus says. My
“all” is not inclusive. His “all” includes everything. So when He says “all
power” or “all authority” He, means the lot. To use an Americanism, “There
aint no more nowhere!” This means exactly what it says. Now if He has all the
power, how much do you think is left over for others? The correct answer is,
“None!” Matthew’s gospel put it as follows: 18 When Jesus came near, he spoke to them. He said, "All authority in heaven and on earth has been given to
me. Matthew 28:18 GW
Now
I’m not a Greek scholar. But I do have access to “Strong’s Hebrew and Greek
Dictionary” along with his famous numbering system. So I am in a position to
“cheat” a little and impress you with the knowledge available. Now according
to him, the word translated “power” in the KJV and ‘”authority” in all the
other translations, is the Greek word “exousia”. It means privilege, which is, (subjectively) force, capacity,
competency, freedom, or (objectively) mastery
(concretely magistrate, superhuman, potentate, token
of control), delegated influence: - authority, jurisdiction,
liberty, power, right, strength. In plain “Jim-speak” it means that
there is no authority or power that He (Jesus Christ) hasn’t got. Now we are
His ambassadors; His representatives. Which means His power or authority has
been delegated to us! The enemy doesn’t really have anything other than what
we allow!
Notice
also that your strength or my strength is not the issue. But we don’t have to
let Satan and Co, bully us.
When
I was little, I used to tell the other boys that if they touched me, they
would have to settle with my big brother. It seemed to work, no matter the
size of the bully. But in this case, we really do have a big brother. He is unbeatable!
No matter how weak you and I are, He is more than merely useful protection.
Many years ago I remember attending a Charismatic service. The speaker was
talking about Jesus and His delegated authority. Talking from the first
Epistle of Peter he quoted: 8 Stay
alert! Watch out for your great enemy, the
devil. He prowls around like a roaring lion,
looking for someone to devour.1 Peter 5:8
NLT His comment was that the devil looked like a lion but it’s all
show. He’s a “mouse with a megaphone”. The speaker’s theology may not be
entirely correct. But I do like the idea. He can yell, shout and try and
intimidate as much as he wants. If he can deceive us into thinking he is in
charge, he will do so. He can’t. His only real weapon now is deception.
Subsequently I heard someone say that Satan was trying to intimidate him
while he was asleep. He awoke and took one look and said, “Oh, it’s you!”
Then he turned over and went back to sleep. Satan’s had His day. Jesus
thrashed him on Mt Calvary. So relax and let Jesus win again!
Jim &
Phyllida
Strickland
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39 For you equipped me with strength for the battle;
you made those who rise against me sink under me.
Psalms 18:39 ESV
10 Now
I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut
me down to size--abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ
take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger
I become.
2 Corinthians 12:10 MSG
11 Then Asa cried out to the LORD his God, "O LORD,
no one but You can help the powerless against the mighty! Help us, O LORD our
God, for we trust in You alone. It is in Your name that we have come against
this vast horde. O LORD, You are our God; do not let mere men prevail against
You!"
2 Chronicles 14:11 NLT
31 The
chariot commanders saw Jehoshaphat. They thought, "That's the king of
Israel." So they turned to attack him. But
Jehoshaphat cried out. And the LORD helped him. God drew the commanders
away from him.
2 Chronicles 18:31 NIrV
8 It is better to take refuge in the LORD than to trust
in man. 9 It is better to take
refuge in the LORD than to trust in princes.
Psalms 118:8-9 NIV
16 The king is not saved by his great army; a warrior is
not delivered by his great strength. 17 The war horse is a false hope for salvation, and by its
great might it cannot rescue.
Psalms 33:16-17 ESV
12 This is not a wrestling match against a human opponent.
We are wrestling with rulers, authorities, the powers who govern this world
of darkness, and spiritual forces that control evil in the heavenly world.
13 For this reason, take up all the
armour that God supplies. Then you will be able to take a stand during
these evil days. Once you have overcome all obstacles, you will be able to
stand your ground.
Ephesians 6:12-13 GW
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Some things are surely upside down
from all we’ve seen and known.
The strongest man in all the world, is
reaping what was sown.
He spent his days in training, with
exercise and weights;
And now, his bulging biceps, are adequate
to state,
That here is the ability to pick up
sacks of lead.
And pile them all together like loaves
of fresh baked bread.
His strength is in his muscles. That’s
where he stores his power.
But if he quits his exercise his
muscles will turn sour.
Slowly they’ll degenerate and will all
turn to fat.
He’ll wonder if he really knows who he
is looking at.
The moral of this story is, “All
things in moderation”
If you truly want to be a muscular
sensation,
Understand that for all time you’ll
have to be committed,
Until there comes a day when in a pine
box you’ll be fitted!
But there is a much better way. A way
I recommend.
There’s someone so much better, on
Whom Christians can depend.
It is the power of Jesus, the one who made
it all.
The great and mighty cosmos, to
electrons very small.
We’re told He has all power, which
means omnipotent!
So when He uses power, it means He
isn’t spent.
It still is all available, for it is
infinite.
It truly would be foolish to face Him
in a fight!
You’ll never beat the Master. It’s safer
not to try.
‘And if you ever do it, you’ll quickly
wonder why?
So how can people ever get the Master
on their side?
Let Him be your husband and you can be
His bride.
Even if your gender suggests that it
is wrong,
Don’t give it a second thought, if to
Him you belong.
Here’s the very reason why I’ve told
this all to you
If He is your husband, then you can
see Him do,
Things which were impossible for you
to do alone.
But if He is your Husband, you are not
on your own!
He’s always there beside you, to take
on every foe.
If you wear His armour, the enemy will
know,
That though you look so puny, so
fragile and so weak,
That if they come against you, you
only have to speak,
And they will be confronted by the
strongest One of all.
And when you’re at your weakest, you only
have to call!
Then He will join the battle. It isn’t
worth their while.
So when you’re at your weakest, just
look at them and smile.
Call out “Hallelujah!” They’ll know
just what you mean,
And they will quickly turn around and
gallop from the scene.
Jehoshaphat and Asa both proved it
long ago.
And now it’s time for you and me to
understand and know,
That even if a war horse has Satan on
its back.
He’ll think it’s not the season, to
launch a new attack.
The battle’s done and over. Once more
the Lord has won!
And He will turn and look at you, then
smile and say, “Well done!”
Jim Strickland
Written 27th July 2012
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