WALKING IN THE SPIRIT

Time with Jesus - 6 Nov 2013

Sorry, No Pictures Today - Modem Problems

Hi all,

Phyllida and I have great admiration for Dr A W Tozer. (April 21, 1897 - May 12, 1963) His teachings have impacted us more than any other Bible teacher/preacher of the 20^th century; except perhaps for David Pawson. We call him a 20^th century prophet. Tozer passed away shortly after I was 21.

Tozer was a great admirer of the writings of Albert Benjamin "A.B." Simpson (December 15, 1843 – October 29, 1919). Simpson founded the Christian and Missionary Alliance (C&MA), an organisation to which Tozer devoted much of his time and writing skills. It’s fascinating that Tozer was 21 going on 22 when Simpson passed away.

If it is legitimate to speak of “giants” in the service of God’s Kingdom, it is how we regard these men. Nothing would give us greater pleasure than to think we are following in their footsteps. Of course, following another man’s footsteps is one thing. Filling their shoes is another matter entirely!

Today’s meditation is about Walking in the Spirit. It seems a good opportunity to introduce many of us to the works of A B Simpson. Here is an extract from his writings entitled, “What is it to Walk in the Spirit?” It was written ±100 years ago! Please take time to read this through. The English is quaint!

Generally, to walk in the Spirit is to maintain the habit of dependence upon the Holy Ghost for our entire life; spirit, soul and body. We know what it is at times to enjoy His conscious presence. We live in the Spirit; we have felt the touch of His quickening life. Now let us walk in the Spirit. Let us abide in this fellowship. Let us lean continually upon His strength; let us drink unceasingly from His life as a babe from its mother's breast. But more particularly:-

1)       To walk in the Spirit is to recognize the Spirit as present and abiding in us. How often, after we have asked His presence, do we treat Him as if He had deceived us and cry to Him as if He were afar off? Let us recognize Him as having come and address Him as a present and indwelling friend. He will always meet our recognition and speak to us from the holy of holies in our inmost heart.

2)       It means to trust Him and count upon Him in the emergencies of life. It is to regard Him as one who has undertaken our cause and expects to be called upon in every time of need. He will unfailingly be found faithful and all-sufficient in every crisis. The very name “Paraclete” means “one that we can always call upon and find at our side”. We must trust the Holy Spirit. We must expect Him to respond to our need as implicitly as we expect the air to answer the opening of our lungs, or the sunrise to meet us in the morning. Yet how many treat the Holy Spirit as if He were a capricious and most unreliable friend! How many of our prayers are despairing groans, or scolding reflections on His love and faithfulness?

3)       We must consult the Holy Spirit if we would walk in the Spirit. We often find the things that seem the easiest, fail and disappoint us when we rely upon their apparent probability and the mere promise of outward circumstances. We shall find where we commit our way unto Him and acknowledge Him in all our ways; He will direct our paths. Then the things which seemed most difficult and improbable will become the easiest and the most successful. He would teach us thus to trust in Him with all our heart, and lean not unto our own understanding; in all our ways to acknowledge Him and He will direct our steps.

4)       The chief condition of His Almighty power is that we shall first have His omniscient wisdom. He is given to us as our wonderful Counsellor; our Mighty God. I have never taken Him as my Counsellor and obeyed His guidance, without finding that He followed it up as the Mighty One with His omnipotent working. The reason we do not more frequently find His power, is because we try to turn it into the channels of our own wisdom. We need to get His mind, work in His will and know that we must have His effectual working. What a blessing it is that our wonderful Counsellor is always as accessible as the hand of a little child. Thus let us walk in the Spirit, trusting His guiding hand and committing all our ways to His wisdom and love.

5)       If we would walk in the Spirit we must obey Him when He speaks and remember that the first part of obedience is to hearken. It is not enough to say we have done all we knew, should know and might know. He has said we shall know His voice. If we do not, it must be that we are to blame. God is never responsible for our mistakes. If we will be still and suppress our own impulses and clamorous desires. If we will meet Him with a heart surrendered to His will and guidance, we shall know His way. The soul that walks in the Spirit will therefore be a hearkening spirit; watching daily at His doors, longing to know His every commandment. When we understand His voice, we will implicitly obey it. For to be carnally minded is death; but to be spiritually minded is life and peace. Rom 8:6 KJV The fundamental requirement of His continual presence is obedience. “We are his witnesses of these things; and so is also the Holy Spirit whom God hath given to them that obey Him." Act 5:32 KJV The secret of every cloud that has fallen upon the soul, will probably be found in some neglected voice of our Supervisor. He is waiting and has been waiting for us at that point where we have refused to follow. When we step into His will, we shall find Him there.

6)       Walking in the Spirit implies we shall keep step with the Holy Ghost. Our obedience shall he so prompt that we shall never find ourselves a step behind Him. We must never follow Him at a distance from which we may find it hard to recover. Likewise, God has drawn the plan of our life on such a scale, there are no minutes left blank. If we lose one, the next has no margin to afford for its recovery. All we can crowd into the future will be needed for the future itself. Therefore if we lose a step, there is danger we shall continue to be a step behind. It will require the same exertion to keep up even a step behind as it would to walk abreast of God every moment.

7)       He has given us a gentle, patient Guide, who is willing to go with us all the way, He will come into the fine detail of our life. Let us take heed we do not grieve Him or push Him away, or miss anything of His gentle will. Let us be sensitive to His touch, responsive to His whisper, obedient to His commandments. Let us always be able ever to say "He hath not left me alone, for I did always those things which please Him".

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 06 November 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	WALKING IN THE SPIRIT
George & Ira Gershwin. A winning combination of popular song writers, many of which (songs) are still well remembered. The one I’d like us to look at was composed in 1937 and popularised by Fred Astaire: The chorus was, Holding hands at midnight, 'Neath a starry sky / Nice work if you can get it, And you can get it if you try / Strolling with the one girl, Sighing sigh after sigh / Nice work if you can get it, And you can get it if you try! Personally, I remember strolling out with the current girl-friend. (Not that I had many) We would hold hands and sigh! It was one of those things we did in the middle of the dark ages. (20th century) It was a sort of adolescent version of walking in the spirit – not the Holy Spirit. However, there is one essential feature required. You can’t do it alone! You can’t very well stroll at any time of the day holding no-body’s hand. Both parties must be willing to stroll together. If you don’t, you look silly! This feature of being willing to walk together is crucial, if we want to Walk in the Spirit. In the first instance you must want to. The reason I didn’t start with the comment that the Holy Spirit wants to, is simple. He always wants to walk with us. The only problem the Holy Spirit has with walking with us is sin in our lives. The fact is, sin and the Holy Spirit is a bit like oil and water. They don’t mix very easily. You may try and get an emulsion of some sort. But He will depart the moment you try. It follows that the real problem is not the Holy Spirit. The problem is you and me. The prophet Amos wrote: 3 Do two people walk hand in hand if they aren't going to the same place? Amos 3:3 MSG It may be a bit obvious, but if you aren’t going with the Holy Spirit, you’re on your own. Walking in the Spirit is the same. There must be at least a basic agreement or the joint venture will flop. The question is whether or not you want to walk with the Holy Spirit. You must actually want it. “But how do I do that?” is the question I’m often asked. Paul gave us a clue in Galatians. 16 But I say, walk by the Spirit, and you will not gratify the desires of the flesh. Gal 5:16 ESV I don’t want to be too simplistic. But let’s take the same Scripture and turn it round. “If I am not gratifying the desires of the flesh I will be walking by the Spirit.” How do I know I’m not gratifying the desires of the flesh? God’s Word shows this very clearly. “But I can’t do that! That’s why Jesus came. To help me to walk in the Spirit!” Absolutely true. But you can easily see if you are walking in the flesh. Anyone who can read will know if they are, or are not. So if you are not gratifying the desires of the flesh you must be walking in the Spirit! So grab hold of Jesus’ hand and go “Holding hands at midnight, 'Neath a starry sky!” Nice work and you can have it! And you can have it if you try! Try it! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 Lead me by Your truth and teach me, for You are the God who saves me. All day long I put my hope in You. Psalms 25:5 NLT	Walking in the Spirit! How many folk can do, This wonderful instruction hand-made for me and you? You’d think that it was easy. That ought to be the case. But walking with the Master and feeling His embrace, Seems to be too difficult and many Christians quit. They don’t know this attitude renders them unfit, To ever walk with Jesus. For if they do not try, They’ll find the opportunity has simply passed them by. So Father God, please teach us to walk in truth and light, By the Holy Spirit; not leaning on our sight. We know You can do it. But if it’s left to me, I’ll walk into obstacles and bump into a tree! O Lord, we need Your guidance. Without it, we will miss, The truth which you are teaching; and end in the abyss. Speak with Your authority, that each of us can hear, What You are declaring; in true and Godly fear. We have Your anointing, so we should have the skill, To comprehend the knowledge with which we have been filled. This we know for certain. It’s an established fact; That keeping Your commandments is the only way to act. Grant us the perception, to never contradict, The Word that You have given us, to have the devil licked. We know the Holy Scriptures; we learned them as a child. They came by inspiration; they’re pure and undefiled. Help us to assimilate Your truth in every way; To focus upon Jesus, so that we can obey, Every little detail of what Your Word has said. When we have this mastered, we will be Spirit led! It isn’t complicated, a little child can do, All that is required from folk like me and you. Listen first; then do it! You will not get it wrong. Not if to the Saviour, you truthfully belong. Anyone who wants to do that which the Lord desires, Will surely be directed to do what He requires. Find His way of Holiness. Don’t think you can fool, With other types of living. For if you let His rule, Be far more important than all you think and do. Walking in the Spirit will be a “cinch” for you. Jim Strickland Written 6 November 2012
			13 When the Spirit of truth comes, he will guide you into all the truth, for he will not speak on his own authority, but whatever he hears he will speak, and he will declare to you the things that are to come. John 16:13 ESV
			20 The Holy One has anointed you, so all of you have knowledge. 1 John 2:20 GW
			20 Look to God's instructions and teachings! People who contradict His word are completely in the dark. Isaiah 8:20 NLT
			15 You have been taught the holy Scriptures from childhood, and they have given you the wisdom to receive the salvation that comes by trusting in Christ Jesus. 16 All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. 17 God uses it to prepare and equip His people to do every good work. 2 Timothy 3:15-17 NLT
			8 I will instruct you and teach you in the way you should go; I will counsel you with my loving eye on you. Psalms 32:8 TNIV
			22 "The eye is the lamp of the body. So, if your eye is healthy, your whole body will be full of light, Matthew 6:22 ESV
			17 Anyone who wants to do the will of God will know whether My teaching is from God or is merely My own. John 7:17 NLT
			8 A wide road will go through the land. It will be called The Way of Holiness. Only those who are pure and clean can travel on it. Only those who lead a holy life can use it. Evil and foolish people can't walk on it. Isaiah 35:8 NIrV

METHUSELAH

Time with Jesus - 5 Nov 2013

Hi all,

Methuselah?

Today I thought it would be interesting to have a look at Dr John D Morris’ comments about Methuselah. Dr Morris is the President of the Institute for Creation Research. It follows he is a creationist rather than an evolutionist. His comments on the death of Methuselah are well worth reading. 

Methuselah?

They are however, his thoughts and are thus not to be understood as a doctrine. Perhaps the most fascinating is that Methuselah may also have perished in the flood. 

His comments on the sinful condition of man at that time and why only 8 close family members survived the flood, also challenges conventional thought. It may be speculation, but it’s the type I particularly enjoy; thought that challenges our conventional thinking. The Institute for Creation Research can be found on www.icr.org

Tortoise - Longevity

How Did Methuselah Die? by Dr John D. Morris Ph. D.

One of the favourite characters in the Old Testament is Methuselah, who lived 969 years (Genesis 5:27), longer than anyone else recorded. His father was Enoch, of whom it is said he “walked with God” (5:24) but who was taken to heaven without dying at 365 years. Methuselah’s son Lamech died a few years before the Flood at 777 years (5:31) after bearing Noah.

When Methuselah was born, his godly father must have prophetically known of coming things for his son’s name means “when he dies, judgment,” and interestingly enough, Methuselah died in the same year God judged the sinful world with the great Flood of Noah’s day.

There are many details of the Flood account about which we can only speculate, but perhaps Noah was given up to 120 years of warning that the Flood was coming (6:3), and we are told he was a “preacher of righteousness” (II Peter 2:5) during the building, yet only “eight souls were saved” (I Peter 3:20). 

Why didn’t he influence more people? His faithful obedience in building a huge boat on dry land must have been both attention-getting and a source of conviction to the surrounding sinful people. We might suspect that Lamech and Methuselah espoused the same testimony, yet only the eight close family members boarded the Ark.

Since Methuselah died the same year of the Flood, some have wondered if he was likewise an unbeliever and perished in the Flood waters. Of his spiritual condition we know little, other than that he was the son of godly Enoch, and his son Lamech prophesied with spiritual insight at the birth of Noah (Genesis 5:29).

Here are a few more hints to ponder. God had promised that “the seed of the woman,” Eve (3:15) would one day destroy Satan, and ever since Satan, in his hatred for God and His image in man, had schemed to thwart God’s plan (4:7, 6:2). Furthermore, man thought of “only evil continually” (6:5) and “the earth [was] filled with violence through them” (6:13). If left unchecked, there soon would be no survivor of Eve remaining.

Certainly the violence took the lives of many. Animals became violent and bloodthirsty. Wars must have been rampant as man’s sinful nature had full sway.

Would we not be correct in assuming that the violence was directed toward believers most of all? Perhaps Noah had many more converts over the years, and the only ones left were the eight mentioned. And this may have been what happened to Methuselah. Perhaps he was the last martyr, and when he was killed, God’s patience was over. In order to preserve mankind, and in particular Eve’s lineage through whom the Redeemer would one day come, God’s justice was finally unleashed.

969 years is a very long time. To put it in perspective, if we subtract 969 from 2013 we arrive at 1044. In those days, Edward the Confessor had been king for about 1 year. We would have been about 4 years too late to see Lady Godiva riding naked on horseback round Coventry to force her husband, the Earl of Mercia, to lower taxes (10^th July 1040) and too late to be able to give Shakespeare an eyewitness account of King Duncan I being killed in battle against his first cousin and rival Macbeth. (15^th August 1040) Macbeth succeeded him as King of Scots.

We may also have been on Runnymede Island on 15 June 1215 to see King John seal the Magna Carta! Mind you, King John may not have approved our presence. We may also have watched Jan van Riebeeck land at the Cape on 6 April 1652. In addition, we may have been present at the Gasthof zum Pommer on 20 April 1889, an inn located at Salzburger to witness the birth of Adolf Hitler!

The point of all this is that although it seems to be incredible, the truth is, Christians can expect to be with the Lord Jesus in His millennial reign; in other words, “alive” with Him for ±1000 years. 

What can we expect? Will there be memorable incidents similar to the ones referred to above? I know we will want to spend as much “time” as possible with Him as we can. But what else will we be expected to do? It’s a topic I’ve never really thought about in any depth. 

If we are ruling and reigning with Him, it can hardly be 1000 year praise and worship session! It’s not the sort of “thing” a bride and her husband would be wanting! Not in my opinion anyway. I rather suspect we will spend a lot of “time” learning about Him, His Father and the Holy Spirit. We’ll be busy! God doesn’t approve slothfulness!

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 5 Nov 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	METHUSELAH
Anyone remember reading Oliver Twist? Well, if you haven’t read it, did you see the movie? I regret to say it’s the only Dickens book I’ve read. Not that I’ve a problem with Dickens. He was a brilliant writer. My grandfather had a library which included every book Dickens wrote. Unfortunately, for me, when it came to a choice between Dickens and Springbok Radio, Dickens was a non-starter. When it came to books and their characters, I preferred young Teddy Lester to young Oliver Twist! What most Christians don’t know is the possible connection between Oliver’s diet and longevity. You may remember that when young Oliver “stood up for himself” Mr Bumble stated that Oliver’s behaviour was attributed to meat! Now I rather doubt Dickens was familiar with the possible reasons for longevity, or in our case “shortevity”. (A new Jim type word) But there just might be a case to put forward. We are all aware that before the flood, people seemed to live a lot longer than they do now. Scripture tells us Methuselah lived 969 years. No one can say for certain why? Perhaps God wanted us to live that long? In this regard an analysis of the lifespan of Adam, Methuselah and Noah’s sons tells us Methuselah was a contemporary of them all. Of course they may not have known each other. But the fact remains Adam was alive when Methuselah was born. Furthermore, Methuselah died when the flood came. So he may have known Noah and his three sons! Incidentally, Noah was 4 when Adam died. So much for today’s bit of useless information! Why did everyone live so long? One view is that it took Satan all those years to work out how to kill Adam. Another view is tied up with the flood. We understand there was a canopy over the earth. Something a bit like a UV filter preventing harmful sunlight falling on the inhabitants. It’s thought that this canopy contained water which was released with the flood. Another thought is that after the flood, man started to eat meat. Before that time it was forbidden (see Gen 9:3) After the flood, man’s lifespan slowly reduced. Why? Sure, God had so willed it. But God would most likely have used a “natural mechanism” to achieve this purpose. The absence of the canopy could well have been a major contributing factor. We are informed that if a similar flood occurred today; taking the water content of the polar ice-caps into consideration, the water level could be as much as 7km above Mt Everest. It is suggested the run off from the land as the water levels retreated, could account for many of the geological features on our planet. But could the effect of meat in our diet perhaps also be a contributing factor? So was Mr Bumble right after all? Yes? No? Can you help? No! Neither can I! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			31 Those who use the things of the world should not become all wrapped up in them. The world as it now exists is passing away. 1 Corinthians 7:31 NIrV	Methuselah: The oldest man who lived upon this earth. “It will happen when he dies” they called him from his birth. His father’s name was Enoch and sixty five years old. He knew a flood was coming, for that’s what he was told. Nine sixty nine years later, when he had passed away, The rain-drops started falling, upon that very day! At least that’s what is stated and what we understand. For Noah and his animals, were in the Ark as planned. That’s what the Bible tells us and I believe it’s true. No matter what the scientists will ever say to you. For almost a millennium, the people had been warned. But sadly, God’s opinion was put aside and scorned. “What is this funny substance? This “stuff” that you call rain? We’ve never even seen it, so Noah, tell us plain, What is going to happen? Tell us; we insist. What’s this about rain water, there’s only been a mist That comes up from fountains and waters all the ground. (Gen 2:6) There is no other method that we have seen or found.” Noah tried to tell them but they did not believe. They thought he was a crazy man; that he had been deceived. But when it started raining and the great flood waters rose. Everyone was washed away. Everyone who chose, To ignore God’s warning, were swept away and drowned. Almost twelve months later, the Ark returned to ground. God is very patient. He waited all those years. Methuselah’s whole lifetime, He warned them, it appears. But did they pay attention? It’s clear that they did not. So they deserved the judgement, that all of them then got. We try and find the reason, why people had to face, Such terrible destruction to wipe out the human race. Genesis has answers; in chapter six verse five, The things that men imagined, or thought while still alive, Consistently and totally, was evil through and through. The planet was polluted. What could the Lord God do? It needed disinfecting, so He could start again, Without all the descendants of the wicked line of Cain. Thus Noah and his family would be the one blood line, Through whom God would send Jesus, the Son of God Divine! Jim Strickland Written 5th November 2012
			27 Methuselah lived a total of 969 years. And he died. Genesis 5:27 MSG
			9 Believers who are poor have something to boast about, for God has honoured them. 10 And those who are rich should boast that God has humbled them. They will fade away like a little flower in the field. 11 The hot sun rises and the grass withers; the little flower droops and falls, and its beauty fades away. In the same way, the rich will fade away with all of their achievements. James 1:9-11 NLT
			14 You don't know the first thing about tomorrow. You're nothing but a wisp of fog, catching a brief bit of sun before disappearing. James 4:14 MSG
			17 The world and all it’s wanting, wanting, wanting is on the way out--but whoever does what God wants is set for eternity. 1 John 2:17 MSG
			4 "LORD, remind me how brief my time on earth will be. Remind me that my days are numbered--how fleeting my life is. Psalms 39:4 NLT
			3 When people are saying, "Everything is peaceful and secure," then disaster will fall on them as suddenly as a pregnant woman's labor pains begin. And there will be no escape. 4 But you aren't in the dark about these things, dear brothers and sisters, and you won't be surprised when the day of the Lord comes like a thief. 1 Thessalonians 5:3-4 NLT