THE BUILDER

Time with Jesus - 15 Dec 2013

Hi all,

As we move toward the pagan festival we call Christmas, It is fitting we make an attempt to know what God is like. Not the baby in the manger. Not the God/man dying on the cross on Calvary. While both of these are true and Jesus told us ⁹ "You've been with me all this time, Philip, and you still don't understand? To see me is to see the Father. So how can you ask, 'Where is the Father?' “John 14:9 MSG 

In spite of this, there are qualities of God and His attributes that even the most dedicated and saintly Christian can never know. Dr A W Tozer. In his brilliant book, “The Knowledge of the Holy”, deals with a number of God’s attributes albeit; and in his own words; inadequately. It is a book of touching honesty, admitting that God is unknowable. 

Yet Tozer encourages us to seek God to obtain such knowledge as He will make available to us. In essence Tozer reminds us of this impossibility. A University Professor is unable to disclose higher mathematics to a baby. This resembles inadequately, the gulf between the creature and the creator.

Tozer points out that God is incomprehensible. In spite of this God wants us to “know” Him! He is the Great Builder; the God who built the universe and all it contains from nothing. Thus although we can never completely know what God is like, it should be one of the first “things” we need to know about Him.

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 15 Dec 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	THE BUILDER
Solomon ben David has been called the wisest man who ever lived. If we exclude Jesus from the list, this may well be the case. Certainly some of the decisions he made and revealed to us in the Bible could qualify him to be on the list. But when it comes to women, he must be at the opposite extreme. We are told, 3 He had seven hundred wives of royal birth and three hundred concubines, and his wives led him astray.1 Kings 11:3 TNIV I find that a bit difficult to equate with wisdom. Nevertheless, he impressed the Queen of Sheba greatly, although her reasons may not have been entirely “kosher”. Solomon is supposedly the author of Ecclesiastes as well as the major contributor to the Book of Proverbs and one or two of the Psalms. A verse in Ecclesiastes that comes to mind is, 11 He has made everything beautiful in its time. He has also set eternity in the human heart; yet no one can fathom what God has done from beginning to end. Eccl. 3:11 TNIV This issue of having eternity in our hearts speaks directly to you and me. Somehow we know instinctively, that we were not originally created to die. We were made for eternity. Think for a moment of a baby being born and growing. That infant should go on and on indefinitely. It doesn’t happen because of some “death factor” written into us. It shouldn’t be there. We were not made for it to be there. This heinous killer is on the rampage and will get each and every one of us. We can’t duck, dodge or avoid it. It will get us all sooner or later. This killer is worse than any virus or bacteria we have known. It has no pity, no sympathy and is always terminal. It’s called sin! We are all born with it within us. Humanly there is no way for us to deal with it. Only one sin in a lifetime is sufficient for it to ravage us. Babies are probably born with it latent within them. Very early in the child’s development the sin factor is energised by some small seemingly insignificant action. But that’s all it takes for this sickness to take control. It’s not in a hurry. It knows very well that in the end it will deal with the individual. It is inherited from fathers and mothers. No one is immune. We are all condemned. Our situation is hopeless. We need a cure. The cure requires a miracle from God! The problem is “The Wages of Sin is Death!” It’s not a slogan, its fact. Sin demands death. Someone’s death. To be correct, if I sin, my wages are compulsory. We all deserve payment! There are no special discounts. But if someone is found Who is worth more than all humanity, if He dies for us, the cost is covered. God’s Son is worth more than all of us. So His death for sin covers the full cost. No E&OE! It’s done! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT	Jesus is a builder of a very different kind. He builds things out of nothing; which sort of blows my mind. I’ve always needed mortar, bricks and sand and stone. I also need an architect, or folk will surely moan, And say that it looks ugly. It’s beautiful to me. But they have a perspective that I will never see. All that Jesus ever builds is absolute perfection. Everything He touches, from the instant of conception, Everyone a masterpiece. Not one of them is flawed. I think that is a reason why He’s worshipped and adored. Each one an original and thoroughly unique. To walk, to sit and contemplate, to hear, to look, to speak. I know I cannot do that but if I cooperate, A new one is created, courtesy my mate! But neither of us did it. He fashioned in the womb, A masterpiece of DNA who’d be a bride or groom. We look at man-made marvels. Of course they look OK. But none of them are “living” and in this world today. We like to fashion buildings. We like to watch them grow. They keep on getting taller. As tall as man can go. And when they are completed, they reach into the sky, We look and we admire them. But they’ll collapse and die. They’ll quickly be outdated; and in a hundred years, They’ll be reduced to rubble and quickly disappear. The pyramids of Egypt, the Parthenon, the Sphinx. Will someday be a pile of sand – much sooner than man thinks. The Temple of King Solomon assembled with great care. It’s pointless looking for it. It is no longer there! We know Nebuchadnezzar, had the place destroyed. Other temples have been built but Solomon’s is void. All our human effort is just a Babel tower. Only that which Jesus builds, won’t have a final hour. And Jesus Christ is building a temple made of men; And women out of people, who have been born again; Of folk from every nation, who worship and adore, The author of Salvation; Who lives forevermore. His precious new creation, whose purpose is to be, Anything which He desires, for all eternity. Jim Strickland Written 15th December 2012
			17 At the king's command, they quarried large blocks of high-quality stone and shaped them to make the foundation of the Temple. 1 Kings 5:17 NLT
			7 The stones used in the construction of the Temple were finished at the quarry, so there was no sound of hammer, axe, or any other iron tool at the building site. 1 Kings 6:7 NLT
			5 And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What's more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 1 Peter 2:5 NLT
			20 Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through Him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit. Ephesians 2:20-22 NLT
			10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 ESV
			9 For we are God's fellow workers. You are God's field, God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 ESV
			17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation. The old has passed away; behold, the new has come. 2 Corinthians 5:17 ESV
			5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 5:5 ESV

ON EAGLE’S WINGS

Time with Jesus - 14 Dec 2013

Hi all,

For interest sake, I felt it would be a good idea to download some of the information on our own Black Eagles in Roodekrans. These are “on our doorstep” so to speak and can be seen flying in the area around the Jo’burg Botanical Garden. If you haven’t been there to see them, do yourself a favour and go if you possibly can. Take a good pair of binoculars with you to get a good look at them.

The Black Eagle is a fairly common resident and one of the most thoroughly researched eagles in Southern Africa. Black Eagles are found at sea level from the Cape Province to the Drakensberg in Natal, to the Soutpansberg in the Northern Province and far beyond into the rock hills of southern Zimbabwe, Motobos Hills.

The Motobos Hills is the home of the densest population of black eagles. The rugged or mountainous terrain with cliffs, rock ledges and caves is the preferred habitat of the black eagle. They occur in dry savannah, woodland & even desert & high rainfall areas, wherever rocky outcrops, gorges or mountain ranges provide nesting sites and an abundance of prey.

The Black Eagle is a truly magnificent coal black bird with a white back and a V on the shoulders. The handsome plumage is enhanced by consummate grace in flight … 

When perched, the small head and tapering neck gives the eagle an almost regal appearance. The juvenile Black Eagle, unlike the adult, is cryptically coloured and its plumage blends with broken rock, bush and trees of the surroundings.

These raptors are highly territorial and are often seen gliding together. They mate for life and assist each other in hunting sorties, hence their high success rate. In undisturbed natural habitat, hyraxes form up to 90% of prey, but small mammals, birds and reptiles are also caught.

Black eagles are more discomforted by heat than by cold. On hot, exposed nests they open their beaks and pant, even if there is no direct sunlight. Tiny chicks and down-covered eaglets seek shade by moving into the adults shadow or any patch of shade available on the nest. The adults, like the nestlings, must obtain the liquid they need from their prey.

Black Eagles have been seen ‘sunbathing’, that is, spread out on the ground or smooth rock in full sunlight, back to the sun, both wings outstretched and the tail fanned. This ensures that mites and parasites are removed from the feathers and the natural waxes within the feathers are heated, making it easier for the eagle to spread along the feather shaft during preening. 

They are not vocal birds as they rely more on visual communications; however the juvenile eagle is very vocal as it calls continuously to its mother on sight, for food and protection.

All observers agree on the magnificent flying powers of Black Eagles They make full use of thermals flowing round and over the hilly terrain of their preferred habitat, and move effortlessly across the sky, turning and circling, rising and gliding for long spells with seldom a wing beat. 

The characteristic leaf – shaped wing, is no doubt an adaptation for flying in rocky and mountainous terrain. The Black Eagles’ display flights are spectacular, if performed close to an observer, the whistle of air through their wings dramatically emphasizes the speed of their flight, with one flight pattern often merging imperceptibly with another.

Something that has puzzled me for some time is the fact that the eagle was regarded as an unclean bird. ¹² But these are the ones that you shall not eat: the eagle, the bearded vulture, the black vulture. Deut. 14:12 ESV

It puzzles me because God occasionally describes himself as an “eagle”. e.g. ⁹ "For the people of Israel belong to the LORD; Jacob is His special possession. ¹⁰ He found them in a desert land, in an empty, howling wasteland. He surrounded them and watched over them; He guarded them as He would guard His own eyes. ¹¹ Like an eagle that rouses her chicks and hovers over her young, so He spread His wings to take them up and carried them safely on His pinions. Deut. 32:9-11 NLT

It seems incongruous for God to regard the eagle as an unclean bird, yet liken Himself to an eagle. Perhaps someone can assist me with understanding this?

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 14 Dec 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	ON EAGLE’S WINGS
The Olympic Games - London 2012 - is well and truly behind us. They were handled with all the skill and organising ability we expect from the Brits. They went off with all the precision of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Mind you, I didn’t spot Christopher Robin, Alice or her fiancé. What I did see was Usain Bolt. At least I think I saw him. He was running and no one seemed to be able to catch him! Extraordinary. The fastest man on two legs! I guess that he would not have been much faster than Jeremiah some 2600 years ago. He couldn’t compete with horses. I’m sure Usain would also find it something of a challenge. Indeed, compared with most animals, our pace is decidedly pedestrian. Where we have an advantage is in brain power. We can think and plan accordingly. What we lack in speed we make up for in our mechanical contraptions. The Anglo-French Concorde carried passengers faster than the speed of sound. Financially, the plane could have been better supported. The Americans and the aircraft manufacturers decided that speed wasn’t everything. I’ve heard that the thing was so fast, you could land in New York before you left London! Now that’s science! God can do it much quicker. I’m told we are limited by the speed of light. Something about the faster you go the smaller you get. At the speed of light we would be nothing. That’s either Einstein or Frankenstein. Not sure which. The answer is of epic proportions. The Israelites were into looking for epic proportions. How long does it take for 2 million people along with wagons, possessions, assorted livestock and pets to walk across or through the Red Sea? It depends on two factors. A) The width of the gap in the sea and B) the speed of walking. We don’t know how long it took them. Somewhere between six and eight hours has been suggested. Depending on tidal conditions and the actual point of the crossing, the distance from one side to the other could have been in the order of 500 metres. Apparently, the “Targum of Jonathan” states that there were twelve “openings” in the sea. It could be that each of the twelve tribes crossed independently. Thus the time taken to cross from one side to the other would be greatly reduced and 6 to 8 hours becomes reasonable. The crossing of the River Jordan appears in many respects to be a repeat of the crossing of the Red Sea. Many discard the Bible in totality because they cannot believe that such things can happen. Personally, I’m a Theist. I believe God created and controls this world. So for Him to open the Red Sea and the Jordan is not a problem. Not for Him who spoke creation into being! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 "If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5 NLT	We have our limitations. We only have two feet. We only have a pair of eyes to see along the street We only have two nostrils and just one pair of ears. A mouth to feed our bodies; a tongue to shout our jeers. Well suited for our purposes, while living here below. But we don’t have a covering to keep out heat and snow. Our legs were made quite powerful; but not for running fast. We can’t compete with horses. We’re sure to end up last. On one or two occasions, the Lord came to their aid. To walk across the Red Sea, a way for them was made. And likewise at the Jordan. To reach the other bank, Without the Lord Almighty, so He’s the one to thank. The people trusted Moses and later Joshua. The truth is, if they hadn’t, they couldn’t get that far! A pathway through the waters, was what the Lord decreed. There wasn’t much alternative, if they were to succeed. They had to do exactly what The Most High God had said, If they didn’t bother, they’d very soon be dead! Even in the shadow of Death Valley, He is there. His rod and staff bring comfort and drive away our care. No evil can assail us. They seldom even try. With Father, Son and Spirit together standing by. Satan and his cronies, tremble and they quake. They will keep their distance while we are awake. But a little slumber, when our heads begin to nod, They may try and reach us, despite the Triune God! Walking through water, we won’t be swept away. They can’t overwhelm us. “Come back another day!” Is all we need to tell them. The waters can’t break through. Not if Christ the Saviour is looking after you. Jesus is the reason, why Christians are secure. He has made us righteous; He will keep us pure, While we are obedient. Then by His Holy grace, We will know His presence and feel His warm embrace. He knows all about us; was tested and was tried. Knows what we experience. He gave His life and died. Now He is the holder of the keys of death and hell. What we are all going through He knows it very well. So, when we are thinking we can’t take any more. Ask for His amazing strength. On eagle’s wings you’ll soar. Jim Strickland Written 14th December 2012
			15 (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in 16 the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the LORD'S promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. Joshua 3:15-17 GW
			9 What we do see is Jesus, made "not quite as high as angels," and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory "bright with Eden's dawn light." In that death, by God's grace, he fully experienced death in every person's place. Hebrews 2:9 MSG
			4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 NIV
			2 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 ESV
			17 I saw this and fainted dead at his feet. His right hand pulled me upright, his voice reassured me: "Don't fear: I am First, I am Last, 18 I'm Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock Death's doors, they open and lock Hell's gates. Revelation 1:17-18 MSG