ENOCH GOES MISSING

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 21 April 2012

Hi all,

This morning I send you greetings from Swaziland where we are having a short break with a friend we have known since 1985. We won’t be home until 27^th April and will enjoy the break!

Comments, and previous Devotionals can be found on my Blog – http: //jimnphyllida.blogspot.com I’m still experimenting with an easier way to “blog” them

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Saturday, 21 April 2012
INTRODUCTION		DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES					ENOCH GOES MISSING
Adam Seth Enosh Kenan Mahalalel Jared Enoch The comment about Enoch in Genesis 5 is one of the most unusual in the Bible. For convenience the male line from Adam to Enoch is shown alongside. If you examine the lifespan of these m en you will find that it is quite possible that Adam knew Enoch. According to the ages given, Adam lived for 930 years. Presumably this means 930 years after the fall of man. We will also find that Enoch was born when Adam was 622 years old. If you do a bit of mathematics you will find that Enoch was taken to be with the Lord 57 years after the death of Adam. You will also find that Adam was the first in the male line to die after Enoch was born. I’m not sure if this influenced the Lord to “rapture” Enoch when He did. The mathematics are, however, fascinating. Have a ‘go’ at compiling the names with their dates! We are told that Enoch walked with God during Adam’s lifetime. Have you ever wondered what impression this made on Adam? His great, great, great, great, grandson had a relationship with God that he (Adam) had lost! Did it make Adam envious? We don’t know. I think I would be a bit envious if I was Adam. I recall a story about Enoch asking Adam why they had been “thrown out” of the garden. Like most men, he blamed his wife. He said she had eaten them out of house and home! We only know of three men who were taken up to heaven. Jesus Christ ascended into heaven. Elijah was taken there in a fiery chariot. Enoch was taken by God in a manner not stated. Was Enoch’s “rapture” a sort of prophetic statement concerning Jesus? I suspect it was, but won’t fight with you if you don’t agree. Is there a significance of these being pre-flood, post-flood and Christian? We don’t know. What thrills me is the fact that if you walk with God long enough in sincerity and purity as best as you are able, the Lord has a reward for you. Sadly, none of us has 300 years to do it in. Do we have the perseverance to do this? Good question. The best comment that I can make comes in the form of an old chorus which we sang in the 1960’s. “Every day with Jesus is sweeter than the day before”. Perhaps it’s just as well that we don’t have 300 years still to go. Another 10 or 20 years is quite sufficient for me. So, what happened to Enoch? As the poem says, I’m looking forward to asking him the same question. There are probably dozens of us who want to do the same. Jim & Phyllida Strickland		24 Enoch walked with God. Then he couldn't be found, because God took him from this life. Genesis 5:24 NIrV					No one knew what happened. He simply wasn’t there, They did their best to look for him; they hunted everywhere They checked the many places where he’d been seen to walk. They wondered who was with him. They’d often heard them talk! It really was a mystery. They knew that he was gone. They thought that God had taken him; for answer there was none! They said that he was talking with God, The Lord Most High. Perhaps he was a friend of God Who thought he shouldn’t die? And so the Lord had taken him. They didn’t realise, That God had walked with Enoch, who vanished from their eyes. It seemed that Enoch walked with God for some three hundred years. The father of Methuselah, had loved God, it appears. They couldn’t walk together unless they were agreed! Their friendship was so precious; God must have done the deed. Was there a better reason the Lord took him away? It’s still a valid question right down until today. Was Enoch so remarkable, God thought that he should see, The one Whom He decided would die for you and me? Of course we can’t be certain and God knows everything. But Enoch’s own salvation, by Jesus’ cross He’d bring! Was he a kind of “first-fruits” to make all men inspired, To see there is a great reward for doing as required, By Father, Son and Spirit? Christ’s blood drew Enoch near. And shows that a relationship will drive away all fear. And though we once were enemies, His Son has made a way, For us to be a friend of God like Enoch in his day! O Lord this is fantastic. One day we’ll be caught up, A little bit like Enoch was and all of us will sup, With Jesus Christ our Master; and we can hardly wait, To go into the heavenlies, where we will celebrate, The glory of the Father, the Spirit and the Son, Around His banquet table and give thanks for what He’s done. I’m sure we will know Enoch. We’ll spot him instantly. I’m sure he will then tell us all, “What God has done for me!” And as we listen to him as clear as any bell He’ll give the explanation that only he can tell. And all of us will marvel that our God of love and grace Has opened up a way for us to meet Him face to face. Jim Strickland – Written 21st April 2012
		3 Can two people walk together without agreeing on the direction? Amos 3:3 NLT
		20 God was pleased to bring all things back to himself because of what Christ has done. That includes all things on earth and in heaven. God made peace through Christ's blood, through his death on the cross. 21 At one time you were separated from God. You were enemies in your minds because of your evil ways. 22 But because Christ died, God has brought you back to himself. Christ's death has made you holy in God's sight. So now you don't have any flaw. You are free from blame. Colossians 1:20-22 NIrV
		13 But now you have been united with Christ Jesus. Once you were far away from God, but now you have been brought near to Him through the blood of Christ. Ephesians 2:13 NLT
		10 For since our friendship with God was restored by the death of His Son while we were still His enemies, we will certainly be saved through the life of His Son. 11 So now we can rejoice in our wonderful new relationship with God because our Lord Jesus Christ has made us friends of God. Romans 5:10-11 NLT
		3 This is the life we have seen and heard. We are reporting about it to you also so that you, too, can have a relationship with us. Our relationship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3 GW
		14 The grace of the Lord Jesus Christ and the love of God and the fellowship of the Holy Spirit be with you all. 2 Corinthians 13:14 ESV
Compiled – Saturday, 21 April 2012	P O Box 1694, Randpark Ridge, 2156, South Africa			Page 1 of 1	14 Conduit Street, Johannesburg North, 2153, South Africa			Printed - Friday, 20 April 2012
Email - jim.s@telkomsa.net - ejsnpbs@gmail.com Phyllida@telkomsa.net	Mobile +2782 755 8872		Jim & Phyllida Strickland			Home+2711 462 4061; Neotel+2711 234 5670		Fax +2786 531 4962
	E:\My Documents\MS Word\Time with Jesus\2012\Devotionals\20120421 - Time with Jesus A.doc							PBS Mobile 082 574 0750

FROM SAUL TO PAUL

Time with Jesus - Friday, 20 April 2012

Hi all,

Wow! Thanks a million. The general consensus is that the new three column “Time with Jesus” is a winner. Thanks to everyone who has commented. So I’ll stick to this format. I particularly like having the Scriptures central. His Word is central in the lives of His followers so having them central makes good sense to me. This will definitely simplify the book next year; always assuming that we are all here next year. I would raise no objection if He decides to return before then!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

INTRODUCTION

Do you have a testimony? Many of us have one of some sort. Some are dramatic. Rather like Paul, they can point to a time and place. “This is how I was”, they say. “This is what He has done in my life”. I can say that too, although nothing quite as dramatic as Paul’s was. Some years ago I heard a story that helped me with this difficulty. It seems that a lady evangelist was visiting a church. (Lady evangelists are out there somewhere!) Another lady had been asked to chauffer her around. Accordingly, these two women spent several hours together. At one of the meeting, the evangelist gave her testimony. She spoke of where she had been. Drugs, prostitution, alcohol. You name it and she had been there. Then very dramatically she heard about Jesus Christ and what He could do in her life. She was converted “on the spot”. Jesus broke all her addictions, cleaned her up and called her into His service. The outcome was like night and day. Later that afternoon driving the evangelist to her next appointment, the “chauffer” broke down in tears. She turned and said to the woman, “I don’t have a testimony at all. I was brought up in a Christian home. I committed my life to Jesus when I was a young girl. I’ve always known Him. Nothing like what has happened to you has happened to me. At that the evangelist herself started crying. “You’ve got a much better testimony than I have”, she mumbled through eyes awash with tears. “I can only speak of His saving power. You can speak of His keeping power”. They stopped at the nearest safe stopping place and embraced. The power of what Jesus Christ can do in the lives of His people is limitless. We hear of testimonies, “From the gutter-most to the uttermost”. At times they are dramatic. Mine was fairly typical of your average teenage male in the 1960’s, along with one or two other things I prefer not to remember. Then Jesus came into my life. I’d like to say that I’ve been as faithful to Him as He has been to me. I haven’t. But on the occasions when I’ve returned to Him, something like the prodigal son, all that “stuff” didn’t seem to matter. He made me welcome and enabled me to pick up where I’d left off. That was the greatest surprise. He found me 52 years ago. I didn’t find Him. I wasn’t even looking for Him. But He found me! That’s the really unbelievable part. For the past 32 years He’s walked with me. Through the ups and downs of life He has never let me down. He’s said He never will!

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES

15 "'Who are You, lord?' I asked. "And the Lord replied, 'I am Jesus, the One you are persecuting. Act 26:15 NLT 27 But immediately Jesus spoke to them, saying, "Take heart; it is I. Do not be afraid." Matthew 14:27 ESV 2 When you go through deep waters, I will be with you. When you go through rivers of difficulty, you will not drown. When you walk through the fire of oppression, you will not be burned up; the flames will not consume you. 3 For I am the LORD, your God, the Holy One of Israel, your Saviour. I gave Egypt as a ransom for your freedom; I gave Ethiopia and Seba in your place. Isaiah 43:2-3 NLT 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. Psalm 23:4 ESV 23 "Behold, the virgin shall conceive and bear a son, and they shall call his name Immanuel" (Meaning, God with us). Matthew1:23 ESV 21 She will bear a son, and you shall call his name Jesus, for he will save his people from their sins."  Matthew 1:20-21 ESV 1 My little children, I am writing these things to you so that you may not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate with the Father, Jesus Christ the righteous. 1 John 2:1 ESV 34 Who is to condemn? Christ Jesus is the one who died--more than that, who was raised--who is at the right hand of God, who indeed is interceding for us. 35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? Shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or danger, or sword?

Romans 8:34-35 ESV

FROM SAUL TO PAUL

The first Damascus visit that was carried out by Saul, Transformed his life forever; and so they called him Paul. He set out breathing curses against “Christians” who’d been Jews. He wanted to arrest them so they could be accused, Of following a man Saul considered was a cheat; A Rabbi whom they’d crucified. This ‘sect’ he had to beat. As he neared Damascus, Saul saw a blinding light. He heard a voice Who spoke to him and gave him such a fright He fell upon the pathway his face against the floor. “Saul, what is the reason you persecute Me for?” “Who are you Lord?” Saul answered. “I’m Jesus!” He replied. “It’s Me you’re persecuting! From now, you’re on My side! So Saul became a Christian. We know the story well. And Paul went to the Gentiles, to save their souls from Hell. This story of the impact that Jesus has on men, We find has been repeated, time and time again. He brings with Him the savour of His delightful peace. He proclaims His presence and all our worries cease. If we are in deep waters, He said He’d calm us down. Soothing every worry and banishing our frown. Even in the furnace, we will not be consumed. It’s only Jesus’ enemies who’ll find that they are doomed. Walking in the valley, when death is all around; Evil can’t befall us, if in Him we abound. His rod and staff protect us. His comfort calms us so. We call His Name Emmanuel, God with us where we go. He came here as a miracle. A virgin girl conceived, And gave birth to the Son of God. That’s what we all believe. They gave Him the Name “Jesus”. He saved us from our sin. He is our Righteous Advocate and he is bound to win. And though we often stumble and sin comes in to call. We know that by His precious blood, we do not have to fall! Repentance and forgiveness are ours throughout the land. And He in His unending grace will help us all to stand. No one can condemn us. Although they all may try His Holy Spirit’s with us and He is God Most High So everything that happened to the apostle Paul Can happen to believers who make Christ Lord of all! Jim Strickland – Written 20th April 2012

PASSION FOR JESUS

Time with Jesus
Thursday, 19 April 2012

INTRODUCTION

Back in the early 1990’s, Mike Bickle wrote a book called, “Passion for Jesus”. The details are not the issue. The statement is! Passion for something is what has set this world alight from the earliest days of recorded history. It was a passion for God that kept Noah building the arc. I’ve heard it said that Noah was a terrible preacher. Only his wife, his three sons and their wives joined him in the arc. But he was a fabulous builder. Through all those years he laboured to build this enormous “thing” in his “back yard”; to save them from what? From something no one had ever seen before? After all, what’s rain, the unbelievers asked? What about Abram’s passion for God. He left his comfortable home; a two story house in Ur to follow the voice of God. “Madness!” must have been the reaction of the other “Ur-ites”. Sure, a few members of the family joined him. But he had Passion for God. It must have been quite extraordinary. Would I have done it? The Bible is full of such men and women. Would you go and marry a prostitute? For further examples read Hebrews 11. Some refer to this as the Faith Chapter. It’s not a bad name. Certainly it speaks of men and women who exercised great faith. But think for just a moment. Isn’t passion an expression of what you believe? I suspect that these men and women had a passion for God that inspired them. Perhaps we could say it drove them? Consider the words of Jeremiah. 7 O LORD, You misled me, and I allowed myself to be misled. You are stronger than I am, and You overpowered me. Now I am mocked every day; everyone laughs at me. 8 When I speak, the words burst out. "Violence and destruction!" I shout. So these messages from the LORD have made me a household joke. 9 But if I say I'll never mention the LORD or speak in His name, His word burns in my heart like a fire. It's like a fire in my bones! I am worn out trying to hold it in! I can't do it! Jer 20:7-9 NLT Can you sense his passion! It’s unmistakable. Paul said much the same to the Corinthians: 16 For when I preach the gospel, I cannot boast, since I am compelled to preach. Woe to me if I do not preach the gospel! 1 Cor 9:16 TNIV One of the problems with many Christians in the 21st century is that they have no passion for Jesus. Many have adopted observer mode! It only features on Sunday mornings in their Church service. This won’t inspire passion. It can’t. There is no personal involvement. I can watch a piano teacher for 50 years. To play the piano, I must do it. Are you passionate for Jesus? If not, why not?

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

-oOo-

DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES

Sometimes I think, "I won't talk about him anymore. I'll never speak in his name again." But then your message burns in my heart. It's like a fire inside my very bones. I'm tired of holding it in. In fact, I can't. Jeremiah 20:9 NIrV If I proclaim the Message, it's not to get something out of it for myself. I'm compelled to do it, and doomed if I don't! If this was my own idea of just another way to make a living, I'd expect some pay. But since it's not my idea but something solemnly entrusted to me, why would I expect to get paid? So am I getting anything out of it? Yes, as a matter of fact: the pleasure of proclaiming the Message at no cost to you. You don't even have to pay my expenses! 1 Corinthians 9:16-18 MSG Once again the leaders called in Peter and John. They commanded them not to speak or teach at all in Jesus' name. But Peter and John replied, "Judge for yourselves. Which is right from God's point of view? Should we obey you? Or God? There's nothing else we can do. We have to speak about the things we've seen and heard." Acts 4:18-20 NIrV For the love of Christ controls us, because we have concluded this: that one has died for all, therefore all have died; 2 Corinthians 5:14 ESV I was afraid I might disappoint you, so I found a good hiding place and secured your money. Here it is, safe and sound down to the last cent.' "The master was furious. 'That's a terrible way to live! It's criminal to live cautiously like that! If you knew I was after the best, why did you do less than the least? The least you could have done would have been to invest the sum with the bankers, where at least I would have gotten a little interest. Matthew 25:25-27 MSG As Jesus was getting into the boat, the demon-delivered man begged to go along, but he wouldn't let him. Jesus said, "Go home to your own people. Tell them your story--what the Master did, how he had mercy on you."

Mark 5:18-19 MSG

-oOo-

PASSION FOR JESUS

The moment that I met Him, my world was changed around. Listen while I tell you exactly what I’ve found! Silence is impossible; I know I must declare, What’s bubbling inside me; If I do not, I swear, There will be an “explosion”; and I will go off “pop”. His every word consumes me; I cannot make it stop! It feels like there is fire that’s burning in my bones. And even as I think of it, my soul and spirit groans! If I spin round in circles it might just ease the pain. But Jesus and His Gospel keeps ringing in my brain! If I do not make public, the glory of His name, There’s only one way I can go and that’s to go insane. Mammon can’t control me. I’ll preach His Word for free! What’s more it is the only way and how it has to be. I haven’t asked for finance. I really can’t resort, To charging for the Gospel. I’ll preach His Word for naught. Forget about expenses. Just point the way to go, And I will take His message; His Word consumes me so! They tried to silence Peter and also threatened John. There isn’t an alternative. “We have to carry on!” They told the Jewish Council and asked, “Whom to obey?” They had to speak of Jesus. There was no other way. The love of Christ consumed them. His Words they couldn’t hide. And if they didn’t do it, they thought they’d burst inside. They couldn’t take God’s treasurer and hide it in the ground! They had to keep on preaching to spread His Word around! To spread His Word to everyone, of every ethnic group, Was churning deep within them; they’d both be in the soup, If they neglected preaching to people everywhere. Regardless what might happen, they really didn’t care. The cost was not important; their lives they’d sacrifice. To take His Word to others was not too high a price! Peter knew the day would come when he’d be crucified. This did not deter him. His life he’d put aside! I know about this feeling. I long to do the same. To labour for my Master and glorify His Name! I only have one small request, that those who hear me speak, Will go back to their houses and tell those who are weak; That Jesus Christ will strengthen them; that mercy they would find. To help them know for certain, He’d snap the chains which bind! That He will never cast them out, provided they are true; And follow in His footsteps! “That’s what I have to do!” Jim Strickland – Written 19th April 2012