Time with Jesus - Monday, 02 July
2012
Hi all,
Today’s meditation is on junk
mail; heaven’s junk mail. Any prayer that the Lord doesn't listen to is “junk
mail prayer”; “Junk Prayer”; “Heavenly Spam!” I know lots of mine fall into
this category. Those who can pray in tongues have an advantage here.
Unfortunately, although it is effective, we don’t know what it is!
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Monday, 02 July 2012
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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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HEAVEN’S
JUNK MAIL
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Most of the people who read this devotional have
computers. Indeed, without a computer, there is no way it could be printed
out and read. In a way, computers have become indispensable in the 21st
century. They are now ubiquitous. Banks can’t function without them. 50 years
ago they were just about unknown except in the world of science. By the time
Neil Armstrong landed on the moon, they were indispensable. NASA couldn’t
have arrived there without using computers.
I bought my first computer in 1985. The reason was I
needed something to enable me to type poetry. In those days, there was a
choice to make between a word processor and a computer. Either would have
served my purpose. But I suspected that a computer could do a bit more than a
word processor. What that was I didn’t know. But I bought a computer on this
basis. I bought it from Dion’s in Randburg! When I got home with it, I
switched it on. After a few whirring noises, I was confronted by a screen
that said “>C:” “Wow I thought. Then I pressed a few keys randomly. Letters
appeared on the screen. “What next” I wondered? The answer was “nothing”. No
matter what I did, the dumb machine just looked at me and wrote “>C:” on
the screen. What it meant, I must confess I had no idea. Furthermore, there
was hardly anybody in the area who could fathom the “>C:” mystery! Eventually,
in desperation I phoned a good friend in Jo’burg. He initiated me into this
mystery. He also sent me a “floppy disk” containing a programme called “Word
Star” along with the instructions for how to get it working. The rest is
history.
One of the big problems we have with a computer is
knowing the correct instructions to get it going properly. There’s a
delightful little word that explains it well. “GIGO” Translated into the
vernacular it means garbage in - garbage out. The next problem with computers
is SPAM. I can’t tell you the exact meaning of the word. But Surplus Post
Addressed to Me covers it well. It has a newer name these days
– “junk mail”.
If you are a Christian and have a computer, you will
probably have received more than your fair share of junk mail. The question
is, “What is heaven’s “Junk Mail”? You don’t think there is such a thing?
Evidently Jesus did. In Luke 18:10-14, He
relates the parable of the two men who went to pray in the temple. One was a
proud Pharisee. The other was a tax collector. The tax collector’s prayer was
answered. The Pharisee’s prayer went into file 13. This was junk “p-mail”. (p
being short for prayer) To be fair, it should be called “junk prayer”.
In my time I think I’ve prayed more than my own fair
share of Junk Prayer. I still do at times. It’s easy. Keep focusing on how
good you’ve been and concentrate on your own agenda = File 13! The secret is
to find God’s agenda and pray accordingly. Another way is to treat your wife
(or parents?) dishonourably. Unless you do, it will stand
in the way of your prayers.1 Peter 3:7
NIrV Isaiah says; your sins have separated
you from your God. They have caused him to turn his face away from you. So he won't listen to you. Isaiah
59:2 NIrV If God isn’t listening, your prayers are useless. They are
junk prayers. Heaven’s SPAM. Sorry to be brutal. But truth remains truth
regardless what we believe or pray. But we do have a solution. Do what the
Word says. Ask Him what to pray. That’s where we find the secret of answered prayer!
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
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44 This time He (Jesus) let them sleep on, and went back a
third time to pray, going over the same ground one last time.
Matthew 26:44 MSG
7 During his life on
earth, Jesus prayed to God, who could save him from death. He prayed and
pleaded with loud crying and tears, and he was heard because of his
devotion to God.
Hebrews 5:7 GW
3 Oh, that we might know the LORD! Let us press on to
know Him. He will respond to us as surely as the arrival of dawn or
the coming of rains in early spring."
Hosea 6:3 NLT
12 When
you hope, be joyful. When you suffer, be patient. When
you pray, be faithful.
Romans 12:12 NIrV
18 Pray in the Spirit in every situation. Use every kind
of prayer and request there is. For the same reason be alert. Use every kind
of effort and make every kind of request for all of God's people.
Ephesians 6:18 GW
6 Don't worry about anything. Instead, tell God about
everything. Ask and pray. Give thanks to him. 7 Then God's peace will watch over your hearts and your
minds because you belong to Christ Jesus. God's peace can never be completely
understood.
Philippians 4:6-7 NIrV
39 He
went on a little farther and bowed with His face to the ground, praying,
"My Father! If it is possible, let this cup of suffering be taken away
from Me. Yet I want Your will to be done, not
Mine."
Matthew 26:39 NLT
14 There is one thing we can be sure of when we come to
God in prayer. If we ask anything in keeping with what he wants, he hears us.
1 John 5:14 NIrV
4 Delight yourself in the LORD, and he will give you the
desires of your heart. 5 Commit your way
to the LORD; trust in him, and he will act.
Psalm 37:4-5 ESV
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Lord I come this morning to pray for granny’s corns.
For all the deer in Kruger Park, especially their horns.
We’re going on a holiday; we’re driving in our car.
Send your special angels, we’re driving rather far.
Bless us with the weather Lord. Please don’t let it rain.
It’s going to be another year before we go again.
Lead me to a parking space ‘cause I don’t want to walk.
And keep the children quiet Lord from all that useless talk.
Help me with the shopping Lord, to find a nice new dress.
Help me with the housework Lord. It really is a mess.
Have you ever prayed like this? I’ve done it many times.
And when I pause and look at it, it wasn’t worth a dime.
The focus we are seeking is no one else but “me”.
The purpose is our selfishness in all we do and see.
Do you think God takes the time to listen to such junk?
And if this is the way we pray, our prayer-life will be sunk.
The very essence of all prayer should be for other folk.
That God will bring His blessings and break their dreadful yoke.
But if the focus of all prayer is me and me and me.
Be certain that an answer is what you will not see.
The Master, in Gethsemane, looked for His Father’s will.
He didn’t want to do it. The prospect didn’t thrill.
The thought of crucifixion and taking on man’s sin!
Perhaps there is another way for righteousness to win?
But if it isn’t possible and I must drain this cup,
Then since this is Your will for me, then Lord I’ll drink it up.
And right there is the secret of how we ought to pray.
Find out what the Father wants and intercede that way.
It’s such a waste just chattering and clogging up the air.
Find what He is wanting; that’s when to go to prayer.
We are taught so clearly, that if we pray His will,
All that we are praying for, He’ll certainly fulfil.
If we pray for China, what is it we expect?
But when He tells us what to pray, the prayer will be correct.
So let us learn this lesson. We’ll find we can’t go wrong.
For when we pray for what He wants, we’ll sing a brand new song!
Our prayer life will be meaningful and not just “hit or miss”
When Jesus is the teacher. You can be sure of this.
Jim Strickland – Written 2nd July 2012
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