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| By their fruit you will know them |
Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 09 April 2013
Hi all,
Years ago, if you wanted to know Who’s Who, you would have to go to the
local library and use their copy. Alternatively, you could buy a copy from a
bookseller. Today that’s been replaced by “Google” on the web. I know because
I’ve just tried it. Mind you, how to get any further remains something of a
mystery. Of course, this has more to do with age than anything else. I’ve found
that the best computer people are between the ages of 12 to 18. Thereafter it’s
downhill all the way. In computer technology, you are fully fossilised at about
28.
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| Pear not apple |
Who’s Who may have given me a clue about identifying people and
establishing who and what they are. You see, most Christians are naïve. If
someone says they are a Christian, we tend to believe them instantly, without
question. Sadly after a year or two, you find that those who call themselves
Christian, are not necessarily Christian. How can you tell? Not by listening to
them preach or teach or the sounds of their speech. We identify them by their
actions. We see it by what they do! As Jesus succinctly put it, 15 "Watch out for false prophets. They come to you pretending to be
sheep. But on the inside they are hungry wolves. 16 You can tell what they really are by what they do. "Do people pick grapes from
bushes? Do they pick figs from thorns? Mat 7:15-16 NIrV
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| Thorns not Fruit |
Jesus was referring to false prophets. Nevertheless, the principle is the
same. A thief is identified by stealing. It has nothing to do with speaking in
tongues or quoting lengthy passages of Scripture! Satan can also do that. But
Satan is a thief.
In 1982, Phyllida and I met a young man we thought was a wonderful
Christian gentleman. He could preach up a storm; prophesy at length; speak with
tongues and interpret. We were completely taken in. A month or two later we
found he was a predator. He was into “conning” wealthy Christians, particularly
ladies and stealing their money. His speech was intended to deceive. He was
good at it. We learned a valuable lesson.
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| Apple Not Grape |
The danger is to overemphasise this problem. As Dr Ken Stewart put it, we
can look for a demon under every bush and lose focus on Jesus. We could be like
old Mac Donald’s farm. Here a demon, there a demon everywhere a demon, demon!
The “secret” to getting the balance correct, is to copy Jesus’ lifestyle. Don’t
go out looking for demons or false Christians. Instead, be constantly checking
with the Lord, concerning the people you meet. Look and listen to the Lord,
while looking and listening to the person you are talking to. Ask God to show
you “flakes”. He will!
Shalom,
Jim
& Phyllida Strickland
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 09 April 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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The Holy Name-tag
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Memories can be difficult to understand. There are times when they are
painful. There are other times, in exactly the same place, the memories are
sweet and enjoyable. One of my most painful memories is how I felt on the day
my parents “dropped me off” at boarding school. I’d never been away from them
before and it was traumatic. I felt as though I had been deserted. Of course
it wasn’t true. But feelings don’t always go with fact. Later in life, as a
young Christian, I got to know that feelings follow facts, not the other way.
I’m pleased to record that it wasn’t long before I settled down at school and
often look back on those days as among the best days of my life.
The truth that feelings follow facts, was an essential piece of
knowledge, I needed to learn. I remember well the time when I committed my
life to the Lord Jesus Christ. A week or so later, when the initial euphoria
over my having been “saved”, began to subside, I was faced with a major problem.
I didn’t feel any different. A couple of features were in place. I’d stopped
using foul language and my lifestyle had changed such that I wanted to attend
church meetings. Any sort of church meeting would do as long as it was
Christian. (Whatever that meant back then) So although I was in the Methodist
Church, I visited as many other churches as I possibly could, when I could
find the time.
This gallivanting had a lot to do with my not feeling any different.
Furthermore, I had other male/female issues that typically haunt a teenager.
This led me to the Prudhoe Street Mission and into contact with the Billy
Graham association. They were holding a crusade in Manchester and Cliff
Barrows came to Prudhoe Street Mission, to assist with counsellor training
and choir instruction. So I had good reason for attending. Looking back now,
it seems odd, that someone who didn’t know he was “saved” could think of
being a counsellor for Billy’s crusade! Incidentally, there was no TV links
in those days. We just sat together in the large, full, City Hall and
listened to the service. Later in that week at the City Hall, I was able to
share with a fellow apprentice the love of Jesus.
Over a period of about six months, many of my concerns about salvation
evaporated. Something I heard then is still true. If I am a married man and
wake up the next morning and didn’t feel married, my feelings are fooling me.
The facts are there. My wife has the wedding certificate to prove it! Thank
God she is also lying sleeping on her side of the bed just to prove the
point!
At the same time, I needed to find assurance – in spite of feelings.
The New Testament was opening up for me. I learned that the assurance of salvation
comes from the Holy Spirit. In Paul’s second letter to the Corinthians he
states: 22 and He has identified us as
His own by placing the Holy Spirit in our hearts as the first instalment that guarantees everything He
has promised us. 2 Cor 1:22 NLT
For me, it was a “clincher”. The Lord transformed my life. If not,
I’ve wasted 53 years of life chasing a myth! Believe me, it’s no myth. Furthermore,
I’ve had a fabulous “ride”. Jesus Christ has exceeded all my expectations and
I’m happy to serve Him until my dying breath and beyond!
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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7 I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises
of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the
great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to
his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
Isaiah 63:7 ESV
2 I was sliding down into the pit of death, and he pulled
me out. He brought me up out of the mud and dirt. He set my feet on a rock.
He gave me a firm place to stand on.
Psalm 40:2 NIrV
20 My old self
has been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ lives
in me. So I live in this earthly body by trusting
in the Son of God, who loved me and gave Himself for me.
Gal 2:20 NLT
32 If God didn't hesitate to put everything on the line
for us, embracing our condition and exposing himself to the worst by sending
his own Son, is there anything else he wouldn't gladly and freely do for us?
Rom 8:32 MSG
8 But God put his love on the line for us by offering his
Son in sacrificial death while we were of no use whatever to him.
Rom 5:8 MSG
22 By his Spirit he has stamped us with his eternal
pledge--a sure beginning of what he is destined to complete.
2 Cor. 1:22 MSG
14 The Spirit is God's guarantee that He will give us the
inheritance He promised and that He has purchased us to be His own people. He
did this so we would praise and glorify Him.
Eph. 1:14 NLT
4 But God is so rich in mercy, and He loved us so much,
5 that even though we were dead
because of our sins, He gave us life when He raised Christ from the dead. (It
is only by God's grace that you have been saved!) 6 For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and
seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ
Jesus.
Eph. 2:4-6 NLT
7 I will recount the steadfast love of the LORD, the praises
of the LORD, according to all that the LORD has granted us, and the
great goodness to the house of Israel that he has granted them according to
his compassion, according to the abundance of his steadfast love.
Isaiah 63:7 ESV
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Back in 1951, I went to boarding school.
I really missed my parents. Some thought I was a fool,
Because I started crying and wanted Mom and Dad.
But when you’re only nine years old. How can you blame a lad?
I didn’t want to run away. Besides, where would I go?
What would I tell my parents? I really didn’t know.
There was a little problem with my school uniform.
I kept it in a locker that was outside my dorm.
But when it came to laundry, how could I tell my own?
My mother had been very wise and she had carefully sewn,
My name on all my clothing. She’d hidden it away,
But I knew where to find it. So every single day,
As I was busy dressing I made sure things were mine.
I knew it by the label. Mom’s system worked just fine.
As I continued growing up, one thing I found was true.
There had to be a system for identifying you!
A name tag or a label; I knew how it was done.
And I could prove conclusively, I am my father’s son!
So every time I met someone and said, “How do you do?”
I found it was the formula for saying, “Who are you?”
I then learned about fingerprints. They said they were unique.
They put them on a database; and if they wished to seek,
To find out what my name was, they’d know if I was me!
They said, “Until the day you die, it’s your identity.
It didn’t really bother me. I didn’t want to hide.
I surely wasn’t perfect; but wouldn’t go “off-side”.
When I became a Christian I asked, “Lord show to me,
The way I can identify a person who loves Thee.
You do not have that problem. In fact, You’ve always known,
The people whom You have redeemed and love You Lord alone!
I cannot find Your name-tag. I’ve hunted high and low.
So Father won’t, You show to me the way I too can know?
He said, “There is a ‘name-tag’ inscribed upon your heart.
My Holy Spirit put it there when He set you apart.
He’s deep inside your spirit man and will not go away,
Unless you have decided you don’t want Him to stay.
So look deep down inside you, in places you can’t see.
Use your ‘spiritual eyes’ and look around for Me.
You’ll know that I am present, by the witness you will find,
Confirming you’re My servant. Your life to Me’s consigned.
There, in your inner sanctum, is where I’ll always be;
Alive in you and proving that you belong to Me!”
Jim Strickland
Written
9th April 2012
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