GOD KNOWS BEST

Time with Jesus - 10 Nov 2013 

Hi all,

God Knows Best: That’s our meditation today. I don’t think anyone in the world who believes in God – any god – would quibble with this statement. Look at the world around us. From the outermost reaches of the galactic night to minute objects that can only be “seen” with an electron microscope; all these components live in apparent harmony. 

Yes there are predators in our world. Yes there are insects and other creatures that, if they were our size, would destroy us. They don’t because of the way we and they are. We are not really symbiotic. But we have learned to co-exist. Even diseases, like the black plague and polio, we have managed to keep at bay because we have learned how to deal with them.

Sadly, homo-sapiens have destroyed a great many creatures because of our own greed and irresponsible behaviour. The extinction of the dodo and passenger pigeon clearly demonstrates our moral shortcomings. No doubt, the day will come when we are all called to account for this. The way we are depleting our own natural resources does not bode well for our children and grandchildren. University studies suggest that if we continue as we are, this world will reach the “Omega point” in 2050. i.e. Homo-sapiens will have “wiped themselves out”. That’s a mere ±40 years in the future, by which time most of those who read this message will have passed away anyway!

Wouldn’t it be wonderful if we had a means whereby we could consult with God concerning our proposed actions before we make decisions? It would be wonderful to have something similar to that which the High Priest used to determine the LORD's will for His people. In Exodus, Moses describes something worn by the High Priest. ³⁰ Insert the Urim and Thummim into the sacred chestpiece so they will be carried over Aaron's heart when he goes into the LORD's presence. In this way, Aaron will always carry over his heart the objects used to determine the LORD's will for His people whenever he goes in before the LORD. Exodus 28:30 NLT

Now that was in the Old Testament. Surely we have something better in the New? Actually, we do. Jesus is our High Priest and He is always interceding for us in the presence of His Father. If we ask Him, He will tell us. He doesn’t need the Urim and Thummim. Because He is God, He already has the answer. He makes that answer available to us through His Holy Spirit. This is important because while we are living in this world, He will always guide us concerning what we should or shouldn’t do. He will not compel us to do anything. But if we ask Him, He will guide us. What we must realise is that He will show the way, but we must make the decision. We remain the captains of our own souls. It follows that if we end up shipwrecked; it’s our own fault for not following His directions.

Why then do we make silly mistakes? Jesus half-brother James gives us the answer: ¹⁴ Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. James 1:14 NLT Phyllida and I both admit that this was at the very root of our wrong marriages. We both made a seriously bad choice. We both knew about the Lord’s instruction through Paul in his letter to Corinth, not to marry an unbeliever. (Don't team up with those who are unbelievers.) We were fully aware of this command. Even so we went ahead and married unbelievers. 

The Scripture states: ¹⁴ Don't team up with those who are unbelievers. How can righteousness be a partner with wickedness? How can light live with darkness? ¹⁵ What harmony can there be between Christ and the devil? How can a believer be a partner with an unbeliever? ¹⁶ And what union can there be between God's temple and idols? For we are the temple of the living God. As God said: "I will live in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they will be My people. ¹⁷ Therefore, come out from among unbelievers, and separate yourselves from them, says the LORD. Don't touch their filthy things, and I will welcome you. 2 Cor. 6:14-17 NLT

We mistakenly thought we would change our respective marriage partners. The very opposite happened. Our marriages to unbelievers ended disastrously. We have nobody to blame but ourselves. It cost us both a large chunck of our allotted years and many years of pain as we tried to survive within marriage. We both understood that marriage is a covenant and should never be broken. We didn’t intend to break covenant. In the end, it happened.

One of the reactions we found from a number of Christians is best expressed by, “God will forgive you, we won’t!” Consequently, in many fellowships, a divorced person becomes a sort of “second grade” Christian. As I’ve said before, the Christian army is the only one which shoots its wounded. Is there no such thing as forgiveness for divorced people? In some churches the comment was to ask, “Have you repented?” If so, you may go ahead and love again. You may go ahead and marry again if that is what the Lord has laid on your hearts.

Phyllida’s divorce was in 1976. Her ex-husband came home to collect most of his things. On the way out he told her she had better get a divorce. She went to see the lawyer the following Monday morning. The Court case and settlement took a while to sort out. Then she was free. But a divorced woman is seldom free. She usually becomes the legal custodian of her children and the father remains the children’s guardian.

Phyllida’s divorce became final in 1976. She came out of it emotionally and verbally scarred. Over the following five years, God slowly worked miracles in her life. He transformed her into the capable and confident woman we all know today. So much so that one of her pastors in 1981 informed me “She is all woman!” It was a real compliment to what the Lord had done in her life. 

Here was clear evidence that God knows best. He takes men and women discarded and thrown away onto the scrapheap of marriage and restores them into the treasure He intended them to be. That’s our God. He’s the God of the second chance. Even when we’ve “blown it” so badly and we’ve broken our marriage covenant, He’s there encouraging us; telling us to repent, stand and move on! He sees the heart!

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 10 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	GOD KNOWS BEST
Have you ever come to a place in your life when everything seems to be impossible? Molehills look like mountains. The car has a flat tyre and a new one is needed. Where the money for a new tyre will come from is anybody’s guess. Perhaps a child or a spouse has died? Perhaps you are alone because your last child has left home to make a new home with his/her new spouse?  Perhaps you’ve been struck down with a dread disease e.g. cancer? Perhaps you’ve just discovered that your first-born is a drug addict? Perhaps the Bank is about to have you evicted because you can’t pay the mortgage? Perhaps you’ve done something silly and it’s possible that you will be sent to prison? There are so many possibilities. One answer is to trust, God will provide for your need. Our prayer (Jim & Phyllida) is that the Lord will do so. The fact is He also may not. Statistically, Divine help does not come and you have to confront your situation “on your own”. Of course, as a Christian you will never be alone. Jesus will not desert you. But He may direct that you must go through the circumstance anyway. I remember on one occasion, Phyllida and I had to move home. My health dictated that it was necessary. I had not been healed miraculously and the only opportunity for us was to move from one power station to another. The idea was about as welcome as flies round the braai! Then on the morning we were moving, our faithful little cat died. We think it was poisoned. I found the body in the back garden and had to bury it. We were both distraught. I remember crying out to the Lord. These were real tears not something “put on” for effect. Then with tears streaming down my face I paused and raised my eyes to heaven. Lord, Your Word says, 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT I know it, but for the moment it seems impossible to believe. The pain is too great. Later, as God’s will for Phyllida and I began to unfold, we began looking back and getting excited about His promise. I became progressively more ill and in the end Eskom decided that I should go off on early pension. So I was out of a job but started to draw a small pension. We still don’t know how He did it but He kept our heads above water and we were able to pursue a call into ministry. So it was that 3.5 years after leaving that power station, we were both set free to serve the Lord. We had learned a valuable lesson. Even in extreme circumstances, God continues with His purposes. All that was needed was to wait patiently for Him. It is now 23 years since I was an employee of Eskom. In all that time He has been faithful. I’m not sure Phyllida and I have been! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			1 Restless in bed and sleepless through the night, I longed for my lover. I wanted him desperately. His absence was painful. Song of Solomon 3:1 MSG	O Lord my God I need you. I truly cannot cope. Distress is overcoming me and I’ve run out of hope. I’m lying in my bedroom; I’ve tossed around all night. The prospects of not seeing You, it fills my heart with fright. There is a pain within me, a yearning in my soul, Which only You can satisfy, none else can make me whole! My need for you is desperate. I’m red-hot with desire. My bones inside are burning; My heart is now on fire. O God please come and help me. Nothing can take Your place. And I am undeserving, to look upon your face. My sins are overwhelming. It feels like being crushed. My thoughts are all in overdrive. How can all this be hushed? Return O Lord; forgive me; O come to me once more. Come and soothe my spirit as in the days of yore. Cast out this dreadful emptiness which only You can fill. You know that I have loved You; and Lord I love You still, It isn’t You who’s tempting me. It’s from the other side. They drive me toward wickedness; to fill my heart with pride. I’m drawn to sinful actions. Temptation’s ugly head, Is standing right before me and seeks to fill my bed. Send that which is perfect; nought else will satisfy. Please send Your Holy Spirit. Without Him, I shall die. Resistance is now waning. My feet have almost slipped. But if You Lord will come to me, then I will be equipped, To stand against the evil one and see his power reversed. Save me from myself O God; then I will not be cursed. You tell me to be patient; courageous, strong and brave. You have made it very clear just how we must behave. But I can hardly stand it. I’ve waited far too long. My days have all been numbered; and soon they will be gone. But even so, I trust You. Lord even if I’m slain. It’s absolutely certain I’d do it all again. So if I die a million deaths; am crucified like You, There’s one thing which I know for sure; that You will always do, The right thing for your children. So I’ll lie down and rest, Knowing that in everything, My Master knows what’s best. And even though You slay me, it comes, Lord, from Your hand. And it will serve a purpose, which You will understand. Jim Strickland Written 10 Nov 2012
			1 Israel, return to the LORD your God. You have stumbled because of your sins. 2 Return to the LORD, and say these things to him: "Forgive all our sins, and kindly receive us. Then we'll praise you with our lips. Hosea 14:1-2 GW
			13 And remember, when you are being tempted, do not say, "God is tempting me." God is never tempted to do wrong, and He never tempts anyone else. 14 Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. 15 These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death. 16 So don't be misled, my dear brothers and sisters. 17 Whatever is good and perfect comes down to us from God our Father, who created all the lights in the heavens. He never changes or casts a shifting shadow. James 1:13-17 NLT
			14 Wait patiently for the LORD. Be brave and courageous. Yes, wait patiently for the LORD. Psalms 27:14 NLT
			26 It is good that one should wait quietly for the salvation of the LORD. Lamentations 3:26 ESV
			6 And the Lord said, "Hear what the unrighteous judge says. 7 And will not God give justice to his elect, who cry to him day and night? Will he delay long over them? 8 I tell you, he will give justice to them speedily. Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will he find faith on earth?" Luke 18:6-8 ESV
			For Jeduthun, the choir director: A psalm of David. 1 I wait quietly before God, for my victory comes from Him. Psalms 62:1 NLT
			5 Let all that I am wait quietly before God, for my hope is in Him. Psalms 62:5 NLT

THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 09 November 2013

Hi all,

There are certain assumptions made concerning the Word of God we all need to understand. For example, most of the Old Testament is written in Hebrew. The first assumption is that someone could read Hebrew. For example, I might receive a passionate letter from the most beautiful woman this world has ever seen. She may declare her undying love for me. But if it’s written in Sanskrit, it will not help me one bit. Now God has written a love letter to His people; we call it the Bible. But it has no meaningful value to any of us if we can’t read the writing. Someone must translate it into English for me to understand. I know many of the ladies keep the love letters written by their husbands during their courting days. They keep them for years in a very special place and every now and then they sit down and read them. Reading and understanding the Bible is very similar.

The next requirement is understanding what people wrote about. For instance, if I wrote a letter to you talking about Naas Botha, you would need to know he was a very talented Springbok rugby player. That’s fine. But suppose one of you descendants picks up the letter in 1000 years, the name “Naas Botha” would be meaningless.

The next requirement is to know something of the background of the letter. I don’t need to write an expose’ on cricket in order to explain that someone was fielding at “silly mid-on”. Or that Graeme Smith was “caught in the slips”. You know what I mean, unless you come from USA where cricket is almost unknown. In fact, according to Mark Twain, cricket is a sport designed by God in His wisdom, to give unspiritual English people, some idea of the meaning of eternity! But I digress!

Our Bible is filled with statements which, on face value, border on the meaningless. A good example is Genesis 15. Do yourself a favour. Read Genesis 15 in your favourite Bible – not one containing a commentary. Then ask yourself what it was all about? Most Christians are not aware that this is one of the most important chapters in the Old Testament. Why? Because it follows almost step by step, the procedure for “cutting a covenant”.

There is not enough space in this message to describe a covenant and its significance. What I must say is that a basic understanding of covenant and its meaning is required reading for Christians who are seeking a closer walk with God. For simplicity, the following table looks at the basics of blood covenant. If people are prompted to look at covenant in more detail, that’s great.

Table showing some of the steps, symbolism & meaning during the ritual of “Cutting a Covenant of Blood”
Step	Action		Meaning
1	Remove coat or outer garment		I give myself to you
2	Remove or take off belt		I give you my strength
3	Cut Covenant. – The procedure was roughly as follows:
	a	Split an animal in half and arrange the pieces (the walls of blood) so that someone may walk between them	Means I die to myself and saying God do this to me if I break it.
	b	Stand back to back with right hand raised between the walls of blood then walk between the pieces in a giant figure of eight while swearing to keep the terms of the covenant	The terms of the covenant are the terms of the agreement and commitment being entered into.
	c	After walking through the walls of blood and swearing to keep the terms of the covenant the two parties stand facing each other	Figure of 8 is maths infinity sign “∞” for time duration of covenant
4	Cut hand (palm) or arm (wrist) so that the blood flows		I pour out my blood for you
5	Bring the two bleeding wounds together – (palms or wrists)		Mix our blood to make us one.
6	We exchange names		I take yours and you take mine
7	Spell out the terms of the covenant in detail for all to hear and see		Details of our mutual commitment
8	Eat a memorial meal		I assimilate you into me and you assimilate me into you
9	Plant a memorial		Display the sign of the covenant.

By way of suggestion, think about the Lord’s Supper and a Christian wedding ceremony. You will find a number of examples from the above table, included in these two “ceremonies”. Incidentally, a covenant should never be broken. God honours covenant and so should we. Breaking covenant is one of the most important reasons why God hates divorce. So should we!

We should also realise that we are in covenant with Jesus Christ. The covenant He cut on our behalf is called the New Covenant. One of the reasons we are able to speak of “eternal security” is because Jesus does not change His mind. He doesn’t suddenly decide that He doesn’t love us. He will never do so, because He is in covenant with you and me. It’s an unbreakable covenant. Read the Book of Hosea to get a taste of God’s faithfulness. God tells Hosea to marry Gomer, a prostitute who will be unfaithful to him. That’s what happens. She leaves him and goes back to prostitution. It’s a heart breaking story. Later, Hosea goes out and finds Gomer for sale in the slave market. So he buys her back and takes her home again.

The book is, in many ways, a reflection of Jesus’ love for us. We have prostituted ourselves with the “delights” of sin. Jesus comes and woo’s us back. He finds us in Satan’s slave market, buys us with His precious blood and takes us home. Would I do that? Would you? I wish I could say “Yes!”

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 9 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	THE OLD AND NEW COVENANT
Most of us think that when we refer to God’s Law we are referring to the Ten Commandments. This is not surprising. The ten commandments are just about impossible to keep. In fact Jesus is the only person who succeeded in doing so. According to Nelson’s Illustrated New Bible Dictionary, “There are eight distinct categories of civil law in the Old Testament: (1) laws regulating leaders, (2) laws regulating the army, (3) laws respecting criminals, (4) laws dealing with crimes against property, (5) laws relating to humane treatment, (6) laws about personal and family rights, (7) laws about property rights, and (8) laws regulating other social behaviour”. For the likes of you and me, these laws are equally impossible to keep. They had inflexible penalties. For example, death was the penalty for fornication, adultery, homosexuality, prostitution, incest and bestiality. These penalties were absolute. Man had no authority to change these laws. In Jewish law, these penalties were rigidly applied. It’s important to understand that these laws have not been rescinded and are as true now as they were in days of old. What has changed is that in Christ, the penalty no longer applies. The curse of the law was the penalty applicable when the law was broken. Paul points this out: 13 Christ paid the price to free us from the curse that God's laws bring by becoming cursed instead of us. Scripture says, "Everyone who is hung on a tree is cursed." Gal. 3:13 GW For those familiar with the game “Monopoly”, it’s a bit like having a “get out of jail free” card. If you get sent to jail during the course of the game, the card enables you to continue playing. You are “just visiting”. What we need to remember is that although we have been redeemed from the curse of the law, it does not mean that the law no longer applies. Jesus made this very plain: 8 I tell you the truth, until heaven and earth disappear, not even the smallest detail of God's law will disappear until its purpose is achieved. Matt 5:18 NLT Note that the law is still in place. It’s just as true as ever. It’s the penalty that has been taken away. The danger for us is to think that because the penalty has gone, we can sin as much as we want. Paul discusses this at length in Romans 6. He points out that in Christ we are dead to sin and alive to Christ. In other words, 12 Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Rom 6:12 NLT Living under the Old Covenant was not easy. Living under the new covenant should not be thought of as “easy”! Under the New we can be forgiven for sins that demanded the death penalty under the Old. But to continue to live in sin under the New Covenant is anathema. The New Covenant demands  repentance from sin. No repentance = no forgiveness = No salvation. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 "Gather to me this consecrated people, who made a covenant with me by sacrifice." Psalms 50:5 TNIV	There are many differences for folk like me and you, Between the major Covenants. The Old one and the New. The Old had no provision for a deliberate sin. The penalty was final. There’s no way man could win. A murderer found guilty was taken out and stoned. There wasn’t a provision for such sin to be atoned. Taken in adultery? Death was the only way To satisfy the penalty for what was done that day. You couldn’t get forgiveness, no matter how you tried. If you had sinned deliberately, then you were going to die. David got away with it. He took Uriah’s life. By lying with Bathsheba. She was Uriah’s wife. Uriah was then murdered for Bathsheba was with child. Her marriage to Uriah was utterly defiled. David and Bathsheba. They both should have been stoned. But who dare challenge David while he was still enthroned? And so it’s very clear that David was above the Law. Who would dare accuse him and Uriah was no more. We know that he repented. He did the best he could, To satisfy the matter. But legally he should, Be stoned because of murder and for adultery. But kings were all untouchable; he had to be set free. The law was unforgiving. The penalties were clear. Accidental sins were all atoned for every year. They were “covered over” by the blood of sacrifice. A ram had to be slaughtered. There was no other price. There were different gifts that were all offered to the Lord But none of them were perfect. Each one of them was flawed. How many should be slaughtered to pay for just one man? Thus in the New Covenant, God had a better plan. The sacrificial system was still very much in place. But who could ever pay the price for all the human race?” The offering would have to be the Son of God Divine. His blood and His alone forgives all sin. Both yours and mine. So Jesus, by one offering, could pay for every sin. By His blood of sacrifice, we now can enter in. This means that the Old Covenant for us is obsolete. Jesus blood is final; and forgiveness is complete. Jim Strickland Written 9 Nov 2012
			28 In the same way, Christ was offered up once. He took away the sins of many people. He will also come a second time. At that time he will not suffer for sin. Instead, he will come to bring salvation to those who are waiting for him. Hebrews 9:28 NIrV
			15 That is why He is the One who mediates a new covenant between God and people, so that all who are called can receive the eternal inheritance God has promised them. For Christ died to set them free from the penalty of the sins they had committed under that first covenant. Hebrews 9:15 NLT
			24 Father, I want those you gave me To be with me, right where I am, So they can see my glory, the splendour you gave me, Having loved me Long before there ever was a world. John 17:24 MSG
			27 And He will send out His angels to gather His chosen ones from all over the world--from the farthest ends of the earth and heaven. Mark 13:27 NLT
			4 Even if you have been banished to the most distant land under the heavens, from there the LORD your God will gather you and bring you back. Deuteronomy 30:4 TNIV
			16 For the Lord himself will come down from heaven, with a loud command, with the voice of the archangel and with the trumpet call of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first. 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17 TNIV