ANTHROPOMORPHISM

 Anthropomorphism scientists say,

Is looking at God in a man kind of way.

We know He’s alive in a spiritual plane;

We know that our efforts to see Him are vain.

We know He is greater than all that we see,

So what do we say to describe Deity?

We really can’t do it. It’s hard to conceive,

Of our great Creator in ways we’ll believe.

And so we speak of Him as though He’s a man,

Until we meet Jesus Who changes our plan,

So some of the things that we said about God,

Were based on what’s seen on the ground we have trod.

But Jesus was different and people have seen,

The way that God looks and the way He has been.

But God is a Spirit and doesn’t have form,

For in His dimension we know that’s the norm.

And so we use terms all around us each day;

As found demonstrated in man’s sort of way.

But speaking of Jesus turns things right around.

The things which He did in all people are found.

So He is aware of our hurt and our pain.

Because He went through it, our souls to reclaim.

He suffered as we do and went through the things,

That Satan inflicts and the trouble he brings.

The Lord was no different, He had to go through

The things that His people find they have to do.

He knows about grief; about sickness and hurt.

He knows what it’s like to be dragged through the dirt.

He knows about death and it caused Him to weep.

He told them His friend was not dead but asleep.

But all that He said went far over their head.

They couldn’t believe Him, convinced he was dead.

No wonder He wept at the people He saw,

They didn’t believe Him; that cut to His core.

And now He has faced all the test and the trials

That Satan throws at them to warp and defile.

But Jesus is now on the side of His men.

And they’ll defeat Satan again and again.

For Jesus protects us like we are His eye,

And nothing from Satan will ever get by.

For He truly loves us and treats us like gold

And we will be with Him as eon’s unfold.

Jim Strickland – written Wednesday, 24 August 2011

LOVE YOUR LIFE AWAY

The great fact of the Kingdom is you cannot love alone. There has to be a someone; a person who is known. For some, it is an object. A house, a car, a sport. But usually the people it seems, must all resort, To focusing on others. A husband or a wife. A member of the family for whom you’ll give your life. It tends to be the children. The ones they had by birth. For most of us see children as the greatest gift on earth. But not in isolation. You cannot love that way. There has to be a someone to whom you’ll turn and say That you are very special. I’d give my life for you. No matter what you ask of me, indeed that’s what I’ll do. This all sounds very abstract. It seems a bit of fuss. And yet our Lord and Saviour did all of this for us. He told us that He loved us, and then He showed the way; That we should be expecting from other folk today. In fact He went one better. His love can have no end. We’re drawn with everlasting love to Jesus Christ our friend. His love is our Salvation. Without Him we are through. Its love that keeps us keeping on because His love is true. It leads us on to holiness; the Christian’s great desire. That fills our lives with something that His Holiness requires. We cannot be indifferent. We cannot be mundane. It has to be the very best or we would go insane. We have to give Him everything. The things that we control. Our homes, our cars, our furniture, our bodies, minds and soul. We cannot give Him any less. We give our love away; And everything we ever give comes back to us some day. He is no fool who gives away that which He cannot keep: Exchange it for what can’t be lost. The deal seams very cheap. Thus said the late Jim Elliot before he gave his life. He left behind his family; he even left his wife. For he was on a mission to take God’s Holy Word, To those in South America, the ones who’d never heard, God’s message of salvation. He died there at their hands; Be he had loved so very much he took the Lord’s commands And gave them to the “Auca”. It was not done in vain. The ones who went to follow him were able to explain, The Gospel to these people; And as they each believed They gave their lives to Jesus and salvation they received. And so he loved completely His life he laid aside, He loved these savage Indians so much he went and died. Jim Strickland – written Tuesday, 23 August 2011

CHRISTIAN LIFESTYLE

It’s very much a paradox the way that Christians think. We know the way that we should be, but do not see the link, Between the way that we behave and what we aught to do. We think all men are equal. Of course that is quite true. Then fall into the error of how we think of others. It aught to be identical with all the nations’ brothers. But this can never happen. We are not all the same. We may look very similar, but that is just in name. It doesn’t make allowances for things that make us tick. And unbelievers look at us and say that we are sick. I don’t think we can blame them, for it’s what they observe. We Christians are “genuine” until we have to serve. At least that’s what they’re thinking and they are seldom wrong, Because of all the things we do to string the world along. The two are inconsistent and do not make good sense. They say, “If you’re a Christian, then what is your defence? The things that you are doing are not in Jesus’ style! If you keep doing what you do, you’ve missed it by a mile! That isn’t love for brother. It seems much more like hate. And if you carry on this way, then you’re a reprobate.” Stand up for Jesus’ character and do the things you should. That is the definition of truly doing good. You cannot be a Christian and follow Satan’s ways. You have to live a life-style the way the Bible says. Adultery is something we shouldn’t see in you. You can’t be a whore-monger and to the Lord be true. You cannot worship idols, not even motor cars. And do not seek the future by staring at the stars. By faithful to your husband. Be faithful to your wife. Do not try and emulate the seamy side of life. Discipline your children the way God’s told you to. And do unto your neighbour what he should do to you! It isn’t complicated. A child can get it right. Only do the things you know are pleasing in God’s sight. That way it doesn’t matter. The people will all see, The things you know that Jesus would do continually. For if you take this action and if you do it right. They’ll see you are a Christian from morning until night. Jim Strickland – written Monday, 22 August 2011