THROUGH ALL ETERNITY

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 12 April 2012

Hi all,

My time in Bible School in 1982 – 30 years ago; was a time of learning and understanding. We had a number of lecturers. Some were very “Ho Hum” Others were outstanding. My favourite was not very popular with most of the others. He was Dr Ken Stewart; an American from the Dallas area if I remember correctly. His series, Foundations of Faith, was very informative. I learned a great deal of truth from him. I've still got the series on tape somewhere. He was the man who said that he had gone to seminary to prove the existence of God. There he shared a room with a man who had gone to prove that God didn't exist. He stated that neither was successful. He added that when he started believing God’s Word was true, suddenly everything worked!

Phyllida and I had both been through divorce; something not to be recommended. God hates it, and so do we. The damages and recriminations are horrendous. Back then we were looking for something to help us through this traumatic time. Dr Ken had produced a 6 tape series on Divorce and Remarriage and In view of his lectures; we decided to get the series.

Dr Ken’s main point was that divorce was sin. We already knew that. What we didn’t really appreciate was sin and its nature. So he started the series with an introduction I’ll never forget. He told us that he was a Pastor in a church somewhere. He added that his elders asked him to preach about sin. So he started his series by saying, Today I want to talk about sin. God’s against it. The elders are against it and I’m against it. So let’s talk about Jesus!” I wept when I heard this. The reason for this is that Jesus specialises in forgiveness of sinners. So Phyllida and I were able to go to Jesus and be forgiven. In this regard, Dr Ken’s final statement in the series was to ask the question, “What is sin?” “Sin is forgiven”, he answered in a way that we felt was a direct message from the Lord. We vowed it would never happen to us again. That was 30 years ago. We are still happily married and will stay this way until our death. If that should be a million years from now, it would still be too soon for us. In spite of our imperfections, our relationship grows deeper every day.

Today’s meditation is something of a foundation for being a Christian. I’ve tried to bring out the impossibility of man’s condition outside of Jesus Christ; helpless, hopeless and unable to change it even if we wanted too. Then Jesus Christ enters the equation and everything changes.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Through all Eternity

Each of us is suffering from that which can’t be cured.

It happened to our forefathers and we can be assured,

That each of us will perish and lie down in the grave.

Only Jesus Christ can ever interfere and save,

Us from all the consequence of being born in sin,

And reaping the corollary of what we’re living in!

None of us are righteous. It doesn’t work that way.

We can’t ever earn it. We cannot even pay,

To buy sufficient righteousness to satisfy the Lord.

The riches of humanity together can’t afford,

To come up with the purchase price of any human soul.

But Jesus’ objective, His purpose and His goal,

Was bringing the solution for each and every man,

Women and their children by His salvation plan.

No one was excluded and none would be denied.

Anyone who comes to Him will not be turned aside.

If he has repented and Jesus is his Lord,

He’ll be truly rescued from God’s terrible swift sword.

He will be forgiven and though he’ll have to die,

Jesus will receive him in His heavenly home on high!

When a man’s repented, he has been born again.

Cleansed from all His wickedness and all of sin and stain.

But God hasn’t finished. Before His work is through,

He has an extra something that He will give to you.

He has all the righteousness and we have all the sin.

On the cross He paid for all the mess that we are in.

Then He traded places. His righteousness bestowed,

Upon each fallen sinner when Jesus’ life blood flowed.

So He’s made me righteous. My friend, do not blame me.

Who would ever turn away a gift from Deity?

“But you don’t deserve it!” I hear somebody cry.

“Believe in the Lord Jesus” is what I then reply.

Put your faith and trust in Him. Repent from all your sin.

Ask His Holy Spirit to come and enter in.

If you truly mean it, of this you can be sure.

He will wash away your sin and He will make you pure.

He’ll give you His righteousness, just as He did for me

And you will live with Jesus Christ for all eternity.

Jim Strickland 

Written Thursday 12^th April 2012.