THE LORD OF LIFE

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 01 January 2013

Hi all,

Happy New Year

May God’s Blessing be on you and your family in 2013

So here we are in 2013. It’s too late for last minute greetings in 2012. We’ll have to wait another 364 days! Our meditation today is about the Lord of Life and what we can expect in 2013. I’m not seeking to be prophetic or try and give any form of guidance. What I can say is that 2013 is going to be a hectic year. I’d like to think that the Lord Jesus Christ will return this year. But I’m not holding my breath. It would be wonderful if He comes back. If He doesn’t, there are still lots of things to do. For me it’s another year for writing these Daily Devotions. Occasionally I’ll dip into previous meditations. It will take a certain amount of pressure off and give me a short break. But I’m planning to send out a meditation every day. God willing.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 01 January 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 Lord of Life
Today is a new start on a new day of a new year. Happy 2013. Perhaps a better phrase is “Compliments of the Season”. The one that ended last night at the stroke of midnight. Indeed, today is a holiday. One we all need before the 2013 storm begins. It will certainly be a year of storms at our Christian norms. By the time this is read we will know if USA went over the fiscal cliff! Will there be a big splash at the bottom, or will it fizzle out the way most things do in politics? It’s difficult to predict. In RSA, Jacob Zuma will still be president. Barak Obama will remain USA President and David Cameron will remain as UK Prime Minister. So, for Mr & Mrs average citizen, the only thing that will change is our respective ages. But what about Mr and Mrs Christian? I am deliberately avoiding the word “average” because Christians are not average. Not in theory anyway. In fact we must take note of what Moses said to the Children of Israel. 7 Then Moses called for Joshua, and as all Israel watched, he said to him, "Be strong and courageous! For you will lead these people into the land that the LORD swore to their ancestors He would give them. You are the one who will divide it among them as their grants of land. 8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deut 31:7-8 NLT As I write this introduction, I have urgency in my spirit to ask all Christians to be expectant this year. More than that, be pregnant with hope for the future and confident that the Lord is about to do something new in 2013. Let me state at the outset, I’ve heard this on many occasions in the past 50 odd years in Christianity. But this is the first time I’ve felt this personally. Something dramatic is about to take place. Moses spoke these words to Joshua at the time when the Lord was about to pass the baton from Moses to Joshua. The “old style” leadership was about to leave. The “new style” was about to begin. These words were spoken on the final day of Moses’ ministry as the leader of the Israelites. God would soon open a way through the Jordan in a way different from the way He did with Moses and the Red Sea. In this respect it was one of the most exciting times in Biblical history. It was time for change. How are we going to respond to this? Will we rest on past achievements or will we grasp the nettle of what God is about to do? Will we grab it with both hands or will we hide behind our shields of, “God has never done this before!” I have a distinct feeling that we are standing in front of the burning bush just as Moses did some 3500 years ago. God said, “Here I am Moses!” Moses’ response was “Who am I!” Moses was overwhelmed with the presence and power of the Living God. He knew he could do nothing. He was a failure and he knew it. He couldn’t speak well and was scared spit-less of Pharaoh and the Egyptians. But the Lord said to him, “I will be with you!” (Ex 3:12) Not one of us is able to do what God requires of us. But He says to His people, “I will be with you!” These words are being written as we pass from one year to another. The old has gone. The new has come. What will we do with 2013? Will it be just another year, or will we get rid of past failures and go into the future confidently holding the hand of the Eternal God? It’s our choice. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			8 Do not be afraid or discouraged, for the LORD will personally go ahead of you. He will be with you; He will neither fail you nor abandon you." Deut 31:8 NLT 15 Then Moses said, "If You don't personally go with us, don't make us leave this place. 16 How will anyone know that You look favourably on me--on me and on Your people--if You don't go with us? For Your presence among us sets Your people and me apart from all other people on the earth." Exodus 33:14-16 NLT 23 I know, O LORD, that the way of man is not in himself, that it is not in man who walks to direct his steps. 24 Correct me, O LORD, but in justice; not in your anger, lest you bring me to nothing. Jer 10:23-24 ESV 23 If the LORD is pleased with the way a man lives, he makes his steps secure. 24 Even if the man trips, he won't fall. The LORD'S hand takes good care of him. Psalm 37:23-24 NIrV 23 But I am always with you. You hold me by my right hand. 24 You give me wise advice to guide me. And when I die, you will take me away into the glory of heaven. Psalm 73:23-24 NIrV 38 I am absolutely sure that not even death or life can separate us from God's love. Not even angels or demons, the present or the future, or any powers can do that. 39 Not even the highest places or the lowest, or anything else in all creation can do that. Nothing at all can ever separate us from God's love because of what Christ Jesus our Lord has done. Romans 8:36-39 NIrV	As Moses said to Joshua, “Take courage and be strong. For you will lead these people as soon as I am gone. Go take the land God’s given them, divide and share it out. The time has come for taking it. That’s far beyond a doubt. The Lord will go ahead of you and grant you great success. He won’t fail or abandon you, His purpose is to bless, The people He has chosen to be His very own. Just follow Him consistently and do what He has shown.” The words that Moses gave them, all still apply today, And Jesus says to all of us, here’s what we must obey. It’s not a time for slacking off; It’s not a time to mope. It’s not a time for thinking, that there’s no future hope. It’s time for looking forward and straining for the prize. For focusing on what the Lord has placed before our eyes! It’s time to seek the glory; the type the Father gives. The sort that is reflected by the way the Master lives! It’s taking on the suffering, the way that He endured; That when we trust in Jesus, our victory’s ensured. It’s having a deep knowledge, of all that He has said. It’s putting all our trust in Him, to whom we’ll soon be wed. It’s waiting for the day to come, when He’ll return as judge. To know this is a certainty from which we cannot budge. It’s grasping He will do it; that all will be fulfilled. That nothing can prevent it, for that is what He’s willed. It’s getting into training, so we can win the crown. It’s fully recognising we’ll wear His wedding gown. It’s fully understanding, His word will never fail; In spite of execution, or being thrown in jail. It’s truthfully discerning, the presence of the saints. Who’ve died and gone before us the way the Bible states. It’s listening to them cheering, as we go running by, Aware we will be with them the instant that we die. It’s looking unto Jesus; He is the only way! Assured that He will take us, to be with Him one day. And as we move together, into our Promised Land, Be certain He will be with us to help us understand, That when the battle’s over, He’ll give us a reward. For being His disciple and making Him our Lord. Jim Strickland  Written 1st January 2013

JIMERICKS – PROMISED LAND

Time with Jesus - Monday, 31 December 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is about Joshua, Moses assistant during the wilderness wanderings. Joshua was an Ephraimite. The other man associated with the invasion of Canaan was Caleb, from the house of Judah. These men were the two spies who brought a good report of the land back to Moses.  Every adult male except Joshua and Caleb died in the wilderness. Only these two men entered Canaan some 40 years later. They believed God. The others didn’t and died in the wilderness. Scripture tells us nothing of the fate of the respective women!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday, 31 December 2012			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	JIMERICKS – PROMISED LAND
Joshua, the Son of Nun is perhaps one the greatest heroes of the Old Testament. So “great” that the fifth book of the Old Testament bears his name. He descended from the tribe of Ephraim, the youngest son Joseph. As we know, Jacob had twelve sons and a daughter by his four “wives”. Leah and her slave Zilpah; as well as Rachel and her slave Bilhah. (All legitimate back then) Jacob’s favourite wife was Rachel. According to their laws of inheritance Jacob’s eldest son was the beneficiary. Jacob would have liked to leave everything to Joseph, his first son by Rachel. But Joseph was eleventh in the line of succession and could not become head of the family when Jacob died. That honour should have gone to Reuben followed by Simeon, then Levi then Judah. But Reuben, Simeon, and Levi had disgraced themselves. So when Jacob died, Judah became head of the family. Before he died, Jacob adopted Joseph’s two sons, Manasseh and Ephraim. On his death, his two favourites were Judah (Leah) and Ephraim (Rachel). This is very important. Judah, the son by Leah was Jacob’s “natural heir”. Ephraim, the son of Rachel was his “preferred” heir. Thus there was an unofficial contest between the House of Judah and the house of Ephraim. This ultimately led to the division of the country into the Kingdom of Judah and the Kingdom of Ephraim called Israel. It’s fascinating to understand that Joshua was an Ephraimite and Caleb was from the tribe of Judah. It adds a further dimension to the wilderness wanderings and the conquest of Canaan. A careful reading of Scripture indicates that they were the only two adults who left Egypt and went into Canaan. It was not a “contest” in the true sense of the word in those days. But one from each “house” went in! Joshua’s name means “Yahweh is deliverance” or “opulence”. The name is spelled Hoshea in some places. Its meaning is much the same as the one we know as Jesus. In some respects they have similar functions. Jesus came to save His people from their sins. He brought us His great deliverance. Joshua delivered Canaan into the hands of God’s people. He may or may not have been opulent. But His namesake, Jesus Christ certainly was. 9 You know the generous grace of our Lord Jesus Christ. Though He was rich, yet for your sakes He became poor, so that by His poverty He could make you rich.2 Cor. 8:9 NLT There is another comparison which I like to use to describe Joshua. He went in and captured the Promised Land. Jesus did the same with me. At my request He “invaded” me. I’m certainly not the promised land. But my name is Strickland. So I am permitted to say that at my request He invaded and conquered the :”Strick” land. One day it will be complete and Phyllida and I will then go home with Him! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			1 When Joshua was an old man, the LORD said to him, "You are growing old, and much land remains to be conquered. Joshua 13:1 NLT	The Lord God came to Joshua and spoke to Him one day. He was told, You’re getting old. There’s still a long, long way,		To go before the Promised land, is conquered and defeated. Allot the land. As I have planned. And see the task completed!
			12 It's not that I've already reached the goal or have already completed the course. But I run to win that which Jesus Christ has already won for me. Philippians 3:12 GW	It’s not as though I’ve reached the goal. There’s much that lies before. But I will run, Until I’m done; And can’t run any more.		The course the Lord has set me, I haven’t yet fulfilled. Until I do, I’ll follow through. The way the Lord has willed.
			48 "Therefore you are to be perfect, as your heavenly Father is perfect. Matthew 5:48 NASB	Jesus gave His followers a difficult direction. Your very best, Won’t pass the test. It falls short of perfection!		You must be as perfect, as My Father up on high. Live like your King, And I will bring, The how, the where and why!
			5 For this very reason, make every effort to supplement your faith with virtue, and virtue with knowledge, 6 and knowledge with self-control, and self-control with steadfastness, and steadfastness with godliness, 7 and godliness with brotherly affection, and brotherly affection with love. 2 Peter 1:5-7 ESV	Faith is the beginning point, from which we all must grow. Add quality,            (virtue) To knowing Me. And self-control you’ll know!		Add steadfastness and godliness and brotherly affection; Mixed with the love, Of God above, You’re reaching for perfection!
			9 I pray that your love will overflow more and more, and that you will keep on growing in knowledge and understanding. Philippians 1:9 NLT	Beloved in Christ Jesus, in Philippi I pray. Your love will grow, And overflow, Increasing day by day.		And that your understanding and knowledge of the Lord, Will multiply, And reach the sky. And Jesus is adored!
			9 That is what the Scriptures mean when they say, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, and no mind has imagined what God has prepared for those who love Him." 10 But it was to us that God revealed these things by His Spirit. For His Spirit searches out everything and shows us God's deep secrets. 1 Corinthians 2:9-10 NLT	Man has no conception, of what God has prepared; For those who Love; The Lord above. It cannot be compared,		With all we can imagine. They’re hidden and concealed. His Spirit shows, What no man knows, And by Him is revealed
			9 So then, there remains a Sabbath rest for the people of God, Hebrews 4:9 ESV	If Joshua had given, God’s folk a Sabbath rest; Why did God say, There’d come a day, In which they would be blessed?		So there remained a God ordained, Sabbath rest for those, Who rest in Him. The Servant King. Whom they as Saviour chose!
			17 People of Judah, you will see the king in all of his glory and majesty. You will view his kingdom spreading far and wide. Isaiah 33:17 NIrV	Isaiah told the people of Judah they would see The glory And the Majesty Of Jesus come to be		They’d see the Master’s kingdom, spreading far and wide. A fortress strong. Where nothing wrong, Will ever step inside.
				Jim Strickland – Written 31st December 2012