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 12th April 2012.
