JIMERICKS – PROMISED LAND

Time with Jesus - 31 Dec 2013

Hi all,

This is the last daily devotional I’ll be distributing for a month or so. They have been sent out every day for 3 years and I feel I need a bit of a break. Not that Phyllida and I won’t be busy. There are still lots of things to do!

My focus is going to be on the book I’m publishing. It will be called, “Verse, Metre and Rhyme for your Quiet Time”. I’ve located a publisher. Hopefully, most of the arrangements are well in hand. I’m using most of the poems sent out over this past year. Each poem is coupled with a Scripture so it’s very much a case of a daily Scripture verse or verses, composed in rhyme and metre. The book is A5 paper size and comes to about 500 pages.

It’s going to be primarily an e-book to keep costs down. There may be a few paperback books printed, depending on the interest generated by the e-book. As mentioned previously, I’m not seeking to make money from the book. I’d like to recover the cost and that will be fine.

The decision to publish the book was taken in September. We realised that time is running out for both of us and we thought we should leave a legacy for our family and friends to remember us by. It seems wrong to have been given this gift of writing poetry and not to have done something with it. To do nothing would be similar to the servant who buried his master’s money. The master was not pleased at all. So the book will be published and printed. It will be distributed in terms of demand. The publisher is in UK.

Phyllida and I feel we need a break. My struggle with anaemia is ongoing. We are assured that it is not leukaemia. However, no one seems to be able to find out why I’m not absorbing iron the way I should! Phyllida and I are very comfortable with this being in the hands of the Lord. We’ve both passed the number of years the Lord has said we should have, (70 years) so we are not particularly bothered about our future. As Paul stated, “to be with the Lord is far better”.

There is one thing we would still like to do. We would like to visit Israel again. God willi

ng, it will be in September/October 2014 or February 2015. I’d love to take Phyllida to Niagara Falls. I was in Canada in 1970/3 in a little town called Simcoe, and was able to get to the falls on a couple of occasions. Taking Phyllida there would be something of a sentimental journey. But I love sentimental journeys, so it would be fun for both of us. We should also go to Victoria Falls but that trip doesn’t appeal right now.

For the past 3 years, it’s been great fun. It’s been a challenge at times. However, thank you for putting up with my ramblings as the days have passed by. Thank you for the messages of support and your prayers. We will both revisit our plans for this devotional later in January. We feel the style will have to change to make things more easily read. Furthermore, we need to hear from the Lord about continuing.

morialYad Vashem Children s Memorial

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Jerusalslem

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 31 December 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	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

CHEAP GRACE

Time with Jesus - 30 Dec 2013

Hi all,

There are two huge errors among those who claim to be followers of Jesus.

The first one is the think that Grace is cheap. Here we only have ourselves to blame. We think about the state we were in before we met Jesus. For most of us, and here I quote Paris Riedhead, we find we are “Monsters of Iniquity”; in full rebellion against His just demands for our love and obedience.

We were completely indifferent to any claim He might have on us as His creatures. When we hear the truth about our hopeless condition, we repent and begin to follow Jesus Christ. Almost immediately we relax. 

He has saved me from the consequences of all that sin. Now I’m a brand new creature in Him. His grace has reached down into the gutter and lifted me out of that miry pit. But since He has already done this for me, now it doesn’t matter what I do. If His grace has cleansed me from all unrighteousness, it doesn’t really matter what I do now. I can sin as much as I want. 

His grace will keep me clean, regardless what I do. He understands. He knows how difficult it is to live the way He did. I know I can’t do that; so a bit more sin won’t make any difference. He “gave me a ticket to heaven” when he saved me. It has no expiry date so why bother trying?

The problem with this is the fact that it’s a lie. Paul makes this abundantly clear in his second letter to the Corinthians. ¹ Dear friends, we have these promises from God. So let us make ourselves pure from everything that pollutes our bodies and spirits. Let us be completely holy. We want to honour God. 2 Cor. 7:1 NIrV. 

The fact of the matter is holiness is not an option. The author of the letter to the Hebrews tells us, ¹⁴ Work at living in peace with everyone, and work at living a holy life, for those who are not holy will not see the Lord. Hebrews 12:14 NLT In simple language this means that if you are not separated to God to live a Holy life, you are not saved. The choice is yours. He will never leave you. But if you choose to leave Him, you are on your own.

The second error is to be too confident and imagine you can do it yourself. This was my big problem. Without going into details, there was something in my life I couldn’t give up. Much like a drug habit today, no matter what you do, you can’t break free. 

An alcoholic often has this problem. He wants to quit, but the effort of staying “dry” is too much to cope with. So he/she takes another drink of alcohol. This sets off an alcohol “binge” that reinforces and intensifies the problem. Very few people have managed to break free of alcoholism on their own. Then, Alcoholics Anonymous was started by an alcoholic gentleman who believed that “a power greater than themselves” could help them. 

They formed a type of mutual support club to help each other. In a way their “motto” was “one day at a time”. I know the system works. I have a dear friend who was a pastor in a church in Johannesburg. He does not hesitate to stand up at an AA meeting. He tells them, “My name is xxxxxx and I’m an alcoholic. With the help of Jesus Christ and the assistance of my fellow alcoholics, I’ve been “dry” for 35 years”. In the power of the Lord, one day at a time is the way to break free of anything.

To return to my own problem, I tried to break the hold it had on me for almost 3 years. I couldn’t. On reflection now, and to be perfectly honest, I don’t think I really wanted to stop. Not deep down inside. Up until then I tried my best to break free. All my promises to God and myself didn’t work. “But I’ll do it myself” was my proud boast. 

Of course, His attitude was very simple. “If you want to do it yourself, over to you”. The real issue, as far as I was concerned, was that it was incompatible with Christian behaviour. Now I don’t like hypocrisy. Not in any shape or form. So after almost 3 years of effort, I decided that I couldn’t carry on that way. So I quit. The problem didn’t go away. To make things worse, secretly I still hungered for God.

My choice of a marriage partner was disastrous. We had two children and I qualified as an engineer. Then ± 17 years later, the marriage disintegrated and culminated in divorce. At that time, in February 1981, in spite of still having the same problem, I returned to the Lord. Jesus was most understanding. But the same problem confronted me. I didn’t know what to do. 

That’s when I turned to Him, was filled with the Holy Spirit and confessed I was completely unable to deal with the problem. I admitted that I actually enjoyed what I was doing! That’s when I came to Him in tears and asked for His strength, just for today. The next day, my prayer was the same. “One day at a time” seemed to be the message the Lord was telling me. 

I was through with self-effort. As I prayed at the time, “Lord this is far too big for me. If you don’t help and strengthen me, I’ll go to the grave this way”. Jesus Christ came to my aid. One day lapsed into one week. That became a month, then a year. That was 32 years ago! The only way to get the victory over anything by the Lord is to surrender to Him. It sounds terribly weak. The image of a big “macho” Christian must be destroyed.

One of the most beautiful portions of Scripture is called the Magnificat. It is Mary's song of praise when she was greeted by her cousin Elizabeth before the birth of Christ (Luke 1:46-55). In Latin the song begins with the word magnificat. Mary's song is modelled on the Song of Hannah (1 Sam 2:1-10). Like Mary, Hannah was a godly woman who miraculously bore a son through the intervention of God. Hannah's son, Samuel, anointed David as king in Israel (1 Samuel 16); Mary's Son would be the final and permanent Davidic King (Luke1:32-33). 

The Magnificat has two main sections. Luke 1:46-49 are very personal. They celebrate God's graciousness in choosing this humble maiden to be the mother of the Messiah. Luke1:50-55 connect God's activity in the coming of Jesus with God's age-long pattern of putting down the proud, the mighty, and the rich, and of raising up the lowly and the hungry. (Courtesy e-Sword)

The magnificat is the testimony of Mary; a very ordinary and humble young girl selected to be Jesus’ mother. This is surely the supreme honour that God could bestow on any woman. No man could possibly aspire to such an honour. Men prefer the macho image that has no value in God’s eyes. In Luke 1:53 the magnificat includes the words, ⁵³“He has filled the hungry with good things but has sent the rich away empty”. (Luke 1:53 TNIV) 

As stated many times in these devotions, “In God’s eyes, the way up is down!” If you think you have, even that which you think you have will be taken away. Humble yourself, or you will be humbled. This is confirmed by my own personal experience.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 30 Dec 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	CHEAP GRACE
For how long have you been a Christian? A week; a month; a year; 50 years? The vast majority of Christian men and women have a good idea when they committed their lives to Jesus. Some of us can tell the precise date and time. You do not qualify as a Christian by remembering dates and times. Not unless you are speaking about the date and time of Jesus’ death. All other dates are comparatively unimportant. If you can remember; that’s great. If you can’t remember, don’t go into a downward spiral and celebrate with a pity party. The reason why many can remember is because of something specific. For me, I had just begun working as an apprentice. I was in a strange city in a strange land. All this contributed to the way I was. Most of us come to Jesus Christ with high expectations from ourselves and from other Christians. You know what I mean. “Now, I should be perfect. God is on my side and I’m on His. Everything should be tickety-boo! All that’s missing was my own personal halo! Within twenty four hours, most of us find that there is no halo and we are worse sinners than we thought. Then, to our horror, we find that the others in the church are little different from ourselves. When we make this discovery, there are three possible reactions. The first is to say, “So what! We are all like that. God loved me when He saved me. So why change? He gave me a ticket to heaven. It has no expiry date so I might as well carry on living the way I was. I may look like a sinner to everyone else, but God knows the truth. It happened 50 years ago so I’m safe from Hell! The second way is to start going down the, “Sorry Lord, I failed but I can do it” route. It’s the way of rededication. The way I started. “Yesterday I failed. Today I won’t. Watch me now. I’ll show you I can live like You did. Others may have failed. Not me. I can do it and I will do it”. Incidentally, I was on that road for almost 3 years. Then I quit. I couldn’t do it. I couldn’t live with my own hypocritical failures. The third way is the only one that works. You recognise that you can’t change. You know you have failed more times than you can count. So you come to Him helplessly on your knees. “Lord, I know I’m a failure. I can’t live the Christian life. It’s impossible for me. But I know You love me and I love You Lord. Please change me. Give me the grace to live for you for the next five minutes. Five minutes is all I ask Lord. This is what happened to me when I returned to Him after 17 years in the Wilderness. My prayer was, “Lord, just for today”. I know I can’t last for a week. So, just for today!” He touched me. I wept for my wasted years. But for that day, I was able to do what I couldn’t do 17 years previously. That was 32 years ago. He’s still doing it! Thank you Lord! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			9 "He will guard the feet of his faithful ones, but the wicked shall be cut off in darkness, for not by might shall a man prevail. 1 Samuel 2:9 ESV	What is the description of the normal Christian flake? Someone who’s not faithful and who God’s Word forsakes.           1 Sam 2:9 A man who walks in darkness and says he’s in the light. A lady we refer to as a woman of the night. A man without integrity; who doesn’t keep his word. A woman who will gossip about everything she’s heard. He doesn’t treat his servants with kindness and respect. He cheats them from the wages they rightfully expect. She makes them work long hours in excess of what they should. And when they make an error, she says they are no good. They’re good at church attendance; they even praise the Lord. But woe betides the pastor if they think they’ve been ignored! They boast to everybody about how much they give. But they pay no attention to the way that they should live. Behaviour doesn’t matter. Why bother? Grace is free! Jesus came and saved them back in nineteen twenty three! They have got their “ticket” and they are heavenward bound. “Sin is quite irrelevant”, is what they think they’ve found. Their claim to be in fellowship with God is just a lie.                 1 John 1:6 If you live in darkness, in your sin you’ll die! If we walk with Jesus, we’ll do the things we should. Live the way He’s told us, transparent, true and good. If we walk in darkness we are wicked in God’s sight. Not because we’re perfect! His blood has made us right!  1 John 1:7 We required cleansing; He washed our sins away. If our feet are grubby; by sin from day by day,                            John 13:10 Jesus Christ will cleanse them, provided we repent; Otherwise, sin sticks to us like huge blocks of cement. In the book of Proverbs, He tells us to be wise.                                       Pro 4:11 Do not follow Satan and his myriad of lies. You will not be hampered. You won’t stumble when you run, If you are obedient to Jesus Christ, God’s Son. Stay away from evil. Avoid all crooked speech,                                       Pro 4:24 Demonstrate a lifestyle in line with what you preach. Then the Lord will rescue you from every evil deed.                                2 Tim 4:18 To His Heavenly Kingdom your steps He’ll surely lead. If we follow Jesus, everyone will know. We are truly Christian and God’s glory, He will show. Jim Strickland Written 30th December 2012
			6 So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. 7 But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, His Son, cleanses us from all sin. 1 John 1:6-7 NLT
			10 Jesus replied, "A person who has bathed all over does not need to wash, except for the feet, to be entirely clean. And you disciples are clean, but not all of you." John 13:10 NLT
			1 I have taught you the way of wisdom; I have led you in the paths of uprightness. 12 When you walk, your step will not be hampered, and if you run, you will not stumble. 13 Keep hold of instruction; do not let go; guard her, for she is your life. 14 Do not enter the path of the wicked, and do not walk in the way of the evil. 15 Avoid it; do not go on it; turn away from it and pass on. Proverbs 4:11-15 ESV
			24 Put away from you crooked speech, and put devious talk far from you. 25 Let your eyes look directly forward, and your gaze be straight before you. 26 Ponder the path of your feet; then all your ways will be sure. 27 Do not swerve to the right or to the left; turn your foot away from evil. Proverbs 4:24-27 ESV
			18 The Lord will rescue me from every evil deed and bring me safely into his heavenly kingdom. To him be the glory forever and ever. Amen. 2 Timothy 4:18 ESV