A DYING SHAME

Time with Jesus - Friday, 01 March 2013

Jim & Phyllida Strickland at home in Johannesburg

Hi all,

Over the past few weeks, the word, “choices” has come up on several occasions. In today’s meditation, this is examined in further detail.

There are few better Biblical examples of making the right choice than the one we find in Joshua. ¹⁵ But if you refuse to serve the LORD, then choose today whom you will serve. Would you prefer the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates? Or will it be the gods of the Amorites in whose land you now live? But as for me and my family, we will serve the LORD." Jos 24:15 NLT Today you and I are confronted with the same question. Will we serve the Lord or some other god? It’s not possible to vacillate. It’s a question of Jesus Christ, or one of the myriad of false gods this world offers. Our eternal destiny depends on making the right choice. Joshua made his choice. Phyllida and I have made our choice. What about you?

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 01 March 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	A Dying Shame
Have you ever stood on one side of a partition and heard something awful happening on the other side? You don’t have to be physically standing there, to know what is going to happen next. Instinctively you know the final outcome and can do nothing about it. You’d like to, but it’s not possible. It’s a bit like watching a program on TV. You see it all happening and have no ability to change the outcome. This sort of thing is seen regularly on the “goggle box”. There’s a fork in the road. A choice must be made. One road leads to safety. However, you can see that it is bumpy and goes through difficult situations. The other looks easy. It’s wide, well made with a good tar surface. There are lots of attractions on both sides for you to have fun. One of the roads leads to heaven. The other one leads to hell. You have to decide which way to go. I’ve deliberately simplified the scenario. But the real life situation is much the same. Each one of us must choose the way to go. Sadly, those on the road to heaven can’t force people to go their way. You cannot make other people’s choices for them. As an additional complication, people won’t listen to what you want to say. They think you are a religious fanatic. Remember, the definition of a religious fanatic, is anyone who is more enthusiastic about Jesus than you are. It follows that no matter what you say is greeted with howls of derision. It’s heart-breaking! You have the one solution to their sickness. They are sick and dying from sin. There is no cure and no hope. There is only one way. The way is in and through Jesus Christ. Many folk don’t believe you anyway. They see us as representatives of the church that is thoroughly discredited. Open a newspaper, listen to the radio, or watch TV and you find the integrity of Christians to be grossly suspicious. They hear of another minister who has vanished with the church funds. Frequently the minister has run away with the organist or the leader of the women’s auxiliary. Then there are the tales of sexual impropriety between the vicar and the youngsters in the church. It seems to be worse among our Roman Catholic brothers and sisters, brought about partly as a result of priests and nuns not being permitted to marry.  So, it seems the priesthood has become a convenient hideaway for people of questionable morals. Tragically, many people will die without ever knowing Jesus. A number of nonbelievers are so set in their own ways that they would rather die than admit they have a problem. A few would rather die than believe you! Today’s meditation takes us down this road. It’s a shame. It’s a crying shame. Worse than that, it’s a dying shame. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			13 As a result, Joshua overwhelmed the army of Amalek in battle. 14 After the victory, the LORD instructed Moses, "Write this down on a scroll as a permanent reminder, and read it aloud to Joshua: I will erase the memory of Amalek from under heaven." 15 Moses built an altar there and named it Yahweh-nissi (which means "the LORD is my banner"). 16 He said, "They have raised their fist against the LORD's throne, so now the LORD will be at war with Amalek generation after generation." Exodus 17:13-16 NLT  31 What can we say about all of this? If God is for us, who can be against us? Rom. 8:31 GW 5 In my distress I prayed to the LORD, and the LORD answered me and set me free. 6 The LORD is for me, so I will have no fear. What can mere people do to me? Psalm 118:5-6 NLT 4 But you lead into battle those who have respect for you. You give them a flag to wave against the enemy's weapons. Selah Psalm 60:4 NIrV A Psalm of David. 1 The LORD is my light and my salvation; Whom shall I fear? The LORD is the defense of my life; Whom shall I dread? 2 When evildoers came upon me to devour my flesh, My adversaries and my enemies, they stumbled and fell. 3 Though a host encamp against me, My heart will not fear; Though war arise against me, In spite of this I shall be confident. Psalm 27:1-3 NASB 12 God is with us. He's our leader. His priests will blow their trumpets. They will sound the battle cry (of Judah) against you. Men of Israel, don't fight against the LORD. He's the God of your people who lived long ago. You can't possibly succeed." 2 Chronicles 13:12 NIrV 7 The LORD who rules over all is with us. The God of Jacob is like a fort to us. Selah Psalm 46:7 NIrV 14 They will go to war against the Lamb but the Lamb will defeat them, proof that he is Lord over all lords, King over all kings, and those with him will be the called, chosen, and faithful." Rev 17:14 MSG 1 Why do the nations gather together? Why do their people devise useless plots? 2 Kings take their stands. Rulers make plans together against the LORD and against his Messiah by saying, 3 "Let's break apart their chains and shake off their ropes." 4 The one enthroned in heaven laughs. The Lord makes fun of them. Psalm 2:1-4 GW 10 Devise your strategy, but it will be thwarted; propose your plan, it will not stand, for God is with us. Isaiah 8:10 TNIV	Why is it that all things come right, for those who serve the Lord? It isn’t just a lucky plan, or what we can afford. The secret isn’t hidden. It’s there for all to see. When God raises His banner, His enemies all flee! We think it might not happen. Perhaps we feel afraid? But those who fight against the Lord will never make the grade. They do not seem to listen; they miss the starter’s gun. It seems they are so terrified, they turn around and run. God has a mighty banner and when it’s held aloft, The people of the world bow down, and every hat is doffed! It started out with Joshua when he fought Amalek. The mighty banner of the Lord held His foe in check. And from that very moment, Amalek was doomed! Every time they raised their heads and battle was resumed, The outcome was a certainty. They couldn’t win the day. For those who fight against the Lord, all simply melt away. You can’t fight God Almighty, so do not even start! For when He fights against you, your army falls apart. His people were all chosen, before all time began. We don’t know how He does it. It makes no sense to man! We know He has no favourites; but it is not by chance. He knows the ones who’ll follow Him in His Divine Romance. He doesn’t hate the others. He’d love them to join in; But knew they wouldn’t bow the knee; they love it in their sin! He didn’t make them that way. He’d like them by His side. But they refuse to come to Him. They simply won’t abide, The fact that they should follow Him and not the devil’s bunch. So Satan rubs his hands with glee and has them all for lunch. They do not have a stronghold; a fort or other shield. In their battle with the Lord, they have no choice but yield. And in their stubborn fight with God, it seems they’d rather die, Than serve the risen Lamb of God, Who reigns supreme on high! They look at us and giggle. “Extremists!” they all state; And carry on with serving their lord of sin and hate. The Lord God longs to free them and break apart their chains. Their ears are deaf; their eyes are blind and little else remains, For them to find repentance. “Forgive them Lord!” we cry. But even so, they love their sin. In shame, they’ll surely die. Jim Strickland Written 1st March 2012

BLINDED BY LOVE

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 28 February 2013

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Hi all,

“Are you saved brother/sister?” For “Christians” in the 20^th and 21^st century, this question is passed round from person to person, almost like a “mantra”. Normally, people think that there are only two possible answers. “Yes!” or “No!” Is there another? In today’s meditation we look at an aspect of this.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 28 February 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	Blinded by Love
It was a Sunday evening in October 1960. I had just committed my life to Jesus Christ as Saviour and Lord. For most of the next couple of days, Jesus Christ thrilled and excited me. Then, progressively, over the next few weeks, doubts started to multiply in my heart. These doubts are best summed up by the question, “How do you know you have been saved? I must admit, apart from being excited about Jesus Christ, everything seemed so normal. I didn’t feel any different. In fact, I felt much the same as I had done before my conversion. I distinctly remember being shown words in the Bible. “So what”, I kept on asking? “What is this all about? What is there about the Bible I can trust? There was very little in it I could understand anyway. Furthermore what had the antics of a bunch of ex Egyptian slaves, roaming round the wilderness, carrying a weird tent and its furniture got to do with it? Genesis and Exodus were easy enough to read; but what about all those odd regulations and sacrificial rituals in Leviticus? Where was God in all this? Where was Jesus? Furthermore, why should I trust it? They said it was the Word of God. But how did I know it was God’s Word? Everything was as clear as mud and twice as murky. I didn’t know it then, but I was experiencing a head on attack by Satan or one of his pals. I think I would have quit, but I was quite enjoying it and getting to know the other young people in the church; especially the girls. Sometimes I think I was attracted to Christianity by the ladies. O well, at least I’m willing to admit it! Then something very important happened. I started attending the Prudhoe Street Mission on Saturday afternoons. Shortly thereafter I began responding to calls for salvation. I kept going to the front regularly. I needed assurance of salvation. The people helped me considerably. Then came 1961 and Billy Graham’s Greater Manchester Crusade. They wanted counsellors. I volunteered on the basis that it would help me with my understanding of being a Christian. I didn’t get to meet Billy Graham. But the counselling and choir sessions were being led by Cliff Barrows in the Prudhoe Street Mission. It was during these training sessions that I began “soaking up” Christian truth and getting answers to my questions. Of course, I didn’t get all the answers. What I did get was a passion for Jesus that is with me today. This experience taught me one unforgettable lesson. I learned that God is greater than my heart. I had so many questions that needed answering. But somehow, He kept me going on with everything. In other words, His Word was bigger than my doubts. I felt condemned by what I didn’t understand. But He was and is greater than my feelings! Now I try and keep short accounts with God. By regular confession and repentance, I’m able to stay close to Him. As a result, the words in John’s first epistle help me continue. 20 It's also the way to shut down debilitating self-criticism, even when there is something to it. For God is greater than our worried hearts and knows more about us than we do ourselves. 21 And friends, once that's taken care of & we're no longer accusing or condemning ourselves, we're bold & free before God! 1 John 3:20-21 MSG All this comes from beginning to know the Word of God. No longer are there any questions in my mind concerning its validity. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			27 The LORD's light penetrates the human spirit, exposing every hidden motive. Pro 20:27 NLT 7 When they persisted in asking him questions, he straightened up and said, "The person who is sinless should be the first to throw a stone at her." 8 Then he bent down again and continued writing on the ground. 9 One by one, beginning with the older men, the scribes and Pharisees left. Jesus was left alone with the woman. John 8:7-9 GW 11 God asked, "Who told you that you were naked? Did you eat fruit from the tree I commanded you not to eat from?" Gen 3:11 GW 17 Whoever knows what is right but doesn't do it is sinning. James 4:16 GW 18 Little children, let us not love in word or talk but in deed and in truth. 19 By this we shall know that we are of the truth and reassure our heart before him; 20 for whenever our heart condemns us, God is greater than our heart, and he knows everything. 21 Beloved, if our heart does not condemn us, we have confidence before God; 1 John 3:18-21 ESV 20 Don't ruin God's work because of what you eat. All food is acceptable, but it's wrong for a person to eat something if it causes someone else to have doubts. 21 The right thing to do is to avoid eating meat, drinking wine, or doing anything else that causes another Christian to have doubts. 22 So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn't feel guilty. He is blessed. Rom. 14:20-22 GW 23 Search me, O God, and know my heart; test me and know my anxious thoughts. 24 Point out anything in me that offends You, and lead me along the path of everlasting life. Psalm 139:23-24 NLT	No matter where we run to, from God we cannot hide. He knows us intimately; what’s going on inside, The heart of every person. Be they Christian or not, The way that we react to Him. That puts us on the spot. He penetrates our Spirit, with light ineffable; And He continues doing it. He carries on until, We come to the position, where we have made Him Lord. Where sin has been defeated, by His great & mighty sword. He doesn’t take a holiday. The Lord is never tired. He knows our every motive for the things we have desired. The things we think are hidden, in the recess of our soul, Are lit up like a lighthouse to display our every goal. Adam couldn’t fool Him from the time he ate the fruit. He’d disobeyed the Master. The man could not refute, His terrible exposure, to the God Who reigns on high. And understand because of it, that He was bound to die. Humanity had fallen. With all destined for hell. Until the Saviour came and rang the “liberation” bell; And by the Holy Spirit, could break the bonds of sin; Return again to Father and truly enter in. But still we have a problem, for Satan’s on the prowl. He hunts around to get us like a predatory owl. But he is unsuccessful, if Jesus is our King. And we desire to serve Him much more than anything! Christ provides the method, by the Holy Spirit’s power, For Christians to be “sinless”, every moment, every hour. Confession and repentance from sin will keep us clean; And He will keep us spotless, no matter where we’ve been. But Satan is a liar. He tells us we are lost. He says that we are wicked; and we must pay the cost, Of something that’s forgiven. He makes us feel condemned; And that it is impossible to ever make amends. But God has made a promise and assures us we are saved. That we have been forgiven for the way that we’ve behaved. Perhaps our heart condemns us, but God is so much more. And He’s the One to turn to, to obtain the final score. His truth brings the assurance of the facts about our fate. While we are serving Jesus, the devil is too late! God’s given us the victory, no matter how we feel. And we can keep on serving Him with fervency and zeal. So do not be misguided; Satan’s lies can make you blind. But while you are obedient, God love is what you’ll find! Jim Strickland Written 28 February 2012