THE NEW JERUSALEM

Top of the Muck Hep

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 01 May 2013

Hi all,

Still on Top

Very strange things happen to our aspirations on the journey from the cradle to the grave. In our late teens, early twenties, our minds are filled with a variety of possibilities. Fame and fortune feature largely among our intentions. Perhaps a president, or the husband/wife of a king/queen. There are no limitations and we see ourselves at the helm of a huge organisation. We see ourselves among the movers and shakers that change worlds. 

Solomon had it all
Sex, Money & Power

After full time education is complete we find an employer. In no time at all, we realise that there are many others working alongside with similar aspirations. More than that, we find we are surrounded by people with completely different value systems to yours and mine!

Suddenly we realise that we are somewhere on something like a “pyramid”. We want to climb higher and, with time and effort, we move up to the next rung on the pyramid.  This keeps happening until we reach a place from which, further upward progress becomes very difficult. We realise that there can only be one man at the top of the pyramid. Furthermore, the competition gets fiercer for the next few rungs of the ladder. But we carry on until age starts catching up with us. We aren’t quite as quick on the uptake as once we were and our annual holiday is something we badly need. When we go back to the office we find that our desk has been moved into the passage and someone else is in the office we previously occupied.

Your Empty Desk

At this time in life we realise we will never be the President. Things aren’t quite as exciting as they once were and we realise our days are numbered. This is called the rat race. We’ve been trying to climb to the top of the muck heap. The few that make it to the top realise that it’s still a muck heap! Effectively we’ve wasted our life. Only that which is done in and for Jesus has lasting value. All the other “stuff” may provide a top of the range Mercedes; a large and very expensive house in the most fashionable part of town; perhaps with overseas trips and all the other trimmings which go with worldly “success”.

King Solomon achieved all this and more. He was said to be the wisest man who ever lived. He had more women than most men would think possible. He was not only on the top of the muck heap; he was on the top of all the muckheaps. What did he say about all this? “Vanity of vanities; all is vanity. ² “Meaningless! Meaningless!" says the Teacher. “Utterly meaningless! Everything is meaningless.” Eccl 1:2 TNIV

He is Preparing a Place for us

There is a better way to live life. That way is the way of Jesus Christ. His way leads us to the place John Bunyan called the Celestial City! The City God is preparing for His people. Forget about all the “stuff” this world can provide.  Yes, we do have to stay here for our allotted time. Just don’t get too fond of what you can see and feel. It’s meaningless. Try and imagine the City He is preparing for those who love Him. Bear in mind that if you can imagine it, you are cheating yourself. His City and His reward exceed anything and everything we can imagine. For starters, the City itself appears to be mobile! It must be if it can down to us from heaven.

The New Jerusalem cumming down

This is where we will spend eternity with God living in a place Jesus has specially provided for us. Wow! I can hardly wait.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus –			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 NEW JERUSALEM
Imagination is a wonderful thing. It enables us to go where we can never go while in our “earth-suit”! I’d like to walk onto the middle of the sun and see what God has at the centre. To explore the moon or the bottom of our deepest oceans unhindered by the limitations we all know so well. To soar aloft with the eagles. What would it be like? Did Adam and Eve know any of this before the fall? All answers are pure guesswork. Imagination is a God-given quality. But we can’t imagine the unimaginable! Paul in his letter to the Ephesians writes: 20 God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 MSG As we think about this and our imagination, we are forced to the conclusion that no matter what we can possibly think or imagine, what He has prepared for us, is infinitely more. Put another way, if you can think it or imagine it, it doesn’t measure up to what He has prepared for those who love Him. We know that He reveals things to us by His Spirit. We also know that He has placed into His Word just enough to make us ravenous for Him. Today’s Scriptures deal with the new heaven and earth. What will it be like? In today’s meditation I’ve tried to express some of the things He has already shown us in His Word. To a large extent they challenge our thinking. “Can such things be true?” we ask, not really knowing the question or the answers! One thing I can assure you is that what I have written is only what I see in His Word. I have imagined and thought these details through and have written them down accordingly. What I can, and will say, is that what I have written is utterly inadequate to describe the fullness of God’s plans for those who love Him. I suppose we could say that they are like the daubs on canvas of a two year old compared with a Rembrandt or a Reuben’s. There is almost no comparison other than the desire in the mind of a two year old to state what he sees in his imagination. If I can imagine it or you can imagine it, we are still daubing paint on the canvass of our imagination. We can say only one thing in its favour. We are at least trying to make use of the faculties He has given us. I love the daubs of paint by my young relatives. They are meaningless to me. But the potential within them exceeds my wildest dreams. I suspect Divinity feels the same way about us! Jim and Phyllida Strickland			35 "The four sides of the city measure to a total of nearly six miles.(18,000 cubits) ”From now on the name of the city will be YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: "GOD (the Lord) IS-THERE." Ezekiel 48:35 MSG 3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. Revelation 21:3 NLT 22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:22-23 NLT 15 Because I do what is right, I will enjoy your blessing. When I wake up, I will be satisfied because I will see you. Psalms 17:15 NIrV 25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalms 73:25 ESV 20 "But Judah will be filled with people forever, and Jerusalem will endure through all generations. 21 I will pardon My people's crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the LORD, will make My home in Jerusalem with My people." Joel 3:20-21 NLT 10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. Zechariah 2:10 ESV 3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. Revelation 22:3 TNIV	When Jesus is creating, We think in terms of size. But when we see what He has done, we’re in for a surprise. He has gone to make a place within His Father’s house. It takes some understanding and requires a bit of nous, To think what He’s been doing for some two thousand years. We know He has been busy. That’s how it now appears. But stop for just a moment and think how long it’s been. A day is like a thousand years. For God that’s how it’s seen. Now Jesus Christ ascended on a Thursday afternoon. So as He calculates it, it’s really far too soon. To Him, this is the middle of the next Saturday. It also is the Sabbath, if thought about His way. So from the Master’s view-point, the weekend isn’t through! So brother if He’s coming soon, what day is this to you? Furthermore the project is massive everywhere. The base as it’s explained to us is measured as a square. We know twelve thousand stadia is fourteen hundred miles, Give or take a mile or two. It makes me think awhile. That’s bigger than the distance from Jo’burg to the Cape! Such a massive city! Our mouths will be agape. Fourteen hundred miles each way and fourteen hundred high! It seems to use a massive chunk of Our creator’s sky! Is it like a pyramid, or cubic in its style? As I think about it, I sort of want to smile. What about the mansions? That’s what we’d like to know. There’s no need for lighting; our God provides that glow! Someone has informed us; it would just fit in the moon! And Jesus has informed us that He is coming soon! I’m glad He’s the Creator. A project of this size, Is quite beyond the reasoning of any mortal’s eyes. No temples will be needed! The Lord Himself is there! Everything required will come from Him to share. There will be no sun or moon and there will be no night. Father, Son and Spirit will be the source of light! There will be no sickness and death will pass away. There will be no crying; Lord, hasten in the day! This is what He’s making and I can hardly wait! Please do us a favour Lord! Don’t postpone the date. “Jim Strickland” Written 1st May 2012

BE ANGRY AND DO NOT SIN

Fly Above Anger

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 30 April 2013

Hi all,

Stay in Control

The way people react to similar situations can be very different. Some seem to be “unflappable”. A bomb may detonate down the street and they remain cool, calm and collected. We look at them, shake our heads and ask how they do it. Others go off “pop” with the driver in the other car who cut in on them too closely. Several years ago a man was arrested and tried for murder. A car overtook him. I suppose we would say it was done badly. The result was road rage. The offending driver tried to get away from the offended driver. At the bottom of a hill, the cars both stopped. The drivers “got out”. A “shouting match” ensued. Then the offended driver took out a hockey stick and beat the other driver to death. Road rage can make huge psychological changes in people. The outcome can be frightening.

Don't Blow Your Top

Many of us struggle with anger. Being angry about something may be justifiable. What is important is how we deal with it. The Message expresses the Christian approach to anger as follows: ²⁶ Go ahead and be angry. You do well to be angry--but don't use your anger as fuel for revenge. And don't stay angry. Don't go to bed angry. ²⁷ Don't give the Devil that kind of foothold in your life. Eph 4:26-27 MSG

I get very angry when I hear or see a man hitting a woman; likewise if an adult mistreats a child. Such anger is permissible. What you and I do with the anger is another matter. We should never vent our anger on other people or their property.

Just Relax & Take it Easy

Let Sleeping Dogs Lie

As a child, I was told to count slowly from 1 to 10 before I reacted. That advice has stood me in good stead. Mind you I must say that when a dog savaged my young son, I grabbed an axe. The dog ran away. I was tempted to run after the dog. In the end, I quietened down and felt foolish. Thank the Lord I couldn’t catch that dog. The incident did heighten my awareness to my reactions in anger. I pray that I’m never in that situation again.

Today’s meditation is on anger and how Christians can deal with it.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 30 April 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	BE ANGRY AND DO NOT SIN
A couple of years ago Phyllida and I went to renew our driving licenses in Randburg. Queuing up for most things tends to be frustrating at the best of times. For some reason it always seems so much worse in government offices. What do you do when standing in a queue? Look round at others in a discreet way trying to convince them you are not looking at them, while they try to convince you they aren’t looking at you! We also tend to read and re-read all the notices and adverts on the walls. One such notice really amused me. It said, “Do not lose your temper. We do not have spares!” The first Scripture this morning reminded me vividly of that notice. I looked up Proverbs 14:9, the Scripture in the “God’s Word” translation. It resonated with me immediately. I understood it saying, “A patient person has great understanding and a short temper is the height of stupidity”. Part of me felt like saying “Amen”! Almost all of us have a short temper in certain areas. Some manage to keep it under control. Others do not have this luxury. On occasions, when we go off “pop”, it isn’t serious. Much depends on circumstances and other people. Some of us have very stressful lives. The police are constantly confronted by angry people. It goes with their job! So when we go off “pop” with policemen, in all probability they will reciprocate and you will end up in trouble. For Christians there has to be a solution. Short of closing eyes and ears, we must do something. But being who we are, we are tempted to want to “beat him to a pulp”. Apart from it being illegal to assault someone, the Saviour is unimpressed when our anger boils over. There is a solution for a born again, Spirit-filled Christian. The answer is to “walk in the Spirit”. If we are doing so, we will be experiencing the fruit of the Holy Spirit. These “fruit” are all legal! How do we do it? I have no formula for this. But the recipe is in the Scripture. We need to be in a close and constant relationship with Jesus Christ and His Holy Spirit. So much so that every moment of every day we are aware of the abiding peace that is made available to those who are seeking to follow Christ. “Impossible!” I hear people say. My answer is, “Yes, it is impossible.” But not with God. Matthew’s Gospel states; 26 But Jesus looked at them and said, "With man this is impossible, but with God all things are possible." Matthew 19:26 ESV We make what is impossible for us, possible for Him in us, by prayer. Today’s meditation suggests how! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			29 A person of great understanding is patient, but a short temper is the height of stupidity. Proverbs 14:29 GW 6 The LORD passed in front of Moses, calling out, "Yahweh! The LORD! The God of compassion and mercy! I am slow to anger and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. Exodus 34:6 NLT 9 The Lord is not slow to fulfil his promise as some count slowness, but is patient toward you, not wishing that any should perish, but that all should reach repentance. 2 Peter 3:9 ESV 1 Imitate God, therefore, in everything you do, because you are His dear children. 2 Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered Himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God. Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:22-23 NLT 19 For this is a gracious thing, when, mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God. 21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you, leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps. 1 Peter 2:19-21 ESV 25 Therefore, having put away falsehood, let each one of you speak the truth with his neighbour, for we are members one of another. 26 Be angry and do not sin; do not let the sun go down on your anger, 27 and give no opportunity to the devil. Ephesians 4:25-27 ESV	Please don’t lose your temper. We can’t supply a spare. The last few that we had in stock have vanished in thin air! We’re told the manufacturers can no longer supply; Which means the one God gave you, should last until you die. Perhaps around the corner, you’ll find another shop. They have a different model, which just might be a flop. So please be very careful and do not put it down. It’s almost irreplaceable from anywhere in town. Remember the original came with a guarantee, To last you for a lifetime. So use it cautiously. Perhaps it needs a service? Just add a little oil! If it is neglected you’ll find that it may boil! The danger is, it’s possible, for it to go off “pop”. A nasty thing to happen when dealing with a “cop”. Policemen are suspicious of everything we do; And want to find a reason to be arresting you. Their model is outdated and it is wearing thin; They want an opportunity to bash you on the chin! They asked us for an upgrade, but they’re not made to fit. So try a little patience. Eventually they’ll quit. Perhaps you’ve heard a rumour, the very best of all, Is readily available? It only takes one call To access the supplier. They have nine qualities, Each of which is legal; and all designed to please! There’s love and joy and patience; with peace and self-control, Assembled by the Maker and weaved into a whole. There’s kindness and there’s goodness, combined with gentleness. They come encased in faithfulness and sure to solve your mess. Oh Yes! I didn’t mention. They do not cost a cent! There are no service charges. The price is just repent! Call Him on His hotline. His Spirit will reply. You will need His baptism; which others can’t supply! Nothing will be missing. For you, it’s a “done deal”; And when it’s properly installed, He’ll mark you with His seal. When all is up and running, your temper you will see, Your anger monitored by Christ in His authority. Why not try and call Him on His hotline to heaven? Try “P R A Y J E S - U S 7, 7, 7, 7!” Jim Strickland Written 30th April 2012