Sunday, May 12, 2013

STRENGTH OUT OF WEAKNESS!

Masculine image today

Time with Jesus - Monday, 13 May 2013

Hi all,
We live in an era of “main manne”. To really succeed as a man you need to be at least a front rank forward in a top rugby team. An acceptable alternative would be a cross between the Incredible Hulk and Spiderman. If anyone gets in your way, you walk over him or neutralise him with a portable canon. Weakness in any form is not acceptable. The image is to be hard drinking, hard fighting with complete control over any situation including women.
If you don’t believe me, have a look at what’s on TV these days; bulging biceps for the men or big boobs for the women. Better still, have a look at the games the kids play on their play stations. They are mainly about killing the opposition. The more you kill, in the shortest possible time, the better you are.
The Image Today
With the macho image and the love of killing games available, is it surprising that we have terrible incidents in real life. Men who shoot and kill students on a lonely island; men who will open fire with an assault rifle on little children in school. It doesn’t take a PhD from a University to connect the dots. But please be careful. If you suggest there is a connection between a macho image and the murder of the innocent, you run the risk of being ridiculed by those who should know better.
I get the feeling that if Jesus came for the first time in the 21st century, academia would run Him out of town. They wouldn’t harm Him. They would merely dismiss Him and leave Him alone with His “strange ideas”.
Weakness?
On several occasions I’ve mentioned that the Kingdom of God is the opposite of the world system. As Jesus is recorded to have said in Mark’s Gospel, 42 So Jesus called them together and said, "You know that the rulers in this world lord it over their people, and officials flaunt their authority over those under them. 43 But among you it will be different. Whoever wants to be a leader among you must be your servant, 44 and whoever wants to be first among you must be the slave of everyone else. Mar 10:42-44 NLT 
Loan Rangers are not part of
Christianity
Most Christians read this Scripture as though it had nothing to do with them. It’s fine for Jesus and His Disciples. But we are modern and up to date.
The truth is the opposite. If I would like to be in the forefront of Christianity, Jesus says I must be your slave. A Macho image is valueless in God’s Kingdom.
Called to serve!
To put this simply. If I want to be “better than you” in God’s Kingdom, I must become your slave.  In fact, the higher I aspire, the lower I must go. Jesus became the servant of all. He is now King of Kings and Lord of Lords. If we aspire to be great, Jesus recommends we should; 37 The man replied, "The one who showed him mercy." Then Jesus said, "Yes, now go and do the same." Luke 10:37 NLT
Today’s meditation looks at being strong in Christ.
Shalom,
Jim & Phyllida Strickland
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give
Time with Jesus – Monday, 13 May 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
STRENGTH OUT OF WEAKNESS!
We’ve all probably heard the story of the Chinese Christian who visited America. When he was back in China his comment was, “It’s amazing how much American Christians achieve without God!”
It’s true. Many men and women are building their own ministry rather then God’s Kingdom. Of course it’s quite possible to do so. The various cults and religious thinking which has come out over the past several years, demonstrate this very clearly. In Europe the biggest cult was built by one man. Adolph Hitler. The problem in most cases is pragmatism. If it works, don’t fix it.
Sadly it’s also quite possible to start well and go off the rails. The Jim Jones tale is an excellent example. He started off as a fiery young preacher. It ended up with mass suicide.
The fact is God is a jealous God. He watches His people very carefully. If they deliberately want to go astray, He will let them. Remember, partial obedience is disobedience. So before any decision is made; before any plans are put in place, we need to check things out with Him. Furthermore, we must check it out with the other members of the leadership. Always remember that in the New Covenant, a church should be run by consensus by a team with a leader. It should never be by one man; a leader with a team.
What tends to happen with a one man band is that the Lord will let them have what they want. The Psalmist states 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Psalms 106:15 KJV
Another problem we have is that leaders don’t like to be seen as weak. They like to be seen as God’s man of power for the hour. This is the very opposite of what He wants to see. His strength is made perfect in weakness. Paul puts it as follows: 10 Now I take limitations in stride, and with good cheer, these limitations that cut me down to size--abuse, accidents, opposition, bad breaks. I just let Christ take over! And so the weaker I get, the stronger I become.2 Corinthians 12:10 MSG
In this morning’s meditation I’ve composed a “letter from God” on this topic. It’s based on the Scriptural principle that indicates, “You want it? You got it!” King Saul is probably the best example of this. The people clamoured for a king. In the end, God said, “You want a King? You got one. King Saul. Try this one for size. King Saul was a disaster.
Based on this principle, reinforced by the personal experience of Phyllida and me, I’ve composed this meditation. Please don’t regard it as irreverent. What it is trying to indicate is God’s attitude to people who insist on following the Sinatra doctrine. “I did it my way!” There is only one way to go. His way.
The poem is not intended as criticism of any person in particular. It’s not focused on you or anyone else. All I may say is that we see it as God’s heart for today. It does not promote anything or anyone other than complete dependence on God and His Son Jesus Christ. It’s merely a warning against disobedience.
Jim and Phyllida
Strickland
10 My heart is pounding. I have lost my strength. Even the light of my eyes has left me.
Psalms 38:10 GW
For the director of music. A psalm of David to be played on stringed instruments. 1 God, hear my cry for help. Listen to my prayer. 2 From a place far away I call out to you. I call out as my heart gets weaker. Lead me to the safety of a rock that is high above me.
Psalms 61:1-2 NIrV
9 Each time He said, "My grace is all you need. My power works best in weakness." So now I am glad to boast about my weaknesses, so that the power of Christ can work through me. 10 That's why I take pleasure in my weaknesses and in the insults, hardships, persecutions, and troubles that I suffer for Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.
2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NLT
28 Then Peter called to Him, "Lord, if it's really You, tell me to come to You, walking on the water." 29 "Yes, come," Jesus said. So Peter went over the side of the boat and walked on the water toward Jesus. 30 But when he saw the strong wind and the waves, he was terrified and began to sink. "Save me, Lord!" he shouted. 31 Jesus immediately reached out and grabbed him. "You have so little faith," Jesus said. "Why did you doubt Me?"
Matthew 14:28-31 NLT
10 If you fall to pieces in a crisis, there wasn't much to you in the first place.
Proverbs 24:10 MSG
29 He gives strength to those who are tired. He gives power to those who are weak.
Isaiah 40:29 NIrV
27 The eternal God is your refuge, and His everlasting arms are under you. He drives out the enemy before you; He cries out, 'Destroy them!'
Deuteronomy 33:27 NLT
11 We ask him to strengthen you by his glorious might with all the power you need to patiently endure everything with joy.
Colossians 1:11 GW






“If you insist on doing it, go on then, have a go.
What happened to you last time? Did I not tell you so?
If you want to do it, I’ll let you carry on.
I’ll let you keep on trying ‘til all your strength has gone.
It seems you keep forgetting, I only help the weak.
So when the wheels start coming off, don’t turn around to seek,
If I am walking with you. I’ll let you make a mess.
Perhaps when you have had enough, you’ll ask if I will bless,
The things which you are trying. But it was your idea!
You didn’t even talk to me or ask Me to draw near!
Many folk have thought that if you do things in My Name
Then I’m obliged to bless it. Such thinking is insane.
Of course I will assist you if the suggestion’s Mine.
But then it must be done the way of Jesus Christ Divine.
I’m not some sort of slot machine with money in the slot!
It’s Me Who is omnipotent! I’m sorry, you are not!
Don’t try some verbal “arm-lock”. It surely won’t succeed.
Even if you bawl and squall. Not even if you plead,
You have the wrong idea. It doesn’t work that way.
Before you start with anything, just take the time to pray.
Check if what you’re wanting is what I want from you.
Moses sent a dozen spies and I’d not told him to.
It was one big disaster. They brought back a report.
It made the folk so terrified the whole plan came to naught
I told them they should take the land. They sent in spies instead.
The net result was at the end the adults all were dead.
They wandered in the wilderness for almost forty years
They thought that I would change My mind. They shed so many tears
But it was not productive. That was their cost for sin.
Unbelief had taken them. They would not enter in.
So listen very carefully. I don’t want you to fail.
But if you try it on your own! That is another tale.
Far better if you listen and let Me show the way.
There isn’t an alternative for Christians today.
My purpose is to bless you; for you to get it right.
Do the things I show you and I’ll bless you “out of sight”.
Don’t be in a hurry. Take time to fast and pray.
Put things to your leadership. Consult with them each day
There isn’t a “Lone Ranger”. Those days are dead and gone.
Let them see your weakness. Then when you call upon,
My Son for His assistance, He’ll make your weakness strong,
And all that I intended for you will not go wrong”
Jim Strickland
Written
13th May 2012

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