FUTURE PERFECT

Time with Jesus - 15 Sept 2013

Hi all,

Today's the Day

How do most people make decisions? More often than not, it’s based on personal preferences. Assume for a moment you have just changed jobs. The position you have filled requires you to be presentable to others. If you’ve moved into a managerial position, they will probably expect you to come and go from the office looking acceptable, in line with your position. 

For example, if you are now on the board of management, albeit in a junior position, your employer will require that you dress according to norms in the industry or office. It’s probable that you will be required to wear a collar and tie. Perhaps the best expression is to say the “smart casual” look would be a minimum requirement. In some businesses, you will be obliged to wear a three or two piece suit. In all probability there will be a “dress code” associated with the job. So don’t come to work in jeans, a bright “Hawaiian” shirt and tackies unless it complies with the dress code.

Talking about dress code reminds me of an incident in Basildon in Essex in the 1960’s while I was an apprentice. At that time, Basildon was a new town that had recently been established to cater for the growing population in the area between London and Southend. There was not a great deal of night life in Basildon. There were several Pubs (Public Houses) which catered for adults. If you haven’t lived or visited UK you may not know that Pubs play an important role in the social life of the average Brit. The image of drunkenness and debauchery associated with the Pubs of the 19^th and early 20^th century is no longer true. Even in the 1960’s, many of them also served as restaurants. They required high standards of dress and behaviour in spite of the fact that their purpose was the sale of malt, wines and spirits. These once “all male” establishments (apart from bar maids) had changed and ladies were made very welcome.

One of the Pub’s, The Commodore, had a strict dress code. Men were required to wear collars and ties or they would not be admitted and served. There was no “dress code” for the ladies. It wasn’t necessary. Some of the young men objected to the dress code and tried to “push” the boundaries. However, a number of them were turned away because their dress didn’t comply with the requirement. A group of about 20 of them decided to fight back. No physically. 

Do you remember the old fashioned detachable collars? They went out of fashion many years ago. However they were still available if you look for them. Do you remember the old string ties? 

String Tie

They were popularised by the “Teddy Boys” of the 1950’s. When these young men arrived at The Commodore” they were shirtless. But each one was wearing a detachable collar complete with a string tie. It looked rather comical which is what they intended. At first there was uproar! Then the people started laughing. Shrieks of laughter came from the group of youngsters. Then the entire management and staff of the Commodore joined in. That was the end of the dress code. From then on, “smart casual” was the order of the day!

This story of the Commodore, collars and string ties illustrates the fact that decisions are not always cast in concrete. They can be challenged and even overturned. It also indicates that decisions result in repercussions. Some of them are good. Others are not. Nevertheless, decisions have to be taken. They can be postponed, but few can be left to “sort themselves out”!

The most important decision anyone can take is to surrender to the will of God and give their life to Jesus Christ. The fact is this decision directly affects our eternal future. The writer to the Hebrews states: ²⁷ People have to die once. After that, God will judge them Hebrews 9:27 NIrV.  Furthermore, according to John, ⁶ Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 NIrV

Most of us settled this issue a number of years ago. For Phyllida it took place while she was seated on a rock near Ceres at a Baptist Church Camp in 1951. There is a picture of her seated on that rock in our study. For me it was in the Bainbridge Memorial Methodist Church Hall at a Youth Service in 1960. Neither of us will ever forget that time.

We both know how important our respective decisions were. But that was not the end of it. Those decisions taken over 50 years ago were wonderful. However, something further was needed. We needed to continue and live a life in line with what we had decided. If we didn’t, it would have been no more relevant than deciding to have none or one spoon of sugar in our coffee. It had to be more important than deciding to follow the Commodore’s dress code!

From where we were, our decisions had to be reinforced with deliberate action. After all, if Jesus Christ is Lord of your life, He is the one who makes the decisions! We quickly realised He had no problem with our deciding unimportant things such as which brand of toothpaste to use. But when it came to big decisions, it was a question of our obedience to Him. We needed to establish, His will for our lives. 

We decided to commit ourselves to hearing His voice daily if possible. We also decided it would only be possible if we spent time with Him in His Word. We decided this would have to be our way of life. We have done our best to do so. Yes we have made mistakes; many of them. However, in spite of these mistakes, He still perseveres with us. We’ve decided we will continue to seek His will and purpose for us to the very end. It’s the best decision we have ever made.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Choose you this day whom ye will serve;

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Sunday, 15 September 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	FUTURE PERFECT
They say that hindsight is always 20/20 vision. I’ve no fight with that. You can always be sure today about what you did a couple of weeks ago. The challenge is knowing today what is right for next week! Stories of what this is like abound. People dream of being able to cash in by backing a horse that we know in advance is going to win. If I knew today which horse was going to win the 2014 Durban July, it would be worth a fortune. That’s why most people want to know what’s going to happen tomorrow. People are greedy for money! We don’t know. God knows, but He isn’t telling! Omniscience is an “attribute” of God. He knows everything. There is nothing concealed that He doesn’t know. He has known the date of my birth and the date of my death since before He laid the foundation of the Earth. I know the date of my birth. I’m not sure I’d like to know the date of my death. We celebrate birthdays. Would we celebrate our death day? It’s a bit macabre isn’t it? Even if the date is fifty years in the future. Would any of us enjoy ticking off the years, months, days and hours? How would you like to send out an invitation card to attend your own funeral? No thanks. What about exam results? Could there be examinations? If you know the questions beforehand, it couldn’t be an examination! God has to “live” with this every day. He could tell me the name of my great, great, grandson if He chooses. He doesn’t. He knows how impossible it would make life for us. Can you imagine what it would be like during the middle ages if people knew all about the Wright brothers and Boeing 747’s? The concept scares me! Nevertheless men and women are incurably curious; the fact that it would take all the fun out of life, doesn’t seem to matter. Most of us struggle with knowing the correct thing to do today; so that we won’t foul up tomorrow! Our poetic section describes one way men and women determine what they are about to do; flip a coin! It has one thing in its favour. You have a 50% chance of being right. A pessimist would say there’s a 50% chance of being wrong! There is a better way to “handle” tomorrow. Ask the only One Who can tell you. Ask the Lord Jesus. He is able to tell you. But if we ask Him, do we believe what He says? We probably would if we knew it was Him answering. We don’t know, because we seldom ask Him about anything else. So in the final analysis, the only way to be sure of tomorrow is by being confident that we are hearing His voice! Are we sure? One or two of us can answer “Yes”. They can answer this way because they are constantly in fellowship with Him. They know what His voice sounds like, by deciding to be one of His sheep. They hear His voice because they are constantly listening. 27 My sheep hear my voice, & I know them, & they follow me. John 10:27 ESV It takes time to hear and recognise the voice of the shepherd. It doesn’t happen overnight. We have to learn to filter out the other sounds which demand our attention. With patience and practice we can all get to the place where we know His voice. In the process, we will make mistakes. But that’s OK. Perseverance will be rewarded. In the end you will be able to dialog with Him much as you do with other people. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			6 But let him ask in faith, nothing doubting: for he that doubteth is like the surge of the sea driven by the wind and tossed. 7 For let not that man think that he shall receive anything of the Lord; 8 a double minded man, unstable in all his ways. James 1:6-8 ASV	Standing at a crossroad he wondered where to go. “I see there’s two directions. Which one, I do not know? The left one or the right one? But which one is correct? Father, is there any way, by which I can detect, The way I should be going? And which way I should choose? I can’t afford an error; that way I’m sure to lose, The object of my calling. I know that I could wait. But Father, it is getting dark and it is rather late”. But nothing seemed to happen. He took a look around; Perhaps the right direction to take would thus be found. But not a thing had altered, It all looked just the same; And he was getting tired of this little waiting game. He reached into his pocket. He’d had a” good idea”. A little game of heads or tails will draw the answer near. Then with his supple fingers, he flipped into the air, The coin he thought would show him the way of getting there. “Head’s I’ll take the left hand. Tails I’ll take the right”. The coin lay there face upward and “tails” was in his sight. But that was far too easy. “I’ll choose the best of three. That way I am quite certain it isn’t “picked” by me”. He put it into practice. Two heads and just one tail. “I have to take the right hand path or I am sure to fail. I hope the Father influenced the way that the coin fell, One route goes to heaven. The other goes to hell” But still he vacillated. “Perhaps I’ve got it wrong”. He couldn’t make his mind up. It wasn’t very long, Before he had decided that he would pitch his tent. For he was undecided which way he had been sent. Meanwhile the Holy Spirit was watching him perform. The man was double minded. Such actions were his norm. He thought that He should show him. But would he hesitate. Perhaps tomorrow morning he would select his fate. But Jesus wouldn’t tell him the way he ought to go. The man was “double minded” and Jesus wouldn’t show The route he should be following. He first, must make a choice, Before he’d know for certain and heed the Master’s voice. The moral of this story is something unconcealed. You make the decision, before the way’s revealed, That what you have been doing, is either wrong or right; And Jesus Christ has plenty time to sit and wait all night. It’s you who’s in a hurry. It’s you who must decide, To trust the Lord Almighty and let Him be your guide. Jim Strickland Written 15th September 2012
			62 Jesus said to him, "No one who puts his hand to the plough and looks back is fit for the kingdom of God." Luke 9:62 ESV
			6 And it is impossible to please God without faith. Anyone who wants to come to Him must believe that God exists and that He rewards those who sincerely seek Him. Hebrews 11:6 NLT
			24 Therefore I tell you, whatever you ask in prayer, believe that you have received it, and it will be yours. Mark 11:24 ESV
			14 Then we will no longer be little children, tossed and carried about by all kinds of teachings that change like the wind. We will no longer be influenced by people who use cunning and clever strategies to lead us astray. 15 Instead, as we lovingly speak the truth, we will grow up completely in our relationship to Christ, who is the head. Ephesians 4:14-15 GW
			4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. John 15:4 ESV
			58 With all this going for us, my dear, dear friends, stand your ground. And don't hold back. Throw yourselves into the work of the Master, confident that nothing you do for him is a waste of time or effort. 1 Corinthians 15:58 MSG