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