Daily Devotionals in Verse and Rhyme: 03/25/13

Monday, March 25, 2013

THE KINGDOM ECONOMY

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 26 March 2013

Hi all,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland in Switzerland

The earliest game most of us play is “Peek-a-boo!” We see a baby in a cot. Then we go into the peek-a-boo routine. We hide from the baby. Then we appear and say “peek-a-boo”. The baby usually loves it and laughs, kicks his legs and googles. (Not IT Google! That comes by osmosis when they are 3 or 4) It’s a wonderful game and you are likely to get tired of it before the baby does.

Did you know that after His resurrection, Jesus played peek-a-boo with His disciples? Now you see Me; now you don’t! It occurs to me that they all enjoyed it. In fact, what Jesus was teaching them was; He was as much with them when they could see Him as He was when they could not. Today we know this to be fact. Perhaps we can’t see him. But He is still there. The fact is He lives in the only permanent dimension, the spirit dimension. We live in a changing dimension. To quote the song of yesterday “In time the Rockies will crumble, Gibraltar will tumble. They’re only made of clay. But – our love is here to stay.”

For you and I there is only one way to be permanently in the spirit dimension. Death! But on occasions, the Lord opens our eyes and shows us the reality of His Kingdom dimension. He “switches on the light”. We stand amazed We see the reality of what He has, where He lives! WOW!

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 26 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	The Kingdom Economy
Today is my seventy first birthday. A word of thanks to those who have sent their greetings! If you have not done so, please don’t feel that you must do so now. It’s not necessary. Incidentally, having arrived at 71, it’s nothing to get excited about. Things don’t suddenly change on the day you reach 71! It would however, be much more fun if we could do the things we were able to do in our twenties and thirties. Somewhere in our bookcase there is a book by Tony Lighterness written in the 1970’s called, “Living in the Kingdom Here and Now”. As the title suggests, it is not necessary to die before we begin living in the Kingdom. According to Paul, It begins here and now: ⁶ For He raised us from the dead along with Christ and seated us with Him in the heavenly realms because we are united with Christ Jesus. Eph 2:6 NLT If you are anything like me you will probably struggle with this concept. Scripture tells me I am seated with Christ in the heavenly realms. My problem is that at present I’m seated in front of my computer in Johannesburg. Paul does help us with this. ¹⁸ There's far more here than meets the eye. The things we see now are here today, gone tomorrow. But the things we can't see now will last forever. 2 Cor 4:18 MSG In other words, what I am looking at as I sit in front of my computer, is some form of an optical illusion. It looks real. But for a Christ follower, we are not looking at reality. This will pass away and the truth will be apparent. So I am seated in the heavenly realm with Christ Jesus. That’s what Scripture teaches and I can’t contradict God’s Word. It’s a rather odd thought, but we all need to understand we are living in a temporary world in temporary bodies with temporary eyes. To “see” reality we need our spiritual eyes. How does that work? I’ve no idea. Without wanting to be irreverent, it’s something like what we see when a conjurer “performs” before us. We “see” something. Then it somehow vanishes. I’ve seen this done on TV with an aeroplane. Now you see it, now you don’t! Of course, we all know that it is a trick. But Spiritual reality is not a trick. It’s more real than anything we see! From 1992 to 1996, Phyllida and I lived and ministered for the Methodist Church in Worcester. Thanks largely to the efforts of Andrew Murray; Worcester has a school for the blind and a school for the deaf. One of our Sunday School teachers was blind. We got to know her and, on the odd occasion, we visited her at home. We were amazed how well she coped in her own home. She knew where everything was. She made tea or coffee without sight. Later in the evening, as it grew dark outside, we had a problem. We couldn’t see in the dark. Suddenly she said, “I’d better switch on the lights for you”. For her to sit in the dark meant nothing. She had us at a disadvantage. In her world, being blind was normal. We couldn’t see in the dark. But when she switched on the lights we could see. It’s much the same for us in the Spirit dimension. We are blind to its reality. The things of this world with which we are familiar, look real enough to us in our spiritually blind state. But like us, they are temporary. Switch on the light and we will see reality. One day soon, Jesus will “switch on the light”. Then we’ll be able to see in His dimension! The real one! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			¹³ When God's people are in need, be ready to help them. Always be eager to practice hospitality. Rom 12:13 NLT	For those who are in business, herewith my sympathy. You’re in a strange environment where Christians shouldn’t be. The problem’s business methods and the things you have to do. You have to be competitive and pressure’s put on you. Your product must be better than all of those around. Undermine their products wherever they are found. We are in a world in which the truth is relative. It’s different for each one of us no matter where we live. Two and two are seven. That is the truth for me! Don’t say that I’m dishonest, that’s how it has to be. And so you climb the ladder that leads you to success. But Jesus isn’t in it and you are in a mess. The way we ought to do it is to imitate the Lord. But be a little careful, for business can’t afford, To let the competition, find a winning edge. That will put you out the door and standing on a ledge. They’ll try to push you over, so grab them by the throat. Run them out of business and steal their hat and coat. No part of this is Christian. It’s wicked through and through. No wonder I have sympathy for businessmen like you! We have to change our methods and trust the Lord to act. Start by helping others and you will find in fact, That other folk will help you. so you don’t have to cheat. And you have His assurance there’ll be enough to eat. Give to those who ask you. Even stand aside. Feed the hungry, quench their thirst and stay away from pride. Give a cup of water, to those who are in need. Don’t hold on too tightly, for that will turn to greed. If they prosecute you and want to take your shirt, Give your coat along with it. For ladies, give your skirt! If they want to take your job, then simply stand aside. The Lord has one much better, if in Him you’ll abide. You only ever get to keep that which you give away. And if you do not do it, you’ve lost it all that day. Never doubt God’s justice. But God is never fair. That’s a man-made concept and He does not go there. Put the other person first in everything you do. Do not make a whimper if he is cheating you. What is said may be correct, significant and just. But who is it you’re following and Who is it you trust? If they want to curse you and beat you ‘till you’re raw. Let them mock and spit on you till they can do no more. It is what the Master did. He never made a sound. If you emulate Him, Your blessings will abound. Nothing really matters in this life of sin and pain. If it’s done for Jesus, it won’t be done in vain. Jim Strickland – Written 26^th March 2012
			¹ David asked, "Is there anyone left in Saul's family to whom I can show kindness for Jonathan's sake?" 2 Sam 9:1 GW
			³⁴ Then the King will say to those on his right, 'Come, you who are blessed by my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world. ³⁵ For I was hungry and you gave me food, I was thirsty and you gave me drink, I was a stranger and you welcomed me, ³⁶ I was naked and you clothed me, I was sick and you visited me, I was in prison and you came to me.' ³⁷ Then the righteous will answer him, saying, 'Lord, when did we see you hungry and feed you, or thirsty and give you drink? ³⁸ And when did we see you a stranger and welcome you, or naked and clothe you? ³⁹ And when did we see you sick or in prison and visit you?' ⁴⁰ And the King will answer them, 'Truly, I say to you, as you did it to one of the least of these my brothers, you did it to me.' Mat 25:34-40 ESV
			⁴² I can guarantee this truth: Whoever gives any of my humble followers a cup of cold water because that person is my disciple will certainly never lose his reward." Mat 10:42 GW
			¹⁵ Let's take our place outside with Jesus, no longer pouring out the sacrificial blood of animals but pouring out sacrificial praises from our lips to God in Jesus' name. ¹⁶ Make sure you don't take things for granted and go slack in working for the common good; share what you have with others. God takes particular pleasure in acts of worship--a different kind of "sacrifice"--that take place in kitchen and workplace and on the streets. Heb. 13:15-16 MSG
			¹⁰ For God is not unjust. He will not forget how hard you have worked for Him and how you have shown your love to Him by caring for other believers, as you still do. Heb. 6:10 NLT

DEEP WATER AND PLANTING

Time with Jesus – Monday 25^th March 2013

Hi All

Today, it’s time to be different. There are Eight Scriptures for the Evening. Thus it was a question of quoting all eight in limerick style. For clarity the Scriptures are listed from A to H as is their respective limericks. Finding a title for the poetry was a problem as usual. So we opted for, “Deep water and planting” is a sort of a “catch all” that doesn’t catch all. This style is slightly more difficult to write, but it was fun anyway.

There is a “moral” to the story. I’ve often said that perhaps, the greatest sermon I’ve ever heard or read, excluding those which Jesus Himself spoke, were spoken by a woman! The speaker? His mother! Her speech / sermon comprised 5 words. Read them in John’s Gospel. ⁵ But His mother told the servants, "Do whatever He tells you." John 2:5 NLT

In spite of all our clever oratorical or verbal gymnastics or theological reasoning, I have found nothing in the Bible or elsewhere, anything which expresses so succinctly and adequately, the instruction in these five words. Well done Mary! Budding preachers and Bible teachers, take note! You face an awesome verbal challenge!