GOD’S GOODNESS

The goodness You have saved up Lord for those who reverence You.

Not only in the Life to come, but also on Earth too,

It’s lavished on Your people; where all on Earth can see

The blessing of Your followers; Your magnanimity.

To see Your deeds in action, beyond what they expect.

To watch the mighty mountains as they quake with their respect.

And yet, though people see it, They’ll see You bless far more,

Than anyone can contemplate directly from Your store.

This isn’t surprising. We have such shallow minds.
   We’re locked into a system in which the devil blinds,

Our eyes to not expecting the things which we have seen,

Or ever could imagine. That’s very small and mean.

And yet within our spirits His Spirit starts to share,

The things which are made relevant to those who know and care

Enough to be Your servants; a little glimpse or two,

Is granted to the people who are searching after You.

O Lord You are before me. You are at my right hand.

So I cannot be shaken. In You alone I stand.

Therefore my hearts rejoices; my tongue is always glad;

My body is secure in You. So I cannot be sad.

I know you won’t abandon me; the grave can’t hold me tight;

Your holy one will not decay nor turn His day to night

For LORD You have made known to me the path of life I need.

And I will dwell eternally where joyfully You lead.

Your love is meteoric; Your verdicts fill the seas.

Your purposes titanic, And though somebody flees,

They cannot get away from You. They can’t fall through the cracks.

For even as they’re running, You’re right behind their backs.

O Lord, show them Your goodness; O Lord cause them to feed,

Upon the mighty banquet You’ve made for those who need,

You more than they can ever know. Fill up from Eden’s springs,

That they indeed will also find protection ‘neath Your wings.

Give all mankind a tiny glimpse of your cascading light.

Fill them with a love for You; Correct their endless night.

O God, please be their Saviour. Draw them into You ways.

Teach them Lord, to trust in you, that they may spend their days

Rejoicing in the Living God so they too may receive,

The blessings of the things You have for those who will believe.

Jim Strickland - Wednesday, 25 May 2011

GIFTS OF GRACE

                Now let us all serve

With sinew and nerve

The One we all love and adore.

For as all we give

He’ll cause us to live

And worship our Mater much more.

                 As Moses’ face

Was veiled in that place

Let Jesus’ gifts be revealed.

There’ll be no surprise

When He opens our eyes

To things that we thought were concealed.

                Fulfilment is found

Where God’s gifting abounds

And we flow harmoniously.

The ultimate end

We needn’t defend

For sinners converted we’ll see! 

                The way we behave

Is the truth that will save

The people who need to repent.

For they’ll turn around

Where His people are found

And go where His Spirit has sent.

                His burden is light

It isn’t a fight

To do all the things He desires.

Just listen and do

And all will come true.

And His people will all be on fire. 

                We don’t want a flake

Or anything fake

To walk in the way we should go.

So fill us with power

To move hour by hour

In all of the things that You know.

                Let us take on

The Christ who’s the One.

And walk in the gifts He will bring

For all that we do

Will only come true

When Jesus is truly our King.

                 Give thanks for the gifts

And the way that they lift

And carry your people on high.

We won’t interfere

When You Spirit draws near

And Jesus will cause us to fly.

                 God’s gifting is sure

It’s Holy and pure

And we will bring Him all the praise

And if we are humble

We won’t cause to stumble

The people who walk in Your ways.

                We’re not all the same

And we worship the name

Of Him who is more than complete.

And as we harmonise

And cast out all lies,

We’ll all behold Satan’s defeat

                Our body’s at rest

And we will be blessed

When all of our people are one.

The warring will end

When our knees we all bend

And all of our quarrels are gone.

                So let’s celebrate

That as from this date

The gifts of His Spirit we’ll see.

And as we mature

We’ll begin to endure

And everyone here will be free.

Jim Strickland - Tuesday, 24 May 2011

FATHER AND SON

Why did they need a priesthood way back in Moses’ days? He would meet the Most High God and learn about His ways. He would go and talk with Him inside a special place. There within a special tent they’d both speak face to face. Sometimes he called on Joshua, to visit with the Lord. But even when all three were there, they met in one accord. Now Moses was a prophet, he never was made priest.      But he made the appointments when their discussions ceased. He chose his elder brother, just as the Lord had said; And Aaron was appointed the brand new priesthood’s head. With Nadab and Abhiu as the assistant priests, And Ithamar and Eleazar to help if they deceased. The High Priest special garments were wondrously arrayed, To minister to God most High. But look and see displayed, The ministry of Jesus in everything he wore. Every detail was precise; “Make this and nothing more”. The people’s place of worship was equally designed, With even the minutia deliberately defined, To point to the Lord Jesus the day that He would come; For He would be our Great High Priest, His Father’s only Son. Now Jesus entered heaven; our Minister is there! Within God’s tabernacle; that place without compare. Now Moses was the person who took Joshua along; And every time he did it, he wasn’t doing wrong. In fact the Lord approved it and Joshua was unharmed. So when our Saviour takes us in, we needn’t be alarmed. For when the introductions with Father are complete, He’ll see we are “in Jesus” and therefore we can meet. There won’t be any danger, we will not be destroyed. And by the blood of Jesus, God will not be annoyed. Then, like the tribe of Benjamin, we’ll live beside the Lord, Preserved from every danger, the Father could afford. So let us thank our “Moses”.  For everything He’s done, To crush the power of Satan and enforce the victory won. His death upon that cross was carried out for you and me. We’re in a place where it had been impossible to be, Without His intervention. Because He is our friend, We’ll visit with our Father and have life without an end! Jim Strickland – written Monday, 23 May 2011

THE PRINCE OF PEACE.

Twelve men were reclining in a circle on the floor. One had departed or there would have been one more. The leader, the epitome of confidence and peace; Although He knew for certain that His “life” would shortly cease. He knew what would be done to Him, but didn’t run away. The Pharisees and Romans would butcher Him that day. Then, when the meal was over, He would meet His destiny In a quiet olive grove they called Gethsemane. The time had come for them to leave and Jesus led the way. They visited the Temple for that’s where He would pray. The outer gates were covered with an ornamental vine, Suggesting that God’s people were all sons of the Divine. He looked at them and commented that none of it was true. “I am the vine” He stated. “And I am leaving you” I’m going to My Father, but you won’t be alone. I’m sending you a Comforter which you have never known. I’m leaving you empowered with a sense of inner peace. You’ll think that I’ve deserted you and ministry must cease. “Let not your hearts be troubled and be not filled with fear. I’m going to My Father; but My Spirit will come here.” They didn’t understand Him. He thought they sounded grieved. “At last it’s really happened. At last you have believed!” Then in the temple courtyard the Master knelt in prayer, Because He was the true High Priest, He needed to be there. He was interceding for the folk from every age; Asking for empowerment for the war that we must wage. And then in generosity He granted them His peace. Not the sort they knew about. That sort was soon to cease. It was a true security that none of them had known, But something deep inside of them that said, “You’re not alone” A peace that they had heard about; the one the Priests would pray; To bless the tribes of Israel a very special way. “Shalom” would overtake them; God’s face on them would shine. And they would know God’s blessing from the hand of the Divine. A peace that was more tangible in all they’d have to face. A knowing He was present and would bless them with His grace. And when this was completed, they carried on their way To gather in Gethsemane and meet His fate that day. Jim Strickland – written Sunday, 22 May 2011

PROGRESS

There is a concept in the world that Christianity,

   Is just for wimps and fearful folk who lack security.

They cannot stand up for themselves and need some form of crutch.

   They hide behind a Deity; the world does not need much.

We cannot change perceptions or what outsiders think.

   But we must also realise that there is just a chink

Of truth, in what they’re thinking, because we hide behind

   The walls of rigid thinking, erected in the mind!

We’ve more denominations than anyone can count.

   We take the people to a “church” instead of to the “fount”.

We teach the people “systems” instead of Christ the Lord.

   No wonder when outsiders look, they tell us they are bored.

There isn’t any relevance behind our self-made walls.

   Who cares what hypocrites will do inside our “sacred halls”?

We’ve missed what Paul was teaching. The Christian life is rough.

   This is a race we’re running in; the competition’s tough

We need to be in training. It’s known as discipline.

   There is no time to laze around, if we are out to win!

It isn’t shadowboxing. We have to be in trim.

   There isn’t an alternative if we would follow Him!

Jesus said take up your cross, each moment every day.

   He warned us not to look behind or we will lose our way.

Paul warned that even preachers could be disqualified.

   And that our Christian progress is ours to decide.

He told us of the armour that Christians need to wear.

   We’re in a mighty battle; not at the county fair.

We can’t resist the enemy unless we’re standing strong.

  For our corrupted nature will always get things wrong.

So let us be obedient and let God’s Spirit lead.

   We know that as we’re doing it, He’ll meet our every need;

And as we fight this battle, the heathen will observe

   That living as a Christian, takes guts and lots of nerve.

Let’s show them their perceptions are not what they have thought.

   That we are facing challenges like an Olympic sport.

And that we are succeeding not in our strength alone,

   But by the Spirit of the Lord. We’re never on our own!

And we will conquer giants; whatever demons bring.

   For Jesus is our trainer, our captain and our King.

Jim Strickland – written Friday 20^th May 2011.

NEW LIFE!

When we are discussing “life”, what is it that we mean? Perhaps a bit of DNA or something in our genes? Some people have stated it’s “the opposite of death”. And some refer to spirits, particularly “meths”. But what was it the Father has given to His Son, That the religious leaders had decided they should shun? We know the Father has it and Jesus has the same. And that we can receive it by the power of Jesu’s Name! But how is it identified? What is it that we see? How do we recognise it in folk like you and me? Let’s begin by saying you won’t find it in the lab. You cannot isolate it and place it on a slab. But when you have it in you, the world will know for sure That deep down in your spirit, there’s a presence that is pure. The face that once was sombre, will break into a smile. The way of life will change and have a very different style. The people whom he mixes with and wants to socialise, Will be a little different; more discerning and more wise. You’ll find that your not reticent and far more self assured. And through tough situations you will know you have endured. Your neighbours will take notice of the way you serve the Lord, Live within your income and buy things you can afford. Disinfect you’re tongue so that the words you speak are clean, Generous to others and not miserly and mean; Willing to help people and to go the extra mile; And when you are insulted, you turn to them and smile. You’ll be a supporter of righteousness and peace; A person of integrity, who’s joy will never cease. Someone who is different and stands out among the crowd. A person who is gentle and not arrogant or loud. Always is contented with the “lot” he has in life, Noticed by the way he loves his children and his wife! A person in relationship with Jesus Christ his King Who has become his treasure; worth more than everything. So what’s the definition of life upon the earth? Jesus’ description was to call it second birth. Nobody can own it; and no one can control, The energy that fills the man in spirit, mind and in soul. No, you can’t define it; and yet it can be seen. It isn’t in a test tube, but the consequence will mean, A change in the behaviour form what it was before; To something that’s so evident that no one can ignore. The difference is visible and plainly can be seen, Will show that Christ the Saviour has washed him squeaky clean!. Jim Strickland – written Wednesday 18th May 2011