A NEW CREATION

We thought we’d never get there; the distance seemed so far. But it was worth the effort, to be aiming at a star. It seemed to be a question of the way we looked at things. Who we thought was earth-bound, and who had angel’s wings? A choice between relationship and ritual by rote. But only life in Jesus Christ would ever get our vote. For most, religion’s meaningless; its purpose there is none. And all we ever had to do was simply carry on. But then we came to Jesus; our lives were changed for good. At last we started doing the things we knew we should. When holiness consumes you and becomes your very goal, You never can be satisfied with something less than whole. Our attitude was altered; life took on a new shade. We’d rather lay our lives aside and march in God’s parade. So what if we were burned alive? So what if we expired? The life that He has given is much more to be desired. We found we could no longer be squeezed into a box. For Jesus Christ had saved us and He reset our clocks. So we’re a new creation. A type not seen before. With better purposes in life than what we had before. We know it is far better than we could ever tell. With everything that’s needed to keep us out of Hell. Hell was our destination; it’s where we should have gone. But Jesus Christ enthrals us; we’re constrained to carry on. Not one of us are circumcised, except within the heart. A better deal than Abraham was given at his start. For Jesu’s peace is on us in a new and higher way, Than anything the world has known until this very day. No longer are we Gentiles who are hopelessly confused. No longer just a people whom Satan has abused. Instead, a new creation, with attitudes and aims, So far above the former they look like children’s games. Our passions and desires we’ve placed under His control; And now the Holy Spirit is directing a new goal; That we become compliant with righteousness and care, In ways we never thought we could encounter anywhere. And who deserves the credit the honour and the praise? Only the Lord Jesus as we do the things He says. Jim Strickland – written Friday, 05 August 2011

IT IS FINISHED

When Christ said:”It is finished!”  I wonder what He meant? When I use the expression, it means my money’s spent. My Credit Card is “Maxed out” my piggy bank is “bust”. There’s nothing in the larder except an old dry crust. The petrol tank is empty, The power has been cut; And all that is remaining is a rumble in my gut. Of course this is all physical. There could be other things. The marathon is over. The thief has taken wings. The Bottle has been emptied; The prison term’s complete. There’s nothing left to do, the driver’s in his seat; It’s time for us to pack up house so we can emigrate. We cannot even start again because it’s far too late. Now all of these expressions apply to you and me. Our situation’s such there is no possibility, Of doing what is needed, because the time is gone. It should be done by half past twelve, and now it’s ten past one. The list is no exhaustive; it’s on a human plain. But none of these, the Master’s words, can properly explain. Perhaps the best comparison is climbing up a hill. At least when we arrive there, we all can have the thrill Of saying it is finished. The mountain’s overcome. And we can take it easy because the job is done. But Jesu’s words were so much more than we can understand, He came down here to undertake a special task in hand. He had to live a perfect life and never break God’s law. And then to give His life for us, to smash the devil’s score. And all must be accomplished for all the world to see, That nothing was outstanding, for folk like you and me. He had to pay sin’s wages in a very special way. It must be supernatural so nobody could say, That they were not included. No one must be left out. And when it was all over to give the victory “shout”! There was a special pattern with which He must comply; According to The Scriptures. And here’s the reason why. To triumph over Satan, He had to take him on, And utterly destroy him until his power was gone. This was His very purpose for three and thirty years, Without a deviation through laughter or through tears. He had to follow prophesy exactly as it said. And when it was completed He must be truly dead. His words meant “It’s accomplished”. There’s nothing more to do. My Father, It’s completed. I’m coming home to You. Your people are enabled to fellowship again The devil is defeated, His power’s on the wane. The task that You have given me is over and it’s done. From now on any human can be Your adopted son. Jim Strickland – written Thursday, 04 August 2011

MARY’S PRAYER OF THANKSGIVING

Oh Lord my soul rejoices in what You’ve done for me. You took this lowly servant girl and for eternity, The people will all look to You and say I have been blessed. And every generation will know You loved me best. Not because of anyone or anything I’d done, But someone had to Mother the Father’s only Son. I was the one selected. The honour is supreme! No woman who has ever lived can have this wondrous dream. Oh Lord it is Your goodness that brought all this to be. And this will be acknowledged for all eternity. In You Lord, I took refuge; I sheltered from the storm. And now You have exalted me far up above the norm. Of course, there have been comments. They’ve said I was a whore. But You and I know differently. And You are keeping score. I’ve seen the pointing fingers. I’ve heard the wagging tongues. But I have had the privilege of carrying Your Son. And all that stands before You is thoroughly exposed. And everything You’ve done for me is openly disclosed. And through all generations humanity will know, My Son is Christ the Saviour no matter where men go. And so I pray this morning to Him who favoured me. I lift my hands and thank You Lord, for everything I see. The glory of Your only Son enthroned with You on High. To think I was His mother; O Lord it makes me cry. For You performed this miracle. My body was the shrine, In which Your Son grew up to be the Christ and Lord Divine. It still seems quite impossible. Beyond what I could see To be the mother of the Man who is Divinity. Forgive me if I shake my head for I don’t understand, That in Your own great sovereignty, this is what You had planned. The privilege of nursing my Saviour at my breast. The joy of watching as He grew and moved at Your behest. The wonder of His manhood and His maturity. It’s more than I had ever hoped or thought could ever be. And then to stand beside Him as He was crucified. If I could have changed places…. But now He’s Deified! Now He is the fulfilment of all the dreams of men. And through His great Salvation we can be born again. Jim Strickland – written Wednesday, 03 August 2011

FAITH, GRACE, LOVE AND WORK

Faith is quite inseparable from its twin brother “grace”. The one without the other is more than we can face. We must believe in something. Perhaps it’s just your might. But if God’s grace, is missing you haven’t got it right. Another way to put it is like a pair of hands.

Just try and bat one handed! It is on sinking sands. The Father isn‘t happy if you display just one. He probably will ask of you. ”Where has the other gone”? You can’t believe in Jesus no matter how you try; Unless He has extended grace, your soul in Hell will fry. Please don’t misunderstand this. It’s not we desire; But since it’s God who makes the rules – Your heart must be on fire. He has the whole thing sorted; there’s nothing more to do But if you don’t receive His grace, then He is through with you. The gifts He gives His people are grace gifts from His heart. He wants you to reach out in faith to cause the flow to start. We’re told that faith moves mountains and that’s how we should be. But if the Lord’s not in it, the mountain will not flee. The fact is He wants partners. Loose canons are a joke! If you have not been yoked with Him your faith goes up in smoke. He’s made His grace available to anyone who seeks. But if It’s not done faithfully, you’ll look for it for weeks. You don’t have the ability to even grow an inch. But when your faith is matched with grace, the outcome is a cinch. If you do not believe me, then try it on your own. A million years is going to pass and you will not have grown There is one more component on which these two depend. If they’re not expressed in love, they’ll flounder at the end. Please note all these are actions; they are not static things You have a part in all of them, or they will not take wings. A faith that’s isolated is just a waste of time. Display it by your actions then all will come in line. Grace that’s not accepted is one side of the coin. You have to turn it over or it will never join. So faith and grace are brothers and it’s by love they work. All four of them are actions – don’t turn away and shirk. This is the Christian lifestyle. This is the way to be. It’s what the Lord’s expecting from folk like you and me. Jim Strickland – written Tuesday, 02 August 2011

ABIDING FAITHFULNESS

Our spiritual nature should be properly controlled. And if we do this faithfully, our Lord will keep us whole. But we must keep on doing it. We mustn’t drop our guard; And while we are persistent, the task will not be hard. Look at what God required every single year. They celebrated Passover, for God had made it clear, That this was not just something they’d never do again; But rather a rehearsal of Jesus in His pain. It may have been in Egypt, the first timed it was done, But it was more a foretaste of what was still to come. The blood upon the door tops and also on the sides, Showed the crucifixion and how the Saviour died. If this was followed faithfully throughout the coming years, The Father would forgive them their sinfulness and tears. We may not understand the reason why it was this way, But this has been their practice down to this very day. Of course, the blood was central to the ritual each year. It represented Jesus blood; that’s very, very clear. For God had told His people, the life was in the blood. So Jesus’ atonement became a mighty flood. All of this was planned before the world was ever made. So it is not surprising that the system was obeyed. The purpose was that Jesus be the sacrificial “ram”! He wasn’t just an infant; He wasn’t just a lamb. The Law required an offering of an animal mature. And Jesus’ maturity was absolutely sure. So everything was carried out and faithfully maintained. The slightest variation could never be sustained. For that would break the pattern that Father God required, To show us that His only Son was all that He desired. We’ve wondered why He did it. Why Jesus had to die. But Someone had to suffer for the sins of you and I. That’s why He could be faithful. He knew what He would do; To pay the price of all the sins that everyone would do. It couldn’t be a simple slap upon the wrist. But something that the Lord Most High would certainly insist. It had to show God’s hatred of each and every sin. But something that His Son could face and ultimately win. So let us praise His faithfulness. He didn’t miss a trick. And though the pain and suffering would make us all feel sick, It solved the Master’s problem and brought us to His side, Where through the blood of Jesus we could evermore abide. Jim Strickland – written Monday, 01 August 2011

ATTITUDES

There seems to be an attitude of quietness and ease.

   The Christian life should always be a lifestyle that will please.

I’m not sure where it came from. It isn’t in God’s Word.

   Perhaps it’s just a statement of something that’s preferred.

No person’s keen on suffering or ever feeling sore.

   A journey that’s in luxury would suit us somewhat more.

But not even a monarch can let things all roll by.

   There’s so much more we all must learn before its time to die.

I’ve never been a soldier. I praise the Lord for that.

   But discipline is something we should all be aiming at.

The sergeant will not tolerate a soldier who’s asleep.

   If he can get his hands on him, he’ll make the soldier weep.

So why do Christians contemplate a feather-bedded life?

   Why do we all seek idleness instead of sweat and strife?

If you can give the answer then kindly tell to me,

   Exactly what we have to do with downright lethargy?

There aught to be a special place where Christians can go;

   To find what is reality and what is outward show.

The sort of place where people can really come to grips

  With life. It’s made living and not marijuana trips.

We have to learn that suffering’s as much a part of life,

   As marrying your sweetheart, your husband or your wife.

It’s often not the devil who’s sitting on your tail,

   Its things that we are doing that cause us all to fail.

But blaming other people is what we much prefer.

   And we can wear that helpless look each time that they occur.

Why should we be in battle when things get rather rough?

   It’s easier to bellyache that life is far too tough.

That’s not the way of Jesus. It’s not our way of war.

   It’s standing up to Satan whatever is in store.

It isn’t only comfort that each of us must face,

   But standing up to everything that harms the human race.

It’s asking God to strengthen you when everything goes wrong,

   And in the face of failure, to sing the victory song.

It’s looking after others when pressed beyond your power,

   Knowing that the Lord will do what’s needed every hour.

It’s facing up to failure; knowing He will do

   Everything that’s needed, to make your dream come true.

It’s back to the beginning in spite of all you know,

   Knowing that the Saviour will show you how to go.

It’s giving up ambition and every human goal,

   Knowing that the Lord desires to save your sinful soul.

Jim Strickland – written Sunday, 31 July 2011