WALKING NOT TALKING

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 03 May 2012

Hi all,

Eight limericks today! A welcome break. The content focuses on the Christian lifestyle. Christianity is a walk and not a talk. Remember the old chorus? “They know we are Christian by our love”.  Let’s do it!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Thursday, 03 May 2012
INTRODUCTION	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES		WALKING NOT TALKING
Eight Scriptures today. So I thought eight “limericks” would be a great idea. It makes a bit of a change for all of us. This style is not as easy as it looks. It’s actually two lines with eight “beats” to each line. The first line is straight forward. Then it gets complicated. Two short “phrases” of two beats which rhyme with each other. Then the final “phrase” of four. Very often the construction is thought to be two lines of seven. A closer look shows that for rhyme and verse purposes, they are in fact two lines of eight beats. Jesus’ words in Matthew 5 have challenged me repeatedly over the past fifty years. There is a little statement in English which says, “children should be seen and not heard”. My dad said this once on several occasions! It was his way of telling me to “shut up”! When he said them, invariably he was looking at me. I understood. As a Christian I’ve found a much better application. “Christians should be seen and not heard!” This has come about as a result of our misunderstanding of what it is to be a witness. We are encouraged to tell as many people as possible as soon as possible that we have become a Christian. “I’ve been saved!” is how we are told to put it. But this is not what Jesus meant when he told us to be a witness. Basically, a witness doesn’t volunteer information. A witness answers questions. Jesus told us to let our light shine, not let our tongues wag. If a person is a Christian it should be visible. A witness is seen. He doesn’t need to say anything. His light shines for all to see. Then, when people want to know why you are different, they will ask you. That’s the time to speak out. St Francis of Assisi told his disciples, “Go into the world and preach the gospel. Speak only if you have to!” I like these instructions. We should tell new Christians they should be recognised by their lifestyle. We are told, “Actions speak louder than words”. If you are really following Jesus Christ you will be walking in the opposite direction to the world. It won’t be long before you are seen and known to be Christian. Your words will follow your actions. I get irritated when a celebrity is converted to Christ and is then asked to speak about Christianity. Very often their testimony is a disaster. It damages God’s Kingdom. Sadly, few people are “discipled” when they come to Jesus. As a result, there is no change in lifestyle. Are such people genuine Christians? I’m glad that He is the only One who knows. It’s an interesting truth that if you play rugby for the “Sharks”, you’ll look like a “Shark”. You don’t hear of people walking the streets saying, “I’m a “Shark”. (Unless they play for the Bulls) They don’t have to say anything. Go and watch the next game. The team will appear dressed like “Sharks”. Go DO likewise! Jim & Phyllida Strickland	1 Therefore, since we have these promises, dear friends, let us purify ourselves from everything that contaminates body and spirit, perfecting holiness out of reverence for God. 2 Corinthians 7:1 TNIV	1	Since we’ve been given the Promise, friends let us now purify,        All of our stains.                1        Our sickness and pains, In reverence to God way up High! Let us leave nothing outstanding, in spirit and body and soul.        Free to obey,        The Lord everyday; With holiness over the whole! Lord God my greatest desire is writing your truth on my heart.        Father I plead,         2        For the wisdom I need. Cause my instruction to start! Father You’ve shown very clearly, that wisdom is what You desire.        Deep down within,        Is where to begin. Light up my heart with Your fire! Burn out my ungodly passions, that Godliness smoulders within.        Help me say No!              To the way man would go. 3 Tear out my longing for sin! Let self-control be the standard for which I now constantly strive.        Help me say “No!”        To the ungodly flow, That surely will burn me alive. Help me to shine like a beacon, so everyone clearly can see,        The things that I do,  4        Are directed by You; When people are looking at me. Make me a living example who speaks up as clear as a bell!        A flickering flame              In Jesus’ Name. Could send many people to hell. Please help me live like a Christian not by the sound of my word.        Help people see        You are living in me. Let me be seen and not heard!	I’ve not succeeded already; I’ve still a long way to go.        And I will try              5        As time passes by My Saviour far better to know! Nothing will get me diverted, from this my ultimate quest.        With heart and soul,        I’ll get to my goal, Before I am laid out to rest! We are now all at the ready, to welcome the soon-coming King.        We anticipate,          6        That wonderful date, When all of creation will sing; Praises to Jesus our Saviour, the Son of our Almighty Lord.        The standard He set,        We cannot forget. We model our life by His Word. We yearn for the heavenly bodies that someday we all will receive.        These ones which decay,        We’ll “put off” one day.         7 This fact we all firmly believe. How do we know this will happen? He’s given us His guarantee.        These bodies of sin        Will be all “handed in!” His Spirit confirms this will be. Jesus gave gifts to His people, Apostles and Evangelists;        Pastors who Teach;     8        Prophets who preach, The body of Christ to assist! We have to grow as a people, to where we are seen to be one.        Our knowledge must be        Shown in faith constantly; Till all our divisions are gone. The standard He’s given is Jesus; perfect in every way.        He wants to be sure,        We’re completely mature, In all we are doing each day!
	6 I know that you want truth to be in my heart. You teach me wisdom deep down inside me. Psalm 51:6 NIrV	2
	12 It teaches us to say "No" to ungodliness and worldly passions, & to live self-controlled, upright & godly lives in this present age, Titus 2:12 TNIV	3
	16 "In the same way, let your light shine in front of others. Then they will see the good things you do. And they will praise your Father who is in heaven. Matthew 5:16 NIrV	4
	12 Not that I have already obtained this or am already perfect, but I press on to make it my own, because Christ Jesus has made me his own. Philippians 3:12 ESV	5
	3 All of us who look forward to his Coming stay ready, with the glistening purity of Jesus' life as a model for our own. 1 John 3:3 MSG	6
	5 He who has prepared us for this very thing is God, who has given us the Spirit as a guarantee. 2 Corinthians 5:5 ESV	7
	11 Now these are the gifts Christ gave to the church: the apostles, the prophets, the evangelists, and the pastors and teachers. 12 Their responsibility is to equip God's people to do His work and build up the church, the body of Christ. 13 This will continue until we all come to such unity in our faith and knowledge of God's Son that we will be mature in the Lord, measuring up to the full and complete standard of Christ. Ephesians 4:11-13 NLT	8
			Jim Strickland – Written 3rd May 2012

KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 02 May 2012

Hi all,

The April/May 2012 holidays are now a thing of the past. They were a bit like the “hiccups” They came and went in irregular intervals and did nothing for us whatsoever. Other that is than pandering to our whim for having days off work legally! No doctor’s note required. Great for the body, but not great for the national economy!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 02 May 2012
INTRODUCTION	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	KEEP YOURSELVES FROM IDOLS
The Apostle John made an interesting statement in his first epistle. 21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:21 KJV What is fascinating about the comment is what so many people had learned. They accepted that which was happening around them as normal. History confirms that conditions in the Roman Empire are similar to what we see around us now. All that appears to have changed is “who?” and “why?” We are a strange people. We soon become adjusted to that which is happening where we are. We are told by holocaust survivors that life in the camps was terrible. But in order to survive it was necessary to live in it and through it. We are told that the prison camp guards went home in the evening to sing Christmas carols and play with their children. For them their monstrous behaviour and lifestyle had become “normal”. One prisoner stated that Camp commanders we so convinced that the Jews were sub-human, they wanted the Allies to join them in their fight with the Russians. We find such behaviour so contradictory to the Christian way of life that we are repulsed by such stories. Standards usually deteriorate with the passing of time. Things which were unacceptable fifty years ago are seldom seen as wrong in society today. Biblical history describes the conditions in Judah during the prophet Habakkuk’s lifetime. He was horrified by what he saw. In many ways it was not grossly different from what we see in and around us today. He took his complaint to God and asked for justice. God already knew about it. The people were following a god of their own imagination: a deity who permitted them to do anything they wanted. The book of Judges tells us; 25 In those days Israel had no king; all the people did whatever seemed right in their own eyes. Judges 21:25 NLT This attitude has been consistent throughout history. The Lord sees it as idolatry: worshipping our own god! There comes a day when he decides that enough is enough. That’s when He acts in ways we seldom like! Jim & Phyllida Strickland	21 Little children, keep yourselves from idols. Amen. 1 John 5:21 KJV 26 O my son, give me your heart. May your eyes take delight in following my ways. Proverbs 23:26 NLT 2 Set your minds on things that are above, not on things that are on earth. Colossians 3:2 ESV 3 "Son of man, these leaders have set up idols in their hearts. They have embraced things that will make them fall into sin. Why should I listen to their requests? Ezekiel 14:3 NLT 5 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Colossians 3:5 NIV 9 But those who desire to be rich fall into temptation, into a snare, into many senseless and harmful desires that plunge people into ruin and destruction. 10 For the love of money is a root of all kinds of evils. It is through this craving that some have wandered away from the faith and pierced themselves with many pangs. 11 But as for you, O man of God, flee these things. Pursue righteousness, godliness, faith, love, steadfastness, gentleness. 1 Timothy 6:9-11 ESV 10 Put no trust in extortion; set no vain hopes on robbery; if riches increase, set not your heart on them. Psalms 62:10 ESV 19 My gifts are better than gold, even the purest gold, my wages better than sterling silver! Proverbs 8:19 NLT 21 Wherever your treasure is, there the desires of your heart will also be. Matthew 6:21 NLT 7 But the LORD said to Samuel, "Don't judge by his appearance or height, for I have rejected him. The LORD doesn't see things the way you see them. People judge by outward appearance, but the LORD looks at the heart." 1 Samuel 16:7 NLT	Idolatry; Idolatry, we see it everywhere. It seems to be so prevalent; it gives us quite a scare! We see it on the bill-boards; we see it on the news. We see it in our households. It permeates our views. Large screen television with a great big fancy screen; Watching our “soap operas” to see how “good” they’ve been. All those famous characters - we hunger after more. That’s whom we bow down to; to worship and adore. Murder and hijackings, corruption and deceit. Such enormous quantities, it clearly can’t be beat. Steal from the Receiver. Don’t pay income tax Schoolwork is impossible for discipline is lax. Undermine authority. It’s better to be free? Anything we think is right is how it has to be. This is what was happening in Israel that day. Habakkuk was watching. He didn’t like the way, People were behaving. Just as bad as us. “Lord what are You doing? Lord please cause a fuss! Change what is occurring!” “I’ve got it all in hand! Babylon is coming to sanitise the land. They will “gut” Jerusalem and tear the Temple down. The people go in slavery into a distant town. All that they’ve been doing is mere idolatry. That which I am planning is not prosperity! The people need to realise they’ll reap the things they sow. When My prophets speak to them, they do not want to know. They carry on regardless, no matter what I do. Babylon will conqueror them. Judgement is now due.” Habakkuk was mortified! Just what was He to say? The things he had been looking at were certainly that way, Rightly he described it. It couldn’t carry on. And just as God had stated, Jerusalem was gone. The only thing in question is what will happen here? Judgement is approaching; abundantly that’s clear. Will there be survivors? It’s clearly up to you. Worship God Almighty. No other “god” will do. Jim Strickland – Written Wed. 2nd May 2012

THE NEW JERUSALEM

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 01 May 2012

Hi all,

Today is “Workers Day” which is something of a misnomer, particularly in the “New” South Africa where “Work” is anathema. Ah well it is an excuse to do nothing – as usual!

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 01 May 2012
INTRODUCTION	DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE NEW JERUSALEM
Imagination is a wonderful thing. It enables us to go where we can never go while in our “earth-suit”! I’d like to walk onto the middle of the sun and see what God has at the centre. To explore the moon or the bottom of our deepest oceans unhindered by the limitations we all know so well. To soar aloft with the eagles. What would it be like? Did Adam and Eve know any of this before the fall? All answers are pure guesswork. Imagination is a God-given quality. But we can’t imagine the unimaginable! Paul in his letter to the Ephesians writes: 20 God can do anything, you know--far more than you could ever imagine or guess or request in your wildest dreams! He does it not by pushing us around but by working within us, his Spirit deeply and gently within us. Ephesians 3:20 MSG As we think about this and our imagination, we are forced to the conclusion that no matter what we can possibly think or imagine, what He has prepared for us, is infinitely more. Put another way, if you can think it or imagine it, it doesn’t measure up to what He has prepared for those who love Him. We know that He reveals things to us by His Spirit. We also know that He has placed into His Word just enough to make us ravenous for Him. Today’s Scriptures deal with the new heaven and earth. What will it be like? In today’s meditation I’ve tried to express some of the things He has already shown us in His Word. To a large extent they challenge our thinking. “Can such things be true?” we ask, not really knowing the question or the answers! One thing I can assure you is that what I have written is only what I see in His Word. I have imagined and thought these details through and have written them down accordingly. What I can, and will say, is that what I have written is utterly inadequate to describe the fullness of God’s plans for those who love Him. I suppose we could say that they are like the daubs on canvas of a two year old compared with a Rembrandt or a Reuben’s. There is almost no comparison other than the desire in the mind of a two year old to state what he sees in his imagination. If I can imagine it or you can imagine it, we are still daubing paint on the canvass of our imagination. We can say only one thing in its favour. We are at least trying to make use of the faculties He has given us. I love the daubs of paint by my young relatives. They are meaningless to me. But the potential within them exceeds my wildest dreams. I suspect Divinity feels the same way about us! Jim and Phyllida Strickland	35 "The four sides of the city measure to a total of nearly six miles.(18,000 cubits) ”From now on the name of the city will be YAHWEH-SHAMMAH: "GOD (the Lord) IS-THERE." Ezekiel 48:35 MSG	When Jesus is creating, We think in terms of size. But when we see what He has done, we’re in for a surprise. He has gone to make a place within His Father’s house. It takes some understanding and requires a bit of nous, To think what He’s been doing for some two thousand years. We know He has been busy. That’s how it now appears. But stop for just a moment and think how long it’s been. A day is like a thousand years. For God that’s how it’s seen. Now Jesus Christ ascended on a Thursday afternoon. So as He calculates it, it’s really far too soon. To Him, this is the middle of the next Saturday. It also is the Sabbath, if thought about His way. So from the Master’s view-point, the weekend isn’t through! So brother if He’s coming soon, what day is this to you? Furthermore the project is massive everywhere. The base as it’s explained to us is measured as a square. We know twelve thousand stadia is fourteen hundred miles, Give or take a mile or two. It makes me think awhile. That’s bigger than the distance from Jo’burg to the Cape! Such a massive city! Our mouths will be agape. Fourteen hundred miles each way and fourteen hundred high! It seems to use a massive chunk of Our creator’s sky! Is it like a pyramid, or cubic in its style? As I think about it, I sort of want to smile. What about the mansions? That’s what we’d like to know. There’s no need for lighting; our God provides that glow! Someone has informed us; it would just fit in the moon! And Jesus has informed us that He is coming soon! I’m glad He’s the Creator. A project of this size, Is quite beyond the reasoning of any mortal’s eyes. This is just the start of it. What about the sea? It will be redundant. No electricity! No temples will be needed! The Lord Himself is there! Everything required will come from Him to share. There will be no sun or moon and there will be no night. Father, Son and Spirit will be the source of light! There will be no sickness and death will pass away. There will be no crying; Lord, hasten in the day! This is what He’s making and I can hardly wait! Please do us a favour Lord! Please don’t postpone the date. Jim Strickland  Written 1st May 2012
	3 I heard a loud shout from the throne, saying, "Look, God's home is now among His people! He will live with them, and they will be His people. God Himself will be with them. Revelation 21:3 NLT
	22 I saw no temple in the city, for the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple. 23 And the city has no need of sun or moon, for the glory of God illuminates the city, and the Lamb is its light. Revelation 21:22-23 NLT
	15 Because I do what is right, I will enjoy your blessing. When I wake up, I will be satisfied because I will see you. Psalms 17:15 NIrV
	25 Whom have I in heaven but you? And there is nothing on earth that I desire besides you. Psalms 73:25 ESV
	20 "But Judah will be filled with people forever, and Jerusalem will endure through all generations. 21 I will pardon My people's crimes, which I have not yet pardoned; and I, the LORD, will make My home in Jerusalem with My people." Joel 3:20-21 NLT
	10 Sing and rejoice, O daughter of Zion, for behold, I come and I will dwell in your midst, declares the LORD. Zechariah 2:10 ESV
	3 No longer will there be any curse. The throne of God and of the Lamb will be in the city, and his servants will serve him. Revelation 22:3 TNIV