GOD’S MASTERPIECE

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 15 November 2012

Hi all,

Do you remember being taught “degrees of comparison” at school? Such as Good, Better, Best? Big, bigger, biggest? You can’t do that with average. You can’t say average, averager, and averagest. You can’t even say average, more average, most average. Average is average. But God didn’t make us to be average. He made us all to be unique. We are not supposed to be another one in the middle of a million other ones. He said we are His masterpiece! He made us to achieve great things for Him. It’s all inside us. Let’s try and “let it out”! This is our meditation for today.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 15 November 2012			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	GOD’S MASTERPIECE
Most of us have become so accustomed to mediocrity that we struggle when we try to think that we are special. Furthermore, as we look around we notice that we are surrounded by ordinary and rather mediocre people. We look at individuals who have made great achievements in life and we tend to think of them as so much better than we are. We delight in being “average”. No better or worse than others. John L Mason in his book “An Enemy Called Average” challenges this type of thinking. He says regardless of where you are in life, or how much you have or have not accomplished, God has a unique gift and calling for YOU - purposed for only YOU to accomplish. An examination of Psalm 139:1-18 gives us David’s perspective of himself. You could say that the Psalm is telling us what David thought about God and, more importantly, what God thinks about David. This entire portion of Scripture is revolutionary in thought for most of us. What we should do is read it as though you are the author and God is speaking directly to you. Incidentally, this is the best way to read Psalms like this. I’ve several favourite verses in this Psalm. The one I’d like to refer to is, 14 I will praise You; for I am fearfully and wonderfully made; Your works are marvellous and my soul knows it very well. Psalms 139:14 MKJV What it tells us is that we are not average and mediocre. Each one of us has been fearfully and wonderfully made. I like to think that God has hand-crafted me for a special purpose and destiny. Something that only I will ever be able to achieve. He has done exactly the same with you. In imagination, think about Michael Angelo. Perhaps his crowning work was painted on the ceiling of the Sistine Chapel or perhaps the carving of the statue of David. In my mind’s eye I can almost see God thinking about these two great works of art. He wanted to create a man who would “do” them. So He took a man in his mother’s womb and began to shape into him everything he would need for being an artistic genius. I’ve no idea how He did it. I can imagine Him moulding artistic ability, imagination and determination. All the qualities Michael Angelo would need to produce these great works of art. God gave him a purpose and a destiny. This is why Michael Angelo became who he was! Every one of us has a purpose and a destiny. They are woven into us like some magnificent tapestry. God has made us as unique as Michael Angelo. We all have this. What is it? What will we do? Will we reach for it with the same determination as Michael Angelo? If not, why not? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			10 For we are God's masterpiece. He has created us anew in Christ Jesus, so we can do the good things He planned for us long ago. Ephesians 2:10 NLT 17 The king commanded them to quarry large, expensive blocks of stone in order to provide a foundation of cut stone for the temple. 1 Kings 5:17 GW 7 The temple was built with stone blocks that were finished at the quarry. No hammer, chisel, or any other iron tool made a sound at the temple construction site. 1 Kings 6:7 GW 5 You also are like living stones. As you come to him you are being built into a house for worship. There you will be holy priests. You will offer spiritual sacrifices. God will accept them because of what Jesus Christ has done. 1 Peter 2:5 NIrV 20 You are a building that is built on the apostles and prophets. They are the foundation. Christ Jesus himself is the most important stone in the building. 21 The whole building is held together by him. It rises to become a holy temple because it belongs to the Lord. 22 And because you belong to him, you too are being built together. You are being made into a house where God lives through his Spirit. Ephesians 2:20-22 NIrV 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are the people of God; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy. 1 Peter 2:10 TNIV 9 For we are both God's workers. And you are God's field. You are God's building. 1 Corinthians 3:9 NLT 17 Therefore, if anyone is in Christ, he is a new creation; the old has gone, the new has come! 2 Corinthians 5:17 NIV 5 Now the one who has fashioned us for this very purpose is God, who has given us the Spirit as a deposit, guaranteeing what is to come. 2 Corinthians 5:5 TNIV	When told we are God’s masterpiece I sort of shook my head. I glanced into the mirror. “A Masterpiece” I said? “I certainly can’t see it. I think I’m rather plain”. I know I am conceited and often rather vain. I see that I am balding and overweight a tad. You say that is a masterpiece! I’m sorry. Not this lad. I can see the wrinkles; they’re covering my face. A wee spot of arthritis, and much too old to chase A pretty girl around the room. My joints are far too slow. So where You find this “masterpiece”. I’m sorry, I don’t know. Then the Master spoke to me. “Please take a look again. You are a little different from all the other men. I knitted you together within your mother’s womb. It started at conception, and in that quiet gloom, I made a special person, someone who’s so unique, You’ll never find another, no matter where you seek. Your fingers I have fashioned. Your lips, your eyes, your nose. Your brain, your heart, your arteries. I crafted all of those. It wasn’t accidental. You didn’t just evolve. There wasn’t any difficulty I could not resolve. I put in place your hearing. Made sure you can digest. Your liver, spleen, arms and legs were made the very best. Exactly what I wanted is how I crafted you. My son, your accusations are totally untrue. I made you to perfection! No detail overlooked. All this was done in secret. Your birthing day was booked. No detail was found missing, for you to have a life, Filled with a Holy purpose and free from every strife. There was a minor problem. Someday, you’ll have to die. You’ll receive sin’s penalty like every gal and guy. For somewhere in your body your cells are getting old. That’s why your body’s slowing. Soon you’ll be dead and cold. But do not be discouraged. I’m yours and you are Mine. Death can never hold you and at the proper time, I will raise you up again and evermore we’ll be Living with My Father throughout eternity. Jim Strickland  Written 15th November 2012

QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS

Time with Jesus - Wed, 14 November 2012

Hi all,

There was a time when I felt that examination papers involving questions with multiple possible answers were a good thing. Then as I tried to get the right answers, I found that they were much harder than I thought. When the questioner is “God”, finding the correct answer is not always possible. Questions and answer comprise today’s meditation.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 14 November 2012			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	QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
Strange statements and words with hidden meanings were very popular during the 1950’s. One that comes to mind is, “How high is a Chinaman”. Pronounced and spelled this way it’s meaningless. But when it’s spelled, “How Hi is a Chinaman”. It’s no longer a question be a statement. Mr How Hi is clearly Chinese. Perhaps the best known riddle in the Bible was the one posed by Samson. 14 Samson replied, "Out of the eater came something to eat. Out of the strong came something sweet." For three days they couldn't give him the answer. Judges 14:14 NIrV We know that eventually, Samson’s “wife” gave the answer of the riddle to the Philistines. It made Samson angry and he dealt with them accordingly. Riddles posed by men to men are one thing. When God poses a riddle it’s seldom that He is looking for an answer. An example in today’s Scriptures is found in Jeremiah 12:5. “Suppose you have run in a race with other men. And suppose they have worn you out. Then how would you be able to race against horses?” We are left with this open question. Almost the entire book of Job contains questions and answers. Some have straight-forward answers. Others do not. Some of them were posed by his three “friends”, Eliphaz the Temanite, Bildad the Shuhite and Zophar the Naamathite. These three “friends” tried their best to convince Job that full responsibility for this disaster was at the door of Job himself. Those who have read the book know the facts! Toward the end of the book, another “friend” Elihu the Buzite, continues with the interrogation process. From Chapter 32 to 37 he questions and challenges Job in a remarkable way. Some of his questions are quite extraordinary and we are prompted to wonder where and how a young man could ask such deep questions. But if we take a look at his name, we see something rather beautiful. His name Elihu, means, “he is my God himself” A strange name for such an interrogator. Then, suddenly in Chapter 39 the Lord begins to ask questions. This raises the issue of whether or not Elihu’s words didn’t originate from the heart of God? The Lord’s first statement to Job is: 3 Brace yourself like a man, because I have some questions for you, and you must answer them. Job 38:3 NLT One of my favourite verses from Job is found in Job 41: 1 "Can you catch Leviathan with a hook or put a noose around its jaw? Job 41:1 NLT Reading these words I feel embarrassed for Job. How can anyone answer such questions? Toward the end, we get a glimpse of God’s greatness and our smallness. This is the God Who created the universe. We are little more than a speck on the surface of a tiny planet in a cosmic backwater. But He loves us. Why? That’s the biggest riddle of all! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 The LORD says, "Suppose you have run in a race with other men. And suppose they have worn you out. Then how would you be able to race against horses? Suppose you feel safe only in open country. Then how would you get along in the bushes near the Jordan River? Jeremiah 12:5 NIrV 15 (The Jordan overflows all its banks during the harvest season.) When the priests who were carrying the ark came to the edge of the Jordan River and set foot in 16 the water, the water stopped flowing from upstream. The water rose up like a dam as far away as the city of Adam near Zarethan. The water flowing down toward the Sea of the Plains (the Dead Sea) was completely cut off. Then the people crossed from the east side of the Jordan River directly opposite Jericho. 17 The priests who carried the ark of the LORD'S promise stood firmly on dry ground in the middle of the Jordan until the whole nation of Israel had crossed the Jordan River on dry ground. Joshua 3:15-17 GW 9 But we do see Jesus, who was made lower than the angels for a little while, now crowned with glory and honour because he suffered death, so that by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone. Hebrews 2:9 TNIV 4 Even though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil, for you are with me; your rod and your staff, they comfort me. Psalms 23:4 NIV 2 You will pass through deep waters. But I will be with you. You will pass through the rivers. But their waters will not sweep over you. You will walk through fire. But you will not be burned. The flames will not harm you. Isaiah 43:2 NIrV 17 When I saw him, I fell at his feet as if I were dead. Then he put his right hand on me and said, "Do not be afraid. I am the First and the Last. 18 I am the Living One. I was dead. But look! I am alive for ever and ever! And I hold the keys to Death and Hell. Revelation 1:17-18 NIrV	He called it a “canackler”; that’s how my Dad described A question without answers that clever men contrived. Like what’s the basic contrast between water, ice and steam? They are the same, but different; like butter, milk and cream. And then there is the snowflake. Each one looks just the same. But looked at through a microscope – now that’s a new ball-game. Can you compute precisely the true value of “Pi”?                   {(Pie) - (π)} If you want to do it, go on - give it a try. Or, how long is a piece of sting when cut right through the middle? And is there any difference between violin and fiddle? These questions all sound silly. But don’t take me to task Until you check the questions which God Almighty asked. When you compete with other men in an athletics race. If you are feeling tired out, please tell me how you’ll face, When running against horses! Do you think you will cope? A little word of warning friend, you haven’t got a hope. These are the sort of questions the Lord delights to ask. He’s wants us to confess to Him, it’s far too big a task. Usually He asks them, when we forget our place, And we feel so embarrassed; with “egg upon our face”. Obedience is better. For when He speaks to you, Then do and do and do and do and do and do and do! If He says “You have to jump”; then leap into the sky. The only proper question is, “O Father God, how high”? The river Jordan was in flood and it could not be forded. When the Priests bearing the ark, by Joshua were ordered, To march into the river. Some thought that he was mad. Perhaps he’d lost his marbles? Or he’d done something bad? But when the priests who bore the ark put one foot in that stream The flow of water somehow stopped. It all backed up it seems. We’re told it rose up like a dam as far as Zarethan And everybody walked across. Each woman, child and man! When the priest had walked across and reached the other side, The water started rushing back like an enormous tide. So when the Lord has told you to do some “crazy” thing. Do not even hesitate. His words may have the ring Of something so outrageous that you would rather not, Just go ahead and do it. It’s the only chance you’ve got. Jim Strickland  Written 14th November 2012

IN JESUS’ NAME

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 13 November 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation touches on prayer. I trust you are one of the three per cent minority who not only believes in prayer but also actually prays. If so, you have my admiration. From personal experience, the statistic that only three per cent of the Christians ever turn up for prayer meetings seems to be about correct. The statistics will only change when we do!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 13 November 2012			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	IN JESUS’ NAME
I’ve heard it said that for some considerable time, theologians argued about how many angels could stand on the head of a pin. All these years later I can give the answer. “All of them, one at a time”. It’s this type of frivolous discussion that have caused us to overlook the obvious. As one man said, “we have majored on minors and minored on majors for so long, we no longer know what is major and what is minor”. Of course theology lends itself to such discussions. We tend to love circular arguments. A bit like a merry-go-round, there is no starting or stopping point. Everything is random. Get on and get off where you can. Sadly, prayer appears to have taken on a frivolity that is difficult to understand. Perhaps it is because prayer has become the “lost art” of Christianity, it is regarded by many as being frivolous. Many years ago I was informed that only 3% of Christians ever pray; other than at the specified points in the prayer book. I can’t confirm this to be the case. What I can say is that if attendance at church prayer meetings is anything to go by, the statistic is not far from being accurate. Why is this? God’s Word encourages all of us to pray. Why don’t we do so? I rather suspect that it is brought about by our own experience of lack of answers to prayer. Now if you are one of those blessed Christians who spends hours in prayer and is familiar with regular and appropriate answers, these comments are not intended or directed at you in any way. But if you are among those lesser mortals who finds prayer is like trying to swim in treacle, these words are primarily for you. I won’t tell you my exact position other than hinting that I’m a bit weary of the taste of treacle! Yuk! One thing I must state immediately is that a lack of answers to prayer cannot be laid at the door of the Lord. It’s never Him. It’s invariably me – or you if the cap fits. In this regard, Jesus has given us promises that are overwhelmingly encouraging. In John 14 is recorded 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son.  John 14:13 ESV Looking at this quote, it occurs to me we do lots of asking in His Name, but not so that God will be glorified. For most it’s to impress others with our “spirituality”. If I’ve touched a nerve, sorry. Remember that every word I write is directed at me as much as anyone. President Harry S Truman had a sign on his desk saying, “The buck stops here”. As far as America was concerned, during his presidency, it was true. Where should we place that sign? Not at Jesus door. With unanswered prayer, the truth is “the buck stops with me”. If it doesn’t happen, blame your friend you see every time you look in the mirror. One day we’ll pray in Jesus Name for the right reasons, What then? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			18 For through him we both have access in one Spirit to the Father. Ephesians 2:18 ESV 23 I in them and you in me, that they may become perfectly one, so that the world may know that you sent me and loved them even as you loved me. John 17:23 ESV 13 Whatever you ask in my name, this I will do, that the Father may be glorified in the Son. 14 If you ask me anything in my name, I will do it. 15 "If you love me, you will keep my commandments. 16 And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Helper, to be with you forever, 17 even the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, for he dwells with you and will be in you. John 14:13-17 ESV 4 For there is one body and one Spirit, just as you have been called to one glorious hope for the future. 5 There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 and one God and Father, who is over all and in all and living through all. Ephesians 4:4-6 NLT 2 And He said to them, When you pray, say: Our Father, who is in Heaven, hallowed be Your name. Your kingdom come, Your will be done, as in Heaven, so also on the earth. Luke 11:2 MKJV 19 Therefore, brothers, since we have confidence to enter the holy places by the blood of Jesus, 20 by the new and living way that he opened for us through the curtain, that is, through his flesh, 21 and since we have a great priest over the house of God, 22 let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, with our hearts sprinkled clean from an evil conscience and our bodies washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 ESV	Whatever I ask in Your Name, You’ve said that You will do. But from my observation, it seems to be untrue. It’s not an accusation. I know there’s something wrong. It’s not the sort of thing You’d say, to any who belong, To those whom You have rescued. So what is it I’ve missed? I can’t demand an answer. And I cannot insist, The One who made creation, would give the reason why, Our prayers remain unanswered no matter how we try? But if there’s no objection, You won’t mind if I guess, And try and find the reasons why You do not answer “Yes”? I think part of the problem is I concentrate on me. Prayer for other people is a vast minority. We are not important to anyone but You, And since our prayers for others are very, very few, I think they’ve been discarded or put in file thirteen, Which then is only opened for the annual spring clean. Perhaps there is a special bin for all of the junk mail. The prayers which are so selfish, they surely have to fail. Others so religious, that they do not arrive. Instead, they are diverted to some heavenly archive. Perhaps those You will answer are placed into a queue Marked, “When I get around to it; for anytime will do”. And Lord could there be something about us trapped in time? Because You are eternal and totally Divine, What we prayed for yesterday, will take a thousand years, Before it ever gets to You or falls upon Your ears. Then there is the motive hidden deep inside our hearts. Is there an agenda which wants us to look smart; Impressing all the people with a clever turn of phrase, Belying how You see us and our disgusting ways? O Lord, all this is frivolous. I know the problem’s me. It isn’t up in heaven. The truth is that You see Everything I’m doing and hear my every word. To think You are delaying it is totally absurd. So let us concentrate upon the idols in our heart. Only when we deal with them, will all Your blessings start, To come upon the people, who pray in Jesus Name. Because, without sincerity, all prayer is just a game. Jim Strickland  Written 13th November 2012