PASSPORT TO PARADISE

Time with Jesus - Friday, 16 November 2012

Hi all,

Diplomats frequently represent their home country in the place where they are living. Here in South Africa we have men and women representing their homeland. The American Embassy in Pretoria employs some local staff. But the ambassador is a recognised diplomat from USA. He is likely to have a USA Diplomatic Passport. It so happens you and I are God’s representatives – ambassadors - from the Kingdom of Heaven. We also have diplomatic passport. You may not have seen them but the smile on the face of every born again believer displays our passport to the world. Our passport is signed by Jesus Christ. The stamp in the passport is “Grace”. Citizenship was granted by our being “washed in the Blood of the Ram”. This encapsulates today’s meditation.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 16 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	PASSPORT TO PARADISE
Have you ever been disappointed? Perhaps you were turned down for going to a particular place for a reason you don’t really understand? Perhaps the man you fell hopelessly in love with, walked off with someone else? Perhaps that beautiful young lady you admired from afar took one look at you and said, “No thanks!” Perhaps you had a driving ambition to go to university and become a doctor. Then, at the end you found your marks at school didn’t get you the place you wanted. One of the greatest tragedies I have come across happened to my Dad’s half-sister. In the early days of World War 2 she met a wonderful young soldier. They married and he had 14 days embarkation leave. Then he was shipped off to somewhere to fight in the army. He never came back. She received a telegram from the home office advising her that her husband had been killed in action. She would never see him again. I don’t know how she coped with this terrible disappointment. I know that she never married again. She lived into her 90’s How do we cope with things of this sort? What do we do when something we have prised so highly doesn’t happen? Hebrews 11:13 in today’s Scripture refers to the patriarchs, their wives and children, They had been told by God that the land they were living in would one day be theirs. In some ways the promise of this portion of land was their inspiration for carrying on trusting in God and having faith in His promises. They only saw it in their mind’s eye. But this enabled them to rejoice in what The Lord had said He would do. Hebrews 11 is often called the “Faith Chapter” because it lists the men and women of faith who achieved great things as a result of their faith in Him. The list is not exhaustive but highlights some of what they achieved because of their faith in God. The chapter ends with an extraordinary statement. 39 All these people were known for their faith, but none of them received what God had promised. 40 God planned to give us something very special so that we would gain eternal life with them. Heb. 11:39-40 GW If we look at these verses we are drawn to the conclusion that all these great men and women of faith are still waiting to receive what God had promised them. But there is a delay. The delay comes about because God has decided that all of us will be rewarded together. Yes indeed, we do derive much courage from the example of those who have gone before us. But these same men and women are watching and waiting. Watching us to see our struggle. Waiting for the time when all of us are together. Only then will The Lord hand out the prizes. They are waiting for us! The Lord has collected their diplomatic passports. They were returned to Him when we die. I feel greatly humbled to think that the likes of Isaiah is waiting for and watching me. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			19 So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Ephesians 2:19 ESV 22 But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, 23 and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, Hebrews 12:22-23 ESV 13 All these people died having faith. They didn't receive the things that God had promised them, but they saw these things coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They acknowledged that they were living as strangers with no permanent home on earth. Hebrews 11:13 GW 20 But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Saviour. 21 He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control. Philippians 3:20-21 NLT 13 For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, Colossians 1:13 NLT 11 Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 1 Peter 2:11 NLT	We went to visit Europe in two thousand and ten, It was a special visit. On the occasion when, The passion play was featured in Oberammergau. We knew we had to see it. Back then, the time was now! It only really happens in ten year interludes, And when you’re in your sixties, you know it must be viewed, As soon as it is possible. Who knows, in ten years’ time, We may have left this planet, to live with Christ Divine? The first thing that we needed, when tickets had been booked, Was getting the right passport. We hadn’t overlooked, These documents to get us into France and Germany. There had to be credentials for Phyllida and me! It wasn’t very difficult, for both of us are Brits. A European document, was what exactly fits In with what then was needed. And soon were be away, To pay a special visit to that Special Passion Play. It truly was magnificent. We came away impressed, With what we had seen featured. We knew we had been blessed, With something deeply moving, to captivate the heart. By going off to Europe, we’d both done something smart! Our passports made it easy. They satisfied the guards. It proved we were not strangers for marked upon our cards, Was something which identified and proved we had the right, To go into those countries on any day or night. We have another passport that anyone can see, A means of signifying our Christianity. It is the blood of Jesus that washed us white as snow, And anyone can see it, no matter where we go. My wife and I are bond-slaves. By Jesus we are owned. He gave His life for both of us. His precious blood atoned, For all the sin and evil, that both of us had been. He is the King of Glory and we are both His queen. He took our mortal bodies. He gave us His passport. To enter into heaven, without our being caught, And told we have no business, to come into His place. Engraved into our “passports” is written the word “Grace”! And that is all that’s needed. That mark in Jesus’ name, Says “Welcome to My Kingdom. I am so glad you came!” Jim Strickland  Written 16th November 2012

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