CIRCUMSTANCES

Time with Jesus - Friday, 23 November 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is about circumstances. How one thing leads to something else and so on and so forth. You and I can try and orchestrate them but we don’t succeed very often. God does it all the time. Imagine for the moment exactly the circumstances and factors needed to produce you or me. ¹³ For you created my inmost being; you knit me together in my mother's womb. Psalms 139:13 NIV Reading these words I am reminded of my mother knitting for the family. Hours and hours were spent with her needles knitting for us. Does God do likewise?

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 23 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	CIRCUMSTANCES
It’s amazing how things line up so that some predetermined purpose can come about! At school there was a little story that illustrates this. “For lack of a nail, a shoe was lost; for lack of a shoe, a horse was lost; for lack of a horse, a rider was lost; for lack of a rider, a battle was lost, For lack of a battle, a war was lost.” Based on this we could say that a war was lost because of a missing nail. It may sound like a fishy story. Nevertheless it shows how small things can have terrible consequences. A good example is the Concorde disaster in Paris. A smallish piece of metal on the runway damaged a tyre at take-off. Minutes later the huge aeroplane crashed into a hotel. One thing had led to another culminating in disaster. Life is like that for all of us. Very often we happen to be in the right place at the right time. Very often, God orchestrates events to bring about a pre-determined outcome. I’ve heard it said that if our planet was fractionally closer or further away from the sun, life as we know it on this planet could never have happened. We understand that God arranged things the way they are. so this was not a purely random happening. It could not have been otherwise. Too many random events would have been necessary for life to exist on this planet. The father of a friend of mine was decapitated in a motorcar accident. His car smashed into an oncoming truck. One second either way and the accident may not have happened. The time it takes to drink a cup of tea was the difference between life and death. On the Christian front, for the Gospel to be spread around the then known world, many factors were necessary. The Roman roads and “pax-Romana” made it possible for the Gospel to go international. The fact that Greek was the international language made it possible for just about everyone to hear. We need to realise that God had so engineered circumstances that the coming of Jesus Christ and the spreading of the gospel could take place. Equally, certain things had to be in place for Jesus to be born, live, minister and die upon a Roman cross at exactly the right place, date and time in history. He had to die at exactly the same instant the priests were offering up the sacrificial rams for the Passover. An innocent man had to be sentenced to death by His own people and executed by the civil authorities. He had to be whipped, mocked and spat on. He had to be sinless. He had to die a brutal and agonizing death. But not for Himself. He had to die and go through all that He suffered so that you and I don’t have to go through it. Lord, Thanks for perfect circumstances! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			36 Jesus answered, "My kingdom is not of this world. If my kingdom were of this world, my servants would have been fighting, that I might not be delivered over to the Jews. But my kingdom is not from the world." John 18:36 ESV 12 But when Christ had offered for all time a single sacrifice for sins, he sat down at the right hand of God, 13 waiting from that time until his enemies should be made a footstool for his feet. Hebrews 10:12-13 ESV 64 Jesus replied, "You have said it. And in the future you will see the Son of Man seated in the place of power at God's right hand and coming on the clouds of heaven." Matthew 26:64 NLT 25 For Christ must reign until He humbles all His enemies beneath His feet. 1 Corinthians 15:25 NLT 57 But thank God! He gives us victory over sin and death through our Lord Jesus Christ. 1 Corinthians 15:57 NLT 20 that raised Christ from the dead and seated Him in the place of honour at God's right hand in the heavenly realms. 21 Now He is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else--not only in this world but also in the world to come. 22 God has put all things under the authority of Christ and has made Him head over all things for the benefit of the church. 23 And the church is His body; it is made full and complete by Christ, who fills all things everywhere with Himself. Ephesians 1:20-23 NLT 15 God will bring Jesus back at a time that pleases him. God is the blessed and only Ruler. He is the greatest King of all. He is the most powerful Lord of all. 1 Timothy 6:15 NIrV	Many dreadful things took place when He’d been led away. Things that are so terrible they frighten us today. They’d asked if He was Jesus. He answered them “I AM!” At which they all fell over. God’s Holy Name went “bam!” It hit them like a poleaxe and swept them off their feet. He could have simply walked away; each one of them was beat. But Jesus didn’t exit. He had to follow through; And do the very thing the Father said that He must do. And so He let them take Him, to do their very worst. To smash the power of Satan and have the fall reversed. They took Him first to Annas. He used to be High Priest. The man who couldn’t wait to see the Son of God deceased. The witnesses came forward, but they could not agree. And so they went to Caiaphas. They thought perhaps that he, Could bring a guilty verdict and have Him executed. But every charge against Him was totally refuted. Caiaphas then asked Him in a very special way. In the Name of God Most High I charge You now to say, If You are the Son of God; tell me yes or no? There wasn’t any other way for Jesus Christ to go. “It is as you have said it; your statement’s is quite true. Now that I’ve declared it, what are you going to do?” “Blasphemy!” screamed Caiaphas. “You’ve heard what He has said. We don’t need further evidence. For that, He must be dead!” They mocked Him, beat and spat on Him and He was led away. “We must have Him crucified. He has to die today!” They weren’t allowed to do it. Not under Roman law. They took Him before Pilate, who examined Him once more. But Pilate said, “Not guilty! I will not crucify, A man who has done nothing wrong does not deserve to die!” Pilate once more tested Him. “Are You the Jewish King?” “My Kingdom isn’t of this world”. If it was I’d bring All my many soldiers and sit upon My throne. You would know for certain, I am not on My own” Pilate became frightened. He had the Master flogged. But Pilate’s thinking processes were very quickly fogged. And even though he washed his hands, he finally complied. He didn’t want to do it, but had Christ crucified! Jim Strickland  Written 23rd November 2012

Jimericks - Discipline

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 22 November 2012

Hi all,

Today’s Scriptures focus on discipline, and its application. Discipline is always difficult to observe. Generally speaking women find this more difficult to apply than men. I think this is due to the soft and gentle nature usually found in women rather the cold logic of most men. The poems are written in Limerick style except that the first and second line don’t rhyme. For convenience I’ve called them Jimericks so that In future I won’t have to explain.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 22 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	Jimericks - Discipline
All over the world, particularly the Western World, Satan is attacking the family. He hates any form of family life. It reminds him of the Unity within the Trinity. It’s a love relationship and all love is a contradiction of everything he represents. We know the Father loves The Son; The Son Loves the Spirit; The Spirit loves the Father. And so on it goes, in a never ending circle of infinitely perfect love and understanding from eternity to eternity. To you and me, it’s incomprehensible. But it’s probably the most beautiful thing eternity has known. Before his fall, Lucifer was considered to be the most beautiful “thing” in creation. After his fall he became Satan, the grand adversary of man; the devil or prince of darkness; the adversary; the enemy; the accuser. So great is his hatred for God and His children, it exceeds anything we could imagine. It would be “perfect” hatred apart from the fact that a created being cannot be perfect, not even in hatred! It doesn’t exist. His attack on the family focusses primarily on the male gender. Fatherhood and all fathers to him are anathema; he hates women, but not quite as much. He knows God appointed the man as the head of the family. So if he can destroy or weaken this Divine order, he will do so. We still see this in the 21st century. The one parent family has become common. As a general rule, children remain with their mother. So by attacking husbands, he achieves his purposes; families dissolve. I had a good father. By no means was he perfect. But he set a good example and I was always able to look up to him and respect him. I’d like to think that I am at least as good as he was. History will decide! As a general but not inflexible rule, fathers should take care of discipline within the family. I know this statement is offensive some ladies. All the same, it’s better for all concerned. My example or this comes from God’s Word. Jesus is seldom seen as a disciplinarian. He wasn’t soft on sin but there was a gentleness about the way He dealt with sinners that I would love to emulate. The story in John 8 of the woman taken in “the very act of adultery” illustrates this. According to the Law of Moses she should have been stoned to death. So should the man concerned, but he was somehow “missing”! It was a “perfect trap” for Him. Whichever side He took they would “have” Him. His answer could only have come from the heart of God. 10 Jesus stood up and said to her, "Woman, where are they? Has no one condemned you?" 11 She said, "No one, Lord." And Jesus said, "Neither do I condemn you; go, and from now on sin no more." John 8:10-11 ESV Such wise gentle compassion! She had been caught. His Father’s law said “stone her”. That would be the correct discipline. Jesus had compassion. She had suffered enough! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			7 "For there is hope for a tree, if it be cut down, that it will sprout again, and that its shoots will not cease. Job 14:7 ESV	If you chop a tree down, it may not be its end. It might revive, And hence survive. In fact, it just might mend.		It’s roots may still continue, unless you rip them out. How well they do, Depends on you. Do you want them to sprout?
			3 A bruised reed he will not break, and a smouldering wick he will not snuff out. In faithfulness he will bring forth justice; Isaiah 42:3 TNIV	The Lord is very gentle. He does not want to harm. A reed that’s bruised, Cannot be used, To signal an alarm.		So He is very tender. A wick He won’t snuff out. Instead He blows, Until it glows, And fire comes about!
			3 He restores my soul. He leads me in paths of righteousness for his name's sake. Psalms 23:3 ESV	The Shepherd loves His people, And so He has a goal. To feed His flock, And always block, That which could harm their soul.		Upon the paths of righteousness, is how He always leads. His Name is True For me and you, In all His mighty deeds!
			10 Godly sorrow brings repentance that leads to salvation and leaves no regret, but worldly sorrow brings death. 2 Corinthians 7:10 NIV	Sorrow brings repentance when God is in control. But you can bet, Mankind’s regret, Can never make you whole.		But genuine contrition is needed to repent. He won’t condone An empty groan, Unless it’s truly meant.
			11 We don't enjoy being disciplined. It always seems to cause more pain than joy. But later on, those who learn from that discipline have peace that comes from doing what is right. Hebrews 12:11 GW	Discipline’s unpleasant. It always gives us pain. It stings a bit. But don’t “knock” it. Without it, there’s no gain!		But later, on reflection, we see what we have learned. We find His peace, Has been released, And for our good it’s turned.
			67 I used to wander off until You disciplined me; but now I closely follow Your word. Psalm 119:67 NLT	When we’re being wayward, we wander far away. Then we’re restored, By Christ the Lord, With Him we wish to stay.		And so He gives us something on which we can rely. We have His word. When seen and heard, We needn’t go awry.
			13 "Now we are being punished because of our wickedness and our great guilt. But we have actually been punished far less than we deserve, for You, our God, have allowed some of us to survive as a remnant. Ezra 9:13 NLT	Oh God we’ve sinned against you in many different ways. They’re piled up high, They reach the sky. We don’t deserve Your praise.		And now we’re being punished, But it is far less, Than what is right, Within Your sight. A remnant you will bless.
			8 Do not gloat over me, my enemies! For though I fall, I will rise again. Though I sit in darkness, the LORD will be my light. 9 I will be patient as the LORD punishes me, for I have sinned against Him. But after that, He will take up my case and give me justice for all I have suffered from my enemies. The LORD will bring me into the light, and I will see His righteousness. Micah 7:8-9 NLT	My enemies, stop gloating. I’ve fallen, but I’ll rise. It may be dark, But God’s the spark, That comes before my eyes.		And though I’m being punished, I will wait patiently I’ll be restored, By Christ my Lord. That’s when He’ll deal with thee!
				Jim Strickland  Written 22nd November 2012

JIMMETS - THE VOID & JESUS’ PRAYER

Time with Jesus - Wed. 21 November 2012

Hi all,

Today we have 2 Jimmets to look at. The void looks at the space in our hearts that only Jesus can fill. Before we come to Him it’s an empty ache. The second Jimmet is about the Lord’s High Priestly prayer. If it were possible to summarise His prayer with one word, (it’s not) that word would be “unity”.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 21 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	JIMMETS - THE VOID & JESUS’ PRAYER
There are not many occasions when men have heard the audible voice of God the Father. One occasion was at the time of Jesus’ baptism. It was an extraordinary occasion told vividly by Matthew. John didn’t want to do it. He felt that Jesus should baptise him. But Jesus insisted. He was very aware of Biblical types and shadows. He was also very aware of what the future held for Him. He would die on the cross for humanity. 21 For God made Christ, who never sinned, to be the offering for our sin, so that we could be made right with God through Christ.2 Cor. 5:21 NLT He would die a sinner’s death. He also knew that through baptism a sinner would be returned to life, a new person. Baptism in the New Testament was a death to sin and a resurrection to new life. It follows that for Him to be restored to life by His Father and the Holy Spirit, He needed to be baptised. He lived a sinless life and as such had no need to be baptised. But the one who was made sin for us, needed baptism to be resurrected. So He started His ministry with baptism. He was fulfilling all righteousness. He now had the “right” to be raised from the dead! So perhaps we can say His baptism was a preparation for His death on the cross. Before He died a sinner’s death, He had already made provision for His cleansing in the waters of baptism and subsequent resurrection! Brilliant! Planned in advance by His Father, anticipating what would happen three and a half years later. Satan couldn’t say He had no “right” to be resurrected. It happened before He began His ministry. The Father rightly said, “This is My Beloved Son with Whom I am well pleased!” The Father could say this of His Son and the one raised from the dead! Before we committed our lives to Jesus Christ, there was something inside us that was searching for God. It has been described as a “God sized” space only He can fill. Augustine of Hippo in his famous “Confessions” wrote "You have made us for Yourself, O Lord, and our heart is restless until it rests in You." The Jimmet, “The Void” speaks of this. One of the few prayers of Jesus we have is written in John 17. This for me is really “The Lord’s Prayer”. I believe this took place in the Courtyard of the temple. I say this because it is sometimes called the “High Priestly Prayer” of Jesus. Within the precincts of the temple would be the “appropriate” place for our great High Priest to pray for His followers throughout the generations. His discourse about the vine, (John 15) suggests He was at the very gates of the temple. From here He would go on the Gethsemane. What better place for Him to pray? The courtyard of His Father’s house. The temple in which the High Priest would pray! It makes sense to me that He would step into the courtyard. His prayer is recorded for us in John 17. Poignant and unforgettable! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			13 For he has rescued us from the dominion of darkness and brought us into the kingdom of the Son he loves, Colossians 1:13 TNIV 17 and behold, a voice from heaven said, "This is my beloved Son, with whom I am well pleased." Matthew 3:17 ESV 1 "Behold, My Servant, whom I uphold; My chosen one in whom My soul delights. I have put My Spirit upon Him; He will bring forth justice to the nations. Isaiah 42:1 NASB 18 No one has ever seen God, but the one and only Son, who is himself God and is in closest relationship with the Father, has made him known. John 1:18 TNIV 9 In this the love of God was made manifest among us, that God sent his only Son into the world, so that we might live through him. 10 In this is love, not that we have loved God but that he loved us and sent his Son to be the propitiation for our sins. 1 John 4:9-10 ESV 16 So we have come to know and to believe the love that God has for us. God is love, and whoever abides in love abides in God, and God abides in him. 1 John 4:16 ESV 22 I have given them the glory that you gave me. I did this so that they are united in the same way we are. 23 I am in them, and you are in me. So they are completely united. In this way the world knows that you have sent me and that you have loved them in the same way you have loved me. John 17:22-23 GW 1 What marvellous love the Father has extended to us! Just look at it--we're called children of God! That's who we really are. But that’s also why the world doesn’t recognize us or takes us seriously, because it has no idea who he is or what he's up to. 1 John 3:1 MSG	The Void There was a time when I was in the dark, Far away from God and from His Son. But deep down within me was a spark Planted there when first I was begun. What it was, I really didn’t know. Something like a vacuum we can’t fill. A hole that ever bigger seemed to grow An emptiness which I remember still! I did my very best to fill that void, With the “trappings” this world could provide. All this made me more and more annoyed. Nothing changed the emptiness inside. Then I gave the Lord my heart and soul. He has filled that gap and made me whole. Jim Strickland  21 Nov 2012 Jesus’ Prayer The prayer of Jesus Christ our Sovereign Lord Written for us in John seventeen; Reading it, we should be overawed; By the prospects Jesus had foreseen. Kneeling in the Temple’s outer court, Our High Priest was pouring out His love. In a way it was the last report, He would give His Father High above. What a prayer! That all of us would be, One with Him in Spirit soul and mind, One with Him in perfect unity, One in purpose; One with all mankind! One with Father; One with Christ His Son; One in all intentions; truly one! Jim Strickland  21 Nov 2012