ON EAGLE’S WINGS

Time with Jesus - Friday, 14 December 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is called “On Eagle’s Wings”. It is a sort of bird’s eye view of crossing of the Red Sea and the Jordan River. Of all the miracles in the Old Testament, these two seem to be among the most popular ones to disbelieve! I can’t think why?

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 14 December 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	ON EAGLE’S WINGS
The Olympic Games - London 2012 - is well and truly behind us. They were handled with all the skill and organising ability we expect from the Brits. They went off with all the precision of the Changing of the Guard at Buckingham Palace. Mind you, I didn’t spot Christopher Robin, Alice or her fiancé. What I did see was Usain Bolt. At least I think I saw him. He was running and no one seemed to be able to catch him! Extraordinary. The fastest man on two legs! I guess that he would not have been much faster than Jeremiah some 2600 years ago. He couldn’t compete with horses. I’m sure Usain would also find it something of a challenge. Indeed, compared with most animals, our pace is decidedly pedestrian. Where we have an advantage is in brain power. We can think and plan accordingly. What we lack in speed we make up for in our mechanical contraptions. The Anglo-French Concorde carried passengers faster than the speed of sound. Financially, the plane could have been better supported. The Americans and the aircraft manufacturers decided that speed wasn’t everything. I’ve heard that the thing was so fast, you could land in New York before you left London! Now that’s science! God can do it much quicker. I’m told we are limited by the speed of light. Something about the faster you go the smaller you get. I’m told that at the speed of light you would be nothing. That’s either Einstein or Frankenstein. Not sure which. The answer is of epic proportions. The Israelites were into looking for epic proportions. How long does it take for 2 million people along with wagons, possessions, assorted livestock and pets to walk across or through the Red Sea? It depends on two factors. A) The width of the gap in the sea and B) the speed of walking. We don’t know how long it took them. Somewhere between six and eight hours has been suggested. Depending on tidal conditions and the actual point of the crossing, the distance from one side to the other could have been in the order of 500 metres. Apparently, the “Targum of Jonathan” states that there were twelve “openings” in the sea. It could be that each of the twelve tribes crossed independently. Thus the time taken to cross from one side to the other would be greatly reduced and 6 to 8 hours becomes reasonable. The crossing of the River Jordan appears in many respects to be a repeat of the crossing of the Red Sea. Many discard the Bible in totality because they cannot believe that such things can happen. Personally, I’m a Theist. I believe God created and controls this world. So for Him to open the Red Sea and the Jordan is not a problem. Not for Him who spoke creation into being! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			5 "If racing against mere men makes you tired, how will you race against horses? If you stumble and fall on open ground, what will you do in the thickets near the Jordan? Jeremiah 12:5 NLT 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 What we do see is Jesus, made "not quite as high as angels," and then, through the experience of death, crowned so much higher than any angel, with a glory "bright with Eden's dawn light." In that death, by God's grace, he fully experienced death in every person's place. Hebrews 2:9 MSG 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 When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overwhelm you; when you walk through fire you shall not be burned, and the flame shall not consume you. Isaiah 43:2 ESV 17 I saw this and fainted dead at his feet. His right hand pulled me upright, his voice reassured me: "Don't fear: I am First, I am Last, 18 I'm Alive. I died, but I came to life, and my life is now forever. See these keys in my hand? They open and lock Death's doors, they open and lock Hell's gates. Revelation 1:17-18 MSG	We have our limitations. We only have two feet. We only have a pair of eyes to see along the street We only have two nostrils and just one pair of ears. A mouth to feed our bodies; a tongue to shout our jeers. Well suited for our purposes, while living here below. But we don’t have a covering to keep out heat and snow. Our legs were made quite powerful; but not for running fast. We can’t compete with horses. We’re sure to end up last. On one or two occasions, the Lord came to their aid. To walk across the Red Sea, a way for them was made. And likewise at the Jordan. To reach the other bank, Without the Lord Almighty, so He’s the one to thank. The people trusted Moses and later Joshua. The truth is, if they hadn’t, they couldn’t get that far! A pathway through the waters, was what the Lord decreed. There wasn’t much alternative, if they were to succeed. They had to do exactly what The Most High God had said, If they didn’t bother, they’d very soon be dead! Even in the shadow of Death Valley, He is there. His rod and staff bring comfort and drive away our care. No evil can assail us. They seldom even try. With Father, Son and Spirit together standing by. Satan and his cronies, tremble and they quake. They will keep their distance while we are awake. But a little slumber, when our heads begin to nod, They may try and reach us, despite the Triune God! Walking through water, we won’t be swept away. They can’t overwhelm us. “Come back another day!” Is all we need to tell them. The waters can’t break through. Not if Christ the Saviour is looking after you. Jesus is the reason, why Christians are secure. He has made us righteous; He will keep us pure, While we are obedient. Then by His Holy grace, We will know His presence and feel His warm embrace. He knows all about us; was tested and was tried. Knows what we experience. He gave His life and died. Now He is the holder of the keys of death and hell. What we are all going through He knows it very well. So, when we are thinking we can’t take any more. Ask for His amazing strength. On eagle’s wings you’ll soar. Jim Strickland  Written 14th December 2012

IT’S UP TO YOU

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 13 December 2012

Hi all,

On my birthday in 1981, I attended the Rhema Faith Convention in the Portuguese Hall. The speaker that night was Ken Hagen Jr. The topic he chose was, “Why are you sitting here when the prison doors are open?” For me it was a life-changing moment. Today’s meditation reflects something of that occasion. There is a “modernised” picture of what Jesus has done followed by the statement, “You’re not compelled to stay there. The choice is up to you!” You are as free as you want to be!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 13 December 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	IT’S UP TO YOU
Did anyone enjoy their history at school? I found it boring. In the 1950’s, history only really began in 1652 with Jan van Riebeeck arriving at the “Cape of Storms”. We went through a hotchpotch of assorted Governors while the Brits and the Dutch argued and fought each other. Somewhere mixed up in this, the Boer’s wanted to keep their independence and, presumably, their slaves, so they set off to populate the hinterland via Bloemfontein. I could never find out why Bloemfontein was chosen. I’m told that when the Ox wagons reached “Bloem” there were two giant signs erected for the direction of the trekkers. One pointed straight ahead complete with a sign that said, “Transvaal”. There was another pointing in the general direction of Durban with the words “Natal”. Those who could read went in their desired direction. The others, stayed where they were. One other comment about Bloemfontein. The late Spike Milligan of Goon show fame said he had spent a lifetime in Bloemfontein one afternoon. He also said it was the only city he had visited where the cemeteries were above ground. For some inexplicable reason, Biblical History was different. I enjoyed wandering through the sands of ancient Israel. In my mind I could imagine the sand between my toes. The stories of the wanderings of the Patriarchs and the people of the Exodus were fascinating. Likewise, Jesus tramping round Judea and Paul’s missionary journeys always seemed fun. Painful for them, but fun to read. There is only one problem for me reading Biblical history now. It never changes. That is a good thing but after a while your imagination gets a tad stagnant. Rather like the little boy who came home from Sunday School. When asked what he had learned that day he told his parents about General Moses. He led his forces in a massive tank battle with the Egyptians. He attacked them with his 88mm canon and finally destroyed them with his French Mirage jets. The mopping up was by his soldiers with their AK47’s. It was a great success. The Egyptian equipment was then used to get the people to the other side of the Red Sea. “I don’t think that’s what they taught you”, commented his father. “No!” said the youngster. “But mine is a lot more believable than the story they told me!” So for this morning’s meditation, I’ve gone through the story of Jesus coming to save us from our sins. What I’ve done is try to imagine a slightly different scenario. The outcome is the same as it was for Jesus in real life. My aim was to tell the same story slightly differently and add a challenging twist at the end. It was fun composing. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. Ephesians 2:18 NLT 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 There is one body and one Spirit--just as you were called to the one hope that belongs to your call-- 5 one Lord, one faith, one baptism, 6 one God and Father of all, who is over all and through all and in all. Ephesians 4:4-6 ESV 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 And so, dear brothers and sisters, we can boldly enter heaven's Most Holy Place because of the blood of Jesus. 20 By His death, Jesus opened a new and life-giving way through the curtain into the Most Holy Place. 21 And since we have a great High Priest who rules over God's house, 22 let us go right into the presence of God with sincere hearts fully trusting Him. For our guilty consciences have been sprinkled with Christ's blood to make us clean, and our bodies have been washed with pure water. Hebrews 10:19-22 NLT	He stood upon a mountain and took a look around. It all looked very terrible; there was a wailing sound, Coming from the castle. The noise crashed on His ears. And as he looked upon it, His eyes were filled with tears. It was a massive prison confining all mankind. Compassion rose inside Him. These people were consigned, To spending their eternity locked tightly in their cells. It looked like a precursor to what they’d know in hell. The people were all sinners. He knew it as a fact. “I can’t let this continue. It’s time for Me to act”. He wondered how to do it; He thought of God most High. He thought about the comfort of His Home up in the Sky. “I think I have to leave it! I have to set them free. There’s no one else can do it. I guess it’s up to Me. I have to take their places. Release them from this yard. But how will I get in there and past the prison guard?” He thought about His options; He knew what He must do. His Father and The Spirit said, “Son it’s up to you. You’ll only get admission, if you are one of them. Put aside Your Godhood and join the world of men!” He nodded in agreement. “My Father’s never wrong. The Father, Son and Spirit; We three are always One”. Exactly how He did it remains a mystery. He became an infant, the likes of you and me. Somehow He compressed Himself to be a baby boy; Nurtured by a Mother. He was her “pride and joy”. Satan tried to murder Him each chance that he could get. Their final confrontation could not take place just yet! Jesus’ life was sinless. He wasn’t once deceived. And He was on a mission no one would have believed. He would take on Satan in his fortress lair. Then He’d tell the prisoners to “Go on! Get out of there!” Satan couldn’t touch Him while He was free of sin. But if He made a blunder; for sure Satan would win. He let the devil take Him and Have Him crucified. But when Christ Jesus perished; the instant that He died, The gates of that old fortress were simply torn apart. Liberty for prisoners!  This is the time to start. Each of them could walk out. The choice was theirs alone. No longer did they have to kneel or cower at Satan’s throne. The gates of heaven were open. Now they could go inside. Each could be a member of Jesus’ Holy bride. The castle walls were shattered and Satan’s realm was through. You’re not compelled to stay there. The choice is up to you. Jim Strickland  Written 13th December 2012

JIMMETS; PRESSING ON – NEVER QUIT

Time with Jesus - 12 December 2012

Hi all,

Today there are a couple of “Jimmets” to meditate on. i.e. Sonnets written with Shakespeare’s rhyming method. Both originate from 2 Corinthians 4; they are encouragement for us to keep on keeping on.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 12 December 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; PRESSING ON – NEVER QUIT
In 1953, Tony Curtis and Janet Leigh made a movie called “Houdini”. It was the story of one of the world’s first Escapologists, Harry Houdini. He performed at the turn of the 20th century and was hugely successful. I recall seeing the film in the early 1950’s in one of the “bioscopes” in Port Elizabeth. I think it was the “Grand”. He started his career as a magician and was fairly successful. It was when he focussed on escaping from bizarre situations, that his popularity reached an all-time high. Of course, his stunts were all tricks. But he succeeded with his illusions until 31st October 1926. He died from peritonitis following a body blow in the area of his appendix. Houdini could never be the greatest escape artist of all time. That honour goes to our Lord Jesus Christ. He was raised from death and walked out of the tomb. But Jesus was not an escape artist. He didn’t resort to tricks to fool an audience. Jesus’ “escape” was genuine. The Holy Spirit resurrected Jesus. It was no stunt to draw crowds and make money. No one can say for sure that there was any noise in Joseph of Arimathaea’s tomb when Jesus was resurrected. What seems to have happened was that the resurrected body of Jesus passed through the cocoon-like wrappings of the grave clothes such that they were undisturbed, but empty! The contents mysteriously were gone. The resurrected Jesus apparently then folded the napkin – probably His tallit; and exited the tomb. Whether He or an angel rolled away the stone from the mouth of the tomb is irrelevant. Of course, in His resurrected body, Jesus could easily have walked through the stone anyway! This was a resurrected body. It was not his old “earth suit” resuscitated, as in all previous cases of those who had been raised from the grave. Jesus Christ’s resurrected body had extraordinary qualities and abilities. It had flesh and bone but seems to have been bloodless! In this body Jesus could eat and drink; appear and vanish at will and pass through walls. (Houdini is not in this class!) Incidentally, those who don’t believe in the resurrection of Jesus, have automatically excluded themselves from being Christians. Paul put it this way, 9 If you declare that Jesus is Lord, and believe that God brought him back to life, you will be saved. Romans 10:9 GW It follows that if you don’t believe He was raised from the dead, you aren’t a Christian. Sorry about that. I don’t make the rules, I only quote them! Nevertheless, in and through Jesus Christ we are all looking for resurrection bodies. So let’s obediently press on regardless and never quit believing in Him and His love. He’s all we need! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			26 "Please run now to meet her and say to her, 'Is it well with you? Is it well with your husband? Is it well with the child?'" And she answered, "It is well." 2 Kings 4:26 NASB 13 Since we have the same spirit of faith according to what has been written, "I believed, and so I spoke," we also believe, and so we also speak, 2 Corinthians 4:13 ESV 9 We are known, but people treat us as if we were unknown. We are dying, but we continue to live. We are beaten, but we are not killed. 10 We are sad, but we are always full of joy. We are poor, but we make many people rich. We have nothing, but we own everything. 2 Corinthians 6:9-10 NIrV 8 We are pressed on every side by troubles, but we are not crushed. We are perplexed, but not driven to despair. 9 We are hunted down, but never abandoned by God. We get knocked down, but we are not destroyed. 10 Through suffering, our bodies continue to share in the death of Jesus so that the life of Jesus may also be seen in our bodies. 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NLT 16 That is why we never give up. Though our bodies are dying, our spirits are being renewed every day. 17 For our present troubles are small and won't last very long. Yet they produce for us a glory that vastly outweighs them and will last forever! 18 So we don't look at the troubles we can see now; rather, we fix our gaze on things that cannot be seen. For the things we see now will soon be gone, but the things we cannot see will last forever. 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT 2 Dear friends, I hope all is well with you and that you are as healthy in body as you are strong in spirit. 3 John 1:2 NLT	PRESSING ON 2 Corinthians 4:8-10 NLT We are pressed by trouble on all sides. Even so, not one of us is crushed. Baffled? We don’t run away and hide. Despair will not compel us to be hushed. Hunted down? We are not on our own. Never will the Lord abandon us. When knocked over, we don’t stand alone. Threated with destruction? – We don’t fuss! What they did to Jesus, they’ll repeat. Trial and torture? None of this is new. Suffering won’t drive us to defeat. Let them do the worst that they can do. Crucified? Embrace those cruel nails. Let them see, Christ Jesus never fails. Jim Strickland  Written 12th December 2012 NEVER QUIT 2 Corinthians 4:16-18 NLT For us, it’s impossible to quit! Outwardly, our bodies wilt and die. But that’s only just the half of it. Inwardly our spirits multiply! Every day our spirits are renewed. Trouble for us won’t last very long! In the very briefest interlude, We shall find our inner man grow strong! We’re not interested in what we see. That is just a mirage for the eyes. What we can perceive spiritually, Will continue when creation dies. All that we can see will soon be gone. What we cannot see goes on and on! Jim Strickland  Written 12th December 2012