TEN OUT OF TEN

Time with Jesus - Wed. 26 December 2012

Hi all,

Our meditation this today comes out of our first Scripture. ²⁵ Consequently, he is able to save to the uttermost those who draw near to God through him, since he always lives to make intercession for them. Hebrews 7:25 ESV The before and after difference the Lord has wrought in us is phenomenal. I recall a comment made that we have been saved from the “gutter most” to the “uttermost”.  So that’s where we started!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Wednesday, 26 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	TEN OUT OF TEN
Science fiction has always fascinated me. I think it’s the “impossible” aspect that catches my attention. If it has a touch of the ludicrous, it really draws my attention. For example I thoroughly enjoyed the one about the metal coat hangers in the closet. The number seemed to grow day by day. So the author began to write about a closet in which coat hangers reproduced! After observing this for a day or two, he wondered if anything else would multiply in that closet. It didn’t work with money. But it did work with bicycles. That really amused me. The thought of someone trying to get a bicycle into the closet is hilarious. The other was a story by Isaac Asimov. He was a professor of bio-chemistry. In the course of his experiments, he came across a substance that dissolved in water astonishingly quickly. It occurred to him that if it was any more soluble, it would dissolve before it was added to the water. Since he was busy writing a doctoral thesis at the time, he decided to write a “scientific report” about this mythical substance. He said he needed practice writing in the typical “turgid” style demanded of science reports. So he wrote the “report”, complete with graphs and experimental results. He included references to other equally mythical reports found in science journals. It was great fun to read and was popular in the biochemical world! As we all know, Prof Asimov’s report about this mythical substance is strongly representative of Christian behaviour and the Lord. We live in a delusional society. Men and women all around us believe they are Christians when it is not true. You know what I mean. They go to church. The same one their family has attended for more years than anyone can remember. They live a perfectly normal life and think they are Christians by default. After all if you live in USA or UK and you are not Jewish or Muslim, you must be a Christian! As long as they aren’t involved with any of the sects, they are on God’s side. In the end He’ll receive them to His great reward. After all, that’s what God does! What makes this thinking so dangerous is the fact that there is a passing grade for everything in life. In my day you required 40% to pass into the next grade. In any case, nobody got 100% in the exams. That was unreasonable. Sadly, the thinking is that God works like that too! I mean, after all, if the University only needs 50%, surely God won’t require much more. That’s what I thought. I knew I was a sinner. On my own, I still have those tendencies. But to find out that one false move resulted in complete rejection wasn’t even on my radar. Then Jesus found me! That’s when I saw I was a “Monster of Iniquity”! I deserved hell. But Jesus loved and saved me. I still don’t know why? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25 TNIV 6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 TNIV 12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 ESV 27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me, John 10:27-28 NLT 6 I'm convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 GW 14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." Genesis 18:14 NLT 24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy, 25 to the only God, our Saviour, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all time and now and forever. Amen. Jude 1:24-25 ESV	He saves us from the “gutter-most”, wherever we have been. He saves us to the “uttermost”; He’s washed and made us clean! Who can understand this? I’ve tried to work it out. But it’s incomprehensible. Of that there is no doubt. I thought I was a good guy. That’s what I perceived. A sort of “average sinner” and that I hadn’t grieved, God’s precious Holy Spirit. “I can’t be all that bad!” When I looked at others! If I’d done what they had, Then I’d deserve His judgement. But fifty one per cent, Was all I thought I needed and what God really meant. Perhaps I wasn’t perfect. This fact I would concede. But surely fifty one per cent was all a man would need! I hadn’t murdered anyone. I hadn’t been a thief. Apart from pens and pencils; which much to my relief, I thought was not important. The bosses didn’t mind, Because they also did it. So wasn’t in a bind. I know I was a liar; but they were little tales. Not enough to tell me that my percentage fails. I wasn’t very envious about the things I saw. Except the Aston Martin the people owned next door. I hadn’t been adulterous. I hadn’t had the chance. But I have looked at ladies with a most erotic glance! I hadn’t worshiped other gods. It’s really not my way. But I followed my football team on each and every day. I didn’t go with sinners. With them I didn’t mix. So, on a scale of one to ten, I must deserve a six. This meant I’m so much better than the average man around. It follows that to heaven I certainly was bound. And then I came to Jesus. What was it that He saw? Someone who depended on a more than average score. He said that He demanded, from all the sons of men, Absolute perfection. A score, ten out of ten! Its then I came to realise that I had been a fool. Life is not a game you play like kids in Sunday School. In fact it is impossible to ever get it right. But absolute perfection was demanded in God’s sight. So I fell before Him. O Lord what can I do? “Let me take away your sin and wash you through and through. Man can never do it. It’s done in Me alone. For your myriad of sins, I only can atone. Come and be My servant. Repent and let Me be, The one who has the power to live a holy life in thee! Then you’ll have My righteousness. Your sins I’ll take away. We will be together, with Me you’ll always stay.” Jim Strickland  Written 26th December 2012

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Today is Christmas Day.
Please receive our prayers for a Christ filled Christmas.

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 25 December 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is topical. It’s on the Birth of Jesus. It was written in 1986 but is as fresh today as it was back then. I’m sorry the font size is so small. It’s the only way to get everything on one page. Increase the font size if you cannot read it properly.

All around us today we will see the imagination of man “sanitizing” what was a painful and traumatic experience for the young couple having to get from Nazareth to Bethlehem because of a command by Caesar. For such a journey during the final couple of weeks of pregnancy could be doubly fatal for mother and infant. In those days there were no medical facilities as we know them. The death of mother and infant in childbirth was not particularly unusual. But Mary was young; probably in her early teens. Women were “married off” quite young then.

I’ve tried to paint the picture as realistically as possible. Yes, it is from my imagination and it may be wrong in places. Be that as it may! I suspect much of it describes what actually happened. It’s very different from our Xmas cards.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Tuesday, 25 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					©
THE BIRTH OF JESUS 1			DAILY LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES	THE BIRTH OF JESUS 2
"We've got to go to Bethlehem", said Joseph to his wife. "But it's so far to travel and there is brand new life Developing inside me. Please Joseph, can't I stay? For Nazareth to Bethlehem's a hundred miles away! I really shouldn't travel. The birth's so very near! How can I walk or even ride?" "We have no choice my dear, For Caesar has commanded that taxes we must pay. Those who don't go to their towns, they've guaranteed to slay. I know it won't be easy, but if we take it slow And, if I take good care of you, we'll all be safe I know." She carried on protesting but still Joseph prepared And very soon they both set off, uncomfortable and scared. The journey was a nightmare for she could hardly ride. The movement of the donkey would jolt the child inside. So, often she dismounted and simply had to walk, Which made her so exhausted that she could hardly talk. They travelled in the mornings before the midday heat Had scorched the barren dusty road and burned her aching feet. They rested when the sun was high; where they could find some shade, And travelled on at evening both desperately afraid That she would start with labour. At night they just lay down And slept upon the barren road which led toward their town. Sometimes the opportunity to ride on someone's cart Gave a needed respite. But then she'd have to start And carry on the journey in agony and pain, Longing for another chance for her to rest again. For Joseph, it was terrible, for what else could he do? He had to keep on hurrying to see the journey through. Himself, he was much older. She was so very young. To keep her going like this was something that just stung. He also knew that time was short and that her time was near, So had to keep on travelling in spite of all his fear. Thus he was in the middle and torn apart with pain; The thought of what might happen kept churning in his brain. And though he didn't show it, it cut him to the heart Fearing with each step she took her labour pains would start. How long the journey took them we cannot know for sure. Perhaps it took a fortnight. What woman can endure The prospect of a journey like this when great with child? Perhaps it was her tender age that helped her through the trial. The distance seemed forever. Each step a jarring jolt. Be it on foot, or on a cart, or riding on a colt, The physical exhaustion kept coming on in waves. The rightful Royal family kept moving on like slaves! At last, there in the distance they sighted Bethlehem. But then the thing they greatly feared came up to smother them. The shooting pains of labour induced by what they'd done Made them both feel desperate. The birth had now begun. "God help us both!", said Joseph. "I'm going on ahead. I've got to find a place for you. Somewhere to lay your head." He hurried forward frantically. She plodded on behind. "There has to be a place for us. A spot where we can find Somewhere for the delivery. A house, a room, an Inn. Anywhere for privacy; Some spot to shelter in.			15 Thanks be to God for his indescribable gift! 2 Corinthians 9:15 TNIV A Psalm Of Thanksgiving. 1 Shout with joy to the LORD, all the earth! 2 Worship the LORD with gladness. Come before Him, singing with joy. 3 Acknowledge that the LORD is God! He made us, and we are His. We are His people, the sheep of His pasture. 4 Enter His gates with thanksgiving; go into His courts with praise. Give thanks to Him and praise His name. 5 For the LORD is good. His unfailing love continues forever, and His faithfulness continues to each generation. Psalms 100:1-5 NLT 6 For a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace. Isaiah 9:6 NLT 32 Since He did not spare even His own Son but gave Him up for us all, won't He also give us everything else? Romans 8:32 NLT 6 He had still one other, a beloved son. Finally he sent him to them, saying, 'They will respect my son.’ Mark 12:6 ESV 21 Let them give thanks to the LORD for his unfailing love and his wonderful deeds for men. Psalms 107:21 NIV Of David. 1 Bless the LORD, O my soul, and all that is within me, bless his holy name! Psalms 103:1 ESV 46 And Mary said, "My soul magnifies the Lord, 47 and my spirit rejoices in God my Saviour, 48 for he has looked on the humble estate of his servant. For behold, from now on all generations will call me blessed; Luke 1:46-48 ESV	The first place which he came to he knew would have to do. Then just around the corner an Inn came into view. He rushed into the courtyard to find to his dismay That all the rooms were occupied. There didn't seem a way For him to find vacancy. "O God, where can I go?" This added complication was just another blow That jarred him to the very core. And then he saw a place Among the cattle droppings which filled him with distaste. The floor was filthy dirty. It made him want to weep. But naught else was available and so he tried to sweep The dung and other droppings away so she could lie Upon a bed he made for her for now her time was nigh. She staggered to the courtyard and fell upon the straw. The pain of the contractions enveloped her once more. And then at last it happened and she cried out with pain. The time had come... A mighty push... and then the baby came. The moment they'd been waiting for, at last it had arrived. The miracle to both of them was that they had survived. Poor Joseph looked so helpless. What was he now to do? The birth was in the courtyard for all the world to view. He hovered in embarrassment his countenance perplexed. What was the proper thing to do and what would happen next? But Mary was delivered. At last she seemed at peace. It may have been in public but here was the release From all the fearful struggling and all the pain and hurt. She and the babe seemed comfortable in spite of all the dirt. He handed her a swaddling cloth in which to wrap the child. Then looked and saw a feeding trough in which some straw was piled. The animals had left it and though it seemed quite rough There wasn't an alternative and there was room enough. So there he placed the infant upon that bed of straw; A manger standing in the yard on that disgusting floor Is where he placed the baby. That's how God's Son was born; A probable reflection of that first Christmas morn. The agony and heartbreak of what is written here Is more true than the fairy tale so many hold so dear. The artificial Christmas cards so often we receive Are just a vain concoction men want us to believe. The truth is far more painful and shows that God regards Our thinking of what should have been as broken, splintered shards. So as you come to Christmas with all the celebration Think about the way it was. Use your imagination To understand what happened. A little teenage girl Was treated like an outcast and not some tender pearl. For as you think about it, it's sure to change your mind About the Christmas story and all the junk you find Described upon your calendars your cards and at your feasts. God chose as his place of birth a spot among the beasts To come and bring salvation. Let this truth settle in For he came here to save the world from wickedness and sin. And as you think about it, it ought to change your ways For Christmas to be meaningful, not just a holiday. Jim Strickland  Written 1986

DAVID, SAUL AND ACHISH

Time with Jesus - Monday, 24 December 2012

Hi all,

Today’s meditation focus on three men; they were contemporaries. All three were either kings or would become kings. Saul, king of Israel and Judah; king Achish of Gath in Philistia and the future king David of Israel and Judah. Three most unlikely characters; yet the interaction between the three of them would more or less define the future of Israel and Judah with Philistia. It’s all convoluted in the book of First Samuel. This book makes fascinating reading. From Samuel to the death of Saul, complete with the life of the pre-royal David. Wonderful Biblical history.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday, 24 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	DAVID, SAUL AND ACHISH
Do animals laugh? It’s a strange sort of a question but strange things do happen and answers are never easy to come by. I can’t think I’ve ever seen anything like laughter from any animal that I’ve come across. I can remember seeing a “Francis the Talking Mule” movie. But I suspect it was “rigged” for Donald O’Connor’s benefit. We do have an account of Balaam’s donkey speaking in Numbers 22:28. Read it and see. The donkey certainly wasn’t laughing! Many folk feel that the Bible has no humour in it. It’s true that most of it is tragedy, or human stupidity if you prefer. But dotted here and there we find delightfully amusing statements. One of my favourites is found in the book of Jeremiah. Speaking about idols of the nations, Jeremiah records the Lord as saying, 5 Like a scarecrow in a melon patch, their idols cannot speak; they must be carried because they cannot walk. Do not fear them; they can do no harm nor can they do any good." Jer. 10:5 NIV. I love it. For me it’s the ultimate Biblical “put down”. There is very little we could describe as “funny” in the tale of the Saul, David and Achish. If it had been written by Shakespeare, it would be classified and included as one of his tragedies like Hamlet and Macbeth. King Saul who could be classified as the villain of the piece had become quite mad. He was obsessed with a desire to kill David. He seems to me to have had a depressive nature. Then he heard the women sing: - 7 "Saul has slain his thousands, and David his tens of thousands."1 Samuel 18:7 NIV. Saul hadn’t read “How to Make Friends and Influence People”. For a while he sat on it and “incubated” it! Then, when his envious anger broke out of its shell, he threw a spear at David. David ducked! If he hadn’t, he could never have become the King. From that time, more or less, David was on the run. The saga of David running from Saul comprises much of 1 Samuel. Saul’s determination to capture and kill David was a calamity. In the end, almost in desperation, David leaves the country and goes to live with King Achish of Gath! Perhaps the same Gath as Goliath’s home? The time David spent in Philistia seems to have been an all-time, pre Bathsheba, low. It does little for his reputation. He is revealed as a liar and heartless killer. He was nearly murdered by his men at Ziklag. While living in hiding from Saul in Philistia, he fooled Achish into thinking he was raiding his own people. The truth is he was raiding the places of Israel’s enemies. Achish was fooled. The Philistine officers were not. David was still the enemy. Hence David didn’t have to fight Saul in the battle with the Philistines. In this battle, Saul and three of his sons died. One of them was David’s blood covenant brother Jonathan. What a tragedy! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			3 The Philistine officers asked, "What are these Hebrews doing here?" Achish asked the Philistine officers, "Isn't this David, the servant of King Saul of Israel, who has been with me now for a year or two? I've found nothing wrong with him from the day he defected until now." 1 Samuel 29:3 GW 14 If you are insulted because of the name of Christ, you are blessed because the Spirit of glory-the Spirit of God-is resting on you. 15 If you suffer, you shouldn't suffer for being a murderer, thief, criminal, or troublemaker. 16 If you suffer for being a Christian, don't feel ashamed, but praise God for being called that name. 1 Peter 4:14-16 GW 16 Don't let something you consider good be spoken of as if it were evil. Romans 14:16 NIrV 12 Live such good lives among the pagans that, though they accuse you of doing wrong, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day he visits us. 1 Peter 2:12 TNIV 14 Do not be unequally yoked with unbelievers. For what partnership has righteousness with lawlessness? Or what fellowship has light with darkness? 15 What accord has Christ with Belial? Or what portion does a believer share with an unbeliever? 16 What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For we are the temple of the living God; as God said, "I will make my dwelling among them and walk among them, and I will be their God, and they shall be my people. 17 Therefore go out from their midst, and be separate from them, says the Lord, and touch no unclean thing; then I will welcome you, 18 and I will be a father to you, and you shall be sons and daughters to me, says the Lord Almighty." 2 Corinthians 6:14-18 ESV 9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellences of him who called you out of darkness into his marvellous light. 1 Peter 2:9 ESV	The very strangest threesome that you could ever see. David, Saul and Achish. An “oddball” history! Saul was chasing David. He wished to see him dead. Achish was a Philistine. A man whom Saul should dread. David had been running, to get away from Saul. Anyone who helped him, found no mercy at all. He slaughtered all the priests who lived within the town of Nob. The Hebrews wouldn’t do it, so Doeg did the job! Doeg was an Edomite, so it is no surprise, He would kill the Priests of Nob; to look good in Saul’s eyes. Saul kept hounding David. I think he had gone mad! David wouldn’t harm Saul; though he be good or bad. Saul was God’s anointed, so David wouldn’t kill, This ruler who went crazy. He ran away until, In order to find respite, he joined the Philistines. And so he went to Achish to join their army’s lines. Achish was a ruler. Gath was his home town. Goliath was the Gathite whom David had struck down. It didn’t seem to matter and David was “his man”, So Achish gave him Ziklag; for David, a good plan. For sixteen months in Ziklag and Gath, David would raid The enemies of Israel, a dreadful price was paid. Women, men and children were all put to the sword. He said that they were Hebrews; but it was just a fraud, He used to trick King Achish. He told a bunch of lies; So he would be acceptable. Impressive in the eyes, Of Achish and his people. But would he go and fight, Against Saul and his people? How could he get that right? The generals of the Philistines refused to take him on. And very soon next morning, David’s men were gone. They all went back to Ziklag. But Ziklag was forsaken. Raided by Amalekites; and everyone was taken. All his men were angry and David took the blame. And so in desperation unto the Lord he came. There he found encouragement and what he had to do. Go and bring them back again before your men kill you! The mission was successful and families restored. All was “done and dusted”; courtesy the Lord. Jim Strickland  Written 24th December 2012