FATHERS AND FATHERHOOD

Time with Jesus - Friday, 25 January 2013

Hi all,

When you were growing up, did you ever come across a book or magazine focusing on the family? I can’t recall seeing one. There were a number of books on bringing up children. If I remember rightly, there was one written by a certain Dr Spock. At one time, it was regarded as a sort “Child Rearing Bible”, if you know what I mean. I vaguely remember it was slavishly followed. Also, it did not always produce the successes it claimed. The final indignity was that when it came to raising his own children, Dr Spock refused to have anything to do with his own book! Then, in the 1960’s, Star Trek arrived on the TV screen. It amused me greatly, that the emotionless man, with long pointed ears from the planet Vulcan and the mind of a computer, was called Mr Spock. I remember wondering if there was a connection? Today’s meditation is all about fatherhood.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 25 January 2013			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	Fathers and Fatherhood
The Lord blessed me with an extraordinary man as a father. He was not easy to get to know. He tended to be a thinker and was well read. I distinctly remember seeing the complete works of Charles Dickens in his father’s home. His father (my grandfather) was an extraordinary reader. He even read books walking to and from work. My grandfather was something of a pianist. In the days between the wars, going to the pub was more or less the only form of entertainment available in North East England. He would walk into a pub and sit down at the piano; a prerequisite in those days. In no time there would be several “pints” lined up on the piano for Ernie the pianist. He would play for a couple of hours and then get up, walk out and go home. My father, another Ernie, was like my grandfather. He didn’t learn to play the piano, but he was like his father. Both of them were good listeners and poor talkers. They were content to listen, take it all in and quietly go about the business of living life. Dad had a touch for working on large turbo-alternators. This skill put him into a reserved occupation during WWII. He spent most of the time visiting power stations etc. He managed to get them going again in spite of Hermann Goering’s bombers. He met my mother in 1938. They married in 1940. She was his first and only girlfriend. I was born in 1942 and called Ernie! Mom insisted they call me by my second name (James) Jim for short. In some respects, his skill influenced our relationship. He was constantly being called away to fix things - turbines. When we came to South Africa he travelled around installing, checking and repairing similar equipment. So we were never really able to get close. In any case, he was my Dad. He was seldom wrong about anything. He only ever commented about topics he was familiar with. Was he a good role model for me? How would I know? He was the only father I had. I thought the world of him. It never occurred to me that he might not be right. Besides, he behaved much like his father. That’s the way it was back in the 1950’s for me and the 1930’s for him. No doubt it would have been much the same as my grandfather was treated at the beginning of the 20th century! Before that? Who can say? Was I a good father? In the light of God’s word I must say no. I treated my children much the same way as I’d been treated. It was the same way for each generation! All of it was terribly normal – whatever normal means. Those days are now about 60 years ago! Knowing what I know now, I’m sure things would have been much different. But that’s the problem. Hindsight is always 20/20 vision. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			15 You didn't receive a spirit that makes you a slave to fear once again. Instead you received the Holy Spirit, who makes you God's child. By the Spirit's power we call God "Abba." Abba means Father. Rom 8:15 NIrV 1 After saying all these things, Jesus looked up to heaven and said, "Father, the hour has come. Glorify Your Son so He can give glory back to You. John 17:1 NLT 11 Now I am departing from the world; they are staying in this world, but I am coming to You. Holy Father, You have given Me Your name; now protect them by the power of Your name so that they will be united just as We are. John 17:11 NLT 25 "O Righteous Father, the world doesn't know You, but I do; and these disciples know You sent Me. John 17:25 NLT 36 And He said, "Abba, Father, all things are possible for you. Remove this cup from me. Yet not what I will, but what you will." Mark 14:36 ESV 6 Because you are his children, God sent the Spirit of his Son into our hearts. He is the Holy Spirit. By his power we call God "Abba." Abba means Father. Gal 4:6 NIrV 18 Now all of us can come to the Father through the same Holy Spirit because of what Christ has done for us. 19 So now you Gentiles are no longer strangers and foreigners. You are citizens along with all of God's holy people. You are members of God's family. Eph. 2:18-19 NLT 16 You are our Father. Abraham and Israel are long dead. They wouldn't know us from Adam. But you're our living Father, our Redeemer, famous from eternity! Isaiah 63:16 MSG 18 I will arise and go to my father, and I will say to him, "Father, I have sinned against heaven and before you. 19 I am no longer worthy to be called your son. Treat me as one of your hired servants."' 20 And he arose and came to his father. But while he was still a long way off, his father saw him and felt compassion, and ran and embraced him and kissed him. Luke 15:18-20 ESV 1 Therefore be imitators of God, as beloved children. Eph. 5:1 ESV	Take a little walk around Jerusalem today, It won’t be very long before you hear a young boy say, “Abba” meaning father. The little boy will run, And jump into his father’s arms. Why not? He is his son! It’s really quite delightful. It’s often on the go; And from a Christian standpoint, it’s wonderful to know, That fathers and their little boys, relate in such a way, That people in the Western world so seldom see today. We’re missing out on something. The father - son lifestyle, It’s something that we ought to know. It makes Our Father smile. But what about the fathers, that you and I have known? Have they truly acted the way the Bible’s shown? For what we have experienced, is what we’ll likely be. That is our role model, most unfortunately. Some of it was very good; some of it was not; And some of it was something far better off forgot! Some fathers are fantastic. They seem to get it right. They do just what the Bible says, by day as well as night. They clearly love their children the way a father should. So when it comes to fathering, we say that they are “good”! Some men are a “disaster”, if you’ll forgive the phrase. These men abuse their children in many different ways. Some of it is physical. They leave their children sore. Others psychological, which damages far more, Than giving a few bruises. They leave their children scarred, Some should be arrested and from all children barred. The problem which arises is, these children never trust Any sort of father, they treat them with disgust. And so because of what they’ve seen, they think that every Dad, Is better off avoided, or they’ll be driven mad. So when it comes to Father God, they think that also He, Will be as bad as what they knew back in their history. But this is a perception and never is the truth. We can’t compare God’s Fatherhood with knowledge from our youth. He’s infinitely better than anything we’ve known. We cannot rate His fatherhood – not even with our own. I may be a “good father”. But only God is good! The very best that I can be, it can’t be what it should. My fatherhood is limited to hours in the day. And when I’m busy sleeping, there isn’t any way, That I can be a father. As long as I’m asleep, What sort of standard can I set? I cannot ever keep, The standards He has set out. I also have my moods; And cannot feed my children on supernatural food. There is a gulf between us. I do the best I can. But I am not Christ Jesus. I’m only just a man. Jim Strickland  Written 25th January 2012

JACOB AND JESUS REFLECT

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 24 January 2013

Hi all,

Change is difficult. I’ve heard that the only person who enjoys change, is a baby with a dirty nappy! (diaper). But change is inevitable. Only God never changes. This means that we must. We do. Look at a photograph taken of you a year ago. Can you see the changes? What about one taken 10 years ago? There it’s much easier to see. We don’t have to like it. But we are stuck with it.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 24 January 2013				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	Jacob and Jesus Reflect
Today’s Scriptures speak about fruit; mainly the fruit of the vine. It’s also something of a panoramic view of Israel and Judah. It runs from the time of Jacob’s prophetic words over his sons, to the time of Jesus Christ and beyond. I don’t recall anyone speaking about the words of Jacob to His sons shortly before he died. It’s a shame this is so. In some magnificent way, it was as though Jacob was looking forward down the years. He spoke of the reign of King David and ultimately of King Jesus. Jacob’s words were both inspirational and prophetic. Christians today should be far better acquainted with them. The Daily Light Evening Scripture only quotes a short portion of Jacob’s blessing on Judah. He was his fourth son by Leah. The previous three, Reuben, Simeon and Levi had disgraced themselves in the eyes of their father (Jacob) The blessing of the first-born son, was therefore bestowed on Judah. These words constitute one of the most awesome prophetic words we can find anywhere in the Old Testament. Not surprisingly, Jacob speaks of the future kings King David and King Jesus. So, for today’s meditation, I’ve tried to blend Jacob’s words with Jesus’ words into a double reflection. Part of the reflection is by Jacob looking forward and backward over his life. The other part is a reflection by Jesus on the vineyard of Israel. Distinguishing the one from the other is not difficult. Apart from a short introduction, it “picks up” from the point where Jesus corrects the Jewish nation’s idea that they were God’s vine. The Lord Jesus states, He is the True Vine! He then adds that it is His desire and His Father’s desire, that His people bear much fruit. The Scripture concludes with comments on the fruit of the Spirit, rather than the fruit of the vine. Jacob’s prophetic words were given about 800 years before King David. i.e. about 1800 years before the first advent of King Jesus. Jacob started life as a noted deceiver and cheat. He met The Lord at Pniel. The change in him was extraordinary. The Lord touched his hip and from that time on, Jacob walked with a limp. Jacob was touched and changed. From the time of being touched, his words were no longer intended to deceive. They were intended to bring truth; truth for which Christians, some 3800 years later, are indebted. There is something remarkable about this story that is true in the 21st century. The fact is, when God touches something or someone, a remarkable change takes place. The finest example of this is the cross of Jesus. In some respects, the cross is nothing more than a symbol of agonising pain and death. It could be classified with the hangman’s noose or the guillotine. They aren’t really something to wear as jewellery. I can’t imagine anyone walking round with mini-guillotine round the neck. But the cross bore the dying body of the Lord Jesus. It was covered with His blood. In a unique way, Jesus sanctified this disgusting symbol of pain and death. He changed it into a symbol of hope. Hope for you and me. Many years ago I recall a comment made that lives with me to this very day. It was, “everything Jesus touches, He changes; even crosses”. He touched me in 1960. He touched Phyllida in 1951. We were changed forever. If He has touched you, you will know it and have been changed. Have you been changed? If not, were you ever touched? Jim & Phyllida Strickland			11 He ties his foal to a grapevine, the colt of his donkey to a choice vine. He washes his clothes in wine, his robes in the blood of grapes. 12 His eyes are darker than wine, and his teeth are whiter than milk. Genesis 49:11-12 NLT 1 I will sing a song for the LORD. He is the one I love. It's a song about his vineyard Israel. The one I love had a vineyard. It was on a hillside that had rich soil. 2 He dug up the soil and removed its stones. He planted the very best vines in it. He built a lookout tower there. He also cut out a winepress for it. Then he kept looking for a crop of good grapes. But the vineyard produced only bad fruit. Isaiah 5:1-2 NIrV 21 I planted you like a choice grapevine from the very best seed. Now you have turned against me and have become a wild vine. Jeremiah 2:21 GW 19 When you follow the desires of your sinful nature, the results are very clear: sexual immorality, impurity, lustful pleasures, 20 idolatry, sorcery, hostility, quarreling, jealousy, outbursts of anger, selfish ambition, dissension, division, 21 envy, drunkenness, wild parties, and other sins like these. Let me tell you again, as I have before, that anyone living that sort of life will not inherit the Kingdom of God. 22 But the Holy Spirit produces this kind of fruit in our lives: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, 23 gentleness, and self-control. There is no law against these things! Galatians 5:19-23 NLT 1 "I am the true vine, and my Father is the vinedresser. 2 Every branch in me that does not bear fruit he takes away, and every branch that does bear fruit he prunes, that it may bear more fruit. 3 Already you are clean because of the word that I have spoken to you. 4 Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit by itself, unless it abides in the vine, neither can you, unless you abide in me. 5 I am the vine; you are the branches. Whoever abides in me and I in him, he it is that bears much fruit, for apart from me you can do nothing. 6 If anyone does not abide in me he is thrown away like a branch and withers; and the branches are gathered, thrown into the fire, and burned. 7 If you abide in me, and my words abide in you, ask whatever you wish, and it will be done for you. 8 By this my Father is glorified, that you bear much fruit and so prove to be my disciples. John 15:1-8 ESV		Of all the children from my loins, two of them stand out. Ephraim and Judah. It’s true without a doubt. Judah came from Leah, Ephraim’s Joseph’s son. They will lead my people till life on earth is done. Rachel was my favourite wife and Joseph came from her. They’ll be at each other’s throat and conflict will occur. Both of them are special; each in a different way. Judah will bring forth the King whom Ephraim will obey! There’ll be separation. The grandson of the King, Will so offend the Ephraimites, they will do their thing. So, instead of one of them, the kingdom will be two. Both will look in envy at what they both can do. But the first intention was they should be a vine. Planted in a vineyard the Lord would say, “It’s mine.” There upon a hillside, in the finest richest soil, They’d produce the finest wine that couldn’t ever spoil. You’d think they’d make a go of it. You’d think the wine would be, The very finest vintage in all of history. But that is not what happened. The grapes they picked were sour. The wine was more like vinegar and worsened every hour. They were not even suitable to dye the royal robes red. And so the Lord would deal with them a different way instead. That’s when the Lord decided to chop the whole thing down. No longer would they prosper in that rather special town. They’d be in captivity for seventy long years. This would be their punishment, in spite of all their tears. Of course, they all pretended, the nation was God’s vine. The Son of God corrected them. He said, “The title’s Mine. Indeed I am the true vine. My Father makes it grow. He cultivates and prunes it in ways you’ll never know. And He is looking out for a special kind of fruit. That no one in their right mind could possibly refute. The fruit is of the Spirit and character is seen, Not the normal way of man. That way is unclean. It’s full of wicked vices and is utterly corrupt. But those who have the Spirit, will find that they have supped, The bread of life eternal and on the choicest wine. In fellowship with Jesus Christ, the Son of God Divine. And walking in the Spirit, in harmony with Me, Will bring a revelation of what they ought to be. A people who will follow right to the very end. And in that certain knowledge, they’ll see Me as their friend.” Jim Strickland  Written 24th January 2012