RETURN OF THE PRODIGAL

From pauper to a palace; it happened in a day.

Joseph was exalted in a very special way.

From palace to a pauper, it wasn’t overnight.

But prodigal’s resources soon vanished out of sight.

It happened fairly quickly. The money was all gone,

It was a major problem for him to carry on.

At last he found employment, to feed a farmer’s hogs.

A job that only should be done by “unclean, gentile dogs”.

A Jew would never do it. For working with the pigs

Was thought of by the Jewish men as far too infra-dig.

The situation humbled him. He had no food to eat.

The only thing was “pig food”; His fall was thus complete.

He came back to his senses. He wanted to return.

To go back to his father; that was his deepest yearn.

His father’s lowest servants were better off than he.

And so he started walking, back to the family.

We are not told the details. The Lord leaves us to guess,

The hardships that he went through to rectify his mess!

How many days it took him, we do not know for sure.

To see his father’s face again. I think he would endure,

Anything and everything. He had one goal in mind.

To get back to his family in spite of what he’d find.

He had his own agenda of what he thought he’d say.

He kept on going through it each step along the way.

“Father, I’m unworthy for you to call me son.

Not in view of all the wicked things that I have done.

Let me be a servant, the lowest of the low.

I will be your bond slave regardless where you go.

How can you forgive me? I cannot put things right.

I’m no longer suitable to pass within your sight.”

There’s one thing he’d overlooked; his father’s love and care.

Yes his father let him go, but father’s inmost prayer,

Was for the prodigal’s return. He’d watched the roads each day,

Longing for his precious son who’d wandered far away.

Scanning the horizon his one wish was to see,

His son returning home to him. How happy he would be.

Now let me tell a secret. I want the world to know.

That prodigal’s identified. The Father let me go.

All that I had was wasted. My future - everything.

I truly had no prospects; There’s nothing I could bring.

All I had was “pig swill”. I stood before his throne,

Naked and unworthy; a sinner to the bone.

And yet the Father welcomed me; received me as His child.

Washed away my wickedness declared me undefiled.

It happened because Jesus exchanged with me His place.

He received my punishment. I received His grace.

Jim Strickland – written Saturday, 11 June 2011

GO AND SIN NO MORE

The story of the “prodigal” who simply wouldn’t stay,

Is probably the best known tale of folly to this day.

He wanted His inheritance “this instant, I can’t wait

To get the money in my hands until some future date”.

And so he grabbed the money and very soon he split,

With father and his brother. He didn’t care one bit.

We know the story’s ending, he came home stony broke.

We know that he’d repented and was a different bloke.

We see that his returning made father’s heart feel glad.

But what about his brother? It seemed to drive him mad.

There is an application to life in Bible days.

It shows that man’s “sin nature” would influence their ways.

Today there’s little difference. The people do the same.

We do not learn from history and love to play sin’s game.

But this has penetrated the members of the church.

And by this sort of action, God’s Kingdom they besmirch.

And there’s a subtle difference. Some “Christians” love to sin.

They hardly ever seem to spot the trouble they are in.

They think that grace will cover them and God will let them go.

But that is an illusion. God will not treat us so.

We cannot be a Christian and sin just as we please.

For every sin that we commit our Holy Father sees.

We cannot worship idols or live immoral lives.

We can’t commit adultery with other people’s wives.

The thieves and greedy people, the drunkard and the cheat.

Will stand before the Living God and face His judgement seat.

The God who makes men holy, will never tolerate,

His people to be sinful as was their former state.

His grace is all sufficient but cannot be abused.

It comes by our repentance; our God will not be used.

If we are unrepentant, forgiveness falls away.

The Lord is not a prostitute. No matter how you pray;

The bottom line is what you do. Your lifestyle is the thing,

That Jesus Christ will look at and therein lies the sting.

His blood is efficacious to cover any stain.

But after it has been applied, we only will retain,

Salvation by a change of life that’s plain for all to see.

You do not get a license for your profligacy.

Salvation is a process we follow every day.

Jesus is our Master. Obey Him all the way.

He loves to welcome sinners who willingly repent.

He’ll give them all the help they need. His Spirit will be sent

To lead them and to guide them right into heaven’s door.

But He has expectations. “Go, and sin no more”.       (John 8:11)

Jim Strickland – written Friday, 10 June 2011

WARFARE

Some folk said it thundered, but I was not so sure.

A prompting in my spirit said it was too pure.

Nothing I could recognise or what I’d heard before.

But something deep inside me, wanted to hear more.

The reverberations echoed through my mind,

Slowly getting clearer; more readily defined.

First it was a murmur, a softly flowing stream;

Like the gentle waters of a lovely dream;

Insufficient volume for me to comprehend.

Could it be a poem that still had to be penned?

Slowly it grew clearer. The sound of precious words

Streaming from delightful lips; insisting they be heard.

I was held enraptured and couldn’t turn away.

Priceless words of wisdom that Jesus Christ did say.

The Lord spoke and I listened. I couldn’t turn aside.

Their beauty held me riveted and even though I tried

To break what I was feeling; I had to hear Him speak.

Poetic precision that left me feeling weak,

Could I understand Him? No, not straight away.

I would have to concentrate to grasp what He did say.

Suddenly His voice was clear and I could understand.

Then with great authority He gave me His command.

“Take what I am teaching you everywhere you go.

Teach My precious people the things they need to know.

Tell them this is not a game; This is all-out war.

Bid them put their armour on and take their stand once more.

Use the mighty shield of faith to ward off Satan’s darts.

Bid them trust the breastplate My righteousness imparts.

Learn to use their weapon, My Spirit’s mighty sword.

With its double edges; the weapon of the Lord.

Sharper than a razor blade designed to cleave between,

Any soul and spirit; and what man’s thoughts can mean.

Splitting joint from marrow. Demons can’t resist,

This spiritual weapon held in a saintly fist.

Tell them to take courage. The warfare that we wage,

Isn’t with mans flesh and blood, but demons in a rage.

So destroy their strongholds; rip them wide apart;

Smash their high opinions and thoughts before they start.”

O Lord, we’ll win this battle by Your mighty power.

Jesus, You’re invincible; our strong and mighty tower

But Lord, why did it thunder? It’s what so many heard.

So few men deciphered it as Your almighty word?

“My son it was an exercise to show you victory.

The deaf ones heard it thunder. My listeners heard Me.”

Jim Strickland – Written Thursday, 09 June 2011

NOTES ON PROSPERITY

When looking in the Bible, in Genesis we note,

The story about Joseph and his multi-coloured coat.

The tale is so familiar. They sold him as a slave;

They didn’t like his visions; so stick him in the grave;

They packed him off to Egypt. He’d bother them no more.

But in their getting rid of him, there was a fatal flaw.

For Joseph was a righteous man. This fact they overlooked.

So when they went to Egypt, they found their goose was cooked.

The Lord had raised up Joseph to be “master” of the land.

For Pharaoh had appointed him to stand at his right hand.

The story sounds preposterous; we know that it is true.

It illustrates God’s blessings and just what He can do.

From slave to the Prime Minister all in a single day!

It’s only God Almighty Who can operate this way!

Prosperity from poverty. That is the strangest thought.

A multimillion billionaire who started off with naught!

This is the fruit of righteousness. A gift the Lord imparts,

To those who follow after Him. It’s where His blessing starts.

But notice the requirement that brings to us success.

A very small four letter word which Father God will bless.

It doesn’t come through idleness; It never is a perk.

It’s something most of us don’t like – a little thing called work!

It isn’t very popular. Not in this “instant” age.

It comes by being diligent; a well done, hard earned wage.

When it’s combined with righteousness and honouring the Lord;

If you will just delight in Him, you’ll find He will afford.

The things your heart desires. This is His recipe

For Him to make the noonday sun shine on you brilliantly!

For if you put His Kingdom first in all you say and do.

You’ll find His many blessings in hot pursuit of you!

If you keep His commandments in each and every way,

You’ll find His blessings multiply and reach you every day.

A Godly life will please Him and you will be at peace,

With all your friends and neighbours and all your wars will cease.

But when it has all happened, and you have settled down,

Remember all that you received. The Lord God handed down

The substance you’re enjoying. So don’t forget His name.

Remember God Almighty and whence your blessings came.

Jim Strickland – written  Wednesday, 08 June 2011

THE MEANING OF LOVE

The hardest thing to understand on this side of the grave

Is what is meant when we say “love” and how can this love save?

We must go back to basics and look at it God’s way.

It hasn’t been invented nor dreamed up yesterday.

We know it’s not a feeling for that would be too trite.

It must be something special for morning, noon and night.

It can’t be an emotion for that’s the way we feel.

It has to be more tangible and absolutely real.

It must be something permanent. It mustn’t come and go.

A very special quality that when it’s there, we know.

It can’t be merely sexual though sex does play a part.

But sex is quickly gratified and shouldn’t stop and start.

It has to be eternal; a Quality God made;

A “thing” that, when it’s taken on, will never ever fade.

We cannot “love” our breakfast, for food will be destroyed.

It cannot be a feeling like when we feel “annoyed”.

It cannot be a motor car. Such “things” are bound to rust.

And even giant mountains will someday turn to dust.

So where is there a meaning? How do we know it’s “there”?

The Bible gives the secret; it’s deep in God somewhere.

It doesn’t say He’s loving; it tells us He is love.

This takes us to the Spirit world in Heaven High above.

It must be a commitment that He will never break.

It has to be a way of life that He will not forsake.

It has to be an action that lasts eternally.

For time can make no influence on what God said will be.

It really doesn’t matter how other folk respond,

The love of God continues above and far beyond

Our human limitations. It truly has no end.

It’s something that we give away; it’s not something we lend.

It’s something the Lord Jesus came to earth to do

And even when they tortured Him and beat Him black and blue;

In spite of crucifixion. With every word He spoke,

He showed us all the way to love and proved it was no joke.

That’s why in first Corinthians from verse one to the end,

Paul spoke about the love of God and taught us to depend,

Not on imperfect feelings but as a way of life.

That’s changeless and unwavering as man should love his wife.

For as we give our lives away for our dear marriage mate;

And swear that we will care for her beyond our dying date,

We start to see what Jesus meant when He came down to earth.

To give us all another chance; to find a second birth.

No matter just how bad we’ve been or how we’ve turned away.

Consistently to change us all to be with Him one day.

Jim Strickland – written Tuesday, 07 June 2011

SONNETS ON PRAYER

Persistent Prayer                                       (Luke 11:5-13) The problem in this fast computer age, Is surely that there is so little time, To fight the prayer battle we must wage, And overcome all wickedness and crime. This has grown endemic in our land. So we search for answers fast and quick. We ignore the Masters clear command, Consistent prayer is what will do the trick. Faith and patience guarantee success. God will send the answer we desire. If we do not quit, He’ll answer “Yes”! If it’s what we need and we require. If we ask for fish persistently, Would He give a stone to you or me?                              -oOo- Jim Strickland – written 6th June 2011       Prayerlessness Father God, today I bring my crime And make contrite admission unto You. That, Lord, I seem to spend so little time In prayer. So Lord I ask please show me who Should be the subject of a time of prayer? Enlighten me; Illuminate the face Of him or her who's burdened down with care; O help me Lord, their problem to embrace In intercession, Lord, before Thy Throne. Give the words to speak that I may say What's needed to be heard by You alone. But, Father God, it seems I need to pray Not for these others but, instead, for me. For all the time I've wasted prayerlessly!       -oOo- Jim Strickland – submitted Monday, 06 June 2011

UNPROFITABLE SERVANTS

What’s the “job description” of a servant of our King? What should you be doing? Can you say, “Anything”? Take a low position? Work for Him for free, Even if you’re working in complete obscurity? Could it be you’re “using Him” for fortune and for fame? What is your agenda? To glorify whose name? Would you be His servant if you suddenly went blind? Would you still be faithful if you were to be confined, In a filthy prison with no hope of getting out? Would you go there willingly, or would you scream and shout? Could you face the prospect of a journey through Tibet, Spreading Jesu’s Gospel when exhausted, cold and wet? What if you’re the victim of a terrible disease? What if you can hardly walk because of painful knees? Many of these challenges His other servants faced. They continued loving Him, because the Lord had placed A special burden on them which couldn’t be explained. They had just one purpose; to glorify His Name. Few of them had titles. They really didn’t care. All they knew was Jesus had told them to be there. And they were determined that they would carry on, Doing what He told them till their final breath had gone. Jesus hinted at this. We can read it in His book. Recorded in the Bible in the Gospel of Saint Luke. Written in the tenth verse of Chapter seventeen. Is the Christian answer to what servant-hood should mean. We are “unworthy servants”. Our duty we have done. We are merely bond slaves of the Father’s only Son. We have no ambitions; no purpose of our own. We live each day to worship Him and do what He has shown. We don’t have a vision; we don’t have a goal; All our “rights” we’ve given to the lover of our soul. What is your reaction to this “normal” Christian life? Would you still obey Him if you never found a wife? Will you give Him everything? Your family, your home; All of your possession and live for Him alone? Very few will do it. The price is far too high. But they’ll be rewarded the moment that they die. Far beyond all treasures which they’ve gladly put aside. Living with the Master as His Most Holy Bride. Jim Strickland – written Sunday, 05 June 2011