THE PRICE OF PRIDE

 I've often wondered why it is that God cannot abide

In any of His children, the smallest bit of pride.

Perhaps His understanding and mine are not the same.

For there are often times in life that other things are tame.

Perhaps my best example comes from several years ago.

My son had been in study for longer than I know.

He needed to be qualified so he could get ahead.

And he was being honoured the way Unisa said.

I sat there in the audience. My heart was filled with pride.

My wife and I were present and both of us just cried.

I think that this is not the pride the Lord considered bad.

It’s probable that in my place, that Jesus would be glad!

It’s rather like the pride between a father and a son.

Seeing him achieve a thing, I never could have done.

And when He saw His Son achieve the goal that He desired,

I’m sure that He was “proud” that Jesus did what was required.

Perhaps pride is destructive when its focus is on me?

That others aren’t important; how hateful that can be.

It contradicts completely what Jesus has achieved.

The Saviour gave His life away so we can be received.

It’s the complete antithesis of thinking, “I am great”.

And this is what the Father says He cannot tolerate.

The Lord has made each one of us, and we are only dust.

So when we feel superior, it fills Him with disgust.

A little speck of nothingness - for that is all we are -

Thinks he is important; some sort of shining star.

And struts round like a peacock with nose up in the air.

Thinking he is better than everybody there.

The problem is for most of us, it looks a lot like me.

And I am not alone in this; the great majority,

Of people who will read this are probably the same,

And need to be released from pride and joining in this game.

So let us start to realise, the world is more than “me”.

And others more important than we can ever be.

The measure of our greatness the Lord alone can tell,

And if we carry on in pride, our destiny is Hell.

I think this has convinced me that when I think I’m top;

The fact must be acknowledged that I am just a flop.

Perhaps we do not like it? perhaps we’d rather strut?

But if we all persist in this, we're some kind of a nut.

And we will have to come before the judge of all the earth,

And find that we have sacrificed our chance of second birth!

Jim Strickland – written Friday, 07 October 2011

GOD ALMIGHTY

We call Him God Almighty; but what is it we mean? We need this understanding to describe Who is unseen. It’s more than the ability to do what He will do. It’s infinite capacity for all that right and true. The Bible tells us “God is Love”. We know this for a fact. But He has other qualities which mean that He will act, Not only out of “mushiness” we think is nice and true. But tempered by those “qualities” defining what He’ll do. We know His love is infinite. His power is the same. His mercy and His justice don’t fit into our frame. He doesn’t have just little bits; He has all endlessly, The attributes which we ascribe to perfect Deity. For God does not have mercy. He’s mercy through and through. We know that He is mercy in all that He will do. All His many qualities reach to eternity. His justice and His mercy meet there at Infinity! Perhaps the way to put it is to say, He is ”I AM”. I’m Love; I’m Joy, I’m everything; the Lion and the Lamb. I do not have these qualities, these qualities are Me. Regardless of your need today, “I’m all you need to see”. We think it is impossible. How can God be so great? But there’s no limitation; no force can make Him wait. His power can cleanse the leper and cause the blind to see. And changing water into wine; He does it instantly. The Everlasting Father; the Mighty Prince of Peace. Our God created everything; He can make all things cease. He has all the authority in heaven, sea or land. There’s no one who can question Him or give Him a command. He’s infinitely capable. No force can tell Him “Nay”! Whatever He decides to do is done without delay. He’s not intimidated by armies which are vast. He only needs to wink an eye and with one mighty blast, Those forces will all disappear. For God all on His own, Is greater than the universe, or everything that’s known. Our horses, they are nothing; Our chariots are vain; No one can overcome Him; no power can ever tame, Our Wonderful Creator, our Saviour, Lord and King. For when it comes right down to it, He can do anything. Jim Strickland – written Thursday, 06 October 2011

WHOM TO TRUST

It really is a question of who it is you trust. For some it’s the employer who is likely to go bust. For some it is the media and their favourite rocking chair. But who can trust the media? Their lies are everywhere. Some rely on alcohol and any form of booze. But drunkenness is guaranteed the way by which they lose! Some trust in their teacher or their granny’s crystal ball. Sadly at the very end these do not work at all. Others trust religion and their favourite guru. But when it comes to trusting; O Lord there’s only You. It wasn’t always that way. Not while I was still young. While life was like a violin that someone had unstrung. For You were there to rescue me and cause my face to smile. I’d been so deeply in the “dumps”, it had become my style. O Lord You hear the longings of people who are hurt. You specialise in rescuing from overwhelming dirt. Your love became a beacon in which to place my hope. The Blessed Holy Spirit gave the strength by which I cope. To cope with my shortcomings which haunted all my past. That’s when Your love, unfailing, so wide and deep and vast, Rescued and forgave me in spite of my distress. All of this You did while I was living in a mess! So Lord I have to praise You, for all that You have done; For giving me my freedom through Your Great and Holy Son. I never can forget it. The good You’ve done for me, Exceeds the expectations of all I thought could be. You heard my cry for mercy and my terror of the grave; You knew my deepest longings and You heard my prayer to save. I felt that death was choking me with ropes around so tight, It seemed to be impossible to live another night! So Lord I called upon You. I trusted in Your Name; And in an instant You were there to take my guilt and shame. O Lord I can’t forget You for all you’ve done for me. There’s no one else Whom I can trust for all eternity. I know I don’t deserve it; You did it on that cross. To think that God would do this – to suffer so much loss! You thought that I was worth it, in spite of all I’d been! How can I ever thank You for washing me so clean. Jim Strickland – written Wednesday, 05 October 2011

REFLECTING HIS GLORY

Is there some kind of pattern for those who’ve seen the Lord? Perhaps there is a difference how they carry His reward? Because it’s not surprising that Jesus’ face was bright. He was our Lord and Saviour, the very source of light; But not so for His followers. They only could reflect, The light He cast upon them; a light that was perfect. Jesus showed His glory with the glow of Deity. The others just reflected the light which they could see. That glory was magnificent; they shook at what they saw. I’m sure they had a special prayer, “O Master, show us more”. We don’t deserve to see it. He shows it for His sake. It caused the ones who saw Him shine to tremble and to quake. Moses saw God’s glory upon Mt Sinai’s peak. It caused his face to shine so bright it made the people “freak”. He had to don a special veil, God’s brilliance to conceal. But when He met with Jesus, God’s brightness He’d reveal. No other man in Scripture has revealed God’s glory twice; Mt Tabor and Mt Sinai. It happened in a trice. Those who follow Jesus now, display this blessing more, Than all we can desire of Whom, we worship and adore. But God’s exquisite glory is often tucked away. And very few have seen it up to this very day. Every Christian has it; it just cannot be seen. We know that it increases, if obedient we’ve been. It’s something like the Mercy Seat, concealed from human eyes. The blazing glory of the Lord so long had been disguised. For looking was forbidden until the wondrous day, When Father rent the curtain that kept us all away! And though we cannot see it, we know that it is there, Shining from the faces of Christians everywhere. The glory Jesus prayed for is publicly displayed! There may be variations in intensity and grade; But hidden under flesh and bone the light of Jesus shines, Showing that the Master, still gives almighty signs. For Jesu’s light is shining like a million giant stars, Testifying to the truth that wickedness can’t mar. So if you haven’t seen it, please ask Him to reveal, Those who carry in their hearts His Holy Spirit’s seal. Jim Strickland – written Tuesday, 04 October 2011

CRUCIFIED BY LOVE

 We’re standing at a crossroad; the year Has nearly gone.

We’re looking all around us to try and carry on.

We know the past is over. The century is young.

We need to know just how to live to glorify God’s Son.

We asked the Lord about it. We didn’t understand.

He said that crucifixion by Him was always planned.

He told us that His glory was seen upon that day,

When He was executed in that dreadful shameful way.

He showed the world His glory. It looked like a defeat,

But in the last analysis, His victory was complete.

But why was all this necessary? What was there we could see?

A bloody, gory cross, upon that hill called Calvary.

What loving did it demonstrate? And what had that to do,

With wicked, sinful people, the likes of me and you?

A hero had been butchered; it happened everyday.

This was the Roman method to make the world obey.

The Lord then asked a question. What was it that was seen?

“Just another victim who’s been treated rough and mean?”

He asked if we would do it for someone whom we knew.

“I didn’t really think so; there may be one or two.

A member of my family perhaps might qualify.

But laying down my life for them? I wouldn’t even try.”

But what about what He had done. He said it paid the cost

For sinners universal; for all of mankind’s lost.

His comment had me gob-smacked. He’d caused His life to shine.

His effort wasn’t wasted. He gave His life Divine.

It shone upon the hilltops and all the world around;

Telling all the people, they could be heaven bound.

The very thing I couldn’t do is what the Lord had done.

To pay for my iniquity, He’d sacrificed His Son.

Such love is overpowering; it’s stronger than the grave.

A deluge cannot quench it; His love was sent to save.

The life of the Messiah was poured out with His blood.

His words were overwhelming. His love was like a flood.

Far bigger than creation. How could we comprehend;

The limits of a love that our relationship would mend.

We are His chosen people. We are His priests and kings;

Sanctified and purified; released from all the things,

That once had kept us captive; away from God Most High.

And if we long to be with Him, why not be crucified?

Jim Strickland – written Monday, 03 October 2011

AS FAR AS EAST IS FROM WEST

He started going eastward toward the “eastern pole”

He had a sort of vague idea that he could reach his goal. The goal of going somewhere to get rid of the sin, That plagued his inner consciousness of all that he was in. He had a deep conviction; it had to be somewhere; And if he kept on journeying, someday he would get there. He’d been upon his journey for over forty years. He’d followed on the same old path; he’d cried a million tears. But still he hadn’t got there; No one could tell him why. “I’m going to keep on travelling until the day I die”. He’d started as a young man of only twenty five, And thought he was frustrated more than any man alive. Some thought he was an idiot and some called him a fool But what continued haunting him had happened back in school. He’d pushed away his girlfriend; she fell and banged her head. And twenty four hours later, they told him she was dead! He thought he was responsible for all that had occurred. Perhaps he’d find forgiveness at a place that seemed absurd. There wasn’t any “East Pole”. But he had to atone, For everything that happened to the girl he once had known. His whole life had been focussed on this Don Quixotic quest. Now in his middle sixties, he felt he’d failed the test. His finances were crumbling, his hope was nearly gone. He didn’t have the energy to want to carry on. That day he found a seat outside a long forgotten church. He wondered if this “Jesus Christ” could end his futile search. Just then a young man passed his way, he sat there deep in thought, The young man asked why he was there and what it was he sought? He started to weep openly and asked what he could do, To take away what haunted him and change his hopeless view. “I’m glad you asked”, the young man said, “I specialise in hope. Please tell me all about it, so I can help you cope.” That’s when the story tumbled out and what he’d done for years. “Do you think it is possible to take away these fears?” “I’m sure I can”, the young man said. “Christ Jesus in My Name. I’ve been with you for all these years and you are why I came. If you will do what I request, I know you’ll be set free. All that I require of you, is give your life to me. Then I’ll change your direction, to go the other way, That haunting memory I’ll heal and you’ll be whole today. I’m going to send you Westward for I want you to know; As far as east is from the west is where your sin will go. Because I am the Son of God, I can forgive your sin; And take away the dreadful mess that you’ve been living in” He looked at Jesus in the face and love grew in his heart. I’m ready Lord to follow you, thanks for my brand new start Jim Strickland – written Sunday, 02 October 2011