SOUND SLEEP

Time with Jesus - Wednesday, 22 February 2012

Hi all,

We know that God never makes mistakes. It follows that everything He has done, is doing, or will do is 100% correct. But every now and then we look at things and puzzle why it was made the way He has made it. For me, the question is sleep. Why was it written into our systems? Hey, I’m not knocking it. It’s wonderful. But why was it included? I’m told that ants don’t sleep. So why do we?

It seems such a waste of time. About 8 hours per day is the average sleep we need. For some it’s a lot more and for others it’s a lot less. I’m also aware that sleep deprivation is used to get people psychologically unbalanced.

The Bible tells us that God worked for six days and rested on the seventh. We refer to this “day off” as the Sabbath. Why did God rest? He wasn’t tired. He never will be tired. If God tires, you and I are dead. He upholds everything by the power of His Word. So if He went to sleep, it would all fall apart! You can’t uphold anything while you are sleeping.

We understand that He was not speaking about rest in the sense that He was tired. He “rested” in that He ceased creating. How long this was in terms of our concept of time is interesting. Some think He perhaps went away on holiday in much the same way we do. But He doesn’t need a holiday. He has no needs. He didn’t make man because He was lonely. God is not, never has been and never will be lonely. He is utterly complete and needs nothing. We do not make Him better or worse. He is timeless and changeless. He made us for His own good pleasure. We can’t even say He wanted to, because He has no wants.

God does not sleep. So why has He created us to need sleep? We could make all sorts of suggestions. They may or may not be true. It must be something to do with the environment in which we live. Of course He designed it this way; light, gravity, air, water, and all the other factors that are the essentials of life. We are not robots. He could have made a race of robots. But such a creation would not have the ability to love or hate. In the end, in His infinite knowledge and grace, He designed man to fit into the environment He created. Actually, that’s the very opposite of the truth. He had us in mind at the very beginning. Thus everything was created so that we could live here. Every law of nature and the universe was designed with us in mind.

Psalm 121, one of the Songs of Ascent for the pilgrims going up to Jerusalem touches on the way God takes care of His people. ¹ I look up to the hills. Where does my help come from? ² My help comes from the LORD. He is the Maker of heaven and earth. ³ He won't let your foot slip. He who watches over you won't get tired. ⁴ In fact, he who watches over Israel won't get tired or go to sleep. Psalm 121:1-4 NIrV It doesn’t tell us why we need sleep. But it does speak of our Creator God watching over us day and night. This is our God. He doesn’t need to sleep. It’s wonderful to know that even when we are “locked in the arms of slumber” He is watching over us. Awake or asleep, we are safe in the arms of Jesus. So why do we sleep? Could it be so that we can learn to trust Him? Perhaps to learn to trust Him even when we are sleeping? What do you think?

Today’s meditation looks a bit more into this topic

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Sound Sleep

It’s not so much the sleeping, but the problems on your mind. The cares and the anxieties that we so often find, Make us pace the bedroom, looking for a way, To make the day ahead of us, far better than today. For Christians it is silly. That’s what the Lord has said. It’s pointless if we worry. We should get into bed, And leave it all with Jesus. That’s what the Bible says. Leave your many problems with the Ancient of all Days. We know we shouldn’t worry. But nonetheless we do. And often, as a consequence, we get into a stew. The “Video” keeps playing in the forefront of the mind. We’ve put it on “repeat play”, so how can we unwind? We feel a bit like cattle in the local abattoir. We think the knife is coming, let’s get away as far, As it is ever possible. Let’s “run away” to France. This thing which we are facing, is no Divine romance. And so we keep on worrying and we can’t fall asleep. We’ve even gone so far as lying down and counting sheep. But we have found it pointless. The worry in the mind, While looking for solutions, ensures that we are blind, To all the possibilities that Christ already knows. So why not switch the light off and go ahead and doze? It’s sad we don’t know Jesus in the way a Christian should. We know He’s God Almighty and we’d trust Him if we could. But worry is a habit, that all of us enjoy. Forgetting this is Satan’s trick. It’s actually his ploy, To keep our eyes off Jesus and to focus on the mess. Then it will be impossible for Jesus Christ to bless, The one who has the problem. And Satan carries on, Till our relationship with Christ has absolutely gone! So here is a suggestion, when you’re going through this pain, Say, “Satan I am certain this is only you again. Go and take a journey. This is your handiwork. For somewhere in the background you are always on the lurk, To try and get a Christian to focus upon you, Instead of praying, “Master I know that You can do, Everything that’s needed to spike the devil’s guns; And since You’ve told me plainly that we are both God’s sons Won’t you please assist me to chase this “guy” away? He is getting boring with the nonsense he does say! He is most unwelcome in this little home of mine. It’s been dedicated to Jesus Christ Divine. Father, send him packing. I never want to see, Him stopping me from sleeping, when I really have to be, Ready for tomorrow. Alive again once more, For only You are welcome to come inside my door!” Jim Strickland  Written Wednesday, 22 February 2012

SOWING AND REAPING

Time with Jesus - Tuesday, 21 February 2012

Hi all,

We have all of us grown up in a world of order. It may not be a perfect world. In spite of this, the world is filled with an order than could only have originated in the Mind of the great Creator of the universe. In spite of the catastrophic results of the fall of man, certain unchangeable laws remain. One of them is the law of sowing and reaping. What is meant here is that if a pair of canines mate, they produce canines. It’s not some sort of lucky dip in which you get whatever it was that came to the surface. There may be a small evolutionary variation within that species. But dogs produce dogs and not canaries.

This is true in each and every species. When men and women reproduce, the outcome is predictably human. Could you imagine what it would be like if, after the birth, the woman handed her husband a tortoise? No! It doesn’t work that way. Like produces, or reproduces like. There may well be considerable variations within a species. Nevertheless, in spite of all the Darwinian claptrap, the baby is always the offspring of the couple in question. Science can do wonderful things today. But even with invitro-fertilisation, the outcome for men and women is a little baby human. Thank God that’s not something Satan messed up after the fall.

Fish give rise to fish. Gorillas produce baby gorillas. Cats, dogs, cows, marmosets or all other species; they will reproduce after their own kind. Satan hasn’t been able to screw that one up! Not yet, thank God.

Sometimes, that which is reproduced looks different from its parents. A moth doesn’t look like a pupa. But this is the way God intended it to be. So, what will our resurrection bodies look like? We don’t really know. John’s statement gives us some thoughts. ² Dear friends, we are already God's children, but He has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like Him, for we will see Him as He really is. 1 John 3:2 NLT

The Gospels and Acts give us some idea of what He looked like some 2000 years ago. Will we look like that? Scripture suggests we will be like Him. Will we be able to do what He does? Will we be able to appear and vanish, walk through walls and ascend into the sky? Good question. We don’t know. Perhaps we will all get a huge surprise. Paul puts it like this in his first letter to the Corinthians. ⁴² It is the same way with the resurrection of the dead. Our earthly bodies are planted in the ground when we die, but they will be raised to live forever. ⁴³ Our bodies are buried in brokenness, but they will be raised in glory. They are buried in weakness, but they will be raised in strength. ⁴⁴ They are buried as natural human bodies, but they will be raised as spiritual bodies. For just as there are natural bodies, there are also spiritual bodies. 1 Cor 15:42-44 NLT

What more can we say? Today’s meditation looks at this in further detail.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Sowing and Reaping

We went and bought a random pack of seeds the other day. We wondered what they would produce, there wasn’t any way, That they could be identified. So what on earth would grow? Perhaps some sort of specialist could look at them and know? They didn’t look exotic. To me, they looked the same. Runner beans or flowers? We knew whatever came, Would surely be acceptable; and it was kind of fun. We planted them and watered them and left them in the sun. At first we could see nothing. We thought to dig them up. But thought that if we bothered them, we surely couldn’t sup On anything that tiny. And so we let the be, Convinced that in a few short days we’d know the mystery. And so we kept on watering and fertilised the soil. We knew none of our cosseting would cause the plants to spoil. Then finally a few small shoots appeared above the ground. That’s when our curiosity could never know its bounds! They didn’t look like anything resembling the seed. The only thing we knew for sure was that they were not weeds. That’s how Paul the apostle, described what would take place. That when we’re dead and buried, that Jesus by His grace, Would take our feeble bodies, that were lying in the grave; And give them resurrection life, we’d know was truly saved. How was it ever possible? an evil man like me, Could get a brand new body that would live eternally? The question seemed improbable. But that’s what He can do, With dead and buried sinners, the likes of me and you. I don’t know how He does it. It’s rather like the seed. It grows into a healthy plant, by His Almighty deed! Why should I understand it? Why should I ever know, That dead and buried sinners would surely sprout, and grow, Into what He intended?  But then He pointed out, That only those who loved Him would germinate and sprout. Anyone who didn’t, would stay within the grave. They hadn’t been His people and still were Satan’s slave. But if we will believe Him; and we invite Him in. He’ll bring with Him the power to smash all death and sin. That’s when He’ll take the little seed that deep within us grows; And bring forth someone beautiful - Our Master’s fragrant rose. Jim Strickland – Written Tuesday, 21 February 2012

THE QUAIL’S TALE

Time with Jesus - Monday, 20 February 2012

Hi all,

Sometimes, to understand the Biblical narrative, it’s necessary to look at Bible commentaries to get a feel for what took place. The story of Moses, the Israelites and the quail is a good example of this. If you take the time to read Numbers 11, what took place, is recorded.

Essentially, the Israelites began to complain that all they were given to eat was manna. But they wanted meat. They complained and complained about this and finally the Lord decided that if they wanted meat, He would give them quail to eat. That’s all they would get for one whole month. They would eat quail til it came out of their nostrils.¹⁹ You will not eat it for just one day, or two days, or five, ten or twenty days, ²⁰ but for a whole month--until it comes out of your nostrils and you loathe it--because you have rejected the LORD, who is among you, and have wailed before him, saying, "Why did we ever leave Egypt?"'" Num 11:19-20 TNIV

One of the dangers of moaning and groaning to the Lord about something is that He may give you what you want. But with it will come “leanness of soul”. ¹⁵ So He gave them what they asked for, but He sent a plague along with it. Psalm 106:15

John Gill’s commentary describes this as follows: But sent leanness into their soul: he gave them flesh to the full, even to a nausea; they fed too heartily on it, and were surfeited with it; which not being digested brought a repletion, and issued in a consumption; or rather death, immediate death, for while the flesh was in their mouths, and they were chewing it between their teeth, the wrath of God came upon them and slew them. ³³ But while the meat was still between their teeth and before it could be consumed, the anger of the LORD burned against the people, and he struck them with a severe plague. Num 11:33 TNIV

This is an aspect of the Lord which most of us don’t like. We badger God repeatedly with “ungodly requests”. Rather like the way the people badgered Samuel/God for a king. They got Saul. He (Saul) ended up giving the people “leanness of soul”.

Jesus encourages us to ask and keep on asking. So how can we tell the difference between “badgering” God and repeatedly asking God for something?

Perhaps James tells us the difference: ² You want what you don't have, so you scheme and kill to get it. You are jealous of what others have, but you can't get it, so you fight and wage war to take it away from them. Yet you don't have what you want because you don't ask God for it. ³ And even when you ask, you don't get it because your motives are all wrong--you want only what will give you pleasure. James 4:2-3 NLT

Phyllida and I have found a useful rule of thumb to help us with this difficulty. Prayer for our own needs can come from bad motives. But prayer for the needs of others is seldom likely to be to waste on our own lusts. I’m not in a position to say this is always correct. But perhaps you may also find it useful

Today’s meditation is the Quail’s Tale. It elaborates on what happened when they “got the bird” for wanting “bird”.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

 The Quail’s Tale

He gave them what they wanted. But oh what a surprise! Their stomachs soon got sickened, til it “came out of their eyes”! Quail they had for breakfast, for dinner and for tea. Quail for each and every meal was fed continually. And then when they had eaten it, they had to eat some more. They didn’t like the manna, so quail was all they saw. But with it came a sickness. The body can’t digest, Such huge amounts of quail and soon their bodies manifest, A sort of inner churning, that filled them up inside, So chock-a-block with quail meat, they turned around and died. This sort of thing still happens, when God’s people belly-ache; And keep up with their badgering – “O Lord for Jesus sake, Please let me have a “whatsit” and let me have it now. I really can’t afford to wait, so won’t you please, somehow, Provide me with a “whatsit” or better still, a pair. I don’t know what I’ll do with them, but certainly somewhere, I’ll find a use for both of them. Please Lord don’t make me wait. I have to have an answer Lord, before it’s ten past eight!” I’m not sure if you’re like that; whether you are or not, Be sure that what you’re asking for, you may not like a lot. He’ll give you what you wanted. But let me make it clear. You’ll wish you hadn’t asked for it till August of next year! You’ll find your “whatsit” poisonous; Inhabited with “fleas”, The size of baby marrows with infection and disease. So don’t be in a hurry with your requests to God. If you are impatient He may not spare the rod. He may give you an answer far quicker than you need. And send a special “whatsit” to satisfy your greed. Don’t think that He won’t do it. You may be tempting “fate” And wish what you hadn’t badgered Him, but were prepared to wait! This little funny story that’s intended to amuse, Is written so that Christians, may know that if they choose, To ask the Lord for something and badger Him each day; He may well give it to you and give it in a way, That you will find unpleasant. You may receive your quail, And find you have a serpent you’ve picked up by the tail. Then, after you’ve been bitten and you are dead and gone. You’ll wish you hadn’t carried on and on,and on, and on! Jim Strickland – Written Monday, 20 February 2012

THE JUBILEE

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 19 February 2012

Hi all,

In the past 30 years I think I can count on one hand the number of times I’ve heard anyone speak about the year of Jubilee. I confess that I have not spoken about it very often either. So I’m in good company or bad company depending upon the way you look at it.

Much of the teaching on the Year of Jubilee can be found in Leviticus 25 and this chapter is well worth reading. It was supposed to take place every 50 years. What was intended was that every seventh year the land was to lie fallow. This would give the land an opportunity to rest for one whole year. It was a Sabbath for the land. After seven Sabbath years for the land, (49 years) the year of Jubilee was to be declared. I remember Malcolm Smith saying that the year of Jubilee was the year in which God blew all the bells and whistles and said it was time for everyone to start again. What I particularly liked about this was that theoretically every Israelite should experience the year of Jubilee once in their lifetime.

It was supposed to be a very special year; a year in which everyone started again. I rather liked the illustration from the board game “Monopoly”. The “old game” was over. Everything was restored to the families. Then a new game would start. What appealed to me was the fact that a family may have had a bad time during the previous 50 years. Now, with everything being restored, they were able to begin a new 50 year cycle.

A careful reading of Leviticus 25 gives a good idea of what was supposed to happen.

Whether or not the Israelites ever celebrated the year of Jubilee is something I’m unable to establish. It seems unlikely. If they didn’t give the land it’s seven year Sabbath, there is even less likelihood that they celebrated Jubilee. It’s also worth noting that Jesus commenced His ministry in the Nazareth synagogue by referring to the Year of Jubilee. He was quoting from Isaiah. (Isaiah 61:1,2) –¹⁸ "The Spirit of the Lord is on me. He has anointed me to tell the good news to poor people. He has sent me to announce freedom for prisoners. He has sent me so that the blind will see again. He wants me to free those who are beaten down. ¹⁹ And he has sent me to announce the year when he will set his people free." Luke 4:18-19 NIrV

The aspect that blessed me most is the application of the year of Jubilee for Christians. We were all slaves of sin, living, bankrupt in prison in a loveless society. Then Jesus appeared on the scene. His presence declared that the time had come for us to be restored. Everything the devil had stolen was to be returned. The prison doors were opened and I could walk free. Few things could be more exciting.

It follows that He is our Jubilee. He gave us a chance to start over. Everything anticipated and referred to in Leviticus 25 has been done by Jesus for you and me. I’m so glad it happened just as was promised.

Today’s meditation looks at the Day of Jubilee and one or two of the associated implications.

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

The Jubilee

God’s answer to inflation was the year of Jubilee. All the debts were cancelled and all Jewish slaves set free. The ram’s horn was the trumpet that cancelled every debt. That was The Lord’s direction. The finest method yet! If you had sold your property, because you were in need,      It had to be returned to you. You kept the title deed.

If you had sold your daughter as the slave to a Hebrew, The trumpet blast at Jubilee said “She’s returned to you!” It took place every fifty years. That’s what the Lord had planned. And was supposed to happen, throughout the Promised Land. I’m not sure that they did it. I doubt that it was done. But Jesus is our Jubilee, God’s One and only Son. We also have the promise that He’ll come back some day. We’ll know He took our burdens and cast them far away. He took our sins and sicknesses. Our health He will restore. A resurrection body we’ll have for ever-more. I cannot understand it but He has set me free, Because He is my Master – my Day of Jubilee! So many folk will be there. Far more than we can count. Along those who've passed away, we’ll all meet at the Mount. There’ll be so many people, the crowd that gathers there,      Will need their brand new bodies, to float up in the air.

The things that the apostles saw their Lord and Master do, When He was resurrected, will be done by me and you. Our former limitations will never more apply. Perhaps the very finest is that we’ll no longer die. To vanish and to reappear, for us will be routine; And do a lot of other things we’ve neither known nor seen. Is any of this possible or are we self-deceived? It sounds to be ridiculous and shouldn't be believed. But it is in the Bible, so doubt is put away. And I believe the Master in spite of what men say. With God, all things are possible, and He’s still in control. No person can resist Him or His power over the soul. So though it sounds irrational, God cannot be confined, Within the feeble limits of the greatest human mind. He is the Lord Almighty who made the Jubilee. And anything He’s said He’ll do is what I’m sure we’ll see. Jim Strickland – Written Sunday, 19th February 2012