NO SECRETS

Time with Jesus - Monday, 09 July 2012

Hi all,
Jesus’ clear instruction to us was not to hide our light under a bushel. Another way to put it is to say, don’t have any secrets you cannot or will not disclose. Bring out your past into the light. If you do, that secret will be “shouted from the roof tops” for the entire world to hear and know about. Be open and honest and there will be nothing to fear. This is examined in more detail in today’s meditation.
Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday 9th July 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	NO SECRETS
There is a tale that goes back to the late 19th or early 20th century. It is about two British Parliamentarians .They decided to play a trick on 6 other members of parliament chosen at random. They wanted to observe their reactions. So they sent identical letters to the 6 MP’s. The letters read, “Flee – all is discovered”. The story is all six of them left England as quickly as possible. Is it a true story? I don’t really know. What I can say is that I’m not surprised! Most of us have “skeletons in our closets”. When I was growing up I quickly learned not to speak about one of my aunts. If I did, the subject was changed immediately. Exactly what had happened was not revealed for several years. She had done the unthinkable. In those days it was a lot more unthinkable than it is today. She fell pregnant before she was married. So she was sent to a private nursing home in a distant town. Then, after the baby was born, the child was adopted by person or person’s unknown. The child was never referred to again by anyone in the family. Everything was quietly swept under the carpet. But for many years thereafter, she was thought of as the black sheep of the family. In point of fact she was a delightful person. Except for sadness in her approach to, that was hard to understand. Not unless you knew the circumstances. I guess all of us have something in our history that is “unmentionable”. Mine was being caught cheating in my matric examination. The result was my being whisked out of the country to serve an apprenticeship as a fitter in the same company that employed my father. It was a devastating experience. In the end, it brought to me the reality to Paul’s letter to the Romans: 28 And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to His purpose for them. Romans 8:28 NLT28 Perhaps the most important lesson I learned, was that it’s better to own up and admit something, than to try and hide behind a pack of lies. Liar’s need to have good memories. Telling the simple truth may bring embarrassment. But in the long run it is the only solution. This is vital if you are going to launch out as a minister for the Lord. Secrecy can be fatal in the ministry. Jesus warned us about this: 22 For everything that is hidden will eventually be brought into the open, and every secret will be brought to light. Mark 4:22 NLT Without going back into the details of the Bill Clinton “affair”, it is fairly clear that if he had spoken up and admitted what he had done, history would be much “kinder to him”. Then it could not be said that he’s a philanderer and a liar! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			13 Each one's work will become manifest, for the Day will disclose it, because it will be revealed by fire, and the fire will test what sort of work each one has done. 1 Corinthians 3:13 ESV 5 Therefore, don't judge anything before the appointed time. Wait until the Lord comes. He will also bring to light what is hidden in the dark and reveal people's motives. Then each person will receive praise from God. 1 Corinthians 4:5 GW 10 Now then, who are you to judge your brother or sister? Why do you look down on them? We will all stand in God's courtroom to be judged. 11 It is written, "'You can be sure that I live,' says the Lord. “And you can be just as sure that every knee will bow down in front of me. Every tongue will tell the truth to God.'" (Isaiah 45:23) 12 So we will all have to explain to God the things we have done. 13 Let us stop judging one another. Instead, make up your mind not to put anything in your brother's way that would make him trip and fall. Romans 14:10-13 NIrV 16 And this is the message I proclaim--that the day is coming when God, through Christ Jesus, will judge everyone's secret life. Romans 2:16 NLT 22 In addition, the Father judges no one. Instead, He has given the Son absolute authority to judge, John 5:22 NLT 27 And He has given Him authority to judge everyone because He is the Son of Man. John 5:27 NLT 18 You show love to thousands but bring the punishment for the parents' sins into the laps of their children after them. Great and mighty God, whose name is the LORD Almighty, 19 great are your purposes and mighty are your deeds. Your eyes are open to the ways of all; you reward everyone according to their conduct and as their deeds deserve. Jeremiah 32:18-19 TNIV	Do you have a secret you think nobody knows? Do you think it’s something you never will disclose? Have you done your very best to hide it far away? Perhaps you’ll be ashamed of it until your dying day? Was it done in secret where nobody can see? Have you done it often? Perhaps repeatedly? If the secret came out now, how is it you’d react? You know your character would be horribly attacked. You’d suffer great embarrassment and massive loss of face; And in the daily papers, experience disgrace? If this is a description of what it is you’ve done, Perhaps I just might help you to put it right old son. Think of our Lord Jesus and all that He went through. Nothing quite as serious will happen unto you. Handled like a charlatan and beaten with the lash, Accused of speaking blasphemy; they said that He was trash! Stripped till He was naked nailed upon a “tree”. Exposed to all creation; He died for you and me. Went through that embarrassment and suffered all that pain. So that evil people might all be born again. If He could go through this, for folk like me and you, Surely you can emulate the things which you must do. They won’t execute you; perhaps you’ll pay a fine? But you’ll have the approval of Jesus Christ Divine. Nothing more can happen. Perhaps you’ll go to jail? And you’ll be in the bosom of the God Who cannot fail. But if you confess it and say, “It was a sin”! “Master, come and help me this victory to win”. You will know His presence and He will set you free. Even in a prison, the Lord will be with thee. So stand up to the problem and face it like a man. Jesus Christ can do it. He always makes a plan. The worst thing you could ever do is turn and walk away. He desires to set you free upon this very day. He has the authority from God to be your judge. Don’t reject His offer and say you will not budge. Don’t think it is a secret. He’ll spread it far and wide! Those are the alternatives. What is it you decide? Jim Strickland – Written 9th July 2012

REPETITION AND LOOKING AHEAD

Time with Jesus - Sunday, 08 July 2012

Hi all,

History has a habit of repeating itself. What has been done will be done again. One of the few things we have learned from history, is that we don’t learn from history. This is confirmed by the author of Ecclesiastes; ⁹ History merely repeats itself. It has all been done before. Nothing under the sun is truly new. Ecclesiastes 1:9 NLT We have been warned by Jesus. Let’s not be caught again. This is our meditation today. For a change, I’ve compiled two “Jimmets”

Blessings

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Sunday, 08 July 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	REPETITION AND LOOKING AHEAD
Most of us love to go to the Fair Ground. While I was a school-boy in the 1950’s, the fair came to Port Elizabeth every year during the Christmas School Holidays. What fun! Remember the Big Dipper, the Wall of Death, the Ghost Train, the Octopus, the Dodgem Cars and the Hall of Mirrors? I so enjoyed the Hall of Mirrors. The mirrors distorted your appearance so that you didn’t see yourself as you were. Even back in those days I was a bit overweight so I could go and see a thinner me! It was an optical illusion but did no harm to anyone. At the same time the “bioscope” shows, gave an overall impression of prosperity after WW2. War movies, escape stories, spies, heroes and heroines. All these were deliberately designed to raise the spirits of those who had been through one of the worst periods of history. In a way, the children of the 1930’s 40’s and 50’s were compelled to go through a time of unreality. None of us were really sure what was genuine and what was not. What we could all see was that the people of Germany had become the psychological victims of one of the world’s greatest mass murderers. Hitler had blossomed and bloomed in the period immediately after WW1. The war had ended with an armistice. Even so, Germany was held responsible for the war and had to pay massive reparations. On top of this, the depression hammered the German people. This caused the rise of Hitler and the Nazi’s. In many respects, WW2 commenced where WW1 had ended less than 20 years previously. Hitler was catapulted into power. He promised prosperity to the Germanic people and the beginning of a glorious1000 year Reich. The people welcomed him. At first he did some good things. The German autobahn’s were conceived and built. The “Volkswagen” car was designed and manufactured. What people didn’t know was that the prosperity of the people and the cost of these projects were more than the treasury could fund. His way of obtaining money was to march into a country and confiscate their financial resources. The Jews in particular were targeted because the wealth of Europe was more or less in their hands. In his rise to power he would truck no opposition. Those who regarded him and his political aspirations as wrong were quickly and quietly dealt with. In this way this diabolical monster was able to crush most of Continental Europe beneath his jackboot. Edmund Burke is regarded as stating in 1770, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil, is that good men do nothing." He may have phrased it differently but it is still true. The greatest victim of this is Jesus Christ. He was crucified and the good men of His day did nothing to stop it. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			20 Can unjust leaders claim that God is on their side--leaders whose decrees permit injustice? Psalms 94:20 NLT 3 that which we have seen and heard we proclaim also to you, so that you too may have fellowship with us; and indeed our fellowship is with the Father and with his Son Jesus Christ. 1 John 1:3 ESV 2 Dear friends, now we are God's children. What we will be isn't completely clear yet. We do know that when Christ appears we will be like him because we will see him as he is. 3 So all people who have this confidence in Christ keep themselves pure, as Christ is pure. 1 John 3:2-3 GW 30 I'll not be talking with you much more like this because the chief of this godless world is about to attack. But don't worry--he has nothing on me, no claim on me. John 14:30 MSG 26 For it was fitting for us to have such a high priest, holy, innocent, undefiled, separated from sinners and exalted above the heavens; Hebrews 7:26 NASB 12 Our fight is not against human beings. It is against the rulers, the authorities and the powers of this dark world. It is against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly world. Ephesians 6:12 NIrV 2 You used to live in sin, just like the rest of the world, obeying the devil--the commander of the powers in the unseen world. He is the spirit at work in the hearts of those who refuse to obey God. Ephesians 2:2 NLT 18 We know that anyone born of God does not continue to sin; the One who was born of God keeps them safe, and the evil one cannot harm them. 19 We know that we are children of God, and that the whole world is under the control of the evil one. 1 John 5:18-19 TNIV	Repetition They thought he was a person they could trust, Until the day they found that they were wrong, Investigations showed that he was just, As bad as all the crooks who came along. Why is it he took them for a ride? Why is it they missed his crooked style? Character like his is hard to hide. They were wrong; they missed it by a mile. Hopefully they’ve learned their lesson well, And it’s something they will not repeat. Now he’s locked up in a prison cell, He was just a liar and a cheat! Why is it we go through all this pain? Lord we do this time and time again! -oOo- Jim Strickland 8th July 2012 Looking Ahead Friends we are now children of the Lord. Even so, the future is unclear. Yes, it’s true, the Master is adored! And we’re longing for Him to appear. But there’s many questions that we ask, As we journey through our paradigm. Are we really fitted for the task, Of fighting with the author of all crime? Can we beat the rulers of the dark? Are our weapons still appropriate? When in battle, do we miss the mark? Is our armour in a proper state? The answers Lord may well be false or true. When You return, we know we’ll look like You! -oOo- Jim Strickland – 8th July 2012

SOMEONE TO DIE FOR?

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 07 July 2012

Hi all,

Have you ever considered what it must be like to die for someone? Jesus statement in John adds perspective to this; Greater love hath no man than this that a man lay down his life for his friends. John 15:13 KJV I recall a story about a young man talking about their future together. “I’ll give my life and die for you” he told her passionately. I think it would be far better if you live for me was her brilliant answer. Dying for someone else is our meditation.
Blessings
Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 07 July 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	SOMEONE TO DIE FOR?
Would anyone freely give his life for someone else? Charles Dickens in his fictional “A Tale of Two Cities” describes the circumstances in which this took place. The book was more than a fictional story. In it, Dickens was commenting on the social life and conditions in England and France at the time, ± of the French Revolution. Many Dickens novels were commentaries of this nature. It has been said that his books did more for the “liberation” of the British people than any other individual in England. His main “rival” for this title was perhaps the Prime Minister, Anthony Ashley Cooper, 7th Earl of Shaftesbury KG; A follower of and devoted to Jesus Christ Toward the end of Dickens’ book we find the story of Sydney Carton changing places with Charles Darnay. Carton goes to the guillotine and is executed in Darnay’s place. It’s a typical Dickensian tale full of pathos and insight. This book captured the imagination of the British public and has become a classic of English literature. “A Tale of Two Cities” was made into a memorable movie in 1935. It was in black and white which somehow adds to the tension of the plot. The closing scene; Carton and a pretty young woman going to the guillotine, is something I’ll never forget. Carton changing places with Darnay has always fascinated me. He died for someone else. Of course, he knew Darnay, which made the story somewhat more plausible. But the fact is, he died for someone else. I must confess that I don’t think I have it in me to do that. I suppose that under the right circumstances I may be willing to do it for my wife or a close family member. To die for an enemy makes no sense to me at all. Would I give my life for Adolf Hitler, Joseph Stalin, or Ivan the Terrible? The very idea is preposterous. My twisted sense of justice and self-preservation suggests that it would be more fitting if they died for me! That’s not what Jesus did. Imagine a world populated with wicked and evil men and women who would make Attila the Hun look like Father Christmas. You don’t know anyone like that? But you do! You see him or her every time you look into a mirror. You and I are “monsters of Iniquity” compared with a righteous and Holy God. As Paris Reidhead said on one occasion, “We deserve Hell. It would be just and right for us to be sentenced to be in Hell for a dozen eternities and then a bit more.” And that is how we looked to a Holy, righteous God. But in spite of all the filth and cursing we could spew upon Him, He came and died for us. The very thought makes me feel ashamed and weak. “I don’t deserve that” I said. “You’re right, but I love you”, He replied! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			28 "Be like the Son of Man. He did not come to be served. Instead, he came to serve others. He came to give his life as the price for setting many people free." Mat 20:28 NIrV 13 Under the old system, the blood of goats and bulls and the ashes of a young cow could cleanse people's bodies from ceremonial impurity. 14 Just think how much more the blood of Christ will purify our consciences from sinful deeds so that we can worship the living God. For by the power of the eternal Spirit, Christ offered Himself to God as a perfect sacrifice for our sins. Hebrews 9:13-14 NLT 7 He was abused and punished, but he didn't open his mouth. He was led like a lamb to the slaughter. He was like a sheep that is silent when its wool is cut off. He didn't open his mouth. Isa 53:7 GW 15 just as My Father knows Me and I know the Father. So I sacrifice My life for the sheep. 16 I have other sheep, too, that are not in this sheepfold. I must bring them also. They will listen to My voice, and there will be one flock with one shepherd. 17 "The Father loves Me because I sacrifice My life so I may take it back again. 18 No one can take My life from Me. I sacrifice it voluntarily. For I have the authority to lay it down when I want to and also to take it up again. For this is what My Father has commanded." John 10:15-18 NLT 11 For the life of a creature is in the blood, and I have given it to you to make atonement for yourselves on the altar; it is the blood that makes atonement for one's life. Lev 17:11 TNIV 22 In fact, according to the law of Moses, nearly everything was purified with blood. For without the shedding of blood, there is no forgiveness. Hebrews 9:22 NLT 8 But God demonstrates his own love for us in this: While we were still sinners, Christ died for us. 9 Since we have now been justified by his blood, how much more shall we be saved from God's wrath through him! Rom 5:8-9 TNIV	To think that He decided to come to earth and die! Is almost unbelievable; I dare not ask Him “Why!” He’ll say He came to save me and all the human race. And then I’ll have to look away; not look Him in the face! He came here as a servant. He came to look for me! Which seems to make no sense at all; I’m sure it cannot be! If I had been a righteous man, then I could comprehend. But I was undeserving; a gross and sinful blend, Of everything conceivable in wicked fallen man; And He knew all about it; He said it was His plan! He came to save His enemies. It makes my legs go weak. That such a thing was possible! The thought still makes me freak. I still don’t understand it. It is as clear as mud. That Jesus Christ would come to Earth and shed His precious blood, For those who were His enemies! It makes me feel ashamed. I wouldn’t think of doing it for those whom I have blamed, For everything that’s happened. I wouldn’t care a fig. If they were not my family I’d treat them as a pig. O Master please forgive me. I know I’m in a jam. I’m just a human being and You are the “I AM”. I do not have the blood of Christ, coursing through my veins. My birth was in iniquity, awash with Adam’s stains. I need a blood transfusion; I never can be clean. Not when I consider the things I’ve done and been. It’s utterly impossible for me to pass Your test. I’ll never join the happy band, of those whom You have blessed. The only way to do it, is for me first to die. To take away the tainted blood on which I so rely. Pass it through the cleansing fount which You alone control. And then restore it back to me. That’s sure to make me whole! Your life blood in my body, can do what I can’t do. Live a life that’s totally dependent upon you. I’m sure when this has happened, I will not feel ashamed. Instead, a sense of thankfulness that sin has been contained! That is my reaction to that which You have done, In having me adopted to be a precious son. O Lord you are exalted, above the stars on high! You gave Your life so sinners could live and never die. Jim Strickland Written 7th July 2012