SAUL’S FALL

Time with Jesus - Saturday, 09 February 2013

Hi all,

God has many advantages over His creation. One of the greatest must surely be his omniscience and understanding of the human heart. You and I cannot see into the heart of men and women. We do not know what will happen to any infant when he/she is born. Some will go on to be wicked criminals. Others will be among those who seek to follow the Lord Jesus Christ. God knows and has always known the future of each individual before birth!

In the case of Saul, the Benjamite and son of Kish, we have an example of a man who looked good on the surface. Good enough for the people to demand from God, he be made king. Sadly, the inner man was nothing like what the people needed from a king. Nevertheless, God acquiesced and Saul became king. I can’t help thinking God was giving the people what they wanted, in much the same way, as He had provided them with quail in the wilderness. So they got King Saul. He was a disaster.

We must always be careful when we ask the Lord for something. If we keep on insisting on getting what we want, He may decide to grant the request and allow us to live with the consequences.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Saturday, 09 February 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	Saul’s Fall
There’s something tragic about the death of King Saul. He had been an impressive young man, standing head and shoulders above most of his countrymen. Handsome, strong and modest, he was exactly what the people demanded; a king similar to the surrounding nations. Samuel went to God and apologetically “told” God, the people didn’t want Him as their king. They wanted someone they could see and follow. Samuel had warned them what would happen if they insisted on making Saul their king. God consented. But even as I read God’s consent, I am reminded of what happens when God’s people demand their own way. 15 And he gave them their request; but sent leanness into their soul. Psalms 106:15 KJV. I can’t help thinking God was saying something like, “They want a king? Try this one for size.” Something like what happened in the wilderness when the people didn’t want manna. The wanted meat. They got quail! For a whole month they ate quail, until it was “coming out of their ears”. They were nauseated with it. It’s a very real danger when we “bellyache” for something from God. He just might agree with terrible consequences. Moses had pointed out; one day God would give them a king from the tribe of Judah. Probably God had already started making preparations for David. God’s only begotten Son would someday be called the Son of David. But the people couldn‘t wait for God’s timing. They were impatient. They sowed impatience and reaped an impatient man. For forty years, Saul was on the throne. For most of these years, Saul treated the people much as Samuel warned them their king would behave. But it was too late. They were stuck with him. An ancient Proverb states, “Whom the gods would destroy, they first make mad”. The comment is not Scriptural but it’s what happened to Saul. His mind crumbled. He experienced fits of madness, senseless jealousy and melancholy. He became a periodic lunatic. Finally, desperate to hear something – anything from God, he consulted the witch of Endor. It’s interesting to note, she was the only known witch, who survived his earlier attempt, to rid his kingdom of idolatry and witchcraft! Finally, he died by falling on his own sword. The Philistines beheaded his corpse and hung his body on the walls of their city. His kingdom was taken over by a red headed youngster, who conquered a giant with a pebble and a slingshot. A Man descended from the tribe of Judah. In spite of all his faults, David was God’s chosen King. God saw Saul’s and David’s hearts. Saul went insane and failed. David went on to be the most loved king the Jewish people have ever known. Only those who have met King Jesus know a better King. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			4 We must quickly carry out the tasks assigned us by the One who sent us. The night is coming, and then no one can work. 5 But while I am here in the world, I am the light of the world." John 9:4-5 NLT 13 Then I heard a voice from heaven. "Write this," it said. "Blessed are the dead who die as believers in the Lord from now on." "Yes," says the Holy Spirit. "They will rest from their labour. What they have done will not be forgotten." Rev 14:13 NIrV 17 In the grave, sinful people don't cause trouble anymore. And there those who are tired find rest. Job 3:17 NIrV 15 Samuel asked Saul, "Why did you disturb me by conjuring me up?" Saul answered, "I'm in serious trouble. The Philistines are at war with me, and God has turned against me and doesn't answer me anymore-either by the prophets or in dreams. So I've called on you to tell me what to do." 1 Sam 28:15 GW 10 Whatever turns up, grab it and do it. And heartily! This is your last and only chance at it, For there's neither work to do nor thoughts to think In the company of the dead, where you're most certainly headed. Eccl 9:10 MSG 17 It is not the dead who praise the LORD, those who go down to the place of silence; 18 it is we who extol the LORD, both now and forevermore. Praise the LORD. Psalm 115:17-18 TNIV 6 My life is coming to an end, and it is now time for me to be poured out as a sacrifice to God. 7 I have fought the good fight. I have completed the race. I have kept the faith. 8 The prize that shows I have God's approval is now waiting for me. The Lord, who is a fair judge, will give me that prize on that day. He will give it not only to me but also to everyone who is eagerly waiting for him to come again. 2 Tim 4:6-8 GW 9 Therefore, a time of rest and worship exists for God's people. 10 Those who entered his place of rest also rested from their work as God did from his Heb. 4:9-11 GW	King Saul was a Benjamite. A son of Kish was he. The people had selected him. His genealogy, Disqualified from kingship, this tall and handsome man. But when the people wanted him, God told them, “Yes you can!” But it was a disaster. He set off rather well. But when he did a task that God reserved for Samuel, The kingdom was torn from him. He’d broken God’s command; And he was on the downward slope to losing all his land. Of course he didn’t abdicate. He tried to carry on. But in the fullness of the time, his kingly power was gone. His final act was played out, when He went to Endor. He went to see the local witch, to hear from her, his score. She conjured up a person who looked like Samuel. Who said his days were over. Today was his death knell. He’d die next day in battle, along with all his sons. The Philistines would win the day; his army’s day was done. And this is just what happened. Saul’s reign was at an end. This king was going to the grave. Too late to make amends. The Bible makes it very clear, one day we all shall be, Taken to a lifeless grave; the dead can’t hear or see. The grave takes all men captive; and they will be at rest, Waiting for the day they will arise at Christ’s behest. Until our certain ending, the best thing we can do, Is anything that comes to hand, to challenge me or you! There in the silence of the grave, each one of us must wait, Until the Master comes again. That’s when we’ll hear our fate. Christian “believers” will arise to their reward. Those who have resisted Him shall perish by His sword. But what about the “others”. Those who are unprepared? The Word of God tells plainly, they too will not be spared. They’ll join the unbelievers and share their frightful lot. It is the judgement’s sentence. Like it or like it not! I wish that I could change it. I wish I could repent, For those who thought God’s judgement, for them just wasn’t meant. But I have no authority. The Lord God has it all. I’d love to tell all nations the outcome of the fall. I’d love to take them with me. I wish that I could share, The love of the Lord Jesus for sinners everywhere. Jim Strickland  Written 9th February 2012

A VIEW OF HEAVEN

Time with Jesus - Friday, 08 February 2013

Hi all,

Science has never been one of my strong subjects. I do, however, have a great respect for scientists. It follows that the name “Einstein” impresses me greatly. But his theory of relativity leaves me speechless. I’m told that on one occasion he was asked to explain it in words that just about anyone can understand. He said, “Two seconds sitting on a hot stove seems much longer than two minutes talking with a pretty girl”. Another was, “Everything is relative, especially my relatives”.

Now having stated my scientific limitations, perhaps one or more of you can tell me what cross polarised light is? I remember Polaroid photographs and polarised sun glasses. How they work and what they do remains a mystery. But I have been told that cross polarised light is pure light. I have no problem with the “cross” bit. Also, my imagination tells me its light that has all its kinks taken out. Hence all you see is “pure light”! I’m informed that science has only known about polarised light for some ±100 years. I’m also told that in the days when John wrote the book of the Revelation of Jesus Christ, polarised light had not even been imagined. This is why I am compelled to draw our collective attention to something strange. In the presence of cross polarised light, some precious stones “glow” with changing colours emitted. Sadly, diamonds go dark and ugly. Science has a list of precious stones that behave like this. Included are all twelve of the precious stones listed hereunder from Revelation!

¹⁸ The wall was made of jasper, and the city was pure gold, as clear as glass. ¹⁹ The wall of the city was built on foundation stones inlaid with twelve precious stones: the first was jasper, the second sapphire, the third agate, the fourth emerald, ²⁰ the fifth onyx, the sixth carnelian, the seventh chrysolite, the eighth beryl, the ninth topaz, the tenth chrysoprase, the eleventh jacinth, the twelfth amethyst. Revelation 21:18-20 NLT

What I’d like to know is, who told the author of the book of Revelation about cross polarised light? It would be at least 1900 years before anyone knew about this. Not even a 21^st century understanding of Einstein’s simple story could account for this many years. We are compelled to conclude that God knew what He was telling John, as he wrote down the things he saw. For me, this is one of the simplest “proofs” that God is real. Not that God needs to be proved. But it does help ordinary men and women realise that God is not a Myth! “QED”!

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Friday, 08 February 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	A View of Heaven
Have you ever read or heard accounts of men or women taken briefly to see heaven and/or hell? Many Christians and unbelievers find these visits fascinating and highly descriptive. Certainly they can and do challenge people to examine their relationship with Jesus Christ. This is a good thing. The question is, “How real are they?” None of us can say with any degree of certainty that the one describing the “event” they really saw and what they claimed to see. Indeed, some of the statements made by these “visitors” appear to be inaccurate. Most of us have a tendency to elaborate on what we have seen. Many years ago, in Emmanuel Church on Grosvenor Road (Now called New Life Church) I felt moved to bring a prophetic word. I duly went to the front and was handed the microphone. The message I believed I was to bring was the following: "Why do you call me Lord but don't do what I tell you?” Luke 6:46 GW It was a very challenging message; one which remains true for all Christians today. But somehow or other I felt that I should continue. So for the next couple of minutes I rabbited on inanely trying to add something extra. All I succeeded in doing was to confuse everyone with my drivel. Afterwards, it was clear that my contribution made things worse. I wasn’t deliberately intending to cloud the issue. I was trying to be helpful. One thing it did do. It made me aware that we are all able to deflect the truth from something, by a desire to be helpful. It’s a very common human weakness. I suspect that this is the sort of thing that sometimes happens, when people elaborate on their experiences in heaven or hell. They are not deliberately telling lies. They are trying to be more helpful. Today’s meditation takes a look at the New Jerusalem. Some of it was written several years ago; in particular the portion about the foundation of the walls being from semi-precious stones. Getting them all included into rhyme and metre was a real challenge. So what I’ve done is to incorporate portions of that poem into today’s meditation. In its construction, I’ve tried to stick to the descriptions in the Bible. (NIV) The New Jerusalem will be so much more than this poor description. Quoting from Isaiah 64:4, Paul tells us: 9 It is written, "No eye has seen, no ear has heard, no mind has known what God has prepared for those who love him." 1 Cor 2:9 NIrV In the case of my description and God’s Word, it’s clear that the most fertile mind can’t imagine the things God has prepared for us. All we can do is point to the unimaginable, unseen and agree with John the apostle, 20 He who is the faithful witness to all these things says, "Yes, I am coming soon!" Amen! Come, Lord Jesus! Rev 22:20 NLT Jim & Phyllida Strickland			18 People will no longer harm one another in your land. They will not wipe out or destroy anything inside your borders. You will call your walls Salvation. And you will name your gates Praise. Isaiah 60:18 NIrV 12 The city had a huge, high wall with 12 gates. Twelve angels were at the gates, one at each of them. On the gates were written the names of the 12 tribes of Israel. 13 There were three gates on the east and three on the north. There were three gates on the south and three on the west. 14 The wall of the city had 12 foundations. Written on them were the names of the 12 apostles of the Lamb. Rev 21:12-14 NIrV 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. 20 Together, we are His house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus Himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in Him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through Him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by His Spirit. Eph 2:19-22 NLT 2 Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, 3 now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness. 4 You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was rejected by people, but He was chosen by God for great honour. 5 And you are living stones that God is building into His spiritual temple. What's more, you are His holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer spiritual sacrifices that please God. 1 Peter 2:2-5 NLT To the choirmaster. A Psalm of David. A Song. 1 Praise is due to you, O God, in Zion, and to you shall vows be performed. 2 O you who hear prayer, to you shall all flesh come. 3 When iniquities prevail against me, you atone for our transgressions. 4 Blessed is the one you choose and bring near, to dwell in your courts! We shall be satisfied with the goodness of your house, the holiness of your temple! Psalm 65:1-4 ESV	We're looking for a city that will ever more endure. One, not made with human hands, but one which Christ made pure. The Heavenly Jerusalem that Jesus Christ prepared, For those who love and follow Him and whom His teachings shared; The mansion He erected that's filled with love and light; With streams of living water flowing outward day and night; With trees that have the healing of the nations in their leaf, Which bear twelve different kinds of fruit and harvest-time's not brief; Where walls are made from jasper and the city is pure gold. Laid on a foundation that is lovely to behold. From emerald and sardonyx, from beryl and sapphire, Chrysolite and amethyst that glows with inner fire; With chrysoprase, carnelian and precious chalcedony, With jacinth and twelve gates of pearl in glittering harmony. We’ll call the walls “Salvation”, The gates will be called “Praise” In honour of the Master, the Ancient of all Days. The city has been measured. It’s long and wide and high. About two thousand meters that reaches to the sky. We think it would fit perfectly, right within our moon. We cannot wait to see it. “Lord Jesus, please come soon!” Twelve gates have been inserted. Three gates along each side. An angel’s stationed at each one; each gate identified; And named after the founders of the tribes of Israel. The names of the apostles are written there as well, On each of the foundations. Their service to the Lord, Acknowledged for eternity where Jesus is adored! It doesn't need a temple, Almighty God is there; And Jesus Christ illuminates the pure and death free air. But, what makes heaven wonderful is not what man can see, It's rather just the presence of the Lord of Majesty; The ever-living presence of the God of endless love; The radiance of everything The Christ! The Lord Above! It’s been years in the making; a home for Jesus’ bride; A place where every one of us, will constantly abide. Furnished to perfection, to suit each person’s taste. Where nothing that was done for Him will ever go to waste. At last we will be with Him. Our Saviour, Lord and King. We’d rather be with You O Lord, far more than anything. Jim Strickland  Written 8th February 2012

COMPASSION

Time with Jesus - Thursday, 07 February 2013

Hi all,

Today’s meditation is about compassion. According to Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, compassion is the sympathetic consciousness of others' distress, together with a desire to alleviate it. The word comes from Latin. The prefix “com” is an old version of “cum” which means “with”. The word “passion” is often related to the sufferings of Christ. Hence compassion expresses the idea of viewing someone enduring suffering, with a sense of care and kind-heartedness. It is a quality made visible by Jesus in His earthly ministry. It’s more than mere sympathy although sympathy is included. Perhaps it could be described as that which changes, “ag shame” into the action of relieving the sufferings of others.

Blessings,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Thursday, 07 February 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	Compassion
What is the difference between sympathy and compassion? Let’s have an easy way to look at it. Sympathy prompts you to say, “Ag shame”. Some may even go so far as to state, “I’m sorry to hear about that”. Of course from the expression on their face you feel tempted to respond. “Well if that’s how you look when you’re sorry, when you are happy, you must look like a raving lunatic”. Mind you, I’ve been there often enough. We say to people, “I’ll pray for you”. Then you promptly forget all about it. What makes it even worse when people come and thank you for your prayers, when you didn’t pray at all! Compassion could perhaps be defined as “sympathy in action”. Sure, part of compassion includes sympathy. It has to. Unless you feel “sorry” about a situation, there can be no compassion! If I don’t care a fig about the protection of wildlife, I’m unlikely to get involved in wildlife protection. Compassion demands you do something about the object of your sympathy. You find this among support groups. John Doe gets ill with a life threatening disease. After many years of treatment; partly successful and partly useless, he gets into remission. He’s learned a great deal about that sickness, and wants to help others. So he establishes a support group for those suffering from the same disease. Perhaps the best example of compassion, I have heard about in my lifetime, is Mother Teresa of Calcutta. She went to Calcutta to minister to the sick and dying in that city. She focused primarily on the poor. Her efforts are legendary. “Love” was her motivating force. Because she got involved, millions of men and women have been touched. But it was not her individual efforts alone that made such a big difference. Her example touched the hearts of many women and they are following her example. In fact a new “women’s branch” has been started in the Roman Catholic Church. This has spread her life and example far beyond anything she could have anticipated. It seems that compassion is contagious. In the case of the late Mother Teresa, it has given rise to a new church order. But what can you and I do in the face of overwhelming odds? The “starfish story” is a good example. Two men were walking along a beach littered with thousands or perhaps millions of starfish. They were discussing what they could do. After one of the men threw a starfish back into the sea, the other man asked him, “What difference would that one make?” His friend commented, “Not much, but it made a big difference for that one”. When it comes to compassion, it’s time we stopped thinking about the enormity of any problem. If we all do a small amount, the total will astonish us. Today’s meditation looks at compassion. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			14 Jesus saw the huge crowd as He stepped from the boat, and He had compassion on them and healed their sick. Mat 14:14 NLT 8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, today, and forever. Heb 13:8 GW 15 For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are, yet without sin. Heb 4:15 ESV 2 And He is able to deal gently with ignorant and wayward people because He Himself is subject to the same weaknesses. Heb 5:2 NLT 27 Then He returned and found the disciples asleep. He said to Peter, "Simon, are you asleep? Couldn't you watch with Me even one hour? 38 Keep watch and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation. For the spirit is willing, but the body is weak." Mar 14:37-38 NLT 13 The LORD is like a father to His children, tender and compassionate to those who fear Him. 14 For He knows how weak we are; He remembers we are only dust. Psalm 103:13-14 NLT 15 But You, O Lord, are a God of compassion and mercy, slow to get angry and filled with unfailing love and faithfulness. 16 Look down and have mercy on me. Give Your strength to Your servant; save me, the son of Your servant. Psalm 86:15-16 NLT	Jesus had compassion on them; their sick He healed. The depth of pain and suffering, to Jesus was revealed. He knew of their misfortunes; was touched by their distress; And pity welled up in Him and prompted Him to bless, The crowd that stood before Him. His tenderness and care; The love He had for people who had come from everywhere! Things are not much different from all those years ago. Compassion for all people; for those born high or low. Compassion isn’t sympathy; it’s that and so much more. It causes you to get involved; to open wide the door, That in a very special way, lets you “put on their shoes”; So you can feel the impact, from someone else’s view. It causes you to feel the pain and the extreme distress, That’s prompting you to get involved, to help clear up the mess. It’s rather like what Father feels when looking at His child; And knows with understanding that they have been defiled. It drives us to take action, when wickedness and hate, Is welling up around us saying, “leave them to their fate”. It takes you to Calcutta, to the slums where people die, Of so many diseases, it makes you want to cry. And there amid the squalor as people pass away, You hold them to your bosom, take care of them and pray. It takes you to a hilltop to look along the road. It maybe that your long lost son comes back to your abode. Perhaps you just may spot him walking all alone, Broken, tired and hungry, from the wild oats he has sown? Suddenly you spot him. You can’t mistake that walk. It’s branded in your memory since he first learned to talk. And so you run and meet him in spite of all he’s done, Weeping you embrace him. He’s still your precious son. It stands inside a church hall, where a young man of eighteen, Has come because of all the foolish things that he has been. And in some fateful instant, his hands reach out to You; Knowing in his heart there’s nothing more that he can do. This is the compassion which every Christian needs. It isn’t seeing Jesus as a way to meet your greed. It’s looking at the Master, through all the tears and shame, And knowing that He loves you. After all, that’s why He came! Jim Strickland Written 7th February 2012.