THE GREAT EXCHANGE

Time with Jesus - 10 Sept. 2013

Hi all,

Record Player

When Phyllida and I first met in the early part of 1981, South Africa’s music came to us on records. It was the very early days of the CD and players, so it was “normal” to have a number of Long Playing Records. In those days, DOS was something you did when you were tired. 

Perhaps the most sophisticated electronic piece of equipment was the pocket calculator. There were two “types”. The one was by Hewlett Packard, which had a different method of data entry. The other, used the conventional entry system. 

Changing from the one to the other was traumatic. Something like Open Heart Surgery at midday on the streets of Jo’burg! It’s interesting to recall that by 1979, the examining authorities, for most technical institutions, permitted the use of electronic calculators, provided the memory was “cleared” before the exam. If there were any built in mathematical functions, they could not include engineering formulae. 

The demise of the “slide rule” was in full swing. Today most students have no idea what a slide rule might be! We also used log tables. These were not dining room tables made from logs!

Ho! every one that is thirsty in spirit, Ho! every one that is weary and sad; Come to the fountain, there’s fullness in Jesus, All that you’re longing for: come and be glad!
	Chorus
	I will pour water on him that is thirsty, I will pour floods upon the dry ground; Open your hearts for the gifts I am bringing; While ye are seeking Me, I will be found.
Child of the world, are you tired of your bondage? Weary of earth joys, so false, so untrue? Thirsting for God and His fullness of blessing? List to the promise, a message for you!
	Chorus
Child of the kingdom, be filled with the Spirit! Nothing but fullness thy longing can meet; ’Tis the enduement for life and for service; Thine is the promise, so certain, so sweet.
	Chorus

 Phyllida and I both had a number of long playing records. These were mainly Christian artists singing hymns and choruses. My favourite back then was a 3 LP recording of Handel’s “Messiah”. We still have it but it has been transferred to CD and I-Pod. 

Phyllida had a couple of very popular LP’s. One was by “Vineyard” Another was by Harry Secombe. Our favourite was by a group called “The Hawaiians”.  The best for me from that LP, was a track entitled, “Ho! Everyone that is thirsty in Spirit”. It was written in 1884 by Lucy J Meyer. 

The words are shown in the box on the left and come from the book of Isaiah. ¹ Ho! every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price. Isa 55:1 KJV

Thirst gives rise to
More Thirst

I’ve sometimes wondered why this particular track was so important to me some 32 years ago. It wasn’t just because it was sung so beautifully by the young couple who produced this delightful LP. There was something much deeper than that. 

As the Deer Pants for Water

Today as I sit writing this message, the importance has dawned. From 1964 to 1981 I’d wandered away from the Lord to do my own thing. Yes, it was very silly. It was dangerous spiritually and perhaps more important than everything else was the emptiness deep inside. The life of a backslider is hell! You know how things once were with the Lord and apparently are no longer. 

In the Psalms David wrote: ¹ O God, thou art my God; early will I seek thee: my soul thirsteth for thee, my flesh longeth for thee in a dry and thirsty land, where no water is; Psalm 63:1 KJV

Streams of
Living Water

Being thirsty for God is a dreadful experience. You know that only the living water of Jesus will slake your thirst, but like a petulant child, you’d rather “die” than admit you were wrong. It takes a calamity on a massive scale to bring you back to Him repentant and seeking forgiveness. This hymn composed in 1884 has all the ingredients needed to bring a strayed sheep back to the fold.

Jesus' Purpose is
Saving People

The first verse sets the scene. It speaks of Jesus’ willingness to minister to the thirsty and the sad. More than that it shows how He exchanges sadness for gladness. 

Cliff College Dining Room

The chorus reverberates with what He does for His people, even those who have wandered away. In summary it says that if we seek Him, He will be found. He will satisfy those who thirst for Him. If this means pouring floods of water on the parched earth, He will do so.

Mount up on Eagles Wings

 For me, verse 2 and 3 are almost interchangeable. I felt like I’d become a child of the world but was still a child of the Kingdom. This meant both verses somehow applied to me. That’s when He changed me around once more. The great exchange took place in my heart.

Searching for God

Phyllida and I are still searching for Him, as though we are living in a dry and thirsty land; a “Strick-land”. But we are not stricken and without hope. Our thirst is now to know more and more of Him. There is still so much to learn; so much still to hear. 

Thirsting Together

We are not surprised. He is infinite and we are minuscule. Moreover, the more we learn of Him, the more we want to learn. How can such a thirst be satisfied? There is only one way; by being in His presence. The great exchange; His life for ours; His life for you and for me.

Cliff College UK

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 10 Sept. 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	THE GREAT EXCHANGE
When I committed my life to Jesus Christ, I started to get excited about the things of the Lord. In 1961 I heard about an event in Derbyshire called the “Cliff Convention”. Cliff College was a school for evangelists, teachers and ministers in the Methodist Church. Since I was in the Methodist Church, I decided I’d like to attend. Their convention took place over the “Easter” long weekend. I was an apprentice at the time and couldn’t afford the conference fees. So I volunteered to be one of the workers for the duration of the conference. The college agreed. I managed to get away early and arrived there at about lunchtime on the Thursday. Like many of the other volunteers, I spent the rest of the day preparing for the conference. One task was scrubbing the floor of the dining hall. It wasn’t exactly what I would have liked to do, but since I was there for “free” it seemed reasonable. The next morning, the people arrived by the hundreds. At that time the “Cliff Convention” was one of the most popular events in the Methodist Church in UK. It had been in existence for over a hundred years. They would train the young men (men only back then) to go round the towns pulling a hand-cart and preaching wherever they could. A bit like what happened back in John Wesley’s days. I can’t recall how successful this was. But I do know that many young men had passed through Cliff College and had gone on to taking on a variety of ministries. I met one in 1995 who had been a student in the 1930’s At the turn of the nineteenth century, Cliff College’s Head’s was the renowned Samuel Chadwick. It’s said he had a “silver tongue”. He could preach or lead a prayer meeting in such a way, men and women would sit for hours just listening to him. Three hours was not unusual! On my first visit to Cliff, I came across most of the students and could listen to what was happening. They mostly talked about the things of the Lord and the way God had spoken to them. I hadn’t come across this sort of thing before. I knew God had led men in the past but didn’t know an example in the 20th century. One young man whose name I’ve forgotten told me about his call from God to attend “Cliff College as a student. He told me that the Lord had spoken to him through the following verse. 31 but they who wait for the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings like eagles; they shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint. Isaiah 40:31 ESV In particular, “they shall mount up with wings like eagles”. He said that he had tried to establish what this meant for him but had been unsuccessful. In the end he wrote to “Cliff”, asked for an application form, completed it and sent it in. Then he waited to see what would happen. A few weeks later he received a letter from Cliff saying he had been accepted for the following year’s student intake. Then he was amazed with what he saw. There was a picture on the letter. It showed Cliff college high up on a hill. Suddenly he spotted the similarity between the word “Cliff” and a mountain. “Perhaps Cliff College is where the Lord wants me to mount up and study?” He said to himself. He continued to read the acceptance letter, At the bottom of the letter there was the signature of the Dean of students. His name? Professor Eagles! Suddenly he knew! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			31 But those who trust in the LORD will receive new strength. They will fly as high as eagles. They will run and not get tired. They will walk and not grow weak. Isaiah 40:31 NIrV	Have you never heard of it? Do you not understand? The Lord God everlasting, created our great land! He never does grow weary. He doesn’t need to rest. He spoke the word – It happened – All this was manifest. We cannot comprehend Him; His depth we cannot plumb. Everything which we can see. He is its total sum. He is the Great Exchanger who made all things from naught. He spoke into the nothingness and in His speaking brought, Everything to being. In this He specialises. He’s the Great Exchanger Who sees through all disguises. A man may look unbeatable, with muscles made of steel. But when it comes right down to it, his power isn’t real. If power doesn’t come from God; he’s like a little flea, And God will take the weakest man and give him victory. For God has all that’s needed. He has all kilojoules; And those who wish to take Him on don’t realise, “God rules!” That’s why a new-born infant, can beat the strongest man. When God exchanges power with him. The little infant can Destroy that mighty warrior. God cannot be denied. And He will do what He will do. He will not be defied! When we are at our weakest, that’s when He makes us strong. But if we trust in our right arm, we get the whole thing wrong! He gives strength to the powerless exactly when it’s needed. Just enough to win the fight. That will not be exceeded. Have a look around you at young men in a race. They quickly get exhausted and fall down on their face. They cannot keep on going, eventually they flop. But God will keep you going when all men have to stop! How can a man achieve this? How can he know for sure, That God will undertake for him so that he may endure? It only comes by trusting God, each and every day. Then we’ll know His awesome strength in each and every way. We think that we are eagles which soar on high with wings. Those of us who trust the Lord. will know what trusting brings. New strength He’ll surely give us. The power to carry on, When all the strength which we possess, has crumbled and has gone. That’s when He gives a second wind or even nine or ten! The weariness will vanish and we’ll have strength again. The distance will not matter. A thousand miles or more. We’ll walk and won’t be weary. What do we need that for? To glorify the Master and praise His Holy Name. To walk without our fainting! And give Him all the fame! Jim Strickland Written 10th September 2012
			10 For the sake of Christ, then, I am content with weaknesses, insults, hardships, persecutions, and calamities. For when I am weak, then I am strong. 2 Corinthians 12:10 ESV
			5 "And now," GOD says, this God who took me in hand from the moment of birth to be his servant, To bring Jacob back home to him, to set a reunion for Israel-- What an honour for me in GOD's eyes! That God should be my strength! Isaiah 49:5 MSG
			9 But he said to me, "My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in weakness." Therefore I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ's power may rest on me. 2 Corinthians 12:9 TNIV
			5 Or let them take hold of My strength, that he may make peace with Me; and he shall make peace with Me. Isaiah 27:5 MKJV
			22 Give your burdens to the LORD, and He will take care of you. He will not permit the godly to slip and fall. Psalms 55:22 NLT
			24 But his bow remained steady, his strong arms stayed limber, because of the hand of the Mighty One of Jacob, because of the Shepherd, the Rock of Israel Genesis 49:24 TNIV,
			26 Then the Man said, "Let Me go, for the dawn is breaking!" But Jacob said, "I will not let You go unless You bless me." Genesis 32:26 NLT
			45 David answered, "You come at me with sword and spear and battle-ax. I come at you in the name of GOD-of-the-Angel-Armies, the God of Israel's troops, whom you curse and mock. 1 Samuel 17:45 MSG
			A psalm of David.1 O LORD, oppose those who oppose me. Fight those who fight against me. 2 Put on Your armour, and take up Your shield. Prepare for battle, and come to my aid. Psalms 35:1-2 NLT

VICTORY IN JESUS!

Time with Jesus - 9 Sept. 2013

Hi all,

Life in boarding school for me was great fun. At first it was a bit strange getting accustomed to being continuously surrounded by youngsters of my own age. It was tough leaving the safety of my own home and going to live in the school. 

WW2 Spitfire

There were a variety of different rules. Don’t go here. Respond to the bell. Remain within the school boundaries. Be in the study at 17h00. Supper at 18h30; back in the study by 19h30; in bed at 20h00; Lights out at 20h30. Sure it was extremely regimented. Up at 06h00; in the study by 06h30; breakfast at 07h00; School began at 08h00. After school was sports time; cricket in summer; rugby in winter. After a couple of days, we all settled into the routine. There wasn’t a lot of time to express your own individuality.

Part of Hitler's German Army

We all quickly established what we would call “rules of fairness”. In the dining room, the tables and chairs were all assembled with 6 per table. Mostly, the meals were already divided more or less into equal portions. We were all growing boys so if I thought you had been given more food than me; there would have been a riot. 

Two things were never divided; the jam and the butter. The butter was on the table in a small round butter-dish. It had been cut in the kitchen from blocks and was about 15mm thick. In a boarding school, this tested our table manners. If we had been ordinary, civilised young men, we would have only enough to cover a slice of bread very thinly. 

Never try this with hungry 13 to 17 year old boys. The third world war would break out across the table. But we were imaginative and quickly came up with the solution. Each place at the table was “numbered” from 1 to 6. No 6 always marked the butter into what he considered equal portions. No 1 cut off a piece for himself being very careful not to depart from the lines on the butter. No 2 then followed. In this way we continued until No 6 took what was left. The method was observed by 6 pairs of eyes all determined that no one would get more than they had. 

Table for Six

The next morning, the numbering system rotated. In this way, everyone had a chance to be No1 and No 6 every six days. We regarded this as being “fair”.

I recall David Pawson pointing out a similar problem. If you have four children, how do you hand out sweets? One way would be to give them one bag of sweets and tell them to share them. The safer way was to buy four bags of sweets. The Scriptural way for perfect children would be one bag they can share. But children are not like that. They have a concept of what they consider is “fair”. If it varies by more than a tenth of a millimetre, there is a riot.

Now please note that God knows nothing about “fairness”. “Fair” is a human concept rigorously enforced by trade unions, young children and hospital patients. Jesus Himself stated ⁴⁵ Then you will be sons of your Father who is in heaven. "He causes his sun to shine on evil people and good people. He sends rain on those who do right and those who don't. Mat 5:45 NIrV

In Mark’s gospel Jesus said, ²⁹ "What I'm about to tell you is true," Jesus replied. "Has anyone left home or family or fields for me and the good news? ³⁰ They will receive 100 times as much in this world. They will have homes and families and fields. But they will also be treated badly by others. In the world to come they will live forever. ³¹ But many who are first will be last. And the last will be first." Mar 10:29-31 NIrV Where is the “fairness” in “the last being first and the first last”?

God is Never "Fair"

Furthermore, our salvation is not “fair”. You and I are the sinners. We are the “monsters of iniquity”. We deserve to be sent to hell for 1000 eternities and more for spurning the love of a perfect God. Instead, Jesus took the punishment for what you and I have done and, in many instances, enjoyed doing! It’s grossly unfair. The case would be thrown out of every court on earth you can think of. So please don’t talk to me about God’s “fairness”. 

We Deserve our Wages
Sin = Death

No man or woman, who has ever lived, with the exception of Jesus Christ, should escape hell. John Gill stated, Man has run through all, has contracted large and numerous debts, has been obliged to hide himself, has been used as a bankrupt, and turned out of house and home: Christ indeed has undertook to pay, and he has paid all the debts of his people; and has put them into a better state than Adam ever was. (John Gill’s comment on Rom 3:12)

No, God is not “fair”. He is 100% just and 100% merciful. How does this work? God alone knows. We all get a full bag of sweets and don’t have to share them. We don’t have to divide the butter into 6 equal portions. Instead, God pours out from His abundance more sweets than we could eat in a lifetime.

VICTORY IN JESUS

Furthermore, His blocks of butter are infinite. I say to Him, “Lord, I don’t deserve all this!” He says to me, “I know! But I love you and you can have it anyway!” I fall on my knees before Him and worship Him. He lifts me to my feet. “Come on, let’s have some fun together. Don’t you know you are My adopted brother?”

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – Monday, 09 September 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	VICTORY IN JESUS!
The Battle of Britain during WW2 is one of the most remembered events of those long and difficult days. A handful of British and Commonwealth pilots took on the mighty German Luftwaffe. Statistically, they should have lost. The hand of God must have been with them because they won the battle. They shouldn’t have won. It appeared to be impossible and Europe, in its entirety, should have been one huge Nazi “state”. I firmly believe that it was the goodness of God that prevented this from happening. For some reason Hitler decided to forget about Britain and attack Russia. It was at this time Winston Churchill made one of the greatest speeches he ever made. “Never in the field of human conflict have so many owed so much to so few”. As we know, in the end the Allies defeated the German war machine. It was a miracle. There have been a number of battles that have shaped human history. At present there is an on-going battle which has still to be settled. The final outcome is a foregone conclusion. In the battle between good and evil, the forces of God will defeat the forces of evil. The ultimate conclusion is inevitable. Jesus Christ and His people will defeat Satan and his forces. No other alternative is possible. Good will triumph over evil. The problem you and I have is being unaware when the final battle will take place. We have been given eternal life. Death is meaningless to a committed Christian. But that does not mean that the latest battle of this war has been fought and decided. Complete victory will only be achieved when Jesus returns. In the meantime, wars and battles continue to take place! 23 For the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Christ Jesus our Lord. Romans 6:23 TNIV During the interim the wages are the same for all. You and I are sinners. Yes, Jesus has redeemed us. But until He comes back, death is guaranteed for everyone born on this planet. Malcolm Smith pointed out that each of us has worked for and will receive payment in full. Our death sentence was decreed the instance we first sinned. We’ve worked hard for our wages during our lifetime and we will get payment in full! Not exactly good news. But it’s a fact and there is nothing we can do to change it. Jesus came to this planet. He lived a perfect, sin-free life. So death for Him was not appropriate. If a man is perfect before God, death cannot hold him. Jesus did not work for the death sentence. Instead, He gave His life in exchange for us. In a way we will never understand, we swapped. He took all our sin and gave us His righteousness. Grossly unfair! No human court would approve. But God not only approved, He made it possible! Until He returns, we will continue to grow old and die. When He comes, Christians who are still alive will not die. He has already paid that penalty. So we will all be with Him. Those who have died will be resurrected. Paul expresses it as follows: 17 After that, we who are still alive and are left will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And so we will be with the Lord forever. 1 Thessalonians 4:17 TNIV I’m not in a position to say whether or not the total will be few or many. What I can say; and in this I share Churchill’s view. “Never in the field of human (spiritual) conflict have so many owed so much to one Man”. Jesus Christ! Jim & Phyllida Strickland			2 But as for me, I almost lost my footing. My feet were slipping, and I was almost gone. Psalms 73:2 NLT	Look where you are going. Be careful not to fall. Never give the devil the smallest chance at all. Watch out for the surfaces, and don’t step in the mire. Making you fall over is Satan’s one desire. Watch what you are wearing. Take care of your shoes. Only foolish people, will ever take their cues, From what the foe is wanting. He’d like to see you dead. And he’d like nothing better than for you to bust your head! Of course the Lord protects you. This always will be true. But don’t provide the devil a chance to murder you! He wants to lift you with a fork and throw you in the air. He does his best to sift you and lead you to despair. But Jesus said He’s praying that you won’t slip or fail. His prayers are always answered in the very best detail. The Lord wants you to testify and strengthen all your friends. So do the things He telling you, for surely life depends, On making Him your Saviour, your Master and your King. This prevents the devil from doing anything That damages God’s Kingdom; on this you can rely. And He’ll continue praying for you until you die! It’s true you are not perfect. At times you won’t succeed. But if you keep on focusing upon your Christian Creed; Even if you’re brutalised and they tear limb from limb, That is an opportunity for you to worship Him! Satan wants to hurt you, but cannot touch your soul. Give a shout of triumph; scream, “Christ is in control!” He’ll declare you righteous and in a state of grace. No matter what the devil does. You’ll soon see Jesus’ face. The foe may all laugh at you; perhaps they’ll even sneer! But know that Christ the Saviour is standing very near. Perhaps they’ll have you locked up in a room as dark as night. In this situation, The Lord will be your light. Nothing you experience will ever be unique. Jesus has been through it and gives the strength you seek. Pain won’t last forever. On that you can rely. And you’ll be in the Master’s arms the instant that you die. So stand firm in disaster. Look Satan in the eyes. He cannot defeat you no matter how he tries. It’s a foregone conclusion. You’re guaranteed to win; To break the chains of Satan and the crushing power of sin. Not because you’ve done it. That never will be true. But Jesus is the victory in everything you do. Jim Strickland Written 9th Sept. 2012
			18 I cried out, "I am slipping!" but Your unfailing love, O LORD, supported me. Psalms 94:18 NLT
			31 "Simon, Simon, Satan has asked to sift each of you like wheat. 32 But I have pleaded in prayer for you, Simon that your faith should not fail. So when you have repented and turned to Me again, strengthen your brothers." Luke 22:31-32 NLT
			16 A righteous person may fall seven times, but he gets up again. However, in a disaster wicked people fall. Proverbs 24:16 GW
			24 Even if the man trips, he won't fall. The LORD'S hand takes good care of him. Psalms 37:24 NIrV
			8 The people of Jerusalem say, "Don't laugh when we suffer, you enemies of ours! We have fallen. But we'll get up. Even though we sit in the dark, the LORD will give us light. Micah 7:8 NIrV
			19 From six disasters He will rescue you; even in the seventh, He will keep you from evil. Job 5:19 NLT
			1 My dear children, I am writing this to you so that you will not sin. But if anyone does sin, we have an advocate who pleads our case before the Father. He is Jesus Christ, the One who is truly righteous. 1 John 2:1 NLT
			25 Therefore he is able to save completely those who come to God through him, because he always lives to intercede for them. Hebrews 7:25 TNIV