Time with Jesus - 2
Nov 2013
We can get very self-righteous and proudly claim, we wouldn’t have done
that! Perhaps the statement is true. But when the “shoe is on the other foot”,
we hunt round for reasons to justify what we did. Then we find the “reasons” in
some dark, back-alley of our imagination. 
For me, the stupid mistake was my first marriage. Not
that I’m blaming my ex-wife. We met as a result of strange and “dangerous” circumstances.
I’d left my home with my folks in Essex shortly after my 21st
birthday. At the time I had been seriously attached to a lovely Christian girl.
Sadly, we broke up shortly before my move back to Newcastle. Thus when I met my
former wife, it was something of a rebound situation.
At the same time, her former
boyfriend had killed himself by riding a motor bike at 80mph into a lamp post. So
it was something of a double rebound. We both needed comforting. The situation
was tailor made for a future disaster. That’s more or less what happened. As an
added complication, I “blamed” the Lord for the breakup of my previous
relationship. A stupid mistake! Three years later we married. Two children came
along.
I got on very well with her parents. Having come from
South Africa, they were afraid I would take their precious daughter away from
UK. I distinctly remember her father telling me, if she left UK, it would be the
death of him! In 1969 I was asked to go to Canada for my company. My wife and I
agreed and off we went.
Six weeks later, I got a garbled telex from UK, telling
us her father had been killed in a head on motor collision and her mother’s
survival was in doubt. Understandably, my wife immediately flew to UK for the
funeral and to be with her mother. The children and I remained in Canada. On
her return, I knew something was wrong. In her mind, I was to blame. If she
hadn’t left UK, her dad would still be alive!
This had serious repercussions on our relationship and
slowly our marriage crumbled. It was no good remaining in Canada. What would we
do about the children if we broke up? In the end, we agreed on moving to RSA. My
folks were here and, if the worse came to the worse, we could get a “nanny” at
a price I could afford. In the meantime, we would continue to try and make a go
of our marriage.
To cut a long story short, we flew from Canada to UK and
after a few months with her mother, flew to RSA. I got a job with Eskom and
started working for them on 16th January 1974. Sadly, the damage was
done and over the next several years things went from bad to worse.
I “toyed” with
the idea of trying to return to Jesus. The problem with this continued to be
me. I’d made a stupid mistake in 1966 and felt a bit like the prodigal son must
have felt. How can you return “home” after squandering all your “substance”? There
is only one way; to end up in the pig-pen. The only problem is finding the
right pig-pen at the right time and place.
The Lord is very good at ensuring you get there! It’s as
though he peels away various layers of “muck”. Finally, you have to “muck-in”
and get on with doing what you should have done many years previously. For me
it eventually became impossible to stay in the pig-pen. More to the point, my
ex-wife had also had enough of living in the pig-pen. She’d had a “gut-full” of
living married to the man whom she believed had brought about the death of her
father. By this time, I’d also had enough of an on-off marriage that wasn’t
working.
Finally, when a divorce seemed inevitable and I was at
the lowest point in my life, I had a “chance” meeting with a beautiful
Christian brother. We chatted for a while and, in desperation, I found my way
back to the cross. Much to my amazement, I found that Jesus hadn’t changed.
There were no recriminations on His side. They were all on mine. 
My stupid
mistake had cost me over 15½ years of life. It’s one of the things I’ve
regretted most. However, the Lord treated me in an unbelievable way. He allowed
me to “pick up” from where I’d been before my excursion into a wrong marriage and
a taste of life in the pig-pen. For me, that was a miracle.
That’s more or less when Phyllida and I met. Her
experience in her marriage had been much the same. We had both married unbelievers.
Furthermore, we both knew they were unbelievers in the first place. We thought
we would change them. It was another stupid mistake. Put it this way. If you
try and mix oil and water, you fail dismally. His word tells us, 
14 Do not be joined to unbelievers. What do right and wrong have in common? Can light and
darkness be friends? 2 Cor. 6:14 NIrV. That
was our stupid mistake. If you mix clean water with dirty water, you end up
with dirty water. Only Jesus Christ can make dirty water clean. Then you can
mix the two together. That’s the one thing we learned from all those years; obedience
to God’s Word is not an option. Don’t even try! It’s not worth it!
Shalom
Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
Time with Jesus – Saturday, 02 November 2013
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Matt 10:8
Freely you received, Freely give |
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©
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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
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©
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INTRODUCTION
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DAILY
LIGHT EVENING SCRIPTURES
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PSALM
45
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The significance of Psalm
45 in the life of Jim and Phyllida is just about impossible to recount
in the small space we have here. Nevertheless!
About a year before we met, the Lord told her He was
preparing a husband for her. He said she would find a description of him in Psalm 45. It was an extraordinary statement
because this is a prophetic Royal Wedding Psalm. Written initially for the
wedding of one of the kings of Judah, it’s now considered as prophetic of the
wedding of Jesus and His bride. Nevertheless, Phyllida went through the Psalm
and compiled a 10 point list descriptive of her “husband”.
In February 1981 I realised my marriage was
collapsing. So I made a recommitment to the Lord after some 17 years. That
day I started reading a daily devotional I was given in Canada in 1973. The
Scripture for the day was: 8 But to the
Son He says, "Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule
with a sceptre of justice. 9 You love justice and
hate evil. Therefore, O God, Your God has anointed You, pouring out the oil
of joy on You more than on anyone else." Heb.
1:8-9 NLT I did not realise then, it was a quotation from Ps 45:6-7. Thus even before I met Phyllida, we
were linked in some incredible way. What that was, only became apparent
months later.
That day, I began writing poetry. It helped during
the pending divorce. Now poetry, to most people, is as welcome as pork in a
synagogue! But here I was churning out my verse and had no one to share it
with. I had to find someone. Who would listen to my poetry? Good question.
At the same time, Christian friends in Eskom told me
to find a church to attend. That church was Bryanston Baptist Fellowship
(BBF). On my first visit, the pastor taught on “Filling with the Holy Spirit”.
After the service he asked several people to pray with me. They did. One of
the women laid hands on me and it happened. That woman was Phyllida! It wasn’t
significant then. Later, I joined BBF and started to meet a number of the
members. Phyllida was one of them. We found we had much in common. She was
also one of the very few who would listen to my poetry!
Phyllida shared with me the Lord had told her He was
raising up a husband for her. Shortly thereafter, He told her, she had met
the man. Who he was remained a mystery. One day, while she was alone, she
went to her list from Psalm 45. Unbeknown
to me, she thought of me and ticked off her entire list! She said nothing.
She was waiting for me for the “penny to drop”. She had also mentioned Psalm 45 to me. Not her points, only the Psalm. It
then occurred to me to go back and look at Heb.
1:8-9. The “penny dropped” almost immediately. It also confirmed a
number of Scriptures I’d received concerning Phyllida. That’s when I decided
to “take the plunge”. After lecturing at Jo’burg Tech one night I went to see
her. It was about 20h30. We sat in her lounge. Then I said, “I believe the
Lord is putting us together!” She got up from her chair, crossed the room;
sat down on the floor next to me. She looked up and said, “What next?” We
married on 12th Dec 1981. For us it was miraculous.
So many other incidents could be mentioned. What
I’ve written here is only the bare bones. But we have been together for 32
years now. Perhaps this explains why Psalm 45
is so special for us.
Jim & Phyllida
Strickland
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6 For
a Child is born to us, a Son is given to us. The government will rest on His
shoulders. And He will be called: Wonderful Counsellor, Mighty God, Everlasting Father, Prince of Peace.
Isaiah 9:6 NLT
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1.
My heart is stirred within me by a high and noble theme
As I compose my verses for my King and
for His Queen
And while I’m contemplating about what
I should write
My tongue is in a chorus of ecstatic
pure delight.
2.
Master I acknowledge You, “Most Excellent of men”
Your lips have been anointed with
grace beyond my ken.
And God has poured His blessing on you
abundantly,
And given the assurance, it will last
eternally!
3.
Gird up Your sword O Mighty One and strap it to your side.
Clothe Yourself with splendour and stateliness
and ride;
4.
In majesty and victory; for truth and righteousness;
Your right arm will display Your deeds
in humble awesomeness!
5.
Your sharpened royal arrows pierce the hearts of all Your foes.
The nations fall before You; they
tremble at your toes.
6.
Your throne will last forever; for Lord, You cannot die.
The sceptre of Your justice; Your
Kingdom’s rule will spy.
7.
For Lord, You love all righteousness; It’s wickedness You hate.
And You have been exalted by God, into
the state,
Where even Your companions, see Joy
upon Your face.
For You have been anointed beyond all
time and space.
8.
Your robes all bear the fragrance of cassia and myrrh;
Your palace decked with Ivory;
Stringed music You prefer.
9.
Among Your honoured women are the daughters of the kings.
Your royal bride beside You, adorned
with gold & rings.
10. Listen, precious daughter; think of
what you hear
Forget your former family and home you
held so dear.
11. The King has been enraptured; by your
beauty overawed,
Honour Him as Master, as Husband and
your Lord!
Gifts are lavished on you from nations
strong and weak.
12. The King of Tyre’s included; your
favour now they seek.
You’re taken to your chamber, your
glory to unfold.
13. Your gown is interwoven with threads
of purest gold.
14. In rich embroidered garments, you are
taken to the King.
Your bridesmaids follow after you; but
you are whom they bring!
15. You’re led with joy and gladness, into
your Husband’s room.
Within that royal palace, you’re presented
to your Groom!
16. Your sons will all be honoured; they’re
in the Kingly line.
They are all Royal Princes – each one
of them is thine!
None will be forgotten. God will
perpetuate,
Throughout the generations the details
of their fate.
17. The nations will all praise You and
magnify Your Name
And they will all appreciate the
reason why You came
Jim Strickland
Written 18th Sept 2005
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2 You are the most handsome of all. Gracious words stream
from your lips. God himself has blessed you forever. 3 Put on your sword, O mighty warrior! You are so
glorious, so majestic! 4 In
your majesty, ride out to victory, defending truth, humility, and justice.
Go forth to perform awe-inspiring deeds! 5 Your arrows are sharp,
piercing your enemies. The nations fall beneath your feet. 6 Your throne, O God, endures forever and ever. You rule
with a sceptre of justice.
Psalms 45:2-6 NLT
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19 Once in a vision you said to your faithful ones:
"I set a boy above warriors. I have raised up one chosen from the
people.
Psalms 89:19 GW
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7
"My sword, wake up! Attack my shepherd! Attack
the man who is close to me," announces the LORD who rules over
all. "Strike the shepherd down. Then the sheep will be scattered. And I
will turn my hand against their little ones.
Zechariah 13:7 NIrV
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2
"Behold, God is my salvation; I will trust,
and will not be afraid; for the LORD GOD is my strength and my song, and he
has become my salvation."
Isaiah 12:2 ESV
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14 But thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumphal
procession in Christ and through us spreads everywhere the fragrance
of the knowledge of him.
2 Corinthians 2:14 NIV
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24 Now to him who is able to keep you from stumbling and
to present you blameless before the presence of his glory with great joy,
25 to the only God, our Saviour, through
Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion, and authority, before all
time and now and forever. Amen.
Jude 1:24-25 ESV
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