Daily Devotionals in Verse and Rhyme

Friday, November 15, 2013

PASSPORT TO PARADISE

Time with Jesus
16 Nov 2013

Hi all,

Some years ago, the Reader’s Digest printed a story, which I found fascinating. It was the story of a man, an “orphan” of no fixed address or family, who was a stow-away on a ship – a tramp steamer which travelled the world trading where it could; regardless of the country to which it sailed. Sadly for the stow-away, he had no papers. No passport, birth certificate, or anything else to demonstrate his nationality.

He was soon discovered by one of the members of the crew and that’s when the nightmare began. No-body wanted him. Effectively, he was stateless and without anywhere to claim as home. He was a bit like the ancient mariner. He was destined to wander round the world on the ship with no means of entrance into any country.

What the man needed, was a passport; a document which identifies you and clearly states that you belong to a certain country. Something which opens with the words, In the name of …………….. thereby identifying the issuing authority. Then the individual was identified and given authority to travel.

At one time, it said something about “In the name of her Britannic Majesty”. The South African passport was issued “in the name of the President”. It all sound very grandiose. Whether or not it’s absolutely necessary, is a different matter. Why there can’t be a standardised International Document, is something of a mystery. You would think that in this computerised age, it would be possible to have everything on one card; the same size as a credit card. i.e. Passport, ID No, Driving License, address etc. There is enough “room” on one those electronic “chips”, even to identify the names of the fleas on granny’s dog! The problem with this, for many Christians, would be the possibility that it would be part of a one world government and the associated dreaded “Mark of the Beast”.

You and I have probably only got ordinary passports. Diplomats represent their home country in the place where they are living. Here in South Africa we have men and women representing their homeland. The American Embassy in Pretoria employs some local staff. But the ambassador is a recognised diplomat from USA. He has a USA Diplomatic Passport. It’s a special passport which I’ve never seen.

Ambassadors live in the host country in an embassy. However, their home is regarded as belonging to the country they represent. Accordingly, the USA Embassy is considered to be part of USA. Theoretically, the host nation has no authority within the grounds of the embassy. However, if the US Ambassador allows outsiders to enter, there can be problems with the authority devolving upon the Ambassador and his home country.

It so happens you and I are God’s representatives – ambassadors - from the Kingdom of Heaven. We also have diplomatic passports. You may not have seen them, but the smile on the face of every born again believer displays our passport to the world. Our passport is signed by Jesus Christ. The stamp in the passport is “Grace”. Citizenship was granted by our being “washed in the Blood of the Ram”.

Satan and his forces have no authority within our own homes. Excluding him and his cohorts is our responsibility. If you allow him to come in and rip your home to pieces, you have only yourself to blame. Your ambassadorship and diplomatic passport makes it clear he may not wander in and settle down in your embassy.

The problem arises when he comes in and we don’t have him ejected. You don’t have to dial 999 (UK) or 911 (USA) to get the police to throw him out. Frankly, you don’t need them. Your passport entitles you to make use of the authority Jesus Christ has given to you. You don’t have to be polite when dealing with Satan and his bunch. A word of command is sufficient to get them all running for cover. Command them to leave in the name of Jesus Christ. At first they may take no notice of you. Don’t let this fool you. Repeat the command and insist they leave. Sooner or later they will vacate your home. Of course, this will only happen if the command is made in Jesus Name.

In 1974, at Kriel Power Station during the construction phase, I recall a visit from the Government Inspector of Factories. He was a charming and very approachable man. But he was also very insistent concerning his rights and authority. Back then, the Site Construction Manager was Mr Ron Harris. Ron had been with Eskom (in those days called the “Electricity Supply Commission” - ESC) for many years. He had a standing instruction to his staff, if a representative from the Inspector of Factories arrived; he was to be given every possible assistance.

One day the Inspector arrived unannounced (he was entitled to do so) and stated he wanted to visit the first boiler that was at that time being erected. I had the pleasant duty of accompanying him on his inspection tour to make sure everything was acceptable. While looking round the site, he noticed that there was a goods lift which was being used by the boiler contractor’s staff. Suddenly he changed from being amiable and cooperative into what is best described as a ferocious lion. He instructed me to take him to the boiler contractor’s offices and to have the boiler contractor’s site manager (not Ron Harris) drop everything and attend to him immediately.

Let’s not go into the details of what he said. Sufficient to say he stated he was visiting site on behalf of the President. “Stop this and get it put right immediately” he roared at the unfortunate man. 30 min. later we returned to the lift. There were no more passengers!

We have the same authority in Jesus Name over Satan and his bunch. Let’s start dealing with him the way the Inspector dealt with the contractor’s manager.

Shalom

Jim & Phyllida Strickland

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 16 Nov 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	PASSPORT TO PARADISE
Have you ever been disappointed? Perhaps you were turned down for going to a particular place for a reason you don’t really understand? Perhaps the man you fell hopelessly in love with, walked off with someone else? Perhaps that beautiful young lady you admired from afar took one look at you and said, “No thanks!” Perhaps you had a driving ambition to go to university and become a doctor. Then, at the end you found your marks at school didn’t get you the place you wanted. One of the greatest tragedies I have come across happened to my Dad’s half-sister. In the early days of World War 2 she met a wonderful young soldier. They married and he had 14 days embarkation leave. Then he was shipped off to somewhere to fight in the army. He never came back. She received a telegram from the home office advising her that her husband had been killed in action. She would never see him again. I don’t know how she coped with this terrible disappointment. I know that she never married again. She lived into her 90’s. How do we cope with things of this sort? What do we do when something we have prised so highly doesn’t happen? Hebrews 11:13 in today’s Scripture refers to the patriarchs, their wives and children. They had been told by God that the land they were living, in would one day be theirs. In some ways, the promise of this portion of land, was their inspiration for carrying on trusting in God and having faith in His promises. They only saw it in their mind’s eye. But this enabled them to rejoice in what The Lord had said He would do. Hebrews 11 is often called the “Faith Chapter” because it lists the men and women of faith who achieved great things as a result of their faith in Him. The list is not exhaustive but highlights some of what they achieved because of their faith in God. The chapter ends with an extraordinary statement. ³⁹ All these people were known for their faith, but none of them received what God had promised. ⁴⁰ God planned to give us something very special so that we would gain eternal life with them. Heb. 11:39-40 GW If we look at these verses, we are drawn to the conclusion, all these great men and women of faith, are still waiting to receive what God had promised them. But there is a delay. The delay comes about, because God has decided, all of us will be rewarded together. Yes indeed, we do derive much courage from the example of those who have gone before us. But these same men and women are watching and waiting. Watching us to see our struggle. Waiting for the time when all of us are together. Only then will The Lord hand out the prizes. They are waiting for us! The Lord has collected their diplomatic passports. They are returned to Him, when we die. I feel greatly humbled to think that the likes of Isaiah is waiting for and watching me. Jim & Phyllida Strickland			¹⁹ So then you are no longer strangers and aliens, but you are fellow citizens with the saints and members of the household of God, Ephesians 2:19 ESV	We went to visit Europe in two thousand and ten, It was a special visit. On the occasion when, The passion play was featured in Oberammergau. We knew we had to see it. Back then, the time was now! It only really happens in ten year interludes, And when you’re in your sixties, you know it must be viewed, As soon as it is possible. Who knows, in ten years’ time, We may have left this planet, to live with Christ Divine? The first thing that we needed, when tickets had been booked, Was getting the right passport. We hadn’t overlooked, These documents to get us into France and Germany. There had to be credentials for Phyllida and me! It wasn’t very difficult, for both of us are Brits. A European document, was what exactly fits In with what then was needed. And soon were be away, To pay a special visit to that Special Passion Play. It truly was magnificent. We came away impressed, With what we had seen featured. We knew we had been blessed, With something deeply moving, to captivate the heart. By going off to Europe, we’d both done something smart! Our passports made it easy. They satisfied the guards. It proved we were not strangers for marked upon our cards, Was something which identified and proved we had the right, To go into those countries on any day or night. We have another passport that anyone can see, A means of signifying our Christianity. It is the blood of Jesus that washed us white as snow, And anyone can see it, no matter where we go. My wife and I are bond-slaves. By Jesus we are owned. He gave His life for both of us. His precious blood atoned, For all the sin and evil, that both of us had been. He is the King of Glory and we are both His queen. He took our mortal bodies. He gave us His passport. To enter into heaven, without our being caught, And told we have no business, to come into His place. Engraved into our “passports” is written the word “Grace”! And that is all that’s needed. That mark in Jesus’ name, Says “Welcome to My Kingdom. I am so glad you came!” Jim Strickland Written 16^th November 2012
			²² But you have come to Mount Zion and to the city of the living God, the heavenly Jerusalem, and to innumerable angels in festal gathering, ²³ and to the assembly of the firstborn who are enrolled in heaven, and to God, the judge of all, and to the spirits of the righteous made perfect, Hebrews 12:22-23 ESV
			¹³ All these people died having faith. They didn't receive the things that God had promised them, but they saw these things coming in the distant future and rejoiced. They acknowledged that they were living as strangers with no permanent home on earth. Hebrews 11:13 GW
			²⁰ But we are citizens of heaven, where the Lord Jesus Christ lives. And we are eagerly waiting for Him to return as our Saviour. ²¹ He will take our weak mortal bodies and change them into glorious bodies like His own, using the same power with which He will bring everything under His control. Philippians 3:20-21 NLT
			¹³ For He has rescued us from the kingdom of darkness and transferred us into the Kingdom of His dear Son, Colossians 1:13 NLT
			¹¹ Dear friends, I warn you as "temporary residents and foreigners" to keep away from worldly desires that wage war against your very souls. 1 Peter 2:11 NLT

Thursday, November 14, 2013

GOD’S MASTERPIECE

Time with Jesus - 15 Nov 2013

Hi all,

What is a masterpiece? We often think of a music composition; a Beethoven Symphony; Handel’s Messiah; the singing of our favourite singers; perhaps Pavarotti or Elvis Pressley? Some think of a work of art. The enigmatic smile of the Mona Lisa is familiar throughout the Western world.

Mona Lisa and Michael Angelo

The original painting we know as the Mona Lisa, is in the Louvre’ in Paris. Don’t bother trying to see it. The last time Phyllida and I visited the Louvre’ in 2008, the painting was in an air-conditioned, bullet proof, glass cabinet. There was a line marked on the floor in front of the portrait, beyond which members of the public were not permitted. There was a continuous line of those who were, presumably, tourists. We were all shuffling slowly past the painting.

We could not stop because of others pressing in from behind. At the same time, we were doing our best to keep up with those in front of us who had already walked slowly past. The closest any of us could get was about 3 metres from the painting. Burley French policemen “encouraged” us to keep moving. There were no seats. Visitors were not permitted to lean on anything, to relieve the pain of sore feet. Coming out of the Louvre’ I thought that the visit was perhaps the French understanding of a day trip to Hell. So if you really want to see the Mona Lisa, buy an expensive art book containing a picture of the her.

Incidentally, the Brits have learned something from the French. If you wish to see the Crown Jewels, you will be made very welcome. First you will pay for the privilege of looking at the magnificent array of everything from salt and pepper pots exquisitely made from silver or gold to crowns encrusted with diamonds, sapphires, rubies, emeralds and an assortment of precious and semi-precious stones. There is no doubt that on display is wealth on a mega-scale. I’m told that the Imperial State Crown weighs ±7 pounds.

That doesn’t sound like much. However, Queen Elizabeth considered it necessary to walk round wearing it for a number of days to prepare herself for doing so on the day. Apparently she got the idea from her father, George 6^th, who did the same thing! Those jewels look and are beautiful. But when you wear that crown and carry some of the other objects of monarchy, don’t stumble.

Having paid your entrance fee to see the crown jewels, you are guided toward the actual entrance. Here, the Brits really have gone one better than the French. You step forward and onto a moving conveyor belt. If you’ve been to modern airports you’ll know what I mean. The belt proceeds slowly past the crown jewels which are visible behind what appears to be glass case. The glass is just out of reach for two reasons; to protect the jewels and to keep sticky finger-marks off the glass. At the end of the conveyor belt, you must step off and keep up with the people in front. If you don’t the conveyor belt piles others up behind you until you have no choice but to move. In a way it’s a bit like a ride on a fairground roller coaster.

If you want a second ride, you must pay a second time. The cost of a second ride on the “crown jewels conveyor” is the same as the first. Not that this is surprising. I’m told that a number of the crown jewels are from the Scottish Crown. Our comment concerning a visit to see the crown jewels in UK is similar to that of trying to see the Mona Lisa. You see them far better in an expensive Art Book. Furthermore, you can look at them in your book whenever you like, without having to fly to Paris or London.

People who read this message may wonder why I’m so scathing about national treasures. Certainly the British Crown Jewels and the content of the Louvre’ are magnificent. They do represent some of the very best “things” that this world has “on offer”.

Rolls Royce

If you couple this with things like Rolls Royce motor cars, the Taj Mahal, the Pyramids of Egypt and so many other well-known items, is it legitimate to “scoff” at such treasures? The truth is, these mere “baubles” have no comparison with that which God has planned for his people. Paul in his letter to the Corinthians points out that if we can imagine it, it’s a poor image of that which He has prepared for those who love Him. Nothing the human mind can think or imagine comes close to what God has for those who love Him. ⁹ However, as it is written: "What no eye has seen, what no ear has heard, and what no human mind has conceived-- these things God has prepared for those who love him"-- ¹⁰ for God has revealed them to us by his Spirit. The Spirit searches all things, even the deep things of God. 1 Cor. 2:9-10 TNIV

Think about this for a moment. The majesty and physical beauty of the Taj Mahal, cannot be compared with the magnificence of the New Jerusalem. The city God is preparing for us will make the Taj Mahal look like a squatter’s shack! The Mona Lisa and her smile cannot be compared with what we shall see on the face of our Lord when we are with Him. Compared with the smile on Jesus’ face, the Mona Lisa will look like daubing on canvas of a child of four. A Rolls Royce is the pinnacle of automotive engineering. But what is it compared with the vehicle described to us somewhat inadequately in Ezekiel 1?

Artists Impression of Ezekiel's Vision

The UK Crown Jewels are beautiful. But Jesus has a crown of life for His overcoming followers. We won’t have to practice wearing it so that we don’t stumble. It will fit like a glove and glow with the very life of Jesus Christ. The jewels will shimmer like an amethyst in cross polarised light. Our heavenly home will not crumble and decay like the pyramids of Egypt. In our new home, Jesus will be the light and there will be no more darkness, sickness, pain, tears or death. We will not have to resort to moving conveyor belts to catch a quick glimpse of God. We will be with Him and see Him forever. This is God’s Masterpiece.