TEN OUT OF TEN

Time with Jesus - 26 Dec 2013

Hi all, 
One of my all-time favourite singers is Don Francisco. He has an excellent singing voice. In addition he is a gifted guitar player. Furthermore, he is a composer and writes the material he sings. If you combine these factors and realise that nearly everything he sings glorifies Jesus Christ, God the Father and the Holy Spirit, you begin to appreciate the impact he has made on the lives of countless believers and unbelievers.

I DON'T CARE WHERE YOU'VE BEEN SLEEPING
I loved you long before the time your eyes first saw the day; And everything I've done has been to help you on the way. But you took all that you wanted, then at last you took your leave, And traded off a Kingdom for the lies that you believed!
And although you've chosen darkness with its miseries and fears. Although you've gone so far from Me and wated all those years. Even though my name's been spattered by the mire in which you lie, I'd take you back this instant if you'd turn to Me and cry.
	I don't care where you've been sleeping, I don't care who's made your bed. I already gave My life to set you free; There's no sin you could imagine that is stronger than my love; And it's all yours if you'll come home again to Me.
When you come back to your senses and you see who's been to blame. Remember all the good things that were yours with just My name; Then don't waste another thought before you change the way you're bound. I'll be running out to meet you if you'll only turn around!
	I don't care where you've been sleeping, I don't care who's made your bed I already gave My life to set you free; There's no sin you could imagine that is stronger than my love; And it's all yours if you'll come home again to Me.

I first came across his material in 1982. That year I attended Bible School in the evenings. ±3 hours per night, 5 nights per week; it was exhilarating and fairly exhausting.

In those days, I was working for Eskom. This necessitated my having to drive from Jo’burg to the various Power Stations mainly in what was then called the Eastern Transvaal. 
The round trip took about 3 hours plus, with the time required to conduct the business for which I visited them. It kept me fairly busy. While driving a car, you can be very lonely. To redeem the time, I took cassette tapes with me and listened to them while driving. Mostly I listened to Gospel music. That’s how I came across Don Francisco.

As most of you know, in 1981 I went through a horrible divorce experience. Then, a few months later, Phyllida and I married. We were both satisfied that our marriage was God’s plan for our lives. 32 years later, we have not changed our minds. However, in those early years, we felt “second class”. We knew only too well that God hates divorce. The question at that time was whether or not, marriage after divorce, was acceptable in God’s eyes. In other words, should the two of us have married in 1981? We felt that we had done the right thing. Even so, we felt intimidated. We may have done the wrong thing!

We devoted a considerable amount of time to investigating what Scripture said about this topic. We found that the opinions of others varied. We knew that divorce was “breaking covenant” with our previous husband/wife. Of course it’s always easy to justify things after having done whatever it was. Men and women have an uncanny ability to gloss over anything they have decided to do. Then they then feel that what they have done is right. In this regard, only God knows the truth. Jeremiah, quoting God, expresses this as follows: ⁹ "The human heart is the most deceitful of all things and desperately wicked. Who really knows how bad it is? ¹⁰ But I, the LORD, search all hearts and examine secret motives. I give all people their due rewards, according to what their actions deserve." Jeremiah 17:9-10 NLT

By the end of 1982, Phyllida and I had studied everything we could get our hands on. Finally, we came across a teaching series by Dr Ken Stewart entitled “Divorce and Remarriage”. These teachings were life changing. So much so, we took them to many people in Johannesburg and elsewhere.

In spite of this, we both felt “uneasy” at times. That’s when I came across a Don Francisco tape entitled “The Live Concert”. I listened to it “spellbound”! The track that had me riveted and in tears was, “I don't care where you've been sleeping”. The words described my situation almost perfectly. The words were: When you come back to your senses and you see who's been to blame. / Remember all the good things that were yours with just My name; / Then don't waste another thought before you change the way you're bound. / I'll be running out to meet you if you'll only turn around!

These words described me; what had happened and what I’d done. It was as though Jesus was personally ministering to me. He knew how I was feeling; the disappointment of going astray and wasting 16 years of life. Suddenly, it was as if this was the very first time of receiving something directly from Him! Jesus gave me the assurance we both so badly needed. For both of us, that old spectre was banished. Those magnificent words, “There's no sin you could imagine that is stronger than my love”, were healing balm to an inflamed and hurting soul. Yes, we knew that divorce was wrong. But we also found that our sin was not stronger than His love. It wasn’t stronger than His love in 1982. 31 years later, it’s still not stronger than His love. Since then, I’ve managed to get hold of a copy of the cassette. We now have a CD and installed it on our I-pod.

At the same time, we began listening to Dr Ken Stewart’s cassette called, “What is Sin”. We were very surprised. He reminded us that Paul had written, ²² So whatever you believe about these things, keep it between yourself and God. The person who does what he knows is right shouldn't feel guilty. He is blessed. ²³ But if a person has doubts and still eats, he is condemned because he didn't act in faith. Anything that is not done in faith is sin. Romans 14:22-23 GW

That’s when we realised that if we thought we were in sin, we were. Dr Ken then asked the question again. “What is sin?” He answered, “Sin is forgiven”. Repentance from sin and faith in His willingness to forgive, results in sin being forgiven.

 In other words, our sin of divorce and subsequent remarriage was forgiven. It still is today. Thank you Lord Jesus.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give		Time with Jesus – 26 Dec 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			TEN OUT OF TEN
Science fiction has always fascinated me. I think it’s the “impossible” aspect that catches my attention. If it has a touch of the ludicrous, it really draws my attention. For example I thoroughly enjoyed the one about the metal coat hangers in the closet. The number seemed to grow day by day. So the author began to write about a closet in which coat hangers reproduced! After observing this for a day or two, he wondered if anything else would multiply in that closet. It didn’t work with money. But it did work with bicycles. That really amused me. The thought of someone trying to get a bicycle into the closet is hilarious. The other was a story by Isaac Asimov. He was a professor of bio-chemistry. In the course of his experiments, he came across a substance that dissolved in water astonishingly quickly. It occurred to him that if it was any more soluble, it would dissolve before the water was added. Since he was busy writing a doctoral thesis at the time, he decided to write a “scientific report” about this mythical substance. He said he needed practice writing in the typical “turgid” style demanded of science reports. So he wrote the “report”, complete with graphs and experimental results. He included references to other equally mythical reports found in science journals. It was great fun to read and was popular in the biochemical world! As we all know, Prof Asimov’s report about this mythical substance is strongly representative of Christian behaviour and the Lord. We live in a delusional society. Men and women all around us believe they are Christians when it is not true. You know what I mean. They go to church. The same one their family has attended for more years than anyone can remember. They live a perfectly normal life and think they are Christians by default. After all if you live in USA or UK and you are not Jewish or Muslim, you must be a Christian! As long as they aren’t involved with any of the sects, they are on God’s side. In the end He’ll receive them to His great reward. After all, that’s what God does! What makes this thinking so dangerous is the fact that there is a passing grade for everything in life. In my day you required 40% to pass into the next grade. In any case, nobody got 100% in the exams. That was unreasonable. Sadly, the thinking is that God works like that too! I mean, after all, if the University only needs 50%, surely God won’t require much more. That’s what I thought. I knew I was a sinner. On my own, I still have those tendencies. But to find out that one false move resulted in complete rejection wasn’t even on my radar. Then Jesus found me! That’s when I saw I was a “Monster of Iniquity”! I deserved hell. But Jesus loved and saved me. I still don’t know why? Jim & Phyllida Strickland				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	He saves us from the “gutter-most”, wherever we have been. He saves us to the “uttermost”; He’s washed and made us clean! Who can understand this? I’ve tried to work it out. But it’s incomprehensible. Of that there is no doubt. I thought I was a good guy. That’s what I perceived. A sort of “average sinner” and that I hadn’t grieved, God’s precious Holy Spirit. “I can’t be all that bad!” When I looked at others! If I’d done what they had, Then I’d deserve His judgement. But fifty one per cent, Was all I thought I needed and what God really meant. Perhaps I wasn’t perfect. This fact I would concede. But surely fifty one per cent was all a man would need! I hadn’t murdered anyone. I hadn’t been a thief. Apart from pens and pencils; which much to my relief, I thought was not important. The bosses didn’t mind, Because they also did it. So wasn’t in a bind. I know I was a liar; but they were little tales. Not enough to tell me that my percentage fails. I wasn’t very envious about the things I saw. Except the Aston Martin the people owned next door. I hadn’t been adulterous. I hadn’t had the chance. But I have looked at ladies with a most erotic glance! I hadn’t worshiped other gods. It’s really not my way. But I followed my football team on each and every day. I didn’t go with sinners. With them I didn’t mix. So, on a scale of one to ten, I must deserve a six. This meant I’m so much better than the average man around. It follows that to heaven I certainly was bound. And then I came to Jesus. What was it that He saw? Someone who depended on a more than average score. He said that He demanded, from all the sons of men, Absolute perfection. A score, ten out of ten! Its then I came to realise that I had been a fool. Life is not a game you play like kids in Sunday School. In fact it is impossible to ever get it right. But absolute perfection was demanded in God’s sight. So I fell before Him. O Lord what can I do? “Let me take away your sin and wash you through and through. Man can never do it. It’s done in Me alone. For your myriad of sins, I only can atone. Come and be My servant. Repent and let Me be, The one who has the power to live a holy life in thee! Then you’ll have My righteousness. Your sins I’ll take away. We will be together, with Me you’ll always stay.” Jim Strickland Written 26th December 2012
				6 Jesus answered, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. John 14:6 TNIV
				12 And there is salvation in no one else, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved." Acts 4:12 ESV
				27 My sheep listen to My voice; I know them, and they follow Me. 28 I give them eternal life, and they will never perish. No one can snatch them away from Me, John 10:27-28 NLT
				6 I'm convinced that God, who began this good work in you, will carry it through to completion on the day of Christ Jesus. Philippians 1:6 GW
				14 Is anything too hard for the LORD? I will return about this time next year, and Sarah will have a son." Genesis 18:14 NLT
				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

THE BIRTH OF JESUS

Time with Jesus - 25 Dec 2013

Hi all,

Today is the day Christians celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ. 25^th December. We have done this for more years than we can tell. Indeed, the date goes back into antiquity. It was the date on which pagans celebrated the winter solstice in Europe. This year our summer solstice was on 22^nd December, the day corresponding with the winter solstice in Europe. It was the day in Europe in which the sun was “reborn” and began the journey from winter to summer. It was a very important pagan festival.

The conversion of Constantine to Christianity is often celebrated as a great victory for Christianity over the pagans. In some respects it was. However the down side was catastrophe for true Christians. A few moments of thought should convince you why. Assume for a moment you were a priest or priestess in one of the many pagan temples throughout the Roman world. Yesterday you had a good “job”. The “deity” you served and whom others worshipped in your temple provided you with a good living and security. When you got up this morning, by Constantine’s decision, you were a priest no longer. What were you to do? No prizes for saying you would immediately decide that you would be a Christian priest. The fact that there were no Christian priests and no Christian temples mattered little to you. So you would continue doing more or less exactly what you had been doing.

“This temple is now a Christian temple” you would say. You would call your congregation “Christians” and go on your way rejoicing. There would be very few people who could gainsay you.

Let’s follow this scenario a little further. In the past, your “deity” would have required that you and your people celebrate the winter solstice. The date is more or less cast in concrete. To solve your immediate problem, you would meet together with other former pagan priests and work out a way whereby you could “Christianise” the winter solstice. No doubt you would do the same sort of thing with the celebration of fertility and other important events on your annual list of feasts and festivals. It wouldn’t be very long before there were an overwhelming number of former pagan priests doing much the same thing.

Your biggest challenge would be to solve the problem associated with the celebration of the winter solstice. What Christian celebration should be used to coincide with this “big day” in your religious life? You would probably have scratched your head and said, ‘”It’s a “canackler”. (Since my father wouldn’t be born for another ±1600 years, no one could tell them what a canackler was) Anyway, since many important people and deities celebrated their birthday annually, why not settle on a day to celebrate Jesus’ birthday. Now since your background was paganism, you would not have realised that with a small bit of Biblical research, you could establish the approximate day on which Jesus was born. Your “chommies” would have told you what a clever fellow you are and in no time at all the Christian world would celebrate Jesus’ birthday on 25^th December every year. Eventually the date would be so entrenched into the Christian calendar; no one would even suspect that the date was wrong. (You and I would not be on the scene for another ±1700 years so why worry?)

Today, we are a wee bit wiser. Luke’s birth narrative gives us the month of Jesus’ birth. We are told ⁵ When Herod was king of Judea, there was a Jewish priest named Zechariah. He was a member of the priestly order of Abijah, and his wife, Elizabeth, was also from the priestly line of Aaron. Luke 1:5 NLT

Now this wouldn’t seem important if it wasn’t for a passage of Scripture in 1 Chronicles 24. ³ With the help of Zadok, who was a descendant of Eleazar, and of Ahimelech, who was a descendant of Ithamar, David divided Aaron's descendants into groups according to their various duties. - ⁶ Shemaiah son of Nethanel, a Levite, acted as secretary and wrote down the names and assignments in the presence of the king, the officials, Zadok the priest, Ahimelech son of Abiathar, and the family leaders of the priests and Levites. The descendants of Eleazar and Ithamar took turns casting lots. - 10 The seventh lot fell to Hakkoz. The eighth lot fell to Abijah. 1 Chronicles 24:3, 6 & 10 NLT

This means that Zechariah was in the temple in the fourth month of the Jewish calendar. That was when Elizabeth conceived John. 6 months later, Mary conceived Jesus. Thus Jesus was born 15 months after John’s conception. This would have been at the time of the Jewish Feast of Tabernacles. i.e. late September or early October according to our calendar. Incidentally, to this day, the Jews expect their Messiah to come at the feast of Tabernacles.

Now that we all know when He was born, should we refuse to celebrate Christmas on 25^th December? I can’t speak for you. 

However, I do know British monarchs have an official birthday. It doesn’t coincide with their actual birthday. So if we regard 25^th December as His official birthday, we are at liberty to celebrate His actual birthday at the Feast of Tabernacles. That’s what Phyllida and I do. We also know that the date more or less coincides with the European winter solstice. So we let sleeping dogs lie. Of course if you don’t want to use 25^th December as His official birthday, do me a favour, tell me what you will say to your children and grandchildren?

Today we meditate on the birth of Jesus Christ. I’ve tried to brush aside all our commercial claptrap and present the stark truth of what is likely to have happened. Pray God this “reality” will never happen to your girlfriend, wife or daughters.

Shalom,

Jim & Phyllida Strickland 

Matt 10:8 Freely you received, Freely give			Time with Jesus – 25 December 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					©
THE BIRTH OF JESUS		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

"We've got to go to Bethlehem", said Joseph to his wife.

   "But it's so far to travel and there is brand new life

Developing inside me. Please Joseph, can't I stay?

   For Nazareth to Bethlehem's a hundred miles away!

I really shouldn't travel. The birth's so very near!

   How can I walk or even ride?" "We have no choice my dear,

For Caesar has commanded that taxes we must pay.

   Those who don't go to their towns, they've guaranteed to slay.

I know it won't be easy, but if we take it slow

   And, if I take good care of you, we'll all be safe I know."

She carried on protesting but still Joseph prepared

   And very soon they both set off, uncomfortable and scared.

The journey was a nightmare for she could hardly ride.

   The movement of the donkey would jolt the child inside.

So, often she dismounted and simply had to walk,

   Which made her so exhausted that she could hardly talk.

They travelled in the mornings before the midday heat

   Had scorched the barren dusty road and burned her aching feet.

They rested when the sun was high; somewhere in the shade,

   And travelled on at evening both desperately afraid

That she would start with labour. At night they just lay down

   And slept upon the barren road which led toward their town.

Sometimes the opportunity to ride on someone's cart

   Gave a needed respite. But then she'd have to start

And carry on the journey in agony and pain,

   Longing for another chance for her to rest again.

For Joseph, it was terrible, for what else could he do?

   He had to keep on hurrying to see the journey through.

Himself, he was much older. She was so very young.

   To keep her going like this was something that just stung.

He also knew that time was short and that her time was near,

   So had to keep on travelling in spite of all his fear.

Thus he was in the middle and torn apart with pain;

   The thought of what might happen kept churning in his brain.

And though he didn't show it, it cut him to the heart

   Fearing with each step she took her labour pains would start.

How long the journey took them we cannot know for sure.

   Perhaps it took a fortnight. What woman can endure

The prospect of a journey like this when great with child?

   Perhaps it was her tender age that helped her through the trial.

The distance seemed forever. Each step a jarring jolt.

   Be it on foot, or on a cart, or riding on a colt,

The physical exhaustion kept coming on in waves.

   The rightful Royal family kept moving on like slaves!

At last, there in the distance they sighted Bethlehem.

   But then the thing they greatly feared came up to smother them.

The shooting pains of labour induced by what they'd done

   Made them both feel desperate. The birth had now begun.

"God help us both!" said Joseph. "I'm going on ahead.

   I've got to find a place for you. Somewhere to lay your head."

 He hurried forward frantically. She plodded on behind.

   "There has to be a place for us. A spot where we can find

Somewhere for the delivery. A house, a room, an Inn.

   Anywhere for privacy; Some spot to shelter in.

The first place which he came to he knew would have to do.

   Then just around the corner an Inn came into view.

He rushed into the courtyard to find to his dismay,

   That all the rooms were occupied. There didn't seem a way

For him to find vacancy. "O God, where can I go?"

   This added complication was just another blow,

That jarred him to the very core; and then he saw a place,

   Among the cattle droppings, which filled him with distaste.

The floor was filthy dirty. It made him want to weep.

   But naught else was available and so he tried to sweep

The dung and other droppings away so she could lie,

   Upon a bed he made for her for now her time was nigh.

She staggered to the courtyard and fell upon the straw.

   The pain of the contractions enveloped her once more.

And then at last it happened and she cried out with pain.

   The time had come... A mighty push... and then the baby came.

The moment they'd been waiting for, at last it had arrived.

   The miracle to both of them was that they had survived.

Poor Joseph looked so helpless. What was he now to do?

   The birth was in the courtyard for anyone to view.

He hovered in embarrassment his countenance perplexed.

   What was the proper thing to do and what would happen next?

But Mary was delivered. At last she seemed at peace.

   It may have been in public, but here was the release,

From all the fearful struggling and all the pain and hurt.

   She and the babe seemed comfortable in spite of all the dirt.

He handed her a swaddling cloth in which to wrap the child.

   Then looked; He saw a feeding trough, in which straw was piled.

The animals had left it and though it seemed quite rough,

   There wasn't an alternative and there was room enough.

So there he placed the infant upon that bed of straw;

   A manger, standing in the yard on that disgusting floor,

Is where he laid the baby. That's how God's Son was born;

   A probable reflection of that first Christmas morn.

The agony and heartbreak of what is written here,

   Is truer than the fairy tale so many hold so dear.

The artificial Christmas cards so often we receive,

   Are just a vain concoction men want us to believe.

The truth is far more painful and shows that God regards,

   Our thinking of what should be as broken, splintered shards.

So as you come to Christmas with all the celebration,

   Think about the way it was. Use your imagination,

To understand what happened. A little teenage girl

   Was treated like an outcast and not some tender pearl.

For as you think about it, it's sure to change your mind,

   About the Christmas story and all the junk you find,

Described upon your calendars your cards and at your feasts.

   God chose as his place of birth, a spot among the beasts,

To come and bring salvation. Let this truth settle in.

   For he came here to save our world from wickedness and sin.

And as you think about it, it ought to change your ways

   For Christmas to be meaningful, not just a holiday.

Jim Strickland – Written 1986