Author

TerryLema

What We Will Be

by TerryLema

I have a great curiosity at times. I wonder about a lot of things.  Like, what will heaven be like? Will we be busy? Will we remember what it was like here on earth, only without the tears. Will we have opportunities to create, as well as praise?  How will we recognize each other?

I think the Apostle John had a bit of curiosity also.  He reminded us in his first letter: “Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children.” [1John 3:1 HCSB]

That is what we are now. John knows that, but then his curiosity gets the better of him and he begins to wonder what we will be like then.

“We are God’s children now, and what we will be has not yet been revealed. We know that when He appears, we will be like Him because we will see Him as He is.” [1John 3:2 HCSB]

John acknowledges that we do not have the full picture of what eternal life holds. We do not know everything; we only have glimpses. But John says we can know one thing … when Jesus appears, we will be like Him.

Romans 8:29 promises: “For those He foreknew He also predestined to be conformed to the image of His Son ….” [HCSB]

As believers, we are to begin that conformation here in this life. As we grow and mature, we are to reflect Jesus more and more through every part of our life. As believers, John promises, that conformation process will have a glorious conclusion – when we see Him as He is we will be like Him.

Today: Thank you, Father, for that glorious conclusion!

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Loved

by TerryLema

A friend posted a meme on Facebook the other day. It said, “If you understood how much God loves you, you would break down and cry.”

I replied, “I do. And we only grasp a little bit.”

I think the Apostle John could have posted that meme, as well as posted that reply. His entire first letter is all about loving God, loving each other, and being loved by God Himself.

By coincidence, the day before I read that meme on Facebook, I was reading through John’s first letter, I drew up short at the beginning of Chapter 3.  “Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children.” [1John 3:1 HCSB]

I could barely get by that first word, “Look.” The KJV translates it as “Behold,” and it means “I see, look upon, experience, perceive, discern.”

Wow! We are to look upon, as well as also experience the great love the Father has given us. The great love the Father has given us is not just to be something we know as truth in our minds. It is to be experienced throughout every part of our lives.

That great love is to govern everything … the great times, the difficult times, the times of success, the times of failures, the time of joy and the times of sorrow. It gets down in the trenches with us. It travels with us through grief and regret. It lifts us up when the world seeks to press us down. It causes us to thrive in times of tribulation.

Look, Experience, that great love the Father has given us.

Today: Thank you Father for calling me Your child.

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Sealed

by TerryLema

While on my walk this morning a song that I had not heard in a long time came up on my phone.  It was, “I Will Sing of My Redeemer,” by P. P. Bliss (1876), published in 295 hymnals.  I love the chorus!

“Sing, Oh sing of my Redeemer, With His blood, He purchased me, On the cross, He sealed my pardon, Paid the debt, And made me free.”

There is one word in that chorus – yes, I admit I love one words and two-word phrases!  That one word is “sealed.”

“Sealed” is “sphragizó” and means to set a seal upon, to attest ownership and the full security carried by the backing of the owner. It is a legal signature which guaranteed the promise of what was sealed. So what was sealed for us?  Well …

Ephesians 1:13-14: “When you heard the message of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and when you believed in Him, you were also sealed with the promised Holy Spirit. He is the down payment of our inheritance, for the redemption of the possession, to the praise of His glory” [HCSB]

Ephesians 4:30: “You were sealed by Him for the day of redemption.” [HCSB]

2 Corinthians 1:22: “He has also sealed us and given us the Spirit as a down payment in our hearts.” [HCSB]

Our redemption is sealed. We have been given the Holy Spirit which guarantees the promise of God and carries the full, authoritative, backing of our owner.  We have the full security of our redemption, nothing can change it, nothing can diminish it, no other requirement will be added to it.

Today: Thank you Lord, for sealing my pardon, paying my debt, and setting me free.

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Chosen

by TerryLema

Chosen is a word that has always made me wonder. The first time it made me wonder is probably the first time I read 1Peter 2:9. “But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for His possession, so that you may proclaim the praises of the One who called you out of darkness into His marvelous light.” [HCSB]

I am a product of a dysfunctional family. I was raised in a traditional religion which often reminded me of my own lack of worth. Then Peter tells me that I am now part of a “chosen race,” and everything changed. Not only that, I am also part of a royal priesthood, a holy nation, and a people of God.

That verse has always made my soul sing, still, it has always been that word “chosen” that intrigues me.  I looked it up and the word is “eklektos.” It means select, chosen out, by implication favorite. It can mean “chosen out by God for the rendering of special service to God.”

Then I noticed that “chosen” must be a favorite word of Peter because he uses it three more times in his letter.  He uses it in Chapter 1:1, and in Chapter 2:4 and 2:6. Maybe the thought of being “chosen” by God intrigued Peter as much as it does me.

I must admit I do not understand the working of God’s mind in the how of His choosing. I do not comprehend the great theological truths behind the word or how my being part of God’s chosen is even possible.

I do know that the word fascinates and captivates my heart, and I am forever thankful for being included in that one word “chosen.”

Today: Thank you Father for including me as part of Your family.

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Freely Given

by TerryLema

In the past few years there have been enormous lottery payouts.  A few have been over $1.5 billion. Much of the world was captivated by the idea of spending $1 on a ticket and walking away with over $1.5 billion. Of course, if you decide to take the money all at once (and most do) that payout is reduced by nearly half. Then the government gets its share. Still, that is a lot of money.

A lot of money and very few who end up with it. Most walk away with a worthless piece of paper and a hope that next week’s drawing will be different – they’ll be winners.

It would be nice to get billions for a buck, but it will never happen to me. I think you actually have to play a lottery to win one, and since I don’t, I guess I’ll always be a loser.

I am okay with that because I am a winner in a much bigger event than the drawing for $1.5 billion. One of my daily verses reminded me of that this morning.

“Praise the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. According to His great mercy, He has given us a new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead.” [1 Peter 1:3 HCSB]

I have been freely “given a new birth.” Praise God.  That “new birth” is a “living hope.” Living hope, not wishful thinking.

That “new birth” into a “living hope” is backed by the power that resurrected Christ Jesus from the dead.

Today: I am so thankful for that powerful living hope that infiltrated my old life and brought me to a new birth.

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One Thing

by TerryLema

Psalm 37:4 promises, “Delight yourself also in the Lord, And He shall give you the desires of your heart.” [NKJV]

I have heard that verse quoted quite often. Occasionally, however, I realize that the person quoting that verse may not fully understand that verse.  We may think that God giving us the desires of our heart means He gives us all the “wants” of our heart.

I have wanted (desired) a lot of things in my life that I should not have. Those things have included material possessions (I really do not need that new Porsche). My desires have sometimes wished not so nice things on others, or they have gone after things that lead to destruction of relationships or reputations. (Things that I am ashamed to even admit to!)

When the LORD says He will give us the desires of our hearts, He did not mean the wants of our old hearts of stone.  Remember the promise in Ezekiel 36:25: “I will give you a new heart and put a new spirit within you; I will remove your heart of stone and give you a heart of flesh.” [HCSB]

Our old heart of stone contained a lot of unhealthy and unholy desires. But our new heart of flesh, our new spirit now desires far better things. In fact, our new heart of flesh has only one thing it desires. David expressed that beautifully.

“I have asked one thing from the Lord; it is what I desire: to dwell in the house of the Lord all the days of my life, gazing on the beauty of the Lord and seeking Him in His temple.” [Psalm 27:4 HCSB]

Today: Thank you LORD that you have removed my stony heart and given me a single-driven focus – one thing I desire from you – Your Presence with me all the days of my life.

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Living Our Vows

by TerryLema

Someone asked me recently what I am doing now that I am retired. That made me pause a bit and ask myself, “What AM I doing now that I am retired.”

Well, I am almost 76 and married to an 82-year-old chugging around the corner toward 83. I guess what I am doing is “living my vows.”

Bob and I have been married since 1967. That is a lot of years. As I look back across those years, I can see that we have lived our vows. We have seen the “for better or worse” part many times through the years. We have lived the “for richer or poorer” over and over and over again. (Working construction amid recessions will do that to you!)

As I look at us now, I see that we have entered into the “in sickness and in health” part. I laugh that between us we have one fairly good person, my mind is still pretty sharp, and Bob is still better in his body than I am. So we look out for each other.

Who would have thought that the vows we took so long ago would still be essential today.

I have taken another vow in my life. When I came to Christ nearly 50 years ago, I vowed to love and to serve Him for the rest of my life. That vow is still vital to me all these years later. I want to love God with all my heart and soul and remaining strength. I want to serve Him until there is no more breath in my body.

As I mentioned yesterday, “The Lord is my light and my salvation … The Lord is the stronghold of my life ….” [Psalm 27:1 HCSB]

Because the LORD has “been a refuge for me, a strong tower in the face of the enemy… I will continually sing of [His] name, fulfilling my vows day by day.”  [Psalm 61:3, 8 HCSB]

Today: I am thankful that I still have a voice to sing of my LORD and can fulfill my vow to Him.

 

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Ah, October!

by TerryLema

Every year about this time I think about this time of year. October. I have a love-hate relationship with October, which I usually vent right around – well – October.

I love the weather in October. If I could have October weather all year long, I would. Cool mornings, warm, but not hot afternoons. Perfect for walking. Perfect for sweatshirts. No intense heat. No intense cold. Yep, that is the “love” part of my relationship with October.

Then there is the “hate” part of the relationship. Halloween. Horrible movies on television. Darkness – well, you get it. I do not like Halloween. I think kids should have the fun of dressing up and getting candy. But I hate that we dress our kids in evil and by doing so, give them the impression we think “evil” is fun.

While making my rounds walking in my neighborhood recently, I have encountered a lot of homes decorated with spiders (and their webs), skeletons, witches, ghouls, ghosts, and gravestones. So, I decided to do two things to brighten my walk and my days.

First was to haul my Christmas socks out. I love Christmas and now I am reminded of it every day as I wear my fun Christmas socks. (And I have a lot of them!)

Second, I decided to just fly over Halloween and celebrate two months of Thanksgiving instead. So, I am making my list of things in my life for which I am truly blessed. I will be adding one blessing to that list each day and thanking God for calling me to His side.

Today: I am thankful that I no longer dwell in darkness and fear. I live in the light. “The Lord is my light and my salvation—whom should I fear? The Lord is the stronghold of my life—of whom should I be afraid?” [Psalm 27:1 HCSB]

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Little Words, Giant Promises

by TerryLema

At The Way, Pastor Laura was bringing a message out of Ephesians 2, and I was taking notes as usual. We came across a two-word phrase that caught my attention. That was two weeks in a row that my attention was drawn to a two-word phrase.

“But now …” in verse 13 was the one that got my attention that Sunday. (The Sunday before it was “But God …” in verse 4.)

The “But now” phrase led to another two-word phrase in verse 13 that really made me stop and think – “…brought near …”

There are a lot of big words in the Scriptures. And there are a lot of big words when you study theology. I sometimes struggle with those big words, trying to bring them down to my level of understanding. I know I should get excited when I read or study those big words, but, honestly, it is the little words that often make my soul soar into the heavenlies.

“But God ….” Before God ever created mankind, He knew mankind would need a “But God.” “But God” set up the plan of salvation. “But God” brought Jesus to pay the penalty for our sin, our shame, our punishment.

“But now ….” Everything has changed. “But now” God has provided a new life. He didn’t just scrub up the old exterior and give us a shiny new look. He changed our hearts, taking out the old heart of stone and replacing it with a new heart, a heart that is being conformed (made like) the heart of our Savior and LORD.

“Brought near ….” If there is one two-word phrase that thrills my heart, it is “brought near.” We are not away from God anymore. We are “brought near” to His precious side. We are “brought near” to His heart of grace, mercy, and goodness. We are “brought near” to His presence for all eternity.

Little words. Giant promises! Changing our lives for all eternity.

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Then I Saw …

by TerryLema

Take a moment and read Revelation Chapter 5. It’s only 14 verses and takes about two minutes. It is full of music and full of worship. First the four creatures and twenty-four elders play their harps and sing. Then the thousands upon thousands and ten thousands upon ten thousands join in. Finally, the “Cosmos Choir” made up of every creature in heaven, on earth, under the earth and in the sea begin to sing.

While I can only imagine what that will be like, there is a verse in that wonderful chapter that reaches deeper in me than I can even express. The NKJV renders the wording beginning verse 6, “And I looked, and behold, in the midst of the throne and of the four living creatures, and in the midst of the elders, stood a Lamb as though it had been slain ….”

But it is the way the NIV renders it that grabs my soul, “Then I saw a Lamb ….”

I saw a Lamb … I saw THE Lamb.

As John stood before the Throne in the heavenlies, John saw the Lamb, the One slain from the foundation of the world. He saw the One upon whom he had rested his head at the Last Supper. He saw the One who loved him so. He saw the One who died for him, stripped naked upon a Roman cross. He saw the One laid in the tomb and he saw the One risen from the grave. He saw the One who ascended before his very eyes into the clouds. He saw the One who took away his sin and his guilt. He saw the One who alone now has the authority to open the scroll that signals the beginning of the New Heaven and the New Earth.

I want to see what John saw. I want to see THE Lamb. I want to hear the heavenly choir. I want to stand shoulder to shoulder with the saints of all the ages and worship the One who sits on the throne and the Lamb forever and ever.

I want to see what John saw.

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