Author

TerryLema

A Hope Without Wavering

by TerryLema

If there is one “let us” phrase in the Book of Hebrews that stands out as we begin 2021, it may be this one:

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” [Hebrews 10:23 HCSB]

As Christians, we are called upon to hold on to the confession of our hope – without wavering. If there is one dynamic quality of Christianity, it is hope.  Our hope is secured by the One who is faithful to fulfill all – yes ALL – His promises.

We have the promise of salvation. We have the promise of everlasting life in the Presence of God Almighty. We have the promise of new bodies, of sin and temptation being dealt with forever. We have the promise of an inheritance in the saints. We have the promise of God’s abiding Presence and Attention with us now. We have the promise of being predestined to being conformed to the image of God’s Dear Son. We have the guarantee of all those promises in the Holy Spirit who was given to us at the moment of our surrender to Christ.

Because all those promises are anchored in God, who is forever faithful, we have a confession of hope that goes beyond the norm. To many, hope is merely wishful thinking. To the Christian, hope is certain and assured.

We have no idea what 2021 will hold for any of us. The world is “hoping” it will be better than 2020 but has no assurance that it will.  But whatever 2021 holds for us, beloved, we have a “confession of hope” that God will be with us, will guide us, will empower us, will keep us in His loving care.

Let us hold on to that confession of hope without wavering. It is our testimony to a world without hope! Amen.

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Draw Near

by TerryLema

There are lots of things on my mind as I approach this new year. To begin with, I have five doctor appointments in the month of January that will demand my attention. There are things at church in the first few months, board meetings and an annual business meeting that will also require consideration. Then, of course, there is also that pursuit of spiritual maturity I wrote about yesterday. I should also mention the virus-and-fear pandemic which probably will not disappear quickly despite the dispensing of the vaccine.

You probably could also make a list of things that demand your attention and tap into your energy. So how do we balance what we must do with what we should do?

One of the “let us” phrases found in the Book of Hebrews reminds us of a resource we often forget.  It is found in Hebrews 10.  “Since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” [Hebrews 10:21-22 HCSB]

We have a High Priest … a GREAT High Priest. He is Christ Jesus our LORD and Savior. He sits at the Right Hand of the Father and continually makes intercession for us. He invites us to “draw near [to Him] with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”

We often forget the strength, wisdom and knowledge that is available to us by drawing near to Christ Jesus. We often forego the peace and joy that is ours when we seek Him. We often ignore His encouragement to dwell in His presence.  Instead, we try to go it alone, usually without success.

I want my 2021 focus to be on my Savior and LORD. I have no idea what the next year will hold, whether we will see the virus-and-fear pandemic lesson or depart … or whether things will get worse not better. I do know with great certainty that if I focus on Christ Jesus and draw near to Him, I will have the resources needed for whatever comes my way.

“Let us draw near” to our Great High Priest! Amen.

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It’s a Choice!

by TerryLema

As I look back over 2020, I must acknowledge that much of my focus was on what was going on in my body, those autoimmune diseases that daily captured my attention so well. I must also admit that I did not grow spiritually as much as I would have liked, and that I did not give the attention needed to the ministry entrusted to me.

As I look at the old year and the new year in front of me, I know I must do things differently. One of the “let us” phrases in the book of Hebrews speaks of “going on to maturity.”

“Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”  [Hebrews 6:1-2 HCSB]

When we surrender our lives to Christ Jesus, we commit to becoming “conformed to His image.” [Romans 8:29]

In essence that means we commit to modeling Jesus to our world in both our words and our actions. Our responses to the circumstances and trials of life are to be the same as Jesus’ would be.  That means developing maturity.

Maturity does not just happen all by itself. It requires us to make a decision to pursue it, and then follow that decision with dedication. Dedication implies consistency, self-discipline, and perseverance. When our circumstances become difficult or demanding, it is not always easy to follow through on that decision.

And isn’t that exactly where we always fail with “New Year’s Resolutions” – easy to resolve, difficult to maintain the follow through.  But spiritual maturity is not the same as resolutions to eat right or spend less, it is far more important.  Becoming like Christ Jesus is essential if we are to fulfill our God-given purpose as children of God.

So “let us” not just resolve to but be firmly dedicated to “go on to maturity.”

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Gifts & Boldness

by TerryLema

As I look back on Christmas 2020, I see sadness and joys. One sadness came when our California children were locked down so far away. Our plans to be with them faded long before the Thanksgiving holiday, so it was not unexpected. When Christmas arrived, while we knew we would not have them with us, that sadness enveloped us anew.

While sad over our California kids, God blessed us with newfound joys. Our youngest son met a lovely young woman with three children. They became part of our 2020 Christmas celebration, and we laughed and loved and enjoyed watching once again small children amid Christmas Day “chaos!”

I find that the greatest gifts are not usually the material ones. The greatest gifts are those which minister to my heart.

One of my favorite “let us” commands in Hebrews is one that revolves around receiving gifts. “Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” [Hebrews 4:16 HCSB]

We are told to approach God’s Throne of Grace with boldness. Boldness is not arrogance. The Greek word used by the author is “parresia” and it carries the idea of free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, and assurance.  It has none of the superiority attitude or overbearing manner contained in arrogance.

No, this boldness is based on our relationship with Christ Jesus our High Priest, and upon His invitation to come into His presence. When we accept His invitation to approach the Throne of Grace, we are to “fear not.”

And, it is at His Throne of Grace that we will find the gifts that minister to our hearts … mercy and grace. 2020 needed a lot of mercy and grace, I am betting 2021 will also!  So “let us” approach God’s Throne of Grace with free and fearless confidence and cheerful courage!

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Resolutions & Certainties

by TerryLema

The first of a new year is usually the time when we think about making changes. That often involves “resolutions” to eat better, spend less/save more, read our Bible through this year, grow spiritually. If you are anything like me, I begin great, then I tend to fade as the days move on. Honestly, I cannot remember what my resolutions were from last year or if I even made any.

This year I am resolving not to make resolutions!  However, I am thinking about those “let us” phrases that often appear in Scripture. The Book of Hebrews, which was written to people who had been Christians for some time, survived one early round of persecutions and were now facing a second discouraging round, contains quite a few “let us” thoughts.

We can probably all agree that 2020 was a difficult year, and while we hope that 2021 will be better, there are no certainties in that hope. We will just have to see how it plays out day-by-day.

While we cannot be certain what this new year will have for us, we know we can be certain about what Scripture has for us.  Hebrews 4:13-14 gives us three certainties and one great “let us” command.

“No creature is hidden from Him, but all things are naked and exposed to the eyes of Him to whom we must give an account. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession.” [HCSB]

It is certain that nothing is hidden from God – not the past, present or future. It is also certain that one day everyone (no exceptions!) will stand before Him and give an account of their lives.

The third certainty is that we (believers) have a High Priest, Christ Jesus the Son of God. We are commanded to hold fast to our confession of faith in Him. When we give the account of our lives, it will begin and end with, “my faith is in the Son of God, Christ Jesus my Savior and LORD.”

We can be certain that will be enough!  That is a great thought for the New Year. Hold fast, beloved!

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That Day is Coming … Hallelujah!

by TerryLema

There is coming a day, a glorious day, when the night will disappear.

“The city had no need of the sun or of the moon to shine in it, for the glory of God illuminated it. The Lamb is its light.” [Revelation 21:23 HCSB]

There is coming a day, a glorious day, when there will be no more pain, no more tears.

“And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.” [Revelation 21:4 HCSB]

There is coming a day, a glorious day, when sin and temptation and the enemy of our soul will be no more.

“And fire came down from God out of heaven and devoured them. 10 The devil, who deceived them, was cast into the lake of fire and brimstone where[b] the beast and the false prophet are. And they will be tormented day and night forever and ever.” [Revelation 20:9b-10 HCSB]

I long for that day. I long to see my loved ones who have gone to that glorious day and now abide in the Presence of God. I long to see the day when death is banished, when sorrow will not even be remembered!

“He who testifies to these things says, ‘Surely I am coming quickly.’ Amen. Even so, come, Lord Jesus! The grace of our Lord Jesus Christ be with you all. Amen.” [Revelation 22:20-21 HCSB]

For now, we wait for that day. We celebrate the First Coming of our LORD and Savior Jesus Christ and earnestly look to the skies for His Return. Amen & Amen.

(773) David Phelps - No More Night (Live) - YouTube

December 26 – January 1 – OFF LINE ..

See you on the 2nd of January 2021! Praying for a better year!

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His First Coming Promises His Second …

by TerryLema

O Holy Night, O Night Divine. That glorious night when Christ came the first time to redeem His own. It changed everything!

The angel who appeared to Joseph set the parameters for Christ Jesus’ first coming, “And she will bring forth a Son, and you shall call His name Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.” [Matthew 2:21 HCSB]

God sent His Son to save us from our sins, from the death and punishment that our sins deserved. He brought grace and truth to us. He took our punishment. He suffered our death. He rose that we might have life and that life more abundant.

No matter how many times I write these things, no matter how many times you read these things, they still have an amazing and marvelous hold on our hearts. I will never grow tired of hearing them.  It is not all about the new things I can find in the Scriptures, it is about those old Gospel truths of our salvation which thrill my soul.  Tell me again and again about what my Savior has done for me!

But there is another truth, a promise that also thrills my soul – that is, Christ is coming again. He promised He would come back for His own. [John 14:3b HCSB]

This time when He appears it will not be about sin – that issue has already been settled. This time it will be about taking us home to the Father’s House.

“We shall not all sleep, but we shall all be changed— in a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trumpet. For the trumpet will sound, and the dead will be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.” [1 Corinthians 15:51 HCSB]

“Then we who are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air. And thus we shall always be with the Lord.” [1 Thessalonians 4:17 HCSB]

Are you listening for the trumpet?

(773) Ivan Parker - Midnight Cry (Live) - YouTube
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What a Night!

by TerryLema

 

Last Friday night at The Way we held our annual Candlelight Service where we remembered and honored those who have entered the Presence of the LORD ahead of us.  It was a quiet time where we were able to grieve and rejoice. We rang a small bell of remembrance and talked a little about our loved ones.

We ended the service with the song, “O Holy Night.” It is one of the most beautiful of the Christmas songs. I especially love the second verse.

“Long lay the world in sin and error pining, ‘Til He appeared And the soul felt It’s worth. A thrill of hope the weary world rejoices, For yonder breaks a new And glorious morn…”

Those words, those beautiful words, remind us that when Christ Jesus came as that Babe in a Manger, it assured us of just how much God loved us and just how much we are worth.  (Remember, we are not worthy of that love, but we are worth what God was willing to pay for us, the precious life’s blood of His Very Son.)

Knowing that, and allowing that to dig deep into our souls, brings a thrilling hope that cannot be destroyed!  No matter how bad this world may get, nothing can destroy that new and glorious morning when God became Immanuel, God with Us.

He is with us in our sorrow and tears. He is with us in our weakness, our hungers and thirsts. He is with us in our dying and with us in our death!

That truly was a Night Divine. And now as we celebrate it, we fall our knees in worship to our Great God who came for His own.  O Holy Night!



(773) Bill & Gloria Gaither - O Holy Night (Live) ft. David Phelps - YouTube
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It is well …

by TerryLema

As we draw close to the end of this year, one thing we can say is that “2020 was not what anyone expected!” It has been a horrendous year for many amid the virus-and-fear pandemic and the subsequent economic difficulties.

We also know that despite vaccines showing up in our areas, 2020 will still have a strong hold on the new year. I saw a notice from one of our health districts outlining the distribution of the vaccines and announcing that “masks will still be required well into the summer of 2021.” Well, that is a pleasant thought.

Our nation is also divided on the handling of this virus-and-fear pandemic. We are mad at the politicians that tell us to do one thing and then do the total opposite. We are dismayed by the various and often differing opinions of science. We are distrustful of the media which seems to twist facts until they are unrecognizable.

In 2 Kings 4:8-37 we find the story of Elisha and the Shunammite woman. Through Elisha God granted this barren woman a son, but then the day came when her son suffered what appears to be a heat stroke and died. The Shunammite woman asks her husband to allow her to go to Elisha.  When the husband asks why, her reply is “It is well.” When she reaches Elisha, he also questions her about the reason for her visit and her reply is the same, “It is well.” [v23, 26b NKJV]

We know the end of the story—that Elisha returned with her to her home and she received the greatest of all miracles when her dead son was brought back to life.

No matter what 2020 has brought into our lives, because of our relationship with Christ Jesus our Savior and LORD, we, like the Shunammite woman, can claim, “It is well.”

 Below is a link to that wonderful song, “It is Well with My Soul,” sung by Wintley Phipps. He prefaces the song with an amazing word from God that we can take to heart in 2020 AND in 2021.

“It is in the quiet crucible of your personal, private sufferings, that your noblest dreams are born, and God’s greatest gifts are given in compensation for what you’ve been through.”

 (773) Wintley Phipps – It Is Well With My Soul [Live] – YouTube

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