TerryLema

A new school has been built at the end of the street where I walk.  I’ve been watching the building process for over a year; now it is done. Since the construction is completed and the landscaping finished, I expect to see the furniture, equipment and supply trucks starting to roll in.  The school is scheduled to open in August.  Soon the kitchen will be stocked, the library books on the shelf, desks and chairs in each room. Teachers will be setting up their classrooms.

Each day as I walk by I think about how lovely that building is. A lot of planning went into it, a lot of hard work also.  It is primed and ready to be opened and used. However, until that first busload of students arrives eager to explore and learn, the building is useless. It may look good, but it does no good sitting up there on the hill empty of learners.

Each day as I walk by I think about how our Bible is like that building, it does no good sitting unopened on a shelf or coffee table. All the wonderful treasures inside only come when we open it and eagerly explore and learn from it.

2 Timothy 3:16-17:  All Scripture is God-breathed and is useful for teaching, rebuking, correcting and training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be thoroughly equipped for every good work. [NIV]

Thank you, Father, for giving us Your Word to teach, rebuke, correct and train us. May we search its depths and discover its riches every day. Amen.

Josh 23:14-15:  “Now I am about to go the way of all the earth. You know with all your heart and soul that not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed. Every promise has been fulfilled; not one has failed.” [NIV]

“Not one of all the good promises the LORD your God gave you has failed.” That was Joshua’s testimony at the end of his life.  He then went on to remind the tribes of Israel of what God had promised and how He brought those promises to fruition.  Every promise was fulfilled. Israel made it a lot harder on themselves than it needed to be because of their own stubbornness and rebellion. Still, God brought them out of bondage and into freedom in the Promised Land, just as He said He would.

Joshua then challenged them to live for the Lord and made the declaration that no matter what they decided to do, he and his household would remain faithful to Jehovah. [24:15]

Not one of the good promises the LORD our God has given us will fail either.  And while I’d like to think that I’ve done better than Israel did and made it easier on myself, I know that I’m a lot more like they were than I want to believe.  I, too, am stubborn and rebellious.  I can be pretty adept at murmuring and complaining too!

Still as God brought them out of bondage, so He has brought me (and you).  As God brought them into freedom, so He has brought me (and you) into freedom in Christ Jesus.  And as He took Israel to the Promised Land, He will bring His children (me and you!) into His presence in Glory!  None of His good promises, no, not even one, will fail to be fulfilled.  Hallelujah!  Amen.

I share much of my life in these devotions, the good, the silly, the difficult, and even the failures. I do that not to garner praise or sympathy but to remind all of us that while we are not perfect people, we are overcomers.  We may stumble, fall, fail or get knocked down, but we are never out!

John wrote that “everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith. Who is it that overcomes the world? Only he who believes that Jesus is the Son of God.”   [1John 5:4-5 NIV]

In his letters Paul often reminded people of his struggles. He was forthright in telling of how he persecuted the church, of how he pleaded with God to remove his thorn in the flesh, of his difficulties in ministry.  He did it to identify with his readers and to point them to Jesus. Paul was an overcomer precisely because he placed his faith in Jesus as the Son of God.

I have had to overcome a difficult childhood, my own personality flaws, my sins, circumstances and failures.  Many of you have had to overcome the same, or even worse.  We are overcomers because of Christ Jesus.

I encourage you to share your life with others, not just the good and great, but the silly, the difficult and the failures also. When they see how you have overcome all, they will ask, how?  Then you can tell them that it’s all because of faith in Jesus, the Son of God.

In John 17, Jesus prays with and for His followers. At one point in His prayer He prays for “all those who will believe in Me ….”  [vs 20]

I am always astounded that I am included in His prayer. You are also. Jesus prayed for us. He asked that the full measure of His joy might be in us. He asked that we might be protected. He asked that we might be sanctified by His truth.  (Read His prayer for you today in John 17.)

What blesses me most is found in verses 22-23: “I have given them the glory that you gave me, that they may be one as we are one: I in them ….”  [NIV]

“I in them.”  Jesus in me.  Say that with me, Jesus in me. Have you ever pondered all that means? Charles Spurgeon wrote of this verse, “This is no narrow pipe through which a thread-like stream may wind its way, it is a channel of amazing depth and breadth, along whole glorious length a ponderous volume of living water may roll its floods.”

“I in them.”  Jesus in us.  May we not restrict this flood of living water but instead by the power of, and our cooperation with His Spirit keep the channel uncluttered by doubt and sin.

Oh LORD, let your living water roll its floods through me!

I repeat myself. I remember in bible college one of the professors would constantly say, “Repetition increases remembrance,” as he repeated himself. I used to laugh at old people who would tell the same stories again and again.  Now I am one of them. I wonder why I repeat? Perhaps as we age we experience less so we have less to tell. Our adventures become less adventurous and our excitement less exciting. So, we repeat the things that were.

My college professor was right on; however, repetition does increase remembrance.  Peter thought so too.  In his second letter, he reminds his readers of their faith and the things he wanted them to add—goodness, knowledge, self-control, perseverance, godliness, brotherly kindness and love. He also urged them to make their calling and election sure so that they would not fall.

Then he started to sound like my college professor, “So I will always remind you of these things, even though you know them and are firmly established in the truth you now have. I think it is right to refresh your memory as long as I live in the tent of this body …. I will make every effort to see that after my departure you will always be able to remember these things.” [2 Peter 1:12-15 NIV]

The things of the LORD need to be repeated. The world, the flesh and the enemy of our soul are loud and determined to erase biblical truths and the knowledge of God from our remembrance. Instead of always seeking new things to write or preach about, I need to be like Peter – it is right to refresh our memories of the biblical truth we already know.

Recently I was out walking early in the morning, listening and singing to the worship songs on my MP3 player. Amazing Grace came up and I was singing those old familiar verses. “Amazing grace, how sweet the sound that saved a wretch like me…. When we’ve been there 10,000 years bright shining as the sun….”

I thought about that wonderful reminder when we hear those words of God’s salvation and the marvelous future we shall have with him. Then I stopped; my thoughts had totally skipped over the middle verses. I heard God’s Spirit whisper … those middle verses are where you live right now.

“Through many dangers, toils and snares, I have already come; ’Tis grace hath brought me safe thus far, And grace will lead me home.” [Amazing Grace, John Newton 1779]

God’s grace, God’s amazing grace has brought us to where we are. God’s grace, God’s amazing grace will lead us home to Him.  That’s where we live, beloved, in the power and presence of God’s grace in our lives. His unmerited favor is stronger than anything that might come our way. His undeserved grace will embrace us and lead us every day in Him.  How could I have forgotten that truth?

Thank you, Holy Spirit, for reminding me that my past is covered with God’s grace, my future is promised in God’s grace, and my present is protected by God’s amazing grace.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D8UdgnQLC58

Ps 119:30-31:  “I have chosen the way of truth; Your judgments I have laid before me. I cling to Your testimonies.” [NKJV]

The King James says, “I have stuck unto thy testimonies.”  Strong’s* says that the word for cling to or stuck is dabaq (daw-bak’); OT:1692:  a primitive root; properly, to impinge, i.e. cling or adhere; figuratively, to catch by pursuit. It is translated as abide, follow close, be joined together, overtake, pursue hard, stick.

Testimonies in the Hebrew is pretty much what testimonies is in the English—evidence, witness, proof.  We are to cling to God’s testimonies.

I recently read a biography of George Washington Carver. The author referred often to Carver’s constant acknowledgement of God as Creator. Carver would walk out in nature every day and find new evidence, a new witness of God around him. As part of Tuskegee Institute in its beginnings, Carver also taught a Sunday School Class. Carver had an ability to combine what he saw in nature with what he read in Scripture as testimony to God. The students loved his classes and swelled his audiences.

Paul made it clear in Romans 1:20 that God’s eternal nature and power are clearly seen in the world around us. God has not left us without a testimony of His existence and authority.  The next time you take a walk outside, look around, read His witness in Creation, visit a little with Him. I am sure you will be delighted!

*(Biblesoft’s New Exhaustive Strong’s Numbers and Concordance with Expanded Greek-Hebrew Dictionary. Copyright © 1994, 2003 Biblesoft, Inc. and International Bible Translators, Inc.)

I was listening to a song by Big Daddy Weave titled “Redeemed.” The song begins, “Seems like all I could see was the struggle.”  Oh boy, did that line catch my attention. I have been struggling lately with my imperfections, with my failures, with my desires and so many other things. Ever just not feel comfortable in your own skin? Things have risen in me that I thought were dealt with, dead and buried, but found instead were very much alive.

I listened to “Redeemed” as it described me, and then suddenly came to this part of the lyric, “Stop fighting a fight that’s already been won…. I’m redeemed…. Now I’m not who I used to be.”

That is exactly what’s been going on … I’ve been fighting a fight that’s already been won. The enemy of my soul has been playing havoc with my soul and trying to make me agree with him that I’m nothing more than the sum of my imperfections. I’ve been fighting a battle that Christ Jesus has already won – He has redeemed me and I am a new person in Christ. I am not who I used to be.

How easily we can be convinced that we are nothing more than our failures, our faults and our imperfections.  It is then that we need to begin to give thanks to God for His great deliverance and shout to the rooftops – I’m redeemed!  “Oh, give thanks to the LORD, for He is good! For His mercy endures forever. Let the redeemed of the LORD say so.” [Psalm 107:1-2 NKJV]

So, I’m saying so!  I’m singing with Big Daddy Weave … I’m redeemed

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VzGAYNKDyIU

Recent studies have revealed that the average human attention span is now eight seconds. Goldfish, on the other hand, are believed to have an attention span of nine seconds. At fault? Our increased digitalized lifestyle.  Our thirst to consume all kinds of media on multiple devices has diminished our ability to focus long-term.

Apparently, we aren’t content to just watch a movie or talk, now we must also check our phones or play games on other devices at the same time.  It is a common sight to see people sitting together in a restaurant or home with mobile devices in hand, texting, surfing the web or tweeting. This constant focus on media has also diminished our ability to be creative.

Still, an eight second attention span? Count out eight seconds: 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8–oh look a squirrel!

Jesus chastised the Pharisees for studying the Scriptures and failing to find that they spoke of Him.  “You diligently study the Scriptures because you think that by them you possess eternal life. These are the Scriptures that testify about me, yet you refuse to come to me to have life.” [John 5:39-40 NIV]

In how much more peril are we that we now lack even the ability to diligently study? Paul reminded Timothy that it is by studying and rightly understanding the Word of Truth that we show ourselves to God as workers who do not need to be ashamed. [2 Tim 2:15]

Father, by Your Holy Spirit’s power, help me to focus on Your truth. Enable me to study diligently so that I might rightly understand Your word and act upon it as a trusted worker in Your kingdom.  Amen.

I got lost the other day, not in my car, but while walking. I wasn’t walking up in the foothills or on trails either, I was in the other half of my subdivision.  When you enter our subdivision from the highway, it is divided by a main street, from which you can turn left or right.  I always turn right. I don’t think I have ever turned left. When I walk, I usually go from my house to the main street and walk between the divisions up the hill to the school and then turn around and come back. Last Tuesday, I decided that rather than do a U-turn, I’d walk through the other half of our subdivision.

What I discovered is that none of the streets are straight, they curve, dead end into others, go around in circles. I was soon lost.  I kept heading in the direction I thought the main street was, hoping that I’d find it before I ran out of energy. I always carry my phone in case I get into trouble, but this was the one day that Bob was off fishing with a friend. Eventually I found the main road and my way home, but not before I added a lot more steps than I had planned.

I kept thinking how easily and quickly I got turned around. It only took a second and I was in unfamiliar territory and uncertain how to get back where I belonged. Have you ever thought about Jesus’ Parable of the Lost Sheep in Luke 15? Ever wondered how that one sheep got separated from the main flock? I did while I was trying to find my way out of that maze of a neighborhood!

There are many people in our world who have lost their way.  Maybe they took a wrong turn from the right path. Maybe they never have known the right path. Our Savior is concerned about them.  “Does he not leave the ninety-nine in the open country and go after the lost sheep until he finds it? And when he finds it, he joyfully puts it on his shoulders and goes home. Then he calls his friends and neighbors together and says, ‘Rejoice with me; I have found my lost sheep.’” [Luke 15:4-6 NIV]

Father, may my heart mirror that of your Son Jesus with love and concern for the lost. Amen.