TerryLema

Yesterday I wrote that I came across two familiar verses from John’s Gospel this week.  The first was John 1:12 and spoke of those who believe on Christ Jesus as LORD who have been given the “exousia” – the right, power, and authority to be children of God, birthed supernaturally of Him. That left me with such a sense of wonder.

But as enthralled as I was by that verse, I think the second one even more so.  Jesus prayed for His disciples in John 17. The part of His prayer that left me awestruck was the first three words in verse 23: “I in them….”

 Jesus was praying shortly before his arrest and crucifixion. He was praying for His disciples and all those who would come after them (you and I are included in that prayer). He spoke of sanctification, and glory and unity, but it was those three little words that moved me today.

“I in them….”  Jesus in me. Jesus in you. Jesus in us. The Creator of this universe, the Word of God, the One raised to the Right Hand of the Father, the One who is Alpha and Omega, deems to be “IN” us by the power of the very Spirit of God.

It makes me cry out, “Why me, God? Why would you want me? I am a nothing as far as this world views me. A hyperactive child, a rebellious teenager, an imperfect wife and mother, an old woman. I’ve been fearful and arrogant most of my life. I’ve not achieved any weight of glory in this world. I’ve made wrong decisions and done so many things I ought not have. I’ve been selfish and envious and things much worse. And You want me?”

Yes. He does. You see, it isn’t about what we were, it’s all about what He can do in us and through us. It’s all about “I in them.”  Praise His Holy Name forever and ever. Amen.

I recently came across two verses in John’s Gospel that gripped me. The first is John 1:12-13. “But to all who believed him and accepted him, he gave the right to become children of God. They are reborn—not with a physical birth resulting from human passion or plan, but a birth that comes from God.”  [NLT]

 The “right” to become children of God. The KJV uses the English word “power.”  The Greek word is “exousia,” and carries with it the idea of authority.

Children of God. Children born supernaturally of God. I am not sure words can convey the sense of wonder I find in those few words. Christ Jesus has given those who surrender to Him, the “right,” the “power,” the “authority” to be children of God.

Me. You. Anyone. It doesn’t matter what we’ve done in our past. It doesn’t matter our social standing, our political affiliation, our financial situation. It doesn’t matter if we are sick or healthy, young or old, weak or strong. It only matters that we believe Jesus Christ is Savior and LORD, the Way, the Truth, and the Life.

Of course, that “belief” on Christ Jesus isn’t just words, it is a heart offered to Him, a life given over to Him. I remember a line in the chorus “I’m Yours LORD,” it says … “everything I am, everything I’m not.”

That’s what we give to Him. And in return He gives to us the authority to be children of God, born supernaturally into God’s family. I know we got the best part of that trade.

Mother’s Day has always been a day of mixed emotions for me. Unlike so many people I know, my mother had mental and emotional problems that made her difficult. She evaluated everything by how it affected her. My mom could be extremely rude and hurtful. She had little regard for other’s feelings. It was a tough way to grow up.

I remember standing in front of Mother’s Day cards trying to find one that said simply, “Happy Mother’s Day,” instead of all the ones that acknowledged the wonderful things moms do.

At the same time, mom was blessed with a wonderful musical talent. Even when her hands were twisted with arthritis, she played a mean piano! She came to know Christ Jesus later in life, and she offered her musical talent to the church. She was faithful to be there every Sunday.

I will readily admit that I had many hard feelings to sort through about my mother—anger and bitterness to name just a couple. Then one day God brought healing to my heart.

He reminded me that when we enter His presence, we leave everything not of Him on this side of the grave. We do not take our sin, our failings, our infirmities with us. We are made complete and whole in Him. He reminded me that the mom that I always wanted to have is waiting for me on the other side of the veil.   

1 John 3:2: “Dear friends, we are already God’s children, but he has not yet shown us what we will be like when Christ appears. But we do know that we will be like him, for we will see him as he really is.” [NLT]

I worked at a hospice for a few years and pastored for a lot more. I don’t think I would be exaggerating to say that I think I’ve seen it all. Let me toss out a few words and you’ll understand. Cancer. ALS. Alzheimer’s. Suicide. Murder. Accidents. Child Abuse. Domestic Violence. Infant Death. Most pastors could toss out the same words, and perhaps even more.

There have been times when I wondered how people could go on after experiencing such tragedies. When I get to thinking like that, I remember a phrase in a verse in 2 Corinthians, “the God of all comfort.”

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of compassion and the God of all comfort, who comforts us in all our troubles, so that we can comfort those in any trouble with the comfort we ourselves have received from God.” [2 Cor 1:3-4]

I believe that the source of all comfort is God, that He truly is the Father of compassion. I believe that all comfort originates in and disseminates from Him, whether people are aware of that or not. When we display compassion, when we offer comfort to the wounded and hurting, we are offering them something straight from the heart of God.

I remember a lovely British man named David. He was living in a small trailer in a back yard, and he was dying. I visited him often. He refused to believe in my Jesus, but he still wanted me to come and talk. I would leave after each visit, devastated that I was unable to convince him of his need for salvation. I wept over him. I heard God tell me to continue to offer him compassion and comfort – as that may be the last time he’d experience that. Thoughts of David still make me hurt.

Beloved, never hesitate to be God’s hand of compassion and comfort—even to those who might reject His salvation.

One of the delightful things about reading various translations of Scripture is that every now and then a new translation will give you a new look at a Scripture you know so well.

One of my favorite chapters in the New Testament is Romans 12. (I have so many favorite chapters in Scripture – usually a favorite is what I need at the time!)

I was reading the comments on a recent Facebook post where I posted about this recent health issue. So many people replied that they understood, they were praying, they too experienced pain. It reminded me of the verse that said we were to “weep with those who weep.”

That caused me to look up that verse in Romans 12 in a new translation and to my delight, I found a new look at a familiar Scripture.

“Bless those who persecute you. Don’t curse them; pray that God will bless them. Be happy with those who are happy, and weep with those who weep. Live in harmony with each other. Don’t be too proud to enjoy the company of ordinary people. And don’t think you know it all!” [Romans 12:14-16 NLT]

It was the last part of that passage that made me stop! “Don’t think you know it all!”

Usually that verse reads something like, “Do not be wise in your own estimation.”

Oh, did that make me laugh! I really “don’t know it all!” Amen!

One of my favorite times of day is the hour before bedtime. I usually pull up some YouTube videos and listen to music. The other night “Forgiven Again” came up on my screen. I had not watched that video by “Signature Sound” in a long time.  The song touched my heart like it always does.

Chorus: “Just insight of the place where the lane meets the road, The Father is waiting to carry your load. His big arms are longing to draw you to Him, Forgiven, forgiven, forgiven again.” [Forgiven Again, by Gloria Gaither, Benjamin W. Gaither]

This song is based on a parable Jesus told. It highlights the wondrous love of God. It is the Parable of the Prodigal found in Luke 15. We are all familiar with that parable. The son wanted his inheritance, the father gave it to him. The son then ran through that inheritance with wild living. When the son reached rock bottom, he decided to return to his father and beg to be taken back into the family.

But … and here is the best part … “While he was still a long way off, his father saw him coming. Filled with love and compassion, he ran to his son, embraced him, and kissed him.” [vs20 NLT]

The son begins to beg for forgiveness … but the Father has already started the party!  “His father said to the servants, ‘Quick! Bring the finest robe in the house and put it on him. Get a ring for his finger and sandals for his feet. And kill the calf we have been fattening. We must celebrate with a feast, for this son of mine was dead and has now returned to life. He was lost, but now he is found.’ So the party began.” [vs 22-25]

“In the same way, there is more joy in heaven over one lost sinner who repents and returns to God than over ninety-nine others who are righteous and haven’t strayed away!” [Luke 15:7]

Thank you, LORD, for loving and forgiving this prodigal. Amen

Never forget – never ever forget – God loves you!

I remember my former pastor always said it was easier to get people to love God than it was to get people to allow God to love them.

None of us think we are worthy of God’s love. (None of us are!)

Most of us think we can do something to make God’s stop loving us. (We can’t!)

God is love. Love is the core aspect of God’s character, His Person. God is the perfect example of true love. God is also all-powerful – there is nothing in or out of all creation that is more powerful than our God.

If anything (we do) could change God’s love for us – that would mean it is stronger than our all-powerful God. And if anything ever changes His character, His Person, then He would cease to be God.

While we cannot make God stop loving us – we can please or displease Him.

We need to live our lives in a way that pleases God. Always aware how much God loves us.

“Finally, dear brothers and sisters, we urge you in the name of the Lord Jesus to live in a way that pleases God.” [1Thessalonians 4:1 NLT]

I was reading 1 Peter Chapter 1 recently and came to the beginning of verse 6. In the NLT it reads, “so be truly glad. There is wonderful joy ahead ….”

I love that! Of course, the remainder of that verse reads, “even though you must endure many trials for a little while.”

Peter explains that trials have a purpose and that is to show that our faith is genuine. He also reminds us that when our faith remains strong through the many trials of life, it will bring us much praise and glory and honor when “Jesus Christ is revealed to the whole world.” [vs7]

So often trials dominate our lives. It is easy to become focused on the trials because that is what we see daily. They are right in our face demanding our attention. If only we could shake ourselves free from the difficulties of life, we could be truly happy!

Peter, however, makes the bold statement that it is what we DO NOT SEE that is the most important thing. “You love [Christ Jesus] even though you have never seen him. Though you do not see him now, you trust him; and you rejoice with a glorious, inexpressible joy.” [vs8]

It is not the elimination of trials that sets us free to rejoice with “glorious, inexpressible joy.” It is focusing the eyes of our soul on Christ Jesus our LORD that floods us with true joy.

There will be trials in this life, but trials have an expiration date. Once this life is over, trials will be forever gone.

That “glorious, inexpressible joy” found in Christ Jesus has no expiration date – it will forever be ours. Amen

“All the men assigned to the camp of Dan number 157,600. They will set out last, under their standards.” [Numbers 2:31 NIV]

There was a particular order in which the tribes of Israel camped and marched in the wilderness.  The tabernacle and ark were always in the center, with tribes in front, on both sides and behind.  The Danites were assigned to be the rearguard.  [Numbers 10:25]

I’m not sure if any of want to be assigned to bringing up the rear, especially if a few million people are marching in front of us. I can only imagine what it was like for the Danites back there, eating the dust of people, dodging the droppings of the herds of sheep and cattle.

And yet, the rearguard is vitally important.  They make sure the stragglers don’t get left behind. They also make sure that the enemy doesn’t go around and attack from the rear.

The rearguard must be just as vigilant as those in the front and on the side, maybe more so. The enemy of our soul seldom comes knocking on the front door declaring his intentions to subdue us, but he will mount an attack from the rear and hope we have left that unguarded.

Our Father God thought it so important to have a rearguard that He Himself promised to be ours! “The LORD will go before you, the God of Israel will be your rear guard.” [Isa 52:12 NIV]

Father, thank you for being my rearguard. Let me be mindful of the Spirit’s warnings and promptings. Help me to remember that the attacks against my soul are seldom head on but will often blindside me or sneak up from behind. I know, Holy Spirit, you send out the warning. Help me to be vigilant in hearing Your alert!  Amen.