Category:

Devotions

Count the Cost

by TerryLema

f we are going to do this Christian walk correctly, it’s not going to be easy. What is “freely given” – our salvation – costs a lot! Jesus even warned His followers that they needed to “count the cost.”  [Luke 14:28]

Paul commanded his readers to “live a life worthy of the calling you have received.” Then he told them what that would cost to do so.  “Be completely humble and gentle; be patient, bearing with one another in love. Make every effort to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace.” [Eph 4:1-3 NIV]

That means it’s going to cost me my arrogance (to be completely humble) and my anger (to be gentle.)  I’ll need to throw in my irritation (so I can be patient), and my indifference (so I can bear with others in love.)

And if I am going to keep the unity of the Spirit through the bond of peace, that will cost me my divisiveness, murmuring, gossiping, envy, and resentment.

Paul didn’t stop there either. He came right out later in his letter and identified even more cost!

“Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice.”  And finally, He said we are to “be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ in God forgave you.”  [Eph 4:31-32 NIV]

It’s going to cost even more when I must get rid of my rudeness (so I can be kind), my heartlessness (so I can become compassionate) and finally my unforgiveness (so that I might reflect the forgiveness I received in Christ).

Yes, to do this walk right will cost quite a bit.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Don’t Be Surprised, Part 2

by TerryLema

While we are living in this world most of us have experienced what Jesus warned us about: “In the world you will have tribulation [trials].” [John 16:33 NKJV]

Jesus wanted us to understand that it is not about “if” we are going to have trials or tribulations, it is “when” we are going to have them. It’s a given; trials do come.

Yesterday we saw that James gave us a blueprint for handling our trials when they come. He said we are to “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” [James 1:2]

There are two parts of that blueprint that are crucial. The first is the command to Count.  Count means to evaluate. It’s a financial term. We are to determine if the trial goes in the asset or the liability column.

The second crucial part is the timing of that accounting.  Do we wait to the end to see if God really does work all things to our good?  Or do we do it at the beginning?

James says we count our trials as all joy “when [we] fall into” them.  We aren’t to wait until we can look back and see how the trials benefited our walk with the LORD, but we are to put the joy at the beginning of the trial.

Our outlook, or attitude, will play heavily into the outcome. We are far more likely to mature in our Christian walk if we go into a trial with joy, expecting to draw closer to the LORD in it, than if we murmur and complain through the experience.  Not saying it’s easy. Just saying it’s necessary.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Don’t Be Surprised!

by TerryLema

Everybody has them. Nobody likes them, I’m sure. They pop up at the most inconvenient of times. They are trials.  Some are small, others are overwhelming, and they come to us from different sources.

Some trials come from the fact that we are fallen. We make mistakes, we are foolish, irresponsible, or we allow sin in our lives. When those trials come, repentance must happen before anything else.

Some trials come because we are human. Our bodies age, we acquire a disease or illness, we are involved in an accident, or we lose our jobs or find ourselves economically unable to keep up.

Some trials come because we are Christians. Peter reminded his readers, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ.”   [I Peter 4:12-13]

So, if we are going to have trials anyway, why not use them to our advantage? Why not use them to grow closer to the LORD? James says our outlook can determine the outcome. His blueprint is to “Count it all joy when you fall into various trials.” [James 1:2]

 I seldom put “joy” and “trials” in the same sentence. James, however, wants us to count our trials as “all joy.”

There are two words in James’ blueprint that are crucial. We will look at those two words tomorrow.

(Part 2 Tomorrow)

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Storms in Life

by TerryLema

Spring and summer in the Treasure Valley in Idaho are a constantly changing weather picture. We can be cold one day, blazing hot the next. But the best are the thunderstorms that just seem to appear out of nowhere.

A couple weeks ago such a thunderstorm hit us. The sky grew dark, and the wind began to howl. It began to pour. I could hear the thunder and lightning accompanying the noisy wind. Water came off the roof in buckets. It was great.  I stood in the doorway and watched the clouds race across the sky.  And then just as suddenly as it came up, it was gone. Weather peace descended again.

Everyone has storms in life. Sometimes they come up just like the Treasure Valley thunderstorms that dot our weather pattern in spring and summer.  It is when the storms are buffeting us that we need to remember that Jesus is our song amid the storm.

There is a marvelous song that I listen to during my worship walks, “Let It Be Jesus.”  It begins with these words, “Let it be Jesus. The first name that I call. Let it be Jesus. My song inside the storm”  

My song inside the storm of life is this, “for me to live is Christ.” And one day when that final storm wins its battle over my body, I shall know firsthand that “to die is gain.”  [Philippians 1:21]

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Highway to the Danger Zone

by TerryLema

In May 1986, a movie was released that became a modern-day classic.  The story line was a bit unbelievable. The young actors would never be invited to play Hamlet (but girls sure swooned over the volleyball scene!).  Recently a sequel to this movie was released. This time there was no beach volleyball scene, but a football one instead.

The dialogue in both is a bit ordinary, but the soundtrack in both is captivating. Most people who hear the song, “Highway to the Danger Zone,” immediately think of that movie from 1986 “Top Gun,” and now the sequel “Top Gun, Maverick.”

May I be so bold as to suggest that when we step out in faith with God, we embark on the true “highway to the danger zone.”  It’s risky to be fully submitted to God and moving in the power of the Spirit. Too many of us want a faith that is safe, one we can put in a box of our own making.  We want a comfortable God, but our God is neither safe, nor contained.  And often He’s not very comfortable either. Ask Moses, or Joshua, or David, or Jeremiah, or Peter, James, John, or Paul how safe and comfortable it is to serve God.

At any moment, the Spirit of God can ask you to do something that is very uncomfortable.  He might send you somewhere you never wanted to go.  He might ask you to speak up when you are trying to remain unnoticed. He might ask you to give more than you planned.

Paul gave a description of his experiences in the “danger zone” in 2 Corinthians 11:23-33.  Daniel described his in Daniel 6.  If you get a chance, read those passages today; they are an interesting contrast. Daniel escaped unscratched; Paul was scarred by 195 lashes.  Yet, each stood firm in their faith.  I am sure that each would admit that being fully submitted to God is a wonderful, exciting, “danger zone” adventure.

Father, lead us on this adventure by Your Holy Spirit.  Move us out of our comfort zone and into the “danger zone” of dynamic faith and the power of Your Spirit.  We don’t want to be comfortable … we want to be alive!  Amen.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Kings & Priests & Prophets

by TerryLema

Jeremiah 22:12-14: “Woe for the one who builds his palace through unrighteousness, his upper rooms through injustice, who makes his fellow man serve without pay and will not give him his wages, who says, ‘I will build myself a massive palace, with spacious upper rooms.’ He will cut windows in it, and it will be paneled with cedar and painted with vermilion.”

“Woe.”

Woe is not a good word. It speaks of misery and calamity. In Jeremiah 22 and 23, God speaks “Woe” over three groups of people, kings, shepherds (priests) and prophets. The “Woe” is spoken because each group abused their power and authority over others.

The King built his wealth and power on the backs of his fellow man.

The shepherds “destroyed and scattered the sheep.” [23:1]

The prophets have “become evil, and their power is not rightly used because both prophet and priest are ungodly, even in My house I have found their evil.” [23:10-11]

God appointed leaders to protect, teach, guide, and care for His people. When they abused the power and authority given to them, God held them accountable. He spoke “woe” over those who misused their power.

God’s “Woe” is not reserved for ancient times. It is just as alive and active today as it was then. When leaders, whether political, or religious, or social abuse their power, they will be held accountable. We may not see it happen in our lifetime, but we need never worry that God turns a blind eye to those who take advantage of His people.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Cracked Cisterns

by TerryLema

I am reading the prophet Jeremiah. Oh my. God had a lot to say to His people about their turning away from Him and following other gods and doing evil. They were about to reap the consequences of abandoning the True God who had always been faithful to them.

Jeremiah 2:12-13: “For My people have committed a double evil: They have abandoned Me, the fountain of living water, and dug cisterns for themselves, cracked cisterns that cannot hold water.”

A cistern is a reservoir for storing water. Unlike a well, it has no supply of water itself, but must be filled by an outside source.

God held two things against His people (a double evil). The first evil is that they had abandoned Him who is the Fountain of Living Water.

The second evil was perhaps worse, they not only walked away from the Fountain of Living Water, but they also engaged in self-determination … or what I like to call “MY WAY!” They dug cisterns and tried to fill them with their own version of nourishment. These cisterns would not even hold what they tried to fill them with as they were broken or “cracked.” Whatever they poured in just ran out.

Take note of what Jesus declared to His followers: “The one who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, will have streams of living water flow from deep within him.” [John 7:38 HCSB]

Instead of filling cisterns with what will not satisfy nor nourish and will sooner or later run out, the followers of the True God will have streams of living water flowing from deep within them.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Attention: Leapers, Dancers and Whitlers!

by TerryLema

There is a delightful passage at the end of the book of Philippians, two paragraphs.  One begins this way … “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” [Phil 4:4-5]

If you have a chance today, read verses Chapter 4:4-7. That passage begins with rejoicing and ends with the peace of God guarding our hearts and minds.

Rejoicing!  The Greek word in the New Testament is chairo, which means to be glad, calmly happy, and joyful. The Hebrew word in the Old Testament for rejoice is ‘alats and it means to spin or jump for joy.

In 2 Samuel 6, David was bringing the Ark of the Covenant down from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David.  It says he danced before the Lord, and it uses a Hebrew word, karar, which means to whirl.  David was leaping, spinning, and whirling in dance.  He was rejoicing.  The Old Testament way.  I like that.

We are to rejoice always in the Lord.  Paul tells us that twice.  We can be New Testament rejoicers — glad, calmly happy, and full of joy.  That will please God abundantly.  That will result in the peace of God abiding in our hearts and minds.   We can be Old Testament rejoicers – spinning, dancing, and whirling!  That will please God abundantly and bear the same results.

Personally, I want to be like David before the ark.  Unfortunately, my body is no longer conducive to leaping, dancing, and whirling, but while I cannot leap, dance or whirl with my body, I can certainly do it with my heart!

Come on, all you who are leapers, dancers, and whirlers … let us Rejoice in the Lord always!

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Christ, Our Life

by TerryLema

There are so many wonderful passages in the Scriptures of who Christ is to us.  Just traveling through the Gospel of John gives us Jesus’ beautiful “I am …” declarations.  “I am the Bread of Life.”  “I am the Light of the World.”  “I am the Gate.”  “I am the Good Shepherd.” “I am the Resurrection and the Life.”  “I am the Way, the Truth and the Light.”

I cling to those declarations, but the one I need to be reminded of most often flows from Paul’s pen in Colossians.  “Christ, who is your life ….”

Christ is our life.  It is so very important in this Christian walk to be surrendered to Christ fully.  It is vital that we hold nothing back, retain nothing for ourselves, and leave no area outside the control of the Savior.

The enemy of our soul also knows how vital our surrender is and so seeks to undermine it every step of the way.  He chips at it here and there, trying to draw our mind-set off Christ and put it back on ourselves. He does it with circumstances, with temptations, with the allure of the world or riches or pride.  Sometimes he just seeks to exhaust us so that we become weak and tired.  He introduces apathy, and even fatalism.

When those things happen, we must turn back and set our minds on things above. We must surrender to Christ, who is our life.  I wish I could say this is a “once and done” but it is not.  It requires heeding the Spirit’s warnings when He sees us drifting from our commitment, repenting, and re-affirming our commitment.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

OFFLINE 6/19 and 6/20

by TerryLema

Happy Father’s Day! I am offline today and tomorrow. Have a great Father’s Day! Take a moment to thank our heavenly Father who displayed His love for us at the cross. Amen & Amen.

 

0 comment
FacebookEmail