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Devotions

The Living WORD

by TerryLema

Hebrews 4 opens with a passage on unbelief and the warning that we are not to let a pattern of disobedience govern our lives. The writer reminds us that the written Word of God is living and powerful.  It (notice that pronoun) is effective in discerning the things that are in our hearts and how different they are from our outward actions.

Then the writer of Hebrews suddenly switches pronouns in the following verse. “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.” [Hebrews 4:13 HCSB]

The pronoun shifts from the impersonal (it) to the personal (Him). Unbelief is not only detected by the written Living Word of God, but also by the Living LORD. Nothing escapes His notice.

Our Living LORD is omniscient, omnipresent, and omnipotent. He is constantly aware of all that is going on in the cosmos.  He knows our hearts. He knows if there is real faith there or if there is only an intellectual consent to facts. He knows if the heart matches the words and actions of our life.

It is to Him we will give an account of our lives one day. We may bluff our way through life now, but there will be nothing hidden from Him when we stand in His presence. The entire world may regard us as marvelous pillars of faith, but our LORD will not judge as the world judges. What we are will be made known.

I cannot imagine anything worse than trying to answer the question “Why do you call Me ‘Lord, Lord,’ and don’t do the things I say?”  [Luke 6:46 HCSB]

Thankfully, however, the writer of Hebrews does not leave us there, he goes on to provide two marvelous hopes. (Tomorrow)

 

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The Living Word

by TerryLema

“For the word of God is living and effective and sharper than any double-edged sword, penetrating as far as the separation of soul and spirit, joints and marrow. It is able to judge the ideas and thoughts of the heart.” [Hebrews 4:12 HCSB]

That familiar verse comes at the end of a passage on unbelief. The writer of Hebrews spoke of the rest (in faith) promised by God that was left unappropriated by the Hebrew children because of their disobedience. That rest is available now in Christ Jesus and when we hear God’s invitation, we are not to harden our hearts through a pattern of disobedience as the Hebrew children did.

That verse, along with verse 13 which we will look at tomorrow, contains a solemn warning that unbelief never goes undetected. The Word of God (the Bible) is living and discerning. That means the Word of God has the power to read us and discern and judge the thoughts and intentions of our hearts.

I know that often as I read through my Bible, both Old and New Testaments, I feel it cut into my soul. I see through its power the things that are in my heart, and how different they often are from my outward actions. The Word sees my duplicity, the lies I have told myself, the arrogance and rebellion that often resides inside.

The Word knows me. Along with the convicting power of the Spirit of God, it moves me towards repentance and revival.

So I guess the question we need to ask today is “What am I doing with the Word of God?”

Am I allowing it to read me? (That means I have to be reading it too!) Am I allowing it, and the Holy Spirit to reveal my patterns of disobedience?

I pray I am!

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That Old Recliner

by TerryLema

I have a lounge chair. It was given to me by a friend who was buying new furniture. It is big and comfy. I spent weeks in it when I had the virus.  In the afternoon I can put my feet up and lean back and nap as the sunshine pours in through our living room window. When I come into the living room, that old lounge chair invites me to come over and enjoy its comfort. I know I could spend days (and maybe nights) in that lounge chair reading or playing on my computer.

I love that old lounge chair! It is not only comfortable, but unfortunately, it also entices me to give up and not fight anymore.

Inside I do not feel old at 75 years, but the last few years have taken a toll on my body that I still have to fight. I have pain most days and my muscles have lost most of their strength. It takes effort to do even the most common things, such as emptying the dishwasher or running a vacuum or simply taking a walk.

I have a choice to make each day—to fight to move or to accept the invitation of that old lounge chair and spend the rest of my days napping in the sunshine.

I have chosen to fight to move as long as I can. I think every day about what God told Paul when he asked God to remove a thorn in the flesh that he had been enduring. He asked three times to have it removed, but God chose a different path for Paul. God told Paul, “My grace is sufficient for you, for power is perfected in weakness.”

 Paul responded, “Therefore, I will most gladly boast all the more about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may reside in me. So I take pleasure in weaknesses, insults, catastrophes, persecutions, and in pressures, because of Christ. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” [2 Corinthians 12:9-10 HCSB]

I do not think I have yet reached that point where I can say like Paul “I take pleasure in weaknesses,” but I can agree with him that because of Christ, “when I am weak, then I am strong.”

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Perspective

by TerryLema

Cheslie Kryst’s cause of death has been confirmed following an autopsy; the former Miss USA’s death has been ruled a suicide. She was 30 years old. She became Miss USA in 2019, already an attorney with an MBA. In an essay she wrote in 2021 she said, “turning 30 feels like a cold reminder that I’m running out of time to matter in society’s eyes — and it’s infuriating.”

That statement is one of the saddest statements I have ever read. It is a condemnation of our society that our young people think anyone over 30 no longer matters. No wonder our younger people are struggling.

The Bible has a far different perspective of growing old. The Bible often associates growing old with gaining wisdom. For example, Proverbs 16:31 says, “Gray hair is a crown of glory; it is gained in a righteous life.” 

I turned 75, three-quarters of a century, last December. I also retired from full-time ministry. Most of the time now people ask me, “How are you enjoying retirement?”

I do not know how to answer that question. I do not know if I am enjoying retirement. My body is not the best, so I have reached the end of being able to be accountable for a ministry. Still, I do not feel as if I am done with ministry.

The Bible also has a perspective on purpose.  “I call to God Most High, to God who fulfills His purpose for me.” and “The Lord will fulfill His purpose for me.” [Psalm 57:2, Psalm 138:8 HCSB]

The LORD God Almighty has a purpose for every life. I do not feel that I have fulfilled that purpose completely as yet. I do not know how many more years I will have to do so, but I know I will continue to discover what He still has for me and will continue to fight for the stamina and wisdom to finish the race.

Dear LORD, help us to convey to the young that they are only just beginning to find and fulfill their God-given purpose. Amen.

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Grumble, Grumble, Grumble

by TerryLema

Philippians 2:6-11 contains what theologians call, the Kenosis passage. We looked at it yesterday.

Kenosis in its simplest form means emptying. Jesus laid aside the privileges that were His in glory. Rather than stay on His throne, He made “Himself nothing” and came to earth choosing the position of slave. He chose death on a cross so that we might have life eternal as children of God. He gave up glory so that we might enjoy eternal glory in the presence of our Father God.

Reading a little past that Kenosis passage, I came to this admonition.  It is one that is so relevant for our life in this present age.

“Do everything without grumbling and arguing, so that you may be blameless and pure, children of God who are faultless in a crooked and perverted generation, among whom you shine like stars in the world.” [Philippians 2:14-15 HCSB]

Notice that word “everything?” We are to do everything, all things, without complaining and grumbling or arguing. Most of us are able to do somethings without complaint, but Paul does not provide any stipulations … we are exhorted to do it all with a joyful spirit, one that makes us shine like stars.

I like what Matthew Henry commented about this verse, “God’s commands were given to be obeyed, not to be disputed.”

I guess we should once again listen to ourselves and what flows out from the abundance of our hearts. Are we hearing grumble, grumble, grumble? Or are we hearing Rejoice, Rejoice, Rejoice! Jesus is LORD!

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Truth Remains Truth

by TerryLema

“Jesus is LORD.” Romans 10:9 tells us that in order to have salvation, we must acknowledge His LORDship over every area of our lives. We do that through submission and obedience. That is the only way we will be conformed to the image of our Jesus

Jesus possesses all authority. All authority. ALL authority. He has delegated authority to us to go into all the world and make disciples—baptizing them in the name of the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit. [Matthew 28:18-20]

Jesus is LORD. That is the truth. It remains the truth whether or not people admit it is the truth. Truth does not change. What changes are opinions. Your “opinion” of Jesus as LORD has no effect on His position or authority.

One day all will submit to the truth that “Jesus is LORD.”

“[Jesus], existing in the form of God, did not consider equality with God as something to be used for His own advantage.
Instead He emptied Himself by assuming the form of a slave, taking on the likeness of men.
And when He had come as a man in His external form,
He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to the point of death—even to death on a cross.
For this reason God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name that is above every name,
so that at the name of Jesus every knee will bow—of those who are in heaven and on earth and under the earth—
and every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [Philippians 2:6-11 HCSB]

That wondrous truth should encourage us to bow our knee now—willingly—and confess that “Jesus Christ is LORD, to the glory of God the Father.”

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All Authority

by TerryLema

When we say those marvelous three words, “Jesus is LORD,” we mean “Jesus is GOD.” Jesus Himself told us what that means for us.

In Jesus’ final words to His disciples, He gave them this declaration, command, and accompanying promise. “All authority has been given to Me in heaven and on earth. Go, therefore, and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe everything I have commanded you. And remember, I am with you always, to the end of the age.” [Matthew 28:18-20 HCSB]

The command is to “Go, therefore ….” The “therefore” refers back to the declaration that “all authority” has been given to Christ Jesus our LORD. There is no way we can make disciples or baptize people in the name of the Father, Son and Holy Spirit, without the delegated authority that resides in Christ Jesus. Because He is God, we can “Go, make disciples, and baptize.”

Then there is the promise that Jesus our LORD will be with us always, clear to the end of the age. Only God can be with all of us, with each of us, to the end of the age.

When we make it personal, and acknowledge that “Jesus is my LORD,” we are committing ourselves to obeying and submitting to His authority.

As we do that, we acknowledge that He owns us and that He has the right to tell us what to do. Amen.

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Jesus is LORD

by TerryLema

There is so much depth in the three words, “Jesus is LORD.” How we walk our walk, how we live our Christian life is wrapped around them.

In Romans 10:9 Jesus’ lordship along with His resurrection set the parameters for our salvation. “If you confess with your mouth, ‘Jesus is Lord,’ and believe in your heart that God raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.” [HCSB]

Look at that verse again. Look at what is set out as the way to salvation. First, we confess with our mouth that Jesus is LORD/GOD. That flows out of a belief held firm in our hearts that God raised Him from the dead. Then we are saved.

Look at that verse again and think about what we often focus on when we bring a sinner to the altar to be saved. We ask them to accept Jesus as Savior.

Telling people to “accept Jesus as Savior” seems to me to fall far short of what we should be telling them.  Should we not be telling them that they must completely and expressly surrender to the LORDship of Christ Jesus over the entirety of their lives?

Maybe I am wrong, I often am. But if I am right that we need to emphasize the LORDship of Christ Jesus, perhaps then we would have fewer lukewarm Christians and less struggling ones when Jesus Himself emphasizes His LORDship.

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LORD and CHRIST

by TerryLema

It is interesting to me that a moment of doubt gave enlightenment and revelation.  Following the resurrection of Christ, all the disciples had seen Jesus, except for one—Thomas. When the disciples told Thomas that Jesus had been in their midst, he did not believe them and expressed his doubt.  “If I don’t see the mark of the nails in His hands, put my finger into the mark of the nails, and put my hand into His side, I will never believe!” [John 20:25 HCSB]

A long eight days later, Jesus once again appeared and invited Thomas to see and touch Him in exactly the way Thomas said he must do in order to believe.  Thomas simply said, “My LORD and my God.” [John 20:28 HCSB]

Up until that acknowledgement, the title lord described someone with authority or control over others. It meant a master or ruler of some kind and in Jesus’ day the title lord was often used simply as a title of respect toward earthly authorities.

After Thomas’ declaration following the resurrection, Lord became much more than a title of honor and respect. It became a way of declaring Jesus’ deity. The Jews anticipated a Messiah sent by God, but they never expected that Messiah or Christ to be God.

From the moment Thomas uttered, “My LORD and my God!” the apostles’ carried the message that Jesus is God.  A few weeks later on the Day of Pentecost, Peter declared “Therefore let all the house of Israel know with certainty that God has made this Jesus, whom you crucified, both Lord and Messiah!” [Acts 2:36 HCSB]

CHRIST/MESSIAH (SAVIOR). LORD (GOD). If we acknowledge Jesus as our Savior, we acknowledge Jesus as our LORD (GOD). You can’t have one without the other!  And that has deep implications for how we walk this Christian walk.

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An Ugly Sin

by TerryLema

Sin is ugly. Sin is birthed in our fallen nature. It progresses until it leads to death. James tells us “Each person is tempted when he is drawn away and enticed by his own evil desires. Then after desire has conceived, it gives birth to sin, and when sin is fully grown, it gives birth to death.” [1:14-15 HCSB]

Most of us are aware of sin. If asked we can list them, murder, lying, adultery, and other such, but there is one especially ugly sin that seldom gets listed or even remembered.  Jesus warned us about it.

“He then told them, ‘Watch out and be on guard against all greed [covetousness] because one’s life is not in the abundance of his possessions.’” [Luke 12:15 HCSB]

Greed or covetousness as it is rendered in other translations, comes from the Greek word “pleonexia.” That is an ugly word describing an ugly sin that is often overlooked. Pleonexia is “the insatiable desire to have what rightfully belongs to others.”

Covetousness is ruthless. It arrogantly assumes that people and things are there for our own benefit.  It also puts our own self-interest in the place of God, so it is linked to idolatry.  [Colossians 3:5]

Christians, however, are to shift the intention of their lives from self-interest to God-interest. We are to put to death the things in our lives that block that from happening, whatever they may be. We are to turn away from anything that keeps us from fully surrendering or obeying our LORD and Savior Christ Jesus.

Be on the lookout for those “covetousness” self-interest things in life that draw us away from being transformed into the image of Jesus.

 

 

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