Past Devotions

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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Graciousness

by TerryLema

I was reading the closing chapter in that marvelous letter written to the Philippians. Many verses in that chapter are familiar and I hear them quoted often as words to live by.

Two examples are Vs 4: “Rejoice in the Lord always. I will say it again: Rejoice!” and Vs 6: “Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, let your requests be made known to God.” [HCSB]

As I read that paragraph, I realized there is a verse between those two—one that I do not see quoted as often.  Vs 5: “Let your graciousness be known to everyone. The Lord is near.” [HCSB]

Some translations render the word “graciousness” as “gentleness.”  It is “epieikés” and it means gentle, mild, forbearing, fair, reasonable, moderate.

We live in a difficult time and amid a harsh society. Everything and everyone are dissected in the media and on social media. The national news I watch spends 29 of its 30 minutes on what is bad, and 1 minute on something good. I don’t think the ratio is really that one-sided, but good news doesn’t sell.

Social media is also often cruel. It is so easy to be snarky (something I can be guilty of at times), and so easy to even be nasty and vicious. We look for the worst and delight when we find it. Then we broadcast it to others.

As Christians, we are commanded to be gracious and gentle to others. The command carries no caveat. It does not matter the behavior of “others,” everyone is to be a recipient of our graciousness and gentleness. The reason: “The LORD is near.”

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Will He Find Faith

by TerryLema

Following Jesus’ discourse in Luke 17 on the signs of the coming of the kingdom, Chapter 18 begins with the Parable of the Persistent Widow.  Jesus explains in verse one why He is telling them that parable. “He then told a parable on the need to pray always and not become discouraged.” 

The widow in the parable was tenacious in her request for justice. She kept coming to an “unjust” judge until he became tired of her persistence and granted her request. By comparison, Jesus reminded His listeners that when they are persistent in their prayer to cry out to our “just” God, He is swift to respond.

“Will not God grant justice to His elect who cry out to Him day and night? Will He delay to help them? I tell you that He will swiftly grant them justice.” [vs 7-8a HCSB]

It is, however, how He ends the parable that caught my attention.  “Nevertheless, when the Son of Man comes, will He find that faith on the earth?” [vs 8b HCSB]

That question really takes us back to the signs of the coming of the kingdom that ends Chapter 17.  That is a time of difficulties, struggles, and distress as was found in the times of Noah and of Lot. It is a time of apostasy when the faith of many will grow cold.

When that time comes, will the LORD Jesus find the kind of faith possessed by that widow? The way the question is phrased, it suggests that on a broad scale, the answer is “no.”

However, God has always had a remnant who are true to Him. While we wait for His return, each one of us should be stirred to develop the kind of faith that cries out to God night and day.

LORD, help us to be persistent in our praying and tenacious in our faith. Amen.

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Renews Their Strength

by TerryLema

Ah, the end of Isaiah 40 is so very glorious. Most of us know the words, maybe even memorized them. We even sing songs to proclaim their wonderful truths.

“Youths may faint and grow weary, and young men stumble and fall, but those who trust in the Lord will renew their strength; they will soar on wings like eagles; they will run and not grow weary; they will walk and not faint.” [Isaiah 40:30-31 HCSB]

The NKJV renders part of the verse in a more familiar way, “But those who wait on the Lord shall renew their strength….” 

“Trust in” or “wait on” are not that different. To wait you usually have to trust and trusting often involves waiting.

The promise is that those who trust in the LORD as they wait upon Him, will find their strength renewed by the LORD Himself, so much so that they will soar and run and walk supernaturally.

To soar and run and walk supernaturally does not mean we become like the superheroes that seem so popular in our culture.  It means that when the world tells us to quiet and sit down, the LORD empowers us to keep walking. When the enemy attempts to ground us and make us irrelevant, the LORD provides the strength to rise above his tactics and soar on the winds of the Spirit of God. When circumstances try to crush us, the LORD Himself provides the power to run and not grow weary with life.

The chapter that began with “Comfort, comfort My People!” ends with supernatural power and stamina provided by God Himself. Now that’s true comfort! Amen!

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Weary & Weak

by TerryLema

I have been working hard to strengthen my physical body and increase my stamina. Years of pain and fatigue from immune diseases and lately from a bout with a virus have stolen my physical strength and endurance. I do not want to be confined to a lounge chair. I want to do my worship walks again and have enough energy to enjoy life beyond the confines of my house.

I work hard to walk a little farther, lift a bit more, move more frequently. But there are still times, like last Saturday when all I want to do is sit. Fatigue sets in and it seems my whole body just hurts.

I find also that as I deal with the pain and fatigue in my physical body, it saps my emotional and spiritual energy as well. Pain demands attention. It seeks to rule.

So I went looking for Scriptures about strength and ended up walking through Isaiah 40.  “’Comfort, comfort My people,’ says your God.”

 As I finished the chapter, I sensed the presence of God. I felt His everlasting arms embrace me. The comfort we need for all of life is resident within the LORD.

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding. He gives strength to the weary and strengthens the powerless.” [Isaiah 40:28-29 HCSB]

It is Yahweh, the LORD, who gives strength to the weary and power to the powerless. The pain and fatigue in my body may not go away, but the LORD renews my spirit. He fills me with His strength to overcome the weariness and His power to overcome the weakness. Pain no longer rules.

Comfort, comfort My People! Amen

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Comfort

by TerryLema

I meandered into Isaiah 40 the other day. Not sure how I got there. I think I was looking for scriptures on strength and suddenly Isaiah 40 popped up in my online concordance. It took me to verse 29 but I decided to read the whole chapter first.

God announces to Isaiah in the first verse the theme of His message, “’Comfort, comfort My people,’ says your God” and comfort is exactly what I found there.

“See, the Lord God comes with strength, and His power establishes His rule. His reward is with Him, and His gifts accompany Him.” [vs 10 HCSB]

“Do you not know? Have you not heard? Yahweh is the everlasting God, the Creator of the whole earth. He never grows faint or weary; there is no limit to His understanding.” [vs 28 HCSB]

Comfort is resident in the LORD God Almighty. He alone rules. He is the everlasting God. He is the Creator. There is no weakness in Him. He is omnipresent, omniscient, omnipotent and He loves us.

There is little comfort in this world and what is there is tenuous and fleeting. As we watch the “signs of the times” we find a hint of the soon return of our Lord Christ Jesus. If we are judging correctly in that, we know that things here in this world are not going to get better or easier. They are not going to return to what they once were. They are only going to get worse and more difficult.

We may shore up nations, economies, and societies for a brief time, but eventually they will crash, and we will witness the LORD God Almighty establish His rule by His power. His everlasting kingdom will come, and all will bow the knee to Him.

Comfort, comfort My People! Amen

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Amid the Struggle

by TerryLema

I came back from my walk one day last week.  I was tired from the walk, tired of sore knees and sore back and sore neck, tired of having to struggle so hard to gain back the strength and stamina I lost over the last three years. So much of life is a struggle. Whether we are young or growing old, male or female, rich or poor, there are enough struggles in this life for all of us.

My playlist was still playing on my phone as I sat in my big lounge chair to rest a bit. I put my head back just as “Jesus Loves Me” by Marshall Hall started. I just sat there and let the words of the song flow over me, nourishing my soul. I was reminded that through every struggle, through every difficulty, and when life is not fair, still Jesus loves me.

“Jesus loves me, this I know, for the Bible tells me so. Little ones to Him belong. They are weak, but He is strong.”

 “Jesus loves me, He who died. Heaven’s gates to open wide. And He will wash away all our sins, and let His little child come in.”

 Jesus loves me. Those words are so simple and yet … they may be the strongest, most glorious, words in the history of the cosmos. Jesus loves me, even though I do not deserve that love!

“Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. Yes, Jesus loves me. The Bible tells me so.”

I’ve published this link before, but if you are struggling, child of God, take a minute and let the words of this song just wash over your heart and soul.  Let the Spirit of God nourish your soul as you listen.

Gaither Vocal Band - Jesus Loves Me [Live] - YouTube
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Strong and Courageous

by TerryLema

The opening chapter of Joshua is so rich with truths. Four times in Joshua 1 God reminds Joshua to be strong and courageous.  This was after Moses telling Joshua the same thing twice in Deuteronomy. [Joshua 1:6, 7, 9, 18; Deuteronomy 31:7, 23]

The reason Joshua could be strong and courageous was because God promised to be with him wherever He went as He took the Promised Land.

The reason Joshua would need to be strong and courageous is found in Chapter 1:16-17 when the people responded. “Everything you have commanded us we will do, and everywhere you send us we will go.  We will obey you, just as we obeyed Moses in everything.” [HCSB]

The people’s response to Joshua always makes me laugh. It must have made Joshua cringe remembering how not-so-great they were at obeying Moses.

Joshua had been given a difficult task. He had to take over for a powerful leader, Moses. And the people who were to take the Promised Land were the children of those who had participated in the Exodus from Egypt. While young and strong, they had not seen the marvelous miracle working power of God in the plagues or the parting of the Red Sea.

The task in front of Joshua was enormous, but God reminded Joshua that He would be with Him just as He was with Moses. That would be enough for Joshua.

The task before us is often enormous, but Jesus reminded us that He would be with us even to the end of the age. That is enough for us. [Matthew 28:20]

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Never Been This Way Before

by TerryLema

I was watching an invocation by an ‘old’ woman (a couple years younger than me). It was at a conference for a home health agency. When she finished the prayer, she stayed at the mic and then told the attendees a few things they needed to know about ‘old’ people. The one that made me laugh, and think, was that they needed to have a bit of patience since getting ‘old’ was something she had not done before—and got to way too fast.

As I was reading this morning in the Book of Joshua, I came to a passage that reminded me about what she said.

“When you see the ark of the covenant of the Lord your God, and the Levitical priests carrying it, you are to move out from your positions and follow it.  Then you will know which way to go, since you have never been this way before.” [Joshua 3:3-4 NIV]

Joshua told the nation that when they saw the Ark (the presence of the LORD) moving, they were to follow it.  That was the only way they would know which way to go since they had “never been this way before.”

Right now—getting old and retiring from active ministry—is a way I have never been before, but much of life is that way. Whether it is a major or even minor life change or a new set of circumstances, obstacles, or triumphs, often those are things we have never experienced before.

The children of Israel were reminded to move with the Ark. When it set out, they were to follow; when it stopped, they were to stop. As Christians, to survive and thrive we need to stay close to the presence of the LORD and follow His lead, because most of life is going to take us to places we have never been before.

Lead me, LORD. Amen.

 

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