Past Devotions

Personal Pursuit

by TerryLema

I have been trying to clean my house a little at a time, as well as throwing or giving things away that I have not used over the years.  That also means cleaning out my bookshelves.

Most of the books I want to keep are on my Kindle now. I just pull them up wherever I am and can read them as often as I want. As I was cleaning, however, I found a precious book that I bought in 1982.  The pages are brown and getting more brown by the year.  Some are torn and taped together.  It has highlights and underlines.  It looks almost as bad as some of my Bibles!

The book is A. W. Tozer’s “The Pursuit of God.”  I read it first in Bible College and I’ve read it again and again and again since.  It is a small book, only 127 tiny paperback pages. It was first written in 1948 but it speaks volumes to us today.   If you have never read it, all I can say is, you should.

Next to the Bible, this book changed my life more than anything else I have ever read.  The introduction states that, “Perhaps the continued usefulness of this book can be attributed to the writer’s greatest spiritual discovery that to seek God does not narrow one’s life, but brings it, rather, to the level of highest possible fulfillment.”

Tozer makes a stunning pronouncement in his preface to the book.  He wrote, “For it is not mere words that nourish the soul, but God Himself, and unless and until the hearers find God in personal experience they are not the better for having heard the truth.”

 Scripture is very clear.  We are to seek God, and we will be rewarded when we do. If we want our life to be the fullest God has intended for us, it has to be more than words, it has to be personal experience in the pursuit of God.

Matt 6:33:  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness.  

Luke 12:31: But seek his kingdom, and these things will be given to you as well. 

Acts 17:27:  God did this so that men would seek him and perhaps reach out for him and find him, though he is not far from each one of us. 

Heb 11:6:  He rewards those who earnestly seek him.   

Ps 27:4:  One thing I ask of the LORD, this is what I seek: that I may dwell in the house of the LORD all the days of my life, to gaze upon the beauty of the LORD and to seek him in his temple. 

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Leave Nothing to Chance

by TerryLema

I have been trying to walk more and get some of my strength and stamina back.  Spring and Autumn are my two favorite seasons for walking, no ice on the sidewalk and not blast-furnace hot!

Springtime always reminds me that God doesn’t leave anything to chance. Spend some time observing God’s creation and you will see that is a true statement.

Take a drive through the mountains, walk along the ocean’s shore, hike in the forest, and see the countless beauty.  Look at the varieties of birds, see the colors and forms of the flora, survey the back of a single leaf, catch a sunrise and you can only imagine what it must have been like before God’s creation was maimed by man’s sin.

I love to watch people.  The skin colors, the shapes of eyes and noses and ears, the beauty of children from various ethnic groups all speak of God’s amazing love.  I love to visit zoos and see God’s whimsy in the animals from around the world.  I love to pet a puppy’s nose or touch a kitten’s ears.  God has left nothing to chance in His Creation, all have been formed by His wisdom and wonder.

He has also left nothing to chance in His children.  He promises that He will fulfill His purpose in us according to His counsel.  Yes, we are saved but even more, we are being conformed to the image of His Son Jesus. [Romans 8:29]

We have the promise that by the same wisdom and counsel that created all these marvelous things of beauty that we enjoy, He will work in us.  We too will obtain an inheritance, one that is untainted by sin, and we shall become and fulfil the purpose He has for us.  We are even more beautiful to Him than the loveliest of sunrises or massive oceans or the stars in the night sky.

No, God doesn’t leave even us to chance!

“In Him also we have obtained an inheritance, being predestined according to the purpose of Him who works all things according to the counsel of His will.”  [Eph 1:11 NKJV]

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Not Like the Rest

by TerryLema

Our Journey Through Loss class finished last Thursday.  The class finished; unfortunately, the mourning did not.  A new class will most likely begin in the fall with the school year.  In the meantime, the pain in the hearts of those who attended will still be there.  Hopefully, this class helped by teaching us a few things about pain, grief, and mourning.

If someone were to ask me what my most precious ministry would be, it would be with the dying and grieving. There is a special place in my heart for those who experience loss.  I loved my hospice ministry with the dying. I love supporting those who are left behind and must make a journey no one wants to make.

I think as a culture we are not very good at understanding grief and mourning.  As a church, we haven’t been much better.  I remember how often I heard people quote 1 Thessalonians 4:13 as a reprimand at someone who showed signs of grief after loss.

“We do not want you to be uninformed, brothers, concerning those who are asleep, so that you will not grieve like the rest, who have no hope.” [HCSB]

This verse has often been misquoted as “we do not grieve,” with the “like the rest who have no hope” part left out. Yes, we do not grieve like the rest, but we do grieve.  We grieve like those who have hope!  We have a hope that when we die, we will join those who have already gone into the presence of the LORD.  And if the LORD returns before that happens, well, that’s going to be an amazing in-the-clouds reunion.

“For the Lord Himself will descend from heaven with a shout with the archangel’s voice, and with the trumpet of God, and the dead in Christ will rise first.  Then we who are still alive will be caught up together with them in the clouds to meet the Lord in the air and so we will always be with the Lord.  Therefore encourage one another with these words.”  [1 Thessalonians 4:16-18 HCSB]

 

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It Looked Just Fine

by TerryLema

The Saturday before Easter I decided the house just had to be cleaned. The kitchen floor was sticky, the carpet needed vacuumed and there was dust on every surface.  Bob usually vacuums and I usually dust and mop, only for some reason we decided to switch that morning. He mopped floors and I vacuumed.

I was halfway through one room when I noticed that the vacuum kept spitting back a small piece of paper over and over.  I decided to check what was wrong – the dust collector was empty, and the brushes had been moving just fine. The motor was running loudly like always. The carpet even looked like it had been hit with a vacuum.  Still that one piece of paper kept reappearing.

Further investigation determined that the vacuum had lost its vacuum. It no longer sucked up the dirt, dust, or debris.  It just ran over the carpet and redeposited all that back into the carpet.  I wondered how long it had been that way. How often did Bob use it without noticing that it wasn’t actually cleaning anything?  After all it made all the right noises, left all the right brush ridges in the carpet.  It looked just fine, except … except it had lost its primary purpose.  It’s a vacuum, it’s supposed to vacuum!

That made me wonder about our primary purpose.  What is it? Have we lost sight of it?  The OT is clear that we are to “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength.”  [Deuteronomy 6:5 HSCB]

Jesus added one other component. He said, “Love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, with all your mind, and with all your strength.”  [Mark 12:30 HCSB]

I often remind us of God’s love for us with its unconditional and “unstoppable” attributes (as Pastor Laura from The Way Middleton reminded us on Easter Sunday).  It is important for our spiritual well-being to remember God’s love.  It is also vitally important to remember our primary purpose – to love God with all, ALL, our heart, soul, strength, and mind. That is what we were created to do.

I will admit I sometimes lose sight of that with everything going on around me on a daily basis.  And when I do, I may look just fine on the outside, but inside I’m like that broken vacuum that seems fine but is not doing what it was designed to do.

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Your Kingdom Come

by TerryLema

The other day a “memory” came up on my Facebook page.  It was a memory about the part of The Lord’s Prayer that says, “Your Kingdom Come.”  It was a reminder that our God is on the throne today.  [Matthew 6:10]

The memory came on the same day there was an article on my online news page where a Russian Foreign Minister discussed the specific circumstances where Putin might use nuclear weapons as part of his war against Ukraine. Scary stuff.

We are to be praying for God’s Kingdom to come. Let us not, however, fall into the mistaken belief that God is waiting off somewhere to assume the Throne and Reign over all. That has never been the issue. Our God is on the Throne today, as He has been since eternity past and will be into eternity future. There is no argument, there is no challenge to His reign that will succeed. He rules over what He created. Man may not like the idea. Man may fight against His reign. But that changes naught. Our God is still on the Throne.

One of the greatest tributes to the reign of God is the Hallelujah Chorus from Handel’s Messiah. Once cannot listen to that chorus without sensing just a smidgen of what it must be like to hear those words sung in the heavenlies. Handel used the words from Revelation 19:6: “And I heard, as it were, the voice of a great multitude, as the sound of many waters and as the sound of mighty thunderings, saying, ‘Alleluia! For the Lord God Omnipotent reigns!’” [NKJV]

If you are worried about a nuclear war today – let me remind you, “The LORD God Omnipotent Reigns!”

If you are worried about inflation today – let me remind you, “The LORD God Omnipotent Reigns!”

If you are worried about your health, your family, your relationships, your finances – let me remind you, “The LORD God Omnipotent Reigns!”

If you are worried about this country’s future today – let me remind you, “The LORD God Omnipotent Reigns!”

If you are just worried today – let me remind you, “The LORD God Omnipotent Reigns!”

Take a moment and revive your soul – listen to possibly the greatest piece of music ever written:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IUZEtVbJT5c
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No Inflation Here

by TerryLema

I did two things this past week that shocked me.  I filled my small car with gas and then bought groceries.  Inflation is shocking.  I paid more this week for gas and more this week for groceries and got the same amounts of both as I did just a little while ago.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that in March 2022 inflation hit 8.5 percent.  Annual inflation is the highest since December 1981. Everyone is talking about it; everyone is trying to figure out what is causing it and what to do about it. Almost every news report devotes time to it.

So, on my walk last week, while still a bit stunned by my recent purchases, God dropped a song – and a thought – into my mind and heart.  I began to sing the first verse from the song, “Thank You for the Cross, LORD.”

“Thank You for The Cross, Lord, Thank You for The Price You Paid. Bearing All My Sin and Shame, In Love You Came
and Gave Amazing Grace.”

As I sang, I thought about what Peter said about the price Christ Jesus paid.   “For you know that you were redeemed from your empty way of life inherited from the fathers, not with perishable things like silver or gold, but with the precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without defect or blemish.” [1 Peter 1:18-19 HCSB]

Gas, groceries, rent, heating fuel, clothes, homes, cars and just about every commodity is subject to inflation – even when we cannot identify the source(s).

But the greatest of all things – salvation – was paid for once and for all by the most glorious sacrifice given, the precious blood of God’s Son, Christ Jesus our LORD.  The price never changes, there is no inflation that can affect it.  It has been paid for all eternity.

“Thank you for the cross, LORD, thank you for the price (Your most precious blood) You paid, bearing all my sin and shame.”

 

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This I know

by TerryLema

I was entering one of my favorite songs in the online program a few days ago, “Jesus Loves Me,” by Chris Tomlin. I came to the line in the song which always (alway!) makes me cry tears of gratitude.  The line is found in the chorus. “Jesus, He loves me, He loves me.  Jesus, how can it be? He loves me, He is for me.”

The very next morning, my email contained a reminder that on the cross, “God With Us,” became “God For Us,” by giving up His life for us.

In high school I got in with a couple girls that were not good influences (looking back maybe I was the bad influence?). We got in a bunch of trouble. We smoked (even in the school bathrooms), drank, cut school, snuck out at night, even took an overnight trip on a bus to LA (not smart), etc.

These girls were with me throughout my senior year, but while they were almost always with me, I cannot say that either was for me. Neither wanted what was best for me, and honestly, I did not really want what was best for them. I just wanted them to keep me company in my sin.

We know that God has always been “for” us, that is why Jesus came to be “with” us. God’s love for His creation was not to be denied, even in the face of mankind’s rebellion and rejection.

Jesus came, not to be with me in my sin, but to become my sin and remove it far from.  Jesus wanted (and did) what was for my best.  For that, I am filled with gratitude.

I can sing with David, “This I know: God is for me.” [Psalm 56:9 HCSB]

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Grunt Work

by TerryLema

I volunteered for a bit of what might be called “grunt work” for The Way Middleton.  “Grunt work” is defined as jobs that either lack glamour and prestige or are boring and repetitive. The Pastor and the Worship Leader needed all their worship and praise music entered into a new online program. It means moving a lot of songs from a Word document into the site.

Neither Pastor Laura nor Doug had the extra time to get it done so I volunteered.  I figured I have plenty of time, am semi-computer literate, and to be honest, I am a bit bored. Doug put all the music on a flash drive and gave it to me at church so I could get started.

I started about a week or so ago.  After a few problems figuring out things on the online program, I started entering music, words with guitar chords. I soon discovered this project is anything but boring! As I type the words and chords into the program, I sing the songs in my mind and in my heart and I am blessed! Sometimes I see something that simply makes me stop and think or stop and worship.

I was entering the song, “At the Cross, Your Love Ran Red,” by Chris Tomlin. As I came to the chorus I had to stop and think about what it meant to me.  “At the cross …. Where Your love ran red and my sins washed white …. I owe all to You, Jesus.”

The blackness of my sins and all the stains they left on my soul were made white by the blood of Christ Jesus. His blood “ran red” down that cross and washed me white as snow.  I do owe it all to Him.

“But if we walk in the light as He Himself is in the light, we have fellowship with one another, and the blood of Jesus His Son cleanses us from all sin.” [1 John 1:7 HCSB]

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The Day of Previous Things

by TerryLema

The 2022 Masters Golf Tournament was played at Augusta National April 7 to 10. Usually, the field consists of around 90 to 100 golfers.  There was one winner. His name is Scottie Scheffler. He came in ranked number one in the world.

You would think it not surprising that the number one golfer in the world would win one of the biggest and toughest tournaments in the golf year, but it was just 57 days prior that Scheffler had his first win on the PGA Tour. (He now has four wins in his last six starts.)

There was, however, another golfer on the tour who seemed to get much more attention than Scheffler from both the media and the crowd. His name is Tiger Woods. He has been the number one golfer in the world multiple times. He has won The Masters five times; his first victory in 1997.

This time the attention on Tiger was anchored in his recovery from a car accident that nearly took his right leg. It was uncertain that he would be able to walk; it was extremely uncertain that he would be able to play golf again.  But he came back, and his bravery garnered most of the interest on the course.

Woods was honest about his pain.  It was noticeable at times that he was limping and even using a golf club like some of us use a cane. But he persevered. Making the cut he played all four days. By the end, the strain of pain was evident on his face. His score was nothing to speak of, yet his courage won the day.

So many of us live with daily, chronic pain. Some of it is the physical pain which often accompanies aging. Some of it is the pain of specific diseases or conditions. Sometimes the pain is not physical, but emotional. We suffer loss and that pain never truly leaves us.

As I watched Tiger Woods walk Augusta National in pain, I was reminded of a promise of God to those who love Him. It is found in that last, marvelous, victorious book of Scripture.  “He will wipe away every tear from their eyes. Death will no longer exist; grief, crying, and pain will exist no longer, because the previous things have passed away.” [Revelation 21:4 HCSB]

Now we are living in the day of “the previous things,” but, there is coming a time, beloved, when “grief, crying, and pain” will be banished forever.

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Experience

by TerryLema

I love reading the Book of Psalms. People often say to me that they need to “learn” how to worship. My response has always been, “Read the Book of Psalms. Read it not only with your mind, read that book with your heart.”

The Book of Psalms leads us into worship. It teaches us that we can express the deepest desires, fears, and even doubts in our hearts. It teaches us that God hears us, and loves us, and responds to us in His faithfulness whether we are soaring or barely crawling through life. It teaches us that when we focus our attention on Him, we can be victorious in all things.

It teaches us something else also, and I saw that this morning as I was reading David’s Cry for Help in Psalm 143. The New King James Version renders verse 8 as: “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning, For in You do I trust.”  

I have an online program which allows me to read other translations, so I looked up Psalm 143 in what is rapidly becoming my favorite, the Holman Christian Standard Bible translation.  It reads: “Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You.”  

“Let me experience Your faithful love…”  Experience. We are to experience (which means practical contact or encounter with) God’s lovingkindness (faithful love).

David understood that to “hear” God is to “experience” God. Each morning David anticipated an encounter with God’s faithful lovingkindness – no matter what his enemies might be planning for him that day. That, beloved, is worship in its humblest form.

May you “experience” Him today. Amen.

 

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