Past Devotions

Show Me!

by TerryLema

Psalm 143 is David’s cry for help as he thinks about the enemies that surround him. Midway through the song, David turns to God and utters six two-word requests. We looked at the first one yesterday, “love me.”

Assured that God will answer his request to experience God’s love in the morning, David goes on. His second request is “show me.” In that request, David expresses his longing for God.

“Reveal to me the way I should go because I long for You.” [vs 8b HCSB]

Show me the way I should go.  Once we are made aware and experience God’s love for us, that prompts us to want more of God. We begin to long to be close to Him.

To be close to God requires that we do His will as it is revealed to us in both the written Scriptures and through the illumination of the Holy Spirit.  1 Corinthians 2 reminds us that spiritual things cannot be understood with natural abilities, they must be revealed to us by the Holy Spirit.

“Now God has revealed these things to us by the Spirit, for the Spirit searches everything, even the depths of God. For who among men knows the thoughts of a man except the spirit of the man that is in him? In the same way, no one knows the thoughts of God except the Spirit of God.”  [vs 10-11 HCSB]

We must lean on the Spirit of God in our daily lives, listening for His direction and voice. He alone can give us spiritual knowledge to discern what is happening in our individual lives, in our nation, in our churches. He alone will give us the wisdom to follow our LORD and Savior, doing His will and embracing His attitudes.

As we experience God’s love every morning, let it be accompanied with a prayer for the Holy Spirit to lead and guide us through our day.

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Love Me

by TerryLema

I am not sure how I was directed to Psalm 143 recently, but as I read through it, I was captured by David’s thoughts.  In my Bible it is titled, “A Cry for Help,” and in the first seven verses David outlines the attack of the enemy and his own weakness and dismay.

Then in verse 8 there is a re-focus on the LORD (something David does often). From there until the end of the song, David lists his prayer requests, which we could outline with just two words each.  There are six of those two-word phrases. The first is “love me.”

“Let me experience Your faithful love in the morning, for I trust in You.” [vs 8a HCSB]

The NKJV version renders it, “Cause me to hear Your lovingkindness in the morning,” and the NIV says it this way, “Let the morning bring me word of your unfailing love.” But I like the way the Holman translates it, “Let me experience Your faithful love.”

The Bible is quite clear that God loves us. In fact, the Bible is God’s unconditional love story for His creation from beginning to end. Repeatedly we are told about God’s love and how it is so different from the way the world loves, but none of that matters until we experience it.

When God’s love becomes real to us as individuals it changes everything. It gives us worth, purpose, and a future. To know we are loved by the Almighty Creator, not just as a part of “mankind,” but as individuals is the greatest experience we can have.

God knows me. God loves me. To wake up each morning with that thought should make each day the best ever!

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Praise!

by TerryLema

For over a year now I have battled two chronic autoimmune diseases. I am praying and hoping for remission for both so I can go back to just battling my diabetes and aging. (Smile!)  I have good days and I have not-so-good days. There are times when everything hurts and times when just some things hurt. Pain and fatigue seem to be my constant companions.

There is usually one time each day where I do not sense either pain or fatigue. Right before I get out of bed each morning is usually pain and fatigue free. I stay there for a little while appreciating those moments.  I praise God for that brief time when I feel normal, knowing it will likely not carry over into my upcoming day.

The writer of Hebrews has one last “let us” phrase that I often think about. He calls praise “a sacrifice.”

“Therefore, through Him let us continually offer up to God a sacrifice of praise, that is, the fruit of our lips that confess His name.” [Hebrews 13:15 HCSB]

For me, praising God has always been a blessed experience. I love to worship my Savior and to sing and shout His praises – not just in church but around the house or when I walk. I have praised Him in sunshine and in the shadows of life. I never considered it a sacrifice to praise Him, just a gracious and loving experience.

I never thought much about it being a sacrifice until these past months when almost every day I have been challenged with fatigue or pain. Some days I just want to sigh, or cry, or hide. Instead, I know my Savior is calling me to praise. He understands that it will require a sacrifice to do so, but He also knows that praising Him will lift me into His Presence. There I will find the strength and peace I so desperately need.

So yes, there are times when praising becomes a sacrifice. And in those times, it also becomes our lifeline to the One who loves us most. Amen & Amen.

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Waiting!

by TerryLema

“Therefore, since we also have such a large cloud of witnesses surrounding us, let us lay aside every weight and the sin that so easily ensnares us. Let us run with endurance the race that lies before us.” [Hebrews 12:1 HCSB]

If there is a “let us” phrase in Hebrews that describes the past year (2020), it just might be this one … “let us run with endurance….”

Endurance.  The word is “hupomone” and means a cheerful or hopeful fortitude or constancy. It also carries the idea of waiting.

Endurance might also be the word in Hebrews that best describes the year in front of us (2021), especially that “waiting” part.  We are waiting to see if things are going to get better, stay the same, or get worse. We are waiting for politicians on both sides to get their acts together. We are waiting to see if the vaccine works. We are waiting to see how badly small businesses have been affected by the shut-down. We are waiting … and probably not as cheerfully as we might.

Waiting is a part of life.  It is something about which we often have no choice. We wait in lines, on freeways, in offices. We wait for good things to happen, such as the birth of a child. We wait and watch as not-so-good things happen.

It is not the waiting that determines our maturity – it is how we wait that will determine if we grow in spiritual maturity or if we allow the flesh to rule.

We must learn to wait with cheerful and hopeful endurance, fortitude, commitment. If we do that, we will “go on to maturity!”

 

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A Good Jab!

by TerryLema

Yesterday we were reminded in Hebrews 10:23 that we need to hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering. As Christians, we have a solid and secure certainty of God’s care. The writer of Hebrews tells us that “He who promised is faithful.”

There is no better way to begin a new year than to be reminded of God’s love for us.  We are loved by the Almighty Creator of the Universe! He knows us individually, all our thoughts are open to Him, all our ways are known. Still, He loves and cares for us.

That love that goes vertically, between our Father God and us, is open to us because of the work that Jesus Christ our Savior did on the cross. But we must also remember that while the cross reaches vertically from us to God, it also reaches horizontally from us to the world.

Right after the writer of Hebrews tells us to hold on to the confession of our hope, he also tells us that we must care for others.  “And let us be concerned about one another in order to promote love and good works.” [Hebrews 10:24]

Our relationship with our faithful God is not exclusive.  There is an old song titled “Jesus and Me.” Catchy title, but there is far more to this Christian experience than “Jesus and Me.” It truly is “Jesus and We!”

We are to promote love and good works in one another. That little word translated as “promote” in verse 24 in the Holman Christian Standard Bible literally means to “jab someone so they must respond.”

Every now and again we all need a little “jab” to get moving again in the right direction!

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A Hope Without Wavering

by TerryLema

If there is one “let us” phrase in the Book of Hebrews that stands out as we begin 2021, it may be this one:

“Let us hold on to the confession of our hope without wavering, for He who promised is faithful.” [Hebrews 10:23 HCSB]

As Christians, we are called upon to hold on to the confession of our hope – without wavering. If there is one dynamic quality of Christianity, it is hope.  Our hope is secured by the One who is faithful to fulfill all – yes ALL – His promises.

We have the promise of salvation. We have the promise of everlasting life in the Presence of God Almighty. We have the promise of new bodies, of sin and temptation being dealt with forever. We have the promise of an inheritance in the saints. We have the promise of God’s abiding Presence and Attention with us now. We have the promise of being predestined to being conformed to the image of God’s Dear Son. We have the guarantee of all those promises in the Holy Spirit who was given to us at the moment of our surrender to Christ.

Because all those promises are anchored in God, who is forever faithful, we have a confession of hope that goes beyond the norm. To many, hope is merely wishful thinking. To the Christian, hope is certain and assured.

We have no idea what 2021 will hold for any of us. The world is “hoping” it will be better than 2020 but has no assurance that it will.  But whatever 2021 holds for us, beloved, we have a “confession of hope” that God will be with us, will guide us, will empower us, will keep us in His loving care.

Let us hold on to that confession of hope without wavering. It is our testimony to a world without hope! Amen.

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Draw Near

by TerryLema

There are lots of things on my mind as I approach this new year. To begin with, I have five doctor appointments in the month of January that will demand my attention. There are things at church in the first few months, board meetings and an annual business meeting that will also require consideration. Then, of course, there is also that pursuit of spiritual maturity I wrote about yesterday. I should also mention the virus-and-fear pandemic which probably will not disappear quickly despite the dispensing of the vaccine.

You probably could also make a list of things that demand your attention and tap into your energy. So how do we balance what we must do with what we should do?

One of the “let us” phrases found in the Book of Hebrews reminds us of a resource we often forget.  It is found in Hebrews 10.  “Since we have a great high priest over the house of God, let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith.” [Hebrews 10:21-22 HCSB]

We have a High Priest … a GREAT High Priest. He is Christ Jesus our LORD and Savior. He sits at the Right Hand of the Father and continually makes intercession for us. He invites us to “draw near [to Him] with a true heart in full assurance of faith.”

We often forget the strength, wisdom and knowledge that is available to us by drawing near to Christ Jesus. We often forego the peace and joy that is ours when we seek Him. We often ignore His encouragement to dwell in His presence.  Instead, we try to go it alone, usually without success.

I want my 2021 focus to be on my Savior and LORD. I have no idea what the next year will hold, whether we will see the virus-and-fear pandemic lesson or depart … or whether things will get worse not better. I do know with great certainty that if I focus on Christ Jesus and draw near to Him, I will have the resources needed for whatever comes my way.

“Let us draw near” to our Great High Priest! Amen.

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It’s a Choice!

by TerryLema

As I look back over 2020, I must acknowledge that much of my focus was on what was going on in my body, those autoimmune diseases that daily captured my attention so well. I must also admit that I did not grow spiritually as much as I would have liked, and that I did not give the attention needed to the ministry entrusted to me.

As I look at the old year and the new year in front of me, I know I must do things differently. One of the “let us” phrases in the book of Hebrews speaks of “going on to maturity.”

“Therefore, leaving the elementary message about the Messiah, let us go on to maturity, not laying again the foundation of repentance from dead works, faith in God, teaching about ritual washings, laying on of hands, the resurrection of the dead, and eternal judgment.”  [Hebrews 6:1-2 HCSB]

When we surrender our lives to Christ Jesus, we commit to becoming “conformed to His image.” [Romans 8:29]

In essence that means we commit to modeling Jesus to our world in both our words and our actions. Our responses to the circumstances and trials of life are to be the same as Jesus’ would be.  That means developing maturity.

Maturity does not just happen all by itself. It requires us to make a decision to pursue it, and then follow that decision with dedication. Dedication implies consistency, self-discipline, and perseverance. When our circumstances become difficult or demanding, it is not always easy to follow through on that decision.

And isn’t that exactly where we always fail with “New Year’s Resolutions” – easy to resolve, difficult to maintain the follow through.  But spiritual maturity is not the same as resolutions to eat right or spend less, it is far more important.  Becoming like Christ Jesus is essential if we are to fulfill our God-given purpose as children of God.

So “let us” not just resolve to but be firmly dedicated to “go on to maturity.”

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Gifts & Boldness

by TerryLema

As I look back on Christmas 2020, I see sadness and joys. One sadness came when our California children were locked down so far away. Our plans to be with them faded long before the Thanksgiving holiday, so it was not unexpected. When Christmas arrived, while we knew we would not have them with us, that sadness enveloped us anew.

While sad over our California kids, God blessed us with newfound joys. Our youngest son met a lovely young woman with three children. They became part of our 2020 Christmas celebration, and we laughed and loved and enjoyed watching once again small children amid Christmas Day “chaos!”

I find that the greatest gifts are not usually the material ones. The greatest gifts are those which minister to my heart.

One of my favorite “let us” commands in Hebrews is one that revolves around receiving gifts. “Therefore, let us approach the throne of grace with boldness, so that we may receive mercy and find grace to help us at the proper time.” [Hebrews 4:16 HCSB]

We are told to approach God’s Throne of Grace with boldness. Boldness is not arrogance. The Greek word used by the author is “parresia” and it carries the idea of free and fearless confidence, cheerful courage, and assurance.  It has none of the superiority attitude or overbearing manner contained in arrogance.

No, this boldness is based on our relationship with Christ Jesus our High Priest, and upon His invitation to come into His presence. When we accept His invitation to approach the Throne of Grace, we are to “fear not.”

And, it is at His Throne of Grace that we will find the gifts that minister to our hearts … mercy and grace. 2020 needed a lot of mercy and grace, I am betting 2021 will also!  So “let us” approach God’s Throne of Grace with free and fearless confidence and cheerful courage!

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Resolutions & Certainties

by TerryLema

The first of a new year is usually the time when we think about making changes. That often involves “resolutions” to eat better, spend less/save more, read our Bible through this year, grow spiritually. If you are anything like me, I begin great, then I tend to fade as the days move on. Honestly, I cannot remember what my resolutions were from last year or if I even made any.

This year I am resolving not to make resolutions!  However, I am thinking about those “let us” phrases that often appear in Scripture. The Book of Hebrews, which was written to people who had been Christians for some time, survived one early round of persecutions and were now facing a second discouraging round, contains quite a few “let us” thoughts.

We can probably all agree that 2020 was a difficult year, and while we hope that 2021 will be better, there are no certainties in that hope. We will just have to see how it plays out day-by-day.

While we cannot be certain what this new year will have for us, we know we can be certain about what Scripture has for us.  Hebrews 4:13-14 gives us three certainties and one great “let us” command.

“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. Therefore, since we have a great high priest who has passed through the heavens—Jesus the Son of God—let us hold fast to the confession.” [HCSB]

It is certain that nothing is hidden from God – not the past, present or future. It is also certain that one day everyone (no exceptions!) will stand before Him and give an account of their lives.

The third certainty is that we (believers) have a High Priest, Christ Jesus the Son of God. We are commanded to hold fast to our confession of faith in Him. When we give the account of our lives, it will begin and end with, “my faith is in the Son of God, Christ Jesus my Savior and LORD.”

We can be certain that will be enough!  That is a great thought for the New Year. Hold fast, beloved!

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