Past Devotions

Seeds and the Thorns of Life

by TerryLema

November 14

Seeds and the Thorns of Life

I was reading Jesus’ Parable of the Sower in Luke 8.  It begins in verse 5 with “A sower went out to sow his seed….”

In the process of sowing not all the seed fell on good ground. Some fell on the hardened path, some among the rocks and some in the thorns. I was drawn to the seeds that fell in the thorns. “Other seed fell among thorns; the thorns sprang up with it and choked it.” [vs7 HCSB]

When Jesus explained the parable to His disciples upon their request, He told them what happens to the seeds thrown in the thorns.

“As for the seed that fell among thorns, these are the ones who, when they have heard, go on their way and are choked with worries, riches, and pleasures of life, and produce no mature fruit.” [v14 HCSB]

While the seeds in the thorns do germinate, they are so consumed with worries, riches, and pleasures that they produce no mature fruit. The thorns of life choke out any life that is begun and prevent maturity.

The Greek word for “mature” in verse 14 means to bring to completion, and can be used of fruit, pregnant women, animals bringing their young to completion.  It also emphasizes the completion of this life into eternal life.

Maturity is part of our Christian walk.  While we are expected to be “immature” in the faith when first we come to Christ Jesus, we are not expected to remain there. A person who has been a Christian for years and still has not matured in faith, wisdom and knowledge should be an anomaly, not the norm.

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Wisdom is proved right

by TerryLema

November 13

Wisdom is proved right …

A friend posted a meme on Facebook which made me laugh. “The reason I am old and wise is because God protected me when I was young and stupid.”

It made me laugh because while I will admit to being old, I am not sure I am all that wise.

Jesus reminded us that “wisdom is proved right by her deeds,” meaning “Wisdom is as wisdom does.”  [Matthew 11:19 HCSB]

Paul, in his closing remarks to the Colossians also wrote about wisdom. He told them to “Act wisely toward outsiders, making the most of the time.” [Colossians 4:5 HCSB]

Wisdom is an interesting quality in that while it is often linked with knowledge, even dependent upon it in some instances, it can also stand separately. It is often gained as much by life experience as it is by education.

Paul and Jesus, however, gave us a distinct view of wisdom in that neither commanded us to just “be wise,” but rather to “act wisely.” They linked wisdom to our deeds, our actions. How we act will be proof that we possess wisdom.

Paul’s words this morning drove me to the question … what does our LORD see when it views us? Does He see us acting “wisely,” with the wisdom of God’s Holy Spirit … or does He see us otherwise?

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Open doors

by TerryLema

November 12

Open doors …

Depending upon whom you talk to, the election is still in turmoil. While the media has declared a winner, there are numerous lawsuits playing out in the courts in various states. To put it bluntly, it is a mess … but then in my opinion, politics usually are.

I will probably ruffle feathers with what I am about to say, but I think I need to say it anyway. I think it is time for the church to unhook her expectations from politics and return to what God has called her to do. Yes, I know that as Christians, we must vote the principals of Scripture, we must be good citizens of our nation, state, and cities. But, looking to the Oval Office instead of the Throne Room has gotten us off-kilter. We have tied our future to a mortal when we should be tied to the King of Kings.

 Whatever happens in Washington, whoever is ultimately inaugurated in January, will not determine the health or effectiveness of the church in our nation.

In Paul’s final words of his Colossian letter, he wrote from prison. He was effectively under the control of the politics of his day. Yet he did not ask the church to pray for a change in political leadership that might make his way “easier,” he asked them to pray for an open door for his message. He asked to have the courage to speak about God’s Messiah, our LORD and Savior, Christ Jesus. Paul had his priorities straight.

“At the same time, pray also for us that God may open a door to us for the message, to speak the mystery of the Messiah, for which I am in prison, so that I may reveal it as I am required to speak.” [Colossians 4:3-4 HCSB]

We are commanded to make disciples in every nation. We are commanded to take the message of salvation to a dying world. That is our requirement. That depends upon the power and wisdom and strength of the Holy Spirit … not who is in the White House, Congress, or the Courts. Can a political view make that more difficult, of course, no one is denying that fact.

But remember … Paul’s message of God’s Messiah while in prison changed the course of the lives of many in Rome (including the palace guard charged with his confinement) and eventually after his death, changed Rome.

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Alert

by TerryLema

November 11

Alert …

I have always been a morning person. I love the early morning hours before sunrise. That is when I do my best thinking, praying, studying, working. As the day wears on, I wear down. I think I have always lived by that adage, “early to bed, early to rise, makes a [person] healthy, wealthy and wise.”

Well, to be honest, I am not sure about the “healthy, wealthy and wise” part. The only part I truly have accomplished is the “early to bed, early to rise” part.

Lately, however, I find that instead of leaping out of bed, totally alert and ready to begin my day, I am a lot slower and it takes a couple cups of coffee before I feel truly awake and functioning. Maybe that can be attributed to being older, or to the auto-immune fatigue I battle, or to something totally different.

Paul, in the closing remarks of his letter to the Colossians, reminds his readers of certain actions and attitudes he considers necessary for them. He begins those in verse two with a call to prayer and adds a most unusual caveat.

“Devote yourselves to prayer; stay alert in it with thanksgiving.” [Colossians 4:2 HCSB]

Christians are to devote themselves to prayer. That is not an unusual command. We need to stay in touch with the King of Kings. We need to keep our relationship vital, alive, and open. But then Paul adds that while we pray, we are to stay alert. How do we stay alert? Remarkably, with thanksgiving.

The Greek word for “alert” means to stay awake, be vigilant, watchful, and responsible. According to Paul in this verse, flooding our prayers with thanksgiving keeps us this way. Amazing, isn’t it!

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Who loves you

by TerryLema

November 10

Who loves you ….

When I awaken in the mornings, the first thing I do is pour a cup of coffee and head to the “bonus” room in our house. It is my room in which to study, pray, write, and just separate myself from thoughts of what needs to be done that day, or the sound of the news and westerns my husband loves to watch in the living room.

 

It is a quiet room. It keeps me sane most days, as sane as anyone can be in these troubling times. It is my peaceful place. Lots of thoughts and prayers have originated in this room. I love spending time here with the LORD, often thinking about how wonderful and gracious my LORD and Savior is to me.

 

I was sitting in my room the other day and read a meme on Facebook posted by a lovely young woman that I love very much. It began … “Do you ever sit back and realize ur not anybody’s favorite person ….”

 

Those words broke my heart and I wept. I wept because the world and life can be so cruel far too often. It seeks to isolate us from the love that others have, as well as to be blind to the love of God that flows to us in so many ways.

 

I am old and gray now. I have seen difficulties and triumphs. I have witnessed horrors and delights. I have seen too much and yet have not seen enough. I have held newborn babies and dying saints. In it all I cling to the words found in Psalm 27:10. “Even if my father and mother abandon me, the Lord cares for me.” [HCSB]

 

No matter what life holds, no matter the difficulties, the rejections, the loneliness, disappointments, or trials, even if those who should love me the most abandon me, “the Lord cares for me.”

 

No one … no one … ever cared for me like Jesus.

 

https://www.bing.com/videos/search?q=no+one+ever+cared+for+me+like+jesus&docid=607992087596304815&mid=8047B279A9EF5833D8ED8047B279A9EF5833D8ED&view=detail&FORM=VIRE

 

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Disappointments Abound …

by TerryLema

Last Wednesday we received disappointing news. We have not seen our California son and his family in almost a year, since last Christmas season. We planned to have them here for Thanksgiving, but because of COVID-19 in their state and in our ours, that expectation was crushed. We are hoping to see them for Christmas, but with all that is going on in our world, that too might not happen.

Disappointments abound this year. “Disappointment” just might be the word to describe all of 2020. Everyone in some way has struggled with disappointment, whether in families, employment, school, politics, sports, or health. Nothing seems to be the way we like it; everything seems to be fraught with frustrations, griefs, loss, and hopelessness.

Still, from the Christian, rejoicing and praise should abound. David prayed in the morning in Psalm 5. He began his day by lifting his voice to the LORD. He noted his enemies, but he then took great comfort in God’s care.

“But let all who take refuge in You rejoice; let them shout for joy forever. May You shelter them, and may those who love Your name boast about You. For You, Lord, bless the righteous one; You surround him with favor like a shield.” [Psalm 5:11-12 HCSB]

We have a refuge and a shelter in our LORD. He surrounds us with favor amid disappointments and challenges. Because of God’s care for us, we are to shout for joy forever.

I anticipate that Thanksgiving this year will be a mixture of sadness (at not seeing our son and his family) and joy (because of the family we have here) … and because the LORD is our shelter and shield, I will rejoice! Even if it be with tears. Amen.

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King Over All the Earth!

by TerryLema

I often write my devotions ahead of the days that I post them. That allows me some breathing room in case my schedule or circumstances make writing difficult. I am actually writing this on Election Day. I have no idea who will win the election, or if by now the election has even been decided. I do not know about any legal challenges or rhetoric or rioting that might have taken place.

I do know one thing. Today is a good day to read Psalm 47. It begins “Clap your hands, all you peoples; shout to God with a jubilant cry. For Yahweh, the Most High, is awe-inspiring, a great King over all the earth.” [vs1-2 HCSB]

Oh, yes, our LORD is the Most High and He is awe-inspiring. That should be reason enough to clap our hands and shout to God with great joy! But if that is not enough to make you want to clap and sing, maybe verse 8 will do it.

“God reigns over the nations; God is seated on His holy throne.”

Our God is seated on His holy throne. (If you want a picture of the Throne Room, read Revelation 4.)

Our God is on His throne. Maybe we should repeat that multiple times until we realize how vitally important those few words are. It will matter politically to this nation who is sitting in the chair in the Oval office, but no matter who that is …

Our God is still seated on His Holy Throne. And He is King over all the earth! Hallelujah! Amen!

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Let’s Get Organized …

by TerryLema

In David’s last years, he assisted his son Solomon in the building of the great temple by drawing up plans, setting aside resources and organizing temple support. The sons of Levi were originally charged with carrying the parts of the tabernacle under the order of the priests. But now with a temple in the making, they were no longer needed to carry the tabernacle or any of the equipment from place to place.

David directed them to assist the priests with other temple duties, “being responsible for the courts and the chambers, the purification of all the holy things, and the work of the service of God’s temple—as well as the rows of the bread of the Presence, the fine flour for the grain offering, the wafers of unleavened bread, the baking, the mixing, and all measurements of volume and length.” [1 Chronicles 29:28b-29 HCSB]

Honestly, I am not sure I would have been all that enamored with cleaning, purifying, measuring, and baking, but David added another duty and that is the one I would have loved. “They are also to stand every morning to give thanks and praise to the Lord, and likewise in the evening.” [vs30 HCSB]

Every morning and every night they were to stand in the Presence of the LORD in His Holy Temple and give thanks and praise. Every morning upon waking, every night before sleeping, their attention would be on the LORD God Almighty. They would probably sing many of the songs of thanksgiving David wrote. They would praise God for all He had done for Israel. They would see the magnificent temple dedicated to Him built by Solomon and their hearts would be raised to the heavenlies with their voices.

Of course, now, God Almighty’s Wonderful, Amazing, Holy Spirit lives in our hearts. We do not have to wake up and drive to a “place” – no matter how magnificent that “place” may be – we simply can praise and offer thanksgiving every morning and every night (and maybe throughout the day) wherever we are.

Maybe it is time we got organized to do just that!

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Rods, Beatings, Stocks … and Songs in the Night

by TerryLema

Have you ever considered what it took for Paul and Silas to sing?

In Acts 16, Paul and Silas on a missionary journey ended up in Philippi, a Roman colony. Through a series of events, including the conversion of Lydia and the exorcism of a fortune-telling slave girl, they were seized and dragged violently before the authorities and accused of bringing a disturbance to the city. That was not something city officials wanted to have happen as a Roman colony.

“Then the mob joined in the attack against them, and the chief magistrates stripped off their clothes and ordered them to be beaten with rods.  After they had inflicted many blows on them, they threw them in jail, ordering the jailer to keep them securely guarded.  Receiving such an order, he put them into the inner prison and secured their feet in the stocks.” [vs 22-24 HCSB]

Paul and Silas were stripped, beaten, thrown in the darkest part of a prison, and then immobilized in stocks. Their backs were probably raw. They would have been covered in bruises and welts. Perhaps bones were even broken. The prison was dark, and damp and cold. So, what did they do? They sang.

“About midnight Paul and Silas were praying and singing hymns to God, and the prisoners were listening to them.” [vs25 HCSB]

They sang hymns to God (probably from the Psalms) and they prayed. The other prisoners around them would have been stunned by that reaction. Even when God miraculously broke their bonds and opened the doors of the jail, they stuck around and continued to sing and pray.

What did it take for Paul and Silas to sing? Not sure I can put it in words, but I pray God grants me what they had to sing songs in the night. Amen.

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But as for me …

by TerryLema

I was reading Psalm 69 this morning. It is a song of David. It is a plea for rescue. You cannot read it without noticing the prophetic words about our LORD Christ Jesus and His crucifixion.

The first 28 verses are difficult to read. David is surrounded by enemies, in great distress. He recounts to God his own sin and the pain and grief he is experiencing at the hands of others. Then in verse 29, something changes. It seems that David begins to look up at God. It begins with a personal declaration … “but as for me.”

“But as for me—poor and in pain— let Your salvation protect me, God. I will praise God’s name with song and exalt Him with thanksgiving.” [Psalm 69:29-30 HCSB]

“But as for me,” David writes, even while I am “poor and in pain” I will choose to look to God. God’s salvation will protect me. I will choose to praise God’s name. I will choose to sing. I will choose to exalt. I will choose to offer thanksgiving.

It really does come down to that personal choice – that decision that no matter our poverty or pain, we will choose to offer God thanksgiving and praise. We will sing songs in the night that exalt our LORD and Savior.

No matter how great the darkness around us, it does not have the power to stifle our voices. It cannot stop our singing or exalting or thanking or praising our God. The only thing that can stifle our voices is our own choice to remain silent.

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