Author

TerryLema

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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Guided by the Spirit

by TerryLema

Have you ever thought of what you might miss if you did not follow the leading of the Spirit of God?

When Joseph and Mary took Jesus to the temple to be dedicated as the law prescribed, they were met by a man named Simeon. He is described as righteous and devout. We are not told how old Simeon was, although it is assumed that he was an aged person because of his words that, having seen the infant Jesus, he was now ready to die.

As I was reading the account in Luke 2, I noticed something I had not really paid attention to before. “Guided by the Spirit, [Simeon] entered the temple complex. When the parents brought in the child Jesus to perform for Him what was customary under the law, Simeon took Him up in his arms, praised God, and said.…” [Luke 2:27-28 HCSB]

“Guided by the Spirit Simeon entered the temple complex.”

Everything that happened after that, the prophetic word uttered by Simeon, the blessing of the child, the word to Mary, everything hinged on Simeon being “guided by the Spirit” to enter the temple at that exact time.

I am sure God had a plan for what might happen had Simeon ignored the Spirit’s guidance, but what would Simeon have missed had he not responded to the Spirit?

That made me wonder what we miss when we ignore the Spirit. How many blessings do we leave unreceived because we just did not go where the Spirit told us to go, or do what the Spirit directed?

Holy Spirit, give us ears to hear Your voice. Amen.

 

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Falling Behind

by TerryLema

Reading in the book of Deuteronomy I came across this verse. “Remember what the Amalekites did to you on the journey after you left Egypt. They met you along the way and attacked all your stragglers from behind when you were tired and weary. They did not fear God.” [Deuteronomy 25:17-18 HCSB]

After reading that I needed to go back and see what the Amalekites did do to the children of Israel after they left Egypt. The attack is described in Exodus 17. It happened at Rephidim.

Exodus 17 begins with the children of Israel camping at Rephidim and finding no water there. Moses, instructed by God, struck the rock and water flowed to nourish them. [vs 1-7]

But, while at Rephidim, the Amalekites attacked. God told Moses to have Joshua command the battle while Moses stood on the hilltop with his staff in his hand. As long as Moses held up the staff, Israel prevailed in the battle, but when he tired and put his hand down, Amalek prevailed. Finally, Aaron and Hur came along side and helped Moses hold up the staff until Israel won. [vs 8-13]

Apparently, the Amalekites struck when Israel was tired and weary and picked off the stragglers. We all get tired and weary at times. It is not a sin to be tired and weary sometimes.

But as believers, we have been invited by our Savior to come to Him when we are tired and weary. He has promised to give us rest for our souls. “Come to Me, all of you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest.” [Matthew 11:28]

The key word there is “come.” Like all invitations, it is our responsibility to respond and accept Jesus’ invitation. It is our responsibility to “come.”

If we fail to come when we are tired and weary, we might find ourselves picked off like the stragglers at Rephidim.

 

 

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Fear

by TerryLema

As I waited to leave for a class the other night, I turned on the national news. As the host came on the air, tense music began to play. The tenor of his voice was one of warning as he outlined the various news events the broadcast would cover. I have listened to this national news many times in the past, but something clicked in my spirit that night.

Fear. Everything from the music to the tone of the host’s voice to the events chosen to be covered was designed (perhaps not intentionally) to create fear in the listener.

Fear. It is the atmosphere of much of our society. We fear this v-and-fear pandemic. We fear the crashing of our economy. We fear the loss of the very foundations of democracy. We fear radicalism, hatred, injustice, and so much that is displayed across our government, media, and social lives.

As a child of God, however, fear is part of our past, not our present. When Christ redeemed us, when grace appeared for us, the fear that lived in us was replaced with something far stronger. We received the Spirit of adoption into the family of God.

“For you did not receive a spirit of slavery to fall back into fear, but you received the Spirit of adoption, by whom we cry out, ‘Abba, Father!’  The Spirit Himself testifies together with our spirit that we are God’s children.” [Romans 8:15-16 HCSB]

Now God is personal, He is our “Abba, Father.” He is not our enemy, but our Father. As His Spirit lives in us, He Himself testifies to us constantly that we are God’s children. GOD’S CHILDREN!

If there is anything that should bring us to our knees, it is not the fear this world promotes, it is the wondrous truth that “I am a child of God!” We cannot say that enough. We cannot meditate on that enough. We cannot live that enough. It is the only thing that will drive fear from us!

I am a child of God!

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Grace for a Purpose

by TerryLema

There is one last thought from Titus that I want to focus on this morning.  It closes out the paragraph that began in chapter 2:11. That last thought is “He gave Himself for us to redeem us from all lawlessness and to cleanse for Himself a people for His own possession, eager to do good works.” [2:14 HCSB]

Over the last couple days, we have seen that grace appeared (epiphainó) and was clearly shown in Christ Jesus. Grace instructs us so that we might develop Christ-like character. Grace strengthens us to wait for the return of Christ Jesus.

Christ redeemed and cleansed us for His own possession. He made us children of God, no longer bound by the chains of sin and fear of death. And while that is wonderful, it is not the end, but the beginning. The grace that Christ Jesus brought to us also gives us a purpose and zeal. The purpose is good works. The zeal is the eagerness to do them.

Eager. I like that word. One definition I read resonated with me … “waiting with bated breath.”

I remember waiting with bated breath for a bike for Christmas when I was eight. I did not think I would get it because it was not my year to get the “big” gift, it was my brother’s. I was pretty sure I would get a doll instead, but still I was eager for Christmas. My brother got a bike but hidden behind the tree was a big surprise. Somehow my parents found the money to get a bike for me also.

I also remember waiting with bated breath to get married, to turn 21, and for the birth of each of my children. I remember many times in life I have waited with bated breath.

Paul reminds us that now, as God’s precious children, we are to be eager – waiting with bated breath – for the next thing He asks of us.

Oh, LORD, give us that child-like eagerness to do Your good works. Amen and Amen.

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Grace While We Wait

by TerryLema

“…while we wait for the blessed hope and appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Jesus Christ.” [Titus 2:13 HCSB]

Paul in Titus 2:11 reminded us of the appearance (the epiphainó) of God’s grace for salvation for all people. That epiphany, a moment in which we suddenly see or understand something in a new or very clear way, came through Christ Jesus our Savior. The grace of God that was often cloaked in the Old Testament became very clear in the New when God sent His Precious Son to our earth to redeem us.

Paul goes on now to remind us of another appearing. The word is “epiphaneia” and it means appearing, manifestation, glorious display. We are now waiting for this appearing. It is our blessed hope, the appearing of the glory of our great God and Savior, Christ Jesus.

We wait now. Amid the difficulties of life, grace enables us to wait for that promise given in Acts 1:11 when Jesus ascended into heaven: “This same Jesus, who was taken up from you into heaven, will so come in like manner as you saw Him go into heaven.” [HCSB]

This same Jesus who brought grace at His first appearance will one day appear again bringing the blessed hope and glory that God has promised. The assurance of that promise that Jesus will not only return but will return in glory and set everything right under the authority of the King brings comfort now.

Even so, give us grace to wait for Your return, LORD.

 

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Grace Instructs Us

by TerryLema

John 1:17: For the law was given through Moses, but grace and truth came through Jesus Christ. [HCSB]

As I read the book of Titus this week, I was reminded that when Jesus came, grace and truth were clearly shown and made universally available for salvation to all people.  [Titus 2:11]

Grace is God providing salvation for His enemies so that they might become His children. But grace has other purposes beyond salvation. Grace is vital for our sanctification—for maturing. Grace enables our character to be conformed to the character of Christ Jesus.

Paul reminds us that grace instructs us “to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.” [Titus 2:12 HCSB]

As you read that verse you cannot help but focus on the descriptions of character, both negative and positive. Negative—godlessness and worldly lusts. Positive—sensible, righteous, godly. We are to deny the negative and encourage the positive.

The character trait that stood out to me was sensible. It is “sóphronós” and it means with sound mind, soberly, temperately, discreetly. I have been in the church for five decades and I must admit that I have not always found the character trait sensible flourishing among believers.

Five decades in the church have taught me that too often Christians get sidetracked from the path of the Gospel. Often, they get bogged down in things that draw their attention away from the Cross of Christ and the salvation provided through Christ Jesus. They major in the minors and ignore the centrality of grace and faith.

So, church. Grace has been provided so that we might be instructed to abandon the negative character traits, embrace the positive ones … and be sensible!  Glory!

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