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TerryLema

New Thing

by TerryLema

I have made the difficult decision to retire from The Way at the end of this year.  It was not an easy decision to make as I love this little church. No matter how much I love it though, God has been clear that He has another person waiting in the wings to take this little church to the next growth step.  My part is almost complete, the new pastor’s part is about to begin.

That leaves me with many thoughts and questions. I know that as Paul turned the reins over to Timothy, he advised his young successor in many things. The one that consistently comes to my mind has become my prayer for the new pastor—that God would bring The Way a pastor who is dedicated to correctly teaching the truth of God’s Word.

“Be diligent to present yourself approved to God, a worker who doesn’t need to be ashamed, correctly teaching the word of truth.”  [2 Timothy 2:15 HCSB]

One other thing I think about is what I will be doing after I leave The Way. Bob and I will need to find a new church (and I have several in mind), and I will need to find that “new thing” God has for me.

I know I will continue to write about my LORD and Savior as long as I can.  I think I might like to do some mini messages on social media. I know I will want to pray more. Maybe I will even host a weekly women’s meeting or Bible Study.  Where and how these things will develop is still uncertain, but I know that I am not done – yet! My path is simply going to be a bit different, but it will still be directed by my LORD and will, hopefully, bring Him glory.

Amen.

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I Want to See Him!

by TerryLema

2 Chronicles 5 records the things that happened when Solomon’s Temple was completed.  Solomon brought all the items David had consecrated into the temple treasury.  He then assembled the elders and brought the Ark of the Lord’s Presence to its home in the temple.  The musicians and the singers were also called.  They raised their voices and began to praise the LORD.  Their song was simply, “He is good; His love endures forever.”

What happened next always thrills me: “Then the temple of the LORD was filled with a cloud, and the priests could not perform their service because of the cloud, for the glory of the LORD filled the temple of God.” [vs 13-14 NIV]

Every Sunday we carry the presence of the Lord into our churches.  Routinely we sing and praise Him.  I have sensed the Lord’s presence in our worship services at The Way, as I have in worship services in other settings.  But I so yearn to see the glory of the Lord fill us – since we are God’s temple now – fill us so perfectly that we cannot stand nor minister.  [1 Cor 3:16]

I want to see the glory and the power of God knock us off our feet.  Our problems and struggles, our opposition in this day and time are great.  The enemy is unleashing attacks against us since he knows that with each passing day his time is getting shorter and shorter.  I know that God promises that when evil increases, grace will increase even more.  I know those things; I still want to see God’s grace, His glory, His power in such measure that we are on our faces before Him, so enthralled and awestruck that we can do nothing but surrender to His presence.

LORD, I want to see You.  Amen.

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Circumstances & Hearts

by TerryLema

I came across a list of “laws” a while back.  Laws such as: The Law of Mechanical Repair: After your hands become coated with grease, your nose will start to itch, or The Variation Law:  If you change lines or traffic lanes, the one you were in will start to move faster than the one you are in now. And this one: The Law of the Last Word: “Hey, watch this!”

Most of the ‘laws’ made me laugh.  One really made me think.  It is the Law of Location:  No matter where you go, there you are.

The writer of Chronicles tells us where we can find the circumstances of David’s reign.  “As for the events of King David’s reign, from beginning to end, they are written in the records of Samuel the seer, the records of Nathan the prophet and the records of Gad the seer, together with the details of his reign and power, and the circumstances that surrounded him….” [1 Chronicles 29:29-30 NIV]

When Paul peached at Pisidian Antioch, he tells us about David’s heart — how God testified “I have found David son of Jesse a man after my own heart.” [Acts 13:22 NIV]

Too often, we are more concerned with the circumstances we find ourselves in than we are about the condition of our hearts. We keep praying for God to take us out of our circumstances.  Even if God does take us out of our present circumstances, unless we change, nothing changes — “no matter where [we] go, there [we] are.”

Our hearts must change; we must change.  We must have hearts after God’s own heart just as David had.  Then it will not matter our circumstances.

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Obstacles

by TerryLema

“One of the greatest obstacles to the progress of the Gospel is the bad example of people who profess to be Christians. Unsaved people like to use the inconsistencies of the saints—especially preachers—as an excuse for rejecting Jesus Christ.”

That quotation is from Warren Wiersbe’s “Be Series” on 2 Corinthians.  I read it as I was studying.  Two little word phrases stood out as I read it, “profess to be” and “as an excuse.”

Not everyone who professes to be a Christian is.  Paul reminds his readers in 2 Corinthians that “it is not the one who commends himself who is approved, but the one whom the Lord commends.”  [v 10:18 NIV]

I can call myself anything, that does not make it so.  The proof of what I am will be demonstrated in not what I say, but in what I do.  Those who proclaim to belong to Christ need to make sure that their example proclaims the same thing.  Of course, we all make mistakes, even those the Lord “commends” will not be the perfect example all time, but we must strive for consistency and when we fail, we must ask forgiveness not just from the Lord but from those we have hurt.

The other phrase … “as an excuse.”  I have met some people who will use anything as an excuse for rejecting Jesus Christ.  I have seen them come into church and leave saying someone disrespected them, the preacher said something that offended them, there was too much of this or not enough of that, and of course, the most common, “all the church wants is my money.”

Unfortunately, when we stand before the Savior one day, no excuse will be validated.  We will not be able to blame our rejection of Christ Jesus on anyone else.  It will come down to our own personal choice.

Father God, I ask the power of Your Spirit in me to always lead me to be a good example of my profession of faith in Your Son.  Help my testimony and my character to be consistent before You.  Amen.

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Free Men Slaves

by TerryLema

I love the irony found in 1 Peter 2:16: “Live as free men, but do not use your freedom as a cover-up for evil; live as servants of God.”

The word Peter chose to use for “servants” in this passage is doulos in the Greek. It means “slave.”  What Peter wrote is, “Live as free men…live as slaves of God.”

We have been set free. But set free for what? To use our freedom as a cover-up for evil? “Heaven forbid!” as Paul might say.  No, we have been set free so that we can willingly and enthusiastically take this free life and place it under the authority and LORD-ship of Christ Jesus.

Our salvation is more than mere words spoken one day at an altar.

Our salvation is more than simply repeating “The Sinner’s Prayer.”

Our salvation decision is merely that, a decision. (and I’ve made a lot of decisions that I never carried through on when I found the path was too difficult or the cost too great.)

While our salvation words, prayer, and decision are necessary and good first steps, they must be followed by a true conversion. That conversion encompasses producing fruit from our repentance and a willing and complete surrender of our will, our life, to the LORD-ship of our Savior. To stop short of that is to live in an extremely dangerous place. We may think it is enough to just get by, but when it comes to being saved, I sure do not want to “just get by.”

I want to freely give all to the One who loved me and died for me. I want the world to know I love Christ Jesus and am willing to lay it all down for Him.

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So are you!

by TerryLema

I am a minister of the Gospel of Jesus Christ. What did you think when you read that? Was the first thought that came to your mind … full time, pulpit, pastoring ministry in a church?  Or was your first thought … “so am I.”

 It should be the latter.  The Greek word for minister is diakonos. That comes from diako which means to run errands. Minister simply means “servant.” I could just have easily begun this devotion with the sentence “I am a servant of the Gospel of Jesus Christ.

Paul advised Timothy: “If you point these things out (godless myths, lies, deceiving spirits) to the brothers, you will be a good minister [servant] of Christ Jesus, brought up in the truths of the faith and of the good teaching that you have followed.” [1 Timothy 4:6]

There is another Greek word we should consider when we speak of being servants of the Lord. It is the word doulos. It means simply “a slave.”  Paul used this word in 1 Corinthians 4:5: “For we do not preach ourselves, but Jesus Christ as Lord, and ourselves as your servants [slaves] for Jesus’ sake.”

 A servant is usually paid staff. A slave is owned by someone. We are both paid servants of Jesus Christ, in that we will receive rewards for things we have done with eternal value; and, we are slaves of Jesus Christ, owned by Him, bought with His precious blood.

I am a willing servant and surrendered slave of the LORD Jesus Christ. I am a minister of the Gospel.  So are you!

 I can think of no higher calling, can you?

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Jesus is Walking By

by TerryLema

Jesus and His disciples were headed to Jerusalem. He had already told them that death awaited Him there. The hour had come for darkness to reign, and for His own people to despise and reject Him as they called for His execution.

Mark tells us that as Jesus and his disciples, together with a large crowd, were leaving the city of Jericho, “a blind man, Bartimaeus (that is, the Son of Timaeus), was sitting by the roadside begging. When he heard that it was Jesus of Nazareth, he began to shout, ‘Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!’”  [Mark 10:46-47]

Bartimaeus’ shouting got the attention of those around him, who promptly rebuked him and told him to be quiet. That response only got Bartimaeus to shout a little louder until finally the LORD Jesus heard him and stopped. Jesus commanded that they bring him closer.

Knowing that Jesus heard his shouts, and now wanted to speak to him, Mark says Bartimaeus threw his cloak aside, jumped to his feet and went to Jesus. When Bartimaeus met Jesus, his blindness became a thing of the past.

The world wanted Bartimaeus to shut up, but he would not. Instead of quieting, he grew louder. And because Bartimaeus would not quiet, healing came, light invaded his darkness.

Beloved, Jesus is walking by … are we going to remain quiet? Are we going to heed the world to quiet or will we follow the example of Bartimaeus and get even louder?

As for me … I’m shoutin’!  Savior do not pass us by! Amen

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Very Courageous

by TerryLema

“Have I not commanded you? Be strong and courageous. Do not be afraid; do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.” [Joshua 1:9]

That command to be strong and courageous was given twice to Joshua at the command of God in Deuteronomy. [31:6, 23]

It was given to Joshua three times by the LORD in the opening chapter of the Book of Joshua and echoed once by the people back to Joshua.  In Joshua 1:7, God even added the adjective ‘very.’ “Be strong and very courageous.” [1:6, 7, 9, 18]

They were at the border of the Promised Land. Moses was dead. Those who had experienced the power of God in the Exodus from Egypt, the parting of the Red Sea, and the destruction of Pharaoh’s army were dead. Joshua knew the kinds of people (giants) that were across that border. He was one of the 12 spies sent there earlier to survey the land, and 1 of only 2 who brought back a favorable report. Caleb was the other.

Now they had arrived and the job to take the land … without the power of Moses behind him … was all Joshua’s. God wanted Joshua to know with a certainty that while Moses was not there, He was.  “….for the LORD your God will be with you wherever you go.”

 God wanted Joshua to understand that what made Moses the powerful man of God that he was, was the Presence of the LORD God with him. Now that same Presence was with Joshua to enable him to also be that powerful man of God.

And what did Jesus say to us?  “And lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the age.” [Matt 28:20 NKJV]

Be strong, church, and very courageous. We are in a land of giants!

 

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Not one inch!

by TerryLema

Anger is on the rise. Anger is on the rise on our roadways, in our politics, in the lyrics of our music, on social media, and sadly, even in our homes. One of the fastest growing segments of homeless populations is women and children escaping domestic violence.

I grew up in an angry household. My dad had a quick temper, and my mother had a temper with a long memory. I had, or should I say, I have a temper also. I have learned to a certain extent to curb that temper, although it will still flare when I am stressed or tired.

Thoughtful spiritual growth is a theme in Ephesians 4. Amid Paul’s exhortation on spiritual maturing are his thoughts on anger. And they tell us three things.  “In your anger do not sin’: Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry, and do not give the devil a foothold.” [Eph 4:26-28]

First thing Paul reminds us “In your anger do not sin.” Anger is an emotion, yes, but anger itself is not a sin. It is what we do with our anger. There is a righteous anger … like what I see stirring in the abortion debate. Jesus was described as angry at the hardness of people’s hearts, yet He was without sin.  Anger, however, left unchecked or expressed the wrong way can become sin.

That is Paul second thought. “Do not let the sun go down while you are still angry.” In other words, deal with your anger immediately.  Find healthy, spiritual ways of dispelling it. If you do not, anger will begin to take root, which leads us to Paul’s third warning … anger left unchecked gives “the devil a foothold” in your life.

I do not want to give one inch of my spiritual life to the devil, so I have learned, and am continuing to learn, to allow the Holy Spirit to show me how in my anger not to sin.

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New Every Morning

by TerryLema

One of the first things I do every morning is go to my kitchen and get the coffee started. It is all set up the night before, so I simply pour the water into my Bunn coffeemaker, shut the lid and in about two minutes I have a pot of steaming hot coffee. The second thing I do (during that two minutes while I am waiting for the coffee to brew) is to take the prior day’s kitchen towels and wash cloths and toss them in the laundry basket.

I like to begin the new day with fresh towels. (My husband, on the other hand, could use the same towel for a decade without it ever seeing the laundry basket.) I am very careful in my kitchen. I scrub the sink regularly, sanitize the disposer, make sure the counter tops are clean. I use a separate cutting board for raw meat. I wash my hands frequently when handling anything I think might contaminate.  We rarely get any type of stomach bug and I think my efforts in the kitchen contribute to our health.

As I took fresh towels and cloths out of the drawer this morning, I was reminded of God’s promise to us. “Through the LORD’s mercies we are not consumed, Because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness. ‘The LORD is my portion,’ says my soul, ‘Therefore I hope in Him!’” [Lam 3:22-24 NKJV]

The LORD’s compassions and mercies are fresh every morning. No matter how used and soiled we may get by life, when we wake each morning God is there to be our “portion.” His is a “portion” that never runs out, enough for each day and refreshed again each morning.  We can be assured when we place our trust in Him that He will never disappoint, never disappear, never fail us.

“Great is Your faithfulness, O God!”

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