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TerryLema

Sensible in the Present Age

by TerryLema

Sensible is an interesting word that I think is out of favor.  Merriam Webster gives the English definition of sensible as “having, containing, or indicative of good sense or reason : rational, reasonable.”  I think we could agree that “sensible” is not a word to define our society in this present age.

There is a Greek word that has a similar definition as the English “sensible.”  It is “sophronos” and it means “soberly, with moderation, prudently.”

We see the Greek “sophronos” translated as “sensible” in Titus.  It is part of a series of words used to describe how Christians should behave in our “present age.”

“For the grace of God has appeared with salvation for all people, instructing us to deny godlessness and worldly lusts and to live in a sensible, righteous, and godly way in the present age.”  [2:11-12 HCSB]

Isn’t the grace of God the most marvelous thing! Not only has it brought us salvation so that we might become the children of God, but it also instructs us and empowers us so that we might live the life God intends for us.

That life, that absolutely wonderful abundant life, denies godlessness and worldly lusts. But it does not stop there. While we are to eliminate things like godlessness and worldly lusts, we are also to embrace a life that is sensible, righteous, and godly.

Beloved, we must always affirm truth and act honestly and with integrity. We must deny entrance of any thoughts or habits into our lives that go against the inspired Word of God. We must abandon the lust and unholy desires with which the world entices us.

And we must be sensible. Of all, that may be the most difficult part! 

 

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Deliver Me

by TerryLema

We have come to the last of David’s two-word requests in his “Cry for Help” Psalm 143. It too, is extremely relevant for our times.

“Because of Your name, Yahweh, let me live. In Your righteousness deliver me from trouble.” [v11 HCSB]

Deliver me … from trouble.  Trouble surrounds us. As Christians, we seem to have exited decades of quiet and if not acceptance, at least indifference from society. Now we appear to be entering a time of opposition that may lead to persecution.  To ask our LORD, YAHWEH, to deliver us from trouble is timely.

Trouble. The Hebrew word means adversity, affliction, anguish, distress, tribulation, trouble. It definitely could be applied to what we see around us daily, whether it is coming from the virus-and-fear pandemic, politics, nature, or opposition to us as individuals or as the church corporate.

As I survey our world, I am reminded of Jesus’ words in Matthew 24. Jesus’ disciples asked Him what the signs of His return would be. So, He told them.

“For nation will rise up against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these events are the beginning of birth pains.”  [vs7-8 HCSB]

One particular phrase stands out this morning in those verses, “All these events are the beginning of birth pains.”

Beloved, this is just the “beginning!” Unless I am grossly mistaken, we will not see our world get better, but will see a consistent decline. It will get darker and more evil.  In fact, Jesus said it will be like it was in the days of Noah. [Matthew 24:36]

God Himself described what it was like in “the days of Noah.” He said that “the wickedness of man was great in the earth, and that every intent of the thoughts of his heart was only evil continually.” [Genesis 6:5 NKJV]

But as God protected Noah, God can protect us in times of trouble. So, we pray each day as David prayed, deliver me from trouble, LORD. Amen.

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Teach Me

by TerryLema

We live in a generation that could be described as “unteachable.” People have opinions which often have little foundation in truth. They are driven by emotion. If you try to refute an opinion, even with facts, you are shouted down.  We have allowed our emotions to rule, rather than follow sound doctrine, critical thinking, and transcendent truth.

Follow your heart. If it feels good do it! You hurt my feelings. I am offended. Those are the slogans of our culture.  Unfortunately, they can also be the slogans along the pathway that leads to death and hell.

David never feared to express his feelings. He never feared to admit that he was overwhelmed at times by the trials and dangers of life. But once expressed, David turned his attention to God. He remained teachable. And, the primary thing he sought was to know God’s will so that he might do it. As he learned God’s will and ways, that ruled and directed his life.

The fifth two-word request found in the “Cry for Help” song of David, Palm 143, speaks much to us today.

“Teach me to do Your will, for You are my God.” [V10a HCSB]

We must know the freedom of expressing our feelings to our LORD and Savior. We must know the liberty of acknowledging those times when we are overwhelmed by life. But once voiced, we must never allow emotions, no matter how strong, to lead. We must remain teachable.

David’s request to God was to be taught how to “do” God’s will. God’s will in our lives requires more than head knowledge, it requires action. It is to govern how we respond to every circumstance in our lives.

I want to remain teachable. I want to “do” God’s will each day. I want my emotions to follow my actions, not determine them. I will pray as I rise in the morning …. “LORD, teach me to do Your will. Amen.”

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Lead Me

by TerryLema

The fourth two-word request found in David’s Psalm 143 is one that I have often prayed and found so true for my life.

 “May Your gracious Spirit lead me on level ground.” [V10b]

I used to walk at lunch around downtown Boise when I worked for the City and at St. Luke’s. Many of my paths were through older sections of the city where the majestic old trees had broken up the sidewalk and left it uneven and in places even dangerous. I had to concentrate on my path.

Now I walk in newer areas around my house, but I still must think about level ground since my walking is affected by my physical limitations. I must concentrate on what is under my feet even more since even the slightest bump or crack can trip me up.

We can easily understand what it means to walk on natural level ground, but what does it mean to walk on spiritual level ground? Spiritual level ground is the Word of God, revealed to us in Scripture and through the illumination of the Spirit of God.

Spiritual level ground neither incites nor enflames. It provides a true and steady path from generation to generation. The path of God we walk is the path set out in the teachings of both the Old and New Testament. They are the teachings of our LORD and Savior Christ Jesus. The path future generations walk will be the same.

The ground we walk becomes uneven and full of potholes and things that trip us up only when we divert from the foundation of Christ Jesus. “For no one can lay any other foundation than what has been laid down. That foundation is Jesus Christ.” [1 Corinthians 3:11 HCSB]

It is wise to pray each day that God leads us on “spiritual level ground!” Amen.

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Rescue Me

by TerryLema

The third two-word request of David in Psalm 143 is “rescue me.”  It comes right after David’s requests to experience God’s love in the morning, and for the Holy Spirit to reveal God’s will, knowledge, and wisdom.

“Rescue me from my enemies, Lord; I come to You for protection.” [vs9]

No one likes to think they have enemies. I remember my mother telling me once that “no matter how wonderful, charming, and great you are, there will always be people who don’t like you.”

I know I have irritated many people throughout my life by my personality or my words or my actions or inactions.

I also know that in this world we will certainly gain enemies if we stand up for truth. We will gain enemies if we align ourselves with God Almighty. We will gain enemies if we promote the Gospel of Jesus Christ to an ever-darkening culture.

David was God’s anointed king. That anointing by God brought the wrath of a rejected king down upon his head. He needed God’s protection and rescue. The anointing of God on our lives will also bring down the wrath of those who do not understand (nor want to understand) it.

Most of our enemies now only oppose us with words or by rejection. That could change in our country, opposition has certainly become more aggressive and violent in other countries. To pray each morning as we awake, “grant me protection and rescue, O God,” is becoming more necessary than ever before.

 

Amen & Amen.

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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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