Author

TerryLema

Gentle Shepherd …

by TerryLema

After reading 1 Samuel 16 yesterday and the choosing of David as Israel’s king, I started thinking about shepherds. The LORD often referred to Himself as shepherding His people Israel. David in his beautiful Psalm 23 gives us a glimpse of that.

“The Lord is my shepherd; there is nothing I lack. He lets me lie down in green pastures; He leads me beside quiet waters. He renews my life; He leads me along the right paths for His name’s sake.”  [v 1-3 HCSB]

Right about now, in the second half of 2020, entering the sixth month of the world-wide virus-and-fear pandemic, I am longing for some green pastures and quiet waters. I need personal renewal. I need to know that I am on the “right path for His name’s sake” as a Christian and as a pastor.

The overabundance of problems and threats to our personal lives, personal freedoms, religious freedoms, alongside the social restrictions, and financial burdens wear down. We are assaulted on every side, told what we can or cannot do, whether we can meet, sing, work, or play. What resources we may have built up have probably long since dissipated. We are left weary, confused, and divided.

But the LORD is our Shepherd and our Shepherd knows when the sheep are weary, and He takes them to green pastures beside quiet streams to rest and renew. For us, beloved, as Christians that means we turn once again to the Scriptures to seek the promises of God. We allow God’s Spirit to lead us in prayer and meditation. We make room in our lives for some quiet time to just listen to the Voice of the LORD. We praise and worship with music, singing our thanksgiving to Him.

I need that. So, of course, I am going to take you along with me over the next couple weeks. Together, in God’s Word, in praise and worship with music, I invite you to those green pastures and quiet streams our Shepherd provides.

 

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From God’s View …

by TerryLema

Israel needed a new king. The one they had chosen for themselves (Saul) was not working out very well. So, God sent the prophet Samuel to the house of Jesse of Bethlehem to find the man of God’s choosing and anoint him as king. [1 Samuel 16]

When the time came, Jesse paraded his sons before the prophet, beginning with the oldest Eliab. Samuel’s reaction was swift, “Certainly the Lord’s anointed is here before Him.” [vs 6b]

Samuel was wrong, and it did not take long for God to correct him.  “But the Lord said to Samuel, “Do not look at his appearance or his stature, because I have rejected him. Man does not see what the Lord sees, for man sees what is visible, but the Lord sees the heart.” [v7]

Jesse, upon the rejection of Eliab then brought out other sons, seven in all, and the LORD rejected each one. There was only one son left, and he was not even present at the meal. David, the youngest was out tending the flocks, one of the lowest jobs anyone could have at that time—that of a shepherd. When brought before Samuel, God’s choice was clear, and Samuel anointed him in the presence of his father and brothers.

When anointed, the most marvelous thing happened, “the Spirit of the LORD took control of David from that day forward.”  [v13]

Looked in the mirror lately? What do you see? Do you see the outside, the visible part that everyone else sees first? Or do you see your heart, as the LORD sees you? It really does not matter what the outside looks like – mine is wrinkled and spotted with sagging skin and thinning hair. That is what I notice first. What God sees, however, is far from that. He sees the deepest desires of my heart to love and serve Him.

And the best part, because He has chosen us, He gives us the His own Spirit to help us realize those deepest desires. Thank you, LORD, Amen.

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The Message of Choice …

by TerryLema

There is a stunning passage in 2 Corinthians 5.  “Everything is from God, who reconciled us to Himself through Christ and gave us the ministry of reconciliation: That is, in Christ, God was reconciling the world to Himself, not counting their trespasses against them, and He has committed the message of reconciliation to us. Therefore, we are ambassadors for Christ, certain that God is appealing through us. We plead on Christ’s behalf, ‘Be reconciled to God.’” [vs18-20 HCSB]

God reconciled us to Himself through the work of Christ Jesus on the cross. Now He has committed that message of reconciliation to us and we are to take it into the world.

In this world we are surrounded by unbelief, uncertainty, and mockery. A message of reconciliation offers hope and rescue, but at the same time it is also a message that exposes sin and calls people to admit their guilt. They will neither be delighted to have their sin exposed, not happy to admit their guilt. Amos 5:10 reminds that “They hate the one who rebukes in the gate, and they abhor the one who speaks uprightly.”

Their reaction to the message, however, does not void God’s commitment of that message to us.

When a person speaks truth and lives their life according to that truth, the world (and sometimes the church) has two choices, to heed truth and repent, or to block their ears and persecute the ones speaking the truth. Their choice is their choice.

Our choice is to remain committed to speak God’s message of reconciliation and live our lives according to it. Not easy, but I would rather have God’s approval than the applause of this world.

 

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I See the Glory of God …

by TerryLema

The coming November presidential election is filling our airways and media sites again. It is even more divisive than the previous one if that is possible. Left and Right are screaming at us … vote this way or you will face these consequences. Everything hinges on voting, and the voting process itself is being threatened and disclaimed. Prepare yourselves, the rhetoric is only going to get louder and angrier. And, if you believe the rhetoric, the fate of everything hangs on who gets elected.

I am not a political person. I do not care for politics, to me it is a necessary requisite for my citizenship, but that does not mean I must like it. Nor do I look at politicians with any kind of expectancy. When I look at politicians, I do not see the source of answers, I just see the source of more problems.

The source of answers for me is found in a different direction. It is found in the glory of God and I see that glory when I look at my Jesus.  “For God who said, ‘Let light shine out of darkness,’ has shone in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” [2 Corinthians 4:6]

I see the glory of God in Jesus when He healed the blind man, the lepers and the paralyzed man carried by his friends. I see God’s glory in Jesus when He gathered the children to Himself, when He pointed to the woman with the mite as the one who truly gave it all. I see the glory of God when Jesus raised the dead and returned a daughter, a son, and a brother to loving families.

I see God’s glory in Jesus when He told the one who doubted to touch the nail prints in His hands and feet and the piercing in His side. I see it when Jesus forgave those who nailed Him to the cross, and the thief who turned with his dying breath and simply asked to be remembered.

I see the glory of my God in each event, hear that glory in each Word spoken by my Savior and LORD. Therein lies my hope … not in the politics of men, but in the loving heart of the Holy One of God, resplendent in mercy, grace, and truth. Amen.

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Ready for Amazing?

by TerryLema

One of the emails in my inbox when I got up last Saturday morning asked me, “Are you ready for an amazing August?”  Am I ready?  Ah, yep!  Of course, their determination of my August was dependent upon my purchasing a new coffee maker along with a lot of “autumn” flavors.

But am I ready for an amazing August? More than ready. The first half of 2020 has been less than amazing. I am ready to turn a corner and see 2020 end on a much better note. Do I expect that to actually happen?  No. I expect 2020 to end on a down note. I think recovery from this fear-and-virus pandemic and economic downturn will take far longer than we anticipate.

Still, can August be amazing?  Yes, it can. It can because I have put my hope in the promises of God, in His Word to His children. The psalmist wrote in Psalm 119, “You are my shelter and my shield; I put my hope in Your word.” [vs 114 HCSB]

At the end of his life, Joshua reminded those he led that everything God had promised them had come true. Not one of God’s promises had failed.  “I am now going the way of all the earth, and you know with all your heart and all your soul that none of the good promises the Lord your God made to you has failed. Everything was fulfilled for you; not one promise has failed.” [Joshua 23:14 HCSB]

I know August can be amazing, even in the midst of a fear-and-virus pandemic in our nation because our God has promised us that by trusting in Him, we have life and that life can be an abundant one. He has promised us that we have a future and a hope. He has promised us an inheritance in the saints. He has promised us that He alone is our shelter and our shield and if we put our hope in His Word, nothing in this world is strong enough to take us away from Him.

Amen & Amen. 

 

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Arguments Abound

by TerryLema

When was the last time you had a good fight? I mean a real good debate-style dispute. I am not talking about the nasty, in-your-face hate-filled posts that you often see where “I am right and everyone else can just shut up.”  I am talking about the type of disagreements where both sides present their views and we learn and grow from the thoughts and views of others.

And specifically, I am talking about a good dispute with yourself.  Kind of like the ones found in the psalms. “Why am I so depressed? Why this turmoil within me? Put your hope in God, for I will still praise Him, my Savior and my God.”  [Psalm 42:5 HCSB]

Paul in 2 Corinthians 10 reminds us to engage in good arguments.  “The weapons of our warfare are not worldly, but are powerful through God for the demolition of strongholds. We demolish arguments and every high-minded thing that is raised up against the knowledge of God, taking every thought captive to obey Christ.” [vs 4-5 HCSB]

Every now and again, more often probably than we know, our old sin nature decides to go for a walk in our minds. Prompted by the enemy of our soul, that old nature demands that we focus on everything that is wrong, our fears, our anxieties, our troubles. When those things capture our attention, they capture everything and demand to sit over our souls as rulers and kings.

That is when we must recognize the tactic and start a good argument. The psalmist was depressed. He was in turmoil. His old sin nature was demanding that become the focus of his life. Instead, he began to argue with himself. “What are you doing focusing on what is wrong? Your hope is in God, He is your Savior and Your LORD, and He will keep you in the palm of His hand. Stop it!”

What was the first thing you started thinking about this morning – all the things that are wrong with your life?  Or did you have a good argument with yourself (and remember our minds are the battlefields in our lives), and put your focus and attention on Christ Jesus, Almighty God, your Savior and King?

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Hold on …

by TerryLema

I am returning this morning to one of my favorite chapters, Romans 5. That chapter always ministers to my soul. It begins with righteousness, peace, access to God by faith, grace in which to stand, and rejoicing in the hope of the glory of God. Those things make my spirit soar through the heavenlies as I meditate on them, and that is just the first two verses.

Then Paul gets down to earth and begins to write about this life on this planet, and the words change … afflictions, endurance, proven character. That is how we move through our days. Sometimes it seems we are pushing through so much muck and mire. The struggles are real.

At the end there is a bright and shining jewel—hope. Yes, we have afflictions that we must face with endurance. That endurance will produce character in us that can be achieved no other way. Through the stress and pressure we find our jewel, a hope that will not disappoint us.

The writer to Hebrews tells us that contained within that hope are courage and confidence. “But Christ was faithful as a Son over His household. And we are that household if we hold on to the courage and the confidence of our hope.” [3:6 HCSB]

We must understand, however, that the world hates our hope and seeks to destroy it. Circumstances and difficulties seek to chip away at it. Neglect and complacency can cause it to slip from our grasp. We must “hold on” as the Hebrew’s writer reminds us. Hold on to the promises of God. Hold on to His hope. Hold on to Him!

2020 has been a destroyer of hope for many. Their courage and confidence have been chipped away because of uncertainty, loss, difficulties and even the ignorance of others. Beloved, hold on. We may not see the end yet, and the fear that 2021 may not be different can arise, but our God is the same today as He has always been. Hope in Him is a sure thing especially when everything is crumbling around us!

 

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That Pursuit of Happiness …

by TerryLema

I was reading Psalm 119 yesterday. It is the longest chapter in the Bible, containing 176 verses. It has two parallel themes.

The first is the persecution and afflictions that often come to men and women of God. The writer describes serious difficulties he has encountered in his life, plans to harm him, oppositions, and insults.

Running alongside that, however, is the profound truth that the Word of God is all-sufficient for everything. There are eight different terms that refer to the word of God throughout the psalm, usually translated as law, testimonies, precepts, statutes, commandments, judgments, word, and ordinances. In almost every verse, one of those is mentioned.

The wonderful attributes of God also flow throughout the psalm. We see words of righteousness, truth, faithfulness, purity, light, holiness.

 The psalm begins with a beatitude: “How happy are those whose way is blameless, who live according to the Lord’s instruction! Happy are those who keep His decrees and seek Him with all their heart.”  [vs 1-2 HCSB]

We spend a lot of time in our society thinking about happiness and claim the right to the pursuit of happiness as part of our independence. Yet, so many of us are anxious, fearful, uncertain, and distressed. Perhaps, no more than just perhaps, the problem lies in where we “seek” that happiness.

The psalmist is clear. Happiness comes when we seek God with all our heart, when we live according to the LORD’s instructions. When our way is blameless, happiness flows from God’s loving heart to ours. You cannot have a more pure or finer happiness than that.

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Procrastination!

by TerryLema

Don’t put off till tomorrow what you can do today!

How many times I heard that saying as a young person. My mother was a very impatient person, if she told you to do something, you were to do it then and there. Saturday mornings my door was flung open and a loud shout came through that it was 7AM and I needed to get up, clean my room, and start my chores. I hated Saturday mornings as a teenager, I just wanted to sleep in, but my mother was relentless when it came to getting up, cleaning the house, getting laundry done, etc.

I know I was probably just as bad with my children when I told them to do something, I expected it to be done. I do not think, however, I was as militant about getting out of bed on the one day they had to sleep in!

Procrastination. That is putting things off. Stalling. Dithering. Delaying. It embraces the belief that if we can put off something long enough, we might not have to do it at all—especially the difficult stuff.

That is not the way of God. When it comes to the commands of God, we are not to procrastinate. We are to obey. Obedience is immediate. God speaks, we listen and obey. We do what He commands us to do. We do not argue, postpone, stall, dither, or delay.

“I will hasten and not delay to obey your commands.” [Psalm 119:60 HCSB]

Oops, there is that little phrase, “I will” again. I will hasten. I will not delay. I will obey Your commands, LORD. That is the response. Immediate and Decisive. Of course, it also means we must know what His commands are!

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I will …

by TerryLema

I was reading Psalm 138 this morning. It is a beautiful song of thanksgiving. It opens simply. “I will give You thanks with all my heart; I will sing Your praise before the heavenly beings. I will bow down toward Your holy temple and give thanks to Your name for Your constant love and truth.” [Psalm 138:1-2 HCSB]

I will. So much of what we do as human beings begins with those two little words—I will. What follows those two little words often determines not just how we live our lives each day (I will stop for groceries, I will go for that job promotion, I will call my friend), but also determines the focus of our lives as a whole.

This song reminds us that the atmosphere of our hearts is to be thanksgiving to the LORD. “I will give you [LORD] thanks with all my heart.”

I will do that by singing in the presence of heavenly hosts. I will do that by bowing down in worship. I will do that because your love and truth are constantly with me.

But the psalmist does not stop there. He finds many more reasons to bring his thanksgiving to the LORD. In verse 3, he says he called on the LORD who answered him with increased strength within. In verse 7, the psalmist says even when he walks in danger, the LORD will preserve his life and save him. Then in verse 8, he reminds himself that the LORD will not abandon him but will “fulfill His purpose” for him.

There has been a lot in 2020 that has perhaps driven thanksgiving away from our hearts. Uncertainty in so many areas is thriving, and desperation is hovering for many around the edges of their lives. No matter what is happening now, however, it does not change the truth that God will fulfill His purpose in us – and for that we can, and should be, eternally grateful to Him.

“I will give you [LORD] thanks with all my heart.” Amen.

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