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TerryLema

Opportunities Abound!

by TerryLema

The world is in the grips of a FEAR-pandemic. Events are canceled or “suspended.” Government officials are forbidding or “recommending” that any gathering more than a few people be canceled, including church services. The stock market has been on a steady decline. People are not going to restaurants or any place they “fear” they’ll acquire the virus. The media is one talking head after another telling us about the virus and what precautions we should take, what we should expect, what we should or should not do. It’s a response to FEAR unlike anything I’ve seen since Y2K! (Which by the way did not do anything the talking heads predicted it would do.)

Amid this FEAR-pandemic, the church needs to be the source of HOPE and COURAGE. The Bible is cover-to-cover a message from God that those who love Him should not fear. Whether OT or NT, “do not fear” is a major theme.

“Fear not, for I have redeemed you; I have called you by your name; you are Mine. When you pass through the waters, I will be with you; and through the rivers, they shall not overflow you. When you walk through the fire, you shall not be burned, nor shall the flame scorch you. For I am the LORD your God.” [Isa 43:1-3 NKJV]

“Do not fear, little flock, for it is your Father’s good pleasure to give you the kingdom.” [Luke 12:32 NKJV]

Should we use caution, of course, just as we do so we don’t spread the flu or the common cold. But while others are responding to all this with FEAR, the church should be viewing this as an opportunity to share the HOPE we have in Christ Jesus.

Let’s keep our heads, beloved. An average of 115 persons die each day in motor vehicle crashes in the United States — one every 13 minutes. According to the World Health Organization about 3000 people die in crashes each day worldwide. Keep perspective. The world has always been full of danger, but God is full of grace, mercy and goodness. Share His delights with others who are struggling with fear and hopelessness. Don’t miss this time of opportunity!

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Be Ready

by TerryLema

I went to Costco last week, list in hand, for my usual bi-monthly order. I did what people often do when they go to Costco – bought lots of stuff not on my list. It was impulse shopping at its best.

When I got to the back of the store (you know where this is going), to buy toilet paper and tissue, the shelves were empty. Nothing but a stack of paper towels. I heard a Costco employee tell someone he had 195 pallets of toilet paper the morning before and they sold out in 24 hours. The coronavirus fear had struck.

I have heard a few conspiracy theories lately about what is going on in the media with this virus outbreak. I, too, am a conspiracy theorist … I believe there is a conspiracy to see fear thriving in our world. The participants in this conspiracy are the world, our flesh, and the devil. They conspire to create fear. They want everyone frozen, afraid to do anything.

When that kind of fear surges up and strikes, it can even invade the church striking believers who should be fearless. Peter wrote to believers, “Do not fear what they fear; do not be frightened. But in your hearts set apart Christ as Lord.” [1 Peter 3:14-15a NIV]

And yes, we should be fearless. We serve a great God. He is all-powerful. No matter how many conspire together against Him and His own, they will not prevail. Jesus Christ is LORD, and we sit with Him in heavenly places. Considering that, why are we afraid?

Peter reminded his readers after he told them not to fear that we should “Always be prepared to give an answer to everyone who asks you to give the reason for the hope that you have.” [v15b]

FEAR may be a powerful four-letter word, but HOPE is even more powerful.

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One Thing Lacking

by TerryLema

Mark 10:17-22 tells the story of Jesus’ meeting with the “Rich Young Ruler.” The young man came to Jesus, knelt before Him and presented Him with a question, “Good Teacher, what shall I do that I may inherit eternal life.”

Don’t you find it odd when you read that story that Jesus didn’t just say, “Believe on me, the One Whom God has sent to bring salvation.”

Instead Jesus confronted the young man about the way he addressed Him and lists a few commandments that need to be kept. The young man then addresses Jesus with a simplified title, “Teacher” and says he has kept all those laws since he was a young man.

What comes next always makes me think. “Then Jesus, looking at him, loved him, and said to him, ‘One thing you lack….’” [v21 NKJV]

In His great compassion and love for this young, rich ruler, Jesus tells him to give up his riches, which he held in greater honor than his love for God. The young man is unable to do so and walks away holding on to his riches and letting go of his desire for eternal life.

Ever wonder what Jesus would say if it were us rather than that rich young ruler. I have. What would be the “one thing” that Jesus highlighted in me that I held in greater honor than my desire for Him. I don’t have riches, so it certainly would not be that. Still, I wonder if there is anything in me that Jesus could point to and say, “one thing you lack ….”

Oh, Precious Savior, let me not hold anything in higher honor than my life in You. Amen.

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Bread of Life

by TerryLema

The medications I’ve taking for the auto-immune disease they suspect I have raises blood sugar. That’s not a good side effect for people who have Type 2 Diabetes, as I do. So, I’ve had to limit my carb intake drastically. (I confess I do however sneak a carb-treat off the snack table at church on Sunday.)

Limiting my carbs has meant I am eating a mainly keto-style diet. I know Jesus said that “man doesn’t live by bread alone,” but I must admit I miss bread. I’m fine without pasta or potatoes or sweet desserts, but I miss a good slice of hearty bread. I like sandwiches. I really do.

I found something called “keto bread.” It claims to have one net gram of carbohydrates. I thought, wow(!), I can have bread again. Turns out, it’s as dry as sawdust. I tried using it for a grilled cheese and toasting it. I tried it in a sandwich as is. It doesn’t matter; it’s still dry and tasteless. This “keto bread” is a poor substitute for real bread.

In John 6:35 Jesus declared, “I am the bread of life. He who comes to me will never go hungry, and he who believes in me will never be thirsty.” [NIV]

Jesus is the Bread of Life. He is real bread for our souls. He nourishes us, is sweet and delightful to our spiritual palates. He is a hearty, life-giving, wonderful bread that keeps us returning to Him for more and more.

The world’s bread is a poor substitute. It dries us out. There is no nourishment in it. Yet how often we opt for the things of the world rather than seek the Savior.

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Lead Us Not Into Temptation

by TerryLema

Have you ever noticed that David began Psalm 139 with the statement that the LORD had searched him (past tense) and knew him, then ended it with a request for God to search him again?

“O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.” [v1-3 NKJV]

“Search me, O God, and know my heart; Try me, and know my anxieties; And see if there is any wicked way in me and lead me in the way everlasting.” [v23-24 NKJV]

Did David think God forgot? Did he think God suddenly could not remember what David was like, his thoughts, his path and his ways? No, David knew God was well aware of his inner most being.

When David asked God to search him at the end of the psalm, He was asking God to reveal to David what was in his own heart. David asked God to show him those anxieties and doubts that plagued him, to reveal to him his sin. His cry was to know if there was anything in him that displeased his LORD, anything that would lead him away. Then once shown, David asked for God to lead him away from sin and in the path of righteousness.

Jesus said we are to pray daily, “lead us not into temptation ….” In other words, “Our Father, lead us away from anything in us that would take us away from You, any anxiety that would cause us to doubt Your loving kindness, any temptation of the world that would overwhelm our devotion to You. Amen”

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Day # 27,757

by TerryLema

I had a difficult day last Thursday. I woke up with pain everywhere, and my neck hurt. I had a cervical epidural on Monday that the doctors hoped would reduce my neck pain. They said I would know in one to five days if it worked. By Thursday it still had not. In addition to the pain I was fatigued. It wasn’t the kind of fatigue that you can eliminate by simply getting more sleep. It’s just there and no amount of sleep will alleviate it. Still I rested, hoping it would be better the next day.

Ps 139:16: “Your eyes saw my substance, being yet unformed. And in Your book they all were written, The days fashioned for me, When as yet there were none of them.” [NKJV]

Thursday did not take God by surprise. He knew that day in my life. He knew exactly what day number 26,751 was going to bring me, as well as day number 26,752 and day number 26,753. He knew all of them before I was yet to be born. He knows exactly how many I am even going to have.

I can trust Him. I can fall into His loving arms on my good days and my difficult ones. The sun is not yet up as I write this. I have no idea what this day will bring. I do know that whatever comes my way, God’s going to be there for me.

When I woke this morning, in that twilight between sleep and waking, I heard, “It’s a good day to pray, to sit quietly with the Lord.”

Maybe a good day to just thank God for being here for us and with us. Amen.

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HE KNOWS ME

by TerryLema

I was thinking about the LORD’s thoughts and ways this morning, marveling in His love and kindness to me – despite knowing me so well. “O LORD, You have searched me and known me. You know my sitting down and my rising up; You understand my thought afar off. You comprehend my path and my lying down and are acquainted with all my ways.”  [Ps 139:1-3 NKJV]

God has searched me, David wrote. I always picture David lying on the ground looking up at the stars and thinking about God thinking about him. God had searched David, knew his thoughts and path and all his ways.

God has searched me. He knows my thoughts. That both comforts me and sorrows me. I know some of the things I think. I see my arrogance flare, or my pride well up. I know my opinions and sometimes they are not very pretty. Still, He welcomes me.

God comprehends my path. It’s often crooked or rocky. It often deviates from the way God would have me walk. I lose my way at times and wonder how I got where I am. Then my precious Savior is there, guiding me back through the leading of His Spirit within me.

God is acquainted with my ways. My ways … my ways, often, they are not His ways. They are ways prompted by my anxiety or my greed or my lack of understanding. They are ways that are ingrained in me since childhood, my reactions and responses to life. Still, He loves me.

I may not be lying under the stars this morning thinking about God thinking about me – but I am so thankful He knows me, just as I am.

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What are You thinking?

by TerryLema

Political ads are everywhere. You can’t turn around without seeing or hearing one politician or another blather on and on about something. As I listen, I often wonder to myself, “what are you thinking.” It doesn’t matter what side of the aisle you are on, or if you are in the middle, politicians spout ideas that often make no practical sense.

And while on the subject, have you ever watched the media press someone for a response (someone who doesn’t want to give a response)? They can ask the dumbest questions, often repeating over and over what other reporters have asked, or what the interviewee has already said they will not comment on. I wonder, “what are you thinking?”

Having railed on politicians and the media, I must now admit that there is another time when I wonder, “what are You thinking?” That’s when my God is talking, and I must admit that as He told Isaiah, we can’t really understand His ways or His thoughts. “’For My thoughts are not your thoughts, Nor are your ways My ways,’ says the LORD. ‘For as the heavens are higher than the earth, So are My ways higher than your ways, And My thoughts than your thoughts.’” [Isaiah 55:8-9 NKJV]

God is God. He is perfect in wisdom, knowledge and holiness. He has perfect foreknowledge, knowing all that can be known. If I could understand His thoughts, or perceive His ways completely, He wouldn’t be any more intelligent than I am – and (said with a smile), we’d all be in big trouble.

It is precisely that we can’t understand Him that makes His thoughts and ways toward us all the more precious. He doesn’t operate on our finite level but is infinite in power and knowledge. So, while it may seem a bit silly to you, this morning I am so thankful that I don’t always understand my blessed LORD but lean on Him by faith through His grace. Amen.

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Falling Short

by TerryLema

Right after the writer of Hebrews reminds us that God disciplines us in order to provide spiritual vitality, he also encourages us to “Pursue peace with all people, and holiness, without which no one will see the Lord: looking carefully lest anyone fall short of the grace of God.” [Heb 12:14-15 NKJV]

Three things to consider in that short sentence. First, we are to “pursue” peace with all people. I noticed that it doesn’t say we are to “achieve” peace with all people. That would be an impossible task. Some people just won’t make peace with us. Whatever their reaction is, however, we are still to pursue that possibility of peace through Christ Jesus.

In addition to pursuing peace with all people, we are to also pursue holiness. Just like we’ll not achieve peace with everyone, we are not going to achieve complete holiness until we stand in the presence of God. In this life we are going to fail. Still that doesn’t mean we simply give up or make excuses. Yes, we’re human, but we are indwelt by the Holy Spirit of God whose job it is to lead us into righteousness and holiness.

Last of all, we are to be very careful that we don’t “fall short of the grace of God.” That little phrase always confounds and amazes me. God’s grace, His unmerited favor is given to us for both salvation and for sanctification – for becoming conformed to the image of God’s Dear Son.

We need His grace for salvation because we can’t save ourselves. The price is too great to pay and we are bankrupt. We also need His grace to grow in our spiritual walk. It’s there, in abundance, ready and waiting for us to appropriate as we cooperate with the Holy Spirit’s work in our lives. God makes His grace available to us. It confounds me why He would do such a thing for us. It amazes me that we might leave His grace sitting there and not use it to become more and more like His Son, Christ Jesus our LORD.

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God’s Faithful Discipline

by TerryLema

Whenever a passage of Scripture begins with that dangerous word, “therefore,” it means that you must go back to the previous passage to pick up the context of what’s coming next. This morning in Hebrews I opened to chapter 12 and found the familiar statement: “Therefore, strengthen the hands which hang down, and the feeble knees, and make straight paths for your feet.” [12:12-13 NKJV]

The writer is talking about renewing our spiritual vitality – those hands which hang down in despair and the feeble knees which may no longer hold us up or keep us praying as we should. Realizing that the exhortation began with that dangerous word “therefore,” I looked back at the previous passage.

It is all about the discipline of the LORD. It begins in verse 1 and ends with these words in verse 11. “Now no chastening seems to be joyful for the present, but painful; nevertheless, afterward it yields the peaceable fruit of righteousness to those who have been trained by it.” [NKJV]

There surely is nothing joyful about discipline while it is going on. It’s downright painful. It is humiliating to be reminded that we fall short of what we should be as children of God. It is, however, absolutely necessary when we do fall short as children of the Father to respond to God’s discipline correctly.

When we receive the discipline of God as an offering of His love and allow it to train us to be what God wants us to be, it yields, or brings to life, righteousness in us.

How often we sing joyfully, “Great is Thy Faithfulness,” without realizing that one of the ways God’s faithfulness is expressed to us is in discipline.

Thank you, Father. Amen.

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