Author

TerryLema

With the Measure You Love

by TerryLema

“With the measure we love God, that is the measure we will use to worship Him.”

Sunday’s message was out of John 4, the story of the Samaritan woman and Jesus. It centered around Jesus’ words that “true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth; for the Father is seeking such to worship Him. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” [23-24 NKJV]

No longer is there a specific location to worship, God is present with us and in us by faith. Now it is our hearts and our heads that are involved in worship – wherever the body might be. There must be knowledge of sound doctrine that invites our minds to consider our God and all His Worth, and there must be passion in our spirits to give voice to our worship.

I was reminded also that worship is never stationary in the sense that it reaches a level where it simply stops and we consider it “enough.” Our worship is truthfully based upon our love for God. That love is to continually increase and grow. Down through our years we should be more aware of all God has done for us, all He has done in us, and all He is doing through us. We should see His Hand revealed in everyday life and in those moments of despair and crisis, confirming to us how much God cares for us.

When we see God’s goodness around us, we love Him more. The measure of our love for Him increases with the knowledge of Him. That measure of love will determine our level of worship. The expression of deep love flows out in a level of worship that matches it. (Just the way a shallow love of God produces but a shallow worship.)

Father, may we love deeply, more and more as the days pass. May we worship you greatly in spirit and truth. May our worship grow more honorable as we love you more and more. Amen.

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Traditions of Men

by TerryLema

The Pharisees and some teachers of the law approached Jesus one day. You can read about it in Mark 7:1-23. They were upset because the disciples were eating without going through a ceremonial washing prescribed by tradition from the elders. Jesus quoted a Scripture from the Book of Isaiah: “These people honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me. They worship me in vain; their teachings are but rules taught by men.”   [vs 6-7]

Then He adds His own rebuke, “You have a fine way of setting aside the commands of God in order to observe your own traditions! … Thus, you nullify the word of God by your tradition that you have handed down. And you do many things like that.” [vs 9, 13]

Ever wonder what Jesus would say to us if He walked into our corporate services. Would he see lip service or hearts that are yearning for Him? Would He see our focus on traditions or rules taught by men, or would He see us following Him as closely as possible to the truth of the Scriptures?

I will honestly say it frightens me to consider what Christ Jesus might think about our fellowships today. Or what He might say to us. Sometimes I think we, the church today, have allowed “life” to slip away from our services, leaving but a dry old shell of what once was. It is far too easy to get settled into some method or ritual that once contained life but has now faded into “this is what we’ve always done.”

I don’t think we must shake up things for the sake of shaking them up … but I do think it’s time to look at what we do and see if we are simply honoring Him with our lips while our hearts have strayed. I don’t want to worship in vain. I want life and that “more abundantly” in all things, both individually and corporately!

Oh, LORD, may we seek and embrace YOUR life always! Amen.

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Time to Notice the Good?

by TerryLema

I usually attend a couple prayer meetings each week. I cherish the time with other Christians placing our requests before our Father God, something He invites us to do. It’s an enriching experience to hear others pray and to sense the concerns of their heart for God’s Kingdom, our world, and individuals.

The one thing I have noticed, however, is that often we focus almost totally on the ills around us. We should, of course, pray about the things that are wrong, but if we consider prayer as conversation with our Almighty God, should we not also note the things that are right?

“For the word of the LORD is right and true; he is faithful in all he does. The LORD loves righteousness and justice; the earth is full of his unfailing love.” [Ps 33:4-5 NIV]

The NKJV renders that last line, “the earth is full of the goodness of the LORD.”

It isn’t healthy (in any conversation) to always focus on the problems or difficulties. If we did that with our friends constantly, I’m not sure how long they’d last as our friends. We must talk about the good too. With God, we should also come to Him with “His unfailing love” and “goodness” before us and thank Him for it.

Sometimes it is enlightening to take a walk with a child and notice how they see all the wonder around them. “Oh, look, a flower,” or “look a rock,” or “wow, a big worm!” (I walked with a lot of little boys!) Children can find joy and wonder everywhere.

Maybe next time we take a walk with God in prayer, we should spend some time noticing all that “unfailing love” and “goodness” He has placed around us.

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Give Me Children

by TerryLema

I am tired this morning. Physically and emotionally tired certainly, any auto-immune disease will do that. I think that I am also a little tired spiritually.

My spiritual tiredness is not from any problems in my relationship with my LORD and Savior. He and I are on good terms. I love Him with all my heart. I try to worship and praise Him with abandon every opportunity presented. I sense His presence with me and His love for me. They flood my soul often.

I’ve tried to find the source of my spiritual “tiredness” by both praying about it and thinking a great deal about it. (Faith and prayer do not eliminate critical thought; they encompass it and conform it to God’s Word.)

I think I am feeling a bit like Rachel. Rachel was the love of Jacob’s life. He worked seven years for her hand in marriage, only to be deceived by her father, Laban, who gave Rachel’s older sister Leah to Jacob instead. Agreeing to another seven years with Laban, Jacob and Rachel were finally wed. The only problem, Leah was the one bearing children and Rachel was barren. Lamenting her barrenness, Rachel cried out, “Give me children, or I’ll die!” [Gen 30:1 NIV]

I love The Way Church and the people there are like family…closer than family. I love serving them. They are growing and seem to love being there. But … but … I wonder where the “children” are. Most of my church family have been Christians for years, they are well-grounded in Christ.

I keep asking God to open the floodgates and bring the unsaved. I keep asking for more “children” and I keep praying for salvations. And I seem to be growing a bit spiritually tired in what is proving to be a long wait.

Oh Father, “Give me children!” Amen.

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In the Day of Trouble

by TerryLema

We have a large bird feeder in our backyard, right next to thick evergreen trees. Every winter the little birds make their home in those trees. They’ll sit on the outside branches in the sunshine and disappear deep into the trees’ cover when the weather is bad or during the night. Periodically, they’ll come out to feed. They know Bob especially and will simply sit and watch as he goes out during the day to fill the feeder and scatter seed on the barren ground that in the summer will be our garden. They get their fill and seem willing to share with the doves who come in the morning and evening for their meals.

There is often an unwelcome guest that comes. A hawk has noticed the birds and comes to sit on our fence in the winter hoping to also devour a meal. The first time that happened the birds scattered and didn’t return for days. They seem to have discovered lately that if they remain deep in the shelter of the trees, the hawk cannot reach them. While the hawk is there, they simply stay quiet and secure in their shelter.

I love watching those little birds. They teach me so many lessons. When I see the hawk and know that the little birds are quiet and secure deep in those trees, I remind myself of where I need to stay when the enemy of my soul comes looking to devour.

“For in the day of trouble (when that old predator comes calling), God will keep me safe in His dwelling, He will hide me in the shelter of His tabernacle.” Psalm 27:5

I don’t need to be anxious or afraid. I don’t need to run away. I need to draw closer, deeper, into the covering of God’s Presence. I am safe there.

Praise His Glorious Name. Amen!

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Holy Ground

by TerryLema

I take my shoes off when I preach, done that from almost the beginning. I remember what God commanded Moses when Moses’ curiosity sent him off to check out that “burning bush” in Exodus 3:5: “’Do not come any closer,’ God said. ‘Take off your sandals, for the place where you are standing is holy ground.’” [NIV]

I know there is nothing holy about the little log cabin we are in, nor about the ground around any pulpit. But there is holy ground in the Scriptures from which I’m preaching. Taking my shoes off reminds me to be faithful to God’s Word and that it is an awesome opportunity and fearsome responsibility to preach and teach others about God.

I also recognize that it is not only those times when I’m sharing God’s Word that I’m on “holy ground.” John reminded his readers in his first letter that [God] “abides in us, by the Spirit whom He has given us.” [1 John 3:24 NKJV]

Our very spiritual hearts are “holy ground” because God abides there. We not only need to remember that, we need to carefully heed the warning to not wear our “worldly shoes” into God’s presence.

Proverbs 4:23 tells us that “above all else, guard your heart, for it is the wellspring of life.” We can’t do that if we are tramping around out in the world and bringing all its dirt home with us. We can’t guard our heart if we take our spiritual eyes off the LORD and allow them to consider all manner of temptation and evil around us.

Our hearts are holy ground for the LORD abides there. Let’s consider that carefully in everything we do.

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Super Bowl!

by TerryLema

I really liked this year’s Super Bowl. Hated the half time but that’s a story for a different day. Today I’m just thinking about the actual reason for all the hoopla, two teams vying for that one title, “Super Bowl 54 Champions.”

The two young quarterbacks got most of the attention. Both are good (one might even be great), and both should be around for a good long time in the NFL (barring injury).

The pre-game hype was the great San Francisco 49’ers defense against the great Kansas City Chiefs offense and which would prevail.

The great backstory for me centered on the coaches, however. One was younger (40), an innovative, son of a previous Super Bowl winning coach; the other an older coach (62) who was ranked 6th in all-time wins, but never won a Super Bowl, that is, until last Sunday. The wily old coach came out on top and finally won his championship ring.

I liked that, especially being “old” myself. Our society adores youth, so it’s nice every now and then to see those with a few years on them accomplish something wonderful. What has become one of my favorite verses is found in Psalms 92:14-15. “They will still bear fruit in old age, they will stay fresh and green, proclaiming, ‘The LORD is upright; He is my Rock!’”

God doesn’t look at our years, He looks at the willingness of our hearts to stay in the fight, to continue to work and serve for His Kingdom. I’ve always said that God will not spurn a willing heart – no matter how young or how old the body in which it is encased! Amen!

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An Anxious Heart

by TerryLema

Out of the 832 occurrences of the English word heart in the NKJV, 207 of them are in the Books of Psalms and Proverbs. To me Psalms always represents the praise and worship that spring out of our inner being, and Proverbs to me is all about the wisdom of the LORD. I guess it’s not surprising that 207 “hearts” are in those books.

As I was just skimming the list in my concordance this morning, I stopped at Prov 12:25, “Anxiety in the heart of man causes depression, but a good word makes it glad.” [NKJV]

The NIV translated it this way: “An anxious heart weighs a man down, but a kind word cheers him up.”

I thought that very interesting since the major emotional challenges facing today’s generation are anxiety and depression. That was according to mental health resources I was able to find. These issues give birth to others, such as addictions, promiscuity, and suicide. The Bible took notice of these issues long before anyone realized.

How do we overcome anxiety? For many the solution is medications and while that may keep symptoms at bay, I’m not sure it’s a cure for the problem. Perhaps the true solution can be found somewhere else?

Psalm 94 is a song about anxiety and depression, about being surrounded by the woes of this world. While it acknowledges the woes, it also reminds us of the cure. “Unless the LORD had given me help, I would soon have dwelt in the silence of death. When I said, ‘My foot is slipping,’ your love, O LORD, supported me. When anxiety was great within me, your consolation brought joy to my soul.” [vs 16-19]

When we try to remove God from every facet of modern society, we also remove the very cure for its ills. Have mercy on our souls, O LORD.

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Lawbreaker

by TerryLema

It’s National Heart Month, so I’ve been thinking about our hearts … not just our physical ones that can rule our physical health, but our spiritual ones that rule our spiritual wellbeing.

One day the Pharisees, the religious rulers of Jesus’ day that were so strict in their observance of the law, sent a lawyer to Jesus with a question. It wasn’t that they wanted an answer, they were testing Him, hoping to catch Him doing or saying something wrong so they could accuse Him. The lawyer asked Him about the greatest commandment.

“Jesus said to him, ‘You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment.” [Matthew 22:37-39 NKJV]

The greatest of all commandments is to love the LORD our God, not with a shallow, part-time, or only when it’s convenient love, but with all our heart, mind and soul.

One thing about commandments or laws, if you break just one you are considered a “lawbreaker.” I may obey all the rules of driving in my state except the one I don’t like – coming to a complete stop at a stop-sign. Breaking that one law makes me a “lawbreaker” in the sight of those who set the law.

People like to think of themselves as righteous and good, setting their own rules and standards, always making sure the “lawbreaker” line is just a little beyond them – it’s called relativism.

God gave one great commandment and only one person has ever kept it. Jesus kept that command completely and wholly. And praise His Holy Name, He’s taken the punishment for us “lawbreakers” and imparted to us His righteousness. Thank you Lord!

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It Makes My Heart Want to Sing!

by TerryLema

While the Scriptures are clear that the heart of mankind is deceitful and tends towards wickedness always, they are also clear that God has not left us in that state. One of the most beautiful pictures of our redemption comes in 1 Peter 1:18-21.

“For you know that it was not with perishable things such as silver or gold that you were redeemed from the empty way of life handed down to you from your forefathers, but with the precious blood of Christ, a lamb without blemish or defect. He was chosen before the creation of the world, but was revealed in these last times for your sake. Through him you believe in God, who raised him from the dead and glorified him, and so your faith and hope are in God.” [NIV]

Just gaze for a moment at those words. Let the beauty of Peter’s thoughts sink deep into your soul.

Peter reminds us that we are redeemed – no longer needing to live that empty way of life. Our lives are now full and complete, no longer slaves to sin or degradation.

And it was not anything perishable that God offered for us – He offered the precious blood of Christ. And not as an afterthought – it was all planned before the creation of the world. It’s not a patch job or done with something that can be stolen or perverted.

Now revealed to us in our time – and for our sake – we have the proof of God’s love. He raised Jesus from the dead and glorified Him to the right hand of the Father. When we put our faith and hope in Him, we are assured of eternal glory and peace as part of the family of God.

Not sure what that does to your heart, but it makes mine want to sing! Amen & Amen.

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