TerryLema

Every morning I receive our local e-mail newspaper and throughout the day I also get e-mail alerts from it along with those from a major news affiliate.  I even get Amber Alerts and National Weather Service warnings on my phone.  Each wants me to know about the things going on in our world right now. They inform me of trial outcomes, violence, arrests, terrorism, alarming weather occurrences, child abductions, and the like.  Bad, bad, bad, bad news.

Wouldn’t it be nice if occasionally we got alerts about good news? Ah, but then the Lord reminded me, I’m not supposed to get alerts about good news from others … I’m supposed to alert everyone of the Good News!  “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation,” Jesus said.   [Mark 16:15]

As believers in Christ, we have the best news of all … God has proven His love for us in sending His very own Son to die in our place.  He has forgiveness waiting for us.  He has newness of life to give.  He has liberty from sin and bondage.  He has joy and peace and provision.  He has grace and mercy just waiting for the taking.  That’s good, good, good, good news.

The world needs to hear from us about the Good News.  Too many people know Christianity only by what it is against. How about we start shout from the rooftops our Good, Good, Good, Good News.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dgwXUn7mwcs

Ps 145:13:  The LORD is faithful to all his promises and loving toward all he has made.  [NIV]

Read Psalm 145 today — it is a song of David that tells of God’s greatness and His faithfulness.

God remains faithful day in and day out in the largest and smallest of circumstances.  His faithfulness is always there, even when we are unaware of it.

It is when I look back that God’s faithfulness becomes clearer.  I can delight in all the answered prayers (even those answered with a “No” or a “Not now.”)  I see the supernatural touch of God in my life through healings and miracles.  I recount the day-to-day strength He poured out on me and the peace amid chaos that came straight from His Spirit.  I give thanks for the “daily bread” He provided.  I remember, also, the times of special anointing and awareness of His presence.

God’s abiding faithfulness through it all speaks volumes now in my present.  I know that even the trials I face today, or will face tomorrow, will not take God by surprise and that He has already made provision for what I need for every one of my remaining days.  Great is His faithfulness every moment.

Can you see God’s continuing faithfulness when you look back?  Today is a good day to spend in thanksgiving for all His love and faithfulness.

Father, I am grateful for all You have done in me, for me and through me.  I am grateful for the provision You have for today and tomorrow no matter what I will face.  I am amazed by Your care and the love You pour out on one such as I.  Amen.

Psalm 69:5-6: “God, you know my foolishness, and my guilty acts are not hidden from you. Do not let those who put their hope in you be disgraced because of me, Lord God of Armies; do not let those who seek you be humiliated because of me, God of Israel.” [Christian Standard Bible {CSB}]

I am 70 years old. I have been saved since I was 26. I have been in ministry since 1985, and have been pastoring full time these last years. I still do foolish things. I thought as I “aged,” I would also “mature.” And I have, but, I still do foolish things. I recently had to amend a personal Facebook post after someone I trust pointed out to me that it contained the very rhetoric that I was speaking against.

I love books! One of the most delightful experiences is to go to my library and discover an old book that I had forgotten I had. That happened to me recently.

I was in my office at the church with a few minutes to spare before a board meeting. I surveyed my book case, not searching for anything in particular. I spotted a devotional that I did not know I had. From the feel of the book, I’m not sure it was ever opened. It has been sitting on that shelf for about five years since I brought those books from home. All that time, I have been totally unaware that it was mine to have.

Kay Arthur wrote, “For believers, surrendering to God is not a one-time occurrence; it’s a matter of continually bowing our hearts before the Lord, laying our desire for control at His feet, and rising again to do whatever He asks us to do, through the power of the Holy Spirit.” (from “Lord, I Give You This Day,” Waterbrook Press, 2006)

As Christians, we speak a great deal about surrender. I know I’ve preach on it numerous times over the years. Yet if you go to your concordance, you will find very few occurrences of the word “surrender.” In fact, the King James doesn’t even have one such occurrence. I did find six in the NKJV and 14 in the NIV, but none of those verses speak of surrendering to God.

It had been a long day of teaching. The crowd had been so large that Jesus had to teach from a boat that was sitting out on the lake. When evening came, Jesus told his disciples to go over to the other side of the lake. Then he promptly fell asleep on a cushion in the stern of the boat. You can read the story in Mark 4:35-41.

A furious squall, meaning a violent storm, came up, so much so that waves broke over the boat. Jesus slept on. Afraid for their lives, the disciples woke Him, “Teacher,” they said, “don’t you care if we drown?”