Author

TerryLema

Trust in Him

by TerryLema

We sing a song in church titled, “I Will Trust in You,” written by Lauren Daigle, Paul Marbury, Michael Farren.

The song talks about how we stay strong when God doesn’t move the mountains or part the sea or give us the kind of answers we expect or want.

How do we handle trudging over that mountain? How do we continue when we have to walk through the floods? What kind of heart attitude must we bear when the answers to our prayers don’t rescue us from situations, illnesses, or circumstances of life?

The song says that it is then we must trust.  “I will trust, I will trust in You.”

That’s not a new thought. David during trouble said, “I trust in you, O LORD; I say, ‘You are my God.’ My times are in your hands.”  [Psalm 31:14-15 NIV]

Jesus told us, “Do not let your hearts be troubled. Trust in God; trust also in me.” [John 14:1 NIV]

We commit our spiritual well-being to God. No matter what we see with our natural eye. No matter what we must go through, endure, or overcome in this life, our belief in God and in His Christ holds us steady.

The mountains may loom, but God will give us hinds-feet for high places. The sea may seem to overwhelm, but Jesus can quiet our soul. And the answers to our prayers may be different than expected, but He will never leave us, nor forsake us. I will trust, I can trust, in Him.

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My Walking Stick

by TerryLema

Prov 3:5-6: “Trust in the LORD with all your heart, And lean not on your own understanding; In all your ways acknowledge Him, And He shall direct your paths.”  [NKJV]

I usually carry a cane with me when I walk. In the past when I walked outside, I carried a walking stick mainly as a guard against dogs or when I would walk on unpaved sections of the road where I’d have to deal with stones, uneven ground, and potholes. Lately, however, I use it all the time. My muscles are a bit compromised and that throws my balance off, so, I “lean on” my walking stick.  I trust it to keep me upright and bear my weight in every and all circumstances.

The Psalmist reminds us that we are to not rely on our own human understanding or wisdom but are to trust in the LORD our God with all our hearts.  Our own understanding often fails us. I could even say our understanding will “always” fail us if we base it on mere human knowledge and wisdom. 

Instead, we are to keep the LORD our God in the forefront of our mind in every situation, in every day. Trusting in God isn’t just a Sunday “come-to-meeting” experience, it’s a 24-7-365 experience. We are to remember Him all the time and not just remember, we are also to acknowledge Him. We are to follow Him.

When we follow Him, He “shall direct [our] paths.”  That doesn’t mean that every obstacle will be removed, or every circumstance or situation averted. It does mean, however, that at the very least we won’t have all those self-generated obstacles in our way!  Most of what I must jump over comes from my own impatience, rebellion, misdirection, and stupidity anyway!

Oh LORD, we trust in You, acknowledge You, and lean on You to direct our every step, every day. Help us, O God. Amen.

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Living Hope

by TerryLema

Living hope.  There are some words that just say something in their simplicity. They don’t need a detailed explanation; you just know the minute you hear them how important they are.

Living hope are two words that speak volumes.  You find these words in the opening thoughts of Peter’s first letter.

“Praise be to the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! In his great mercy he has given us new birth into a living hope through the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, and into an inheritance that can never perish, spoil or fade-kept in heaven for you, who through faith are shielded by God’s power until the coming of the salvation that is ready to be revealed in the last time.” [1 Peter 1:3-5]

Our hope is alive because it is anchored in Christ Jesus who through the power of God was raised from the dead and is forever alive!  Our living hope isn’t wishful thinking – the kind of wishful thinking that prompts some people to buy lottery tickets. Our living hope isn’t just for one person whose numbers are picked over the numbers of millions of others.

Our living hope is for everyone who accepts God’s great mercy. It is alive now in Christ Jesus. It will be translated into a sure inheritance when we see Jesus. It can never perish, spoil, or fade away. It will never leave you bankrupt or worse off than before you obtained it.

When we surrendered our lives to Christ Jesus as Lord and Savior, we were birthed into that living hope. We are alive in it. We flourish in it. We find God’s power operating in it for our good.

Living hope. How grand those two simple little words are.

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Kindness

by TerryLema

On my personal Facebook page, I daily post an inspiration quote that I recorded decades ago in journals that I called “JoyBooks.” Recently, I posted one from Aldous Huxley. “People often ask me, what is the most effective technique for transforming their life? It is a little embarrassing that after years and years of research and experimentation, I have to say that the best answer is – just be a little kinder.”

Huxley was an English writer and philosopher. While I don’t necessarily agree with his lifestyle or life philosophy, I agree that we need more kindness. It is sorely lacking in our culture today.

As Christians, we had our life transformed by salvation in Christ Jesus. Paul reminds us that first “He has rescued us from the domain of darkness and transferred us into the kingdom of the Son He loves.” [Colossians 1:13 HCSB]

We have been moved from darkness into the Kingdom of God – that is a finished work in Christ. But the transformation of our lives is also something that continues in us while we walk in this world.  “We all, with unveiled faces, are looking as in a mirror at the glory of the Lord and are being transformed into the same image from glory to glory; this is from the Lord who is the Spirit.” [2 Corinthians 3:18 HCSB]

And part of that transformation is the active putting on, clothing ourselves with the characteristics of Christ Jesus,

“Therefore, God’s chosen ones, holy and loved, put on heartfelt compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness, and patience.” [Colossians 3:12 HCSB]

Kindness. While kindness is sorely lacking in our world, in our politicians, corporations, media and sometimes even in our neighborhoods, it should never be sorely lacking in the life of a Christian. We are to be kind.

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He Wept

by TerryLema

I have been reading and watching the news and one thing that truly vexes my soul is the glee, the absolute delight I see on the faces of those who think they have discovered some “failing” or “shortcoming” or “fault” in another.  They run to-and-fro trying to scoop everyone else and relate the news of someone’s flaws before anyone else does.

When did we become so smitten with revealing the faults of others?  How can anyone in public life stand up under the scrutiny that is so prevalent in our society? When did we become so mean-spirited that we have to respond even to social media posts with angry, dividing, condemning words?

Or have we always been that way and now we simply have more opportunities to display our hardened hearts?

1 Corinthians 13 is a description of what love is. It tells us that love is kind and patient, that it is not rude or boastful. It always protects and hopes and is humble.  Verse 6 reminds us that “Love finds no joy in unrighteousness but rejoices in the truth.” 

Shortly before the crucifixion, Jesus looked over the City of Jerusalem. He saw all the problems, the sin, the defiance, the unrighteousness in her. He did not rejoice in what He saw.  His reaction was the exact opposite of glee and delight.  “As [Jesus] approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it.” [Luke 19:41]

Maybe it’s time beloved that we react to what is happening in our nation, in our world, in our churches, not according to the current attitudes of our society, but according to the way of our LORD. Maybe it’s time we weep.

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Christ-Dependent

by TerryLema

“The world is looking for beautiful, self-confident people to lead and entertain it. But God is looking for humble, Christ-dependent people who will love the world as He does.” –Leonard Ravenhill

I read that quote years ago, but it came up again recently. It still touches my soul as I read that phrase … “Christ-dependent people who will love the world as He does.”

 Honestly, I am not sure how much I love this world.  Oh, I love God’s beautiful creation, the mountains, the oceans, the flora and fauna, and one of my favorite pastimes is to sit somewhere and watch the amazing array of God’s people walk by, each different, each one unique. But do I really love this world as God does?

God was willing to sacrifice His only Son for the salvation of this world. Jesus was willing to come and walk this dusty life and even die on a cross to fulfill the Father’s will. Do I love that way?

Jesus twice told His disciples that He was sending them into the world as the Father had sent Him. He told them once just before His death, “As you [Father] sent me into the world, I have sent them [my disciples] into the world,” and once after His resurrection, “Peace be with you! As the Father has sent me, I am sending you.”   [John 17:18, 20:21]

I guess He wanted to make sure they understood what He was asking of them … the same sacrificial love that He exhibited for them was now to be exhibited through them to others. That hasn’t changed down through the centuries. Those early disciples were to flood the world with God’s sacrificial love … the latter disciples (us) are to do likewise.

God help us, Amen.

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The Cloud

by TerryLema

A couple Saturday’s ago I was working on my laptop. It was about the time to begin dinner preparation so I closed the lid and set it down. When I came back to it after dinner and opened the lid, all I got was a black screen. I pressed every key I could think would make a difference and finally decided just to turn it off. Trying to turn it back on failed. All I got was a couple screens with nonsense. After multiple tries, I gave up. I took it to the Geek Squad at Best Buy that night since they were open until 8 PM.

I left it with them, hoping they could fix it. One hour later that hope was dashed. My hard drive crashed. It was so bad they could not even get “corrupted data” off it.  They told me to come in the next day and get a new computer and they would help me get it set up.

I keep everything on my laptop—finances, devotions, blood glucose and insulin tracking, pictures, taxes—everything. A few years ago when I was actively pastoring, it also held all my messages and studies. I bought an external hard drive and would regularly (monthly) move things onto that hard drive as a backup, but since I retired, I have not done that. This broken, crashed laptop had everything on it from the past year.

I did do something right, however. I had a “cloud” program. Everything on my laptop was also stored in this “cloud” program. When I bought the new laptop that Sunday, the Geek Squad recovered all I had stored on this “cloud” and brought it back to me in a matter of minutes.

As I stood at that counter and watched everything make its way back to me, I could not help but recall what Jesus said about my “real” treasures in His Sermon on the Mount.

“But collect for yourselves treasures in heaven, where neither moth nor rust destroys, and where thieves don’t break in and steal. For where your treasure is, there your heart will be also.” [Matthew 6:20-21 HCSB]

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The Good Foundation, Day 11

by TerryLema

I am at the end of the Sermon on the Mount, Matthew 7:24-29. Jesus concludes with the picture that those who hear His Words and do them are “like a sensible [wise] man who built his house on the rock.” [vs 24 HCSB]

When the storms of life came in their fury, they pounded at the wise man’s house, but it did not collapse. Its foundation was secure in the Rock.

This is an easy “Am I” question because I have for five decades worked to make sure that my foundation is secure in Christ Jesus. The storms of life have assaulted. There have been times when circumstances have been difficult. Trials have come and gone. But after 50 years, I am still on the Rock. I am a child of God; my foundation is in Him.

I would be remiss if I left anyone with the impression that my house on the Rock is all of my own effort. It is not my grip on God that has kept me secure. It is His grip on me.

I have often reminded others (and myself) that when our children were little, we did not trust the strength of their hands gripping ours to keep them safe in parking lots or on streets or sidewalks or dangerous places. We trusted the strength of our hands holding theirs to keep them close to us.

It is that way with our Father also. I surrendered my hands into His, and He hangs on to me with all His strength and love and grace and compassion and faithfulness. I know He won’t let me go. I know I simply need to say, “Father!” when I am in trouble, and He will hear and hold me tight.

So yes, I can answer that last question with all certainty today, “Am I founded on the Rock? Yes, I am!”

Thank you, LORD, for calling and keeping me. Amen & Amen

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Entering the Kingdom. Day 10

by TerryLema

I am almost to the end of my walk through the Sermon on the Mount, always with the question “Am I” in view. I have found some of the walk more difficult than others, requiring that I stop along the way and consider my heart and mind closely.

Today I am walking in verses 13 through 23. This passage talks about narrow and broad gates and roads, recognizing good and false prophets and trees by their fruits. It ends with what qualifies those who will enter the kingdom of heaven, “the one who does the will of My Father in heaven.” [Vs 21 HCSB]

If I was going to paraphrase this section, I probably would say, “the easy way won’t get you there.”

It is much easier to walk with “the many” who take the wide gate and broad road rather than the narrow gate and difficult road. It is always easier to go with the flow than against it. However, “the many” are heading towards destruction rather than life.

It is also much easier to pretend we are sheep by outward appearance than it is to produce good fruit from a heart that is right with God.

And last, Jesus reminds us that it is not those self-started flashy acts that will earn us a way into the kingdom of heaven. It is “only” those who do the will of the Father that will enter the Kingdom. And that requires surrendering our lives to the One who came to save us.

No, the easy way won’t get you there. I guess my question to consider today is “Am I pursuing the will of the Father for each day?”

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“Keep It Up!” Day 9

by TerryLema

Matthew 7:7-12, part of Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount could be described by just three words, “Keep It Up!

We are to keep asking, keep seeking (searching), keep knocking. The promise that accompanies those exhortations is, “Everyone who asks receives, and the one who searches (seeks) finds, and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.” [vs 8 HCSB]

I remember once as a Hospice Chaplain I was called in to be with a mother whose young daughter died suddenly. She asked what each of us would ask, “Why?”

When her pastor arrived, she continued to ask her question, and his response was that as Christians we are not to ask why.  A few days later she showed up at my office and told me she could not seem to stop asking why, but she also could not talk to her pastor about it. After we talked for a while, I told her to keep asking God to either tell her why this happened or take away her need to ask.

She came back more than a year later and told me that God did not answer her why question, but about a month prior she realized she no longer needed to know why.

Sometimes when we ask, search and knock, we do not get exactly what we expect, but we get something equal or better from God.  The thing is not to quit.

I really need to think about this today. When I pray, “Am I quitting too soon?”

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