TerryLema

I have a small LED clock in the living room. It sits on the stand directly below the television. It is extremely bright, sometimes so bright I find it annoying. But Bob wanted a clock in the living room, so there it sits.

It is also annoying in another way; it keeps gaining minutes. I must reset it continually to the correct time. Initially I thought I had set the time incorrectly, so I reset it. But when it kept doing that, I realized that it was the clock, not me. Time moves fast enough without this silly clock jumping ahead continually.

It may be time to throw this time-keeper away and get one that counts the hours, minutes, and seconds correctly. It may also be time for something else, to understand the present time. “This is all the more urgent, for you know how late it is; time is running out. Wake up, for our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. The night is almost gone; the day of salvation will soon be here.” [Romans 13:11-12 NLT]

We would be foolish not to understand that time is running out. We are closer now to the coming of the LORD than any generation. Every moment we are one moment closer, and every moment is one that we will never have again.

Keeping that in mind, beloved, we need to wake up!  We’ve been asleep much too long. We’ve grown drowsy and lethargic. We have allowed ourselves to be lulled into a stupor all the while time is moving on – it’s even racing on, and we must get ready. It’s time for the Bride of Christ to prepare herself, to keep her lamps burning brightly.

As I wrote yesterday, we cannot let the current climate of hate, violence and fear overrule the commands of God to speak the truth of the LORD. However, we must be careful in our responses.

“You must worship Christ as Lord of your life. And if someone asks about your hope as a believer, always be ready to explain it. But do this in a gentle and respectful way. Keep your conscience clear. Then if people speak against you, they will be ashamed when they see what a good life you live because you belong to Christ.” [1 Peter 3:15-16 NLT]

I have always found Peter’s words in these verses to be challenging. First, we are exhorted to always be ready, be prepared to respond to people who ask us why we can be hopeful when so many are not. That is especially challenging because you actually must HAVE hope before people will ask you about it! If you are as hopeless as they are, you won’t need to be ready for anything.

The second thing of note is that our response must be gentle and kind. It must be respectful. We live in a Democratic Republic. Our constitution grants people certain rights to live and worship in ways with which we may not always agree. Our job is to love people and through that love point them to Christ, who also loves them. Our job is not to condemn nor justify – when we do that, we usurp God’s prerogative as Creator and Savior.

The last thing to note? It may be the most difficult of all. We must keep a clear conscience. We must have “a good life” in Christ. Our behavior needs to be above reproach and when it’s not, there needs to be repentance.

I usually watch a nightly news that has an ending segment titled “The Good Stuff.” It devotes the last few minutes of the broadcast to feel-good segments. Whenever the host says, “Now it’s time for the good stuff,” I reply, “because all the rest has been bad stuff!”

The media focuses mainly on the “bad stuff.” We see people assaulting and killing each other for no reason. We see earthquakes and floods and pestilence. There always seems to be a new health scare or a new recall. We often hear about the violence against Christians in foreign countries, and now even in our own nation.

When those images of hate and violence spread, fear also spreads. We lose the freedom of being able to express our views on life, politics, or God without the fear of reprisals. When we fear reprisals, we will often simply not speak.

The LORD, however, does not want us cowering in a corner somewhere, voluntarily mute because of our fear.  In fact, the LORD commands us to speak, to tell others about His wonderful works.

“Give thanks to the Lord and proclaim his greatness. Let the whole world know what he has done.  Sing to him; yes, sing his praises. Tell everyone about his wonderful deeds.  Exult in his holy name; rejoice, you who worship the Lord. Search for the Lord and for his strength; continually seek him.” [Psalm 105:1-4 NLT]

For some people, music captivates soul and spirit. I am one of those people. I can listen to a good message and come away contemplating a lot of things. I can read a good book and do the same. But when I hear or sing a good song, I find my soul and spirit soaring with the words and music.

I heard an old song recently that once again touched my soul. “Draw Me Close” was written by Michael W. Smith. The lyrics begin: “Draw me close to you, Never let me go, I lay it all down again, To hear you say that I’m your friend.” And the chorus declares: “You’re all I want, You’re all I’ve ever needed, You’re all I want, Help me know you are near.”

As I sang, I was captivated by that line, “I lay it all down again.” I realized once again that I often pick up what I’ve surrendered to the LORD. I go to Him in prayer; I cast all my cares upon Him. Then I turn around the next day and pick them up again.

I draw close to the LORD, and then I move away. He continually calls me to draw near. He continually urges me to lay it all down again. He knows that all I need is Him.

Oh, Lord, help me to lay it all down again. Help me to realize how near You are to me, how much a friend You are to me.  Amen.

As I mentioned in my devotion yesterday, I bought a treadmill designed for “seniors.” I remember what a doctor told me years ago, you must keep moving if you want to keep moving. I love walking outside, but with the heat and smoke I have not been able to do so.

At a recent doctor visit, my provider asked me if I was walking. I said, “I have a treadmill.” That made her laugh. She said it didn’t answer the question. I may HAVE a treadmill, but am I USING it! I told her that yes, I had begun and was working to increase my time on it.

Her comment has stayed with me. It’s not enough to HAVE something, we must also be USING it.

In John 14 Jesus promised His disciples, “I will ask the Father, and He will give you another Advocate, who will never leave you. He is the Holy Spirit, who leads into all truth….[He] will be in you” [NLT]

The Holy Spirit equips us with gifts, boldness, power, and guidance to serve others and glorify God. He transforms ordinary lives into testimonies of God’s grace, enabling us to live faithfully and courageously.

We HAVE the Holy Spirit … but are we USING Him (and allowing Him to use us) as Christ intended for us?

I bought a small treadmill recently. According to the advertisements, it is designed for “seniors.” It has full bars from front to back on both sides. It is small, only weighing 80 lbs. Bob and I were able to wrestle the 80-lb box into the bonus room, and even open the box and remove the parts. However, one look at the instructions made putting it together beyond our capabilities.

Our oldest grandson came over one evening and put it together. As he was reading the instructions and assembling all the pieces, I remembered when we took him to see the T-Rex named Sue in Idaho Falls in 2003 when he was eight years old.

We visited the gift shop on the way out and bought him a wooden T-Rex 3-D puzzle. It

was for 10–12-year-olds, but the puzzles for 8-10 didn’t interest him. A few months later I asked him if he ever got that puzzle together. He said, “Yes, but I lost the instructions.” When I asked how he was able to do that he said, “I thought like a dinosaur.”

Apparently, thinking like a dinosaur enables one to complete a dinosaur (puzzle). Do you think that “thinking like Jesus” will enable us to become complete in Him?

“Let us run with endurance the race God has set before us. We do this by keeping our eyes on Jesus, the champion who initiates and perfects our faith.” [Hebrews 12:1a-2B]

We don’t talk much about sin anymore. It seems the idea of sin has faded into the background. We have a lot of other labels for sin that do not sound quite as embarrassing. To tell someone I failed is easier than to tell someone I sinned. To admit to flaws seems more acceptable than to admit to the sin that so easily besets me. [Hebrews 12:1]

Recently, however, I was reminded that sin is nothing to mess with. In fact, sin is deadly. James 1:14-15 outlines the progression of sin. It begins simply with our own desires and then is modified by temptation that comes our way. That births sin in the heart, which if left unchecked bring death.

“Temptation comes from our own desires, which entice us and drag us away. These desires give birth to sinful actions. And when sin is allowed to grow, it gives birth to death.” [NLT]

The sin left unchecked brings all manner of death. It seldom affects just the one sinning but often overflows onto others. We need to be so careful to repent and confess our sin to the One who is faithful to forgive and cleanse.

 “If we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all wickedness.”  [1John 1:9 NLT]

I had a bout of dehydration a while back, which was odd since I usually have a bottle of water within reach all the time. I became weak and light-headed. After consultation with my doctor, I learned I can’t just carry that bottle of water around, I actually must drink it!

Apparently, the elderly are more prone to dehydration and can get that way faster than younger people. I looked up why that is true and found the cause is often a reduction in body water. Infants are 75% water; elderly adults are around 50%. There are other causes also such as health conditions, meds, and the way the body functions in older adults.

Growing older carries with it not just physical issues, but I am often reminded that it carries mental and emotional issues as well. We are body, soul, and spirit. When the body goes through trials, our souls and spirits often take on an added burden. We can grow spiritually weary, emotionally and mentally tired.

When my body thirsts, I need to drink water. When my soul and spirit thirst, I need the Living Water Jesus promised.

“Anyone who is thirsty may come to me!  Anyone who believes in me may come and drink! For the Scriptures declare, ‘Rivers of living water will flow from his heart.’” [John 7:37 NLT]

Being spiritually thirsty and dry is not a sin, but it is a condition that needs to be remedied before worst things happen. And the only remedy is found in Christ Jesus, our Living Water!

I attend a Bible study on Thursday evenings, and the focus of that meeting is sharing our faith with others. That is a core responsibility of believers.

Paul began with his standard salutation in his letter to Philemon, “Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ,” and then he immediately made note of his prayers for Philemon. “I always thank my God when I mention you in my prayers, because I hear of your love and faith toward the Lord Jesus and for all the saints.”  

Bub Paul didn’t stop there. He goes on to show Philemon his continual prayers for him. “I pray that your participation in the faith may become effective through knowing every good thing that is in us for the glory of Christ.”  [v4-6 HCSB]

What an interesting prayer! Paul reminds Philemon that it is in actively participating (or sharing) the faith that we gain a fuller understanding (knowledge) of every good thing we have in Christ Jesus. Then because we gain a fuller knowledge of every good thing that is ours in Christ, we want to participate in sharing that faith even more.

Simply put, the more I know of God, the more I want others to know. And the more I share with others, the more knowledge of God I gain, especially as I see Him at work in their lives.

Our faith is not static. It is to be ever growing. Our knowledge of God is to be ever expanding and deepening. We are never satisfied with where we are or what we know but should have a hunger to know more of God and to grow exponentially in faith as the knowledge of Him increases.

And as faith grows and knowledge increases, our passion to share the good things we have in Christ Jesus with others should become greater. Amen&Amen

Last Sunday our daughter and son-in-law came to visit. They brought their dog, Bennie, with them. It was Bennie’s birthday, He turned 15, which I guess in dog years is about 105. He’s showing his age. He’s deaf now, and has problems with his feet and hips, but his face is young and still full of joy

Bennie seemed to enjoy my 86-year-old husband’s attention and often returned to sit by Bob. Watching these two “old gentlemen” made me smile and I thought of the joy that can be found in the most simple of pleasures.

“Lord, you are my portion and my cup of blessing, you hold my future. The boundary lines have fallen for me in pleasant places: indeed, I have a beautiful inheritance …. You reveal the path of life to me, in your presence is abundant joy, at your right hand are eternal pleasures.” [Psalm 16:5, 11 HCSB]

Across my 79 years, I have experienced trials, just like most of us. Yet, despite trials, my life has been resplendent with pleasures. The greatest of these were the simple ones, and perhaps none so great as simply experiencing the presence of the LORD amid the trials.

There were times when I felt as if God had pulled me onto His great lap and hugged me, wiping away my tears and softly whispering that He was with me and always would be.

And to know that the “lines have fallen for me in pleasant places,” – that God has given me salvation and a promised inheritance – is the best of all.