Author

TerryLema

Simple Joys

by TerryLema

I remember driving to church one Sunday morning and seeing an old man on one of the side streets behind the church. He was barefoot, shirtless, wearing only a pair of pants that stopped mid-calf.  He was leaning on a cane. What made me curious about him was that he was carrying a frisbee. You don’t often see old men leaning on canes carrying frisbees.

Then I noticed there was someone else in the picture … a black and white furball that came running around the corner, bouncing up and down urging the old man to throw the frisbee. Leaning on his cane, the old man reared back and threw the frisbee down the side street. With great joy, the dog sped after it. It seemed this was a familiar routine for both.  Watching them made me smile. 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 almost 76 years, I have experienced trials, just like most of us. Yet, despite trials, my life has been resplendent with pleasures. The greatest of these have been 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 pleasure of all.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Warning Labels

by TerryLema

Ever read warning labels, especially those on small appliances?  I remember reading a warning label on an iron I had purchased. It said something along the lines of “do not iron clothes while wearing them.” I laughed and thought who would be dumb enough to iron their clothes while they were wearing them?

Then a co-worker came in one morning with a burn on her leg.  I asked her about it, she blushed, said she got it when she tried to iron out a wrinkle on her skirt. She explained that while she pulled the skirt away from her leg, she didn’t realize that the steam would go through the material and burn her.

Now this was an intelligent woman, who later went on to become an ICU nurse. I told her that, finally, I met someone for whom warning labels were written. Actually I know lots of people for whom warning labels are written!

Psalm 19 is a song of David. Right in the middle of the psalm, David remarks about the perfection of the law of the LORD, the testimony of the LORD that makes those who heed it wise, the statutes of the LORD that bring rejoicing, the commandment of the LORD that brings illumination, the fear of the LORD which endures forever and the judgments of the LORD that are true and righteous.  He adds that they are to be desired more than the finest gold and that they are sweeter than honey.

Then he adds the warning label in verse 11: “By them is your servant warned; in keeping them there is great reward.” 

God has put forth his law, statues, commandments, and judgments. He has given His testimony in both nature and the written word. To heed them (the fear of the LORD) brings a great reward. While not overtly stated, David reminds us that to ignore or reject them will bring a far different outcome.

Father, may your testimony enlighten us, and your commandments bring rejoicing. Amen!

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Blessed!

by TerryLema

Sunday, September 18, was a wonderful day. I was blessed beyond measure. Two women in the church, Beth on piano and Lou on flute played my favorite hymn after song service. They said they had a “special request.”

That “special request” was from me. In all the years I have been in church, almost 50 now, I have never heard my favorite hymn sung. Honestly, I do not even remember when I first came across it.  It was in the hymnal at church as I was lazily going from one hymn to another practicing on the organ one day. It touched my heart so deeply then and has gone deeper and deeper as the years progressed.

These two wonderful women knew I loved this song, and they practiced it for weeks in secret. I am rarely surprised, but I sure was that morning. I cried throughout the day as I remembered their loving blessing.

The hymn is “My Jesus, I Love Thee.”  These are the words that touch my heart so ….

“My Jesus, I love Thee, I know Thou art mine; For Thee all the follies of sin I resign; My gracious Redeemer, my Savior art Thou; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

 “I love Thee because Thou hast first loved me, And purchased my pardon on Calvary’s tree; I love Thee for wearing the thorns on Thy brow; If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

 “I’ll love Thee in life, I will love Thee in death, And praise Thee as long as Thou lendest me breath; And say when the death dew lies cold on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.

 “In mansions of glory and endless delight, I’ll ever adore Thee in heaven so bright; I’ll sing with the glittering crown on my brow, If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ’tis now.”

Yes, LORD. If ever I loved Thee, my Jesus, ‘tis now.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Two Women

by TerryLema

Elizabeth II, Queen of England. Born April 21, 1926, Died September 8, 2022. Mother of four, grandmother, great grandmother. Served as Britain’s longest reigning monarch, 70 years.

Wanda, resident of Middleton Idaho. Born February 21, 1943. Died August 30, 2022. Mother of five, grandmother, great grandmother. Loved to sew, collect recipes, and read her Bible.

From what I have read, Elizabeth II, loved the LORD. She said in her Christmas message at the age of 90, “At Christmas, our attention is drawn to the birth of a baby. Billions of people now follow his teaching and find in him the guiding light for their lives. I am one of them.”

From what I know of Wanda, she loved the LORD Christ Jesus with all her heart and soul. She lived her life as a disciple of Christ and never wavered in her faith.

A few days ago, much of the world watched the pomp as Great Britain celebrated the life of Elizabeth II. Crowds lined the streets for days and thousands waited hours in the rain just to walk past her casket.

Today, in Idaho, we will celebrate the life of Wanda. It will be a simple service, filled with love and laughter and tears.

Two women. Far different backgrounds. Far different lives. Yet … YET … as Elizabeth II and our sweet Wanda entered into the presence of their LORD, just a few days apart, both were greeted the equally. “Welcome home, precious child of God.”

We all come to the cross the same way, declaring our need for God, our inability to save our own souls. There is no rank. There is no special status. There is no respecter of persons.

I am pretty sure both Elizabeth II and sweet Wanda received the same praise, “Well done, good and faithful servant.” [Matthew 25:23]

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Continuing On

by TerryLema

A couple Sunday’s ago I walked into church carrying my Bible and a new notebook. I had been filling up the blank pages in my church Bible and now needed a notebook to continue recording what I hear on Sundays.

I started taking notes on Sunday mornings when I first was saved at the ripe old age of 26 (nearly 50 years ago). While I put that habit aside when I pastored, I have picked it back up again since retiring.

I have been blessed with a God-given hunger to know the LORD and the Scriptures. That hunger has led me to read and reread my Bible, to do it in different versions, to read study books and look up words, to see what commentators say about passages … and to take notes on Sundays, at seminars and conferences. I do not want to fall short of all I can glean.

The first notes from Pastor Laura’s message to go in my new notebook were out of Ephesians 1 about knowing the LORD. (I am always amazed at the Spirit of God and how He coordinates “coincidences.”)

Pastor Laura reminded us that we must keep growing in the knowledge of the Lord. So, today, I pray the same prayer for you that Paul prayed for the church:

“Therefore I also, after I heard of your faith in the Lord Jesus and your love for all the saints, do not cease to give thanks for you, making mention of you in my prayers:  that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of glory, may give to you the spirit of wisdom and revelation in the knowledge of Him, the eyes of your understanding being enlightened; that you may know what is the hope of His calling, what are the riches of the glory of His inheritance in the saints, and what is the exceeding greatness of His power toward us who believe, according to the working of His mighty power which He worked in Christ when He raised Him from the dead and seated Him at His right hand in the heavenly places, far above all principality and power and might and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this age but also in that which is to come.” [HCSB]

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Me?

by TerryLema

In 2 Peter 1:4, we find an amazing phrase that raises us into the heavens … we are given the precious promise that we may, “participate in the divine nature.”  If you read yesterday’s devotion you know that does not mean we become God – not going to happen. There is a vast difference between the All-Sufficient One, Creator of all things, and the things He created!

It does, however, mean that as Adam was made in the image of God, so we too by the power of God’s Spirit are made in the image of our LORD and Savior, Christ Jesus (the Second Adam).

As God is love, so are we. As God is true and good, so are we. But there is even more glory contained in those five little words.

We have been made members of the body of Christ. As in the natural body, the same blood that flows in the head flows through the body. The same life that raised Christ from the dead, resurrects us. We are made alive in His divine nature. How this all works is beyond my human finite comprehensive. That it does work is testified to by the Spirit of God in me.

Should that not cause us to reflect His divine nature in every action of our life? Should not those who are around us see the “Jesus in me?” Should that not cause us to fall to our knees in worship?

When I consider such things, I always come back to the thought, “Why me, God? Why would you call me to Your side, knowing what I am?”

I don’t know the answer to that question any more today than I did 50 years ago. But I love my LORD more every time I ask the question.  Amen.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Participation

by TerryLema

There are phrases in Scripture, a short blend of common words, that when seen with spiritual eyes take our breath away. They raise us into the heavenlies with our thoughts, they conform our attitudes and renew and restore our hope.  I mentioned one such phrase yesterday … “useful to the Master.”

Those few little words open us up to endless possibilities. As I was considering that phrase, I accidentally came across another … perhaps one even more amazing. It is found in 1 Peter: “His divine power has given us everything we need for life and godliness through our knowledge of him who called us by his own glory and goodness. Through these he has given us his very great and precious promises, so that through them you may participate in the divine nature and escape the corruption in the world caused by evil desires.”  [1:3-4]

Did you see it tucked away in those verses?  Five little words that carry a depth of meaning that changes everything. We have been given the promise that we may, “participate in the divine nature.”

That of course does not mean that we become God. That just won’t happen. There is a vast difference between the Creator and His Creation.  But it does mean that as our father Adam was made in the image of God, so we too as we are in Christ Jesus (the Second Adam) and renewed by the Holy Spirit, are also made in the image of God. This is totally a work of God, given to us through grace.

How is that reflected in our life? Certainly not by mere assertion or by arrogance.

As God is love, we become love. As God is truth, we become true. As our God is a Good Father, we are made good by His goodness.  As God is holy and pure, we become pure in heart. Yes, partakers in the divine nature. All that Jesus is, by His strength, power and authority should be reflected in our every word and action.

But there is even more. That will have to wait for tomorrow. God bless!

0 comment
FacebookEmail

Irrelevant

by TerryLema

Someone asked me once what my greatest fear of growing old would be. I replied, “becoming irrelevant.”   I want to be useful to God while I have breath. I do chuckle, however, because I’ve come to realize that I will remain useful –even if it is only to give others an opportunity to practice patience with old folks!

When Paul wrote his second letter to Timothy, he reminded him that the LORD knows those who are His own. He also reminded Timothy that anyone who confesses the LORD Jesus as Savior must acknowledge the Savior as LORD by turning away from wickedness.  [2:19]

When we acknowledge Jesus as Savior and LORD, with both our words and actions, Paul says we will then “be an instrument for noble purposes, made holy, useful to the Master and prepared to do any good work.” [2:21]

That is a most delightful image … “useful to the Master.”  

Useful. In the Greek the word is euchrestos, it means “easily used, profitable.”  It comes from a root word which means “useful in manners or morals.”

To think that the God of all the Universe, the Creator of all things, the Mighty God, would look upon us as useful is amazing. Even more that we could be considered profitable to Him Who is Totally Self-Sufficient!

As I said earlier, I want to be useful to God as long as I have breath remaining!  That means that I must not only confess that Christ Jesus is Savior and LORD, but I must also turn from sin and live holy and wholly unto Him.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

There’s More!

by TerryLema

Let’s be honest, there is a lot more to being a disciple of Christ Jesus than merely saying some words or believing that there is a God. You can talk about the “man upstairs” or the “big guy in the sky,” but if your life does not change, if your actions do not reflect the life of Christ Jesus, I wonder if “accepting Christ” was a true conversion.

We have trivialized the path of salvation. We have made it an acknowledgement of words alone in many cases, without reminding people there is a cost to serving the LORD.  After Paul reminded Timothy in his second letter that “The LORD knows those who are his,” he added. “Everyone who confesses the name of the Lord must turn away from wickedness.” [2 Tim 2:19]

Notice that little word “must” If you have confessed Christ as your Savior, there “must” be a life-style change that reflects Him as LORD.

God spoke to Isaiah about the condition of the nation of Israel and He was not pleased with them: “These people come near to me with their mouth and honor me with their lips, but their hearts are far from me.” [29:13]

Jesus quoted Isaiah in Matthew 15:8 and Mark 7:6, using Isaiah’s verse as a warning to those He had labeled “hypocrites.”

I know I fail God regularly—in my attitudes, when I doubt, when I sin—but I pray that I will always heed the conviction of His Spirit to turn and repent. I want my heart to never stray far from God.

Failing is not hypocrisy. Hypocrisy is pretending Christ is our LORD (by our words) but refusing to honor Him in our hearts and actions.  It would be a terrible thing to be labeled a hypocrite by our God.

Father, keep our hearts tender before you. May our actions honor You even more than our words.

0 comment
FacebookEmail

The LORD Knows

by TerryLema

One of the most comforting Scriptures for me is found in 2 Timothy 2:19: “Nevertheless, God’s solid foundation stands firm, sealed with this inscription: ‘The Lord knows those who are his.’”

Many commentators link this verse to Numbers 16 in the OT.  Paul, of course, was an OT scholar, one of the best. He would have remembered the incident Moses had with Korah. Korah, a Levite, along with some Reubenites (Dathan, Abiram and On) rose up against Moses. They convinced 250 other men to join them.

When Moses was confronted, he fell down on his face, and then said to Korah and all his followers: “In the morning the LORD will show who belongs to him and who is holy, and he will have that person come near him.” [vs5]

The LORD definitely showed the Israelites who belonged to Him when the ground split apart and swallowed up Korah and the rebels.

When I pastored there were times when people died that I just did not know about their spiritual condition. I cannot read hearts. Thankfully, God can. He knows if they accepted His salvation with their dying breath. He knows the state of their heart and the state of their minds when they stand before Him. I can trust Him to always do what is right by each of us.

What I would say to all, however, is to not leave anyone in doubt of your salvation. Make sure your family, your friends know that “you are His.” Don’t leave any to worry what your final destination is at your passing!

0 comment
FacebookEmail