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Not What I Expected!

by TerryLema February 26, 2023

I had been thinking recently about how this stage of my life has gotten rather routine – even talking to God about it! That can be a bit dangerous in that God often answers my prayers with a sense of humor.

I remember once telling someone in church when they came to me with a problem with another person exactly how they should solve it. That solution involved a confrontation and truth. As it turned out, I was the one that was put in the position of confrontation and truth-telling. I could almost hear God chuckle as He reminded me that I needed to be able to follow my own advice.

God often does not do what I expect Him to do.

People have asked me if God answers all prayers. That is a difficult question since I do not know all prayers. I do know that in 1 Samuel 14, Saul asked for a response from God, but did not get one. (“God did not answer him that day.” Vs 14 HCSB)

I have, from personal experience, had prayers answered immediately and prayers answered eventually. I have had prayers answered with a yes, prayers answered with a no, and more than one prayer answered with something totally different than what I expected! The answer to my prayers has often been unpredictable (but then, our God is not exactly predictable, is He?).

Looking back on those times, I realized that His way was much better than my original expectations. He is Omniscient and I am not. Even when His answer was not what I wanted, it was definitely what I needed!

February 26, 2023 0 comment
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Answer Before Problem

by TerryLema February 22, 2020

The one thing you learn early on if you preach or teach the Good News is that most of the time (all the time?) you are preaching to yourself more than to others. The second thing I learned is that no matter how old you get you never stop learning. On Monday I wrote four devotions out of Luke 7 to be sent out on consecutive days. Tuesday turned out to be a frustrating difficult day.

I visited my primary physician who was just as frustrated as I am with the inability to diagnose what ails me. My fatigue level that day was high and accompanied by aches and pains. I looked ahead to this upcoming week and wondered how I would survive it the way I felt then. Tomorrow is Church and our Annual Business Meeting following service. Monday through Wednesday I’ll be in Cascade for a Prayer Summit. Home on Thursday to study and develop Sunday’s message. Friday and Saturday are the first of our Acts2Journey retreats. Sunday is church again and then Monday I get an epidural cortisone shot in my neck.

I’ll be honest, Tuesday night I cried before the LORD and told God I wasn’t sure I had enough strength to continue. Then on the way home from prayer that night I remember a devotion I just wrote the day before out of Luke 7 – the one where Jesus responded to his cousin John the Baptist (published on the 20th). I heard the LORD say … stay the course. It may be difficult now, but there are abundant blessings for the ones who remain faithful.

We have been praying for a mighty sweep of the Holy Spirit in our church, community, state, nation and world. I sense the Spirit saying it is just around the corner. I am not to quit just before the harvest begins.

Ah, amazing how God so often gives the answer before we can even articulate the problem!

February 22, 2020 0 comment
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Pastor Terry Lema

Pastor Terry Lema has been married for 53 years, and has 3 children and 3 grandsons. Terry graduated from Trinity Bible College, and and recently retired as Lead Pastor at The Way Church in Middleton, Idaho.

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