TerryLema

A recent Fox News report indicated that we saw more than 500 tornadoes in the month of May across the United States. To add to that, Hurricane Season began June 1!  This has been a wild weather year so far and it’s not even half over.

When Jesus was questioned by His disciples about the signs of His return, He began “Watch out that no one deceives you. For many will come in my name, claiming, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will deceive many. You will hear of wars and rumors of wars, but see to it that you are not alarmed. Such things must happen, but the end is still to come. Nation will rise against nation, and kingdom against kingdom. There will be famines and earthquakes in various places. All these are the beginning of birth pains.” [Matt 24:4-8 NIV]

We might be able take today’s headlines and fit them into this prophecy, although I’m sure that isn’t the wisest thing to do. I don’t know if the crazy weather pattern we are experiencing is the “beginning of birth pains” or just some fluke of nature confined to this year. I’ll leave that to scholars to determine.

I do know that the return of the LORD is closer now “than it’s ever been,” and that we need to heed the words of the LORD and “see to it that [we] are not alarmed.” 

 Our LORD will return, whether we go with Him in a rapture or at His Second Coming when all will see Him, matters not to me. Just to hear Him bid us home, just to see Him coming in clouds of glory, that will be enough.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GhF3nXw8kIo     (Ivan Parker, “Midnight Cry”)

While we are living in this world most of us have experienced what Jesus warned us about: In the world you will have tribulation [John 16:33 NKJV]

Jesus wanted us to understand that it is not about “If” we are going to have trials or tribulations, it is “when” we are going to have them. It’s a given; trials do come.

Yesterday we saw that James gave us a blueprint for handling our trials when they come. He said we are to “Count is all joy when you fall into various trials.”

 There are two parts of that blueprint that are crucial. The first is the command to Count.  Count means to evaluate. It’s a financial term. We are to determine if the trial goes in the asset or the liability column.

The second crucial part is the timing of that accounting.  Do we wait to the end to see if God really does work all things to our good?  Or do we do it at the beginning?  James says we count our trials as all joy “when [we] fall into” them.  We aren’t to wait until we can look back and see how the trials benefited our walk with the LORD, but we are to put the joy at the beginning of the trial.

Our outlook, or attitude, will play heavily into the outcome. We are far more likely to mature in our Christian walk if we go into a trial with joy, expecting to draw closer to the LORD in it, than if we murmur and complain through the experience.  Not saying it’s easy. Just saying it’s necessary.

Everybody has them. Nobody likes them, I’m sure. They pop up at the most inconvenient of times. They are trials.  Some are small, others are overwhelming, and they come to us from different sources.

Some trials come from the fact that we are fallen. We make mistakes, we are foolish, stupid, or we allow sin in our lives. When those trials come, repentance must happen before anything else.

Some trials come because we are human. Our bodies age, we acquire a disease or illness, we are involved in an accident or we lose our jobs or find ourselves economically unable to keep up.

Some trials come because we are Christians. Peter reminded his readers, “Dear friends, do not be surprised at the painful trial you are suffering, as though something strange were happening to you.  But rejoice that you participate in the sufferings of Christ.”   [4:12-13]

So, if we are going to have trials anyway, why not use them to our advantage? Why not use them to grow closer to the LORD? James says our outlook can determine the outcome. His blueprint is to “Count is all joy when you fall into various trials.”

 I seldom put “joy” and “trials” in the same sentence. James wants us to count our trials as “all joy.” I think I need to mull this over a bit. Tomorrow!

I saw a picture of courage today as I was coming home from walking at the mall.  She was young, wearing a backpack and crossing a major intersection. Just crossing that intersection would have taken all the courage I possess, but it took much more for her I’m sure. Her left hand held the harness of a guide dog for the blind. Her right hand was guiding a baby stroller. It was evident she was blind when she came up to a road sign in the middle of the sidewalk. The dog stopped. Then led her around the sign on the safe side.

I cannot even image the courage that young woman must have daily just to do the kinds of things the sighted take for granted.

Courage.  The English definition according to Merriam-Webster is “mental or moral strength to venture, persevere, and withstand danger, fear, or difficulty.”

As Christians, we are called to display courage. “Be on your guard; stand firm in the faith; be men [and women] of courage; be strong.” [1 Cor 16:13 NIV]

The NKJV calls us to “be brave, be strong.”

It does take courage and strength to live your walk with Christ where the world can see. It has always taken such courage – when Paul wrote to the Corinthians and today as I write to you.  The world’s view and God’s view are often incompatible. And let’s admit it, the enemy of our soul does everything he can to keep us fearful and quiet.  We must always remember the Great Commission Christ gave to us to go into all the world and make disciples. We can’t do that if we are afraid to speak. We must be courageous and strong.

I recently went to a social gathering at the home of a friend. Shortly after I arrived, I found out that people I had hurt very badly a few years ago were there also. I had said some things in a forum I thought was private, but which later I found they were privy to. I compounded the wound when I responded to them in a defensive, hurtful manner.

I repented and asked God’s forgiveness, which He granted. I also admitted my failure – my sin – to them, repented, and asked them to forgive me. It was evident, however, that forgiveness is not a choice they have yet made.

I wish I was perfect. I wish I have never done anything to hurt others. But I’m not perfect, and I have created wounds and hurts in others by my rashness, my arrogance, my propensity to speak before thinking. While God readily forgives when we express sincere repentance, wounds in others can last a long, long time.

I left the social gathering after staying only a few minutes. I didn’t not want to create a tense environment for the hostess in what was a happy celebration. On the way home, I prayed. I prayed for me and I prayed for them.  In the Sermon on the Mount, Jesus commanded, “Therefore, if you are offering your gift at the altar and there remember that your brother has something against you, leave your gift there in front of the altar. First go and be reconciled to your brother; then come and offer your gift.” [Matt 5:23-24]

When we sin and wound others, we must repent and ask for forgiveness from both God and those we hurt. We must attempt to be reconciled with our brothers and sisters. But I am aware that it is not always possible to be reconciled. We can ask, but forgiveness is not always granted. All we can do then is pray – pray that we might never wound another with our words, attitudes or deeds.

We have decided not to plant a garden this year.  We have a lot of work to do on the house and in the yard that will take not just our time, but a lot of our energy.  Bob is 79 and I’m 72, energy is not as abundant as it once was.  Still, I will greatly miss the tomatoes.

There is just something about the flavor of a home-grown tomato that is so totally different from what you can buy in the store.  If you have never experienced a home-grown tomato you have no idea what you are missing.

Last Sunday at The Way my message centered on gaining that firsthand, lively, personal experience of our Savior, Jesus Christ.  That kind of experience that is more than just knowing about Him or studying theology. I’ve had numerous people tell me (especially on their first visit to church) that they have spent decades studying theology.   My response to their declaration of being theological experts is usually to ask them, “tell me how that has influenced your experience with your Savior.”

We must learn about Jesus, and we must have sound theology. That is a given. But it is not enough. Mere information is head knowledge. And while we need head knowledge about spiritual things, head knowledge stops far short of what God wants for our lives.  We can see that in Paul prayer for believers in Ephesians 1:17.

“I keep asking that the God of our Lord Jesus Christ, the glorious Father, may give you the Spirit of wisdom and revelation, so that you may know him better.”

If you have never had a living, personal, firsthand experience with God, you don’t know what you are missing.

Someone said to me recently, “the days drag by and the years fly by.” Oh, how true!  I was thinking recently about three great vacations I’ve had in my lifetime. The first was a cross country trip with my brother and his two girls and my youngest son. We traveled from California to Pennsylvania in a small motorhome. It wasn’t a straight trip, it was ten days lazily traveling up through Wyoming to the Canadian Border states, and down through Indiana, Illinois, Ohio (the Football Hall of Fame!) and into Pennsylvania. It was a great time.

It was also more than three decades ago, thus I can understand David’s lament. “Show me, O LORD, my life’s end and the number of my days; let me know how fleeting is my life.” [Ps 39:4]

Earthly life is fleeting, whether it be 20 years or 120 years. Especially when we consider our earthly years in light of eternity. We only have a few and we need to make sure we seize every opportunity to be the kind of people God expects of us.

Three times in the New Testament, Paul urged his readers to seize the opportunities presented to them, Galatians 6:10, Ephesians 5:16 and my favorite, Colossians 4:5-6.  “Be wise in the way you act toward outsiders; make the most of every opportunity. Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.” 

When we allow Jesus to shine through us, we will have opportunities. People will ask, “how can you be so …” when they see our responses in trials, troubles, fears, and difficulties. And when they do ask, we need to make sure our responses are grounded in godly wisdom, grace and truth.

Have you ever wondered what the writers of the New Testament would think if they were able to be transported to our current time and culture?  I doubt if any of what is transpiring in our world today would shock them in the least. We think we are so enlightened, yet as Solomon said, “What has been will be again, what has been done will be done again; there is nothing new under the sun.”  [Eccl 1:9]

Sin is sin is sin in any generation.  Sin just puts on the new clothes for each generation and culture thinking to disguise itself as something new.

I would, however, love to see James deal with social media!  After all, he wrote, “My dear brothers and sisters, take note of this: Everyone should be quick to listen, slow to speak and slow to become angry.” 

But perhaps what I wonder about most would be what the New Testament writers would think if they were transported into our current churches. What would they say about us? What would they say about the fact that we call buildings, “the church?” Or that we “go to church” rather than “be the church?” I wonder what they would say about separating our “religious life” from our “secular life?” Or about the fact that some preach a gospel which ignores the virgin birth, the crucifixion, death and resurrection of Jesus … that “other gospel” that Paul warned about.

Yes, I wonder what they would say about us today?

A few years ago this month, I took my then 18-year-old grandson on a trip to Washington, DC. We stayed one week, not nearly enough time to take in everything, but enough time to hit some of the highlights of the area. I especially wanted to go to Arlington Cemetery and be present for the Changing of the Guard. It was far more moving seeing it firsthand than I expected it to be from simply watching videos. I would love to go back and experience it again.

Luke tells the story in his Gospel of a visit Jesus and His disciples made to the home of a woman named Martha, her sister Mary and brother Lazarus. Martha, at one point during the visit complained to Jesus about her sister not helping with all the work that needed to be done. Mary, instead of helping, had spent the day at the feet of Jesus listening to Him. I can’t say I blame Martha for complaining. She had thirteen extra mouths to feed that day, and I can imagine that some of them ate a lot!

“Martha, Martha,” the Lord answered, “you are worried and upset about many things, but only one thing is needed. Mary has chosen what is better, and it will not be taken away from her.” [10:38-42]

Too often this story is related as a battle between two incompatible ways of life. I don’t think it is that at all. Jesus doesn’t rebuke Martha for her service, in fact, the Gospel of Luke is all about service. Jesus rebukes Martha, in love, for her worry – which indicates her service needed to be grounded in the same kind of personal, firsthand, experience of love that Mary had chosen – the “what is better.”

The choice is not to be a Martha or a Mary. To serve the LORD is to be Martha and Mary. We are to generously serve, but always from a living, personal, firsthand, experience of knowing Jesus Christ our LORD. Service that flows from that will never have “worry” as its companion.

I am always amazed at what touches people when I write these devotions.  I try to be Scripturally correct. I try to explore word meanings or ideas that we may not readily think of.  I always try to encourage my own and others’ walks with the LORD Jesus Christ. I want to speak truth; but do it with compassion and kindness.  I know the Gospel is offensive to some; I know it is challenging to most. I also know that without that firsthand experience of knowing and loving Jesus, my life would be so much different, and not in a good way.

Still, I am amazed that often the devotions that seem to really resonate with people are the simplest—like a recent one from May 23 about my hugging a woman in a Cracker Barrel restaurant who missed her mom.  We were strangers and it was simply a compassionate moment between a mom who often misses her children, and a daughter who needed a “mom hug.”

I really should not be amazed, however, for it is often the simple kindness and compassion I see in Christ Jesus that most ministers to me.  Like the time he was approached by the leper who begged him on his knees, “If you are willing, you can make me clean.”

Mark tells us that Jesus was filled with compassion and he reached out his hand and touched the man. “I am willing,” he said. “Be clean!”  Immediately the leprosy was gone, and the man was cured. [Mark 1:40-42]

I often wonder when I read that story how long it had been since that leper had experienced a compassionate touch as the law dictated that anyone who did touch him would become unclean. Then Jesus came by, stopped to listen, and touched him. And in that touch, he was made whole. Sometimes it is simply a touch, or a hug, that ministers most.