LampLighter

"LET YOUR LIGHT SO SHINE. MATT. 5:14-16

LIFE INDEED

Sometimes the question is heard, "Why go to church?" But the preacher turned it around recently and asked, "Why are you here?" "Really, why are you here?"

Yes, we gather to worship God. And yes, there are good reasons for that. Furthermore, the study of God's Word brings us to the realization that life can get pretty mixed up - even out of order/control - without an ongoing relationship with our Creator/ Lord/Sustainer.

So when we really allow God in Christ to work in us there are any number of ways that we are helped in our work lives, our school life, our homes, and all relationship interactions. In fact we can find our-selves being better able to just live with ourselves!

Let's take one concept that God wants to get into our hearts and thinking. The New Testament mentions twice that God has said, "Vengeance is mine, I will repay." One is in Hebrews 10:30 where the warning is for Christians not to "spurn the Son of God" and "profane the blood of the covenant by which one is sanctified, and outrage the Spirit of grace." "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God.' (Hebrews 10:26-31)

The other is in Romans 12:19 where the admonition is to "never avenge yourselves, but leave it to the wrath of God; for it is written, 'Vengeance is mine, I will repay, says the Lord.' No, 'if your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him drink; for by so doing you will heap burning coals upon his head.' Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good." (Romans 12:19-21)

Now that sounds like good religion -- right?! But what difference does it make for us personally? Why would God say to leave vengeance to Him? That is, beside the fact that He will probably certainly be more fair and just than we would be.

Well, the Word of God has a great deal to say about how we handle anger. Ephesians 4:26 guides, "Be angry but do not sin." And James 1:20 informs, "the anger of man does not work the righteousness of God."

Is it possible that anger can destroy the one who is angry as well as the relationship with the one toward whom it is directed? Is it possible that there is not just the harm to one who is abused because of anger? Years ago there was a man in Fitchburg, MA, who became so angry with his neighbor that he went inside his house and died, presumably with a heart attack. That may not happen very often, but we'll never know how many times people are destroyed by passive anger just as much as by the violence anger causes.

Now, before we conclude, let's consider one more point concerning anger. Does Ephesians 4:26 imply that anger will be very common in the experience of mankind? It doesn't say, "If" you get angry do not sin. So how do you (or I) learn to "be angry and not sin?" We need forgive-ness when we have sinned. We need a tried and true relationship with God in Christ; one of worship and faithful trust, in order to grow in

gentleness and peaceableness. We need to learn to let God's fair and just vengeance be substituted for our own. And it can be helpful to have the encouragement of brethren when they are supportive of us in holy and righteous ways.

Our vengeance - the wrong use of anger - is only one of many sins in which God is desiring that we let Him transform us, our hearts and our thoughts. The importance of our maintaining a nurturing relationship of God toward us in worship, in study of His Word, in prayer, and in fellowship with His people is seen not only in the way we handle our anger, but in all of the ways that are reflected in our character and inner life and strength. There can be no doubt that Jesus can make all the difference in the world in our morals, in our ethics, and in the success of our living day by day.

"But be doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your-selves. For if anyone is a hearer of the word and not a doer, he is like a man who observes his natural face in a mirror; for he observes himself and goes away and at once forgets what he was like. But he who looks into the perfect law, the law of liberty, and perseveres, being no hearer that forgets but a doer that acts, he shall be blessed in his doing." (James 1:22-25)

"Who is wise and understanding among you? By his good life let him show his works in the meekness of wisdom. But if you have bitter jealousy and selfish ambition in your hearts, do not boast and be false to the truth. This wisdom is not such as comes down from above, but is earthly, unspiritual, devilish. For where jealousy and selfish ambition exist, there will be disorder and every vile practice. But the wisdom from above is first pure, then peaceable, gentle, open to reason, full of mercy and good fruits, without uncertainty or insincerity. And the harvest of righteousness is sown in peace by those who make peace." (James 3:13-18)

H.D.C.

Life In Leominster....

J.O.Y.: On March 21st there were 18 of our Just Older Youth who met al the Il Forno Restaurant in Fitchburg for an evening of Italian dining. Many thanks to 'Anne and Gary Gendron for making all the arrangements

Many years ago there was one clerk at the Post Office who delighted in saying to me, "Here's that fellow who works just one hour a week." He knew that I am a preacher.

I say that to say that March was not any less busy with the congregation, though there is not a great deal to report as group activities. You can see from the figures above that regular services were about average.

But much of what goes on in the Lord's work and service is one to one or two to two. There is the conversation in the work place. There is still encouraging word on the phone or with a knock on the door. There is the reaching out with a bag of groceries or some warm clothes. There is the time involved in "weeping with those who weep" and sharing the burden of those in deep grief. Most certainly God (Jesus) has called us to be a group (body) of ministers. And much of what happens is "behind the scenes" and out of the public eye. All of the things listed above actually happened with some of our congregation during March. That is not a list of "proposed" or "should have been done" things. So thanks for what you are doing that is worthy of acknowledgement but should (for the sake of those served) never be published or broadcast' those things that can be mentioned, usually are in public announcements a in print. May all of us be used as the feet, the hands, the lips, and the eyes and ears of our caring Lord and Savior, our God and Creator. "Your Father who sees in secret will reward you."