22. THOU SHALT NOT TEMPT
THE LORD THY GOD
“Jesus saith unto him, It is written
again, Thou shalt not tempt the Lord thy God.”(Matthew 4:7)
Missionary Jerry (in the previous story) lived hundreds of miles
from me in Japan, so I only got to fellowship with him in person in Japan just
a very few times. He and his family were very diligent labourers for lost
Japanese souls in this heathen land of idol worshippers.
I think it was along about the mid-1990s when Jerry was tragically
killed in a traffic accident “back home” in Oklahoma. He was alone in his car,
driving to a “planning meeting” of several Christian leaders (I think). It was
snowing slightly. A large truck jackknifed on the slick pavement, turning
sideways in front of Jerry’s car. Jerry could not stop his car on the icy,
snowy highway, causing him to run into the side of that truck (or trailer) turned sideways, killing Jerry instantly.
I have not one word of judgment against my deceased
missionary friend Jerry regarding his decision to be traveling on dangerous icy
road conditions. But God is clearly leading
me to pen these following words of wisdom the Holy Spirit has spoken to me
regarding such tragedies in general.
People (especially Christian believers) must be
ever so careful not to tempt God. That morning Jerry’s life
was snuffed out (leaving behind a widow and 2 children), likely Jerry and those
other pastors, preachers and missionaries setting about to conduct that “planning
meeting” each had the following mindset to varying degrees.
“The time for this meeting was set weeks ago, during which time we
have done much preparing to bring it together at this arranged time. It is an important
meeting, because it concerns God’s work that we are doing. Thus
God understands the importance of it, and thus He will guard over
us to keep us safe as we travel to and from the meeting place on
dangerous, icy, slick highways.”
Thinking thus wise, I believe that in some cases (likely many
cases), unawares a Christian believer enters into the realm
of making God into a “good luck charm” that will protect the person who is going
about doing his own will.
One time when I had come back to the States from Japan, it
sleeted, glazing over the roadways around me where I was preaching in
Oklahoma. I “hibernated” with Pastor Mike and his family for 4 or 5 days,
until the roadways cleared off, canceling my preaching engagements
during that time. “Iced in”, Pastor Mike and I spoke of Jerry’s tragic death,
chatting about how we should not take such chances. (Pastor Mike
also had personally known Jerry and his family.) Then I drove back to Harrison,
Arkansas after the roadways cleared.
Some miles north of Harrison, a young pastor and wife decided that
a certain horse of theirs just had to be moved some miles away (by truck
and horse trailer) before the roadways were completely clear of frozen sleet.
The young wife was to “take” the horse. She went alone. On the way, her truck
began a skid on the glazed ice, veered left into the oncoming traffic, hit
another vehicle head on, and she was killed.
Reader Friend, what could the surviving family members and her
dear friends possibly have been thinking at her funeral as they grieved
so deeply? “It would not have caused any major
problem at all, to have waited another 4 days till the roadways completely
cleared of ice, to move that horse. So tragic, that a young
Christian lady lost her life in that manner.” No doubt many similar thoughts
were on the minds of all the many people who loved this pastor’s wife.
(I personally think such thoughts should have
been on their minds. That is my religious belief concerning
such.) “Thou shalt not tempt the
Lord thy God.”
“Heavenly Father, please create holy and divine caution
within my being. Please make me truly desirous to daily at
all times walk in the Spirit, listening to Thy Holy Spirit cautioning
me not to take dangerous chances that are not necessary.
I also pray this for all other people on earth. Amen!”
“Behold, now is the day of salvation.”
I hope you remember Story Number 8. In
it, I pleaded with that lost dad (who had destroyed
his God-given health with sinful vices) not to delay repenting
unto God and trusting in the Lord Jesus Christ to save him. That’s because
one is tempting God by delaying coming to Jesus to
be saved. The Holy Spirit will graciously convict and plead with such a
rebel for a season. But soon the time will come when God will cut
off the procrastinator with death, sending him or her into the fiery torments
of eternal retribution. Lost and Undone Friend, I NOW plead with you to NOW cease
gambling with the fate of your eternal soul by tempting
your Creator God in this manner.
“Our Father which art in Heaven,
please have great mercy upon me to totally break
down my resistance to receiving Christ NOW. Lord Jesus, please enable me to truly repent NOW.
Please enable me to fully trust in Thee NOW. Please save
me to the utmost NOW. Thank Thee, my Lord God, for hearing
and answering this desperate prayer of mine. Amen.”
Richard Yerby (Matsuida,
Japan) www.Christ-is-all.us