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Our Hope

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By Kendrick & Janna Gilli

Lift up your eyes to the heavens, look at the earth beneath; the heavens will vanish like smoke, the earth will wear out like a garment and its inhabitants die like flies. But my salvation will last forever, my righteousness will never fail. Isaiah 51:6

Fear is a crippling thing. It can wreck our lives, destroy our minds and bodies, and take our focus off the one thing that can help us: our hope in the Lord.

Lately we have had a lot to worry about. Satan has provided us with an abundance of reasons: COVID, riots, corrupt politicians, failing businesses, illness, death, loss, our economy, jobs … the list goes on and on. And if we let ourselves focus on our world and the downward turn it has taken, well, things could look very bleak indeed. In fact, depression and suicide are on the rise. People are focusing on their circumstances and they are forgetting what is desperately important.

Elim, our world IS going to get worse; the Bible is very clear on that. However, the Bible is also very clear on what WILL last and that is our salvation, our heavenly home, and God’s plan for us. No matter how bleak things seem or how much Satan seems to have taken hold, God is on His throne and has won the war.

This week God sent me a special reminder of this. We are visiting the Sharpes in Colorado and they took us on a spectacular hike in the mountains. It was breathtaking, and as we reached the top, I stopped for a breath on a boulder, looking out over the expanse of mountains, valleys, trees, rivers, and lakes. My heart was filled with wonder and joy at such amazing creation and God’s love.

Suddenly and without warning, a huge, violent wind began blowing, and there were dark clouds where seconds before was blue sky. It began thundering ominously and I knew that we better get off that mountain. In that moment, God spoke to me and said, “See my power! I am the God that calms a storm in an instant. I am the God that shakes the mountains. I am God and I am in control!” An awe of my God took my breath away, and I had tears running down my cheeks even as the rain began to pelt me while I hurried down the trail.

Later, after we were safely back in the car, I began to contemplate what God had spoken to me. I felt that God wanted me to share this message of hope with Elim.

29 Do not let any unwholesome talk come out of your mouths, but only what is helpful for building others up according to their needs, that it may benefit those who listen. 30 And do not grieve the Holy Spirit of God, with whom you were sealed for the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage and anger, brawling and slander, along with every form of malice. 32 Be kind and compassionate to one another, forgiving each other, just as in Christ God forgave you. Ephesians 4: 29-32

Let’s focus not upon our circumstances, but upon our hope in Christ. Our identity is not our jobs, our economy, or our political affiliations. Our identity is in Christ and our citizenship is in heaven. We need to conduct ourselves as daughters and sons of the King, loving each other well with our words and deeds. During these days of turmoil we need to stand together, setting aside our political views and differences. We need to love and encourage each other as brothers and sisters in Christ. When we start focusing our eyes on the battle around us and are filled with fear, let’s remind each other of our future and that God is on His throne through it all. Let’s stay focused on the real mission at hand: to glorify God by helping people know Christ personally, follow Him completely, and make him known throughout Puyallup and the world.

5 May the God who gives endurance and encouragement give you the same attitude of mind toward each other that Christ Jesus had, 6 so that with one mind and one voice you may glorify the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. Romans 15:5-6

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The End Times and the Heart of the Believer

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By Jason Comerford

What do you think of when you imagine the end of the world? Many of us draw on pop culture images of cities burning or zombies. We may even consider biblical mentions of things such as earthquakes and wars. I could give you an impressive list of all the postapocalyptic, zombie-driven movies, video games, and novels that inundated the world while I was in high school and college in the early 2000s. Our culture’s been obsessed with Armageddon for a while now.

What would you think if I told you that the Bible’s end-times warnings are not primarily about those big, earth-shattering events?

As I write this, we’re amid the COVID-19 pandemic. Businesses have shut down, religious services are being restricted, hospitals are both overwhelmed and laying off medical staff, and the world as we know it has gone utterly, terribly sideways. Unemployment claims are at staggering levels not seen for nearly 100 years, and the foundations are still being built for a kind of financial hardship that will likely be felt for a long, long time.

As bleak as all that sounds, those still aren’t the primary things the Bible warns about when it comes to the end times. In fact, on the topic of turmoil and war, Jesus simply says don’t worry about it.

Here’s what we’re really warned about, courtesy of Matthew 24:

10And then many will fall away and betray one another and hate one another. 11And many false prophets will arise and lead many astray. 12And because lawlessness will be increased, the love of many will grow cold. 13But the one who endures to the end will be saved.

We can drill down into the specifics a bit more in in 2 Timothy 3:

But understand this, that in the last days there will come times of difficulty. 2For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, proud, arrogant, abusive, disobedient to their parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3heartless, unappeasable, slanderous, without self-control, brutal, not loving good, 4treacherous, reckless, swollen with conceit, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, 5having the appearance of godliness, but denying its power. Avoid such people.

The real danger of the end times is not war and disease. It’s a cold-hearted, loveless humanity. COVID is not the real danger here—we are.

If you’ve spent any time at all online in the last month and a half, you’ve surely noticed the rift forming in our world as we see (essentially) two camps rise up on how to respond to the coronavirus.

And let’s be honest—this is a momentous issue. We can’t pretend that there aren’t very significant consequences to how we handle it. Whether you’re mainly concerned about government overreach, or economic devastation, or implementing steps to practically limit the infection rate, everyone can agree that the stakes are high. But as real and as important as these issues are in this moment, we Christians have a responsibility to recognize, call attention to, and preserve something that few others seem to be noticing: the state of our hearts.

I offer my own heart for dissection here. I make a great, guilty specimen.

Over the last six weeks, my main emotion has been anger, followed closely by grief. I’ve felt betrayed by some and found myself wondering how I’ll ever manage to return the familial affection of the church I was so comfortable in a mere three months ago. I’ve condemned—and hated—the responses and behaviors of many of my closest friends. In private messages with like-minded people, I’ve called those others fools and lamented their inability to see things the way I do. Anger almost feels like too soft a word to use—violent fury might be closer to the truth.

All the while, Matthew 24 echoed in my mind: “The love of many will grow cold.”

And like a pick, that single verse began to chip away at my anger. Anger turned to fear as a I realized what “faction” I found myself in. It wasn’t those who wanted effective quarantine or those who worried about government overreach. I was finding myself in the company of the “many” whose love was growing cold.

And I would wager most of us find ourselves there now.

So, what do we do?

I would exhort us to embrace and commit to doing three things. These are not new concepts to us as Christians, but I suspect our behavior here in America is exposing our need for a newer and deeper embrace of our old beliefs.

  • We must forgive what now feels unforgiveable.

Many of us feel betrayed by our brothers and sisters in Christ. They’ve hurt us with words and actions, and they may not even recognize it. But how much has Christ forgiven us? Can’t we also forgive others?

  • We must love those who now feel unlovable.

When our friends choose sides that seem unthinkable to us, can we still pray for their blessing? Can we seek ways to serve them? If God calls us to love our enemies, can’t we also love those with whom we share the faith, our family in Christ?

  • We must endure what now feels unendurable.

Regardless of how you view our current situation, it’s not easy. I doubt any of us are enjoying being physically separated from friends and family. For those in our community who are in high-risk categories, the isolation may look unending. But if Christ suffered isolation and betrayal from friends and family—and even His Father—can’t we endure this season? 

None of this is new to the Christian experience. Our history is filled with lavish forgiveness, impossible grace and the noisy joy of men and women who died singing God’s praises. This is because our ancestors knew the God who loved His enemies. Now it’s our turn to learn, once again, to do the same.

This is our only option as believers. If we don’t choose the hard way of love and forgiveness and endurance, we will grow bitter and hardhearted. Our love will grow cold. We will lose our witness to the world as well as the sweetness of community in Christ.

Friends, there is hard work ahead of us. But if we forgive freely, love unconditionally, and endure this season patiently, trusting that our God’s designs are good even now,then like the Galatians, “At just the right time we will reap a harvest of blessing if we don’t give up.”

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Love Over Fear

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by Cindy Waple

I recently saw a church sign that read: With social distancing, practice love over fear, peace over panic. As Tina Turner famously asked, “What’s love got to do with it?” How can love help with fear and anxiety, especially fear associated with Covid-19?

According to the Bible, love has everything to do with all that is happening, before, during, and after Covid-19. Here are just a few reasons why I believe and cling to this truth.

First, God is love (1 John 4:8,16). God is the source of all unconditional love. Human conditional love is often earned and can be taken away. God loves each and every one of us not because we deserve it, but because it is who He is. There is nothing you or I can do to make God love us more, and there is nothing we can do to lose God’s love. It was because of His great love for us that God sent his Son to die (John 3:16, Romans 5:8, 1 John 4:10). Our human minds cannot even begin to fathom the depth of love God has for each of us! And in His grace and mercy, God has filled our hearts with His love by the Holy Spirit (Romans 5:5).

Second, there are two key transitional moments in the Bible where love is set as a primary imperative. In the book of Deuteronomy, Israel is about to enter the Promised Land, and leadership is changing from Moses to Joshua. Moses offers a farewell address to Israel exhorting them as they move forward to remember the commands and laws of God. He begins with the most important: Israel is to remember that God is one, He is the Lord. And next they are to love Him with all of their heart, soul and strength (Deuteronomy 6:4-6). My simple translation is this: If you remember nothing else, remember this: God is One, and love Him with all of your being!

Now, fast forward over a thousand years, and another key transition is about to take place. Jesus is observing Passover with His disciples. In a few hours He will be arrested and sent to the cross to die. As He finishes the Passover meal, and after Judas has left to betray Him, Jesus gives His disciples a new command: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another (John 13:34-35).

Love is always important to God, and to Jesus, and forms the two greatest commands (Matthew 22:36-40). Love is essential during great transitions, such as we are in at Elim; and especially now in a world with Covid-19. The question we must ask ourselves is: Do I seek to live my life, first and foremost, from a place of unconditional love?

Lastly, we are reminded in 1 John 4:18 that “perfect love expels all fear.” And one of my favorite verses about love and fear reminds us that “with his [God’s] love, he will calm all your fears” (Zephaniah 3:17, NLT). Love wins over fear. Why? I don’t know all of the reasons, but I do know that 2 Timothy 1:7 reminds us that God has not given us a spirit of fear.  But God has given us love.

I would prefer to focus on and live out what God has given me. Fear paralyzes, love frees. We don’t know what will happen tomorrow or the next week or month in this season of Covid-19, but I do know that no matter what happens, nothing will ever separate me from the unfailing, immeasurable love of God (Romans 8:35-39). Here is a beautiful truth about God’s love — He lavishes His love upon us. He fills us with His love, pushing out fear, anxiety and worry. And then we become the conduit of His love toward others, freely sharing what God has graciously given to us.

That is perhaps the greatest gift the Church has to offer the world during this pandemic — unconditional love that conquers fear! I do understand that during these uncertain times fear is a normal response. May we be encouraged, when fear does start to enter our minds, to hit the pause button and turn our attention to God’s love. Meditate on the love scriptures mentioned here, or others that bring you comfort. Let His great love for you and your love for Him flood your heart and soul. And in doing so, we will experience love over fear, and peace over panic.

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Finishing Well

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by Larry Short

Hopefully this doesn’t sound morbid, but I’ve been thinking a lot about the end of my life and the impact I might make on the people around me. Martin’s partly to blame for this. He’s been asking questions about people we know who finished well and why they had an impact on us. Another reason I’ve been thinking about finishing well is because last Sunday we celebrated the life of Darlene’s mother, Dotty, who passed a few months ago at the ripe age of 98. Like her husband Fred, who preceded her, she finished well.

Larry Short and Dotty French
Sharing a photo with Darlene’s mom, Dotty, on her 98th birthday celebration last November. Amazing to think she’s now reunited with Fred and walking with Jesus!

But what “finishing well” looked like for her was quite different from what it looked like for Fred and for other people I know who have finished well.

Fred wore his faith in Christ on his sleeve, so to speak. He shared openly about his relationship with Christ and urged all around him to follow Jesus. Outgoing and fearless, he was a talented salesman and a natural-born evangelist.

My own father was similar, but in different ways. He led three of his four sisters to Christ after he himself found Jesus while a student at Seattle Pacific University (where he met and married my mom, already a believer and instrumental in my dad’s salvation). He even led his own father to Christ when my grandpa was on his deathbed! My father was incredibly compassionate and generous. He loved to give and serve.

My own mom died of cancer at the age of 64. But she finished well. She had a vibrant faith in Christ, and was positive and encouraging until the day she died. My mom loved her family and her church well, and was incredibly committed to me becoming all God wanted me to be.

Darlene’s mom also lived to serve others: her husband, her husband’s clients, her kids, extended family, you name it. She wasn’t super outspoken about her own faith, but Christ could be seen in the way she cooked, cleaned, and catered to the needs of those around her.

Because of Martin’s questions, I’ve been thinking about many others you all probably knew and loved. The name Art Nissan is often mentioned when we talk about finishing well. Art was wise and godly, and he carefully nurtured his own connection to Christ. He was simple and humble; he shared his life with those he loved. He made an incredible impact in the lives of many in our church.

Helen Eash springs to my mind as another who finished well. Much like Darlene’s mom, she quietly served those around her and devoted her life to supporting her husband Harold and the many people they impacted on the mission field. Her love for people and for Christ was beyond doubt.

And then there was another man I think “finished well” even though he was very, very different from Art or Helen. Robert Lee was truly a diamond in the rough, far from perfect. A professional tattoo artist (and a good one), his early life was violent and dangerous. But after he found Christ and began attending Elim (his 45 revolver strapped to one leg!), he fearlessly began to change. He had a real and vital relationship with Christ, which he shared with those around him, including his friends from his “darker days.” Now he is dearly missed.

Finally, I would be remiss not to mention our dear friend Nancy Ide. She finished well, at too early an age, but the strength of her faith in Christ and the way she poured into others, even as she herself was being ravaged by cancer, was truly remarkable and praiseworthy.

I think about the things that each of these well-finishers shared in common, and I think if I truly seek to achieve the following four things, I, too, may stand a chance to finish well:

Devotion to Christ as their highest and most important relationship. Jesus said the greatest commandment was to love the Lord our God with all our heart and with all our soul and with all our mind. People who finish well leave no doubt that their relationship with Jesus is their first and foremost priority.

They loved the people God placed in the path of their life. Jesus said, “And the second is like it: Love your neighbor as you love yourself.” Each of these people I mentioned were people whose love for others was indisputable. They honored others as more important than themselves and serve others wholeheartedly.

They were fearless. Scripture says “Perfect love casts out fear.” Love for God and faith in Him inspires us to be fearless. No matter what happens in our life, whether it’s the cancer that ravaged Nancy or Alzheimer’s as my dad experienced, God has our back, and there is no need to fear the future!

Like the faithful servant of Christ’s parable, they invested whatever gifts God gave them to bring Him glory. Too many people “retire.” My dad retired as the president of an industrial plant in Singapore when he was 55, and I (sort of) retired two years ago, at 60 (only to find myself drawn back to a ministry I really love at World Vision!); but those who finish well, I believe, never really retire. They keep on keepin’ on, with whatever strength they have that remains, using whatever gifts, talents, skills, and resources God has given them, investing these in the Kingdom of God and the lives of the people around them.

Losing loved ones to heaven is not really sad. The sad fact is that many among us, unfortunately, do not finish well. As a song I really appreciate says, “gravity is pulling me on down.” We get self-centered (instead of God- and others-centered), we get tired, we stop loving God and people well and serving with whatever means God has blessed us with. We may allow ourselves to grow fearful and complacent.

I’m constantly aware of the tendencies in my own life for gravity to pull me on down. Thankfully, every new day brings new opportunities for me to repent and recommit myself to the task of finishing well! And I’m also thankful for brothers and sisters in Christ who surround me and are willing to “hold my arms up” as I seek God’s strength to end my earthly story in a way that brings Him glory.

How about you?

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In the Bleak Midwinter

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by Brian Waple

As I began reflecting on writing a Last Word for this week, I asked myself, “What would people need to hear?” Do they need to hear how much God loves them? Probably—we all need to be reminded of that. Or perhaps they need to hear about Christ’s substitutionary atonement for their sins. Again, in and of itself that’s good stuff, but not this week. Maybe they need to hear more about Pastor Martin’s new vision for creating a culture of being “disciples who make disciples among those who are not disciples” outside the walls of Elim. He promised we would hear more about that in the weeks to come.

Okay, so what then? I was ruminating on this and looking out the window and watching the rain, and then it dawned on me. As you may or may not know, winters in the Pacific Northwest can be difficult for some people (myself included). There is a bleakness to the winters here that makes us all groan for summer and warmer weather. That’s an interesting word—bleak. Dictionary.com gives this definition: “without hope or encouragement; depressing; dreary.” I have said many times how dreary the winters are here … but hopeless?

There is a wonderful old Christmas hymn that I remember singing as a kid. It’s called In the Bleak Midwinter, and the words of the hymn were written by Christina Rossetti in the late 1800s. The last line of the hymn goes like this:

“What can I give Him, poor as I am? If I were a shepherd, I would give a lamb; if I were a wise man, I would do my part; yet what I can I give Him: give my heart.” (my italics)

Giving one’s heart means not holding back at all. In the hymn, Rossetti is speaking about what we have to give the Christ child. And even in the midst of our most abject poverty, when we have nothing left to give, we can still give our heart! It is interesting when we reflect on what God gave us. Almighty God could have given in to the desires that spring up from our wildest dreams. But He didn’t; instead, He gave us the most precious thing He had to give: He gave us his Son. He gave us His heart. And with that gift, we are not hopeless.

So, when life seems as bleak as a Pacific Northwest winter, the hope that we who call Jesus Lord and Savior have transcends the bleakness, the dreariness, the hopelessness. And that hope should encourage us to be willing to give our hearts to others. Maybe it’s toward your neighbor; maybe it’s toward a stranger; maybe it’s toward a friend; maybe it’s toward a family member. For many of us, this is all we can give. But it’s the giving of our hearts to others, as God freely did toward us, that helps transform us into the people God created us to be.

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Our Father Delights in Us!

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By Martin Schlomer, Senior Pastor

“Light up the darkness!” (2 Corinthians 4:6, The Message)

Delight, honor, and repair: these three words are reshaping my heart and relationships. These are three words my Father has spoken over me. In my upcoming Last Words, I’m going to look at each of these three words, one at a time.

This week:

My Father delights over me!

This is the heartbeat of the gospel. Our Father delights over us! This is personally transformational. When I am having a horrible day and my choices reflect the darkness of my own ways, He speaks a better word over me than I deserve. When I sin, He offers forgiveness. When I fail, He gives me His Son, and I get the righteousness of Jesus. He lights up my darkness, and He shepherds me through the chaos! Why? Because He’s my Father. This is what good and gracious fathers do. We are connected.

“Light up the darkness!” Speak our Father’s delight over another person today, tomorrow, the day after, next week. When we do, we bring the presence of hope and beauty into lives silently simmering in uncertainty, loneliness, shame, and chaos. Find something our Father delights in and speak it. It’s transformational for them and for us. I’m the beneficiary. As I pass on my Father’s delight, His delight leaves a residue of joy in my life!

Delight, honor, and repair — three words that are reshaping my heart and relationships. In a few weeks, I’ll share about the concept of honor. Until then, “Light up the darkness!”

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