Lessons I Am Learning Amidst the Pandemic

The last fifteen weeks have been active with uncertainty, challenge, and anxiety for all of us. “What have we learned?” I’ve taken some time to jot down some serious and challenging thoughts to my heart in the wake of this virus that seems to linger on and on and on. And within the umbrella of the virus much damage is falling upon our heads even to this day.
The Brevity of Life: “Life is short, death is sure, sin the cause, Christ is the cure.”
The Depravity of the Heart: Man is affected by the disease of sin in every part of his being. His mind, emotions, and will is affected by sin. Nothing is left out.
The Beauty of Jesus: None other is as wonderful as Jesus. When your eyes head to Calvary the world has no attraction. One day all will see the beauty of the One they despised.
The Unity of Saints: There is the presence and power of Christ when God’s people are right with Him and with each other. Healing takes place in all areas of life.
Some of my thoughts:

  1. God is in control. “The LORD hath prepared his throne in the heavens, and his kingdom ruleth over all” (Psalm 103:19). God has either authored this or consciously allowed it. No other explanation for this day!
  2. This is a Test! “He that is unjust, let him but unjust still; and he that is filthy, let him be filthy still, and he that is righteous, let him be righteous still; and he that is holy, let him be holy still” (Revelation 22:11).
    The pandemic has revealed the hearts of man. As a tree falls that shall it lie. If this hasn’t brought us to the center of God’s will then we find how sinful we are. Unless we are changed by God’s Spirit and God’s Word we will not be altered. No amount of preaching will change a man’s heart if it is not hearing God.
  3. People are fearful. The reason for much of the fear is because life on earth means more than life in heaven. Nothing belongs to us and there is nothing that will keep us. God owns everything. We came
    into this world with nothing and we shall leave this world with nothing. All we are will be who we are when we leave this world.
  4. Media and Political rants on TV, Facebook, Twitter, and other avenues are expressions which reveal the shallowness of faith in Christ. Hatred is real, sin is real, Satan is alive, and this world system is not a
    friend of God. We can give our opinions, but it is all for naught if prayer is next to nil.
  5. The Bible is being fulfilled right before our eyes. Many are saying this, but many are not living this.
    Noah was moved with fear to build the ark to the saving of his family. Russia is raising up like a bear on his side out of sleep and China is manipulative and revengeful. The Bible reveals this and the Islamic
    nations are enraged.
  6. The reason many are not attached to the church body is because the Holy Spirit does not dwell within them. “If any man has not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his” (Romans 8:9). We live today with
    professions of faith with little possession of Christ. “Nice people now are becoming wicked people” as physical supplies are limited, and material gain is not available.
  7. Many homes are broken (not all) because many Christians are not broken over their personal sinfulness. Weapons of Mass Distractions have overtaken the believer. He has removed himself from right
    living and that “he cannot see afar off, and has forgotten that he was purged from his old sins” (2 Peter 2:9).
  8. Many souls are restless. They are not resting in Christ. They are looking for anything to fill the void in their life. Like Satan, they are going to and fro throughout the earth looking for satisfaction, a way out of the boredom of life.
  9. A braggart nation is a nation that boasts of her prosperity. People vote their pocketbooks and wallets.
    God knows how to stop it. Many people do not know how to save money but spend it as soon as they have it, and therefore dependency upon government is their God. Fiscal responsibility has been thrown out of the window by our politicians, so why not the people of the land?
  10. Our educational system is greatly struggling (public and home-school) because we are not preparing our children to be arrows in the hand of God. Instead of shooting them out into the world to reach sinners we
    are teaching them to isolate themselves from the world and to succeed in this life.
  11. Homes are not praying. Husbands and wives are not in joint prayer. Many homes are in trouble and others are separated from each other in their own house. It is causing much demise to the work of God.
    The remedy is awaiting the broken soul in humiliation and humility.
  12. The youth of today have not an anchor to hold them up. The only Anchor to ground them against the gravity of sin and death is Jesus who is hidden behind the veil of heaven. Anarchy and apostasy and
    apathy are now an integral part of the nations of the world. Our youth do not know their left hands from their right.
  13. Mob rule has now replaced the law of the land. Many laws are now disregarded and unenforced. It’s hard to know the truth when the news is so hyped. Church now can be silenced, shackled, and shut down by local, statewide, and national government. Satanic anger will be the future for churches who preach the gospel.
  14. We live in a twisted world where good is evil and evil is good. History is torn down and now anything that speaks of our Lord (church buildings, images of Christians, pictures of Jesus) is now fair game for
    destruction. The devil has now used both sides of the political process to get his gain.
  15. In a crisis, the cream will rise to the top and the debris will sink to the bottom. Prayer will remain the leader’s cry and the Bible will be His weapon.
  16. Our only hope is Jesus Christ! The problem is the heart of man and only a Savior can change the heart which changes lives which changes the world around him. This world is going down like the Titanic.
    Implosion of past history is promised but the Kingdom of God and His righteousness is just ahead. The birth pangs of this world are giving place to the King and His rule, and those who follow after Him will
    have a position in His Kingdom.
    There is something sadder and more tragic than catastrophes, difficulty, dire straits, and quandary situations: It is to go through these things and learn nothing. Remember this: We are all heading Somewhere and that Somewhere is to Someone and His name is Jesus! All will stand before Him and may you and I be a part of the Master’s Minority who are faithful.
    It’s not over yet! The Lord is coming again!
    Pastor Don

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  • Grace, God’s Grace

    “And of his fullness have we all received, and grace for grace” (John 1:16).

     

    When you and I look into a river and perceive the fish swimming we would like to reach in and stop the water flow and catch the scene for a while. But we can’t because the current is heading downstream and it is strong, yet it was never meant to be stopped and caught.

    While God gives us grace He desires for us to enjoy what He does for the moment but He doesn’t want us to reach in and try to stop it. He has more grace coming downstream that will pass by our eyes. It is wave of grace upon grace that He sends our way. We were never meant to stop the flow of grace and hunker down and bask in it.

    Do you remember when Peter, James, and John were with the Lord Jesus on the Mount of Transfiguration? They were asleep on that mountain. And all of a sudden they were awakened and saw the Lord Jesus speaking with Elijah and Moses about His upcoming death and resurrection.

    Peter spoke up and wanted to build memorial booths for the occasion, and God the Father said, “This is my beloved Son, hear ye Him” (Matthew 17:5). God had more work to be done, more grace He wanted the disciples to see.

    What about us? Are we satisfied with what the Lord has done thus far? Are we now satisfied that the debt renovation is now paid and there is no other territory to explore? Are we satisfied that no more people can be saved? Are we enjoying what has been accomplished and have no more get up and go for God?

    God’s grace is new grace, continuous grace, uninterrupted grace that exceeds all we could imagine. Each spiritual blessing we appropriate becomes the foundation of greater blessing. God’s grace is like a mighty Niagara, thundering unending out of eternity into our hearts and lives.

    Let us look into the future and ask God what He has in store for KMBC. He has an inexhaustible supply that every believer is given for all he or she needs in this world and the world to come. Pentecost filled the believers with Christ Himself and yet God emptied the upper room into the streets of Jerusalem. That is what God wants to do through us today and tomorrow and the future.

    Let’s get full of Him and allow Him to carry us from grace to grace.

    I Love you,

    Pastor Don

  • The warning siren is heard across this world.

    KMBC Family and Friends,
    Let us realize that we are living in the last of the last days. It’s as plain as it can be. The warning siren is heard across this world.
    Satan is the god of this world system . He is in rebellion against his Creator. Our Education system, government, media, politics, are ran by Satan. It’s all coming unglued.
    This world system is in rebellion against God’s authority and it is passing away. Remember that God said it would be like this! It has to happen! The sewage of the flesh (the self-centered life) is continually spewing out of the hearts of men. God’s people are different.
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    1. Vital Sign #1 – You have communion with Christ (I John 1:1-4).
    2. Vital Sign #2 – You are dealing with sin by grieving over it and confessing it (I John 1:5-2:22).
    3. Vital Sign #3 – You are committed to obey God’s Word ( I John 2:3-6).
    4. Vital Sign # 4 – You love other believers and have compassion for them
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    6. Vital Sign #6 – You comprehend the truth in God’s Word (I John 2:18-27; 4:1-6).
    7. Vital Sign #7 – You are conforming to the image of Christlikeness (I John 2:28-3:10).
    8. Vital Sign #8 – You are in conflict with the lifestyle of the world (I John 3:11-13).
    9. Vital Sign #9 – You pray and have confidence in prayer ( I John 3:19-24; 5:14-15).
      Tell your family that this is what a Christian is. There are many who are religious but lost. Many are deceived. Matthew 7:21: “Not everyone who says to Me, ‘Lord, Lord,’ shall enter the kingdom of God, but he who does the will of My Father in Heaven.”
      Church is more essential more than ever. As the days grow darker God’s people shine brighter. Jesus, the Bright and Morning Star, will appear at the darkest period to rapture His people out of this world. Are you ready? Are your children? Your family? Your neighbors? Your coworkers?
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      I love you with the love of the Lord,
      Pastor Don

  • Eat Your Ice Cream Before It Melts

    February 2021

    KMBC Family & Friends,

    What a year we have already experienced! Covid has divided many churches, families, and good men. It has broken unity and shattered harmony. What I love about the church of the Living God is that we are bound together, it is not artificial, it is Christ’s body.

    The church is marked by truth, “continuing steadfastly in the apostles’ doctrine.” They met together, they truly loved God’s Word and the teachings. They were in one accord for God’s program and Kingdom. Their fellowship was around the Lord’s death and resurrection. And they prayed together.

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    The church is marked by the table. We fellowship together by the Lord’s table. We recognize His death for each of us as we commune together in the Lord’s Communion.

    The church is marked by the throne. We pray together, we receive great power together and His great presence when we meet together to pray.

    The world around us will fear God as we fear Him above all fears.

    The fear of the pandemic, loss of jobs, etc., have brought in a lot of reactions. Today we see violence, division, delusion, distraction, and deliberate sin. What did Noah do? He kept building. What about Paul? He kept winning souls. What about us? We will continue to rescue the perishing, care for the dying, and pray for the return of Christ.

    I don’t know what tomorrow holds but I do know that we need to be ready and prepared. I heard a preacher this morning say “You better eat your ice cream before it melts.” Friends, we better do today what can’t be done tomorrow.

    Are we ready? We need to return to Him before He returns.

    I love you in the Lord. Pray for me, please. I’m praying ahead, planning ahead, preaching for the times we are in because I love the Lord and I love you.

    Pastor Don

  • H.E.A.R. method of reading God’s Word

    KMBC Family,

    The H.E.A.R. Journal is one of the best methods I know in getting to know the God who loves you. As you connect with your church in reading the Scripture together on a daily basis, you will find that after your reading, meditating, and journaling, you can find prayer better and more effective.

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  • For Cave Dwellers

    “There is no escape for me; No one cares for my soul” (Psalm 142:4).

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    When you and I decide not to walk away, God will make sure you know He is there. No matter if you feel as if you are in a cave God will climb into it with you. Better yet, He is already there. How unusual for God to work in your life or in my life, but He does.

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    Revival is realizing that anything from our old life needs to be reckoned dead. As we recognize our death in Christ, confess our self life sinfulness, and turn from our wicked ways to Him, then God will kiss us with the kisses of His mouth.

     

    Pray that God’s people will come to realize that the termination of the old self was realized and materialized at Calvary’s mountain. Live so that the sails of your life may be set high, and the wind of God’s breath will blow once more in His church.