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:
- 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!
- 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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). - 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.
- 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? - 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. - 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. - 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. - 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.
- 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. - 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.
- 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