From Sin To Salvation

Are you anxious about what is going on with the Coronavirus? Have a lot of unanswered questions? Are you starting to feel the effects of “cabin fever” already? For all of us these things are in the forefront of our minds and no doubt causing us to be anxious. The apostle Paul had similar feelings.

He had a reason to be anxious! Envision an old man as he gazes out the window of a Roman prison. Half-blind, squinting just to read, and awaiting trial before the Roman emperor. His future is as gloomy as his jail cell. Paul wasn’t staying in a place of ease where a lot of us are spending our time.

To read his words, you would think he’d just arrived at a Jamaican beach hotel. His letter to the Philippians bears not a word of fear or complaint. Not one! Instead, he lifts his thanks to God and calls on his readers to do the same. “Rejoice in the Lord always. Again, I will say, rejoice!”(Philippians 4:4).

Paul’s challenge is a decision deeply rooted in the confidence that God exists, that he is in control, and that he is good. Rejoice in the Lord—always! You can’t run the world but you can entrust it to God!

In this anxiety ridden time of the Coronavirus, it’s easy to get caught up in doing something, anything, in order to feel like you are in control of your life. You might even hear people say, “God helps those who help themselves.” This phrase is not in the bible.

This statement is completely contrary to what the Word of God tells us: “Be still, and know that I am God”. The Father knows we cannot help ourselves. That is the very reason He sent His Son to die—because we are utterly helpless to improve our sinful condition (Rom. 5:8).

God’s will for us includes His fundamental call to stillness. When we are quiet in His presence, we put ourselves in the most teachable position possible. It’s where we are most able to discern His Spirit, His will for our lives and it’s where we receive our greatest blessings.

The next time you feel the urge to do something or take action remember “Be still, and know that I am God.”

Most Americans are dealing with the Coronovirus right now and its impact on their daily lives. There are countless other voices that are vying for our attention as well. But, in all this clamoring are we focusing enough on God to hear His voice? With today’s situation it is easy to get caught in the trap of busyness. Unless we make an effort to retreat from life’s noisy demands and busy commitments we will miss hearing God’s voice and His wisdom.

We are blessed and cursed through constant communication with friends, family and life. Take a moment or two or three to get away by yourself and commune with God. He is not deaf. He hears every prayer you offer up to Him. So, if you’re wondering why you haven’t received an answer to your prayers then consider this. Maybe you’re not hearing God because of all the distractions and noise in your life. Take time today and every day to pray and listen to God. When you listen, you will hear Him. I guarantee it.

A fellow blogger at https://BeautyBeyondBones.com has written a piece titled “Coronavirus A Wake Up Call,” that expresses my sentiments exactly about what is happening with the Coronavirus and our response to it. Like this blogger I wondered if this pandemic was allowed to happen by God in order to get the attention of a society that has all but removed Him from their lives. Her piece about the virus is a wake up call for all of us. Not just Christians but unbelievers as well.

Where you turn for support in time of need reflects the faith you place in God or other things. There is a bible verse, Joshua 24:15 that says, “As for me and my house I will serve the Lord.” So make a concerted effort to gain a clear perspective on who you are, what you stand for, and what you believe. God is waiting for you to make the best choice possible in choosing His son Jesus over all else. And that includes stockpiling toilet paper.

And seeing from afar a fig tree having leaves, He went to see if perhaps He would find something on it. When He came to it, He found nothing but leaves, for it was not the season for figs.—Mark 11:13

The fig tree was deceptive due to its leaves. Normally, a leafy fig tree would be pleasing, since a fig tree in leaf indicates that it has ripe fruit. However, this tree had no fruit. The first figs normally begin to appear before the leaves, but as the foliage increases, the fruit ripens. Since the leaves could be seen from “afar off,” it was misleading because it had not borne any fruit.

It is true, as Mark says, that “the time of the figs was not yet,” but that only meant that the normal time for figs had not yet come. The fig tree appeared to be producing ahead of schedule, giving the appearance of doing something it was not. The tree represents a hypocrite, who gives the appearance of being something he is not. This hypocrisy was the condition of the religious leaders of Jesus’ day, and it is also the condition of many today.

The Jewish leaders professed to have what no other people had, a relationship with God, but were in reality shallow, simple, and phony; there was plenty of outward show but no real conviction. They lacked truth, righteousness, and goodwill. And though they professed a great desire for the Messiah, they rejected Christ when He came to them. Hypocrisy was their dominant characteristic when it came to spiritual matters.

The arrogant priests, scribes, and elders, along with their elaborate rituals of the Temple, were all just leaves on a fruitless tree. Their heart was still malicious within, and true devotion for God and His truth was absent. Shortly before His crucifixion, Christ repeatedly called the religious leaders “hypocrites” (Matthew 23:13-15, 23, 25, 27, 29), saying, “All their works they do to be seen by men” (Matthew 23:5). Like the fig tree, they liked to stand in conspicuous places, and also like the fig tree, they had leaves but no fruit.

On another occasion Christ quotes Isaiah in condemnation of the Israelite religious leaders: “Hypocrites! Well did Isaiah prophesy about you, saying: ‘These people draw near to Me with their mouth, and honor Me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me’” (Matthew 15:7-8; Isaiah 29:13). Speaking to Ezekiel, God describes the hypocrisy of the Israelites then:

So they come to you as people do, they sit before you as My people, and they hear your words, but they do not do them; for with their mouth they show much love, but their hearts pursue their own gain. They hear your words, but they do not do them.”—Ezekiel 33:31-32)

Mainstream Christianity is in the same hypocritical condition today. Like the fig tree, many of its members are nothing but leaves waving in the breeze. Many church services are strong on show and weak on substance. The emptier a church is spiritually, the phonier their outward appearance will be.

Jesus’ actions here have symbolic importance, signifying the hypocrisy of those who appear to be bearing fruit but in fact are not. The person who lives a hypocritical life will someday discover that he has deceived himself worse than he has deceived others. If we cheat others, our judgment from God may be to have others cheat us. “It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God” (Hebrews 10:31).

[ reprint courtesy of The Berean | Martin Collins ]

At times God calls us to things that require giving up or letting go of something important to us. Such as gathering at sporting events or even meeting friends at the local pub. That can be difficult or even confusing, but thankfully we know that “God is not a God of confusion but of peace, love and understanding.”

Today, we are being asked to give up things in order to bring our society back to health because of the recent health crisis. Our surrender to what is good for others, family and ourselves may take some determination but in the end, this pandemic we are facing will slowly subside and go away.

I pray you will not be one of the few who will risk going out in order to keep from having “cabin fever.” The sooner we realize the benefits of “social distancing” the quicker our nation returns to normal. Place your hope for the future in God who knows what it is to suffer.

It goes without saying that the Coronavirus pandemic has everyone on edge. In some cases panicking because answers to common questions about the virus are not coming fast enough. I believe I have the answer to all our concerns. Prayer! That may sound trite but as a Christian I know it is the answer to all of our concerns, desires, and beliefs.

Praying to our Father God in trying times is the best way of achieving peace within. God understands each and everyone of our concerns, especially now. Let me remind you that God loves you very much and wants the best for you. All we have to do is pray and express our complete trust in Him. When you do that you will have peace and God will answer your prayers.

Superstitions abound regarding certain days, numbers, or objects. People fear that somehow Friday the 13th, black cats, broken mirrors, or ladders may have a hand in shaping the future. Most of these superstitions have murky, ancient origins and have been passed down from generation to generation.

Recent surveys show that superstition is alive and well in the Western world. One survey reported that 20 percent of Americans think it’s unlucky to walk under a ladder and 13 percent think a black cat crossing their path will bring bad luck. A survey in Britain found that 77 percent of those in the UK admit to being “at least a little superstitious” and 42 percent say that they are very or somewhat superstitious. How should Christians respond to these superstitions?

“Instead of trusting in man made superstitions, we need to trust in our sovereign God who loves and cares for us and we need to teach others to do the same.”

In Acts 17, we read about the Athenians who erected an altar “to the unknown god.” These men were so superstitious that they made an altar to a potential god so as to make sure that they didn’t unintentionally offend someone they didn’t know about. Paul used this altar as a teaching opportunity to point them to the God that they did not know—the Creator of the universe. As a result of his preaching, some of the pagans turned from their idol worship to serve the Lord (Acts 17:34). As Christians, we need to take what is common to the culture and turn it into an opportunity to proclaim the gospel. Superstitions provide an entry point to talking about how we can have true peace when we know the Prince of Peace who “upholds the universe by the word of his power” (Hebrews 1:3).

But superstitions provide a reminder for us of the sovereignty of God and an opportunity to point others to the gospel. God’s actions are not bound or controlled by what happens here on earth. Psalm 115:3 tells us, “Our God is in the heavens; he does all that he pleases,” and Job says, “I know that you can do all things, and that no purpose of yours can be thwarted” (Job 42:2). Just because a groundhog sees, or doesn’t see, his shadow makes no difference to the God who controls the weather (Psalms 135:7, 148:8; Luke 8:24–25) and who has created the laws and cycles that govern weather patterns. We need to stand on the authority of God’s Word when it says that he is the one who upholds the weather and who created the laws and weather cycles, not trust in silly superstitions. We need to base our thinking on God’s Word!

In the same way that the weather is not controlled by a groundhog, so are the events of our daily lives not controlled by superstitious things such as mirrors, black cats, or ladders. Instead of trusting in man made superstitions, we need to trust in our sovereign God who loves and cares for us and we need to teach others to do the same.

In recent weeks we’ve all been made aware that the Coronavirus is among us and wreaking havoc wherever it goes. As I listen to the news I hear the journalists saying over and over, “Don’t panic.” That’s easy for you to say. As a senior I am one of those who are in that higher risk category of getting the virus. To the average senior that news is probably very troubling. But for me it’s not.

Why do I say that? I have the confidence that God is watching over me and protecting me from harm. Satan, on the other hand, would like nothing better than to use this situation as an opportunity to create fear, concern and panic. Don’t let him. He is the father of lies and only wants the worst for you.

Naturally, I have a concern about the Coronavirus and it’s potential effects on me and others, however, I will take the necessary steps and precautions to protect myself and my loved ones from harm. Don’t let this situation get out of hand inside your head. Pray often, if necessary, and ask God to watch over you and give you peace. As His child He will answer your prayers.

I have only one thing to say to the enemy and his virus and that’s, “Take a hike! You will have no place in my life with your lies and sickness.”

We don’t usually think of God as being a God who waits. After all, He is the Sovereign Lord of the universe. He can do what He wants when He wants. He doesn’t have to wait for anything. All He has to do is speak and worlds come into being. He says: “My words make the things happen that I want to happen” (Isaiah 55:11). Nevertheless, scripture tells us that God is waiting for us. He is waiting for us to come to a certain point and then He will spring into action.

What God is waiting for is the opportunity to rise up from His waiting and comfort us, show us His mercy, and help us in our time of need. God is a God who wants to do the right thing by us. He wants to help us, but He wants something to happen before He rises up to show Himself strong on our behalf. If we will come to a certain point, if we will do the right thing, then God will do the right thing for us.

The point that God wants us to reach is the point where we stop trying to make it on our own apart from Him. God wants us to turn to Him and wait. One might say that God is waiting for us to wait. He could help us without any waiting on our part if He wanted to, but He wants us to wait for Him. He wants us to honor Him as God by waiting for Him to decide when to act. What He doesn’t want is for us to give up on waiting and try to go it alone. What He doesn’t want is for us to give up on Him as God.

God is God. He is the Sovereign Lord and King over all things. We are subjects in His Kingdom. It is only fitting and proper that we wait on Him to move on our behalf. And we can count on Him, because the Lord is the God who does the right thing.