God is in Control, not the Corona Virus

My Help Comes from the Lord

Psa 121:1  A Song of degrees. I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

Psa 121:2  My help cometh from the LORD, which made heaven and earth.

Psa 121:3  He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

Psa 121:4  Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

Psa 121:5  The LORD is thy keeper: the LORD is thy shade upon thy right hand.

Psa 121:6  The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

Psa 121:7  The LORD shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

Psa 121:8  The LORD shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even for evermore.

This morning the above scriptures came to mind (verse 2). My help comes the from the Lord. I’ve been reading all the drastic headlines and stories about the corona virus until I’m so discouraged, I can hardly get out of bed! They say we could be in this state (self-isolation) for up to 18 months and it will come and go in waves. The economy will likely collapse. Then what? Truly it is a demonic scourge on the world.

And then the Lord reminded me that without Him, there is no hope, in this life or the next, with or without the virus. Where does our help come from? It comes from the Lord, the One who created the world and us in the first place; it’s His. It doesn’t belong to the virus. And I am His. I don’t belong to the world or the virus. And hopefully, you can say the same, that you belong to the Lord.

So, in light of this, I thought ever deeper about what God could possibly be working out through allowing this deathly frightening virus to invade all of our lives. I thought it must be temporary because His Word says to “Go out and preach the Gospel to every creature,” so how can you do that when you are in quarantine and self isolation? I know there’s social media, but how effective is that? Will people read the Bible online or be led away by all the other information vying for our attention, namely the corona virus stories? To me the whole pandemic and how it operates goes completely against Scripture, plus it is fuelled by fear. God’s Word says fear is a spirit. And God removes that for Christians, so we have no fear in sharing the Gospel to the lost:

2Ti 1:7  For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

2Ti 1:8  Be not thou therefore ashamed of the testimony of our Lord, nor of me his prisoner: but be thou partaker of the afflictions of the gospel according to the power of God;

2Ti 1:9  Who hath saved us, and called us with an holy calling, not according to our works, but according to his own purpose and grace, which was given us in Christ Jesus before the world began,

I’m not saying to go out and defy the self-distancing request. I’m saying, take a look at what God’s Word says because it is based on solid truth. God cannot lie. His Word trumps the virus, and all the negative news and naysayers in the world and beyond!

So, what is God’s purpose in all of this? Many things have come to mind for me.

Mostly, this is a time of reckoning for reckless living. We reap what we sow.

Those who put their trust in money, the stock exchange, their job and paycheque will be severely impacted by being house bound and social distancing. Those who focused on their sports, travel, booze, recreational drugs, or any other entertainment, and anything else over and above a first love for God, will have to face the consequences of laying down their idols of pleasure. The pain of detox and withdrawal may occur. And even other people can become an idol if we turn to them rather than God first. Hence, the social distancing.

For Christians, we need to make sure we love Jesus first and foremost (the first commandment), and none of this should affect us, except in a good way. Perhaps we have become too worldly minded that we are no heavenly good! We need to heed the following:

Col 3:2  Set your affection on things above, not on things on the earth.

Now is the time to seek the Lord! Lay down those idols of travel, entertainment, sports, movies or anything else that has taken God’s FIRST place in our hearts.

As Christians, we are filled with hope. We serve a mighty awesome God, there is none to compare. We have our faithful Lord to see us through anything. We have His Word filled with promises. He has our back. He is the one in control of every situation. He determines the day of our birth and the day of our death. And remember, the Apostle Paul said it is better to be with the Lord. We have nothing to fear. Jesus has overcome this virus and every other sickness and disease when He died on the cross and rose again! By His stripes we ARE HEALED!

But, let’s never take Him for granted. How much prayer are we doing? Are we going out and taking this power we have through prayer and covering the grocery store, hospitals, pharmacy and other public places each time we go out to get something? Let’s remember that the length of this pandemic, according to Scripture, will in all likelihood have to do with our prayer life and getting our hearts right with God in every area of our lives. This is pleasing to God, and He will respond. He’s not our sugar daddy, there to magically whisk away the pandemic. No! He is Sovereign and Holy. He will not go against His Word, but we must do what His word says!

2Ch 7:13  If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;

2Ch 7:14  If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

We may read this and go, “What wicked ways?” Maybe we think we’re above “wicked ways.” We are not to judge ourselves. God knows our hearts. The concept and desired outcome remain the same. We need to sincerely seek God’s face, ask Him to search our hearts, and pray.

Perhaps we’ve been so busy running around day to day that we have neglected the most basic things: prayer and Bible study. Let’s get back to those things and seek God’s face; it’s time to return to our FIRST LOVE, Jesus, the Redeemer of our souls. We are not desperate like the world is, but we are here to make a difference. Let’s do that and remember, there is nothing to fear if you serve the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, Jesus.

1Jn 4:17  Herein is our love made perfect, that we may have boldness in the day of judgment: because as he is, so are we in this world.

1Jn 4:18  There is no fear in love; but perfect love casteth out fear: because fear hath torment. He that feareth is not made perfect in love.

NOTE: If you are reading this and you have not yet given your heart and life to Jesus Christ, God’s only Son, who died for you and loves you, please go to this link. There’s a guide to help you find your way. Please don’t delay. While protecting yourself from the virus is important, your salvation is ultimately THE MOST IMPORTANT decision you will ever make.  Remember, there is only one brief life here on earth, and there’s no turning back. Eternity is forever!  Ensure you make the right decision to enter God’s heaven.  Please contact us via our webpage for spiritual help, prayer, or further information. 

Patience During the COVID-19 Crisis

Something I have noticed since this whole corona virus pandemic has surreally unfolded, is some people’s lack of patience. You would think that people fortunate enough to get a flight from a foreign country back home to North America would be very grateful. After all, several airlines have restricted their flights, and some travelers lagged behind to change their date home rather than act when this whole corona virus epidemic started to grow out of control. Instead, I was reading one news article stating how angry passengers were that they were all crowded, standing shoulder to shoulder, in one airport awaiting to be tested before being free to cross into the United States. Under the circumstances, I’m sure authorities, who have had to hastily throw together some kind of system to check hundreds of people, were doing their absolute best. Not only that, they were putting themselves at risk to cater to vacationers who were lucky enough to have gotten away in the first place! Some Canadian snow birds are irate that they had to cut their extended vacation short.  And some are not changing a thing in spite of every warning to pack up and get home ASAP.

At the same time, I understand the frustration of having to wait in long line-ups, and add to that the fear of catching someone else’s virus. But fears aside, I now see an entire world shutting down. People are being told to stay at home and socially isolate. Stores are closing or limiting their hours, streets are nearly empty as more and more people are working from home. Children are out of school, so there are no school buses. Senior residences are not allowing visitors except maybe immediate family. All the places where people congregate are empty. In a sense, it feels like a war zone, and we are all hiding in a shelter to protect ourselves. And so (almost) everyone (who cares about others) is in a lockdown, and in a waiting position, wondering when normal life will resume again.

I thought today about this whole difficult idea of having to wait, especially in our minute by minute, fast-paced society, where you can get anything you want at the press of a touch on your mobile device. This is a society where many young adults have a “self-important” mindset, perhaps because they don’t really know what real hardships are, and now they are facing having to wait. But it's not just young people that are impatient, it’s all ages. And it is a real crisis because of the very real danger of concocting the virus if we don’t socially distance ourselves!

I’d like to provide some insight in all of this, and I’d like to share the plus side of waiting. Here is the first gem from Scripture that has been of particular benefit to me about patience:

Jas 1:3  Knowing this, that the trying of your faith worketh patience.

Jas 1:4  But let patience have her perfect work, that ye may be perfect and entire, wanting nothing.

I remember when I first read this Scripture when I was in my 20s. I had always wanted a writing job. I did do some free-lance writing, and one time I got hired as an editor of a new entertainment newspaper in Winnipeg called City Lights. But I mostly wanted to travel and do some free-lance writing from my exciting trips. It’s all I ever wanted to do, live the life of adventure and never settle down. Oh boy, did God ever have other plans for me. He opened up employment in office jobs. I couldn’t get any further away from my desired goal than that! These jobs, although paid well and I enjoyed friendships with my co-workers, were as boring as boring could get. What adventure was there in that?

But God’s Word really does work when you are His beloved child and committed disciple. I came to discover that the life God planned out for me was not going to be easy, and even recently, the Lord reminded me that I am not here on this earth for my own fulfillment! Well, doesn’t that just fly in the face of all these seemingly self-absorbed travelers who feel inconvenienced, and I am not excluded in this because of my own desire for travel, rather than staying put where God has me planted?

Waiting has indeed deeply uprooted my selfish desires for self-fulfillment in life, although I’m always a work in progress. I have learned that life is not about me and getting my own way, that waiting actually has caused me to seek God, and His incredible life-giving Word for life’s many perplexing issues and difficulties. It has given me a reality check on the fact of how short life really is, and that I best fulfill HIS work here, rather than spend all my time and energy to fulfill what I WANT.

James 1:4 says something startling that I couldn’t understand for years. How can patience perfect you so that you are content in need of nothing? At least that’s how I read it. I now think I know in part, what it means, at least to me. It means that through waiting, that thing that I want so badly will lose its need for immediate fulfillment as I learn to give it over to God, and trust Him with it. When I am trusting Him, I am no longer worrying about it or discontent because I realize it’s not the fulfillment of my desires that counts, but my walk with the Lord that matters most of all. I must be willingly to forgo my own heart’s desires, and follow the Lord’s loving guidance for me instead. I am sure God has spared me from many a catastrophe by not granting me my desires right away.  And in the end, He rewards me with a joy, peace and gratitude that no amount of traveling could ever give me.  And I have this whether I travel or not.  I am blessed indeed!

We are instructed to be patient while suffering, as in the following important Scriptures.

Patience in Suffering

Jas 5:7 Be patient therefore, brethren, unto the coming of the Lord. Behold, the husbandman waiteth for the precious fruit of the earth, and hath long patience for it, until he receive the early and latter rain.
Jas 5:8 Be ye also patient; stablish your hearts: for the coming of the Lord draweth nigh.
Jas 5:9 Grudge not one against another, brethren, lest ye be condemned: behold, the judge standeth before the door.
Jas 5:10 Take, my brethren, the prophets, who have spoken in the name of the Lord, for an example of suffering affliction, and of patience.
Jas 5:11 Behold, we count them happy which endure. Ye have heard of the patience of Job, and have seen the end of the Lord; that the Lord is very pitiful, and of tender mercy.
Jas 5:12 But above all things, my brethren, swear not, neither by heaven, neither by the earth, neither by any other oath: but let your yea be yea; and your nay, nay; lest ye fall into condemnation.

Keep in mind that God loves us, and He is bigger, much bigger than any virus. He can make it disappear into nothing. But perhaps this time, He wants us to wait because there are many important lessons to be learned during this time. And this is really a blessed time to take advantage of reading and praying, phoning others to see how they’re doing, yes, I said PHONING to hear someone’s voice, or texting. There are many beneficial things we can do. Maybe instead of all the running around, we need the quietness to be still, and think about the things that truly matter in life. To close, I’d like to quote one of my favorite Scriptures:

Isa 40:31  But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.

Sincere blessings to each one of you reading this.  Stay well.

The Pleasure of Sin for A Season

Amidst the corona virus and all the things happening in our world right now, the word “pleasure” stands out. These are the areas that are hit the hardest by the fear/threat of the virus: trips, pleasure cruises, anything having to do with large crowds, mainly entertainment, sports, and other “pleasurable” activities. This is a very clear and strong message, I think, to re-consider our priorities, namely to put God first above all else. Seek the Giver more than the gifts. Love God with all our heart and soul and mind. Place no other gods before Him. Trust in God, not in money and material wealth.

Travel has got to be one of the most desirable activities there is for the sheer pleasure of leaving the sometimes drudgery of the day-to-day, and instead jet set off to a warm and desirable climate.  Or go and explore the world’s best of history, art, and architecture!  Yet, one of the Bible’s most notable patriarchs, Moses, made a different decision.

Heb 11:24 By faith Moses, when he was come to years, refused to be called the son of Pharaoh's daughter; 

Heb 11:25  Choosing rather to suffer affliction with the people of God, than to enjoy the pleasures of sin for a season; 

Heb 11:26  Esteeming the reproach of Christ greater riches than the treasures in Egypt: for he had respect unto the recompence of the reward. 

Heb 11:27  By faith he forsook Egypt, not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible. 

Moses chose to trust in God rather than choose a life of pleasure and ease in Egypt under the Pharaoh’s favor.  How many of us secretly or openly want the opulent life, as representative in Egypt, rather than take the narrow road, and trust in God for something much better later on (namely, eternal life)?  And if we are already professing Bible-believing Christians, do we need to allow God to do some searching and heart-cleaning to ensure our hearts are right before Him?

The following Scriptures are a sombre warning, and ones to pay attention to:

Warning to the Rich

Jas 5:1 Go to now, ye rich men, weep and howl for your miseries that shall come upon you.
Jas 5:2 Your riches are corrupted, and your garments are motheaten.
Jas 5:3 Your gold and silver is cankered; and the rust of them shall be a witness against you, and shall eat your flesh as it were fire. Ye have heaped treasure together for the last days.
Jas 5:4 Behold, the hire of the labourers who have reaped down your fields, which is of you kept back by fraud, crieth: and the cries of them which have reaped are entered into the ears of the Lord of sabaoth.
Jas 5:5 Ye have lived in pleasure on the earth, and been wanton; ye have nourished your hearts, as in a day of slaughter.
Jas 5:6 Ye have condemned and killed the just; and he doth not resist you.

Without heeding the above Scriptures if they apply to us, and all we want when this is over is for life to continue as it was, do not be naïve.  God is not mocked: we reap what we sow.  If we do not learn from this experience, I shudder to think that something even worse than this could very well unfold. I am speaking from life experience, when David Wilkerson, a dynamic, well known author (The Cross & The Switchblade), New York evangelist came to Winnipeg, and preached using this exact same Scripture.  It shook me to the core because I had a great-paying job, lots of credit, and a gorgeous brand new car outside, and felt that nothing could touch me. Wow, was I convicted! I changed my tune after that, and put away my idols.  I eventually moved on in my career, and about 10 years later I went through a similar experience, only this time I ended up with no income at all! God challenged me once again, to put away my idols; He has to come first. 

Let’s be encouraged that this humbling experience we are in now, will change us in a good way, and cause us to be humble and grateful for all of God’s blessings in our life, which we assuredly do not deserve.