Wednesday, May 26, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, May 26, 2021

GOD Can Handle Depression


Depression is a feeling of severe despondency and dejection. these symptoms are typically accompanied by feelings of inadequacy and guilt, lack of energy and disturbance of appetite and sleep. Disturbing world events, despotic authorities, terrorists, unpredictable plagues, climate changes and everything in between can serve to incite or exacerbate depression.

 

Although depression is a challenge for many in the world, those who love the Lord have a way of escape into healing (1 Corinthians 10:13).  We can rejoice in the Lord knowing that He can do anything for us that we need (Luke 1:37).  We must remember that the Lord’s joy is our strength (Psalm 28:7). We can live our lives knowing that we can trust God to deal with our problems, shed light on our issues, and be a resting place when we are challenged.

 

We can be grateful that God works through scientists to provide medication that help alleviate the symptoms of depression and can help us deal with our problems.  But God wants us to know that He is the God that heals (Exodus 15:26) and He can heal severe despondency and dejection, feelings of inadequacy and guilt and anything that accompanies depression.  Today, God asks us to turn all our negative feelings of depression upon Him because He cares for us (1 Peter 5:7).

 

1 Corinthians 10:13

New International Version

13 No temptation has overtaken you except what is common to mankind. And God is faithful; he will not let you be tempted [b] beyond what you can bear. But when you are tempted, [c] he will also provide a way out so that you can endure it.

 

Luke 1:37

New International Version

37 For no word from God will ever fail.”

 

Psalm 28:7

New International Version

7 The Lord is my strength and my shield; my heart trusts in him, and he helps me. My heart leaps for joy, and with my song I praise him.

 

Exodus 15:26

New International Version

26 He said, “If you listen carefully to the Lord your God and do what is right in his eyes, if you pay attention to his commands and keep all his decrees, I will not bring on you any of the diseases I brought on the Egyptians, for I am the Lord, who heals you.”

 

1 Peter 5:7 
King James Bible

7 Casting all your care upon him; for he careth for you.


 

 

 

 

 

Monday, May 17, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, May 17, 2021

What Time Is It?

 

To: Leaders and citizens of the world

 

Re: This is your COVID wake-up call: It is 100 seconds to midnight

 

Date: January 27, 2021

 

“Humanity continues to suffer as the COVID-19 pandemic spreads around the world. In 2020 alone, this novel disease killed 1.7 million people and sickened at least 70 million more...In this time of genuine crisis, governments too often abdicated responsibility, ignored scientific advice, did not cooperate or communicate effectively, and consequently failed to protect the health and welfare of their citizens. As a result, many hundreds of thousands of human beings died needlessly.”

 

This report is part of the 2021 Doomsday Clock Statement, presented by Science and Security Board, Bulletin of the Atomic Scientists.  This board tracks how close the world is to destruction. They stated, “the existential threats of nuclear weapons and climate change have intensified in recent years because of a threat multiplier: the continuing corruption of the information ecosphere on which democracy and public decision-making depend.”

 

Moreover, mass shootings, worldwide starvation, terrorism, sex trafficking, environmental damage, and plagues also threaten our existence.  Considering these threats, the Bible tells us that it is time for us to wake from our sleep (Romans 13:11-13). We must not be like the lazy person whose field was overgrown from neglect (Proverbs 6:9-11).  God is calling for us to work His will in a world that values fun, frolic, and fantasy rather than attempting to seriously solve problems that worsen daily.  

 

What time is it?  It is high time to seek the face of God and get His direction for the seemingly intractable problems that challenge our world.  If we ask, He promised He would give us direction (Isaiah 30:21). He also promised that if we would call on Him, He would deliver us (John 5:14-15).  Let us seek God because not only does He know the time, but He also knows what we can do to save our world.  

 

Romans 13:11-13

New International Version

11 And do this, understanding the present time: The hour has already come for you to wake up from your slumber, because our salvation is nearer now than when we first believed. 
12 The night is nearly over; the day is almost here. So let us put aside the deeds of darkness and put on the armor of light. 
13 Let us behave decently, as in the daytime, not in carousing and drunkenness, not in sexual immorality and debauchery, not in dissension and jealousy

 

Proverbs 6:9-11

New International Version

9 How long will you lie there, you sluggard? When will you get up from your sleep?

10 A little sleep, a little slumber, a little folding of the hands to rest—

11 and poverty will come on you like a thief and scarcity like an armed man.

 

Isaiah 30:21

New International Version

21 Whether you turn to the right or to the left, your ears will hear a voice behind you, saying, “This is the way; walk in it.”

 

John 5:14-15

New International Version

14 This is the confidence we have in approaching God: that if we ask anything according to his will, he hears us. 
15 And if we know that he hears us—whatever we ask—we know that we have what we asked of him.

 

 

 

 

 

  

Tuesday, May 11, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, May 11, 2021

Let God’s Peace Rule Our Nation

Ayaan Hirsi Ali, a research fellow at Stanford University’s Hoover Institution, wrote an article in The Post entitled, “Tribalism has come to the West.”  She wrote, “Numerous studies support the hypothesis that American life — not just politics, but life in general — has become deeply polarised. The deeply divided society we now live in increasingly reminds me of clan or tribal behaviour in Africa.”

 

The Bible says that these constant conflicts have a deep basis in hatred (James 4:1, 2). What should we do when we see groups and even Christians who feel that God is leading them vehemently oppose or support a cause even if it involves disrespect?  It is time to ask God for His wisdom during this time of political conflict (James 1:5-7).  He will make a clear path for how we should behave while others conflict with each other (Psalm 119:105)

 

God has already stated His will.  If His people would humble themselves and pray and seek His face and stop their wicked ways, He promised that He would hear them and heal the land (2 Chronicles 7:14).  In the meantime, God wants us to live peaceably with all people even with those who may disagree with your viewpoint (Hebrews 12:14).  When others are demanding that all follow their way of thinking, the Bible says that we should let God’s peace rule (Colossians 3:15) and He will guide our footsteps (Psalm 37:23).

 

James 4:1, 2

New International Version

1 What causes fights and quarrels among you? Don’t they come from your desires that battle within you? 

2 You desire but do not have, so you kill. You covet but you cannot get what you want, so you quarrel and fight. You do not have because you do not ask God.

 

James 1:5-7

New International Version

5 If any of you lacks wisdom, you should ask God, who gives generously to all without finding fault, and it will be given to you.
6 But when you ask, you must believe and not doubt, because the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea, blown and tossed by the wind. 
7 That person should not expect to receive anything from the Lord.

 

Psalm 119:105

New International Version

105 Your word is a lamp for my feet, a light on my path

 

2 Chronicles 7:14 

New International Version

14 If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

 

Hebrews 12:14 

New International Version

14 Make every effort to live in peace with everyone and to be holy; without holiness no one will see the Lord.

 

Colossians 3:15

New International Version

15 Let the peace of Christ rule in your hearts, since as members of one body you were called to peace. And be thankful.

 

Psalm 37:23 

King James Version

23 The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord: and he delighteth in his way.


 

 

 

 

 

Monday, May 3, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, May 3, 2021

 The Greatest Of These Is God’s Love. 

"The Greatest Love of All" is a song written by Michael Masser, who composed the music, and Linda Creed, who wrote the lyrics.” Some of the lyrics are, “The greatest love of all is happening to me. I found the greatest love of all inside of me. The greatest love of all is easy to achieve. Learning to love yourself. It is the greatest love of all.”

However, the Bible says the greatest commandment is to love the Lord with all of your heart and soul and to love your neighbors as yourself (Matthew 22:37-39).  One of the challenges of this culture is learning to love God rather than simply loving yourself.  Sadly, many are loving themselves so much that they end up loving things and using people rather than the reverse.  In the Bible, there was the parable of the man who had so much that he decided to tear down his barns to store more of his riches for himself not knowing that he was to die that night (Luke 12:18-20).

 

No, the greatest love is in Christ who wants to live in us (Colossians 3:16).  We should all emulate God who loved us so much that He gave His own Son for the world (John 3:16), There was no hidden agenda, no personal ego; He loved because that is what He is; love (1 John 4:16). He wants us to love people with His love.  He wants us to lay aside some of our personal desires and put others before us.  He wants us to love Him and love others. This is the greatest love.

Matthew 22:37-39

New International Version

37 Jesus replied: “‘Love the Lord your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your mind.’ 

38 This is the first and greatest commandment. 

39 And the second is like it: ‘Love your neighbor as yourself.’

 

Luke 12:18-20

New International Version

18 “Then he said, ‘This is what I’ll do. I will tear down my barns and build bigger ones, and there I will store my surplus grain
19 And I’ll say to myself, “You have plenty of grain laid up for many years. Take life easy; eat, drink and be merry.”

20 “But God said to him, ‘You fool! This very night your life will be demanded from you. Then who will get what you have prepared for yourself?’

 

Colossians 3:16

New International Version

16 Let the message of Christ dwell among you richly as you teach and admonish one another with all wisdom through psalms, hymns, and songs from the Spirit, singing to God with gratitude in your hearts.

 

John 3:16

New International Version

16 For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life.

 

1 John 4:16

New International Version

16 And so we know and rely on the love God has for us. God is love. Whoever lives in love lives in God, and God in them.