Monday, June 22, 2020

Pastor's Ponderings, June 22, 2020

Keep Your Eyes On Jesus
Les Brown, the motivational speaker, said, “When life knocks you down, try to land on your back. Because if you can look up, you can get up. Let your reason get you back up.”  The challenges that life has brought us today has made it difficult to even look up.  If it isn’t one horrible event, it is another.  Nevertheless, we should not allow this world system to keep us on our backs. 

The Bible says that we are looking to Jesus who is the beginner and the One who matures our faith (Hebrews 12:2).  When we look to anything else other than Jesus, we are headed for failure.  We may have been fired from our job, the doctor may have given us a sad report, or the judge may be ready to send us away to prison for years.  However, God wants us to know that we will be in perfect peace if our mind is fixed and focused on Jesus (Isaiah 26:3).  The Bible says that He will always causes us to triumph and we don’t have to fear since tyranny and terror will not come near us (Isaiah 54:14).

COVID-19 is killing people all over the world but we have to look to the word of God who said that with His stripes we are healed (Isaiah 53:5).  Millions of people are out of work and many businesses will never reopen but we are to see in His word that He will supply all of our need (Philippians 4:19).  The United States’ political system is reeling from lies, false news, inuendo and power struggles but we must believe that the heart of the ‘king’ is in the hand of the Lord (Proverbs 21:1) and people rise and fall by God’s hand (Psalm 75:6-7).

Let us continue to put our trust, our faith, our confidence and even our lives in the One who holds the entire world by His word (Hebrews 1:3).  Let us remember that Jesus is in charge of everything and He wants us to see Him as bigger than our problems. In times of joy, despair and uncertainty, let us keep our eyes focused on Jesus

Hebrews 12:2
New International Version (NIV)
fixing our eyes on Jesus, the pioneer and perfecter of faith. For the joy set before him he endured the cross, scorning its shame, and sat down at the right hand of the throne of God.

Isaiah 26:3
New International Version (NIV)
You will keep in perfect peace those whose minds are steadfast, because they trust in you.

Isaiah 54:14
New International Version (NIV)
14 In righteousness you will be established: Tyranny will be far from you; you will have nothing to fear. Terror will be far removed; it will not come near you

Isaiah 53:5
New International Version (NIV)
5 But he was pierced for our transgressions, he was crushed for our iniquities; the punishment that brought us peace was on him, and by his wounds we are healed.

Philippians 4:19
New International Version (NIV)
19 And my God will meet all your needs according to the riches of his glory in Christ Jesus.

Proverbs 21:1
New International Version (NIV)
21 In the Lord’s hand the king’s heart is a stream of water that he channels toward all who please him.

Psalm 75:6-7
New International Version (NIV)
6 No one from the east or the west or from the desert can exalt themselves.
7 It is God who judges: He brings one down, he exalts another.

Hebrews 1:3
New International Version (NIV)
3 The Son is the radiance of God’s glory and the exact representation of his being, sustaining all things by his powerful word. After he had provided purification for sins, he sat down at the right hand of the Majesty in heaven.




No comments: