Thursday, August 26, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, August 26, 2021

God Wants Us To Ask Him About COVID-19


Jane Greenhalgh wrote the article in the July 21, 2021 NPR, entitled, “The Coronavirus Crisis, U.S. Life Expectancy Fell By 1.5 Years In 2020, The Biggest Drop Since WWII.”  The article went on to indicate that African Americans and U.S. Hispanics life expectancy declined about three years all due to COVID-19.

 

Truly the world faces a dilemma.  Do we listen to our scientists who say we should follow scientific evidence and get a vaccine to lessen the effects of COVID-19?  We may also reasonably decide that we know better than these learned individuals and take the information for saving our lives from the internet, friends, or conspiracy theorists.  Another option is that we should pray for God’s wisdom for receiving the vaccine.  

 

There were similar dilemmas in the Bible.  In the book of Kings, a worshipper of Baal, Jezebel, had married the King of Israel, Ahab.  She influenced him and many in the nation to worship Baal rather than God.  As a result, the land suffered a drought. The local prophet, Elijah, challenged the people concerning their choice of who to worship, God or Baal.  He asked, “If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.” (1 Kings 18:21.)

 

Joshua, the leader of the Israelites also asked a similar question concerning their choice of worship, God or their former gods in Egypt.  He commanded, “But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve (Joshua 24:15).  He chose to follow God.

 

Today we can ask God should we get vaccinated, should we wear masks and social distance, or should we just take our chances and see how things work out.  If we ask God, He promised that He would give us His wisdom (James 1:5-7).  The Bible says that He hears us when we ask according to His will and that we would receive the answer that we are looking for (1 John 5:14-15).  Let us ask God and the Almighty God of the universes promises that He will answer.  Let us ask Him today.

 

1 Kings 18:21

New International Version

21 Elijah went before the people and said, “How long will you waver between two opinions? If the Lord is God, follow him; but if Baal is God, follow him.”

But the people said nothing.

 

Joshua 24:15

New International Version

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

 

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.

 

1 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.


 

 

 

 

 

 

Monday, August 16, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, August 16, 2021

God Wants To Save Us For Real


In the August 15, 2021, Huffington Post, Nina Golgowski wrote an article entitled, “Thousands Of Fake Vaccine Cards Seized On Way To New Orleans From China: Feds”  The article went on to indicate that “buying, selling or using a counterfeit COVID-19 vaccination card that features an official government agency seal can result in a fine and up to five years in prison.”  These people would rather pay for a pretend vaccination card that can help no one rather than simply get a real vaccination that can help anyone.

 

According to the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation, as of May 6, 2021, COVID-19 has caused 6.9 million deaths globally, more than double what official reports show.  Truly the world is being attacked by an implacable foe, yet the Bible declares that Jesus is in us, and He is greater than any opponent in the world (1 John 4:4).

 

Yet the Bible declares that our God wants us to really be in health (3 John 2).  He wants the best for us and not a counterfeit.  Jesus went to the Cross so that we could triumph over the works of deceit, distraction, disappointment that the devil brings.  God wants us to really live and prosper in everything that we do (Psalm 1:3).  

 

We can rejoice knowing we don’t have to have a fake victory, but we can have total victory in Christ.  If we are willing and obedient, we can enjoy the land’s goods for real (Isaiah 1:19). Let us be confident in the true and living Savior and know that He can save us completely for real.         

 

1 John 4:4

New International Version

4 You, dear children, are from God and have overcome them, because the one who is in you is greater than the one who is in the world.

 

3 John 2

New King James Version

2 Beloved, I pray that you may prosper in all things and be in health, just as your soul prospers.

 

Psalm 1:3

New International Version

3 That person is like a tree planted by streams of water, which yields its fruit in season and whose leaf does not wither—whatever they do prospers.

 

Isaiah 1:19

New International Version

19 If you are willing and obedient, you will eat the good things of the land;

 


 

 

 

 

 

 

Friday, August 13, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, August 13, 2021

Let Us Choose To Serve God

Michelle Boorstein wrote an article in the July 8, 2021, Huffington Post, entitled, “New study shows dramatic gap in religious diversity between the Southeast and much of the country.”   One of the conclusions of the article were that those who had no religious affiliation in the U.S. had increased significantly. She wrote, “The PRRI (Public Religion Research Institute) survey found the unaffiliated are becoming a much larger part of both parties, the Democrats in particular. Between 2006 and 2020, the percent of Republicans who say they are unaffiliated went from 4 to 13 percent. The percent of Democrats went from 9 to 23 percent.”      

 

Many are choosing not to choose.  They do not want to be affiliated with any organized religion.  But not to choose God is to choose the world’s system.  Joshua warned the children of Israel that they must choose God or idols (Joshua 24:15).  Not to choose to align themselves with God is a valid choice but the Bible says that there is a way that seems right, but it ends in death (Proverbs 14:12).  The book of Revelation demonstrates that God does not prefer the middle ground.  He says that because some are neither hot nor cold, He would reject them with disgust (Revelation 3:15, 16).

 

At some point in our lives, we will have to decide whether we are believers or non-believers.  Those who reject the chance to serve God in this life risk the Lake of Fire (Revelation 21:8).  God suggests that we should not stop assembling ourselves (Hebrews 10:25) and He promised that if two or three are gathered in His Name, even virtually, He would be there in their midst (Matthew 18:20). Let us choose to serve God as we assemble for Him.

 

Joshua 24:15

New International Version

15 But if serving the Lord seems undesirable to you, then choose for yourselves this day whom you will serve, whether the gods your ancestors served beyond the Euphrates, or the gods of the Amorites, in whose land you are living. But as for me and my household, we will serve the Lord.”

 

Proverbs 14:12

New International Version

12 There is a way that appears to be right, but in the end it leads to death.

                  

Revelation 3:15, 16

Amplified Bible

15 ‘I know your deeds, that you are [a]neither cold (invigorating, refreshing) nor hot (healing, therapeutic); I wish that you were cold or hot
16 So because you are lukewarm (spiritually useless), and neither hot nor cold, I will vomit you out of My mouth [rejecting you with disgust].

 

Revelation 21:8

New International Version

But the cowardly, the unbelieving, the vile, the murderers, the sexually immoral, those who practice magic arts, the idolaters and all liars—they will be consigned to the fiery lake of burning sulfur. This is the second death.”


Hebrews 10:25

New International Version

25 not giving up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but encouraging one another—and all the more as you see the Day approaching.

 

Matthew 18:20

New International Version

20 For where two or three gather in my name, there am I with them.”

 


 

 

 

 

 

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Pastor's Ponderings, August 4, 2021

When In Doubt, Ask God

Nina Golgowski, in the August 1, 2021 U.S. News, wrote an article entitled, “Father Of 5 Dies Of COVID After Texting ‘I Should Have Gotten The D__n Vaccine.’ Jessica DuPreez said that her fiancĂ©, Michael Freedy, wanted to wait until the vaccine had been available for a year before getting it. Many times, we will wait too late to take advantage of opportunities to avoid devastation.

 

The Bible says that God wants us to know something about our future (John 16:13).  The Bible says that God wants to be a lamp for our feet and a light for our path (Psalm 119:105). God wants us to be wise.  He says that the prudent will take refuge from danger (Proverbs 27:12). God wants us to walk in wisdom and if we don’t know what we should do, He doesn’t want us to have doubts but to ask Him about the direction we should take in life (James 1:5-7).  Many have made their own life choices without consulting God and have suffered long--lasting consequences.

 

We live in a world with myriad choices of where to go, what to do, who to associate with and how to establish our priorities.  We can seek the accepted sources of world’s wisdom such as religion, academia, the media, or politics.  One can find some success when basing your decisions on these means.  But the Bible suggests that we should seek the Lord, pray to Him, read His word, and entreat Him to be Lord of our lives.  He has been waiting all our lives to lead us into His truths.  Let Him guide us during these troubling times.

 

John 16:13

New International Version

13 But when he, the Spirit of truth, comes, he will guide you into all the truth. He will not speak on his own; he will speak only what he hears, and he will tell you what is yet to come.

 

Psalm 119:105

New International Version

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

 

Proverbs 27:12

New International Version

12 The prudent see danger and take refuge, but the simple keep going and pay the penalty.

 

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. 
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.