Category: Christian Living
Subject: Christian Living
COVID-19 (22) Processing a Pandemic
I came across a gem this morning from Warren King. He shared a chart (see the picture accompanying this article), with the premise “Who do I want to be during COVID-19? Though Warren didn’t make the chart, he shared it on Facebook. In the comments, a point was made that the chart mirrored the process that we go through when grieving. The five famous steps of grief: Denial, Anger, Bargaining, Depression and Acceptance.
In this chart are listed three ways people are handling the pandemic. Fear, Learning and Growth. The process is seen over and over again in life, and is certainly valid here. I would like to share a few thoughts about what is noted in the chart.
COVID-19 (19) Flattening the Curve
Today on the news I watched the governor of New York (the state hit hardest by the pandemic) saying that the cycle of contagion and death has hit a plateau in the state. He is counseling continued caution, but there seems to be light at the end of the tunnel.
Other places in the country are on a different timeline, and are feeling the effects of COVID-19 at a different level than New York. It is interesting to consider how the nation has responded to the disease. Because citizens are by and large acting responsibly, we seem to be flattening the curve.
COVID-19 (12) Are We Too Preoccupied?
One of our members forwarded a post today that mirrors some things that my son and I have been discussing the last several weeks. It is on the mind of many, and has been stated by the President himself when he said that we must make sure the “cure isn’t worse than the disease.” Justin’s post read:
“There isn’t actually any contradiction in the beliefs that (A) the virus is dangerous, (B) mass unemployments is dangerous, and (C) authoritarian government policies are dangerous. There needn’t be any cognitive dissonance holding all three at once; they’re not mutually exclusive.” – Caitlin Johnstone
COVID-19 (3) I Have an Idea
People are bound to be going stir crazy with the shelter in place orders here and around the nation. There have been quite a few jokes about sitting on the couch binging favorite Netflix shows. I’m showing my age. I have never associated binging with watching TV. In my day binging had to do with a half gallon of Bluebell icecream!
The Patternists: So Walk in Him
In the book of Colossians, Paul warns his brethren about turning away from Christ, to embrace something else. He wrote, “As you therefore have received Christ Jesus the Lord, so walk in Him, rooted and built up in Him and established in the faith, as you have been taught, abounding in it with thanksgiving” (Colossians 2:6-7).
Paul’s exhortation to “walk in Him” is not without explanation. He clearly emphasizes that walking in Jesus is being established and abounding in the faith that they have been taught. Truly, “…faith comes by hearing, and hearing by the word of God” (Romans 10:17).
The Danger of Idleness
There is an interesting correlation between idleness and sin. Most are familiar with the saying, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” Though the origin of the saying is unknown, it’s use dates back to Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, and probably had it’s inspiration from principles that are found in scripture.
Proverbs 16:27 says, “An ungodly man digs up evil, and it is on his lips like a burning fire.” The Living Bible paraphrase rather inaccurately rendered this scripture, “Idle hands are the devil’s workshop.” But, that is not really what the passage is saying.
Paul did have something to say about idleness, however. In his second letter to the Thessalonians he wrote, “For even when we were with you, we commanded you this: If anyone will not work, neither shall he eat. For we hear that there are some who walk among you in a disorderly manner, not working at all, but are busybodies. Now those who are such we command and exhort through our Lord Jesus Christ that they work in quietness and eat their own bread” (3:10-12).
Work serves two purposes. It allows for self-sufficiency. It shows a lack of character when you can support your and yours, and you allow others to do it instead. And, it keeps you busy, so that you do not concern yourself with inappropriate things. Truly, “Idle hands are the Devil’s workshop!”
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The Keys to a Successful Life
Take the time to do a book search at the Amazon site. Type in “successful living”, and look at the myriad titles that come up. Some of them have reference to financial success, some simply happiness, some claim a Biblical basis for their ideas.
How is success defined? The writer of Ecclesiastes sought to answer that very question. Things such as wisdom, pleasure, money, work ethic, perspective, friendship, popularity, honor, laughter and youthfulness were considered and rejected. He came to the realization that life lived without God in the picture is vain. Without God, there can be no success.
Sermon: Colorful Thoughts
Our thoughts can be black (despair and defeat); Red (anger and envy); Yellow (cowardice and weakness), but they should be white (true, noble, just, pure, lovely, of good report, virtuous, praiseworthy
I Press On
“Not that I have already attained, or am already perfected; but I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” (Philippians 1:12). Paul’s words here are often passed over in favor of quoting the two that follow. “Brethren I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do, forgetting those things which are behind and reaching forward to those things which are ahead, I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (1:13-14).
But, verse 12 adds much to the thought Paul is expressing in the text. Primarily, it states the fact that Paul had not yet attained whatever “that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me” is. What is it? The glorious prize! The crown of righteousness!
You have two religious attitudes that prevail in our day. The first is the view that because I have been saved, the attaining of the goal is a fait accompli. I may should press on, but I don’t have to press on. I am saved. I am going to heaven. My eternal destiny is set.
The second is that expressed by Paul in our text. He was saved, but he knew that the crown of righteousness had not yet been awarded. As such, he lived with purpose. He sought daily to maintain his relationship with the Lord, pressing forward to attain the goal. He did not want to become a castaway! (cf. 1 Corinthians 9:27). Paul’s attitude is the correct one. Don’t presume, get to work!
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Sermon: The Purity of Our Motivation
In 2 Corinthians 5:12-21, the apostle discusses his motivation to serve Christ. A lesson we all would do well to heed.
Sermon: The Christian’s Role in Politics
Speaker: Josh Cox
Josh explains some scriptural principles that should guide every Christian as we seek to navigate voting and political involvement in a divisive culture.
- Facebook Live Video of Sermon (Note: The audio in this video feed is not very good).
Sermon: Radical Christianity
Speaker: Tommy Davis
Using young King Josiah as an example, Tommy notes the importance of being radical in our service to the Lord
Sermon: Lessons from Peter
Speaker: Tommy Davis
Tommy uses the text of Peter’s epistles to establish lessons to benefit God’s children.
Sermon: Growing Spiritually
Paralleling spiritual and physical growth, the text of 1 Peter 2 is used to explain the means of obtaining the spiritual growth we seek.
