Spiritual Grit

True Grit describes a man who is firm and steadfast in mind and spirit. A man of true spiritual grit is unyielding in courage in the face of hardship and danger. He has intestinal fortitude. He stands firm in the faith and is spiritually strong, courageous in his Lord Jesus Christ.

As men of God, Christ likeness is our goal. The book of Philippians reminds us of who we are in Christ. In this epistle of joy Paul exhorts followers of Christ to “rejoice in the Lord and again I say rejoice.” According to .1 Corinthians 5, “ye are not your own…. Ye were bought with a price.” A man of God is God’s man. The most important thing is not who we are but rather whose we are.

According to Philippians 3 beginning in verse 1:
1. FINALLY, my brethren, rejoice in the Lord. To write the same things to you, to me indeed is not grievous, but for you it is safe.
2. Beware of dogs, beware of evil workers, beware of the concision.

False teachers were coming into the fellowship of the believers and said that they needed to follow the Old Testament law of circumcision. However, Paul reminds them that true spiritual grit means that we are circumcised according to the spirit of life in Christ and not according tot he flesh:

3. For we are the circumcision, which worship God in the spirit, and rejoice in Christ Jesus, and have no confidence in the flesh.

Paul reminds them of his own credentials as a “Hebrew of Hebrews:”

4. Though I might also have confidence in the flesh. If any other man thinketh that he hath whereof he might trust in the flesh, I more:
5. Circumcised the eighth day, of the stock of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, an Hebrew of the Hebrews; as touching the law, a Pharisee;
6. Concerning zeal, persecuting the church; touching the righteousness which is in the law, blameless.

Paul had impeccable credentials according to the traditions of the Old Testament law. He was born into one of the elite tribes of the southern kingdom of Judah. In the eyes of the Hebrew religious leaders, he had a lot to brag about. However, according to verses 7-10, Paul came to the conclusion that his earthly credentials were worth nothing compared to his credentials in the spirit of Christ:

7. But what things were gain to me, those I counted loss for Christ.
8. Yea doubtless, and I count all things but loss for the excellency of the knowledge of Christ Jesus my Lord: for whom I have suffered the loss of all things, and do count them but dung, that I may win Christ,

Compared to the excellency of the knowledge of Christ, everything the world considers valuable is “counted but dung.”

9. And be found in him, not having mine own righteousness, which is of the law, but that which is through the faith of Christ, the righteousness which is of God by faith:
10. That I may know him, and the power of his resurrection, and the fellowship of his sufferings, being made conformable unto his death;

It’s not what we know that’s important but rather who we know. The important question is, “Do you know Him?” To know Jesus Christ is to know the power of his resurrection. Because God raised Jesus Christ from the dead, we who have confessed Jesus is Lord have been raised in the newness of life. Since we have received his holy spirit through faith, he will open the eyes of our spiritual understanding as we walk in close proximity in fellowship with him. When we walk with him he will take us through the suffering and endurance of the trials of life. To be conformed unto his death, we must die to self so that we can live for him. According to Galatians 2:20, I was crucified with Christ, nevertheless I live, yet not I but Christ liveth in me and the life that I now live, I live by faith in the son of God who loved me and gave himself for me.

Salvation is by grace alone through faith alone in Christ alone. It’s not about us. Christianity is all about Him. Philippians 1:10 says that we should be conformed to the likeness of his death. According to Philippians 2:2-11:

2. Fulfil ye my joy, that ye be likeminded, having the same love, being of one accord, of one mind.
3. Let nothing be done through strife or vainglory; but in lowliness of mind let each esteem other better than themselves.
4. Look not every man on his own things, but every man also on the things of others.
5. Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus:
6. Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God:
7. But made himself of no reputation, and took upon him the form of a servant, and was made in the likeness of men:
8. And being found in fashion as a man, he humbled himself, and became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross.”

Spiritual grit is the nature of Jesus Christ himself. To become Christlike is to serve others from a heart of love. Humility is the character of true spiritual grit. He humbled himself and became obedient even unto death of the cross. At the cross, We were reconciled to God through Christ’s sacrifice for sin on our behalf.

Those who persecute others are held captive by the devil against their wills. This is why our exhortation is according to verses 9-11:

9. Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name:
10. That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth;
11. And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

Jesus Christ is our access to God’s throne of grace. This is the life God called us to live. To reconcile with God and others within the household of believers, we must meet each other at the foot of the cross. For there is one God and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus.

Therefore, be anxious for nothing but in everything by prayer and supplication let your requests be made known unto God. And the peace of God that passes all understanding shall keep your hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.

Let this mind be in you which was also in Christ. Therefore, whatsoever things are just, whatsoever things are pure, whatsoever things are lovely, whatsoever things are of good report, if there be any virtue and if there be any praise think on these things.

He has called us as men of God, standing steadfast in his power….men of true spiritual grit faithfully walking in fellowship with our Lord.

As we align our thoughts with His thoughts and our hearts with His heart, may we ever live to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

Cross References

What is the meaning of the cross?  The cross of Christ is the crossroads of history.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, 

Because he lives, all fear is gone…

Because I know He holds the future,

And Life is worth the living just because he lives…

O death where is thy sting, O grave, where is thy victory?  The sting of death is sin and the strength of sin is the law.  The (New Testament) law of the spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the (Old Testament) law of sin and death.  Because of our Lord’s sacrifice at the cross for sin on our behalf, we have been made the righteousness of God in him.

Men indoctrinated by the world subscribe to a different type of law that they call Murphy’s Law. This law states, “If it can go wrong, it will go wrong.”  Our current pandemic is a case in point.  These men also believe in Murphy’s Law corollary that says, “There are no answers, only cross references.”  If they only knew the truth of this corollary.  The real cross is the cross of Christ.  Jesus Christ is the answer to every question.  He is the Way, the Truth and the Life.  He is the Word of God made manifest in the flesh.  Therefore, we preach not ourselves, but Jesus Christ and him crucified.  Because at the cross, he paid our debt of sin…he balanced the scales of our iniquity…he redeemed us from the bondage of sin and death.

Therefore the law of the spirit of life in Christ has made me free from the law of sin and death.  For what the (Old Testament) law (of sin and death) could not do in that it was weak through the flesh, God sending his own son in the likeness of sinful flesh and for sin condemned sin in the flesh that the righteousness of the law might be fulfilled in us.

The gospel is both good news and bad news.  The bad news is that there is evil in this world.  However, what men meant for evil, God meant for good.  The book of Joel says, God will restore the days that the locust has eaten.  According to Romans 8:28, All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to His purpose.

There can be no reconciliation without a separation.  There can be no freedom from bondage without captivity.  There can be no resurrection without a crucifixion.  

According to Romans 6:4, “Therefore we are buried with him by baptism into death: that like as Christ was raised up from the dead by the glory of the Father, even so we also should walk in newness of life.”

According tot he lyrics of the song, “Because He Lives,”

God sent His Son,

They called Him Jesus

He came to love, heal and forgive

He lived and died to buy my pardon

An empty grave is there to prove my Savior lives.

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow, 

Because he lives, all fear is gone…

Because I know He holds the future,

And Life is worth the living just because he lives…

Pastor S.M. Lockridge said:

“You can’t out live Him, And you can’t live without Him.

The Pharisees couldn’t stand Him, but they found out they couldn’t stop Him. 

Pilate couldn’t find any fault in Him…

Herod couldn’t kill Him.

Death couldn’t handle Him,

And the grave couldn’t hold Him!”

What is the purpose of the resurrection?  According to 1 Corinthians 15:52-58, “In a moment, in the twinkling of an eye, at the last trump: for the trumpet shall sound, and the dead shall be raised incorruptible, and we shall be changed.  53  For this corruptible must put on incorruption, and this mortal must put on immortality.  54” “So when this corruptible shall have put on incorruption, and this mortal shall have put on immortality, then shall be brought to pass the saying that is written, Death is swallowed up in victory.  55  O death, where is thy sting? O grave, where is thy victory?  56  The sting of death is sin; and the strength of sin is the law.  57  But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.

58 Therefore, my beloved brethren, be ye stedfast, unmoveable, always abounding in the work of the Lord, forasmuch as ye know that your labour is not in vain in the Lord.”

…And life is worth the living just because he lives!

He is risen indeed!

Alleluia, Amen and Amen!

Your brother in Christ,

Michael

Because He Lives

What’s good about Good Friday? The British called this day Good Friday because the greatest good was done on this day. For Jesus Christ who was without sin was made the perfect sacrifice for sin on our behalf that we may be made the righteousness of God in Him.

In Matthew 9, Jesus said, the people are like sheep without a shepherd. In John he said, my sheep hear my voice and they know him and I give unto them eternal life. Neither shall any man pluck them out of my hand.

Through the crises of life, we will learn the meaning of patience….of endurance….of keeping the faith. According to Hebrews 12, “WHEREFORE seeing we also are compassed about with so great a cloud of witnesses, let us lay aside every weight, and the sin which doth so easily beset us, and let us run with patience the race that is set before us, 2. Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. 3. For consider him that endured such contradiction of sinners against himself, lest ye be wearied and faint in your minds.”

In the midst of the crisis of the pestilence and pandemic, most men ask themselves, when will this thing end? We’re tired of “social distancing,” hunkering down and sheltering in place. However, these men ask the wrong question. According to Romans 5, tribulation worketh patience and patience experience and experience hope. And hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

We have hope because of the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. He is the hope of our life everlasting in fellowship with our Father. Regardless of the problems of life, the solution is Jesus Christ. Our life here on earth is worth the living just because he lives.

Philippians 1:7 mentions refreshing each other in the body of Christ. At our men’s retreats, we toss an orange to brothers who have especially blessed us. This time of refreshing is the one of the highlights of each retreat. We have so much to be thankful for, especially the fellowship of our brothers and sisters in Christ. Encouragement is the outpouring of a thankful heart. Encouragement is to build up, to edify and to exhort one another to our higher calling in Christ. We’re blessed when we bless others with an encouraging word. The greatest blessing is to bless the Blessor for Jesus said, “In that you have done it unto the least of these my brethren, you have done it unto me.”

On the mount of transfiguration, Peter James, and John witnessed by divine revelation the spirit of God descending like a dove on Jesus. Then they heard God’s voice from heaven saying, “this is my beloved son in whom I am well pleased.”

Hebrews 12:2 says, He who for the joy that was set before him, endured the cross, despising the shame…. and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. What was Jesus’ joy? His joy was your redemption and mine. All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. The good of Good Friday, of the cross of Christ is that we were made righteous according to his sacrifice on our behalf.

Our encouragement is in the cross of Christ. At the cross, our debt of sin was paid. At the cross, the account ledger against us was balanced by his perfect payment for sin on our behalf. At the cross we were justified and declared righteous because of his sacrifice of innocent blood in exchange for our guilty blood.

Because of the payment he made in exchange for our sin on Good Friday, we have been made a new creation in Christ.

Encouragement is the antidote to resentment and bitterness. Encouragement is to give grace. John 16:33 says, these things I have spoken to your so that you may have peace. In this world ye shall have tribulation, but be of good cheer for I have overcome the world.

An excerpt from the passage entitled “Crucifixion and Resurrection” from the Puritan Prayer book The Valley of Vision says,
“The sepulcher calls forth my adoring wonder,
For it is empty and thou art risen…
Give me to die with thee that I might rise to new life…
Let me reckon my old life dead because of the crucifixion.
Strengthen me for the battles ahead.
Give me courage for all the trials and grace for all the joys.
Grant me more and more of the resurrection life in Christ…

According to the words of the hymn by Bill and Gloria Gaither,

Because He lives, I can face tomorrow,
Because he lives, all fear is gone…
Because I know He holds the future,
And Life is worth the living just because he lives…

That we may be to the praise of the glory of His grace!
Your brother in Christ,
Michael

What Was God Thinking?

As Men of God, we need good answers to valid questions. Why are we going through this present pandemic? What is God teaching us through this time of shared tribulation and adversity? What gives us patience, endurance, and hope through the crisis and the pestilence?

One type of prayer is supplication, a specific request for God’s help and intervention when we realize we can’t make it on our own. An elder in an old southern church opened his prayer with, “Lord I hate buttermilk, lard and dry flour.” The pastor started to panic. He had never before heard such an opening to a prayer. Then the elder continued, “However, when they’re mixed together and baked in an oven, I love old time southern biscuits. Sometimes Lord, I don’t understand the ingredients you’re putting into our lives. But when you’re through baking us in the oven, I love the results. You make all things good. Our ways are not your ways and our thoughts are not our thoughts.”

Romans 8 says that God works all things together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. God is a God of plan and purpose. Unbelievers look at things as coincidences. Believers look at things as God incidences. My times are in thy hands. They that wait upon the Lord will renew their strength. They shall mount up on wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary. They shall walk and not faint.

God will teach us important life-lessons through times of trial. He works behind the scenes to mold us and make us after his will. Pete recalls that many years ago he was playing double-A baseball for the Detroit Tigers. On one particularly bad day he had made three errors. Two were wild throws. The third error was a slow swinging bunt that was hit toward third base. Pete put his glove into position to catch this easy grounder. To this day, he doesn’t know how the ball rolled underneath his glove. Pete had also stuck out three times that game. Then in the bottom of the ninth he was on deck with the winning run in scoring position. He prayed, “Lord, please have the manager call the pinch hitter to hit for me.” When God didn’t answer his prayer, Pete stepped into the batter’s box. He prayed, “Lord, please just don’t let me strike out again.” After two strikes, the left handed pitcher threw a curve that broke inside. Pete swung and the ball made contact the near where he was holding the bat. The bat vibrated violently as the ball blooped over the first baseman’s head just out of his reach. There was so much spin on the ball that it bounced wildly when it hit the ground. While the first baseman was trying to locate the ball, the runner scored from second base. After three fielding errors and three strikeouts, Pete was the hero of the game. A cartoon in the local paper showed a baseball player with a revolver. The caption read, “Six misfires and then, Bang!” God works in mysterious ways to show us that all things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose.

The story of Joseph in the book of Genesis chapters 39-50 is a story of God’s deliverance and the purpose for his providence. Joseph was Jacob’s favorite of his 12 sons. God was preparing Joseph’s sons to become the patriarchs of the twelve tribes of the hose of Israel. Even though Joseph was the youngest son, His father had given him a special “coat of many colors” as a sign that he was especially loved. Joseph had described a dream to his brothers. In his dream there were sheaves of wheat, one for each brother. Their sheaves bowed down to his sheaf. They thought, why should we bow down to our little brother? His brothers were jealous and plotted to get rid of him. While they were watching their father’s flocks, Jacob sent Joseph to find them and report back on how they were doing. As Joseph approached they said among themselves, “Here comes the dreamer. Let’s kill him and tell our father that he was killed by wild animals.” When a trading caravan came by, they decided to sell Joseph to the traders. They dipped his coat of many colors in the blood of a kid goat. When they returned to their father they said, we found his coat drenched with blood but we didn’t find Joseph. He must have been eaten by a wild animal. Jacob’s heart was broken because Joseph was his beloved wife Rachel’s only son.

Joseph was sold in Egypt to Potiphar, Pharaoh’s high ranking security officer. Potiphar trusted Joseph in all his dealings since everything that Joseph did prospered. Potiphar made Joseph manager and steward over all of his responsibilities and he was the administrator over everything Potiphar owned. Potiphar’s wife tried to seduce Joseph but Joseph said, “how can I betray my master when he’s entrusted everything to me except for you.” She grabbed his coat as he fled from her. Then she accused him of attempted rape and had him thrown into prison.

The prison keeper realized that Joseph had an excellent spirit so he placed him in charge of the other prisoners. After several years two prisoners who had worked for the Pharaoh had disturbing dreams.. One was the pharaoh’s butler and the other was his baker. Joseph said that he could interpret their dreams by God’s revelation. The butler dreamed of a vine with three branches. On each vine was a cluster of grapes that he picked and squeezed into the pharaoh’s cup. Joseph told the butler that the three branches represented three days. In three days, he would be restored to his old position in Pharaoh’s palace and pour wine into Pharaoh’s cup. Joseph said to the butler, speak favorably of me when you are restored to your position. However, the butler forgot to tell Pharaoh that Joseph had interpreted his dream.

Two years later Pharaoh had two dreams that troubled him. In one dream, there were seven well nourished plump cows that came out of the river. Then seven starving emaciated cows came out of the river and devoured the seven plump cows. In his other dream there were seven full ripe ears of corn. Then came up seven scrawny ears of corn that were shriveled and “blasted by the east wind.” The seven scrawny ears consumed the seven full ears of corn. The pharaoh told this dream to his wise men but no one could interpret it. Finally the butler told pharaoh that there was a Hebrew, a servant of the prison guard who interpreted his dream when he was in prison and the interpretation came true.

Pharaoh summoned Joseph. When Pharaoh told is dreams to Joseph, he said to the king, I will tell you the meaning of the dream but only the true God can reveal its true meaning. He said, the meaning of the two dreams is the same. The seven fat cows and the seven full ears of corn mean that there will be seven years of plenty in Egypt. The seven thin cows and the seven withered ears of corn represent the next seven years of famine. The seven thin cows eating the seven fat cows and the seven scrawny ears consuming the seven full ears of corn mean that you should store up food from the seven years of plenty to hold during the seven years of famine.

Joseph said, you should store up one fifth of the harvest from the seven years of plenty. You should find a wise man to oversee the operation to build storehouses and appoint administrators to gather in the grain. Pharaoh said to his advisors, there is no one in Egypt wiser than Joseph. The Pharaoh appointed Joseph to be his prime minister. Except for Pharaoh himself there was no one in Egypt with more power and authority than Joseph.

Joseph oversaw the building of vast storehouses. For seven years a fifth of the harvest was collected and so much grain was stored that they could not count it all. After seven years the famine struck the known world around Egypt.

In the land of Goshen, Jacob said to his eleven sons, we’re running out of food but there is grain in Egypt. Go there and buy us some food so that we don’t starve. The brothers left for Egypt but their youngest brother Benjamin stayed home with their father.

Joseph administered the selling of grain and he recognized his brothers when they came to Egypt because of the famine. He questioned them about their father the rest of their family. They told him about Jacob, their father Israel and their little brother Benjamin who stayed at home. Joseph realized that Benjamin was his full brother whose mother was Rachel. They told them that they had another half brother who “was no more.” Joseph went into another room and wept when they told him about his father and his brother.

The brothers thought that Joseph would deal harshly with them and that this would be God’s punishment for selling Joseph into slavery and telling their father that he was dead. However, Joseph forgave them and reminded them that the moral of the story is that what men meant for evil God meant for good. All things work together for good to those who love God and are called according to his purpose. God has a plan and a purpose for our lives to will and to do of His good pleasure.

Joseph accepted what God was doing in his life. Acceptance is to give favor and approval of what God is working in us and through us. We accept God’s will during the times of trial. The question we must ask ourselves is, Does God really love us? Does he really have our best interest in mind? Is he really a God of plan and purpose?

A loving father disciplines those he loves. He will make disciples through his discipline training. Correction means to restore to an upright position. Through the trial we will learn that tribulation worketh patience and patience experience, and experience hope and hope maketh not ashamed because the love of God is shed abroad in our hearts by the Holy Spirit which is given to us.

When we were born again into God’s kingdom we were born into a new kind of life. The norms and rules of God’s kingdom are different from the norms of this present world.

Through the trial we will learn what Cory tin Boom said, We’ll never know that Jesus is all we need until he is all we have. He is the first and last, the beginning and the end. He is the architect and purpose for my life. He was dead and brought life. No army can defeat him. He is goodness, kindness and gentleness. His way is right. His word is eternal. He is my joy, my comfort, and my all in all.
He is the ruler of rulers and the leader of leaders. He is the Sovreign one. The lord of all.

He’s given all opportunities to praise him despite the trials. According to 1 Thessalonians 5:23-24, “And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. Faithful is he that calleth you, who also will do it.”

The question is, “Do you know him?”

As we endure the pestilence of this hour and as we prepare to celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ, the words from S.M. Lockridge’s sermon are appropriate. Here is the link of the video of this famous message along with the text of the sermon’s conclusion.

https://www.shadowmountain.org/Content/HtmlImages/Public/Documents/General/EBI/Thats%20My%20King%20-%20Do%20You%20Know%20Him.pdf





http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qrS8-PIjLI&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yzqTFNfeDnE&feature=relatedhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1qrS8-PIjLI&feature=related

Finding Rest: The Reliable Ones

The crisis is here.  Oswald Chambers said, “When the crisis comes and courage is required, God expects his men to have such confidence in him that they will be the reliable ones.”  Where do we find courage?  In whom do we rely?  In whom do we trust?

According to Psalm 91, “HE that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty. 2. I will say of the LORD, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.  3  Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.  4  He shall cover thee with his feathers, and under his wings shalt thou trust: his truth shall be thy shield and buckler.  5  Thou shalt not be afraid for the terror by night; nor for the arrow that flieth by day;  6. Nor for the pestilence that walketh in darkness…”

Pestilence is a virulent epidemic or pandemic that is extremely contagious and spreads  without resistance through human populations.  Individuals and populations have no defenses against its virulent attack.  The crisis is here.  Amid the pestilence of the Corona Virus, our bodies may be defenseless, but Isaiah 40 says, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength.  They shall mount upon wings as eagles.  They shall run and not be weary, they shall walk and not faint.”

Jesus Christ drew a stark contrast between the enemy’s purpose and the Lord’s purpose.  In John 10:10 he said, “The thief cometh not but for to steal, to kill and to destroy.  I am come that they might have life and have it more abundantly.”  God will take what the enemy meant for evil and turn it to our good.  1 John 4:4 says, “Ye are of God, little children and have overcome them, because greater is he that is in you than he that is in the world.”

The authorities have said that we should “shelter in place.”  Our shelter is under the shadow of the Almighty.   He alone is our refuge and strength.

Because the lord is our refuge and strength, Oswald Chambers said, he will break up the private lives of His saints so that they will become a thoroughfare for others to walk on.  In our own strength, we cannot bear up under the stress unless he is our firm foundation.  We’re called into the fellowship of Christ’s suffering when we abide with him and within him.    

God prepares our hearts through his discipleship training.  A disciple is a disciplined follower.  We will become disciples when we abide with him and walk with him through the trials of life.  The storms of life are our training exercises to discipline us to “trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.”  When we acknowledge Him in all our ways, he will direct our paths.  God disciplines his disciples as they follow Christ.  In contrast, Men of this world follow after the things of this world and the wisdom of the world.  According to James, the wisdom of this world is full of strife and contention against God and his word.  It is earthly, sensual, and devilish.  In contrast, the wisdom from above results in righteousness sown in peace by those who make peace. 

Men of this world who are dedicated to politics follow after political correctness, however their particular political persuasion defines correctness.  Some say that the word “politics” is made up of two words, “poly” meaning many, and “ticks” meaning blood sucking insects.  However, the word “politics” biblically speaking is derived from the Greek word “polis” from which we get our English word “police.”  In Greek, “polis” is the wall that surrounded the city-state.  The “metropolis” was the area inside the the city walls.  The citizens were the people who lived inside the walls of the city-state.  Citizens have a common set of rules that governs their hearts and minds.  Some rules are formal laws and other rules are defined by “mores,” commonly accepted customs that define a citizen’s “morality.”  The Apostle Paul said, bad company corrupts good morals.  You’re most like the ones with whom you surround yourself.  The Bible says that we are citizens of heaven.  According to Philippians 3:20, For our conversation (citizenship) is in heaven, from whence also we look for the Saviour, the Lord Jesus Christ.”  He is the one who defines our political correctness.

Some are men identify as political socialists.  They believing that “sharing the wealth” is for the common good.  However this concept of “commonwealth” is characterized by a strong central government where the leaders entitle themselves to uncommon wealth earned on the backs of the hard working people.  The working citizens are do not share the common wealth.  Instead they share common poverty.

Some men of this world are narcissists.  These are men who worship themselves.  As our friend Orlando prayed, “Help me overcome myself Lord, I may not be much, but I’m all I think about.”  This world has indoctrinated us to think that we don’t need God.  …That we’re sufficient in our own power.  Narcissists prescribe to the Devil’s original lie to Eve in the Garden of Eden:  “Don’t worship God.  Worship yourself.  When you disobey God, you shall be as God knowing good from evil.”

Some men identify as businessmen.  Their behavior and their heart’s desire are governed by the pursuit of profit and the accumulation of worldly riches. However, Jesus said, “lay not up for yourselves treasures upon earth where moth and rust dost corrupt and thieves break through and steal.  Instead lay up for yourselves treasures in heaven, for where your treasure is there will your heart be also.”

Some men identify as addicts.  Addiction is rooted in the worship of self.  My addiction whether drugs, alcohol, sex, food, work, or sports is to satisfy my craving for more.  Enough is never enough.  I need a continuous fix in order to function in this world.  Addictions result from the lust of the flesh, the lust of the eyes and the pride of life.  Lust, the Greek word “epithumia” means over desire.  Lust is anything we desire over our desire for God.  This is why the first of the Ten Commandments says, Thou shalt have no other gods before me.  In other words, God said you shall have no other gods between your face and my face.  According to the words of the old hymn, “Turn your eyes upon Jesus.  Look full in his wonderful face.  Then the things of earth will grow strangely dim in the light of his glory and grace.”

Regardless of how men identify themselves, God will use trials and tribulations to show the world that we are not in control.  That which can be shaken will be shaken.  Recently, the word “unprecedented” has become part of our common vocabulary.  The worldwide pandemic of the Corona Virus has caused “unprecedented” disruption in the affairs of this world.  Although the world is scrambling for solutions, the experts say the the pandemic must run its course.  Many will die and people everywhere must take precautions to mitigate the spread of this virulent pandemic.  These unprecedented measures include banning of all social interactions at schools, work places, churches, parks, gyms, and even extended family gatherings.  The unprecedented “social distancing” orders have caused disruptions in industry and commerce resulting in the crash of financial markets as workers everywhere “shelter in place.”  

Men say, this pandemic is unprecedented.  We had no warning of this “silent invisible enemy” and we have no defenses against it.  Our national leaders have declared that we are now on a wartime footing.  The resources of our nation have been mobilized to fight this invisible enemy.  The Bible says that we wrestle not against flesh and blood but against spiritual wickedness from on high.  Even though we have been blind sided by this virulent pandemic, God was not surprised.  He knows the end from the beginning.  From God’s perspective, this too shall pass.

In Matthew 11:27-30 Jesus said, “All things are delivered unto me of my Father: and no man knoweth the Son, but the Father; neither knoweth any man the Father, save the Son, and he to whomsoever the Son will reveal him.  28  Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.  29  Take my yoke upon you, and learn of me; for I am meek and lowly in heart: and ye shall find rest unto your souls.  30  For my yoke is easy, and my burden is light.”

What we all need is rest.  Jesus said, come unto me all ye who are weary and are leafy laden and I will give you rest.  When we rest in him through his power we will be the reliable ones in this time of crisis.  We have to voluntarily yoke ourselves together with him.  He says take my yoke upon you and learn from me….fixing our eyes upon Jesus the author and perfector of faith.  For Jesus said, my yoke is easy and my burden is light.  

The Bible says we should walk circumspectly, not as fools but as wise.  Redeeming the times because the days are evil.   We should walk precisely according to the path God sets before each of us.  A wise man said, “fools rush in where angels fear to tread.”  Sometimes discretion is the better part of valor.  Martin Luther said during the pestilence of the Black Plague, “I shall ask God mercifully to protect us.  Then I shall fumigate, help purify the air, administer medicine, and take it.  I shall avoid places and persons where my presence is not needed in order not to become contaminated.  And thus perchance pollute others and so cause their death as a result of my negligence.  If God should wish to take me, he will surely know where to find me.  And I have done what he has expected of me.  And I am not responsible for my own death or the death of others.  If my neighbor needs me I shall avoid neither place nor person but will go freely as stated above.”

After a long and grueling day of ministry, Jesus said to his disciples, “Get in the boat, we’re going to the other side of the Sea of Galilee.”  Jesus was asleep in the back of the boat.  Suddenly a great storm arose and the rain and hail pelted their boat.  The waves crashed over them and their boat filled with water.  Even though they were seasoned fishermen, they were terrified and thought they would all drown.  In a panic they woke Jesus said, “don’t you care if we all perish?”  Jesus said, “Peace be still!”  Immediately the wind and the waves ceased. The disciples marveled and said to themselves, “Who is this that even the wind and waves obey him?”  This is similar to today’s crisis.  The waves are crashing and circumstances and situations look dire.  The storms are out of our control.  Many people are fearful of dying.  We can look at the wind and waves and torrential rain and thunder and lightning that’s flooding our boat.  The question is not “What’s in your boat?”  The real question is “Who’s in your boat?”  In the midst of the storm we look to Jesus Christ….he is the captain of our salvation.  He is the author and finisher of our faith.

In the midst of the storm, he will teach us that our prayer is not, “Lord, deliver me from the storm.”  Rather our prayer is, “Lord, deliver me through the storm.”  Through the crisis of the storms of life he will teach us the meaning of Proverbs 3:5-6, “Trust in the Lord with all thine heart and lean not unto thine own understanding.  In all thy ways acknowledge him and he shall direct thy paths.”

Through the trial he will teach us that our purpose is that we should be to the praise of the glory of His grace!

Your brother in Christ,

Michael