Posted on 04/26/2020 6:04:13 AM PDT by Kaslin
“These are the times that try men’s souls.” Thomas Paine’s oft-quoted opening of his influential essay "American Crisis," dated Dec. 23, 1776, was written to inspire patriots to join the American Revolution. Now, 244 years later, the sentence accurately depicts the state of our nation and the world during this health and economic crisis.
Paine — conveying personal thoughts about the American crisis when a fractured six-month-old nation with rag-tag militias was fighting to win independence from the world’s greatest military power — wrote, “I thank God, that I fear not. I see no real cause for fear.”
Trust is the antidote of fear. Trust in God. Trust in Jesus Christ. HE is in control. These are my personal go-to-mantras, while panic and fear are manufactured 24/7 on media assembly lines. At the end of the “line,” panic and fear are coated with uncertainty, producing a quiet, secondary plague that dwells between our ears.
Meanwhile, because I am human, my mantras need continuous internal reinforcement. I know He loves me. I know He is there. I know He is in control. All believers know that faith is tested during stressful times, and trust is the foundation of faith.
Yet, my faith is weakened by what I am seeing and experiencing — so send in the calvary! (And I know that no matter how bleak the circumstances, in the end, the battle was won on the cross at Calvary.)
Thus, if you are experiencing coronavirus related pain, be it physical, emotional, financial, or all three, I pray that these passages will be your calvary (or Calvary).
First, let us review some Old Testament passages about trust in God.
“Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight” (Proverbs 3: 5-6).
“Every word of God is pure; He is a shield to those who put their trust in Him”(Proverbs 30:5).
“Offer the sacrifices of righteousness, And put your trust in the Lord” (Psalm 4:5).
“O Lord my God, in You I put my trust; Save me from all those who persecute me; And deliver me,” (Psalm 7:1).
“Trust in the Lord and do good; dwell in the land and enjoy safe pasture. Take delight in the Lord, and he will give you the desires of your heart. Commit your way to the Lord; trust in him and he will do this: He will make your righteous reward shine like the dawn, your vindication like the noonday sun” (Psalm 37: 3-6).
“The God of my strength, in whom I will trust..” (2 Samuel 22:3).
“For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future” (Jeremiah 29:11).
Turning to the New Testament now with teachings from Jesus:
"Therefore, I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes? Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they? (Matthew 6:25-26).
“Overhearing what they said, Jesus told him, "'Don't be afraid; just believe'" (Mark 5:36).
Paul shares his wisdom in this famous scripture:
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 4:6-7).
‘Twas the theme of our sermon today!
If people have accepted they will one day die then they will be prpared for that regardless of what takes their life.
I like the idea that when my last breath is taken on earth the next one will be seeing the face of Jesus!
John 16:23 “I have told you these things, so that in Me you may have perfect peace and confidence. In the world you will have tribulation; but be of good cheer! For I have overcome the world.”
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