March 15, 2020
"Faith or Fear?" Over the past few weeks we've watched the coronavirus, aka Covid-19, spread around this world. And although it has seemed to spread very fast, there's been one thing spreading even faster and that's fear. Now I realize that we need to be cautious and vigilant to prevent the spread of this illness. However, from what I've read, the most effective thing we can do to stop the spread is simple and relatively cheap; washing your hands. I had the chance to listen to a speaker last year who said F-E-A-R stands for "false evidence appearing real". The news media seems to have contributed to this fear and a walk through the aisles of Walmart or Kroger will show the effects of this panic. One thing I've learned is that if we get this tore up over a mutated version of the same virus that causes the common cold, some people are going to be in real trouble when the rapture happens. I read a scripture passage that encouraged me, and my prayer is that it will do the same for you. Like many of you, I realize that we are truly living in the last days of life as we know it. And being so, this is no time for us, the church, to grow weary. As long as our Lord is on His throne, there is hope for child of God, no matter what the world may say. Scripture: 2 Timothy 1:2-7 First and second Timothy, as well as the book of Titus have been referred to as the "Pastoral Epistles" since the eighteenth century. They stand apart from Paul's other letters because these were the only ones written to his gospel coworkers. These Pastoral Epistles deal with church structure issues and were addressed to men serving in pastoral roles rather than to the churches themselves. Paul especially saw the importance of encouraging his "son in the faith", Timothy. Paul fully understood how vital faith was and would continue to be in a world that wasn't always accepting to the gospel. In fact, John, is the only apostle believed to have died of natural causes. Simon Peter died at the hands of Roman ruler Nero in approximately 68 AD. We're told that he was going to be crucified, and Peter felt himself unworthy to be put to death in the same manner as his Master. At his request, he was crucified with his head downward. Andrew was also crucified, Matthew died a martyr in Ethiopia; Thomas was martyred in Persia. James was thrown down from the temple by the scribes and Pharisees before being stoned and bludgeoned with a club. Knowing this was a possibility all along the way, what could have possessed these men to continue the mission Jesus had started? Faith. Just like these courageous leaders, we face two choices: fear or faith. A life of fear is one that many people seem to be all too familiar with. In fact, many suffer completely irrational fear commonly known as phobias. These include arachnaphobia (the fear of spiders), claustrophobia (the fear of confined spaces), acrophobia (the fear of heights), and brontophobia (the fear of thunderstorms). These may seem funny to some of you, but if you're the one who suffers with the condition, it's obviously no laughing matter. Beyond these extreme cases, there's still plenty of stress and distress in this world to cause fear. Daily, we are bombarded by images of terroristic acts by those who seek to completely change our way of life. Whether it comes from Muslim extremists or racially motivated hate crimes from within our own country, there is some greater motive than just random violence. Other times, these acts take place with no real planning; it's just a case of sin taking control in this world we live in. Road rage, domestic violence, drugs, or other crimes; all of these cause fear in the hearts of people. When we see so much of this kind of violence, day in and day out, we can become numb or immune to its shock value. That is a scary condition, because if we lose our ability to feel, that can allow us to lose our compassion. One example of the difference between a life of fear and a life of faith is found in the story of the twelve spies (Numbers 13-14). As you remember, God had promised Abraham there would be a Promised Land, Canaan. Moses sent twelve spies into Canaan to see what it contained and what it would take to conquer the land. Ten of those men came back, bragging about clusters of grapes so big that it took two men to carry them. It was truly a land of milk and honey, but they also warned about the "giants" who inhabited the land. Even with the report of the good things inside the land, they just couldn't see it being worth the risk of invading. Their fear allowed them to place God in a box. Only two of the spies, Caleb and Joshua, urged Moses and the others to invade the land. They had faith, and knew that what God had promised was waiting just inside the land. They realized it might be a hard fight, but their faith was in the Lord. Ten tribes, however, had too little faith. Their fear outweighed their faith, and for forty years, the children of Israel wandered in the wilderness. Not because it took them that long to find their way, but because God punished them for their lack of faith. A life of faith can allow us to withstand the daily attacks that would cause us fear if we were alone. The difference is, of course, as the Child of God, we are never alone. When you find yourself in a position where fear seems to be all around you, just remember that the God we serve is bigger than any problem or fear this world can throw our way. I don't know who coined the phrase, but I like the saying, "Don't tell God how big your mountain is; tell the mountain how big your God is." When life deals you a hand where no one seems to be by your side, it may feel like God is all you've got. Guess what? God is all you need. He's a friend who walks closer than a brother; He'll never leave you and never forsake you. Who or what else on earth can say that? Choosing a life of faith doesn't mean that everything will always go our way. It doesn't mean that every day has a happy ending. What it does mean is that we know how our story is going to end, and we're trusting God to see us through it. Civil rights leader Martin Luther King, Jr. said, "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." Another quote I'd like to share with you comes from 19th century evangelist, George Mueller. Mueller said, "If we desire our faith to be strengthened, we should not shrink from opportunities where our faith may be tried, and therefore, through trial, be strengthened." He knew a thing or two about faith. In addition to being an evangelist, George Mueller directed the Ashley Down orphanage in Bristol, England. In fact, he cared for over 10,000 orphans during his lifetime. He was well known for providing an education to the children under his care, to the point where he was accused of raising the poor above their natural station in life. It's said that Mueller prayed about everything and expected each prayer to be answered. [the following account is from Wikipedia.com] One example was when one of the orphan house's boiler stopped working; Müeller needed to have it fixed. This was a problem, because the boiler was bricked up and the weather was worsening with each day. So he prayed for two things; first that the workers he had hired would have a mind to work throughout the night, and secondly that the weather would let up. On the Tuesday before the work was due to commence, a bitter north wind still blew but in the morning, before the workmen arrived, a southerly wind began to blow and it was so mild that no fires were needed to heat the buildings. That evening, the foreman of the contracted company attended the site to see how he might speed things along, and instructed the men to report back first thing in the morning to make an early resumption of work. The team leader stated that they would prefer to work through the night. The job was done in 30 hours.] It's no wonder he was a man of faith; he had seen God work many times in his lifetime. I don't know about you, but I can say the same. I've seen God work many times in my lifetime; not because I deserved it, but because He's a faithful God. This world will push fear, but we must be willing to push back with faith. While my faith isn't always what it needs to be, my faith is certainly in the Lord. What about you today? Have you chosen to live a life of faith, or is fear in control? We know things in this world aren't going to get any better until we decide to make the one true God, the Lord of our lives; but regardless of what the others do, we can still trust in Him. A great way to show your faith in God is by praising Him in a Bible-believing church. If you don't have a home church, we invite you to join us at New Testament Christian Church. Until next week, be blessed! COPYRIGHT © Matt Adams, 2020 |