So much is happening, and it is happening quickly. Change is coming at us from many directions. I don’t know about you, but I don’t like the feeling that comes with such rapid change and upheaval.
And then there is my walk with my Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ. He is unchanging. He is the “Prince of Peace” (Isaiah 9:6). He is “full of grace and truth” (John 1:14). If I get up in the morning and focus my mind and heart upon Him and upon His “His exceedingly great and precious promises” (2 Peter 1:4), then there is a calm and peace that settles over me. And in the midst of these problems associated with life in the time of a pandemic, you and I have the opportunity to know Him more and to trust Him more.
As a church, we will also have the opportunity to trust Jehovah-Jireh (“the Lord will provide”). In these first two weeks of the shutdown of our assemblies, we have seen Him work! We have seen new ministries rolled out quickly, and these ministries are allowing our senior pastor and staff to preach eternal truths not only to our church members but also to souls all over this nation and beyond. We have seen Jehovah-Jireh keep the church giving on pace with a normal March! How exciting it is to see our Father answer prayers and work a mighty work in strange, changing times.
Pray with us that there will be a great spiritual awakening in our community and in our country. Yes, from a human perspective there are reasons to give in to fear and anxiety. There are enough medical, political and financial concerns right now to give worriers a full-time job (and to tempt us all to worry). But, for the child of God, we have an alternative. We have a standing invitation from God Himself to “trust in the LORD with all your heart, and lean not on your own under-standing” (Prov. 3:5). Jehovah-Jireh assures the child of God that He will “direct your paths” if you trust Him (Prov. 3:6). Not only will God give you and me His supernatural peace, He is capable of flowing out His peace “like a river” (Isaiah 66:22) that will also touch the lives of all around us.
In my lifetime, I cannot recall a better time than right now to preach the gospel to the confused and worried people around us. So many of these individuals do not truly know the Prince of Peace in a personal way. They do not have a relationship with Jehovah-Jireh. Those who are His right now have this glorious opportunity to walk in His peace (John 14:27) and in His power (2 Peter 1:3) and to preach the gospel!
It is an exciting time to be engaged in ministry! It is an exciting time to walk by faith, hand in hand, with the Prince of Peace.
In Christian love,
John