“But know this: Hard times will come in the last days. For people will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, proud, demeaning, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, unloving, irreconcilable, slanderers, without self-control, brutal, without love for what is good, traitors, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God, holding to the form of godliness but denying its power. Avoid these people.”

2 Timothy 3:1-5

Are we living in the last days? Is this global pandemic a sign that we are nearing the end? Is the civil unrest we are now witnessing in the United States a sure sign that this historical generation will be the last? How are we to interpret what is happening in the world today in light of Scripture? Or, does Scripture even address the chaos we are now witnessing in the world?

For those who believe the Bible to be the very word of God, without any mixture of error, the answer is a resounding yes: Scripture does address the chaos. The passage quoted above from the pen of the Apostle Paul certainly addresses the rioting and looting we see all across our land. The death of George Floyd – as awful and brutal and callused as it was – may have been the instigating factor in the civil unrest we are witnessing, but it is certainly not the cause of the rioting and looting and violence happening in cities across America. There has to be an underlying cause that is fueling the flames of this senselessness.

Please allow me to take a brief aside here to state my personal views on these present events. I can state it in three simple words: ALL LIVES MATTER! Yes, that is an extreme oversimplification of an extremely complex matter, but it is my personal sentiment. God created the human race – ONE RACE. There are not multiple races, but only one. Mankind was created by God, in the image of God, and are meant to be representatives of God. Now there are multiple ethnicities, but there is only one race. And among that one race, there are good individuals and bad individuals. There are those who are respected by others, and respectful of others. And, there are those who have no respect for others, and will do harm to others if given the opportunity.

Among all the ethnicities which make up the population of planet Earth, there are good, and there are bad. The good usually do good, but have the ability to do bad; the bad usually do bad, but have the ability to do good. It is all a matter of personal choice. Right now, we are seeing an alarming number of those who are choosing to be bad and do bad.

The protests which began immediately upon the death of George Floyd started with a noble purpose: make sure the wrong done to Mr. Floyd was vindicated: Make sure those who were guilty of participating in his death were brought to justice. That point, I believe, could be agreed upon by the vast majority of the citizens of the United States.

But those protests have quickly devolved into an ugly recklessness that goes far beyond the scope of a stance for what is right. Those who now engage in rioting and looting, of physical destruction of property and physical violence against others, are no longer part of a movement to make sure a wrong is righted, but are rather a part of a display of wanton evil. You simply don’t make an action right by doing something wrong.

The cry is going out across our land to do away with the police. I, for one, stand behind our police one hundred percent. The vast majority of police officers serve their respective communities and cities courageously and sacrificially. They leave their homes and families every day, willing to pay the ultimate sacrifice protecting those they have never met from the dangers of those who would do them harm. They do this knowing full well that any day could be their last day. It could be the last time they hug their spouse, kiss their children, wave goodbye to those they love, to protect those they don’t even know. And yes, to protect those who are prone to do them harm.

On those occasions when a police officer, with ill-intent, takes it upon himself to do harm to another – whether it be because of ethnic prejudices, societal prejudices, economic prejudices, or any other form of prejudice – then that officer should be punished to the full extent of the law. A uniform and a badge does not give an officer the right to use his position to unleash his personal vendetta against those he dislikes.

But please, let’s give credit where credit is due. Let’s be sure to thank the vast majority of honest, well-meaning, self-sacrificing men and women who do their jobs faithfully, serving and protecting the communities in which they serve.

Now, back to my original question: Are we living in the last days? Well, I don’t know. And, neither does anyone else. But I will state without reservation: The Bible does speak of the climate of the days just prior to Jesus’ return as being days of civil unrest. Go back to the top of this blog and reread the words of Paul to Timothy. Those words could be repeated in local newspapers across this great country.

But, whether it is a sure sign of the impending end of history as we know it or not, it is time for good people to lift our voice and be heard. Would you join me in applauding those who serve our communities selflessly, tirelessly and sacrificially? Would you take every opportunity to thank a police officer for his/her service to your community? A simple thank-you may not sound very profound, but I guarantee you that right now, with our present state of unrest, those two words would mean the world to those who serve you and yours.

I’ll close by simply stating here: Thank you, police officers, fire-fighters, sheriff’s deputies, and all other first responders, for your service to communities and cities across this great land. As Paul said in his letter to the Romans:

“Let everyone submit to the governing authorities, since there is no authority except from God, and the authorities that exist are instituted by God. So then, the one who resists the authority is opposing God’s command, and those who oppose it will bring judgment on themselves. For rulers are not a terror to good conduct, but to bad. Do you want to be unafraid of the authority? Do what is good, and you will have its approval. For it is God’s servant for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, because it does not carry the sword for no reason. For it is God’s servant, an avenger that brings wrath on the one who does wrong.”

Romans 13:1-4

One final word: Those officers who were involved in the death of George Floyd, and any others who would use their position and authority in self-serving, destructive ways, should be quickly apprehended and brought to justice. They should punished to the full extent of the law they had sworn to uphold. But, let’s not be guilty of putting them all in one basket, and judged because of the action of the very small percentage of those who would do harm. Let’s focus, rather, on the overwhelming positive influence they have in serving us, their constituents, and thank them accordingly.

“The Lord is my shepherd;
there is nothing I lack.
He lets me lie down in green pastures;
He leads me beside quiet waters.
He renews my life;
He leads me along the right paths
for His name’s sake.
Even when I go through the darkest valley,
I fear no danger,
for You are with me;
Your rod and Your staff—they comfort me. You prepare a table before me
in the presence of my enemies;
You anoint my head with oil;
my cup overflows.
Only goodness and faithful love will pursue me
all the days of my life,
and I will dwell in the house of the Lord
as long as I live.”

Psalm 23

Most professing believers in Jesus Christ can quote from memory the words of Psalm 23. We find great comfort in the words of David as he ponders these majestic thoughts of his personal confidence in God. Quite often this beloved Psalm is read at the memorial service for a loved one who has passed from this life into the eternal realm. Comforting words, indeed.

But, do we really believe these comforting words? Let’s take a few minutes to walk through Psalm 23, striving to come to grips with our belief in the words.

First, let’s think about what David says concerning trust. He makes the assertion, “I lack nothing.” Other translations word this phrase a little differently. A few examples will suffice to show this distinction. “I shall not want” (KJV, NASV); “There is nothing I lack” (HCSB); “I have what I need” (CSB); “I will never be in need” (CEV). There are other variations, but these show how varied the interpretations are. The words are different, but the meaning remains the same: God, the Shepherd, meets all needs in the lives of His sheep.

So, is this real in your life? Are you completely satisfied knowing that God’s provision for you will meet all your needs? Are you confident that you will never lack anything of necessity for your well-being? Or do you complain that you don’t have as much as someone else? Or that you don’t have everything you want?

Oh, just a second. Did I just change the subject? Did I make the transition from needs to wants? Well, yes, I did. And that is where the rub is, would you agree? We oftentimes confuse our needs with our wants. I may have more than enough food in the pantry to keep me nourished for weeks to come, but I may stand there staring at all that food wishing I had something else. I have what I need, but not necessarily what I want. If I understand this phrase correctly, then David had reached the conclusion that his Shepherd would never allow him to lack anything he needed, not everything he wanted. That is trust.

But let’s move on. David not only speaks of his trust in the provision supplied by his Shepherd, but also of his trust in the peace He gives. He makes the statement that his Shepherd causes him to lie down in fields of green grass by streams of peaceful water. This Shepherd really knows the needs of His sheep, and goes to extreme measures to ensure those needs are met.

Let’s face it: there is not much true peace in the world right now. We are still in the throes of the Covid-19 crisis, and now our nation is being torn apart by rioting in the streets of cities across the country. There is much that will quickly rob us of peace as we watch the news broadcasts, showing graphic images of city streets that look more like war zones than civilized America.

And let’s not overlook the imagery David presents of his personal dilemma in Psalm 23. We don’t know the exact circumstances of his present state of affairs as he penned these words, but it is obvious that he felt his life was threatened, even to the point of the possibility of his own impending death. And yet, he is at perfect peace, trusting that his Shepherd would care for him, provide his every need, and give him a settled peace in the midst of his looming storm.

And finally, one more observation from David’s words. He says, “You treat me to a feast while my enemies watch. You honor me as Your guest, and You fill my cup until it overflows.” Because of his trust in his Shepherd, his confidence in his Shepherd, and his peaceful rest in his Shepherd, David could rest assured that his enemies would not, could not, prevail. His Shepherd would care for him, forever.

Can you honestly, sincerely, truthfully, say with David, “The Lord is my Shepherd; I will never be in need; I will never lack; I will have everything I need”? Or, do you say the words, and then grumble because you don’t have everything you want; you say the words, and then complain about the doctor’s diagnosis; you say the words, and then worry about tomorrow; you say the words, and then succumb to your fears.

If we say the words, then let’s mean what we say. The Lord is MY Shepherd. I will trust Him to supply, to strengthen, to sustain, to walk along beside me, even when life is at its worst, even when I don’t have everything I want, even when the shadow of death clouds out the light. I will trust Him.

That commitment will bring about a settled satisfaction, a complete contentment, as we rest securely in the arms of our caring Shepherd. Then, we can say with the Apostle Paul:

“I have learned to be content in whatever circumstances I am. I know both how to have a little, and I know how to have a lot. In any and all circumstances I have learned the secret of being content—whether well fed or hungry, whether in abundance or in need. I am able to do all things through Him who strengthens me.”

Philippians 4:11-13

May it be so with each of us, and with all of us. He is our Shepherd. He cares for us and He can be trusted.

My wife, Teresa, and I love strolling through gardens, meandering on quiet walkways along the banks of a bubbling mountain stream, hiking through the thick, lush foliage of a mountain trail. This is one of the countless reasons we love living in the mountains of east Tennessee. I oftentimes say to anyone who cares to listen, “I wasn’t born in Tennessee, but I got here as quick as I could!” It has been a long-time dream of ours to live in the mountains, and that dream has come true, as we now reside in Pigeon Forge, just a few miles from the entrance to the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Today, we took another drive along the Foothills Parkway, and then took a walk on the Townsend Walkway in the gorgeous mountain town of Townsend, TN. As we often do, we walked in silence, just enjoying the solitude and the quietness of this beautiful day. As we walked, I began to think about how unbelievably blessed I am. I began to recount, in my mind, the multitudes of blessings I experience each and every day. And as I pondered these thoughts, a very clear message popped ever so clearly in my mind: bloom where you’re planted.

Simple, right? Bloom where you’re planted. Through the 46 years of our marriage, Teresa and I have lived in four different states: South Carolina, North Carolina, Texas, and now Tennessee. We have been blessed to visit quite a few more states, enjoying a wide variety of landscapes, from looming mountain peaks to deep, rugged canyons. We have seen the majestic beauty of snow-capped mountains in Colorado, Wyoming and Montana, and the arid, bone-dry, barren landscape of Arizona and New Mexico. We have been awed by the rugged beauty of the Grand Tetons, and the lush foliage of western North Carolina and eastern Tennessee. Everywhere we have been blessed to travel, especially everywhere that we have been privileged to live, have given us opportunities to bloom where we were planted.

It really matters very little where we are planted. What matters is how we bloom where we are. I have had conversations with so many individuals who could not seem to find contentment and joy. They always wanted to be somewhere else, doing something else, perhaps even with someone else, thinking that those changes would bring them something they were missing. Instead of enjoying where they were, they were always looking for something new and exciting to add zest to their lives.

Please don’t misunderstand my point here. It is always good and appropriate to dream about the future. But to do so to such a degree that it robs me of the pleasures of my present life, then those dreams will ultimately become nightmares. They will cause me to think of myself as a failure, not being able to make my dreams a reality.

The key, I think, is to maintain those dreams, without allowing those dreams to make me miserable where I am at the present time. Let me try to explain by using a personal illustration. Through the years, we have been privileged to enjoy family vacations. For me, part of the excitement of a vacation is planning for it. I actually begin planning a vacation far in advance. I try to make sure the trip is almost as enjoyable as the destination. Part of my planning would be researching fun and exciting stops along the way. My family would only reap the benefits of all my pre-trip planning after the trip started, but I had been relishing the trip far more due to all my research and planning.

However, when the day finally arrived for our departure, the trip was exciting and fun due to all the “extras” I had added to the agenda. So, the trip itself was part of the fun. Granted, those stops along the way were not even comparable with the destination, but it made the long drive a little more bearable.

Let’s try to apply that to life. As I write this blog, we continue to be in the throes of the Coronavirus epidemic. Many of us are planted in isolation, and even when we are out in public we are trying to stay as far away from others as possible. We can decide to be a weed during these days. Weeds tend to suck the life out of the beautiful flowers and plants that are blooming all around. But how much better is it to be a bloom among the weeds.

We are all on a journey right now, right? We’re on a journey between the restrictions of the pandemic and the freedom of a pandemic free environment. We can become weeds, choking the life out of those around us; or, we can bloom where we are, bringing light and life to those around us.

So, let’s make the most of our present circumstances. Let’s make the decision to not allow the restrictions imposed upon us to make us miserable, bitter individuals who are like a dark cloud over everyone we meet. Rather, let’s be the beam of sunshine shooting rays through the clouds, brightening the day for everyone we meet.

So, how do we do that? My suggestion: bloom where you’re planted. Your days will be much more enjoyable, for you, and for those around you.

“All Scripture is inspired by God, and is profitable to teaching, for rebuking, for correcting, for training in righteousness, so that the man of God may be complete, equipped for every good work.”

2 Timothy 3:16-17

“No prophecy of Scripture comes from the prophet’s own interpretation, because no prophecy ever came by the will of man; instead, men spoke from God as they were carried along by the Holy Spirit.”

2 Peter 1:20-21

Have you taken time lately to think about how blessed we are to have the Bible? It is so easy to take it for granted, isn’t it? Think about it, most of us probably own multiple copies of this sacred Book, in several different translations, laying around the house. Many of us also have study aids to assist us in our personal desire to not only read, but understand this most wonderful Book. And yet, truth be known, for too many of us, this most glorious of all books is so often neglected. I realize that many of you who read my blogs regularly probably do spend time reading from the pages of this Book, but sadly, there are far too many who never pick it up except to shove it under our arm as we make our way to church on Sunday.

That is, indeed, a tragedy of enormous proportion. This Book is, after all, the very Word of God. There is no other book which even begins to compare with the wonder of the Bible. So, I thought it might be wise to take a few minutes to remind ourselves of some of the wonderful facts relative to Scripture.

Let’s begin by an overview of some of the wonderful statistics regarding this Book. The Bible consists of sixty-six different books: thirty-nine in the Old Testament and twenty-seven in the New Testament. These different books were written by about forty different authors over a period of fourteen hundred years. Before moving on, please reread the preceding two sentences, then take a moment to let those facts sink in. Forty different authors, living in different historical eras, coming from different backgrounds, economic classes, social classes, and having experienced vastly different walks of life, wrote these distinct books which comprise the Holy Scriptures. Princes, paupers, shepherds, kings, common men and women from all walks of life were chosen by God to be the human authors of this Holy Book.

Some wrote in times of prosperity, while others wrote in times of poverty. Some wrote to preserve history, while others wrote to show how history is a tool in the hands of God. Some wrote to call people to repent, while others wrote to assist serious believers in their journey of spiritual growth and development. Some wrote to reveal the realities of living a life devoted to God, while others wrote to warn about the realities of the severity of God’s judgment against those who reject God.

But the amazing thing is that all forty authors, over fourteen hundred years, wrote a message of absolute cohesiveness. Their message is one, with a commonality running throughout the entirety of Scripture. There are different parts to the story, but the story is one. So, let’s give our attention to the amazing story of the Bible. For the sake of clarity, I will divide my thoughts into four parts: creation, fall, judgment, and redemption.

The story begins with the record of God creating the heavens and the earth. There was a time before time existed. God, being the creator of time, is not subject to the limitations of time. He operates within the parameters of time, and interacts with His creation in time, but is not limited to time. He existed before time, and will exist after the cessation of time. And so it is with all of creation: God created everything that now exists, and operates sovereignly over that creation.

Man is the culmination and crown of creation. Man was created in the image of God and enjoyed perfect fellowship with God. He was given the ability to choose whether or not he would maintain this state of uninhibited fellowship with God, or would relinquish that fellowship by deciding to go his own way in life.

Using this ability to choose to disobey God, man fell from God’s grace by acting in a way contrary to God’s perfect will. Having disobeyed, man suffered the consequences of this action, and was banned from the perfect paradise. The judgment of God was immediate. The world began experiencing the effects of the fall. This fall from grace brought about massive changes to the created order. And those earth-altering effects continue to the present day.

However, the fall did not catch God off-guard. Being omniscient, God knows everything: past, present and future. He knew before creating the world that man would be disobedient, that the fall would occur, and that He would have to personally intervene. Before creating the world, God had already ordained Jesus Christ to be the sacrificial Lamb who would die in order to provide redemption for fallen mankind.

Those who believe the testimony of Scripture embrace certain absolute and irrevocable truths. All have sinned and fallen short of the glory of God; all are under the just condemnation of God; all are hopeless and helpless left to themselves; Jesus Christ died as the sacrificial Lamb to take away the sin of the world; and salvation is provided for those who repent and turn to God by faith. Those who by faith believe these truths will be saved by God’s amazing grace.

Creation, fall, judgment, redemption. The message is clear. The mandate is certain: all have sinned and fallen short of God’s glory. The method of redemption is set: Jesus Christ died in our place, paying the penalty for our sin. The mission was ordained from eternity past: the Son of Man came to seek and save those who are lost. And now, the choice is yours. Come to Jesus; repent of sin; experience His gracious gift of salvation; live life for His glory in the present; enjoy Him forever in eternity.

And, spend some time today, and every day, reading from the pages of this truly amazing, God-breathed Book. You will be the better for it!

The title to this blog might seem a little strange to some. We might answer that question quickly by simply naming the town or city we call home. For example, I live in Pigeon Forge, Tennessee. You can name your location, and give the question no more thought.

But what if we think of the question differently? What if we, for a moment, think not about a physical location, but rather a mental, even emotional, location. For some, they would have to admit they live in the past. Others might say they live totally in the present. But how many of us could say we live in the future? Well, not IN the future, but from the perspective of the future. Let’s give this some thought for a few minutes.

First, let’s think about those who live in the past. They are haunted by failures of the past, or they bask in victories of the past. Conversations are focused on past events. Perhaps some have experienced some horrific failure in the past, and because of that they reckon themselves to be failures. They are shackled by that failure. Perhaps they even have someone in their life who won’t let them forget about that failure. They are constantly being reminded of that experience, and can’t seem to move beyond it.

Then there are those who have experienced a great loss in the past, and cannot get over it. It may have been something traumatic, like the death of a spouse, or a divorce, or a business failure, or a bankruptcy, or the waywardness of a child. Admittedly, these are daunting, and yes, even haunting events which grab us and keep us in their tenacious grips. Every day now is a constant reminder of that person, that event, that loss, that failure. And now, their lives are dictated and determined by the haunts of the past.

Second, think for a moment about those who live totally in the present. They are not shackled by the experiences of the past. As a matter of fact, for some, they have actually learned from their past failures and victories, and are better because of those experiences. However, they are locked with tunnel-vision on the events of the present moment. They allow the news to dictate how they feel. They allow the surrounding circumstances to determine their moment-to-moment attitude toward life in general. Their lives are like a virtual roller-coaster: up one moment only to be crashing down the next. Their contentment and happiness in life is dictated by things that are completely beyond their ability to control, and they swing back and forth between a state of ecstasy and a state of agony.

It seems that vast multitudes are living their lives from this perspective as we go through our present crisis. Oh, and by the way, if it were not for this present crisis it would be something else. Folks who live completely in the present moment are often swayed by whatever circumstance is present and prevalent at any given time.

Third, there are those who live life today, not shackled by events of the past, and not by circumstances of the present, but from the perspective of the future. Admittedly, this can be rather tricky. It really comes down to how you view the future.

Some can’t live life from the perspective of the future because, to them, the future is completely unknown and unknowable. And, I guess to some degree that is indeed a reality of life, at least from a temporal perspective. For example, none of us can know with certainty what will happen tomorrow. We make our plans, and place a great deal of hope that those plans will come to pass. But in reality, there is no certainty they will.

I have never met a single person who planned to contract cancer, or lose a spouse to a horrible accident, or have a devastating financial setback. We don’t plan those things, but they still happen. So, when we are talking about the future in terms of the duration of our physical life, then there are many uncertainties which cannot be known.

But that is not what I am speaking about when I refer to living life from the perspective of the future. For the believer in Jesus Christ, there is an absolute future that we can speak of with utmost confidence. By reading the Bible, we see a clear picture of the future. That future entails an absolute victory by God over all the enemies of God, and over all who oppose God.

But there’s more. The Book of Revelation tells us that there is a future in which there will be no more sickness, separation, suffering, death – those realities of the present that too often attack us and enslave us. For many, we have experienced the horror of those realities in the past, and are living life in the present in the shackles of the past. Others are experiencing life in the present by some form of sickness or separation, and we can’t see any way around, through or beyond it.

But for those who have placed their trust in Jesus Christ, we see beyond it all to a sovereign God seated upon His throne, having all things in control, and moving those things to their appointed end. Yes, there is an appointed end to this present historical period. The consummation will come as determined by God. And, according to the teaching of Scripture, the victory is ours.

Admittedly, the victory is a present reality, but will not be fully realized until that future day already appointed by God. However, knowing the victory has already been determined makes the experiences of the present, and the painful memories of the past, much more bearable.

An illustration might be helpful to explain what I mean. Those who know me know that I am an avid Dallas Cowboys fan. I have been a fan since the age of ten – fifty-eight years! I never tire of watching the Cowboys play. There are times when I am able to watch the game live. From the opening kick-off to the closing tick of the clock, I do not know what is going to happen. The outcome of the game is uncertain, and oftentimes I am literally on the edge of my seat with eager anticipation as I await the outcome.

There are other times I am not able to watch live, so I record the game in order to watch later. Sometimes, a well-meaning friend will tell me the final score before I have had opportunity to watch the game. It takes all the suspense out of the game for me. Granted, I don’t how the game will play out – I just know how it will end. I can watch stress-free because I know with certainty the end of the story.

I may not know what will happen tomorrow, or next week, or next year. But I do know the end of the story.

Let me close by encouraging everyone to strive to live life today, not shackled by failures, or even victories, of the past, and not enslaved by the crises of the present, but by focusing on the end of the story. Let’s look with longing anticipation to that day when we will see Jesus face-to-face. That is the reality of the future. Let it be the reality of this day, and every day, until He comes.

“In the beginning God created the heavens and the earth.”

Genesis 1:1

“He [Jesus] is the image of the invisible God, the firstborn over all creation. For everything was created by him, in heaven and on earth, the visible and the invisible, whether throne or dominion or rulers or authorities – all things have been created through him and for him. He is before all things, and by him all things hold together.”

Colossians 1:15-17

Let’s think for a few minutes about the astounding assertions found in the verses quoted above. Consider the following:

• Genesis 1:1 is speaking of the beginning of creation, NOT the beginning of God. The statement actually asserts three amazing facts about God: 1) It asserts God’s eternality. God, who has existed forever, created the heavens and the earth at some point in time. However, He is not confined to time and space, but acts within time and space at His pleasure. 2) It asserts God’s creativity. God, at His discretion and for His pleasure, created everything that exists. Nothing could exist outside of God’s creative activity. 3) It asserts God’s authority over His created order. Nothing can happen within His creation other than that which has been allowed by His sovereignty.
• Colossians 1:15-17 attests to the fact that Jesus Christ is the agent of creation. All things were created by Him and for Him. And please note carefully the phrase, “by Him all things hold together.” It is by His authority that the entirety of the created order literally continues to exist. A simple illustration may be helpful. There is a power in the universe that is referred to as gravity. On our planet, it is the power of gravity that keeps everything in place. Think about how truly amazing that is. Our planet is spinning on its axis at a speed of over 25,000 miles per hour. What keeps everything from flying off the face of this planet? Gravity. But in actuality, Paul asserts that it is Christ who holds all things together. Now, expand that to encompass the entirety of the universe. What keeps the stars and planets locked in place at a consistent distance from the sun? What enables us to determine times and seasons with absolute accuracy? What is the force that maintains perfect unity in the cosmos? According to Paul, it is Jesus.
• Given the fact that all things were created by Him and for Him, it only stands to reason that nothing can happen outside of His control. Note that Paul asserts the visible as well as the invisible were created by Him. There are things visible to the human eye, and there are things that are hidden from the human eye. All of them were created by Him. Nothing exists but that which was created by Him. Thus, the summation would be that everything in all of the created order has a place and purpose in the eternal plans of God.

Nothing, absolutely nothing, can occur without God’s involvement.

Now, let’s get to the subject of this blog: how to live our best life now. What I am about to say is going to sound overly simplistic, albeit controversial, and yet it is what I feel we need to understand if we are to live life to the fullest, even in the face of a world-wide pandemic. Nothing, absolutely nothing, can occur without God’s involvement. A simple statement, but tremendously controversial for many since this concept of God does not fit within the parameters of their theological framework.

Let me try to explain what I mean by comparing Christianity in America to Christianity in the New Testament. It seems to me that American Christians, for the most part, have allowed themselves to buy into the health, wealth and prosperity gospel. Please understand when I use the word ‘gospel’ here I am not referring to the Gospel of Jesus Christ as presented in the New Testament, but rather the ‘gospel’ presented by many self-proclaimed theological experts who seem to believe that a good God would never allow bad things to happen to His people. Yet, just a cursory reading of the Bible will reveal God not only allows bad things to happen, but oftentimes ordains them to happen.

We often quote, or see quoted, this much memorized verse found in Second Chronicles:

“If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, forgive their sins, and heal their land.”

2 Chronicles 7:14

What most see here is the wonderful promise of God to hear our prayers, forgive our sins, and heal our land. And indeed, what wonderful promises they are! Yet, the preceding verse is much too often completely overlooked. Read carefully these words found in Second Chronicles 7:13:

“If I shut the sky so there is no rain, or if I command the grasshopper to consume the land, or if I send pestilence on my people…”

2 Chronicles 7:13

The “I” is emphatic, being repeated three times to stress God’s personal activity. He causes the drought; He destroys the land; He sends the pestilence. Not only does God give this warning, He displays the reality of these dire consequences time after time with His chosen people throughout the Old Testament.

There are many lessons to be learned from these observations, but I would focus on only one in this blog: the present world-wide health crisis did not catch God off-guard. Remember, since He is the creator of all, has authority over all, and governs over all, then this present crisis, along with all others throughout history, fit within the parameters of His purpose and plan.

So, how are we to live in light of this Biblical teaching? We are to live our life today, and every day, in such a way as to show our trust in Him. As believers, we are to commit our lives to Him, and trust that He will bring anything and everything into our personal experiences that fit into His purpose for our lives. For some, this will mean a life of good health, comfortable prosperity, and little hardship. For others, it will mean a life of sickness, a struggle to make ends meet, and continual heartache and hardship. Still others will experience times of each throughout their lives. From the eternal perspective, such things should be of little importance. We are to entrust our lives to Him, and believe that He always has our best interest in mind.

And finally, we are to live this life with our eyes fixed on the life to come. As I have stated in previous blogs, we need to follow the advice of the Apostle Paul. Read carefully and prayerfully these words:

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things.”

Colossians 3:1-2

To live our best life now is to live it in light of eternity. When we begin doing that, we begin seeing by faith the amazing truth that God has a purpose and plan for my life, and will only allow those things in my life that will prove to be best in light of my eternal home with Him.

Are you blind? Use your blindness for His glory. Are you stricken with a chronic illness? Use that illness for His glory. Have you suffered loss: of a loved one to death; of a business to bankruptcy; of a child to waywardness; of any of a million other possibilities? Allow Him to show you how that fits within the parameters of His plan.

And finally, learn once again from Paul through his words in his second letter to the Corinthians:

“Blessed by the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Father of mercies and the God of all comfort. He comforts us in all our affliction, so that we may be able to comfort those who are in any kind of affliction, through the comfort we ourselves receive from God. For just as the sufferings of Christ overflow to us, so also through Christ our comfort overflows. If we are afflicted, it is for your comfort and salvation. If we are comforted, it is for your comfort, which produces in you patient endurance of the same sufferings that we suffer. And our hope for you is firm, because we know that as you share in the sufferings, so you will also share in the comfort.”

2 Corinthians 1:3-7

Let’s live our best life now by entrusting our lives to Him, and trusting Him in our lives. When we have been the recipient of comfort, let us use our experience to bring comfort to others. And through it all, remember that no matter how good, or bad, this life may seem, the best life is yet to come!

Spring. Summer. Fall. Winter. Which is your personal favorite? Which of the four seasons do you look forward to the most? When asked that question, my answer has always been the same: winter! Without hesitation – without having to ponder the question, or taking a few moments to contemplate my response – winter! I have always detested the heat of summer, dreading those sweltering, humid days of misery. But I have always anticipated with great excitement the arrival of winter.

I do need to make a bit of a confession here. For much of my life, I only gave serious thought to two seasons: winter and summer. To me, spring was just a brief transitional period between winter and summer, and fall a brief transition between summer and winter. I never really gave much serious thought to these two transitional periods. But, when you consider the lunar calendar, you see that each of the four seasons are of equal duration. Each of the four is equivalent in time to each of the others. So, each of the seasons should be given equal consideration.

This really never became quite so clear to me until I had the privilege to live in the mountains of east Tennessee. Granted, I have only been here eight months, so I have not experienced the fullness of all four seasons, but I have seen enough to make a few personal observations. Arriving in late summer, I witnessed the majestic beauty of the transition between summer and fall. The mountainsides were ablaze with color. Red. Orange. Yellow. Brown. Colors bursting forth, replacing the prevalent green of summer. Such a spectacular sight.

But the brilliant colors of fall soon faded. The leaves began falling from the trees as the life-giving chlorophyll stopped flowing through the veins of the leaves. Fall slowly morphed into winter. The trees that were a few weeks earlier clothed with the greenery of foliage were now barren, seemingly lifeless. The icy fingers of winter began to entomb the trunks and branches, and it appeared that death itself had sucked the very life from the forests. The coldness and hardness of winter entombed the mountains with what appeared to be complete lifelessness. No more birds singing in the trees. No more squirrels scampering from limb to limb. An eerie, solemn, quiet fell over the mountainside. All signs of life are now gone.

The season of barrenness seemed to go on without end. Of course there were times of exquisite beauty in the midst of the barrenness. There were those mornings when we would awaken to a fresh-fallen snow. The brown, barren limbs of the trees would be covered with the bright, shimmering beauty of snow. Everything would appear so clean, so fresh, so majestic. But, alas, it would not be long before the barren limbs would once again be revealed as the snow slowly melted and disappeared.

The icy fingers of winter would slowly subside as once again the seasonal change began its transformational work. Barren limbs burst forth with the budding of new leaves. Flowering trees and shrubs dazzle the eye as reds, yellows, purples, blues, and oranges begin to glow in the warmth of the sunlight. So many different shades and hues of green blanket the mountainside with what appears to be new life springing forth from the grips of death. Birds are heard singing; squirrels are seen scampering; deer are observed grazing; signs of life are everywhere!

As the barrenness of winter gives way to the newness of spring, it is a visible, vibrant reminder that should give us renewed hope. This winter, we have not only gone through the barrenness of nature, but also through the devastation of a world-wide pandemic. We are still in the grip of this invisible enemy. The end of this battle is not yet quite in sight. However, let us hold on to the hope that this, too, will pass. The tenacious tentacles of this disease have reached the far corners of this globe we call earth, and it has not easily withdrawn its grasp.

Let us remind ourselves that this is not the first pandemic, and it will not be the last. But history proves that each of the previous pandemics have, after a period of time, subsided. It will be the same with Covid-19. How long will it last? No one knows for sure. What will be the final number of lives lost to this enemy? The record will remain unknown for a time to come.

How will we recover from the devastation left in its wake? This is one I can answer with absolute confidence: we will recover by the grace of God. It is His grace that sustains us in times of difficulty, as it does in times of prosperity. Will we ever return to “normal” after the ravages of this enemy?

I, for one, pray not. I pray that things will be vastly different. I pray that we will no longer take things for granted. Things like social gatherings, going shopping without wearing masks, shaking hands without fear of spreading or catching some invisible bacteria, walking the street without giving thought to social distancing. I pray that the Christians in our nation will no longer take for granted the freedom we have to worship corporately, and that we will no longer be intimidated about sharing our faith with our unbelieving family and friends. I pray that the coldness of this horrible season will give way to a new season of sharing our faith, showing our love, and making much of Jesus.

Seasons come and seasons go. This season will one day be behind us. We will look back with gratitude that God allowed us to survive, and we will look back with humility knowing that many didn’t. As Christians, we will – through the eyes of faith – see a sovereign God who is still enthroned, and know that, yes, all things work together for good to those who love God.

I would like to close this blog by sharing the words of one of my father’s favorite songs, Farther Along:

Farther along we’ll know more about it
Father along we’ll understand why
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand it all by and by.

Tempted and tried we’re oft made to wonder
Why it should be thus, all the day long
While there are others, living about us
Never molested though in the wrong.

When death has come and taken our loved ones
It leaves our home so lonely and drear
And then do we wonder, why others prosper
Living so wicked year after year.
 
When we see Jesus coming in glory
When He comes down from His home in the sky
Then we shall meet Him in that bright mansion
We’ll understand it all by and by.

Farther along we’ll know more about it
Father along we’ll understand why
Cheer up my brother, live in the sunshine
We’ll understand it all by and by.
 
 

Teresa and I just drove the twenty-six miles from our home in Pigeon Forge to Knoxville. The roads leading through Pigeon Forge and Sevierville are eerily quiet for this time of year in this tourist area of Tennessee. Usually, the streets are filled bumper to bumper with those coming for a visit to see the shows, visit the amusement parks, or just drive through the Great Smoky Mountain National Park.

Not this year. It is quiet. Very, very quiet. There was no traffic to contend with: no honking horns from impatient drivers ready to launch from the traffic light the millisecond it changes from red to green; no pedestrians crowding through the street crossings, blocking traffic; no window gawkers, driving slower than the 35 mile per hour speed limit allows. A veritable ghost town: businesses closed, restaurants serving only take-out or drive-through, hotels empty.

What are we to do in light of this shut-down? How are we to fill our time when we have nothing but time to fill? For those who might be a little stir-crazy, experiencing cabin fever at panic levels, let’s take a few minutes. Begin with a simple breathing exercise: breathe in, slowly, hold the breath in for a few seconds, then exhale, even more slowly. Do it again, this time with your eyes closed. Let your body relax as you do this simple breathing exercise for a couple of minutes. Purposefully allow the stress to leave your body. Silence your mind. Let the thoughts that are dominant dissipate.

Now, let your mind be filled with new thoughts. A good place to start can be found in Paul’s letter to his friends in the city of Philippi. Read these words slowly, carefully, pausing to dwell on each admonition:

“Finally, brothers and sisters, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is just, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is commendable – if there is any moral excellence and if there is anything praiseworthy – dwell on these things.”

Philippians 4:7-8

Much too often I feel we allow our minds to be filled with the wrong kind of thoughts. Right now, in the midst of this earth-shattering pandemic, it is so easy to allow our minds to focus on fear. Paul was certainly one who could have justifiably been overcome with a sense of panic. As he penned these words, he was imprisoned, awaiting word of his impending fate. He had stated earlier in this same letter that the result of this imprisonment could be his death, and in light of that he made the startling assertion:

“For me, to live is Christ and to die is gain.”

Philippians 1:21

How could he possibly have made such a statement? Simply because Paul behaved according to his belief. Let me say that again, and please, allow the words to settle deeply in your mind and spirit: Paul behaved according to his belief. He truly believed that anything and everything he experienced in this life was unworthy of being compared with what awaited him beyond physical death. He then maintained a proper perspective on what happens here and now by focusing on things that await the believer in Jesus Christ. Listen to his words in his letter to the Colossians:

“So if you have been raised with Christ, seek the things above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God. Set your minds on things above, not on earthly things. For you died, and your life is hidden with Christ in God.”

Colossians 3:1-3

Focus your mind on things above! We too often have our minds fixed steadfastly on things of the earth, and we feel overwhelmed, defeated, disillusioned, distressed. But wait! If you have been raised with Christ – if you are a born again believer in the saving power of Jesus’ sacrificial death, victorious resurrection, and triumphant ascension to the right hand of His Father – then you are eternally established on the solid Rock of Ages. Please, please, I beseech you in the name of our Lord Himself, dwell on these things!

And if you do, then I can assure you of the most reassuring thought you can have in these difficult times. Again, directly from the words of the Apostle Paul:

“Don’t worry about anything, but in everything, through prayer and petition with thanksgiving, present your requests to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard your hearts and minds in Christ Jesus”

Philippians 4″6-7

To paraphrase: turn to God, trust in God, leave the results to God, and experience the peace of God. This is my prayer for everyone who reads these words. Amen!

Let’s face it: these are truly uncertain times. We listen intently to those who are supposedly experts telling us what we can expect in the coming days, weeks, and months. Those expectations have changed radically over the course of time as fresh, new statistics continue to show the experts really don’t have a clue. Their speculations are much better than the average Joe or Judy on the street, but still, they are only speculations. Even the most learned, educated, and qualified to make statements concerning the present state of Covid-19 have been proven wrong on many occasions. It seems that the only real certainty is that nothing is certain.

I am writing this blog on Palm Sunday. Allow me to review the story briefly. Jesus makes His way into the city of Jerusalem. It is truly a sight to behold as He enters the city, and the crowds gather to see this Man who had captured the attention of the world. Many in the crowd began to spread their clothes on the road, while others cut branches from trees and spread them out before Jesus. It was at this point that the crowds began shouting:

“Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”

Matthew 21:9

This event was the moment in time that changed everything. It started a series of events that would take place over the next several days which would ultimately lead to Jesus’ betrayal, arrest, trial, false accusation, and crucifixion. What appeared on Palm Sunday to be the crowning moment His disciples had long awaited and anticipated, became the beginning of the end – at least for their dreams and expectations.

The disciples watched, day after day, as Jesus confronted different groups concerning their false hopes which were based on false beliefs. He systematically destroyed the arguments of the chief priest, the elders, the Pharisees, the Sadducees, and the Herodians. In doing this, His enemies became more antagonistic toward Him than ever before. They were even more determined to destroy Jesus before He could do more damage to their false religious system.

Over the next few days, it became obvious that what seemed so certain on Palm Sunday was becoming more uncertain by the moment. The crowds began to dwindle down in size. Those who had just a few days before shouted accolades to Jesus were now quiet, subdued, uncertain of the events unfolding before them. Their voices now silenced, they waited anxiously to see what might come out of these events.

Finally, after watching the tide turn against Jesus, those who had once shouted accolades now shouted accusation. As Jesus was tried and pronounced guilty of trumped-up charges, they were caught up in the frenzy of the moment. As the religious leaders cried out, “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” the chant grew louder and louder as the multitude was swayed in riotous agreement with them.

The disciples watched in horror as Jesus was sentenced to die. The certainty they had felt a few days earlier is shattered, and the uncertainty of the moment sank in. Jesus, their leader, their Savior, their Lord, was now dead. Can you imagine what they might have felt in those next three days?

Darkness. Despair. Hopelessness. Loss. Meaninglessness. Grief. Sadness. A sense of horror. A feeling of anguish. A rush of guilt. A flood of memories. An avalanche of abandonment. The crush of defeat. The reality of death. The confusion. The perplexity. The misunderstanding. The displaced faith. ALL IS LOST!
Can you imagine how they tried to reason through the events of the last hours. How they had been so deceived to follow Jesus, with all His outlandish claims, and His lofty teachings? How they had forsaken all to follow Him? And now THIS! THIS?
The crush of Saturday is settling in. The reality of His death is taking hold. The loss of everything has taken all hope, and left them reeling in the aftermath.

This is exactly how many seem to be feeling in this time of uncertainty. The disciples isolated themselves behind closed doors, just as many are doing now. Some out of obedience to the stay-at-home instructions from our local and federal government, but some out of sheer fear because of the uncertainty of what might be happen if we should step outside of our homes.

But let’s remember: the darkness and despair were dispelled on Sunday! For the disciples, cowered behind closed, bolted doors, the news of the resurrection shattered the shackles of darkness and gave them a renewed sense of hope. The uncertainty caused by Jesus’ death is now replaced with the certainty of His power over death, hell and the grave. Those who had been paralyzed by the reality of His death are now set free by the power of His resurrection.

As I stated in my last blog, our only hope is Jesus Christ. The disciples learned that on resurrection Sunday. For those of us who have entrusted our lives to Jesus Christ as our only means of salvation, we now have the same Spirit living within us as did the disciples. Their fear was replaced with boldness. The cloud of uncertainty was replaced with the light of certainty: certainty that they were now victors, regardless of what life might throw their way.

At the present time we are voluntarily practicing safe-distancing, and staying at home except for doing the things outside the home that are necessary. But please know: this, too, will pass. Look above the cloud of uncertainty to the throne of the One who gives certainty. Let’s keep our eyes on Him – the Author and Finisher of our faith.

And above all, remember this: SUNDAY’S COMING!

If you had the power to do something – alleviate pain, cure cancer, stop famine, control the weather, etc. – would you do it? That really sounds like an absurd question, but in reality that is exactly where we are, isn’t it? We’re wondering why God doesn’t intervene, why He doesn’t step in and destroy this virus that is literally shutting down the world. And because of that, the age-old questions surface once again: if God is all-powerful yet does not intervene, then He cannot be good; or if He is good and really cares about His human creation yet does not intervene, then He cannot be all-powerful. We begin to convince ourselves that these are the only two options.

But, could there be other options available? Could there be another explanation which embraces both the omnipotence of God, as well as the goodness of God? There has to be, or we are left to believe that God is an uncaring, unloving, less-than-powerful Being that is not worthy of our worship.

We might try to resolve this paradox by using the analogy of the relationship between a parent and child. As a loving, caring parent, we truly want the best for our children. We don’t want them to suffer in any way. We try our best to protect them from harm. We strive to teach them to embrace proper values which will guide them in their decision making as they grow into adulthood. However, no matter how much effort we put into protecting them, they still suffer. They contract childhood diseases, suffer bumps and bruises, reject the values we work so hard to instill in their young, impressionable minds, and suffer the consequences of poor decisions.

Then, sadly, some parents reach the conclusion that to continue to protect their children from their self-imposed path of destruction will do more harm than to allow them to suffer the consequences of their actions. So, as painful as it is for the parent to watch, they allow their child to go down a path that will cause great personal pain and anguish.

I realize the analogy breaks down because we cannot compare the powers of a finite, fallen human being with the infinite God of the universe, but please follow along with me for a few more minutes. As we turn to the words of Scripture seeking answers, we may be surprised at the things we learn. We learn, for example, from the story of Adam and Eve, that God set parameters for them which would ensure their well-being if they would remain within those parameters. Could God have created them in such a way that they could not choose to step outside of those God-ordained parameters? Of course He could! Yet that would mean human beings were nothing more than automatons, robots, pre-wired with no ability to choose anything outside of the God-ordained parameters.

However, God did not create a race of robots; He created a race of humans to whom He gave the right to make real choices, even those in direct defiance of His pre-ordained parameters. Consequences would be suffered for those decisions, but Adam and Eve had the freedom to choose. And, by choosing as they did, they suffered dire consequences, and also unleashed on the world the curse for their recklessness.

A huge consequence of their insubordination was the unleashing of God’s curse on the earth. The original family was banished from the pristine, perfect paradise of Eden, and forbidden to ever return. The earth would no longer produce as it had before the fall, but would only produce through the toil and sweat of the human family.

As we follow along the developing story of humanity as presented in Scripture, we see the unfolding of the catastrophic results of the fall. Diseases of all kind, natural disasters of titanic proportions, hatred among different people groups, wars, famine, earthquakes, epidemics, and yes, even pandemics. The human family was cursed.

Dotted throughout history we read of all manner of hardships and heartaches caused by the curse. The present Covid-19 pandemic is another of many that have come and gone before. In just the past forty years we have witnessed the following: HIV/Aids, 1981- present; Swine flu, 2009-10; SARS, 2002-03; Ebola, 2014-16; MERS, 2015-present; Covid-19, 2019-present. These are all examples of the affects of the curse God pronounced on the earth.

We must surmise from this the truth that all such pandemics are the result of man’s freedom to choose defiance of the will of God over submission to the will of God. The results of the fall of man continue to escalate, and will actually proliferate as time goes on.

As I stated in an earlier blog: chances are that you will not die from Covid-19. However, something will eventually take your life. The Bible gives ample teaching concerning this subject, and even for those who do not believe the Bible, history proves the point. So, the matter of being prepared for death is of utmost importance. God has graciously provided a means through which individuals may be prepared for death: Jesus Christ. And for anyone who might think God cannot possibly bring something good out of a pandemic, please remember this: He provided salvation through the most horrific event in all of human history. When Jesus Christ died on the cross, the devil was defeated, the curse was dealt a death blow, and the avenue from death into life was opened wide for everyone who would accept God’s offer of grace.

In the meantime, the effects of the curse still rage. Sickness, disease, death, war, famine, earthquakes, etc. etc. will continue to intensify until the very moment Jesus Christ personally intervenes in history once again. The results of the curse should be a reminder to each of us that life is short, time is limited, and history as we know it will end. Please, I beg of you, make sure you are prepared for eternity by turning to, and trusting in, the Lord and Savior, Jesus Christ. He is our ONLY hope.