A Cruise to Nowhere

     This coming weekend, we were supposed to go on a cruise along with our daughter, son-in-law and three grandchildren.  Then, along came COVID-19.  We watched and waited as we saw two cruise ships with passengers under quarantine.  Still, we held out hope that these would be isolated incidences.  In addition, our youngest son and his wife were planning a lovely anniversary cruise the week after ours.  However, as news kept coming in and the virus continued to spread, it looked much less likely that we should go.  Can any of us imagine what an extra two weeks on a cruise ship stuck in your cabin would be like?  Plus many ports were beginning to turn ships away for fear of someone having the virus.  Fortunately, our cruise line recognized the potential danger for passengers and cancelled the cruise allowing us to get future cruise credit so we can rebook.  Disappointed?  Yes.  Thankful to be safe?  Definitely.
     More than anything, this proves how God is sovereign over all the affairs of man.  He knows what is best and what lies ahead.  Daily we ask Him for protection and then, we seem surprised when our own plans fall through.  Proverbs 16:9 tells us:  "The heart of man plans his way, but the LORD establishes his steps."  Thankfully, God who is omniscient knows all things and can see what we cannot.  When we commit ourselves to Him with trust, we know He will direct us in the right course of action.  In this case, we are so grateful to avoid potential problems.
     While our country and others around the world are facing the spread of this potentially dangerous virus, we need to focus on the grace of God and His care for us.  Psalm 37 reminds us that the Lord is there to pick us up when we need it and to protect us as well.  Verse 23-24 read:  "23 The steps of a man are established by the LORD, when he delights in his way;  24 though he fall, he shall not be cast headlong, for the LORD upholds his hand."  This verse reminds us that God has laid out for us the steps we are to take.  Yet, if we go astray and fall, He will uphold us.  What a mighty God we serve!
     Later in Psalm 37:25-26 we find more confirmation of God's preserving protection of His own:
25 I have been young, and now am old, yet I have not seen the righteous forsaken or his children begging for bread.  26 He is ever lending generously, and his children become a blessing."  This is a great set of verses to meditate on during a time when people are panic buying in grocery stores over
this current Pandemic.  God will provide for us and meet our needs.  He cares for every detail of our lives.  This should be so evident to those of us who trust in Jesus Christ His Son our Savior.  If God did not care about us, He would never have sent His Son to be the sacrifice for our sins.
     Finally in Verse 28:a,b, we are once more reassured of God's protection:  "28 For the LORD loves justice; he will not forsake his saints.  They are preserved forever,...." All of these Words from the Bible should give us a big sigh of relief.  God is Lord over the Coronavirus.  Yes, our lives are changed as a result of efforts to stop the spread.  Some of us had major plans that had to be put off, but we should not be discouraged.  When we are freely able to move around again without fear of infection, we should rejoice knowing that God was watching out for us.  We must not lose sight of this fact, and pray for those who have been affected by this virus.
     As we spend more time in our homes right now, lets pray, read the Bible and trust in the Lord of our creation.  He will see us through this time if we will keep our eyes on Him and not on our circumstances.  Selah!

Ever Faithful and Never Changing

     My father used to say that there was nothing more certain in life than "change".  He was right!  When we raised our four children, I found out very quickly how fast their minds would change when we took shopping trips.  This was especially true when I had promised them a treat.  First they would decide on one thing and in a few moments, they would decide on another.  Finally, I would have to say that if they could not make up their minds there would be no treats.  This usually stopped the cycle of indecision.  Lets face it.  All of us can be pretty fickle at times.  Thank goodness, though, we serve a God who is immutable or never changing.
    In reading the story of Balaam and Balak in the Book of Numbers (chapters 22-24), we find out that what God says He will do...He will do.  God does not equivocate like we do, and for that I am so grateful.  Balak, who was
the king in Moab, was terribly fearful of the Israelites who had camped not far away.  He saw that they defeated the Amorites, and thought this might be the fate of Moab as well.  So, he sent for his advisors and sent them to seek out Balaam who practiced divination and magic.  His goal was to have this man curse the Israelites so they would not win against Moab.  Balaam refused to go.  However, after much entreaty by Balak and discussion with the Lord, he went to meet with him.  God had told him not to say anything which He did not say about His people though.  Balaam made it clear to the king that he could only say that which the Lord told him to say.
     On the first occasion of seeing the people of Israel, Balaam could only bless the people of Israel.  This was not acceptable to Balak; so he had Balaam come to a different spot to observe the people.  Once again, God told Balaam only to bless the people and not curse them.  In his second oracle, he revealed something very important for us all to know.  Chapter 23 verse 19-20 reads:  "God is not a man, that He should lie, or a son of man, that He should change His mind.  Has He said and will He not do it?  Or has He spoken, and will He not fulfill it?    Behold, I received a command to bless; He has blessed, and I cannot revoke it."  This portion of Scripture should be a blessing to everyone who reads and understands it.  The Lord will not change his mind.  His commandments stand for all time and His Word never changes.  Therefore, we can rely upon it.  Even when given a third chance to curse Israel, Balaam could not violate what God had said.  While Balak was frustrated, we can have peace of mind knowing that what God promises is certain.
     In the New Testament, the writer of Hebrews reaffirms the immutability of God in chapter 13 verse 8:  "Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever."  He made this statement to encourage believers not to fall for false teachings that were spreading around.  What God proclaims is the truth stands no matter what man may say or do.  It does not change.
     Living in this fallen world is often difficult because people do let us down.  They make promises they do not keep or change their minds in a heartbeat.  Its almost like "trying to nail Jell-O to a tree" when it comes to getting people to keep their word.  Nevertheless, we can trust in God because He never wavers, changes or breaks His promise to us.  The Bible is proof of that as we read through its pages.  Time after time, God keeps His Word to His people.
     Through the new covenant we have in Jesus Christ by His blood, we are redeemed and given eternal life in Him when we confess our sins and believe.  He will come again for His bride the church as certainly as Balaam could not curse the children of Israel for King Balak.  This should give us peace and great joy.  Do not allow this world or the things in this world to drag you down because we have a God who never changes and His Word will never pass away.  Selah!

A War Within

     My favorite Uncle, Paul Engel, was not only a dentist but a great Civil War buff.  He loved collecting guns from the era and also participating in reenactments.  He could recite all sorts of information and had many books on the topic.  Since I loved history, I always enjoyed listening to him as he recounted stories of battles.  To be certain, it was a terrible war with a high cost in human life, and the worst part was that it was a battle within our own country.  The scars left took a long time to heal.  While this was a terrible conflict, there is a battle going on today inside each one of us that we have to face on a daily basis.
     In Peters first letter to believers (Chapter 2), he is addressing young Christians and encouraging them in their walk with Christ.  Verses 9-12 remind us to whom we belong and how special we are in God's sight.  It also reminds us to be ready for the battle against our flesh which is at war with the new person we are in Christ.  "9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out of darkness into his marvelous light. 10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God's people; once you had not received mercy, but now you have received mercy.
11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of the flesh, which wage war against your soul. 12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the day of visitation."  John Owen (Voices from the Past, pg. 63) puts it this way:  "The general nature of indwelling sin is that it is always at enmity with us.  There can be no terms of peace.  It must be abolished and destroyed, every part and parcel of it.  Every drop of poison is poison, and will kill; and every spark of fire is fire, and will burn.  We can admit no terms of peace or compromise."
     John Owens goes on to say that some people give in to sin because it persists until they relent.  However, when we give into sin, it only brings more sin our way.  For example, if we tell a lie, we know it can often lead to more lies until we are caught in our own web.  When the truth comes out, it is often more painful for us than if we had merely been honest to begin with.  This is a struggle all Christians face and we will not be free from that old sin nature until we are face to face with the Lord.  However, the Good News is that "I have been crucified with Christ. It is no longer I who live, but Christ who lives in me. And the life I now live in the flesh I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me." (Galatians 2:20).  To put it another way, we do not have to listen to the old sin nature any longer.  We are a new creation in Christ!  The only way the old nature can bring us down is if we give in to it and indulge once again in a sinful conduct or habit.
     Before Jesus ascended into heaven, He told his disciples He would send another comforter who would be with us and in us.  We know Him as the Holy Spirit who is our guide, our strength and who brings to mind the Scripture just when we need it.  Yet, for the Holy Spirit to effectively work within our hearts that are often weak, we need to immerse ourselves in God's Word.  The more we read the truth about God, sin and our salvation the stronger we will become as believers.  Think about this.  How can the Holy Spirit bring Scripture to our mind when we are tempted if we never read it?
     Furthermore, we need to bathe our hearts in prayer to God each day.  He refreshes our souls as we spend time talking to Him.  Jesus knew this and often retreated to a quiet place to spend time praying.  It is a pattern for us.  Likewise, Jesus was also tempted in all ways such as we are, but He never sinned.  Yes, He was perfect, but in Peter's second letter, he wrote these words:  "His divine power has granted to us all things that pertain to life and godliness, through the knowledge of him who called us to his own glory and excellence..."(2 Peter 1:3).  The Lord has given to us the Bible, prayer, and the power of the Holy Spirit to guide us so that we may be overcomers even as our Lord was.
     We do not not have to lose the war within.  We
 have to study to show ourselves approved of God and labor to rise above the lusts of our flesh.  This is a journey we are on which requires our effort to put to death those old patterns we lived before we became a Christian.  Praise God, though, that He has given us all the tools at hand and His very presence within to help us every step of the way.  Take heart for each day we can have victory in Christ as we seek His wisdom in the battles we face.  Selah!