May 7
Ps 12-17; 19-21
Are you afraid? Please don't be afraid to admit if you're afraid during these unsettling times. If you are afraid, please ask any born again Christian if they are afraid. If and when they answer, "No", please ask them "why not?" This could be the most important question and answer of your lives. Though many chose to hide away in 2020-2021 some like myself who provided care as a physician did not. Yet, I can honestly state that I have not feared. In Psalm 139:16, David states, "You saw me before I was born. Every day of my life was recorded in your book. Every moment was laid out before a single day had passed." Acknowledging this, God already knows exactly how and when I am going to die. It is fixed and will not change. I trust Him completely. My desire in life is purpose, not longevity. Secondly, when I breathe my last, I know without a doubt where my next breath will be. It will be in heaven. Jesus in Matthew 7:13-14, clearly states that this will not be the case for the majority of individuals. So, do I think that I'm better than most? Do I believe that my good works have earned me this reward? The answer is, No! I don't think or believe that I'm any better than anyone who might be reading this. If I asked you to live in my house, all you would have to do is follow a few of my rules, and since there is not much of a difference in your goodness and my goodness, it would probably be an easy transition. But my hope and my request is to live in God's house. His standard is perfection, and no matter how hard I try, this is a standard that is impossible for me to attain. So my calmness is because my entry is not based on my perfection, but on Jesus' perfection, and the perfection of His sacrifice and therefore the payment for my sins. After repentance (or changing my mind as opposed to justifying my sins), and acceptance of Jesus' perfect sacrifice, my eternal destination is not up for debate, but certain, as we read in Romans 10:9, " If you openly declare that Jesus is Lord and believe in your heart that God raised him from the dead, you will be saved." So, in short, this is why I'm not afraid, despite our drastically changing world that we find ourselves living in.
We read in Psalm 14:1-3, "Only fools say in their hearts, “There is no God.” They are corrupt, and their actions are evil; The Lord looks down from heaven on the entire human race; he looks to see if anyone is truly wise, if anyone seeks God. But no, all have turned away; all have become corrupt. No one does good, not a single one! not one of them does good!" Paul uses this in Romans 3:10-12, to tell others that none of us can be saved by our own goodness. In fact, Paul clearly states in Romans 3:23, " For everyone has sinned; we all fall short of God’s glorious standard." Paul uses this section of condemnation to turn the reader's eyes towards Jesus as the only hope for their salvation, which he lays out in Romans 3:21-26. Notice the hope and the fearlessness of David, despite his situation, in Psalm 16:7-11, "I will bless the Lord who guides me; even at night my heart instructs me. I know the Lord is always with me. I will not be shaken, for he is right beside me. No wonder my heart is glad, and I rejoice. My body rests in safety. For you will not leave my soul among the dead or allow your holy one to rot in the grave. You will show me the way of life, granting me the joy of your presence and the pleasures of living with you forever." David faced his situation fearlessly, because he trusted not in his abilities, but in God's abilities.
If you have placed your hopes in anything else other than Jesus Christ as the answer to your fear, if you haven't realized it yet, you will eventually realize that it will never satisfy. If your hope is in a vaccine, you might not be happy with some of the effects of this experimental vaccine, and might be a bit alarmed that they keep recommending booster after booster. If your hope is in a political candidate, a particular political party, or some legal solution, none of these solutions ever last, they are simply temporary band-aids on a broken system. If it is on money, a retirement account, etc., these evaporate. If it is in a loved one, a family member, no person can last forever. Only God can state that " I will never leave you nor forsake you" (Hebrews 13:5). Only Jesus can state that not even death can separate Him from us (Romans 8:35-39). Jesus has always been the answer and always will be the answer. He is worthy to be trusted and placing your lives in His hands is the security that you need so that every day can be faced fearlessly.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: