April 17, 2020

Brothers and Sisters,

The past couple of days I’ve given you some information on what’s happening in our world and while I firmly believe that we as Christians don’t need to stick our head in the sand and pretend like everything is Ok in the world, we should not base our reactions on how things are looking around us.  When a person’s hope is centered in this world (finances, pleasures, etc.) it will only lead to a miserable life.  (1 Corinthians 15:19)  If in this life only we have hope in Christ, we are of all men most miserable.

So, let’s take our eyes away from our surroundings this morning for just a little bit and look to the Word of God for encouragement.  The Bible says (2 Corinthians 5:7) For we walk by faith, not by sight.  

The Apostle Paul tells us in (2 Corinthians 4:17-18)  For our light affliction, which is but for a moment, worketh for us a far more exceeding and eternal weight of glory; while we look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen: for the things which are seen are temporal; but the things which are not seen are eternal.

The Bible says that Moses endured by seeing Him who is invisible: (Hebrews 11:27) By faith he (Moses) forsook Egypt (which is a type of the world), not fearing the wrath of the king: for he endured, as seeing him who is invisible.

This is exactly how you and I will be able to endure through what we are facing in these days.  Remember that our light affliction is but for a moment.  We must learn to look not at the things which are seen, but at the things which are not seen because the things we can see with our physical eyes are only temporal, but the things which we cannot see are eternal.  

Let’s keep our spiritual eyes focused on the Lord.  Even though He is invisible to our physical sight, we know that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.  (Hebrews 11:6)  But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.

Faith will overcome the world.  Listen to what the Bible says this morning, (1 John 5:4) For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith.  

Overcoming the world through our faith,

Bro. Rick