The world

 

God so loved the world!

-      The entire cosmos?  Yes , He made it and in love intends the best for it.

-       The entire human race?  Yes, He designed all people to live in relationship with Himself as God's friends

What went wrong that our world is in such a mess?  -  The evil one, Satan, promoted a lie and humanity has rebelled ever since.

God's love has secured a way for all people to reconnect with God:

-      By keeping 10 commandments?  No

-      By following a particular religion?   No

God sent His only Son (Jesus) and through His death and rising to life again, reconciliation is offered free.  Jesus Christ paid the offence of our sin and rebellion, so that everyone who believes in the Lord Jesus Christ is forgiven and granted a place in the family of God.

"To as many as received HIM, He gave the authority to become children of God"  (John 1:12)

The Holy Spirit seals every believer as belonging to God.

 

"For God so loved the world, that He gave His only Son, so that whoever believes in Him, will not perish but have eternal life"    (John 3:16)

johnmckee@internode.on.net

In times like these

 

Hope in the world of uncertainty

Life for many has changed. The covid pandemic has changed government focus, changed liberties we never thought would change – like travel. The thinking of society has changed from fear to frustration.

In Australia we are fortunate to have less infections and deaths, but the lockdowns to achieve this are frustrating many.

For the present generation, this is all new. So what are the answers to our situation?  History can teach us much.    3,500 years ago, Moses, as the mouthpiece of God taught the value of quarantining.    2000 years ago Jesus taught the value of trusting God each day for what we need (not want).   1950 years ago, Paul showed by example that the things of this life are very temporary and living for the next life is more important.

So where are we today?  - surrendering to media manipulation – fear?  - losing hope that our dreams will fail?   - Blaming others for not handling the situation well?      -    It has all happened before!

 

God has a plan.  His priority plan is for people to turn from sin and self, to trust in Him through Jesus Christ the Lord.

He also has plans for powerful people.  – To learn how helpless they are in the presence of this almost invisible little virus.- helpless to control it, helpless financially, helpless socially, helpless internationally, helpless mentally!

He also has plans for the nations. Alliances seemed so strong, military might so powerful, economies so promising. Soon the alliances will be based on the rejection of Jesus Christ as Lord. The man of sin will unite unbelieving people.

But to His own, scattered throughout the nations, there is only one solution, one King, one Lord who is Jesus Christ. He was once pierced when crucified. He now sees with grief the rebellion of humanity. He soon will appear to judge all evil and the evil one. Until that day, we can expect the LORD  God to allow tribulations so that people  might repent and believe the Gospel

Even so come Lord Jesus