But thank God storms pass! In realizing that—despite what the doom and gloom prophets say—this storm, too, will pass!
But think about the future, what will we say or think after this storm has passed? Will it be another Y2K fiasco where the world makes fun of Christians who forecast "the end of the world as we know it"?
My challenge to you is simply "What will you remember most about this span of time"? Or let me be even a little more direct. What will you think of your attitude when all this is over? Will you be pleased or disappointed by the way you faced this crisis?
Remember, the Lord says that without faith it is impossible to please Him…or the just shall live by...what? The Financial Review? 60 Minutes? No, the just shall live by faith!
People are watching you and me to see how we handle this crisis. We are the people with the answers! Shouldn't we at least be living like we believe what we preach? People need answers and they need "our" answers.
The fear from the global economic crisis continues to have a profound impact on many people, however as believers we may be "in the world" but we are not "of the world." We are citizens of the Kingdom of Heaven so we should do what the Word of God says in Galatians 5:16 (paraphrased), that if we are citizens of the Kingdom of God, we should start to live like it!
In Matthew 6:33 Jesus told us: "But seek first the kingdom of God and His righteousness and all these things be added to you." What are these things He is referring to? The necessities of life, what we shall eat, drink and wear! Notice He says they will be added!
I love the passage in 2 Peter 1:2-3: "Grace and peace be multiplied to you in the knowledge of God and of Jesus our Lord, as His divine power has given to us all things that pertain to life and godliness...."
Everything that pertains to life has been given or provided for us—now! All we need to do is believe and begin to act as though it were true!
I don't know about you, but that excites me! That my Heavenly Father has already provided everything I will need for this life and He has provided it for us—now! Then back up to the passage in Matthew 5, where we are urged to seek first the Kingdom (and His righteousness) and the necessities of life shall—not perhaps—but shall be added to you!
If we are to be the answer for hurting people, we need to do in our crisis what we will tell them to do in theirs! If we are citizens of the Kingdom—now is the time to act like it!
During this time of great adversity, adopt the same measures in the Spirit as you would in nature. Shut all windows and doors and read the survival manual—the Word of God!
If we have done all these things in the Spirit, closing off all entrances for negativity, meditating on the Word, feeding off of the Word, and keeping tuned into the Holy Spirit...if we have done all this, we will come out victoriously!
Dare to believe it. Dare to act like a citizen of the Kingdom. Dare to take God at His Word!
This storm too shall pass....
All rights reserved. Used by permission.