Look at who was in the fruit bowl this 2020 Pentecost morning!
The Friendly Lemon
Faith
Pentecost Fire
And there appeared unto them cloven tongues like as of fire, and it sat upon each of them.
Acts 2:3
Are you alone?
Be still, and know that I am God
Psalm 46:10
“I was never less alone than when alone.”
Publius Cornelius Scipio Africanus
A Lesson from Michaelangelo
Michelangelo apparently said that in every block of marble there was a beautiful statue and all that he did was to remove the marble covering the statue. Easy!
A lesson? Yes. In every bad situation, good is waiting to come out’ What should we do? Work hard to get rid of what is bad so the good can grow and flourish. The good is there even in worrying times.
One day Michaelangelo started chipping away at a beautiful block of marble.
Here is what he found inside the marble! No further comment except wow!
John Piper on the Coronavirus and Christ
I have just finished reading a new book by John Piper – “Coronavirus and Christ”.
The book is clearly written and reads easily.
It is packed with Scripture and source references.
It is full of insights and teachings relevant for us during these worrying pandemic times.
You can find out more about the book here. This is NOT a monetised link.
It is amazing that John Piper got the book written and published in such a short time. I can only assume that he felt called to do this and to get the message in the book out to as many people as possible, as soon as possible.
The book certainly conveys a sense of justified urgency.
I am sure you will find reading the book helpful during the pandemic.
In case you do not know. John Piper is the founder and lead teacher of desiringGod.org of Bethlehem College and Seminary. For 33 years he served as senior pastor of Bethlehem Baptist Church in Minneapolis, Minnesota. He is the author of more than 50 books. (From the back of the book)
Two Faith Centring Articles
I honestly believe that reading the two articles below will strengthen the faith of any Christian.
Especially now during the (lets be honest) frightening pandemic.
Remember the saying “it’s where the rubber hits the road”?
The author of the articles, Dr Kathryn Butler, cannot be closer to the “road”. She is a trauma and critical care surgeon turned writer and home schooling mom. Currently she is out of retirement and serving in the ICU of an American Hospital caring for COVID19 patients. She lives north of Boston.
I suggest you read the first article first and then the second article.
The first article is: “If God Doesn’t Heal You” Click
The second article is: “Even in the ICU – Why hope will conquer death” Click
If you find the two articles helpful, please tell others about them.
Keep safe.
Question: Will God deliver us from the Corona Virus?
Will God act and deliver us from the Corona Virus as He promised in Psalm 91:3?
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May the contents of this post, and the meditation of my heart, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, my strength, and my redeemer.
My prayer is that nobody’s faith is damaged by this post. I pray rather that their faith be strengthened.
Question:Will God deliver on His promise in Psalm 91:3?
Short Answer: Yes
Main Reason: We have Christ’s word for it.
REASONS
Start with Psalm 91:1-3 KJV
91 He that dwelleth in the secret place of the most High shall abide under the shadow of the Almighty.
2 I will say of the Lord, He is my refuge and my fortress: my God; in him will I trust.
3 Surely he shall deliver thee from the snare of the fowler, and from the noisome pestilence.
The definition of “pestilence” in a Cambridge Dictionary is “any very
serious infectious disease that spreads quickly and kills large numbers of people”.
The Corona virus (COVID-19) clearly falls within this definition.
Surely therefore it is reasonable to interpret the last part of Psalm 91:3 to read follows;-
Surely God will “deliver thee” from the Corona virus (COVID-19).
Is God doing that at the moment ( April 2020)?
Many, many people in the world are infected with the virus and will become infected. Many people have died and will die.
Many of these people will be committed Christians.
This may cause many people to sadly conclude that God is not delivering on His promise of protection against pestilence in Psalm 91:3.
Are they right?
It goes without saying that this is an extremely serious question which calls for prayerful consideration. .
My genuine humble opinion is that it is incorrect to conclude that God is not delivering on His promise of protection against pestilence in Psalm 91:3.
It may be useful to note upfront that verse 3 does not say God is delivering us, it states that God will deliver us. That is why it is not right or logical to use verse 3 to conclude that God is not delivering right now on His promise of protection against pestilence in Psalm 91:3. The word “will” tells us it is a promise about the future. More about this below.
Consider:
First, Scripture does not teach that the Lord always grants divine blanket protection for all believers in all circumstances (see website at end of post). Two thousand years of martyrs dying painful deaths confirms this. Remember: In the 23rd Psalm God promises to be with us as we “walk through the valley of the shadow of death. God does not promise to lead us round the valley.
Second, and here we come to Psalm 91:3. Lets look at it carefully:
Consider again the word “will
“Surely he will save you
from the fowler’s snare
and from the deadly pestilence.“
“will” refers to the future. So the verse is saying: Even if you get the virus and no matter what the virus may do to you, your eternal security remains secure. Ultimately God will save you from the “deadly pestilence”. Remember: The Psalms often “look forward to eternity”.
Note that the verse does not say when God will save us from “deadly pestilence”. It could be now, some other time during our lifetime or even beyond.
Remember: In this life God grants us not security from all human ills, but security in (Christ).
Hear what Jesus said about the eternal security He has given to us:
John 6:37-40 KJV
37 “All those the Father gives me will come to me, and whoever comes to
37 All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out.
38 For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me.
39 And this is the Father’s will which hath sent me, that of all which he hath given me I should lose nothing, but should raise it up again at the last day.
40 And this is the will of him that sent me, that every one which seeth the Son, and believeth on him, may have everlasting life: and I will raise him up at the last day.”
This is why Paul wrote in Romans 8:35,37,38 and 39 as follows (COVID-19 added!):
Romans 8:35.37,38 and 39 KJV
“35 Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?
37 Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us.
38 For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come,
39 Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, not even Covid-19, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.”
There is no doubt that God will save us from COVID-19. We know not when or where. However we do know that final victory is certain and secure. We have Christ’s own word for it. In His farewell teaching to His apostles He said:
John 16:33 King James Version (KJV)
33 “These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world”.
May the peace of God, which transcends all understanding, guard our hearts and our minds in Christ Jesus.
Praise the Lord
May the contents of this post, be acceptable in thy sight, O Lord, our strength, and our redeemer.
Acknowledgment
An article on the UK Apologetics Website helped me with this post. \Some phrases and ideas on the website have been used in this post. I recommend that you go to the website. Click here.
Here is the link to an excellent article about God and the pandemic, written by a Jesuit Priest. It is well written, well reasoned and clear. Above all it is honest. Click here. I came across the article after I had written the above post.
Antinomy
Spoiler alert: I am about to punch light years above my weight!
Let us go.
“Antinomy” is not a word that pops up a lot when we are reading, unless we may be reading about logic, philosophy or theology.
The Encyclopaedia Britannica defines “antinomy” as:
“Antinomy, in philosophy, contradiction, real or apparent, between two principles or conclusions, both of which seem equally justified; it is nearly synonymous with the term paradox.” See definition
Let us look at some examples of some antinomies. There are apparently plenty of them in the Bible and in Science.
Biblical antinomies are behind “God’s sovereignty vs. free” will debate (compare John 3:16 with Ephesians 1: 11).
In Science, the question is asked: Is light a particle or a wave? Can it be both?
(Take it easy. I warned you that I would punch above my weight!)
So, how are antinomies dealt with?
A humble theologian might say:
“Scriptural antinomies arise out of revealed truth beyond the capability of our finite minds to comprehend. There may be theology above our anthropomorphized understanding of God and His ways that will show that there are not contradictions. I gather this may be the road down which Immanuel Kant may have traveled. To reject Kant’s approach may require Biblical interpretation worthy of a gold medal in verbal gymnastics to resolve Biblical antinomies.”
A humble scientist might say:
“The contradiction between two laws of science may only be apparent. Science may one day come up with an explanation. Perhaps one or both of the laws will be shown to be wrong. Let us keep an open mind,”
An open-minded logician or philosopher might say:
“There may be laws of logic beyond our finite ability to reason which show that there is logic beyond the law of contradiction which states that “contradictory propositions cannot both be true in the same sense at the same time”. The perplexing antinomy may not exist in this higher logic.”
Who knows?
Antinomies are here to stay!
How do you deal with them? Good luck!
Oh yes- Don’t forget my spoiler alert!
Photo by Alex Block on Unsplash
The Message of Spring
Behold the Light of the world! Our Lord will turn all our dark winters into the blazing glory of His eternal spring. Praise the Lord. Photo: Early morning spring in Hertfordshire, England, a few days ago. April 2020
Photo – Stephen Bartels.
johnbartels.com 