Participants:
Series Code: IIWC
Program Code: IIWC201927S
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00:02 a series on the unseen enemy and they reported that there are enemies lurking in our society
00:09 that could be just as deadly as a terrorist attack. They are known as viruses. 00:14 Their prediction was that a pandemic is coming which will be unconstrained by borders, 00:21 class, faith and it will bring humanity to its knees. Interesting language, isn't it? 00:27 Whenever I think of people falling to their knees, it is either in the presence of God 00:33 or in the presence of a monarch with a crown on his head. You probably know that the 00:38 word "corona" means "crown" and is used in the word "coronavirus" because it refers 00:44 to the way the virus looks under a microscope -- kind of like there's a crown 00:49 on top of the virus. Human coronaviruses were first identified in the 00:54 mid-1960's and they have been among the viruses responsible for the common cold. 01:00 However, the mathematical predictions for the spread of COVID-19 have indicated that 01:06 the infection rate is at least double that of the common cold. And according to Dr. Anthony 01:12 Fauci, the US's top infectious disease expert, it is at least ten times more lethal than 01:20 the seasonal flu. This is no common cold. Professor Gabriel Ling, 01:26 who is the world's foremost expert on cornavirus and who also led the struggle 01:32 against SARS, which is another coronavirus, estimates that up to 45 million people could 01:39 die from COVID-19. I hope that's not true. But whatever the outcome 01:45 of the coronavirus COVID-19 situation, it is a crisis of global proportions. 01:50 The scriptures speak about pestilences or widespread infectious diseases that will 01:57 come upon the world with greater intensity and severity in the last days 02:03 of earth's history. Psalm 91 assures God's people of the Lord's protection: 02:53 The Bible identifies another unseen enemy. In Ephesians chapter 6 02:58 verse 12, the apostle Paul warns us: 03:15 These evil spirits from the Dark World have one aim: to infect you and me with the 03:21 virus of selfishness and sin. Because that is the virus with which they themselves 03:27 are infected. Their aim is to bring you and me to our knees in despair, 03:33 fear, shame, and hopelessness. Therefore, in the midst of all the panic, overwhelming worry, 03:40 and anxiety, Jesus speaks these calm, assuring words to you: 03:57 Jesus knows that if you are panic-stricken, such feelings tend to break down your 04:02 immune system. So He wants you to put your confidence in Him. 04:08 At It Is Written Canada, our deep desire is to help people across Canada to put 04:13 their absolute trust in our kind, compassionate Saviour. Ultimately, Jesus is the only 04:19 one who can safeguard us against all unseen enemies. If your heart is feeling 04:27 troubled and fearful today, Jesus desires to give you peace. I encourage you to stretch 04:34 out your hand to Him right now in prayer and He will give you the relief, comfort, 04:41 and assurance you need to live by faith and not by sight. In a moment we'll be back to 04:47 look at what we can practically do to find peace during this very trying time. 04:54 ♪♪ 05:14 We have all see the reports of how devastating COVID-19 has been for the people of Italy 05:20 and yet instead of focusing on the negative, they have chosen to create positive and uplifting 05:26 moments for themselves. For example, despite Italy being one of the worst affected 05:31 countries by COVID-19, Italians have been singing songs from their windows 05:38 to boost their morale. And even in the darkest times, the Lord can help us to find 05:44 some light. Honestly, I cry when I see what they are dealing with. 05:50 I cannot even look at it. Instead I pray for them. And we want to ask you to 05:56 pray for them, too, and for their healthcare professionals, the doctors and 06:01 nurses, and support staff in Italy. Pray for those who are 06:05 suffering, the families of those who are suffering with the symptoms of the virus and the 06:10 families of those who have lost loved-ones. Pray for our leaders throughout 06:14 the world who need divine wisdom to know how to move forward with God's guidance. 06:20 We recently read the thoughts of a doctor who is working in Lombardy, Italy. 06:26 He wrote: "Never in the darkest nightmares did I imagine that I would get to see and live 06:34 what is happening here in the hospital for the past few weeks." 06:39 He continued: "The nightmare is flowing. The river is getting bigger and bigger 06:43 At first, a few came then dozens, then hundreds, and now we are no longer 06:51 doctors, but we have become sorters and decide who lives and who should be sent home 06:58 to die. Although all these people have paid all their life taxes 07:04 here in Italy." "Until two weeks ago", he continued, "my collegues 07:10 and I were atheists. It was normal because we were doctors and we learned 07:15 science and science told us to exclude the presence of God. I always laughed at my parents 07:22 going to church. Nine days ago, a 75 year old priest came to us. 07:28 Gentle man, he had serious respiratory problems. But he had a Bible with him 07:34 and he impressed us when he read the Bible to those who were dying and they were holding 07:40 him by the hand." This doctor wrote further: "Being us, all doctors, tired, 07:46 discouraged, psychologically and physically finished, when we had time, we were 07:53 listening to him read the Bible. Now, we have to admit: we as humans have reached our limits. 08:02 More we cannot do, and more people die every day and we are exhausted already. 08:08 We have two collegues who have died and others are just standing still. 08:15 We realized that where it ends, when man can do no more we need God, and we have begun 08:24 to ask deep questions when we have some free minutes." He recorded these words: 08:33 "We talk among ourselves and we cannot believe that from the fierce atheists we have come 08:39 daily to find our peace, asking the Lord to help us to resist despair so that we can 08:46 take care of the sick." "Tragically", he wrote, "yesterday the 75-year-old 08:52 pastor died. And we were all finished, destroyed because the old pastor 08:56 managed, during his state of illness to bring us peace. The pastor showed us the way 09:03 and he went to the Lord in prayer, and when he did, we followed him." 09:11 The doctor concluded: "I haven't been home for six days. I don't know when I last 09:17 ate and I realize my worthlessness on this earth and I want to dedicate my last 09:23 breath to helping others. I'm happy that I returned to God while I was surrounded by the 09:30 suffering and death of my fellow man." Facing such devastating 09:35 circumstances does that to us. It helps us to look up, to look beyond ourselves to God, 09:41 to ask Him to help us. And when we do, whenever we turn to God with a broken, 09:48 contrite heart, He comforts us and gives us a peace that is beyond all understanding. 09:56 In Ecclesiastes 7 verse 4 the wise King Solomon informs us that: 10:03 So when we come face-to-face with human pain and suffering and death we sober up 10:08 and we take life seriously. I know that was the case for me when I had to face the deaths 10:14 of my loved-ones. I began a quest in search of the meaning of life -- 10:20 in search of God. So, you started this quest in search of the meaning of life 10:25 as you said or in search of God. Where did you find solid answers? 10:33 Well, dealing with discouragement is never easy and after having far too many 10:39 encounters with death -- the death of my eldest brother, Joe in a farm accident when I was 10:43 ten years old and he was eighteen when he was killed. And the death of my mother who 10:48 took her own life. I was pretty much a wreck at that stage of my life and I was 10:53 on a crash course with alcoholism. But that's when someone gave 10:57 me a Bible and he told me that if I read a chapter a day, that it would change my life 11:02 and he was right. Reading the Bible changed my life and it gave me hope. 11:08 In time it took away my tears and my fears of death and of the thought that we 11:15 are living in a meaningless universe. We are not. 11:19 We are living in a very meaningful universe. We can put our complete trust 11:27 in God because when we read His word, the Bible, our eyes are opened to see the truth. 11:34 And as Jesus promised, when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. 11:39 So, if you have any fears at this time -- fears of contracting this virus or fears 11:46 that your family members might contract it. Or maybe you have fears about your job, fears 11:52 about not having enough money to pay the bills and what will happen in the future. 11:57 We understand that. Those are legitimate fears. But God understands those 12:03 fears, too, and we want to encourage you to put your complete trust in God, 12:09 to open your Bible, to turn to Him in prayer so that He can give you peace and He will 12:16 enable you to overcome your fears. Jesus assures us with these 12:21 words from Luke chapter 12: 13:15 God does not forget the birds of the air, the ravens, and the sparrows and He comforts you 13:23 with these words that you are more valuable than many sparrows. 13:29 Before we share with you more promises from the Word of God, let's listen to 13:33 Catelyn as she sings, "His Eye Is On the Sparrow". 13:43 ♪Why should I feel discouraged? ♪Why should the shadows come? ♪Why should my heart 14:01 ♪feel lonely? ♪And long for heaven ♪and home 14:14 ♪When Jesus is my portion ♪My constant friend is He ♪His eye is on the sparrow 14:38 ♪And I know He watches me ♪His eye is on the sparrow ♪And I know He watches me 15:02 ♪I sing because I'm happy ♪And I sing because I'm free ♪For His eye is on the sparrow 15:18 ♪And I know He watches me ♪♪♪ ♪I sing because I'm happy 15:40 ♪And I sing because I'm free ♪For His eye is on the sparrow ♪And I know He watches me 16:03 ♪♪♪ 16:21 Why should you feel so discouraged? God's eye is on the sparrow 16:26 and you know He watches over you, too. If you are feeling anxious 16:31 because all the uncertainties that are in the world right now, we want to open up God's word 16:38 to you right now. The Bible gives us this insight into God's heart. 16:44 And it's such a beautiful view of God's joy from these words from Zephaniah chapter 3 16:51 verse 17: 17:08 Look at the repetition of the word "with". Bob Goff, the writer of the 17:13 books Love Does and Everybody Always, says that he has a lodge in British 17:18 Columbia and his family invites lots of people up there to visit him. 17:23 They have a tradition where everyone that comes to visit them climbs under their dining 17:28 table and signs their name and next to their name they write one word. 17:34 So what one word would you write? Bob Goff says his friend, 17:39 Don, wrote the best word. And here's what Don wrote: "with". 17:44 Bob says he thinks that's the word God would write under their table because the word 17:50 "with" is much bigger and worthier and more accessible than any ten Bible verses. 17:57 It doesn't sound like a big theological statement, he says, because it's not. 18:02 It's a huge theological statement because it's God's purpose for us. 18:07 "With" is the reason Jesus came and it's the reason why He's coming back. 18:13 Look at this in John chapter 14 verses 1 to 3. Jesus assures you, and take 18:17 these as His assurance to you personally: 18:42 There are more prophecies about the second coming of Christ in the Old and the New 18:47 Testament than there are about any other event. Why? 18:52 Well, because Jesus longs to be with us eternally. In fact, the word "with" is the 18:59 whole Bible in one word. So, look at these other scripture texts. 19:30 And you can walk with God, too, just like Enoch. Take your Bible in your 19:35 hands, bow your head, and pray to Him that He will speak to you. And He will. 19:42 You will get to know His voice because when you seek Him, you will find Him when you 19:48 search for Him with all your heart. Because we serve a God 19:53 who listens. A God who knows us better than we know ourselves. 19:57 This morning I came to the Lord feeling discouraged, down, and anxious. 20:04 My heart is so broken when I look at Italy. I have a friend whose sister 20:08 works as an LPN at a nursing home. And these are her words: 20:13 "It is like a war zone over here. When my friend does get an 20:19 opportunity to speak to her sister, she says they talk like it's their last time." 20:26 Because the Lord knows me so well, He knew exactly what I needed to hear from Him this 20:31 morning. Yes, He knew exactly what I needed to read in order to 20:36 comfort me and give me peace. So He led me and spoke to me through the following Bible 20:43 verse: 20:52 Did you hear that? God is speaking to you, too. He is telling you to put your 20:58 hope in Him and He will strengthen your heart and give you courage. 21:03 We do not need to feel discouraged. God's love helps us to: 21:14 Amongst all this chaos, God is commanding us to go forward. 21:20 Even though our eyes can't penetrate the darkness and we feel cold waves about our feet, 21:27 He is commanding us to go forward because He is with us. He loves us too much to let 21:35 us go. In Matthew 1:23 He says that: 21:44 Jesus is Immanuel. God is with us. And even if you die, you 21:50 have the comfort of knowing that your life will be hidden with Christ in God. 21:55 Yes, look at these encouraging words from the book of Colossians chapter 3 22:00 verses 3 and 4: 22:13 Even death cannot separate us from God. This is why I, personally, am 22:18 not afraid of death. If you place your trust in Jesus as your Saviour, 22:25 death is a conquered foe. Fear of death flees. Let's think for a moment 22:32 beyond this coronavirus crisis. Let's say it all goes away tomorrow and we all live to 22:39 be a healthy, old age. Say we all live for more than a hundred years. 22:45 Then what? We die. Is that it? Is that what life is all about? 22:51 No, not at all. In John chapter 10 verse 10, Jesus proclaimed: 23:04 Jesus is talking about an abundant life here and now. And a much more abundant, 23:10 eternal life with Him in heaven. So this is not a "go for it, you only live once" type of 23:16 life. No. Let's see what the Bible says. Draw aside the curtain and 23:20 reveal to you the truth. The life that we live here on this planet called Earth 23:26 can be very happy. But it is nothing compared to the eternal happiness that God 23:32 really wants you to experience. The greatest joy that you have ever or will ever experience 23:38 here on earth is merely a foretaste of what heaven will be like. 23:43 This is why Jesus came to this earth. In John 15 verse 11, Jesus 23:49 says to you: 23:59 Softly and tenderly Jesus calls for you and for me to come to Him and let Him fill 24:07 us with His joy. Joy everlasting. 24:14 ♪♪♪ ♪Softly and tenderly Jesus ♪is calling 24:33 ♪Calling for you and for me ♪At the heart's portal He's ♪waiting and watching 24:51 ♪Watching for you and for me ♪Come home, come home ♪Ye who are weary come home 25:20 ♪Earnestly, tenderly Jesus ♪is calling ♪Calling, oh, sinner, come home 25:38 ♪♪♪ ♪Think of the wonderful love ♪He has promised 25:52 ♪Promised for you and for me ♪Though we have sinned He has ♪mercy and pardon 26:10 ♪Pardon for you and for me ♪Come home, come home ♪Ye who are weary come home 26:37 ♪Earnestly, tenderly Jesus ♪is calling ♪Calling for you and for me 26:56 ♪Earnestly, tenderly Jesus ♪is calling ♪Calling, oh, sinner, come home 27:17 ♪♪♪ 27:31 Friends, let's turn to God in prayer right now. Father in heaven, we thank You 27:37 so much that You hear us. We thank You that You speak to us through Your word. 27:41 And if there is someone who's listening right now and their heart is feeling worried and 27:48 discouraged, I pray, Lord, that they will find comfort and peace in their hearts right now, 27:53 that they will turn to Your word. I pray, Father, that You will 27:57 turn people's attention to reading the Bible, to pick it up and read a chapter a day. 28:03 And if they need guidance that they will contact us here at It Is Written, that we will pray 28:08 for them that we can even give them free Bible studies. Lord, I thank You for hearing 28:13 and answering our prayer. In Jesus' name, amen. So, friends, in these difficult 28:21 times I want to remind you again of the words of Jesus where He says, "It is written: 28:26 man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceeds out of the mouth 28:32 of God." |
Revised 2020-04-03