In person is the best! But sometimes we need to take alternative approaches to essential services, as a temporary measure.
Think about this Bible verse which declares the Word of God to be our spiritual food:
For though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need someone to teach you again the first principles of the oracles of God; and you have come to need milk and not solid food. (Heb 5:12 NKJV)
The Word or Teachings of God is both spiritual MILK and spiritual SOLID FOOD. One is for the immature, newborn believer, the other is for the growing believer who is maturing in the faith.
The writer to the Hebrews says that this congregation NEEDS milk. That would make it essential.
To deny this is to deny the spiritual nature of humans (as opposed to animals).
Here is another verse telling us that Christ has been our spiritual drink and spiritual food all along.
1 Corinthians 10:2-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Some thoughts to consider:
How does God supply the ESSENTIAL NEEDS your SPIRIT has? Who are His spiritual hands, feet, and Body?
(1 Cor. ch.12, Eph. ch.4)
Is Jesus (The Head) Healthy? Did He defeat death? (Hint: yes He is. Yes, He did.)
Humans are three in one. (1 Thes. 5:23) They have three-in-one ESSENTIAL needs!
1. Spiritual salvation/connection/food.
2. Soulish connection- emotional/mental/social.
3. Physical supply/health/food.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your SPIRIT ("pneuma") and soul ("psysche") and body ("soma") be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thes. 5:23 AMP - Greek words inserted by me in order to show the distinctions)
God bless you during these difficult days. May He guide and direct your steps as you take His promises to the bank, and cash them out!! His word, (the Great commission, and divine protection), is still in effect (Mark 16:15-18), and His Body is still in the earth... that's us, the Churches! How we go about delivering spiritual food may look a little different right now. It may mirror what restaurants are doing to stay alive: home delivery. Churches are reaching out in new and creative ways as a temporary measure. Our church is currently doing live streams on the following platforms (as a TEMPORARY MEASURE):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/48711223086/
But the main long-term pattern is consistent assembly and congregational worship and fellowship.
1 Corinthians 10:2-4 New King James Version (NKJV)
2 all were baptized into Moses in the cloud and in the sea, 3 all ate the same spiritual food, 4 and all drank the same spiritual drink. For they drank of that spiritual Rock that followed them, and that Rock was Christ.
Some thoughts to consider:
How does God supply the ESSENTIAL NEEDS your SPIRIT has? Who are His spiritual hands, feet, and Body?
(1 Cor. ch.12, Eph. ch.4)
Is Jesus (The Head) Healthy? Did He defeat death? (Hint: yes He is. Yes, He did.)
Humans are three in one. (1 Thes. 5:23) They have three-in-one ESSENTIAL needs!
1. Spiritual salvation/connection/food.
2. Soulish connection- emotional/mental/social.
3. Physical supply/health/food.
Now may the God of peace Himself sanctify you through and through [that is, separate you from profane and vulgar things, make you pure and whole and undamaged—consecrated to Him—set apart for His purpose]; and may your SPIRIT ("pneuma") and soul ("psysche") and body ("soma") be kept complete and [be found] blameless at the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ. (1 Thes. 5:23 AMP - Greek words inserted by me in order to show the distinctions)
God bless you during these difficult days. May He guide and direct your steps as you take His promises to the bank, and cash them out!! His word, (the Great commission, and divine protection), is still in effect (Mark 16:15-18), and His Body is still in the earth... that's us, the Churches! How we go about delivering spiritual food may look a little different right now. It may mirror what restaurants are doing to stay alive: home delivery. Churches are reaching out in new and creative ways as a temporary measure. Our church is currently doing live streams on the following platforms (as a TEMPORARY MEASURE):
https://www.facebook.com/groups/48711223086/
But the main long-term pattern is consistent assembly and congregational worship and fellowship.
Now, in my last blog post I make it clear that BOTH physical distancing and healing the sick are Biblical and needed. These two Bible principals are all fulfilled in Jesus. So I am not against the needed self-quarantines that many of us are going through. We need to beat this COVID19 disease for sure. With proper health precautions and also with prayer in Jesus' Name.
Nevertheless, let me give you a little thought of mine.
Nevertheless, let me give you a little thought of mine.
The worst disease to infect the planet was and is the spiritual disease of sin. Sin ALWAYS causes death. COVID19 does not always lead to death. So SIN is the very worst problem our planet has EVER FACED! Jesus Christ alone is the CURRENT and PERMANENT SOLUTION to cure us from sin!
(Rom 3:23; 6:23; 1 Cor 15:22)
It's a good thing Jesus did not "stay home" (in Heaven) or else He would not have been able to "save lives" (die on the cross for our sins)! Jesus took the opposite approach to the world's current message of "stay home, save lives." I am not denying the need for that. But I am commenting on Jesus' seemingly counter-intuitive approach. But indeed He is the Wisdom from Above. He did not stay home to save lives. He went into the disease-ridden depths of human suffering on earth to cure us once and for all. He was constantly in danger, constantly in sorrow. He suffered things we cannot mentally fathom in our heads.
I need to remind us that there was a true danger to Jesus taking on human form. Nothing worth doing is without risk. Jesus endured all the temptations. And He felt them as a human. He never gave in to them. But they were REAL temptations. He wouldn't be able to relate as a human being to the temptations we feel as humans if they were not real for Him. No, they were real. He could have chosen to give in. But instead He chose to obey and honour His Father's wishes! He is sinless, and holy and righteous! Praise Jesus forever! He took the NEEDED RISK to leave His heavenly home, become a vulnerable BABY, grow up, and be the Saviour of the World, as prophesied in Scriptures! He defeated the evil disease of SIN, which had claimed billions of lives. Before Jesus, NOT ONE PERSON ever recovered from their sin sickness. It was ONLY Doctor Jesus who finally killed the spiritual sin virus and set the captives free. He is the very cure. And if He is the cure against sin, He is most certainly the cure against any of the lesser (but still serious) diseases like Swine Flu, SARS, and COVID19.
(Rom 3:23; 6:23; 1 Cor 15:22)
It's a good thing Jesus did not "stay home" (in Heaven) or else He would not have been able to "save lives" (die on the cross for our sins)! Jesus took the opposite approach to the world's current message of "stay home, save lives." I am not denying the need for that. But I am commenting on Jesus' seemingly counter-intuitive approach. But indeed He is the Wisdom from Above. He did not stay home to save lives. He went into the disease-ridden depths of human suffering on earth to cure us once and for all. He was constantly in danger, constantly in sorrow. He suffered things we cannot mentally fathom in our heads.
I need to remind us that there was a true danger to Jesus taking on human form. Nothing worth doing is without risk. Jesus endured all the temptations. And He felt them as a human. He never gave in to them. But they were REAL temptations. He wouldn't be able to relate as a human being to the temptations we feel as humans if they were not real for Him. No, they were real. He could have chosen to give in. But instead He chose to obey and honour His Father's wishes! He is sinless, and holy and righteous! Praise Jesus forever! He took the NEEDED RISK to leave His heavenly home, become a vulnerable BABY, grow up, and be the Saviour of the World, as prophesied in Scriptures! He defeated the evil disease of SIN, which had claimed billions of lives. Before Jesus, NOT ONE PERSON ever recovered from their sin sickness. It was ONLY Doctor Jesus who finally killed the spiritual sin virus and set the captives free. He is the very cure. And if He is the cure against sin, He is most certainly the cure against any of the lesser (but still serious) diseases like Swine Flu, SARS, and COVID19.
Jesus is truly awesome. There is nothing He cannot conquer. He is the Head, acting through His believing Body, the Body of the Husband.
Wow!!
Wow!!
Now, the ESSENTIAL NEED of SALVATION is available! And it is only through Jesus!!
Spiritual fellowship and spiritual food is an ESSENTIAL service. It is available through the hands and feet of Jesus.
That's us, his believers, the churches of God! His spiritual churches are His body, providing essential services! They are essential because they are spiritual, and humans are spiritual (unlike animals)! The lesson we learn from Jesus is, If God sent us (He has), then He will protect us (He does)!
Spiritual fellowship and spiritual food is an ESSENTIAL service. It is available through the hands and feet of Jesus.
That's us, his believers, the churches of God! His spiritual churches are His body, providing essential services! They are essential because they are spiritual, and humans are spiritual (unlike animals)! The lesson we learn from Jesus is, If God sent us (He has), then He will protect us (He does)!
God bless,
-PC
Thu Apr. 16 2020 6:43am EST
-PC
Thu Apr. 16 2020 6:43am EST
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