Devotions with Pastor Ringa

WHAT MUST WE DO AT THIS TIME?

Exodus 14:13 King James Version (KJV)

13 And Moses said unto the people, Fear ye not, stand still, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will shew to you today: for the Egyptians whom ye have seen to day, ye shall see them again no more forever.

Psalm 121 King James Version (KJV)

121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

INTRODUCTION:

What we never hope and what we never dream in our dream is happening now in the world. The coronavirus changes all of our plans and drag down all the people to fear. All people are afraid of it. Yes! Of course, it is so dangerous. We heard a new term we never use in our life like quarantine, shut down lockdown, stockings. I really thought that America will never face scarcity of anything but now, there is no place to buy toilet paper and hand sanitizer. I don't know, you may know where to buy but I don't know right now. At this time many Christians are afraid of the coronavirus:  they have stress and may be restless. And some Christians may still depend on the government, and therefore when the government can do nothing for them they may condemn and maybe get angry at it. So, I will discuss what we should do at this time. I think this is so important for this time.

From where does the help will come?

When we face trouble, we forget to ask for the help of God and try to find help from others. Last Saturday pastor John told me that many people still hope that deliverance comes from the government but not from God. In the beginning, I also thought that this virus will not affect America, but now what happening we all know. Now it threatens not only America but also all over the world. So what should we do now?

The Psalmist said that 121 I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help.

2 My help cometh from the Lord, which made heaven and earth.

3 He will not suffer thy foot to be moved: he that keepeth thee will not slumber.

4 Behold, he that keepeth Israel shall neither slumber nor sleep.

5 The Lord is thy keeper: the Lord is thy shade upon thy right hand.

6 The sun shall not smite thee by day, nor the moon by night.

7 The Lord shall preserve thee from all evil: he shall preserve thy soul.

8 The Lord shall preserve thy going out and thy coming in from this time forth, and even forevermore.

As a human, the Psalmist also, in the beginning, tries to find help from another place, but as who believes God, later he knows and he realizes that the help will come from God only, not from another place. Lord is our keeper who never sleeps. He is the best and the most faithful keeper.

So, at this time the help will come from God, not from the government and not from another place.

What must we do at this time?

While Moses and Israelite people were encamped by the red sea, they saw that the Egyptian pursued them, they were afraid of them and were so terrified and they shouted to the Lord. And they condemn Moses. And Moses said do not be afraid of them and to stand firm and he told them that they will see the deliverance of God. Their station is almost the same with us.  Behind them, Egyptian armies were there and will try to kill them all. They all know and experience how much the Egyptian army were strong and terrible. In front of them, there was the great vast red see. They can do nothing. Now, many people are affecting coronavirus here in the USA, even in Iowa, there is no place to go and to hide.

At this time, what should we do? The answer is, let us not be afraid and let us stand firm and let us watch what God will do in America, let us watch what God will do in this world. That is the best thing we should do right now. One day God will let us discover the vaccine and the medicine for this virus. And may be God will move away all this virus.

Conclusion:

We all know that this pandemic threatens us and the world is afraid of it. And we all know that we can do nothing till today. There is no medicine and no vaccine yet.  But  we the Christian have hope that  God will deliver us from this pandemic. The help will come soon from God. So, let us not afraid of this pandemic and let us stand firm and let us watch what our God will do very soon. Being a Christian, the best thing we must do today is to watch what God will do.

Devotions with Pastor John

Perhaps you heard on Sunday how we are hoping this Sunday, Easter Sunday, April 12, to do a "drive in" service in the parking lot.  We are still working on all the details.  It will not be perfect but it will be memorable.  We're planning on it, unless we get a shelter in place order this week.  Watch the Zion FaceBook page, the website and the email announcements for more details.

Now let's read Psalm 27:

Psalm 27 New International Version (NIV)

Psalm 27

Of David.

1 

The Lord is my light and my salvation-

    whom shall I fear?

The Lord is the stronghold of my life-

    of whom shall I be afraid?

2 

When the wicked advance against me

    to devour[a] me,

it is my enemies and my foes

    who will stumble and fall.

3 

Though an army besiege me,

    my heart will not fear;

though war break out against me,

    even then I will be confident.

4 

One thing I ask from the Lord,

    this only do I seek:

that I may dwell in the house of the Lord

    all the days of my life,

to gaze on the beauty of the Lord

    and to seek him in his temple.

5 

For in the day of trouble

    he will keep me safe in his dwelling;

he will hide me in the shelter of his sacred tent

    and set me high upon a rock.

6 

Then my head will be exalted

    above the enemies who surround me;

at his sacred tent I will sacrifice with shouts of joy;

    I will sing and make music to the Lord.

7 

Hear my voice when I call, Lord;

    be merciful to me and answer me.

8 

My heart says of you, "Seek his face!"

    Your face, Lord, I will seek.

9 

Do not hide your face from me,

    do not turn your servant away in anger;

    you have been my helper.

Do not reject me or forsake me,

    God my Savior.

10 

Though my father and mother forsake me,

    the Lord will receive me.

11 

Teach me your way, Lord;

    lead me in a straight path

    because of my oppressors.

12 

Do not turn me over to the desire of my foes,

    for false witnesses rise up against me,

    spouting malicious accusations.

13 

I remain confident of this:

    I will see the goodness of the Lord

    in the land of the living.

14 

Wait for the Lord;

    be strong and take heart

    and wait for the Lord.

Once again we're returning to the idea that God is our stronghold.  A fortress.  A rock.  He is our shelter in the storm and He is the place where we flee when we are being assailed by our enemies, in our day, this dread virus.

David wrote this Psalm.  He is mixing his metaphors a little bit here to make a point.  The stronghold or fortress of God is also His Holy Place, His Temple, His sacred tent.  Not only does one find refuge here, one worships the Lord here.  David says, "teach me your ways" here.  He says he will offer sacrifice in this place with shouts of joy.  God's refuge is not just a fort or castle, it is a place of learning about God and a place of worship.  In other words, we find refuge in worship and study.  When we are afraid, when we are assailed, we take refuge in God's fortress by worshipping Him and learning from His Word.

These days we are all afraid.  Sometimes it's hard to escape that fear.  But David would invite us to escape our fears and holdfast to God by worshipping him and by finding refuge in His Word.

Afraid?  Can't seem to shake the anxiety?  Find refuge in the Word of God.  Open Scripture.  Read on and let the words of our God give you comfort.

Verses 13 and 14 are my favorites.  

We will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.  In other words, we don't have to die to be delivered.  God will deliver us while we are yet living.  He shall rescue us from the virus.  We shall yet see the hour of our deliverance while we live.  

And the last verse:  Wait for the Lord; Be strong and take heart and wait for the Lord.  Remember what Jesus says?  "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  For I have overcome the world."  (John 16:33).  So we're waiting for the world to be overcome.  Take heart!  Be of good cheer.  Holdfast!  Wait upon the Lord!  He is coming.  Deliverance is coming!   God's mercy is coming.  God is faithful.  Our human part of this drama is to be courageous enough not to cut and run, but to hold fast and maintain our position knowing that help is coming.

Courage isn't about not being afraid.  It's about being afraid but standing fast anyway because you believe, you hope, you know, that God is coming.  We are waiting upon the Lord.

Sometimes we think we can't stand the pressure.  I've had people come to me in tears because they feel the pressure of this virus and it's consequences everywhere.  God gave me a word this weekend during our prayer meeting.  He said, "Under pressure, this lump of coal (Zion) will become a diamond."  Isn't that lovely?  The pressure is just enough to offer us the possibility of transformation but not great enough to crush us, if we holdfast and wait upon the Lord.  

Consider all the heroes of our faith who have been under great pressure but who trusted in God for their deliverance.  They were afraid, but they held fast and waited for the Lord.

Consider Noah.  God commanded him to build an ark.  He didn't live by the sea.  People laughed at him and ridiculed him and called him a fool.  Yet he held fast and waited for the Lord.  And the rain came.  And he and his family were saved.

Consider Abraham.  He left his family and his land and his society because God commanded him to set off for a new land, a land that God was promising to him and to his descendants.  He left what was known and what was secure and went off into the uncharted land because he believed God and waited for the Lord. 

Consider Joseph, Jeremiah, Moses, David, Daniel, Jonah.... Consider Peter and Paul.  

They all had plenty of pressure and plenty to fear.  Yet they were not crushed.  They held fast and waited upon the Lord.

Thank you for reading.  God bless you.  Holdfast, Zion!

Devotions with Pastor John

We are all grieving

How are you coping?  This week was a hard week.  More bad news.  You see how catastrophic the virus is in New Orleans and New York and elsewhere.  There is a real temptation to give in to fear.  The desire is just to run away and hide.  

There is also a lot of anger.  I see it everyday.  People are looking for something to control and someone to blame. Some very unkind things are being said.   I worry that when all this has passed the anger will really be seen.  No decision made during the moment of crisis will be exempt from analysis.  We will need someone to blame.

I see people in denial.  They tell me this is just a hoax and it's all made up.  

I see people in depression.  They can't leave their house and now they can't get dressed.  They are listless and drifting.  

And now it may need to go for more weeks.  Another month?  The signs are everywhere that things will go longer rather than shorter and more locked down than opened up.  

The people of God need to remember who they are during times like this.  It is time to let our light shine.  So let's turn to Colossians 3:12-14 where Paul says,

12 Therefore, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe yourselves with compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience. 13 Bear with each other and forgive one another if any of you has a grievance against someone. Forgive as the Lord forgave you. 14 And over all these virtues put on love, which binds them all together in perfect unity.

One way we can all, as God's chosen people, holy and dearly loved, clothe ourselves. With compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience, is to understand where people are coming from during this crisis.  They are grieving.  They are grieving the loss of their freedom, their dreams and hopes, their security, their jobs, and on and on. 

Everyone is grieving.  So, it's up to us, God's chosen people, to be patient with them and speak encouragingly to them.  Sometimes we even have to speak this way to ourselves.

We must understand the stages of grief.  They are:  denial (this isn't happening).  There is plenty of that happening now.

There is anger.  Oh, my.  So much of that.

There is bargaining.  "God, if you save me, I'll live a better life."  We'll see more of that as more people get sick.  Remember when Martin Luther bargained with God?  He was frightened, hanging on to a tree in a thunderstorm.  He called out to God, "Save me!  And I shall become a monk."  God did and Luther did.  

There is depression.  I felt so blue yesterday.  All I could do is go home.  I kept reminding myself of God's love and his promises.  But I had to sit and be quiet for a long time before it passed.

Another stage of grief is acceptance.  I suppose acceptance is like faith.  It is the realization that we will go on.  We are where we are but life goes on.  For people of faith this means we understand that only God can save us.  We can follow directions and take precautions but only God can save us.  

Acceptance, in the stages of grief, is where you want to end up.  For people of faith, it's the best place to live.  It's where you realize that God is control.  

But the funny thing about grief is that you cycle in and out of the stages a lot.  Today, you're accepting.  Yesterday you were depressed.  Tomorrow you could be angry.  This requires a lot of patience to deal with the swings.  

So this is why it is so important for us as a holy people to practice what Paul says here.  We need to practice and to speak compassion, kindness, humility, gentleness and patience with all we meet and especially with ourselves and to ourselves.  

We live in times where we really must bear one another's burdens.  We live in times where we really need to practice forgiveness.  There is so much cycling through these stages and where people are angry with you one day they may be weeping the next day.  Be patient.  Be humble.  Forgive.  Be gentle.  Bear their burden with them.  Bear with each other.  

Times like these are when the people of God really can be the salt of the world and the light of the world.  

How can we do this?  Well, the best thing is to pray and ask God that He will help us to be the kind of people Paul talks about.  In this crisis our witness is really important.  We have a special time now to put our faith into action by being patient, humble, forgiving.  A special chance to bear with one another and all we meet.  

Thanks for reading.  God bless you.  Hold fast, Zion!  The hour of our deliverance is coming.  

Let us pray:

Dear God,

We ask you today to help those who are really in the hot spots.  Places like New York and New Orleans.  We pray that you will heal the sick, comfort the grieving, and quickly remove this plague from planet earth.  

We pray that you would alleviate the suffering of those plagued by locusts in South Asia and East Africa.  

We pray you would help us to be able to bear with one another.  Please enable us to be quick to forgive as you have forgiven us.  Help us to be patient, humble, gentle, kind and compassionate with all we meet.  We can only do this if you're Spirit dwells in us.  Give us the strength we need today to keep going and to be a blessing to others.  

We pray this all in the name of Jesus.

Amen. 

Devotions with Pastor John

Thirsty for God

Psalm 42[a][b]

For the director of music. A maskil[c] of the Sons of Korah.

1 

As the deer pants for streams of water,

    so my soul pants for you, my God.

2 

My soul thirsts for God, for the living God.

    When can I go and meet with God?

3 

My tears have been my food

    day and night,

while people say to me all day long,

    "Where is your God?"

4 

These things I remember

    as I pour out my soul:

how I used to go to the house of God

    under the protection of the Mighty One[d]

with shouts of joy and praise

    among the festive throng.

5 

Why, my soul, are you downcast?

    Why so disturbed within me?

Put your hope in God,

    for I will yet praise him,

    my Savior and my God.

Ever been truly thirsty?  You crave the first drink of water.  Fresh, cool, clear water.

You dream about it.  You fantasize about it.  You are looking forward to that sip of water so much you actually ache for it.  

When you put the water to your lips and drink, you start to feel better and better.  We cannot live without water.  As it comes into our bodies, life is restored.  

Have you ever been thirsty for God?  Maybe you are right now.  Lately, bad news follows bad news.  Fear is everywhere.  When will it end?

Being a follower of Jesus, I know it won't end until I'm back home in heaven with him.  "For our citizenship is in heaven and from there we await a Savior, Jesus Christ the Lord." (Philippians 3:20)

I received some news from a trusted source today.  It's not about the virus.  It's about the plague of locusts tormenting Asia and Africa.  Can you believe it?  A pandemic and locusts?  What's next?  

I've included what I received for you to read below.  At the end of it there is an address and a phone number if you want to bless the poor affected by the locusts.  

Verse 4 talks about how the psalmist remembers going to church.  How he used to go up to the House of the Lord with shouts of joy and praise among the festive throng.   

We can't do that now.  We might give someone the virus.  The psalmist can't go either.  For other reasons we don't understand.  But he wishes he could.  

I guess we can understand the mood of the psalmist when he says, "Why, my soul, are you downcast?  Why so disturbed within me?"  Well, look around.  There is a lot to be disturbed about.  

But the psalmist doesn't leave it there.  Sure things are bad.  They might even get worse.  But take heart!  Be of good cheer!  He reminds us, and his own soul, "Put your hope in God for I will yet praise him, my Savior and my God."  

I don't think our correspondent here is being trite.  "Oh, well.  Believe anyway."  I think he's reminding us that in fact, God will act and we will be saved.  And we will praise Him.  In the meantime we need to hope.  We need to believe.

Jesus said it this why, (my favorite verse):  "In this world you will have trouble.  But take heart!  I have overcome the world. "  He wants us to put our hope in him.  Everything else will let us down.  But he won't.  

Job, who had more to deal with than we do, puts it this way:  "For I know that my Redeemer lives, and at last he will stand upon the earth; and after my skin has been thus destroyed, then from my flesh I shall see God."   (Job 19:25-26) Help is coming.  We will yet praise him.

So here's all I can give you today:

1).  It's true.  There is always someone worse off.  Don't forget to pray for those affected by the locusts and other disasters.  This is something we can do more of now that we suddenly have the time.

2.). We will yet praise God.  This will be over.  We will get through it, with God's help.  It may not be the way we think we'll get through, but we will get through.  Today, take some comfort in what it will be like to go up to the House of the Lord together and worship him again.  Today, experiment with hope.  God is with you.  He will never leave you or forsake you.  You will again praise him.

Thanks for reading.  Hold fast, Zion!  The hour of our deliverance is coming.  Don't give up hope.  

Prayer:  Lord, help me to hear you saying, "I am your hope" over all the other voices. Lord, your word says, you are the hope for hopeless so I'm running to you with both hands stretched out and grabbing on to you. Fill me up with hope and give me a tangible reminder today that hope is an unbreakable spiritual lifeline (Hebrews 6:19-20). God, you know those things in my heart that I barely dare to hope for, today I give them to you, I trust them to you, and ask that you because I know that you can do more than I could ever guess, imagine or request in wildest dreams (Eph 3:20). God, you are my hope and I trust you. Amen.

The world is reeling from the new Covid 19 virus, affecting countries rich and poor - no one knows what will happen or what to do.  At the same time an old and familiar foe - the locust plague - is devastating areas of Africa and Asia. While media attention and Western resources focus on tackling their coronavirus,  how will Africa's struggling healthcare systems deal with it?  And what resources are left to help the victims of the locusts, whose crops have been destroyed, leaving them with the prospect of starvation?

"These locusts destroy many things. They destroy vegetables leaving people in famine. They are eating grass and leaves which cause the livestock to die, leaving the people without animals, which then cause the people to die," said Taratam, an 85-year-old Kenyan Christian farmer.

The plague of locusts is devastating crops and livelihoods in Africa and Asia. Many thousands of already marginalized and persecuted Christians are among those facing severe food shortages as vast swarms of locusts cause catastrophic loss to crops.

UN warning for East Africa

The ravenous swarms are sweeping across East Africa with devastating impact on countries including Ethiopia, Kenya, Uganda, Tanzania, Somalia and South Sudan. The UN has warned the region is on the verge of a food crisis. The infestation is the worst for decades in Somalia, Eritrea and Djibouti, where Christians are already marginalized and persecuted.

Double disaster in Kenya

A double disaster has hit Kenya. In Marsabit county, unusually heavy rains brought flooding last year that wreaked extensive damage. In semi-arid East Pokot the rains did not come at all last year; pastures withered and livestock died. Our partner in the region told us, "Many [farmers] have lost seeds and hope."

Then the locusts invaded, devouring crops and pasture. If uncontained, the locust plague could increase fivefold by June.

Food relief is needed to save the lives of many Kenyan Christian families. Widows, orphans, pregnant women, children and elderly Christians are especially vulnerable.

Ethiopian farmland "looks like desert"
The locusts are deepening the serious humanitarian crisis in Ethiopia.

Normally lush and green, the highland vegetable farms "look like a desert" in the wake of the devouring swarms. Pasture for livestock has also been gnawed to stubble. Around 10,000 Christian families saw their vital subsistence food crops wiped out. They need urgent food aid to replace vanished staple food supplies.

"Things seem so hard now for many families," said our regional partner, "unless God intervenes to solve our difficulties."

30,000 acres ravaged in Pakistan

The scale of the 2020 locust invasion is almost unheard of in Pakistan. The insects ravaged around 30,000 acres of land in Sindh province. Thousands of Christian farming families are facing severe food shortages. The cotton harvest - an important cash crop - was also devoured by the insects leaving many without income.

"THIS WAS WORST ATTACK I EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE, LIKE A FLOOD OF LOCUSTS, TRAVELLING AND EATING EVERYTHING ON ITS WAY," SAID RAMOO (AGED 61)

Many farmers have been forced to sell their livestock and household possessions to buy food and other basic family needs.

Locusts pour into Uganda and South Sudan

A mature swarm of desert locusts poured across from western Kenya into north-east Uganda in February. The insects caused significant destruction in the border districts and concerns are growing that there will be a huge loss of food crops and pasture in the cattle corridors of this rural area, as the insects breed and spread.

Swarms were also recorded in crisis-ridden South Sudan, which is already struggling with widespread food insecurity after years of civil war.

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Devotions with Pastor John

Hebrews 12:7-11

"Endure Hardship"

Hebrews 12:7-11 New International Version (NIV)

7 Endure hardship as discipline; God is treating you as his children. For what children are not disciplined by their father? 8 If you are not disciplined-and everyone undergoes discipline-then you are not legitimate, not true sons and daughters at all. 9 Moreover, we have all had human fathers who disciplined us and we respected them for it. How much more should we submit to the Father of spirits and live! 10 They disciplined us for a little while as they thought best; but God disciplines us for our good, in order that we may share in his holiness. 11 No discipline seems pleasant at the time, but painful. Later on, however, it produces a harvest of righteousness and peace for those who have been trained by it.

Verse 7:  Endure hardship.  Life is hard.  That's just a fact.  Anyone who has lived knows this to be the case.  We try to make it look easy.  Our society prefers it be easy.  Do the right thing and the right thing will happen to you.  Movies and TV help.  They show how easy it is to fall in love, get rich, be happy.  If it's hard for you, they leave you with the impression that their is something wrong with you.

Jesus said that life is hard.  He said, "In this world you will have trouble."  No way around it.  That's the Son of God saying that.  We must learn to endure hardship.   He goes on to say, "But be of good cheer.  I have over come the world."  In other words, life is hard, but he'll help you endure.  He has already bested the world.  And he'll help you to do the same.

Verse 7 goes on:  Endure hardship "as discipline."  Discipline from whom?  From God.  Why should we endure this discipline?  Because, it says, what Father doesn't discipline his children?  A Father's discipline shows that he loves his children.  It shows that his children belong to him.  It also prepares the children.  Prepares them for what?  To share in his holiness.  

Imagine that.  Enduring hardship in this life is a way that God uses to prepare us to share his holiness.  What does it mean to share his holiness?  It means that we become more like him.  What an amazing thing.  

Consider what it means to follow Jesus.  For a student to follow a master means that the student becomes more and more like the master.  Suffering is a big part of discipleship.  Suffering (hardship) prepares us to share in the life of Jesus, which had everything to do with suffering.  To follow Jesus is to follow him to the cross.  To be crucified with him.  To rise with him.  Hardship prepares us for resurrection.

Being a parent myself, I want to prepare my children for life.  Real life.  So I must teach them what I can about enduring hardship.  Because life is hard.  I need to teach them how to cope with that hardship.  In the process of experiencing hardship and coping well, they grow to become mature.  They grow through their own experience of hardship to be able to help others understand the meaning in their own hardship.  In hardship they learn to rely on God by faith.  

I think God is teaching the same things.  Through hardship he sees us grow in maturity, experience to help others and in reliance by faith upon Him.

Learning how to endure hardship is important.  Consider the army.  We live in a fallen world and we need the army to fight.  When we call on them to fight, with whom would you rather serve?  With those who had never gone to battle or with those who were experienced in battle.  Since life is hard and requires us to fight, God has made certain that there are plenty around us who have endured hardship and know how to fight.  They are good teachers.  

Verse 11 ends with a promise:  enduring hardship produces a harvest of righteousness and peace.  In other words, it makes you stronger and more peaceful.  Better able to cope.  Better able to serve.  Better able to follow Christ.  

As we endure the hardship of this virus, please keep these verses in mind.  We are being disciplined.  But God loves us.  And in the end, on the other side of this pandemic, we shall emerge closer to God, more peaceful in a unsettled world, and more full of the righteousness of Christ.

May the Lord bless and keep you.  Hold fast, Zion.  Thank you for reading.

Our prayer today is the prayer of St. Francis:

Lord, make me an instrument of your peace:

where there is hatred, let me sow love;

where there is injury, pardon;

where there is doubt, faith;

where there is despair, hope;

where there is darkness, light;

where there is sadness, joy. 

O divine Master, grant that I may not so much seek

to be consoled as to console,

to be understood as to understand,

to be loved as to love.

For it is in giving that we receive, 

it is in pardoning that we are pardoned, 

and it is in dying that we are born to eternal life.

Amen.

Devotions with Pastor John

How are you holding up? 

The Lord is my Shepherd...

Today we're going to talk about the great Psalm that comforts everyone, Psalm 23.  You know it, you love it, if you haven't memorized it, you should.  It's at times like these when we're faced with constant fears that we need the Word of God to be quick on our lips.  So memorize because this won't be the last time we need to have the Word in our hearts and minds.

Psalm 23 King James Version (KJV)

23 The Lord is my shepherd; I shall not want.

2 He maketh me to lie down in green pastures: he leadeth me beside the still waters.

3 He restoreth my soul: he leadeth me in the paths of righteousness for his name's sake.

4 Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil: for thou art with me; thy rod and thy staff they comfort me.

5 Thou preparest a table before me in the presence of mine enemies: thou anointest my head with oil; my cup runneth over.

6 Surely goodness and mercy shall follow me all the days of my life: and I will dwell in the house of the Lord for ever.

Verse 1:  Who is the Shepherd?  Why it's the Lord Jesus Christ Himself.  The book of Ezekiel calls the kings of Israel "shepherds."  But they were all terrible and allowed the sheep to be harmed.  Not so with Jesus, the Good Shepherd.  David, who wrote this Psalm, is just anticipating the arrival of the Messiah.  He's looking forward to a time when things will be better because the Good Shepherd is here.  We live in those times.  The Good Shepherd is with us and will protect us.  We are the sheep of his pasture and the flock of his hand.  

We learn in this verse that the sheep of this shepherd want nothing.  They have all they need.  They are provisioned and protected.  

Maybe the current global emergency is helping you to change your perspective on what you need and what you want.  Maybe some priorities are beginning to emerge.  Maybe it's getting easier to say what's really important to you.  

This is what I see God doing for me in this virus time.  He's given me to understand that I want life.   Real life.  Not the cheap imitation.  A life that is full and of consequence.  Not wasted on silly things and running to and fro, chasing after the wind.  I need health.  Suddenly I value health.  Normally, I ignore it.  I'm busy.  But now, health is very important.  Everyday I sit myself down and I remind myself that my life is His.  He gave it to me.  One day I will pass on to the Real Life of Heaven and I will live and reign with Him forever and forever.  In other words, I remind myself that this is not all their is.  The best is yet to come.  Hallelujah.  God's got my life and it's safe with him.  

Here's another thing that the Good Shepherd provides and is not wanting.  Love.  The  love of God, which really is really important right now, and the love of family and friends.  All these things are so important and yet before now, so many of us were caught up in silly errands and chasing after the wind.  Now, we understand what is really important about life and it the things that the Good Shepherd provides and makes possible.  We are not wanting for love.

Time.  The Shepherd has given us time.  It's a gift.  Oh!  Lately, in light of the virus, I've realized how much time I've wasted.  How much time I've invested in things that don't matter and never bore fruit.  God, teach us to number our days aright.  Let each day be a blessing, with time to love and be loved, to appreciate the wonder of life.

Thoughts.  We need to think big thoughts because we are made in the image and likeness of a Big God.  We waste our lives on little thoughts.  So many little, inconsequential thoughts.  Times like this, times of danger and consequence, require big thoughts.  I hope when all this is over and we go back to life as we knew it, if it that is possible, that we don't waste our time on little thoughts anymore.  

He leads me beside the still waters, he restores my soul.  There are times when the Good Shepherd takes us to places of quiet and beauty so that we can find our rest in Him.  I believe He would take us to such places more frequently, if we'd let him.  We all need such places and such times away with our Shepherd.  We can have such times when we give him time in prayer.  Not just praying through our lists.  Not those kind of busy prayers.  But the kind of prayers where we settle our selves and allow ourselves to be quiet before him.  He can speak to us in such times.  He can "restore our souls."  We all need this kind of rest.  We often think of rest as a kind of vacation.  But for most of the people on planet earth and for most of our history, it has been impossible to go on vacation.  How did people survive?  How did they rest?  They quieted themselves before God and He restored them.  The Sabbath is not a suggestion, it is a command.  And yet, we sheep, run about so much we forget to take time for rejuvenating affects of simply being still before God and allowing him to restore us. 

In these quiet moments with the Shepherd we realize that He has all we truly want and need and graciously supplies it to us everyday.  Most of the time we don't even realize it.

Verse 4:  "Though."  It means "but."  Ah, life isn't all quiet waters and green fields.  There is the looming valley of the shadow of death.  And all of us must spend our time in the valley.  But when that times comes, still the Shepherd is with us.  He is with us and comforts us and his provision and protection are still available.  Sometimes we think that life is always supposed to be good.  But it isn't.  That's one of the devil's greatest lies.  Life is hard.  Death is always lurking about the edges, in the shadows.  But knowing the Shepherd is always with us should give us joy and courage to face the shadows.  Even now, during this dread time of plague.

Verse 5;  He prepares a table for you in the presence of your enemies.  He anoints your head with oil.  You have plenty - a cup that overflows with blessing.  

Today, people are proud of the fact that they haven't any enemies.  But Jesus told us that we would have them.  HE said the world hated him and it would hate us, his followers, too.  Maybe you can't imagine the names of the ones who hate you.  Maybe you can.  But if you follow Jesus, people will hate you.  They hate you because you are his.  Because you belong to the Shepherd and they hate him and all he has.  They hate your faith, they hate your courage, they hate it that you can walk through the valley of the shadow without fear of evil.  They hate it that you have a place to go, a life, safe with the Shepherd in eternity.  For you, there is more and better to come.  They hate that you think of others when they think only of themselves.  They hate that you have life, and have it to the full because He gave it to you.  They hate it that when you are hated you love back.  I could go on and on.  You get the picture.  

Now imagine all those haters.  Haters of God, ultimately, and haters of you.  Behold your enemies!  And they all have to watch as the Shepherd sees you to your special table.  Makes a great fuss of recognizing you and seating you.  Pours oil on your head.  Sets you apart.  Rewards you publicly.  By so doing, He humiliates them.  You did not seek to exult yourself.  You have lived your life, following the Shepherd in humility.  Now, He Himself exults you.

And what is more, He gives you a place to live with Him.  And Goodness and Mercy are your constant companions.  In this life you will have trouble, but be of Good Cheer!  The Good Shepherd has overcome the world and in the world to come, having endured the hardship of this life with a humble faith in Him, Goodness and Mercy follow you around and bless you as you live in His house forevermore. 

Let's pray:  Dearest Shepherd, Lord Jesus, Good Shepherd of the Sheep,  thank you for having mercy on me, a sinner.  During this time of trial, provide and protect me and our planet.  Use this time to draw other sheep to yourself that they may know your life and faithfulness.  Thank you that you are always with us, especially now, during this journey through the valley of the shadow of death.  We know you are with us.  Your rod and staff comfort us.  For you are Good and your Mercy endures forever.  Amen.

Hold fast, Zion.  Relax in his peace.  

Thanks for reading.

Devotions with Pastor John

Psalm 46

How are you holding up?  

As I look out the window of my office, there is a grandfather and a grandson playing catch in the Zion parking lot.  There are very few cars in the parking lot.  Things are very quiet.  How about where you are?

Today, more on the image that God is our fortress - we can run into Him and He will protect us from whatever it is that is coming at us.  Even the virus.  Even our own fears.    He is our refuge.  He is impenetrable.   We are safe.

Today, Psalm 46.

Psalm 46

For the director of music. Of the Sons of Korah. According to alamoth.[b] A song.

1 

God is our refuge and strength,

    an ever-present help in trouble.

2 

Therefore we will not fear, though the earth give way

    and the mountains fall into the heart of the sea,

3 

though its waters roar and foam

    and the mountains quake with their surging.

Did you get that?  God is our refuge and strength, even when there's trouble - big trouble.  Even though the earth falls apart (are you thinking what's happening on planet earth today?) and the mountains fall into the sea and sea becomes a surging mess for all the mountains falling into it?  Could things get must worse?  Perhaps a pandemic?

Still, God is our refuge.  Nothing can disturb us.  God is our refuge and strength.  Still we are safe.

4 

There is a river whose streams make glad the city of God,

    the holy place where the Most High dwells.

5 

God is within her, she will not fall;

    God will help her at break of day.

Suddenly, these two verses break in and we are transported from a surging sea, out of control, with mountains falling into it, to a peaceful river.  The river of life.  Flowing from the throne of God.  It's peaceful.  It's tranquil.  We are in the kingdom of God, in the presence of God Himself.  All is well.  It's like we are suddenly transported to heaven, to the holy city, the New Jerusalem, coming out of heaven like a bride adorned for her husband.  Think Revelation 21, God is in our midst.  He will dry every tear from our eye.  We are his people.  He is our God.  There is no more death, no more sorrow.  

6 

Nations are in uproar, kingdoms fall;

    he lifts his voice, the earth melts.

Suddenly, the camera cuts back and we're on planet earth, and the kingdoms are falling, the nations are in an uproar.  Why?  A war?  A virus?  What is it?  Doesn't matter.  The next verse tells us why it doesn't matter.  

7 

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

We are safe.  They can't get us.  The Lord is with us.  Emmanuel.  God with us.  Jesus.  Christ the Lord.  The Ancient of Days, the God of Creation, the God of Abraham, of Issac, of Jacob, is with us.  We shall not be moved.  

8 

Come and see what the Lord has done,

    the desolations he has brought on the earth.

Behold his desolations.  He is the God of Noah's flood.  The God who can wipe the slate clean and start over again.  He is the God who destroyed Sodom and Gomorrah, who made them a desolation.  He is in charge.  He is all powerful.  He will deliver us.

9 

He makes wars cease

    to the ends of the earth.

He breaks the bow and shatters the spear;

    he burns the shields[d] with fire.

In our day we would say that God was strong enough to finish wars that we start.  That he could burn the war planes, the tanks, the missiles.  He is that strong.  He can finish what we start.  He's stronger than any army.  Than any ideology.  Than any movement.  He is God.  

10 

He says, "Be still, and know that I am God;

    I will be exalted among the nations,

    I will be exalted in the earth."

He wants you to be quiet and rest in him.  Stop striving for something else.  Stop trying to do it all yourself.  Stop.  Rest.  It's about sabbath - rest.  It's about peace - the shalom of God.  Be still.  Stop moving around.  Stop squirming.  Stop fussing.  Quiet yourself.  God's got you.  You are safe in his hands.  Rest.  The sabbath is about rest.  It's about worship.  It's about resting and find your rest in God.  They go together.  It's about stopping the frantic activity of the day to day.  It's about stopping trying to earn your value.  It's about stopping trying to provide.  It's about letting God hold you.  About letting God love you.  About you praising God, exalting His name in return.  

11 

The Lord Almighty is with us;

    the God of Jacob is our fortress.

So it ends back where we stared.  The God of Abraham, Issac and Jacob, the God of creation and the Exodus and the Old Testament and the New Testament, the Father of Jesus, is with us.  Emmanuel.  We are safe.  He is here.  

Hold fast, Zion.  Relax in his peace.  

Thanks for reading.

Devotions with Pastor John

Dear Friends,

Hope you are holding up under the strain of this pandemic.  Truly, we live in remarkable times.

I was thinking about several "upsides" this morning.

My daughter was remarking about how extraordinary it would be if they cancel the rest of the school year.  "This is a story you'll be able to tell you grandchildren about," I said.  Indeed, we will all have some stories to tell.

A few other observations:  traffic certainly is better.  No one wants to hit me and cause me to get out of the car.  They're all afraid I may have the virus.  There were no angry drivers looming up at me in the rearview mirror as I pulled out of my driveway.  The streets are so quiet.

I had a slow and lingering breakfast with my daughter this morning.  Normally, we race around in the morning trying to get out of the house.  There is no rush anymore.

Today I realized that I haven't been late to anything this week.  Normally, I'm running behind and in a rush.  All my appointments have cancelled.  There isn't anything to be late to.  It's rather nice.  

Tonight we're going to have game night.  I can't remember the last time my kids asked to play games.  It's refreshing.

Today, I'd like to invitee you to join me in the book of Psalms.  Psalm 34.  I'll break it up with commentary in between.

Psalm 34

Of David. When he pretended to be insane before Abimelek, who drove him away, and he left.

1 

I will extol the Lord at all times;

    his praise will always be on my lips.

2 

I will glory in the Lord;

    let the afflicted hear and rejoice.

3 

Glorify the Lord with me;

    let us exalt his name together.

Notice how it begins with praise?  The praise of Almighty God.  Even in the midst of our current  crisis we can still praise God.  It is right that we should.  It is right to sing the praises of God through our tears, it is right to sing the praises of God in our grief, in our fear, in our anxiety.  It is right to sing the praises of God in an empty church.  God is God and in Him is all our hope.  We have no other hope.  No one else can save us.  Let us never stop praising the name of the Lord our God.  

4 

I sought the Lord, and he answered me;

    he delivered me from all my fears.

5 

Those who look to him are radiant;

    their faces are never covered with shame.

6 

This poor man called, and the Lord heard him;

    he saved him out of all his troubles.

I sought the Lord and He answered me.  Remember when Jesus taught us, "Ask and it will be given to you.  Seek and you shall find.  Knock and it shall be opened to you,"?  And again when he teaches us that when two or three of us agree on anything in prayer it shall be given to us?  And again when he says that whatever we ask for in His name shall be give to us?  The Lord God hears our prayers.  Jesus has given us his access to the God of all creation.  God hears and He answers us.  He doesn't ignore us.  God hears and He will save us.  

7 

The angel of the Lord encamps around those who fear him,

    and he delivers them.

Remember when Israel was in the wilderness?  The Lord gave them an angel to protect them.  His presence was seen in the pillar of cloud by day and the pillar of fire by night.  God provided manna, quail and water from a rock.  God will protect us and he will provide for us.  

8 

Taste and see that the Lord is good;

    blessed is the one who takes refuge in him.

9 

Fear the Lord, you his holy people,

    for those who fear him lack nothing.

10 

The lions may grow weak and hungry,

    but those who seek the Lord lack no good thing.

11 

Come, my children, listen to me;

    I will teach you the fear of the Lord.

12 

Whoever of you loves life

    and desires to see many good days,

13 

keep your tongue from evil

    and your lips from telling lies.

14 

Turn from evil and do good;

    seek peace and pursue it.  

Turn from evil and do good.  Repent.  Martin Luther said the life of Christian is a life of repentance.  It means to turn around, to change, to turn back to God, get back on the right path.  Faced with this virus, isn't that what we need to do?  Don't we need to humble ourselves and confess our sins?  Don't we, as a planet, need to turn from evil and turn to God, the Ultimate Good?  I think we do.  More on that during Sunday's sermon.  

15 

The eyes of the Lord are on the righteous,

    and his ears are attentive to their cry;

16 

but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil,

    to blot out their name from the earth.

17 

The righteous cry out, and the Lord hears them;

    he delivers them from all their troubles.

18 

The Lord is close to the brokenhearted

    and saves those who are crushed in spirit.

Do you feel crushed in spirit?  Has this stressful time gotten the better of you?  I have good news for you.  Here's the gospel:  When we can go on no longer, God comes and gets us.  If you're at the end of your rope, you're at the beginning of God's mercy.  He's got you.  Sometimes we have to stop thrashing about looking for something to hold on to so that we can let God save us.  When He's the only way out, we've found our way into His kingdom.  So don't give up, reach out and let God take you.  You're in the best of all possible hands. 

19 

The righteous person may have many troubles,

    but the Lord delivers him from them all;

20 

he protects all his bones,

    not one of them will be broken.

21 

Evil will slay the wicked;

    the foes of the righteous will be condemned.

22 

The Lord will rescue his servants;

    no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.

The Lord will rescue his servants; no one who takes refuge in him will be condemned.  

God is our safe harbor, our rock, our salvation.  Scripture tells us that the "Word of the Lord is a strong tower, the righteous run into it and they are saved."  God is our refugee and strength.  A very present help in trouble.  He will save us.  Have faith.  Believe the good news.  This is not the end.  

Hold fast, Zion!  God bless you.  Thanks for reading. 

Devotions with Pastor John

Here's a brief devotion for you on Psalm 121:

Psalm 121

A song of ascents.

1 

I lift up my eyes to the mountains-

    where does my help come from?

2 

My help comes from the Lord,

    the Maker of heaven and earth.

3 

He will not let your foot slip-

    he who watches over you will not slumber;

4 

indeed, he who watches over Israel

    will neither slumber nor sleep.

5 

The Lord watches over you-

    the Lord is your shade at your right hand;

6 

the sun will not harm you by day,

    nor the moon by night.

7 

The Lord will keep you from all harm-

    he will watch over your life;

8 

the Lord will watch over your coming and going

    both now and forevermore.

The thing about hills - they were made.  They cannot save you because like you, they were created.  So you have to look higher.  You have to look up to the Lord, he's the one who made heaven and earth.  The created cannot save you.  Only the Creator is powerful enough to do that.

God's got your life.  He won't let you slip.  He's got you during this pandemic emergency.

I've been reading the Bible.  People say it's old news.  But I find something new in it every day.

People have been watching too much news these days.  It's pretty much all bad.  

We participated in a conference call with the Governor today.  Everyone was asking "how long?'  She doesn't know.  It's too early to say.  Starbuck's closed for two weeks.  The schools are closed until April 13.  How long will this go on?  We don't know.  We're just hills.  We're just creatures working in created systems with created tools.  

One of the big news outlets is trying to get the President to commit to a course of action - either he must kill the economy or kill the people, so they say.  But the President, like the hills, is just created.  He cannot save us.  No matter what he does, someone will argue it was the wrong thing.  We are all just created.  No matter what we do, there will be a down side.  

Another man on the radio was talking about developing "herd immunity."  We ought to send the younger, fitter, healthier ones out to contract the virus so that they can resist it in the future and we don't have to do this again.  But that, of course, puts those of us was are older, less fit and less healthy at risk.  

More and more a conversation seems to be developing:  should the many sacrifice for the sake of the few?  Or, should the few be sacrificed for the sake of the many?  

It's a moral and ethical conundrum.  

So, it appears we've been fighting a delaying action to have time to develop treatments and protocols and not overwhelm our medical system.  

I'm not qualified to offer opinions about what we should do.  In the end, I'm just a creature.

Here's what I can tell you with certainty.  Don't look to the hills.  They'll let you down.  Don't look to the systems or the leaders or protocols to save you.  They'll let you down.  They are doing the best they can.  But they can't save us.  Their best efforts will still be incomplete and people will complain later that it was too much or not enough.  

We have a savior.  Our help comes from the Lord.  Our savior is Jesus and I can tell you about him.  

In the economy of God, it was One (Jesus) who sacrificed for everyone.  Himself for all of us.  That dread day on the cross, he gave himself for all of us.  Follower of Jesus, you've been saved already.  Lift up your eyes.  Your help has come.  He is with you.   Your future is secure.  

The Psalm says that God will be your keeper.  He will be your shade.  The sun will not strike you by day nor the moon by night.  In other words, nothing in the day and nothing in the night will harm you.  He's got you.  

It says that whether you go out or you go in, he's got you.  He's watching over you.  He never sleeps so you can.  He's always there, with you, guarding, saving, delivering you.

And it says that it's true today and forevermore.  That's eternity.  No matter what happens in this life, it's OK.  He's got you forevermore.  One day you will be delivered from this veil of tears and terrors.  He's got you.  Now and then.  

If this is news to you, I invite you to believe it, trust him.  If this old news to you, then I invite you to live it.  Now is the time for us all to live out what we believe.  Let them see your confidence, your faith.  Let them see that you know God's got this.  

Thanks for reading.  Hold fast, Zion!

Prayer:

Lord, there are so many hard decisions that must be made.  Guide those who make them.  Lead them to wisdom.  Those of us who must abide by the decisions made, give us patience and a desire to be full of grace and forgiveness when we don't like the decisions made.  Give us grace to live everyday as your faithful people.  Save us from this time of trial.  Save us from this dread virus.  Restore us all to true health.  We ask in the name of Jesus, Amen.    

Devotions with Pastor John

How are you holding up? Still washing your hands and practicing social distancing? 
I want to tell you about signs of life. Today I went outside and beheld the spring flowers pushing forth through the earth and making their appearance in splendid shades of green. New life. Spring is on the way. You can't stop Spring and you can't stop God's Word, either. He has made promises to us and He will see us through this time. He will deliver us. You can be certain of that.

So I wanted to begin by sharing with you some of the signs of life I see around Zion. We are still doing ministry together as church.  

a.). Pastor's in our city are still meeting together in small groups to pray. The one I attend is multi-ethnic and we are closer together in Christian love and unity than ever before. Prayers are being answered and God is doing marvelous things. I wanted you to know that the spiritual gatekeepers of our city are still at their posts. They are doing what they supposed to do: pray and seek the face of the Lord together.

b.). I'm so happy to tell you that we have our first pupil at Zion for the Greater City Foundation. The Foundation will help us help students who have fallen behind in school or who may not be able to attend traditional school. Our first student can no longer attend school for a variety of reasons and so Kim Pearson will begin homeschooling him at Zion. We will be coordinating our efforts with Educational Resource Associates.  

c.). Boaz and Nancy are hard at work planning a summer youth service trip. Yes, life goes on and the future of the church is in the next generation.  

d.). We had a visit from some pastors who are a planning a church conference at Zion in June. It's wonderful to seem them moving ahead.  

e.). Arlyn and Ruth from the Zion clothes closet took a load of clothes and household items to help the resettlement of some homeless into apartments.  

God's work goes on. And so do we. We don't know if all our plans will be feasible on the dates we are working with but there will come a time when God has delivered us from this virus. Until then, we continue to live by faith. He has a future and a hope for us. That's a promise.

I want to share some thoughts with you from Scripture. From Isaiah 40: 1-11; 27-31

It stands written:  

Comfort, comfort my people,
    says your God.
2 
Speak tenderly to Jerusalem,
    and proclaim to her
that her hard service has been completed,
    that her sin has been paid for,
that she has received from the Lord's hand
    double for all her sins.
3 
A voice of one calling:
"In the wilderness prepare
    the way for the Lord;
make straight in the desert
    a highway for our God.
4 
Every valley shall be raised up,
    every mountain and hill made low;
the rough ground shall become level,
    the rugged places a plain.
5 
And the glory of the Lord will be revealed,
    and all people will see it together.
For the mouth of the Lord has spoken."
6 
A voice says, "Cry out."
    And I said, "What shall I cry?"
"All people are like grass,
    and all their faithfulness is like the flowers of the field.
7 
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    because the breath of the Lord blows on them.
    Surely the people are grass.
8 
The grass withers and the flowers fall,
    but the word of our God endures forever."
9 
You who bring good news to Zion,
    go up on a high mountain.
You who bring good news to Jerusalem,
    lift up your voice with a shout,
lift it up, do not be afraid;
    say to the towns of Judah,
    "Here is your God!"
10 
See, the Sovereign Lord comes with power,
    and he rules with a mighty arm.
See, his reward is with him,
    and his recompense accompanies him.
11 
He tends his flock like a shepherd:
    He gathers the lambs in his arms
and carries them close to his heart;
    he gently leads those that have young.

Here's the scene:
Jerusalem is conquered. God's people are carried off to exile. The Great City is destroyed. The Temple of God is ruined. There are no more kings. The last will die in exile. There is starvation, plague and death everywhere.  

Why did all this happen?  

Because of human sin. That's always the answer. There was child sacrifice; trust in false gods; societal moral bankruptcy; corrupt government; corrupt courts that gave no justice; there was a failure to care for the least and most vulnerable; there was the exploitation of the poor for finical and political gain; there was a constant striving after false saviors in the form of foreign leaders and different systems.  

And so disaster came upon the people of God. 

But God makes a promise to His people, both those who few who remained in Jerusalem and those who were far off in exile.

God speaks comfort to them. He assures them that they shall be comforted in the future. The time of their affliction will end. God Himself will save them.  

How will God save them? 

Well, He will come to them and He will bring them home from exile.

In those days, when a ruler came from the east, from Babylon, say, to Jerusalem, he would travel along the fertile crescent. There were rivers to ford, obstacles to overcome. It wasn't easy. So a great throng would go before him and try to make the road as comfortable as possible. To make the high places lower and the lower places higher so the king would be as comfortable as possible his journey. Did you catch that reference in verses 3 and 4? "In the wilderness prepare the way for the Lord; make straight in the desert a highway for our God. Every valley shall be raised up, every mountain and hill made low; the rough ground shall become level, the rugged places a plain."

God was coming to them. He would bring them back from exile and lead them home from Babylon. So these verses tell us to get ready for a visitation.  

For Christians, these verses will also remind you of the coming of John the Baptist, the one who was a voice calling out in the wilderness for the coming of the King, Jesus, the mightiest king ever who washed feet and touched lepers. Get ready! Prepare the way! God is coming to His people!

But the people were worried that they couldn't make the long trip back to Jerusalem. They were tired, they were old, they didn't have the strength, they were at risk, it was too dangerous and too hard. Let's look at verse 27 now: Why do you complain, Jacob? Why do you say, Israel,"My way is hidden from the Lord; my cause is disregarded by my God"?

People always complain about the consequences of their own sin when those consequences catch up to them.

But look at what happens next: The rest of the verses proclaim that God is strong and able to give the necessary strength to his people. Let's read verses 28-31:

Do you not know?
    Have you not heard?
The Lord is the everlasting God,
    the Creator of the ends of the earth.
He will not grow tired or weary,
    and his understanding no one can fathom.
29 
He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 
Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

So dear reader, how's your attitude today? God will deliver us and bring us through this time of trial. Are you feeling weak? Are you worried you may not have the strength to make it through this time? Are you worried that your strength, be it physical, mental, emotional or spiritual, may be insufficient to face of global emergency? 

To you I say, "Take heart! Be of good cheer!"

God promises to give you the strength you need. Hear His words again: 

He gives strength to the weary
    and increases the power of the weak.
30 
Even youths grow tired and weary,
    and young men stumble and fall;
31 
but those who hope in the Lord
    will renew their strength.
They will soar on wings like eagles;
    they will run and not grow weary,
    they will walk and not be faint.

I want to remind you that the Great Comforter has come and is still here with us. Jesus. He remains with us by the power of the Holy Spirit. He's the one who says to us, "In this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have already overcome the world."  

Need strength for the living of these days? Ask God. He will give you the strength you need. Believe his promises. Believe His Word.  

God bless you.  
Holdfast, Zion! The hour of your deliverance approaches!

Prayer: Lord God, we come to you in our weakness and ask for you to give us your great strength. Strength to face our trials here. We trust in your Word and in your promises. We turn to you and ask you to renew our strength.  

Take the plague away from our planet. Be with all those who suffer. Heal the sick. Comfort the bereaved.  

We pray for those on the front lines: for those in leadership who have to make hard decisions, that you give them wisdom. For medical personnel and first responders and grocery store clerks, that you protect their health. For those who work in nursing homes and day cares. Bless them, Lord. Vouchsafe their health.

For all those who have lost jobs or income during this crisis, please provide, dear Lord.

Watch over your Church all over the world. Be with your Body, keep us in your grace. Help us to be bold and courageous. Give the strength we need to continue. Be glorified in the midst of our trouble.  

For we pray in the name of Jesus. Amen.

Devotions with Pastor John

What to Focus on During a Pandemic

Dear Zion Community, 

Here are some thoughts for today.  From Matthew 6:25-34.  Jesus says to us, 

"Therefore I tell you, do not worry about your life, what you will eat or drink; or about your body, what you will wear. Is not life more than food, and the body more than clothes?  Look at the birds of the air; they do not sow or reap or store away in barns, and yet your heavenly Father feeds them. Are you not much more valuable than they?  Can any one of you by worrying add a single hour to your life.  

"And why do you worry about clothes? See how the flowers of the field grow. They do not labor or spin.  Yet I tell you that not even Solomon in all his splendor was dressed like one of these.  If that is how God clothes the grass of the field, which is here today and tomorrow is thrown into the fire, will he not much more clothe you-you of little faith?  So do not worry, saying, 'What shall we eat?' or 'What shall we drink?' or 'What shall we wear?'  For the pagans run after all these things, and your heavenly Father knows that you need them.  But seek first his kingdom and his righteousness, and all these things will be given to you as well.  Therefore do not worry about tomorrow, for tomorrow will worry about itself. Each day has enough trouble of its own."

Worry and fear are related.  Jesus isn't telling us in these verses that worry or fear are never appropriate.  Do you remember in Luke's gospel when he says, "But I will show you whom you should fear: Fear him who, after your body has been killed, has authority to throw you into hell. Yes, I tell you, fear him."  It looks to me that Jesus is simply telling us we shouldn't worry about what he considers to be little things.  There are bigger things that need our emotional energy - like keeping out of hell.  Don't sweat the small stuff, the day to day, God's got that.  Keep focused on the eternal.  

If you notice, Jesus tells us, these little things are not worth your worry.  Instead, be proactive, seek after and focus on eternal things:  seek FIRST the kingdom of God and his righteousness.  All these other things, small by comparison to the eternal and infinitely meaningful, God knows you need them and he'll deliver.  

So, consider this in light of our current virus lock down.  What was the first thing people did?  They went out to the stores and bought up all the rice, toilet paper, disinfectant, eggs, ground beef, etc., etc.  What am I saying?  The little things the non-eternal things, the things Jesus told us we didn't need to worry about because God provides, they were the first things we secured for ourselves.  What was of secondary concern?  The kingdom of God and his righteousness.  We got it backwards.  

Some of you will say, "Are you saying that God will magically make toilet paper appear if I have none?"  I'm saying that he promised to provide you food, clothing and shelter and everything else you need to live.  I'm saying that He daily provides what is necessary for life on our planet.  I would also say that when it appears as if He has failed to provide, it is frequently because human sin took what he provided and used it sinfully.  Case in point:  it is a sin to hoard rice, toilet paper and anything else.  Not only does it show a complete lack of faith in God's willingness and ability to provide, it also shows a lack of concern for the needs and concerns of others.  

Frequently, God uses the Church, His body, to provide.  Christians were known for their generosity.  Christians were known for providing for those who had need.  In our meetings we would put things into the community chest so that people in the community with need could be provided for.  We held all things in common.  Maybe we need to have weekly offerings during this crisis that are more than money but also include needed goods.  There are many in our community in need of some missing staples.  

Could this virus time take us back to our roots?  Could our time staying put give us a heart for those in need?  Could we recover in this time some of what it means to love both neighbor and enemy?

I believe it's like this:  by helping our neighbor with the small things we are showing that we are people focused on bigger things.  We don't need more than we can use because God has the daily things taken care of.  So, as an act of faith, we are free to give without fear.  That allows us to focus on the big things, the eternal things, His kingdom and righteousness.

To avoid worry about the day to day things of life is to give control of the daily to God.  Giving up control is hard for us.  The easiest way to learn is to trust God in small things and then in larger things as he proves himself faithful.

Right now, we're suddenly in the midst of a pandemic.  If you haven't been trusting Him in small things, you're suddenly thrown into the deep end of the pool in order that you should learn how to swim.  God wastes no opportunity to show us how able he is to love us and provide for us.  Be assured that in the swimming lessons of God He won't let you drown if you don't push away from Him.   Maybe we can all learn to trust God more during this present crisis.  To learn to trust Him with both small things (the day to day) and the big things (what will happen to us and our eternities).

It's a matter of focus.  Will we choose to focus on the kingdom of God or will we choose to focus on the daily things?   Whichever we choose will determine how we perceive what is happening around us.  The day to day is a small view and has such a narrow focus as to preclude seeing anything else but the wants of the moment.  Such a view focuses everything on us and our immediate wants.  The eternal is a much bigger view which allows for faith, hope and love to remain and for our focus to be on God and our neighbor.   

Thanks for reading.  May God bless and keep you.  Holdfast, Zion.  The time of our deliverance is coming.  The Lord is with you.  

Prayer:  Heavenly Father, we cannot fathom the depth of meaning this crisis has for us now.  We confess that as a people we have deserved to be visited with a heavy hand.  We have worshiped too many gods.  We have failed to honor Your name.  We have turned deaf ears to Your Word.  We have not upheld order and equity among men.  We have been unchaste and impure.  

Yet we pray You to hear our prayer for the sake of Your Son, our Lord.  Have compassion and mercy.  Set aside our guilt and give us new life through the merits of Your Son.  Bring relief to all who suffer this day.  Ease the anxieties of those who are distressed.  Send help to those who are distraught.  Release us from this fiery trial, that we may be free to give You thanks and glory for deliverance from the day of trouble.  Amen.  

Lutheran Book of Prayer, 1970.

Devotions with Pastor John

Some words for Zion today.  

1 Corinthians 13:13   "And now these three remain: faith, hope and love. But the greatest of these is love."

Four words for you today....

1.) Faith:  Faith, according to the book of Hebrews is, "...the assurance of things hoped for, the conviction of things not seen." (Hebrews 11:1).  In other words, it's believing in what you hope is true and will happen; having a strong belief in things that cannot be seen at this time but will be revealed in the future.  In other words, it's believing that things are going to work out according to the way you believe.  

This virus and all the changes we have had to make, and whatever changes lie ahead, will really test our faith.  Because we aren't in control of outcomes.  We can only believe that what God tells us about his plans for us are true and will come true. 

When it gets overwhelming, remember, God knew this virus was going to happen.  And he put you and I in such a time as this because together with him, we can overcome this.  We choose today to hold on to our faith that says that Jesus is with us, he is stronger than the virus, he can heal us, he will protect us and our loved ones, he is able to accomplish all things and through him we will have the victory.  We believe these things are true and we hold steadfast to our faith.  

2.) Hope: Hope has everything to do with anticipation while you wait.  You're waiting and wishing and growing anxious for the arrival of the future and what it has for you.  Anticipation is really important to human beings.  Anticipation heightens the actual experience of the arrival of what is hoped for.  Half the fun of going to your favorite restaurant for a special dish that you enjoy is waiting and hoping and eagerly anticipating the arrival of that taste treat supreme.  The other half of the fun is taking that first bite and savoring it.  When you can have your special dish every day, the special becomes mundane.  In a culture that seeks after instant gratification, we have lost the thrill of anticipation, that waiting, that yearning, the emotional buildup for something good.  

Our self isolation protocols may give us back our sense of anticipation, our sense of hope.  This Easter could be the best ever.  Why?  Because we will have been living for four weeks of Good Fridays.  Because it could be the first time that we are all together to worship and fellowship again.  It will be like all of us coming out of the tomb at once and seeing Jesus and each other after a time of separation.  It will be like Resurrection Day!  And, hey, I'm not naive, if we still can't move around by Easter and gather for worship, don't worry.  I was talking with some people last night and we all agree that Easter will happen whenever it is that we are all together again.  Easter will be a victory celebration that God has once again saved us, from death, the devil, sin and the dread virus.  So let's start hoping, anticipating, planning, our Easter this year.  It should be a blow out celebration, that's for sure.  

Maybe we should all keep a list by the door of what little Easters we would like to have - things we're hoping for, places we can't wait to go, things we want to do, people we want to see, as soon as this incarceration is over and we rise again, and leave our tombs.  

3.) Love.   It's the greatest of all these words.  It's the greatest concept.  God is love.  When we love we are like God and that makes heaven come to earth and everything gets better.  Three things about love you can think about during this unique time in history:

a.) What we're doing right now, shutting things down, staying out of public spaces, refraining from public worship and so on, this is because of love.  We are doing all of this because we love our neighbor more than ourselves and we want our neighbor to stay healthy and not get the virus from us.  The world will try to turn this into an act of fear.  We are all hunkering down because we're scared of the disease and so we don't leave the house.  No!  Don't let them win.  These sacrifices we are making are because we love our neighbor and if we stay home we won't pass the virus to someone who could get sick.  This isn't about fear, this is about love.  Fear says, "Eat, drink and be merry, for tomorrow we may die."  Love considers others as more important than ourselves or our desires or dreams.  Love sacrifices for the sake of the other.  Our Master, Jesus Christ, showed us how to love.  It's about going to the cross for others.  We're not voluntarily giving up our liberties because we fear; we do this out of love for our country and our fellow countrymen.  

b.) Let's take this time we've been given and contemplate how to love God more.  We have all this time and space now to take a fearless moral inventory of our life and consider what needs to be repented of.  And we have time and space to do it.  We have time to read Scripture, have devotions, pray.  Start some new practices that will draw you closer to the God who made you and loves you.

c.) We've got time to figure out and contemplate how we can better love each other.  Take time each day to consider who has helped to make you who you are today.  Send them a note.  Call them.  They are probably home.  How can you love your wife better?  Your husband?  Your parents?  Your children?  Your neighbor?  Your friends?  Who are your friends?  So many things in our life just function on automatic pilot as we ride the white water rapids of modern life.  The river is calm now.  Things have slowed down.  Who do you love and how?

4.)  Remain.  In the King James it used to be translated, "abide."  It's the same word that appears all over the gospel of John.  Jesus said it all the time.  "Remain in me, as I also remain in you. No branch can bear fruit by itself; it must remain in the vine. Neither can you bear fruit unless you remain in me." (John 15:4).  

To remain means not to move.  It means "stay put."  We're all remaining these days.  We're staying put.  So let's stay put in Jesus.  Just sit and talk to him.  Sit and ponder who he is.  Read his word.  As you go out for a walk to get some exercise, let Jesus remain in your thoughts.  Stay put with him in your heart and mind.  He stays put with you.  

Jesus is remaining with us during this whole crisis.  Don't worry about what you're going to eat or wear or how you're going to pay the rent.  Jesus has this.  Remain in him.  Nothing good happens outside of Jesus.  Nothing good can be done without remaining in him.  He said, "Apart from me, you can do nothing."  Where is the strength going to come from in the days and weeks ahead to stay hunkered down?  Only from remaining in Jesus.  Where is the love going to come from that drives out our fears?  Only from remaining in Jesus.  

God bless you and keep you.  Jesus is with you.  Remain in him.  He remains in you.  

Holdfast, Zion.  The hour of your deliverance is coming.  

Devotions with Pastor John

Dear Zion Friends, Family and Community Members,
The content of this message has been released on FaceBook Live. If you prefer, you can view this on the Zion FaceBook Page - Zion Lutheran Church Des Moines.

For such a time as this, God has brought you and I together. In God's wisdom, we are the ones who must live as His witnesses through these trying times. Jesus told us that we were to love our neighbor as ourselves and we were to love our enemies. He also told us that the world would know we are his followers by the way we love one another. In these strange and unprecedented times, we need to bear witness to our love of Christ by loving our neighbor. 

In this instance, I believe that loving our neighbor means that we must curtail the public worship and public interaction which comes so naturally to us. St. Paul told us that we were to "consider others as more important than ourselves." So while our inclination might be to worship without ceasing together as a community, we must curtail that for the sake of the health of the other. We must be willing to change and adapt for the sake of our neighbor and his/her health.

Here are some of the changes that we believe are best during these times at Zion:

a. We will provide information to our very diverse congregation and community about the virus. We will be connecting people to existing resources.
b. The Zion office will remain open Monday-Thursday, 9 a.m. - 3 p.m. Please understand that you will need to be "buzzed" into the building via the exterior doors closest to the office. This is to ensure we know who is in the building and how many people are in the building. We have become a real community gathering place over the years and now we find ourselves needing to know who is in the building and why. This is hard for all of us but we are doing it in the interest of the public health.  
c. Zion is open for small groups of 10 or less. This includes support groups like Narcotics Anonymous and Alcoholics Anonymous and other meetings. The last thing our community needs is for people to backslide into addiction during this crisis. 
d. The Wednesday morning Men's Bible Study is postponed until further notice.
e. The Zion Clothes Closet is now closed for casual shopping. We remain available to help in the case of an emergency like a house fire and will reopen the clothes closet for such emergencies.
f. Zion has suspended food preparation and food service. This includes Wednesday night dinners, Sunday breakfasts and Second Sunday meals until further notice. We will continue to do our best to feed the hungry who come to Zion so that no one leaves Zion hungry.
g. STARS Wednesday night programming will be postponed until after April1. We will keep you informed as to when we think we can restart programming. So there will be no STARS March 18, 25 or April 1.  
h. Westside Early Education, WEE, is closed until Johnston Schools reopen.
i. Zion remains open to distribute bread and bakery goods from Hy-Vee on Tuesday and Wednesdays.  
j. We are unable to offer cash assistance in the form of rent or utility help. Zion simply doesn't have the money. We intend to offer prayer and other support.  
k. Pastoral visitation is suspended until further notice. This includes home visits, hospital visits, nursing home visits, jail visits. If you request a visit, we will do our best to comply, but such visits must be requested and at-risk members of the community must understand the risk.
l. Zion transportation is suspended. No buses or vans will be running.
m. Worship services must now be broadcast. Because we can only gather in groups of 10 or less, all Zion services will be broadcast via FaceBook Live. This includes the 10:30 English, the Swahili and the Mizo services.  
N. Please, Zion's expenses are not diminished during this time. But our offerings are. Please mail your offerings or donate online via the Zion website.

Now let me tell you what we will be doing. We are taking up things even as we are lying them down.

a. We will be posting, via FaceBook Live, regular updates, devotions, teachings and so on during the duration of this virus.
b. We will be calling members and friends on the phone. If you don't receive a call, it means that we don't have your contact information. Please give us that information.
c. We will be offering to serve those at risk. If you need help getting groceries or running errands, we are here to help. Please contact us.
d. We will be trying to reach out to the lonely in our community. If you know people who are alone who would appreciate a call, please give us their contact information.
e. Finally, we will be teaching the whole church how to do family devotions.  

Thank you for your fidelity to Christ and His Church. Thank you for being part of Zion. We love you and the entire staff and leadership are praying for you. Let's all pray for our country and for our families during this time. Let's pray that God will send this virus far away and save our planet. Let's use this time to consider what really matters and what doesn't. Let's use this time to reflect and repent. Let's use this time to grow closer to God and to each other.

God bless you all.  
Holdfast, Zion!