I Timothy 1:7…For God hath not given us the spirit of fear; but of power, and of love, and of a sound mind.

May I share my view on the corona virus situation?

My walk with God has always been defined by trust. I have trusted Him through some incredibly hard times. The loss of three of our children through miscarriage, a doctor telling us our youngest son had a tumor on his eye that was probably cancerous when he was less than six months old.  Another doctor pulling me away from my children to tell me there was a great risk that my wife would not live through an emergency surgery.  And there were the financial hardships, medical issues of my own, and the loss of great friends through death or desertion. 

Through all of this I have trusted Him. 

I am concerned for the church at this time. I know as a pastor that it only takes three missed services for a church member to never return. I know that when folks miss church they keep God’s tithe for that week for themselves. And so I know that the current restrictions on gathering in large groups, (and now as small as 10) will do great harm to many churches, missionaries and ministries. 

I’ve been getting messages from friends in ministry. One is a church planter who only has 60% of his support raised, and depends on a part time job for the rest of his income. He needs prayer that he will be able to pay his bills, because the current restrictions mean he cannot work his other job. But he’s going to have more problems when this situation is over. So will I. And so will many of my friends in full time ministry.

When this is over (and this too shall pass) we may be facing a dire situation for Gospel ministries. Many church members will not give while they cannot attend church. Many (most?) churches have little to no reserve. Pastors  will loose salaries, missionaries and ministries will have to cut back severely. All because Christians don’t trust God.

If you are the redeemed of the Lord you have no reason to panic, hoard, or isolate yourself from your church. The government may tell you you cannot assemble (though I question the Constitutionality of an order like that) but your government cannot tell you to loose faith.

God is still in control of ALL events. He is not surprised by this “pandemic.” And He absolutely still has your well being as a priority.

Matthew 6:24-33…No man can serve two masters: for either he will hate the one, and love the other; or else he will hold to the one, and despise the other. Ye cannot serve God and mammon. Therefore I say unto you, Take no thought for your life, what ye shall eat, or what ye shall drink; nor yet for your body, what ye shall put on. Is not the life more than meat, and the body than raiment? Behold the fowls of the air: for they sow not, neither do they reap, nor gather into barns; yet your heavenly Father feedeth them. Are ye not much better than they? Which of you by taking thought can add one cubit unto his stature? And why take ye thought for raiment? Consider the lilies of the field, how they grow; they toil not, neither do they spin: And yet I say unto you, That even Solomon in all his glory was not arrayed like one of these. Wherefore, if God so clothe the grass of the field, which to day is, and to morrow is cast into the oven, shall he not much more clothe you, O ye of little faith? Therefore take no thought, saying, What shall we eat? or, What shall we drink? or, Wherewithal shall we be clothed? (For after all these things do the Gentiles seek:) for your heavenly Father knoweth that ye have need of all these things. But seek ye first the kingdom of God, and his righteousness; and all these things shall be added unto you.

And

Psalm 37:23-26…

The steps of a good man are ordered by the LORD:

and he delighteth in his way.

Though he fall, he shall not be utterly cast down:

for the LORD upholdeth him with his hand.

I have been young, and now am old;

yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken,

nor his seed begging bread.

He is ever merciful, and lendeth;

and his seed is blessed.

I just finished preaching at a 5 day faith promise missions conference. This Sunday Morning we had 44 in the service. Wednesday through Saturday we barely broke 20 in attendance. Yet this church trusted God and gave nearly $4,000 to be split among the three missionaries present. They also promised over $1,000 per month for the next year to go to missions. This is money they don’t have. Faith Promise is asking God to give you the money so you can give the money to missions. They did it last year for the first time and ended the year with thousands over an above what they believed God for. Can God set us a table in the wilderness? Yes He can.

You can trust God through this crisis. You can actually thrive through this.

Determine today that this “crisis” will not stop you from loving people, serving your Lord, and giving to propagate the Gospel. Love when people are unloveable. Serve when fear wants to overwhelm you. Give when you aren’t sure you can make it if you do. Do all of this prayerfully and watch God work in mighty ways. “But what if it doesn’t work?” it won’t if you keep asking that. God has determined that the level of our blessings is directly tied to our use of the faith He has given us. As an old preacher once said to a young preacher, “You don’t need more faith, you need to learn how to use the faith God has already given you!”

Don’t be afraid. Don’t worry. 

Just Trust Him.

DAVE MASON