Dear friends and readers
What can I say? The news is not good worldwide. On the one hand we are told that if we just continue social distancing this could all go away soon, On the other hand the U.S. CDC just published a report this morning that says we might expect a second round of Clovid 19 in the fall of 2020. And the FEMA folks are frantically looking around for a minimum of 100,000 "body bags". FOR USE IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS!
Well, that's encouraging!
I want to make a statement here so no one misunderstands my intent! Under no circumstances am I down playing this horrible plague---BUT, at the same time many other things are happening in the world that are seldom reported on. I was reading a report this morning by one of the premier radio hosts and it really got my attention. It has to do with how many people are killed each year from various problems and in this case between January 1 and March 25, 2020---THIS YEAR! These are by the way worldwide numbers!
When is the last time you read this? Or heard this? Or it was reported on the news?
It is TERRIBLE that during that time the world has lost a minimum of 21,000 souls through death to Covid 19.
BUT during that same time---death to Many more than that due to the following causes worldwide;
Seasonal flu-113,000
Malaria--228,000
Suicide--249,000
Traffic fatalities--314,000
Hiv/Aids--391,000
Alcohol related--581,000
Smoking--1,162,000
Cancer--1,909,000
Starvation--9,900,000
We don't hear all that much about those things do we? Let alone deaths from human trafficking, diabetes, heart disease, gang activity, drug abuse, and the list goes on and on and on---ad infinitum!
Dare I even mention abortion in which in the U.S. alone as many as over 63,000 dead babies per day?
THE WORLD IS ON THE BRINK! And not from Clovid 19. Not even from staggering national debt. While terrible in the extreme, this plague will pass---only to give way to another plague and we know that because it has been a continual cycle throughout the history of the world. REALITY STRIKING is that mankind in general is finding new and innovative ways to kill itself off---at an alarming rate.
And I would also mention that roughly 4 1/2 BILLION people are perishing---or on the way to that end because they do not have a relationship with the one and only true GOD! Elohim, Lord, Jesus Christ and a dozen or more other names that He can be identified by, but still the one and ONLY GOD!
4 1/2 BILLION will perish to an unthinkable end. At the same time, it is reported that 2 1/2 BILLION people on the planet DO HAVE a relationship with the Lord of Lords and the King of Kings!
Many within the church do take the Great Commission of Matthew chapter 28:18-20 seriously and labor long and hard to accomplish the Lord's commands. BUT SADLY, the percentage of that 2 1/2 BILLION who really do take the Lords command seriously is extremely small.
So lets just pretend for a moment that ALL 2 1/2 BILLION followers of Christ were fully engaged in the Great Commission "Go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, teaching them to observe all things that I have commanded you"! If that was the case---AS COMMANDED BY THE LORD! What do you suppose would happen?
Well to begin with if everyone of those 2 1/2 Billion brought only ONE single person into the Kingdom of God during their entire lifetime, it would cut the unsaved by well over one half. And I suspect more than that.
Witnessing to another human being and being able to pray with them for salvation is an extremely addictive drug. The more you do that the more you want to do that. And soon it becomes a motivating factor in your life. Like breathing air!
Would all that evangelism stop things like Covid 19 from happening? NO! Stuff happens and unpleasant stuff often happens in heaping quantities. But one of the great side effects of a walk with Jesus---I SHOULD SAY, A SERIOUS WALK WITH JESUS is receiving the greatest gift of all.
PEACE--THE PEACE THAT PASSES ALL UNDERSTANDING! Ephesians 2:14 "For HE HIMSELF (JESUS CHRIST) is our peace"!
No, plagues do happen, car accidents kill people, some will get the flu and perish. And some will always tragically disappear or stave to death.
The question for all Christians to think about is simple; HOW MANY LOST (for all of eternity) SOULS ARE ACCEPTABLE TO ME?
PEACE MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
Pastor Rance.
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