World’s upside down. Christ is still Lord. (4.16.20)

This is a very personal post…

Covid-19 has been a reminder THIS life is so very short. I’ve been a conservative Christian for years. Many who know me are well aware I love the Lord. I’ve mostly been the type of Christian who plants seeds for Christ but doesn’t do a lot of hard selling.

I have more hope — even in these darker days — than I’ve had in my entire life. I have hope and peace in a great God. (For you skeptics, I did NOT come to Christ because I needed hope and was afraid for my eternal soul! He chased me down and slowly reeled me in… until I could deny no more.)

To be clear, this is NOT a fairy tale/everything is always awesome hope. I have and do and will live a life full of sadness, pain, frustrations, and things out of my control! But, giving up the reigns (or daily trying to do this… I am a type-A personality;) has made me more content than I’ve been.

This is a great time to consider your eternity. Tomorrow could be the last day on earth. Are you sure that you’ll die and be gone completely… or sure you will be with God?

I do not mean to offend you by asking. You have no idea how many times I’ve rolled my eyes over my lifetime at someone saying these kinds of things. Yet, here we are:)

I know this will make some of you uncomfortable. But, aren’t we all a wee bit out of kilter? Doesn’t something like this make you consider God? I know many reasons against God.

For my first 30 years, I was proud of all that I accomplished and argued like crazy that people are good. But, honestly, I have done/thought/spoken some wicked, wicked things.

It’s so ironic that now I am truly a better, more tolerant and loving person. But, that’s because I daily die to myself and attempt to live for Christ! (If you’re reading this and think I’m saying I’m SO great. I am not! I am a fallen sinner who, daily, does bad things!)

Anyway… I am the same person I’ve been for the last 15 years… a very conservative Christian. But, the Covid-19 pandemic has made me a bit more bold and direct with those I care about.

The Lord is my Shepherd… (My favorite Psalm 23 is an ongoing source of comfort.) This image is of a sheep who ran away from its shepherd for some years. (Sheep’s wool keeps growing which is why this one looks the way it does.) Right after Covid-19 had us locked down, this image comes across my laptop. I wasn’t looking for sheep or anything remotely similar… but, the Lord knew I needed comforting.

This sheep is me. I’m a rebellious teenager who’s spent my life running from God. Even in the last 15 years of belonging to Christ, I still regularly sin. (Anyone who’s worked with teens will recognize this expression;)

From 1968 to 1998, I ran hard and fast from God. I wasn’t an angry atheist, but an arrogant agnostic.

I came kicking and screaming to Christ. Anything but the absurdity of Jesus the Messiah — both man AND God. Crucified and resurrected on the third day?!? Anything but that! After years of studying the Bible, and learning a lot about historical accuracy that Jesus Christ did what he did, was who he said he was — and, Christ is indeed now sitting at the right hand of the Father — I know judgment is coming.

(Yes, I know I sound like a crazy person to some. But, it is THE TRUTH;)

Will you join the family of Christ? Repent of your sins and accept Jesus as Lord and Savior? And, spend eternity in the presence of God? Or in eternal damnation?

Want to know more? Ask.

I’m not a Biblical scholar. But, I am willing to talk… below are some fantastic Biblical resources.

One of the best things anyone can do is actually READ the Word of God. Get a solid translation of the Bible (not a contemporary one that twists the original meanings to make “politically correct”)… and start with the New Testament. My favorite gospel is the book of John.

(IF you’re really skeptical, read The Case for Christ by Lee Strobel. Was made into a good movie in 2017. Lee was an atheist DISPROVING Christ was God… but, found out the facts were actually true. Same as C S Lewis!)

(You will need others to help unpack these complex writings. I’ve been regularly reading the Bible for many years, but STILL, have a clearer understanding when studying with a Biblical scholar breaking it down — even after reading the very same passage a number of different times!)

Finally, I’d like to share three links that you may or may not like… but, they are powerful.

1) We are members of an amazing, Bible-based church called Sovereign Grace Presbyterian Church in Charlotte, NC. (Of course, we’re not meeting in real life right now.) But, I invite you to listen to the preaching and come visit us when this is over. (Please let me know you’re coming so I can make sure to look for you:)

2) Our pastor (one of them) Rob Dykes preached on the evening of April 5, 2020. (Why you need to consider… is God telling the truth? And, what this will mean for your eternal soul. You know, deep down, we humans are more special than other “living” things. We were created in the image of God. I could go on… but, I’ll stop;)

3) One of my favorite teaching pastors is John MacArthur of Grace to You. He goes back to the original languages/context of the Bible (as do our own pastors and many others!).

I have learned so much from him over the years. Really good stuff.

This is a page from John MacArthur’s Battle for the Beginning book:)