THE PANDEMIC FAITH CHALLENGE: ALWAYS KNOW FOR SURE THAT – YOU ARE THE CHURCH THAT GOD IS BUILDING – NO ROOM TO FEAR!
“Come, my people, enter thou into thy CHAMBERS, and SHUT THY DOORS about thee: HIDE THYSELF as it were for a LITTLE MOMENT, until the INDIGNATION be overpast” Isaiah 26:20.
In the pandemic challenge, our Christian Faith in Christ Jesus stead and our relationship with Father God is a testing time of our Faith reality. To authenticate the earnestness of our Faith in Christ Jesus toward Father God, one must be intentional, pragmatic, and assured, knowing and understanding that we are to be different in the world, though we are in the world during this pandemic.
“If the world hates you, you know that it hated Me before it hated you. 19 If you were of the world, the world would love its own. Yet because YOU ARE NOT OF THE WORLD, but I chose you out of the world, therefore the world hates you” John 15:18-19.
“You ARE of God, little children, and have overcome them, because He who is in you is GREATER than he who is in the world. 5 They ARE of the world. Therefore, they speak as of the world, and the world hears them. 6 We ARE of God. He who knows God hears us; he who is not of God does not hear us. By this we know the spirit of truth and the spirit of error” 1 John 4:4-6.
For YOU ARE the Church that God is Building; and you ARE not closed, as some may indicate. You Can’t be closed – it’s just the GATHERING [MEETING] place that’s been temporarily shut. The real Church is alive in the grace and not limited by the building. There is no more time to play games with our lives or the lives of others. It’s time to take a spiritual stand in wisdom, to guide you on how to navigate life and live godly in a time like this – the pandemic.
“If the iron be blunt, and he do not whet the edge, then must he put to MORE strength: BUT WISDOM IS PROFITABLE TO DIRECT” Ecclesiastes 10:10.
The Scriptures says wisdom is PROFITABLE to direct (Ecclesiastes 10:10). Since we are not all in the same place of grace and strength as a Church to robustly withstand some measures, it’s crucial that every sacrifice to help – especially the young in Faith – is considered. The building gathering may be shut for now; but the services for advancing Kingdom Causes are not shut. This isn’t a weakening, but a wise approach to flourish in all circumstances. It’s a challenge to awaken to the times, to become WHAT you are and WHOM you are in Christ, regardless of circumstances.
Apostle Paul said, ‘To the WEAK I became WEAK, that I might win the weak.’ (1 Corinthians 9:22) He became like them to help them grow. A good shepherd cares for the flock, strengthening the strong and protecting the vulnerable – especially the lambs, who need extra care. They are part of this journey of life and grace in God’s kingdom, and we must keep the enemy at bay.
“To the WEAK became I as WEAK, that I might GAIN the WEAK: I am made all things to all men, that I might by all means SAVE some. 23 And this I do for the GOSPEL’S SAKE, that I might be partaker thereof with you” 1 Corinthians 9:22-23.
“We then that are STRONG ought to bear the INFIRMITIES of the WEAK, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to EDIFICATION. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me” Romans 15:1-3.
For we are the Church being built of the Father God in our Lord Christ Jesus by the Word through prayers in the empowering of the Holy Spirit; as such we the Church are not the structurally and architecturally building; hence as a charismatic and dynamic body, we can adapt with the changes to advance the Kingdom Causes of our God as we keep the enemy and cohorts at bay through this period until the world present predicament come to a hold at least.
Just as Moses let the Israelites through the wilderness to the promised land, despite all the challenges, may every pastoral leader, by God’s wisdom, guide their flock to stability, strength, and counsel during these challenging times of Health and Economic struggles worldwide. We are all being tested, but may leaders shepherd their people through, to a place of resilience and godliness,
The Churches leadership can use the services of the home cell groups, social media streamlining platforms, recorded videos, and Audio formats to transmit the Word to keep the Church services alive and engaged gracefully and graciously in knowledge and understanding without disruptions. Additionally, utilising telephone lines for counseling and prayer support can help channel care effectively.
May this be a note for everyone: as we navigate this process, the dynamics of how we conduct Church services will shift, and denominational boundaries will be broken. It’s time to wise up and break free from limitations we have built around ourselves.
It’s my prayer that as the Pastoral leadership team yield to the Holy Spirit, they will be equipped to lead God’s flocks unhindered, guiding them in LIFE and GODLY LIVING through Christ Jesus stead.
SCRIPTURAL THOUGHTS WORTH PONDERING IN CONTEXT:
“We then that are STRONG ought to bear the INFIRMITIES of the WEAK, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to EDIFICATION. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me” Romans 15:1-3.
“I have shewed you all things, how that so labouring ye ought to SUPPORT THE WEAK, and to remember the words of the Lord Jesus, how he said, It is more blessed to GIVE than to RECEIVE” Acts 20:35.
“And Simon Peter answered and said, Thou art the Christ, the Son of the living God. 17 And Jesus answered and said unto him, Blessed art thou, Simon Bar-jona: for flesh and blood hath not revealed it unto thee, but my Father which is in heaven. 18 And I say also unto thee, That thou art Peter, and upon this rock I WILL BUILD MY CHURCH; and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it. 19 And I will give unto thee the keys of the kingdom of heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt bind on earth shall be bound in heaven: and whatsoever thou shalt loose on earth shall be loosed in heaven. 20 Then charged he his disciples that they should tell no man that he was Jesus the Christ” Matthew 16:16-20.
“So when they had dined, Jesus saith to Simon Peter, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me more than these? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, FEED MY LAMBS. 16 He saith to him again the second time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? He saith unto him, Yea, Lord; thou knowest that I love thee. He saith unto him, FEED MY SHEEP. 17 He saith unto him the third time, Simon, son of Jonas, lovest thou me? Peter was grieved because he said unto him the third time, Lovest thou me? And he said unto him, Lord, thou knowest all things; thou knowest that I love thee. Jesus saith unto him, FEED MY SHEEP” John 21:16-17.
“And I will give you PASTORS according to mine heart, which shall feed you with KNOWLEDGE and UNDERSTANDING” Jeremiah 3:15.
“The ELDERS which are among you I EXHORT, who am also an elder, and a witness of the sufferings of Christ, and also a partaker of the glory that shall be revealed: 2 FEED THE FLOCK of God which is among you, taking the oversight thereof, not by constraint, but willingly; not for filthy lucre, but of a ready mind; 3 neither as being lords over God’s heritage, but being ensamples to the flock. 4 And when the CHIEF SHEPHERD shall appear, ye shall receive a crown of glory that fadeth not away“ 1 Peter 5:1-4.
REV. CHUKIE MORSI