February 20
Lev 9:7-10:20 | PS 37:30-40 | Prov 10:6-7 | Mark 4:26-5:20
There is so much fear and intimidation surrounding the topic of climate change. The push for electric cars, the push away from eating meat, etc. The claim is that this is all necessary to save our planet. We have all heard the dire warnings, "If we don't get more responsible, the earth as we know it will no longer exist by the year "whatever they state with their false facts"". For those who live in fear over these dire warnings, we must remember that one day there will be a new earth, as we read in Revelation 21-22. It will be provided by God, not man. We read in Mark 4:35, "On the same day, when evening had come, He said to them, “Let us cross over to the other side.” This meant, since Jesus said it, they were going to get to the other side. As they were crossing the sea, we read the events in 4:37-38, "And a great windstorm arose, and the waves beat into the boat, so that it was already filling. But He was in the stern, asleep on a pillow. And they awoke Him and said to Him, “Teacher, do You not care that we are perishing?”" Though Jesus told them they would arrive, they forgot or didn't fully trust. They got their eyes off of Him and placed them on the situation. We read Jesus' response in 4:39-40, "Then He arose and rebuked the wind, and said to the sea, “Peace, be still!” And the wind ceased and there was a great calm. But He said to them, “Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?”" Yes, the same Jesus who calmed a storm with His Word, can cure any claim of climate change simply by His Word.
Perhaps you are not overwhelmed by climate change, but looking at the world which we live in you feel overwhelmed at the tsunami of evil which has crept into every facet of our society. Whichever topic you want to choose: abortion, transgender surgery (even to minors), the godless agenda in our schools, crime without restraint (often with no punishment for wrongdoers), etc., there is no shortage. Just as with climate change there are no shortage of "experts" giving not only their spin on the situation, but either their justification for it or their solution for it. We pick up the story in Mark, as Jesus and his disciples arrive across the sea. No sooner do they arrive, they are confronted by a demon possessed man. No one in the town is able to control him. When the demons see Jesus, though they are many, as we pick up the confrontation in Mark 5:6-10, "When he saw Jesus from afar, he ran and worshiped Him. And he cried out with a loud voice and said, “What have I to do with You, Jesus, Son of the Most High God? I implore You by God that You do not torment me.” For He said to him, “Come out of the man, unclean spirit!” Then He asked him, “What is your name?” And he answered, saying, “My name is Legion; for we are many.” Also he begged Him earnestly that He would not send them out of the country." We see immediately that when evil confronts Jesus, every time, Jesus wins.
As Jesus said to His disciples above, "Why are you so fearful? How is it that you have no faith?" He created the world out of nothing. He can control every situation simply by speaking it forth. No level of evil can overpower Him. So, why do we fear? Perhaps, we need to turn off our media a bit more often if we find fear seeping in. More importantly perhaps we need to be more immersed in His Word to remind ourselves who He is, and who everyone else is. We read in 1 John 4:4, "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." We read in Romans 8:37, "Yet in all these things we are more than conquerors through Him who loved us." Yes, we will still face trials, and there will be no shortage of turmoil. But Jesus has already won, and He will one day sit on His throne on earth, just as Scripture states. Fear is defeated by putting our full trust in Jesus and what has been written down in His Word.
Messages from Pastor Lloyd Pulley: