What in the Pandemic World is ACTUALLY going on?

Alright, I’ll admit it, I’M DONE. I’ve been a good soldier, taking precautions and leading others to do the same. This Coronavirus, Covid-19, Pandemic, Social Distancing, Face Masks, Quarantine, long lines at Costco and other stores, no church gatherings, no gatherings at all for that matter, unless it’s Costco or Home Depot or other Big Box stores, hmm… I was shoulder to shoulder with people in these places, but I can’t worship at my church? I can’t stand shoulder to shoulder in church but as long as I’m at certain stores, no problem? Oh, but not small businesses (the backbone of our economy) just certain large stores. Even with the signs that say keep your six feet of distance, there was no way to keep six feet from people when there were well over 500 people buzzing around these big box stores.

What are we to do and what are we to actually believe? How long will we allow our freedom of religion and our freedom of speech to be trampled on? What started out as a “safety” measure has turned into a sacrifice measure. The sacrificing of our freedoms. I’ve been doing my research and I hope you have too. What I am about to share with you is only the tip of the iceberg, I could write a book about the atrocities being committed through this supposed crisis. I would encourage you to do your own research, check my facts, and find more facts yourself. I am not an alarmist, but I am a person who believes in our Constitution and in our founding father’s principles for laying the groundwork of our great country including freedom, truth and justice. And I hate to see people being taken advantage of and right now seven weeks into this quarantine, there is no question in my mind, we are being taken advantage of.

This “pandemic” in my opinion, and in the opinion of many others, has been blown WAY out of proportion. Is this virus serious? Yes, is it serious enough to shut down our nation? NO. Don’t get me wrong, we still need to be cautious and take care of the most vulnerable. However, the bottom line is, something else is happening. I do not know what that something is, but it is clear, the extreme measures that have been taken are NOT necessary. Some believe China manufactured this as a bioweapon. Some believe the democrats are behind this as a last-ditch effort to get Trump out of office. When their impeachment failed miserably, they had no other options. It is said, they wanted to crash the economy, blame it on Trump, and get new leadership in place on Nov. 3^rd at the next presidential election. You can see articles ad nauseam on this and many other theories. That is an argument for another time.

Initially, these extreme measures we have all experienced were, perhaps, necessary. Now, however, we have treatments, we have tests, we have the ability to at least manage the virus. Yet, we are told to continue to “shelter in place” with no thought to the mental, emotional, financial, and physical trauma this has caused and continues to cause people each day our country is CLOSED. I spoke with a local law enforcement official yesterday and he told me crime has skyrocketed the last week and a half. People can only take so much. It is time to open our country. The effects of the supposed cure (shelter in place) are now worse than the pandemic itself. Suicides, alcoholism, abuse, sexual abuse, domestic violence are all up across the nation. We are not meant to be caged up like animals. 

Let’s take a look at some of the things I’ve found. There are plenty of statistics through research that confirm what I’m saying and I’ve provided links for you to see what I’m talking about. However, Facebook, YouTube, Twitter, Google and other platforms have been taking down videos and articles from doctors and other experts with statistics disproving the numbers that counties are claiming are Covid-19 related deaths. So, if the link does not work, let me know, it may have been censored and taken down. There are multiple reports, including recently on Fox News with Tucker Carlson, that Doctors are being pressured to claim deaths as Covid-19 even if they are not (see link from San Antonio news). I had to dig for this link because YouTube (where I first saw the video) took this video down, because it did not agree with what YouTube believes. Since when do they muzzle free speech? The answer is NOW. Same with Facebook, Twitter, and Google. Many reputable fact finders have been shut down on Facebook, Twitter, and YouTube. Free speech? Only if you agree with these Social Media outlets which have a liberal and even communistic worldview. 

Taking the Covid-19 from a strictly data-driven perspective, let’s see how it shapes up against our annual flu season. Statistically speaking, the numbers don’t lie, unless those reporting the numbers lie about the numbers which has been the case with Covid-19. Let’s take a look at some data. Flu deaths vary from year to year, but according to Johns Hopkins University (see link) that range can be anywhere from 12,000 to 61,000 in the United States per year. The worldwide number of deaths from the Flu vary from year to year anywhere between 291,000 to 646,000.              

Currently, total deaths from Covid-19, and remember this is with the inflated numbers of doctors and hospitals reporting non Covid-19 deaths as Covid-19 deaths, so we know these numbers are hyper-inflated. According to Johns Hopkins University and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) total worldwide deaths from Covid-19 are, as of April 29: 225,927. This inflated number, currently represents the LOW end of a typical flu season, yet we are quarantined! In the United States, currently, as of April 29 the CDC estimates that there have been between 24,000 and 62,000 Flu related deaths. Covid-19 inflated deaths in the US stand at 60,207 as of April 29. Now, we grieve for those who have friends and family members who have died from the flu or Covid or any other disease. We do not take this lightly. 

However, these numbers are in line with a typical flu season. While the Coronavirus is not the flu, it is a different virus as I understand it, most comparisons are comparing it to the flu because of some similarities in the nature of the viral disease. It is time to open our country. The chance of dying from Covid-19 in California (again, this is with the inflated numbers) is 0.03. Huh? 0.03 … You’re more likely to win it big with a scratch off ticket (I do not recommend buying scratch offs), the point is you have very long odds at winning the lottery, yet your odds of dying from Covid-19 are longer. However, we remain locked down, the economy is in the toilet, people are literally going crazy stuck in their homes and we are doing NOTHING about it. 

In the beginning, it may have been wise to shelter at home and avoid contact with people. We simply did not know the facts about this virus. However, now, we know, we have a lot of information, and a lot of disinformation. As the stay at home mandate lingers on it is becoming clearer that it may actually be a fear tactic being used in an attempt to gain control of the population and limit our freedoms. Fear is an incredibly effective control tactic. So far, it’s worked for seven weeks. I do not know what “they” intend to try to control in the long run, but currently, they are controlling our lives, our freedom of expression, our worship, and our futures. It is time to put pressure on our politicians to open our county, state, and country. Once again, Texas is leading the way in exhibiting a willingness to be American and show the way to freedom (see link below). Just another reason why so many California companies and California residents have made their way to Texas over the last decade (link below). 

So, what do we do now? The first step is inundating our local government with calls, emails, letters, messages, etc. and let them know you want our county, state, and nation OPEN. The next step is peaceful protest. There are many protests being organized right now, you can find them near you by a simple search (if these have not been taken down by google, twitter, facebook or other sites). Just make sure you know what exactly is being protested before joining one. There are protests for and against this lockdown so make sure you’re at the right one. I want you to know, as your pastor, and also for those that do not go to Skyline, I will be doing everything I can do to make sure our voices are heard. We will be together again soon, gathering, singing, praising, learning, growing and doing all God has called us to do in His Name. Although these stressful and anxious times can be overwhelming, you have the ultimate source to take your fears, worries and concerns to. Our Lord Jesus Christ has promised to let His peace rest on us as we draw near to Him. Trust Him, He will get us through this. God bless you and God Bless America.

https://www.hopkinsmedicine.org/health/conditions-and-diseases/coronavirus/coronavirus-disease-2019-vs-the-flu

https://www.cdc.gov/flu/about/burden/2018-2019.html

https://www.theepochtimes.com/the-ccp-method-chinese-communist-partys-global-agenda_3329428.html

https://news4sanantonio.com/news/coronavirus/accelerated-urgent-care-provides-statistical-update-on-covid-19

https://www.foxnews.com/shows/tucker-carlson-tonight

https://www.wfaa.com/article/news/health/coronavirus/reopening-texas-begins-may1-governor-says/287-45ff1dcd-dd78-4419-af21-0d9edfd558d4

https://www.southstarcommunities.com/blog/companies-leave-california-bound-for-texas

Last Thursday, I had the privilege of joining Mike Slater live on AM600 KOGO. The main question that we discussed was, “How Can Faith In God Help Anxiety?” At Skyline Church, we’ve experienced a heightened community response due to COVID19. It seems that now more than ever, people are asking God legitimate questions. People are realizing that they aren’t in control as much as they thought and that can lead to anxiety. It’s in moments like 9/11, or in this case, a worldwide pandemic, where people storm churches in search of answers (of course now they’re not storming physically, but they are storming the churches by watching online). Sadly, as was the case of 9/11 as soon as they arrived they began to remember why they left the church in the first place. Whether it’s the way the message was conveyed or the lack of a welcoming atmosphere by the “churchy” people. That’s why our slogan at Skyline Church is: No perfect people allowed! We know there are always going to be hypocrites, to which we say, “Welcome!” Regardless of who you are, where you’ve been, or what you’ve done, “You matter to God and you matter to us.” Our heart is to help people. 

In some cases, events like 9/11 or COVID don’t always help someone’s spiritual walk. We have to be wise about how we convey “the church” because the message of God has not changed. However, we do have to change our methods to address a changing culture. And I believe that problems present opportunities. Church doesn’t look like it did 50 years ago, especially with services moving online. God’s desire that no (person) should perish (2 Peter 3:9) is finally widely available in an unthreatening space … your living room. 

People in our community are facing real problems with real anxiety. This is why we’ve set out to read through the book of Philippians in a daily 3-5 minute devotional that you can watch called, Today Matters. In this book we learn how to experience joy regardless of the circumstances, because the Apostle Paul is in a Roman jail as he writes to the Philippian church, yet he’s conveying a positive message. He has A LOT of problems, you want an example of someone who should be full of anxiety, it would be the Apostle Paul, yet he’s talking about how much he loves the people and how much joy he has AND he lists why he has that joy!  

Even though we are in the middle of a difficult time, there are some advantages. One of the advantages is helping our community get back to the foundational habits of our faith. These habits that we’re developing during this time are going to carry us forward whenever we return to “normal” whatever that new normal looks like. All of our habits are broken right now. Let’s make some new ones or get back to some good ones! It’s easy to binge on Netflix, Ben and Jerry’s and not exercise, and we begin to develop poor habits. But God has a different plan for you and me in this season. 

In the midst of uncertainty and anxiety, it’s natural for us to lose our joy. But I want to suggest something so elementary that you might laugh at its simplicity. Obviously there’s a lot of negativity swirling out there and we’re conditioned to complain. But the reality is that you have to be grateful to have joy. You don’t know anyone who is ungrateful and happy. The two go together. Gratitude is the key to joy! And this is why Paul could have joy even in Jail. So as easy as it sounds, I want to encourage you to write down things you’re grateful for. As many as you can! Take as much time as you want or need; 5, 10, 50 minutes. It’s a simple and old school practice but it works! No one wants to be around a sour puss Christian. If you’re a Christian, the Bible tells us to “Be Joyful Always.” So if that’s the case then inform your face! I’m not talking “pollyanna” (fake) joy, I’m talking about regardless of your circumstances, regardless of what’s temporary, take up joy by being grateful. 

You may have heard that the Bible says, “do not fear” or “fear not,” 365 times. That’s one verse on overcoming your anxiety everyday of the year! In my blog last week, we talked about the alternative to worry. Worrying is thinking a negative thought over and over again. Let me say this again, if you know how to worry, you know how to meditate. I want to encourage you to choose one of the thousands of promises in the Bible and think on that verse over and over instead of that negative thought. As you do that, you’ll notice your anxiety subsiding. The Bible says it doesn’t make sense to worry. Worry weighs us down (Proverbs 12:25). 

There are few practices with a greater return. Why hesitate? It’s so elementary but we shrug it off. Like the Apostle Paul, start writing down what you’re thankful for. You may not be in a Roman jail, but it probably feels a bit like jail being confined like we are. Here’s a suggestion on how to begin: It may start as simply as food, breath, shelter, toilet paper, etc … But remember how simplistic Jesus was compared to the Pharisees. It’s not about the complexity of the Gospel that gives us joy, it’s about the simplicity of it. In order to do this, we just need to snap out of it! Don’t sleep walk through life. Turn off Netflix, write down some things you’re grateful for, and open your Bible to a promise you can cling to. I promise that these habits will change your life for the better. You will feel joy coming in and anxiety going out.

God bless, 

Jeremy

We hope to see you this Sunday as we continue to do church differently online. You can join us for our new sermon series at SkylineChurch.org at 9AM, 10:30AM, 3PM, and 5PM. 

In Skyline Church’s new daily devotional, Today Matters, (which you can see on our YouTube page “Skyline Church San Diego”) we’ve been walking through the book of Philippians and talking about things that rob our happiness. It seems that when our routines are disrupted (as they have been the past several weeks), it’s a lot easier to lose our happiness. So, let’s talk about the remedies for things that rob our happiness! 

One of the main ways we can lose our happiness, is forgetting what God has promised. If our forgetfulness is the virus, what’s the cure? Philippians 2:16 tells us to “…hold tightly to the Word of life.” 

Although you may know a few of the literally thousands of promises God has for us, I want to remind us of some that can make a real difference in the level of your happiness TODAY!

1. God has promised us a hope and a future (Jeremiah 29:11)!
2. We can be assured that He will be with us in the valleys of life (Psalm 23). 
3. We’re guaranteed that in our study and meditation of scripture, His word will never fail (Luke 1:37).  

Philippians 2:16 is a practical cure to combat our forgetfulness and maintain a happy  heart. Isn’t it interesting that if we choose to dwell on a worry, it won’t get smaller? It’ll grow! But, the same practice can be used in our faith. If you know how to worry, you already know how to meditate. Worrying is taking a negative thought and thinking about it over and over and over again. But when you take a passage in the Bible, and you think on it over and over … that’s called meditation! God has promised many wonderful benefits to those who meditate on His Word.

People want to be successful today, just look at the market glut of “success” books everywhere. The books talk about the next fad, the next cure, the next miracle pill that’s going to give you the success and happiness you really desire. Yet God says, “Here’s how to be successful.” Joshua 1:8 is just one of the many promises that reminds us that meditating on scripture is a healthy habit.

“Study this Book of Instruction continually. Meditate on it day and night so you will be sure to obey everything written in it. Only then will you prosper and succeed in all you do.”

This is the key to success in your life and mine, not worry, not the next fad book, but by immersing ourselves in God’s Book. As we do this, the joy robbers are jailed and our happiness increases. We can get the most joy out of God’s Word by doing these five things: Hearing, reading, studying, applying, and meditating on the Word. When you do all five of these habits, you are “Holding tightly to the Word of Life” (Phil. 2:16).

I want to encourage you to have joy in this crazy coronavirus season. I know it’s not easy, no one wants to be quarantined or without our normal freedoms. But, God doesn’t say, “Only when things are good, have joy.” No, He says, “Be joyful in hope, patient in affliction and faithful in prayer” (Romans 12:12).  He also reminds us to be joyful always (Philippians 4:4) because we know that it will produce perseverance!

“And perseverance produces character; and character, hope. And hope does not disappoint us, because God has poured out His love into our hearts through the Holy Spirit, whom He has given us” (Romans 5:3-5). Be transformed “by the renewing of your mind” (Romans 12:2). The Bible is saying that we have to change our whole mindset! Embrace God’s Word through meditation today, and be washed by the water of the Word (Ephesians 5:26). It’s through Scripture that we can and will take back our joy. 

It’s been said, “a short pencil is better than a long memory.” Ask yourself these questions and take the time to write down the answers. 

1. Are you allowing yourself to get down? How will you break this cycle? What is one habit you can start today that will help increase your joy?
2. What are some times in your life where God came through for you and proved Himself faithful to you in the past? 
3. Are you forgetting the promises of God? Which ones do you need to be reminded of?

Write these things down and hold tightly to them (Philippians 2:16) as you walk forward into the unknown. He is with you! And so are we. Let us know how we can come alongside you by filling out a Connection Card at SkylineChurch.org. We love you and are so thankful for you!

Why is it that over 3 billion people are celebrating this week around the globe? As we turn our attention to Holy Week, the most important week in Christianity, I’m confident there are some of you reading this who may not understand the significance of Holy Week. Or, you have someone in your Oikos (relational network) who could use a link to this blog because they just don’t “get what it’s all about.”  There are also those who would say they are Christian, but they are not sure about Jesus entirely and they are apathetic about the pursuit of the full truth in Christ. 

And, there are those out there that would say they are agnostic, which is a person that believes nothing is known or can be known about God. While the agnostic or apathetic belief system may be a convenient one, it certainly will not get you the answer to the most important question. When it comes to your faith or the lack thereof: What you believe about Jesus is the most important thing in your life. It has implications for this life and the life to come.

Briefly, let me give you an overview of Holy Week. Our attention turns to this miraculous week on Palm Sunday, one week before Easter Sunday, the day Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey (Matthew 21:5-9) as the King of Kings and Lord of Lords as predicted in Zechariah 9:9, some FIVE centuries before it actually happened: 

Rejoice, O people of Zion! Shout in triumph, O people of Jerusalem! Look, your king is coming to you. He is righteous and victorious, yet he is humble, riding on a donkey— riding on a donkey’s colt.
Continuing into Holy Week leads us to Thursday, traditionally known as Maundy Thursday. Jesus uses the setting of the Last Supper to be an example by washing the disciples feet before the meal. It reminds us of when Jesus said  “I have come to serve, not to be served” Mark 10:45. Maundy Thursday also signifies the remembrance of the Last Supper, the final meal Jesus had with the disciples before he would be arrested later that night.  Maundy comes from the latin, mandatum meaning “Commandment” which comes from Jesus’ words on that Holy Thursday, in John 13:34, “A new commandment I give you: Love one another.” 

Good Friday is typically a more sepulchral or subdued time where we as Christians reflect on all that Christ did for us in taking our sins on himself and suffering the punishment and death we deserved on the cross. This is a time of worship, communion, reflection and prayer in churches (online this year) and homes across the world.

Then Sunday, that life-changing, world changing day when Jesus Christ rose from the grave and proved he is who he said he is…God in the flesh, forgiver of sins, giver of hope, purpose and life.

So, why are over 3 billion people celebrating this week? They have figured out the answer to the most important question in life when it comes to Jesus Christ. 

The most important thing you have to figure out about Jesus is this … 
Is He God or is He a fraud? 
Let me give you an example: If I said, “Hi, my name’s Jeremy and I teach the Bible and it IS going to help you,” … you could probably buy that. You may even say (if I paid you enough) that, “Hey, Jeremy’s a good teacher.” But if I said, Hey my name’s Jeremy, I teach the Bible, because, by the way, “I’m God,” … you’d have a decision to make! Am I who I say I am, or am I a fraud? Because a “good teacher” in their right mind, would never say that they are God. Yet Jesus did say that. 
Colossians 1:15 claims that Jesus said, “Anyone who has seen me has seen the father.” That’s an audacious statement! He claimed to be God many times, even in John 10:30 when he said, “I and the Father are one.“
So, Jesus, although he was a good teacher, he never claimed to be just a good teacher. He actually claimed he was God! That leaves humanity with a decision to make, is Jesus who he said he is or is he a fraud? 

If you’ve been around Christianity you’ll recall this argument. It’s the Liar, Lunatic or Lord argument, and I’ve added another “L”, Likable. It goes like this, Jesus is either a Liar … a Lunatic … or he is the Lord. For many people, they may say, “Well, I don’t think he is a Liar, or I don’t think he is a Lunatic, but I can’t say he’s the Lord.  But I would say he is likable. He taught good things, moral things, he was gentle, he helped people, yeah, he’s likable.” 

But, here’s the problem, Jesus doesn’t leave us with the option of “Likable.” Although he certainly is, he said, “I am God, and when you’ve seen me, you’ve seen the Father.” That leaves you with a decision to make.  He is either a Liar, a Lunatic, or he is the Lord of the universe that over 3 billion people are celebrating this week.  The answer to that question in your life, is the most important one you will ever give.

I want to encourage you if you’re apathetic or agnostic or even an honest atheist, to dig, do your own research on Jesus, dig into the claims of Christ. Who knows, you just might find what you’ve been looking for all along; Peace, purpose, happiness, and what over 3 billion people are celebrating this week, salvation in Jesus Christ.

If you want more information please tune in to our Live Good Friday service this Friday (April 10) at 7:00pm PST and our Easter Sunday services at 9:00am, 10:30am, 3:00pm, and 5:00pm PST, all available on http://www.skylinechurch.org.
God bless you, happy Holy Week, and keep your head up, we’re going to get through this Coronavirus together.

Jeremy

And if you’re interested in getting baptized, let me know by filling out our Connection Card. Just check Baptism in the Next Steps section and we’ll get connected!

One of my coaches with the St. Louis Cardinals use to say, “Control what you CAN control.” That advice has served me well over the years. Right now, many of us are feeling like things are out of our hands. The Coronavirus has forced us into unwanted change and we have very little control over the situation. But there are still some things we can control in the midst of this circumstance. 

For many people, a time of quarantine leads to a severe case of cabin-fever. This is when we need a book like Philippians the most because conflict and cabin-fever go together. So, let’s get more familiar with the happiest book in the Bible and see what wisdom we can gain from following the prescriptions in it. 

Remember, Paul does not speak from his “High Horse” as if he does not understand what the church is going through.  Paul was in a forced social distancing/quarantine situation in a Roman prison when he took time to write to the church at Philippi. He wanted them to know four essential practices of a Christian to reduce conflict in their lives. I’ve paraphrased by trying to make a couple of the points rhyme in order to help us remember, but you’ll get the point.

Paul writes about how humility leads to harmony and harmony leads to happiness in our relationships. Here are the four habits that can help you control conflict in your life.

1. Never let pride be your guide. Pride is at the root of every sin. You and I have an “I” problem. Think about it. What is the middle letter in the word, pride? What’s the middle letter in, crime? Are you surprised that I is the middle letter in, sin? We live in an “I want what I want and I want it now” culture. 
   
   But Philippians 2:3 says not to do anything from selfish ambition or vain conceit. Selfish ambition is saying “it’s all about me.” Vain conceit is saying “I’m always right.”
2. Be humble or you’ll stumble. Why should we be humble? Well, God makes more promises in the Bible to those who are humble than anything else (except to those who are generous). He promises peace, prosperity, honor, power, grace, and His presence among many other great things. 
   
   The Coronavirus has entered a culture of self-centeredness where, “You do you Boo … and I’ll do me …” in other words, you do your thing and I’ll do mine, but don’t tell me what I can or can’t do! Some people are saying they don’t care if they get the virus because they’ll recover. These are usually those who are of the younger generations because according to the data, younger people are not as susceptible to the extreme versions of the virus. But, as Philippians reminds us, humility means it’s not about you. We need to be considerate and help those who have a compromised immune system and are at the highest risk of dying from the virus.  Although you may not get a severe case of it, you can give it to someone who could get a severe case of it and die. By thinking of others and not just our own wants and desires we give more honor to others than to ourselves. Always remember … humility isn’t thinking less of yourself, it’s just thinking of yourself less.
3. Learn the lost art of paying attention. We live in an Attention Deficit Disorder world. We don’t pay attention to people, we pay attention to screens! It’s easy to get distracted from the people and needs around us. We need to learn to listen and actually care about what others are interested in. What a great time to practice this when we’re forced to stay home! This is a the time to change the focus because it shouldn’t always be about me, me, me. My agenda. My career. My hobbies. My needs. Harmony comes from being interested and concerned about what others think is important. Philippians 2:4 says it like this, “Don’t look out for only your own interests, but take an interest in others, too.” The most valuable gift you can give someone is your attention because your attention is your time. Some may say, “No money is more valuable!” But, that’s not true, because if I give you some money, I can always get more money, but when I give you my attention, I’m never getting that time back. When I pay attention to you, it says you matter, I care about you. So, who do you need to pay attention to today?
4. WWJD? It sounds cliche, but it’s true! Ask yourself, What Would 
   Jesus Do?, (Philippians 2:5). No matter what situation you find yourself in, you can bet Jesus would respond with humility. Our attitude should be the same as Jesus. If we want to raise harmony in our lives, and reduce conflict, we need to ask ourselves how would Jesus act in this situation, with this person, at this time?

During this time of confinement, rest assured that Jesus wants to be your guide, He wants to keep you from stumbling, and He wants to show you the value of learning how to give your attention.  In every relationship, let’s strive to be of the same mind, love, spirit, and purpose as Jesus Christ. 

To continue on this topic of humility, harmony, and happiness, join us for our daily devotional Today Matters as we discuss three things that characterize “what Jesus would do.” 

Despite how our circumstances may have unfolded in the past several days, be encouraged that God has prepared us for this season. We’re reminded in Romans 1:17, “The person who finds life will find it through trusting God.” There’s a big word in there … “trusting”. 

Today, I want to talk about people in the Bible who came up against some pretty difficult circumstances. I know that you’ve been itching to read the book of Numbers, ha! This book can easily be skipped and go unread for a long time if we aren’t intentional. But in between all the genealogies, there’s some powerful wisdom. That’s why I make it a point to read through the Bible every year, there’s wisdom in so many surprising places. Let’s turn to Numbers, chapters 13 and 14. 

To give you some background, let’s recall what happened leading up to this point. Moses had led the children of Israel out of Egypt while displaying His power by showing them miracle after miracle.  God promised His people a place they can call home, the promise land.  Moses called twelve leaders (one from each of the twelve tribes of Israel) to go ahead, check out the promise land, and bring back a report of what it’s like. After forty days and forty nights the leaders returned with a mixed report. 
Two of leaders said that the land was great, it is exactly what God promised and that they should proceed. Ten of the leaders however, said that there were giants in the land and that Israel’s people would surely die if they tried to go into the promise land. 

Now, the two who gave a positive report were Joshua and Caleb. They trusted God. Those who had a negative report were; Shammua (not the whale), Igal, Palti, Gaddiel, Shaphat (not Snapchat), Gaddi, Ammiel, Sethur, Nahbi, and Geuel. I tell you their names because to me, it’s interesting that I don’t know anyone by the name of any of those who had a negative report. That’s because no one remembers the neigh sayers! No one remembers the critics, worry warts or debbie downers. However, people do remember those who move forward in faith, trusting God regardless of the circumstances and display a positive attitude in the midst of challenges! 

This Coronavirus has inconvenienced everybody! People are losing jobs, money, and their way of life. It is truly testing people’s trust and patience. You’ve seen the grocery stores lately. People are complaining and even getting physical as they jockey for position to get that last case of toilet paper.  I want to encourage you to be a Joshua or a Caleb by focusing on the positive and trusting God. Do a self analysis, when you’re faced with challenging situations, are you patient in these situations? When a crisis like the Coronavirus hits, is your default to panic and hoard supplies and be fearful of what’s going to happen as you lose your trust in God? It’s easy to be godly when everything is going great. It’s easy to act like a Christian when everything is easy. But do we have faith when we don’t have control, when we don’t know when our lives will return to “normal” whatever that will look like in the future. The big question we have to answer is, will we do what God says, even though there are “giants” in front of us. People in your Oikos (relational network) will wonder about your faith during this time. Does faith work? They’re watching. In the uncertainties and viruses of life, let me encourage you to choose to be a Joshua or a Caleb and trust God.

To hear more about what it looks like to have faith, subscribe to our Youtube Channel and tune into our new series, How to Walk in Faith Over Fear. 

What a week! And what a Sunday! We saw 20 people make a decision for Jesus Christ … online! When Jesus said He was going to build His church, He meant it. And nothing is going to stop that. For the near future, we will continue to be the church in a virtual experience, yet with real decisions and real life change for Jesus.

Everyone is so interested in their future. Especially now with the Coronavirus pandemic, people are wondering even more about when, in the future, this thing will end.  We all want to know about the future and so there are some amusing ways people go about finding this information …Astrology. Tarot cards. Magic 8 ball. Tea leaves … and none of it works! But God sees your tomorrow, today! He knows your future. Psalm 139:16 says, “The days allotted to me had all been recorded in Your book before any of them ever began.” If you want to know the plan for your life, talk to someone who knows what it is.  

 Take St. Patrick’s Day for example. Did you know that today we are celebrating a young man who was kidnapped from Britain by Irish raiders? We celebrate him because when he escaped and returned to his homeland, God called him to bring the Gospel to Ireland (of all places!). Patrick accepted this plan for his life and brought spiritual freedom to the Irish people. I am of Irish heritage, who knows he may have led my ancestors to the Lord!

Sometimes our greatest source of pain is our greatest ministry. If we had our whole life laid out for us, we’d get discouraged if we saw some of the painful stuff, or we’d get prideful seeing all the good stuff. Trust in God’s plan for your life and His timing as He reveals it to you piece by piece. Hebrews 4:13 says, “Nothing in creation is hidden from Him.” And Psalm 147:5 says, “His understanding has no limits.” God knows everything! He’s never shocked. He never says, “Oh really?” Or, “Oops!” As my life unfolds, it may surprise me, but it’s never going to surprise Him. 

Knowing this about God should encourage our prayer life. I wouldn’t be surprised if Patrick spent those 6 years in captivity praying to God about what was next for him. We should want to be in prayer with Him more because we need to ask Him for advice about things He already knows will happen. If you call to Him, He will answer you and tell you great and unsearchable things you do not know (Jeremiah 33:3).

Here’s a practical way for you to apply this to your life today. 

Pray: God, you know everything that is going to happen today. Would you prepare me for today?

For more practical ways to lean into God’s Word, subscribe to our Youtube Channel and tune into our daily devotional, Today Matters.

 

https://www.skylinechurch.org/coronavirus-information/

In the last 24 hours we have been diligently discussing our response to the Coronavirus (COVID-19).  After the mandate from our government to suspend gatherings of 250 our more, we will be moving all of our services online starting this Sunday, March 15. Online services will be at 9:00 AM, 10:30 AM, 3:00 PM and 5:00 PM. 

In addition to suspending Sunday services onsite, all gatherings on our campuses throughout the week will be suspended.  Updates will continue to be sent through the app, online, and via email. 

Technology is a powerful thing!  We can continue to worship together, take sermon notes, and give online! If you don’t have our app, please see instructions below on how to download it to stay connected. We will meet together again soon.  Handshakes, hugs, and high-fives will resume!  Until then, stay tuned! 

I am so grateful that God is in control. The Bible is very clear that we are not given a spirit of fear (2 Timothy 1:7).  The Bible is also clear that the wise person sees trouble ahead and takes precautions (Proverbs 22:3). We have a tremendous opportunity to display our faith in front of our Oikos during this time.  Walk in faith not fear. 

We love you!  

Pastor Jeremy 

In John 21, Jesus tells Peter how he’s going to die, to which Peter responds, “Well what about John?” I’m giving you the JIV translation (Jeremy International Version). Then Jesus says, “That’s none of your bee’s wax!” (JIV). 

When it comes down to it, we only need to know what God’s will is for one life … our own (Romans 14:10-12). It’s God alone we’ll have to answer to for our actions. However, sometimes we put our own personal preferences on others. I’m guilty of it! I’ve put my own personal preferences on those of you who root for the Raiders. I’m concerned for your well-being. 

Often times Christians, like myself, cause more damage than good by confronting others (Raider Fans) about what they think “God has told them.” Now if I’m completely close minded and not in the Word or in prayer, then He may bring someone along to open my eyes. But let’s be positive that our two cents are from God and not our own personal opinion or preferences.

Here are the 3 indicators that God has given you a message for someone else …

1. It won’t contradict what He’s already said. God is never going to tell you something that goes against His Word in the Bible. Be VERY careful not to use God’s name for your own preferences.
2. God told them first. If God gave you a word for someone else, you should be praying that He has already told them. You don’t want to jump the gun and say something before God does a work in this person. Trust God to speak to them first. You can be confident, God’s not going to gossip to you.
3. You didn’t know. Often times, God will use you without you even knowing about it. You’ll just be talking and something you say will trigger a change in their heart and mind. You may never even know that you’ve just confirmed something that they were wrestling about with God.

Here’s the reality. There is still hope that God is speaking to you…. if you’re not a Raider fan. 

No really, the reality is, God isn’t going to gossip to me about you OR about you to me. If you’re a believer, God is going to tell YOU. 

To learn more about how to recognize God’s voice, visit our YouTube Channel and watch our Hearing God series.