Skip to main content

Navigating Uncertain Times


There is still lots of information and knowledge being passed around about the COVID-19 pandemic. Some of it is very helpful but in days like this, we need more than information and knowledge. While Google might be your go-to source for more information about the current situation, it is not a good source of wisdom. Wisdom is about how we respond to information and what we do with our knowledge. Wisdom is about more than just understanding it is about living well. The Scriptures are meant to be our source of wisdom.  They may not give us all the details about specific issues but they reveal timeless truths for responding to issues and living life well.  They accurately depict human nature and reveal God's plan and purpose for humanity.  They contain encouragement, timeless principles, and compelling stories that give us real-life examples.  
As things continue to change let's be careful to build our lives on the wise counsel of God.  
Psalm 119:105 says, "Your word is a lamp to my feet and a light to my path." The following study guide outlines some of the categories found in each major section of the bible and how they may contribute to thinking through complex life issues: 

The Old Testament
Pentateuch The first five books of the bible are a great resource in understanding some of the big questions of life.
  • God's Intent for Humanity
  • The Problem of Sin
  • The Character/nature of God
  • Covenant/ relationship with God
Narrative / Historical (including the Pentateuch)
The Narratives of the OT provide a rich resource of in the examples of the lives of individuals, their choices, their relationship with God, their various life situations.
Psalms The psalms capture the cries of the human heart and can be very helpful in addressing internal struggles.
  • Laments and Psalms of Petition: grief, repentance, working through a tragedy or failure
  • Praise & Thanksgiving: developing a positive outlook, developing a heart that is in tune with God
  • Salvation: assurance, hope and confidence in difficult situations, gaining perspective
Wisdom Literature
  • Job: guidance when dealing with suffering and injustice
  • Proverbs: general skills in living life: Character, work, money, sex, home life, discipline of children, self-control, conflict.. Etc
  • Ecclesiastes: guidance when searching for meaning and purpose in life and dealing with life's inequity
  • Song of Songs: skill and advice in romantic love

The New Testament:
Gospels Jesus is the master shepherd and we can learn lots from his conversations with people and his teaching.
  • How to ask the right questions
  • Getting to the real problems and issues
  • A view of God's heart concerning life's issues
  • A resource for leading people to Jesus in the midst of their struggles
Acts Acts can be very helpful when dealing with people who are going through issues that have come out of serving in the church. Act's can help give perspective and hope to ministers who have encountered church conflict, burnout, or are dealing with a sense of failure.
  • Examples of how church conflict was dealt with.
  • Insight into the roles of key leaders and how they fit into the bigger picture of God’s plan
  • Encouragement and insight when feeling Disappointment, Discouragement or lack of vision
  • Vision for the Community life of the local church and how it is central to the mission
Pauline Epistles Paul's epistles deal practically with many issues that Christians deal with. They instruct us on the implications of the gospel in regard to life's problems. They layout a pattern for living that supports spiritual growth and wellbeing.
  • Early Epistles - the gospel and instructions on dealing with basic problems of new believers
  • Middle Epistles - helping believers develop life-focus and purpose, participation in community life
  • Latter Epistles - sound doctrine, developing a lifestyle that supports faith, a well-ordered home, healthy relationships, church leadership.
General Epistles These letters are particularly helpful in identifying issues that could lead to wandering from the faith or being swayed by false teaching.
  • Insight into key reasons or issues that lead to a falling away
  • Basic principles for helping believers stay with the faith


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Why Do Church As Family?

Look carefully then how you walk, not as unwise but as wise, making the best use of the time, because the days are evil. Therefore do not be foolish, but understand what the will of the Lord is. And do not get drunk with wine, for that is debauchery, but be filled with the Spirit, addressing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing and making melody to the Lord with your heart, giving thanks always and for everything to God the Father in the name of our Lord Jesus Christ, submitting to one another out of reverence for Christ.    -   Ephesians 5:15–21 ESV What is the big purpose of your earthly life now that you belong to Jesus Christ?  The New Testament reveals that God's explicit will for your life involves serving Christ by pursuing his way of life and joining him in making disciples.  All of which brings glory to his name. (Col 2:6-8, 5:17, Matt 28:18-20, Acts 1:6-8) How are you going to do this? Well, that's the million-dollar questi...
Post a Comment
Read more

Back to Church

It is pretty clear now that the impact of the 2020 global pandemic will be felt for a long time.  As restrictions change we are beginning to think about going back to meeting in person but things will still be quite different for some time.   We need to ask what is God teaching us through all of this? For months now, God has allowed church buildings and services to be shut down, forcing us to find different ways to gather and minister.   I believe God is giving us an opportunity to take a fresh look at the scriptures and rethink church in light of New Testament principles. If all we had was the New Testament, no church tradition or experience, what would our gatherings be like?  How would we go about being the church? The writer of Hebrews gives us the reasoning behind the church gathering together regularly:  "Let us hold fast the confession of our hope without wavering, for he who promised is faithful.  And let us consider how to s...
3 comments
Read more

Wearing a Mask for the Sake of the Gospel?

This week the city of Toronto, in response to COVID-19, made wearing a mask mandatory in any public building, no sooner did the bylaw go into effect and there were people protesting their rights and refusing to wear a mask.  This seems to be the typical response of a number of people, many of whom are Christians.  I can sympathize with the concerns about government restrictions yet I wonder if our response is really any different from those who have no knowledge of Christ.    I've been studying Luke chapter twenty and looking closely at how Jesus responds to the religious authorities who oppose him which has raised a couple of important questions:    How should followers of Jesus respond to the authorities in this world?   And how are we responding to God’s authority in our lives? The question the spies bring to Jesus in Luke 20:20-26 is meant to be an impossible question.  Should we pay taxes to Caesar?  (This question is very...
Post a Comment
Read more