ALL THE BAD NEWS MAY BE A GOOD TIME TO REFLECT ON OUR FAITH - As the COVID crisis prompts people to ponder over the fragility and uncertainty of life on earth, we can, as individuals and a community, give them a glimpse of how our faith in God helps us cope with fear and worry, and stand firm in unshakeable hope. As Hebrews 12:28 assures us, “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” “These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.” Day after day, the media is full of bad news. More COVID cases. More companies retrenching workers. More warnings of hard times ahead. Everything seems to be crumbling around us. What should believers make of all this? Are these signs of the end times? Is this a period of testing for all? Or is this time for us to reflect on our personal walk with God and think about how we express and practise our faith in daily life? Perhaps this is a good time for each of us to ask ourselves questions like: What does it mean to trust God when I have practical fears like being infected or losing my job? What do I depend on God for when things don’t work out the way I hope? Do I believe God is really in control of my life and sovereign over all things? It’s clear that no-one is going to escape the impact of the COVID-19 outbreak.

................................................................................................................................................................

All the Bad News May Be a Good Time to Reflect on Our Faith

.

As the COVID crisis prompts people to ponder over the fragility and uncertainty of life on earth, we can, as individuals and a community, give them a glimpse of how our faith in God helps us cope with fear and worry, and stand firm in unshakeable hope - as Hebrews 12:28 assures us, “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken”

Our Daily Bread

“These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.” - 1 Peter 1:7

It’s been a little depressing reading the news of late.

Even if you’re personally not too worried about the COVID-19 outbreak itself, it’s clear that no-one is going to escape its impact.

In Singapore, we’ve been hearing repeated warnings about how the coronavirus outbreak will hit our economy, as fears and strict measures hit the travel, retail, and other industries.

Day after day, the media is full of bad news. More COVID cases. More companies retrenching workers.

More warnings of hard times ahead.

And that’s just Singapore.

Around the world, the picture is even more dismal.

And as if that’s not bad enough, nature is throwing in some flooding, locusts, and tornadoes into the mix.

Everything seems to be crumbling around us.

What should believers make of all this?

Are these signs of the end times?

Is this a period of testing for all?

Or is this a time for us to reflect on our personal walk with God and really think about how we express and practise our faith in daily life?

Already, many Christians in Singapore have had to figure out whether they should continue attending church service.

Some are tussling with the question of why all this is happening, and what they should do.

Perhaps this is a good time for each of us to ask ourselves questions like:

What does it mean to trust God when I have practical fears like being infected or losing my job?

What do I depend on God for, and how will I respond when things don’t work out the way I hope?

Do I believe God is really in control of my life and sovereign over all things?

As we reflect on such questions with honesty, however, let’s not beat ourselves up if we feel overwhelmed or weakened by fear or doubt

Rather, let’s spur ourselves on to walk closely with God and deepen our faith in Him.

I believe our Father is thrilled when a disciple in his inadequacy looks to Him for strength and help to please Him.

As 1 Peter 1:7 notes, times of testing can be times of refinement: “These have come so that the proven genuineness of your faith — of greater worth than gold, which perishes even though refined by fire — may result in praise, glory and honour when Jesus Christ is revealed.”

As the COVID crisis prompts people to ponder over the fragility and uncertainty of life on earth, we can, as individuals and a community, give them a glimpse of how our faith in God helps us cope with fear and worry, and stand firm in unshakeable hope.

As Hebrews 12:28 assures us, “we are receiving a kingdom that cannot be shaken.” — Leslie Koh

Lord, teach me

to keep looking to You

and depending on You

in such a time of bad news.

I know I can trust You fully,

for You are in complete control

of my life and the world.

Our mission is to make the life-changing wisdom of the Bible understandable and accessible to all.

https://ourdailybread.org/spotlight-all-the-bad-news-may-be-a-good-time-to-reflect-on-our-faith/

IT'S NEVER AS BAD AS IT SEEMS - We are pilgrims in this dangerous world, which will wound us at times so badly it will seem unbearable – yet we have this promise from God, “in the time of trouble He will hide me”. The world these days is full of bad news, with the coronavirus outbreak, tensions throughout the Middle East, and the natural disasters that continue to take place. It's a time of trouble all right, and for us believers, it may sometimes be hard to believe – but it never is as bad as it seems. Our true life for us as believers is hidden in Him. So, when the world approaches us with a smoking gun, ready to put us out of our misery, perhaps we can find a supernatural strength, and simply say, "I never felt better!" “One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.”

.............................................................................................................................................................

It's Never As Bad As It Seems!

Worthy Ministries

“One thing I have desired of the Lord, That will I seek: That I may dwell in the house of the Lord All the days of my life, To behold the beauty of the Lord, And to inquire in His temple. For in the time of trouble He shall hide me in His pavilion; In the secret place of His tabernacle He shall hide me; He shall set me high upon a rock.” - Psalm 27:4-5

The world these days is full of bad news, with the coronavirus outbreak, tensions throughout the Middle East, and the natural disasters that continue to take place.

It's a time of trouble all right, and for us believers, it may sometimes be hard to believe – but it never is as bad as it seems.

Let me illustrate with a joke I like to share with my messages.

Way out west (in America, of course), a cowboy is driving down a road, his dog riding in the back of his pickup truck, his faithful horse in the trailer behind.

As he takes a curve on the highway, he suddenly loses control of the vehicle and has a terrible accident.

Sometime later, a State Police officer comes on the scene.

A great lover of animals, the officer's attention is first drawn to the horse.

Realizing the serious nature of its injuries, he draws his service revolver and puts the animal out of its misery.

Then walking around the accident, he finds the dog, also critically wounded, and whining miserably in pain. This grips his heart and he quickly ends the dog's suffering as well.

Finally, the police officer locates the cowboy, who has suffered multiple fractures and can barely breathe. “Hey, are you okay?”, he says.

The cowboy takes one look at the smoking gun in the trooper's hand and quickly replies, with unexpected energy, “Never felt better!”

We are pilgrims in this dangerous world, which will wound us at times so badly it will seem unbearable – yet we have this promise from God, “in the time of trouble He will hide me”. 

Our true life for us as believers is hidden in Him. 

So, when the world approaches us with a smoking gun, ready to put us out of our misery, perhaps we can find a supernatural strength, and simply say, "I never felt better!"

Worthy Ministries is a Christian organization based in the United States and Israel with a global outreach to more than 120 countries on a daily basis.

Though we are an internet ministry, we are also significantly involved in the land of Israel.

Each week, Worthy Ministries delivers thousands of daily devotionals and news briefs across the globe. This past year alone, we have sent out more than 5.2 million news briefs and inspirational devotionals. We have received thousands of encouraging responses from appreciative subscribers. And many millions have utilized our sites and services, including Worthy News, Worthy Chat, Worthy Devotions, and Worthy Christian Forums.

https://www.worthydevotions.com/christian-devotional/its-never-as-bad-as-it-seems