HOW GOD USES PESTILENCE

When God created the earth and all life about 6,000 years ago, it was perfect. There was no disease, no pain, and no death. But when Adam sinned, the world was cursed and pestilence came into being.

So God has used this pestilence in six ways throughout history: 1. as a warning for obedience; 2. for judging disobedience; 3. as a demonstration of His power; 4. as an appeal for repentance; 5. to show protection and comfort; and 6. to prophesy Christ’s return.

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CORONA COMFORT

We know that corona can mean crown [from Latin and Old English] and it has become a word of worldwide fear: the corona virus.

But Corona Comfort comes from the One who wears the ultimate CORONA – Christ, the King of kings.

As Archbishop Dolan of New York said on Fox News, “There are two promising phrases given over and over again in the Bible– repeated both in the Old Testament and also in the New Testament by Jesus and the apostles.” These are:  “’Don’t be afraid’ and ‘don’t worry’.”

To paraphrase one of these promises:  Even if there is no food on the grocery shelves, or no fruit or vegetables at the farmer’s market; even though there is no toilet paper or hand cleaner left; though businesses are closed and nobody can work; when so many are sick and some are dying, “I will still exult in the LORD, I will rejoice in the God of my salvation. The Lord God is my strength!” Habakkuk 3:17-19

Another great promise is found in Philippians 4:6-7,”Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.”

God’s peace and strength are available to all who will ask for it.

Personally I’m at high risk and my wife is at very high risk for infection from COVID19. We have been self-isolating for several weeks now, and continue to pray for everyone in our family to be protected from this pestilence. But only God knows what the future brings, with or without COVID19. But one thing is certain, should I succumb to any virus or disease, I have my own CORONA COMFORT.

It’s found in Revelation 2:10,^”Be faithful until death, and I will give you the CORONA of life.”

COPYRIGHT 2020 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

HAPPY HOLIDAYS - MERRY CHRISTMAS - HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!

These three greetings have one thing in common: you are wishing someone else happiness and joy. They’re very unselfish words that can uplift another’s moment with joyfulness. And it will make you, the greeter, happier as well.

Cheerful greetings are used mostly around the holidays, but are appropriate at any time. Saying anything from “Have a nice day,” to “Nice to see you,” may encourage another person and will lighten your load too; especially if it’s said with a smile.

But a friendly word around Christmas is most important. Many folks are less than merry around this time of year. Memories from past holidays about family problems, loved ones lost, financial pressures, health issues – all detract from the joy of the season.

And joy is what Christmas is all about: the joy of giving and receiving; the joy of remembering the good times, the joy of counting our blessings, the joy of being alive, and the joy of God’s gift of joy for each of us.

The Bible, through which God has revealed Himself to us, informs us that God is full of joyfulness. The word “joy” and its synonyms are found in over 400 verses in both the Old and New Testaments. God wants me to be joyful and He wants you to be joyful – at Christmas and all year long.

When Jesus was born the angel greeted the shepherds with words of joy, “I bring you good tidings of great joy.” Why? It was because the Savior had arrived on earth as a baby, and He would grow up to fulfill His mission of salvation for all who believe. It is His birth that brought “Joy to the World.”

It was then Christ’s life and teachings that implemented the opportunity for joy to all of us. Jesus said in John 15:11, “These things I have spoken to you so that My joy may be in you, and that your joy may be full.” His words bring joy, as do His death and resurrection.

When the disciples saw Jesus just before His ascension back into Heaven, Luke 24:52 says, “And after worshiping Him they returned to Jerusalem with great joy!”

When we’re missing joy in our lives, which may happen more than we’d like, we can ask God for the joy He promises to give us.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

MILLSTONE APPLICATIONS

Millstones have been used for several millennia for grinding grain to make bread. The stones for the hand grinding just weighed a few pounds, but as grist mills became common the stones could weight over half a ton. Millstones are still in use today for grinding grain, coffee, and other items. They are made of hard rock like granite or made of synthetic materials. Although most today are made in factories, some are still formed by hand – an obvious time-consuming procedure.

Millstones have also been used as weapons, with records of some being dropped from fortress walls on invading armies. When you’re being attacked, any weapon will do. They were also used as collateral for loans, but this practice was discouraged in the laws of Moses. Today, however, most antique stones are used as garden decorations.

One of the more illustrious applications for the millstone is a form of Divine punishment.  In the Gospels, Jesus said that it would be better for a person to have a millstone hung around his neck and be cast into the sea, rather than to cause a child to stumble.

Children are especially vulnerable to adult abuses, both physical and emotional, and most of us would agree that such awful treatment of a child deserves the worst punishment.

Sadly, there are those today who are causing children to stumble spiritually. Some examples are those who make movies and TV shows that are harmful to kids; teachers who do not teach God’s truths; or the Secretary General of the UN who is scaring youth with his idiotic projection of climate apocalypse; and those forcing gender changes on the young.

Only God knows the future of our climate, not the United Nations nor any politician. God has promised that the seasons will remain as long as the Earth exists. Although Mr. Guterres is Portuguese and possibly a Catholic, he obviously doesn’t believe God’s promises.

But do you? Regardless of your age, don’t let the climate fear mongers cause you unnecessary emotional stress. And please reassure the children in your life that God is taking care of the Earth as He promised He would.

Sadly, these extreme climate warnings are causing what Psychologists are calling “ecoanxiety.” Some have said it results in kids having suicidal urges, and can you blame them? They’ve heard the warnings: “10 years to go; 12 years before the end.” What a terrifying prospect to the younger generation.

I suspect that God is sizing the millstones now for those guilty of causing these children to stumble.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

ENERGY AND LIFE

Energy is displayed in the work and heat it produces. Sources of energy range from sunlight to wind power to combustion to gravity to chemicals to water and others. But to me the most amazing source of energy is life – from the largest animal to the smallest microscopic viruses all living things are full of energy.

Our Great, Loving Creator shared some of His omnipotence with all living creatures – giving them the energy they need for living. Thus they can move and breathe and eat and do everything necessary to sustain their lives and their kind. And for humans, He also gave us the “breath of life” – the eternal dimension than only mankind has.

We can’t know how animals feel, but we feel more or less energetic based on several factors, such as our diet, our sleep, our enthusiasm, our activity level, and our age. The older we get the less energy we seem to have. But at any age, others can uplift us and increase our level of energy.

For example, when a friend calls and says, “Let’s go golfing or biking or swimming or to the ball game,” we suddenly feel a surge of energy even though we may have been ready to take a nap. On the flip side, when our spouse says, “You need to do this or that,” we feel more tired than we did a moment ago. Go figure!

Sadly, there are some in the world who need most of their time and energy just to stay alive; just to find food or shelter for themselves and their family. Survival and love are energy boosters. People find the energy to do what is necessary.

And when we feel completely void of energy, we can remember what God has told us in Isaiah, “They that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength. They shall mount up with wings as eagles. They shall run and not be weary; they shall walk and not faint.”

 In short, we are energized by God!

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

ENERGY IS ESSENTIAL

In physics, energy is the quantitative property that, when applied to an object, results in work or heat being transferred to that object. It’s a nice scientific definition, but it doesn’t explain much about energy, per se. For example, what is the original source of energy? How can energy be everywhere and in everything? In short, what is energy?

Another scientific explanation of energy is found “the conservation of energy,” which says that energy can neither be created nor destroyed; it can only be transformed or transferred from one form to another.

And then there’s Einstein’s famous energy formula; e=mc ² – which led to the enormous amount of energy being released in the atomic bomb.

But these scientific notes about energy are primary mathematical explanations of how energy is measured. Whether in Joules, Ergs, or Planck’s unit, energy is only measured by the work or heat that it generates. Thus watts and horsepower are extensions of the actions that energy can force.

We know that the four forces that display energy are the Strong Nuclear Force, the Weak Nuclear Force, the Electro-Magnetic Force, and the Gravitational Force. From atoms to solar systems these forces are always at work using the energy that is available. But there is also biological energy, which includes human energy that is displayed as part of, but separate from, these four forces.

The philosophizing could go on and on, but the point of this discussion is the true source of all energy as well as the Grand Unified Theory solution. These truths are found in God’s Word, the Bible. It starts in the beginning, when God created the Heavens and the Earth by the power of His Word. God is the original source and provider of all energy in the Universe.

And we learn in Colossians that in Christ “all things hold together.” This explains how nuclear forces, magnetism, and gravity are all from God. It is He who has gifted us with energy and the natural forces that hold us in place. And He has given us the human energy that we need to know Him and to serve Him and to serve others as well.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

NEVER IN HISTORY

Never in history has so much knowledge about God and His truth been available to so many people. Except perhaps when Adam walked with God in the Garden, or when Christ Himself was teaching on earth. Books, videos, computers, phones – all are readily and easily available to more individuals than ever before.

Bookstores still sell books, and many of them are about our great Creator! Videos from Christian sources are replete with messages that help us understand the Savior better. Computers allow us to access everything from books and videos to live sermons and lessons from the Bible by some of the best preachers and teachers that have ever preached or taught.

And our cell phones – what a marvelous tool for learning and studying the Gospel and sharing it with others via texting or other messaging apps. There seems to be no limit to what Christians can do for the Kingdom! It’s a great time to be alive.

This is especially important since schools at all levels and the mainstream media are ignoring God’s power which is available to those who need it. [Who doesn’t need God’s help every day?] There is a vast empty void that we can help fill by sharing with those who read our messages.

I was speaking with a friend who said he was reading R. C. Sproul’s book on the Holy Spirit, where Jonathon Edwards’ great sermon, “Sinners in the hands of an angry God” was quoted. To show the change in our culture, when I was in High School our literature text contained this sermon and we were assigned to read and study it. I don’t know if it’s still in the books, but I’d be surprised if it were.

So take advantage of modern technology, as well as printed, and become a serious student of God’s Word and ways; and then use the same technology to share His way to eternal life with others.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

PLASTIC IS FANTASTIC

Plastic is a fantastic discovery! It’s getting a bad rap these days, although it’s not the plastic per se, but how it is being discarded. Civilization today would not be as civilized were it not for plastic. Food preservation, medical uses, automobile applications, clothing, tools, weapons for national defense, games and toys, electronics, entertainment, straws – government, homes, businesses, churches – these are some of the products and recipients of wonderful plastic.

Of course there is not just one plastic, but thousands of chemical compounds that make up what we call plastics. Plastics are made from petroleum, cellulose, coal, natural gas, and other chemicals. There are seven classifications of plastic, each with its own physical characteristics and primary applications.

Life without plastics would be unhealthy and unsafe. This is why God created so many different chemicals and taught humans to use them for the betterment of everyone who has lived in the past 112 years. The first plastic based on a synthetic polymer was made in 1907 from phenol and formaldehyde, and called “Bakelite.” Leo Hendrik Baekeland, a Belgian-born American living in New York State discovered the first viable and cheap synthesis methods for making Bakelite and coined the term “plastic.”

We don’t want to get rid of plastics – we need them more than ever. But we must find a better way to dispose of them. One value of plastics is the thermal energy released in combustion. Some places burn plastics to generate heat and electricity. The fumes need to be scrubbed or collected, of course, but that isn’t hard to do. Some places simply bury them, but they are generally not biodegradable. But burying them is definitely better than littering them where they mar the landscape and may end up in the waters and eventually the ocean. Recycling is a good option, but it seems like the cost of doing so has been prohibitive.

I have faith that as God gave us the means and ways to make plastics, He’ll also inspire us to find a way to deal with their waste stream. Hopefully soon!

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

GOOD LEADERS AND BAD

History is replete with nations whose leaders were alternately good and bad. The good leaders would provide security and prosperity, and then the bad leaders would come along and cause discord and poverty. The cycle repeated itself time and time again.

The same could have happened in the USA were it not for the president’s limited terms, either by losing an election or by assassination or death, or simply choosing not to run again. And now the President has a limited time he may remain in office which is two terms or eight years. This purges the bad but also, unfortunately, limits the good.

The United States has had forty-five presidents in its 243 year history, which is an average of 5.4 years for each. Compare that to the USSR which had eight leaders in its seventy years, which is about 9 years for each. And ancient Israel and Judah had nineteen kings in about 450 years, averaging 24 years a piece.

The Bible gives a detailed account of both the good and evil kings who reigned over the two nations. The evil ones were evil indeed and the good ones very good. Of course some were just mediocre, like a few of our presidents. What separated the aforementioned kings was their devotion to Jehovah God and his laws and commandments. Theirs was a spiritual standard, and God still has these standards.

But unlike a monarchy, the USA is a representative republic wherein Congress and the Supreme Court have coequal authority with the Executive. So the overall spirituality of our nation is laid at the feet of all three branches. And that actually trickles down to the individuals in our government, both elected and appointed. We vote for the elected officials who in turn appoint staffs, assistants, and department heads. These then hire more unelected persons. All of these make up our federal government. And the states, counties, cities, villages and townships all operate in a similar fashion.

God judged Israel’s leaders, but He also judged the citizens. Some folks followed the leaders, good or bad, and some followed God’s leading despite who was king. We can learn from the Bible or ignore its teachings about national spirituality. We can follow leaders who are opposed to God or we can follow God in spite of what some in the government are saying and doing. The choice is there for each of us.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON

DIVIDED HUMANITY

Along comes a man who disrupts the status quo of the nation’s leadership. He’s not from the ruling class, not an insider; he’s an interloper in the minds of some. He doesn’t deserve the attention he’s getting. Criticism is heavy against him from some party leaders.

Yet there are many who also like his refreshing character. He’s less political than popular. He’s not afraid to speak his mind and openly criticizes those who condemn him and his ways. He is like a folk hero to a lot of citizens. And his public speaking ability is without peer.

So two camps arise and not many are indifferent toward him. It’s either love or hate, and the haters get more press than the lovers. Some extremists even call for his assassination; others simply for his removal in some “legal” way.

He’s not the first in history to be misunderstood and treated this way. Many others before him were driven away more easily than he, and this tenacity infuriates the haters even more. Their rage is like a derangement.

In some public gatherings violence breaks out between the two camps and people are injured or even killed. The authorities often seem helpless to intervene. The hatred is very evident to outside observers.

And yet he perseveres and attracts larger and larger crowds to his events. It is a worshipful experience for his followers. They chant and cheer and applaud at nearly every statement. They think deeply about his words and challenges and look forward to hearing him for years to come.

But alas, the hatred prevails. Liars are paid to present all sorts of sordid and untrue accusations. The opposition doesn’t allow much of a defense and he is indeed condemned to die after a mock trial.

He is crucified on a cross between two thieves.

COPYRIGHT 2019 BY CARL E GUSTAFSON