a series on the unseen enemy and
they reported that there are
enemies lurking in our society
00:00:02.16\00:00:09.50
that could be just as deadly
as a terrorist attack. They are
00:00:09.50\00:00:14.21
known as viruses. Their
prediction was that a pandemic
is coming which will be
00:00:14.21\00:00:21.32
unconstrained by borders, class,
faith and it will bring humanity
to its knees. Interesting
00:00:21.32\00:00:27.69
language, isn't it? Whenever I
think of people falling to their
knees, it is either in the
00:00:27.69\00:00:33.23
presence of God or in the
presence of a monarch with a
crown on his head. You probably
00:00:33.23\00:00:38.27
know that the word "corona"
means "crown" and is used in the
word "coronavirus" because it
00:00:38.27\00:00:44.47
refers to the way the virus
looks under a microscope -- kind
of like there's a crown
00:00:44.47\00:00:49.58
on top of the virus.
Human coronaviruses were first
00:00:49.58\00:00:54.55
identified in the mid-1960's and
they have been among the viruses
responsible for the common cold.
00:00:54.55\00:01:00.39
However, the mathematical
predictions for the spread of
COVID-19 have indicated that
00:01:00.39\00:01:06.36
the infection rate is at least
double that of the common cold.
And according to Dr. Anthony
00:01:06.36\00:01:12.70
Fauci, the US's top infectious
disease expert, it is at least
ten times more lethal than
00:01:12.70\00:01:20.68
the seasonal flu. This is no
common cold. Professor Gabriel
00:01:20.68\00:01:26.82
Ling, who is the world's
foremost expert on cornavirus
and who also led the struggle
00:01:26.82\00:01:32.19
against SARS, which is another
coronavirus, estimates that up
to 45 million people could
00:01:32.19\00:01:39.06
die from COVID-19. I hope that's
not true. But whatever the
00:01:39.06\00:01:45.40
outcome of the coronavirus
COVID-19 situation, it is a
crisis of global proportions.
00:01:45.40\00:01:50.94
The scriptures speak about
pestilences or widespread
infectious diseases that will
00:01:50.94\00:01:57.45
come upon the world with greater
intensity and severity in the
00:01:57.45\00:02:03.35
last days of earth's history.
Psalm 91 assures God's people of
the Lord's protection:
00:02:03.35\00:02:10.13
The Bible identifies another
unseen enemy. In Ephesians
00:02:53.97\00:02:58.21
chapter 6 verse 12,
the apostle Paul warns us:
00:02:58.21\00:03:02.61
These evil spirits from the Dark
World have one aim: to infect
you and me with the
00:03:15.39\00:03:21.90
virus of selfishness and sin.
Because that is the virus with
which they themselves
00:03:21.90\00:03:27.80
are infected. Their aim is to
bring you and me to our knees in
00:03:27.80\00:03:33.51
despair, fear, shame, and
hopelessness. Therefore, in the
midst of all the panic,
00:03:33.51\00:03:40.28
overwhelming worry, and anxiety,
Jesus speaks these calm,
assuring words to you:
00:03:40.28\00:03:46.02
Jesus knows that if you are
panic-stricken, such feelings
tend to break down your
00:03:57.67\00:04:02.87
immune system. So He wants you
to put your confidence in Him.
00:04:02.87\00:04:08.18
At It Is Written Canada, our
deep desire is to help people
across Canada to put
00:04:08.18\00:04:13.55
their absolute trust in our
kind, compassionate Saviour.
Ultimately, Jesus is the only
00:04:13.55\00:04:19.32
one who can safeguard us against
all unseen enemies. If your
00:04:19.32\00:04:27.30
heart is feeling troubled and
fearful today, Jesus desires to
give you peace. I encourage you
00:04:27.30\00:04:34.60
to stretch out your hand to Him
right now in prayer and He will
give you the relief, comfort,
00:04:34.60\00:04:41.28
and assurance you need to live
by faith and not by sight. In a
moment we'll be back to
00:04:41.28\00:04:47.32
look at what we can practically
do to find peace during this
00:04:47.32\00:04:53.72
very trying time. ¤¤
00:04:54.22\00:05:14.28
We have all see the reports of
how devastating COVID-19 has
been for the people of Italy
00:05:14.94\00:05:20.25
and yet instead of focusing on
the negative, they have chosen
to create positive and uplifting
00:05:20.25\00:05:26.89
moments for themselves. For
example, despite Italy being one
of the worst affected
00:05:26.89\00:05:31.33
countries by COVID-19, Italians
have been singing songs from
00:05:31.33\00:05:38.80
their windows to boost their
morale. And even in the darkest
times, the Lord can help us to
00:05:38.80\00:05:44.61
find some light. Honestly, I cry
when I see what they are dealing
00:05:44.61\00:05:50.11
with. I cannot even look at it.
Instead I pray for them. And we
00:05:50.11\00:05:56.15
want to ask you to pray for
them, too, and for their
healthcare professionals, the
00:05:56.15\00:06:01.46
doctors and nurses, and support
staff in Italy. Pray for those
00:06:01.46\00:06:05.19
who are suffering, the families
of those who are suffering with
the symptoms of the virus and
00:06:05.19\00:06:10.00
the families of those who have
lost loved-ones. Pray for our
00:06:10.00\00:06:14.94
leaders throughout the world who
need divine wisdom to know how
to move forward with God's
00:06:14.94\00:06:20.88
guidance. We recently read the
thoughts of a doctor who is
working in Lombardy, Italy.
00:06:20.88\00:06:26.55
He wrote: "Never in the darkest
nightmares did I imagine that I
would get to see and live
00:06:26.55\00:06:34.69
what is happening here in
the hospital for the past few
00:06:34.69\00:06:39.69
weeks." He continued: "The
nightmare is flowing. The river
is getting bigger and bigger
00:06:39.69\00:06:43.53
At first, a few came then
dozens, then hundreds, and now
00:06:43.53\00:06:51.04
we are no longer doctors, but we
have become sorters and decide
who lives and who should be sent
00:06:51.04\00:06:58.18
home to die. Although all these
people have paid all their life
00:06:58.18\00:07:04.49
taxes here in Italy." "Until two
weeks ago", he continued, "my
00:07:04.49\00:07:10.33
collegues and I were atheists.
It was normal because we were
doctors and we learned
00:07:10.33\00:07:15.66
science and science told us to
exclude the presence of God. I
always laughed at my parents
00:07:15.66\00:07:22.00
going to church. Nine days ago,
a 75 year old priest came to us.
00:07:22.00\00:07:28.81
Gentle man, he had serious
respiratory problems. But he had
00:07:28.81\00:07:34.85
a Bible with him and he
impressed us when he read the
Bible to those who were dying
00:07:34.85\00:07:40.19
and they were holding him by the
hand." This doctor wrote
further: "Being us, all doctors,
00:07:40.19\00:07:46.93
tired, discouraged,
psychologically and physically
finished, when we had time, we
00:07:46.93\00:07:53.57
were listening to him read the
Bible. Now, we have to admit: we
as humans have reached our
00:07:53.57\00:08:02.11
limits. More we cannot do, and
more people die every day and we
are exhausted already.
00:08:02.11\00:08:08.68
We have two collegues who
have died and others are just
00:08:08.68\00:08:15.66
standing still. We realized that
where it ends, when man can do
no more we need God, and we have
00:08:15.66\00:08:24.80
begun to ask deep questions when
we have some free minutes." He
recorded these words:
00:08:24.80\00:08:33.01
"We talk among ourselves and we
cannot believe that from the
fierce atheists we have come
00:08:33.01\00:08:39.55
daily to find our peace, asking
the Lord to help us to resist
despair so that we can
00:08:39.55\00:08:46.29
take care of the sick."
"Tragically", he wrote,
"yesterday the 75-year-old
00:08:46.29\00:08:52.23
pastor died. And we were all
finished, destroyed because the
00:08:52.23\00:08:56.90
old pastor managed, during his
state of illness to bring us
peace. The pastor showed us the
00:08:56.90\00:09:03.47
way and he went to the Lord
in prayer, and when he did, we
00:09:03.47\00:09:11.31
followed him." The doctor
concluded: "I haven't been home
for six days. I don't know when
00:09:11.31\00:09:17.35
I last ate and I realize my
worthlessness on this earth and
I want to dedicate my last
00:09:17.35\00:09:23.83
breath to helping others. I'm
happy that I returned to God
while I was surrounded by the
00:09:23.83\00:09:30.57
suffering and death of my fellow
man." Facing such devastating
00:09:30.57\00:09:35.27
circumstances does that to us.
It helps us to look up, to look
beyond ourselves to God,
00:09:35.27\00:09:41.44
to ask Him to help us. And when
we do, whenever we turn to God
00:09:41.44\00:09:48.32
with a broken, contrite heart,
He comforts us and gives us a
peace that is beyond all
00:09:48.32\00:09:56.06
understanding. In Ecclesiastes
7 verse 4 the wise King Solomon
00:09:56.06\00:10:00.23
informs us that: So when we come
face-to-face with human pain and
suffering and death we sober up
00:10:03.47\00:10:08.57
and we take life seriously. I
know that was the case for me
when I had to face the deaths
00:10:08.57\00:10:14.41
of my loved-ones. I began a
quest in search of the meaning
00:10:14.41\00:10:20.02
of life -- in search of God. So,
you started this quest in search
of the meaning of life
00:10:20.02\00:10:25.85
as you said or in search of
God. Where did you find solid
00:10:25.85\00:10:33.46
answers? Well, dealing with
discouragement is never easy and
after having far too many
00:10:33.46\00:10:39.40
encounters with death -- the
death of my eldest brother, Joe
in a farm accident when I was
00:10:39.40\00:10:43.57
ten years old and he was
eighteen when he was killed. And
the death of my mother who
00:10:43.57\00:10:48.04
took her own life. I was pretty
much a wreck at that stage of my
00:10:48.04\00:10:53.48
life and I was on a crash course
with alcoholism. But that's when
00:10:53.48\00:10:57.12
someone gave me a Bible and he
told me that if I read a chapter
a day, that it would change my
00:10:57.15\00:11:02.42
life and he was right. Reading
the Bible changed my life and it
00:11:02.42\00:11:08.56
gave me hope. In time it took
away my tears and my fears of
death and of the thought that we
00:11:08.56\00:11:15.34
are living in a meaningless
universe. We are not.
00:11:15.34\00:11:19.97
We are living in a very
meaningful universe. We can put
00:11:19.97\00:11:27.98
our complete trust in God
because when we read His word,
the Bible, our eyes are opened
00:11:27.98\00:11:34.49
to see the truth. And as Jesus
promised, when you know the
truth, the truth will set you
00:11:34.49\00:11:39.73
free. So, if you have any fears
at this time -- fears of
contracting this virus or fears
00:11:39.73\00:11:46.23
that your family members might
contract it. Or maybe you have
fears about your job, fears
00:11:46.23\00:11:52.74
about not having enough money to
pay the bills and what will
happen in the future.
00:11:52.74\00:11:57.65
We understand that. Those
are legitimate fears. But God
00:11:57.65\00:12:03.25
understands those fears, too,
and we want to encourage you to
put your complete trust in God,
00:12:03.25\00:12:09.09
to open your Bible, to turn to
Him in prayer so that He can
give you peace and He will
00:12:09.09\00:12:16.53
enable you to overcome your
fears. Jesus assures us with
00:12:16.53\00:12:21.40
these words
from Luke chapter 12:
00:12:21.40\00:12:23.67
God does not forget the birds of
the air, the ravens, and the
sparrows and He comforts you
00:13:15.12\00:13:23.10
with these words that you
are more valuable than many
00:13:23.10\00:13:29.27
sparrows. Before we share with
you more promises from the Word
of God, let's listen to
00:13:29.27\00:13:33.88
Catelyn as she sings,
"His Eye Is On the Sparrow".
00:13:33.88\00:13:39.51
¤Why should I feel discouraged?
¤Why should the shadows come?
¤Why should my heart
00:13:43.52\00:14:01.84
¤feel lonely? ¤And
long for heaven ¤and home
00:14:01.84\00:14:14.52
¤When Jesus is my portion ¤My
constant friend is He ¤His eye
00:14:14.52\00:14:38.04
is on the sparrow ¤And I know He
watches me ¤His eye is on the
sparrow ¤And I know He watches
00:14:38.04\00:15:02.66
me ¤I sing because I'm happy
¤And I sing because I'm free
¤For His eye is on the sparrow
00:15:02.66\00:15:18.75
¤And I know He watches me
¤¤¤ ¤I sing because I'm happy
00:15:18.75\00:15:40.57
¤And I sing because I'm free
¤For His eye is on the sparrow
¤And I know He watches me
00:15:40.57\00:16:03.73
¤¤¤
00:16:03.73\00:16:19.44
Why should you feel so
discouraged? God's eye is on the
00:16:21.01\00:16:26.11
sparrow and you know He watches
over you, too. If you are
00:16:26.11\00:16:31.05
feeling anxious because all the
uncertainties that are in the
world right now, we want to open
00:16:31.05\00:16:38.43
up God's word to you right now.
The Bible gives us this insight
00:16:38.43\00:16:44.63
into God's heart. And it's such
a beautiful view of God's joy
from these words from Zephaniah
00:16:44.63\00:16:51.94
chapter 3 verse 17:
00:16:51.94\00:16:52.91
Look at the repetition of
the word "with". Bob Goff, the
00:17:08.62\00:17:13.93
writer of the books Love Does
and Everybody Always, says that
he has a lodge in British
00:17:13.93\00:17:18.43
Columbia and his family invites
lots of people up there to visit
00:17:18.43\00:17:23.64
him. They have a tradition where
everyone that comes to visit
them climbs under their dining
00:17:23.64\00:17:28.64
table and signs their name and
next to their name they write
00:17:28.64\00:17:34.25
one word. So what one word would
you write? Bob Goff says his
00:17:34.25\00:17:39.12
friend, Don, wrote the best
word. And here's what Don wrote:
00:17:39.12\00:17:44.53
"with". Bob says he thinks
that's the word God would write
under their table because the
00:17:44.53\00:17:50.33
word "with" is much bigger and
worthier and more accessible
than any ten Bible verses.
00:17:50.33\00:17:57.77
It doesn't sound like a big
theological statement, he says,
00:17:57.77\00:18:02.08
because it's not. It's a huge
theological statement because
it's God's purpose for us.
00:18:02.08\00:18:07.38
"With" is the reason Jesus came
and it's the reason why He's
00:18:07.38\00:18:13.02
coming back. Look at this in
John chapter 14 verses 1 to 3.
Jesus assures you, and take
00:18:13.02\00:18:17.49
these as His
assurance to you personally:
00:18:17.49\00:18:20.63
There are more prophecies about
the second coming of Christ in
the Old and the New
00:18:42.35\00:18:47.09
Testament than there are
about any other event. Why?
00:18:47.09\00:18:52.83
Well, because Jesus longs to be
with us eternally. In fact, the
00:18:52.83\00:18:59.77
word "with" is the whole Bible
in one word. So, look at these
other scripture texts.
00:18:59.77\00:19:04.81
And you can walk with God, too,
just like Enoch. Take your Bible
00:19:30.23\00:19:35.77
in your hands, bow your head,
and pray to Him that He will
speak to you. And He will.
00:19:35.77\00:19:42.71
You will get to know His voice
because when you seek Him, you
will find Him when you
00:19:42.71\00:19:48.78
search for Him with all your
heart. Because we serve a God
00:19:48.78\00:19:53.09
who listens. A God who knows us
better than we know ourselves.
00:19:53.09\00:19:57.66
This morning I came to the Lord
feeling discouraged, down, and
00:19:57.66\00:20:04.00
anxious. My heart is so broken
when I look at Italy. I have a
friend whose sister
00:20:04.00\00:20:08.80
works as an LPN at a nursing
home. And these are her words:
00:20:08.80\00:20:13.71
"It is like a war zone over
here. When my friend does get an
00:20:13.71\00:20:19.55
opportunity to speak to her
sister, she says they talk like
it's their last time."
00:20:19.55\00:20:26.52
Because the Lord knows me so
well, He knew exactly what I
needed to hear from Him this
00:20:26.52\00:20:31.93
morning. Yes, He knew exactly
what I needed to read in order
00:20:31.93\00:20:36.73
to comfort me and give me peace.
So He led me and spoke to me
through the following Bible
00:20:36.73\00:20:43.81
verse:
00:20:43.81\00:20:45.01
Did you hear that? God is
speaking to you, too. He is
telling you to put your
00:20:52.65\00:20:58.49
hope in Him and He will
strengthen your heart and give
00:20:58.49\00:21:03.26
you courage. We do not need
to feel discouraged. God's love
00:21:03.26\00:21:08.96
helps us to: Amongst all this
chaos, God is commanding us to
00:21:14.80\00:21:20.81
go forward. Even though our eyes
can't penetrate the darkness and
we feel cold waves about our
00:21:20.81\00:21:27.05
feet, He is commanding us to go
forward because He is with us.
He loves us too much to let
00:21:27.05\00:21:35.19
us go. In Matthew
1:23 He says that:
00:21:35.19\00:21:39.66
Jesus is Immanuel. God is with
us. And even if you die, you
00:21:44.57\00:21:50.37
have the comfort of knowing that
your life will be hidden with
00:21:50.37\00:21:55.41
Christ in God. Yes, look at
these encouraging words from the
book of Colossians chapter 3
00:21:55.41\00:22:00.25
verses 3 and 4:
00:22:00.25\00:22:02.65
Even death cannot separate
us from God. This is why I,
00:22:13.70\00:22:18.50
personally, am not afraid of
death. If you place your trust
in Jesus as your Saviour,
00:22:18.50\00:22:25.07
death is a conquered foe. Fear
of death flees. Let's think for
00:22:25.07\00:22:32.31
a moment beyond this coronavirus
crisis. Let's say it all goes
away tomorrow and we all live to
00:22:32.31\00:22:39.52
be a healthy, old age. Say we
all live for more than a hundred
00:22:39.52\00:22:45.46
years. Then what? We die. Is
that it? Is that what life is
00:22:45.46\00:22:51.70
all about? No, not at all. In
John chapter 10 verse 10, Jesus
00:22:51.70\00:22:57.74
proclaimed: Jesus is talking
about an abundant life here and
now. And a much more abundant,
00:23:04.35\00:23:10.45
eternal life with Him in heaven.
So this is not a "go for it, you
only live once" type of
00:23:10.45\00:23:16.12
life. No. Let's see what
the Bible says. Draw aside the
00:23:16.12\00:23:20.63
curtain and reveal to you the
truth. The life that we live
here on this planet called Earth
00:23:20.63\00:23:26.63
can be very happy. But it is
nothing compared to the eternal
00:23:26.63\00:23:32.31
happiness that God really wants
you to experience. The greatest
joy that you have ever or will
00:23:32.31\00:23:38.58
ever experience here on earth is
merely a foretaste of what
heaven will be like.
00:23:38.58\00:23:43.25
This is why Jesus came to
this earth. In John 15 verse 11,
00:23:43.25\00:23:49.02
Jesus says to you:
00:23:49.02\00:23:50.13
Softly and tenderly Jesus calls
for you and for me to come to
Him and let Him fill
00:23:59.70\00:24:07.78
us with His
joy. Joy everlasting.
00:24:07.78\00:24:12.35
¤¤¤ ¤Softly and
tenderly Jesus ¤is calling
00:24:14.68\00:24:33.07
¤Calling for you and for me ¤At
the heart's portal He's ¤waiting
00:24:33.07\00:24:51.42
and watching ¤Watching for you
and for me ¤Come home, come home
¤Ye who are weary come home
00:24:51.42\00:25:20.18
¤Earnestly, tenderly Jesus ¤is
calling ¤Calling, oh, sinner,
00:25:20.18\00:25:38.23
come home ¤¤¤ ¤Think of the
wonderful love ¤He has promised
00:25:38.23\00:25:52.41
¤Promised for you and for me
¤Though we have sinned He has
00:25:52.41\00:26:10.83
¤mercy and pardon ¤Pardon for
you and for me ¤Come home, come
home ¤Ye who are weary come home
00:26:10.83\00:26:37.56
¤Earnestly, tenderly Jesus ¤is
calling ¤Calling for you and for
00:26:37.56\00:26:54.98
me ¤Earnestly, tenderly
Jesus ¤is calling ¤Calling, oh,
00:26:56.48\00:27:17.10
sinner, come home ¤¤¤
00:27:17.10\00:27:24.67
Friends, let's turn to God in
prayer right now. Father in
heaven, we thank You
00:27:31.25\00:27:37.72
so much that You hear us. We
thank You that You speak to us
00:27:37.72\00:27:41.99
through Your word. And if there
is someone who's listening right
now and their heart is feeling
00:27:41.99\00:27:48.03
worried and discouraged, I pray,
Lord, that they will find
comfort and peace in their
00:27:48.03\00:27:53.50
hearts right now, that they will
turn to Your word. I pray,
Father, that You will
00:27:53.50\00:27:57.27
turn people's attention to
reading the Bible, to pick it up
and read a chapter a day.
00:27:57.27\00:28:03.51
And if they need guidance that
they will contact us here at It
Is Written, that we will pray
00:28:03.51\00:28:08.22
for them that we can even give
them free Bible studies. Lord, I
thank You for hearing
00:28:08.22\00:28:13.66
and answering our prayer. In
Jesus' name, amen. So, friends,
00:28:13.66\00:28:21.03
in these difficult times I want
to remind you again of the words
of Jesus where He says, "It is
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written: man shall not live by
bread alone, but by every word
that proceeds out of the mouth
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of God."
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