Words from a Branch

Let your reasonableness be known to everyone. The Lord is at hand; do not be anxious about anything, 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 understanding, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus. Philippians 4: 5-7 ESV             As I write this it would be easy to lose heart. The outer self is greatly threatened by disease, and so the inner-self may also feel threatened. The looming presence has drawn quite near and people have reacted. The momentary affliction seems heavy and appears to stretch out beyond the moment. Even if we overcome the fear of death and of disease there are worries are other worries which assail us. We can be overwhelmed; our weakness can be exploited to drag us down to despair. Our hearts can become lost in the maze of concerns and uncertainties. What if we get sick? What we die? ...

There is a terrible disease loosed among us. It infects every single man, woman, and child on the face of the planet, and it is always terminal. It has claimed more lives than men could count, and its death toll is rising every second. Yet you will not hear of it on the news, nor find that the CDC or WHO even recognize it. The governments of the world are unconcerned, and the population oblivious. It is called sin. (Romans 3:23, 6:23) There is only one cure, and only one keeper of the cure. (John 3:16, 14:6, 15:5, Matt 5:13-16, 28:16-20) The death of sin is eternal death, a never-ending agony of torment beyond human imagination. The life of the Christian is such that death becomes meaningless. (1 Corinthians 15:55-57) Thus, it is written that we ought not to fear what can destroy the body, which must be destroyed. Instead we should fear that which can destroy the body and soul in Hell. (Matthew 10:28) Men do much to save the body, and in vain do they try to stave off death (Luke...