07/08/20 GOD USES MEANS

07/08/20 GOD USES MEANS

I recently mentioned a terrible sickness from the 50s and a young person asked, "What is Polio?"
WOW. Praise God for medical help.

I remember a time when most medical intervention was good because there was more of a concern for health and healing than wealth and stealing. There are still good people and procedures in the medical world. However, as with every other area of life, the love of money is the root of all evil, of every kind of evil. Avarice at any time is evil, but in these especially evil times, it is especially evil.

There are still good medical people, just as there are still good preachers, good law enforcement, good courts, good government people, good teachers. But we are in danger if we trust everyone who wears a white hat or sits in a seat of honor.

I trust God for my health, but I know that God sometimes uses medical people, medical procedures and medicine as tools. Even when I accept medical intervention, I look to God for my well being. At the same time, I do not open my arms or my wallet to every "Medicine" man, method or "miracle drug" that comes along.

Martha and I were told by a doctor that we should abort one of our children because of a danger he faced (before abortion was legal). As Christians we rejected the "Doctor's" advice. Martha had a safe delivery and God gave good health to our child. But regardless, we were not going to follow medical advice that clearly opposed God's word. But remember, there are times we don't agree or understand something, but that does not mean we should champion it or attack it. We must be wise as well as strong in the Lord. Humility is a companion to faith.

Today we are facing dangers of every kind; medical, legal, immorality, violence, extortion (social and political) insurrection, Humanism, persecution. We must live close to God and trust Him for deliverance and direction. We never really know the validity of pubic threats (medical, economic, social stability) therefore we must make decisions that are unpopular with others (family, close friends, society, government) but we must not blindly follow the Pied Piper. Sometimes we are constrained to do that which we don't want to do. But remember, if it is not a violation of God's word and a life of grace, we must prioritize our commitments and choose our battles carefully. Some "good things" are not worth fighting for.

We should not jeopardize our own faithfulness to God and we should not jeopardize our Christian witness to others by promoting our personal views in a boorish, unloving, unsympathetic, callous fashion.

Self advancement and self expression are not unlimited rights. We Christians must guard our hearts, minds, tongue, demeanor, reactions, choices carefully. As we seek God's leading, we must not try to rule over others or intimidate them. Our only absolute mission is loving and serving God, presenting the Gospel and loving others. Arguing for temporal issues (even if you are right) is contrary to the call and ministry of God's people.