Coronavirus???

So Moses told the people, “You must be careful to obey all the commands of the LORD your God, following his instructions in every detail. Stay on the path that the LORD your God has commanded you to follow. Then you will live long and prosperous lives in the land you are about to enter and occupy. [Deuteronomy 5.32-33]

How plain does it have to be? Obedience to God results in blessings.

If a blacksmith puts a piece of metal in the fire, it will be hot, right? Therefore if a piece of metal has been in the fire, it will be hot. If that same piece of metal has NOT been in the fire, it will not be hot. So we can accurately conclude that a cold piece of metal has not been in the fire, right?

Like the metal that has been in the fire is hot, the Bible repeatedly says those who obey God will be blessed. Hot metal has been in the fire and blessed people have obeyed God. 

Here is where "religion" makes us so stupid... We can very accurately determine that a cold piece of metal has NOT been in the fire, but somehow we go brain-dead when people are NOT blessed and, for the life of us, we can't figure out why. Hello disobedience.

I venture a guess that, of all the books written, lessons taught, and sermons preached on the subject that curses (absence of blessings) are not the result of disobedience, if only 1% of those instead taught that curses are in fact indicators of disobedience and are therefore our clear invitation to repent, Christianity would look entirely different today.

As I write this, a pandemic is threatening the world. Coronavirus (COVID-19) has spread across the world and is causing widespread concern and even panic. I can guarantee, that the Christian book market will burgeon with new volumes assuring people that God is in control and that in His loving and mysterious ways, He is showing His love for mankind through this suffering. Really?

The odd thing is, Coronavirus has not killed nearly as many people as the flu. But the "flu" has become so commonplace, that humanity has simply accepted it as part of normal life and doesn't even question why "that piece of metal is cold." Religious people have ignorantly followed suit.

If Coronavirus means anything, it is a "cold piece of metal" telling us God's blessing is withheld because people need to repent of sin! It's time to get rid of worthless religious ideas and engage the powerful blessings of God found only in obedience!

The obedience I am talking about starts with repentance of sin and faith in Jesus Christ alone as LORD and Savior. Obedience starts with faith! The Bible is VERY clear that the only way to God is in Jesus Christ! Faith in Christ sets in motion a life of obedience to God through the leading of His Holy Spirit.

No heat means no fire. The message is clear from a cold piece of metal.

No blessings means no obedience to God. The message is clear from a life rife with curses.

Father, help us to 'get it.' Let my words inspire change... repentance... in me and anyone else who reads them. May Christianity not be seen as a powerless religion, but one that demonstrates the power of God - Your power - extended in blessings upon those obedient to You, starting with the obedience of faith in Jesus Christ!