This is the main question I get asked at the moment by so many Christians who have been thrown by the Covid-19 crisis, and who are bewildered by the state of the Church today. In fact, I have made several videos on the subject of COVID and the state of the Church today.
We hear of young people everywhere being discouraged. And what about the older generation too who have been deprived of their relationship with their children because of Covid? There are small business owners who are on the verge of suicide, and so it goes on…
In this discouraging climate, our true hope is in Jesus Christ!
He alone can and wants to help us. So, what solutions are there for genuine Christians in 2021?
First of all, we need to put things in perspective… our situation is far less disastrous than what our parents or grandparents had to go through at the end of the war, and yet they came through it and even entered a period known as “30 Glorious Years.
The term “30 Glorious Years” refers to the 30-year period between the end of World War II in 1945, and the first oil crisis in 1973. It was a period of exceptional prosperity for the industrialised Western World.
The “30 Glorious Years” were marked by strong economic growth, full employment, a rapid growth in consumer spending power, and an increase in mass marketing.
Yes, my brothers and sisters, let’s not forget that the Lord Jesus Christ has not changed, He still reigns from above in glory. Let’s give the Lord glory each morning we wake, because He reigns! Let’s spend time praying with true hearts, as the epistle of James 5:16 tells us to. And our Heavenly Father promises us His grace anew every morning!
That’s found in the book of Lamentations chapter 3: 22-23:
“Through the Lord’s mercies we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning; Great is Your faithfulness.“
It’s true, the Lord’s mercies have no end and, today, I want to know Him better and to seek Him with all my heart!
That passage in Lamentations continues with verses 24 and 25 :
“The Lord is my portion,‚ says my soul,‚Therefore I hope in Him!‚ The Lord is good to those who wait for Him, to the soul who seeks Him.“
God is always able to create new things out of nothing.
Remember the first verses in Genesis : “The earth was without form and void.” (Tohu Bohu). Out of nothing God created the world we know.
Of course, the world was designed so man could flourish in his relationship with his Creator, but sadly man has ruined it and continues to destroy it even more. We are given examples of people in God’s Word where everything seemed lost, but whenever man turns back to his Creator, all things becomes possible.
For example, look at when David returned to Ziklag in 1 Samuel 30: 1-4:
Now it happened, when David and his men came to Ziklag, on the third day, that the Amalekites had invaded the South and Ziklag, attacked Ziklag and burned it with fire, and had taken captive the women and those who were there, from small to great; they did not kill anyone, but carried them away and went their way. So David and his men came to the city, and there it was, burned with fire; and their wives, their sons, and their daughters had been taken captive. Then David and the people who were with him lifted up their voices and wept, until they had no more power to weep.
I recommend you read the whole chapter and you’ll see the turning point is when David asks the Lord what to do in verses 7-8.
“Then David said to Abiathar the priest, Ahimelech‚his son ‚Please bring the ephod here to me.‚ And Abiathar brought the ephod to David. So David inquired of the Lord, saying, ‚Shall I pursue this troop? Shall I overtake them?‚ And He answered him, ‚Pursue, for you shall surely overtake them and without fail recover all.‚“
At that moment, God’s grace comes into play and everything changes.
They retrieve everything and David reflects God’s grace by sharing the spoils with all of his men, and with all the tribes of Israel and this is what led him to become the king of Israel. God can change any situation.
So what solution is there for genuine Christians in 2021?
First, let’s do as David did and turn back to the Lord with all of our hearts.
Second, let’s be radical in the decisions we make! The forceful are those who take hold of the Kingdom of God as Matthew 11:12 tells us!
Stop listening to the ‘chatterbox’ who is too often the centre of attention in our living rooms, by that I mean the TV which spews out all the bad news of the world to us. Instead, let’s come back to the good news of the Gospel which alone has the power to transform us.
Third, let’s change the way we live. Let’s come back to the source, which is God’s Word, like Joshua did in chapter 1: 8-9,
“This Book of the Law shall not depart from your mouth, but you shall meditate in it day and night, that you may observe to do according to all that is written in it. For then you will make your way prosperous, and then you will have good success. Have I not commanded you? Be strong and of good courage; do not be afraid, nor be dismayed, for the Lord your God is with you wherever you go.”
Fourth, let’s seek out a local church not led by man’s wisdom, but by an apostolic team like that of the early church in the book of Acts.
Fifth, a church where the fivefold ministries are at work, complementing one another with their different gifts, so, as Paul’s epistle to the Ephesians 4: 11 says, we aren’t carried about with every wind of doctrine.
Sixth, where repentance, turning away from sin, dying to oneself, living a sanctified life is preached and lived, first and foremost by the leadership team, and then by the people of God.
Seventh, where every doctrine is biblical and faithful to the sound doctrine of the New Testament apostles.
Eighth, that such doctrines are taught in a balanced way, far removed from extremes.
Ninth, that the pastor’s interests are not placed above God’s or that of church members.
Tenth, ensuring the church is not run like a business, pursuing numbers at the expense of discipling Christians.
Eleventh, that the church is not run by a family clan so full of themselves that they think they are like the tribe of Abraham.
Twelfth, where everything is done for God’s glory and not man’s.
Thirteenth, may we find a local church where we can live out a life of faith and be encouraged throughout the week.
If you would like to know more about this, then watch our video “11 Criteria for Making Sure You Are in the Right Church?” (18)
I can feel you have a burning question!
What do I do if there is no church near me that meets these criteria?
I don’t have the perfect answer, I’m simply a servant. But I have searched, and travelled the world looking for it, and have found it. That’s why I can encourage you. Stop wasting your time and energy in churches that preach false doctrines. Come out of them and start searching around about you, and the Lord will be with you!
Firstly, we are not alone, the Holy Spirit is there to lead us and give us discernment, to tell us where to go or not to go, knowing that our criteria must be based on God’s Word.
- Flee churches that preach false doctrines. Not only will you not grow but you will become contaminated and it will lead you far away from the Lord!
- Look for genuine brothers in Christ and be ready to offer yourself to start a new church in your region.
God always honours small beginnings as His Word tells us!
Let’s remember what the Lord says in Matthew 18: 20: “For where two or three are gathered in my name, I am among them.“
- Don’t be afraid. We will try and help by sending you sound teaching!
I belong to a network of genuine servants of God who preach the true gospel that will edify your life, and offers daily teaching that you can benefit from.
At the end of this video, in the description, I’ll post several websites links that will be a great blessing to you.
To conclude, put God’s Word first, and put it into practice. It is the only truth that exists since the beginning of the world and will exist well beyond 2021.
Today, COVID-19 has brought everything to a halt and I’m convinced the Lord has allowed this so Christians stop and examine themselves and desire to change, because they have blindly followed false teachers who have deceived them and led them down dead-ends. Take heart, the Lord is with us and will always defend his Word. Don’t take the risk of having run in vain, but make sure you are in God’s plan and fully in His will!
English internet’ site I recommend you :
Zimbabwe : Selbourne Park Christian Church – YouTube
Mauritius : https://ctmi.org
South Africa Grace Gospel Church – YouTube
England : (1) Bournemouth Christian Church – YouTube
USA : (1) Grace Fellowship Church – Sarasota, FL – YouTube
