Remaining Calm
One of the purposes of the sermons the last two Sundays was to help people remain calm, but admittedly, that become difficult given media hysteria and government overreaction.
How to remain calm?
1) Remember, God is in control even when people are out of control. Your life is in His hands, so as long as you are right with Him, then you can be at peace. Some key passages to start with are:
Philippians 4:6-7, Be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication with thanksgiving let your requests be made known to God. 7 And the peace of God, which surpasses all comprehension, will guard your hearts and your minds in Christ Jesus.
Isaiah 26:3, The steadfast of mind You will keep in perfect peace, Because he trusts in You.
Matthew 6:25-33, For this reason I say to you, do not be worried about your life . . .(see passage)
1 Peter 5:6-7, Therefore humble yourselves under the mighty hand of God, that He may exalt you at the proper time, 7 casting all your anxiety on Him, because He cares for you.
Romans 8:26-39, (See passage).
The greater your trust in the Lord, the greater peace you will have in your life. A Bible study on anxiety, fear and peace will help you understand what God says about each of those topics – and therefore be at peace. A Bible study on God’s sovereignty in providing for your life will help you remain calm and content even though we will all suffer consequences due the current world-wide mania at present. Consider Philippians 4:11-19 and 1 Timothy 6:8 to be content.
2) Remember that part of God’s provision for you is placing the believer in the body of Christ, so that the various gifts & ministries of the people in the congregation help one another. Be sure to be reaching out to one another to make sure everyone is ok and any needs are met. At the same time, if you have a need, please let those in the church know your need. We can probably supply physical items or go shopping on behalf of those who cannot or should not go out. Just a word of encouragement goes a long way.
3) You can also be at greater peace by distancing yourself from the media that is keeping the fear and paranoia going (Basically, all the mainstream media and web sources such as facebook, etc.). The government take over of society via “emergency” declarations will not keep you safe. If you want to be safe from getting SARS-CoV-2 (Wuhan virus) or any other contagious disease, follow the protocols given in the medical community such as MayoClinic.org IN this case, CDC.gov is doing a good job. Or find out what hospitals are doing to keep their workers safe – that is why we are checking temperatures, asking health & travel questions, and keeping the 1 meter rule (3-6ft apart). This is a virus that can cause a bad cold that is very dangerous to those already medically compromised and the elderly (who usually have a higher rate of medical conditions).
4) Practical matters – Be careful when going out. The grocery stores are probably one of the more dangerous placed to be since they are crowded with people who are fearful (which gives two dangers). Be sure to wash hands / use sanitizer immediately when leaving the store & getting home. Some stores are restricting their first hour or two to only seniors (60+), which is helpful. HOWEVER, if you cannot or should not go out in public because of being in a greater risk category, then please have someone else who is not a risk do your shopping for you. Contact the church (845/298-8481) and we will arrange something for you.
Simply a slave of the Lord Jesus Christ,
Pastor Scott L. Harris
Romans 8:29b
Grace Bible Church, Wappingers Falls, NY
(Check out our web site – www.GraceBibleNY.org)