Shane Idleman

God is giving us a chance to stop, take a breath, and focus on prayer. Discouragement is Satan’s tool to keep people in bondage, but it’s also God’s magnet to draw them to Himself.

How many blessings are waiting at the brink? How many promises are yet to be fulfilled? How many prayers are being hindered because of besetting, unconfessed sin? Take time now to follow the example of the blind beggar of Mark 10:46-52 and repent: “[Jesus], Son of David, have mercy on me!” God often crushes our pride to open our ears.

During difficult seasons we often ask, “Where is God?” The irony is that it often takes stormy seasons to turn us back toward safety. The COVID-19 virus is serious and I believe that God wants us to take this pandemic seriously and be concerned about the health and safety of others.

During this moment in world history filled with fear and unknowns, many of us are left wondering where we should turn for encouragement and hope. I turn to the Bible for directions. Here are 8 things you may want to know amid the coronavirus outbreak.

We have a politician actually doing what he said he would do. His past is not perfect, but he is guiding America in the right direction. He is surrounded by many godly men and women, and many governmental agencies are now hosting Bible studies.

Prayerlessness in the pulpit leads to apostasy and dead sermons. Prayerlessness in the pew leads to shattered lives and depression. Prayerlessness in men leads to the breakdown of the family. “When faith ceases to pray, it ceases to live” (E.M. Bounds).

Many early Americans, including most of the Founders, understood that in order for a nation to thrive and prosper, God’s Word must provide the basis for the government and the welfare of society. I’m not suggesting a theocracy, nor were the Founders, but I am suggesting a return to Judeo-Christian values.

I recently went to the border and what I found was both remarkable and disheartening. Remarkable in that I was able to see firsthand the care and compassion demonstrated by our Border Patrol and Customs officers—the task is enormous. And disheartening because these truths are not being adequately told to the American people and, instead, are being twisted for political gain.

The problem Christianity is facing today is the battle over truth. Many people claiming to be Christians are embracing liberal theology, and most of them are against President Trump. This group typically has a problem with the inerrancy of Scripture as well as difficult truths, such as repentance, judgment, and sin.

When determining if we should support the President, we must do our own independent, as politically neutral research as possible, because simply put, the media is full of lies and biased opinions.