Rick Derringer: "It's Raining"

This American guitarist had a few minor hits in the seventies. this album track is about a couple sheltering from a hurricane. Check it out here.

Whenever we end up unable to leave home, like we did during the COVID-19 pandemic, we can use the Apostle Paul's idea to make the best of it. During Paul's frequent imprisonments, he used his down time to write letters. 

In Philippians 1:12-14, he noted that his jail time was in some ways advantageous. The Bible in Basic English renders it this way.

"Now it is my purpose to make clear to you, brothers, that the cause of the good news has been helped by my experiences; So that it became clear through all the Praetorium, and to all the rest, that I was a prisoner on account of Christ; And most of the brothers in the Lord, taking heart because of my chains, are all the stronger to give the word of God without fear."

When Joseph was sold by his brothers as a slave, he made the best of that bad situation too. Genesis 39:5 and 6 (BBE) tells us, "And from the time when he made him overseer and gave him control of all his property, the blessing of the Lord was with the Egyptian, because of Joseph; the blessing of the Lord was on all he had, in the house and in the field. And he gave Joseph control of all his property, keeping no account of anything, but only the food which was put before him.

And when Potiphar's wife got Joseph in trouble for not having an affair with him, Genesis 40:21-23 (BBE) tells us of yet another betrayal. "And he put the chief wine-servant back in his old place; and he gave the cup into Pharaoh's hand. But the chief bread-maker was put to death by hanging, as Joseph had said. But the wine-servant did not keep Joseph in mind or give a thought to him.

Now some folks will say that this was long ago. But Jesus promised he'd be with his people always. John 14:18 (BBE) reads, "I will not let you be without a friend: I am coming to you."

One advantage we modern-day Christians have is the Internet. Through it, we can hear and see one another. It's nowhere as nice as meeting in person but it's better than the isolation experienced by biblical heroes.

One Year Closer

What a nasty year 2020 was for most of us. Unless you're rich and powerful, this year has been filled with anxiety and anger. We've had everything from COVID-19 to a fractious American election. So what's so good about the new year?

As the title of this post says, we're one year closer. And which great event are we closer to? We read this promise given to Christ's disciples in Acts 1:10 and 11 (Bible in Basic English). "And while they were looking up to heaven with great attention, two men came to them, in white clothing, And said, 'O men of Galilee, why are you looking up into heaven? This Jesus, who was taken from you into heaven, will come again, in the same way as you saw him go into heaven.'"

Ever since then, Christians have expected Christ to return soon. As we read in 1 Peter 4:7 (BBE), "But the end of all things is near: so be serious in your behaviour and keep on the watch with prayer;"

Likewise, Paul expected Jesus to return any day. Philippians 4:5 (BBE) says, "Let your gentle behaviour be clear to all men. The Lord is near."

Some false teachers worried certain Christians, saying that Christ had come secretly for his people. But Paul set the record straight in 2 Thessalonians 2:1-4 (BBE). "Now as to the coming of the Lord Jesus Christ, and our meeting with him, it is our desire, my brothers, That you may not be moved in mind or troubled by a spirit, or by a word, or by a letter as from us, with the suggestion that the day of the Lord is even now come; Give no belief to false words: because there will first be a falling away from the faith, and the revelation of the man of sin, the son of destruction, Who puts himself against all authority, lifting himself up over all which is named God or is given worship; so that he takes his seat in the Temple of God, putting himself forward as God".

John, the disciple whom Jesus loved, recorded this saying from our Lord's lips. Revelation 22:7 (BBE) says, "See, I come quickly. A blessing on him who keeps the words of this book of the prophet."

Two-thousand years have passed without Christ coming in glory with the saints. Even so, we're one year closer. And as a Chinese proverb says, "A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single step." Let's keep putting one foot in front of the other until that awesome day arrives.

If Christ delays his return by Saturday, I hope to post about this hand-me-down world we live on

Is COVID-19 an End Times Plague?

."

This question also is on the minds of some believers. Charismatic Christians are ever on the look-out for signs of the Antichrist. While we are told to watch and stay alert for our Master's coming, certain people are fixated on finding out when they'll be "raptured

Christ's parables certainly show what we should be doing. He told one regarding three servants who received money while their master was away obtaining a kingdom. Luke 19:15-17 (BBE) says, "And when he came back again, having got his kingdom, he gave orders for those servants to whom he had given the money to come to him, so that he might have an account of what business they had done. And the first came before him, saying, 'Lord, your pound has made ten pounds.' And he said to him, 'You have done well, O good servant: because you have done well in a small thing you will have authority over ten towns.'"

What is this investment we are to make? It is to bring in many people into Christ's kingdom. That is done by preaching the gospel, not by obsessing about who will be the antichrist.

All Christians should be doing what Paul wrote in Romans 10:14 (BBE). "But how will they give worship to him in whom they have no faith? and how will they have faith in him of whom they have not had news? and how will they have news without a preacher?"

One of Satan's successful strategies is infiltration of the churches. That's why Jesus told the parable of the wheat and the tares in Matthew 13:37 (BBE) which reads, "And he made answer and said, 'He who puts the good seed in the earth is the Son of man; And the field is the world; and the good seed is the sons of the kingdom; and the evil seeds are the sons of the Evil One;"

By getting Christians distracted with the minutia of prophecy, the Devil has taken people's eyes off the main reason we're still here in this world. We must preach the gospel as well as expecting  Christ to return. I know he might not come back in my lifetime but I'll do what I can to get the truth out into the world.

If Christ delays his return by Saturday, I hope to post about not being fooled again. Fool me once; shame on you. Fool me twice; shame on me.

Why Christians Accept Death, Even From COVID-19

This is a topic which the people of the world don't discuss unless they must. The Grim Reaper stalks us all but people put that thought far away from their daily lives. Only when a dreaded disease takes a loved one do folks realize their own mortality.

We followers of Christ place our trust in him and his omniscient will. He knows what we need in order to grow in our faith. And when it's time, he'll take us home to be with him.

Saint Peter understood this, having been warned by Christ years earlier. John 21:18 and 19 (BBE) reads, "'Truly I say to you, When you were young, you made yourself ready and went wherever you had a desire to go: but when you are old, you will put out your hands and another will make you ready, and you will be taken where you have no desire to go.' Now this he said, pointing out the sort of death by which he would give God glory. And after saying this, he said to him, 'Come after me.'"

When Peter knew he would die soon, he wrote his second epistle to remind believers of eternal things. As he wrote in 2 Peter 1:15 (BBE), "And I will take every care so that you may have a clear memory of these things after my death."

Likewise, Paul wrote his final letter to his prodigy to remind him of the things he must teach. As we read in 2 Timothy 4:6-8 (BBE), Paul knew it was his final hour. "For I am even now being offered, and my end is near. I have made a good fight, I have come to the end of my journey, I have kept the faith: From now on, the crown of righteousness is made ready for me, which the Lord, the upright judge, Will give to me at that day: and not only to me, but to all those who have had love for his revelation."

We know also of the greatest statement of confidence in the Old Testament. Job 19:26 (KJV) says it well. "And though after my skin worms destroy this body, yet in my flesh shall I see God:"

If worms don't destroy my body and Christ doesn't come by Thursday, I hope to post about the end times fixation some believers have.

Should Christians Take The COVID-19 Vaccine

This is another question hotly debated by people in certain quarters. Some say that vaccines cause more harm than good. Others say vaccines do more good than harm. What then should we Christians do?

This is one of those questions which is answered by a person's conscience rather than any specific statement in the Bible. Since the apostles didn't have inoculations back when the scriptures were being written, we need to consult similar passages where conscience is concerned.

For example, some first-century Christians struggled with the idea of meat offered to idols. This is how Paul answered the matter in 1 Corinthians 8:4-6 (BBE). "So, then, as to the question of taking food offered to images, we are certain that an image is nothing in the world, and that there is no God but one. For though there are those who have the name of gods, in heaven or on earth, as there are a number of gods and a number of lords, There is for us only one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we are for him; and one Lord, Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and we have our being through him."

But if somebody has a weak will and might be triggered by such actions, Paul answered that matter in 1 Corinthians 8:9 and 10 (BBE). "But take care that this power of yours does not give cause for trouble to the feeble. For if a man sees you, who have knowledge, taking food as a guest in the house of an image, will it not give him, if he is feeble, the idea that he may take food offered to images?"

We can apply this to vaccines as well. Our governments might impose a law saying everybody must be vaccinated for COVID-19. Should we disobey it? Romans 13:5 (BBE) does say, "So put yourselves under the authority, not for fear of wrath, but because you have the knowledge of what is right."

I personally wouldn't want a vaccine made in China as their government started this whole pandemic. If it is made mandatory, I'd have some serious praying to do about the matter. But since this doesn't effect our worship and obedience to our Lord, I can't advise either way if a person should refuse the vaccine or not.

And if Christ hasn't returned by Saturday, I hope to post about a hilarious song and how the least of us is still valuable to our Lord.

Is COVID-19 God's Judgement on America?

I've heard certain people claim that plagues, like COVID-19, are a judgement of God on America. They have the mistaken idea that the Bible was written to us twenty-first-century believers as well as to the people of earlier times. But is our modern world so important?

Certainly we should be expecting Christ to return. He urged his disciples in Luke 21:28 (BBE) to be watchful. "But when these things come about, let your heads be lifted up, because your salvation is near."

I personally remember how the false prophet of a house church I attended figured that Canada was mentioned in Holy Scripture. Psalms 72:8 (BBE) was his proof text. "Let his kingdom be from sea to sea, from the River to the ends of the earth."

Canada does stretch from the Atlantic to the Pacific and from the Saint Lawrence River to what could be called the ends of the earth. Little did that scripture twister know that this wasn't a precise description but hyperbole.

People need to recognize that the Bible is centered around the Middle East. That's because it's where God's nation of Israel and the Christian church began. Of course it doesn't ignore people in surrounding lands. Christ commanded his disciples in Matthew 28:19 and 20 (BBE) to, "Go then, and make disciples of all the nations, giving them baptism in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit: Teaching them to keep all the rules which I have given you: and see, I am ever with you, even to the end of the world."

Some folks will argue that God punishes nations. That was true in the Old Testament. In the New Testament, Christ fulfilled the law and the prophesies concerning his incarnation. Luke 16:16 (BBE) explains, "The law and the prophets were till John: but then came the preaching of the kingdom of God, and everyone makes his way into it by force."

The whole purpose of redemption was, is, and will always be about God giving his son a people. We read in 2 Corinthians 15:28 (BBE) that Christ will someday submit himself to the Father. "And when all things have been put under him, then will the Son himself be under him who put all things under him, so that God may be all in all."

It really doesn't matter which nation we come from. A time will come when Christ will judge the entire human race in one massive sentencing session. Empires come and go but the gospel continues until that last sheep, metaphorically speaking, is brought into the fold.

On Thursday, if Jesus doesn't come first, I hope to post about God and a cure for the CCP virus.

What Can We Do About COVID-19?

While scientists are scrambling to find a vaccine for this virus, we can take common-sense precautions such as washing our hands and wearing masks. But there are ways we can fight this CCP flu that aren't physical.

Prayer must be our first action. As James 5:16 (BBE) admonishes, "So then, make a statement of your sins to one another, and say prayers for one another so that you may be made well. The prayer of a good man is full of power in its working."

And since we aren't completely free to visit each other in person, we have all kinds of technology which lets us communicate and cheer up our siblings in Christ. We can even see each other through various online video conferencing tools.


The Apostle Paul didn't have such luxuries but he could write. After his first letter to the Corinthian church wrought many good changes, he wrote another. In it, he expressed his gladness that a member who had sinned was restored to the fellowship.

Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 7:12 and 13 (BBE), "So though I sent you a letter, it was not only because of the man who did the wrong, or because of him to whom the wrong was done, but so that your true care for us might be made clear in the eyes of God. So we have been comforted: and we had the greater joy in our comfort because of the joy of Titus, for his spirit had been made glad by you all."

We don't face the kind of persecution Paul did but we still need to trust Christ and his leadership in our lives. As Paul wrote in 2 Corinthians 1:8-10 (BBE) "For it is our desire that you may not be without knowledge of our trouble which came on us in Asia, that the weight of it was very great, more than our power, so that it seemed that we had no hope even of life: Yes, we ourselves have had the answer of death in ourselves, so that our hope might not be in ourselves, but in God who is able to give life to the dead: Who gave us salvation from so great a death: on whom we have put our hope that he will still go on to give us salvation;"

Whether we live or die, we do both to Christ. Let's not fear this virus but embrace the chance to be lights and encouragers to everyone.

Provided that Christ doesn't return by Saturday, I hope to post about standing for our rights.

Why Did God Let COVID-19 Happen?

Those folks who lack understanding of God's character and omniscience will doubtless ask this question. After all, He's supposed to be loving and caring. Here are some reasons why the Lord allows plagues.

Firstly, he sent them to the descendants of Israel to punish them for disobedience. One example was when God answered their complaint for meat by sending quail into the camp as the Israelites journeyed. But the greedy wretches couldn't even wait to cook the birds.

Numbers 11:33 (BBE)showed how the Lord dealt with disobedient folks. "But while the meat was still between their teeth, before it was tasted, the wrath of the Lord was moved against the people and he sent a great outburst of disease on them."

God has also displayed his might through plagues, most notably those against Egypt. The death of the first-born males was the last and greatest of those. As Exodus 11:9 (BBE) says, "And the Lord said to Moses, 'Pharaoh will not give ear to you, so that my wonders may be increased in the land of Egypt."

The Lord also uses disease to bring people to repentance. King David wasn't supposed to number the Israelites but he did. God sent a plague to cause David to repent. In 2 Samuel 24:25 (BBE), we read, "And there David put up an altar to the Lord, making burned offerings and peace-offerings. So the Lord gave ear to his prayer for the land, and the disease came to an end in Israel."

Sometimes God uses sicknesses to encourage people's faith. Mark 5:33 and 34 (BBE) says of the woman with an issue of blood, "The woman, shaking with fear, conscious of what had been done to her, came and, falling on her face before him, gave him a true account of everything. And he said to her, Daughter, your faith has made you well; go in peace, and be free from your disease."

I have no idea of what this COVID-19 pandemic is supposed to accomplish. But all of us who trust in the heavenly Father know it'll redound to God's glory and our eventual benefit.

If Christ doesn't return by Thursday, I hope to publish about what we can do about this disease.

Who's Responsible for COVID-19?

We live in an unprecedented time. Never before has the entire economy of the world been shut down due to a virus. The World Health Organization declared a pandemic on March 15th and everything we once took for granted ended.

John MacArthur made an astute observation when he said that enemy countries could control others with fear. Not a single bullet needs to be fired. since humanity's biggest fear is death, people complied willingly with the WHO's shut-down order.

But death is no terror to us who follow Christ and belong to him. As the Apostle Paul wrote in 1 Corinthians 15:55 (BBE), "O death, where is your power? O death, where are your pains?"

Why isn't death a terror to us? We go to our eternal home and meet our beloved Lord and Master. As Paul wrote in Philippians 1:21(BBE) about his work for the Lord, "For to me life is Christ and death is profit."

Paul further explained in 2 Corinthians 5:1-4 (BBE) that our spirits will wait in heaven for the resurrection. "For we are conscious that if this our tent of flesh is taken down, we have a building from God, a house not made with hands, eternal, in heaven. For in this we are crying in weariness, greatly desiring to be clothed with our house from heaven: So that our spirits may not be unclothed. For truly, we who are in this tent do give out cries of weariness, for the weight of care which is on us; not because we are desiring to be free from the body, but so that we may have our new body, and death may be overcome by life."

I realize that there are some theories floating around the Internet about who originated this epidemic. The most credible one I've heard is that a virology lab in the Chinese city of Wuhan allowed the virus to escape. At this point, nobody knows for sure if this was deliberate or an accident.

But we can take heart in that our Lord is with us in all circumstances. If we live, that's good. If we die, that's even better.

If Christ hasn't come by Saturday, I hope to post about a song called You're Not Alone" and how it applies to us Christians.