Living in a post-Christian, post Covid-19 World

The disruption caused by the coronavirus has changed life for every person on this earth. Unfortunately, we won't know the new normal until 2022.

Here in the West, the new normal culture will be post-Christian and post Covid-19. It is too early to know the context of the new normal, but we do know that the principles for living in a post-Christian, post-Covid-19 culture do not differ from the principles for living in today's culture: 

1. Love, serve and obey God.
2. Love and serve your neighbor. Meet the needs of the helpless.
3. Be a disciple who makes disciples.
4. Love and live in community with fellow believers.
5. Work. Create. Manage the earth.
6. Rest. Refresh. Replenish. Renew.

We are to live a balanced lifestyle that includes each of these imperatives. 

The "how" to live this lifestyle can overwhelm us if we aren't intentional.

We can live intentionally by remembering seven facts: 

1. God is sovereign and always in control.
2. 90% of what God does is through people.
3. 90% of God's will for my life is in the Bible.
4. God has a plan for each person and has placed each of us where he wants us with a specific plan that fits his PLAN of restoring a lost world to Himself..
5. I can't save the world. But I can have an impact where God placed me, in my piece of the world.
6. If every believer works the specific plan designed for him/her, God's PLAN will be accomplished quickly.
7. I must trust God.  

Practical Advice During the Coronavirus Disruption

Life, as we knew it two weeks ago, disappeared. Here are six practical steps we can take to increase our daily effectiveness as we search for a new normal.

1. Extra sleep. Each of us handles stress differently. We all, however, can benefit from extra sleep during periods of crisis. But don't spend all your time sleeping.
2. Establish a regular schedule. We are creatures of habit. As quickly as possible, follow a regular schedule.
3. Schedule time each day for prayer, bible study, and meditation. Quiet time is more important than ever during the coronavirus disruption.
4. Send some time on a meaningful project each day. Most of us have projects we have postponed for a "rainy day." This is a rainy day!
5. Avoid extremes on the Internet. There are always extreme opinions on the Internet. Decide who you want to believe and tune out most of the other noise. Follow the advice of government and health officials. 
6. Listen for God’s voice.

I Believe in Jesus, the Messiah

The coronavirus is a major disruption; the world as we knew it one month ago has forever changed. And we will not know the new normal for several months. We do know that life will never be the same.

A sudden change in life always results from a Significant Emotional Event; we must consider all of life, both the invisible and spiritual and the physical and visible, to understand the meaning of a SEE.

The most important question for each person to ask during this SEE - in the middle of the coronavirus disruption, “What is God saying to me?” Because God is good, perfect, all-knowing, and sovereign, He uses everything visible and invisible to advance His mission–restoring a lost world to Himself. And, he works through people to accomplish His mission.

Foundational Truths have not changed:

1.       The spiritual and physical aspects of life are equally important.

2.       God is triune, transcendent, and immanent.

3.       The Bible is true.

4.       God’s timing is not my timing.

5.       Eternal life has already begun.

6.       God is always at work.

7.       Each person has a story.

8.       Jesus established His church.

9.       The devil is real.

10.   Confession and repentance are necessary disciplines in my life.

But the context in which the Foundational Truths apply has changed. God has convicted me …..

God has not been the only thing I worship in life. Although I say that God is number 1 in my life, I have not worshipped Him as I should. I Ignored his command to share the Gospel proactively and courageously with people, unbelievers, and believers, in my everyday world. I have not responded to the needs of the people around me. My ego and arrogance and pride have been stumbling blocks for others.

This post is public, so to anyone who reads this: I believe in Jesus, the Messiah. He died in my place to take the punishment that I deserved for my sins. I serve Jesus.

God created everything – earth and everything on it, including people. He gave humanity the assignment of managing the earth, which includes innovation and conservation and populating the earth with children. But man sinned, breaking the relationship with God the Father.

Through the years, man has tried to restore the broken relationship with religion, or science, or education or power, sex, and drugs. None of man's substitutes for God restored the relationship with God. So, the world we live in today is a broken mess.

Fortunately for mankind, God sent his Son, Jesus, to the world to live a perfect life, suffer a humiliating death as payment for each of our sins and resurrected Jesus from the grave as an assurance to us that He will also restore us to a relationship with Himself if we accept Jesus’ death as payment for our sins, making Jesus our Savior and Lord.

With a restored relationship to God, we have the assurance of eternal life and the daily presence of God.

What is God saying to you during the coronavirus disruption? Listen to Him. 

For some of you, the last few paragraphs may not make sense. Call me, text me, or email me if you want to talk.

(919) 345-1000

dandmashcraft@gmail.com

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