WANT TO LIVE? GET THIS VACCINE!

Philippians 1:21 (NKJV) For to me, to live is Christ, and to die is gain

To say that there is a bit of pressure being applied to those who are hesitant to get vaccinated is a huge understatement! The unvaccinated “outcasts”, are portrayed as “selfish, uncaring, Anti-vaxers”, by many who have joined the mob mentality of an out of control COVID-19 hysteria.

Today, the World is being ruled by fear even more than usual. I absolutely believe we should be concerned about COVID and its variants, which have killed so many, and effected us all. It is a serious problem, but only one of many serious problems in our World. Let me say this to be as clear as I can, I am not writing this to change anyone’s mind about being vaccinated. There are reasons that the vaccines are a good choice for some people. God has given us so much medical knowledge, which in turn has produced results that are miracle like, reducing suffering, and extending life. But as far as noble pursuits go, history shows, these things do not always work out as intended. That said, I see vaccines as a partial solution to our COVID-19 problem. It is a complex problem, that has many paths to resolution, and multiple attack points to victory. It is not my intent to start a “to vaccinate or not vaccinate” debate here. So let me now shift my focus to another battle, one that everyone will go through in their life. Our personal daily battle for hope and peace.

This battle eventually leads every single person to a question. One of the most important questions we ever face… how are we going to confront death? Many, many people, having been shocked awake by COVID, are now looking at their own mortality. Ultimately, and simply, our mortality forces us to face WHAT it is we believe comes AFTER this life.

Psalms 42:5 (NKJV)

Why are you cast down, O my soul?

And why are you disquieted within me?

Hope in God;

For I shall yet praise Him,

The help of my countenance and my God.

Most people want to live… this fact has been demonstrated by the unbelievable amount of fear that has gripped the World over COVID-19. Every breath of life, given by our creator, is precious and should not be minimize when lost. Each life ended leaves behind loved ones who now face heartbreak and life changing circumstances. Every death is tragic. I have witnessed many friends going through sufferings and trials in this COVID era. But I know this. God sees our pain and wants to be our comforter in times of hurting, and our rock when the world falls down around us. So, how as believers do we find comfort and hope in the midst of death and suffering?

It starts by accepting what God has told us. That in our life we will face struggles, sufferings, and physical death…

Psalms 55:4 (NKJV) My heart is severely pained within me, And the terrors of death have fallen upon me.
Psalms 116:3 (NKJV) The pains of death surrounded me, And the pangs of Sheol laid hold of me; I found trouble and sorrow.
Romans 7:24 (NKJV) O wretched man that I am! Who will deliver me from this body of death?

God never forsakes us even though we all have, and do turn from him. He will never deny those who turn to Him. God identifies with our suffering! Jesus came, suffered, and died. He faced these things so we could be given the opportunity to have spiritual life in him. Death has no victory over anyone found in Christ.

Hosea 13:14 (NKJV) “I will ransom them from the power of the grave; I will redeem them from death. O Death, I will be your plagues! O Grave, I will be your destruction! Pity is hidden from My eyes.”
Acts 2:24 (NKJV) whom God raised up, having loosed the pains of death, because it was not possible that He should be held by it.
Revelation 2:11 (NKJV) “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit says to the churches. He who overcomes shall not be hurt by the second death.” ’
I Peter 3:18 (NKJV) For Christ also suffered once for sins, the just for the unjust, that He might bring us to God, being put to death in the flesh but made alive by the Spirit,

Jesus Christ will vaccinate all who trust in him against spiritual death. His vaccine is 100 percent safe and effective against the “virus” of death. With it’s 100 percent mortality rate, physical death is a great dividing point. It separates our spirit from our body and there is no do over. Our spirit must now go one of two directions, into life eternal, or down to the Pit of Death, where there will be no comfort. The urgency to accept Christ is great! We are at death’s door daily and Christ is the only way to eternal life.

Matthew 10:28 (NKJV) And do not fear those who kill the body but cannot kill the soul. But rather fear Him who is able to destroy both soul and body in hell.
I Corinthians 8:6 (NKJV) yet for us there is one God, the Father, of whom are all things, and we for Him; and one Lord Jesus Christ, through whom are all things, and through whom we live.
Acts 4:12 (NKJV) Nor is there salvation in any other, for there is no other name under heaven given among men by which we must be saved.”

God’s offer of salvation is not a vaccine to hesitate on, because without it, spiritual death is assured and forever. However, if you are vaccinated there with be no fear in death, yet we are still often troubled by it. God is our comfort when we feel this way. Remember and rest in this promise. Physical death for the believer is likened to taking a nap by Jesus.

Luke 8:52 (NKJV) Now all wept and mourned for her; but He said, “Do not weep; she is not dead, but sleeping.”
II Timothy 1:7 (NKJV) For God has not given us a spirit of fear, but of power and of love and of a sound mind.
I Peter 5:7 (NKJV) casting all your care upon Him, for He cares for you.
Isaiah 44:8 (NKJV) Do not fear, nor be afraid; Have I not told you from that time, and declared it? You are My witnesses. Is there a God besides Me? Indeed there is no other Rock; I know not one.’ ”
Psalms 23:4 (NKJV) Yea, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of death, I will fear no evil; For You are with me; Your rod and Your staff, they comfort me.

This message of life that flows out of the heart of every believer in Jesus, is desperately needed by the World right now. It burns bright in contrast to the culture of death we live in. Yet, are our times darker than they were in the past? No, we have struggled in this darkness from the beginning. But with each day that passes, there is less time for souls to come to Jesus.

Zephaniah 1:14 (NKJV) The great day of the Lord is near; It is near and hastens quickly. The noise of the day of the Lord is bitter; There the mighty men shall cry out.

So much today is focused on COVID-19 in our world. We cannot escape it, but the bottom line reason for this is the death that it can bring to ourselves, and our loved ones. Those who have not given much thought to what is beyond this life, are feeling the weight so much more. They must feel like they are standing at the edge of an abyss. For believers who have trusted in God, this time of upheaval certainly tests our faith. But we are able and should be clinging to the promise of our Heavenly Father in Romans 8.

Romans 8:35-39

Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword? As it is written, For thy sake we are killed all the day long; we are accounted as sheep for the slaughter. Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us. For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, Nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.

Revelation 21:4 (NKJV) And God will wipe away every tear from their eyes; there shall be no more death, nor sorrow, nor crying. There shall be no more pain, for the former things have passed away.”

If you have read to this point and have not yet trusted Jesus Christ for your salvation…Please read just a little more!

What? Do you think God is too busy to care about you, or that you are carrying too much baggage to be able to call God your Heavenly Father? Both are not true. God loves you! You were made in His image, and He wants you to bear the image of His son Jesus as well.

1 Corinthians 15:49

And as we have borne the image of the man of dust, we shall also bear the image of the heavenly Man.

John 5:24

“Most assuredly, I say to you, he who hears My word and believes in Him who sent Me has everlasting life, and shall not come into judgment, but has passed from death into life.

God decided to do the unthinkable…He sacrificed Himself for the World to give you a choice. Believe or Don’t believe. Jesus said that if you believe you will have life. What do you believe? Do you believe what God did to give you access to Himself? The Good News is this…

For I delivered to you first of all that which I also received: that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that He was buried, and that He rose again the third day according to the Scriptures, and that He was seen by Cephas, then by the twelve. 1 CORINTHIANS 15:1-5

If you believe these things, you have passed from death to life. YOU ARE VACCINATED (Spiritually)! You have found the answer to the question you have been asking all along. Now rest and enjoy LIFE. God bless you!