God is Faithful Through All Circumstances

A Note from Jim
 
Let me ask you a question. Are you experiencing God’s love during this time of isolation?  Read Ephesians 3:14-21.  Many may not realize this, but Paul wrote this during a time of isolation.  He was in prison in Rome. Yet, even though he was isolated from the people he loved, he was concerned about them and praying for them. 
In the verses just before the section you just read (Ephesians 3:11-13), we see specifically that even though he was in a time of suffering, he wanted to encourage other believers.  Look closely at the reason why he isn’t more focused on himself and can consider others.  He had BOLDNESS and CONFIDENCE because of his ACCESS to the Father through Jesus Christ!  In other words, even though he was suffering, he was so confident in his relationship with Christ that he wasn’t too worried about himself.  He knew he was right with God because of what Jesus had accomplished, and he knew that God would work all things out for his best either in life or death (Philippians 1:19-20, a passage also written during this time in prison). If we truly are ROOTED and GROUNDED in God’s love, we will grasp the breadth, length, height, and depth of God’s love for us, and we will have boldness and confidence in times of struggle (Romans 5:1-5).
John also said that when we BELIEVE and KNOW the love God has for us, we will love everyone around us (1 John 4:7-21).  We won’t be focused on ourselves during this time of isolation, but will have a concern for others because of our being united with Christ and truly understanding the depth of His love for us (Philippians 2:1-4)!  So, let me ask the question again that I asked you at the beginning of this. Are you experiencing God’s love during this time of isolation? If you are, it will be evident by the fact that you will be sharing with the people around you some of the overflow of the love of God that you are swimming in.
I love you, and I am praying that you too will grasp the full extent of God’s love!

In Christ’s Overwhelming Love, Jim

A Note from Elise (Media Developer and Jim’s Daughter)
 
I pray that you have the peace of God during this season, and always. We hope that all are well and that you daily recognize the hand of God in your life.
Given the recent spread of Covid-19, this newsletter might look a little different. Due to respect for the government (1 Peter 2:13-15, Romans 13:1-7) and our desire to love others by protecting their health, all of Jim’s travel and most of his speaking engagements have been cancelled for March and April. He continues to record his radio programs, prepare Bible studies, and encourage pastors around the country. We regret not being able to be with all of you in person, but God is not surprised or defeated by the spread of Covid-19. In fact, it is within His plan. It is often hard to see how God can use these difficult situations for good, but we know that He does, because He has promised to do so (Romans 8:28).
God has blessed Justapreacher Ministries with a small glimpse of how He is using social distancing for good. Because Jim has not been able to teach weekly Bible studies in person, as he has been doing for years, we have begun to livestream those studies on our Facebook page. This way, we are still able to worship and learn ‘together’ even though we are miles apart. We might never have explored this possibility if our regular meetings had not been interrupted, and now brothers and sisters from across the globe can join us in studying the Word! The livestreams have reached more people than we have ever been able to before, and we pray that God will keep it up! Our desire is for more and more people to come to know Jesus through this circumstance. When we come back together, as we believe that we will, we plan to continue livestreaming the sessions so that everyone can continue to study with us.
We know that this is just one example of how God is using these unusual circumstances. We pray that you too are seeing God work during this socially distant but spiritually rich time. Use this time to pray about how God wants to use you to bless your neighbors, and then go do it! He has an amazing plan in mind.
Of course we recognize that Covid-19 has brought a multitude of challenges as well as blessing. Remember, God cares for you and has promised never to leave you or forsake you if you are His child (Hebrews 13:5-6). Loss of job, livelihood, or even life is incredibly hard, but none of it is out of God’s hands. The good that He has for you may look different than you want it to, but it is still good. It’s okay to grieve and wonder what God is doing, but never forget that He has a plan (Job 13:15, Daniel 3:17-18).
We have faith that this pandemic will come to an end in God’s timing. In the meantime, we encourage you to obey the government guidelines in letter and spirit, love your neighbors from a safe distance, and seek God’s strength to sustain you through this time and always (Psalm 55:22).

In Christ’s Overwhelming Love, Elise