Pastor Wayne Cordeiro & Pastor Richard Waialeale
March 15, 2020 - W2011

“How Then Shall We Live”

When God Asks More of You

Pastor Wayne Cordeiro & Pastor Richard Waialeale

March 14 & 15, 2020  

PASTOR WAYNE:  Aloha, everybody.  Please allow me to address the current crisis of the COVID?19 virus.   This coronavirus is getting the lion's share of attention and concern, and is often a point of conversation, but remember to seek accuracy over quick information.  The Lord is with us in this!

We've been through 911, the 2008 economic downturn, and the 2009 swine flu (that affected 61 million people), and The Lord saw us through each one! As in the recession of 2008, many may see their nest eggs reduced.  This is the first time America has canceled the NBA and major league baseball games; even in Hawaii, historic gatherings, such as, the Kamehameha song contest and the Merrie Monarch Festival have been canceled.   This tells us that the balance of people and societies are very fragile, and we are far more inter-dependent than we ever realized.  Our advances in transportation make us far more vulnerable than we've ever been before. There's a global effort taking place to stem further spread; but the effects of the virus will be more than a medical concern if we are not careful.  It can morph into an irrational fear which will produce panic and hysteria, which always breeds much faster than a virus.  

As of March 15, Hawaii had four cases of COVID?19, and each person was immediately and safely quarantined.   We don't want to overreact; but at the same time, we don't want to be cavalier about it because we all understand the gravity of this virus, and we're especially empathetic towards the elderly, and those who may have a compromised immune system or a preexisting health condition.  These are at the highest risk, and it’s not our desire to put anybody at risk.  We all need to be wise and prepared.  Here are four essentials to remember:

1.Place Your Trust Firmly on God.  Nothing else will be reliable in the end—not even the economy, bank account, and what the media says, or what is happening abroad.  Our trust must be in Christ alone! Proverbs 3:5?6 NIV reminds us to ⁵Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding; ⁶ in all your ways submit to him, and he will make your paths straight. 

I often say, “We may not know what the future holds, but we better know who holds the future,” and that alone brings me the greatest peace and comfort. Hebrews 13:8 NIV says: “Jesus Christ is the same yesterday, and today and forever.”

2. Learn the Promises of God.  Joshua 21:45 (NIV) “Not one of all the Lord’s good promises to Israel failed; every one was fulfilled.” One of my favorite promises is Exodus 23:25 NASB says: “Worship the Lord your God, and his blessing will be on your food and water.  I will take away sickness from among you.” We need to learn to trust His promises, and recite them out loud, because when we do, it reminds our heart to stay steady in Christ alone. The word of God grows our confidence, and God turn the tables on the enemy!

3. We Do Our Part (what we're supposed to do), Then The Lord Will Do His Part! To lessen the spread of any germs, our church has formulated a comprehensive prevention plan: Cleaning public surfaces before and after each service, cleaning toys and surfaces in Children's Ark, and providing hand sanitizers in various locations. We will do everything we can to limit the possible spread of the virus and trust the Lord to do what we cannot.  We don’t practice worry and fear—we eradicate it!  

I agree with immunologist Dr. Fauci, who predicts that the number of those infected could yet increase.  If there's an outbreak and many are sick, and Christians are fearful and retreating, then who will be there to help?  If we don't have enough medical professionals to take care of all the sick, then who will step up to assist to pray or to lead?  Proverbs 28:1 NIV says:  The wicked man flees though no one pursues, but the righteous are as bold as a lion.” President Trump just declared Sunday, March 15^th, a National Day of Prayer.  I'm so thankful that we have a president who knows that, ultimately, our help comes from the Lord who made heaven and earth.  Be bold and pray!

4. We Need A Contingency Plan.  Hebrews 10:25 NLT says: “And let us not neglect our meeting together, as some people do, but encourage one another, especially now that the day of his return is drawing near.”  We don't want to neglect the spread of virus, but God tells us that we're the body of Christ and we must encourage each another—especially during the end times.  We've been monitoring this situation diligently because it evolves day to day.  We will do our best to follow all appropriate protocols because safety is first, and our intention is to mitigate the possibility of contracting any illness.  

We may break our congregational meetings into smaller personal groups: We have developed a simple modified seating plan that uses separate, clearly marked venues on our property that will have the same starting time for a simulcast message.  

Each time we congregate, remember that we're not gathering out of fear, but to rally together to love Jesus, to serve one another, to keep our hearts strong and our faith solid. We can move to any venue when we arrive, and when a venue reaches its stipulated capacity, we can proceed to any of the others.   Text the word M?A?P (map), to (808) 842?4242, and receive a copy of the seating map.  I am using the acrostic "MAP" for Memorize A Promise.  You will also receive a daily promise over the next 14 days (during this time of uncertainty), to actually grow in certainty to turn the tables!   

In summary, all of our services will continue as scheduled without interruption unless there's a mandate from the State, but we will have modified seating as is recommended, and venues to comply with what is being asked of us.  Our online presence is strong and our website secure, and tithes and offering can still be given via our website, www.enewhope.org.

Finally, C.S. Lewis, one of my favorite authors, said it this way:  "God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks to us in our conscience, but shouts to us in our pains—it is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” You must admit, God is getting our attention, awakening our anxious hearts to return to Him and place our trust in Him—Him alone!  Even when we cannot see the end result, He alone is immoveable, trustworthy, and is never fearful.  Did you know that fear not appears in the Bible 365 times?  That's one fear not for each day of the year! So, may I be so bold as to allow God to turn the tables and encourage each of us to pray daily for revival, to show the topsy-turvy world how followers of Jesus live and act in times of crisis by revealing to them how The Gospel permeates our perspective, our behavior, and our church. 

When the storm has passed, let us have drawn closer to God and grown stronger in our faith and in His promises, that we will be more balanced with a solid trust in the one who is Lord—in Christ alone!  

PASTOR RICHARD:  

Today, I'm taking three of the four points that Pastor Wayne pointed out and lead in prayer after each of the three. 

I'm using the story of Gideon from the book of Judges to help us understand the similar struggles he wrestled with that we're going through right now.  God had called Gideon to fight against the Midianites, who had previously invaded the Israelites. The call was so overwhelming to Gideon that he asked God for several signs that He was really sending him. Judges 6:14 NIV says: “The Lord turned to him and said, ‘Go in the strength you have and save Israel out of Midian's hand.  Am I not sending you?’"  

When God told Gideon that He was sending him, it meant that Gideon wouldn’t fail because he was under God’s protection. But Gideon was still afraid and God, in essence, was telling him to “keep your eyes on me.” And in speaking to Gideon, God was loud and clear saying, “Don't go straying too far, place your trust firmly on me.”  

We're not called to do everything, but we're certainly called by God to do something.  God wants us to be the best at what we're doing for what He has called us to do. Think about it this way:  When we say somebody ought to do something about this, maybe that somebody is you or me.  When the trashcan is overflowing, maybe we should empty it and help out the facility guys.  1 Corinthians 7:24 NIV says: "Brothers and sisters, each person, as responsible to God, should remain in the situation they were in when God called them."

Our prayers and actions should be to place our trust firmly on God because He is still in control; Jesus is in our hearts and His promises are true! Let’s learn, memorize, and pray these promises as we’ve seen time and time again that God's word heals!  

We Do Our Part; God Does His  

The following are the top five World Health Organizations requests:

1. Stay at home if you are sick.
2. Cough or sneeze in your arm or use a Kleenex and discard it immediately.  
3. Wash your hands frequently.  
4. Maintain a distance from sick people.  
5. Routinely disinfect frequently touched services

We mistakenly think that the world is impressed by how we handle prosperity, but the fact is that the world is even more impressed by how we handle adversity.  There is no testimony without a test; and there is no message without a mess.

Paul writes in 2 Corinthians 12:9-10 NIV: “But he said to me, “My grace is sufficient for you, for my power is made perfect in my weakness. Therefore, I will boast all the more gladly about my weaknesses, so that Christ’s power may rest on me. That is why, for Christ’s sake, I delight in weaknesses, in insults, in hardships, in persecutions, in difficulties. For when I am weak, then I am strong.” 

God redeems us the moment we stand back from a hardship, test, or a mess!

Stop and reflect on what God made us to be, and who He says we are.  Think of all the roles that He has for you, and just like Gideon, we are first a child of God:  1 John 3:1, you are his beloved; 1 John 4:7, love comes from God; Malachi 3:17, his treasured possession;  Ephesians 6:10, His workmanship; and Ephesians 2:10, His special people.  Be reminded of who you are in Jesus; believe in the voice that believes in you!

John 10:27-28 NIV says: “²⁷ My sheep listen to my voice; I know them, and they follow me. ²⁸ I give them eternal life, and they shall never perish; no one will snatch them out of my hand.”

God empowers, reassures, and is within us.  God is still on His throne; He is still in control! 

QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION: 

1.      What is your identity in Christ and how does this relate to the Coronavirus?
2.      How shall you overcome adversity? Illness?
3.      How will you help those who need Jesus? 
4.      What can you do to comply with Hebrews 10:25?
5.      How will you share the love and hope that is Jesus, leading up to Easter? What are         your contingency plans?