The Costs of Zero COVID

The Costs of Zero COVID are Too High from the Washington Examiner.

Here at ACL we ask: if you aren't going to live, what is the point of being alive? 

I just spoke to a nearly hysterical Senior Aviation Medical Examiner who is not seeing patients because of COVID. At. All. And he said the doctor he was referring to contracted the virus and is leaving medicine all together. Wow. Does a 99% survival rate warrant this? Why did you get into medicine in the first place--to help healthy people and have no personal risk? That is strange.

Life is full of risk. We don't jump out in front of moving traffic but we do.....ride in cars, fly, swim-even in in open water....take medications with warnings...ride bicycles...visit foreign lands and eat the food....sickness is a part of life and so is death. Be reasonably cautious; not unreasonably fearful. 

Did It Move You Closer to God?

Did how you vote move you closer to God or farther from Him? 

ACL's pastor asked that today, and it is a pregnant question. 

Our battle is against the spiritual forces of darkness. Are we with God or against Him?

Being Reasonable Regarding COVID Vaccine

Spiritual matters aside, notwithstanding, we here at A Common Life have a few thoughts to share regarding the COVID vaccine and where reasonableness lies. 

It is fine to have the opinion you should be vaccinated. It is also fine to think others should be vaccinated. You can even say that. 

It is fine to have the opinion you should not be vaccinated. It is also fine to think others should not be vaccinated. You can even say that. 

It is not logical or reasonable to refuse to go around people who aren't vaccinated if you have been vaccinated. It is not logical or reasonable to refuse to go around people who have been vaccinated. Both scenarios cross over into unreasonable and illogical. 

We are free to make choices and be different. We are free to manage our own healthcare. We are not free to make other people do what we think they ought to do. 

Satan Comes to Steal, Kill, Destroy and...

Separate. Satan wants to separate the lost from the saved.

The way the liberal media and the left have used the COVID virus to manipulate society reveals who their god is. Those not walking circumspectly have been sucked into this mindset that safety equals separation. Spiritually this is a disaster. 

Consider this, if there were something that divided Christians and the lost, would the witnessing opportunities for believers be diminished? If those outside of Christ died during the past year, did they have a better or worse chance of hearing the gospel? Hell is forever, and Satan's mission is to take as many with him as possible.

God designed the family to be the representation of His relationship with mankind. There are specific roles and ways the relationships are to work within that framework so that God is glorified. Christian families can be a powerful tool in showing others the strength and truth of God. Staying apart erodes those relationships. A lot changes and happens in a year.

The Bible shows us that fellowship among believers is crucial. We all know that walking with another like-minded person strengthens our own resolve, but surrounding ourselves with the opposition wears us down. This is very true with young people, but also old. Who is influencing us? We need to be among the people of God regularly. We need to limit the ungodly influences that want to shape our thinking.

Consider this post about Florida, by someone named Al, who has a solid grasp of reality. Those criticizing Florida are being influenced by the enemy. Freedom is critical. The alternative is oppression.

Our freedom of choice was violated for political reasons. In Florida, their Governor opened the State last March! He left it to his citizens to use common sense, no mandates. Restaurants were open, using safe protocols decided by the owners. The patrons also used their own common sense, deciding for themselves whether to go out in public or to stay in place. Schools were also open all year. Their economy is booming, restaurants are doing well and their state actually has a surplus budget! This is how Republican States have been run, with great success. Now, look at Virginia, New York, California to name a few...Democratic run states, economies in terrible shape, restaurants closing (many forever), unemployment up, taxes up, schools closed and depression, suicide, substance abuse at all time highs. I could further expound, however I hope this makes a point.

Fundamentals of the Faith

Are you looking to grow in your faith? Perhaps you feel like you could use a solid yet basic overview of what Christianity entails. If so, might I suggest this resource, Fundamentals of the Faith. There are sermons to accompany the lesson book as well as a Teacher's Guide in the event you want to use this to disciple your children. 

When Christians Disagree

If we choose to die on a mountain regarding an issue we have the minority view of, we will be most effective communicating our reasoning to others if we have researched the majority viewpoint and can demonstrate a solid understanding of it. Not only will we be more effective, we'll avoid people losing respect for us. Minority viewpoints can sometimes be easily discredited, and if we continually beat the drum for one in a way that insults others who ultimately have better arguments against us, we're not only going to fail to change someone else's thinking, we are likely to have them lose respect for us overall.  

Minority viewpoints are not generally well-accepted, whether we're dealing with those who are different from us or those who generally agree with us. Being dismissive or flippant of the majority viewpoint doesn't add to our credibility; we must show that we comprehend where others are coming from and why they are thinking as they are, and then reasonably share why we see it differently. 

Too often we try to convince others to see things our way by being insulting, taking an attitude that tries to shame others into thinking as we do. We have to realize that will not actually convert someone to thinking as we do. It may just cause them to not challenge us openly. Weak faith is produced in this way. People need to understand why they believe what they believe, and if we are dealing with minority viewpoints, the burden of proof is on the proponent, not those opposed. The most important thing to realize when dealing with issues that can be disagreed upon without any real spiritual significance is that godly men and women CAN disagree on non-essential points. We should treat those topics carefully so we don't cut our own legs out from under us. 

Promises for Believers Walking Uprightly

For the Lord God is a sun and shield;

The Lord will give grace and glory;

No good thing will He withhold

From those who walk uprightly.

Psalm 84:11

Child of God, when we feel like doing the right thing isn't going to work, we need to remember this truth! It is always right to go God's way and trust Him with the outcome. It is always wrong to go our own way or trust in our own understanding when it conflicts with God's standards. 

There is a way which seems right to a person, but its end is the way of death. 

Prov 14:12

Open Palms are Better Than Clenched Fists

Parents understand what it means to love so much that it hurts.  The reality of time and how unbelievably fast it washes by us settles in while it cunningly carries away baby dolls, action figures, ballet classes, stuffed animals, and tiny hands and feet. Each moment of time is one that can never be regained. The relationships we have at the moment things are happening, change. Those living during our most precious and mundane times, change. Every new day we're all different from the day prior. 

What a gift to have beautiful children to love, teach, discipline, sacrifice for, and hold tight and close. It doesn't feel like a gift when it is time to not hold tight and close though. Yet, I think it must be. It has to be, because how could something so wonderful suddenly turn gray and empty? No, it doesn't work that way with God. He gives good and perfect gifts, so when it is time to let go, it is a gift to others. A gift to the world that we must give. I think open palms are a better way to go than clenched fists. Thankfully there is no rule which forbids God from holding us fast as we reach out and release what He's entrusted us with for what it turns out, is just a moment in time. May God comfort all those in a season of letting go of what they love most.

Ps 144:4

Having Sex Outside of Marriage is OK?

I remember having crunchy friends in college who were dating, living together and very...... natural....

dreadlocks, long leg and armpit hair, and the guy was clearly not breaking a sweat with his grooming either. These were lovely, gentle souls. We got along well. You couldn't help but like them despite all that hair. 

At some point these two redheads encountered the gospel of Jesus Christ and it radically changed them. Not only were they cleaner, they realized that to be a follower of Christ meant to actually do what He says. Not obedience to become righteous, but obedience because they had died to their old sinful ways and had been born-again. The professor who helped them in their new walk with God provided a place for one of them live until they could be married. It was amazing. 

It is not unloving to be clear about God's standards. We can't go to Heaven, and thus, NOT go to Hell, because we think we should. What we do reflects what we believe--it shows who our God actually is. Is it the God of the Bible, or our own amalgamation of beliefs? 

Our politics show the same thing. What we do reveals who we or what we are following. Be careful to walk circumspectly, Christian, and don't get too close to people who are not on the Lord's side. 

Is the Democrat Party Anti-God?

Lee Duigon has shared this and it is a quick read. See what the Democrat leadership thinks about God.

This is also worth viewing--Voting Democrat is Not An Option. I agree with Dr. John MacArthur and many other pastors.

If you are a Christian, there is no question on how you should vote. The issues that make up each party's platform spill heavily into moral matters. 

 

Aborted Cell Lines and Medicine, Particularly Vaccines

Wretched brings up food for thought on this topic, but not as pointed. John MacArthur answers as a Christian leader on whether it is ethically ok for Christians to use a vaccine that involves aborted fetal cell lines.

You know how there are people who won't tell anyone who they voted for? I'm wondering about taking that stance on vaccinations, particularly the COVID vaccine.

I don't think one point made below negates the other, but you decide. Feel free to comment.

Baptist Message Louisiana Right to Life

Ask Pastor John MacArthur

I Thought Voting for Biden Was a Good Idea at the Time

If you missed Rand Paul confronting Biden's transgender nominee for Assistant HHS Secretary over genital mutilation, you can see it here. This is something to watch if you are concerned about children in particular. 

Good points are made here if you voted for Biden and find yourself wondering if it was the best idea after all.

Dear Evangelicals for Biden

Without the Media, Would There Be a Pandemic?

One of my friends said the other day that she doesn't think there would be a pandemic without the media, there would be a virus. 

I like a pithy saying laced with good thoughts. I realize, of course, that there are specific criteria to mark something as a pandemic.