Kids and Corona Virus: Why is soap and water so effective?

Listen to professor Palli Thordarson, from the University of New South Wales talk on "But Why? A Podcast for Curious Kids" on the science of why washing your hands with plain old soap and water is so effective against germs.

Click here to listen to the podcast and to read the key points.

The "So What?" of Daniel 11

Daniel 11 is often presented as a 3 hour 'who-done-it' lecture thus missing the point at the heart of the chapter and the heart of God. In short, Daniel 11 is about God and His people throughout the ages of sin. Kingdoms' rise and fall. But God is on point and His people live purposefully.

Daniel 11's world history in a nutshell: 
There are always battling nations and ideologies with God's people caught in the middle.

Daniel 11's purposeful point: 
Daniel 11:32-35 answers the 'so what' question. These verses reveal the main life points applicable by God's covenant people. The question: While caught in the middle, what are we to do?

God's people:
Know God and Act in Faith (Daniel 11:32) 
 Study the Bible with others (Daniel 11:33) 
Help each other to safety (Daniel 11:34) 
Fall and are rescued/strengthened by God (Daniel 11:35) 

Consider: 
God has a plan unaffected by human action (Daniel 11:27,35) 

Take away challenge: 
Love God and people. Help others just as God helps you.

The Silver Lining - Adventist Today Video

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The Silver Lining

I don’t believe God sends calamities. God didn’t send the Corona Virus.

What I do believe is: The Holy Spirit is busy insulating clouds with silver linings.

In the first hundred years or so after Jesus’ death and resurrection, the Church went viral. It grew exponentially. The Great Commission was infiltrating families, towns, countries and continents.

Jesus’ disciples grew in number daily.

And they did it in homes.

That’s right. Every church was a house church. The church spread like wildfire because the church was liquid. Then our ancestors turned the church into a solid. They built walls around it. Both theological and physical walls. They set it in stone. They bricked God in. Sure, they put in doors and stained-glass windows, but cathedral doors are often locked and theological stained-glass windows are always closed. The church of the Middle Ages restricted access to God.

Then the reformation decentralised the church allowing denominational divisions to thrive. Now, the world hosts over 30,000 distinct Christian denominations!

And yet, Jesus said to His Father, “May they be one as we are one.” Paul riffed on this prayer of Jesus, saying: “There is one Lord, one faith, one baptism.”

So, here we are in 2020. Governments in dozens of countries have restricted mass gatherings due to the rapidly spreading Corona Virus. Sporting teams play games to empty stadiums attended only by TV cameras. Some sporting codes cancelled their seasons all together. Pop stars cancelled concerts. Places of worship have been closed. Mosques. Temples. Synagogues. Churches. The clouds hang low, blanketing the world in fear. The 30,000 Christian denominations that meet in some 15 million church buildings around the globe have nowhere to go.

Or do they?

The Holy Spirit is unrestricted and goes wherever He wishes, like wind through trees.

Have you ever flown through a cloud? We are in one now. Can you see the silver lining?

Millions of Christians headed home. Not to do church but to be the church. Christianity, for a month or two, is going back to its roots. People meeting in homes. Families worshipping together in sincerity. No sound systems. No professionals professing. The body of Christ is returning to the lounge room. Just people. At home. Snuggled into fluffed up couches, holding steaming drinks. And sharing their hearts.

God didn’t send the Corona Virus. But when the Corona cloud enveloped us, God said, “I’ll take it!" And He sent His Spirit with silver paint and a message: "Where two or three are gathered, God is with you."