Covid-19 encouragement 2 Chronicles 20

"...Act with courage, and may the Lord be with those who do well."

2 Chronicles 19:11 New International Version (NIV)www.biblegateway.com

In 2 Chronicles 20:3, read "Jehoshaphat was afraid..." If Jehoshaphat, fourth king of Judah, can be afraid, I can be afraid in 2020 with our uncertain world pandemic. What did he do and what am I to do?

I am to acknowledge my feeling; Jehoshaphat was afraid, Selma is afraid. The rest of 2 Chronicles 20:3, "...and he resolved to seek the LORD..." So, take a hint, Selma is to seek the LORD too!!! The scripture continues to read how Jehoshaphat called for fasting, praying and praising, 2 Chronicles 20:5-9. "...We will cry out to you because of our distress, and you will hear and deliver."

My response is the same as v 18-19, "...fell down before the LORD and worship Him...stood up to praise the LORD." 

Prayerfully read 2 Chronicles 20, underline what encourages your heart. Daily in prayer read this scripture; write and be an encouragement to others!!! This is my desire.

Thank you, Dr. Tony Evans for encouraging me!!! The message was on TBN on 26 April 2020.  TonyEvans.org.  Please share YOUR thoughts and experiences, thank you!!!

Many years ago, during another time of distress, I remember driving down the road singing Bill and Gloria Gaiter's song "Let's Just Praise the LORD."  Their music offered me inner strength to go another day. No, ha, ha, this was not the 1918 influenza pandemic; this song was published in 1972. 

Let's Just Praise the Lord

Chorus:

Let's just praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Let's just lift our hearts to heaven and praise the Lord;

Let's just praise the Lord! Praise the Lord!

Let's just lift our hearts to heaven an praise the Lord!

During my personal time of distress, I changed the chorus words. Instead of "lift our hearts..." I would sing "lift my head..." Then for the next chorus, I would change the body part [ eyes, ears, mouth, tongue, all down to toes]; I lifted every part of me, one at a time, very long song. The other change I needed was "Praise the Lord!" to "Praise MY LORD!"  Try singing praises to your LORD, share your experiences! Thank you. May God bless you, Selma.

The Powerful Practice of Fasting

Nehemiah 1

Nehemiah’s Prayer

1 The words of Nehemiah son of Hakaliah:

In the month of Kislev in the twentieth year, while I was in the citadel of Susa, ² Hanani, one of my brothers, came from Judah with some other men, and I questioned them about the Jewish remnant that had survived the exile, and also about Jerusalem.

³ They said to me, “Those who survived the exile and are back in the province are in great trouble and disgrace. The wall of Jerusalem is broken down, and its gates have been burned with fire.”
⁴ When I heard these things, I sat down and wept. For some days I mourned and fasted and prayed before the God of heaven. ⁵ Then I said:

“Lord, the God of heaven, the great and awesome God, who keeps his covenant of love with those who love him and keep his commandments, ⁶ let your ear be attentive and your eyes open to hear the prayer your servant is praying before you day and night for your servants, the people of Israel. I confess the sins we Israelites, including myself and my father’s family, have committed against you. ⁷ We have acted very wickedly toward you. We have not obeyed the commands, decrees and laws you gave your servant Moses.
⁸ “Remember the instruction you gave your servant Moses, saying, ‘If you are unfaithful, I will scatter you among the nations, ⁹ but if you return to me and obey my commands, then even if your exiled people are at the farthest horizon, I will gather them from there and bring them to the place I have chosen as a dwelling for my Name.’
¹⁰ “They are your servants and your people, whom you redeemed by your great strength and your mighty hand. ¹¹ Lord, let your ear be attentive to the prayer of this your servant and to the prayer of your servants who delight in revering your name. Give your servant success today by granting him favor in the presence of this man.”

I was cupbearer to the king.   NIV Bible Gateway.com

Nehemiah's brother arrived from Judah with some bad news: The Israelites living in Jerusalem were in great trouble. After hearing about their plight, Nehemiah fasted and prayed to the Lord for several days. During this time, he discovered God wanted him to ask the king of Persia for help.

   Fasting is a spiritual discipline that helps us center our attention on the Lord and discover His will so we may act according to it. People fast in different ways: Some abstain from food while others refrain from various activities. The period of time can vary as well. But the focus in each case is to be the same - to seek God and know His will.

   When we deny ourselves in this way, several things happen. First, the Holy Spirit will enable us to set aside earthly matters. Relationships, work, and pleasure will take a lesser place in our mind as we concentrate on God and His purposes. Second, our attention will shift from ourselves to the Lord. Thinking will become clearer, and our ability to understand His plans will sharpen because we are not distracted by other things. Third, the Lord is probably going to do some spiritual housecleaning in our life. His Spirit will convict us of sinful atitudes or behaviors. Then, upon confession of our sin, we'll be forgiven and cleansed (1 John 1:9).

   When unexpected news greets us, we - like Nehemiah - may find our emotions in turmoil. He wisely sought God through fasting and prayer. This powerful practice can also help us to hear clearly from our heavenly Father, who knows the best way through every situation. 

Stanley, Charles F. "The Powerful Practice of Fasting." In Touch: Daily Readings For Devoted Living September 2016. Atlanta: In Touch Ministries. page 10.

"Fasting for Spiritual Break Through" by Towns

Towns, Elmer L. Fasting for Spiritual Breakthrough: A Guide to Nine Biblical Fasts. Ventura, CA: Regal Books. 1996

In the introduction, the author writes "If you seek a closer walk with God, this book is for you... I want every Christian in the world to learn to fast—to fast properly—to fast for results."  The publisher also provides a warning that you should consult your physician before beginning a fast.

God chooses the fast! Using Isaiah 58:6-8 as a base, the author describes nine suggested fasts that the reader can adjust to their own particular needs and desires. All fasts have a goal to grow closer to God. Also, there are four kinds of fasting: going without food; going without food or water; omitting certain foods or one meal a day; eating or omitting certain families of foods for a time period. The various food families are rotated, some food is eaten each day.

The nine fasts include:

• The Disciple's Fast—fasting for freedom from addiction (Matthew 17:20, 21)
• The Ezra Fast—fasting to solve problems (Ezra 8:21-23)
• The Samuel Fast—fasting to win people to Christ(1 Samuel 7:1-8)
• The Elijah Fast—fasting to break fears and other mental problems (1 Kings 19:2-18)
• The Widows Fast—fasting to provide for the needy (2 Kings 17:12)
• The Saint Paul Fast—fasting for insight and decision making (Acts 9:9-19)
• The Daniel Fast—fasting for health and physical healing (Daniel 1:12-20)
• The John the Baptist Fast—fasting for an influential testimony (Matthew 3:4; Luke 1:15)
• The Esther Fast—fasting for protection from the evil one (Esther 4:16)

 "Withholding food does not make us smart. God gives wisdom and knowledge to those who have the self-discipline to withhold food and to spend their time praying, reading His Word and seeking His will." This quote is from the "Practical Principles to Remember" section of the Daniel Fast page 140.