CALHOUN COMMUNITY CHURCH

A Coronavirus Prayer

We pray for health care workers, many of whom are risking their lives to save others. May you protect them from infection and weariness.

We pray for teachers who are trying to teach our children through unconventional methods. May you give them direction in how best to educate their students.

We pray for high school and college seniors who are disappointed their graduation has been cancelled. May you give them peace of mind and assurance that their hard work through the years has not gone unnoticed.

We pray for women and children in abusive homes. May you guard their bodies and give them a way out of their situation.

We pray for women who will go into labor during this season. May you calm the mother’s heart and protect both mother and baby from the disease.

We pray for all our political leaders in the country. May you give them wisdom to protect citizens from further spread.

We pray for pastors who seek to minister to their congregation in the midst of unprecedented circumstances. May you give them the anointing to speak even across physical barriers.

We pray for senior citizens who are in nursing homes or living alone. May they feel the comfort of your presence even though they may not see their loved ones during this time.

We pray for business owners and workers who have had to shut down and lose jobs, May you give them rest from worry and peace that you will provide their needs.

We pray for those who have lost loved ones. May you give them the peace that passes understanding and hope in the life of the world to come.

We pray for our children who may not understand why life has so suddenly changed. May you give them patience and understanding that surpasses their age.

We pray for workers in essential businesses who are still having to go out in public on a daily basis. May you protect them and give them energy.

We pray for people who have had to cancel major life events. May you give them hope that one day all things can be fulfilled.

We pray for all those in need during this time. For the homeless. For the poor. For the imprisoned. For the hungry. May their needs be provided and their hearts mended.

We pray for those searching for a cure or vaccination. May you guide the work of their hands.

We pray for those making medical supplies and protective gear. May you give them supernatural productivity.

There are so many other needs that we do not even know, but we believe that you are aware of them all. We believe that the same God who parted the Red Sea can deliver us, too. We believe that the same God who fed 5,000 can provide for our needs. We pray that the same God who rose Lazarus from the dead can restore our brokenness. You are good. You are loving. You are faithful. We know that you can do all things so we ask that you will bring healing to our land.

In the name of the Father, Son, and Holy Spirit. Amen.

Most of us like to be in control. Millions of calendars and planners are sold each year. We buy these calendars because we like to make plans about where we will be and what we will do on any given day. But what happens when things don’t go according to our picture-perfect calendars? A month or two ago so many of us were sure of our plans. Weddings were planned. Business trips were arranged. Senior prom and graduation was on the calendar. Plane tickets were booked. We knew exactly what we were going to do and when we were going to do it…or maybe we just thought we knew.

The Bible tells us not to be too sure of our own plans. James 4:13-14 says, “Now listen, you who say, ‘Today or tomorrow we will go to this or that city, spend a year there, carry on business and make money.’ Why, you do not even know what will happen tomorrow.”

We don’t know what tomorrow will bring?!That’s not something we like to hear. We like to think that we are in complete command of our own lives. But we are told in scripture that God should always be part of our plans. James 4:15 says, “Instead, you ought to say, ‘If it is the Lord’s will, we will live and do this or that.’”

“If it is the Lord’s will”…imagine if we actually added that phrase to our thought process when planning out our lives. By daily submitting our lives and plans to God, we confess by our actions that He is Lord of every area of our lives. Planning and preparing are good things, but they can become idols if God is not always in our hearts and minds as we make our plans.

Tomorrow will be Palm Sunday. On this day over two thousand years ago, Jesus rode into Jerusalem to the voices of people saying, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” Matthew 21:10 says that as he entered Jerusalem, “the whole city was stirred and asked, ‘Who is this?’” People we’re taken off guard by the entrance of this King. “Who is he?” Jesus’ entrance into town and the events that would take place in the coming weeks were about to turn a lot of people’s lives upside down.

Bonhoeffer, a Christian man who found himself in prison because of his efforts to end Hitler’s reign said, “We must be ready to allow ourselves to be interrupted by God.” As we enter into Holy Week, let’s make sure we leave room for Christ to “interrupt” our plans. His plans are better than any plans we could make anyway!

The praises of God’s children are powerful. We do not sing praises into the abyss. We do not sing praises to perform. We sing praises because God is worthy at every moment of every day. But have you ever been so discouraged that you just didn’t feel like praising God? The Israelites once felt the same way.

When the Israelites were captives in Babylon, they grieved as they remembered their former dwelling place. In their despair, they decided that they were finished singing. Psalms 137:2 says that they hung their harps on the willow trees. This was a public sign of their discouragement. Those who had captured them mockingly asked them to sing their songs of joy. But the Israelites responded with “How shall we sing the Lord’s song in a strange land?” This response may seem reasonable from a human perspective. They were far from home. They were captives. They felt defeated. Why would they sing? And why would they share the songs of their homeland with their captors? But from the perspective of God, why would they not sing? The Israelites had seen the power and grace of God time and time again. They were not unaware of what God was able to do. Fast forward to the New Testament. Paul and Silas sat in prison because of their ministry. Around midnight, these two men of God began praying and singing hymns of praise to God. The prisoners around them began to listen. In the midst of their singing, the Bible says that “the prison doors flew open, and everyone’s chains come loose” (Acts 16:26). Because of their praise, other people in the prison heard about God. Because of their praise, other people’s chains also came off. Because of their praise, a jailer and his entire family were saved. Through their willingness to praise at all times and in all circumstances, God brought about a revival in a jailhouse.

We find ourselves in our own sort of strange land right now. This new reality is not easy. But the world is watching. Will they find that Christians hang up their harps or will they find that Christians lift up the mighty name of Jesus? Our praise, perseverance, and public response during this time could make a difference in people’s lives.

“I will bless the Lord at all times: his praise shall continually be in my mouth.” -Psalm 134:1

Jesus taught us we should always pray and not lose heart (Luke 18:1). Prayer has been a source of strength for Christians throughout the centuries. Through prayer, we can ask God for help. Through prayer, we can ask God to give us hope. Through prayer, we can pray for those around us. Through prayer, God can change our own hearts. Through prayer, mountain can be moved. Through prayer, God forgives our sins. Through prayer, God can heal our land. Through prayer, we can thank God for all that he has done in our lives.

Isaiah 62 contains this strange suggestion, that we should give God no rest, that we “nag” Him in prayer, pleading with such dogged tenacity that God is compelled to respond to our request. The prophet Isaiah told those who guarded the city of Jerusalem to pray with untiring persistence until God’s promises for the city were fulfilled. Notice Isaiah’s words in verses 6 and 7: “I have set intercessors on your walls who shall cry to God all day and all night for the fulfillment of His promises. Take no rest, all you who pray, and give God no rest until he establishes Jerusalem and makes her respected and admired throughout the earth.”

Acts 12 tells of the Apostle Peter being thrown in jail, “But prayer was made without ceasing of the church unto God for Him”(v. 5). The end result was that God heard the prayers of His people and Peter was miraculously delivered.

Prayer is not *an* answer to our problems, it is *the* answer to our problems. James 5:16 says, “The prayer of a righteous person is powerful and effective.”

Just this morning I saw this newspaper article posted on Facebook: “Someone has said that if Christians really understood the full extent of the power we have available through prayer, we might be speechless. Did you know that during World War II there was an advisor to Churchill who organized a group of people who dropped what they were doing every day at the prescribed hour for ONE MINUTE to collectively pray for the safety of England, its people, and peace?

“There is now a group of people organizing the same thing here in America. If you would like to participate: Every evening at 8 PM, stop what you are doing and spend ONE MINUTE praying for the safety of the United States, our troops, our citizens, and for a return to a Godly nation. If you have a smartphone – set an alarm to pray from 8-8:01 PM. Please pass this along to your prayerful family and friends. Our prayers are the most powerful asset we have.”

Let us join this effort in praying for America and the world. If God can speak this world into existence, create man from the dust of the earth, open the Red Sea, crumble the walls of Jericho, heal blinded eyes, cleanse leprosy, and raise the dead, HE CAN AND WILL BRING THIS CRISIS TO AN END. “If you believe, all things are possible”(Mark 9:23).

There is not a single person on earth that God doesn’t want to be saved. The Bible says in 2 Peter 3:9 that the Lord “is patient with you, not wanting anyone to perish, but everyone to come to repentance.”

Years ago, the Men and Women of Action (a group of people who volunteer their time and skills to build buildings such as churches) went to Germany to work on a retreat center. While they were there, a Muslim man volunteered to work with them. Bob Pace, the person leading the group, told him that they would be happy to have him help. Every day the group would have a devotion. During the devotion, the Muslim man would isolate himself from the group. When the group of men completed their work on the retreat center, the Muslim man presented Bob with an interesting drawing. It depicted a man who was in the process of coming out of a cave. In the distance, a light was shining from outside the cave. He told Bob that he had never met anyone like him and that working with the men had impacted his life. He said that the drawing was an indication of where he was: he was coming out of the cave, but he had not arrived yet. When Bob returned to America, he made a copy of this picture and gave it to my father, Gene Rice. On the back the man had labeled his picture “Coming out of the Darkness.”

A few weeks later, my father was in Germany leading convocation for the European Bible School. This particular year they were holding convocation at various churches in the area. When Dad held the altar call the first night after he preached, a lady and her two children came to the altar and committed their lives to the Lord. On the final night, there was a service at another church about two hours away. During a meal that the church had prepared, a man approached my Dad and said, “I came tonight to meet the man that introduced my wife and children to Jesus.” After Dad preached that night, this man gave his life to the Lord. While he talked with this man, he came to realize that this was the same Muslim man who had worked with the Men of Action and had drawn the picture of the man coming out of the cave.

Isn’t it incredible that God would orchestrate all of these events to lead one family to Christ? I Peter 2:9 says “But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, God’s special possession, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.”

Chances are that you know someone in your life that does not know Christ. Continue praying for them, knowing that God does not want anyone to perish. As the Bible says in Colossians 4:6, “Let your conversation be always full of grace, seasoned with salt, so that you may know how to answer everyone.”

May our words and actions be always full of grace.

Many years ago a scientist did an experiment on rats by placing some rats directly in water. As you might expect, they soon drowned. With other rats, however, he would take them out of the water before they actually died. Because this set of rats realized that they could possibly be pulled out of the water, they were willing to swim longer than rats who were never given any hope of being taken out of the water. This small sliver of hope that they could be rescued gave the second set of rats the will to continue swimming. This is much different than the first set of rats that had no reason to believe that they could be rescued.

Hope is a powerful thing. Chuck Swindoll says in his book Hope Again, “Webster defines hope as: Desire accompanied by expectation of or belief in fulfillment…to desire with expectation of obtainment…to expect with confidence. How vital is that expectation! Without it, prisoners of war languish and die. Without it, students get discouraged and drop out of school. Without it, athletic teams fall into a slump and continue to lose…fledgling writers, longing to be published, run out of determination…addicts return to their habits…marriage partners decide to divorce…inventors, artists, entertainers, entrepreneurs, even preachers, lose their creativity.

• When we are trapped in a tunnel of misery, hope points to the light at the end of the tunnel.
• When we are discouraged, hope lifts our spirits.
• When we are tempted to quit, hope keeps us going.
• When we struggle with a crippling disease or a lingering illness, hope helps us persevere beyond the pain.
• When we find ourselves unemployed, hope tells us we still have a future.
• When we feel rejected and abandoned, hope reminds us we’re not alone…we’ll make it.
• When we say our final farewell to someone we love, hope in the life beyond gets us through our grief.

Put simply, when life hurts and dreams fade, nothing helps like hope.”

Hope gives us reason to believe that there is joy ahead. As Romans, 15:13 says, “May the God of hope fill you with all joy and peace as you trust in Him, so that you may overflow with hope by the power of the Holy Spirit.”

May Calhoun Community Church overflow with HOPE.

When I was pastoring in South Carolina, I had a weekly play date on Thursday with my young daughter. One particular week as we pulled up to the park we noticed that there was a lady with a small group of children singing children’s worship music, doing a puppet show, and giving out sweets to all the kids at the playground. As we were leaving, I noticed that she was packing up. I asked her if she was with a church, and she said she was not with a church. Her church had recently had VBS and she had personally decided to minister to the kids at the local park by coming out every week to do a small ministry at the playground. As I watched this lady minister to these kids, God spoke to me and said, “She will never be on the cover of charisma magazine. She will never stand before the general assembly and receive the praises of man. But one day she will stand before my throne and hear the words: well done my good and faithful servant.”

As Christians, we are all part of one body: the body of Christ. 1 Corinthians 12:12 says, “There is one body, but it has many parts.” We are all part of this body, but each of us represents a different part. Every single person has a role to play in the kingdom of God. The world might make you think you have to be an “important person” to make a difference. But you don’t have to be important by the world’s standards to be an important part of God’s kingdom. A schoolteacher who is the only kind voice a child ever hears is a good and faithful servant. A parent who raises their children to know Christ is a good and faithful servant. A single mother who chooses to keep an unexpected child is a good and faithful servant. A person who shows up every week to teach a Sunday school class is a good and faithful servant. A choir member who shows up to every practice is a good and faithful servant. A waiter who does his job with joy is a good and faithful servant. A cashier who keeps a positive attitude with her customers is a good and faithful servant. You don’t have to do it all. You don’t have to be the best singer. You don’t have to speak eloquently. You don’t have to write a book. You don’t have to have a position of authority. You don’t have to preach to millions. You don’t have to travel the world. You just have to be faithful. And if you are faithful to God’s call, you also will one day hear the words “well done, my good and faithful servant.”

“And now these three remain: faith, hope, and love” -I Corinthians 13:13

It’s amazing how little you are left with when everything unnecessary is taken away. We live in a world with corrupt desires. Wealth has become an obsession. Entertainment has been sexualized. Athletes and movie stars have become our idols. We have lost sight of what really matters. What would we be left with if all of the “unnecessary” was gone? The answer is that we would be left with faith, hope, and love. Simple yet profound things that will never pass away. Jesus said in Luke 21:33, “Heaven and earth will pass away, but My words will never pass away.” Many things are changing and may continue to change, but we can be sure that every promise of God will come to pass. This means that our source of comfort, our firm foundation, our constant hope, and our undying strength at all times should be God’s word.

As you watch the news and process this pandemic never fail to remember this one important truth: God has not changed and God will not change.

Other faithful Christians before us have held fast to this eternal truth. In the 19th century, there was a young man named Russell Carter who was both an athlete and musician. When he was 15 years old, he became a Christian. As he grew up, he became a military instructor, preacher, and doctor. When he was 30, however, he faced death because of a critical heart condition. During this time, he promised God that he would consecrate the rest of his life to God. He would end up living an additional 49 years during which time he studied the Scripture and held on tight to the promises of God. He wrote this song that you may have grown up singing:

“Standing on the promises that cannot fail
When the howling storms of doubt and fear assail
By the Living Word of God I shall prevail
Standing in the promises of God.”

Imagine Shadrach, Meshach, and Abednego being thrown into the fiery furnace. How excited must they have been when God miraculously delivered them from death? An incredible story. Now imagine Stephen being stoned to death because he followed Christ. There was no miraculous rescue as Stephen died, becoming the first Christian martyr. Did the three Hebrew men have more faith than Stephen because they were rescued and he was not? Of course not. Your faith is not determined by your life circumstances. As the Bible says in Hebrews 11:1 , “Faith is confidence in what we hope for and assurance about what we do not see.”

We live in a fallen world. Sin. Disease. Violence. Hatred. Suffering. But Christians are a people of faith. Yet faith does not mean that bad things never happen. As of now, over 25,000 people have died due to the Coronavirus. Some of these people may have been faithful Christians. Jesus makes it very clear that those living on earth will face difficulties. John 16:33 tells us “in this world you will have trouble. But take heart! I have overcome the world.” Jesus lets us know that we may have problems, but he also encourages us by reminding us that Christ has the final victory over every evil.

Many heroes of the Bible knew how it felt to struggle. Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, and Moses are a few examples of people who kept the faith even though they had not yet received everything God had promised. Hebrews 11:13 says of these men that “All these people were still living by faith when they died. They did not receive the things promised; they only saw them and welcomed them from a distance, admitting that they were foreigners and strangers on earth.”

We, too, may see some difficult times, but we will not respond in despair, even if the world around us is in despair, because we know how this story ends. The world may not understand our faith in the midst of suffering. 1 Corinthians 1:18 says, “For the message of the cross is foolishness to those who are perishing, but to us who are being saved it is the power of God.” What sets Christians apart from the world is that we have faith in God despite our circumstances. Our faith may seem foolish. Our hope may seem foolish. But we know that our faith and hope are centered on Christ.

Reality forces us to recognize that bad things are happening in our world: war, conflict, a global pandemic. But in order to have faith, we cannot focus only on what is happening here and now, because we know that our final home will be in a heavenly kingdom. We are strangers on this earth. We should certainly pray about current events and for all those serving in our government, but we should also always keep in mind that this world is not our final destination. Until that day when we return home, may we be faithful stewards of the message of the cross, anticipating the glorious day we enter through Heaven’s gates.

“What a day that will be when my Jesus I shall see….what a day, glorious day that will be!”

Communication is part of everyday life. We speak to people one-on-one. We send emails. We send text messages. We make calls. We send postcards.

I went to Aldi yesterday with my son-in-law Josiah who is both an American and Bulgarian citizen. As we were checking out, Josiah told the cash register that he recognized her accent. She said, “My husband and I are from Bulgaria.” Josiah immediately began speaking to her in Bulgarian, and her face brightened up with excitement as she had the unexpected opportunity to converse with another human being in her native tongue.

How would it feel if you could not communicate with those around you? Muaharrem, a deaf man in Istanbul, could not communicate with many people because only a few people knew his language. One day, however, his life drastically changed. Samsung had provided those in his neighborhood the opportunity to learn sign language as part of the company’s promotion for an upcoming call center for the deaf. As Muaharrem’s sister began leading him through the streets, his neighbors began to speak to him by signing. He must have been so overjoyed that his neighbors took the time to learn how to communicate with him.

Jesus taught us to communicate with God in the Lord’s Prayer, “After this manner therefore pray ye: Our Father which art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. Thy kingdom come, Thy will be done in earth, as it is in heaven. Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us our debts, as we forgive our debtors. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil: For thine is the kingdom, and the power, and the glory, for ever. Amen.” (Matthew 6:9-13, KJV)

God wants us to communicate with others, and God wants us to communicate with him. 2 Chronicles 7:14 says, “if my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.” Communicate with God today and every day.

Churches across the country are unable to meet together physically right now. We are so thankful for our beautiful sanctuary where we gather on a weekly basis, and we believe that having a place to come together for worship is important. But even though we can’t gather in our building right now, we can still be the Church. And what is the Church if not the body of Christ, a fellowship of believers who pray, worship, and serve together. God is the God of the masses, but he is also the God of the individual. Jesus spoke to thousands of people at one time, but he also went out of his way to speak to people on a one-on-one basis like when he talked to the woman at the well. Psalms 139:17 says “How precious it is, Lord, to realize that you are thinking about me constantly! I can’t even count how many times a day your thoughts turn toward me.” If it means so much to us that God is thinking about us as individuals, it would also mean a lot for others to know that we are thinking about them. How can we be the Church in a time like this when our normal way of ministry has been changed? Here are a few practical suggestions:

1. Pray for yourself. Pray for others. Pray for the country. Pray for the world.
2. Call someone who lives alone to see how they are doing.
3. Pick up groceries for an elderly or immunosuppressed person so that they do not have to leave their home and risk infection.
4. Send someone a note that you are thinking about them.
5. Send teachers, grocery workers, healthcare workers, or others a thank you note for the work they are doing.
6. Support local businesses that are struggling by ordering online.
7. Send an expecting mother a gift since she is unlikely to have a normal shower right now.
8. Have a nightly prayer and Bible reading time with your family.
9. Watch an online service on Sunday morning.
10. Make the most of the extra time you have with your family.

Let’s show the world the unsurpassable love of Christ, even if it has to be from a distance. If you have any prayer requests, feel free to write them in the comments so that we can pray for each other’s needs even though we are physically separated. Don’t underestimate what God can do in the midst of an unusual situation.

God is never caught off guard. We, however, are often caught off guard. In a very short time period, the situation with the Coronavirus has drastically changed many people’s lives. Know that as a child of God He is thinking of you at all times. He always has a plan of taking care of His children even in the midst of suffering.

In John 6, we read where a large crowd was following Jesus. He knew the people were hungry, so He turned to Philip and asked, “Philip, where can we buy bread to feed all these people? ‘ He was testing Philip, for He already knew what He was going to do’”(John 6:5-6, LB). Philip was worried because he could only see things from his limited perspective. Jesus, however, was not worried because he already had a plan in mind to feed the people.

I have personally questioned how my own needs would be met in the past. When I was an evangelist in the early 80s, I traveled from church to church to preach revivals. I provided for my family through the offerings from these churches. At one point, a pastor from a Church that I would be speaking at had to suddenly cancel the engagement. I was worried because my work as an evangelist was both my calling and our only source of income. I walked into the kitchen and told my wife that I was worried about the situation. She said, “You preach on faith! Act like you have a little!” Walking back into my office, I prayed and thanked the Lord that my needs had always been met. When I finished praying, the phone rang and a man from Buford, Georgia who had attended a revival service weeks before called to say “The Lord spoke to me last Sunday in church and said I was to sell my truck and send you the profit. I have sold the truck and am sending you the check. It should arrive Monday.” It was not a large sum of money, but it met my family’s needs.

Before I even knew about my need, God had already made a plan to provide for my family. We learned a new song recently at Church that says, “Even when I don’t see it, you’re working. Even when I don’t feel it, you’re working. You never stop, you never stop working.” Many people are in a difficult place right now, but always remember that God has not forsaken you. It may take time for this all to pass over, but in the end, God will make all things new.

In 1 Samuel 30 we read the story of David and his men returning from battle only to discover that their home base of Ziklag had been burned to the ground by the Amalekites. David’s men began to weep because they did not know if they would ever see their wives and children again. In their grief, the men turned against King David and spoke of stoning him because of their bitterness. They were looking for someone to blame. It would be easy for us to do the same right now. People throughout the country are suffering. Some are dying. Some are losing jobs. Healthcare workers are working overtime. People at nursery homes are lonely. Women are giving birth without any family to support them. People are having to cancel birthday parties, weddings, and conferences. It’s not an easy time. Bitterness and the propensity to cast blame on others is perhaps stronger than ever when we are suffering the most.

David was also grieving because his family was among those missing. But instead of trying to blame others, David’s inclination was to pray and ask God if he should pursue the Amalekites. God told David to pursue “for thou shalt surely overtake them, and without fail recover all.” Therefore, David and his men went to find their families. After a long battle, the Bible says that “David recovered everything the Amalekites had taken.”

So many people have already lost so much. But as Christians we believe that we can call on God to help us recover what we have lost. Only God will be able to heal, restore, and recover what has been lost during this pandemic.

The same God that David inquired of is available to us today. Let us not seek to blame. Let us not attack our fellow man. Let us instead pray that God will help us as individuals, America, and the whole world so that, like David, we may recover it all.

Life has changed since the novel coronavirus spread worldwide. “People are reporting an increase in anxiety and fears related to uncertainty,” says Dr. Julie Kolzet, PH.D., a therapist in New York City who specializes in sleep disorders. “Those feelings often translate to sleep disturbances. Stress or anxiety can cause a serious night without sleep.”

In a Mayo Clinic FAQ about sleep and illness, Eric J. Olson, M.D. emphasizes that a lack of sleep can adversely affect your immune system. According to Dr. Olson, “studies show that people who don’t get quality sleep or enough sleep are more likely to get sick after being exposed to a virus. Lack of sleep can also affect how fast you recover if you do get sick.”

A few years ago a man in our congregation had open-heart surgery. After he had been home a couple of days I called to check on him and to say that I was coming over to have prayer. His wife proceeded to tell me that he had little or no sleep since coming home from the hospital. On the way to their home, I was reminded of a passage found in Psalm 3, “I CRIED unto the Lord with my voice, and HE HEARD me out of his holy hill. I laid me down and SLEPT; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me”(vs. 4-5, KJV). When I arrived I asked how he was feeling and that I had a scripture for him. I quoted these two verses and then shared that my dad, Dr. Gene D. Rice had summarized these two verses with six words: I CRIED…HE HEARD…I SLEPT! At that point, the man began to weep. Through his tears, he said he had been afraid to go to sleep. I had a terrible fear that I would never wake up. As I was leaving, he took out his Bible and with pen in hand he was underlining those six simple words in Psalm 3: I CRIED…HE HEARD…I SLEPT! The next day his wife called and said that after I left he slept for hours. Please, don’t let fear, anxiety, stress, and worry keep you from getting much-needed sleep. David said: “I will both lay me down in peace, and sleep: for thou, Lord, only makest me dwell in safety”(Psalm 4:8, KJV).

In the summer of 1876, grasshoppers decimated crops all across Minnesota. Desperate farmers worked day and night to keep their fields from ruin. As the crisis mounted, Governor John Pillsbury proclaimed April 26, 1877 as a statewide day of prayer and fasting. All the schools and businesses closed as people gathered in churches to pray and fast.

The next day the temperature soared abnormally. For three days horrified farmers watched billions of grasshopper larvae wiggle into life. Could it be that God had not heard the cries of His people. Many questioned if God even cared about their situation. But then, on the fourth day, the temperature suddenly dropped, and the frost killed the larvae. People were astounded. Shortly thereafter, the remaining grasshoppers disappeared into the horizon.

On Sunday, March 15th President Trump called for a National Day of Prayer. This morning I read a statement by Andrea Jones, a member of Calhoun Community Church posted on Facebook. Andrea said: Encouraging to hear of a possible drug to help with Corona. Could this be due to the National Day of Prayer? I believe, I believe! Feeling a little more hopeful. #callingongod

I am so thankful for everything that is being done to stop the spread of this terrible virus. We have incredibly smart and capable men and women working overtime to bring this crisis to an end, but I remind you again that our hope and our answer is found in God. Jeremiah 33:3 says, “Call to Me, and I will answer you, and show you great and mighty things, which you do not know!” There’s an old song that says, He has the answer to every problem…look to Him, He’s the answer for it all! #keepcallingongod

On December 17, 1927, a USS S-4 (SS-109) submarine was accidentally rammed by a Coast Guard destroyer and sank to the ocean floor off Cape Cod near Provincetown, Massachusetts. Rescue and salvage operations were immediately commenced lead by Admiral Frank Brumby, Captain Ernest King, Lieutenant Henry Hartley, and Commander Edward Ellsberg, but the rescue operation was hindered by severe weather. Heroic efforts were made to rescue six known survivors trapped in the forward torpedo room, who had exchanged a series of signals with the rescue force divers, by tapping on the hull. As the trapped men used the last available oxygen in the sub, they sent a morse-coded message, “IS THERE ANY HOPE?”
We live in a day of great uncertainty. We have been hit hard by a destroyer called Corona. Rescue and salvage operations have been put in place by our government, the medical field, and local officials to protect us and save us from this deadly virus. The question that many ask is the same as those trapped in the sunken submarine, “IS THERE ANY HOPE?” David answers that question in Psalm 42. He was facing devastating circumstances, but instead of panicking he remembers where salvation comes from, GOD! Hear the words of David, “Why are you downcast, O my soul? Why so disturbed within me? Put your hope in God, for I will yet praise Him, my Savior and my God”(vs. 5-6a, NIV).
David was simply saying, I refuse to look down, I will lookup. I refuse to live in fear, I will live in faith. I will not live in despair, I will live in hope. As I put my hope in God, I know that things will begin to change. I will live to praise Him for His salvation over my circumstances. “Weeping may endure for a night, but joy cometh in the morning”(Psalm 30:5, KJV). PUT YOUR HOPE IN GOD!

2020 VISION | Day 21 | Beginning!

“Behold, the former things are come to pass,

and new things do I declare”(Isaiah 42:9, KJV).

“Forget the former things; do not dwell on the past.

See, I am doing a new thing”(Isaiah 43:18, KJV).

“If any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: 

old things are passed away; behold, all things 

are become new”(II Corinthians 5:17, KJV).

We started with “It Is Finished.” We fasted. We prayed for Victory,  Vision, Validity, Visitation, and Vigilance. Now, we begin. As a person, and as a church, let’s put these concepts, and this new 2020 VISION on the road. Let’s get busy for the kingdom of God. We came to this fast like we were. Let’s begin on a new path. It isn’t hard to find. The path may be new to us, but it is old to Adam, Moses, Abraham, Isaac, David, Daniel, Isaiah, Micah, Matthew, Mark, Luke, John, and Paul. The new path is a walk in the sweet grace of God. It was forged on a lonely walk up a hill by His son but worn smooth by those who have gone before us in the way of the cross. Let’s join the body of believers in our community and around the world. We have more to he happy about, more to be excited about than any other people on earth. In this fast, we have been sustained and strengthened, enlightened and excited,  provided for and proven – every day – that God’s mercy really is new every morning. Let’s begin sharing this truth with others. Let’s begin the work God has for us. 

Prayer: Father, we honor You alone for all the mercy and love you show us. Give us Daniel’s confidence, David’s reliance, Paul’s certainty, Elijah’s vision, and the humbleness of the disciples who left all their seeming security behind to discover eternity through Your Son. Give us peace, provision, and a path to serving your kingdom. Bless our church to be a light that shines brighter than the darkest night. Give us work and willing workers. Give us a mission and a mandate from You that we can truly be more than conquerors because we love You. Father, be the center of our lives and center us in Your will. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

2020 VISION | Day 20 | Help!

“Fear not, for I am with you. Do not be dismayed. 

I am your God. I will strengthen you; I will help you;

I will uphold you with My victorious right hand”

(Isaiah 41:10, TLB).

With six grandchildren – Caleb, Noah, Allie, Callie, Lydia, & Symeon – there is not a day that goes by that I do not realize that they can’t make it without someone helping them. That was never more obvious to me than on a warm summer day this past summer. I was swimming with Callie (3 years of age) in the shallow end of their pool. She is barely tall enough to stand on her tiptoes and keep her head above water. On this particular day as she had gained confidence in swimming back and forth from one person to another, she turned and headed to the deep end. Out loud I said, “Where does she think she’s going?” Without hesitation, she stopped, stood on her tiptoes, and with her face barely above water she said, “I tink (think) I’m going to the deep end.” She then turned and headed for deep waters. I followed close behind. Within seconds she began to struggle. I swam up beside her and held her up with my right hand. There is a great lesson here to be learned by God’s children. At times we feel over confident and find ourselves in deep waters of temptation, bitterness, fear, loneliness, anger, thinking we can handle things on our own. Don’t be ashamed to cry out for help. David said, “I will lift up mine eyes unto the hills, from whence cometh my help. My help cometh from the Lord”(Psalm 121:1-2, KJV). You are never beyond His reach. Just as a mother hears the cries of her baby, His ear is always turned toward you. What a privilege to know that we are children of God. John said, “Behold, what manner of love the Father hath bestowed upon us, that we should be called the children of God”(I John 3:1, KJV). Rest in His love and don’t forget to cry out for His help when you find yourself in deep waters. He will Hear and Help!

Prayer: Dear Father, I thank you for loving me and for being near me today. Forgive me for thinking that I could ever do anything without Your help. I rest today in the strength of Your victorious right hand.

2020 VISION | Day 19 | Brave!

“Thou, O Lord, art a shield for me; my glory, and the lifter up 

of mine head. I cried unto the Lord with my voice, 

and he heard me out of his holy hill.

I laid me down and slept; I awaked; for the Lord sustained me.

I will not be afraid…”(Psalm 3:3-6, KJV).

“I do not fear bad news, my heart is steadfast, 

trusting in the Lord”(Psalm 112:7).

Many years ago, when my son Jason was around 5 years old, I had come home from preaching several weeks of revival. As I sat in the den relaxing, Jason bolted through the back door, breathing hard, and with a wild look of fear in his little eyes, he slammed the door and blocked it shut with all his might. I remember asking, “What happening?” He described the horror that was facing him: the neighbor’s basset hound, Freckles, was after him and he was scared to death. I knew that the worst consequence that could come from this encounter was a really good licking from an aggravating puppy. I reassured him that Freckles would not hurt him in any way. For about 10 minutes I watched him turn and look through the blinds to see if Freckles was still there. Suddenly, I watched as Jason stood tall, squared his shoulders and said, I will trust and not be afraid. I found later that he had learned this verse the week before in VBS. He then turned, opened the door and stepped out to face his fear. It works! God’s Word, His Spirit within us, His Son who will one day return to earth to rule and reign have all assured us of how our story will end. We do not need to be afraid of anything if we are truly in Christ. Of all people, we are to live with certainty of a bright future filled with “things ears haven’t heard, eyes haven’t seen, and our hearts haven’t dreamed. Because we know this we can lift our hearts in praise and live a brave life in Christ. For us, there is no bad news! 

Father: Help me never fear any bad news. I rejoice that my heart is steadfast because I trust in You. Let me live filled with Your Spirit. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

2020 VISION | Day 18 | Greater!

“The glory of this present house 

will be greater than the glory of the former house,” 

says the Lord Almighty. “

And in this place I will grant peace,” 

declares the Lord Almighty

(Haggai 2:9, NIV).

You know the feeling when you’re the one responsible for making good on a promise? It could be as simple as delivering a pizza in 30 minutes or less or meeting deadlines or quality expectations at work. When we make promises, people are depending on us to deliver.  In Haggai 2:9 God said that the glory of the temple that they were to build was going to be greater than Solomon’s temple. Solomon had all resources afforded to a ruling king undertaking a grand project. In Haggai’s time, this ragtag group of returning exiles didn’t have many  ne things with which to rebuild the temple. But God made good on his promise. Some 400 years later, we can read about a greater glory in this rebuilt temple. Time and time again the gospels inform us of Jesus’ ministry and visitation in and around this temple in Jerusalem. The glory of the temple to come wasn’t greater because of building materials, it was greater because of the very presence of God himself. That is exactly what we’re praying for in this fast as we look forward to our own church (temple) refurbishment project. Pray fervently that the glory will be greater. Pray that He will move in even greater and more powerful ways to save those who are lost, heal those who are sick, bring freedom to those who are oppressed, and bring hope to those without hope.

Prayer: Father, awaken my faith to long for your presence and your glory in an even greater way. Open my eyes to see that in your kingdom, the best is yet to come. Let your coming glory transform us into your likeness and send us forth to carry your gospel into the community and world around us. In Christ’s name, Amen!

2020 VISION | Day 17 | Celebrate!

“Make a joyful noise unto the Lord, all ye lands.

Serve the Lord with gladness: 

come before his presence with singing.

Know ye that the Lord he is God: it is He that hath made us, 

and not we ourselves; we are his people, 

and the sheep of his pasture.

Enter into his gates with thanksgiving, and into his courts 

with praise: be thankful unto him, and bless His name.

For the Lord is good; His mercy is everlasting; and His truth endureth to all generations”(Psalm 100, KJV).

In verse three, the Psalmist describes the people of God as “the sheep of his pasture.” A shepherd himself, David knew the unique relationship between a shepherd and his sheep – how the shepherd would lead the sheep to just the right pasture where they could eat and drink. The shepherd cared for his sheep so much that he would do anything – even putting his own life at risk – to save and protect his sheep. How fitting that we would be called “the sheep of his pasture.” But this is no ordinary pasture. And this is certainly no ordinary shepherd. Our shepherd is the LORD – Jehovah – “the existing one.” All that exists in life finds its beginning and its sustenance in him. Our Great Shepherd provides so much more than physical food and water. He provides all that we need for life, vitality, fulfillment, and joy. God provides for both our physical and spiritual needs. By laying down his very life for us, He becomes our pasture whereby we may feed on him and receive eternal life. He is our bread of life (John 6:35) and our living water that never runs dry (John 4:14).When we consider all that God provides for us, our only response is to come before him with thanksgiving and praise, celebrating him for his unfailing love and unending faithfulness.

Prayer: Father, I thank you, and I praise you for all that you have freely given me. Today I celebrate you and your great love, your unwavering faithfulness, and the eternal life that I now have in you. In Christ’s name, Amen!

2020 VISION | Day 16 | Prepared!

“This is what the Lord Almighty says: 

‘In a little while I will once more shake the heavens 

and the earth, the sea and the dry land. 

I will shake all nations, and what is desired by all nations 

will come, and I will fill this house with glory,’ 

says the Lord Almighty”

(Haggai 2:6-7, NIV).

In 1994, Los Angeles experienced a 6.7 magnitude earthquake resulting in 57 deaths and over 8,700 injuries. It did nearly 40 billion dollars in damage and was the worst earthquake in California’s history. It not only changed the lives of countless people, it forever changed the physical landscape of California, and that’s true of any earthquake. God wants to shake our nation for a great revival. He says in verse 7 that “I will shake all nations … and I will  ll this house with glory.” He is telling the Israelites through Haggai that a revival is coming, but for that to happen, there will be some shaking up and it may be uncomfortable. And just like an earthquake, there will be destruction, but He will rebuild stronger. There will be loss, but we will lose those things that hold us back. There will be pain, but pain leads to healing. And, He’s going to do it all just to make room for His glory in us. If you’re like me, you tend to focus on the downside of earthquakes. But if we take a minute to focus on what God wants to do through the shaking – to make room in our lives for His glory – I think we, much like the Israelites, would be more motivated to prepare for the shaking.

Prayer: Father, shake out of me what you don’t want so that I have more room for your presence in my life. When it hurts, comfort me. Help me remember the difference between a temporary hurt and real harm. In You, I will never know harm. When I don’t like it, help me persevere. Help me see that it’s for more of your glory in me. In Jesus’ name, Amen!

2020 VISION | Day 15 | Love!

“My command is this: 

Love each other as I have loved you.

 Greater love has no one than this: 

to lay down one’s life for one’s friends. 

You are my friends if you do what I command”

(John 15:12-14).

The lyrics of a famous song tell us, “the greatest thing you’ll ever learn is just to love and be loved in return.” In John 15, Jesus commands us to love others even if it means laying down our lives for them. This sounds so honorable, but why do we often struggle at following through with what Jesus told us to do? I think it’s because it’s not as easy as we assume. Sure, it’s natural to love those who look like us, talk like us, vote like us, and believe like us, but what about the people who don’t? Would we lay our lives down for them? Would we stop everything to make sure they know they are loved, or do we often label them as inconveniences? Jesus told us that the greatest love is to lay down our lives for others and then he commanded us to love our enemies. He told us to love everyone, even those that don’t agree with us, those that we quietly label our “enemies.” But what if we changed? What would our community look like today if we all made the conscious decision to love everyone? What if we agreed to stop looking at people as inconveniences and instead searched for moments where we could put our lives to the side and share God’s love with others?

2020 VISION | Day 14 | Sustained!

Then Jesus was led by the Spirit into the wilderness 

to be tempted by the devil. 

After fasting forty days and forty nights, he was hungry. 

The tempter came to him and said, 

“If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.”

Jesus answered, “It is written: 

‘Man shall not live on bread alone, 

but on every word that comes from the mouth of God’”

(Matthew 4:1-4, NIV).

Just days after Jesus had been affirmed by His Father at baptism, the devil came to Him to tempt Him. He was alone and hungry during a time of fasting for forty days, and the devil tempted him: “If you are the Son of God, tell these stones to become bread.” But Jesus responded with the word of God from Deuteronomy 8:3: “Human beings do not live on bread alone but on every word that comes from the mouth of the LORD.” Through the years, even from my childhood, I have seen the promise of God to sustain us played out in my life. In my adult life I have walked through divorce, loss of loved ones, and cancer, to name the big ones. Each event was unique and required varying degrees of trust and casting the care on God, but I experienced the miracle of His sustaining grace in every situation. As we enter a time of fasting, the anticipation is enough to get us through the initial moments of hunger, but as the days roll by, the excitement begins to fade into the dull ache of lack and de-sire. Much like our everyday difficulties, it’s easy for our attention to narrow in on our uncomfortable circumstances. In the passage Jesus quotes, however, Moses explains to the Israelites the meaning behind their hunger: everything we think sustains us is in fact only a sign pointing us to the sustaining presence of God that carries us through all of life’s wanderings.

2020 VISION | Day 13 | Hungering!

“For the word of God is alive and active. 

Sharper than any double-edged sword, it penetrates 

even to dividing soul and spirit, joints and marrow; 

it judges the thoughts and attitudes of the heart”

(Hebrews 4:12, NIV).

On one of my first visits to another country, our team spent every morning of our stay at a school compound interacting with kids. The school would make an oatmeal-like breakfast for all of the kids, cooked in a large black kettle over an open flame. It looked nasty but was a staple in their culture and something inexpensive to make. The kids seemed to love it and would wait in a long line to get it. To some, it was their only meal of the day.  The Old Testament prophet Amos prophesied about a time of hunger for hearing the words of the Lord. He described people searching desperately for direction but unable to nd it. Some people would even faint as a result.  

“The days are coming when I will send hunger 

through the  land. But people will not be hungry 

for food. They will not be thirsty for water.  

 Instead, they will be hungry to hear a message from me”

(Amos 8:11).

Most of us are hungry to hear God speak when we need an answer or have a problem, but what if we sought a message from God just to hear what He has to say. I know a few people in my life who wake up eager to hear God speak to them, not about personal needs necessarily, but just craving the message of God to leap off the pages of their Bible and bring them clarity, wisdom, and understanding.  

Prayer: Father, we ask for ears to hear Your word when You speak and a passion (hunger) to pursue You. May the words on each page we read change us. In Christ’s name, Amen!