It’s understandable to feel worried and afraid during times of crisis. In this interview, Dr. Stanley addresses how the coronavirus pandemic has brought a new focus on our need of God, and how believers should have unshakable faith in His Word and almighty provision throughout such situations. And he especially emphasizes how in uncertain times in society, we should pray more and turn to God’s Word.
welcome to in touch with dr. Charles
Stanley the kovat 19 coronavirus has
everyone concerned and many people
hurting deeply but believers have the
capacity to maintain a godly perspective
in today’s encouraging program we’ll
hear Lisa Ryan’s interview with dr.
Stanley dr. Stanley it is such an honor
to be with you here today and to hear
from you throughout the generations you
have been such a steadfast voice of
faithfulness and encouragement and
especially in times of trial and so we
want to hear from our pastor today and I
was thinking about your 30 life
principles and how much of an impact
they have had on the lives of people who
are seeking to live a life of obedience
and I was thinking of two in particular
and wanted to get your response to them
if you don’t mind the first is God’s
Word is an immovable anchor in times of
storm and this certainly is a time of
storm as we are battling with this
coronavirus around the world how can
God’s Word be an anchor to us right now
well first of all the Word of God is
true when he says I’ll never leave you
nor forsake you you can trust him for
that and when he makes promises in his
word and I think about this promise I
just turned to a few moments ago listen
to this he says do not fear for I am
with you do not anxious they look about
you for I am your God I will strengthen
you surely I will help you surely I will
uphold you with my righteous right hand
and the Bible is full of wonderful
promises from beginning to end and the
more we saturate our mind with the truth
and recall the truth of the word of God
then the stronger we feel the more
capable we feel facing things because we
know that the God who said I’ll never
leave you nor forsake you we’re not in
this all alone we’re in this by the
permissive will of God
and he is still in control what passage
was that that’s Isaiah chapter 41
beginning in verse 10 hmm that would be
a great passage for people to write down
and continue to reflect upon as an
anchor and we know that an anchor keeps
the boat from from tossing about too
much it keeps it tethered and the Word
of God can tether us anchor us and the
word also says that that his word is the
same yesterday today right and forever
amen
well the other life principle I wanted
to ask you about is this adversity is a
bridge to a deeper relationship with God
and we know that in this time of
adversity it can draw believers in a
closer relationship with the Lord but
how can it draw unbelievers to the Lord
well the way it can drive unbelievers is
this they look around and at first they
try other things and they don’t work and
finally unbelievers are driven to God
when they feel absolutely helpless
nobody else they can turn to that has an
answer for the problem whatever the
problem may be whether it’s a disease or
relationship or some particular need God
is always there he’s waiting for us the
knowledge our need of him then it says
if he shows up well he’s been there all
along he waits for us to be willing to
acknowledge that we need God in our
lives and I think about people who
naturally normally they don’t think
about God they’ve got plenty of
everything they want they can do
whatever they want to do go wherever
they want to go sin all they want to
send and it appears they’re getting away
with it but they’re not well then as a
follow-up to that how can we as
believers be a reflection of Christ in
this time of crisis that would then
perhaps draw unbelievers to him I think
our confidence a sense of assurance our
expressions of that when we talk about
no I’m not afraid I’m trusting God he’ll
answer my prayer
he says he’ll give us strength when we
need it whatever we need he’ll provide
and I think as we go about our life
trusting God waiting upon him doesn’t
mean we won’t get sick doesn’t mean we
won’t have any problems but our faith
unshakable faith it’s a demonstration to
people who are looking for something to
believe in you know as we are as we are
listening to the news we hear you know
words like social distancing isolation
quarantine and I’m sure that can be a
trigger for many people a trigger of
loneliness and anxiety a lot of people
who are at home with families I’ve got
my husband at home they at least have
each other for some community and
communication and we were built God
created us to be in community and in
relationship with with each other but at
a time like this when we’ve got a lot of
singles be the young singles or senior
adults what kind of comfort and
encouragement can you bring to them as
they are dealing with real loneliness
during this time of quarantine well one
of the first things they need to do is
to get into the world of God and begin
to read you say well maybe I don’t
understand at all don’t worry about that
when you’re hurting God will give you
understanding he will use his word to
come for you like nothing else can you
can hear sermons you can hear people’s
encouragement but it’s when your eyes
hit the truth of the word of God
something begins to happen in your heart
and so somebody says well I don’t know
the Bible you don’t have to know the
Bible
you take your Bible open it up to the
Psalms and start reading you know a lot
of people are have a real and tangible
concern about the loss of income as you
know businesses continue to close people
are sent home for more people that work
an hourly wage single moms that are
trying to make a way for their children
how would you bring comfort to people
and encourage them
when they are facing some very real and
tangible losses from a financial
standpoint well the first thing I would
do is I would turn to the book of
Philippians and I would read this 19th
1st of the fourth chapter my God will
supply all your needs according to his
riches in glory in Christ Jesus now it’s
that’s marked also times when I’ve had
knees listen to that my God will supply
all your needs and sometimes we think we
don’t have a particular need we need him
first of all and then there are other
needs he said I’ll supply all your needs
according to his riches and glory now
somebody says well how do I know he’s
gonna do this if you’ll notice he said
according to his riches God assumes
responsibility for meeting the needs we
have in our life also in the Bible it
says that as a man thinketh so easy and
we are unfortunately with the constant
news feed we are thinking about more
school closings more people contracting
this virus more restrictions more
information negative information about
the stock market how can we renew our
minds with the Word of God
and and are there other scriptures and
passages that you would encourage us to
meditate on you mentioned Psalm 91 and
that has been a particular comfort to me
right now what are some other verses
that we can meditate on well when I when
I’ll take the Bible and and begin to
look through and as you have mentioned
all these that I have marked when I’m
going through something that’s difficult
in my own life I flipped through the
scriptures for example do not let your
heart be troubled believe in God believe
also in me that person says well you
know I don’t know what a turn but if you
just turn through the scriptures
remember this that God will assume
responsibility for turning you to the
right book of the Bible or whatever it
might be for example he gives strength
to the weary and
to him who Lex might he increases power
Youth shall be weary and tired the
vigorous men shall stumble badly yet
those who wait for the Lord will gain
new strength they will mount up with
wings as eagles they will run and not
get tired they will look and not become
weary so you know this is I can’t
emphasize enough this is the most
important book in the world
and right now everybody ought to be
reading the Word of God and as I just
flipped through I have chosen you and
not rejected you do not fear for I am
with you they’re not anxiously look
about you and just over and over and
over in the scriptures and so somebody
says I don’t mind this is what I hear
most I don’t know how to turn just do
what I said just start reading God will
turn you to what he knows you need to
hear and especially the Psalms the
Psalms are a great place to start but if
you don’t know where to start
God is using even this circumstance
which is bad for a good purpose amen in
my life listen is no evil will befall
you no will any plague come near your
tent or he will give his angels charge
concerning you yes and so we you know of
all the things we could say that I could
set anybody is first and foremost the
Word of God the awesome powerful Word of
God that changes lives and what will
happen is this as you read the words
your attitude will change and you begin
to think about God in ways you never
thought about you’ll begin to recognize
your need of him and after you read it a
little bit you’re recognized well you
know what I believe I understand that
yeah and in a whole new way
let the favor of the Lord our God be
upon us confirm for us the work of your
hands all of a sudden the Word of God
gets inside of you you begin to believe
it and respond to it what will happen
and I believe this will happen when this
is all over
this book will once again be the number
one book in every household in America
one of the children in our church sent a
very
thoughtful question for a child and I
want to share it with you could this
virus be God’s Way of making us turn
from our sins and follow his commands
absolutely yes how because first of all
we’re having a need that we don’t have
an answer for we have to look to God and
we have needs that we can’t just
purchase the answer for we have needs
that we’re not sure exactly what it’s
going to take people are dying people
are getting sick and so the whole
atmosphere is totally changed and what’s
the answer at this point nobody has the
answer but God he’s getting our
attention he has gotten our attention
another one of our church members asked
this question dear pastor in Romans 8:28
God promises to work all things together
for the good of those who love him can
you give some examples of good things
that God can bring out of this crisis
well first of all the best thing that
had come out of it is we recognize we
need God we’ve been so blessed in so
many ways we felt like somehow we can
manage anything and everything now we
need God and it isn’t what we come up
with or what we can discover or we can
manufacture it is Almighty God reaching
down to give those people who are
scientists searching for answers the
answer is going to come from him
and so this is why we are helplessly
totally helplessly before Almighty God
in the sooner and the quicker we turn to
Him the sooner the quicker we’ll have an
answer we’re all under his canopy and as
we look to him trust him he is going to
provide my God shall supply all your
needs according to his riches in glory
in Christ Jesus not sometimes all the
times we know you in this church family
as a man of Prayer and many a time you
have kneeled right at this
falter and you have prayed for this
congregation you have prayed for our
nation we have seen you to be a man of
Prayer
how are you praying what are you praying
during this time and during this crisis
well my first prayer to God is Lord show
us what you are saying to us that’s the
most important thing not just get
everybody healed God shows what you’re
saying to us and second maybe merciful
to us the merciful to us of people who
don’t know you and then Lord I pray that
you’ll use this to bring many people
multitudes of people to know Jesus
Christ as their personal Savior and Lord
I pray that your people will be faithful
in these days as a demonstration to the
unbeliever that God is faithful to his
word he keeps us in his promises have
you seen God already beginning to answer
some of the prayers that you have been
petitioning in your home well yes I have
and I have seen I’ve seen some things
that I think Lord I don’t quite
understand this but I’m trusting you and
then I’ve seen situations where God
supplied needs that just weren’t
anywhere in sight at the time you are
loved around the world
we hear from people all over the globe
that have been impacted by in touch
ministries that have been impacted by
your teaching and who are changed their
lives have been changed but I promise
you no one loves you quite like your own
church family we love and adore you and
our concern for you so if you don’t mind
I have a couple of personal questions
that our congregation has set out as
well not just biblical not just the
illogical we want to know how you’re
doing well I asked me that because I had
Ecola twice and I’m being very careful
and I’m happy and I’m trusting God and
I’m believing he’ll take care of me and
I’m blessed
don’t have any complaints about me
personally and I’m trying to be careful
I want to be back preaching on Sunday
morning when we all get together and
we’ll do it on television as much as we
can what a wonderful wonderful
opportunity that whatever is going on
when people can’t go to church will be
there with the message of the word of
God to comfort them assure them
encourage them through it all one of the
children in our congregation asked their
mother does dr. Stanley have enough food
to eat what if his grocery store is
empty like ours can you give this little
girl some some assurance that you have
plenty of food and toilet paper well I
certainly can I do have enough somebody
says that you live by yourself no and
Jesus not together so I don’t feel like
I’m by myself and I have enough and I
have people who make sure that I do have
enough and I’m very very grateful for
that and so I wouldn’t want anybody to
think I’m suffering anyway I’m just
trying to stay healthy we take good care
of you one of the young moms in our
church has submitted this question dr.
Stanley I love my husband I love my kids
I can’t imagine life without them but
with schools canceled the kids at home
all day and my husband’s office closed
we are cooped up in this house and it’s
about to drive all of us crazy
is there a promise in scripture about
how God can keep us keep me from going
crazy can you help this desperate mom
well I wouldn’t suggest pills or
medicines to answer that but I would
think the father or the mother or to get
the children together and say this is
what we’re going through and we are
going to read the Word of God together
we want to find out what God says about
these things and if you don’t know any
other place to start start as we said in
the Book of Psalms I think reading the
Word of God together praying together
and parents when your children see you
on your knees
talking to a heavenly father they never
forget it and I can’t remember things
that ND and Bek had both said to me that
when we were going through some
difficult time just watching me get on
my knees and pray and they photographed
that on their mind that that was my
response the difficult in hardship and
then I would say to those parents
reading the Bible to said let’s get the
only the Bible all parents say well I
know that I understand it all well just
find the passengers that you do
understand be sure to get them to have a
Bible so they can read it with you and
this may be a good time to start family
devotions with your family and then I
think if they have questions then do
your best and say if you don’t have an
answer then write in touch or call in
touch and say look my kids are asking
these questions what do I say to them
and we deliver our best to answer those
questions and then you may have some
games that you play whether it’s
monopoly that’s old-time a game I used
to play or checkers or whatever it might
be but not those war games on TV that
that’s not the right one you know this
could actually be a wonderful time for
family and a real gift as families are
forced really to come together and share
quality time together if the weather is
good get out and get some fresh air play
something in the backyard of course we
want to keep all of the precautions that
we need to but there are ways that this
can be a great family time while we are
under some of these restrictions in our
country and especially since father’s
not been a lot of times yeah this is a
time for dad to be there give his full
attention to his children they’ll love
that you know what I saw this morning in
our neighborhood one of the deaths had
his his writer mower out and he had a
little trailer on the back of it and
three of his little kids and they were
riding around the neighborhood and the
kids were just having a ball I thought
you go dad that is a great idea that’s
right and you know just getting some
fresh
share with those kids and having some
wonderful time with them right well we
of course want to close this time by
asking you if you would lead us in a
prayer of faith and I know that it would
be a great comfort and though we are not
all sitting here in this congregation as
we are used to thankfully through
technology we are virtually all together
and as I mentioned earlier together
spiritually and we would love to have
you close our time together by praying
for us for the nation and for the world
would you lead us I would love to
Heavenly Father thank you for the
wonderful privilege of owning a Bible
for being able to understand the truths
of your precious word for the privilege
of bringing your promises to you calling
upon you asking you to meet our needs at
this time and believing in our hearts
that you will follow I pray that you
will bind the families together at this
sign
there will be new ways looking at each
other feeling toward each other that
when this is all over there’ll be a
closeness and the oneness and the unity
that we’ve never experienced before I
pray for the churches that people will
not give up hope they’ll not think that
their will that church will never meet
again just the sure people follow this
is temporary that you will put us back
together and there will be stronger than
ever before and we pray for the
president that you’ll give him wisdom
and strength and fortitude and those
around him will be supportive of him and
that you’ll give him the kind of wisdom
he needs to make decisions that will
make this country step forward not
backwards thank you Lord that you’re
accessible to us in every circumstance I
pray for all the pastor’s father
everywhere who are tempting me to meet
the needs of that congregation
especially those who are sick the
dangerous places they may be challenged
they walk through pray that you’ll
protect them
that they may preach messages that
emphasize the truth of the word of God
they’ll be praying for their
congregations that their congregations
will be praying for them and supporting
them we pray for all these physicians
God who are putting their bodies their
life on the line for the people they’re
ministering to father if you’ll give us
the privilege of just forgetting
ourselves and asking not just what’s
best for me but what’s best for my
family what’s best for the nation what’s
best for my co-workers what’s best for
me to walk and they got their life and
father I pray there will never be
exactly the same again there will be a
nation that has recognized literally
genuinely our absolute and total
dependence upon you for everything they
wiii never be as we have been may we be
a nation that acknowledges that the Lord
God Jehovah is our God and that we’re
trusting you through these days that
bring us through it and look back and
recognize that it was a time of great
spiritual growth in our lives in Jesus
name Amen
Psalm 121 from where shall my help
cometh my help comes from the Lord who
made heaven and earth thanks for
listening to today’s special
presentation on InTouch with dr. Charles
Stanley you can listen again when you
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and to learn more about trusting God all
the time with all your needs search
through the mini Bible based resources
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da RG I hope you’ll join us again next
week as we learn more about the God we
can count on that’s Monday on InTouch
with dr. Charles Stanley
this program is a presentation of in
touch ministries Atlanta Georgia
USA
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