Covid-19 Message…”Stay Home; Stay Safe; Entertain Grandkids; Clean the House!”

Hello, my fellow bloggers, followers and new-comers…Have you instituted any ‘new normal’ habits since the restrictions issued by local and national government institutions have been in forced?

Well, I certainly have…

Notwithstanding, frequently washing my hands, wearing a face mask and staying hunkered down at home…in addition, I have joined a communicable early morning prayer group instituted by my church that meets by telephone at 5:30 a.m. Monday through Friday.   Our instructions are to read 4 pre-assigned Holy Bible chapters (2 from the Old and 2 from the New Testaments) each day.  After reading each chapter someone from the group selects a verse and wraps a prayer around it.  After several prayers, we move to the next chapter and repeat the exercise until all 4 chapters have been expounded upon.

A ‘New Normal’ has manifested itself in the delivery of our prayers…

One of our assistant pastors is assigned to host the morning prayer group and he keeps us on point so that many participants can have an opportunity to pray as the spirit leads them.  But on some occasions God’s living word is so prevalent in today’s society that it  mimics the events that are resinating around the coronavirus, thus many participants are led to include a personal example that testifies to the fact that God answers prayer STILL!

Such was the case this morning…  

I personally have tasted the miracle of answered prayer, especially when you pray like the biblical saints of old, just as one of our bible verses proclaimed in our study time this morning:

Proverbs 77:10-11  “Then I thought, ‘To this I will appeal:  the years when the Most High stretched out his right hand.  I will remember the deeds of the Lord; yes, I will remember your miracles of long ago’.”

Long ago, when I owned a laundromat, I had accumulated a mountain of debt: water bills, monthly rent, equipment machines monthly payments, salaries, supplies, etc, etc, etc.  I rested in the assurance that the Lord had opened many doors for me to establish this minority neighborhood business and I trusted that He would not allow my doors to be shut by creditors.  So, one night after closing shop, I gathered all of my monthly bills and spread them out on the floor of the laundromat and prayed the prayer of King Hezekiah found in 2 Kings 19:16.  I also reminded the Lord that His word says He is the same yesterday, today and tomorrow.  Then I added; ‘do me like you did Hezekiah.  Rescue me.  Please order my creditors to be merciful to me and be patient’.

The very next day, my prayers were answered along with a message from the Lord.

God reminded me that He had enlarged my territory and that I was to re-visit the Prayer of Jabez found in 1 Chronicles 4:10 and claim it:

 “And Jabez called on the God of Israel saying, ‘Oh, that You would bless me indeed, and enlarge my territory, that Your hand would be with me, and that You would keep me from evil, that I may not cause pain!’  So God granted him what he requested.”

Conclusion…

The Prayer of Jabez gives God the credit and not man or personal effort.  This coronavirus epidemic has certainly launched a global movement that seems to be calling all of God’s people (and beside the fact that the cattle on a thousand hills are His, so also are all the people in all the world are His) to expect their ‘territory’ to be enlarged.

So, let’s define in what ways a person’s ‘territory’ might be enlarged:  their personal home life; extended family orientation; means of employment; circle of friends and acquaintances; position in leadership; opportunities to witness; local and world-wide connections; financial obligations; and re-visiting time management assignments, coupled with your sphere of influence…just to name a few.

And remember, it’s Okay to be on lockdown…However, may I remind you to allow this time (this Covid-19 time) to help you find your purpose and to catch hold of the divine vision that God wants to instill in your ‘new normal’ life.  Ask God to forgive your slowfootedness (repent).  Lose your mind for INCREASE!  But more importantly, as in the days of old, know this:

GOD (sure nuff) ANSWERS PRAYER, STILL!