In Touch - Oct. 1, 2009

During the reign of Jehoshaphat, a vast army assembled to attack the nation of Judah. His response to the situation can guide us in handling our own crises.

The Bible records that the king "turned his attention to seek the Lord" in prayer (v. 3). Likewise, when we face hardship, our best response is to cry out to our heavenly Father. As God's children, we can be certain that He loves us and cares about the details of our lives. Through the cross, He established a new covenant for those who place their trust in the Lord Jesus (Luke 22:20)—He agreed to forgive our sins, adopt us into His family, and watch over us. This salvation does not depend upon our good actions but upon the
completed work of Jesus, who died in our place (Eph. 2:8). God also sent His Spirit to live in us as proof of our salvation and to be ever-present with us. He is interested in every aspect of our lives and promises to hear our prayers.

Jehoshaphat was ready for this crisis because he had developed the habit of seeking the Lord in various situations (2 Chron. 19:3). If we want to be prepared for the unexpected, then we must discipline ourselves to seek God every day, acknowledging His Lordship and our dependence upon Him.

By examining our habits and thought life, we can know whether our attention is on the Lord or other things. If we start our day thinking about Him instead of our own plans, and regularly read and apply Scripture, then we demonstrate a heart that is pursuing Him.

For more biblical teaching and resources from Dr. Charles Stanley, please visit www.intouch.org
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Used with permission from In Touch Ministries, Inc. © 2009 All Rights Reserved.