Coronavirus: An Interview with Dr. Charles Stanley

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 click today on radio at InTouch da da RG and to learn more about trusting God all the time with all your needs search through the mini Bible based resources on our website again that's in touch da 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 you

Channel: In Touch Ministries

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Keywords: Charles F. Stanley, Charles Stanley, In Touch with Dr. Charles Stanley, In Touch Ministries, Preaching, Bible teaching, Dr. Stanley, Intouch ministries, intouch

Id: 4YAWRCGXhG8

Length: 24min 30sec (1470 seconds)

Published: Fri Mar 27 2020