FWD: Morning Manna (Feb. 27); BP: II Chron. 20:1-30; RBTTY: Mk. 6:1-29;

 Please pray for me as I see new cardiologist on March 7, the one retired who took care of me for over 15 years but he recommended Dr Chrisman to me.  God is the One who had really taken care of me even thru good cardiologist.  God Bless to all. 
Samuel D. High
sdhigh@aristotle.net

 

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-----Original Message-----
From: Apostle Tom <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Sent: Tue, 26 Feb 2008 15:38:16 -0600
To: <pressingon@hotmail.com>
Subject: Morning Manna (Feb. 27); BP: II Chron. 20:1-30; RBTTY: Mk. 6:1-29;
 

February 27                                                                                                     “On Praying for Courage”

 

“O, our God, will you not judge them?  For we have no might against this great company that comes against us; neither know we what to do—but our eyes are upon You.”

                                                                                                                                     II Chronicles 20:12

     Knowing on Whom to call and depend is the secret of success in this time of need.

     King Jehoshaphat was clearly nervous when he prayed today’s Manna.  Although he’d received an excellent heritage from his Godly father, Asa (II Chron. 15) and learned to “delight himself in the ways of the Lord” (II Chron. 17:6), he still felt “outnumbered and out-gunned” that day when the Moabites and the Ammonites joined forces with others to come against him and Judah (II Chron. 20:1).

 

     Perhaps his fear stemmed from his ill-advised alliance with Israel’s king, Ahab, when the ungodly king convinced him to wear his royal attire to battle, almost resulting in his death (II Chron. 18:29-31a).  The Syrian king had already commanded his troops to target Ahab and were on the verge of mistakenly killing Jehoshaphat when he “cried out and the Lord helped him, moving the enemy to depart from him” (v.31b).

 

     You would think that such a Divine, dramatic deliverance would have bolstered Jehoshaphat’s faith; however, it appears his fears went quite deep.  And, even though his 1.1 million-strong army likely outnumbered the enemy, he still felt inferior and powerless against them.

 

     But, thankfully he still knew what to do:  Pray!

     Oh, dear Pilgrim, all the saints in the Bible and history have known the importance of “praying for courage” when the “enemy” (whatever/whoever it might be) seems to have the upper hand.  Samson sinned, was blinded by the enemy and became their “court jester;” however, he still “called unto the Lord and said, ‘O, Lord God, remember me, I pray…” (Judg. 16:28).

 

     Likewise, Nehemiah repeatedly cried out to the Lord for strength, wisdom and courage when King Artaxerxes asked him what was wrong with him (2:1-4).  And, when Sanballat, Tobiah and their cohorts threatened and conspired against them, Nehemiah continued to remember the “secret to success” in such situations (Neh. 4:4-5; 6:9, 14).

 

     The author of Ps. 119, the longest psalm in the Bible, prayed, “My soul melts for heaviness; strengthen me according unto Your Word” (v.28).  The Lord God encouraged His people through Isaiah to “Fear not—for I am with You.  Be not dismayed—for I am your God.  I will strengthen you; yea, I will help you.  Yea, I will uphold you with the right hand of My righteousness” (Is. 41:10).  Hallelujah!!

 

     Yes, dear Pilgrim, there are times when we, like Jehoshaphat, must stop fretting, fuming or fearing and simply “faith it” by praying, “Lord, we don’t know what to do—but our eyes are upon you.”  Then, may we watch Him work in some unusual ways to deliver us (II Chron. 20:13-30) and demonstrate that He is a faithful God, Who loves us very, very much.