faith from the past

As we start this month we are all facing severe challenges – spiritual, family, economic… The news gets worse and worse. In addition we Christians are also facing the hostility of the world around us.
How are we to respond and carry on?
When it seems as if we are surrounded by unsurmountable obstacles, it helps to reflect on what the Lord has done for His people when they were faced with ‘hopeless’ situations.
Take the examples of:
Moses
‘And Moses said to the people, “Fear not, stand firm, and see the salvation of the Lord, which he will work for you today; for the Egyptians whom you see today, you shall never see again. The Lord will fight for you, and you have only to be still.”’  (Exodus 14)
Joshua
‘Then the Lord said to Joshua, “See, I have delivered Jericho into your hands, along with its king and its fighting men.  March around the city once with all the armed men. Do this for six days. Have seven priests carry trumpets of rams’ horns in front of the ark. On the seventh day, march around the city seven times, with the priests blowing the trumpets. When you hear them sound a long blast on the trumpets, have the whole army give a loud shout; then the wall of the city will collapse and the army will go up, everyone straight in.”’ (Joshua 6)
Elisha when the Aramites came to arrest  him
 “Don’t be afraid,” the prophet answered. “Those who are with us are more than those who are with them.”  And Elisha prayed, “Open his eyes, Lord, so that he may see.” Then the Lord opened the servant’s eyes, and he looked and saw the hills full of horses and chariots of fire all around Elisha. (2 Kings 6)
Elisha when Jerusalem was under siege by the Syrians
 ‘For the Lord had made the army of the Syrians hear the sound of chariots, and of horses, the sound of a great army, so that they said to one another, “Behold, the king of Israel has hired against us the kings of the Hittites and the kings of Egypt to come upon us.” So they fled away in the twilight and forsook their tents, their horses, and their asses, leaving the camp as it was, and fled for their lives. (2 Kings 7)
Jehoshaphat when facing the Ammonites and Moabites
‘”For we have no power to face this vast army that is attacking us. We do not know what to do, but our eyes are on you.”
“Listen, all Judah and the inhabitants of Jerusalem and King Jehoshaphat: thus says the Lord to you, ‘Do not fear or be dismayed because of this great multitude, for the battle is not yours but God’s. Tomorrow go down against them. Behold, they will come up by the ascent of Ziz, and you will find them at the end of the valley in front of the wilderness of Jeruel. You need not fight in this battle; station yourselves, stand and see the salvation of the Lord on your behalf, O Judah and Jerusalem.’ Do not fear or be dismayed; tomorrow go out to face them, for the Lord is with you.” (2 Chronicles 20)
Hezekiah when Jerusalem was besieged by the Assyrians
‘Therefore this is what the Lord says concerning the king of Assyria: “He will not enter this city  or shoot an arrow here. He will not come before it with shield or build a siege ramp against it. By the way that he came he will return;  he will not enter this city,” declares the Lord.  “I will defend this city and save it,  for my sake and for the sake of David my servant!”
‘Then the angel of the Lord went out and put to death a hundred and eighty-five thousand in the Assyrian camp. When the people got up the next morning—there were all the dead bodies! 37 So Sennacherib king of Assyria broke camp and withdrew. He returned to Nineveh and stayed there.’ (Isaiah 37)
There are many other instances where the Lord intervened —  and the only thing His people had to do was stand and watch Him accomplish the victory.
As Paul tells us in Ephesians 6
‘Finally, be strong in the Lord and in his mighty power. Put on the full armour of God, so that you can take your stand against the devil’s schemes. For our struggle is not against flesh and blood, but against the rulers, against the authorities, against the powers of this dark world and against the spiritual forces of evil in the heavenly realms. Therefore put on the full armour of God, so that when the day of evil comes, you may be able to stand your ground, and after you have done everything, to stand. Stand firm then, with the belt of truth buckled around your waist, with the breastplate of righteousness in place, and with your feet fitted with the readiness that comes from the gospel of peace. In addition to all this, take up the shield of faith, with which you can extinguish all the flaming arrows of the evil one. Take the helmet of salvation and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God.’
 
Please pray for:
• Justice… there are matters that we are aware of within Cornerstone where we need to continue to pray for justice, and for the patient, prayerful waiting for those who have experienced wrong and injustice, especially for their hope being in the Lord with such things.
• That the Supreme Court would hear our appeal, and for our success with it, as it has broader implications than just for Cornerstone.
•   A new CEO, Company Secretary as well as an Administrator and Social Worker for Doncaster.
•    For God to continue to bless, equip and sustain our staff.
•    For God to raise up more Foster Carers, and the staff and all the resources that are needed.
•    For our families and the healing and help needed for the children placed within them.
•    For placements for two waiting families
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Join in singing ‘The Battle belongs to the LORD’
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FXs7GaA_p7Y
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