"If My People - Part 2"

"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land." 2 Chronicles 7:14

In all the years I have been sending out the devotional I have never sent out more than one each day, but the Lord began to speak a word so clearly to my heart this morning and told me to send it.

The main focus of this scripture is not just prayer, and as absolutely vital as prayer is, it's not the only condition here. I am sure that most, hopefully all, of us are praying (we must keep it up), but God also said to repent. "...and turn from their wicked ways." Repentance is "action"- it's something you "do" not just "say". It's changing your mind, turning from the direction you are going and begin going in the totally opposite direction.

God did not say in this verse to pray then get up and keep doing the same things you were doing before you knelt in prayer. He said, "Turn from it!!". Go in a different direction. Get on a straight path, a narrow path, off the broad wide way that leads to destruction, off of the worldly path, get on the godly path, stop being conformed to this world, be transformed, stop trying to serve two masters, start giving God first place and make Him the priority of your life.

Jesus told the woman who was caught in the act of adultery, "go and sin no more".
Zachaeus was a "legal thief" (a tax collector), but he gave back everything, plus more, that he had unlawfully taken from the people.
Gideon tore down his father's idols and removed the groves they worshiped their false gods in.
The rich young ruler was told to sell all he had- because his god was his money- and follow Jesus.
Jonah not only prayed from the belly of the fish, but then he went to Nineveh and obeyed what God told him to do.

Don't just pray for forgiveness and healing... stop sinning! Repent and change your direction! Repentance starts in the heart and is confirmed through your actions.

If you are living in adultery, if you are living an immoral lifestyle, repent and turn from it.
If you are cheating people- stop and become a giver and make restitution.
If you are indulging in sinful habits, lay them on the altar and walk in temperance.
If you have been using your mouth to curse, then change your speech and replace it with blessings, God's word and praise.
If you are disobeying the word of the Lord, repent and start obeying.
If you are calling evil acceptable and trying to justify it, repent and start calling it what it is- agree with God on the matter.
If you are withholding your tithes and offerings and spending it on your own pleasures, stop and begin to honor God with your giving-- He gave it to you.
If you are looking to someone other than God to meet your need, repent for not trusting Him and begin to put your faith and confidence in Him- He is the Provider.
If you have been advocating what God hates, repent and start loving what He loves and hating sin.
If you are forsaking the assembling of yourself with other Christians- and you have the ability to go to church- then start going.
If you are neglecting prayer and Bible reading, repent and determine to make it a priority in your life by turning off the television or computer or iPod- whatever is robbing your time and keeping you from doing so.

If you are a minister of the gospel and are preaching those things that tickle the ears, promote seeker friendly environments, provide for tolerance of sin, are humanistic philosophies, with enticing words of man's wisdom, then stop, repent and preach Jesus Christ and Him crucified, preach the cross it is the power of God unto salvation, preach holiness for without it no man shall see God, preach self denial instead of self esteem, preach blessed are the poor in spirit instead of blessed are those who have vast material wealth.

I absolutely agree it is time to pray... but it is also time to repent, and not in word only, but in deed, action, attitude, lifestyle and speech.

Have a great day. If we not only pray, but confess we have sinned and turn away from our wicked ways and begin doing righteously, He will heal our land.