"If My People"

"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

For years we have heard this message preached and preached, well, it is time to do more than just preach it... it's time to heed it and do it. It is time for those of us who are God's people to humble ourselves before our God, pray, seek His face and turn from our wicked ways. It is time we cry out and confess to God that we have sinned against Him and done wickedly.

What are the "wicked ways" we have done before the Lord?
1) We have put other gods before Him- pleasure, entertainment, prosperity, mammon, fame, fortune.
2) We have looked to the arm of the flesh instead of the arm of God for provision and protection.
3) We have placed our trust in man's ability to meet our needs- the doctors, the government, the welfare system, banks, loan institutions, etc.
4) We have done that which is right in our own eyes and have forsaken the council of God's word.
5) We have taken that which is holy and profaned it, blasphemed it and allowed it to be trodden underfoot by ungodly entertainers and politicians.
6) We have sought God's hand and not His face.
7) We have committed the two evils spoken by Jeremiah (Jer. 2:13)- we have forsaken the Lord, and invented our own faulty substitution to serve our wants and lusts.
8) We have murder thousands and thousands of innocent babies through abortion.
9) We have stolen, lied, cheated, deceived, stepped on and been abusive for our own selfish gain.
10) We have let down the standard of the blood stained banner.
11) We have had itching ears, rejected truth and not endured sound doctrine.
12) We have pursued our own selfish desires instead of His purposes.
13) We have lost our first love.
14) We have become lukewarm.
15) We have been hypocritical- drawing near to the Lord with our mouths while our hearts are far from Him.
16) We have rebelled against God's lordship over our lives.
17) We have sought to do our own will and not the will of God.
18) We have called good evil, evil good, wrong right and right wrong.
19) We have lived immoral, greedy, over indulgent, self centered lives.

There are too many more sins that we have committed to name here. But if we repent-turn from them and turn back to God- with our whole heart there is a promise that is attached to the condition-- I will heal their land. We need our land- our nation, our government, our society, our churches, our families- healed. Only God can bring the healing, but only as we humble ourselves and repent of our wicked ways.

Have a great day. "If we say that we have no sin, we deceive ourselves, and the truth is not in us. If we confess our sins, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins, and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness. If we say that we have not sinned, we make him a liar, and his word is not in us." (1 John 1:8-10)