At the close of each day he would record
significant events.
On at least one occasion -- King George
simply wrote the words: -- “Nothing happened today."
The date at the top of the page was that of
July 4, 1776.
Nothing happened, King George? --
And
In a
couple more days we will again celebrate our nation's independence!
What a wonderful country we live in --
despite -- despite all its faults & failures. -- It's good to be an American -- isn't it!
Only in
Only in
Only in
Only in
I was reading a passage from the Old
Testament prophet Isaiah recently -- & came across a rather shocking &
disturbing thought.
This is not my text for this morning -- but
I do want you to see this -- & hear what Isaiah has to say in Isaiah 3:9 --
Listen to this carefully -- “They declare their sin as
Did you hear that? -- Isaiah is saying: --
"They sin openly like the people of
Those words also describe
Our nation has sinned -- just as
Isaiah
is talking to & about
We've become a society where any ungodly act
can take place without a trace of shame.
-- This nation of
You know me well enough to know that I am
not a preacher of doom -- or gloom! -- It's not my calling -- it's not my style
-- nor is it the way God has gifted me as a preacher of His Word!
I am a preacher of hope; -- an encourager to
people!
Some pastors are called upon to comfort the
afflicted.
Other preachers are called upon to afflict
the comfortable.
You know me; -- you know my style; -- I have
a heart for God & a heart for people. -- I would much rather comfort the
afflicted!
But my heart has been made heavy of late --
at what I see happening in our society -- & in our nation.
Unless something happens to change the
course we are on as a nation -- I believe
Isaiah's heart was broken when he wrote
those words.
His passion for his nation was unquenchable.
My heart breaks for
I have observed with great despair an
overall unraveling of the social & moral fabric that has formed this great
democratic nation called
The ultimate sign of a failing society can
not be measured in monetary -- political -- governmental -- or civil terms; --
rather it is measured in moral & spiritual appraisals.
I don't want to spend much time going over
all the problems we are faced with as a nation -- (there is so much I could say
at this point) -- but I don't want to spend the time telling you about what we
already know -- because we see & hear about them every day in the
news.
Like
Billy Graham probably sums it up best with
some pretty strong words: -- "If God doesn't bring judgment on
That is a provocative statement. -- Is God
really upset with
Is judgment coming soon -- or has it already
started?
And that leads to another series of
questions: -- Is there any hope for our nation? -- What can we as believers do
to stem the rushing tide of immorality & corruption in our post-Christian
society?
As I prayed along this line -- I believe God
laid a verse on my heart that I wish to share with you today -- on this Sunday
before the 4th of July.
So that brings me to our text for this
morning; -- it is found in the Old Testament book of 2 Chronicles 7:14.
This verse applies to
Hear the word of the Lord!
"If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, & pray,
& seek my face, & turn from
their wicked ways; -- then will I hear from heaven, & will forgive their sin, & will heal their land."
This is God's striking challenge to His
people & to our nation.
Healing is our greatest need as a nation!
Healing is God's promise & God's will.
And God is ready & able to fulfill His
promise of healing!
This is a most appropriate time for God's
people to lay hold of God's mighty promise: -- "I ... will heal their
land."
God clearly outlines the formula for
spiritual renewal & healing in our land of America: -- "If my
people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves, & pray,
& seek my face, & turn from
their wicked ways; -- then will I hear ... forgive ... & heal their
land."
Here we find God's formula -- or God's
recipe -- for the healing of our nation of
Consider with me three things which are
contained in this formula for spiritual renewal & healing in our country:
--
1. The Call. -- "if my people..."
The formula begins with a call to the people
of God! --
God says, “If my people ..."
This is one of those conditional promises so
common to Scripture.
If we do our part -- God will certainly do
His part.
God says: -- "If my people, which are
called by my name ..."
It all hinges on the willingness of God's
people to do God's will.
It does not say -- if the President -- or if
the Senators & Congressmen -- if the legislators -- or if the Republicans
-- or the Democrats; -- it says "if my people which are called by my name
..."
We must not point our finger at the
non-Christian.
God is putting the responsibility for
healing at our very doorstep!
In fact -- there can be no
"finger-pointing" -- for God is talking to us!
Judgment always begins at the House of God!
"If my people ..." -- God does not
say -- "if the Jewish church" -- or "the Roman Catholic church”
-- or "the Protestant church" -- or "the Baptist church" --
or "the Presbyterian church" -- or even the Evangelicals.
But He does say: -- "If my people, who
are called by my name ..."
My friends -- God has His people in all
churches!
Those who have received His Son as Savior
& Lord -- God refers to as "His people." -- You & I are the
people of God!
All the infidels -- & the agnostics --
& the skeptics -- & the reprobates -- & the unbelievers -- in the
world cannot hold back the blessings & the power of God -- if God's people
are willing to pay the price for spiritual renewal.
Don't blame the bartender; -- don't blame
the homosexuals; -- don't blame the Congress; -- don't blame those who are
protesting, demonstrating, or rioting!
Blame yourself -- if you are a child of God!
-- Because God says "my people" must be the ones who do certain
things.
The call is to you & to me -- as the
people of God!
2. The Conditions.
Before spiritual renewal can ever become a
reality in
Four conditions -- that result in spiritual
renewal & healing.
These four conditions are: -- 1. Humble
ourselves; -- 2. Pray; -- 3. Seek God's
face -- & 4. Turn from wickedness.
First -- we must humble ourselves!
It is cool to be proud Americans -- as long
as we can bow to Almighty God!
Humility is in short supply in
After all -- haven't we sent man to the
moon?
Are we not the best educated -- the wealthiest
-- & the most accomplished generation that has ever lived?
It is not easy for the average American to
be humble -- because we are a proud people.
But
when we begin to see ourselves as poor, wretched & needy -- we put
ourselves in the place where heaven's bounties may be appropriated.
All too often pride stands in the way of
spiritual power & blessing even in the church.
We are proud of the way we pray -- the way
we sing -- of the Scripture we can recite from memory -- of the way we serve
God.
Like the Pharisees of Jesus' day -- we are
proud of what we do & what we don't do -- in the name of our faith.
But the Bible says we must humble ourselves!
"God opposes the proud -- but gives
grace to the humble" (James 4:6).
If any people ought to be free from pride
-- it should be those of us who are sinners saved by grace!
All that we have & are -- comes through
the unmerited favor of God.
Friends -- we need to really take a look at our
hearts on this one -- because pride exalts self & excludes God!
When we begin to see God as He really is --
& ourselves as we really are -- then we will humble ourselves before Him!
Secondly -- we must pray! -- There is no
substitute to prayer!
Studying the Bible is required -- but it is
no substitute for prayer.
Witnessing is something every born-again
Christian ought to do -- but it is no substitute for prayer.
Being identified with the church is
important -- but it is no substitute for prayer.
Helping our fellow man is part of the normal
Christian walk -- but it is no substitute for prayer.
When the disciples of Jesus had tried in
vain to cast out an unclean spirit -- they asked: -- “Why couldn't we cast him
out?" (Mk. 9:28-29).
Jesus answered: "This kind can be cast
out only by prayer & fasting"
The moral strength of a nation rests upon
the knees of God's people.
Yet many professing Christians know all too
little of the power of prayer!
The prayers of many of us never break beyond
the bounds of our own personal needs -- & the little circle of our own
interest.
Oh -- that we might discover what it means
to engage in real intercessory prayer!
Next -- we are to seek His face! -- Seeking
God's face goes beyond church attendance -- respectability -- & simple
service.
It involves a passion to know God -- to
fellowship with Him -- & to surrender to His complete control.
To seek God's face is to seek His very
presence -- His glory!
We have sometimes identified the glory of
God with high emotion.
God's glory may indeed result in great joy
-- or in a sense of holy awe.
But God's glory is simply to experience His
presence!
And the final condition is -- we are to
"turn from our wicked ways."
That -- my friends -- is pretty self
explanatory!
God wants His people to stop sinning!
We are to examine our lives -- identify
anything that does not please the Lord -- or line up with His Bible -- & we
are to eliminate that from our lives!
There are a thousand & one things that
could be classified as "wicked ways" -- that would impede our
spiritual progress -- & hinder God's blessings in our lives.
So all of us ought to sincerely pray in the
words of the Psalmist: -- "Search me, O God, & know my heart; try me,
& know my thoughts; -- And see if there be any wicked way in me, &
leads me in the way everlasting" (139:23-24).
Allow me to illustrate a couple of these
conditions.
First the condition of prayer: -- Our
prayers may seem weak -- but it will yield far more than the effort demands!
Pastor John Ramsey had grown accustomed to
someone providing him with a rose boutonniere every Sunday.
That routine took on dramatic new meaning
one Sunday morning when a young boy approached him after the service &
politely asked if he could have the little rose.
Ramsey knew the flower was destined for the
trash -- so he offered it to the boy -- & asked what he planned to do with
the used rose.
The little guy replied: -- "Sir, I'm
going to give it to my granny. -- My parents got divorced last year. -- I was
living with my mother, but when she got married again she wanted me to live
with my father. -- I lived with him for a while -- but he said I couldn't stay
-- so he sent me to live with my grandmother. -- She is so good to me. -- She
cooks for me & takes care of me. --
She has been so good to me that I want to give that pretty flower to her for
loving me."
Pastor Ramsey said tears filled his eyes as
he listened to the little boy.
He then told the compassionate lad: --
"You can't have this flower -- because it's not enough."
He pointed to the large spray of fresh
flowers at the altar & said: -- "Please take those flowers to your
granny because she deserves the very best."
The little boy lit up with excitement --
& said: -- "What a wonderful day! --I asked for one little flower but
got a beautiful bouquet instead."
My friends -- our approach to God is not
unlike what took place that day with this young boy -- & Pastor Ramsey.
We come in our pain seeking a small response
to our situation -- but God points to a greater answer -- & invites us to
take that instead.
Oh the untapped power of prayer that is at
our disposal!
In my next illustration -- I wish to tell
you what it means to seek the face of God!
It was one of those split second exchanges
between a 16-year-old girl & her father -- but it spoke volumes!
While the dad was out of town -- the
daughter had broken her curfew -- & stayed out too late with her boyfriend.
Now she is talking to Dad about it.
Embarrassed & afraid -- she sat quietly
-- looking down at her hands in her lap -- while the discussion took place.
She apologized -- & together they
decided on a suitable solution.
Then the father said to his daughter: --
"Look at me."
She didn't want to -- but she did.
Instead of a hard look of displeasure -- she
saw tears -- & a look of deep love.
She threw her arms around him -- & they
both knew that everything would be all right between them.
To keep everything right between us &
our heavenly Father -- & to enjoy His presence -- we must seek His face!
We may feel guilt -- disappointment -- anger
-- or even hurt toward God.
But that is when we must respond to His
invitation to look at Him -- & see the tenderness of His love.
The Psalmist wrote: -- "My heart says
of you, ‘Seek my face!' -- Your face, Lord, I will seek” (Psalm 27:8 NIV).
3. The Covenant. -- God says -- “then will I
hear from heaven, & will forgive their sin, & will heal their
land."
God is saying -- If we will -- He will!
When God's people follow God's plan they
will receive God's promise.
When the Church becomes the salt of the earth
& the light of the world -- healing comes to the land.
Salt may not be large in bulk -- but it
flavors & preserves the whole!
When we truly reflect the light of Christ --
the darkness cannot over- come it.
The promise -- the covenant is -- "I
will hear & forgive & heal their land!"
Follow God's plan -- &
Conclusion:
-- I believe God longs for
This nation of ours -- can be saved from
political chaos & collapse by only one thing -- & that is if you &
I -- as the people of God -- will obey this Old Testament covenant of 2
Chronicles 7:14.
I don't know about you -- but I am tired of
seeing what sin is doing to our homes -- our churches -- & our nation.
What can
Would to God that His people would get a
real vision of what God can do through us & in us as we yield ourselves to
Him completely.
Would to God that we would pay the price to
see real spiritual healing come to our nation.
We are command in the Bible to pray for our
nation.
We can't just stand around & complain
& bemoan how bad things are in our country. -- You see -- we are the problem!
God has always intended for the spiritual
renewal of the nation to start with His people.
It goes from the Christian -- to the Church
-- to the Community -- to the Country -- & then to the Continents.
Are you willing for it to start with you --
today?
Pastor
www.wynnechapel.org