2Ch 7:13-15
13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people,
14 if My people who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place.
Our country looks less and less like a Christian country every year. It is difficult to find a movie to see that is not filled with horrific language and if that’s not bad enough try to find one that is wholesome. pre-marital sex and promiscuousness is widely accepted as normal acceptable behavior. Homosexuality is being accepted as normal. Crimes of all types are on the rise. Incest is on the rise. Many “Christians” don’t believe that the bible is completely inspired by God, completely infallible and inerrant.
We look at this picture and we want to blame the politicians, the government, the criminals, the non-Christians and the list goes on and on. We blame them because of all the bad things they do and the bad morals they have and guess what? They are bad and evil and immoral and all the other descriptions you can come up with but they are not to blame.
Yes! You heard me right. They are not to blame. Everyone is born in sin and the natural tendency for all is to do bad things. That’s why Jesus came and died for us and why He started the church. Jesus was not born into a good world, He was born into a bad world and He started the church to effect change. What am I saying? I am saying that we the church are to blame for the condition of our country and world. It is our responsibility to witness and make disciples of them. We the church are responsible for the wretched state our country and world are in. We are failing miserably in the mission that Jesus gave to us.
This country was founded on religious principles, our big universities were all Christian universities and not just in name either, but because the church has not been doing its job our land is being devoured by locusts and pestilence that the Lord has allowed to fall upon us. Look at verse 14 in the passage above and note that God did not say if the politicians, or the government, or the criminals would turn from their wicked ways. No, He said “if My People who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways,…”, then He will correct what’s wrong. So who is in the driver’s seat here? Is it all the wicked people, or is it us the church, His people? That’s right the blame rests squarely on us.
You say but “I don’t have wicked ways.” Oh yes you do. Do you follow God’s will for your life completely? Every place that you do not follow is wicked behavior. Do you ever hurt God? That’s wicked behavior. Do you always witness when God is leading you to? If not that’s wicked behavior. Do you have possessions or relationships that get between you and God? That is wickedness.
We need to get down on our knees and pray earnestly. We need to seek God’s face, His will for our lives and we need to act on what He tells us. It’s wicked to just standby and do nothing. It’s wicked to not be concerned about the millions around us who are heading everywhere but heaven. Do not be an onlooker but take active part in God’s kingdom as He directs you. Remember we are in the driver’s seat and we have the power living in us to effect change that can alter the spiritual landscape of our country and the world around us. Look what the apostles did. They changed the world and they only started with twelve.
We can offer the world an abundant life. One filled with love, joy and peace. How? Just as the apostles did, they followed and adhered to the guiding of the Holy Spirit. They spent a lot of their time on their knees speaking and listening to the Holy Spirit then they obeyed.
In His Service,
Frank Vernon
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