2 Chronicles 7:14 “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.”
Pastor Herk continues that this is what we can do: humble ourselves, pray with every ounce of our soul we have, seek God's face in everything that we do, as we turn from our sinful thoughts word and actions in sincere humiliation, fasting and prayer. 1 Thessalonians 5:16-18 tells us, “Rejoice always, pray without ceasing, in everything give thanks; for this is the will of God in Christ Jesus for you.” The Father of our Country, President George Washington had daily prayer in his library both morning and evening, kneeling with an open Bible before Him. Set aside dedicated devotional and authentic prayer time for you and God daily and wholeheartedly seek His face in loving personal presence. God wants us to approach His throne and spend time together communing.
1 Corinthians 13:12 “For now we see in a mirror, dimly, but then face to face. Now I know in part, but then I shall know just as I also am known.”
To spend time face-to-face with our heavenly Father is to enjoy a clear and direct sight of Him, and not a dim refection as in an ancient mirror. We seek His hand daily for our lives, but we should also seek God’s face for our soul and spirit. We want to know God for who He is every second of our lives, and not just call on Him when something is wrong or when we need something. An acronym for the elements of prayer is ACTS, meaning Adoration, Confession, Thanksgiving, Supplication. How many times do you pray in adoration to God, just to exalt Him with praise and thanksgiving as the only motive?
1 John 3:6-7 “No one who abides in Him [who remains united in fellowship with Jesus—deliberately, knowingly, and habitually] practices sin. No one who habitually sins has seen Him or known Him. Little children (believers, disciples of Christ), do not let anyone lead you astray. The one who practices righteousness [the one who strives to live a consistently God honoring life—in private as well as in public—and to conform to God’s precepts] is righteous, just as He is righteous.”
Turn from your wicked ways (our evil ways in principle or practice; deviating from the divine law; addicted to vice; sinful and immoral). When a person turns from their sins, they choose to live in obedience to God. Evil ways are either natural or moral. Natural evil is anything which produces pain, distress, loss or calamity, or which in any way disturbs the peace, impairs the happiness, or destroys the perfection of natural beings. Moral evil is any deviation of a moral agent from the rules of conduct prescribed to them by God, or it is any violation of the plain principles of justice and rectitude by God.
Because of the Fall of Man and our many sins since, Romans 3:22-24 tells us, the righteousness of God is “through faith in Jesus Christ, to all and on all who believe. For there is no difference; for all have sinned and fall short of the glory of God, being justified freely by His grace through the redemption that is in Christ Jesus.” Yet, people tend to not think of themselves as wicked because they don’t physically harm or kill others, but 1 John 3:15 says, “Whoever hates his brother is a murderer, and you know that no murderer has eternal life abiding in him.” The Lord Jesus said in Matthew 5:21-22, “You have heard that it was said to those of old, ‘You shall not murder, and whoever murders will be in danger of the judgment.’ But I say to you that whoever is angry with his brother without a cause shall be in danger of the judgment.” God sees our heart and knows our thoughts. If we would actually see ourselves in God’s holy light, our true thoughts, motives, negative emotions, and spite would shock and shake us to the soul. God is waiting for us to repent.
Since the Fall of Man, we live in a dark and sinful, totally polluted society. Sin is normalized and accepted today, desensitizing our culture. How many times is the Lord’s name used in vain daily? So, 2 Corinthians 6:16-18 asks, “What agreement has the temple of God with idols? For you are the temple of the living God. As God has said: ‘I will dwell in them and walk among them. I will be their God, and they shall be My people.’ Therefore, come out from among them and be separate, says the Lord. Do not touch what is unclean, and I will receive you. I will be a Father to you, and you shall be My sons and daughters, says the Lord Almighty.”
If God’s people turn from our wicked ways, then the Lord will hear from Heaven, forgive our sins and heal our land. It’s time for revival. Are you ready?
In Christ, Brian
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