Friday, June 25, 2010

A Call To Prayer

A Call To Prayer

I heard a wonderful message this week and I want to share elements of that message with you. The text is very familiar, 2 Chronicles 7:14. "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."

The first point is about the statement, "my people called by my name". In ancient Israel, there was a tendency to replace the covenant name of God, YHWH, with the name Adonai since this term was more generic and less offensive. Adonai could be used of an idol or GOD. Is this not the same for us today? Many want to pray to God, but they want to remove the name of Jesus Christ from all prayer because it is too offensive. Will the blood bought, Holy Ghost filled, redeemed of the Lord proudly stand up and pray clearly in the name that is above all names. "Neither is there salvation in any other: for there is none other name under heaven given among men, whereby we must be saved." Acts 4:12

Next, we need to be humble. Talented leaders, preachers, worship leaders, and any other persons we trust in cannot revive America. Our only hope is Jesus Christ. He is our only source and strength and shield. Without Him we can do nothing. We must turn back to the only wise God and understand our desperate dependency on Him.

We need to repent. Before Jesus came what was the message of John the Baptist? Repent. Before God appeared to Moses and the people on the mountain, what did they have to do? Repent. Repentance proceeds any move of God. We can not excuse our sin. We must take it to the foot of the cross and leave it there!

This leads us to the last point. We must seek God's face and not His hand. Too many are only asking God for temporal blessings. God wants a relationship. He doesn't want to be treated as our servant who only is called on for benefits and blessings. God wants men and women who love Him more than the trinkets of this world!

Turn to Him today! Pray and seek His face. Our nation needs to know that there is hope. It is not government, education, a balanced economy, or peace through diplomacy; it is Jesus Christ who will change this world!

Israel, the Middle East and the Coming of Christ