2 Chronicles 7:14 - Part VI

What…Me Wicked?

“If My people…will turn from their wicked ways…”

The trouble with wickedness is nobody likes to think…let alone admit they are wicked. Yet God says He will only hear from heaven, forgive sin, and heal the land when HIS PEOPLE turn from THEIR WICKED WAYS. What then does God consider wickedness? The following are lists from the Old and New Testaments. Notice how the wickedness described in each list wouldn’t even make the six o’ clock news today.

Old Testament

Proverbs 6:16-19
There are six things which the LORD hates, yes, seven which are an abomination to Him: 17 Haughty eyes, a lying tongue, and hands that shed innocent blood, 18 A heart that devises wicked plans, feet that run rapidly to evil, 19 A false witness who utters lies, and one who spreads strife among brothers.

New Testament

2 Timothy 3:1-5

But realize this, that in the last days difficult times will come. 2 For men will be lovers of self, lovers of money, boastful, arrogant, revilers, disobedient to parents, ungrateful, unholy, 3 unloving, irreconcilable, malicious gossips, without self-control, brutal, haters of good, 4 treacherous, reckless, conceited, lovers of pleasure rather than lovers of God; 5 holding to a form of godliness, although they have denied its power…

Revival quenching wickedness is the ‘big’ sins that make the hair on the back of our necks stand up; it is the things believers do, or don’t do in disobedience to the Lord. However, God promises revival will come when God’s people turn from their sin, and renew a right relationship with Jesus Christ.

aj

2 Chronicles 7:14 - Part V

Seeking His Face

What does it mean to seek God’s face? In Strong’s Concordance the word seek is defined as searching out by any method, specifically in worship or prayer. The word face is used 2,100 times and most often obviously refers to a person’s face. However, when referring to God the word is not talking about God’s physical face, but is instead describing the presence of God. In fact, in 2 Chronicles 4:19 the showbread in the Temple is called the ‘Bread of the Presence’, and is the place where the Spirit of God dwells. It is interesting the word face in 2 Chronicles 7:14, and presence in 2 Chronicles 4:19 are the exact same word in Hebrew.

So then, if we want to see revival we do not have to seek a new program, a fancier building, or a bigger budget. We simply need to seek God’s face. How can we seek God’s presence? According to the above definition it is through humble, repentant worship and prayer. So what is the game plan?

1.) Don’t attend church next Sunday. (Huh?) Come be a worshipper of God!
2.) Prepare Saturday to worship on Sunday. (Get your clothes laid out, and go to bed early.)
3.) Tune out distractions when you get here. (Leave the cell in the car.)
4.) Treat actively participating in worship as a privilege, not a boring, mundane, chore.

John 4:24 "God is spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth."

See Ya Sunday - Bro. Andy

2 Chronicles 7:14 - Part IV

Part IV – Making Prayer a Priority

“If My people…pray…”

“I would rather teach one man to pray, than to teach ten men to preach.”
C.H. Spurgeon

During Ramadan devout Muslims pray eight times a day. Orthodox Jews devote three times every day to prayer, and a committed Buddhist will spend hours in meditative prayer and chanting. Christians pray when they are ten miles out side of town and about out of gas.

Every great revival throughout history has been preceded by corporate, fervent, extraordinary prayer. Corporate prayer is people praying together. Fervent prayer is praying with a sense of urgency, and extraordinary prayer is praying at times that do not fall into your regular routine of prayer, such as praying before meals and at bedtime.

Suggestions to help you make prayer a priority in your life:

* Make time for prayer.

* Set aside specific times to give to God in prayer.
* Eliminate distractions.
* Keep a prayer journal.
* Pray through scripture.
* Pray for the right things.

It is a good thing to pray for those who are sick, and those who might have other physical needs, but it is not always the best thing. Make an effort to pray for the spiritual, not just the temporal. Pray for people to be saved, pray for the conviction of the Holy Spirit, and repentance among God's people, and pray for Christians to be bold and genuine in their walk with the Lord.

God says, “If My people…pray…” Let’s be those people.

aj