It's Time

IT’S TIME

HOOK (Explain what a Hessian was)

– During the Revolutionary war, Colonel Rahl, A Hessian commander at Trenton, was playing cards when a courier brought a message stating that General George Washington was crossing the Delaware River. Rahl put the letter in his pocket and didn’t bother to read it until the game was finished. Then, realizing the seriousness of the situation, he hurriedly tried to rally his men to meet the coming attack, but his procrastination was his undoing. He and many of his men were killed, and the rest of the regiment was captured. Tomorrow is the excuse of the lazy and the refuge of the incompetent.

• If I were to ask, “Who would like to make an impact on the world around them and help inspire true change for the better,” I believe just about everyone would raise their hand.

• There will be some who will make a difference and help change their world during their lifetime.

• Sadly however, most people will never truly make a significant impact on the people around them

• This is because of one of Satan’s most valuable tools that he uses on people – it’s called procrastination or (I can do it tomorrow)

TITLE – IT’S TIME

• I titled this message “It’s Time” because the world around us is growing darker and darker

• And we desperately need revival.

• Time is running out for us to make a difference in this world

• Even Jesus said in Revelation “behold I come quickly.”

• Friend, I believe that anyone who knows even a little about prophecy realizes just how short our time is before Jesus returns

• And besides that, none of us are promised the next minute of our existence.

• Sin is having a hay day in our country – it’s almost like a sewer pipe has been opened and is flooding us.

• Many lives and families are in a mess today and as a result our nation is in a mess.

• The problem with our nation is not a political problem

o Throwing more money at it and making more laws will not fix it!

• The problem is not a philosophical or an educational problem

o Educating people with bad hearts only creates clever devils!

• Friend, the problem with our nation is a heart problem (moral, spiritual).

o We as a nation have turned away from God

o We’ve kicked Him out of our government and schools and wonder why kids are going off of the deep

o They wonder why our children are so rebellious –

o the problem may not really be in the schoolhouse but rather the church house - amen

o We have reared generations of children who do not know God – and now they are in charge.

• The good news friends is that we serve a God who is able to turn things around

• And He so desperately wants to turn things around!

• Guess what? God will do His part if we do our part!

• You know who can save a home, a community, a country?

• Yes, God can, but He can only do it through people like you and I in this room right now.

• Friends, we don’t have time to put things off, we ought to be doing for the Lord today!

TEXT CONNECTION –

• 2 Chronicles 7:13-15 is a very popular passage.

• In it we find the Lord speaking to Solomon and telling him that if His chosen people (Jews) turn from Him and He curses their land that He will restore it

• “If” they meet certain requirements set by Him.

• Now we know that this passage is written to the Jews

• But the New Testament says that all the things that happened to the Jews were meant to be examples to us.

• I believe, that as believers in America, we can apply these passages to ourselves as well.

ETS – In our text we find God laying out stipulations for His people to meet in order to revive or restore their land.

ESS –

• We find six principles that are long overdue for us to be implementing in our lives

• Or another words, it’s time to start obeying these six principles

OSS – My prayer for us today is that we would decide to not procrastinate and start doing the things that God will use to bring spiritual healing to ourselves and our land.

Let’s read 2 Chronicles 7: 13-14 and come back to pull out the principles

God says it’s Time To:

I. Look Around (2 Chronicles 7:13-14)

A. God was telling His people that in order for things to change they needed to take a look around and see the horrible condition of things.