All Or Nothing
2 Chron. 7:14 & 17-22
One of the most noticeable verses since the attack on our country since 9/11.
*Let me ask you…Where were you and what were you doing when it happened? (discuss)
(Talk about my 9/11 experience on the day it happened)
*The marquees up & down State St. ”God Bless America”
*My first trip to Ground Zero
*Observation Tower/Walkway
*Posters & names on the particle board wall
*All the people saying “Where was God?”
*Al Braca-my friend(In Tower One, Led 50 people to Christ before it fell. He didn’t make it out, but he made it home!)
- As quickly as the need for God arose right after 9/11, the need for God went away. As a nation, we just put Him back in our “Convenient” little box…Until we need Him again.
You know why we did that as a nation?…We’re a selfish nation!
We as a nation think its easier to have a part-time God in our lives & pull Him out of our box when something goes wrong, but how many of us will call on Him when everything is going right?
As popular and as needed that this scripture was on that dreadful day… revival (whether nationwide or personal) didn’t take place due to the UNWILLINGNESS to follow the commands set before us in this scripture.
This scripture has 4 commands in it that have to be followed before God will even make a move. Lets look at these 4 commands
1. HUMBLE OURSELVES
2. PRAY
3. SEEK GOD’S FACE
4. TURN FROM OUR WICKED WAYS
1. HUMBLE OURSELVES (Humility)
Definition of humility-”Free from pride, dependant on God, concerned for others.
Another def.-Humility…Freedom from a sense of one’s own importance, w/ honest concern for others and personal dependence on God. (Johnny Hunt Quote)
When we humble ourselves, God promises to hear us and respond (Jer. 33:3). And He never breaks that promise, but we need to realize that God puts the responsibility to humble ourselves on us.
(James 4:10 “Humble yourselves before the Lord, and He will lift you up”)
Seeking humility means that we confess our burdens for the way things are…but often times we fail to realize and remember that our God is the same God of the O.T. and He WILL treat this nation like He treated the nations long ago if 1.injustice, 2.oppression, and 3.unrighteousness continue to thrive. You look in the paper or watch the news & tell me if any of those 3 things stick out to you?
Bottom line…It ain’t about you! It was never about you! Nor will it ever be about you! I learned the hard way-(My music career b4 Christ)
2. PRAY
Def- Speaking or communicating w/ God…For a person to pray and really commune with God, one must…
1st- acknowledge God’s existence (Read Gen 1 vv 3,6,9,14,24,26)
2nd-Hope that God knows and cares about you(He does)Deut7:12-15
3rd-Expect that God is able & willing to respond to your prayers(He is) Jer 33:3-Sometimes the answer is yes, sometimes it’s no, but you have to call out to Him in prayer. You can’t trust your emotions to get you through, “Trust In The Lord With All Your Heart And”Prov 3:5-6
Bottom line…PRAY! When in doubt? PRAY! In a fix? PRAY! Need an answer that only God can answer? PRAY!
Trust me…Satan trembles when he hears your praying!
Remember-You have not because you ask not!
3. SEEK GOD’S FACE
Def of seek-To look for, go in search of, to try and find or obtain.
Jer 29:11-13, Luke 11:9-10, 1 Chron 28:9, Deut 4:29
Lets break down Luke 11:9...If you want it, you gotta ask for it…If you want to find Him(God), you gotta go search for Him…If you want God to open to open a door for you, you gotta knock!
Question…did you open up your hearts door when He knocked?
If you want what Jer 29 promises, you have to know Him (Rev 3:20)
Luke 19:10 “For the Son of Man came to seek & to save what was lost”
So, if you seek Him, He will be found by you, but if you forsake Him, He will reject you forever. Matt. 10:32 “Whoever acknowledges Me before men I will also acknowledge him before my Father in heaven. But whoever disowns, or rejects, Me before men, I will disown him before my Father in heaven”. To me that’s to the point.
Bottom line-God has been seeking you since the first cell was formed in your body. The very one who formed your heart is asking you to seek Him with all of that same heart…SO what are you waiting for?
4. TURN FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS
Ezekiel 18:30-31 read this way…
“Repent! Turn away from all your offenses; then sin will not be your downfall. Rid yourselves of all the offenses you have committed, and get a new heart and a new spirit”
One of the hardest things to do is to change your lifestyle or your way of living, but in order to get a new heart and a new spirit, plus receive all that God wants to give to you, you must be willing to turn your back on anything that hinders your relationship with Christ.
Just think…you’re a dad or a mom and your lifestyle does not reflect a strong bond with the Lord. Do you think that lifestyle you possess will affect your children’s future? You bet it will!
(talk about smoking, drinking, and cussing) My wicked ways were affecting everything and everybody around me. The “WHY” questions were about to come out of my children’s mouths. I had to change…I had to repent…I had to turn!
6½ years later, both of my boys have seen my eternal lifestyle change and have followed me by accepting Christ as their Savior!
CLOSING
What does this all mean?
All 4 of these commands MUST be followed. You can’t just do 2 out of the 4 and expect to hear from heaven! It doesn’t work that way!
These commands are in this order for a reason…
-HUMBLE YOURSELF- Be free of all pride-It’s all about God, not you!
-PRAY- Talk with God
-SEEK HIS FACE- Go and search (You will seek me and find me..) Go after God
-TURN FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS Repent/Lifestyle change-Turn To God
Then and ONLY then will God hear from heaven, forgive your sin, and heal your land
INVITATION
