A Call to God’s People
2 Chronicles 7:12-16
* I’m troubled! There exists unsettledness in my spirit. I want to ask you to let me share my heart with you tonight. We are in trouble. As a nation, as a society, as a community, and as the church, we are in trouble. Sadly, few people see it because they have a roof over their heads, money in the bank, cars in the garage, and family who love them.
* My ninth grade science teacher taught me that if you drop a frog in a bowl of hot water, he would immediately jump out. However, if you place that frog in water that is room temperature and then gradually raised the heat, he would remain in the water until he boiled to death. It would seem that the American believer and church has found themselves in the water that is room temperature and have lost track of the environment in which we live.
* Consider come truths with me. Let’s begin with;
1. The Spiritual Emergency we face. -
* During the last 50 years, every form of immorality has exploded in an unprecedented manner.
* Since 1960 nearly every category of crime has risen by the alarming rate of 500%.
* An unbelievable combination of cultural forces now exerts strong “anti-Bible and anti-Christian influence on societal attitudes.
* During the 1990’s, a hostility toward Christians and Biblical values grew at alarming rates.
* In the last 36 years, we have been a witness to “Child sacrifice” and genocide with the death of over 55 million unborn babies. These babies were sacrificed on the altar of convenience, choice, and lack of self-control.
* Presently proposed laws could eventually make it a federal crime to preach the Biblical view of homosexuality. In fact, this week I heard Jr. Hill say that he sensed as preachers, we face the real possibility in America of jail time for preaching God’s word.
* During the last quarter of a century, America has experienced an explosion of cults and false religions.
* Despite the biggest expansion of SBC evangelistic programs and strategies, domestic baptisms have basically remained flat lined for almost 50 years.
* Most years, 14,000 SBC churches baptize let than 3 people while close to 8,000 baptize no one at all! (taken in part from Greg Frizzell)
* While some might not see these as an emergency, a historical perspective would tell us that when countries have abandoned their morality and ethics, deterioration took place which was almost unstoppable.
* Tonight I am laying before us this truth; our very way of life is in jeopardy. To stay on the same course which we have been means our country will continue to disintegrate and ultimately dissolve.
* It is sad to say, that while all of these things are going on in and around the local congregations, we have largely gathered silently in our buildings, wishing things would change yet refusing to change ourselves to impact the needy world, and the result is we are now in crisis mode in our culture. We face an emergency of extreme proportions.
2. The Spiritual Essentials we forget – If there is to be a change in this country for God and good, it will start within the hearts of those who are authentic believers. God has given us both the power and authority to become world changers, but we are not world changers by simply attending church or class. There are some essential we must embrace if we are to be HIS people in this world and honestly I submit, we have forgotten some things.
* We have forgotten the power of corporate prayer. I’ll admit that over the last several years, I have forgotten and thus, neglected this essential. Possibly many if not most have forgotten this truth and the result is that “Wednesday Prayer Meetings” have become “Mid-Week” services which really are “mid-weak” services. Consider how we have forgotten this;
* In past generations of great revivals, prayer meetings were focused on praying for lost people, personal repentance, revival, and missions. In other words, they were focused on the key kingdom issues of evangelism, missions, and revival. Today, a long hospital list has totally replaced the key kingdom issues. Yet, we should pray for the “sick and afflicted”, but not to the exclusion of those things with Kingdom Impact.
* In past generations, people spent the majority of time actually praying. Little or limited time we given for devotional and requests. Instead of talking to each other, people came to talk to God.
* In past generations, corporate prayer meetings involved the entire family (including older children and youth). They understood that our young people learn by example.
* In past generations, there was a strong emphasis on personal repentance and confession. There was a deep understanding that Jehovah God would not hear the prayer of someone who harbored unconfessed sin.
* In past generations, fasting was a frequent emphasis. According to Greg Frizzell, “for the first 300 years of Baptist History and for the first 400 years after the resurrection, fasting was a rather common emphasis among serious believers.” Here is my question, “What is an ‘un’ serious believer?”
* In past generations, prayer meetings were often blessed by great fervency and inspiring testimonies. If we expect God to answer prayer, why don’t we come and tell what He has done for us.
* Before the 20th century, lay people often led the corporate prayer meeting. This gave the sense of freshness because there was not “sermon” but rather a pointing to prayer for the purpose of getting with God.
3. The Spiritual Effects we find – With all of this info, you may ask this question, “Is there any hope?” Yes there is. God is the same as He was in days past and I believe, He wants to do it again.
* Without a doubt, the teaching of God’s word contains many “cause and effect” truths. For instance, to Adam and Eve God said, “IF” you eat off the tree, you will surely die.” To Abraham God said about Sodom, “If I find at least 10 people there then I will not destroy the city.” To Joshua God said, “If you break the covenant of the Lord your God, you will disappear from the land.” John writes, “If you say you love God and hate your brother then you are a liar.” Do we need the spiritual effects? We need to know them, understand them, and respond to them. Many times, God acts on the basis of our response. So we need to respond to the words of our Lord which will, by promise, invoke His actions.
* Our text says, If my people, called by my name, shall humble themselves, prayer, seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways…then!
* My people are the people who have truly, authentically, and totally given themselves to faith in Christ. They have lain aside their own way and embraced His way, the way of faith, and the agenda of their Lord.
* They are called by my name! This comes back to thesis of my book, “And they were called Christians.” People who are truly Christian are not those who attend church and/or call themselves Christian; rather, these are the ones whom, like in Acts 11, the lost world calls “Little Christs.”
* The ones who shall humble themselves. At the risk of being offensive, this speaks to our issue of pride. Instead of being big before God, realizing how small we are and approaching Him on His terms.
* The ones who “seek God’s face.” The language here invokes us to search out diligently His face and thus His favor. The picture is like that of a little baby who is running from his first jar of baby food that is ‘meat’. God’s face is turned because of sin in our lives.
* The one I’ve saved for last is PRAY. To meet all of these conditions is to release the convicting, controlling and life-changing power of God. For my two-cent worth, this is what we need. It is called an awakening, a renewal, or a revival. Every spiritual awakening in history has been preceded by “Corporate Prayer.” The revival of the 1850’s or early 1900’s we ushered in by “corporate prayer.” People held a deep belief in the essential need for corporate prayer because of the prior experience of meeting God in these meetings. Do you desire for God to restore, recover, reclaim, & renew?
