PREVENTING ANOTHER 9/11
2 Chronicles 7:14 (NIV) If my people, who are called by my name, will 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.
PROPOSITION: national healing is only possible through the people of God.
INTRODUCTION: It is now four years since those tragic events of 9/11. Two buildings struck by two airplanes and demolished in the center of New York. The symbol of military might, the Pentagon, struck by a third plane. A fourth plane, crashing in central Pennsylvania, destined for who knows where, yet averted by the heroic efforts of Americans.
In preparation for this message, I viewed again those images of national disaster, of nation tragedy, and of national sorrow. I have thought long and hard of those Americans who have lost their lives on the fields of battle in both Afghanistan, and Iraq. I have remembered the barbaric and cowardly attacks by an enemy that refused to put on a uniform, and takes the lives of not only combatants, but of the innocent, the neutral, and those seeking only to serve and help.
Our leaders say that these kinds of events are now the norm. We should expect them, prepare for them, and be diligent in watching for the seeds of such action. Signs are up, all over this country asking us to be diligent, to communicate suspicious activity, and not to drop our guard.
For the believer in Christ there is more. There must be more, and the Bible declares that there is more. Our leaders ask us to be sensitive to the symptoms. Our God asks us to be sensitive to the disease.
TRANSITION: As you look at the text before you, I would like you to see several points …
I It all starts with us – “if my people”
A Notice that it all starts with God’s people
B Notice that it is conditional – “IF”
1 Conditions have terms – you are to be involved
2 Conditions have consequences – should you choose not to be involved
C God’s people must step up to the plate and take responsibility for our nation.
1 Political Responsibility
a Pray for your leaders to make the right decisions
b Support your leaders in their right decisions
c Involve yourself in politics and bring a biblical perspective
2 Spiritual Responsibility
Exodus 17:8-13 (NIV) The Amalekites came and attacked the Israelites at Rephidim. 9 Moses said to Joshua, "Choose some of our men and go out to fight the Amalekites. Tomorrow I will stand on top of the hill with the staff of God in my hands."
10 So Joshua fought the Amalekites as Moses had ordered, and Moses, Aaron and Hur went to the top of the hill. 11 As long as Moses held up his hands, the Israelites were winning, but whenever he lowered his hands, the Amalekites were winning. 12 When Moses’ hands grew tired, they took a stone and put it under him and he sat on it. Aaron and Hur held his hands up--one on one side, one on the other--so that his hands remained steady till sunset. 13 So Joshua overcame the Amalekite army with the sword.
a Battle against an enemy
b Involved people involved in God’s plan
c Involved people involved with people involved in God’s plan
YOU CAN ONLY HAVE POINT MEN WHEN YOU HAVE SUPPORT MEN. A POINT MAN WITH NO SUPPORT IS A COOKED GOOSE!
3 Moral Responsibility
James 4:17 (NIV) Anyone, then, who knows the good he ought to do and doesn’t do it, sins.
II It involves a recognition of our true relationship with God – “called by my name”
A Who called you when you got saved
Romans 1:6 (NIV) Ro 6 And you also are among those who are called to belong to Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:28-30 (NIV) Ro 28 And we know that in all things God works for the good of those who love him, who have been called according to his purpose. 29 For those God foreknew he also predestined to be conformed to the likeness of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brothers. 30 And those he predestined, he also called; those he called, he also justified; those he justified, he also glorified.
Peter 2:9 (NIV) But you are a chosen people, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people belonging to God, that you may declare the praises of him who called you out of darkness into his wonderful light.
Peter 5:10 (NIV) And the God of all grace, who called you to his eternal glory in Christ, after you have suffered a little while, will himself restore you and make you strong, firm and steadfast.
2 Thessalonians 2:13-14 (NIV) But we ought always to thank God for you, brothers loved by the Lord, because from the beginning God chose you to be saved through the sanctifying work of the Spirit and through belief in the truth. 14 He called you to this through our gospel, that you might share in the glory of our Lord Jesus Christ.
B We have got to understand that we are ALL the called people of God!
1 How called are you?
a Most of us are not acting as called as we are!
b Too busy grumbling
c Too busy complaining
d Too busy with everything else but our calling
2 God is telling believers that the blessings of our land fall upon them and their repentance.
a The person that does not know Christ is not going to see things from God’s perspective.
b They do not know God, and they do not care about following the will or plan of God
c The believer does know God’s will and plan, but refuses to get on board.
d Always something else to get in the way
e Always someone else to pull us away
f The end result is that we do not become the called people of God that we are suppose to be
1) We do not take seriously what was behind our call
2) We do not take seriously what God did to provide our call
3) We do not see our selves as a part of the process
III Demands 4 activities
A Humble Ourselves
1 To bring one self into subjection to God
2 This involves dealing with my own sin – a purposeful admitting of my sin before my God
3 We cannot be lifted up till we have been made low
B Pray
1 We pray in order to seek forgiveness
2 It is one thing to admit that I have sinned
3 It is another to speak to the one I have sinned against
4 Sins are not forgiven until we have asked for forgiveness
5 We have become a group of people who may admit our sin, but we never get around to seeking forgiveness from the one we have sinned against.
C Seek the face of God
1 The word “seek” means to search for something that is lost or missing.
2 Then to secure what you have found so as to not lose it again!
a Security comes from protection against an enemy
b Security comes when we do not lose sight of what we are securing!
D Turn from our wicked ways
1 The word means to leave where you have backslidden and to follow another to where you should be
2 I think that this “other” is Jesus
IV Produces 3 Results
A God’s Ear
1 The word hear means more than to listen, it means to pay attention to
2 Did it ever occur to you that God was hearing, but not paying attention to what you were saying
Isaiah 59:2 (NIV) Isa 2 But your iniquities have separated you from your God; your sins have hidden his face from you, so that he will not hear.
3 God’s ear hinges on my humility, prayer, seeking, and turning!
B God’s Forgiveness
1 The word forgiveness has the idea of something being poured out.
2 God forgive me by pouring out my sin
3 The final act of my restoration with God
C God’s Healing
1 Now God is able to work in my land, not just me
2 The word means to provide a remedy
3 The word means to bring a restoration
BUT IT ALL STARTS WITH ME
Not my prayer life -- Not my book life -- But my confession life!
