WHAT ARE WE TO DO DURING THIS TROUBLING TIME?

II Chronicles 7:13-15  

If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people;   If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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. Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place.

I believe we should be doing something that can change America and bring back God’s blessings upon America again.  I do not think we should be focused on “Make America Great again, but instead our focus should be on God Bless America Again.  God, I believe is removing His hand of blessing off this country and I believe it is the fault of the church, not the government.  Let us look at these verses today and do some examination of the heartbeat of the church in America today.

First consider what is happening in the world today:

1. Wildfires in Australia and no rain to help put them out
2. Locust in Africa eating all their crops and they are now in a second go round and they say it is 20 times larger than the first.
3. Covid-19, a worldwide pandemic that has many “Christians” scared to go out.
4. Widespread unemployment and people losing their businesses and their jobs
5. A projected food shortage even here in America
6. Politician threatening the Jewish and Christian communities to comply or go to jail
7. A record high number of earthquakes
8. Politicians who are mocking Christians and saying they hope we get the virus and die

And the list goes on.

Let us take a hard look at this now

1. God said he would shut-up the rain
2. God said he would send the locust
3. God said he would send pestilence
4. God gives a formula for the healing of the land

If my people who are called by my name – We are the people of God if we are born again

John 1:11-14

He came unto his own, and his own received him not.12  But as many as received him, to them gave he power to become the sons of God, even to them that believe on his name:13  Which were born, not of blood, nor of the will of the flesh, nor of the will of man, but of God.14  And the Word was made flesh, and dwelt among us, (and we beheld his glory, the glory as of the only begotten of the Father,) full of grace and truth.

If my people will humble themselves –

James 4:10

Humble yourselves in the sight of the Lord, and he shall lift you up.

If my people will pray –

Isaiah 56:7 

Even them will I bring to my holy mountain, and make them joyful in my house of prayer: their burnt offerings and their sacrifices shall be accepted upon mine altar; for mine house shall be called an house of prayer for all people.

Jeremiah 7:11

Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.

If my people will seek His face

Isaiah 55:6-7

Seek ye the LORD while he may be found, call ye upon him while he is near:   Let the wicked forsake his way, and the unrighteous man his thoughts: and let him return unto the LORD, and he will have mercy upon him; and to our God, for he will abundantly pardon.

Psalm 93:3-7

For the LORD is a great God, and a great King above all gods.  In his hand are the deep places of the earth: the strength of the hills is his also.  The sea is his, and  he made it: and his hands formed the dry land.  O come, let us worship and bow down: let us kneel before the LORD our maker.  For he is our God; and we are the people of his pasture, and the sheep of his hand. To day if ye will hear his voice,

If my people will turn away from wickedness

• What culture has the church adopted?
• Are churches still preaching and teaching the word of God?
• Do people seek out churches because of the social and entertaining value, or because of the teaching and preaching on “thus saith the Lord”?

If my people will repent

1. To repent means first, to admit we have strayed away from His word.
2. To repent means to return to what we know to be right.
3. To repent means we need to return to our first love.

Revelation 2:2-4

I know thy works, and thy labour, and thy patience, and how thou canst not bear them which are evil: and thou hast tried them which say they are apostles, and are not, and hast found them liars:   And hast borne, and hast patience, and for my name’s sake hast laboured, and hast not fainted. Nevertheless I have somewhat against thee, because thou hast left thy first love

Then He will hear

I John 5:14-15

And this is the confidence that we have in him, that, if we ask any thing according to his will, he heareth us:  And if we know that he hear us, whatsoever we ask, we know that we have the petitions that we desired of him

Then He will answer

He is bound by his word –

It is impossible for Him to lie

Hebrews 6:18 

That by two immutable things, in which it was impossible for God to lie, we might have a strong consolation, who have fled for refuge to lay hold upon the hope set before us:

Then He will forgive  

Forgiveness means total restoration

Forgiveness means all our sin has been removed –

Forgiveness means all our sins are forgotten

Hebrews 8: 12

For I will be merciful to their unrighteousness, and their sins and their iniquities will I remember no more.

Then He will heal –

Psalms 103:1-3

Bless the LORD, O my soul: and all that is within me, bless his holy name. Bless the LORD, O my soul, and forget not all his benefits: Who forgiveth all thine iniquities; who healeth all thy diseases;

he healeth all, but we have seen His requirement

NOTE verse 15-16: NOW –

15 Now mine eyes shall be open, and mine ears attent unto the prayer that is made in this place. 16 For now have I chosen and sanctified this house, that my name may be there for ever: and mine eyes and mine heart shall be there perpetually.