Through the Bible - Judges 20-21, Luke 11:37-12:3
Good morning,
If you followed yesterday's reading you would have read the following verse:
Luke 11:7 So I say to you, Ask and keep on asking and it shall be given you; seek and keep on seeking and you shall find; knock and keep on knocking and the door shall be opened to you. - Amplified Bible
What is it that keeps us away from asking, seeking, on knocking on God's door? Too many times it's endless activity. We get so caught up in the business of the day that we don't find, have, or take the time to communicate with God, many times even during activities that we would consider serving Him.
For today's verse we'll go to 2 Chronicles 7 where Solomon had been busy with the construction of the Lord's temple, a noble, an important task. But the most important thing for Solomon and for us was what God said to him at night after all the activities of the day(s) had settled down.
2 Chronicles 7:14 If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land. 15Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer offered in this place. - Amplified Bible
We've just come off of a great holiday, Easter, with it's celebration of what the Lord has done for us. But now that the busy-ness is over what is it that we seek?
Is it to come before the Lord in humility, in prayer, longing for Him, repenting from being caught up in ourselves and turning towards and seeking, following Him? The same things required of us are required of a nation that is to follow God. If His people won't do it, surely the nation won't.
John MacArthur writes, "on the other hand, if the church is fit to receive God's blessing, the whole nation will be the beneficiary of that, because the Word of God will be proclaimed with power, God will add to His church, and spiritual blessings of all kinds will result. And those are the truest blessings of all."
May we pray and live with open eyes, attentive ears and with such a heart.
Blessings,
Mike
mikevw@bellsouth.netmikesvotd.blogspot.com
2 Chron 7:12-21
God's Second Appearance to Solomon
(1 Kings 9:1-9)
12 Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 17 As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments, 18 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying,'You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.'
19 "But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, 20 then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. NKJV
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