Verse of the Day 3/10

Verse of the Day 3/10

2 Chronicles 7:14   if my people who are called by my name 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.   English Standard Version (ESV)

My daily Old Testament reading moved into the book of 2 Chronicles this morning.  When I begin a new book I always read the introduction in my Bible which gives a key verse for the book, today's verse is that "key verse".  Through the ages it has been common for the people of God to seek revival and today's verse gives us an indication of the key elements involved.

In our day, you will see and hear of many plans for church growth, meaning numbers.  There will be drives, new programs, changes in format including the type of music but seldom will you hear a call to repent, to turn, turn back to the Lord.  But take a closer look at today's verse, it starts with God's people, those called by His name, believers.  They are called to "humble themselves", submit to God, follow and obey His calls in their lives.  They are to pray, continually, fervently to God seeking His will and aligning theirs with His.  They are to "seek His face", know Him better, who He is and what pleases Him, what would bring a smile to His face.  Then the key component to turn "from their wicked ways", giving up the things that stand in the way of all of those other things, the things that displease Him and lead us astray.

Pastor Greg Laurie writes, "Notice God said, "Pray and seek My face." We should not only pray, but we also should seek His face. There is a difference. We can pray like this: "Lord, send revival. Amen." Now let's get lunch. Or, we can pray, "Lord, we are seeking You. . . . Lord, we are calling out to You. . . . Lord, we are desperate for You. . . . Lord, we need You. Send an awakening to America." It is effectively a prayer that doesn't take no for an answer. "

How desperate are we for God in our lives, in our church in our nation?  There have been several spiritual awakenings in our nation, but they have all started with the same key ingredients found  in today's verses.  The next one will start the same way. "If my people......."

--   In Christ,  Mike    Folllow the Verse of the Day blog at http://mikesvotd.blogspot.com  Ephesians 1:7 In him we have redemption through his blood, the forgiveness of sins,  in accordance with the riches of God's grace.  NIV    

2 Chronicles 7:14-18The Message (MSG)

^12-18 God appeared to Solomon that very night and said, "I accept your prayer; yes, I have chosen this place as a temple for sacrifice, a house of worship. If I ever shut off the supply of rain from the skies or order the locusts to eat the crops or send a plague on my people, and my people, my God-defined people, respond by humbling themselves, praying, seeking my presence, and turning their backs on their wicked lives, I'll be there ready for you: I'll listen from heaven, forgive their sins, and restore their land to health. From now on I'm alert day and night to the prayers offered at this place. Believe me, I've chosen and sanctified this Temple that you have built: My Name is stamped on it forever; my eyes are on it and my heart in it always. As for you, if you live in my presence as your father David lived, pure in heart and action, living the life I've set out for you, attentively obedient to my guidance and judgments, then I'll back your kingly rule over Israel—make it a sure thing on a sure foundation. The same covenant guarantee I gave to David your father I'm giving to you, namely, 'You can count on always having a descendant on Israel's throne.'