Pastor’s Podium

Wouldn’t you agree that America is in crisis and in need of healing?

Someone has described America this way: We are witnessing the crumbling of our culture, clashes in our streets, crises in our schools, controversies in our courts, corruption in our businesses and our government, carnality in our churches, confusion in our families and conflict in our personal lives.

God’s promise of healing is found in 2 Chronicles 7:14 (NLT).“If my people who are called by my name shall humble themselves and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways, then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sins, and I will heal their land.”

God’s people must take four actions for God to fulfill His promise of national healing.

1. Admit I am helpless. “If my people humble themselves ...” 2 Chronicles 7:14a.

Pretending to be God is the source of all our problems. Playing God means I pretend to be in control. I call the shots, I live by my own rules, I am my own boss. I am full of pride. Pride only leads to fear, frustration and failure.

Consider God’s promises to the humble:

• If I’m humble, God will guide me. “God leads the humble in the right way and teaches them his will.” Psalm 25:9.

• If I’m humble, God will bless me. “I will bless those who have humble and contrite hearts ...” Isaiah 66:2 (NLT).

• If I’m humble God will give me the power to change.“God opposes the proud but gives grace to the humble.” James 4:6.

• If I’m humble God will relieve my stress. Jesus,“Take the yoke I give you ... and learn from me. For I am gentle and humble, and I will restore deep rest to your soul.” Matthew 11:29.

2. Ask God for help. “If my people ... will pray ...” 2 Chronicles 7:14b.

Jesus wants us to pray about everything. God welcomes you to pray for family and friends, church, community (city, state, nation), work or school, projects and events.

“Don’t worry about anything; instead, pray about everything. Tell God what you need ...” Philippians 4:6a (NLT).

Either you can carry your worries or you can let God carry them.

3. Seek God.“If my people ... will seek my face ...” 2 Chronicles 7:14c.

Seeking God means to give Him our full attention. When my wife speaks to me, she likes me to turn my face to her and give her my full attention. When my kids were little, they liked to grab my face and turn so I looked right into their eyes. They wanted their daddy’s full attention.

Many of your problems and pain are the result of not seeking God. Any time we ignore God, God backs off and lets you, your family, your business and nation experience the consequences of sins.

God says,“I will return to my place on high and wait until they acknowledge their offenses, and feel their guilt, and seek my face; then in their troubles and distress they will earnestly seek me, saying, ‘Let us return to the Lord so that He may heal us.’”

4. Turn from my wicked ways. “If my people ... turn from their wicked ways ...” 2 Chronicles 7:14d.

This is when we stop our sin, instead of just feeling sorry about it. Turning is abandoning your sin. God can always be trusted to forgive you if you simply ask. There are no hurdles to jump or penalty box to sit in. There is no waiting period. It only takes humility and honesty. But the payoff is well worth it. You are instantly, freely, completely, and permanently forgiven.

God doesn’t want you feeling guilty. He wants you to be free. The only way to be free from guilt is to turn from it and confess it to God. He just wants you to own up to it. When you do, He promises to forgive you, no questions asked. In fact, He buries it in the depths of the sea and posts a sign that says,“No Fishing Allowed”. He never brings it up again. Period.

America is in deep trouble. But there is hope for America’s healing. God will heal our land when we humble ourselves, pray, seek Him, and repent. National healing is possible. It won’t happen without you. Will it start with you?