The Holy One calls to me this morning. With all the chaos in the world we call home, the Lord's promise in II Chronicles 7:14 is always somewhere in my thoughts:
"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 come and heal their land".
This morning He draws me to His Word and that promise: "Humble yourself, pray, seek Me and turn from YOUR wicked ways".
Now it is getting personal. I find that this is a promise where I have blame shifted and I need to talk this over with my Holy Counselor to see what He sees. I know that this is a word addressed to only one group of people: those who are called by His Name, (that name is Christ) and who are Christian by title and claim.
In this world of evil it is not the unsaved, non believers that this Word and promise applies to. This is clearly a call to God's people.
As I ponder His personal words to me I have to stop and see where I have been acting in any wicked ways. Since I have the vestiges of a carnal mind and the pride that goes with it, I sense I need to let Him reveal such things to my heart and then listen to His strategy to fix me.
Always thinking I am better in my own estimation than I find myself to be in His, meetings like this are indeed lessons in humility. Recently He has shown me the truth about rebellion and that it can be in the form of bitterness toward Him or others for my life situations. These are the situations that He has ordained for my life. The bitterness can be hidden in a bad attitude especially if we come to feel justified in self-pity. But that is only one side of the problem as I am about to find out.
God's ways and perspective is higher than ours and we need to be careful about what we see as an inconsequential stubborn mood that might be a huge betrayal to our Lord and even a denial of His Lordship if we go too far in self-comfort and self-will.
Today, the Holy One takes me to the book of Acts chapter 7 to make His point. This is the account of a man called Stephen who became the first person martyred for his faith in Christ Jesus. He was seized and brought to a council of Jewish scribes and elders by those who wanted to stop the spread of the Gospel.
He began to testify to them of their own history that pointed to the Son of God and that Son being Jesus but then in his final remarks, he said, "You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart, you always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you". Acts 7:51 NKJV
What could this possibly mean to me? Then The Holy Spirit began to connect the dots: "When you entered into the Salvation agreement you willingly made the great exchange. You gave your life to Me, but then proceeded to live it your own way. You have asked Me to bless your way and rarely ask to know MY way."
Grief floods my heart with that truth. Conviction becomes repentance. How many times have I resisted the Holy Spirit? How many times has this servant said "No Lord, I will not go there", "No Lord I will not testify to them" "No Lord, my plate is too full, I am too busy with my life and my plans". "I know I gave my life to you but it is really mine to live". "I am more comfortable serving you in this church rather than in that mission field".
I know that I cannot turn from my wicked ways without His Spirit. I cannot lay down my life for Him the way He laid down is life for me without The Holy Spirit. I know I have His Holy Spirit. The question He has for me today is "Will you listen and then obey Me?"
I know that we are all in a process so I do not lose hope even in the rebuke. I am thankful that My Lord cares enough to correct me when I am wrong and is patient in the process. His best for me is what we both desire. His best for all of us is what He desires. I long for Him to come and heal our land. "If ...Then....." Since there is a condition to that promise, I must press in to meet it.
If My people.........
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
"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 come and heal their land".
This morning He draws me to His Word and that promise: "Humble yourself, pray, seek Me and turn from YOUR wicked ways".
Now it is getting personal. I find that this is a promise where I have blame shifted and I need to talk this over with my Holy Counselor to see what He sees. I know that this is a word addressed to only one group of people: those who are called by His Name, (that name is Christ) and who are Christian by title and claim.
In this world of evil it is not the unsaved, non believers that this Word and promise applies to. This is clearly a call to God's people.
As I ponder His personal words to me I have to stop and see where I have been acting in any wicked ways. Since I have the vestiges of a carnal mind and the pride that goes with it, I sense I need to let Him reveal such things to my heart and then listen to His strategy to fix me.
Always thinking I am better in my own estimation than I find myself to be in His, meetings like this are indeed lessons in humility. Recently He has shown me the truth about rebellion and that it can be in the form of bitterness toward Him or others for my life situations. These are the situations that He has ordained for my life. The bitterness can be hidden in a bad attitude especially if we come to feel justified in self-pity. But that is only one side of the problem as I am about to find out.
God's ways and perspective is higher than ours and we need to be careful about what we see as an inconsequential stubborn mood that might be a huge betrayal to our Lord and even a denial of His Lordship if we go too far in self-comfort and self-will.
Today, the Holy One takes me to the book of Acts chapter 7 to make His point. This is the account of a man called Stephen who became the first person martyred for his faith in Christ Jesus. He was seized and brought to a council of Jewish scribes and elders by those who wanted to stop the spread of the Gospel.
He began to testify to them of their own history that pointed to the Son of God and that Son being Jesus but then in his final remarks, he said, "You stiff necked and uncircumcised in heart, you always resist the Holy Spirit; as your fathers did, so do you". Acts 7:51 NKJV
What could this possibly mean to me? Then The Holy Spirit began to connect the dots: "When you entered into the Salvation agreement you willingly made the great exchange. You gave your life to Me, but then proceeded to live it your own way. You have asked Me to bless your way and rarely ask to know MY way."
Grief floods my heart with that truth. Conviction becomes repentance. How many times have I resisted the Holy Spirit? How many times has this servant said "No Lord, I will not go there", "No Lord I will not testify to them" "No Lord, my plate is too full, I am too busy with my life and my plans". "I know I gave my life to you but it is really mine to live". "I am more comfortable serving you in this church rather than in that mission field".
I know that I cannot turn from my wicked ways without His Spirit. I cannot lay down my life for Him the way He laid down is life for me without The Holy Spirit. I know I have His Holy Spirit. The question He has for me today is "Will you listen and then obey Me?"
I know that we are all in a process so I do not lose hope even in the rebuke. I am thankful that My Lord cares enough to correct me when I am wrong and is patient in the process. His best for me is what we both desire. His best for all of us is what He desires. I long for Him to come and heal our land. "If ...Then....." Since there is a condition to that promise, I must press in to meet it.
If My people.........
The Spirit is calling. Can you hear Him?
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