A message of hope, inspiration and challenge.
America’s only hope for restoration is for men, women and children to turn their hearts toward God. This Sunday message is one that is good for every day of the week.
*** Pastor Ron Burtz***
Nearly 3-thousand years ago King Solomon dedicated the very first temple of the Living God in Jerusalem with much ceremony and sacrifice. As the week-long festivities involving the entire nation of Israel concluded the book of Chronicles records that the people returned to their homes joyful and glad in heart for the good things God had done for His people. Life was good.
But not long after the joyful dedication the Lord appeared to King Solomon at night with a grim warning. After briefly stating that He had heard Solomon’s prayer of dedication and had chosen the temple as a place of sacrifices, in the very next sentence here’s what the Almighty says: When (NOTE: Not IF, but WHEN) I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague among my people…. Now I imagine Solomon must have been thinking, “What??? What’s going on?? We just built this beautiful temple, and dedicated it with the sacrifice of nearly 150-thousand animals. Why is God talking about what sounds like judgment and punishment?”
The fact is that God knew that it would only be a matter of time before His people began to turn away from Him and to worship other gods. It had happened time and time again during the 400 year period of the judges, and in fact that pattern of God’s people falling away, experiencing judgment and returning to God has been played out over and over from the Garden of Eden to this very day. So, God in His infinite wisdom and love was coming to give Solomon a prescription, a recipe if you will, for the nation to be healed and once again experience the blessing of God…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 will I hear from Heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land. My friends, America has turned away from God and is experiencing Divine judgment. It’s time to humble ourselves, to pray, to seek His face and to turn from sin to the Savior. It’s time for revival!
If you do not have a personal relationship with Jesus Christ, today would be a GREAT day to begin! It’s easy:
A. Admit you are a sinner.
B. Believe that Jesus died to purchase forgiveness for your sins.
C. Confess Jesus as your savior.
Now… you are saved. Your new life has BEGUN. Find a Bible believing, Gospel preaching church. Read your Bible and pray (talk to God). May God bless you as you trust and obey Him in everything you do!
