Turn To The Lord

March 16

The actions of men of faith have tremendous impact upon world events. This is nowhere more clearly stated in the Bible than in II Chronicles 7:14 where the Lord conveys this powerful message to His people: “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 forgive their sin and heal their land.”

What awesome power lies within the will of a believer! His decision to lay his life at the feet of the Lord impacts not only himself, but has the potential to effect radical changes within his nation! “If My people…turn from their wicked ways, I will…forgive their sin and heal their land.”

First, a believer must acknowledge his own failures before God. Simply belonging to the household of faith is not enough. A person who names the name that is above every name must come before Him for periodic cleansing (see John 13:6-10), for our walk through life leaves us soiled by our contact with the sin that so pervades our world. Whether we indulge it or simply allow ourselves to be corrupted by it, we are diminished in our ability to reach the lost when sin’s influence upon us hinders our prayers.

When we have allowed Jesus to cleanse us from the sins we have done in spite of the faith we profess, we may then ask Him to use us to reach men and nations for Himself. We may then stand on the promise in Isaiah 55:7 that says, “Let the wicked forsake his way…and turn to the Lord who will have mercy upon him…” When we have complied with that stipulation, He will use us to reach lost men and nations for Himself.