Thought for the Week

You likely have seen a sign such as my title displayed at a doorway or gate. There is a purpose for this. Only certain people are allowed to pass through the entrance. All others are kept out. You must have a proof of who you are and that you are one of those allowed entrance before you can enter. To try to gain entrance without the proper I.D. means you will be barred from entry. When you display your identification, the guard checks it against his list. If your identification matches what is on his list you will be allowed to pass through the door. There are Scriptures i.e.(St. Matthew 7:15-23) that illustrate this. A time is coming when people will want to gain admittance into Heaven. They may have fraudulent credentials but Jesus will deny them admittance because they have refused to meet God’s requirement. They are not truly God’s people. A valid proof is that you are known by those around you as His people. Example: (Acts 11:26) Other proofs are found in God’s identification book. (see Revelation 21:22-27) and Jesus’ personal testimony: (St. John 14:6). I started all this because I want to illustrate who God’s people are and what they do as part of the requirement of II Chronicles 7:14. God’s people “humble themselves”. People living by the world’s standards are proud. They do not want to humble themselves. The day will come when God will humble the proud. Jesus indicated those who want to enter His Kingdom must humble themselves as little children are humble. God’s people also pray. Prayer may seem complicated. It really isn’t. Prayer is simply communication/conversation with God. Elements of prayer include: honoring/exalting God; confession of sin, faults, failures; giving thanks for blessings, asking blessings on others; asking God’s wisdom in making decisions; etc. If you can talk to a friend, you can talk to God. You can talk in private or in public. Remember God is your audience. It is He to Whom you are talking. There is no reason you need to impress Him with fancy words. He already knows what you want to say. I tell my wife I love her. She already knows but she wants to hear me say it and indeed I want to say it. I want to pray as well. I like to pray. I like being in God’s presence. I’m not sure I am any more ready to see God’s face than Israel was at Mount Sinai because He is terrifying in so many ways but Jesus is God and I would be delighted to see Him face to face. I expect that seeing God’s face is somewhat dependent on me and whether I was doing something good or something God has forbidden. But, I really do want to see God’s face. God’s people want to stay away from doing anything that displeases God. We ‘eschew” evil. That means hate and avoid, anything that is evil, wicked or detested by God. II Chronicles 7:14 is God’s word to King Solomon: “If my people, who are called by My name will humble themselves, and pray, and seek My face, and turn from their wicked way; then I will hear from Heaven. I will forgive their sins and I will heal their land.” This is what I want. I trust it is also what you want and are praying for. There is much in life and in our nation that needs to be changed. We cannot make it happen on our own. We most definitely need God’s help. God has to be the primary Mover. I can’t, you can’t, we can’t do it on our own humanly. We need to be God’s people and do what God’s people do. NOW!

Scriptures to Read

St. Matthew 7:15-23

II Chronicles 7:11-16

Revelation 21:22-26

St. John 14:1-6 Philippians 3:7-11

Acts 11:22-26

Ephesians 3:14-22