"And the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said unto him, I have heard thy prayer, and have chosen this place to myself for an house of sacrifice. If I shut up heaven that there be no rain, or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among my people. If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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" II Chronicles 7: 12-14
As I sit here and write this devotional the LORD's words to Solomon weighs heavily on my mind as I read and think on the world events today. I can hardly turn on the news anymore without seeing constantly what our world is turning into. It is a sad revelation but our nation has forgotten God and all the principles taught by our founding fathers. There is a backlash of almost anything that has to do with Jesus Christ and Christianity. The Scriptures are being fulfilled right in front of our eyes but we have still convinced ourselves that we are a nation that can make it without God. It is time for us to turn our hearts completely back to the LORD. I want to challenge the men and women of God to start standing up for God's Word again. It is time to return back into our prayer closets and cry out against all this wickedness as never before. In the midst of all this evil going on in our world today we must return back to the old paths of prayer and fasting. We must also get sin out of our own lives. There is no time to be nick picking about trivial matters when our nation is going to Hell right before our eyes. The LORD is calling His people to return to the altar and prayer. Messages from the pulpit all across this country should be crying out a call to Repentance.
"From that time Jesus began to preach, and to say, Repent: for the kingdom of heaven is at hand" Matthew 4:17
"And said unto them, Thus it is written, and this it behoved Christ to suffer, and to rise from the dead the third day. And that repentance and remission of sins should be preached in His name among all nations, beginning at Jerusalem. And ye are witnesses of these things" Luke 24: 46-48
"And Jesus answering said unto them, They that are whole need not a physician, but they that are sick. I came not to call the righteous, but sinners to repentance" Luke 5: 31-32
"Repent ye therefore, and be converted, that your sins may be blotted out, when the times of refreshing shall come from the presence of the LORD" Acts 3:19
We are going to be a hated people for our stand in Christ. Let us not be deceived in thinking that this race will be a bed of roses. We will suffer many things. We will be dragged to prison. We will be beaten. We will be lied upon. Some of us will even lose our life.
"Then shall they deliver you up to be afflicted, and shall kill you. And ye shall be hated of all nations for My name's sake. And then shall many be offended, and shall betray one another, and shall hate one another. And many false prophets shall rise, and shall deceive many. And because iniquity shall abound, the love of many shall wax cold. But he that shall endure unto the end, the same shall be saved" Matthew 24: 9-13
If there was ever a time to pray without ceasing it is now. I encourage each of you, my brothers and sisters, to find some time to spend alone with God. Get in your prayer closet and take your Bible and seek the face of God like never before. We pencil in time for everything else. Satan will try and get us so busy that we don't take time for prayer and reading the Word of God. Give the LORD some of the time you spend on social media. Shave off some of the time spent in front of the television and talking and texting on the phone. When we stand before the Almighty God there won't be a good enough excuse as to why we didn't seek Him while we had the time.
"Not every one that saith unto me, LORD, LORD, shall enter into the kingdom of heaven, but he that doeth the will of My Father which is in heaven. Many will say to Me in that day, LORD, LORD, have we not prophesied in Thy name? and in Thy name have cast out devils? and in Thy name done many wonderful works? And then will I profess unto them, I never knew you. Depart from Me, ye that work iniquity" Matthew 7: 21-23
The last Word that I want to share with you has been burning in my heart all week long. Prayerfully consider what the LORD is speaking here and ask Him for a renewed commitment in returning to Him with all your heart, soul, and mind.
"And he went out to meet Asa, and said unto him, Hear ye me, Asa, and all Judah and Benjamin. The LORD is with you, while ye be with Him; and if ye seek Him, He will be found of you. But if ye forsake Him, He will forsake you" II Chronicles 15:2God's Word prevails above all. Read and study it prayerfully. Amen!
If you would like prayer please forward all requests to llswa4@gmail.com and we will personally pray for you and add your name to our prayer list. Please keep JLW MINISTRIES in your prayers as we strive to reach a lost and dying world. May the LORD ever bless and keep you all.
LORA L. WILLIAMS
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