Thursday, February 18, 2010

Holy Uprising - Thur Feb 18

[I want to encourage you today - before you begin this journey - to simply ask God to help you. And then to commit, each day to not just reading the devotionals, but giving them time to sink in. Dwell for whatever time you need to on all the questions and reflection time. And then take the Scriptures with you throughout the day and meditate on them. It is so very true - you will receive from this process what you are willing to pour into it. Pastor John]


"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." 2 Chronicles 7:14

The context of these words spoken by God to Solomon in 2 Chronicles was that Solomon had just built the Temple. This would be the place of God's dwelling on earth with His people.
And God had just told Solomon that when a day came where the people were shut off from God for one reason or another, where their relationship with Him was shut down - that this is what it would look like to invite His presence back into their lives.

Read 2 Chronicles 7:14 again . . .

Think about a time when your relationship with your parents, or spouse, was strained? What did it take to reconcile? Do you ever have a sense that your relationship with God is strained?

What 4 attitudes/actions does God call for in 2 Chronicles 7:14?

The first attitude that God names is humility? What does it mean to be humble?

Notice that even before this, we are to be known by God's Name ("my people, who are called by my name.") Not by our name, or our achievements, or our relationships, or even by how much we serve others. But empty of ourselves in God's Name. This gives us insight into humility.

John Calvin said: "It is evident that man never attains to a true self-knowledge until he has previously contemplated the face of God, and come down after such contemplation to look into himself."

Matthew said it this way: "Blessed are the poor in spirit, for theirs is the Kingdom of Heaven." (Matthew 5:3)

You see the poor in spirit, or humble, are people who recognize their natural unworthiness to stand in God's presence and who depend utterly on Him for His mercy and grace. Humility begins as you bow down and recognize the awesomeness of God and from that perspective peer into your own soul.

Call out to God this morning. Right where you are. Out loud if you can. Ask Him to show you His holiness. Ask Him to reveal how great He is.


"Humble yourselves before the Lord and He will life you up." James 4:10

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