Getting to the heart of the matter

Blessed Morning. I have been in deep prayer about the world and everything that has been going on in it. And I have noticed on social media that many are still quoting certain Scriptures. And there is one that still catches my eye. We will get into it but what if we are not reading all of it and understanding it. So let's turn our attention to 2 Chronicles 7. I will start with verse 12. 12- Then the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him; "I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice." God was letting them know that He has heard them. God chose a place for sacrifice. Do our homes represent a house of sacrifice? Do our churches represent a house of sacrifice? No we don't sacrifice like they did but we still need to sacrifice IF we are to walk in Jesus' footsteps. "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people." God is letting them know that judgement is coming. Maybe He didn't shut up the heavens maybe He opened the flood gates. He is trying to get our attention. Things that have not happened in very long time and things are failing that man has made, do you think He is saying to us "Wake up!" 14- "IF My people who are called by My names will humble themselves, and pray and seek My face, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven, and WILL forgive their sin and heal their land." This is the Scripture that everyone is quoting. So let's look at it for a minute. There is a big if at the beginning. First He is calling on those who say they belong to Him. Do you say you belong to Him? If you do then we must do the next steps. The next step is humble themselves. But what does it mean to be humble? So let's look at the definition: 1-marked by meekness or modesty in behavior, attitude or spirit; NOT ARROGRANT OR PRIDEFUL (That one gets so many of us.) 2-showing deferential or SUBMISSIVE respect; 3-low in rank, quality or station. So the first thing is have we as HIS children done any of this. No we have not truly humbled ourselves. We ask and then He provides and then we forget. Now the next is pray. When we get the humble part right then we have to humbly pray. Prayer is not some fly by night "God help us out here!" It is having a conversation with God, we first need to be thankful for what He has brought us through and then go to Him with petitions. When we pray, thankfulness should always be the first thing. Because we have so much to be thankful for. The next is seek Him. Do we truly seek what God wants from us? No I think not. We have gotten so comfortable in our own lives and traditions that we have truly forgotten what it means to SEEK His guidance. We don't SEEK out His laws and commandments. Now we have humbled ourselves, prayed and are seeking. Now we have to turn from our sins, our wicked ways. We have to truly repent. And when one repents and He forgives it is up to us to not do it again. And we have to get out of this attitude of God will forgive. Because He will but He will also get tired and remove His mercy and grace. God can be provoked by His children not following Him. THEN and God says and then and only then will I hear them. It is time to hear God calling. It is time to hear His warnings and live the life that He chose for us. We have turned on God and are still turning Him away. It is far past time that His children arise from our slumber and get out of what we always thought was right and SEEK God and find out what is right. And I will not apologize any more for stepping on someone's toes. I will not apologize for hurting someone's feelings, if it is truth and with love. That just means that God is speaking to you and getting you to turn from your wicked ways. I know He has done it to me more times than not. I fail so many times, but I strive to be God's child all day every day. If you read further down, there is consequences for not following God. Read them! Rise up children of God and be blessed. Let's move!