It Starts with God's 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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.
- 2 Chronicles 7:14

A lot of times, we Christians have more focus on who is in the White House than on what is happening in God's house.

In 2 Chronicles 7:14, God looked at a nation that was having problems and pointed His finger at His people. He said, "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 I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land."

It is not a political answer this country needs; it is a spiritual answer. And the only real answer is a spiritual awakening. A revival must hit America.

God says, "If My people. . . ." If we want to turn around a nation, then God's people need to live as they should. The first-century church turned their world upside down. And what do we know about them? We know they were a Bible-teaching, gospel-preaching, praying, obedient church. So the question arises, is that where we are today?

Sadly, I think the answer is no. In a time when we need to engage our culture with the one truth that has any hope of transforming it, many among us have turned away from the answer.

One pastor wrote a book questioning the biblical teaching on hell. Another pastor recently said that he thinks we should no longer use the terminology "saved" or "born again" in our preaching because our culture doesn't understand that. And a popular Christian blogger has questioned the whole idea of evangelism.

There has never been a time when it is more significant for us to warn people about the reality of hell and tell them they need to be saved and born again. And yes, we need to do it through evangelism.