What If I Told You That You Were Responsible?

One minute, thousands of people were gathered together for a night of harmless fun. The next minute, they’re panicked and running in every direction, trying to escape the bullets of an unknown attacker.

As you are probably aware, Sunday’s shooting in Las Vegas was the worst mass shooting in American history. As I’m writing this, almost sixty people are dead and hundreds more are injured. The attack was so bad, a major terrorist group appears to have claimed responsibility - even though the FBI declared that they had nothing to do with it.

Whether this was a terrorist attack or not remains to be seen, since the investigation is still ongoing. Perhaps, as law enforcement looks into the attacker, they may find some tie to ISIS or Al Qaeda (or any number of foreign terrorist groups). I ask you though, which is more unnerving: that this man would be an operative of a terrorist group, or that there would be no real reason for him doing this at all?

Here’s an even more frightening thought: the Las Vegas sheriff himself said, “I don’t know how it could have been prevented.” Is this what our country has come to? Is this what we can expect from now on?

Let’s face it, people are wicked. They always have been wicked...since the fall of Adam. The first murder that ever occurred was in the second generation of humanity - and we’ve been doing it ever since. Up until the last few decades, our nation seems to have been protected from mass slaughter like this. But it’s becoming more and more common. Why? Why are wicked men - people inside our own country - killing so many people?

Mass shootings aren’t the only attacks on our nation. How many disasters have hit us just in the last year? Three hurricanes back-to-back have demolished American cities and flooded our streets. Wildfires have burnt up thousands of acres of our forests and homes.

On top of all of this, we have turned against one another. People are literally attacking each other over their skin color, political views, and personal beliefs. We’ve never seen such animosity on this scale in America - at least not in recent times. It’s as if we are tearing apart at the seams.

What is going on?

Christian, what if I told you that it was all your fault?

2 Chronicles 7:14 “...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.”

Notice who is responsible for the healing of the land: it’s not the rulers, it’s not the leaders, it’s not the politicians, and it’s not even the voters. No, God’s people are the ones who are going to bring healing to their land. Do you see that? It those of us who are called by His name. The fact that our nation is still broken shows us that we have not done what we should’ve.

What is it that will bring healing to this nation? Well, God lists three things that we, as His people, must do.
#1 - Humble ourselves.
#2 - Pray and seek His face.
#3 - Turn from our wicked ways.

Humble Ourselves

In the middle of the Las Vegas shooting, there was a man in the crowd that I think demonstrates the mentality of our nation. While shots were being fired and people were running and ducking for cover; one man stood tall, raised his hand, and gave an obscene gesture to the sky.

This has been the attitude of America in general. No matter what disaster we face; no matter what attack comes; no matter how bad things look, we’ve stayed standing tall in defiance. We’ve thought it was the American spirit. We’ve claimed it was patriotism. But it’s actual identity...is pride.

In every major event of history, our leaders (political and spiritual) have called us to prayer and repentance. We used to understand that God was the only one Who could fix what was broken. But this time, we’ve tried to fix it ourselves. We’ve tried to reform this nation instead of repent.

It’s time we humbled ourselves. It’s time we got on our knees. Not before our enemies. Not in surrender to the disasters that keep on coming. But in humility before our God...acknowledging that He is right and we are wrong when we disagree with Him.

Christian...I’m not just talking about the citizens of our country...I’m specifically talking about you. Humble yourself! Stop rising up in pride, as if you are the one in charge of your life. Submit to God and get rid of your pride!

Pray and Seek His Face

We’ve been seeking all the wrong things:
Our plans
Our goals
Our entertainment
Our fun
Our family and friends

What’s happened to our pursuit of God? When was the last time we read the Bible? When was the last time we spent time praying - alone, as part of a family, or together in a church? What has your focus been on lately?

What are you pursuing in life? Because if we are pursuing anything apart from God and His will in our lives, then we are not seeking Him. And if we (as His people) are not seeking Him, then we are responsible for what happened on Sunday night.

If we as Christians aren’t seeking His face, then we are preventing this land from being healed.

Turn from Our Wicked Ways

It isn’t the wicked ways of Washington DC that is killing this nation. It isn’t the abortionists, the race-baiters, the thieves, or the murderers that God holds responsible for America’s current condition. It’s the wickedness of His people that’s the problem.  Keep this thought in your mind: “God holds my conduct responsible for my nation.”

I once heard a preacher challenge his listeners to investigate what the Bible calls wicked. When you look at what God says is wicked - you begin to see that the church has some major repenting to do!
God says that borrowing without repaying is wicked.
God says that unforgiveness is wickedness.
God says the words “wicked” and “lazy” in the same breath.
These are things in the church that are preventing America’s healing!

But there is one more definition of a wicked way in Scripture - one that is found in the very verse we’ve read today. Pay attention to 2 Chronicles 7:14 again and see if you can pick it out: “...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.”

Did you see that? What is a wicked way? It’s our own way! Any time we know what God wants and yet still choose our own way...that’s wickedness. That’s something we must turn from! It doesn’t matter how small we may think it is...if it’s our way then it’s wicked.
When a husband knows he should love his wife, and still chooses to be harsh with her
When someone knows that God wants him to tithe, and still chooses to keep it back for himself
When I know that I should spend time reading the Word, but my favorite show is on
This list could go on and on….

These are our own ways; our wicked ways. And it’s these wicked ways that are holding back the healing of our land. It isn’t the sin, per say, that’s hurting us...it’s the refusal to turn from it. Look at what Jesus said in Matthew 13:15, “...their eyes they have closed, lest they should see with their eyes and hear with their ears, lest they should understand with their hearts and turn, so that I should heal them.” There you see it again, the connection between turning and healing.

I beg you, brother and sister, don’t let yourself be found in this verse! Don’t close your eyes to your need of repentance. Don’t shut your ears to what God is saying right now! Turn and be healed!

So are you tired of seeing this nation fall apart? Are you wondering what kind of culture your kids are going to inherit? Are you ready for this nation to start healing? Then there’s only one solution...we (the church) must repent.
We as believers must humble ourselves
We as believers must pray and seek His face
We as believers must turn from our wicked ways

Because only then - when we do these things - will this nation start to be healed.