The wrong people are being blamed

“How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were unwilling….” (Matthew 23:37).

You were unwilling.

I would, but you would not, God says.

As a result, Jerusalem was reaping what she had sown.  Getting the consequences of her neglect.

The resources of Heaven are standing by;  we neglect this to our detriment.

See what the Lord Jesus said to the leper in Mark 1.  This fellow violated every convention, every standard, and instead of calling out “Unclean! Unclean!” and avoiding Him, he ran to Jesus.  “Lord,” he said, “if you are willing, you can make me clean.”  The wonderful Lord Jesus did the unthinkable and touched the untouchable.  “I am willing,” He said.  “Be cleansed.”

I am willing.

There may be no three words more appropriate for the life and ministry of the Lord Jesus Christ than these.

He is willing to forgive sins (see Mark 2:5 where He did so without even being asked!).  He is willing to bless even at the expense of stirring up opposition (see Mark 3:1-6).  His love is so overpowering.

God is not willing that any should perish (2 Peter 3:9).

He said, “If my people who 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 forgive their sin and heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14).

My people. If they do this.

It’s God’s people who are the means of revival.  They are God’s channel.

It’s God’s people who stand in the way of revival.  They are the roadblock.

“We have met the enemy,” said the cartoon character Pogo, “and he is us.”

The wonderful promise of Revelation 3:20 shows the risen, ascended Christ bringing the blessings of Heaven up to the front door and waiting for the sleeping church to open to Him.  Laodicea’s door was closed.  The fascinating thing is that….

Immediately on the heels of that,  John tells us, “I looked and behold, the door to Heaven was standing wide open” (Revelation 4:1).

How graphic is that! The door to the human heart is closed, while the door to Heaven is open. God is willing, the problem is humanity.

Specifically, the Lord’s children.  The redeemed.

We must stop blaming the ills of the world on the lost  and unsaved.  Christ came not to condemn the world, but that the world might be saved (John 3:17).

Consider this a call for God’s people to humble ourselves, repent of our rebellion and our faithlessness, and to present our bodies–our very lives–as living sacrifices unto Him.

Every day of our lives, let us ask, “Father, what would You have me to do?”  “Here am I, Lord, use me.”  “Have thine own way, Lord.”  “Thy will be done  on earth (and in my life) as it is in Heaven.”

The blame is with us.  Let us pray. Let us love one another.  Let us stay in the Word and on our knees.

Let us pray for revival.

Revival is simply God doing His will in the lives of His people in the world.

2 thoughts on “The wrong people are being blamed

  1. Amen!!!
    2 Chronicles 7:14 makes it clear that change is in the hands of His people.
    While we blame the enemy for all ills, in the words of JB Philips, ‘our God is too small’.
    “By your love for one another” .. (not crusades, amazing initiatives or ‘pure doctrine’), “will the world know you are My disciples”.
    Divide and conquer – such a simple and tragically effective strategy we fall prey to all the time.
    Help us Lord!

  2. Pingback: Stop Blaming the Wrong People for Our Culture’s Wickedness | WTLM Autodesk

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