Sorry- But We Are The Problem by David Maddox
Looking at culture and the world today our natural reaction is to point the finger at everyone and everything except ourselves as the source of all the problems and darkness we see. But the reality is that when God looks at the same thing He sees it vastly different. He is never surprised that sinners sin – that is what they do and always have. He is, however, angered and sadden when Christians not only tolerate their sin but “happily” join in with those who do not know the Lord in their sin. Sorry, but to God – we’re the problem.
It is no surprise that 2 Chronicles 7:14 begins with “if My people who are called by My name (will do four specific things) then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land.” That is called “revival” – when God’s people get right with God (from His perspective not theirs) so He can move through them miraculously to heal their land, change the culture, and bring multitudes into the Kingdom. The final part of that is called “an awakening”. There have been two Great Awakenings in the US – one before the revolutionary war and one before the civil war. Scripture is clear that there is no other answer – except God’s judgment when His people refuse to do what He requires – and then everyone suffers – sinners and Believers as well. Knowing that reality we need to dig deep into what it is we must do and then when God clearly speaks we must immediately do it.
God’s four requirements in 2 Chronicles 7:14 begin with “If my people . . . humble themselves” Be careful here for if you are serious about revival you must humble yourself and realize this is an individual as well as a collective exercise – you are the problem. You cannot substitute other Believers’ sins and blame them. The second requirement is that after humbling ourselves we must “pray” and Scripture even gives us the prayer we must pray. You must come before the Lord and cry out as David cried out, “Search me, O God, and know my heart! Try me and know my thoughts! And see if there be any grievous way in me, and lead me in the way everlasting!” (Psalm 139:23-24) That scripture identifies the third requirement that you must “seek My face” for only in the presence of God will you see your sin as He sees your sin. This is not an academic exercise. The fourth requirement is that as God reveals your sin you must “turn from (your) wicked ways”. That is the only answer for we’re the problem. Once God sets the method – we cannot change it or expect Him to change it. We must obey and do it exactly as He requires.
Scripture pictures this for us very clearly in the moment when Isaiah encounters the majesty of the Lord in Isaiah 6. In the presence of the Lord he sees God’s holiness – and his sin which he had previously ignored is revealed as God sees it. Then he cries out, “Woe is me! For I am lost; for I am a man of unclean lips, and I dwell in the midst of a people of unclean lips; for my eyes have seen the King, the Lord of hosts!” God responds quickly bringing a coal from the altar to evidence his cleansing saying, “Behold, this has touched your lips; your guilt is taken away, and your sin atoned for.” Only then – HEAR THAT (only then) – can he hear God speak and he is ready to respond – and God sends him out (Isaiah 6:1-9). Understand – had Isaiah not entered into God’s presence to allow himself to see his sin as God sees it, and then to respond in repentance, there would be no book of Isaiah in Scripture for Isaiah would not have been available to be used – and Israel would not have heard the truth.
So where do we (and I do mean “we”) go from here? We follow the Scripture and humble ourselves and seek His face looking to see our sin as He sees it. I propose we do this together in part and will be post additional pieces over the weeks and perhaps months on the sin God reveals to me so you can ask if that is something that is or has been true in your life. Then we can repent (turn from our wicked ways) – hear and obey God – and ultimately see Him heal our land. The alternative is too awful to even consider.
About David Maddox – After a legal career in both Texas and Arizona that spanned over 40 years as a civil litigator, God called David to leave his law practice and work full time as Discipleship Director for Time to Revive. That call is really the fruit of decades of prayer for revival and teaching God’s Word, writing discipleship materials and seeking to make disciples. David married Janet Whitehead in 1976 and they minister together from their Phoenix home. God has blessed them with four children and thus far seven grandchildren.
