2 Chr 7:13-14 "When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My 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.
This statement is not made to people who do not believe in Jesus. It is made to Christians and it is in our power to save this nation. We should not point our fingers at anyone who is a nonbeliever as the cause of the mess our country is in. God says it is our fault and we are the only ones who can fix it.
The parts of our country (USA) who are not under draught conditions are under flood conditions or tornadoes. We have had devastating hurricanes and earthquakes. Our water is so bad we have to use chlorine to make it drinkable. Larger than normal areas of forests are burning and are hard to extinguish. We are plagued by new diseases and some have no cure. We have been attached by people from far off and there is now fear that it will happen again. We owe China a lot of money. We are no longer respected by other nations and they do not fear us. The UN and some economic treaties rule over us. We allow OPEC to rule over us because we want their oil. Has oil become a god?
This country is in big trouble with God because of what we are doing to the poor; widows, orphans, aliens and needy in our midst.
Definitions:
Judge unjustly - Call what is evil good (Abortion, etc) and what is good evil (abstinence, sharing the Gospel, praying, etc); a guilty person has more rights that protect him from the law than the innocent victim
Defend the poor and fatherless - Argue for, defend them
Do justice to the afflicted and needy - do not allow them to be treated differently just because they are poor.
Free them from the hand of the wicked - fight for their freedom; take them in and help them before Gangs have the opportunity to do so. Pay attention to what they need.
Oppress the poor - Last year we had people dripping in diamonds on Wall Street demanding that the people standing in rubble on the Gulf coast give them money. That is a picture of oppression.
Decree unrighteous decrees - When the laws of this land favor the rich and oppress the poor.
Strength to the poor - Give them the same rights as everyone else.
Refuge in the storm - A place to go and hide from enemies, whomever they may be.
Shade from the heat - Hide us from our enemies.
Oppression - To put too great a burden on. Tax too heavily. Take away freedoms. The EPA prevents people from building on their own lands to protect a frog, etc.
Robbery - Steal things that do not belong to you. Eminent domain laws take people's homes and land.
Mistreat - call people names and criticize them about how they look or what they think. Make fun of what someone eats or treat someone badly because they are different or poorer than you.
Free all debts to the poor in the 7th year - Our bankruptcy laws are based on this principle. I do believe they were changed a few years back to make it harder for people to be free of debt. Say what you want - you may be rich today and have lots of debt and out of a job and poor tomorrow. If that happens, you will wish you had not changed those laws.
Whoever will not receive you - they did not receive Jesus either, shake the dust off your shoes as a testimony and give them to God.
Whoever will not hear you - they did not listen to Jesus either, go your way and find someone who will listen. Jesus said a thing is established out of the mouth of 2 or 3 witnesses. Maybe they will hear the next person.
Peace - Calm Confidence. There is no doubt and you just know that you know that you know. You know God is in control and you trust him no matter how bad things get.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________
People who are called by my name - Christians (Acts 11:26 And when he had found him, he brought him to Antioch. So it was that for a whole year they assembled with the church and taught a great many people. And the disciples were first called Christians in Antioch.)
Humble - Not proud or haughty; not arrogant or assertive; reflecting; expressing, or offered in a spirit of deference or submission <a humble apology> Realize you can do nothing without God (John 15:5 "I am the vine, you are the branches. He who abides in Me, and I in him, bears much fruit; for without Me you can do nothing.)
Pray - Entreat; implore; request; plea; to get or bring by praying; to make a request in a humble manner; to address God with adoration, confession, supplication and/or thanksgiving
Seek - go to; go in search of; look for; try to discover; ask for (request); try to acquire or gain; aim at; Read the Bible (John 5:39 "You search the Scriptures, for in them you think you have eternal life; and these are they which testify of Me.)
Face - a means of identification; presence; sight; to meet
Turn - to cause to defect to another side; convert; transform <turn defeat into victory>; to reverse a course or direction; to change one's attitude or reverse one's course of action; to become changed, altered, or transformed; to become different, repent (Mark 1:15 and saying, "The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand. Repent, and believe in the gospel.")
Wicked - morally very bad; causing or likely to cause harm, distress, or trouble; disgustingly unpleasant; Unforgiving (Mat 18:32-33 "Then his master, after he had called him, said to him, 'You wicked servant! I forgave you all that debt because you begged me. 'Should you not also have had compassion on your fellow servant, just as I had pity on you?')