🌎 WHERE IS ALL OF THIS LEADING?
Wars. Violence. Disaster. Moral Confusion. Rejection of God. Is Anyone Listening?
Turn on the news.
Look around the world.
Sometimes it feels as though humanity is standing in the middle of an enormous storm.
Wars.
Threats of wars.
Political unrest.
Riots and violence.
Hunger and famine.
Earthquakes, floods, fires, storms, and other disasters.
Hatred.
Division.
Cruelty.
The celebration of things previous generations would have considered shameful.
The ridicule of things once considered honorable.
And increasingly, in many parts of our culture, an indifference toward—or outright rejection of—God, the Bible, and Jesus Christ.
It makes you ask:
WHERE IS ALL OF THIS LEADING?
And another question follows close behind:
IS ANYBODY LISTENING?
📖 A VERSE MANY PEOPLE KNOW—BUT WILL WE DO IT?
There is a Scripture quoted whenever nations experience crisis:
“If my people, which 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 will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.” — 2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJV)
We print it on signs.
We post it on social media.
We preach sermons about it.
We quote it during national emergencies.
But sometimes I wonder:
DO WE ACTUALLY READ WHAT IT SAYS?
There are conditions before the promise.
HUMBLE THEMSELVES.
PRAY.
SEEK MY FACE.
TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS.
Then comes:
I WILL HEAR.
I WILL FORGIVE.
I WILL HEAL.
Everybody wants the healing.
But who wants the humbling?
Everybody wants restoration.
But who wants repentance?
Everybody wants God to fix the land.
But who wants God first to change us?
⚠️ BEFORE WE APPLY THIS VERSE TO AMERICA...
We need to handle Scripture carefully.
Second Chronicles 7:14 was spoken by God in the context of His covenant relationship with Israel following the dedication of Solomon's Temple.
It was not originally addressed to the United States of America—or to any modern nation.
America is not ancient Israel.
Neither is the Philippines, Britain, France, Germany, or any other contemporary country.
But the spiritual principles contained in this passage should make God's people everywhere examine themselves:
Humility.
Prayer.
Seeking God.
Repentance.
Those are not obsolete.
The New Testament repeatedly calls believers to those very things.
So perhaps before Christians point 2 Chronicles 7:14 at Washington, Hollywood, universities, schools, or somebody else's lifestyle—
WE SHOULD POINT IT AT OURSELVES.
🌍 WARS AND RUMORS OF WARS
Jesus said:
“And ye shall hear of wars and rumours of wars: see that ye be not troubled...” — Matthew 24:6
Notice something important.
Jesus didn't tell His disciples to panic.
He told them:
“SEE THAT YE BE NOT TROUBLED.”
That matters.
Every war is not permission for Christians to set a date for Christ's return.
Every earthquake isn't a prophetic stopwatch.
Every political crisis isn't necessarily the final event before the end.
Jesus specifically warned His followers against being deceived.
So we should be watchful—
but not hysterical.
Alert—
but not sensational.
Prepared—
but not terrified.
Our confidence is not supposed to rest upon whether the world is calm.
OUR CONFIDENCE RESTS IN JESUS CHRIST.
🌪️ WHAT ABOUT NATURAL DISASTERS?
Earthquakes.
Floods.
Typhoons.
Hurricanes.
Wildfires.
Droughts.
Volcanic eruptions.
These things remind us how little control human beings ultimately possess.
We can build skyscrapers.
Split atoms.
Travel into space.
Develop artificial intelligence.
Map the human genome.
Place enormous amounts of knowledge into a device that fits inside our pocket.
And then the earth shakes—
and suddenly we remember:
WE ARE NOT GOD.
But Christians should also be cautious about declaring every disaster God's specific judgment upon the people affected.
Jesus Himself challenged simplistic assumptions that tragedy necessarily meant its victims were worse sinners than everybody else (Luke 13:1–5).
Sometimes our response to catastrophe should involve less speculation and more compassion.
Feed somebody.
Help somebody.
Pray for somebody.
Rebuild something.
Show somebody Jesus.
🍞 AND THEN THERE IS HUNGER
It's difficult to discuss the condition of our world while ignoring people who simply need food.
There are people worrying about politics tonight.
Others are worrying about tomorrow's meal.
There are parents who will eat less so their children can eat.
There are communities devastated by war.
Families displaced from their homes.
Children caught in conflicts they didn't create.
Whether suffering occurs in America, Africa, Europe, the Middle East, the Philippines, or anywhere else—
HUNGER DOESN'T CARE ABOUT POLITICS.
The Church must never become so fascinated with prophecy that we stop helping the people suffering in front of us.
Jesus said:
“For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink...” — Matthew 25:35
If we believe Jesus is coming—
then we ought to be working while we wait.
🖤 WHAT ABOUT THE RISE OF EVIL?
Perhaps this is what troubles many Christians most.
Things once whispered are shouted.
Things once hidden are celebrated.
What one generation considered wrong, another may call right.
What one generation respected, another may ridicule.
Isaiah wrote:
“Woe unto them that call evil good, and good evil; that put darkness for light, and light for darkness...” — Isaiah 5:20
But Christian—
be careful.
It is easy to read that verse and immediately think about them.
Their sin.
Their behavior.
Their morality.
Their rebellion.
But Scripture isn't merely a telescope for examining everybody else.
IT IS A MIRROR.
Before I ask what happened to the world, I need to ask:
Lord, what has happened to me?
⛪ HAS THE WORLD REJECTED GOD—OR HAS THE CHURCH FAILED TO SHOW HIM?
That's an uncomfortable question.
Yes, there is rejection of Christianity.
Yes, the Bible is mocked.
Yes, Jesus Christ is sometimes ridiculed.
Yes, biblical teachings are increasingly challenged in parts of Western culture.
But before Christians simply blame unbelievers, we need some self-examination.
Have people sometimes encountered arrogance where they should have encountered humility?
Political obsession where they should have encountered the Gospel?
Condemnation without compassion?
Hypocrisy instead of holiness?
Religious performance instead of Christlikeness?
Have we sometimes demanded that unbelievers live like Christians before introducing them to Christ?
The world desperately needs Jesus.
But if we're going to tell them about Him—
THEY OUGHT TO SEE SOMETHING OF HIM IN US.
🔥 PERHAPS JUDGMENT NEEDS TO BEGIN CLOSER TO HOME
Peter wrote:
“For the time is come that judgment must begin at the house of God...” — 1 Peter 4:17
Before demanding national repentance—
what about personal repentance?
Before asking Congress to change—
what about the Church?
Before complaining about somebody else's family—
what about ours?
Before condemning someone else's sin—
what are we tolerating privately?
That is where revival becomes uncomfortable.
Everybody likes revival when revival means singing, shouting, packed churches, and exciting services.
But genuine revival also means:
REPENTANCE.
Forgiveness.
Restitution.
Broken pride.
Confession.
Obedience.
Changed lives.
🇺🇸 “GOD, HEAL OUR LAND!”
We pray those words.
But suppose God responds:
“Will you humble yourself?”
We say:
“Lord, heal America!”
And He asks:
“Will you pray?”
“Lord, restore our nation!”
“Will you seek My face?”
“Lord, stop the evil!”
“Will you turn from yours?”
Suddenly 2 Chronicles 7:14 becomes much more personal.
REVIVAL IS EASY TO REQUEST FOR SOMEBODY ELSE.
It's considerably harder when God starts with me.
⏳ IS THIS THE END TIMES?
Christians have asked that question during wars, plagues, revolutions, famines, earthquakes, social upheaval, and persecution for centuries.
Scripture certainly teaches that history is moving toward a culmination and that Jesus Christ will return.
Jesus told His followers to watch.
But He also said:
“But of that day and hour knoweth no man...” — Matthew 24:36
Therefore I will not give you a date.
I will not tell you that today's newspaper proves Christ is returning next Tuesday.
I will not turn every disaster into a prophecy chart.
I don't need to.
Because whether Jesus returns during my lifetime or a thousand years from now—
I STILL NEED TO BE READY TODAY.
And so do you.
❓ WHERE IS ALL OF THIS LEADING?
From a Christian perspective, Scripture teaches that human history is not wandering aimlessly.
God remains sovereign.
Evil does not ultimately win.
Death does not ultimately win.
Satan does not ultimately win.
The grave does not ultimately win.
JESUS CHRIST WINS.
Revelation ends not with evil enthroned—
but with God making all things new.
That doesn't mean Christians escape hardship.
It doesn't mean nations cannot fall.
It doesn't mean terrible events won't occur.
It means chaos does not have the final word.
GOD DOES.
🙏 BUT WILL ANY NATION HUMBLE ITSELF?
I don't know.
Will America?
I don't know.
Will another nation?
I don't know.
But maybe we're asking the question from too far away.
Perhaps instead of asking:
“Will America repent?”
I should ask:
“WILL I?”
Will my family?
Will my church?
Will our ministry?
Will Christians reading this?
National revival doesn't begin with millions of people simultaneously deciding to change.
It begins when individual hearts become broken before God.
One person.
One family.
One church.
One community.
And perhaps—
one nation.
🕯️ DON'T CURSE THE DARKNESS WHILE HIDING YOUR LIGHT
Christian, the darkness around you is not permission to become hateful.
It's an opportunity to shine.
Jesus said:
“Ye are the light of the world.” — Matthew 5:14
The darker the room—
the more visible the light.
So don't spend all your time screaming about darkness.
SHINE.
Feed somebody.
Forgive somebody.
Share Jesus with somebody.
Help somebody.
Pray for somebody.
Visit somebody.
Give.
Serve.
Preach the Gospel.
Stand for truth.
Love people.
Live holy.
And refuse to allow the world's hatred to turn you hateful.
🌎 MAYBE THIS IS OUR WAKE-UP CALL
Wars should remind us to pray for peace.
Hunger should move us to feed people.
Disasters should move us toward compassion.
Evil should strengthen our commitment to good.
Hatred should make Christians love more faithfully.
Confusion should make us hold more tightly to truth.
Rejection of Scripture should make us read Scripture more.
Rejection of Jesus should make us proclaim Jesus more clearly.
And uncertainty about tomorrow should remind us:
TODAY STILL BELONGS TO GOD.
🙏 LET US PRAY
Heavenly Father,
Our world is troubled.
Wars rage.
Families grieve.
People hunger.
Communities suffer.
Nations divide.
Truth is debated.
Good is sometimes mocked.
Evil is sometimes celebrated.
And many have turned away from You.
But before we point our fingers outward—
search us.
Humble us.
Teach us to pray.
Cause us to seek Your face.
Show us what we need to turn away from.
Forgive our pride.
Forgive our hypocrisy.
Forgive our prayerlessness.
Forgive our indifference.
Forgive us when we complain about darkness while refusing to carry Your light.
Revive Your Church.
Strengthen families.
Protect children.
Comfort those suffering through war and disaster.
Feed the hungry.
Bring peace where there is violence.
Give wisdom to leaders.
Give courage to Your people.
And help us never substitute political power, national pride, or cultural influence for the transforming power of Jesus Christ.
Lord—
BEGIN WITH US.
And if it pleases You, let repentance spread from heart to heart, home to home, church to church, community to community, and nation to nation.
In Jesus' name,
Amen.
🌎 WHERE IS ALL OF THIS LEADING?
Perhaps that's not the only question we should be asking.
Maybe the question for tonight is:
WHERE IS ALL OF THIS LEADING YOU?
Closer to fear?
Closer to hatred?
Closer to despair?
Or—
CLOSER TO GOD?
Second Chronicles 7:14 begins with two little letters:
“IF...”
If My people.
If they humble themselves.
If they pray.
If they seek.
If they turn.
We cannot make that decision for an entire nation.
But you can make it for yourself.
And I can make it for myself.
So before asking whether any nation will heed 2 Chronicles 7:14—
perhaps God's people should.
LORD, LET IT BEGIN WITH US.
HELP US HELP THEM—ONE SOUL AT A TIME.
Pilgrim Outreach Ministries International
Your Feet to the Nations
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