Ezekiel 18:31b-32 is the heart cry of God to His covenant people, Israel: "'... why should you die, O house of Israel? For I have no pleasure in the death of one who dies,' says the Lord God. 'Therefore, turn and live!'" God had just reminded His people that if "a righteous man turns away from his righteousness ... and dies ... it is because of the iniquity that he has done that he dies" (26" class="scriptRef">Ezekiel 18:24-26, 26).
Like the "house of Israel," God's people continue to sin against God in our day and live without any awareness of the consequences.
We seem to be totally indifferent to any judgment whatsoever, as if that only happened in the Old Testament. But, of course, that's just not true. It was to the people of God in Rome that Paul wrote: "... the wages of sin is death, but the gift of God is eternal life in Jesus Christ our Lord." For anyone who sins and continues to sin without repentance -- especially God's people -- it leads to "death."
And did Jesus not warn God's people that they must repent or perish? Read the accounts in Matthew 4:17, Luke 13:1-9 and Luke 17:20-36. Repentance among God's people requires an immediate turning that changes our heart, will and actions. Repentance requires a changed lifestyle. Therefore, we too must heed Christ's warning for our own generation.
We must possess a wholehearted desire to return to God.
Many of us today are aware that America is in desperate need of revival, but we haven't made the connection. While we see the spiritual darkness around us, we do not recognize that the greater problem is with the light! Light dispels darkness! Jesus said that His disciples are the light of the world (Matthew 5:14-16). When the light of Christ is dimmed by our sin, the darkness flourishes. But when we repent, His light shines in us and through us to a watching world; people "see" and God is glorified!
For now, however, America continues to move steadily closer to God's judgment. And there remains a prevailing carelessness among God's people concerning this activity of God.
Revival tarries because God's people will not repent, and we see no reason to do so. So, even if we recognize that the times are urgent and the spiritual climate is dark, and even if we cry unto God for a mighty revival, without our repentance He will refuse to hear us because we keep iniquity in our hearts.
We must, therefore, heed His call: "'... Return to Me, and I will return to you,' says the Lord of hosts" (Malachi 3:7b). We must repent and return to Him in holiness, love and obedience, or the nation will surely perish under the judgment of our sin! (2 Peter 3:9).
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Henry Blackaby is a minister and author of the popular Bible study "Experiencing God." Born in British Columbia, Dr. Blackaby has devoted his lifetime to ministry. He has served as a music director, education director, and pastor in churches in California and Canada, as well as president of Canadian Baptist Theological College for seven years and president of the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference. He has provided leadership to thousands of pastors and laymen across North America and has spoken to missionaries and other groups in over ninety countries of the world.
Dr. Blackaby also teaches a monthly Bible study called God in the Workplace where he focuses on helping people know how to practically walk in a real and personal relationship with God in their work place.
Born in British Columbia, Dr. Henry T. Blackaby has devoted his lifetime to ministry. He has served as a music director, education director, and pastor in churches in California and Canada, as well as president of Canadian Baptist Theological College for seven years and president of the Canadian Southern Baptist Conference. He has provided leadership to thousands of pastors and laymen across North America and has spoken to missionaries and other groups in over ninety countries of the world.
Blackaby studied English and history at the University of British Columbia as an undergraduate and earned his B.D. and Th.M. from Golden Gate Baptist Theological Seminary. He holds four honorary doctorate degrees.
In 1970, Dr. Blackaby followed God's call to pastor a tiny church in Saskatoon, Canada. Not only did Faith Baptist Church grow to many times its original membership, but it led to the founding of thirty-eight new churches and became a center for pastoral training.
Dr. Blackaby went on to serve on staff at the North American Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention. Through the Home Mission Board, he led revival and spiritual awakening in the life of the convention. He also served as special assistant to the presidents of the International Mission Board and LifeWay Christian Resources. Although he is now officially retired, Dr. Blackaby continues to provide consultative leadership in the life of the Christian community.
Blackaby has published an array of spiritually influential messages in his lifetime, most notably Experiencing God: Knowing and Doing the Will of God (1990), which has sold 4 million copies. His long-range goal is to encourage revival and spiritual awakening in the United States, Canada, and across the world through speaking, praying, enlisting, writing and mentoring.