he said, “O God, be merciful to me, a sinner.” Humbling before God precedes revival. “If my people will come down off their lofty places, their better than thou attitudes, their haughty spirits, their self-satisfied positions, their unGodliness and humble themselves.”

IV. And pray, and seek my face and turn from wicked ways

A. Humility is the turning of the whole heart, the whole soul to God. There is not a spot on Earth, be it ever so remote, from which the heart cannot turn to God. The poor, crushed, broken, sorry heart can go directly to God in prayer. God doesn’t hear the proud. In a great art palace in Copenhagen, Denmark, a scrub woman was washing the floor before a beautiful statue of Christ. A visitor standing before the statue said, “I don’t see much beauty in that statue, I’m not as impressed with it as I expected to be.” The old lady scrubbing the floors looked up at him and said, “Get down on your knees, and look at it!” How long has it been since you have beheld Christ from your knees?

B. How long has it been since you have sought His face pray? Did you seek God’s approval? The oldest prayer in the Bible is “May God have His face turned in your direction.” God’s face meant approval to the people of old. It’s worth everything to have God’s smile. It’s worth being ostracized and persecuted. We won’t get into God’s heaven without His approval.

C. And turn from their wicked ways. God is very near the humble, He can do nothing for the proud. We must turn from our pride of face, pride of race, pride of position, pride of culture. God hates pride, the pride of self-sufficiency, pride of false values. They that followed Christ for the loaves and fishes eventually went back and walked no more with Him. Jesus didn’t care to build up a big following from that group. Our work is to win souls and not to go back with the crowd. We must go on with Christ, glorify Christ, and not ourselves.

V. Then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sins

A. You have humbled yourselves when you have prayed. When you have sought my face, when you have met the conditions-my conditions-then I will hear and forgive your sins of pride, unGodliness, and I will heal your lands.

B. Your land may be your own soul this morning. God will forgive you if you will come down before Him. Your land may be your home. God will heal the breach between you and your loved ones if you will humble yourselves. Your land may be your church. Meet God’s conditions, it won’t take God very long to act when we are in earnest. Get enough concerned about God and all else will see in little.

Conclusion: “If my people which are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their evil ways, then I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin, and heal their lands.”

“If.” What will you do with the biggest if in the Bible?