Seeking God in September

“The hand of our God is for good of all who seek him, and the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him.” - Ezra 8:22

The Jewish prophet Ezra spoke these words to King Artaxerxes in the Fifth Century BC, assuring him that God would protect the large group of Jews on their way back to Israel from Persia.  The Jews humbled themselves, prayed and sought God, seeking His protection, and indeed God answered.  The first half of the verse is a concept familiar to Christians, but the second half, “the power of his wrath is against all who forsake him,” is a concept often neglected in Western Christianity.  It’s a doctrine which applies to Christians as well as non-Christians, and there are several examples in the New Testament which confirm this (most notably 1 Corinthians 11:27-32).  

The Lord opposes the proud, but gives grace to the humble, and the humble are the ones who pray, fast, repent of their sins and seek God with their whole hearts. When humanity does not do this, then we can expect the opposition of the living, all-powerful God.  

Christian Union is calling for and sponsoring a month of seeking God starting September 1. We want the goodness of God on our lives and on the nation, instead of the power of His wrath against us.  Because many today mistakenly believe that God could never be angry with Christians, we don’t seek Him to repair our relationship with Him.  Some believe that “there’s nothing you can do to make God more pleased with you than He is right now,” yet many New Testament passages warn Christians that certain actions and inactions are indeed displeasing to God (e.g. 1 Corinthians 10:1-22).  The American church is far from the standards of holiness as described in the New Testament, and that reality must be reckoned with if we desire the favor of the Almighty God.  

At this time we are specifically calling for the following:

Christian Repentance - Pray that we as Christians would recognize the ways we have been unfaithful to God, that we would grieve over our sins, and that we would turn back to God with all our heart.

National Healing - Pray that God would unite all Christians in humility and  mend our broken country.

Fearless Faith - Pray that we as Christians would stand for Christ and His truth against the threats and false ways of the world.  

You’ll be receiving a devotion each day for the month of September to encourage you to seek God with your whole heart. Many will also be fasting during the month - and fasting adds intensity and power to prayer, so please consider joining in this way.

Thank you in your partnership with the Gospel of Jesus Christ!

Sincerely in Him,

Matt Bennett

Founder and CEO, Christian Union