Will America Bless God? A Call to Revival

Jul 05, 2026

Devotional

Day 1: When Smoke Signals Demand Immediate Attention

A vehicle’s smoldering engine seems harmless until flames spread. What begins as a faint wisp demands urgent response before destruction becomes inevitable. Spiritual dryness, compromise, or apathy often start small—a missed prayer here, a neglected conviction there. Left unchecked, these embers ignite crises that scar families, churches, and nations. God sounds alarms through His Word and circumstances, calling His people to act before fires rage beyond control. Revival begins when we stop normalizing the smoke. [37:23]

"When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land, or send a plague 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land."
(2 Chronicles 7:13-14, NIV)

Reflection: What “smoke signals” in your spiritual life have you been rationalizing as harmless? How might addressing them today prevent greater damage tomorrow?

Day 2: Thirsting in a Land of Man-Made Wells

Bone-dry riverbeds mock the memory of rushing waters. Spiritual drought creeps in when soul-nourishing habits—Scripture meditation, authentic worship, sacrificial service—get replaced by busyness and self-sufficiency. Like Israel facing famine under judgment, dryness exposes our reliance on broken cisterns. Yet the remedy flows not from trying harder, but returning to the Source. True revival comes when cracked hearts cry out for living water only Christ provides. [43:35]

"O God, you are my God; earnestly I seek you; my soul thirsts for you; my flesh faints for you, as in a dry and weary land where there is no water."
(Psalm 63:1, ESV)

Reflection: Where have you been drinking from stagnant puddles of distraction or achievement instead of Christ’s endless spring? What one step will you take today to return?

Day 3: From Survival Mode to Victory March

Defeat whispers lies: “This is just how it is.” But resurrection power turns cowering survivors into conquering saints. The same God who split seas and toppled giants still transforms overwhelmed hearts into overcomers. Victory begins when we stop accepting the enemy’s terms—when shame becomes bold confession, fear becomes radical trust, and despair becomes defiant praise. Revival redefines what’s possible. [47:17]

"No, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him who loved us."
(Romans 8:37, ESV)

Reflection: What area of “defeat” have you passively accepted as normal? How might claiming Christ’s victory reshape your perspective today?

Day 4: Superman’s Seatbelt and Our Delusions of Control

Muhammad Ali’s refusal to buckle up revealed misplaced confidence. We smirk—until we realize how often we treat prayer like Superman’s unused seatbelt: a formality for weaker souls. True humility admits our need to be strapped into total dependence. Revival requires kneeling before the Throne, not strutting in self-made armor. Only the humble access heaven’s power. [56:51]

"Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will exalt you."
(James 4:10, ESV)

Reflection: Where are you relying on your own charisma, plans, or strength instead of desperate prayer? What would buckling up in humility look like this week?

Day 5: The Circle Around Your Feet

Anne Graham Lotz’s imaginary circle challenges us: What within your immediate orbit displeases God? Revival starts not with Congress or Hollywood, but the six square feet where you stand. Every national reformation began with personal repentance—a farmer amending his fields, a merchant restoring dishonest gains, a parent reviving family worship. Healing the land requires first examining the soil beneath your shoes. [59:47]

"If my people who are called by my name humble themselves... then I will hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and heal their land."
(2 Chronicles 7:14, ESV)

Reflection: What specific attitude, habit, or relationship inside your “circle” needs repentance? What concrete step will you take to uproot it?

Sermon Summary

Second Chronicles 7 speaks into a night meeting with Solomon and lays out how God deals with a people He loves. The Lord names His house, then warns that He Himself may shut the heavens, call locusts, or send plague, not to crush, but to awaken. Verse 14 then opens the door of mercy: “If my people… then I will hear… forgive… heal.” The text does not point at the nations in general. It looks straight at “my people.” The burden lands in the house of God, not the halls of power.

America’s story gets held up as a witness. God has blessed with abundance and strength, with minds and medicine, with gospel light and spiritual heritage. The sharper question is not whether God has blessed, but whether America will bless God. A parking‑lot truck that started with a little smoke and became a fireball pictures the cultural moment: what began small has grown, and unattended will explode. Yet Second Chronicles 7 turns attention away from cursing the darkness and brings it home: if God is going to change “out there,” He will first change “in here.”

The text identifies the need for revival by three signs. Dry places show up where the rain has stopped, where Scripture once stirred but now sits, where prayer once burned hot but now flickers. Defeated places appear where the enemy seems to devour ground, where joy thins and faith limps. Desperate places announce losses that feel final, when hope sounds hollow. For every need, God gives a promise. To dryness, He gives hearing: “I will hear from heaven,” and one fresh word from God can re-create futures. To defeat, He gives help: “I will forgive their sin,” and nothing steadies a soul like sins sent away. To desperation, He gives healing: “I will heal their land,” stitching broken pieces into something whole.

The requirements are plain and personal. Humility prepares the ground, admitting creature limits and saying with the nation’s motto, “In God we trust.” Prayer returns the church to its calling as a house marked by dependence, not personalities or programs. Passion seeks God’s face, not just His hand, like Isaiah undone before a holy King. Purity turns from wicked ways, drawing a circle around the self and repenting of anything keeping even an inch from God. The promise stands. If His people will bow low, cry out, seek hard, and turn back, God will hear, forgive, and heal.

Key Takeaways

1. Revival starts in the church God names “my people” as the hinge of national mercy. Cultural decay is not fixed by outrage but by renewal among those already alive to God. When the church repents and returns, light spreads farther than lectures ever could. Renewal in here becomes reformation out there. [44:26]
2. God’s word ends spiritual drought Dry seasons often mirror a quiet Bible and a hurried heart. One spoken word from the Lord can rehydrate a wasteland, reframe pain, and redirect steps. Creation, calm seas, raised dead, and forgiven sinners all testify to the power of His voice. The drought breaks where hearing returns. [49:14]
3. Grace frees defeated hearts Forgiveness is not a pep talk; it is pardon that disarms shame and loosens sin’s grip. The church stumbles, sometimes foolishly, but grace buries the past and breaks the power of yesterday. Cleansed people stand up straighter and walk in real victory, not bravado. [50:03]
4. The Healer mends lives and nations Healing is God stitching fragments into wholeness, not pretending the break never happened. Division, violence, and the shedding of innocent blood cry out for a Physician greater than policy. Where loss feels final, the Healer still knows how to reweave a life and a land. [53:18]
5. Humble, hungry prayer is the way Humility gets low; prayer gets honest; seeking His face gets personal. Programs cannot substitute for a people on their knees, declaring with their posture that God is needed now. Desire for His presence outruns desire for His gifts and clears space for holy fire. [56:51]

Youtube Chapters

[00:00] - Welcome
[19:56] - One Nation Under God
[33:16] - Turning to 2 Chronicles 7
[34:31] - Solomon’s Night Encounter
[35:22] - God’s Conditional Promise Stated
[35:56] - America Bless God
[36:16] - Catalog of National Blessings
[36:59] - The Truck Fire Warning
[41:18] - Christian Roots and Public Witness
[43:13] - Reasons Revival Is Needed
[44:26] - Revival Begins in God’s House
[48:44] - Results: Hearing, Help, Healing
[54:49] - Requirements: Humble Preparation
[56:51] - A House of Prayer Again
[57:56] - Seeking His Face With Passion
[59:20] - Turning From Wicked Ways
[60:59] - A Public Prayer of Repentance
[63:30] - Help From the Lord Alone
[64:04] - Final Call and Promise Repeated

Bible Study Guide

Bible Reading
2 Chronicles 7:14 (ESV)
“If my people who are called by my name 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.”

Observation Questions

What four actions does God require of His people in 2 Chronicles 7:14 to bring healing?
The sermon mentions three signs that indicate a need for revival: dry places, defeated places, and desperate places. What examples were given for each of these? [43:35]
How does the truck fire analogy in the sermon illustrate the progression of cultural or spiritual decline? [36:59]
What specific promises does God link to humility, prayer, seeking His face, and repentance in the passage?

Interpretation Questions

Why does 2 Chronicles 7:14 specifically address “my people” (the church) rather than the broader culture? How does this shift the responsibility for revival? [44:26]
The sermon connects “seeking God’s face” to Isaiah’s encounter with God’s holiness (Isaiah 6:1-5). How does seeking God’s face differ from seeking His hand (i.e., His blessings)? [58:51]
The pastor states, “Forgiveness is pardon that disarms shame.” How does shame hinder victory in a believer’s life, and how might forgiveness restore it? [50:03]
How does the analogy of healing as “stitching broken pieces” challenge the idea of quick fixes for personal or national brokenness? [53:18]

Application Questions

Dry places in our spiritual lives often start with neglecting Scripture or prayer. What practical step could you take this week to rehydrate a “dry place” in your walk with God? [49:14]
Are there areas of defeat (e.g., recurring sin, apathy, or hopelessness) where you need to claim God’s forgiveness and stand in His victory? What would it look like to walk in that freedom today? [50:19]
The sermon calls for “drawing a circle around yourself” to repent of anything keeping you from God. What specific attitude, habit, or relationship might need repentance inside your “circle”? [59:47]
How could prioritizing “humble, hungry prayer” over programs or personalities change the way you engage with your church community? [56:51]
The Healer promises to mend brokenness, but healing often requires patience. What “broken piece” in your life or community do you need to surrender to God’s timing and process?
If cultural renewal starts with personal revival, how could your repentance or renewed passion for God influence your workplace, family, or neighborhood? [45:24]

Sermon Clips

48s

#InsideOutChange

“``If you came to church this morning expecting a message about how America needs to get it right you'll be disappointed. Because what the Bible would say is If we made more of a difference in here then there would be more of difference out there. If we wanna change things out there we gotta change things in here. So I ask us, myself included this morning this is us How how are we spiritually this morning? Are there any dry places in our lives this morning? I mean, just let's be real this morning. Are there is there is there any places in our life where we used to be closer to the Lord than we are this morning?”

68s

#ChurchRevivalNow

“Because don't don't miss it in the word of God this morning. In second Chronicles seven verses thirteen and fourteen, God is not pointing at cursing the darkness about what's going on out is somewhere else. God is coming and saying if my people my people Revival doesn't happen out in Aiken, South Carolina. Revival doesn't happen out in Aiken or South Carolina or in The United States Of America. Revival happens in the church. When we have revival it happens because something has come back to life that was already alive. Amen? Revival doesn't happen in things that are dead. Well, I can't believe they acted like that. I can't believe they said that. I can't believe they did that. Listen, lost people act lost. God's not gonna revive lost people because lost people are dead. God's gonna revive people that were once more on fire and bring them back to blazing passion in life. If my people”

61s

#HouseOfPrayer

“When will the church once again be a house of prayer? I'm not talking about Millbrook. I'm talking about his church. Millbrook, the church of Jesus Christ has been so much about programs and so much about professionals and so much about personalities. He never called us to do any of those things. He called us to be a house that's primarily marked by the power of prayer. Because we When we pray we might say we need God but when we get on our faces before God and pray we show we need God. If you haven't prayed about it then you haven't got desperate yet. If you haven't prayed about that prodigal, if you haven't prayed about that marriage, if you haven't prayed about that financial situation You are declaring God, I don't need you. If my people will humble themselves and if they'll pray.”

86s

#HealAndRestore

“For the desperate places, He brings healing. You will hear from heaven. I will forgive your sin and watch this I will heal your land. Man, don't we need some healing around here? Don't we need some healing in our country? You realize that there's been 182 mass shootings in America so far this year? Fifteen thousand people have died by gun violence in America this year? But that's nothing compared to the one point five million babies that have been aborted this year. Since Roe v Wade in 1973 there's been sixty three to sixty five million babies that have been aborted. We need the healing of God. Amen? We need the healing of God from the division in our country, from the apathy in our country, from the agendas in our country. The word healing means to stitch back together. The word healing is a picture of a God that can take the broken pieces of our life and they're all laying around and he and he forms them and he fasces them he puts them back together and creates them into a masterpiece.”

92s

#GodSpeaksLife

“But not only do we see the reasons for revival in the word of God, we see the results of revival. This is what God wants in verse 14. This is what our nation was founded on. Because for each need that we have, there's an answer from God. Amen? That's why he's Jehovah Jireh. He is the solution before we have the problem. He is the answer before we have the question. If my people, are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then I will what? Then I will hear from heaven. I'll hear your prayers. There'll an intimacy. There'll be a communication. We'll be God will hear be hearing our prayers and we'll be hearing from God. It's the answer to the dryness and the dry places in our life is a fresh word from God. One word from God has the power to change everything in our lives. God spoke the word into existence. God spoke the lame man walked again. The sea was calm. Lazarus was raised from the dead. Sins were forgiven. The same is true in our lives this morning. word from God can change everything. He will hear from heaven and he speaks into the dry places of our life this morning and reminds us that the answer to the dry places is a word from God.”

72s

#WillAmericaBlessGod

“The question is not again, has God blessed America? The question of the hour is will America once again bless our God? We see the picture of God's desire in verse 14. How this nation was founded. But before we get to that picture in verse 13, we see the reasons a revival would be needed. How would we know if we as a country, how would we know if we as a people, as we as a church, how would we know if we are in need of revival? Three things. The bible speaks right to it. We would know there would be a need for revival if there were dry places in our life. There were dry places in our church. If there were dry places in our country. The bible says that where there there is no rain.”

71s

#ReturnToFoundations

“And I believe there's a word from the Lord this morning that is very relevant and it's this. We're at an important point in our country. And there there It was started as a little bit of smoke has turned into a a flame and it's it's increasing and it's increasing and it's increasing. And if it's left unattended there's gonna be a big there's gonna be big trouble. There's gonna be big trouble. Because Millbrook, I wanna make sure that we hear this morning that regardless of what you may or may not think about our country and what our country is or what it should be This country did in fact start based upon Christian principles. country started out of a heart of second chronicles chapter seven and verse 14.”

85s

#CallToHumility

“If my people which are called by my name, followers of Christ I realize that this was written in the old testament. Well, pastor, this was written to the nation of Israel. Of course I know that. But when Jesus Christ came he made it so that Jew and Gentile alike are now called by his name. Those that were separated and alienated are now reconciled and friends of the most high God. If my people, which are called by my name Number one, there's a call to preparation. If they will humble themselves If they will humble themselves. There's this call to humility. There's this call to acknowledging that we might need somebody other than ourselves. By the way, you're here this morning. Man, if you haven't yet, you'll come to a point in your life when you get to a moment when you can't figure things out by yourself. There's something that'll humble all of us. Amen. It might be a sickness. It might be a financial. It might be a family. But there We get to these points in our life when we realize we don't really We're not really as strong as we thought we were.”

86s

#HealOurNation

56s

#MasterpieceFromFragments

“We need the healing of God. Amen? We need the healing of God from the division in our country, from the apathy in our country, from the agendas in our country. The word healing means to stitch back together. The word healing is a picture of a God that can take the broken pieces of our life and they're all laying around and he and he forms them and he fasces them he puts them back together and creates them into a masterpiece. That's what our God has the power to do for the person that's dealing with the loss of a loved one or the loss of a job or the loss of joy and peace. Our God has the He has the power and potential to put the broken pieces back together. He can heal your life and he can heal this land. But”

46s

#CheckYourSpiritualHeat

“How how are we spiritually this morning? Are there any dry places in our lives this morning? I mean, just let's be real this morning. Are there is there is there any places in our life where we used to be closer to the Lord than we are this morning? How how would you know if you're in a dry place? I mean, do Have have you ever been more passionate about the word of God than you are this morning? Ever ever got up and and desired to read it more? Has there ever been a time in your life when you were were more excited about prayer? More excited about about going to the house of God. More excited about sharing the gospel or serving or going on mission. I mean, has there ever been a time when you were closer to the Lord Jesus Christ than you are right now?”

91s

#LiveInVictory

“There's a there's a call to the dry places in our life. But number two, that not only is there a cry to the dry places but there's a cry to the to the defeated places. Look what the Word of God says. I'm gonna shut up the heavens so there's no rain or command locusts to devour the land. Any places in our lives this morning that are defeated, in any areas of our life and this morning? God speaks into those places of defeat and and wants to bring revival. The Lord didn't just save us so we could limp through life. Amen? The Lord saved us so we could be victory. Victorious. Man, Christians should be the happiest people in the world. Amen? We we should be we should be happy. People should wanna be around Christians. The worst question you shouldn't have to ask a Christian is, how are you? You got a few minutes? You know what I mean? We should be full of joy. We should be full of life. We should be full of victory.”

72s

#HasAmericaBlessedGod

“I I'd like to preach a message this morning that the Lord put on my heart. You saw it on the screen there entitled America Bless God. America blessed We sang this morning the song God Bless America. And I think that we would agree this morning that God has certainly blessed our country. He has blessed us economically. He has blessed us financially. He has blessed us militarily. He has blessed us educationally. He has blessed us medically. And Millbrook he has blessed us spiritually. The question this morning is not has God blessed America? The question this morning has America blessed God?”

59s

#PrepareAndPray

“One of my favorite illustrations on this was the great Muhammad Ali was on an airplane. He was flying when the flight attendant came by and he was out chatting in the aisle. Said Mr. Ali, you need to take your seat. Put on your seat belt. And Ali, you know, he had a lot of swagger. He had a big personality. He said, Ma'am, Superman don't need a seat belt. To which she said, Well, Superman don't need an airplane either, so you need to sit down and put your seat belt on. There's a call to to prepare, but number two, there's a call to pray.”

59s

#PurityAndRepentance

“But finally, there's a call to purity. If my people will humble themselves, if they'll pray, if they'll seek my face, if they'll turn from their wicked ways I ask us this morning, myself included, Millbrook, is there anything that we need to repent of this morning? Man, one of the best books I read all Anne Graham Lotz and she said draw a circle around you. Imaginary circle around you and then ask yourself is there anything inside this circle outside of the will of God? Is there any thought? Is there any word? Is there any action? Is there anything keeping me even one inch from the power presence of God?”

90s

#ForgivenAndHumble

“I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin. Is there anything more helpful than forgiveness of sins this morning? Man, aren't you glad that Jesus forgives sins? Amen? Man, I am. Man, I I do some dumb stuff. Anybody else? I wasn't planning on sharing this, but I think I'm a go ahead and share it. Man, I I I was this weekend, I had an opportunity to to take a a boat out and for the July 4. I had this boat right next to the dock and there's not a tie off. so I went back to check on something and I turned around and I realized that the boat was moving away from the dock. And so I didn't know what to do and I had to make a split second decision and so I stepped onto the dock only to realize that this boat was moving faster than my legs were. so I jumped in the water. And I dragged my boat back over to the dock. You say pastor you're crazy. Man I just do dumb stuff.”

67s

#WordHealsDryPlaces

“It's the answer to the dryness and the dry places in our life is a fresh word from God. One word from God has the power to change everything in our lives. God spoke the word into existence. God spoke the lame man walked again. The sea was calm. Lazarus was raised from the dead. Sins were forgiven. The same is true in our lives this morning. word from God can change everything. He will hear from heaven and he speaks into the dry places of our life this morning and reminds us that the answer to the dry places is a word from God. But into the defeated places, he brings help. Into the dry places, He brings hearing. Into the defeated places, He brings help. I will hear from heaven. I will forgive their sin. Is there anything more helpful than forgiveness of sins this morning? Man, aren't you glad that Jesus forgives sins? Amen?”

50s

#PursueHisFace

“But then third, there's a call to passion. If they'll humble themselves. If they'll pray. If they'll seek face. Millbrook, what would it look like if Jesus Christ was the most important thing in every single life? I'm not seeking God what your hands can provide. I'm seeking you for who you are. I'm seeking your face. Your face do I seek, o Lord, is your face that I seek. It's a call to passion. It's a call to be still and know that he is still God. Amen? It's a call to sit at his feet and and listen to his words.”

49s

#HumbleAndTrustGod

“By the way, you're here this morning. Man, if you haven't yet, you'll come to a point in your life when you get to a moment when you can't figure things out by yourself. There's something that'll humble all of us. Amen. It might be a sickness. It might be a financial. It might be a family. But there We get to these points in our life when we realize we don't really We're not really as strong as we thought we were. There's this call to humility. There's this call to Again, what our country was founded on. In God we trust. One nation under God. Lord, we need you. Blessed is the nation whose God is the Lord. We need you.”

81s

#ActBeforeItSpreads

“And then the flame began to move backwards along the vehicle. There were some it was a smaller church and word began to spread quickly throughout the congregation that there was a vehicle on fire in the parking lot. And so as we stood there, there were people from various classes that began to come out of their class quickly. they realized that they had parked kinda near Bobby, and so they would get their vehicles and they were quickly moving their nice vehicles away from this vehicle that was on fire. It was funny. And as we watched, the fire grew and this ball of fire began moving its way back, back, back until it finally got to the gas tank. yeah. Thought those fireworks last night was boom. I mean, this thing, it blew up, exploded in the parking lot. Left this huge black mark in the parking lot and and this huge indention and and and it I mean, it it just exploded. Fire department came and put it out.”

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Will America Bless God? A Call to Revival

Devotional

Day 1: When Smoke Signals Demand Immediate Attention

Day 2: Thirsting in a Land of Man-Made Wells

Day 3: From Survival Mode to Victory March

Day 4: Superman’s Seatbelt and Our Delusions of Control

Day 5: The Circle Around Your Feet

Sermon Summary

Key Takeaways

Youtube Chapters

Bible Study Guide

Sermon Clips

Will America Bless God? A Call to Revival

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