If My People…

Pastor Timothy Hinkle

May 24, 2009

2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)

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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.

2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)

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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Questions

• Do we want our (national) sins forgiven?

• Do we truly want our land (nation) healed?

• If the answer is “YES” to both of the preceding questions, what must we do?

2 Chronicles 7 (New King James Version)

1 When Solomon had finished praying, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the LORD filled the temple.2 And the priests could not enter the house of the LORD, because the glory of the LORD had filled the LORD’s house. 3 When all the children of Israel saw how the fire came down, and the glory of the LORD on the temple, they bowed their faces to the ground on the pavement, and worshiped and praised the LORD, saying:

      “For He is good,       For His mercy endures forever.”

2 Chronicles 7 (New King James Version)

4 Then the king and all the people offered sacrifices before the LORD. 5 King Solomon offered a sacrifice of twenty-two thousand bulls and one hundred and twenty thousand sheep. So the king and all the people dedicated the house of God. 6 And the priests attended to their services; the Levites also with instruments of the music of the LORD, which King David had made to praise the LORD, saying, “For His mercy endures forever,” whenever David offered praise by their ministry. The priests sounded trumpets opposite them, while all Israel stood. 7 Furthermore Solomon consecrated the middle of the court that was in front of the house of the LORD; for there he offered burnt offerings and the fat of the peace offerings, because the bronze altar which Solomon had made was not able to receive the burnt offerings, the grain offerings, and the fat.

2 Chronicles 7 (New King James Version)

8 At that time Solomon kept the feast seven days, and all Israel with him, a very great assembly from the entrance of Hamath to the Brook of Egypt. 9 And on the eighth day they held a sacred assembly, for they observed the dedication of the altar seven days, and the feast seven days. 10 On the twenty-third day of the seventh month he sent the people away to their tents, joyful and glad of heart for the good that the LORD had done for David, for Solomon, and for His people Israel. 11 Thus Solomon finished the house of the LORD and the king’s house; and Solomon successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make in the house of the LORD and in his own house.

2 Chronicles 7 (New King James Version)

   12 Then the LORD appeared to Solomon by night, and said to him: “I have heard your prayer, and have chosen this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice. 13 When I shut up heaven and there is no rain, or command the locusts to devour the land, or send pestilence among My people, 14 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. 17 As for you, if you walk before Me as your father David walked, and do according to all that I have commanded you, and if you keep My statutes and My judgments,

2 Chronicles 7 (New King James Version)

   18 then I will establish the throne of your kingdom, as I covenanted with David your father, saying, ‘You shall not fail to have a man as ruler in Israel.’ 19 “But if you turn away and forsake My statutes and My commandments which I have set before you, and go and serve other gods, and worship them, 20 then I will uproot them from My land which I have given them; and this house which I have sanctified for My name I will cast out of My sight, and will make it a proverb and a byword among all peoples. 21 “And as for this house, which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, ‘Why has the LORD done thus to this land and this house?’ 22 Then they will answer, ‘Because they forsook the LORD God of their fathers, who brought them out of the land of Egypt, and embraced other gods, and worshiped them and served them; therefore He has brought all this calamity on them.’”

Things to Remember• God never changes

– Hebrews 13:8 (King James Version)•  Jesus Christ the same yesterday, and to day, and for ever.

– John 1:1 (King James Version)•  In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God,

and the Word was God.

• Christians are grafted in (through Jesus) and can take a hold of all the promises made to God’s children (Israel).– Romans 11:17 (New King James Version)

• And if some of the branches were broken off, and you, being a wild olive tree, were grafted in among them, and with them became a partaker of the root and fatness of the olive tree,

Further Points to Ponder

• Since God never changes, we can see His nature of COVENANT (If….Then) which is still His nature, but we must never forget the New Covenant of GRACE we now live under. Still, we can apply this scripture of covenant to our lives today. There are many parallels—including a parallel of GRACE!

• Since we, as Christians are GRAFTED IN, we get to take part in the “FAT” or PROMISES of God that were made to His people (Israel)!

2 Chronicles 7:14 (New King James Version)

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 will forgive their sin and heal their land.

If My people who are called by My name

• Are you one of His children (people)? – 1 John 3:1 (New King James Version)

• Behold what manner of love the Father has bestowed on us, that we should be called children of God!

If My people who are called by My name

• Have you accepted Jesus Christ as your savior?– John 3:16-17 (New King James Version)

• For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved.

– Romans 10:8-9 (New King James Version)• But what does it say? “The word is near you, in your mouth

and in your heart” (that is, the word of faith which we preach): that if you confess with your mouth the Lord Jesus and believe in your heart that God has raised Him from the dead, you will be saved.

Will…

• Humble Themselves (Ourselves)– Joel 2:13 (New King James Version)

• So rend your heart, and not your garments; Return to the LORD your God, For He is gracious and merciful, Slow to anger, and of great kindness;  And He relents from doing harm.

Will…• Pray

– Matthew 6:1-15 (New King James Version)• “Take heed that you do not do your charitable deeds before

men, to be seen by them. Otherwise you have no reward from your Father in heaven. Therefore, when you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But when you do a charitable deed, do not let your left hand know what your right hand is doing, that your charitable deed may be in secret; and your Father who sees in secret will Himself reward you openly    

Will…• Pray

   “And when you pray, you shall not be like the hypocrites. For they love to pray standing in the synagogues and on the corners of the streets, that they may be seen by men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward. But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly. And when you pray, do not use vain repetitions as the heathen do. For they think that they will be heard for their many words. “Therefore do not be like them. For your Father knows the things you have need of before you ask Him. In this manner, therefore, pray:

    

Will…• Pray

    Our Father in heaven,  Hallowed be Your name.       Your kingdom come. Your will be done       On earth as it is in heaven.       Give us this day our daily bread. And forgive us

our debts, As we forgive our debtors.       And do not lead us into temptation,       But deliver us from the evil one.       For Yours is the kingdom and the power and the

glory forever. Amen.“For if you forgive men their trespasses, your heavenly Father will also forgive you. But if you do not forgive men their trespasses, neither will your Father forgive your trespasses.

Will…• Seek God’s Face (as demonstrated in

the Lord’s Prayer)• Turn from Their (Our) Wicked Ways

(SIN)– Romans 8:12-13 (New Living Translation)

•  Therefore, dear brothers and sisters, you have no obligation to do what your sinful nature urges you to do. 13 For if you live by its dictates, you will die. But if through the power of the Spirit you put to death the deeds of your sinful nature, you will live.

Then…

I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.

Proclamations

• I AM a Child of God!

• I Will Humble myself before the Lord!

• I Will Pray!

• I Will Seek God’s Face!

• I Will Turn from Sin by the Power of the Holy Spirit!