Misunderstood • Week 7

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Good morning. I want to echo what Berger just said. Thank you so much for being here this morning.

If you are a guest, I just want to invite you back here to our table at the end of the service.

Pastor Bo's wife, Erin, will be back there as well as I will, and so we'd love to meet you and have a

conversation. If you want to know more about the church, just simply come back there and we'd love

to talk to you. We're continuing in our series on the misused verses of scripture today. We're in the

seventh week, which is hard to believe. Anybody in this room who is 18 years and younger, you don't

yet realize the speed of life. I wish I was your age. Remember those days of being six, seven, eight

years old, and it's just like, man, this day's going forever. This is great. I turned 59 a few weeks ago,

and now it's like, okay, why am I in July? This was just January, just a few weeks ago, and uh, but we

are. We're in the seventh week. We're going to be looking at 2nd Chronicles chapter 7, verse 14, so if you want

to go ahead and turn there, 2nd Chronicles chapter 7, verse 14, we're going to be looking at that verse

together. I do want to ask you to be in prayer, uh, this week for, uh, Pastor Joel and Pastor Bo. Uh, Joel is

leading the senior high students as well as some of the adults, uh, to go back up to Black Mountain. Uh, we have our

partnership there, uh, at the, uh, the orphanage, and so they're going to be doing a lot of work this week

there, so please be in prayer for them. They also gather together for Bible study, uh, just an incredible

week that our students have been able to experience over all these years, and, uh, Pastor Bo and, and

Josh are already up there getting some things set and organized. Pastor Bo will be cooking for them

this week, so again, just cover them this week in prayer. Anytime that comes to your mind this week,

just, just pause in that moment to pray for them. At the end of the service, we're going to be

experiencing communion together. We do that on the first Sunday of each month, uh, just so that we

realize what God has done for you and I and the sacrifice that Jesus has made. So if you're a follower

of Christ, you've given your life to Christ, the Savior, Lord, uh, I want to encourage you to join

with us as we have communion at the end. Uh, we've got the elements at the back table back there, so feel

free to go back there right now as well, uh, to get those elements as we will do that at the conclusion

of our service together. So in 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 verse 14, we read these words,

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.

We'll be taking a look at how this verse of scripture is misused. Before we dive into that

gather, please join me in prayer. Father, we just thank you so much for your word.

Father, within your scriptures, uh, you make alive to us who you are.

Through your scriptures, Lord, you show us, uh, all about the life in which we live here on this earth.

But also you show us the expectation of what heaven will be like as well.

So Lord, I pray as we walk through these verses together this morning, that you would just, uh,

give us understanding of your word as only you can.

Lord, we love you and we thank you. And we ask this prayer in your name. Amen.

As we've been walking through this series together over the last several weeks, there's just

one word that has just kept coming to my mind, just kind of banging around in my head.

And that's the word context. Context. Think about that for a moment.

You probably have all kinds of ideas when you hear that word context.

Have you ever had that experience where you're having a conversation with a, with a person,

whether it be a family member, a friend, maybe it's a coworker at work.

And you've been involved in about a 20 minute conversation and a person walks by and they hear

20 seconds of that conversation. And you're thinking that's the worst 20 seconds that they

could walk by and hear what we're saying. Because out of context, they don't really know the in-depth

conversation that you're having. Well, that's the same for you and I, when we approach scripture,

you and I are to be student of God's word. That means you and I are to constantly

be in and engage in God's word and in scripture. But sometimes we will take a verse and not quite

use it the way God would intend for you and I to use it. So I wanted to do something kind of

interesting. I was like, you know, there's all kinds of sayings about the word context, right?

And so I want to see if any of these are familiar to you. Every story has two sides. It's not just

what was said. It's when, how, and why it was said. Words mean something, but they don't mean

anything without context. Don't quote me out of context. You can make the Bible say anything if you

ignore the context. And then my favorite that I just happened to discover during this search is from

theologian D.A. Carson. And he says, a text without a context is a pretext for proof text. Now that's

something you would probably hear in a seminary classroom or in a classroom period. But it just has

that ring to it. A text without a context is a pretext for proof text. Another word of saying it would be

this, when we use a verse of scripture in solitude by itself, we run the risk of saying what is not

intended to be said of that verse. So context can be reading the verse before and reading the verse

after. Context can be reading the verse within its paragraph form, like you see in your scripture,

depending on what translation you use. Context can also mean reading several chapters to get the scope

of what it is that you're studying and what you're reading. The example of that is basically what you

and I are going to look at this morning. When we look at a greater context of this conversation that

King Solomon is having with God, we really need to kind of go back a few chapters. And if you didn't

know this, what is interesting about Chronicles, 1 and 2 Chronicles, books before that, 1 and 2 Kings,

you see repeats. If you've never come across that in your study. So it's just interesting when you

kind of read those. If you ever read a Bible in a chronological order, you will see how 1 and 2 Kings,

2 Kings, 1 Chronicles, 2 Chronicles sometimes have the exact same words.

But we're seeing a conversation that King Solomon and God are having together. Again, here's that focal

verse for you and I. 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. So here's the back story of all this. It goes back to King David who is Solomon's

father. Okay. And King David had this idea that he was going to build a house for the Lord. He was going

to build the temple for the Lord. He had it all planned out. There's a part in there that even says that even

though David had it in his heart, God said it's not going to happen with David. And so we see in this

one instance there in the scriptures where David is handing off the plans to Solomon because God has

chosen Solomon to be the next king. And it's the understanding that Solomon was probably in his late

teens. So think about that for a moment. You've got a teenager in their late teens who's about to become king

of the children of Israel, king of the children of God. And we're not talking about just a couple of thousand

people. We're talking millions, thousands and thousands and thousands of people that Solomon is going to be

king over. Now the interesting thing about this, again, if you kind of go back and read a little

further, when God comes to Solomon and he says, Solomon, what is it that you want me to give you?

Solomon asked for wisdom. And if you read beyond this chapter that we're looking at today, if you look

beyond that, you see in the scriptures where kings come to Solomon because they want to hear and know

of his wisdom because they had already heard about it. So God grants

Solomon the wisdom that he needs to lead and govern

the children of Israel. And not only that, but God

blesses Solomon for all that he does.

And you and I have the privilege to look at passages

in Psalms and Proverbs of Solomon

and his experience with the Lord.

So the story picks up in 2 Chronicles chapter 2.

2 Chronicles 2 · chapter mention

And in chapter 5 of 2 Chronicles, Solomon has finished the temple, the house of the Lord.

He begins to gather the people together and he makes preparations to bring up the ark of the

covenant of the Lord, which is where the commandments have been placed and place it in the house of the

Lord. And in chapter 5, verses 7, 13, and 14, we read these words.

The priest brought the ark of the covenant of the Lord, the symbol of the Lord's presence, to its place in the inner sanctuary of the house, in the most holy place, underneath the wings of the cherubim.

For he is good, for his steadfast love endures forever.

However, the house, the house of the Lord was filled with a cloud, so that the priest could not stand to minister, because the cloud, for the glory of the Lord, filled the house of God.

It's the first place that God makes his presence known in this temple, in this house that Solomon has made.

Now, can you imagine that?

You're one of those guys who's bringing the ark of the covenant into the holy of holies, and all of a sudden you can't get there, because the presence of God has ascended in that place.

Now, if you recall in the Old Testament readings, nobody experienced the presence of God, right?

Moses did on the mountain, but for anybody else, it didn't happen.

So, God is making his mark on the house that he intended for it to be built.

Then in 2 Chronicles chapter 6, Solomon blesses all the assembly of Israel.

2 Chronicles 6 · chapter mention

So, everybody has gathered around the completion of the temple.

And he wraps the blessing up by saying, in chapter 6, verses 10 through 11,

Even within those verses we read, Solomon is recognizing who God is, what God has done, and what God is going to do.

And then as we continue to read in this chapter, the next thing that we see is that Solomon does a prayer of dedication for the house of the Lord.

It's complete, and now all the people are gathered still, and he is going to do a prayer of dedication.

And in this prayer that you and I can read together, you and I can see,

he prays about the relationship of the people's confession of sin and the Lord's response.

A prayer of forgiveness.

This is what Solomon prays first before giving the Lord examples.

You've got to go back and read this prayer in its entirety.

Because it's amazing what is said between Solomon and God in this,

but in chapter 6, verse 21, we read these words.

Again, Solomon is talking to God.

And listen to the pleas of your servant and of your people, Israel, when they pray toward this place.

And listen from heaven, your dwelling place.

And when you hear, forgive.

And in this prayer, as he talks about the actions of the people and the Lord's response,

he uses the words if and then several times.

If you were to go through and highlight or underline, you would see the word if and then many, many times.

In your reading of the relationship between Solomon and the Lord,

you'll also discover that Solomon and the Lord have this if and then relationship.

It's like, God, if you do this, then I'll do this, or then the people will do this.

But then God comes back and says, Solomon, if you do this, and if your people do this, then I will do this.

When I started seeing that word, often and often again, I was like, man, this word is bigger than we really expect it to be.

That one little word of if.

For instance, in chapter 6, and I'm just going to hit them briefly.

In verses 22 through 23, it says,

If a man sins against his neighbor, then hear from heaven and act.

Now, I'm kind of chopping it up, but I want you to get the feeling of this.

Verses 24 and 25,

If your people Israel are defeated because they have sinned against you, then hear from heaven and forgive.

26 and 27.

If they, speaking of God's people, pray towards this place, then hear in heaven and forgive.

28 and 29.

If there is famine in the land.

If there is pestilence.

If there is enemies.

Now, remember that phrase right there.

Because it's going to come back to us when we get to chapter 7.

Then hear from heaven and forgive.

Verses 34 and 35.

If your people go out to battle their enemies, then hear from heaven their prayer.

And then 26 and 39 through 39.

If they sin against you, for there is no one who does not sin.

Those are the words of Solomon.

There is no one who does not sin.

If they repent with all their heart, then hear and forgive.

Over and over you see that in chapter 6.

Incredible what he prays.

I encourage you to go back and see the entirety of that prayer that Solomon prays in 2 Chronicles 6.

And then he concludes his prayer.

And watch what happens in chapter 7.

We thought it was a big deal when the priest entered with the Ark of the Covenant.

Right?

And God shows up in that moment.

But now listen to what happens.

As soon as Solomon finished his prayer, fire came down from heaven and consumed the burnt offerings,

and the sacrifices and the glory of the Lord filled the temple.

The second time the Lord appears.

And the priest could not enter the house of the Lord because the glory of the Lord filled the Lord's house.

Again, can you imagine?

You're there.

Solomon is right there.

Solomon is seeing all this unfold.

That's why we have it.

That's why we can read it and know it.

Verse 3.

When all the people of Israel saw the fire come down in the glory of the Lord on the temple,

listen to their response.

They bowed down with their faces to the ground on the pavement and worshipped

and gave thanks to the Lord, saying,

For he is good.

For his steadfast love endures forever.

I'm a part of one of our men's Bible study groups, the Tuesday morning group,

and we've been walking through the book of Psalms for quite some time,

and quite often you see the word steadfast in the Psalms.

I'm like, what is this word?

I don't use this word on a normal basis.

What in the world is steadfast?

And one of the definitions that you see about the word steadfast is loyal.

The word loyal.

That the Lord's love is loyal for you and I.

When there's loyalty, it never goes back on it.

All this is at taking place.

You know, when we read this, or the thought that crossed my mind,

it was this, the phrase,

Revival is breaking out.

When you look at the response of the people,

and you see what Solomon is doing

for their time of gathering together and praising God,

it sounds like there, really, the revival and renewal is breaking out.

Because remember,

I don't know how many years ago it was now,

but Pastor Bo took us through the study of judges.

Do you remember that?

And that cycle that the people of Israel,

the children of God, went through on a regular basis.

They would obey God, they would follow God,

then they would sin, God would send a judge,

and the relationship of God's people and Him would be restored.

And then that would start all over again.

You kind of see that even here as we read that as well.

But the revival in this point is breaking out.

Because now Solomon and the people offered sacrifices for the Lord.

You see that in 2 Chronicles 7, verse 4.

2 Chronicles 7:4

And the amazing thing is,

when you read that part of 2 Chronicles 7,

is for two weeks,

two weeks they celebrated and praised God

for all that they experienced and all that they saw.

in that moment.

Two weeks.

Y'all know a joke's coming.

It gets about 11, 15,

we're busting from those doors.

But for two weeks,

they gathered together

to worship and to praise God

because they were in the midst

of His presence.

So that's the back story

that sets up for you and I today

this verse of Scripture

that you and I see.

But before we get to that,

because the whole series

is talking about how you and I

and anybody can misuse

the Word of God

or misuse Scripture.

There's just one verse

for multiple years

has kind of been a rally cry

for politics and campaign

as well.

It's been a rally cry

for nations

and it's kind of like,

how in the world

do you go to one single verse

in all of Scripture

to do that?

Be it if you've

watched TV sometimes

or you're watching politics

and you ever come across

that verse of Scripture,

2 Chronicles 7, 14,

you hear folks quote

that Scripture.

They quote that Scripture

as if our nation

or any nation

is going to be blessed

by God

or if God is going

to do something special.

And we don't see that

in this verse.

This verse is talking about

the children of Israel.

It's talking about

the children of God

and what God wants to do

in them in that moment.

For you and I,

it's about nowadays,

it's for you and I,

it's about the Big C Church.

It's the church

all over this world.

It's those who are gathering

in China

to worship God

in secret.

It's those who are gathering

in India

to worship God.

It's those who are gathering

in New York

and Salt Lake City

to worship God.

It's those who are gathering

in the Philippines

to worship God.

That is the Big C Church.

That is the people of God

that you and I

are a part of today.

And so when the Big C Church,

the people of God today,

pray,

it is all of us

praying together.

You and I are encouraged

in God's Word

to pray for our nation

and we need to do that.

It is in God's Word

that we pray for our world

and you and I

need to do that.

But it's so easy

for us sometimes

to take Scripture

and not say

what it is intended

to be said.

The writer of the book

that we've kind of been

pulling some of these verses

from

says this

about this verse.

This is significant

because the promise

that the Lord gives

is specifically

to this King

and these people

in this time

and this place.

It is not to be

a general promise

that is given

to any other nation

on the face of the earth

nor other nation

could even

ever claim

to be

God's people.

No other nation

today has a temple

where the living God

dwells.

You and I

can easily be tempted

by taking a verse

of Scripture

and using it

for our agenda

or for our cause.

It's funny

if you kind of

sit around

and listen

and observe

whether it's TV

or something

that you read

or a conversation

that you hear

it has kind of

amazed me

over the last few years

of how many things

I hear

that somebody says

that I know

is not a follower

of Christ

but points back

to the Scriptures.

Or if I hear

something in a movie

or a TV show

that points back

to the Scriptures.

You see

God laid a foundation

and like the Scriptures

tell us

some people

just want to build

something different

on that foundation.

But God says

to you and I

know

build on my

foundation

that I've

laid for you

the things

that I desire

from my word.

You see

we need to guard

against using

Scripture

to our advantage.

Instead

as Scripture

states

use it for

teaching

reproof

correction

and training

in righteousness.

But here's

the main context

of this verse.

Here's how

it's all pulled

together in this

conversation

that Solomon

and God

are having together.

We pick it up

in 2 Chronicles

2 Chronicles 7 · chapter mention

chapter 7

starting at

verse 11.

Thus Solomon

finished the

house of the

Lord

and the

king's

house

all that

Solomon

had planned

to do

in the

house

of the

Lord

and in

his own

house

he

successively

accomplished.

So Solomon

was building

the temple

for the

Lord

but

God

allowed

him

to also

build

his

house

as well.

And then

the Lord

appeared to

Solomon

in the

night

and said

to him

this is

now

the

second

time

that

the

Lord

has

appeared

to

Solomon.

Lord

says

to him

I

have

heard

your

prayer.

If

there's

ever a

doubt

in your

life

about

whether

or not

God

hears

his

followers

prayers

there's

proof

for you

right

there.

God

hears

the

prayers

of his

people.

God

hears

those

who

follow

him

as

Lord

and

Savior.

He

goes

on to

say

and

have

chosen

this

place

for

myself

as

a

house

of

sacrifice.

When

I

shut

up

the

heavens

so

that

there

is

no

rain

that's

what

I

was

referring

to

earlier

or

command

the

locusts

to

devour

the

land

or

send

pestilence

among

my

people

that's

God's

judgment

when you

see that

in the

scripture

we see

that

in

Old

Testament

where

the

children

of

God

have

disobeyed

God

God

sends

his

judgment

then

in

14

if

if

you're

writing

your

Bible

you might

want to

underline

that

you might

want to

circle

it

you might

want to

highlight

it

because

God

says

to

Solomon

if

my

people

who

are

called

by

my

name

my

people

who

are

called

by

my

name

that's

important

for you

and I

to hear

that

God

doesn't

place

right

here

if

this

nation

calls

me

he

says

if

my

people

who

are

called

by

my

name

and

then

he

gives

the way

my

mind

works

I

love

this

kind

of

thing

man

I'm

a

detailed

type

of

person

I'm

an

outline

type

of

person

and

when

I

read

a

verse

of

scripture

like

this

it

excites

me

because

it

gives

me

steps

it

gives

me

things

to

think

about

humble

themselves

and

pray

and

seek

my

face

and

turn

from

their

wicked

ways

then

God

says

then

I

will

hear

from

heaven

and

will

forgive

their

sin

and

heal

their

land

says

then

I'm

going

to

listen

and

when

he

says

here

that

he's

going

to

heal

their

land

he's

talking

about

when

he

sends

judgment

now

he's

going

to

restore

when

he

sends

discipline

now

he's

going

to

restore

and

reconcile

the

relationship

and

then

in

verse

15

God

says

now

my

eyes

will

be

open

and

my

ears

attentive

God

hears

your

details

of

your

prayer

doesn't

get

the

cliff

notes

or

whatever

students

might

read

today

in

school

that's

dating

me

I'm

sure

the

yellow

book

yelling

black

it

says

that

God

is

attentive

to

the

prayer

that

is

made

in

this

place

for

now

I

have

chosen

and

consecrated

this

house

that

my

name

may

be

there

forever

my

eyes

and

my

heart

will

be

there

for

all

time

one

of the

things

that I

read

is

this

is

probably

only

one

of

two

places

in

scripture

that

ever

talks

about

the

heart

of

God

as

far

as

God

being

in

a

place

my

eyes

and

my

heart

will

be

there

for

all

time

verse

17

and

it's

for

you

so

here

it

comes

now

the

flip

side

now

it's

God

doing

the

if

and

then

and

for

you

if

you

Solomon

if

you

will

walk

before

me

as

David

your

father

walked

doing

according

to

all

that

I

have

commanded

you

and

keeping

my

statues

and my

rules

those

words

are

quite

used

quite

often

especially

in

Psalms

119

command

statutes

rules

God

says

then

I

will

establish

your

royal

throne

as

I

coveted

with

David

your

father

saying

you

shall

not

lack

a

man

to

rule

Israel

but

then

God

throws

a

but

in

there

a

but

if

Solomon

if

you

turn

aside

and

forsake

my

statutes

and

my

commandments

that

I

have

set

before

you

and

go

and

serve

other

gods

and

worship

them

then

I

will

pluck

you

up

from

my

land

that

I

have

given

you

and

this

house

that

I

have

consecrated

for

my

name

I

will

cast

out

of

my

sight

and

I

will

make

it

a

proverb

and

a

byword

among

all

peoples

and

at

this

house

which

was

exalted

everyone

passing

by

will

be

astonished

and

say

why

has

the

Lord

done

this

to

this

land

and

to

this

house

then

then

they

will

say

because

they

abandoned

the

Lord

the

God

of

their

fathers

who

brought

them

out

of

the

land

of

Egypt

and

laid

hold

on

other

gods

and

worshiped

them

and

served

them

therefore

he

has

brought

all

this

disaster

on

them

so

in

context

when

you

read

all

that

together

about

what

that

one

verse

says

verse

14

it

makes

a

big

difference

it

makes

a lot

more

sense

but

there

is

something

about

this

verse

anytime

you

and

I

are

reading

God's

word

yes

we

know

the

context

of

what

is

happening

in

that

moment

in

that

time

and

in

that

place

but

as

a

student

of

God's

word

we

also

have

to

ask

the

question

God

what

do

you

want

me

to

know

from

this

God

what

do

you

need

me

to

use

from

this

to

correct

my

life

what

do

you

need

me

to

use

to

bring

about

a

change

in

my

life

and

I

think

there's

a few

things

that

you

and

I

can

see

to

do

that

again

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

what

what

does

God

desire

for

his

people

you

and I

must

recognize

who we

are in

Christ

who you

identify

with

do you

identify

yourself

as a

child

of God

do you

identify

yourself

with who

Christ

is

are you

known

by God

in a

personal

and intimate

way

if you

are

then you

can say

I am

a child

of God

I am

the people

of God

God

desires

for you

and I

that we

must come

humbly

before God

that's a

hard word

humility

do you

recognize

in your

life

I can

recognize

it in

my life

when it's

I'm not

humble

but God

says to

you and I

come before

him with

humility

why

because when

we come

to God

in humility

we realize

a few

things

one

I'm not

as big

as I

think I

am

I don't

know as

much as

I think

I know

and I

am really

weak

and I'm

not strong

to handle

and do

the things

that I

need to

do

for the

things

that I'm

going

through

I've

got to

come to

that place

in my

life

where I'm

humble

because in

that humility

I need to

surrender

to God

I need

to surrender

to the fact

that he

has the

strength

he has

the power

to do

whatever it

is that he

needs to

do in

my life

and that's

kind of the

first thing

that Solomon

said that

God says

to Solomon

says to

his people

humble

yourself

and then

the next

thing

that we

see there

is that

God

desires

that we

must be

consistent

consistent

in prayer

and seeking

the face

of God

the whole

content of

this conversation

that you

and I

see

with Solomon

and with

God

is about

the people

confessing

or an

individual

confessing

their sin

to God

and God

forgiving

them

that's the

context

of what we

see in

this prayer

prayer

and seeking

the face

of God

has to

involve

confessing

and asking

God

for forgiveness

how often

and in what

manner

do you and

I pray

and seek

the face

of God

how often

and in what

manner

do you and

I pray

and seek

the face

of God

does it

only happen

in a 9-1-1

call to God

God I got

emergency

I really

need you

right now

or is it

more like

the old

hymn

I thought

I would

sing it

to you

but I'm

a little

scared

I need

thee

oh I

need thee

every hour

I need

thee

I do

every hour

every moment

I need

I need

the Lord

when my

mind is

racing for

thoughts

that aren't

what God

intends

when my

aggravation

in my

head

or my

heart

is in

overdrive

when my

fuse is

so short

there's not

a fuse

I need

thee

oh I

need

thee

every hour

I need

thee

and like

Solomon did

and like

the children

of Israel

did

they fell

on their

knees

on the

pavement

and placed

their face

to the

ground

to pray

to God

and lastly

the Lord

says there

it's important

for you

and I

one of the

things we

take away

is to

turn from

let go

of

release

sinful

and wicked

ways

you know

sometimes

we like

just to

kind of

hold on

to some

things

and kind

of pack

it away

and think

it's not

doing

anything

but in

reality

Satan

is using

that

to continue

to stir

in your

heart

your mind

and your

spirit

it could

be

anything

it doesn't

have to be

a bad

thought

it could

just be

something

going on

that you

just kind

of keep

or a bad

habit

but you're

just

you're

keeping

it there

it's sin

it's wickedness

and Satan

is using

it and God

says

turn

repent

go the

opposite

direction

get it

out of

your life

put it

somewhere

where it's

not going

to affect

you

you and

I

when we

read something

like this

we have

to ask

ourselves

what sinful

and wicked

ways do I

see in

myself

and am I

willing to

turn

from that

you see

Solomon knew

and he says

it in that

prayer that

every one

sin

when he

looked out

on all

these people

of Israel

he said

every one

of them

not just

one

not a half

a dozen

or a half

a couple

of thousand

every one

and you

and I

are no

different

am I

calling out

the sin

of my

life

and turning

away

and seeking

God's

forgiveness

through confession

if the

church

the big

C

in the

U.S.

and in

the world

wants to

see global

spiritual

renewal

it has

to start

with you

and I

it has

to start

with the

people

of God

knowing

what God's

word says

and applying

those words

to our

life

and like it

says over

in Revelation

for you

and I

to return

to our

first love

who is

the Lord

Jesus

Christ

and then

God says

this is what

I'm going

to do

if you

do this

then this

is what

I'm going

to do

and he

promises

to hear

his people

because I

will hear

from heaven

it starts

when you

and I

are humble

and we're

praying

and seeking

the face

of God

but God's

promise

holds true

he's going

to hear

us

then he

promises

to give

our sin

and again

understand

when God

promises

something

he's going

to come

through

with it

it's not

like you

can go

away

and go

50-50

maybe God's

going to

do this

maybe he's

not

no you

can walk

away

knowing

with

beyond a

shadow

of a

doubt

what God's

word says

God is

going to

do

we're

reminded

of that

in 1

John 1

9

where it

says

if we

confess

our

sins

there's

that word

if again

I think

I might

have to

do a

study

of the

word

if

in the

scriptures

if we

confess

our

sins

he is

faithful

and just

to forgive

us of

our sins

and to

cleanse us

from all

unrighteousness

and then

the last

part of

that he

says

he promises

to heal

now I

left the

word

land

off for

a reason

because

when you

know

in the

entirety

of God's

word

God does

more than

just heal

the

land

where

he

sent

drought

and

sent

locusts

he does

more

healing

than

just

that

God

has

the

power

to

heal

your

mind

God

has

the

power

to

heal

your

relationships

God

has

the

power

to

do

whatever

it

is

that

you

need

him

to

do

he's

got

that

power

and

strength

we

see