Posted on 06/15/2020 9:00:35 PM PDT by boatbums
If My People Who Are Called By My Name...
- - America's Last Hope - -
Introduction
It is clear; It is concise... 2 Chronicles 7:14 "If my people, who are called by my name, shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways; then will I hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land."
But as clear and concise as it is, we commonly hear this verse misquoted and misapplied. So first, we must avoid the mistake of misquoting the verse... we must not leave out important aspects of that which God requires... it is not JUST prayer.
There are actually four things mentioned for us to do and we usually only name one or two of them... and then expect God to heal our land. We as God's people need to memorize this verse, internalize it, make it a reality in our own lives and then spread the word!
Some believe it is already too late for America, but tragically many don't even see the dangerous condition our country finds itself in. Make no mistake... the United States is quickly moving head long into tyranny and our political system is so hopelessly corrupt, there seems to be no hope of bringing us back to a Constitutional Republic... but there is always hope.
"IF" is perhaps the biggest word in the passage... IF God's people, the church, will do FOUR things.
Look carefully... God requires FOUR things from His people:
And IF God's people will do these four things, THEN and only then will God do these three things:
Oh God... how desperately our land needs to be healed! And how ignorant and apathetic we are as your people to understand and apply these four directives.
But before we examine the four directives, we must first answer the criticism that the passage only applies to the nation of Israel thousands of years ago. I considered ignoring the criticism, but I didn't want to alienate a portion of my audience before we tackle the meat of the passage.
Can 2 Chronicles 7:14 Apply to the Church?
It is true that many verses of the bible are restricted in their context to places and events of the time they were written. However many other verses are easily recognized for and should be considered general precepts and truths that apply to both the time they were written and beyond.
In fact, prophetic passages can sometimes apply to more than one event in the future (at least partially), but of course that doesn't apply here.
So let us examine the verse in question to see if it should be considered a general precept...
"who are called by my name"..... Is the church called by God's name? Undoubtedly.
"shall humble themselves, and pray, and seek my face, and turn from their wicked ways"....
Are there any New Testament teachings that would indicate the church should not "humble themselves" or "pray" or "seek God's face" or "turn from our wicked ways"? Certainly not. These admonishments are ALL repeatedly taught throughout the NT epistles.
"and will forgive their sin" ..... Does God "forgive" the sins of Christians? Duh... 1 John 1:8
"and will heal their land...."
OK, this is how our verse ends and if there is a portion of the verse that might not qualify as a general precept, this would be it.
Why would I say that? Well certainly in the immediate context, the term "their land" would refer to the promised land of Israel. So the question becomes Can the term "their land" refer to the land of Christians? and if so, What land would it refer to?... the little plot of land my house sits on? or could it possibly be considered applicable to a land such as the United States?
And this leads to the obvious question of what it means to "heal" a land and if the term "land" could in fact be more appropriately applied to the heart or spiritual condition of the people of God?
Can it in fact mean that God can now restore His blessings upon a land whose people have returned to Him? THIS, I believe is the proper interpretation of the passage and if so, can in fact be applied to the nation of Israel, a family, a business, a church or even a country other than Israel.
And I believe this applies not only to a country like the United States that was founded by a Christian majority, but to any country (Christian or pagan) whose community of believers, small or large have truly reached out to the God of all creation in faith and repentance.
So, how do we do it? What are God's four requirements? What do they mean biblically? how do we apply them? and how can we reach out to like minded Christians?... spreading this movement to the churches near and far?
If we can do this... IF YOU can do this, a single child of God like you can make an eternal difference.
Bookmark
Fiest it must realize it is sick and God has the cure.
Can America be healed?
= = = =
Praying throughout the day, and night, that it can be so.
It will be as God wills it, of course.
But on a practical level, can “the divide” be healed?
Yep. Just treat the infestation of destructionism as the disease it is and wipe it out.
Along with all it’s apologists, funders, propagandists, excuse makers, supporters, all who bend knee to them, everything and everyone associated to or with them.
It’d be ugly. But it can be done.
It wont be. Because in the minds of the weak, ugly is always evil. And “Then we’d be just like them!” and “can’t sink to their level!” and all the other excuses taught by the Cult of Cowardice.
C. S. Lewis wrote, “God whispers to us in our pleasures, speaks in our consciences, but shouts in our pains. It is his megaphone to rouse a deaf world.” Perhaps when we have finally suffered enough pain, we will finally hear His voice and turn our collective hearts towards Him in humility, repentance and prayer and He will begin our healing. It has to happen one heart at a time. If not, then America will be over as a great nation.
Thank you for posting this. This has been on my mind recently.
Is there any sin committed by the nations of Israel and Judah that the USA has not reveled in? When Israel did not repent, God abandoned them to their enemies. Do you really see any repentance in the USA?
Got an email this morning from one of the older women at our church - she is a very faithful person and is a prayer warrior. I believe the Holy Spirit is filling a lot of people with that verse:
Dear Saints, Last Thursday after a time of fretting I remembered Psalm 37. I asked Jesus to forgive me and asked Him what do you want me to do? This email is what He told me to do.
So I am asking you to join me in prayer where ever you may be at 7 in the morning and 7 in the evening. I will be on my knees praying 2 Chronicles 7:14 ‘If my people who are called by my name will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, I will hear from heaven, and forgive their sin and heal their land.’
Matthew 7:7 ‘Ask it will be given to you, seek and you shall
find, knock and the door will be open to you.’
Our heavenly Father is a mighty God and He is in control. We can knock on His door anytime.
The theme of our class was DON’T WORRY PRAY!!!
I am thankful for you and my prayers are with you.
It’s critical we read the entirety of God’s promise here- read from verse 19 forward.
19
“But if you turn away and forsake the decrees and commands I have given you and go off to serve other gods and worship them,
20
then I will uproot Israel from my land, which I have given them, and will reject this temple I have consecrated for my Name. I will make it a byword and an object of ridicule among all peoples.
21
And though this temple is now so imposing, all who pass by will be appalled and say, `Why has the LORD done such a thing to this land and to this temple?’22People will answer, `Because they have forsaken the LORD, the God of their fathers, who brought them out of Egypt, and have embraced other gods, worshiping and serving them—that is why he brought all this disaster on them.’”
No. None whatsoever.
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