If/Then

 Dear Dad’s (Randall Hartinger) 7/14 Teaching. Hope you get a BLESSING!

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Note that big conditional *IF* word…

07/14 Daily Exhortation (Heb. 3:13; 10:25; Matt.6:11; Luke 11:3)…

2 Chronicles 7:14 (KJB)  If my people, which 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.

God did an awesome sign with a client once. Grace had done an exhortation on 2 Chronicles 7:14... A client was speaking of a sign her mother had. Her mother was fixing up a dresser drawer she had bought. A folded piece of paper was in the top drawer with 2 Chron. 7:14. While sharing this sign with us, SHE HAD NO IDEA that Grace had did her exhortation that morning ON 2 CHRON. 7:14. We oft pass a license plate in town with this on their car as well. 

This verse is often applied by Americans to America. Instead of “God Bless America” it should be “America, Bless God” in a Psalms 103:1-2 fashion (Psalms 103:1-2 are the two center verses of the Bible and thusly the heart of God and the Bible). But 2 Chron. 7:14 has nothing to do with America. While general applications are fine, the verse is talking about national Israel under a Theocracy in the O.T. Of course, there is double application to the Israel of God (church) and all scripture is profitable for doctrine, reproof, correction, and instruction in righteousness (see 2 Tim. 3:16-17). 

Having established the doctrinal primary thrust, let’s unpack God’s CONDITIONAL forgiveness.

Jesus taught in Luke 17 that if a brother sins against you, you rebuke him, and *if* he says, "I repent" then you forgive him. Note the fat IF.

FOCUS PASSAGE. 

God’s forgiveness is never UNCONDITIONAL. Israel has that “el” at the end for God’s Name. Christians are named after God, Who is Christ. There are applications. But note the first matter in our focus passage. HUMBLE THEMSELVES. 

This is why most will walk in darkness and never come to the light. Most church-disciplined will never get matters right but will lie to all and cover their sins. Most stumble at the FIRST STEP. They will rarely HUMBLE THEMSELVES to confess their faults/sins. In iron, hard-hearted pride, this first step is omitted. Thusly, taking any of the steps to follow is fundamentally flawed from the foundation forward. Why? THEY WANT TO SKIP SOME STEPS. 

Proud prayer is not heard. There is no seeking God’s face in pride. The Primitive Problem of Pride curses any true seeking of God’s face. A person may adjust some matters in the flesh, but they have not TURNED FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS in true repentance (change of mind AND direction) if they have not taken the proper steps by faith, by God’s grace, by God’s Spirit, by God’s drawing. God will grant repentance to a humble heart. Some persist to reprobation to where they will NEVER EVER EVER repent. 

So, the progression is as follows in our focus passage: HUMBLE YOURSELF, PRAY, SEEK GOD’S FACE, TURNING FROM YOUR WICKED WAYS IN TRUE REPENTANCE, GOD WILL HEAR, AND GOD WILL FORGIVE AND HEAL. 

EVERY. SINGLE. TIME. PERIOD. And in every single time period. 

Most will leave out the HUMILITY and the TURNING FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS, but still expect the forgiveness. Most will refuse to diligently seek the Lord (Heb. 11:6) but still expect to be heard from heaven. NEVER!!!!

WHEN WE GET TO HEAVEN, ONE THING WE WILL WISH WE HAD DONE MORE ON EARTH IS *PRAYING*.

Psalm 66:18 If I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me…

Your prayers are bouncing off the ceiling if you hold onto iniquity (lawlessness and doing what YOU want). 

Hypocrites (playactors, those walking in secret sin but pretending otherwise) do not get their prayers answered: 

Job 27:8 For what is the hope of the hypocrite, though he hath gained, when God taketh away his soul?

Job 27:9 Will God hear his cry when trouble cometh upon him?

Proverbs 15:8 The sacrifice of the wicked is an abomination to the LORD: but the prayer of the upright is his delight.

Proverbs 15:29 The LORD is far from the wicked: but he heareth the prayer of the righteous.

Proverbs 21:13 Whoso stoppeth his ears at the cry of the poor, he also shall cry himself, but shall not be heard.

Proverbs 28:9 He that turneth away his ear from hearing the law, even his prayer shall be abomination.

John 9:31 Now we know that God heareth not sinners: but if any man be a worshipper of God, and doeth his will, him he heareth.

Will you apply the principles of 2 Chron. 7:14 to YOUR life this day? –r <3