2 CHRONICLES 7 v 14 ; The Will Of God For Us .

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 ; Exodus 15 v26 God made a covenant with Israel. If you will diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord your God, and will do that which is right in His sight, and will give ear to His commandments and keep all His statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon you which I have brought upon the Egyptians, for I am the Lord that healeth thee But as we read through the book of Numbers we see God's people going from bad to worse, in rebellion, murmuring against Moses and God and seemingly doing everything possible to displease God. These were a people to whom God had made tremendous conditional promises and yet most of them were unimpressed and seemed quite happy to return to Egypt. WHICH ARE CALLED BY MY NAME , Chosen by God as a special nation unto Him. They were to go into the promised land of Canaan and drive out the giants and the enemy, with God on their side to lead them to victory. These were the people to whom God had said, I will never leave you nor forsake you. These were the people who had seen God perform many miracles in Egypt and in the wilderness. They sang songs of praise and victory about God. But they soon forgot the victories and were quick to murmur against God when some minor obstacle arose. God had set His people enough laws to allow them to live a life of righteousness and to please Him. But His chosen race appeared to make little effort to keep the Law. They had the Word of God read to them by the priests, ordained of God but still wanted to cohabit with the heathen races and intermarry. God continues to call to His people today and this message goes out to both the Jews and the Gentiles. It goes out to the Christian backslider who has gone back into the world. It is a sad fact that there are Christians in the world today who have gone back into the occult, idol worshipping and worshipping false gods. Christ came to tell us that God Loves us, John 3 vl6-17. For God so loved the world that He gave us His Son that whosoever believeth in Him should perish but have everlasting life. For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. So the call today to God's people is for a recommittal of their lives to Him . Matthew 15 v8-9; For this people draweth nigh unto Me with their mouths and honoureth me with their lips, but their heart is far from Me. But in vain do they worship Me, teaching for doctrines the commandments of men. Galatians 6 v7; Be not deceived, God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap. For he that soweth to his flesh shall of the flesh reap corruption, but he that soweth to his Spirit shall of the Spirit reap life everlasting. Praise God for the Christians who down through the ages were faithful to God and passed the gospel message on to others. Acts 11 v26b. And the disciples were first called Christians at Antioch. May you and I humble ourselves and pray and seek God's face and return to Him in genuine committal to His cause and to Jesus Christ HUMBLE THEMSELVES. (Determination ) Man's pride often prevents him from asking forgiveness. He is often loathe to turn from his sinful acts and return to God. There are many cold hearted Christians, suffering from apathy and guilt complexes and as a result are wondering why they are unhappy, sick and have broken marriages. 2 Timothy 3 v5; Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away, Be determined not to get involved with their sinfulness and disobedience to God. But put all pride aside and humble yourself and seek forgiveness from God. Believe His promise to forgive and heal. 2 Timothy 3 vl6; All Scripture is given by inspiration of God and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction for instruction in righteousness King David was very close to God and yet he sinned dramatically, in engaging in adultery and murder, God had to send Nathan the prophet to Him to point out God's displeasure and pending punishment. Then this

King over Israel had to humble himself, repent and seek forgiveness from God. So King David was forgiven but he had also to be punished for his sin. Given in Luke 15 vl4-20, there is the story of the prodigal son, who took his inheritance from his father, before it was due and went off into a far country to enjoy himself. The story tells us that he spent all his money in riotous living and became hungry, Then he came to his senses and decided that he should never have left home. He humbled himself. in deciding to go home and ask his father to forgive him. Are we willing to humble ourselves, admit that we might be backsliders and certainly in need of forgiveness for our apathy and our lack of belief in the name of Jesus. We can be in the world but not part of it. We can be members of the Christian church but not part of it. No Bible study, no prayer, no praise or worship to God. Just disinterested in spiritual things and attending church as a kind of duty. AND PRAY: (Conformation ) God wants all His people to conform, to do what He wants us to do. We were reconciled to Him by the blood of Jesus and we are now able to approach God in prayer. Psalm 119 vl64; Seven times a day do I praise Thee, because of Thy righteous judgements. Psalm 28 v6-8; Blessed be the Lord, because He has heard the voice of my supplications. The Lord is my strength and my shield, my heart trusted in Him and I am helped. Therefore my heart greatly rejoiceth and with my song will I praise Him. Psalm 35 v27-28; Let them shout for joy and be glad that favour My righteous cause; Yea let them say continually, let the Lord be magnified, which has pleasure in the prosperity of His servant . And my tongue shall speak of Thy righteousness, and of Thy praise all the day long. We need to talk with God every day, first for confessing sin and seeking forgiveness and then to praise and worship Him. There is a Christian walk to be taken regularly with God if we are to keep out of things that displease God. So humbleness of heart is necessary for a Christian, that we put pride aside and come to God in that earnest desperate prayer that touched His heart and extended His mercy and love towards us. If we wish to become disciples and followers of Jesus, then we should get to know all we can about Him and trust Him for each day's needs and strength. John 8 vl2; Then spake Jesus again unto them, saying, I am the light of the world, he that followeth Me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life, John 14 vl3-14; And whatsoever you ask in My name that will I do that the Father may be glorified in the Son; If you ask anything in My name I will do it. AND SEEK MY FACE: (CONFRONTATION In a spiritual sense we have to come face to face with God, even though we pray to Him and ask forgiveness, We cannot write God a letter of apology or send a friend along to get some forgiveness for us. Each person is responsible for the consequences of his or her sins. If we hurt each other by word or deed we should be prepared to seek out the person and ask forgiveness, face to face. It is so easy to write a letter. The Psalmist could say, 63 vl; Early will I seek Thee. The longer you leave a matter, the harder it is to repent of it. Deuteronomy 4 v29; But if from thence you shall seek the Lord Thy God you shall find Him if you seek Him with all your heart, and with all your soul. (Why not try that ) Hebrews 11 v 6 b; for he that cometh to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of them that diligently seek Him. Proverbs 8 vl7; I love them that love Me, and those that seek Me early will find Me. An honest Christian will find great joy in prayer to God and in praising and worshipping Him. This cannot be done in Spirit and in truth if one is sinning against God and his fellowman. Amos 5 v4; For thus sayeth the Lord unto the house of Israel, seek ye Me and you shall live. You can have abundant life or no life at all, God is either Lord of all or He is not Lord at all. Joshua could say, Choose you this day whom you will serve, as for me and my house, we will serve the Lord.

AND TURN FROM THEIR WICKED WAYS: (Transformation ) The call to repent has been echoing around the world since time began. Psalm 50 vl5; And call upon Me in the day of trouble and I will deliver thee and you shall glorify Me. Psalm 28 v2; Hear the voice of my supplications when I cry unto You , when I lift up my hands toward Thy holy oracle. Deuteronomy 4 v3O-34; When you are in tribulation and all these things are come upon you, even in the latter days, if you turn unto the Lord your God. He will not forsake you neither destroy you, nor forget the covenant of your fathers which He sware unto them. In one Kings chapter 8, Solomon lays down a special prayer on behalf of rebellious Israel. Jeremiah 33 v3; Call unto Me and I will answer you and show you great and mighty things. (Like love, forgiveness, mercy, compassion, and hearings, and eternal life ) 2 Timothy 3 v2-5; For men shall be lovers of their own selves, covetous, boastful, proud, blasphemers, disobedient to parents, unthankful, unholy, without natural affection, trucebreakers, false accusers, incontinent, fierce , despisers of those that do good. Traitors, heady, high minded, lovers of pleasure more than lovers of God. Having a form of Godliness but denying the power thereof, from such turn away. 2 Corinthians 6 vl6-17; And what agreement has the temple of God with idols, for you are temple of the living God, as God has said, I will dwell in them and walk in them, and I will be their God, and they shall be My people. Wherefore, come out from among them and be ye separate saith the Lord, and touch not the unclean thing and I will receive you. What a glorious promise this is. Jesus Christ shed His blood at the Cross to offer you forgive of sins , to cleanse you , bring you back into the family of God and assure you of eternal life if you abide in Him. THEN WILL I HEAR FROM HEAVEN (pa:rticipation ) I call this portion participation because Christianity is a two way thing, Jesus Christ offers us salvation free because He paid the price of our redemption at Calvary. But in order to receive this we must turn from our sin seek forgiveness and accept Jesus as our master, Then we follow Him and serve Him instead of satan. God gives us an assurance that if we turn from our sin, and repent . and turn from our backsliding, He will forgive and bless us. Psalm 32 vl-2; Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered. Blessed is the man unto whom the Lord imputeth not iniquity, and in whose Spirit there is no guile. Psalm 34 vl3-15; Keep thy tongue from evil and thy lips from speaking guile. Depart from evil and do good, seek peace and persue it. The eyes of the Lord are upon the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. Psalm 37 v23-26; The steps of a good man are ordered by the Lord and he delighteth in His way. Though he fall he shall not be utterly cast down, for the Lord upholdeth him with His hand. I have been young and now am old, yet have I not seen the righteous forsaken, nor his seed begging bread. He is ever merciful and lendeth and his seed is blessed. Psalm 40 vl-4, v10; I waited patiently for the Lord and He inclined unto me and heard my cry. He brought me up also out of an horrible pit out of the miry clay and set my feet upon a rock, and established my goings. And He has put a new song in my mouth even praise unto our God; many shall see it and fear and trust in the Lord. Blessed is the man that maketh the Lord his trust, and respecteth not the proud nor such as turn aside to lies. AND WILL FORGIVE THEIR SIN (Consolation ) Psalm 103 v3; Who forgiveth all thine iniquities, who healeth all thy diseases. Psalm 32 v5; I acknowledged my sin unto Thee and mine iniquity have I not hid, I said, I will confess my transgressions unto the Lord, And Thou forgavest the iniquity of my sin. Jeremiah 3 v22; Return ye backsliding children and I will heal your backslidings. Behold, we come unto Thee for Thou art the Lord our God Matthew 18 v2l-22; Then Peter came to Him and said, Lord, how often shall my brother sin against me and I forgive him, till seven times? Jesus said unto him, I say not

unto you until seven times but seventy times seven, God is not willing that any sinner should perish and He was quick to make a way of escape for the truly repentant sinner. John 3 vl7; For God sent not His Son into the world to condemn the world but that the world through Him might be saved. What does God do with our sins ? Psalm 103 vl2; As far as the East is from the West, so far has He removed our transgressions from us. Isaiah 44 v22; I have blotted out as a thick cloud, thy transgressions and as a cloud thy sins return unto Me for I have redeemed thee. Jeremiah 31 v34b. saith the Lord, for I will forgive their iniquity and I will remember their sin no more. Micah 7 vl8-19; Who is a God like unto Thee, that pardoneth iniquity and passeth by the transgression of the remnant of His heritage ? He retaineth not His anger for ever because He delighteth in mercy. He will turn again, He will have compassion upon us, He will subdue our iniquities and Thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea, So not only does God forgive the sinner, but blots them out of His memory. He will always be a merciful and compassionate God to the truly repentant sinner. Let us believe it and turn from our backslidings. AND HEAL THEIR LAND. The land belonged to God and He had set aside a special place, Canaan for the Israelites. God brought the Israelites out of their slavery in Egypt but after forty years he could not get Egypt our of the people. Through their frequent rebellions against God and the worshipping of heathen idols , the Israelites were frequently punished by God and sometimes He dealt with the land. 2 Chronicles 7 vl3-14. If I shut up the heaven that there be no rain or if I command the locusts to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My people. 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. Joel 2 v25-26; And I will restore to you the years that the locust has eaten, the cankerworm and the caterpillar and the palmerworm, My great army which I sent among you. And you shall eat in plenty and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord your God, that has dealt wondrously with you; and My people shall never be ashamed. Deuteronomy 28 should be read as it indicates the promised blessings for obedience to God and the punishments for the people's disobedience So the call of God again goes out to His people as He warns them of their coldness of heart towards Jesus Christ who is God's gift to a sinful world, Jesus seeks disciples, people who are happy to be committed to living the Christlike life and going forth among the people and telling of the mercy and love that God has for them. God longs to bless you and forgive all your iniquities if you will only renounce the old satanic way of life and turn to God. Let Jesus now be your master, Saviour, sinbearer and Redeemer.