Part Two.
Today we will conclude our talks around consecration. Today will be a little different as we apply what we have been hearing on Sundays and praying into for the last 21 days, and also in the week of prayer.
2 Chronicles 6
In context; Solomon has finished the temple, the arc of the covenant has been returned, he has pleaded with the Lord in an act of dedication of the Temple.
In his prayer, Solomon speaks of God’s promises, and justice, and forgiveness. Eight times he prays that God will hear from heaven (2 Chronicles 6: 21; 23; 25; 27; 30; 33; 35; 39). The eight areas he mentions are mercy; relationships with neighbours; defeat due to sin and subsequent repentance; drought because of sin; plagues and famine; how foreigners are welcomed into worship; just wars; when the nations sins.
In 2 Chronicles 7:1: the fire falls. There’s worship and thanksgiving, more sacrifices. There’s acts of consecration! It’s an amazing picture. This went on for seven days. On the eighth day they Solomon sends the people to their homes, to celebrate and maybe recover a little.
Then God speaks! So often we have a great service, a great quiet time, a sense of God’s presence but do not linger for His voice. And what does He say?
He picks up what Solomon had prayed in chapter six and says:
2 Chronicles 7:13-16:“When I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or command locusts to devour the land or send a plague 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 I will forgive their sin and will heal their land. 15 Now my eyes will be open and my ears attentive to the prayers offered in this place. 16 I have chosen and consecrated this temple so that my Name may be there forever. My eyes and my heart will always be there.
Shut Up!
13: “When I shut up the heavens….
Why would God shut up the heavens? Why would he allow drought, locusts or plagues?
If you read the prayer in chapter six carefully you will see these were the areas where Solomon recognised when there was unrepentant sin in the people that God allowed these things.
Which is where we get to one of the most overused and misquoted verses in the Bible!
The biggest two letter word in Scripture…IF.
IF
14: if my people…
In context this is Israel. But we are now grafted in (Romans 11: 17-24). We now through Jesus His people too.
Everything in the verse is conditional on the consecration of His people!
We think this verse is about prayer. It is not. Not initially. I hear people say, “If we pray God will heal our land.”
Nope. There are conditions.
IF what?
If We Own Up!
Acknowledge His name! “…called by my name.”
Do you call yourself a Christian? Then let’s see some more of Christ in you!
Don’t use his name in vain (Exodus 20:7).
Using His name in vain is to claim God’s blessing without paying the cost of discipleship and consecration.
This is to do with consecrating our walk with Him, so those outside will know.
If We Give Up!
14:.. will humble themselves…
The state of the nation is always a reflection of the heart of the people of God. Always. Period.
All the things you want God to do is bound to consecration; obedience is better than sacrifice (1 Samuel 15:22).
We should come to Him knowing we cannot do life without Him. We should humble ourselves before Him.
This is to do with consecrating our minds and attitudes.
James 4:10: Humble yourselves before the Lord, and he will lift you up.
We cannot say we are humble. I see that in some. Humility is recognised in us by others. How do they know? Because God does the lifting up. There is no striving; it is surrender to Him!
It is when others know you could not have done what you did without God, not a fake head bowed, holier than thou look!
1 Peter 5:5b: God opposes the proud but shows favour to the humble.
If We Look Up!
Pray and Seek: “…and pray and seek my face…”
Praying is not simply a shopping list. It must be partnered with seeking God’s face, seeking Him for who He is.
Jeremiah 29:13 You will seek me and find me when you seek me with all your heart.
It is to do with the orientation of our hearts. We will put Him first? Will He be our first priority in life? Will we cherish Him or take Him for granted. Will He be our first love (Revelation 2:4).
It is an act of turning towards Him in consecration which is an act of turning away from something else.
If We Fess Up!
Turn Away to turn Towards: “… and turn from their wicked ways…”
We cannot live with a foot in both camps, we cannot be divided.
Psalm 86:11: Teach me your way, Lord, that I may rely on your faithfulness; give me an undivided heart, that I may fear your name.
An undivided heart. A heart that wants Him more than we want the things of this world.
James 4:3-4: When you ask, you do not receive, because you ask with wrong motives, that you may spend what you get on your pleasures. 4 You adulterous people, don’t you know that friendship with the world means enmity against God? Therefore, anyone who chooses to be a friend of the world becomes an enemy of God.
Put both feet in the kingdom of God!
Then!
…then I will hear from heaven, and I will forgive their sin and will heal their land.
IF and THEN! If we would come back to Him.
Notice the order God works in? Forgiving the people and then healing the land.
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Prayer Time:
We are going to spend some moments in prayer now. We are going to split into groups of five or so, and we are going to plead for His face, to forgive us, to move in us.
Pray for the following:
Forgiveness!
Strength for repentance.
Fresh infilling of the Holy Spirit.
Give yourself back to God, through Jesus (consecration).
Then we will come back together to reaffirm our faith and commitment to Him by reciting the Apostles Creed.
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United Affirmation!
The word creed comes from the word credo, meaning “I believe and trust.” In the early centuries of the Christian Church people learned a short summary of what Christians believe. One version became accepted as the Apostles’ Creed, because it was thought to include the essential teaching of the 12 apostles.
It mentions the catholic church, but the word is not to do with Roman Catholicism and allegiance to the pope. It means ‘universal’ or ‘whole’ Church.
The Apostles' Creed
I believe in God, the Father almighty, creator of heaven and earth;
I believe in Jesus Christ, his only Son, our Lord.
He was conceived by the power of the Holy Spirit and born of the Virgin Mary.
He suffered under Pontius Pilate, was crucified, died, and was buried.
He descended to the dead.
On the third day he rose again.
He ascended into heaven, and is seated at the right hand of Father.
He will come again to judge the living and the dead.
I believe in the Holy Spirit, the holy catholic Church, the communion of saints, the forgiveness of sins, the resurrection of the body, and the life everlasting. Amen.
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