Willow Ridge Sermons

July 6th, 2025 • "...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." – 2 Chronicles 7:14

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Creators and Guests

Host

David Allen

Executive Pastor of Connections & Care

What is Willow Ridge Sermons?

Sermon audio from Sunday services at Willow Ridge Church.

Welcome to the Willow Ridge Sermons Podcast, where you can listen to audio from our most

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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.

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.

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.

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

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

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

Solomon.

Lord

says

to him

have

heard

your

prayer.

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

him

Lord

and

Savior.

goes

on to

say

and

have

chosen

this

place

for

myself

house

sacrifice.

When

shut

the

heavens

that

there

rain

that's

what

was

referring

earlier

command

the

locusts

devour

the

land

send

pestilence

among

people

that's

God's

judgment

when you

see that

in the

scripture

we see

that

Old

Testament

where

the

children

God

have

disobeyed

God

sends

his

judgment

then

you're

writing

your

Bible

you might

want to

underline

that

you might

want to

circle

you might

want to

highlight

because

God

says

Solomon

people

who

are

called

name

people

who

are

called

name

that's

important

for you

and I

to hear

that

God

doesn't

place

right

here

this

nation

calls

says

people

who

are

called

name

and

then

gives

the way

mind

works

love

this

kind

thing

man

I'm

detailed

type

person

I'm

outline

type

person

and

when

read

verse

scripture

this

excites

because

gives

steps

gives

things

think

about

humble

themselves

and

pray

and

seek

face

and

turn

from

their

wicked

ways

then

God

says

then

will

hear

from

heaven

and

will

forgive

their

sin

and

heal

their

land

says

then

I'm

going

listen

and

when

says

here

that

he's

going

heal

their

land

he's

talking

about

when

sends

judgment

now

he's

going

restore

when

sends

discipline

now

he's

going

restore

and

reconcile

the

relationship

and

then

verse

God

says

now

eyes

will

open

and

ears

attentive

God

hears

your

details

your

prayer

doesn't

get

the

cliff

notes

whatever

students

might

read

today

school

that's

dating

I'm

sure

the

yellow

book

yelling

black

says

that

God

attentive

the

prayer

that

made

this

place

for

now

have

chosen

and

consecrated

this

house

that

name

may

there

forever

eyes

and

heart

will

there

for

all

time

one

of the

things

that I

read

this

probably

only

one

two

places

scripture

that

ever

talks

about

the

heart

God

far

God

being

place

eyes

and

heart

will

there

for

all

time

verse

and

it's

for

you

here

comes

now

the

flip

side

now

it's

God

doing

the

and

then

and

for

you

Solomon

you

will

walk

before

David

your

father

walked

doing

according

all

that

have

commanded

you

and

keeping

statues

and my

rules

those

words

are

quite

used

quite

often

especially

Psalms

119

command

statutes

rules

God

says

then

will

establish

your

royal

throne

coveted

with

David

your

father

saying

you

shall

not

lack

man

rule

Israel

but

then

God

throws

but

there

but

Solomon

you

turn

aside

and

forsake

statutes

and

commandments

that

have

set

before

you

and

serve

other

gods

and

worship

them

then

will

pluck

you

from

land

that

have

given

you

and

this

house

that

have

consecrated

for

name

will

cast

out

sight

and

will

make

proverb

and

byword

among

all

peoples

and

this

house

which

was

exalted

everyone

passing

will

astonished

and

say

why

has

the

Lord

done

this

land

and

this

house

then

they

will

say

because

they

abandoned

the

Lord

the

God

their

fathers

who

brought

them

out

the

land

Egypt

and

laid

hold

other

gods

and

worshiped

them

and

served

them

therefore

has

brought

all

this

disaster

them

context

when

you

read

all

that

together

about

what

that

one

verse

says

verse

makes

big

difference

makes

a lot

sense

but

there

something

about

this

verse

anytime

you

and

are

reading

God's

word

yes

know

the

context

what

happening

that

moment

that

time

and

that

place

but

student

God's

word

also

have

ask

the

question

God

what

you

want

know

from

this

God

what

you

need

use

from

this

correct

life

what

you

need

use

bring

about

change

life

and

think

there's

a few

things

that

you

and

can

see

that

again

people

who

are

called

name

humble

themselves

and pray

and seek

face

and turn

from their

wicked ways

then I

will hear

from heaven

and will

forgive their

sin

and heal

their

land

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

we're

reminded

of that

in 1

John 1

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

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

sent

drought

and

sent

locusts

he does

healing

than

just

that

God

has

the

power

heal

your

mind

God

has

the

power

heal

your

relationships

God

has

the

power

whatever

that

you

need

him

he's

got

that

power

and

strength

see

that

God's

word

he's

got

the

power

take

whole

nation

and

the

children

Israel

and

turn

them

back

towards

him

and

then

when

they

venture

off

again

and

something

else

has

the

power

bring

them

back

you're

sitting

there

things

now

God

can't

this

life

promise

you

will

humble

yourself

and

before

the

Lord

will

accomplish

you

those

things

that

you

think

can't

promise

you

but

a lot

times

folks

just

want

stick

their

toe

the

water

God

and

God

says

need

your

all

that

list

that

just

read

about

what

God

challenges

Solomon

and

the

people

that

plan

for

you

and

have

that

continual

fellowship

and

relationship

with

the

Lord

yes

it's

our

faith

and

yes

it's

our

trust

but

there's

that

renewing

that

constantly

has

take

place

our

life

especially

when

sin

has

entered

God

has

the

power

heal

and

heals

our

relationship

with

him

last

question

I leave

with you

is this

is your

relationship

right

with

God

is your

relationship

right

with

God

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

will give

their sin

and heal

their land

father

we are

grateful

we are

thankful

for your

word

father

if we

would just

do our

due

diligence

to study

your

word

to be

in your

word

we would

see

things

we would

know

things

that we

never

realized

that we

would know

and see

and understand

so father

it's my

prayer

that as

we've

seen

here

that

lord

whatever

reconciliation

that we

need to

on an

individual

basis

in our

relationship

that we

have

with you

father

I pray

that we

will do

that

whatever

sin in

our life

that we

need

confess

to you

I pray

that you

would give

us the

strength

and courage

to confess

it lord

and to

turn from

lord

help us

to realize

who you

are

and how

powerful

you

are

and the

strength

that you

have

to do

whatever

it is

that

needs

to be

done

in our

life

lord

if there's

some

things

that we're

battling

with

even

today

lord

just

maybe

some

sickness

in our

life

maybe

some

major

decisions

that we

have to

make

for

ourselves

maybe

for

our

family

lord

may we

come

to you

in prayer

knowing

that you

listen

to us

and you

are

attentive

to our

prayers

lord

we know

that you

love us

beyond

what we

can even

imagine

or think

father

thank you

so for

loving us

so much

that you

gave us

your

word

to mold

and shape

the relationship

that you

desire

for us

to have

with you

thank you

for reaching

out to us

and drawing

us to you

lord we

love you

and we

thank you

and we

ask this

prayer in

your name

amen

that's it

for this

week's message

be sure to

check back

next week

for a new

episode

and in the

meantime

you can

visit us

online at

willowridgechurch.org

or by searching

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for listening

and we'll see you next time

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