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| 2 Chronicles 7: 14 � 16 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 will forgive their sin and heal their land. 15 Now My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. 16 For now I have chosen and sanctified this house, that My name may be there forever; and My eyes and My heart will be there perpetually. These verses begin with a very small word � IF. This is God speaking by the way � and God says �IF�. Some people don�t think that word is part of God�s vocabulary. After all, God is sovereign � and so surely God doesn�t have to use words like IF, surely God can do what He wants! And so He can. But God in His sovereignty has sovereignly decided that in His dealings with man He is going to give man personal responsibility. And so God has limited Himself in His dealings with man � He doesn�t do anything until man does something first! He does say something � but He doesn�t do anything. God has given man FAITH (Romans 12: 3) � faith which is activated through hearing and applying what God says. When man begins to apply what God has said, then God acts. Here in 2 Chronicles 7: 14 God uses this word �if�, and He says �IF My people who are called by My name� � He�s talking about His people � �IF My people who are called by My name will humble themselves and pray, and turn from their wicked ways, THEN I will hear from heaven, and will forgive their sin and heal their land.� When? THEN! As soon as His people respond to His Word! He goes on in verse 15 and 16, and He says �NOW� � �NOW My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to prayer made in this place. For NOW I have chosen and sanctified (set apart) this house, that My name may be there FOREVER; and My eyes (My attention) and My heart (My concern) will be there PERPETUALLY.� When something is perpetual it is there eternally; it lasts forever; it is CONTINUAL and UNINTERRUPTED! |