I am so pleased to be able to begin this month’s letter, with the news that the Young Adults camp held at Zooberg from the 27-29^th August has been a resounding success, attended by approximately 80 young people including a representative group from Plettenberg Bay. Our visiting guest speaker Pastor P.Mfazwe from the AOG in Umtata, was greatly used of the Lord to really minister with a strong anointing into the hearts and lives of those at the camp. The result was on their return to the church on Sunday night, during testimony time there was a constant rush to share their experiences of meeting with the Lord. Vuyo Dawadi gave a brief overall summary of the weekend’s ministry content. Now we trust that these young folk will build upon that which they have received and become even stronger in their love and commitment to the Lord.

Now changing the subject and following the line of thought which was shared in our August letter, in that we believers can take scripture at face value and try to apply the content without checking out the context and asking ourselves when, why and to whom was it written? The scriptures referred to are so frequently quoted out of the context and circumstances in which they were written, and are usually very well known and popular quotations.

A good example is; 2.Chronicles 7:14, this is very often quoted and used by so many.

“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 will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” niv

Several principles are revealed by the Lord God of Heaven to King Solomon, the Lord’s appointed and anointed King over Israel. It is to the leader of the nation that God has spoken and shown him the way to the Lord blessing the land and through this the people.

The verse itself is highly conditional to what has proceeded and follows, so it is with this in mind that we must now take a look at the context in which these words were spoken by the Lord to the king Solomon, let us go back to the beginning of 2.Chronicles.5.

In this chapter, the Temple known as Solomon’s has been completed, the Ark of the Covenant placed within it, and the Lord’s presence has descended upon the Temple with such glory and power that the priests could not perform any service.

In chapter 6, King Solomon prays to the Lord on behalf of the Israelite people.

2.Chron.7:1-10 The Temple is dedicated - It is filled with the Lord’s glory, the fire came down from heaven and the glory of God remained over it. I see this as a foretaste of the, CHURCH as it should be following the outpouring of the Holy Spirit on the day of Pentecost. The Apostle Paul compares the church to the N.T. Temple, 1.Cor.3:16, here he refers to the plurality of believers making up the body or the church of Jesus Christ.

2.Chron.7:11-16.  This passage of scripture, includes v14 previously referred to and must be understood in the full context of these verses.

v.11. Solomon has finished building the Temple and his own palace, having completed all that was upon his mind to do.

v12. The Lord now appears to Solomon, and confirms to him that his prayer has been heard, and that the Lord has chosen the Temple as His dwelling and place of sacrifices.

pre-figuring the church.

v.13.Now the Lord by His grace is warning Solomon in advance what to do when judgment comes upon the land and the people. He also describes the very nature of His judgment so that it can be easily recognized.

v.14a. “IF” My people who are called by My name”. 1.Peter.2:9-10, who are the Lord’s people? Only those who have truly accepted the Lord Jesus Christ as their personal savior through being born-again into the Kingdom of God, John.3:3 & 5-8

v.14b. “will humble themselves”  James.4:6-10, 1.Peter.5:5b-7.

v.14c. “and pray and seek My face” Isaiah.55:6-7.

v.14d.”and turn from their wicked ways”  Repent!

v.14e. “then I will hear from Heaven and forgive their sin and heal their land”

            Jeremiah.33:3.

Please note, this verse begins with “IF” which is emphasized for a purpose, God is specifically saying IF you do these four things, then and only then will I hear from Heaven, and replace judgment with blessings.

v.15 “NOW” My eyes will be open and My ears attentive to the prayers offered in this

          Place.

The Lord’s answer in v15, is conditional to what is required in verse14.

v.16. Reveals to us N.T believers that the Lord as chosen the church and consecrated it so that His name will be there forever. His eyes are always upon us watching what and how we conduct ourselves in the church, for examples of this see Revelation.2-3. Where the Lord Jesus Christ states to each of the seven churches named that “He knows what is happening in them” and His heart is always in the church, for we are His body of which He alone is its head.

2.Chronicles.7:17-22. This is encouragement to Solomon to walk carefully before the Lord, and not to become involved with strange beliefs or foreign gods. Additionally the Lord warns Solomon that should he fail to walk in covenant with his God, then judgment would not only fall upon him, but also upon the people of Israel, with very serious consequences. Actually the Lord is warning Solomon to walk very carefully before Him, as it is quite clear that the Lord could already see that the King would compromise and fall from grace, and what had been prophesied to him would come to pass in the future.

Of course v.14-15, contain both great challenges and blessings if we follow this pattern revealed to us believers. Additionally I see that the Lord holds the leadership of King Solomon to account as He also does to every leader in the church to constantly set an example of walking steadfastly and continuously in accordance with the word of God.

When leaders fall it invariably has a devastating effect upon any church and its members.

In conclusion when using these very precious verses we need to remind ourselves that they are very demanding requirements of the Lord to carefully follow and should never be taken lightly.

May the good Lord bless and keep you safe until He comes.