The Grands Letter

Dear Grands,

2 Chronicles 7:12-15, “Then the LORD appeared to Solomon at night and said to him, ‘I have heard your prayer, and have chosen

this place for Myself as a house of sacrifice.

13 “’If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain, or if I command the locust to devour the land, or if I send pestilence among My

people,

14 and 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 forgive their sin, and will heal their land.

15 “’Now My eyes shall be open and My ears attentive to the prayer offered in this place.’”

Sometime ago, when the Arkansas Razorbacks (university) football team wasn’t doing so well, I used to tease the principle of Shiloh

Christian School (elementary to high school), saying that Shiloh Christian should challenge the Razorbacks to a game. Of course, it

never happened. Yet, had such an obvious imbalance ever occurred, one thing was certain: the referee would do the coin toss at the

beginning of the game. Why is that necessary? Because there is to be a “balance” for the teams, regardless of which seemed the

greater.

Something like that occurred after Solomon prayed to the LORD. The LORD appeared and said that He had heard the king’s prayer.

There was no immediate threat from the LORD when He said, “If I shut up the heavens so that there is no rain…” He was merely saying that should there ever be a shortage of rain on the fields or locusts devouring the grain or a plague of any kind, it would be due to a sin among the people. Certainly, Solomon could not have known every sin the people committed because there were so many people.

Were sin to occur, however, the LORD would bring devastation upon the people. Nothing was accidental. What then were the people

to do? Four distinct things would bring things right again. First, they were to humble themselves before the LORD. Humility goes a long

way in solving any indiscrete practice. The man who misuses his machine, so that it dies, does well in extricating himself by going

immediately to his boss. So it is with man and God. Second, they were to pray, petitioning the LORD for forgiveness, much like the man going to his boss on his own behalf.

Third, they were to seek the face of God. That is, they were to so appeal to Him that He would not turn His back on them. They wanted

to see His face. When we’re guilty of wrong, we don’t want to face the one we have wronged –unless, we are seeking forgiveness.

Fourth, they are turn from their wicked ways. A child confesses a wrong doing to his parent. The parent faces the child and listens to

His plea. Then the parent says, “I’ll forgive you this time; but don’t let it happen again.” That’s what we want to hear from God when

we’ve done wrong in His sight.

But, where’s all of that “balance” mentioned in the beginning. Ah, here it comes! The LORD promises to 1) hear from Heaven; 2) to forgive mankind’s sin; 3) to heal (restore) the land. There’s a saying that says, “There’s no free lunch.” If we want the blessing of

Almighty God, we have to give up our sin! Sin displeases God! And we want His face and not His back. There’s no time like the

present. Get balanced with the LORD! He is Love and wants to bless and reward His children. We just have to learn to obey!

Heartily in Christ Jesus,

(Dado III)

P. S. Notice the attachment and pray for our Nation’s Leadership! The LORD is hearing our prayers!

Gene L. Jeffries, Th.D.

Springdale, Arkansas 72764

United States of America

“We never know that God is all we need

until He becomes all that we have.”