R1583 God’s Bottom Line

It's a phrase we hear often. What about the bottom line? We'll discover God's bottom line today with Dr. Don Wilton. This is The Encouraging Word featuring the Bible-based preaching of Dr. Don Wilton, and today his message is on God's bottom line. We'll be opening 2nd Chronicles chapter 7 in just a few moments, but Dr. Don wants to remind you we're here for you.

We'd love to pray with you and for you. We'd love to encourage you specifically at 866-899-WORD. That's our phone number. I pray you jot it down or store it in your cell.

We're available 24 hours a day. That's 866-899-9673 or online at www.tewonline.org. And when you come to our website you'll see a great deal of interest about faith in the midst of a crisis, a wonderful series from Dr. Don Wilton as well as the book Defying the Odds. Details there at www.tewonline.org.

And now Dr. Don Wilton. I want you to open your Bibles with me to 2nd Chronicles chapter 7, and I'm reading from verse 11. 2 Chronicles chapter 7 and verse 11.

Thus Solomon finished the house of the Lord and the king's house, and Solomon's successfully accomplished all that came into his heart to make the house of the Lord and in his own home. And the Lord appeared to Solomon by night and said to him, I've heard your prayer and have chosen this place for myself as a house of sacrifice. When I shut up the heavens and there is no rain, I command the locusts to devour the land.

Oh, I send a virus to come down upon the people and pestilence. 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. Now my eyes will be open, my ears attentive to the prayer made in this place, 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. As for you, if you walk before me as your father David walked and do according to all I have commanded you, and if you keep my statutes and my judgments, then I will establish your throne of your kingdom as I covenant with David your father and saying you shall not fail to have a man as ruler over Israel. But if you turn away from me and if you forsake my statutes and my commandments which I have set before you, and if you go and serve other gods and worship them, then I will uproot you from my land which I've given them. In this house, the church, the tabernacle, which I have sanctified for my name, I will cost out of my sight. And furthermore, I will make my name a proverb and a byword among all people. And as for this house which is exalted, everyone who passes by it will be astonished and say, why has the Lord done thus to this land and to this house?

They will answer because they forsook the Lord the God of their fathers who brought them out of the land of Egypt and embraced other gods and worshiped them and served them. Therefore he has brought all this calamity upon them. May the Lord write this word that we battle to preach that we don't want to deal with. May the Lord write by his Spirit this word upon our hearts. This is God's bottom line.

Here's the bottom line. The bottom line is if we humble ourselves and we pray and we seek God's face and we turn and repent from our wicked ways, the bottom line is that God will do three things for us. He will hear us from heaven. He will forgive us for our sin and he will heal our land.

That's what he says. So my question today is why? I'm just going to answer this in very simplistic terms today. Why from heaven? There's number one. Why from heaven? Let me give you three reasons why God according to the Scriptures teaches us that he will hear us from heaven. Number one because that is where the throne is. This is where God's throne is.

You know you can go with me. I know we don't need to spend a lot of time on this but if you go in the Bible to Revelation chapter 4. Revelation chapter 4 is a marvelous passage because it tells us what happens when Jesus comes in the clouds and when Jesus comes in the clouds all of those of us who are alive on this earth are going to be caught up and we're going to meet those who are already in heaven.

Isn't that fantastic? Do you know that every single believer like your mom, my mother, fathers, brothers, sons, daughters who have already passed away who loved Jesus they went instantly into the presence of the Lord Jesus and there's going to come a time that God is going to give the word and Jesus is going to come out of heaven out from heaven and he's going to be in the clouds and those of us who are still alive we're going to be caught up and we're going to meet them in the air and when we meet Jesus and all our loved ones in the air he's going to turn around and he's going to take us back into heaven right there where the throne is. Revelation 4 tells us about this after these things John said I looked and behold a door standing open in heaven the first voice I heard was like a trumpet speaking to me saying come up here and I will show you the things that now will take place. Watch this immediately John says I was in the spirit and behold there was a throne set in heaven and there was one who sat upon it this is the God of our fathers the God of Abraham and the God of Jacob and he who sat upon it shone with a brilliance such of which you and I cannot possibly imagine. Why will God hear us from heaven because this is where the throne is all authority power I will hear you from heaven God says not only because this is where the throne is I will hear you from heaven because this is where our high priest sits. You got it right you heard it right this is where our high priest sits. Mark chapter 16 verse 19 the Bible tells us that after Jesus ascended he ascended to be seated at the right hand of the Father.

Isn't that beautiful? Hebrews chapter 8 and verse 1 God's Word tells us we have such a high priest who sat down at the right hand of the throne of the majesty in heaven isn't that fantastic? Romans chapter 8 and verse 34 Jesus who died and then was raised by the power of God is now at the right hand of God making intercession. You're listening to Dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on The Encouraging Word and he'll be back with a completion of today's message God's bottom line in just a moment but Dr. Don wants us to interrupt to take a moment just to let you know we're here for you. As Doc was preaching moments ago about the power of God at the right hand of God Jesus interceding he is our advocate he is our high priest scripture say you just need to know we believe in the power of intercession and would love to pray with and for you. If you haven't jotted it down yet take a minute and write down our phone number or store it in your cell as a contact we'd love to be there for you as Dr. Don would say as a 2 a.m. friend at 866-899-WORD that's 866-899-9673. Anytime day or night you can speak with us we'd love to talk with you pray with you maybe connect with resources that will help you grow in your faith just know that we're here for you and speaking of ways to connect online at www.tewonline.org has a plethora of resources here's Liz with all the details. Do you know someone that could use some encouragement we're here to help visit our online web store at www.tewonline.org it's like having a Christian bookstore at your fingertips 24 hours a day you will find sermon messages books and outreach cards let us take care of the shipping and help you send a word of hope today the encouraging word is a viewer and listener supported ministry that trusts in God to supply our needs through people thank you for listening today. There are a number of resources there my favorite is the daily encouraging word email you can sign up today and within 24 to 48 hours have it in your email box that's online at www.tewonline.org sign up for the daily encouraging word email from Dr. Don. Now back to today's message. You and I humble ourselves and pray and seek his face and turn from our wicked ways he will hear us from heaven why heaven because this is where the throne of God is that's why because this is where our high priest is seated that's why you see when Jesus came the curtain of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom when he died upon the cross when he paid the price for our sin up into that point according to the law the Mosaic law the only person who could go into the holy of holies into the presence of God was the high priest no more Jesus is our intercessor he's our mediator he is the one who mediates he's the one who enables us to become fully and completely reconciled to a holy and a righteous God and guess what get this get this we've got problems we got problems and he says he'll hear us from heaven because our high priest is seated at the right hand of the Father right there at the throne of God one with God and he is interceding on our behalf Wow Lord hear us from heaven why number three because this is where God tells us to go that's why it's what God says it's the bottom line we don't need a meeting we don't need to call anybody together we don't need to wait for a theological pronouncement it's settled God's bottom line I will hear you from heaven this is where the throne of God is this is where our high priest is seated and this is where God tells us we got to go well he told us I will hear you from heaven and I will forgive your sin why forgive wife why why forgive our sin well you and I know don't we that unless we're forgiven of our sin we can never have fellowship with the Lord because he's holy we can never be reconciled to God and get this folks if you're not forgiven of your sin you cannot and will not go to heaven it doesn't matter how nice the things are that are said at your funeral service God's Word is abundantly clear you're either for God or you're against God there's no hovering between the two but I've got to ask the question according to what God's Word is teaching us why do we need to be forgiven well he tells us in Second Chronicles this is going to be tough here's why we need to be forgiven America is why we need to be forgiven church believers because the Bible tells us in verse 20 that what happened to Israel will happen to us first of all because God will uproot us God will up root us that's what he says in verse 20 I will uproot them you know the thing about world powers is that world powers believe that they are perpetually world powers do you know how many world powers have begun right have turned their backs on God and they become uprooted the word uproot carries with it a systematic disintegration we're talking spiritually here an imploding takes place to uproot something means to tear it out by its roots because the things that matter don't matter anymore why do we need to be forgiven because if we're not forgiven God will uproot us I'm telling you my friends God has had his hand of blessing on America of that there is no doubt and we sing about it one of my favorite songs to sing is God bless America is that a perpetual blessing that God's going to do for America regardless of how we behave toward God does God bless America because we're big because we're strong what is the reason what is he telling us what is God's bottom line we need to be forgiven personally individually begins with me it's about us forgive us Lord we want to turn completely 100 degrees away from ourselves and 100 degree toward you forsaking ourselves and taking hold of you Oh God and God is telling us the bottom line if you don't turn from your wicked way I will uproot you but furthermore why forgive because if we're not forgiven God will turn away from us he will not only uproot us but he will turn away from us look what he says here he says I will cost them out of my sight you know on a human level have you ever really cared for someone loved someone and they won't look at you when you talk to them I remember one time a year or so ago where a young lady just happened to get into conversation with me in our church and her heart was broken and I just remember her saying to me in the corridor one day she said dr. Wilton I know that something's wrong because he won't look at me anymore and she loved this young man and all of a sudden whatever happened happened and she picked it up just because he wouldn't look at her you know is it is it is it silly for me to say that I just love looking at my wife Karen how many times do we not use the phrase with those that we love it's just so lovely to see you God says I will turn my face from you we cannot survive if God turns his face from us God takes his eyes off us soon as God takes his eyes his face away from us something serious is wrong we lose his intimacy and his touch why forgive because God will uproot us because God will turn away from us but the third one is just staggering why do we need to be forgiven what's the bottom line because without forgiveness God will perpetually remind us God will perpetually remind us do you know what he tells us here he will turn his name into a proverb and a byword it's right there in the scriptures he says I will take my name and I will make my name a proverb and a byword if you're not forgiven of your sin this is what I'm gonna do I'm gonna make my name a proverb what's a proverb it's a it's a general word is it not expressing a perceived truth the name Jesus in your community in your world will become nothing more than a general proverb that perceives a truth why why do we need forgiveness why America God will perpetually remind us if we're not forgiven you know how he'll do that and turn his name into a proverb and a byword it'll be on every second person's lips even to describe the line they had to stand in at the shopping mall God's name will be bandied around like a ping-pong ball played from one table to the next this is God this is our Lord Jesus Christ who gave his life for us that we might have life so why why do we need healing and heal our land why do we need healing we need healing because we've turned away from God that's what verse 19 says if you turn away we've turned away we're turning so rapidly away from God we can hardly stand ourselves that's why we need healing these are undeniable truths these are the facts America the fact is we are turning away from God that's why we need his healing number two because we have forsaken his commandments it's what he tells us in verse said if you turn away number two if you forsake my statutes and my commandments I'm just telling you what God says you can go through all the commands you can start in the Old Testament write them down thou shalt have no other gods before me how are we doing America thou shalt not take the name of the Lord thy God in vain how are you doing how are you doing how are we doing America remember the Sabbath day the Lord's day to keep it holy the Lord's day in America is just another day during which time there are so many of us believers who if it's convenient we fit in God but if it's more than an hour boy do we get upset about it how about no adultery thou shalt not commit adultery how you doing thou shalt not steal you know lay aside the Old Testament going to the New Testament the New Testament is replete with the statutes and commands of the Lord what does it mean to forgive others what does it mean to be meek in your spirit go to the Beatitudes going to the pastoral epistles you and I all of us what does it mean God's word the bottom line he says listen you need healing why do we need healing because we've turned away from God because we forsaken his commands but thirdly because we are worshipping other gods we are a nation of God worshippers the little gods are running rampant with all of us we're worshipping our clothes we worship our shops we worship our football teams we worship our barbecues and our holidays we worship our well-being we worship so many things we just worship them they become the new gods of our lives our materialism our our possessions our ability our intellect God says thou shall have no other gods before me that's what God said Lord heal our land we cry out with our pastor God heal our land and you know as we pray that as believers some of you are thinking I just want God to heal our land from this coronavirus and that is important we continue to pray for those that have been struck by this disease for those families that have lost loved ones but I pray that you would understand that the healing that dr. Don is talking about starts with us as we say yes to Jesus Christ it's a spiritual healing and if you've not given your life to Jesus Christ then you're missing the very most important first step would you take a moment before we get away and have just an open heart to what dr. Don Wilton our teacher here on the encouraging word wants to share with you next are you ready to give your heart and life to the Lord Jesus Christ I'm so happy to hear that why don't you pray this prayer with me today dear God I know that you love me very very much and I know that the Lord Jesus Christ came and died on a cross so that I might be forgiven of my sin today I repent of my sin I confess my sin to you and I invite you to come into my heart and into my life by faith in Jesus name I pray if you've prayed that prayer let me be the first one to welcome you to the family of God this is wonderful I hope that you know how much I'm going to be praying for you and how very important this is for me call us so that we can talk to you and connect you in the right place so you can begin this wonderful journey if you've just given your heart to Jesus Christ or rededicated your life welcome to the family of God all how we'd love to put some resources in your hands that will help you grow dr. Don has developed a wonderful packet of information you just need to call and ask for it it's absolutely free at eight six six eight nine nine word that's eight six six eight nine nine nine six seven three we'd love to connect you with that resource and others that will help you take the next step to grow in your faith as a matter of fact one of the things we'd love to put in your hands is the daily encouraging word Bible guide it's available every day email a phonically if you'd like to sign up on our website at TEW online dot o-r-g that's TEW online dot o-r-g every day about six o'clock in the morning dr. Don sends out a bit of encouragement some scripture references and a grand opportunity to apply this scripture to the way we live out our life every day you can get a hard copy as well if you're interested by calling eight six six eight nine nine nine six seven three we'd love to provide encouraging resources to you