26/04/2026
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Speaker: Pโจtโจrโจ. Dโจaโจnโจiโจeโจlโจ Tโจ. Mโจaโจrโจqโจuโจeโจzโจ
Verse: 2 Chronicles 7:1-14
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I am so bold to say, Grace Baptist Church is a great church! It is a shining light in a dark world. It is a great church because it is built upon the solid foundations of the Word of God, the will of God and the ways of God. It is a great church because we are not ashamed of our past, our convictions, our worship, our standards or our Lord. It is a great church because Jesus Christ is honored by the people who attend this church.
This is a great church because it is a place where the Christ is exalted, the saints are edified and sinners are evangelized.
I found a church that was hungry, hopeful, healthy and happy. I found a people who were ready, willing, and able to go where God wanted to take them. I found a great church, made up of great people, serving a great God. I will say it again: Grace Baptist Church is a great church!
I want you to know that as great as this church is, it can be even greater! This verse teaches us the simple steps that tell us How To Make A Great Church Even Greater.
The context of this verse relates to the dedication of the Temple under King Solomon. God has just finished demonstrating His acceptance of the new house of worship by sending fire down from Heaven to consume the sacrifice which was upon the altar, 7:1.
He filled the Temple with His great glory, and the people worshiped their God with praises, humility, sacrifices and several days of celebration, 7:2-11.
Then, God comes to speak to Solomon, 7:12-22. God tells Solomon that He will bless Israel if they will honor the Lord; but if they refuse, there will be serious consequences, 7:12, 19-22.
However, our text promises them that God will hear them, heal them and help them if they will return to Him in humble repentance.
๐ญ. ๐๐๐๐ก๐ข๐ช๐๐๐๐๐ ๐ฌ๐ข๐จ๐ฅ ๐๐ข๐ก๐ก๐๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐ง๐ข ๐๐ข๐
A. It Is An Intimate Connection โ โMy peopleโ
โ God claims those who are in a faith relationship with Him, Heb. 11:16. He purchased them and He owns them, 1 Pet. 1:18-19; 1 Cor. 6:19-20.
- There is an intimate relationship that is acknowledged here.
- The relationship we have with God is far more intimate than that of a Master and his servant.
- It is even more intimate than a god and his worshipers. The relationship we have with Him is as intimate as that of a Father and His sons.
- After all, those who are saved are in this very relationship with God Almighty, Rom. 8:15; Gal. 4:5; 1 John 3:1-2.
There is a very close and intimate connection between God and His people!
B. It Is An Identifying Connection โ โCalled by My Nameโ
โ These people who have been redeemed by the Lord are also identified with Him.
- They bear His name before a world that does not know Him.
- They carry with them, with every step they take, the responsibility of living like they belong to Him.
The first step in making a great church even greater is for us to acknowledge our connection to the Heavenly Father. We are His by the new birth, and we have a responsibility before Him and before the world to carry His holy Name in a manner worthy of Him and His glory, Eph. 4:1.
๐ฎ. ๐๐๐๐๐ฃ๐ง ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐๐๐๐๐๐ก๐๐ ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐
A. It Is A Challenge to Be Dependent โ โHumble themselves and prayโ
โ In the context, Israel was to come to the place where they admitted that they could not help themselves out of their problems.
- If we want the Lordโs power on our lives and on our church, then we have got to come to the place where we readily admit that our rituals, our abilities, our organization, etc will never get the job done for the glory of God.
- We have to come to the place where we humble ourselves before God, and admit to Him that we can do absolutely nothing without Him, John 15:5.
Well, I want to let you in on a little secret: you can do nothing with out Him! But, when we fall before Him; humble ourselves at His feet; admit our total dependence upon Him for everything we are, everything we have and everything we do; then we will see Him bless! Listen to His promises: James 4:6-10; 1 Pet. 5:6.
If we could ever get to the place where we understood this truth: I canโt, but He can; then we would see God moving in great power in these days! When we acknowledge our own weakness and we express our faith in His greatness, we will see God use us in greater ways, Phil. 4:13.
B. It Is A Challenge To Be Devoted โ โSeek my faceโ
โ This expression is translated form words which mean, โTo seek to find; to seek, to require, to desire, to requestโ and โTo seek with care, inquire, to frequent a place, tread a place; to seek deity in prayer and worship.โ These words imply โa yearning, a frequency of inquiry, a desire to enter into the presence of someone!โ
C. It Is A Challenge To Be Different โ โTurn from their wicked waysโ
โ Here, we are talking about the discipline of repentance. It is a challenge for the people of God to live clean and holy lives for the glory of the Lord.
๐ฏ. ๐๐ก๐ง๐๐๐๐ฃ๐๐ง๐ ๐ง๐๐ ๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐ข๐ก ๐๐ฅ๐ข๐ ๐๐ข๐
A. He Will Hear Us โ โThen will I hear from Heavenโ
โ When we, Godโs people, deal with this โifโ situation; we are assured that God will hear us. We all know that sin terminates the lines of communication between the believer and the Lord, Psa. 66:18.
B. He Will Help Us โ โWill forgive their sin, and heal their landโ
โ When we pay the price to honor our relationship to the Lord and accept His challenge to a dependent, devoted and different life; He will hear our prayers, forgive our sins and heal our land. What a tremendous promise! Not only will we be changed as a result of commitment to Him; but the effects will reach beyond the walls of this church and the world around us will be impacted for the glory of the Lord.
In other words, when we come clean with the Lord and we meet His expectations, He will bless us with His power, honor us with His greatness and thrill us with His glory. When we find that place before Him that honors Him, we will see Him take a great church and make it even greater!
๐๐ข๐ก๐๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ข๐ก
When we speak about church. I am not talking about hollow blocks, ceiling, lights and carpets; pews and hymnals. When I speak of the church, I am speaking about you! Grace Baptist Church is what it is because you are what you are. The Lord wants us to be great again; what we need to do is acknowledge connection, accept challenges, and anticipate the confirmation.
Is there business that you need to transact with the Lord this morning? If He has touched an area of your life that needs work, this altar is the place to deal with it. All I ask is that you be obedient to His voice! If you will, then a great church can be make even greater!
