For such a little word, “IF” is enormous! “IF you will do something for me THEN I will do this for you.” One such statement that I’m really learning lately is “IF I will eat healthy and exercise THEN I will lose weight and be in better health.” Oh, the power of “IF”!
“If-then” statements are just what the name implies. They tell us that “if” a certain thing happens, “then” this other certain thing will happen in response. God uses these types of statements: “if we do this, then He will do that”. In our walks as Christ-followers, we must understand what God is saying to us in these “if-then” statements. It is one of these “if-then” scriptures that triggered this blog and is very fitting as we celebrate the fourth of July.
As we are celebrating our country’s birth and freedom, we find ourselves in a place of decision. We have sat by silently and apathetically regarding our country and our rights as citizens as well as our freedoms for far too long. Oh, we quote the Scriptures but do we truly hear what they are saying to us? To truly hear means to listen and then to respond by walking out God’s Word in obedience.
Our country is at a very critical crossroads and I believe that what will make the difference starts in God’s Church … which is you AND me … And at this critical juncture, God says IF…THEN…
“If My people, who are called by My name, shall humble themselves, pray, seek, crave, and require of necessity My face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land.” (II Chronicles 7:14 NLT)
God has something He really wants to do for us, for our country … And it follows our obedience to His “IF”.
IF … We His people … Not those who don’t know Him but those of us who do!
IF … Those of us Who are called by His Name … Not the rest of the world, nor because of your political power … But because we are His!
IF … We will humble ourselves … Strip away all pride … Know that without God we are nothing … that He is our very life. We must humble ourselves before Him … fall down before Him in total abandon.
IF … We will pray … Not just a “God, bless America” prayer but a prayer that bombards Heaven … Praying for His will (to be) on earth as it is in Heaven. We the Church must unite as one in prayer for our nation!
IF … We seek His face … Crave Him … Require Him as a vital necessity. I mean we have to go after God, and make sure that He is our priority and the love of our lives.
IF … We turn from our wicked ways. Repentance must start with us. We’ve gotta clean up our act. We’ve gotta cry out to God to clean our hands and to clean our hearts.
THEN … IF we will do these things, not just today and not just in a pinch but, instead, will make them the very foundation of our lives …
THEN … He WILL hear our cries from Heaven…
THEN … He WlLL forgive our sin!
THEN … He WILL heal and restore our land.
And THEN we will experience complete freedom … Freedom in our country … Freedom in our hearts, and freedom in our lives!
“If” and “Then” lead us to freedom … True Freedom!
Let’s Do the “ifs” so we can get the “thens”!
Cheri 
Cheri's Heart 