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| (07/02/10) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” Let’s finish II Chronicles 7:14. The conditions of the blessings of this one verse are, on the face of them, staggering: Humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways. But, wait a minute, isn’t this what God expects from us anyway? Then, too, if we love Him, do we not want to do them? And besides this, isn’t the Spirit dwelling within us reminding us daily to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways? The promises attached to all these conditions are just icing on the cake: He will hear our cries: When our hearts are in tune with His heart the Holy Spirit has little trouble helping us pray. We’ll want to pray, we’ll pray when it’s inconvenient, will pray humbly, like a little child begging it’s Daddy for help. When we are living the conditions set forth here, seeking God’s face will be as natural as rising in the morning, breathing in and out, and eating that first meal in the morning to satisfy our hunger. Turning from our wicked ways is instinctive in a child of God, but not always easy. Our soul is saved, the Spirit is living in us, but they are housed in a vessel of clay. The flesh is dust, it is earthly, and decaying every day. No one knows better than Satan that the flesh operates under the curse of sin, courtesy of Adam. Satan is acutely aware of the weakness of the flesh, so it is that, this vulnerable flesh, that he is constantly attacking. No wonder God comforts us with these words, “Ye are of God, little children, and have overcome them: because greater is he that is in you, than he that is in the world” (I John 4:4). John is encouraging the disciples against fearing those who would want to destroy God’s people. The Spirit living in us is more powerful than Satan’s lies, more powerful than the enemies of God. Within ourselves we cannot humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, or turn from our wicked ways, but we have a power the world knows nothing of. “Through God we shall do valiantly for he it is that shall tread down our enemies” (Psalms 60:12). Look at Him daily in the scriptures, listen for His voice. Hunt for Him, search for Him, seek Him with your whole heart. You will find Him very near, full of mercy, sufficient grace, and power to defeat any enemy. Then, what He asks of us in II Chronicles 7:14 won’t seem such a daunting task. God made us some glorious promises in this verse, contingent on our obedience. So what if we don’t obey? Well, he will not hear our prayer, will not forgive our sin, or heal our land. Just as He promised Israel in the remaining verses of this passage: Verse 20: He will pluck us up by the roots out of His land, cast us out of His sight, make us a byword among all nations. Verse 21: People will pass by our once beautiful nation and say, “Why hath the Lord done thus unto this land; and unto this house?” Verse 22: God will answer, “Because they forsook the Lord God of their fathers.” We have a choice. ~ Kyla Rowland (07/02/10) To see your children follow in your footsteps is gratifying, even exciting! The original “Rowlands” consisted of my son, Barry, daughter, Allyson, and me. Allyson had three little girls rather late in life and her time is extremely limited. She sings with us, now, only occasionally. Barry had his children at a much younger age, so now, at only forty-one years of age, he has them raised, and even has his first grandchild (a darling little boy named, Daniel). Though God has blessed him with a successful career in business, his heart is in the ministry. Bob and I do not want to discourage him, but from a logical standpoint, it makes no sense. The singing ministry offers no financial benefits: no retirement, sick day pay, no vacation pay, no health insurance, and there is no salary. A southern gospel singer lives by faith. Barry will most likely retire from his profession in the business world, but, while waiting for that day, he wants to build a ministry. His heart is not primarily for singing, it is for the lost, and for the hurting among God’s children. It just happened that music is the gift God chose for him. God has placed him in a singing, ministry-minded family, not only through his bloodline, but his wife, Tammy and her family are talented and have been ministering all their lives. So, the stage is set: Here is a young man with a burning desire to glorify God as a willing vessel. The Lord graciously has pathed the way for him. Barry has not been idle, though. He is faithful to his church, leading the youth choir and making himself available to be a servant wherever needed. It reminds me of David a little bit. God carefully orchestrated his steps, first, as a shepherd, then as a singer, musician, and writer of songs. Satan knew he would be a threat to him and used his power to try and destroy David through King Saul, and even through his own son, Absalom. But God had a plan, and He had infinitely more power than Satan. I have enjoyed writing songs for many artists for many years, and I enjoy writing them for my brother, Ron Martin, and his ministry, The Rowland’s. What a joy to now write songs for our son, Barry Rowland and Deliverance. (Check Barry’s website for contact information: www.BarryRowland.com) ~ Kyla Rowland (07/02/10) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” Let me remind you, once again, of the first word in this verse...”If”. If we, God’s children will do the four things He asks, then He will hear us, forgive us, and heal us. Does America need healing? Even the unsaved would answer a resounding, “Yes!” These four requests from God are difficult and demanding, but doing them is far better than living in fear. We do live in fear because we worry about the conditions of our churches, of our homes, and who is not deeply concerned about our government? Humility is almost a forgotten attribute and praying has been laid aside for soccer games, demanding careers, even busyness in the church, often leaves little time for prayer. But! Someone has to pray...someone must humble themselves! Do we have any David’s or Daniel’s, or Hezekiah’s? God gave man a will, a will that offers a choice, so, if we want to see America continue to spiral into an abyss of hopelessness: If we want a national debt we cannot pay, if we want God’s name removed from our currency, our pledge to allegiance, and from every federal building, then I suggest we simply maintain a proud and carefree attitude and do not pray. Or, if we want America to return to “In God We Trust,” we can lay aside our own will and self-indulgence and pray. Pray when we don’t feel like praying. Pray when we don’t feel God is listening. Pray when life demands a hundred other duties. Why? Because God said “if” we will humble ourselves and pray we would see a healing come for our blessed and beloved nation! It is our choice. This third request, “and seek my face,” demands time, patience, and fortitude. If we want something badly enough, it’s easy to pursue them. I think a lot of God’s people shake their heads and say, “Boy, this land is sure in a mess. Isn’t it awful how America just keeps defying God.” Most of the time we have momentary fear, we mull it over a little, then rush off to do that menial task life demands. Somebody has to pray! Somebody has to seek God’s face, labor in the Throne Room of Grace, and touch Heaven! If we don’t, God will not hear us, forgive us, or heal us! That somebody is me...it’s you...it is His children He’s talking to in II Chronicles 7:14. The unsaved can’t pray so He must be asking His own to humble ourselves, pray, seek His face, and turn from our wicked ways! We are going to have to arise from our apathy, shine up our Christian armour, march into the Holy of Holies and talk to the Father, “Lord, I’m here, what do I need to do? Send me, I’m weak, but willing.” We don’t have to be eloquent, educated, or endowed with extraordinary gifts: all God asks is a humble, willing heart that won’t quit in the middle of the battle. In the Old Testament Israel failed God: God punished them. Israel humbly repented: God blest them. Noah, Abraham, Moses, Joshua, Joseph, David, Hezekiah...all of them were in the heat of battles, but victory came! When? When they humbled themselves before God, prayed, and sought His face. So, the choice is ours. Do what God asks of us in II Chronicles 7:14, or continue on our current path.
(07/02/10) As with all diet and exercise programs, never begin without first consulting a physician. If I don’t start taking off some weight soon, there is no need to continue these articles. Instead of helping someone, I seem to discourage and present a picture of hopelessness. One of my biggest problems, I’ve determined, is lies! I consistently lie to myself, talking myself into ice cream and out of raw veggies. I have been on so many diets and programs I have simply run out. Yet, I have not, so far, run out of hope. There still burns a flickering, though fading, glimmer. My husband, Bob had his second knee replacement surgery recently. He has lost twenty pounds in the process, and with no effort. Of course, he has suffered great pain, but I have had four foot surgeries and suffered almost as much pain. Did I lose weight? No! I gained weight! So many of my friends lose weight when they are troubled or discouraged. Others can take off ten or fifteen pounds during hot summer months. They say the accelerated activity of summer causes them to lose pounds without even trying. I am disgusted. I have never been too sick, in too much pain, too troubled, too busy, or too hot and sweaty to eat. Quite the contrary. A big bowl of chicken and dumplins’ eases my pain, hot fudge cake comforts me when I am sad, and hot summer days scream for ice cream! Lies! All lies! I have lively conversations with myself before I go to the refrigerator and pull out the lemon ice box pie, “Now, honey, you’ve worked hard today…you haven’t eaten that much today…life is short, if you enjoy eating chips and cheese dip, that’s what you should do.” Without fail, good sense loses and self-indulgence wins, not only in my discussions with myself over food, but in discussions concerning exercise. You can imagine what “self” argues: “You have a bad back, too many steel plates and pins in your feet, too tired, too busy, and so here I am...fat and out of shape. But here is the truth, undiluted. A healthy diet, an exercise regime that suited my age, my physical capabilities, and health restrictions, would enable me to look younger, feel younger, and do wonders for my ministry. Not only would I be more active and vibrant for God, my children and, especially, my grandchildren would benefit from a healthier, more active me. I have a feeling these knees and feet, as well as my back would give a sigh of relief and say, “Thanks.” Another added benefit would be taking those clothes from my “closet of hope,” and moving them to the one I call, “clothes I can still get into.” I will write one more article soon. It will concern what scripture says about “gluttony.” The Word is very specific and not at all soft on the subject. I tell you this so you can avoid reading it. When God says overeating is bad for us, in fact, a sin, it causes guilt, remorse, and all that kind of stuff. So, beware. Simply don’t read it. It distresses me to think I cannot be a help and encouragement to you ladies who need to lose a few pounds, but, perhaps, by the time you hear from me again, I will have found some self-discipline and inspire those who, like me, have lied to themselves for a long time. I am hopeful. ~ Kyla Rowland (05/24/10) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” In This one verse God asks His people to do four things. The first is “shall humble themselves.” If we don’t do that, we cannot possibly do the other three. God will not hear the prayer of the haughty and prideful; a person who has no humility will not seek His face because they feel self sufficient and perfectly capable of caring for their own needs; there are many antonyms for humble and “arrogant” is certainly one of them. Arrogance will not turn from wicked ways because people who are heady and high minded don’t fret and/or don’t care if their ways are wicked. But for those who strive to be humble and realize its necessity, the second condition for blessing in II Chronicles 7:14 is “and pray.” There are more books on prayer than most could read in a year, but many times I like to refer to Oswald Chambers. Brother Chambers does not mince words. I have never found him mean-spirited, but refreshingly honest. It is Brother Chambers’s contention that many Christians are merely sentimental about prayer, or it makes us look good to say we pray. But the child of God who dedicates themselves to the work, the labor of intercessory prayer will find that it has no snare at all. Preaching, singing, and testifying has a snare: It opens one up to ridicule, even danger. But prayer is a communication private and secured by the power of the Holy Ghost. We should have no fear in praying intimately to the Father. What do you think about prayer! Be honest. Is it drudgery? If the answer is “yes,” you are correct. Prayer is hard work. Intercessory prayer is laborious. I learned this from my mother and great aunt Gertie. They were bonifide warriors in the closet called “prayer.” Many times it was difficult to enter the Holy of Holies, so they would go back and keep going back during the course of a day, until God opened the door. I have been eyewitness as these women would pray until they were physically exhausted. They would say, at times, “I must go and pray,” as if they dreaded it. I could understand that because they may be relaxing or be busy with chores when the Holy Spirit would interrupt and bid them to the closet. So why did they do it? Why put themselves out, wear themselves out? What was the purpose? “Ye have not because ye ask not” (James 4:2). Was it worth all the labor and sacrifice? Oswald Chambers said, “Prayer is the breath in our lungs and the blood from our hearts. Prayer is not an exercise, it is the life.” “Pray without ceasing—man ought always to pray-pray oft with and for one another—continuing instant in prayer and praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit.” These are just a few of God’s commands on prayer. We must not water down God’s words, but obey them with our whole heart. I’ll tell you why Eulalia and Aunt Gertie labored in prayer: they loved Him. They trusted Him. Many times their prayers were simply love letters to the loving Father who brought them through many dangers, toils, and snares. (05/24/10) (Journey To A Thinner Me) As with all diet and exercise programs, never begin without first consulting a physician. Well…here I am: three pounds heavier than when I last reported. One glaring problem is that I have found most every diet, every program for weight loss works pretty good. The clincher is that you have to adhere to them and not give up after two days. Actually, two whole days would be good for me. I’m back, now, to my old “program.” I’m counting calories. I find it difficult, however, to eat biscuits and gravy and keep my calorie count down to where it needs to be. But I press on. Sometimes I get sorry for myself. I have become, in the last fourteen years, one of those people who attract fat. It seems that little fat cells float around in the atmosphere and look for me like little heat-seeking missiles. Once they attach themselves they have found a permanent home. To report on my daughter, Allyson: it’s not good. She found out it’s not her metabolism, so, I think she has pretty well exhausted the hope of finding any physiological reason why she can’t lost weight. She knows this, so she joined a gym, got a personal trainer, and is trying to accept the fact that we can’t eat a pint of rich creamy ice cream every night before bed and get thin. I’ve been on a diet for fourteen years now. I’ve gained over fifty pounds on this diet, so what is my next move? I’m tempted to go ahead and pray about this. The only thing that holds me back is knowing that if I ask the Lord to help, then refuse to help myself, I’ll feel twice as guilty. I mean, really*who wants to disappoint such a wonderful loving Father? Here is what I’ve decided to do: If I can’t lose at least ten pounds by the next time I report, I will not write anymore. Expect my next article in January 2015. ~ Kyla Rowland (04/15/10) Never start any weight loss or exercise program without first consulting your doctor. Am I obsessed with being thin? Obviously not. I started putting on weight fourteen years ago, just after my fiftieth birthday. I am now at my all-time highest weight. I have tried so many weight loss plans, exercise regimes, protein drinks, and I’ve prayed. All of these work! So, why do the scales not reflect this? Because I have been shocked, shocked, I tell you, to learn that each plan, every regime, requires consistency. What a depressing truth to learn that one cannot eat broiled fish and salads with low-fat dressings for a week, then reward yourself with a two-week long food fest of pizza, mac n’ cheese, and lemon ice box pie. Learning this has been most discouraging. My first cousin, David, had a heart attack recently. He is fifty-four years old. Following this very scary event he became diligent about eating healthy. We talked a few days ago and I asked, “David, are you continuing to be conscientious about your died?” “Well….,” he says. I immediately replied, “Don’t give me the gory details. It must be in our genes and even the threat of death is not gong to stop us.” He agreed, but we promised each other to try and do better. And what about my beautiful forty-four year old daughter, Allyson? (She was a little miffed at my announcing her age, but since I already have, it doesn’t matter now), She is not doing well on her “highway to size six happiness.” What she has been consistent about is trying to find a medical reason why she can’t lose weight. The thyroid thing hasn’t worked out, neither has the hope of a sluggish metabolism. Not one to give up easily, however, Allyson continues her quest for a reason for her inability to shed those unwanted pounds. Let’s wish her all the best. I close on an “up” note. Fifty extra pounds (actually, it’s more than that, but fifty is such a nice round number) has not, as yet, harmed my health. But it will. The extra strain on my back, knees, and internal organs will exact a price. I know this. I pondered this fact, mused over it last night as I leisurely ate my hot fudge cake with extra hot fudge. So I am thinking deeply about the consequences. I continue to search for that “Field of Grace.” God has one for all His children, in every situation. It will not be difficult to locate when I determine that I really want to find it. Stay tuned. ~ Kyla Rowland (03/18/10) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” “And pray” is number two on the list of conditions given in this ominous verse. “Humble” was first, but humble is always first. A sinner has to be humbled to the point of total helplessness to be saved, but humility doesn’t end there, it begins a lifetime of humbling ourselves under the mighty hand of God. It is a decision, an act of will. The “will” is the mind making a decision, so when we read that God doesn’t suggest, but commands us to humble ourselves, we know that it is up to us to see that it happens. How do we humble ourselves? It’s simple, really. Begin in the Word. The more you know about Him; His holiness, omnipotence, compassion, and absolute concern for our welfare; the more we realize how able He is, the easier it is to yield our will to Him. Yielding our will is the first step in humility. It’s rather easy to yield to someone you know is capable of providing every need, and capable of chastising when necessary. He’s in control anyway. Refusing to surrender to God is utter folly. It’s as though saying that we know what’s best, we can see into the future, can save our loved ones, take ourselves to Heaven, and heal our own problems in the meantime. When we get a grip on “humbling ourselves,” it’s not so difficult to do the second part*pray. It is impossible to pray through until we first get things in perspective: He is everything and I can do nothing without Him. This is not unreasonable, and it works so beautifully. Paul says, “I beseech you therefore, brethren, by the mercies of God, that ye present your bodies a living sacrifice, holy, acceptable unto God, which is your reasonable service” (Romans 12:1). And what is acceptable to God? II Chronicles 7:14 says He loves, even demands humility. Now we are ready to “Pray.” Stay tuned. (01/28/10) As always, please consult your Dr. before beginning any diet and exercise program. So how am I doing with my weight loss program? If I answered my own question “What program”? Would that give you a clue? Actually, I’m doing as expected. I started off eating grilled fish and salads with no dressing. Yesterday, however, I scoffed down a Baby Ruth and Hershey with almonds. I’m glad I’m doing as expected. At my age sudden change may cause heart defibrillation and we wouldn’t want that. If I succeeded, the shock would be too much. Am I giving up? Not by a long shot! This sugar set-back made me mad enough at myself to fire the flames of determination once again. I am back on track, back in the saddle, as Gene Autry would sing, and I’m a cowgirl on a mission, determined to wrestle every ounce of fat off me. So what is the difficulty here, what seems to always defeat me? Lack of discipline, of course, and loving self indulgence. Then there is self sympathy. Have you every stared at your favorite Little Debbie cake and analyzed all the reasons you deserve one…or two? There are some compelling arguments to be made: “Bless my little fat heart, I’ve been through so much...a couple of Little Debbie’s aren’t going to sabotage my diet...there’s too much suffering in this old world, why not have a small pleasure”? Or, here’s an oldie, but a goodie: “I think I can walk these few calories off tomorrow.” Yea! If I walk to Montana and climb the highest peak east of the Continental Divide! Last, but certainly not least, I walk past that box of honey buns every day for two or three days, till finally, I make a proclamation. I stop dead still in front of the snack cabinet, wag my fingers at those luscious little goodies with the sugary glaze and swirls of donut-like goodness, and proclaim, “You’re not gonna do this to me! I’ll show you a thing or two! I’ll just get rid of you once and for all!” Then, as I microwave the last little cellophaned delicacy, scrape the last glistening grain of sugar glaze from my plate, I ponder the question, “How could anything so good be so bad”? As I fall asleep in my doughy, sugary state of peacefulness, my last thought, as I drift off to dreamland, goes like this: “I won’t have to fight, that battle tomorrow. From now on its fresh fruit and low-cal yogurt. That’s the ticket. And have I been eating fresh fruit and yogurt? Yes, I have, with a side of Baby Ruth. But those days are over! From now on it’s the straight and narrow for me. Stay tuned. I may be on a streak here. I have lost five pounds and two ounces and have only begun to fight! God wants to carry me to that Field of Grace where little chubby girls like me can rely on His strength. I’m almost ready to go. ~ Kyla Rowland (02/11/10) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” How often do we hear someone’s opinion of what’s wrong with America, and what’s wrong with our church? Yes, I have an opinion. The first thing God asks of us in this list, given in II Chronicles 7:14, is to humble ourselves. So we’re to assume that this is something that is required of us, not something we should ask God to do for us. Of course He will help us do this if we ask, but are we afraid to ask? We just have to really, really want it. There must be a desire so strong in us to do His perfect will, that nothing else matters. All pretence, pride, and self absorption must be forgotten. Herein lies the problem. It is natural in the flesh to love the flesh, but no good thing dwells in it. (Romans 7:18). Paul said just prior to this in chapter seven, that he was carnal, that what he would do, he does not, and he wouldn’t do, he does. This is the law of sin which dwells in every man. Paul calls it a war in him between sin in his flesh and his mind which delights in the law of God. His outward man and inward man are constantly in conflict. The flesh loves sin, the inward man where the Holy Spirit lives loves the law of God. “I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with my mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin” (Romans 7:25). This “humbling ourselves” is tough. The flesh loves physical comfort and our emotions love to be petted. We crave compliments and pats on the back. So, how do we humble ourselves? Let me speak for myself: I tell God exactly how I feel. I tell Him I really don’t want my own agenda, that in my heart I only want His will. Then I tell Him how I struggle with this. Every day the Holy Spirit will pray just the right prayer, direct us to just the right scriptures if we’ll be honest with God. It all centers around that one question: How badly do we want to be humble? I suppose I read this passage more often than any in God’s Word: But he giveth more grace. Wherefore he saith, God resiseth the proud, but giveth grace unto the humble. Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you. ~ James 4:6-8 Now, doesn’t that simplify this matter? ~ Kyla Rowland (01/08/10) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” This verse is written in God’s voice, he is speaking directly to His own. He is giving us four conditions in exchange for three glorious, wondrous blessings! The first thing He asks of us is to humble ourselves*He doesn’t say He will do it for us. Just like He will not force us to pray or seek His face, nor turn from our wicked ways, He will not force us to humble ourselves. Of course, when we don’t, He withholds His three promised blessings; He will not hear us, will not forgive our sins, and He will not heal our land. Now, thinking about the consequences of refusing to humble ourselves should make us eager. How do we humble ourselves and remain so? By living the commandment, “Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself.” This is first and foremost because Galatians could not be more clear, “Bear ye one another’s burdens, and so fulfill the law of Christ” (Galatians 6:2). “For all the law is fulfilled in one word, even in this; Thou shalt love thy neighbor as thyself” (Galatians 5:14). Is it any wonder, then, that humility is very difficult and in short supply? There are several important words lacking in our vocabulary today: Sin, prayer, willingness, surrender, and commitment, to name a few. I would place “humility” at the top of that list because, without it, these other characteristics are impossible. Just look where God placed it in II Chronicles 7:14. Humble: Having or showing a low estimate of one’s own importance; lower oneself in respect or submission; meekness. And what will humbleness do? First, it will submit to God’s will. He will be its only focus. An humble person desires to please God, to strive to fashion themselves after His Son. And what about our will? Well, a will is the mind making a decision, so there is a choice here: In my mind, is humbling myself worth the promises God has made? You decide, “I think I’ll just go with God,” or, “I’m simply not up to it. It’s too hard, too demanding, and robs me of ‘self’.” It’s up to us, individually. Humble: Somehow I just have to continue striving for it. ~ Kyla Rowland (01/08/10) This article is about sharing struggles, thoughts, and personal strategy. I am not suggesting any course of weight loss for anyone since I am not an expert. The only thing I have had experience in is trying and failing to beat the battle of the bulge. Never launch any exercise or weight loss program until you consult with your physician. Those of you who visit this website on a regular basis know that I enjoy talking about prayer, faith, and humility: all very fine practices. All are necessary to move that mountain in our lives, but this mountain doesn’t seem to want to budge. This accumulation of extra pounds feels as though it is glued on. It laughs at my feeble efforts, mocks my weak attempts to eat spinach and lean meat. As has been my practice throughout my Christian journey...when all else fails, turn to God. Yes, I am confessing this. Why God is a last resort is entirely another subject, but it will be sufficient to say that I am ashamed. So here I am suddenly in my senior years dragging around forty or fifty unsightly, unhealthy extra pounds. What am I going to do? I am turning to my best friend. “But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him” (Hebrews 10:6). I do not want to go thru another year of taxing my body and my emotions with this problem. There is no question that faith pleases God; I know that He is; but will I diligently seek Him? I honestly don’t know. At this moment I am all pumped up with faith and determination, but tomorrow…I just cannot trust myself. Here is what, I believe, the Holy Spirit has led me to do: Trust in the victory God wants for me and has already prepared. There is a Field of Grace for this problem which will be found thru diligence and determination (neither of which is my best attribute). Nonetheless, here I am bearing my heart to my friends with all the enthusiasm of a child. A “Field” can conjure up visions of green grass and cool lazy streams, or it can take the mind to visions of hard work, sweat, aching backs and questions about the success of our labors. “Grace” is simply an undeserved gift. And, as I have often said, no one has ever been able to sufficiently define this marvelous thing called “God’s Grace.” I just know I need it and want it desperately. So, then, a “Field of Grace” says that the work has been done by another, already prepared, and the fruit from this field is perfect. The fruit from God’s Field of Grace is also perennial and stays in a constant state of preparedness. All we need to do is ask. That is my plan. I will ask. Before I rise from my bed in the morning, before I eat biscuits and gravy in the morning or meatloaf and buttery potatoes for supper. When I dream of ice cream and cherry pie, I will ask. I will seek Him diligently. This has been on my mind for a couple of years...this going public with my battle of the bulge. Then this revelation. What am I thinking? It’s been public for the last fourteen years. I’ve been speaking and singing in front of some of the same women for all these years and they have seen me go from a size 8 to a size…well, decidedly larger ones. I’m so disgusted with myself I can’t even write the number. So why now? It’s simple desperation. I’ve tried everything else, why not try the “confession is good for the soul thing”? At the risk of overdoing the clichés, may I say “misery loves company.” I’m miserable. Surely there are other women, like me, who have absolutely no medical or psychological reason why they cannot lose this ugly fat. We look for such reasons. I do. My daughter is an example. Allyson is a beautiful girl, 43 years old, has three little girls, the youngest is only 4. She did alright with her weight after the first two, but after the last one at age 39, it has seemed hopeless. About a year ago she had a physical, thinking there was surely something wrong with her thyroid. She has a Bachelor’s degree in nursing, she would know. Right? With great anticipation she awaited the result of the test on her thyroid thinking that finally there is a logical reason for her inability to loss her “baby fat.” She called me that afternoon. I’ll never forget it. Dejected, disappointed, Allyson was a mess. I became anxious. I envisioned hearing some horrible news about an awful health problem. “Well, tell me, honey!” “There’s nothing wrong with my thyroid. It’s perfectly healthy.” Wait a minute. There’s something wrong with this picture. My daughter is heartbroken because she’s healthy? But, then, I quickly realized that women trying to lose weight don’t think like other human species. They lose perspective, sort of have a momentary departure from reality. So, Allyson soon came back to her senses. She’s overweight, has no success at losing weight, and the reason?...too much pizza, too much chocolate, most of it too late in the evening, and too little exercise. By the way, she is now suspicious that her metabolism is out of whack. This could work out for her. We’ll travel this path with her and just see if metabolism is the culprit. As for me, my fat, this ugly disfiguring mass of mess I have allowed to accumulate on my person, is the result of years of indulgence, disregard, and disillusions. I have told myself so many lies over these last 14 years I could write a book on “How To Convincingly Lie To Yourself About Your Weight”. It would be a book with the theme, “You really don’t look that bad.” Instead, I will pray. I will believe God. I will deny myself and follow Him to a lovely “Field Of Grace” where there awaits a healthier, happier, size eight me. I will be honest, completely. Next month I will tell you exactly how much weight I have lost or gained. Will I be ecstatic with joy over a great success, or bewildered and ready to abandon all my good intentions? ~ Kyla Rowland (10/08/09) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” I wrote about “by my name” last time, and was overwhelmed. It was too big for me. It seemed impossible to get to the root of “by my name.” It doesn’t bother me, in the least, to plead ignorance. I have found that admitting ignorance opens up a window of opportunity for knowledge and understanding. However, the subject now turns to the next three words, “shall humble themselves.” This is a word I know a little more about, not so much through intense, deep study, but through experience. For instance, I have learned, first hand, the result of refusing to humble oneself under the mighty hand of God. I pray I don’t walk that way again, but, being flesh, we are all susceptible. Then, too, I have experienced God’s glory when I have, by His grace, by His power and might, been able to humble myself. The result has always been astounding. We will examine this first condition of His promise very closely. You will notice that this is something God asks us to do, but it can only be accomplished through Him. What is wrong with God’s people today? Why are we not as affective as we would like to be? Our failings, our lack of power, spiritual blessings, and ability to win the lost rests on His request, “shall humble themselves.” This is not a new thing, in fact, it began with the first sin in the Garden of Eden. It was Satan’s besetting sin, as well as Eve’s and Adam’s. Yes, it is a big subject, but one we can all relate to. No one wants to admit to having pride, yet, each of us are all too acquainted with it. Pride is the antonym for humble. It means to have an excessively high opinion of oneself; To elevate one’s own worth or importance, even becoming, eventually, arrogant, overbearing, and haughty. Pride is like a disease. It begins slowly, and in its early stages, can be diagnosed and treated. But, left untreated, pride begins to make one swell out of proportion and it doesn’t take long until, one by one, those around this prideful person, begin trying to avoid them, as though they were contagious. It is difficult to deal with a prideful person because their exalted assessment of themselves prevents them from seeing that anything could be wrong with them. Very, very few will recognize, much less admit, that they suffer from excessive pride, therefore, they usually travel on that path until something jars them back to reality. We all think “this is not me at all.” I certainly don’t believe I’m prideful, but am I? On closer examination, I could have a touch of this disease. When my children or grandchildren excel in something, I tend to boast and brag a little more than is comfortable for the person listening. I can’t leave it at stating facts. I tend to use several adjectives and embellishments while relating what they’ve done. It’s nice to share such exciting things, but I have to keep myself in check so as not to go too far. It is difficult, for every crow thinks hers is the blackest. We can swell up over simple everyday things: Playing the piano at church and you feel you just do it better than most: God has blest you with a beautiful home, blest you with an exceptional job, or, maybe you’re miss “do-it-all” in your church, convinced that the church would surely have to close its doors were it not for your careful attention to every detail. There is another pride that grieves God’s heart, He said it did...the pride of the Laodicean-type church. This pride affects a good many people, even entire communities. Rich, cultured, ritualistic and lukewarm…pretty well worthless to the kingdom of God. We’ve only begun on “shall humble themselves” and will stay with these three words for many articles to come. Why? Because pride can prevent the lost from finding Christ; pride can destroy individual, churches, communities, and nations. ~ Kyla Rowland (09/25/09) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” When you think about it, “by my name” reaches from the beginning of time, throughout eternity. No wonder I am overwhelmed and feel inadequate for the task. But I have discovered some interesting aspects of this phrase, worthy of repeating. “By” simply denotes position: beside, near, close to, in the company of. It also means: To go through, pass through. Already this tiny preposition sounds wonderful, but that’s not all. “By” also speaks of relationship and gives a sense of touching someone or being in the presence of someone. No, not through yet. “By” means in accordance with and conformity with. It indicates a means, a condition, as if to say, “Here is the way to go?here is how you get there, and you won’t have to go alone.” If this study serves no other purpose, it will inspire us all to look deeper into the smallest words of the King James Bible. I believe every preposition, every conjunction, noun, pronoun, verb, and adjective were carefully chosen. Case in point, the seemingly insignificant “by.” This entire chapter, II Chronicles 7, is about the glory of God in the Temple. Solomon has completed the building of it and every detail was carried out according to God’s instructions. The Ark, the most valuable article in the Temple, has been transferred from the Tabernacle which David built in Jerusalem. With great and reverent ceremony, the Holist article was solemnly brought in. It had taken seven years to complete the building of this Temple, and all Jerusalem was at a fever-pitch excitement. After all, the Temple was a symbol of God’s holiness and authority, it represented solidarity for His people. The ceremony went as follows: Solomon first dedicates the Temple in II Chronicles 5. The priests bring in the Ark, place it in its Holy position in the Temple, under the wings of the cherubim’s. The Levites were the special singers, the priests were the trumpeters, there were cymbals and instruments of music?what a celebration! When they began praising the Lord the house was filled with a cloud, “even the house of the Lord.” The priests could not stand to minister “by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the Lord hath filled the house of God.” Then Solomon begins to bless the Temple, the Ark, the congregation, and the God who made it all possible. “The Lord hath said that he would dwell in the thick darkness” (II Chronicles 6:10). Solomon repeats God’s words, “I have chosen Jerusalem, that my NAME might be there” (II Chronicles 6:42). Listen to the first verse of chapter seven: “Now when Solomon had made an end of praying, the fire came down from heaven, and consumed the burnt offering and the sacrifices; and the glory of the Lord had filled the Lord’s house.” Yes, I have gotten carried away, but II Chronicles 7:14 is so relevant, so powerful, and it is so timely for this hour of our history in America, it would be a grave omission to not explain what went on before these ominous instructions. Why did God give them? Why at this particular time? Where did He give them, to whom, and what do they really mean? As the radio preachers of old used to say, “I see that our time has come and gone.” I hope you are enjoying this series, moreover, I pray this study will speak to all our hearts, change us, and spark the flame of total surrender. My ministry is to women. This is my calling. I understand a woman’s heart, her sufferings, her doubts. I also understand the tenderness of a Godly woman’s heart, and the fire of her conviction. I believe II Chronicles 7:14 is a smoldering ember that needed fanning. I pray, by the time this study is completed, the women of God will be blazing with His glory! ~ Kyla Rowland (08/21/09) II Chronicles 7:14: “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” There is a payoff, a bottom line, a victory at the end of every promise in the Bible, so let’s look at the end of this one, II Chronicles 7:14. Among the three God gives us, the last one is, “I will heal their land.” It’s important to keep in mind why this one verse is so significant, why the rewards of heeding God’s conditions proposed are so vital to our well being. I doubt there is a born again child of God in America who does not feel the need of a healing in our land. I just thought it comforting, at this point, to be reminded of the rainbow that awaits us if we will live up to the conditions of this verse. It is, after all, the answer to all our problems. “By my name”*talk about a limitless, bottomless subject! If Colossians one says that all things were created by Jesus, the image of the invisible God, the first born of every creature; that all things were created for him; that he is before all things, and by him all things consist, how do we approach “by my name”? I am in no way equal to the task, but here goes. “What’s in a name”? in a familiar phrase. Well, it identifies and distinguishes us. It gives a hint of our origin or nationality. A “name” also speaks of our reputation or some character or attribute; a reputation of a specific kind. As a verb, it says we are called upon, been “named” for a certain task, nominated or declared, or appointed. You can easily see how daunting it is to write something specific about “by my name.” First of all, Matthew 6:9 says it is a Hallowed name. Then Jesus talks about those who claim to prophesy, cast out devils, and do many wonderful things in His name in Matthew seven. Then there’s the familiar, “for where two or three
are gathered in my name, there am I in the midst of them”
(Matthew 18:20). Isaiah 7:14 says, “And his name shall be called Immanuel.” Immanuel, the Christ. Christ, the Lord’s anointed and appointed. In the Old Testament, Christ, rendering the Latin Christus is a divinely appointed ruler or high priest. He is called by many other names in the Bible which identify Him as all we will ever need: in all, over one hundred names are given to our Savior, Jesus Christ, in the Word of God. “By my name” is not an article, a commentary, or a volume of books*”By my name” is the essence of the entirety of God’s Holy Word! In Revelation when Jesus speaks of “holding fasting my name,” (2:13); “Confess his name before my Father,” (3:5); “hast not denied my name,” (3:8); isn’t it very telling that Jesus does not use the personal pronouns, but uses the word “NAME”? What’s in a name? Well, when it’s the name of Jesus:
Is that name too big, too Holy and wonderful, too all encompassing for a little nobody like me? It must not be, for I just spoke His NAME ever so feebly this morning and He rushed to my side. (07/22/09) It is time for “by my name.” I wish it was ready, but it isn’t. Our schedule has been overwhelming and this particular phrase is unlimited in scope. There is no way to cover it all, but hopefully, in the next few days it will be written and posted. As a whole, this verse is the axis on which our nation turns. He has instructed us: “This is what I require of you, and, if you meet these requirements, I will heal your land. But what about this? Considering that this message is from God and is full of conditional blessings, what are the consequences if America does not meet them? This scenario is chilling. Suppose our nation doesn’t humble itself or pray? Suppose we do not seek His face and turn from our wicked ways? What then? God will not hear us, and He will not heal our land! Think about God removing His hand of mercy; think about God resisting us as Peter and James wrote about: “God resisteth the proud, and giveth grace to the humble.” Would this mean grace would run out for, what is supposed to be, this Godly nation? The scripture reads just this way. James said in 4:8, “Draw nigh to God, and he will draw nigh to you”*another conditional promise. And who is it that fails the Lord and deeply disappoints Him? Me. You. You who know Him, love Him, and try to serve Him. If I counted the minutes I spent in prayer this week, the minutes I studied His Word, the sinners I witnessed to, and the Christian brothers or sisters I encouraged, my head would, and does, bow in shame. He did not say, “If sinners shall humble themselves,” but “my people.” We who are born of His precious blood are the subject of II Chronicles 7:14. Yes, He is plenteous in mercy and delighteth in granting mercy, but at what point will He say, You have gone too far, and disobeyed me too many times?” I am an optimist. I must believe that His people will rally and renew our hearts and meet the conditions of this powerful verse. It will begin with me. I look forward to sharing “by my name” with you. Not that I am qualified, I’m simply willing to explore it and tell you my findings. (06/17/09) Don't miss the exciting clips from this year's meetings on this website. The production, "Women Of God, Arise" at the ladies meeting Friday afternoon was successful beyond all expectation. The ladies are so excited about what we will do next year that is at least comparable. In my mind there is no way to top this year's production. But it will be no effort for God to exceed this year's performance for 2010. It will be quite an adventure to see what He has up His sleeve for our next afternoon together. For all who attended and supported this great endeavor,
not only with your presence but your prayers and your finances,
we send you heartfelt gratitude. We did meet budget this year and
once again stand amazed at God's care for our needs in these meetings.
We will be talking about 2010 throughout the next 12 months. Let's
all begin praying now for the sinners and for the wounded hearts
who need the touch that only God can give. (06/09/09) “If my people, which are called by my name, shall 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.” Every word …preposition, conjunction, adverb… all of them are very significant. “My” is the most important of them all in this passage, but the one we address today is in the top five on the list of “most significant” in II Chronicles 7:14. It is the word “called.” However, the smaller ones, “which” and “are” should not be overlooked. “Which” is used here as a relative pronoun because it identifies a group of people, a collective body. That is exactly what God’s children are…a collective body of believers and aren’t we glad we are part of “which.” I also love the word “are.” It‘s so definitive. It leaves no question, no doubt. There is no maybe or perhaps, but “are” is a little word that states a fact. In this setting of II Chronicles 7:14 all those belonging to God become the “which” and “are” makes it a surety. “Called” simply means we have been summoned and we answered, “Yes, Lord, yes.” It is not a command or requisition, but answering becomes a demand only when, after the summons, we decide that we don’t want to spend eternity in a place called “hell,” that we choose, of our own free will, to accept Jesus Christ as our Savior, accept His forgiveness which He made possible through death on the Cross and resurrection from the grave. The choice to answer is ours, the demand is that, after we decide to choose Jesus, we must come on His terms. This verse, then, applies only to those which belong to Him. In praying for Jerusalem, Isaiah said this, “And they shall call them, The holy people, The redeemed of the Lord: and thou shalt be called, Sought out, A city not forsaken” (Isaiah 62:12). This verse is a good example of why I am a proponent of the original King James version of the Holy Scriptures. You will notice that “The” is capitalized when referring to “holy people” and “redeemed of the Lord.” Here again is a definitive … The. The fact that this small word is used here as an adjective, and used in this manner it DESIGNATES one or more persons, particularizes us, making us unique and sufficiently identified. But Isaiah 62:12 goes further, “…and thou shalt be called Sought out,” also “A city not forsaken.” The “S” and the “A”, again, are capitalized. In other words, these are names we are identified by: The holy people, The, redeemed of the Lord, Sought out, and A city not forsaken. When asked what our name is, we can accurately answer, “Sought out,” or “A city not forsaken,” not to mention, “The holy people” and “The redeemed of the Lord.” If nothing else, my dear and precious friends, through these little articles you can discover a fresh appreciation for the smallest details of God’s Word. Finally, to address “called” as another specific identifying label for us who know Jesus personally ,who are His children, most look to words like “saved,” “redeem,” “blood bought.” “Called” in II Chronicles 7:14 does not refer to specific callings for work in His vineyard, but simply identifies all who have heard the call of the Holy Spirit to repent of our sins and become a part of the family of God. There are those who believe that only certain ones are predestined to become children of God, but I cannot concur. Free will was the first gift God gave to man in the Garden of Eden. I could sink into a miry pit here, for some of my most beloved friends believe that we are predestined to either accept or reject Christ, so I will not delve deeply into the matter. One reason being, I am not qualified. It suffices to say at this point that “called” here simply means an identification regardless of how we came to be called His own. I will end with Romans 10:12 and 13. This should clarify, somewhat, two things: Anyone can be called God’s child, and two, the requirement to be called such is simple:
Jesus said, “Also I say unto you, whosoever shall confess me before men, him shall the Son of man also confess before the angels of God” (Luke 12:8). These are the The “which are called.” I suppose another appropriate name for us would be the “Whosoever’s.” Truly, the Lord is “not willing that any should perish, but that all should come to repentance.” (II Peter 3:9). (5/28/09) We come to the third word in this powerful verse, the word “people.” Each article will be different in that not all of them will be a one word exploration. For instance, the one following this will examine the phrase, “which are called.” It’s just that the first three words speak volumes on their own. “If” tells us that what follows will be conditional; “my” indentifies the owner; and “people” identifies who is owned and to whom the message is addressed. It’s interesting that “people” could mean only two persons just as well as two million. In this case the number is open ended. Yes, God is talking to His people, the Jews, but as so often is the case, Old Testament promises and commandments apply to everyone who will ever belong to the God of Israel. Aren’t you glad that you fall into that category of His people,” that He owns you, and what belongs to God can expect to receive the finest of careful attention. God loves His house and He longs to see us in His house worshipping Him, but the “house” is not primary. For 480 years after God brought the Hebrew nation out of Egypt, He did not emphasize building a Temple for Him. In I Kings 8:16, God tells them “I chose not city out of all the tribes of Israel to build an house, that my name might be therein; but I chose David to be over my people Israel.” God is personal to His people. It is that intimate sweetness between Him and each of us that He is always most interested in. Throughout the entire Bible it is the people who take preeminence in God’s plans, in His heart. As Genesis opens, it’s all about Him and His creation: He created light, day, and night, evening and morning. Then, He created the Heavens and the waters, dry land, grass, herbs, and fruit. God created the seasons, the moon, and sun and stars, every living creature, then He made man. All that He created prior to making Adam was for the survival and enjoyment of His crowning achievement – mankind. As the New Testament opens, it’s all about this man He created. “The book of the generation of Jesus Christ, the son of David, the son of Abraham. This list of men from which Jesus was descended included men who were full of faults, failures, doubts, fears, and their lives were like ours; full of trouble – but they belong to Him. They were all His creation. Then we look further into Matthew and see that, even though every man and woman is His creation, they are not all “His people.” But He wants them to be, longs for them to be, and died a death of all deaths to give them an opportunity to become His own. How it must grieve His heart when one of His creation rejects His love. God wants everyone to be His people and gave us the gift of His Son to prove it and make it possible. God cannot commune with trees, oceans, animals, or the moon. He only communes with man. To the lost He communicates to them their need for Him and His love for them. To the saved, communication is endless and boundless. He relates to us on so many levels: Father/Child, Physician/Afflicted, Potter/Clay, Shepherd/Sheep, Vine/Branch, and beside all this, we are friends. He cannot be friends with a blade of grass. God wants to talk to His people, be involved in our lives, be joyful when we are joyful, cry when we cry. And He wants us to talk to Him, “Cast all your cares on me,” “Pray without ceasing,”… He wants us to communicate with Him, we are HIS PEOPLE. In Jesus’ prayer, John 17:23, hear the intimacy, the undying devotion and tenderness of God’s love. “I in them, and thou in me, that they may be made perfect in one: and that the world may know that thou hast sent me, and hast loved them, as thou hast loved me.” In the next verse, Jesus expressed His desire for us to the Father, “Father, I will that they also, whom thou hast given me, be with me where I am.” He wants us with Him. He looks on us as a gift from God. Oh, children, how could we doubt such love? “His people” – a precious term of everlasting endearment. (4/7/09) Here is the first word of II Chronicles 7:14...”If”. It’s a small word, there’s nothing imposing about it, but it introduces a condition where the question of fulfillment or non-fulfillment is left open. It is a proposal, a proposition of enormous weight. There is an uncertainty in these two unassuming letters; will we or won’t we? But at the end of the verse there is a consequence. If we fulfill the command in the middle section, God will hear our prayers, and since the “if” is conditional, it follows that it could as easily go the other way. I shutter to envision God not listening to our pleas and cries, yet that is one of the two options left to us. Think of the things in daily life we accomplish when we decide on the positive side of “if.” If I eat less, eat more nutritiously, I will weigh less and be healthier. If I exercise properly I will become stronger, have more stamina, and my heart, lungs and joints will greatly benefit. In our spiritual life choosing the right side of “if” is vital. If I forgive my enemies…if I am faithful to the church…if I tithe…if I care for the widows and orphans in their afflictions…somehow most of us do these things. So why does God seem to withhold some blessing from His children? Because we just can’t seem to heed II Chronicles 7:14. When you take it apart, piece by piece, the commands become overwhelming demands that seem to be too much for us. “If” is a “mustard seed.” God knew exactly how to begin this powerful verse, He never used a lot of superfluous words, but always came to the point quickly. Yet, His words are so rich it takes some time to digest them, and such is the case here. This is the first of many articles I want to share with you over the next several weeks. Should you ladies choose to print them, put them in a folder or notebook in chronological order, you will find, at the end of the series, a beautiful picture of Grace, Faith, and Hope. The next article will be posted on April 14th, and we will still be studying the little word “If.”
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