Jeremiah 7, Acts 19
“Thus saith the LORD of hosts, the God of Israel, Amend your ways and your doings, and I will cause you to dwell in this place. Trust ye not in lying words, saying, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, The temple of the LORD, are these. For if ye throughly amend your ways and your doings; if ye throughly execute judgment between a man and his neighbour; if ye oppress not the stranger, the fatherless, and the widow, and shed not innocent blood in this place, neither walk after other gods to your hurt: then will I cause you to dwell in this place, in the land that I gave to your fathers, for ever and ever. Behold, ye trust in lying words, that cannot profit. Will ye steal, murder, and commit adultery, and swear falsely, and burn incense unto Baal, and walk after other gods whom ye know not; and come and stand before me in this house, which is called by my name, and say, We are delivered to do all these abominations? Is this house, which is called by my name, become a den of robbers in your eyes? Behold, even I have seen it, saith the LORD.”
Jeremiah 7:3-11 KJV
“And God wrought special miracles by the hands of Paul: so that from his body were brought unto the sick handkerchiefs or aprons, and the diseases departed from them, and the evil spirits went out of them.”
Acts 19:11-12 KJV
As the year comes to an end, it is necessary for believers to reassess, reexamine and refine their altar. Many problems we face today in our personal lives and even in the body of Christ, traces back to our altars. We need to ask ourselves major questions, not solely on how we raise altars but how effective they need to be . Beloved join me in this study as we rekindle, refine and restore an effective altar in our lives. Let’s get into the word…
While I travailed in the place of prayer, a series of convictions and thoughts came to mind which provoked a degree of anger in my spirit. These thoughts began by observing a number of activities that happen in our churches today. In the body of Christ many begin well but do not end well or end in compromise . Our platforms have been reduced to nothingness due to our inability to discern and the lack of oversight on how the altar of the Lord must be set ablaze. This is due to many factors, one of such being carnality. Apostle Paul in Galatians 3:3, rebuked the church for this.
“Are ye so foolish? having begun in the Spirit, are ye now made perfect by the flesh?”
Galatians 3:3 KJV
Many of the dealings of God to make us fervent and effective regards bringing the flesh under subjection. But many fail or struggle to overcome the battle of the flesh, for this reason our altars are weak, cold and powerless . The effectiveness of an altar is to the degree that the flesh has been subdued. The issue of carnality has crept into the body leading many into deception. As seen in our scripture of study, the people of Judah, merely trusted in the temple of the Lord but missed out on the power thereof . This is due to the influence of infirmity which still dwelled in that place. Divine altars thrive on the element of sacrifice, but a sacrifice is most pleasing when emptied of iniquity.
What secures the mighty presence of God in a vessel or in the body of Christ, is holiness. The battle of infirmity and carnality creeping into the body, has created a deception which now undermines and deters the message of holiness and conscecration. Hence we love to call by name the temple of the Lord but only to find a den of thieves. A place where dishonesty, corruption, dishonor, and many abominations yet we claim liberty? If we truly desire to see the hand of God, we must amend our ways.
The ministry of Paul was so fervent and effective that even his handkerchief or apron brought healing and deliverance. You see the danger of the house of the Lord being made a den of thieves is that, darkness thrives and captivity becomes the order of the day. Beloved as we venture into a new year, seek to restore your altar. Get back to the place of consecration, get back to your personal altar. Seek the face of the Lord to rebuild, restore and preserve an effective altar in your life. For if the foundations be destroyed, What can the righteous do?”Psalm 11:3 KJV
Good morning Beloved.