The Best of ALC Devotions: Day 1
The Glory Returns: Part 2 || Day 1
II Samuel 6:1-15 NKJV
"Again David gathered all the choice men of Israel, thirty thousand. And David arose and went with all the people who were with him from Baale Judah to bring up from there the ark of God, whose name is called by the Name, the Lord of Hosts, who dwells between the cherubim. So they set the ark of God on a new cart, and brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill; and Uzzah and Ahio, the sons of Abinadab, drove the new cart. And they brought it out of the house of Abinadab, which was on the hill, accompanying the ark of God; and Ahio went before the ark. Then David and all the house of Israel played music before the Lord on all kinds of instruments of fir wood, on harps, on stringed instruments, on tambourines, on sistrums, and on cymbals. And when they came to Nachon’s threshing floor, Uzzah put out his hand to the ark of God and took hold of it, for the oxen stumbled. Then the anger of the Lord was aroused against Uzzah, and God struck him there for his error; and he died there by the ark of God. And David became angry because of the Lord’s outbreak against Uzzah; and he called the name of the place Perez Uzzah to this day. David was afraid of the Lord that day; and he said, “How can the ark of the Lord come to me?” So David would not move the ark of the Lord with him into the City of David; but David took it aside into the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite. The ark of the Lord remained in the house of Obed-Edom the Gittite three months. And the Lord blessed Obed-Edom and all his household. Now it was told King David, saying, “The Lord has blessed the house of Obed-Edom and all that belongs to him, because of the ark of God.” So David went and brought up the ark of God from the house of Obed-Edom to the City of David with gladness. And so it was, when those bearing the ark of the Lord had gone six paces, that he sacrificed oxen and fatted sheep. Then David danced before the Lord with all his might; and David was wearing a linen ephod. So David and all the house of Israel brought up the ark of the Lord with shouting and with the sound of the trumpet."
In order to see the glory return, the Church must sever its ties with the house of Saul.
This spirit says, “I once had it, but now I don’t. However, you have to do it my way or else you don’t have it either.” This is the spirit that says, “I want the glory back, but I want the glory for getting the glory back”. This is the spirit that says, “I don’t have enough faith to keep my church open, but I want you to close yours so you don’t make me look bad.”
This is the spirit that does just enough to be legal in the presence of God, but not enough to attract the presence of God. This is the spirit that says in order for you to be recognized as a legit leader in the kingdom you have to kiss the right hands, run in the right circles, and carry the right Bibles. And if you don’t, we will not invite you to the right conferences or the right churches. Therefore, we can continue to occupy all the places so that we can preach about revival, sing about revival, and teach about revival, all the while not having revival.
What you must understand is that David‘s first attempt to bring the ark, to bring the glory back to Jerusalem, has the house & family of Saul all mixed in it. He did not only have the HOUSE of Saul mixed in it, but it had Saul’s WAYS mixed in it. Saul didn’t mind getting a word from God. He didn’t mind having instructions from God. He didn’t even mind taking orders from the man of God. As long as he could do it his way!
Right now this is what has much of the American church declining. Leaders in the kingdom know the Word, they know what God wants for this generation, and many will even receive a word from a man or woman of God. But then they take that word and do it their way. Therefore, we have many places of worship that have the word of God, but have rejected the ways of God.
Church, we must sever our ties with the house of Saul. We must value God’s glory AND His ways above everything else. As we put the Lord and His ways first, God will pour out His Spirit of revival on this land once again.