September 7, 2021
And David built there an altar to the Lord, and offered burnt offerings and peace offerings. So the Lord heeded the prayers for the land, and the plague was withdrawn from Israel.
~II Samuel 24:25~
Altars represent a special place of worship; a place we can come to God in repentance, with questions, concerns or our desires. When we make a special place in our home to meet God at in private, we will begin to feel that Holy Presence as soon as we go to enter into it. These are the personal Altars to God we build. David built his altar and used it to offer peace and burnt offerings. He made his petitions to the Lord and they were answered; "But you, when you pray, go into your room, and when you have shut your door, pray to your Father who is in the secret place; and your Father who sees in secret will reward you openly." (Matthew 6:6)
The Lord answered the prayers for the land and the plague was withdrawn from Israel. David's altar held strong significance to the Lord's response. When we come to the Lord in great reverence and love, He is faithful to answer our petitions. We are living in a time kind of similar that David was, aren't we?
We have been struck by pestilence and we have been disobedient to the Lord. It is time to tear down our idol worship and build an altar to God. What idol worship, you may ask. Perhaps we have things in our own home that are offensive to Jesus. Maybe we spend more time on our phones or watching tv then we do talking to God. What so ever it may be, this is a time where the Lord is pressing into us to press back into Him with our whole heart. "You shall love the Lord your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your strength." (Deuteronomy 6:5)
It is a time to truely ask for holy convictions to be sanctified.
We can most definitely pray where ever we are and Jesus is there, but there is something pure and beautiful about having that one special place that we can come to commune with the Lord in private. The place of true offerings from our heart. Is there a special area to which we go to the Lord each day to praise, worship, pray and petition on behalf of others? The Lord is calling everyone to find that place and start building, not just physically but spiritually.
Locate a good spot and make it a place of worship and consecration; this can be a bedroom, closet, sunporch or even garage. Wherever your heart is make it God's place of worship and consecrate it to Him. Anoint it with oil, light a candle, place things that represent your true love for the Lord and be ready to really get to know Jesus there. When times got tough, the kings and priests only knew to build and release their offerings to God. What are we releasing to the Lord today? Where are we releasing to Him? "Who may ascend into the hill of the Lord? Or who may stand in His holy place?"
(Psalms 24:3)
Because of Jesus we all have the opportunity to build our own place of true worship and let the enemy know we mean buisness. God is Sovereign and deserves a place to be with each of us in complete privacy so that He may reward in privacy. When we begin to really make our home into all things pure and holy for Him, we will begin to observe many prayers being answered with His peace resting upon us. "but as He who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your conduct."
(I Peter 1:15)
My personal altar to the Lord is in my bedroom closet and I have had many personal divine encounters with Father, Jesus and Holy Spirit in there. It is where I go and know Heaven is waiting. It is my time to be one on one in total peace and quiet with the Lord. It is where prayers go to be answered. Let us take time to find a special place of holy worship and build that altar to the Lord so we may make those same petitions and perhaps one day the Lord will have mercy and heal our land as well. It takes our part of the relationship to step up, just as David stepped up. We must be a people after God's heart and begin to really consecrate ourselves in these times ahead.
Prayer:
Lord God, thank you for giving me the ability to worship You, serve You and make my petitions to You on behalf of others. You are so good to me and I long to consecrate all that I have and am for You. Let all that sees me see You. Help me to find that place of private communion with You in my home. Point me to the area which may be best to build my altar. Convict me of things unholy which I must tear down. I want to feel Heaven come to earth around me. I pray blessings on this world as we are hit with pestilence, war and curses. Have mercy O God on our people. Protect the ones who love You most of all, those who risk their lives to do Your will and those who sacrifice themselves for others. I bless them. I declare a shift in the atmosphere in my place of worship, my altar to You. Let all that I am praise You each day. I know You are doing a mighty work in all of us and that You are reaching more unsaved by the moment. I trust Your will and I align myself to it. In Jesus Sovereign Name. Amen.