1 And the men of Kirjathjearim came, and fetched up the ark of the LORD, and brought it into the house of Abinadab in the hill, and sanctified Eleazar his son to keep the ark of the LORD.
2 And it came to pass, while the ark abode in Kirjathjearim, that the time was long; for it was twenty years: and all the house of Israel lamented after the LORD.
THE GLORY OF THE GOD HAD DEPARTED FROM ISRAEL
NOW THE ARK OF THE COVENANT WAS BACK,
BUT NOT THE GLORY
THE PEOPLE MOURNED AND SOUGHT FOR R E V I V A L !
3. And Samuel spake unto all the house of Israel, saying, If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts, then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you, and prepare your hearts unto the LORD, and serve him only: and he will deliver you out of the hand of the Philistines.
SAMUEL PREACHED
THE REQUIREMENTS FOR REVIVAL WERE:
1) REVIVAL REQUIRES REAL RETURNING
… If ye do return unto the LORD with all your hearts…
a) IF IT IS MORE THAN WORDS
b) Conditional
c) Lots of people are saying they want revival …if it is not from the heart they will not go on through with the rest of the requirements for revival.
[IF NOT, Stop here, do not pass go, go directly to jail (Bondage), do not collect $200 (Reward)]
2) REVIVAL REQUIRES REPENTANCE
… then put away the strange gods and Ashtaroth from among you …
a) Baal – Foreign gods
i) Nature gods, being agricultural people, these were the gods of their occupation.
ii) Gods of harvests and prosperity for their crops
b) Ashtoreths
i) Female version of Baal
ii) Goddess of fertility and sensual pleasure
c) Jobs and sensual pleasure had taken priority.
Sound familiar?
[IF NOT, Buy lots of hotels, increase the rent you charge to the maximum, get all you can from those around you. The winner is the one that winds up with the most, NO, NOT REALLY.]
3) REVIVAL REQUIRES COMMITMENT
… prepare your hearts unto the LORD …commit yourselves to the LORD (NIV)
a) The Lord is represented by His Church on this earth
… 'I tell you the truth, whatever you did for one of the least of these brothers of mine, you did for me.' Matthew 25:40 (NIV)
b) We live in a non-committal society
i) Unable to commit to marriage
ii) Unable to commit to the local church
iii) Unable to commit to a job.
iv) People “do” these things but not committed.
“If it doesn’t work out, we’ll move on to greener pastures!”
c) Those who cannot commit to a local body (the lord is represented by His church on earth) will not participate in revival.
(this sounds hard but if you cannot commit to His Church which you can see, how do you think you will commit to a Lord you cannot see?)
[IF NOT, throw all your game cards and pieces across the board and stomp out of the room when thiaps61.htmlPhilistines went up against Israel. And when the children of Israel heard it, they were afraid of the Philistines.
IF WE WANT REVIVAL IN OUR CHURCHES
WE HAVE TO PREACH THE MESSAGE OF
REAL DESIRE,
REPENTANCE,
COMMITMENT,
SERVICE,
AND THE LORD’S DELIVERANCE
UNTIL THE PEOPLE DO IT,
AND THEN PRAY FOR THEM UNTIL THE LORD “THUNDERS!”
