Before the altar of the LORD
2 Chronicles 29:19 "Moreover, all the utensils which King Ahaz had discarded during his reign in his unfaithfulness, we have prepared and consecrated; and behold, they are before the altar of the LORD."
Life is not just about you, your desires, your passion, your future, your success, your happiness, your peace and so on, it is much more than that. Are you listening? Don’t be bird-minded, be God-minded! Now when you are in that mental attitude, then when you don’t measure up to the world’s expectations of money, fame and pomp then you feel like a failure. James 4:4”Do you not know that friendship with the world is enmity with God? Therefore whoever wishes to be a friend of the world makes himself an enemy of God.”
Hezekiah was worshiping God when his father was burning incense to idols and also sacrificing his own son on the pagan altar as a burnt offering. Hezekiah was worshiping and seeking God in the midst of the chaos that was happening around him, he was dreaming of the Lord’s Temple when his father was closing the doors of Holy Temple. This is called true worship! Hezekiah is introduced as a young man of 25, still we don’t read about any love affair, but we have bunches and bunches of scriptures which talks about his love affair with God. Go and read chapter 29 of 2 Chronicles. We don’t read of him going for dating but this young man opened the doors of the Temple that his father Ahaz closed. Amazing! This is real revival that happens deep down inside of you that aches to serve God and His Sanctuary. Such people don’t commit suicide because their visa was rejected or their marriage has been delayed.
The team that worked along with Hezekiah did an amazing job of cleaning the sanctuary of God and eventually they did something that touched my heart, the above scripture says, ‘ all that Ahaz the demon took away from the Temple of God, the anointed team of Levites and priests under the supervision of Hezekiah brought it before the altar of the Lord.’ Say Amen. You need to be a catalyst to bring about reformation and transformation in the lives of many around you and bring to the altar what the enemy stole away! Hallelujah!
Only face-down-surrender to God will bring about such changes! After my salvation and encounter with God, when I joined back duty after couple of months of maternity leave, I was like burning fire for God. The young lady sitting next to my cubicle was going through severe crisis in her life, I started ministering to her. One day she told me, ‘Bala, I was running behind witchcraft to save my family but now after meeting you, I gave up all my wicked ways and I have turned 100 percent to God.” Bring back your friends, your relatives, your neighbor back to the altar of the Lord!
ALTAR OF THE LORD
We read of an awesome visitation of the Glory of God that the Israelites experienced which we read in the book of LEVITICUS 9.: 23 Next Moses and Aaron went into the Tabernacle, and when they came back out, they blessed the people again, and the glorious presence of the LORD appeared to the whole community. 24 Fire blazed forth from the LORD’s presence and consumed the burnt offering and the fat on the altar. When the people saw all this, they shouted with joy and fell face down on the ground.” “The people fell face down on the ground”, we would do the same when we have a real encounter with God. How did this happen? Now watch the scripture closely, because Aaron and Moses went into the Tabernacle and came out to bless the people filled with God’s Presence and thereby the congregation received the anointing. The secret lies in entering the Tabernacle of God and coming out! When we read the eighth and ninth chapter, we find Aaron and his sons remaining in the presence of God and consecrating themselves for the work of God. God shows up because they were seeking! Heavenly visitations await those who will seek Him!
When Rev. Billy Graham gives an altar call, the place is flooded with people running up to the altar. You don’t have to coax the people or plead them, they would come. That’s because of God’s Hand on Rev. Billy Graham!
We see a steady growth in the life of Rev. Billy Graham because of his steady, sturdy, and firm focus on God, he allowed no distractions or corruptions to mar his life and stump his spiritual growth.
In 1934, at age 16, Rev Billy Graham made a personal commitment to Christ .
Shared his testimony for the first time in 1936 at age 18
Joined Bible College at age 18.
First sermon preached while still in Bible college at age 18.
Did street preaching while in college, average 8 messages
on a single Sunday .
Appointed as Associate Pastor at age 20.
Preached in a big crusade in 1944 for 21 weeks at age 26.
First week 2800 soldiers attended.
Last week 20,000 people attended.
Crusades in other nations in 1947 with a team at age 29.
In 1949, an extended 8-week crusade in Los Angeles gained international recognition for Graham at age 30.
The Billy Graham Evangelistic Association has reached nearly 215 million people in more than 185 countries
Rev. Billy Graham is listed among the ‘Ten Most Admired Men in the World."
Has met all the Presidents of America
He is known as the ‘Pastor to Presidents’.
Mr. Graham had carved a niche for himself in this world because of his faithful walk with God. At a very young age, God was able to use him in a mighty way because of his sincerity, hard work and aggressive determination.
When an anointed man or woman leads the worship, you don’t have to beseech the congregation to raise their hands for God or plead to come to the altar, the anointing would draw them to the altar. The anointing released from the leader would make your feet tap and swing around for God. Every dignity and self control would be stripped at that divine moment. The entire place would be turned to heaven with people rejoicing in the Lord. How? It is not the music, it is not the instrument, it is not anyone’s husky, baritone voice, it is the anointing that oozes out from the chosen leader of God. I feel anointed as I write this! The more time the leader spends at the feet of the Lord, the more blessed is the congregation. That’s the secret! When you soak, drench and saturate yourself in His presence, God would suddenly, supernaturally touch and change your voice, would pour down the gifts of the Holy Spirit on you that when you open your mouth, people would be astonished at the wisdom that flows like a river from you. People would marvel, when they look at you and know that “this thing is from the Lord!” Glory to Jesus!
Today my prayer is, “Lord, rain on us!” We need the rain of the Holy Ghost in our lives like never before.
