CAC LIVING WATERS DAILY DEVOTIONAL 30TH DECEMBER, 2021 - THE PRIORITY OF GOD'S ALTAR

LIVING WATERS DAILY DEVOTIONAL

THE PRIORITY OF GOD'S ALTAR

30^TH DECEMBER, 2021

EXTRA READING FOR TODAY: Zechariah10:3 - 14:13,Revelation 21:6 -21:26

READ: Ezra 3:1-6
[1]And when the seventh month was come, and the children of Israel were in the cities, the people gathered themselves together as one man to Jerusalem.
[2]Then stood up Jeshua the son of Jozadak, and his brethren the priests, and Zerubbabel the son of Shealtiel, and his brethren, and builded the altar of the God of Israel, to offer burnt offerings thereon, as it is written in the law of Moses the man of God.
[3]And they set the altar upon his bases; for fear was upon them because of the people of those countries: and they offered burnt offerings thereon unto the LORD, even burnt offerings morning and evening.

[4]They kept also the feast of tabernacles, as it is written, and offered the daily burnt offerings by number, according to the custom, as the duty of every day required;
[5]And afterward offered the continual burnt offering, both of the new moons, and of all the set feasts of the LORD that were consecrated, and of every one that willingly offered a freewill offering unto the LORD.
[6]From the first day of the seventh month began they to offer burnt offerings unto the LORD. But the foundation of the temple of the LORD was not yet laid.

MEMORISE: And another angel came and stood over the altar. He had a golden censer, and he was given very much incense (fragrant spices and gums which exhale perfume when burned), that he might mingle it with the prayers of all the people of God (the saints) upon the golden altar before the throne. (Revelation 8:3)

EXPOSITION

For the Jews, the altar was, and is the place of meeting or fellowship with God. Without the altar, they could not worship, because it is on altar they offer their sacrifices to God (John 8v31) so the altar is the place where God is worshipped. The altar precedes worship and without it, there can be no meeting point with God. God instructed quite a number of people make an altar for Him and several others realised the mightness of God and proceeded to make an altar to God.

Our adoption as sons and daughters of God has bestowed on us, God's grace. By this, we are not moved. God has settled us down very well, not for frivolity but for life of quality worship in His presence. If the Jews who were once in exile could quickly settle down to worship God, by building Him an altar, after the restoration, then we have no excuse for giving God quality worship. The Jews built the altar to resume their worship of Yahweh, an act they had been deprived of, during their days in exile (Psa.137v1-6)

Brethren, we must understand from the Jews experience that worship is most important duty we can perform to God (Psa.22v27). It is both an activity (Heb. 10v25)and a lifestyle. It is equally am individual and communal things. That is, you are expected to worship God as an individual and corporately. Our God desires our genuine worship above all else. In fact, we must worship God with our lives and entire being. We must worship Him in truth and Spirit (John 4v23,24).

PRAYER POINT:
1. Lord, help me to prioritize Your worship.
2. Only You will I serve with all my entirely; help me, O Lord.
3. O Lord, assist our national and Christian leaders to erect altars for Your worship instead of building shrines for idols and other monuments.

DO HAVE A BLESSED DAY

©2021 LIVING WATERS IS a daily devotional by THE CHRIST APOSTOLIC CHURCH