Amos 9:14 [ESV] ‘I will restore the fortunes of my people Israel, and they shall rebuild the ruined cities and inhabit them; they shall plant vineyards and drink their wine, and they shall make gardens and eat their fruit.”
DAILY READING; Titus 3; Jeremiah 17-18; Psalm 127
Recently, in the News was the story of the collapse of Champlain Towers in Miami Florida.
This 12-story beachfront condominium partially collapsed in
the early hours of June 24, 2021, while many of the residents were still sleeping, trapping and killing most of them.
Investigations into the disaster has shown that there were many warnings before this Florida building collapsed
The building had been in desperate need of repairs, after saltwater infiltrated the foundation during high tides in the 1990s.
But the biggest red flag came in 2018 when an engineer noted a “major error” in the building’s design and structural issues in need of repair. The engineer’s report helped shape plans for a repair project that would cost millions of dollars.
However, the cost of the repairs was deemed to be too high by the building managers and this led to delays and wasting of precious time.
It took more than two years before the building managers finally got plans underway to pursue the repairs.
Unfortunately before the repair project could start, the building suffered the catastrophic collapse, crushing sleeping residents in a massive heap of debris.
Indeed delay can be dangerous!.
As believers, we can learn a spiritual lesson from this incident.
Anytime we receive a warning about putting our lives in order we need to act promptly.
The choice to fix foundation problems always costs, but so does ignoring them.
No matter the spiritual cost, we should not postpone or procrastinate, before taking the time to come before God and get our lives right with Him.
Many times before a calamity, the Holy Spirit gives us warnings.
We will see the cracks in our character, the going down of the fire on our prayer altar. We may notice that things are no longer working as they used to work.
At such times, we should pause immediately and locate where we may be missing it and come in repentance before God.
Realize that we are in a spiritual battle with an enemy who is intent on killing stealing and destroying, we can’t afford to give him any room in our lives.
Anywhere you notice a break in the hedge around you, repair it immediately so that the serpent doesn’t bite.
Don’t be so busy that you don’t have the time to seek God and put your spiritual life in order. Stay in prayers, study the Word and seek the Lord, until the fire is reignited on your prayer altar.
1 Corinthians 6:19 says that we are the temple of God and one of the important features of God’s temple is the Altar. The Altar must be in order for the fire of God to be upon our lives.
In 1 Kings 18:29-34, when Israel turned their back on God, Elijah went to the top of Mt. Carmel and repaired the broken Altar. After the Altar was put in order, God answered Elijah’s prayer by fire and the prophets of Baal were defeated.
There are things that may not be defeated until you attract the fire of God into your life.
Not repairing the broken Altar and harboring unconfessed sins can obstruct the blessings of God in our lives.
Proverbs 28:13 says He who covers his sins will not prosper, but whoever confesses and forsakes them will have mercy.
To see restoration we must prepare to do whatever it takes to get our lives on track with Almighty God.
Each of us know what need to be repaired in our lives, let us therefore do the needful before it is too late. Let us make good use of every opportunity to draw close to God while we still can.
Isaiah 55:6 says, “Seek the Lord while He may be found; call upon Him while He is near. “
Delaying to draw close to God gives the enemy room to attack. But maintaining an intimate relationship with God prevents damages and calamities. As we diligently obey God, we will enjoy divine establishment and abundant blessings as God restores our fortunes, repairs every ruin in our habitations and causes us to eat and drink of the fruits of our labors [Amos 9:14].
PRAYER: Lord, I thank You for granting me the strength and grace to get rid of every possible barrier in my relationship with You. Thank You Lord for fresh fire on my prayer altar and renewed zeal to pursue Your will so as to see Your abundant blessings in my life in Jesus Name.
QUOTE;
Letting down your guards exposes you to the attack of the enemy. WORDBITE 222.