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The Daily Fountain Devotional of the Church Of Nigeria (Anglican Communion) 27 September 2024 | Return God’s Property
TOPIC: Return God’s Property
READ: 1 Samuel 5: 1-12 (NKJV)
Then the Philistines took the ark of God and brought it from Ebenezer to Ashdod.
When the Philistines took the ark of God, they brought it into the temple of Dagon and set it by Dagon.
And when the people of Ashdod arose early in the morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the earth before the ark of the LORD. So they took Dagon and set it in its place again.
And when they arose early the next morning, there was Dagon, fallen on its face to the ground before the ark of the LORD. The head of Dagon and both the palms of its hands [were] broken off on the threshold; only Dagon’s torso was left of it.
Therefore neither the priests of Dagon nor any who come into Dagon’s house tread on the threshold of Dagon in Ashdod to this day.
But the hand of the LORD was heavy on the people of Ashdod, and He ravaged them and struck them with tumors, [both] Ashdod and its territory.
And when the men of Ashdod saw how [it was,] they said, “The ark of the God of Israel must not remain with us, for His hand is harsh toward us and Dagon our god.”
Therefore they sent and gathered to themselves all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “What shall we do with the ark of the God of Israel?” And they answered, “Let the ark of the God of Israel be carried away to Gath.” So they carried the ark of the God of Israel away.
So it was, after they had carried it away, that the hand of the LORD was against the city with a very great destruction; and He struck the men of the city, both small and great, and tumors broke out on them.
Therefore they sent the ark of God to Ekron. So it was, as the ark of God came to Ekron, that the Ekronites cried out, saying, “They have brought the ark of the God of Israel to us, to kill us and our people!”
So they sent and gathered together all the lords of the Philistines, and said, “Send away the ark of the God of Israel, and let it go back to its own place, so that it does not kill us and our people.” For there was a deadly destruction throughout all the city; the hand of God was very heavy there.
And the men who did not die were stricken with the tumors, and the cry of the city went up to heaven.
THE MESSAGE:
The Philistines took the captured ark to the house of their god, Dagon, at Ashdod, and set it beside Dagon. The hand of the Lord came against the people of Ashdod, destroying them and afflicting them with emerods(boils or tumors), after having caused Dagon to fall down twice before the ark. The ark was then moved to Gath and God visited that city with great destruction, killing the men and infecting them with emerods.
Consequently, the ark was moved to Ekron and the city suffered huge casualties and the people cried out for the removal of the ark. After a meeting of the Philistine leaders at Ekron, it was agreed that the ark would be sent back to Israel. Holy things should not be kept in unholy places. God’s property should not be kept side by side with idols. Is there anything belonging to God that is with you? If you are holding church property, donations, vows, first-fruits, tithes and offerings, you are inviting trouble to your life! Please return such to the Church before God’s punishment comes on you. Do not play with fire, for God is a consuming fire (Heb.12: 29).
PRAYER: My Father; cause me to return to the church all that belongs to you in Jesus’ Name, Amen.
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Prayer of Salvation:
Lord Jesus, I come before You today, acknowledging my need for Your grace. I accept You as my Lord and Personal Savior, believing in my heart that You died for my sins and rose again to give me eternal life. Thank You, Lord, for saving me. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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