Family - People of His Presence

Intro;

Whether it was Adam and Eve in the Garden of Eden, Noah and the Ark, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob, David, and so many others....God always intended for the FAMILY to be the resting place of His Presence. This is one of the reasons, I BELIEVE, God chose for a specific FAMILY to care for the spiritual care of the nation of Israel. It just so happened that the care of the ark of the covenant, which housed the literal presence of God in the Old Testament, was under the care and supervision of the Levites. It has always been God’s design and intent for His Presence to invade the earth through the vessel of the FAMILY.

We speak often of a desire for REVIVAL in our church and in our nation and this is certainly needed, the real place where REVIVAL MUST start, is in the FAMILY. I believe fully that as it is in the FAMILY, so it is in the church. This is why scripture teaches us in 1 Tim 3:4

1 Timothy 3:4 NLT

4 He must manage his own family well, having children who respect and obey him.

Does this mean his children must be entirely perfect? Dear Lord, I hope not or I, as well as any other Pastor with children, are disqualified. This does not mean the Pastor’s family MUST be perfect but rather it simply means that he is one that is willing to identify his flaws and allow the Holy Spirit and those to whom he is submitted, to work them out! It means that he is in a healthy place with his family. How can we expect someone to lead us into a place they have not been?

Don’t believe me that an unhealthy family in leadership can have such an incredible impact on the spiritual standing of a nation? Look at Eli and his sons Hophni and Phineas - Eli had completely lost control of his household and as a result there was chaos in the nation and everyone did what was right in their own eyes! And as a result, the Word of God was scarce, no one was encountering His Presence, and there was great evil overtaking the land!

1. Personal Responsibility

20 years has passed from the time the ark has entered the home of Abinadab to the time David is looking to restore it to its rightful place

Familiarity with God’s presence without a healthy fear of God breeds complacency and complacency often manifests itself as irreverence

Each generation wants to blame the other for the problems of the day

WE ALL OWN A PORTION OF THE PROBLEM!

We serve a multi-generational God ------ He is the God of Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob!

Acts 2:17–18 ESV

17 “ ‘And in the last days it shall be, God declares, that I will pour out my Spirit on all flesh, and your sons and your daughters shall prophesy, and your young men shall see visions, and your old men shall dream dreams; 18 even on my male servants and female servants in those days I will pour out my Spirit, and they shall prophesy.

While we are at it - He is also a multi-ethnic God! Red and yellow, black and white they are precious in His sight!

Parents;

We have the tendency to soften up as the years go on - sometimes that is good, sometimes that is not

The first kid could have a biography written of their life based on the amount of pictures taken and milestones documented, the baby gets whatever they want without expectation, and the middle kids are all forgotten about!

There is an unspoken tension when it comes to raising kids - Parents must have failed because one of their kids didn’t turn out like the others

This is a lie from the PITS of HELL

While Abinadab may not have been perfect, it was evident his heart was in the right place and his desire for his children was pure

Dad/Mom, it is NOT all up to you, those kids reach an age in which they must begin making their own choices and you simply cannot FORCE them to do what is right

Kids/Young Adults - You CANNOT live off of Mom/Dad/Grandma/Grandpa/Aunt/Uncles relationship with God, you MUST have one for yourself!

2. Praise

Notice that Uzzah and Ahio were right in the middle of the praise break!

Teach your children to praise the LORD! Teach them to raise their hands, to lift their voice, to shed some tears, to run the aisles, to shout and dance!

Don’t scream and holler at the TV for 4 hours on Saturday and be stone cold silent on Sunday!

He is WORTHY of our praise! He is worthy of the HONOR!

Being in His Presence ought to put a little something on the inside of you that makes you look a little foolish!

2 Sam 6:16, 20-22

2 Samuel 6:16 NLT

16 But as the Ark of the Lord entered the City of David, Michal, the daughter of Saul, looked down from her window. When she saw King David leaping and dancing before the Lord, she was filled with contempt for him.

2 Samuel 6:20–22 NLT

20 When David returned home to bless his own family, Michal, the daughter of Saul, came out to meet him. She said in disgust, “How distinguished the king of Israel looked today, shamelessly exposing himself to the servant girls like any vulgar person might do!” 21 David retorted to Michal, “I was dancing before the Lord, who chose me above your father and all his family! He appointed me as the leader of Israel, the people of the Lord, so I celebrate before the Lord. 22 Yes, and I am willing to look even more foolish than this, even to be humiliated in my own eyes! But those servant girls you mentioned will indeed think I am distinguished!”

Michal did not understand the PRICE that was paid for the PRESENCE of God to return to its rightful place

When a person understands the PRICE that was paid for His PRESENCE, PRAISE will naturally follow

3. Protocol

There was a certain protocol that had to be followed in the transportation of the Ark

4 priests were to carry the Ark

2 long wooden poles were used and they were ran through four rings, one on each corner of the Ark and no one was to touch the Ark as it was holy and sacred and they were common and sinful

Obedience

Proverbs 14:12 ESV

12 There is a way that seems right to a man, but its end is the way to death.

Faithfulness

Hebrews 13:8 ESV

8 Jesus Christ is the same yesterday and today and forever.

Reverence