✍️ In the Old Testament days, the Ark of the Covenant was understood to be the presence of God among His people. When the Ark was present, the people knew God was with them. A day came, however, when the Philistines captured the Ark and carried it away. The Ark was with the Philistines, but they had no place in their hearts for the true God. Great tribulation came upon them because they had taken the Ark of the Covenant from God's people, so they eventually sent it back to the Israelites. My prayer for you🫵 today is to have a space in your heart for God Almighty in Jesus Name 🙏.

When the Ark was returned, it ended up being kept in the home of a man named Obed-Edom. This happened because the first attempt to move the Ark to Jerusalem ended in death for one of the Israelites. You see, God had given exact instructions on how the Ark was to be handled, yet when the Ark came back to God's people, they had attempted to move it in an inappropriate way. A man named Uzzah touched the Ark and he died. Now you can be sure of this, death will get everyone's attention and it did so when Uzzah dropped dead after touching the Ark. David decided it might be best to wait a while and move the Ark in a proper manner to a preferred place. So, the Ark was taken to the home of a man named Obed-Edom. I prophesy, you🫵 will always give God His proper place in your life, and your home in Jesus Name 🙏.

Now, what happened to Obed-Edom as a result of welcoming God into his house - on to his home? It is truly amazing to see the results as we follow the story. If you look at this story in 1 Chronicles 15, you discover that David decided to get the Ark from Obed-Edom's home and to bring it to Jerusalem. David had learned an important lesson from the death of Uzzah who touched the Ark and died, so this time when he moved the Ark, he allowed the Levites to carry the Ark as God had originally designed.

David searched for some singers to help lead in singing as the Ark of the Covenant was to be moved. One name pops up in the scripture that will get your attention - it is the name Obed-Edom! Look at 1 Chronicles 16:4-36. There you see that Obed-Edom is mentioned as one of those who participated in the Psalms that David had written for the moving of the Ark to Jerusalem. When you and I invite the Lord into our heart and home, He puts a song in our hearts. He leads us to have joy unspeakable and full of glory. He takes away our mourning and grants us joy. May you🫵 be listed among the heavenly worshippers of God in Jesus Name 🙏.

It is easy to see in the verse we are considering that Obed-Edom was a servant of the Lord. He had become a gate keeper, we are told, in the house of the Lord. Obed-Edom only learned how to really serve God when he made God the Lord of his life. He only had the doors of full opportunity to serve opened to him when he fully opened the doors of his house to the Lord. Listen carefully! Christianity is not just a public thing, but must be paramount in our minds, hearts ❤️, and the daily life we live at home. When we trust the Lord and always serve Him, not just when people are looking, He opens the door for us to serve Him - and what joy that brings. May your service to God bring amazing joy into your life in Jesus Name 🙏.

Looking at 1 Chronicles 16:37-38, the Bible says, "So he left Asaph and his brothers there before the ark of covenant of the LORD to minister before the ark regularly, as every day's work required; and Obed-Edom with his sixty-eight brethren, including Obed-Edom the son of Jeduthun, and Hosah, to be gatekeepers..."

How about that! Obed-Edom's commitment had led 68 of his relatives to become followers and servants of God. Surely, not all of them had been true followers of God before Obed-Edom had opened his house to the Lord. When you and I live for God as we should, it doesn't just affect us - it touches those around us - especially our families. What better testimony can a person leave than one revealing an influence upon his entire family. One husband, father or man can leave a legacy of serving God and leading others to Him that will have eternal consequences! Receive grace of becoming a soul winner for God today in Jesus Name 🙏.

Obed-Edom was just a simple farmer, living out in the country in Israel. He had an opportunity to receive the Lord and he did so. He left behind a testimony that we are still reading about today. Listen to this testimony and just think of how we can do the same.

He left behind a testimony of how wonderful it is to have God in your heart and home. He left behind a testimony of how important it is to really love God. He left behind a testimony how joyful it is to serve God. He left behind a testimony that faithfulness to God can touch your immediate and extended family for eternity.

It all begins with a commitment to let Jesus into your heart and then into your house - the place where you live every day. Receive the grace of letting God into your home and may He give you🫵 outstanding results today in Jesus Mighty Name 🙏. HAPPY SUNDAY.