We need a dwelling place
Do you long to be with God? Being in God's house on Sunday is so uplifting and refreshing. It is where fellow believers come together to worship and sing praises to God. Sometimes it is even where we come to refocus our thoughts on God. You know though, we don't need a church house to dwell in to commune and worship with God. Psalms 84 addresses this by telling us we can commune with God anytime or anywhere. David in this Psalms (vs. 2) says that his soul longs for the courts of the Lord. Let me right here clarify something...we defintely need to be in God's house when we have our regular or special services. Hebrews 10:23 tells us not to forsake the assembling of ourselves together. Just as we need alone time with God we also need fellowship time in God's house
David's desire was to build a temple for the Lord to dwell in, but God chose David's son, Solomon to build it. God promised to bless and dwell with Israel if they would follow after him, by keeping his laws. So after Solomon prepared the new temple with a special place for the ark of the covenant, the ark was placed inside. The Bible says the Shekinah glory, or the visible manifestation of God to his people filled the temple and the priests could not continue with the service. (Read 1 Kings chapters 6-8 for details). Read 1 Kings 8:13.
To pursue God's presence we must pursue Him and His will, ALL THE TIME, at church, at work, at home or even shopping. This can be done through constant prayer. Read Psalms 84:5. He will give you the strength necessary to get through the troubled times. Psalms 84:6 says that when our life hits dry times, God will "make it a spring".
The Psalmist never retreated or apologized for his words, when he said in Psalms 84:10,that he would rather be a door keeper for God's house than dwell with the wicked in their tents. Can we so bold as to what effectively the Psalmist told Satan? I am not interested in serving you. The doorkeepers job was menial and lowly, but as long as it was in God's service it was good enough for it was a place of honor.
The Psalmist calls God the sun and shield (Psa. 84:11). The Sun warms the earth and causes the fields to grow, and the shield protects. So we can say God is a provider and Protector. His promise is to bless them that trust him and he would not withhold any good thing (Psa. 84:11-12).
With The birth of Jesus, the word became flesh and dwelt among us and we beheld his glory. Jesus promised to prepare us a dwelling place that would be with the Lord, FOREVER! Don't just dwell with God on Sunday. Seek him everyday through prayer and Bible study. Find time to celebrate being a Christian. Let your savior know how thankful you are for what he has given you....especially eternal life.
Are you willing to be the doorkeeper, Are you willing to be what ever God calls you to be......as long as it is a place of honor.
The Heart of The Matter
I heard a lyric to a song, that said, "The heart of the matter, is a matter of the heart". My friend your heart cannot be fixed by drugs, sex, alcohol or even relationships. The only way to get to the heart of the matter, is to give the matter of the heart to Jesus Christ. Oh! how he longs to save you this very day! I cannot promise you wealth or fame, but I can promise you that if you for Christ in all the ability he gives you and listen to His call, you will have something greater than, wealth or fame......it will be eternal life! Only you can decide if you want to know Jesus as your savior..... it is a matter of your heart, between of you and Jesus. No one!!!!!!, can shake your hand, help you fill out a card, or take money from you and say you are going to heaven. You must reach out to the one and only Jesus Christ and accept Him as your savior.
Many in the world today worship different, so called gods, including Allah, and Buddah. I ask you though, can any of these man made gods, promise you eternal life? Have any of these died on the cross, was buried, and rose again on the third day?
You say, "How do you know this is true?". Let's just look at where we are in 2010, no matter your age, whether you are 12 or 90, each one (probably) have heard someone read out of that Bible the events that are to transpire just before the end of time as we know it, (Read Matthew Chapters 24 and 25 for an account of what Jesus said). Now, think if you are 20, your mom, and her mom read these scriptures, and if you are 90, your mom and her mom read these scriptures. In just that time from alone we can go back to the at least the early 1800's. The Bible we read today is the Bible being read in 1800, so the prophecies that are coming to pass now are not man made as some claim, they are truly, God induced. The events fore told are happening now and will continue untill all are completed. The question is, Will you or are you ready to meet Jesus this day should he call, or return for His Church? Just some food for thought.
Pastor Rick
