Just two weeks ago I had the privilege of being able to be at my mothers house for an entire week. My job had assigned me to work near her home and what a glorious time it was. I opted to take my two girls along with me and they too had a splendid time afterall what kid doesn’t wish to spend time and grannys. I was awestruck by the awesomeness of that experience as I recollect it vividly. Here as I sit in my own home I can’t help but think about all of the cares that come with home ownership. For example at some point this week I must manicure my lawn inclusive of hedge trimming, weed eating and pruning my roses. Additionally, sometime tomorrow I need to wash the clothing, change a few lightbulbs, replace the air filters, and repaint my oldest daughters bathroom. Moreover, looking around I am led to consider the upgrades long overlooked that will soon require my attention and for crying out loud my girls have been begging me for a pool for years now. My home comes complete with utility bills, insurance, the restocking of our pantry and the dreadful mortgage that must be paid every month. Interestingly, however, the week I spent at moms was so enjoyable because it came with none of the aforementioned responsibilities and/or concerns. There I was able to leave my girls while I departed for work each day with no concern at all as to whether they would be fed, nurtured and protected. They and I as well as, my siblings went in and out of mothers pantry with no concern of restocking it. We burned her lights, ran water from her faucets and even washed our clothing without a care in the world because in essence we were all her babies and she our caregiver. That said, isn’t it a blessing that in a few weeks my anticipation is that churches will again reopen for the purpose of worship. All of us anticipate the day when we can return to Our Fathers House where much like at my moms we will be fed, protected, nurtured and loved by the one who gave us life. What’s more is that we can do so without a care in the world for in His house is fulness of joy and He pays all of the bills. As we ponder that day I urge all to consider what the church actually is. It is more than just bricks and mortar with pretty carpet. The church is more than a place where we meet for fellowship and so much more than just somewhere we go out of tradition. The church is the holiest place on the face of the earth and the place in which we actualize the presence, power and persona of the Triune God. Its where He feeds our souls with the Bread of Heaven and the place where our faith is strengthened, our souls are satisfied and our cares are laid upon His shoulders. Let us all begin to prepare ourselves to again return to the church but to do so with a greater degree of understanding that of the things that the church is of most importance is that like mommas house, it is a place that love flows, faith grows and the light of Gods glory glows brighter and brighter!
Key Verse: Exodus 26:33, NLT “Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.”
Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some [is]; but exhorting [one another]: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching.
But ye [are] a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light:
Let the word of Christ dwell in you richly in all wisdom; teaching and admonishing one another in psalms and hymns and spiritual songs, singing with grace in your hearts to the Lord.
Preaching
HEBRW DEFINITIONS:
Phonetic Spelling: (ham·miš·kāndwelling place) Transliteration: Hamiskan MEANINGS: dwelling place
WEDNESDAYS WORD * Though facebook and telephone conference calls are appropriate for the output of the Word of God they are in no way intended to be the best method of ministry. Their purpose is to reach those who like us, of late have no way to get into the House of Prayer but the Worship experience has never, is not now nor will it ever be best achieved apart from the place where God has placed His Name! “For I have not dwelt in a house since the time that I brought the children of Israel up from Egypt, even to this day, but have moved about in a tent and in a tabernacle “2 Sm 7:6, NKJV).”
Chapter 24
Moses, Aaron, Nadab and Abihu along with 70 others go near the mountain
Moses alone goes atop the mountain to speak with God
Moses offers an offering and sprinkles the blood that remained on the people
He read the covenant of chps 21-23 to the people and they agreed to obey
Moses and his assistant Joshua then go up again and leave Aaron and Hur to supervise
Joshua was told to stay back but Moses went on further and talked with God
Chapter 25:1-40, NLT
Ten Reasons we ought to be ready to Return to Church
1 The LORD said to Moses, 2 “Tell the people of Israel to bring me their sacred offerings. Accept the contributions from all whose hearts are moved to offer them.
Point 1: The church is the place that Gods Position becomes prevalent because only one with Authority can position stuff Specifically for His use
3 Here is a list of sacred offerings you may accept from them: gold, silver, and bronze;
4 blue, purple, and scarlet thread; fine linen and goat hair for cloth;
5 tanned ram skins and fine goatskin leather; acacia wood;
6 olive oil for the lamps; spices for the anointing oil and the fragrant incense;
7 onyx stones, and other gemstones to be set in the ephod and the priest’s chestpiece.
8 “Have the people of Israel build me a holy sanctuary so I can live among them.
9You must build this Tabernacle (ham·miš·kāndwelling place) and its furnishings exactly according to the pattern I will show you.
Though churches today don’t have threads, cloth of goat hair, goatskin leather and certain stones He has commanded that the place itself be for Him alone and its contents then become holy (every table, the carpet, the instruments, the pulpit etc…)
10 “Have the people make an Ark of acacia wood—a sacred chest 45 inches long, 27 inches wide, and 27 inches high.
Point 2: The church is the only place on earth specifically set aside for Gods Presence
11 Overlay it inside and outside with pure gold, and run a molding of gold all around it.
12 Cast four gold rings and attach them to its four feet, two rings on each side.
13 Make poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
14 Insert the poles into the rings at the sides of the Ark to carry it.
15 These carrying poles must stay inside the rings; never remove them.
Point 3: The church is the place we sense Gods Power (gold is symbolic of power)
16 When the Ark is finished, place inside it the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you.
17 “Then make the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—from pure gold (this covering over the Ark is what is called The Mercy Seat). It must be 45 inches long and 27 inches wide.
Point 4: The church stamps our souls with the Supremacy of Gods Mercy
18Then make two cherubim (Angels) from hammered gold, and place them on the two ends of the atonement cover.
19 Mold the cherubim on each end of the atonement cover, making it all of one piece of gold.
20 The cherubim will face each other and look down on the atonement cover. With their wings spread above it, they will protect it.
Point 5: The church communicated Gods Protection to His people
21Place inside the Ark the stone tablets inscribed with the terms of the covenant, which I will give to you. Then put the atonement cover on top of the Ark.
22 I will meet with you there and talk to you from above the atonement cover between the gold cherubim that hover over the Ark of the Covenant. From there I will give you my commands for the people of Israel.
Point 6: The church is the place in which we hear God speak through Preaching
This is different than you listening to a sermon at home because not only in the church do you get an individual message but moreso you get a collective message aimed at informing the entire body of believer how it must respond to meet the needs of the community as a whole (Heb 10:25)
23“Then make a table of acacia wood, 36 inches long, 18 inches wide, and 27 inches high.
24Overlay it with pure gold and run a gold molding around the edge.
25 Decorate it with a 3-inch border all around, and run a gold molding along the border.
26 Make four gold rings for the table and attach them at the four corners next to the four legs. 27 Attach the rings near the border to hold the poles that are used to carry the table.
28 Make these poles from acacia wood, and overlay them with gold.
29 Make special containers of pure gold for the table—bowls, ladles, pitchers, and jars—to be used in pouring out liquid offerings.
30 Place the Bread of the Presence on the table to remain before me at all times.
31 “Make a lampstand of pure, hammered gold. Make the entire lampstand and its decorations of one piece—the base, center stem, lamp cups, buds, and petals.
32 Make it with six branches going out from the center stem, three on each side.
33 Each of the six branches will have three lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.
34 Craft the center stem of the lampstand with four lamp cups shaped like almond blossoms, complete with buds and petals.
35 There will also be an almond bud beneath each pair of branches where the six branches extend from the center stem.
36 The almond buds and branches must all be of one piece with the center stem, and they must be hammered from pure gold.
37 Then make the seven lamps for the lampstand, and set them so they reflect their light forward. 38 The lamp snuffers and trays must also be made of pure gold.
39 You will need 75 pounds of pure gold for the lampstand and its accessories.
40 “Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain.
Point 7: The church is to be a Perfect place hence, everything within it must be as Perfect as possible
Chapter 26:1-37, NLT
1 “Make the Tabernacle from ten curtains of finely woven linen. Decorate the curtains with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.
Point 8: The church is a place of Prominence (it forces us to look up towards the Head)
2 These ten curtains must all be exactly the same size—42 feet long and 6 feet wide.
3 Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, then join the other five into a second long curtain.
4 Put loops of blue yarn along the edge of the last curtain in each set.
5 The fifty loops along the edge of one curtain are to match the fifty loops along the edge of the other curtain.
6 Then make fifty gold clasps and fasten the long curtains together with the clasps. In this way, the Tabernacle will be made of one continuous piece.
7 “Make eleven curtains of goat-hair cloth to serve as a tent covering for the Tabernacle.
8 These eleven curtains must all be exactly the same size—45 feet long and 6 feet wide.
9 Join five of these curtains together to make one long curtain, and join the other six into a second long curtain. Allow 3 feet of material from the second set of curtains to hang over the front of the sacred tent.
10 Make fifty loops for one edge of each large curtain.
11 Then make fifty bronze clasps, and fasten the loops of the long curtains with the clasps. In this way, the tent covering will be made of one continuous piece.
12 The remaining 3 feet of this tent covering will be left to hang over the back of the Tabernacle.
13 Allow 18 inches of remaining material to hang down over each side, so the Tabernacle is completely covered.
14 Complete the tent covering with a protective layer of tanned ram skins and a layer of fine goatskin leather.
15 “For the framework of the Tabernacle, construct frames of acacia wood.
16 Each frame must be 15 feet high and 27 inches wide,
17 with two pegs under each frame. Make all the frames identical.
18 Make twenty of these frames to support the curtains on the south side of the Tabernacle.
19 Also make forty silver bases—two bases under each frame, with the pegs fitting securely into the bases.
20 For the north side of the Tabernacle, make another twenty frames,
21 with their forty silver bases, two bases under each frame.
22 Make six frames for the rear—the west side of the Tabernacle—
23 along with two additional frames to reinforce the rear corners of the Tabernacle.
24 These corner frames will be matched at the bottom and firmly attached at the top with a single ring, forming a single corner unit. Make both of these corner units the same way.
25 So there will be eight frames at the rear of the Tabernacle, set in sixteen silver bases—two bases under each frame.
26 “Make crossbars of acacia wood to link the frames, five crossbars for the north side of the Tabernacle
27 and five for the south side. Also make five crossbars for the rear of the Tabernacle, which will face west.
28 The middle crossbar, attached halfway up the frames, will run all the way from one end of the Tabernacle to the other.
29 Overlay the frames with gold, and make gold rings to hold the crossbars. Overlay the crossbars with gold as well.
30 “Set up this Tabernacle according to the pattern you were shown on the mountain.
31 “For the inside of the Tabernacle, make a special curtain of finely woven linen. Decorate it with blue, purple, and scarlet thread and with skillfully embroidered cherubim.
32 Hang this curtain on gold hooks attached to four posts of acacia wood. Overlay the posts with gold, and set them in four silver bases.
Key Verse: 33 Hang the inner curtain from clasps, and put the Ark of the Covenant in the room behind it. This curtain will separate the Holy Place from the Most Holy Place.
Point 9: The church is the Holiest Place on earth we can ever go
34 “Then put the Ark’s cover—the place of atonement—on top of the Ark of the Covenant inside the Most Holy Place.
Point 10: The church is the place where the point of Pardon is reinforced
35 Place the table outside the inner curtain on the north side of the Tabernacle, and place the lampstand across the room on the south side.
36 “Make another curtain for the entrance to the sacred tent. Make it of finely woven linen and embroider it with exquisite designs, using blue, purple, and scarlet thread.
37 Craft five posts from acacia wood. Overlay them with gold, and hang the curtain from them with gold hooks. Cast five bronze bases for the posts.
