Spiritual BP 06/05/2010
 Spiritual Oil Slick: RU Empathetic? [Part I of III] I must admit, empathy is not one of my greatest virtues; in fact, it is most probably … no, most assuredly … my weakest. My son, Connor, reminds me of this truth on a daily basis as I watch him interact with others. He is incredibly “others first” minded. It is a character trait I almost envy – if it wasn’t a sin to envy. Watching the BP disaster has brought this truth to the forefront in my life. I find myself to be very accomplishment driven. And if not careful, I may leave an “oil slick” that will destroy lives for years to come – just like the BP disaster, but with eternal consequences. What I mean by that is that if not careful we can put process before people. The BP uppers had just met to celebrate their “safety” record a few days prior to the explosion. It is ironic … really. I see the same thing happening in churches today. We celebrate the fact that our people are busy keeping the “church machine” going strong; when, in fact, the church is truly only as well-built as its foundational purpose. We use our people to make sure the offerings are strong and the pews are full. We don’t say that out loud, but it is, nonetheless, true. I’ve been in the staff meetings of four different churches; I know it to be true. I also talk to assistant pastors on a regular basis. Are we, the church leadership, acting in much the same way as the BP top executive? Are we putting process before people? Are we so focused on offerings and filling empty pews that we have neglected to prepare our people for the judgment seat of Christ? Are our people producing gold, silver, and precious stones – elements at this judgment; they are not there for decoration – or, are their endeavors loaded with wood, hay, and stubble – all at our beckoning. How many of our people are leading others to Christ, walking them down the aisle, taking part in their baptism, and leading them through the seven levels of spiritual growth through the imperative of the Great Commission – discipleship. Be honest here! People’s eternities are at stake! Have we created a spiritual “oil slick” so massive that it won’t be cleaned up before Christ returns for His bride? Could our lack of “empathy” in preparing people to meet Jesus be a major cause of this spiritual “oil slick?” The “clean-up” must begin now. We must redeem the time and occupy till He comes. It won’t be the “easy way” out of the disaster; however, it will be the right way. We must be willing to invest the Word of God into the lives of people. We must be obedient to the imperative of the Great Commission – which is to lovingly and purposefully disciple those we reach with the gospel. We must find our “fellowship” in the fulfillment of this purpose. God has a plan; it will work – if we work it by conviction and passion. If just one person would reach and disciple one other person per year, look at the results of what could happen by doing ministry God’s way if you start with 10 committed believers: End of year one – (20) End of year two – (40) End of year three – (80) End of year four – (160) End of year five – (320) End of year six – (640) End of year seven – (1280) End of year eight – (2560) End of year nine – (5120) End of year ten – (10240) This number reflects equipped ambassadors for Christ. These are not “pew-sitters” who only provide “goat milk” = offerings for the “ministries” of the church; these are soldiers for the cause of Christ who are ready, willing, and able to spread the truth of the gospel to the “nations.” It is not a quick-fix; it is the right fix! To accomplish this in the lives of your people will require that you stop playing games with their lives. It will mandate that you cut out the dead-wood that is stopping up the spiritual vibrancy of your church. REAL discipleship brings the “gunk” to the top. They – the gunk – then have the choice to join the team or find another ministry to control. Let’s be honest at this point: Are we behaving like the BP executives? If so, what are we going to do about it? We need a revival in our churches! We need to get back to the purpose of the church! We must go out into the highways and hedges to compel them to come into the family of God! We must be reconcilers of the Word of God to the world! We must be ambassadors for Christ to the lost and dying! To do this … we must commit ourselves to the mandate of Biblical discipleship … the transfer of spiritual life to another. Part II and III will focus upon Nehemiah’s character qualities and the six questions God asks Job. These are questions that can only be answered by church-age believers. Live OUT LOUD! Mark Harrell (Prov. 13:12) This is your new blog post. Click here and start typing, or drag in elements from the top bar. Add Comment  There is quite a bit of comparing scripture with scripture as we seek to uncover truth. It is a “line upon line, precept upon precept; here and little and there a little” kind of thing. One must be committed to studying the Word if they want to be an “approved” workman. Therefore, we are going to only cover the first of the three articles in the Holy of Holies – The Ark of the Covenant. FOOTSTEP #7: The Ark of the Covenant (Exodus 25:10-16) would be the first item we saw as we open the veil, and walk into the holy of holies. During the Mosaic law dispensation, only the high priests were able to enter into the holy of holies, and that only once per year. The high priest would enter the holy of holies to sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed animal on the mercy seat. This symbolized the doctrinal truth that the only way to gain forgiveness of sins would come by way of the, yet future, sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross of Calvary, as propitiation (satisfaction) for the sins of the world. The high priest had to be very careful, for if he entered the holy of holies without being washed, he would be struck dead immediately. That’s why they tied a bell to his feet with a rope; if the bell stopped ringing – they knew to pull out a dead man. You guessed it! The spiritual application is that it is impossible to approach the heavenly Father without going through his Son. We will find it difficult to approach the Father with our petitions if we do not daily wash ourselves in his Word. (Psalm 66:18). To involve ourselves in the frivolous pursuit of religious activity will avail us NOTHING. The Word of God must be the rule of our faith and practice, or our activities are worthless. He wants us to know why we do the things we do, how it all came to be, and what the future results of our faithfulness will yield for our lives, this earth and the universe. Indiana Jones Would Love What Comes Next Listen up! The items inside the ark will help to focus us on the power source behind the footprints of the faithful. God only commanded that three items be placed inside the ark of the covenant. These three items, if understood and applied, will give us the foundation we need to be the spiritual warriors that God intended us to become. 1st Item – The Manna: The manna has a multiplicity of meanings. They are not difficult to understand, but they can be a challenge to live out on a daily basis. But that is exactly why they were placed there. They were placed in the ark for our admonition. God has given us a wonderful picture of our power source; that power source is submission to Jesus Christ. The following are descriptions of the manna, and what they represent. Let their truths sink into your heart, so you can walk the path of the faithful. John 6:31-38 Our fathers did eat manna in the desert; as it is written, He gave them bread from heaven to eat. [32] Then Jesus said unto them, Verily, verily, I say unto you, Moses gave you not that bread from heaven; but my Father giveth you the true bread from heaven. [33] For the bread of God is he which cometh down from heaven, and giveth life unto the world. [34] Then said they unto him, Lord, evermore give us this bread. [35] And Jesus said unto them, I am the bread of life: he that cometh to me shall never hunger; and he that believeth on me shall never thirst. [36] But I said unto you, That ye also have seen me, and believe not. [37] All that the Father giveth me shall come to me; and him that cometh to me I will in no wise cast out. [38] For I came down from heaven, not to do mine own will, but the will of him that sent me. àThe manna was SMALL (Exodus 16:14). Jesus came to this earth in a humble fashion. He did not come as a king; He’ll do that the next time He physically comes to this earth (the 2nd Advent). He submitted to the will of the Father, so that we could have eternal life. Philip. 2:6-9 Who, being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: [7] But (1) made himself of no reputation, and (2) took upon him the form of a servant, and was (3) made in the likeness of men: [8] And being found in fashion as a man, he (4) humbled himself, and (5) became obedient unto death, even the death of the cross. [9] Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: This is cool! Just as Lucifer had his infamous five “I wills,” so Jesus had his five “I wills.” But, there is a big difference between the “I wills” of Satan, and the I wills of our Lord. I have them numbered above, but I will repeat them so that you don’t miss their importance. Jesus, (1) made Himself of no reputation, he (2) took upon Himself the form of a servant, God (3) made Himself in the likeness of men, He (4) humbled Himself and (5) became obedient to the death of the cross. He did this all for you and me. God did not have to humble Himself, but He did it anyway. -The manna was ROUND (Exodus 16:14). There is no beginning nor ending to a circle. It speaks of perfection and infinity. That is exactly the essence of Jesus Christ. He is the beginning and ending, and the source of all life.6 -The manna was WHITE (Exodus 16:31). Of course, white speaks of purity and holiness. That is one of the traditional reasons why a bride wears white at her wedding. She is expressing to everyone that she has remained pure, and that her desire is to wholly give herself to her future lifelong mate – her husband. We are the Bride of Christ; we should likewise desire to remain pure and holy until we are united with our groom (Jesus) at the “catching away” of the church. -The manna was as HOAR FROST (Exodus 16:14). Hoar frost only comes out first thing in the morning. It denotes freshness. It is vital that we start the day out by reading and studying the Word of God. That way, we can be ready to handle the problems that come as a result of our daily activities (John 6:63). -The manna was like CORIANDER SEED (Exodus 16:31). Coriander seed is used as a type of fragrance. When we start our day off with the “bread / manna,” our lives will be a sweet smelling fragrance to the glory of the Lord; just as our Lord’s life was a fragrance to his Father. 2 Cor. 2:14-15 Now thanks be unto God, which always causeth us to triumph in Christ, and maketh manifest the savour of his knowledge by us in every place. [15] For we are unto God a sweet savour of Christ, in them that are saved, and in them that perish: -The manna TASTED OF FRESH OIL (Numbers 11:8). As you will recall, oil is a type of the Holy Spirit. We are told in the book of John that the Holy Spirit would come in the place of Jesus, so that he could indwell us 24/7/365. As we apply the “manna” (Bible) to our lives, we will have the empowering of the Holy Spirit to direct our footsteps (Acts1:8).7 -The manna was LIKE WAFERS MADE WITH HONEY (Exodus 16:31). Not only is the fragrance of manna appealing, but also the taste was that of honey. Man, I love honey spread on my buttered toast. There is nothing like it. When you commit your path unto the Lord, there is nothing quite as sweet. He gives you a peace that passes understanding, and He directs you in the way you should go. -The manna was AS THE COLOR OF BDELLIUM (Numbers 11:7). Bdellium, in the Hebrew, means PEARL (bdolach). Bdellium was a precious stone, and was like beryl or crystal. If you would think back to our section on the judgment seat of Christ, you will get a drift of why this item is so important to our discussion. As Jesus was, and is precious, so are the souls trapped in the false reality of this world’s matrix. The Bible says that one day we shall see him, and we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is (I John 3:2). He also said it is our privilege and responsibility to carry on the work he came here to accomplish, and that is to reconcile the Word of God to those blinded by the deceit of the dragon.8 I hope you enjoyed this manna exploration. As you have seen over and over again, God leaves no stone unturned in His desire to communicate His purpose to you. You are important to the cause of His eternal, universal kingdom; He wants you to have all the weapons and information you require at your disposal. The MANNA principle gives us provision, satisfaction and sustenance. The children of Israel gathered their manna every morning, and if we want to walk the footsteps of the faithful – we must follow their example. 2nd Item – The Budding Rod: Numbers 17:8 explains the particulars of this item. And it came to pass, that on the morrow Moses went into the tabernacle of witness; and, behold, the rod of Aaron for the house of Levi was budded, and brought forth buds, and bloomed blossoms, and yielded almonds. The fact that Aaron’s rod budded was an emblem that he was the chosen of God. The rod was separated from the earth and had no ability, in itself, to bring forth life. When we are fruitful in fulfilling our purpose, then God will set us apart by the Holy Spirit to lead others along the same path we have successfully trodden. The problem with the institution of the church is that we have been placing men in positions of leadership, and they have never consistently produced fruit that remains. Ephesians 4:11-16 makes it clear that the reason God selects a bishop / pastor is for him to lead others to fulfill the purpose of God. If the church is to produce an army of Neo’s, we must reconsider how we place leaders in positions of spiritual responsibility. I think I have covered this thoroughly, in previous chapters, and will touch on it again before we are finished. Another aspect to consider is that Jesus was the “rod” prophesied to come out of the stem of Jesse (Isaiah 11:1). Jesus is the root that would come to give life to those spiritually dead in trespasses and sins. He is the true magical wand (root out of Jesse) that brings life to those who are dead in trespasses and sins!9 3rd Item – The Tables Of The Law: This was the final article placed in the ark of the covenant, and it stood for the principles of God’s moral law (Exodus 20:1-17). The commandments were placed in the ark, beneath the Mercy Seat, as a symbol that Christ is the only one able to abide by the law. Without Christ we cannot fulfill our purpose for living.10 By way of the three items placed in the ark of the covenant, we see the complete ministry of Christ. He is the “bread of life” (manna) that sustains us as we engage the enemy; He is the power that gives us the ability to rise (the budding rod) from the tomb of the false reality; and He is our absolute foundation of truth (the ten commandments) as we finish the course that is set before us.11 FOOTSTEP #8: The Mercy Seat is the final article that we come to, as we approach the Shekinah Glory of the presence of God. The mercy seat was made of pure gold and had no wood at all. There were two cherubims on the top, and they were facing each other. The cherubims were also made of pure gold. The fact that there was no wood symbolized the compete righteousness that Jesus would exact by shedding His blood so grace could be applied to our lives. We are totally unworthy of His mercy, but he loved us so much that He chose to give up His life in order that we could be set free from the bondage of the false reality. In the mercy seat we see the complete deity of Christ!12 The high priest would enter the holy of holies once a year, on the Day of Atonement, to sprinkle the blood of the sacrificed animal on the mercy seat. This represented the prophecy that Jesus would shed His blood, and become the propitiation (satisfaction) for our sins. Without His mercy, we would be without hope in this life, or the life to come.13 We see another example of this principle of mercy in Exodus 12:13. The death angel passed over the home of every family where the blood was placed on the doorposts. Without the blood on the doorposts, the firstborn of that household would die. And, since we are to be the firstborn of many brethren, it behooves us to live a life in submission to the will of our heavenly Father, so that our spiritual progeny does not die with us. If we live our lives in the power of the Holy Spirit, we will continue producing a harvest of souls (fruit) long after we pass through this veil of the flesh. Shekinah Glory Hebrews 4:16 tells us to come boldly unto the throne of grace. What WAS a throne of Divine judgment is NOW a throne of perpetual peace. Hebrews 2:17 Wherefore in all things it behoved him to be made like unto his brethren, that he might be a merciful and faithful high priest in things pertaining to God, to make reconciliation for the sins of the people. God Himself resided in the holy of holies, and that is where He met with Moses and the high priest. When Jesus died upon the cross of Calvary, the veil of separation between the holy place and the holy of holies was completely rent from top to bottom. This symbolized that we now have complete access to the throne of grace. But, we cannot approach the presence of the Lord without applying the principles we learned in the footsteps of the faithful. Each spiritual principle contained in the articles of the tabernacle progressively lead us into a vibrant relationship with God, through our advocate – Jesus Christ. Therefore, you can be a Neo! You can make a difference in your world! You can take the red pill of truth to those blinded by the counterfeit religion of the dragon. What Do We Do Now? We have a choice to make. We can stay in the comfort of the holy of holies, or we can make our way back to the court of the congregation, take a potential spiritual warrior by the hand and lead him through the process of confident reality living. That is Biblical discipleship.14 I believe that is the way God would have it anyway. In Mark 9:1-10, we find an interesting situation. Jesus was on the top of a mountain with Peter, James and John. They had just witnessed the TRANSFIGURATON of the Lord, and they wanted to build three tabernacles in honor of the event. One of the tabernacles was going to be for Jesus, one was for Moses and the other for Elias. They had just seen the glory of the kingdom manifested before their very eyes. Jesus had given them a foretaste of the power of the future kingdom of heaven. Thus, the words of the Bible stand complete as it relates to this generation (the generation at the time of Jesus) not passing away till they see the glory of the kingdom (Mark 13:30 / Luke 21:32). The point is this. We are not to stand idly by and do nothing while there are people trapped in the matrix. It is a wonderful thing to worship the Lord in spirit and truth, but we must never forget what constitutes worship to begin with. Our true worship is reflected in our desire to rescue souls that are prisoners of the false reality. It is as we personally participate in God’s plan of reconciliation, that He receives true worship. So, make a commitment to lead another person to Christ this year, and guide him through the footsteps of the faithful. You can be the spiritual warrior who establishes him in the Word of God, establishes him in the structure of the Church, establishes him in the fellowship of the believer and establishes him in ministry. In that way, you will truly participate in God’s plan for your life, this earth and the universe. In fact, I urge you to use this chapter to show your disciple what it “looks like” to walk with God! I hope you have enjoyed our walk though the significance of the articles of the O.T. Tabernacle. Live OUT LOUD! Mark  We are continuing our journey through the Old Testament Tabernacle in order to show, in a tangible way, what it LOOKS LIKE to WALK with God. As we know, we (church age believers) are today’s “Kings and Priests” of God (Rev. 1:5); therefore, if we want to know what our spiritual responsibilities are – we should take a look at the O.T. Priests. Embedded are amazing discoveries. I trust you’ll agree, and become the New Testament “Priest” that can impact lives for eternity. So … here is Part II. (THE ARTICLES OF THE HOLY PLACE) FOOTSTEP #4: The Golden Candlestick, mentioned in Exodus 25:31-40, is the first item that we see as we enter into the Holy Place. There are quite a few types that can be drawn from the Golden Candlestick, but we will only sketch out a few. Remember, it is not my purpose to overwhelm you, but to get you excited about fleshing these truths out to their fullest, on your own, as you apply the keys to unlocking spiritual understanding to your daily Bible study. In review, we have entered the only DOOR to the Tabernacle, gathered in the COURT OF THE CONGREGATION, given our animal to the priest to sacrifice on the BRAZEN ALTER and washed our hands and our feet in the BRAZEN LAVER. We are now inside the Holy Place, which represents how we walk with the Lord as we fulfill ministry for Him. Illumination, Oil and the Wicks The first thing that we would notice about the Golden Candlestick, as we walked into the Holy Place, would be its’ illumination. But, we must recognize what is causing it to shine in order to grasp the proper spiritual meaning. It was the daily responsibility of the Priests to fill the Candlestick with oil, so that the light would never go out (Exodus 27:20). As you probably know, oil is a picture of the Holy Spirit (I John 2:27). For our light to shine, we must always stay in close proximity to the power of the Holy Spirit through obedience to the Word of God. They (the Priests) were also to trim the wicks. If the wicks were not trimmed every day, the light would go out. The trimming of the wicks is a picture of why we need to die to self every day. If we do not trim the sin out of our lives, our spiritual growth will be “gunked-up,” and our light will not shine before men (Matthew 5:16). The priests took the trimmed wicks, put them in a plate and disposed of them outside of the Holy Place. The sin in our lives must be completely dealt with if we are to walk in powerful reality living. The Beaten Shaft of Gold The central shaft of the Candlestick was made out of “beaten” gold (Numbers 8:4). This reminds me of a very popular passage which speaks of our Savior being broken and beaten to gain our freedom from the false reality. He was beaten, so that we could walk with Him. Isaiah 53:4-5 Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. [5] But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed. Jesus is the central shaft of the Golden Candlestick that was “beaten” for our benefit. Extending out and upward from the central shaft were six branches. Six is the number of man, and it represents the fact that Jesus became “flesh” for us, as it also represents how we (man) are to keep our lives spiritually vibrant (Exodus 25:33-37). Boy, oh boy this is good stuff! When talking about the Candlestick, I can’t help but to think of II Peter 1:4. Read the following verse while remembering that the central shaft speaks of Jesus, and the six branches refer to the believer. 2 Peter 1:4 Whereby are given unto us exceeding great and precious promises: that by these ye might be partakers of the divine nature, having escaped the corruption that is in the world through lust. Blooming Lilies, Almonds and Pomegranates Attached to the six branches were Lilies that bloomed, Almonds that were budding and Pomegranates. Isaiah 28:13 says that we are to learn the Bible line upon line, precept upon precept, here a little and there a little. That is exactly the case here, as well as other places. God doesn’t waste words. Everything he chose to record has meaning. The LILIES that are blooming speak of the purity of Christ ((Song of Solomon 2:1 / Hebrews 7:26), the POMEGRANATES picture the productive life of Christ (Song of Solomon 7:12 / John 15:5,16) and the dead ALMONDS that are budding refer to the life in Christ that is quickened (brought to life) and endowed with power from above (Numbers 17:8 / Philippians 3:10). Supervision of the Candlestick As we have seen already, it was the responsibility of the priests to supervise and maintain the effectiveness of the Candlestick, by replenishing the oil of the lamps each morning, so that the light would continually shine. The light was never to go out. It was to be a sign that we are to always live in communion with the Holy Spirit, and that our testimony should always light a path for those in bondage to the false reality. They were also to trim the wicks every morning and carry the shavings outside of the Holy Place. There is no place for sin in our service to God. Rev. 2:5 Remember therefore from whence thou art fallen, and repent, and do the first works; or else I will come unto thee quickly, and will remove thy candlestick out of his place, except thou repent. Ere The Lamp of God Went Out In The Temple I Samuel 3:1-4 gives us an incredible truth about how not to be a priest. Eli (The High Priest) had gotten to the place in his life where he could not lead, because he had lost the ability to “see” what it was that God wanted to do in Israel. He not only failed as a spiritual leader to Israel, but he also failed as a dad. His two boys were involved in unspeakable acts, on the Temple steps, with prostitutes (I Samuel). The light was never to go out in the Temple, but that is exactly what happened to the Lamp under the leadership of Eli. 1 Samuel 3:2-3 And it came to pass at that time, when Eli was laid down in his place, and his eyes began to wax dim, that he could not see; [3] And ere the lamp of God went out in the temple of the Lord, where the ark of God was, and Samuel was laid down to sleep; God chose to speak to the lad Samuel, because Eli had proven his inability to fulfill the purpose of God for his life. What interesting is that Samuel is the only one in this story that spiritually grows. Like today, the word of the Lord was precious (rare) in those days (I Samuel 3:1). There are a good many churches today that have allowed the lamp of truth to go out, and I don’t care to be counted with those who have no open vision. FOOTSTEP #5: The Table of Shewbread is the next article that we come to, as we make our way through the process of spiritual growth found in the items of the Tabernacle (Exodus 25:23-30 / 31:8 / 37:10-16). It is not very difficult to find the meaning of the shewbread. The shewbread represents the person of Jesus Christ. Jesus is called the Bread from Heaven, the Bread of God and the Bread of life in John 6:32-36. There was never to be a time that the shewbread was not upon the table. It was to be continually available (Exodus 25:30). Likewise, Jesus is in the continual source of life to the spiritual warrior. It is vital that we keep up our strength by daily eating of the “bread of life,” provided to us by way of the Word of God (Psalm 34:8). Every aspect of the Table of Shewbread is full of spiritual significance. I will not detail them, but I do want to give them a “shout-out.” There were twelve loaves. The loaves stood for the satisfaction that we find in fellowship with Christ, and each other. The Table was made of shittim wood and overlain with pure gold (Exodus 25:23-24). Of course, the gold was representative of the royalty associated with Christ being the King of Kings. On Each loaf of bread there was placed censers of pure gold, with each censer being filled with frankincense. The frankincense spoke of the preciousness of Christ. On the Table, there were three golden cups that represented the three persons of the Godhead. As you may have noticed, gold is very prominent in each of the articles of the Tabernacle. The Table of Shewbread was also bordered with crowns of gold, and lifted up on four legs overlain with gold. Philippians 2:9-11 explains why gold is used on the items mentioned above. “Wherefore God also hath highly exalted him, and given him a name which is above every name: [10] That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth; [11] And that every tongue should confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” The Importance of Fellowship The last spiritual application that we will delve into is that of fellowship. Remember what we discussed earlier – we can only fellowship with someone that is engaging in fulfilling the purpose of God. Any other interaction may be nice, but it does not constitute true fellowship. There are many believers that have no idea of the Biblical principles, nor importance of spiritual warriors fellowshipping with one another. We are in a war, a battle for a universal battle for a Kingdom, and without fellowship our part in the purpose of God will be utterly obliterated. The priests were to put the bread on golden dishes, and serve one another. As we have seen, the bread represents Jesus who is the Word of God incarnate. The only way we can sustain each other, as we engage the enemy of the false reality, is to encourage, exhort, admonish and teach one another by means of the Bread of Life. John 6:51 I am the living bread which came down from heaven: if any man eat of this bread, he shall live for ever: and the bread that I will give is my flesh, which I will give for the life of the world. It is only common sense to realize that Jesus was not talking about eating his physical flesh. That what make us cannibals. This passage has a two-pronged meaning. First, God came to this earth in the flesh, through the person of Jesus Christ. Second, we are to “eat” of him as we obey the Word of God, by applying its’ principles to our everyday activities; no matter what the situation may be. He came, live, died and rose from the dead to give us eternal life. All he asks is that you believe in your heart that he is our only remedy for the curse of sin, and that we cannot save ourselves. If we truly believe, it will show in our actions. True belief does not continue to serve the desires of the flesh. So, as is implied, the “bread” represents spiritual food and spiritual fellowship for Gods’ priestly people. 1 Cor. 10:20-24 But I say, that the things which the Gentiles sacrifice, they sacrifice to devils, and not to God: and I would not that ye should have fellowship with devils. [21] Ye cannot drink the cup of the Lord, and the cup of devils: ye cannot be partakers of the Lord's table, and of the table of devils. [22] Do we provoke the Lord to jealousy? are we stronger than he? [23] All things are lawful for me, but all things are not expedient: all things are lawful for me, but all things edify not. [24] Let no man seek his own, but every man another's wealth. FOOTSTEP #6: The Alter of Incense is, again, a type of Jesus – our advocate (Exodus 30:10). It is Jesus Christ who speaks for us, and takes our petitions to the Father on our behalf (I John 2:1). The Alter of Incense is also made of shittim wood that was overlain with pure gold. It was positioned just before the veil that separated the Holy Place from the Holy of Holies. The spiritual warrior cannot gain access to the blessings of the items in Holy of Holies, until he/she meets the requirements of each article leading up to that point. The Alter of Incense was surrounded by a golden crown, and had a horn on each of its’ four corners. This, of course, symbolizes the truth that Jesus is the King of Kings and Lord of Lords, and his reign stretches in all directions, as far as infinity and beyond. The Alter of Incense was also higher than any other article in the Holy Place. This carries with it great significance, as we will see by reading the following verse. Ephes. 1:21 Far above all principality, and power, and might, and dominion, and every name that is named, not only in this world, but also in that which is to come: Jesus is above every name that is named – of all time. He is greater than Lucifer, his demons, his fallen angels or any other principality or power under the control of the Dragon. The Alter of Incense stood in the center of the Holy Place, next to the veil (which represented partial access to the Father during the dispensation of the Law, and was miraculously ripped in half when Jesus died on the cross – Matthew 27:51) and straight in line with the Laver, Brazen Alter and the Door of the Tabernacle. All these represented Divine provision as we approach the Mercy Seat located in the Holy of Holies. The Alter of Incense represented adoration and intercession. Spiritual warriors are to offer this sacrifice of praise and thanksgiving to God with joyful lips – continually. Hebrews 13:15 By him therefore let us offer the sacrifice of praise to God continually, that is, the fruit of our lips giving thanks to his name. And in Psalm 141:2, we are reminded to Let our prayers be set forth before thee as incense; and the lifting up of my hands as the evening sacrifice. The aroma of the incense that came from the Alter, continually drifted upward as a sweet smelling savor to the Heavenly Father. Like the aroma of the Alter of Incense, our lives are to continually bring forth an aroma of holy living as we are in the world, but not caught up in the stench of its’ selfish motivations. Malachi 1:11 For from the rising of the sun even unto the going down of the same my name shall be great among the Gentiles; and in every place incense shall be offered unto my name, and a pure offering: for my name shall be great among the heathen, saith the Lord of hosts. When we apply the Word of God to our lives, and eat of its’ truths, our actions are a sacrifice of praise to God. It is a pure offering that is given out of a heart of love. As we live above the chaos of every day life, the name of the Lord will be great among those who do not believe, and those who do believe, but have not learned how to die to self. Our nearness to God is always based on our submission to the Bread of Life – The Bible. Psalms 66:18 says that if I regard iniquity in my heart, the Lord will not hear me. It’s not that he can’t hear me, but that he WILL NOT HEAR ME, if I try to hide my sin from God. He wants us to “come clean,” and rely on him to work in a powerful way through us, as we submit everything to him, with a thankful heart of praise. Wrapping Up The Articles of the Holy Place As I conclude the footsteps of the faithful, as it relates to the articles of the Holy Place, let me wrap up what we have learned. The Candlestick speaks of the secret to a life that illuminates the glory of the Lord; the Table of Shewbread represents the secrets of the spiritual warriors satisfaction and fellowship; and the Alter of Incense brings forward the secrets of our strength and ability to gain access to God through our advocate – Jesus Christ. In all, the items of the Holy Place show how we can understand the secrets of a powerful worship and witness, as we seek to rescue those blinded by the deceit of the false reality. Walkin' The Talkin! Mark - Live OUT LOUD! Footprints of the Faithful - Part I 04/14/2010
 I am going to begin my blogisphere journey by revealing the “Footprints of the Faithful” using the model of the Old Testament Tabernacle as my vehicle of communication. I do believe that ALL of the Bible was written TO us, while not ALL of it was written ABOUT us. The TO us is DEVOTIONAL application, while the ABOUT us is the DOCTINAL application. It is more precisely called: “rightly dividing the Word of Truth.” The intent of the blogs I post will be toward that end – to help the readers get a handle on knowing how to apply the Bible correctly. I do offer a free online equipping module, in the Get Real! Tools section called: Sharpening Your Sword. There is a video teaching that goes along with this lesson by lesson study – if desired (it is not mandatory, though). If you would like to take advantage of this, just email me at: v2tm@rocketmail.com and let me know. It will be my honor to be of service to you. So without further a due – here is my opening blog attempt … The truths contained within the Old Testament Tabernacle resonate deeply within my soul, and is one of my greatest personal motivational tools. My purpose is for you to catch a glimpse of what it looks like to walk with Jesus, as you follow the footprints of the faithful, who ministered in the Tabernacle on a daily basis. The Bible say in 1 Cor. 10:11…“now all these things happened unto them for ensamples: and they are written for our admonition, upon whom the ends of the world are come.” That means that, even though not all of the Bible was written ABOUT us, that all of the Bible was written FOR and TO us. Every principle that we are about to discuss can be cross referenced back to the doctrinal books for the New Testament believer found in Romans through II Thessalonians. It is my desire that you learn how to walk the path of the footprints of the faithful for yourself, so that more gold nuggets of truth can be found. It is much more rewarding when you find your own “gold nuggets,” rather than have someone “spoon feed” them to you. Good luck in your expedition. It will be a thrilling adventure as God opens the rhema (that is where the Holy Spirit becomes your teacher) of his Word to your hearts. The following is a spiritual teaching of the items of the Old Testament Tabernacle. (THE ITEMS OF THE OUTER COURT) FOOTSTEP #1: The DOOR to the outer court of the Tabernacle was the only entrance into the place where the Children of Israel gathered to offer their sacrifices to the LORD. Everyone was welcome into this area, as long as they brought what they were going to offer to the LORD with them. Of course, the door of the Court of Congregation represented that Christ is the only access to the Father and the Court of the Congregation represented Christendom as a whole. John 10:9 I am the door: by me if any man enter in, he shall be saved, and shall go in and out, and find pasture. FOOTSTEP #2: The Brazen Alter was found directly in line with the door to the Court of Congregation. Both picture the person a Jesus Christ. The Brazen Alter was made of Brass and Shittim Wood, which represent the two-fold nature of Christ as it related to his deity and humanity. The Children of Israel were to bring their offering to the Brazen alter so that the Priests could sacrifice it continually upon the Alter. This represented the truth that the death of Jesus is continually sufficient to provide access to our Heavenly Father. He is our only mediator between God and man (I Timothy 2:5). Hebrews 12:2 Looking unto Jesus the author and finisher of our faith; who for the joy that was set before him endured the cross, despising the shame, and is set down at the right hand of the throne of God. Ephes. 5:2 And walk in love, as Christ also hath loved us, and hath given himself for us an offering and a sacrifice to God for a sweetsmelling savour. The Brazen Alter was also overlain in pure gold (Heb. 5:1 / Acts 2:27 / Exodus 3:1-5), was made of shittim wood and brass (deity and humanity of Christ) and had a horn on each corner of the Alter pointing north, south east and west (I Samuel 2:10 / Rev. 5:6 / Exodus 29:19 / Psalm 118:27). This represented that Gods power in our lives is all without parameters. FOOTSTEP #3: The Laver is pivotal in the successful acquisition of spiritual power. The Laver was also made of shittim wood and brass. Do we see a pattern developing yet? The door of the Court of Congregation, The Brazen Alter and the Laver are all in line with one another. It is vital that we remember that access to powerful reality living is only available through the person of Jesus Christ, and nothing of ourselves. The front of the Laver was made of brass, and was polished daily by the women (Exodus 38:8). It acted as a mirror and reflected the words of James when he stated that we are to “be ye doers of the word, and not hearers only, deceiving your own selves. [23] For if any be a hearer of the word, and not a doer, he is like unto a man beholding his natural face in a glass: [24] For he beholdeth himself, and goeth his way, and straightway forgetteth what manner of man he was. [25] But whoso looketh into the perfect law of liberty, and continueth therein, he being not a forgetful hearer, but a doer of the work, this man shall be blessed in his deed.“ The Water of the Laver represents the Word of God. Ephesians 5:26 says that we are washed by the water of the Word, and John 15:3 states that we are clean through the Word which I have spoken unto you. As we apply the “water” (the word) to our lives, we can clearly see who and what we really are, because of the “mirror” of the Bible. The Priests were to wash their hands and feet in the Laver before they went into the Holy Place to perform any of their daily duties. Listen to the warning given to the Priests in Exodus 30:20-21, as to the importance of only ministering as they wash themselves in the water of the Laver. Exodus 30:20-21 When they go into the tabernacle of the congregation, they shall wash with water, that they die not; or when they come near to the altar to minister, to burn offering made by fire unto the Lord: [21] So they shall wash their hands and their feet, that they die not: and it shall be a statute for ever to them, even to him and to his seed throughout their generations. The same is true for spiritual warriors today. We are to bath ourselves in the Word of God (The Laver) before we attempt to perform or daily duties as Kings and Priests of God. To do otherwise is living in our own power, and that just won’t get it done. In fact, we are held to the spiritual application of that statute, which lasts forever. As the Old Testament Priests physically washed their hands and feet in the Laver, we are to spiritually wash our “hands” and our “feet,” in the Word of God, before we minister in His name. If we fail to follow this command, our efforts will not consistently bear fruit – no matter how good our intentions may be. Rev. 1:6 And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen. John 15:3-5 Now ye are clean through the word which I have spoken unto you. [4] Abide in me, and I in you. As the branch cannot bear fruit of itself, except it abide in the vine; no more can ye, except ye abide in me. [5] I am the vine, ye are the branches: He that abideth in me, and I in him, the same bringeth forth much fruit: for without me ye can do nothing. Live OUT LOUD! Mark  Gluttony & Drunkenness: What’s the Difference? This is not part II of my series – “Footprints of the Faithful.” It is, however, principally the same. What do you mean, may be the query of your mind? I understand your question; but in 1998, something happened as I was reading my Bible that, most probably, saved my life. And this, too, can be attributed to Ken’s (my mentor) intervention into my life. He not only saved my ministry … but my life as well! In 1998 I weighed 245 lbs. and was in a size 40 waist. Those who didn’t know me then can’t believe that to be true; however, it is true! My stats when I took my physical that year were not good. All my readings were bad, and I was on the verge of diabetes. Well … I tried everything; nothing worked! Until … I ran over a verse in my Bible while having my devotions. The verse in question fixed my problem. I couldn’t believe what I was reading. If this verse were true … no spiritual leader, unless they had a real medical reason for obesity, would be overweight. It is a no brainer. Okay … here is the verse: Pro 23:21 For the drunkard and the glutton shall come to poverty: and drowsiness shall clothe a man with rags. Well … that did it for me. I thought: how can I equip people with the tools to fight an unseen spiritual conflict – because that’s what it boils down to – when I can’t even take a fork out of my mouth? Now … hold on before you get mad at me. I didn’t use the comparison … God did! I confessed my sin of gluttony before God and the people … and guess what? I lost 75 lbs. in three months. I’m not lying; I still have the diary with everything I ate, and the carbs of each, during that whole process. I used the Adkins diet with plenty of multi-vitamins and accepted vegetables such as: green beans, squash, broccoli, mushrooms … he goes over all that in his book: “The Adkins Diet Revolution.” I lost the weight because I realized I was a hypocrite if I didn’t. Some have medical reasons for their obesity … but that is few and far between. And for many of those with physical problems could have fixed those problems had they addressed them early on in the process. I know … I was there! My readings are now well within the normal, and have been since 1998. And I eat pork, eggs, sausage, meat, etc. out the wassu! The Key is to keep a balance when you get to where you want to be. He explains all that in his book. I hear you, and my cholesterol is normal. My doctor couldn’t believe it either, so he ran the test to see for himself; it was normal. Now … I am faced with the challenge of staying in shape so I can be involved in the lives of my children, and keep my “temple” going for as long as possible. That is why I have started running a mile every morning. I want to run the 3K with my daughter … and hopefully beat her. She doesn’t think that can happen; we’ll see. And by the way … two more people started running with me this week. Hopefully that trend will continue. The point of this entry is this: how can I expect people to trust me to get them where they need to go when I don’t take care of basic stuff … like my health. Being “spiritual” is very practical; it is everyday stuff. Listen … it really is a spiritual matter. God is concerned that we stay around to glorify Him by changing lives for eternity as long as possible; unless He has other plans, of course. But … let Him decide that … not you. May God bless as you lead people into PURPOSE! Live OUT LOUD! Mark Harrell (Prov. 13:12) | Mark HarrellDon't look back when all is said and done and wish you had done more for the cause of Christ! Look to the Judgment Seat of Christ for your motivation in life ArchivesCategories |
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