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Friday, June 15, 2012

Understanding Is, "Into the Sanctuary of God"

"....Until I went into the sanctuary of God; then I understood...." (Ps. 73:17)

The fact is, the Bible declares that today, or any day, you and I will not understand anything, "until [we go] into the sanctuary of God," i.e., "the presence of God."  If people do not live/dwell in, "the sanctuary of God," nothing we encounter of life's deepest issues today, tomorrow, or the confusion over past events in our lives will ever make any sense.  "The sanctuary of God," is, God Himself, Ever-Present One, "The Eternal One."  The glory of Biblical Theology is that when a person receives Jesus Christ we "stepped into" Eternity, the realm of no beginning, no ending, the realm of Him Who declared, "Before Abraham wasI Am."  And if we must speak of beginnings and endings, "I am the Alpha and the Omega, the Beginning and the End,..who is and who was and who is to come, the Almighty."   

Let me share "what" I believe to be, "the sanctuary of God," where alone understanding dwells, the understanding which enables me to make any sense of life.  You know my assertion that, "the sanctuary/presence of God," is not some spiritual "high," or "feeling," or excitement, or great meeting. "It" is the Ever-Present Christ Himself.  Today's text I affirms that inherent in, "the sanctuary of God," the "place" where the psalmist said, "then I understood," is the Bible, the "God Breathed," Scriptures, incarnate in, "The Word of God," Jesus.  Remember that 2 Corinthians 10 describes Satanic, "strongholds," as, "arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God," His Ways, His Thoughts, Purposes, Will.  Victory over these, "arguments," and, the release of, "knowledge," does not come in "ooooohhhhh" meetings.  It comes from His Words.  

You and I will do what the psalmist was tempted to do when we see the that wicked have, "....no pangs in their death, but their strength is firm.  They are not in trouble as other men," and in their, "abundance...they have more than heart could wish," etc., unless we dwell in, "the sanctuary of God," which is the Ever-Present, Available, "Word of God," manifested in, "the words of God," the Bible. He is, "Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God-- and righteousness and sanctification and redemption...."  He is the very, "sanctuary of God," Who alone will always, positively always enable us to "understand."

Father, in Jesus' Name, how little I can understand apart from You.  In Your, "sanctuary," however, I understand.  Amen.
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Unreached People Group of the Day: www.apfunreachedpeoples.blogspot.com
"Dreamy Foreign Policies": www.jerberwash.blogspot.com

When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Thursday, June 14, 2012

Deliverance From the "Special Presence" Theology

"On the last day, that great day of the feast, Jesus stood and cried out, saying, 'If anyone thirsts, let him come to Me and drink.  He who believes in Me, as the Scripture has said, out of his heart will flow rivers of living water.'" (John 7:37, 38)

This was my Gospel reading for the day.  Please note that it is, "out of his heart," not out of some special "anointed" meeting that only special "anointed" people can lead.  I see nowhere in the teachings of our Lord Jesus Christ that we have to get to a meeting to experience "His Presence," no charismatic worship leader do we need to takes us "there," no special "anointing," no special atmosphere, feeling, goose bumps, nothing, only, "Immanuel, God with us," and This Same, "Immanuel," is in us.  So many today need deliverance from the "God showed up" talk, the "getting into the Presence" talk.  The, "rivers of living water," is the Presence of the Blessed Trinity in the Follower of Jesus Christ.  And He, my friend, is the Ever Present One, the One Who promised, "I will not in any way fail you nor give you up nor leave you without support.  [I will] not, [I will] not, [I will] not in any degree leave you helpless nor forsake nor let [you] down (relax My hold on you)! [Assuredly not!]" (Amplified Bible).  How about that, "relax My hold on you," as in, NEVER.  This is not forsaking-of-the-assembly talk.  This is victory talk for always, continual, day by day, moment by moment abiding in Jesus.

So today I encourage you to think anew of the great saint of old, Brother Lawrence, and his work, The Practice of the Presence of God.  Apparently he also needed to remind himself of this great reality.  It would be great to get the book out again if you have it, and if not, get it.  There is no coming and going in our Religion.  That is for heathen religion.  There is only, "A Very Present Help," loving Father.  The Father, Son Jesus, and Holy Spirit will never be any more "present" in your and my life than He is right now, right here, right there.  Thank God for great worship, great assembling of the Brethren, but also thank Him for, "out of [my] heart shall flow...," shall flow as I draw, and its a drawing which need never end.

Father, in Jesus' Name, what a wonderful, continual word to my heart that You are here with and in me, now, always, eternally.  Amen.
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When Peter, an 18 year old Norwegian, "heard the call to evangelize China, on that day he not only emptied his wallet into the collection plate, but included a small note with the words, 'and my life.'"

"Looking unto Jesus"
Hebrews 12:2

Wednesday, June 13, 2012

"APF VIDEO DEVOTIONAL"


NOTHING NEW, JUST DISCOVERED


Tuesday, June 12, 2012

"APF VIDEO DEVOTIONAL"


HE IS COMING AND EVERY EYE SHALL SEE HIM.


Monday, June 11, 2012

"APF VIDEO DEVOTIONAL"


JESUS IS LORD


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