Ephesians (Program #26) – Growing into a Holy Temple and Being Built into a Dwelling Place of God

In the well known account in Mathew 16, the Lord Jesus asked His disciples who He was. And the apostle Peter responded with the famous words, “You are the Christ, the Son of the Living God.” As marvelous as this account is, it doesn’t end there. For the Lord goes on to tell Peter, that he had been blessed to receive such a revelation from God the Father. And further upon the rock of this revelation, the Church would be built.  This is truly one of the great passages in all of scripture. And the apostle Paul refers back to this monumental revelation in Ephesians 2 where the building of the Church is the focus and the theme.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Numbers (Program #9) – Being Formed into an Army (10)

If you ask most people, they will tell you that God dwells in heavens.  Well, while this is surely the case, the Bible tells us again and again that He is the God of heaven and earth.  So while from eternity, He has dwelt in heavens.  The Bible reveals His goal even His desire is to dwell on earth with man.  Old Testament books like Exodus, Leviticus and Numbers give us a very sweet picture of His earthly dwelling place, which at that time was in the tabernacle.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

2 Corinthians (Program #13) – The Ministers of the New Covenant (6)

At the beginning of chapter 5 in 2 Corinthians Paul the apostle speaks in a strange way.

1 “For we know that if our earthly tabernacle dwelling is taken down, we have a building from God, a dwelling not made with hands, eternal, in the heavens.”

Well, we may consider that we have understand this at least in parts. But listen to:

2 “For also in this we groan, longing to be clothed upon with our dwelling place from heaven,”

3 “If indeed, being clothed, we will not be found naked.”

Actually what Paul is expressing here is his deep longing and desire to be raptured.

Rapture, is a topic today that fascinating millions today even unbelievers are intrigued by this topic as we’ve seen by the tremendous popularity of recent series of novels on this subject.

But what is most often missed by Christians considering rapture it that it’s linked not just to our initially salvation but much more to our growth and maturity in the divine life. For as we grow and mature, our longing for this day deepens as we can clearly seen in Paul’s words.

4 “For also, we who are in this tabernacle groan, being burdened, in that we do not desire to be unclothed, but clothed upon, that what is mortal may be swallowed up by life.“

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #174) – The Erection of the Tabernacle – God’s Side and Our Side, Two beginnings, Moses, The Need for Reality

In the final chapter of Exodus we see the people of God carrying out His plan and erecting the tabernacle, His dwelling place.  The completion of this work brings in a two-fold presence of God’s glory.  First it covered the tabernacle or tent of meeting as a cloud outwardly and then it filled the tabernacle within.  God’s House brings man into contact with God’s glory.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #103) – Genesis Program 102, Life-study of Genesis 88

You may think I should ask God for things like patience or love or joy.  But we have to realize that God doesn’t desire to give you just little packages; love, joy, peace these things.  He desires just to give us Himself.

We have something a little different today, as we are going to take a departure from our life study of Exodus.  In this life study we’ve come to the curtains in the tabernacle.  They are a wonderful picture of Christ.  But these curtains were hung on the pillars.  Pillars, as we’ve seen many times are mentioned throughout the Bible, both in the Old and New Testament.  Pillar are always related to the building of God’s dwelling place, the church.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #102) – The Curtain for the Door of the Tent (2)

The Old Testament tabernacle had two distinct sections with two curtains covering the entrances.  One curtain was called a veil, the other a screen.  Both of these curtains depict the death of Christ dealing with so many negative things.  Yet both curtains became the entrance for God’s people.  They are mysterious, yet marvelous.  The curtains in the tabernacle are our theme today.

We are back in the tabernacle today.  As we have seen, the tabernacle is a perfect picture of God’s dwelling place with man, so it is a good place to be.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #98) – The Boards of the Tabernacle (2)

The tabernacle as seen in Exodus is the marvelous picture of God’s dwelling place, the church.  It’s walls were carefully crafted of boards that were joined together to give it strength and stability.  God’s house should be the same today.  But sadly, many groups lack such strong standing.  The real testimony of God’s House, must be firm and unshakable.  As His dwelling place our home, it must be grounded in His redemption and brightly expressing the person of Christ Himself.

Today we come to another message dealing with the boards that form the walls of the tabernacle.  Yesterday we saw that these boards were made of acacia wood and then overlaid with gold.  Today we’re going to look specifically how they were fastened together, how they were joined to stand and become the very House of God on earth.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #97) – The Boards of the Tabernacle (1)

The cover or roof of the tabernacle is made of four distinct layers.  Each of which are definite type of the various aspects of Christ.  As God’s dwelling with man, surely the tabernacle typifies Christ.  But the sides of the tabernacle, point us not only to Christ but also to us, the believers.  We see that for God’s dwelling place, He needs us, the redeemed believers.

We spent the last couple of days considering the four layers of coverings that help to compose the tabernacle.  Each of these layers typifies a different aspect of Christ.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

Exodus (Program #96) – The First Layer of the Covering (2)

All of God’s saved ones have surely seen the Christ of the Gospels, the Son of God who loved us and gave Himself up for us that we might be saved.   This in itself surely is marvelous, but have you seen the same Christ revealed in even greater details through the types and symbols of the Old Testament?  To do so is to have our faith in God’s word strengthened and our love and appreciation of Him, much much deepen.  Stay with us as we see the very Christ of our salvation in the details of the tabernacle, God’s dwelling place with man on today’s life study.

From Exodus 26, there were 4 layers of covering over the tabernacle.  We did look at the first layer; ten curtains, made of fine linen, colored blue, purple and scarlet and then with the cherubim embroidered on them.  Today we’re going to look at the other three layers.  But we really need to keep in mind all the significance of these details that we saw.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS

John (Program #35) – The Dispensing of the Triune God for the Producing of His Abode (3)

People think that the Lord Jesus has gone to prepare a big mansion for us in heaven. As though God had two dwelling places, or two buildings, God only has one building. Not one on heaven and one on earth. He has one building.

This chapter (John 14) is very mysterious I admit, and it’s very misunderstood. But, this chapter is really the last message that the Lord gave to His disciples. And, here He’s talking about going away. Many people misunderstand this. But, He’s just talking here about His going to the cross. And, when He goes to the cross, He is also promising that He will come again. His coming again of course is after His resurrection. He will come back to them. And when He comes back to them, He will be the Spirit because in His resurrection He becomes the life giving Spirit.

Podcast: Play in new window | Download

Subscribe: TuneIn | RSS