Introspective
This is a Tough Lesson that God taught me, years ago and I wrote it down & decided to just now share it with others. This was a Lesson, personally addressed to me from God. At this time, I feel it Must be shared, as I see people going thru this same Self Pity also.
The Israelites Whined and Complained as they Wandered around in the Wilderness. Self-Pity and Wilderness Living go together! Self-Pity is Idolatry! That sorta shocked me at first, but allow me to define Pity for you.
Pity- to be sympathetic, or to have kindly sorrow, evoked by suffering, or misfortune of another: Often leading one to give relief or aid to the suffering individual.
God puts Compassion in all of us and sometimes, Compassion translates to Pity. Jesus took Pity on the people, Oftentimes, He felt sorrow for them, but it's not like - Oh God ,Woe is me. Jesus' Compassion moved Him to Take Action.
Matt 14:14 - And Jesus went forth and saw a great multitude, and was moved with Compassion toward them, and He healed their sick.
True Godly Compassion doesn't just have a sorrowful feeling, but it Genuinely has an Action with it. Such as Prayer, Give Understanding, Love, Grace, Mercy & Peace. To be Godly, to have Godly Compassion, you must have an Action destined to help others, not for just Woe is Me.
Jesus put Compassion in all of us, and the results of His Compassion, were many Miracles that came out of His Heart towards others. Jesus was moved with Compassion. Are we? Jesus put Compassion in all of us, but When we take that Compassion or Biblical Pity that was put in all of us to Flow out to Other People and We then turn that into ourselves, it becomes Idolatry! God Help Us!
Lets look at the Flesh Sins in Galatians 5:19-21- Now the works of the Flesh are Manifest, which are (these) Adultery, Fornication, Uncleanness, Lasciviousness, Idolatry, Witchcraft, Hatred, Variance, Emulations, Wrath, Strife, Seditions, Heresies,Envying, Murders, Drunkenness, Revellings and such like: Of the which I tell you before, as I have told you in times past, that They Which Do Such Things Shall Not Inherit the Kingdom of God.
You can't find Self-Pity there, but Self-Pity is Idolatry. Because We are taking the Compassion God gave us, to Flow out to Others and taking it into ourselves.
In Reality, We really need to be Delivered from Ourselves. Self-Centerness & Selfishness, that says WHAT ABOUT ME, WHAT ABOUT MY, I, ME, MY. If you truly want to be unhappy, just get Full of Yourself. You sit around and just think about Yourself and if You really want to just add insult to injury, then start feeling Sorry for Yourself.
Satan throws great Pity-Parties on a regular basis, and he will be Happy to invite You. But, If You have any Brains, you will Not go there! Just say No thank you, I've been to many of those, but I think I will pass today. Don't even have one cup of coffee with Mr. Pity. In the morning, a lot of us want to have a cup of coffee and mull over, how everything is going wrong today. Poor Me, What about Me, Nobody loves Me, I do all the work, They make the mess, I do the work, Woe is Me, I do the dishes, do the laundry, go to the store, cook the meals. Does anyone care anything about Me? - NO!!!!!!
Like I cooked the meal , you came home, ate the meal, didn't even say thank you. Maybe, you even complained about it. Then you go and put up your feet and sit back in the easy chair. You watch what you want on TV all night and poor Zelma, She has to clean up the mess.
When You are in this mind frame, you forget about all the Blessings and all the other things God has done in between there. We do not keep in mind what the Other Person is going thru, and probably They're not having a whole lot of fun either.
Sometimes we just like to Crab, Crab, Crab, 'cause we are working, Crab 'cause we are not working. Crab, Crab, Crab about Anything and Everything is the Me, My , I. Listen to what is coming out of Your Mouth! Bottom line is we can't keep our flesh happy! So, our Happiness must Depend on God! God will keep You happy If You will go to Him and Do what He wants You to do!
Idolatry is Turning in on yourself, Concentrating on yourself and your feelings, Perverting the Gift of Compassion that was intended to go Out to Others and Never to be turned into Us, Me, My, I!
Don't use Pity as an excuse for Your Bad Behavior! You may have some Bad Behavior, because of something that happened in you or someone you loved. Don't let that be an Excuse for you to feel sorry for Yourself. A reason is not an excuse. Get that Chip off Your Shoulder!
God says Zelma, You can be Pitiful or Powerful, But you can't be both. If You want the Power of God to Flow, you must get rid of that Foolish mind set. You may have the Power of God, in Your heart and not have it in the Manifestations of God.
God is showing us how to get out of the Wilderness and in doing so, we must learn some New Things. It's really simple to figure why the Children of Israel took 40 years to make an eleven day journey. Just look at their Behavior. They did nothing but Whine, Murmur and Complain in their Foolish Hearts.
Do you agree with me, that If they Had put their Faith in God, Had a Good Attitude, Been Praising God, Thankful and Obedient, Not grumbling, blaming Moses, blaming God, not looking back to Egypt, that they would of made it in a lot shorter time than they did? How long Must we Wander in the Wilderness, before we Come to God?
The summation of all this is, we've got to give all this Junk up. Just learn to Surrender to God. Give up our Old Mind Sets, because they just Don't Work! You can not make God feel sorry for you by Pouting! I believe all God does when we Whine, Murmur and Complain is say- When You are all done let Me Know and We will go Forward Again!
Martyrs-- What about martyrs? We're not talking about the people that got martyred for their Faith! Martyrs are people who do a lot for other people. But they make sure that everyone they know, knows about it. They are always going to be telling you about how Sacrificially, They live. Martys are people who live Sacrificially, but not for the right reasons. Such as a woman who works hard in her home, who considers herself, Everyone's Slave. The definition of Martyr, is one who makes a great show of Suffering in order to Arouse Sympathy. Let us look at how Jesus deals with a man who feels sorry for himself.
John 5:2-9- Now there is at Jerusalem, by the sheep market a pool, which is called in the Hebrew tongue Bethesda, having five porches. In these lay a great multitude of impotent folk, of blind, halt, withered, waiting for the moving of the water. For an angel went down at a certain season into the pool, and troubled the water: Whosoever then first after the troubling of the water stepped in was made whole of whatsoever disease he had. And a certain man was there which had an infirmity thirty and eight years. When Jesus saw him lie, and knew that he had been a long time in that case He saith unto him. Wilt thou be made whole? The impotent man answered Him, Sir, I have no man, when the water is troubled, to put me into the Pool: but while I am coming, another steppeth down before me. Jesus saith unto him, Rise, take up thy bed and walk. And immediately the man was made whole, and took up his bed, and walked: and on the same was the sabbath.
Now this man took action and rose and walked. He could of remained pitiful and refused to hear Jesus, but he Believed and took up his bed and walked. For quite a few years now God has been trying to bring some changes into the churches. He wants us to be alive and ready and spiritually well when He returns for us. With the Holy Spirit bubbling up inside of us and the Words of God flowing out from us.
Yes, the things that are happening to us are difficult. We have a lot of Trials & Tribulations to go thru. But God is bringing a stirring up of Himself into our Spirits, If we will only let Him. The world wants to suck the energy of God right out of you. But when you learn to stay in the Presence of God, He will take all that the world hands you away. He will give you more of Jesus. Learn to stay on fire for God. Get out of your grave clothes. Do not be lukewarm, do not be sitters. Listen to Jesus, Learn to be like Jesus and learn to walk, not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. Look at this man who first addresses Jesus as Sir, I have nobody. Do you see Self -Pity here? I do.
You have two kinds of people in the world today. The kind who waits for something to happen or the kind that makes something happen. Do you think you would of found a way to get into the water? Even if it took years, I probably would of fallen in and said here I go Jesus, Save me or Kill me, because I'm not living like this.
Sooner or later, We must stop feeling sorry for ourselves and get on in our Spiritual life. It is a life worth living and dying for. We must move Forward in this life. No problems in anything will ever get solved by our Self- Pity. It is literally a trap that satan is trying to draw us into: He draws us into it and it will not solve anything. Pain is Pain, Fear is Fear, and we need to make the decision. We need to literally learn to live in the Presence of God, as our Lord Jesus did.
Helpless & Friendless, do you think Self-Pity? God, someone else always gets, but what about me? When is My Day coming? God says when are you going to stop feeling Sorry for Yourself and Obey Me, Zelma? When will you Stop Whining, Stop Grumbling? When will you Stop Blaming Everything on someone else? When will You pick up your Cross and Follow Me? I answered, God, You don't have to holler, but He has to Holler at me, because I'm Very Thick Headed. 'Takes a two by four to get my Attention!
Let me ask of you, How long have you been walking with God? How long has God, had to drag you along? Look at Jesus' Compassion, Pick up your bed and Walk! Jesus told him to take up his bed and walk, not to just stand and walk but not to leave his bedding there. Walk!
Let us take a close look at Elijah in his Pity-Party. Please read 1 Kings Chapters 18&19. Learn to read the Bible in a practical way. Elijah had just had a Tremendous Victory in God. He had overcome 450 prophets of Baal. Look at fear here. Learn to take time to rejuvenate yourself. Take time to stay Strong in God. You need Time after any type of battle, to Rest, but Learn to Rest in the Arms of Jesus. He will take you thru Every Valley, Every Storm and Any Problems and bring you thru on the other side. You need to learn How to stay Strong in God, not men, but God and God Alone. Look at Elijah here, he goes running off by himself. He runs to a cave and Hides to have his Pity Party. He went into the wilderness and asked to Die! Now go back and read where Elijah is going to meet with God. Listen carefully, I and only I Lord.
When you are having a Pity-Party, you will turn everything around to the negatives. I Beg you, do Not fall into this Trap! It's a snare, straight from the pits of hell. The little foxes in the vine.
We need to Learn how to Cheer Up and Calm Down. That had been and always was Jesus' Answer to Problems. Being upset, will only Harm you and it is Bad for your Health. Look at your Actions, Honestly. You can't rebuke the flesh, it is not going to die! Learn to live in Jesus Christ and Rest in the Presence of the Almighty God. Let God deliver you from the Battles. Learn to say - I can't be Pitiful and Powerful. I choose to be Powerful. I don't deserve God's Blessing, because I am not worthy. But I am looking at God and Jesus and the Holy Spirit. Thru them, I am Free from this Bondage of Flesh, that desires to Kill my Walk with God and eventually Kill me.
Agape
Zelma Pack
Friday, May 31, 2019
Sunday, May 19, 2019
THE MYSTERY OF SPIRIT, SOUL AND BODY
I would like to talk about a fascinating subject that not only ties in with our everyday living but also very much relates to the Rapture, Tribulation and Millennium. Just like this subject by nature has a progression to it the article will also take on a systematic order. I believe you will enjoy and relate to this writing.
I would like to start with the practical interpretation and go into the prophetic implication towards the end of the article. If we don't understand the progression of what I am saying we will only have a surface understanding of the prophetic implication of some pivotal end-time prophecy verses involved in this subject.
I like writing articles to edify Believers in Christ but also to invite people that don't know Jesus Christ into their hearts.
This present article was a search-quest for what I did not know. This has got to be one of the most amazing subjects I have ever had the privilege of writing yet it was the most difficult. I have found that we serve a good God. When God sees us searching He starts to reveal the riches of His grace.
The sum of one plus two equals three. As Believes in Jesus Christ we probably will go through 1 and 2 by experience to get to 3. We are Saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2: 8-9). If a Christian dies early he or she may not go through this process.
One (sovereign), two (division) and three ( complete). The mystery of any problems we struggle with is found in our make up (1) Spirit (2) Soul (3) Body. The Apostle Paul says we are comprised of three parts. From a Biblical point of view three denotes divine perfection.
(1) Spirit, (2) Soul and (3) Body. We have to ask ourselves how the Tabernacle was built. This is paramount for us to understand this because we are comprised of three parts.
When we walk through life we are so conditioned to say (1) Body (2) Soul and (3) Spirit but this is not what the Bible teaches." And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ."1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Notice the order (1) Spirit, (2) Soul (3) Body. There was a reason why the Apostle Paul started with spirit and ended with body. This is how the Tabernacle was constructed. In 1 Cor. 3:16 the Bible says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
When anybody really looks at the construction of the Tabernacle God wanted to dwell not only among His people but in His people. The Ark of the Covenant was constructed first and that went into the Holy of Holies to be covered by the Mercy Seat. The Ark represents Jesus Christ. Everything else was built around the Ark.
This is because Jesus Christ changes a person from the inside out. The Bible says in Numbers chapter 2 that the Tabernacle was to be placed in the center of the Twelve Tribes. Everything in the Tabernacle points to Jesus Christ but even more specific our salvation past, present and future are all in Him. The Tabernacle gives us a picture of this redemption process.
The outer court represents our spirit and our Salvation in the past tense ( Romans 10: 9-10). The inner court represents our soul and our Salvation in the present tense ( Philippians 2:12). That would be our sanctification through our salvation from the past tense. The Holy of Holies represents our body or our salvation in the future tense. When we get to heaven our body, soul and spirit will be one in Him. Everything that was constructed in the Tabernacle were all symbols of the salvation to come through Jesus Christ.
In Exodus 25:2 relative to the outer court of the Tabernacle God encourages the people to give with their hearts. This involves the spirit of man. The Brazen Altar symbolizes the Cross of Jesus Christ and the Lavor symbolizes the Resurrection.
When we got Saved we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts (Spirit) because He died on the Cross ( Brazen Altar) and rose from the dead ( Lavor). Do we see why the Apostle Paul could not have written (1) Body (2) Soul (3) Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts we did not do that with our body. We did that with our spirit. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Romans 8:16.
For the most part the world tries to find God with their soul and body but it can not be done. This was made of bronze and this speaks of judgment. Our sins had to be judged ( bronze). In Lev. 6:13 the Bible tells us the fire was never to go out. This spoke of Jesus Christ dying on the Cross once and for all to take care of the sin problem.
When the people went into the outer court they were very aware that blood had to be shed for the forgiveness of sins. This is exactly what Jesus did for us. He shed His blood for our sins. Heb. 9:22.
The inner court of the Tabernacle which involves our soul or the present tense of our salvation is spoken of in Philippians 2:12-13.This really gives us an incredible picture of our experiential walk with Jesus Christ. There is a soulish battle that we have to go through in life and the table of showbread speaks of our experience with Christ on a daily basis.
The Lamp Stand speaks of the body of Christ. We as part of His body are the light of the world. Luke 11:33. There was beaten gold in the inner court which represents our experiences in life. Only the priests could go into the inner court but according to the New Testament in 1 Peter 2:5, Rev. 1:6 we are priests so we are allowed to eat of the Bread of Life ( table of showbread). We read the Scriptures and feed on the Person of Jesus Christ. He is our daily Manna.
Since the veil of the Temple was torn in two we can now come into the presence of God. We obviously need that presence to go through our soulish struggles in life.
After the inner court came the Holy of Holies which is represented of our body or the future tense salvation. If the rapture happens as soon as we think it might then we will be airlifted ( raptured) into heaven ( Holy of Holies ).
The High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. Heb. 9:7. This involves the physical presence of God. We will have our resurrected bodies in His eternal presence. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies. Jesus Christ is our Ark. In Exodus 30 the incense was in the inner court and in Hebrews chapter 9 the incense was probably moved from the inner court to the Holy of Holies because our communion is now very close to God because of what Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross. We will be in the very physical presence of God with our new resurrected bodies after the rapture of the Church ( Holy of Holies).
Do you remember when the Apostle Paul got saved? He was really excited and started a church in Damascus but you never heard of those Believers again. Paul probably started that Church in the flesh and they just dwindled off. Paul had to be moved to complete need by Jesus Christ Himself. Perhaps when Paul had a thorn in his flesh he was at the number 2 level. This denotes division and it is being highlighted in his life. This was his soulish struggle.
Suffering is a gift from God that nobody wants. Paul was knee deep in pain but his response was submission to God.
In Matthew 18:20 the Bible says " For where TWO ( emphasis mine) or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." The number 2 is the number of division ( soulish struggle) but it can also be a dual meaning of two Believers coming together.
What is the basic theme of prayer meetings? The World is tough ( division) so let's gather together in prayer as Believers ( uniting). Christians go home but they are still going through the soulish struggle. Life is not nice. What is God doing? He is working through Christians in His power.
All of the characters in the Bible went through soulish struggles. Due to time I will just briefly mention two interesting people that made the Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11. Sarah and Samson.
Sarah spent most of her life in isolation and rejection yet she must have allowed God to strengthen her more toward the end of her life because she is in Hebrews chapter 11 (The Hall of Faith). Samson was a trouble maker among other things yet in those last 20 years of his life when he was blinded and held captive he must have let God strengthen him. He is in Hebrews chapter 11 ( The Hall of Faith).
The Holy Spirit is inside of us making us stronger through the grace of Jesus Christ. God wants to take Believers in Him to the third level of experiential completeness in Him. Like I said we are already positionally complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10. He understands that the world is really tough but "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him." Nahum 1:7.
If God sees something lodged inside of us that is not good then we will probably learn the hard way. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you will probably still go thorough a soulish struggle in life but never get the victory. This is only found through Jesus Christ.
You may not want to be in the script but you have already been scripted in ( past tense) before the foundation of the world because you were born. You have a choice. Since we are so close to the rapture I am praying that many people receive Jesus Christ into their hearts.
Let me just say nobody will ever know some of the really bad soulish struggles that some people did and/are enduring. It will be revealed on the other side. The Apostle Paul spoke of it in Romans chapter 6,7 and 8.
John the Baptist probably said it best in John 3:30. He said " He must increase, but I must decrease." Unless we understand the increase/decrease principle we will never allow God to take us to the third level. When God takes us from the second to third level it is a little mysterious. We will never totally be able to figure it out because a work of God is a mystery. It surpasses all understanding. I know this because that is what the Bible says in Philippians 4:7. By the way I'm not saying a Believer can't go back to the soulish level of their problems. Just because God progresses His children in His experiential power does not mean he or she won't go through another perhaps more intense trial. They probably will.
We are glad that we are just about to be raptured into the loving arms of Jesus Christ in Heaven? It is possible that God can take us so far into the spirit that we might actually forget what our soulish problem even was? In Hebrews 2:9 the Bible is saying Jesus was made for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. In verse 10 it says our salvation is made PERFECT ( emphasis mine) through sufferings. This perfection is level three.
This person that I am talking about is already a Christian but God is working in him or her. I just want to note that the Apostle Paul was circumstantially bound in prison at the end of his life but he was free on the inside through Jesus Christ. God brought the Apostle Paul to the third complete level and I think it is very interesting that this is when he started writing letters to the Churches. He did not have the full wisdom of God to do this earlier in his ministry.
In Philippians 1:6 the Bible says that God will continue to do a good work in our life until the day of Jesus Christ. I want us to see how different the first level is in comparison to the third level. On the first level (it is more about me ----- I have a responsibility before God to get saved and to get right before God ) the third level ( it is all about Jesus Christ). God progresses us to a type of the Holy of Holies.
There is a fork in the road between level two and level three. When we trust God we are meditating on Him. When we worry we are giving the devil meditation. The devil is not capable of granting us anything because he can not even tell the truth.
God has to test our faith. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me." Psalm 138:7.We went through many deep soulish trials and struggles and now we are trusting God that He will give us the strength to face the giants.
When I researched this it made me think about my problems. God of course keeps working on us because He sees the whole picture.
There are so many neat examples I could give you regarding this 1,2,3 principle. (1) Father (2) Son (3) Holy Spirit. (1) Omniscience (2) Omnipresence (3) Omnipotence. (1) Eternity Past (2) Eternity Present (3) Eternity Future.
When the word Shepherd was ascribed to Jesus Christ depending upon where He was in eternal history it progressed (1) The Good Shepherd ( John 10:14), (2) The Great Shepherd ( Heb. 13:20) (3) The Chief Shepherd ( 1 Peter 4:5). This title actually progresses from death to resurrection of His glory.
Our Lord's being is perfect and so is His office. (1) Prophet (2) Priest (3) King (Deut. 17:18). From the back drop of Christianity a person (1) Becomes regenerated ( accepts Jesus Christ into their heart) (2) Attempts to grow in the Lord through problems and trials (soulish struggle) (3) The person hopefully becomes mature after the soulish struggle and starts to focus upon the Person of Jesus Christ to unite rather than divide in the Spirit of God.
This is where we meet God in a deep way so a person at this point has his or her priorities right and can now focus on Jesus Christ and put His principles into action. There is (1) Faith (2) Hope (3) Love. From the back drop of faith (1) I think I can. (2) I know I can. (3) It is already done. Maturity is a process of completion that God must accomplish in our lives as His children.
I would like to give you just one more example. (1) Primary interpretation. (2) Practical application and (3) Prophetic implication. God is not stopping at the primary and practical. He is going into the prophetic. Jesus is coming very soon.
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord, Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10.
Time is truly running out. Today is the day of salvation because there might not be a tomorrow. Nobody is going to want to miss the rapture because the world will get really bad at that future point. Jesus Christ is the only answer. Receive Him into your heart and live for Him. Watch for His return and be ready at any moment. Glory to God because Jesus Christ is coming very soon!
Bob D.
The sum of one plus two equals three. As Believes in Jesus Christ we probably will go through 1 and 2 by experience to get to 3. We are Saved by grace through faith in Jesus Christ (Eph. 2: 8-9). If a Christian dies early he or she may not go through this process.
One (sovereign), two (division) and three ( complete). The mystery of any problems we struggle with is found in our make up (1) Spirit (2) Soul (3) Body. The Apostle Paul says we are comprised of three parts. From a Biblical point of view three denotes divine perfection.
(1) Spirit, (2) Soul and (3) Body. We have to ask ourselves how the Tabernacle was built. This is paramount for us to understand this because we are comprised of three parts.
When we walk through life we are so conditioned to say (1) Body (2) Soul and (3) Spirit but this is not what the Bible teaches." And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord, Jesus Christ."1 Thessalonians 5:23.
Notice the order (1) Spirit, (2) Soul (3) Body. There was a reason why the Apostle Paul started with spirit and ended with body. This is how the Tabernacle was constructed. In 1 Cor. 3:16 the Bible says we are the temple of the Holy Spirit.
When anybody really looks at the construction of the Tabernacle God wanted to dwell not only among His people but in His people. The Ark of the Covenant was constructed first and that went into the Holy of Holies to be covered by the Mercy Seat. The Ark represents Jesus Christ. Everything else was built around the Ark.
This is because Jesus Christ changes a person from the inside out. The Bible says in Numbers chapter 2 that the Tabernacle was to be placed in the center of the Twelve Tribes. Everything in the Tabernacle points to Jesus Christ but even more specific our salvation past, present and future are all in Him. The Tabernacle gives us a picture of this redemption process.
The outer court represents our spirit and our Salvation in the past tense ( Romans 10: 9-10). The inner court represents our soul and our Salvation in the present tense ( Philippians 2:12). That would be our sanctification through our salvation from the past tense. The Holy of Holies represents our body or our salvation in the future tense. When we get to heaven our body, soul and spirit will be one in Him. Everything that was constructed in the Tabernacle were all symbols of the salvation to come through Jesus Christ.
In Exodus 25:2 relative to the outer court of the Tabernacle God encourages the people to give with their hearts. This involves the spirit of man. The Brazen Altar symbolizes the Cross of Jesus Christ and the Lavor symbolizes the Resurrection.
When we got Saved we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts (Spirit) because He died on the Cross ( Brazen Altar) and rose from the dead ( Lavor). Do we see why the Apostle Paul could not have written (1) Body (2) Soul (3) Spirit in 1 Thessalonians 5:23.
When we accepted Jesus Christ into our hearts we did not do that with our body. We did that with our spirit. The spirit itself beareth witness with our spirit, that we are the children of God. Romans 8:16.
For the most part the world tries to find God with their soul and body but it can not be done. This was made of bronze and this speaks of judgment. Our sins had to be judged ( bronze). In Lev. 6:13 the Bible tells us the fire was never to go out. This spoke of Jesus Christ dying on the Cross once and for all to take care of the sin problem.
When the people went into the outer court they were very aware that blood had to be shed for the forgiveness of sins. This is exactly what Jesus did for us. He shed His blood for our sins. Heb. 9:22.
The inner court of the Tabernacle which involves our soul or the present tense of our salvation is spoken of in Philippians 2:12-13.This really gives us an incredible picture of our experiential walk with Jesus Christ. There is a soulish battle that we have to go through in life and the table of showbread speaks of our experience with Christ on a daily basis.
The Lamp Stand speaks of the body of Christ. We as part of His body are the light of the world. Luke 11:33. There was beaten gold in the inner court which represents our experiences in life. Only the priests could go into the inner court but according to the New Testament in 1 Peter 2:5, Rev. 1:6 we are priests so we are allowed to eat of the Bread of Life ( table of showbread). We read the Scriptures and feed on the Person of Jesus Christ. He is our daily Manna.
Since the veil of the Temple was torn in two we can now come into the presence of God. We obviously need that presence to go through our soulish struggles in life.
After the inner court came the Holy of Holies which is represented of our body or the future tense salvation. If the rapture happens as soon as we think it might then we will be airlifted ( raptured) into heaven ( Holy of Holies ).
The High Priest went into the Holy of Holies once a year on the Day of Atonement. Heb. 9:7. This involves the physical presence of God. We will have our resurrected bodies in His eternal presence. The Ark of the Covenant was placed in the Holy of Holies. Jesus Christ is our Ark. In Exodus 30 the incense was in the inner court and in Hebrews chapter 9 the incense was probably moved from the inner court to the Holy of Holies because our communion is now very close to God because of what Jesus Christ did for us at the Cross. We will be in the very physical presence of God with our new resurrected bodies after the rapture of the Church ( Holy of Holies).
Do you remember when the Apostle Paul got saved? He was really excited and started a church in Damascus but you never heard of those Believers again. Paul probably started that Church in the flesh and they just dwindled off. Paul had to be moved to complete need by Jesus Christ Himself. Perhaps when Paul had a thorn in his flesh he was at the number 2 level. This denotes division and it is being highlighted in his life. This was his soulish struggle.
Suffering is a gift from God that nobody wants. Paul was knee deep in pain but his response was submission to God.
In Matthew 18:20 the Bible says " For where TWO ( emphasis mine) or three are gathered together in My name, there am I in the midst of them." The number 2 is the number of division ( soulish struggle) but it can also be a dual meaning of two Believers coming together.
What is the basic theme of prayer meetings? The World is tough ( division) so let's gather together in prayer as Believers ( uniting). Christians go home but they are still going through the soulish struggle. Life is not nice. What is God doing? He is working through Christians in His power.
All of the characters in the Bible went through soulish struggles. Due to time I will just briefly mention two interesting people that made the Hall of Faith in Hebrews chapter 11. Sarah and Samson.
Sarah spent most of her life in isolation and rejection yet she must have allowed God to strengthen her more toward the end of her life because she is in Hebrews chapter 11 (The Hall of Faith). Samson was a trouble maker among other things yet in those last 20 years of his life when he was blinded and held captive he must have let God strengthen him. He is in Hebrews chapter 11 ( The Hall of Faith).
The Holy Spirit is inside of us making us stronger through the grace of Jesus Christ. God wants to take Believers in Him to the third level of experiential completeness in Him. Like I said we are already positionally complete in Christ. Colossians 2:10. He understands that the world is really tough but "The Lord is good, a stronghold in the day of trouble; and He knoweth them that trust in Him." Nahum 1:7.
If God sees something lodged inside of us that is not good then we will probably learn the hard way. If you have not accepted Jesus Christ as your personal Savior you will probably still go thorough a soulish struggle in life but never get the victory. This is only found through Jesus Christ.
You may not want to be in the script but you have already been scripted in ( past tense) before the foundation of the world because you were born. You have a choice. Since we are so close to the rapture I am praying that many people receive Jesus Christ into their hearts.
Let me just say nobody will ever know some of the really bad soulish struggles that some people did and/are enduring. It will be revealed on the other side. The Apostle Paul spoke of it in Romans chapter 6,7 and 8.
John the Baptist probably said it best in John 3:30. He said " He must increase, but I must decrease." Unless we understand the increase/decrease principle we will never allow God to take us to the third level. When God takes us from the second to third level it is a little mysterious. We will never totally be able to figure it out because a work of God is a mystery. It surpasses all understanding. I know this because that is what the Bible says in Philippians 4:7. By the way I'm not saying a Believer can't go back to the soulish level of their problems. Just because God progresses His children in His experiential power does not mean he or she won't go through another perhaps more intense trial. They probably will.
We are glad that we are just about to be raptured into the loving arms of Jesus Christ in Heaven? It is possible that God can take us so far into the spirit that we might actually forget what our soulish problem even was? In Hebrews 2:9 the Bible is saying Jesus was made for the suffering of death, crowned with glory and honor. In verse 10 it says our salvation is made PERFECT ( emphasis mine) through sufferings. This perfection is level three.
This person that I am talking about is already a Christian but God is working in him or her. I just want to note that the Apostle Paul was circumstantially bound in prison at the end of his life but he was free on the inside through Jesus Christ. God brought the Apostle Paul to the third complete level and I think it is very interesting that this is when he started writing letters to the Churches. He did not have the full wisdom of God to do this earlier in his ministry.
In Philippians 1:6 the Bible says that God will continue to do a good work in our life until the day of Jesus Christ. I want us to see how different the first level is in comparison to the third level. On the first level (it is more about me ----- I have a responsibility before God to get saved and to get right before God ) the third level ( it is all about Jesus Christ). God progresses us to a type of the Holy of Holies.
There is a fork in the road between level two and level three. When we trust God we are meditating on Him. When we worry we are giving the devil meditation. The devil is not capable of granting us anything because he can not even tell the truth.
God has to test our faith. "Though I walk in the midst of trouble, thou wilt revive me: Thou shalt stretch forth Thine hand against the wrath of mine enemies, and Thy right hand shall save me." Psalm 138:7.We went through many deep soulish trials and struggles and now we are trusting God that He will give us the strength to face the giants.
When I researched this it made me think about my problems. God of course keeps working on us because He sees the whole picture.
There are so many neat examples I could give you regarding this 1,2,3 principle. (1) Father (2) Son (3) Holy Spirit. (1) Omniscience (2) Omnipresence (3) Omnipotence. (1) Eternity Past (2) Eternity Present (3) Eternity Future.
When the word Shepherd was ascribed to Jesus Christ depending upon where He was in eternal history it progressed (1) The Good Shepherd ( John 10:14), (2) The Great Shepherd ( Heb. 13:20) (3) The Chief Shepherd ( 1 Peter 4:5). This title actually progresses from death to resurrection of His glory.
Our Lord's being is perfect and so is His office. (1) Prophet (2) Priest (3) King (Deut. 17:18). From the back drop of Christianity a person (1) Becomes regenerated ( accepts Jesus Christ into their heart) (2) Attempts to grow in the Lord through problems and trials (soulish struggle) (3) The person hopefully becomes mature after the soulish struggle and starts to focus upon the Person of Jesus Christ to unite rather than divide in the Spirit of God.
This is where we meet God in a deep way so a person at this point has his or her priorities right and can now focus on Jesus Christ and put His principles into action. There is (1) Faith (2) Hope (3) Love. From the back drop of faith (1) I think I can. (2) I know I can. (3) It is already done. Maturity is a process of completion that God must accomplish in our lives as His children.
I would like to give you just one more example. (1) Primary interpretation. (2) Practical application and (3) Prophetic implication. God is not stopping at the primary and practical. He is going into the prophetic. Jesus is coming very soon.
"That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord, Jesus, and shall believe in thine heart that God hath raised Him from the dead, thou shalt be saved. (10) for with the heart man believeth unto righteousness; and with the mouth confession is made unto salvation." Romans 10:9-10.
Time is truly running out. Today is the day of salvation because there might not be a tomorrow. Nobody is going to want to miss the rapture because the world will get really bad at that future point. Jesus Christ is the only answer. Receive Him into your heart and live for Him. Watch for His return and be ready at any moment. Glory to God because Jesus Christ is coming very soon!
Bob D.
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