Today’s Bible Reading
March 07
Old Testament I
Exodus 26:1-30
God was meticulous about the design of the tabernacle, He showed Moses the tabernacle design and exactly how He wanted it built.
Tabernacle is a Hebrew word and in English it means dwelling place. Relating this to the New Testament, it means we aren’t to dictate how to worship God, God dictates how He wants to be worshipped and our only duty is to obey. This seems like a basic Christian knowledge but you would be surprised at the number of Christians who consciously or unconsciously live their life the way God doesn’t want instead of being a living worship unto God.
Some Christians don’t serve God the way He wants because of inconvenience, some Christians can’t sacrifice their time, they reschedule their “devotion time” with God till they eventually forget about it.
To have the right mindset of obeying God's instruction and worshipping Him the way He wants, you need to first believe in Him. You need to know Him and acknowledge Him as God.
But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that comes to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. - Hebrew 11:6
It takes the Spirit of God to be able to worship Him the way He wants. God is Spirit, and those who worship Him must worship in spirit and truth.” John 4:24
25:40 the pattern: Moses was not only told how to make the implements.He actually “saw” in some manner on Sinai a heavenly pattern for them (see v. 9; see also 26:30; 27:8; Acts 7:44; Heb. 8:5).
26:1 The English word tabernacle comes from the Latin tabernaculum,meaning “tent.” The Hebrew word means literally “dwelling place.” Sometimes it refers only to the tent. In other places, it means the tent with the surrounding courtyard. The same Hebrew word is used for the later shrine in Shiloh (Ps. 78:60) and for the worship
shrines in Jerusalem before and after the building of the temple (see, for instance, Ps. 26:8; 46:4; 74:7). In Exodus, the description of the tabernacle begins with the inside, according to “God’s view,” so to speak, and moves to the outside.
The description of the tabernacle started from inside out, we could infer that worshipping God, dwelling in His presence starts from within; in our Spirit.
Raising of hands, crying and different gesticulation of the outward appearance is cool, but the real worship is from the Holy Spirit in you.
Old Testament 2
Psalms 70& 71
Psalm 70, a psalm of lament, is a reprise of 40:13–17. The description of the poor and needy was such a necessary element in the encouragement of people enduring troubles that this section was selected for individual use as a freestanding poem
Psalm 71 is a psalm of lament with a major focus on the psalmist’s trust in God. The psalm alternates between expressions of desperate need and resolute trust in the Lord. In this interplay, the psalmist models the way believers should react to suffering. The poet describes himself as an old man who has trusted in God for a long time (vv. 9, 18). In his great time of need, he asks God to be faithful to His servant. The structure of the psalm is as follows:
a confession of the psalmist’s resolute trust in God (vv. 1–3);
petitions for God to deliver the psalmist from trouble (vv. 4–6);
a determination to praise God even in the midst of trouble (vv.7, 8);
petitions for deliverance (vv. 9–11);
a call for judgement on the psalmist’s enemies (vv. 12, 13);
a commitment to trust and praise God (vv. 14–16);
a renewal of the psalmist’s petitions based on his experience of God’s faithfulness (vv. 17, 18);
a renewal of trust in God (vv. 19–21);
a determination to praise God (vv. 22–24)
New Testament
Acts 15:1-21
15:1 And certain men came down from Judea and taught the brethren, Unless you are circumcised according to the custom of Moses, you cannot be saved
15:2 Therefore, when Paul and Barnabas had no small dissension and dispute with them, they determined that Paul and Barnabas and certain others of them should go up to Jerusalem, to the apostles and elders, about this question.
15:10 Now therefore, why do you test God by putting a yoke on the neck of the disciples which neither our fathers nor we were able to bear?
15:11 But we believe that through the grace of the Lord Jesus Christ we shall be saved in the same manner as they
15:19 Therefore I judge that we should not trouble those from among the Gentiles who are turning to God,
15:20 but that we write to them to abstain from things polluted by idols, from sexual immorality, from things strangled, and from blood.
As Christians, we need to be graceful to new converts amidst us. There is no need to burden them with unnecessary doctrines. This is what caused the dispute among Paul, Barnaba’s and the men from Judea.
As Christians, we need to be welcoming, preach Christ and the transformation will start from within. But we have Christians today that focus on doctrines that aren’t criteria for salvation. It’s a pity that this also happens in the church as a body. There are churches with laws that restrict access to people from hearing God through their doctrines and laws. There is no need to place an unnecessary burden on people who seek Christ.
The criteria for salvation is simple; it is through the grace of Jesus Christ. You don’t have to fulfil 1001 laws before you accept Jesus Christ. Repent; have a change of heart and believe Jesus Christ died on the cross of Calvary and resurrected. The transformation will follow from within. This doesn't mean there shouldn't be discipline in the church, however, Grace comes first, in between and last.
Action Point
Worship God the way He wants to be worshipped
study the bible more to know God more
trust God
praise God even in challenging times
Quote
A man who has made God his dwelling place will always have a safe habitation
-Aisen Wilson Tozer
A christian is the dwelling place of the living God. He created me, he chose me, He came to dwell in me, because he wanted me, Now that you have known how much God is in love with you it is but natural that you spend the rest of your life radiating that love
-Mother Teresa
A rule I have had for years is; to treat the Lord Jesus Christ as a personal friend. His is not a creed, a mere doctrine, but it is He Himself we have.
-Dwight L Moody
We should no more tolerate false doctrine than we would tolerate sin
-J C Ryle
Christianity is not a set of belief or doctrine one believes in order to be a Christian, but rather Christianity is to have one's body shaped, one's habits determined, in such a way that the worship of God is unavoidable
-Stanley Hauerwas
Prayer Points
- thank God for everything
- ask God for forgiveness
- pray for the power of Holy Spirit
- pray that God reveals Himself to you
- pray to know God more
- pray for the grace to trust God even when it's hard
- pray for the grace to be consistent in bible study
- pray for the grace to be graceful to people(believers and unbelievers)
- pray for the church of God
- pray that God purge His church from every unnecessary doctrines
- pray for help
- pray for salvation from every challenges
#BibleInAYearChallenge
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