God’s Chosen House

Psalm 132
3 “Surely I will not go into the chamber of my house, Or go up to the comfort of my bed;
4 I will not give sleep to my eyes Or slumber to my eyelids,
5 Until I find a place for the LORD, A dwelling place for the Mighty One of Jacob.”

There is nothing so precious or so vital as a place for God to rest/dwell with us. It is truly a place that must be found/made/prepared. A loving, longing heart of faith that will not give time or attention to self interests and self comforts will find such a dwelling place.
We give our time and attention to so many little things. We are so prone to distractions. There can seem to be so much to be busy with, we can be “anxious and troubled with many things, But one thing is needed.” Luke 10:40-42 The psalmists eye was single, with vision/desire only for God.
Have we found a place for God to dwell today? Have we set aside all selfish, fleshy desire for comfort, in order that we might find a place for The Lord to come down and be with us? Is there something else more appealing?

Psalm 132
13 For the LORD has chosen Zion; He has desired it for His dwelling place:
14 “This is My resting place forever; Here I will dwell, for I have desired it.

Zion is not a place, it is the gathering of God’s people. Zion is the body of Christ; the sons and daughters of God; those who are circumcised; not of flesh, but of heart; not of flesh but of faith! God has chosen to set HIS glory on HIS people and to abide in and among them! He has chosen US!! He desires US for His resting place forever! Hallelujah!! What a glory! What an honour! What a JOY!!! What a Great Salvation!!
It is so incredible to consider and meditate on this truth. It is far too easy to type/talk… But be encouraged today brothers and sisters… The Lord God Jehovah has chosen you/us as His dwelling place!! Selah!!
May we be careful to find a place for The Lord today. A place of communion, fellowship, rest and LIFE!

But I Will Sing

Psalm 59

“let them”

Let them doubt, reject, hate and offend. Allow them to do and be what they will. Let the enemy threaten. Let the world party. Let the restless and wicked scheme and plot.
Understand/remember that the wicked are slaves to their master. All they know is their service to self, disunity, fear and hate.
Do not retaliate, defend your self or take matters into your own hands. Do not let your heart be troubled. Do not give place to your own flesh.
Let them strive but you Be Still… Dwell in the secret place of The Most High, for no evil can affect you there. Abide in Christ, for there is nothing but peace that passes understanding and joy unspeakable in Him!

“But I will”

Sing God’s praises! Open your mouth and sing! Let HIS everlasting joy flow out of you! Let HIS life-giving streams flow from your belly! Sing of His goodness, sing of His testimonies, sing of His promises!! Allow your heart to truly dwell in gratitude, count your blessings and rejoice for He is doing exceedingly abundantly more than we can ask or imagine, He is doing all things well, He is making all things beautiful in His time and making all things work together for good! Hallelujah!!
Surrender and sing!! We can sing because He hears and answers prayer, we can sing for He has given us all things that pertain to life and Godliness. He has already won every victory, He is providing every need. Surrender your fears, needs and desires to Him and then sing in the freedom and liberty that He gives when you do.
God’s people have so much to sing about?! Bring a sacrifice of praise! Our Heavenly Father is worthy, and when you give Him the little praise that you have you will always leave full! The Lord inhabits the praises of His people! He delights in their praises! He has placed His glory in it! Think about that! His glory is in the praise and worship of redeemed man!
Let us be found singing praises from our innermost being! May we be a people of praise and joy in The Lord in a world of striving, impatience and self! Let them… But I will sing!! Hallelujah!!

Give The Enemy No Credit

Job 1:20
Then Job arose, and tore his coat, and shaved his head, and fell down upon the ground, and worshipped

Job 2
9 Then said his wife unto him, Do you still hold fast to your integrity? curse God, and die.
10 But he said to her, You speak as one of the impious and foolish women would speak. What? Shall we accept only good at the hand of God and shall we not accept evil? In all this, Job did not sin with his lips.

Job never mentions the devil. He never gives the enemy any credit and never attributes to him any power or ability. He only sees and only fears His sovereign God who he is intimately acquainted with. Who he has walked with, talked with, trusted and proven!

It’s true that Paul talks of being hindered to the Thessalonians but… He DOES NOT say that the work of God was hindered. He DOES NOT say that his faith in or fellowship with Christ was hindered. He DOES NOT say that God’s sovereign plan was hindered! he only mentions it in passing concerning a personal desire to see them.

Born Again believers, the Temples of The Holy Ghost, who ought to be abiding in Christ and in the secret place of The Most High (where no evil can be!!), often give the devil far too much attention and give not enough reverence to the sovereignty of Almighty God!! The devil cannot touch God’s children abiding in Him without permission and that… Will always be for His glory to be revealed!

The devil has as much power over you as you attribute to him. Yes the devil is a powerful, crafty foe… But He is a defeated enemy before the sons and daughters of God.

Luke 22
31 “Simon, Simon (Peter), listen! Satan has demanded permission to sift [all of] you like grain;
32 but I have prayed for you, that your faith [and confidence in Me] may not fail; and you, once you have turned back again [to Me], strengthen and support your brothers [in the faith].”

Jesus is saying that Satan will indeed sift you!! But the sifting is only to reveal the grain! Let the chaff (flesh) be removed and let the glory of God be revealed as we abide in Him and keep looking unto Jesus who is the beginning and the end, the author and finisher, the Risen, Conquering King!! The one who has all things placed under His feet!! ABIDE IN HIM!!! He is the power and the glory! Yield and submit to His sovereign plan and timing. Trust in His faithfulness and loving ways. The sifting is painful but “When He has tried me, I shall come forth as refined gold [pure and luminous].” Job 23:10

Follow in Jobs example. Give the devil no credit. Attribute to him no power. When He is given permission to sift… Then may we be found on our faces in worship before The Almighty, Sovereign God! Hallelujah!!

Oil For The Lamp

Exodus 27:20-21
“And you shall command the children of Israel, that they bring you pure crushed/beaten olive oil for the light, to cause the lamp to burn always”

The olives must be beaten/crushed. The oil would come forth from the crushing of the olives. It was in the Mount of Olives where Christ’s will was crushed and He prayed “Nevertheless, not my will but thine be done.” It is this symbolic crushing death to the self-will that will bring forth oil to fuel the light of the testimony.

Be careful not to focus on the crushing. Do not consume yourself with the death but rather rejoice in the precious oil and the light that comes from such a testimony! Some can become sepulchral, losing all joy, seeing only their unworthiness and lack… But rejoice evermore and pray without ceasing, giving thanks that the Light of The Lord’s testimony may shine on another day.

“In the tabernacle of the congregation without the vail, which is before the testimony”

The oil was brought from the individual homes to the place of congregational worship. It is only as our self-life is crushed that we can learn to love, serve and prefer others above ourselves. As we are crushed and see how much we’ve been forgiven we can learn to love much and we can learn to worship The Lord in unity. That is where The Lord places His testimony. Not in the individual homes but upon a people united unto Him.

“it shall be a statute for ever unto their generations on the behalf of the children of Israel.”

From generation to generation the statute, the marker of The Lord’s presence/blessing/testimony would be the light in the tabernacle of the congregation. It is the offering of crushing of The Lord’s people that keeps it shining.

Oh may we with joy bring our oil to the place of united fellowship and congregational worship. May we bring fuel for the light of our Saviour’s glory and testimony.