A Weekly World Wide Word of Encouragement to those in the Ministry
PRAISE GOD IT’S MONDAY!
A WEEKLY ‘WWW (world-wide word) OF ENCOURAGEMENT’
TO THOSE IN MINISTRY
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Issue No: 1155 Published: 04 Dec 2023
A REVELATION OF....... HOLINESS
REVELATION OF....... HOLINESS
MOSES TABERNACLE - THE JO HOLINESS
PHYSICAL DESCRIPTION
ENTERING THE HOLY OF HOLIES
There are twin keys to understanding holiness to be found in the Holy of Holies.
THE WAY IN
Day of Atonement: Entrance to the Holy of Holies was restricted to the High Priest, once a year, upon the Day of Atonement. On this day he sought and received forgiveness for the sins of all the people of Israel. However, he was not able to go straight in and do it! For to enter into the very presence of God, he had to be pure himself. Remember God cannot live in the presence of sin. So, before entering, the High Priest humbled himself by taking off his grand robes in front of the people, highly humbling, before putting on a plain white, simple, linen (symbolic of righteousness) garment, more like an undershirt than the magnificent clothing he usually wore. Then he went to the Brazen Altar and offered a sacrifice for his own sins, before daring to enter God's presence. Once he had made this sacrifice for himself, he was able to do so for the Israelites.
There are three lessons for us here. Firstly, to enter God's presence we must humble ourselves by stripping away those parts of our life that are displeasing to God. Humility is not, as many imagine, putting oneself down as being of no consequence, but recognising that God's way is best every time.
Secondly, this humility leads to righteousness, to being a servant to the Father and others, as Jesus was.
Finally, we must understand that we cannot do this in our own power. For without coming through the ultimate act of grace provided by the sacrifice of Jesus, as represented by the Brazen Altar, we simply wont make it. For no matter how hard we try, we will never attain holiness through our own efforts. Many try. Good works are not enough. All sin must go and that can only happen through the forgiveness oFind out more about us at.....f the Cross. The High Priest had to make a sacrifice for himself before entering into God's presence.
THE RESULT
The Ark of the Covenant contained three items that today, give us a picture of what true holiness really is. For unless these items represented holiness, they could not have existed in the Ark itself, for God's presence dwelt there.
Each item relates to an article of furniture in the Holy Place, illustrating the difference between living in the realm of the Holy Spirit, where Spirit filled believers dwell, and the holiness that the Father desires for each of us.
Jar of Manna: Six days a week, God supernaturally provided manna, basically an ingredient with which the Jews could make a form of bread. A small, round, like coriander seed when it fell, the manna looked like hoarfrost on the ground and tasted like wafers made with honey. It could be ground in mills or beaten in a mortar to make flour that could be baked or boiled. On Friday a double quantity fell, which remained usable for the Sabbath the next day. The other days, it would become infested with worms within 24 hours.
As we have seen earlier, bread is symbolic of the Word of God. In the Outer Court, at the Washing Basin, we understand the words 'written on the page'. In the Holy Place, the revelation is of the words 'between the lines'. Yet, like the 12 loaves of bread, we need to keep topping up with reading the Bible daily, or we will lose what we have.
However, in the Holy of Holies our lives become the 'living word', where the Word, like the manna, is supernaturally growing within us on an ongoing basis. The Word, and we become one. This is holiness.
Aaron's Rod: The Budded Staff grew fruit supernaturally. With this staff, God confirmed to His people that the Levites were His chosen priesthood. Of course, today we are all to be priests and are given Spiritual Gifts as God decides and provides. The rods used by Moses and Aaron were symbolic of God's authority and power. But what did Aaron's Rod grow? It grew fruit. For it is the Fruit of the Spirit that represent holiness, not the Gifts.
The Lampstand, to which the Budded Staff relates, had to be topped up with oil and its wick trimmed on an ongoing basis. It is the same with the Holy Spirit and us. We need regular 'top ups' of the Holy Spirit or else we will drift away as the Spirit leaks from us. This is simply spiritual reality! But the more we submit to the Spirit's leading, the greater His power and presence will be within. So too, will our gifts be greater, for we will be able to be trusted with more.
Spirit filled Christians spend a lot of time praying for more gifts, but Aaron's Rod illustrates that in order to get greater gifts, we need first to develop bigger and tastier fruit in our lives. For it is fruit that brings holiness, while the gifts reflect and enhance the witness of the fruit in our life. So instead of asking for more gifts, we should be developing the fruits of character.
As we mature into Christ-likeness in the Holy of Holies, so we can be entrusted with greater Spiritual gifts. This is holiness.
Tablets of the Law: Contrary to popular belief, each tablet contained all 10 Commandments, written on the front and back of each tablet. They represented God's 'covenant' with His people. A covenant is similar, but not identical, to a contract today. When we buy and sell a house, there are two copies of the contract, one for the seller and another for the buyer. In this case, God and mankind's copies were both kept in the same place - inside the Ark.
Moses broke the original copies, supplied and written on by God.
15 Moses turned and went down the mountain with the two tablets of the Testimony in his hands. They were inscribed on both sides, front and back. 16 The tablets were the work of God; the writing was the writing of God, engraved on the tablets. 17 When Joshua heard the noise of the people shouting, he said to Moses, “There is the sound of war in the camp.”
18 Moses replied: “It is not the sound of victory, it is not the sound of defeat; it is the sound of singing that I hear.” 19 When Moses approached the camp and saw the calf and the dancing, his anger burned and he threw the tablets out of his hands, breaking them to pieces at the foot of the mountain. (Exodus 32:15-19)
The destruction of the tablets was not simply a voluntary act of Moses, as sin cannot live in the presence of a holy God. It had to happen, for the tablets represented God!
The second set however was provided by Moses and written on by God.
The LORD said to Moses, “Chisel out two stone tablets like the first ones, and I will write on them the words that were on the first tablets, which you broke. 2 Be ready in the morning, and then come up on Mount Sinai. Present yourself to me there on top of the mountain. (Exodus 34:1-2)
When Moses came down the mountain the second time, the people were still not perfect, but as the tablets were now a combination of both God and man, they did not need to be broken this time.
So here we have a picture of man, represented by the tablets, being perfected, written on, by God. As we allow our behaviour to be molded to God's perfection, as symbolized by the 10 Commandments, so we have a picture of holiness, ultimately resulting in perfection.
John Wesley believed perfection was possible in this life through the grace of Jesus, as a gift from God.
9 He replied, “Go your way, Daniel, because the words are closed up and sealed until the time of the end. 10 Many will be purified, made spotless and refined, but the wicked will continue to be wicked. None of the wicked will understand, but those who are wise will understand. (Daniel 12:9-10)
Others believe that perfection cannot fully be attained until the life to come.
Putting aside this argument, it is clear that holiness comes as we move towards living a sin free life. This is holiness.
SUMMARY
As we move on from the Holy Place and into the Holy of Holies, our character must change. Sin must decrease in our lives, in order that we might grow more and more into the likeness of Jesus.
As we develop into the 'living word', our Christ-likeness enables us to be trusted with greater spiritual gifts. As we move towards living a sin free life, so we are participating in the process of attaining holiness. Holiness is not an instantaneous event, but a challenging lifetime process, to be approached one step at a time.
FROM THE WORD
THE BEAUTIFUL WORDS OF JESUS
Further Teachings (Luke 16:14-18)
On that day.
What was written in the law and the prophets lasted until John. From then on the good news of the kingdom of God is being spread, and everyone is forcing their way in. However, it’s easier for heaven and earth to pass away than for the smallest point of the Law to disappear. Any man who divorces his wife and marries someone else commits adultery, and a man who marries a divorced woman commits adultery.
The Rich Man and the Beggar Lazarus (Luke 16:19-31)
Jesus continued.
“Once there was a man who was rich. He wore purple clothes and fine linen, and enjoyed a luxurious life.
A beggar named Lazarus used to sit at his gate, covered in sores, longing to eat the leftovers from the rich man’s table. Even the dogs came and licked his sores.
“Then the beggar died, and angels carried him away to be with Abraham. The rich man also died and was buried. In Hades, where he was in torment, he looked up and saw Abraham in the far distance, with Lazarus beside him.
“‘Father Abraham,’ he called out, ‘Have mercy on me and send Lazarus to dip the tip of his finger in water and cool my tongue, because I’m burning in agony.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘My son, remember that you enjoyed the good things of life, while Lazarus had a very poor life. Now he is here being comforted, while you suffer in torment. Apart from that, there’s a great gulf stretches between us and you. Nobody who wants to cross from here to you can do so, and nobody can cross from there over to us.’
“The rich man said, ‘Then Father, I beg you, please send him to my father’s house. For I have five brothers and he can warn them so that they don’t end up here in this place of torment.’
“But Abraham replied, ‘They have Moses and the prophets. They should listen to them.’
“‘No, father Abraham,’ said the man. ‘But they would repent if someone went to them from the dead!’
“Abraham said to him, ‘If they won’t listen to Moses and the prophets, they won’t be convinced even if someone returns from the dead.’”
Instructions to the Disciples (Luke 17:1-10)
Jesus taught them.
“Temptations are unavoidable, but it will be a disaster for those through whom they come! For such people it would be better to have a millstone hung around the neck and thrown into the sea than to cause these little ones to sin. So take care what you do. If your brother sins, warn him; and if he repents, forgive him. Even if he sins against you seven times a day, and seven times comes back and tells you, ‘I’m really
sorry,’ forgive him.”
The disciples asked for more trust.
“Even if your trust was as small as a mustard seed, you could say to this mulberry tree, ‘Uproot yourself, and plant yourself in the sea,’ and it would obey you.
“Say you have a servant who does plowing or shepherding. When he comes in from work, do you say to him, ‘Come in and sit down now for a meal’? No. You say to him, ‘Prepare a meal for me, get yourself dressed, and serve me until I’ve finished my meal. After that you can have your meal’? And do you thank the servant for doing what you told him? No. Likewise once you’ve done everything you were told, you should simply say, ‘We are undeserving servants. We just did our duty.’”
(Continued next week)
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*DAVID"S DOODLINGS
Enjoy some of David's sayings here, plus 1300 more on the website at.....
'THE WORDS OF JESUS' REMAIN AVAILABLE FOR PDF DOWNLOAD
Join the many who have downloaded the 'The Words of Jesus'. I am sure you will be blessed by it, as I have been.
One key element here is the setting out in chronological order (as far as it is possible to do so) our Lord's words drawn from all the Gospels, and the elimination of repetition between Gospels.
You may be surprised by the different perspective this presentation gives you both in understanding of His life and ministry, and in achieving a closer relationship with Him.
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DAVID'S DOODLINGS
671. A soul truly finds peace in God's rest.
672. Strive for strife, rest for peace.
673. Internal peace can flourish amongst external turmoil.
674. Peace is not a feeling, but a place.
675. World peace is an impossibility, inner peace a personal choice.
676. How is it that people rejoice when a peace agreement is reached, yet remain at turmoil within themselves?
677. Peace in our time ' simply impossible. Peace within ' always available.
678. Inner peace is a treasure of far greater value than gold.
679. Peace and riches are seldom bedfellows.
680. War within? Sign the Lord's 'Peace Treaty' today!
681. Our internal battles are bloodier than man's wars.
682. War is of the world. Peace is of God. Therefore we need to seek peace in the right place.
683. The 'War of the World's' is fought within each one of us. Satan versus God.
684. The person with God's peace has more than all the riches of the world have to offer.
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CARTOONS FROM TOON FEVER
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'LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
Another laugh or three for you today
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THIS WEEKS TUESDAY TEACHING.....
THIS WEEK: A REVELATION OF... DIVIDING THE WATERS
A revelation based upon the 3 times the waters were divided in the Bible (The Red Sea with Moses,The River Jordan with Joshua and The River Jordan again with Elijah and Elisha.) and their meanings for the restoration of God's church in these end times.
LAUGHING AT OURSELVES
***Blessed are those who can laugh at themselves for they shall never cease to be amused***
433. Healthy Communion
Being a new pastor to an ageing congregation, I told them I would be serving them prune juice in Holy Communion. When asked why I would dare entertain such a thought, I said, "If the Holy Spirit won't move you--the prune juice will!"
434. Mature Pastoral Wisdom
The Old Preacher was out fishing one afternoon when he heard a noise beside him. He looked down and saw a frog sitting next to him. The frog said, "Buddy, I've had a spell cast on me. If you'll kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess and I'll make you happy for the rest of your life."
The Old Preacher smiled, picked up the frog and put it in his pocket. A little later, he looked into his pocket to see how the frog was doing. The frog said to him again, this time with exasperation, "Buddy, I've had a spell cast on me. If you'll kiss me, I'll turn into a beautiful princess and I'll make you happy for the rest of your life."
The Old Preacher just smiled and kept on fishing. A little later he checked on the frog again. This time it said, "What's wrong with you, fella. I said I've been bewitched. Just kiss me and I'll turn back into a beautiful princess and make you the happiest man on earth for the rest of your life."
The Old Preacher just smiled and said, "Frog, I hate to tell you this, but at my age, I'd rather have a talking frog than a beautiful princess!"
435. Voice from Above
Because our former small-town parish was not a wealthy one, our pastor was dependent on parishioners for upkeep and maintenance of the church. Once he asked my husband, Sam, to rewire the confessionals. The only way to reach the wiring was to enter the attic above the altar and crawl over the ceiling by balancing on the rafters.
Concerned for my husband's safety, I waited in a pew. Unbeknownst to me, some parishioners were congregating in the vestibule. They paid little attention to me, probably assuming I was praying. Worried about my husband, I looked up toward the ceiling and yelled, "Sam, Sam -- are you up there? Did you make it okay?"
There was quite an outburst from the vestibule when Sam's hearty voice echoed down, "Yes, I made it up here just fine!"
QWIK QWIP: “Funny how we believe what newspapers say, but question
what the Bible says.”
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A DAVID MUSING
"Today, I have nothing to say.
Except - I love Jesus!"
Do you have days like mine today?
No matter what circumstances we are going through, we still have Jesus to share with.
Don't let issues get on top of you.
Talk to the healer.
Then He may well give us something to say!
Worth a try?
David Tait
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ABOUT US
WALKING WITH JESUS MINISTRIES is a non-profit, non-denominational, Bible based ministry located in Hastings, New Zealand. A ministry dedicated to developing discipleship, fostering unity amongst God's people to achieve the Great Commission, and in doing so, preparing for Christ's return. It is securely based upon the foundational principles of the Apostles Creed while recognising the wide and rich diversity of beliefs amongst Christians in other areas. In accordance with the Lord's direction, materials produced by the ministry are available, free of charge, to genuine enquirers upon request. The ministry is solely funded by donations, as the Lord provides. A list of materials available (plus some fun!) is obtainable and freely downloadable from our website
wwj.org.nz or by contacting us as follows.
Walking With Jesus Ministries
P O Box 2
Webuye 50205
Kenya
Email: enquiries@wwj.org.nz
Web: wwj.org.nz
Our role is to bless and encourage those in ministry while promoting co-operation and unity of direction amongst the body of Christ, as emphasised 3 times by Jesus in His longest prayer, immediately prior to His arrest and crucifixion. "... so that they may be one as we are one." (John 17:12, 21, 23-4) Our website is currently being developed to encourage your participation one with another, to share resources, and to enable you to promote events and items of interest to the body as a whole - and have a smile while doing it!
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