AS A LITTLE CHILD

And Jesus called a little child unto him, and set him in the midst of them, And said, Verily I say unto you, Except ye be converted, and become as little children, ye shall not enter into the kingdom of heaven. Whosoever therefore shall humble himself as this little child, the same is greatest in the kingdom of heaven. Matthew 18:2,3

What does it mean to be converted?

• To change from one state to another
• Conversion comes when you change in the way you think, speak and behave

In order to be converted you have to know the characteristics of a little child. Here are just a few.
A little child...

• Loves unconditionally. He is not prejudiced. He loves just because
• Receives true love readily without suspicion
• Is innocent and defenseless
• Forgives readily and doesn’t hold grudges
• Is excited about life and has uninhibited joy
• Lives in the now. He is not concerned about what happened in the past, or what might happen in the future
• Finds his identity in his parent
• Has a pure heart with no ulterior motives
• Prays and worships from a pure heart
• Believes in the impossible

Jesus never asks us to do something that He Himself wouldn’t do.
He had the heart of a little child.

Notice that Jesus was talking to the disciples who were already saved. They believed that He was the Messiah. Yet He told them that they had to be converted. It is possible to be saved, yet not converted. That is why Jesus told Peter, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired to have you, that he may sift you as wheat: But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren. Luke 22:31,32

Heaven is filled with saints who have the heart of a child. The Father hears our heart and not just our words.

By faith Abel offered unto God a more excellent sacrifice than Cain, by which he obtained witness that he was righteous, God testifying of his gifts: and by it he being dead yet speaketh. Hebrews 11:4

• God heard and saw in Abel’s heart: “Daddy! Look what I brought for You!”
• How do you bring your offerings to the Father?

  
By faith Enoch was translated that he should not see death; and was not found, because God had translated him: for before his translation he had this testimony, that he pleased God. Hebrews 11:5

• God heard and saw in Enoch’s heart: “Daddy, what You doing? Daddy, I wanna come with You. I love you Daddy.”

By faith Noah, being warned of God of things not seen as yet, moved with fear, prepared an ark to the saving of his house; by the which he condemned the world, and became heir of the righteousness which is by faith. Hebrews 11:7

• God heard Noah’s heart: “My Daddy said it’s going to rain, so I’m going to build this ark even though people mock me. I trust my Daddy.”

By faith Abraham, when he was called to go out into a place which he should after receive for an inheritance, obeyed; and he went out, not knowing whither he went. Hebrews 11:8

• God heard Abraham’s heart: “My Daddy’s taking me on a big adventure! We’re moving to a new place. He told me all about it and it sounds exciting!”

What can stop you from having the heart of a child?
Simply put…your own reasoning. Thinking too much, rationalizing and having your own agenda are all hindrances to having the true heart of a child.

The reality is…

• The more mature you become as a Christian, the more of a child’s heart you have to exhibit.
• Someone with the heart of a child may seem insignificant in the natural. But God uses the foolish things of the world to confound the wise.
• Those who have the heart of a child are the most powerful in the Kingdom, and the most feared by the enemy
• The heart of a child is pure. It is the pure in heart who will see God.

Do you have the heart of a little child?

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PART 6

ENTER THE HOLY PLACE

There are three portals in the Tabernacle of Moses. The first is the Gate – the only entrance into the enclosure. We have already discussed how beautifully the Gate portrays Jesus Himself. He is the only way in – the only way to the Father.

You have presented your body as a living sacrifice at the Brazen Altar. You have washed your hands and feet at the Brazen Laver, ridding yourself of the impurities and influences of the world. Now you stand before another portal – the door that separates the open-air Outer Court from the covered Tent of Meeting.

Note that only priests could enter through the Door of the Tabernacle and into the Holy Place – the first section of the Tent. The same is true today. It is a place reserved for those who have committed their lives to drawing ever closer to God by meeting with Him regularly and often, and by living a life of prayer, worship and service to Him and to others.

THE ENTRANCE

“You shall make a screen for the door of the tabernacle, woven of blue, purple, and scarlet thread, and fine woven linen, made by a weaver. And you shall make for the screen five pillars of acacia wood, and overlay them with gold; their hooks shall be of gold, and you shall cast five sockets of bronze for them.” Exodus 26:36,37

This door, like the Gate, is another encounter with the Lord Jesus Himself. Whereas in the first encounter at the Gate, you experienced Him as Saviour, now you are about to interact with Him in a more intimate manner.

This new transition is seen even in the materials used in the pillars that hold up the screen of the Door. Notice that they are made of acacia and overlaid with gold, and that they sit in bronze sockets. You have seen acacia before in the Bronze Altar. It is that durable wood that reminds us of Jesus’ indestructible body which was scourged, pierced and flogged for you and me. You have also seen the bronze fence posts, Bronze Altar and Bronze Laver. Bronze represents judgment.

For the first time, however, you see a new metal – gold. Gold represents divinity. Not only is Jesus represented in the blue, scarlet and purple screen, but in the supporting pillars we also see Him – perfectly human (acacia) yet perfectly Divine (gold), and taking upon Himself the judgment (bronze) that was due us all. Once more you are reminded that in order to get close to the Father, you must come through the Son.

From this point on all the furniture you will encounter will be made of gold. No bronze is allowed in the Holy Place or beyond. You see, there is no such thing as pure bronze. Bronze is an alloy – a mixture of copper, tin and other trace metals. As it is in the natural, so it is in the spiritual. There can be no mixture in you as you enter the inner enclosure of your spiritual Holy Place. Do you see why it was important to wash first at the Brazen Laver?

As you look around you notice that the Holy Place is encased by several coverings. Let us examine them.

LINEN

The innermost coverings are linen curtains interwoven with cherubim. Linen represents rest. You may remember that the first time cherubim were mentioned in Scripture was in Genesis 3:23, 24.

“…therefore the LORD God sent him out of the garden of Eden to till the ground from which he was taken. So He drove out the man; and He placed cherubim at the east of the garden of Eden, and a flaming sword which turned every way, to guard the way to the tree of life.”

Cherubim are guardians. They kept Adam and Eve from returning to the idyllic Garden of Eden where they had enjoyed sweet intimate fellowship with the Lord. I believe that these cherubim, being on the inside of the Holy Place where you are, symbolize how God wants you to guard the treasures that you receive in your spirit during your communion with Him; treasures that enable you to come into a deeper state of rest in Him.

GOATS’ HAIR

“You shall also make curtains of goats’ hair, to be a tent over the tabernacle.” Exodus 26:7

In Moses’ day the goat was a sacrificial animal, used on the Day of Atonement. The High Priest would lay his hands on the goat’s head, after which it was led away out of the camp and into the wilderness. This scapegoat signified God’s taking away the sins of the Israelites. What a wonderful symbol of Jesus who is our Sacrificial Scapegoat!

RAM’S SKINS

“You shall also make a covering of ram skins dyed red for the tent, and a covering of badger skins above that.” Exodus 26:14

The ram reminds us of a substitute sacrifice. After Abraham willingly took Isaac up to the mountain to sacrifice him as God ordered, the Lord provided Himself a ram caught in the thicket.

The red ram skins are a reminder that Jesus’ Blood was the Perfect Substitute given in sacrifice for our sin.

BADGER SKINS

Badger skins are tough and coarse, shielding the precious items in the Tabernacle from the onslaught of rain, wind and sand. Jesus is our Covering, shielding us from the onslaught of the enemy.

These badger skins were also unattractive. Again we see a picture of our Saviour whom Isaiah describes this way…
“He has no form or comeliness; and when we see Him there is no beauty that we should desire Him.” Isaiah 53:2

Jesus commands you to come often to this secret place, The Holy Place, in Him – away from the noise and clatter of daily routine. It is here in this glorious seclusion that He meets with you and imparts His precious treasures into you.

Don’t rush. Stay a while, and walk with me to the first piece of furniture in the Holy Place – the Golden Lampstand.

….to be continued.

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PART 5

 THE BRAZEN LAVER

Before a priest could enter the Holy Place from the Outer Court, he had to wash at the Brazen Laver. It was a requirement of God that could not be overlooked. He had to remove any defilement before going before the Holy God.

The Laver was made of bronze mirrors donated by women, and was filled with water. It stood between the Brazen Altar and the Holy Place.

Blood was shed at the Brazen Altar symbolizing the sacrifice of a life through death. Water was the focus at the Laver, symbolizing the giving of life through cleansing.

At his initial consecration the priest was washed all over his body at the Laver. This was a type of baptism. After that he had to wash himself – his hands and feet – before entering and after leaving the service to the Lord in the Holy Place. The priest was able to see his reflection both in the water and in the bronze mirrors that made up the Laver. A priest who did not wash before entering the Holy Place, or upon exiting it was considered to be ceremonially unclean, and therefore unfit for service and worship to the Lord.

This is a reminder to us that, after presenting our bodies as living sacrifices (the Brazen Altar experience), we must wash ourselves before entering into intimate communion with, or service to the Lord. How do we do that washing today, since there are no more Brazen Lavers for ceremonial washing? Jesus gives us the answer.

In response to the woman at the well, He said that He had living water that would cause her never to thirst again. This was not physical water to quench natural thirst, but rather the spiritual water of the Word of God that would revive and sustain her. (John 4:1-13)

In John 15:3 Jesus tells His disciples, “You are already clean because of the word which I have spoken to you.”

Paul admonishes husbands to, “love your wives, just as Christ also loved the church and gave Himself for her, that He might sanctify and cleanse her with the washing of water by the word…”

It is clear, then, that our “Brazen Laver” today is the Word of God. Just as the priests were able to see their reflections when they washed at their Laver, we too can see ourselves when we look with honest hearts into the Word. It shows us who we are, and what defilement needs to be removed.

Ask the Holy Spirit to show you, through the Word…

• an attitude that needs to be corrected – is there pride, selfishness, jealousy, unforgiveness
• a sin that you have become desensitized to
• any worldly values that have infiltrated your lifestyle

The priests of Moses’ day had to wash their hands and feet. This was a foreshadowing of what we are to do today. Our hands represent what we do – our work, our service, our assignments. Our feet represent our daily walk – our mindsets, ways, lifestyles.

Today God is too often approached with casual familiarity and taken for granted. Too many believers have adopted an air of entitlement, thinking that because they do x, y or z God must reciprocate. The Sovereignty, Majesty and Holiness of Almighty God has, to a large extent, been excommunicated from the church, and replaced by “God, our good Buddy”. God has been brought down to man’s level, rather than man aspiring to come up to His.

More than ever before, we must look at the Brazen Laver as it relates to us. Although Jesus’ sacrificial death paid the price for our sin, we must still be cleansed daily from its influence. We must ask the Lord to show us, through His Word, what mindsets, attitudes, habits etc need to be removed. Without it we would be in danger of coming before the Holy God with unwashed “hands” and “feet” – defiled priests.

Have you been meeting God’s requirement to wash daily at The “Brazen Laver”?

But as the One Who called you is holy, 

you yourselves also be holy 

in all your conduct and manner of living. 

For it is written, You shall be holy, for I am holy. 

1 Peter 1: 15-16

to be continued…

MOSES’ TABERNACLE – A PATTERN FOR INTIMACY: PT. 4

 A TIME OF TRANSITION

Jesus refers to His followers as sheep.  Let us look at some of their characteristics.

Sheep are…

• submissive
• completely dependent on the Shepherd
• responsive to love and care

but sheep also …

• are easily panicked
• are gullible
• are vulnerable to fear and therefore stampede easily
• are vulnerable to mob psychology, so they are easily influenced by a leader – whoever that leader might be
• have only one defense – to run
• are easy prey to enemies
• are easily flipped over and cannot right themselves without the Shepherd
• need a lot of care
• are not concerned about the Shepherd’s needs – only their own.
• are not concerned about pleasing the Shepherd, but rather are focused on pleasing themselves.

What does this have to do with Moses’ Tabernacle and your intimacy with the Lord you ask? As a young believer you come to the Lord as His sheep, and you are lovingly cared for by the Great Shepherd. However, after a while there is a need for a transition in your thinking. Consider these facts….

1. In Moses’ Tabernacle sheep could go no further than the Brazen Altar. They could not approach the Brazen Laver, not to mention the Holy Place and the Holy of Holies.
2. Sheep were unable to be intimate with the Shepherd since they are a different species from Him.

Do you see the spiritual implications for you and me? If we continue to think of ourselves only as sheep we will never experience true intimacy with the Lord, and our growth in Him will be stunted. The Father is not preparing a Marriage Feast for His Son and His sheep. He is preparing one for His Son and His Bride! Now let us look at the characteristics of a bride.

A bride…

• Grows in intimacy with her Husband and seeks to please Him
• As a result of this intimacy, knows not just His acts but understands His ways
• Partners with Him
• Is in covenant with Him
• Represents Him in His absence. (People will judge Him by how she looks, speaks and acts.)
• Carries His Name
• Bears and raises His ‘children’ – His fruit
• Submits to His leadership
• He is her covering, therefore she knows that He takes care of all of her needs – just as He does with His sheep. This frees her to focus on their relationship, and on taking care of His business.

In ancient Jewish weddings the bride immersed herself in a body of water called a “mikvah” prior to the marriage. Her immersion symbolized the profound transition that was about to take place in her life. We can see a similar pattern in Moses’ Tabernacle where only the priests were allowed to wash at the Brazen Laver in preparation for entering the Holy Place – a place of intimacy with the Holy Lord.

Today you and I must first ensure that we change our mindset from being simply a dependent, self-absorbed sheep. We must embrace our life as the Bride of Christ preparing for her Beloved Bridegroom! Then we can move on to our “mikvah” – the Brazen Laver experience.

To be continued…

LIKE A LION

The lion – the king of the jungle – hunts only when it is hungry. After it kills its prey, feeds and is full, it leaves the rest of the carcass for other animals to dine on.

The lion will only go out and hunt again after it has digested its last meal and has used the energy that the meal provided. It consumes only what it needs and puts it to good use.

All animals, birds and plants in their natural habitat do like the lion. Have you ever seen an overweight kangaroo, or ostrich? Have you ever seen leaves on a tree storing up extra sap while others go without?

The Body of Christ can learn two important lessons – one natural, the other spiritual.

THE NATURAL
We have become a culture of hoarders. We build bigger homes to house just a few. We drive larger vehicles for our own singular comfort, disregarding the detrimental impact on the environment. We demand larger closets. Do you really need all those shoes? All those outfits?

Are you depending on the Lord to provide your daily bread or have you, like the world, been relying on your own intellectual and material resources? When the global recession hits home personally can you continue to provide for yourself, having not developed a total dependence on the Lord for all of your needs?

The Body of Christ has succumbed in large measure to the spirit of mammon. It is a mindset of greed and selfishness that is never satisfied with what it has. Mammon has influenced believers to focus on prosperity, and has redefined the word prosper to make it fit in with the world system.

In the Old Testament prosper means to be prudent, to have insight or to wisely understand. In the New Testament it means to have a successful journey. No wonder the Lord told Joshua that if he obeyed His Word, then, and only then would Joshua prosper! Joshua’s obedience would ensure his success.

What is your measure of success in the natural? Is it the same as the Lord’s? Is it your obedience to God’s Word, or is it simply your accumulation of material assets?

THE SPIRITUAL

How many sermons have you heard in church? How many messages have you heard via Christian television or radio? How many Christian books have you read? How many teachings have you listened to on cd?

Now…how many of those messages have you actually eaten (absorbed mentally and spiritually), and digested (meditated on), and then put into practice in your life before listening to another one. I have asked this question before, but it bears asking again….

Have you done the last thing that God told you to do? Have you obeyed His Word?

“And to the angel of the church of the Laodiceans write, ‘These things says the Amen, the Faithful and True Witness, the Beginning of the creation of God: “I know your works, that you are neither cold nor hot. I could wish you were cold or hot. So then, because you are lukewarm, and neither cold nor hot, I will vomit you out of My mouth. 

Because you say, ‘I am rich, have become wealthy, and have need of nothing’—and do not know that you are wretched, miserable, poor, blind, and naked—I counsel you to buy from Me gold refined in the fire, that you may be rich; and white garments, that you may be clothed, that the shame of your nakedness may not be revealed; and anoint your eyes with eye salve, that you may see. As many as I love, I rebuke and chasten. Therefore be zealous and repent.” Revelation 3:14-19

Be like the lion. If you have been hoarding (naturally or spiritually), use it or lose it. Don’t be caught overweight!

Don’t Shun The Sifting

And the Lord said, “Simon, Simon! Indeed, Satan has asked for you, that he may sift you as wheat. But I have prayed for you, that your faith should not fail; and when you have returned to Me, strengthen your brethren.” Luke 22: 31 – 32

There are some key issues in Jesus’ statement to Peter that apply to all of us today.

Satan had to ask for Peter, just as he had to ask for Job.

This confirms that the adversary cannot operate on his own volition, but has to do as God dictates. He is therefore a pawn of the Lord, used to fulfill God’s purposes in a person’s life.

Unlike popular thought, the adversary is not self-employed. He is God’s slave, and can do only what the Father allows. This was true for Job and for Peter, and it is just as true for you and me.

He wanted to sift Peter as wheat.

When wheat is sifted the valuable parts are separated from what is worthless. The chaff which is the light, worthless part is blown away through a process of fanning. When the sifting, or winnowing, is competed the heavier and valuable grain remains.

Note that the chaff is necessary for a season. Chaff is actually the outer covering of a seed, so while the wheat grows the chaff is used as an outer protection. But there comes a time when the wheat is mature enough and the chaff is no longer needed. That’s when the sifting must occur.

The same thing happens in our lives. There are certain character traits in you and me that are allowed by God until we come to maturity. But when we mature and He is ready to use us the chaff has got to go, and for wheat the process is unsettling to say the least. It is no longer attached to the stem that gave it nourishment, and it is violently thrown into the air.

The adversary was simply going to be used by God to bring Peter to a place of greater righteousness. In his challenge Peter would face his own carnality. Remember that he denied Christ three times after He was arrested. But his righteousness began to shine through as he wept bitterly, acknowledging his wrongdoing. This opened the way for his own arrogance to be replaced by his confidence in God. This, I believe, is why Peter was the one who was able to stand so boldly and speak before the leaders of that day and testify about Jesus.

Jesus knew about Peter’s victory beforehand and the purpose for it.

Jesus knew that because he interceded for Peter that the outcome was sure. We have that same assurance today, since Scripture tells us that Jesus is ever interceding on our behalf. What a guarantee of victory it is for us!

Peter’s victory was not only for himself. Note that Jesus told him that when (not if) he returned he was to strengthen the brethren. So Jesus knew all along that Peter could be trusted enough to be sifted – buffeted by the winds of his own carnality – and return stronger, thus being a blessing not only to himself but a valuable asset to the Kingdom of God. So it is with us.