Jesus ~ The Way

Hey Friends, I know it's not Saturday and I just posted to the Blog a few days ago but I wanted to share with you a dialogue that took place on Larry King Live on March 11, 2003. It was around the question, "What would Jesus do about the war in Iraq?" This conversation highlights the issue I brought up in last week's post. I want to state for record, that I agree whole heartily with John MacArthur. There is only one God and one Savior through whom we have access to the Father and that is the Lord Jesus Christ. Regardless of what the Ecumenical Officer of the United Methodist Church (Bishop Melvin Talbert) claims, Jesus is the only way to the Father. That is not my claim but the claim of Jesus himself. Here is the conversation that took place between Larry King, John MacArthur, Max Lucado, and Melvin Talbert.

King: Saddam says he prays.

MacArthur: Saddam Hussein? I'm sure he does.

King: He prays five times a day. He believes he's right. He must be praying to something.

MacArthur: Well, it's the wrong God unfortunately. There is only one true and living God, and that's the God of the scripture. The God and Father of our Lord, Jesus Christ. And if you aren't praying to that God, you are praying to no one.

King: He doesn't believe that. How do you deal with that? His belief may be as strong as your belief.

MacArthur: You could believe that you could fly and jump off a five-story building. It doesn't make it real. Unfortunately, false religion is the ultimate deception...

King: is the Muslim world all false?

MacArthur: Well, the theology of Islam is false. It's the wrong God. It's the wrong view of Christ.

King: When they hear that, don't they get anti-American thoughts...

MacArthur: It has nothing to do with America. I would say it if I were French.

King: They think yours is the wrong God.

MacArthur: Well, they do. But there has to be truth and untruth. Once you've established the truth, and I think the word of God has been established as true -- I think it can hold up under the most intense scrutiny -- and other books do not.

King: Don't you believe, Bishop Talbert, that Christianity is the right path?

Talbert: I do believe for Christians, but we're not here to settle which religion is right. That dispute belongs to God. We are here to practice what we preach.

King: Do you believe your religion is right?

Talbert: Yes I do.

King: Or else why believe it?

Talbert: That is right.

King: So therefore, the other religions have to be wrong.

Talbert: No, I don't say that at all.

King: If you believe your religion is right, the other religions are wrong.

Talbert: I believe my God is large enough to be inclusive of all human beings who were created in God's image, and that includes those religions that are not Christians.

MacArthur: I want to ask a question. Why did Jesus say -- why did Paul say -- if any man preaches any other Christ than the true Jesus Christ, let him be cured? Why does the Bible say neither is there salvation in any other name than Jesus Christ? Why doe the scripture condemn anyone who rejects Jesus Christ and the gospel of Christ? Why is the message so exclusive?

Talbert: For me, salvation in Jesus Christ is the way, and what I try to do as a Christian is to live that example. My responsibility is not to convert all other religions, but to live the Christian faith in the face of those religions. Are you going to say that my -- our friend on the show tonight who is Jewish is on the wrong path? That's God's choice. That's God's judgment, not mine.

King: Max, what is your view of Islam?

Lucado: Well, I guess it depends on if you're asking it from a political or religious point of view.

King: I guess from religious.

Lucado: Religious point of view -- it is a different approach to God than the Christian approach to God. My understanding as a Christian is that we're saved by what Christ did for us, whereas the Islamic faith says we're saved by what we do for God.

King: But do you think, Bishop Talbert, that these differing opinions are leading to lots of conflict in the world?

Talbert: I believe they're leading for a lot of conflicts because we do not open ourselves o each other and learn and grow. I have talked with Muslim leaders. They are -- the ones that I have met -- very fine people. They're on their way as certain as I am on my way. And what we need to do is to be tolerant with each other and not assume that our way is the only way.

Well, Mr. Talbert, what we really need is to be truthful with each other and with people of all nations and religions, sharing with them the love of God in Jesus Christ. We need to share the Gospel that Paul preached and no other. Jesus is not "Our Way". He is "The Way". It is not an assumption at all, but the very truth spoken by the Lord of all creation. John 3:18, "Whoever believes in him is not condemned, but whoever does not believe stands condemned already because he has not believed in the name of God's one and only Son." This is from the lips of Christ. You can't take Jesus and throw away his words..

Peace, David

The Biblical Jesus ~ It Depends on which Bible You Mean.

The Bible . . . Is it a book given to us by the inspiration of the Holy Spirit, written by men, infallible and inerrant or is it a book sort of inspired by God but written by men whose political and social agendas tainted its content?

Is it a book that God has allowed to become corrupted over time to include errors in translation, errors in the historical record, and filled with fictional stories made up by men? Is it a book that has no absolute truth but is completely pliable in the hands of anyone who reads it, able to be interpreted any way we choose? Can we pick out the parts we want to believe and set aside those we don't? Can we pick out the parts that make us happy and comfortable, using them as if they are accurate or relevant but scrap the parts the make us uncomfortable, claiming them to be inaccurate or irrelevant?

Does it matter really? I mean, so what if we come at this book from totally different positions. We all love Jesus, right? But what Jesus do we love? And was he really here? And did he really perform miracles? And did he really die on the cross? And did he really rise from the dead? If we claim in any form or fashion that the Biblical record is unreliable then we have absolutely no right or ability to make any statements about its truth or quote from it. If we can't believe it we certainly shouldn't base our lives on it. Unless of course, we see it as a book that has some good things to grab a hold of like "Chicken Soup for the Soul" then we can, I guess, just pick out the parts that make sense to our lives and leave the rest for the right wing Jesus freaks (Like me)

Here is the issue, at hand, and one that I believe is monumental to the Christian faith: The Gospel of Jesus Christ stands or falls on what we see the Bible to be. Many today claim that the Bible is not a document that has solid, unchangeable truth but is moldable and shapable to the reader. It can be interpreted as we see fit. I want to give a couple examples to make this more clear:
The Old Testament reveals a God who is the creator of all things including man. When man sinned God revealed not just his love for man but also his holy justice with regard to sin. It revealed a God who demonstrated some serious wrath against sin and sinful man. Now, those who claim that the Bible isn't to be taken literally, claim that this is just the story of an ancient people who fought other nations with their own political and religious motives. So then they can forgo any aspect of God that might seem intolerant, harsh, violent, or contrary to their religious beliefs. It was man's evil not God's wrath. One quick note regarding the description of Bible believers as "Literalists" (ie. they take the Bible literally). We can be smart enough to understand that when Jesus said, "I am the vine . . " or when Jesus was called, "the Lamb of God" that Jesus wasn't a vine or a lamb. But we can also see that when Jesus said, "The Christ will suffer and rise from the dead on the third day, and repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations." He said, "In his name." What name? Jesus.

The New Testament reveals the story of a man named Jesus who was born of a virgin, lived a sinless life, performed miracles, died on a cross, and rose from the grave three days later. It claims Jesus to be God in the flesh who died for the sins of man. But Jesus was not always the gentle soft spoken peacemaker but made many claims about himself and about the judgment to come. But many today leave out all of the statements Jesus made about judgment, hell, and repentance. They leave out any statement that precludes salvation via any other person other than Jesus Christ. They do so by claiming that those who read the whole of scripture do so in a literal fashion while they themselves leave room for a much bigger God who can make the Bible all things to all men. Jesus can be their Lord and their Savior and their truth, way, and life but he is not for those of other faiths. Kind of like flag day. It is for us but not for Japan.

Can this be true? Can we both be right and does it matter? Can we ever preach from the Word and teach a church full of hearers from scriptures if we claim the Bible is not reliable and is only relevant or true to those who want them? Can we preach "I am the way and the truth and the life." as some sort of biblical feel good but claim that the next verse, "No one comes to the Father but through me." not to be true?

This is way more than can be addressed in a 10 minute blog post so we will be hanging here for a couple weeks. But, I want to share a couple things to start. First, if we believe Jesus lived and was divine (ie. God) then we should look at what he thought about the Old Testament and its reliability. Jesus quoted from twenty four of the Old Testament books and stated that he didn't come to abolish the Law but to fulfill it." Jesus spoke of Jonah's time in the belly of the fish, the destruction of Sodom and Gomorrah, Lot's wife who was turned to a pillar of salt, and he quoted many of the prophets. Did Jesus believe that the Old Testament was corrupted in its translation or the product of the minds of man? No! Paul believed that all scripture was "God breathed" and even if you claim he was talking about only the Old Testament then we can start there. Lastly, when the Dead Sea Scrolls were found they contained a near complete copy of the book of Isaiah dated to around one hundred years before the birth of Christ. These texts from Qumran proved to be word-for-word identical to our standard Hebrew Bible in more than 95 percent of the text. The 5 percent of variation consisted primarily of obvious slips of the pen and spelling alterations (Archer, 1974, p. 25).

The dilemma is this: If we claim the Biblical documents to be less than what Jesus and the Apostles believed them to be then we preach a Gospel that strips Jesus of his Lordship and of his Divinity. We make faith in Christ unnecessary for salvation and relegate Jesus to one of many religious leaders who taught us a better way to live. We can cut and paste the verses of the bible and use them as personal and social improvement tools and deny the truths we don't like.

Maybe God wasn't powerful enough to maintain the accuracy or truth of his Word and allowed it to be made virtually meaningless. Maybe the writings of Mohammad, Buddha, Krishna, Joseph Smith, Stephen King, and Mark Twain are all equally valid. Maybe Jesus didn't really exist and was just a fictitious character made up by these men, who for some crazy reason gave their lives to tell people about him. Maybe Paul didn't really meet Jesus on the road to Damascus and was later told what to preach. Maybe he just didn't like living high on the hog as a wealthy Jewish leader but instead wanted to see what it was like to be flogged, stoned, shipwrecked, beaten with fists, imprisoned, and beheaded for sharing the whole, uncompromising Gospel of Jesus Christ and him crucified. Maybe.

Although we can believe that how we see the Bible makes little difference as long as we all "love Jesus" it is not so. Either Jesus is the One and Only Son of God, God in the flesh, the name above all names, God with us, the name to which every knee will bow, the Judge of the living and the dead, the King of Kings, the one through whom all things were made, or he is not. If he is then we better get back to proclaiming him to all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit and not trusting that those without Christ can climb in another way. Jesus said he was THE way and not a way.

Stay tuned friends. Much more to come.

Peace, David

Why Does God Allow Evil and Suffering?

I have a good friend that I'd like you to meet. His name is Andrew. Andrew is 30 years old and was born three months prematurely, lost oxygen to his brain, and as a result has cerebral palsy. Andrew is confined to a wheelchair. He has no use of his legs, minimal use of his right arm, and limited use of his left arm. When he wakes up in the morning he lies in bed until his brothers come and help him get ready for the day. He can't drive, bathe, or go to the bathroom without help and so far has no wife or girlfriend with whom to share his love. Pity party? Nope, just the facts. I didn't meet Andrew because he was looking for a handout or for help. I met him as he preached the Gospel of Jesus Christ to 150 homeless folks at a local shelter, a shelter where Andrew works most days. Despite the fact that his body has many limits, Andrew has two things that work really well: his brain and his heart. Oh yeah, and his mouth. Man, can Andrew preach!

So, if God is so good and loving then why would he have allowed this man to suffer as he has? If God is so good and loving then why would he have allowed you to suffer like you have? Why would he allow wars, murders, accidents, and natural tragedies to go apparently unchecked? Maybe you don't even believe in God because of this conflict in your mind or if you do believe in God you either don't trust him or you're angry with him. I want to share some thoughts that may help you to to see the magnitude of who God is and how he works in your life.

I'd like to give you a Reader's Digest (or Cliff Notes) version of the story of Joseph in the Old Testament book of Genesis. Joseph was the youngest of Jacob's twelve son's but the Bible says his father loved him more than the rest. So how did the the other eleven handle not being the favored sons? Well they threw Joseph into an empty well then sold him to traveling merchants who, in turn sold him into slavery in Egypt. The brothers took his robe, covered it in goat's blood, and brought it back to their father, telling him that Joseph was killed by a ferocious animal. In Egypt, Joseph was a slave to the captain of Pharaoh's guard, a man named Potiphar. Potiphar has a wife who thought Joseph was quite handsome so she tried to get him into bed but Joseph on more than one occasion told her to hit the road. The last time she was so mad that she ran out and accused him of trying to molest her so poor Joseph spends the next two years in jail. While Joseph is in jail, Pharaoh had a dream and he heard that this kid named Joseph could interpret dreams. Joseph interprets his dream and as a reward gets to be Pharaoh's second hand man. Things are looking up! OK, David get to the point! Here is the point. There is a wicked famine in all of the land but Egypt has stored up plenty of grain to last through the drought. Joseph ends up saving his family and all of Israel because he was in this position of power. He is reunited with his nasty brothers and his broken hearted father and forgives his brothers saying,

"Don't be afraid. Am I in the place of God? You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives. So then, don't be afraid. I will provide for you and your children."

God is sovereign (he is in control and can do what he pleases), he is omniscient (he knows all things), and he is omnipotent (he can do all things within his nature ~ I mean he can't lie or sin or make a square circle). I shared with a friend a couple days ago that this poses a problem for some. If God is all loving and all knowing but is powerless to stop evil then he is impotent and weak and not a God at all. If he is able to stop it but doesn't then is he loving? That is where I want to wrap this up. God is able to see the beginning from the end. He can see how every single circumstance and every single life fit together. His view of the tapestry of life is beyond our imagination. He knew that there was going to be a famine and that Joseph's crazy journey to Egypt would save the nation Israel. The other issue with evil is this. Every single attribute of man (and woman) that we consider "good" can't happen in the vacuum of a perfect world. We can reveal courage only when there is the possibility of danger or death. We reveal compassion only when there are circumstances of suffering or pain. We reveal grace and forgiveness only when we have been hurt or wronged. We reveal faith when we are in the midst of trials and we can't see a way out. What Satan purposes for evil God can use for good.

You are probably in one of these three groups: 1. You don't believe in God at all 2. You believe but are struggling with the whys of your circumstances 3. You believe and even though you are struggling, you are walking in faith.

I know both from my own life and from the clear teaching of Scripture that God uses our circumstances to draw us nearer to him, to prune us (make us more mature in our walk with him), and to accomplish his will. I can't fully understand how we can have free will yet God can still work in our lives but maybe the "free" isn't complete. Like, Andrew isn't free to walk and Joseph wasn't free to leave Egypt. But here is the lesson: If your circumstances are difficult. If you are lost, scared, hungry, sick, financially broken, lonely, guilty then understand this: If you are not walking with God then he is calling you home. Maybe you have denied him for your whole life. Maybe for some his call may be really loud right now. Is he mean? No, he knows our pride and our stubborn hearts and he knows what we need. He knows our best lives are lived with him and not outside of a relationship with him. If you are walking with him but are discouraged or feeling hopeless, understand that there is ALWAYS hope in him. You may be in the dark but it's not dark to God so stay close and he'll lead you out. Lastly, the Word says that God chastens (disciplines) those he loves, so if you are a believer and are living in sin then maybe he is pruning off some dead stuff from your life. It might not feel good but it will make you better.

Only God completely knows the reason for your circumstances but there is a reason. Spend some time today asking God to help you believe, to help you have faith, to help you persevere, to help you grow. If you have a prayer need or just want to share your struggle please drop us a note and we will do what we can. Confidentially if you prefer. If you want to hear Andrew's testimony go to the media/podcast section of The I-61 Project and you can catch up with Andrew on his blog "Speaking for Him".

Peace and Love,

David

Itching Ears, Raspberry Filled Cupcakes, and Sound Doctrine

Collin (age 9): "Mom, is it OK if I have one of those raspberry filled cupcakes?"

Mom (age ??): "No Collin. Dinner is in half an hour."

Down the stairs he goes, into the family room where dad sits on the couch diligently reading the Bible (OK, watching the Buffalo Bills vs. the Miami Dolphins).

Collin: "Dad, is it OK if I have one of those raspberry filled cupcakes?"

Dad (age 45): "Sure! Grab me one while you're at it. I'll pour us some cold milk!"

Let me ask you a question. Do your ears itch? I know that seems like a really weird question so let me clarify. I don't mean really itch like from poison ivy or a mosquito bite or itch on the inside like when you have a cold or a sore throat. I mean do you look around for the answer that you want to hear, the one that makes you feel good or gets you what you want, regardless of the truth? Collin had itching ears. He knew the right answer, didn't like it, and went looking for the answer he wanted to hear. He knew that dad didn't have very high standards when it came to a healthy diet but, dog gonnit, he wanted a raspberry filled cupcake and he wanted it now! If you look long enough and far enough you can almost always hear what you want to hear.

The Apostle Paul was teaching his young companion Timothy to carry on the mission of spreading the Gospel of Jesus. He wrote these words in 2 Timothy:2-4.

"Preach the Word; be prepared in season and out of season; correct, rebuke and encourage—with great patience and careful instruction. For the time will come when men will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myth."

Paul was telling Timothy that people will turn away from the cupcake killjoys and look for fellow cupcake lovers who have the authority to deem eating cupcakes cool, even a half hour before dinner. Actually, Paul was predicting a time in the future when men and women would turn from the clear teaching of scripture, the clear instruction of the Apostles, and the words of Jesus to myths and untruths. Paul called scriptural truth "clear doctrine" We don't like to hear churchy words like "doctrine" much these days but it is not my word it's Paul's.

Many people today, including many in the pulpits and stages of the Western church are turning from the truth to hear what their itching ears want to hear. Many are looking for someone to tell them that their lifestyle of sin is acceptable to God. Many are looking for someone to tell them that God wants them to be financially prosperous. Many are looking for someone to tell them that all religions lead to God. Many are looking for someone to tell them that there is no such place as hell. Paul was given prophetic revelation that such a time would come and it surely has.

So what is my point for us, for you? Look, I like raspberry filled cupcakes. But they really aren't good for me, especially if they prevent me from getting the real meal that will nourish my aging body. Likewise, what my spirit needs is truth. Jesus said, "I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father but through me." What we need, who we need is Jesus. Our spirits need what will make them whole and bring them into a right relationship with God. Some of what we need won't feel good in the flesh and won't make us comfortable. Some of the truth will bring guilt and conviction to our spirits and some of it may cause us to lose friends and press us to walk away from certain things that weren't in God's plan for us. BUT, all of it will lead to life and, as Jesus said, "life more abundantly".

I want to urge you to take a step back from your life. I want you to take a step back from what you think you want and what you think is true. If I am trying to conform God to my plans and into a doctrine that I've created, I will end up sadly mistaken. If I am seeking out teachers and religious leaders who tell me what I want to hear because they keep me comfortable and prevent me from having to surrender to God or turn from sin then I will never really come to know the grace of God.

We heard the story this morning in our church about the "sinful" woman who came uninvited into the house of a Pharisee (a Jewish religious leader) where Jesus had been invited to dine. She came in weeping and fell at the feet of Jesus, broke open a very expensive alabaster jar with costly ointment, poured it over his feet, then proceeded to wipe his feet with her hair and her tears. Jesus, responding to her brokenness, her love, and her faith said, "Your sins are forgiven." Then he sent her off with these words, "Your faith has saved you; go in peace."

I want to end with these observations:

1) She didn't seek out a leader who would make her feel good about her sin.

2) She didn't stay outside where she could stay in the crowd, blending in with everyone else.

3) She came in broken and humbled.

4) She likely came with all that she had (It's been said the perfume was worth a year's wages)

5) She knew that the answer to her pain was in this man Jesus.

6) Jesus didn't turn her away because of her sin but loved her in the pit of it.

7) Jesus' answer to her was his forgiveness of her sin and his gift of salvation.

In the meantime the religious folks were likely pissed off (Can I say that? Hmmm). My point is this: Don't look for someone, whether it be a church or a church leader who will just let you drown in your stuff. It may feel good or at least not force you to look into the mirror but my guess is that a year from now you will still carry the burden and maybe still be distant from God. There are people and churches that will love you despite your stuff (because they will admit to you that they themselves have stuff, maybe even worse than yours) but they will not leave you where you are. There is a part that you'll have to do but God will help you with that if you ask him and that part is humility and the courage to come to the feet of the Savior.

I want to invite you to come here with questions. If you are struggling and have questions about God, about Jesus, about the bible, about sin, about heaven, about hell, about anything please let us know. I may not be able to answer all of them but I will try.

If you haven't visited our main site, "THE I-61 PROJECT.ORG" we invite you to do so. If you haven't subscribed to this blog we invite you to do that as well (it's free!).

Look forward to hearing from you. In the meantime, if dinner is in half an hour, stay away from that cupcake!

Peace, David

The God of the Universe Can Live in You! How Cool is That?!!

I've had some pretty deeply moving conversations lately with people who are broken, tired, afraid, confused, guilty, hopeless, lonely, and addicted, and just don't know where to go or how to break free. I've heard some of them say that they believe in God but can't feel him, can't find him, or simply can't surrender to him. Some of them have even looked in church but can't seem to find him there. They have a sense that what the pastor is teaching and what I am sharing holds a key to that freedom so they stay near but not too near. They hold onto their lives and at the same time reach out grasping for hope. It's like a person in a burning building who is leaning out of the window, stretching out their hand to the fireman on the ladder truck but can't let go of the window frame with their other hand. If you're reaching out or even if you are lost but haven't yet reached out I want to invite you to begin to see the dwelling place of God. How amazing would it be to find Him?! Where is he? God, where are you? Help! We're dying down here!

A good friend of mine recently told me that her daughter wanted to be married in an outdoor ceremony. She wanted to say her "I do's" under the canopy of God's creation. However, after speaking with church authorities she learned that this wouldn't be possible because the ceremony had to take place in the church since the building was "sanctified". Really? I want to show you a bit of the character and truth of who God has revealed himself to be and even more so to help you to draw closer to Him to understand where he truly resides. Not from my thoughts but from his Word.

OK, I know this sounds ridiculous because even little kids know that God is "Everywhere". The theological term for this attribute of God is his "omnipresence". And, that is true in the sense that God is outside of the confines of time and can be "over here" and "over there" at the same moment as we experience it. I know that bends your mind a bit but that is how big God is! But God has also shown us in his Word that he has give man more tangible expressions of his presence over the course of history. For instance, in the Garden of Eden, he actually fellow-shipped with Adam and Eve walking with them in the cool of the day but after the Fall he no longer was approachable. As the Jews wondered in the desert the manifest presence of God (called his Shekinah Glory) resided in the tabernacle, specifically in the holy place where the Ark of the Covenant ( a gold box that contained the two stone tablets of the ten commandments, the staff of Aaron, and a pot of manna) was housed. This same presence of God was present later in the inner chamber (the Holy of Holies) of the temple built by King Solomon. Bottom line: God had a manifest presence on earth but he was not approachable because of man's sin. The Holy of Holies was "sanctified" or set apart for the presence of the living God. Did that mean the God wasn't everywhere? No, just that he chose to reveal himself to man in this way.

Fast forward to a small stable in Bethlehem where a cry is heard coming from a woman giving birth to a child. Not any ordinary child but God made man (Emmanuel - God with us). The fullness of God was now among men and would soon walk with them and talk with them and touch them and heal their blind eyes. Was God now not everywhere? No. But he chose to manifest himself in the flesh to mankind.

Now here is where I want you to draw near and listen closely. Jesus sits with a Samaritan woman at a well as she draws water. He talks to her (quite against the rules for a Jew to speak to a Samaritan, especially a woman!). After Jesus gives her reason to believe he is something quite special the following dialogue takes place:

"Sir," the woman said, "I can see that you are a prophet. Our fathers worshiped on this mountain, but you Jews claim that the place where we must worship is in Jerusalem."

Jesus declared, "Believe me, woman, a time is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem. You Samaritans worship what you do not know; we worship what we do know, for salvation is from the Jews. Yet a time is coming and has now come when the true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth, for they are the kind of worshipers the Father seeks. God is spirit, and his worshipers must worship in spirit and in truth."

Jesus was telling her that God was doing a new thing. God was no longer unapproachable behind the curtain of the temple's inner room. It would no longer be necessary to travel to Jerusalem to worship him. She was, at that very moment, sitting with, talking with, and being freed from their sin and death by God in the flesh.

Now hold on because here is where it gets even more crazy!! After Jesus died on the cross, was buried, and rose from the dead on the third day, his disciples didn't want to let him go again. But Jesus told them that unless he ascended to the Father's right side, the Comforter couldn't come. Who was this "Comforter"? It was the Holy Spirit of God, the third person of the Trinity (Father, Son, and Holy Spirit). So where exactly did the Holy Spirit come to abide when Jesus ascended to heaven? A tabernacle? No! A church building? No! The Holy Spirit came to dwell WITHIN those who believed.

Stephen ( a disciple) said these words before he was stoned to death:

"However, the Most High does not live in houses made by men. As the prophet says:

" 'Heaven is my throne,

and the earth is my footstool.

What kind of house will you build for me? says the Lord.

Or where will my resting place be?

Has not my hand made all these things?"

And right before he died, the Word says:

"But Stephen, full of the Holy Spirit, looked up to heaven and saw the Glory of God . . ."

When we come to the cross, repent of our sin, and look to Jesus and believe that he died in our place, took the shame and guilt we carried, that he paid the penalty for sin for us, that he rose from the dead and forever conquered death for those who trust in his name, then the Holy Spirit comes to take up residence in us. How amazing is that?! We are now the tabernacle of God.

In 1 Corinthians 3:16 Paul says, "Don't you know that you yourselves are God's temple and that God's Spirit lives in you?"

In Galatians 2:2 Paul says, "I have been crucified with Christ and I no longer live, but Christ lives in me. The life I live in the body, I live by faith in the Son of God, who loved me and gave himself for me.

Last one! In Romans 8:11 Paul says, "And if the Spirit of him who raised Jesus from the dead is living in you, he who raised Christ from the dead will also give life to your mortal bodies through his Spirit, who lives in you."

Look closely friends. "Sanctified" means to be set apart for God's use and you can be set apart and can become the dwelling place of the Spirit of God by faith in Jesus Christ. He can dwell in you if you are in prison, in rehab, in a college dorm, in your bedroom, or are getting married in the woods. He is not confined to a church building. (remember that the Apostles and the early followers of Jesus did not have fancy and ornate church buildings). I love to gather at the "church" with fellow believers and worship God but in reality the "Church" is body of fellow believers! If you are broken, lost, scared, lonely, guilty, hopeless, addicted then ask God to open your eyes to see the truth of his Son Jesus and the freedom and life he has come to share with you by faith!

We love you guys!

In Him, David