July 10, 2002
THE TRUE HABITATION OF THE LORD. It is an astonishment to realize, that for all the Lord is, it is His divine goal to dwell in His Temple, His people, a perfected church. The Omnipresent one is preparing His church for occupation by none other than Himself. He has commissioned us to be coworkers with Him in completing the edifice of His habitation. 1 Cor. 3:9 The area in which this work is being done is called, the field, the farm, the husbandry of God. The field is identified as this world in which we live. In the field there are two kinds of seed, one profitable, the other of no profit. The good seed and the bad are destined to be harvested and separated in the end of the age. The field belongs to the Lord. From His field the good seed will be received and His harvest will be completed. The righteous will shine as the sun {Rev. 12:1} in His kingdom. Mt. 13:38-43
CHRIST IS THE ARCHITECT OF THE ETERNAL TEMPLE. Chosen, anointed and appointed by Christ is the fivefold ministry. These individuals have the distinct responsibility of leading the church of these last days to the perfection that is the destination of the church. Eph. 4:11-12 The church, fitly framed together. A unity that exceeds any construction ever seen on earth. A blending into one unit. A union, a oneness that defies description that can only be attained by the anointing of the Spirit. Growth, an evidence that this temple is a vital, living organism that will be the holy temple of the Lord. Eph. 2:21 Holiness is explicitly required of each member of the body of Christ which is to form His Bride. The temple of the Lord is holy. If it is not so, then the Lord cannot occupy His temple. 1 Cor. 3:17 Holiness beautifies the house of the Lord. It is the adornment of the temple. Ps. 93:5
THE SPIRITUAL HABITATION OF THE LORD. The Apostle John was a great proponent of the <abiding presence of the Lord> in His people. The Lord has established a standard that is required of those who would know the blessing of His abiding presence. Obedience to His commandments or His Word is an outstanding need and indeed may be stated as the first and most outstanding. This is a sign of the intertwining of His being and nature with ours, changing the dead human spirit into a living Christ like Spirit. The evidence of this accomplishment is the fact that His Spirit is given to us. It is only by the person of the Holy Spirit that He can abide in us. Making us the Temple of the Lord. 1 John 3:24 The ability to live the Christian life as the Lord would have us live it necessitates the abiding presence of the Holy Ghost. We are in the Spirit and not manifesting the acts of the flesh when He is guiding our lives. If we do not have the <Spirit of Christ> then He must deny that we are his and proclaim that we do not belong to Christ. Hard, perhaps difficult words, yet they are the Word of the Lord. Rom. 8:9 He, the Holy Spirit is known as the Spirit of truth which is expressive of His trait, His attribute, His character. There is no untruth to be found in Him. He is absolute truth. He dwells with us and lives within. Surely His presence will influence our lives to buy the truth and sell it not. John 14:17