July 04,2002
THE SPIRITUAL HOUSE, HIS HOUSE. It is called a Spiritual House because it is in the area of that which is Divine. A building that is eternal, everlasting. A structure of beauty and majesty. Built of <lively stones>, persons who have been brought into eternal life through the Lord Jesus. They possess everlasting life, therefore this is a permanent building. This is the HOUSE OF THE LORD. 1 Pet. 2:5 The House of the Lord has a firm foundation. One that has been established by the Master builder. There are no flaws to be found in it. That secure footing is the WORD which was brought to us by the prophets {the Old Testament} and the Apostles {the New Testament}, with Christ as the supreme corner stone. Eph. 2:20
THE INDWELLING SPIRIT OF GOD WILL DEFINE THE TEMPLE OF GOD. The building of the temple of the Lord is in current process by of the Holy Spirit. What a great privilege and responsibility to have the Holy Spirit indwelling our spirit and body. This is not a light thing and should not be treated so, in any way. It a grievous thing to see or hear of anything that pertains to the Holy Spirit treated in a frivolous manner. The Holy Spirit is not a toy nor a joy trip. He is heavenly Royalty and must be treated with the utmost respect. 1 Cor. 3:16 To submit oneself to the indwelling presence of the Spirit must be an act of total surrender. He now, desires to direct and discipline His temple according to His will. We have committed our complete man to the Holy Spirit and we are no longer our own, but we belong fully to the Lord. 1 Cor. 6:19 The Church is defined as the temple of the living God, so it is composed of lively stones, stones of activity, not dead or dormant. His promise is that He will live in His temple. This for the now, as well as the eternity to come. He will also walk in His temple. This will impose certain requirements on those who are the stones of His temple, for there are some activities in which He will not involve Himself. A list is given in 1 Cor. 6:14-16. The call and work of the Spirit and the Word will be a separation from all that is unclean and impure, IN HIS SIGHT.
A PILLAR, A STALWART IN THE TEMPLE OF THE LORD. To be a pillar is to indicate the permanence of the position granted by the Lord. This is the assurance of those who overcome, those who are triumphant. They will be inscribed with the NAME of the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. The name of the eternal, the living God will also be written on the New Jerusalem. This is His City, the one and only Holy City, there is none other. Then, gloriously, the new name of Jesus will be written upon her, the church, the New Jerusalem, the bride of Christ. Rev. 3:12 His NAME was given Him of His Father who highly exhalted Him. Phil. 2:9 ALL SHALL BOW AT HIS NAME. All will confess that Jesus Christ is Lord to the glory of the Father. Phil. 2:10-11. We are granted the right to bear His name, now. For his temple will bear His name eternally. His name written on His temple indicates that it is His possession. Is His name written on you? The Bride, dearly loves His name and will take His name to be hers.
CERTIFYING THE INDWELLING PRESENCE OF CHRIST. An open gate, an open heart, essential to the presence of Christ in the life of the believer. His desire to enter is verified by the rapping and the voice at the door, the voice seeking entrance. The promise, to permission granted is that of eating together. Feeding and feasting on the Word of the Lord. Rev. 3:20 The opening, the entrance, the disclosure of the Word is that which illuminates. Ps. 119:130 Participating in the true communion table of the Lord will assure one of the glorious, powerful presence of the Lord, dwelling within. How important it is to participate with a proper spirit, knowing that we are right with the Lord. John 6:56 The essential quality of obtaining the high and holy privilege of the presence of the Lord dwelling within us is also based on LOVE. In order to really understand what love is, we must first of all be partakers of HIS love. Then and only then may we be able to distinguish between natural love and spiritual love, or the love of God. The Lord has poured forth into our hearts that mighty love by the power of the Holy Ghost. Are we Spirit filled? Accompanying that anointing was a baptism of love. He will help us, even to love the unlovely. Rom. 5:5 The very nature, the being, the essence, the character, all that the Lord is, is made known in LOVE. He is the beginning, the heart, the manifestation of a love that exceeds all love. There is no example of human love that begins to compare to the person who is LOVE. GOD IS LOVE. Love is what He is. Love is who He is. Love is what He is all about. If we dwell in that Love then that Love dwells with us, literally, fully, completely. We become what He is, when He dwells within. 1 John 4:16 Behold I stand at the door and knock. Welcome, Lord Jesus. Verification of our love for Him is found in our obedience to His Word. Willingness to fulfill His will and to follow His teaching is evidence of our love for Him and brings blessed results. This assures one of the love of the Father and the abiding presence of the Godhead, for Jesus said WE will come and make OUR abode with Him. Jn. 14:23
JESUS PRAYED FOR HIS CHURCH. His prayer contains the feeling of His heart for His followers to be one. One in purpose, heart, mind and greatest of all LOVE. His anticipation of that unity was that it would follow the example of the Triunity, perfect, absolute accord. This becomes a testimony and witness to the world. John 17:21 The power and glory that is afforded the church is for one reason and that too is, <that they may be one, even as we are one>. John 17:22 Amazing, astonishing church in whom dwells the fullness of all that the Lord is. A people washed and perfected by the Word and the Holy Ghost. Blended and bonded together by possessing and walking in the Love of God. John 17:23 What a blessed day when the Lord will consummate His grand and glorious work on behalf of and in the church, His living temple. Because He has declared it shall be, so it will be, beyond a shadow of doubt.