22 September 2007
' For a day in your courts is better than a thousand (anywhere else); I would rather be a doorkeeper and stand at the threshold in the house of my God than to dwell ( at ease) in the tents of wickedness' Ps 84:10
Doorkeeper ( or sometimes referred as gatekeeper) whose duty is to guard the door of the Tabernacle, so as to prevent anyone from coming carelessly to the 'Ark'
In David's day, the Levites surrounded the 'ark of the covenant' with continuous praise and worship. Those who were in the Tabernacle enjoyed the benefits of a continuously open heaven because there was someone who stood at the door and 'held' it open. Open heaven refers to the free access of God's presence to man and the free flow of God's glory to man. David's desire is to see God's manifested presence and experience open heaven. He chose to be a doorkeeper than to be elsewhere because of his passion to be in the presence of God. David understood the importance of this office to be a doorkeeper. Being a doorkeeper stationed at the right door is the place of real influence. If you can be a doorkeeper and open the door of the manifested presence of God to your church and your community, you need to understand that you have been placed in the most influential position in the entire world. We are called to be doorkeepers and we can be ' a walking doorway' to God's presence. People around us can sense the glory light shining under the door.
Obededom (a doorkeeper : 1Chron 15:18,24) knew what it was like to be a
doorkeeper and knew what it was like to have God dwelling in his house instead of merely visiting there. He discovered that there were side benefits that came to his job of safeguarding the 'ark of the covenant'
'And the ark of God remained with the family of Obededom in his house for 3 months.And the Lord blessed the house of Obededom and all that he had' IChron 13:14.
Lot, on the other hand 'was the gatekeeper in Sodom and Gomorrah' Gen 19:1 the bible tells us that Lot 'sat in the gate of Sodom' Despite his bad choice of city, he recognised that presence of angelic visitors. He welcomed the angelic visitors to his home. Lot also knew what wickedness and unrighteousness was like in that city but he failed to close the gate to the sin that was consuming the city. Sodom was destroyed by fire because the gatekeeper failed to do his job.
Let us remind ourselves that we are doorkeepers for His manifested presence and we are His doorway where people around us can experience God's presence and open heaven and be blessed in His presence. Let us guard God's presence in our lives and be an impact in the community. We have the responsibility to watch at the gates.
Amen
Passion for the King of Glory
21 September 2007
" Behold I stand at the door and knock;and if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" Rev 3:20
It was to the lukewarm church of Laodicea that Jesus spoke these words. The Holy Spirit is waiting for you and I like David who has prepared a place for His Glory to be manifested in a great way. God is looking for a person, a church and a city that will hear the gentle knock and open the door for Him to enter and for Him to do a good work in their lives.
Jesus told Peter ' I am giving you the key. Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven" Mat 16:19
The Lord has also given us the key and we have the ability to open the windows of heaven and close the gates of hell.... 'The latch is on our side!'
many times we respond like Solomon's bride ' I have taken off my robe- must I put it on again? I washed my feet-must I soil them again' Song of Solomon 5:3. Despite the persistent knock by Jesus at our door, we failed to hear Him and respond...we are too busy to hear..we are too preoccupied with ourselves....
The cost of intimacy with God is very high. it will cost your convenience, your comfort, and when we finally open the door, the bridegroom has left...." I opened for my lover, but my lover had left:he was gone. My heart sank. I called Him but He did not answer. Song of Solomon 5:6
This is a sad state of the overly contented church today. We find ourselves barren as David's wife, Michal who locked herself from intimacy with God in worship. She has locked the door to joy and fruitfulness. The root cause for the barrenness of the church today is the reluctance to pay the high cost of intimate relationship and worship.
The bride of Jesus Christ is used to living in the King's house without the King. If the church would return to the passion for the King and hunger for her first love, the church will never be so content unless the King was present with her in the house.
Let us open the door for Him to occupy our lives!
Amen
" Behold I stand at the door and knock;and if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" Rev 3:20
It was to the lukewarm church of Laodicea that Jesus spoke these words. The Holy Spirit is waiting for you and I like David who has prepared a place for His Glory to be manifested in a great way. God is looking for a person, a church and a city that will hear the gentle knock and open the door for Him to enter and for Him to do a good work in their lives.
Jesus told Peter ' I am giving you the key. Whatever you bind on earth is bound in heaven; whatever you loose on earth is loosed in heaven" Mat 16:19
The Lord has also given us the key and we have the ability to open the windows of heaven and close the gates of hell.... 'The latch is on our side!'
many times we respond like Solomon's bride ' I have taken off my robe- must I put it on again? I washed my feet-must I soil them again' Song of Solomon 5:3. Despite the persistent knock by Jesus at our door, we failed to hear Him and respond...we are too busy to hear..we are too preoccupied with ourselves....
The cost of intimacy with God is very high. it will cost your convenience, your comfort, and when we finally open the door, the bridegroom has left...." I opened for my lover, but my lover had left:he was gone. My heart sank. I called Him but He did not answer. Song of Solomon 5:6
This is a sad state of the overly contented church today. We find ourselves barren as David's wife, Michal who locked herself from intimacy with God in worship. She has locked the door to joy and fruitfulness. The root cause for the barrenness of the church today is the reluctance to pay the high cost of intimate relationship and worship.
The bride of Jesus Christ is used to living in the King's house without the King. If the church would return to the passion for the King and hunger for her first love, the church will never be so content unless the King was present with her in the house.
Let us open the door for Him to occupy our lives!
Amen
When God Calls
20 September 2007
' Now the Lord had said to Abram, "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you " Gen 12:1
The most dramatic change in your life is when God takes the initiative and calls you for a specific task. The people God used mightily in Scripture were all ordinary people to whom God gave divine assignments that they never initiated. They were often taken by surprise, for they did not seek significant mandates from God.
The Lord spoke to Abram when He was beginning to build a nation dedicated to His purpose. Through this nation would come the Saviour. God appeared to Moses when He wanted to deliver His people out of Egypt. God chose David, the youngest son of Jesse to lead His people. God surprised Mary when she was told she would give birth to a son who will be the Messiah. Jesus, God's only son chose the twelve disciples from a group of ordinary people.
Through the ages, God has taken the initiative to intervene in the lives of people to accomplish things through them that they never could have imagine. Today God may be initiating new things in your life. Do not let your busyness of your present activity block Him from accomplishing His purpose in your life. Let Him intervene your life and you will never imagine how much you can accomplish through Him.
Amen
' Now the Lord had said to Abram, "Get out of your country, From your family And from your father's house, To a land that I will show you " Gen 12:1
The most dramatic change in your life is when God takes the initiative and calls you for a specific task. The people God used mightily in Scripture were all ordinary people to whom God gave divine assignments that they never initiated. They were often taken by surprise, for they did not seek significant mandates from God.
The Lord spoke to Abram when He was beginning to build a nation dedicated to His purpose. Through this nation would come the Saviour. God appeared to Moses when He wanted to deliver His people out of Egypt. God chose David, the youngest son of Jesse to lead His people. God surprised Mary when she was told she would give birth to a son who will be the Messiah. Jesus, God's only son chose the twelve disciples from a group of ordinary people.
Through the ages, God has taken the initiative to intervene in the lives of people to accomplish things through them that they never could have imagine. Today God may be initiating new things in your life. Do not let your busyness of your present activity block Him from accomplishing His purpose in your life. Let Him intervene your life and you will never imagine how much you can accomplish through Him.
Amen
Without Power
19 September 2007
' And she said,"the Phillistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke from his sleep, and said,"I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
Jdg 16:20
One of the signs of a heart that has shifted from God is the absence of spiritual power. If you are like Samson, you will not be immediately aware that God's power has left you. Only after he was confronted with his enemies that Samson recognise that something was wrong. He lost his strength and the Phillistines easily prevailed over him.
If you allow sin to creep into your life and continue to enjoy sin, we will lose our spiritual vitality. You may assume that everything is fine, but when you pray, answers do not come as they once did. Those around you who have depended on you for strength are discovering that you are not as helpful as you once were. You are also powerless when confronted with sin and temptations.
How can you stop this spiritual decline? We need to regularly check our lives to see if there is anything not right in our walk with Him and repent of any hidden sin. We must ask God to search our hearts to see whether there are any wicked ways in us (our attitudes or activities that are detrimental to our relationship with God).
God will restore our spiritual vitality and strength and He will use us as worthy vessels for His Kingdom
Amen
' And she said,"the Phillistines are upon you, Samson!" So he awoke from his sleep, and said,"I will go out as before, at other times, and shake myself free!" But he did not know that the Lord had departed from him.
Jdg 16:20
One of the signs of a heart that has shifted from God is the absence of spiritual power. If you are like Samson, you will not be immediately aware that God's power has left you. Only after he was confronted with his enemies that Samson recognise that something was wrong. He lost his strength and the Phillistines easily prevailed over him.
If you allow sin to creep into your life and continue to enjoy sin, we will lose our spiritual vitality. You may assume that everything is fine, but when you pray, answers do not come as they once did. Those around you who have depended on you for strength are discovering that you are not as helpful as you once were. You are also powerless when confronted with sin and temptations.
How can you stop this spiritual decline? We need to regularly check our lives to see if there is anything not right in our walk with Him and repent of any hidden sin. We must ask God to search our hearts to see whether there are any wicked ways in us (our attitudes or activities that are detrimental to our relationship with God).
God will restore our spiritual vitality and strength and He will use us as worthy vessels for His Kingdom
Amen
What More Could Have been Done
18 september 2007
' What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?' Isa 5:4
The prophet Isaiah told us about a story of a man with a vineyard on a fertile hill. The man cultivated the ground and removed the stones so that nothing would hinder the vines' growth. He planted only with the best quality vines. He built a tower in the middle of the vineyard so he could watch for wild animals and intruders. He constructed a wine vat so that he would be ready for the ripe grapes. Then he waited. Rather than producing good grapes, however, the vineyard produced worthless ones.
This story gives us a picture of about the relationship between God and His people. God has done everything necessary for us to produce an abundance of spiritual fruit in our lives. He saved us when we are without hope. He gave us the holy spirit to produce fruit in our lives (Gal 5:22-23)
He removed our sins so that we are free to serve Him. We are given all the opportunities to produce good fruit. Most of all, we have access to God through prayer.
One day God will hold us accountable for all He has done for us. He will ask us to show Him the fruit of all His bountiful provision for our lives. What will He find?
' What more could have been done to My vineyard That I have not done in it? Why then, when I expected it to bring forth good grapes, Did it bring forth wild grapes?' Isa 5:4
The prophet Isaiah told us about a story of a man with a vineyard on a fertile hill. The man cultivated the ground and removed the stones so that nothing would hinder the vines' growth. He planted only with the best quality vines. He built a tower in the middle of the vineyard so he could watch for wild animals and intruders. He constructed a wine vat so that he would be ready for the ripe grapes. Then he waited. Rather than producing good grapes, however, the vineyard produced worthless ones.
This story gives us a picture of about the relationship between God and His people. God has done everything necessary for us to produce an abundance of spiritual fruit in our lives. He saved us when we are without hope. He gave us the holy spirit to produce fruit in our lives (Gal 5:22-23)
He removed our sins so that we are free to serve Him. We are given all the opportunities to produce good fruit. Most of all, we have access to God through prayer.
One day God will hold us accountable for all He has done for us. He will ask us to show Him the fruit of all His bountiful provision for our lives. What will He find?
God Brings You to Himself
17 September 2007
' You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself' Ex 19:4
God did not deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt so that they could enjoy the promised land. He freed them from their bondage so they could come to know and worship Him. It was three months later that God reminded them that He brought them out 'on eagles' wings' so that they could be drawn to Him. God delivered them so that they could enjoy the intimate fellowship with Him. The children of Israel had been slaves and have no rights to worship God in a foreign land. Now, God brought them out into their own land so that they could come and worship Him freely.
Through God's acts of deliverance, they came to know the mighty God and the compassionate God, and they were now free to respond to Him.
Many times we are so 'activity' oriented that we assume that we were saved for a task we are to perform rather than for a relationship to enjoy. Very often God has to use our circumstances and different situations to bring us to Himself. When God allows us to go through crisis, it brings us closer to Him.
Let us always set our eyes on Jesus. He draws near to us as we draw near to Him.
Amen
' You have seen what I did to the Egyptians, and how I bore you on eagles' wings and brought you to Myself' Ex 19:4
God did not deliver the children of Israel out of Egypt so that they could enjoy the promised land. He freed them from their bondage so they could come to know and worship Him. It was three months later that God reminded them that He brought them out 'on eagles' wings' so that they could be drawn to Him. God delivered them so that they could enjoy the intimate fellowship with Him. The children of Israel had been slaves and have no rights to worship God in a foreign land. Now, God brought them out into their own land so that they could come and worship Him freely.
Through God's acts of deliverance, they came to know the mighty God and the compassionate God, and they were now free to respond to Him.
Many times we are so 'activity' oriented that we assume that we were saved for a task we are to perform rather than for a relationship to enjoy. Very often God has to use our circumstances and different situations to bring us to Himself. When God allows us to go through crisis, it brings us closer to Him.
Let us always set our eyes on Jesus. He draws near to us as we draw near to Him.
Amen
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