Life centered on the tabernacle
Exodus 37:1~6 He made the atonement cover of pure gold – two and a half cubits long and a cubit and a half wide. Then he made two cherubim out of hammered gold at the ends of the cover (6~7)
Hymn for scheduled worship: Korean/English Hymnal #410 There Comes to My Heart (#468 in previous version)
The fundamental problems that people have are the same whether they are from developed nations or underdeveloped nations or whether they have great power or not. Rather, the more successful an elite is, the more serious his spiritual problems are. What is important is that without their fundamental problems being resolved none of the problems will be resolved. Why is it that God let the Israelites go through the wilderness for forty years while they could have crossed within a week? Why did God make them build the tabernacle in the wilderness?
1. Change the nature of your life
The Israelites who came out of Egypt could not rid themselves of their servile nature of Egypt whenever they faced important matters, even though they were no longer slaves. Their greatest concern was food, clothing, and shelter. There is no need for people of God who received salvation to worry about food, clothing, and shelter if they enter inside the plan of God. The Israelites, however, still could not change their lifestyle pattern and had to face great hardships. God tells us to change our lifestyle first. We are no longer people who belong to the devil and face destruction. We must abandon the servile nature and wilderness nature that still remain in us. We have the right to receive answers. Therefore, we must first change anew our lifestyle as well as our thoughts.
2. Change into the spiritual nature
Among the Israelites who came out of Egypt, not even one of those who were seized by and worried about the problems of food, clothing, and shelter went into the land of Canaan. However, Caleb and Joshua who opened their eyes to the spiritual facts were able to enter the land of Canaan. This is the very reason why we must correctly open our spiritual eyes and change ourselves to have the spiritual nature. For this reason we must live our daily life centered on the tabernacle. We must change our nature into the spiritual nature.
3. Make it so that you have the Gospel-oriented nature
In this time and age neither the Ark of the Covenant nor the tabernacle exist, which was made during the time of Moses. Also the original script of the Bible that was first recorded from the Word of God no longer remains. This is the plan of God so that we must not obsess over the outer shell that is seen but realize the essence, namely the Gospel. God desires us to have the Gospel-oriented nature. The moment we have the Gospel-oriented nature, all the forces of darkness are bound, the works of God appear wherever we go, and the works of the Word and prayer take place. For this, we must restore scheduled prayer, 24-hour continuous prayer, and deep prayer, through which we enjoy the Gospel in depth in our everyday life. It is at this time that the complete power of the Gospel is revealed.
- What are my nature and habits like? Meditate as you deeply examine your thoughts, life, and the color of your spiritual life in the Gospel
Immanuel Church Sundat Worship 1st Service / 2010.8.22