"The Blame Game"

 "For finding fault with them, he saith, Behold, the days come, saith the Lord, when I will make a new covenant with the house of Israel and with the house of Judah:" (Hebrews 8:8 KJV)

  ""Come to me with your ears wide open. Listen, and you will find life. I will make an everlasting covenant with you all the unfailing love I promised to David. See how I used him to display my power among the peoples. I made him a leader among the peoples. I made him a leader among the nations. You also will command nations you do not know, and peoples unknown to you will come running to obey, because I, the LORD your God, the Holy One of Israel, have made you glorious."" (Isaiah 55:3-5 NLT)

 Again, let me repeat myself, as I have several times already: We, the Church, are a mirror image of Israel and all of their comings and goings! In other words, what we see throughout the Scriptures that show them following the LORD, following their flesh, being corrected by the LORD, turning back to Him, and then repeating it all over again; these things are basically a reflection of the Normal Christian Life! 

 Maybe you don't mess up as much as they did, but you must understand something abundantly clear: God judges our hearts, more than He judges our actions! Just think about it, without trying to ignore any of the wrong thoughts you might have had towards anyone; and see if you don't fail the test. We are all sinners, tried and true, there is no getting around it; but we have been saved by God's grace, meaning that we have not deserved the wonderful grace He has given us! 

 I really don't know how else to explain this, but God has put it upon Himself, the sinfulness of us all! We don't deserve it, but we surely did need it! Only by His grace are we saved...

"For I pass on to you what I received from the Lord himself. On the night when he was betrayed, the Lord Jesus took some bread and gave thanks to God for it. Then he broke it in pieces and said, "This is my body, which is given for you. Do this to remember me." In the same way, he took the cup of wine after supper, saying, "This cup is the new covenant between God and his people - an agreement confirmed by my blood. Do this to remember me as often as you drink it." For every time you eat this bread and drink this cup, you are announcing the Lord's death until he comes again." (1 Corinthians 11:23-27 NLT)  

"An Occasion for Acting"

"For if that first covenant had been faultless, then should no place have been sought for the second." (Hebrews 8:7 KJV) 

  "When he came to the village of Nazareth, his boyhood home, he went as usual to the synagogue on the Sabbath and stood up to read the Scriptures. The scroll of Isaiah the prophet was handed to him. He unrolled the scroll and found the place where this was written: "The Spirit of the LORD is upon me, for he has anointed me to bring Good News to the poor. He has sent me to proclaim that captives will be released, that the blind will see, that the oppressed will be set free, and that the time of the LORD'S favor has come." He rolled up the scroll, handed it back to the attendant, and sat down. All eyes in the synagogue looked at him intently. Then he began to speak to them, "The Scripture you've just heard has been fulfilled this very day."" (Luke 4:16-21 NLT)

 As there are several variations to explain the reason God just didn't make man to obey and love Him, as if mankind was programed to follow His every command; then there wouldn't have been any law needed to show us how we love ourselves more, wanting to do what we want, not what God says to do. But God did not want robots that obey without choice; He wanted mankind to obey Him because they love Him, and, knowing full well that He loves them more!  

 There are several ways we can see this is the plan from the very beginning. As I have said before, God placed that forbidden tree in the middle of the Garden for a specific reason; and then He told Adam, 'You can eat from every tree, but that one; the Tree of the Knowledge of Good and Evil.' As of before the day that he took of that fruit, he technically did know what evil was; supposably, that is! 

 Whether or not you can believe it, God already knew that Adam was going to eat of that forbidden fruit, because that is why it was even there to begin with. Why else, but to give Adam something to not eat, is something, so tempting to him, in the middle of the whole Garden? 

 God had a plan, before He even created the earth, that there was only one way to make man in His image, and that requires love! There had to be more than just a garden and living, to cause man to fall in love, wholeheartedly, with his Creator; and that was for God to do something so radical, that it would cause mankind to fall deeply in love with Him!

 Why was that first covenant not faultless? Because we all sin...

"Why then was the law given? It was given alongside the promise to show people their sins. But the law was designed to last only until the coming of the child who was promised. God gave his law through angels to Moses, who was the mediator between God and the people. Now a mediator is helpful if more than one party must reach an agreement. But God, who is one, did not use a mediator when he gave his promise to Abraham. Is there a conflict, then, between God's law and God's promises? Absolutely not! If the law could give us new life, we could be made right with God by obeying it. But the Scriptures declare that we are all prisoners of sin, so we receive God's promise of freedom only by believing in Jesus Christ." 

 

"Better Promises"

  "If the first covenant had been faultless, there would have been no need for a second covenant to replace it. But when God found fault with the people, he said:

  "The day is coming, says the LORD, when I will make a new covenant with the people of Israel and Judah. This covenant will not be like the one I made with their ancestors when I took them by the hand and led them out of the land of Egypt. They did not remain faithful to my covenant, so I turned my back on them, says the LORD. But this is the new covenant I will make with the people of Israel on that day, says the LORD: I will put my laws in their minds, and I will write them on their hearts. I will be their God, and they will be my people. And they will not need to teach their neighbors, nor will they need to teach their relatives, saying, 'You should know the LORD.' For everyone, from the least to the greatest will know me already. And I will forgive their wickedness, and I will never again remember their sins." 

  When God speaks of a "new" covenant, it means he has made the first one obsolete. It is now out of date and will soon disappear." (Hebrews 8:7-13 NLT)

  "There is therefore now no condemnation to them which are in Christ Jesus, who walk not after the flesh, but after the Spirit. For the law of the Spirit of life in Christ Jesus has made me free from the law of sin and death." (Romans 8:1-2 KJV)

 Now, about that last statement of being ashamed: It is my deep understanding that we have been given the Holy Spirit in order to practice righteousness, know the Scriptures we read, experience the newness we have been given, and have the ability for God to work in and through our lives. Additionally, He takes those things we do that are not right, and He convicts our hearts, in order to make us aware of the wrong things we are doing. 

 In other words, when we think of the Holy Spirit as a Helper, it isn't just to help us practice doing righteous things, knowing the Scriptures, experience our new life, and do the works God has for us; He is also able to correct us when we are wrong, walk in our flesh, or do not love others as we should. In laymen's terms, He is living within us to make us more like Jesus! 

 There is a very good reason for us to feel ashamed when we sin, because it is needed to make us aware of the wrongs we have done, which is actually a much needed and important part of the salvation we have been given. If you feel ashamed, for any reason, it is most likely because the Holy Spirit is showing the darkness within your heart. When we feel that way, we need to know that there needs to be a correction in some part of our lives.

 Through experience, (hopefully not for long,) we can offend the Spirit by not letting Him guide and correct us; because He is a Gentleman, He will not try and force us to do what He wants. However! He is always working on getting you to move in the right direction...

"O wretched man that I am! who shall deliver me from the body of this death? I thank God through Jesus Christ our Lord. So then with the mind I myself serve the law of God; but with the flesh the law of sin." (Romans 7:24-25 KJV)  

"A More Excellent Ministry" - Too

 "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6 KJV)

  "So get rid of all evil behavior. Be done with all deceit, hypocrisy, jealousy, and all unkind speech. Like newborn babies, you must crave pure spiritual milk so that you will grow into a full experience of salvation. Cry out for this nourishment, now that you have had a taste of the Lord's kindness. You are coming to Christ, who is the living cornerstone of God's temple. He was chosen by God for great honor. And you are living stones that God is building into his spiritual temple. What's more, you are his holy priests. Through the mediation of Jesus Christ, you offer sacrifices that please God." (2 Peter 2:1-5 NLT)

 I am well aware that everyone isn't meant to be the ones who preach and teach God's word, because we all have different gifts and functions; but almost everyone has the ability to share their own personal testimony, to say the least. More than that, we are all citizens of Heaven, which means that we are more about Home, then we are about this life here on earth. When that is demonstrated, those who might watch our lives will be convinced that the New Life we have is real. 

 Not that I have perfected the ability to always demonstrate what that looks like; but I can tell you from experience, those things which are hard to deal with and comprehend, are the things that make me live out my Heavenly Home the most. The little things, they seem to agitate me, and I tend to get in the flesh, more than I would like to see happen. But those things that I cannot control, like death and serious illnesses, they are all in God's hands, which then makes we just trust and believe He is in full control.

 When you are able to trust God in the big trials and tribulations, you can express joy, which is something that really makes those watching, to really consider! That is pretty much what Peter is describing, as we are "living stones," each and every one of us are a special piece of His Spiritual Temple! 

 Before I start into the rest of chapter 8, I feel as though there is something very important that needs to be shown about these "Better Promises" that we are about to go into; most importantly, we are still sinners, that much we must not forget. If we think that we have somehow overcome something and we have everything under control, we are setting ourselves up for some serious awakening, to say the least. 

 That is why we need to focus upon Heaven, knowing that it is only when we are Home, is when we will be totally free from our sinful desires, and will absolutely be unashamed...

"This is the message we heard from Jesus and now declare to you: God is light, and there is no darkness in him at all. So we are lying if we say we have fellowship with God but go on living in spiritual darkness; we are not practicing the truth. But if we are living in the light, as God is in the light, then we have fellowship with each other, and the blood of Jesus, his Son, cleanses us from all sin. If we claim we have no sin, we are only fooling ourselves and not living in the truth. But if we confess our sins to him, he is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and cleanse us from all wickedness. If we claim we have not sinned, we are calling God a liar and showing that his word has no place in our hearts." (1 John 1:5-10 NLT)  

"A More Excellent Ministry"

 "But now hath he obtained a more excellent ministry, by how much also he is the mediator of a better covenant, which was established upon better promises." (Hebrews 8:6 KJV)

  "He has enabled us to be ministers of his new covenant. This is a covenant not of written laws, but of the Spirit. The old written covenant ends in death; but under the new covenant, the Spirit gives life. The old way, with laws etched in stone, led to death, though it began with such glory that the people of Israel could not bear to look at Moses' face. For his face shone with the glory of God, even though the brightness was already fading away. Shouldn't we expect far greater glory under the new way, now that the Holy Spirit is giving life? If the old way, which brings condemnation, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new way, which makes us right with God! In fact, that first glory was not glorious at all compared with the overwhelming glory of the new way. So if the old way, which has been replaced, was glorious, how much more glorious is the new, which remains forever!" (2 Corinthians 3:6-11 NLT)

 Just to be clear, the glory of God that had shone of Moses' face, did not last long. He ended up putting a napkin or veil over his face, not to hide the glory being shone, but so that nobody would notice that it had left. It really does happen to just about everyone that is sharing or preaching God's word. As they share, and the Spirit is manifesting through them, they become radiant, for a certain period; but it does ware off. If you don't know what I mean, you can see it in almost every preacher as they are sharing, and then when you meet them later, they almost look like another person. 

 Anywho, we all need to be ready in season and out of season, to preach the Word of God! If you really don't know what that means, it is that we are always prepared for the opportunity to share, even though we were not expecting the opportunity to happen! When the right time comes, we must be ready and take the opportunity to share the Good News; even though you are not prepared or in the right place; as long as you have the reason, it is the season you must take advantage of, the moment the Spirit prompts you! 

 Perfect strangers are included, especially so; meaning that you can make a special impact without them knowing who you really are. When God opens a door, we must be ready and willing to share what He puts upon our hearts; you never really know what will become of it, except that you did what you were told to do, and that really matters...

"I solemnly urge you in the presence of God and Christ Jesus, who will someday judge the living and the dead when he appears to set up his Kingdom: Preach the word of God. Be prepared, whether the time is favorable or not. Patiently correct, rebuke, and encourage your people with good teaching. For a time is coming when people will no longer listen to sound and wholesome teaching. They will follow their own desires and will look for teachers who will tell them whatever their itching ears want to hear. They will reject the truth and chase after myths. But you should keep a clear mind in every situation. Don't be afraid of suffering for the Lord. Work at telling others the Good News, and fully carry out the ministry God has given you." (2 Timothy 4:1-5 NLT)     

"Shadow of Heavenly Things" - 2

 "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." (Hebrews 8:5 KJV)

  ""I am praying not only for these disciples but also for all who will ever believe in me through their message. I pray that they will all be one, just as you and I are one - as you are in me, Father, and I am in you. And may they be in us so that the world will believe you sent me."" (John 17:20-21 NLT)

 I know this might sound strange, but yesterday as I was thinking about these things which are shadows of the things to come, I started to think about a husband and wife that messed up, during the starting of the church, and wondered if they ended up with the Lord, after they died. If you don't know who it is that I am talking about, it is Ananias and Sapphira, who sold their land, giving only a portion of the money to the church, but pretending to have given it all. 

 As I was driving around, making my way to Macy's, thinking about where they might have ended up, I felt the Lord opening up several Scriptures to me, all of which confirmed where they were, and why they were not judged for what they did. Yes, they were killed and carried out, one at a time; but the reason was not to be cast into hell for what they did; but show their brothers and sisters that this movement was very sacred and that it was being made by the hand of God.  

 I also remember a message from Pastor Jon, as he expressed the Inner and Outer Rooms of the Temple in Heaven. Yes, there is a pattern which is made, just as it was by Moses; but the way Jon told it, it was very different, because it separated the people, not from God, but according to their service. In other words, those who served themselves on this earth, such as Ananias and Sapphira were doing, will be serving others in Heaven; while those that served others, will be servants of God. 

 Anywho, that is the way I heard it, and it stuck; much like the part Jon shared about banging on pans! If you don't know what that means, you should listen to his teachings in Revelation. Crazy as it might sound, I recalled the vision I had maybe about ten years ago; a vison of, "The Train of the Robe," which is spoken of in Isaiah 6:1. As I was picturing what I was reading, it appeared to be a train of a bride's gown, with all those embroidered patterns. When I looked closer at the train of the gown, I could see that there were people woven into the patterns; and as I studied them closer, I actually saw myself, and I was smiling, as I looked as if I was very happy to be there...

"A single day in your courts is better than a thousand anywhere else! I would rather be a gatekeeper in the house of my God then live the good life in the homes of the wicked." (PSALM 84:10 NLT) 

"Shadow of Heavenly Things"

 "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith he, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount." (Hebrews 8:5 KJV)

  "You were dead because of your sins and because your sinful nature was not yet cut away. Then God made you alive with Christ, for he forgave your sins. He canceled the record of charges against us and took it away by nailing it to the cross. In this way, he disarmed the spiritual rulers and authorities. He shamed them publicly by his victory over them on the cross. So don't let anyone condemn you for what you eat or drink, or for not celebrating certain holy days or new moon ceremonies or Sabbaths. For these rules are only shadows of the reality yet to come. And Christ himself is that reality." (Colossians 2:13-17 NLT)

 Some have said that they believe God took the Ark of the Covenant away from this earth, and it has been put away in the Tabernacle in Heaven; additionally, that the Tabernacle which Moses was told to build, was a replica of the Tabernacle that is in Heaven. Listening to a couple of Pastor Jon's messages about both of those Tabernacles, there are many similarities between the two. 

 As I have shared before, the furnishings of the Tabernacle that Moses was told to construct were all given very specific measurements; all but the water basin, that was to be used by the priests for ceremonial cleansing and purification. Pastor Jon associated that water basin was a representation of Christ and God's Word, because there no beginning or end and could never me measured! 

 I know that there are some that do not agree or believe those things are true; but there are many things that written which are hard to believe. Let's take the Scripture that Paul shows us in Colossians 2, as we see several examples of what takes place here, that are shadows of Heavenly things. In the first instance, we are shown as being dead, due to the sinful nature, which was not yet cut away. 

 Suppose for a moment that could be a shadow of what it looks like for our transformation, when we are meeting the Lord in the air; being in our earthly bodies, we are transformed into spiritual bodies that will live forever. Furthermore, because He took away all of our sins, we are glorified and holy, totally complete in Christ. Something we are meant to be on this earth, but it's hard to put into practice, which is actually a reality, sealed away in Heaven, where it remains totally pure and undefiled!

 Additionally, the shaming of the devil, that too will be seen in Heaven...

""How are you fallen from heaven, O shining star, son of the morning! You have been thrown down to earth, you who destroyed the nations of the world. For you said to yourself, 'I will ascend to heaven and set my throne above God's stars. I will preside on the mountain of the gods far away in the north. I will climb the highest heavens and be like the Most High.' Instead, you will be brought down to the place of the dead, down to its lowest depths. Everyone there will stare at you and ask, 'Can this be the one who shook the earth and made the kingdoms of the world tremble? Is this the one who destroyed the world and made it into a wasteland? Is this the king who demolished the world's greatest cities and had no mercy on his prisoners?'"" (Isaiah 14:12-17 NLT)

 Another similarity is the judgement day, when all the books are opened; yet our records are canceled and will not be mentioned at all, as if they had never happened! Think about those who knew us, yet were being judged for their own sins, yet remembering ours. Seeing we were not guilty, they will be completely amazed and will which they would have accepted God's free gift of forgiveness, too! 

"Prescribed by Reason"

 "For if he were on earth, he should not be a priest, seeing that there are priests that offer gifts according to the law:" (Hebrews 8:4 KJV) 

  "Then Jesus went from Galilee to the Jordan River to be baptized by John. But John tried to talk him out of it. "I am the one who needs to be baptized by you," he said, "so way are you coming to me?" But Jesus said, "It should be done, for we must carry out all that God requires." So John agreed to baptize him." (Matthew 3:13-15 NLT)

 For anyone that doesn't know what, "Interlude," means, it is basically a pause; when you stop to think about how this applies and how it should be applied to our own lives. Other than that. it means to stop and listen; or, if you are not inclined to make it spiritual, it could mean it's time change the tune, or there is that which is also a pause, or just a musical melody. It is "Selah" in the KJV version. Personally, I like my use of the word more, because it is important that we apply God's word to our lives, absorbing and observing every precept, and even reading between the lines!

 As it goes, Jesus was not a Levite, so He wouldn't have served in the Tempel or even performed the baptism that John performed on Him. John, on the other hand was born of the tribe of Levi as his father was a priest at the time he was born. There is so many little things we see, that, let's say, complete the picture and verify the truth of God's word...

"All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It corrects us when we are wrong and teaches us to do what is right. God uses it to prepare and equip his people to do every good work." (2 Timothy 3:16-17 NLT)    

"Interlude"

 "Don't sin by letting anger control you. Think about it overnight and remain silent." Interlude

"Offer sacrifices in the right spirit, and trust the LORD. Many people say, "Who will show us better times?" Let your face smile on us, LORD. You have given me greater joy than those who have abundant harvests of grain and new wine. In peace I will lie down and sleep, for you alone, O LORD, will keep me safe." (PSALM 4:4-8 NLT)

 As I was thinking about all of the blessings God have poured out upon me over this many years, there was nothing more I felt thankful for than having the companionship with my wife. Even in these past 22 years of taking care of her and waiting for God to heal her or take her home, I have felt more in love with her now, then I did before she was in this condition. 

 If you knew what you had, and then it was drastically change, you would have wished you were more patient and understanding, instead of always wanting to be right and having arguments about stupid things which I wish I could have taken back. Now, I would love the opportunity to have an argument with my wife, just so I could be the humble one that would forget about myself, and just, love her as Christ loves me! 

 Back, several years ago, when I saw Pat on Fox News talking about his feelings about a spouse leaving their significant other, if they might have a brain disorder, I was shocked and furious; mostly for the reason he gave that he felt it was okay: "For the sake of companionship!" I angerly shout out to the tv, saying, "What companionship do you think you have with a Holy God, if it wasn't for Jesus Christ!" 

 I know, I was a little judgmental, but it hurt my heart to even think that it was okay to break a promise: "To have and to hold, till death do us part." Just because you can't share and do certain things you once enjoyed. doesn't mean you cannot still have companionship together! I give my wife more attention now than I did before, making every effort to bless her, reading to her, praying over her, and singing songs to her. 

 I cannot remember ever singing to her before her accident. We sang together at church, but for me to just sing out loud as I held her in my arms, that wasn't something I ever did before; but I really wished I would have! Be thankful for what you have, always; and with a thankful heart, give God thanks...

""You have heard that our ancestors were told, 'You must not murder. If you commit murder, you are subject to judgment.' But I say, if you are even angry with someone, you are subject to judgment! If you call someone an idiot, you are in danger of being brought before the court. And if you curse someone, you are in danger of the fires of hell. So if you are presenting a sacrifice at the alter in the Temple and you suddenly remember that someone has something against you, leave your sacrifice there at the altar. Go and be reconciled to that person. Then come and offer your sacrifice to God."" (Matthew 5:21-24 NLT)

"The Offering." - Too

 "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer." (Hebrews 8:3 KJV)

  "Imitate God, therefore in everything you do, because you are his dear children. Live a life filled with love, following the example of Christ. He loved us and offered himself as a sacrifice for us, a pleasing aroma to God." (Ephesians 5:1-2 NLT)

 Okay, so this just got real! For starters, I had to check the verse in my Bible, because I usually use the Blue Letter Bible for almost all the verses that I am blobbing on, but they have so many errors, I have to edit the verse that I have typed, (like I should talk!). The issue was the word, "man", and the reason for that word to not be capitalized. It is absolutely the same, because it is a very complex: "this (person, as objective of verb or preposition): - him, the same, that, this." 

 Without getting completely over the top, there is something of a relationship between this being Christ, who is the character that this is being focused upon, and those of us that are believers. In other words, we are to be and do everything according to Christ when it comes to submission and having somewhat to offer! It is not about works, because there is nothing we can do gain our own righteousness; our righteousness is filthy rages to God, He sees us righteous by the blood of His Son! 

 In other words, our love for others and serving the Lord are not works, as if we are trying to earn anything, because we have already been given all that we need. But our works are offerings, given as worship and obedience to the One we love! Like children tend to grow up like their parents, we must be growing to be like Christ! 

 In other words, you are okay to place your name into that verse, in place of, this man...

"Do not let sin control the way you live; do not give in to sinful desires. Do not let any part of your body become an instrument of evil to serve sin. Instead, give yourselves completely to God, for you were dead, but now you have new life. So use your whole body as an instrument to do what is right for the glory of God. Sin is no longer your master, for you no longer live under the requirements of the law. Instead, you live under the freedom of God's grace." (Romans 6:12-14 NLT)       

"The Offering"

 "For every high priest is ordained to offer gifts and sacrifices: wherefore it is of necessity that this man have somewhat also to offer." (Hebrews 8:3 KJV)

  ""I tell you the truth, anyone who believes has eternal life. Yes, I am the bread of life! Your ancestors ate manna in the wilderness, but they all died. Anyone who eats the bread from heaven, however, will never die. I am the living bread that came down from heaven. Anyone who eats this bread will live forever; and this bread, which I will offer so the world may live, is my flesh."" (John 6:47-51 NLT)

 Here we get to see something that there is a lot of weird practices and wrong interpretations about what Jesus was talking about, when it comes to eating His flesh. First of all, the major point that is being shown is that He came in the flesh! That might not sound as if it is that difficult to understand, but the Apostle John warns about those who do not believe that Jesus came in the flesh, that they should not be listened to, because it was His flesh that He offered up on that cross! 

 Secondly, believing that what Jesus did, by offering His flesh, is that which is paramount to the whole reason we have salvation! It was Adam, who was a man, made of flesh, therefore another Man, being Jesus Christ, had to become God in the flesh, in order to undo that which the first man, Adam, caused that brough all of us into death, because of his sin in that garden. 

 Thirdly, and also of utmost importance, is the offering! The Lamb of God that takes away the sins of the entire world! Talk about love; what we sometimes forget is that even though He was in the flesh, He was also God; the Creator of heaven and earth! There are so many people I personally know that don't want to believe that, even though they read a Bible, they cannot swallow the truth...

"We know that we are children of God and that the world around us is under control of the evil one. And we know that the Son of God has come, and he has given us understanding so that we can know the true God. And now we live in fellowship with the true God because we live in fellowship with his Son, Jesus Christ. He is the only true God, and he is eternal life." (1 John 5:19-20 NLT)   

"The True Tabernacle" - 2

 "A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Hebrews 8:2 KJV)

  "For we know that when this earthy tent we live in is taken down (that is, when we die and leave this earthly body), we will have a house in heaven, an eternal body made by God himself and not by human hands," (2 Corinthians 5:1 NLT)

 So, just in case you missed to point, if we do not love our neighbor, as ourselves, then how is it possible that we love God? In other words, if we don't love those that we can obviously see and touch; how is it possible to love God, who we can't see or touch? 

 There really is some sort of a connection in all of this, because love is that which makes the entire story real and something worth sharing, because it is really all about love: Loving God and each other! So, who is your neighbor? Your neighbor is anyone and everyone that needs your help, your prayers, your time; you name it, whatever we can do and are led to do, as Jesus clearly says: 'Love God and love each other!'

 Anywho, that said, the true tabernacle that is in heaven, which the Lord pitched, (meaning that He has constructed it on His own), is also something that which involves us, in these temporary tents! We are really better off being taken the moment we are saved, but what good would that do, if we cannot prove to one another the love God has given to all of us...

"We know what real love is because Jesus gave up his life for us. So we ought to give up our lives for our brothers and sisters. If someone has enough money to live well and sees a brother or sister in need but shows no compassion - how can God's love be in that person? Dear children, let's not merely say that we love each other; let us show the truth by our actions. Our actions will show that we belong to the truth, so we will be confident when we stand before God. Even if we feel guilty, God is greater than our feelings, and he knows everything." (1 John 3:16-20 NLT)  

"The True Tabernacle"

 "A minister of the sanctuary, and of the true tabernacle, which the Lord pitched, and not man." (Hebrews 8:2 NLT) 

  "Don't let anyone capture you with empty philosophies and high-sounding nonsense that come from human thinking and from the spiritual power of this world, rather than from Christ. For in Christ lives all the fullness of God in a human body. So you also are complete through your union with Christ, who is the head over every ruler and authority." (Colossians 2:8-10 NLT)

 Taking this to the next level, I truly believe that we are going to be surprised by who we see in heaven, as well as those we don't see; knowing full well, that God does not judge by our outward appearance, but by looking at our hearts! There is just so many that put on a good show, pretending to serve, but turning it into works, for which they seek admonishment or profit, as if it is for their own glory and good. 

 Yesterday I was watching a message from Paul Stanley, which was about the Four Gospels, as he was showing the importance of their messages, because they show the proof of Christ and His true identity, which cannot be overlooked. He then started sharing about Luke, who being a doctor, as well as a Gentile, he was the only Gentile author in the New Testament. 

 There was something he started to show about the way Luke revealed the things Jesus said and did, by his detail and expressions of, not only Jesus, but of those who were involved in the message. Wittingly, he also had the ability to write in a way to open the minds of the readers, to see certain things not clearly expressed in word, but in the deed and actions of the characters. 

 After a short introduction, Pastor Paul began sharing about the parable of the good Samaritan, which, if you don't know already, is an example of true love; meaning the love for God, as well as for strangers, which are actually, your neighbors... 

"One day an expert in religious law stood up to test Jesus by asking him this question: "Teacher, what should I do to inherit eternal life?" Jesus replied, "What does the law of Moses say? How do you read it"? The man answered, "'You must love the LORD your God with all your heart, all your soul, all your strength, and all your mind.' And, 'Love your neighbor as yourself.'" "Right!" Jesus told him. "Do this and you will live!" The man wanted to justify his actions, so he asked Jesus, "And who is my neighbor?"" (Luke 10:25-29 NLT)  

"The Principal Point"

 "Now of the things which we have spoken this is the sum: We have such a high priest, who is set on the right hand of the throne of the Majesty in the heavens:" (Hebrews 8:1 KJV)

  "All of your works will thank you, LORD, and your faithful followers will praise you. They will speak of the glory of your kingdom; they will give examples of your power. They will tell about your mighty deeds and about the majesty and glory of your reign. For your kingdom is an everlasting kingdom. You rule throughout all generations." "(PSALM 145:10-13 NLT)

 There surely is something here we need to celebrate, because what Jesus did on the cross, was more than just cleansing the sins on the world; there was more than that which needed to be done! With some serious though, whoever it was that wrote the Book of Hebrews, they are trying to express the wonder and glory of what took place, not only here on this earth, but also in Heaven. 

 There was a reason the curtain between the holy sanctuary and the Holies of Holies was ripped in two; as the Bible clearly says, "the curtain was rent from top to bottom". (Matthew 27:51) Which was the hands of God ripping it apart, just as He parted the Red Sea, for the children of Isreal to escape from Egypt, as well as destroy those who were after them. 

 You do know that we have an adversary, right? We can see and understand what that adversary is all about, when we read the Book of Job, and see the reason that he hates us so much. There are several likenesses to this and the way Pharoh had such a hate for the children of Israel. Besides all of that, it has been said, "It was easier for God to get the children of Israel out of Egypt, than it was to get Egypt out of the children of Israel." 

 As I said before, during the creation of Heaven and earth, which was the second day of creation; God did not say that this stage of His creation was good. The reason being was that He was Holy, and because He is Holy, there had to be a separation between God and mankind established, because God does not have fellowship with unholiness. 

 Well, that was what that torn curtain was all about! Jesus made the way for fellowship between a Holy God and His children...

"And we know that God causes everything to work together for the good of those who love God and are called according to his purpose for them. For God knew his people in advance, and he chose them to become like his Son, so that his Son would be the firstborn among many brothers and sisters. And having chosen them, he called them to come to him. And having called them, he gave them right standing with himself. And having given them right standing, he gave them his glory." (Romans 8:28-30 NLT)        

"Jesus Is Our High Priest"

 "Here is the main point: We have a High Priest who sat down in the place of honor beside the throne of the majestic God in heaven. There he ministers in the heavenly Tabernacle, the true place of worship that was build be the Lord and not by human hands. 

 "And since every high priest is required to offer gifts and sacrifices, our High Priest must make an offering, too. If he were here on earth, he would not even be a priest, since there already are priests who offer gifts required by the law. They serve a system of worship that is only a copy, a shadow of the real one in heaven. For when Moses was getting ready to build the Tabernacle, God gave him this warning: "Be sure that you make everything according to the pattern I have shown you here on the mountain."

 "But now Jesus, our High Priest, has been given a ministry that is far superior to the old priesthood, for he is the one who mediates for us a far better covenant with God, based on better promises." (Hebrews 8:1-6 NLT)

  "For I reckon that the sufferings of this present time are not worthy to be compared with the glory which shall be revealed in us. For the earnest expectation of the creature waiteth for the manifestation of the sons of God. For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope; because the creature itself also shall be delivered from the bondage of corruption into the glorious liberty of the children of God." (Romans 8:18-21 KJV) 

 Just because we are frail and sometimes fail to overcome the temptations of our flesh, we are still able to be covered by the grace which has been freely given by God. Surprisingly, the grace, which was excepted, when we first believed, does not fade or go away! I have said it more than once, and I will say it again: If you have been redeemed and are a child of God, you will remain a child of God for all eternity! That is the promise of that exceeds all other promises...

"Blessed be the God and Father of the Lord Jesus Christ, which according to his abundant mercy hath begotten us again unto a lively hope by the resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead, to an inheritance incorruptible, and undefiled, and that fadeth not away, reserved in heaven for you, who are kept be the power of God through faith unto salvation ready to be revealed in the last time." (1 Peter 1:3-5 KJV)