Calvary Temple

Want to know how to ‘take it in stride’ and not get tripped up when we hit a curve on life’s pathway? Proverbs Chapter 4:1-4 instructs us to seek hard after God’s wisdom and, to develop good judgment. Verse 12 says that, when we are equipped with these two weapons, we will not be hindered nor restricted by whatever befalls our path and, when we run, we will not stumble or fall.

Jude Verse 24-25 confirms this; Now to Him who is able to keep you from stumbling, and to make you stand in the presence of His glory, blameless with great joy, to the only God our Savior, through Jesus Christ our Lord, be glory, majesty, dominion and authority, before all time, and now, and forever. Amen!

Luke 24 records the two men walking from Jerusalem to Emmaus after Jesus’ death and they said, we had hoped that he was the Messiah, the one sent to rescue Israel—but now, he’s dead and our hope is gone.

Like we do, too, they assume’d that their circumstance was too much for God to change!

But when they came to know Jesus was alive, they said, didn’t our hearts burn within us when he explained the scriptures to us!

Just before his ascension, Jesus also opened the scriptures about himself to the disciples and said, and now you are witnesses of all these things! First-hand witnesses!

What an example to us for when our faith is lacking! We can ask Jesus to reveal himself to us in the scriptures and also, to bring to our remembrance all those things to which we’ve been witness of his power and his might.

In Acts 2-3 we see the Holy Spirit working miracles through the early church to capture the attention of unbelievers and open their hearts to the gospel message. God is the same yesterday, today, and forever, and He is still calling to the unbeliever. Like the church in Acts 4, we diligently pray that the Holy Sprit work miracles through us as a sign to the unbeliever that the gospel is Truth.

[In Acts 2, the Holy Spirit falls on all gathered in the upper room and they begin speaking in unknown tongues. A crowd gathered because they heard their own languages being spoken, giving Peter a chance to share the gospel with unbelievers.

In Acts 3, filled with the Spirit, Peter heals the lame beggar and an astonished crowd gathered around, again giving Peter an opportunity to share the gospel with unbelievers.

And in Acts 4, Peter and John return to their people after being threatened by the Sanhedrin. They call out to God, saying "29 ...Lord, consider their threats and enable your servants to speak your word with great boldness. 30 Stretch out your hand to heal and perform signs and wonders through the name of your holy servant Jesus.” The Spirit shook the place where they were gathered and they were again filled with the Holy Spirit to share the gospel boldly.]

The measurement, or barometer of discipleship that Jesus taught in Luke 14:25-35 was certainly not easy to achieve.

He spoke of ‘hating’ those we love most, the point being that we cannot derive personal comfort nor satisfaction by loving anyone else more than we derive by loving Christ!  He spoke of carrying our own cross—just as He did on the way to his own death, and finally, counting the high cost of being a disciple, for he knew it would cost us something of ourselves.

It doesn’t sound joyful, but the Apostle Paul assured us in II Timothy 2:19 that the hard work, studying to show ourselves approved, and remaining faithful in the race would be worth it all, because the Lord knows those who are his, and he has promised that there is an eternal prize awaiting all those who finish the race and are eagerly watching for his appearing. 

From the beginning of creation, God sought a way to commune with man, but sin was always in the way.  In Exodus 24 and 25, God formed a plan and created a place for this communion to take place, and He told Moses, you build it this way, and I'll meet you there!  

But first, the sin issue had to be dealt with by the sprinkling of the blood of the animal sacrifices upon the elements of the tabernacle, the altar and finally, the people, themselves.  Only then could they approach the Holy God. 

God told Moses to create a place to house the tablets of stone and the testimony, which would be covered by the mercy seat—and He would commune with them there.

Thank God for the pure blood of Jesus Christ that covers our sin so that we can commune with God, having been cleansed by his blood.

Mount Zion is prevalent throughout scripture. It was a physical mountain in ancient Jerusalem, but it was also used to describe the Jewish Nation, and it is referred to as the Heavenly Jerusalem and will be the physical location of the Millennial Jerusalem, and it was the very birthplace of the early church! Mount Zion was the dwelling place of God. It was where people physically came to worship God.

Hebrews 12:18-24 NLT tells us that Jesus came as the fulfillment of Mount Zion—and that when we worship God from our spirit in truthfulness, Verse 24 says “we have come to Jesus, the one who mediates the new covenant between God and people, and (you’ve come) to the sprinkled blood of Jesus, which speaks of forgiveness…”

We may never visit the earthly Mount Zion, but we have already been there if we have accepted that precious blood of Christ, and we will surely see when we reign in the Millennium with Christ!

Less than 90 years after the prophet Jonah had preached to Ninevah that they must repent of their sin of idolatry and return to God, they’d not only fallen back into idolatry but had become so barbaric and cruel to the people of Israel that God had had enough and sent the prophet Nahum to Ninevah, but this time, it was to tell them of their certain, unavoidable destruction. This strong city that was considered virtually indestructible, was completely destroyed at God’s hand.

Nahum 1:3 says that The Lord is slow to get angry, but his power is great, and he never lets the guilty go unpunished.

That’s why the writer of Hebrews wrote that it’s a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God—the God who can punish sin eternally. But, we who love and follow hard after God, can be so thankful that the love of God, which we can all know by simply believing in the saving grace of his Son, Jesus Christ, saves us all from certain destruction and eternal damnation.

The Lord gave Isaiah some very strong words about not following along with his culture, which we can certainly relate to today.

V11 The Lord has given me a strong warning not to think like everyone else does. He said, Don’t call everything a conspiracy, like they do, and don’t live in dread of what frightens them.

Make the Lord of Heaven’s Armies holy in your life. He is the one you should fear. He is the one who should make you tremble. He will keep you safe.

This is my New Year’s Resolution!

It can be hard for us to comprehend some portions of the Christmas story. While the joy that comes from the birth of a baby is easy to relate to, it’s harder for us to comprehend that, Jesus WAS—HE EXISTED, in all of His Heavenly, Kingly, status, before he was sent to earth in the flesh as a baby by His Father.

We must remember, remember and worship, the one who LEFT the splendors of Heaven; who was separated from the comfort of His Father’s bosom and who lowered himself in status, to come in the flesh to bring Joy to the World!

The book of Isaiah prophecies the coming of the Son, who would be called the Prince of Peace. The Apostle Paul wrote to the Christians at Rome that the God of peace shall bruise Satan under our feet shortly.

From the first prophecy of the promised Messiah through the final war between Jesus and Satan, when Jesus fully and finally crushes him, God had a plan that Jesus would be the Prince of Peace on earth.

In the “in-between” times, right at the point where we live our very lives, Jesus is our personal Prince of Peace. He brought peace in our relationship with God; in our circumstances, in our family, in our heart. Though our minds can’t comprehend it, He is our Perfect Peace.