Thoughts on the Tabernacle (2)

“Make everything according to the pattern I have shown you.”                       Ex 25:40 NLT

The second element that marked the building of the Old Testament tabernacle was excellence. God condemns perfectionism because it stifles our creativity and robs us of all sense of progress. And Jesus condemned those who gave to impress others. “When you do a charitable deed, do not sound a trumpet before you as the hypocrites do in the synagogues and in the streets, that they may have glory from men. Assuredly, I say to you, they have their reward” (Mt 6:2 NKJV). But if you think this means you can just offer God anything you feel like, you’re sorely mistaken. When it comes to serving, God wants you to aspire to excellence. God said to Moses: “And this is the offering which you shall take from them: gold, silver, and bronze…And let them make Me a sanctuary, that I may dwell among them. According to all that I show you, that is, the pattern of the tabernacle and the pattern of all its furnishings, just so you shall make it” (Ex 25:3-9 NKJV). Why did God ask for gold? Because He won’t accept anything sloppy or second-rate. Guess where Jesus sat when He went to church? Beside the treasury, watching people give. Luke records: “Then a poor widow came by and dropped in two small coins. ‘I tell you the truth,’ Jesus said, ‘this poor widow has given more than all the rest of them. For they have given a tiny part of their surplus, but she, poor as she is, has given everything she has’” (Lk 21:2-4 NLT). So, give God your best!

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/11/19/thoughts-on-the-tabernacle-2/

Practice Pure Religion!

“Pure…religion before God…is this.”                                     Jas 1:27 NKJV

Jesus said about every act of kindness you show toward someone who’s hurting or in need: “You did it to Me” (Mt 25:40 NKJV). Wow! Maybe next time you’re too busy to show concern, that’ll make you stop and think. In answer to the question, “What must I do to inherit eternal life?” Jesus told one man, “Sell what you have and give it to the poor…[then] follow Me” (Mt 19:21 NKJV). This man could have blessed many others, and even been numbered among Christ’s disciples, but it didn’t happen because he was self-focused. Jesus told another story about a rich man who died and went to hell. Now, he didn’t go there because he was rich. The only sin he was charged with was selfishness. He allowed a poor man to sit on his doorstep with his wounds untended, his body ill-clad, his stomach empty, and did nothing about it (See Lk 16:19-31). On the other hand, Zacchaeus, who overcharged others in order to enrich himself, saw the folly of his ways, renounced selfishness and made a decision to follow Jesus (See Lk 19:1-10). The story’s told of an angel visiting a wealthy man who happened to be on his deathbed. After the man listed all the things he’d like to take to heaven with him, the angel informed him, “You can only take what you have given away.” Don’t wait until the eve of your departure to give; experience the joy and reward of it—now. “Pure and undefiled religion before God and the Father is this: to visit orphans and widows in their trouble.” So today, practice pure religion!

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/11/11/practice-pure-religion/

Greater Love Has No Man – A Tribute And Call To Our Veterans by Duke Taber

This Sunday, my church has the privilege of hosting our community’s Veteran’s day service. For me, it is a great honor to be able to speak both for our community and as a representative of Jesus to these great men and women who have served our country so faithfully.

My Veteran’s Day Message – Greater Love Has No Man

The text for my message comes from Jesus Himself. It is found in John’s gospel chapter 15.

John 15:13 New King James Version (NKJV) 13 Greater love has no one than this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends.

This quote from Jesus has been used many times when speaking of our military and our veterans. To give your life in service of another is the greatest sign of love that any person can give. When a veteran signs up for military service they know that they may be called upon at any time to go defend and protect their friends and neighbors from any threats to this country.

When Jesus made this statement, He was talking about upcoming sacrifice on the cross. He was willingly laying His life down for the greater good of His friends and the greater good of all mankind.

When I think about all that our veterans have done for us over the years, I am extremely humbled. Their willingness to serve in the midst of extreme danger is not something to be taken lightly. They deserve our utmost respect. They also willingly laid down their lives for the greater good of us. In this they have followed the example of Jesus.

A Message To Our Veterans

Once again our nation is threatened. The threat does not come from outside forces but from forces from within. Our culture, way of life, and values are all at risk. The fourth President of the United States, James Madison said this.

“We have staked the whole future of American civilization, not upon the power of government, far from it. We’ve staked the future of all our political institutions upon our capacity…to sustain ourselves according to the Ten Commandments of God.” – Fourth President of the United States & founding Father – James Madison

and Harry S. Truman is quoted to have said,

“The fundamental basis of this nation’s law was given to Moses on the Mount. The fundamental basis of our Bill of Rights comes from the teaching we get from Exodus and St. Matthew, from Isaiah and St. Paul. I don’t think we emphasize that enough these days. If we don’t have the proper fundamental moral background, we will finally end up with a totalitarian government which does not believe in the right for anybody except the state.” – Harry S. Truman

Our nation was founded upon certain principles that are found in the Bible. Just like the principle of laying down your life for your friends is found in the Bible, our personal liberties and freedoms, our constitutional rights come from principles in the Bible.

Today, the Bible, Christianity, and the whole foundation of our nations existence are under attack by those that would replace those foundations with a relative morality and foundation that changes with the whims of those enforcing them.

A Spiritual Call To Arms

My fellow Americans, we have another battle to fight, another enemy to vanquish. However today it is not a call to take up guns, but it is a call to take up words, ideas, and actions. It is time for all of us, veterans or not, to speak up, stand up, and fight for the very soul of this nation. However it will not be done with acts of violence, but instead acts of love, acts of sacrifice, and acts of giving.

Just as Jesus gave His life for the lives of all of us, we need to take up His example and lay down our lives for our friends, family, community and nation. We need to gently speak the truth in love. Fight the revisionist history and those that would remove faith from the public discourse. We need to take up one more cause. We need to once again bring Jesus back into our culture.

Blessings

Pastor Duke

This article was first published on my website Taber’s Truths

http://blogs.christianpost.com/smallpreacher-biggod/greater-love-has-no-man-a-tribute-and-call-to-our-veterans-13008/

Don’t Be an Older Brother

“Son…all that I have is yours.”                                             Lk 15:31 NKJV

In the parable of the prodigal son Jesus is talking to two different groups: regular people, and religious leaders who complain that Jesus “receives sinners” (Lk 15:2 NKJV). We all know the story. The Prodigal Son “blew it” and ended up in a pigpen. Later, when he returned home, his father threw a big party. But his older brother wouldn’t attend. Here was his reason: “‘These many years I have been serving you…yet you never gave me a young goat that I might make merry with my friends. But as soon as this son of yours came, who has devoured your livelihood with harlots, you killed the fatted calf for him.’ And [his father] said to him, ‘Son…all that I have is yours’” (Lk 15:29-31 NKJV). It’s the kind of thing you hear in church from people who lift themselves up by putting others down. Both sons spent time in the pigpen: one in the pigpen of rebellion, the other in the pigpen of resentment. One came home to a welcome, the other stayed home and wallowed in self-righteousness. Because of his judgmentalism, the older son ended up losing more than the younger one: (1) He forfeited the joy of knowing how much he was loved by his father. (2) As the oldest son he was entitled to twice as much of his father’s estate, yet he wasn’t able to enjoy a moment of it. (3) His younger brother was lost and hurting. What an opportunity to forgive, show grace, help to restore him and have a life-enriching relationship with him. But he forfeited it all because he was judgmental. Don’t be an older brother!

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/11/10/dont-be-an-older-brother/

Always Tell the Truth

“You desire truth in the inward parts.”                                     Ps 51:6 NKJV

The Bible says, “Nor was any deceit in [Christ’s] mouth” (Isa 53:9 NIV). And if God has His way with us, none will be found in ours either. God doesn’t seek to minimize our deception, but to eliminate it altogether. He is blunt about dishonesty. “No one who is dishonest will live in my house” (Ps 101:7 NCV). Paul lists the types of people who will not inherit the kingdom of God—those who sin sexually, worship idols, get drunk, rob people, and—lie about others (See 1Co 6:9-10). “You mean my fibbing and flattering stir the same heavenly anger as adultery and aggravated assault?” Apparently so. God views fudging on income taxes the same way He views kneeling before idols. “The Lord hates those who tell lies but is pleased with those who keep their promises” (Pr 12:22 NCV). Why the tough stance? Because dishonesty is absolutely contrary to the character of God (Heb 6:18). It’s not that God won’t lie, or has chosen not to lie, but that He cannot lie. A dog can’t fly, a bird can’t bark, and God can’t lie. When He makes a covenant, He keeps it. When He makes a statement, He means it. When He proclaims the truth, we can believe it. Even, “If we are not faithful, [God] remains faithful, because he cannot be false to himself” (2Ti 2:13 GNT). With God, the truth is not a gray area, it’s black and white. So if you’re serious about walking with Him and pleasing Him, you must commit to “the truth, the whole truth, and nothing but the truth.”

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/11/01/always-tell-the-truth/

Shake It Off

“But Paul shook the snake off into the fire.”                               Ac 28:5 NIV

The story’s told of a farmer whose mule fell into a well. Since he had no way to get him out, he decided to bury him there. He got a truckload of dirt and dumped it on top of the mule. But instead of lying down under it, the mule started kicking and snorting until he worked his way to the top of it. This continued all afternoon. Truckload after truckload, the mule just kept shaking it off and stepping on top of it. Finally when the dirt reached the top of the well the mule just snorted and walked away, a dirtier but a wiser mule. What was intended to bury him, just brought him out on top.

On his way to Rome Paul was shipwrecked on an island. As he was gathering firewood a snake attached itself to his arm. What did he do? The Bible says he just “shook it off.” There’s an important lesson for you in those two stories. You can either dwell on the past, or shake it off and move toward the future God has planned for you. Paul, a man with a past, writes about “Forgetting those things which are behind, and reaching forward to those things which are ahead” (Php 3:13 NKJV). Now, Paul didn’t forget his past, he just shook it off and kept going. You say, “But I’ve failed so badly.” The Bible says, “[He] will not remember your sins” (Isa 43:25 NAS). Sometimes forgiveness requires a healing process, but until you make the decision to forgive yourself and others, and “shake it off,” the process can’t even begin.

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/10/29/shake-it-off/

Growing into Leadership (1)

“We are labourers together.”                                                           1Co 3:9

A cartoon shows an executive sitting forlornly behind a big desk. Standing meekly on the other side of the desk is a man dressed in work clothes who says, “If it’s any comfort to you, it’s lonely at the bottom too.” The truth is, you’ll meet lonely people at the top, on the bottom, and in the middle. Loneliness is not a positional problem, it’s a relational one. The Bible says, “A man that hath friends must show himself friendly” (Pr 18:24 NKJV). The saying, “It’s lonely at the top,” was never made by a great leader. Stop for a moment and think about that. If you’re all alone, nobody is following you. And if nobody is following you, you’re not really leading. What kind of leader would leave everyone behind? An ineffective one. An insecure one. A dysfunctional one. Effective leadership is about lifting people, not elevating yourself. And to lift people you must get close to them. As a leader you must always remember these three things: (1) To have credibility, you must make it to the top. Many folks are willing to give you advice on things they have never experienced, but credibility comes from paying the price to achieve personal success. (2) To have respect, you must acknowledge that you didn’t get to the top by yourself. Sir Edmund Hillary climbed Mount Everest because he had the right team. You need one too. (3) To have fulfillment, you must take others to the top with you. “We are labourers together.” True success is shared success, and it only happens when you’re willing to invest in the lives of others.

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/10/23/growing-into-leadership-1/

Little Foxes

“Catch…the little foxes that spoil the vines.”                            SS 2:15 NKJV

Michelangelo once sculpted a figure out of marble while a friend watched. Later his friend went away on business and when he returned he said, “I see you haven’t worked on your sculpture.” The great artist replied, “I’ve been working constantly on it since you left.” His friend asked, “How’s that possible?” Michelangelo replied, “I’ve softened a line here, straightened the lip there, defined the muscles more clearly, polished this and sharpened that.” His friend said, “But those are trifles!” Michelangelo replied, “Trifles they may be, but trifles make perfection, and perfection is no trifle!” Solomon writes, “Catch…the little foxes that spoil the vines, for our vines have tender grapes.” One Bible teacher put it this way: “Small things that seem unimportant can spoil ‘tender grapes,’ like a relationship, a career, or a life dedicated to Christ. How many marriages fail because spouses paid no attention to the little things? How many athletes lost competitions because of tiny missteps? Many of us can see the big picture of our lives and our relationship with God, but we neglect the details necessary for bringing it all into focus. We must attend to ‘trifles’ if we hope to succeed. As we act faithfully in the little things God will bless us with greater opportunities. We’ll develop the faithfulness and obedience to conquer the great issues in life.” Only when you’re faithful in small things will God entrust you with greater things (See Mt 25:21). So, what “little foxes” do you need to catch today? Little resentments, little habits, little areas of dishonesty? Nip them in the bud. Deal with them, and watch how it changes your life.

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/10/20/little-foxes/

It’s Just Part of Life’s Journey (3)

“But God is faithful.”                                                                  1Co 10:13

Here’s a promise you can stand on when your world has been shaken: “But God is faithful.” Jesus said, “Heaven and earth shall pass away: but my words shall not pass away” (Lk 21:33). In a world of uncertainty you can sing, “On Christ the solid rock I stand, all other ground is sinking sand.” Your job, your health, your relationships and your investments are all “sinking sand.” But God’s faithfulness is as solid as a rock. He will be faithful to you in the delivery room, in the operating room, in the nursing home, in the unemployment line, in the criminal proceedings, and in the divorce court. The Psalmist wrote: “I would have lost heart, unless I had believed that I would see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living. Wait on the Lord; be of good courage, and He shall strengthen your heart” (Ps 27:13-14 NKJV). Focusing on God’s faithfulness will keep you from falling apart, giving up, having a nervous breakdown or losing your mind. Be honest; hasn’t God been better to you than you’ve been to Him? Hasn’t He been faithful when you’ve been unfaithful, and consistent when you’ve been inconsistent? “The gifts and calling of God are without repentance” (Ro 11:29). When God gives you a gift, He doesn’t take it back. When He makes you a promise, He won’t break it. Even when Abraham died, God remembered His promise and blessed his children down through the generations. Why is this important to know? Because when you begin to see God’s faithfulness to you, it will make you want to be faithful to Him.

http://theencouragingword.wordpress.com/2012/10/17/its-just-part-of-lifes-journey-3/

Fall Cleanup! by Patricia Day

My husband and I spent last weekend winterizing the garden. Raking leaves – bagging leaves and adding some to the compost. Front and back the gardens looked – well – tidy again. Frost-bitten annuals were removed and all we could see was the green of the lawns again with flower beds devoid of fallen leaves.

Overnight a strong breeze could be heard outside and, yes you’ve guessed it, all our efforts appeared to have been in vain. Where we cleared and cleaned was once more leaf covered.

Sin can be like that. We allow all kinds of it into our hearts, minds and spirits, allowing it to accumulate until we are overwhelmed by it. We try to change our ways and clean ourselves up spiritually, changing one wrong and containing others, but a breeze in the darkness of the recesses of our minds takes over and litters our thoughts again. Result? What we had attempted to clean up is once again cluttered and unruly. Untidy to our eyes. How must it look to God’s? All our good intentions apparently meaningless, yet for a while seemed effective.

Ecclesiastes 1:3 – What profit has a man from all his labor in which he toils under the sun? (NKJV)

Ecclesiastes 1: 6 – The wind goes toward the south, and turns around to the north; the wind whirls about continually, and comes again on its circuit. (NKJV)

We can try to clean up our acts, but if we do not have God in our lives those efforts will be meaningless. Sin will keep on returning to our lives, like a disruptive breeze and we will continually strive to make a difference to lifestyles or thinking patterns – but until we halt trying to do it alone and leave the inevitable clean up to God – nothing much that we do will make a lasting difference.

Prayer: Abba, we ask You for guidance and for wisdom and discernment, as we try to eradicate all that is not of You in our lives. Amen

http://devotionalchristian.com/fall-cleanup/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+DevotionalChristian+%28Devotional+Christian%29