Author:
Emily Anne Mooreland
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Date Posted: 14:04:47 05/27/03 Tue
Author Host/IP: ppp-66-139-43-194.dsl.tulsok.swbell.net/66.139.43.194
In reply to:
TC Morgan
's message, "IN GOD'S TABERNACLE -- Francis Frangipane" on 06:43:02 03/01/02 Fri
>a little something I'd like to pass on:PLEASE CHANGE MY E-MAIL AS i'VE SHOWN ABOVE.
>
>In Christ's Image Weekly Message
>February 28, 2002
>Pastor Francis Frangipane
>
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>* * * * * * *
>
>IN GOD'S TABERNACLE
>
>Jesus warned of the deception which would occur at the
>end of the age.
>When we consider His words, we instinctively think of
>false teachers and
>prophets; and these will, indeed, mislead many (see
>Matthew 24). But there
>is another dimension to the enemy's tactics that is,
>perhaps, even more
>dangerous. For we may actually know the truth, but be
>too preoccupied and
>distracted to obey it. If this is the case, greater
>judgment will fall on
>us than upon him who did not know God's will at all.
>
>Jesus warned, "Be on guard, that your hearts may not
>be weighted down with
>dissipation and drunkenness and the worries of life,
>and that day come on
>you suddenly like a trap" (Luke 21:34).
>
>To dissipate means "to fritter away; employ aimlessly;
>squander; be
>wasteful." Besides giving us His grace, the second
>most important gift
>Christ has given us is time. If we do not have time,
>we cannot develop
>spiritually in any of God's other gifts or resources.
>If we fail to make
>time for the service of God, we will be unprepared for
>this day which,
>Jesus said, "will come upon all those who dwell on the
>face of all the
>earth" (Luke 21:35). The day of the Lord will not be
>an occasion of joy;
>it will come upon the distracted like a trap.
>
>Over and again the Lord warned that those who put Him
>off now will be put
>off by Him later (see Matt. 24:36 - 25:46; Luke 13:24
>- 30; John 12:47 -
>48). They will seek His protection, but He will not
>provide it. Why? It
>takes time to grow in the ways, knowledge and grace of
>God, and it is this
>very growth which creates within us the spiritual
>shelter of the Most
>High. Today is the day to prepare for tomorrow; to
>wait for tomorrow to
>ready ourselves will be too late.
>
>In the Inner Court
>In the book of Revelation there is a marvel. John
>writes, "And there was
>given me a measuring rod like a staff; and someone
>said, 'Rise and measure
>the temple of God, and the altar, and those who
>worship in it' " (Rev.
>11:1). John was commanded to measure the "temple of
>God." When John's
>vision came, it should be noted that the physical
>temple in Jerusalem had
>been reduced to rubble for over twenty years. Thus,
>the apostle was not
>commanded to measure the physical temple but the
>spiritual temple. The
>church is the spiritual temple.
>
>He was told to measure the altar and those who worship
>in it. In other
>words, he was commanded to measure those who have
>presented themselves as
>living sacrifices to God. These are the souls who have
>poured out their
>lives upon the altar of sacrifice (Phil. 2:17); they
>have learned the
>secret of abiding in the holy place with God.
>
>Yet John also was told, "Leave out the court which is
>outside the temple,
>and do not measure it, for it has been given to the
>nations; and they will
>tread under foot the holy city for forty-two months"
>(Rev. 11:2).
>
>There are three distinct groups identified to John in
>this vision: those
>who worship at God's altar, those immediately outside
>the temple, and the
>nations that will tread underfoot the holy city for 3
>1/2 years. The
>"nations," in this context, represent those who shall
>persecute the
>unprepared church, which was in the court "outside the
>temple." Those who
>worship at the altar are those who, through love and
>perseverance, dwell
>in the secret place with God at the end of the age.
>
>Neither Male Nor Female, But Christ
>The court that was outside the temple was actually
>part of the temple
>grounds and was contained within the wall surrounding
>the entire temple
>enclosure. It was called the "court of women and
>gentiles." Only the
>priests, who were male in gender, could serve in the
>inner courts of God.
>
>This does not mean that, today, women cannot enter the
>Holy Place; it
>means women must become "sons." To be a son of God is
>to ascend beyond the
>boundaries of gender until we attain the character of
>the living Christ.
>Women must crucify reliance upon the flesh with its
>seductions,
>manipulations, fears and jealousies; men must put to
>death rebellion and
>spiritual irresponsibility; competition, ambition,
>pride and intimidation
>must likewise die. All the works of the flesh must die
>at the cross, that
>God's one Son, Christ, might come forth in each
>surrendered, transformed
>soul.
>
>A "son," Paul says, "is neither male nor female" (Gal.
>3:28). God's sons
>are individuals who have literally "clothed
>[themselves] with Christ" (v.
>27). They are fully submitted to Him as their source
>of identification.
>They are bold, yet meek; free yet slaves;
>uncompromising in vision, yet
>tolerant toward the weak. To leave the "court of women
>and gentiles,"
>regardless of one's gender, we all must leave the
>deception of our flesh
>nature and press into the Presence of the Living God.
>In our spirits, we
>must become "a holy temple in the Lord . . . a
>dwelling of God in the
>Spirit" (Eph. 2:21 - 22).
>
>In the last moments of this age, there will be those
>who, although they
>live on earth, consciously dwell in the tabernacle of
>God in heaven. They
>have made the Person of Christ their treasure, and
>where their treasure
>is, there their heart is also (Matt. 6:21).
>
>In contrast to those who abide with Christ, there will
>be those who
>profess Christianity, but have never truly taken
>Christ's commandments,
>promises and warnings seriously. When the times of
>judgment come, they
>will be found unprepared for God.
>
>I would fail in my service to Christ if I did not warn
>you of the Master's
>return and the purity and preparation He requires of
>His church. Yet, He
>also gives us His unfailing promise: a place of
>protection, high and
>secure, full of spiritual authority and graced with
>power. The Stronghold
>of God is the manifest dwelling place of those who
>abide at His altar and
>worship in it.
>
>
>Lord, how easily distracted I am, how dissipated by
>the things of this
>age. Master, I want one thing: to dwell in Your house
>all the days of my
>life, to behold the beauty of the Lord and meditate in
>Your temple. This
>day I choose to ascend in worship to Your throne.
>
>This day I determine to live in view of Your glory.
>Joyfully, I enter the
>Place of Immunity with You. Amen.
>
>* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
>* * * * * * *
>
>REFERENCE:
>The preceding message was taken from "The Stronghold
>of God" by Francis
>Frangipane. This book can be ordered for the special
>price of $6.00 plus
>$1.50 for U.S. shipping. Please send your order, along
>with check or money
>order, to Arrow Publications, PO Box 10102, Cedar
>Rapids, IA 52410. This
>offer expires March 15, 2002.
>
>NOTE:
>Be sure to mention that you are responding to the
>Weekly Message special.
>
>To order by credit card, call toll free 1-877-363-6889
>or email
>Daniel at dhite@frangipane.org. For international
>orders, email
>Daniel for current shipping rates. Thank you!
>
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>
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