God desires to encounter us through "The Tabernacle Experience." This includes seven steps of preparation as we come before Him to receive from Him. More than 50 chapters of Scripture are devoted to the tabernacle. That is more than Matthew and Mark put together! The tabernacle is important to God!
A woman with a bad reputation came and washed my feet. The religious leaders present said among themselves that I must not be a prophet, for if I were I would have known what sort of woman she was, and by implication would not have tolerated contact with her. This exposes their faulty assumptions and reasoning. What if I really was a prophet and did know what sort of woman she was? This reframes the question and moves it to a higher level. I was able to minister to this woman by accepting her and receiving ministry from her even though I knew her reputation. Can you minister by receiving ministry the same way?
[leaving town for a few days]
Do you have a theology of rewards? The conventional view is that all who are saved get the same outcome, and all who are not saved get the same outcome. But I am not limited to binary choices. If I can be generous to you in this life, how much more in the life to come? I told you to lay up treasure in heaven. This is not a mere figure of speech. You don’t need to know the details of how this works to know that it will be worth your time. I promise that your labor for me is not in vain, and eye has not seen nor ear heard, and you cannot imagine what I have prepared for those who love me. What do you have to do that is more important than this?
Are you looking for a safe place? You face dangerous risks and hostility in the world, so it is only normal for you to desire a place of refuge. Yet it is not enough for you to be free of active threats. What your heart longs for is love and acceptance. You can avoid danger and still be isolated and lonely. The desire to overcome these things is strong enough to make you go out and take the risk of being hurt. My word speaks of me as being a refuge. Do you understand that this is in the larger sense that is more than protection against threats? Come to me for love and acceptance for I will never hurt you.
Have you noticed how many Christians seem to be a disciple of someone? Even within the larger context of the Christian faith as a whole and the various denominations that everyone seems to have a favorite teacher or author or pastor? There is nothing wrong with this as such, and you can receive a great benefit through discipleship under the teaching of those who have gone before and are more advanced than you. Let it not lead to division as my word spoke of those who followed Paul, or Apollo, or Christ. You have a unique path of discipleship to walk. Let others do the same within the larger context of unity in one body and one faith.
Have you ever encountered a young person who displayed wisdom beyond what you would expect for their age? You say that such a person is wise beyond their years, and this is a desirable trait. Have you also encountered people advanced in years who still retain a sense of vitality, adventure, openness to grow and change, wonder and mystery? You say that such a person is young at heart, and this too is desirable. Have you seen these qualities together in the same person? Both are available at any age to those who desire them for they are timeless gifts from me. Ask and seek and knock and you will receive.
Do you have life insurance? This is a prudent financial measure for those who have others depending on their income, and most people in this position have it if they are able, but this is not something people get excited about. Do you view your faith as life insurance? Crusades present the gospel in such a way that those who respond will have eternal life, but have you noticed that those who make no stronger response are about as excited with regard to their faith as they are about their life insurance? There is so much more available to you. Go ‘all-in’ with me and you will have an abundant life to be excited about.
My word teaches you that by this shall all men know that you are my disciples, that you love one another. Does this make you wonder who qualifies as one another? For this verse implies that you must make a distinction between who is and who is not. I faced a similar question with regard to loving your neighbor as to who is my neighbor? In reply I told the story of the Good Samaritan. This was an illustration with a purpose because there was cultural hostility between the Samaritans and the Jews. The point of the story was to err on the side of inclusion in deciding to love your neighbor, and the same rule applies to loving one another.
In the beginning there was a garden, and the man and the woman lived there, and there I met with them. You are familiar with the story and know that their behavior caused them to be expelled from the garden. Yet even then I declared a plan for redemption, and you have seen this plan unfold throughout history. With your salvation secured is it possible to return to the garden? You will be disappointed if you try to search for it in a particular geographic location, but if you are receptive to the idea you can find a spiritual place of refuge and sanctuary where you can walk with me in my presence and hear my voice and know that I hear yours.
My word says that the gifts of God are without repentance. Do you take this to mean that you don’t have to repent to get them, or that I will not repent of giving them to you? There is a separate chilling passage about those who did mighty works in my name. I did not dispute their claims, but still told them to depart from me because I never knew them. Have you ever seen someone operating in an ability that is obviously a gift from me, yet doing so in a way that doesn’t honor my nature and intent? Gifts are not a substitute for character. Spend your talents in a way that glorifies me.
