This is an excerpt from a book I have written. I so want to be the temple where the presence of God will desire to dwell.. don't you?
Blessings..
Expresso Joe
Blessings..
Expresso Joe
TEMPLE OF THE HOLY GHOST
Romans 8:9
But ye are not in the flesh, but in the Spirit, if so be that the Spirit of God dwell in you. Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his.
1 Corinthians 6:19
What? Know ye not that your body is the temple of the Holy Ghost which is in you, which ye have of God, and ye are not your own?
Temple defined:
1a. A building dedicated to religious ceremonies or worship. B. Temple Either of two successive buildings in ancient Jerusalem serving as the primary center for Jewish worship
2. Something regarded as having within it a divine presence.
3. A building used for meetings by any of several fraternal orders.
4. A building reserved for a highly valued function: the library, a temple of learning.
2. Something regarded as having within it a divine presence.
3. A building used for meetings by any of several fraternal orders.
4. A building reserved for a highly valued function: the library, a temple of learning.
Synonyms: cathedral, chapel, church, house of God, sanctuary, shrine, synagogue, tabernacle
This is a wow attribute. The opportunity to be the temple of our great God, the place where God dwells is within us. If we were a house we would be called God’s house, the place God desires to live. A house has a foundation, walls, rooms, closets, a roof, and windows. Within a house we are fed, bathed, warmed, sheltered, protected and covered. A house is where we sleep, rest, relax, and become calmed and comforted. A house is a place where all our emotions are exposed from excitement, laughter, tears, joy, peace and a multitude of others.
What kind of a temple are we? Are we a holy temple that loves righteousness and desires to please the Lord or do we have areas within the house where we hide things like in the closets?
In early days of the Bible there was a tabernacle and later on it became a temple. We are likened to the temple as a dwelling place of God. Within this temple are various furnishings such as the lampstand, an altar of incense, a laver, an altar for sacrifices, a table of showbread, an outer court, an inner court a mercy seat and the holy of holies. There is blood on the altar from the sacrifices.
The lampstand shows we give forth light and we are the light of the world. The altar of incense represents our prayers going up to heaven as a sweet smelling savor. The laver is for cleansing and washing and as we wash at the laver we see our reflection. The altar represents the fact that we are living sacrifices. The table of showbread shows we have the bread of life to offer to others. The outer court is our initial gathering place for fellowship with others and the inner court allows a place to gather to worship. The mercy seat is the representation of where God resides within our very depths and waiting and wanting to meet with us. The holy of holies shows we can have intimacy with the King. The blood on the altar represents our forgiveness because of the blood that was shed for us on Calvary.
It should be our hearts desire to keep our temple pure and holy for our God to dwell.
If a temple is a place where God dwells how do you feel about God dwelling in you since you are the temple of the Holy Ghost?
How does it make you feel if you do not belong to yourself, but belong to God?
Have you prepared a sanctuary for the Spirit of God to dwell in?
Have you prepared a sanctuary for the Spirit of God to dwell in?
Joseph Geertz 3/21/11
©Temple of the Holy Ghost
