5:1-6:13 - Do you ‘rejoice
greatly’ when you hear the Word of the Lord (5:7)? God wants to
‘establish His Word’ among us (6:12). He wants to establish His presence
among us. He is ‘the Word made flesh’. He ‘dwells among us, full of
grace and truth’. He is ‘Emmanuel’ - ‘God with us’ (John 1:14; Matthew
1:23). As you read about the building of the temple, remember God’s
Word: ‘You are God’s temple… God’s Spirit lives in you… God’s temple is
holy… you are that temple… your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit
within you… We are the temple of the living God; as God said, ‘I will
live among them…’(1 Corinthians 3:16-17; 6:19; 2 Corinthians 6:16). ‘A
dwelling place of God in the Spirit’ - That’s what you are (Ephesians
2:22)!
6:14-7:12 - Solomon took seven years to build ‘the
House of the Lord’ and ‘thirteen years’ to build ‘his own house’
(6:37-7:1)! What are we to make of this? Are we more concerned with
pleasing ourselves or serving God? Is our life more self-centred than
God-centred? These are important questions. They are questions which we
cannot sweep under the carpet. Jesus invites us to think about our
priorities: Do not lay up for yourselves treasures on earth… lay up for
yourselves treasures in heaven… Where your treasure is, there will your
heart be also… No one can serve two masters… You cannot serve both God
and Money’ (Matthew 6:19-21,24). We are not to be ‘lovers of self,
lovers of money… lovers of pleasure! We are to be ‘lovers of God’ (2
Timothy 3:1-5). What kind of person are you becoming ? Each of us must
choose.
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