Water Cleanses You Know!
“Then He said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master’, and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it---and live a blessed life.” John 13:12-17 (The Message)
Have you ever felt like your spiritual well of Living Water gets dry? I spent quite some time riding on and drinking from the cool wave of Living Water when suddenly, and I mean suddenly, I crashed onto the beach of Dry Sand. And by “Dry Sand” I mean the abrasiveness of the world in which I live in. The demands of what I do for a living became overwhelming and I began to panic in my heart. I approach my work with a heart that will not ask those to do what I wouldn’t do myself. And the past few weeks it got put to the test…by the secular people who work around me. Trying to do for the glory of God in front of people who basically don’t care has its moments. And quite frankly my Brothers (and Sisters) my attitude was ready to be flushed down the toilet. Wrong kind of water to quench a thirst with don’t you think?
But this past Tuesday night during our study of the Tabernacle I was able to put that aside and focus on what He wanted me to focus in on. We were into a deep discussion on what the fence, the gate, the bronze alter and the bronze laver meant in terms on our approach with our walk with Jesus and what they symbolized concerning the Tabernacle itself. The whole night was about application and the fact that God does not want a half hearted anything when you approach Him to worship. There were four key points that had to be covered so we could tie the night’s discussion together and AMEN that these brothers kept that focus in a narrow band.
When you view the fence that surrounded the Tabernacle it spoke of how it was guarding God’s holiness. The Gate of the Tabernacle was wide and inviting like the open arms of Jesus. The Gate was the only way into the Tabernacle and just like Jesus the only way to enter into relationship with God the Father. The there is the two-fold ministry of the bronze alter. With it were the offerings made for atonement and offerings made for dedication. It is important to make atonement in the everyday and placing yourself on the altar for consecration. But here is where it tied it up for me…The Bronze Laver.
The bronze laver represents the ministry of reconciliation and speaks of the ministry of sanctification. The priesthoods use of the laver has two aspects of this ministry: the initial cleansing and the continual cleansing. I immediately thought of the aforementioned verse and what happened in the upper room the night that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. He used the moment to explain what initially had to be done for them By Him and what they had to do to continually do as He had done for them for others.
I felt a lot of weight lift from me this past Tuesday night after we hit this in our study. I am privileged to cleanse myself in waters of the laver. I drove home thinking that the Living Waters that I enjoy so much in drinking of also cleanses. I really thought I was getting to a point where I would be so dry inside I would mourn but it feels like Jesus Himself has taken a five gallon bucket of water, dumped it over me and has cleansed me inside and out. This morning Brothers (and Sisters) do you need Jesus to dump water over you? He will, if you believe that His grace is sufficient…that is what I have to understand, over and over again and again and again!! -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 22; 1 Chronicles 16-18; John 7:28-53
“Then He said, “Do you understand what I have done to you? You address me as ‘Teacher’ and ‘Master’, and rightly so. That is what I am. So if I, the Master and Teacher, washed your feet, you must now wash each other’s feet. I’ve laid down a pattern for you. What I’ve done, you do. I’m only pointing out the obvious. A servant is not ranked above his master; an employee doesn’t give orders to the employer. If you understand what I’m telling you, act like it---and live a blessed life.” John 13:12-17 (The Message)
Have you ever felt like your spiritual well of Living Water gets dry? I spent quite some time riding on and drinking from the cool wave of Living Water when suddenly, and I mean suddenly, I crashed onto the beach of Dry Sand. And by “Dry Sand” I mean the abrasiveness of the world in which I live in. The demands of what I do for a living became overwhelming and I began to panic in my heart. I approach my work with a heart that will not ask those to do what I wouldn’t do myself. And the past few weeks it got put to the test…by the secular people who work around me. Trying to do for the glory of God in front of people who basically don’t care has its moments. And quite frankly my Brothers (and Sisters) my attitude was ready to be flushed down the toilet. Wrong kind of water to quench a thirst with don’t you think?
But this past Tuesday night during our study of the Tabernacle I was able to put that aside and focus on what He wanted me to focus in on. We were into a deep discussion on what the fence, the gate, the bronze alter and the bronze laver meant in terms on our approach with our walk with Jesus and what they symbolized concerning the Tabernacle itself. The whole night was about application and the fact that God does not want a half hearted anything when you approach Him to worship. There were four key points that had to be covered so we could tie the night’s discussion together and AMEN that these brothers kept that focus in a narrow band.
When you view the fence that surrounded the Tabernacle it spoke of how it was guarding God’s holiness. The Gate of the Tabernacle was wide and inviting like the open arms of Jesus. The Gate was the only way into the Tabernacle and just like Jesus the only way to enter into relationship with God the Father. The there is the two-fold ministry of the bronze alter. With it were the offerings made for atonement and offerings made for dedication. It is important to make atonement in the everyday and placing yourself on the altar for consecration. But here is where it tied it up for me…The Bronze Laver.
The bronze laver represents the ministry of reconciliation and speaks of the ministry of sanctification. The priesthoods use of the laver has two aspects of this ministry: the initial cleansing and the continual cleansing. I immediately thought of the aforementioned verse and what happened in the upper room the night that Jesus washed the feet of His disciples. He used the moment to explain what initially had to be done for them By Him and what they had to do to continually do as He had done for them for others.
I felt a lot of weight lift from me this past Tuesday night after we hit this in our study. I am privileged to cleanse myself in waters of the laver. I drove home thinking that the Living Waters that I enjoy so much in drinking of also cleanses. I really thought I was getting to a point where I would be so dry inside I would mourn but it feels like Jesus Himself has taken a five gallon bucket of water, dumped it over me and has cleansed me inside and out. This morning Brothers (and Sisters) do you need Jesus to dump water over you? He will, if you believe that His grace is sufficient…that is what I have to understand, over and over again and again and again!! -- Chris Hughes is a graduate of the Colony of Mercy and a frequent contributor to Freedom Fighter
Digging Deeper: Proverbs 22; 1 Chronicles 16-18; John 7:28-53
Dig This Quote: The question is not simply, “Who can be against us?” You could answer that one. Who is against you? Disease, inflation, corruption, exhaustion. Calamities confront, and fears imprison. Were Paul’s question, “Who can be against us?” we could list our foes much easier than we could fight them. But that is not the question. The question is, IF GOD IS FOR US, who can be against us? God is for you. Your parents may have forgotten you, your teachers may have neglected you, your siblings may be ashamed of you; but within reach of your prayers is the maker of the oceans. God! Grace for the Moment Max Lucado
Determined Digging: Level 1: Proverbs 5:12; Level 2: Psalm 86:11-13
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