Spring News - Women's Ministry, Harvest Bible Chapel, Barrie

A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place...

group of women from bible study

Several women, me included, have just finished or are just about to finish the Beth Moore study "A Woman's Heart, God's Dwelling Place". This study takes you through the significance of the Old Testament tabernacle and how it relates to our lives today as followers of Jesus Christ.

After sin entered the world and man could no longer commune with his God in the garden God made a new way to meet with his people. The tabernacle became the place where God met with his people, but that could only happen through sacrifice and spilling of blood. And access to the place where God's glory dwelt (Exodus 40:34) was limited to the High Priest and then only once a year. The tabernacle was eventually replaced by the temple.

The first temple, Solomon's temple, was inhabited by the glory of God (1Kings 8:10) and he blessed it. However, because of the disobedience of God's people his presence left the temple (Ezekiel 10). A new and living way was necessary for God to dwell with his people and this came in the form of the word becoming flesh and dwelling among us (John 1:14).

For a short period in history, 33 years, God lived with his people in human form through the person of Jesus Christ. He became the ultimate sacrifice; his blood was spilled for the remission of the sins of his people, present and future. The curtain in the temple was torn in two and all access to the throne of God was opened to all who believed in him (Mark 15:38).

And then a new stage was ushered in. The person of Jesus Christ left this earth but he sent his helper the Holy Spirit to indwell those who received him. Currently cake with white icing and scripture

we are the temple or tabernacle (1 Corinthians 3:16). If you are a believer in Jesus Christ, you are the place where his glory dwells.

Finally a last and final stage is being ushered in and God will once again dwell with his people (Revelation 21:3-4). This plan and the intricacy of the detail he put into this plan are amazing. All along his desire has been to be with his people. He just wants to be with you. Have you received him?

If so, wonderful! Let his glory shine through you. If not, have you asked yourself why not? What is holding you back from allowing God to enter? Don't wait to wrestle with these questions, for the time is short and his Kingdom is coming. Nothing can stop or delay God's plan, so be ready. He desires that you will be counted among those who will dwell with him for eternity (1 Timothy 2: 3-4).