Welcome!
Passage: Exodus 33 (NIV 84)
Today: God of His people!
6 For you are a people holy to the Lord your God. The Lord your God has chosen you out of all the peoples on the face of the earth to be his people, his treasured possession. 7 The Lord did not set his affection on you and choose you because you were more numerous than other peoples, for you were the fewest of all peoples. 8 But it was because the Lord loved you and kept the oath he swore to your forefathers that he brought you out with a mighty hand and redeemed you from the land of slavery, from the power of Pharaoh king of Egypt. (Deu 7, NIV 84)-emphasis added
God has a great dream, a plan for the Church, which is the “new Israel”
But God’s principle remains the same; He wants a group of Holy people, who love God and keep a live relationship with God and the people
God chooses His own, brings them out of slavery to sin and satan, then, sanctifies them (an ongoing process until the end of earthly life)
In today’s church, we see two groups of people: a majority that “floats” with the crowd, and a minority that keep their commitment with God
If you churn a gallon of buttermilk, you get a handful of butter; if you boil a gallon of coconut milk for hours, you get a few ounces of pure coconut oil
In 40 years of wilderness journey, Joshua and Caleb survived all the “filtering” process; they stayed strong in their commitment, without compromise to sin
Joshua and Caleb did not “float” with the rest
God is looking for the few who can survive the “heat” and can still make it
Jesus said, that He will build His church, no matter what
18 And I tell you that you are Peter,[c] and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of Hades[d] will not overcome it.[e] 19 I will give you the keys of the kingdom of heaven; whatever you bind on earth will be[f] bound in heaven, and whatever you loose on earth will be[g] loosed in heaven.” (Mat 16, NIV 84)-emphasis added
It is here that we see the word “Ecclesia” for the first time, which is the Church
“Ecclesia” means “called out”, “seperated”. God has given the church the authority to bind and loose
Unlike today’s church that tries to identify with the world, the actual call of God is for the church to stand unique . Moses had the true picture
15 Then Moses said to him, “If your Presence does not go with us, do not send us up from here. 16 How will anyone know that you are pleased with me and with your people unless you go with us? What else will distinguish me and your people from all the other people on the face of the earth?” (Ex 33, NIV 84)-emphasis added
A true church is the one where God’s presence is with them, and that they “distinguish” themselves, from the world, not identify with it
It is not about numbers; it is about brokenness
God willing, we will continue on this
Have a blessed day!
BG
Prayer: Lord Jesus, thank you for your great plan for me, and for the church; thank you for saving, seperating and sanctifying me on so that I can share all that is yours. Help me live and share this great privilege. Thank you Jesus! Amen
God loves the sinner as much as He hates sin!