4 Simple things, but very

important
MAY 14, 2016

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There are things that are indicative of the position we are in,
because with God, there is no middle ground
IT IS, OR IT ISNT there is no middle ground with God, and when many are on
the fence, God provides important lessons so that we can become aware of our
actions whether they are right or wrong, through the light of His Word.

And so it was, on the sixth day, that they gathered

twice as much bread, two omers for each one. And all
the rulers of the congregation came and told Moses.
Then he said to them, This is what the Lord has said:
Tomorrow is a Sabbath rest, a holy Sabbath to the
Lord. Bake what you will bake today, and boil what you
will boil; and lay up for yourselves all that remains, to
be kept until morning. So they laid it up till morning,
as Moses commanded; and it did not stink, nor were
there any worms in it. Exodus 16.22-24
When God provided manna for the people of Israel, He established rules in order
to put them to the test, to see what would be their behavior. From Sunday to
Friday, the Lord sent manna, which could only be collected in established
portions, because if more than that was collected, it would rot. But on the sixth
day, He Ordered to be collected double the portion, but it would not rot or create
worms because it was for the next day, the great and expected Seventh Day, the
Day of Rest
However, there is a deeper meaning connected to all of this, because when God
said that during the first five days of the week people should only collect the
portion of the manna necessary for a day, and in the sixth, gather a double
portion of it, He did it with the sole intention to prove the loyalty of the people to
His law. And why? Because the human being, due to their Adamic nature, has
the tendency not to Trust, not to be Obedient, not to be Dependent, and not to be
Disciplined.

This is an important biblical episode that portrays well the significance of FOUR
PRINCIPLES that need to be followed so our relationship with God can be
successful.

TRUST IN HIM
The principal of trusting is not easy for humans to practice. When we are
children, our confidence level usually is at 100%, because we have no reason to
be suspicious of others; but as we grow, we not only accumulate negative
experiences as we also listen to the most experienced voices alerting us to such
things like be cautious, pay attention and be careful because the world is a
dangerous place and not everyone is deserving or worthy of our trust.
After, what happened? Came love and when you got married, you entrusted
your life, because everything that the other person said to youyou believed,
you believed it was true, that is why you joined your life to his in marriage. Is it
not true? Well, it has to be even much more with God, you must believe in His
Word, trust Him above everything and everyone and not in your own strength,
knowledge, or wisdom.

In God I have put my trust; I will not be afraid. What

can man do to me? Psalm 56.11
DEPENDING ON HIM
In modern society, before the financial crisis that many countries are
experiencing, including Portugal, its not few the cases of people who are in the

situation of having to depend from a third party, whether it be of their own

parents, a relative, or even of an institution.
And what does this financial and material dependency usually cause? Shame,
humiliation, worthlessness, desolation, despair, disbelief in a promising future.
However, depending on God is completely different because this attitude brings
peace, inner balance, and self-worthiness, Faith in a better future, prosperity,
stability, prevailing, and assurance!
But what does it mean, in practice, to depend on God? It means to put His
Direction above your own direction and to put Gods thoughts above your own
thoughts. And this way, you will begin to be directed by His Thoughts, which is
His Word.
For example, think of how many mistakes you made in your teen years for not
having listened to your parents voice? Is it not true? However, when you choose
not to listen to Gods voice, the damage is much larger and worsttruly, it is
devastating, for without God, you will not have anyone else to turn to.
Note the example of Job, who chose to depend on God till death, even though
nothing was leftover of his world, no children, wealth, prestige, image, influence,
recognition or even respect:

But as for me, I would seek God, and to God I would

commit my cause Job 5.8
OBEY HIM IN EVERYTHING

Many people associate the act of obeying to being subservient, the loss of
freedom, of free will. But there is a big difference between obeying the whims of
others or even the laws of a country and OBEYING GOD!
It is true that as children or citizens, we must obey our parents, fulfill our legal
and civic duties, but all of this is very different from the obedience that God
expects of us, because it implies PUTTING HIM IN FIRST PLACE and never,
under any circumstances, make decisions in our lives without first CONSULTING
HIMbecause we just do not want to take the risk of disobeying Him.
Remember the advices that your father gave you? Remember when the Pastor
told you to do something and you did the opposite? What were the
consequences? Surely, they were not the best
Throughout your life, in addition to your own inner voice, you will hear many
counseling voices that will believe that they know what is best for you. However,
the Supreme Advise, the one by which you should always guide yourself by, is
solely and exclusively found in the Word of God, because it is always accurate
and never, ever, will you be deceived!

Let no one deceive you with empty words, for because

of these things the wrath of God comes upon the sons
of disobedience. Ephesians 5.6

BE DISCIPLINED

TRUSTING, DEPENDING, AND OBEYING GOD IN EVERYTHING but, before

everything, BEING DISCIPLINED!
It is your ability of self-discipline that will enable you to fulfill with the first 3
principles, that is why this fourth and final lesson should not, in any way, be
neglected or left to chance.
Surely, you know what indiscipline leads to! To the disregard of the established
rules, to the values of society, to the Word of God. An undisciplined person, is
hardly obedient, is suspicious and much less seeks to depend on God!
Be disciplined, doing everything in order to never lose your Communion with God
beginning with putting into practice, daily, the first 3 attitudes.
Think about it: how many things did you lose for being undisciplined? Too many?
Well, you want to continue losing? It is entirely up to you to turn around this
situation!

Whoever loves instruction loves knowledge, but he

who hates correction is stupid. Proverbs 12.1

Bishop Macedo
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See also:

The artefacts of the Temple

and their meaning
OCTOBER 18, 2010
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Like the objects of the Tabernacle, the furniture and utensils of

the great temple built by Solomon were replete with sacred
analogies.
The temple Solomon built for God, as well as the second temple, were meant to
replace the Tabernacle. Basically, they were built following the same guidelines
the Lord gave to Moses in regards to the tent that would accompany the people
of Israel in the desert. They had virtually the same basic ceremonial furnishings
and artefacts, and they all had the same meaning.
Here are some of the key elements of the temples of Jerusalem
and their meanings:

The altar of sacrificeAs you entered the outer

courtyard of the temple, past the walls, there was a great altar where animals
were sacrificed to God. They symbolised sin and they were sacrificed in
atonement for it. Only perfect animals could be sacrificed, and they were usually
the best among the cattle. When burned, they produced a smoke that went up to
heaven as a pleasing aroma to the Lord (Exodus 29:25), meaning that the
faithful was free from sinand that pleased God.

The brazen sea Also called the Sea of cast bronze (1

Kings 7:23-40), it was a large reservoir of water that stood beside the altar of
sacrifice. With the same symbolism of the old sink of the Tabernacle, it was
where sin was washed away (represented by blood and any other residue that
remained in the hands and feet of the priests), meaning purification. The round
vessel stood upon twelve cast bronze oxen, which stood in four groups facing the
four cardinal points. There were also ten movable basins, which were placed in
the outer courtyard, five on each side of the temple.

The two pillarsBy the vestibule of the temple, there

were two brass pillars named Jachin and Boaz, which were designed by Huram
Abiffsent by the king of Tyreand the architects and craftsmen that would
work in the construction of temple (1 Kings 7:13-22). According to some
believers, the renowned bronze craftsman, Abiff, meant to honour the kings
David and Solomon with the two pillars. To the Jews, the two pillars have a
strong spiritual meaning: Jachin symbolises wisdom and Boaz intelligence
(attributes that made Solomon famous in the known world at that time).

The table of showbreadLike the Tabernacle,

the great temple also had its table of showbread, in the same positionto the
right of those who entered the Holy Place. With twelve unleavened bread stacked
in two columns of six, the table of the proposition symbolised the food that comes
from God, as well as the spiritual food which is His Word. We now know that it
was one of the several symbols depicting Jesus Christ, who referred to Himself
as the bread of life (John 6:35)although, at the time, the temple builders did
not know that.

The menorahsIn the Tabernacle, there was only one

menorah, which was a large candlestick with seven oil lamps. In the great temple
of Solomon, the number increased to ten, in two columns of five on each side of
the holy place (1 Kings 7:49). Besides being used to illuminate the place, they
also symbolised the presence of God. Moreover, the oil that kept the lamps
burning symbolised Gods anointing upon our lives. And the light symbolised the
Word itself, which is a lamp to our feet and a light to our path.

The incense altarIncense was burned on the altar

that was in the inner sanctuary (1 Kings 7:49), and the smell of spices and other
perfumes would fill the room. It symbolised the prayers of the saints rising to
God, which again leads us to the figure of the pleasing aroma that went up to the
Lord. There, the priests presented the prayers of the people, for they were
mediators between the people and God. Today, thanks to Christs supreme
sacrifice, we speak directly to the Father.

The veilThere only thing that separated the Holy

Place from the Holy of Holies was a veil, a large curtain with two cherubim
embroidered on it. Only the high priest could enter and talk to God directly. The
symbolism of the veil is very strong: although it was a fragile material, fear and
respect for God were what really prevented other priests from entering the place.
It also prevented people from seeing what was happening inside. Ordinary
priests and the people could not go in. But through the high priest, everyone had
indirect access to the Father. A fragile obstacle that can easily be transposed if
we only pray (Mark 15:38).

The Ark of the CovenantThe Ark of the

Covenant, after being kept in the Tabernacle for many years, was transferred to
the Holy of Holies, in Solomons great temple. A sacred object touched only by
the priests and not by ordinary people, it contained other sacred objects that
were extremely significant: the tablets of the Ten Commandments that Moses
carved as per Gods guidance (the Word), a bit of manna that was given to the
people in the desert (Gods provision), and Aarons rod that blossomed (the

recognition of Gods authority given to someone). Resting upon the Ark was the
Mercy Seat, or Propitiation cover, with two cherubim facing each other with their
wings outstretched. And God would speak to the high priest from between the
golden angels (Exodus 25:10-22).
By Marcelo Cypriano
Universal Ark

Bispo Edir Macedo

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