There is, of course, also great excitement about gift-giving and receiving.  This year is unusual because we are secret coding every package and no one will know which is their gift until Christmas morning.  This should eliminate a lot of shaking, rattling and gift handling – we hope!

Family gatherings and festive meals are also an important component of our Christmas traditions.  For several years now I have prepared and stuffed the turkey.  Everyone claims I do a great job, and they have no intention of pulling the carpet out from under my culinary responsibilities.  These are blessed days full of noise, happy laughter and meaningful connection with our loved ones.

However, the greatest meaning of this season for my family and I is the fact that we recognize the Lordship of Jesus Christ in all that transpires around the holiday.  We emphasize to our children that all blessings flow from God, who is creator and sustainer of this universe (James 1:17). We focus on the fact that the greatest gift to man is that of Jesus Christ when He died in our place – for our sin – on the cross at Calvary (2 Corinthians 9:15).  Before one gift is opened in our house on Christmas morning we turn to one of the great passages on the birth of Christ and read it aloud.  There follows a time of singing, sharing and prayer.  We don’t rush through our Christmas, but enjoy it in a spirit of gratitude.

Along with the family celebration, we also greatly enjoy the fellowship and activities of our church family at this season.  What a privilege to share together in the real “Reason for the Season”.  The caroling, sharing and worshiping togetherness of the church are essential to a true perspective of Christmas.

The priests who were consecrated for service in the tabernacle were anointed with a special oil that ran off their forehead into their beard and onto their garments – Psalm 133:2.  Although prophets and kings were also anointed, the oil used in Exodus 30 was made from a recipe given to Moses by God and was reserved solely for use of consecrating the tabernacle, it’s furnishing and it’s priests.  It is called a holy anointing and a precious ointment -  Exodus 30:22-31.

The specific formula from which the anointing oil was made consisted of 500 shekels of pure myrrh (a gum resin extracted from the Arabian Balsamodendron Myrrha plant used in embalming), 250 shekels of sweet cinnamon, 250 shekels of sweet calamus (the aromatic bark of a shrub growing in Arabia), 500 shekels of cassia (a plant having the flavor and aroma of cinnamon), and a hin (one gallon) of olive oil (Ex. 30:22-25).  Rabbinical sources state that Moses, having reduced the solid ingredients to powder, steeped them in water until all the aromatic qualities were drawn out. The olive oil was then poured into the ingredients and the water boiled out. The residue thus obtained was preserved in a vessel for use (Unger’s Bible Dictionary, p. 806).

There were three prohibitions concerning the use of the anointing oil. Exodus 30:32-33

First, it was to be poured only on the head and not “Upon man’s flesh”(Ex. 30:32). Second, the anointing oil was not to be produced for the priests’ own use or for secular purposes. (Ex. 30:32). Third, the anointing oil was not to be put “upon a stranger”(i.e., one not of the priesthood, Ex. 30:33).

This precious anointing oil is a symbol of the Holy Spirit of God.  New Testament believers are anointed by God’s Spirit at the moment of salvation.  Paul stated, “Now if any man have not the Spirit of Christ, he is none of his”(Rom. 8:9). The believer is indwelt by the Holy Spirit at the moment of conversion, and from then on we are commanded to be filled with (under the control of) the Spirit – Ephesians 5:18.

How sad when this precious doctrine is corrupted by some who teach that conversion and receiving the Holy Spirit are separate experiences.  How sad also when the anointing of the Spirit is cheapened by those who make sensational claims to the Spirit’s power and deceive people into believing they can have the same power through gimmickry and cheap trinkets.

Believer, you have been sealed with the Holy Spirit of promise – Ephesians 4:32.  You have an anointing that can be fresh every morning as you walk with God, yield yourself to His Spirit, and have fellowship in His Word!

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The tabernacle proper rested on 100 silver foundation stones, each weighing approximately 100lbs. That’s 10,000 lbs or five tons of silver! Silver is the currency of redemption. Slaves in the old testament times were redeemed with silver. Joseph was sold by his siblings to the Ishmaelites for twenty pieces of silver Gen. 37:28. Jesus fulfilled prophecy when he was betrayed and delivered into corrupt hands by Judas Iscariot for thirty pieces of silver Zech. 11:12.

Where would all the precious metal needed for the tabernacle foundation come from?  In Exodus 30 God gave these instruction to Moses regarding the means of procuring such a large amount of silver.

EXODUS 30:11-15

¹¹ And the LORD spake unto Moses, saying, ¹² When thou takest the sum of the children of Israel after their number, then shall they give every man a ransom for his soul unto the LORD, when thou numberest them; that there be no plague among them, when thou numberest them. ¹³ This they shall give, every one that passeth among them that are numbered, half a shekel after the shekel of the sanctuary: (a shekel is twenty gerahs:) an half shekel shall be the offering of the LORD. ¹⁴ Every one that passeth among them that are numbered, from twenty years old and above, shall give an offering unto the LORD. ¹⁵ The rich shall not give more, and the poor shall not give less than half a shekel, when they give an offering unto the LORD, to make an atonement for your souls.

Half a shekel was a minuscule amount.  In today’s value it is the equivalent of a dollar or two. Both rich and poor could participate in this offering.  This demonstrates that our redemption is not in any ability or resource of our own.

The silver foundation, because of it’s association with the price of redemption, further pictures the blood atonement as the foundation of our redemption as New Testament believers.

I PETER 1:18-19

¹⁸ Forasmuch as ye know that ye were not redeemed with corruptible things, as silver and gold, from your vain conversation received by tradition from your fathers; ¹⁹ But with the precious blood of Christ, as of a lamb without blemish and without spot:

The silver sockets of the tabernacle have long ago been lost.  How good it is to know that the foundation of the cleansing and atoning blood of Calvary still stands!

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Being in pastoral ministry for nearly a quarter century there are numerous occasions when I have felt the blunt and unsettling jolt of some negative circumstance  or the sting of a bitter disappointment.  I have seen people I love overcome by a besetting sin.  I have lost close personal friends to physical and spiritual tragedy.  On September 11, 2001 the whole world was shocked by the terrorist attack on the World Trade Center in New York.  Within one month of that event two of my Pastor friends, both young men, went home to be with the Lord.  One in an auto accident and the other by drowning. Also within that month, our next door neighbour’s six year old daughter contracted a serious blood disease and died within 24 hours.  She was our oldest daughter’s closest friend.

We are caught off guard by shocking circumstances and trials.  We all face them, and while we would much rather take the smooth road, the fact remains that our path of following Christ is often beset with difficulties and unpleasant situations that threaten to derail us spiritually.  Some will succumb to the pressure and simply find another road, others will overreact and end up in the ditch, but many will continue moving forward absorbing the jolt of each difficulty while becoming more like Christ.  What makes the difference?

The Biblical answer to that question can be found in I Corinthians 13.  Here is the great love chapter in all the Bible.  In the last verse of the chapter Paul identifies three enduring spiritual values.  He says “And now abideth faith, hope, charity, these three; but the greatest of these is charity.“  I Cor. 13:13.  We should incorporate these values as attitudes in our daily lives.  Over time they will serve as spiritual shock absorbers.  Let’s take a moment to consider how each of these attitudes will help us remain stable, focused, and on course when things around us are unsettling.

FAITH

The Bible tells us that the absence of faith is sin Rom. 14:23.  If the difficulties caused by circumstances, things, or other people lead us to take our eyes off of Jesus we have sinned against God and it will not be long until we deviate from God’s will in our lives.

HOPE

The word hope speaks of the joyful and confident expectation of eternal salvation.  Paul refers to it as a “blessed hope” in Titus 2:13.  Why would we allow the jarring of earthly events and human failures to rob us of our joy when we have a secure and eternal home awaiting us in heaven?

LOVE

Paul said charity or love is the greatest of these three.  This love was first demonstrated to us when God sent His Son Jesus to die in our place for the sin which separated us from God. The Bible says that we as believers now “love Him, because He first loved us” I John 4:19.  The application of this value is of great importance in the trials of life.  There is no circumstance of life that is powerful enough to separate us from the love of Christ Romans 8:38-39.

In the context of I Cor 13 we learn that neither human effort, nor spiritual giftedness will sustain us in all the turmoil and confusion that life can bring.  Faith, hope and love are enduring and abiding values that will make a difference.  Have you installed your spiritual shock absorbers?

It could not be easy to move with a multitude like this.  Nor would it be a simple matter to set up camp and provide access for the people to the priestly ministry. Adding the animals the Israelites brought with them from Egypt made this a huge encampment, to say the least. One author estimated that the encampment around the Tabernacle extended approximately 12 square miles.

It has further been suggested that the provisions needed to meet the needs of the people and animals were in excess of 30 boxcars of food and 300 tank cars of water per day. If the people traveled 50 abreast when the encampment moved, the procession would have stretched for 40 miles.

Any way you want to look at it, that is a lot of people, and yet everyone could bring their offerings for sin.  Everyone could be availed of their need for intercession by the priests before the God of Israel.  This was an ongoing daily need of the people. Obviously the priests’ profession was a busy one.

There is both a contrast and a comparison to be made here. The contrast is that unlike the days of OT Israel we no longer need to go through a human mediator to have access to God. We no longer need a human priest to intercede on our behalf. Our great High Priest is Jesus and the Bible says “For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;” I Timothy 2:5.  The comparison demonstrates that both in the OT tabernacle and in this present day, God has made provision to meet the spiritual needs of all His people.  We never need to worry about His sufficiency to hear our prayers, to forgive and cleanse us daily, and intercede on our behalf.  Consider the scope of this great verse, “Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them. ” Hebrews 7:25

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The tabernacle is a clear picture of redemption through Jesus Christ Heb. 9:11-12, and it was the focal point of Israel’s encampment as they journeyed through the wilderness. For such an essential focus of community and spiritual life the tabernacle enclosure was quite small measuring 150 ft. in length by 75ft. wide.

Despite it’s small size and drab outward appearance the tabernacle was lavishly appointed within and may be the costliest structure for its size that has ever been built. For example, the golden lampstand alone at today’s trading price for gold would be worth in excess of one million dollars!  Now try to imagine a fifteen-by-forty-five-foot house, constructed of three tons of gold, five tons of silver, four tons of brass, and an assortment of jewels, fine wood, and fancy tapestries. That is exactly what the tabernacle proper was.

The astronomical cost might be thought by some to be a great waste, but for us who believe it is an indication of the value we must place in God’s glory and His wonderful plan of salvation! This is a picture of the tremendous spiritual wealth that is the possession of the redeemed. “But we have this treasure in earthen vessels, that the excellency of the power may be of God, and not of us.” I Cor. 5:7

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All of this reminds me of Christ`s great love for His bride – the church.  Ephesians 5:25 says “Husbands, love your wives, even as Christ also loved the church, and gave himself for it“.  Through the gospels we come to understand that Jesus is the Bridegroom who is espoused to the church.  The day is coming, and it could be very soon, when God the Father will say to His Son, “Go get your bride”.  There will be no hesitation on Jesus’ part.  It thrills me to know that Christ is coming again for us!

The fact is that His desire and love for us is greater than anything we could know in an earthly relationship.  The New Testament reveals several important characteristics of Jesus’ love for the believer.

A PRIORITY LOVE

Before we had any inkling of His plan of salvation, Jesus loved us with an everlasting love. 2000 years ago as He hung on the cross I was on His mind.  The Bible says in I John 4:19  “We love him, because he first loved us.“  I’m so glad His priority was loving me, not being loved by me.

A PROVEN LOVE

Romans 5:8 But God commendeth his love toward us, in that, while we were yet sinners, Christ died for us. Commend means to prove. Before we could reciprocate His love, He was willing to die for us, thus demonstrating the depth and level of commitment in His love for us.

A PREEMINENT LOVE

According to this next verse Christ’s love is excellent and surpassing.  There is no love like the Lord’s!  Ephesians 3:19 And to know the love of Christ, which passeth knowledge, that ye might be filled with all the fulness of God.

It did me good to witness the young love of Brent & Lisa (BTW you guys make a great couple and I thank God for you both), and it does me good every time I consider the love of Jesus for His church. If you are not saved please visit the following link to learn more of how you can experience the Love of God and the forgiveness of sin through Jesus Christ.  How to Get to Heaven.

“Pastors may be the most well-known, loneliest men on the face of the earth. Friendship is a vital part of New Testament ministry and leadership. Without quality, biblical friendships, we are modeling a flawed Christian lifestyle for our church members.

Most pastors find themselves in an unhealthy relationship where their wife is their only friend and counselor. I believe a pastor’s wife should be his best friend, but she should not be his only friend.

In my 30 years of ministry, I have learned that every pastor needs at least four types of friends:

The Developer
Your best friend will always be the person who brings out the very best in you. Developer friends will bring the gift of encouragement to a pastor’s life and bring out the very best in him.

The Designer
We tend to think of mentors as a personal, hands-on coach. The Latin and Greek define them more as “advisors” or “wise men.” The designer mentors us in our marriage, ministry, child-rearing, civic involvement, business acumen, or any area where we need a model. Designer mentors may live near or far, be acquaintances or strangers, or may even be dead. They “design” our lives through Scripture, books, tapes, articles, or seminars.

The Disturber
We need friends who will shake up our status quo. Disturbers ask us difficult questions, forcing us to take a closer look at motivations and ambitions. Disturbers know when we have retreated into our comfort zones, and they call us out to greater effectiveness. God uses disturbers in our lives to become the object of greater force that breaks inertia and propels us to greater achievement.

A biblical picture of a disturber is in Deuteronomy 32:11. In this passage the mother eagle tears up the soft nest to reveal sharp thorns that bring discomfort to the eaglets. Because of discomfort, the eaglets leave the nest and learn to fly. The mother develops her young by repeatedly pushing them out of the nest and catching them until they become skilled flyers. Eagles were never meant to stay in the nest and neither were we. The disturber pushes us to learn to fly.

The Discerner
In a lifetime of relationships, perhaps only a handful of people are willing to play this vital role because it requires mutual vulnerability. Discerners bring the gift of spiritual insight into our lives. They know how to speak the truth in love. They know how to exhort and rebuke, seeking to keep their friend on the right track.“

Are you developing Biblical friendships that will help you in this way?

We read that The Glenerin Inn  offers dining and accomadations on a “rambling stone estate, a gracious architectural beauty reminiscent of an English manor house. Landscaped gardens with rolling lawns and cool streams wind their way through wooded valleys just beyond.“  Needless to say, my wife and I were looking forward to a memorable evening.

The old world charm in the Grand Hall along with a fine meal of steak and salmon did not disappoint.  David, our server, did an excellent job.  After a leisurely meal, Clement, the hotel receptionist, gave us a quick tour of two guest rooms.  We were warmly invited to return for an overnight package including dinner and a continental breakfast.

Spiritual food – the Word of God – is of greater value for it feeds the soul.  the Bible says “ Man shall not live by bread alone, but by every word that proceedeth out of the mouth of God.” Matthew 4:4.  Yet, many times we treat our spiritual dining experience as if it were of equal importance to a burger and fries at the local fast food outlet.  If we want the drive through convenience in our spiritual lives we will not enjoy the full experience that God has for us in our walk with Him.

This is sad, for the Lord invites us freely into the Grand Hall of His Word and His fellowship.  Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door, and knock: if any man hear my voice, and open the door, I will come in to him, and will sup with him, and he with me.” Revelation 3:20

Take the time, some time, and enjoy that fine dining experience!

Fishing, when done properly requires plenty of organization, the right tools, and some hard work.  For us that “sweat equity” includes hauling gear in and out over roots, rocks and fallen trees along a 3/4 mile trail.  That is followed by setting up two inflatable boats complete with trolling motors and tackle. We do not love the work as much as we love the reward!

By Sunday evening I was more than tired. It had been a full weekend including our Sunday services at MIBC, and I must admit I was looking forward to a time of relaxation at home.  However, Sunday night was our NETS Soulwinning night – a time to go fishing for men.

Whenever I prepare to knock on the doors of complete strangers and present the gospel I experience fear.  It is not something that I naturally love to do.  I’ll admit it – I’m a big chicken and I would rather be doing other things.  But something wonderful happens between my initial fear and the completion of the task.  By the time I was on my way home my heart was full – reflecting on the rewarding time Sunday evening.  There were close to 90 out for the soulwinning effort. What a joy to be involved in this as a church family.  There were many opportunities to present Christ or at least leave gospel literature in the homes. And, oh yes, the weather was great!