The House of God - by Bro. Chan

Usually when Brother Chan speaks, his messages are profound, and i can't help but feel sleepy during his sermons. Only a few times am I awake for his messages. What kept me awake before was the knowledge that he was already old yet God still used him mightily. And I could not but marvel at how God's miracle had given him strength to preach that long in the pulpit. I really dreaded that I would fall asleep any time during his sermons. But miraculously, I found his messages most inspiring and led me to tears if you really held on to what he said.

First off, he said that God wanted a dwelling place. The heavens and the earth are merely his "office" and His footstool. His dwelling place (spiritually) is composed of men. Thus during creation, we were created specially (with the breath of life) to receive God himself. Characteristics of his dwelling place is as follows: a) we must be able to manifest God himself. b) God must occupy the preeminent position - in short, nothing challenges His authority. c) God must be able to REST. The house of God is where both God AND man are BOTH present. If God were alone, then there is the Heavens and the Earth to fit that description. But what God wants is His dwelling place.

What most touched me was this point: God didn't reveal his heart to anyone. But he revealed it to Moses. Thus the ark and the tabernacle were built. The Israelites, by Moses' stern direction, placed God in his highest regard. Yet when they entered Canaan, NO ONE bothered to build God a house. Each Israelite went to his inheritance and built his own home. No one even cared if God lived in a tent while everyone is safely nested in his 4-walled cemented house. Yet God didn't react. He didn't demand that they should build him a palace. In short, He kept quiet.

During this time, Bro Chan grew extremely quiet. I looked left and right and saw people sleeping and yawning. Yet i felt that this was the climax of the message. What i felt was that he was about to descend the pulpit and shake each and everyone during that congregation and tell them what God's heart desire was. I could only look at myself and see what a selfish person I was. I likewise am just like an Israelite. Most of the time I only pray for my needs and the needs of others become secondary. The needs of God were forgotten. The Church - or the house of God was in the least of my priorities. Yet all the while God remained quiet. He needed me to initiate on my part. To know and touch His heart's desire.

The pastor continues. The time of David came. David was a "man after God's own heart". Now why did the Bible brand him as such? Because during his lifetime, his heart's desire was to build a house for God. And eventhough it was Solomon his son who built it, God knew he had a pure heart. That's why God was pleased with him. In all the Bible characters, I must admit that David was my favorite character. He was not the most perfect person unlike Joseph and Daniel and others. He committed adultery, murder, lies and was weak in some times. But he knew how to touch God's heart. That's the secret to his success. In today's time, God's dwelling place is not in the manmade temple anymore. But it is built in us Christians who serve Him.

I often look down on my abilities and often say that service is only for the gifted. But Bro Chan told us that NO ONE HAS A COMPLETE GIFT, BUT NO ONE HAS NOT BEEN GIVEN A GIFT. Less we puff up and say that we had been serving for a lot of years and look down on others. But it also reminds me that I have no excuse not to serve in God's house. and I should be concerned for the welfare of God's family.

Bro Eden: Abiathar

Abiathar the Priest

Background of Abiathar: The ancestors of Abiathar was Eli. Now Eli had committed the sin of not honoring God but instead honored his sons above God. Thus God cursed Eli's line. First: There would be no old man in his family line. Second: All his descendants will die in the prime of their life.

Abiathar knew of this curse. But instead of grumbling and choosing to do something else rather than serve God, he chose to serve. Wholeheartedly. "Though God had cursed me, I shall continue to serve Him"

We can see this take place as he was tested time and again. First: When the priests (his relatives) were killed in Nob by Saul when Saul was pursuing David at the time (1 Sam 22), what Abiathar took was not food nor supplies nor money, but what he took was the EPHOD. Now what does the Ephod symbolize? It symbolizes the uniform one needs to wear to SERVE before the Lord. One cannot perform any of his priestly duties if he doesn't have the Ephod. Thus he in essense was saying: "Without his ministry, my life is meaningless".

Second: During the time of King David, when Absalom was rebelling against David, he allowed the people to flee with David first. And what was he doing? "He was offering sacrifices untill all the people had finished leaving the city" (2 sam 15:24) Are we just spectators or do we do God's work?

The Defeat of Abiathar:
1 Chronicles 22 records that David had ordered everyone to help his son Solomon, but Abiathar chose to help Adonijah instead. Thus rebelling against David. His service was taken away from him because of his unsubmissive spirit. When God one day takes away our service, this is the msot pitiful condition we will ever be in. Thus in 1 Kings 2:26-27, he was removed from his priestly duties and was ordered by Solomon to "return to his fields in Ananoth", "thus fulfilling the word the Lord had spoken at Shiloh about the house of Eli" v27

Abiathar's Restoration
However, we can see that Abiathar could not help but SERVE. People can forget about him but God didn't forget him. As we can see those officials under Solomon's reign in 1 Kings 4:4 (Zadok and Abiathar -- Priests). It means that he might have repented and was given pardon. But it also states an important fact. A king cannot cause a priest to stop SERVING. ONLY GOD CAN.

Moral: We serve God not only in times of abundance, peace and security. But in hardships, trials and persecutions we ought to serve Him more. This is our identity. As priests we are called to serve, and not to be served. We ought to value this season when we are able to serve because the most painful thing in life is the day when our service will be taken away from us. Lastly, 1 Sam 2:30 says that Those who honor Me, I will Honor.

Baguio Beforehand.. =D

Prologue:
Before going to Baguio, I was prepared to have a good time. I even thought of going with my brothers to live in luxury. But of course God didn't want to leave me. I don't know what was on His mind but here are some of the stuffs that i heard that changed my way of thinking:

a. Bro Moses talked of Free lodging, free food, and nothing to do at all except to listen! One might think that listening is such a bore. But if one thinks more of it, one can attain true rest by doing nothing except listening.. ^^ If i lived in luxury, i just think of the free food and lodging going to waste...

b. Bro Fred talked about the purpose of going. Is it SM Baguio? There are lots of SM malls here in Metro Manila (i have thought, and there are no difference in their construction whatsoever..) Is it strawberries? There are lots of it in Landmark.. First of all, i didn't intend to prepare my heart at all. As i have said, my purpose of going was to live luxuriously and liesurely. My real reason on going? (I have researched the Internet on great places to go and dine out!) I even wanted to have a taste of Good Shephered UBE JAM!! and the banana bread of Country Club, and the chocolate de batirol of camp john hay. You wouldn't believe... I stayed almost 4 days there and i haven't even attained a single thing that i desired!!! Talk about luck (sarcastic with myself) ^^!! hehehe... After hearing those words though, I thought of wanting to know Christ more. Nevermind the stuffs i mentioned above. I can get those (maybe) at Market Market! But to know Christ, now that's a powerful thing. I made a wager with God. I would offer up my all, if He could touch me there as He did 1998.. because 1998 marks the year that i was filled up with the Holy Spirit, because I really prepared my heart for that, but after going back to manila that same year, my personality didn't change at all.

c. some side comments made by a relative. On going there to be filled up like a gasoline and going down empty again. I didn't believe in that. In the session of filling with the Holy Spirit, I said to God that it would be so IMPOSSIBLE for a GREAT God to fill us up and then leave us empty again. I wouldn't like that experience like 1998, so fired up and then going down so defeated the next year...

d. a person who was testifying on his drawing near to God. I know that person to be a SOMEONE in the community yet changed completely. I just wanted to know what he had found out that led him to thirst for God in a new way.

The sermons and my viewpoints will follow.... ^^