December 24

Hebrews 9:8 (NIV)
8 The Holy Spirit was showing by this that the way into the Most Holy Place had not yet been disclosed as long as the first tabernacle was still standing.

So how do we get in? How do we get into the Holy Place? What is the Holy Place anyway? The Holy Place – the Holy of Holies, is where the presence of God dwelt. His Spirit was there! The Spirit of God, through the ceremonies of the law showed us that the way to God’s presence had not yet been disclosed. It wasn’t through doing things, nor through ceremony that access to the Spirit of God is granted. It is through faith in the finished work of Christ including His death and resurrection! Maybe this should be my sermon this Christmas Eve! The Spirit is saying, that WORKS and KEEPING RULES and CEREMONIES are not the way to God’s presence – and isn’t that what we all are after? I am! I love His presence! There is fullness of joy there!

His presence is with me all the time since now I am the temple of the Holy Spirit. God is showing me more than just don’t try to attain it by works, rules or ceremonies, (the only one I struggle with is the first one, although I was just asked about how we conduct our worship “ceremony” and if I thought that it is the magic bullet to bring His presence in a fuller way. Hmmmm…) and to trust in Christ’s work. God is saying to LIVE in the work of Christ! That is a grand subject I can’t write about here, but I will tell you one thing, Christ’s sacrifice was suppose to cleanse my conscious from sin. I think that goes further than removing guilt all the way to getting rid of sin consciousness and getting the righteousness consciousness, but I will save that for another day. The point is this – it isn’t a secret anymore! We know how to enter God’s presence! Get there Terry! Everyday – all the time!