In our previous article we have seen four truths in relation to God's dwelling place. Firstly, God uses delivered people to build His tabernacle. Secondly, He cleanses and enlightens them before speaking to them about the tabernacle. Thirdly, He has a great longing to dwell among His people. Fourthly, we are laborers together with God for the building of that dwelling place.

Fifthly, such a tabernacle is going to be a collective effort. "Let them make me a sanctuary" (Exo.25:8). In the House of God every born again, redeemed child of God has a portion and a ministry to contribute to build up the House of God. The Lord is inviting each one of us to know our calling, our gift and our ability given by the Holy Spirit and contribute our mite to the building up of His House." As every man hath received the gift, even so minister the same one to another, as good stewards of the manifold grace of God" (1 Pet.4:10). As we have the gift and are called to be stewards in the House of God, we all contribute to the building up of the glorious House of God. That does not mean that we are ruling out the rulership that God sets in His House. God Himself sets authorities, but He gives the ministry, an ability, a portion to each and everyone of us. The blueprint was given to Moses, but Moses was not going to do it alone. He needed an Aaron, he needed a Hur, he needed the Levites and the priests, he needed an Aholiab, a Bezaleel to join him and build the house. Much later, God was going to show His pattern to David but he was not going to build it alone; he needed Solomon and all those who were consecrated to the service of the Lord. Though He revealed the whole purpose and plan to Moses, He never told him, "You build Me a sanctuary"; He said, "Let them make me a sanctuary". It is a team and a collective effort. Dear brother and sister, have you recognized your calling and your ministry, and are you contributing to the House of the Lord? As to the fact of our calling we are all alike, but as to the field of our calling we are not alike. The Bible tells us, "Let every man abide in the same calling wherein he was called" (1 Corinthians 7:20). I must save myself from two dangers in the building of the House of God. Firstly, to monopolize the work and take everything into my hand and secondly, interfering in the ministry of another, where God has called a particular brother or a sister to contribute to the House of the Lord. As the people of God we need to encourage each other, exhort each other; build up each other for this teamwork.

Sixthly, those who are going to contribute positively to the House of God are chosen people. The Scriptures demand a threefold prerequisite condition before a person could contribute to the House of the Lord. Firstly, he must do it willingly and gladly. "Speak unto the children of Israel, that they bring me an offering: of every man that giveth it willingly with his heart ye shall take my offering" (Exo. 25:2). It is not all Israel, though they are all redeemed, though they are all regenerated and brought out of Egypt; it is only those who had a willing heart. Secondly, He asked things from those whoni He had already enriched. That is the reason why in Egypt He never asked anything from any man or woman because He knew fully well they were impoverished. Before asking them to, contribute something, the first thought of God was to enrich them. And that is why He made them to borrow, to take from the Egyptians and enrich themselves. Those whom He has enriched, He asks from them what they can give Him. David said, "But who am I, and what is my people, that we should be able to offer so willingly after this sort? For all things come of thee, and of thine own have we given thee" (1 Chronicles 29:14). It is the enriched people that the Lord is asking to contribute. And thirdly, He asks participation and
ministry from those who are obedient. This promise in Leviticus 26:11 is given to those who fulfill verse 3. "If ye walk in my statutes, and keep my commandments, and do them". Then He. proceeds with so many promises. Those who build up the House of God are those who walk with Him in obedience now.

Seventhly, this tabernacle is going to be for God's glory." Let them make me a sanctuary". His glory, His glory alone is the center of the whole!"' construction. There is always a conflict in the building up of the House of God. The enemy will intervene to build something for the glory of man. He wants to dethrone God and say, "All the glory will not be yours. You have to share it with the man here". That is the reason why in the church at Laodicea the Lord was standing outside. He had no place inside, though there was a big congregation. Numerically they were very strong inside. Incidentally the word Laodicea means the voice of people. It was the voice of the people that prevailed in that congregation and not the voice of God. God says, "Let them make me a sanctuary", I will build my Church". It is going to be His Church. Let it be our heart's desire this year to contribute positively for the glory of God and for the building up of the tabernacle.

Let us remember these seven truths in relation to His tabernacle.

1. Firstly, He will never use those who are still in bondage. God's great desire is to deliver us, liberate us, before He could invite us to build with Him. Only delivered people can build His House.

2. Secondly, before He speaks about the tabernacle, He gives us the Law to cleanse us and enlighten us.

3. Thirdly, it is the greatest longing of God to be in our midst. The tabernacle is at the heart and purpose of God. This tabernacle, the first visible structure, was a simple ordinary looking tent. But to describe it and to give instructions relating to its construction, do you know how many
chapters the Bible takes? To describe the whole universe and whole creation, the Bible takes only two chapters. But to describe a simple looking tent called tabernacle, the Bible takes 50 chapters; 13 in Exodus, 18 in Leviticus, 13 in Numbers, 2 in Deuteronomy and 4 in Hebrews. Fifty chapters are devoted exclusively for the tabernacle. That teaches us one profound truth. The world was created for the sake of the Church, for the sake of His tabernacle.

4. Fourthly, He is not going to do it alone. He is inviting man to come and join Him. We are going to be partners with God; we are going to be laborers with God.

5. Fifthly, it is going to be a collective team effort. Only when each one of us contributes to the. House of God, will it be raised as a glorious House.

6. Sixthly, it is by the chosen people, who have a willing heart, who are obedient and who are enriched by the Lord, that the tabernacle is built.

7. Seventhly, it is built for the glory of God and for the glory of God alone.

HE HATH DONE ALL THINGS WELL - 3 - BAKHT SINGH

We see that the man in Mark 7:31-37 had an impediment in his speech and could not speak clearly. He had to make signs if he wanted anything. But what a change when the Lord touched him! His tongue was loosened, and we are told that he spoke plainly and clearly. As sinners we were like the
dumb man who could not speak. But now we can talk with God. Even though we may only exclaim, "Mighty God, Wonder-working God, Holy God, Just and Merciful God," yet there is a real meaning in these words because we truly know God and can speak plainly with Him. When we receive eternal life, which is divine, spiritual and new, the change is at once evident, and we are able to speak with God clearly, plainly and distinctly, at any time and anywhere.

Speaking is very embarrassing for one who stutters, even if he is not wholly dumb. I know what I am speaking about, for that was once my own difficulty. I stuttered and stammered, and many times even when I simply went up to a man to ask the way, he would look at me and say, "Well! What do you want?" for there I could stand with my mouth open, and words would not come out of my lips! It is similarly very embarrassing to go before God and feel absolutely dumb spiritually. But there is no need for that! The man who truly knows God can speak to Him as a friend to friend. The Bible says that men of God spoke thus with Him. as Abraham and Moses, and it is the wonderful experience of all who love Him, to speak with Him plainly, freely, boldly, intimately and lovingly. Those who do not truly know Him cannot do so, and hence they have to memorize the prayers of others or read the prayer book. They have no intimate fellowship with the Lord. How do you speak with God? Once I was afraid even to speak to my father because I did not know him well, but in later years, as I came to know him better, I loved to spend much time in his company. Are you like that? Do you speak only a few words with difficulty with your Lord, like a husband and wife who are not on speaking terms?

The friends of the dumb man wanted the Lord to touch him, and this is the thing we also need. A living and loving touch of the Lord Jesus Christ is the thing that is necessary to free us from our deafness and dumbness. He is ready to touch you, not for a short time, but with an eternal touch. For example, if I put on this electric switch, the two wires will be connected and immediately electricity will flow because of this contact. Something like this happens on the day you are born again; eternal life flows into you, not for one day but forever.

The Lord took the dumb man aside from the multitude. Was He afraid of doing a miracle before the multitude? Of course not, but there was a purpose in everything He did. If you want your tongue to be loosened, and if you want to be freed from deafness and to have the life of the Lord to flow in and through you, then you must leave the multitude. The multitude is the world, and if you still want to cling to worldly lusts and vanity and labor, you cannot have this intimate life with the Lord. You have to be
free from the worldly things. Further, his ear was touched; every part affected had to be touched. At the moment you may not know what is meant by being born again or what is atonement, or justification.
But it means just this, that if you allow Him to touch your tongue, it will be loosened and a new life will flow in and through you. Love for the world will go away, and1here will be a desire to read the Word of God continually, and to have the joy of continuous talk with Him.

The Lord sighed! How. Expressive are these words! Our Lord has concern for our eternal salvation, and sends His messengers again and again. "Be opened!" He commanded. Only the Creator with a personal authority can say such words. No man, however great, can forgive your sins, but He Who
said, "All power is given unto Me," can do so. The Lord Jesus Christ Who loved you and gave Himself for you wants to touch you today, to enable you to hear His voice, and to speak with Him freely, plainly and lovingly. Are you prepared to come apart from the multitude to be touched by Him? He is waiting for you. Let the living God touch you.

LET THIS MIND BE IN YOU - BAKHT SINGH

Scripture Reading: Genesis chapter 26 Isaac was born when Abraham and Sarah had become very old, and had passed the age of child-bearing. Isaac is a type of the power of resurrection. This power gives us victory in our trials, difficulties and problems. Only through the power of resurrection we can enjoy our great salvation more fully. By this power the Lord Jesus Christ conquered death and rose again. The disciples began to emphasize on this great power again and again. "And with great power
gave the apostles witness of the resurrection of the Lord Jesus: and great grace was upon them all" (Acts 4:33). The grace of God and the power of resurrection go together. The Lord wants us to enjoy fully and be profited by that power