MY TRIALS--A BLESSING OR A CURSE??

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Some teach or imply that when we as believers enter into the kingdom, by way of salvation, our faith should exempt us from life's trials. Many today teach that in order to honor God, believers must strive to walk in the kingdom covenant, thereby establishing a visible earthly kingdom. They say that this kingdom should physically reflect the might and majesty of God, through the health, wealth, and prosperity of the believers. Those who teach that we have a covenant right to health, wealth, and properity. say to have any less, dishomors the might, majosty, and faithfullness of God. They go on to say that the fall in Eden made man a slave to sin and subject to physical death, poverty, pain and suffering. The word of faith movement teaches that the New Covenant of Christianity which was established by the life and teachings of Christ contains a charter of spiritual laws that govern the relationship between God and His people. A central point of Faith teaching is that the New Covenant is governed under various "spiritual laws" that God himself must follow as well. Some go as far as to say, that under this covenant, the believers have the right to command God, and he is obligated to obey. They say that what Satan, the thief had stolen on the earth, from the people of God, Christ came to take it back. The thief cometh not, but for to steal, and to kill, and to destroy: I am come that they might have life, and that they might have it more abundantly. Jn 10:10. They often quote the words of Paul, supposedly as proof, "For ye know the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ, that, though he was rich, yet for your sakes he became poor, that ye through his poverty might be rich. 2nd Cor 8:9." They say this covenant cannot be established in the life of the believer, unless they believe God's Word concerning prosperity. They say that the Abrahamic covenant recorded in Genesis 17:1-9 is the foundation the covenant we are now in. They also point out that (according to their doctrine) Deut 28:1-13, spells out most the benefits of this covenant. Thus those who are sick and suffering are told they are functioning beneath their kingdom covenant privileges. One writer explains the role of a covenants this way. "God made many promises which are recorded in the Bible. Often He gave them in the form of covenants. A covenant is an agreement, compact or contract between two or more parties. In the Bible, however, the term implies more of a formal treaty like commitment to a relationship. In the covenants God initiates, no negotiation of terms is allowed. God defines all of the conditions. The people could only accept or decline God's offer. They had no say in determining the framework of the covenant. It should be obvious why God's covenants could not be negotiated agreements between equal parties. God is the Creator, and we are His creation. Our well-being is dependent on His love and favor. The New Oxford Dictionary of English defines the theological use of covenant as "an agreement which brings about a relationship of commitment between God and his people." One of the most important covenants God made was with the Israelites, Abraham's descendants through his son Isaac and grandson Jacob (renamed Israel)". (portions adapted from The Good News magazine). Not that this concept is new, this is no doubt also what many of the Jews of Christ day also expected, the kingdom of heaven to produce. A question we must address in this study is the following. While it is true that God has all power, does this mean that his kingdom will manifest itself in these physical ways?

³³And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work.

³⁴Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

³⁵And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle.

We are told to draw nigh to God, and He will draw nigh to us. So just how does man draw nigh to God? Drawing nigh unto God is a progressive process. Many would have us believe that merely saying we accept Christ as our personal savior is all it takes to come and abide in the presence of God in a saving way. This is what I was led to believe. George Kirkpatrick tells us that there are many different opinions as to what it means to abide in the fullness of God's presence. " Some say that the altar of repentance and water baptism is all that is necessary to come into God's presence. Others would have us believe, when we receive the baptism of the Holy Spirit this is all God requires of His people. Others would have us believe if we join their denomination this is all that is required to draw nigh unto God. Christian book store shelves are lined with "how to books" that lead nowhere. So how do we draw nigh unto God? God has revealed this process in His design of the Tabernacle Moses built in the wilderness. God called Moses to come up into Mount Sinai. God not only gave Moses explicit instructions how to build the Tabernacle, He showed Him a pattern of the Tabernacle, and everything in the Tabernacle. "And look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount. Exodus 25:40 The word pattern means "plan, construction". It also means "meaning". God revealed the meaning of His Tabernacle to Moses. As we come to an understanding of the meanings God built into His Tabernacle, then His way is opened unto us. The writer of Hebrews gives us further understanding of what God meant when He showed Moses the pattern for the Tabernacle. "Who serve unto the example and shadow of heavenly things, as Moses was admonished of God when he was about to make the tabernacle: for, See, saith He, that thou make all things according to the pattern shewed to thee in the mount. Hebrews 8:5 The Tabernacle was to serve as an example and shadow of heavenly things. The heavenly things are the Spiritual things revealed in the Tabernacle. We are to view the Tabernacle through Spiritual eyes so we may know and understand God's eternal plan of salvation. While Moses was in the mount, God revealed all things concerning the Tabernacle: what to build, how to build, what materials to use, the size of the Tabernacle, which way it was to sit, the skins to be used for the covering of the Tabernacle, the color combinations for the decoration of the Tabernacle. God also showed Moses all the instruments of worship what size they were to be, what materials they should be made of. God showed Moses how all the various instruments were to be made. the snuffers, the snuff dishes for the candlestick, the pans for the ashes, the shovels, the basons, the fleshhooks, the firepans. Nothing was to be of Moses' design, and there was to be no earthly architect on the job. Everything was to be of God's design. God informed Moses: "Look that thou make them after their pattern, which was shewed thee in the mount." Exodus 25:40." Once Moses had completed the tabernacle the presence of God came and abode there. ³³And he reared up the court round about the tabernacle and the altar, and set up the hanging of the court gate. So Moses finished the work. ³⁴Then a cloud covered the tent of the congregation, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. ³⁵And Moses was not able to enter into the tent of the congregation, because the cloud abode thereon, and the glory of the LORD filled the tabernacle. Exd 40:32-35.

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