Scarborough Chinese Baptist ChurchSeptember – December 2014

Daily Devotional

for Sermon Series

Intimacy with God
a study of the Old Testament Tabernacle

Week 9: November 24-30

The following series of daily readings, questions, and prayers has been designed by Pastor Tom Cullen to lead up to the sermon for the coming week. There are six daily studies for each week. Allow about 20 minutes a day to complete each daily devotional.

The weekly sermons can be heard at scbc.com Each week’s daily devotional guide is also available online at en.scbc.com.

Sermon Schedule

Intimacy with God

November 23 – We’ve been given everything we need ….

(Exodus 16:1-8)

November 30 – Experiencing intimacy with God

(Malachi 1:6-10)

Be sure to join us for worship in December when we will examining Isaiah 9:6 and the names attributed to Jesus the Messiah in that text.

We are indebted to Jeremy Leung for the art work on the cover of this year’s devotional guide.

To learn more about how we can do Christmas differently please visit scbc.cbmin.org

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Scarborough Chinese Baptist Church Fall 2014

Sermon Series Devotional Guide

Intimacy with God

a study of the Old Testament Tabernacle

“Therefore, brothers and sisters, since we have confidence to enter the Most Holy Place by the blood of Jesus, by a new and living way opened for us through the curtain, that is, his body, and since we have a great priest over the house of God, let us draw near to God with a sincere heart in full assurance of faith …” (Hebrews 10:19-22a)

After 10 weeks of study do you have “confidence to enter the Most Holy Place” and “draw near to God?” I pray you do. Think of all we’ve discovered together! We can draw near to God because of Jesus Christ who said, “I am the way and the truth and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me.” (John 14:6) We do not have boldness to enter because it’s our right – rather, we have boldness because of what Christ has done. We come with bold humility.

We can confidently step into the tabernacle of God’s presence because we know that Jesus Christ is the perfect sacrifice for our sin and we are cleansed. We can enter the Holy Place and eat the bread of the presence to sustain us. The oil of His Holy Spirit indwells us and we can stand before God and speak with Him.

We can draw near to God in the Most Holy Place because we know God wants to meet with us and has made it possible through Christ, who has made atonement for us.

But one last thing. Even though you may have learned all these wonderful truths, the Most Holy Place may still be curtained off for you. The presence of God seems distant, the power of God is only witnessed in others but never in you, and the purpose of God for you is illusive. And you may be left asking, “Why?”

One possible answer is that you haven’t given God what He wants above all - your heart (read: devotion, obedience, love). You’ve learned the process, but have failed to give Him your all. If there is one thing God demands for intimacy with Himself it is not that you try a little harder but that you give Him what is rightfully his, your heart.

Monday November 24

Read

Mark 12:28-34

Study

  1. What does Jesus say is the greatest commandment?

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  1. How would you describe loving God? A feeling? An action? Joyful? Dull? Dutiful? Commanded? Given freely? What does it look like for you?

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Reflect

In verse 33 we learn that to love God is better than all burnt offerings and sacrifices. This is not to say that the burnt offerings and sacrifices that we learned about these past weeks were not important. It simply means that it is possible to offer the sacrifices and not love God, which is the most important. Are there “burnt offerings and sacrifices” in your worship of God that are being offered without love for God?

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Pray

Begin your prayer with a prayer of confession. Take time to confess sins that come to mind – is there a sin of pride? Is there a sin of status seeking? Know that Jesus is the One who is able to cleanse you from all sin.

For our church:

God promises to “bless those who fear Him – small and great alike.” (Psalm 115:13). Pray for those with special needs in our congregation. Ask God that his promise in Psalm 115:13 would be realized in them.

Pray for our Sunday School teachers who work with our special needs children; Sau-Ling Tsui, Karissa Loh, Rita Wong, Lana Luk, Cornelia Tam, Chris Tang, Ruth Soon and Cindy Kwong. Ask that in their teaching and their ministry among this important group they would know our Lord’s promise, “Everything is possible for him who believes.” (Mark 9:23)

Tuesday November 25

Read

Song of Songs 2:8-13

Note: The Song of Songs is a beautiful love poem depicting God’s love relationship with His people. In this text the beloved (that is you and me) catches a glimpse of the lover (that is God).

Study

  1. What emotions do you think the writer is experiencing as he/she sees the lover arriving, gazing, speaking?

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  1. What does the lover say to his beloved? (verse 10)

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  1. What is it like for the beloved to hear the lover’s invitation to “arise … and come with me?” (verse 11-13)

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  1. Do you take the same joy in God as the writer of this song?

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  1. Read Genesis 15:1. What does God say is Abraham’s reward?

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  1. Read Acts 3:19. Where do times of refreshing come from?

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Reflect

We sometimes forget that God Himself is our reward. Reflect on the following quote:

“In the busyness of our lives, we tend to focus on getting from God what we need to get by – material blessings, health and healing, protection, peace and all those other things. There’s nothing wrong with that. We do need those things … But we forget that the greatest treasure we can ever have, and enjoy, is simply being with the Father, being in His presence …. It has always been about Him. Loving Him. Worshipping Him. Praising Him. Pleasing Him. Drawing near to Him. And God is always looking for hungry hearts, the ones that are desperate enough to go in search of Him. He is always knocking at the doors of our heart to pursue Him.”1

Think of a time when you were in love with another person. What lengths did you go to be with that person. What did you do to foster that love? What do you need to do to foster a love for God?

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Pray

Ask God for a soft heart and write out a prayer to God.

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Wednesday November 26

Read

Exodus 20:18-21

Study

  1. God has drawn near to the people and given the Ten Commandments (verses 1-17). How did the people respond to the presence of God? What did they refuse to do? What did they fear would happen?

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  1. How does Moses reassure them?

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  1. Did the people draw near to God after Moses reassured them?

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  1. Read 1 Samuel 8:1-9; 19-22. The people want a king to rule over them. In asking for a king what are they saying to God? (verse 7)

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  1. Read John 19:15. Who do the people reject as their king?

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  1. The three passages of Scripture today are all examples of how the people of God refused God’s invitation to be intimate with Him. How do people reject God today? Are you guilty of offering excuses to avoid intimacy with God?

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  1. Read the following verses and match them with the correct teaching to discover what God desires from us:

____Matthew 22:36-37a. Pour out your heart to God.

____ Psalm 62:8b. Love God with all your heart.

____ Psalm 62:10 c. Seek to have an undivided

Heart.

____ Psalm 86:11 d. Don’t set your heart on riches.

____ 2 Chronicles 16:9 e. The Lord strengthens the heart

Of those committed to Him.

Reflect

Pray

Pray for those who have hurt you and mistreated you. Ask God to take away from your heart all suspiciousness, anger, and any other feeling that seek to wound and hurt another. Pray that Christ’s love for you will be your love for others.

For our church:

Pray Barbara Leung Lai, Ken Lau, Philip Yeung, and Daniel Hung as they teach an adult Sunday school class called, “What happens when you engage in meaning making of the Biblical text?” Give thanks for their willingness to serve our church in this way. Pray that their students will be refreshed by the Word of God as it is taught.

Thursday November 27

Reading

Malachi 1

Throughout the Bible we read of times when the people brought sacrifices and offerings and yet God was not pleased. Their worship did not ‘reach” God. They did not draw near to God and they left the tabernacle or temple exactly as they had come. One example of this is in the book of Malachi.

Study

  1. What does God call the fires that are lit on his altar? (verse 10)

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  1. What was wrong with the sacrifices the people offered to God? (verse 8) (see Leviticus 1:3)

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  1. How is God slighted by these sacrifices? (verse 14)

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  1. Was the problem with the sacrifices or with the people’s attitude? (verses 12, 14)

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  1. Are you relying on something other than God as the source of your spiritual well-being?

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  1. Read Malachi 3:6-12. What challenges does God give to the people? (verses 7, 10-12)

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  1. In Leviticus 27:30 we read that the people are to give to God a tithe of everything they harvest. It is a command. The tithe belongs to the Lord. A tithe, then, is not an offering - it is what belongs to God. To hold it back is to be guilty of robbing God. The challenge is straightforward. It is to simply give to God what is rightfully His.

The promise is straightforward too. What is the promise? (verses 10-12)

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Reflect

Reflect on the following:

“God offers a challenge to you. Do you need to take Him up on it? Perhaps you need to come to another altar where you may “offer your body as a living sacrifice, holy and pleasing to God – for this is your spiritual worship” (Romans 12:1). Give God what belongs to Him – yourself. You have been purchased by His blood. You are not doing Him a favour, you are just giving what is His. As you do, He will open the floodgate of heaven upon you, and you will always have enough of what you need. This is His challenge and His invitation.”2

Pray

For our church:

In Deuteronomy 28:8 the people of God are given this promise, “The Lord will send a blessing on your barns and on everything you put your hand to.” Pray that this promise would be realized in the lives of those who teach our study on Ephesians, Riches in Christ’s glory Sunday school class, Gary Tong, Enoch Mo, and Sam Chan.

As the Psalmist waited on God he had this experience of Him, “He put a new song in my mouth, a hymn of praise to our God. Many will see and fear and put their trust in the Lord.” (Psalm 40:3). Pray for the leaders of our Sunday morning seeker class, Lloyd Chow, and Jeffery Ng. Pray that as they live for God and teach his word that many will put their trust in Him.

Friday March 28

Read

Matthew 19:16-24

Study

  1. What did the rich man want? (Notice the man’s emphasis on doing. He asks, “What must I do?” We have discovered in our study that God desires something far more than our doing.)

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  1. What was Jesus’ reply?

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  1. What did the rich man lack? (Note: Being rich is not a sin. It is possible for poor people to love riches more than rich people. The economic status of the man is not the issue in this text.)

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  1. As you think about living wholeheartedly for God, look at the various areas below and identify those that keep you from giving your whole self to God:

___ time management___ temptations

___ stress at work___ lack of understanding

___ too busy___ lack of fellowship with

other Christians

___ selfishness___ lack of support from family

___ material desires___ other: ______

___ no desire

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Reflect

What kind of changes do you think need to be made in your life so that you can give yourself wholeheartedly to God?

Pray

For our church:

Pray for Ben and Esther Tou as they lead a Sunday School class for University students entitled, “Living our faith on campus.” Pray that as they place their hope in the Lord they will “soar on wings like eagles; he will run and not grow weary, he will walk and not be faint.” (Isaiah 40:31)

Pray for Pastor Paul as he leads our Christian life Sunday school class. May he know God’s blessing and each student grow in their faith and love for God.

Tomorrow many women in our congregation go away on retreat. Pray that the Holy Spirit will powerfully minister to each one who participates.

The weekend of November 29-30

As we conclude our study of the tabernacle, think of each piece of furniture and what it tells us about intimacy with God. Read through this list once. Then read it again prayerfully allowing God to speak to you as you think of each of the questions. Remember - God will both affirm and convict. Write out your prayer after you have reflected on each piece of furniture.

  1. The Gate. There is only one way into the presence of God. Have you entered by way of faith in Jesus Christ?

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  1. The Bronze Altar. This is a place of reconciliation. As you desire to draw close to God do you see any rebellion that needs to be addressed and confessed?

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  1. The Bronze Basin. This is a place of cleansing. As you think of living a life of holiness, is God calling you to any areas of separation?

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  1. The Golden Lampstand is a place of light. Are you depending on the oil of the lampstand, the Holy Spirit, to enable you to live the Christian life?

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  1. The Table of Showbread is for feasting. Are you feasting on Jesus Christ, the bread of life?

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  1. The Altar of Incense is a place of prayer. Are you talking with God regularly? Do you consciously take Him with you wherever you go?

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  1. The Ark of the Covenant is a place of fellowship. Are you living all your days in fellowship with God?

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Endnotes

  1. Dennis Ignatius, Fire Begets Fire (Vancouver: Vision Publications Ltd., 2006) 4-5.
  2. Charles Price, Alive in Christ (Grand Rapids Michigan: Kregel Publications, 1995), 104.

Additional Notes

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