1 Corinthians 1: 18

So that the priests could not stand to minister by reason of the cloud: for the glory of the LORD had filled the house of God.

For further reading - II Chronicles 5:1-14

Solomon spent seven years building the First Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, I Kings 6:38. Verse 1 of our reading for today tells us Solomon and those who worked for those seven years were now finished.
This permanent worship center for the Jewish people was now set to house the “Ark of the Covenant”, which had been standing in the temporary “transportable worship center”, the Tabernacle.
Prior to King Solomon placing the Ark in the Holy of Holies it had rested in a Tabernacle that King David provided for this very sacred piece of Temple furniture. The Tabernacle, housing the Ark, was erected by David in the City of David, Zion and also known as Jerusalem, the original site to the south of the Temple Mount.
This account of the moving the Ark from the Tabernacle to the Temple took place during the "Feast of Tabernacles" that was being celebrated in Jerusalem at the time, verse 3.
This is thrilling to read, the account of what happened as the priest brought the Ark into the Holy of Holies of the newly built Temple, verses 11-14. The “Glory of the Lord” rested on the "Mercy Seat" of the Ark, between the outstretched wings of the cherubim atop the Ark. It was the presence of the Lord, on the Ark, that caused such a blessing to the priests and the rest of the workers in and around the Temple.
The Ark was a “prototype”, a model of the “One to come”, Jesus Himself. In Jeremiah, the ancient Jewish prophet tells that in a coming Temple - the one Jesus will build and rule and reign from, Zechariah 6:13-14, in that Temple there will be no Ark of the Covenant, Jeremiah 3:16.
In the Temple the Messiah Jesus will build at the end of the Tribulation there will be no Ark. The reason is that the Ark is the model of Him to come. When you have the real thing, you no longer need the model.
However, in the next Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, the Tribulation Temple, there will be a need for the Ark. Those preparing for the next Temple know exactly where the Ark is located today.
The Ark is ready to be taken into the Holy of Holies in the Tribulation Temple - that is how close we are to that Temple, which will be erected on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
Remember, the Rapture, Jesus calling us to join Him in the heavenlies, happens before that Tribulation Temple is built.

PRAYER THOT: Help me this day to live as if the Rapture will happen today, because it may well happen today.
II Chronicles 6 vs6

But I have chosen Jerusalem, that my name might be there; and have chosen David to be over my people Israel.

For further study - II Chronicles 6:1-11

Our extended reading for today in II Chronicles 6, the first 11 verses, is the record of the sermon that King Solomon gave at the dedication of the first Jewish Temple. After 7 years, Solomon's men had finished building the Temple in Jerusalem and as we saw in our last devotional reading in II Chronicles, King Solomon had brought the Ark of the Covenant into the Holy of Holies and the "Glory of the Lord" had filled the "house of the Lord," II Chronicles 5:14.

As Solomon preached that “dedication day”, he honored the Lord and his father, King David. King Solomon was so honored that he had been the one chosen by the Lord to build the temple. The king realized that the Temple would one day be the "house of habitation" for the Lord, forever, verse 2.
In addition to the Temple being where God would dwell among His people forever, the Temple must be in the city of Jerusalem, Psalm 132:13-14. Verse 4 of our reading reveals the partial fulfillment of the Davidic Covenant, II Samuel 7.
In this passage the Lord promised King David that his son would build the Temple in Jerusalem and that one of David's sons would sit on the throne forever. That last promise in II Samuel 7, one of David’s “sons” on the throne, will actually be fulfilled by Jesus Christ at His Second Coming.
However, the first step in fulfilling the covenant given to David was being fulfilled on that day as testified to by King Solomon. The Lord, since the Exodus from Egypt, had not to that point chosen any city in the Promised Land to build a house, worship center, and had not chosen a man to be ruler over His people.
Solomon reveals in his sermon that the Lord had chosen Jerusalem for His permanent Temple and King David, Solomon's father, to be the "co-regent" with Christ at that Temple in Jerusalem, forever.
Almost 500 years after King Solomon's sermon, the prophet Ezekiel wrote that King David would rule from the Temple in Jerusalem, alongside Jesus, forever, Ezekiel 34:23-24 and Ezekiel 37:24-25.
The fulfillment of Solomon's prophecy revealed in his sermon and the prophecy of Ezekiel will take place during the 1,000- year Millennial Kingdom, yet future. This fulfillment takes place after the Rapture, the Tribulation, the Battle of Armageddon and when Jesus rules and reigns from His Temple in Jerusalem, forever.
By the way, the Rapture could happen today, which would signal the time of fulfillment for the other prophecies spoken of and yet to be fulfilled.
PRAYER THOT: Even so come Lord Jesus and help me to live in that expectancy today.

II Chronicles 7 VS14 

If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land.

For further study - II Chronicles 7:1-22

As we come to II Chronicles 7 you will notice the similarities between this passage and the passages in I Kings 8 & 9. However there are some differences that we will look at in our devotional reading for today.
The chapter begins with the record of the end of King Solomon's prayer, the fire coming down from heaven and consuming the burnt offering and sacrifices. These events are the same as what is recorded in I Kings 8 , "the glory of the Lord filled the house of the Lord", verse 1.
The children of Israel witnessed this happening and when they did they bowed before the Lord to worship Him, giving testimony that His mercy endureth forever. What a great promise that is for us, even today.
As I read through the record of King Solomon and the priest and all the people offering sacrifices before the Lord to honor Him, I am reminded of Romans 12:1 where Paul's exhortation is for each of us to offer our bodies as a "living sacrifice" unto the Lord. That's what we must do today.
In the Romans passage, notice the next verse, verse 2. Paul says "be not conformed to this world but be ye transformed by the renewing of your mind." That transformation takes place as we study His word and let it conform us to His image.
It's that same exhortation that Jesus Christ gives to King Solomon. In a pre-incarnate appearance of Jesus unto the King, verse 12, Jesus warns the King that he and the people of his kingdom must honor, obey and praise the Lord or they will be disciplined, punished.
The punishment would be the Temple being destroyed, Solomon would lose his kingdom and the children of Israel would be taken out of the Land. Bible history tells us that all three of these things did happen.
King Solomon went after "other gods", the children of Israel were taken out of the land and the Temple was destroyed. However, there is a great promise to the Jewish people found in this passage, it's verse 14.
I know that American Christians have applied this verse to themselves and their nation but the technical interpretation of this passage is for the Jewish people.
The Jews must call upon the Lord, humble themselves and pray, seeking His face. They must turn from their wicked ways, then the Lord will hear in heaven and the Jews will hear from heaven as He forgives their sins and heals their land.
Though this promise and prophecy is in its beginning stages today, the Jews must follow through and the Lord will fulfill His promise and prophecy.
By the way, the Lord has chosen the place of Solomon's sacrifice and Temple for His own, verse 12, a dwelling place in the future where He will dwell among His people forever. That promise and prophecy will be fulfilled also, seemingly in the near future.

PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord, to humble myself, call upon You, seeking Your face and turn from wicked ways.

II Corinthians 4 verse 5 - For we preach not ourselves, but Christ Jesus the Lord; and ourselves your servants for Jesus' sake.

For further study - II Corinthians 4:1-18

Each day as I come to my time in the Word of God, devotionally, I am continually amazed at how practical the Bible is for my every day experience of living out my Christianity in the days in which we live.

Today's passage for our devotional is no exception. I won't be able to elaborate on everything in our passage but let me challenge you to spend time in this passage and "dig deeper" for the "treasure" in His Word.

Paul begins this chapter with the fact that his ministry compels him to not be dishonest even in secret, verse 2. The apostle sets the standard for every person in ministry, and I must remind you that each of us does have a ministry in this life, thus we must follow the standard that Paul sets for us, until He calls us home.

We must walk honest, not in craftiness, not handling the Word of God deceitfully, as related to us in verse 2. Verses 3 and 4 reveal how the "god of this world," that would be Satan, is today blinding the minds of the lost people of our world to the "gospel".

The "gospel", I Corinthians 15:1-5, is the death, burial and resurrection of Jesus Christ. This "gospel" is the "power of God unto salvation to everyone that believeth", Romans 1:16.

Paul exhorts us to not allow the "gospel" to be hid from the lost. That "gospel" is being hid today from lost people by false teachers, pseudo-ministries and unresolved sin.

I mention "pseudo" or "false ministry" which would be a ministry that allows the things of this world to direct how we perform ministry in the "church". Many churches are moving in that direction in order to build a "large" church. The things of this world distract from the "purity" of the "gospel" and dilutes the "gospel" so that it is of none effect.

Let me skip over some great "meat" in this passage, some of the "treasure" that you can dig out for yourself in verses 6-16.

The last two verses of our devotional passage for today, verses 17-18, look to the future. They speak of the "hard times" we may be facing today and into the future. Paul encourages us to look at these times as "light afflictions", verse 17, which are but for a moment.

Paul even mentions that the "light afflictions" are the "training ground" preparing us for the future. Paul concludes with a word of encouragement for the church at Corinth and for those of us in churches, worldwide, today.

Verse 18 says, don't look on the things of today, "things seen", because they are "temporal", for a short time. We should "look upon those things not seen", they are eternal.

See how practical the Word of God, and prophecy are for our daily lives. The current events of this world, our afflictions for today, must not be our focus, we must focus on the "things to come", as revealed in God's prophetic Word, the hope for tomorrow.

PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord to keep my focus not on the things of this world but instead on the truths of Your Word as I move through these days and into the future.
II Corinthians 5 verse 20 

Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ's stead, be ye reconciled to God.

For further study - II Corinthians 5:10-21

Congratulations on your appointment as an "ambassador". This would be a very high-ranking position for you, and for me, in any of the world’s “human governments”. However, the text tells us that you and I are both "Ambassadors for Christ" in the “heavenly government”. You cannot get any higher than that. What an honor He has bestowed on each of us that know Him as Lord and Savior.
Did you notice the first verse in the extended reading for today, verse 10? Once again we are reminded that we all will stand at the Judgment Seat of Christ. As we learned last time, that will be an awesome time.
This truth found in this chapter is to remind us of why we are ambassadors. We are to go forth to the world and be involved in a “ministry of reconciliation”, verse 18. The word "reconciliation" is used in the context of making all the facts and figures fit together in perfect harmony. We reconcile our bank accounts so that our records agree with the bank records as it relates to our personal accounts.
The ministry of reconciliation is to find those at odds with the Lord and reconcile them to Jesus Christ. What a privilege He has granted us in ministry – “the ministry of reconciliation”.
Now, back to that which the Lord uses to motivate us to be active in our ministry of reconciliation. He reminds us of His “terror”, His holiness that requires Him to sentence people to the lake of fire, eternal damnation, if they reject Jesus, verse 11. Then He tells us of His love that flows through us which will constrain us to be involved in our ministry of reconciliation, verse 14.
Our appointment as an ambassador has some real responsibility. We must be busy at upholding our side of this assignment. We cannot live unto ourselves, but to Him that died and rose again for us, and all of mankind, verse 15.
If you will look at the verse just before our expanded reading, verse 9 of II Corinthians 5, we see that Paul was ready to labor that we might be acceptable to Him. I believe this verse says Paul had an ambition and that was to be acceptable of Him at all times and for all purposes.
We must be ambitious to serve Him as an “ambassador”, however, the truth is we serve Him because of the love that constrains us to do so, that love of Christ.
PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord, to remember the reasons that I am an ambassador for Christ with the ministry of reconciliation.

II Corinthians 5 vs9 

Wherefore we labour, that, whether present or absent, we may be accepted of him.

For further study - II Corinthians 5:1-9

Paul is writing a word of encouragement to those in Corinth about what the time of death will bring to each of us. Most of us look at death as something to be dreaded, something to be avoided at all cost.

As I remind myself, as well as reminding you also who are reading this devotional, that death is not the “end all”. It is actually the beginning, the beginning of “eternity future”. The Apostle brings to our attention that in our present "tabernacle" our present body, there is groaning.
Let me stop right here. Everyday, as I become aware of another ache or pain that I never have experienced before, I usually spend several minutes or sometimes even several hours worrying about what the discomfort may be and what it could become.
Paul is telling us that we will one day put on a new "tabernacle", a new and wonderful “heavenly body”. Paul talks about confidence and he reminds us of where the confidence comes from.
The Holy Spirit has sealed each of us into the “Body of Christ”. It is the "earnest of the Spirit" that gives us the confidence of where we are and where we will be one day. As we are alive on this earth we are absent from the Lord and we know this by faith, not by sight.
Paul then speaks of another confidence, the confidence that when we die on this earth we go directly into His presence, to be absent from the body is to be present with the Lord, verse 8. At death all born again Christians are transported by angels, Luke 16:22, into the heavenlies, and into His presence.
Now re-read our key verse. Until that victorious time of death when we go into His presence, Paul says He would be ambitious and so should we be the same. Paul wanted to live a life, do the work of the Lord, so that when he saw Him he would be accepted of Him. That should be the same for us, when we see Him we might be accepted of Him.
The very next verse, verse 10, speaks of us then standing at the Judgment Seat of Christ. Paul says he wants to be well-accepted of Christ at that time. This is a Godly ambition, because at the Judgment Seat we are given "crowns" for those works we have done for the Lord, in His power and for His glory.
Then we take these crowns and lay them at His feet as He sits upon His throne, Revelation 4:10, in thanksgiving for all that He has done for us. We must join Paul in this Godly ambition, so that we can give Him the glory.
PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord to live a life that will receive reward at the Judgment Seat of Christ so I can show thanksgiving to You, for all You have done for me, as I cast my crowns at Your feet.

II Corinthians 6 vs14

Be ye not unequally yoked together with unbelievers: for what fellowship hath righteousness with unrighteousness? and what communion hath light with darkness?

For further study - II Corinthians 6:1-18

Our key verse for today's devotional reading is a strong exhortation from the Apostle Paul about how we must live in the last days. The directive to be" not unequally yoked together with unbelievers" is not the trend in Christian circles today.
Please don't misunderstand my thoughts. I am not saying we don't have a relationship with lost people, unbelievers, so that we can lead them to the Lord but this exhortation is about "being yoked" to unbelievers, not relationships.
To be "yoked" is like being "harnessed together in a team" of horses or some animals of burden. We must not "yoke" ourselves to unbelievers in marriage, ministry and mission.
It goes without saying that we must develop relationships with unbelievers, lost people, so that we might have an opportunity to lead them to Christ. In fact, Paul, in the first of this chapter, reports that he was doing all he could to give none offense in anything so that his ministry might not be blamed.
Everything we do should be for the purpose of "approving ourselves as the ministers of God", verse 4. Verses 4-10 contain illustration after illustration of how Paul was abiding in the lifestyle that he was exhorting the Corinthians to live.
This is very applicable for us as well today. Reading of what Paul had lived through helps us to understand why the Apostle told us to not be unequally yoked together.
In verse 16 Paul refers to the Temple, the place where the "Glory of the Lord" dwelled in days past; and prophetically, where the Lord will dwell among His people forever.
Paul's application was that we are the "Temple of the living God"; therefore, we must "come out from among them and be separate", verse 17. Remember, at this time in history there was still a Temple in Jerusalem as Paul tells us we are now the "dwelling place" for the Lord, I Corinthians 6:19-20.
Please don't forget, there will be a physical Temple on the Temple Mount in Jerusalem one day. But until then the Lord abides in us, the reason for Paul's example and exhortation to us.
Peter wrote that the Lord was not slack concerning His promise to come back to earth, and that He was not willing that any should perish, He wanted all to come to the knowledge of the truth and come to know Him as Saviour, II Peter 3:9.
If we couple that thought from Peter, with Paul's statement in verse 2, of our extended reading today, we see how we can hurry the return of Jesus to the earth. Paul says, "now is the accepted time, now is the day of salvation."
II Peter 3:12 tells us that winning people to Jesus in this "day of salvation" can hasten the Lord's return.
PRAYER THOT: Help me Lord to not be unequally yoked with unbelievers, to make it a point to come out from among those that cause offense so that I can win the lost to You in this, the “day of salvation”.
II Corinthians 11 vs.14
And no marvel; for Satan himself is transformed into an angel of light.

For further study - II Corinthians 11:1-15

Paul warns the church at Corinth of false teachers. The apostle reveals to this body of believers that the leader of the false teachers, Satan himself, had a plan to deceive the world - even the Christians, and he will implement this plan in the Last Days.

In II Corinthians 11:1-2, Paul is aggressively possessive of the church and its members. God had placed him in a position to do an eternal work. Paul said that his ministry is to equip the growing Christian, chastise the carnal Christian, (of which there were many at this time in Corinth), and warn all Christians of the pitfalls on the road to maturity that lay ahead.

Paul's whole purpose is to present the Church as the Bride, the chaste virgin, to Jesus Christ, the Bridegroom, for the Marriage and Marriage Supper of the Lamb, (Revelation 19:7-9).

The marriage ceremony takes place after the Rapture and before the 7 year Tribulation period begins. The Marriage Supper of the Lamb will be celebrated during the 7 years of the Tribulation. There will be conflict on Earth during that time, but celebration in the Heavens.

A part of the process to present the Lord's "espoused wife" to Him at the Rapture, will be to protect the Christian from the wiles of the devil until the marriage, (II Corinthians 11:13-15). Paul tells the Corinthians that Satan is slick, so much so that the devil can transform himself into an "angel of light."

Evil angels can also be transformed into apostles of Christ and ministers of righteousness. The devil is powerful and can dupe the world with his evil minions changed to appear on the outside good and pure, but are inwardly demonic.

The exhortation is for each of us to stay alert of Satan in these Last Days. In fact, from now until Jesus Christ comes back to Jerusalem, the devil will be very active seeking a way to deceive many. "Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil," Ephesians 6:11.

PRAYER THOT: Help me to prepare my wedding gown, my righteous acts, so that my Bridegroom will be very proud.

II Corinthians 12 vs.9 - And he said unto me, My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness. Most gladly therefore will I rather glory in my infirmities, that the power of Christ may rest upon me.

For further study - II Corinthians 12:1-10

As we come to our reading today, I am eager to share several thoughts with you about the experiences of the Apostle Paul. These experiences in the life of Paul will give us insight into biblical principles that we each can appropriate for ourselves.

Let me remind you that Paul was a brilliant man. Some scholars have said he was one of the five greatest minds that ever lived. His writings are masterpieces of literature, from a worldly perspective.

Paul tells us that in order for him to not be exalted above measure, above what he should be, he was given by God a "thorn in the flesh", verse 7. We don't know exactly what the "thorn" was except that it was something physical, a physical ailment of some type.

Verse 8 tells us that Paul went to the Lord in prayer to request the removal of the "thorn." It is with this backdrop of weakness that God's divine power is displayed. Just think of the awesome statement from God to Paul, "My grace is sufficient for thee: for my strength is made perfect in weakness."

Even as I wrote God's statement I had to pause to think about it.

This philosophy is opposite to what the world, even some elements of the Church, believe is for today. We are told all you do is pray and God will heal you. That was not the case with Paul. God's plan for Paul was to make manifest in his life the power and strength of God in his weakness, his physical ailment.

Notice in verse 10 that Paul says he took pleasure in his infirmities because it was for the "sake of Christ" that this was happening to him. In weakness Paul knew he was made strong. This is such a blessing to each of us as we face everyday with our own weakness. His grace is, indeed, sufficient.

But now look again at the beginning of our reading for today, verses 2-4. Paul writes that he knew a man who about 14 years earlier was caught up into heaven, the third heaven. Let me explain the three heavens. The first heaven is where the sun and the clouds are located. The second heaven is where the stars and galaxies are located. The third heaven is where God and Jesus are today. You see the first heaven by day, the second heaven by night and the third heaven by faith.

Paul spoke of himself as "a man in Christ" and not as one of great worthiness or as one who had achieved spiritual excellence. Paul was "caught up" into the third heaven in the will and plan of God. By the way, the phrase used here "caught up" is the same phrase describing the "Rapture" in I Thessalonians 4:17.

Paul experienced the "Rapture," the event that he had explained to the people in Thessalonica. Remember Paul's last words in II Timothy 4:8, he was looking forward to a "crown of righteousness" as he eagerly looked for Jesus to Rapture the Church into heaven.

He had the experience of the Rapture and wanted to go to heaven in that way, instead of by death. I want that also, don't you?

PRAYER THOT: Lord, help me to understand Your strength through my weakness and also eagerly await Your call for me to join You in heaven.