Who shall abide in thy tabernacle? An exposition of Psalm 15. David tells of the characteristics of the one who would be faithful in attending unto the worship of God. Psalms 15:1-5 A Psalm of David. LORD, who shall abide in thy tabernacle? who shall dwell in thy holy hill? 2 He that walketh uprightly, and worketh righteousness, and speaketh the truth in his heart. 3 He that backbiteth not with his tongue, nor doeth evil to his neighbour, nor taketh up a reproach against his neighbour. 4 In whose eyes a vile person is contemned; but he honoureth them that fear the LORD. He that sweareth to his own hurt, and changeth not. 5 He that putteth not out his money to usury, nor taketh reward against the innocent. He that doeth these things shall never be moved. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CDnc10T8Trg

Hebrews 10:24-25 And let us consider one another to provoke unto love and to good works: (25) Not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together, as the manner of some is; but exhorting one another: and so much the more, as ye see the day approaching. We should provoke one another to love. How is our love for the Lord? Are we loving Him - with all of our heart? Are we considerate of one another? There is a… Family bond – a glue that joins us together… We have a responsibility towards each other… Hebrews 3:13 says we are to exhort one another daily… We should provoke one another to good works. Let us urge one another to sound doctrine, faithfulness, prayer, holiness and witness. We can be provoked: • In our giving • In our use of time • In our family life • In our devotional life • In our words It says of Paul, "his spirit was stirred in him, when he saw the city wholly given to idolatry." Acts 17:16. This word about stirring is this same word for “provoke”. We are called to good works. Matthew 5:16 Let your light so shine before men, that they may see your good works, and glorify your Father which is in heaven. God wants us to be “zealous of good works”… eager, enthusiastic. Find opportunities to encourage, and strengthen one another. Our verse reads on, Not forsaking the assembling. As the manner (habit) of some is… This is an assembly – a gathering together of saints. There’s something different about God’s people. We’re meant to be different – “peculiar people”. It is community. It is about forgiveness and hope. God’s Life. This assembly meets with a love for the truth. • With a love for the Word. • With a love for what is right and what’s honourable and pleasing to the Lord. We are a church with rock solid foundations that are strong and immovable. The pillar and ground of truth. The solid firm ground of the Word of God. It does not alter or get amended as time goes by. God does not revise it in terms of changing its message. It is everlasting. Man has to bow to the truth. As a church of God we will not budge with the changing fashions and fads of man. We will hold fast our course. We will not be thrown around on the choppy seas of doubts or blown about with the various winds of doctrine. The church is under attack… • There are enemies who are against us. • Some unwittingly promote wrong teaching in their ignorance. • It is a battleground. We must stand true. We must shine. God’s church is meant to be solidly squarely founded on the Truth, not shifting sands. What makes a healthy church… Truth must be central, pivotal, core… It is Christ Himself who must be the central focus… A fervent love for Christ and a heartfelt corporate worship of our Lord. As a church we have Foundations that stand… Founded strongly on the Word of God… We see Truth at work in people’s lives… People growing in Grace, in Holiness, Peace, the Lived-out Word of God, Understanding, Spiritual Gifts, Purity and Fellowship. Don't neglect to assemble! It's an essential. ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B-08yMBgy60

Get your armour on! All of it. Finally, my brethren, be strong in the Lord, and in the power of his might. Enter the battle zone - get ready for the conflict ahead… The Lord is our strength. Our strong tower. Our defence. Put on the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to stand against the wiles of the devil. An enemy opposes the work of God. You are in the cross hairs. He is public enemy number one. The wiles of the devil are his tactics - what he does. We wrestle not against people… but against spiritual forces that are against God. What are some of the tactics the devil uses? • Temptation - lust, love of money • Pride - hypocrisy, man’s wisdom, philosophy • Discouragement - obstacles, hurts • Religion - good works Stand – hold your ground. Don’t give him an inch. Ephesians 4:27 Neither give place to the devil. James 4:7 Submit yourselves therefore to God. Resist the devil, and he will flee from you. You can withstand all the devil’s threats… Get ready for a fight. Wherefore take unto you the whole armour of God, that ye may be able to withstand in the evil day, and having done all, to stand. Stand therefore, having your loins girt about with truth… The Roman soldier’s belt was a wide leather band round his waist. It carried a scabbard, equipment and rations. The Lord Jesus prayed, in John 17:17, Sanctify them through thy truth: thy word is truth. The belt of truth. The Lord Jesus says, I am the Truth… In today’s world we have so many errors and wrong teachings. And having on the breastplate of righteousness. The righteousness of Christ protects us. We stand in His righteousness. Righteousness is imputed, by faith. We can stand in the righteousness of Christ. He is our righteousness. Jeremiah 23:6 …THE LORD OUR RIGHTEOUSNESS. Christ’s righteousness is compared to a breastplate – it keeps guard over our heart and emotions. And your feet shod with the preparation of the gospel of peace… Soldiers need to have good footwear. Our feet carry God’s good news – the gospel – that brings peace with God. We have the Good news of peace with God through Christ… Romans 5:1 Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ. Above all, taking the shield of faith, wherewith ye shall be able to quench all the fiery darts of the wicked. The Christian soldier's shield is faith. It is walking in the promises and principles set out in the Word of God. Hebrews 11:6 But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him. Using the shield of faith we can claim the 7,000 promises of God. Stand with the great shield of faith in Christ… assured of His protection and shelter and His care and concern over you. 1 John 5:4 For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith. And take the helmet of salvation… As a believer you have this wonderful salvation. So great salvation… A complete and finished work by His absolute, amazing, saving grace. The helmet covers our mind and thinking, our reasoning, our choices, our will... The enemy wants to play mind games with us, to bring discouragements and doubts. We have the helmet as a defence… The helmet of salvation tells of our confident assurance in our eternal future with God. Salvation keeps our thinking straight in a world without direction and full of confusion. …and the sword of the Spirit, which is the word of God. God’s Word, like a sword, is effective when it is used to combat and defeat the enemy. As we use God’s promises and obey His Word we will have victory in our Christian life. Praying always with all prayer and supplication in the Spirit, and watching thereunto with all perseverance and supplication for all saints. We can walk in Victory. There's Victory for you because of the Cross, because of Him Who loved us. Faith sees that God is bigger than any giants we may face. Victory is certain. There will be times when you will feel weary and discouraged. God is still with you, though. You can personally know victory in your life. And as a church we can know that the gates of hell shall not prevail (Mt. 16:18). Our victory is in our full surrender to our Lord. 1 Corinthians 15: 57 But thanks be to God, which giveth us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ. I'm so glad that the very same man who said, "0 wretched man that I am, who shall deliver me from the body of this death?" could also shout with joyous assurance, "I thank God through Jesus Christ my Lord!" (Mr De Haan) ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QEcaCDxgyvU

Mankind claims it's made progress in lots of ways – yet in some aspects, we’ve taken the wrong road. Some people think they are smarter than the Bible - alike to Jeremiah’s day. Jeremiah 6:16 Thus saith the LORD, Stand ye in the ways, and see, and ask for the old paths, where is the good way, and walk therein, and ye shall find rest for your souls. But they said, We will not walk therein. Our Lord says, Ask for the old paths. Bible truth - the old time religion. The Lord raised up watchmen. But people refused to listen. Jeremiah 6:17 Also I set watchmen over you, saying, Hearken to the sound of the trumpet. But they said, We will not hearken. We need preachers who will be watchmen. Men who will watch and warn and sound an alarm. We have need of old, bold preaching – of the Word of God… Jeremiah 23:29 Is not my word like as a fire? saith the LORD; and like a hammer that breaketh the rock in pieces? We need preaching that is clear, Biblical, and direct. The trumpet call is disturbing. It sounds out a warning. Isaiah 58:1 Cry aloud, spare not, lift up thy voice like a trumpet, and shew my people their transgression… A preacher is called to comfort the afflicted and discomfort the comfortable. We must sound a warning. This is the watchman’s job. Yet it seems many preachers have lost their bark. Isaiah 56:10 His watchmen are blind: they are all ignorant, they are all dumb dogs, they cannot bark; sleeping, lying down, loving to slumber. The average Christian seeks out a church where they don’t get to feel uncomfortable, and there’s no challenge, no conviction. The old time preacher would preach a “Thus saith the Lord…” Unlike many modern preachers who pander to people’s sensitivities. The message has been toned down. Softened, lest someone take offence. Yet we must have the faithful word. The truth cannot be changed or diluted. It has to be declared. D. L. Moody said that good preaching will make people get right or get mad! Proverbs 22:28 Remove not the ancient landmark, which thy fathers have set. People seem caught up in worldliness instead of godliness. We have lost that sense of… Watchfulness, and Prayerfulness. The old paths are paths of Bible doctrine. • The shed Blood of Jesus saves the soul. • The holiness of God. • Old time worship, in the beauty of holiness. • The truth of the value of a human soul… • The doctrine of the authority of the Bible. The old-time religion plainly says, "It is a fearful thing to fall into the hands of the living God" (Hebrews 10:31). The old paths mean the old gospel… "For I delivered unto you first of all that which I also received, how that Christ died for our sins according to the Scriptures, and that he was buried, and that he rose again t ... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AuAVwSm01z0