Coming Before the Lord

By Doug Poole

Can we have a personal relationship with God today? What does it require to become a believer? Is it possible to enter the presence of God like they did in the OT? Can anything from an old book like the Bible be used today? Does applying the Scriptures in the twenty-first century really answer today's questions for living life to the fullest? The Old and New Testaments reveal much about the character of God. Examples of both good and evil are revealed for our learning. The results of both good and evil are explained in detail, and we can see the results of each choice. As we read through the Bible, we see evidence of God's plan for mankind and opportunities to become more acquainted with Him. Working together with the Holy Spirit provides guidance and understanding that are intended to strengthen and help us. This wisdom has practical applications that provide a better way to handle life. He has revealed ways we can use to personalize a relationship with Him that can grow over time. Entering His Presence is possible today because of what Christ accomplished by his death, burial, and resurrection. The finished work of Christ has opened a gateway to the throne of God that was not available to each believer before. We become like the priests of old and have access to the Father. Old Testament rituals have been replaced with New Testament opportunities that seek Him and receive help and understanding. The sending of the Holy Spirit has provided us with the Helper that resides inside of every believer. We can have a personal relationship with our Creator. Entering His Presence is possible today because Christ broke down the barrier that once stood between God and man. Come join Him through the scriptural invitation that is extended to all. Experience the finished work of Christ right now-before His return. Now is the acceptable time to call upon His name and live life to the fullest and become ready for the eternity that awaits you!

• Language: English
• Publisher: Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.
• Release date: Aug 5, 2020
• ISBN: 9781098018481

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Coming Before the Lord

Doug Poole

Copyright © 2019 by Doug Poole

All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, distributed, or transmitted in any form or by any means, including photocopying, recording, or other electronic or mechanical methods without the prior written permission of the publisher. For permission requests, solicit the publisher via the address below.

Christian Faith Publishing, Inc.

832 Park Avenue

Meadville, PA 16335

www.christianfaithpublishing.com

All Scriptures quoted are taken from the New Living Translation (NLT) unless otherwise noted.

Unless otherwise indicated, all Scripture quotations are taken from the Holy Bible, New Living Translation, copyright © 1996, 2004, 2007 by Tyndale House Foundation. Used by permission of Tyndale House Publishers, Inc., Carol Stream, Illinois 60188. All rights reserved.

Printed in the United States of America

Table of Contents

Coming to the Lord

Our Gates

Removing Ashes

Praise and Worship—Tithes and Offerings

The Holy Spirit—Oil of God

Heavenly Food

The Blood of the Lamb

The Lampstand—A Burning Fire

Entering His Presence—Holy of Holies

Summary

Dedication

This book is dedicated to my late wife Leavern (1945-2012) who helped me through 42-years of marriage. She hung in there and followed after the Lord no matter what. Her suffering and pain increased over the last 10-years. Her situation was beyond belief, but she endured and smiled with much humor all the way to the end. The Lord must have decided enough was enough and took her home. One day, we’ll meet again, and eternity will reveal a whole new way of life after death. Death isn’t the end with the Lord; it is the gateway to eternity!

Introduction

Did you ever wonder how a person can enter the presence of God? I have pondered that question a lot, and while finding out just what that involved, I realized I had no idea of what I was asking.

I decided to begin the approach from my natural thinking (since I didn’t know where else to start) and take it a step at a time. I was convinced I had to establish a deeper relationship with the Lord before I could hope to understand or begin to interpret what the Holy Spirit was inspiring me to write.

This was pretty much expanding the concept that I had only vaguely thought about before. As I pursued writing, many different revelations from the Scriptures were revealed in my life. The revelations were both practical and exciting at the same time.

Talking about something and then experiencing it brings the Scriptures into our existence. I treasured the faith God had extended to me as I hesitantly trusted Him to show me the way.

So I began by praying more, reading more of the Scriptures, and talking to the Lord about how to do this. One day, He impressed upon me to write down what I had just heard in a sermon and elaborate the point, according to the Bible, which might reveal the way to the presence of God and answer my question. I then became aware that the Lord wanted me to write a book about my findings.

My immediate thought was You have got to be kidding me, Lord. I might eventually be able to write a short story—if I could rewrite it several times—but a book? I don’t think so!

Then I became scared because I realized that I was writing about something I had not experienced with the Lord, and I questioned Him. Why me? Wouldn’t it be better to get someone who can skillfully write and has experienced all of this firsthand?

The Lord impressed upon me that in my weaknesses, He is strong. I then realized that my weaknesses and my inability to write a book on my own did not make up the problem. The problem was He needed a willing vessel, not a skilled writer. He was only asking for a willing vessel. So the real question was this: Was I willing?

When you realize that your abilities are not required for your obedience and that your weaknesses open up an opportunity for God to channel through you, it changes everything. I now had to choose to either move forward or stay in my comfort zone and do nothing. It was my choice!

Well, maybe I was a good candidate. I could write a book based on the leading of the Holy Spirit and not be concerned about myself. My lack of abilities wouldn’t interfere with that and would put me in a position where I would depend on the One who was urging me to write anyway.

Over the next twelve years, I got more serious, but I allowed excuses to interfere with the accomplishment of this task. One day, I read Luke 9:51 and realized that Christ had set His mind on the very purpose of His coming. He did not allow life here on earth to distract or hinder Him. I realized that I too needed to set my mind and complete the task God had impressed upon me and not allow any more delays or excuses.

As I continued further, Psalm 51:10 kept turning up in front of me, and I began to realize that the Lord was telling me what to do next. I had to first start with having clean hands and a pure heart if I intended to experience what the book was all about. As I ventured into learning about clean hands and a pure heart, I found myself lacking in understanding. As I continued, my cleansing involved reading the related Scriptures and asking the Lord to help me.

Learning to better communicate with the Lord was a relief. I had many kinds of life experiences up to this point, but I realized that a great deal more were about to follow. Entering His presence seemed very distant at first, but I was now encouraged to move forward and find out for myself.

So I gave in to what I believed the Spirit of God wanted from me and started writing down the many impressions and short paragraphs that related to these impressions. Realizing that I didn’t know how to organize the stack of papers I’d written left me feeling overwhelmed.

As I organized the papers by subject matter, I believed the Lord was showing me how to organize the pile of writings. The stacks ended up as ten separate groups, which are the chapters of this book.

After I read over the materials and talked with a friend, I realized the focus for this book needed clarity. Chapter 1 is for the nonbeliever, and the remaining chapters are for the believer.

The adventure of writing this book was both scary and a bit overwhelming. My real life became very challenging and eventful as I lived out His Word. It exhilarated me and was so fulfilling, and it took me to a place that I never thought I could enter.

It has always amazed me how the Lord uses each of us. Never would I have guessed that I could write a book, especially on a subject matter that I never before understood.

I pray that your reading this book will cause you to enter a new place in life with the Lord. I pray that it will propel you toward Him and bring completeness to your soul and give you a broader understanding of how much He really loves you!

Chapter 1

Coming to the Lord

Thinking about the future has always brought many ideas to my mind. One is the question, what do I leave behind for those I love? What legacy will I leave that could best describe my being here? I have a few material things, but they really aren’t much. Those things bring pleasure while one is living, but they are only temporary—not lasting.

I always wanted to leave something valuable so my life could benefit those I cared about. The longer I thought about it, the clearer it became. I do have something to pass on that will last this life and the next. So I decided I’d pick people in my life and give them a nugget of knowledge that I learned many years ago.

This nugget I cherish could be passed on and benefit everyone. To explain this, I want to start from the very beginning and move to the purpose of this first chapter. You need to know what follows and read it to the end to get the whole picture of this legacy of truth. So before you begin, you must have an open mind in order to receive this truth I found and allow it to flood your thinking and touch your spirit.

The truth I want to share comes from the Bible. It all started when I realized that there was more to life than just living it. This truth came when I least expected it, but needed it the most. This truth came from simply understanding better what I had been told by my grandma when I was growing up on the farm. When it started to make sense, I finally accepted it, and in doing so, my whole life changed. This truth materialized when I applied its principles. My spirit came alive within me and drastically changed everything and how I looked at life. As I grew in understanding, this truth opened up a relationship with the Lord.

I always thought that having knowledge about the Scriptures was enough. But as I grew older, I discovered it wasn’t. I thought of knowing about the Lord as okay, but a relationship was never considered. How do you have a relationship with someone you can’t see, touch, or meet in person?

It became clear to me that I had missed something in the Bible. In fact, I had missed a great deal! Knowledge is wonderful, but this truth was very different.

Once I did what the Bible was telling me, I started to experience the change. This change started my relationship with God. It is the easiest of all the scriptural instructions found in the Bible. I think many people struggle with this concept because they believe that you must do something to deserve its benefits.

There is salvation in no one else! God has given no other name under heaven by which we must be saved. (Acts 4:12).

When I really started reading the Bible, I discovered that it tells us there is nothing we can do to pay for our sins. There is nothing we can do that would cancel this condition. This is because God requires the death and shedding of the blood of a perfect sacrifice. A perfect sacrifice is one that has not sinned. We don’t qualify for that because we were born into sin when we came into the world at birth.

The next day John saw Jesus coming toward him and said, ‘Look! There is the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world!’ (John 1:29).

Death is the end result of sin. That becomes very clear as we read the many Scriptures within the Bible. For the wages of sin is death, but the free gift of God is eternal life through Christ Jesus our Lord (Rom. 6:23).

One thing is for sure: We don’t want to arrive at death’s door and find our sins held against us. This conclusion is fatal in both the physical and spiritual realms. We must make the decision before we physically die.

Our souls will live forever. Our physical bodies will die, but once we pass from time into eternity, we take on spiritual bodies, and our souls will then live in them. Where we spend eternity will depend on how we deal with our sins today, not later. It is a decision we have to make while we’re alive. Once we’re dead, it will be too late. Not making a decision gives us the fatal ending because when we do not make one, we are actually making the decision to reject the salvation package God offers.

Please read carefully and consider your outcome. The decision you make now will decide where you spend eternity. And not making a decision puts you in the wrong place.

You must consider God’s penalty for sin and the end results. If you don’t choose God’s way, then you’re choosing hell. I once had it explained to me this way: There is a penalty for sin that is imposed by God on all mankind. We were born into it. This penalty was the direct result of Adam and Eve’s sinning in the Garden of Eden. When Adam sinned, sin entered the entire human race. Adam’s sin brought death, so death spread to everyone, for everyone sinned (Rom. 5:12).

I’ll bet you didn’t think this had anything to do with you. It does! It directly affects us all. No one escapes this truth. That’s why we were given this instruction manual—the Bible; it is meant to guide us back to Him. Anyway, the penalty must be paid in full, or we will die in our sin and will spend eternity in hell. That becomes very clear in Romans 5:15–17.

Since mankind couldn’t pay the penalty for sin, Jesus came into the world to pay the penalty for us. This option dealt with our sin once and for all. But God showed his great love for us by sending Christ to die for us while we were still sinners (Rom. 5:8).

Most of us believe that when someone cleans up their act, then they become ready to go to God. You might be telling yourself, Maybe that can wait until later in life. I can do what I want to do now. My pastor says it this way: You don’t get good to get God. You get God to get good.

It is our responsibility to choose where we will spend eternity. The penalty will either be paid in full or it won’t. The consequences will happen when we die. Think of it this way: If you were standing before a judge with a charge brought against you and the law required you to pay the consequences stipulated for that crime, what would you do?

The Bible tells us there is no question of guilt. It tells us we all became guilty when we were born into the world. We must all deal with this fact. We didn’t make the laws, but we are still responsible and must adhere to them or be found guilty.

As I said, God’s law stipulates that the penalty for sin is death; that’s made very clear. I must die to pay for my sins, right? Well, there is the other option, but it must occur before I die. "What makes us think that we can escape if we are indifferent to this great salvation that was announced by the Lord Jesus himself?" (Heb. 2:3).

This alternate way provides a means to meet God’s requirement. This alternate way satisfies the penalty without us being put to a physical or eternal death. Remember, once we physically die, we cross over into eternity, and it’s too late. The Bible tells us that there are only two places that will exist in eternity: heaven and hell. Death takes us out of time and puts us in eternity. If we enter eternity without resolving the sin-penalty issue, we will end up in hell. These are our only two options!

The logical choice is to accept what Jesus Christ accomplished when He died on the cross.