How can we prepare our hearts as a dwelling place for God's glory? Opening the Gate to Glory “and the glory of the LORD entered the temple through the gate facing east.” (Ezekiel 43:4) • In Ezekiel’s vision, God’s glory returns when the gate is open and consecrated. • Our hearts become His dwelling when we “open the gate” by responding in faith and surrender (Revelation 3:20). Clear the Clutter: Repentance and Confession • Sin blocks the entrance; repentance swings the doors wide (Isaiah 59:2). • “If we confess our sins, He is faithful and just to forgive us our sins and to cleanse us from all unrighteousness.” (1 John 1:9) • Ask the Spirit to search and reveal hidden idols, just as Ezekiel exposed idols in the temple courts (Ezekiel 8:5-6; Psalm 139:23-24). Consecrate the Space: Holy Living • “Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit…? Therefore glorify God in your body.” (1 Corinthians 6:19-20) • Daily choices—speech, media, relationships—either honor or hinder His glory. • “Be holy in all you do.” (1 Peter 1:15-16) • Set tangible boundaries that keep the heart clean: scheduled fasts, accountable friendships, guarded eyes (Job 31:1). Invite the Presence: Worship and Word • “Yet You are holy, enthroned on the praises of Israel.” (Psalm 22:3) • Praise draws His manifest glory; murmuring quenches it (1 Thessalonians 5:19). • Let “the word of Christ dwell in you richly” (Colossians 3:16) by: – Regular, aloud reading of Scripture (Romans 10:17). – Memorizing and meditating (Joshua 1:8). – Singing psalms, hymns, and spiritual songs. Maintain the Gate: Ongoing Obedience • “If anyone loves Me, he will keep My word, and My Father will love him, and We will come to him and make Our home with him.” (John 14:23) • Guard the gate daily: quick obedience when prompted, immediate repentance when stumbling. • Practice doers-not-hearers faith (James 1:22-25). • Keep a gratitude journal to remember God’s deeds (Psalm 103:2). Anticipate the Glory: Hope and Expectation • Live expectantly: “For the earth will be filled with the knowledge of the glory of the LORD as the waters cover the sea.” (Habakkuk 2:14) • The same glory Ezekiel saw now shines “in our hearts to give the light of the knowledge of God’s glory in the face of Jesus Christ.” (2 Corinthians 4:6) • Look ahead to the day when no temple is needed, “because the Lord God Almighty and the Lamb are its temple.” (Revelation 21:22-23) Putting It All Together 1. Open the gate with wholehearted surrender. 2. Clear the clutter through honest repentance. 3. Consecrate the space by pursuing holiness. 4. Invite His presence with worship and Word. 5. Maintain the gate through steadfast obedience. 6. Anticipate the fullness of glory yet to come. When these rhythms mark our lives, the King of Glory finds in us a fitting sanctuary, and His presence transforms everything it touches. |
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