John 2:13-17
Zeal for God’s House
And the Passover of the Jews was at hand, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated. And He made a scourge of cords, and drove them all out of the temple, with the sheep and the oxen; and He poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables; and to those who were selling the doves He said, “Take these things away, stop making My Father’s house a house of merchandise.” His disciples remembered that it was written, “zeal for Thy house will consume Me.”
Oh that zeal for God’s house would consume us! Jesus drives the carnal heart from the temple of God. The greed, the lying, the focus on things of this world, these are present in our churches today and we have grown up in a society that pursues these things and calls them important and vital to life! Christian or not we all pursue these things for our pleasure and security. Oh Lord, help us to seek for Your cleansing of our lives from the love and dependency upon these things! Let zeal for Thy house consume us! Make us into men and women after Your own image so that the love for this world is not in us. Why should we cling to Your creation rather than to You?
This is my prayer – that we would forsake the love of this world to make room for complete devotion to our God! Our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ is our King – let us exalt Him with our whole heart and proclaim Him to everyone around us! Only He can save us from passing away with this earth. Only He can comfort us when we are hurt. Only He can give us good council when we don’t know what to do in our struggles with the challenges we face everyday. Shall we trade Him for the passing pleasures of this life that only leave us empty and bitter at all those who cross us and cheat us and hurt us with their back-biting words? Jesus speaks with tenderness and love and heals our broken hearts and binds up our wounds. Shall we not turn to Him and cling to Him and love Him with every part of our lives?
Jesus will never betray you! He may not always answer you in the way that you think He will, but His loving-kindness is in His answer. He pulls the stumbling blocks from our lives and removes our love for this world that holds us in bondage to sin and He gives us Himself in exchange. He is Life! The very Fountain of Life and He will fill every part of your life that is open to Him. When the various loves we have are removed He personally fills them with Himself.
So I urge each of you – Let go of the love for this world and allow yourself to be filled with Him. Sit at His feet today and tell Him that you love Him. Make room for Him! Turn off your TV and go to Him. Stop your hectic pace for a moment and reach out to Him. He is waiting. If you make time for Him you will never be the same. He Himself says, “You have not because you ask not.” Ask for Him and He will join you, and help you with all of your fears and problems that continually come upon you all day long.
May God bless each of you and may He fill you with the refreshing power of His Holy Spirit.
god is good all the time god bless everyone. Denise age 35
ReplyDeleteNew Testament Given.
DeleteI don't know the Lord but I have heard of Him. I know He is real. The reason I know is because I feel Him every day. Eric Jamaica
ReplyDeleteDear Seth,
ReplyDeleteThank GOD for HIS WORD. I love GOD's Word. Every time I recall my early experiences at Church It makes me happy. Those years were an interesting time in my life. As children, my sisters, cousins and I went to Church almost every Sunday. I can't say for the others but I always looked forward to going to Church. During the week days I had to practice my "memory verse" to say in Sunday School and I always did well remembering the verses :)
Even though I was younger (6-13yrs old) I knew there was something different about going to Church. There was just this presence. I could feel this.
Now I am older, I am baptized in water. I gave my life to the LORD. I realize this is a continuous walk with JESUS. the HOLY SPIRIT being my guide. I have been in a "wilderness" of lately. I have been talking to GOD about this. I know what it is to connect to the HOLY SPIRIT. It's awesome!! Of lately, when I go to the House of GOD I have not been feeling this spiritual peace and connection. the HOLY SPIRIT came to us to guide us into the things of GOD. As Christians, Stewards with CHRIST I feel that in the Body of Christ when something is not right, the HOLY SPIRIT will identify this matter.......
I do recall the event of the "money changers". JESUS was not happy when people were using the Temple as a marketing place. We are held responsible when we become engage in other activities; and lose our focus on our ETERNAL FATHER. Our GOD wants our focus and attention. In the CHURCH we should come together to give him this HONOR.
Thanks for so much encouragement through your BIBLE studies. GOD's Blessings to you my Brother.
Sophia, CT
Hi Sophia. I feel sad about you not feeling peace in the church your attending .It shouldn't be like that. Many times I have shed tears in my church to my God, surrounded by "strangers". I hide them well behind my glasses. I feel neglected amongst them. Thus, I do have an understanding of how you may feel.
DeleteGod Bless,
Claudette
Dear Claudette,
DeleteThanks very much for your understanding. There are so many external things that the human flesh must put off so we have a stronger connection to GOD.
The Church is the family of GOD. But like real life families it is one unit consisting of different individuals. when one member is affected, the others also become affected.
But there is Prayer and Fasting which are two key elements which are effective to fix the situations.It does need everyone to be on one accord. it is important to keep the House of GOD clean of other distractions (like the Tabernacle) Because this is where we meet GOD and worship him in togetherness with the HOLY SPIRIT
through CHRIST JESUS.
I have faith in the LORD that things will become better and I think it needs effectual prayer and fasting.
Sophia, CT
Hi Sophia. I never did fasting before...I dont think I can because of physical reasons. I get very dizzy if I don't eat. But Jesus does talk about fasting in situations.
DeleteI am waiting upon the Lord to see what He does about your situation.
I asked a man from China, who spoke very little english, to read Seth's message in chineese. I know Jesus wants this. I get it to chineese and the man starts reading, then he goes to skimming it. I realized now this message on Jesus is not agreeing with him. He says he read this is about God at the same time he is raising his finger towards heaven. I asked him about what he thought of the God he read about but he said his god is budah. He then left my table (at D&D) and looked like he was telling his chineese friend about what he was reading. Pray a seed was planted in him.
ReplyDeleteClaudette FL
I like the fact that all you have to do is ask for Jesus and he will help you...The fact that he came down and died for are sins alone should make you have love for him..we cant live in thisworld without the help of our lord and Savior Jesus Christ.
ReplyDeletelil June.. Ft.Myers 26
New Testament accepted
Seth. How very inspiring are your words about Jesus. We all definitely need to cling to Him in our daily lives. We need not to have Him in a distance and not to have our wordly possessions more closer to us then Him.
ReplyDeleteP.S. I like the way you use the word, "cling" to Jesus. Perfect word for how close we should have Jesus in our lives.
And Amen to your prayer. " Oh Lord, help us to seek for Your cleansing of our lives from the love and dependency upon these things! Let zeal for Thy house consume us! Make us into men and women after Your own image so that the love for this world is not in us." Claudette FL
I love the Lord and I will continualing being his vessel.
ReplyDeleteShrimp 49 fort myers
God is love and our only savior.
ReplyDeleteAlex 23
what i got from the paragraph was..to not lean to your own understanding an be blinded by worldly thing like cars,women,jewlery ectary.put your trust in god.
ReplyDeletekyrus 22 ft.myers,fl
Thank God for his grace and mercy. Im grateful for the reminder to keep my eyes focused on him and not the sins of the world.
ReplyDeleteCruising the Keys, Saraque, 32