In reading the Word of God it is easy to pass right over treasures that are hidden in plain sight. I'm referring to two words in today's title scripture of 2 Corinthians 5:17; in Christ. I could read right past those and never know the depth of meaning contained in them. So today we are going to explore some of those treasures.
In Christ everything about us before Him is gone, the new has come, so quit looking in the rear view mirror. Get on with your life in Christ.
We can be proud of our work for God once we realize that Christ within us is the one who is accomplishing His work through us! We are just the vessel.
Christ has anointed us, put His seal on us and given to us His Spirit in our hearts as a guarantee of our eternal life with Christ!
We have true freedom in Christ.
We are justified before God by our faith in Christ Jesus.
In Christ we have every, yes, every spiritual blessing!
We are adopted into the family of God through Christ.
In Christ we are redeemed through His blood, He poured out beyond measure His grace when He revealed to us the mystery of His will for us, that is found in and through Christ.
In Christ we have an inheritance waiting for us that is so wonderful, God said we could never ever imagine or even think of what that means! What we do know is that everything God does is good and everything He gives is over the top, lavish!!
The same power that was worked in Christ when He was raised from the dead is the immeasurable greatness of His power toward us, His adopted children. Let that get a hold of you!
We were created in Christ Jesus, we are the work of His hands, and He has prepared for each one of us good works! Wow! He even planned our work that He would enable us to do before we ever drew our first breath. In Him we live and move and have our being.
In Christ we were brought near by His blood, He is our peace, and through Him we have access to the Father. Peace with God!
2 Corinthians 5:17, Romans 15:17-18, 2 Corinthians 1:21-22, Galatians 2:4,16, Ephesians 1:3,5,7-8,14,19-20, Ephesians 2:10,13-14,18.
May we never skip over "in Him" casually again. Aren't you thrilled to be in Christ?
Wednesday, November 16, 2011
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
"When you bear (produce) much fruit, My Father is honored and glorified, and you show and prove yourselves to be true followers of Mine." John 15:8 Amplified
Pleasanton California in the Bay area has one of the best Farmer's markets that I have ever been to. The sights, the sounds, the people, the farmer's, all combine to make it a wonderful experience; yet the draw is always the produce, the fruit, that is what attracts the people to turn out every Saturday!
Jesus says that when we abide or stay in constant connection with Him we will bear much fruit, we can't bear it on our own. Does our fruit draw others?
The Holy Spirit within each born again believer produces nine categories of fruit; Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Now I ask you, who wouldn't be drawn to this fruit if it was evident in us as believers?
LOVE a word in the English language that doesn't begin to explain the depth of meaning, but we are given insight into the meaning in 1 Corinthians 13. In part, this love embodies; kindness, no envying, no jealousy, isn't boastful, or conceited, not touchy, pays no attention when it is wronged by another, never keeps track of wrongs done to them.....
JOY not the happiness of the world that depends on circumstances. This is a deep down fullness of joy that is constant no matter what the circumstances are in your life! It completely transcends any worldly happiness, this joy never goes away.
PEACE a gift from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. The counterfeits of the world offer peace but they never, ever deliver. The peace of God is what keeps and guards our hearts and minds in the midst of a world that is rapidly spinning out of control.
PATIENCE this word in today's world of instant gratification seems ludicrous! Yet those who wait upon the Lord learn the value of patience.
KINDNESS when was the last time you even used that word in a sentence? Remember the "random acts of kindness"? The fact that we had it proves how far away we have moved from kindness to one another that we have to create a movement to do it!
GOODNESS if you asked a five year old today would they even know the definition of that word? Ask one today, no, not your own, their answer might just shock you.
FAITHFULNESS another word that you don't hear very much in 2011. What about loyalty, are you loyal to the Lord? Are you loyal in good times and in bad times to anyone? We badly need loyal, faithful people today.
GENTLENESS almost laughable in today's society that feels you must push ahead or be run over! Several years ago there was a term for this mentality, life was called a Rat Race. The truth is the rats never win, it just appears that way.
SELF-CONTROL go to any book store, or on line and you will find thousands of self-help books and people spend millions of dollars for these every year. Groups are even formed to control out of control people with issues too numerous to name. Yet there is a Book, the greatest seller of all time and it embodies truth and when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. We can't set ourselves free but Jesus does!
Jesus says that when we abide or stay in constant connection with Him we will bear much fruit, we can't bear it on our own. Does our fruit draw others?
The Holy Spirit within each born again believer produces nine categories of fruit; Love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control.
Now I ask you, who wouldn't be drawn to this fruit if it was evident in us as believers?
LOVE a word in the English language that doesn't begin to explain the depth of meaning, but we are given insight into the meaning in 1 Corinthians 13. In part, this love embodies; kindness, no envying, no jealousy, isn't boastful, or conceited, not touchy, pays no attention when it is wronged by another, never keeps track of wrongs done to them.....
JOY not the happiness of the world that depends on circumstances. This is a deep down fullness of joy that is constant no matter what the circumstances are in your life! It completely transcends any worldly happiness, this joy never goes away.
PEACE a gift from the Prince of Peace, Jesus Christ. The counterfeits of the world offer peace but they never, ever deliver. The peace of God is what keeps and guards our hearts and minds in the midst of a world that is rapidly spinning out of control.
PATIENCE this word in today's world of instant gratification seems ludicrous! Yet those who wait upon the Lord learn the value of patience.
KINDNESS when was the last time you even used that word in a sentence? Remember the "random acts of kindness"? The fact that we had it proves how far away we have moved from kindness to one another that we have to create a movement to do it!
GOODNESS if you asked a five year old today would they even know the definition of that word? Ask one today, no, not your own, their answer might just shock you.
FAITHFULNESS another word that you don't hear very much in 2011. What about loyalty, are you loyal to the Lord? Are you loyal in good times and in bad times to anyone? We badly need loyal, faithful people today.
GENTLENESS almost laughable in today's society that feels you must push ahead or be run over! Several years ago there was a term for this mentality, life was called a Rat Race. The truth is the rats never win, it just appears that way.
SELF-CONTROL go to any book store, or on line and you will find thousands of self-help books and people spend millions of dollars for these every year. Groups are even formed to control out of control people with issues too numerous to name. Yet there is a Book, the greatest seller of all time and it embodies truth and when you know the truth, the truth will set you free. We can't set ourselves free but Jesus does!
Monday, November 14, 2011
"Walk in a manner worthy of the Lord, fully pleasing to Him." Colossians 1:10 ESV
The other day in a conversation with a young woman, I shared with her the above verse from Colossians. She replied what is fully pleasing to Him? Great question! And it got me to thinking, what has God revealed to us as the things that are pleasing to Him?
It pleases God when we:
CALL TO HIM Jeremiah 33:3 Don't call out to the world for help, it only disappoints
In prayer, in thanksgiving, in worship, in song, in intercession for others.
COME TO HIM Matthew 11:28-29 Don't seek answers from the world, they don't have them
With our burdens, to rest in Him, to learn from Him.
FOLLOW ME John 12:26 Don't follow the ways of the world, you will get lost
We don't lead, a disciple follows the leading of the Lord.
OBEY ME John 14:15,21 Don't listen to the world, it is opposed to the ways of God
Jesus defines loving Him, as obeying Him, love Me, mind Me!
ABIDE IN ME John 15:5 Don't try to bear fruit on your own, it can't be done
Jesus says that when we abide in Him we bear much fruit and that brings glory to the Father.
FEED ME Matthew 25:35 We are to feed the hungry, the least of these in our family
Jesus says when we do it for the least of these, we have done it to Him.
CLOTHE ME Matthew 25:36a We are to clothe the naked
Jesus so identifies with His body of believers that, doing something for them is doing it
for Him.
VISIT ME Matthew 25:36b We are to visit the sick and those in prison
Jesus heart goes out to the sick and suffering, and also to those who have sinned, don't you love that! Since we are all sinners saved by grace our compassion should always be towards other sinners.
Today Lord may we all walk in a manner that is worthy of You, that pleases Christ in every respect and brings glory to You.
It pleases God when we:
CALL TO HIM Jeremiah 33:3 Don't call out to the world for help, it only disappoints
In prayer, in thanksgiving, in worship, in song, in intercession for others.
COME TO HIM Matthew 11:28-29 Don't seek answers from the world, they don't have them
With our burdens, to rest in Him, to learn from Him.
FOLLOW ME John 12:26 Don't follow the ways of the world, you will get lost
We don't lead, a disciple follows the leading of the Lord.
OBEY ME John 14:15,21 Don't listen to the world, it is opposed to the ways of God
Jesus defines loving Him, as obeying Him, love Me, mind Me!
ABIDE IN ME John 15:5 Don't try to bear fruit on your own, it can't be done
Jesus says that when we abide in Him we bear much fruit and that brings glory to the Father.
FEED ME Matthew 25:35 We are to feed the hungry, the least of these in our family
Jesus says when we do it for the least of these, we have done it to Him.
CLOTHE ME Matthew 25:36a We are to clothe the naked
Jesus so identifies with His body of believers that, doing something for them is doing it
for Him.
VISIT ME Matthew 25:36b We are to visit the sick and those in prison
Jesus heart goes out to the sick and suffering, and also to those who have sinned, don't you love that! Since we are all sinners saved by grace our compassion should always be towards other sinners.
Today Lord may we all walk in a manner that is worthy of You, that pleases Christ in every respect and brings glory to You.
Saturday, November 12, 2011
"Let everything that has breath, Praise the LORD. Praise the LORD!" Psalm 150:6 NASB
Every so often it just seems the right thing to do is just to pause and praise the Lord. Thank Him for everything in our lives.
Thank You LORD for the seasons of the year that You ordained. Thank you especially for fall, for crisp, cool air, the smell of wood burning in fireplaces, and the brilliant color of the leaves, what a landscape You painted this year, Thank You Lord.
Thank You LORD for not giving us what we deserve, thank You that You never leave us alone, You are always with us in good times and in bad times. Thank You Lord for never, ever giving up on us!
Thank You LORD for loving us even when we are unlovable. Thank You LORD that You are always there to pick us up when we fall. You always know when we badly need a hug and You see to it that we get one. You listen when we hurt so bad that we can't speak, all we can do is cry.
You are always encouraging us, never condemning us. You cheer us on in our trials and comfort our hearts when we are sad. Your all sufficient grace toward us is all we ever need no matter what we face. Thank You LORD for hearing our prayers and always answering even when we don't like the answer we know down deep you always give us the best, what is good. Thank You LORD for loving us enough to say no.
Thank You LORD for today, all of Your grace is available to us today. Thank You LORD for giving me today; may I make the very most of it and do that which is pleasing in Your sight.
Thank You LORD for the seasons of the year that You ordained. Thank you especially for fall, for crisp, cool air, the smell of wood burning in fireplaces, and the brilliant color of the leaves, what a landscape You painted this year, Thank You Lord.
Thank You LORD for not giving us what we deserve, thank You that You never leave us alone, You are always with us in good times and in bad times. Thank You Lord for never, ever giving up on us!
Thank You LORD for loving us even when we are unlovable. Thank You LORD that You are always there to pick us up when we fall. You always know when we badly need a hug and You see to it that we get one. You listen when we hurt so bad that we can't speak, all we can do is cry.
You are always encouraging us, never condemning us. You cheer us on in our trials and comfort our hearts when we are sad. Your all sufficient grace toward us is all we ever need no matter what we face. Thank You LORD for hearing our prayers and always answering even when we don't like the answer we know down deep you always give us the best, what is good. Thank You LORD for loving us enough to say no.
Thank You LORD for today, all of Your grace is available to us today. Thank You LORD for giving me today; may I make the very most of it and do that which is pleasing in Your sight.
Friday, November 11, 2011
"When Jesus saw him lying there, and knew that he had alredy been a long time in that condition, He said to him, Do you wish to get well?" John 5:6 NASB
At first glance we might read this account in the gospel of John and ask ourselves, Why would Jesus ask such a strange question? But now read the man's reply to Jesus in John 5:7; "The sick man answered Him, Sir, I have no man to put me into the pool when the water is stirred up, but while I am coming, another steps down before me." The man's reply is even stranger than Jesus question appeared to be. Instead of replying to the One who could heal him that he wanted to be healed, he gave excuses as to why it hadn't already happened! Jesus paid no attention to the man's response, "Jesus said to him, Get up, pick up your pallet and walk." John 5:8. And he did, fully healed!
Over the years doctors are discovering what Jesus knew all along, some disease is brought on in our physical bodies by emotional problems that have never been dealt with. For instance there are definite correlations between; unforgiveness, hatred, guilt, worry, jealousy, and fear to dis--ease in our minds and bodies. Sadly we sometimes cling to the very things that are making us sick because we feel powerless over them. If you don't believe that consider the cases of cirrhosis of the liver, bleeding ulcers, stress headaches, addictions that can lead to all kinds of related physical illnesses etc.
Our Lord Jesus is the only One that knows what lies within us, the things that are hidden from us. And He is the only One who can remove them from our lives, sins that we have lived with for so long that we have grown attached to them without even realizing it. Or they are sins that we are powerless over, and we are prisoners inside our own bodies.
There is hope, there is help for each one of us and His name is Jesus Christ! Read this prophecy from Isaiah concerning Jesus, Isaiah 61:1; "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon Me, for the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed."
The Lord Jesus is all about setting us free, free from sin, free from bondage to anything or anyone, free from lies, free to love Him and worship Him and to experience the Abundant Life that He promises. "...I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10.
We may not be paralyzed, we may not be in prison, but we all have need of Jesus, unless of course you are already living the abundant life as defined by Christ by putting your faith, trust and hope in Him. Maybe you are a believer but you know you aren't living abundantly, then do business with God today. Go to Him today in prayer, enter into His throne of grace and find help in your time of need. He will hear your voice.
If you aren't satisfied with your life surrender it to Christ, ask Him to take over your life and please don't put it off, do it today. Today may be all we have, we are never promised a tomorrow. "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Hebrews 4:7.
Over the years doctors are discovering what Jesus knew all along, some disease is brought on in our physical bodies by emotional problems that have never been dealt with. For instance there are definite correlations between; unforgiveness, hatred, guilt, worry, jealousy, and fear to dis--ease in our minds and bodies. Sadly we sometimes cling to the very things that are making us sick because we feel powerless over them. If you don't believe that consider the cases of cirrhosis of the liver, bleeding ulcers, stress headaches, addictions that can lead to all kinds of related physical illnesses etc.
Our Lord Jesus is the only One that knows what lies within us, the things that are hidden from us. And He is the only One who can remove them from our lives, sins that we have lived with for so long that we have grown attached to them without even realizing it. Or they are sins that we are powerless over, and we are prisoners inside our own bodies.
There is hope, there is help for each one of us and His name is Jesus Christ! Read this prophecy from Isaiah concerning Jesus, Isaiah 61:1; "The Spirit of the Sovereign LORD is upon Me, for the LORD has anointed Me to bring good news to the poor. He has sent Me to comfort the brokenhearted and to proclaim that captives will be released and prisoners will be freed."
The Lord Jesus is all about setting us free, free from sin, free from bondage to anything or anyone, free from lies, free to love Him and worship Him and to experience the Abundant Life that He promises. "...I came that they may have life, and have it abundantly." John 10:10.
We may not be paralyzed, we may not be in prison, but we all have need of Jesus, unless of course you are already living the abundant life as defined by Christ by putting your faith, trust and hope in Him. Maybe you are a believer but you know you aren't living abundantly, then do business with God today. Go to Him today in prayer, enter into His throne of grace and find help in your time of need. He will hear your voice.
If you aren't satisfied with your life surrender it to Christ, ask Him to take over your life and please don't put it off, do it today. Today may be all we have, we are never promised a tomorrow. "Today if you hear His voice, do not harden your hearts." Hebrews 4:7.
Thursday, November 10, 2011
"And Jesus said to him, If You can? All things are possible to him who believes." Mark 9:23 NASB
The above scripture in Mark was Jesus' response to a man who said to Jesus, "Teacher, I brought You my son, possessed with a spirit which makes him mute." "And He asked his father, How long has this been happening to him? And he said, From childhood. It has often thrown him both into the fire and into the water to destroy him. But if You can do anything, take pity on us and help us." (Mark 9:17,21-22). Then in Mark 9:25, "When Jesus saw that a crowd was gathering, He rebuked the unclean spirit, saying to it, You deaf and mute spirit, I command you come out of him and do not enter him again."
Everywhere Jesus went He performed miracles but when He returned to His home town of Nazareth, Scripture says in Matthew 13:58; "And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."
Jesus Christ is the same today as He was over 2000 years ago when He lived and walked on the face of this earth and the only thing that ever prevented Him from meeting the needs of the multitudes was their lack of faith. It never was and never will be His inability to perform miracles. Hebrews 11:6; "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."
When we come to Him in prayer, with faith, it pleases Him and honors Him and He hears every prayer of those who seek Him. Psalm 34:15, 17-19; "The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all." Wow! Do we ever need to hear those words in the world we are living in today. What encouraging words!!
What is it that you need from the Lord? What is preventing you from seeking Him regarding that need? Perhaps you like the father of the boy in Mark need to cry out to the Lord, "I do believe, help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24).
Does your faith need to grow? Time spent in the Word of God is the best source you will ever find for building your faith. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ." (Romans 10:17). Show me a person who spends time in God's Word daily, one who meditates on it, one who doesn't just hear it but one who does it and I will show you a person of faith!
We never test the resources of God until we request the impossible, impossible to man, never impossible to God! (Luke 18:27). Honor God with the enormity of your requests!! Don't project your limitations onto God, that is what causes us to doubt, when we bring God down to our level of understanding. How absurd, the created shrinking the Creator down to their level. If this describes what you are doing, then your idea of God is causing you enormous problems!
Read and behold your God, El Shaddai, the LORD God Almighty!!! Job chapter 38, read Isaiah 40:10-31, Isaiah 44:24-28, Isaiah 45:5-7, 12, 18-19, 21-24.
Always remember that faith coming from the heart and out of the mouth of one of God's children is always pleasing to Him. That knowledge alone should prompt everyone of us to seek Him, seek Him in His Word and our faith will soar and our lives will bring glory to God.
Everywhere Jesus went He performed miracles but when He returned to His home town of Nazareth, Scripture says in Matthew 13:58; "And He did not do many miracles there because of their unbelief."
Jesus Christ is the same today as He was over 2000 years ago when He lived and walked on the face of this earth and the only thing that ever prevented Him from meeting the needs of the multitudes was their lack of faith. It never was and never will be His inability to perform miracles. Hebrews 11:6; "And without faith it is impossible to please Him, for he who comes to God must believe that He is and that He is a rewarder of those who seek Him."
When we come to Him in prayer, with faith, it pleases Him and honors Him and He hears every prayer of those who seek Him. Psalm 34:15, 17-19; "The eyes of the LORD are toward the righteous and His ears are open to their cry. The righteous cry, and the LORD hears and delivers them out of all their troubles. The LORD is near to the brokenhearted and saves those who are crushed in spirit. Many are the afflictions of the righteous, But the LORD delivers him out of them all." Wow! Do we ever need to hear those words in the world we are living in today. What encouraging words!!
What is it that you need from the Lord? What is preventing you from seeking Him regarding that need? Perhaps you like the father of the boy in Mark need to cry out to the Lord, "I do believe, help my unbelief." (Mark 9:24).
Does your faith need to grow? Time spent in the Word of God is the best source you will ever find for building your faith. "So faith comes from hearing, and hearing by the Word of Christ." (Romans 10:17). Show me a person who spends time in God's Word daily, one who meditates on it, one who doesn't just hear it but one who does it and I will show you a person of faith!
We never test the resources of God until we request the impossible, impossible to man, never impossible to God! (Luke 18:27). Honor God with the enormity of your requests!! Don't project your limitations onto God, that is what causes us to doubt, when we bring God down to our level of understanding. How absurd, the created shrinking the Creator down to their level. If this describes what you are doing, then your idea of God is causing you enormous problems!
Read and behold your God, El Shaddai, the LORD God Almighty!!! Job chapter 38, read Isaiah 40:10-31, Isaiah 44:24-28, Isaiah 45:5-7, 12, 18-19, 21-24.
Always remember that faith coming from the heart and out of the mouth of one of God's children is always pleasing to Him. That knowledge alone should prompt everyone of us to seek Him, seek Him in His Word and our faith will soar and our lives will bring glory to God.
Wednesday, November 9, 2011
"Do you not know that your body is a temple of the Holy Spirit who is in you, whom you have from God, and that you are not your own?" 1 Corinthians 6:19 NASB
To set the scene for the allegory that I am writing we must first visit Jerusalem where Jesus is and read what happened and why when He entered the temple. John 2:14-17.
"And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 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 place of business. His disciples remembered that it was written, ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME." (The capitalized portion is a quote from the Old Testament, Psalm 69:9.)
Life application; Jesus was consumed with zeal, as He is, so also must I be. Supporting scriptures; Ezra 7:23 NASB; "Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal..." Romans 12:11 Amplified; "Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord."
Now to the allegory;
Jesus drove out the money changers, with zeal. They had no place in God's temple.
Lord show me the things in my body that have no place in Your temple, and I will be zealous in driving them out through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Most of this concerns those things we take in through our eyes and ears.
Jesus declared that His Father's house should be a house of prayer.
Lord God you have commanded us to pray with out ceasing, ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Through the power of Your Holy Spirit may my temple be a temple of prayer.
Jesus on many occasions went to the temple to teach and to read the Word. (Luke 4:17-22).
My temple must be filled with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit who is my Teacher will guide me into the truth of the Word. (John 14:26). If I view my body as various rooms, I desire to fill every square inch of space with the Holy Scriptures! Rooms full of Light, shining out to others and glorifying to God!
Jesus said that we are to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
My temple is a place where I sing and make music unto the Lord, a place where I worship my Creator, my Redeemer, My Savior and Lord. It is a place of thanksgiving and joy.
Jesus clears unclean spirits from the temple. (Mark 1:23-27).
A believer cannot be possessed by demons, yet we have lies from the devil that we believe in our heads, we have been desensitized by the world's view coming thru TV, internet, movies, etc. Father reveal to me the evil things within me that I am not even aware of that I may be set free. I want a clean temple. (Psalm 139:23-24) (Isaiah 61:1)
Jesus went to the temple to minister to His people.
The most precious thing about our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit is that Jesus communes and meets with us there, right where we are. Just think of that, allow that truth to sink into the very core of your being.
Jesus Christ meets with you in intense and intimate ways when you seek His face. "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD..." Jeremiah 29:12-14. Amen.
"And He found in the temple those who were selling oxen and sheep and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. 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 place of business. His disciples remembered that it was written, ZEAL FOR YOUR HOUSE WILL CONSUME ME." (The capitalized portion is a quote from the Old Testament, Psalm 69:9.)
Life application; Jesus was consumed with zeal, as He is, so also must I be. Supporting scriptures; Ezra 7:23 NASB; "Whatever is commanded by the God of heaven, let it be done with zeal..." Romans 12:11 Amplified; "Never lag in zeal and in earnest endeavor; be aglow and burning with the Spirit, serving the Lord."
Now to the allegory;
Jesus drove out the money changers, with zeal. They had no place in God's temple.
Lord show me the things in my body that have no place in Your temple, and I will be zealous in driving them out through the power of Your Holy Spirit. Most of this concerns those things we take in through our eyes and ears.
Jesus declared that His Father's house should be a house of prayer.
Lord God you have commanded us to pray with out ceasing, ( 1 Thessalonians 5:17). Through the power of Your Holy Spirit may my temple be a temple of prayer.
Jesus on many occasions went to the temple to teach and to read the Word. (Luke 4:17-22).
My temple must be filled with the Word of God and the Holy Spirit who is my Teacher will guide me into the truth of the Word. (John 14:26). If I view my body as various rooms, I desire to fill every square inch of space with the Holy Scriptures! Rooms full of Light, shining out to others and glorifying to God!
Jesus said that we are to worship the Father in spirit and in truth.
My temple is a place where I sing and make music unto the Lord, a place where I worship my Creator, my Redeemer, My Savior and Lord. It is a place of thanksgiving and joy.
Jesus clears unclean spirits from the temple. (Mark 1:23-27).
A believer cannot be possessed by demons, yet we have lies from the devil that we believe in our heads, we have been desensitized by the world's view coming thru TV, internet, movies, etc. Father reveal to me the evil things within me that I am not even aware of that I may be set free. I want a clean temple. (Psalm 139:23-24) (Isaiah 61:1)
Jesus went to the temple to minister to His people.
The most precious thing about our bodies being the temple of the Holy Spirit is that Jesus communes and meets with us there, right where we are. Just think of that, allow that truth to sink into the very core of your being.
Jesus Christ meets with you in intense and intimate ways when you seek His face. "Then you will call upon Me and come and pray to Me, and I will listen to you. You will seek Me and find Me when you search for Me with all your heart. I will be found by you, declares the LORD..." Jeremiah 29:12-14. Amen.
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