Jesus enters the temple only to find people selling animals which can be used in the temple as a sacrifice. People were focused on the selling and the profits more than they were focused on the worship. Jesus chased them out. How about us today? We have made our churches and places of worship too VERY comfortable …temperature just right…good lighting…soft seats… great sound and music… fresh coffee and pastries between services…etc. Those may be nice BUT let us not get distracted from our real need and our real purpose. We are there to worship the Lord and we do so with body, mind, and spirit. Stay focused on Him as He is always thinking about how much He loves YOU!
Please give this verse to close family and church friends by copying the blog or the link to email to them. Ask them to name their favorite thing about their church. If it is anything other than the worship, ask why that item seems so important to them. Listen carefully for the reply. Those ‘creature-comforts’ may help make worship more comfortable but let us not miss the point of our worship. Let us “praise God from whom ALL blessings flow.” And let us continue to do that until He comes again! Next, Take Time For God’s Word at 21:13 (9:13 pm) and as you attend worship, then recall this verse. As much as I promote the study of God’s Word and recalling those verses often through the day, worship is a key part of the Christian life. It is a time to gather with other believers. It is a time to rejoice. It is a time to give or to get comfort. It is a time of forgiveness. It is a time of renewal and of recharging for the week to come. Please take time to be with other believers in worship each week. After all, these will be friends forever… start to appreciate them even now!
We pray for global missions and the great work that is being done to share the Good News and to meet the needs of those in dire need. This would be organizations like World Vision (Federal Way, WA) and Bible distribution groups like Bible League International (Crete, IL) and the American Bible Society (Philadelphia, PA). I have greatly enjoyed supporting these organizations and seeing the impact they are having around the world. Many of my small gifts are matched by others which compounds their benefits. Check them out. Give where you can. Support those missions which are dear to your heart. Be that blessing. Pass it on through the efforts of those who reach God’s people far and wide!
