Jesus had made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. When He goes to temple the next day, He finds that many people are conducting business… buying and selling… within the temple itself. Jesus upsets the tables and chases the money changers out of the temple. It is a house of worship. The Pharisees had not kept the temple as a place of worship but rather a place of business. Have we done the same? We need to make sure that we keep our churches as places of worship, prayer, support, and help to those who need it. Be part of the church that focuses on the Good News and serving others.
Please route this verse to all your friends in the church or fellowship group that you attend. Ask if they ever get concerned about the ‘business of the church’ competing with the message of the church. Ask if they have ever mentioned it to others in the church. Let them know that you are not trying to be critical… just the opposite. We want to encourage every church to remain faithful in sharing the Good News to all who attend. That is what Jesus wanted… a place of worship to God. Then Take Time For God’s Word© throughout the day and as you see items for sale within the church or at 11:17 am or pm. Next, recall the message of this verse and the need to keep our places of worship sharing God’s Word. Set this verse number as an Alarm on your phone for 11:17am on Saturdays (it would not be good to ring on Sunday). The verse should be a reminder to prepare for worship. It should help us to ALWAYS seek to make our time of worship in praise to God. It should help us to keep our focus on Him!
We pray for all the organizations that provide for the homeless and for shelters for those homeless. We have continued to focus on Pacific Garden Missions (Chicago, IL) for their faithfulness in serving the homeless in Chicago… men, women, and children. They share from the heart the love of God for these people in their desperate time of need. Support them if you can. Help out those in your communities where you are able. Be that blessing throughout the new year. Pass it on to everyone who comes into churches and show them our thanks and praise to God!
