PRAYER: Good morning LORD, today the words of Your anointed priest Samuel to Israel, from the Old Testament, come to mind. "Do not be afraid. You have done all this evil; yet do not turn away from the LORD, but serve the LORD with all your heart... For the sake of his great name the LORD will not reject his people, because the LORD was please to make you his own" (1 Samuel 12:20,22). Oh how these words encourage me. Sometime we allow ourselves to grow so distant from You because we place You on a human level. Thinking we find our worth by the things that we do, so when we sin-You can't love us anymore. But the awesome truth is, we're not worthy, but You love us anyway. LORD, help me to continue to serve You with all of my heart, no matter the mistakes I have made in my past. You were pleased to make me Your own, I am Your child. A child of God. Let me recognize how special and truly amazing this really is. And let me honor this wonderful place in Your Kingdom. LORD, I pray that You enlighten our eyes of understanding and that we use Your wisdom for good in our lives. That we don't keep it to ourselves, but that we live it so that Your Glory fills every place we go. Let doing the opposite of what this world has accepted, be the norm in our lives. To bring healing and life to others with our words. To always desire more of You. To grieve over whatever brings You sorrow instead of ignoring it. To be meek. To hunger and thirst for righteousness. To be merciful and pure in heart. To make peace with all of those around us and encourage peace between others. To stand strong when we're persecuted for righteousness, for the Kingdom of Heaven is ours. Thank You LORD. In Jesus name, Amen.
MATTHEW 21:12-17
THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY:
12 Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of those money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 13 "It is written," he said to them, " 'My house will be called a house of prayer,' but you are making it a 'den of robbers.' "
14 The blind and the lame came to him at the temple, and he healed them. 15 But when the chief priest and the teachers of the law saw the wonderful things he did and the children shouting in the temple area, "Hosanna to the Son of David," they were indignant.
16 "Do you hear what these children are saying?" they asked him. "Yes," replied Jesus, " have you never read, 'From the lips of children and infants you have ordained praise'?" 17 And he left them and went out of the city to Bethany, where he spent the night.
When we get to the book of John, we will see that this is the second time Jesus cleared the Temple. Merchants and money changers set up their booths in the Court of the Gentiles in the Temple, crowding out the Gentiles who had come from all over the civilized world to worship God. The merchants sold sacrificial animals at high prices, taking advantage of those who had come long distances. The money changers exchanged all international currency for the special Temple coins-the only money the merchants would accept. They often deceived foreigners who didn't know the exchange rates. They basically purposed to take advantage of God's people for their own selfish and sinful gain. Their commercialism in God's house frustrated people's attempt at worship. This, of course, greatly angered Jesus. And what angers Jesus, should anger you. Any practice that interferes with worshiping God should be stopped.
WHAT IS INTERFERING WITH YOUR WORSHIP?
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