House of Worries or Prayers?
House of Worries or Prayers?
I found myself living out today’s lesson. I couldn’t sleep but worried about so many issues going on in my life and family. I was anxious and worried about publication of the book I am writing. I was worried about one of my children’s behavior issues in school. I was worried about one of our cars that just died and never to be resurrected. The worries went on and on. It was like I was on a roll on issue after issues - family, marriage, health, work, ministry and etc.
I had become a worrier instead of a warrior. My world became so clouded that it seemed to be crashing or coming to an end. I never even stopped to realize that I had so much to be thankful to God for; while the scenarios were playing in my head. I forgot that the car died right in the garage. Just as I drove in and stopped the car, the engine started smoking. I was not stranded on the road and our house didn’t burn down because of the engine eruption.
Like Jesus said, I was doing what I should not be doing. “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.” Matthew 21:13.
I am and we are the real temple of God. I had allowed God’s temple to be a den of thieves that are stealing my faith in Christ and my joy in Christ. I allowed thieves to steal the fruit that should come from me to bless and nourish others. I have become like the Jewish leaders who stood on the way opposing the spirit of Christ in me.
It’s very easy to read today’s Scriptures in Matthew 21:12-22, and quickly move on. My friend, we are no different than the people then unless we repent and have Jesus at his rightful place in our lives. I thank God now that He stopped me in my worrying tracks. I repented and started praying.
Did you notice we are doing the same corporately? Our churches have become a den of thieves and merchandising. There is not much praying among us. We have resorted to tactics and techniques. Preachers are making money and selling wares to the people. We have become like the fig tree with lots of green leaves but no fruits vs. 18-19. People in our community where our churches are located will not miss a thing if we closed our doors because we have never reached them. We huddle in the church building Sunday after Sunday without impacting lives with the gospel.
We have denied the power of God to change lives though we have the form of godliness. We can no longer say to “this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” We have lost faith in God and full of doubts about God.
Lord, we repent as a church. Forgive us of our lukewarm state and prayerlessness. Jesus is looking for faith and those who believe and trust in him; they will have life and forever. Christ will give them everlasting peace and joy. It does not mean there will not be issues but we are praying and trusting our Father regardless of the outcomes. Let's allow Jesus cleanse our temples and chase out everything that does not belong and that have become Thieves" in our lives.
For now I have peace and not worries. Let’s use our issues/problems as relationships ingredients to draw very close to our Abba Father who loves us beyond our comprehension.
Will you also allow your problems to be a platform to declare Jesus Christ crucified and risen to the world around you? Praying and declaring faith in Christ go together. Our neighbors and coworkers need the peace of God, Jesus Christ.
Lord, we pray for comfort for the families in the Florida high school shooting who have lost loved ones and or in hospitals. Please heal them in their anger and sorrows. In all of these may they seek and find you. Amen. Stop now and tell God what you are worried about.
Matthew 21:12-22, Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God[f] and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’[g] but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”[h]
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”[i]
17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
The Fig Tree Withered
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
I found myself living out today’s lesson. I couldn’t sleep but worried about so many issues going on in my life and family. I was anxious and worried about publication of the book I am writing. I was worried about one of my children’s behavior issues in school. I was worried about one of our cars that just died and never to be resurrected. The worries went on and on. It was like I was on a roll on issue after issues - family, marriage, health, work, ministry and etc.
I had become a worrier instead of a warrior. My world became so clouded that it seemed to be crashing or coming to an end. I never even stopped to realize that I had so much to be thankful to God for; while the scenarios were playing in my head. I forgot that the car died right in the garage. Just as I drove in and stopped the car, the engine started smoking. I was not stranded on the road and our house didn’t burn down because of the engine eruption.
Like Jesus said, I was doing what I should not be doing. “My house shall be called a house of prayer, but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.” Matthew 21:13.
I am and we are the real temple of God. I had allowed God’s temple to be a den of thieves that are stealing my faith in Christ and my joy in Christ. I allowed thieves to steal the fruit that should come from me to bless and nourish others. I have become like the Jewish leaders who stood on the way opposing the spirit of Christ in me.
It’s very easy to read today’s Scriptures in Matthew 21:12-22, and quickly move on. My friend, we are no different than the people then unless we repent and have Jesus at his rightful place in our lives. I thank God now that He stopped me in my worrying tracks. I repented and started praying.
Did you notice we are doing the same corporately? Our churches have become a den of thieves and merchandising. There is not much praying among us. We have resorted to tactics and techniques. Preachers are making money and selling wares to the people. We have become like the fig tree with lots of green leaves but no fruits vs. 18-19. People in our community where our churches are located will not miss a thing if we closed our doors because we have never reached them. We huddle in the church building Sunday after Sunday without impacting lives with the gospel.
We have denied the power of God to change lives though we have the form of godliness. We can no longer say to “this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.” We have lost faith in God and full of doubts about God.
Lord, we repent as a church. Forgive us of our lukewarm state and prayerlessness. Jesus is looking for faith and those who believe and trust in him; they will have life and forever. Christ will give them everlasting peace and joy. It does not mean there will not be issues but we are praying and trusting our Father regardless of the outcomes. Let's allow Jesus cleanse our temples and chase out everything that does not belong and that have become Thieves" in our lives.
For now I have peace and not worries. Let’s use our issues/problems as relationships ingredients to draw very close to our Abba Father who loves us beyond our comprehension.
Will you also allow your problems to be a platform to declare Jesus Christ crucified and risen to the world around you? Praying and declaring faith in Christ go together. Our neighbors and coworkers need the peace of God, Jesus Christ.
Lord, we pray for comfort for the families in the Florida high school shooting who have lost loved ones and or in hospitals. Please heal them in their anger and sorrows. In all of these may they seek and find you. Amen. Stop now and tell God what you are worried about.
Matthew 21:12-22, Jesus Cleanses the Temple
12 Then Jesus went into the temple of God[f] and drove out all those who bought and sold in the temple, and overturned the tables of the money changers and the seats of those who sold doves. 13 And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’[g] but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”[h]
14 Then the blind and the lame came to Him in the temple, and He healed them. 15 But when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying out in the temple and saying, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” they were indignant 16 and said to Him, “Do You hear what these are saying?”
And Jesus said to them, “Yes. Have you never read, ‘Out of the mouth of babes and nursing infants You have perfected praise’?”[i]
17 Then He left them and went out of the city to Bethany, and He lodged there.
The Fig Tree Withered
18 Now in the morning, as He returned to the city, He was hungry. 19 And seeing a fig tree by the road, He came to it and found nothing on it but leaves, and said to it, “Let no fruit grow on you ever again.” Immediately the fig tree withered away.
The Lesson of the Withered Fig Tree
20 And when the disciples saw it, they marveled, saying, “How did the fig tree wither away so soon?”
21 So Jesus answered and said to them, “Assuredly, I say to you, if you have faith and do not doubt, you will not only do what was done to the fig tree, but also if you say to this mountain, ‘Be removed and be cast into the sea,’ it will be done. 22 And whatever things you ask in prayer, believing, you will receive.”
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