Sunday, March 18, 2018

House of Prayer



Isaiah 56:7 “Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, and make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.”

This last week, Pastor Kyle continued in our “Passion” sermon series. He stated how time seems to fly by so quickly. Some past event may feel fairly new, happening not so long ago, but on looking closer at the details, we realize that they happened a long time ago. We all know that there are no guarantees in life and sometimes we come to a “fork in the road” in our life. Yogi Berra said, “When you come to a fork in the road, take it. It is important for us, when confronted with whether to obey God or obey man, that we, by faith, choose a legacy of prayer, obedience, worship and praise of God alone.

Matthew 21:12-13 Then Jesus went into the temple of God 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.  And He said to them, “It is written, ‘My house shall be called a house of prayer,’ but you have made it a ‘den of thieves.’”

Jesus came to a fork in the road when He, in righteous encountered indignation, confronted the Jerusalem temple money-changer for commercializing religion, creating a loud and distracting business focus in a place of worship instead of bridges to God. Also, unfair business practices, with inequitable exchange rates of foreign currency to temple currency and sale of blemished sacrificial offerings turned the Courtyard for prayer in a den of thieves.

John 2:13-16 The Passover of the Jews was near, and Jesus went up to Jerusalem. In the temple he found people selling cattle, sheep, and doves, and the money changers seated at their tables. Making a whip of cords, he drove all of them out of the temple, both the sheep and the cattle. He also poured out the coins of the money changers and overturned their tables. He told those who were selling the doves, “Take these things out of here! Stop making my Father’s house a marketplace!” Note that Jesus refers to the Temple as "my Father's house", thus, making a claim to being the Son of God.

Pastor Kyle gave four keys to keeping the “right” kind of passion in our faith. (1) In godly love,always keep an evangelistic mindset in your Christianity. The need of the people is worship and the church needs to be healthy, both inside and out. We must always cleanse out sin and maintain an inviting God-centered worship environment in the House of Prayer that makes room for those who so not know the Lord yet. (2) Make space for Prayer. We need to clear out the things in our life, personally, that are keeping us from the things of God. The sacrifice, the tithing of our money, back to God for the work of the church in growing and maturing disciples and making new disciples of Christ can be a stumbling block for those who do not clear that space requirement. (3) Serve those who are struggling. Serve to change lives. Miracles happen outside of our comfort zone. Step out and broaden your horizons in serving others. (4) if something leads children to praise God, it should lead you and I to praise God also. When you see God working in lives, praise and rejoice, giving Him all the glory. Church is for all ages because all ages needs Christ. Resurrection life is the goal.

By faith, have the right kind of passion for Jesus and His House of Prayer. Turn tables over in your life.
In Christ, Brian

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