House of Prayer

Mk. 11:17

And He was teaching them saying, Is it not written, My house shall be called a house of prayer for all the nations? But you have made it a den of robbers.

The temple in Jesus' day was not fulfilling its purpose in leading the people in true worship. Instead there was corruption in the priesthood as they took advantage of the people in their buying and selling of sacrificial animals. Clearly, the temple was not designed for commerce whether it was corrupt or not. What was its mission? As Jesus exposed the sin, sudden and swift judgment followed!Jesus drove out the money changers and the seats of those who sold the pigeons. He cleansed the temple of this disgrace. Once clean, He could explain His actions. God's house was to be a house of prayer not a place of business. What was their response? Were they convicted in their hearts? No, the priests and scribes feared Jesus and sought a way to destroy Him because of His huge impact on the general public. Sadly, the established religious leaders would not listen or change their hearts! They were bent on a course of entrapment and eventual death to Jesus.

As I look at the church today, what is its mission? How large a part does prayer have in its purposes and programs? Has the church relegated prayer to a useless formality instead of a powerful agent of transformation? What about me? How large a part does prayer play in the temple of the Holy Spirit that is present with me constantly? Am I relying on prayer and using it for what it is designed?

Father,
Thank You for being ever present and ever accessible to me. Draw me ever closer to You.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Hosanna

Mk. 11:9

And those who went before and those who followed were shouting. "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David! Hosanna in the highest!

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a colt at the beginning of the Passover week, a week which recalled Israel's freedom from Egypt. Truly this week would herald another liberation, that is for those people who would believe in Jesus and His death and resurrection. It would mean their freedom from the power of sin, death, and Satan.

As Jesus rode in to town, many spread branches across his path as they joyously shouted. Hosanna means save or please save. What did the people want to be saved from? Their next statements revealed their thinking. They were blessing Jesus as the coming Messiah. Of course, the people thought it would be from Roman occupation, but the Messiah's mission was far more reaching than that. However, the people along the parade route realized that Jesus was sent by God and was beginning the long foretold kingdom of David. To them this was the answer to years of waiting and years of servitude. It meant that what they had learned was now being fulfilled. But sadly, they missed the true point of Messiah as savior. His revelation as Messiah came about in a much different way than any of them would ever imagine. From their way of thinking, how could deliverance follow a crucifixion and a death? How could it leave the Roman Empire in control? The answer was that the Kingdom of God came by faith and grace. Faith in the resurrected Jesus and grace to freely receive what He offered. I can truly say, Hosanna! Blessed be the name of the Lord!

How hard it must have been for these 'Hosanna-shouters' at the end of the week when their hopes were dashed and their servitude would be unaltered. But for the few who knew Jesus, a new life had been born in them and their servitude to sin and Satan was at an end. For a few it was the beginning of a whole new life and mission. Truly Hosanna had been fulfilled before their eyes!

Father,
Thank You for saving me and giving me new life. Help me to always keep my eyes on You even when I don't understand the circumstances.
In my Savior's name,
Amen

Slave of All

Mk. 10:44-45

...and whoever would be first among you must be slave of all. For even the Son of Man came not to be served but to serve, and to give His life a ransom for many.

Being a follower of Jesus counters what is the norm in life. Normally, people aspire to great heights, to be the best, to get the most money and prestige, but in the Kingdom of God, it is just the opposite. To be great in God's economy means to be slave of all, to be the lowliest in the chain of command. Pride in achievement or pride in self is replaced by love for others and service to others to the point self is put last. What pride is in that? None, that is the point! The kingdom of God does not honor self; instead it considers self to be an idol, a false god who brings nothing but harm to the soul. How does a person live like this since it counters all human fleshly desires? The power to live in the kingdom of God is supernatural coming from having a new life and a new nature that includes the indwelling Holy Spirit guiding and filling us So once I am saved the struggle is over? No, the sturggle is never over until I am taken to heaven where I will see Jesus as He is and be like Him. But for now I have the help of the Spirit and the intercession of Jesus Himself. I must follow the example of my Lord and Master who was a servant to all mankind by giving His life. How selfless was that! What an example!

Father,
As I grow in You, teach me to be more and more selfless each day. Open my eyes to the ways that I can serve others.
In Jesus name,
Amen

You Lack One Thing

Mk. 10: 21-22

And Jesus looking at him, loved him, and said to him, You lack one thing:go sell att that you have and give to the poor, and you will have treasure in heaven, and come, follow me. Disheartened by the saying, he went away sorrowful, for he had great possessions.

This rich young man was very moral, disciplined, and had great insight. By his calling Jesus Good Teacher, was he revealing his understanding of who Jesus was? Could he could see the godlike qualities that Jesus possessed? Did he know that no one else but God, or the Son of God, could do such things? Anyway, as the conversation progressed, he asked what he could do to inherit eternal life? First Jesus talked about the commandments, commandments which this man had kept from his youth up. Did Jesus bring these up first to reveal his true heart condition? Was Jesus showing him practically that a self-righeous life style meant nothing if the heart was not right? So when Jesus asked him to sell his possessions and give to the poor, he couldn't. Jesus revealed to him his love of money and possession, and perhaps the status that went with those things. In Mt.6:24 Jesus said, No one can serve two masters, for either he will hate the and love the other, or he will be devoted to the one and despise the others. You can't serve God and money. This was the crux of his dilemma, and he made his choice. He opted for money at the cost of his eternal salvation. All his self-righteousnes was for nothing lasting. It only gave him a reputation in this life. I wonder if years down the road when his life was hollow and empty, or even when death came for him, would he remember this conversation? Would he regret his choice?

Father,
I see how hard it is even for someone who is not rich, to sell all. How tight my hold is on the few things that I possess. Loosen my grip and help me be generous and follow you even in this.
In Jesus name,
Amen

II Sam. 22:2-4

The Lord is my rock and my fortress and my deliverer, my God, my rock, in whom I take refuge, my shield, and the horn of my salvation, my stronghold and my refuge, my savior, you save me from violence. I call upon the Lord, who is worthy to be praised, amd I am saved from my enemies.

What a glorious song David offered to the Lord! His deliverance was so monumental in his life that he wanted to praise God. All his years of running and being pursued had ended, and he knew that his sovereign God had brought it all to pass. The Lord had been his rock, fortress, and deliverer. Just as He is mine. It was in the Lord that David took refuge from the enemy as his stronghold, refuge, and savior. It is amazing how many different words David uses to desribe God protection in his life. And the really exciting thing is that God is the same today as He was then. He is all these things for me today as He was for David then.. God alone is the one worthy to be praised! He is the One who ordains all the circumstances and details of my life, and for that He is worthy of my praise!

Father,

Teach my inner man a spirit of praise. Help me not to take life and all its circumstances for granted but to realize that they are all ordained by You.

In Jesus name,

Amen 

Take Up His Cross

Mk. 8:34-35

And calling the crowd to Him with His disciples, He said to them, If anyone would come after me, let him deny himself and take up his crosss and follow me. For whoever would save his life for my sake and the gospel's will save it.

These words were uttered just after Jesus foretold of His suffering, rejection, death, and resurrection. The disciples did not like hearing these terrible things yet to come, and Peter began to rebuke Jesus. How terrible to rebuke the Son of God! To try and prevent the plan of redemption! But Jesus rebuked him soundly because he was advancing the cause of Satan. He was viewing the future events from the eyes of man not the eyes of God.

As I think about what Jesus endured, it gives more meaning to deny self and taking up his cross. When Jesus denied Himself, it cost His life and eventual separation from His Father. He had to leave the glory of heaven and assume the frail body of flesh. He had to become everything that was heinous to a heavenly being. Yet He did this all for love and for the obedience to the Father's will. So if I am to follow Him, it will mean separation from the life that is easy and appealing to my flesh. It means that I must identify with Jesus in His suffering and death. My flesh and its desires must be crucified and transformed into the will of the Father no matter how hard or difficult that is. This is my only path to life. I must lose this fleshly life for His sake and the sake of the gospel. He and the gospel must become my primary and only motivation for all that I do.

Father,
Continue to reveal to me what this really means. Help me to deny self for You and the gospel. Take me down this path.
In Jesus name,
Amen

Crumbs

Mk. 7:28-29

But she answered, Yes, Lord, yet even the dogs under the table eat the children's crumbs. And He said to her, for this statement yo may go your way; the demon has left your daughter.

As Jesus was leaving the region of Tyre and Sidon, He entered a house privately hoping to be unknown. Yet that attempt was foiled. In fact, immediately a Syrophoenician woman fell down at His feet to unburden her heart about her daughter who had an unclean spirit. Even though she was a Gentile, she begged Jesus to deliver her daughter from the demon. Jesus responded, Let the children be fed first, for it is not right to take the children's bread and throw it to the dogs. Even though this statement seems obscure, she understood. She knew that she was not a Jew and was considered a dog, but that didn't matter to her. She went on to say that even the dogs under the children's table eat their crumbs. What humility! She was not offended at being considered a dog, and she was willing to take only a crumb. What faith to think that a crumb of Jesus' power could deliver her daughter! Jesus acknowledged her faith and sent her home to find her daughter healed. What a contrast to many of the Jews who wouldn't believe any of the claims of Jesus and who wanted him dead!

Father,
Increase my faith so that I trust in You completely. Make me value the crumbs and the passing touches as a means to keep constantly connected with You.
In Jesus name,
Amen