Clear!
Mark 11:15-17
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out 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 would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
Last Sunday, the preacher asked: What things in your life are crowding God out?
Things that crowded out the worship of God in the temple were overturned, knocked down, and kept out when Jesus came into His temple (Mal 3:1-2). Will I let him clear out my heart and mind, as well? God commands to "love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Do I love God more? More than all these? Megan, daughter of David, "do you truly love me more than these?" (John 21:15) Will I clear out every idol in this temple to worship God fully, as He commands? Am I willing to "consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord?" (Phil 3:8) Am I willing to declare that "all [is mine], and [I am] of Christ" (I Cor 3:22-23) and that "Christ is all" (Col 3:11)? Why, to do that I would have to "hate" my own life, in a manner of speaking. (Not that I despise myself and wish horrible things upon myself, but that I am so full of love for God that I just about forget myself.) Why, that sounds like...falling in love!
1 John 5:2-4
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Ruth 2:8-9
So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here..."
So they came to Jerusalem. Then Jesus went into the temple and began to drive out 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 would not allow anyone to carry wares through the temple. Then He taught, saying to them, "Is it not written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations'? But you have made it a 'den of thieves.'"
Last Sunday, the preacher asked: What things in your life are crowding God out?
Things that crowded out the worship of God in the temple were overturned, knocked down, and kept out when Jesus came into His temple (Mal 3:1-2). Will I let him clear out my heart and mind, as well? God commands to "love the LORD your God with all your heart and with all your soul and with all your strength." Do I love God more? More than all these? Megan, daughter of David, "do you truly love me more than these?" (John 21:15) Will I clear out every idol in this temple to worship God fully, as He commands? Am I willing to "consider everything a loss compared to the surpassing greatness of knowing Christ Jesus my Lord?" (Phil 3:8) Am I willing to declare that "all [is mine], and [I am] of Christ" (I Cor 3:22-23) and that "Christ is all" (Col 3:11)? Why, to do that I would have to "hate" my own life, in a manner of speaking. (Not that I despise myself and wish horrible things upon myself, but that I am so full of love for God that I just about forget myself.) Why, that sounds like...falling in love!
1 John 5:2-4
This is how we know that we love the children of God: by loving God and carrying out his commands. This is love for God: to obey his commands. And his commands are not burdensome, for everyone born of God overcomes the world. This is the victory that has overcome the world, even our faith.
Ruth 2:8-9
So Boaz said to Ruth, "My daughter, listen to me. Don't go and glean in another field and don't go away from here..."