Yes, you, dear one, are special. You are made completely wonderful in the eyes of our God (Psalm 139:14). You are a unique creation. You are designer original. There is no one quite like you because you are specially made to be, well…, you.
So, to what others may think. When the Lord fashioned you, He knew your characteristics and the way you would think. Don’t hide them but celebrate those tidbits of you that make up you.
Perfection, according to others, you may not be, but God sees more in you than you could ever believe. Grab hold of that beautiful truth, my friend. Let it rest deep in your heart. Let it permeate the crevices of your mind. You are His. He created you. Before you were even a concept in the womb of your mother, before the new beginnings of life were imagined, God beautifully knew you (Jeremiah 1:5).
Whether you believe it or not, you are so indescribably special to the Father above. When He sat molding you, one can only imagine the time He took to make you perfectly the beautiful you that you are.
At the potter’s wheel, He framed your purpose. He built inside wonderful gifts. With much care and attention, He fashioned you.
Run with the thought of all you are to Him today. Let the truth of His perfect design for you prompt you to continue to move forth in faith to where He is calling you, because you are specially made for this.
Nothing about you was left to chance. You are here on purpose and with a purpose, especially designed for you. Can you see it? Can you awaken your heart to believe it?
The battering of this world can speak so harshly against God’s design. But designed you are, and as long as you have it in your heart to believe in the wonderful you He created you to be, you can take on this day and His will for your life in confidence without missing a beat.
Whatever comes your way, be reminded of the unique love the Father has for you, and lay to rest everything else that speaks contrary to His truth.
If you have ever spent time in a garden, you know to get the most out of what you are planting, you must first spend time cultivating the soil. This involves preparing the soil to support the life of the seed or the plant. It is about nourishing and amending the soil. This ensures it will have all the healthful benefits needed to reach full maturity and fruitfulness.
Many want fruitfulness. However, the way we have been pursuing it has left many less than satisfied. They feel deflated, worn out, and frazzled because of all it takes to reach it in this world of demands.
Our modern culture allows us to do many things. This increase in perceived productivity has been helpful in some areas while taking its toll on others.
The physical, emotional, and mental burnout that people have come to equate with success has created dissatisfaction. This has awakened a not-so-silent call for a better way to live. There must be more than this constantly rushing about.
Many have become aware of the unhealthy way our over-rushed and overworked culture has pushed us forward and the term “slow living” has regained our attention. Dealing with constant busyness and hurried lifestyles has caused some to take a step back. In this, they reflect and reevaluate what is really a priority for them to have a wholesome, balanced, and healthy life. And what many are finding out is that there is a real need to put space on the calendar or the everyday routine of life to let go, and get slow.
Slow, misunderstood, and used wrongly, can be viewed as laziness. But slow can be beautiful because you are deciding to be purposeful with your life. Moving forward at a hundred miles an hour is not your goal, rather you account that people and life, in general, are made for so much more than mere zooming by without the time for deep connections. So, you take the time to love, nourish, be intentional, and simply live and enjoy all the ways God has blessed you.
You are cultivating, on purpose, the ground of your life to support more than agendas and achievements. The abundance you are desiring cannot be confined to such trivial things. The greatest example is in our relationship with Christ.
Jesus promised us an abundant life (John 10:10). That abundance is not about forcing or focusing on things we can gain in this world or material wealth. The richest thing one can invest in to be more intentional with the life they have been given is more of Him. That cannot happen if we are always distracted by constantly doing and never taking the time to sit and be where He is (Luke 10:40-42).
He says, “Be still, and know that I am God…” (Psalm 46:10).
Cultivating slow living is not about shirking responsibilities or approaching life with a lackadaisical attitude. This is about valuing everything I have been given, especially the people in my life, and I want to care for each and honor each in a way that lets them know I esteem them, I am here for them, and I love them. I want to use this life in a way that pleases God by stewarding well what He has given me and not have my focus continually on climbing some invisible ladder of success.
Think about what pursuit has you running about at a hurried pace today? The Bible tells us, “He that followeth after righteousness and mercy findeth life, righteousness, and honour” (Proverbs 21:21).
It is so easy to get caught up in what has been dubbed “the rat race,” but our daily living is made for more. These days, people, and moments are gifts to us by our Heavenly Father and we are encouraged about how we spend our time with each (Ephesians 5:15, 16).
“To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under the heaven” Ecclesiastes 3:1
Changing what we pursue and how we pursue it will make our lives a lot less stressful. Take time today to slow down, prioritize, and recenter on what matters most. There is so much more to life, and we don’t want to miss it.
So, how do we make this change?
Prioritize – Look where you are now and what you want your tomorrow to look like. To achieve your desired outcome, what can you let go of or shave down some so that you don’t always feel at your wit’s end. I can attest to the fact that often we take on more than we are capable of in any given season. Laying something aside right now doesn’t mean it’s not important; it just means it doesn’t fit in with the season of life I’m in right now. So we prioritize, bringing out the best without being overburdened with things that can wait.
Recenter – Once you have strained out the main priorities for your right-now season, you can recenter and mark your path forward. When using a GPS, sometimes I look at the overview screen of the trip to see the highways and streets we must travel ahead of us. But when I need to get back to dealing with where I am currently on my journey, I need to hit the recenter button. While it’s okay to think about the future (the Bible encourages this often), we must also pay attention to where we are in our present moment. What needs our immediate attention right now? How much strength, time, and commitment can I put into this right now? These are important questions to ask. We often get hurried and over-stressed because we want to deal with all the right-now stuff the along with the what-ifs of the future stacked on top of it. Most of the daily things we deal with can be broken down into more manageable tasks and delegated to other times. It doesn’t have to be all or nothing (an attitude that overworks us).
Go slow – take a deep breath and move forward at a manageable pace. There have been times I have prayed and asked God to help me steward this day or for the best way to handle the tasks in front of me. He, who is the “Ancient of Days” (Daniel 7:9), has the wisdom and strength your day needs. Trust Him with your schedule. We are given gifts to be productive, but remember, God, who is the Author of those gifts, is also the Author of rest (Genesis 2:2,3). Not just with the Sabbath, but throughout Scripture, His call to rest is a call to trust in what He is doing in your life during this season. We become filled with ideas and inspirations and want to put the pedal to the metal and give it our all. And that’s fine. But if you are feeling burned out and extremely overwhelmed, you have to question is this what God has for me in this season, or is it me rushing ahead? And if we feel it is the Lord’s leading, perhaps we need to revisit steps 1 and 2 to be sure we have shaved unnecessary things away for now.
Don’t be disheartened. Schedules often need to be revisited to see if everything we have going on right now is for our optimal good. Recently, I have personally had to revisit how I approach certain tasks, and it is helping me see that although I love my routines, some routines or expectations may not work for certain periods of life. We must be willing to move and adjust when feeling led or if we feel like this particular thing isn’t working for now, and trust God with the outcome.
We want to cultivate a life where we are productive under God’s grace without completely feeling exhausted and stressed as if we are being buried under the burden of each day’s demands. Sometimes, slowing down will help us to do just that. Enjoy this life God has given.
“And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain.” John 20:12
The morning after the high Sabbath had come. Certain women, of whom Mary Magdelene was one, approached the tomb of their beloved Savior, intent on properly honoring Him with the spices they brought for His body.
Upon arrival at the tomb, the object of their desire for coming was not there. The body of Jesus, whom they wanted to pay homage to, was gone.
They felt the earthquake, they saw the angel that sat upon the stone that had been rolled from the door of the tomb, and they heard his words: “And the angel answered and said unto the women, Fear not ye: for I know that ye seek Jesus, which was crucified. He is not here: for he is risen, as he said. Come, see the place where the Lord lay,” (Matthew 28:5, 6).
The women were entrusted to share the news with Jesus’ disciples, but one had come back.
Mary, whose encounter with Jesus freed her life of demonic oppression (Mark 16:9), needed to take a deeper look into the tomb, and what she saw may have reminded her of God’s presence and work among His people: “But Mary stood without at the sepulchre weeping: and as she wept, she stooped down, and looked into the sepulchre, And seeth two angels in white sitting, the one at the head, and the other at the feet, where the body of Jesus had lain,” (John 20:11, 12).
Not being a high priest, or any priest for that matter, and never seeing it for herself, but hearing stories of what it may have been like, I wonder if she pondered this question in her heart, “Is this what the mercy seat was like?”
The Mercy Seat in the Old Testament
The book of Exodus describes the meticulous instructions and care to follow on the building of everything regarding the Tabernacle as prescribed by God, including the mercy seat: “And thou shalt make a mercy seat of pure gold: two cubits and a half shall be the length thereof, and a cubit and a half the breadth thereof. And thou shalt make two cherubims of gold, of beaten work shalt thou make them, in the two ends of the mercy seat. And make one cherub on the one end, and the other cherub on the other end: even of the mercy seat shall ye make the cherubims on the two ends thereof,” (Exodus 25:17-19).
This is the sacred place of which God said, “And there I will meet with thee, and I will commune with thee from above the mercy seat, from between the two cherubims which are upon the ark of the testimony…” (Exodus 25:22).
This is the place of atonement, where the high priest would enter with the blood of animals once a year for the sins of the people.
The Mercy Seat in the New Testament
But when Jesus died on the cross, that protocol had been done away with. The old covenant had been replaced by the new: “Jesus, when he had cried again with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost. And, behold, the veil of the temple was rent in twain from the top to the bottom…” (Matthew 27:50, 51).
The way that only one man could enter once a year (Hebrews 9:6) had now been opened for all who would believe: “But Christ being come an high priest of good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle, not made with hands, that is to say, not of this building; Neither by the blood of goats and calves, but by his own blood he entered in once into the holy place, having obtained eternal redemption for us,” (Hebrews 9:11, 12).
Whether or not what she saw reminded her of that ancient ark, what she saw was the sure sign that the price had been paid once and for all. Not only for her sins but for the sins of the world (John 3:16) if they would only believe: “For Christ is not entered into the holy places made with hands, which are the figures of the true; but into heaven itself, now to appear in the presence of God for us… but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself,” (Hebrews 9:24, 26b).
What Jesus’ Fulfillment Means to Us
Mercy, by definition, is God not giving us what we deserve. We deserved the penalties. We deserved the price that was extracted through His holy sacrifice. When He laid down His life, He did so for us, not Himself.
Now, all hindrances are removed. All excuses, as they say, are nailed to the cross. Believers far and near have no reason, like Mary, to draw near in complete faith: “Having therefore, brethren, boldness to enter into the holiest by the blood of Jesus, By a new and living way, which he hath consecrated for us, through the veil, that is to say, his flesh; And having an high priest over the house of God; Let us draw near with a true heart in full assurance of faith, having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water. Let us hold fast the profession of our faith without wavering; (for he is faithful that promised;),” (Hebrews 10:19-23).
Paul, in his second letter to the Corinthian church, called God, “The Father of mercies” (2 Corinthians 1:3), and rightly so. Just a glimpse into any of our lives would reveal how much His love and long-suffering nature have held, blessed, kept, provided, and more, despite our undeserving state.
And still today, mercy is available as we are invited not to draw near to the tomb, but to the throne: “Let us therefore come boldly unto the throne of grace, that we may obtain mercy, and find grace to help in time of need,” (Hebrews 4:16).
Once the way was not as easily accessible, but now we are beckoned to come. And not just come, but “come boldly.” Jesus paid the price for our mercy. The “new and living way” has been opened.
While the old mercy seat is gone, Jesus Christ has more than satisfied the atoning cost of the new covenant, establishing now, that through Him, is where we find the grace and mercy we need.
Friend, come boldly to Jesus Christ if you need mercy.
“And his mercy is on them that fear him from generation to generation.” Luke 1:50
“But ye are a chosen generation, a royal priesthood, an holy nation, a peculiar people; that ye should shew forth the praises of him who hath called you out of darkness into his marvellous light; Which in time past were not a people, but are now the people of God: which had not obtained mercy, but now have obtained mercy.” 1 Peter 2:9-10
Today, many in the United States will gather with family, friends, and others to celebrate our national Thanksgiving holiday. A day we recognize when provision had been made for survival and the abundance of the harvest was reaped and enjoyed. We will gather in living rooms, community centers, church basements, around dining room tables, and elsewhere to remember with gratitude and to feast.
While many dishes will be laid out before us today, the greatest dish, if you will pardon the expression, that we can partake of is the faithfulness of our God. “Trust in the Lord, and do good; so shalt thou dwell in the land, and verily thou shalt be fed,” is what the Bible reminds us in Psalm 37:3. It is only by what God has done in our lives and for us that we are here today. It is only because of His grace and mercy we are not consumed (Lamentations 3:22, 23). Apart from Him, we can do nothing (John 15:5), and so, let the center of my affection today and all days, not rest on the feast and the gatherings (although we can enjoy them), but on Him whose faithfulness not only brought us to the joy of the gathering around this table, but will usher us to a more glorious table to come: “He brought me to the banqueting house, and his banner over me was love,” (Song of Solomon 2:4). One day we will fully come into His eternal celebration with uninhibited thanksgiving, gather around and enjoy the marriage supper of the Lamb (Revelation 19:6-9), and celebrate with Him forever.
But our forever there states with our relationship with Him here. Today, remember to do more than fill your body with food from this natural feast, but take in more of Him, Jesus, that your soul may be eternally satisfied: “O taste and see that the Lord is good: blessed is the man that trusteth in him,” (Psalm 34:8).
“If a son shall ask bread of any of you that is a father, will he give him a stone? or if he ask a fish, will he for a fish give him a serpent?
Or if he shall ask an egg, will he offer him a scorpion?
If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children: how much more shall your heavenly Father give the Holy Spirit to them that ask him?” (Luke 11:11-13)
Father God, thank You for Your faithfulness in our lives and the feasting pleasure of knowing and taking in of You more and more.
“He that eateth my flesh, and drinketh my blood, dwelleth in me, and I in him.
As the living Father hath sent me, and I live by the Father: so he that eateth me, even he shall live by me.” (John 6:56, 57)
His holy provision has been made. Come, and join the feast.
Open, dear one. Open up and receive. So many of our days are spent pouring out for others. But, it’s okay to accept goodness in your life when you serve a God who is nothing but good.
If there is a fence built due to hesitation, tear it down. Let it not lay a siege around your heart and your life. Our Father is wonderful, and He does wonderful things for His children: “If ye then, being evil, know how to give good gifts unto your children, how much more shall your Father which is in heaven give good things to them that ask him?” (Matthew 7:11).
The epistle reminds us, “Every good gift and every perfect gift is from above, and cometh down from the Father of lights, with whom is no variableness, neither shadow of turning” (James 1:17).
When God is so good and so willing to give, it is okay to receive from Him. It’s okay to open the door and welcome God’s goodness and His beautiful gifts into your life.
Yes, into your life. Don’t let lies and false ideas convince you that somehow you are different. Somehow you are unworthy. Somehow you have to remain guarded against this hope because this is not for you.
Yes, this is for you, too. To Him, you are worth it. To God, you are loved and are His treasured possession. And as God does, He loves to bless His own. The Bible tells us to “Delight thyself also in the Lord: and he shall give thee the desires of thine heart” (Psalm 37:4).
Yes, He freely gave for our salvation (John 3:16; Romans 5:8). And yes, He gives us His Holy Spirit for our daily living (John 14:26). But God also gives goodness, desires, and things that put a smile on His children’s faces.
Put your guard down and welcome the goodness of the Father in your life today.
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“With him is an arm of flesh; but with us is the Lord our God to help us, and to fight our battles. And the people rested themselves upon the words of Hezekiah king of Judah.” 2 Chronicles 32:8
When you don’t know the true God, your perception of things becomes off.
When the servant of Sennacherib was sent to Hezekiah and those in Jerusalem during the siege, this servant boasted of something that was false; in something that would falter (2 Chronicles 32:9-17).
His boast was that his god was better than the Lord God.
His boast was to mock the worship of one God, before one altar.
His boast was in thinking that God Almighty could be catagorized in the same catagory as other gods who were unable to save their people: “And they spake against the God of Jerusalem, as against the gods of the people of the earth, which were the work of the hands of man” (2 Chronicles 32:19).
Ah, my friend, but we who know God, know Him to be outside of those false catagories.
We who know God, know where our help comes from (Psalm 121:1-2).
We who know God, change the focus of the boast of the enemy and declare the God who is able to deliver; the God who has been faithful in the past; the God who is “with us . . . to help us, and to fight our battles” (2 Chronicles 32:8).
As David before Goliath, we know know God can say, “Thou comest to me with a sword, and with a spear, and with a shield: but I come to thee in the name of the Lord of hosts, the God of the armies of Israel, whom thou hast defied” (1 Samuel 17:45).
When Isaiah declares, “No weapon that is formed against thee shall prosper; and every tongue that shall rise against thee in judgment thou shalt condemn. This is the heritage of the servants of the Lord, and their righteousness is of me, saith the Lord” (Isaiah 54:17), we who know God can march forward in the truth of those words and promises.
When Paul asks, “What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?” (Romans 8:31), we who know God can readily answer to His call in complete faith.
When God tells Joshua, “Have not I commanded thee? Be strong and of a good courage; be not afraid, neither be thou dismayed: for the Lord thy God is with thee whithersoever thou goest” (Joshua 1:9), we who know God can move with the same confidence knowing that we have this promise: “I will never leave thee, nor forsake thee” (Hebrews 13:5).
“For whatsoever is born of God overcometh the world: and this is the victory that overcometh the world, even our faith” (1 John 5:4).
With eyes of faith and hearts that believe, we can overcome because “with him is an arm of flesh” (2 Chronicles 32:8), but we who know God, “may boldly say, The Lord is my helper, and I will not fear what man shall do unto me” (Hebrews 13:6).
We know our God is with us to help fight life’s battles and we can rest ourselves upon the promise of the Word.
More Word Promises:
“Some trust in chariots, and some in horses: but we will remember the name of the Lord our God.” Psalm 20:7
“For the Lord shall be thy confidence, and shall keep thy foot from being taken.” Proverbs 3:26
“Fear thou not; for I am with thee: be not dismayed; for I am thy God: I will strengthen thee; yea, I will help thee; yea, I will uphold thee with the right hand of my righteousness.” Isaiah 41:10
“Blessed is the man that trusteth in the Lord, and whose hope the Lord is.” Jeremiah 17:7
“I can do all things through Christ which strengtheneth me.” Philippians 4:13
“Cast not away therefore your confidence, which hath great recompence of reward.” Hebrews 10:35
The age of reason. Whether it is defined in the historical sense as the age of enlightenment the 18th century brought forth or an actual numerical age when an individual determines between right and wrong, reasoning brings with it the idea of intellect and thoughts coming together to form conclusions on certain matters.
Reasoning is not all bad. It gives us a premise for investigating facts about the things we are thinking about and it helps us to make conscientious decisions regarding the best course of action to take; to study and be informed with the knowledge to go forth into whatever endeavor one is contemplating.
While reasoning is certainly a useful tool (and one is expected to use it every day in their life), there are some things we just think about too much. There are some things we just analyze too much. And, there are some things we just want to know too much about, too much (yup, I went there).
Never once in the Bible did God instruct one in their calling to go, to research what He is offering and make an informed decision of whether you agree or not, to see if everything is up to par according to our terms, and then give Him your decision.
Nope.
Our intellect, our reasoning capabilities cannot even touch the scaffolding of God’s high and holy intellect. He said, “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways, saith the LORD. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, and my thoughts than your thoughts.” (Isaiah 55:8-9).
When God calls someone to some extraordinary feat, all He usually says is, “Go, or do.” He doesn’t give the ins and outs of details. He doesn’t even give the ending away of how it will all turn out. He just gives the command and it is up to the heart of the hearer to respond positively like Isaiah did, and say, “Here am I; send me,” (Isaiah 6:8). With total abandon, he offered himself to God for His holy service.
Today, it is not so common for one to be as generous in their faith and obedient in their walk with Him; to let go and follow through without a certain amount of reasoning involved. We want clarity on all the if’s, when’s, what’s, how’s, where’s, why’s, and who’s that are involved.
But, this quote really struck me as powerful. It says, “The more you go with the flow of life and surrender the outcome to God, and the less you seek constant clarity, the more you will find that fabulous things start to show up in your life,” (Mandy Hale). And, in a moment of personal confession, I realized when it came to certain things, that’s exactly what I was doing: seeking more clarity. I wanted questions answered or I reasoned within myself with my personal “know-how” of why it wasn’t feasible for me to do such and such. That outlook got in the way of just stepping out in faith and going or doing.
When Jesus called Peter to come on the water with Him, Peter didn’t question. He just went (Matthew 14:28-29). When God called Abraham to leave his homeland without even knowing where he was going, “Abram departed, as the LORD had spoken unto him,” (Genesis 12:1-4). There are oodles of examples in the Bible of people who just go or do with faith as their only method of reasoning (see Hebrews 11 for some examples).
Faith is most perfectly defined in God’s written Word where it says, “Now faith is the substance of things hoped for, the evidence of things not seen,” (Hebrews 11:1). But, clarity and reasoning beckon for the “substance” to be uncovered and the “evidence” to be exposed. And, that’s not what a true faith walk is all about.
Whatever side we are leaning on determines if we are letting our reasoning, and our desire to know, get in the way of our faith.
I don’t know about you, but I want to see the wonderful happen. I know that God has so much more in store for His people. But, we must not be our own greatest hindrance. When human reasoning comes before Him, it must bow down, and we must walk forth in faith. We will never see the fabulous until we stop reasoning ourselves out of faith.
“Who through faith subdued kingdoms, worked righteousness, obtained promises stopped the mouths of lions, quenched the violence of fire, escaped the edge of the sword, out of weakness were made strong, became valiant in battle, turned to flight the armies of aliens. Women received their dead raised to life again.” (Hebrews 11:33-35)
Imagine what your faith can do if you unleash it today!
“We do not have a High Priest who cannot sympathize with our weaknesses,” Hebrews 4:15a
Jesus knows what living in the flesh feels like. Walking up and down the shores of Galilee, He didn’t let His holiness withhold Himself from our infirmities. He hungered as we did. He wept when sadness invaded His heart. He justifiably angered at the thoughtlessness of men. He knows.
Jesus knows. He knows suffering. He knows the temptation of life. He knows what it is to care when no one else does.
He knows what it is to be chased, used and despised. His ears have felt the sting of gossip and have heard the song of ridicule. He’s heard the taunting of the nay-sayers and the tsk- tsk- tsk- of the unapproving.
Aching limbs, sore feet, and a thirsty tongue – He knows. Jesus knows disappointment at the carelessness of others. He knows desperation over the plight of the lost soul. He knows of the crown of thorns His life is leading Him to.
Jesus knows everything because He is divine. Jesus has experienced everything because of His humanity.
Isn’t it nice to know that not only do we NOT carry our burdens alone, but we have a Savior that knows what those burdens feel like? Out of the depths of sorrow and pain – He knows. Through the roads of striving and the paths of hatred – He knows. During the darkness of nights, He already knows. Our weaknesses have become His; He knows them, has lived through them and has borne them. Jesus knows!
One of the events most etched in people’s minds and history when recalling the events surrounding Jesus’s last week on the earth was the cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46). It was during this time when Jesus had had enough! It was time to get the house of God cleaned up! Unashamedly and without regard for roving eyes and the tsk tsk tsk of the people’s lips, He flips tables over and starts throwing people out to get His Father’s house back in order. With holy force, He sought to reclaim what was rightfully God’s.
But can I tell you, His fight didn’t stop there. He wanted more than a building to reclaim for God, He wanted people that rightfully belonged to Him. He wouldn’t gain that by flipping over tables, rather He flipped over the gates of hell. He wouldn’t get there by driving people with wrong intentions away, but with force, He drove the enemy of our soul away and crushed him under His feet. He wanted to win the temple of people’s hearts for His Father and this fight could only be won on the cross.
The whips that were used against Him were nothing in comparison to the sting He was delivering to the enemy. The ridicule He experienced couldn’t overshadow the words of comfort and the prayers of forgiveness He offered as He hung there. The thorns that were placed on Him and the sword that pierced His side couldn’t contend with the piercing plea of souls searching for everlasting freedom the cross could provide. On the cross, He would remain until the victory to reclaim the lost and hurting world to His Father was won. On the cross, He would stay until the temple of the one who would believe in Him could be cleansed and made new that true worship and true fellowship with the Father could be restored.
When Jesus stepped in the place for us, He cleansed our temples with the only thing that could work: His Blood. His blood is the only thing that could turn the enemy of our soul upside down. His blood is the only thing that could deliver from the eternal death to come. His blood is the only way to reclaim the hearts of the people; the temple of their souls for the Father.
When Jesus cleaned our temple, He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. More than a building was rightfully returned to God. You and I and everyone who believes were won by the cleansing power of the cross.
When Jesus cleansed our temple He did more than flip over tables. He took who we used to be and made us brand new. He turned our world upside down and gave us entrance into the kingdom of God, and we are so glad He did.
“Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, ‘My life for your life.” – Timothy Keller
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, yet if we withhold ourselves from that blood, we will be unclean forever.” – Aiden Wilson Tozer
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Titus 3:5
“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” – Robert Lowry
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
One of the events most etched in people’s minds and history when recalling the events that occurred during this blessed time of the years was the cleansing of the temple (Matthew 21:12-13; Mark 11:15-17; Luke 19:45-46). It is during this time when Jesus had had enough! It was time to get the house of God cleaned up! Unashamedly and without regard for roving eyes and the tsk tsk tsking of the people’s lips, He flips tables over and starts throwing people out to get His Father’s house back in order. With holy force, He sought to reclaim what was rightfully God’s.
But, can I tell you, His fight didn’t stop there. He wanted more than a building to reclaim for God, He wanted people that rightfully belong to Him. He wouldn’t gain that by flipping over tables, rather He flipped over the gates of hell. He wouldn’t get there by driving people with wrong intents away, but with force, He drove the enemy of our soul away and crushed him under His feet. He wanted to win the temple of people’s heart for His Father and this fight could only be won on the cross.
The whips that were used against Him were nothing in comparison to the sting He was delivering to the enemy. The ridicule He experienced couldn’t overshadow the words of comfort and the prayers of forgiveness He offered as He hung there. The thorns that were placed on Him and the sword that pierced His side couldn’t contend with the piercing plea of souls searching for everlasting freedom the cross could provide. On the cross, He would remain until the victory to reclaim the lost and hurting world to His Father was won. On the cross, He would stay until the temple of the one who would believe in Him could be cleansed and made new that true worship and true fellowship with the Father could be restored.
When Jesus stepped in the place for us, He cleansed our temples with the only thing that could work: His Blood. His blood is the only thing that could turn the enemy of our soul upside down. His blood is the only thing that could deliver from the eternal death to come. His blood is the only way to reclaim the hearts of the people; the temple of their souls for the Father.
When Jesus cleaned our temple, He did for us what we couldn’t do for ourselves. More than a building was rightfully returned to God. You and I and everyone who believes were won by the cleansing power of the cross.
When Jesus cleansed our temple He did more than flip over tables. He took who we used to be and made us brand new. He turned our world upside down and gave us entrance into the kingdom of God, and we are so glad He did.
“Religion says earn your life. Secular society says create your life. Jesus says, ‘My life for your life.” – Timothy Keller
“Know ye not that the unrighteous shall not inherit the kingdom of God? Be not deceived: neither fornicators, nor idolaters, nor adulterers, nor effeminate, nor abusers of themselves with mankind, Nor thieves, nor covetous, nor drunkards, nor revilers, nor extortioners, shall inherit the kingdom of God. And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.” 1 Corinthians 6:9-11
“Only the blood of Jesus can cleanse us, yet if we withhold ourselves from that blood, we will be unclean forever.” – Aiden Wilson Tozer
“Not by works of righteousness which we have done, but according to his mercy he saved us, by the washing of regeneration, and renewing of the Holy Ghost.” Titus 3:5
“What can wash away my sin? Nothing but the blood of Jesus; What can make me whole again? Nothing but the blood of Jesus.” – Robert Lowry
“But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” 1 John 1:7
Word For Life Says... 