My House Will Be Called A House of Prayer

Matthew 21:12, 13 "Jesus entered the temple area and drove out all who were buying and selling there. He overturned the tables of the money changers and the benches of those selling doves. 'It is written,' he said to them, 'My house will be called a house of prayer, but you are making it a den of robbers.'"

Question: Why did Jesus drive out those who were buying, selling and money changing in the temple area? After all, were they not purchasing the doves for burnt offerings and sacrifices to God as commanded?

Reflection: I've been troubled lately at the amount of sales that goes on in the church to raise funds for this and for that. From the prevalence of bake sales and vending done within the church or right in front of the sanctuary on days when services, be it Sunday worship, Bible study, prayer meeting are typically held. I can't help but wonder how Jesus feels about all this? Even though in most cases our motives are pure, often times to raise money for the church activities or school activities - and I've been guilty myself. I just am becoming increasingly disturbed in spirit by the abundance of these activities without much thought as to how it affects those spiritually and physically sick and hurting who may be distracted by these activities when they enter or leave the house of God.  Is the message that the house of God should be viewed and reverenced as a house of prayer being lost?

It started with car washes, tag sales and bake sales in the community rooms to now interjections during announcements on overhead TV Screens right after worship or before the Word is preached. Is anyone else bothered about all this? Do you see any similarity to Matt. 21:12-13? Have we now become more dependent on natural commerical means to provide for our church programming rather than on faith in prayer? A couple other scripture references that come to mind are: Isaiah 55:8-9, "'For my thoughts are not your thoughts, neither are your ways my ways,' declares the Lord. As high as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts higher than your thoughts." Also,  Proverbs 3:5- 6, which says, "Trust in the Lord with all your heart and lean not on your own understanding. In all your ways acknowledge him and he will direct your paths."

These are just some thoughts that have been coming to mind. Your feedback would be appreciated.

Be Careful To Whom and How You Listen

Discernment

I had an interesting experience yesterday that reminded me a little of Matthew 16:23 where Jesus turned and said to Peter, "Get behind me, Satan! You are a stumbling block to me; you do not have in mind the things of God, but the things of men." Except, in the conversation I had with the young lady, she did have in mind the things of God and still it could have been a stumbling block if I allowed it.

Okay, I need you to fasten your seatbelts and hang in there with me on this one, because it'll be a ride.

For the last couple days I'd been feeling a little spiritually off center as though I was missing the target. My mind was crowded and I wasn't spending sufficient time with the Lord in comparison to all I had going on. Yesterday was Bible study and I had an URGENCY in my spirit to get there, like a car that badly needed an alignment. I didn't know how I was going to get there seeing that my car is inoperable at the moment and I don't know my way around yet. So I called a sister from my new church who told me I could call her when I needed a ride. However, she was out of town. I shared with her how I was feeling a little spiritually off center and my yearning to be at Bible study last night. She reminded me that we are the church and that God is with us no matter where we are and gently rebuked me for doubting and displaying a lack of faith among some other well-intentioned advice. All of which was true. But either I didn't do a good job of expressing myself or she wasn't listening to the Spirit. There was also the factor that she didn't know me very well.


We prayed together about a couple things and I got off the phone. I was a little comforted, but still disturbed in my spirit. She's someone in leadership and one whom I respect. So I considered taking her advice and not pressing my way to Bible study. I left it in God's hands.


Shortly afterwards my sister came home and she offered me a ride to the church. The series of events that proceeded was beautifully orchestrated by God. It was not only that I needed to get to church to hear a specific message entitled, "Patience Under Pressure" by a visiting missionary from Guatemala, but there were 3-4 other specific encounters God had lined up for me at the church that evening! From the moment I'd gotten to the church premises my spirit had lifted and I knew that I was where I was supposed to be that evening. The missionary even said as part of his message, "that some of our friends and family may try to comfort or give well-meaning advice out of love but may not be part of God's will." Look at God!


Sometimes, all I can do is just "look" at God and shake my head at his awesomeness. We have to be so careful whom we're listening to. When Jesus turned to Peter in Matt. 16:23 and rebuked Satan it was because the enemy was using Peter to try to obstruct God's plan and purpose. It's important that we discern God's plan and purpose in our lives and for different seasons in our lives. We must be able to discern God's will, God's voice or we will miss out.


About 5 months ago I had a similar experience on a much higher level. My decision to relocate was being questioned and rejected by the spiritual and business mentors in my life. However, I'd heard clearly from God to make the move, so proceeded to prepare, by faith, to go. It was causing all kinds of upheavel and changes, but I kept praying and moving forward. A week or two before my move I had a major clash with the primary spiritual leader in my life at the time. I left his office with a resounding headache unlike any other I've ever had. I'd always had God confirm what he was saying to me through this leader. So why not this time when it was of such major importance? I felt like my head was in a vice and I couldn't think. I knew it was the enemy, but I couldn't pray. It was 10:30 at night after Bible study. I finally cried out as I was driving to Walmart in my car, "Lord, I need to hear from you. Send someone who knows you AND knows me." (Sometimes the person may know God, but not know the work God is doing in your life. Other times, they may know you, but not know God. I needed someone who knew both.)


I called a couple friends. They were unavailable or asleep. As I walked through Walmart searching for the packaging tape I was looking for to seal up the moving boxes, I held my head and groaned audibly. A very friendly young man came up to me and greeted me. I recognized his face but didn't know his name. I'd never spoken with him before but he greeted me like a long lost friend. I was on the phone seeking comfort from a friend when this practical stranger greeted me and wouldn't leave me alone. I told him I'd get back with him once I got off the phone. The headache wouldn't leave and I couldn't think so I got off the phone and continued my search for the tape.


I ran into the young man again and he offered to help me find the tape. After seeking help from a sales associate for me, he led me to the tape in a rear aisle in the store. Immediately afterwards he started sharing his testimony with me. Within the first 5 minutes of sharing the vice around my head released. My headache was gone. He had my full attention because I knew immediately God was speaking to me. I stood there transfixed as I listened to him. He went from telling his testimony to speaking prophetically. I was in awe. He was confirming the things God had previously said to me and telling me of some things that God was about to do for me. I marveled at God and how he answered my prayer. I thought, "Wow God, you're awesome! You knew that no one really knew what you were doing in me, or that no one knows me like you do, so you came yourself to speak to me through a stranger!" It was a very special "moment" (the guy spoke to me that way for almost an hour and a half)!


So this morning as I reflected on what God did last night and as I remembered again the care of the Lord to send his messenger to speak to me at such a crucial time 5 months ago, it brought home how critically important it is for us to be careful to whom and how we listen. In both instances the people who were giving me godly counsel, were indeed giving me biblical (Logos) counsel, just not spiritually discerned counseled, or Rhema counsel. Good people, good words just not in the right season.

"Be quick to listen, slow to speak..." James :19a

He Waters My Soul

Psalm 63:1-8
O God, you are my God,
earnestly I seek you:
my soul thirsts for you,
my body longs for you,
in a dry and weary land
where there is no water.

I have seen you in the sanctuary
and beheld your power and your glory.


Because your love is better than life,
my lips will glorify you.
I will praise you as long as I live,
and in your name I will lift up my hands.

My soul will be satisfied as with the richest of foods;
with singing lips my mouth will praise you.

On my bed I remember you;
I think of you through the watches of the night.
Because you are my help,
I sing in the shadow of your wings.
My soul clings to you;
your right hand upholds me.
   __________________

What more is there to say?

Thank You for Being You

Hi Friends,
I've been a bit swamped lately, but should have a post in the next few days. I've enjoyed reading your posts and leaving comments. I hope my comments haven't been too lengthy. It's my way of showing thoughtful appreciation for you sharing your heart.

There is one thing that's been on my mind that I hope to share in more detail soon and would like your feed back. All you are believers. How do we reach the unbelievers through our blogs? I realize I may have to create a new blog to reach them, but my heart is burning within me for us to do more to reach the lost through this medium. Any ideas?
Chat soon.

Beverly

UNITY

"Finally, all of you, live in harmony with one another; be sympathetic; love as brothers, be compassionate and humble. Do not repay evil with evil or insult with insult, but with blessing, because to this you were called so that you may inherit a blessing."   (1 Pet. 3:8, 9)


- Here again I am struck with the remembrance of Jesus' last prayer as recorded in John chapter 17, "May they be brought to complete unity to let the world know that you sent me and have loved them even as you have loved me." Paul's exhortation in 1 Cor. 13 also comes to mind, that the greatest of all the fruit of the Spirit is love.

- "Live in harmony with one another," Peter says. "Be sympathetic; love as brothers, be compassionate and humble." He tells us how to do it by not repaying evil with evil or trading insult for insult but rather with blessing. How are we doing? If we were to ask the world around us, "How are we doing?" By looking at our individual lives, I wonder what they would say? I think, sadly, we already know how they judge us as a whole. As I look around at all the churches on street corners, sometimes 3 and 4 on one corner, I wonder why we don't have more of an impact. Could it be failure to obey the above instruction? We fail to love one another? We fail to sacrifice ourselves for each other, as Christ did for us? Paul said in Phil. 2:3, "Do nothing out of selfish ambition or vain conceit, but in humility consider others better than yourselves. Each of you should look not only to your own interests, but also to the interests of others."

- We're still too sensitive. Still too caught up in our flesh. Still following the world where "I" am the center of the universe; where it's all about me. That's the opposite of Christ's example and teaching. We're still babes, where by now some of us should be more mature. Father, help us please.


Continuing in 1 Peter 3: 10-12:
"Whoever would love life and see good days must keep his tongue from evil and his lips from evil speech. He must turn from evil and do good; he must seek peace and pursue it. For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer, but the face of the Lord is against those who do evil."

- Often God's promises are contingent on obedience to a command. Here he says if we would love life and see good days, we must refrain from evil speech. We must turn from evil and do good. We must SEEK peace and PURSUE it. This is continuous; a continuous dying to the flesh. We're in a marathon, not a sprint. We, the collective body of Christ, are in the Olympics, in case no one told you, and the world is our audience. In our race, many obstacles are thrown in our path to test our obedience, or to strengthen our faith and develop perseverance. When the other runners on the track push us or cause us to fall, how do we respond? Do we show sportsmanship or throw a tantrum? Do we get up and keep running as though it's just about us or care for any others that may have tripped and fallen or may have been hurt, like in Jesus' parable about the Good Samaritan?

- "For the eyes of the Lord are on the righteous and his ears are attentive to their prayer." Ahhh, how that encourages me. He sees, He knows, He cares and He hears me. Whether man shows appreciation or not for the sacrifices, whether man understands or not, God does. It is He that we serve and desire to please. It is He who gives us the strength to keep going.

At the end of 1 Peter chapter 5, Peter instructs, "Be self-controlled and alert. Your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion looking for someone to devour. Resist him, standing firm in the faith, because you know that your brothers throughout the world are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."

- Many of us know the first part of that popular verse well, that "your enemy the devil prowls around like a roaring lion..." But there's strong encouragement in the second half of that verse. "RESIST him... STAND firm in the faith, BECAUSE... your brothers throughout the WORLD are undergoing the same kind of sufferings."


UNITY:
"Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves.
A cord of three strands is not quickly broken.
                              - Ecclesiastes 4:12

Oh, To Be Like Thee

"Oh, to be like thee, Oh, to be like thee,
Blessed Redeemer, pure as thou art.
Come in thy sweetness, come in thy fullness,
Stamp thine own image, deep on my heart."

"The tongue has the power of life and death,
and those who love it will eat its fruit."
                                     Proverbs 18:21

"God saw all that he had made
and it was very good."
                                  Genesis 1:31

God took the time after he had spoken and created the heavens and the earth to make man in his own image and breathe into his nostrils (Genesis 2:7). No other part of his creation did he get as involved as in the creation of man and woman.
He also sent his only begotten Son to die for this man that he created, He loved him so.

My soul cries out the chorus of the old hymn above as I prepare for the debut of my book tonight. Lord, have your way.

I'm excited, but tempered. I'm excited about what God is about to do in the lives of men and women, especially that of African American men and women. There's a movement coming and I'm glad to be a participant with God, a vessel that he can use to help bring it about. I'm humbled and filled with joy that I can be an instrument of good tidings, of good news to a hurting people. "Oh say but I'm glad, I'm glad." (Another old hymn)

There's a lot that I can say on the subject, but I don't know that this is the forum for it right now. I just want to say, please pray for me. We're the family of God, the Body of Christ and there's a large segment of our body and in our country that needs understanding and healing.

Your comments are welcome.

God Bless.

If you're interested, you can tune in live at 8pm (eastern) tonight. New Vision International Ministries is interviewing me about the book and having a men's discussion panel. However, my heart is to see God move among the men and women in attendance- to spark change. www.nvim.org.

Immerse Yourself

"Therefore, prepare your minds for action; be self-controlled; set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed. As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance. But just as he who called you is holy, so be holy in all you do; for it is written: 'Be holy, because I am holy.'" 1 Peter 1:13-15

1. "Prepare your minds for action...." How do you prepare your mind for action? I do so through meditation on the word of God and prayer. I would also add that confessing your faults/sins to a strong believer that can hold you accountable and intercede with you is also encouraged in the Word.

2. "Be self-controlled..." How can you be more self-controlled? Meditation on the word of God, self-reflection and prayer. I think it's important to assess your weaknesses and put guards up. If you don't learn from your previous mistakes, you're bound to repeat them.

3. "Set your hope fully on the grace to be given you when Jesus Christ is revealed." How do you do this? The key is to set your hope fully... YOU have to do that. No one else can do that for you. You have to soak yourself in the word and hope that Jesus prepared for us. You have to believe the Word first and believe the promises of the Word. Then fix your eyes on Jesus. Zone in as he did on the hope set before him that allowed him to endure the cross. We have to zone in on the hope set before us and not on our current circumstances, good or bad, it's not to be compared to what God has in store for us.

4. "As obedient children, do not conform to the evil desires you had when you lived in ignorance." Think about what things had you bound before Christ, the sins that so easily entangled. Compare yourself to a child (for we really are children), what's your level of obedience? Again, you have to identify those weak areas and strengthen against them. I rehearse in my mind how I want to deal with certain things when they tempt me. I've identified my weak areas (and the devil knows them too) and though I recognize them and know I can be susceptible to them, I work on strengthening those areas and practice offensive and defensive manuevers. Frequently apostle Paul makes reference to the war in members or how the spirit wrestles with the flesh. This is a fight. Make up your mind not to conform or give in. We are a new creation.

5. "Be holy..." We are made holy through the blood of Jesus, however, now the word is telling us to BE holy, ie., to walk in holiness, to walk in obedience, to walk righteously.

Oh Lord,
"Because your love is better than life, my lips will glorify you."  Thank you for your Comforter. Thank you for your Word. Thank you that we are never alone. Thank you for your guidance. Thank you for your faithfulness, you never slumber and you never sleep. Thank you for your love, your mercy and your grace. Help us this day to walk as you would have us walk. Help us to be prepared in our minds, our spirits and bodies. Help us to walk by faith and not by sight today. Strengthen us so that we do not succumb to temptation, but walk in obedience to your word.


Because your love is better than life, we want our lips and our lives to glorify you.

In Jesus' name, Amen.